Ten years is a hell of a long time to be in a band, let alone being in the gargantuan touring wrecking machine that is King Parrot. Broken teeth, skinned knees, black eyes and empty cans are all in a day’s work for the boys in KP! And ten years of surviving this beastly ride is more than reason enough to hit the road and celebrate it with their hordes of fans all around Australia. Now that restrictions have eased and there’s been a “dipping of the toes” back into the live foray, King Parrot are excited to get back out onto the live circuit to celebrate their 10-year anniversary.

After the release of their “Holed Up In The Lair” EP last year, it’s been odd that KP hasn’t had the chance to support the release through their usual rambunctious and off-kilter live performances… That’s all about to change. With a sense of urgency among the camp and a renewed vigour, King Parrot will once again grace the stages of this great nation to deliver their revered visceral performance to the masses. If you’d thought a King Parrot show was wild in the past, then strap yourself in and get ready for the country’s most engaging and furious live act as the energy in the KP camp is beyond tipping point. The guys are simply chomping at the bit to get out and unleash their unique grinding frashing punk rock wrecking machine around the country as they hit stages from July right through to December. These will definitely be some of the most packed out and crazy shows you will see in Australia this year and will no doubt be ones for the ages!

Brought to you by: New World Artists, Heavy Magazine, Soundworks Direct and Dead Set Records.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW: www.kingparrot.net

Tour Dates

July 9 – Melbourne – Max Watts

July 10 – Adelaide – Lions Arts Factory

August 6 – Sydney – Manning Bar

August 7 – Brisbane – The Brightside

August 8 – Gold Coast – Vinnie’s Dive Bar (Afternoon show)

September 17 – Wollongong – La La La’s

September 18 – Newcastle – Cambridge Sideroom

October 15 – Geelong – Barwon Club Hotel

October 16 – Ballarat – Volta

November 12 – Canberra – The Basement

November 13 – Albury – Beer Deluxe (Afternoon show)

December 10 – Belgrave – Sooki Lounge

December 11 – Frankston – Pelly Bar

Charlie Collins
Lazy Bones

Behind the lens: Adam Sivewright

Archie Roach
The Bowery Theatre
St. Albans.

The intimate theater is sold out this evening, not an empty seat as Annette Xiverras welcomes us to Wurundjeri country. She begins the evening by telling a cultural story about how Aboriginal women would pull of the leaf of a Kangaroo plant and drink it to stop women getting pregnant. She talks of meeting a really beautiful lady with the voice of an angel that helped guide her early learning and cultural knowledge, a woman that she looked up to – Ruby Hunter- Archie’s wife. She tells us how Bunjil the Creator, made the land and welcomes us to the country we are on this evening.

Assisted out the the stage comes Archie Roach, a presence and a force. With the dreaming of both his mother – the Wedge-tail Eagle and his father the Red- bellied black snake as his backdrop Archie commences the evening.

Archie begins the evening with a story about sitting at the kitchen table, writing songs and eating biccies, drinking tea and sharing communal spirit. He captures the moments of his song writing with beautiful stories.

Speaking of being stolen from his parents at the age of two years old and taken to Camberwell’s William Booth Orphanage and being fostered out, he reminisces about the families he was placed with that shaped his early years. He moves on to share how one fateful letter from Merytl Evans in Glebe changed his destiny.

This leads into the song ‘ Charcoal Lane’, a song about Melbourne and the iconic locations Gertrude Street and Smith Street, drinking wine and ‘ biting’. He weaves in tales of his youth, and his story telling translates into song as his husky deep voice rings out across the auditorium. He speaks of friends long gone, voices he can still hear over his shoulder.

When Archie speaks he shares intimate moments of his life, its almost like you could be sitting with him in his living room, or around the kitchen table. He is engaging and funny, each story is thought provoking and emotional. He lets us into his life and aspects that shaped him, places and people that don’t exist anymore and things left in the past.

‘Took the Children Away’ his iconic song about the tragedy of being stolen from his family and his Mother’s heartbreak is next on the set list . When reminiscing about the song he mentions that each time he sings it is a healing song, and each time he sings it he lets a little bit of it go, healing him.

” Like Neil Diamond – you know Song Sung Blue, you heard Song Sung Blue? I love that song because music has the capacity to help you, heal as well” and as his voice rings out you can almost see the pieces floating up toward us, healing a little more.

