Backstage Banter

We’ve somehow made it to Episode 36 of Backstage Banter — although not without a little technical drama. Apparently Chris (Brett) forgot to record the original audio. Chris (Brett) feels terrible about it. Brett promises it definitely won’t happen again. Probably. Once we finally hit record, there was plenty happening in Australian music this week. The Strokes have announced their huge Australian...

Backstage Banter is back for Episode 35 and somehow, against all odds, we’re still going. This week, Chris and Brett dive into a massive week of Australian tour announcements, led by Hayley Williams and Calvin Harris . Hayley Williams has announced intimate solo shows in Sydney and Melbourne for February 2027 — but with the dates falling suspiciously close to Laneway Festival 2027 , could the Para...

Episode 34 and somehow they still keep letting us back into the studio. This week on Backstage Banter , we’re building the ultimate music collaboration supergroup , inspired by ONEFOUR’s wild Like A Version team-up with Jimmy Barnes and Jessica Mauboy for a cover of Phil Collins’ classic ‘In The Air Tonight’ . If those worlds can collide, surely anything is possible.  We also dive into the co...

Back from the madness of BIGSOUND 2026, Chris and Brett return to Studio BAAAnter for Episode 33 — and this week, we’re talking superstars. Bruno Mars is heading back to Australia, and apparently the entire country wants a ticket. With demand sending the tour into additional-show territory, we unpack the hype surrounding one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. Then there’s the Stella Lefty con...

Backstage Banter is coming to you live from BIGSOUND 2026! Episode 32 takes us out of Studio BAAAnter and into the heart of Fortitude Valley after a mammoth week at Australia’s biggest music industry gathering. We’re wrapping up the week that was — from some of our favourite live sets and standout artists to the interesting characters, conversations and chaos we encountered along the way. We also...

Backstage Banter is back in Studio BAAAnter for Episode 31, diving headfirst into another wonderfully weird week in the music industry. This week, Chris and Brett unpack some of the biggest new music releases and Australian tour announcements, including news from PRESIDENT and the return of electronic music heavyweight Armin van Buuren to Australia. We also ask an important question: what happens...

Backstage Banter hits Episode 30!  Where the hell has the time gone? Chris and Brett are back inside studio bAAAnter for another week of new music, music industry chaos and wildly important investigations. First up:  did Usher really use a stunt double during a live concert?  We dive into the bizarre story and internet speculation surrounding a suspicious-looking Usher, whether he w...

Could the  Laneway Festival 2027 lineup  already be out there? On Episode 29 of  Backstage Banter , Chris and Brett reveal a potential  leaked  Laneway lineup and decide just how believable it actually is. We're also asking whether the  ARIA Charts are still relevant in 2026 . With streaming, algorithms, TikTok and changing listening habits completely reshaping how mu...

Episode 28 of Backstage Banter is packed with music news, album discussions, festival announcements and plenty of debate. This week Chris and Brett discuss the brand new PNAU album ‘AHHCADE’ , diving into the Australian dance icons’ latest release and where it ranks amongst their biggest moments. We also tackle the big question — did The Strokes deliver with their new album, or is it a disappointm...

Backstage Banter #027 Three years on from the final Splendour in the Grass, Australia’s most iconic three-day music festival still holds a special place in our hearts. Chris and Brett take a nostalgic trip back to North Byron Parklands to remember the unforgettable moments, legendary performances and questionable decisions that made Splendour in the Grass one of Australia’s greatest music festival...

Queens of the Stone Age are touring Australia with Primus, but Perth has been snubbed while Hobart scores a show. We unpack the massive tour announcement, Spotify’s new AI music credits and what they could mean for the industry. We may also reveal the Good Things Festival 2026 lineup before sharing our favourite new tracks of the week. It’s another packed episode of Australian music news, festival...

Episode 25 of Backstage Banter has arrived, and this week Chris and Brett unpack the very confusing feud between John Summit and Pete Tong. Is it a carefully orchestrated PR stunt, or did somebody actually steal the remix of the remix by the remixer? We dive into the drama, discuss Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s apparent crush on Kylie Minogue and share our favourite new music releases of the w...

This week on Backstage Banter, Chris and Brett unpack another massive week in music, including the bizarre Swim Shady vs Slim Shady saga, the cancellation of Adelaide’s Harvest Rock festival, and The Presets announcing their very own festival, FOREVERAFTER. We also discuss Taylor Swift’s marriage and the all-important question of who might make the wedding invite list, before sharing some of our f...

Backstage Banter | #023 Backstage Banter is back in Studio Banter, and this week we’re unpacking a mammoth week in the music world. In this episode, we dive into the Anthony Fantano and Halsey drama that made headlines, share some of our favourite new tunes, and make the very important discovery that Tom Hardy might just be a hip hop maestro. Plus, plenty more music news, tour chat, culture, chaos...

Backstage Banter is back! After a short break, Chris and Brett return for a brand new era of the podcast, saying farewell to the iconic Live, Love, Laugh Studio and hello to the all-new Studio Banter. For the first time ever, Backstage Banter is now also available as an audio podcast, so you can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. In this return episode, the boys c...