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Backstage Banter

AAA Backstage

Backstage Banter 🎙️

Hosted by Chris and Brett from AAA Backstage, Backstage Banter is your weekly dose of music industry chatter — the good, the bad and the straight-up ridiculous.

From local gigs to global headlines, we dive into everything happening across the music scene… and probably go on a few rants along the way. Expect industry insights, questionable hot takes, and plenty of laughs as we pull back the curtain on the culture that keeps music moving.

It’s like hanging out in the green room, if the green room had microphones, bad coffee and two white dudes who can’t help but argue about Taylor Swift, Linkin Park and LCD SOUNDSYSTEM.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Avg 40 min
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S1 · E34
Wednesday · 44 min
ONEFOUR, Jimmy Barnes & Our Ultimate Supergroup | Backstage Banter #034
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 controversies surrounding Burning Man 2026 and the bigger question facing the event: has Burning Man grown too far beyond the community-driven, countercultural festival it started as, or are people simply being too sensitive about what it has become? Then there’s the Jonas Brothers, who decided to have a crack at John Farnham’s ‘You’re The Voice’ during the NFL’s massive Melbourne debut at the MCG. An ambitious choice… but did they actually pull it off? Plus, there’s new music, questionable opinions and another deep dive into a supposedly “classic” pop album. Is it actually deserving of classic status, or have we all collectively remembered it a little too fondly? For all your music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up Follow the Weekly Catch Playlist: https://hypeddit.com/5j1ekk Backstage Banter is now available everywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as right here on YouTube. If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. It helps us more than you know. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 📰 More music news: https://aaabackstage.com 🤝 Powered by https://gigsync.com.au https://www.instagram.com/aaabackstage/ https://www.tiktok.com/@aaabackstage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E33
September 9 · 38 min
DO NICKELBACK ACTUALLY SUCK? | BACKSTAGE BANTER #033
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 controversy. Is she really copying other artists’ music, or are people hearing similarities where there aren’t any? We dive into the debate and attempt to work out where inspiration ends and imitation begins. But the main event comes courtesy of a listener suggestion: Nickelback. For years, they’ve been one of the internet’s favourite bands to hate — but do Nickelback actually suck? Or have we all spent the last two decades pretending a band with an outrageous number of massive songs is somehow terrible? We dive into their catalogue and put the Nickelback hate to the test. Plus new music, questionable opinions and all the usual Backstage Banter chaos. For all your music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up Follow the Weekly Catch Playlist: https://hypeddit.com/5j1ekk Backstage Banter is now available everywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as right here on YouTube. If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. It helps us more than you know. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 📰 More music news: https://aaabackstage.com 🤝 Powered by https://gigsync.com.au https://www.instagram.com/aaabackstage/ https://www.tiktok.com/@aaabackstage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E32
September 4 · 20 min
BIGSOUND 2026 | Backstage Banter #032
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 took one very important question to the people of BIGSOUND: if you could attend an impossible music festival with Prince, Nirvana and Avicii all headlining at the exact same time… who are you watching? Prince? Nirvana? Avicii? We thought we knew how people would answer. We were very wrong. Join Chris and Brett as we unpack BIGSOUND 2026, share our highlights from across the week and attempt to make sense of everything we witnessed along the way. For all your music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up Follow the Weekly Catch Playlist: https://hypeddit.com/5j1ekk Backstage Banter is now available everywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as right here on YouTube. If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. It helps us more than you know. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 📰 More music news: https://aaabackstage.com 🤝 Powered by https://gigsync.com.au https://www.instagram.com/aaabackstage/ https://www.tiktok.com/@aaabackstage #BIGSOUND2026 #BIGSOUND #BackstageBanter #AustralianMusic #MusicPodcast #Prince #Nirvana #Avicii Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E31
August 26 · 40 min
Why Bands Don’t Play Their Biggest Hits | BACKSTAGE BANTER #031
