In this issue: Benjamin Skepper releases fourth solo album, Bowled Over comes to St Kilda Bowls Club, UK rapper Blak Twang to play at The Espy, Free Melbourne Symphony Orchestra concert celebrating young Australians, Ty to play free show at The Espy, Grandmaster Flash returns to The Espy, Heads of Charm, Space Junk, Mutton and Batpiss perform at The Old Bar, Hiatus Kaiyote to play free gig at NGV, Riff Fist launch “For A Few Riffs More”, James Teague announces Workers Club residency; Tan Dun returns to Melbourne to celebrate Chinese New Year with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, A Lonely Crowd release second album, The Dead Daisies perform new self titled album at The Espy and The Rechords and Raised By Eagles perform matinee show.
Benjamin Skepper releases fourth solo album
After touring Russia, Italy, France and Japan, Benjamin Skepper will release his fourth solo album In The Field. The album is a collection of world field recordings captured during his travels which occurred during 2006 – 2012. Skepper also performs on the pianoforte, cello, electronics and found sound objects.
To celebrate the release of the album, Benjamin Skepper will be launching the album at The Kelvin Club. The launch also acts as a platform to document Benjamin’s recent cultural mission to Russia as a Cultural Ambassador and representative of the City of Melbourne.
To catch Benjamin Skepper performing live, make sure to head to The Kelvin Club on Wednesday February 12. Tickets are $34+bf via the venue, or $40 on the door. Doors open at 6pm.
Bowled Over – Triple J Hottest 100 party
The 2014 Summer Series is here! What better way to kick off than with the annual Bowled Over event on Australia Day, Sunday 26 January. Taking place at the St Kilda Bowls Club, there will be old fashioned drink prices, a barbecue and of course the Triple J Hottest 100 countdown from midday.
There will also be live performances by New Gods, My Echo, Singles, Kill Shot, I Know The Chief and The Quarters. And after performing last year The Stokes Tribute The Smokes is back!
So make sure to head to the St Kilda Bowls Club on Australia Day from midday! Tickets are sure to sell fast and are available from $14.30 from Oztix.
UK rapper Blak Twang to play at The Espy
UK rapper Blak Twang will be hitting The Espy on Friday February 14 for a free entry show! Twang has three albums - Kik Off, The Rotten Club and Speaking From Experience.
Live performances have always been in mind when Twang has made his records. Make sure to head to The Espy to catch Twang live on Friday February 14.
Free Melbourne Symphony Orchestra concert celebrating young Australians
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will perform works from four young Australian composers in a free concert on Saturday 25 January. The concert forms part of the MSO’s Cybec 21st Century Australian Composers Program, which celebrates its eleventh year in 2014. The program sees young composers from across Australia compete to have their compositions performed by the MSO during the 2014 Metropolis New Music Festival.
During the special concert, to be held in the Iwaki Auditorium at ABC Southbank, audiences will hear the MSO, led by Brett Kelly, perform the new works by Elliott Hughes (VIC), Andrew Aronowicz (VIC), Kym Dillion (VIC) and Lisa Cheney (QLD).
Following the performances, two of these new works will be selected by a panel of experts, including Brett Kelly, composer Brenton Broadstock and the MSO’s Director of Artistic Planning, Huw Humphreys. The two selected composers will have the chance to further refine and revise their works over the coming months before they will be premiered at the Melbourne Recital Centre during the Metropolis New Music Festival in April.
So make sure to head to the Iwaki Auditorium at ABC Southbank on Saturday January 25 at 6:30pm for a night of free entertainment.
British rapper Ty to play free show at The Espy
Ben Chijioke, otherwise known as Ty will be taking over The Espy for a free show on Thursday 13 February. Ty signed to Big Dada records in 2001, the same year he released his debut album Awkward. He released two further albums before his fourth album Special Kind of Fool released through BBE records.
In 2013 Ty signed to Tru Thoughts and released an EP series Kick Snare and An Idea. So head along to The Espy on Thursday 13 February to hear these tracks, plus songs from his back catalogue!
Grandmaster Flash returns to The Espy!
The first DJ to physically lay his hands on vinyl and manipulate it in a backward, forward or counter clockwise motion, Grandmaster Flash will be returning to The Espy! DJ Grandmaster Flash invented the Quick Mix Theory which included techniques such as the double-back, back-door, back-spin, and phasing. Basically, what we call a DJ today is a role that Flash invented.
To catch Grandmaster Flash live head to The Espy on Thursday February 27. Tickets are $45+bf and are available from www.theespy.oztix.com.au and Oztix outlets.
Heads of Charm, Space Junk, Mutton and Batpiss perform at The Old Bar
This Friday sees Mutton launch their new EP! Supporting Mutton on the night will be Heads of Charm, Space Junk and Batpiss.
