With a second album slated for release in September, Mumford & Sons have announced a set of 10 shows around Australia – which means we’ll be some of the first to hear a lot of their new material live! Sigh No More received largely positive reviews, with only a few outlets noticeably turning their noses up at it, and their previous live shows in Australia were lauded over by critics.
They’ll be supported by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (only for the first 7 shows, unfortunately) and American singer-songwriter Willy Mason (all dates).
Check out all of the details below, tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9am!
Presented by triple j, Channel [V] & Street Press Australia.
Tickets to all shows on sale 9am Monday 9th July
Saturday 13th October – Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth
With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason Tickets from ticketmaster.com.au and 136 100
Monday 15th October – Entertainment Centre Theatre, Adelaide
With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason Tickets from ticketek.com.au and 132 849
Wednesday 17th October – Riverstage, Brisbane
With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason Tickets from ticketmaster.com.au and 136 100
Thursday 18th October – Entertainment Centre, Sydney
With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason Tickets from ticketmaster.com.au and 136 100
Tuesday 23rd October – Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart
With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason Tickets from ticketmaster.com.au and 136 100
Thursday 25th October – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason Tickets from ticketek.com.au and 132 849
Friday 26th October – Royal Theatre, Canberra
With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason Tickets from ticketek.com.au and 132 849
Sunday 28th October – Kuranda Amphitheatre, Cairns
With Special Guest & Willy Mason Tickets from ticketlink.com.au and 07 4050 7777
Monday 29th October – Convention Centre, Townsville
With Special Guest & Willy Mason Tickets from tecc.net.au and 07 4771 4000
Wednesday 31st October – Convention Centre, Gold Coast
With Special Guest & Willy Mason Tickets from ticketek.com.au and 132 849
I Am Giant are set to return to our shores for a late June/early July tour of most capital cities – it’s time to get excited! They’re touring in support of their latest single, “Purple Heart”, and if their show supporting Dead Letter Circus last year is anything to go by (it is), they’re a force to be reckoned with live. Energetic, explosive, and fun – if you’re into your prog-rock, you’re not going to want to miss this one.
Check out all of the details below.
UPDATE: Separate from the tour, they’ll also be passing through New Zealand for the Mt Ruapehu Mountain Mardi Gras on the Saturday 23rd of June! Details over here.
Artist Voice presents
I AM GIANT ‘PURPLE HEART’ AUSTRALIAN TOUR
Support bands TBA.
Thurs 28th June – Perth – Amplifier (383 Murray Street)
tickets from Moshtix: 1300 GET TIX (438 849); http://www.moshtix.com.au
Sat 30th June – Brisbane – X & Y (648 Ann Street Fortitude Valley)
tickets from Oztix: ph: 1300 762 545 http://www.oztix.com.au
Wed 4th July – Sydney – Spectrum tickets from Moshtix: 1300 GET TIX (438 849); http://www.moshtix.com.au
Have I told you guys about Rhymesayers before? I might’ve mentioned them. Once or twice.
They’re a stellar hip-hop label who represent some amazing artists, and they’re bringing Atmosphere and Evidence to New Zealand and Australia this May. If you’re not busy slaving away at study or work, you should get along to a show. These guys have been around for years, and there aren’t many chances to check out artists of this calibre.
See all the details below, and a check out the video for Atmosphere’s “Just For Show”.
02.05.12 – Wellington, NZ @ San Francisco Bath House (On Sale Tues., March 13th: 1-Night)* 03.05.12 – Auckland, NZ @ The Studio (On Sale Fri., March 16th at 9am: iTicket)* 04.05.12 – Adelaide, AUS @ HQ (On Sale Mon. March 19th: OzTix / Moshtix) 05.05.12 – Brisbane, AUS @ The HiFi (On Sale Mon. March 19th: OzTix / Moshtix) 05.09.12 – North Hobart, AUS @ Republic Bar (On Sale Mon. March 19th: OzTix / Moshtix)* 10.05.12 – Melbourne, AUS @ HIFI Bar (On Sale Mon. March 19th: OzTix / Moshtix) 11.05.12 – Perth, AUS @ The Villa (On Sale Mon. March 19th: OzTix / Moshtix) 12.05.12 – Moore Park, AUS @ Hifi (On Sale Mon. March 19th: OzTix / Moshtix)
Groovin’ The Moo – one of Australia’s most successful, friendly, and fun all-ages festivals – recently lost American hip-hop duo Chiddy Bang to promotional duties in the US. Ball Park Music, Australia’s slightly quirky and heart-warmingly sincere indie six-piece, have taken their place – and based on my own tastes, it’s a bit of a plus.
