Month: August 2007

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Angie Wears Her Hart on Her Sleeve

Can you believe it’s been almost 15 years since Frente topped the charts with “Accidentally Kelly Street” and “Ordinary Angels”?

I couldn’t either, but it seems the world’s been in fast-forward since the playful pop quartet exploded onto the local music scene. They disappeared almost as quickly, but lead singer Angie Hart never completely left us.

So it’s amazing to realise she’s never released a solo album. But that’s all about to change in September, when Angie Hart’s debut, Grounded Bird, hits record stores.

It’s been a long time coming, but Angie hasn’t exactly been idle. She formed Splendid with ex-husband Jesse Tobias, reunited with Frente in 2004, and paired with Dean Manning (Leonardo’s Bride) for Holidays on Ice.

Angie’s always enjoyed working with other talented musos, so it makes sense that plenty of big names are featured on her debut. Golden Bird includes collaborations with Ben Lee, Dan Luscombe (The Drones) and American songwriter Craig Ross.

Look for Grounded Bird in all good music stores from September 24. Angie will celebrate the release with a national tour in October. See her website for all the dates.

Image source: Angie Hart Bandcamp

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol: Stars In the Making

The auditions are behind us, so it’s time to forget the loonies and focus on the talent unearthed by this season of Australian Idol. And what talent there is, with so many gifted musicians the traditional Top 100 was expanded to 136.

So who are the best of the bunch? Here are just a few of the talented performers that impressed me so far.

I must admit, Daniel Mifsud caught my eye on one of the earliest Australian Idol ads this year. He wasn’t singing: it was an entirely superficial reaction to his pretty hair and laid-back fashion sense. I called him Blue Scarf Boy for some time, so it’s nice to be able to use his real name. But this boy isn’t just sexy; he can actually sing, and he seems to have quite the musical knowledge. His take on Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing” was breathtaking. While I usually go for guitar boys, I’m pretty smitten by Daniel.

I mentioned I had a thing for guitar boys, right? I didn’t have to wait too long to find someone who fit that mould. Lyall Adonis has the voice of an angel, and a laid-back vibe that reminds me a lot of Amos Lee. The song he played for his audition is by far the best original piece I’ve heard in an Idol audition. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure his was the best Idol audition I’ve seen. This guy is a real find, and girls are going to go crazy for his dimples. Like Daniel, he was also wearing a scarf. Coincidence?

Lyall wasn’t the only guitar boy who won me over. I couldn’t resist the charms of Matt Corby, who played a stellar rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” I generally hate when people harp on about how contestants are “only 16,” but I can’t help but make an exception in Matt’s case. He plays guitar better than most people twice his age, and his voice has a huskiness that seems incongruous to his youth. He also makes me feel like a dirty old woman. Sixteen-year-olds did not look like that when I was at school.

But I’m not just going gaga over the guys. Aussie Idol is also serving up some outstanding female talent. Melbourne’s Natalie Gauci had the judges fawning all over her, and with good reason. Not only is this raven-haired songstress an absolute stunner, she’s also incredibly gifted. She checks all the musical boxes, with her emotive voice, piano skills, and songwriting credentials. However, as she proved with her cover of “I Will Survive,” she’s not above belting out a pop song. Natalie also seems to have her head screwed on, so she seems a shoe-in to make the top 24, at least.

Brianna Carpenter is shaping up to be this season’s Chanel Cole. The quirky dress, sunny personality, and quiet confidence are all there. But Australian Idol has come a very long way since Chanel reveled in her odd-girl-out status in season two. Now we actually embrace singers that are a little left of centre. I loved Brianna’s audition song “Jacqueline,” and I’m hopeful that she’ll find our revamped talent quest is a perfect fit for her uniqueness.

So there’s what I think, but I’d love to hear from you. Who do you love, or hate, on Idol this year?

