Tag Archives: country

Live Review : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2015 – Day 1

Bluesfest2015

Bluesfest 2015 Day 1

Review by Wanda Hill

It’s that time of year again when thousands of music lovers make their way to Arakwal Country in the Byron Shire for the annual Easter celebration of all things blues, roots and beyond. It is such a lovely feeling to walk onto the extremely well prepared festival site knowing that there are five days of incredible artists from around the world to be enjoyed amidst a friendly crowd and delicious food.
Continue reading Live Review : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2015 – Day 1

Queenscliff Music Festival 2010 Launch

Click here to buy your tickets!
Sleepy, seaside fishing village gets its loudest wakeup call yet as Pikelet helps launch the first of the line up and some exciting new developments for the 14th annual Queenscliff Music Festival.

The first round of artists for this year’s Queenscliff Music Festival have been revealed as well as a number of exciting, new announcements at a special launch event on Tuesday 10th August, held at Melbourne’s Transit Lounge, where the incomparable girl-with-the-loop-pedal, Evelyn Morris aka.Pikelet, dangled the musical carrot with a Festival preview performance.The 2010 festival line up when completed will deliver over 80 acts presenting 150 performances in 13 venues across Queenscliff on the weekend of 26-27-28 November.

Today’s Queenscliff Music Festival media launch included a set by the charming PIKELET.

Photographer: CARBIE WARBIE

Direct from 3 years of staging large scale concerts in Macau and 10 years at the USA’s Telluride Blues and Brews Festival, New Festival Director, Michael Carrucan, has added a new stage called The Crossing Stage, and ensured everything kicks off on an ultra high note with The Lighthouse Stage opening a day earlier to encompass the Friday night. Continue reading Queenscliff Music Festival 2010 Launch

CD Review: The Kill Devil Hills – ‘Man, You Should Explode’ LP

Review: Lana Harris

The Kill Devil Hills   When writing about The Kill Devil Hills, it’s pretty much de rigueur to use a variety of swampy, country folk and blues inspired words. Press releases and journalists alike reference cowboys, hard drinking, and the southern USA when writing about this West Australian band. So it’s not enough for me to say that Man, You Should Explode (their 3rd full length release) is a mature recording.

To maintain the desert inspired linguistic sentiments …The Kill Devil Hills have ripened into the sun wizened, rifle cradling old man on the front porch, dispensing wisdom as freely as he spews forth obscenities to those who dare trespass on his land…

The album opens with two sing along tracks, ‘It’s Easy When You Don’t Know How’ and ‘Cockfighter’ which, with it’s one word chorus and short punkish riffs, was a favourite at their recent Brisbane show. These two tracks are fun and tight, ballsy, and set up an expectation of more of the same for the rest of the album. But with track 3, ‘I Don’t Think This Shit Can Last Much Longer’, the Kill Devil Hills turn inward. This is a gentle, emotive and introspective track. ‘Rosalie’ is similarly paced – moving, dark and beautiful, reminiscent of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ ballads. ‘The White Lady’ continues along the same tracks, drawing on the minor scales and bringing melancholic aspects.
Continue reading CD Review: The Kill Devil Hills – ‘Man, You Should Explode’ LP

Dan Hicks and The Innocent Bystanders @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 24-25 July 2009

The Courier-Mail Loud in the Valley
Dan Hicks and The Innocent Bystanders

Dan Hicks   Dan Hicks is truly an American original. His unique blend of swing, jazz, folk and country music, coupled with his irresistible sense of rhythm, hip lyrical styling, laid-back vocalising, and infamous on-stage wit make his live audiences fans for life. For more than 40 years, most famously with his band The Hot Licks, Dan has been a stalwart of the American music scene.

Continue reading Dan Hicks and The Innocent Bystanders @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 24-25 July 2009

Byron Bay Arts & Music Festival, Belongil Fields, 7-8 Jan 2009

Now “Sunset Sounds” in Brisbane on the 7th and 8th of January 2009… Click HERE for details.

***** The Byron Bay Arts and Music Festival Resurrection Delayed *****

It is with great disappointment that the Byron Bay Arts Crew announces The Byron Bay Arts and Music Festival will not happen this summer. 

The festival, which originally ran from ’94 to ’96 and was organised by a collective of local arts & music enthusiasts, was due to be resurrected next January but hit regulatory hurdles. Despite securing a fantastic line-up; overwhelming support amongst the Byron Bay

community; and positive early indications from the local council, the organiser’s self-imposed deadline for obtaining final approvals for the venue expired last week. Whilst it is common for major events in Byron Bay to proceed without final approvals until only weeks before the event, organisers were uncomfortable with the level of risk given the significance of the line-up and organisation going in to the event.

With tickets due to go on sale later this month, organiser’s felt that cancelling the event was intensely regrettable yet the most responsible decision. The Byron Arts Crew are hopeful of resurrecting the festival in the future as it provides an important showcase opportunity for local music and arts as well as much needed entertainment to a vastly expanded Byron Bay population over summer. Organiser’s also wish to extend a sincere thank you and apology to the many people who have been part of the event as well as those who eagerly anticipated its return.

Music lovers need not despair as it has been confirmed that the majority of the bands will be coming together at a new Brisbane show presented by The Falls Festival – Sunset Sounds – More details announced shortly!

———- Original Announcement Below ————-
In sweet anticipation of longer days and soulfully warm nights comes a mid-Summer feast for the senses as we announce a bounty of wondrous acts from the local, domestic and international stages alike, to share in all the glory of the return of the great Byron Bay Arts & Music Festival, 2009.

The Byron Bay Arts & Music Festival will be served on the 7 & 8 of January 09, at Belongil Fields.

FRANZ FERDINAND (UK) / THE HIVES (Sweden) / THE CAT EMPIRE / THE KOOKS (UK) / THE GRATES / GOMEZ (UK)
FAKER / TEGAN AND SARA (Canada) / DONAVON FRANKENREITER (USA) / SOKO (France) / JIMMY WILLING AND THE REAL GONE HICK-UPS / DUBSHACK / GHOST MOUNTAIN / TIJUANA CARTEL / SARA TINDLEY

Gympie Music Muster – 26 – 31 August 2008

Thirsty Merc
(Photo: Thirsty Merc – 2007 Muster)

6 Magical days & unforgettable nights – Amamoor Creek State Forest Park (near Gympie, QLD)
Held among the towering gums of Amamoor Creek State Forest Park, the Toyota National Country Music Muster boasts a myriad of musical excitement, all just a short stroll between venues. Along the site’s forested pathways, you’ll find amazing street theatre, roving bands, markets galore, art auctions, wine tastings, kids playstations – discover why the Toyota Muster is one of Australia’s most spectacular events!

More details as they come to hand…

Dallas Frasca Troy Cassar-Daley Kate Miller-Heidke Augie March Gympie Muster James Blundell

Links:  Toyota National Country Music Muster Offical Site
Photos:  LifeMusicMedia Muster 2007 Photos , Part 1Part 2