With Bendigo’s allocation of online tickets already sold out (and the tickets through local outlets being limited), you’d be advised to grab your tickets soon – no matter where you’re planning to attend.
As usual, it’s an incredibly solid line-up. I’m still freaking out at the thought of seeing Dallas Green singing across the University of Canberra Meadows. We’ll get to see:
360, Adrian Lux (SWE), Andrew W.K One-Man-Party Tour (USA), Ball Park Music, Beni, Big Scary, Bluejuice, City and Colour (CAN), Digitalism (GER), The Getaway Plan, Gold Fields, Hermitude, Hilltop Hoods, Kaiser Chiefs (UK), Kimbra, The Maccabees (UK), Matt Corby, Muscles, Mutemath (USA), Naysayer & Gilsun, Parkway Drive, Public Enemy (USA), Purple Sneakers DJs, San Cisco, Wavves (USA) with more local and triple j unearthed artists to be announced!
Groovin’ The Moo will be dropping by Bendigo (May 5), Townsville (May 6), Maitland (May 12), Canberra (May 13), and Bunbury (May 19). Jump over here for tickets and all of the finer details.
Bomb The Music Industry! do some cool things. They endeavour to make every show all ages, even if it means paying venues extra to do so. They also try to keep all shows quite cheap, at around $10.
And you know what else is really cool? Sometimes they tell people to bring along instruments and help out.
Yup. They let people come along and play the band’s stuff with them, and that’s exactly what this Australian tour will be like. So grab whatever instrument it is that you play, and get along to one of these shows to play some music with Jeff Rosenstock (and potentially the rest of the band, although I think these might be solo shows) (oh, and I doubt this kinda thing will happen at Playground Weekender).
But yeah. Get out to a gig, okay? It’ll be fun. Promise.
Anthemic Aussie prog-rockers Dead Letter Circus have just announced their “Sleepwalker Australian Tour” for 2012, and they’re bringing with them locals Twelve Foot Ninja, and Fair To Midland – all the way from the USA! They’ve scheduled 20 shows around the country, and if we’re lucky, we might get to hear some new material.
Whether or not that happens though, these guys are a force to be reckoned with, and their live show is one of the best around.
Check out the video for “Reaction” below, alongside all of the dates!
Thursday 10th May 2012
Prince of Wales
41 Stephen Street, Bunbury, WA.
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Friday 11th May 2012
Metropolis
58 South Terrace, Fremantle, WA.
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/ or www.moshtix.com.au
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Saturday 12th May 2012
The Capitol
393 Murray Street, Perth, WA
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/ or www.moshtix.com.au
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Wednesday 16th May 2012
CSU (Charles Sturt University)
Boorooma Street, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2012
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: CSU student sales only.
Thursday 17th May 2012
Ferntree Gully Hotel
1130 Burwood Highway, Ferntree Gully, VIC
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Friday 18th May 2012
The HIFI
125 Swanston Street, Melbourne, VIC
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/ or www.moshtix.com.au
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Wednesday 23rd May 2012
The Patch
Princes Highway, Fairy Meadow (Wollongong), NSW
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Thursday 24th May 2012
Zierholz @UC
7/19-25 Kembla Street, Canberra, ACT
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Friday 25th May 2012
The HIFI
Building 220, 122 Lang Road, Moore Park, Sydney, NSW
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/ or www.moshtix.com.au
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Saturday 26th May 2012
The Entrance Leagues Club
3 Bay Village Rd, The Entrance, NSW
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Sunday 27th May 2012
The Cambridge
789 Hunter Street, Newcastle, NSW
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/ or www.moshtix.com.au
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Wednesday 30th May 2012
The Hoey Moey
90 Ocean Parade, Coffs Harbour, NSW
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Thursday 31st May 2012
Hotel Great Northern
35-43 Jonson Street, Byron Bay, NSW
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Friday 1st June 2012
The Spotted Cow
296 Ruthven Street , Toowoomba, QLD
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Saturday 2nd June 2012
The HIFI
125 Boundary Street, West End, Brisbane, QLD
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/ or www.moshtix.com.au
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Thursday 7th June 2012
Brothers Leagues Club
99/105 Anderson Street, Manunda, Cairns, QLD
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Friday 8th June 2012
The Venue
719 Flinders Street , Townsville, QLD
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Saturday 9th June 2012
Magnums
366 Shute Harbour Road, Airlee Beach, QLD
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
Sunday 10th June 2012
Kings Beach Tavern
43 Burgess Street , Caloundra, QLD
w/ Fair to Midland and Twelve Foot Ninja.
Tickets: http://deadlettercircus.oztix.com.au/
Phonecharge: 1300 762 545. All usual outlets.
You thought “Simple Man” was good? Daniel Merriweather sure did an excellent job on the guest vocals for that one, but wow – take a listen to this!
Hearing “Running It” for the first time is almost akin to the first time I heard Underworld’s “Scribble” – it’s a pretty special feeling. The production sounds so crisp and balanced, thanks to the work from Styalz Fuego. The composition lands on this beautiful divide between toe-tapping dance and a subtle melancholy. This has so much potential to be a hit for 2012 – and if it isn’t remixed the hell out of by the end of the year, I’ll eat my metaphorical hat. You’d do well to get on it now.
They’ve also announced the “Running to Shine Tour”, alongside Joelistics (also of renowned hip-hop group TZU!), and will be going all around the country in March! Check out the dates below.
Michigan post-hardcore rockers La Dispute are heading over our way for a full-scale tour in… well, to be honest they’re here right now! They’re playing a number of shows around the country, and will no doubt be bringing out material from their latest record Wildlife.
Tickets are pretty cheap, and from what I hear, their live shows are impeccable. Full of energy and raw emotion, I don’t think you’ll want to miss these shows – even if their unique style of screamo isn’t your kind of thing.
11/02/12 – Sydney, Annandale Hotel (supported by: Between The Devil & The Deep + Perspectives). Matinee performance. All ages. Tickets.
Avalanche City opened the night, and I’m glad they made the trip from New Zealand. Their folkish hooks came coupled with instrumentation that felt both delicate at times, and very powerful at others. The rapid guitar picking jumped up from the tinkling additions of a glockenspiel and what seemed like a cross between a mandolin and a banjo (actually, according to Wikipedia it’s a “manjo” – you learn something new every day!). They were surprisingly good for a support act, and it was nice to start the night with a band that has not only a firm grasp of their sound, but also the talent to bring it across live. The only things I think their music and live show would benefit from is more explosive and giant moments. The potential to build them is there, they just need to take hold of it. But Avalanche City put on a great show, and are well worth checking out.
Next up were Georgia Fair. Known more widely as the band that wrote the song on that milk commercial, don’t be too quick to put them in a box (as great as “Picture Frames” is), because these guys have matured and developed since then. The softly-spoken folk numbers filled the bar, in-between guitar stabs and intricate backing melodies, and the band poured forth emotion, showing off both older tracks and newer unreleased ones.
Provided Georgia Fair don’t fall into the over-populated group of bands I call the “Boy And Bear niche”, they’ll have a great future ahead of them. With a sense of pace and melody, it would be interesting to see the band bring some bite into their sound, because I think it’s something they could definitely achieve well.
At any rate, Georgia Fair have a sense of style grounded in beautiful harmonies, and right now that’s more than enough to provide an entertaining set. The duo are preparing to release their full-length debut in about a month’s time, so make sure you look out for it!
There’s something quintessentially Australian about The Panics. From their modest yet enthusiastic stage presence, to their grandiose melodies, there’s something about them that screams out “geniune” and “down to earth”. It’s an attractive quality in musicians really, because no one enjoys going to a gig where the musicians’ ego crowds out the room. The fact that The Panics carry themselves in such a way does everything to reinforce the passion they have for their craft, and when you’re watching a passionate band perform, there isn’t much more you can ask for.
Running through a slew of older tracks, with a handful from their 2007 J-Award-winning album Cruel Guards, the band also introduced the polite crowd at ANU Bar to a few numbers from their latest release – Rain on the Humming Wire. That said, understandably “Don’t Fight It” received a very warm welcome, as did “Majesty” and “Get Us Home” (which was brought out for the encore).
As subdued as some of their songs are, the band’s energy and playing carried the performance. Jae Laffer’s very distinctive movements showed a man absorbed in the moment, and between the relaxed grooves and frenetic playing of the other members, the band didn’t drop a beat (from what I could tell).
It would’ve been particularly impressive to see them bring a brass player on tour for some of the instrumentation, in particular the melodies in “Don’t Fight It”. But I understand the logistics of these things make it often not worth the hassle, and the song didn’t suffer as a result which is the important thing.
The Panics put on a tight show, with impressive playing and a warming stage presence. It’s hard not to enjoy a band like this, especially when you have a perfect crowd. Their blend of alt-rock with slow-crawl country influences may not be entirely ground-breaking musical territory, but The Panics prove that when sometimes coupling a considerable amount of talent and dedication, a performance becomes less about challenging an audience and more about pulling them in – and that’s exactly what they do.
There’s no doubt about it: The Living End still have it.
On Wednesday night I relived my first ever gig. Just over five years ago I saw The Living End at the Albury Wodonga Civic Centre – they were touring their then freshly pressed album State of Emergency. As a three-piece, their performance set the bar for years to come. It’s nice to see nothing’s changed.
King Cannons opened the night, blasting through the quickly growing crowd with their hard-edged catchy rock. Although their sound builds itself on pop hooks, don’t be fooled – these guys have got it in them to bring the house down. Although I rarely mention this aspect of a band, you’ll struggle to find a more consistently fashionable group – with black shirts, slick hair, and tattoos aplenty, they not only sounded great, but they looked the part.
Hunting Grounds filled the stage with their band, and it was interesting to see them swap instruments and roles over the course of their set. Without a doubt, their explosive rock really came to fruition with the final song – drums being smashed, a guitarist in the photo pit, a beaten up cymbal being thrown around, and some drumstick duelling all made it an amazing closer. Like King Cannons, they have live energy and talent – it’d be nice to see both bands go somewhere further in the future.
The Living End took to the stage, and surprisingly I didn’t break any ribs against the barrier in the “surge”. Well, it wasn’t so much a crowd surge as a gentle push. Not that I was complaining, but the crowd did take a little while to warm up.
Which got me thinking about the kind of band TLE are. The first songs were from their latest album, The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating, and don’t get me wrong – the reception for them was great, but it was still lukewarm relative to old favourites like “West End Riot” and “Roll On”.
“No kidding”, you’re thinking. “Generally people know a band’s older songs, of course there’s going to be a stronger reception.”
Well, that might seem logically right, but it’s not always true. There are plenty of bands that release a new album, get flogged by radio, and most will only know those songs. Everyone knows “White Noise” got one hell of a flogging. But despite that, TLE are still different. We had 99% of a room screaming along to tracks like “Prisoner of Society” and “All Torn Down”, both of which were released years and years ago.
Does this mean their albums are getting worse? No, of course not. But it shows that The Living End are one of the few contemporary Australian bands that have written songs that generations will consider “classics”. This is a band with longevity, who have paid their dues and toured relentlessly. This is a band who consistently draw all sorts of people to their gigs – from teenagers to adults who’re over 50. Plenty of bands can write decent hooks and memorable songs – only a rare few can write classics that stay with a generation for years upon years.
And only a rare few can play their songs so damn well! Chris Cheney commands the stage like a seasoned veteran, and his guitar is played so effortlessly it’s like another limb. Andy and Scott tear through their respective parts, and as proficient as the band is, you can’t deny the work they’re putting into the performance when they’re sweating all over the stage.
The Living End are not only skilled musicians, but skilled showmen – they all know how to present themselves on stage and get the most out of their music. This latest tour has seen another guitarist, Adrian, playing live, and he’s a welcome addition – he really does seem to flesh out the band’s sound.
There are few bands of this calibre. The Living End set the bar for music fans, inspire musicians, and are good at what they do – let’s hope they stick around for many years to come.
I didn’t take many photos. You can check out some nice ones over at FasterLouder though.
On The Tune 