Category: News

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kasey Chambers Tops ARIA Charts

I’m thrilled to see Kasey Chambers’ excellent new album Dragonfly sitting at the top of the ARIA charts this week. Dragonfly is the first Aussie album to score the coveted number one possie and Kasey’s fifth number one album, after Barricades & Brickwalls (#1 in February ’02), Wayward Angel (#1 June ’04), Carnival (#1 June ’04) and her collaboration with Shane Nicholson, Rattlin’ Bones (#1 April ’08).

The influence of the Tamworth Country Music Festival has no doubt influenced this week’s charts, with Kasey keeping company in the top 10 with some other notable Aussie country acts. The McClymonts are at number six with Endless, while the perennially popular Ripcord by Keith Urban is at number 10.

Our dance acts are dominating over on the singles charts. “Chameleon” by Pnau sits at number 7 while Starley rounds out the top 10 with “Call On Me – Ryan Riback Remix.”

Top 10 Albums
1. Dragonfly – Kasey Chambers
2. Trolls – Soundtrack
3. Sing – Soundtrack
4. Moana – Soundtrack
5. 25 – Adele
6. Endless – The McClymonts
7. I See You – The XX
8. La La Land – Soundtrack
9. Blue and Lonesome – The Rolling Stones
10. Ripcord – Keith Urban

Top 10 Singles
1. “Shape of You” – Ed Sheeran
2. “Castle on the Hill” – Ed Sheeran
3. “Rockabye” – Clean Bandit feat. Sean Paul and Anne-Marie
4. “Paris” – The Chainsmokers
5. “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” – Zayn and Taylor Swift
6. “Fresh Eyes” – Andy Grammer
7. “Chameleon” – Pnau
8. “I Feel It Coming” – The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk
9. “Starboy” – The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk
10. “Call On Me – Ryan Riback Remix” – Starley

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

2016: A Year in Review

Like so many people, I’m going to be glad to see the back of 2016. It was a terrible year, marred with the loss of some of my favourite performers and people a little close to home, as well as devastating acts of terror. I can’t wait until the next one starts. But before it does, I’m taking a moment to remember that good things did happen in 2016. Trust me! Good things like the following. Take a moment to read back and remember them!

Top 10 Aussie Albums/EPs

1. One for Sorrow, Two for Joy – Brightly
2. The Blues Arcadia – The Blues Arcadia
3. Signal Lights – Sam Brittain
4. Backbone – Anthony Callea
5. Seven Years – Matt Joe Gow
6. Thieves – Tracy McNeil and The GoodLife
7. Eyes Still Fixed – Amarillo
8. Love is a Dog – Tinpan Orange
9. Synthia – The Jezabels
10. City West – Davey Craddock

Top 10 Aussie Tours

1. Prince
2. Rob Thomas @ State Theatre
3. Glen Hansard
4. Rob Thomas @ Opera House Steps
5. Jimmy Barnes
6. Conchita
7. Megan Hilty
8. Andrew de Silva’s Purple Revolution
9. Totally 80s
10. Ian Moss

Image source: jdmoar @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Awesome Aussie Business Alert: The Muses

Last week my dad contacted me, wanting me to buy a Michael McDonald CD for Mum for Christmas. “Amazon has it,” he told me. I quickly told him that Amazon is based in America, and it would never arrive before the big day. I hit up the usual suspects, JB Hi Fi, Sanity, nothing.

My Googling took me to The Muses, a local online business that I’d never heard of but I wanted to tell you all about. I placed the order and crossed my fingers. I then realised we’d missed the Christmas cut-off date by a significant margin. Panicked, cursing my Dad for his disorganisation, I put in a call to The Muses. I was assured by Tori, one of the Muses co-founders, that they would do their best, but as they were a small company without the manpower of some of those big chains they couldn’t give us any guarantees.

More crossing fingers. However, this morning, the CD arrived. A Christmas miracle.

It might seem strange for a blog with an ad for Sanity on the side to post about giving another online music store a go, but the truth is, if your tastes are a little left of centre you’re going to struggle with the big music chains. The Muses prides itself on carrying a broad, unique collection of music. If you want an album you can’t get elsewhere, you might find it here. If you want vinyl or limited edition stuff, this is the place. And I like that it’s small. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather support a couple running a music business for the love of it than a faceless corporation.

I know many of us approach online shopping with a healthy sense of trepidation. We’re nervous about handing over our credit card details to companies we don’t know, so we tend to stick with the tried and true. But after my experience with The Muses I’d love you to branch out a little and check out what they’re doing. You won’t be disappointed.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The ARIAs … 30 Years On

Unlike most music lovers in Australia, I wasn’t watching the ARIAs last night. I was playing trivia, expecting to catch up on all the action this morning. I managed to avoid learning of the winners until I watched the broadcast, but last night I did learn that a lot of people were fed up with the awards. Perhaps it’s just a symptom of getting older, but my Facebook feed was full of people bemoaning the new acts and insisting things were better in their day.

Watching the broadcast, I think it’s very easy for nostalgia to creep in. We were celebrating 30 years of music awards, and watching the montages of artists that came before I too felt that sense of longing for some of my favourite performers of the past.

But the thing is, that shouldn’t take away from embracing what’s great about the music industry today. I got really excited about Illy’s album this week. I was thrilled about Montaigne’s win because she’s created some of my favourite songs this year. What Flume does isn’t quite to my taste, but he’s clearly dominating right now. Diversity is what the industry has always been about. Hats off to him and his five pointy trophies.

I think the organisers of this year’s ARIAs did a wonderful job of celebrating the past and the present. Watching Jimmy Barnes sing with Jess Mauboy, seeing current acts like Bernard Fanning and Missy Higgins sing Crowded House songs before the act themselves performed, grinning ear to ear as The Veronicas bowed down to John Farnham, these are moments that symbolise not just the great music we’ve made as a country but that we continue to make.

It’s very easy to stay in our bubble and just listen to the music we’ve always loved. But the arts will only thrive if we take chances on something new.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Masters of Sgt Pepper Heading to Melbourne in 2017

Here’s an early heads up for Beatles fans because I have a feeling this is one of those events that’s going to sell out quickly. In February, a music panel event called The Masters of Sgt Pepper will hit Melbourne to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Bank.

The panel features Sgt Pepper’s engineers Geoff Emerick and Richard Lush chatting with former Herald Sun editor Alan Howe, an acoustic performance from Davey Lane, and an audience Q&A session moderated by Leo Sayer. Attendees will get an incredible insight into what went into the recording of this ground-breaking album and the legacy of the Beatles.

The Masters of Sgt Pepper will hit Planetshakers in Southbank on February 23 and 24. Places are limited, so make sure you buy your tickets soon from Showbiz Tickets.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Anthony Callea Back on Top of Albums Charts

It seems I’m not the only one who thinks Anthony Callea’s new album Backbone is pretty amazing. It’s debuted at number one on the ARIA charts this week, giving Anthony his second number one album 11 years after the release of his self-titled debut.

Backbone unseated last week’s number one, Skeleton Tree by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, which is now at number three.

Divas and Demons, the sophomore album from Melbourne rapper REMI, rounds out the top 10 albums.

Meanwhile on the singles charts, Sia’s collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, “The Greatest,” is at number four. After nearly three months on the charts, “Papercuts” by Illy featuring Vera Blue is at number 10. Talk about staying power!

Take a closer look at this week’s top 10.

Top 10 Albums
1. Backbone – Anthony Callea
2. Suicide Squad: The Album – Soundtrack
3. Skeleton Tree – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
4. My Dear Companion: Selections From the Trio Collection – Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris
5. Hard II Love – Usher
6. Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway – Barbra Streisand
7. Bridget Jones’s Baby – Soundtrack
8. 25 – Adele
9. Mount Ninji and da Nice Time Kid – Die Antwoord
10. Divas and Demons – REMI

Top 10 Singles
1. “Closer” – The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey
2. “Dancing on my Own” – Calum Scott
3. “Side to Side” – Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj
4. “The Greatest” – Sia feat. Kendrick Lamar
5. “Starving” – Hailee Steinfeld
6. “Heathens” – Twenty One Pilots
7. “Let Me Love You” – DJ Snake feat. Justin Bieber
8. “Cold Water” – Major Lazer feat. Justin Bieber and MO
9. “Sucker for Pain” – Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa & Imagine Dragons, X Ambassadors, Ty Dolla $ign, Logic
10. “Papercuts” – Illy feat. Vera Blue

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Boy & Bear Release Beer for Upcoming Regional Tour

If there’s one thing I love just as music, it’s beer. Not your run-of-the-mill Toohey’s New or Carlton Draft mind you, but a good craft beer that’s more complex, interesting, and downright delicious than the average. So I was interested to hear that Boy & Bear have joined forces with Akasha Beers in 5 Dock to create a signature ale.

So where can you taste this delicious drop I hear you ask? Well you’ll need to get to one of Boy & Bear’s upcoming regional Limit of Love shows. It’ll be served on tap at most venues on this run of dates. And if you need another reason to choose the Boy & Bear beer over your usual lager, then you might be interested to hear proceeds are benefiting Buy a Bale, a charity which helps out drought-stricken Queensland farmers.

If you’re heading to one of these Boy & Bear shows and make sure to buy a beer or two. The farmers will thank you!

