Three pins, and nearly every signal in this business passes through them.

The magazine is named after the cable: the microphone in the booth, the line to the desk, the DMX run that fires the lights. Studio, stage and rig share the same cable. Most magazines pick one of the three. This one covers all of it, because the people we read do too — the engineer mixing a record on Tuesday is on front of house by Saturday.

Around a hundred and sixty sources, in English, Japanese, Spanish, German, French, Chinese and Italian: makers and their release notes, reviewers who put a hand on the thing, studios and touring crews, the producers and collectives surfacing this month and the scenes they came out of. Synths and modular, plugins and DAWs, guitars and drums, microphones, monitors, PA and lighting. What the trade is talking about is counted and plotted. The editor's letter has just started; it will find its rhythm.

For each story: a headline, a short excerpt, one picture and the link out. We never reprint the article, and the picture belongs to the maker or the photographer. A German review appears in German and a Japanese one in Japanese, as the writer published it; the link goes to the original.

Nothing is sold on this site. When a link leads to a shop, it is the maker's shop, not ours.

← XLR MAG Archive

Australian MusicianScenes

RIP MATTHEW JAMES FAGAN: GUITARIST, COMPOSER AND MUSICAL DIRECTOR

September 30

It is with much sadness that we share the news that acclaimed Melbourne-based Australian guitarist, composer and musical director Matthew James Fagan passed away on Monday 28 September, 2026.

Read at Australian Musician ↗

One letter a week, in your inbox.

Latest

RIP MATTHEW JAMES FAGAN: GUITARIST, COMPOSER AND MUSICAL DIRECTOR

More from Australian Musician on XLR MAG

ScenesELLA HOOPER – MUSICIAN OF THE MONTH – OCTOBER 2026 Australian Musician

ScenesMARSHALL’S NEW BROMLEY 150 PACKS BIG PARTY ATMOSPHERE INTO ITS MOST PORTABLE DESIGN YET Australian Musician

ScenesDINGO FESTIVAL. ONE WEEK TO GO! FULL PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT Australian Musician

ScenesSKERRYVORE – ‘BEAUTIFUL MISTAKES’ ALBUM TOUR 2027 Australian Musician

ScenesGYPSY LEE SERVES UP ACCOMPLISHED NEW EP ‘ON A MISSION FROM GOD AND GUCCI’ AHEAD OF LAUNCH SHOWS Australian Musician

ScenesTHINGS OF STONE AND WOOD ANNOUNCE THEIR SECOND ALBUM FOR 2026 THE FINAL FOREST AND ANOTHER NATIONAL TOUR Australian Musician