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3 weeks ago | 
backseatmafia.com | Andrew Fuller
All good things must come to an end, and so it was as Bluesfest wound its’ way into the final day. There is an air of disappointment surrounding the fact that the festival is soon to end for the year, mixed in with a feeling of elation around what has been before, and what is to come for the rest of the day. …..and for those who have been there for the entirety, there is also the inevitable feeling of exhaustion that comes from three and a half days of festival beforehand – and that included me.
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3 weeks ago | 
backseatmafia.com | Bluesfest Byron Bay |Andrew Fuller
The penultimate day, Saturday, saw a few early technical issues overcome, before leading to a slightly later start which still saw me get around to a further nine artists for the day. New festival favourites, 19-Twenty started out the proceedings, whipping the large crowds who now flock to their performances into a frenzy, setting the scene and mood for the rest of the day with their high-energy show and witty, laugh-out-loud banter.
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1 month ago | 
backseatmafia.com | Bluesfest Byron Bay |Andrew Fuller
Having made my way to 10 artists on the day before, I upped the ante on the second day trying to get to as many artists as I could before the inevitable fatigue set in, getting to a further 11 artists and peeking in on another one from the crowd while having an evening meal break and catching up with long-time friends who I have attended Bluesfest with since 2016.
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1 month ago | 
backseatmafia.com | Bluesfest Byron Bay |Andrew Fuller
It was great to get back amongst a full-blown festival once again, and Bluesfest delivered in spades as the Thursday saw huge crowds in attendance. As always, the festival begins with a traditional Welcome To Country, a sign of respect for the traditional owners of the land upon which the festival operates, the Bundjalung people.
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1 month ago | 
backseatmafia.com | Bluesfest Byron Bay |Andrew Fuller
On the Wednesday evening before the Easter long weekend, as the faithful 4 day campers are making their way in and setting up camp, Bluesfest have, over recent years, put on a single stage event with 3 or 4 acts as way of saying thank you to those festival goers who are regarded as the lifeblood of the event. This year, those who had made their way in early for their camping were offered 3 amazing artists that evening- Electric Cadillac, Don West and The California Honeydrops.
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2 months ago | 
backseatmafia.com | Andrew Fuller
30 years on from the release of their sophomore album, Hi-Fi Way, You Am I rolled into Hobart on their Hi-Fi Daily Double Down Tour to deliver a near religious experience to a 400 strong crowd of enthusiastic fans at the Odeon Theatre on Saturday evening. The band played two sets, during which time they played the entirety of both Hi-Fi Way and third album Hourly, Daily along with a host of other great hits from their extensive catalogue.
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2 months ago | 
backseatmafia.com | Andrew Fuller
Australia’s favourite off-beat exponents, Melbourne Ska Orchestra have released the second single from their as-yet unannounced new album, The Ballad of Monte Loco. Walls of Jericho follows on from the previously released John Wayne, a fast-paced track which follows in the same vein of marrying reggae and ska beats with the classic sounds of the Ennio Morricone mid 60’s western movies.
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2 months ago | 
backseatmafia.com | Andrew Fuller
Beloved Sydneyside indie rockers, The Preatures, are reuniting for a 15-date tour from June through to August to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their ground-breaking debut album, Blue Planet Eyes. The band will perform the album in its entirety, along with a collection of their much-loved hits, across major capital cities and regional centres throughout Australia on their ‘Blue Planet Eyes’ 10th Anniversary Tour.
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2 months ago | 
backseatmafia.com | Andrew Fuller |Arun Kendall
The depth and breadth of the Tasmanian music scene was put on full display at the launch of Dvrkworld‘s magnificent debut self-titled EP (see Backseat Mafia’s review here). Held at the über cool Altar Bar in Nipaluna/Hobart, the night was a blast of thoroughly satisfying brilliance from all the bands, ranging from the death metal throat roars of Crab, the angular cow punk of Funeral Jeans, the synthesised punk pogo pop from the Slag Queens to the wall of noise shoegaze assault from Dvrkworld.
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Mar 19, 2025 | 
backseatmafia.com | Andrew Fuller
Melbourne’s brilliant punk rock outfit, CIVIC, have today announced the May 30th release of their third album, Chrome Dipped via ATO Records. With the band willing to cut the ties to the raw, distinctly Australian punk rock blueprint of Future Forecast (2021) and Taken By Force (2023) CIVIC push themselves into fresh creative territory with Chrome Dipped. Marking a bold shift from their signature sound, the LP finds the band exploring new sonic territory while maintaining their sharp intensity.
