Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kings of Leon Announce Aussie Tour

After topping the charts yet again with the release of their latest album Come Around Sundown, Kings of Leon are coming to Australia to say thanks for the support.

Last time the lads were here the shows sold out in minutes. While the larger venues this time around should prevent that, if you want to get good seats I’d get your tickets when they go on sale on December 6.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 24: Musician Caleb Followill of the Kings of Leon performs on NBC's Today at Rockefeller Center on November 24, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)


6 March 2011 – QSAC Stadium, Brisbane
8 & 10 March 2011 – Acer Arena, Sydney
13 March 2011 – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
17 & 18 March 2011 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
21 March 2011 – NIB Stadium, Perth

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bluejuice, Philadelphia Grand Jury, and Purple Sneaker DJs are Sizzling

Bluejuice, Philadelphia Grand Jury, and Purple Sneaker DJs are joining forces for one almighty Aussie tour. The local lads will cruise up and down the east coast over the holiday period, and play just about everywhere imaginable on the Sizzling 2011 tour.

If your wallet is feeling a bit light in the lead up to Christmas don’t sweat it. Tickets for the shows cost just $28.60, which is real value considering all that talent.

Tickets for the following shows are on sale now from the venues.

28 December 2010 – Marlin Hotel, Ulladulla
29 December 2010 – Tathra Hotel, Tathra NSW
30 December 2010 – Entertainment Centre, Shoalhaven
2 January 2011 – The Recky, Pacific Palms
3 January 2011 – Yamba Bowling Club, Yamba
4 January 2011 – Ballina RSL, Ballina
5 January 2011 – Kings Beach Tavern, Caloundra
6 January 2011 – Coolongatta Hotel, Gold Coast
7 January 2011 – Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
8 January 2011 – Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Harbour
9 January 2011 – South West Rocks Country Club, South West Rocks
11 January 2011 – Panthers, Port Macquarie
12 January 2011 – Tillgerry RSL Sports Club, Tanilba Bay
13 January 2011 – Woodport Inn, Erina
14 January 2011 – Panthers, Newcastle
18 January 2011 – Inferno Nightclub, Traralgon
19 January 2011 – Torquay Hotel,Torquay
20 January 2011 – The Flying Horseman, Warrnambool
21 January 2011 – Eureka Hotel, Geelong
22 January 2011 – The Westernport Hotel, San Remo
23 January 2011 – The Capital, Wagga Wagga

Image used with permission from Heapsaflash

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Moons of Jupiter Play Step Inn

Gold Coast grunge rockers Moons of Jupiter take us back to a time when slogging it out in pubs and delivering solid live sets was the only way to make it in the business. In today’s climate of polished pop acts and studio auto-tuning, their back to basics approach is pretty refreshing.

“We were inspired by the likes of “Live At Abbey Road” and “The Basement Sessions”, two UK shows that showcase bands in an honest intimate setting – live in the studio,” the band explained.

If that commitment to live excellence and real music excites you, make sure you head to the Step Inn on December 3. The band will do their stuff at the iconic Queensland hot spot with The Gonzo Show, Something Whiskey, and The Swaying Buildings. With tickets costing just $10, it’s a really cheap way to have a good night out.

Image used with permission from IFA Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

James Blunt Heading Back to Australia

After visiting our shores on promotional duty recently, it was only a matter of time before James Blunt announced a proper tour. He’ll be here in May to spruik his brand new album Some Kind of Trouble.

I’m not sure what kind of trouble the sweet British singer would ever find himself in, but I guess we might find out when he wings his way around the country. He’ll make stops at some lovely intimate venues in most capital cities.

Tickets for the following shows go on sale on December 3.

NAPA, CA - NOVEMBER 14: James Blunt performs as part of Aloft Hotels Presents Live in the Vineyard on November 14, 2010 in Napa, California. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images for Aloft Hotels)


14 May 2011 – Convention Centre, Brisbane
16 May 2011 – State Theatre, Sydney
18 May 2011 – Royal Theatre, Canberra
20 May 2011 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
21 May 2011 – Plenary Hall, Melbourne
23 May 2011 – Riverside Theatre, Perth

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Listen to MC Tuka’s “Tall Poppy”

Here are some cool hip hop grooves to brighten up your Thursday. MC Tuka has been sharing the stage with urban acts like Thundamentals, Rumpunch, and Sketch the Rhyme for the last few years, but with the recent release of his debut album Will Rap for Tuka he’s stepping into the spotlight.

I love the way the cool brass works with MC Tuka’s clever lyrics on this track “Tall Poppy.” This is so interesting and different to anything I’ve heard lately, and the good news is that there’s more where that came from. MC Tuka loves to play with genres, and the tunes on his album have obvious jazz, dub, and gypsy influences.

But MC Tuka is more than just a talented rapper. When he’s not working on his music he teaches hip hop to disadvantaged youth through the NSW TAFE Outreach Program. The classes help to improve the literacy skills of these kids who need the extra help.

What a nice guy!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Delta Riggs Back Home for Aussie Single Shows

The Delta Riggs have been far from idle since releasing their self titled EP in March.

The lads packed their bags and traveled to the United Kingdom to begin work on their debut album, which should hit stores in the middle of next year. While they were visiting the Old Dart the band worked with Martin “Youth” Glover of Killing Joke and BBC Radio’s Daniel Carter.

