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Introducing… placid trips

ambient journeys in sound and improvisation

a monthly night of loosely improvised ambient music curated by like-minded travellers

a warm and inclusive space that encourages artistic exploration, experimentation and collaboration

Our very first trip is a real special one, featuring your tour guides

russell webster (shining bird)
adam rogan (catman)
alec marshall (blue divers)

come take a placid trip with us

xo

TICKETS HERE

Lily Morris is a singer-songwriter based on Walbanga country (Braidwood, NSW) penning songs about her beloved hometown, the ins-and-outs of daily life, and the thoughts that hitch through her head at night.

Lily is joined by Soda Eaves, the solo project of Jake Core. Impressionistic and surreal songs that lurch and hum and shimmer within an enveloping tape warmth. Softly sung in an almost whisper up against the cracked sounds of guitars pushing the headroom of practice amps, Soda Eaves evokes the humid tropics of Far North Queensland, ghosts of Anais Nin, the simultaneous longing and excitement of new love, and the comfort of being dry inside as it relentlessly pores outside - Repressed Records

Quality Used Cars, in duo form, will round out the bill on their way up to play the Gum Ball Festival. Quality Used Cars is a project built around the idiosyncratic songwriting and warbling vocal of Francis Tait and brought to life by a band of hard-working familiar faces from within Narrm’s bubbling underground music communities.

TICKETS HERE

Where the Dogs Go to Die broods with a quiet intensity; like a series of impending storms, foreboding in their dark tone, sticky humidity clinging stubbornly in the air. But also their aftermath – of taking stock and licking wounds.

The debut album from Mpwartne/Alice Springs outfit Charlie Ivan Band uses ballads as a vehicle for such back-porch contemplations. Frontperson Charlie Ivan first wrote the songs on Where the Dogs Go to Die alone; his unembellished but emotionally impactful piano playing giving the record its tragic, longing mood. That, and his coarse, Leonard-Cohen in-a-room-with-blinds-pulled-tight shut voice, heavy with burden, regret and confusion.

Charlie Ivan Band recall another band in name – Snowy Band from Melbourne (Snowy himself mastering Where the Dogs Go to Die). The former have a darker bent than the latter – but like them, a broader rhythm section adds colour to their frontperson’s initial ruminations. Sam Sargent on drums and Ned Gaynor on bass add a subtly reliable, always-in the pocket weight to the album, giving the ballads their waltz, or, when needed, the subtlest of bursts (such as on the In Rainbows-esque ‘I Feel and it Rained’).

It’s a debut record both focused but expansive – there’s a near ten minute track on here, after all. And a ten person choir, too; a chorus of voices that float in and out as demonstrative punctuation. Charlie Ivan Band may be the songs of its founder; but many hands give the group its life. And perhaps, the ability to then process, and push through.

Words by Lindsay Riley

more details soon

TICKETS HERE

Great Southern Nights presents:

Snowy (Snowy Band, Pop Filter) at Franks Wild Years, Sunday 6 April from 3pm.

More info and special guests announced soon!

TICKETS HERE

Great Southern Nights presents:

Mess Esque 'Jay Marie, Comfort Me' album launch at Franks Wild Years, Thirroul. 

A bold third missive from the Australian duo – Helen Franzmann (McKisko) and Mick Turner (Dirty Three, Tren Brothers) - who sound like they literally dreamed themselves into being, and perhaps might even still be in the dream! Propelling their uniquely twisted aural circus to heights of exaltation and effect, Mess Esque build out their handmade, openhearted soul into new dimensions, pushing them – and yeah, us! – into more vivid states of being.

Jay Marie, Comfort Me is their third album in less than five years, and the new music feels at least a hemisphere away from their first efforts. Jay Marie, Comfort Me is co-produced by Helen, Mick and Nick Huggins, who recorded the Dirty Three acclaimed Love Changes Everything. Also participating in the recording are Keeley Young and Kishore Ryan from the live band, as well as cellist Stephanie Arnold and a couple of Australia’s living legends of percussion, Bree van Reyk and Mick’s ol’ Dirty Three partner in crime, Jim White.

FREE

Floodlights play an intimate stripped back set to celebrate the release of their new album Underneath.

