Sounds of Oz – Page 673 – Australian music news and reviews

Posted on 05/07/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Triky Releases Two Albums and Scores Slot in New York Comp

Sydney DJ Triky must be one of the hardest working folks in the dance industry. He’s just released not one, but two, new albums and scored a slot in a major US competition.

The first album, Electric, features 12 high-energy tunes with thumping bass lines. It picks up where Triky’s first studio releases Tweaked and Permanent Damage left off, but pushes the dance envelope that much further. Then there’s Filtered, which is described as “an exploration in BPM with tracks ranging from 140 to 150 BPM.” The experimental project takes Triky in an exciting new direction. Both albums are released through Triky Entertainment and distributed via MGM/Green Media Distribution.

On the back of these album releases Triky has earned a spot at New York’s M.E.A.N.Y. Fest. This competition, which is staged in iconic venues like Gramercy Theater and the Bowery Poetry Club, could net Triky time in a recording studio, a digital distribution deal, and much more.

We wish him all the best of luck in the comp!

Image used with permission from Azure PR

Posted on 05/07/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Ting Tings Postpone Aussie Tour, Pull Out Of Splendour

There’s bad news for local Ting Tings fans, with news the band will delay their Australian tour. The decision was made when the release of their sophomore album, Massage Kunst, was pushed back until later this year.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 02: The Ting Tings perform live on the Main Stage during the Wireless Festival in Hyde Park on July 2, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

I can understand the call from a business point of view but feel for the fans, particularly those who bought tickets to Splendour in the Grass expecting them to perform. The band along with another no show The Middle East, will be replaced with Art vs Science and Sally Seltmann.

While festival goers won’t get refunds anyone with tickets to The Ting Tings Melbourne and Sydney sideshows will. If you bought your tickets on a credit card, the money will be automatically refunded. If you did things the old fashioned way, return to your point of purchase with your photo ID for a cash refund.

Posted on 04/07/2010 by Lauren Katulka

U2 Tour Announcement Imminent, Industry Experts Say

Is your wallet feeling a bit lighter these days? With so many massive international acts announcing local tours, it’s little wonder. It seems we might be able to add another to our already crowded concert calendar. If you’re a U2 fan you may want to set a little cash aside, as the band has reportedly pencilled in Aussie shows.

The tour will reportedly be confirmed once Bono gets back on the road following his back surgery. Some insiders also say the shows will be held in stadiums in early December. However others suggest U2 may arrive in early 2011 as The Eagles and Bon Jovi tours will “suck a lot of money out of the market.”

At any rate, it seems U2 are coming, so you might want to get saving!

Posted on 03/07/201002/07/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Sarah McLeod Prepares to Release “Double R”

Sarah McLeod surprised us all last year with the release of her dance-pop single “Tell Your Story Walking.” Now she’s showing us more of her dance chops with the release of a brand new single “Double R.”

I was shown some of the remixes today and again, this isn’t at all what I expect from Sarah McLeod. She’s proving herself to be the mistress of reinvention. While I didn’t really warm to the song, I’ll try to reserve my judgement until I hear the single version. It’s just a little too electronic and processed for my tastes. In the mean time, I’m sure the kids in the club will lap up this Grand Theft remix. What do you think?

Double R (Grand Theft Remix Radio Edit) – Sarah McLeod by StephenGreen

The Double R EP is scheduled for release on July 21.

Image used with permission from Stephen Green Consulting

Posted on 02/07/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Philadelphia Grand Jury Tour the World

Philadelphia Grand Jury are set for world domination as they plan a massive four-continent tour.

The Sydney band have been based in London since April. They’ve set up a studio there, and are currently recording songs for a single to be released back home in October.

It seems their investment in the country is beginning to pay dividends though. Their 7” vinyl single “The Good News” was released to critical acclaim earlier this year, and they’re hoping to capitalize on the buzz with the release of “Going to the Casino (Tomorrow Night)” on 7″ limited black vinyl and digital download on August 23.

The single release will see Philadelphia Grand Jury slogging it out at gigs across the United States, Australia, and South Africa, before they return to the UK for even more shows.

You can see this hardworking Sydney band at the following gigs!

