Posted on by Lauren Katulka

My City Screams Tours “Surroundings”

When My City Screams released their debut EP Surroundings last month they assured us a tour wouldn’t be too far away. Now the post-hardcore act from Sydney’s Northern Beaches are making good on their promise with a small run of dates.

“We’ve been itching to showcase our new music and can’t wait to hit the road on our first ever tour! To say we’re psyched would be an understatement!” the band said in a statement.

My City Screams will kick the tour off in Melbourne this week before playing shows in Sydney, Wollongong, and Liverpool for Less than Strength, a non-profit initiative which helps young people dealing with depression and anxiety.

My City Screams have a reputation for energetic shows, and I imagine they’ll be especially pumped on their first tour. See why they’re generating such buzz at the following gigs.

7 June 2012 – Next, Melbourne
9 June 2012 – SFX, Sydney
16 June 2012 – The Lair, Sydney
17 June 2012 – Yours and Owls, Wollongong
26 June 2012 – Luck Oz Tavern, St Marys
7 July 2012 – Liverpool PCYC (LTS Benefit Show)
14 July 2012 – The Bald Faced Stag, Sydney

Image used with permission from RAWR Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bad Seed Hugo Race Tours Solo Debut

With his debut album No But It’s True in the can, Hugo Race is wasting no time bringing the songs to the people.

The debut solo album from the Bad Seeds founder will hit stores on June 10, mere days before the tour kicks off in Sydney. From there he’ll visit coastal towns, culminating in a final performance in Melbourne a few weeks later.

Fittingly Hugo Race will bring Leek & The War Wick Tragedy, the first band to join his new record label Rough Velvet Records, along for the ride. Make sure you arrive early to see a performance from this band Hugo has so much faith in.

15 June 2012 – Notes, Sydney
16 June 2012 – Yours and Owls, Wollongong
20 June 2012 – Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle (Free)
21 June 2012 – Port Macquarie Hotel, Port Macquarie (Free)
22 June 2012 – X & Y Bar, Brisbane
23 June 2012 – Bangalow Bowling Club, Bangalow
1 July 2012 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne

Image used with permission from RAWR Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Josh Ritter Releases Australian CD Bundle for Local Tour

Australian audiences will be treated to a special edition of Josh Ritter’s new album So Runs the World Away to coincide with his upcoming East Coast tour.

So Runs the World Away will be packaged with his new six-track EP Bringing in the Darlings for the tour edition, which hits stores on June 15. The EP features Josh’s dreamy new single “Love is Making Its Way Back Home.” I just love the music video, which was painstakingly created using more than 12, 000 individual pieces of paper. There are no special effects at work here people; just old fashioned animated genius!

The Idaho native is the son of two neuroscientists, but he decided an academic career wasn’t for him when he discovered the music of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. And so he forged his own career in the arts and became a celebrated musician and novelist.

He first toured Australia as Martha Wainwright’s support act in 2005. He gained a legion of fans on that journey, and many of them will no doubt return to see Josh play with fellow author-come-musician Simone Felice next month.

Tickets are on sale now through Love Police for the following shows.

5 July 2012 – The Old Museum, Brisbane
6 July 2012 – Notes, Sydney
8 July 2012 – The Basement, Sydney
11 July 2012 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Mrs Bishop Launch Dreamy Debut

England born Sweden raised brothers Mrs Bishop are now fully fledged Aussies preparing to unleash their first EP.

As you listen to their first single “Broken Wing” it’s not hard to believe these lads were once royal choristers at Windsor Castle. They’ve got such heavenly voices which come together in exquisite harmonies. The track’s very dreamlike, with a classical base and pop sensibilities.

If you’re digging how different these boys are, make sure you head out to show your support at the EP launch at Sydney’s GoodGod Small Club on June 9.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Children Collide Tour “Monument” Album

Children CollideChildren Collide are set to take their third album Monument to the masses next month.

This is an important tour for the band, as it’s their first with new drummer and good friend Mitch McGregor. It’s also a homecoming of sorts for Johnny Mackay, who recently relocated to New York City. Fans needn’t fear as Johnny promises he’ll return to Australia for other band engagements, but those tours may start to get a bit few and far between.

If you want to get in the live music mood make sure you check out the dynamic video for Children Collide’s new single “Cherries.” It was put together using fan photos captured on the band’s recent Sword to a Gunfight tour.

If that’s got you in the spirit make sure you snag some tickets for the following shows.

2 August 2012 – Prince of Wales Hotel, Bunbury
3 August 2012 – Amplifier Bar, Perth
8 August 2012 – Fowlers Live, Adelaide
10 August 2012 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
16 August 2012 – The Republic Bar, Hobart
17 August 2012 – The Standard, Sydney
22 August 2012 – Lismore University Bar, Lismore
23 August 2012 – The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba
24 August 2012 – The Zoo, Brisbane
26 August 2012 – The Hotel Great Northern, Byron Bay
29 August 2012 – The Stro (UNE Armidale Uni), Armidale
30 August 2012 – The Entrance Leagues Club, Bateau Bay
31 August 2012 – The Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor
1 September 2012 – Wollongong Uni Bar, Wollongong
2 September 2012 – Zierholz, Canberra
5 September 2012 – The Crow Bar, Wagga Wagga
6 September 2012 – The G (CSU Uni), Albury
7 September 2012 – Yahoo Bar, Shepparton
8 September 2012 – The Bended Elbow, Geelong

Image used with permission from Crucial Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ned Collette & Wirewalker Launch Album Number “2”

With Ned Collette and Wirewalker’s sophomore release 2 now sitting on record store shelves, the band is preparing to bring its tracks to the people.

