MATT HANLEY TRIO

Matt Hanley is a World Class Guitarist and a soulful singer. He has been playing since age four and has toured and recorded with some Australian greats such as Brian Cadd,Troy Cassar-Daly,Gondwanaland,The Bushwackers,Jenny Morris,Grace Knight,Glen Shorrock etc. Matt has also toured Europe extensively twice with Independant Australian Country music star ‘Wayne Law’. He is currently demoing songs(Some which can be heard here) for an upcoming solo release. He is also working as a music producer on a number of projects,the most recent being with Brisbane singer songwriter ‘Tracy Vaughan’. He is on over one hundred albums as a session Guitarist and counting.He loves funky rhythm and blues,gospel,soul,pop,tex mex,rock,jazz,country and anything rootsy and stylish. He has a large band “The Maintenance Men’ and a Duo with Thierry Fossemalle(Double Bass) called’The Kooka Brothers’ and is working as session guitarist with many other acts.

DALLAS FRASCA

Move over pretenders, this will be a Frasca frenzy….

Dallas and her band have recently returned from New York with their second full length album in hand where they worked with Aussie / New York based producer Andy Baldwin (Bjork, Chrissie Amphlett, Living End, Kram, Cat Empire) at Rola Pola Studio’s in Brooklyn. One of the tracks off the upcoming album has been mixed by the legendary producer Tchad Blake (Black Keys, Elvis Costello, Pearl Jam, Tom Waits, Sheryl Crow, The Dandy Warhols, Gomez) in the south of France. It’s shaping up to be a big year for the Australian Underground legend and retro rocker, Dallas Frasca in 2012.

The entire album was recorded live in New York after 4 months of songwriting in OZ. Expect slabs of guitar riffage, vintage drum beats and huge all out vocals.

One very loud woman stands out musically and vocally from the rest. Independent of major labels, trends and a bullshit industry that all to often is nothing but smoke and mirrors.

Dallas Frasca is a hard working independent juggernaut who, with this yet to be released album, is paving the way with her band in Australia and internationally. Watch this space. www.dallasfrasca.com

This will be Dallas’s year……

BEN & BEN – From BRITTLE

A rare acoustic performance from two members from Ballina/Melbourne band Brittle – BEN & BEN. Brittle has been described as “one of the bands to watch” by Music Week UK & Insider Magazine, as well as being listed as a “buzz band” by The Music Network in Australia. In August 2009, the boys supported top Australian band Faker during their JD Set tour of Melbourne, Sydney and Townsville and international sensation Katy Perry at her sold-out Melbourne concert.

TIGHTROPE ALLEY

‘Texas style lightnin’ blues & boogie …..4 mindblowing musicians from Northern Rivers of New South Wales…..united to deliver an unmistakable sound of lightnin’ blues, dancin’ grooves and guitar moves. This is a hard driving rythym and boogie band… soulful, timeless and unstoppable as a musical force……with a wealth of Australian and overseas touring and recording experience amongst them…on drums is Matt, bass is Tim, vocals and guitar is Paul, guitar is Horace.

BLACK STARS

With the rock resurgence over the last few years, the days of electronic bass beats and sweaty Melbourne shufflers almost seems like a lifetime ago. That appears to be a better and better thing when in these boozy mosh pit ridden times there is nothing more enjoyable than seeing a band like The Black Stars putting themselves out there with their edgy, raw and uncompromising sounds. The Byron Bay trio haven’t exactly been sitting on their laurels either after their initial EP release in 2006 described by Daniel Johns and Paul Mac as “absolutely brilliant”, Money Or Your Life is another short but very sweet release.

MICK HART

Australian singer/songwriter MICK HART has been touring the world for the past 10 years, playing festivals and concerts all over Australia, France, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, England, Ireland, Scotland and the USA.

Praised all over the globe by critics and fans including BEN HARPER and JEFF BUCKLEY’s ex-manager DAVE LORY, MICK has played support to BOB DYLAN, COLDPLAY, STING, VAN MORRISON, PAUL WELLER, GOMEZ, TAJ MAHAL, ZWAN, THE PRETENDERS, PAUL KELLY, JOHN BUTLER TRIO and many more.

Possessing an earthy, soulful and angelic voice, MICK’s music is a brilliant mix of rock/pop/blues/roots with MICK playing guitars, lapsteel, keyboards and harmonica and backed by an amazing band in Australia consisting of DAMIAN LEONARD (bass) and TONY CHUBB (drums).

GENERAL ELECTRYK

Introducing: Angus. * Drives the band as drummer and backing vocalist. * Born and bred in Australia. * Has been in the music industry for 20 years. * Also dj’s regularly, opting for styles including funk, breaks and old-school hip hop. * With a style similar to John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) he has played with funk, reggae & grunge outfits. * Is the backbone of both the duo and full band formats of the General Electryk * Ask Angus what he does for a living and he’ll reply with one word: MUSIC.   Introducing: Melanie. * Fronts the band as singer/songwriter and rhytm guitarist. * Has returned to Canada after 6 years in Australia expressing herself by busking, playing in cafes, as well as entertaining crowds up to 500 people. * Melanie’s emotional originals are instantly memorable, she writes songs both in French and in English and accredits her musical talent to her late father. * Influenced by artists such as Sarah Slean, Jill Barber, Stevie Nicks, Blue Rodeo, Portishead, Clare Bowditch and The Howling Bells. *
http://www.myspace.com/generalelectryk

PIERCE BROTHERS

Pat & Jack Pierce, an acoustic blues and roots duo based in Melbourne, have been playing around the traps long enough to have a certain feel for the stage. At twenty years old these twin brothers have been playing live for over 6 years, and have mustered a fair amount of musical instruments and influences between them. Instruments used at any one time onstage would include their guitars, djèmbè, bongos, stomp box, harmonica, and each their voices – which as identical twins, have a unique harmony and resonance. Add to these a bassist (Jason Withers), drummer (Sean Dewhurst), Cellist (Pru Warnok) and Violinist (Aurora Darby) and you’re left with an “experience somewhere between John Butler, Damien Rice and Carus Thompson” – Dylan Sloane (filmmaker).

www.myspace.com/thepiercebrothers

MARSHALL & THE FRO

Marshall and The Fro are a household name these days, on the roots festival circuit and in their home, the North Coast surfing mecca of Lennox Head, NSW. They’re known for their powerful, pulsing roots/rock music, the soundtrack to the summer for many a carefree festival freak. Their songs feature on cult surf films like David Bradbury’s Going Vertical and in Billabong ads. Having played virtually every big festival in the land, they’ve also had tracks on Australian TV shows like ‘East of Everything’ and ‘No Way San Jose’. And they’ve just completed a new album, ‘Friends For Life’, that looks set to eclipse these landmarks.

RAPSKALLION

With fire in their bellies, and confetti in their pockets, Rapskallion have swashbuckled their way back from their European escapades, to seduce you this summer with their own brand of wild junkyard waltzes, take me tangos, rambunctious punk rock polkas and old world romance. Dressed in their tattered tails and decrepit hobo finery, the ‘Skallions are back on Australian shores and invite you to their ‘When the Wine Kicks In’ Tour. Think Tom Waits in a torn tutu, singing Edith Piaf songs through a megaphone, backed by the Muppet show band, sailing the high seas on a Spanish galleon.
With a treasure chest full of musical instruments, and a flair for the theatrical, Rapskallion have entertained audiences worldwide, with their unique concoction of vaudevillian cabaret dance tunes.
Laugh, dance, drink, and be merry, ladies and gentlemen … roll up for the show!