With 189 days to go until we swing open the gates to the beautiful Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm just outside Byron Bay, we have our second artist announcement for our 30^th Anniversary Celebration, taking place over the Easter long weekend (Thursday 18^th April to Monday 22^nd April 2019). Bluesfest has captured the hearts of music lovers at home and abroad and we can as always, expect some of the best musical acts in the world to touch down on Australian soil for what will definitely be, one to remember!

Joining Jack Johnson (exclusive), Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals (exclusive), Ray LaMontagne and George Clinton in Byron Bay this Easter will be:

Paul Kelly

Hozier • David Gray

Julia Stone • Gary Clark Jr.

Mavis Staples (exclusive)

Flogging Molly

Meshell Ndegeocello • Ruthie Foster (exclusive)

Shakey Graves • Anderson East (exclusive)

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real

Samantha Fish (exclusive) • The War And Treaty (exclusive)

Mojo Juju • Caiti Baker

Deva Mahal (exclusive) • Melody Angel

Hussy Hicks 

With many more artists to be announced in the coming weeks & months…

With tickets selling faster than at any other Bluesfest in history, we are heading for a spectacular celebration and sell-out 30^thAnniversary next Easter. So, without delay… here’s some words from our festival Director, Peter Noble OAM.

***
From the Desk of the Festival Director

“Bluesfest has just announced 19 artists in our second announcement for our 30th Anniversary Bluesfest next Easter, 18-22 April 2019.It’s all killer….no filler!
 
Headlining is Australia’s Paul Kelly, one of our favourite sons, who has just sold out the Riverstage in Brisbane and the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne on his Making Gravy Tour. Combine that with other amazing headliner singer-songwriters Hozier and David Gray, and you can see why we are so excited about where our multi award-winning festival is heading for our 30th celebration event.
 
We have an amazing array of Blues, Roots, First Nations, R&B, Gospel, Indie Rock, Classic Artists, and Emerging artists showcasing what Bluesfest is famous for.
 
With the rise of the Americana Music movement, we have added Shakey Graves, Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real, Anderson Eastand The War & Treaty, the latter two, both debuting at Bluesfest, in exclusive performances.
 
Gary Clark Jr. is hailed as THE Blues guitar player of today who is taking Blues music forward to a new generation. We are delighted to announce that Australian, Indigenous artists Mojo Juju and Caiti Baker are making a return for our 30^th Anniversary Celebration, both of whom have released great new music in recent months….our first Boomerang Festival artists with many more announcements to come!
 
Irish-American Celtic Punk Rockers Flogging Molly will return after way too long to ignite our stage.
 
So far for our 30^th Anniversary Celebration, we have a stellar list of artists topped by three exclusive performances by Mavis Staples. She is a Grammy-winning, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer as well as Blues Hall of Fame Member, former lead singer of family band The Staples Singers AND a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Winner! She’s an actress, a Civil Rights Activist who took part in the Freedom Ride bus trips to Mississippi in the fight for Civil Rights in the 60’s. Bob Dylan famously asked for her hand in marriage …. she turned him down.
 
Mavis just co-wrote and sang on Hozier’s new single “Nina Cried Power”. Mavis Staples is 110% music royalty. At 79 years of age, she continues to astonish. We pay homage to her as one of the greatest of the greats.
 
Having won FIVE ARIAs, Julia Stone, of Angus & Julia Stone, one of Australia’s most successful and loved artists, will be performing with her band. She will be coming with a whole new album and songs. Independently, she is a powerful and engaging live artist who is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter.

 
Meshell Ndegeocello is a 10-time Grammy-nominated musician, bassist, rapper, singer and astonishingly creative artist performing Soul, Jazz, Reggae, Hip-Hop and Rock who is making her Bluesfest debut in 2019.
 
There will be exclusive performances by Ruthie Foster, returning by popular demand with her Soulful music. Samantha Fish won Best New Artist at the Blues Awards in 2012. Her most recent albums ‘Wild Heart’ (2015) and Belle of the West’ (2017) BOTH topped the Billboard Blues Chart. Samantha is a truly great guitarist and singer. Her much anticipated Bluesfest debut is sure to be the first of many returns to Bluesfest. Another Bluesfest exclusive!
 
