Music News

Photography: Josh Ma

Words: Ken Magno

There’s something different about dance concerts. Most bands and artists I’ve seen live recently, it’s a race to the front of the barricade to try gain the attention of whoever has the stage, though there’s something magic about the hypnotic trance of an electronic gig. The pounding bass echoing through the venue, the syncopation of frat flicks and red bull vodka induced “Woo’s” of eager many eager fans, there’s no better way to battle the oncoming cold weather than by burning up on the dance floor.

Enter Chris Lake; British electronic DJ and producer phenomenon who first took the world by storm back in 2006, turning the Hordern into a dance party not even some of the Sydney city’s most well-known dance clubs could compete with on a chilly Saturday night. His signature tech house sound accompanied by simple visuals (an LED screen hooked up to a livestream of the DJ alongside a light show that perfectly elevated the atmosphere) had the audience moving in a way that looked the Hordern had its own living heartbeat. 

Having just come off a fresh back-to-back set with Australia’s very own techno powerhouse FISHER, many eager eyes scouted around the room to see if the Under Construction (the moniker that the duo of Chris Lake and FISHER perform under) marathon continued – a speculation that would pay off as the night went on. Playing through some of his more popular tracks, including recent hits such as ‘Summertime Blues’, ‘In the Yuma’ and chart topper ‘Beggin’ as well as his 2024 remix of Gotye’s hit single ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ simply titled ‘Somebody’, the party raged on with FISHER acting as a hype man throughout the remainder of their time on stage (while also playing some FISHER classics in true b2b style. 

Chris Lake’s Disclosure collab ‘In2Minds’ signified the final moments of the night, closing out an insane season of shows and festivals for the dance mastermind. The show never ended even after the sound was cut off, with Lake taking to the stage once more to give the crowd one more chant, showing his love and appreciation for the people of Sydney one more time and bowing out to a thunderous applause of Sydney’s ever growing EDM community.

Photography & Words: Darren Chan

Melbourne got to experience two of rock’s most iconic artists at Margaret Court Arena. The autumn chill has kicked into Melbourne, but George Thorogood heated up the atmosphere with his long-time band, The Destroyers, consisting of drummer Jeff Simon, Bill Blough on bass, Jim Suhler on guitar, and Buddy Leach on saxophone.

From the get-go, it was rock ’n’ roll boogie with the opener “Rock Party.” Aussie blues-rock artist Hamish Anderson joined the band on percussion for Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love,” as George jokingly put it, “to be the lady magnet.”

Buddy added to the performance with some tasty saxophone licks and solos, intertwined with George’s percussive guitar rhythm playing. George had his moments to shine with an intense slide solo in “Gear Jammer.” Jim seamlessly carried both rhythm and lead guitar duties. They effortlessly ripped through crowd favourites including “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” “Gloria,” and “Get a Haircut” with sass and attitude.

The slide intro of “Bad to the Bone” had the crowd up and cheering, finishing with the classic “Born to Be Bad.” With George and The Destroyers, what you see is what you get—raw, in-your-face, blues-infused rock ’n’ roll boogie.

ZZ Top have been around for 51 years, and the show was an opportunity to experience the legends that have shaped rock and blues for decades. They strutted onstage to enthusiastic applause, kicking off with “Got Me Under Pressure” from the Eliminator album. The setlist spanned their entire career, seamlessly blending the past and present, including their hits “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Legs,” and deeper cuts like “Brown Sugar” from their debut album, the riff-laden “Just Got Paid,” and “Tube Snake Boogie.” They even threw in covers of Sam & Dave’s “I Thank You” and Merle Travis’ “Sixteen Tons,” previously performed with the late Jeff Beck, but done in their signature gritty Texas blues sound.

Billy Gibbons is a guitarist and music icon. Tonight, he cemented his status as the Texas blues statesman. His guitar playing was in the pocket and full of attitude, complementing his growly, gritty blues vocal. He seamlessly shifted from his instantly recognisable and iconic riffs in “Gimme All Your Lovin’” to bluesy licks and solos. There were plenty of moments to showcase his guitar chops—improvising before launching into “Head in Mississippi,” a solo in “Sixteen Tons,” swampy slide licks in “Just Got Paid,” and a one-handed solo in “Sharp Dressed Man.”

A former guitar tech for the late bassist Dusty Hill, Elwood Francis did an exemplary job as the bassist, keeping the spirit of ZZ Top alive on stage, performing the characteristic sways and moves with Billy. He held down the rhythmic backbone with drummer John Douglas, also a tech with the band, filling in for Frank Beard who could not perform on this tour.

Their stage presence is always larger-than-life, with Billy occasionally engaging directly with fans. The stage was stripped back but with a bit of glitz—Billy and Elwood wearing glittering jackets and pants, a gold tiki-adorned drum kit, and a wall of multicoloured Magnatone amps. Their regular guitar changes added a novelty factor, with Elwood starting the night with a monstrous 17-string bass, plush-covered guitars in “Legs,” and guitars with screen visuals in the encore.

As the band started riffing into the finale “La Grange,” the crowd were on their feet dancing. ZZ Top delivered a high-energy show of Texan blues and nostalgia. They are a testament to an enduring blues-rock legacy, and everyone was there to enjoy being part of their journey.

BEONIX, Cyprus’s premier electronic music festival, will take place on the sun-soaked shores of Limassol from September 19 to 21, 2025, bringing together a genre-spanning lineup of legendary names and rising talents. Held once again at the ETKO venue, the three-day celebration promises an unforgettable sonic journey across four immersive stages: Main Stage, Hangar Stage, Organic Stage, and Garden Stage.

Headlining the 2025 edition are some of the most influential names in the global electronic scene, including Adriatique, Armin van Buuren, Boris Brejcha, Dubfire, Len Faki, Maceo Plex, and Roger Sanchez. From progressive and melodic techno to house, trance, and live electronica, BEONIX curates a multifaceted musical experience for both dedicated ravers and curious newcomers.

The full lineup for BEONIX 2025 features over 50 international and regional artists:

Adriatique, Anfisa Letyago, Armin van Buuren, Boris Brejcha, Dubfire, Kevin Saunderson, Len Faki, Maceo Plex, Roger Sanchez, Shimza, ANII b2b Olympe, AS IDE, AVALAN ROCKSTON, AVANT b2b Solique, Avision, Axel Haube b2b Ross Quinn, BADBOX, Carlo Lio, Casey Spillman b2b Seb Zito, David Moreno, Deepesh Sharma b2b Romeo Ji, Henri Bergmann b2b Kadosh, Highjacks, Human Rias, James Zabiela, Jordan Masters b2b Smythy, Julian Prince b2b Kosta Kritikos, Juliet Fox, Just Jam b2b Wodda, Kole Audro, Lehar, LNTX, Markus Klee, Marlie, Octave One (live), Saraga, Spartaque, Tania Vulcano, The Advocate, The Element, Wax Material, Xavi Emparan, Yulia Niko, Zakes Bantwini.

Each of BEONIX’s four stages will offer its own soundscape and atmosphere, carefully curated to blend cutting-edge music with immersive art and lighting design. Every year, BEONIX invests heavily in the production of the Main Stage, ensuring audiences enjoy world-class sound quality and breathtaking visual experiences.

The festival takes place at ETKO, a historic former winery in Cyprus that has been carefully restored. The venue is home to art installations and murals created by talented artists, highlighting that BEONIX is not only about music, but also about celebrating art in all its forms.

Since its debut, BEONIX has established itself not just as a festival, but as a cultural movement celebrating creativity, diversity, and high-end production values in Cyprus. With its 2025 edition, BEONIX continues to push boundaries, turning the island into a global hub for electronic music enthusiasts.

Tickets are now available via the official BEONIX website: https://beonix.art/tickets

Website | Tickets | Instagram | Facebook

Photography: Abby Waisler

Words: Josh Ma

For most in the crowd at Qudos Bank Arena on Saturday night, it was a girls’ night out — clusters of best friends, mothers and daughters, and young women singing every lyric with the fervor of someone who’d been healing to these songs in their bedrooms for years. But for me as a boyfriend, we’ve only known her through the playlists of our girlfriends who has been blasting her for the last few weeks. 

And now, l get it. 

Gracie Abrams, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter hailed by some as “the next Taylor Swift,” didn’t need grand theatrics or elaborate choreography to hold the room. 

Where her father once told stories of galaxies far, far away, Gracie uses the smaller universe of heartbreak, healing, and coming-of-age to wage an emotional war — one waged with just a piano, a diary’s worth of lyrics, and the collective ache of 20,000 hearts. 

