Triple J Unearthed & Band Comp Winners Announced

Graf Artists, Dancing, Drumming & More

Proudly presented by triple j, Open Arms Festival 2009 hits The Coffs Harbour Showgrounds in the sunny mid-north NSW coast town of Coffs Harbour Sat November 28^th. Spread across two stages, Open Arms showcases Australia’s biggest artists (Hilltop Hoods, Karnivool, Children Collide, Bertie Blackman and many more) together with a blend of our best young bands (Cassette Kids, MM9, Regular John, Jerrico and many more).

From Rock, Indie, Hip Hop and Electronica through to Roots artists, DJ’s and local performers – it’s all inclusive.

The final additions to the Open Arms main stage bill are Beats Working (Newcastle / Coffs Harbour) who took out the triple J ‘Open Arms Unearthed’ competition and official Open Arms Battle Of The Band winners Nine Sons Of Dan(Gold Coast / Coffs Harbour). Geoff Turnbull & Minnie Marks tied runner’s up in the official Open Arms Battle Of The Bands, both winning themselves a slot on the Enchanted Woods stage.

Camping

Don’t forget – a holiday destination renowned for its surfing beaches, Coffs Harbour sits almost dead in the middle between Brisbane & Sydney. This, coupled with the fact that on site camping tickets are available for this year’s festival, makes Open Arms the perfect destination for a festival road trip, a weekend away jam packed with sun, music and good times. One camping tickets entitles you to camping for both Friday and Saturday nights.

Add this to Graf artist’s, roving performers, dancing, drumming, bars, beaches, food and .. well, nough said really.

Beats Working

Last year saw Beats Working play over 50 shows (alongside everyone from The Herd, The Tongue and British India through to Mammal, TZU, The Dandy Warhols and Public Enemy) and 5 festivals to boot. They also found the time to drop their debut LP “Harbour Drive”. Currently putting the finishing touches on their second release  - triple J handpicked them to play the main stage at this year’s Open Arms Festival.

Nine Sons Of Dan

Winners of the official local Coffs ‘OPEN ARMS – Battle Of The Bands’ competition @ The Hoey Moey, winning comps is not something new for this swift rising 4 piece. Other recent wins have included the LOUD 09 Music Festival and the Sands Battle Of The Bands. Their latest ‘OPEN ARMS – Battle Of The Bands’ will see them open the Open Arms main stage.

Big City Freaks

Open Arms is proud to introduce “Big City Freaks” who will be performing “Live Graffiti” all day and night on the Till Late Show Stage. The Big City Freaks are a collective group of likeminded artists from Sydney and Northern NSW. The group was formed in 1998 with the name originating from Skote Styles aka Zen. Its members have all made major contributions to the Aerosol art form and continue to do so.  BCF artists in 2009 also continue to develop other interests in art including multimedia, web design, illustration, film and video, and mixed media. For more info check out www.bigcityfreaks.com.

The After Party

The official Open Arms Festival 2009 after party will be held at Coffs institution The Hoey Moey. Shuttle buses will run from the festival site to the Hoey from 9.30 pm. The after party will feature performances from local battle of the bands third placer Medium and Melbourne’s Sadhana. There will also be live performances from some extremely special guest’s direct from the festival, but you’ll have to show up to find out who that might be.

Entry to the after Open Arms Festival official after party is only $5 with an Open Arms Wristband.

Important Festival Info

Recycling

Shuttle buses will leave the festival site to both the after party and all other major parts of Coffs Harbour from 9.30 pm.

The Line Up

Across Two Huge Stages

Hilltop Hoods

The undisputed heavy weight champions of Australian Hip Hop will be headlining this year’s Till Late Show Stage. With their massive new Album ‘State of the Art’ under their belt the boys from the Adelaide Hills will be punching out track after track of the most straight down the line tunes in the business. This amazing and powerful live show will have you bouncing and singing till you drop.

Karnivool

When Perth five-piece heavy rock outfit Karnivool emerged in April 2005 with an album called ‘Themata’, two things were immediately obvious. One, here was a record that single-handedly set a new benchmark for heavy rock in this country and others for years to come. And two, Karnivool were going to be big. Really big. Now with their new release ‘Sound Awake’ Karnivool are huge. With a volume and sound set to test the Open Arms sound system in a big way these guys are one act not to miss, be prepared for their long awaited return to Coffs Harbour, this will be one of the best live shows you will see.

Children Collide

Did you know that Johnny, the singer of the hottest and fasting growing indie act in the country is from Coffs Harbour? Well the Open Arms Festival is stoked to be bringing him home. After exploding onto the Aussie music scene in 2007, Children Collide has established themselves as a huge live act with their touring of debut album ‘The Long Now’. These guys are only getting bigger and will be worth the effort to get up into the front row.

Bertie Blackman

Put Attitude and Talent together, then give it a Guitar, add a wicked electronic sound and you get Bertie Blackman. An amazing performer who has torn the Aussie music scene apart this year, Bertie blends electronic influences with her signature vocal style and penchant for brutally honest lyrics in a modern exploration of pop music. A huge talent that’s not to be missed and Open Arms is excited to have triple j’s most played 2009 artist coming to our little sing along.

Cassette Kids

The Cassette Kids’ live experience is an engaging combination of primal energy and attitude. Their explosive indie guitar fuzz causes sweat-drenched hysteria. Captivating vocalist Katrina Noorbergen stamps and stomps her way around stage, hollering through a mop of blonde while backed by dizzying lead guitar effects (Daniel ‘Techno Dan’ Schober), impetuous bass solos (Daniel Deitz) and galloping drums (Jacob Read-Harber).