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 when you see one of your favourite bands live… and they don’t play the song everyone is waiting for? We revisit some of the gigs where an expected hit mysteriously disappeared from the setlist and discuss whether artists actually owe fans their biggest songs. Plus, we head back into the archives for another classic album review — although this week's record might not be quite as “classic” in Brett's eyes. For all your music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up Follow the Weekly Catch Playlist: https://hypeddit.com/5j1ekk Backstage Banter is now available everywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as right here on YouTube. If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. It helps us more than you know. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 📰 More music news: https://aaabackstage.com 🤝 Powered by https://gigsync.com.au https://www.instagram.com/aaabackstage/ https://www.tiktok.com/@aaabackstage #BackstageBanter #MusicPodcast #AustralianMusic #MusicNews #ArminVanBuuren Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E30
August 19 · 46 min
DID USHER USE A STUNT DOUBLE? | BACKSTAGE BANTER #030
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 was late to the show, and the far more entertaining possibility that there's an emergency backup Usher ready to deploy at a moment's notice. Then it's time for the ultimate internet music-nerd battle: Anthony Fantano vs Julian Casablancas. We unpack the feud surrounding The Strokes frontman and the influential music critic, plus claims that The Strokes' PR machine is working with content creators to turn the internet against Fantano. We also head backwards in time for a retrospective look at a "classic" album, share some of our favourite new releases and get stuck into everything else happening in music this week. For all your music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up Follow the Weekly Catch Playlist: https://hypeddit.com/5j1ekk Backstage Banter is now available everywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as right here on YouTube. If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. It helps us more than you know. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 📰 More music news: https://aaabackstage.com 🤝 Powered by https://gigsync.com.au https://www.instagram.com/aaabackstage/ https://www.tiktok.com/@aaabackstage #BackstageBanter #Usher #TheStrokes #JulianCasablancas #AnthonyFantano #MusicNews #NewMusic #MusicPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E29
August 12 · 44 min
Did We Leak Laneway 2027? | Backstage Banter #029
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 music becomes popular, do Australia's official charts still tell us anything meaningful about what people are actually listening to? Then it's time for one of our favourite debates yet: the greatest musical collaborations of all time. From David Bowie and Mick Jagger to James Murphy and Joe Talbot, we're putting forward some interesting — and occasionally questionable — favourites. Plus, we dive into this week's The Weekly Catch playlist and share the new tracks we've had on repeat. For more new music, artist interviews, festival news, tour announcements and everything happening across Australian music, visit aaabackstage.com and subscribe to the AAA Backstage newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up And don't forget to follow The Weekly Catch for our favourite new music every week. https://hypeddit.com/5j1ekk Backstage Banter is brought to you by GigSync. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E28
August 5 · 53 min
Did The Strokes Eat With Their New Album? | Backstage Banter #28
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 disappointment? With Australian festival season around the corner, we chat through the massive lineups and announcements from Beyond The Valley, Lost Paradise, Wildlands and more, and why this summer is shaping up to be one of the biggest in years. We also unpack the huge System Of A Down and Faith No More Australian tour announcement, discuss the serious allegations surrounding Jared Leto, share our favourite new releases from the week and get distracted by plenty of general music chat along the way. A massive episode covering albums, festivals, tours, controversy and everything happening in the world of music. Backstage Banter is your weekly dose of music news, opinions, reviews and industry chat from AAA Backstage. For all your music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up Follow the Weekly Catch Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1CHKuc6sfJFYf9KNVHnVdO?si=f5c938546a1643ad Backstage Banter is now available everywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as right here on YouTube. If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. It helps us more than you know. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 📰 More music news: https://aaabackstage.com 🤝 Powered by https://gigsync.com.au https://www.instagram.com/aaabackstage/ https://www.tiktok.com/@aaabackstage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E27
July 29 · 44 min
Remembering Splendour in the Grass | Backstage Banter #027
