Live Review: Simple Plan @ Hordern Pavilion, Sydney with We The Kings, The Never Ever – 1 June 2012

Review by Sibel Kutlucan
Simple Plan are well loved on Australian shores and for the last decade they have been dominant in the punk-pop scene. Fans young and old were in for a night like no other on Friday June 1st, when thousands of Aussies packed Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion in support of the French-Canadian quintet. I entered the venue as a 20-something year old music lover who once shared quite a strong love for their earlier music, and found myself leaving as my 13 year old self, excited and jittery. The night was a hot-bed of excitement, slightly naughty one-liners and infectious beats.

A quick glance at the line-up and you knew you were in for a night worthy of your funds and time with Simple Plan, We The Kings and local sensation The Never Ever! Teenage girls were practically frothing at the mouth right there! The Never Ever were a pleasant surprise; catchy, dancey and all that jazz. They even looked the part with vibrant clothing and slightly bizarre moves. The audience thriving around energetically enjoying their ‘Paramore’/’Cute is what we aim for sound’.
Continue reading Live Review: Simple Plan @ Hordern Pavilion, Sydney with We The Kings, The Never Ever – 1 June 2012

Interview: Blu Avenue

Interview by Stuart Blythe
LMM: You’ve recently released your debut album “Sounds From The Escape”
Can you tell us about the song-writing and recording process?

Blu Avenue: We wanted Sounds from the Escape to try and be cohesive and yet have each song tell their own story. The songs themselves were all created at different times and we allowed each one time to evolve into what they became on the album. We gave them a taste of being played live as well as practicing them to get the songs to what they became. Honestly, some of them are still evolving even after recording them!

For us, as far as actually recording the songs, we wanted the sound of the album to emulate how we sound live as much as we could. We wanted the listener to hear our music and to see us live and be able to enjoy the music because it sounds like the album. So with that we set out to keep the sound as organic as possible. We really feel the album is a true representation of our live sound which is what we set out to do!
 
 
LMM: Your first single “Skydown” is getting rotation. For the uninitiated, how do you describe your sound

Blu Avenue: It is really hard for us to put a label on our sound. When you think of a certain genre tag you have an assumption of it will sound like. We love dynamics in our music and having the songs tell stories. For the new fans we normally say we are a progressive band but even then it’s hard for us to call it that! Our songs take different paths dependent on where each song takes us.
Continue reading Interview: Blu Avenue

Video: Fair To Midland – “Musical Chairs”


Founded in the quiet farm town of Sulphur Springs, Texas—”Where people still say ‘please’ and ‘thank you,'” as its chamber of commerce notes—Fair to Midland have become one of the most idiosyncratic musical forces in the Lone Star State.

** Click here to read our live review or Dead Letter Circus + Fair to Midland + Twelve Foot Ninja @ Ferntree Gully Hotel – 17 May 2012
Continue reading Video: Fair To Midland – “Musical Chairs”

Interview: Penny Hewson – Penny Hewson

Interview by Stuart Blythe
LMM: You’ve recently returned to Australia after 10 years in the USA.
How was the USA experience and what prompted your return to Australia?

Penny Hewson: I’d spent quite a bit of time traveling around the USA with my past bands prior to moving there, and although Los Angeles wasn’t necessarily at the top of my list of places I wanted to live I was able to create my own niche in amongst it all. I initially went over because I was offered a great job at the beginning of the dot-com boom to help musicians figure out how to navigate their way through the internet to connect with their fans and to empower bands to be a bit more DIY, etc. So it was a great opportunity for me to do something I was passionate about, one thing led to another, I made great friends, got into the buzz of life in a big city and all of a sudden a decade zoomed by. I was always going to be coming home to Australia, I just caught up in daily life over there and guess I was waiting for things to slow down. But LA never slows down! Ultimately I was really wanting to make this solo album but I just wasn’t in the right place to do it. I had to come home to Melbourne to find a certain “quietude” in order for it to happen.
 
 
LMM: You’re about to release your second solo album “It’s An Endless Desire”
How was the recording process and working with producer Phil Butson (Sea Stories)?
Continue reading Interview: Penny Hewson – Penny Hewson

RUSSIAN CIRCLES (US) & EAGLE TWIN (US): New Zealand/Australian Tour September/October

After unleashing their monumental sounds to packed houses across the country last year, experimental metal outfit RUSSIAN CIRCLES are back on our shores this September and are bringing Utah duo EAGLE TWIN along for the ride.

Hailing from the windy city of Chicago, RUSSIAN CIRCLES have been making their mark on the international underground since 2004. Starting with their self tiled, self released debut EP, Russian Circles have gone onto critical acclaim by recording numerous singles and split releases, not to mention three full length albums. Their latest offering “Empros” is their fourth and heaviest album to date. Australian audiences, prepare your ears for a serious load of fresh and heavy discordant metal.
Continue reading RUSSIAN CIRCLES (US) & EAGLE TWIN (US): New Zealand/Australian Tour September/October

Tour News: The Bamboos ‘Medicine Man’ Australian Tour | June-July 2012

On the eve of releasing their fifth and biggest album yet, The Bamboos announce a national tour in support of ‘Medicine Man.’ This is the first time The Bamboos have hit the road nationally since 2010 – and with an album this big under their belt, this tour is sure to see them reach a whole heap of new fans.

Crafted by bandleader Lance Ferguson alongside a who’s-who of International and Australian music icons like You Am I’s Tim Rogers, Washington, Mark Ronson collaborator Daniel Merriweather and Bamboos’ fave Kylie Auldist, ‘Medicine Man’ also enlists the help of US soul-man Aloe Blacc, Bobby Flynn and the band’s newest member, Ella Thompson. The current single ‘I Got Burned’ featuring Tim Rogers is one of the most played songs on radio at the moment – debuting at #19 on the Aria Australian Singles chart. It was recently debuted on Adam Hills in Gordon St Tonight programme on ABC TV, showing Rogers a deft hand at crooning rock n’ soul. View the performance here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMfSSFpT99I
Continue reading Tour News: The Bamboos ‘Medicine Man’ Australian Tour | June-July 2012

Event: The Slow Push “Misshapen Giants” Album Launch @ Beetle Bar, Brisbane – 8 June 2012

The Slow Push are launching their 2nd album “Misshapen Giants” at Beetle Bar, Brisbane on June 8th, 2012 with special guests Drawn from Bees and Dead Shades… details below.

Click here to read our interview with The Slow Push vocalist Chris Hetherington
 
Continue reading Event: The Slow Push “Misshapen Giants” Album Launch @ Beetle Bar, Brisbane – 8 June 2012

Interview: Chris Hetherington – The Slow Push

The Slow Push are launching their 2nd album “Misshapen Giants” at Beetle Bar, Brisbane on 8 June 2012 (Click here).

Lead man Chris Hetherington of The Slow Push takes time out with Life Music Media…

:: What track changed your life ::
Through Being Cool by Devo.

:: What is your favourite Album ::
It changes with the seasons. I’m currently into Wild Flag by Wild Flag.

:: Name a band or artist we should checkout ::
Tiger Beams.

:: Favourite Quote ::
“When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear.”– Mark Twain.
Continue reading Interview: Chris Hetherington – The Slow Push

Event News: Valley Vibes Festival – Brisbane 14 July 2012

The first of many Valley Vibes is to be held on July 14th at the Fortitude Valley PCYC, located in the cultural and musical hub of Brisbane. This exciting new music festival, organised by the students of Music Industry College, promises to be an utterly unique event, bringing something new to the Brisbane scene.

This drug and alcohol free event aims to create a musical environment like no other. With bands spanning the genres of pop, punk and even good ol’ Aussie Hip Hop, there is sure to be something for everyone. Valley Vibes is not only an enriching musical experience for anyone who attends, but gives Local bands, and even students the chance to gain familiarity with the music industry, playing alongside some of the most established artists In Australia.

With a massive line-up consisting of local and national bands; YesYou; Numbers Radio; The Winnie Coopers; Fushia; Steve Grady; Drake the Fake; Bixby Canyon; Double Lined Minority; Earth to Jim; Those Clever Foxes; Interim; and Slick Oddity, and more to be announced shortly.
Continue reading Event News: Valley Vibes Festival – Brisbane 14 July 2012

Tour News: Wednesday 13 Australian Tour – October 2012

Since the announcement of WEDNESDAY 13’s sold out Annandale show the band and promoter have been inundated with hundreds of e-mails from disappointed fans. To cope with the demand we can now announce that the Friday 26 October show will now move to the Manning Bar. All tickets remain valid and new tickets go on sale Friday 3 August, 9am.

WEDNESDAY 13 has firmly cemented himself as the undisputed leader in Horrorpunk.

With an unruly live show of fun and debauchery, WEDNESDAY 13 manages to always turn any live event into a macabre party; “Everyone leaves sweaty, smiley and enthused by what they just witnessed…they are everything that is right with rock music today” – caughtinthecrossfire.com

WEDNESDAY 13 will be bringing his gore-filled, ghoul-fest, sleazy live shows to Australia in October and will leave fans begging for more!
Continue reading Tour News: Wednesday 13 Australian Tour – October 2012

Tour News: Cancer Bats – Australian Tour – July 2012 ## TOUR POSTPONED ##

Soundwave Touring & Cancer bats are truly sad to announce the postponement of the band’s tour scheduled for early July.

The band have explained the need to postpone the dates and we love them for their honesty and their love for the fans as they have asked to ensure we reward their fans for their patience and understanding.

In good news we can confirm that the band will instead return for Soundwave 2013 which means they will now be performing in all 5 state capitals.

Furthermore, the fans who hold tickets for the July dates will be amply rewarded as those tickets will now be valid for the band’s 3 SideWaves in conjunction with Soundwave Festival. These shows will feature a rather gargantuan line-up, making Willie Wonka’s so called golden ticket look rather shabby!

Cancer Bats will be descending upon Australia for a blood spilling assault this July, so Australian fans be warned…’The Bats are back!

Their new album ‘Dead Set On Living’ sees them at their most ferocious; “It’s heavy, it’s catchy, it’s relentlessly brilliant and, above all else, it’s still quite unlike anything else you’re likely to hear this year”. – Metal Hammer. That’s not to say their earlier albums were anything but blistering collections of balls-out rock, because, as anyone who’s shared some blood, sweat, or beers at a Bats show will attest, that sure as hell isn’t the case.
Continue reading Tour News: Cancer Bats – Australian Tour – July 2012 ## TOUR POSTPONED ##

Live Album from THE TEA PARTY?

It seems that fans of Canadian rock act THE TEA PARTY can’t wait for some new material from the recently reformed trio.

With a catalogue consisting of eight releases in The Tea Party’s career so far (their last release was in 2004), fans on the band’s Facebook page & at recent live shows have shown an increasing amount of interest in a new or live recording. Of course there’s an Australian National Tour in July and Canadian Tour through August this year to get through first, so a new studio recording will have to wait! In the interim, a live album recorded during their upcoming Australian Tour wouldn’t at all be out of the question!
Continue reading Live Album from THE TEA PARTY?