Australia’s primo music conference has entrenched itself in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley and those who pull the strings (and those who think they do) of the industry slide from one venue to another looking for the next opportunity. The daytime schedule is dominated by keynote speakers, deliberating panels on industry topics and workshops for musicians, managers and marketeers. … [Read more...]
Getting In Bed For Peace
The late Ritchie Yorke grew up in Brisbane but it was rock n roll that lured him overseas where he spent the next 20 years of his life writing about it for a number of esteemed publications. During that time he befriended many high profile artists from Van Morrison to Led Zeppelin, but it was his friendship with John Lennon that would profoundly impact on his life. Lennon’s … [Read more...]
Didirri
Ric’s Big Backyard, Fortitude Valley 6th September. It’s Wednesday lunchtime at Bigsound and a near capacity crowd at Ric’s Big Backyard is bathing under a glorious bright blue sky. Brisbane’s spring is turning it on, though that brilliance will soon pale compared to what’s about to hit the stage. The Bigsound program describes Didirri as an alternative pop/folk artist. … [Read more...]
Kardajala Kirridarra
The name means “Sand Hill Women” and refers to a mysterious bush woman from the sand hills of the Northern Territory desert. The music they create is a combination of traditional indigenous sounds and the latest technology as MC Kayla chimes in with her spoken word to give their sound a contemporary hip hop flavour. The end result is stunning. Sound Distractions caught up with … [Read more...]
Suicide Swans – Bigsound.
Laruche, Wednesday 6th September. The best thing that can ever happen to you at Bigsound is for someone to drag you into a venue to see a band of whom you know nothing. My mate is bursting with enthusiasm and assures me these guys are the real deal, a new Queensland band taking their musical cues somewhere between the Drive-By Truckers and Halfway. It’s enough to convince me … [Read more...]