Secret Sounds & Nova Present
GEORGE EZRA
2019 AUSTRALIAN TOUR
PRE-SALE: 9AM MON 15 OCT – 8AM TUE 16 OCT LOCAL TIME
GENERAL SALES: 9AM TUE 16 OCT LOCAL TIME
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Making plans to ride his newly minted Australian #1 single ‘Shotgun’ all the way into the hot Australian sun, English singer-songwriter George Ezra announces a return to the sunburnt country with some colossal 2019 dates!

Recently bestowed as the biggest song of the UK summer by the Official Charts Company, ‘Shotgun’ has taken off big-time Down Under. Its ridiculously catchy chorus and adorably quirky video clip have been inescapable, boosting Ezra’s sophomore record Staying at Tamara’s into the ARIA Top 10 and laying the foundation for huge 2019 shows in Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne.

From humble beginnings as a ‘have guitar – will travel’ type roaming around the pubs and clubs of his native Bristol, George Ezra has dominated the musical landscape over the past few years.

His debut album Wanted on Voyage is certified 4x Platinum in the UK, Gold in the US, and was amongst the top 10 biggest selling artist albums in the UK in both 2014 and 2015, reaching #1 in the Official UK Chart and spending 122 weeks in the chart overall.

His sonorous, bass-baritone voice is unmistakable in a landscape littered with throwaways, and Ezra’s considered approach to songcraft has resonated in a major way. Singles ‘Budapest’ (431 million streams), ‘Blame It On Me’ (2x Platinum) and now ‘Shotgun’, with its recent #1 status, have put him in rarefied air.

The man himself is as casual and laid back as modern superstars come. In fact, he drew inspiration forStaying at Tamara’s by doing just that: renting an Airbnb in Barcelona from a stranger named Tamara and allowing her artist friends to guide him through the city while he sketched out the song ideas that would become his second record.

“All these songs came from this little flat,” he explains. “I need to doff my hat to that”. The album was an immediate hit with critics and fans alike. Released in March, it has charted worldwide and hit the Top 10 in the UK, Australia, Ireland, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and many more.

As anxious to arrive as Australian fans will be to greet him, Ezra recently took to his weekly mailout to express his excitement about these upcoming dates: “Our last shows over there were brilliant (if I may say so myself),” he wrote. “For those of you reading this down-under, this kid loves ya.”

Walking into the dimly lit sea of black attire in Max Watts, Melbourne one could be forgiven for thinking the clock has been wound back 20 years. Yet it is 20 years later though not much has changed.

Soaring to fame with debut album “ Sumo” in 1994 the band that is The Superjesus rose to fame alongside the likes of Killing Heidi, You am I and Regurgitator.

Fronted by the sassiest rock chick to ever grace Australian stages the normally blonde Sarah McLeoud is now sporting a rather rocking 90s hairdo as she is welcomed to the stage with a rising musical crescendo.

The evening is separated into two halves to celebrate the milestone, and for the first time Sumo is played in all of its glory. Hardly stopping to take a breath other than to tell the crowd what a good looking bunch they are.

“ Down Again”, “ Shut my Eyes”, “ Now and Then” all showcase the rawness of the band,something they’ve managed to hold onto- that feeling of live energy that comes out and vibrates across the entire room. The band play together in a synergy that is electric and with Sarah’s occasional jokes, showing off her new guitar and banter they manage to entertain and have us all mesmerized.

Having smashed out almost a solid hour of the first half of the show has been non stop high octane rock. After a short break and change into a white jumpsuit, for the second half Sarah emerges seated at a keyboard. As a little figurine of Rocky Balboa looks on she plays a beautiful rendition of ‘ So Lonely’ and even with a sprinkle of nerves, its the highlight of the evening. Having only just acquired the keyboard just days earlier its a pretty impressive performance.

The second half of the set consisting of the more rarer songs and hits is a more relaxed set, the band are in their grove and enjoying themselves. Throwing in an eclectic mix with ‘ Ground’, ‘ Holy Water’ and a the most rock and roll cover of Kylie Minouge’s “ Confide in Me” throwing in some impressive rock licks make the song completely different to the original.

As the evening draws to a close, the show has been a celebration of the dynamic album ‘ Sumo’ the popular ‘ Gravity’ closes out the mammoth two hour show. As we file out into the crisp evening nostalgia for the halcyon days of the 90s music scene hangs in the air.

Words and images by Amanda Lee Starkey

Symphonic death metal quartet Genus Ordinis Dei have revealed a brand-new music video for their latest single, Hail and Kill. The song, which was originally written and recorded by the legendary power-metal band Manowar is out now via iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Spotify, Apple Music and more! The video was directed by Steve Saints.