MM9

Strap yourself in when getting close to the stage when MM9 are on. Expect to have your ears awaken with some of the strongest hard edged electro rock you will ever hear. Their huge sound has turned the heads of many people in the Aussie music scene, often blowing the bigger named bands off the stage……check out the drummer in this band…insane.

Regular John

Armed with nothing more than J Mascis’ songwriting smarts, Bill Hick’s sense of humour and a shit load of hallucinogenic drugs, this foursome have spent the last few years carving themselves a psyched-out, punk-inspired niche in a Sydney rock scene sick from its own self-indulgence. Currently receiving massive airplay on Triple J and rave reviews from the “people in the know”, these guys are going in one direction only…..up!

Jericco

From the opening bars of the juggernaut that is their debut self titled EP, it is clear that Melbourne based progressive rock outfit ‘Jericco’ possess a sound and wisdom that is both ancient and eclectic in its origins. The prominent Eastern influence throughout the band’s thundering live performances is sincere, and resonates at the core with their rapidly expanding fan base. The show is a moving display of musical and technical prowess.

Tom Ugly

Since winning the very first triple j Unearthed High competition, Tom Ugly has become the rising wunderkind of the Australian music scene. Creating compositions well beyond his age and declaring a rapid rise in popularity, Tom and his band will grace Open Arms fresh out of Year 12 and will be playing songs from his new EP. Come and see one of the truly brilliant songwriters of tomorrow.

Tsuyoshi Suzuki

Making his way from Japan is one of the most popular DJs of trance and techno music and co-founder of the legendary trance label MATSURI. Tsuyoshi familiarized the world to the GOA movement with his music and has played at the biggest festivals in the world including Berlin Love Parade and the Fuji Rock Festival.

Andrew Till

The co-founder of Australia’s longest running independent electronic label, Psy-Harmonics, Andrew takes time out to come to Open Arms and is set to deliver a blistering mash up of Techno tunes that will leave you wanting more.

Oka

Oka’s home is a little surf town on the Sunshine Coast of Australia, the music echoes their roots and celebrates the diversity of Australian cultures, especially highlighting Indigenous Australia. They have independently sold over 60,000 albums worldwide and tour highlights include The Bell Stage @ Montreal Jazz Festival (Canada), The Greenroom Festival (Japan), Singapore River Festival, Woodford and Dreaming Festivals (Australia).

+  Beats Working, Nine Sons Of Dan, Geoff Turnbull, Minnie Marks , Ebb n Flow, HeartTribe, Thad Lester, Fridget Pop, Twobble Twins and Bass Surgeons

Tickets On Sale Now From www.openarmsfestival.com / www.oztix.com.au

Tickets also available at:

Park Beach Music, Coffs Harbour / Icegraphics, shop 18 City Boulevard, Coffs Harbour / Coopers Surf, Woolgoolga / Coopers Surf, Coffs Harbour Jetty / Coffs Coast Visitor Information Centre / Coopers Surf, Palm Centre, Coffs Harbour / Sawtell RSL, Sawtell / In Harmony Music, Kempsey / Sunflower Music, Gold Coast / Buckleys Music, Grafton

+ all Oztix Outlets

Camping Tickets are available for both Friday and Saturday nights and must be purchased online. Camping and Festival Tickets Must Be Purchased Separately

Watch this space for lots more news to come.

Open Arms Festival Coverage! is an article originally published on I'm With The Band

BERTIE BLACKMAN DOMINATES NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2009 JAGERMEISTER AIR AWARDS!

Melbourne-based indie songstress Bertie Blackman leads the nominations for the 4th Annual Jagermeister AIR Awards with a massive four nominations in the categories of BEST INDEPENDENT ARTIST, BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR, BEST INDEPENDENT SINGLE for ‘Heart’ and BEST INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR for the critically acclaimed ‘Secrets And Lies’.

Bertie Blackman will perform at the awards ceremony, set to take place at Melbourne venue The Forum Theatre on Sunday 22 November.

Presented by the Australian Independent Record Association, the Jagermeister AIR Awards recognize the best independent artists and releases of the year, honoring the quality and diversity of music made by Australian artists, released by Australian-owned independent record companies and distributed through Australian-owned distribution companies.

Bertie Blackman has moved from strength to strength since the release of her mesmerizing third album ‘Secrets And Lies’, which is currently in its 35^th consecutive week in the top 10 of the AIR 100% Indie Chart and has been praised by some of Australia’s most prominent music journalists. Bertie’s rise has seen her play a sold-out National Tour and scored her nominations for Triple J Album of the Year, Channel [V] Oz Artist of the Year and Best Independent Release at this year’s ARIA Awards.

The 2009 Jagermeister AIR Awards will be hosted by The Chaser’s Julian Morrow. For more information and tickets visit http://www.air.org.au/

“Just as it seemed 2009 would be bereft of anything shockingly original, Bertie Blackman saves our sonic day”…Sydney Daily Telegraph, March 2009

Since the release of the album SECRETS AND LIES in May 09 Bertie Blackman has achieved:

• Nominated for a J Award, triple j’s best local album of 2009
• Reached #1 on the iTunes Alternative Album Chart
• Reached #13 on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart
• Reached #2 on the AIR Album Chart
• Lead single ‘heart’ was the 4^th most added song on Australian radio in the week of it’s release
• Nominated for Channel (V) Oz Artist of 2009
• UK release of ‘thump’ on November 19

