Canada’s own Leif Vollebekk is one of those special artists who wasn’t on my radar until they made their tour announcement, but I wonder where they’ve been all my life. I’ve been binge listening his music hard since his tour news landed in my inbox. He’s so, so good.
Leif’s tour announcement follows the release of his critically acclaimed album Revelation late last year, so expect to hear plenty of music from that project. That’s his fifth album since he made his debut with Inland in 2010, so he’s certainly got plenty of material to draw from. Which is good news for people new to his music like me hoovering up his soulful indie-folk goodness.
Trust me, you don’t want to discover how amazing he is when these shows are done. Wrap your ears around him and get ready for these dates:
Following two sold out tours in the last two years, Canadian bluegrass quartet The Dead South are heading back to our shores for their biggest tour to date.
“Starting a couple years back, every time we’d post tour dates we’d see dozens of comments asking when we’re coming to Australia and New Zealand. A couple years ago we toured there for the first time and it immediately became one of our favourite places,” The Dead South said. “Let’s make it an annual thing, shall we? We can’t wait to see you all again in November and December! We’re even hitting the South Island this time. See you all soon!”
The Dead South will play the following Australian shows before heading across the ditch. Since tickets sold out last time, make sure you don’t procrastinate because you just might miss out.
When I saw the then newly reunited Southern Sons perform at 2019’s One Electric Day, I begged for a tour. This iconic Aussie act disbanded when I was 14, so I was too young to catch them in their heyday. Their short set at One Electric Day was well … electric … but it left me wanting more. Last night, more than five years after those shows, my patience was rewarded. With a gig in my local area no less!
This isn’t quite the Southern Sons of old. Phil Buckle never rejoined his bandmates and with Virgil Donati overseas, the uber-talented Pete Drummond has taken over drumming duties. But that core trio of Reggie Bowman, Geoff Cain, and frontman Jack Jones ably steer the ship. Their camaraderie is evident, both with each other and new kid Pete. Even though there’s one less member, the Southern Sons sound has lost nothing. Their sublime harmonies, incredible musicianship, and Jack Jones’ incomparable voice shone through in every number.
As a fan, I relished the opportunity to hear a longer set. While I’ve seen Jack play countless times, it’s always been acoustic. He needed to wait to reunite with his bandmates and be amongst fans to bust out some of my old favourites like “Hold On to the Memory” and “Sometimes”. It’s funny how you can hear songs after so many years and find yourself singing along, even though you haven’t thought about their lyrics for years. Those deeper cuts provided some of my favourite moments, but of course I loved the bigger hits. Being amongst fans who could sing along to smashes like “Lead Me to Water” and “Always and Ever” more confidently than the recent crowd at Avoca Beach Theatre was fabulous. That solo Jack Jones gig was totally stripped back, but in this bigger show Southern Sons used technology to great effect. With screens and audio, we experienced Colin Hay joining the band for “Don’t Tell Me What’s Right” and John Farnham joining Jack for the duet that should have been, “Burn For You.”
I worried that during a full band show, Jack may not have been able to chat as easily with the audience as he did during the Avoca Beach Theatre gig. So I was thrilled to see him take a seat, grab an acoustic guitar, and regale us with some stripped-back songs and stories. He’s such a charismatic storyteller that I hung on his every word, even though I’d heard the tales before.
Jack’s chattiness has always charmed me, but I was less enamoured later in the set when he talked about his surprise that he hasn’t been cancelled, the way he walks that line, before chatting about how “chicks don’t have ding-dongs.” Of course, he’s entitled to voice his beliefs, but the casual transphobia left a sour taste in my mouth. The laughter that erupted from the crowd suggests I was in the minority, but I would have appreciated more music from the early 1990s and less of the era’s opinions. Honestly, it was a bit hard for me to regather my enthusiasm after that and sing along to “Heart in Danger.” I can only imagine how it might have hit any members of the trans community who may have been present.
It’s amazing how just a few sentences can mar a generous set that stretched on well past the promised hour and 45 minutes. Southern Sons didn’t put a foot wrong until they did, and it’s a shame that’s what I’m likely to remember most about this long-anticipated gig.
Southern Sons continue their 35th anniversary tour in Thurrural/Thirroul tonight. Limited tickets are still available for the following shows:
I’m buzzing today with the news that Mayday Parade are celebrating 20 years in the business with an Aussie tour, and they’re bringing The Home Team and one of my favourite acts of all time – Jack’s Mannequin – along for the ride.
