ILLY ANNOUNCES THE GOOD-ER LIFE REGIONAL TOUR FOR AUG – NOV IN SUPPORT OF #1 ARIA AUSTRALIAN ALBUM ‘GOOD LIFE’
Off the back of his recent capital city tour in support his #1 ARIA Australian Album ‘Good Life’, multi-platinum, ARIA award winning genre-defying artist Illy has announced an extensive regional Australian Good-er Life Tour for August – November.
Kicking off in Canberra on Friday 1 August at UC Hub and finishing up in Mildura on Saturday 1 November at The Setts, the 27-date regional tour will see Illy take his boisterous, acclaimed live show to most pockets of Australia, hitting ACT, NSW, TAS, QLD, WA and VIC.
Tickets are on sale now from www.illyal.com.
Hyped on his March/April album tour, Illy says “Finally getting to do the Good Life tour was, no shit, life affirming. I loved every second of it, whether it was playing the new album, the big bangers, or meeting people after. I even loved the hungover flights the next morning (maybe not as much). So now that we’ve got a taste for it, I am READY and counting down the days til the Good-er Life tour starts. We’re the most locked in we’ve been in years on stage, and when we’re in this mode, no one does it better. Get involved, see you there. Can’t wait”.
The regional run of shows follows the recent release of Good Life Deluxe Edition. Joining the acclaimed fourteen-track album is 2023 standalone single Hopeless (feat. Indiana Massara), new track Free Hand and acoustic versions of singles Kids and Good Life. The album has seen Illy work with a number of key producers, writers and artists including Sofia Reyes, Johnny Took from DMA’s, Xavier Dunn, Kuren, Tones And I, Hevenshe and Jungleboi. Listen HERE.
Illy has seamlessly straddled the line between hip hop and pop throughout his decorated career, embracing new sonic inspirations across each of his six critically acclaimed studio albums. After receiving his third ARIA nomination for 2013 record Cinematic – home to 3x platinum single and fan-favourite Tightrope– Illy’s follow up project Two Degrees (2016) shot to #1 on the ARIA charts, featuring multi-platinum collaborations Papercuts ft. Vera Blue (5x), and Catch 22 ft. Anne-Marie (3x). 2021’s The Space Between marked Illy’s second ARIA #1 album, with lead single Then What ticking over to 2x ARIA platinum. An ARIA Award winner for Best Live Act, Illy has performed at high profile festivals including Falls Festival, Splendour In The Grass, Snow Machine, and Spilt Milk. In 2023, his ‘Ausmusic Medley’ reached #12 in triple j’s Hottest 100 of Like A Version.
Tickets to the Good-er Life Tour are on sale now. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.illyal.com/tour
THE GOOD-ER LIFE TOUR
Friday 1 August – UC Hub, Canberra, ACT
Saturday 2 August – The Station, Jindabyne, NSW
Friday 8 August – Finnians Irish Tavern, Port Macquarie, NSW
Saturday 9 August – Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour, NSW
Thursday 14 August – Long Jetty Hotel, Central Coast, NSW
Friday 15 August – King Street Bandroom, Newcastle, NSW
Saturday 16 August – Uow Unibar, Wollongong, NSW
Sunday 17 August – Smokey Dans, Tomakin, NSW
Friday 22 August – Altar, Hobart, TAS
Saturday 23 August – Forth Pub, Devonport, TAS
Friday 19 September – Mieplace Niteclub, Gladstone, QLD
Saturday 20 September – Mcguires Hotel, Mackay, QLD
Thursday 25 September – Bar1, Hillarys, WA
Friday 26 September – Port Beach Garden Bar, Fremantle, WA
Saturday 27 September – Prince Of Wales, Bunbury, WA
Thursday 2 October – Edge Hill Tavern, Cairns, QLD
Friday 3 October – Dalrymple Hotel, Townsville, QLD
Saturday 4 October – Boom, Airlie Beach, QLD
Thursday 9 October – Cleveland Sands Hotel, Redlands, QLD
Friday 10 October – Burleigh Town Hotel, Burleigh Heads, QLD
Saturday 11 October – Solbar, Maroochydore, QLD
Friday 17 October – Torquay Hotel, Torquay, VIC
Saturday 18 October – Whalers Hotel, Warrnambool, VIC
Friday 24 October – Beer Deluxe, Albury, VIC
Saturday 25 October – Pier Bandroom, Frankston, VIC
Friday 31 October – All Seasons [Conservatory Room], Bendigo, VIC
Saturday 1 November – The Setts, Mildura, VIC
THE CORONAS ANNOUNCE 2025 AUSTRALIAN TOUR SET TO RETURN DOWN UNDER THIS NOVEMBER
In 2025, fourth time’s the charm for Dublin’s The Coronas, with the beloved rock trio set to return down under for a fourth year in a row this November. Gearing up to visit Melbourne, Sydney and Perth later this year, prepare to once again fall head-over-heels with the energetic and magnetic stylings of The Coronas in a live setting, with plenty of new and old favourites in store.
