Karl Williams Blood
‘When I started working on the video for Blood To Give I knew that I wanted to convey something about being caught up in a destructive machine and seeking a way out of that while feeling uncertain whether indeed you have the capacity to escape something so omnipresent,’ says Karl of his creation.
Not just a musical artist, Karl created the clip himself through experimenting with animation using his own drawings. The assets were painted on paper, and then scanned in, with the finishing touch being the use of a green screen to superimpose himself on top of the animation.
‘We got time for only one full pass and I missed the first line, plus I was in a room with two of the funniest guys I know, so had to fight back a smile for most of the first verse. I decided that was compatible with the message anyway; the trials of this world are best met with a smile.’
Having performed previously at festivals across the country including Bluesfest, Woodford, Bigsound, Dark Mofo, and The Planting to name just a few, Karl S Williams is no stranger to the live circuit. Witness his stunning performances along the east coast this September and October.
Karl Williams plays the Hotel Great Northern on Saturday.
Beautiful Girls let themselves go
It was 2002 when Australian roots rock trio The Beautiful Girls made their debut release Morning Sun – a melting pot of sunny surf sounds and refreshing reggae undertones – which established the band’s unique aesthetic. The title track quickly became a staple on Australia’s National Youth Radio station Triple J and, with the impetus of fan favourite Periscopes, Morning Sun quickly climbed to #1 on the Australian Independent Album Chart, staying there for months. In 2003 The Beautiful Girls released the band’s first full-length album Learn Yourself.
The album went on to become a ground-breaking success, debuting at #1 on The Australian Independent Album Chart, knocking Morning Sun out of the way to do so, and was selected to be feature album on Triple J.
Numerous #1 albums, ARIA and APRA nominations, glowing reviews and several international tours later, The Beautiful Girls have chosen to pay homage to their roots by touring the songs from the now gold-certified, seminal Morning Sun EP and Learn Yourself album along with other selected crowd favourites from the extensive catalogue. Summer of 2017 / 2018 is the perfect time to celebrate the joint 15th anniversaries of these milestone releases.
On the journey from first release until today The Beautiful Girls have gained a worldwide core of avid fans as well as those of the Jack Johnson, Ben Harper and Xavier Rudd tribes. The sound of the band has been described as ‘raw, spooky, rootsy, punky, reggae, dubby’ and is complemented by the unique, vibrant voice of frontman and creative force Mat McHugh.
The Beautiful Girls outfit will return from their European tour to hit the road down under over summer 2017 / 2018, fittingly, to perform the surf-roots-reggae Morning Sun and Learn Yourself sounds that originally thrust them into the limelight, winning over the admiration of the nation.
They play the Hotel Great Northern on Friday 5 January and, while it may seem like a long way off, it is sure to sell out, so get your tickets from the venue ASAP.
Harrison’s Vegas
Released in November 2016, Harrison Craig’s Kings of Vegas album is homage to the most important music in Harrison’s life. From Nat King Cole to Sinatra’s Rat Pack, Elvis Presley to Tom Jones, Mel Torme to Frankie Valli, the album includes new interpretations of classics such as Almost Like Being in Love, She’s a Lady and Comin’ Home. His unique tone and crooning style set him apart in his genre and fans will be excited to see Harrison bring these songs to life onstage for his Kings of Vegas: Lounge Sessions tour, which will reach both capital cities and regional towns.
The two-hour concert will showcase songs from the Kings of Vegas album performing the hits from the likes of Mel Torme, Nat King Cole, Bobby Darin, Frankie Valli, Elvis Presley, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr, Tom Jones, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Barry Manilow and The Righteous Brothers, among many more. Add the hits of the new Kings of Vegas – Elton John, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart and Michael Bublé – plus a string of Harrison’s own hits from his first two records and you’ve got a show that you definitely don’t want to miss.
Saturday 30 September at the Ballina RSL. Tickets available at ballinarsl.com.au.
Loa plays at Elements of Byron on Friday.