Moving onto ” Tell Me Why”  a song about his parents and how they met, and a love that was strong when they met, but how when their children were taken away they ended up going their separate ways  ” the poor old fullas, bless em’“. “Open Up Your Eyes” concludes the first half of the evening, and Archie leaves the stage to take a short break.

Returning to the stage he begins the second set with ” Down City Streets”  followed by ” Nopun Kurongk”  and ” The Old Days”.  He talks about writing his  memoir  ” Tell me Why” and how its been a healing experience for him.   The double bass, violin and gentle guitar tones of the band make the arrangements sound minimalist  and are the perfect accompaniment to Archie’s voice.

Archie is a remarkable story teller, gifted with a gravelly voice that sings the songs of these stories and the tapestry of his life. There is a magic to Archie Roach that is captivating, endearing and lovable, his ease on stage makes you feel like you’ve been welcomed into Uncle Archie’s mob to share a tale or two, and leave just a little richer from having been in his presence. Being let into Archie’s world is a rare delight and one that will remain a pleasant memory for a long time.

Words and images by Amanda Lee Starkey

Described as “your favourite new rapper” by NME,Rejjie Snow has today announced his forthcoming second album Baw Baw Black Sheep out July 9via BMG AUS.To coincide with the announcement,Rejjie has unveiled a brand-new video for latest single ‘Relax’.

Shot by collaborator Matter Research in Egypt,the result is a visual that finds Rejjie with a surreal level of casualness, having just rolled out of bed next to the Great Pyramid of Giza.Check out the clip for ‘Relax’ here Baw Baw Black Sheep shows off the Irish rapper’s hyper-visual world-building capabilities as he creates a cinematic soundtrack full of colour and joy working alongside Cam O’bi(Executive Producer) and frequent collaborator Dee Lilly.

“I approached [the album] light heartedly from the point of view of making a short film through music,” Rejjie explains.“I always loved Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. I watch it all the time. I thought of Baw Baw Black Sheep like a soundtrack to it. I put the movie on with my album, and they synced up perfectly. I tried to tap into all of these feelings. The music is really colourful, and the lyrics are often happy, because that was my state of mind.”

Originally hailing from Dublin,Rejjiefelt he always stood out. Beyond the fact he rappedin a country that lacked a vibrant hip hop scene, he never quite fit in with his friends and family either. “I’m still the one who’s a bit goofy and different from everybody else,” he affirms. “People always said I was odd, so I turned into the ‘Black Sheep’. I use those differences to my advantage though. Things like my ADHD became superpowers, not weaknesses.” Those “superpowers” separated him from the pack right out of the gate.

He supported Madonna on tour and broke all the rules with his 2017 mixtape,The Moon & You. A year later, his full-length debut, Dear Annie,yielded genre-disruptive fan favorites such as ‘Egyptian Luvr’, ‘23’, ‘The Rain’, and more.

Dear Annie was a roaring success receiving rave reviews and took the rapper to the global stage selling out shows.Never one to shy away from collaborations,Rejjieset the stage for Baw Baw Black Sheep releasing ‘Cookie Chips’, which features the late and legendary MF DOOM, followed by single ‘Mirrors’with Snoh Aalegra which pairs sun-soaked production with laid back bars before Snoh turns up with slick and soulful cameo on the chorus.

“It’s very nostalgic,” Rejjie elaborates. “I’m diving into little things that stood out from when I was younger. They’re tiny snapshots. I’m trying to paint a story with the lyrics. It’s got a happy vibe.” The album also features the languorous vocals of Tinashe and groupt herapy. for the sultry ‘Disco Pantz’. Elsewherea trap bounce underscores the chilled-out energy of ‘Relax’ also with collaboration from group therapy.before a moment of intimate dialogue.

Cymbals simmer beneath tense verses on the double entendre-driven hook of ‘Oreos’. On the finale ‘Shooting Star’, a frenetic beat darts across the sky as his vocals soar amidst spacey zips and bleeps. “Everyone is a star in their own way,” he states. “I’m touching on this idea and trying to inspire on the last track.”

The bliss that Rejjiefelt in that moment courses through the entire body of work. “I felt very at ease,” he says.“There was nothing heavy on my mind. Everything made sense. I’ve never been that quick with music in the past. It just flowed out of me. I had done a lot of shrooms two months before, so I was prepared for the journey of making Baw Baw Black Sheep. I went out there by myself with no distractions. It was a special time for me. When I made ‘Dear Annie’, I was coming out of a relationship, and I didn’t know whether or not I wanted to write about it. It was on my mind, because I’m like any other bloke. This time, I went in with nothing. I was in a good space.” In the end, Baw Baw Black Sheep might just be the answer to the escapism you’ve been needing. “I’d love for you to experience this the same way you’d watch a movie,” he leaves off. “Hopefully, you’re immersed in it. I also want everyone to know—especially people from my neck of the woods—that you can do the same thing. It’s really crazy what you can make when you’re having fun.”

BAW BAW BLACK SHEEP OUT JULY 9 VIA BMG AUS

When Vogue magazine spoke of the response to Peaches’ 2000 debut album The Teaches of Peaches recently – “jaws dropped; with its unapologetic, electro-infused angle on sex, best evidenced in the hit song “Fuck the Pain Away,” the album was called everything from ‘a performance-art take on pro-sex feminism’ to ‘the most immortal and excellently coarse album of the noughties’” – they probably didn’t realise they would be talking about Peaches’ influence on the new Saint Laurent collection, but that’s exactly what they and the international fashion world is talking about today.

The new Saint Laurent collection showed yesterday, and designer Anthony Vaccarello cited Peaches as one of its primary inspirations – the only person mentioned as such in fact.  According to Vaccarello’s notes, it is the “glitzy imperfections taken from the classic wardrobe of cult-musician Peaches” that inspired the Fall/Winter 2021-2022 as he looks to blur the line between “cheesy and luxurious”.

The news comes just weeks after the ever-controversial Peaches – an artist who is adored by the likes of Amy Schumer and Yoko Ono – returned with the new powerful single and video “Pussy Mask” on Third Man Records. The single of course caused outrage, and the shamelessly delightful music video, directed by award-winning artist Leah Shore and animated by Leah Shore and Rob Yuflo, caused further comment for its inclusion of animated versions of Chief Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“Pussy Mask” is available digitally now. The single will be available as a black vinyl 7″, as well as a picture disc 7″ (limited to 500 copies). Both are available for pre-order on the Third Man online store and Peaches online store ahead of a June 25 release.

Peaches has said of the single, “Because of the pandemic, our collective anxieties unite us more than ever. Even though it may not affect each one of us the same way, we all have similar base concerns. A serious reminder that we are all in this together. I wanted the song to be absurd and fun but also a reflection of our concerns. The humor shines some light into our dark, confusing, and frustrating reality.”

EMMIT FENN’S DEBUT ALBUM TAKES US ‘FAR FROM HERE’

+ HOSTS HOT AIR BALLOON LISTENING PARTY FOR LUCKY FANS
+ LAUNCHES NFT COLLECTION BASED ON THE ALBUM WITH FRENCH PAINTER BERTRAND FOURNIER

Emmit Fenn makes a spellbinding debut with new album ‘Far From Here.’ The long-awaited project is a place of refuge in a time where many of us have wanted to go “Far From Here.” Each song on the 10-track album holds an enchanting message wrapped in sparkling piano leads, airy synths, and haunting vocals.

“The main theme of this album is finding hope in vulnerability. With this album, I wanted to be completely open about my past on a very intimate level and show how I’ve grown from it,” says Emmit. “The title of the album ‘Far From Here’ refers to the place that we want to escape to when we feel hopeless and that is what I wish for the album to be for the listener; a place in which they can escape to when they feel like they have nowhere else to go.”

Alongside the album, the virtuoso also announces his first NFT collection drop on crypto.com. The collection features 11 coloUrful art pieces based on his original album art by French artist Bertrand Fournier.

“I always loved the idea of taking artwork apart, looking at it in a different way, and then turning it into something new and unexpected. The visual art of every project I do has always been important to me and having the fans be a part of it and actually own it just makes it that much more special to me. The space is fascinating and moving quickly so I’m excited to launch my debut collection and explore ways to continue to build in the community.” – Emmit Fenn

Alongside each of his singles leading up to his debut album, Emmit kept connected with friends and fans through sharing exclusive content and new music via Discord and Community. Emmit has also proven to be an inspiring figure in his community since the beginning of quarantine, generously orchestrating personal gift-giving to his fans and even planning a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a select group to attend an exclusive listening party for his album 2,000 feet in the air in a hot air balloon (WATCH).

The independent artist is one of the few collaborators to have worked alongside pop phenomenon Billie Eilish, co-writing and co-producing her “bitches broken hearts” in 2017. Emmit has also produced for the likes of Lolo Zouai, Yuna, Australian artist Ry X, Shallou and Vic Mensa and scored the TV show Five Points for Mary Ramos (Quentin Tarantino’s music supervisor). To date, Emmit has also garnered over 160 million streams across platforms. His single ‘Until We Leave The Ground,’ of his debut 10-track Album ‘Far From Here,’ debuted on Netflix’s soundtrack for the young-adult film, To All The Boys: Always and Forever (Feb 12).

Pierce Brothers
Corner Hotel
Melbourne

The room is heavy with anticipation as Jack and Pat Pierce prepare to take to the stage at iconic Melbourne venue The Corner Hotel. Her band room empty for so long while a pandemic ravaged the country and the music industry, now alight with smiling faces eagerly awaiting the twins.

Having released an album last year, this is a belated tour and a chance to hear some new songs from the album. Its also a chance to bask in the infectious energy that is Jack and Pat Pierce.

Having been entertained by local girl Steph Strings during a set reminiscent of early John Butler styled guitar, the crowd is ready to dance, sing and forget the outside world for the next hour and a half.

Opening with ‘ White Caps’ followed by ‘ Kanko’ the audience are treated to new music straight away, and as the room begins to get into the swing of things and all thoughts of social distancing quickly disappear.

Attending a Pierce Brothers show is always an interactive event, and the smaller venue allows for this, as Jack runs through the crowd drumming on the much loved Corner Hotel pole, and pretty much anything he can find. When you’re Jack Pierce the whole world is your drum kit, and fans are loving the interaction. Moments like these where musicians are able to get up close and intimate with audiences make for memorable shows where mobile phones capture every encounter.

Racing through the hits ‘ Amsterdam’, ‘ The Records Were Ours’ and ‘ Trip Lovers’ the duo take time to speak about how much they have missed being able to play for fans and how difficult things have been with the absence of live music. When you can create energy like this that lights up an entire room, its easy to see why they have suffered withdrawals- the dopamine hit is enough to last days.

Slowing it down marginally to wrap up the evening with ‘ Golden Times’ the room is bathed in yellow as sadly our time with them is drawing to a close. Its been a wild ride as usual and the duo have bought everyone together to laugh, dance and sing at the very top of their lungs.

Closing the night with ‘ Flying Home’ Jack calls on the crowd to crouch down low, exploding into a final frenzy before the night wraps up and we all head out into the chilly Melbourne night and back to reality.

Words and images by Amanda Lee Starkey

Left-leaning pop artist Austen has today announced her new single North South East West, a gorgeous track about blossoming love, out now  on Tank Top Records. Austen has also released a stunning clip to accompany the track, featuring an all-Austen band performing on a ‘60s talk show, filmed by Teel Studios (JOY., Nyxen, Miss Blanks).

North South East West feels evocative of alt-pop forces Clairo and King Princess with a Mark Ronson-esque beat and production – but also exhibits something uniquely Austen. Perfectly summery, with gentle, rolling percussion and lush, full instrumentation that highlights Austen’s quietly assured vocal, North South East West is a woozy track that feels just like falling in love. Co-written by Evan Klar and Hailey Collier, and co-produced by Evan Klar and Jono Ma, North South East West is a beautiful addition to Austen’s impressive discography, as she explains, “North South East West is about that easy type of love where it feels like you’re living in a hazy dream, exploring new territory and not having to force anything – a love letter to the honeymoon period. I’d written a lot of songs about toxic love and I wanted this one to be the polar opposite…it’s a love song to simple, flirty love.”

The video for North South East West is as joyous as the song itself. Filmed by Teel Studios (JOY., Miss Blanks), the clip features Austen starring in every role, from drummer to audience member, and has a gorgeous, sun-soaked, retro vibe. Reflecting on the inspiration behind the video, Austen says, “ I had the idea as a way to bring out the breezy, throwback vibe of the song, and also because it just feels like a song that needs to be played live. I was at home playing around on the song with my guitar and my bass and drum pads, and I thought if my band can’t cross the borders then I may as well play all the bits myself. I wanted to create different characters for each instrument, to form the ultimate girl band and embrace those different sides of myself.”

We’re keen for Austen to bring her eclectic sound to the stage after a trying 2020 with no shows – and she feels the same way, explaining, “This year I’m really excited to expand my show to have a live band, after touring for the past couple of years with a smaller setup. After so long with no gigs because of Covid, it’s inspired me to go all out and make it a hectic experience.”

North South East West is out now on Tank Top Records.