So make sure to head to The Old Bar this Friday January 24. Doors open at 8:30pm and entry is $10.
Hiatus Kaiyote to play free gig at NGV
Four Melbourne bands will take to the stage of the National Gallery of Victoria for the “Friday Nights at Melbourne Now” series starting Friday February 28. Headlining on successive Friday nights will be bands including electro quartet World’s End Press, ARIA nominated Big Scary and Grammy nominated Hiatus Kaiyote.
All events will be completely free.
Visitors can also enjoy afterhours access to Melbourne Now, along with a range of food and drinks. Melbourne Now celebrates the latest art, architecture, design, performance and cultural practice to reflect the complex cultural landscape of creative Melbourne.
So make sure to head to these free gigs at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Events take place from 5pm – 9:30pm.
28 Feb - World’s End Press
7 Mar - Big Scary
14 Mar - Brighter Later
21 Mar - Hiatus Kaiyote
Riff Fist launch “For A Few Riffs More”
Following on from their debut EP Fistfuls of Riffs last year, Riff Fist are set to release their 7” For A Few Riffs More on Friday February 7.
It features “Riff Stew” and the yet unreleased "Master of the Grove". So to catch Riff Fist live, head to The Tote on Friday February 7. Also performing on the night will be special guests Swidgen, Borrachero, Kaleidoscope and DJs Hand of Doom and Pilot the Dune. There will also be a free barbecue from 8pm.
Tickets are $10 on the door.
James Teague Workers Club residency
Singer-songwriter James Teague will be completing a residency at The Workers Club this February. Every Wednesday night will feature a performance from Teague, showcasing some of the barebones from his upcoming sophomore release. Drawing on inspiration from the complexities of his soul, James weaves poetry and music in a truly unique fashion, evoking raw emotions in a state of pure catharsis.
So make sure to head to The Workers Club every Wednesday during February.
Tan Dun returns to Melbourne to celebrate Chinese New Year with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, joined by Grammy and Academy Award winning composer/conductor Tan Dun, will celebrate one of the world’s biggest cultural events, Chinese New Year, with a special concert this February.
To be held at Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall on Friday 7 February, East meets West: MSO Chinese New Year Celebration with Tan Dun will celebrate the rich Chinese culture in Melbourne and is designed to highlight the power of both traditional Chinese music and western classical music. The concert will feature the Australian premieres of two of Tan Dun’s major works, "Concerto for String Orchestra" and "Pipa and The Triple Resurrection", paired with classics from the Western tradition, including music from Prokofiev’s "Romeo and Juliet" and Mendelssohn’s "Violin Concerto in E minor".
Chinese violinist, Lu Siqing, the first prize winner of the Paganini Competition in 1987, and Xie Yudan (pipa) will join Tan Dun in the concert, as well Australian-Chinese pianist Adoria Li and the MSO’s Principal Cello David Berlin.
Make sure to head to Hamer Hall on Friday February 7 to catch Tan Dun live.
A Lonely Crowd release second album
Melbourne female fronted, progressive rock four piece band A Lonely Crowd are releasing their second album Transients. The album is set to be released on Saturday February 1 through Sydney’s Bird Robe Records. The album is a culmination of two years of intensive writing and recording, the bands most cohesive and ambitious project yet.
To celebrate, A Lonely Crowd will launch the album on Saturday February 1 at The Evelyn Hotel, ahead of a national tour throughout 2014. So make sure to catch A Lonely Crowd at The Evelyn Hotel starting at 8pm.
Tickets are $12 through Oztix.
The Dead Daisies perform new self titled album at The Espy
The Dead Daisies are back in Australia, and what better way to welcome them home but by attending a series of shows which kicks off on Sunday February 16.
The show will be in support of the February 7 release of their debut self-titled album. The album includes their UK hit single “Lock ‘N Load” featuring Slash. So to catch The Dead Daisies live head to The Espy Gershwin Room on Sunday 16 February. Tickets are available through Oztix.
The ReChords and Raised By Eagles perform matinee show
The ReChords return to form and do what they love, performing live on stage to the punters and for their first show for 2014 the Northcote Social Club throughout the invite. The buzz doesn't stop there, they've been honoured to have Raised By Eagles accept the request to join them and share the stage for an awesome afternoon of cold ales and hip-swaying tunes.
Combine the Alt-Country sound of Raised By Eagles with some early influenced Hillbilly-Pop-Rock vibes of the well attired trio The Rechords and you have a plethora of Roots / Country / Rockabilly to rock your socks off all afternoon.
Doors open from 1:30pm with Raised By Eagles kicking things off at 2:00pm.
Tickets are $12+bf presale, or $15 on the door.
