Interviews

This week on Down by the River PBS presents a special delayed broadcast from the 2026 Port Fairy Folk Festival. Join Lauren on stage for live sets and interviews from Irish Mythen (pictured), Svavar Knútur and Charley Castle and the Boys in the Well. Re-live the magic of this concert and feel the energy of this unique live radio event.

Fresh off the release of their new album 'Straight Line Was A Lie', Aotearoa/ New Zealand’s quartet The Beths are returning to Melbourne on April 25 for a show at the Forum. Across ten tracks, songwriter Elizabeth Stokes explores roundabout progress, mental health battles, and fraught family ties with lyrics that are both deeply personal and universally relatable. Ahead of their Australian tour, Crispi catches up with the band about the new record.

Neo garage femme rock band Girl Monstar are back with a bangin’ new collection of songs. Having shared stages with The Ramones, The Buzzcocks, Sonic Youth, Iggy Pop and more, the group split in 1993, but the OG members of Sherry Rich, Anne McCue, Susan Shaw and Janene Abbott have reunited. Crispi catches up with Sherry from the local band, tune in to hear about their new record ‘GRRRR!! The Album’.

Three respected and influential singer-songwriters - Sara Storer, Shane Howard and Shane Nicholson - will join forces in an extraordinary live collaboration, celebrating the craft, power and legacy of Australian songwriting at MEMO Music Hall on May 14. This event will bring together three distinct voices whose songs have shaped the nation’s cultural landscape across generations. The two Shane's join Ernie, tune in to hear an intimate live performance from them.

Brutefest is returning to The Tote this April 25 for another day of heavy metal chaos across two stages. Headlined by US thrash band Warbringer and supported by many Australian band, including Ratlord, Circle of Blood, Monoliyth and Virulent Invocation, Kene brings in Virulent Invocation to Burning Bitumen to chat about their Brutefest spot. Tune in to find out what time they'll be playing on the day. 

After nearly 30 years of tearing the underground to shreds, PLF (Pulverizing Lethal Force) are making their first trip to Australia this April. A ferocious two-piece band, PLF are a devastating blend of ultra-tight viciously fast old school grindcore ala Terrorizer and Insect Warfare and high octane thrash metal ala Kreator, Sodom and Possessed pushed to warp speed. Tune in to Burning Bitumen as Kene catches up with the band ahead of their show at Shotkickers the next night.

Vomitory was formed in 1989 by guitarist Urban Gustafsson, shortly after joined by drummer Tobias Gustafsson, during the emergence of the globally recognised Swedish death metal scene. Building on their momentum, the band announces their 10th album, 'In Death Throes'. Recorded at Leon Music Studios and Goff Studios with producer Rikard Löfgren, the album cranks up the intensity while featuring the first new line-up in 21 years. Kene catches up with drummer Tobias Gustafsson about the new record.

Simon TK and Elsie from Skylab Radio will be stopping by The Breakfast Spread this Friday morning for a chat and guest mix with Milo Eastwood. Turning eight years young, they're celebrating with a big open air family affair at the Fairfield Amphitheatre on April 11, bringing their beloved presenters and listeners together to break bread and keep their station alive. Tune in to hear more about the festivities going down this weekend.

On April 14 at The Retreat Hotel, Robert Bundle (Songlines), Leila Gurruwiwi (Agency Projects, 3KND), Fred Gesha (Festival Producer at City of Port Phillip) and Paul Gorrie (DJ PGZ) will explore how First Nations artists are creating spaces where wellbeing, cultural safety, and artistic integrity coexist. Local DJ PGZ joins Edd Fisher for a guest mix and to talk about this event, tune in to learn more about Yarning Strong - a panel event presented in partnership with Blak Stage.

