Here’s a few of the Desert Highways team’s Top lists for 2018. Thank you all for your support again throughout 2018, it’s very much appreciated! Also a massive thanx to all of our contributors. Very proud to work with such an incredibly talented group of people!

Mark Ireland – Writer.

Best gigs 2018:
Power Trip – Bendigo Hotel.
Roger Waters – Rod Lavar Arena.
MAMMAL – Croxton Bandroom.
Streaker Gate Benefit Gig – Gasometer.
Meredith Music Festival: The Presets, Billy Bragg, Little Ugly Girls.
The Stems, Even – Northcote Social Club.
Boogie Festival: Cable Ties, Clowns, The Southern River Band, Birdcloud, Cash Savage.
Golden Plains Festival: Mogwai, Baker Boy, Black Angels.
Stiff Little Fingers – Croxton Bandroom.
Download Festival: NoFx, Hot Water Music, Prophets of Rage, Arch Enemy.
Beck – Margaret Court Arena.
David Byrne – Margaret Court Arena.
The Demon Parade – Psych Fest – The Tote Hotel.
Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene, El Colosso – Sookie Lounge.
Shame – The Tote Hotel.
Future Of The Left – The Old Bar.

Will Oakeshott – Writer.

Best albums of 2018 (no particular order):
1. Thom Yorke – Suspiria (XL Records)
2. Greyhaven – Empty Black (Equal Vision Records)
3. Idles – Joy As An Act Of Resistance (Partisan Records)
4. The Ocean – Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic (Pelagic Records / Wild Thing Records)
5. Wardruna – Skald (Indie Recordings / ByNorse Music)
6. High Tension – Purge (Cooking Vinyl)
7. Hellions – Rue (UNFD)
8. Pagan – Black Wash (EVP Recordings)
9. Luca Brasi – Stay (Poison City)
10. Parkway Drive – Reverence (Resist / Cooking Vinyl)

Best Films of 2018:
1. Blackkklansman
2. Black Panther
3. Heavy Trip

Stephen Boxshall – Photographer.

Top 10 Photos:

Suzanne Phoenix – Photographer.

Top 10 Photos:

Kim Anderson – Photographer.

Top 10 Photos:
(For full photo galleries of Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes and Foo Fighters please click their names to see them at Wall Of Sound.)

Top 10 Movies: 1. Upgrade 2. A Simple Favor 3. Hereditary 4. Mom and Dad 5. Insidious The Last Key 6. Searching 7. The Strangers: Prey At Night 8. The Nun 9. The Spy Who Dumped Me 10. Rampage

Best Moment of 2018: Probably the coolest thing to ever happen was seeing someone like my photo so much they declared they were getting it tattooed – AND THEY DID!!!

Other than that it’s generally a highlight for me when a band/member shares a photo I took while they’re touring the country but Tim (Wheeler) from Ash actually asked my permission to share a photo and asked if he could have a copy. HE WANTED A COPY OF MY PHOTO!!

Top 10 most listened to songs of 2018 according to Spotify: Rather than write out a list I thought I’d just share what Spotify thinks are my top songs/bands for 2018. To be completely honest I don’t remember listening to Marilyn Manson all year. Like yeah the dude is good and all but I think I have one song on a playlist somewhere. If anything Cancer Bats should have been there. I kept putting my “2018 playlist” on and they were the first bunch of songs on it.

Best gig poster: I rarely see gig posters anywhere anymore but I thought the Regurgitator poster was pretty cool. I contemplated buying a copy at their show but I don’t have enough wall space for all the pictures I have now.

Anthony Moore – Head Honcho.

Top 10 International Gigs:
Weezer (Foo Fighters). Jan 30. Etihad Stadium.
Cover band in the Philippines playing Sweet Child O’ Mine and our mate got up and on stage and sang along! Too funny. This one counts doesn’t it?!? March 9, Philippines.
Suicidal Tendencies, Prophets of Rage – Download Festival. March 24, Flemington.
John Garcia, Smoke Witch. April 19, Barwon Club & April 20, Cherry Bar.
Strung Out, Coffin Wolf. June 30, The Croxton Bandroom.
QOTSA, C.W. Stoneking, The Chats. September 8, Margaret Court Arena.
Church Of Misery. October 7, The Bendigo Hotel.
Dead Kennedys, Coffin Wolf. November 5, Max Watts.
The Breeders, Hachiku. December 8, The Corner Hotel.
Living Colour. December 19. 170 Russell. Gig of the year for sure!

A few top Australian highlights!
Adalita / Magic Dirt set – Doddsy’s Last Stand. Feb 24. Barwon Club.
Seedy Jeezus ‘Polaris Oblique’ launch, with Devil Electric, The Neptune Power Federation, Redro Redriguez & His Inner Demons. June 2, The Tote Hotel.
Draught Dodgers, Adalita, Rezza Rockers (my son’s band opened the day!) – November 4, Reservoir Stomp. Preston-Reservoir Bowls Club.

John Garcia – Barwon Club, Geelong © 2018 – Adam Russ – Right Eye Media Australia. 

Although these two gigs are presented by Desert Highways, I’m very proud of them and am stoked with who was a part of them, so had to include:

Holy Smoke – Buried Feather, AVER (NSW), Zong (QLD), Turtle Skull (NSW), Borrachero, Sons of Zöku (SA), Nuada, Monarchus. October 13, The Bendigo Hotel.

A Celebration of Chris Cornell – it was the second year running with 100% of proceeds proudly supporting beyondblue. Which featured 23 of Melbourne’s most talented musicians all giving up their time to celebrate the life and music of Chris Cornell (including Soundgarden, Temple of The Dog, Audioslave and his solo work) as well as such a worthy cause. Click the link for all those involved HERE.

Class of 2018: A Celebration Of Chris Cornell. The Bendigo Hotel, Melbourne. © 2018 DOTshots.