8 July 2010 – Pianos, New York
9 July 2010 – The Rock Shop, New York
13 July 2010 – Silverlake Lounge, Los Angeles
17 July 2010 – FBi Show @ The Metro, Sydney
24 July 2010 – Beach Road Hotel, Sydney
29 July 2010 – The Espy, Melbourne (with Wolfmother)
1 August 2010 – Splendour In The Grass Festival, Woodfordia
5 August 2010 – The Cellar Door, Johannesburg
6 August 2010 – Oppikoppi Festival, Northam
7 August 2010 – 3Arts, Cape Town (with Billy Talent)
8 August 2010 – Oppikoppi Festival, Northam
16 August 2010 – Kasbah, Coventry
18 August 2010 – The Forum, Sheffield
19 August 2010 – King Tuts, Glasgow
20 August 2010 – Duke’s Corner, Dundee
21 August 2010 – Jager Room, Stornoway
22 August 2010 – Hootananny, Inverness
23 August 2010 – Stereo, York
25 August 2010 – Red Room, Nottingham
26 August 2010 – Moles, Bath
27 August 2010 – Wig & Pen, Truro
28 August 2010 – The Flapper, Birmingham
2 September 2010 – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells
3 September 2010 – Timepiece, Exeter
4 September 2010 – Unit, Southampton
8 September 2010 – Prince Albert, Brighton
9 September 2010 – Boiler Room, Guilford
10 September 2010 – Lexington, London
11 September 2010 – Derby, Vault
12 September 2010 – Academy 2, Newcastle
13 September 2010 – Sugarmill, Stoke
20 September 2010 – Start The Bus, Bristol
21 September 2010 – Academy 3, Leicester
23 September 2010 – Plugged In, Sunderland
24 September 2010 – Academy 2, Liverpool
25 September 2010 – Jericho Tavern, Oxford
29 September 2010 – Moles, Bath
30 September 2010 – The Cellars, Portsmouth
1 October 2010 – Night & Day, Manchester
2 October 2010 – Empire, Middlesborough
3 October 2010 – Plug, Sheffield
7 October 2010 – Cockpit, Leeds

Image used with permission from Riothouse

Posted on 01/07/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Guy Sebastian Plays American Shows to Support US Album Release

Guy Sebastian’s awesome fifth album Like It Like That has finally scored a US release. The album is available exclusively in Barnes & Noble stores through their Red label.

The record has a few things that should help to endear it to US fans. There’s David Ryan Harris twiddling the knobs, and John Mayer lending his guitar skills to three tracks. Not to mention the star power of Jordin Sparks on the duet “Art of Love.”

And then there’s Guy, who should win the Americans over with his charm and exceptional talent.

To help things along, Guy will play a string of shows along the West Coast next week. If you’re around these venues, make sure you drop in and catch Guy at the following shows.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 10: Singer Guy Sebastian performs during the Australian Commercial Radio Awards 2009 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre on October 10, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Sergio Dionisio/Getty Images)

7 July 2010 – Dougfir Lounge, Portland
8 July 2010 – House of Blues, San Diego
9 July 2010 – Club Nokia, Los Angeles
10 July 2010 – Regency Ballroom, San Francisco
11 July 2010 – Hotel Utah, San Francisco
12 July 2010 – Triple Door Musicquarium, Seattle
13 July 2010 – Hotel Café, Los Angeles

Posted on 01/07/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Simple Red Farewell Australia Again

I’m going to out myself as a bit of a dag now, but I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Simply Red. Their Life world tour was one of the first concerts that I ever attended; I went in as a casual fan and left absolutely loving them.

I was a bit sad to see them perform their Farewell tour last year, but thankfully they’re making another stop in Australia before they call it a day. Simply Red will play entertainment centres, theatres, and wineries around the country this October.

If you haven’t witnessed the power of Mick Hucknall’s voice in the flesh, or just how tight this band is live, make sure you snap up tickets when they go on sale on July 12.

NEW YORK - MARCH 17: Mick Hucknell of Simply Red performs at the Millennium Development Goals Awards Concert in the United Nations' General Assembly Hall on March 17, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images)

1 October 2010 – Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
2 October 2010 – Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter Valley
4 October 2010 – Centennial Vineyards, Bowral
6 October 2010 – Plenary Theatre, Melbourne
9 October 2010 – Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley
10 October 2010 – Leconfield Winery, Adelaide
12 October 2010 – Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney
14 October 2010 – Sandalford Estate, Swan Valley

Posted on 30/06/201030/06/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Casey Barnes

Often Australian Idol brings us bright new stars, who seem to fade from view almost as quickly as they appear. One artist determined not to be just a flash in the pan is Casey Barnes, who is carving out a credible career as a singer-songwriter. I caught up with Casey this morning to chat about his new EP Red Lion Motel, his experience on Australian Idol, and his surprising European club hit.

You’ve just released your new EP Red Lion Motel. What can you tell me about it?
It’s a five-track EP and I wanted to do something that was a little bit different. I’ve recorded a couple of albums in the past which have had more of that processed pop-rock vibe, and I wanted to release something a little bit raw and acoustic and real, so that’s what we came up with when we wrote this EP. But it’s all personal experiences, and each song’s a little bit different, but it’s come up really well.

