Category: News

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Where Great Food and Music Meet: Lizotte’s

If you live in Sydney, it seems there are two types of concert venues. There are the pubs, where you struggle to hear the band over the crowd who are too interested in the cheap beers and their own conversations to care about the music.

Or there are the entertainment centres, those massive structures that charge top dollar for seats that are so far back from the action that you need to watch the performers on the big screen. That is, if big screens are provided.

But there is a better way. It’s the Lizotte’s way. Just an hour’s drive from Sydney or Newcastle, this brilliant venue is the best-kept secret on the Central Coast.

Its owner, Brian Lizotte, knows a thing or two about music. And he should – after all, he’s the brother of Mark Lizotte, otherwise known as award-winning muso Diesel. Brian believes music and food are the two greatest pleasures in life, and has built his venue on this very simple principle.

He attracts some of the finest Australian and international acts to his tiny venue. There’s only enough room for 100 guests, but that suits the audience down to the ground. Everyone there focuses on the music, and this is when magic truly happens.

The experience is always capped off by some of the most exquisite food you’ll ever taste. Most shows allow guests to choose between a tasting plate and a more lavish multi-course meal.

With so many venues intent on packing a crowd in and making a fast buck, a night out at Lizotte’s feels truly indulgent. It’s an experience to be savored and enjoyed again and again.

Visit Lizotte’s at Lot 3, Avoca Drive, Kincumber. Be sure to check their website for a full list of upcoming shows.

Image source: own photo

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sydney Starts Live Earth

There’s no bigger story in Australian music this weekend than our contribution to the global Live Earth event. More than 45,000 packed into Sydney’s Aussie Stadium yesterday to hear the message of environmental awareness.

If you believe the reports, many disgruntled punters left after just two hours, frustrated by lengthy bar and toilet queues and poor acoustics. But for those who bravely soldiered on, the event was an unforgettable showcase of what this country has to offer.

While most Live Earth concerts relied on international drawcards, the Australian show celebrated homegrown talent. American Jack Johnson was the only foreign inclusion on the star-studded lineup.

The event kicked off with an Aboriginal welcome ceremony, before roots outfit Blue King Brown hit the stage. Then Toni Colette brought a touch of Hollywood glamour to the show with her band The Finish.

Paul Kelly’s classic “From Little Things Big Things Grow” resonated with the environmentally conscious crowd. He was joined by Kev Carmody, John Butler and Missy Higgins for the magical performance.

Later, John Butler delivered a lively set, while Missy’s romantic wailings seemed a little out of step with the event.

In a concert dominated by mellow, down-tempo bands, Wolfmother’s racous energy was a welcome relief. Jack Johnson followed them, a poor choice considering his low-key set.

Crowded House were the ideal closers, delivering a feel-good set of sing-a-long classics. Tens of thousands of fans nearly drowned out Neil Finn as they joined him on the closing song, “Weather With You”. Whether Live Earth worked as an environmental awareness campaign remains to be seen, but as a musical event it will be hard to top.

Image source: Wikimedia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Shea Fisher’s No Everyday Girl

Australia has an unlikely new star in the form of rodeo queen Shea Fisher. The 19-year-old looks to challenge popular opinions about country music with her debut album, Everyday Girl.

“I don’t write about cats or dogs dying or hay bales; I want to write songs about the things that matter to teenage girls,” she told The Daily Telegraph.

“I want to break some of the myths about country music, for it to be cool and appeal to a younger market as it does in America.”

For this, Shea travelled to Nashville, the heart of country music, to record her debut release.

While she hopes to hit the mainstream charts, there’s no denying that Shea is a country girl. The Queenslander is the daughter of bull riding champion Eddie Fisher. Shea grew up riding bulls, but has now swapped this extreme sport for barrel racing.

“It’s way too dangerous to combine bull racing and singing,” she joked.

Everyday Girl is released in Australia on Saturday.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Wolfmother’s Missing Grammy

Wolfmother may have won the hard rock Grammy in February, but the Sydney Morning Herald reported the band still hasn’t received the prestigious trophy.

As is the usual practice, the band posed with a dummy trophy on the night. Bands then receive their awards when they have been engraved.

No one’s sure quite what the hold-up is, but the hairy lads aren’t too concerned. They’re too busy preparing for Saturday’s Sydney Live Earth show.

The final details are still being ironed out, with organisers still unsure whether Wolfmother or Jack Johnson will precede headliners Crowded House. My vote’s for Wolfmother. While they may not be the most original band around, at least they’re an Australian one.

Image source: redbeardedwonder @ Flickr.com

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Big Names Play Small Towns

Here’s one for the kids in the bush. Indie radio network Triple J will rock the Outback with a series of free outdoor concerts.

Chart toppers Missy Higgins and Something for Kate will perform alongside blues band Blue King Brown at the tour’s first show in Humpty Doo. Around 5,000 people call the Northern Territory community home.

Powderfinger, The Cat Empire and Grinspoon will then star in concerts in Karratha, Burnie and Innisfail.

Local artists will play alongside the headliners at these very special events.

The Triple J Goes AWOL concert series aims to bring some of Australia’s hottest artists to some of its most remote regions.

“We are bringing live music to places that don’t get a whole lot of live music,” said a Triple J spokesperson.

The Triple J Goes AWOL series kicks off on July 21. See the Triple J website for more details.

Image source: ABC website

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Global Tour for Midnight Juggernauts

Aussie electronic act the Midnight Juggernauts are poised for global domination.

Their hypnotic dance tracks have created a buzz in Australia, and press in Europe and Asia are taking notice, according to Undercover.

The Melbourne outfit have been capitalising on the hype with shows in London, Paris, Manchester, Barcelona, Beijing and Shanghai. The tour highlight will undoubtedly be an appearance at France’s Les Eurockeennes festival this weekend. The Midnight Juggernauts will take the stage alongside AIR, Arcade Fire and The Klaxons.

The band will release a new 12-inch, Road to Recovery, to coincide with the tour. They’ll be back on homegrown soil in August to celebrate the launch of their debut album, Dystopia.

Image source: Michael Spencer @ Flickr.com

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kate Miller-Heidke Bursts Onto The Charts

Quirky songbird Kate Miller-Heidke has become the surprise success story of the year. Her first album, Little Eve, has just hit the ARIA charts with an impressive number 11 debut.

The album’s achievements have surprised Kate most of all. The classically-trained singer once described herself as “Alice in Wonderland who has drunk a little too much of the wrong potion.” Interesting, but not a typical recipe for commercial success.

To celebrate her newfound popularity, Kate is hitting the road. She’ll kick off her national tour on June 30 in Brisbane. Once she finishes her solo stint, Kate Miller-Heidke will join fellow indie “it” girl Missy Higgins on her regional Victorian dates. See Kate’s website for a complete list of tour dates.

Image source: Josh V-R @ Flickr.com

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

A Scary Homecoming

Aussie expats The Scare plan to return home for the release of their latest EP, Bats! Bats! Bats!

The punksters, who hail from Queensland, relocated to the United Kingdom in 2005 where they hoped to find a more receptive audience for their frenetic live shows. This local success story created a buzz through Europe after touring with We Are Scientists and Gallows. They’re also favorites of the festival circuit, where they have played alongside The White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age, and Daft Punk.

The Scare will play shows at Sydney’s Candy’s Apartment and Melbourne’s Click Click nightclub in July. Bats! Bats! Bats! hit record store shelves on June 23, and will be followed up by the release of The Scare’s debut album Chivalry on September 1.

Image source: Safetypinheart @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sunk Loto Calls It Quits

Queensland rockers Sunk Loto have called it a day after an illustrious 10-year career.

The heavy metal band hit the big time when, as teenagers, they signed a record deal with Sony. They recorded two albums under the label, Big Picture Lies and Between Birth and Death. The band, which was working on a new album, cites creative differences for the split.

On a statement on their MySpace, Sunk Loto has thanked their “die-hard loyal fans, friends and family for sticking with them and making it all worthwhile.”

However, fans need not despair. Founding members Jason and Dane Brown are currently working on new material with their original bassist Robkaay. Guitarist Luke McDonald also plans to record music with a new project.

Here’s a clip of their song “Everything Everyway” to remember them by!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Keith Who? Country Star Refused Entry to Australia

He might be a Grammy-award winning country artist, but it seems some Aussies still don’t recognise the local hero.

The Daily Telegraph reported the country megastar was refused entry to the set of wife Nicole Kidman’s new film, Australia, after security didn’t know who he was.

The female security guard reportedly told Urban to shove off and “get a life.” After much persuasion, the guard then radioed her boss to report “there’s some bloke here named Keith Urban who wants to get on the set.”

The boss, who clearly was familiar with Australia’s hottest country export, personally escorted Keith to his waiting wife.

To avoid a repeat performance, the security guard’s mother reportedly stocked up on tabloid magazines for her daughter.

After sighting an image of Hollywood hunk Hugh Jackman in one magazine, the clueless security guard apparently told her mother, “Hey, that guy walked past me about 10 times today!”

Image source: Jeaneeem @ Flickr.com