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Lady Gaga sets new ARIA Record!(delim)Lady Gaga sets new ARIA Record!

Pop sensation, Lady GaGa, has this week set a new milestone for ARIA Her single 'Just Dance', which featured Colby O'Donis, has become the longest running ARIA Top 100 single on record breaking the record previously set by Justin Timberlake. The single has spent a total of 80 consecutive weeks in the Top 100 chart overtaking Justin Timberlake's hold on to the record with 'Sexy Back' which notched 79 weeks. Debut album The Fame reached the top ten in over 20 countries worldwide, with Australia the first to embrace the inexplicable Lady Gaga, clocking up triple platinum sales in just a few months as she placed five singles in the top 50 selling Australian singles of this year. Lady Gaga’s debut boasts massive hits – the latest Paparazzi, and previous infectious ARIA #1’s Just Dance and Poker Face. Back home in the US, Lady Gaga became the first artist in nearly 10 years to reach the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 with her first two chart entries, and became only the third artist in the 16- year history of the Mainstream Top 40 airplay chart to collect three #1 songs from a debut album – Just Dance, Poker Face and LoveGame. Lady Gaga heads to Australia next week to kick off her tour. [click here for full story]

Cobra Starship Australian tour sold out!(delim)Cobra Starship Australian tour sold out!

With less than a week to go until the launch of their Australasian tour, all five of Cobra Starship’s Australian dates have now sold out! Cobra Starship combines tongue-in-cheek rock with synth-pop to bring us dance floor anthems such as ‘Hot Mess’ and ‘Good Girls Go Bad’. Their sly lyrics and infectious melodies have won over audiences and earned them throngs of adoring fans. Joined by Owl City, the fanciful artist behind popular single ‘Fireflies’, and Sydney’s indie darlings Amy Meredith, the irresistible lineup is sure to please pop fans and have audiences in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth dancing up a storm. Tickets to the New Zealand shows in Auckland and Christchurch are still available but there’s no time to waste. The fantastic Australian ticket sales speak volumes; this is clearly a tour not to be missed. Tour dates are: Tuesday 16 March: UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney - SOLD OUT! Wednesday 17 March: The Tivoli, Brisbane - SOLD OUT! Friday 19 March: The HiFi, Melbourne - SOLD OUT! Saturday 20 March: The HiFi, Melbourne - SOLD OUT! Sunday 21 March: The Astor Theatre, Perth - SOLD OUT! [click here for full story]

Madonna Manager dismisses Oz tour hoax(delim)Madonna Manager dismisses Oz tour hoax

Madonna's Manager, Guy Oseary, has dismissed claims of an Australian tour being staged in July after a "hoax" email was forwarded to Australian media earlier this week. Oseary said via Twitter that "there is no truth to any current plans for an upcoming tour," and that the apparent 10-date tour to be staged in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide is a hoax. The tour was apparently to be marketed as a special "gift" for her Australian fans, who've waited almost 17 years to see her with ticket prices starting at $249 and the most expensive being $3000 including a meet and greet with the superstar. [click here for full story]

Oh Hark! Lisa Mitchel is coming to town!(delim)Oh Hark! Lisa Mitchel is coming to town!

