the partae

Bakers Eddy have released their eagerly anticipated new EP I’m Doing Better, out now via ADA.

Featuring triple j backed singles ‘Manners Street’ and ‘Dust On My Brain’, tongue-in-cheek extraterrestrial fan track ‘UFO’, and three brand new songs ‘Caroline’, ‘How Do I Know’ and new focus track ‘Hopeless Dreams’, I’m Doing Better is Bakers Eddy at their most exciting, and their most honest.

Alongside the EP release, the band are excited to announce a national run in August and September, with metropolitan and regional dates throughout QLD, NSW, SA, and VIC.

Talking about the record, frontman Ciarann Babbington shares:

“It’s a step in a new direction for us, and I think it will feel like a breath of fresh air for anyone who has been a fan for the last few years. We’re wearing our early emo/pop punk influences on our sleeve more than we’ve ever done, and we’re speaking about things that really matter to us. We’re letting people in on our experiences growing up together, and at times we’re being more vulnerable than we’ve ever been before. But it’s high energy at all times, which has become a staple of this band and something I don’t think will ever go away.”

The EP’s focus track ‘Hopeless Dreams’ is one such example of this vulnerability, touching on

“that feeling of fear that you might succumb to life when things get difficult, and wind up giving up on your dreams when things feel too hard,” Ciarann reveals. “This is something I was going through before writing this song. I was doing a lot of thinking and noticing patterns of getting in my own way sometimes. Putting this down on paper helped make me more aware of these things which I think is a good thing, to be honest and vulnerable and try to not make the same mistakes.”

Self-produced alongside Vincent McIntyre (Fan Girl / Mr Industry / Elizabeth M. Drummond),
Mixed by Justin Gerrish (Vampire Weekend / The Strokes / Weezer),
Mastered by Emily Lazar (Foo Fighters / Coldplay / Sia),
I’m Doing Better combines elements of alt rock, pop, and 2000s garage, glued together by energetic pop punk-influenced melodies.

The EP is the Naarm-based, Aotearoa-raised band’s first record since their acclaimed 2022 debut album Love Boredom Bicycles (Ivy League), with lead single ‘Manners Street’ reigniting their momentum in March this year. ‘Manners Street’, a love letter to the band’s beloved Aotearoa hometown of Wellington, saw the band back in fine form, with an add to full rotation on triple j after a first play on the station’s Home & Hosed program.

Second single ‘Dust On My Brain’ debuted on triple j’s Drive program and swiftly found itself to be a fan-favourite, with the crowd singing every word back to them at their launch show just days after release. Both tracks landed coverage from Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Music Feeds, The Music, Happy Mag, Tone Deaf and more – plus playlisting support from Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon.

Earlier this year, Bakers Eddy embarked on a successful month-long stint overseas, writing and performing in the USA including appearances at SXSW in Austin, and New York’s New Colossus Festival.

Led by charismatic Ngāti Porou / Ngāti Tuwharetoa frontman Ciarann Babbington, and rounded out by childhood friends Jamie Gordon (drums) and twin brothers Ian (bass) and Alex Spagnolo (guitar), Bakers Eddy have spent the last couple of years moving between extensive touring schedules, identity-shaping writing sessions, and meaningful conversations. The band have supported the likes of Maggie Lindemann, Stand Atlantic, Beddy Rays, WAAX, and Grandson, and their compelling and undeniably electric live shows have seen them win over audiences wherever they go.

BAKERS EDDY

I’M DOING BETTER EP TOUR

Friday 8th August – The Austral – Adelaide, SA
Friday 15th August – Buddys Bar – Sydney, NSW
Saturday 16th August – 7th Day Brewery – Brookvale, NSW
Thursday 21st August – Mo’s Desert Clubhouse – Gold Coast, QLD
Friday 22nd August – Black Bear Lodge – Brisbane, QLD
Friday 12th September – Shotkickers – Melbourne, VIC

🎟️ For tickets and more information visit www.bakerseddy.com

CONNECT WITH BAKERS EDDY

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Globally renowned Australian rockers Ocean Alley are thrilled to announce their fifth studio album, Love Balloon, set for release on September 19 via Community Music. Alongside the news, the six-piece have dropped the record’s infectious title track.

Joyful and uplifting, “Love Balloon” offers a blissful glimpse into the band’s creative direction on their upcoming album – confident, exploratory and full of character. Anchored by an irresistible groove and a shimmering Nile Rodgers-inspired guitar riff, the track threads an unexpected touch of disco flair along its pulsating bassline, marking playful new territory for the band. It feels effortlessly spontaneous, echoing the carefree energy of previous singles “Tangerine” and “Left Of The Dealer”. It’s charming, lighthearted, and above all, fun.

