Category: Live Performances

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Music Community Unites for Sound Relief

45, 000 Sydneysiders and 80, 000 Melburnians crammed into their respective cricket grounds for yesterday’s massive Sound Relief concerts.

Crowds at both shows were treated to some extra special performances. Coldplay originally promised an acoustic set, but their electric numbers proved anything but ordinary with the surprise addition of John Farnham to the line-up. The Aussie music veteran joined Coldplay for “Fix You” and “You’re The Voice,” a song Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin called the “national anthem.”

Having living legend Barry Gibb close the show was exciting enough, but to have Olivia Newton-John join him for the Kenny Rogers Dolly Parton classic “Islands in the Stream” was something else. They might not admit it freely, but I’m convinced everyone has a soft spot for that song.

Melbourne didn’t miss out either, with some amazing reformations and international stars. One of the biggest was Midnight Oil, who closed the show.

Their 50-minute set included hit after hit, “Read About It,” “Beds Are Burning” and “Blue Sky Mining” among them.

“You are such a good crowd for such an important event,” Peter Garrett told the enthusiastic crowd.

Initial reports said Kylie wouldn’t sing, but she did anyway, wowing crowds with this beautiful acoustic rendition of “I Still Call Australia Home.” This is another of those songs eligible for the title of honorary anthem – it gets to me every time. This video is preceded by a moving minute’s silence in remembrance of the victims.

Kings of Leon wouldn’t play “Sex on Fire” lest it offend the bushfire victims, yet their mammoth hit “Use Somebody” was well received. From the pop tunes of Gabriella Cilmi to the laidback sounds of Jack Johnson, and the country-tinged duets of Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, it was a concert that delivered something for everybody.

Wolfmother and Jet worked double-time, appearing at both Sydney and Melbourne shows. But they didn’t mind, with Wolfmother singer Andrew Stockdale adding that the event was one of the most significant in Australian music history.

“It just shows what this country does – it gets behind people when they’re down and out,” he told The Sunday Telegraph.

Organisers expect the event to raise more than $5 million for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal and Queensland flood victims.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Veronicas Crack US Top 20

The Veronicas have become the first Aussies since Kylie Minogue to have a top 20 single in the United States. “Untouched” is currently at number 17 on the American charts after selling 758, 000 units.

“Feeling the energy of ‘Untouched’ doing so well in America is a great feeling. It’s a different style of music to breakthrough on the American charts, and people are excited. Especially us!” The Veronicas said in a statement.

Kylie peaked at number 7 in 2002 with “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.” Can the Brisbane twins do better? Only time will tell, but they should definitely be congratulated on their chart success so far!

Here’s the song that did it for them live at last year’s ARIA Awards!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gabriella Cilmi is a Diva

Gabriella Cilmi joined a star-studded international line-up for the recent ITV Divas special in Britain recently.

Melbourne’s pop diva played alongside Pink, Rihanna, Anastacia, Leona Lewis, and living legend Dionne Warwick at the breast cancer benefit show. ITV hosted the event to thank fundraisers and campaigners from the United Kingdom’s leading breast cancer awareness charities for their efforts.

Gabriella performed her global smash hit “Sweet About Me.” Check it out!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

John Brewster Suffers Heart Attack

The Angels’ guitarist John Brewster is recovering in a Queensland hospital after suffering a heart attack.

John reportedly fell ill as the band was preparing to perform at Rumours in Toowoomba. He was rushed to hospital where he had a five-way bypass operation. He is recovering well, although it may take months before he can rejoin his bandmates.

But the show must go on, with John’s eldest son Sam stepping into his father’s shoes. Sam was the obvious replacement for his father as “he learned all the songs in the womb.”

The Angels will play tomorrow night at The Settlers Hotel in Mildura. Here’s a little classic Angels to brighten this story up!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Luke Dickens and Wes Carr Head to the Opera House

This is it Australia: our two Australian Idol finalists have been decided and they’re heading to the Opera House next Sunday! Mark Spano was eliminated, leaving Luke Dickens and Wes Carr to battle it out for the title.

The highlight of the show was the unveiling of the potential winner’s singles. That’s right, singles. For the first time ever, the singers have selected different songs to release should they become the next Australian Idol. It makes sense really: the contestants are always different so why have we forced them to sing the same song for so long? Best of all, neither song is the “I can’t believe I’m here and I won” anthem we’re used to. These are actually the kind of songs people might want to buy!

Luke Dickens’ is a song called “When We Hear Hallelujah,” a moving ballad with a tinge of country. I was drawn in but it kind of lost me towards the end. It’s a lot better than anything we’ve heard out of the Australian Idol competition, but it’s just not my kind of song.

Wes Carr’s single, “You,” was a completely different matter. What a fantastic song! This bluesy love song is the sort of thing I could happily listen to when it’s played to death on radio.

I love both Luke and Wes. They’re so talented, and I really have no clue who Australians are going to choose. But if the winner’s singles give us any indication of what sort of artist these guys will be, I hope Wes comes through in the end.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol Competition Heats Up

With just three singers left in the Australian Idol competition, I expected big things from tonight’s show. Instead there were some standouts, but a few performances that were more miss that hit. So who smashed it and who sank? Here are my thoughts!

Luke Dickens opened the show with “Stuck in the Middle with You.” This is a good fun song, and Luke enjoyed himself. I loved the rasp of his voice on this song, but I don’t think it was outstanding. At this stage of the competition that’s what I’m looking for. Instead it was the standard I’d expect to see on a good night at the pub. But he was back in form with his take on the Elton John classic “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues.” Luke knows who he is, and he’s got a voice that is just so recognisable. At this point he’s going to have a great career regardless of what happens tomorrow night.

Mark Spano was next up with the Fuel song “Bad Day.” Like Dicko, I didn’t know this one but he was just so convincing that it didn’t matter. It’s risky to perform a song the audience doesn’t know, but when you do it so competently the gamble pays off. I was very impressed. However I was less so with Mark’s rendition of “Smooth.” Maybe I was too harsh on him because Rob Thomas is my favourite singer on earth. But to me this just seemed like a pale version of the original.

It was a similarly lopsided night from Wes Carr. He never does a bad job, but I felt his version of “Easy” was a bit average. I loved the harmonica, but the rest of it lacked energy. You can be taking it easy without making us fall asleep Wes! There were no problems with the energy of his second song though. I was nervous when I heard Wes was doing “Get Back” as this song tends to get a little shouty, but it was a standout. Well deserving of the TV throw and the touchdown Wes!

With just one week until the Sydney Opera House finale I have no idea who’s going. Wes has to be there at the end, but I’m not sure who his rival will be. Mark is so talented, but Luke’s the Aussie battler and my nation always loves an underdog. I adore all three boys so I don’t really care which way it goes!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idols Sing American Hits

My Australian Idol update’s coming a little late this week, as I only arrived home from Brisbane late last night. More on that later, but for now here’s what went down when the final four tackled Hits from the USA, under the thoughtful and hilarious guidance of Chris Isaak.

Wes Carr kicked us off with a rocking number from The Killers. “When You Were Young” isn’t my favourite song in the world, but I think Wes’ passion brought it into a new, bigger space. He commits to every song 110%, and I think that’s why he’s soaring through this competition. Wes clearly relished the opportunity to sing two songs, choosing something completely different for his final performance. We’ve all heard “What a Wonderful World” a zillion times, but his stripped back acoustic take brought new life to this American classic. At this point I think it’s safe to say that Wes can do no wrong.

