Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Eleanor Dunlop Gets me “Rollin’ On”

I love the Christmas holiday break, but I hate the things that I miss while everything shuts down. I’ve resorted to asking my husband random questions to make up for the lack of pub trivia in our lives, and I’ve had to take to the streets while I’m waiting for my Tuesday RollerFit classes to resume. My bruised and battered knees are not impressed with the change, and I’m yet to find an area large enough for me to practice my tricks, but it will have to do.

One advantage that street skating does have is that I can program my own playlist. One that’s definitely made the cut is “Rollin’ On” by Sydney songstress Eleanor Dunlop. While I’m sure she didn’t write the song with roller skating in mind, it’s working for me!

“Rollin’ On is about not wanting a good thing to end. Similar to when you’re at a party or out with someone really great and you don’t ever want that moment to end,” Eleanor explained. “When I was writing it I was in need of some motivation and this song was a kind of kick up the butt for me. Dancing and moving helps motivate me so I was half writing half dancing – it got the song-writing ball rolling again for me.”

This is our first taste of Eleanor’s sophomore EP, which will be released sometime next year. It’s much rockier and more danceable than the piano-driven numbers we used to hear from her. What do you think of the change?

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bec Laughton Says Goodbye to Australia

With killer tunes like “Heartbreak (Number One)” in her repertoire and Grammy Award winner Michael League (Snarky Puppy) in her corner, it was probably just a matter of time before we lost Brisbane girl Bec Laughton to the bright lights of the United States. Bec has offers on the table from producers in New York and Los Angeles, so she’s packing up her stuff and relocating to pursue R & B on the big stage.

Before she does though, Bec will say au revoir with a national tour all around the country. There’s no telling when she’ll be back, so make sure you don’t miss these farewell gigs.

29 January 2015 – Hugs & Kisses, Melbourne
31 January 2015 – The Motor Room, Brisbane
6 February 2015 – Price of Wales, Bunbury
7 February 2015 – Settlers Tavern, Margaret River
8 February 2015 – Four5Nine, Perth
12 February 2015 – Brighton Up, Sydney

Image used with permission from Mucho Bravado

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sheppard Make me “Smile” with New Single Release

Sheppard has made us all smile this year, so it’s only fitting that their final single release of 2014 is called “Smile.” It’s a summery, frothy, poppy little number that should warm even the hardest heart. Its simple romantic lyrics aren’t going to set the world on fire, but the song’s so endearing that you’d have to be a real misery guts to hate it.

Does this song make you smile?

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Horns Release Sizzling Single “Play with Fire”

The Horns don’t have the brassy sound I expected given their name, but the Melbourne dup have really impressed me with their debut single “Play with Fire.”

All the right elements are there: beautiful harmonies, a singalong chorus, and inventive layered instrumentation. It’s a really great track. No wonder they drew a big crowd to the Railway Hotel for the recent launch!

Hopefully we’ll hear more from this talented act really soon!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Merry Christmas One and All!

It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas! I hope you all have an amazing day filled with fun, family, food, and other festive goodness. To set the mood I figured I’d share with you Gurrumul and Delta Goodrem’s twist on “Silent Night.”

I really love this. I thought their voices blended so beautifully when they recorded “Bayini” together in 2013, and it’s wonderful to hear that magic breathing new life into the Christmas classic.

You can find the track on this year’s Myer Spirit of Christmas or the So Fresh Songs for Christmas album. It’s worth buying a copy of both, as the Myer release raises money for the Salvos while So Fresh is helping out the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Melbourne Folk Club Unveils Amazing Summer Program

I consider myself to have such eclectic musical taste that picking a favourite genre seems akin to choosing a favourite child. However, if I was pushed, gun to my head, I think folk would win out. I’m certainly looking at the summer line-up at the Melbourne Folk Club with some serious envy.

If you are a bit closer to the Bella Union, which hosts the club every Wednesday night, you can catch some of Australia and the world’s finest folk acts over the coming months. I’m talking about Jeff Lang, Shane Howard, Kim Richey, David Francey, Jordie Lane, and heaps more. We’re sure to see many magical moments like this performance of “Open Book” from our own Melody Pool recorded in August.

If that’s inspired you, browse the program and see some mid-week folk!

