Music News Round-Up

Did everyone have a good long weekend? I spent mine camping with my family in the rain. Next to a tent that almost exclusively played dubstep and another who had a baby. Never again.

Anyway, here’s some music news to accompany your hangover.

 

After one album and countless drummers, Philadelphia Grand Jury have called it quits for good. The band announced a hiatus is March, but today they revealed on Twitter that the band has broken up:

“After years of touring together, recording together, working together and living together, we’ve decided we need our own space. Big, big thanks to everyone who has supported us and given us the opportunity to have what is pretty much a dream existence. Most of all, thanks to all the drummers that have put up with us both.”

The band were incredibly fun live and Hope is for Hopers, although cheesy in places, still holds up well. It’s a real shame to see them go.

 

This is the first result for the BDO on google images. Yup.

Viven Lees and Ken West, the promoters behind The Big Day Out parted ways after 20 years. Lees has pulled out of the partnership, stating that he wants to spend more time with his family. Ken West will become the festivals sole promoter.

AJ Maddah is continuing his run of being the most frustrating promoter in Australia.

Hole have pulled out of Soundwave 2012, which of course resulted in a spate of hilarious tweets.

As far as Harvest news goes, Kevin Devine’s sideshows were cancelled with no proper announcement (I’m still mad) and festival attendees in Brisbane and Sydney can only bring one sandwich (no word on baguette or rolls).

The full details for travel announcements, etc can be found here.

 

First Aid Kit sideshows

Ridiculously talented Swedish sisters, First Aid Kit will be returning to Australia in March.

The band will be down here for Golden Plains but will also play shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

If their history is anything to go by, this might be the last time we get to see them in such intimate venues. With a Fleet Foxes cover that has over 2,000,000 views on youtube (take that Bieber), an impressive debut album and the ability to move Patti Smith to tears, these girls have massive things ahead of them.

They will also be releasing their second album The Lion’s Roar on the 27th of January.

Their Australian dates are:

Wednesday 14th March – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Thursday 15th March – The Standard, Sydney
Friday 16th March – The Zoo, Brisbane

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beirut Sideshows

Beirut are coming to Australia for the Falls Festivals and today they announced sideshows for Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.

The last time they toured here was way back in 2008, and since then they’re released their brilliant new album The Rip Tide and become superstars in Brazil.

The dates are:

Thursday 5th January – Sydney Opera House, Sydney
Tuesday 10th January – The Forum Theatre, Melbourne
Thursday 12th January – The Hi Fi, Brisbane

Tickets on sale Tuesday 11th October or pre-sale tomorrow through the Handsome Tours mailing list.

*Beirut are band in the same sense Bright Eyes are a band. So don’t get crabby about my use of plurals.

Music Round-Up: Wednesday Edition.

Things have been a bit quiet around here of late, thanks to the end of semester approaching much faster than I’d anticipated. But I have a four month break to fill in about a month’s time so I’ll make up for it then.

But for now, here’s some news.

According to the head of HMV Simon Fox, CDs will become obsolete by 2016. While the sale of CDs has been dropping for quite some time, weren’t HMV the ones who went under in Australia because they sold albums for about three times the RRP?

Personally, I think vinyl  is the king of formats at the moment and there will always be a market for the physical copy, even if it’s a small one. I can’t imagine a world where physical formats no longer exist, I’ve seen hard drives crash and delete everything. I’ve never seen a CD delete themselves.

Cosmo Jarvis is coming to Australia. While he’s just making a name for himself in this country, track like Gay Pirates and Sure As Hell Not Jesus are sheer genius.

Stephen Fry and Brian Eno are fans, and if you’re going to trust somebody’s judgement, you could do a hell of a lot worse.

Wednesday 12th October – GoodGod, Sydney
Thursday 13th October – East Brunswick Club, Melbourne

Stevie Wonder is coming to Australia. But you probably can’t afford to go.

With tickets starting at $500 it well above a cheap night out. And if you want the good seats be prepared to fork out $850.

Wednesday 26th October-Lyric Theatre, The Star, Sydney

Okkervil River announce more shows

Okkervil River have announced dates in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane to join their Melbourne Festival shows.

It will the band’s fifth tour to Australia and follows the release of their latest album ‘I Am Very Far.’