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 festivals. We revisit some of the best live sets we witnessed, our favourite places to hang out around the festival grounds and the memories we managed to hold onto after three massive days in the mud, sun and chaos. We also attempt to build the ultimate Splendour in the Grass lineup, choosing the best possible headliners from the festival’s incredible history. Backstage Banter is brought to you by our pals at GigSync — the all-in-one platform helping artists, venues, promoters and crews pitch, plan and execute live events. For all your music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up Backstage Banter is now available everywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as right here on YouTube. If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. It helps us more than you know. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 📰 More music news: https://aaabackstage.com 🤝 Powered by https://gigsync.com.au https://www.instagram.com/aaabackstage/ https://www.tiktok.com/@aaabackstage #SplendourInTheGrass #AustralianMusic #MusicFestival #BackstageBanter #AustralianFestivals #LiveMusic #FestivalMemories #MusicPodcast #SITG #AustralianMusicIndustry Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E26
July 22 · 49 min
Did We Just Leak Good Things 2026? | Backstage Banter #026
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 chat and questionable opinions on Backstage Banter. Backstage Banter is brought to you by our pals at GigSync — the all-in-one platform helping artists, venues, promoters and crews pitch, plan and execute live events. For all your music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up Backstage Banter is now available everywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as right here on YouTube. If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. It helps us more than you know. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 📰 More music news: https://aaabackstage.com 🤝 Powered by https://gigsync.com.au https://www.instagram.com/aaabackstage/ #QueensOfTheStoneAge #Primus #GoodThingsFestival #AIMusic #Spotify #AustralianMusic #MusicNews #BackstageBanter #NewMusic #AustralianFestivals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E25
July 12 · 43 min
John Summit vs Pete Tong | Backstage Banter #25
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 week. We also explore the wonderfully unpredictable quality of music being shared within one particularly memorable Reddit thread. This episode is proudly brought to you by GigSync: https://gigsync.com.au/ For the latest Australian music news, interviews, reviews, tours and festival announcements, visit https://aaabackstage.com/ Subscribe to the AAA Backstage newsletter to keep up with everything happening across Australian music, and discover our favourite new releases through The Weekly Catch playlist on Spotify and Apple Music. #BackstageBanter #JohnSummit #PeteTong #KylieMinogue #AnthonyAlbanese #AustralianMusic #MusicNews #NewMusic #ElectronicMusic #DanceMusic #GigSync #AAABackstage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E24
July 5 · 29 min
Will the real Swim Shady please stand up? | Backstage Banter - #24
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 favourite new music releases from the week. Backstage Banter is brought to you by GigSync — the all-in-one platform helping artists, venues, promoters and crews pitch, plan and execute live events. Find out more: https://gigsync.com.au/ For more music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter. Sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up New episodes of Backstage Banter are available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E23
June 28 · 31 min
Fantano Reviews Tom Hardy | Backstage Banter #023
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 and classic banter along the way. Backstage Banter is brought to you by our pals at GigSync — the only way to pitch, plan and execute your live events. Find out more at https://gigsync.com.au/ For all your music news, tour announcements and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to our newsletter. If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. Backstage Banter is also now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio or wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow AAA Backstage: Website: aaabackstage.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaabackstage/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AAABackstage TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aaabackstage #BackstageBanter #AAABackstage #MusicNews #AnthonyFantano #Halsey #TomHardy #GigSync #AustralianMusic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E22
June 21 · 35 min
RIP Oliver Tree, The Truth about Jarod Leto Revelaed | Backstage Banter - #022
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 catch up on everything that has happened during the break, chat about the new studio, discuss the sad passing of Oliver Tree, dive into the new music they’ve been listening to and unpack whether Jared Leto is naughty or nice when spotted out in public. There’s music news, industry chat, pop culture chaos and plenty of classic Backstage Banter energy. This week’s episode is proudly brought to you by GigSync. For more music news, artist interviews, industry conversations, festival updates and culture, make sure you sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter. Find out more about GigSync - https://gigsync.com.au Sign up to our newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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