Tag Archives: 2011

Trial Kennedy ‘Living Undesigned’ National Tour – May/June 2011 – Tour News

On May 13, Trial Kennedy releases its long awaited second album, Living Undesigned. To celebrate, the band is taking their show on the road for a string of album tour dates around the country in May.

On paper, you’d have to wonder how Trial Kennedy is even still a band.

Two years ago, the Melbourne rock outfit were perched at the edge of something big. After two killer EPs (2004’s Present for a Day and 2005’s Picture Frame), their Nick DiDia-produced debut album, New Manic Art, was garnering the sort of critical acclaim every band aspires to. Songs such as ‘Neighbours’ and ‘Colour Day Tours’ became instant Triple J anthems. The band toured hard, earning a burgeoning Australian fan base to go with their stellar live rep, and coveted support spots with the likes of Fall Out Boy and Birds Of Tokyo. Their star was rising.

And then… well, then a whole lot of bad mojo went down. The band’s original bass player left, there was illness, the daily struggle of balancing day jobs and personal relationships with artistic careers, and the band parted ways with their management and label.
Continue reading Trial Kennedy ‘Living Undesigned’ National Tour – May/June 2011 – Tour News

Live Review | Bluesfest 2011 – Day Two, Featuring: Rodrigo y Gabriela, B.B. King, Fistful of Mercy, Jack Thompson & the Original Sinners and RocKwiz Live

Review By: Pepa Wolfe
Photos by: Silvana Macarone
Early birds and trivia buffs rocked up to the Jambalaya Tent on Friday to test their skill and perhaps earn a place on the panel of RocKwiz Live. Cracking the proverbial whip and vetting the various hopefuls was producer and co-host of the SBS series Brian Nankervis who after seven years with the show has it down to a fine art. Appearing across four days of the festival, Friday’s first taste had host and improv queen Julia Zemiro in top form, and featured musical guests Tim Rodgers (You Am I), Marcia Hines and Glenn Richards (Augie March), as well as a couple of impressive punters whose extensive music trivia knowledge was bested only by their brazen karaoke efforts, one contestant whipping out a harmonica and riffing with the impeccable RocKwiz Orkestra. A highly entertaining start to the afternoon, Richards, Hines and Rogers blasting Kiss’ I Wanna Rock and Roll All Nite, the icing on the cake.
Continue reading Live Review | Bluesfest 2011 – Day Two, Featuring: Rodrigo y Gabriela, B.B. King, Fistful of Mercy, Jack Thompson & the Original Sinners and RocKwiz Live

The Potbelleez @ Urban Country Music Festival 2011 – Photo Gallery

Photographer: Chris Dornan Photography

Photographer: Chris Dornan Photography
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Evermore, Thirsty Merc @ Urban Country Music Festival 2011 – Photo Gallery

Photographer: Chris Dornan Photography

Photographer: Chris Dornan Photography
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AMY MEREDITH & SINEAD BURGESS @ Urban Country Music Festival 2011 – Photo Gallery

Photographer: Chris Dornan Photography

Photographer: Chris Dornan Photography
Continue reading AMY MEREDITH & SINEAD BURGESS @ Urban Country Music Festival 2011 – Photo Gallery

Photos! Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – by Silvana Macarone

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Artists: The Snowdroppers, The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Irma Thomas, Mavis Staples, Robert Randolph, Jeff Lang, Washington
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Continue reading Photos! Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – by Silvana Macarone

Splendour in the Grass 2011 – ‘Woodfordia’, QLD [Festival News]

PLENDOUR IN THE GRASS – the annual, ephemeral city of sounds that exists solely for sweet music and good times will transform Woodfordia, near Woodford, south east Queensland from Friday 29 to Sunday 31 July. The Woodfordia campgrounds will open from 7am Wednesday 27 July until 5pm Monday 1 August. Please note the entire festival site including the three main stages – Amphitheatre, Mix Up Stage and GW McLennan Tent – will operate on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. For those camping onsite, the event area will open from 9am Thursday 28 July with a bunch of spaces and entertainment in full swing to keep you busy right across the weekend.

