Acclaimed Canadian-born cellist Zoe Keating is touring Australia this month and the next to support the local releases of her two albums, One Cello x 16: Natoma and Into the Trees.
Instrumentalists sometimes get a bad rap for being stuffy musicians stuck in the classical genre. Zoe’s far from that image though. She performs with both cello and laptop to create mindblowing loops. She’s also switched on to social networking and completely independent with a grassroots approach to the industry. No doubt amassing more than 1.3 million Twitter followers helped her move more than 45, 000 copies of those self-released discs. And she’s also worked with plenty of the cool kids including Amanda Palmer, Paolo Nutini, Imogen Heap, and Tears for Fears.
Zoe Keating will bring her cello, her laptop, and her unique approach to music making to the following shows.
30 May 2012 – The Toff in Town, Melbourne
1 June 2012 – Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba
2 June 2012 – Notes, Sydney
8 & 9 June 2012 – Adelaide Cabaret Festival
If you missed John Butler stripped back and acoustic at his recent Tin Shed Tales shows, or you simply want to relive the magic, you’re in luck. A double CD of songs from these rare solo shows hits music stores today.
The discs don’t simply capture John Butler’s musical prowess but also his relaxed on stage demeanour. Listening to the discs you feel like you’re witnessing someone simply having a jam session with a bunch of mates. The songs are interspersed with personal anecdotes which make the tunes even richer. Those numbers touch on his entire back catalogue. Listeners will enjoy new songs, reworked versions of old songs, and of course plenty of favourites.
The Tin Shed Tales recording is available digitally from iTunes, but with a sexy digipack hitting stores I reckon it’s much smarter to enjoy the hard copy. It’s sure to become a collector’s item!
Gossling’s new EP Intentional Living doesn’t drop until April 20, but she’s giving fans a sneak peek through her YouTube page. Every week she’ll record one of the disc’s tracks at Melbourne’s Bake House Studios before unleashing it on the public.
“We wanted to create something special for the release of Intentional Living,” Gossling explained. “So we decided to create our own space at Bake House Studios where we could film each track from the new EP live, giving fans a taste of what they can expect from not only the new release but also from the Intentional Living tour which will start days after the EP is released.”
The quirky space, seen in this live version of “Wild Love” was decorated with the help of Melbourne yarn bombers Yarn Corner. The project sounds like a great way to get more bums on seats as Gossling travels around this wide brown land, although with “Boys Like You” still enjoying chart success I can’t imagine that will be a concern.
If this live video’s got you in the Gossling mood make sure you check her out supporting 360, Josh Pyke, or fronting her own shows in the coming months.
26 April 2012 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
27 April 2012 – Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba
28 April 2012 – The Basement, Sydney
29 April 2012 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla
2 May 2012 – Little Creatures Loft, Fremantle
3 May 2012 – The Bird, Northbridge
4 May 2012 – Wheatsheaf Hotel, Adelaide
5 May 2012 – Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury
11 May 2012 – The Forum Melbourne, Melbourne
12 May 2012 – Elder Hall @ University of Adelaide, Adelaide (supporting Josh Pyke – 18+)
18 May 2012 – The Tivoli, Brisbane (supporting Josh Pyke – 18+)
19 May 2012 – The York Theatre @ Seymour Centre, Sydney (supporting Josh Pyke – All Ages)
8 June 2012 – Waves, Wollongong (supporting 360 – 18+)
9 June 2012 – Come Together Festival, Sydney (supporting 360 – All Ages)
10 June 2012 – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane (supporting 360 – 18+)
11 June 2012 – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane (supporting 360 – Under 18s @ midday)
15 June 2012 – The Hi-Fi, Melbourne (supporting 360 – 18+)
16 June 2012 – Pier Live, Frankston (supporting 360 – Under 18s @ 1 pm)
16 June 2012 – Pier Live, Frankston (supporting 360 – 18+)
17 June 2012 – The Hi-Fi, Melbourne (supporting 360 – Under 18s @ midday)
20 June 2012 – The Gov, Adelaide (supporting 360 – All Ages)
22 June 2012 – Villa, Perth (supporting 360 – 18+)
23 June 2012 – Astor Theatre, Perth (supporting 360 – Under 18s @ 1 pm)
I haven’t been the greatest fan of Neil Finn’s latest venture Pajama Club. However I always find myself coming back to the band’s music, trying to find the genius that I know has to be in there. This is the guy who gave us Crowded House and Split Enz after all!
