Creedence

If you've been a reader of mine for any time longer than a few months, you're probably aware of my rather angry approach to Byron Bay Blues Fest and how it considers Brisbane to be next door, so we don't get side shows.

That in itself makes this show announcement confusing. But there's so many aspects of it that confuses the heck out of me. But first, who is it?

Well, it's John Fogerty. Lead singer of a little band from a long time ago that was known as Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Years and years ago, Cosmos Factory by CCR was one of the first albums my dad every bought. To this day, it still sits on my shelf and gets played to death. CCR is just one of those bands with a unique sound (southern swamp rock) that you just know and recognize anywhere. And a lot of this is due to John Fogerty's voice. So unique, that he got sued for sounding too much like himself. I shit you not.

He won, but had to pay a tonne of royalties to play any CCR song. Which brings me to confusing point number 2: this tour is him playing a classic album in full. Some towns get Cosmos Factory, some towns get Green River. 

Brisbane, much to my disappointment, get Green River. But never fear, at the same time he'll play a lot of other CCR songs and even some of his classic solo hits, which he had a few of.

April 5th, Entertainment Centre.

The big problem for me, is that there are 3 other shows I'm desperate to see that day: Sublime (with Rome), Taking Back Sunday and the G3 guitar tour. CHRIST. Which one?!

Bluesfest third announcement; Chuck assumes the fetal position and spends the rest of the night crying

I've been avoiding posting too much about Bluesfest, because it just makes me sad. I can't make the festival down in Byron, and because of their "Brisbane=Byron" stance (THEY ARE NOT EVEN IN THE SAME FUCKING STATE) we get zero sideshows. Most years, there's a few bands/acts (*cough*cough* Bob Dylan) that makes me incredibly upset. But this year it's basically the whole lineup. I don't want to rehash, so just go look here.

Normally third announcements are just filler, local bands and for-contractual-reasons late announcements, but fucking hell, this Bluesfest third announcement is just rubbing salt in my already open and bleeding wound.

Ziggy Marley.
Richard Clapton.
John Fogerty.

JOHN FUCKING FOGERTY. That voice so distinct that you can recognize a Creedence Clearwater Revival song anywhere. The voice so unique and amazing he got sued for sounding too much like himself. Bloody hell Bluesfest. I hate you.

Festival second announcements

While I sit here and recover from the awesomeness that was Harvest festival last weekend, here's the latest announcements for more festivals coming our way:

Soundwave third announcement
This lineup is already stunning, especially if you love 90s heavier music (which most of us at this age do). Somehow, to make it even more difficult to see all the bands you want to now, they've crammed more bands into the lineup. Of the list I'm keen for:

• Bush
• In Flames
• Fireworks
• The Black Dahlia Murder

The others I've never really heard of, but they are: Holy Grail, Hyro Da Hero, These Kids Wear Crowns, In This Moment, Conditions, Black Tide, Kids In Glass Houses, Cherri Bomb.

It's going to be a very long day on February 25, that's for sure.

Bluesfest second announcement
I'm trying my best this year to keep my Bluesfest hate-filled "why-no-Brisbane" rants down to a minimum, but there's a few bands on the second announcement that make me swoon. These include

• The Specials
• Crosby, Stills and Nash
• Seasick Steve
• Alabama Three

Seriously Bluesfest? Fuck you. Have a few shows in Brisbane. Byron for the festival is not something we can all do, especially over Easter. I'd love to see so many of those bands. You'll sell out, get huge crowds, make lots of money and still let us see NONE OF THE FUCKING BANDS. Argh.

April 5-9, Byron Bay. If you're able to get there.

Weekly news update

I've given up fighting it, until things get less busy (which never happens at Christmas) I'm going to just post updates when I can, even if it means compressing them in one.

Eminem
He's decided instead of the Brisbane show on December 5, he'd do another Sydney show again. Sorry kids. C.R.E.A.M.