Working with legendary producer Nick DiDia (Bruce Springsteen, Powderfinger, Rage Against The Machine) for the first time, the band embraced a stripped-back, more emotionally resonant approach to Love Balloon. Across 10 tracks, they take listeners on a journey through life and love in all its complexity, underscored by moments of light, vulnerability and connection. There are moments that feel expansive and hopeful, and others that are more introspective and raw. It’s not ignorant of our inner worlds or the world outside – it offers an escape from it.

On the record, keyboardist and vocalist Lach Galbraith explained, “The album explores the many layered dimensions of love – not just the cinematic kind where you’re falling head over heels, but the full spectrum: joy, hurt, discomfort and disappointment. Let’s call it the river of love – whether it’s with a partner, a friend, or family, you never know when it’ll get deep, go shallow, or suddenly change course. It’s such a force that you have to just surrender to its current.”

With a reputation for their magnetic live performances, and a catalogue that’s now surpassed 1 billion streams, Ocean Alley have a huge run of international dates to come throughout 2025. They are making appearances at iconic festivals including Lollapalooza, Sziget and Austin City Limits, alongside shows at LA’s Hollywood Palladium and Brooklyn Paramount in New York. The group will make their first trip to Latin America with shows in Mexico, Brasil and Chile, before taking on their largest headline show to date, anywhere in the world – at London’s iconic 10,000 capacity Alexandra Palace in September.

MELT 2025

IS COMING IN
FIRST PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT REVEALED!
22 OCT – 9 NOV
ON SALE FROM 10AM TODAY!

Following a record-breaking, traffic-stopping, absolutely joyous festival in 2024, Melt Festival returns in 2025 to crank the fabulous factor up to eleven.

From Swarovski-studded cabaret icons to river flotillas, sweaty dance floors and hilariously gay PowerPoint nights, Brisbane’s annual festival of Queer arts and culture promises to be a city-wide celebration of internationally acclaimed artists, homegrown icons, sexy premieres and boundary-pushing brilliance. Here’s just a taste of what’s in store for Melt’s 2025 edition!

Get ready for the cultural climax of the year as fearless, sharp-witted and fabulous cabaret superstar, Reuben Kaye, unleashes the Queensland premiere of enGORGEd for Melt Festival 2025 at QPAC. Featuring Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and musical direction by Shanon D Whitelock, this is Kaye’s most lavish, loud and liberated show yet.

Making its Melt debut, Ben Graetz’s (aka Miss Ellaneous) Miss First Nation drag pageant will catwalk into Brisbane, celebrating Blak excellence, creativity and culture with the most glamourous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander queens in the country. After state heats around the country, the grand finale will take centre stage at Melt, where the nation’s fiercest will battle it out for the crown. Expect jaw-dropping performances, powerful storytelling and cultural pride.

What does it mean to be “Australian” in 2025? New musical The Lucky Country tackles that question with wit, warmth and a touch of musical rebellion. Directed by Sonya Suares with music and lyrics by Vidya Makan, this genre-defying work confronts Australia’s cultural contradictions with honesty, heart and a rocking score. Get ready for a sharply observed, joyously unapologetic production that leaves no myth unexamined.

River Pride Parade returns, bringing a flotilla of fabulousness down the Brisbane River/Maiwar, from West End to Brisbane Powerhouse. Got a boat? Register your interest to join the fleet HERE. No boat? Get ready to SPLASH OUT as Harry K launches a fabulously Queer boat party on Brisbane’s newest entertainment venue OASIS.

Queer PowerPoint is back and it’s gayer, geekier and more gloriously unhinged than ever. Watch a rotating cast of Queer creatives turn boring boardroom tools into high-concept hilarity and unexpectedly wild theories. The only rule…they must use the most mundane medium, Microsoft PPT. Topic? Niche. Delivery? Unfiltered. Results? Hysterical. Think you’ve got something to share? Apply to present HERE.

Iconic star of stage and screen Bernadette Peters returns for her first Australian performance in over a decade and a major cultural moment for theatre and music lovers alike! An Evening with Bernadette Peters will hit the Brisbane Convention Centre on Friday 24 October. Expect a glorious night of songs and stories from Peters’ incredible career, accompanied by Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra. Get your tickets HERE.

Last year Melt called on Australia’s LGBTQIA+ community and allies to get nude and 5500 people answered that call for Spencer Tunick’s monumental installation on the Story Bridge. This year Melt is asking you to get vocal! Round out your Melt experience with 1000 Voices, a major choral event uniting queer and ally choirs and solo singers in one monumental moment of song, spirit and solidarity – a love letter to community, courage and collective harmony. Goosebumps guaranteed.