Just a couple of weeks ago I was cursing that Jack’s Mannequin were playing shows in Japan while I was cruising around the country, meaning I’d be stuck in the middle of ocean while they were entertaining the masses. Thankfully they’ve been considerate enough to schedule the Eora/Sydney show for the day after I return. Jetlag cannot get in the way of what promises to be a good time!
“Mayday Parade is so excited to return to Australia to headline in celebrating 20 years as a band and our current releases,” the band’s guitarist Alex Garcia said. “Throughout all this time some of our best shows have been in Australia and that’s because our fans there are so incredibly special. We can’t wait to celebrate this band with you guys!”
The Three Cheers for 20 Years tour travels to the major capitals this September. The early bird presale begins this Friday before the general sale on Tuesday February 25, so get on it!
Hailing from Washington, D.C., emo rock duo Origami Angel are making their way to Australia for the first time this April. I must admit, these guys weren’t on my radar, but after spending the afternoon with their music I understand why they’ve clocked up tens of millions of Spotify streams! They’re so good!
Emo rock doesn’t quite describe what they do. It’s definitely scene adjacent, but there’s also a little metalcore, electronic, and even jazz in their music. I appreciate that they do things differently and I have no doubt these shows will be amazing.
Origami Angel are currently headlining shows in Europe and the UK, so they should be in fine form when they arrive on our shores. If there’s any justice these guys will be much bigger when they visit Australia again so don’t miss your chance to see them in tiny local venues this April. Tickets are on sale now for the following shows:
After topping the Australian Album ARIA charts and nabbing a fourth place on the overall ARIA charts, Dear Seattle have announced they’re hitting the road to celebrate their latest album TOY. I’m still listening to this album regularly weeks after its release.
“We’ve been putting in the hard yards to ensure this tour is the absolute best you’ve ever seen [from] DS,” the band said. “We always put in everything, but this time we wanna push the boundaries of what we’ve done in the past and make this album tour the most memorable one yet. We can’t wait to see you there!”
I only wish the shows didn’t come during an already busy May, as I have a sneaky suspicion that these songs will sound ever better in a sweaty pub. They’re also bringing Cleveland punk rockers Heart Attack, Tarntanya/Adelaide pop-punk act TOWNS, and Naarm/Melbourne indie-rock act LUCKY along for the ride. If your schedule isn’t as hectic as mine, make sure you grab some tickets while you can!
As we inch closer to the release of his New Love album, Ziggy Alberts has dropped another romantic folk ditty for your listening pleasure. His new single “I’m With You” is another beautiful song that celebrates being with the right person.
“Love in its purest form, has a way of bringing us back to ourselves. This song is about embracing that with open arms,” Ziggy said. “Sometimes we are blinded by desire when some things are right in front of us. It’s a really, truly happy song; it’s not even sentimental; it’s simply happy-go-lucky, which I love.”
You can hear more from Ziggy when he releases New Love on February 21. He’ll hit the ground running playing some local shows from release day through to early April before heading to North America, Europe, and the UK. They’re all selling out left and right, so if you want to get along make sure you grab some tickets soon.
Damien Rice’s music captivated me from the release of his debut album O. Yet strangely, even though he’s a regular visitor to our shores, I hadn’t managed to catch him live. Those shows always clashed with others or came at the wrong time. So I made things right last night when he visited the beautiful State Theatre.
I thought I was in for a special night, but it exceeded my expectations. All too often musicians tour a set show. The songs mostly stay the same, they tell the crowd the same stories, simply subbing out city names where appropriate. The performances are carefully crafted to appeal to the masses, and to some degree it works. But when artists have such a clear plan, I think it can also undermine creativity, spontaneity, some of the foundations of music. So it was refreshing to see an artist like Damien Rice who throws out the rule book and gets back to basics.
Damien doesn’t use a setlist. Instead he relies on instinct and lets the evening play out as it’s supposed to. Sometimes he played the music that felt right for the moment, in others he agreed to the requests of his passionate audience or asked his talented cellist and vocalist Francisca Barreto what she felt like playing. He also doesn’t go for the usual staging either. There are no big screens behind him and lighting is minimal. That might not be ideal for photos, but I loved the intimate atmosphere these choices created.
