Month: September 2008

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Snoop Dogg Gets a Visa

There’s good news for Snoop Dogg fans: the American rapper has been granted an Australian visa.

But there is a slight catch. After evaluating his criminal record, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship has ordered the hip hop star to undertake counselling before he arrives.

“Given his criminal record, the department undertook a full character assessment of Snoop Dogg’s criminal history and previous conduct before making a decision on his visa application,” a departmental spokesman said.

“In making this decision, the department weighed his criminal convictions against his previous behaviour while in Australia, recent conduct – including charity work – and any likely risk to the Australian community.

“We took into account all relevant factors and, on balance, the department decided to grant the visa.”

The department added that Snoop’s visa will also be cancelled if he fails to abide by the law during his Aussie stay. I hope he’s on his best behaviour! Snoop Dogg will tour with Ice Cube and Bone Thugs N Harmony. Here are all the dates!

29 October 2008 – Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
31 October 2008 – Acer Arena, Sydney
2 November 2008 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
5 November 2008 – Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
7 November 2008 – Burswood Dome, Perth

Image source: Hooverdust @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Veronicas Get a Reality Show

Broken engagements, missing boyfriends, a little girl on girl action … with all the scandal following The Veronicas these days it’s little wonder that American producers have given Australia’s most famous twins their own reality TV show!

But Jess and Lisa Origliasso aren’t phased by cameras following their every move.

“We document everything we do anyway,” Jess told The Daily Telegraph. “We often have camera crews on us on tour. It’s just about lives.”

It seems like every man and his dog has a reality TV series these days, but the show could be a major vehicle for promoting the dynamic duo overseas. And with so many rumours surrounding the girls, it could help set the record straight!

The Veronicas reality TV show is likely to air on American youth network MTV.

Image source: Foraggio Fotographic @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gabriella Cilmi Tops ARIA Nominations

Teen sensation Gabriella Cilmi looks set to scoop the pool at this year’s Motorola ARIA Awards after she earned six nominations. The not-so-sweet singer is up for best female artist, single of the year, breakthrough artist – album, breakthrough artist single, best pop release, and highest selling single! Wow!

“It’s sweet as to be nominated. Looking forward to getting home!” Gabriella said today from France. She’s there for a promotional tour which will see her appear on the popular TV show Tara Tata with Metallica!

The nominations cap off an amazing year for Gabriella, whose debut single “Sweet About Me” and debut album Lessons to be Learned both zoomed to the top of the Aussie charts. She’s also scored top 10 hits in the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, Norway, New Zealand, and Italy! And it’s not likely to slow down anytime soon, with Gabriella recently singing a deal with US label Universal Republic.

But before she heads to the States Gabriella will come home to perform at the ARIA Awards and Homebake.

Expat Sam Sparro didn’t do too badly either with nominations for single of the year, best male artist, best pop release, breakthrough artist album, and breakthrough album single.

He may not have topped the charts like Gabriella and Sam, but blind indigenous singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was still a big hit with ARIA voters. He scored nominations for best world music album, best independent release, best male artist, and album of the year.

Also scoring four nominations were mainstream successes The Veronicas, The Presets, The Living End, and Angus and Julia Stone. Close behind with three nods were Faker, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson.

The ARIA Awards Ceremony will be held at Acer Arena on Sunday 19 October. Until then, check out all the nominations!

Album of the Year
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunnipingu – Gurrumul
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson – Rattlin’ Bones
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Dig Lazarus, Dig
The Living End – White Noise
The Presets – Apocalypso

Best Adult Contemporary Album
Clare Bowditch – The Moon Looked On
Jimmy Barnes – Out In The Blue
Katie Noonan – Skin
Robert Forster – The Evangelist
The Panics – Cruel Guards

Best Blues and Roots Album
Angus and Julia Stone – A Book Like This
Jeff Lang – Half Seas Over
Mia Dyson – Struck Down
The Audreys – When The Flood Comes
The Waifs – Sun, Dirt, Water

Best Children’s Album
Hi-5 – Planet Earth
Jay Laga’aia – Come Dance and Sing
Justine Clarke – Songs To Make You Smile
The Fairies – Fairy Fun Fun Fun
The Wiggles – You Make Me Feel Like Dancing

