VERONICA FUSARO SHARES JANGLY NEW SINGLE SLOT MACHINE
With a sunny disposition and sleek execution, the new single Slot Machine out today from singer-songwriter Veronica Fusaro is an addictive sonic ode to real-world modern addictions; an effusive blend of alt pop and modern rock that also signals a brand new creative chapter for the talented Swiss-born artist.
Opening with a jangly swagger, à la other confectionary earworms like Portugal. The Man.’s Feel It Still, Slot Machine quickly takes shape as a confident and enigmatic ode to digital addiction. Dominantly channelling the likes of Vasco Rossi, Black Pumas, Alabama Shakes and Avril Lavigne, Veronica Fusaro’s masterful vocals perfectly thread the underlying musical elements, emerging with an infectious yet meaningful creation that also acts as a delectable entreè to her, as yet unnamed, upcoming second album. “I took it back to my roots with this one,” Fusaro shares. “I was listening to a lot of the rock music that I grew up with when I wrote this song. The song is about the little ‘magic box’ we all carry with us – our phones – and the constant stream of entertainment and information they provide. I realized how dangerously addictive they can be, almost like a slot machine, constantly pulling us in. It tells us what to think, what to wear, what to watch, how to look etc… The song is a reflection on that relationship and how even with all that entertainment, all that content I do not feel content at all. Therefore the: oh no, help me! Why do I feel so down?“.
An artist passionately honest and curious, with unwavering focus on lyricism and the power that music can impart, Veronica Fusaro amassed an international team to bring Slot Machine to life, with some fitting connections to her own heritage, born to a Swiss mother and an Italian father. “I wrote the song myself and sent a demo to Kim Wennerstrøm, a Swedish songwriter and producer based in Berlin, who handled the production and mixing,” explains Fusaro. “The mastering was done by Jonas W. Karlsson from Finland.”
Armed with powerful vocals, an inbuilt gift for storytelling and hues of alternative pop, soul, rock and more, Veronica Fusaro recently enamoured with her 2023 debut full length All the Colours of the Sky. Reaching #5 on Swiss charts, All the Colours of the Sky also come amongst Fusaroticking off over 500 live performances, including opening for Dire Straits legend Mark Knopfler, performing on the iconic stages of Glastonbury Festival, at the Montreaux Jazz Festival, and closing out 2023 with a sold out appearance in Zurich. With a formidable live presence, Fusaroseamlessly balances joy with powerful undertones in her incredible sonic output; and her driving passion stems from finding a love for music at an early age as well as a gift for fusing her inspiration into her music. “Great music makes me tick, but really it could be anything,” Fusaro reveals. “A conversation I have with a stranger or a good friend, something I see on TV, something I read, something I observe… anything really. And I somehow feel the need to transform this inspiration into words and music. I’m not the best talker, so I guess music is the way I get to communicate and feel safe and good about what I feel. And I got into music as a little kid, I just always enjoyed singing, eventually started playing guitar and writing songs in 4th/5th grade and well… here I am today!”.
With plans set for 2025 to release a follow up to her debut 2023 album, All the Colours of the Sky, Fusaro’s first step into this brand new era is vividly heralded by Slot Machine; and there is definitely plenty of magic set to come from Veronica Fusaro going into 2025. “It feels strange to be releasing this new single, but in a very exciting way,” Fusaro concludes. “I’m definitely a bit nervous since it’s been a while since I’ve released new music, but I’m also really proud of Slot Machine. It’s the first chapter of a project that I’m incredibly passionate about. I really can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”
Slot Machine is out today.
PETE MURRAY SHARES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘WOULDN’T IT BE GOOD’ MASSIVE AUSTRALIAN TOUR SET TO KICK OFF THIS DECEMBER
Loading up the good vibes, today beloved Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray returns with his new single and music video, Wouldn’t It Be Good. Soaked in grooves, sunny melodics and Murray’s powerfully soothing vocals, Wouldn’t It Be Good is a charismatic addition to 2024, as well as a perfect accompaniment to the summer months ahead; a fitting fact with Murray also set to embark on an extensive tour kicking off late December and closing out in January 2025.
