Icons & Legends – A Tribute To The Music of BON JOVI

Silverback Touring is ecstatic to announce the launch of their new brand, Icons & Legends, a nod to the artists which have shaped our lives and popular culture as we know it. On the concept, Danny Bazzi, head of Silverback, says: “We wanted to bring the music of some of these iconic and legendary acts to the forefront. This is not a dress up tribute show, this is about the music and the legacy of the music, delivered by a killer band with some amazing voices up front and in some of our countries best rock venues. This is a celebration that will appeal to every single fan. We wanted to select bands that have that universal appeal and who better than Bon Jovi to kick things off”.

When it comes to being a household name, Bon Jovi are hard to beat. Almost four decades into their career, the band led by the poster boy of well behaved rock idols, Jon Bon Jovi, has been a mainstay on commercial radio, television, in arenas and stadiums, on your playlists, in some of your cherished teen memories and at the top of your voices when you are belting out “Living On A Prayer” in almost any setting.

They are the band that your grandma knows, your little nephew knows and the band that your uncle Joe claims to have known “before they came out in ’83”. Simply put, there is no denying the cultural significance and importance Bon Jovi has had on us. Their music has simply been a soundtrack to many of our lives.

Icons & Legends: A Tribute To The Music Of Bon Jovi will focus on Bon Jovi’s releases between 1983 and 2005 and will feature a hit and anthem filled set including: ‘Living On A Prayer’, ‘Wanted Dead Or Alive’, ‘It’s My Life’, ‘Runaway’, ‘Keep The Faith’, ‘Bad Medicine’ and lots more. Leading the charge and up front on vocals are the massive voices of Virgina Lillye & Mark Furze who both gave Australia an insight into their rock credentials as semi-finalists on The Voice this year. The backing band, providing the soundtrack, are Melbourne band, HEADHUNTERS, an accomplished group of Australian musicians led by Brazilian guitar maestro, Marcelo Machado.

This is a show which is a must for not only any Bon Jovi fan, but any rock fan. Tickets are limited as all venues are operating in COVID safe capacities.

Touring Nationally

Icons & Legends – A Tribute To The Music of BON JOVI 2021 Tour Dates

Friday 8 January – PERTH, Freo Social Club

Saturday 9 January – ADELAIDE, Lion Arts Factory

Friday 29 January – CANBERRA, The Basement

Saturday 30 January – SYDNEY, Max Watts

Friday 5 February – MELBOURNE, The Prince

Friday 12 February – BRISBANE, The Zoo

Saturday 13 February – GOLD COAST, Coolangatta Hotel

Tickets On Sale Now From: https://www.silverbacktouring.com.au/icons-bon-jovi/

At a time when most people find themselves hiding from the world and seeking purpose, Melbourne-based Folk/Pop

Singer-Songwriter Saskia Lane found her resolve. After rediscovering her love for songwriting earlier this year, she is definitely hiding no more—now ready to unveil the power of a broken woman who has finally found her voice—starting with debut single ‘Hide & Seek’, set for release on November 20th.
With production and mixing by Cheyne Luke and mastering by Mark Ashfield, the single’s poignant theme about embracing the person you have become was penned by Saskia herself. The piano-based piece is an ode of love to every woman who has ever felt displaced and forgotten—perfectly complemented by Saskia’s hauntingly soothing and heavenly vocals, nuanced with a somber key that preludes to the breakthrough and freedom of being unapologetically comfortable in one’s skin and spirit. It’s a love story to every woman who’s ever felt displaced and forgotten.

After a 15-year break from music following a family tragedy, Saskia’s journey to healing comes with her desire to help others heal. Very much tied to the story behind ‘Hide & Seek’ is the birth of Yellow Tulip Boxes, an organization designed to help women who are experiencing grief, by empowering, inspiring, and supporting them through self-love and education. The subscription boxes are set for release in February 2021.
“It’s more important to be true to your current self than to live in the shadows of your past.”—Saskia Lane. Influenced by the anti-folk, indie-pop sound of Regina Spektor, Alessia Cara, Missy Higgins, Sia, and Fiona Apple,among others, Saskia is set to make her own mark in the industry. This rising star’s depth and unabashed authenticity lyrically, vocally, sonically, and emotionally makes her a standout among her contemporaries. With a single and an EP set
to be released in 2021, there’s no reason to hide and search for a sound as refreshing as hers. She has it all, folks! So make sure to follow her socials down below for more updates!

Rising New England death metal agitators FUMING MOUTH have officially joined Nuclear Blast and will release a new EP titled Beyond The Tomb on November 20th. The band has launched a pre-order for the record and debuted crushing new song, ‘Master of Extremity.’ The EP follows the band’s critically lauded, breakout album The Grand Descent, which Stereogum affectionately called a “positively disgusting record, an ugly and cathartic full-length rage-vent,” with BrooklynVegan stating it was “one of the finest debuts of its kind in recent memory.”

Commenting on their signing to Nuclear Blast, vocalist/guitarist Mark Whelan states:

“The first time I spoke to Monte Conner at Nuclear Blast it clicked. We had finally found someone with the same exact goals as us. They’re a label that strives to see their bands at their best and we’re a band that thrives off that energy. WE HAVE SIGNED TO NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS, and I want to scream it in your face until you hear me.”

Order Beyond The Tomb here: www.nuclearblast.com/fumingmouth-btt

Formed in 2013, FUMING MOUTH has been on a mission to create an unbridled brand of death metal. The band set out as a 3-piece taking influence from bands like DISMEMBER while simultaneously taking inspiration from the likes of MOTORHEAD. Geared up now as a 4-piece band, they set out ready to take on the world with a brand-new EP titled Beyond the Tomb and Nuclear Blast Records right by their side.

.A.B return with the new single, ‘My Brother’ (listen here) fresh off the back of taking honours in Best Roots and the coveted People’s Choice categories at the Aotearoa Music Awards last week.

Drawing inspiration from the string-driven sound of soul-train funk & West Coast hip-hop, ‘My Brother’ showcases what has made L.A.B one of the biggest acts in NZ – memorable grooves & bass lines combining with Joel Shadbolt’s trademark vocals & dialled-in harmonies.

It is the first taste of what to expect from the band’s fourth studio LP, due early 2021.

2020 may have been a quiet year for some, but it’s been a massive year for the Aotearoa collective. L.A.B’s work ethic has not faulted, their resilience has shone through, as they wrote and recorded their new album in-between performances at sold-out arena shows across NZ.

L.A.B’s last single ‘In The Air’ hit number one on the Official NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, the first independent local #1 since Flight Of The Conchords in 2012. It has remained as one of the most played songs on NZ radio since March.

L.A.B will be touring Australia in April 2021; all shows are SOLD OUT, 15,000 tickets in two weeks a show of Australia’s love for our Kiwi cousins.

L.A.B Australian Tour 2020

Friday, April 16 Fremantle Arts Centre SOLD OUT Fremantle WA

Saturday, April 24 Roundhouse SOLD OUT Sydney NSW

Sunday, April 25 Forum SOLD OUT Melbourne VIC

Saturday, May 1 Eatons Hill Grand Ballroom SOLD OUT Brisbane QLD

Sunday, May 2 HOTA SOLD OUT Gold Coast QLD

Melbourne trio Something for Kate’s career has spanned over two decades and yet their most accomplished and most highly anticipated album The Modern Medieval is released today.

STREAM/DOWNLOAD HERE

Their first album in over 8 years since 2012’s Leave Your Soul to Science, The Modern Medieval was recorded in Byron Bay by Nick DiDia (Powderfinger, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen) and mixed in Toronto by Canadian electro-pop auteur Howie Beck (Feist, Hayden, Chilly Gonzalez). An exciting, eclectic collection of songs, a rich hi-fi rush of warm, dynamic vocals, gorgeous guitar work, lush keyboards, and Dempsey’s always razor-sharp wit and compelling story telling – The Modern Medieval finds the band of Paul Dempsey, Stephanie Ashworth and drummer Clint Hyndman united behind a renewed focus and producing songs such as the anthemic ‘Situation Room’, ‘Waste Our Breath’, ‘Supercomputer’ and ‘Come Back Before I Come Back To My Senses’.

The Modern Medieval brings together three closely-knit musicians, moving in parallel lines leading to a work of sustained and stunning invention. Few bands have spanned multiple eras of Australian music as Something for Kate have, and even fewer have refused so stridently to be cosseted by their past. It’s a rare achievement to be this engaging and formidable.

Compelling, transformative and beautiful – for both the listener and the band – The Modern Medieval is an electrifying salve for these strange days and a new benchmark in a legendary career. Offering an unprecedented depth of songwriting, it’s a prescient vision of our present times that you’ll need to hear and hear again.
WATCH THE ALBUM TRAILER HERE

“We make Something for Kate records because we love making them,” says Paul Dempsey. “Every song we work on is a concentrated effort. It has to be right. For me, that means not a word out of place and not a note out of place. That takes a lot of time, but no-one lets anything slide in this band.”

“It’s the most eclectic mix of songs we’ve had on an album,” confirms Dempsey, and to translate them Something for Kate took a multi-step approach. They began by recording tracks with noted engineer and producer Nick DiDia at his hilltop La Cueva studio outside Byron Bay, they then took a month’s break to live with the songs and add layers at home before decamping for Toronto, where Canadian producer Howie Beck, brought his mastery of avant-garde electronic pop to the mix. It’s an unexpected combination of collaborators, but it signifies Something for Kate’s refusal to compromise or do the predictable. In a band where Dempsey’s toughest critics are his bandmates, they had no time for convention.

Something for Kate’s DNA is still undeniable – but their desire to improve is tangible. Stephanie Ashworth says that Dempsey’s voice, a force of nature at live shows, has never sounded better recorded, and that serves to amplify lyrics that compress daring detail with shuddering brevity and sharp wit.

Something For Kate’s is a career that continues to excite. Since arriving in 1994 with their singular deconstruction of indie-guitar rock, the trio have bent the Australian musical landscape to their will, becoming a critically-acclaimed institution predicated on sticking to their guns. After their nervy 1997 LP debut Elsewhere for 8 Minutes confirmed a cult following with well beyond gold sales, the band’s records have made a consistent dent. Echolalia (2001) and The Official Fiction (2003) both went beyond platinum status in Australia, while albums – Beautiful Sharks (1999), Desert Lights (2006) – achieved beyond gold sales heading towards platinum. 2012’s Leave Your Soul to Science debuted at No. 5 on the ARIA charts.

With over 750,000 copies sold of their critically acclaimed back catalogue, the band have amassed 11 ARIA nominations and 14 entries in triple J’s Hottest 100 amongst other accolades – as well as a legion of loyal fans dedicated to whatever the band does next, however long the wait.

SOMETHING FOR KATE – THE MODERN MEDIEVAL – OUT NOW

After a … memorable … year everyone’s probably ready for a much needed break and that’s the inspiration for Birds Of Tokyo’s new single, “Weekend”. It’s song about getting away up (or down) the coast and letting the summer surf wash away the stress.

Appropriately enough, “Weekend” was unveiled this morning on all streaming services. Listen to the track HERE.

The breezy reggae-tinged track is a marked gearshift from the band’s string of intensely emotional hits like “Good Lord”, “The Greatest Mistakes” and “Never Going Back” which propelled their acclaimed album Human Design to #1 on the ARIA charts back in May.

“We like to keep trying new things so it was great to have a crack at something so different”, explains Birds Of Tokyo guitarist, and the song’s producer, Adam Spark. “After the year everyone’s had I think we all felt like making music that’s just kinda summery and light-hearted”.

“Weekend” was written and recorded during the 2020 lockdown in the eastern states but singer Ian Kenny was in Perth where things were very different. “The lyrics are pretty straightforward on this one”, Kenny reflects. “It’s very much written from a W.A. perspective. Obviously we’ve been lucky to avoid most of the hardships that people elsewhere have suffered so I didn’t want to make light of that but it feels like everyone around Australia has earned a weekend or two at the beach after this crazy year … a Covid safe weekend of course!”

Like so many Australian musicians Birds Of Tokyo’s plans for this year were upended by the pandemic. Orchestral shows scheduled around the release of Human Design were postponed until early 2021 and the band is very hopeful that these dates will still proceed in some form. In addition, they recently announced a handful of other W.A. concerts in January.

“We can’t wait to get back to playing some gigs – it’s probably the longest we’ve ever gone without playing together so we’re really hungry for it”, says band drummer, Adam Weston.

For their new single ‘Can’t Get It Right’, Alt Fiction hit the turbo-boost button on their distinctive sound.

Amping up the tempo and the attitude without sacrificing any of the band’s sun-splattered tone, with the help of producer Chris Collins ‘Can’t Get It Right’ is a brash, bratty dedication to messing up and starting again. What first appears to be an honest-to-goodness three chord number gives way to a sublimely jangly verse riff that’s more Johnny Marr than Billie Joe.

Here is a band that doesn’t wear these influences on their sleeve insomuch as use them to sew a new shirt, one that looks as good shouting choruses and as it does crooning dazed lower-octave melodies. Details-wise, it’s a track flanked by a bass line that doesn’t so much walk as glide and drums that seem programmed to shoot to the moon. Tight and crisp without a wrinkle to be seen, it’s the Alt Fiction fit you love in a brand-new style.

Launching their debut single ‘All My Friends’ into the world via triple j unearthed, their follow up track ‘People You Know’ would see the evolution of this offensively charged trio. While Alt Fiction’s analog aesthetic might evoke spirits of certain mid-west guitar bands, ‘People You Know’ proved there’s more humming beneath the hood. The 90’s inspired, self-created video landed Rage’s Wild One and the song charged them straight to triple J unearthed feature artist.

Writing songs together from the age of twelve, the members of Alt Fiction spent their teen years sharpening their craft whilst navigating the inevitable hurdles of adolescence. Cultivated in an insular rural town in South-East QLD,

the band managed to breed their idiosyncratic style in their backyard shed. The band covered punk songs at local gigs whilst self-recording demos with several band names and iterations. They finally landed on Alt Fiction, their music giving you an insight in to their past whilst firmly embracing the future with their aural athleticism, proto-Strokes guitars cresting to meet quotable lyrics about disaffection in the Internet era.

Alt Fiction are three players locked in relative unison, recalling the heyday of groups like Phoenix. With every glimmering chorus and offbeat ad-libs, the three brothers – Will, Matt and Mitch, give a dynamic performance pushing the jams towards their peak. There’s much more to come, but already more than enough to love.

ZELIE’s debut single Higher turned the heads of Rolling Stone Australia, earning a Video of the Week feature in the esteemed publication. ZELIE now returns with her follow-up, Gypsy Dreams, an intuitive dark-pop track coupled with a mystifying video congruent with the energies of Halloween.

Born from a dark time in her life when ZELIE made the conscious decision to pursue a living spirit of zest to leave behind the depressive state she found herself living in, Gypsy Dreams is an accurate representation of the song’s lyrical origins.

ZELIE carefully chose the team of award winning director Kezie Suryaptura and producer Anna Dvorak who immediately had a desire to turn Gypsy Dreams into a visual narrative that captures the essence of freedom, life and warmth.

Inspired by the visions of her subconsciousness the clip is a brooding ode to the messages ZELIE received in her dreams during the writing process of Higher. Set in an avant-garde 1800 Victorian house, the clip sees two quirky characters bound to the stings that enslave them, with ZELIE their saviour.

“Gypsy Dreams is a reminder of my Rapid Eye Movement Sleep – the dreams and messages I received whilst writing and profiling my debut single Higher,” tells the Sydney-based artist.

“The electrical activity which flowed through my sleep status for several nights creating an abundance of visual colour, some bursts where distressing and others playful. When I woke from my slumber they hit back, shocked by my conscious daytime reflection – I had to try and find a link, make sense of their purpose.”

Following remixes for PNAU, Stace Cadet & KLP, and working collabs with Dr Fresch & Taiki Nulight, LO’99 returns to Medium Rare with an acid house tinged badboi of a single. ‘Acid Worldwide’ gradually builds with precise automation and hooky chant, as synth work resonates straight down the middle to a solid acid bass-line. Breaking down into a chorus of city shout outs LO dials the oscillators up to 11 and delivers the tagline… “don’t drop bombs, drop acid”.

Speaking on how the record came together LO shares, “I’m stoked how this one’s turned out! A nod to my love for acid house and old school rave vibes while keeping true to my current sound. Hope you guys dig it as much as I had fun making it!”

Reminiscing about his first taste of acid house, LO’99 further shares “I’ve been a big fan of acid house and all things 303 sound for a while now. I remember being in Helsinki at 18 years old, my dad had just moved there, and I randomly went to a Hardfloor show that my friend was putting on. It was my first real intro to acid house or well 303 sounds, apart from unknowingly maybe hearing them being used in Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers, Prodigy, or maybe some random Hardcore songs as a young raver. At the show I saw all these people holding their 303 machines up, dancing with them in the air. Then after the show all these people lined up to get them signed by Hardfloor and I was so intrigued… I think after this I was like I want to know more and read up about the origins of acid house and what it was, got my head properly around the 303 and what it sounded like. Unfortunately, I don’t have a proper original 303 but I do have one of those sick new Roland Boutique TB-03’s and many plugin’s that replicate the vibe and a lot of acid house records!!!”

LO’99 is renowned for his own brand of house music, his productions often delivering a distinctly techy sound and unique bass-line. Dance music’s elite are getting behind his vision. With LO being called upon to remix the greats like Fatboy Slim, Röyksopp, Kaskade, Moby and even more recent artists like Crooked Colours, Peking Duk & Alunageorge. Apart from delivering big time in remix land, LO shows exactly why he’s up there with the best with multiple Beatport & ARIA #1 club records on his original recordings out on tastemaker labels worldwide as well his very own Medium Rare Recordings.

LO’99’s new single ‘Acid Worldwide’ is out now on Medium Rare Recordings.