After a decade when he fought a few inner psychological demons  Adam Ant performed some gigs in England in 2010 . From there He then built up his new band Adam Ant and the Good, The Mad and the Lovely Posse’.

2011 was spent building on that momentum and culminated with Ant returning to the studio back where he recorded the album ‘Adam Ant Is The Blueback Hussar In Marrying The Gunners Daughter’, now set for a June 2012 release on his own label Blueback Hussar Records.

Blueback Hussar has also signed Georgie Girl and Her Poussez Posse. They’ll support Adam Ant on the Australian tour.

In a 2011 interview with Vive Le Rock, Adam Ant, the writer heard a preview of the album in its current state and his comments were positive. “Even before the final mixes its sounding great, a mixture of tough, hard neo-industrial songs that sound like the Physical era Ants. He co-wrote those tougher songs with Chris McCormack of 3 Colours Red and there are some really cool twangy rockers written with Boz Boorer, Morrissey’s guitar player. There’s a couple of slower, almost ballad –like songs and a brace of off the wall angular moments that hark back to the groundbreaking Ants of the debut Dirk Wears White Socks album.”

Sounds promising.

Adam Ant dates are:

March 23, Sydney, Enmore Theatre

March 27, Perth, Metro

March 30, Melbourne, Palace

April 5, Adelaide, Thebarton Theatre

April 8, Brisbane, Tivoli

Not seen down under since touring her 2006 opus Comfort of Strangers, Beth promises an intimate show that will feature material from all her classic recordings – including Trailer Park (1996) and her two Australian chart successes Central Reservation (1999) and Daybreaker (2002) – as well as a preview of songs from her highly anticipated upcoming album.

A fiercely independent trend-bucker from the very outset of her career, Beth Orton is well-renowned for her collaborations as for her own work – collaborations which range in style from her early ground-breaking and innovative sessions with William Orbit and The Chemical Brothers (recordings widely acknowledged as pre-figuring the folktronica movement), to her tender haunting vocals for folk legend Bert Jansch’s Black Swan album.

In the time since her last release Comfort of Strangers, Beth has been busy raising a family; but with a new album imminent in 2012 (on her new label, US based ANTI-), Beth explains the interval was also a period for some serious introspection: “The truth of the matter is I’ve taken off time to reassess my work, to think about the songs I write, and what it is I love most about what I do. It’s taken a lot to just really pull it down and deconstruct it and build it back up again. It’s taken me this long to get a body of work together that I feel proud of; but these songs are like nothing I’ve ever written.”

Hot on the heels of recording her new album, Beth Orton’s upcoming Australian dates will offer not just a rare opportunity to catch this esteemed artist, but also witness her in the process of defining a new chapter in her music.

Brisbane – Sunday 15 January – Old Museum Concert Hall

Sydney – Tuesday 17 & Wednesday 18 January – City Recital Hall

Melbourne - Friday 20 January - Athenaeum Theatre

Adelaide - Saturday 21 January – The Gov

Perth – Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 January – The Quarry

Three time Grammy winner Williams has established a reputation as one of rock’s most uncompromising and consistently fascinating writers and performers, earning kudos from artists as diverse as Mary-Chapin Carpenter and Elvis Costello.

2012 marks the 33rd anniversary of Lucinda’s first recording – and after 30 plus years of writing, recording and performing, she is in the midst of her most prolific period to date. Her latest album ‘Blessed’ resonates with new sounds, familiar styles and thought-provoking sentiment; showcasing all the elements that have made Williams one of the most celebrated living songwriters.

Lucinda has been writing since the age of 6, playing guitar since she was 12 and has been performing for the last 37 years. It’s fair to say she has perfected the art of creating intriguing, gritty lyrics to match her distinctive, haunting voice during this time. Blessed is no exception.

This alt-country songstress had Elvis Costello among the guest musicians featured on her latest album, playing some scorching electric guitar that only further offset the strength of her spine-tingling voice.

Born in Louisiana of a poet and a pianist, Williams won the first of her 3 Grammy Awards in 1988 for her single Passionate Kisses.

