Bacardi Express @ Newcastle Panthers, 27 March 2010

Long time readers of my blog would have some idea of the music I embrace and the concerts I tend to frequent. None of these readers would expect to find me at a Bacardi Express show, yet when a couple of complimentary passes were thrown my way I figured “Why not broaden my horizons?”

I felt like a bit of a fish out of water as I queued with all the young things at Newcastle Panthers. I haven’t been into a nightclub for more than a decade, and I didn’t quite know what to expect. I certainly didn’t expect to have such a good time.

After DJ Sampology warmed up the crowds, the Cassette Kids took to the stage. After interviewing them earlier in the month I developed a soft spot for these talented young Aussies, and they didn’t let me down. Lead singer Katrina is such a compelling performer; I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She thanked the growing crowd for arriving early, and they responded to the big hits “Spin” and “Nothing on TV.” They might have been the first act on the bill, but for me they were the best.

I was also impressed with Miami Horror, although I admit I couldn’t place them until they performed “Sometimes.” I hadn’t heard any of their other material before, but their retro pop influences made the tunes feel familiar nonetheless. As a child of the 80s, I really enjoyed their synth driven sound and happily danced along with the growing throng.

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Watch Out for Wren

Combine heavy synth and moody indie beats and you’ve got Wren, one of the most exciting new acts to come out of Melbourne.

Songstress Tess Henderson evokes Angie Hart with her ethereal voice and vulnerability, something sorely lacking in the electro music landscape. Her angelic voice is a delicious contrast to the darker instrumentation of bandmates Tarko Sibbel on synths, James Tudball on drums, and Jules Pascoe on bass.

“Wren is about finding a musical balance between light and shade and exploring more challenging themes,” Tess explained in a statement. “I am so fortunate to have such phenomenal musicians/writers involved in this new project. I’m absolutely loving working with them.”

Melbournians can check out what Wren are all about when they support Jackson Jackson at The Evelyn on 23 April.

Image used with permission from Eileen Francisco

The Lazys Tour Oz This April

Central Coast rock outfit The Lazys are hitting the road to support their brand new single “Hey Mr Mr.” The track is just a taste of things to come, with the band’s debut album Prison Earth scheduled to hit stores this June.

If you’ve never seen The Lazys live, there’s no better time. The straight up rockers have built up a solid live reputation after support slots with Gyroscope, The Living End, and Grinspoon, not to mention appearances at the Come Together and Coaster festivals. See what all the fuss is about when The Lazys arrive in your town!

8 April 2010 – The Troubadour, Brisbane
9 April 2010 – Bon Amici Café, Toowoomba
10 April 2010 – Miami Tavern, Gold Coast
14 April 2010 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
16 April 2010 – Spectrum, Sydney
17 April 2010 – Pot Bellys Bar, Canberra
22 April 2010 – Rubys Lounge, Belgrave
23 April 2010 – Cherry Bar, Melbourne
24 April 2010 – The National Hotel, Geelong
6 May 2010 – The Oxford Hotel, Wollongong
8 May 2010 – Woodport Inn, Erina
12 May 2010 – Irish Murphies, Launceston
13 May 2010 – Spurs Saloon, Devonport
14 May 2010 – Magintys Bar, Burnie
15 May 2010 – The Brisbane Hotel (All ages in the afternoon, 18+ at night)

Image used with permission from AAA Entertainment

The Black Ryder Score International Releases and The Cult Support Slot

Things are on the up for moody psychedelic outfit The Black Ryder. The band has just inked deals which will see their debut album Buy The Ticket, Take the Ride released in Japan and the United States of America.

Rave reviews at home inspired Vinyl Junkie in Japan and Mexican Summer in the USA to take a chance on the Aussie duo. Of course, it’s not really much of a gamble. Aimee Nash and Scott Ryper earned international acclaim as part of The Morning After Girls, and the album features collaborations with Ricky Maymi of Brian Jonestown Massacre and Leah Shapiro and Peter Hayes of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Live shows from The Black Ryder are somewhat of a rarity, which makes their recent appointment as support act for the Cult’s Love Live national tour this May even more exciting. You can see the Black Ryder and The Cult at the following shows around the country.

5 May 2010 – The Tivoli, Brisbane
6 May 2010 – Big Top Luna Park, Sydney
8 May 2010 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne
10 May 2010 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
12 May 2010 – Metro Theatre, Perth

Image used with permission from Original Matters

Celebrate Record Store Day This April

As an old school music fan, I’m a big supporter of Record Store Day. There’s just something so satisfying about thumbing through the CDs and taking your tangible purchases to the counter that iTunes and the like could never hope to replicate.

Record Store Day celebrates that experience with appearances from some of the music industry’s heavy hitters. Last year we saw Jessica Mauboy, Short Stack, Wes Carr, and even Irishman Ronan Keating making old-fashioned instore appearances, and I’m expecting another big line-up this year.

To see who’s visiting your local record store on April 17 keep an eye on the Record Store Day website. There’s been no announcements made as yet, but if the first year was any indication this one’s going to be big!

Image source: Opethpainter @ Flickr

Yacht Club DJs Batten Down the Hatches

You might have caught Yacht Club DJs in the dance tents of festivals like Coaster, Meredith, Field Day, and Splendour in the Grass. Now that the weather is cooling the duo is setting out on their own Batten Down the Hatches tour.

