Category: Live Performances

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The 2020 ARIA Awards Wrap-Up

Judging by the fairly dismal ratings, it seems many of you missed the 2020 ARIA Awards last night. These nights are rarely ratings bonanzas, but there’s always some gold amongst the broadcast. I was also fascinated to see how this year’s awards would function given the current global pandemic. Funnily enough, crosses to artists around the country and a virtual mosh pit felt more natural than that year outside the Opera House. I could have done without the international acts, but I suppose they added a bit of glamour to proceedings.

Tame Impala continued their winning run, taking home five awards including album of the year. Major props to Sampa the Great who no doubt raised her profile with three ARIA wins. On a personal note, I was thrilled to see Miiesha take home the best soul/R&B release for Nyaaringu, one of my favourite releases of the last year.

I think the ARIA awards are a great platform for helping the average Australian catch up with the local music scene. Performances from Lime Cordiale and Amy Shark were especially stellar. But there were two moments for me that really hit my heart. Watching Archie Roach taking his place in the ARIA Hall of Fame, hearing him sing “Took the Children Away” with Paul Kelly, Linda Bull, and other real talents was so moving. The final number, a tribute to Helen Reddy, brought Australia’s leading female artists together for her feminist anthem “I Am Woman.” Generations of strong Aussie female performers were represented, from Marcia Hines and Kate Ceberano to Tones & I and Montaigne. A video wall brought more famous voices into the chorus. This was packed, and as a woman I’ve got to admit I got a little misty by all that strong feminine energy.

If you missed the show, I encourage you to check out these performances if nothing else. And listen to those albums and songs celebrated this year. Here are all the winners:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
BEST MALE ARTIST: Archie Roach – Tell Me Why
BEST FEMALE ARTIST: Sampa The Great – The Return
BEST DANCE RELEASE: Dom Dolla – San Frandisco
BEST GROUP: Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST: Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You
BEST POP RELEASE: Amy Shark – Everybody Rise
BEST HIP HOP RELEASE: Sampa The Great – The Return
BEST SOUL/R&B RELEASE: Miiesha – Nyaaringu
BEST INDEPENDENT RELEASE: Sampa The Great – The Return
BEST ROCK ALBUM: Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
BEST ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM: Archie Roach – Tell Me Why
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM: Fanny Lumsden – Fallow
BEST HARD ROCK/HEAVY ALBUM: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Chunky Shrapnel
BEST BLUES & ROOTS ALBUM: The Teskey Brothers – Live At The Forum
BEST CHILDREN‘S ALBUM: Teeny Tiny Stevies – Thoughtful Songs for Little People
BEST COMEDY RELEASE: Anne Edmonds – What‘s Wrong With You?
BEST VIDEO: Guy Sebastian – Standing With You
BEST AUSTRALIAN LIVE ACT: Amy Shark – Amy Shark Regional Tour
SONG OF THE YEAR: 5 Seconds Of Summer – Teeth
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST: Harry Styles – Fine Line
BEST COVER ART: WASHINGTON – Batflowers
ENGINEER OF THE YEAR: Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM: Richard Tognetti & Erin Helyard – Beethoven & Mozart Violin Sonatas
BEST JAZZ ALBUM: Paul Kelly & Paul Grabowsky – Please Leave Your Light On
BEST ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK OR MUSICAL THEATRE CAST ALBUM: Chelsea Cullen – I Am Woman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
BEST WORLD MUSIC ALBUM: Joseph Tawadros – Live at the Sydney Opera House

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Perth Brother Act Coterie Stuns With “Salvation”

Perth act Coterie speaks to the heart with their moving sophomore single “Salvation.” This band of brothers was raised on a musical diet of R’n’B mixtapes and Jimi Hendrix, but this song reminds me of Hozier or Rag’n’Bone Man with its bluesy gospel feel.

The music video for “Salvation” was filmed at Fremantle Prison, and it has just the right mix of darkness and hope.

Coterie might be relatively new on the scene, but these guys have the kind of chemistry that comes from jamming together your whole life. Discover why they might just be your new favourite band at one of their upcoming shows.

