LIVE WIRE – Sydney Live Music Guide May 26th

drop is back on Thursday 26^th at the Beach Rd Hotel in Bondi, this time with the fabulous Al Green/Stevie Wonder soul revivalists Electric Empire – Huwston and Bentley are in support. Those up Penrith way can catch Tiki Taane, formerly of Salmonella Dub, as he continues his Aussie tour at Penrith Panthers, also on Thursday. Mission in Motion are occupying Oxford Art Factory on Friday 27^th, with City Lights Fade and Ghosts of New York completing an energized night of quality pop rock. Also on Friday, Young Folks grace The Basement with friends Alice Terry, The Scarlets and Nick Latta in support. Anyone brave enough to be in wintery Katoomba can find The Crooked Fiddle Band at Katoomba RSL on Saturday 28^th – rug up! Indie pop juggernauts Cut Copy star in the Concert Hall of Sydney Opera House on Sunday 29^th, as the Vivid LIVE festival grabs the city’s attention for its third annual run, this time with Modular records boss Steven Pavlovic calling the line up. Architecture in Helsinki feature at the Opera Theatre that same night. The programme continues into next week with WU LYF (World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation) playing The Studio in Sydney Opera House on Monday 30^th and Tuesday 31^st. Keeping in line with the confusing band name trend, Pavlovic has also brought out Californian collective Ofwgkta, who play Tuesday and Wednesday and will be performing for the first time in Australia. Wednesday 1^st also sees Aussie trio Tame Implala join the line up, with the Opera Theatre playing host to their 60s fuzz and psychadelia. Not far down the road, The Basement in Circular Quay hosts recently reformed ‘90s indie group Bhagavad Guitars as they launch their newly recorded Unfamiliar Places record on Wednesday. Thursday 2^nd sees living legend, jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins play at the Concert Hall in Sydney Opera House, which coincides with the famous improviser’s 80^th birthday. This is a rare chance to see one of the few remaining figures from the golden age of jazz doing his thing at this end of the planet. British pop siren Natasha Khan (a.k.a. Bat For Lashes) continues Pavlovic’s curation on Friday 3^rd with her performance at the Concert Hall to a no doubt packed crowd. Fiday also sees the lates installment of the First Friday Reggae Sessions at the Town Hall Hotel in Newtown, this time with Addison Road and Frieda’s Boss featuring on the bill. Those not satisfied by a normal night’s entertainment can head along to the infamous Club 77 in King’s Cross for Blacklist Rock Club, with London band Tres Calaveras leading the late night event. One of the more interesting acts to grace the Opera House stage for this year’s VIVID festival are Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. 8 of the 9 players are sons of legendary Sun Ra Arkestra trumpeter Phil Cohran and the band are a go-to favourite for the likes of Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Alicia Keys and Gorillaz. They play on Saturday 4^th at the Opera Theatre. Sunday 5^th and Canadian ‘80s house outfit Azari And III promise to bring the house down in The Studio of the Opera House, with filmmaker, musician, photographer and producer Chris Cunningham putting on a multimedia show for the first time in Australia in the Opera Theatre next door.