Category: Tours

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Amber Lawrence and Casey Donovan Join Forces for “Rise”

Amber Lawrence has enlisted the help of Casey Donovan for her latest single “Rise”. Country and soul music seem like strange bedfellows, but these two distinctive voices complement one another perfectly.

“Rise is a powerhouse song vocally, and the inspiring lyric of this song was best shared with two voices, so I couldn’t have dreamed up anyone better to sing with than the amazing Casey Donovan,” Amber gushed. “She’s an incredible singer, artist, and person, and I’m just so proud of the musical moment we’ve achieved together with ‘Rise’”

Amber had a massive 2022, playing more than 80 shows, including Carols by Candlelight, Gympie Music Muster, and supporting Tony Hadley. Her album Living for the Highlights, which this single comes from, was also the highest selling album by a female country artist. 2023 is also starting big, with Amber recognised as female artist of the year at the recent Golden Guitar Awards. She’s also scheduled a whole lot of shows, so there are no shortage of places to see her play.

11 February 2023 – The Cobargo Show @ Cobargo Showground, Cubago/Cobargo (with Catherine Britt)
3 March 2023 – Milton Show @ Milton Showground, Budawang Country/Milton
4 March 2023 – Country by the Bay, Bunurong Country/Frankston
10 March 2023 – Sandigo Hall, Wiradjuri Country/Sandigo (with Paul Costa)
11 March 2023 – Stock Route Country Music Festival @ Lazy River Estate, Tubbagah Country/Dubbo
19 March 2023 – Meatstock Melbourne, Naarm/Melbourne
25 March 2023 – Club Forbes, Wiradjuri Country/Forbes
26 March 2023 – Sunset Bash @ Penrith Panthers, Darug Country/Penrith
15 April 2023 – Meatstock Toowoomba, Jagera, Giabal and Jarowair Country/Toowomba
7 May 2023 – Meatstock Sydney, Eora/Sydney
10 May 2023 – Cardinia Cultural Centre, Naarm/Melbourne
11 June 2023 – The Oaks Hotel, Dharawal Country/The Oaks (with Luke O’Shea)
18 June 2023 – Camden Hotel, Benkennie/Camden (with Luke O’Shea)
5-12 August 2023 – Tunes in the Tropics, Fiji
23 September 2023 – Arco Bar, Bunurong Country/Heatherton
1-8 December 2023 – Cruisin’ Country

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Belle Haven Release Comeback Single “I Can’t Find the Words” Ahead of Future Lovers Tour

Belle Haven have just dropped their new emo anthem “I Can’t Find the Words” in time for their tour with Banks Arcade. If you’ve ever felt powerless as your relationship ends, this one’s for you.

Belle Haven have been together since 2010, but this is first release in nearly two years. Talk about a comeback!

The Future Lovers Australian Tour with Banks Arcade kicks off tomorrow night in Meeanjin/Brisbane. Limited tickets are still available for all shows but selling fast. You know what to do!

4 February 2023 – Black Bear Lodge, Meeanjin/Brisbane
10 February 2023 – Factory Floor, Eora/Sydney
11 February 2023 – Transit Bar, Ngambri/Canberra
17 February 2023 – Stay Gold, Naarm/Melbourne
25 February 2023 – Enigma Bar, Tarntanya/Adelaide

Image used with permission from Bigmouth PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get Into the Groove With King of Spain’s “Ferrol”

King of Spain might just be the funkiest act to come out of Tarntanya/Adelaide. Their latest single “Ferrol” has some serious stank on it, with big horns, cool keys, and ultra-smooth vocals.

“Ferrol” sounds like a party, but tap into those lyrics and you’ll realise this song is actually about the deception and hurt that can come when a relationship breaks down. “Ferrol” is the first of many King of Spain songs based around European cities. I can’t wait to hear where they take us next. Before then though, they’ll hit some cool local bars for an all-too-brief single tour, which kicks off tomorrow.

3 February 2023 – Bar Open, Naarm/Melbourne
4 February 2023 – Lowlife Bar, Tarntanya/Adelaide

Image used with permission from Big Oak Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Mahalia Barnes and The Soulmates Play Intimate Aussie Shows

I don’t know about you, but my concert calendar in the next couple of months is becoming pretty crowded. But when I saw Mahalia Barnes and The Soulmates were stopping by a little movie theatre just 15 minutes from my house, I had to add another gig to my schedule. It’s just one of the many intimate venues they’ll play in the coming months.

