Tag: The Whitlams

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Whitlams Black Stump Band @ Avoca Picture Theatre, Darkinjung Country/Avoca Beach – 26 November 2022

I’ve seen The Whitlams and Tim Freedman solo countless times over the years. The ever-changing setlists ensure it never gets tired, yet I relished the opportunity to see them doing something completely new. When the Whitlams Black Stump Band stopped in to Darkinjung Country/Central Coast on Saturday, I got my chance.

After seeing my first gig at Avoca Beach Picture Theatre, I’ll be keeping a close eye on their gig guide. I’ve seen movies there in the past, but you don’t really appreciate its intimacy as much when you’re looking at a big screen. It’s such a charming space, oozing with warmth and good vibes. I had tickets in the front row and didn’t dare bring out my camera out, lest I break the spell.

Courtney Keil was already on stage when I found my seat. She’s got a sweet voice and a youthful energy that’s perfect for her brand of country-pop. Cass Hopetoun was next, another country act but one I connected with instantly. Her songs were much quirkier, with plenty of sass and edge. She’s also a really compelling performer. Watching her interact with her fiancé on guitar was so special. I’ve been blasting her album since the show.

While the walk-on music was familiar, this was a very different Whitlams show to any other I’ve seen. With only two-fifths of the outfit Whitlams regulars, the band could best be described as an offshoot. While Rod McCormack, Matt Fell, and Ollie Thorpe are new additions, they’re such accomplished musicians that they sound as if they’ve been playing with Tim and Terepai, and playing these songs, for years. I’d heard a couple of the new arrangements through single releases, but getting to hear so many great Whitlams songs in new ways was thrilling. I hadn’t imagined slide guitar, banjo, or steel guitar on these tracks, but I’m so glad I got the opportunity to hear them that way. Certain songs also suit a more countrified treatment than others, so the show featured some tracks that don’t usually make the set list. If you’re a die-hard Whitlams fan, that alone is worth the price of admission. We were also treated to covers from artists like Kris Kristofferson and Neil Young. As I said before, this was not your typical Whitlams gig.

There’s something special that happens when a band are really vibing. You can tell that these guys love making music together. When the band loves what they do, the audience always has a good time. The Whitlams always bring the party, but the novelty of this new project takes these songs to another level. If you consider yourself a Whitlams fan, make sure you see the Whitlams Black Stump Band at one of their upcoming shows:
1 December 2022 – Royal Oak Hotel, Therrernotepanner, Leterrermairrener and Panniher Country/Launceston
2 December 2022 – LongHouse, Nipaluna/Hobart
3 December 2022 – Palais Theatre, Melukerdee and Lyluequonny Country/Franklin
20 January 2023 – Capitol Theatre, Kamilaroi Country/Tamworth
17 March 2023 – Lizotte’s, Mulubinba/Newcastle
18 March 2023 – Adelaide Fringe, Spiegeltent, Tarntanya/Adelaide
24 March 2023 – Thornbury Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne
25 March 2023 – Memo Music Hall, Naarm/Melbourne
26 March 2023 – Archies Creek Hotel, Gunai Country/Archies Creek
31 March 2023 – Factory Theatre, Eora/Sydney
1 April 2023 – Princess Theatre, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Whitlams Cover Perry Keyes For Country Album

A friend introduced me to Perry Keyes’ “The Day John Sattler Broke His Jaw” a few years back. My friends introduce me to a lot of songs, and most of them I probably forget before too long. But this song was different. It was so good that I wondered why we don’t all know it, the way we know “Khe Sanh” and “The Horses”. It’s so good that when you hear it, you wonder why it’s not more well-known. It feels familiar from the first play. Once you do hear it, it’s not easily forgotten. I’m hopeful that a few more people will fall in love with it now that The Whitlams have put their stamp on it.

It’s no accident that this cover has more of a country sound than we’re used to from The Whitlams. It came from an idea hatched by frontman Tim Freedman as he drove between regional stops on his 2021 solo tour. While travelling from Gunnedah to Mudgee, via Black Stump Way, he discovered country radio playing his band’s latest single, “Man About a Dog.”