I wouldn’t say I’m hearing genius in their latest single “TNT for Two,” but there are certainly glimpses of it. The song may be their most accessible yet, especially stripped back as it is in this live recording at Round Head Studios.
Boy & Bear and Gotye were the big winners at last night’s ARIA Awards ceremony. Boy & Bear took home five awards for their stunning debut Moonfire, including best album and best group. Gotye scooped four, including male artist of the year and best single for “Somebody That I Used to Know.”
That’s all the stuff you’ll read in all the other media outlets, so I thought I’d much rather talk about the way I saw this year’s awards. Honestly, it was pretty bloody good. Admittedly anything would look like a world class production compared to last year’s shambles, but I was impressed by the way things went off.
I’ve heard criticisms that some of the jokes fell flat, and some of the irreverent spirit of Aussie music was missing. Maybe. But most important for me was that the ceremony had real heart. I found myself genuinely moved at several moments: when Billy Thorpe’s wife and daughters accepted his posthumous ARIA for Tangier, when former Wiggle Greg Page stood with his fellow skivvy wearers as they were inducted into the Hall of Fame, when Delta Goodrem sang “The Day You Went Away” against the backdrop of the images of people the industry has lost, and when Missy Higgins joined Gurrumul for a gorgeous duet. I have no clue what they were singing about but it was the most touching musical number of the night.
For those moments I loved these ARIAs. They reminded us that the night should be about recognising and celebrating the amazing music we make as a country. We punch well above our weight, and we deserve a night that acknowledges that, without bringing in too many international guests or getting too fancy with the staging.
Last night wasn’t perfect, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. I’m not sure how much Go had to do with the broadcast, but I take my hat off to them for whatever part they played. Even if it was just ensuring these awards stay on free to air, it was important. And how refreshing to see the channel being the youth station it originally set out to be and offering something new rather than the countless Big Bang and Two and a Half Men reruns.
Boy & Bear and Gotye may have taken home the lion’s share of the pointy things, but as clichéd as it sounds, Australian music was the big winner last night. Click below for the other winners!
We’re at the pointy end of The X Factor competition, with just three acts remaining. Andrew Wishart, Reece Mastin, and Johnny Ruffo had another chance to win us over tonight with some solo numbers and a duet with one of the visiting stars.
Andrew kicked things off with his audition song, Adele’s “Someone Like You.” It was fitting to see him perform it live again after all this time. It didn’t so much showcase growth but just how solid he’s always been. He is what he is, and I love that.
In contrast Johnny showed us just how far he’s come with Jay Sean’s “Do You Remember.” He was singing well and dancing well; I couldn’t fault him technically. However I also feel like I’ve seen it all before. He’s improved immensely, but I still don’t see X factor. And let’s remember that, rather than growth, is really what it’s all about.
Reece also showed us he’s developed that extra special something since first treating us to Rooster’s “Come Get Some.” There seems to be a bit more swagger to him, some extra confidence and self belief. He was good in the auditions, but tonight he was great.
Pairing The Fray with Andrew seemed like a natural fit, but I don’t think their version of “You Found Me” did him any favours. It felt too low throughout, and consequently he never got to show us his sweet spot. The arrangement was a real injustice here. Hopefully his fans don’t care; I’d hate to see him go on the back of this.
I’m not even going to bother re-reviewing Johnny’s performance of “Sir Duke.” It was good the first time and it was good again. Certainly this was his best, but did we really need to see it again with all the same staging and choreography?
Ditto Reece’s performance of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” and Andrew’s retake on “Dakota.”