Lisa Mitchell today announces the exciting details of her huge National Theatre Tour to support the release of her brand new single ‘Oh Hark!’. Having spent the last few months promoting the album in Europe, Lisa is returning to Australia in April to kick off her massive Oh Hark! National Theatre Tour. Taking in major capital cities and regional centers across Australia, Lisa is set to play to over 18,000 fans in May. Lisa will play 17 shows over a four week period including appearances at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney and the Forum in Melbourne. Joining Lisa on the road will be folk n’ slide favorites Boy and Bear and Georgia Fair. ‘It excites me to remember that I will be embarking on a tour of the gorgeous Australian theatres in May after the sure-to-be raucous, Groovin' the Moo festival. It will be lovely to be touring around my beautiful Australia’ said Lisa of the forthcoming tour. 2009 was a remarkable year for Lisa: her debut album ‘Wonder’ debuted at 6 on the ARIA charts, she earned 3 ARIA nominations, signed a huge record deal in the UK with Sony Music, scored album of the week in the UK’s prestigious Sunday Times, toured Australia and the UK nationally twice over and finished a magical year with number 7 spot on the Hottest 100 with her global smash ‘Coin Laundry’. 2010 is set to get even bigger. This week Lisa’s brand new single ‘0h Hark!’ is serviced nationally to radio in Australia and the UK and is expected to be her biggest hit yet. With a brand a new radio edit, bonus tracks including an Ou Est Le Swimming Pool remix and Lisa’s stunning version of Romeo and Juliet first performed on Triple j’, expect to hear ‘Oh Hark!’ all over the airwaves in 2010. With Oh Hark already getting spins on BBC Radio 1 expect Lisa’s incredible story to continue in 2010. Tickets on sale March 19. Tour dates are: Thurs 29th April: Warrnambool Entertainment Centre Friday 30th April: Bended Elbow, Geelong Tuesday 4th May: Great Northern, Byron Bay Weds 5th May: Surfers Paradise Beer Garden Thurs 6th May: Villa Noosa Hotel Friday 7th May: Tivoli, Brisbane Weds 12th May: Wollongong Uni Thurs 13th May: Evans Theatre, Penrith Friday 14th May: Enmore Theatre, Sydney Sunday 16th May: Astor Theatre, Perth Thurs 20th May: HQ, Adelaide Friday 21st May: Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, Mt Gambier Wed 26th May: Bluestone, Ballarat Friday 28th May: Forum, Melbourne Saturday 29th May: Launceston City Club Sunday 30th May: Wrestpoint, Hobart [click here for full story]

Tame Impala unleash new album & announce tour!(delim)Tame Impala unleash new album & announc

West Coast sonic wanderers Tame Impala will unveil their debut album InnerSpeaker on May 21, and are taking to the road in May for a National Tour. It will be the first time much of the record is played live to an unsuspecting public and will showcase the gloriously dazzling results of one of planet earth’s most exciting bands absolutely going to town on their debut long player. Following on from their debut, self-titled EP, InnerSpeaker is Tame Impala's chance to paint a far more extensive picture than before, and sure enough it redrafts the entire Tame Impala world as we knew it, into an explosive cosmic wonderland of ecstatic harmony and perfectly accessible journeys into inner space. Recorded and produced by the band's own Kevin Parker with Death In Vegas’s Tim Holmes on the engineer duties, in an enormous mansion with 180 degree views of the Indian Ocean in the middle of buttfuck nowhere a few hours south of Perth, InnerSpeaker is ensconced with a kind of inspired vastness not dislike the place it was made. It was then mixed in a completely different kind of nowhere, a log cabin surrounded by snow and deer in upstate New York, by renowned sonic maverick Dave Fridmann (MGMT / Flaming Lips). The resultant record will first be revealed with the single, Solitude Is Bliss, a joyous summertime romp through fields of honeyed harmony and crispy good times and is just the very tip of the amorphous cosmos that is InnerSpeaker. InnerSpeaker is available for pre-order now from the Modular Shop (for local & international orders) and from Get Music in digital & physical formats (for Australians only). Or as a special offer to live show fans, you will have an opportunity to pre-order the album with tickets purchased to the May National Tour. Tickets On Sale Thu Mar 18. Tour dates are: May 13 – Surfers Beer Garden / GOLD COAST May 14 – The Tivoli / BRISBANE May 15 – The Metro / SYDNEY May 20 – The Gov / ADELAIDE May 21 – The Forum / MELBOURNE May 27 – The Metropolis Fremantle / FREMANTLE [click here for full story]

Brian McFadden unleashes Wall of Soundz(delim)Brian McFadden unleashes Wall of Soundz

‘WALL OF SOUNDZ’ is the new solo album from Irish singer/songwriter Brian McFadden, available 23 April 2010. “I love a change, I don’t like doing the same thing all the time,” McFadden says. “The challenge for me is always to get out of my comfort zone and do something different. And this is different.” The album started life as a side-project McFadden embarked on with American songwriter Rob Conley, an electro whiz-kid behind hits for Darren Hayes, Axle Whitehead and Amy Meredith. So engrossed in the project was McFadden that he and Conley spent over 18 months writing songs together in Conley’s studio on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. “A new solo album would have taken another two years to write. So Rob and I sat down and we decided that this was my new solo album – it was exactly where I was musically and made perfect sense” McFadden says the end result may have his name on it, but it’s a collaborative affair and formed a fresh new exciting producing partnership. McFadden spent a lot of time writing the rest of the album in LA and a meeting with Kevin Rudolf meant he was roped in for guest vocals on his first single ‘Just Say So’ and wound up producing the song. “I loved Kevin’s hit Let it Rock,” McFadden says. ”It was good to see Kevin put his own twist on it, he did things I’d never think of doing. He’s got his own mind when it comes to records, he’s a musical genius.” ‘Just Say So’ is a ridiculously catchy electro-pop track with heavy auto tune and dance beats. Rudolf raved about the experience, “Brian is super talented. A great singer and a great writer with a real point of view. And most importantly a good dude. I look forward to working more with him in the future!” The album sees some other guest vocals as well, including McFadden’s fiancé the talented Delta Goodrem adding her vocals to the enigmatic track ‘Mistakes’. In 2010, McFadden will become a judge on Channel 7’s new series, Australia’s Got Talent. McFadden will judge alongside X Factor judge, Dannii Minogue and radio presenter Kyle Sandilands. ‘WALL OF SOUNDZ’ is the follow up to McFadden’s 2008 ‘Set In Stone’ which debuted at number five on the ARIA album chart, was certified gold and spawned the hits ‘Like Only a Woman Can’ and the Potbelleez collaboration ‘Twisted’. Prior to going solo, he was a member of the phenomenally popular Westlife, selling in excess of 45 million records. [click here for full story]

MGMT announce one show only in Australia(delim)MGMT announce one show only in Australia

On the heels of announcing the release of their sophomore record Congratulations, MGMT will embark on a world tour, reaching our shores for one show only on April 6 in Sydney at Metro Theatre. MGMT will be playing selections from Congratulations, the follow up to their 2008, critically acclaimed debut Oracular Spectacular. MGMT’s music has been heralded worldwide for its fresh and unique style. With Congratulations, MGMT unlock a new musical world whirling in its own space/time grid infused with hints of music from the past five decades. Soulful and complex, Congratulations is a surprising and delightful quantum step forward in MGMT's ongoing pop revolution. Produced by MGMT and Sonic Boom (Spacemen 3, E.A.R., Spectrum), Congratulations was recorded throughout 2009 in upstate New York, Malibu, and Brooklyn and features Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, MGMT's core duo, performing with Matt Asti (bass, backing vocals), Will Berman (drums, backing vocals), and James Richardson (guitar, backing vocals), the band's live line-up. Due to the forecasted popularity of this show, a ticket limit of two per person will be enforced to ensure fans have maximum opportunity to secure tickets. General on-sale tickets will be released on Thursday 11 March at 9am local time. Congratulations is available for pre-order at www.whoismgmt.com Tour dates are: Metro Theatre, Sydney – 6 April 2010 [click here for full story]

Teen sensation, Justin Bieber heads to Australia!(delim)Teen sensation, Justin Bieber heads to Austr

Can you hear the screams of young teenage girls? That's probably because they've just heard that new teen sensation Justin Bieber is heading to our shores in April. The 16-year-old Canadian native soul-singer is making the girls scream over his sweet smile and even sweeter voice. Justin became the first solo artist ever to have four songs from a debut album in the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40 prior to its release and the first solo artist ever to have seven tracks from the same album in the Hot 100 at the same time. Justin has over 144 Million streams on his YouTube channel, over 1.8 Million fans on Facebook and over 1.2 followers on Twitter. From April 25 Justin’s Australian fans will have their chance to scream (and scream they will) as he heads down under for a promotional visit. On April 23 Justin’s My World Australia Edition album will be released consisting of 19 tracks including “One Time”, “Favourite Girl” and “Baby”. Fans can visit his new Australian website www.justinbieber.com.au where they can upload their photo to Justin’s Australian FAN WALL which will be included in the artwork of My Worlds Australian Edition. They will receive a free track instantly and can also leave a comment and post the link to their photo on facebook and twitter to show off to everyone they know. Fans that pre-order the album will go into the draw to play Xbox 360 with Justin in Sydney when he is here in April. [click here for full story]

My Chemical Romance drummer quits!(delim)My Chemical Romance drummer quits!

It's been rumoured for quite some time but now it's official... My Chemical Romance drummer, Bob Bryar has quit the band. Guitarist Frank Iero confirmed the split on his blog: "As of 4 weeks ago, My Chemical Romance and Bob Bryar parted ways. This was a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and expect you all to do the same." Iero also confirmed the band have stepped in to the studio to write their fourth album. "We have been writing some very powerful new songs so this week the four of us entered the studio once again, and what has been ending up on tape each night is some of the most exciting and honest work we have ever created." Although originally expected out earlier this year, there is currently no release date for the album. [click here for full story]

Madonna to tour Oz in July?!(delim)Madonna to tour Oz in July?!

Madonna's drummer Brian Frasier-Moore confirmed today that the Pop superstar will in fact be touring again this year and through to 2011 and an email that hit our offices today from an "industry insider" confirms that Australia is on the itinerary. We can't confirm if there is any truth to this tour but the source assures us that the 10-date tour isn't far from being announced. The email also suggests that: "The Celebration Tour" will be an intimate arena tour, visiting Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and for the first time, Perth. The tour will be marketed as a special "gift" for her Australian fans, who've waited almost 17 years to see her. 250 tickets will be given away to charity at each show. Ticket prices will be the highest ever seen in Australia (starting at $249). Five ticket tiers will be offered; bronze ($249), silver ($499), gold ($999), ultimate ($2000) and a premium ultimate version for $3000 including a meet and greet with the superstar. The tour will continue to overseas destinations, but on a larger scale (they name London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Berlin). One of the Melbourne dates will be filmed for a future DVD release and will be shown on US channel HBO the night after. Could 2010 be the year! Stay tuned! [click here for full story]

Groovin The Moo Bendigo Sold out; Bunbury relocates!(delim)Groovin The Moo Bendigo Sold out; Bunbury

It has been a HUGE four weeks for GTM 2010. First a massive line up announcement, then the Maitland show sold out in under a week, NOW we can announce that in only two weeks the Bendigo show has officially sold out AND with the support of Bunbury City Council and ticket buyers in WA, GTM Bunbury will moove to a new location; Hay Park, Bunbury. Bunbury City Council and His Worship the Mayor David Smith worked together with Sunset Events to ensure the event was moved to a more suitable location after the community of Bunbury indicated a high level of support for the event through strong ticket sales. “It has been changed to accommodate what has now become a bigger event where the extra space will allow for a more orderly presentation of these outstanding bands. I’m certain that with the high standard of security and management, and its scheduled finish time of 11pm it will be an event well received by the community,” announced His Worship the Mayor David Smith. Dave Chitty from Sunset Events said, “We'd like to thank the music loving community of Western Australia for their support of Groovin’ the Moo, which has culminated in the event moving from Pat Usher Foreshore to Hay Park to better accommodate the demand the public has shown.” On a national level, the support and response from all communities for the five GTM shows has been unprecedented. "The response to this year's GTM has been incredible. Maitland sold out in 4 days and Bendigo in 2 weeks. Townsville, Canberra and Bunbury are all selling strongly, so if you are planning to come along to any of these shows, please don't leave it too late to buy your tickets or you may miss out,“ said Stephen Halpin (GTM Promoter, Cattleyard Promotions). Stay tuned for further announcements in regards to local artist announcements and community initiatives. Tickets are selling quickly across the remaining shows, but are still available for the Townsville (QLD) 2 May, Canberra (ACT) 9 May and Bunbury (WA) 15 May shows. [click here for full story]

Earth Hour unplugged at the Melbourne Zoo!(delim)Earth Hour unplugged at the Melbourne Zoo!