Best Comedy Release
Akmal – Akmal Live and Uncensored
Matt Tilley – Gotcha Calls Three’s a Crowd
Merrick & Rosso – Live and Totally Wrong!
Shaun Micallef – The Expurgated Micallef Tonight: The Very Best of Shaun Micallef’s Short-Lived but Brilliant Tonight
The Umbilical Brothers – Don’t Explain

Best Country Album
Catherine Britt – Little WildFlower
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson – Rattlin’ Bones
Melinda Schneider – Be Yourself
Sara Storer – Silver Skies
The McClymonts – Chaos and Bright Lights

Best Dance Album
Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
Mobin Master – Show Me Love
PNAU – Pnau
The Potbelleez – Don’t Hold Back
The Presets – Apocalypso

Best Female Artist
Clare Bowditch
Gabriella Cilmi
Holly Throsby
Kylie Minogue
Missy Higgins

Best Group
Angus and Julia Stone
Silverchair
Faker
The Presets
The Living End

Best Independent Release
Ben Lee – Ripe
British India – Thieves
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunnipingu – Gurrumul
Lior – Corner of an Endless Road
Midnight Juggernauts – Dystopia

Best Male Artist
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunnipingu
Nick Cave
Paul Kelly
Pete Murray
Sam Sparro

Best Music DVD
Hilltop Hoods – City of Light
Paul Kelly – Stolen Apples
Powderfinger/Silverchair – Across The Great Divide
John Butler Trio – Live at Federation Square
Wolfmother – Please Experience Wolfmother

Best Pop Release
Gabriella Cilmi – Lessons To Be Learned
Kylie Minogue – X
Operator Please – Yes Yes Vindictive
Sam Sparro – Black and Gold
The Veronicas – Hook Me Up

Best Rock Album
Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Primary Colours
Faker – Be The Twighlight
Gyroscope – Breed Obsession
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Dig Lazarus, Dig
The Living End – White Noise

Best Urban Release
A-Love – Ace of Hearts
Bliss ‘n’ Eso – Flying Colours
Kayalyst – What’s Happening?
Muph & Plutonic – …and Then Tomorrow Came
Spit Syndicate – Towards The Light
The Herd – Summerland

Breakthrough Artist – Album
Angus and Julia Stone – A Book Like This
Gabriella Cilmi – Lessons To Be Learned
Midnight Juggernauts – Dystopia
Operator Please – Yes Yes Vindictive
Sam Sparro – Sam Sparro

Breakthrough Artist – Single
Angus and Julia Stone – “The Beast”
Gabriella Cilmi – “Sweet About Me”
Sam Sparro – “Black and Gold”
The Panics – “Don’t Fight It”
The Potbelleez – “Don’t Hold Back”

Single Of The Year
Faker – “This Heart Attack”
Gabriella Cilmi – “Sweet About Me”
Sam Sparro – “Black and Gold”
The Living End – “White Noise”
The Presets – “My People”

Highest Selling Single
Delta Goodrem – “In This Life”
Gabriella Cilmi – “Sweet About Me”
The Potbelleez – “Don’t Hold Back”
The Veronicas – “Untouched”
The Veronicas – “Hook Me Up”

Highest Selling Album
David Campbell – The Swing Sessions 2
Delta Goodrem – Delta
Guy Sebastian – The Memphis Album
The Veronicas – Hook Me Up
Tina Arena – Songs of Love and Loss

Best Classical Album
Brett Dean and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra – Brett Dean
Elena Kats-Chernin – Slow Food
Richard Tognetti, Neal Peres da Costa and Daniel Yeadon – Bach Sonatas For Violin and Keyboard
Roger Woodward – Jon Seb Bach Chromatic Fantasia Fugue, BVW 903
Slava Grigorian and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra – Baroque Guitar Concertos

Best Jazz Album
Andrea Keller – Footprints
Deni Hines and James Morrison – The Other Woman
Grace Knight – Willow
Joe Chindamo – Duende, The Romantic Project
Mike Nock Project – Meeting of the Waters
Oehlers, Grabowsky, Beck – Lost and Found

Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album
Night – Original Cast Recording
Summer Heights High – Chris Lilley
Pricilla The Musical – Original Cast Recording
The Square – OST
Various Artists – The Countdown Spectacular Live 2

Best World Music Album
Archie Roach – Journey
David Jones – Colours of the Drum
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunnipingu – Gurrumul
Joseph Tawadros – Angel
Watussi – Tequilla Sandre Fuego

Image supplied by Warner Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Earl Cole and Chelsea J Play Michael and Norah in Perth

It’s been some time since Perth’s acclaimed Michael Bublé tribute act Earl Cole performed one of his popular dinner shows, but the wait has been worth it. Earl will play Banca Café on Sunday 21st September with a very special friend, Chelsea J.

You might recognise Chelsea from Australian Idol or Popstars. These days she’s ditched reality television for an impressive turn as Norah Jones.

Banca Café is an award-winning restaurant located at 75 Wanneroo Road, Tuart Hill. Tickets will set you back just $75, which includes the show, a three-course meal, and champagne on arrival. And if you can gather a group of six or more, you’ll pay just $70 a head. The show kicks off at 7 pm and runs for three hours. Bookings are essentials and can be made by called (08) 9344 7007.

For a taste of what to expect, make sure you check out Earl’s website. He’s just released a new album, Come Fly With Me, and samples of all the tracks are available online.

We’re never likely to see Michael Bublé and Norah Jones team up for an Aussie tour, but this amazing tribute show may just be the next best thing.

Image supplied by Earl Cole

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Newton Faulkner and Sara Bareilles @ The Enmore, Sydney – 8th September 2008

Ordinarily when I see a show it’s one that I couldn’t pass up. I may be a music writer, but I won’t go and see just anybody. So when I attend a concert I tend to be a real fan, one of those people who knows all the words to all the songs.

It wasn’t the case last night when I ventured out to catch Sara Bareilles and Newton Faulkner at The Enmore. My wonderful friend Jaime found herself on the guest list and I was lucky enough to be her plus one. We only knew the singles, but we’re both such music fans we were thrilled to see these talented newcomers.

We might have scored comp tickets, but don’t think we were hob-nobbing with the industry elite. They were general admission, a thought which initially made me groan. You know how much I hate standing for an entire show. So it was a pleasant surprise to walk in, find a comfortable position, and stand there happily for the rest of the show. Where was the pushing and obnoxiousness I remember from my general admission days of old? It seemed these punters would much rather listen to the music, dance a little, and not bother anyone else. I’d like to whole heartedly thank the audience for being so brilliant.

With Old Man River a late scratching from the bill, Sara Bareilles was up first. I was utterly transfixed by her. It takes a certain kind of performer to captivate while sitting at a piano, but she pulled it off. There’s a lot more to this girl than “Love Song.” Her songs are accessible yet quirky, a real breath of fresh air. And her personality is so warm. She endeared herself to us all when she said how much she loves Strictly Ballroom, and how starstruck she felt meeting Sonia Kruger. The set was an opportunity to showcase her debut album Little Voice, so it was an unexpected treat to see Sara step away from the piano for an amazing cover of The Beatles “Oh! Darling.” Sara was only the warm-up act, but I was so sorry to see her leave the stage! I may not have known much about her before, but I made sure to grab a copy of her CD from the merch stand.

Sara may be a big star, but Newton Faulkner was clearly the man everyone came to see. The enthusiastic audience joined in singing his songs from the start, embracing this talented Brit and his debut album Hand Built by Robots.

There was a lot that I didn’t realise about Newton Faulkner. I knew he was a good guitarist, but I didn’t realise he was a great one. He uses his instrument as both a melodic and rhythmic one, tapping out the beats while his fingers pluck the notes. He knows what his guitar is capable of, and pushes the envelope to create something amazing. Newton’s not content with just playing a regular acoustic guitar though. He also brought out a child’s guitar for a few songs, including a fun cover of “Blue Shadows” from cult comedy The Three Amigos.

This cover hints at the sort of unexpected comedy I experienced at the show. I had no idea how funny this British star is! He loved playing the unexpected, including a rollicking version of “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” and a Latin-inspired take on “Uncomfortably Slow,” complete with a nonsense language! But it wasn’t all fun and games. I appreciated the stories behind the songs, a touch many artists forget but one that brings a live show beyond simply hearing the CD.

Last night I was given the opportunity to experience two of the hottest new names in the music industry. If this is what these artists can produce at the start of their careers, their futures look very bright indeed.

Image source: Stephen Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jet Headline Gold Coast New Year’s Show

Jet will headline the massive Aussie line-up at Odyssey NYE ’09 on the Gold Coast. Considering their recent pairing with Iggy Pop, it seems the rock outfit’s self imposed exile is well and truly over.