Starting life with nothing but its opening riff percolating, Wouldn’t It Be Good not only evolved into slightly new sonic territory for Pete Murray; it also marked a shift in Murray’s creative process, with producer Luke Palmer (Dead Letter Circus) ultimately helping to solidify the radiant end result. “It just started with the opening riff then went to the two-chord verse,” shares Murray of Wouldn’t It Be Good’s origins. “I was really just searching for the chorus lyrics, and the music just seemed to fit in with the lyrics. It’s normally the other way around. I produced this song with the help of Luke Palmer, and it’s funny with this song because when I first wrote it and played it for some friends, it wasn’t getting a great reaction. But I still really liked the song and never gave up on it. Then I had my nephew Dylan Cattanach (aka Katanak) help me out on an early demo, and it was here that I really started to hear the potential of the song – but people still weren’t getting it. During the recording of the album, I even played it to Luke and he wasn’t that into it, so I left it until the very end of the album recording and I brought it up again and got Luke to help me with it. There is a really great drum groove with congas paying and I got Luke to play a bass line on it too. As soon as I heard the bass, acoustic and drums, I knew this was going to work and the whole song just fell into place after that. Even at this stage when the song started to fall into place, I think I had lost a bit of confidence with it and I said to Luke: “I’ll keep this song for the next record, but let’s just finish it anyway”. Instead, he was like: “No way this is one of my faves and should go on this album”, so we finished it off and now it’s the first single. Funny how things work.”
Coated in positivity, bustling with acoustic magic and sparkling percussion, Wouldn’t It Be Good channels the essence of three iconic artists alongside Murray’s affable yet gripping trademark charm, as Murray himself puts it: “It’s John Lennon meets Jack Johnson and Rodriguez”. Mixed by Callam Howell, Wouldn’t It Be Good also saw Murray connect with OneHouse to conjure the accompanying visuals, featuring Murray and his accompanying band in full swing. “I’m keeping this video clip pretty simple and just filming the band play it in the studio – but I do have a funny video idea that involves a well-known tennis player but I can’t talk about this yet!” Murray reveals. “For this video, we worked with the talented OneHouse who are one of the most exciting up-and-coming production teams in the country. They’ve worked on a bunch of great short films that have been screened at festivals around the world recently as well as created some compelling music videos for acts including Boy & Bear and Steph Strings.”
One of Australia’s most enduring and endearing singer-songwriters, Pete Murray has gone on to sell over 1.2 million albums, amassed hundreds of millions of streams, release three ARIA chart-topping albums, and boasts 17 ARIA Award nominations amongst multiple other wins and nominations over the years. Emerging with his debut full length album The Game in 2001, Murray’s breakout sophomore album Feeler in 2003 cemented his status as one of the all-time greats. With ongoing hits along the way, including Better Days, Feeler, Opportunity and So Beautiful, Murray’s stirring blend of positivity with acoustic, rock and folk elements has flourished across decades, including with his most recent full length album Camacho in 2017. Now dominantly splitting his time in the studio and spending time with his family, Murray has also cultivated a stalwart reputation for his live show, from his own headline shows at home and abroad, as well as performances with the likes of Missy Higgins, Icehouse, Rob Thomas, Darryl Braithwaite and James Blunt to name a mere few. And in 2024, Murray has also returned to releasing music as an entirely independent artist. I’m now 100% back to being an independent artist, which I’m really excited about,” shares Murray. “Being independent again, the workload is a lot greater, but I’m enjoying being a part of every step, and hopefully the rewards will also be greater.”
With performances lined up to close out 2024 and heading into early 2025, fans can definitely expect to hear Wouldn’t It Be Good live when Pete Murray takes the stage, kicking off on Friday December 20 in Miranda before heading around the country, with stops in regional New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia. But fret not if the Pete Murray live experience doesn’t head to a town near you; the man himself has also just launched the Play At Your Place competition, offering fans a chance to go in the running to have Pete Murray play an intimate, private performance at their own home; just by signing up to his mailing list, one lucky winner will score the ultimate bragging rights and an unforgettable experience, head to petemurray.com.
And regardless of where you catch Pete Murray live in action this summer, one thing is guaranteed: he couldn’t be happier to celebrate the brand new track Wouldn’t It Be Good onstage as 2024 draws to a close and we welcome 2025, with the latest single set to shine alongside many other favourites. “You will definitely be hearing Wouldn’t It Be Good that’s for sure,” reveals Murray of his upcoming performances. “It is a great summer song and will blend in to all my other songs. I’m hoping it will be a fan favourite by the end of the tour. It’s always exciting growing as an artist and writing and recording new songs. I’m loving the groove on this track, so it’s going to be a fun one to play live.”
Wouldn’t It Be Good is out today.
