Review by Wanda Hill Photos by Ant Ritz Photography/Rock Shots
Last night the Crossroads became Buddy Guy’s intimate lounge room for a few hours where the many
thousands gathered, were treated to a warm and humorous insight into the world
of this 86 year’s young, blues legend. He warned ‘if you don’t like Blues you’re
in the wrong fucking house, I’m going to play something so funky you can smell
it.’ He played many of his own songs and those of other legends he has
influenced, interspersed with cheeky stories. After playing Hoochie Coochie Man he observed how Hip
Hop has changed the musical landscape and ‘you can say whatever the fuck you
want now’ not holding back on any details with his lyrics and stories. Playing
with not just his well worn hands, but his sleeve, overall front, teeth and towards
the end walking right out into the the audience, letting kids play his guitar,
giving old and new fans the experience of a life time. As he promised at the
start of the show ‘I don’t get out here very often, so I’m going to give you
the best that I got.’
featuring Adam Duritz – Allison Russell – Buddy Guy – Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – Clarence Bekker – Eric Gales – Frank Turner – Jackson Browne – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Joe Bonamassa – 19-Twenty – Lisa Hunt – Marcus King – Nikki Hill – Vintage Trouble
Red Hot Summer Tour Gateway Lakes Wodonga Victoria April 1st, 2023
featuring: Paul Kelly, Bernard Fanning and Missy Higgins, Mark Seymour, Vika & Linda, Ian Moss and Troy Cassar-Daley
Attending a Red-Hot Summer Tour is like witnessing the perfect storm without the rain. Combine an incredible line-up, a great venue, and a schedule that runs like clockwork. Add in near-perfect weather; seriously, what else could a person want? On Saturday, the crowd flocked to the Gateway Lakes in Wodonga, Victoria, selling out the show weeks before. Listening to the crowd on the way in this is the staple music diet of many, often buying tickets months in advance, and there is little wonder why. This is one of the country’s best venues to see a live act. Unlike many other venues, the venue has easy driving and parking access without the headache of waiting hours to get out. The mood throughout the day was one of ease and calmness. Children were welcome, with many getting an early education into some of the country’s best music and artists.
Review by Wanda Hill Photos by Ant Ritz Photography/Rock Shots
Good
Friday in the fields of Tyagarah had all the feels. An emotional tribute show
to Archie Roach was a highlight. Bringing
together First Nations artists from around Australia and even Tibet to
celebrate this wonderful man who has been moving people to tears at many
Bluesfest’s over the years. You know a show is going to be good when festival
director Peter Noble comes out to watch it. So great to hear Uncle Archie’s
songs living on and well cared for by artists such as Shellie Morris, Tenzin
Choegyal, Radical Son and Deline Briscoe who brought us all to
our core with her heartfelt version of A
Child Was Born Here.
JIM KIRKPATRICK Dead Man Walking Released – 21st April 2023
Songwriter, vocalist and guitar slinger Jim Kirkpatrick announces the release date of his latest, eagerly awaited, 10-track solo album Dead Man Walking, which impressively showcases Jim’s multiple rock and blues talents and expands his variety and range into pastures and prairies new.
Dubbed “England’s equivalent to Joe Bonamassa” by Blues Matters, Jim has built up over a quarter-century’s experience in Blues and Rock and earned a tonne of respect from his fans, peers and critics alike. Not only is he a gifted songwriter (who’s written numerous nationally UK playlisted songs) but he’s also a deft-fingered, multi-skilled, guitarist who’s famed for possessing both Bonamassa-type energy and slide guitar and fingerstyle— worthy of the great Duane Allman — as well.
Review by Wanda Hill Photos by Ant Ritz Photography/Rock Shots
My favorite time of year is here again, where no bigger decision needs to be made other than – what band should I go see now? A fantasy life for five days where Bluesfest serves up an irresistible menu of musical treats. With a plethora of choices laid out before me, I just need to wander around and discover music, new and old to love. Lured in by hot organ sounds I found Southern Avenue at the Juke Joint, just in time for a wicked drum solo by Tikyra Jackson. This band has a big Memphis funk sound with vocalist Tierinii Jackson wielding a powerful voice that can do anything. A perfect initiation into what promises to be another soul shaking festival.
featuring Eric Gales – Nikki Hill – Kaleo – Paolo Nutini – St. Paul and The Broken Bones – Lucinda Williams – Dog Trumpet – LP – The Angels – Frank Sultana – Greensky Bluegrass
Eric Gales at Bluesfest Byron Bay – 6th April 2023
SUNK LOTO ANNOUNCE BETWEEN BIRTH AND DEATH 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
PLAYING BETWEEN BIRTH AND DEATH IN FULL THIS OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER
After a monumental rebirth in 2022, this year Australian metal icons Sunk Loto are celebrating the album that changed the game, with the quartet today announcing the 20th anniversary tour of their 2003 opus Between Birth and Death.