26 February 2020 – El Grotto, Perth
16 April 2020 – Waywards, Sydney
17 April 2020 – The Penny Black, Melbourne
19 April 2020 – Tattersalls Hotel, Goulburn
23 April 2020 – Waywards, Sydney
24 April 2020 – The Penny Black, Melbourne
26 April 2020 – North Gong Hotel, Wollongong
30 April 2020 – Waywards, Sydney
1 May 2020 – The Penny Black, Melbourne
7 May 2020 – Waywards, Sydney
8 May 2020 – The Penny Black, Melbourne
10 May 2020 – Beach Road Hotel, Sydney

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Alexander Biggs Scrubs Up for New Single Ahead of SXSW

Melbourne singer-songwriter Alexander Biggs has dropped a new single to celebrate his forthcoming shows at Austin’s prestigious South by Southwest festival. “Laundromat” delivers more of the mellow vibes and sweet, poetic lyrics we’ve come to expect from Alexander.

Listening to “Laundromat” is the perfect antidote to the stress of the working week, with all its hustle and bustle. The single version is on your favorite digital streaming services, but I thought I’d share this live version with you. Recorded at Paste Studio in New York City, this video gives you a little taste of what you can expect at Alexander’s shows.

Alex will warm up for his next U.S. dates with a single launch show for hometown fans at Common Rooms on February 21. Americans and expats can catch him in Austin from March 16 to 22.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Montaigne Off to Eurovision

We’ve had time for the glitter to settle on the news that Montaigne will head to Rotterdam in May to represent the nation in Eurovision with her song “Don’t Break Me.” It’s been a polarising decision, with many online comments I’ve read bemoaning the choice, insisting Casey Donovan or Vanessa Amorosi were worthier picks.

Of course, the very best art is often polarising. If everyone loves what you do, you’re probably not pushing the boundaries. I personally advocated for Montaigne years ago, when she first burst onto the scene, insisting her artistry and sense of theatre would be perfect for the big stage. However, when it came to watching the Australia Decides show, it was Casey Donovan and Didirri that stole my heart. However, that doesn’t mean I think Montaigne was the wrong choice. After all, Electric Fields was my favourite act in last year’s event, yet when it came time for the big show I felt Kate’s act was the strongest. It was the first time I could cheer wholeheartedly for my country rather than feeling someone else was doing Eurovision better. So I trust this process works.

Having said that, I would have liked to see more transparency in the voting process. When it comes to Eurovision, it’s all very clear. The top pick from the public gets the douze points, all the juries vote in a similar fashion, and we get our result. However, from where I sat, the numbers assigned to each act seemed arbitrary. Could the people’s choice, Casey, have ever represented us if the jury didn’t agree? I’m not sure, and I think that needs to be clarified.

When all is said and done though, I think it’s time to get behind our winner, even if it wasn’t our personal pick. I’ve listened to “Don’t Break Me” again this morning and it’s a fab song. With the full budget behind it, I think it’ll be spectacular. Montaigne might even win Eurovision for us.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Cloe Terare Goes Acoustic For “Easy” Release

All too often production takes centre stage when electronic acts release singles. So it’s refreshing to hear Brisbane’s Cloe Terare strip her music back for her new single “Easy.” This treatment puts her heartfelt lyrics and soulful voice up front. Releasing a treatment that’s so raw might have been a difficult choice for other artists, but Cloe said it felt completely natural.

“We [Cloe and fellow electronic act DVNA] wrote it on the side of a big lake in the most beautiful rain forest area so whenever I sing it I picture myself there. It’s been produced a few times a few different ways but we decided it really sounds its most genuine and organic as the acoustic it was originally written as; so that’s how we are releasing it,’ she explained.

In keeping with the single’s no-frills release, the music video is a live-take studio session featuring the guitar skills of the Sunshine Coast’s Dorah Jacson. It’s got a beautiful, organic authenticity about it that I really warm to. With plenty of other collaborations in the works, we should be hearing a lot more from Cloe Terare.

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ali Barter Covers Julia Michaels Ahead of Summer Gigs

Ali Barter has wowed music lovers with the tracks from her sophomore album Hello, I’m Doing My Best, but she’s also capable of releasing a stunning cover. She recently released her take on Julia Michaels’ “Issues,” and it’s really something special.

It’s a beautiful, delicate reworking that doesn’t stray so far from the original that it’ll alienate listeners. You’ll find it on Spotify, but I think there’s something magical about watching it take shape at Prime Recording in Nashville.

Ali is spending more and more time Stateside as her star rises. She’s got a couple of local gigs lined up next year before she returns to the US for South by Southwest.

3 January 2020 – Espy Gershwin Room, St Kilda
5 January 2020 – Summer Sundays, Ballarat
13-22 March 2020 – South by Southwest, Austin

Image used with permission from Inertia Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Vale Greedy Smith

Sometimes you get music news that knocks the wind out of your sails. Hearing that we’ve lost Andrew “Greedy” Smith is one of those pieces of information I wasn’t quite ready for.