Following this came a long pause punctuated by one album and various guest appearances, until ten years on in 1998 she hit the road running with Car Wheels On a Gravel Road which not only went gold but won another Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Three years on, in 2001, she earned her third Grammy Award, this time for Best Female Rock Performance for the single Get Right With God, an up-tempo gospel rock song from an otherwise low-key Essence.

DATES

April 2 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne

April 3 – State Theatre, Sydney

The tour is a celebration of the legacy of the music of Joy Division who have become one of the most revered bands in musical history and their influence remains strong with many bands and fans world

Although the band was to last only three and a half years with the tragic suicide of Joy Division lead singer, Ian Curtis in May 1980, the Martin Hannett produced seminal second and final album Closer. was released two months later, becoming an instant classic across critics and fans.

The release of Closer came as a bitter-sweet comfort to fans around the world who, while mourning Curtis’ loss, were also celebrating the creation of what has been referred to as Joy Divisions’ finest work.

“Closer is even more austere, more claustrophobic, more inventive, more beautiful, and more haunting than its predecessor. It’s also Joy Division’s start-to-finish masterpiece, a flawless encapsulation of everything the group sought to achieve. 10 / 10.” (Pitchfork Media)

Spawning the landmark tracks ‘Isolation’ and ‘Heart And Soul’, the album reached #6 on the UK Albums Chart at the time of its release, and claimed the #1 slot on NME Album of the Year.  Since then, Closer has received numerous accolades: it was ranked #10 on Pitchfork Media’s Top 100 Albums of the 1980s, #72 on NME’s 100 Greatest British Albums Ever and in 2006 was ranked #8 in Q Magazine’s list of 40 Best Albums of the ’80s.

Peter Hook is a founding member two of the most significant bands in popular musical history – Joy Division and New Order – and a legend in his own right.  His 2010 Australian ‘Unknown Pleasures’ tour was a huge success with sell-out shows at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre, and the Enmore in Sydney. Hooky and the music of Joy Division was received with open arms by grateful fans who, 30 years on, still hold this phenomenal contribution to musical history close to their hearts.

Thursday 12th April 2012 @ Melbourne, Palace Theatre

Friday 13th April 2012 @ Brisbane, Tivoli

Saturday 14th April 2012 @ Sydney, Enmore Theatre

Monday 16th April 2012 @ Adelaide, HQ Complex

The concert is held at the Myer Music Bowl which makes you wonder exactly what it’s got to do with the dreaded car race at all.  In Melbourne there’s two shows, one on the Saturday night and one on the Sunday night, after the Grand Prix.  F1 Rocks seems to be some sort of offshoot of the Grand Prix  and the local promoter appears to have teamed up with ‘F1 Rocks’, whatever that might be. The real question us taxpayers would like to know is whether we are subsidizing the costs of the tour, given that it seems like it wont do anything to alleviate the losses the event car racing event makes. There’s no mention of the concert on the Grand Prix website, so perhaps it’s not related at all, and F1 Rocks is a separate entity.

Regardless of any of that the music should be good.

Lenny Kravitz has transcended genre, style and class into a 20-year musical career, one which revels in the rich influences of ’60s and ’70s soul, rock and funk. He is a four-time Grammy Award winner and has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide. The artist’s multiple talents as a writer, producer and multiinstrumentalist  have resonated through eight studio albums. Kravitz released his ninth studio album earlier this year, Black and White America (out now through Roadrunner Records). Marking his first release of new material in three years, Black and White America is a rich rock and funk-infused collection filled with Lenny’s signature guitar riffs, compelling melodies and the undeniable anthemic lyricism that has been his trademark over the course of his 20-year career.

The Cranberries, fronted by Dolores O’Riordan, lit up the charts around the world for more than a decade with classics such as Linger, Dreams and Zombie. They have sold more than 30 million records and have had two number one albums in Australia, No Need To Argue (1994) and To The Faithful Departed (1996). Other live favourites include Free To Decide, When You’re Gone, Salvation, Ode To My Family and Ridiculous Thoughts. After taking a few years off to raise their families, the band are thrilled to be back with their new album, Roses (released next year through Shock Records on February 10), their first record in more than ten years since Wake Up And Smell The Coffee in 2001.