Jet will share the bill with local legends Eskimo Joe, Evermore, The Butterfly Effect, and Operator Please. More acts will be announced closer to the date, so expect it to be massive.

The organisers anticipate big crowds so they’re moving Odyssey from its Dreamworld home to Carrara Sports Complex.

Sounds like a fun way to ring in the New Year. If you want to go, grab your tickets through the website when they go on sale tomorrow.

Image source: Richard Giles @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol Top 12 Revealed

Australian Idol has a top 12! But just like this entire series of Idol, it wasn’t without surprises. We’re used to the public choosing two wildcards and the judges choosing the remaining two. Not so this year, with the judges deciding to put three of their favourites through to the finals. Would it have changed the results any? Who knows. I’m certainly happy with the result.

The judges elected to send star performer Roshani Priddis, “rough diamond” Luke Dickens, and quirky singer-songwriter Jonny Taylor through to the finals. Ex-pat Sophie Paterson was the audience favourite, earning her rightful place in the top 12.

So now it’s on to the pointy end of things. With such amazing talent making up our top 12, I say bring it on!

Image source: Wikimedia Commons 

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bimbadgen Blues @ Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter Valley – 6 September 2008

I had been looking forward to Sunday’s Bimbadgen Blues concert for months. I’ve long been a fan of this amazing winery and the relaxed vibe of the concerts it hosts. Yet as the big day approached, my excitement turned to dread. Anyone who lives anywhere close by knows why. The weather was atrocious, with the rain relentless.

As I drove to Newcastle to meet my father, it was no exception. In fact, I didn’t feel comfortable pushing my little Festiva above 90 kays! We both considered not making the trip to the Hunter, but our eternally optimistic natures convinced us to make the trip. I’m so glad we did.

As we approached our Cessnock, the clear skies brightened our moods. It was still a grey dreary and freezing cold morning, but it was at least dry!

Bimbadgen Blues is a different beast than the Day on the Green concerts I’m used to attending at the winery. The obvious contrast is the two stages. It’s a smart move for a concert with such a crowded bill. It allowed us to see full lengths sets of all the artists, rather than only a couple of songs from the lesser known performers. The sets were staggered, so punters could walk between the stages and experience non-stop music. While one band was setting up, there was always another show not too far away.

My dad and I were a little too lazy for that, and we were happy to set up camp at the main stage. The rain had scared away many people, but the enthusiasm of those left made up for it. The wine flowed freely as it always does at these winery shows, but everyone was so well behaved. They danced, they sang, and they had a fantastic time. So too did the performers, who clearly appreciated the fans braving the cold and intermittent rain.

We arrived midway through Mojo Webb’s set. I’d never heard of him before, but this buzzing blues artist has a way of drawing you in. The eclectic tunes were brilliant, with elements of jazz, funk, jungle beats, and even a little bluegrass thrown in. Mojo is a real showman, even stepping down off the stage at one point to get a little closer to the appreciative audience.

Dallas Frasca provided a real change of pace with her bright red dreadlocks, vibrant green dress, and earthy blues sound. Her raspy vocals bear an uncanny resemblance to Janis Joplin, and she’s got the wild stage persona to match. In fact, as fans discarded their shoes to dance in the mud it was easy to imagine we were at Woodstock. Dallas’ voice was amazing and her larger than life personality matched it, but there wasn’t a lot of variety to her set. I’d have loved to hear her belt out something a little more melodic. Perhaps a few Janis classics?

The occasional showers turned to steady rain as Josh Pyke took the stage. But I’d been waiting all day to see this Australian singer-songwriter, and I wasn’t going to let a little rain spoil my fun. He gave everything to the patient and soggy crowd, producing an amazing set filled with old favourites and some exciting new tracks. His poetic lyrics and natural warmth were all the sunshine I needed for that hour and a half.

When Josh left the stage though, I was just wet. Sadly, the rain was getting worse. My father and I tried to wait it out, reasoning that you can’t get any wetter than wet, but it was just far too unpleasant to persevere. Like many, we decided to count our losses and skip out Australian blues legends Chain. I didn’t want to miss their set, but it just wasn’t worth braving the storm any longer.