“We’ve always been true fans of this legendary metal band and we know that Manowar inspired thousands of bands, including us” says vocalist Nick Key. Guitarist Tommy Mastermind adds, “Representing the universe of Manowar in just one is song is not only hard, it’s impossible. We’re excited and honored to pay homage to the Kings of Metal with our cover version of Hail and Kill. We did our best to arrange a song that we, as true Manowar fans, want to listen and recognize as a true classic… Hail!”

This is the latest music video and single from the band since releasing their full-length album Great Olden Dynasty in November of 2017. The album received critical acclaim from dozens of media outlets worldwide.

Upcoming live dates 
Oct 12 – Seregno, Italy @ HT Factory (Drink ‘em All Festival)
Nov 3 – Vercelli, Italy @ Officine Sonore
Nov 8 – Caserta, Italy @ People Meet Center
Nov 10 – Alatri, Italy @ Satyricon Live w/ Gigantomachina
Nov 10 – Mesagne, Italy @ Salento Funpark w/ Ghost of Mary
Dec 08 – Lodi, Italy @ KM298 

SCENIC FILMCLIP SHOT ALONG GREAT OCEAN ROAD
‘GRIEFERS’ ALBUM OUT FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2

Last month, As A Rival dropped the news that they would be releasing their new Album ‘Griefers’ into the world on Friday November 2nd and released single ‘What We Got”. Laundry Echo, who premiered the stellar track, said that “[What We Got] is a true fist in the air inducing, fifth gear finding and ball breakingly big anthem that is about to get thoroughly stuck in your head.” Now, they are dropping one of the most scenic and emotion-inducing clips of the year. Pre-Orders for the album are live now, with the single available for streaming and purchase at http://asarival.com. 

Filmed over two days along one of the worlds most scenic coastal drives, The Great Ocean Road, the ‘What We Got’ clip explores the demands of the road. As relationships struggle against the challenges of distance – both emotional and physical – how do you manage to stay close to the ones you love the most?

Not only that, they are also today announcing the live dates to accompany the release of the Album. The ‘Griefers’ Album tour hits Tasmania on Saturday November 3rd in Hobart at The Brisbane Hotel, Saturday November 10th in Adelaide at Enigma Bar, Friday November 16th in Sydney at Hideaway Bar and then finishing in Melbourne at The Reverence Hotel Saturday December 15th. Tickets are on sale now and details can be found at http://asarival.com. 

‘Griefers’ is a gaming term used to describe those who play alongside you only to turn against you, cause you pain and hinder your progress. Pete Cerni, vocalist for the group, says that “‘Griefers’ encompasses the hurt you have to face to crawl out of the mess and deal with the aftermath. Life is about the fight for what you believe in. ‘Griefers’ acknowledges these trying times – the times when you do fall but that it’s ok, as long as you climb even higher as a result.“

Recorded at Homesurgery Recordings, the album was produced by Tom Larkin (Shihad) with Sam K Sproull and Jon Grace. The sessions started out with a challenge – complete 50 demos within a 2 month period. A challenge that was met with gusto. 50+ songs later having explored a myriad of styles touched on in previous releases, these sessions enabled As A Rival to hone their craft and evolve their sound. The result: a 12 song punk rock deluge, tackling themes of betrayal, deceit and defiance.

The amazing, scenic video for What We Got was produced by Abele Productions and Dillon Pearce Media. The videoclip was directed by Joyce Northey, Cinematography by Dillon Pearce, B-Camera Operator and Camera Assistant was Ben Luck and Edited by Joyce Northey, with Make-Up by Emma Trigg. Ruby was played by Elmira Jurik & Pete by Pete Cerni. 

Pre-Order As A Rival’s new album ‘Griefers’ for release Friday November 2 at www.asarival.com. 

TOUR DATES 

Saturday November 3rd – Hobart
The Brisbane Hotel

Saturday November 10th – Adelaide
Enigma Bar

Friday November 16th – Sydney
Hideaway Bar

Saturday December 15th – Melbourne
Reverence Hotel

TICKET AND TOUR DETAILS AT ASARIVAL.COM

Sydney-based ghetto-dubsters Bootleg Rascal have just unveiled their long-awaited sophomore album ‘Anónimo’ – produced by long-time collaborator Ian Pritchett (Boo Seeka, Kim Churchill, Angus and Julia Stone).

Taking cues from the likes of staple influences Gorillaz, Kid Cudi and Massive Attack, ‘Anònimo’ combines themes of hip hop, reggae, indie-rock, dub and electronica. Whilst melding an array of eclectic influences, the brooding new record simultaneously shines a light on the group’s ability to deliver on a cohesive sound.

Lead singles ‘With You’ and ‘Mercy’ were strongly supported by the likes of triple j, community radio, Spotify and worldwide tastemaker blogs – pushing the track up to #3 on the esteemed Hype Machine Now charts.

To celebrate the release of ‘Anónimo’, the band will once again hit the road on a seven date tour in October / November with performances in Sydney, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Wollongong, Belgrave and Melbourne.

Since their mid-2013 inception, Bootleg Rascal have released a slew of singles, an EP and one album, all warmly received by critics and fans around the world. Multiple tracks have been added to high rotation on triple j and they’ve performed on the stations esteemed ‘Like a Version’ segment.

The band have continually traversed the globe playing multiple sold out headline shows in France, UK, Holland, Germany, New Zealand and Australia, and performed sold out shows in the USA. They’ve also regularly appeared on major Australian festivals including Falls Festival, The Big Pineapple Festival, Lost Paradise, Hills are Alive, Festival of the Sun and Party in the Paddock. 

‘Anónimo’ is out now

BOOTLEG RASCAL
ANÓNIMO ALBUM TOUR

FRIDAY 19 OCT | LANSDOWNE HOTEL, SYDNEY NSW
THURSDAY 25 OCT | SOL BAR, SUNSHINE COAST QLD
SATURDAY 27 OCT | THE NORTHERN, BYRON BAY NSW
FRIDAY 2 NOV | UOW UNI BAR, WOLLONGONG NSW
SUNDAY 4 NOV | SOOKI LOUNGE, BELGRAVE VIC
MONDAY 5 NOV | HOWLER, MELBOURNE VIC
FRIDAY 9 NOV | WOOLLY MAMMOTH, BRISBANE QLD

Civic Sounds laneway festival brings together a diverse line up featuring Regurgitator, Nai Palm, RVG, The Bennies, BEC SANDRIDGE and more!

Melbourne’s laneway culture is getting amped up and loud for one night only on Sunday 18 November as part of the Melbourne Music Week, when AC/DC Lane will play host to the first Civic Sounds laneway festival.
 
Set in the heart of the city with Melbourne’s skyline as the backdrop, AC/DC Lane and on the Cherry Bar stage, the CBD is set come alive for the inaugural event for a memorable day and night with some of Australia’s most loved established and up and coming artists including Regurgitator, Nai Palm, RVG, The Bennies, BEC SANDRIDGE, IV League, Ro, BATZ, Destrends and DPRS – Democratic People’s Republic of Surf + DJs and food vendors still to be announced.

Continuing to push boundaries, whether by blending everything from techno-surf-rock-dub-hip hop and electro-pop to broadcasting their recording sessions from a glass box in Federation Square, ARIA award winning alt-electronica group Regurgitator never disappoint. Joining “The Gurg” is the two-time Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, musician, and Hiatus Kaiyote’s frontwoman Nai Palm, will captivate audiences with her solo show performing tracks from her minimalist debut album Needle Paw, proving why she’s one of Australia’s top composers, instrumentalists, vocalists and is not to be missed. If jangly guitars are your thing, RVG are back on Australian soil after wowing audiences across North America, the UK and Europe for most of this year. RVG will bring their infectious, post-punk tinged hooks with their intimate, grand, timely and timeless tracks from their highly debut A Quality of Mercy. Bringing the party is fun loving punk-ska-party band The Bennies with their trademark sense of humour and tracks from new albumNatural Born Chillers, whilst Bec Sandridge will be coming in hot off the back of touring her recent, brooding art-pop single in ‘Animal’. 

Representing the groundswell of up and comers are IV League, Ro, Batz, Destrends and DPRS (Democratic People’s Republic of Surf) kicking off the day and reminding us why Melbourne is the music capital of Australia.

With early bird tickets now on sale, be sure to grab them quickly to become part of Melbourne’s thriving music community for this year’s Melbourne Music Week.

CIVIC SOUNDS Laneway Festival 2018
Sunday 18 November  – ACDC Lane, Melbourne
12pm – 10pm
Across Two Stages – Laneway & Cherry Bar stages
Regurgitator
Nai Palm (Hiatus Kaiyote)
RVG
The Bennies
BEC SANDRIDGE
IV League
Ro
BATZ
Destrends
DPRS – Democratic People’s Republic of Surf

Early bird tickets $60+BF until 26 October on sale now viaEventbrite
Facebook Event

With a legion of new fans discovering the band through streaming in recent years, 2018 sees The Kooks redefined, varied and ready to go again at their most confident.

Tickets are ON SALE NOW

Thursday 3 Jan, Festival Hall, Melbourne
Buy Melbourne Tickets
Saturday 5 Jan, Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Buy Sydney Tickets
Sunday 6 Jan, Eatons Hill, Brisbane
Buy Brisbane Tickets 

Also Appearing At……
Friday 28 Dec, Beach Life, Glenelg Beach Adelaide
https://beachlifefestival.com.au
Saturday 29 Dec, Lost Paradise, Paradise Festival Glenworth Valley
https://lostparadise.com.au
Sunday 30 Dec, Origin Fields Festival, Perth
https://www.originfields.com.au
Monday 31 Dec, Beyond The Valley, Lardner, Victoria
https://www.beyondthevalley.com.au


Live Photo: Mikki Gomez