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
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