LIVE WIRE – Sydney Live Music Guide 17th March

Thursday 17^th finds surfer/singer/professional drifter Donavon Frankenreiter at the Cambridge Hotel in Newcastle as part of his latest Glow album tour, which is followed the next night by a bigger show at the Metro. Melbourne hip hop soul masters Electric Empire are at Oxford Arts Factory on Friday 18^th, straight off the back of their Mayer Hawthorne national tour support – sure to be a red hot gig. Still at OAF, the Jim Beam Bootleg night is featuring Cabins at the top of their impressive line up, which also includes Belles Will Ring, Lanie Lane, Magnetic Heads and The Cairos. Chilean folk singer and Jesus look-a-like Nano Stern is back in the country after being well received at Woodford Folk Festival, this time with his four piece band playing at The Basement in Circular Quay on Sunday 20^th. The Brass Monkey in Cronulla hosts Sydney indie four piece New Navy on Tuesday 22^nd, with Wolves at the Door and Boats of Berlin in support at this intimate night spot. Melbourne hard blues rockers Black Devil Yard Boss are double-headlining with The Delta Riggs at Bondi’s Beach Rd Hotel on Wednesday 23^rd, sure to be an ear-splittingly soulful night. Local talent supporter and generally relaxing space Raval in Surry Hills has We Are The Birdcage on Thursday 24^th, keeping the gentle folk vibe flowing that suits that room so well. Also on Thursday, Melbourne/Kiwi roots outfit Bonjah are playing with special guests at the mighty Oxford Art Factory as they push their new White Line single. Still at OAF, Friday 25^th sees Triple J favourites Oh Mercy launch their acclaimed new album Great Barrier Grief before embarking on a national tour. Self-proclaimed U.S. king of power pop Paul Collins is raring to take down Newtown’s classic Sandringham Hotel on Friday, where he will summon up the guitar licks that kept him as a central figure of bands like The Nerves, The Breakaways and The Beat. Promoters of all things hip, Dustones are bringing Brisbane band Tijuana Cartel to Tone in Surry Hills on Friday, with DJs Kato, Bentley, Mike Who, James Locksmith and MashyP filling out the line-up for an epic night. Spectrum on Oxford St hosts Melbourne’s Big Scary that same night, with  The Honey Month and Step Panther in support. Saturday 26^th sees the return of the Secret Garden Festival, a not-for-profit event held at an unknown location somewhere outside of Sydney, where Deep Sea Arcade, Parades, Canyons, Alison Wonderland, Kato and Softwar make up the exciting line up. Also on Saturday, Brisbane’s alt-blues hip hop act Laneous and the Family Yah release their Scissors EP at the Annandale Hotel on Parramatta Rd, with local MC Tuka in support.