Johnny Ruffo was outclassed in performing a medley of some Salt N Pepa hits. He held his own with the dancing but his rapping skills were very under par. This was fun though just for the trip down memory lane. Those ladies have lost nothing over the years.
Then Reece treated us to his potential single “Good Night.” Perhaps treated is a bit generous, because I found it to be pretty middle of the road pop. The verses felt like virtual carbon copies of Pink’s “Raise Your Glass.” All in it didn’t feel like Reece, which is really disappointing when the singles are supposed to be tailored to the artists.
I don’t remember the name of Andrew’s potential single if it was mentioned, but I wasn’t thrilled by it. He sang it beautifully but the song itself seemed a bit mediocre and aimless. I didn’t actively dislike it, but I’d probably switch over the radio after hearing it a few times. Seriously, where are they getting these songs?
I don’t know what Johnny’s single is called either, but the Eurovision nut in me lapped it up. It’s super cheesy, but also lots of fun. For the first time this year I seriously considered the merits of Johnny winning this thing. I expect to see Belarus covering this in Azerbaijan next year.
The duets hadn’t impressed me until Reece and Kylie Minogue took to the stage for “Kids.” His vocals were a bit rough in places but they really seemed to gel and that mattered more than the notes. What a way to end the show.
Really what happened tonight didn’t change my views one way or another. I’m firmly on Team Andrew. Who’s your pick?
After last week’s lacklustre evening, I was psyched to see what the X Factor would serve up tonight. I was really impressed by the theme, which asked the contestants to uplift us and break our hearts.
Andrew Wishart is the perfect artist for a theme that plays on emotion. However if you don’t get the right song, it’s all going to fall apart. Neon Trees’ “Animal” was the wrong song on so many levels. The song itself is pleasurable, but hearing Andrew deliver it was more than a bit awkward. It also didn’t sit in his vocal sweet spot. Everything was against him, and it showed. Thank god he gets another song to play with.
Again Johnny Ruffo gave us a solid vocal with Ne-Yo’s “So Sick.” As far as sticking to the brief of delivering heartbreak though, he failed. There just wasn’t enough edge or emotion to it, which is probably down to a combination of the wrong song and the wrong performer. I just don’t think he’s got that in him. However he did what he did well.
Reece Mastin delivered the first truly heartbreaking song of the night with “Breakeven.” And considering he’s a young kid who’s probably never had his heart truly broken, I think he did a pretty good job. I certainly felt more watching him than I did on any other performance to that point, and that certainly counts for something. It didn’t quite match the original, but I still really enjoyed it.
When I heard Three Wishez were taking on The Black Eyed Peas “The Time/Dirty Bit” my heart sank. Then I held my ears. I hated when The Black Eyed Peas raped the Dirty Dancing classic, and Three Wishez didn’t make me change my mind. Was this the pleasure or the pain song? They may have received rave reviews, but I loathed every second. Continue reading “X Factor Tackles Pleasure and Pain”→
After enduring more dance songs than I cared to last week, I was happy to watch The X Factor contestants singing songs from music legends tonight.
Johnny Ruffo kicked things off with Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke.” I’ve been pretty hard on Johnny in recent weeks, but I’ve never heard him sounding better. Finally the vocals matched his pretty boy looks and dance moves. I’ve had him doomed to the bottom two for weeks now, but this time I’m not so sure.
I wasn’t too enthusiastic about the idea of Andrew Wishart singing “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” But this guy can really do no wrong. It doesn’t matter what he’s given; he nails it vocally and I believe every word he sings. That’s all he needs to do, and he does it consistently.
Declan Sykes shook up The Beatles “Help,” and when it came out the other end I just didn’t like it. I still like him and what he stands for, but when you take risks some of them just won’t pay off. I don’t think the treatment worked, and in some places his vocals suffered from all that jumping around. The judges might have liked it, but it just wasn’t my cup of chai.
Three Wishez has blown me away in recent weeks, so I was a bit disappointed by their take on Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” I certainly didn’t hate it, but it didn’t reach the dizzy heights of their past couple of performances. Perhaps they set the bar too high too early?