For years he’s been the man keeping Mental as Anything’s legacy alive, the only original member still rocking. Still touring right up to the end. The band were due to start a string of shows in Victoria on Thursday. This wasn’t a guy who thought he was going anywhere.

Greedy passed away after suffering a heart attack on December 1. He was just 63 years old. He is survived by his son Harvey, fiancée Fiona Docker, brother Stuart, and a legion of Aussie music fans who will keep celebrating the music of The Mentals in his honour. Here’s a start.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The ARIA Awards Wrap

Pub trivia took precedence over the ARIA Awards last night so I’m only just catching up on all the goings on (thanks 9Now!). Honestly, I think it was one of the better award ceremonies. It was so exciting to see such a diverse range of talent honoured with the sharp pointy things. Guy Sebastian was such a superb host with the right mix of warmth and humour. I was thrilled to see him take out the Song of the Year title for “Choir.” What a top track that is.

I found myself getting unexpectedly emotional at Human Nature’s Hall of Fame induction. They were my boy band of choice in my teenage years, although I swore black and blue that they were a “vocal group” instead. I went to countless RSL gigs, shopping centre appearances, and the like. I lost track of them somewhere along the way, but watching them bust out those old hits before their induction took me right back. 30 years together is a massive achievement. Congratulations to them.

While Human Nature stirred my nostalgia, The Teskey Brothers delivered the performance of the night for me with “Rain.” I’ve long championed these guys and I can only hope the ARIA Awards puts them on the radar of people who might have been unaware of their talents. I was stoked to see them take home awards for best group and best blues and roots album for Run Home Slow.

I’m not going to run through every performance and accolade, because it’s so late on a Thursday that all that information has already been widely publicised. But it’d be remiss of me not to mention Tones and I. She’s smashed chart records and earned global fame this year, but four ARIA awards is such a fitting cherry on top. Hats off to her.

What did you think of the 2019 ARIAs? Who were you excited to see honoured and was there anyone you were disappointed to see missing out? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Angus Dawson Highlights Indigenous History With “Ngurra”

Angus Dawson taps into all he learned about our nation’s history after spending time in remote Indigenous communities in Western Australia with his introspective new single “Ngurra.” The word is used in many Indigenous languages and dialects, but always roughly translates to “home.”

“I realised during and after this trip that I had such a shallow education into Australia’s history and the culture that has existed here for 40 000+ years, making it the oldest culture on Earth,” he explained. “I felt pretty embarrassed about it. The silver lining for this experience though was that I got to witness first-hand the power of music as a universal language.”

Angus spent his time in WA working with Desert Feet, a music charity that helps communities often plagued by physical and mental health issues turn their lives around using music therapy. Practicing, recording, and performing music helps keep local language and culture alive for people in these remote areas of the country. Angus came to Desert Feet expecting to help others, but he didn’t realise how much he would also learn from the experience.

I love the official single version, currently available on Spotify and all your favourite streaming platforms, but I think the acoustic take in this video really brings those personal lyrics to the fore. Listen to them both and tell me which one you prefer!

Image used with permission from Exist. Recordings

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bobby Alu Puts Call Out for Ukulele Players

Winter might be coming, but Bobby Alu doesn’t care. He loves making summery tunes all year round, like his latest single “Finally.” He’s even celebrating this reggae-tinged track with a tour in the middle of winter. Well why the hell not?

If you can play ukulele, Bobby would love to have you as a special guest on his upcoming shows. He’s put the call out to ukulele soloists of any age of ability to open up these gigs.

“We want to share the stage with ukulele players around Australia. You don’t have to be an expert, you just have to feel the flow,” he said. If you can feel it, post a video of yourself playing your uke on Instagram and Facebook and tag @bobby_alu, your city, and #FinallyTour. You’ve got until the 18th of May to get your application in, so hop to it!

Even if you can’t play the ukulele, you can enjoy these shows. Check out Bobby on his Finally tour this June!

7-8 June 2019 – Palm Creek Folk Festival, Mount Surround
9 June 2019 – The Loft, Brisbane (Matinee – ALL AGES)
14 June 2019 – Wesley Anne, Melbourne
15 June 2019 – Grace Emily, Adelaide
16 June 2019 – Mojos Bar, Fremantle
28 June 2019 – Venue 505, Sydney
30 June 2019 – Festival of Voices, Apslawn

Image used with permission from GYRO PR