Fresh, young and powerful: Meet Montaigne’
Montaigne’s fresh and powerful vocals showcase talent beyond her 19 years – a spectacle that does not leave viewers disappointed.
The past year has been a momentous one for the teenager, who re-acquainted herself with Australia after releasing her debut single’I Am Not An End’early in 2014, which was Triple J’s 36th most played song of the year.
She first enlightened our senses as an Unearthed high finalist in 2012, before taking a hiatus to complete her HSC.
Her recently released EP’Life of Montaigne’has been met with a lot of well-deserved hype but it’s the live delivery of her songs that is resonating with fans and critics alike.
Among a host of other great reviews, Montaigne was named FBi’s unsigned artist of the week last July,’Tone Deaf’s ‘11 Most Talented Aussie Musicians Under 18’ and one of’New York Examiner’s ‘Seven artists to keep an eye on this summer’.
Montaigne released her most recent single’I’m A Fantastic Wreck’and its video last November; it exhibits quirky animations juxtaposed with real-life footage shot in Melbourne’s historic Mintaro Homestead, built in 1882.
The Sydney-based songstress has spent the past year refining her live performance, being handpicked by San Cisco and Megan Washington as the special guest for their respective national tours, and was awarded ‘Next Big Thing’ at FBi Radio’s 2014 annual SMAC Awards.
She plays the Byron Theatre on Sunday at 7pm. Tix at the venue – $30/$25.
Coo Coo Cachoo, Toby Robinson
Toby Robinson is a folk/indie/pop singer/songwriter. A native of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast but now Melbourne based, with a childhood steeped in the music of the finger-picking greats of folk, Toby learned guitar at his father’s knee. From busking as a kid at Eumundi markets to playing in bands with his brother throughout his teens, music is the constant in his life. Toby is currently touring off his second release, Live Your Life, which is a single off his soon-to-be-released EP. He plays the Byron Brewery as part of the Byron Vibes Night on Saturday.
TuOOOzday!
Ooz is an acoustic roots-reggae artist with a large, eclectic repertoire of crowd favourites.
His unique, laidback but lively style creates a relaxed atmosphere and his song choices have you remembering many of those forgotten classics.
His ability to create layers with a loop pedal enables him to play bass guitar and lay percussion beats to accompany his performances and get the audience on their feet.
He plays the Byron Brewery on TuOOOZday! 7pm.
Free entry.
Orange is the new album
Seasoned folk darlings Tinpan Orange have today announced their fifth studio album, Love is a Dog (set for release 8 April), alongside its breathtaking first single, Rich Man (out 12 February). The virtuosic trio will hit the road to celebrate the release kicking off at the Fairbridge Folk Festival (WA) on 15 April, moving through Tasmania, Melbourne, Mullumbimby, Brisbane, Sydney, Darwin, Fremantle and finishing up in Adelaide on 5 June. Tickets are available now for their show at the Mullum Civic Hall on Saturday 14 May from www.redsquaremusic.com.au.
Bowie up the Duff
The reaction of fans worldwide to the sad and sudden passing of David Bowie is testament to the enormous regard in which he was held as one of the major figures in popular music. Jeff’s Bowie Unzipped show salutes the enormous legacy that Bowie left behind with Jeff’s unique interpretation of Bowie’s remarkable and enduring songbook.’ Jeff has been singing Bowie’s songs for many years with the glowing support of Bowie’s official website BowieNET, and was a special guest (in conversation) at the opening of the recent Bowie exhibition in Melbourne. Together with a killer band, Duffo’s journey to Planet Bowie includes the songs: Space Oddity, Lets Dance, China Girl, Life On Mars, Changes, Ziggy Stardust among many other faves. Jeff’s all-star band features guitarist Jak Housden from the Whitlams along with the brilliant keyboard player Glenn Rhodes and drummer/percussionist Jess Ciampa.
He gave us a taste of what’s to come at the Byron Easter Arts Classic, so catch Jeff Duff when he presents Bowie Upzipped at the Byron Theatre on Wednesday 20 April.
The year of the Cat
Recovered and ready, Chan Marshall aka Cat Power returns as promised with a new set of dates, same select venues. ‘I’ve been looking forward for so long to returning to my home away from home and I wasn’t going to let this debilitating illness deprive me or anyone else of that opportunity. I’m so glad to be making it back to Australia,’ says Chan. The Georgia-born singer/songwriter has been a longtime fan of Australia – its audience and its people – dating back to 1997 and her first visit at the behest of Dirty Three / Xylouris White drummer Jim White. A visit that also saw Chan record her album Moon Pix (including breakthrough track Crossbones Style) with both White and Dirty Three guitarist Mick Turner. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see Cat Power Solo: Up Close and Intimate, playing songs old and new ahead of new album recording this autumn.
Thursday 19 May at Star Court Theatre, in Lismore. Tickets Tickets $57.00 plus b/f from www.starcourttheatre.com.au.
Music For Seniors Week
For many years now, The Howie Bros have performed to capacity crowds at Ballina RSL’s feature Morning Melody show during NSW Seniors Week. On Thursday 10.30am–12noon, six-time Mo Award winner Wayne Horsburgh will join Graeme Howie, from The Howie Brothers, in a show that will have the crowd singing along and yelling for more. (Well, maybe not yelling so much as politely insisting!) As Graeme says, the crowd will be in for a wonderful show. ‘We have wanted to perform with Wayne Horsburgh, at Ballina RSL, for a long time!’ Wayne Horsburgh has just recently been elevated to the Roll of Renown in Tamworth, the highest accolade in Australian country music. He is Australia’s premier male yodeller. He sings in the style of Frank Ifield, Slim Whitman and Marty Robbins. Wayne has a beautiful tenor voice and will have the crowd singing along to favourites such as China Doll, Love Song of the Waterfall, and Forty Shades of Green. He will take the crowd on a ‘trip to the islands’ with beautiful Hawaiian songs such as Blue Hawaii and Pearly Shells. Doors open at 9.45am on Thursday for this free Seniors Week concert. Show starts at 10.30.
Music is in the air at Poinciana
The Poinciana Cafe is under new ownership, who are keen to fill the air with music. Every Sunday afternoon the Mullumbimby Music Club presents jazz and blues from 2pm.
This Sunday will feature The D Train – a classy little jazz/blues trio, playing the jazz classics from the great American songbook, such as Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Stormy weather, It Don’t Mean a Thing, Beginning to See the Light, along with some fun uptempo boogie blues.
Talented vocalist Deidi Vine was brought up on Kangaroo Island SA with the wonderful old jazz classics from her father’s collection, which included Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Billy Holliday, and Fats Waller, to name a few.
Dei’s natural timbre and articulation for jazz is apparent from the very first note, complemented by the extraordinary skills of both John Hill, who spent years performing in England, Amsterdam and Japan, Kristan Burnnand, who hails from NZ, where he studied jazz and ventured on to play and teach music for three years in New York.