I was nervous when I heard Reece Mastin was taking on Celine Dion. I was much happier to hear that really he was covering Eric Carmen. Either way, his version of “All By Myself” allowed us to see a vulnerability he doesn’t often show. He didn’t always nail the vocals, but I think he hit the notes that counted. He didn’t get glowing reviews, but I still liked this.
There was a lot of like tonight and not a lot of love. I wasn’t blown away, and actually think Johnny Ruffo’s performance was the strongest. What a topsy-turvy night! Given all that, I’m not even going to guess who’ll be in the bottom two tomorrow night. What do you think?
I must admit, I approached this week’s X Factor with some serious trepidation. Dance music really isn’t my thing. I don’t mind some old school disco, but I can take or leave the Rihannas, Beyonces, and Lady Gagas of this world. And considering the trend in recent weeks, I wasn’t feeling optimistic that the judges would head back to dance music’s heyday. But this is X Factor so I found myself tuning in in spite of myself.
Reece Mastin gave me the old school dance I was craving with a rock edge with a really cool version of “Staying Alive.” I’m not sure the mash-up of the Bee Gees track and “Kashmir” was completely successful, but it was really interesting. I think it’s smart to play with the songs and make them fit the artist. You wouldn’t ask an established musician to step outside their genre, so why should he?
Guy got song choice right again in giving Declan Sykes some Empire of the Sun. Sure the falsetto was thin and not always on the money, but on the whole this was still gorgeous. Declan doing dance could have gone all wrong, but with Guy guiding him Declan got it so right this week.
I expected a predictable modern dance song from Christina Parie, and I got it with David Guetta’s “When Love Takes Over.” Mel B really needs a few song choice pointers. I was nervous as so often this song gets screechy when performed. She managed to avoid that, but in doing so it seemed a bit under. Perhaps there’s just no pleasing me when it comes to this track.
I was hoping to hear Andrew Wishart busting out some old school funk. Sadly it didn’t happen but Nat Bass still got it right with David Guetta’s “Titanium.” It had the emotional heart that is missing in so many dance songs. He came through this week surprisingly well.
Johnny Ruffo again turned to one of his idols with Usher and David Guetta’s “Without You.” Again the vocals were under and again I was bored. He’s a lovely chap but I feel like his time is up.
Three Wishez made this child of the 80s very happy with their mash-up of Chaka Khan’s “I Feel for You” and Salt N Pepa’s “Push It.” They slayed it. I am so glad they did this instead of the Black Eyed Peas Mel B suggested. What a way to end the show?
We’re getting down to the nitty gritty now. I feel Johnny’s been biding his time for a while so he’s the obvious choice for the bottom three. He might be sharing the spotlight with Christina or Declan, but surely the judges have to send him packing this week, right?
This week The X Factor contestants were celebrating homegrown tunes with their Aussie Anthems special.
Mitchell Callaway kicked things off with “Throw Your Arms Around Me.” Again it was strange to see Nat picking a non-country song for her act, but I thought this suited him down to the ground. It’s the best I’ve heard him sing since the auditions, although I felt a real wall between him and the audience. Even when he was touching the hands of the audience it felt very uneasy. He needs to become more comfortable as a performer if he’s going to go much further in this competition.
Johnny Ruffo shot for the moon in taking on Delta Goodrem’s “Lost Without You.” Sadly the song exposed all his vocal shortcomings. He certainly tried, but he never got there. In parts it was bearable, but it was also flat and tuneless far too often. I admired his intensity, but it had more than a bit of Eurovision cheese to it.
Three Wishez gave what I think was the performance of the season so far with John Farnham’s “You’re the Voice.” This was just incredible. It had so much joy and patriotism; it brought a tear to my eye. Last week when Ronan lost YMS I wondered whether the competition was all over for him. With this though, Three Wishez showed they’ve got what it takes to win this thing. More of this please! Continue reading “The X Factor Celebrates Aussie Anthems”→