TIX ON THE DOOR

IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST

Molly Meldrum’s worst nightmare, the legendary SACRED COWBOYS, will be tearing up The Old Bar for their last show before they head over to Europe! They’ll be supported by heavy blues / post-punk band MATT MALONE & THE HOLY SPIRITS.

Don’t miss this show!

$30 presale / $35 door.

SACRED COWBOYS

Sacred Cowboys are a moody hard rock band with a dry sense of humor. “In The Manifesto” is their sixth studio album and first since 2007. They started playing in murky Melbourne dive bars in 1982 attracting a rabid following.

With the release of their iconic first single, “Nothing Grows in Texas”, they were catapulted to national TV notoriety on Countdown where Molly famously labelled them "the worst group I've seen in five years".

Co-founders Garry Gray and Mark Ferrie revived the band in 2025 and enlisted Timothy Deane, Anthony Paine, and Damian Fitzgerald. The new album, “In the Manifesto”, is attracting wide airplay in Melbourne following its sold-out St Valentine’s Day launch at The Tote.

MATT MALONE & THE HOLY SPIRITS

Matt Malone is an iconoclastic singer-songwriter from the goldfields of Victoria, Australia. Malone is known for his bold baritone / tenebrous lyricism compared to Michael Gira, Glenn Danzig + Jim Morrison carving out a cult following through his intense live performances. He’s joined by rock n’ roll / swing stickman James W. du Plessis (The Sea Birds)  on drums + electric slide guitarist Benny Mc (Pete Wells Band). Matt Malone & The Holy Spirits released the single Wolfman on Halloween ‘25 and Jealousy on Valentine’s Day ‘26 both produced by Loki Lockwood (Spooky Records, The Drones, Spencer P. Jones). Matt Malone & The Holy Spirits channel their unique blend of apocalyptic blues, death country, + post-punk spiritualism - delivering live performances as much firebrand ritual as rock n’ roll show.

Absurd, tender, and explosive all at once, Sydney-bred Hannah Brewer brings her sophomore EP Catch and Release to life with a full band. Six tracks shift between delicate, sometimes janky piano, bursts of fuzzy guitars, and textured synths, capturing the chaos of confusion and the messy process of figuring it out…whatever it is. The EP explores indecision, disappointment, and uncertainty in love, friendship, and oneself.

Brewer’s songwriting has evolved to incorporate heavier instrumentation anchored by her piano, moving from sharp-tongued sweetness (Chew Toy, Tenpin Haven) to quiet acceptance (Whatever You Like), balancing raw vulnerability, wry humour, and surreal, unforgettable imagery. Her music blends indie-pop with hints of folk and rock, pairing sharp, confessional lyricism and self-aware humour with irresistibly catchy melodies, turning fleeting obsession and introspection into songs that stick.

Since her 2023 debut Child of Divorce, Brewer has toured nationally supporting Aurora (NOR) and Sir Chloe (US), and shared stages with DMAs, Fazerdaze (NZ), and Last Dinosaurs. Live, she transforms introspection into layered, full-band performances that are punchy, dynamic, and hard to forget.  

Suzi - The Short Lived Acoustic Tour

Suzi is hitting the road this May for a special run of acoustic shows, bringing her standout

songwriting to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. One of Australia’s most compelling

independent artists, Suzi has carved out a seriously impressive career on her own terms -

launching her label Very Good Records in 2023 and taking her debut album Patchwork all the

way to #10 on the ARIA Charts.

Her breakout single “Centrelink Summer” has racked up over 3 million views, earned full rotation

on Triple J, and landed at #140 in the Triple J Hottest 200, cementing her as a defining voice for

a new generation. On stage, she’s shared lineups with the likes of Kisschasy, The Wonder

Years, Joyce Manor and more.

Now, she’s stripping it all back. This acoustic tour puts her lyricism, wit and vulnerability front

and centre, offering a more intimate take on the songs that have built her rapidly growing

fanbase. With a fiercely independent spirit, a deeply engaged audience, and a reputation for

unforgettable live shows, Suzi’s May tour is set to be something special.

Grindhead Records present Scotland's powerviolence punishers Endless Swarm - Body Hammering Australia 2026 at The Old Bar for Morbid Mondays

Australia and New Zealand, brace for impact.This May, Scottish powerviolence lunatics Endless Swarm make their long-awaited first descent into the Southern Hemisphere with the Body Hammering New Zealand & Australia 2026 Tour. Forged in Edinburgh's underground and sharpened on stages across Europe, Japan and the USA, Endless Swarm deliver a violently fast and unrelenting strain of powerviolence that leaves no room to breathe and no survivors standing still.

Since 2013, Endless Swarm have built a reputation as one of the most ferocious live bands in the genre, unleashing blast-driven hardcore, grind-scarred riffs and venomous vocals in short, savage bursts of pure hostility.

