Adelaide pop trio At Sunset hope to steal a few fans away from One Direction with their debut single “This is Who I Am.”
Even if you find all their positivity and perfect pop chords a bit cloying, it’s hard to be unimpressed by their marketing skills. Brothers Harrison and Andrew and their best mate Jae have amassed an army of fans, known as the Sunsetters, without the backing of a major record label or any television appearances. They’ve got more than 11, 000 subscribers to their YouTube channel and thousands of Facebook and Twitter friends.
“This Is Who I Am” has just hit radio and iTunes in the last week. Expect this one to be big, whether you want it to or not. Resistance is futile!
Any band that takes inspiration from the works of existential author Albert Camus has enough to get me interested. The Invincible Summer takes its name from Camus’ quote “in the midst of winter, I found there was, within me … an Invincible Summer.”
The Sydney band seems to have taken the philosophy to heart, as their debut single “Runaway” delivers a healthy dose of optimism and warm weather vibes. The track comes from The Invincible Summer’s self-titled debut album, a real labour of love recorded in Sydney’s iconic Studios 301 over eighteen months.
“Runaway” is available on iTunes now. If you love it make sure you look out for The Invincible Summer’s debut album in stores in the first half of 2013.
Image used with permission from Two Fish Out of Water
His practice space and studio might have been flattened in the Christchurch earthquake, but you can’t keep a musician like Tom Lark down.
He could have packed it in then and there but instead the Kiwi singer-songwriter went back to basics and sequestered himself in his bedroom. Rather than feeling hemmed in by the space’s restrictions, he became inspired by his new limitations. The not so originally titled Tom Lark EP is the result of this flurry of creativity. The disc features the new single “Give You All My Lovin’” and other songs which marry Tom’s innate sense of storytelling and folky guitar sounds.
Tom and his band will touch down in Australia for the first time next month to bring the EP to the masses. Catch them at the following venues, including dates supporting Sydney muso Feelings.
12 September 2012 – Bakery Lane, Brisbane
12 September 2012 – Ric’s Bar, Brisbane
19 September 2012 – Beach Road Hotel, Bondi (with Feelings)
20 September 2012 – Trinity Bar, Canberra (with Feelings)
21 September 2012 – Goodgod, Sydney (with Feelings)
22 September 2012 – Workers Club, Melbourne (with Feelings)
Australian Idol alum Wes Carr has reinvented himself as Buffalo. The former talent show victor is a bit beardier these days, and his music has a more organic, rootsier, folkier feel. That’s showcased with his brand new single “Blood & Bone,” the title track from Buffalo’s debut EP.
The new sound is only fitting for Buffalo. The name was inspired by the native American belief that when someone dreams of a buffalo they will return to their heritage and roots. That’s exactly what Wes has done here. It’s so much simpler than the Silverchair-offshoot Tambalane or the radio-friendly music he created post-Idol. But that’s exactly why it’s so good.
You can see all that for yourself when Buffalo launches Blood & Bone at the following shows, including support slots with The McClymonts.
31 August 2012 – Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, Nowra (with the McClymonts)
1 September 2012 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney (with the McClymonts)
6 September 2012 – Panthers Port Macquarie (with the McClymonts)
7 September 2012 – Cex Club, Coffs Harbour (with the McClymonts)
8 September 2012 – Club Forster (with the McClymonts)
9 September 2012 – Bateau Bay Hotel, Bateau Bay (3 pm show – with the McClymonts)
14 September 2012 – Lismore Workers Club, Lismore (with the McClymonts)
15 September 2012 – Toowoomba Empire Theatre, Toowoomba (with the McClymonts)
21 September 2012 – Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane (with the McClymonts)
22 September 2012 – Vikings Club, Canberra (with the McClymonts)
29 September 2012 – Evan Theatre @ Penrith Panthers, Penrith (with the McClymonts)
5 October 2012 – Civic Theatre, Newcastle (with the McClymonts)
6 October 2012 – Clarendon Guesthouse, Katoomba
12 & 13 October 2012 – The Palms @ Crown Casino, Melbourne (with the McClymonts)
23 November 2012 – Notes, Newtown
30 November 2012 – Lizotte’s, Newcastle
Brisbane musician Carmichael has put a very different spin on Olivia Newton-John’s pop classic “Physical.” The bubblegum pop feel has been toned down, but the song’s naughty nature remains. The atmospheric electronic music brings the song out of the 80s and into the 21st century. It’s really clever stuff, don’t you think?
Bart Thrupp’s natural storytelling ability and Aussie charm is showcased beautifully in his brand new single “Girl in the Fishbowl.” Bart took time out from the single tour to tell me about the song, the shows, and what makes his hometown of Toowoomba so special.