Tickets for The Coronas’ upcoming Australian tour go onsale to the general public on Friday 13 June at 10am local time from https://thecoronas.net/. Fans can register for presale tickets now from https://troubadourpresents.com/events/the-coronas, with a 24 hour presale kicking off at 10am Thursday 12 June.
“Honestly it’s one of my favourite places in the world to tour,” says The Coronas lead vocalist Danny O’Reilly of returning to Australia for a fourth year in a row. “It reminds me of home in a certain way. The Aussies know how to have fun, a bit like the Irish. My favourite thing about touring Australia is the people; the coffee; the weather; the breakfasts; the atmosphere at the shows – I guess that’s the people again. We’ve been so welcomed in Aus every time we’ve played there. We can’t wait!”
“The expats love to make themselves seen (and heard!) at the shows,” adds Danny. “They’ve no shame, Irish flag waving, shouting at the top of their lungs like they’re out for the first and last time ever! The Aussies at our shows still know how to have fun but they’re a bit cooler and understated.”
Named for the typewriter used by protagonist William Miller in the 2000 flick Almost Famous, The Coronas have been charming crowds across the world for decades, with the trio’s original brew of inspirations drawn from The Beatles and The Stone Roses ultimately paving the way for the eventual signature Coronas sound, announced via their 2006 debut EP The Coronas EP. Swiftly garnering attention, the group went on to take Ireland’s indie scene by storm via a run of sold-out shows in Dublin, and went on to make chart history as the only independent Irish band to claim four consecutive chart-topping albums, while also ticking off supporting Bruce Springsteen in Hyde Park, playing for then-President Joe Biden, and taking out the Hot Press #1 Live Act of the Year Award.
In the studio, The Coronas have released seven full-length albums to date, spanning their acclaimed 2007 debut LP Heroes or Ghosts through to their most recent opus, 2024’s Thoughts & Observations, with the latter cementing a fourth consecutive #1 album for the trio. And between their trademark energetic live performances internationally and their ongoing love affair with Australian audiences, The Coronas have also previously shared stages alongside the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, The Kooks and Ellie Goulding, with an upcoming performance later this month at Glastonbury Festival along with The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart and many more.
“The set is gonna be a little different for sure,” shares Danny of what Aussie fans can expect this November. “We’ve been on the road now a lot of this year already, around Europe and we’re just about to start a UK tour then we’ll be off to the US and Canada for a tour in July, so we should have the show pretty tight by our Australian tour. There’s gonna be a mixture of newer stuff and some old Coronas songs but loads of energy and good vibes.”
And with back-to-back Australian visits as well as back-to-back chart topping album releases of late, The Coronas absolutely aren’t slowing down anytime soon, as Danny concludes, “We’ve just started work on our next record, it’s exciting to be back writing new material. I imagine we will keep writing in between all our touring this year and try record early next year! That’s the plan.”