Someone who can do wrong is Teale Jakubenko. When he’s good he’s very very good, but when he’s not he’s mediocre. Unfortunately despite two song choices, Teale couldn’t do anything to really impress me tonight. His version of “No Such Thing” lacked the edge and passion he really needed to emote the lyric. And while Justin Timberlake might be the flavour of the month amongst young girls, I don’t think Teale did himself any favours by picking “What Goes Around.” It was competent, but competent doesn’t earn you a place in the top three.

Mark Spano made some brave choices this week, and I think they paid off. First up he tackled one of Chris’ own songs, the throbbing “Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing.” This song is incredibly difficult to sing but Mark managed to nail the falsetto chorus and the sultry verses. Next up he showed us his sensitive side with REM’s monster ballad “Everybody Hurts.” I loved the grit in his voice, and the passion of his delivery. Mark is definitely peaking at the right end of the season.

It was a mixed night for lovable shearer Luke Dickens. His first song choice, “With Arms Wide Open” by Creed, was spot on. Luke channelled all the emotion he felt about the birth of his son into this moving ballad. I’ve never really liked this song either, but I loved it tonight. That’s the mark of a true performer. But it was a different story for his second song. “One of These Nights” by The Eagles is one of my favourite songs. But Luke just cruised right on through it, with none of the intensity and storytelling this classic slice of rock deserved. That could be the most lacklustre end to an Idol show ever.

After a night which saw some great performances, and some not so great ones, I think Teale’s number might be up. After so many weeks in the bottom three, he always needed to pull out something sensational to stay. He didn’t.

Image source: Paul Goyette @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idols Do Michael Jackson

This week the Australian Idol contestants tackled the music of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. He might have gone a little wacko over the years, but it’s impossible to deny the genius of his musical output. Our Idols showed they were up to the challenge with some exceptional performances.Even guest judge Jermaine Jackson thought so!

Teale Jakubenko kicked things off with a sultry version of “Billie Jean.” It took me a little while to warm to this as it was a carbon copy of the rendition American Idol winner David Cook did earlier this year. But by the end he had me. Teale’s voice is getting better and better, and he brought an emotional intensity that really tapped into the lyric.

Next up we had self-confessed Jacko fan Mark Spano with a song he felt reflected his personality rather than his ability: “Bad.” The problem with this song is that the verses tend to operate on one level. The choruses really kicked, but by the time they came in most people had already changed channel or started a conversation.

Chrislyn Hamilton was ambitious, taking on the monster hit “Thriller.” It was always going to be a big ask, and she just didn’t have what it took to carry this off. There wasn’t quite enough energy, and combined with some pitch problems a great song became a little lacklustre.

Luke Dickens followed with a very smart choice: a bluesy cover of “The Way You Make Me Feel.” When I saw he’d picked this pop classic I was really nervous, but his rootsy makeover was right in the pocket. He took a risk here but it definitely paid off. For a man who was a sheep shearer a few months ago, his musical instincts astound me.

Wes Carr closed the night with a showstopping version of “Black or White.” This is what a Michael Jackson song should be: pure unadulterated fun. He held nothing back here and I reveled in it. I actually gave him a standing ovation in my lounge room. There are not enough superlatives to describe how good this was.

We’re really getting to the pointy end of the competition, and I’m a little worried Mark Spano won’t be around to see it. Chrislyn didn’t have her finest performance either, but as the only girl left she might be given another chance. All will be revealed tomorrow night on the verdict show!

Image source: Tipoyock @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Live and Local @ Lizotte’s, Kincumber – 29 October 2008

Last night I headed to Lizotte’s to catch their Live and Local music showcase. These nights are a wonderful initiative designed to encourage music fans to get out midweek and discover some wonderful new talent. We were lured there by former Australian Idol contestant Ben McKenzie’s slot on the bill, and were delighted to find he wasn’t the only artist worth seeing.

