Australian Festivals Association

It’s hard to believe it’s been 24 years since Australia lost one of its most iconic musical sons—Graeme “Shirley” Strachan, the charismatic lead singer of Skyhooks. Today, on 29 August 2025, fans, friends, and fellow musicians remember the voice that defined a generation, the performer whose presence lit up stages, and the personality who made Australian rock both fun and unforgettable.

The Environmental Music Prize, an award that celebrates artists using music to connect people to nature and drive environmental action, is now open for entries for 2025 – but not for long. Submissions close this Sunday, 31 August 2025.

Russell Morris was almost apologetic when he stepped onto the Hamer Hall stage in Melbourne for the first night of The Farewell Tour on Wednesday (27 August 2025). He admitted to his fans that a 60-year career can look confusing from the outside. The truth is, Morris was never one to sit still.

English pop-rock survivors The Korgis are back in 2025 with a brand-new collaborative album, teaming up with Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist Joe Matera. The project, titled Coffee In New York, will be released on October 24, 2025, via Renaissance Records in the USA on both vinyl and CD.

Australian metal titans Parkway Drive will mark two decades of chaos, fire and stadium-sized riffs with a very different kind of show. On 17 September 2025, the band will play a one-off warm-up gig at Berlin’s legendary Metropol.

Melbourne is set to swing harder than ever this spring, with the Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) 2025 unveiling its most ambitious program to date. From 17 to 26 October, the city will host more than 500 artists from 18 countries, presenting over 150 performances across 40 venues.

The Australian live music industry is built on the people who work behind the curtain. From the audio engineer who balances the mix to the lighting technician who sets the stage ablaze with colour, live shows depend on skilled crew. Now, a new initiative spearheaded by CrewCare is giving the next generation of backstage talent the chance to break into the industry with real training and real jobs.