Melody Angel is a Chicago Blues singer and guitarist. She wowed the audience two years back on her Bluesfest debut. She is young, and nothing will hold her back. You truly are witnessing the emergence of a major artist.
 
Also, a Bluesfest exclusive showcasing emerging talent from our very own Bluesfest Busking Competition which is now considered Australia’s premier showcase of emerging talent. We have had so many artists compete, and win, and go on to bigger things over the years. Kim Churchill, Hussy Hicks, Lucy Gallant are just a few who now tour internationally. Hussy Hicks, Bluesfest Busking Competition winner from 2010, tours the world nowadays and have gone to another level. They are a don’t miss tour de force. Roots music at its finest.
 
We have already announced Jack Johnson and Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals in exclusive performances, plus George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic’s final EVER performances, Kasey Chambers performing The Captain, Kurt Vile, Allen Stone, Snarky Puppy,Rockwiz and so much more.
 
This truly is an all killer … no filler announcement from top to bottom with many more to come. And we are very proud of it.
 
Bluesfest is experiencing its biggest sales ever, so don’t delay in getting your tickets. We have more truly incredible artists who will be announced soon. 
And thank you for your amazing support”. 
 
Peter Noble OAM
 
Bluesfest Festival Director

*****

Needing no introduction, Bluesfest is stoked to welcome Australian musical icon, Paul Kelly back to Bluesfest. Paul Kelly first played Bluesfest 20 years ago, back in 1999 and has been a regular visitor since then, making his seventh appearance this Easter. An ARIA Hall of Famer, Paul Kelly’s achievements in a lengthy, influential career include 23 albums, several film soundtracks and two live albums, with many of his songs being lodged deep in the Australian psyche! In 2017 he was appointed as an officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the performing arts and to the promotion of the national identity through contributions as a singer, songwriter and musician. 
He continues to cross musical boundaries, publishing his first work of prose ‘How To Make Gravy’ in 2010, a feature-length documentary ‘Paul Kelly – Stories Of Me’ in 2012, the soul revue, ’The Merri Soul Sessions’ in 2014 and more. 
His latest certified-gold release ‘Life Is Fine’ debuted at #1 on the ARIA Charts, was the highest selling Australian album of 2017, and garnered six ARIA nominations and four ARIA awards.

With stellar reviews of his current European and North American tour dates coming in, we are excited to announce that multi-platinum, Irish singer-songwriter Hozier is returning for his second performance at Bluesfest. The blues guitarist and uplifting soul singer recently told Billboard ‘There is absolutely no rock and roll without Blues music’ and we couldn’t agree more! Following on from the success of “Take Me To Church”, the release of his new EP “Nina Cried Power” has been met with much critical acclaim. ‘It’s not the waking, it’s the rising’ is the opening line with which Hozier opens before co-vocalist, Mavis Staples joins the socially and politically-conscious singer. Fingers crossed they will recreate this recording together at our 30^th Anniversary Celebration.

With hits like ‘’Sail Away’’ and ‘’Babylon’’, David Gray will be joining us to celebrate our 30^th Anniversary Celebration. During the span of David’s career thus far, he has had 12 million album sales, the bestselling album in Ireland ever with White Ladder, a BAFTA nomination for his soundtrack work on Amma Assante’s 2004 film ‘A Way Of Life’, two Ivor Novellos, a Q award, two Brit nominations, and a Grammy nomination. David Gray’s first album, ‘A Century Ends’, was released in 1993, followed by ‘Flesh’ in 1994. After touring with the likes of Radiohead and the Dave Matthews Band in support of his third album ‘Sell, Sell, Sell’, David decided to self-finance his fourth album, ‘White Ladder’, and release it on his own label, IHT Records, in 1998. David Gray is releasing new music very soon.   

Australian folk singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Julia Stone is returning to Bluesfest with her band in 2019. The sister half ofAngus & Julia Stone who together have won FIVE ARIAs, released her debut solo album ’The Memory Machine’ in 2010. She has since been working on her solo career. Having sung backing vocals for The Flaming Lips and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and performing for numerous years with her brother, Julia is no stranger to the stage. Each solo project Julia has embarked on has shown beautifully the breadth of Julia’s musical capability and imagination. Julia’s third studio album is currently a work in progress with New York based producer, Thomas Bartlett.

Hailed as THE Blues guitarist of our era, Gary Clark Jr. will be gracing Bluesfest with his presence for the third time this April. Weaned on John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins and T-Bone Walker in Austin, Texas, Gary Clark Jr. fuses his deep Blues influence with a love of classic Hip-Hop and Contemporary Soul. His voice weaves between a melodic lilt and a seasoned Blues howl with his guitar licks dancing and dodging between and behind the beat as if the essence of Snoop and Dre loom in his head by way of the Mississippi Delta. Gary Clark Jr. exploded onto the music scene at Eric Clapton’s 2010 Crossroads Guitar festival and has garnered millions of fans since.

With a well-deserved long list of accolades, Mavis Staples is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, a Blues Hall of Famer, a Grammy-Award winner, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree, a Kennedy Center Honoree, and holds Honorary Doctorates from Columbia College, Chicago and the Berklee College of Music, Boston. She is also the proud owner of one, of only two, Bluesfest Shining Star Awards! Given the list of artists that she has collaborated with, it’s easy to see how the status of ‘living legend’ is applied to the great Mavis Staples. A few months shy of turning 80 years old Mavis Staples returns to Bluesfest for the 7^th time, filled with the hope of a future world: “Bring us all together as a people—that’s what I hope to do. You can’t stop me. You can’t break me. I’m too loving!!” When Mavis Staples hits the stage this Easter for her exclusive Australian show be sure you are front and centre to welcome this amazing woman and to show her the biggest Bluesfest love – ever!

Irish-American seven-piece Celtic punk band from California, Flogging Molly led by Irish vocalist Dave King are coming to Byron Bay to celebrate Bluesfest 30^th Anniversary. The social and political awareness that drives Flogging Molly’s music is never more prominent than in their release ‘Life Is Good’ – a strikingly powerful album and it arrives at a key time. The sixth studio album by the renowned Celtic-punk rockers, now in their 20^th year, is mature, well crafted, equally polished and almost aggressively topical. It is filled with rousing songs that are timeless in their sentiment, but directly related to today’s most pressing concerns: politics, the economy, unemployment, planned boomtowns gone bust, immigration policies gone awry, and much more.

American singer-songwriter, rapper and bassist, Meshell Ndegeocello is joining the Bluesfest 30^th Anniversary line-up this April. Her music incorporates a wide variety of influences, including Funk, Soul, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae and Rock. With 10 Grammy Award nominations, Meshell has received significant critical acclaim in her career, she has also been credited for helping spark the Neo-Soul movement. ‘Ventriloquism’ is the latest album from Meshell Ndegeocello.

In the tightknit musical community of Austin, Texas, it’s tough to get away with posturing. You either bring it, or you don’t.  If you do, word gets around. And one day, you find yourself duetting with Bonnie Raitt, or standing onstage with the Allman Brothers at New York’s Beacon Theater and trading verses with Susan Tedeschi. You might even wind up getting nominated for a Best Blues Album Grammy — three times in a row. And those nominations would be in addition to your seven Blues Music Awards, three Austin Music Awards, the Grand Prix du Disque award from the Académie Charles-Cros in France, and a Living Blues Critics’ Award for Female Blues Artist of the Year. There’s only one Austinite with that résumé: Ruthie Foster, who is joining us in Byron Bay from 18-22 April 2019 for an exclusive Australian show.

