RON POPE ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE, LICK MY WOUNDS & NEW ALBUM, CALLING OFF THE DOGS AHEAD OF NATIONAL AUSTRALIAN TOUR
Multi-talented singer-songwriter and gifted guitarist, Ron Pope is set to return to Australia to promote his new single, Lick My Wounds (available now) and new album, Calling Off The Dogs, set for release on June 6. Pope will also be performing a string of shows (his first tour of Australia with full band in tow) playing the Princess Theatre (Brisbane) on June 6, Factory Theatre (Sydney) on June 7, Workers Club (Melbourne) on June 8 and the Astor Lounge (Perth) on June 13.
First single, Lick My Wounds perfectly sets the foundation for the theme of the rest of the album. The contagiously upbeat track with refreshing pop tendencies highlights Pope’s growth and desire to challenge the alt-country/folk pop roots that drove his success.
Pope’s new album, Calling Off The Dogs (out now through his very own Brooklyn Basement Records) sees Pope further extending his talents and creating new, fresh sounds and it was this latest offering that made him an artist to watch at SXSW this year, with many people eager to not only witness his astounding vocals, but also his capabilities as a writer, composer and producer.
Off the back of SXSW and a US tour, Pope is thrilled to be heading back to Australia and performing alongside his full band, enthusing, “The people, the culture, the food, the wildlife…I love everything about Australia and I’m so excited to come back and visit my fans down there.” He’ll be performing songs from his decade-long career as well as his latest works that are sure to challenge and inspire music makers and music lovers. Supporting Pope on his tour is The Cam Nacson Band, who also opened for his last Australian tour in 2012.
Pope is a musical Renaissance man, writing, recording, composing, managing and igniting his own career. He burst on the scene in 2005 when he released the hugely successful breakthrough single ‘A Drop In The Ocean’, which has since received over 30 million views on Youtube and 25 million streams on Spotify. Ten independently released albums and countless singles later with over 50 million views online and over 36 million streams on Spotify, the 30 year old shows no sign of slowing down.
RON POPE SHOWS
Fri 6 Jun Brisbane | Princess Theatre (All ages) www.ticketek.com.au
Sat 7 Jun Sydney | Factory Theatre (All ages) www.factorytheatre.com.au
Sun 8 Jun Melbourne | Workers Club (afternoon) (Under 18 show) www.oztix.com.au
Sun 8 Jun Melbourne | Workers Club (evening) (18+) www.oztix.com.au
Fri 13 Jun Perth | Astor Lounge (Solo acoustic) (All ages) www.showticketing.com.au
MELBOURNE DUO, BOYEUR ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE, CUPID AND NEW EP, GOLD STREET
Melbourne indie pop duo, Boyeur have announced the release of their new single, Cupid (May 16), taken from their debut EP, Gold Street which is set for release on May 30. The band will be celebrating with shows at The Vanguard (Sydney) on June 4, The Newsagency (Sydney) on June 6, Rad (Wollongong) on June 7, Smith’s Alternative Bookshop (Canberra) on June 8 and an official EP launch at The Workers Club (Melbourne) on June 26.
Hugh Middleton and Tim Ischia are Boyeur, a unique and talented musical partnership resulting from a long-standing friendship, and the first product from their shared love of music is Cupid. Brimming with lush and detailed layers and clever use of classical strings, this charming song’s lyrics speak of ‘using your head when you should be following your heart’. “Overthinking is toxic to any human relationship,” says guitarist and Cupid lead vocalist Ischia, “and sometimes it prevents a relationship from even starting. All the emotions become magnified and you end up being too nervous to do anything.”
Filmed, directed and produced by award winning Melbourne filmmaker and cinematographer, Matthew Chuang (known for his highly viewed ads for Jacobs Creek, The Australian Open, Chrysler, Momentum Energy), the clip for Cupid was expertly filmed in one continuous shot. “The narrative is about a crush, the song depicts the entire emotional arc of a relationship occurring inside someone’s head, without the other person ever being aware of it,” explains Ischia.
The duo’s debut EP, Gold Street is an indie pop release with a dense soundscape and chocked with instant hooks. Middleton explains, “We hope that the more detailed listener will be rewarded with the discovery of many musical gems that are cosily embedded in the sound.” The rich layers of classical strings and hip-hop beats are perfectly complemented by Ischia and Middleton’s shared smooth vocals and catchy pop melodies. “It was a pleasure to work with such premium collaborators: One Above and DJ Reflux being strong forces in the Australian Hip Hop scene, just as the string players regularly appear with Australia’s premier classical groups.”
With six instruments played between the two-piece and a string quartet thrown in for good measure, it’s no wonder Boyeur are looking forward to hitting the road to play for their fans. “We’re really excited to play live with our string quartet,” enthuses Ischia, “we spent a lot of time perfecting our setup so that the two of us can play all of our instruments on stage and adding the string quartet to that creates something we’re really proud of!”
GEORGIA FAIR ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE, ARE WE NOT ALIVE, ALONGSIDE MELBOURNE & SYDNEY SHOW DATES
Australian folk rock duo, Georgia Fair have announced the release of their new single, Are We Not Alive, alongside show dates at Ding Dong Lounge (Melbourne) supported by The Velvets and Sienna Wild on February 14, QV (Melbourne) with Lisa Mitchell on February 22 and The Vanguard (Sydney) supporting Meg Mac on March 6.
Are We Not Alive is the second single lifted from the band’s new album, Trapped Flame. It’s the catchy guitar hook in the song that will draw you in, complemented by the smooth, familiar voice of Jordan Wilson that will keep you tapping along and humming this buoyant melody long after song’s end. With luscious bursts of positivity throughout the songwriting, Wilson offers insight explaining, “The song came from a desperate need to escape a certain situation… it all came together with the realisation that everything was ok cause we still had our breath and potential to change everything with the power of creativity.“
Ever a hands-on band, the duo worked alongside a film director and together they created the Are We Not Alive film clip from inception to completion. “We wanted something that looked like a black and white photograph that moves,” explains Wilson. And moves is exactly what it does, with the clip showcasing a never‐before‐seen side of Wilson with his Nick Cave-esque grungy dance moves.
Constantly busy on the touring circuit and known for their engaging, energetic live show, Georgia Fair have headlined a number of their own gigs and also supported The Paper Kites and Jae Laffer on their recent national tours, as well as playing four high profile showcases at SXSW last year.
Tickets to Ding Dong Lounge and QV shows are available now and the album, Trapped Flame featuring new single Are We Not Alive is out now through Sony Music.
GEORGIA FAIR SHOWS
Fri Feb 14 – Ding Dong Lounge Melbourne – tix through www.dingdonglounge.com.au / $15 on door
Sat Feb 22 – QV supporting Lisa Mitchell Melbourne – tix free of charge
Thur March 6 with Meg Mac – The Vanguard Sydney – tix through http://www.thevanguard.com.au