The Flaming Lips are fun with a capital F. They always bring the goods live and Sunday night at the Hordern Pavilion was no different. I have seen them a few times over the years but I am very happy I bought a ticket to this one. Especially as they were playing their classic album in 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots' in full. It was great to hear it in order and the band in full flight. Giant robots were blown up, there were great visuals, there were giant balloons and confetti and streamers. And front man Wayne Coyne was his usual charismatic self. It was a very fun hour, with 'Do You Realize??' an obviosu highlight. Then the band took a brief break before they returned with set of hits and favourites. 'She Don't Use Jelly' was an obvious starting point and the whole venue was rocking. But my personal favourite was 'Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung'. But honestly, it was all great from the absolute kings of fun.
Set List
Fight Test
One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 2
In the Morning of the Magicians
Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell
Are You A Hypnotist??
It's Summertime
Do You Realize??
All We Have Is Now
Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia)
She Don't Use Jelly
Flowers of Neptune 6
The Spark That Bled
Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung
Waitin' For a Superman
Riding to Work in the Year 2025 (Your Invisible Now)
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings @ Sydney Opera House
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings have put in a very early claim for the best show of 2025. It's only January but their show on Friday night at the Sydney Opera House will be very hard to beat. This was the second night of three and it was as perfect as you could possibly hope for. Their first tour in ages was hotly anticipated and they delivered in spades. They divide their shows into two sets. About an hour each before the encore. I loved everything minute. Welch is a supreme songwriter and conveys beauty and emotion just perfectly. She plays rhythm on her trusty Gibson acoustic. Whilst David Rawlings astounds with his incredible lead guitar on his 1930s Epiphone. Sometimes Welch breaks out the banjo. But that's it. Just the two of them. Alone on stage, in perfect unison. No frills, just the best of songs and melodies. I think they did switch out the set list a little, which meant 'Wayside/Back in Time' was left out. But that was my only complaint, a minor one at that. The rest was just a stream of greatness. And I was ecstatic that they pulled out a very early song in 'Caleb Meyer' at the end of the first set. And all of the songs they played from 2024's excellent 'Woodland' were great. Especially 'Empty Trainload of Sky' and 'Hashtag'. Then in the second set 'Revelator' and 'Six White Horses' soared like wild beasts. The encore was perfect. 'Look at Miss Ohio' had grown men crying (me), whilst 'I'll Fly Away' was a perfect singalong. But wait, they came back for more and closed with the country classic 'Jackson'. An awesome way to end an awesome show.
So many great songs in 2024 and it's always nearly impossible to single them out. But I made a list so here we go. Ultimately it was the MJ Lenderman song in 'Wristwatch' that I returned to over and over. I just loved it so much. The lyrics, the guitar, the melody. It truly had it all. Song epic songs pushed it hard though. Especially towards the end of the year. 'Screamland' by Father John Misty was a song I truly fell in love with. And 'Six Deaf Rats' by The Hard Quartet felt like a song that was truly written for me. And 'Mary Boone' by Vampire Weekend came very close as well. My favourite song from my favourite album of 2024 made a very strong case. A great year for music with many great songs.
1. Wristwatch-MJ Lenderman
2. Mary Boone-Vampire Weekend
3. Screamland-Father John Misty
4. Six Deaf Rats-The Hard Quartet
5. Slow Pain-Rosali
6. Empty Trainload of Sky-Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
7. Foxglove-Haley Heynderickx
8. Revelator-Phosphorescent
9. Right Back To It-Waxahatchee
10. Void-Ty Segall
11. Crimes of the Heart-Waxahatchee
12. Sadness As a Gift-Adrianne Lenker
13. On Tonight-Rosali
14. Non-Metaphorical Decolonization-Mount Eerie
15. Classical-Vampire Weekend
16. Planetarium-Blitzen Trapper
17. New Air-Ben Seretan
18. On My Knees-MJ Lenderman
19. A Hole In the Ground-Porridge Radio
20. Hashtag-Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
21. To Get It Right-Phosphorescent
22. Broom of Wind-Mount Eerie
23. Everyone Out-DIIV
24. Crashing Through-Friko
25. Rio's Song-The Hard Quartet
26. Joan in the Garden-The Decemberists
27. Old Scratch Blues-Jack White
28. My Room-Ty Segall
29. Mahashmashana-Father John Misty
30. The Circus Egotistica and the Girl Who Cried Bad Wolf-Floral Tattoo
31. Earthling-Osees
32. Conversion-Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
33. Babys In a Thundercloud-Godspeed You! Black Emperor
I think 2024 was a great year for music. So much to love and get excited by. But this exists outside the commercial side, which I think has never been lower in terms of quality. But the spirit of Indie, whatever that means these days, lives on. Some great music from veterans and some from newer acts. I try to listen to each new album released weekly and there is always something worth discovering. In 2024 it was a band that I guess is now considered a veteran one that I believe delivered the best album of the year. Vampire Weekend take their time with their records but the results speak for themselves. Their new album was immaculate and just bursting with beautiful melodies. My perennial favourite in Ty Segall released another stellar record, whilst wonderful artists like Rosali, Adrianne Lenker and Waxahatchee gave us superb gems. True icons such as Gillian Welch and Mount Eerie showed time is not sIlowing them down at all. Then MJ Lenderman returned with a new album, proving himself to be one of the most talented new talents on the planet. Very excited to see him again in March.