Tickets for The Coronas’ upcoming Australian tour go onsale to the general public on Friday 13 June at 10am local time from https://thecoronas.net/.
THE CORONAS – UPCOMING AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES:
FRI 21 NOV | PRINCE BANDROOM, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SAT 22 NOV | ROUNDHOUSE, SYDNEY NSW | 18+
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SUN 23 NOV | MAGNET HOUSE, PERTH WA | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA SHARE CHARISMATIC CALL TO ARMS ‘BOM BOM BOM’ SINGLE TAKEN FROM FORTHCOMING NEW ALBUM ‘THE BALLAD OF MONTE LOCO’ DUE OUT FRIDAY JUNE 27
An upbeat coalescence of dub, Spaghetti Western hues and revolution, today ARIA Award-winning ska collective Melbourne Ska Orchestra unveil a brand new track Bom Bom Bom; a charismatic sonic powder keg that also accompanies a music video and the announcement of a new forthcoming Melbourne Ska Orchestra album, with The Ballad Of Monte Loco set for release on Friday June 27. And with a huge global tour set to span Australia, Japan and Canada from July to October 2025, the arrival of The Ballad Of Monte Loco kicks open the doors to a thrilling new MSO musical saga ahead of a huge run of shows.
Opening with the whirring sound of a film projector and hypnotic hooks, Bom Bom Bom swings into a track punctuated by tremolo guitar picking, dub beats and smoky soundscapes, perfectly setting the scene both for a dusky desert caper as well as a call to action, with Bom Bom Bom’s lyrics soaked in powerful protest as Melbourne Ska Orchestra leader Nicky Bomba elaborates, “Bom Bom Bom is a rally cry wrapped in rhythm. It’s about waking up, standing up, and remembering that the power belongs to the people. There’s a fire underneath it all—a deep frustration with systems that divide and distract—but also a joy in coming together to shake the walls with music. It’s protest through party. It’s a revolution… with a horn section.”
“There’s definitely a nod to The Skatalites and Toots,” adds Bomba, “but also the storytelling vibe of Gil Scott-Heron, the space-dub of Lee Scratch Perry, and that Spaghetti Western cinematic scope—Morricone still guiding us like a desert prophet. We utilise a few different languages too, Sally Ford bringing the Texacali spirit to the MSO sound.”
Produced by Nicky Bomba and the MSO crew, Bom Bom Bom was recorded in-house with a tapestry of sound design courtesy of award-winning composer Wally Maloney. And with soundscapes spanning the full gamut of the cinematic West including church bells, whips, horses and whistles (also extending to the broader The Ballad Of Monte Loco album), it’s fitting that the accompanying music video for Bom Bom Bom embraces a spirit befitting the silver screen, with the clip once again bringing on board a long-time MSO collaborator to bring the Western vibes to visual fruition. “We wanted to capture some of the cinematic energy of Sergio Leone classics like The Fistful Trilogy and merge it with some of the wilder, more surreal visions of the West,” shares Bomba. “We love the craziness of films by Alejandro Jodorowsky, so we hoped to bottle a bit of that energy as well. We figured a good tribute to these cinematic ideas would be a trailer to our fictional Western film The Ballad Of Monte Loco. We worked with long-time collaborator and friend Clayton Jacobson—he’s got the eye for mixing real grit with cinematic magic. He’s done some of our most popular music videos and he just gets it.”
