Set Sail Put Deportation Dramas Behind Them

It’s exciting times in the lives of Sydney indie-pop folksters Set Sail. The trio will release their new attention-getting EP Hey! tomorrow, and set off on a big 18-date tour a couple of weeks later.

Fans have waited patiently for Hey!, which showcases Set Sail’s first new material since their debut release The Riley Moore EP hit their hands in 2011. It features six quirky tracks including the energetic lead track “Charleston.”

The release hasn’t come without its challenges though. Earlier this year Set Sail lead singer Brandon Hoogenboom was forced to do some sailing of his own when he breached his visa conditions. A Facebook petition protesting his deportation went viral, attracting more than 8500 in just 24 hours. That support helped Brandon return to his adopted home and awaiting bandmates.

And now Set Sail’s back together and keen to unleash their new tunes on the public.

“We’re excited to bring the new material live,” said Josiah Willows. “It’s been an incredible journey this past year and we’re very keen to get out of the studio and back on the road!”

30 June 2012 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney (18+)
5 July 2012 – Blackbear Lodge, Brisbane (18+)
6 July 2012 – Spotted Cow, Toowoomba (18+)
7 July 2012 – Sol Bar, Maroochydore (18+)
12 July 2012 – Jive Bar, Adelaide (18+)
13 July 2012 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth (18+)
14 July 2012 – Melville Youth Centre, Melville (Under 18s)
14 July 2012 – Mojo’s, Fremantle (18+)
15 July 2012 – Clancy’s Fish Pub, Dunsborough (18+ – Free)
20 July 2012 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay (18+ –  Free)
21 July 2012 – Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle (18+)
22 July 2012 – Brass Monkey, Cronulla (18+)
26 July 2012 – Royal Oak Hotel, Launceston (18+ – Free)
27 July 2012 – Republic Bar, Hobart (18+)
2 August 2012 – Transit Bar, Canberra (18+)
3 August 2012 – The Patch, Wollongong (18+)
4 August 2012 – Clarendon Guesthouse, Katoomba
9 August 2012 – Toff In Town, Melbourne (18+)

Image used with permission from AAA Entertainment

Julia Stone Announces Solo Aussie Tour

If you missed out on tickets for Julia Stone’s solo show in Sydney tonight, you’re in luck. The songbird is planning a more extensive tour this September to support the release of her debut solo album By the Horns.

Tonight’s Sydney show is part of a whirlwind world tour, which has seen her selling out shows in Paris, London, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles, and the Harbour City. In contrast, the September tour will see Julia playing small venues in Australia’s major capitals and regional centres.

Members of Julia’s fan clubs get first dibs with a pre-sale tomorrow before the general sale on Thursday, June 15.

6 September 2012 – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
7 September 2012 – Forum Theatre, Melbourne
8 September 2012 – Meeniyan Town Hall, Meeniyan
12 September 2012 – The Abbey, Canberra
13 September 2012 – Lizotte’s, Newcastle
15 September 2012 – The Metro, Sydney
19 & 20 September 2012 – The Courier Mail Spiegeltent, Brisbane Festival
21 September 2012 – Community Centre, Byron Bay
22 September 2012 – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns
28 September 2012 – Astor Theatre, Perth

Everclear on the Comeback Trail with Aussie Tour

The nostalgia tours just keep on coming. Some 17 years after they released their breakthrough album Sparkle and Fade, Everclear are heading to Australia.

If that statistic is making you feel old too, chances are you’ll love seeing the band belting out some of the big smash singles like “Santa Monica” and “Wonderful.”

The shows won’t just be about reminiscing though. Everclear are releasing a brand new album, dubbed Invisible Stars, later this year, and no doubt Aussie audiences will get a taste of that.

“When I look back at what Everclear has done, I see a lot of things that have changed and a lot of things that have stayed consistent,” explained the band’s frontman Art Alexakis. “But at the end of the day, I’m still doing the same thing I’ve always done. It’s still guitar-based rock ‘n’ roll, and I’m still just telling stories, which is all I’ve ever wanted to do. I’m proud of what we’ve done, and I still enjoy it. And I feel blessed that other people like it too.”

Tickets are now on sale for the following Everclear shows:

10 October 2012 – Cooly Hotel, Coolangatta
11 October 2012 – HiFi, Brisbane
12 October 2012 HiFi, Sydney
13 October 2012 HiFi, Melbourne
14 October 2012 Capitol, Perth

Image used with permission from Riothouse Publicity

Spicks & Specks’ Barry Morgan’s Debut Album in Stores

The finale of Spicks and Specks saw me shedding a few tears, but one of my favourite moments was the return of Barry Morgan. The retro throwback ended up being the quiz show’s surprise breakout star, so I’m thrilled to see he’s just released an album.

The Touch of You features Barry’s current single “Big Bossa” and other waltz, two-step, and rock and roll numbers all played with his distinctive style. I’m not sure whether the tunes will have quite the same charm without watching Barry in action. Surely we need a companion DVD! Until then, there’s this music video.

You can take a piece of Barry home today, as The Touch of You is in stores now.You can also catch him at the following shows around the country later this month.

22 June 2012 – Notes, Newtown, Sydney
30 June 2012 – Regal Ballroom, Northcote
5 July 2012 – The Governor Hindmarsh, Adelaide

The Good Ship Announce Album Tour

A few months after they teased us with the lead single “Seven Seas,” The Good Ship are preparing to unleash their grandly titled second album O’ Exquisite Corpse.

The follow-up to 2010’s Avast! Wretched Sea features the dark beauty and debauched lyrics we’ve come to expect from Queensland’s pirate rockers.

The Good Ship will celebrate the album’s July release with an East Coast tour. Catch this quirky Aussie act at the following shows.

29 June 2012 – Sol Bar, Maroochydore
6 July 2012 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
14 July 2012 – The Zoo, Brisbane
3 August 2012 – Great Northern, Newcastle
4 August 2012 – Good God Small Club, Sydney
11 August 2012 – The Rails, Byron Bay (Free)
12 August 2012 – Nimbin Hotel, Nimbin (Free)

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

My City Screams Tours “Surroundings”

When My City Screams released their debut EP Surroundings last month they assured us a tour wouldn’t be too far away. Now the post-hardcore act from Sydney’s Northern Beaches are making good on their promise with a small run of dates.

“We’ve been itching to showcase our new music and can’t wait to hit the road on our first ever tour! To say we’re psyched would be an understatement!” the band said in a statement.

My City Screams will kick the tour off in Melbourne this week before playing shows in Sydney, Wollongong, and Liverpool for Less than Strength, a non-profit initiative which helps young people dealing with depression and anxiety.

My City Screams have a reputation for energetic shows, and I imagine they’ll be especially pumped on their first tour. See why they’re generating such buzz at the following gigs.

7 June 2012 – Next, Melbourne
9 June 2012 – SFX, Sydney
16 June 2012 – The Lair, Sydney
17 June 2012 – Yours and Owls, Wollongong
26 June 2012 – Luck Oz Tavern, St Marys
7 July 2012 – Liverpool PCYC (LTS Benefit Show)
14 July 2012 – The Bald Faced Stag, Sydney

Image used with permission from RAWR Music

Bad Seed Hugo Race Tours Solo Debut

With his debut album No But It’s True in the can, Hugo Race is wasting no time bringing the songs to the people.

The debut solo album from the Bad Seeds founder will hit stores on June 10, mere days before the tour kicks off in Sydney. From there he’ll visit coastal towns, culminating in a final performance in Melbourne a few weeks later.

Fittingly Hugo Race will bring Leek & The War Wick Tragedy, the first band to join his new record label Rough Velvet Records, along for the ride. Make sure you arrive early to see a performance from this band Hugo has so much faith in.

15 June 2012 – Notes, Sydney
16 June 2012 – Yours and Owls, Wollongong
20 June 2012 – Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle (Free)
21 June 2012 – Port Macquarie Hotel, Port Macquarie (Free)
22 June 2012 – X & Y Bar, Brisbane
23 June 2012 – Bangalow Bowling Club, Bangalow
1 July 2012 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne

Image used with permission from RAWR Music

Josh Ritter Releases Australian CD Bundle for Local Tour

Australian audiences will be treated to a special edition of Josh Ritter’s new album So Runs the World Away to coincide with his upcoming East Coast tour.

So Runs the World Away will be packaged with his new six-track EP Bringing in the Darlings for the tour edition, which hits stores on June 15. The EP features Josh’s dreamy new single “Love is Making Its Way Back Home.” I just love the music video, which was painstakingly created using more than 12, 000 individual pieces of paper. There are no special effects at work here people; just old fashioned animated genius!

The Idaho native is the son of two neuroscientists, but he decided an academic career wasn’t for him when he discovered the music of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. And so he forged his own career in the arts and became a celebrated musician and novelist.

He first toured Australia as Martha Wainwright’s support act in 2005. He gained a legion of fans on that journey, and many of them will no doubt return to see Josh play with fellow author-come-musician Simone Felice next month.

Tickets are on sale now through Love Police for the following shows.

5 July 2012 – The Old Museum, Brisbane
6 July 2012 – Notes, Sydney
8 July 2012 – The Basement, Sydney
11 July 2012 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne

Children Collide Tour “Monument” Album

Children CollideChildren Collide are set to take their third album Monument to the masses next month.

This is an important tour for the band, as it’s their first with new drummer and good friend Mitch McGregor. It’s also a homecoming of sorts for Johnny Mackay, who recently relocated to New York City. Fans needn’t fear as Johnny promises he’ll return to Australia for other band engagements, but those tours may start to get a bit few and far between.

If you want to get in the live music mood make sure you check out the dynamic video for Children Collide’s new single “Cherries.” It was put together using fan photos captured on the band’s recent Sword to a Gunfight tour.

If that’s got you in the spirit make sure you snag some tickets for the following shows.

2 August 2012 – Prince of Wales Hotel, Bunbury
3 August 2012 – Amplifier Bar, Perth
8 August 2012 – Fowlers Live, Adelaide
10 August 2012 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
16 August 2012 – The Republic Bar, Hobart
17 August 2012 – The Standard, Sydney
22 August 2012 – Lismore University Bar, Lismore
23 August 2012 – The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba
24 August 2012 – The Zoo, Brisbane
26 August 2012 – The Hotel Great Northern, Byron Bay
29 August 2012 – The Stro (UNE Armidale Uni), Armidale
30 August 2012 – The Entrance Leagues Club, Bateau Bay
31 August 2012 – The Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor
1 September 2012 – Wollongong Uni Bar, Wollongong
2 September 2012 – Zierholz, Canberra
5 September 2012 – The Crow Bar, Wagga Wagga
6 September 2012 – The G (CSU Uni), Albury
7 September 2012 – Yahoo Bar, Shepparton
8 September 2012 – The Bended Elbow, Geelong

Image used with permission from Crucial Music

Ned Collette & Wirewalker Launch Album Number “2”

With Ned Collette and Wirewalker’s sophomore release 2 now sitting on record store shelves, the band is preparing to bring its tracks to the people.

This album and its launch tour have been a long time coming for this band’s Aussie fans. Ned Collette packed his bags for Berlin more than two years ago, a move that provided the inspiration for the release. The album’s key themes include distance and starting again, forgotten homes and shifting cities.

Recording an album with Ned in Berlin and his bandmate Joe Talia back in Melbourne can’t have been easy, but somehow the band managed to do so. In fact, they only reconnected near the end of the process to put the finishing touches on the release! Having Ned based in Germany has given the disc a real international flavour though. Special guest vocalists including Germany’s Mirjam Smejkal and Sasch Gersak and Gemma Ray from the United Kingdom all make appearances.

The vocals aren’t perfect, but I find myself drawn to the album’s seventh track “Happy Heart.” It’s not exactly an upbeat number as the title suggests, but there’s something so compelling about the way it moves along. Take a listen!

If you like what you hear make sure you head out and see Ned Collette and Wirewalker back on home soil at their launch shows next month.

14 June 2012 – Blackbear Lodge, Brisbane
15 June 2012 – FBi Social, Sydney
16 June 2012 – The Metro, Adelaide
21 June 2012 – The Front Gallery, Canberra (Ned Collette solo)
23 June 2012 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Remote Control Records