After stripping back the layers to expose their own vulnerabilities, hopes, fears and passions, Floodlights emerge with their third album, Underneath.

Written amidst extensive touring of the UK and Europe, Australia and the US, Underneath was shaped by a surreal period in each members’ lives - full of firsts, exploring new places, playing their biggest gigs and festivals yet. Despite the transience of their new life on the road, the writing process proved a starkly intimate time marked by quiet, shared moments of contemplation. The songs that emerged represent a process of reckoning, catharsis and growth within the group, fusing the incisive societal reflections they are renowned for with more personal meditations on grief, memory and place; ultimately giving shape to myriad emotions and experiences that linger beneath the surface. Through their enveloping alt-rock soundscapes Floodlights paint a metamorphosis in motion on Underneath, while sweepingly exploring, at its core, what it means to be human.

TICKETS HERE

Weirdo darkwave violin artist calyx (narrm) brings their distinctive blend of strings, voice and lush synthesisers for a Sunday arvo show at Frank’s Wild Years as part of their DIY tour of Canberra, Sydney and Wollongong.

Between machines and living things, between improvisation and structure, between chaos, resistance and pleasure, calyx reaches through time to seek other worlds and possibilities. Sonic references include Depeche Mode, the Cocteau Twins, Severed Heads, Fever Ray and the Dirty Three.

Joining the bill is Wollongong-based singer/songwriter, guitarist and electronic sound producer Emily Duncan. Emily weaves a dreamy tapestry of ethereal vocals and introspective lyrics over lazy guitar, aiming to transport the audience musically to another space.

TICKETS HERE

Up-and-coming folk songwriter Rowan S. Kaine relishes in the participatory tradition of oral storytelling. With an extensive repertoire of traditional Lomax-era field recordings, as well as comical talkin' blues and original tunes, Rowan walks the path of a passionate storyteller, connecting with audiences through his soulful and authentic musical journey, transporting you back to the Greenwich Village of the 60's.

Touring his latest release ‘Down to the Bone’, a reflection on personal upheaval. Through powerful lyricism and a cinematic blend of fiddle and electric guitar, ‘Down to the Bone’ builds from a ruminating calmness to a roaring intensity.

SOLD OUT

Simon Joyner is widely regarded as one of the great singer-songwriters of our generation.

He will be touring Australia / New Zealand for the first time in Feb/Mar 2025, joined his backing band, The Eucalypts – featuring Leah Senior, Jesse Williams, and Michael Beach - all celebrated Australian songwriters and performers in their own right.

The tour coincides with the release of Joyner's newest album, Coyote Butterfly, out Nov 22nd, via Melbourne’s Homeless Records, as well as a reissue of his third album, 1994's The Cowardly Traveller Pays His Toll, in late November. The Cowardly Traveller was famously one of three records played in their entirety on John Peel’s legendary BBC1 show, alongside records by Bob Dylan and Siouxsie & the Banshees.

"... the reigning heir to Henry Miller's dark emotional mirror, Townes Van Zandt's three-chord moan, and Lou Reed's warehouse minimalism: his name is Simon Joyner." — Gillian Welch

"Joyner has been chipping away at the subtle absurdities of life since 1991, his rambling balladeering garnering comparisons to Leonard Cohen and Townes Van Zandt. He also shares a wry approach to self-reflection with modern practitioners like Mark Kozalek, Bill Callahan and David Berman." – MOJO

Simon Joyner & The Eucalypts will be joined by local group Blue Riders, a Blue Divers offshoot band. 

TICKETS HERE

Born and raised in the historic gold boom center of Ballarat in Western Victoria, Australian Cosmic Country Queen Freya Josephine Hollick has mined a rich alluvial songwriting vein across 3 full-length albums including The Unceremonious Junking Of Me (2015), 2018’s Feral Fusion and most recently 2022’s The Real World.

As a young child cherry picking her dad’s hip 70’s record collection, Freya was exposed to the cosmic sounds of outliers like Townes Van Zandt, The Band and Gene Clark, authentic storytellers with pioneering spirit. The resultant contact high imbued Freya’s spirit, solidifying her desire to deal in that same brand of raw, heartfelt writing. With a voice that demands attention, and a rapidly developing craft, Freya found her resolve and her reason.

