17 February 2015
Bart Willoughby was looking for “a big sound” while rehearsing a song with singer Deline Briscoe. “I’d have to be playing the Melbourne Town Hall!” his missus overheard him say. “So, she jumped on it,” Willoughby says. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the venue’s giant organ pipes. “I’m staring at this, what I call ‘spaceship’, and going ‘Shit! Can I do this?’” he recalls. The innovative 2014 show that followed was acclaimed as a captivating musical and cultural experience. The composer/musician became the first Indigenous artist to play the historic instrument.
16 February 2015
It’s no secret Soundgarden is one of the bands that defined a generation. The spark that set off the explosion of the Seattle music scene in the late ’80s and early ’90s alongside Washington State alumni Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Mudhoney. Soundgarden revolutionised a tired sound with the creation of a new genre – behold the golden age of grunge! However, Soundgarden are unique, they process a certain je ne sais quoi. Is it their superior song writing skills, unusual time signature or Chris Cornell’s soaring vocal range? To celebrate their return to our shores for Soundwave we sat with lead guitarist and co-founder Kim Thayil to uncover the truth.
16 February 2015
With the Port Fairy Folk Festival fast approaching we’ve searched the globe to bring you an all access pass to the hottest new acts on this years bill. Brooklyn based quartet Lake Street Dive is proving to be one of the hottest tickets in town. I chatted with double bass player/backing singer Bridget Kearney to get the skinny on what punters can expect.
5 February 2015
Ballarat legends, The Dead Salesmen, are re-releasing their 1998 album Amen to vinyl through Heart of the Rat Records. Hap, Ryda, Lenny, Pat and Julitha will be getting back together to run through your favourite songs for three shows only – one at Karova on Friday, February 6 and another Castlemaine and Melbourne show to be announced. We spoke with Hap (Justin) about these exciting times!
5 February 2015
Charleston based American rockers, NEEDTOBREATHE, are about to make it out for their first ever trip to Australia for the World Vision Australia’s Make A Difference Tour with Third Day and Levi McGrath. I spoke with bass player Seth Bolt about their tour preparation.
5 February 2015
As soon as the iconic black and white logo’d poster with the words ‘Coming Soon’ hit the streets of Geelong people were talking. Nobody knew where this mystery venue was to open and the conspiracies on which vacant building it was to be in began like rapid fire. It had been a while since there’d been so much excitement over a new music venue and it was all thanks to the partnership of Spinning Half booker Steven Nichols and The Workers Club part owner John O’Brien.
5 February 2015
“Being in the Painters and Dockers is not like being in an ordinary rock band – it’s like being part of a Viking raiding party! You sign on and you go into battle; you go to war. We’ve had members come and go, but it’s an ongoing battle and it’s a beautiful thing!” laughed Paulie Stewart, home-grown punk legend, trumpet player and lead singer of the Painters and Dockers.
5 February 2015
You don’t have to be among the music cognoscenti to know Australian-born Ruth Moody is an exceptional talent. She is a two-time Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter and a founding member of the internationally celebrated folk trio The Wailin’ Jennys and this month she returns to her home away from home for the first time in nearly a decade. Forte had the chance to catch up with the lovely lady of folk as she wrapped up the European leg of her tour.
5 February 2015
We’ve all been envious of the Instagram and Facebook snaps, but for those who have not competed before, ‘What is The Color Run?’ Forte spoke with Tim Wiche, the event’s National Marketing Manager, about what the event involves and who can get involved.
5 February 2015
Over the past couple of years, Jordan Riddle has become a household name in the Geelong region. Whether it’s the swagger of his silky vocals or his reverb-crisp guitar work, he is definitely one to watch over the next few years as he continues to develop into one of Geelong’s finest exports. Talking in the lead up to Australia Day in the midst of the Festival of Sails on the Geelong Waterfront, it’s a very busy time, as Riddle relates.
1 February 2015
Jam at the Dam runs by a simple philosophy: the celebration of great music. We love the sound of that, so we spent a little time getting more familiar with this ripping little home-grown event.
27 January 2015
Sitting down at the infamous Piping Hot Chicken Shop in Ocean Grove, it is with great joy that I am able to chat with the boys from Tiny Giants. 2014 was a massive year for the band, as they released their debut album You’re Too Excitable, and looking forwards to 2015, there doesn’t seem to be any signs of slowing down yet.
25 January 2015
His distinctive guitar playing led the way for a generation in the ’90s Australian music scene. From the likes of ‘My Happiness’ to ‘These Days’ and ‘Baby I’ve Got You On My Mind’, Darren Middleton is a legend of the Australian music scene. Having released his debut album Translations in November 2013, Middleton is about to head out on the road with Guy Pearce. Ahead of a big 2015, we begin our conversation with a chat about the infamous Woodford Folk Festival.
24 January 2015
“The Port Fairy Folk Festival is like a big reunion,” grinned singer-songwriter and storyteller Jordie Lane. “There’s a whole bunch of my friends on the bill – a lot of my buddies from Melbourne who I haven’t seen in a while – and my parents [his mother, lovable Aussie comedian Denise Scott] are coming to see me there from Melbourne. It will be the first time I’ve caught up with them in almost a year.”
24 January 2015
Last week the Australian hip hop community at large was shocked by the last minute cancellation of all scheduled shows on 360’s Utopia tour, due to unexpected and unspecified illness. His management issued a statement containing a sincere apology, citing the fact that he had never cancelled a single gig before, backed up with a promise to make it up to all ticket holders as soon as possible.
23 January 2015
Hailing all the way from Seattle, USA, The Atomic Bombshells bring their internationally-renowned burlesque show to Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal for one night only! We had a chat with founder and artistic director, the one and only Kitten LaRue!
23 January 2015
Without a doubt, one of the biggest buzz bands around the Australian scene at the moment is Welsh group Catfish and the Bottlemen. Touring around with The Kooks at the moment, it was such a surreal moment to sit down with Van McCann, lead singer and guitarist for the band, to have a chat. Having seen these guys support The Wombats in Liverpool whilst I was living in England in 2011, these guys are saving rock music from all the Top 40 hype.
23 January 2015
To have “made it” as a band can mean so many different things these days. We are constantly hearing stories of well-known bands who are struggling to make ends meet through their music, despite how hard-working they are. For Melbourne band Twerps, this is all too familiar; whilst we all hear them on the radio, see them at their shows and festivals, we really have no idea at just how much work they have to put in to be there.
22 January 2015
Late last year we welcomed the Pivotonian Cinema, an independent film exhibitor that is proudly Geelong. Because we’re a sucker for a good flick, we got some snacks, dimmed the lights, and got comfy with Jessica Litsas as we talked about how things have been travelling.
22 January 2015
Despite the best of intentions, we don’t always make the grade when it comes to recycling. And when it comes to recycling, the smallest of extra effort can combine for huge results. Enter the ‘Think Recycle Campaign’, a fantastic local initiative you’re likely to hear a lot more about in coming months. To find out more, we got in touch with Darby Munro, a Waste Education Officer, Waste Services…
22 January 2015
Joe Camilleri has been around for a long time. A long, long time. But that doesn’t mean he still doesn’t have a trick or two up his sleeve. Proving that like a fine wine musicians can grow greater with age, we were more than happy to have another chinwag with this old pro.
22 January 2015
Of all the things on offer at Rainbow Serpent Festival, Yoga of Bass is something you may want to keep near the top of your to-do list. For those unfamiliar, Yoga of Bass is an ongoing discussion and a series of workshops by Darin McFadyen (aka DJ FreQ Nasty) and Claire Thompson on the intersection of music and spirituality. We spoke with Claire to find out a little more.
22 January 2015
Tongan-born, Melbourne-raised songman Joel Havea started gigging his way around the world in 2008. In 2009, he landed in Germany, a place where he found a deep, inspiring connection. Home again to escape their harsh winter, we catch up on six years well spent.
22 January 2015
The NightJar Market in Torquay, and most recently in Geelong, is probably one of the biggest success stories around the region. Since starting in 2010, the market now draws in excess of 10,000 punters a night and is an experience not to be missed. Talking about this year’s programming, I recently got the opportunity to sit down with Lyndelle Flintoft, one of the organisers, to find out about how it has developed into one of the biggest attractions on both the Surf Coast and Geelong summer calendar.
