What do you get when you cross chamber music with comedy? The unusual but utterly engaging new shows from The Kransky Sisters and Topology!
After their incredible collaborative show in 2008, the comedy trio and the contemporary chamber ensemble will play five shows from tomorrow night through to Saturday December 3 at Brisbane’s Powerhouse. The two acts will fight for center stage until they “accidentally” join together for some not so spontaneous duets.
After these shows wrap the bands will take their act to The Netherlands and Belgium for gigs in January and February. I have no idea what the European audiences will make of the blend!
London’s April Albert will bring her passion project Die Knef to Melbourne next month.
The show pays tribute to the life and music of Hildegard Knef, one of the biggest stars of post-war Germany. It’s an unflinching look at this important but oft overlooked talent, retracing her scandals and affairs as well as the songs that made her such a force. This video gives you a little taste of what you’re in for.
Die Knef will play The Butterfly Club in South Melbourne from December 1 to 4. There are just four performances, so I don’t expect tickets to last too long. You can get yours from the Die Knef website.
2011 is almost done and dusted, but Timothy Nelson has announced he’ll play a few more shows before the year is through. It’s been a big one for this Western Australian singer-songwriter. He released his first full length album, the sublime I Know This Now, and won the WAM Song of the Year grand prize for “Speak the Truth in Love.”
The new run of dates will see Timothy playing solo with a string quartet for hometown fans at The Ellington, giving Melbourne a rare show, and rejoining his Infidels band mates for New Years Eve.
Catch Timothy Nelson for the last time this year at the following venues.
18 November 2011 – The Ellington, Perth
26 November 2011 – Pure Pop Records, Melbourne
31 November 2011 – Amplifier, Perth
Revitalised 90s acid jazz band Dig (Directions in Groove) are packing their bags and touring the country this week to celebrate the recent release of Clearlight, their first studio album in 13 years.
The tour kicks off in Brisbane before taking in the east coast and Adelaide. Dates were originally planned for Tassie and Western Australia but these have been postponed until next year. Tickets are on sale now from the venues.
17 November 2011 – The Old Museum, Brisbane
18 November 2011 – The Sound Lounge, Gold Coast
19 November 2011 – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns
26 November 2011 – The Governor Hindmarsh, Adelaide
3 December 2011 – The Studio @ Sydney Opera House, Sydney
10 December 2011 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute
I’m pretty excited at the coming together of one of my favourite Australian singers and my favourite musical decade. After tackling the standards more than once, show tunes, and the sounds of the swinging sixties, David Campbell is setting his sights on the 80s.
Next week David will release Let’s Go, an album featuring covers of tunes by Wham, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, and The Style Council. Oh and there’s this version of Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love.” Not to mention a version of my favourite song ever, “True.” Needless to say, I’m beyond excited.
Let’s Go hits stores on November 18, which is not so coincidentally the day that tickets go on sale for his next Aussie tour. David never does these things by halves; I’m sure you’ll be able to catch him busting out the retro numbers somewhere near you!
16 February 2012 – Belmont 16ft Sailing Club, Belmont
17 February 2012 – State Theatre, Sydney
25 February 2012 – Festival Theatre, Adelaide
10 March 2012 – QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane
16 & 17 March 2012 – Palms @ Crown, Melbourne
12 & 13 April 2012 – Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre
14 April 2012 – Civic Theatre, Orange
19 April 2012 – Manning Entertainment Centre, Taree
20 April 2012 – Glasshouse Theatre, Port Macquarie
21 April 2012 – Civic Theatre, Newcastle
27 April 2012 – Llewellyn Theatre, Canberra
28 April 2012 – Regional Entertainment Centre, Bathurst
3 & 4 May 2012 – Performing Arts Centre, Wangarratta
5 May 2012 – Entertainment Centre, Albury
10 & 11 May 2012 – Regional Theatre & Convention Centre, Dubbo
12 May 2012 – West Tamworth Leagues Club, Tamworth
16 May 2012 – Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah
17 May 2012 – Queens Park Theatre, Geraldton
18 May 2012 – Perth Concert Hall
19 May 2012 – Regional Entertainment Centre, Bunbury
31 May 2012 – Performing Arts Centre, Colac
1 June 2012 – Warnambook Entertainment Centre, Warnambook
2 June 2012 – Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, Mt Gambier
7 & 8 June 2012 – Capital Theatre, Bendigo
9 June 2012 – Eastbank Centre, Shepparton
14 June 2012 – Performing Arts Centre, Frankston
15 June 2012 – Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat
16 June 2012 – GPAC Playhouse Theatre, Geelong
American alt-country heroRyan Adams is winging his way back to Australia next year. Ryan’s brought his band The Cardinals here many times, but this will be the first time we’ve seen him solo.