If you’ve only ever seen Mahalia on The Voice or providing backing vocals for her famous dad Jimmy Barnes, you’ve only seen the tip of her iceberg-sized talent. The Soulmates’ album Hard Expectations was one of my favourite releases of 2018. She stole the show at the Chant du Vin gigs in 2021. I can’t wait to see her play again. These shows should be pretty special, with band members changing from show to show and special surprise vocal appearances from her mates including Prinnie Stevens and Karen Lee Andrews. Tickets for all these shows are available now. I recommend nabbing some before you read my concert review next month and wish that you did!

2 February 2023 – Birds Basement, Naarm/Melbourne
3 February 2023 – Birds Basement, Naarm/Melbourne
4 February 2023 – Royal Hotel, Wadawurrung Country/Meredith
6 February 2023 – Bowral Bowling Club, Tharawal Country/Bowral
10 February 2023 – Trinity Sessions, Tarntanya/Adelaide
11 February 2023 – Twilight Sounds @ Heidelberg Park Oval, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country/Banyule
16 February 2023 – Caloundra RSL, Kabi Kabi and the Jinibara Country/Caloundra
17 February 2023 – Burleigh Town Hotel, Jellurgal/Burleigh Heads (FREE)
18 February 2023 – Doo-Bop Bar, Meeanjin/Brisbane
23 February 2023 – Avoca Beach Theatre, Darkinjung Country/Avoca Beach
24 February 2023 – The Great Club, Bulanaming/Marrickville
25 February 2023 – Centro, Woolyungah/Wollongong
5 March 2023 – Tallagandra Hill Winery, Gundungurra Country/Southern Highlands
12 March 2023 – Brighter Days Festival, Dhudhuroa, Taungurung, Waywurru, Gunaikurnai and Jaithmathang Country/Bright

Image used with permission from Ferries Davies PRM

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

South Summit Announce Biggest Aussie Tour

I’m always a bit torn about how to mark Australia Day. This blog has always been about celebrating the fabulous music that breathes life into this country, but January 26 isn’t a day that feels right for celebration. However, simply going quiet on the day doesn’t feel right either. So I choose to elevate Indigenous voices to balance out all the chest-beating patriotism. South Summit really impressed me last year with singles like “Promise Me” and “Tired of Waiting.” Featuring Josh Trindall, a proud Kamilaroi/Yuin man, Nehemiah Reuben and Isaiah Reuben, who are Torres Strait Islanders, and their pals Nathan and Finn, this Western Australian act have just dropped their sophomore EP Creatures and announced dates for their largest Aussie tour to date.

“We’re so excited to announce that we’ll be heading back for our next tour around Australia in March. We had such a good time on our last tour that we had to come back as soon as we could,” the band said. “There are so many exciting shows lined up, including completely new places for us like Newcastle and Hobart. And of course, all the other great cities like Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Byron Bay and Wollongong. We can’t wait to put on a good show for you, see ya there!”

Tickets are available now for all these shows:

3 March 2023 – The Newcastle Hotel, Mulubinba/Newcastle
4 March 2023 – VANFEST @ Mount Panorama, Wahluu/Bathurst
10 March 2023 – The Beach Hotel, Cavanbah/Byron Bay (FREE)
11 March 2023 – Black Bear Lodge, Meeanjin/Brisbane
17 March 2023 – Waywards, Eora/Sydney
18 March 2023 – Shellharbour Rocks Festival, Woolyungah/Wollongong (FREE)
31 March 2023 – Northcote Social Club, Naarm/Melbourne
1 April 2023 – A Day On The Lawn, Nipaluna/Hobart
4 April 2023 – Jack Rabbit Slims, Boorloo/Perth
15 April 2023 – The River, Wooditup/Margaret River

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Sarah Haleem

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pierce Brothers and Tash Sultana Join Forces for “High & Unsteady”

Sometimes you hear about a song and you know it’s going to be good before you even hit play. “High & Unsteady” is one of those songs. A collaboration between Pierce Brothers and Tash Sultana, how could it be anything but brilliant? My expectations were sky-high, but this track is everything I hoped it’d be. Pure feel-good indie-folk goodness with all the energy you need to get moving on a Monday.

“I really enjoyed working with the guys,” Tash enthused. “We’ve been working together for years on the road, so I had a great idea on how to capture their sound.”

The admiration is mutual, with Jack commenting “We’ve loved everything that Tash has done over the years, and when they had the idea to collaborate, we jumped at the opportunity! Pat and I put together the bones of the track so when we got into Tash’s studio we had a base from which to create and explore new sounds. Tash is one of the most talented producers we’ve had the pleasure of working with, they brought so many new sounds to mix that we would never have even thought of. I didn’t know what a mellotron was before that day!”

“High & Unsteady” comes with a cool animated music video directed and edited by Patrick Pierce, who combined 35mm analogue and digital footage.

“About 12 months ago I found a video featuring this rare Japanese film camera from the 90s. It has 16 separate frames across two rows on it, and was used for things like shooting a golf swing. I was searching for about 8 months before I could find one and start testing it out,” he explained. He edited the clip in-house over a painstaking summer, noting that “Easily the biggest hurdle in this music video was the edit. I had to develop, scan, separate and animate over 3,000 individual images. It took months, and I’m certain that the response from the general public will be ‘Huh … nice filter.’ That said, I’ve had this idea for ages now, so I’m really happy I’m finally getting it out of my head and onto a screen.”

Pierce Brothers plan on starting work on their next album this year, but you’ll still have plenty of opportunities to see them play. They’ve announced a bunch of festivals and single launch shows, and have plans to tour Australia, South Africa, and Europe to boot. Get your tickets for the following events:

4 February 2023 – Music in the Vines, Baragil/Macarthur
11 February 2023 – Hello Sunshine Festival, Wurundjeri and Bunurong Country/Scoresby
25 February 2023 – Tumbafest, Ngarigo Country/Tumbarumba
10 March 2023 – Cambridge Warehouse, Mulubinba/Newcastle
11 March 2023 – Lighthouse Festival, Darkinjung Country/Norah Head
24 March 2023 – Marlo Hotel, Marloo/Marlo
27 May 2023 – Tropic Sounds, Thul Garrie Waja/Townsville
5 July 2023 – Big Red Bash, Wirrarri/Birdsville
19 August 2023 – Mundi Mundi Bash, Wilyakali Country/Broken Hill

Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Dara Munnis

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Go Set Release Killer Comeback Song, “West Into the Sun”

Not a lot of bands survive 20 years. Fewer still rock just as hard as they always did. But the release of The Go Set’s new single “West Into the Sun” proves they’re doing just yet. I also have it on good authority that their new album The Warriors Beneath Us, which drops on March 17, is one of their best.

“We have done it the hard way,” admitted The Go Set’s frontman, Justin Keenan. “I don’t know a band that has slept on as many floors as we have. We have done 1,500 shows and played in 27 or 28 different countries, and you are always building from scratch every night when you do that.”

But of course, struggle builds greatness. Such is the case with The Warriors Beneath Us, which came out of a brand new challenge for the band: the COVID pandemic.

“We weren’t playing live so revenue was down but during COVID we discovered we could record ourselves at home without being on the clock in a big studio,” Justin explained. “An idea for a song would come from me and we would send it around to our home studios. We could add, subtract, layer, and that became the creative process. That was new for us. We didn’t have a budget but we had all the time we needed to make the record we wanted.”

The Go Set will mark the release of The Warriors Beneath Us with their first tour in three years.

“It’s exciting to be reconnecting with people and getting out on the road. We’ve had limited opportunities over the last couple of years and we’re really excited about sharing the new material at these shows. It was something I think we may have taken for granted a while back, but a couple of years of lockdowns and unprecedented difficulty has actually made us realise how much we truly appreciate each other, playing live, and sharing our music with people around the world”.

Tickets for all those Go Set shows are on sale now, so grab yours before they sell out!

