Category: News

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Melbourne Guitar Show Returns in August

After a big first show last year, the Melbourne Guitar Show is heading back to Caulfield Racecourse on August 6 and 7.

Presented by Triple M and Australian Musician, the event will feature an amazing array of electric and acoustic guitars, effects pedals, amps, and so much more. In addition you can catch information seminars, demos, and live performances by some of Australia’s most exciting guitarists including Kevin Borich, Phil Manning, Daniel Champagne, Dean Ray, and heaps more. In addition to solo performances, there promises to be a Melbourne Guitar Show SuperJam where, according to AMA chief executive Rob Walker, “You never know who’s going to get up to play! It could easily be one of those rare ‘were you at the Melbourne Guitar Show when…’ moments.”

Last year’s event attracted 5,000 guitar lovers, and organisers hope 2016 will be even better.

“It had such a great vibe – a really positive event. The exhibitors, the artists and the patrons were all enthusiastic about an incredibly friendly and well attended show,” Rob Walker recalled. “Last year, we had just over 50 exhibitors, including 20 local manufacturers and luthiers. This year we’ll have 70 exhibitors with more stands, and more great products.”

Whether you love your guitars mellow or cranked up to 11, you’re going to find it at the Melbourne Guitar Show. Tickets are on sale now from TryBooking.

Image source: brunoronner @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Leopold’s Treat Doing Good

I always love hearing music from exciting up-and-coming acts, but when they’re made up of people doing good in the community it’s doubly exciting. Gold Coast act Leopold’s Treat ticks both those boxes for me.

They formed in 2011, but are starting to gain some serious traction in their local area, culminating in taking home the Emerging Artist of the Year award at the recent Gold Coast Music Awards. One of their songs, “Houndogs and Bullfrogs,” was also a finalist in the Song of the Year category.

Watching this live video of the song with footage recorded at Leopold’s Treat’s album launch last October, it’s easy to see what a great energy the band has. They’re clearly loved by their community; the place is packed to the rafters.

While talent’s clearly a part of that love, I think there’s more going on. Kate Leopold (lead vocals) and Keiran Richardt (lap slide, harmonies, didge, other strings) work together as environmental educators at a local social enterprise that serves more than 32,000 kids every year.

“It is not uncommon for us to be playing at a market where a group of children are dancing to one of our songs and the band members are recognised as the educators that teach worm farming, water quality or how to identify and grow native plants,” Kate Leopold told me in an email.

If you want to dance with Leopold’s Treat, make sure you catch them at the following shows.

22 July 2016 – Soundlounge, Currumbin
September 2016 – NightQuarter, Helensvale (date TBA)
15 & 16 October 2016 – Buskers by the Creek Festival, Currumbin
16 December 2016 – Miami Marketta, Miami

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Temper Trap Score Second Aussie Number One Album

With the passing of another week we’ve got a brand new Aussie act on top of the ARIA charts. Thick as Thieves, the new album from The Temper Trap, sees the band scoring back to back number LPs.

The ARIA charts might state Jimmy Barnes’ Soul Searchin’ has slipped number three, but it’s worth noting that’s only because the charts consider digital sales. If you’re as old school as me, you might be interested to know Jimmy’s still selling more CDs than anyone else in the country.

Previous number ones Skin by Flume and Ripcord by Keith Urban are at numbers six and seven respectively. Flume’s “Say It” is also the lone Aussie single in the top 10 this week. It’s at number eight.

Here are all this week’s number ones.

Top 10 Albums
1. Thick as Thieves – The Temper Trap
2. 25 – Adele
3. Soul Searchin’ – Jimmy Barnes
4. Lemonade – Beyonce
5. Thank You – Meghan Trainor
6. Skin – Flume
7. Ripcord – Keith Urban
8. Views – Drake
9. Strange Little Birds – Garbage
10. Greatest Hits – Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Top 10 Singles
1. “One Dance” – Drake feat. Wizkid & Kyla
2. “This is What You Came For” – Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna
3. “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” – Justin Timberlake
4. “Me Too” – Meghan Trainor
5. “Too Good” – Drake featuring Rihanna
6. “Just Like Fire” – Pink!
7. “Don’t Let Me Down” – The Chainsmokers feat. Daya
8. “Say It” – Flume feat. Tove Lo
9. “Panda” – Desiigner
10. “Cake By the Ocean” – DNCE

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jimmy Barnes Equals ARIA Record With New Soul Number One

In a weekend plagued by bad news, it’s great to see something good occurred: Jimmy Barnes earned his eleventh solo number one on the ARIA charts, with Soul Searchin’ hitting the top spot on debut. That draws Barnesy level with U2 and Madonna for the most solo number ones in ARIA charts history. This video gives you a little idea why this album is sitting at the top of the charts.

