Perth Music

On the heels of their US #1 album Decemberunderground, AFI announce their first Australasian tour since 2003. In addition to return engagements in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, AFI will also be playing shows for the first time in Adelaide, Perth and Auckland.

AFI’s latest album, Decemberunderground (out now through Universal Music), debuted at #1 on the US Billboard Chart, #3 on Australia’s ARIA chart, and charted in the Top 20 on New Zealand’s RIANZ chart.  AFI continue to avoid categorisation with Decemberunderground, fusing their unique blend of rock with electronic, hip-hop, New Wave and pop. Without doubt, Decemberunderground  is AFI’s most adventurous step to date.

Having sold out every date of their last tour of Australia, AFI will now take their explosive live performance to large venues in twice as many cities. The aggressive, energetic and almost epic AFI live show never fails to leave fans wishing for more.

Often considered the world’s most intensely worshipped band, AFI’s fan base continues to grow in size and intensity.  Leaving a trail of sold out shows behind them on their current world tour, AFI are in high demand around the globe.  Don’t miss your chance to see the other side to rock’s superstars of 2006 as they bring Decemberunderground to life in November.

Tickets On Sale Wednesday 20 September

Friday 10 November St James, Auckland
Sunday 12 November Metro City, Perth
Tuesday 14 November Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Thursday 16 November Festival Hall, Melbourne
Saturday 18 November Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Sunday 19 November Brisbane Convention Centre

2006 began with a bang for Eleventh He Reaches London. Hot on the heels of releasing their debut album, “The Good Fight For Harmony“, in December last year, the band started 2006 by touring with Coheed & Cambria and Gyroscope, completing their second solo jaunt to Melbourne, playing alongside Les Savy Fav and The Nation Blue, receiving two WAMI Award nominations, and eventually taking out the WAMI Award for “Favourite Newcomer”.

Fresh from an extended 6 month break from the live scene, Eleventh He Reaches London are set to make their long awaited return to the stage.

On Friday, September 15, Eleventh He Reaches London take over The Bakery Artrage Complex, armed with a swag of new material. The band will perform an extended set, showcasing their new songs, as well as playing material from “The Good Fight For Harmony“.
Special guests on the night will be Streetlight and Hooper’s Store.
For more info check out http://www.eleventhhereacheslondon.com and http://www.myspace.com/eleventhhereacheslondon

Continuing their love affair with Australia, The Mars Volta return for a run of shows across the country.  The last time Australia and New Zealand experienced The Mars Volta it was as part of the Big Day Out, but this time they return for a headlining tour, taking in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, as well as satisfying New Zealander’s with an appearance in Auckland.The Mars Volta return in support of their third album Amputechture (available in Australia September 9th and New Zealand September 11th through Universal Music). Amputechture signals a change for The Mars Volta; this is their first album without a unifying narrative.

Glowing reviews hint at The Mars Volta producing one of their best albums yet. The Observer (UK) gave the album 5/5 stars. While Blender wrote of Amputechture; “It’s epic, mercurial, high-impact progressive rock that moves like a whirlwind.”

The band’s live concerts incite similar praise. Blistering.com’s review of their January 2006 Sydney sideshow enthused; “when they brought it all to a monumental, heart-stopping halt…there was euphoria in the air.”

Tickets go on sale Thursday 21 September. Don’t miss your chance to experience the astounding Mars Volta as they show us how extraordinary music can be.

THE MARS VOLTA TOUR DATES 2006
Tuesday 28 November
Sydney Hordern Pavilion

Thursday 30 November
Brisbane Convention Centre

Saturday 02 December
Melbourne Festival Hall

Monday 04 December
Adelaide Thebarton Theatre

Wednesday 06 December
Perth Metro City

Friday 08 December
Auckland St James

Lucky West Australian punters are soon to get the Australian home crowd advantage to catch The Cat Empire as they make their way around the country for the first time in a year, finishing their National Tour in WA between Christmas and New Year.

Its been a busy year for the 6 piece, who started 2006 with a surprise performance on The Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony Stage, introducing the Empire to a televised audience of 1 billion people.  The music became the limited edition release CITIES –The Cat Empire Project.

Shortly after, the guys packed their bags for a World Tour across 3 continents, playing 45 dates in 12 countries – including Sold Out shows throughout Asia, USA, Canada, Europe, UK and their first Japan appearance at Summer Sonic.

Anyone would expect them to be exhausted after all of this, but The Cat Empire are excited to be coming back to the Australian stages.  “After months away in crazy places, we want to head back to the venues we know and have had great times at in the past” said Felix.  “Belvoir Amphitheatre was the highlight of our last Australian tour, we can’t wait to get back there.  We are bringing along some guests and will be playing some new material.”

The Cat Empire will play 3 shows in WA, the details listed below.

The Cat Empire - Nov/Dec 06
Tickets on sale from August 21

THUR NOV 16 NEWCASTLE
Beach Party, Newcastle Uni

FRI NOV 17 & SAT NOV 18 SYDNEY
The Enmore Theatre

SUN NOV 18 CANBERRA
STAGE 88, Commonwealth Park, (outdoor show)

WED NOV 22 & THURS NOV 23 BRISBANE
The Tivoli

FRI NOV 24 SUNSHINE COAST
The Shed

SAT NOV 25 MULLUMBIMBY
Mullumbimby Leagues Club (outdoor show)

SUN NOV 26 COOLANGATTA
Coolangatta Hotel

THUR NOV 30 ADELAIDE
The Thebarton

FRI DEC 1 & SAT DEC 2 MELBOURNE
The Forum

SUN DEC 3 TASMANIA, HOBART
Moorilla Estate (outdoor show)

THURS DEC 28 WA
Venue: TBC

FRI DEC 29 PERTH
Belvoir Amphitheatre

SAT DEC 30 MARGARET RIVER, WA
Xanadu Winery

Well the wait is over for those who have been wondering who will be gracing the stage at the Southbound Festival, WA’s finest Music, Camping and Arts festival.

Where to begin…mighty indie heroes Modest Mouse perhaps, or WA’s very own ambassadors of roots the John Butler Trio? How about world conquering rock crusaders Wolfmother, or pop’s dark princes Eskimo Joe? But then there’s the enigmatic Michael Franti & Spearhead, UK sensations The Bees and Kiwi hip-hop king Scribe.

And how could you ignore Youth Group, The Sleepy Jackson, Matt Costa (USA), Jamie Lidell (UK), You Am I, Saul Williams(USA), Little Birdy, The Black Seeds (NZ), The Exploders, The Audreys, Blue King Brown, Josh Pyke, The Presets and Infusion?

To check out more about these artists and to listen to music, head to the Southbound official site where you will also be able to buy tickets from September 20th.

In the past few years we have seen some fantastic albums that have been released by solo singers that are usually in bands or side project bands. Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger), Bob Evans (Jebediah), Thom Yorke (Radiohead), Dissociatives (Silverchair), Gwen Stefani (No Doubt), Birds Of Tokyo (Karnivool), Tim Rogers & The Temperance Union (You Am I), The Racontuers (The White Stripes), Lost Gospel (Grinspoon) are all examples and I don’t believe that they are all needed. There is usually one reason why a solo album or side project form, and it is to create something that is different to what they usually do.

The question that I pose is - Does the public force an artist to create a separate entity rather than letting a band try something different. Bernard Fanning songs are not that different from Powderfinger songs but the feeling on the album is much more acoustic and that is why they are separate entities. But why couldn’t the public accept a change from an established band? Why would it be so hard for Silverchair fans to accept a more electronic album like The Dissociatives album released by Silverchair? It’s a fear of change.

Would The Beatles have been as big if George Harrison released Sgt Peppers as a solo album or if Ringo released Yellow Submarine as a side project? Maybe not. This solo album nonsense needs to stop and bands need to stop pigeon-holing themselves and start releasing different styles of albums. And the public needs to be more accepting and open minded to bands experimenting and evolving.

By the way, when did it become common thing for the audience at a concert to use the light on their mobile phone instead of a lighter when a slow song is played?

And one last thing, Mutto absolutely murdered Eskimo Joe’s Black Fingernails, Red Wine last night on Australian Idol.

Soul Highway is proud to present its first annual flagship event in Western Australia….THE WAVE ROCK WEEKENDER which will be running non-stop from midday on Saturday Sep 30th until midday on Mon 2nd Oct. It is an event that that offers an authentic all-weekend, long-weekend experience that combines unique location, a tiny capacity, camping, friends, food, freedom, music, film and the highest quality talent.

Line Up Includes Salmonella Deb (NZ), Little Birdy, Ash Grunwald, Roni Size & Dynamite MC (UK), Bob Log III (USA), Kill Devil Hills, Bobby Blackbird & The Bluejays, Day Of The Dead, Holly Throsby, Sunshine Brothers, Sodastream, Gersey, Saritah, Darren Hanlon, Lloyd Spiegal, Steve Tallis, Leena, Melatonin, Funk Club Allstars, Fall Electric, Abbe Fuzz, Benedict Moleta, DJ Joe 19, Dan The Man.

Tickets are on sale today and for more info goto www.soulhighway.com.au