In 2007 Aussie rockers Wolfmother won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for their single Woman. This followed ARIA Award wins for Best Group, Best Breakthrough Album and Best Rock Album for their debut self-titled album. The album Wolfmother has been certified 5 x Platinum in Australia (as well as Gold in the US, UK and Canada). Their latest album, Cosmic Egg, was released in 2009 and debuted at number three in the Australian charts (as well as charting in Europe and US).

Tickets go on sale Monday, November 21

Lenny Kravitz Australian Tour 2012

Saturday 17 March F1 Rocks In Melbourne, Sidney Myer Music Bowl

Sunday 18 March F1 Rocks In Melbourne, Sidney Myer Music Bowl

Tuesday 20 March Wollongong, WIN Entertainment Centre

Wednesday 21 March Sydney, Sydney Entertainment Centre

Saturday 24 March Brisbane, Riverstage

Wednesday 28 March Perth, Athletics Stadium

Melissa Etheridg

Throughout the 80s and 90s, Etheridge was one of the most popular female singer songwriters of the time and her strong rock  and blues based sound, mixed with her personal stance on a number of social issues made her a significant artist.

On September 27, 2011 the Grammy Award-winning singer received the honour of having her own star placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This comes on top of her remarkable 2007 Academy Award for her song “I Need To Wake Up,” written for the Al Gore documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth.

The singer’s honest and confessional song writing style paired with her bluesy rock-infused vocals has seen her rise to the top of the musical spectrum since the her 1988 debut album Melissa Etheridge, which is certified triple platinum in Australia and double platinum in New Zealand.

Fan favourites such as ‘Bring Me Some Water’, ‘No Souvenirs’ and ‘Ain’t It Heavy’,  for which she won her first Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal, are amongst many of the songs that Etheridge is best known for.

Etheridge’s 1993 album Yes I Am contained the massive hits ‘I’m the Only One’ and ‘Come to My Window’, a scorching song of desire that delivered her second Best Female Rock Grammy.  Since then, Melissa has continued to tour constantly and has released a total of ten studio albums, and has recently launched the daily Melissa Etheridge Radio Show for broadcast throughout the world.

“As one of the most prominent women in rock, Melissa Etheridge has blazed a striking path through the genre with her soulful, gritty voice and formidable guitar playing… This compilation presents highlights from Etheridge’s remarkable career” – CD Universe

“What can be said about Melissa Etheridge that hasn’t already been said? The singer/songwriter/guitarist has done it all. Nominated for fifteen Grammy’s, winning two, one Academy Award, selling millions of albums and is even a breast cancer survivor.” – rockshowcritique.com

“Melissa Etheridge is to female rock vocalists, what Robert Plant is to male rock vocalists. She’s got that full growling throaty sound, plus tremendous guitar skills and writes songs that are truly inspirational.” – sceneinthedark.com

Dates:

July 6, Auckland NZ, Civic Theatre

July 7, Wellington, NZ, Michael Fowler Centre

July 10, Brisbane, QPAC

July 11, Sydney, Opera House

July 15, Melbourne, Plenary

July 17, Adelaide, AEC Theatre

July 20, Perth, Riverside Theatre

This will be Ryan’s first ever solo tour of the region, having toured here previously with backing band The Cardinals; and if the start of his US tour dates this month were any indication, fans are about to be rewarded.

“You wonder why more shows can’t be like this. Not just Ryan Adams shows that strip away the overproduction and the playacting, but concerts in general where no one’s updating their Tumblr, no one’s snapping photos, etc. …” – LA Weekly

“Over the course of nearly two and a half hours, he played 26 songs…which allowed him to excavate whole album sides and plumb his deep catalog as well as plow through the new material of this year’s Ashes & Fire…In the last decade, the songwriter has quietly become one of the best singers in rock, able to howl or hush with equal aplomb.” – Drowned In Sound

A highly regarded songwriter and musician amongst his contemporaries, Ryan Adams’ latest album Ashes & Fire has been widely lauded by fans and critics across the globe:

“Ashes & Fire essentially is Adams up close and acoustic… it’s enough to know that this is very, very good.” 4/5 stars – Sydney Morning Herald

“Folk troubadour Ryan Adams continues to wander on his latest album, but rarely gets lost…Vocally, Adams is on top of his game, which helps the album truly break free from his often restrained Americana…Welcome back, tiger.” – Herald Sun

“Ashes & Fire, feels like the record we always suspected he had in him. It is too good not to write about” – Esquire

“A slow-burning splendor… will leave you speechless” – People

“His fragile lyrics and his voice, sounding strong and clear, better than it has in years, twist into a perfect union on Ashes & Fire… Embedded in a world of crashing, pounding pop music, Adams’ solo rawness brings with it sweet release.” – LA Times

“His best solo album in a decade…Ashes & Fire is a stunning, stripped-back, heart-on-sleeve record that re-captures his irrefutable songwriting ability.” – NME

“Ashes & Fire is the sound of Ryan Adams replacing himself amongst music’s most revered… This is an album that delivers more and more with every listen, showcasing an artist maturing with grace and poise.” – BBC Music

Currently touring Europe, Ryan Adams’ continues to assert his musical prowess leaving audiences breathless:

“For over two hours, the North Carolina-born singer surefootedly glided through 26 delicate songs, punctuating them with genial chat.” 4/5 Stars – The Guardian

“It’s hard to envisage any other artist holding the attention of an 800-strong crowd for over two hours, armed only with a couple of acoustic guitars, a piano and a scrapbook full of songs…With a voice that oscillates between wistful croon and triumphant rasp, often within the same note, it is in this stripped-bare setting that Adams talent with a melody and songwriting ability really shines through.” – Clashmusic.com

Dates

Feb 25, 2012 – Perth Concert Hall, Perth

Feb 28, 2012 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney

Mar 1, 2012 – Concert Hall – QPAC, Brisbane

Mar 3, 2012 – Regent Theatre, Melbourne

Mar 6, 2012 – Regent Theatre, Dunedin

Mar 8, 2012 – Civic Theatre, Auckland

Nick Lowe

Last month Lowe released his first studio album in four years, ‘The Old Magic’ . The album offers eight Lowe originals, plus three covers, and features special guests Ron Sexsmith, Paul Carrack and Jimmie Vaughan, as well as band regulars Watkins, Treherne and Steve Donnelly.

Lowe’s career hit off in ’69 as bass player for seminal pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz, the UK pub rock scene setting the stage for punk rock and new wave.

But it was Lowe’s work as Stiff Records’ (co-founder and) in-house producer which was to be highly influential on the development of punk rock. An extensive list of early producing credits notably include: ‘Damned Damned Damned’, The Damned’s debut album, credited as the UK’s first punk album; Elvis Costello’s first five albums between ’77 and ’81; and The Pretenders debut single ‘Stop Your Sobbing’.

Lowe released the first ever single and EP on Stiff Records, but his most successful hits read as: ‘I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass’ from his debut album ‘Jesus of Cool’ (or ‘Pure Pop for Now People’ as it’s known in the USA); ‘Cruel To Be Kind’ lifted from his 2nd album ‘Labour of Lust’; and a re-worked Brinsley Schwarz tune ‘(What’s so Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding’, successfully covered by Elvis Costello and later Curtis Stigers for ‘The Bodyguard’ soundtrack.

Over the past forty-plus years, Nick Lowe’s evolving musical styles have forged a path through pub rock, roots, rhythm & blues and rock & roll, with works often echoing strong influences of American vintage country and roots music. There have been many musical incarnations over the decades including Rockpile, a collaboration with guitarist Dave Edmunds, and short-lived super group Little Village with John Hiatt, Ry Cooder & Jim Keltner.

In celebration of his long career, in August of this year during a packed-out, showcase performance at the Grammy Museum in LA, Nick Lowe revealed to a spellbound audience: “As you get older, it’s more fun to sing the blues. It cheers you up.”

Lowe is currently touring with Wilco in the US.

The Old Magic’ Australian Tour 2012

Melbourne, Forum Theatre – Thursday March 22*

Adelaide, Norwood Concert Hall – Saturday March 24

Perth, Astor Theatre – Monday March 26

Sydney Opera House Concert Hall – Thursday March 29

Brisbane, The Tivoli – Wednesday April 4

All shows fully reserved seating.

Tickets on sale Tuesday October 18, *except Melbourne on sale Monday October 17.

The themes on the album return, time and again, to the matter of war, the fate of the people who must do the fighting, and events separated by whole ages, from Afghanistan to Gallipoli. The album they make up is not a work of protest, nor of strait-laced social or political comment. It brims with the mystery and magnetism in which Harvey excels.

Of the album ‘The Guardian’ wrote “She remains one of the most thrilling and relevant musicians working today… A melodious, beautiful album, passionate and rich and alive.” Whilst The Financial Times commented that “‘Let England Shake’ is the most powerful work yet by any British artist about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Harvey was crowned the  Mercury Prize recipient for a record-breaking second time – she is the first artist ever to achieve this remarkable double victory. The prize for ‘Let England Shake’ came a decade after Harvey’s inaugural win for her fifth album ‘Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea.’ The Evening Standard commented on the win “‘Let England Shake’ is a masterpiece… Harvey saw the big picture. She deserved the big prize.”

The Australian shows will feature songs from the new album alongside songs from previous albums. Harvey will be accompanied by a band which comprises of Mick Harvey, John Parish & Jean Marc Butty.

JANUARY 2012

Friday 13 Jan — Concert Hall, Perth, WA

Sunday 15 Jan — Regent Theatre, Melbourne, VIC

Wednesday 18 Jan State Theatre, Sydney, NSW (SYDNEY FESTIVAL)

Thursday 19 Jan State Theatre, Sydney, NSW
(SYDNEY FESTIVAL)

Saturday 21 Jan Princes Wharf One, Hobart, TAS (MONA FESTIVAL)

Hall and Oates

These shows should be fantastic. If you only know Hall and Oates from their radio hits you might think that they are a bit MOR but let me tell you when they toured here a couple of decades ago it was one of the best musical concerts you could imagine. Daryl Hall in particular was just a brilliant live vocalist.

Hall has been busy lately hosting an on-line tv series called Live From Daryls House (www.livefromdarylshouse.com)where musos visit his house and chat and play music. It’s often great viewing.

Past episodes of Live From Daryl’s House have featured a mix of well-known performers like Rob Thomas, Train’s Pat Monahan, Jose Feliciano, Smokey Robinson, The Doors’ Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek, Toots Hibbert, Nick Lowe, K.T. Tunstall, Todd Rundgren, Travie McCoy and Patrick Stump along with newcomers such Eric Hutchinson, Cash Money rocker Kevin Rudolf, Matt Nathanson, Parachute, Chromeo, Plain White T’s, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, soul diva Sharon Jones, Diane Birch, Fitz & the Tantrums, hot new alternative band Neon Trees and veteran alternative mainstays Guste

Most recently, Daryl Hall & John Oates released their first box set, Do What You Want, Be What You Are: The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates.  The box set marks the first comprehensive multi-CD, multi-label deluxe box set compilation ever assembled from their entire career’s work, four CDs containing 74 tracks (16 of them previously unreleased).

The relationship between Hall and Oates and Icehouse goes back a lon way and has been a financial pleasure for both of them. John Oates co-wrote Icehouse’s biggest international hit Electric Blue.

“I remember being invited by Iva Davies to come to Sydney to try to write a song in the late 80s,” John Oates recalls in the press release. “We tried for a few days and didn’t come up with much of anything.  Then we just hung out on the beach while Iva went windsurfing and when we returned to the studio we finally came up with the song Electric Blue.”

Some of the songs you’ll hear at this concert include ‘Rich Girl’, ‘Kiss On My List’, ‘Private Eyes’, ‘I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)’, ‘Maneater’ and ‘Out Of Touch’ from six consecutive multi-platinum selling albums. Along with ‘Sara Smile’, ‘One On One’, ‘You Make My Dreams’ and the sublime ‘She’s Gone‘, they racked up a phenomenal 34 Billboard chart hits.

FEBRUARY

2 – The Plenary, Melbourne, VIC

4 – Centennial Vineyards, Bowral, NSW

5 – Sirromet Wines, Mt. Cotton, QLD

8 – Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, NSW

11 – Peter Lehmann Wines, Barossa Valley, SA

12 – Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, VIC

Tickets are on sale Wednesday, September 7 through www.ticketmaster.com.au.