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JO MEARES RELEASES ‘KING OF THE CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN’ – TOURING OZ & EUROPE!

Jo Meares is pleased to announce a string of live performance dates to celebrate the release his latest album ‘King of the Crystal Mountain.’

Produced by Charles Jenkins, ‘King of the Crystal Mountain‘ features the sublime work of guitar virtuoso Jeff Lang and ethereal backing vocals recorded in a church in Finland by an all-girl choir.  Reuben Alexander‘s eerie harmonica and Kari Pihl’s majestic piano work feature throughout this haunting album, telling stories of outsiders, loss, confusion, love and hate.
This is Jo’s third solo album. His first collection of words and sounds ‘A Handful of Smoke‘ was awarded Australian album of the year on the highly respected “Outpost” show on Radio 2SER. Jo’s second solo album ‘One More Time‘ was made with The Honeyriders with a sixteen piece string section, layered backing vocals and lush guitar sounds.
Clem Bastow described his music as “The melancholia of wide open plains and corrugated iron, caressed by occasionally passing heavenly choirs of grievous angels and chain gangs.”
Jo will be performing at his Sydney album launch, June 6 at The Vanguard with a six-piece band featuring Madelaine Lucas and Robert Irish, two members of the Sydney outfit Devotional. Support on the night will be provided by one of the finest songwriters on the planet, Charles Jenkins.
Jo plays most years in France, Spain and Finland and is gradually building his following there. His June 2014 release of the album ‘King of the Crystal Mountain‘ in Australia will be followed by an extensive tour of Europe throughout France, Spain, Holland, Finland and Germany.
Tour dates:
Friday May 9th – Crate Records, Sydney, album preview and limited edition vinyl release with full band
Friday May 23 – The Armidale Club, Armidale (solo)
Thursday June 5th – The Vanguard, Sydney, album launch with full band, support Charles Jenkins.
Friday June 13th – The Spotted Mallard, Melbourne, album launch with full band
Sunday June 15th – Pure Pop Records, 4pm
Sunday June 22nd – Club Liberte, Helsinki, Finland
Thursday June 26th – Henrys Pub, Helsinki, Finland
Wednesday July 2nd – Ben’s Café, Paris, France
Saturday July 5th – Trinkete, Gernika, Spain
Wednesday July 9th – Wharf 73, Madrid, Spain
Thursday August 14th – Django Bar, Sydney
Sunday Sept 7th – Brisbane Powerhouse, 3.30pm
jo meares1
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MARILYN ROSE & THE THORNS LAUNCH ‘BLOOD’ – CHERRY BAR MAY 4!

Marilyn Rose and the Thorns are pleased to present their fandangled debut five track CD “Blood.”

Recorded with music legend Ash Wednesday (Einstuerzende Neubauten/The Models) and Hamish Marr in their home turf of the murky swamp known as St Kilda in early 2013.

After planning laboriously for the last few months behind closed doors, Marilyn will be llaunch ‘Blood’ at Cherry Bar on May 4th with support from guitar virtuoso, fuzz queen, sonic chanteuse, primal mistress of pop Penny Ikinger and The Falling Standards; a female powered rock trio featuring the unique, sensual, moody and lyrical songs of Melanie Harrison, Leila Boakes and Ruby Harrison.

Marilyn Rose and the Thorns emerged from the St Kilda live music community circa 2010. Vocalist Marilyn Rose Veil (Veil), guitarist Leon Storch (Smoke Machine), guitarist Rusty Tulek (Cold Harbour), bassist Colin Holst (Cold Harbour/Scourge) and drummer Jim Richter (Death Sentence/12FU) first met at the Greyhound Hotel in St Kilda during the front bar glory days. Together this is a rare and sensual explosion of vocals and a melting pot sound of unique rock and roll styles.

The band’s sound is emotive, dramatic and sorrowful, full of darkness and cabaret with elements of pop and avant-garde. Psychedelic guitars and a powerful rhythm section lay the foundation for Marilyn’s one of a kind vocal style. Imagine a combination of Shirley Bassey and Siouxsie Sioux….

The Thorns have played on stages large and small to enthusiastic crowds around Melbourne’s renowned live music scene at venues such as The Esplanade Hotel, The St Kilda Bowling Club, The Greyhound Hotel, Yah Yah’s, The Lyrebird Lounge, The Town Hall Hotel and The Great Britain Hotel as well as appearing on the local female band showcase gig known as “Goddess”.