Stream: Wouldn’t It Be Good
Watch: Wouldn’t It Be Good
PETE MURRAY – UPCOMING SHOWS:
FRI 20 DEC | MIRANDA HOTEL, MIRANDA NSW
Tickets available from Oztix
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/03b0579a-7fd8-493e-b3b9-d087deb87b6c
SAT 21 DEC | WAVES HOTEL, WOLLONGONG NSW
Tickets available from Moshtix
https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/pete-murray-w-special-guests/171837
SUN 22 DEC | THE VINEYARD, VINEYARD NSW
Tickets available from Oztix
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/01db6ee1-29da-4dac-ab19-d5f101132657
MON 23 DEC | THE RECKY, ELIZABETH BEACH NSW
Tickets available from Oztix
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/c87247d3-4dd5-4ea8-896f-216c1b365def
TUE 01 JAN | MANLY HARBOUR BOAT CLUB, MANLY QLD
Tickets available from Ticketek
https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=petemnyd25
WED 02 JAN | KINGSCLIFF BEACH HOTEL, KINGSCLIFF NSW
Tickets available from Oztix
THU 03 JAN | THE STATION, SUNSHINE COAST QLD
Tickets available from Moshtix
https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/pete-murray-w-special-guests/171840
FRI 04 JAN | JETTY BEACH HOUSE, COFFS HARBOUR NSW
Tickets available from Oztix
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/e7ffc6e9-0b37-40e3-86e6-2d9be4f5bff4
SAT 05 JAN | TORONTO HOTEL, TORONTO NSW
Tickets available from Try Booking
https://www.trybooking.com/CVYRO
TUE 08 JAN | BARWON HEADS HOTEL, BARWON HEADS VIC
Tickets available from Oztix
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/53ab1abf-d130-4b4b-a2d5-cdbd1112328d
WED 09 JAN | THE PIER BANDROOM, FRANKSTON VIC
Tickets available from Oztix
THU 10 JAN | THE DUNSBOROUGH, DUNSBOROUGH WA
Tickets available from Oztix
FRI 11 JAN | RAVENSWOOD HOTEL, RAVENSWOOD WA
Tickets available from Oztix
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/54bc5a03-ddf9-4fe2-a645-9c08a0c3372d
SAT 12 JAN | HOTEL ROTTNEST, ROTTNEST ISLAND WA
Tickets available from Ticketmaster
https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/event/1300612996207591
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT ANNOUNCE ‘21 YEARS OF BEGINS HERE’ BY DEMAND REGIONAL TOUR FOR EARLY 2025 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS HANDS LIKE HOUSES
Get set to revisit where it all began for iconic Aussie rockers The Butterfly Effect, with the quartet today announcing a massive regional run in 2025, celebrating 21 years since the release of their seminal debut album Begins Here. By popular demand off the back of their hugely successful 2024 capital city 20 Years Of Begins Here national tour, and with destinations voted by the fans themselves, The Butterfly Effect’s 21 Years Of Begins Here 2025 regional tour will span 25 dates around the country from late January through to March, with the quartet returning to new and familiar stages playing Begins Here in its entirety – and beyond!
“For this tour, we basically threw it open to the fans to tell us where they wanted us to play!” shares drummer Ben Hall. “We put most of the suggestions into a voting form, the punters voted, and from there, we made the final cut. Some towns had a massive amount of interest, but unfortunately, finding a venue proved too difficult this time around. Next time, we might just bring a stage on the back of a truck!”
The 21 Years Of Begins Here regional tour in 2025 will kick off on Thursday January 30 in Cairns before journeying to Townsville, Mackay, Gladstone, Caloundra, Ipswich, the Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour, Gosford, Wollongong, Penrith, Dee Why, Albury, Torquay, Ferntree Gully, Frankston, Margaret River, Bunbury, Fremantle, Joondalup, Castlemaine, Mildura, Mount Gambier, and Pooraka, and closing out proceedings on Friday March 14 in Darwin. Tickets for the 21 Years Of Begins Here regional tour are available now from thebutterflyeffectband.com.au.
Releasing in 2003, Begins Here immediately turned heads reaching #23 on the ARIA Charts, topping the independent charts and went on to be certified gold in 2006. Boasting enduring favourites in the form of singles Crave, Beautiful Mine, Always and One Second Of Insanity, with the latter two tracks also snagging #99 and #68 respectively on triple j’s Hottest 100 in 2004, Begins Here powerfully paved the way for The Butterfly Effect’s worldwide legacy, with international touring and high-profile festival appearances swiftly following the album’s release. Celebrating the 20thanniversary of Begins Here earlier this year with a huge national Australian tour, the chance to carry the festivities into 2025 to regional Australia, with Canberra rockers Hands Like Houses also along for the ride, is one equally exciting for the band themselves as much as it is for the fans, as vocalist Clint Boge shares, “It feels amazing to still be doing what we love and to be celebrating 21 years of our first album is very humbling. I never envisioned having a career spanning three decades, but I am very grateful and eternally thankful to the fans, friends and people who have helped along the way and made it possible.”
