Melbourne Zoo Unveils Twilight Series Line-Up

Melbourne Zoo isn’t generally the place you think of visiting when you want to hear some great tunes, but this summer it’s playing host to some of the best Aussie and international acts you’ll find. Fourteen incredible shows will run over six weeks for the Melbourne Zoo Twilights 2014 season.

Tickets to all shows include full access to the zoo, so make sure you get there early to meet its residents. There’ll be plenty to see, as the zoo will welcome a baby elephant any day now, and it’s getting a new lemur exhibition in December.

All Twilight shows are fully licensed and there are plenty of food outlets serving up everything from takeaway pizzas to gourmet sit-down dinners. Just remember that there’s no BYO alcohol or glass permitted.

All proceeds from the shows will go towards the zoo’s conservation programs, including its They’re Calling You campaign. This unique idea encourages people to recycle their mobile phones to save wild gorillas. It seems like a strange link, but phone recycling helps reduce the demand for coltan mining which destroys gorilla habitats.

Tickets are on sale now from the Melbourne Zoo website for the following shows.

24 January 2014 – Perfect Tripod Australian Songs (with Dan Kelly)
25 January 2014 – BABBA (ABBA Tribute Band)
31 January 2014 – Songs That Made Me (Katie Noonan, Angie Hart, Abby Dobson and Martha Marlow)
1 February 2014 – Jessica Mauboy (with Ms Murphy)
7 February 2014 – Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes with Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk
8 February 2014 – Queens Of The Outback (Priscilla Tribute)
14 February 2014 – James Reyne & Daryl Braithwaite
15 February 2014 – Xavier Rudd (with Max Rudd)
21 February 2014 – Something For Kate (with The Orbweavers)
22 February 2014 – Hotel California (Eagles Tribute)
28 February 2014 – Josh Pyke (with Thelma Plum)
1 March 2014 – Neko Case (with Dick Diver)
7 March 2014 – Charles Bradley (with Saskwatch)
8 March 2014 – Fat Freddy’s Drop (with Oscar Key Sung)

Image used with permission from Two Fish Out of Water

Little May Tour “Hide” Along the East Coast

Sydney trio Little May are about to embark on an East Coast tour to celebrate the success of their latest single “Hide.”

This beautiful folky number reached number two on the Hype Machine and Airit charts and has chalked up almost 300, 000 Soundcloud plays. How about you have a listen and help them crack that milestone?

If you like what you hear, make sure you check out Little May at one of the following shows. Tickets are dirt cheap so they should fit into your festive budget nicely!

7 December 2013 – Southside Tea Room, Brisbane ($5 at the door)
15 December 2013 – The Workers Club, Melbourne ($10 pre-sale or $15 at the door)
19 December 2013 – Yours & Owls, Wollongong ($10 pre-sale or $15 at the door)
20 & 21 December 2013 – Brighton Up Bar, Sydney ($10 pre-sale or $15 at the door)

Image used with permission from Positive Feedback

Dami Im On Top of the Charts

Dami Im continues to ride the wave of post-X Factor success. Not content with a number one single a few weeks ago, Dami’s debuted at number one with her self-titled album. It features that number one hit “Alive” as well as tracks performed during her stint on the reality TV juggernaut. Her album’s the 12th by a local performer to hit number one on the ARIA charts this year. That beats the previous record of 11 Aussie number ones set in 2004. Does 2013 have another Aussie number one in it?

It seems plenty of us are already feeling festive, as Human Nature’s The Christmas Album has jumped into the top ten this week. It sits at number nine, three positions better than it was last week. Tina Arena’s also still hanging around the top ten. She rounds out the top ten with Reset this week.

Dami’s fellow X Factor finalist Taylor Henderson is also holding his own. His single “Borrow My Heart” is sitting at number five this week. Guy Sebastian’s “Like a Drum” is showing it’s got real staying power. A month after its release it sits at number seven. Justice Crew have dropped a couple of positions, but they’ve still claimed a top ten spot with “Everybody.”

Continue reading “Dami Im On Top of the Charts” →

Is the Old Stuff Better Than the New Stuff?