Another year, another Earth Hour, another great reason to visit the Melbourne Zoo. On Saturday March 27, the Melbourne Zoo will play host to its second year of Earth Hour Unplugged, this time with the loveable Tim Rogers and band with support from Melbourne’s Wagons and Blackchords. Instead of sitting in darkness at home, round up the troops, arm yourself with a jam-packed BYO picnic basket full of goodies and wine and get ready to be enlightened on the grassy knolls surrounding the Zoo’s bandstand. Melbourne’s favourite musical larrikin, charismatic and flamboyant front man of Australian band You Am I, solo artist and actor extraordinaire Tim Rogers will grace the stage at the iconic Melbourne’s Zoo for Earth Hour Unplugged. Tim has been very busy of late, currently writing a cabaret show based on Deadly Sin, the music for the play ‘Mary MacLane” and has also been touring the country with You Am I promoting their current rock masterpiece ‘Dilettantes’. Blessed with the ability to make words sing Tim will bring his band of like minded collaborators to the stage to perform a multitude of songs from Tim’s many projects. Tim promises 67% less bad language but 34% more humour and corresponding pathos that could either be deemed ‘camp’ or ‘ingenious’. Wagons have a unique ‘country-noir’ sound that has earned them many rave reviews and The Age EG Album Of The Year award in 2009 for The Rise And Fall Of Goodtown. United by their love of the music of Scott Walker, Lee Hazelwood, Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond and the harmonies of the Louvin' Brothers, the five school friends have been together since the late 90's, performing the songs of their enigmatic leader, Henry Wagons. Melbourne band Blackchords’ self-titled debut album released last year has been acclaimed as ‘One of the best Australian debut releases’ (Reverb Magazine), with critics raving that their darkly majestic collection of understated songs recalls the best bits of Ryan Adams, Elbow and Jeff Buckley. This will be one of the last shows in Australia before they jet to the UK to perform at the prestigious Great Escape Festival in May. In over 360 cities and towns across the world, Earth Hour sees people switching off their lights for an hour from 8:30pm to raise awareness about climate change, which is exactly what the Melbourne Zoo is going to do. With the reputation as a leading zoo in contributing to conservation the Zoo will be carbon-offsetting the event. This year the organisers of Earth Hour, WWF-Australia, say that this year Earth Hour will focus on broader aspects of sustainability, giving everyone something to do beyond the hour of darkness. “We’re asking people to go beyond turning off lights and instead make an Earth Hour resolution to start something bigger,” said Mr Bourne, WWF-Australia’s CEO. “Switching off your lights is a great first step, but your true environmental impact is much bigger than just your energy bill. Your environmental footprint is made up of things such as the food you eat, the transport and housing you choose, and the goods and services you buy.” Last year, Earth Hour Unplugged saw ARIA-Award winner C.W. Stoneking perform a spectacular unplugged set with support from America’s Mamie Minch and Melbourne natives, Dirt River Radio. Tickets go on sale on March 1 through www.zoo.org.au or 1300 ZOOS VIC. Limited tickets will be available at the gate but pre-purchasing is strongly recommended to avoid disappointment. Gates open at 5.30pm, music will kick off at 6.30pm. Selected wildlife viewing until 7pm. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, however you are welcome to BYO food and alcohol. No glass and no smoking, please. For more information about the event and to find out more about the brand new Wild Sea exhibit, visit www.zoo.org.au. To measure your carbon footprint, visit www.earthhour.org.au. [click here for full story]

Closure In Mosco(delim)Closure In Mosco

In light of the recent events with their sudden cancellation at the Soundwave Festival, Closure In Moscow have announced a handful of last minute shows before they head to America where they will join the Vans Warped tour! "We’re beyond excited to announce a handful of shows in the next few weeks as part of what we’re referring to as “The Supreme Turbo Facilitator Tour”," said the band in a statement today. "We know not everyone in the country is covered on this tour and we’re sorry about that. We’re still working on a few other shows in the near future but we can’t wait to play again and needed to get these announced seeing as how the start of the tour is only a week away"! "As you can imagine, it’s difficult to throw a tour together last minute so we’re grateful for everyone who has helped out with this. We intentionally chose some of these venues in order to keep the shows special and intimate. There are a few free shows and we’re hoping to add another free in-store or two also. We’re out to make this tour all about having as much fun as possible". "We’re not sure what our schedule is going to look like before our headline tour so hopefully we’ll see everyone this month! Thanks again for all your support! We’ll see you all very, very soon". Tour dates are: Wednesday March 10th – DING DONG LOUNGE, MELBOURNE (18+) Thursday March 11th – HOT DAMN (SPECTRUM), SYDNEY (18+) Friday March 12th – UTOPIA RECORDS, GLEBE (AA) Saturday March 13th – THRILLER (ROSIE’S), BRISBANE (18+) Sunday March 14th – THE HIVE, CARSELDINE (AA) Thursday March 18th – ROCKET ROOM, NORTHBRIDGE (18+) Friday March 19th – BREAKERS BAR, GERALDTON (18+) Saturday March 20th – HQ LEEDERVILLE, LEEDERVILLE (U18) [click here for full story]

