concert review

David Byrne opened his Australian tour with a tightly choreographed, career-spanning set in Brisbane on Saturday, 17 January 2026, reminding the crowd just how wide and restless his musical world still is.

Lady Gaga gave Melbourne something rare last night. Her performance of Brooklyn Nights marked only the second time she has ever performed the song. The first time was also in Melbourne on 24 August 2014 during her last Australian tour, when she played it as an impromptu fan request.

A sweaty crowd suitably warmed up by our local Gravemind and Brisbane’s legendary death metal stalwarts Disentomb packed into 170 Russell when right on cue, the band everyone was here to see - New Jersey’s Lorna Shore - hit the stage. They launched into ‘Oblivion’ from their two-month old album ‘I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me’ and it was on.

David Byrne has spent more than four decades redefining what a live performance can be, so the notion of squeezing his latest touring ensemble into NPR's famously cramped Tiny Desk seemed, at first, close to impossible. Byrne's shows have long been known for their sprawling casts, precision choreography and inventive use of non-traditional instrumentation. From Stop Making Sense through to American Utopia, the artistic director in him has always demanded more space, more movement and more sonic experimentation. Yet, remarkably, his Tiny Desk appearance proved that even a dozen musicians playing everything from marimba and cello to timbau and zabumba can still operate with Byrne's trademark clarity, humour and discipline.

The Black Sorrows returned to Melbourne Recital Centre on 22 November 2025 with a show that honoured more than four decades of music. Close to 50 musicians have been part of the group since the early years, yet founder Joe Camilleri remains the steady force at the front. His voice still rings clear and strong, and his energy has not faded.

Liam Gallagher has fired back at the moron who set a flare off at the first Australian Oasis concert in Melbourne on Friday night.