7 January 2015 – John Smith (UK) & Caitlin Harnett
8 January 2015 – The East Pointers (CAN) & Tolka (Unplugged Show)
14 January 2015 – David Francey (CAN), James Kenyon & Lucy Wise
21 January 2015 – Oh Pep! & Open Swimmer
28 January 2015 – Darren Hanlon, Laura Jean & Single Twin
4 February 2015 – Jeff Lang, Emma Swift & Matt Langley
11 February 2015 – The Mae Trio & The Once (CAN)
18 February 2015 – Machine Translations & Broads
25 February 2015 – Shane Howard (Album Launch) & Skyscraper Stan
4 March 2015 – Ruth Moody & Band (Canada), Scott Cook (Canada) & Nadia Reid (NZ)
11 March 2015 – Jordie Lane (In Conversation + Concert)
18 March 2015 – Breabach (Scotland) & Stray Hens
25 March 2015 – All Our Exes Live in Texas & Kim Richey (US)

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Husband Unleashes Awesome Second Single “The Money”

Perth singer-songwriter Husband has released the title track from his debut album The Money and it’s a cracker. It’s got such wonderful dark, brooding lyrics but a great melody that really soars for balance.

“’The Money’ expresses my frustration about how money and happiness are so closely linked for so many people,” Husband explained. “One night I found myself walking through Perth’s financial district. It felt so dead … its sole purpose is to make money 9-5. The emptiness I felt inspired this song.”

Husband’s debut album The Money will hit stores on January 23. He’ll play the following shows in his home state to support its release.

23 January 2015 – Mojos Bar, Fremantle
30 January 2015 – The Prince of Wales Hotel, Bunbury (FREE)
28 February & 1 March 2015 – Nannup Music Festival, Nannup

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

4 Festive Tips for Enjoying Melbourne’s Carols by Candlelight

Christmas is rapidly approaching, but before we break out the roast it’s time to usher in the festive season with Carols by Candlelight, which is celebrating its 76th year. If you want to experience it live, these four festive tips will help you make the most of the event.

1. Get Your Tickets ASAP

Great tickets are still available but the selection is becoming limited, especially if you want to sit in the stalls. They’re not cheap at $180 for adults and $90 for concession holders, but knowing the money’s supporting blind and low vision kids should make it easier to part with your cash.

Lawn tickets are the most budget-friendly, especially for families. Adults cost $70, concessions are $40, and two adults and two kids can enjoy the show for $180. Arrive early though, as these tickets are unreserved. Gates open at 4:30, but many keen carollers camp out all day to claim the best piece of grass.

Carols tickets are available from Ticketmaster outlets and online.

2. Book an Innercity Hotel

It’s just not worth driving from the suburbs in to the Bowl. Traffic is usually bumper to bumper, and when you get there the parking on Linlithgow Avenue and St Kilda Road is very limited. You could utilise the parking spaces at the back of the nearby Arts Centre, but that’ll cost you $25 for the night. And with a projected finish time of 11 pm, you’ll face a really late night if you’re driving home.

Instead it’s smarter to make a night of it and book one of the innercity Melbourne hotels. I love the historic Hotel Charsfield, which boasts old-world perks like snooker and reading rooms. Catch the number 3, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67 or 72 tram from just outside its doors and get off at either stop 16 or 17. Both are just three minutes’ walk from the Bowl’s main gates. Then you can indulge in some Melbourne sightseeing the next day!

3. Bring Your Camera

Carols by Candlelight is always a star-studded affair and this year’s will be no different with David Campbell, Harrison Craig, Anthony Callea, Kate Ceberano and heaps more on the bill. If you’ve splurged on stall seats, make sure you bring your camera to catch performance snaps. If you arrive early you might also meet one of the stars arriving before the show, and your friends will never believe you if you don’t have the photographic evidence!

4. Brush Up On Your Carols

There’s nothing worse than catching your mug on TV as you stare blankly through those lesser known verses of “Oh Come All Ye Faithful.” Songbooks will be distributed on the night of, but these become increasingly difficult to read as the evening wears on. Start brushing up on the classics now and you’ll be in fine voice on the big day.