I had my first inkling that this wasn’t any ordinary show when he played his first number, an unreleased track, on his knees hunched over a harmonium, a small light barely illuminating his face. I was mesmerised. He moved on to more familiar territory with “Delicate,” the opening track from O, but even though we all knew it you could hear a pin drop. It was almost as if we collectively worried that adding our own voices to the mix might break the spell.
It took until the eighth song for someone to yell out a request. “I Remember,” an excellent choice Damien was all too happy to oblige. This opened the floodgates for others to suggest their favourites. He was generous, delivering many songs the audience held dear. I’ve got to commend those vocal fans for choosing so beautifully. But all too soon he told us that he’d need to start wrapping up as people had work in the morning. How I love a musician who’s so considerate on a weeknight! And so, he gifted us with his breakthrough hit “The Blower’s Daughter” mixed with a little of Radiohead’s “Creep.” It was glorious from the start, but turning down all the microphones, so he was simply singing to us, made it magical.
Honestly, I hadn’t expected an encore. That song was so powerful, I wasn’t sure where he might go from there. But sure enough, he came back with Francisca and delivered a beautiful version of “Cold Water” silhouetted against the stage’s backdrop. I didn’t need to see them because I could feel them. Damien ended the evening with another unreleased track, bringing the evening full circle. On any other night these might have seemed like strange choices but on a night like this, which was more about appreciating music than singing along to it, it made perfect sense.
As I left the theatre, and again now as I relive it in my mind, one word echoes in my brain: transcendent. It means “beyond or above the range of normal or physical human experience.” That’s what this concert was for me. I see a lot of concerts. I love many of those shows. But I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced a night quite like this. Thank you Damien Rice.
Damien Rice continues his Australian tour in Mulubinba/Newcastle. There are limited tickets for that show at the Civic Theatre tonight before he plays his final sold out show in Meeanjin/Brisbane on Thursday.
Canadian indie folk duo The East Pointers are heading to Australia on the back of their recently released single “Anniversary.” This beautiful song honours their late bandmate Koady Chaisson, who died suddenly in January 2022.
“When Jake [Charron, keys, guitar, and vocals] and I sat down to write, ‘Anniversary’ was the first song that came out—it was as if Koady was in the room with us, it flowed so fast,” said Koady’s cousin and East Pointers vocalist, fiddler, and guitar player Tim Chaisson. “We want this song to give anybody permission to give themselves a pat on the back, for any of the wins or positive changes in their life. A celebration you continue to honour, especially when times get tough.”
“‘Anniversary’ is a song about how making one positive decision can change the rest of your life,” Jake added. “11 years ago today (on his birthday) our late band member Koady made some major changes to his life to improve his mental health, one of which was becoming sober. This is a song to celebrate fresh starts, milestones, and the wins that we have along the way, big or small.”
The East Pointers will play some of the country’s leading folk festivals and headlining shows in the coming months. Tickets are on sale now for all the following shows.
With Forgiving Spree, Slowly Slowly proves the old adage that quality is always better than quantity. Its nine tracks spanning will take you just a little over half an hour to listen to, but I guarantee you’ll be thinking about them long after the final note.
It’s no coincidence that Slowly Slowly released five singles from this album before its launch. It opens with the title track before moving on to “Gimme the Wrench” and “How Are You Mine?”, all so catchy and crowd-pleasing. You might expect a dip in energy as Slowly Slowly move on to those album tracks, but in all honesty, any song on this album might have served as a single. This is an album that sees Slowly Slowly leaning into their pop sensibilities, unafraid to take inspiration from more commercial influences like John Farnham and Bruce Springsteen. There are more love songs than gritty anthems here. Most songs encourage listeners to sing along, but with the closer “Born Free,” Slowly Slowly shows they have what it takes to silence you. It’s such an epic ballad, stripped back and vulnerable until its dramatic musical and emotional crescendo.
Forgiving Spree is Slowly Slowly’s fifth album and their most accomplished. It sees them taking well-educated musical risks that always land, yet still surprise listeners. They’re stretching themselves musically and proving that just maybe, they can do it all.
Forgiving Spree is out now. Slowly Slowly will celebrate their new release with shows in Europe, the United Kingdom, and here at home over the coming months. Get your tickets now because they’re bound to sell out.
