Loving live music isn’t just about attending music festivals and seeing an international artist’s massive arena show.

Even the biggest of big-name headliners started in the trenches, on the sticky carpets and bandrooms of your local bars and pubs – which is exactly where you should be if you want to discover your new favourite band or venue.

Here are our picks for this week’s best local gigs from Aussie talent – from Perth to the East Coast – and all for the price of a good meal.

Retiree

Where: Boney, Melbourne VIC
When: 8pm – 12am, Saturday Oct 29
Why: One of our fave Sydney acts head to Melbourne this Friday to launch their new single ‘Continental’ with some great local producers in SHOUSE and CORIN – just an ideal way to kick off the weekend.
Tickets & Info: $12 + b/f, more info here.

Planète

Where: The Gasometer, Melbourne VIC
When: 9pm – 3am, Monday Oct 31
Why: After a year off, the Melbourne producer returns to launch his new track ‘Nightcrawler’ at The Gaso with an excellent lineup in support: Prequel, Albrecht La’Brooy (live) and Emerse. This lad always plays an amazing set, and we can’t wait to hear some new choons.
Tickets & Info: $12.75 early bird, more info here.

Lisa Mitchell & BUOY

Where: Rocket Bar, Adelaide SA
When: 11am – 3am, Friday Oct 28
Why: This is a pairing we can get behind. Lisa Mitchell is back with her new record Warriors and new single ‘The Boys’, and is appropriately enough taking emerging talent BUOY to Adelaide, with Dean Lewis and Cats DJs all night thrown into the bargain.
Tickets & Info: $10 w/ RSVP, more info here.

Big Words & ESESE

Where: The Evelyn, Melbourne VIC
When: 8:30pm – 12am, Friday Oct 28
Why: Damn-talented soul/R&B outfit Big Words are a must-see live act, always putting on a great hip-hop infused full-band set. They’re bringing their eagerly-awaited debut single to The Ev for a great night with local talents ESESE and The Coretet – this’ll be a good one.
Tickets & Info: $10 + b/f, more info here.

Josh Cashman

Where: Brighton Up Bar, Sydney NSW
When: 8pm – 11pm, Friday Oct 28
Why: Having recently supported Tash Sultana on a string of dates, the Melbourne singer-songwriter will be bringing his new single ‘Wishful Imagery’ to Sydney’s Brighton Up Bar, with Sammi Constantine along for the ride.
Tickets & Info: $15, more info here.

The Shabbab & More

Where: The Evelyn, Melbourne VIC
When: 4pm – 1am, Sunday Oct 30
Why: Wombat State Records are presenting a community-building fundraiser and awareness gig to support the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), featuring nine genre-spanning bands and a bunch of other activities all for a tenner. With The Shabbab leading the charge, we can’t think of many better ways to spend a Sunday arvo, really.
Tickets & Info: $10, more info here.

Kudos

Where: The Milk Factory, Brisbane QLD
When: 8:30pm – 11:30pm, Thursday Oct 27
Why: The Melbourne rapper is making the trip to Brissy for his ‘Plucker’ single launch tour ahead of his set at Jungle Love festival. If you can’t catch him in Brissy, he’ll be doing a special spoken-word set with Luka Lesson the following night at the Gold Coast’s Dust Temple.
Tickets & Info: $12.75, more info here.

Smoke Stack Rhino

Where: The Evelyn, Melbourne VIC
When: 8pm – 12am, Saturday Oct 29
Why: Blues-rockers Smoke Stack Rhino are launching their debut record with a big celebration at The Ev this weekend, with local soul outfit Fulton Street and special Sydney guests and “fuzzsters of doom” The Lockhearts. Having self-funded the release with countless gigs, they’re tight as hell as a band and no doubt really excited to let this one loose this weekend.
Tickets & Info: $14.30, more info here.

Sampology

Where: The Foundry, Brisbane QLD
When: Saturday Oct 29
Why: Sampology brings his Natural Selections tour to Brissy for the weekend, in support of his new mixtape Birds Of A Feather and Natural Selections EP, boasting a revamped live AV show a bargain price.
Tickets & Info: $12.75, more info here.

The Casanovas

Where? Cherry Bar, Melbourne VIC
When? 8pm – 5am, Saturday Oct 29
Why? Having just wrapped up their St Kilda Bowls Club tour, the Melbourne rockers are back at Cherry this Saturday for Scandinavian Rock Night, with The Devilrock Four playing a special reunion gig, and Mucho Sonar making the trip down from Sydney.
Entry & Info: $15, more info here.

Donny Benet

Where: Golden Age Cinema & Bar, Sydney NSW
When: 9pm – 11:45pm, Thursday Oct 27
Why: Yet another sweet gig from our new favourite Sydney venue, you can catch none other than cult hero Donny Benet bringing his new choons to the intimate surrounds of the Golden Age, premiering the clip for his new single ‘Working Out’. And, yes, it’s absolutely free.
Tickets & Info: , more info here.

Cash Savage & The Last Drinks

Where: The Old Bar, Melbourne VIC
When: Thursday Oct 27 / Friday Oct 28
Why: After a sold-out album launch at The Croxton, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks are heading to Europe, but are playing a pair of goodbye shows first. Thursday will feature Local Coward (Kate Alexander) and Emily Ulman in support, while Friday will see FERLA + Bitch Diesel take the stage, so pick your poison.
Tickets & Info: info here.

Lucy Cliche, Tom Moore & More

Where: The Gasometer, Melbourne VIC
When: 3pm – 1am, Sunday Oct 30
Why: Paradise Music Festival takes over the Gaso for one hell of an event that features Lucy Cliche, Tom Moore of Otologic, Brooke Powers, Simona Castricum (DJ) and a stack more, all for ten bucks. Get in the mood for a summer of festivals indoors and outdoors, and enjoy $5 tins with some exceptional local talent.
Tickets & Info: more info here.

The Pretty Littles

Where: Karova Lounge, Ballarat VIC
When: 7:30pm – 12:00am, Friday Oct 28
Why: One of the most consistently entertaining (not to mention talented) bands you’ll find at the moment, The Pretty Littles continue their ‘Soft Rock For The Anxious’ tour, kicking on to country Vic and the Karova Lounge this week with a stacked lineup of Neighbourhood Youth, Gangz and Crossfire Hurricane. If you’re anywhere in the vicinity, you really should get along to this one – otherwise, you can catch ’em at the Northcote Social the following night.
Tickets & Info: $5, more info here.

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine