Boo Seeka Drops Awesome New Dance Track, “Real”

It’s an exciting couple of months for Boo Seeka fans. He’s just dropped a killer new single “Real”, and his new album and tour supporting Hayden James are mere weeks away.

“’Real’ is definitely one of my favourites on the record for me and has so many different messages embedded in the meaning. I wrote this song at a bit of a low point, with the idea of creating a song that can be a bit of a sing-a-long wherever the listener may be,” Boo Seeka explained. “My album, Between The Head & the Heart, is twelve separate messages that I wrote throughout the COVID period. I really needed to do this for myself, and it has undoubtedly helped me get through the last 12 months. I never want to give away the exact message or meaning of why I wrote a song, firstly, because some things are incredibly specific and personal, but mainly, I love the idea of a listener creating their own meaning to the track. That’s the most important thing about art and music to me.”

Between The Head & the Heart drops on June 30. That’ll give fans a few weeks to familiarise themselves with the new material before Boo Seeka joins Hayden James on his Aussie tour in August.

12 August 2022 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane
19 August 2022 – John Cain Arena, Melbourne
20 August 2022 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
27 August 2022 – Redhill Auditorium, Perth
3 September 2022 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney

Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Ned Kelly

Darren Hayes Back to His Best With Stunning New Single “Poison Blood”

As one half of Savage Garden, Darren Hayes created some of the world’s most iconic pop songs. Tracks like “Truly, Madly, Deeply,” “I Knew I Loved You”, and “To The Moon and Back” are the ones that are encouraging people to buy those tickets to his upcoming shows. While those tracks sold truckloads, many of his solo singles failed to chart. However, it’d be a mistake to think Darren’s best music is behind him. In fact, his new single “Poison Blood”, may be his best solo effort. Its stripped-back sound ensures we can hear every intimate lyric and the quality of Darren’s trademark falsetto.

“’Poison Blood’ is a song about choosing to stay when everything else in your life is telling you to leave. I have a family history of depression and suicide and I talk openly about my own diagnosis it in the hope that I might inspire someone who is struggling to seek help, as I have proudly done many times throughout my life,” he explained. “I describe my depression as a blessing, a gift, and a curse all at once. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy and yet I’m aware I am a deeply sensitive person, and that my unique brain allows me to feel depths of emotions that many people don’t experience. So I have learned to use those moments to channel melodies and stories that I hope are so real and so relatable they might reach someone else who is in pain, like me, and remind them to stay, like I choose to, every single day.”

Darren will play his first Australian shows in more than a decade next year. No doubt the fans will scream for those Savage Garden hits, but I hope this special song gets a warm reception. Tickets are available now for the following shows:

31 January 2023 – RAC Arena, Perth
4 February 2023 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
7 February 2023 – Aware Super Theatre, Sydney
8 February 2023 – Entertainment Centre, Newcastle
11 February 2023 – Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
12 February 2023 – Convention & Exhibition Centre, Gold Coast

Image used with permission from Beehive PR

The Smith Street Band Return to Scene With “I Don’t Wanna Do Nothing Forever”

Listening to The Smith Street Band’s first new music in two years has made me realise how much I’ve missed them. Don’t think they’ve mellowed in time. The new single “I Don’t Wanna Do Nothing Forever” is a passionate call to arms encapsulating the mixed feelings many of us have in these crazy pandemic times.

“A song about all the excitement and anxiety felt re-entering the world, what we’ve lost over the last few years and most importantly what we’ll gain when we finally get through everything we’ve all had to endure! This song is the first single off our upcoming record, we’ve been working hard and cannot wait to share everything with you!” said lead singer Wil Wagner.

The single comes bundled with a couple of choice live tracks on all the major streaming services. If they’ve got you nostalgic for the band’s gigs, you’re in luck. The Smith Street Band are preparing to visit most of the capitals and major regional centres with a brand new tour. Here are all the dates you need:

10 June 2022 – Volta, Ballarat
11 June 2022 – The Torquay Hotel, Torquay
24 June 2022 – The Westernport, San Remo
16 July 2022 – Beer & BBQ Festival, Adelaide
24 August 2022 – The Cambridge, Newcastle
25 August 2022 – Entrance Leagues Club, Central Coast
26 August 2022 – The Metro, Sydney
27 August 2022 – UOW, Wollongong
16 & 17 September 2022 – Kambri, Canberra
22 September 2022 – Miami Marketta Gold Coast
23 September 2022 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane
24 September 2022 – Eleven Dive Bar, Maroochydore
7 & 8 October 2022 – The Gov, Adelaide
23 October 2022 – The Forth Pub, Forth
28 October 2022 – Astor, Perth
29 October 2022 – Wintersun, Geraldton

Image used with permission from Little Giant Agency; credit: Ian Laidlaw

The Faim Release Catchy New Single, “Me Because of You”

The hits keep coming from Perth rock act The Faim. I keep expecting the quality of their singles to dip at some point, but their latest offering “Me Because of You” is just as irresistible as I hoped it’d be. If you love your rock music with a side order of synths, you’re going to dig this one.

“‘Me Because of You’ was written about embracing change and letting go of a past version of yourself. The lyrics recognise the huge impact someone else can have on the process,” bassist and keyboardist Stephen Beerkens explained. “This song was a huge milestone for us, as it’s our first release that has been self-produced!”

The Faim will set off on their first Aussie tour in three years this July. It’s been a long time coming, so you don’t want to miss it.

15 July 2022 – Vision Studios, Perth (ALL AGES)
16 July 2022 – Jack Rabbit Slims, Perth
21 July 2022 – The Brightside, Brisbane
22 July 2022 – Newcastle Hotel, Newcastle
23 July 2022 – The Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney
24 July 2022 – La La La’s, Wollongong
29 July 2022 – Transit Bar, Canberra
30 July 2022 – Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne
31 July 2022 – Enigma Bar, Adelaide

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Waxflower Headlining East Coast EP Tour

After recently wowing crowds as the support act for Trophy Eyes, Waxflower are ready to headline their own shows. The Brisbane pop-punk act will showcase songs from their latest EP on The Tour of What Went Wrong which kicks off next week.

These guys are known for their high-energy shows and anthemic set lists that encourage you to sing along. While the shows celebrate their latest releases, you can expect plenty of your old favourites will also get a run.

The Sound of What Went Wrong EP is on all your favourite streaming services now. Get acquainted if you’re not already, because it’s chockful of bangers. Then get your tickets to one of the following gigs.

4 June 2022 – Waywards, Sydney
17 June 2022 – The Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne
18 June 2022 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Mitch Lowe

Start the Party With Laura Mac

It’s just close enough to the weekend to start the party tunes I think. Queue Laura Mac’s, whose latest single “Don’t Know What I’m Thinking” deserves to get turned up loud at your next shindig. I’ve been moving and grooving to this one at home, but something tells me it’d sound even sweeter surrounded by mates with a bevvy in hand.

“Party, disco, dance – we’re just having fun with it!” explained one half of the Queensland duo, Laura Maclachlan. “All our songs have a different vibe but I feel like we’ve kept our own unique sound. DKWIT is staying up all night partying and loving every second of it. Celebrate every chance you get, party with your mates and dance ‘til you drop… High 5!!”

Laura Mac will play their very first live show supporting British India tomorrow night before playing some East Coast shows in July and August.

21 May 2022 – Solbar, Maroochydore (supporting British India)
29 July 2022 – Greaser Bar, Brisbane (FREE)
6 Aug 2022 – The Last Chance, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Dane Beesley

Cheap Date’s Lara Dee Releases Stunning New Single, “Dear Daughter”

Lara Dee, the frontwoman of Brisbane band Cheap Date, has released a gorgeous new single “Dear Daughter.” This is a real departure for Lara, a song that sees her being truly vulnerable. It’s something that has taken her many years to do, but I’m so glad she did.

“‘Dear Daughter’ is a song that I wrote during a very tumultuous period of my teen years. Some six years later, I have finally worked up the courage to release the song and be a little bit vulnerable,” she admitted.

“I had to grow up very quickly, spending much of my adolescence in and out of hospital wards both for my own treatment and my brother’s. When I reflect on this song and my state of mind during the writing process, I have finally realised that ‘Dear Daughter’ saved me.

“Unlike many of the songs I write, ‘Dear Daughter’ was complete within 30 minutes, without any hesitation or reflection. I was 15 and buried deep in a vicious cycle of a relapsing eating disorder and self-harm. On this particular night I was pushed to my limits and needed to escape. Before the ritualistic process of self-harm could progress to something scarily worse, I remembered my mum was in the room next door.

“Music was something I had always been passionate about and used to express emotion. It was also one of the many things I had thrown to the wayside in the grips of my struggles. In this particular moment I thought about my mum and our relationship. She has always been my best friend and biggest support and our relationship is one that I am always grateful for. I thought about how she would feel and respond if she knew how I was feeling and how I was treating her ‘little girl’.

“This led to a bigger thought and emotion around how I would feel if I had to enforce my thinking and actions onto a younger version of myself. So I sat down and decided to write a note to a future child of mine and a past version of myself. ‘Dear Daughter’ is the product of that evening and I am very proud to have emerged on the other side.”
This might be a solo release, but it definitely doesn’t spell the end of Cheap Date. The band are supporting Suzi on her upcoming Aussie tour. Check out both great acts at the following venues:

20 May 2022 – The Grace Emily, Adelaide
27 May 2022 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
28 May 2022 – Vinnies Dive Bar, Gold Coast
29 May 2022 – O’Skulligans, Brisbane
3 June 2022 – The Eastern, Ballarat
4 June 2022 – Workers Club, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Savour MID CITY’s New Single, “Choc Mint”

MID CITY’s latest single “Choc Mint” is exactly the kind of high-energy rock number your weekend needs. Just see if you’re not punching your fist in the air by the time that chorus kicks in. Like the love child of Gang of Youths and Arctic Monkeys, the Melbourne band has really outdone themselves here. They had a simple aim with this single: they want to get you moving!

“Our entire existence as a band is about getting people to uncross their arms at gigs,” they said. “There’s enough terrible stuff going on in the world without a bunch of relatively fortunate dudes in a band making people feel worse about themselves or disappearing up their collective musical butts trying to be the saviours of music as we know it. We wanna write fast songs with big choruses that make other things in your life feel less shit.”

Amen to that! “Choc Mint” is the first track lifted from MID CITY’s forthcoming debut album. The band are preparing to play a few shows in Europe but they’ll be back before too long for some Aussie dates. Catch them anywhere you can!

16 May 2022 – Ostpol, Dresden
17 May 2022 – Klubovna, Prague
18 May 2022 – Privatclub, Berlin
19 May 2022 – Nochtspeicher, Hamburg
20 May 2022 – Artheater, Koln
21 May 2022 – Jugendheim, Haldern
24 May 2022 – Schon Shon, Mainz
25 May 2022 – Kohl, Karlsruhe
26 May 2022 – Substanz, Munich
2 July 2022 – The Workers Club, Melbourne
15 July 2022 – The Chippo, Sydney
16 July 2022 – The Greaser, Brisbane (FREE)

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Nick Manuell

Suzi Releases Relatable New Single “Everyone I’ve Met Hates Me”

Suzi really captured my heart last year with her track “Amelia”. Now she’s impressing me all over again with her latest release, “Everyone I’ve Met Hates Me”. Suzi has a great knack for creating songs that capture specific moments in time that are so relatable. They’re not always pretty, but real life rarely is.

“You know when you wake up after a big night on the bevs and your hangxiety is so bad you never want to leave your house or talk to anyone ever again?” Suzi says of the song’s inspiration. “It is absolutely impossible for everyone you have ever met to hate you – but dear lord does it feel that way sometimes.”

Ready to prove that there’s a lot of love for her out there, Suzi is about to embark on a six-date headlining tour. Catch her at the following shows:

20 May 2022 – The Grace Emily, Adelaide
27 May 2022 – Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney
28 May 2022 – Vinnie’s Dive, Gold Coast
29 May 2022 – O’Skulligans, Brisbane
3 June 2022 – The Eastern, Ballarat
4 June 2022 – Workers Club, Melbourne

Image used with permission from GYRO PR; credit: Ruby Boland

Hilltop Hoods Preparing to Get Back on the Road With “Show Business” Single

With fans already snapping up tickets to The Show Business Tour, there’s no better time to remind you that Hilltop Hoods are bringing new music to your ears and preparing to tour. If you thought their best music might be behind them, press play on their latest track “Show Business” immediately. With special guest vocals from Eamon (remember him?!), this feel-good single is a real crowd-pleaser.

With the pandemic slowing everyone down, Hilltop Hoods haven’t had the chance to headline shows since The Great Expanse World Tour in 2019. This time around they’re taking A.B. Original, Elsy Wameyo, and DJ Total Eclipse along for the ride. Fan club members could nab their tickets yesterday before Telstra Plus members get in on the action tomorrow. The general sale happens at 10 am on Wednesday 11 May. The last shows sold out, so you can expect these ones will too. Don’t say you weren’t warned!

27 August 2022 – Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
3 September 2022 – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
10 September 2022 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
17 September 2022 – RAC Arena, Perth
24 September 2022 – Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia