Month: July 2008

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

James Morrison, Renee Geyer, and More Play Jazz in the Vines

Great music, gourmet food, and green vibes come together at this year’s Jazz in the Vines. Experience it all at Tyrell’s Vineyard in the Hunter Valley on 25 October.

This year’s lineup brings together some Aussie music legends, and some of the hottest up and comers. Where else would you find James Morrison, Renee Geyer, and Glenn Shorrock sharing the bill with the brilliant Adam Miller, Force 10, and Lisa Hunt? These artists will perform on two stages, entertaining the crowds with non-stop music for seven hours!

After seven hours, you’re going to get hungry. Thankfully the festival also brings together some of the Hunter’s best food and wine. Acclaimed restaurants The Hunter Resort, The Mill, Redsalt, Esca, Elizabeth’s, and Majors Lane will be on hand with tasty treats, which you can wash down with wines from Drayton’s, Tamburlaine, Bimbadgen Estate, The Hunter Valley Wine Society, Peterson’s Champagne House, and of course, Tyrell’s.

This year the festival is going green with glass recycling, eco-friendly food packaging, and stacks more. And you can get into the environmentally friendly spirit by leaving the car at home! Rover Coaches will help visitors get there from Sydney, the Central Coast, and throughout the Hunter Valley. And if you don’t have to worry about driving, you can indulge in a few more glasses of that beautiful wine!

Aussie jazz legend James Morrison has played a few festivals in his time, yet he calls Jazz in the Vines “Australia’s premier outdoor jazz festival.” If it’s impressed him, you’re bound to have a good time! Check out the website for more details including ticket and transport information.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Angus and Julia Stone Tour the World

The coolest brother and sister duo around, Angus and Julia Stone, have just wrapped up their sold-out Australian tour, but don’t expect them to sit idly for too long. After a short break, the Sydney siblings are heading overseas to join the European summer festival circuit.

The Stones will kick off their European jaunt with an appearance at Ledbury’s Big Chill Festival on August 1. From there they’ll play festivals in Scotland, Holland, and Germany, and a very special gig at The Roundhouse in London.

Angus and Julia Stone have earned rave reviews in Europe for their album A Book Like This, so this tour should be huge for them. UNCUT described it as “A triumph of intimacy,” while MOJO said “The virtue’s in the detail.”

After The Stones conquer Europe they’ll head to the USA for their first ever shows in support of their American album release. Then it’s back to Europe for a full tour, because they head back here in December!

If you can’t wait quite that long for your Angus and Julia Stone fix, make sure you catch their recent performance at The Basement. It’ll screen on ABC 1 on Thursday July 31 at 11 pm.

Image source: Pn57 @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Melinda Schneider Duets with Paul Kelly

Melinda Schneider has a new fan in Aussie singer-songwriter Paul Kelly. Paul was so impressed with a demo version of one of Melinda’s new songs, he agreed to sing it on her latest album.

The unlikely duo met by chance in Coogee.

“I was snorkelling at Coogee Beach and got up and out of the water, and there was Paul Kelly sitting on a rock,” Melinda told The Sunday Telegraph.

The pair got to chatting, so Melinda decided to send Paul a copy of her song “Still Here.” He loved it so much, they decided to record it together at his Melbourne home.

“I love his vocals on it,” she gushed. “The intimacy of it is really beautiful on that track.”

Melinda will launch her latest album, Be Yourself, at Sydney’s City Tattersalls Club on Thursday. It will hit stores on 5 July.

Image sources: Melinda Schneider MySpace and RattyPussFACE @ Wikimedia Commons