With releases like Imprisoned In Skin and The Body Hammer, their sound is raw, claustrophobic and utterly punishing, channeling classic powerviolence fury with a modern, unpredictable edge.

This May, the Body Hammer swings hard across New Zealand and Australia. Expect blistering tempos, sweat-soaked rooms and total sonic annihilation as Endless Swarm bring their chaos south for the very first time.

Endless Swarm

www.endlessswarmpv.bandcamp.com

Grindhead Records

www.grindheadrecords.bandcamp.com

Dear Humans

Do you hate AI?
Do you think AI is stealing jobs and plagiarising creative work?
Do you think AI has inadvertently become racist and misogynistic?
Do you think AI will end humanity as we know it?

Did you answer yes to all these questions?

If so, you need to be at The Old Bar on the afternoon of May 16 for our Fuck AI single launch!

I DON’T WANT META
TO WRITE MY LETTER!

With support from the incredibly incredible Made Austria!

Free entry

Made Austria 4pm
Roarcuss 5pm

ALRIGHTY-ROO
GUESS WHO?!

We’re back in business bringing you a Tainted Facade SPECIAL!!!

Joining us, the famous @the.reverieband & @4hrparking to BLOW THE ROOF off @theoldbar on the 17th.

It’s only 2 weeks away PUT IT ASIDE

… What else are you doing?🤔

Proud Wiradjuri woman Ruby Mae is a vital voice in the Australian music landscape - and one of the country's most exciting voices.

Her debut album ‘Baby’, produced by ARIA-winner Stephen Mowat, was the spark that lit the fire. 

Singles ‘Keeper’ and ‘Dickhead’ found a home on Triple M and Triple J, as well as making inroads in the US.

On stage, her album is delivered with a sincerity and openness that demands your attention. A live performer from decades past, Ruby commands a room with ease well beyond her years. Channelling the intimacy of Missy Higgins one minute, and the restless full-bodied punch of Powderfinger the next.

She has built a devoted fanbase the old-fashioned way: independent, music first and audience focused. 

Since her debut, Ruby has filled rooms at Queenscliff Music Festival with her solo and band performances, played the mainstage at St Kilda Fest, supported a sell out show with Emma Donovan, and sold out venues across Melbourne. 

Ruby Mae is the real deal, and the rest of the country is catching on fast. Catch her new single 'Aunty' live at The Old Bar on May 22nd.

Caligula Return With First Full-Length Album in 25 Years Bloodlines

After a 25-year wait, ARIA-nominated electro-rock outfit Caligula return with theirv long-awaited new album Bloodlines, a powerful and deeply atmospheric record that reaffirms the band’s place as one of Australia’s most distinctive gothic-tinged rock acts. Blending their signature goth groove, brooding electronics and driving rock energy, Bloodlines explores themes of love, loss, fear and redemption. The album captures the emotional depth and dark romanticism that defined Caligula’s rise in the 1990s while pushing their sound into bold new territory.

Fronted by Ash Rothschild, the band delivers a collection of songs that feel both deeply personal and universally resonant, an album shaped by time, reflection, and the unbreakable creative bond that has always driven the band forward. To celebrate the release, Caligula will perform two exclusive album launch shows only, giving fans a rare chance to experience the new material live alongside classic tracks from the band’s celebrated catalogue.

BLOODLINES – Album Launch Shows

Saturday, 23rd May

Old Bar – Melbourne

Each night will feature special guest artists, making these performances a must-see event for fans of alternative and gothic-influenced rock. With Bloodlines, Caligula return not simply as a nostalgic act, but as a band reborn — powerful, relevant and unapologetically themselves.

Tickets are on sale now.

Yours, Georgina is the folk-rock project of Naarm/Melbourne-based musician, Georgie Currie. She draws her name from the gut-punching sincerity of her cursive songwriting and the arresting, singular strength of her voice. For the first time in almost two years, Yours, Georgina is returning to share new music. This special show at The Old Bar marks the beginning of a new chapter, as Yours, Georgina and her band celebrate the release of 'Keepers', a rousing and tender song about travelling home to the places and people who raise us, and savouring precious, fleeting moments of togetherness.  

A.C. Saunders is an Australian alt-folk artist with influences from punk blues and country. Her songs are raw and close to the bone. A.C. shares stories that refuse to resolve cleanly, embracing the mess that makes us human. There’s an honest intimacy to her writing; each song is less of a statement and more of a moment caught mid-thought. Her sound is stripped back and unguarded, built around worn-in chords and a voice that carries both weight and warmth.

A.C. has recently played at the Nannup Festival and shared the stage with indie icons Throwing Muses, as well as joining folk legend Willie Watson on the road for his Australian tour. With two EPs under her belt, A.C. is now working on the release of her first album, accompanied by her band: Phil Leggett, Zack Glass, and Sally Ingram. Catch A.C. Saunders with her band at their upcoming single launch for “Telephones.”