Vampire Weekend(delim)Vampire Weekend

Due to overwhelming demand and exceptionally quick sales for both the second shows in Melbourne and Sydney, The Frontier Touring Company are upgrading the venues to accommodate extra fans of Vampire Weekend. Younger Melbourne fans of the indie chart-toppers will be delighted to know that the Palace Theatre show scheduled for Wednesday 5 May moves to Festival Hall and is now a licensed All Ages show. The first Melbourne show at Palace Theatre remains an 18+ event. The Sydney show on Thursday 13 May moves from the Enmore Theatre to the larger Hordern Pavilion and remains an All Ages concert. Previously purchased tickets for both second shows will still be valid and ticketing details for the new venues can be found below. The anticipation for Vampire Weekend’s upcoming Australasian tour continues to build, the latest buzz being the release of a tennis themed music video for their next single ‘Giving Up The Gun’. A quirky and fun accompaniment to what Pitchfork have called sophomore studio album Contra’s “most sellable song,” the video features cameos from Jake Gyllenhaal, Lil’ Jon, RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan and Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers. Both the first and second shows for Melbourne and Sydney sold out in mere minutes and new tickets for these upgraded venues are sure to follow trend. Mark down the pre-sale and on-sale dates below and get ready to pounce on tickets; despite the upgraded capacity of these new venues, the immense popularity of Vampire Weekend is more than likely to surpass ticket availability. General on-sale tickets for the new venues will be available from Friday 12 March, 9am local time. Remaining tickets to the Adelaide and Perth shows are on sale now. Tour dates are: Tuesday 4 May: Palace Theatre – Melbourne (18+) SOLD OUT Wednesday 5 May: Festival Hall - Melbourne (All Ages) Thuesday 6 May: Entertainment Centre – Adelaide (ALL AGES) Tuesday 11 May: The Tivoli – Brisbane (ALL AGES) SOLD OUT Wednesday 12 May: Enmore Theatre – Sydney (ALL AGES) SOLD OUT Thursday 13 May: Hordern Pavilion - Sydney (All Ages) Sunday 16 May: Metro City – Perth (18+) [click here for full story]

John Butler Trio album uprises in April!(delim)John Butler Trio album uprises in April!

The John Butler Trio’s first studio offering in three years, ‘APRIL UPRISING’ (independently released through MGM on March 26th), follows the much acclaimed 3 x platinum ‘Grand National’ album which cemented the band’s global success with sold out tours world wide. ‘APRIL UPRISING’ introduces new trio members Nicky Bomba on drums/percussion and Byron Luiters on bass and combines the personal, the political and the musically memorable with skill and passion. ‘APRIL UPRISING’ was introduced late last year with ‘One Way Road’, the incredibly catchy first single from the album. Taking out the number one spot on the national airplay charts three times this year, ‘One Way Road’ has been the most successful radio single to date for the JBT, the first entry being on the eve of their national sold out tour in January. It was also chosen as the lead track for the summer campaign of Channel 10’s new digital 24 hour sports channel One, and remains on high rotation on the station and it still holds the number one spot on the AIR 100% indie singles chart, which it’s held for 15 weeks now! Chapter two from ‘APRIL UPRISING’, ‘Close To You’ is at radio now and unveils a gutsy rockier side of the album where John lets rip with an electric Telecaster. Featured as this week’s Music Network premier pick ‘Close To You’ is already impacting radio and is expected to emulate the success of ‘One Way Road’. ‘APRIL UPRISING’ offers another deluxe package from the JBT camp featuring an amazing six panel digi pack including a bonus poster and booklet which is exclusive to Australian fans who are also offered a limited edition trucker hat on purchase of the CD while stocks last. John explains how things developed with the new album and trio, "It's interesting to see a band come together and the first thing they do is create and produce together. We came in as three producers, three writers, three players. We went into the laboratory to produce the best thing we could and here we are. What an interesting way to start a relationship. Personally I feel we’ve created something very special that will stand the test of time – it’s my best work to date.” With much anticipation for the new John Butler Trio album we thought we’d treat you to a behind the scenes look at the in studio antics with this snippet from the making of ‘APRIL UPRISING’– http://www.johnbutlertrio.com/making_of John, Nicky, and Byron depart our shores again this week to introduce ‘APRIL UPRISING’ to their Japanese and European fans. They return to Australia for a special performance on Saturday March 27th in Alice Springs for triple j’s ‘One Night Stand’ to celebrate the release of the album which will have hit stores the day prior to the concert. The band will play both the West Coast Blues and East Coast Blues Festivals before trekking back to Europe. They will then take another trip across to the USA headling Red Rocks (made famous by U2’s Under a Blood Red Sky’) and will perform at the iconic Summer Stage at Central Park. The John Butler Trio will conduct a major national tour for Australian fans throughout August and September this year – stay tuned for the tour announcement. [click here for full story]

