Today marks the release of The Smith Street Band’s latest album, Unplugged in Wombat State Forest. Ten tracks reworked and recorded live at the band’s Bush House Studio, released on the band’s Pool House Records.

This week the band showcase the album with full band, stripped back, semi acoustic, Covid safe, seated shows over three sold out nights at Melbourne’s iconic Forum Theatre before heading to Sydney to play at the Enmore next week.

The band have also recently announced two very special shows in Brisbane with The Brisbane Symphony Orchestra at The Fortitude Music Hall on May 21 and 22.

The new album follows on from a huge year of releases last year. In April they landed their first #1 on the ARIA Album chart with their fifth studio album Don’t Waste Your Anger. They also released two digital only live albums, Live At The Triffid and Viva La Rev which charted at #4 and #30 respectively. Frontman Wil Wagner also released Spiralling – his first solo album in eight years and his first top 10 solo recording, charting at #8 on the ARIA Album charts.

POOL HOUSE RECORDS PRESENTS THE SMITH STREET BAND UNPLUGGED TOUR DATES Thursday March 4th – The Forum, Melbourne – SOLD OUT Friday March 5th – The Forum, Melbourne – SOLD OUT Saturday March 6th – The Forum, Melbourne – SOLD OUT Friday March 12th – Enmore Theatre, Sydney Saturday April 17th – Yours + Owls Festival, Wollongong Thursday May 20 – w/ Brisbane Symphony Orchestra at The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Friday May 21 – w/ Brisbane Symphony Orchestra at The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane

Unplugged in Wombat State Forest Out Now on Pool House Records / Remote Control Listen here

CONNECT WITH THE SMITH STREET BAND:

March 5, 2021 0 comments

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To cap off a strong run of music releases arcing all the way back to 2018, Ben Wright Smith presents Echo Lodge, the final instalment of what’s become a definitive trilogy of material.

Ten songs encompass the eras of previous EPs Psychotropical (2018), Volcano God Head Explodes (2020), plus three new tracks, the Echo Lodge project is a career touchstone for the singer-songwriter, who has been thriving as an artist on a national scale with each release.

The process of bringing this music together has been an organic one for Ben, who has always written from the heart with pure emotional intent driving each song. The way in which his previous EP’s rolled out lined up with his approach of expressing creatively, and his desire to be in constant communication and connection with the music community he is part of.

“I wanted to start releasing the music as we were recording it. I didn’t want to record stuff and have it just sitting there. I like the idea of finishing music and putting it out in the world as you’re doing it.” 
Ben Wright Smith

The music video for recent single ‘New Breeze’ (out now), is a hectic romp featuring actors Rhys Mitchell (Upper Middle Bogan, Glitch) and Maria Angelou (Sisters, Bad Jews). Filmed at Ben’s house, directed by frequent collaborator Josh Dawson, the clip brings Ben’s track into a fun imaginative space.

“When we first came up with the idea we couldn’t stop laughing at how dumb it was. Basically we trashed my place with leaf blowers and tried to imagine a floating head chasing everyone around.”
Ben Wright Smith

PRAISE FOR BEN WRIGHT SMITH

“…this track sounds like a bloody ray of sunshine! So warm and radiant. Great to hear from you again.”
Triple J, Bridget Hustwaite (‘Storm Boy’)

“Ben Wright Smith is an artist you need to name as one of your favourites immediately.”
Tone Deaf

“…a hazy jam filled with euphoric vibes that would perfectly soundtrack a road trip to the beach.”
The Music (‘Tomorrow Never Comes’)

“The result is a diverse collection of indie-folk jams that flirt with the poppier side of the occasion, that serves as a fantastic body of work.”
Pilerats (The Great Divorce)

ECHO LODGE TRACKLISTING

Storm Boy
Sleeping’s For Dreamers
Rancho Luna
Homesick
Tomorrow Never Comes
The Wire
Volcano God Head Explodes
New Breeze
Seedpods
Psychotropical Brainstorm

The full 2021 program for Parrtjima – A Festival in Light is out and features an impressive host of high-calibre acts to perform at the iconic free event in Alice Springs next month.

Joining previously announced acts Electric Fields and Casey Donovan on the music program this year is an all-star line up of Australian artists including Miiesha, MusicNT’s Divas, Jimblah, Bow and Arrow, Dobby, OKA, Ziggy Ramo and Shellie Morris.

