Pre-party party!
The Hotel Great Northern is having an official pre-Splendour party on the Thursday. Heading up the gig will be Flight Facilities. After their surprise release of their debut album Down To Earth, Flight Facilities show no sign of slowing down. The album catapulted to number one on the iTunes Australia chart, numbers one and two on the US and UK iTunes electronic charts respectively and number three on the ARIA chart.
Soon after, they set off on a sold-out headline Australian theatre tour followed by a quick US and EU tour and a bus tour around America. With only a quick break at home to rework their live set, they’ll play Splendour and the Byron Bay Official Pre-Party before hitting the European summer festival circuit for a couple of months.
Also on the bill is Tkay Maidza, who are armed with fast flow, bossy beats and the hella-high shoes of Adelaide emcee Tkay Maidza as she continues to stomp her way to the top of the rap game.
Selling out club shows faster than she slays her rhymes, it’s little wonder fans across the country have snapped up the chance to hear the creator of the self-confessed ‘brat-rap’ that has been the soundtrack to summer following the release of her latest single M.O.B. and her internet-crashing mixtape Switch Tape. As Tone Deaf declared: ‘2015 is Tkay’s year – we’re just living in it.’ Witness the fitness.
The event will also include sets from Elliphant, the Swedish reggae-pop maverick; Vallis Alps, a Canberra/Seattle-based electronic duo whose music blends down-tempo, piano-driven melodies and acoustic guitar with 80s pop synths and gritty trap beats to complement their half-nostalgic, half-foretelling lyrics; LK Mckay is a name might not have heard, but you’ve definitely heard the bouncy, technicolor beats…
All this and more on Thursday night at the Northern – doors 7.30pm.
Heading toward the Sun
The renowned Uki artist Murray Kyle is launching his new album this Friday night at the Civic Hall in Mullumbimby, so if you’re not swept up in Splendour, get on down for some heart-medicine music! He will be joined on the night by some fabulous Byron-based musicians including Rebekah Ray, Alice Night, and Walter Piccolruaz, performing songs from his new release Arrow To The Sun. This album is both more personal and universal than his previous works, and is completed just in time for him to carry it under his wing on a west coast USA tour in August.
The captivating spoken-word poetry of Thomas Keily will be opening up the evening, and food, chai and treats will be provided by The Rebel Alliance Cafe. Doors at 7pm for a 7.30 start, with a $15 entry. Splendid!
Safari suits us all rounder
Clothing brand Afends and Sunday Safari productions are coming together to put on a wicked Splendour In The Grass Pre-Party.
The big line-up of live bands and DJs features: The Babe Rainbow, Skegss, Pilots, Feeling Dave, Tim Fuchs, Safari DJs, Taya, 2 Towels and Secret Guests.
Over two stages from 6pm till late. And it’s free entry to the public. Be at the The Brewery Thursday – 6pm start, free entry.
Lil’ Gypsy
Riding high on the success of her debut single, that shot to #4 on the National Country Tracks Chart, Kathryn Jones is launching her latest album Lil’ Gypsy to her local crowd.
2014 saw Jones partner with Golden Guitar winner/producer Steve Passfield to craft an eclectic, alt-country album that has injected a much needed jolt into the Australian country music scene.
Released at the Tamworth Country Music Festival this year, Jones & Passfield have been receiving extraordinary reviews.
Following 12 Tamworth CMF shows, a 10-show tour of New Zealand, launches in Sydney and their hometown Kempsey, the pair are bringing together an all-star line-up with four-times Australian fiddle champion Mike Kerin (Flying Emus, Travelling Country Band) Doug Gallagher (Crossfire, Troy Cassar-Daley, Adam Harvey) on drums and renowned Melbourne bassist Alan Brooker.
Special guests will be Aria-nominated Lou Bradley, International country sweetheart Clelia Adams and troubadour Kim Cheshire.
Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club Saturday 7.30pm – Free show
Jazzing up the Brewery
The Hans Lovejoy Trio is ready to rumble! When consumerism implodes and greed has drawn its final breath, rest assured that the last thing standing is art. As long as humans can paint, sing and create beauty with their hands and minds, there’s hope that our destructive nature against the planet is not in vain.
The Hans Lovejoy Trio will be making their debut at the Brewery on Friday July 24 from 7.30pm till 10.30pm.
As a musician for just over 20 years, Hans is well known for his bass work with Sara Tindley, James Cruickshank, Geoff Wright and Tommee, to name a few. He is also the former bassist from the Big Band At The End Of The Universe, an 18-piece ensemble that previously held a residency at the Brewery for many months.
‘With this next project, I wanted to scale it back and focus just on the trio sound,’ says Hans. ‘This ensemble has a great love for jazz trio piano music but also modern pop and latin tunes.’
The trio also includes the very talented Dr Fred Cole on piano and the young Ben Cox on drums.
Friday 7.30pm start, free entry.
The Best of Bublé
Rhydian Lewis & The Swinging Residuals, a 9-piece big band performing Michael Bublé hits, featuring guest singer Marissa Burgess and support act Elena B Williams. Frontman vocalist Rhydian Lewis lives in Coorabell; the Big Band is formed from Gold Coast and Brisbane musicians. This show launches the Australian and Asian tour of The Best Of Bublé, which will see the show play in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and in select theatres through Australia including Brisbane Jazz Club, The Basement Sydney, The Links Club Gold Coast. With musical director Nicholas Laganin pulling together a talented selection of musicians, the hits from all of Bublés tours are featured in this two-hour performance. With a whirlwind of platinum hits, the up-tempo songs will have you tapping and wriggling your behind in your seats.
Friday, A&I Hall, Bangalow. Doors open at 7.15pm. Tickets are $45 each, available from www.thebestofbuble.com.au, The Cellar Door, The Bangalow post office, Utopia, The Italian Diner and The Bangalow Hotel.