The tour is something of an arrival for the band who are moving away from underground clubs and into some of the top music venues around the country. Brisbane duo DZ and promising young indie rockers Howl will join in the fun.

Apparently we can expect “on-stage nudity, crowd invasions, dancing on the decks, and wild water sports.” If that sounds like your kind of thing make sure you catch one of the following shows!

25 March 2010 – Transit Bar, Canberra
26 & SAT 27 March 2010  – Spectrum, Sydney
1 April 2010 – The National Hotel, Geelong
2 April 2010 – Prince of Wales, St Kilda
3 April 2010  – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
4 April 2010 – Jive, Adelaide
8 April 2010 – Never Land Bar, Coolangatta
9 April 2010  – Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
10 April 2010 – The Zoo, Brisbane

Image source: Yacht Club DJs MySpace

Crowded House Sign with Universal

Crowded House have a new home, with the band leaving long-time record company EMI for Universal Music. The first release under the new deal will be the album Intriguer, which should hit stores in the middle of the year.

Lead singer Neil Finn is apparently delighted with the move, commenting “I look forward to a long and productive relationship with Universal Music, who are obviously the music company setting the benchmark now. We’re delighted to be in the company of music-loving people who believe in us and are eager to spread the word.”

Local fans may get a sneak peek at some of the band’s new material when they play a couple of Australian and New Zealand dates in the next few weeks ahead of their European tour. The band will then head to the United States. Here are all those dates for my readers abroad!

28 March 2010 – West Coast Blues & Roots Festival, Fremantle
31 March 2010 – Enmore Theatre, Newtown
1 April 2010 – Bluesfest, Byron Bay
8 April 2010 – Town Hall, Auckland
18 May 2010 – Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle Upon Tyne
19 May 2010 – Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow
21 May 2010 – Usher Hall, Edinburgh
22 May 2010 – Music Hall, Aberdeen
24 & 25 May 2010 – Symphony Hall, Birmingham
26 & 27 May 2010 – Apollo Manchester, Manchester
29 May 2010 – Royal Theatre and Event Centre, Castlebar
30 & 31 May 2010 – Olympia Theatre, Dublin
2 June 2010 – Colston Hall, Bristol
3 June 2010 – Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth
4 June 2010 – Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff
6 June 2010 – New Theatre Oxford, Oxford
8 – 10 June 2010 – HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
12 June 2010 – Isle of Wight Festival, Newport
14 June 2010 – Train, Aarhus
16 June 2010 – Amager Bio, Copenhagen
18 June 2010 – Vorst Nationaal, Brussels
20 June 2010 – Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam
21 June 2010 – Essigfabrik, Cologne
24 June 2010 – Sala Razzmatazz, Barcelona
25 June 2010 – Sala Heineken, Madrid
26 July 2010 – Filene Center At Wolf Trap, Vienna (USA)

Image source: Alterna2 @ Flickr

Win Last Chance Tickets for This Week’s Bacardi Express Shows

The Bacardi Express is just about ready to board, and tickets are all sold out. But if you’re still keen to catch La Roux, Art vs Science, Yves Klein Blue, Miami Horror, Cassette Kids, and Sampology, listen up.

Last chance tickets will be given away on the day of the concert, but you’ll need to join the Bacardi Express Facebook page or listen to Nova to get your hands on them. And of course, as this is an adults only event, you’ll need to be over 18.

If you do manage to bag tickets, make sure you tune in to MTV during May. The music network will screen a fly-on-the-wall documentary about the massive tour, so you might just spot yourself in the crowd!

As a reminder, here are the Bacardi Express dates. If you’re still hoping to score tickets, good luck!

25 March 2010 – The Tivoli, Brisbane
26 March 2010 – Club Coffs, Coffs Harbour
27 March 2010 – Panthers, Newcastle (midday)
27 March 2010 – Big Top @ Luna Park, Sydney (7:30 pm)

Image used with permission from Peer Group Media

The Temper Trap Announce Another Aussie Tour

The Temper Trap clearly love being at home. Despite making waves overseas and playing Aussie shows just a couple of months ago, the local lads will return for a handful of dates this July.

The band will play relatively small venues in Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney. Catch them before they start hitting the entertainment centres; tickets for the following shows are available next Monday March 29.

22 July 2010 – Metro City, Perth
24 July 2010 – Festival Hall, Melbourne
27 July 2010 – Hordern Pavillion, Sydney

Image source: The Harbour Agency

Angus & Julia Stone Debut at Number One

Angus & Julia Stone have debuted at number one on the ARIA charts with their sophomore effort Down The Way. The local brother sister act was no match for last week’s number ones Gorillaz, now sitting at number three, or international touring sensation Lady Gaga, who occupies the number two spot.

It’s great to see Angus & Julia Stone outselling the rest of the pack considering the lack of local talent in the current ARIA charts.

Australia also has a new number one single, with Train moving up one position with “Hey, Soul Sister.” They may not be Aussies, but as a long time fan I’m thrilled to see these boys sitting at the top of our charts once again!

Click below to see the full ARIA top 10!
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