Australia’s live music scene has been dealt a major blow, with the iconic Byron Bay Bluesfest officially cancelled for 2026, just weeks before the festival was scheduled to take place over the Easter long weekend. Organisers confirmed the decision on Friday, citing a combination of rising costs and disappointing ticket sales that made the event financially impossible to stage. Festival director Peter Noble described the situation as a “perfect storm” of pressures facing the m

For more than two decades, the Big Day Out was one of the most influential and iconic music festivals in Australia and New Zealand. Known for bringing together international superstars with emerging local acts, the festival became a defining cultural event for generations of music fans. The Big Day Out began in 1992 when promoter Ken West and his partners organised a single-day festival at the Sydney Showground. What started as a relatively modest event quickly became somethi

Goldminds – “Mindreader” Goldminds Photo: via artist Facebook Goldminds bring serious groove on their latest single “Mindreader,”  a slick alternative-pop track built around a pulsing beat and a hook that sticks straight away. There’s a confident energy running through the song, with tight production and a rhythm that keeps things moving from the first verse through to the chorus. Lyrically, “Mindreader” taps into that familiar moment in relationships where you can sense ex

A recent social media reel from Australian artist Ben Lee has sparked an interesting conversation about how live music performances have evolved over the years. In the video, Lee reflects on his early days playing in bands — a time when most groups performed completely live on stage without the use of backing tracks. He also shared that after a recent performance at a festival, several people told him they found his set “refreshing” because it felt completely live and unfilte