Her Sydney return was no small feat. From two show at Hordern Pavilion last year to three sold-out nights at Qudos Bank Arena, her swift ascent in Australia is a testament to the intimacy she creates in her music — and remarkably, still sustains in person, even under arena lights. 

Opening the night was LA-based artist Ashe, whose emotionally grounded set prepared the crowd with ease. Highlights included tracks from her new album Wilson — particularly Pull the Plug and Running Out of Time — and, of course, Moral of the Story, the 2019 hit that rocketed her to fame. As a fan of Ashe it was a special night watching her perform after her long break from music to focus on her mental health, we were unsure of whether she would return to perform anytime soon. Seeing her back on the stage filled me with joy and she truly shined so bright. 

Grscie Abrams took the stage with Felt Good About You, setting the tone with dreamy lighting and soft vocals that highlight the vulnerability of her lyrics. Her setlist spanned fan favourites and deeper cuts, with standout moments including Risk, Blowing Smoke , and 21, which saw fans waving for her attention. 

She greeted the crowd warmly: “Sydney, Australia — my name is Gracie Abrams and this is The Secret of Us Tour… We missed you so much. I’m so deeply obsessed with this crowd.” The sentiment felt sincere, particularly when she spoke about how much the new album meant to her and mentioned one of her best friends Audrey Hobert who helped create the album and has recently taken a step into the music industry with her upcoming song ‘Sue Me’ releasing this

May. As well as the one and only Taylor Swift, who collaborated on the project with the hit song ‘Us’ who has introduced new fans to Abram’s discography following her Era’s tour which Abram’s supported her on. 

The sea of white bows sang every word of the soft pop ballads. The thought that fans put into their outfits was unmatched with people cutting fabrics and spelling out their favourite lyrics of songs on their shirts. Of course there were many girls wearing long white skirts, a staple for pop girl concerts. 

The emotional core of the show came when she left the main stage and disappeared into the b stage — a quiet, dimly lit stage that mimicked her childhood bedroom where she started to do Zoom concerts whilst she was beginning her career. Amid these tender moments, she paused to connect directly with fans — snapping polaroids of the crowd, laughing at signs that referenced old tattoos and then accepting a fan-made scrapbook passed from the front row. She flipped through the pages with wide eyes, visibly touched by the thoughtfulness of her fans. 

Phones went up as she covered a song from her 2023 album Good Riddance: ‘This is where the drugs are for,’ her surprise song for Sydney Night 2 which is a soft ballad about getting through a breakup. Following this she sang ‘Cool’ where she introduced the song by telling fans that she wrote this song when she felt angry. Ending her time in her bedroom she sung the song ‘I Miss You, I’m Sorry’ coming full circle with her music video being filmed in her bedroom back in 2020. 

Back on the main stage, the energy gradually swelled again. The final stretch of the show felt like an emotional release — cinematic and cathartic. Gracie turned the audience into her choir for Us and Free Now, lifting the track into something sacred, before she closed and encored with That’s So True, and Close to You — a fitting end to a night that started in heartbreak and ended in something close to healing. Seeing all the fans jumping and dancing in circles on the floor was a perfect end to the night with strangers now connecting with strangers becoming friends. 

It was the true epitome of girlhood.

Toronto punk heroes PUP— comprised of Stefan Babcock, Nestor Chumak, Zack Mykula, and Steve Sladkowski— will release their highly anticipated forthcoming album Who Will Look After The Dogs? this Friday, May 2nd via Little Dipper / Rise Records. Today they share one final album teaser with “Olive Garden”, a caustic track written from the perspective of Babcock’s past youthful naivete that started as an acoustic demo and turned into one of the heaviest songs on the record. The band is also sharing a video as goofy as the song, created by the band’s own Nestor. Listen and watch now HERE.

“This is a very stupid, but also wonderful song. The band get all the credit for turning it into something really special. Zack (who plays drums) heard my cute little acoustic guitar demo and decided we should try and make it as heavy as possible. Which is objectively, a very annoying thing to suggest. But you know what, I’m glad I kept my stupid mouth shut, because it works. There’s a real magic in the way these sweet vocal melodies are bludgeoned by a wall of disgusting, grinding, detuned guitars. The whole song is kinda upsetting and uncomfortable but also, catchy and fun. And I don’t care what anyone says, ‘Olive Garden’ rhymes with ‘Grandma in a coffin’ –  listen to this crap and tell me I’m wrong.”

