Category Archives: Music

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

SHIHAD: Killjoy & The General Electric Tour

After 21+ years in the business, 7 studio albums, 3 number 1 studio albums*, platinum sales*, ARIA nominations for best rock album and sold out Australian and New Zealand national tours; SHIHAD have seen and done it all.

And we’re happy to announce they’re about to do it all over again for you.

In August this year, the boys in black will perform two iconic albums from their amazing catalogue; KILLJOY and THE GENERAL ELECTRIC. Both albums will be performed track-for-track over two iconic shows in Melbourne & Sydney ONLY as a special treat for fans.

In 1996 with their release of their sophomore album KILLJOY, SHIHAD burst onto the mainstream music scene. Receiving praise from the likes of Metallica and Iggy Pop for the record, Killjoy was the band’s first album to receive a Gold certification. SHIHAD went on to tour relentlessly following the release; proving their magnitude translates on stage as well as it does on the album.

THE GENERAL ELECTRIC was released in 1999 and further went on to demonstrate SHIHADS talent and ability to create great music. Their best selling album to date, The General Electric has received Double Platinum certification and was re-released with a bonus disc including live tracks from the 2000 Big Day Out festival, which they toured nationally following sold out shows across the country.

The KILLJOY & THE GENERAL ELECTRIC landmark shows will be followed by the release of SHIHADS yet untitled 8th studio album in September through new label partner Roadrunner Records.

To help celebrate these one off shows; SHIHAD are offering limited Premium tickets for each show – 10 tickets per show. Each premium ticket holder will get to meet the band and receive an exclusive limited edition (40 ONLY) screen printed and individually signed posters.

SHIHAD’s KILLJOY & THE GENERAL ELECTRIC TOUR

Tickets on sale Wednesday 26th May

Single Show Tickets $25 incl booking fee
Double Show Tickets $40+bf (MELBOURNE) & $44+bf (SYDNEY)**
Premium Show tickets $55 incl booking fee (Single Show Tickets)**

Fri 13th Killjoy & Sat 14th August 2010
The General Electric – NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB Melbourne
Tickets on sale from shihad.oztix.com.au and Oztix phone charge 1300 762 545, www.northcotesocialclub.com and at the box office 94861677 or in person via Corner Box Office 57 Swan Street, Richmond

Fri 20th 2010 Killjoy & Sat 21st August 2010
The General Electric – ANNANDALE HOTEL Sydney
Tickets on sale from shihad.oztix.com.au and Oztix phone charge 1300 762 545 and from the Venue phone charge 02 9550 1078 or www.annandalehotel.com

* In New Zealand only
** Only available through Oztix

Concert, event, Melbourne, Music, Sydney, tour

Florence and the Machine Touring Australia – July/August 2010

2 Comments

Australia has fallen hard for Florence and the Machine. Since her debut tour as this year’s St Jerome’s Laneway Festival headline act, the passion with which local fans have flocked to be a part of the Florence and the Machine experience, has been electric. Never one to disappoint, Florence and the Machine return to Australia this July for an encore tour that promises to be nothing short of spectacular. Continue reading Florence and the Machine Touring Australia – July/August 2010 →

Concert, event, Melbourne, Music, Sydney, tour

“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

Tim McGraw touring Australia September 2010

Tim McGraw sold out the first concert of his Australian Southern Voice Tour at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Thursday September 16 in just 15 minutes when it went on sale on Monday.

A second Brisbane concert, for Friday September 17, was opened for sale and Gold tickets sold out. Side and rear tickets in that category were opened and only the rear is still available in blocks of two or more seats together.

Tickets to all four of McGraw’s east coast concerts, including the CMC Rocks North Queensland multi-lineup blockbuster, sold at a rapid-fire pace and put country music front and centre this week.
Continue reading Tim McGraw touring Australia September 2010 →

Brisbane, Concert, event, Melbourne, Music, Sydney, tour

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

So Frenchy So Chic Returns to Brisbane Powerhouse – 14 June 2010

Feeling a little European as winter closes in? Those fine purveyors of the best new music from France, So Frenchy So Chic, will help complete the feeling when they bring the hip new voice of chanson, Berry, and your favourite troubadours of 80’s reinvention, Nouvelle Vague to Brisbane Powerhouse on Monday 14 June.

Berry is currently riding a wave of success in France which has seen her remarkable debut album, Mademoiselle, go gold. Featuring the widely popular and catchy single, “Demain“, it’s an album sung mostly in French and a poetic and sophisticated look at love.

Beyond her striking voice and elegant songs is the inspiring story of Berry herself. Ready to drop out of school at sixteen, she was encouraged by an insightful teacher to stay on and study theatre. A natural talent for acting soon emerged and Berry may well be one of only a few top-selling French recording artists to also receive rave reviews for her acting.
Continue reading So Frenchy So Chic Returns to Brisbane Powerhouse – 14 June 2010 →

Brisbane, event, Music, Quick Bits, tickets, tour

CD Review: Escape The Fate – “This War Is Ours”

Review: Ben Hosking

  Escape the Fate (ETF) just doesn’t know what they want to be. The Las Vegas quartet plays a very American, largely accessible rock/metal blend for the most part. Their tunes switch back and forth between swaggering mid-tempo rockers, unconvincing ballads and even more surprising and bewildering blasts of deep growled passages over menacing riffage.

So just what is it that ETF are trying to achieve? Their vocalist Craig Mabbitt is reminiscent of most of the emasculated faux-metal front men currently in circulation.

You know the kind: a little nasal and still awaiting puberty. This means that they’ll never be fully accepted by the metal or hardcore scenes. Their big choruses and pop sensibilities have helped them to win over 20 million MySpace page views and 400,000 friends; yet they’re far beyond the realms of Australian radio. Continue reading CD Review: Escape The Fate – “This War Is Ours” →

cd, cd review, Music, Review

KARNIVOOL fans demand more shows

  Once again, KARNIVOOL, Perth’s hugely successful purveyors of heavy rock prove their popularity and status on the live music scene! With 8 shows on their national tour sold out the band is pleased to announce final extra shows to cope with demand for the New Day tour – their last national headline Australian tour for their Sound Awake album.

Continue reading KARNIVOOL fans demand more shows →

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

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

Shwayze featuring Cisco Adler announce Australian Tour – June 2010

Illusive Entertainment announced that LA trendsetters and rulers of indie hip-hop – Shwayze and Cisco Adler – are returning to Australia after their brief sold out East Coast tour of Australia in February. The June dates will see the duo taking in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and for the first time, Adelaide and Perth.

Shwayze (a.k.a Aaron Smith) and his partner in crime, Cisco Adler, are no overnight success story. Shwayze’s self-titled debut album ushered the unlikely duo to unlikely heights. A string of multiple hits (Buzzin’, Corona and Lime) fueled by millions of internet plays carried them to top ten album sales, landed them a coveted slot on the Vans Warped Tour, and turned them into reality television stars on MTV.

In early 2010, Shwayze and Cisco released their highly acclaimed sophomore album, Let It Beat, which quickly propelled them to a whole new level. The first single, Get U Home, was the feature song for the ’09 film Sorority Row. Since then, Shwayze has gone on to appear on the Jimmy Kimmel Live Show, performed on Good Morning America, as well as being featured in a nation wide ad campaign for Pontiac Vibe. In a twelve-month span that has seen him sell two million singles and headline festivals like the Vans Warped Tour and Bamboozle, it’s evident that Shwayze’s breath of fresh air has been welcomed with open arms – the same arms that carry him atop wild moshpits on a near daily basis.

The Knux The now-LA-based, New Orleans hip-hop duo, are the new comers on the scene and quickly building a massive buzz. From losing their family home in New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina, to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel when the guys got signed to Paul Rosenberg’s Management Company (Blink-182 & Eminem) and inking a record deal with Universal Music. In the summer of ‘07 the guys would finish up their debut album, and hit the road with Common on his Finding Fever tour. Since then, the guys haven’t looked back. With music that channels as acts as diverse as Outkast, Tha Pharcyde or The Strokes, they have created a truly unique sound. Catch The Knux on their first Australian Tour.

Shwayze featuring Cisco Adler
The Knux
Dj Jason Smith
Australia – June 2010

Tickets on sale from Thursday 20th May 2010

Thursday 17th June 2010 Tivoli BRISBANE 18+
Ticketek 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au

Friday 18th June 2010 Home The Venue SYDNEY 18+
BUY TICKETS: Click here for Moshtix

Saturday 19th June 2010 The Espy MELBOURNE 18+
Oztix 1300 762 545 or www.oztix.com.au

Thursday 24th June 2010 HQ ADELAIDE 18+
Venuetix 8225 88 88 or www.venuetix.com.au

Friday 25th June 2010 Villa PERTH 18+
BUY TICKETS: Click here for Moshtix

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