Brrring on this winter! I can handle it…….I hope.

On the home stretch……..

It’s that time again. Dejavu? Well yes and no. Yes I’m home from tour and about to tell you all about it. No, it was a chilly 9 degrees when I arrived home! Winter is definitely here. I hope my vegies have survived in my absence.

Brisbane and Gold Coast shows and Unconvention

The Troubadour with Ben Salter and Lincoln Le Vevre – A very quiet night but stunning none the less. My highlight was the gentleman who danced to Linc’s entire set all by himself. This is not a clip of him but i think he must have trained at the same dance academy.

I attended a music industry conference called Unconvention which was held over the weekend of the 12th and 13th of June. I was blown away by the amount of young people in Brisbane working on unique music industry projects and finding exciting ways to market music. I highly recommend you jump online and check out the site if you are at all interested in the music industry. I was lucky enough to play at the after party with the incredible Cowper Band. Amazing live visuals including some cameras connected to Rowley’s microphone stand. These guys are worth seeing live, check out their website for more details.

On the Monday night I played at The Cavern, a great little venue in Nobby’s Beach on the Gold Coast. The place was packed and apparently is this way every Monday night with original local and interstate bands. A really special find in the Gold Coast for an artist like myself. After I played, a lovely gal named Kandy came up to me and asked if I would like to play the next night at The Palmy down the road. Of course I said yes and the next night Mum and I arrived at the very intimate little restaurant with great pizzas and a wonderful audience.

The Joynt was my last show in Brisbane and although it was quiet night the atmosphere was perfect. Such a great run of shows how was I going to top it in Sydney?

Sydney Shows and Song Summit

On Thursday the 17th of June I flew to Sydney and arrived at the venue we were to play at that night. The Raval is a velvet room filled with chesterfields and marble tables. It has a huge stained glass window behind the bar and two baby grands for hire. I could not have imagined a more perfect venue nor audience who listened intently and laughed appropriately.

Edward Deer and the guys from Cogel joined me on stage for Not Unprepared and I Take The Blame as well as Wally joining me for the duet Understand. It was like having my own little super band. So wonderful to share the stage with these fellas again and I am looking forward to our plans for the next few months.

The Sando (Sandringham Hotel) was the last show of the tour and an amazing climax to finish. We filled a little room with tables and chairs and the audience was silent during the performances of all the acts aside from a brief moment when a very drunk biker looking fellow with a scooter in his hand started yelling obscenities as he ascended the stairs. This night was a 5 act bill once again including Edward Deer and Cogel. I would highly recommend checking out the two other acts who played, Andy Gollege and Richie Cuthbert. To top it off here is a little video of the super band. What fun!

I also attended the bianual music industry conference Sydney’s Song Summit and to top it off the APRA awards on the Monday evening. Such a great experience to see so many fantastic australian songwriters recognised for their hard work. No after party for me though, it was time to catch a plane home and get back into the studio.

Mixing this week!

So here we are in the studio, working on Beautiful Town and I can’t help but day dream with this beautiful sunset out the window. Yet another glorious winters day in Gipsland. Andy Stewart and J.Walker are busy on the console and I am taking a little break to write to you all. The end is fast approaching and I am feeling slightly melancoly with the thought of not coming out here for a while. But new adventures await and you are all waiting for the record so I’d better get back to work.

Up-coming shows

I am so excited to announce some more shows.

Friday 2nd July @ The Corner
Supporting Lisa Miller

I have been listening to Car Tape 2 (Lisa’s new album) in the car on the way to the studio and it’s amazing! My new album to get hooked on, you should too.

Saturday July 3rd @ The Studio
PCT Wilsons Rd, Mornington
Mornington Peninsula Music Forum
3pm-5.30pm – Music Forum
7.30-midnite – Performances by all local Peninsula artists

Merchandise!

I am about to begin my own line of merchandise and I need your help. I have been faced with the ethical dilemma of cost verses moral beliefs when it comes to producing merchandise and I think I may have come up with a solution. I have decided to make my own merchandise with a combination of second hand clothing and home made designs. This means that each garment will be completely unique and completely environmentally sustainable. Exciting and guilt free. I have chosen some samples and will be posting examples in the next few weeks. I would love to hear your comments and recommendations on style, size, materials, colours and prints so that I can keep an eye out for a piece that you would be perfect for you.

The Kimberley needs your help

There is a lot of action going on in the Kimberley and I don’t want to preach to you all but I feel the need to spread the word.

As you all know I am from the Kununurra in the North East Kimberley. You may not know that the people of the Kimberley and others around Australia are currently fighting a major environmental battle. Incredibly, the far north-west Kimberley sub-region is the only part of Western Australia, and one of very few in Australia, that appears to have retained its complete native fauna species diversity without extinction since European settlement. The urgent reality is that the WA Government is pressing ahead with plans for a huge industrial hub to process Browse Basin gas and service other damaging downstream industries such as alumina refineries, fertiliser and explosives factories in James Price Point (‘JPP’ – known to its Traditional Owners as Walmadan) Broome, WA. If you are interested in reading more about this please follow the links. If you have read enough and want to sign a petition or donate click here.

More info on the Kimberley in crisis………..

More info on James Price Point ………..