If that’s not cool enough, between 1979 and 1984 the band supported the likes of the Clash, Peter Tosh, and Ian Dury and the Blockheads. In 1980, they and fellow CASM band Us Mob were the subject of the documentary Wrong Side of the Road, which won the jury prize for best picture at the 1981 AFI Awards. Support for this special gig will be provided by the legendary Victorian Koori community band, Stray Blacks.

Blonde Redhead
City Recital Hall, June 15

Over 30 years and 10 albums, New York trio Blonde Redhead – lead vocalist Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace – have cemented a reputation as among music’s finest purveyors of wistful dream pop. Last year’s stellar comeback, Sit Down for Dinner, the band’s first LP in nine years, was proof Blonde Redhead deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as dream pop royalty such as Beach House.

Not that Blonde Redhead have been dwelling in total obscurity: in 2014, the group’s song For the Damaged Coda featured in the cult cartoon show Rick & Morty, which in turn led to a popular internet meme four years later.

Will this sure-to-be-great gig be attended by an odd mix of Rick & Morty stans and indie-rock fans? Only one way to find out.

Jess Ribeiro
The Great Club, June 22

“COVID album” has become shorthand for a body of work a musician wrote and recorded during lockdowns between 2020 and 2022. It often implies insular music made by a person on the cusp – or even in the full throes – of going a bit batty. While that’s somewhat true of Melbourne indie-folk singer-songwriter Jess Ribeiro’s stunning third album, Summer of Love, it’s also a bit reductive: there’s plenty of healing and hope on hand, too, and even some dark humour (check the song Maybe If I Wear Sunglasses Inside I Won’t Feel Tired).

There’s a striking intimacy to Ribeiro’s music that’s sure to be dramatically heightened when heard live. She’s a talented songwriter whose delicate tunes deserve as many attentive ears as possible.

Also playing shows this month are iconic Australian instrumental trio the Dirty Three as well as a host of other Aussie artists (Missy Higgins, Emma Donovan, Middle Kids, 5 Seconds of Summer member Luke Hemmings, Body Type, the Paper Kites, Pond, Jen Cloher, Andy Golledge, Good Morning, Hot Dub Time Machine and Donny Benet). There are also hip international acts aplenty, with visits from Fever Ray, Sky Ferreira, Still House Plants, Deerhoof, Marlon Williams and Tirzah. Hip-hop lovers have Yasiin Bey, Xzbit (with D12 and Obie Trice), Pez and Thundamentals to choose from. Then there’s the ’70s Eurodisco of Boney M. Who will you be heading out to see? Let us know in the comments.