Due to the very heavy traffic congestion when arriving and departing SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2010 we have spent the past year working on initiatives that will simultaneously ease traffic on local roads and within Woodfordia, whilst also creating a greener event. Borrowing from other international music festivals that have experienced similar issues, and in an effort to radically reduce traffic congestion, we will be implementing a car pass system which will encourage carpooling. More info on this plan and all of SPLENDOURs environmental initiatives will be supplied in the coming weeks.
Continue reading Splendour in the Grass 2011 – ‘Woodfordia’, QLD [Festival News]

Washington @ Forum Theatre, Melbourne w/ Deep Sea Arcade – April 29th 2011 : Photo Gallery

Photographer: Naomi Rahim
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Bluesfest 2011 – Day One, Featuring: ZZ Top, Los Lobos, Funky Meters, CW Stoneking and The Hands. – Live Review

Bluesfest 2011 – Day One, Featuring: ZZ Top, Los Lobos, Funky Meters, CW Stoneking and The Hands.

Despite dismal forecasts, the weather held out for music lovers as they descended onto the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm in Byron Bay, the new site for Australia’s premiere Blues and Roots Music Festival. Now extended to cover six days, campers and eager punters slowly edged their way into the grounds, with staff and volunteers doing their best to ensure that parking, setup and entry was relatively painless. The wet grounds were eclipsed by the buzz of excitement, a busy energy punctuating the usually laidback Byron feel.

Day one really hit its stride with festival favourite Xavier Rudd playing the main stage, the sounds of Let Me Be floating over the fence to greet those still passing through ticketing and security check points; a generous taste of what awaited them inside.
Continue reading Bluesfest 2011 – Day One, Featuring: ZZ Top, Los Lobos, Funky Meters, CW Stoneking and The Hands. – Live Review

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Photo Gallery by Silvana Macarone

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Artists: ZZ Top, Jack Thompson & The Original Sinners, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Fistful Of Mercy, Funky Meters, Grace Jones, The Hands
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Continue reading Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Photo Gallery by Silvana Macarone

CD Review: Gay Paris – The Skeleton’s Problematic Granddaughter

The Skeleton’s Problematic Granddaughter is the debut LP release from Sydney four piece GAY PARIS and from all accounts, it’s a damn good one.

  Gay Paris list themselves as Swamp Stomp/ Shack Funk/ Bastard Rock, and that’s exactly what this album delivers. The growling, gritty vocals of WH Monks complemented by dirty guitar driven rock riffs and killer drumming. There is an underlying 80’s stadium rock vibe throughout and with songs like “My First Wife? She Was A Fox Queen!” setting the stadium rock anthmatic standard.

One noteable variation came in at track 8 “Soliloquy From Either Station”. Slow chant stomp with Elvis styled vocal and haunting violin hovering above. An unexpected highlight.

Rating: 7.5
The Skeleton's Problematic Granddaughter - Gay ParisThe Skeleton’s Problematic Granddaughter – Gay Paris
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BRISBANE GETS A NEW MUSIC EVENT – Track & Field – June 4th, 2011

  Track & Field is a brand new boutique music event taking over Brisbane’s Old Museum on Saturday, June 4. Featuring the cream of local talent, the line up includes indie-popsters Last Dinosaurs and Ball Park Music, party starters The Belligerents and Mitzi as well as DJ sets from Hungry Kids of Hungary, The John Steel Singers and The Honey Month.

Track & Field is the brainchild of artist managers Ben Preece and Stu McCullough that sits between a club night and a festival. “Ben and I had been kicking the idea around for a while now, and both liked the idea of a boutique event that happened a few times a year, instead of the one big event at the same time and location every year. The idea is

to make it feel like a regular warehouse party. Kind of like you and your friends taking over an interesting space every 3-4 months” outlines McCullough.
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VIVID SET TO INSPIRE SYDNEY – May/June 2011

Vivid Sydney (27 May – 13 June) today reveals the second major program announcement of the annual festival of light, music and ideas. Over 50 global and local creative leaders will come together to imagine the future at Vivid Creative Sydney.

Vivid Creative Sydney (30 May – 12 June) explores the potential of the creative industries to transform society and re-shape our economy. The 2011 series will pursue in-depth debate andcelebrate our city’s creativity, with events at some of Sydney’s most iconic landmarks including the Sydney Opera House and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
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Music Legends, Movie Stars and Generosity of Spirit – Bluesfest 2011

By: Pepa Wolfe

  A mammoth six-day festival, hosting what many consider the best line-up to date, Bluesfest 2011 had it all. From bright sunny days to the traditional rain and mud, from international legends of music like B.B. King and Bob Dylan to the local sounds of Byron Ukulele band The Blackbirds, it was a celebration of community, culture, diversity and most of all, of music.

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Photo Gallery : Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 5

Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 5
Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Artists: Jethro Tull, Elvis Costello, Clare Bowditch, Warren Haynes, B. B. & The Blues Shacks, Buddy Knox, Hank Green Blues
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
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