With some new songs under their belt, The Delta Riggs are back home to play some other big shows around the country. These include The Big Day Out on the Gold Coast, Peats Ridge Festival on the Central Coast, Brisbane’s New Years Eve celebrations at Southbank, the Rock ‘n’ Race show with The Gunners at Sydney’s V8 Supercars, and the Oxford Arts Factory’s Christmas party.

Before all that gigging they’ll also head back into the studio, this time with ARIA award winning producer Scott Horscroft. Considering his work with Birds of Tokyo, Little Red, The Presets, and Silverchair, he’s sure to bring something special to The Delta Riggs’ new single “Pretty Wasting.” The track will be available as a free download ahead of the run of summer shows, so keep an eye on the band’s website for that!

And if you want to see The Delta Riggs in the flesh, make sure you get to one of the following shows.

4 December 2010 – V8 Supercars @ ANZ Stadium, Sydney
10 December 2010 – Hard Rock Café, Surfers Paradise
12 December 2010 – Birdee Num Num, Brisbane
17 December 2010 – Oxford Arts Factory Christmas Party, Sydney
29 December 2010 – Peats Ridge Festival, Glenworth Valley
31 December 2010 – Southbank, Brisbane
23 January 2011 – Big Day Out, Gold Coast Parklands

Image used with permission from Andy Kent & Associates

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Doves Do Greatest Hits Down Under

That old saying that time flies when you’re having fun seems to hold true for Doves. It’s hard to believe that this British band burst onto the scene 12 years ago.

They’ll remind us of just what they’ve achieved when they bring their The Best of the Doves tour to Oz next February. The run of dates, which includes an appearance at the Playground Weekender Festival, is timed to coincide with the release of The Places Between: The Best of Doves. Personally I’m not sure whether four studio albums is really enough to draw from when compiling a greatest hits record, but that seems to be the way bands do things these days.

At any rate, these shows should be something pretty special with hit singles and band favourites all making their way into the sets. Tickets for the shows go on sale next Monday, November 29.

15 February 2011 – Hi-Fi Bar, Brisbane
17 February 2011 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
18 February 2011 – Playground Weekender Festival, Wisemans Ferry
19 February 2011 – The Forum, Melbourne
21 February 2011 – Metropolis, Fremantle

Image used with permission from Light Parade

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“If Only” – Juke Kartel

I know there are plenty of Juke Kartel fans around so I figured I’d show you their new music video for “If Only.” The clip takes us around their new base of California, from the streets of downtown Los Angeles to the arid beauty of the state’s deserts. This song was one of my favorite cuts from their album Levolution, and I think this gorgeous video definitely does it justice. Do you like it?

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Altiyan Childs Has The X Factor

Altiyan Childs has won the hearts of the nation, and the title of X Factor winner. After Andrew Lawson was ousted early on, it was down to Altiyan and Sally Chatfield.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 30: (L-R) The cast of 'The X Factor' Natalie Imbruglia, Ronan Keating, Kyle Sandilands and Guy Sebastian pose during a media call on July 30, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mike Flokis/Getty Images)


Honestly at that point I didn’t much care who won, although Altiyan was my sentimental favourite. Everyone loves an underdog, don’t they? Something tells me Sally’s going to enjoy a career without taking home the gong.

Log on to bandit.fm from 10 pm tonight if you’re itching to own Altiyan’s single “Somewhere in the World.” Personally I’m happy to wait until we’re saturated by it on radio.

Well done to Altiyan though, and to Ronan for seeing what most of us couldn’t in those early days of forgotten lyrics. I’m feeling pretty thrilled for both of them right now!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“New Techniques for Beginners and Champions” – A Family of Strangers

The world of side projects is a bit of a musical mixed bag; for every success there are many more dismal failures. Happily A Family of Strangers, the latest project for The Butterfly Effect front man Glenn Esmond, falls into the former category.

It’s too early to determine whether chart success will follow the band, but it should if their debut EP New Techniques for Beginners and Champions is any indication. This is a really strong collection of six tracks, songs that step away from The Butterfly Effect but not so far as to alienate the band’s strong fan base.

I find these tunes more accessible than those of the iconic Aussie hard rock outfit. There are some big gritty guitar chords and dark lyrics, but the focus on the melody helps the listener connect from the first spin.

Fans of The Butterfly Effect won’t be disappointed with rock anthems like “Don’t Forget (03.03.03)” and “Silly Love Songs,” but I find the tracks that are dramatically different from Glenn Esmond’s previous work a little more intriguing. “Here Without You” shows he is capable of producing a real radio-friendly ballad of love lost. A Family of Strangers exposes their soft underbelly again with “The Velvet Divorce (Follow).” But my favourite track is probably the closer “Farewell, Mr Hooper,” a wild rock sea shanty. It’s such a quirky tune, the kind of thing I imagine a crew of pillaging pirates might create if you handed them electric guitars.

It almost seems unfair to bands starting out to call New Techniques for Beginners and Champions a debut EP, because A Family of Strangers are so experienced and in control of their sound. They’re equally at home in the sunlight and the shadows, and they take us to both places in this recording. It’s a really accomplished first taste of a band I look forward to hearing a lot more from.