NOTABLE AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS JOIN FORCES TO SAVE THE ORANGUTAN
Some of Australia’s most talented musicians and artists have joined forces to release the exquisite Nightingale Floor single alongside two distinguished short films in a bid to raise funds for the Orangutan Land Trust and highlight the plight of the orangutans whose habitats are being destroyed with the development of palm oil plantations.
Brisbane musician Sallie Campbell kick-started the project last year, enlisting a host of gifted musician friends to join her (including Kate Miller-Heidke on vocals and producer Daniel Denholm (Powderfinger, Australian Chamber Orchestra)) to help raise awareness of the impact unsustainable palm oil is having on the world’s orangutan population.
“Nightingale Floors were cleverly built in ancient Japanese castles to creak and sing when walked upon to warn of intruders. Similarly, we need be the ‘new nightingales’ who signal danger to our fragile ecology,” explains Campbell. “The situation is urgent, the last wild orangutans on the earth live in Malaysia and Indonesia and their habitat is being threatened by the development of Palm Oil Plantations. Unsustainable Palm Oil is in 50% of supermarket items and if people knew the food and products they were consuming everyday were wiping out forests and all the beautiful creatures there, they wouldn’t buy them.”
Campbell said the most important thing people could do to save the orangutan was to insist that the palm oil used in products was produced in a sustainable way, and not at the expense of orangutans and their forests. “As consumers we can do so much. We must demand proper labelling on palm oil products and tell companies that use unsustainable palm oil that we won’t buy them until they change to a sustainable source… there is even a free application being developed for smart phones, a palm oil scanner which will be such a powerful tool”
Dedicated to the original ‘people of the forest’, Nightingale Floor is being released as a three minute single and a twenty-minute string orchestra opus written for an 11-piece string section, featuring three soloists and exotic folk instruments including Nyckelharpa, Baritone Bowed Psaltry, Hammered Dulcimer and 5 string Violin.
Written and directed by David Barker (MiniSumo) and starring exciting new film talent Sarah Snook (Predestination, Sisters of War), the film clip encourages people to believe in the idea of natural wonders. “We want to create a sense of hope while at the same time creating an emotive artistic statement that people will want to purchase”,” explains Barker.
People can visit www.nightingalefloor.com.au to educate themselves on palm oil and donate and download either the full piece, the short film or the instrumental clip. All funds raised will go to the Orangutan Land Trust.
Nightingale Floor Music credits – Sallie Campbell: Composer, Mandolin, Five-String Violin, Nyckelharpa, Hammered Dulcimer, Baritone Bowed Psaltry. John Rodgers: Violin and banjo. Rob Davidson: Double bass. Keir Nuttal: Electric guitar. Vocals: Kate Miller-Heidke. Music producer: Daniel Denholm (Australian Chamber Orchestra, Powderfinger). Engineer: Chris Kneehause. Recorded at: Judith Wright Centre Brisbane
MICHAEL PAYNTER ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE AND ALBUM, ‘WEARY STARS’ PLUS NATIONAL TOUR
Established singer and prolific songwriter Michael Paynter is back with a signature power pop rock smash, announcing the release of new single, Weary Stars and the highly anticipated and long awaited new album of the same title, set for release on January 31. Hitting the road to celebrate with a national tour through February and March, Paynter will be playing Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and a few regional towns across NSW and Victoria.
Having spent the last seven years traveling and touring across almost every venue in Australia from major arenas to small bandrooms, being signed to one of the biggest record labels in the world and then appearing on the highest rating TV show in the country, The Voice, it’s no wonder Paynter is thrilled to finally be releasing his debut album. “I just can’t wait to for people to finally hear the sweat, the tears, the empty bank accounts, the tours, the late nights, the failures, the wonderful experiences, the trial and the victories put into twelve great songs,” explains Paynter.
Written shortly after parting ways with Sony Music, Weary Stars is a pertinent lead single and album title choice, as Paynter welcomes his audience in to his world, offering insight in to his personal feelings and struggles regarding his career. “It was such a tough time for me. I had poured my entire life into my career for the better part of a decade, and ended up with no album. For a while there I felt like I was defeated, but once the initial feelings wore away, I felt this huge sense of relief… like I’d lifted a huge boulder off my shoulders, I felt free. Sometimes you have to know when to walk away… And just as the stars come crashing down around you, you find yourself for the first time in a long time, REALLY alive,” exclaims Paynter!