Formed in Santiniketan, West Bengal, in 2009, The Three Seas grew out of an all-night jam between Australian saxophonist Matt Keegan and local musicians Raju Das Baul and Deo Ashis Mothey, alongside Kolkata-based drummer Gaurab 'Gaboo' Chatterjee. Joining Pradip on Tiger Beats Elephant Grooves, tune in to hear about their new album 'Antahkarana', a luminous meeting of Baul mysticism, Himalayan folk, rock and dub, which they'll be performing at Jazz Lab on April 11. 

Tune in to Blue Juice this weekend as Mohair Slim is joined by Ezra Lee and Jumpin Jethro Whittaker, who will be playing at The Rainbow Hotel on April 19. Lead singer and barrelhouse piano player Ezra Lee and his band The Moon Rockers, are a 1940s and 50s inspired combo playing only the wildest songs with the big boogie woogie beat featuring singer guitarist Jumpin' Jethro Whittaker and the red hot rhythm section of Big Ray West on bass and Danny Catalfi on drums.

Womaloya is an international musical collaboration between five female artists from the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific. Five artists from Réunion Island and Australia create new music together for the first time, blending the traditional Maloya of Réunion Island with contemporary Australian sounds. Tune in to Flight 1067 to Africa for an intimate live performance and interview with this remarkable collective of musicians.

Richard Barrett's music is widely regarded around the world for its complexity of both musical and conceptual ideas, often informed by his own background and interests in genetics, microbiology, physics, astronomy, and philosophy. Now based in The Netherlands, Welsh-born Barrett has a long association with Australia having worked with Elision Ensemble and Speak Percussion. Richard Barrett joins Ian to talk about his newly recorded work, 'close-up' for electroacoustic ensemble.

Joining Brooke on Homebrew this Monday is Brigette from Monet's Pond - a locally based indie alt-R&B artist blending neo-soul, hip hop, and psychedelic pop into immersive sonic worlds. She'll be chatting about performing at 'Break The Tower: Love Thy Neighbour', which is a massive dayfest fundraiser generating proceeds to the U.S. based non-profit organisation: The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC). Tune in to hear more about the event happening at Bergy Bandroom on April 26.

Local musicians Patrick Ryan (Cantrips) and Lachlan Stuckey (Surprise Chef) have teamed up to form the new project Blademasters. Their debut release 'King’s Knight' and 'Live By The Blade' features delicate acoustic guitar arrangements in unison, set against a dramatic rhythm section, which is inspired by David Axelrod's bold cinematic jazz works of the 1960s and 1970s. Tune in to Mystic Brew as Mike Gurrieri catches up with the duo ahead of their launch at High Note on April 23.

Founded in Toronto by Syrian vocalist Leen Hamo and Lebanese multi-instrumentalist John Abou Chacra, Kazdoura craft a sound that bridges modern and traditional Arabic music with psychedelia, funk, and soul. Their music radiates a vintage-tinged, psych-soul atmosphere, with Leen’s ethereal, ornamented vocals soaring over lush, hypnotic arrangements. MzRizk catches up with the duo on Boogie Beat Suite, tune in to hear about their music and new releases. 

Tyler Beam, vocalist for Pennsylvanian deathcore group The Last Ten Seconds Of Life will be joining Ryan on Tyrannocoreus this April 14. About to release their new album 'The Dead Ones' on April 17 via Metal Blade, Ryan and Tyler will be chatting about the deathcore scene in the American north-east. Tune in to hear about the band's touring cycle this year and goals to visit Australia soon.

Locally-based, 7-piece soul-funk outfit Steppers are proud to present a body of work truly representative of their unspoken dialect; a sonic language communicated in groove, translated through dance. Their 6-track debut album launches Friday June 12 at Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, with the full weight of their combined experience and musicality. Tune in to The Afterglow Radio Show for a deep groove Studio 5 Live session, followed by an interview with Lyndelle.