This album and its launch tour have been a long time coming for this band’s Aussie fans. Ned Collette packed his bags for Berlin more than two years ago, a move that provided the inspiration for the release. The album’s key themes include distance and starting again, forgotten homes and shifting cities.

Recording an album with Ned in Berlin and his bandmate Joe Talia back in Melbourne can’t have been easy, but somehow the band managed to do so. In fact, they only reconnected near the end of the process to put the finishing touches on the release! Having Ned based in Germany has given the disc a real international flavour though. Special guest vocalists including Germany’s Mirjam Smejkal and Sasch Gersak and Gemma Ray from the United Kingdom all make appearances.

The vocals aren’t perfect, but I find myself drawn to the album’s seventh track “Happy Heart.” It’s not exactly an upbeat number as the title suggests, but there’s something so compelling about the way it moves along. Take a listen!

If you like what you hear make sure you head out and see Ned Collette and Wirewalker back on home soil at their launch shows next month.

14 June 2012 – Blackbear Lodge, Brisbane
15 June 2012 – FBi Social, Sydney
16 June 2012 – The Metro, Adelaide
21 June 2012 – The Front Gallery, Canberra (Ned Collette solo)
23 June 2012 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Remote Control Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Trouble with Templeton’s Bloody Good Music Video

The Trouble with Templeton’s always impressed me with his artistic music videos which are consistently the perfect match to his songs. But he’s taken things to another level with his latest clip for “Someday Soon.”

I’ll warn you up front, this video isn’t for the faint hearted or squeamish. There’s an awful lot of blood, so much that I had trouble stomaching it. But it’s the sort of clip we might expect from a big international act rather than an independent Aussie artist. It makes one hell of an impact.

Again the clip sees The Trouble with Templeton collaborating with his brother Josh Calder.

“We always come from a place where our sole aim is to do justice to the music, rather than trying to create something that looks ‘cool’,” Josh explained. “We always strive to create something that really reflects the songs mood, character and style. We’re both story tellers at heart and with each music video we try to up the ante.”

Is your mind blown?

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Temper Trap Top ARIA Charts

Keith Urban has vacated his top spot on the ARIA chart to make way for fellow Aussies, The Temper Trap. The Melbourne band has achieved the best result of their career with a number one debut for their new self-titled album.

Keith hasn’t fallen too far though. The Voice judge’s greatest hits album, The Story So Far, has dropped to number four. It’s also impressive to see country darlings The MyClymonts debuting at number seven with their newie, Two Worlds Collide.

Thank goodness for The Voice, because otherwise the singles top ten would strictly be an international affair. However Brittany Cairns showed she’s unlikely to go home this week, as her cover of “Different Worlds” is sitting at number seven. Judge Delta Goodrem’s infectiously catchy single “Sitting on Top of the World” holds steady at number ten.

Click below to see all this week’s top tens!
Continue reading “The Temper Trap Top ARIA Charts” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Zoe Keating Tours Australia

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

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Katie Noonan & Karin Schaupp Do Down Under Covers

Katie Noonan is something of a musical enigma. You never know quite what you’re going to get as she flits between bands, duos, and solo endeavours. Her latest project sees her joining forces with classical guitarist Karin Schaupp for a brand new album, dubbed Songs of the Southern Skies.

As the album’s title suggests, this disc is all about exploring the music close to their collective hearts. It features covers of tracks from some of Australia and New Zealand’s best. There’s everything from the Cold Chisel to Gotye to classical guitarist Richard Charlton represented. It’s also got an enviable guest list, with Iva Davies, Gurrumul, and Chris Cheney all making appearances.

“This project brings together my two main musical loves, classical and pop music,” Katie Noonan explained. “As an artist I love blurring the boundaries of genre and hearing musical worlds collide. This project is a wonderful opportunity for Karin and I to do exactly that!  Karin is a wonderful, virtuosic and sensitive player and combined with our fantastic arrangers and some of Australia’s leading composers, it is really great to hear these songs we know and love come to life in a new and exciting way!’

Songs of the Southern Skies hits music stores in August. Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp will play the following shows to support its release.

4 August 2012 – Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Townsville
13 September 2012 – Community Centre, Byron Bay
14 September 2012 –  Jetty Theatre, Coffs Harbour
15 September 2012 – Glasshouse Theatre, Port Macquarie
19 September 2012 – Capital Theatre, Bendigo
20 September 2012 – Wellers Restaurant, Kangaroo Ground
21 September 2012 – Recital Centre, Melbourne
22 September 2012 – Performing Arts Centre, Wangaratta
27 September 2012 – Entertainment Centre, Albany
28 September 2012 – Winthrop Hall, Perth
29 September 2012 – Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah
1 October 2012 – The White House, Adelaide Hills
5 October 2012 – Empire Church Theatre, Toowoomba
6 October 2012 – Starcourt Theatre, Lismore
11 October 2012 – Lizotte’s Restaurant, Newcastle
12 October 2012 – Laycock Street Theatre, Gosford
13 & 14 October 2012 – Street Theatre, Canberra
18 October 2012 – The Majestic Theatre, Pomona
19 October 2012 – Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane
26 October 2012 – Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong
27 October 2012 – City Recital Hall, Sydney

Image used with permission from AVM Publicity