Catch one of her outstanding performances at these upcoming festivals…

A DAY IN THE PARK : CRONULLA NOVEMBER 14

THE OPEN ARMS FESTIVAL : COFFS HARBOUR NOVEMBER 28

QUEENSCLIFF MUSIC FESTIVAL : NOVEMBER 29

THE BURROWES WAREHOUSE PARTY : MELBOURNE DECEMBER 06

PEATS RIDGE FESTIVAL : NSW DECEMBER 29

FALLS FESTIVAL : LORNE DECEMBER 30

SUNSET SOUNDS FESTIVAL : BRISBANE JANUARY 06

SOUTHBOUND FESTIVAL : PERTH JANUARY 09

HOT BBQ FESTIVAL : MORNINGTON PENINSULA JANUARY 16

KISS MY GRASS : MELBOURNE JANUARY 23

THE ROCKS AUSTRALIA DAY : SYDNEY JANUARY 26

PLAYGROUND WEEKENDER : NSW FEBRUARY 21

“SECRETS AND LIES” IN-STORE AND ONLINE NOW

www.bertieblackman.com www.myspace.com/bertieblackman www.forum5.com.au

Bertie Blackman dominates Jagermeister Awards, to tour! is an article originally published on I'm With The Band

Few bands can match the level of fan devotion heaped upon My Chemical Romance; and rightly so, as they have truly earned their status as one of the most exciting bands of this generation. The fact that the devotion is returned in equal measure by the band makes it even more of a phenomenon.

My Chemical Romance’s second studio album ‘Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge’ went on to sell over 2 million copies but it was the theatrical concept album, ‘The Black Parade’ that catapulted them into stadiums across the globe. “This is one to file alongside ‘American Idiot’, ‘Doolittle’ and ‘Nevermind’ on your greatest rock albums shelf “– NME

With their souls bared on truly astonishing lyrics, backed by infectious and intricate music, the band are well known for giving their all on the stage and as Blunt Magazine so succinctly puts it they are simply “one of the greatest live bands in the world.”

Joining My Chemical Romance on this brilliant double bill will be The Get Up Kids.

1999 marked an important year in history – the world awaits the consequences of the Y2K bug, war erupts in Kosovo and the Blair Witch project becomes the most profitable film ever. September 28th, 1999 also marked an important day in music history with The Get Up Kids landmark release, ‘Something to Write Home About’… “It’s original, powerful, aggressive, heartfelt… it is simply the greatest pop punk album ever written.” – Sputnik Music

On the back of their Soundwave 2010 appearances My Chemical Romance will be performing one club show only in Australia. Tickets go on sale Friday 20 November at 9am.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 20 NOVEMBER, 9AM

My Chemical Romance’s only Australian club show!

With very special guests The Get Up Kids!

THURSDAY 25 FEBRUARY              SYDNEY, LUNA PARK BIG TOP – Licensed All Ages

www.ticketek.com.au 132 849, www.bigtopsydney.com & Luna Park Box Office 1300 Big Top

My Chemical Romance and The Get Up Kids are also appearing at Soundwave Festival 2010.

Saturday 20th February           SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL        BRISBANE

Sunday 21st February             SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL         SYDNEY

Friday 26th February              SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL         MELBOURNE – Sold Out

Saturday 27th February          SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL         ADELAIDE

Monday 1st March                  SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL         PERTH

My Chemical Romance Sidewave! One show only. is an article originally published on I'm With The Band

Hey there, we’re back with the 2nd Announcement of first-rate acts playing the Big Day Out 2010. Before we get down to the nitty gritty, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank YOU: your amazing support of the Big Day Out has resulted in unprecedented, record breaking sales for the 2010 tour. We can’t do it without you…

The band that rewrote the history of Oz rock and made it possible for Aussie bands to once again take on the world (and win), JET are bringing their Shaka Rock home this summer for BIG DAY OUT. The boy’s third album is “a visceral account of what rock’n’roll should be,” says ChartAttack, “…chain-smoking, whisky-drinking, gritty good times”. With new anthems K.I.A (Killed in Action) and She’s a Genius piled on top of the likes of Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Rip it Up and Rollover DJ, JET are now the proud owners of one of the strongest setlists in rock. Perfectly described by the BBC as “a lot of rough fun”, JET are rough, rockin’ and ready for another BIG DAY OUT in 2010. (ALL SHOWS)

For 20 years, SASHA hasn’t just been playing and winning the DJ game, he’s been changing it. This summer, SASHA will bring his A-game to a new playing field, BIG DAY OUT. The last true rock star DJ, SASHA learned his craft at Manchester’s famed Hacienda in its late-80s glory days, found global club fame in the ’90s, and scored acclaim with his ’00s albums Airdrawndagger and Involver. He’s an innovator, a pioneer, and he knows how to mix it up while keeping the dancefloor moving. Enter the Boiler Room and rewrite the rules with SASHA at BIG DAY OUT 2010. (ALL SHOWS)

BIG DAY OUT will let its freak-folk flag fly this summer with DEVENDRA BANHART. The people’s troubadour came to prominence with the cosmic folk and ethereal vibrato of his 2005 breakthrough, Cripple Crow. In 2009 came his sixth album, What Will We Be, which Rolling Stone calls “the best he’s ever made”. In concert, this charming quirk of nature drifts from hushed to frantic, from folk to surf to reggae to heavy psychedelic rock. Call it whatever you like – pysch-folk, avant-folk – DEVENDRA BANHART “stands out as a compelling and utterly unique artist” (Q Magazine). Find out for yourself this summer at the 2010 BIG DAY OUT. (ALL SHOWS)

America’s new favourite big beat soul popsters PASSION PIT are bringing their musical gifts to BIG DAY OUT 2010. Led by singer/songwriter Michael Angelakos’ funk-fuelled falsetto, PASSION PIT’s debut album Manners comes alive with kaleidoscopic soundscapes and plentiful ambition. On stage, they’re chaotic, oddball and impossible not to dance to. They’re the only pit we recommend you dive right into – PASSION PIT at this summer’s BIG DAY OUT (ALL SHOWS)

The hardest-working men in dance music, James Ford and Jas Shaw never stop moving. And you won’t either, when SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO DJs work the Boiler Room into a frenzy at BIG DAY OUT. From the Brits who brought us We Are Your Friends, Hustler, It’s the Beat and 10,000 Horses Can’t Be Wrong, we can guarantee one thing: surprises. “Their samples are eclectic, their sound is electric, and their energy is, well, orgasmic.” (killahbeez.com, March 2009). A year ago, we lapped up their live show. In 2010, we’ll delve deep into their record crates – prepare to play musical lucky dip with SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO DJs at BIG DAY OUT 2010. (ALL SHOWS)

It’s time to turn up the sound system and welcome the king of the dancehall, BEENIE MAN, to BIG DAY OUT. From Kingston, Jamaica comes the chart-topping, Grammy-winning master of reggae evolution, who during more than 20 years in the game has pumped out dancehall smashes including The Girls Dem Sugar, Who Am I, Slam and Gimme Gimme. On stage, he’s a nattily-dressed “livewire lightning rod of a man, pumping adrenaline and feeding off the beat” (OC Weekly). And if all that weren’t enough, the fastest man on earth, Usain Bolt, counts BEENIE MAN among his favourites. Stand back – BEENIE MAN will be setting off dancehall dynamite at BIG DAY OUT 2010.

The 2010 BIG DAY OUT will see the return of crowd pleasers, SILENT DISCO.  Premiered in Australia at the BDO in 2006 they returned in 2009, and will again electrify disco dancers with their mixes of dance, hard house, punk, salsa, twenties swing, alternative, world, electro, hardstyle, gabber and Dixieland, all through the convenience of wireless headphones! In the Double Channel SILENT DISCO, which features new 2-channelled digital headphones, party people can choose from resident DJs OR the guest DJ at the time and have a good old fashion dance off! (ALL SHOWS)

BIG DAY OUT knows how to keep the nation happy – two words: HILLTOP HOODS. In 2010, we welcome back Australia’s favourite hip hoppers for a triumphant fourth go-around. Beloved by music fans of all persuasions, from rap aficionados to rock dogs and dance devotees, when the HOODS unleash the likes of Chase That Feeling and The Hard Road, entire fields turn into a united sea of waving arms, nodding heads and bouncing bodies. Since first dropping rhymes and beats in the mid-’90s, Adelaide boys Suffa, Pressure and DJ Debris have grown into multiple-ARIA-winning, chart-topping superheroes – “the country’s greatest hip hop act” (The Age). Chase that euphoric HILLTOP HOODS feeling all the way to BIG DAY OUT 2010. (ALL AUSTRALIAN SHOWS)

Ever feel like your life is a movie, and the only thing missing is the soundtrack? DECODER RING will play that soundtrack into life at BIG DAY OUT. “The music expands like a sonic puzzle… Before too long the sound is ringing through the room in epic waves of joy” (FasterLouder). An audio-visual experience beyond compare, DECODER RING describe their music as “a three-dimensional thing”. And there are plenty of dimensions to be found on the AFI Award-winning Sydneysiders’ latest album, They Blind the Stars, and the Wild Team. The aim, keyboardist and guitarist Matt Fitzgerald told the Sydney Morning Herald, “is when you hear it, it physically affects you”. Feel the full effect of DECODER RING at BIG DAY OUT 2010. (ALL AUSTRALIAN SHOWS)

Paul Mac and Andy Rantzen will scratch that BIG DAY OUT itch when their iconic Aussie electronica outfit ITCH-E AND SCRATCH-E get it together again 16 years on from their first BDO appearance. Renowned for their ’90s classic Sweetness & Light, that stir they caused at the 1995 ARIA Awards and their melodic take on techno, ITCH-E AND SCRATCH-E are now putting the finishing touches on a brand new album, their first since 2001. They were pioneers of Oz dance music’s crossover into the mainstream. Where will they take us as we enter a new decade? Find out at BIG DAY OUT 2010. (ALL AUSTRALIAN SHOWS)

Femcee MAYA JUPITER is bringing the hip hop sunshine to BIG DAY OUT. A former Triple J radio host, regular Channel [V] presenter and ARIA nominee (for her work with Foreign Heights), JUPITER has spent much of 2009 in Los Angeles working on her second album and injecting a healthy dose of Latin flavour to her sound. But this summer she’s heading home to get her fill of her favourite thing of all: “Getting on a stage and having fun with people, sharing stories and dancing my butt off”. Share it and shake it with MAYA JUPITER at BIG DAY OUT 2010. (ALL AUSTRALIAN SHOWS)

Throwing electro fuel on the indie fire has made MIAMI HORROR one of the most explosive sounds to come out of Melbourne in quite some time. They’ll go off with a bang this summer at BIG DAY OUT in their full four-piece live formation – drums, guitar, keys and a “reverent and relevant take on dance-y synth rock” (Pitchfork). Led by production whiz and remix king Ben Vanguarde, the group have whetted appetites internationally via singles Don’t Be On With Her and Sometimes. With an album due early in the new year, now is the time to catch MIAMI HORROR deliver a new take on the new wave at BIG DAY OUT 2010. (ALL AUSTRALIAN SHOWS)