Through my blog I listen to plenty of new music. I love to keep my finger on the pulse and I still get excited when I discover something new. But am I the only one who thinks that music just isn’t as good as it once was?

Even typing that sentence makes me cringe. I remember how my dad would say sentences to that effect when I was a kid and I’d think he was just too out of touch to get it. Now I think perhaps he was on to something. I watch The Loop, as I used to watch Video Hits years ago, but there are only a handful of songs that I enjoy. When I fork out money for concert tickets I’m more likely to see a nostalgia band than an up-and-comer. The albums I keep coming back to are the ones I’ve heard a million times before.

I can’t be the only one who feels that way. There are online retailers like iOldies Music cropping up to sell the music of classic artists to fans around the globe. International and local acts from the 80s and 90s are still so in demand that they can sell out shows so many years later. Billboard’s top three earners last year were Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd. Clearly Aussie tours from the latter two helped them out, as more than 90 percent of their revenue came from live shows.

I don’t want to feel out of touch or dated. Yet whenever the words come out of my mouth, I can’t help but feel over the hill. Is old music really superior to the new crop, or am I just stuck in a time warp?

Image source: Harminder Desi @ Flickr

In Memory of the Record Stores

My husband likes to tease me because I just can’t let go of physical music. To me, buying an album shouldn’t be about hitting download and receiving a bunch of files. Instead it should be about spending time pouring over liner notes and reading the thank yous to see which artists made guest appearances and what your favourite musician says to his fans.

Does anyone else remember spending hours in record stores? My mum used to leave my in Brashs while she’d do the grocery shopping and I’d spend forever staring at the cassettes and CDs, planning my next purchase. Even better were the days when I’d catch the bus after school to Rices Bookshop and pour over their exhaustive range of vinyl. That’s where I picked up Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet, Wham’s Make It Big, and Poison’s Open Up and Say … Ahh! I was thrilled to search the internet to find Rices is still there on Newcastle’s Hunter Street, and it’s still selling records. There’s even the odd website, like iOldies Music, popping up to as an alternative to the digital download sites.

Because the sad reality is, so many record stores haven’t been so lucky. My beloved Brashs folded many years ago. Independent record stores have almost gone the way of the dinosaurs. Perhaps our kids don’t care whether they can spend hours thumbing through collections of vinyl as I did, but I like to think that’s not the case. After all, ARIA reported in September that vinyl sales increased by more than 70 percent last year. Surely it’s not just the old fogies buying it, right?

We all think about this sort of stuff around Record Store Day, but an annual buying frenzy can’t sustain these beautiful businesses. Next time you see a record store, I think you owe it to yourself to go in and buy something. Anything. If we all did that, maybe we can prevent so many of those hallowed stores that have brought so much joy to music lovers from closing their doors.

Image source: Spencer Hickman @ Flickr

Taking Time Out with Dear Old Dad

I consider myself really lucky that I have a wonderful relationship with my Dad. We’ve gotten over those angsty teenage years and emerged great friends. Anchoring our bond through it all is our shared loved of music.

I thought about this a couple of weekends ago when I headed to the Hunter Valley for the inaugural Jazz in the Vines festival. We listened to the oldie songs on Newcastle community station 2NUR on the way up in the car, then shared our love of jazz standards and soul classics during the show. A few hours later we drove home with more music on the car stereo, before spending the evening chatting and gabbing over more tunes.

Dad and I feeding a kangaroo at Oakvale Farm
No matter how many years pass, I'll always be Daddy's girl

In the comfort of my parents’ home, Dad was in his element. He had his shiny new stereo and his record collection, because he swears that vinyl sounds better than a CD ever will. I tended to agree with him as I listened to the likes of Melanie Safka and Linda Ronstadt and Dad gushing over how beautiful and talented these ladies both were. I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s remarked at the cleverness of the lyrics of “Brand New Key,” but I don’t mind agreeing with him every time.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I’ve got my own life now with my own home and a husband. When we see too much of one another, I’m very glad of that. But I also consider myself pretty lucky that I can take a weekend to go home and bond with the old man over some incredible tunes.