Back in December 2017, Shakey Graves proclaimed on his Twitter page, “Next album. New sound. Sell your suspenders.” The tweet was tongue-in-cheek, but Alejandro Rose-Garcia, the Austin native who’s been plying his trade as Shakey Graves since 2007, was making a dead-serious point about his latest album, ‘Can’t Wake Up’. This ambitious, audacious work heralds an artistic metamorphosis for the 30-year-old veteran, whose risk-taking in painting outside the lines has been rewarded tenfold. We’re looking forward to seeing him perform this album and much more at Bluesfest’s 30^th Anniversary Celebration.Anderson East is the humble type – the sort of man who chalks up his success to loads of good fortune. But the singer-songwriter has earned his accolades: one of music’s most compelling young artists, East is an unflinching and inimitable talent. Best exemplified on his breakout 2015 debut album, ‘Delilah’, the Alabama-native wields an unwavering and potent, ever-husky voice. And as seen on standout tracks including “Satisfy Me” and “Devil In Me,” he’s able to effortlessly spin tales of tumult and triumph in equal measure. That’s of course to say nothing of the brute force with which the man performs — fiery and forceful, as much a wily preacher as a patient poet, East has become one of music’s must-see live acts and is performing an exclusive Australian show at Bluesfest’s 30^th Anniversary Celebration. No strangers to the Bluesfest stage, the cosmic country soul of Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real are returning for 2019. Since forming 10 years ago, the 28-year old singer/songwriter/guitarist and his bandmates have played hundreds of shows and major festivals all over the world and built a devoted underground following. Lukas’ profile continued to rise when he contributed three songs and heavenly vocals to his dad Willie Nelson’s 2012 album, ‘Heroes’, their voices blending with potent DNA. Then two years later, life took another turn skyward when Neil Young decided to make Promise of the Real his touring and studio band. Young has guided the grateful young musicians ever since as they’ve backed the legend on tour around the world and on his two most recent albums. You might also recognise Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real from Lady Gaga’s ‘A Star Is Born’ which was released in September.

Making a much anticipated Bluesfest debut is Billboard Blues Chart regular, Samantha Fish. After launching her recording career in 2009, Samantha Fish quickly established herself as a rising star in the contemporary Blues world.  Since then, the charismatic young singer-guitarist-songwriter has earned a reputation as a rising guitar hero and powerful live performer, while releasing a series of acclaimed albums that have shown her restless creative spirit consistently taking her in new and exciting musical directions. As far as Samantha Fish is concerned, her musical future is an open road.  “I’m never gonna be a traditional Blues artist, because that’s not who I am,” she asserts. “You’ve gotta keep that kind of fire and spirit. I’m never gonna do Muddy Waters better than Muddy Waters, so I have to be who I am and find my best voice”. Her Bluesfest exclusive performance is definitely not to be missed!

As The War and Treaty, Michael and Tanya Trotter heal and steal pain with freewheeling joy on new their full-length album, ‘Healing Tide’. Produced by Buddy Miller, funky bass lines, keys, lap steel, acoustic strings, and stripped-down percussion create a swampy Southern soul bed for the couple’s transcendent vocals. Bringing their musical genius to Byron Bay Bluesfest this April, The War and Treaty want audiences to feel like they care with their exclusive Australian performance. “I want people to feel like we care,” Michael says. “When you think about artists, you don’t think about that.” He pauses and grins broadly. “But that’s the way I want the world to feel about The War and Treaty.”

Melbourne based singer, Mojo Juju is making a welcome return to Bluesfest for the 30^th Anniversary Celebration. Mojo Juju has been called many things and yet she is forever hard to define. By her own explanation, Mojo has never felt comfortable with being categorized and is increasingly deliberate in avoiding labels and defying genres. As a result, it is only in experiencing her live shows that one can begin to understand the full breadth of this dynamic artist with Aboriginal (Wiradjuri) and Filipino heritage.

Singer-songwriter and front-woman, Caiti Baker was born into a household filled with vinyl, CDs and tapes of Blues, Soul, Gospel, Jazz and Rock & Roll. After being given an eight-track digital recorder, she learnt how to write and record songs on her own from the age of 12. Inspired by the greats like Aretha Franklin, Big Mamma Thornton and Little Walter, Caiti writes songs about what she knows and feels, sings with her soul and unashamedly performs the hell out of them. But that will all be obvious when you hear her music and watch her perform, which will have you either dancing or chilling with a grin on your face at Bluesfest 2019.

Deva Mahal was born with the Blues in her blood. Deva began performing with her father Taj Mahal from the age of five. Becoming the genre-defying artist, powerhouse vocalist and astute songwriter that she is today could only be achieved through living a life rich with pain, joy, loss, love, heartache and experience. A soul as singular as Deva’s can only find voice through an equally unique sound, which she’s forged by growing her Blues roots through the fertile soil of modern R&B, Indie-pop, Soul, Rock and Gospel. We’re super excited for her Bluesfest debut! Melody Angel is a self-taught guitarist/singer-songwriter from the south-side of Chicago. At age seven, Melody fell in love with guitar the moment she heard Prince play ‘Purple Rain’. Melody’s influences would grow from there including; Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Slash, Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Nina Simone, and many more. Her songs are powerful, dark and evocative. Back in 2017 Melody Angel stunned the audiences – and Bluesfest staff alike – with her ‘True Blues’ – Bluesfest is super-stoked to have her back with us next Easter.

Bluesfest Busking Competition winners from 2010, Hussy Hicks have made a name for themselves locally and on the international stage – by playing their music and connecting with audiences one passionate performance at a time. Julz Parker is widely recognised amongst her peers as one of Australia’s finest guitar players and was recently voted number five guitarist in our Bluesfest artist poll. Leesa Gentz’s powerhouse stage presence, soaring vocals and massive smile will steal your heart, have you hanging on every note and leave a tingle dancing down your spine at Bluesfest 2019. 

The 2019 playing schedule so far is available on bluesfest.com.au with many more artists to come.

Tickets are now on sale through bluesfest.com.au

Its been a busy year for Myles Kennedy having recently released a solo album, but the busiest man in rock shows no signs of slowing down with his latest collaboration with the legendary Slash. 

Living The Dream is the new full-length offering from the group which, in addition to Slash and singer Myles Kennedy, also includes bassist Todd Kerns, drummer Brent Fitz and rhythm guitarist Frank Sidoris. Slash and his band re-teamed with producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette (Alter Bridge, Iggy Pop, Incubus) for their third album resulting in the band’s strongest collective statement to date following World on Fire and 2012’s Apocalyptic Love.

Opening with ‘ Call of the Wild’  the album gets going right away with some heavy riffs from the man himself which continue solidly though out the song.  Its a smashing way to open the album and highlights the intentions of exactly how the rest of the album is going to play out.

The more subdued ‘ Lost Inside the Girl’ takes things down a notch, but only until the guitar solo kicks in to remind listeners this is Slash after all and powerful solos are his signature sound. ‘

‘ The one you loved’ changes things up a little with more of an acoustic feel and Myles harmonizes his vocals perfectly, as he laments on walking away from love and feelings of desperation.  It still has the big guitar solo in there however, adding to the overall feel of a solid love song. 

The album is a mix of massive power rock and slightly subdued ballads- well Slash’s style of ballad anyway and is a fantastic album overall for fans of Slash. Myles Kennedy’s vocals again lending a special something that is hard to describe. A vocal chameleon of sorts Kennedy proves that he can switch genres with veritable ease. 

The album packs a solid 52 mins of smashing riff-tastic songs into an exceptional experience and proves yet again that Slash is the Godfather of guitar solos. 

Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators just launched their North American headlining tour andwill visit 20 major cities before ending on the 16^th October2018 back in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Palladium. The band then tour Europe in February and March 2019. 

Words by Amanda Lee Starkey

Taking time out of their neighbourhood watch and bake sales, Melbourne’s septet Approachable Members of Your Local Community will today release the shimmery new single ‘Only Friend (feat. Tamara Dream)’. Already winning over media, the single was chosen as part of triple j unearthed’s NIDA film clip competition which will premiere on Rage on October 6th.   Produced by Japanese Wallpaper and Oscar Dawson (Holy Holy), the hummable track is a duet with fellow Melbourne musician Tamara Dream. A euphoric tonic of funk, pop and harmonies culminating in swirling synths for the biggest earworm of the year. Explaining how the song was written, Tamara says “One night while I was on a long train ride, Josh sent me a demo the band had been working on, and by the end of the night, and lots of solo dancing in the train aisle, Only Friend had been born.”   AMOYLC have been keeping their community safe since their inaugural meeting at the end of 2017. Their debut release ‘Millennium Queen’ was a breakout hit, charting at #13 on Spotify Australia’s Viral 50 and saw them support Kira Puru across the east coast. The follow up ‘Semiotic Vision’ was a buzz on the internet, hijacking Reddit’s /listentothisresulting in the #1 thread and reaching #15 on the Spotify AUS’ Viral 50 helping them sell out their first headline show and took them on tour with Lime Cordiale.   The band have up finished up their first headline tour in support of their recently EP ‘If There’s Anything You Need, Please Don’t Hesitate to Contact Us’, with shows selling out within two weeks.   AMOYLC will bring their community safety strategies to festivals around the country including NYE on the Hill. Stay safe, stay approachable.APPROACHABLE MEMBERS OF YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY ‘Only Friend (feat. Tamara Dream)’ OUT NOW Friday, October 5th Arts Centre Melbourne New Slang TICKETS Thursday, November 29th Jungle Love Festival Sunshine Coast, Qld TICKETS Saturday, December 8th Hyperfest Perth, WA Monday, December 31st NYE on the Hill Krowera, VIC TICKETS

The Blackeyed Susans celebrate 10 years of consecutive Melbourne Christmas shows with performances at the Caravan Music Club on Friday 14 December, the Spotted Mallard on Saturday 15 December and a kid-friendly matinee show on Sunday 16 December. Special guest for all shows is old world songbird and rising star, Freya Josephine Hollick.
 
This will be the 10^th year The Susans have dusted off the tinsel and fired up the Christmas lights, for what has now become a Melbourne tradition. They’ll be the usual offering of Christmas-related songs plus the best of their extensive back catalogue, special guests and more. Plus, a limited edition CD featuring live recordings of The Blackeyed Susans Christmas catalogue will be available exclusively at the shows.
 
2018 saw the culmination of the band’s Close Your Eyes and See album tour with a huge show at the Melbourne Recital Centre, complete with an extended Blackeyed Susans’ line-up and string section. It was a fitting end to a sell-out national tour in support of the band’s latest album. 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the The Blackeyed Susans, who formed in Perth in 1989, and the promise of much more to come.

CHRISTMAS SHOW DATES:
Friday 14 December – Caravan Music Club, East Bentleigh VIC | Tickets
Saturday 15 December – Spotted Mallard, Brunswick VIC | Tickets
Sunday 16 December (matinee) – Spotted Mallard, Brunswick VIC | Tickets

The Blackeyed Susans have built a reputation for their moody romanticism and op-shop stylings. Declared national treasures by Rolling Stone magazine, they have toured the world, played with the likes of Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen and released numerous albums of occasional beauty including a retrospective box set entitled ‘Reveal Yourself’ in 2009 charting the band’s illustrious history. Boasting members of The Cruel Sea, Dirty Three, The Triffids, The Jackson Code, Augie March, The Drones and Hungry Ghosts, the group’s credits read like a who’s who of Australian alternative music.

Close Your Eyes and See (released March 2017) is the band’s 7^thstudio album and their first collection of new material in over ten years.
 

The Teskey Brothers have today announced the deluxe release of their critically acclaimed debut album Half Mile Harvest, which will feature two new, unreleased tracks ‘I Get Up’ (available now as a single and instant grat) along with ‘Say You’ll Do’. Alongside the single and video release, ‘I Get Up’ will be on a limited edition 7inch – available to order now. Half Mile Harvest (Deluxe) will be released across digital and CD formats on Fri Oct 26, with vinyl to follow in November.   Directed by Marta Brodacka and shot amidst their recent tour of the UK, watch the video for ‘I Get Up’ below.  There is something incredibly special about the Warrandyte four-piece. It’s not just the music they make, or their preternatural ability to conjure the spirit of soul and blues masters, or even lead singer Josh Teskey’s era-defying voice that seems to belong more in the Mississippi Delta than rural Victoria. It’s the fact that they’ve been hiding in plain sight, honing their craft for a decade, playing countless shows at the local pub, weddings and even a swimming pool, before making serious waves with their debut album Half Mile Harvest– released in January 2017. Forming over a decade ago when brothers Sam (guitar) and Josh Teskey teamed up with childhood friends, and long-time jamming buddies, Brendon Love (Bass) and Liam Gough (Drums), Half Mile Harvest is the perfect summation of everything the band has learnt about playing, songwriting and production over the last decade. Completely self-produced at their own studio in Warrandyte, recorded live to tape and mixed down on an analogue board, The Teskey Brothers were trying to capture the humanity of their recordings, warts and all, making the listener feel as though they are sitting in the room while the band plays around them. And for The Teskey Brothers it is all about feeling. “If you don’t play it with soul, it’s not soul music, it’s just two chords and a beat,” says Sam. The results of their effort and attention to detail are stunning. Across its 10 tracks, The Teskey Brothers take influence from Otis Redding, JJ Cale and Marvin Gaye, mixing in elements of old Blues and British Invasion rock n roll, even some psychedelia, to create a record that feels completely timeless, transcending eras to deliver something that could have been made now or 50 years ago. It’s no mere pastiche though either. It’s a sound that knows its influences, but The Teskey Brothers have spent enough time playing together to find their own sound and put their distinctive mark on something classic.   The band released Half Mile Harvest independently, rolling out a complete DIY plan (including hand-delivering most of the stock themselves). The album went on to sell over 20,000 units. “When this record came out, that was the turning point,” Josh says. “It was outside of it being a live thing and it had legs that could take it further than we could push as a band by playing gigs. That’s when it started getting around from there.” “It’s been a crazy year and a half,” says Brendon. “It seems like every couple of months or so we have to redefine what our expectations and measures of success are. Y’know, we gave our favourite presenters on community radio our album and literally the next day it was played on air, that for us, we couldn’t believe it! We’re all such big fans of community radio.” They quickly sold out of the 500 vinyl records they had pressed, thinking it would take years to offload them all, and soon found themselves on stage at Meredith Festival, playing strings of sold out shows around Australia, touring the US and UK and fulfilling a dream playing at Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. So, while they might not be appearing at the Warrandyte Festival this year, and you won’t catch them playing down at St Andrews Pub in town, The Teskey Brothers aren’t about to go changing anytime soon. And you’ve got to be thankful for that. ‘I Get Up’ by The Teskey Brothers Out now through Ivy League Records Available to buy/steam here Pre-order Half Mile Harvest (Deluxe) here Release Dates: Friday 12 October  ‘I Get Up’ 7inch – order now Friday 26 October Half Mile Harvest (Deluxe) – digital, available to pre-order now Half Mile Harvest (Deluxe) – CD, available to pre-order now Friday 23 November  Half Mile Harvest (Deluxe) – vinyl, available to pre-order now

Making stops in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, the comprehensive run will see the wildly popular quartet reconnect with a fanbase hungry for new material nearly four years after the release of their previous ARIA #1album Wilder Mind. With new single ‘Guiding Light’released last month, Mumford & Sons have once again proven, they are in the form of their lives.

Speaking about the new album, lead singer Marcus Mumford has said that Delta represents a place where “order meets chaos and shelter meets wilderness”. In this observation, he could easily be referring to the bands’ infamous knack for sweeping, organised musical tumult.

Recorded over the past two years with Paul Epworth (Adele, U2, London Grammar) at hisChurch Studios in North London, the release aims to capture Mumford & Sons at their impassioned and muscular best. It transfixes on the transitional elements that give meaning to life itself.

Transition has been a theme for Mumford & Sons since they first burst into our lives almost nine years ago with their iconic debut single ‘Little Lion Man’. With that Hottest 100 topping release they ushered in a new era of melodically stunning heart-on-sleeve folk that was recognized the world over.

Masters of the call-to-arms, the band then went on a wildly successful run as their albums Sigh No More, Babel and Wilder Mind sold into the millions. They were awarded the Album of the Year Grammy in 2013 (for Babel) and their songs ‘I Will Wait’, ‘The Cave’ and ‘Roll Away Your Stone’ have entered the public lexicon as rousing anthems to be sung in full-throated unison.

Always a huge hit on this side of the planet, Mumford & Sons were last in the country in 2015, where they closed out their wildly successful Wilder Mind Tour in Sydney with their specialGentlemen of the Road one-day festival.

In a coup for Antipodean fans, the upcoming tour will see the band return to our shores in one of their first major international runs after Delta’s release on November 16 this year.

Michael Kiwanuka signaled his arrival as one of the UK’s most distinctive new voices in 2012with his vintage soul imbued debut album, Home Again.  It was a voice that sounded both rich and timeless, and the young Londoner received widespread critical acclaim. 2016’s Love & Hate LP was a different beast entirely, produced by Danger Mouse it was one of the year’s great peerless records and picked up support across the globe, earning Michael his first number 1 album in the UK, and his first Brit Award nominations too.  Having toured the globe alongside a very special collection of musicians, Michael Kiwanuka is a true artist of distinction, and with the best almost certainly yet to come.

Secret Sounds Present
MUMFORD & SONS 
DELTA AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2019
WITH SPECIAL GUEST MICHAEL KIWANUKA

PRE-SALE: 2PM WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER UNTIL 8AM FRIDAY 12 OCTOBER LOCAL TIME
GENERAL SALES (EXCLUDING PERTH): 9AM FRIDAY 12 OCTOBER LOCAL TIME
PERTH GENERAL SALES: 8AM FRIDAY 12 OCTOBER LOCAL TIME
SECRETSOUNDS.COM
TUE 15 JAN          ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE                      BRISBANEQLD     

FRI 18 JAN           QUDOS BANK ARENA                                SYDNEY                         NSW    

TUE 22 JAN          SIDNEY MYER MUSIC BOWL                    MELBOURNE                 VIC      

THU 24 JAN         ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE                        ADELAIDE                      SA

SUN 27 JAN         RAC ARENA                                                 PERTH                            WA

Delta out November 16 via Dew Process/UMA

LA-based duo Young Futura are set to release their new single ‘Wallflower’.

Wallflower is an ode to the positive impact of music and its ability to empower and alter one’s state of mind – encouraging the listener to lose themselves amongst the palpable vibe that the duo conjure.

Musically it sits in an energy filled pocket between grooving disco and cutting edge hip hop with a stellar pop song writing foundation. The true element of genius comes from relying on these familiar and iconic sounds, yet arranging them with a modern finesse that sounds so fresh and exciting.

On the narrative behind Wallflower, Young Futura share:

“Wallflower came naturally. It was one of those songs that we wrote overnight where everything was smooth and organic. We spent more time fine tuning it in the studio than writing it. It was such a lovely process.”

Young Futura symbolizes the alliance between two artists: Washington DC’s Beau Young Princeand French producer Futura. The names Young and Futura are close to the hearts of both of these artists as they happen to be their names given by birth. Influenced by their respective cities and cultures, Young Futura translates their surroundings and experiences into smooth and enriching musical melodies giving listeners a groovy funk and future hip-hop cocktail to sip on; representing a charming euphonious collaboration.

Young Futura performed at SXSW, All Things Go Music Festival, and multiple clubs throughout NY, DC and LA. The duo attracted the likes of the film industry and composed the main piece track of the movie Nobody Walks in LA, receiving the Critic’s Choice Award at the Newport Film Festival as well as Best Soundtrack Award at the Long Island Film Festival.

Recently their new single Wallflower has been selected to be part of one of Microsoft’s biggest video game release, Forza 4. Debut EP Patience turned heads and caught ears across the musical spectrum, achieving millions of streams on Spotify as well as tastemaker support from the likes of Magnetic Mag and Afropunk among others.

Futura’s multi-platinum track record boasts work with 50 Cent, GZA, Kylie Minogue, OK GO, Trey Songz, Lloyd Banks, Raekwon and Asher Roth.

‘Wallflower’ will be available worldwide on Tuesday October 2