Author: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rocky Horror’s No Drag for iOTA

His days of playing Hedwig may be behind him, but singer-songwriter iOTA isn’t hanging up his fishnet stockings just yet. The Hedwig and the Angry Inch star will play Dr Frank N Furter in a new production of the acclaimed rock musical, The Rocky Horror Show.

If his Helpmann Award-winning turning as Hedwig is any indication, iOTA is sure to bring the necessary flamboyance to the outrageous role.

He’ll be ably assisted by caberet star Paul Capsis, who plays Riff Raff, and Dusty’s Tamsin Carroll, as Magenta.

Mama Mia star Kellie Rode will star as the squeaky-clean Janet, while Michael Cormick will play Eddie and Dr Scott.

The freaks, sex, and rock and roll of The Rocky Horror Show come to Sydney’s Star City Casino next February. But don’t worry if you live outside New South Wales. The show should visit other major centers after its Sydney run.

Snap up your tickets when they go on sale on August 27.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Skin” – Katie Noonan

Katie Noonan’s solo release, Skin, has taken up permanent residence in my stereo. The voice behind supergroup George has produced an album of infectious joy that gets richer with every listen.

It’s been five years since George released their landmark album, Polyserena. A lot has changed for Katie Noonan in that time. Many performers seem to lose their passion once spouses and children enter the picture, but the opposite seems true here. It’s allowed Katie to create songs that are intensely personal, but instantly accessible.

Love is the dominant theme underpinning all the album’s tracks. Not the clichéd love we’ve all heard about a thousand times before, but an emotion that’s deeply personal. Even when romantic love is explored, as in “Logic,” “Love’s My Song For You,” and “Home,” it’s approached with individuality and honesty.

But Katie knows there’s more than romantic love in this world, and Skin examines that too. “Little Boy Man” is a tender expression of love for her son, while the jazzy single “Time To Begin” celebrates love of self.

Continue reading ““Skin” – Katie Noonan” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Darren Hayes Savages Aussie PM

After marrying his British beau Richard Cullen last year, former Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes has a few opinions about gay marriage. He took time out from spruiking his latest solo release to slam Aussie prime minister John Howard’s stance on the issue.

Darren’s annoyed because his partner has to travel to Australia on a tourist visa, which allows him to stay a maximum of three months, as he is ineligible to gain a partner visa.

“It makes me angry and frustrated,” he told The Herald Sun. “I’m Australian and the way the law sits I can’t bring my partner home as my partner. That to me is an infringement of my civil rights – a very un-Australian thing.

“I would never have voted for John Howard and I encourage people not to. I don’t think he speaks for this country in the same way I don’t think George Bush speaks for the US.”

Continue reading “Darren Hayes Savages Aussie PM” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Emma-Louise Who? Queensland Teen Bags a Double at QSong Awards

You may not have heard of Emma-Louise Lobb, but with maturity beyond her years this 15-year-old may just be the next big thing. The Queensland schoolgirl took home the People’s Choice Award at last night’s 2007 QSong Awards.

Emma-Louise’s beautiful guitar-driven ballad, “Kim’s Song” was also named best secondary school song at the ceremony, which celebrates Queensland’s songwriting talent.

But the girl from far north Queensland is no overnight success story.

“My dad bought me my first guitar when I was six and I wrote my first song when I was in grade nine, which was about a dog,” Emma-Louise told ABC News. “I started to write serious songs, like the ones that I write now, when I was in grade ten.”

Other winners on the night included The Grates, Screamfeeder’s Tim Steward, Chris Pickering, Briztronix, and Andrew Morris.

The awards also honored indigenous icon Kev Carmody, who received the Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award.

You can listen to Emma-Louise’s award-winning “Kim’s Song” at her MySpace page.

Image source: QSong website

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!