November is Ausmusic Month, a nationwide celebration of Australian music inaugurated by triple j more than a decade ago. This year, its arrival is serendipitous, with punters in New South Wales and Victoria emerging from the bunker of lockdown and many of the nation’s favourite gig venues reopening their doors.
There’s plenty happening during Ausmusic Month 2021 and even more to look forward to as we enter summer and the fully-vaxxed promised land of 2022. Here’s a wrap-up of some of the best streams, gigs and other Ausmusic-centric events to get behind in the month of November.
Streams and broadcasts
DMA’S live performance (via TikTok)
Sydney Britpop revivalists DMA’S will be streaming an exclusive live performance on TikTok on Sunday 21st November (7.00pm AEDT) via @dmasmusic. They’ll be playing tracks from their latest EP, I Love You Unconditionally, Sure Am Going to Miss You, including the singles “We Are Midnight” and “Junk Truck Head Fuck”.
DMA’S guitarist Johnny Took said the band view Ausmusic Month as the perfect time to “re-ignite the amazing scene and talent we have in Australia.” DMA’S are currently on tour in the UK, but the TikTok livestream is specifically targeted at their Australian audience.
“Playing live is such an important facet of our lives and what we do and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Took.
@dmasmusic #tbt Ally Pally #livemusic #dmas #Alexandrapalace ♬ Play It Out – DMA’S
Inoxia live performance (via TikTok)
Melbourne pop and R&B singer Inoxia has been performing for large groups of strangers since she was a tween. Though, back then she was busking on the streets of Melbourne, whereas she now regularly entertains 3.6m followers on TikTok.
Inoxia’s debut single, “Cherry”, came out earlier this month and it’ll be at the centre of her Ausmusic Month livestream on Thursday 11th November (at 7.00pm AEDT via TikTok @inoxiasounds). “Cherry” is an electronic R&B cut that merges Inoxia’s love of Amy Winehouse and Jorja Smith with flavours of contemporary dance-pop.
The Sound season three (ABC iView)
ABC music program The Sound was one of the late Michael Gudinski’s final pet projects. After initiating the televised livestream Music From the Home Front early in the pandemic, Gudinski worked with the Victoria government to launch the Victoria-centric performance series, The State of Music.
The Sound emerged shortly afterwards, premiering on ABC in July 2020 and returning for a second series last November. It’s been a painfully long wait, but The Sound will return to ABC TV and ABC iView this Sunday 7th November.
Episode one will feature performances from Vance Joy—who filmed his live version of “Missing Piece” in La Paloma Dance Hall, Barcelona—Vera Blue, Spacey Jane and King Stingray. Kevin Mitchell (Bob Evans, Jebediah), Charlie Collins, Lisa Mitchell and Sam Teskey will also be uniting on a tribute to Aus country hero Kasey Chambers.
Ausmusic T-Shirt Day with Spacey Jane, Carla Wehbe & more (via TikTok)
Friday 19th November is Ausmusic T-Shirt Day, an annual day of music industry celebration and advocacy. While it’s essentially a great opportunity to take selfies wearing your favourite local music merch, it’s also an important fundraising initiative for Support Act, who’ve been a lifeline for many music workers in the face of COVID-19 crisis conditions.
To mark the occasion, TikTok has teamed up with the Australia Council for the Arts and virtual festival Isol-Aid to put together an Ausmusic T-Shirt Day livestream, with all funds going to Support Act.
Perth indie-rock four-piece Spacey Jane (@spaceyjane)are the star attraction, and they’ll be spruiking their frenetic new single “Lunchtime”. Sydney-based ’80s-influenced pop act Carla Wehbe (@carlawehbe) will also be getting involved, along with former X Factor winner and Eurovision contestant Isaiah Firebrace (@isiahfirebrace) and Melbourne goth-pop TikTok extraordinaire, Ashwarya (@ashwaryamusic).
It’s all going down from 7-9pm AEDT on Friday 19th November.
@spaceyjane music festivals.. are coming… back??? live music is healing 🥰😤😤😤😤😤😤 #spaceytok #livemusic #musicfestivals #lunchtime #winemachine ♬ Lunchtime – Spacey Jane
Gigs to see
Wine Machine, Huon Valley, Tasmania
The travelling booze and bands event Wine Machine lands at Home Hill Winery just outside Hobart this Saturday 6th November. The lineup features triple j favourites Spacey Jane, Australian hip hop veteran Drapht and a host of Tassie artists, including electro duo Sumner, Ethiopian-born alt-pop artist Medhanit, and indie punk and techno crew, Chase City.
The Wine Machine roadshow will continue onto the wine regions of South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT over the next few months.
Adam Newling, “Sweetness” Tour
In many ways, Sydney artist Adam Newling is a classic singer-songwriter, all heart on the sleeve vocals and harmonica interludes. But Newling’s latest single, “Sweetness”, is a good example of how his songwriting straddles the lines of punk, country and good old fashioned rock’n’roll.
Newling is taking “Sweetness” on the road this month, playing shows at Brisbane’s Black Bear Lodge (Wednesday 10th November), two shows at Waywards in Sydney (on Friday 19th November) and another two shows at Melbourne’s Workers Club (Friday 20th November).
RVG, Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Melbourne band RVG released one of 2020’s most fully realised rock records, Feral. Led by guitarist and lead vocalist Romy Vager, Feral channels the astute songwriting of The Go-Betweens and Paul Kelly & the Messengers without dipping into straight-up mimicry.
Vager delivers her absurd and often macabre lyrics in an ambivalent vocal tone, thereby managing to communicate indignation, disappointment and nonchalance all at once. RVG make their return to the stage on Saturday 27th November at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel.
Upcoming tours
Punters are spoiled for choice in the months to come, with stacks of Australian artists recently announcing major national tours.
Vance Joy
In October and November 2022, Vance Joy will bring his “Long Way Home” tour to venues in Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Gippsland, Hobart, Adelaide, Busselton, Sydney and Melbourne. Joy’s latest single, “Missing Piece”, came out in May and he promises to have a new album ready before the tour. Tickets are on sale Friday 12th November.
Ruby Fields
Ruby Fields released her long-awaited debut LP, Been Doin’ It For a Bit, in September 2021. The album maintains the sense of mischief and nostalgia found in Ruby’s previous EPs, while also shining a light on toxicity in relationships, alcohol and drug abuse, and battles with mental health. Fields and her band will launch their biggest tour to date next February, playing at Brisbane’s QPAC and Sydney’s City Recital Hall, before making Melbourne’s Recital Centre their own in April.
@rubyfieldsm8Putting a little video tonight of the process of making the album. It’s coming on YouTube 5pm. I’ll be in the comments before if you want to say hi♬ original sound – rubyfieldsmusic
Baker Boy
After several years spent pumping out party-starting hip hop cuts like “Cloud 9”, “Marryuna” and “In Control”, Baker Boy released his debut album, Gela, last month. The Yolŋu rapper and positivity advocate will celebrate the new album with a run of major shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin, Fremantle and Brisbane next April and May. Tickets on sale now.
The Jezabels
Sydney quartet The Jezabels will be dishing out early-2010s nostalgia on their upcoming Prisoner ten-year anniversary tour. Released in 2011, the band’s debut album reached number two on the ARIA charts and won the prestigious Australian Music Prize. You’ve got plenty of time to brush up on the alt-rock anthemics of “Endless Summer” and “City Girl” before the Prisoner anniversary tour hits Adelaide, Fremantle, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Canberra, Newcastle, Sydney and Melbourne next June.