A group significantly well-versed in writing, recording and life on the road, The Butterfly Effect remain one of the all-time Australian greats of their generation, from their critically acclaimed releases through to their voracious live shows, both at home and abroad. And while the trademark Butters sound has been one that has endured, evolved and thrived since the band’s inception, the quartet’s distinct brand of distorted emotive rock that pays homage to the likes of Silverchair, Helmet, Rage Against the Machine, Iron Maiden, Faith No More, Muse and Deftones has remained in hot demand, with their most recent material showcasing that time has boldly sharpened their already formidable sonic wares, and that The Butterfly Effect remain a force to be reckoned with.
Releasing their self-titled debut EP in 2001, The Butterfly Effect’s trajectory into the mainstream eye was nothing short of explosive, with their breakout single Crave sparking national radio airplay, record deals and performances when Livid Festival and Homebake were in their prime. Following the release of Begins Here in 2003, The Butterfly Effect cemented their reputation on a worldwide scale, ultimately going on to release three top 10 charting albums, with 2006’s Imago, 2008’s Final Conversation of Kings and, following an extended hiatus, their most recent work with 2022’s IV.
Locked and loaded to perform Begins Here in its entirety across regional Australia in 2025, along with some other gems taken from the extensive and enduring Butters back catalogue, the upcoming 21 Years Of Begins Here Tour will be one for the ages. And, as Ben Hall concludes, some of the upcoming towns and cities will offer the band a chance to revisit familiar ground, as well as tick off a few new locations for good measure. “We haven’t visited some of these towns in over a decade — possibly even longer!” says Hall. “And come to think of it, some of these towns we’ve never visited at all! Fans can expect the album in its entirety, with a splash of the back catalogue to boot! For us, we love playing, and as long as we’re not losing a tonne of money to put the show on, we’ll pretty much play anywhere, anytime!”
Tickets for the upcoming 21 Years Of Begins Here regional tour are available now from thebutterflyeffectband.com.au.
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT – 21 YEARS OF BEGINS HERE 2025 REGIONAL TOUR DATES:
With special guests Hands Like Houses
Tickets available from thebutterflyeffectband.com.au
THU 30 JAN | GILLIGAN’S, CAIRNS, QLD | 18+
FRI 31 JAN | DALRYMPLE HOTEL, TOWNSVILLE, QLD | 18+
SAT 1 FEB | MCGUIRE’S HOTEL, MACKAY, QLD | 18+
SUN 2 FEB | HARVEY ROAD TAVERN, GLADSTONE, QLD | 18+
THU 6 FEB | KINGS BEACH TAVERN, CALOUNDRA, QLD | 18+
FRI 7 FEB | RACECOURSE HOTEL, IPSWICH, QLD | 18+
SAT 8 FEB | SOPO, GOLD COAST, QLD | 18+
SUN 9 FEB | HOEY MOEY, COFFS HARBOUR, NSW | 18+
THU 13 FEB | DRIFTERS WHARF, GOSFORD, NSW | 18+
FRI 14 FEB | WAVES, WOLLONGONG, NSW | 18+
SAT 15 FEB | PANTHERS, PENRITH, NSW | 18+
SUN 16 FEB | DEE WHY RSL, DEE WHY, NSW | 18+
THU 20 FEB | BEER DELUXE, ALBURY, NSW | 18+
FRI 21 FEB | TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY, VIC | 18+
SAT 22 FEB | VILLAGE GREEN, FERNTREE GULLY, VIC | 18+
SUN 23 FEB | PIER HOTEL, FRANKSTON, VIC | 18+
THU 27 FEB | SETTLERS TAVERN, MARGARET RIVER, WA | 18+
FRI 28 FEB | PRINCE OF WALES, BUNBURY, WA | 18+
SAT 1 MAR | FREO SOCIAL, FREMANTLE, WA | 18+
SUN 2 MAR | LOOP, JOONDALUP, WA | 18+
THU 6 MAR | THEATRE ROYALE, CASTLEMAINE, VIC | 18+
FRI 7 MAR | THE SETTS, MILDURA, VIC | 18+
SAT 8 MAR | BEER & BBQ FEST, MT GAMBIER, SA | 18+
SUN 9 MAR | BRIDGEWAY HOTEL, POORAKA, SA | 18+
FRI 14 MAR | DISCOVERY, DARWIN, NT | 18+