Filmed over just one day in Avalon (Victoria), the video clip for Weary Stars was co-produced and directed by Pete Seamons from EPIK Films. “I’ve loved his work with The Paper Kites, New Empire and Simple Plan, so I was incredibility excited to work with Pete. We went down to scope out the location with one idea and as soon as we stepped out of the car, all these new concepts started floating to our heads … the location kinda told us what it wanted to say,” beams Paynter.
Buy the single Weary Stars – out now
Tickets to the national tour are on sale now through the below ticketing outlets
New album Weary Stars will be available from January 31
NATIONAL MICHAEL PAYNTER TOUR DATES
Fri 10 Jan The Palms, Melbourne with Icehouse
Tickets through www.ticketek.com.au
Sat 11 Jan The Palms, Melbourne with Icehouse
Tickets through www.ticketek.com.au
Tue 14 Jan The Palms, Melbourne with Icehouse
Tickets through www.ticketek.com.au
Wed 12 Feb Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Tickets through www.oztix.com.au
Thu 13 Feb The Toff In Town, Melbourne
Tickets through www.thetoffintown.com
Fri 14 Feb The Basement, Sydney
Tickets through www.oztix.com.au
Thu 20 Feb Brass Monkey, Cronulla NSW
Tickets through www.brassmonkey.com.au
Fri 21 Feb Lizotte’s, Dee Why NSW
Tickets through www.lizottes.com.au
Sat 22 Feb Lizotte’s, Kincumber NSW
Tickets through www.lizottes.com.au
Sun 23 Feb Lizotte’s Newcastle
Tickets through www.lizottes.com.au
Fri 7 Mar Forest Edge Music Festival, Neerim East VIC
Tickets through www.forestedge.org.au
Wed 19 Mar Belmont Sailing Club, Belmont NSW with Icehouse
Tickets through www.16s.com.au
Thu 20 Mar Rooty Hill RSL, Rooty Hill NSW with Icehouse
Tickets through www.rootyhillrsl.com.au
Thu 27 Mar Jive, Adelaide
Tickets through www.moshtix.com.au
Note:: Perth date is currently being finalised (likely to sit between Rooty Hill and Adelaide shows) and will be confirmed within the week
BOY & BEAR ANNOUNCE REGIONAL ‘HARLEQUIN DREAM’ TOUR
Having just completed a national tour of Australia last month and only recently announcing a thirty-two date tour of Europe and America for February/March/April (including SXSW), Australia’s own Boy & Bear are thrilled to inform their fans of an extensive thirty-date regional tour of Australia. They’ll be kick starting in Mackay (QLD) in mid-April, moving through the NT, WA, VIC and the ACT, finishing off in Dubbo (NSW) at the end of May.
“This will be the most extensive regional tour the band has done and we are very much looking forward to it,” enthuses singer and songwriter Dave Hosking. “We love the idea of playing to new people in new and exciting parts of the country.”
Boy & Bear have already celebrated a #1 debut on the ARIA Album Chart and now their critically acclaimed second album, Harlequin Dream is officially certified Gold in Australia, selling in excess of 35,000 copies since its release in August. Harlequin Dream is the follow up album to the band’s platinum selling debut album, Moonfire and was co-produced by Boy & Bear and Wayne Connelly.
And in other exciting news, Harlequin Dream has appeared at number seven on Triple J’s listener poll for Top Ten Favourite Albums, with Boy & Bear being the only Australian band to make the list.
The band have also unveiled the brand new video for single and album title track, Harlequin Dream, filmed by acclaimed director Kris Moyes (Sia, Beck, The Presets) on location in Palawan in The Philippines just fourteen days prior to the devastating impact of Typhoon Haiyan. The people and locations that were filmed are safe due to the surrounding mountains, but donations are still welcomed to help those whose lives have been affected. Donations can be made via the following organisations: UNICEF, OXFAM, AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS, SAVE THE CHILDREN AUSTRALIA.