9 Nov ember 2016 – Regent Theatre, Ballarat
10 Nov ember 2016 – Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo
11 Nov ember 2016 – Costa Hall, Geelong
12 Nov ember 2016 – The Cube, Wodonga
16 Nov ember 2016 – C.Ex Coffs, Coffs Harbour
17 Nov ember 2016 – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
18 Nov ember 2016 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
19 Nov ember 2016 – Lake Kawana Community Centre, Sunshine Coast
20 Nov ember 2016 – The Mills Precinct, Toowoomba
23 Nov ember 2016 – Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton
24 Nov ember 2016 – MECC, Mackay
25 Nov ember 2016 – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns
27 Nov ember 2016 – The Venue, Townsville
2 December 2016 – Albany Entertainment Centre, Albany
3 December 2016 – 3 Oceans, Margaret River
4 December 2016 – Fremantle Prison, Fremantle
7 December 2016 – Orange Ex-Services Club, Orange
8 December 2016 – ANU, Canberra
9 December 2016 – Waves, Wollongong
10 December 2016 – Wests City, Newcastle

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Amity Affliction Score Third Number One Album in a Row

The pride of Gympie, The Amity Affliction, has scored their third consecutive number one album. This Could Be Heartbreak debuted at number one this week. Notably, this is the 14th local release to hit the top of the albums charts this year. This equals 2013’s record of the most Aussie number one albums in a calendar year. And it’s only August!

Human Nature’s Gimme Some Lovin’: Jukebox Vol. II, one of those chart-topping 14, has held steady at number three. Bernard Fanning’s newie Civil Dusk has slipped from number two to four this week.
Another previous number one, Ripcord by Keith Urban, is back on its way up the charts, climbing two spots to land at number six this week. So too is another chart-topper, Wings of the Wild. Delta Goodrem’s most recent release jumps three spots to sit at number eight.

Meanwhile on the singles charts, Illy’s single with Vera Blue, “Papercuts,” has dropped one spot to number five this week. Betty Who’s debuted at number nine with her take on Donna Lewis’ ‘90s smash, “I Love You Always Forever.”

Here are this week’s top 10s.

Top 10 Albums
1. This Could Be Heartbreak – The Amity Affliction
2. Suicide Squad: The Album – Soundtrack
3. Gimme Some Lovin’: Jukebox Vol. II – Human Nature
4. Civil Dusk – Bernard Fanning
5. 25 – Adele
6. Ripcord – Keith Urban
7. Blurryface – Twenty One Pilots
8. Wings of the Wild – Delta Goodrem
9. Lemonade – Beyonce
10. This Unruly Mess I’ve Made – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Top 10 Singles
1. “Closer” – The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey
2. “Let Me Love You” – DJ Snake feat. Justin Bieber
3. “Cold Water” – Major Lazer feat. Justin Bieber and MO
4. “Heathens” – Twenty One Pilots
5. “Papercuts” – Illy feat. Vera Blue
6. “Perfect Strangers” – Jonas Blue
7. “Treat You Better” – Shawn Mendes
8. “Alarm” – Anne Marie
9. “I Love You Always Forever” – Betty Who
10. “This is What You Came For” – Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

See All Star Entertainment at the Age Music Victoria Awards After Party

There’s always something a bit special about an after party, an event where fabulous people get to rub shoulders while Average Joes like us wait to see the images in the social pages. So it’s exciting to hear the Age Music Victoria Awards is opening its after party up to the public to celebrate its 11th year.

It’s shaping up to be one of the events people will talk about long after, with entertainment confirmed from the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Camp Cope, Tash Sultana, and the EG All Stars. The EG All Stars, featuring members of the RocKwiZ band, will be joined by special guest vocalists Paul Dempsey, Garreth Liddiard, Kylie Auldist, Pierce Brothers, and more.

What’s more, tickets are cheap as chips at just $30. $5 from every ticket sold will benefit the event’s charity partner, Support Act Limited, which provides financial aid to musicians in need. Don’t miss the Age Music Victoria Awards after party at 170 Russell on November 16.

Image used with permission from This Much Talent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

2016 Melbourne Music Bank Entries Closing Soon

Victorian musos have less than two weeks to get their entries in for this year’s 2016 Melbourne Music Bank. The lucky winner will have the opportunities to kick start their musical career with an amazing prize pool valued at more than $60,000.

The prizes include four days of recording time at The Studio in the City, enough to record, mix, and master an EP, two paid film clips, album artwork, and printed CDs. Image will also be taken care of with styling sessions, median training, management and mentoring. You’ll also get a photoshoot, which will give you the images you need for your paid publicity campaign. Radio will also plug your music and you’ll get gig bookings, including an east coast tour and a slot at the Beyond the Valley Festival line-up.

If you’d love all these perks, submit your entry via the Bank of Melbourne website by 5 pm on Saturday August 27.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR