Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol Does Pink

I’m a little late with my Australian Idol recap this week. Blame the heady excitement, then crushing defeat of the NRL grand final. When you’ve waited 23 years for your team to taste victory, it takes a few beverages to ease the pain of loss. But I digress.

Last night was Pink night on Idol, which may very well be the lamest excuse for a theme ever. That’s particularly true when the colourful one herself is nowhere to be seen. I think there should be a rule that there can’t be a performer-centric Idol theme until that person or band has notched up at least 15 years in the biz. But again, I digress.

Before we were saturated with Pinkness it was time to send one Idol packing. With all the girls safe, we were left with an all-male bottom three. Those unlucky lads in for a nervous wait were Scott Newnham, James Johnston, and Tim Johnson. I really didn’t mind who left us, although I felt James had definitely done enough to stay. As it turned out, we said goodbye to Mr Bland, Tim Johnson. I’ll probably miss his generically handsome face, but that’s about all.

Nathan Brake lived up to his early promise with an incredible performance of “Just Like a Pill.” I love Nathan more than any other Idol, so I may be a little biased, but I thought this was brilliant. He stripped back the layers and allowed himself to be raw, vulnerable and beautiful. He seemed on the verge of tears through most of it, and that was compelling. I haven’t been wowed by Nathan in recent weeks, and that was making me nervous. This was just what I needed to hear from him.

After tonight’s stint in the bottom three, Scott Newnham needed to pull out something special. “So What” may have been the worst possible song choice for him. This is where experience comes in. The song isn’t dynamic enough to really showcase what he can do. It’s a lot of fun to belt out in the car, but that’s about all. The result was something that felt incredibly karaoke. I also didn’t see him connecting with the lyric, which was the only thing that could have saved it. Far too much joy, not enough venom.

Stan Walker reminded me a little of my Parramatta Eels this week. It was clear that something was wrong in the first section of the song. He could have so easily have fallen in a heap. But he picked himself up and kept going to create something that, in the end, he could be proud of. His performance of “Dear Mr President” wasn’t the best of the night because of its early flaws. But it was wonderful and moving nonetheless.

Continue reading “Australian Idol Does Pink” →
Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Chrissie Amphlett, Diesel, and Baby Animals Ready to Rock with Symphony

Chrissie Amphlett, Diesel, and the Baby Animals will join forces for the inaugural Australian Rock Symphony.

The Aussie rockers will play their hits in front of a rock band and a full thirty-piece orchestra. For the uninitiated, it might sound like an odd mix. But the big sound you get at one of these shows has to be experienced.

You can do just that at the following venues next year. Tickets for all shows go on sale on Monday, October 12.

Diesel21

22 January 2010 – The Palais Theatre, Melbourne
23 January 2010 – QPAC Theatre, Brisbane
25 January 2010 – State Theatre, Sydney
28 January 2010 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
30 January 2010 – Burswood Theatre, Perth

Image source: The Harbour Agency

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Leena

Singer-songwriter Leena seems to be impressing all the right people. Since releasing her EP Mean Old Clock, she’s scored support slots with Live frontman Ed Kowalcyzk, Paul Dempsey, and now Tim Finn. I recently caught up with this exciting new talent to chat about the EP, those tours, and her nomadic existence.

Your new EP Mean Old Clock is quite eclectic. Who are your own musical heroes?
Josh Homme, The Beatles, Nine Inch Nails, Bruce Springsteen and Crowded House. An eclectic bunch themselves. The things that draw them together are great melodies and good songs, that is what it’s all about for me.

You recorded this EP through sessions Josh Pyke, Joe Chiccarelli, and Mike Daly. How did working with so many different producers influence your sound?
I have a really particular taste in melodies and arrangement and chose the producers to fit that. I think rather than influencing my sound, they helped me to translate what I heard in my head into something tangible for people to hear and hopefully be moved by. Joe had a way of really getting inside the song and feeling what I had felt when I wrote it, then he translated it to the rest of the band. It was exciting and humbling to see how someone at that level works, just by feel, not by catering to radio or a label.

I recently saw you perform with Ed Kowalcyzk, and you’re currently touring with Paul Dempsey. What do you learn when touring with such massive artists?
I always remember to keep my eyes open when I do these kind of shows. As the opener, you are always feeling a little out of your comfort zone. When people like Paul and Ed go out of their way to make me feel welcome, it’s something you never forget.

On a musical level, when I was touring with Rufus Wainwright, he warmed up for two hours every night. It was a bit of a wake up call to me, that even people in his position have to work hard and practice to be the best they can for their audience.

How do you win over a crowd who’s there to see the headliner?
I try to create a real connection with the audience, to thank them for giving me a chance and play the best I can. I really enjoy the challenge and am always rewarded with fantastic crowds. I’m not one of those acts that play at the audience. Songs are intensely personal things that the audience needs to feel a part of. That sometimes means telling a story about the song or just looking people in the eye and being completely honest in the delivery.

Continue reading “Q & A with Leena” →
Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Eskimo Joe Live It Up in "Don't Let Me Down"

I am loving the video for Eskimo Joe’s latest single, “Don’t Let Me Down.” When I heard this song on Inshalla, I never imagined it’d get such a cheeky video! Kav Temperley has his hands full with a bevy of aspiring Mrs Robinsons. Although, he doesn’t seem anywhere near as shy as Dustin Hoffman’s Benjamin Braddock!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bliss n Eso Launch Clothing Line

Bliss n Eso are going the way of Justin Timberlake and Gwen Stefani and launching their own clothing label.