The Boiler Room just went up a few degrees with the addition of DJ MARK DYNAMIX. MDX has been an integral cog in Australian dance since the mid-’90s, becoming the party-starter of choice for international DJs, slaying millions with his Ministry of Sound alliance and mix-CDs, touring internationally and founding a label, Long Distance Recordings, to send new Australian sounds overseas. His tight sets of techno and minimal beats have seen him regularly voted one of the country’s top DJs – but that’s where the predictability ends. As MDX told 3D World, “even I don’t know what’s gonna come out of my library until I get there!” For mixing magic on the fly, there’s no going past MARK DYNAMIX at BIG DAY OUT. (ALL AUSTRALIAN SHOWS)

It’s not hard to find SUGAR ARMY. Just follow the trail of praise. “Nauseatingly talented… SUGAR ARMY will rock you” (Xpress). Starting out five years ago in WA, they quickly gained an imposing live reputation: “sensational”, says Xpress. In 2009 came their debut album The Parallels Amongst Ourselves, with singles Acute and Tongues in Cheeks winning the ARMY new enlistees across the nation. “These Perth boys are something else. Talent laid on so thick it drips from their blessed little fingertips, outshining every post-punk synth pop pretender across this wide brown land” (Beat). In 2010, the trail leads all the way to BIG DAY OUT, as SUGAR ARMY sign on for a rocking summer tour of duty. (ALL AUSTRALIAN SHOWS)

BIG DAY OUT 2010 plugs into the most electric of electro with the arrival of DJ SAM LA MORE. Sam Littlemore is the studio mastermind behind hits and remixes from the likes of Potbelleez (Don’t Hold Back), Pnau, Gwen Stefani and Sneaky Sound System. He’s on Ministry of Sound’s speed-dial when it’s time for a fresh Clubber’s Guide. He’s helped shape Aussie electro house in collaboration with GT as Tonite Only. And he’s a dancefloor shaker in his own right, whether DJing around the world, or cranking out singles as cracking as I Wish it Could Last. Feel the crackle in the air when DJ SAM LA MORE brings the electro power at BIG DAY OUT this summer. (ALL AUSTRALIAN SHOWS)

THE SCARE and BIG DAY OUT are of a like mind: party hard, but tour even harder. The livewire Queensland rockers – who’ve also put in the hard yards sleeping on couches and supporting big-name acts back in the mother country – made the nation stand up (or should that be take-a-step-back?) and listen with their second album Oozevoodoo. A visceral, cathartic blast of gritty, sleazy, groove-filled rock, it’s “edgy, clever, succinct and all above all else fun” (FasterLouder). Blessed with a frontman, Kiss Reid, who oozes as much sex appeal as he does voodoo, THE SCARE may well rock your pants off at BIG DAY OUT 2010. (EAST COAST)

For the past year, whispers have been circulating about a certain Townsville six-piece. They’re “special”, they’re “promising”, they’re “mysterious” and “haunting”. They’re THE MIDDLE EAST, and the whispers will become a scream when they take to the stage at BIG DAY OUT 2010. Indie folksters “pitched between Belle and Sebastian and Tindersticks” (Mess+Noise), THE MIDDLE EAST have spawned two sublime, lilting and harmonious radio favourites in Blood and The Darkest Side. Brought to life by left-of-centre instrumentation – banjo, harmonica, accordion, glockenspiel, trumpet and mandolin – they can turn even the biggest space into an intimate experience. Get up close and personal with THE MIDDLE EAST at BIG DAY OUT. (EAST COAST)

Pack your bags, ’cos BIG DAY OUT is taking you to Goodtown, with WAGONS at the wheel. Led by charismatic showman Henry Wagons and described as a “local treasure”, Melbourne six-piece WAGONS offer an unlikely mix of grand rock, dark country, irresistible crooning and classic pop, all topped off with Henry’s engrossing storytelling. Their latest, fourth album The Rise and Fall of Goodtown has seen them nominated for best group and best album at the 2009 EG Awards, yet more proof that WAGONS’ Goodtown is the place to be. Leave your mundane life behind and jump aboard WAGONS as they wind their way to BIG DAY OUT 2010. (EAST COAST)

Think you know all that Aussie hip hop has to offer? PHRASE and BIG DAY OUT are here to make you think again. From the youthful aggression of his debut Talk With Force to his socially aware and musically adventurous breakthrough second album Clockwork (featuring collaborations with artists as diverse as Daniel Merriweather, Kram and Wendy Matthews), Melbourne rapper PHRASE is breaking the mould. Backed by DJ Flagrant and a five-piece band, PHRASE’s Clockwork gigs have become more than just shows – they’ve become events. And no event will come bigger than PHRASE at BIG DAY OUT 2010. (EAST COAST)

BIG DAY OUT 2010 is taking you to a place where krump music keeps you moving all night long – the electric island home of tribal warriors GRRILLA STEP. A 10 piece, Polynesian-inspired krumping and percussion sensation, GRRILLA STEP is the brainchild of DJ Dexter (that multiple DMC Champion turntablist, formerly of the Avalanches), in collaboration with Papua New Guinean drumming master Airi Ingram and dance crew Royal Fam. Completely unlike anything you’ve ever seen, heard or moved to, GRRILLA STEP promise a gob-smackin’, body rockin’ experience at BIG DAY OUT. (EAST COAST)
Soon we will reveal the final round of acts, visual art installations, special attractions and the world that is the Lilyworld.

For all things BDO including details on side shows, please visit www.bigdayout.com <http://www.bigdayout.com> .

BIG DAY OUT 2010: Jet, Sasha, Devendra Banhart, Passion Pit, Simian Mobile Disco DJs, Beenie Man, Silent Disco, Hilltop Hoods, Decoder Ring, Itch-E and Scratch-E, Maya Jupiter, Miami Horror, MDX, Sugar Army, DJ Sam La More, The Scare, The Middle East, Wagons, Phrase and Grrilla Step join Muse, Powderfinger, Lily Allen, Eskimo Joe, Groove Armada, Grinspoon, The Mars Volta, Ladyhawke, Dizzee Rascal, Karnivool, Peaches, The Temper Trap, Kasabian, Midnight Juggernauts, Rise Against, Magic Dirt, Mastodon, Lisa Mitchell, The Horrors, Bluejuice, Calvin Harris, Kisschasy, The Decemberists, Tame Impala and Girl Talk

BIG DAY OUT 2010
FRIDAY JANUARY 15th AUCKLAND MT SMART STADIUM
Maurice Rd Penrose. Gates open 11am
Tickets $132 +bf*. Strict limit of 4 tickets per customer. Available from Real Groovy, all Ticketmaster Outlets, phone and credit card bookings 0800 111 999 or www.ticketmaster.co.nz <http://www.ticketmaster.co.nz> , and from our website www.bigdayout.com <http://www.bigdayout.com>

SUNDAY JANUARY 17th GOLD COAST PARKLANDS
Smith St Southport. Gates open 11am
SOLD OUT!! Limited ticket ballot now open
https://shopping.onlinefulfillment.com.au/bdo2010/venue_goldcoast.php

FRIDAY JANUARY 22nd  SYDNEY SHOWGROUND
Showground Rd Sydney Olympic Park. Gates open 11am. Event closes midnight.
SOLD OUT!! Limited ticket ballot now open
https://shopping.onlinefulfillment.com.au/bdo2010/venue_sydney.php

SATURDAY JANUARY 23RD  SYDNEY SHOWGROUND
Showground Rd Sydney Olympic Park. Gates open 11am. Event closes midnight.
SOLD OUT!! Limited ticket ballot now open
https://shopping.onlinefulfillment.com.au/bdo2010/venue_sydney2.php

TUESDAY JANUARY 26th MELBOURNE FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE
Epsom Rd, Flemington, Melbourne. Gates Open 11am
SOLD OUT!! Limited ticket ballot now open
https://shopping.onlinefulfillment.com.au/bdo2010/venue_melbourne.php

FRIDAY JANUARY 29th  ADELAIDE SHOWGROUND
Rose Tce Wayville, Adelaide. Gates Open 11am
SOLD OUT!! Limited ticket ballot now open
https://shopping.onlinefulfillment.com.au/bdo2010/venue_adelaide.php

SUNDAY JANUARY 31st PERTH CLAREMONT SHOWGROUND
Graylands Rd Claremont, Perth. Gates Open 11am
SOLD OUT!! Limited ticket ballot now open
https://shopping.onlinefulfillment.com.au/bdo2010/venue_perth.php

MA 15 +
The Big Day Out is for Mature Audiences only (MA15). Children under the age of 15 are not permitted. All patrons entering the site must have a valid ticket.
For further details, check the Big Day Out website www.bigdayout.com <http://www.bigdayout.com>

Big Day Out 2nd Announcement is an article originally published on I'm With The Band

Powderfinger’s highly-anticipated album, Golden Rule, is now available for pre-order as an iTunes LP – making them the first Australian band to deliver this amazing visual experience alongside the album.

The iTunes LP is the next evolution of the music album, combining beautiful design with expanded visual features. Powderfinger fans will be able to download Golden Rule and experience a rich, immersive world as part of their iTunes library. While listening to Golden Rule they can dive into animated lyrics and liner notes, watch performance videos, view band photos and enjoy other bonus material.

The Powderfinger iTunes LP is part of the deluxe version of Golden Rule and is available for pre-order now. Click here.

With the Powderfinger iTunes LP fans will receive the deluxe version of Golden Rule plus two exclusive bonus tracks (“See You Again” and “See Me Coming”), two exclusive wallpapers, ten exclusive in-studio photos, exclusive video for “Poison In Your Mind”, video documentary of “The Making of Golden Rule”, lyrics, credits and artwork.

POWDERFINGER

iTunes LP – Golden Rule – Pre-Order Now

New Album – Golden Rule – Available November 13

www.powderfinger.com | www.getmusic.com.au/powderfinger

POWDERFINGER – FIRST AUSTRALIAN BAND TO DELIVER AN ITUNES LP is an article originally published on I'm With The Band

2009 marks the 30^th Anniversary South Newcastle Boardriders Club.
And they’ve teamed up with fellow 3 decade veterans to throw a party.

Celebrating 30 years since forming from a group of high school friends, The Celibate Rifles are Australia’s true punk rock survivors.

As blistering as any band you’ve seen, The Rifles have stuck to their principles throughout the years, travelled the world (”The best live band in the world” – David Fricke, US Rolling Stone, 1986) and continued to make passionate rock albums on miniscule budgets – 18 LP’s, EP’s, compilations & live albums, and countless singles, widely regarded as some of the best music to come from the Australian underground.

But after 3 decades of original flat-knacker rock, what is left to do you may ask? ‘Been there, done that’ certainly applies to the Celibate Rifles and yet while the desire remains the journey continues…

On the agenda in the coming months are trips to Japan and Europe and a possible documentary film. Plus of course, their trip to Newcastle to help celebrate 30 years of the South Newcastle Boardriders. Joining them will be the re-formed Newcastle outfit from yesteryear Sandpaper and the newcomers with the oldest hands The Ride Ons.

Saturday 28^th November
The Cambridge Hotel
with guests Sandpaper + The Ride Ons

tickets from www.bigtix.com.au

The Celibate Rifles 30 years on is an article originally published on I'm With The Band

One of the first things you get to know about Audelio Flores, guitarist for hardcore punk band Set Your Goals, is just how aware this guy is of his place in the world and the responsibilities that come with it. Realising that fans are the source and reason for their continued existence, Audelio is both down to earth and conscious of the impact that their music can have on those who follow them… a rare combination in todays music scene.

Early difficulties with record labels drove home some difficult lessons for the band, but a shift to legendary punk rocker Brett Gurewitz’s Epitaph label finally gave them a home from where they remain passionate and driven about the message they want to get out with their music.

It’s been a bit of an interesting ride for you guys so far, just over 5 years together. What do you think has changed day to day as a working band, from when you started?

AF: We’ve just grown up a lot, y’know. Like, we’ve been fortunate enough to be able to travel the world and go to places we never thought that would ever be possible, by doing music, which is the one thing we all love. From all of that we’ve just grown to be more of a family with each other. Before we were just…like we’re still really good friends, but it was more like “Let’s just go out and play a couple of shows here and there”… but now it’s become more of a career for us, which is awesome. We’ve had a lot of bumps, a lot of ups and downs, but we all got through it together.

Do you think that comes out more in the music you’re writing now?

AF: I think so, ’cause like we’re very passionate about what we do, and we’re very passionate about what we want to say and what we talk about. And we’re passionate about our fans. We’re a fortunate band that even our fans look up to us and it’s kind of like, almost like a job for us to be a positive role model to a lot of younger kids.

Do you think this responsibility has come out in the music? Do you think your listeners hear this in the difference in the music between Mutiny and This Will Be The Death Of Us?

AF: I think so. A lot of bands say “We’ve matured”, but we hate using that… like ‘Oh, we’ve “Matured”’, quote-unquote… but, we definitely have on our way seeing the world. We want to keep carrying that message.

Like, to me, I love bands that have something to say and not just talk about some random girl that they’re in love with. I’ve always been a fan of bands that had something to say. Especially for us, we all grew up as part of the punk rock hardcore scene, and for those bands we grew up listening to, it was a responsibility, almost, that they had, and they have to keep carrying it with them. So that’s kinda how we see ourselves.

Is writing a collaborative effort or do ideas come from separate members?

AF: For Mutiny, it was more Jordan, Mikey and Matt. Because the band wasn’t completed …it was like more friends filling in. But for this one, four years ago, we finally got our set lineup and this record was more of a collaboration. Jordan would come up with riffs, or someone else would come up with riffs and we would just jam out. Jordan would take it to Mikey to get the basic ideas going… and Matt and Jordan would just brainstorm thoughts and ideas about what the band has been feeling or about what the band wants to talk about and just take it from there. So yeah, it’s definitely more of a collaboration.

One of the comparisons that have come up recently with the release of This Will Be The Death Of Us, is with Bad Religion, who set the standard for the genre. How do you fell about this comparison?

AF: to be honest, it’s amazing. We all grew up listening to that band, and when we signed to Epitaph, we knew that was gonna would be a home for us, especially after talking to Brett Gurewitz. We weren’t even nervous; we were more excited to be able talk to him as, like, a musician. We didn’t talk to him as a business guy. When we met up with him, we were like “This is one of the dudes from Bad Religion!”… a band that we all grew up listening to and a lot of us were inspired by. To be honest, we never thought we would sign to Epitaph and be compared to them. It’s awesome. To me, if we could be… not that we’ll ever be like Bad Religion… but if we could be the next type of Bad Religion, as a band, I would be happy.

Speaking of Epitaph, the move from Eulogy…other bands have gone thorugh similar label problems in their formative years. How did think that affected the sound of the second album?

AF: I know our record has more of a mid-90’s punk feel to it, but we try to bring the Set Your goals hardcore influences in to, but I don’t think it really affected the way we write or the way the band shaped itself, because we don’t want to be pigeonholed into being like a generic hardcore mosh type of band. We want to play… we all grew up skating and grew up listening to that style of music, and so we wanted to write music that’s gonna moves us and gets us excited and definitely it’s a coincidence that we ended up going with Epitaph and it sounds more like one of their earlier releases.

On the topic of getting excited; you guys will be on the Soundwave Festival lineup next year. This won’t be your first visit to Australia. Anything you missed out before that you want to do here this time?

AF: We went two years ago on The Boys Of Summer (tour), and it was rad. The only thing that was a bummer, I guess, was that every morning we would fly out and so we didn’t’ get to see the outskirts of Australia. In the states we travel in a van still… we don’t have a bus… and you’re able to see the little towns, like the wilderness. That’s the one thing we didn’t get to see on the previous Australia tour, the last one with All Time Low. If we can, we would love to just see the culture side of things of Australia … just go to the beach and hang out. The simple things.

With the Soundwave festival coming up, there’s a lot of band on that lineup. Are there any in particular that you’re looking forward to seeing?

AF: We really hope we’re on the same day as Sunny Day Real Estate. Right now they’re touring and we just missed them and none of us got to see them. That’s one of our favourite bands, especially Matt Wilson… it’s his favourite band, so it’s a bummer that we can’t see them on this reunion tour that they’re doing, but, I hope we’re on the same day so we can enjoy it.

Any acts that you admire that you haven’t performed/toured with that you’d like to? Who would be your dream co-headliners?

We really wanna do a Bad Religion tour, y’know? We always joke around with Brett about doing that, because it’s kinda like more exciting getting to tour with bands we grew up listening to. Like when we did the Gorilla Biscuits tour. It was awesome… I love doing shows like that. When Lifetime did their reunion shows and we were able to play two of the shows, and when we got to play with New Found Glory, those have also been highlights. But if we could do an ideal tour that we would love to do, it would be Bad Religion and Rancid.

Six guys together on tour can get pretty intense… is there anything you take that you can’t live without?

AF: Now, because technology is so advanced, is our iPhones. More than half of the band has iPhones and just video games. iPhones, iPods and talcum powder. Because on those days when you’re chaffing, it makes it feel better *laughs*

Unfortunately, parts of Australia are really humid, especially the coastal areas, so it’s pretty intense like that.

AF: Don’t worry, we never travel without it. *laughs*

What can Australian audiences expect from you guys on stage this time out? More of the same, or do you have something new for us?

AF: It’s definitely too early for us to think of what to do, but we always try to change it up every time we go, just because we want to put on a show and have the audience interact with us. But you’re definitely going to see a lot of energy coming from us, as much as the crowd, because we always feed off the crowd. I hope there’s no barricade, which I’m almost positive there’s going to be, but if there isn’t, we want kids to just try come up onstage… like, “Our stage is your stage”, and without you guys we wouldn’t be able to go play.

Are you looking ahead to the next album? What have you got planned for us next? What’s on the agenda for Set Your Goals for the future?

AF: There’s been a lot of writing going back and forth between all of us. I don’t know if we’re going to do a full length album, right away, who knows. But, we’re talking about doing, maybe an EP… just to like get things going. But we definitely don’t want to wait three years to release another record. We were going through a lot of dark times at the time and didn’t feel like releasing anything, until the right moment was there. But we definitely have more stuff that we just want to get out… more energy, more… more punkrock music, I guess. Just change it up, like, whatever we’re into at the time… just try to bring whatever influence into it, but with a Set Your Goals twist to it.

Set your Goals Interview! is an article originally published on I'm With The Band

In 2004, Green Day unleashed American Idiot on the world. A boundary smashing, genre confounding work of art, American Idiot changed the face of music, welcoming a new generation of music fans to the cult of Green Day.

In 2009 Green Day returned to stamp their authority on the music world releasing 21st Century Breakdown. Hailed as the jewel in an already impressive crown, 21st Century Breakdown has confirmed Green Day’s status as one of the greatest rock bands in the world.

It’s with great pleasure The Frontier Touring Company announces Green Day’s return to Australia and New Zealand as part of their 21st Century Breakdown World Tour. This will be Green Day’s first visit since 2005’s explosive stadium and arena spectaculars.

If past tours are anything to go by, fans are sure to be thrilled as Green Day take to arena stages in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland this December.

Green Day Announce Tour! is an article originally published on I'm With The Band

This is probably the best Beyonce, Single Ladies cover I’ve seen / heard so far. It’s brought to us by a band called Pomplamoose from California, here’s a bit of their bio;

jack conte and nataly dawn started making music together in the summer of ‘08, and decided to form a band. pomplamoose thus represents the collaborative efforts of the two afore-mentioned musicians. it also means grapefruit in french.

Anyway, check it out…

Hat tip to The Inquisitr.

Pomplamoose – Single Ladies (Beyonce cover) is an article originally published on I'm With The Band

Following the unprecedented sell out of both SYDNEY Big Day Out shows, organisers announce a final 3,000 tickets PER SHOW will be available for purchase through an online ticket ballot via the Big Day Out website, www.bigdayout.com.

Here’s what you need to know…

Each week 300 tickets for the two 2010 SYDNEY BDOs will be made available on our website via an online randomly drawn ballot.

The ballot will be drawn at 9pm EST on the Thursday of each week, beginning Thursday 22nd October and finishing Thursday 24th December.

The weekly ballot ticket limit is 2 tickets per customer.

As the ballot of both Sydney Big Day Out events has a strict limit of 2 tickets per customer, if you have previously bought Big Day Out tickets to either Sydney event and if upon entering into the ballot you surpass the 2 ticket limit, no tickets will be allocated to you. This will be strictly adhered to.

Registering for the ballot

* Registrations will open tomorrow at 9am EST Thursday 15th October. * You will need to complete and submit the ballot registration page on the website. * Your registration will only need to be completed once and will last for the duration of the balloting weeks.

If you are successful in the ballot

An email will be sent to you within 2 hrs of the ballot draw. This will provide details of how to complete the order, ie, pay for your tickets.

You will be given 5 days to pay for your ticket order (until 9pm EST on the following Tuesday after the ballot). If in this time you have not paid for your order, these tickets will be forfeited and put back into the next week’s ballot.

CONDITIONS OF SALE AND ADMISSION

Selling tickets for higher than the face value is a breach of the conditions of sale. In an effort to ensure that our tickets are available to genuine punters at the price we have set, every customer will need to read and agree to our Conditions of Sale and Admission before they can purchase tickets. These can be viewed on our website now. Tickets sold on auction sites may be declared invalid and the ticket holder may be refused entry. You have been warned.

Good luck.

Stay tuned for the second round of acts to join the party plus solo show announcements for the international artists.

Please go to www.bigdayout.com for all line up and ticketing details.

Sydney Big Day Out ticket ballot! is an article originally published on I'm With The Band