LIVE WIRE – Sydney Live Music Guide March 24th

Supporter of local talent 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. Heavy hitters Dead Letter Circus bring the Sydney chapter of their national tour to The Metro in Sydney’s CBD on Saturday, with Floating Me and Self Is A Seed in support. Thursday 31^st sees enigmatic concept rapper MF Doom play a second Sydney show at OAF due to popular demand – a rare must-see for all the hip hop heads out there. Live music champions The Mac are bringing back their hugely popular late night Thursday sets, with Brasilian outfit Samba Mundi playing this week from midnight – great hang! 70s rockers Uriah Heep are in Australia for the first time in twenty five years, they play The Enmore Theatre in Sydney’s Inner West as part of their 40^th anniversary tour (for better or worse). Friday 1st finds latin rockers Watussi still on their east coast tour and fresh from the national tour as support for Santana, with a performance at Baroque Bar in Katoomba, Blue Mountains before their Saturday night set at Bondi’s Beach Rd Hotel. Saturday 2^nd also features a showcase by the Modular label of some of their bright new talent signings, with Grace Woodroofe, WIM and Emma Davis gracing the stage at The Basement for an interesting and potentially amazing show. Also on Saturday, The Holidays are kicking off their national headline tour at OAF (they seem to have all the best gigs!) with Gold Fields in support.