One of UK’s most successful modern rock bands YOU ME AT SIX are thrilled to announce they will be returning to Australia this July as part of their Truth Decay Tour with special guests Los Angeles-based trio, SET IT OFF.
The national tour will see YOU ME AT SIX play their first Australian headline tour in 5 years in support of their highly successful 8th studio album, Truth Decay.
4 x GRAMMY Award-winner, Emmy Award-winner, songwriter, rapper, flautist and singer Lizzo, will bring The Special Tour 2023 to Australia this July for a series of headline shows. Special guest on all shows is Tkay Maidza.
The tour commences at Perth’s RAC Arena on July 14, followed by Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne on July 17, concluding at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on July 23.
American Express Pre-sale runs from 11am on Friday March 24 until Tuesday March 28 at 11am. The Live Nation Pre-sale commences Tuesday March 28 at 12pm, concluding Wednesday March 29 at 10am.
General public tickets go on sale on Wednesday March 29, from 11am. All times are local.
Every once in a while, an artist changes not only music, but culture as well. Lizzo has done both, shifting the sound, soul, and spirit of popular music and culture with a series of definitive history-making smashes. Along the way, she has collected numerous awards, topped the Billboard Hot 100 at #1 twice, picked up over a dozen gold and platinum certifications, sold out tours, and appeared in blockbuster films.
Lizzo’s hugely adored second full-length offering Special is her biggest, boldest, and brightest revolution thus far: bursting with chunky disco-funk beats designed to make you move. Special‘s spirited, charismatic anthems are her most adventurous yet. The album saw Lizzo receive 4 nominations at the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards recently, with monumental lead single About Damn Time taking out the coveted title of Record Of The Year.
Hailed by Rolling Stone as “the most unabashedly joyous, sonically diverse, and emotionally profound album put out by a major label since Beyonce’s Lemonade,” Lizzo’s SPECIAL debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and #1 on the Pop Albums chart.
Lizzo first took over with her 2019 debut album, CUZ I LOVE YOU. It bowed at #4 on the Billboard Top 200, reached platinum status, graced countless critical year-end lists, and spawned “Tempo” [feat. Missy Elliott] (platinum), “Juice” (2x-platinum), “Good As Hell” (4x-platinum), and “Truth Hurts” (9x-platinum).
“Truth Hurts” raced to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and dominated the chart for seven weeks, making history as “the longest running #1 by a solo female rap artist ever.” Speaking to its impact, Rolling Stone even touted it among its coveted “500 Greatest Songs Of All Time.”
At the GRAMMY® Awards, “Truth Hurts” took home “Best Pop Solo Performance,”CUZ I LOVE (Deluxe) scored “Best Urban Contemporary Album,” and “Jerome” walked away with “Best Traditional R&B Performance.”
TIME Magazine and Entertainment Weekly crowned Lizzo “Entertainer of the Year” in 2019, and she adorned the covers of Rolling Stone, Billboard, Elle, British Vogue, and more as well as gracing Barack Obama’s Playlist. CBS Sunday Morning chronicled her career in a special. Turning heads, she notably lit up the American Music Awards, MTV VMA, BET Awards, and SNL with unforgettable performances. She maintained this momentum on 2021’s gold-certified “Rumors” [feat. Cardi B].
Expanding her imprint and influence across media, Lizzo lent her voice to the animated UglyDolls and accompanied Jennifer Lopez on the big screen in Hustlers. She joined forces with Amazon Prime to launch #1 Prime Reality TV show Watch Out For the Big Grrrls. Championing diversity, the show follows her search for new backup dancers, inviting 10 plus-sized talents to compete for a place on her world tour. She has also linked up with Fabletics for her own activewear line, Yitty, inclusive of plus-sized body types.
LIZZO
THE SPECIAL TOUR 2023
With special guest Tkay Maidza
RAC ARENA, PERTH FRIDAY JULY 14
ROD LAVER ARENA, MELBOURNE MONDAY JULY 17
QUDOS BANK ARENA, SYDNEY SUNDAY JULY 23
For complete tour, ticket and VIP Experience information, go to www.livenation.com.au
BAILEY ZIMMERMAN opened up the show with a three-song acoustic set that was markedly different from his powerful performance at CMC Rocks, with two of his band accompanying on guitars he trotted out a couple of his better known songs, which due to traffic I missed, and then gave us an impressive performance of Rock And A Hard Place which came across really well in this stripped-back format. He is a bit of a rough diamond in performance, but his association with the likes of HARDY and Morgan Wallen will not hurt his profile at all, and the more experience he gets of performing, the better he will get!
Melbourne’s THORNHILL aren’t merely dressing for sonic success; they’re dressed to kill, and they’ll be travelling in style this May and June for their Dressed To Kill Tour, set to visit 13 regional towns across Australia. Armed with their ARIA Award-nominated 2022 album Heroine, THORNHILL will also be joined by special guests YOUNG LIONS, INERTIA and TAPESTRY for this exciting run of shows.