Melt 2025 continues to push the envelope, bringing together explosive nightlife, emotionally resonant theatre and thought-provoking visual art. Hole-Mania 2.0 promises an unhinged, high-energy Queer wrestle-party at The Tivoli, hosted by Queer dance party icon Shandy and drag menace Gogo Bumhole. Meanwhile, horror meets high drag in Scream Queen at the Princess Theatre, a blood-curdling drag spectacular starring a killer lineup of global drag royalty including Naomi Smalls, Yvie Oddly, and Drag Race UK winner Kyran Thrax.

In theatre, the program cuts deep with works that reckon with identity, belonging and colonisation. Jordan Shea’s award-winning Malacañang Made Us at Queensland Theatre explores the Filipino-Australian diaspora with epic scale and emotional grit. Whitefella Yella Tree at La Boite Theatre is a luminous love story between two Aboriginal boys on the brink of invasion, a poetic and heartbreaking reflection on land and first love, while Gerwyn Davies new work Shimmer brings stunning, identity-focused photographic portraits to the Museum of Brisbane, made in collaboration with trans and gender-diverse young people at Open Doors Youth Service.

Other program highlights include the return of Micah Rustichelli’s Demon Rhythm, which challenges the value of image consumption through a massive work of painting and repurposed Instagram imagery from the app’s explore page, SEXY GAY ART at VENTspace, a saucy, subversive showcase of Queer desire in all its forms and Femme Follies Burlesque, a sapphic spin on classic cabaret that brings fierce femme energy and glamorous grit to The Wickham. Rounding out Melt’s first program announcement for 2025 is Still Lives: Brisbane by Luke George and Daniel Kok, a roped-up homage to the city’s punk past, suspending instruments (and performers) in a haunting reanimation of Brisbane’s radical roots.

Minister for the Environment and Tourism and Minister for Science and Innovation, Andrew Powell said: “After a phenomenal debut, Melt returns in 2025 as one of Queensland’s most dynamic and inclusive celebrations of arts and culture. Now in its second year, the festival continues to spotlight the creativity, pride, and diversity of our LGBTQIA+ communities, while drawing visitors from across Australia and beyond.

“The Queensland Government is proud to support Melt through Tourism and Events Queensland, recognising its growing impact as a cultural and tourism highlight on our calendar”.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane is ready to welcome visitors from all over Australia to this unique and beloved celebration.

“Melt is an amazing celebration of our LGBTQIA-plus community, creating so much to do in our vibrant arts and cultural scene,” Cr Schrinner said.

“There’s no better place to have such an iconic festival, with our river, cultural precinct and Brisbane Powerhouse set to stage a program full of world-renowned acts, international artists and local talent.

“Melt is set to attract thousands of residents and visitors, and it offers a fantastic boost to our economy as everyone enjoy our bars, restaurants and hotels”.

And honey, this is just the beginning! Full program coming soon…

MELT 2025
Brisbane/Magandjin: 22 October – 9 November

TICKETS ON SALE FROM 10AM TODAY!

For more information, please visit:
melt.org.au

The program’s first announced events include:

An Immersive Winter Experience Set to Open in Melbourne  

Tickets on sale now through Megatix 

Melbourne’s iconic Riviera Beach Club in partnership with Happen Group has today unveiled plans for a  brand-new immersive Winter Wonderland experience launching in time for the school holidays. 

The Riviera Winter Wonderland will see the Elwood venue transform into the ultimate winter experience  every day from 01June 2025 through to 03 August 2025.

The family-friendly experience will offer a variety of daytime entertainment including the custom-made  ice-skating rink complete with real ice, snow blizzards and skate aids! Private Igloos including catering  packages that are ideal for children’s birthday parties, a market area offering festival snacks, popcorn, fairy  floss, snow cones, face painting and more! 

By night, the space will transform into an ‘after-dark’ offering for adults including DJ’s and disco skating,  the private igloos will offer premium alcohol packages and catering for 2-6 guests while the market area  will serve the winter classics including mulled wine and a selection of cocktails. 

Overlooking the breathtaking views of Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne’s iconic waterfront restaurant, The  Pavilion Restaurant and Bar will offer a front row seat to all the winter wonderland action with their  exceptional food and dining experience available to guests. 

“We are excited to transform this iconic venue into a winter wonderland experience! We have ensured that  we have catered to both families with young children and the adults so that everyone can enjoy this event  by the bay in Melbourne.” Daniel McFadyen – Happen Group 

Ticket prices start at $18 with family packages available from $62 at www.megatix.com.au RIVIERA WINTER WONDERLAND 

Address – 42B Marine Parade, Elwood VIC 3184 

Open from 01 June 2025 – 03 August 2025 

4pm-10pm weekdays  

10am-10pm weekends  

Extended trading hours for school holidays will apply 

UK rap phenomenon Central Cee is hitting the road for his first-ever global tour following the highly anticipated release of his debut album. The CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS WORLD TOUR 2025 will bring his electrifying live show to fans across the world.