Omar Rodríguez-López Group & La Butcherettes
I'm not even going to say anything about this one. The legendary guitarist and producer of At the Drive-In and Mars Volta fame will be playing solo material, and bass in a mexican punk band in the one night. At the Zoo. Holy shit fan boy overload. December 11. 18+

Death Grips
I posted a link to his free album a while back and now he's coming to do a club tour of Australia! The only downside is, Brisbane is the only place yet to have a date booked... A bit dodgy if you ask me. If it does go ahead, it will be January 26th. TBD


Pigapolooza
This will be yet another night celebrating all things heavier in Brisbane music. Featuring bands like Numbers Radio (okay, maybe not all heavy), Dollarosa, Resist the Thought, the Kidney Thieves and Torn Usunder, it will also be headlined by a very non-Brisbane band, American death-core band All Shall Perish. It's a whole day event at the Tempo Bar over 2 stages, on November 27th. 18+


Bluesfest
There's literally no festival in Australia that gets me so excited but then makes me a bitter man as quickly as Bluesfest. Every year, without fail, the Byron Bay festival announces amazing bands. Then I realize that I can't possibly make it down there for it at all. And then, to top it off, they basically think Brisbane is Byron Bay (fuck off) and have no sideshows whatsoever. So next year, between April 5 and 9, I'll be missing out on bands such as the Pogues, Roger Daltry (performing Tommy (I may cry missing this)), Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yes, Buddy Guy, Brian Setzer, My Morning Jacket and the Jayhawks.


FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WHY CAN'T BRISBANE GET A BREAK WITH THIS. If you can get more time off than I can, head to Byron Bay for this. Or you'll hate yourself as much as the alt-country guy inside of me is.


Ryan Adams
Speaking of alt-country, Ryan Adams is coming down to Australia to tour his red hot new album (which I'll be reviewing tomorrow on Twitter if I get a chance). March 1st at QPac. This should be a great show of just him (without his Cardinals). This will be incredible. If you haven't heard his album Ashes and Fire, get it now. He's the best thing to come out of Canada since Neil Young and Maple Syrup.

Brisbane punk night
What are you doing December 2? Nothing? Well get your ass over to the Basement on Brunswick St to see the reunion show of Brisbane punkers Stolen Bikes Ride Faster, supported by a bunch of awesome local bands including Friends with the Enemy. It's $10. YOU HAVE NO EXCUSES. I also imagine a lot of beer will be drunk. A LOT.

Blues-fucking-fest, 2nd announcement

I mentioned the other day that ZZ Top had been announced to play the already stellar Bluesfest line up in Byron. Just look at the lineup already. So there's now been an official announcement, and the bands include

Jethro Tull
ZZ Top
John Legend
Gurrumul (Bluesfest exclusive)
Toots & the Maytals
Pete Murray
Wolfmother
Funky Meters
Irma Thomas
Booker T
Los Lobos
Kasey Chambers
Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band
Tim Robbins & the Rogues Gallery Band
The Dingoes
Diesel
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
B.B. & the Blues Shack
Joe Louis Walker
Phil Jones & the Unknown Blues
The Snowdroppers
Ray Beadle
Nat Col & the Kings
Barrence Whitfield

Sure, there's a lot of local stuff in there, but there's still some stellar names. Booker T?! He wrote one of the most memorable tunes/riffs of all time. Jethro Tull, they who popularised Jazz Flute that even gets parodied in classic movies. And then my favourite one, nestled halfway down the list: Los Lobos. A Hispanic/American roots band that most people will know for this song. However last year they put out an amazing album covering Disney songs, a lot from classical albums from my youth.

Just wow. This will be an amazing Easter in Byron.

All the news in one

I've been neglecting my blog most of this week as life has been busy (as it always is in pre-Christmas/party/cricket season). So here's the condensed news I've been meaning to post here:

Toro Y Moi
... is generally one man making electronic/lofi/chillwave music. He's put together a small band and is coming down under for his first tour, playing Woodland on February 24.

MySpace

Helmet
Page Hamilton of hardcore masters Helmet have said they are coming out here in April/May. I am looking forward to this, Meantime is one of the best albums ever made that started the whole hardcore genre.

That was probably my first introduction to hardcore, late one night as I was watching it on Rage. About the same time I saw a Toe to Toe video actually.

Jason Collett
The name is probably not familiar, but he's one of the guys in the Canadian indie powerhouse that is Broken Social Scene. He does a lot of solo work too, and he'll be coming down under to play that (and I'm hoping a few BSS songs).

January 13, the Zoo. 18+.

MySpace

(hed) P.E.
These guys were one of the early bands about a decade ago, in the rap-rock movement. And they had a few good songs (Bartender still gets played by me a lot). They've just released a new album, which I've queued up but yet to listen to, and are doing a run of tour dates.

HiFi, January 28. 18+

MySpace

Cam/Mikey (Cola Wars/Bodyjar) Acoustic Tour
These two are the main drive behind the Australian punk bands Cola Wars and Bodyjar. They've jumped on the "old punk bands' lead singers doing acoustic tour" bandwagon and are heading out to play all of their classic Cola Wars and Bodyjar songs on acoustic guitar.

Boys & Girls (X&Y), December 16, 18+

ZZ Top added to Bluesfest
There's really nothing else to say here. It keeps getting better.

And girls go crazy about a sharp dressed man.

The Like
The all-girls garage rock band the Like, fresh from supporting the Strokes on their last tour (which missed Brisbane, bastards), are coming back for a solo show.

February 18, the Zoo. 18+

MySpace

Thank God It's Monday
Carlton Dry are sponsoring Monday night shows all around the country. First up for Brisbane will be local boys Hungry Kids of Hungary, fresh from playing the sold out Triple J Aus Music Month a few weeks back.

December 13, Birdee Num Num, 18+

MySpace

I Exist/Phantoms Wet n Wild Split
It's not really news, but I like it. One of my favourite gigs of 2010 so far has been the little basement show in West End featuring Phantoms and I Exist. Apparently they enjoyed that tour so much, especially their side trip to Wet n Wild, that they are currently recording a split EP with songs based and named after the rides. Awesome.

(Thanks JHat for the photo. He goes to a lot of gigs (some I'm at) and takes way better photos than I can ever hope for. http://www.jhatphoto.com/. Although I think he cheats with his careful placing of flashes, and knowing the bands).

I Exist
Phantoms

Blues-fucking-fest

I'm not normally one to get excited by Bluesfest, but next year, Byron is going to be crazy.

It's already being hyped as the best yet. Here's just the first announcement, the second is meant to be better:

Bob Dylan
B.B. King
Ben Harper & Relentless 7
Elvis Costello & the Imposters
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Rodrigo y Gabriela
The Cat Empire
Blind Boys of Alabama featuring Aaron Neville
Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band
Robert Randolph & the Family Band
Fistful of Mercy
Mavis Staples
Xavier Rudd
Trinity Roots
Little Bushmen
Tony Joe White
Indigo Girls
Kate Miller-Heidke
Eric Bibb
Washington
Ash Grunwald
Ruthie Foster
C.W. Stoneking
Jeff Lang
Saltwater Band
RocKwiz Live

I've bolded the ones that made me lose my mind. Like, wow. That is just amazing. The man himself, Bob Dylan headlining. B.B. King, the bluesmaster himself. Ben Harper, playing in two of his bands (Relentless 7 and Fistful of Mercy with George Harrison's son), Elvis-fucking-Costello, my dad's top 10 band the Blind Boys of Alabama and one of the greatest slide guitarists you'll ever see (maybe the only if you're not cultured enough) in Robert Randolph and his Family Band.

If you can't tell, I'm massively excited. I don't do camping festivals ever, but this may be an exception. See you in Byron April 21-25!