Along with Bom Bom Bom, Melbourne Ska Orchestra’s most recent singles Walls of Jericho and John Wayne have steadily painted a picture of what lies at the heart of the group’s upcoming new album, The Ballad Of Monte Loco; a tantalising combo of Western badlands smoulder fused with reggae, horns and beyond across its 13 tracks. Opening with a haunting church bell, galloping percussion and ghostly melodies, The Brave, The Mean and the Wild Ones perfectly sets the scene, detailing “how the West was won” merged with perky saxophone solos, genuine horse gallops, sweeping horns and honky tonk piano. From here, The Ballad Of Monte Loco continuously feels like a full body immersion into a celluloid fever dream, with hazy dub swoon (No Doubt About It and Read Between The Lines), prowling Western soundscapes, Latin piano lines and sprinkling percussion (Pay No Mind), mesmerising grooves set against sparkling horns and commanding urgency that transcends language and time (No Me Mientas), as well as a whispered and haunting interlude (Fortune Teller). The second half of The Ballad of Monte Loco then immediately journeys between upbeat cinematic storytelling (John Wayne), jubilant positivity (Spring In My Step), funked-up jaunt (When Bootsy Came To Town), and a powerful call to arms coated with modern panache and vintage saloon vibes (Realidad). And while the entirety of The Ballad Of Monte Loco is equally eclectic yet cohesive, closing track One Thing ends on a commanding note, deftly balancing its languid vocals, cloudy arrangements and bewitching harmonies with a sturdy closing message to persevere against the odds.
“This album was born in a time of uncertainty, but also one of reflection and fire,” says Bomba of the upcoming album. “The Ballad of Monte Loco is our imagined Western world, where rhythm is resistance, and people rise together through music. It touches on revolution, false prophets, joy as rebellion, and the power of truth when it’s sung loud. We wanted it to feel like both a warning and a celebration.”
One of Australia’s most commanding collectives, Melbourne Ska Orchestra amalgamate some of the country’s finest musicians and performers, helmed with formidable dexterity by Nicky Bomba (John Butler Trio, Bomba, Bustamento). Forming in the early 2000s, MSO are an energy-infested orchestra with a difference, with the group comprising up to 26 members spanning vocals, horns, keys, percussion, woodwind and more. Releasing their self-titled debut album in 2013, MSO would earn the first of many ARIA Award nominations, ultimately going on to take out Best World Music Album in 2016 for their second full-length, Sierra Kilo Alpha, as well as Best World Music Album in 2019 for their multi album box set One Year of Ska. And proving their relentless work-ethic alongside their world-class skillset, One Year of Ska also found Melbourne Ska Orchestra releasing a song every week for an entire year.
Over the years Melbourne Ska Orchestra have ticked off multiple sold out shows on home soil, dozens of major festival appearances, twelve international tours, and a sea of awards and nominations. But it’s not just the group’s prolific output that has found them so hotly in demand worldwide, with MSO’s explosive live performance and genre-defying genius generating acclaim and huge nods of approval from reggae and ska legends including Stranger Cole, Owen Grab, Carlos Malcolm, Ranking Roger and Neville Staples.
In 2025, Melbourne Ska Orchestra’s world domination continues, both via the upcoming release of The Ballad Of Monte Loco as well as an upcoming huge global tour that will see them travel through Australia, Japan and Canada throughout July, August, September and October 2025. And whetting the appetite with today’s new single, dropping Bom Bom Bom ahead of the release of The Ballad Of Monte Loco later this month, there are truly some unforgettable moments still to come, as Nicky Bomba concludes, “We’re buzzin’! There’s nothing like the full MSO experience live—up to 20 of us on stage, blasting brass, thundering percussion, and skankin’ til the roof lifts. It’s not just a gig—it’s a full-blown brass opera with boots, sweat, and soul. We’re bringing the world of Monte Loco to life in every town we hit.
“This isn’t background music. This is a dancefloor sermon. A brass-laced vision quest. A reminder that when we gather in rhythm, walls fall and hearts rise. Bom Bom Bom is just the beginning. Monte Loco awaits…”
Bom Bom Bom is out today.
The Ballad Of Monte Loco is due out Friday June 27.
Tickets for Melbourne Ska Orchestra’s ‘The Ballad Of Monte Loco’ Tour are on sale now from www.melbourneskaorchestra.com/.