“I feel blessed to be making music after such a long time in the business and equally I feel privileged that people are still buying our records and coming to the shows – it’s very humbling,” Jimmy said on hearing the news. “As for another #1, it’s an absolute honour to be counted amongst such iconic bands and great artists.”

Soul Searchin’ has pushed last week’s number one, Skin by Flume, into the number two spot. He’s also fallen a little on the singles charts. “Say It” has dropped one to sit at number six. Keith Urban’s Ripcord has also slipped one spot, to number six.

Some Aussie acts are on the rise though. Classic Carpenters by Dami Im is back in the top 10, rising from 11th position to sit at number nine. The Wolfe Brothers round out the top 10 with This Crazy Life.

Here are this week’s complete top tens.

Top 10 Albums
1. Soul Searchin’ – Jimmy Barnes
2. Skin – Flume 
3. Thank You – Meghan Trainor
4. 25 – Adele
5. Lemonade – Beyonce
6. Ripcord – Keith Urban
7. Views – Drake
8. The Very Best of – Prince
9. Classic Carpenters – Dami Im
10. This Crazy Life – The Wolfe Brothers

Top 10 Singles
1. “This is What You Came For” – Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna
2. “One Dance” – Drake feat. Wizkid & Kyla
3. “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” – Justin Timberlake
4. “Just Like Fire” – Pink!
5. “Me Too” – Meghan Trainor
6. “Say It” – Flume feat. Tove Lo
7. “Don’t Let Me Down” – The Chainsmokers feat. Daya
8. “Cake By the Ocean” – DNCE
9. “Panda” – Desiigner
10. “No Money” – Galantis

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Flume Scores Third Number One Album

Flume continues to dominate the albums charts, debuting at number one on the ARIA charts with his new album Skin. It features three top 30 singles and counting, “Never Be Like You,” “Smoke & Retribution,” and “Say It,” which currently sits at number five. This album follows Atlas and Bloom, which also topped the charts.

Keith Urban’s Ripcord has fallen two positions but still sits at a credible fifth spot on the albums chart this week. No doubt we’ll see it rise again when Keith hits our shores later this year.

Here are the other singles and albums in the Aussie top ten.

Top 10 Albums
1. Skin – Flume
2. All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us – Architects
3. Lemonade – Beyonce
4.  25 – Adele
5. Ripcord – Keith Urban
6. The Ride – Catfish and the Bottlemen
7. Thank You – Meghan Trainor
8. 7/27 – Fifth Harmony
9. Dangerous Woman – Ariana Grande
10. Views – Drake

Top 10 Singles
1. “This is What You Came For” – Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna
2. “One Dance” – Drake feat. Wizkid & Kyla
3. “Just Like Fire” – Pink!
4. “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” – Justin Timberlake
5. “Say It” – Flume feat. Tove Lo
6. “Cake By the Ocean” – DNCE
7. “Don’t Let Me Down” – The Chainsmokers feat. Daya
8. “Panda” – Desiigner
9. “Me Too” – Meghan Trainor
10. “No Money” – Galantis

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Keith Urban Still on Top of ARIA Charts

After a couple of weeks out of the country, I’m thrilled to return to see an Aussie act on top of the album charts. Keith Urban’s album Ripcord has notched up its second week at the top of the charts, which no doubt bodes well for his upcoming Aussie tour.

The Living End and Paul Dempsey have made respective debuts, with Shift and Strange Loop sitting at numbers four and five respectively. Both are long awaited albums coming five and seven years after their last recordings.

Dami Im’s Eurovision appearance has done her no harm on the charts. “Sound of Silence” sits at number five on the singles charts while her album of Carpenters’ covers is at number ten.

Flume’s collaboration with Tove Lo is also paying dividends. “Say It” sits at number nine this week.

Here are all this week’s top tens.

Top 10 Albums
1. Ripcord – Keith Urban
2. Lemonade – Beyonce
3. Thank You – Meghan Trainor 
4. Shift – The Living End
5. Strange Loop – Paul Dempsey
6. A Moon Shaped Pool – Radiohead
7. 25 – Adele
8. Views – Drake
9. Eurovision Song Contest Stockholm 2016 – Various
10. Classic Carpenters – Dami Im

Top 10 Singles
1. “One Dance” – Drake feat. Wizkid & Kyla
2. “This is What You Came For” – Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna
3. “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” – Justin Timberlake
4. “Don’t Let Me Down” – The Chainsmokers feat. Daya
5. “Sound of Silence” – Dami Im
6. “No Money” – Galantis
7. “Just Like Fire” – Pink!
8. “I Hate U, I Love U” – Gnash feat. Olivia O’Brien
9. “Say It” – Flume feat. Tove Lo
10. “Panda” – Desiigner

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Build Homes with the Baby Animals

The Baby Animals are heading to Indonesia to build houses for the needy, and they want you to help. The initiative called Rock the House is part of the band’s vital work with Habitat for Humanity.

The 25 homes built from October 22 to 29 in Yogyakarta will benefit locals living in shelters without access to water, electricity, or sanitation. The campaign also aims to provide a clean water facility for the new community.

“Our rock community is built on the power of music, so let’s call on that passion and unite to empower others,” Baby Animals frontwoman Suzi DeMarchi said. “Join us and help to build a rock solid future for generations to come.”

The Baby Animals hope 300 Aussies will volunteer their services by the application deadline of July 22. You can read more about the project and the application process on the Rock the House website.

Image used with permission from Social Family Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Camp Cope Tour Debut Album

With their self-titled debut currently in stores and an album launch tour on the way, there’s no better time to discover the music of Camp Cope.

This Melbourne act is everything punk music should be: angry, opinionated, with an authentic voice an Aussie listening audience can really relate to. It’s also so refreshing to hear a female voice; the fairer sex is certainly underrepresented in the genre.

You can hear all the things I love about the band in the album’s lead single, “Jet Fuel Can’t Melt Steel Beams.” Make sure you tune in to the insightful lyrics; they’re so important.

Tickets for the Melbourne show are available from the hotel; all others you can get on the door before the gigs.

13 May 2016 – John Curtin Hotel, Melbourne
14 May 2016 – Crown & Anchor, Adelaide
20 May 2016 – Black Wire Records, Sydney
21 May 2016 – Janes, Wollongong
28 May 2016 – Crowbar, Brisbane

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bye Bye for Now

Last year my husband and I caught the cruising bug. We adored our first trip, a cruise to New Zealand, so much so that we took a three-nighter food and wine cruise later that year, just because we were desperate to get back on a ship. Now that my husband has accrued some more holidays, we’re off again, this time to Vanuatu and New Caledonia. As an added bonus, my parents have agreed to work on renovating our house while we’re gone. Score!

So today we’re heading off, and I’ll be gone for roughly two weeks. I’ve written some posts to go live while I’m gone so you don’t miss me too much, but I won’t be answering comments or emails while I’m gone. I’ll be far too busy enjoying being unplugged.

Be good while I’m gone!

Image source: Corey Ann @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Vivid Hosts VISIONS

Sydney’s Vivid festival isn’t just about pretty lights. It’s also got an incredible arts program which includes VISIONS, a local music festival playing out across multiple venues on June 4.

The event’s curated by Deep Sea Arcade, with the assistance of Chugg Music and Rare Finds. Together they’ve put together a line-up which pushes the boundaries of genres including garage rock, psychedelia, and electronic music, just to name a few. Deep Sea Arcade will of course be on the bill, as well as other local talents like Kirin J Callinan, Montaigne, Gideon Bensen, Hedge Fund, and Flyying Colours.

VISIONS will be held between Fredas and the Lord Gladstone in Chippendale. Entry is free but tickets are limited to availability on the day. You can find out more at the VISIONS website.

Image used with permission from Rare Finds