“I must admit it was a surprise to be played on Kix Country and Triple A Murri Country, but it was very cool,” he said. And it got him thinking. In Mudgee, he called Matt Fell, who produced his solo effort Australian Idle, and said “Put together your dream band. I think I want to make a country album.”

And so, The Whitlams got together with the new Black Stump Band, featuring Rod McCormack (on banjo, papoose, and acoustic guitar), Ollie Thorpe (pedal steel and electric guitar), and Matt Fell on bass. And they made that country album, The Black Stump Sessions, featuring this song.

Sydney photojournalist and director Johnny Barker made the gorgeous black and white video. It features archival footage of Tim’s father, Barrie Freedman, tipping Souths to win that historic rugby league grand final, with captain John Sattler finishing the game despite breaking his jaw. Talk about grit and determination!

The Whitlams, Black Stump Band will play shows all around the eastern states to launch the single later this year.

22 April 2022 – Longyard Hotel, Tamworth
24 April 2022 – Victoria Hotel, Bathurst
28 July 2022 – The Metropolitan Hotel, Mackay
29 Jul 2022 – Mansfield Hotel, Townsville
30 Jul 2022 – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns
3 August 2022 – Gunnedah Town Hall, Gunnedah
4 August 2022 – Orange Civic Theatre, Orange
5 August 2022 – Royal Hotel, Queanbeyan
6 August 2022 – Bowral Bowling Club, Bowral
7 August 2022 – Tallagandra Hill Winery, Gundaroo
12 August 2022 – Westernport Hotel, San Remo
13 August 2022 – Queenscliff Town Hall, Queenscliff
14 August 2022 – Burrinja Theatre, Upwey

Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Whitlams @ The Art House, Wyong – 7 February 2019

The Art House has been a welcome addition to the Central Coast’s cultural landscape. It’s a modern, intimate theatre overseen by a team booking such fantastic acts. We’re barely a week into February and I’ve already seen a musical, stand up comedy, and now live music there this year. I also have tickets to another three shows. It’s hard to resist when they’re a short, relatively traffic-free drive away. Last night the venue played host to one of Australia’s most enduring bands and one of the most exciting up-and-comers.

William Crighton warmed up the crowds with songs from his critically acclaimed sophomore album Empire and some tracks from the vault. What a unique talent he is. His rich, resonant voice draws you in from the start. His songs are just as compelling, whether he’s singing about young boys exacting revenge on paedophile priests or a sweet moment of peace watching children at play. With just the sound of an acoustic guitar keeping his voice company, and sometimes not even that, it was easy to hone in on the lyrics and hear those stories. His witty, unassuming banter between songs put us all on side. We might have been pumped for The Whitlams, but I don’t think anyone was clock-watching while William was on stage. We were hushed and attentive, until William encouraged us to sing along. We did so with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for the headliners.

The energy in the room went to the next level when The Whitlams joined us though. They started with high-energy crowd-pleasers “I Will Not Go Quietly and “Gough.” The exciting thing about seeing The Whitlams though is you’re never quite sure where the show will take you. They have 27 years of high-quality material at their disposal, and no song is off limits. While they tick off the major singles this isn’t a band that wants to stay necessarily with what we expect to hear. And we lap that up, belting out those upbeat numbers, falling quiet lest we miss a moment of the more introspective ones.

The show was peppered with witty banter, with Tim sharing his appreciation of our brand new theatre, his views on Sydney, and what it was really like performing at the Australian of the Year awards. As chief songwriter and vocalist, Tim tends to get more of the attention, but I found myself admiring just how good this band is as a whole. I’ve always loved The Whitlams, but there were so many times as I watched them feeding off one another, so in the moment, creating an incredible sound, that I just thought “Wow, this is special.” By the time they shuffled off after their encore of Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue,” my hands were sore from enthusiastic applause.

Last night the Art House turned on an amazing night of music that had me marvelling, not for the first time, how lucky I am to experience shows like this so close to home.

Image source: own photos

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Whitlams Play Flix in the Stix

The Whitlams are joining Flix in the Stix, a program which takes music, short films, comedy, and great food to outdoor locations in rural Australia. What could be better than seeing such stellar entertainment in a winery, a botanic garden, or another picturesque natural paradise?

The iconic Aussie act has been on hiatus as Tim Freedman’s explored other musical ventures, but they’ll return with a vengeance for these shows, which celebrate the travelling arts festival’s fifth year.

Tickets go on sale through Ticketek on Monday, December 3, for the following shows.

1 February 2013 – Lake Wyangan, Griffith
2 February 2013 – Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra
8 February 2013 – Lazy River Estate, Dubbo
9 February 2013 – Orange Botanic Gardens, Orange
22 February 2013 – Aelec, Tamworth
23 February 2013 – Saumarez Homestead, Armidale
9 March 2013 – Fairylands, Ballarat
10 March 2013 – Big Hill Vineyard, Bendigo
22 March 2013 – Music Bowl, Wagga Wagga
23 March 2013 – Bong Bong Racecourse, Bowral
26 April 2013 – Heritage Village, Rockhampton
27 April 2013 – Tondoon Botanic Gardens, Gladstone

Image used with permission from Two Fish Out of Water

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Whitlams Do Eternal Nightcap

The Whitlams‘ breakthrough album Eternal Nightcap launched the band into the public eye twelve years ago.

It gave us the smash hit “No Aphrodisiac” and sentimental favourites like “Buy Now Pay Later (Charlie No.2)” and “You Sound Like Louis Burdett.” Now the band is revisiting this timeless recording with some very special shows.

The Whitlams will play the album in its entirety in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Audiences in New South Wales and Victoria are in for a special treat, with the Sydney Symphony and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras joining the band in their home states.

Here are the all important dates!

7 & 8 August 2009 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
25 & 26 September 2009 – Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, Adelaide
3 & 4 December 2009 – Sydney Opera House

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Whitlams Join YouTube

To celebrate the release of The Whitlams’ greatest hits Truth, Beauty, and a Picture of You today, the band have launched their very own YouTube channel. This is a must for fans thanks to Tim Freedman’s videos revealing the stories songs like “Blow Up The Pokies” and “No Aphrodisiac.” The film clips are also included, so you can listen to the song’s with a new understanding.

Sadly there isn’t a lot to see right now, but hopefully they’ll add more soon! In the meantime, here’s the clip for one of my favourites, “No Aphrodisiac.” No matter how many times I hear it I still love it.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Whitlams Hit the Road

If you can’t make it to The Whitlams’ Good Music Month show at the State Theatre you needn’t stress. The band has just announced a full run of dates to support their soon-to-be-released best of.

The lads will play shows in some of the major capitals and a few regional towns as well. But if you can make it to Sydney, Hobart, or Melbourne they’re really the pick of things. The Whitlams will be backed by full symphonies in these cities, so they’re sure to be something special.

The two-disc greatest hits album will draw from The Whitlams six studio releases. It’ll hit record stores all around the country on August 2. You can see The Whitlams doing their thing live at the following venues.

15 August 2008 – Wrest Point Casino, Hobart (with The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra)
22 and 23 August 2008 – The Gov, Adelaide
4 and 5 September 2008 – The Zoo, Brisbane
12 September 2008 – State Theatre, Sydney (w/ Symphonie Des Femmes)
25 and 26 September 2008 – Hamer Hall, Melbourne (w/ The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra)
4 October 2008 – Belmont Sailing Club, Newcastle
11 and 12 October 2008 – Tilley’s, Canberra
17 October 2008 – Caloundra Festival, Caloundra
24 October 2008 – Tank Art Centre, Cairns
1 November 2008 – Regal Theatre, Perth

Image source: Mystikeel @ Flickr