Coming Up By Amanda on January 23, 2010 6:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)
As any Australian music fan (our kind of music, anyhoo) knows late March and April is always a busy time as we enjoy the spillover of acts brought out for Byron Bay. Sometimes you have to make the choice of two rarely seen (on our shores) highly regarded acts whose only local shows clash with each other.
Not Byron-related but kicking off the season in style is Marianne Faithfull only the week after next. Playing the Concert Hall at the Opera House -- ugh, I have a prejudice against it for popular music -- and I only have a seat at the back of one of the mezzanine boxes but still I can't wait.
"Solitude"
Then, Dan Sultan at the Factory on February 27th -- for a measly $20. For realsm his recent album of late 2009 -- Get Out While You Can -- is a gem of soul, rock and country. For twenty bucks you can't afford not to go.
The above dodgy but illustrative video of Dan was taken by me at the Blue Mountains Music Fest the year before last and that will be my next port of call, in March. As well as seeing two of the Bluesfest drawcards for me Chris Smither and Nanci Griffith, the rest of the line-up is superb. My posts from my previous visit. I'm sure there will be a number of new discoveries but I'm also looking forward to revisiting with the boys from Genticorum, who do fabulous traditional Quebec music.
As for the rest of the Byron folk, well The Flatlanders top the list but they haven't announced any sideshows yet. I'll be there when they do (they have to, right?) I've lined up to see Dr John and the Lower 911 at the Basement; seen him a few times before (but not for yonks) and I might have wavered but the opportunity for a show at a joint that size (real small) cannot be passed up. And ... that might be me tapped out for another year ...
By Anne S
on February 1, 2010 8:18 PM
Amanda, I heard today that The Flatlanders are doing one side show in Melbourne on 28th March. Perhaps they'll be doing one Sydney as well.
By Anne S
on February 2, 2010 8:26 PM
Actually booked tickets today for the Melbourne show at Spencerslive, a venue I know nothing about, but at least I got some of the very limited seated tickets. My old bones don't cope too well with standing these days.
By Amanda
on February 2, 2010 9:16 PM
Thanks Anne. $45 too, what a steal.
Still cannot find a Sydney gig. My first born for the first person who can point me to it.
By Anne S
on March 2, 2010 4:40 PM
Amanda, check out The Flatlanders website:
http://theflatlanders.com/
They have two shows in Sydney at the Vanguard, though I'll knock you back on the first born.
By Amanda
on March 2, 2010 7:14 PM
Thanks Anne. I am saved from having to pony up on my bet anyway because I saw that a couple of days ago. Nothing on the Vanguard site yet but I might just go to both shows.