All posts by admin

NIKKO ALBUM LAUNCH @ the Zoo, Brisbane 18th June 2010

  On the 18th of June, Nikko will launch their long-awaited debut album at the ZOO with support from Mr Maps, AXXONN and Loomer.

Heralded as “a band to watch, like The Dirty Three’s first year apprentice”, Nikko’s sound consists of eerie yet beautiful guitar melodies, subtle vocals and a driving rhythm section. Their forthcoming debut album “The Warm Side” (Tenzenmen/FUSE) is the culmination of years of solid gigging and self recording that has seen Nikko refine their genre blending style. Visit www.myspace.com/nikkoband if you’d like to know more.

Continue reading NIKKO ALBUM LAUNCH @ the Zoo, Brisbane 18th June 2010 →

Brisbane, Concert, Music, Quick Bits

Midlake Australian Tour – July/August 2010


Midlake – Midlake 		  One of America’s most celebrated acts of recent times, Midlake, has just delivered their extraordinary third album “The Courage of Others”, and will soon embark on their second Australian tour.

Existing outside the plane of trends and time “The Courage of Others” is a truly committed statement to artistic independence. It is Midlake’s most complete & beautiful body of work yet, best appreciated as a whole in the old-fashioned sense of what an album should be.

Sharing the same gorgeously warm, analogue electro-acoustic template as its much revered predecessor, “The Trials of Van Occupanther” , the new album is definitely a slower, darker, eerier and dreamier, tinged with late 60s/early 70s British folk nuances. Looms of textured keyboards, flute, guitars and voice are woven into broad cloaks of sound, all riding the sound of songwriter Tim Smith’s sweeping vocals. Continue reading Midlake Australian Tour – July/August 2010 →

Brisbane, Concert, Melbourne, Music, news, Sydney, tickets, tour

CD Review: Blood Red Shoes – “Fire Like This”

Review by: Victoria Nugent

  The latest offering from Brighton band Blood Red Shoes could be given the label of garage rock for a new generation. The duo’s second album, “Fire Like This”, is largely influenced by 90s grunge, and showcases some impressively gritty, heavy sounds, coupled with poppy lyrics and varied vocals. Though some may argue the tracks sound slightly generic, there’s no denying that Blood Red Shoes have their own distinct pattern that works for them.

The two piece band is made up of Steven Ansell and Laura-Mary Carter and formed in 2004 after their previous bands Lady Muck and Cat on Form split up. Taking their name

from a story about Ginger Rogers’ blood stained dancing shoes, the pair released their first album Box of Secrets in 2008, which, like Fire Like This , was co-produced with Mike Crossey. Continue reading CD Review: Blood Red Shoes – “Fire Like This” →

Artist, cd review, Music, Review

Live Review: Tame Impala @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 14 May 2010

Review: Jose Eduardo Cruz

Click image to view photo gallery

[Photo: Charlyn Cameron]		   Given that this was a Friday night in Brisbane and it was getting colder by the minute, I wasn’t expecting such a big turn out tonight. But to my surprise the venue was three quarters full and a great atmosphere had already begun to build prior to the headliners entering the stage.

I managed to catch a good part of The Silents’ set which was a good appetizer before the main meal. Very gentle sounds

and everything that a good warm up band should contain. Good sounds, ok mix and great potential to be the headliner in a couple of years.

Tame Impala get onto the stage as if they were walking into their living room to sit down for a jam in front of their friends. Bare feet, smiles and a few beers in hand they each position themselves and prepare. It is so noticeable that it needs to be mentioned, as soon as the first note is played each of the members’ face completely changes and a focused look falls onto their appearance. Gone is the joker side and game face appears. Their eyes say that the one thing that they all came here to do is upon them and the time has arrived to celebrate. Continue reading Live Review: Tame Impala @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 14 May 2010 →

Brisbane, Concert, Music, Photos, Review

“FAME – The Musical” – Brisbane June 2010

Produced by John Frost and directed and choreographed by So You Think You Can Dance’s Kelley Abbey, FAME – The Musical opened in Melbourne last month to rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. FAME features some of the most dynamic choreography you will ever see in the theatre and is set to thrill Brisbane audiences from 19 June 2010.
Continue reading “FAME – The Musical” – Brisbane June 2010 →

Brisbane, fact, Melbourne, Music, theatre, tickets

EP Review: Davey Spicer and the Creatures of Habit – “Tides and Curves”

Review by: Victoria Nugent

  EP Tides and Curves from Brisbane band Davey Spicer and the Creatures of Habit is a collection of blues-inspired rock with its own unique sound.

The trio have played a part in the Brisbane music scene for years, and the EP’s cover reflects this local heritage, showing a photograph of the Brisbane River at night.

Davey Spicer’s vocals and guitar riffs team well with the percussion of Todd Orchard, and bass of Felix Merry to produce a well rounded sound that is somewhat reminiscent of the John Butler Trio.

Bang Bang Baby Goodbye gives the EP a strong start with its funky acoustic guitar riffs and sharp lyrics about a woman taking vengeance on her lover.

Daydream provides a great contrast as a chilled out track, with Spicer’s melodic vocals carrying the poetic lyrics well. Soft & Out of Focus is another more laidback tune, with its Spicer’s gentle strumming complementing his cruisy vocals.

Human Obscene is a much punchier, more aggressive sounding song and like all the EP’s other songs seems to go very quickly. Credentials ends the EP on a sharp note with aggressive lyrics, mocking the idea of dating checklists against a bongos beat and tense guitar.

“Tides and Curves” is a great showcase of the band’s individual take on bluesy rock, which is very easy to listen to with its punchy music and strong lyrics. I get the feeling these guys would be great to hear live, with their music providing the perfect accompaniment to a casual night out in a classic Brisbane pub.

cd review, Music, Review

Band of Horses – National Tour July 2010

1 Comment
  Band of Horses is Ben Bridwell, Creighton Barrett, Ryan Monroe, Tyler Ramsey and Bill Reynolds. Though the band formed in Seattle, the gents hail from the southeastern United States, specifically the Carolinas. ‘Infinite Arms’ is the follow up to the critically acclaimed ‘Everything All The Time’ (2006) and ‘Cease to Begin’ (2007), and marks the recording debut of Ramsey and Reynolds, both long time touring members of the group. The band have become a

cohesive force with all members making invaluable contributions to the unmistakable sound that Bridwell has crafted since the band’s inception. As Bridwell himself concedes, “in many ways, this is the first Band of Horses record.” Continue reading Band of Horses – National Tour July 2010 →

Adelaide, Brisbane, Concert, Melbourne, Music, Sydney, tickets, tour

Photo Gallery: Biffy Clyro @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane 18 May 2010

Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Click the image to view the photo gallery
Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro
[Photo: Stuart Blythe]

View the Photo Gallery

Biffy Clyro @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane 18 May 2010
Continue reading Photo Gallery: Biffy Clyro @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane 18 May 2010 →

Brisbane, Concert, Music, Photos, Stuart Blythe

Mark Lanegan Touring Australia – July 2010

In an announcement that has been long awaited by rock fans, Mark Lanegan will perform a series of shows across Australia and New Zealand for The Frontier Touring Company. The July shows will be his first solo tour since 2004, sharing with us an array of his impressive and extensive back catalogue.

With a musical career spawning from the early Seattle ‘grunge’ days, Mark Lanegan is a creature of undying integrity and an ever existing nuance. He has been noted as a poetic misfit whose lyrics remain forever etched in your memory long past first hearing them. Continue reading Mark Lanegan Touring Australia – July 2010 →

Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Music, Quick Bits, Sydney, tour

Virgin Mobile announce free surprise gig in Brisbane – 20th May 2010


  The next Virgin Mobile Surprise Gig is set to entertain Brisbane. Popular Gold Coast pop band Operator Please will play a surprise concert in Queen Street Mall on Thursday 20 May at 1pm. The gig is free for all to attend.

In addition to the gig Virgin Mobile is giving away a ringtone of Operator Please’s new single ‘Back and Forth’ taken from their new album ‘Gloves’. The ringtone will be available from Thursday 13 May for anyone to download for free (limited to 500 downloads) from Virgin Mobile’s Members Lounge (memberslounge.com.au/surprisegig).

Continue reading Virgin Mobile announce free surprise gig in Brisbane – 20th May 2010 →

Brisbane, Concert, freebie

Interview with Nik Kaloper of The Jezabels

2nd May 2010: Nik Kaloper (NK) of The Jezabels tells Stuart Blythe (LMM) about band life, touring and lessons learnt along the way.

The JezabelsLMM: You’ll be touring with Tegan and Sara on their Australian visit throughout May. Tell us about the tour and how it came about.

NK: Well, we were lucky enough to tour with Tegan & Sara January 2009 and we seemed to be a good fit for the bill. We really enjoyed what they were doing, and apparently vice versa – we were able to keep in touch and jump back on the bill this time around. It’s even better this time though, because we get to go all the way out to Adelaide and Perth with them – even playing Groovin the Moo festival together, very exciting times. Despite the tour being longer than the last one – we’re looking forward to relaxing in some of the cities. Because there are two shows in Brisbane and Melbourne, we’ll have an afternoon that doesn’t involve driving (something to be cherished when you’re on tour).
Continue reading Interview with Nik Kaloper of The Jezabels →

Artist, Interview, Music, Stuart Blythe

Photo Gallery: Jeff Martin @ Corner Hotel, Melbourne 14th May 2010

Photographer: Naomi Rahim
Click the image to view the photo gallery
Jeff Martin with Pear
[Photo: Naomi R]

View the Photo Gallery

Jeff Martin @ Corner hotel, Melbourne – 14th May 2010
Continue reading Photo Gallery: Jeff Martin @ Corner Hotel, Melbourne 14th May 2010 →

Concert, Melbourne, Music, Naomi Rahim, Photos

Macabre (USA) Australian Tour – July 2010

  Macabre blends elements of true crime, math rock, nursery rhymes, punk, thrash, folk melodies, death metal, jazz fusion, black metal and more into an energetic, catchy and unmistakable amalgam, refers to Macabre’s signature style. It’s a genre of one. The all-too-true tales of man’s inhumanity to man are delivered with knife-edge precision, interspersed with Corporate Death’s patented (back when he was a toddler) screech.

Fast and heavy, with a focus on things that make happy shiny people cringe, the original members, Corporate Death (guitar and vocals), Nefarious (bass and vocals) and Dennis the Menace (drums) are still together. Macabre have brought mayhem to the world in the past decade, playing dozens countries over the years.

Macabre’s rabid fans, including members of bands ranging from Carcass to Slipknot, relish the band’s tight and increasingly sophisticated music; they exult in their musical chops as much as in the band’s sense of humor, their killer music, and its deadly subjects.
Continue reading Macabre (USA) Australian Tour – July 2010 →

Adelaide, Brisbane, Concert, Melbourne, Music, Quick Bits, Sydney, tour

Interview: Ben Weinman – The Dillinger Escape Plan

1 Comment

By: Ben Hosking
[Click here to listen to the audio version of this interview]

In a scene where many bands tend to follow the latest musical trend and the industry doesn’t know which way is up, The Dillinger Escape Plan stand clearly out from the crowd.
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLANFormed in the late 1990s, the group has gone from strength to strength thanks to an unwavering self-reliance and unique ability to churn out some of the most twisted, ugly riffs available. Founder member and guitarist of the New Jersey band Ben Weinman (BW) talks to LifeMusicMedia’s Ben Hosking (LMM) about band dynamics, society’s relationship with technology, illegal downloading and their new album ‘Option Paralysis’.

LMM: How’s the tour going?
BW: Pretty good. Everybody’s a little sick, but we’re holding it together.

LMM: Too much partying or more a case of ‘one guy gets sick, we all get sick’?
BW: I think it’s the latter, man. We’re all on a bus together, so when one person starts hacking up a lung, it just spreads like wildfire.
Continue reading Interview: Ben Weinman – The Dillinger Escape Plan →

Artist, Ben Hosking, Interview, Music

Tim Burton: The Exhibition @ MoMA, Melbourne Jun-Oct 2010

Click here to view our wonderful images from the opening night!

Explore the creative genius behind Edward Scissorhands, Batman and Alice in Wonderland.

From June to October 2010, ACMI hosts a unique exhibition direct from The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York. An Australian exclusive, Tim Burton: The Exhibition is a landmark exhibition charting Tim Burton’s creative vision and process from his earliest work to the spectacular Alice in Wonderland.
Continue reading Tim Burton: The Exhibition @ MoMA, Melbourne Jun-Oct 2010 →

art, event, fact, Melbourne, theatre