Drawing influence from artists like Bonny Light Horseman, Norwood fuses Americana inspiration with the alt-folk sounds of their home city, piecing together vulnerability with candid self-awareness. Formed through a shared admiration of upfront lyricism and inseparable harmonies, the pair have always aimed to create songs that find weight in their unassuming tenderness. Bringing in their guitars, tune in to Down By The River for a special live performance from the Naarm based duo.

Respected band of the eighties, The Eastern Dark will be catching up with Crispi on Radio City. With a mix of sixties-via-Ramones pop smarts, hard rock crunch and punkish energy, their slim output has produced a world-wide cult awareness. Listen in from 2pm to hear about the re-release of their 1985 singles 'Johnny & Dee Dee / Julie Is A Junkie' on Grown Up Wrong Records. 

Joining Kene on Burning Bitumen this Thursday night is US metal guitarist Jack Owen, a founding member of Cannibal Corpse and part of Six Feet Under. Originally a side project formed by Chris Barnes with guitarist Allen West of Obituary, Six Feet Under has released 14 albums, and is listed by Nielsen Soundscan as the fourth-best-selling death metal act in the US. Tune in to hear what Jack Owen has been up to recently.

London-based duo U-BEND bridge the gap between acid cougars and the namaste death cult. Their steady stream of sold out 12” releases are packed with low-tempo, off-kilter gems that can regularly be heard on 'Charlie Bones’ Do!!You!!!' radio, with previous broadcasts on U-BEND.com. Joining Milo on The Breakfast Spread to spin the Wheels Of Steel, tune in for some obscure pop gems, to churning house and acid work outs, and to hear about their show at Collingwood Basement on April 18.

Ohio emo veterans Hawthorne Heights are returning to Melbourne to celebrate 20 years of their seminal album 'If Only You Were Lonely', which cemented them as one of the era’s defining acts, earning gold certification and leaving a lasting impact on fans around the world. Ryan catches up with vocalist JT Woodruff about their show at The Croxton on April 25, tune in as they chat about overcoming adversity and challenges that the band have dealt with in their over two decade career.

Solo artist of the year from the 2021 'Australian Folk Music Awards', Ruth Hazleton is taking her darkfolk album 'Heronbones' to Brunswick Ballroom on Sunday, April 29. A collection of stories (both traditional and composed), Ruth draws from deep wells of folklore and trad song, reshaping these narratives through a darkfolk lens, blending electronic sampling and sound design with guitar and banjo. Ruth Hazleton joins Lauren Plant on the show to chat about the upcoming album launch.

From busking on Bourke street in 2014 to headlining sold out venues around the world, twin brothers Jack and Patrick Pierce aka the Pierce Brothers will be joining Lauren Plant on Down By The River. Having just played at Port Fairy Folk Festival, their album ‘Moonrise’ debuted at #1 on the ARIA album charts in December, and the indie folk outfit are taking their fourth studio record on tour this month. Tune in for a live set from the duo, and to hear about their show at 170 Russell on May 1.

A collective dedicated to all things deep, underground and psychedelic, Terri and Bec from Spincycle Records will be coming on to Audio Vitamins. They'll be sharing an insight into their local label, talking about their past releases and doing a special guest mix for Jonny Alexander. Tune in to hear about their upcoming party at Collingwood Basement on April 25.

The new album 'The Singer' from local artist DC Maxwell comes out on May 22, and Crispi will be catching up with DC on April 30 to chat about the new record. A sharp songwriter and a wild live performer, 'The Singer' is a collection of songs about singing and dancing while the foundations of the world tremble. Tune in to find out where you can next catch DC Maxwell perform live. 

After their crushing Studio 5 Live performance, Kene will be catching up with local band Carcinoid. Embodying suffocating doom elements while forging their sound by incorporating a plethora of sludge, punk and hardcore stylistic influences, Carcinoid is known for bringing intensity to all of their performances. They'll be playing at the Burning Bitumen Birthday Bonaza, '25 Years of Evil' show, tune in to hear about the celebrations going down on May 9 at the Bergy Bandroom.