The small, intimate venues announced should further tempt fans. I just wish I knew what Ryan we’re going to get. He’s notoriously temperamental, the kind of artist who’s going to play exactly what he wants. That’s not a bad thing per-se, but as I’ve always found his music a bit hit and miss it’s not something I can take a chance on, great venues or no. If I hear it was a Gold heavy-set in Sydney I’m going to kick myself though!
If you’ve got more confidence in Ryan’s ability to deliver you can grab your tickets on November 14.
25 February 2012 – Concert Hall, Perth
28 February 2012 – Opera House, Sydney
1 March 2012 – QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane
3 March 2012 – Regent Theatre, Melbourne
Caulfield are taking time out from recording their debut album to enjoy one more 2011 tour.
The hard-rocking Sydney four-piece have been holed up in a studio working on the follow-up to their big EP Clarity in a Sea of Confusion, so no doubt they’re ready to get back in front of audiences.
This is a band that’s always done their best work on the stage, and I imagine these shows will be no exception. It all kicks off this Saturday on the Gold Coast before travelling down the East Coast and on to Adelaide for the final night.
Make sure you turn up early to catch Awaken I Am in the supporting slot at the following gigs.
5 November 2011 – Fever Nightclub, Gold Coast (18+)
6 November 2011 – Jubilee Hotel, Brisbane (18+)
11 November 2011 – Noise Bar, Melbourne (18+)
12 November 2011 – Footscray Youth Centre, Melbourne (All Ages)
17 November 2011 – Hot Damn, Sydney (18+)
19 November 2011 – Lucky Australia Tavern, Sydney (All Ages)
26 November 2011 – Black Market, Adelaide (18+)
A whole lot of time in the recording studio is making Leek & The War Wick Tragedy stir crazy. And so the Melbourne band are busting out and traveling around the east coast next month.
This isn’t simply an excuse to get up on stage though. The band have a new single, “Beg & Plead” to promote, the first from that album they’ve been working so hard on.
Fans probably won’t get another opportunity to see Leek & The War Wick Tragedy live this year as they’ll be jumping back in the studio once this tour is out. So catch them while you can at the following shows.
17 November 2011 – Port Macquarie Hotel, Port Macquarie (Free 18+ Show)
18 November 2011 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla (18+)
19 November 2011 – The Patch, Wollongong (Free 18+ Show)
20 November 2011 – Mars Hill Café, Parramatta (All Ages)
Chinese indie rockers Carsick Cars are bringing their sophomore album You Can Listen, You Can Talk to Australia with a new Aussie tour. The band will play Geelong tomorrow night before making their way up the east coast.
You Can Listen, You Can Talk shows the way the band has matured since the release of their debut Panda Noise. It’s got more complexity than that original release, with greater balance between the angry bits and more delicate, melodic notes.
Here are all the places you can catch the exciting Carsick Cars while they’re in town.
27 October 2011 – The Barwon Club, Geelong
28 October 2011 – Pony, Melbourne (2 am set)
29 October 2011 – Cornish Arms, Melbourne
30 October 2011 -The Toff, Melbourne
31 October 2011 – The NOWnow, 402 @ Hibernian House, Sydney (Zhang Shouwang solo experimental set)
2 November 2011 – Croatian Club, Newcastle
3 November 2011 – FBi social @ Kings Cross Hotel, Sydney
5 November 2011 – Woodland Bar, Brisbane
The incomparable Frank Fairfield is visiting Australia for the first time this December. Frank takes us back to a simpler musical time with his incredible banjo and fiddle skills and sweet folky bluegrass melodies.
This video of Frank performing “Poor Ellen Smith” is a little dated now, but it shows you the amazing skills of this Californian musician. He’ll stop by the Meredith Music Festival and play his own headlining shows in the eastern states. Tickets are on sale now for the following shows, excepting Bendigo and Melbourne. If you want to get along to one of those nights you’ll need to get your tickets at the door
9 December 2011 – Bendigo Folk Club, Bendigo
10 December 2011 – The Old Bar, Melbourne
11 December 2011 – Meredith Music Festival, Meredith
13 December 2011 – Brass Monkey, Cronulla
14 December 2011 – The Basement, Sydney
15 December 2011 – Syncretism @ Judith Wright Centre, Brisbane
16 December 2011 – Sound Lounge, Gold Coast
17 December 2011 – Gasometer, Melbourne
18 December 2011 – The Blackwood Academy of Bluegrass & Old-Time Music, Blackwood
After these shows wrap the bands will take their act to The Netherlands and Belgium for gigs in January and February. I have no idea what the European audiences will make of the blend!
5 November 2011 – Fever Nightclub, Gold Coast (18+)
A whole lot of time in the recording studio is making 