Bad weather conditions are just the luck of the draw, and it’s a shame that they had to end my Bimbadgen Blues experience prematurely. But as unpleasant as the rain was, I still had an amazing time. The crowd was beautiful. The performers were top notch, and gave us everything they had. The day ran so smoothly despite the terrible weather. The wine was pretty fantastic too. I’ll definitely be back next year. I just hope the sun is shining!

Image source: own photo

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol Gives Singers a Second Chance

Australian Idol was back tonight with its wildcard show. But before the judges gave eight singers one more chance, it was time to announce two more finalists. Those lucky singers are Brooke Addamo and Madam Parker. Worthy contenders both. This is shaping up to be some top 12.

Amanda Grafanakis opened the show with the Tina Turner classic, “Simply The Best.” This was a zillion times better than the last time we saw her. Her voice still wasn’t all that strong, and it never will be. But the difference here was her performance. She gave it everything she had and it was a joy to watch. Some of the world’s coolest rock chicks haven’t got classically wonderful voices, so I think she’s definitely got potential.

Nicole Banks was up next with Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song.” I really enjoyed her last week, but I felt like this was a bit of a step backwards. She’s got a lovely sweet voice, but she does seem to have a problem delivering that and connecting to a lyric at the same time. She’s definitely got something, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t strong enough.

Luke Dickens showed his softer side with Robbie Williams’ “Angels.” He seemed to cop a bit of flack from the judging panels, which surprised my husband and I here at home. We really enjoyed it! I thought he brought a strength and masculinity to it that was lacking in the original. Clearly we aren’t Robbie fans.

I was thrilled to see Roshani Priddis up next, and to see how well she pulled off Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You.” This was the first star performance of the night for me. She ticked all the boxes: amazing voice, passionate and sincere delivery, engaged with the audience, entertained. Wow. She’s top 12 for sure.

James Spargo got a great Fathers’ Day present: a second chance to enter the top 12! Sadly I don’t think he made the most of it. He was a whole lot better than he performed last week, but I felt song choice let him down. Five for Fighting’s “Superman” is an amazing song, but the falsetto sections exposed all of James’ vocal weaknesses. It’s a shame. I still have a dirty big crush on him.

Brooke Schubert took on a massive song in Trisha Yearwood’s “How Do I Live,” and she won. I know what a hard song this is. I’ve been known to belt it out very badly in my car. So I take my hat off to her. She’s a beautiful girl and she presents herself so well! I’d also love to see her bring out some slide guitars if she gets another chance!

I was pretty psyched when I heard Jonny Taylor was singing Hootie and the Blowfish’s “Let Her Cry.” But I have to wonder whether my love for that song made me a little critical of his performance. I felt it started out quite weak vocally, but I concede that it did kick up a notch towards the end. I also think such powerful story songs like that are so hard to truncate to fit an Idol format. They seem to lose a lot of emotion in that condensed form, and for me this wasn’t as good as it should have been. Personally, I preferred “Hound Dog!”

Considering how disappointed I felt at Jonny Taylor’s performance, I was a little nervous when I heard Sophie Paterson was singing another of my favourite songs: Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours.” I didn’t need to stress. She did an amazing version of the song, stamping her own personality onto Jason’s amazing foundation. This is another girl who really needs to make the top 12.

I guess in light of what I’ve said already, it’s no surprise that I believe Roshani Priddis and Sophie Paterson will earn places in the top 12. Who’ll join them? It’s going to be tough. Some people didn’t perform to the potential they’ve shown throughout, others showed such amazing growth, it’s going to be really interesting to see what the judges decide to do. We’ll find out tomorrow as the Australian Idol top 12 is revealed!

Image source: Vivido @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Chris Brown and Rihanna’s Massive Oz Tour

Chris Brown and Rihanna are teaming up for one of the hottest tours this year. The R’n’B power couple will visit Australia in November.

Expect plenty of top 40 hits when this pair hit entertainment centres and arenas around the country.

General ticket sales start on Monday 15 September, but if you want to get a jump on the competition I recommend signing up to the Ticketek mailing list before next Friday.

See Rihanna and Chris Brown at the following venues.

31 October 2008 – Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
3 November 2008 – Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
4 November 2008 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
8 November 2008 – Acer Arena, Sydney
11 November 2008 – Burswood Dome, Perth

Image source: Joel Telling @ Wikimedia Commons