Music

Here’s your front-row look at what’s ahead for the best gigs to attend on the Gold Coast.

To help you start mapping out your next New South Wales adventure, we’ve rounded up a bunch of the most exciting events to mark in your diaries.

We’ve wrapped up a stack of free events taking over The Star Gold Coast this February so you can eat, sip, laugh and dance your way through stunning summer evenings. 

For artists like Isaac who are drawn to creating, music is undeniably in their blood, so we've teamed up with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood to dive a little deeper and uncover the passion for collaboration, live performance and a drive to contribute to the world around him that pump an unmistakable rhythm through his veins. 

We’ve linked up with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood to take you on a deep dive into Australian artists with music in their blood, and there’s no better place to start than with LK (her dad is Paul Kelly, and if that doesn’t suggest she was born with music flowing through her veins, we don’t know what does.)

Grab your mates and head down for live performances every Friday with some of the industry’s finest musicians at The Star’s vibrant Garden Kitchen & Bar Live On The Lawn, entertainment series.

From grass-stomping day festivals and one-off intimate gigs to globally-revered performances and three-day camp-outs, you’re spoilt for choice; no matter where you are in Australia, we guarantee these music events are well worth the flight, train or road trip convoy with your crew. 

Nestled in the beating heart of Surfers Paradise, we’ve found the perfect place for the ultimate fun day out. Think: epic games, live sport and a total foodie nirvana. So where can you find this awesome spot? Perched on the corner of Surfers Paradise Boulevard and Cavill Mall, boasting a 100-metre frontage opposite the world-famous Surfers Paradise Beach, is Paradise Centre. Home to over 90 stores, an alfresco dining precinct and a buzzing entertainment hub, gather your crew and make tracks here stat.

Isol-Aid Homegrown is a collaboration providing creative and financial support to emerging acts across Australia and New Zealand.

Amazing news: The Festival Of The Stone is back in Byron Bay on 5 June 2021 and heads up, tickets will sell out real quick.

We sit down with Australian singer-songwriter Thandi Phoenix to uncover what makes a luxe long lunch.

We sit down with Touch Sensitive to chat about the perfect movie night set-up.

It’s true, our love for hip hop runs deep. We’re big fans of the genre’s boundary-breaking, rebellious attitude (perhaps a love that’s been magnified after living through the insanity that was 2020) and it’s the leading part in the revival of '90s streetwear fashion. 

As Australia slowly begins to open back up and music festivals are no longer just a faint, distant memory, the Gold Coast has decided to up the ante by creating a brand new live music concept.

Welcome to Culture Curve—your go-to guide to what’s on the rise and slide in culture in December 2020.

This month, we're adding bedroom pop to our playlists, a genre spawned from artists getting creative in iso. We investigate a new wave of augmented reality e-commerce that's adding a little creativity to practicality, and we take a deep dive on the mega-force of gaming—no longer just a channel for entertainment and escapism, but the final curtain of pop culture. 

We’ve curated a list of our recent sounds you need to check out, from Gaga’s latest bops to a few Aussie favourites.

We all knew it was coming and now it's official—Splendour In The Grass has been cancelled for 2020.

You may not be able to visit your local cafe for a flat white, enjoy a beer with your buddies or catch a film with friends, but we’re arming you with 10 seriously cool things to do on the Gold Coast, while you batten down the hatches and self-isolate.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d know that the short-form video app, Tik Tok has well and truly taken over the world. 

We’ve rounded up some of the fiercest local women in business; pouring cups of ambition by the gallon, dreaming big and designing their futures on their terms, right here on the Gold Coast. 

Summer might be over, but March just so happens to be one of the most action-packed months of the year! 

The epic new musical festival announcements just keep coming, with the news of Greener Pastures hitting the Gold Coast in 2020. 

One Love Festival is one of New Zealand's largest and most iconic music festivals—pulling in around 20,000 revellers each year for almost a decade. Having sold out in NZ for the past four years in a row, organisers have decided to bring the festival to Australia for the first time. 

He’s the guy on everyone’s playlists and now he’s heading down under for an exclusive, intimate show. 

For all the music stans out there, listen up. We’re about to dish the dirt on how you can nab backstage tickets at shows, meet your favourite artists, score killer merch and get exclusive VIP treatment at festivals. 

The mammoth line-up has finally dropped so mark your calendars.

Forget nominating a DD to ship you and your crew down to Byron or up to Brisbane so you can catch international superstars perform, because the Gold Coast just scored the most epic music festival ever!

Sipping a cold one and blissing out to the soulful sounds of the Hanlon Brothers is a rite of passage on the Gold Coast. Whether it’s at The Island Rooftop for a Sunday session or a late-night groove in IKU’s back bar, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t fallen for the lovable trio’s smooth beats. 

Plus a secret Grammy Award-winning line-up.

As part of Urban List Music Month we're bringing light on the artists that are shaping the music industry from the ground up.

This Barcelona festival is making headlines for its 50/50 talent split including Tame Impala, Miley Cyrus, Charli XCX, Future and Nas.

It’s almost been a whopping four years since her last album, but we’ve finally gotten word that Grimes is coming out with a new LP, so drop everything you’re doing and listen up. A few weeks ago, Grimes took to social media to unveil details about her forthcoming LP titled Miss_Anthropocene, a concept album about the anthropomorphic goddess of climate change.

Dust off your docs and bust out your band tees, because Byron Bay’s iconic Bluesfest is back for its 30th year, and it’s going to be bigger than ever. Held over the entire Easter long weekend, Bluesfest will be bringing good times and good music to the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm. 

His close team of songwriters and musicians have worked to finalise the late DJ’s unfinished album.

