YOUR MAY GIG GUIDE
Hello everyone and welcome to the start of another month and the start of another gig guide! By the time you reach the bottom of this page, you will be full of knowledge about the live music happenings of the area taking place in the coming weeks. This list is complete with relevant music snippets for you to find which gigs suit your style and tastes, and ticket links are included to make the process as easy as possible.
You will also have knowledge on bands I am especially partial to that are playing this month including Antenna, Charles Carnabuci, Sevilles, Sidney Phillips and Garage Sale. You will be so knowledgeable that your friends will be jealous and your crush will ask you out. Like and repost to manifest this. Ignore to go to no gigs and be boring and uncultured.
There are heaps of FREE ENTRY gigs in this list for those of us on a budget (I am one of those too, no shame). There are also heaps of shows happening at the Sydney Opera House as part of the annual Vivid Festival in Sydney for those of us with more sophisticated tastes.
Anyways, that’s all from me for the month of May! Enjoy the shows, support your friends, eat your veggies.
Lewis.
IN THE ROUND
The Lansdowne Hotel, Gadigal Chippendale | 2 MAY
w/ Amber Rose, Euan Hart, Malaika Mfalme, The Happiest Kind of Sad
!FREE ENTRY !
More info here…
“Artists play in a circle on the bandroom floor, taking turns performing their songs and sharing their inspiration behind each track, along with the meaning behind it. It’s an extremely intimate and authentic way of experiencing music, with focus on the songs and the stories they tell. Audiences are encouraged to surround the performers on all sides throughout the event…”
Sounds cool, right?! You can also read our interview with headline artist Amber Rose from 2021 (Where has the time gone?) here…
FILE TYPE
The Lansdowne Hotel, Gadigal Sydney | 2 MAY
w/ The Engine, Good Ramen, Vertebrae
! FREE ENTRY !
CHARLES CARNABUCI ‘SANCTUARY’ EP LAUNCH
Sneaky Possum, Gadigal Chippendale | 2 MAY
w/ Our Mutual Friend, Belvedeer, Siphon
TICKETS
Wonderful songwriter, vocalist and legitimate sweetheart Charles Carnabuci recently released this new EP of songs he has been playing live in his home of Sydney and surrounds for some time now. As well as being very talented, he is a close personal friend. I will be at this show tomorrow. Love you Charles, congratulations.
CHAPERONE
The Lansdowne Hotel, Eora Sydney | 9 MAY
w/ Dink
! FREE ENTRY !
RUNNING OF THE BULLS 2025
La La La’s, Dharawal Wollongong | 10 MAY
w/ Sonic Reducer, Mother & Son, Bennetts Grove, Cool Jumper, Sevilles, Bimbo, Misso, Michael Cera
TICKETS
GRXCE
Dicey Riley’s, Dharawal Wollongong | 10 MAY
w/ Maybe in May, Tallulah, Chelsea Dagitha
! FREE ENTRY !
THE UNKNOWNS
Petersham Bowling Club, Gadigal Petersham | 16 MAY
w/ Tee Vee Repairman, Cammy Cautious and the Wrestlers
TICKETS
DOGWORLD ‘inmypocket’ TOUR
The Trocadero Room, Gadigal Enmore | 16 MAY
w/ Sevilles, Thom Bastick
TICKETS
Here, at long last, is some recorded music from Sevilles, one of the best (and busiest) acts to recently emerge from our local scene. The songwriting and instrumentation of Zoe and Emma is sophisticated beyond their years and these sparse DIY recordings highlight this. I have personally seen Sevilles perform live, with their drummer Lily, numerous times, and would recommend them to anyone with ears.
ANTENNA EP VINYL LAUNCH
Waywards, Gadigal Newtown | 17 MAY
w/ Meow Meow & The Smackouts, Gift Giver, Tiger, Gutter Pig
TICKETS
Antenna’s self-titled EP was one of my favourite releases from 2024, and a personal obsession for a long period after I first discovered it. These songs are simply addictive. They feel familiar and comfortable with a warm fuzz over the entire production and deeply real lyrics and vocals from Tim ‘Shogun’ Wall of Royal Headache. His words and melodies evoke at once the timbre of a golden age crooner, the emotion of a confessional poet and the passion and power of a living punk legend. The chorus of “Lost” makes me teary eyed even now after countless listens.
Watch them at Waywards later this month as they celebrate the EP’s physical release through Last Ride Records.
DOUSED ‘FAKE FLOWERS’ SINGLE LAUNCH
OAF Gallery, Eora Darlinghurst | 17 MAY
w/ Half Request, Physical Copy
TICKETS
HUGS 'TO SPEAK’ SINGLE LAUNCH
La La La’s, Dharawal Wollongong | 22 MAY
w/ Birdsville, Scared of Sharks
TICKETS
SIDNEY PHILLIPS
Metro Theatre, Eora Sydney | 28 MAY
! FREE ENTRY !
For any fans of hyperpop, cloud rap or alt hip-hop, Sidney Phillips is an underground Australian artist that should definitely be in your playlists. Truly a unique sound for the scene. With quality production, catchy hooks and bars full of Aussie slang, Sidney sits somewhere between Drain Gang and the Kerser vs 360 rap battle. I suggest you become a fan now so you can brag about knowing them before they blew up.
GARAGE SALE
Lord Gladstone, Gadigal Chippendale | 30 MAY
w/ Twelve Point Buck
TICKETS
VanQ, Dharawal Wollongong | 31 MAY
w/ Frogurt
TICKETS
Off the back of an impressive cross-country US tour supporting Modern Colour, Garage Sale are back on home ground and touring once again! Garage Sale are longtime favourites of mine with a sound uniquely rich and full, with lovely fuzz guitars and sweet vocal harmonies. Catch them at these shows near us, in their hometown of Naarm or, if you’re lucky enough, at their exclusive shows at Phoenix Central Park or Dark Mofo.