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Perth Powderfinger/Silverchair Shows in Doubt

Where will Powderfinger and Silverchair play in Perth? That’s the big question after revelations the Across the Great Divide concerts planned for Claremont Oval don’t have council approval.

The Aussie rock groups planned to play two Perth shows in September. The first sold out, and the second show isn’t too far behind. However, we won’t know whether the concert will go ahead as planned until a council meeting later this month.

“We are not against the concert per se,” Claremont mayor Peter Olson told Southern Cross Radio. “We’ve got to get it through the process.”

So what happens if the concert is rejected? Finding a venue large enough to hold the massive crowd on two consecutive nights will be a big ask. Perhaps the promoters should have thought of that before the tickets went on sale.

Perth is regularly neglected when it comes to live music. It’d be a shame for Perthites to miss this awesome show because of red tape and poor planning.

Image source: Jeaneeem @ Flickr.com

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Deborah Conway Brings Broads Together

Now in its third year, Deborah Conway’s traveling celebration of female music, Broad, is hitting the road again.

This time around rootsy Anne McCue, R&B diva Jade McRae, blues queen Abbe May, and folkster Sally Seltmann (aka New Buffalo) will join Ms Conway on stage.

The idea behind Broad is simple: put five eclectic local musos on stage together, and see what happens. The performers play their own material and a few choice cover versions, making the experience truly one to remember.

The concept may seem like a clever marketing ploy, and it is. Yet Broad’s goal is a deeper one, allowing women to play together and celebrate their craft.

“Since I stopped playing with Do-Re-Mi I’ve never really played with other women,” Deborah admitted to The Australian. “And I miss it. It’s not like there’s a glass ceiling for women in the music business any more.

“I’m not taking any pride in busting open this imaginary glass ceiling, which I’m sure no one believes exists, but the fact of the matter remains that it’s very unusual to see five women on stage together. It just doesn’t happen.”

Bringing together five very different singers is a challenging, but ultimately rewarding, experience for Conway.

“You have to think about what part of the octave range you’re going to occupy,”she said. “Hopefully when we start singing harmonies everyone will be comfortable with it. It has been a fantastic learning curve for me. I was never much of a harmony singer up until the time we started this whole process, and I’ve become a better one because of it.”

Deborah Conway is currently focusing her attention on the current Broad tour, although she can’t help but think ahead to next year’s event.

“This is a concert that’s unlike any other. It has been an absolute joy to work on. It’s always a privilege to play with all these other wonderful women, and I think I walk away having learned something every time.”

Broad 2007 begins in Brisbane this Friday. The tour will play selected concert halls around the country. See the Broad website for a complete list of dates.

Image source: Kwanie @ Flickr.com

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Molly Meldrum Gives Up the Grog

A very different Ian “Molly” Meldrum will host the nostalgic Countdown Spectacular 2 tour this month. The Aussie music guru will be clean and sober.

Molly decided to quit drinking following a series of embarrassing incidents, and the deaths of close friends Billy Thorpe, Lobby Lloyd and Lynne Randell.

These gaffs included a drunken spat with radio breakfast DJ and Australian Idol judge, Kyle Sandilands, last month. Molly was in England covering the Princess Diana tribute concert when he fired some explosive barbs at the shock jock.

“You have no talent and you’re fat,” he said during the morning broadcast. “Why don’t you get off television? Your advice on Australian Idol means sweet jack s..t.”

Kyle shot back that Molly was a “drunken tragedy.”

Molly has no regrets about his comments, but concedes he should never have done an interview during a party.

“I only lost the plot by going to a party and doing a live interview while I was there,” he told The Sunday Telegraph.

“Kyle is always accusing people of being fat, and this and that, and I thought: ‘Who is he to be making these calls?’ If it had been anyone else, I’d feel terrible, but with Kyle … if you give it, you can take it.”

Molly says he is looking forward to overseeing the Countdown Spectacular 2 with a clear head. He will join a host of local and international stars on the tour, including Rick Springfield, Samantha Fox, Richard Clapton, and Kate Ceberano.

“There are vodka police everywhere. I’ll be seeing Countdown from a whole different spectrum,” he joked. “Sober.”

While skeptics may question Molly’s resolve, he certainly seems committed to a new healthier life. He’s now working with a personal trainer, and has even installed a home gym. Here at Oz Music Scene we wish him all the very best!

Image source: Jeanie Mackinder @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Request Spot: David Campbell

Here’s a fantastic David Campbell video performing on Sunrise, as requested by Jennifer from Hippie Sounds!

What I love most about this clip is how much fun it is. For most people a laughing fit would result in a botched performance, but David recovers from this shaky start to deliver a delightful version of “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You.” In fact, he’s enjoying himself so much that he can’t resist launching straight into a killer cover of “Call Me Irresponsible.”

I hope Jennifer, and all my other loyal readers, enjoy this video as much as I do!

If you’d like to see any Aussie songs or artists featured, please feel free to send me an e-mail with your request!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Shannon Noll’s Loud New Single

In the not so recent past, I couldn’t turn on the radio without Shannon Noll trying to fire me up. I quite enjoy Shannon, but the last thing I wanted to hear from my clock radio was inspirational pop rock telling me why I needed to get up and out of bed. I also didn’t need to hear that he knew how hard it could be, but encouraging me to lift anyway.

Expect more of these inescapable positive messages to dominate the airwaves in the coming weeks. Shannon’s latest single, “Loud”, has just been released to radio.

Nollsy is the most successful artist discovered through the Australian Idol talent search, selling more albums and releasing more hit singles than his reality TV peers. He believes his optimistic outlook is the key to his longevity.

“There’s way too much negativity in the music industry, songs that talk about hate and killing and anger,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“The beautiful thing about music is its ability to make people feel something positive.”

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jet Support Stones in UK

The Rolling Stones were clearly impressed with their 2003 Melbourne support act, Jet. They’ve just asked the local boys to open for them in London.

The Melbourne rockers will support The Stones at the O2 Arena in London on August 21 and 23.

The Brits will also get a chance to see the Aussie supergroup when they perform at the V Festival at Chelmsford’s Hylands Park on August 18, and Staffordshire’s Weston Park the following day. They’ll play alongside major international stars like The Killers, Amy Winehouse, Foo Fighters, and Pink.

Image source: Jim Pietryga @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Enter the Spirit of Youth Awards

If you’re a talented Australian muso under the age of 25, why not enter the Spirit of Youth Awards? You could win a mentorship with one of Australia’s top producers, $5000 in cash, and $5000 worth of Qantas flights.

Last year’s winners, Adelaide rockers Wolf and Cub, used the prize pool to tour Japan, so just imagine where it could take you!

To enter, just create a profile at Noise and upload three songs. The competition also has categories for gifted visual artists, fashion designers, photographers, and more. Good luck!

Image source: Spirit of Youth Awards website 

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Anthony Callea’s Homesexual Appearance

Australian Idol 2 runner-up Anthony Callea’s come a long way since he was forcibly outed earlier this year. He’s helped Jo Stanley take second place on It Takes Two, sold out concert halls around the country, and scored a plum role in Dead Man Walking. Now he’s preparing for another major career move: performing at a popular gay and lesbian club.

Anthony will help Homesexual celebrate their second birthday with a very special appearance. Anthony’s performance marks a turning point for the once-closeted star, so it’s sure to be a night to remember.

Anthony will appear alongside some of the country’s hottest DJs, including Jayson Forbes, Alex Taylor, Terry Vietheer, and Shigeki.

Join Anthony at Homesexual’s Second Birthday Bash at Sydney’s Home Nightclub on September 6. Tickets are available online or at HUM Records in Oxford Street and Newtown.

Image source: Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer @ Flickr.com