This is the moving story behind Beychella.

Bring on April 13.

We all know vinyl is back. And so it should be! What’s not to love about that beautiful crackling static as the needle prepares to spin your tune, or the warm-as-the-sun sounds that dance from the speaker? Which brings us to Record Store Day 2019, a celebration of all that is vinyl. It’s a worldwide event that celebrates the unique culture and community of independent record stores around the globe. In fact, there are now Record Store Day events on nearly every continent.

Cancel Culture is undoubdtedly one of the most powerful digital movements today affecting the music world.

We couldn’t kick off the first week of music month at Urban List without chatting to pop music’s most coveted duo right now. In their first project together, Troye Sivan and Lauv’s I’m So Tired cracked top 10 in the UK—a first for both performers—reached the top 20 on the Billboard charts, has been streamed nearly two million times on Spotify and performed everywhere from Jimmy Kimmel Live to The Late Late Show with James Cordon.

Plus Chance The Rapper, Tame Impala, SZA, Hayden James, Matt Corby and Ziggy Alberts.

Nothing says the Gold Coast more than epic surf beaches and uber talented local musicians. So, it only stands to reason that both of them should come together to create one seriously rad festival. 

An ode to all things friendship, freedom and protecting your own energy.

April is music month at Urban List and we’ve got all of your music needs covered with this ultimate Gold Coast gig guide.

Tkay Maidza is the ambitious Australian rapper taking up space on everyone’s playlist right now. We caught up with her during recording sessions in Melbourne to dive into her wardrobe and talk creative inspirations, self-discovery, fashion as expression and never (ever) blending in.

Debuted at sacai’s Fall/Winter 2019 runway show in Paris, we now have a release date for the Japanese brands collaboration with Beats by Dre. 

She’s the eclectic pop slash hip-hop sound in everyone’s ears right now and considering she’s just 20, that’s a pretty huge feat.

Turning 30 is a big deal for anyone, but it’s even more of a big deal when you’re an internationally renowned festival with a habit of producing iconic line-ups. That’s right, our very own Bluesfest is turning 30, and its celebrating with one hell of a party. 

Cliff top oasis and Bali beach club Ulu Ciffhouse has been redefining beachside nightlife since it opened its doors in 2017. With direct access to the beautiful beaches of Uluwatu, this beach club boasts a 25-metre infinity pool, resort, music recording studio, art space, world class food and drinks, and an oceanside deck that hangs above the waves.

The EDM duo remember their years DJ-ing at Kit & Kaboodle and now they’ve dropped their first album, there’s no turning back.

Females dominated the Album Of The Year nominations and the award ceremony made firsts in the world of hip hop. 

Behold, the rise and rise of Billie Eilish.

We’re losing it.

Off the back of his latest album Rainbow Valley, our favourite indie-boy Matt Corby has revealed he’s headed to the Gold Coast. And considering his last tour in 2016 sold 80,000 tickets worldwide, you’ll want to get in quick. 

And what to expect when you hit play? Think glitchy transitions, hip hop vibes, over-sized jackets, all the bisexual lighting and chunky sneakers. In other words, it’s a sure-fire mirror of everything cool right now.

PNAU are essentially Australian royalty. The guys have been banging out hits since their first album release in 1999. In 2007 they released their fifth studio album, Changa, and it produced some absolute tracks.

The South African-born, Australian-raised DJ has been hitting the decks at festivals like Your Paradise and Coachella.

It was... awesome.

Got an entertainment buff you need to please? From retro arcade games to stylish sound systems, we’ve got something that will have them cancelling all their plans for 2019.

Over the weekend musician slash actor slash creative genius Childish Gambino graced the southern hemisphere with his presence, bringing his highly anticipated PHAROS experience to New Zealand.

2018, we'll let you finish, but Cardi B had one of the greatest albums of all time.

In the middle of Mojo’s national tour, we sat down with her to talk about her latest album aptly named, Native Tongue. What we weren’t prepared for was her searing honesty, her ability to be relentlessly real and how refreshing the truth can be. 

The trio has just dropped a new LP and is set to tour Australia in 2019.

It’s 10 glorious lazy Sunday tunes and we’re already fans.

With music inspired by Willy-Wonka

Worth the damn wait.

Fluorescent Adolescent is the tune of our teenage years. Period.

The UK group are gearing up to launch their new album 'Toast To Our Differences' early next year.

And we feel just like a rockstar.

And it's set to be pure sonic magic.

Omair Anjum and Mohammad Shah created the House band Fake Shamans from their mutual love of the underground music scene. The only thing about that scene: it's in Pakistan. 

She’s rocked festivals like BIGSOUND, Strawberry Fields and NYE On The Hill. She’s released a breakthrough single (‘Numb) and opened for Leon Bridges and RnB master, Maxwell. She’s even collab’d with REMI (on ‘My People) and Sampa the Great. And now she’s on her way to America. Hard to believe Thando is still only 25 years-old.

We speak to Aqua's René Dif about pop's greatest era and making Barbie Girl live forever. 

Grime institution Eskimo Dance has just announced they’ll be hitting our side of the globe and we are ready.

​Want to skip the queues and snag a private dining room at Sydney’s Chin Chin? How about a year’s free yoga in Brisbane? Maybe a private session at Bass & Flinders mixing you own signature gin? Well, they’re all up for grabs.

Get your crew sorted stat.

All your Sunday inspo wrapped into one handly lil' package.

All your Sunday inspo wrapped into one handly lil' package.

Splendour In The Grass is taking centre stage this weekend in good ol’ Byron Bay, which means some of Australia’s loosest units will be converging in the one crusty paddock for a full weekend of glorious delinquency.