Shaping up to be bigger and better than ever, Parrtjima 2021 will see an exciting new show for the MacDonnell Ranges, large-scale light installations, artworks, performances, interactive workshops, music, films and talks woven into the program as part of the 2021 theme ‘Future Kultcha’.

2021 Parrtjima Curator Rhoda Roberts AO said this year’s theme ‘Future Kultcha’ is all about ensuring forward thinking of the philosophers, the artists and the dreamers.

“Enabling young guest curators such as Electric Fields and Rhyan Clapham, aka Dobby, to play a part in this year’s program gives a distinct voice of the next generation and their connection to the ancient footprints of their ancestors,” she said.

“When you combine the masters with the emerging, you see a sense of a holistic culture and knowledge that is relevant to everyone in the 21^st century.”

Event attendees can also hear from a range of critically-acclaimed speakers as part of the talks program. They include award-winning writer Bruce Pascoe, artists Jungala Kriss and Raymond Walters Japanangka, and Professor Marcia Langton AM to name a few.

Northern Territory Major Events Company CEO Tim Watsford said this year’s five-star program was guaranteed to attract crowds from all over Australia.

“The 2021 program signifies a coming-of-age for the event as it enters its sixth year,” he said.

“We are thrilled with the program’s offerings, including everything from impressive new large-scale light installations and musical performances to workshops, talks, films, and of course, our unmissable light show against the MacDonnell Ranges at Alice Springs Desert Park.

“Parrtjima is a must-do for any traveller’s bucket list and I look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to the heart of Australia for this iconic festival in light.”

Other 2021 program highlights include a fabric and textiles workshop hosted by National Indigenous Fashion Awards Director Nina Fitzgerald, bushfood tastings, a wooden carvings masterclass, painting workshops, metal sculpture workshops and more.

Parrtjima has expanded over three event precincts this year, with the Araluen Arts Centre hosting parts of the 2021 program along with Alice Springs Desert Park and Todd Mall.

Children’s activities and live music provided by local DJs will feature on the nightly program, and the Araluen Arts Centre will host a film program and Araluen curator tours. Films include 1950s classic Jedda, coming-of-age comedy Bran Nue Dae featuring Jessica Mauboy and Aboriginal Rules, a documentary on the role Aussie Rules plays in a remote Territory community.

Parrtjima is the only authentic light Aboriginal festival of its kind, showcasing the oldest continuous culture on earth through the newest technology. The packed program runs alongside nightly light shows on the 300-million-year-old natural canvas of the MacDonnell Ranges.

Parrtjima is delivered by the Northern Territory Government through Northern Territory Major Events Company (NTMEC) and produced by creative directors AGB Events.

Parrtjima takes place from 9-18 April 2021 in the cultural heart of Australia, Alice Springs.

To find out more or register for the Desert Park festival site and Araluen Arts Centre program elements, go to www.parrtjima.com.au.

“This is our chance to be the band that we’ve always wanted to be”
~ Shaun Diviney, Short Stack

UNFD is thrilled to announce Australian rock trio Short Stack as its latest signing, alongside the reveal of the band’s new single + video ‘Burn You Down‘ today. To celebrate the release, Short Stack will play one night in Sydney on Thursday with special guests Redhook. Full details below.

It comes after the trio caused a stir with the announce of their comeback national tour in early 2020 which saw multiple cities sold out in a matter of hours. The now rescheduled run is set to hit capital cities across April, with limited tickets still available HERE.

On reforming and creating new music together, Short Stack vocalist Shaun Diviney shares:

“Everything about how we approached this was different… where we used to find a lot of pressure to deliver something specific, we approached this with the thought that this is our chance to be the band we’ve always wanted to be.”

On the signing, UNFD General Manager Luke Logemann shares that the label has long-admired Short Stack for the intense fan culture they’ve built around their band.

“I’ve always admired Short Stack for their ability to build such a loyal and enthusiastic fanbase, and for how unapologetic they were in doing so. That’s always been the ethos of UNFD as a label and our bands, to care about the music and the fans first and approval last,” he says, adding:

“I saw them play Festival Hall over ten years ago, and I remember being overwhelmed by how passionately the fans sang every word back at them. They wrote huge bangers that you could never get out of your head, even if some people didn’t want to admit it. The best thing is, all of that still rings true – they still have crazy fans, they still sell out venues and they still write huge bangers. Based on how good the new material is, I reckon they’ll be doing this long into the future as well.”

