James Murphy

1 week ago | scenestr.com.au | James Murphy

'Looking For Alibrandi', the beloved coming-of-age tale of three generations of Italian-Australian women, by Brink Productions and State Theatre Company South Australia, really has some secret sauce. Directed by Stephen Nicolazzo with a script by Vidya Rajan, this adaptation honours Melina Marchetta’s 1992 novel (and its 2000 film) but adds so much extra flavour.

2 weeks ago | scenestr.com.au | James Murphy

By the time Evan Dando wandered onto the stage at Adelaide's The Gov last night (22 May) wearing a red Coors hat and clutching a bottle, the house music was still blaring and, oddly, instead of waiting for it to be cut, he asked for it to be turned up. What followed was a meandering rap, accompanied by swaying and slurred fragments of speech.

3 weeks ago | scenestr.com.au | James Murphy

When Scottish indie-rock stalwarts Franz Ferdinand named their new album 'The Human Fear', they weren't just referencing a catchy lyric – they were acknowledging something much deeper. As bassist Bob Hardy explains, the title came late in the creative process, drawn from the lyric 'I've got the fear, I've got human fear' in the track 'Hook'. Once it landed, everything clicked. "You could see that each of the songs is kind of about different kinds of fears," Hardy says.

3 weeks ago | scenestr.com.au | James Murphy

Soccer Mommy, the alt-indie sensation, is onside and ready to score during her return to Australia this June. Like the rest of the music world, the pandemic had her on the sidelines but she's set to play Queensland festival Open Season, which was born out of the post-COVID music industry recovery, alongside concerts in Sydney, Melbourne, Torquay, Castlemaine and Perth.

3 weeks ago | scenestr.com.au | James Murphy

Disney’s 'Beauty And The Beast' may be a 'tale as old as time', but in 2025 its themes feel strikingly urgent and relevant. The story pointedly juxtaposes two forms of masculinity: Gaston’s dangerous chauvinism and the Beast’s wounded, redeemable soul. Gaston is a bicep-flexing gym bro alpha male – a character uncannily familiar in the age of 'make me a sandwich' misog-influencers Andrew Tate and online incel subcultures.