Scottish indie rockers Big Country have returned to Australia for a Greatest Hits tour. In 2019, they were here to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of their classic second album Steeltown which was recorded at ABBA's Polar Studios in Stockholm and produced by Steve Lillywhite, garnering a UK number one album.  Their debut album, The Crossing, also with Lillywhite at the helm, cemented their reputation as an influential band with an undeniable 80’s Celtic Rock feel that led to two Grammy nominations and widespread airplay, alongside substantial touring. A lot has transpired since those heady days but with the current line-up treading the boards with great reviews on keeping their legacy alive, we recently caught up with founding member, and guitarist, Bruce Watson via Zoom.

INXS were internationally huge, and if you ever saw them live, the reasons were self-explanatory. However, the loss of a legendary front man [Michael Hutchence] is a hard bridge to cross, yet JD Fortune rose to the challenge. Imagine stepping into the shoes of one of Australia's biggest, and most beloved, rock exports. Then, on top of that, dealing with the endless invasions into personal freedoms that international media are so adept at ignoring. So, we were privileged to gain access to the quite stellar, Canadian vocalist JD Fortune, to explore his experiences, and to discuss the approaching tour. 

Latin American, alternative metal band Ill Niño made their mark at the time of nu-metal hitting the hard music charts. Formed by Pro-Pain drummer David Chavarri, their 2001 release Revolution Revolución made a statement of presence to the metal world, whereby the band enjoyed mainstream success, continuing that drive with subsequent release Confession, with several releases since then, with the most recent being in 2014 with Till Death, La Familia. Currently fronted by enthusiastic newcomer to the fold, Tommy Roulette, Ill Niño is finally looking to contain the solid line-up that will at last release some new music, which will also be aired in their upcoming setlists.

German power metal pioneers, Helloween, weathered the naysayers when their Pumpkins United project took flight. Shortly after, the decision to reunite with three lead vocalists, for their self-titled, statement bearing release, Helloween, looked superb on paper, but had some risks to mitigate. Those eggshells were not trodden on, and with a deft display of maturity in a notoriously insecure business, the seven-membered band toured harmoniously, and subsequently have cemented their newfound stability with their latest opus, and seventeenth studio album, the remarkable Giants & Monsters. 

A celebration tour featuring notable musicians in their own right, will delve into Neil Young's vast discography to offer reinterpreted renditions of Young's great works, whilst retaining the distinct, recognisable musical flavours and unique tones of his music. Given Young's prolific musical output, the setlist will be wide and varied, including three superb vocalists in the celebration line-up: Jeff Martin [The Tea Party], Shane Nicholson [ARIA and Golden Guitar winner], and Richie Lewis [Tumbleweed], putting their own respectable stamp on Young's material. We recently spoke to Jeff Martin about this fantastic upcoming tour. 

Bay Area thrash metal band Testament have earned slew of awards across the music scene, and on an international scale. They are no stranger to our shores, having delivered numerous thumping live shows, either as a headlining act, or as part of many of the huge festival lineups that have traversed the country. Testament's discography and musicianship is remarkable, and has consistently stayed true to powerful, metal music, sometimes even melding death metal styles with thrash metal. 

The Night Flight Orchestra last touched down in Australia during the middle of 2023. They created the biggest conga lines that local venues have seen, and in line with their inspiring latest album, Give Us the Moon, a trajectory to a higher altitude has been set.

Danish band Disneyland After Dark aka D-A-D, recently reached a rare milestone, celebrating forty years as a band, in a sometimes volatile and ever-changing music market landscape. Their legacy consists of a wide and varied discography that exceeds the expectations set by their fantastic worldwide breakthrough album from 1989, No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims.