If you’re looking for something to fill the void left by Homebake, consider a trip to Phillip Island for this year’s Pyramid Rock Festival. It might not be entirely home grown, but this year’s festival is shaping up to be something pretty special with an eclectic line-up of international and local acts.
Overseas talent N*E*R*D, Arrested Development and Chromeo will join big name Aussies including The Temper Trap, supergroup The Basement Birds, reformed rockers Tumbleweed, Xavier Rudd, Gyroscope, and heaps more.
Pyramid Rock will take over Phillip Island from Wednesday December 29 to January 1. I can’t think of a better way to ring in the New Year, can you? Let’s just hope the rain stays away!
To that end, if you were one of the folks let down by last year’s event you’ll be interested to note that organisers are looking to make amends. If you were caught in that mother of all electrical storms, you’ll receive discounted entry and priority tickets to this year’s show. Head to the Pyramid Rock website for more details.
Tickets for Pyramid Rock go on sale from the official website on September 14.
Image used with permission from Shiny Entertainment
There’s nothing like that feeling you get when you fall in love with a new musician. You want to shout it from the rooftops and share with the world the way this performer makes you feel. I’m lucky; I have a blog for that. So here it is folks: I am utterly enamoured with the music of Amanda Merdzan.
Now before you ask me who let me fill you in. Amanda is a singer-songwriter living just outside Perth, and she’s just released Into the Gallery, an album which is blowing my mind. On it Amanda sings, plays guitar, keyboards, percussion, and even glockenspiel. And oh yes, she touches your heart.
Her acoustic, organic folk songs are some of the best I’ve heard all year. She paints pictures so vivid that you feel you know the characters inside the songs: the lost love, the potential mother-in-law hoping you’ll stay with her son, Esther and her loving husband. She sings with such conviction and truth that you feel the songs in your gut. I shed a tear on listening to the closing track “The Last Song,” a tale of moving on after a breakup, and thought how rare and beautiful it was to be so stirred by music.
I feel so privileged and thrilled to know about Amanda Merdzan and her music, and I hope it’s only a matter of time before the rest of Australia catches up. She deserves every success, because she’s honestly incredible. Here is the video for one of the album tracks “Undress This State,” so you can see for yourself!
The Homebake Festival will be rested this year, but don’t count the event out just yet.
Organisers say they came to the tough decision as this year’s show simply wasn’t shaping up to Homebake standard. They’re now focusing their efforts on the future.
“As we’ve not been able to have the ‘planets align’ to a standard we feel appropriate to the long standing reputation of Australia’s largest ‘locals only’ event, we’d rather focus on a positive future and are instead planning for a unique return version of Homebake Festival to take place during the first week of December 2011,” the press release reads.
With the quality of local acts, it blows my mind that organisers couldn’t field a stellar festival in 2010. At any rate though, I’m glad they’re not throwing in the towel. In the overcrowded festival calendar, I really liked Homebake’s unique homegrown vision, and I hope to see it realised again in 2011.
The Checks have conquered their native New Zealand, and now they have their sights set on Oz. I recently caught up with the band’s guitarist Callum Martin to chat about their upcoming Aussie tour, their new album Alice by the Moon, and what he loves about Oz.
You had a mini tour here in April. What made you want to come back so soon?
We enjoyed the seafood so much that we booked flights as soon as we got home! Regardless of outcome, we’ve always wanted to release an album in Australia, we think this one could go down well with you guys.
You’ve enjoyed real success in your native New Zealand. What’s inspired you to try and crack the Australian market?
It’s the closest country to us and Australia seems like a natural step in our direction as a band.
You’re about to tour Australia next month to support the release of your album Alice by the Moon. Why are we going to love it?
Because you’ve never seen a rock band do it the way we do. Ed really looks great on stage and Sven is bound to melt your face off!
You’ve got shows all the country. Is there anywhere in particular you’re looking forward to seeing?
We have some mates in Melbourne who we’re quite keen to catch up with. I always enjoy that city.
You’ve got some time between your Melbourne and Brisbane shows. Are you planning on doing any sightseeing?
Well we’ll have to see; I’d really like to see Ed wrestle a croc! The wildlife in Oz has always been a draw card for me anyway.
Read the rest of this entry…
The John Butler Trio are moving to the small screen with the release of their new DVD These Are the Days.
The behind-the-scenes movie takes you to the band’s studio, known as The Compound, revealing much about the band members and their creative process while recording April Uprising. It also features interviews with new trio members Nicky Bomba and Byron Luiters and longtime manager Phil Stevens. There are also 11 album tracks played raw as they were in the studio, and two previously unreleased songs including live favourite “Satisfy.”
These Are the Days will hit music stores and other retailers on August 27, which is not so coincidentally the same day that JBT’s national April Uprising tour begins!
Image used with permission from Stephen Green Consulting
You might remember me gushing about Melbourne lad Matt Walters last year. Now with the release of his latest song, this singer-songwriter is back on my radar.
“Die For You” is the first single to come from Matt’s new EP, Talking in my Sleep. This lush and beautiful song features the lovely Washington on backing vocals, and is the perfect chill-out track for this grey wintery weather we’ve been enjoying. Right-click the link to download this gorgeous song!
Matt is currently putting the finishing touches on his debut album with acclaimed producers Paul McKercher (Augie March, Josh Pyke, Sarah Blasko) and Francois Tetaz (Lior, Gotye). We can expect to see it in stores early next year. If that seems too long to wait to enjoy this incredible talent, you can catch him in the flesh at The Workers Club in Fitzroy on August 25.
Image used with permission from Delinquents
The rumor mill’s been buzzing for a while, and now it’s all official: U2 will visit Australia this November with their 360 Degree Tour.
The show is supposed to be a spectacle unlike anything Aussie audiences have ever seen, with a 57 meter bug-like four-legged spaceship nicknamed The Claw and 120 trucks needed to transport the production.
Refreshingly tickets will be available to suit all budgets, with the cheap seats starting from just $39.90. Don’t expect to see too much for a mere $40, but it’s a great option for anyone who’s counting their pennies before Christmas. I’m thrilled that a band is happy to offer their show to all fans, not just the elite that can afford the hefty price of admission.
“U2 has always been at their best when surrounded by their audience, and this extraordinary production makes that happens in stadiums,” U2 manager Paul McGuiness said in a statement. “It was important to the band that we were able to bring the whole production to Australia and New Zealand so fans could experience the latest of U2’s legendary productions.”
Tickets go on sale on September 3 from the usual outlets.
1 December 2010 – Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
8 December 2010 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
13 December 2010 – Olympic Park, Sydney
18 December 2010 – Subiaco, Perth
Peter Gabriel has cancelled his upcoming performance at the 150th anniversary of the Melbourne Cup citing “scheduling issues.” At least that’s the official line. However the folks at Undercover Music are claiming that poor ticket sales are really behind the decision.
We’ve seen this kind of thing time and time again, and frankly I’m tired of it. It shows no respect for the fans that were keen enough to buy the tickets. If you’re not going to earn a big enough slice of pie for the trip, suck it up. I know Australia is a long way for these performers to come, but it should never be contingent on how full the venues are going to get.
To promoter Andrew McManus’ credit, he’s going ahead with the gig anyway. Brian Wilson will step in as the headliner to play alongside Daryl Braithwaite, Blue King Brown, Danielle Spencer, and Kate Ceberano. At least you can count on the Aussies, although I’m sure that’s cold comfort for those Peter Gabriel fans out there.
Western Australia’s king of swing Earl Cole is gearing up for another show at Mosmans Restaurant. This time around fans will be treated to the songs of Rat Pack favourites Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jnr.
Earl has just returned from performances in Malaysia, so doubt the locals are keen to welcome him home. Earl frequently sells out shows, but he assures me that there will be just one Rat Pack performance. If you want to go, make sure you book your tickets quickly.
They cost $110, and include a three-course meal and a glass of bubbles on arrival. Call (08) 9383 3388 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (08) 9383 3388 end_of_the_skype_highlighting to book your seats.
Image used with permission from Earl Cole
Sydney rockers 78 Saab are preparing to release their brand new album Good Fortune.
It’s been a long time coming (some three years in fact), but it’s full of all of the classic songwriting and hooky melodies we’ve come to expect from 78 Saab, although they say this one has a slightly darker edge. It was recorded with the band’s longtime studio buddy Tim Whitten (Powderfinger, The Go-Betweens, Hoodoo Gurus, Augie March), and features the single “Whatever Rules You Break.”
Good Fortune will be released on October 15 through 78 Saab’s brand new record label Other Tongues.
Image source: Other Tongues
