Bendigo – situated in the geographical centre of Victoria. Should it be the central to the tour itinerary of bands playing Victoria? Yup. Could it be? Let’s you and I do what we can to make that the case! When the venues book out of town bands, I’ll aim to play them and if possible, interview them.
I’ll support the local acts too, because we wanna hear local voices and sounds too, right? When you hear about these gigs and you dig the act, buy a ticket in advance. Deal?
Together we can support our great local acts, while putting our beautiful regional city on the rock and roll tour map!
Presented by Mik Weir
Listen Back
28 May 2026 What's On Your Radio This week I chat with Seth of Succubus Entity and Sam of local band, Earth Cadet. Seth and Sam (try saying that quickly, three times) are joining forces as Succubus Entity present “Off With His Head”, a pre King’s Birthday event featuring Astrofuzz, Earth Cadet and Junkyard Wizards at Let’s Chat Park in Bendigo. We'll hear tunes by all three bands, along with a banger from Abreact, who play "May Mayhem" at Let's Chat Park this Saturday. After the gig guide, there's a song by Amber Lawrence, who is at the Golden Vine tonight!
22 May 2026 What's On Your Radio This week I chat with Susumu and Mackii of two-piece Japanese band, Sister Paul. Sister Paul play Trash Cult on Saturday May 23rd, which marks their first ever gig in Bendigo. However, this is no new group…the band has been around for over 30 years! Stylistically, they draw from the likes of T-Rex, Lou Reed, The New York Doll and The Ramones. We'll get ourselves into the mood of Sister Paul’s music (apologies for a muck during the end of the first song – there's two songs playing at once) before settling into my chat with Susumu and Mackii, ecorded just before they set out for their upcoming 13 date Australian tour. There will be the usual local gig guide, along with tracks by Chloe Gill, Willie J's 6V6s, The Choirboys and Rogue Traders who all play locally this weekend!
14 May 2026 What's On Your Radio Usually on my show I focus on musicians who are playing in our local area, however this week I chat with Jeffrey Wegener, who will not be performing near us. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, Jeffrey was the drummer with legendary post punk Melbourne band The Young Charlatans and one time drummer for The Saints (1974-75 and 85). Another member of The Young Charlatans was Roland S Howard, of The Boys Next Door, The Birthday Party, Crime and the City Solution and his own outfit, These Immortal Souls. There was also Ollie Olsen, for this band the guitarist, though better know as an electronic and experimental music wiz who had a deep and enduring impact on Australian music. Janine Hall was a Young Charlatans and later a one time member of the second iteration of The Saints and an early member of Weddings Parties Anything. As I said, Jeffrey himself was the drummer in The Saints and later joined former Saint, Ed Kuepper’s, Laughing Clowns. You might be familiar with The Boys Next Door or even the Screaming Jets' version of the song “Shivers”, written by Roland and first recorded by the Young Charlatans. So, what we have here today is a slice of Melbourne punk history. I chatted to Jeffrey ahead of the release of The Young Charlatans debut album, recorded in 1978, yes, 1978, but released, finally, this year! The album is primary from demos with some live tracks added and thus, has rough edges. However, it captures The Young Charlatans during their short thirteen gig life span in 1978, before the members when onto other things. This is a time when punk was still relatively new, but already giving way to musicians who wanted to push the boundaries of punk, thus opening the door to post punk and new wave. Phew! You'll hear three songs from The Young Charlatans, the weekly gig guide, then music from artists playing locally, namely, Hana and Jessie Lee's Bad Habits, Four Lions and Nathan Seeckts.
7 May 2026 What's On Your Radio This week I chat with Mick Thomas. Mick last appeared on What's On Your Radio in December ahead of his Roving Commission's gig at the Theatre Royal that month. This time, Mick is in solo mode and playing right here in Bendigo at the Black Swan Hotel on Thursday May 14. The event is hosted by Bendigo Guided Tours who aim to connect locals and visitors to the history and culture of our unique region. Mick's solo show is described as an "unforgettable evening of music and stories". Audiences can expect the former Weddings, Parties, Anything songsmith to revisit classic songs in a new light, while also sharing his more recent works. Local, Jamie Roberts will open the night with his captivating Tales of the Bendigo Gold Rush; a blend of songs and stories that highlight our rich past.
Photo by Will Francis on Unsplash