On ‘Burn You Down’, Diviney explains that the track is part a reflection on the breakdown and rebuilding of the band and part observation on the world around them. “‘Burn You Down’ is about the duality of being young and feeling both indestructible and fragile at the same time,” he says. “I don’t think the world needs another happy pop song at the moment, because I don’t think the world is a happy place at the moment. This song comes from a place of anger and destruction, about wanting to tear something down and begin again.”  Describing this comeback as even more significant than the first (see the 5 year gap and a few Short Stack kids now born), he adds that this time recording found the band paring everything back to their roots. “I think a lot of bands at the time when we first broke out were put together by labels and a lot of people threw us in that basket, but we were just a bunch of dudes that went to high school together and played Blink covers and it snowballed from there,” he says. “To go back to our roots now and really just strip things back and play together in a room was really important to us. The reason we broke up was that it just wasn’t fun… it’s been a fair chunk of time now, so coming back finds us in a different stage of life with a different idea about what we want out of music.” From beginnings in a Budgewoi garage at 16 to their explosive debut album ‘Stack Is The New Black’ at just 20, Short Stack quickly made a playground of the Australian landscape and were one of the biggest names in the country by the late ’10s. Beyond ascending to #1 on the ARIA Album chart with their debut record, the band claim credits including Channel V’s Oz Artist Of The Year (twice), a coveted Rolling Stone Magazine cover, two certified Platinum records and tens of thousands of tickets sold throughout their career. Speaking on how the band now approach music with another decade behind them, Diviney concludes that the goal posts have shifted. “At one point we were one of the biggest bands in the country, you know we’ve done so many things that you can’t really top, so our goal is really just to do something that we believe in and have fun doing it.” SHORT STACK IS: Shaun Diviney (guitar/vocals) Andy Clemmensen (bass/vocals) Bradie Webb (drums)

Stream the new single ‘Burn You Down’ now: http://unfd.lnk.to/BurnYouDown

 

SHORT STACK 2021 AUSTRALIAN HEADLINE TOUR w/ special guests Between You & MeLIMITED TICKETS ON SALE NOW Thursday April 1 – Fiction Club, Canberra (18+) Saturday April 3 – The Cambridge, Newcastle (18+) Thursday April 8 – The Gov, Adelaide (Lic, AA) SOLD OUT Saturday April 10 – Astor Theatre, Perth (Lic, AA) Wednesday April 14 – The Triffid, Brisbane (18+) SOLD OUT Thursday April 15 – The Triffid, Brisbane (Lic, AA) SOLD OUT Friday April 16 – Metro Theatre, Sydney (18+) SOLD OUT Saturday April 17 – Metro Theatre, Sydney (Lic, AA) SOLD OUT Friday April 23 – 170 Russell, Melbourne (18+) SOLD OUT Saturday April 24 – The Croxton, Melbourne (18+) SOLD OUT

CONNECT WITH SHORT STACK:

 

March 3, 2021 0 comments

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Breaking – Today the highly-coveted SoundMerch Australian Music Prize has been awarded to The Avalanches for their acclaimed album We Will Always Love You for the most outstanding creative Australian record of the last year. Not only do they take out the prestigious award but land $20,000 in prize money thanks to SoundMerch.

Rising above 88 album nominations that were then carefully narrowed down to a shortlist of eight other amazing Australian albums, The Avalanches’ We Will Always Love You was chosen by the panel of 48 judges to be the most important album release of the year.

Melbourne’s own The Avalanches ambitious third album We Will Always Love You overflows with ideas, samples, and guests across their unique blend of blissed-out disco, soul, and psychedelia featuring the voices and sounds of artists such as Blood Orange, Jamie xx, Weezer, Denzel Curry, and more. Continuing to evolve and push the boundaries of their sound across each record, the group remains as forward-thinking and intriguing as they began.

The Avalanches share, “We’re so thrilled to be the winners of the prestigious AMP Award and be amongst the esteemed winners of the past. We’d love to thank everyone involved in making this award happen especially Sound Merch, also to the many people who helped us put this record together. A truly special day for us and we’re so grateful.“

2020 was another impressive year for Australian music, particularly within an industry that experienced unprecedented struggles and challenges. The art that has been produced throughout and as a result of these times has demonstrated the resilience and power in the craft, and those artists behind it including new and familiar voices bleeding out from all corners of the country, including Miiiesha’s debut record Nyaaringu, Gordan Koang’s Unity, Alice Ivy’s Don’t Sleep, and more.

The AMP has and continues to rise above genre, popularity, politics or sales, and focuses entirely on artistic merit. Discerned by a panel of over 40 judges comprised of artists, journalists, programmers and presenters, retailers, and more, the group compiles a long-list before heavily debating the AMP shortlist, and eventually finalists.