The dates are:

Wednesday 12th October – Capitol, Perth
Tuesday 18th October – Metro Theatre, Sydney
Wednesday 19th October – The Hi Fi, Brisbane
Friday 14th October – The Forum Theatre, Melbourne
Saturday 15th October – Meeniyan Town Hall, Meeniyan

Sunday 16th October – Toff In Town, Melbourne (Will Sheff solo show)

Okkervil River Are Coming To Melbourne

I’ve spent just over a week in Sydney and I’m already missing Melbourne. On the first night I arrived, I walked around the city thinking I was in another suburb, mostly because of the lack of laneways, public art and anything that vaguely resembles decent coffee.

While the Sydney Festival always attracts massive names, Melbourne is starting to catch up and tonight’s announcement of the musical program at the Melbourne Festival is quite impressive.

MONO, Kimya Dawson, Aseop Rock and Jello Biafra will all be down here for the festival, however the most exciting act is Okkervil River who’s most recent album I Am Very Far showcased a bigger sound for the band. Will Sheff will also be playing an acoustic set at The Toff which only has a capacity of 300.

Melbourne Festival shows at The Forum:
Friday 7th October – MONO (Japan), Wintercoats (Australia)
Saturday 8 October – Black Dice (USA), Lucky Dragons (USA)
Friday 14 October – Okkervil River (USA), Roller One (Australia)
Saturday 15 October – Aesop Rock, Kimya Dawson ft Rob Sonic & DJ Big Wiz (USA), The Narcicyst (Iraq), Omar Offendum (Syria)
Friday 21 October – Konono No.1 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Bachelorette (New Zealand)
Saturday 22 October – Jello Biafra (USA)

Melbourne Festival shows at The Toff in Town:
Sunday 9 October – Sulumi (China), Qua (Australia)
Wednesday 12 October – Lucky Dragons (USA), Geoffrey O’Connor (Australia)
Sunday 16 October – Will Sheff (USA), Jimmy Stewart (Australia), Mike Noga (Australia)
Wednesday 19 October – Bachelorette (New Zealand), Rat Vs Possum (Australia)

Melbourne Festival shows at Meeniyan Town Hall:
Saturday 15 October – Okkervil River (USA)

Tallest Man On Earth Tour

 

The Tallest Man On Earth is possible the best thing to come out of Sweden since Ikea and he’ll be visting our shores in September.

There’s not much I can really say about his music that will do it justice. So instead, watch this video, swoon and buy a ticket to one of his shows.

 

Friday 21st October – The Powerhouse, Brisbane
Saturday 22nd October – The Factory Theatre, Sydney
Sunday 23rd October – Earth Station Festival, Belair National Park, Adelaide
Tuesday 25th October – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Wednesday 26th October – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Thursday 27th October – Rosemount Hotel, Perth
Saturday 29th October – Wave Rock Weekender, Hyden

Tickets on sale 15th July

Meat Loaf Australian Tour

As far as tour announcements go, it doesn’t get much bigger than Meat Loaf who will be playing shows in Australia during October.

He will be touring in support of his upcoming album Hell In A Handbasket and will be playing at the Day on the Green events as well are arena shows. On top of this he’ll also join the likes of Lionel Richie and er… Angry Anderson by playing at the ALF Grand Final on October 1.

Bat Out Of Hell still sells over 200,000 copies a year it’s more than appropriate they’ve named it the Guilty Pleasure Tour. Tickets go on sale July 4.

Tuesday 4th October – WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
Thursday 6th October – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Saturday 8th October – A Day On The Green – Bimbadgen Winery, Hunter Valley
Wednesday 12th October – Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney
Friday 14th October – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Saturday 15th October – A Day On The Green, Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley
Wednesday 19th October – Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
Saturday 22nd October – nib Stadium, Perth

Sebadoh announce Australian tour

American lo-fi band have announced their first australian tour in fifteen years. Featuring Lou Barlow from Dinosaur Jr, the band will play Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane in September.

Friday 16th September – The Rosemount, Perth

Sunday 18th September – Corner Hotel, Melbourne

Wednesday 21st September – Metro Theatre, Sydney

Thursday 22nd September – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane

Tickets on sale Friday 27th May

Georgia Fair come out to play

20110516-121702.jpg

While they have been taking a Australian music scene by storm, for many Georgia Fair will always be known as the band from the Big M ad.

Over the next 10 days Big M’s Weekender on Wheels bus will be going around Melbourne, giving away more free milk than you can shake a stick at and to celebrate Georgia Fair will be playing a free gig on 19 May at Southbank Spillway from 5:30pm.

You can also get a free download from liking the Big M Facebook page, however I highly recommend forking out for Georgia Fair’s Times Fly EP.