The Australian leg includes major stops at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, and wraps up at RAC Arena in Perth.

Need accessible seating?
Accessible tickets must be booked through the official ticketing agent’s dedicated hotline or online form.

TICKETS

Photography: Charlyn Cameron

After three years of grit, growth, and deep soul-searching, Katie Brooke unveils her second studio album Relentless – a project that captures her most defining years as a songwriter, a mother, and a woman walking unapologetically in her own boots.

Written entirely by Katie and produced with long-time collaborator Rusty Crook in Tamworth, Relentless blends classic country roots with raw, reflective storytelling. It’s a natural progression from her 2022 debut Sticks, Stones and Stories, but this time, the stories hit even harder.

“I started writing this album three years ago, around the same time I became a mother and my life shifted to a whole new realm,” Katie shares. “In that time, I became the artist I’ve always hoped to be. My songwriting got more honest, more traditional, more me. It’s the most true I’ve ever felt.”

That truth echoes through every track. There’s a maturity to this record – not just in vocal delivery or production, but in the songwriting itself. Each track feels like a journal entry cracked open for the listener.

At the heart of the album lies its bold title track, ‘Relentless’ – written in a storm of frustration and self-reflection. It’s a sonic statement of defiance, channelling burnout into clarity. That same undercurrent of resilience threads its way through ‘Too Far Down’ – a previous single that cracked the CountryTown Hot 50 airplay chart in 2023 – and ‘Ain’t No 9 to 5’, a foot-stomping salute to the work ethic and passion Katie inherited from her family – celebrating sweat, legacy, and the kind of drive that doesn’t clock off when the day ends.

The album also leans into vulnerability with unflinching honesty. ‘A Little Dirt’, which hit #2 on both the Play MPE Country Most Downloaded and Most Streamed charts, is Katie at her most confessional – a bright, melodic reflection on regret and growth. ‘Someone’s Enemy’, explores the slow unravel of friendship, while ‘Higher Ground’ serves as a moving tribute to her hometown and the 2022 Northern Rivers floods that reshaped it forever.

There’s also room for heart in its most nurturing form. ‘You Can Always Come Home’ was written for Katie’s daughter Faith – a love letter to unconditional love and belonging. On the flip side of tenderness is ‘Can’t Fake That’, a whip-smart, playful tribute to country women living the life for real – not for image. With a wink to cowgirl culture and an undeniable swagger, it’s a refreshing burst of confidence and camaraderie.

The cinematic, ‘Haunted or Holy’ is the kind of track that unfolds differently on every listen, while ‘Secondhand Spurs’ is a nostalgic ride through Katie’s early 20s in Tamworth, where dreams, heartbreak, and horse riding collided. “If my 20s had a theme song, this one is it,” she laughs.

The sound of Relentless is unmistakably Katie – timeless, authentic, and beautifully lived-in. Featuring world-class musicians like Jason Roller (Alabama, Grand Ole Opry Band), Rusty Crook, and Bradley Bergen, the album was recorded slowly and intentionally, with Katie traveling five hours each way from her rural NSW home to Tamworth. “That drive became its own ritual,” she recalls. “A time to reflect, dream, and shape this album into something that feels worn in and well loved.”

Raised on a beef cattle property and now raising her own family in the same Northern NSW pocket, Katie has never chased a trend. Her whip-smart lyrics, salt-of-the-earth vocals, and no-nonsense charm have earned her a loyal following. Alongside accolades like winning the Listen Up Music Songwriting Prize (Gold Coast Semi-Final) and sitting on its national judging panel, she’s opened for the likes of The Black Sorrows, Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley and Shannon Noll.

Her Relentless album tour will take Katie and her full band across regional and metro Australia – a long-awaited step up for the country artist who’s previously toured solo or acoustically.

Whether she’s riding horseback with a guitar, writing songs while the baby naps, or cracking whips (just like her dad did when he opened the Sydney 2000 Olympics) – Katie Brooke is as real as they come. Relentless effortlessly channels that authenticity and marks a turning point, not just in her career, but in her own story.

“I experienced a major flood, became a first-time mum, faced some tough failures – and still kept pushing forward. This album is about that journey. It’s about becoming.”

It’s not just the sound of a country artist finding her feet – it’s the sound of one finally riding full tilt into who she’s always been.

TOUR DATES:

Friday 16^th May – Chattahoochee Joe’s – Brisbane QLD
Saturday 17^th May – Mummulgum Hall – Mummulgum NSW
Saturday 31^st May – The Hoey Moey Country Music Festival – Coffs Harbour NSW
Sunday 1^st June – The Crown Hotel Grafton – Grafton NSW
Sunday 15^th June – The Northern Rivers Hotel – Lismore NSW