Flying Colours Clothing is more than just another collection of music merch. The band has collaborated with brand manager Tom Macdonald to create a line “intended to push the boundaries of how music, culture, and fashion collide.”

“Attention to detail and maintaining a high level of quality across all of BnE’s projects and releases is paramount to the group,” they said in a statement. “From the music we create right down to the quality of the BnE threads we rock, and our fans rock.”

The first full Flying Colours Clothing collection is scheduled to drop in winter 2010, with limited releases over summer 2009.

Image source: Bliss n Eso press kit

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Powderfinger Play Surprise Gigs Around Oz

Powderfinger surprised fans today with three shows all around the country. The gigs were announced just half an hour before they kicked off on Twitter.

It all started in Powderfinger’s hometown this morning, with 1400 fans turning up to see the band rock Post Office Square. Then it was off to Sydney to play Martin Place. Finally the band headed to Melbourne this afternoon.

The sets included several tracks from the band’s upcoming album Golden Rule, including the current single “All The Dreamers.”

Speaking in Sydney, Bernard Fanning told The Daily Telegraph things were going as planned.

“Two thirds of the way through it’s been fun – there’s been no major disasters, however the group struggled to hear each other play above the background noise,” Fanning said.

Bassist John Collins said the schedule was hectic, but “that’s the whole idea, to make it fun and full on.”

Full on indeed. It’s exciting to see a band using Twitter in such an innovative way!

Image source: Powderfinger Twitter

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Go-Betweens Get a Bridge

The Go-Betweens, one of the most influential bands to come out of Brisbane, have been honoured by their hometown. The Hale Street Link Bridge, which crosses the Brisbane River and links Milton with South Brisbane, will now be known as the Go-Betweens Bridge.

The name change came about by public vote, but it’s one that Lord Mayor Campbell Newman heartily endorses.

“The band produced music that just absolutely lives and breathes Brisbane,” Cr Newman said.

Founding band member Robert Forster says it is an unexpected honour. But he won’t commit just yet to a comeback concert when the bridge officially opens next July.

“It could be a little bit windy; it could be raining, you never can tell, anything can happen,” he said.

Sounds to me like a polite way of passing on that reunion show!

Photo credit: Barbara Murdter @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Delta Goodrem Does Christmas Concert

Delta Goodrem is celebrating the festive season with a very special Christmas concert at the Sydney Opera House on December 6.

“I’m thrilled to be able to perform at the Sydney Opera House and to my incredible fans during a time of celebration and togetherness,” she said in a statement.

Delta will perform a selection of her greatest hits and, of course, plenty of Christmas carols. Make sure your favourite Christmas song makes the set list by putting your vote in on Delta’s website.

Tickets start from $75. They go on sale through the Opera House website at 9 am tomorrow morning.

Image source: zeigh_x @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Script and Wes Carr @ The Enmore, Sydney – 26 September 2009

wescarr

On Saturday my husband and I headed into the city to catch The Script at Newtown’s Enmore Theatre. With reigning Australian Idol champ Wes Carr on supporting duties and a lovely intimate venue, this was one gig we were really looking forward to.

From the first moment the night didn’t disappoint. Clearly solid touring duties since winning the Idol crown haven’t taken their toll on Wes. He was every bit as energetic as I remembered, and he could sustain it for much longer than we saw on the Idol stage. This guy is a firecracker who knows how to rock. The set drew from his original material rather than his Idol covers, and it was all the richer for it. The Way The World Looks has spawned enough singles to keep the crowds happy, a good thing when you’re playing for a largely teenage audience.

They loved Wes, but they went nuts for The Script. I’m not sure I’ve seen anything like this since I followed Human Nature in the late ‘90s. There’s that same boy band hysteria surrounding them, even though their songs have more cred than a Backstreet Boys smash. The Script might be unashamedly pop, but the heart which underpins their songs separates them from the rest. Their debut album is one of those discs I’ve played to death this year.

Experiencing the songs in the live arena took them to the next level. The band had so much energy, and the crowd really responded to that. Or perhaps it was Danny O’Donoghue and his sexy black T-shirt whipping them into a frenzy. Either way, there was a lot of love in the room.

One of the great things about seeing a band promoting their debut album is that you know all the songs. It encourages the kind of sing-alongs we enjoyed in “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved.” I’ve never been a fan of “I’m Yours,” believing it to be a bit of romantic fluff, but stripping it back in the live arena with a lone acoustic guitar brought out its true beauty.

The Script closed the night with a cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes.” Danny sang it out, jumping around and waving an Irish flag with the word Sydney scribbled on it. The band thanked us so much for coming out and assured us that we were the best crowd of the tour. They probably say that every night, but it felt genuine. Clearly we left an impression on The Script, but it may not be as big as the one they left on us.

Image sources: own photo; Total Assault

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ace Frehley Ready to Rock Oz Solo

The KISS Army will be out in force when the band’s original lead guitarist, Ace Frehley, visits Australia for his first ever solo tour next month.

Ace will take his smoking guitar and vocals down the East Coast to support his new album Anomaly. The disc is set to become his most successful solo venture to date thanks to the big single “Outer Space.” The disc has been 10 years in the making, after Ace joined Kiss for a reunion tour, but he assures is it’s worth the wait.

“I don’t know why it’s taken so long,” Ace confessed. “I had to put the record on the back burner when I reunited with KISS. But I knew it would be important, so I kept listening to my old records to try to capture what the fans like.”

Tickets for the shows are on sale now through Red Ant Touring and Ticketek.

19 October 2009 – Palace, Melbourne
20 October 2009 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
21 October 2009 – The Tivoli, Brisbane

Photo credit: Tilly antoine @ Wikimedia Commons