Big Day Out news

So, as someone pointed out to me, Big Day Out is this weekend. Woe! I haven't got anything organised yet! And there's a lot of conflicts in my schedule for the day. But unluckily, one of them has just been resolved.

The conflict was Black Keys/Crystal Castles/Matt and Kim.

Well it turns out the Black Keys are just gosh darn worn out. So much so that they are cancelling the Big Day Out and sideshow tours. So no Big Day out on Sunday and no Tivoli on Tuesday. Slackers.

The Black Keys are sorry to announce the cancellation of the New Zealand and Australian tour including all appearances at the Big Day Out touring festival as well as a portion of the European tour in March. An arduous year of touring and promotion has drained the band and necessitated time off. Dan and Patrick wish to thank all of you who have shown such incredible support since the release of ‘Brothers’ and have helped make the album a success.

However, they have been replaced by Paul Dempsey, the lead singer of Something for Kate, who's been going great guns on his own solo stuff lately.

Paul's stuff. it's good.

Brisbane Festival 2010

Every year the Brisbane Festival celebrates art and everything that is Brisbane. Starting with the fireworks frenzy that is Riverfire (sans F-111s for the first time this year, sad), it also includes concerts throughout the festival run (September 4-25).

The "bigger and mainstream" acts occur mainly in the Spiegeltent, set up in King George square. It features music every night (at 7pm), cabaret most nights (at 9pm) and Jazz on Sundays. Although there are plenty more shows scattered around our fair city. Some of the acts I'm considering this year are:

Paul Dempsey - The lead singer from Something for Kate has been striking out on his own for a while now doing his solo acoustic act. And sold out many a show in our town. He's playing September 5, 6 and 7 at the Spiegeltent.

http://www.pauldempseymusic.com/

Ed Kuepper - The founder of Brisbane's (and possibly the world's, I've got in many debates about this) first and legendary punk band the Saints and now touring guitarist for Nick Cave. September 15 at the Spiegeltent.

Robert Forster - The last surviving half of Brisbane indie legends The Go-Betweens. He'll be playing everything old, new and lots of covers. September 18 at the Powerhouse.

I'm sure there'll be more announcements and more I'm excited for!