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Kaeto – Intro – Backseat Mafia
Kaeto’s music is the culmination of a period of sonic self-discovery for the Scottish-born, London-based artist. It was back in 2019 that Kaeto first entered the studio with outside producers and began building a sound that would be all her own, but the route she’s taken since is a mark of her maverick and inventive approach to music. Now it’s 2024, and her debut mixtape, ‘Intro’, is out for the world to hear. Written and produced by herself and Mathias Wang (aka Junkmail). Many of the songs were written while the pair were in Seville, which Kaeto describes as “such an inspiring place to work and one of my favourite places…
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a cornucopia of delights. – Backseat Mafia
With the welcome regularity and relief of a southerly buster after a stinking hot Sydney day, the esteemed The Nature Strip are back with another album packed full of pop goodness, delivered with their usual wry sense of humour and an uplifting lilt that’s as infectious as the crowd in a mosh pit these days. Unbelievably this is only their fourth album (they feel like they’ve been part of the sonic furniture for a lot more than that) but it has taken a long seven years since their last release. ‘Domesticated Beast’ might well refer to their ability to wrestle the expansive wilds of the pop canon into 12 bite-sized…
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Rory Gallagher Celebration starting Joe Bonamassa – Due to popular demand, third show added on July 3rd, 2025 – Backseat Mafia
Presented by Aiken Promotions in association with Donal & Daniel Gallagher, critically acclaimed and globally celebrated blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa and band will play a third night Live at the Marquee Cork as a special celebration of the legendary Rory Gallagher. The first two dates, 1st & 2nd July 2025 are now sold out. Tickets for this third date on July 3rd will go on sale Thursday 17th October at 10am. Tickets will be available from Ticketmaster.ie and Aikenpromotions.com. Described by Guitar World magazine as, “Arguably the world’s biggest blues guitarist,” Joe Bonamassa opened for the great BB King when he was just 12 years old. An acclaimed virtuoso, Joe Bonamassa has sold over 10 million records, earned 27 #1 Billboard Blues albums. What’s more,…
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HotKid – Downtown – Backseat Mafia
HotKid is the creative vision of Canadian producer, songwriter, and guitarist Shiloh Harrison. Along with Harrison, the EP features Jesse Bellon on guitar, Andrew DeVillers on bass, and Mike McKeever on drums. The full-band tracks were recorded live off the floor at the National Music Centre’s Studio Bell in Calgary. This new EP has a gorgeous, intimate feel. The title track, ‘Downtown,’ sounds so fresh, recorded live. Shiloh Harrison’s effortless vocals sound, at first, at odds with the loose distortion of the guitars, yet it all just works—it always has for Hotkid. It’s like a messy sonic whirlwind, with McKeever keeping things grounded with his bass drum at the centre,…
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London’s Beth McCarthy Slays Sydney’s Factory Theatre 13.10.2024 – Backseat Mafia
There’s a curious buzz outside the Factory Theatre before the doors have even swung open. A queue at 7 PM is a rarity, but tonight marks Beth McCarthy’s first appearance in Sydney, and it’s clear that crowd’s ready. McCarthy’s IDK How To Talk To Girls tour has crossed hemispheres, bringing with it the London-based artist’s unapologetically queer voice, which has already resonated across major festival stages in Europe—BBC R1’s Big Weekend, PinkPop, Reeperbahn. She’s a beacon for the LGBTQIA+ community, her presence both defiant and inviting. The opener, Carla Wehbe, has grown leaps and bounds since I first saw her at Oxford Art Factory two years ago. Her set is…
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Ocean Alley – Tangerine – Backseat Mafia
Australian rockers Ocean Alley have returned with a new single titled ‘Tangerine’, the first taste of new music from the six piece since 2022’s critically acclaimed album ‘Low Altitude Living’. Inspired by the breathtaking landscapes band members Baden Donegal and Lach Galbraith encountered moving from Byron Bay to Western Australia, the expansive and inviting “Tangerine” captures the essence of a sun-drenched summer day. Speaking on the track, lead singer Baden said: “We drove across the Nullarbor with our wives and dogs. The long, straight roads, the isolation and the different landscapes were intense and amazing. There was such contrast between the red dirt and crystal blue ocean. Seeing parts of the desert and sunsets on that commute, the sky…
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A Conductor of Moments, Ben Böhmer Performs ‘Bloom’ Live at Hordern Pavilion – Eora/Sydney, 11.10.24 – Backseat Mafia
Ben Böhmer‘s Bloom Live Tour hit Eora/Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on Friday night, a sold-out celebration of his latest album release. Walking in, it was clear that Böhmer’s music draws a diverse crowd, with outfits ranging from sleek electronic rave-babe fits to earthy, bush doof-inspired ensembles. His reach into both worlds is undeniable, bringing together those who thrive on melodic beats and others who find solace in the immersive soundscapes. I was met with a stranger offering directions followed by an equally casual offer of shrooms, further ahead, another attendee’s baggy of white powder met the bottom of security’s bin. Next door, Cold Chisel’s greatest hits echoed from The Showring in…
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Ocean Alley / Hockey Dad – Roundhouse, London 02.09.2024 – Backseat Mafia
By Henry Groves Saturday night, sold out Roundhouse, Aussie rock band. I’m not sure there are 3 bigger hints that this was going to be one hell of a gig. This was the first of 2 Roundhouse shows for the psychedelic surf rock band, and despite being the other side of the world from home, there was an incredible turnout for it. To make the night even more exciting, Ocean Alley had brought Hockey Dad along with them, one of my favourite Australian bands, and their set did not disappoint. It was the first time I had seen them since the release of their latest album ‘Rebuild Repeat’ which they…
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Ash at the Manning Bar, Sydney 12.10.2024 – Backseat Mafia
Ash, Northern Ireland’s enduring punk heroes, are set to level the Manning Bar tonight, and the energy is palpable. First up though, we’ve got So I Says to Mabel, hailing from Western Sydney. They rip into their set with the kind of reckless energy that can only come from a band born in the backrooms of urban pubs. Midway through, they drop an unexpected, yet oddly fitting, cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story.’ Gone is the fairytale lilt; instead, it’s driven by grinding guitars and a defiant snarl, transforming the once-sweet ballad into a gritty anthem for anyone who’s been chewed up by romance and spit back out. Ash hit…
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Dreamwave – Polystyrene Irene – Backseat Mafia
In anticipation of a string of nationwide tour dates this autumn, Bristol quartet Dreamwave have shared their psych-blues swagger of new single ‘Polystyrene Irene’ via Velvet Echoes (Wakey Wakey Rise & Shine). The track is the band’s first outing since their debut EP ‘Dreamwave In The Mindcave’ was released in May. Guitarist/vocalist Ben Symonds comments: “I was just feeling creative and had recently listened to Polythene Pam by the Beatles. My nan is called Irene, and she’s a big character who loves smoking ciggies – a real force of nature. I changed the title to polystyrene to rhyme with her name.” Rough blues played with a mega groove under buzzsaw guitars…