What made you decide to take that back-to-basics approach on this one?
I think I just wanted it to go in a deliberate, different direction. I’d recorded a couple of albums previously and I was really happy with those, but a lot of my career has been spent playing solo, acoustic gigs. And I think I wanted to go back to acoustic, real rock, because there’s so much stuff out there that’s that processed sound. Anyone can be put in a studio and sound good. And I just wanted to do something that sounded like every instrument was recorded live, which it was, and that was just that real, acoustic sound. So that’s sort of why we decided to go in that direction.

Most Aussies probably know you from your time on Australian Idol last year. How do you feel about that experience looking back?
I think overall it was a great experience, and I got a lot out of it as a performer and especially the exposure from the show that it gives you. People obviously get to know who you are a lot more than when you’re slogging your guts out in pubs every week, trying to do it on your own. I think overall it was a positive experience. Some of it I didn’t really like. I would have liked to have been able to perform my own songs, because as you see every week you’re up there performing somebody else’s songs. And knowing that I’m a singer-songwriter and I’ve got my own material, it’d be great if there was an opportunity to play your own stuff out there. But I think overall it was definitely a worthwhile experience.

Continue reading “Q & A with Casey Barnes” →

Posted on 29/06/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Calling All Cars Announce “Hold, Hold, Fire” Album Launch Tour

After spending the past year as the opening act for rockers like AC/DC, Cog, and Grinspoon, Calling All Cars are stepping into the spotlight on their album launch tour.

The Melbourne boys will be promoting their recently released debut album Hold, Hold, Fire, which features the current single “Runaway.” They’ll make pit stops at all the capital cities and regional centres that have supported their career thus far.

Brisbane’s Numbers Radio and Perth’s Young Revelry will come along for the ride.

Tickets for the following shows are available from the venues.

3 September 2010 – Prince of Wales, Bunbury
4 September 2010 – The Rosemount Hotel, Perth
5 September 2010 – Hyper Festival, Perth
9 September 2010 – Wollongong University
10 September 2010 – The Annandale Hotel, Sydney
11 September 2010 – Blues, Funk ‘n’ Grooves, Pokolbin
15 September 2010 – The Loft, Warrnambool
16 September 2010 – Kay Street, Traralgon
17 September 2010 – Bluestone, Ballarat
18 September 2010 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
24 September 2010 – Never Land Bar, Coolangatta
25 September 2010 – X&Y Bar, Brisbane
26 September 2010 – The Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
29 September 2010 – Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga
30 September 2010 – The Roi Bar, Albury
1 October 2010 – Jive, Adelaide
2 October 2010 – The Sandbar, Mildura

Image used with permission from Shiny Entertainment

Posted on 29/06/2010 by Lauren Katulka

The Amity Affliction Make Impressive Chart Debut

Crowded House might have lost its number one possie to Eminem this week, but the ARIA charts weren’t all bad news for local acts. The Amity Affliction have made an impressive debut, with their sophomore album Youngbloods landing at number six.

It’s good news for the Queensland six-piece who are preparing to head out on a national tour to promote the release. If you’re hoping to see the lads, you’d better be quick. Shows in Adelaide and Melbourne have already sold out, and tickets for other shows are limited. With the band heading to the United Kingdom and the United States later this year, this might be the last time we see them for a while.

Catch them while you can at the following gigs.

2 July 2010 – Fowlers, Adelaide (Licensed All Ages) (SOLD OUT)
3 July 2010 – The Hi-Fi, Melbourne (Under 18s, Day Show)
3 July 2010 – The Hi-Fi, Melbourne (18+, Night Show) (SOLD OUT)
5 July 2010 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat (All Ages)
6 July 2010 – Kangaroo Flats Leisure Centre, Bendigo (All Ages)
8 July 2010 – Woden Basketball Stadium, Canberra (All Ages)
9 July 2010 – UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney (Licensed All Ages)
10 July 2010 – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane (18+)
11 July 2010 – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane (Under 18s)
17 July 2010 – Tank Arts Centre, Cairns (All Ages)
18 July 2010 – Townsville PCYC, Townsville (All Ages)
22 July 2010 – Oh Snap @ Black Betty’s, Perth (18+)
23 July 2010 – YMCA HQ, Perth (All Ages)
24 July 2010 – Prince of Wales, Bunbury (18+)
25 July 2010 – YMCA HQ, Perth (All Ages)

Image used with permission from Shiny Entertainment