Jimmy Eat World

Emo stalwarts Jimmy Eat World have been truckin' since the early/mid-90s, careening through venues across the world and honing their live show into a precise, well-oiled machine. Make no mistake though, they're not corporatised puppets – Jimmy Eat World retain the raw streak that made them so appealing at the outset of their career. Don't worry, they'll still make you bawl like a toddler who's dropped their ice cream with their tender balladry and grazed-knee emotion. Big numbers such as “Pain”, “A Praise Chorus”, “Sweetness” and “The Middle” are still stellar anthems from the Arizona natives in live settings, and though they've been going over twenty years, the voltage runs hot through the veins of Jim Adkins, Rick Burch, Zach Lind and Tom Linton when they coo, strum, pick and thwack. The energy and emotion courses through them as if each track was being played for the first time. Damaged and Invented may not have charted as well as their early records, but there's not one inkling that Jimmy Eat World are waning in quality. Head back in time, relive those emo years, or discover them for the first time – either way, there's so much to love about these living legends.

Ruby is awesome. Kick-arse band and greatly talented artist leading the show. She connects with her audience in a similar way that her music does, down to earth and straight to the point. Even when her mic stopped working the crowd took over and knew every word. Such is her impact as an artist. Highlight of the night was the top and tailing of I Want & Dinosaurs. She never fails to put on an awesome show.

A Swayze and the Ghosts have been on heavy rotation in my house, so as soon as I discovered they were playing in Sydney, I was thrilled. The show certainly did not disappoint, the only disappointing thing to me was the small audience. Not that this mattered to the band, they brought the same energy to the stage as though they were playing for thousands. There’s no doubt in my mind that A Swayze and the Ghosts are going to make it big. Better see them now while you have the chance to get up close.