Switchfoot return to Australia!(delim)Switchfoot return to Australia!

Ladies and Gentlemen, the wait is over: Switchfoot has announced they will tour Australia in April to play select shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as part of their world tour. Rarely does a rock band combine explosive guitars with an intense longing for meaning. With seven full length albums under their belts and their latest album Hello Hurricane, featured in USA Today’s Fall Pick for most awaited album. Switchfoot will return to Australia with a fighting spirit while still retaining their moniker of hope and optimism. Renowned for their charity work around the globe, the multiplatinum guitar-rock band formed in 1996 around a mutual love of surfing and a passion for rock music. Switchfoot could not be more motivated to bring their new music from Hello Hurricane to their Australian fan base, “I think it is a landmark record for us,” says drummer Chad Butler. “It’s a new chapter in so many aspects of our lives, personally and professionally. I think we’re in the best possible place we’ve been in as a band.” The past few years have been somewhat of a coming-of-age story for the San Diego quintet. Whilst the boys have been closely compared to Snow Patrol, or a ballsier Cheap Trick, they will play their brand of familiar anthemic rock tunes that acknowledge life’s storms amidst elements of hope. Although Switchfoot have never ticked any of the standard genre boxes, the band find that diversity is their strength, operating at their peak during their infamous and energetic live shows. Expect a night of melodic crunch with densely layered sound featuring some electronic experimentation, often driven by heart-pumping guitar riffs, with a few softer ballads thrown in as well. Tour dates are: Wednesday 21 April: The Hi-Fi Bar, QLD Thursday 22 April: Billboard, Melbourne, VIC Friday 23 April: The Forum (All Ages), Sydney, NSW [click here for full story]

Regrooved hits Melbourne!(delim)Regrooved hits Melbourne!

The second winner for the Smirnoff Promoter Grants scheme has announced his plans to take on Melbourne's live circuit masterminding an idea for an Audio Visual party to life. The initiative was overseen by a panel of industry experts: John Wall, Creative Director and co-founder of Fuzzy, Tim Hardaker, General Manager of In the Mix, and Brett Robinson, Tour Director of Future Entertainment. Together these nightlife pioneers handpicked the winners from hundreds of entries, who as part of their prizes gained access to the panel’s invaluable experience and knowledge. Now, these winners will create their own take on an original night, with events taking place in February and March in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Inspired by the audio visual scene in the UK, Paul will be using his grant from Smirnoff to bring the first Serato SL Video club night to Melbourne and create a unique sensory clubbing experience not to be missed. Headlining the party will be DJ Cheeba (Solid Steel), one of the UK’s biggest AVDJs, renowned for his technical ability and humour in delivering a video show like no other. Also bringing visuals into the mix will be Melbourne’s own Mr Nice & The Umalicious MCs and DJ Nick Thayer, with DJ sets from Sly Players (Goodgroove Records, Uk), Boom Monk Ben (Solid Steel, UK), Citizen.com, Matty Blades, EGO and Zander…See you on the dance floor! Regrooved Audio Visual Party live on Sunday 7th March at The Prince Hotel St Kilda. [click here for full story]

Jamie Cullum heads back to Australia!(delim)Jamie Cullum heads back to Australia!