The Australian Music Prize founder Scott Murphy shares, “Winning The AMP this time is a ‘mean feat’ as there were plenty of great contenders so I congratulate The Avalanches on winning the 16th AMP, you deserve it. I’d like to thank all our judges and partners for pulling off our 16th prize during difficult times.”

As always, the AMP wishes to thank the industry support from long term champions of the coveted prize, including APRA AMCOS and Mushroom Group, the prize continues to exist not just to celebrate the album as a respected format, but to recognise and celebrate our thriving nation of musicians and their original work.

THE SOUNDMERCH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC PRIZE FINALISTS
Alice Ivy – Don’t Sleep
The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You
Blake Scott – Niscitam
Emma Donovan and The Putbacks – Crossover
Fanny Lumsden – Fallow
Gordon Koang – Unity
Miiesha – Nyaaringu
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Ziggy Ramo – Black Thoughts

THE AMP WINNERS
2020 – The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You
2019 – Sampa the Great – The Return
2018 – Gurrumul – Djarimirri
2017 – Sampa the Great, Birds and the BEE9
2016 – A.B. Original – Reclaim Australia
2015 – Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
2014 – REMI – Raw X Infinity
2013 – Big Scary, Not Art
2012 – Hermitude, HyperParadise
2011 – The Jezabels, Prisoner
2010 – Cloud Control, Bliss Release
2009 – Lisa Mitchel, Wonder
2008 – Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Primary Colours
2007 – The Mess Hall, Devils Elbow
2006 – Augie March, Moo, You Bloody Choir
2005 – The Drones, Wait Long by the River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By

Line-up: Ben UFO, Marcellus Pittman, Matt Radovich, Merve and Adriana

Buy Tickets Now: https://linktr.ee/piknicmel

Photos from the previous Piknic: CLICK HERE!!

Check out ‘The Bowl’s’ NEW layout HERE!!

_______________________________________________________________________________________

About Piknic Électronik:

Hardware Presents and Stable Music, team up to present the local edition of Piknic Électronik to an ever-growing Melbourne fan base, within the grounds of the iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl.  A quintessential Melbourne music location, which is easily accessible by public transportation, a short distance from the CBD and surrounded by greenery with ample space for ALL to enjoy a great Summer’s day.

Born in Montreal, Canada, over 17 years ago, the very unique concept of Piknic Électronik has travelled the world.  Now a major cultural and festive summer event in Montreal, Piknic Électronik has had successful editions in Barcelona, Lisbon, Melbourne, Santiago, Austin and Dubai.  Its innovative and popular formula has evolved into a friendly international expansion that has made the event and its name, a source of local pride in each city where it has set its roots and grown.

Piknic Électronik is a fun filled day party, where everyone can experience the best in electronic music in an open-air park environment, featuring delicious local food offerings and its renowned welcoming atmosphere… happening every Sunday for three months! A vision that Melbournians have wholeheartedly embraced over the past few seasons.

About Hardware Group:

Hardware, has been synonymous with the electronic music scene in Australia for over 30 years. An innovative force when the company was established by Richie McNeill in 1990.  The company’s ethos is simple; deliver memorable music events and tours for people who love dance music.  Hardware launched several new events in Australia that focus on delivering artists from a number of genres to music enthusiasts across the country including: Festival X, Tell No Tales, Babylon Festival, PURE and of course Piknic Électronik. Events with musical and creative passion.

For more info, go to:

Website: piknicelectronik.com.au

Facebook: Piknic Électronik Melbourne

Instagram: PIKNICMEL

Presented by the First Nations owned and operated Gaba Musik, two one-off, multi-act music and culture events BLAKTIVISM and PASIFIX will celebrate Australia’s proud First Nations and Pacific Islander communities at Live at the Bowl next month.

In 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States made headlines and proliferated around the globe. It connected with activists in Australia who have long been speaking out about our own unique history of colonialism and how this affects our modern identity as a country. These Blak voices are on the rise.

Curated by Airileke and Deline Briscoe, Artistic Directors of Gaba Musik, these two events are a direct response to the global dialogue around the Black Lives Matter movement and Australia’s response to Indigenous sovereignty. By centring Blak voices, these events address the lack of Australian Pacific and First Nations cultural representation in the Australian performing arts fabric.

“The artists across these two major events are representative of the most exciting Pacific music in Australia, and some of the most outstanding voices of First Nations Australia,” say Artistic Directors of Gaba Musik, Airileke and Deline Briscoe.