Prepare to be seduced by the hypnotic vocals of leading lady, Marilyn Rose and rocked by the dark and dazzling musicianship of her band of Thorns as well as an assemblage of musical nomads at Cherry Bar on May 4th. Doors open at 8 o’clock and free entry.

Visit Marilyn Rose on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marilyn-Rose-and-The-Thorns/218888508159483?fref=ts

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INTRODUCING CALLUM

Introducing Callum

 

Brothers and sisters,

Join us as we welcome multi-instrumentalist and travelling snake oil salesman Callum with his dusky debut album – 8 songs, self produced and mixed by Wayne Killbourne at Out of Tunes Studios.

 

Containing seven new songs written by Callum and friends, including the dark and somber “Misty Forests” and featuring Ollie Dear (Perch Creek Family Jug Band) on lead guitar and backing vocals on a remix of an ancient field song “Lower On The Hog.” “Kool Aid” darkly references the Jonestown Massacre with an eerie gypsy music influence that Callum picked up in Prague.

 

Callum was raised and home-schooled by a priest in a devotedly religious household and moved around Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Europe as many as sixty times before settling in Melbourne in the musical hub known as St Kilda. As a result of the hustle and bustle of his travelling childhood, he has picked up influences from everywhere and created a provocative brand of rocking swamp-country blues with a psychedelic edge.

 

Callum’s travels saw him becoming involved the underground party scene in Sydney, enmeshed in the Kruezburg music scene in Berlin and dabbling in the mystic and spiritual lifestyle of the mountain healers in the Central Highlands.  He also lived in the infamous George Building in St Kilda, while playing in the late night music club/pub scene.

 

With a long history of spiritual channeling and outer body experiences bought on by shamanic practices, Callum said, “I have no doubt that I am not the source of my music; rather that I serve as a conduit for other great spirits and the sacred energy that challenges and unifies us through the dark magic of sound.”

 

Poignant vocals with country harmonies and up-tempo distorted blues guitar create a Robert Johnson meets Led Zeppelin twang. Callum also indexes Creedence Clearwater Revival and Neil Young as inspiration behind his atmospheric sound.

 

Although Callum is an up-and-comer in the gig rotation around town he has some reputable experiences under his belt supporting well known artists such as The Resignators at The Bridge in Castlemaine and Hugo Race of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds fame at Pure Pop Records.

 

Jackson Rowe, the grandson of Roger Kemp, one of Australia’s foremost practitioners of transcendental abstraction, recorded and directed Callum’s freshmen film clip “Misty Forest,” a frame-by-frame art-deco arrangement.

 

iTunes launched Callum’s self-titled debut album on March 31st. Visit iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/misty-forests/id855277885?i=855277910

View the freshman film clip “Misty Forest” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx4wT4u0CvY

caldylan
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J. ROBERT YOUNGTOWN – RELEASES ‘MAYBE TOMORROW’ FROM HIS DEBUT ALBUM ‘MODERATE ASPECTS’

 

J. Robert Youngtown is pleased to release ‘Maybe Tomorrow,’  the first song to be lifted from his forthcoming 10-song debut album ‘Moderate Aspects.’

Conceived in Launceston, recorded in Manly, Marrickville, Paris and Los Angeles and mastered in Seattle, the 2014 debut album by J. Robert Youngtown is a testament to the tyranny of distance not being a barrier.

The Tasmanian artist formerly known as James Dilger (front man for The Reactions and power-pop trio Sole Stickers), has amassed something of a supergroup, featuring You Am I drummer Rusty Hopkinson, multi-instrumentalist & co-producer Jon Auer of The Posies/Big Star and Redd Kross/OFF! bassist Steven McDonald. This feat is even more impressive considering his legendary reclusiveness and geographical isolation.

“‘Maybe Tomorrow’ is either a song about optimism or resignation.  I’m still undecided.  24 hours prior to hitting the record button it was a completely different tune aside from the vocal melody.  Producer Tim Kevin (Knieval, Youth Group) turned the demo arrangement and rhythm accompaniment on its head and it became something much more exciting.  The outro evolved spontaneously with Tim, Rusty and myself just jamming out ideas in what my mind equated to a jangly pop ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking.’  Jon then overdubbed those bittersweet harmonies and some dreamy backwards guitar and it was complete.” said J. Robert.

J. Robert has combined bits and pieces from the unique sonic universe he inhabits in creating ‘Moderate Aspects‘ and he’s very pleased to reveal the first video clip from the album.  Check out the debut surrealist pop/rock synthesis single here:

http://youtu.be/NFiZnf0vbt4

The album zigzags through a Britpop and 90’s power-pop charged musical path, mining that rich terrain and throws in a few thoughtful and intriguing oddities for good measure.  Combining a deep love of four chord rock and majestic jangly pop ballads, ‘Moderate Aspects’ is filled with alluring melodies and rich aural textures paying homage to the indomitable guitar yet nimbly manages to keep left of center enough to surprise.

As a member of The Reactions, Sole Stickers or the intermittently solo act, James has supported a plethora of music industry personalities such as The Black Keys, The White Stripes, The Living End, Evan Dando, The Dirtbombs, Hoodoo Gurus, The Drones, Hard-Ons and many, many more.

‘Moderate Aspects’ will be released on 21 April via Hobart label Tommy Gun Records and launch dates will follow in capitol cities in May/June 2014.

Check out J. Robert Youngtown on Facebook here:

www.facebook.com/youngtownmusic

This project was assisted through Arts Tasmania by the Minister for the Arts.

 

jroberty

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BASEMENT DISCS CELEBRATES INDIE RECORD STORE DAY 19 APRIL WITH SUPERB IN-STORE PERFORMANCES & MORE!

 

 

Basement Discs celebrates Indie Record Store Day Saturday 19th April from 11am til closing time with a day of music, trivia and special treats for patrons!  Don’t  miss celebrating with Eagle & The Worm, Georgia Fields, Mike Rudd, Jen Cloher and celebrity trivia masters Ian Bland and Neil Rogers (of Triple RRR fame).  There will be light refreshments prizes, giveaways and heaps of fun – so come celebrate with you!r friends downstairs in The Basement – Suzanne, Rod, Pat and Stuart!

indibasement

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LEAPS & BOUNDS MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT – JULY 4 – 20

 

 

landbThe City of Yarra is pleased to announce the second annual  ‘Leaps and Bounds Music Festival’

Named for the iconic and beloved Paul Kelly song, Leaps and Bounds Music Festival pays homage to the largest live gigging precinct in Australia – the City of Yarra.

Following an incredibly successful year in 2013, Leaps and Bounds will run from Friday 4 – Sunday 20 July 2014 and over 40 traditional venues from The Corner Hotel (the largest venue in the area) to Longplay (one of the smallest) will be involved.

The emphasis of the festival is local – local performers and local audiences – while also honouring those that come to live and perform in the area from places far and wide.

The collaboration with the Gertrude Street Projection Festival which opens on Friday 18 July will again return over the last weekend of Leaps & Bounds.

Events are that are returning in 2014 include :

– Yarra Songs at The Yarra with Jon Von Goes

– Bus Tours with Bruce Milne through iconic sites in Yarra

– PBSFM Live to Air with David Heard – Yarra’s Citizen of the Year

– Aarght Records and The Bird Club presents 3 Sunday afternoons in July at pop up music venue Copacabana

– Push Freeza Summit – Music Industry Training and Information for young people at Fitzroy Town Hall

– Music Victoria Panels – One panel on funding advice for the music industry, and one focused on the hard rock/metal genre

New events this year include :

– Charles Jenkins presenting a night of songs about the history of Melbourne at The Fitzroy Reading Room

– Leaps and Bounds Venue Passport – pick it up at your local venue and get it stamped when you attend gigs for special rewards and prizes

– Music Industry Open Day – 20 music businesses to open their doors to the public to see the ins and outs of what happens within the industry in Yarra

– Ramblin Dan Brodie – Dan will play 6 of the smallest venues in Yarra across the 17 days of the festival

– Living Legends Series – a series of shows dedicated to iconic musicians that live and work within the City Of Yarra

Leaps and Bounds Music Festival is proudly presented by City of Yarra, Music Victoria & PBS 106.7FM with the support of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.

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J. Robert Youngtown releases film clip and debut single ‘Maybe Tomorrow’

 

J. Robert Youngtown is pleased to release ‘Maybe Tomorrow,’  the first song to be lifted from his forthcoming 10-song debut album ‘Moderate Aspects.’

The Tasmanian artist formerly known as James Dilger (front man for The Reactions and power-pop trio Sole Stickers), has now amassed something of a supergroup, featuring You Am I drummer Rusty Hopkinson, The Posies’ singer & songwriter Jon Auer and Redd Kross/OFF! bassist Steven McDonald. This feat is even more impressive considering his legendary reclusiveness and geographical isolation.

“‘Maybe Tomorrow’ is either a song about optimism or resignation.  I’m still undecided.  24 hours prior to hitting the record button it was a completely different tune aside from the vocal melody.  Producer Tim Kevin turned the demo arrangement and rhythm accompaniment on its head and it became something much more exciting.  The outro evolved spontaneously with Tim, Rusty and myself just jamming out ideas in what my mind equated to a jangly pop ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking.’  Jon then overdubbed those bittersweet harmonies and some dreamy backwards guitar and it was complete” said J. Robert.

J. Robert has combined bits and pieces from the unique sonic universe he inhabits in creating ‘Moderate Aspects‘ and he’s very pleased to reveal the first video clip from the album.  Check out the debut surrealist pop/rock synthesis single here:

http://youtu.be/NFiZnf0vbt4

The album zigzags through a Britpop and 90’s power-pop charged musical path, mining that rich terrain and throws in a few thoughtful and intriguing oddities for good measure.  Combining a deep love of four chord rock and majestic jangly pop ballads, ‘Moderate Aspects’ is filled with alluring melodies and rich aural textures paying homage to the indomitable guitar.

As a member of The Reactions, Sole Stickers or the intermittently solo act, James has supported a plethora of music industry personalities such as The Black Keys, The White Stripes, The Living End, Evan Dando, The Dirtbombs, Hoodoo Gurus, The Drones, Hard-Ons and many, many more.

‘Moderate Aspects’ will be released on 21 April via Hobart label Tommy Gun Records and launch dates will follow in capitol cities in May/June 2014.

Check out J. Robert Youngtown on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/youngtownmusicjroberty

This project was assisted through Arts Tasmania by the Minister for the Arts.

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‘SIMPLIFY ME TO THE VILLIAN’ FILM CLIP & UPCOMING EP LAUNCH FOR DELSINKI RECORDS

DELSINKI RECORDS – MINISTRY OF ART ST.KILDA JUNE 25th 2014 EP launch

simplifyWith 2013 seeing the release of not one but three huge singles, a tour of Australia and Asia singing with the Australian Chamber Orchestra as a part of ‘The Reef’, as well as sold out shows in Melbourne and Sydney for his debut Delsinki Records EP tour, one can forgive Delsinki Records for having a week or two off… but in the words of the man himself “moustache wax isn’t cheap.”

Now one could argue about that statement for quite some time, but there is no argument from fans when it comes to last years releases of “In Over My Head”, “Sanchez” and “Burnt Out by the Light” (the touching tribute to friend and beloved musician Sonny Lewis), Delsinki Records is on a hot streak.

The soon to be unleashed tune “Simplify Me to the Villan” was shot by multi award winning photographer Jon Frank (who was Director of Photography on The Reef) was released online last night with no fanfare whatsoever and quickly racked up over 500 views.  What it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxdKHfZ8nws

June 25th 2014 finds Delsinki Records collaborating with varying artists including Jon Frank, Ginger Snaps (Shibari bondage artist), body art performers painted by Annabelle Scarlett, as well as dark comic artist Mike Foxall for a veritable feast of the senses at the brand new Ministry of Art in St Kilda.

With digitally projected images of Delsinki Records clips to entice the viewer in, then a live body art meets music fusion, incorporating a full band and four moving “bodies” of art, this night has been set to never forget.

June tour dates TBA!

 

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THE MAJOR BRUCE SESSIONS: MADONNA’S ‘LIKE A PRAYER’ WED 19 MARCH

Madonna-Like_a_Prayer-Frontal The Major Bruce Sessions: Volume 1

Like a Prayer by Madonna

Wednesday 19 March at 6.30pm (doors open at 6pm)

Ruby’s Music Room: 132 Lt. Lonsdale Street Melbourne

Tickets: $25 on the door, or $20 online

http://www.trybooking.com/74978

 

Maverick music theatre-makers the Present Tense Ensemble re-imagine Like a Prayer by Madonna as part of The Major Bruce Sessions: Volume 1, a monthly residency at Ruby’s Music Room.

 

Selling 15 million albums world-wide and defining a generation, Like a Prayer is as iconic as Madonna herself. Her own constant struggle with Catholicism runs rampant through this brutally honest record. With sophisticated arrangements, deeply felt lyrics, and a strong assured vocal line, Like a Prayer is the quintessential pop album.

 

Like a Prayer features the star of Chants Des Catacombes Anna Boulic on vocals and harp accompanied by Mark Leahy of The Twoks, Nate Gilkes on piano and a barbershop quartet featuring Aaron Holland, David McNamara, Morgan Phillips and Jack Swann.

 

The performance will capture the hallmarks of the Present Tense ensemble: glorious vocal arrangements and impulsive live performances led by Nate Gilkes, sitting at a sensational Steinway piano.

 

Bookings:

http://www.trybooking.com/74978