1. Only God Was Above Us-Vampire Weekend
2. Three Bells-Ty Segall
3. Manning Fireworks-MJ Lenderman
4. Bite Down-Rosali
5. Night Palace-Mount Eerie
6. The Hard Quartet-The Hard Quartet
7. Woodland-Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
8. Bright Future-Adrianne Lenker
9. Revelator-Phosphorescent
10. Tigers Blood-Waxahatchee
11. Mahashmashana-Father John Misty
12. Below the Waste-Goat Girl
13. No Title as of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead-Godspeed You! Black Emperor
14. Clouds in the Sky They Will Always Be There For Me-Porridge Radio
15. Love Changes Everything-Dirty Three
16. Allora-Ben Seretan
17. Romanticism-Hana Vu
18. Seed of a Seed-Haley Heynderickx
19. Heavy Metal-Cameron Winter
20. Always Happy to Explode-Sunset Rubdown
21. 100’s of 1000’s Millions of Billions-Blitzen Trapper
22. Boeckner!-Boeckner
23. Wall of Eyes-The Smile
24. Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here-Friko
25. Frog in Boiling Water-DIIV
26. Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom-Meatbodies
27. Wild God-Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
28. Little Rope-Sleater-Kinney
29. No Name-Jack White
30. The Collective-Kim Gordon
31. Blue Raspberry-Katy Kirby
32. Cutouts-The Smile
33. The Fool-Young Jesus
34. The Well I Fell Into-Why?
35. East My Love-Current Joys
36. When I’m Called-Jake Xerxes Fussell
37. Light Verse-Iron & Wine
38. Black Holes Don’t Choke-Charles Moothart
39. Cowboy Carter-Beyonce
40. The Neon Gate-Nap Eyes
41. No More Apocalypse Father-We Are Winter's Blue and Radiant Children
The Hard Quartet are my idea of a supergroup. An Indie Rock supergroup. Last year when the project was announced I was quite excited, but even I couldn't predict just how good it would turn out. Their debut album self titled album was very, very good. But with that sort of talent assembled what would you expect. Of course Pavement legend Stephen Malkmus heads the band. But throw in Jim White, Emmett Kelly and Matt Sweeney and you have a true collection of supreme talent. Their Australian tour was the first time they have toured as a band. They played three shows in the US last year, so Saturday night in Sydney was only the fifth time they have played live together. It doesn't show though, they are very tight and together. The set was just the album. So about an hour in length. Malkmus does most of the lead singing, but Sweeney sneaks in there too. His songs are more country tinged, adding a nice counter balance to the angular and twisty songs of Malkmus. Emmett Kelly is an exceptional guitarist whilst Australia's own Jim White is just an incredible drummer. They are the heart of the band I believe. I don't know what the future holds for The Hard Quartet, but for now I am just happy they exist.
Set List Earth Hater Rio’s Song Our Hometown Boy Renegade Heel Highway Killed By Death Hey It Suits You Six Deaf Rats Action for Military Boys Jacked Existence North of the Border Gripping the Riptide Thug Dynasty Chrome Mess
My first show of 2025 was a special one indeed. Friday night at the Factory Theatre was a double banger that brought together two great American acts that I guess could be grouped in the Americana category. The lead act was Phosphorescent. This was the band's first visit in over ten years so it was so great to welcome them back again. The small tour of Australia is off the back of 2024's excellent album in Revelator. The band played several songs off that record and they went down a treat. But it was older tunes that went down the best. 'Terror in the Canyons (The Woundest Master) into 'The Quotidian Beasts' was an absolute treat. I loved the epically beautiful 'Wolves' and of course the masterpiece in 'Song for Zula' was beautiful indeed. In the encore Matthew Houck went solo for two songs and showed what a beautiful singer he is. He also seems to be a beautiful soul, connecting and thanking the audience on many occasions. Then the band, who were truly excellent joined him again for the rousing closer in 'Ride On/Right On'. Hopefully it won't take another decade for this excellent band to return to these shores.
The opening act was just as exceptional. It was none other than the great Will Sheff. Sheff is carving out a solo career but is better known as the lead singer of the great Okkervil River, a band very close to my heart. Sheff is a remarkable songwriter and he gave us eight beautiful songs, mainly those he wrote for the band. 'A Stone' was its incredible self of course, whilst a stripped back 'No Key, No Plan' was a sonic wonder. Sheff now has a shaggy beard and plays with a beaten up acoustic, but his music is just as beautiful as ever. Hopefully he will be back again soon too.
Set List C’est La Vie No.2 Revelator Impossible House Wide As Heaven Terror in the Canyons (The Wounded Master) The Quotidian Beasts New Birth in New England There From Here The World is Ending Tell Me Baby (Have You Had Enough) Wolves Song for Zula
Endless (solo) Joe Tex, These Taming Blues (solo) Ride On/Right On
I believe 2024 was an excellent year for film. I saw at least one film a week, often two. My list of favourite films is based on 2024 Australian release dates. And my favourite films came out early in the year, with Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest staying on top all year. They were both remarkable films. Smart and intelligent, exquisitely acted and directed. They were both films that stayed long in my memory. Films like All Of Us Strangers and The Holdovers were other films I totally admired early in the year. The 2024 Academy Awards were dominated by Oppenheimer and rightly so. My favourite film of 2023 and I believe a five star masterpiece.
I think easily the best blockbuster film of the year was Dune Part Two, but overall it's always the smaller films that dominate my list. Probably the best of these was A Real Pain, a film I truly loved. Be interesting to see how it fares in the upcoming awards season. Same with Anora, another admirable film. There are plenty of films opening soon too that I am looking forward to. Such as Conclave, The Brutalist, We Live in Time, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, A Complete Unknown, Queer and September 5.
1. Anatomy of a Fall 2. The Zone of Interest 3. All Of Us Strangers 4. The Holdovers 5. Dune Part Two 6. The Iron Claw 7. About Dry Grasses 8. A Real Pain 9. His Three Daughters 10. Green Border
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