On Saturday 3 April, BLAKTIVISM will bring together living legends and rising voices of First Nations political activism. Featuring Yothu Yindi, Bart Willoughby, Tasman Keith, Emma Donovan, Deline Briscoe, Allara, Kee’ahn, Sorong Samarai and Ziggy Ramo, the line-up represents voices from across generations. BLAKTIVISM begins with a Woi Wurrong led ceremony called Mundanai which means ‘embrace’; a cleansing ceremony for the year that has been and an acknowledgement of the pain of the past 200 years.

Then on Saturday 10 April, PASIFIX is an all-ages celebration of the incredible lineage of culture, music and tradition from Pacific artists across the archipelago. Featuring the renowned vocals, tight beats and big pop sounds of Ngaiire, viral hip-hop drill crew No Money Enterprise (NME) and the new boys of Aussie-Poly rap STNDRD; Pacific artists who are having an unmistakable impact on the Australian contemporary music scene.

Opening the evening will be the PASIFIX All Stars under the direction of Airileke – one of the Pacific’s leading musical identities. Fijian multi-instrumentalist Kaivili is joined by the Pasefika Vitoria Choir, the Drums of the Pacific and more special guests to be announced. Hosts for the evening will be Efeso (Fez) Faanana (Briefs Factory International) and Thomas (Kween Kong) Fonua (Haus of Kong).

PASIFIX has been made possible by supporters of the Arts Centre Melbourne Recovery Fund and is co-presented by Asia TOPA.

Stand up and join in what will be two extraordinary performances of cultural awakening at Live at the Bowl.

Gaba Musik is a First Nations owned and operated company, launching with BLAKTIVISM and PASIFIX. In Gugu Yalanji “Gaba” means rain and in Papua New Guinea “Gaba” means drum.

Tickets will go on sale from 12pm, Thursday 4 March via liveatthebowl.com.au

We’re excited to be welcoming visitors back to our venues in line with the most recent Victorian Government guidelines on COVID-19. We have opened our outdoor café Protagonist, the Sunday Markets as well as the Australian Music Vault. These openings coincided with the Live at the Bowl season, which officially kicked off on 8 January 2021.

We will continue to offer audiences the chance to experience the wonder of the performing arts via our digital hub – Together With You. For more information including: our opening plans and related health and safety policies; bookings for free and ticketed events; and other digital content and experiences, please visit artscentremelbourne.com.au.

Adelaide, we hope you’re ready to go Full Tilt! That’s right, Australia’s most exciting new Alternative music festival is thrilled to announce it will be heading your way!

Following the incredible response to the sold-out Melbourne edition and over 87% of tickets sold for the Brisbane edition, we can’t wait to bring this epic line up to Adelaide Showground on July 17.

Uniting from across the nation is a who’s who of the Australian Metal, Punk and Rock spectrums, spearheaded by ever evolving metalcore luminaries and Aria Award winners Northlane.

Joining them is a cavalcade of the best hard hitters in the land including Hands Like Houses, In Hearts Wake, Frenzal Rhomb, Thy Art Is Murder, Luca Brasi, Slowly Slowly, Make Them Suffer and more to be announced.

Along with market stalls, there will be a huge variety of vegetarian, vegan and meat food trucks and Kickass DJ’s spinning tunes between the best live bands in the Nation.

So, get ready to grab you ticket to what promises to be the best day ever!

SATURDAY 3 JULY
MELBOURNE, COBURG VELODROME SOLD OUT

LINE-UP:
NORTHLANE | HANDS LIKE HOUSES | IN HEARTS WAKE | FRENZAL RHOMB
THY ART IS MURDER | LUCA BRASI | SLOWLY SLOWLY | MAKE THEM SUFFER | PRESS CLUB
ALPHA WOLF | THORNHILL | YOURS TRULY | THE BENNIES | DROWN THIS CITY

SATURDAY 12 JUNE
BRISBANE, EATON’S HILL OUTDOORS – 18+

LINE-UP:
NORTHLANE | HANDS LIKE HOUSES | IN HEARTS WAKE | THY ART IS MURDER | LUCA BRASI
SLOWLY SLOWLY | MAKE THEM SUFFER | FRENZAL RHOMB | PRESS CLUB
ALPHA WOLF | THORNHILL | YOURS TRULY | THE BENNIES | RELIQA

Tickets for Full Tilt Festival Brisbane is on-sale now.