31 March 31 – Vinnies Dive, Bundjalung Country/Gold Coast
1 April 2023 – The Zoo, Meeanjin/Brisbane
2 April 2023 – Platform 5, Turrbul Country/Nundah
14 April 2023 – TBC, Naarm/Melbourne
15 April 2023 – Crown and Anchor, Tarntanya/Adelaide
21 April 2023 – The Founders Room, Salamanca Arts Centre, Nipaluna/Hobart
22 April 2023 – The Royal Oak, Therrernotepanner, Leterrermairrener and Panniher Country/Launceston
23 April 2023 – Kindred Hall, Tommeginne Country/Kindred
28 April 2023 – Moshpit Bar, Eora/Sydney
29 April 2023 – Dicey Rileys, Woolyungah/Wollongong

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Boy & Bear, The Waifs, and Busby Marou Play Port Mac’s Charity Festival

Top Aussie acts Boy & Bear, The Waifs, and Busby Marou will hit Port Macquarie in April for Ride the Soundwave, a music festival that aims to do good in the local community. The brainchild of local charity Make a Difference, ticket sales will benefit homeless and disadvantaged people in the Hastings region of New South Wales’ Mid-North Coast.

Ride the Soundwave is part of Port’s Ride the Wave Festival, which also features surfing and skate competitions, markets, and a family fun zone.

“So far, the surf and skate events have really taken off and are fully subscribed each year, so they’re here to stay. It’s the music event that needs more support, so we’re hoping people who love live music will get behind us and make the event a success so that it can become an annual fixture on the Port Macquarie calendar,” explained Make a Difference committee member and local school teacher Erin Denham. “We need to sell all of our tickets for this to happen – with 100% of all money raised going back to Make a Difference, and helping those in need. It’s a win win – festival goers will get to enjoy an awesome line-up in a spectacular setting for a great price, all while feeling great that they’ve in essence made a charity donation to help those in need.”

Ride the Soundwave will hit the picturesque Port Macquarie Town Beach Reserve on April 29. Tickets cost just $90. It’s not a lot of money for all this talent, but it’ll make a big difference to locals in need. Get yours now from Ticketebo.

Image used with permission from Cardinal Spin

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Anna Smyrk Gets Real With “I Don’t Want to Meet Your Mother”

Society might try to sell us on forever love, but most of us go through a few relationships that are destined to burn out. Anna Smyrk gets honest about that with her latest single “I Don’t Want to Meet Your Mother.” With its refreshingly honest lyrics and chunky guitar chords, it’s a nice change of pace.

“I wrote this song thinking back to my first relationships,” Anna recalled. “I grew up in a small town but I had all these big dreams. I didn’t want to get tied down to any one person or place. So I always kept a wall up, I didn’t want to accidentally find myself in too deep to get out.”

She had a whole lot of fun recording the track in Nashville with producers Jake Finch and Collin Pastore (Lucy Dacus).

“There’s a part in this song where me and the producers are all just shouting ‘NO!” at the top of our lungs, like a bunch of cranky toddlers. It was probably my favourite studio moment, even though I kind of lost my voice after that.”

Anna has some big shows appearances coming up, including Newstead Live which kicks off today.

20-23 January 2023 – Newstead Live, Jaara Jaara Country/Newstead
19 February 2023 – Brunswick Artists Bar, Bulleke-bek/Brunswick (FREE 4 pm show)
25 February 2023 – Tanswells Hotel, Baarmutha/Beechworth
10-13 March 2023 – Port Fairy Folk Festival, Dhauwurd Wurrung Country/Port Fairy

Image used with permission from This Much Talent; credit: Jeff Anderson Jnr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Good Lekker Drop New Bop, “Show I Care”

Good Lekker are bringing the summer vibes with their dancetastic new single “Show I Care.” It’s an absolute charmer which is sure to get your toes tapping, at the very least!

“I tried to keep the lyrics as simple as possible in ‘Show I Care’,” vocalist Joshua Fahy explained. “To an extent, I want listeners to be able to imbed their own meaning into the song, however they relate to it. Context is impossible to escape when writing, however. This song reflects me, in my mid-20s, unsure of what comes next in life. It’s about dragging others along for the ride while goals dissipate and past dreams begin to look foreign to yourself. It’s about the transience of friendship as everyone moves on to different stages of life and the difficulties of keeping in touch. It’s about trying to glue all these parts into a half-decent collage and loving what you make. Take your pick for what appeals to you.”

The Eora/Sydney band will hit the road this May with shows in all the East Coast capitals. May might seem like a long way off, but it’ll be here before you know it. Put these dates in your calendar so you don’t miss out!

20 May 2023 – Lady Hampshire, Eora/Sydney
26 May 2023 – The Workers Club, Naarm/Melbourne
27 May 2023 – O’Skulligans, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Image used with permission from Good Intent