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NATIONAL BOY & BEAR HARLEQUIN DREAM TOUR DATES
Presented by triple j , Spotify and Tonedeaf
Sun 13 Apr – West Coast Blues ‘n’ Roots, Fremantle Park, Perth WA
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 438 849
Wed 16 Apr – Mackay Entertainment Centre, Mackay QLD (AA)
Tickets available from www.mackayecc.com.au | 07 4961 9777 | From the Mackay Tix Box Office
Thu 17 Apr – Magnums, Airlie Beach QLD
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100 | All Ticketmaster outlets & the venue direct
Sat 19 Apr – Brothers, Cairns QLD (15+ must be accompanied by adult)
Tickets available from www.brotherscairns.com.au | 07 4053 8333 | From the venue direct
Sun 20 Apr – The Venue, Townsville QLD
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au | 132 849 | All Ticketek outlets
Tue 22 Apr – Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton QLD (AA)
Tickets available from www.pilbeamtheatre.com.au | 07 4924 5600 | From the Pilbeam Theatre Box Office
Wed 23 Apr – Harvey Road Tavern, Gladstone QLD
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100 | All Ticketmaster outlets & the venue direct
Thu 24 Apr – Sugarland Tavern, Bundaberg QLD
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix outlets & the venue direct
Sat 26 Apr – Sunshine Coast Function Centre, Caloundra QLD
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix outlets
Sun 27 Apr – Empire Theatre, Toowoomba QLD (AA)
Tickets available from www.empiretheatre.com.au | 1300 655 299 | From the Empire Theatre Box Office
Wed 30 Apr – Divers Tavern, Broome WA
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix outlets & the venue direct
Fri 02 May – Discovery, Darwin NT
Tickets available from www.discoverydarwin.com.au & www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix outlets
Thu 08 May – Black Swan Hotel, Bendigo VIC
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix outlets & the venue direct
Fri 09 May – Regent Cinema, Ballarat VIC (AA)
Tickets available from www.regententertainment.com.au | 03 5330 5555 | From the Regent Cinema Box Office
Sat 10 May – Deakin’s Costa Hall, Geelong VIC (AA)
Tickets available from www.gpac.org.au | 03 5225 1200 | From the GPAC Box Office
Sun 11 May – Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool VIC (AA)
Tickets available from www.lighthousetheatre.com.au | 03 5559 4999 | From the Lighthouse Theatre Box Office
Wed 14 May – Lismore Workers Club, Lismore NSW
Tickets available from www.offbeatoperations.com.au
Thu 15 May – C.ex Club, Coffs Harbour NSW
Tickets available from www.offbeatoperations.com.au
Fri 16 May – Panthers, Port Macquarie NSW
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 & (02) 6580 2300 | All Oztix outlets & the venue direct
Sat 17 May – Panthers, Newcastle NSW (AA)
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix outlets
Sun 18 May – Entrance Leagues Club, Bateau Bay NSW
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix outlets
Wed 21 May – The Crow Bar @ CSU (Student Only Event), Wagga NSW
STUDENT ONLY EVENT. Tickets available on campus
Thu 22 May – Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, Nowra NSW (AA)
Tickets available from www.shoalhavenentertainment.com.au | 1300 788 503 | From the venue Box Office
Fri 23 May – ANU Bar, Canberra ACT
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au | 132 849 | All Ticketek outlets
Sat 24 May – Albury Entertainment Centre, Albury NSW (AA)
Tickets available from www.alburycity.nsw.gov.au/entertainment
Sun 25 May – Eastbank Centre, Shepparton VIC (AA)
Tickets available from www.riverlinksvenues.com.au | 03 5832 9511 | From the Riverlinks Box Office
Wed 28 May – West Tamworth Leagues Club, Tamworth NSW
Tickets available from www.wtlc.com.au | 02 6765 7588 | From the venue direct
Thu 29 May – Charles Sturt University, Bathurst NSW
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix outlets
Fri 30 May – Orange Ex Services Club, Orange NSW
Tickets available from www.oesc.com.au | 02 6362 5611 | From the venue direct
Sat 31 May – Dubbo Ex Services Club, Dubbo NSW (AA)
Tickets available from www.dubborsl.com.au & www.oztix.com.au | 02 6882 4411 | From the venue direct