Month: January 2009

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Daniel Johns Produces The Scare’s CD

Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns has stepped out from behind the mic to produce The Scare’s new album. The Sydney outfit, who are now based in Birmingham, returned home to complete the record.

“It’s important for everyone to remember that we came back to home soil in order to find our anarchic-blood-and-guts-sonically eccentric dream team with Daniel Johns and Chris Townend in the producer and engineer chairs respectively,” bass guitarist Wade Keighran wrote on the band’s MySpace page.

“We’ve come home twice in fact and made two albums with Australian producers and engineers in great Australian studios with the help of great Australian musicians … you don’t need to go overseas and spend a fortune to get whatever you want, all you need to do is know what you want and do it right. Anywhere.”

Too true! Australian audiences will get a taste of the band’s new material at their upcoming shows at Sydney’s Supper Club on January 20 and the Big Day Out tour.

Image source: Safetypinheart @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Death Cab for Cutie Tour Australia Again

Death Cab for Cutie must love Australia. After touring here last August, they’ve announced they’ll do it all again in February.

But it’s easy to understand why this American indie outfit has embraced Oz. We sent their latest album Narrow Stairs straight into the ARIA top ten, and we bought even tickets for their last gigs that the shows sold out.

Many artists would move to much bigger venues to accommodate the demand, but Death Cab for Cutie are determined to give their fans the intimate shows they love. Of course that means tickets won’t last, so make sure you buy yours when they go on sale on Friday January 9.

Here are the dates for the latest Death Cab for Cutie tour!

19 February 2008 – Fremantle Arts Centre (18 +, but minors are permitted with an adult)
22 February 2008 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide (All ages)
23 and 24 February 2008 – Forum Theatre, Melbourne (18+)
26 February 2008 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney (All ages)
28 February 2008 – Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane (18+)

Image source: Deep_Schismic @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gabriella Cilmi and Other Aussies SXSW Bound

Gabriella Cilmi will head up the Aussie invasion at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin. The March shows are ones for Gabriella, whose album Lessons to be Learned will be released in the United States around the same time.

Gabriella will join a host of other Aussies heading to the festival. They include Youth Group, Kid Confucious, Blue King Brown, Birds of Tokyo, The Drones, Josh Pyke, Angua and Julia Stone, and The Grates.

More than 20, 000 music industry types from all over the world attend SXSW so this is the place for our artists to be seen.

I wish them all the best of luck!

Image source: Bauer-Griffin

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Melbourne Bands Pay Tribute to Linda Gebar

A who’s who of the local music industry will gather at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel next week to remember Linda Gebar.

Linda was one of the city’s key music industry identities. She managed bands including Frente, The Killjoys, and Blackeyed Susans, worked for APRA and PBS, and was a booker for The Punters Club.

Linda passed away at her Mount Eliza home in October, just ten days after giving birth to her second daughter.

The tribute show will feature Not Drowning Waving, The Killjoys, Blackeyed Susans Trio, Charlie Jenkins, The Fish John West Reject, Kim Salmon, Billy Baxter & Gina Hearnden, Juliet Ward & Greg Appel, The Somerfields, and DJs Mary Mikelakos and Debbie Bettlingham.

Tickets are $20 plus booking fee from the venue.

Image source: Facebook event page

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Snowman Scoop Album of the Year Award

It looks like Perth outfit Snowman will be one band to watch in 2009. The Western Australians’ second album The Horse, The Rat and The Swan was named album of the year by Mess+Noise.

The accolade has special significant for the band, as the group broke up several times during the recording process.

“We were challenged mentally and physically to the point where we had to either make a decision to go ahead… and gamble with how people would react to a difficult record, or start again, or just give up,” singer Andy Citawarman told news.com.au.

“I’m glad we didn’t choose the latter options.”

Mess+Noise has a reputation for having its finger on the pulse of the local music industry, so if you haven’t checked out the other albums on their 2008 top ten I highly recommend you do so!

Here are the Mess+Noise Top 10 Aussie Albums of 2008!

  1. The Horse, The Rat And The Swan – Snowman
  2. Havilah – The Drones
  3. Beaches – Beaches
  4. Primary Colours – Eddy Current Suppression Ring
  5. Landlakes – ii
  6. Paradise – My Disco
  7. Romance & Adventure – Ooga Boogas
  8. Cellulite Soul – Witch Hats
  9. Escaping Mankind – Charge Group
  10. Dead Beat – Ohana

Image source: Snowman gallery