FUN FACT: the nearest Olive Garden to Toronto is on the U.S. side of Niagra Falls. In fact, there are only nine locations in all of Canada, and I’m only somewhat confident that they are still up and running. On May 1, PUP will make that 10! That’s right, PUP are bringing Olive Garden back to Toronto, baby. Before album release this Friday, lucky Torontonians will be treated to a very special and very committed-to-the-bit album launch party. The event will feature an album playback, short live set from PUP, Olive Garden-inspired music, decor, and food from Matty Matheson’s beloved Rizzo’s House of Parm, and more surprises to come.

Reminder to call your dogsitter, because PUP will bring Who Will Look After The Dogs? on the road all year, touring the UK/EU, Australia and of course North America. Tickets on sale now via puptheband.com

PRE-ORDER WHO WILL LOOK AFTER THE DOGS? NOW

Who Will Look After The Dogs?, PUP’s pummeling and cathartic fifth LP, is their most immediate, no-frills, and hard-hitting full-length yet. It was made in Los Angeles with producer John Congleton over the course of three weeks, and it’s the culmination of PUP’s past decade of constant touring and their palpable, livewire chemistry. The album evokes the lightning-in-a-bottle intensity of their self-titled debut (except they are much better at their instruments now), and finds our self-deprecating frontman Stefan Babcock at his most reflective, vulnerable and prolific. Over 12 tracks, Babcock excavates his life’s relationships—romantic, with his bandmates, and most ruthlessly, his relationship to himself. There’s plenty of growth, but also plenty of unpredictable mayhem in the arrangements and an acerbic bite in the writing. And while PUP historically are at one another’s throats during the album process, this time they scrapped their tedious perfectionism and rediscovered the joy of making loud music together.

“Within days of announcing our last album, coincidentally titled The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND, my life unexpectedly imploded. I wrote the lyrics for ‘Hallways’ while all that was going on. It was a weird fucking week,” says Babcock. “The title of our new record, Who Will Look After The Dogs?, is what I wrote at the top of the page, the very first thing written for this album. I think it’s devastating, but in a ‘holy shit this is overdramatic’ kinda way. At least in context of the line that comes before it. That’s what makes it funny to us. That overblown stuff we all say in our dark moments can be hilarious once you’ve cooled off a bit. I don’t know if anyone else thinks it’s funny, but sometimes you gotta laugh at yourself. It’s the only way out of the abyss. Trust me.”

PRAISE FOR PUP

“The Toronto band Pup has long made frenetic punk-pop with neat verse-chorus-bridge structures underlying Stefan Babcock’s raucously overwrought and fully self-aware lead vocals.” – New York Times

“PUP’s fourth album, ‘The Unraveling of PUPTheBand,’ finds the quartet completely removing any of the limits left on their music, pushing things as far as possible” – The New Yorker

“Hearts on their sleeves, the group captures the rage and frustration of human fallibility with crashing drums and infectious irreverence” – NPR Music

“The new songs are boisterous, catchy, and meta while also earnestly wading through the nuances of depression in a manner often reserved for “confessional” indie rock…an instant mood-booster.” – Pitchfork

“transmuting life’s frustrations into unhinged visceral joy” – Stereogum (Album of the Week)

“‘The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND’…reinforces the message that it’s okay to be yourself, no matter who you are.” – Vulture 

“PUP’s winning recipe is 49% snark, 51% heart” – Bandcamp (Album of the Day)

PUP – WHO WILL LOOK AFTER THE DOGS? Out May 2 Via Little Dipper / Rise Records PRE-ORDER | PRE-SAVE

PUP
NEW ZEALAND + AUSTRALIA DO IT
2025 TOUR

Tickets on-sale now via puptheband.com

Tuesday August 5
Tuning Fork, Auckland

Wednesday August 6
San Fran, Wellington

Friday August 8
Princess Theatre, Brisbane

Saturday August 9
Metro Theatre, Sydney

Sunday August 10
Northcote Theatre, Melbourne

Tuesday August 12
Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide

Thursday August 14
Magnet House, Perth

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