The 76th Carols by Candlelight hits the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on December 24. If you can’t make it to Melbourne you can catch the broadcast on Channel Nine. This post was written as part of the #HipmunkCityLove project. What do you love about the carols?

Image source: DocklandsTony @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Vanns Announce Plenty of Free Gigs to “Support Scattered by Sundown” EP

The Vanns haven’t long wrapped up a national tour, but they’re wasting no time in getting back out there. The Kiama boys are preparing to hit the road in February to celebrate the upcoming release of their new EP Scattered by Sundown. It’s set to feature the awesome new single “Operator.”

Scattered by Sundown will get a digital release on February 13. It will also be available on CD from the band’s website with five bonus tracks from The Vanns’ archives, including “Guilty Love,” “Belmore Street,” and “How it Used to Be.”

The Vanns have spent 2014 touring with the likes of Sticky Fingers, The Griswolds, Jinja Safari, Dappled Cities and heaps more, so they’re bound to be in fine form at the following shows. And so many of them are free that it doesn’t even matter if Christmas has done a number on your finances!

5 February 2015 – Sandbar, Mildura (FREE)
6 February 2015 – Rocket Bar, Adelaide
7 February 2015 – Gordon Hotel, Portland (FREE)
8 February 2015 – Hotel Warnambool, Warnambool (FREE)
12 February 2015 – Front Bar @ Esplanade Hotel, St Kilda (FREE)
13 February 2015 – The Otis Room, Brunie (FREE)
14 February 2015 – Republic Bar, Hobart
26 February 2015 – Royal Oak Hotel, Lanceston
27 February 2015 – Saloon Bar, Traralgon (FREE)
28 February 2015 – Transit Bar, Canberra (FREE)
5 March 2015 – The Marlborough Hotel, Newtown (FREE)
6 March 2015 – Tattersalls Hotel, Penrith (FREE)
11 March 2015 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle (FREE)
12 March 2015 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay (FREE)
13 March 2015 – Lennox Hotel, Lennox (FREE)
14 March 2015 – Trainspotters, Brisbane
15 March 2015 – Broadbeach Tavern, Broadbeach (FREE)
20 March 2015 – Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

Image used with permission from 123 Agency

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Martin Bradstreet Switches Focus To Music with Alexei Martov

While the band may be based out of Montreal, blues/psych-rock outfit Alexei Martov is undeniably Australian thanks to the talents of frontman Martin Bradstreet. The gifted vocalist and guitarist (he also plays piano) is joined in the group by two brothers, Matthew and Jonah Dorfman, who hold things down as the band’s rhythm section.


They have been kicking around for several years with releases such as Scent of a Wolf and Way of the Crow, but it feels like they’re due for a breakthrough soon with the recent release of their self-titled EP. And there’s a good reason for that, beyond the fact that the music on the eight-track project is some of their best to date. Bradstreet seems to be focusing more on the band than he had in the past, something that’s become evident through digging into his history.

The Australian native’s background doesn’t only include playing music since his teenage years; it turns out the guy has been pretty involved in online poker too. Bradstreet claims that he took on the pseudonym for musical reasons, according to the band’s Facebook. But it turns out that he also frequently used it as his online poker handle, along with the name MagicNinja, since sometime in 2007.

Instead of playing the wildly popular Texas Hold’em—the poker variant that led to the game’s online boom in the early aughts—Bradstreet sticks to the somewhat-lesser-known Pot Limit Omaha. As it turns out, though, it’s apparently a lot like its much more popular cousin. As pointed out by Betfair Poker, “Pot Limit Omaha is structured exactly the same as Texas Hold’em–but players are dealt four cards instead of two.” And if you’re wondering just how he’s faired in playing the game, it looks pretty good for Bradstreet. Although he lost several hundred thousand playing under the MagicNinja name, he looks to be doing just fine as Alexei Martov (per his profile on HighStakesDB).

As for that aforementioned focus shifting solely to music, the proof is all on the web. According to the aforementioned HighStakesDB page, he hasn’t played online since the summer of 2013. Although, to be fair, it’s hard to say if he’s completely kicked poker to the curb. Chances are he’s introduced his bandmates to the game and the three are enjoying some Pot Limit Omaha in their downtime between shows and recording sessions.

You can listen to Alexei Martov’s new self-titled EP below and buy it on iTunes.