Gossling and Vance Joy Unite for Double-Header Tour

Two of the hottest names in Aussie music, Gossling and Vance Joy, are teaming up for one big tour this autumn.

Gossling has been busy wowing crowds in the United Kingdom and United States this month, but she’s ready to return to Oz to promote her latest single “Harvest Gold.” As a special bonus for fans, they can buy a limited edition 7” gold vinyl version of the single, which includes the B-Side “Never Expire (Oliver Tank Remix), exclusively at the gigs. There’s another reason to get to the merch desk too. Gossling will sell her very special Glossling, a shimmery lip gloss created by Gossling and Melbourne cosmetics label Shanghai Suzy.

As far as I know Vance Joy doesn’t have any fabulous merchandise, but he does have that “Riptide” song which should be enough to get people through the door. See him and Gossling at the following shows through April and May.

24 April 2014 – The Governor Hindmarsh, Adelaide (ALL AGES)
6 May 2014 – The Hi Fi, Brisbane (18+)
8 May 2014 – The Bakery, Perth (18+)
15 & 16 May 2014 – The Metro, Sydney
22 & 23 May 2014 – The Forum Theatre, Melbourne (18+)

Harmony Tours Carpetboming

With their sophomore album Carpetboming sitting pretty in stores, Melbourne sextet Harmony are preparing to play some of Australia’s best pubs and clubs.

I must admit, I wasn’t sure what to make of the lead single “Water Runs Cold” at first. But slowly but surely, I got it. What initially seemed like a bit of a novelty song suddenly made so much sense. The raw lead vocals matched with angelic harmonies are flawless. It’s a great indication of what music lovers can expect from the album which has already earned plenty of critical acclaim. Carpetboming became PBS Radio’s feature album, and FBi Radio’s album of the week. Blunt Magazine also gave it a perfect five-star rating.

Harmony wowed fans when they supported The Drones last year. See them step into the spotlight and earn their rightful place as headliners at the following shows.

3 April 2014 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
4 April 2014 – GoodGod Small Club, Sydney
5 April 2014 – The Phoenix, Canberra
12 April 2014 – The Brisbane Hotel, Hobart
26 April 2014 – Howler, Melbourne

Yacht Club DJs Tour Mixtape

After wowing crowds in the United Kingdom alongside Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes, and HAIM, Yacht Club DJs are back on home soil and settling in to tour their latest mixtape, Oddity Number 5.

That mixtape, available for free download soon, is as eclectic as they come with sounds from 60s blues, 90s pop, death metal, and Disney movie soundtracks.

The Yacht Club DJs will tour the mixtape and, if fans are lucky, offer a sneak peek of their very first original EP, which is set for release later this year.

11 April 2014 – Elsewhere, Gold Coast
12 April 2014 – Oh Hello, Brisbane (FREE before 10 pm)
13 April 2014 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
17 April 2014 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
18 April 2014 – Prince Bandroom, Melbourne
24 April 2014 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

Image used with permission from Secret Service Public Relations

Supergroup Holidays on Ice Back with The Luxury of Wasted Space

Angie Hart from Frente!, Dean Manning from Leonardo’s Bride, and Stella Mozgawa from Warpaint are back with a brand new Holidays on Ice album. This Aussie supergroup will release The Luxury of Wasted Space on March 31.

The album’s title cheekily references the modern aversion to emptiness, and if the lead single’s anything to go by it’s fitting. The song is very subtle and minimalist, but Angie’s heavenly vocals and their collective musical sensibility shines through. It’s definitely a slow burner, but patient listeners will be rewarded. I also love that, like the album’s other songs, it was recorded in a living room to eight track reel to reel. How old school!

The video for new single “Broken” also shuns modern animation techniques for a more traditional approach. Dean actually made all the puppets in the clip from clay and wood. He even sewed their clothes and made the sets, then painstakingly put the clip together frame by frame.

Holidays on Ice will celebrate the release of The Luxury of Wasted Space with a national tour through April.

18 April 2014 – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra
20 April 2014 – Open Studio, Northcote
25 April 2014 – Glebe Café Church Hall, Glebe
27 April 2014 – Dowse Bar, Paddington

Ella Hooper On Tour Ahead of Solo Album Release

She might be setting the small screen alight as part of the rebooted Spicks and Specks, but that doesn’t mean Ella Hooper’s abandoned music making. In fact, she’s preparing to release her first solo album, In Tongues.

There’s no official release date as yet, but the album will feature the lead single “Low High,” a groovy number with smouldering vocals and an old Western feel. Can’t you just imagine Ella singing this song in a smoky bar for a bunch of cowboys?

Fans will hear this song and more from the forthcoming album when Ella plays the following shows through autumn.

29 March 2014 – The Vanguard, Sydney
4 April 2014 – Northcote Social Club, Northcote
8 May 2014 – Artbar, Perth
9 May 2014 – Jive, Adelaide
15 May 2014 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
16 May 2014 – SoundLounge, Gold Coast
17 May 2014 – Star Court Theatre, Lismore

Caitlin Park Compelling with “Hold Your Gaze”

Caitlin Park gives us a preview of what her sophomore LP holds with the release of its lead single “Hold Your Gaze.”

I really love the gorgeous layered sound Caitlin’s created here, and the way her quietly confident vocals and the driving drum beats anchor it. The earnest lyrics are also sublime.

“Hold your Gaze is about fighting for someone, turning your lover into a partner,” she explained in a press release. “Sometimes you have to try and convince a person to be brave. It describes a soldier of love, with a strong heart, with patience and persistence. With big drums and a big chorus it’s a call to battle.”

“Hold Your Gaze” comes from Caitlin’s forthcoming album The Sleeper, which hits stores on May 2. Before that she’ll launch the single at the following shows.

21 March 2014 – Brighton Up Bar, Sydney
27 March 2014 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
3 April 2014 – The Toff In Town, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Create Control

James Reyne Plays Greatest Hits

I’ve always thought of James Reyne as the perfect model for how an Australian musician should conduct their career. He continues to produce top quality albums and gig all around the country, delicately striking the balance of giving the fans what they want to hear while developing his artistry. There hasn’t been a lot of fanfare around his more recent album releases, but they’re always fabulous.

Late in 2013, James celebrated those songs and all his old favourites at his A Crawl to Now shows at The Basement in Sydney. It seems it had so much fun that he’s taking the show on the road. The gigs which will feature the hits from James’ Australian Crawl days, his time with Company of Strangers, and his stellar solo songs. They’ll be all acoustic too, with able support from Tracy and Brett Kingman.

“Whilst I’m not inclined to get all nostalgic, it feels like the right time to go through this material and present it songbook style,” James said in a press release. “The songs we’ve chosen are a lot of fun to perform – and it scratches my never-ending itch to tour, to play live!”

If you’ve never seen James play, this is the perfect opportunity. And if you have, you know you won’t want to miss these greatest hits sets.

4 April 2014 – Wrestpoint, Hobart
5 April 2014 – Country Club, Launceston
11 April 2014 – Flying Saucer Club, Caulfield
12 April 2014 – Royal Theatre, Castlemaine
13 April 2014 – Caravan Club, Oakleigh
17 April 2014 – Lizotte’s, Newcastle
18 April 2014 – The Basement, Sydney
19 April 2014 – Lizotte’s, Dee Why
20 April 2014 – Lizotte’s, Kincumber
30 April 2014 – Friends Restaurant, Perth
1 May 2014 – The Deck Restaurant, Busselton
2 May 2014 – Charles Hotel, Perth
4 May 2014 – Boab Tavern, Wycombe
9 May 2014 – Norwood Hotel, Adelaide
10 May 2014 – Goolwa Aquatic Centre ‘Concert Club’, Goolwa

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Christopher Coleman Collective Wows Me with “Go Home”

In my humble opinion, Tasmania is producing some of the best folk musicians in the country. Think Dewayne Everettsmith, Lincoln le Fevre, and The Blue Mosquitoes to name a few. Now we can add Christopher Coleman Collective to the list.

Tassie’s been keeping him a state secret for a few years, but he’s finally starting to earn some mainland recognition with the recent release of his self-titled debut album. It features the new single “Go Home,” a stunning song with guest vocals from The Choir of High Hopes Hobart.

If you love Christopher Coleman Collective’s honest vocals and poetic lyrics, you can soak them up at the following shows.

15 March 2014 – Baby Black Espresso Bar, Bacchus Marsh
19 March 2014 – Babushka Bar, Ballarat
20 March 2014 – The Music Man Megastore, Bendigo
21 March 2014 – Shebeen, Melbourne
27 March 2014 – The Front Gallery, Lyneham
28 March 2014 – Royal Exchange, Newcastle
29 March 2014 – The Newsagency, Marrickville NSW
3 April 2014 – Grand Junction, Maitland
4 April 2014 – The Pier, Port Macquarie NSW
5 April 2014 – No 5 Church Street, Bellingen NSW
10 April 2014 – Dowse Bar, Paddington
11 April 2014 – The Singing Gallery, McLaren Vale
12 April 2014 – A Music Warehouse Project, Adelaide
19 April 2014 – The Pav, Launceston

The Jezabels Announce Headline Shows

I’ve been loving The Jezabels’ latest songs from their new album The Brink, so I’m pretty excited to hear the band’s playing their first headline dates for the year next month. These shows are in addition to their upcoming appearances at the Groovin the Moo festival.

Blink and you’ll miss them; The Jezabels will play just five shows including two at the prestigious Sydney Opera House.

28 & 29 April 2014 – Opera House, Sydney
2 May 2014 – The Palais Theatre, Melbourne
6 May 2014 – The Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane
9 May 2014 – The Astor Theatre, Perth

Image used with permission from Secret Service Public Relations

Twelve Foot Ninja Prepare for Troll Burger Tour

After setting the internet ablaze with their record breaking crowdfunded video for “Ain’t That a Bitch,” Twelve Foot Ninja are hitting the road for their aptly named The Troll Burger tour.

After this tour wraps the Melbourne band’s heading to the United States to play the festival circuit, so this might be your last chance to see them for a while. Tickets are available from their website for the following shows.

21 March 2014 – The Zoo, Brisbane
22 March 2014 – Miami Tavern, Shark Bar Gold Coast
27 March 2014 – ANU Bar, Canberra
28 March 2014 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
29 March 2014 – Manning Bar, Sydney
4 April 2014 – 170 Russell, Melbourne
11 April 2014 – The Gov, Adelaide (ALL AGES)
19 April 2014 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth

Image used with permission from Deathproof PR