Freya’s most recent album The Real World, was born as a revelation in the Mojave Desert with Lucinda William’s Buick 6 in tow. It was and then shaped with her Australian band across the most treacherous time in recent human history. With it, Freya is ready to answer the call in her heart to take her music further. To America and beyond, with the most important record of her life.

ARIA chart action including a top 10 vinyl entry, a #2 on The Australian Country charts and a #1 on the AIR 100% independent chart, along with album of the week nods from 3PBS, 3RRR, ABC Country and a cover feature on the venerable Rhythms Magazine were highlights among a raft of media attention for the release.

Star turns at Dashville Skyline, Out On The Weekend and a busy upcoming festival season speak to the rise Freya has enjoyed with the release of her most accomplished work to date.

TICKETS HERE

Marcus Index and Tired Girl play an afternoon show at Franks Wild Years, Thirroul, after both releasing albums: 

Marcus Index. Wordsmith and musical wanderer. 

Across a decade as the front man of Spookyland, Index received worldwide critical attention for the raw intensity of his vocals and poetic lyrics, garnering comparisons to artists like Jeff Mangum and Bob Dylan. 

His new album “Where Diamonds Suffocate” is out via Impressed Recordings.

After a long career spanning various musical projects (Tees, Grease Arrestor), Tired Girl is ready to share her debut album TIRED - out February 7 via Blossom Rot Records.

Written a long way from Tired Girl’s - aka Liz Tillman’s - sleepy hometown of Thirroul on the South Coast of NSW, TIRED came together in Lyon, France over 2023. Liz and her love had followed a relatable pull of restlessness and flung themselves into the unknown, landing in an apartment in a 17th century silk factory on a cobblestone street lined with leafy green trees on the other side of the world. This sense of upheaval and challenging stasis is present throughout TIRED, alongside a certain comfort that wherever life may take you, you can land softly.

Distance from the familiar had a big influence on the creative choices and songwriting for TIRED. Liz says of the experience:
“I like writing music that has a lot of vocal layering and pretty harmonies. Because I had less gear here in Lyon, I probably lent more on my vocals than I have in the past. There is a naivety in how I write, as I don’t have the background of a drummer or a producer, so I think it lets me write beats and come up with ideas without the restriction of how drums “should be” played.”

TICKETS HERE

Digby Ayton will be playing solo at Franks Wild Years on Sunday 16th February alongside Field Commander Ali. 
Digby is a songwriter from lutruwita / Tasmania. His latest EP, titled 4 Fergus, is out now and he has a new album on the way. Digby will be visiting Franks to play a Sunday evening show and may be joined by a special guest.

TICKETS HERE

“Davey Higgins music would pass The Pub Test anywhere from Bellshill to Rooty Hill and every campfire, wake, wedding and Marrickville wine bar in between. He knows how to write a memorable tune. The sort of old school tune that you feel good about instantly. 

Sam Galloway in solo acoustic mode. Sparse, ramshackle indie-pop nursery rhymes designed for home use only.”

TICKETS HERE

‘like the Velvet Underground jamming with Mazzy Star in a Nashville honky tonk after closing time’ Post To Wire

‘a holy-glowing dreamscape of smoke-clouded guitars, loping basslines and tantric drums that channel a history of sound recordings, from delta blues to chiaroscuro surf reveries, haunted pop ballads to modern bloodied valentines’ Will Hermes

Lo Carmen’s shimmering songs transcend time and genre and they are in full mesmerising force on ‘Transatlantic Light,’ recorded with The Great Beyond, featuring Cec Condon on drums (Mess Hall), Ken Gormly on bass (Cruel Sea) and Sam Worrad on guitar (Holy Soul).

'Transatlantic Light' maintains the intimate, confessional style that defines Carmen’s work while exploring new sonic landscapes. Robyn Hitchcock drops by for some backing vocals and Peter Head adds his iconic Hammond and piano stylings. 

Lo Carmen & The Great Beyond will perform the new album along with other favourite tracks from her eight albums deep catalogue. Limited edition clear pink Impressed Recordings vinyl will be available at the show.

More info: www.locarmenmusic.com

TICKETS HERE

Brierfield Flood Press and Franks Wild Years join forces to present a very special performance by the legendary Howard Eynon, joined by guests Jordan Ireland and Sover!

Howard Eynon is an Australian singer, songwriter and storyteller. His 1974 album So What if I'm Standing in Apricot Jam became one of Australia's most eclectic albums of the 70's.  Forty years later Howard had a musical resurgence when this album was re-released on both vinyl & CD, first in Australia through Buttercup Records and later through the Earth label of Fire Records in London. With his charismatic storytelling and a rich 12-string guitar sound featuring a unique tuning of its own, Howard's music has been described as 'psychedelic acid folk'.

For this special Thirroul appearance, Howard will be presenting his new 'How Would I Know’ Show, which he describes here in his own words: 

"The 'How Would I Know' Show is about more than music—it’s about connecting on a deeper level, about the power of love with bits of Eastern philosophy and some simple truths that life has to offer. I hope you can join me on this new adventure. I’ll be sharing stories from the road, the studio, and the veggie patch. Expect quirky tunes, heartfelt lyrics, and a few surprises along the way and who knows, maybe we’ll discover some hidden gems together. Stay tuned, and I’ll see you with love and music, Howard". 

Refreshments available at the bar courtesy of Franks Wild Years

+ Local record diviner Monkberry Moon Delights on house music duties, selecting tracks and selling some choice picks from his collection. 

Tickets $23 presale, kids under 12 free. 

See you in the Apricot Jam ! 

TICKETS HERE

Kisses, a lofi folky dreampop band from Melbourne, play a Thursday early evening show with locals Mattress Man (Sam Rowe of Dragging Pianos)

FREE!

Zipper are Haruka, Matt, Celeste, Liam and David. Featuring members of Wireheads, Nylex, Rule of Thirds, Divine Rip and Mains.

Zipper play new wave pop with Japanese/English vocals and duelling guitar, like Chica Sato of The Plastics fronting Magazine. Special soft and spiky sounds.

TICKETS HERE

Herb Majesty - Explore the stripped back bass-heavy grooves of deep roots classics, in a dub excursion navigated by the rhythm section of some of Sydney’s finest Dub/Reggae groups + James Fox (synth + flute set) + DJ Max Bond and DJ Buck Rogers spinning records 

TICKETS HERE

Lights Out is the expansive new EP from Gadigal/Sydney-based artist David Rogers aka Moon Brain. Layered with analog synthesizers and atmospheric guitars, the release is a testament to Rogers' flair for texture, dynamics and drama. It was produced by long- time collaborator Simon Todkill, and was recorded by Todkill and Bowen Shakallis at Stranded Studios in Bellambi on the New South Wales south coast. Additional instrumentation was provided by flautist/vocalist Cecil Coleman (Body Type) and drummer Ravi Gupta, with artwork by Annabel Blackman.

TICKETS HERE

Wollongong band Sover blends elements of slow-core, post- rock and folk music together. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Dirty Three, the Microphones and Low, they alternate between intimate acoustic moments with sparse drums and haunting vocals to densely textured compositions accompanied by string arrangements and swirling guitars. Sover are supported by Field Commander Ali (Ali from The Morning Star).

TICKETS HERE

Both Snowy and The Great Divides of the Naarm “jumble pop” scene released brand new albums on the very same day. To celebrate this happy accident the two acts are touring the East of the country to launch “Philharmonic” and “(I’m sure)” together in a series of special collaborative shows. 

“Philharmonic” is the latest Snowy side-quest - conceived of as album in-full while touring the US earlier in 2024; recorded quickly and chaotically in over the Spring months, the album’s music is brought to life, live by the “Snowy Philharmonic” - a orchestral jumble collective.  

Informed by their regional background, The Great Divides explore the themes of isolation and the expanse of landscape as well as the discordant nature of city living on this new release, reflecting their experiences over the past few years. Partly recorded outdoors, ‘(i’m sure)’ is a tentative declaration of intent that they’ll find a way no matter the obstacle. Teetering towards falling apart and then exploding out in a cacophony of sound.

TICKETS HERE

Lured from NZ to Sydney with his R&B pub-band by an unscrupulous promoter, Johnny landed at the cusp of Australia's emerging golden era: Sydney in the Eighties. That band, Johnny & the Hookers, soon dissolved amid the hedonism of the day. Pretty soon Johnny's song Fun Loving was receiving high rotation on Double J and Dropbears were becoming a vital part of the vibrant Sydney music scene.

The Johnny Batchelor Bears, with local luminaries Yani Socratous, Lee Borkman and Anthony Pingnam, will play a chilled Saturday afternoon of rockin', poppin' grooves at Frank's Wild Years.

*FREE*

Lord Rochester embrace the simplicity of sound and song using the maraca powered shuffle of artists such as Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed and Lonnie Mack to create great stripped back rock and roll.

Free show, Friday arvo from 5pm!

TICKETS HERE

Nathan Roche returns to Franks Wild Years for an arvo gig!

Washed up on a Sydney Beach from Tropical North Queensland, former Marf Loth, Camperdown & Out psychedelic sailor garage- crooner, docks into port and off-loads these salty records with J.I

now based in the forest of Ardeche, in a hotel like Nabokov..catching butterflies all day..

He occasionally goes fishing
with Le Villejuif Underground and C.I.A Debutante.

TICKETS HERE

Carb on Carb are Nicole and James; an emo band from the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. Their songs are about friends, dogs and your hometown. This is the Thirroul stop on their 15th and final (!!) Australian tour.

Ruth Lorelle writes and produces alternative synth pop music on Dharawal land. With intimate lyrics about their experiences as a queer artist, Ruth's songs hold the listener through all and every human emotion.

TICKETS HERE

Blending the lines between contemporary folk, electro/ambient, soul and jazz, Mia Petra is a song maker and producer based in Muloobinba/Newcastle whose unwavering genre-fluidity conjures a playful space that is both nuanced and refreshing.

Currently touring north through the hidden gems of NSW and QLD, Mia Petra celebrates the release of the new single ‘Big//Heavy/Big’ from her debut album ‘SKIING THE GUT’ set to release early 2025. Her single release shows will be all the more special as they feature her full exquisite 5 piece band.

Described as 'Pleasantly uncompromised', her sound is lush, donning harmonically dense vocal arrangements, dynamic interplay of double bass and percussion centred grooves, flourishing sax and fiddle lines- delivered alongside a subsequent dose of goofy, hearty banter.

Emily-Rose Sharkova is one of Australia’s most vivacious musical chameleons. Compared to the likes of Nora Jones and Joni Mitchell, her songs and soundscapes are a kaleidoscope dream of contemporary folk, where songwriting meets world jazz. At home on most keyboard instruments, her solo set’s weave her voice together with piano, synths and accordion. Her award winning music is bathed in intricate, relevant lyrics of weight and beauty, underpinned by profound but constantly fresh acoustic and electric worlds.

TICKETS HERE

Mattress Man are the official deampop band of the Wombarra Post Office (2515). The lyrics are sappy and sentimental. They will be playing songs from an album that will be released in early 2025.

TICKETS HERE

Machine Translations' Greg J. Walker plays a rare solo show at Franks to celebrate the release of the deluxe vinyl edition of Seven Seven. Greg will be joined by Field Commander Ali.

Free show! RSVP HERE

Sydney multi-hyphenate Phondupe returns on August 30 with the new full length album, “Torso”

To those familiar with Phondupe's catalogue to date, this new body of softly spoken minimalist piano works may feel as though it is at sonic odds with the layered electronica and hyperactive sonic landscapes that enamoured early fans of his work.

Torso presents a refreshing evolution of the artist’s established oeuvre, while avoiding the starchy academia and/or sentimentality that “neo-classical” piano can so often descend into. 

Over eight tracks, Rich Lucano's insightful explorations of texture, dynamics, and harmony are filtered through a considered restraint; detailed tactile piano compositions are couched in fuzzy silence, delicate motifs and unbridled heart.

Hypnotising as they are a punch-to-the-guts, the takes are raw in both aesthetic and emotion. Attempting to capture a singular somatic energy as it passes through the body, with each composition, Torso evokes a transcendental immediacy.