Joe Kalou was first up with a set of originals peppered with a few crowd-pleasing covers. This was music at its most basic, and its most pure. An acoustic guitar, some cleverly crafted lyrics, and a sweet voice is all you really need to captivate an audience. His flawless good looks don’t hurt either! Joe had the audience in the palm of his hand, and when he broke into his own renditions of Ben Harper’s “Steal My Kisses” and Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” we were all happy to sing along.

Hayden French followed with his unique blend of pop, soul, and blues. As I listen back to his recordings on his MySpace I remember just how good his music is, but for some reason his performance didn’t draw me in. Technically Hayden and his band were beyond reproach, but right now they seemed to be missing that X factor. Still, with songs this good it’s only a matter of time before it all clicks. Maybe I’d have been a little more receptive if I wasn’t so tired!

Mark Cashin and The Lil Hussy’s woke me up with their explosive rock numbers. These guys were a real surprise package. They took the stage looking like they’d just stepped off a pirate ship, but delivered surprisingly rich acoustic rock numbers in the vein of Fuel or Stone Temple Pilots. Mark Cashin is a charismatic frontman, and his supporting musicians are all top notch. All the right elements were there, and I was sorry to see their set end.

Ben McKenzie closed the show with a set that can only be described as sublime. Ben first captivated me on the last season of Australian Idol. He’s clearly left the show behind him though, relishing the opportunity to perform his originals. He still dabbles in cover versions, but they’re more obscure choices than the judges would ever approve of. Songs by George, Angus & Julia Stone, and Brooke Fraser seem right at home next to Ben’s own lush compositions. He becomes one with the piano, and it’s impossible to look away. Again, Ben’s set was over far too soon.

With bellies full of delicious Lizotte’s food and our heads full of such amazing music, my husband and I left determined to visit another Live and Local showcase. What a wonderful way to break up your working week! Click here to see who’s playing at the next one!

I know we aren’t all lucky enough to live close to Lizotte’s, so here’s a video of one of Ben’s original songs for all those fans out there!

Image source: Stephen Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idols Do Rolling Stones

This week our Australian Idols took on songs from British rock gods The Rolling Stones. We knew the tunes would be killer, but could our talent show hopefuls rise to the challenge? Read on to find out!

Wes Carr opened the show with a blistering performance of “Jumpin Jack Flash.” It was flawless, from the raspy rock vocals to the Mick Jagger strut. He is such a consistent performer, yet he’s never plateaued. What a great way to start the show!

Roshani Priddis was up next with “Wild Horses.” The comments from the judges weren’t exactly glowing, but I was mesmerised. There’s a sincerity and a vulnerability about Roshani that just draws you in. I loved this simple arrangement and her emotive, yet restrained, delivery. The chorus could have done with a little more desperate emotion in fitting with the lyrics, but I still really enjoyed this.

Luke Dickens was right in the pocket with his take on “Honky Tonk Women.” This bluesy Stones classic was the perfect choice for Luke’s rough and ready voice. He’s performing more confidently week after week, and it’s a joy to see this rough diamond developing. Guys like Luke are what Australian Idol is all about.

This week Teale Jakubenko was back to his best with “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” He stripped it bare and this really allowed his vocal skills and musical talent to shine through. I’m a sucker for a good guitar boy, so this was right up my alley.

I was a bit nervous when Chrislyn Hamilton admitted that she didn’t know much about the Rolling Stones, but I didn’t need to be. Chrislyn shines when she inhabits a sassy space, so “Get Off My Cloud” was the perfect choice. I remember seasons past where people tripped up over the themes they were unfamiliar with, but this current crop handle it like pros!

It might be the high of just watching it, but I think Mark Spano’s version of “Angie” could be the performance of the season. I was excited about seeing him play the acoustic guitar. I was excited about seeing him sing my favourite Stones song of all time. And it all came together with such raw masculine intensity. Brilliant stuff!

What a fantastic show! It only gets harder to pick the bottom three, let alone the person who’s going to go! I usually put forward my thoughts, but I just don’t know! What do you think?

Image source: SpreePIX Berlin @ Flickr