Category: News

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Other Tongues Does Christmas at the Gaelic

Sydney based-independent music company Other Tongues will help you survive Humpday with their big Christmas Party this Wednesday, December 15.

The event at Sydney’s Gaelic Club will feature sets from Jinja Safari DJs, locally based Ethiopian soulster Dereb the Ambassador, ex-Special Patrol front man Myles Mayo, and Amaya Laucirica.

It doesn’t sound like there’s going to be a lot of carols, but it does sound like a great way to ring in the silly season and expose yourself to some great new Aussie music. Tickets are just $10 from Moshtix (and at the door if any are left on the night), so they won’t leave too much of a dent in your Christmas budget.

Image source: Vivek Chugh @ Stock.xchng

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Emma Dean Named in New York Post It List

The New York Post always has its finger on the pulse, so when it names one of our musicians as someone to watch in 2011 you know they’re something pretty special. Quirky cabaret pop songstress Emma Dean is the only Aussie on the list of “Top 10 Artists to Know in 2011.”

That’s not bad for a girl from Queensland who only launched her second album, Dr Dream & the Imaginary Pop Cabaret, a couple of weeks ago!

“Singer, songwriter and self proclaimed ringmaster Emma Dean is a hobobag full of crazy pills. Like the really awesome hallucinogenic kind,” the New York Post gushed, before saying we should “Just sample her monster Broadway single ‘Sincerely Fearful,’ which is 50% Wicked and 50% Tori Amos and 100% addictive, and you will find an unavoidable sound worthy of the repeat button.”

So if you didn’t sample Emma’s song the last time I posted it, what are you waiting for? It’s only a matter of time before this unique Aussie talent makes it big.

Image used with permission from Stephen Green Consulting

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Earl Cole Does Disco for New Years Eve

Western Australian crooner Earl Cole will show us a very different side when he slips on his disco shoes this New Years Eve. He’s part of the Disco Inferno show taking over the South of Perth Yacht Club on December 31.

Earl will appear with Chelsea J Gibson, DJ Grandmaster Mac, and the Inferno Dangers for a boogielicious evening of 70s disco and funk. Make sure you dress in your best glad rags, as there’ll be prizes and giveaways for the hippest male and female.

Tickets cost $165, which isn’t bad at all when you consider that includes cocktail food, a cocktail on arrival, and all the beer, wine, bubbly, and soft drink you need. They’re available now through Heatseeker.

Image source: Alessandro Paiva @ Stock.xchng

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Telstra Road to Tamworth’s Top 10 Announced

The 17 finalists from the Telstra Road to Tamworth competition have been whittled down to just 10 after the recent boot camp in Sydney and a performance at the Telstra V8 Supercars.
Telstra Road to Tamworth Finalists
There are seven left in the performer’s category: Queenslanders Alan Boyle, Nikki Jenson, and Shandell Tosoni Benobble, Victoria’s Gena Rose Bruce and Harry Hookey, Codee-Lee Down of Western Australia, and Kirsty Elwell from New South Wales. The last three songwriters left standing are Queensland’s Amela Duheric, Western Australia’s Craig Sinclair, and Dave Garnham from the Northern Territory.

The final ten will compete at the Telstra Road to Tamworth finals, to be held on January 18 as part of the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival. A winner from each category will be announced, and that’s when the real fun starts. The victors will win a trip to Nashville and 12-months mentorship with some of the music industry’s biggest names. It sounds like massive things are ahead for the talented twosome!

If you want to get out and support them you can buy tickets for the final through the Telstra Country Music Festival website.

Image used with permission from Javelin Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Perth’s Rosemount Hotel Not So Silent for Christmas

Perth’s Rosemount Hotel will ring in the silly season next Saturday night with its Not So Silent Night party. This annual event is so big it’s going to take one stage inside the venue and another one in the street to get things done!

This year’s party is set to be one of the best ever with acts from all over the country. Local rockers Sugar Army heads up the bill, which also features Sydney indie act Cabins, Adelaide’s Coerce, Young Revelry, Grim Fandango, The Caballeros, and The Growl. And that’s just for starters.

Doors open at 4 pm for this big Christmas bash. Get your tickets from Planet Video, Mills Records, Star Perth, and Heatseeker.

Image source: Kym McLeod @ Stock.xchng

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Free Montpelier Song Download

Brisbane four-piece Montpelier is giving us our first taste of their forthcoming EP by offering a free download of one song, “Last Boat.”

Click here to own the track, which features haunting vocals from Greg Chiapello and some incredible drum beats reminiscent of The Temper Trap. It’s no wonder Greg delivers such an amazing vocal performance, as he penned it about his difficult teenage years coming to terms with OCD.

“When I was in my late teens I got diagnosed with OCD. I had lived with it since I was quite young but never knew exactly what it was. Around the time of writing Last Boat I was really getting on top of the OCD and really learning how to manage and live with it,” he explained.

“This song for me does encapsulate the pretty extreme struggles experienced over those years, the isolation and helplessness an illness like that can make you feel, but it also reminds me of the wonderful liberation and strength I felt at the time knowing I could live with it, and knowing that it wasn’t going to be debilitating for the rest of my life.”

If you love the song make sure you look out for Montpelier’s EP next April.And make sure to check out its incredible animated video!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Thirsty Merc Video Wins Cinematography Award

The clip for Thirsty Merc’s song “All My Life” has taken out the gold award in the music video category at last weekend’s Australian Cinematographer’s Association Awards.

The clip was directed by Adrian Van de Velde in conjunction with director of photography David Knight. The duo has collaborated with Thirsty Merc’s lead singer Rai Thistlethwayte for the last five years, and with this award under their belt I guess those efforts have paid off.

If you haven’t seen this moving video, you can watch it below.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Download Sarah McLeod for Charity

You might remember me talking recently about Sarah McLeod’s awesome cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” If you haven’t downloaded it yet, or you’re just feeling particularly altruistic, there’s no better time to do so.

Until Christmas Day Sarah will donate the proceeds of each download to Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off the Streets charity. This group does such important work, giving meals, beds, and education to young people that need it most. Ministry of Sound and VDG will also match Sarah’s donations, so your $1.69 will make a much bigger difference.

I know it’s Christmas and money’s tight, but most of us wouldn’t miss $1.69. And you’ll get an amazing tune in the bargain. Click here to download the song from iTunes and make sure disadvantaged kids get a better Christmas.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dan Webb Takes Up Evelyn Residency

Dan Webb is celebrating the silly season with a month long residency at Fitzroy’s Evelyn Hotel. The residency comes on the back of the recent release of his EP Hyperspace Clearance.

Dan’s shows are always something special as he embraces the spontaneity that comes with the live music experience.

“I’ve got a great band and I like to keep them on their toes so if I want to extend an instrumental jam or something … we’ll just go for it,” he explained. “Each show’s bursting with frenetic energy – it’s no dismal affair.”

As an added Christmas bonus, Dan will be supported by some amazing local acts including The Cuckoos, featuring some of the guys from Little Red, James Wallace’s solo project Wintercoats, The Smoke, and The Raffaellas. He’ll also be joined on stage for the last two shows by the mighty horns section from The Cat Empire.

Tickets are a meager $5, so make sure you check out at least one of these shows.

7 December 2010 – The Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy (Supported by The Raffaellas + DJs)
14 December 2010 – The Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy (Supported by Wintercoats + DJs
21 December 2010 – The Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy (Feat. The Empire Horns and supported by The Cuckoos)
28 December 2010 – The Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy (Feat. The Empire Horns and supported by The Smoke)

Image used with permission from Dan Webb

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Moons of Jupiter Play Step Inn

Gold Coast grunge rockers Moons of Jupiter take us back to a time when slogging it out in pubs and delivering solid live sets was the only way to make it in the business. In today’s climate of polished pop acts and studio auto-tuning, their back to basics approach is pretty refreshing.

“We were inspired by the likes of “Live At Abbey Road” and “The Basement Sessions”, two UK shows that showcase bands in an honest intimate setting – live in the studio,” the band explained.

If that commitment to live excellence and real music excites you, make sure you head to the Step Inn on December 3. The band will do their stuff at the iconic Queensland hot spot with The Gonzo Show, Something Whiskey, and The Swaying Buildings. With tickets costing just $10, it’s a really cheap way to have a good night out.

Image used with permission from IFA Entertainment