Image source: own photo

X Factor’s Dami Im Tops ARIA Singles Charts

When I watched Katy Perry perform her smash hit single “Roar” on the X Factor finale, I remember thinking that Dami Im sang the song better a couple of weeks prior. So perhaps it’s fitting that Dami’s roared louder on the ARIA Charts this week and beaten Miss Perry to the top spot. The reigning X Factor queen has scored her first Australian number one with “Alive.”

Guy Sebastian’s appearance on the finale appears to have done him some good too. His latest single “Like a Drum,” the first to come from his forthcoming seventh album, is sitting at number four on debut. The song is Guy’s 12th top ten single.

Last year’s X Factor contestant Nathaniel continues to do great business with “You.” It only slipped slightly this week to claim the seventh spot on the charts. It pipped Justice Crew’s newie “Everybody,” which jumped ten spots to sit at number eight.

Last week’s number one album, Triple J’s Like a Version Volume 9, has fallen to number four this week. It beat out Kerser’s S.C.O.T. and Tina Arena’s Reset, which sit at number five and six respectively.

Click below for a closer look at this week’s top tens.

Continue reading “X Factor’s Dami Im Tops ARIA Singles Charts” →

The Presets Launch Rotto Live

How does kicking back on Rottnest Island while you see some of the country’s best bands sound? It doesn’t need to be just a fantasy though, as Zaccaria Concerts & Touring and Hotel Rottnest have joined forces to launch Rotto Live. This Sunday session series will see some killer artists playing in this beautiful part of the country, starting with The Presets on December 15.
And the electronic duo couldn’t be happier to kick things off!

“We’re thrilled to kick off the summer in WA at Hotel Rottnest for the Rotto Live Sunday Sessions on December 15th,” they said in a statement. “Looking forward to seeing you all there!”

Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Keep an eye on the Rotto Live Twitter feed for details of more events.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Triple J Like a Version 9 Nabs Number One

Local compilation album Triple J Like a Version 9 has beaten out strong competition from James Blunt and Lorde to claim the spot at the top of the ARIA albums chart this week. This is the best result for a Like a Version compilation, beating out volume 6 which made it to number two in November 2010. The latest edition features local acts San Cisco, Tame Impala, Vance Joy, Chance Waters, and the fabulous Bonjah.

Tina Arena’s recent appearance on X Factor seems to have done her some good. Her new album Reset debuted at number four. Last week we saw Jessica Mauboy sitting there, but this week her latest album Beautiful has dropped down to number eight.

On the singles chart it’s another X Factor success story. Taylor Henderson’s sitting at number two with his awesome cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” What a shame this show doesn’t work like The Voice and offer voting credits in exchange for downloads! Last year’s finalist Nathaniel is also making his presence felt. His new single “You” slipped to number six this week, down two spots from last week.

Click below to see the rest of this week’s top tens.

Continue reading “Triple J Like a Version 9 Nabs Number One” →

Alex Lloyd Announces First Aussie Tour in Five Years

When he released his single “Better the Less You Know,” Alex Lloyd said he’d hit the road soon, and now he’s making good on that promise. Next month Alex will launch his first national tour in five years to support his recently released album Urban Wilderness.

“It’s been so long since I’ve toured Australia with a full band,” Alex admitted. “I’m really looking forward to playing some tracks from my new album Urban Wilderness and of course some of the old favourites.”

Alex and his full band will play the following dates through November and December. Central Coast folksters The Young Lions will ably support Alex at all shows.

13 November 2013 – Entrance Leagues Club, The Entrance
14 November 2013 – Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour
15 November 2013 – Yamba Bowling Club, Yamba
16 November 2013 – Springwood Hotel, Brisbane
17 November 2013 – Lismore Workers Club, Lismore
21 November 2013 – The Studio, Sydney Opera House
22 November 2013 – The Whitlam Room, Revesby Workers Club
23 November 2013 – The Small Ballroom, Newcastle
24 November 2013 – Hornsby RSL, Hornsby
28 November 2013 – Wellers, Kangaroo Ground
29 November 2013 – The Kelvin Club, Melbourne
30 November 2013 – Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully
1 December 2013 – Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury