Category: News

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

What’s Golden Opening in Brisbane’s Tivoli

The historic Tivoli is set to become a whole lot cooler with the opening of a new intimate performance space, What’s Golden. The 200-capacity space will sit in the Tivoli’s central foyer, allowing easy access to a new renovated box office area and bar serving craft beers and new cocktails.

What’s Golden opens on August 27 with an exclusive invitation-only concert featuring local A-listers and international special guests. It will then host a diverse selection of artists including CLEA, Sahara Beck, Good Boy, HONCHO DISKO, and Betty Grumble in the coming months. Get onto it Queenslanders!

Image used with permission from Aruga

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Eilish GIlligan Wins Josh Pyke Partnership

Melbourne singer, songwriter, and producer Eilish Gilligan has taken out this year’s Josh Pyke Partnership. A collaboration between Josh Pyke and APRA AMCOS, the partnership provides funding and mentorship for one unsigned musical act each year.

I must admit, Eilish wasn’t on my radar until this morning. The first thing I did after hearing the news was check her out on Spotify. Take a listen to her latest single “Someone Else” and you’ll soon understand why she took out the top prize. Her voice is absolutely stunning and she has such a great artistic sensibility. This track is an absolute banger, and there’s plenty more where it came from.

“I am so, so humbled, grateful and excited to be the winner of the 2019 JP Partnership,” Eilish said. “This vote of confidence from Josh Pyke, APRA AMCOS, Wonderlick and Select means a lot to me as an artist, and it also means that I will be able to continue to work towards my musical, artistic and professional goals for 2019, now with the extra guidance of these industry veterans.”

“Eilish Gilligan is an artist that has achieved a hell of a lot under her own steam, but it’s the potential in Eilish that’s truly exciting,” added Josh. “I’m a huge fan of multi-faceted artists, and in 2019, having more than one string to your bow is paramount to having longevity in the creative arts. Eilish is a songwriter but also a gifted technical producer, collaborative songwriter, as well as being the star of her own show. This is what makes for a long and fruitful career. Being not just a “musician,” but a “creative”.

Eilish has plenty of shows coming up. Discover her music for yourself at the following gigs.

24 August 2019 – UC Refectory, Bruce
29 August 2019 – HQ Complex, Adelaide
30 August 2019 – Metropolis, Fremantle
6 September 2019 – The Goods Shed, Hobart
7 September 2019 – Forum Theatre, Melbourne
13 September 2019 – UOW UniBar, Wollongong
14 September 2019 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
20 September 2019 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
21 September 2019 – The Tivoli, Brisbane

Image used with permission from Wonderlick Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jairay Releases “Not Shit” Single, “Crash Land” With Kitchen Show

I could try to tell you what Jairay’s new single “Crash Land” is all about, but I don’t think I could do better than the random pubgoer quoted in the press release. He was overhead at a Jairay gig commenting his music is “like that folk-punk stuff, but not shit.”

No good sir, it’s not. He follows in the footsteps of guys like Billy Bragg and Joe Strummer, with the stripped-back feel of folk music giving a raw realness to his message.

“Death’s a fucking weird thing to witness and it made me feel really small when faced directly with it,” he said of the song’s inspiration. “I decided to just let go of the life I was living, grow my hair, quit my job and just drive away and be someone new and someone I liked more ”

In suitably low-key fashion, Jairay will launch the single with a show in his Brisbane kitchen tomorrow night. Click attending on the Facebook event for the address!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Women in Music Awards Returns to Brisbane

Australian women are kicking some serious arse in the music industry right now. Amy Shark, Courtney Barnett, and Eurovision queen Kate Miller-Heidke are all making their mark on the international scene, and we’re got a host of fresh new talent coming up the ranks. So it’s only fitting that the Australian Women in Music Awards are returning for a second year in October.

Last year’s event saw performances from the likes of Kate Ceberano, Katie Noonan, Adalita, Do Re Mi, and Emily Wurramara, and you can bet organisers will have more special acts in store this year. There’ll also be brand new forums including Visibility in Hip Hop – Women on the Front Line, The Art of Rebellion – The Intersection of Music and Politics, and Image Making – The Changing Face of Music, which will help ignite the conversation about women and their place in the local music industry. There are new award categories too recognising Excellence in Classical Music, Music Journalist Award, and Excellence in Image Making.

“We have so many wonderful people committed to the work we are doing,” explained the awards’ founder and executive director, Vicki Gordon. “The AWMAs will keep getting bigger and more powerful; we are providing recognition for many women in the industry that have been ignored for far too long.”

The second annual Australian Women in Music Awards returns to the Brisbane Powerhouse on October 8. Without any television coverage, buying some tickets is the only way to see what goes down. They’re on sale now from Ticketek.

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; photo credit: Cheryl Gray (Mulberry Seed)

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Melbourne Guitar Show Announces Top Acts for 2019

You can always count on the Melbourne Guitar Show to deliver a stellar line-up of talent, and this year’s event is no different. We’ve got local legends Ash Grunwald, Sarah McLeod, Stars (featuring Mal Eastick, Nick Charles, and Roger McLachlan, Dave Leslie, and Lloyd Spiegel along with American guns Keith Merrow and Dennis Jones, plus stacks more. And that’s all just in the first announcement!

In addition to performances from all these acts, attendees can browse the massive guitar gear expo, attend information seminars and demonstrations, and so much more. There are always some surprises too. Last year Harts, Darren Middleton, Bec Sandridge, and Dan Sultan made unannounced appearances. Getting some tickets is the only way to see what happens this year!

“It’s exciting to see the show develop each year and add value to the live music industry,” confirmed one of the show’s organiser, Rob Walker. “We are proud to present such a broad range and quality of guitars, amps and gear from the big brands to local artisans. And each year we get to put together a program of live music featuring the considerable talents of our guitar community. It’s a great weekend for anyone into music, particularly guitars.”

The Melbourne Guitar Show will rock Caulfield Racecourse on August 3 and 4. Tickets are on sale now via the show’s website. As it’s run by the not-for-profit Australian Music Association, any proceeds will help provide services to the Australian music industry.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jimmy Barnes Makes Aussie Chart History With “My Criminal Record”

Jimmy Barnes has smashed records this week, becoming the artist with the most number one albums on the ARIA charts in history. His latest album My Criminal Record debuted at number one, becoming his 12th chart-topper. The feat sees him pass Madonna and U2, who both have 11 number ones to their name.

“The songs on this album are really personal because they were inspired by the experiences I had writing and touring my memoirs,” shared Jimmy. “Having this music strike a chord with people therefore feels particularly good. I’m grateful to everyone who’s continued to support me over the years and I’m looking forward to screaming my thanks in person when I get back out on the road shortly.”

He’s coming company with fellow countryman Conrad Sewell’s, whose beautiful debut album Life sits at number eight this week.

Unfortunately there are no Aussies in the top ten singles. In fact, we don’t see an Aussie appearance until Hilltop Hoods, who sit at number 23 with “Exit Sign.” There is so much great Aussie music around at the moment. Start downloading and streaming it people!

Top 10 Albums
1. My Criminal Record – Jimmy Barnes
2. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – Billie Eilish
3. Diamonds – Elton John
4. Hurts 2B Human – P!nk
5. Ten – Susan Boyle
6. Rocketman – Cast Recording
7. Aladdin – Soundtrack
8. Life – Conrad Sewell
9. Free Spirit – Khalid
10. She is Coming – Miley Cyrus

Top 10 Singles
1. “Old Town Road” – Little Nas x
2. “I Don’t Care” – Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber
3. “Bad Guy” – Billie Eilish
4. “Someone You Loved” – Lewis Capaldi
5. “Cross Me” – Ed Sheeran feat. Chance the Rapper & PnB Rock
6. “If I Can’t Have You” – Shawn Mendes
7. “Never Really Over” – Katy Perry
8. “3 Nights” – Dominic Fike
9. “SOS” – Avicii feat. Aloe Blacc
10. “Sunflower” – Post Malone & Swae Lee

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Conrad Sewell Tops Albums Charts

Conrad Sewell has become the latest Aussie to top the album charts. His long-awaited debut Life, which features the number one singles “Start Again” and “Healing Hands,” stormed straight to number one in its first week of release this week.

“This is a dream come true, it’s taken me such a long time to get this album out and it means so much to know that people are enjoying it,” he said. “It’s not easy for an Australian artist to get a number one album on debut, I’m completely humbled and I’m really going to soak up this moment, it’s taken me a long time to get here.”

Conrad’s keeping company with Dean Lewis, whose album A Place We Knew is still in the top 10 nine weeks after its release. It falls a few positions to sit at number nine this week.

Check out all this week’s top 10s.

Top 10 Albums
1. Life – Conrad Sewell
2. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – Billie Eilish
3. Igor – Tyler, The Creator
4. Hurts 2B Human – P!nk
5. Rammstein – Rammstein
6. I Am Easy to Find – The National
7. Father of Asahd – DJ Khaled
8. Free Spirit – Khalid
9. A Place We Knew – Dean Lewis
10. Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent – Lewis Capaldi

Top 10 Singles
1. “Old Town Road” – Little Nas x
2. “I Don’t Care” – Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber
3. “Bad Guy” – Billie Eilish
4. “If I Can’t Have You” – Shawn Mendes
5. “Someone You Loved” – Lewis Capaldi
6. “3 Nights” – Dominic Fike
7. “SOS” – Avicii feat. Aloe Blacc
8. “Sucker” – Jonas Brothers
9. “Sunflower” – Post Malone & Swae Lee
10. “Talk” – Khalid

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Don’t Forget The Belkin Gadgets on Your Next Musical Road Trip

While summer brings us festivals in the capital cities, cool weather encourages us to road trip out to regional events. There’s the Howling Moon Blues Festival in Port Macquarie on 8 June, Bello Winter Music in Bellingen from 11 to 14 July, and the Gympie Muster near Gympie from 22 to 25 August to name but a few. Back in the old days, road tripping to a regional music festival encouraged us to get off the grid and focus on nothing but the music. But today we’ve got our social media profiles to think of, so we want gadgets that can help us stay connected while we’re away from home. That’s why while I was away in Port Stephens recently, I took the time to road test a couple of cool products that I think will make your upcoming musical road trips easier.

The first is the Belkin universal cable, a nifty gadget which connects to your car charger and portable battery for extra juice on the move. You can also use it to connect your device to a laptop or desktop computer and sync information. Since its USB-C, Lightning, and Micro-USB connectors are interchangeable, it’ll work with virtually any device. My husband and I loved that we could use it for my Huawei P9 and his new Google Pixel phone, along with his Samsung tablet. We’re loyal Android users, but if we were travelling with a friend with an iPhone, it’d work for them as well. In the past, my tech-loving husband would carry multiple cables on our road trips. Using the Belkin universal cable, we could leave all those different cables behind. We also loved the little hook on each adaptor, which helps you stay organised during your travels.

I also fell for the Belkin Road Rockstar, a four-port car charger made for music lovers. With four USB ports at our disposal, we could power up the GPS, both our phones, and his tablet at once. This was perfect for our road trip, when I was draining battery streaming from Spotify and he was playing games in the front passenger’s seat.

The Belkin Road Rockstar has two standard powering USB ports and two high-power draw USB ports on the extendable hub, perfect for charging quickly when you’re short on time. The two-part nature of this car charger is also really convenient. Since all the cables aren’t in one place, there’s less clutter around the centre console when you’re using all the ports. We found this true even when we were using it in the front seat, but with a six-foot cable, you’d really notice the difference with a couple of mates using it in the back. They could stream Netflix while you’re focusing on the road and no one would ever deplete their batteries.

The Belkin universal cable costs $39.95 while the Belkin Road Rockstar is a slighter greater investment at $59.95. Both are available from the Belkin website. You’ll also find the universal cable at your local JB Hi-Fi. Get yours before your next musical road trip.

Image via Flickr by gympiemusicmuster

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Hamish Anderson Impresses on Aussie Tour Ahead of Album Release

Melbourne expat Hamish Anderson has been generated plenty of buzz through his support slot on Gary Clark Jr.’s tour. Expect the hype to continue when he releases his sophomore album Out of My Head on May 3.

His current single “What You Do To Me” is a great taster of this guy’s skills. There’s a cool, natural groove to what he does. It’s never overstated; you probably won’t catch this guy doing wild guitar solos, even though he could probably pull them off. Instead his music sneaks up on, getting under your skin before you realise it.

Hamish has one more show on Gary Clark Jr’s tour before he returns to the US. If you’re seeing Gary at Perth’s Concert Hall tomorrow night, make sure you arrive early enough for that support slot. Hopefully he returns to Oz for some headlining shows really soon.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Tixel Take on Ticket Scammers With Ticket Sheriff

Things happen, and sometimes people need to sell the tickets they’ve purchased for a gig on to someone else. However, we all know that many of the people selling tickets aren’t honest. How do you tell the fakes from the genuine ticket sellers? Tixel is making things easier with their new website Ticket Sheriff.

Simply enter the username of the ticket seller you intend purchasing from into Ticket Sheriff to see whether he or she has been busted doing dodgy deals in the past. You can also use Ticket Sheriff to report ticket scammers.

This is a real passion project for the Tixel team, whose founders Zac Leigh and Jason Webb were duped into buying counterfeit Tame Impala tickets back in 2015. When the show sold out, they thought they’d found a fairly honest bloke selling some tickets via Gumtree. Upon arrival, those $400 tickets wouldn’t scan and they realised they’d been scammed. Determined they wanted to protect others from a similar fate, they launched Tixel, a legitimate ticket resale site. In 2018, the site sold zero fake tickets, ensuring no music lovers were left out of pocket. That same year the company partnered with leading events like Beyond the Valley, FOMO, and Rhythm and Vines.

Tixel are a 100% Australian made company doing good for music fans. Now with the launch of Ticket Sheriff, they’re taking even greater steps towards stamping out scammers once and for all. Spread the word!