Jamie Cullum returns to Australia this April! Australian audiences were introduced to the music of Jamie Cullum through his widely successful album Twentysomething. Following its release and the popularity of singles ‘Everlasting Love’ and ‘These Are the Days’, the BBC reported him to be UK’s biggest selling jazz artist of all time in 2003 and that is still the case today. Noted for his ability to deftly move from jazz classics to reworked pop covers to originals that feature elements of both, Jamie Cullum’s ever-growing fan base comprises admirers spanning all ages and genres. 2005’s Catching Tales earned him further praise from critics, fellow musicians and fans as he continued to live up to the nickname ‘Sinatra in sneakers’. The upcoming tour will be his third tour with Frontier, the most recent being a highly successful tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2006. Jamie Cullum will perform three shows across Melbourne and Sydney to promote the upcoming Australian release of his long awaited new album The Pursuit. New album, The Pursuit, his first studio in four years since, features nine original songs and five unique covers that showcase the Grammy and Golden Globe nominated musician’s unique voice and imaginative interpretative skills. “‘I’m All Over It’ is a cracking pop song, with shades of Elton John in ebullient mood, while Cullum’s cover of Rihanna’s ‘Don’t Stop the Music’ sets modern R&B in a swoopingly grand context. Best of all is the arrangement of ‘If I Ruled the World’, built around a simple three-note progression which will make your jaw drop.’ - Evening Standard “Stomping piano pop hits, super club R&B and finger clickin’ ruminations on the state of the planet. Proof the thrill is in the chase” - Q Magazine A true entertainer, selling over 4 million albums worldwide, Cullum’s remarkable instrumental and compositional skills have enchanted album listeners and stadium audiences across the globe, marking this performance one not to be missed. Tickets on sale Friday 5 March, 9am local time. Tour dates are: Friday 16 April: The National Theatre, Melbourne (All Ages) Monday 19 April: The Basement, Sydney (18+) Tuesday 20 April: The Basement, Sydney (18+) [click here for full story]

Tegan and Sara add new tour dates!(delim)Tegan and Sara add new tour dates!

It appears the local love for Canadian Twins Tegan and Sara has grown stronger since they last visited our shores, with their recently announced shows in Brisbane and Melbourne SOLD OUT in record time. So two more have just been announced: Monday 3 May The Tivoli JUST ANNOUNCED Brisbane QLD Wednesday 12 May Forum Theatre JUST ANNOUNCED Melbourne VIC Tegan and Sara return to Australia in May for a national tour, following the release of their new album ‘Sainthood’ (Warner) last year. ‘Sainthood’ was lavished with acclaim from fans and critics a-like, the first single ‘Hell’ gathering radio spins from alternate and commercial radio around the country. After years of selling out headline tours and their recent experience in joining the summer festival circuit, which saw them playing to thousands at the Falls Festivals, Southbound and Sunset Sounds in 2008, Tegan and Sara tours have become one of the most anticipated live shows among Aussie music lovers. Their on stage chemistry, incredible musical abilities, infectious pop sensibilities and direct connection with their fans has won hearts all over the world. In 2010 the girls return with a show full of new songs off ‘Sainthood’, as well as a few crowd favourites. Joining the girls for his maiden voyage to Australia will be emcee turned indie folkster Astronautalis. The ex-battler, creates a seamless blend where the pugilist becomes the poet, the storyteller becomes the showman, and somehow, strangely, the idea of indie-folkhistorical- fiction-hip-hop starts to actually make sense. Sydney darlings The Jezabels will round out the night’s entertainment, bringing their melodic indie pop sounds to the tour. [click here for full story]

Lady Gaga announces 3rd Sydney show!(delim)Lady Gaga announces 3rd Sydney show!

Lady Gaga has confirmed a final Sydney show for her Australian Monster Ball tour! 3rd and final show: Sydney Entertainment Centre – Wednesday April 7 with tickets on sale 9am Friday March 5 through Ticketmaster. With her popularity exploding worldwide Lady Gaga has revealed a major upgrade of the concert presentation for her upcoming Australian tour. The addition of this third Sydney show will be the last chance for Sydney fans to see Lady Gaga’s incredible stage show. The production, with which she has just completed her sold-out December/January US tour, has been replaced by a new design which Gaga unveiled last week, her rabid UK audiences gushing rave reviews. The massively augmented presentation features unique staging and major video components. It will be moved to Australia in three chartered 747 Jumbo freighter aircraft and then transported around the country on 35 forty-eight foot trucks, accompanying the touring party of more than 140 people! Don’t miss your last chance to see the extraordinarily brilliant Lady Gaga in Sydney! Tickets on sale next Friday, March 5. [click here for full story]

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