Your current single “Girl in the Fishbowl” really struck a chord with me, as I think we’ve all been in those impossible relationships where it was the right person (at least in our minds) and wrong time. Did it come from personal experience?
I used to work at Coles. There was a florist just outside Coles which had glass on all four sides, so it looked like a giant fishbowl. That’s what everyone called it. I wrote the song on the back of a receipt while I was working on the checkout.
I was also struck by how Australian your voice sounds. It seems like so many Aussies tone down their accent to create this generic, globally marketable sound. Was there a conscious decision for you to avoid this?
I’m very proud of my home nation and our identity. I really love it, and I try to celebrate it. But to be honest I never thought too much about it. I just sing with my heart and that’s what’s happens.
The video for “Girl in the Fishbowl” also had that really honest, Australian charm to it. There’s no pretension or Hollywood flash to it. Did you have much creative input there?
I did have a lot to do with the video, and I was very lucky to have some talented people around to help me as well. It was a very honest story. We were also lucky enough to shoot the video inside the Coles where I used to work at Highfields Plaza in Toowoomba. It is the location of where the song was written, so it was great that we could use that space.
I see you’re touring the single around the country. How are those shows going?
Terrific! I’m having an amazing time. I’ve driven from Brisbane to Adelaide in three weeks with a whole bunch of towns and shows in between. I love my job. I’ve caught up with so many beautiful friends along the way, and met heaps of new faces. Between my skateboard and my car I’ve travelled thousands of kilometres through this beautiful country. I don’t know how I got so lucky. Continue reading “Q & A with Bart Thrupp”→
Matchbox Twenty have made no secret of their love for Australia, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that they’ll kick off their world tour here in October. However it’s still enough to send a long-time fan like me into a tailspin.
The band will play songs from their new album North, which will hit local record stores on August 31, as well as the rest of their back catalogue. They’ll also have our own INXS in tow.
Tickets go on sale on August 31 through LiveNation, which should make that day pretty special for the rest of the Matchbox lovers out there!
20 October 2012 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
25 October 2012 – AIS Arena, Canberra
27 October 2012 – Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
30 October 2012 – Entertainment Centre, Sydney
3 November 2012 – Hope Estate, Hunter Valley
6 November 2012 – Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
8 November 2012 – Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
11 November 2012 – Perth Arena, Perth
Genre defying Kiwi urban act Sola Rosa will return to Australia next month to support the recent release of their fifth album Low and Behold, High and Beyond.
The album sees a host of guest performers joining founding member Andrew Spraggon and his regular collaborators for songs that fuse soul, funk, jazz, hip hop, and other musical styles.
Sola Rosa started as Andrew’s one man band, but in time Spikey Tee, Ben White, and Matt Short have become key members of the project. This core group will be joined on the Aussie tour by guest singers Cherie Mathieson and L.A. Mitchell, who appears on the album’s cruisy first single “Spinning Top.”
Sola Rosa will play the following Aussie venues next month. Tickets are on sale now.
13 September 2012 – The Standard, Sydney
14 September 2012 – Northcote Social Club, Northcote
26 September 2012 – Indi Bar, Scarborough
28 September 2012 – Clancy’s Fish Pub, Dunsborough
29 September 2012 – Amplifier, Perth
30 September 2012 – Wave Rock Weekender, Wave Rock Beach
All the Young hail from Stoke on Trent, a small town where its residents are expected to earn money in the warehouse and spend it in the pub. The locals don’t expect anyone to break out of this monotony, least of all some motley lads who spend more time daydreaming about music than applying themselves.
But All the Young did, and now they’re heading to Australia. If their friends could only see them now.
The Aussie tour is well timed, as All the Young’s debut album Welcome Home will hit local stores on August 31. It will feature the current single “Another Miracle,” which is one of the most irresistible songs I’ve heard in some time.
See these old school rockers with Australia’s own King Cannons at the following shows:
29 August 2012 – The Loft, Warrnambool
30 August 2012 – Jive Bar, Adelaide
31 August 2012 – The Bended Elbow, Geelong
1 September 2012 – The Corner, Melbourne
5 September 2012 – The Patch, Wollongong
6 September 2012 – Transit Bar, Canberra
7 September 2012 – The Annandale, Sydney
8 September 2012 – Hotel Great Northern, Newcastle
13 September 2012, Big Sound, Brisbane
14 September 2012 – Miami Shark Bar, Gold Coast
15 September – The Northern, Byron Bay
The Sundance Kids earned rave reviews for their catchy brand of pop rock back in 2009, but didn’t quite crack the big time. So they’ve reinvented themselves with the shorter moniker Sundance.
While the Adelaide trio has changed their name the Sundance philosophy remains the same. They’re still putting the emphasis on melodies and hooks with new songs like the single “Where She Wants Me.” The track should strike a chord with Sundance’s faithful fans and hit the hearts of a few new ones.