Hip to be country
By LACHLAN BRYAN As we emerge from the depths of winter, we fans of country-ish music will be pleased to find festival-season upon us. Just like the artists themselves, we’ll have to hop in our cars and jump a few planes to take in all the action, but there’s plenty going on – particularly in late September and early October. For over twenty years now, the north-western Victorian town of Mildura has played host to one of the most epic...
Bobby Valentine thirty years of getting paid for it
By LACHLAN BRYAN There are few Australian performers who deserve the title of ‘genuine entertainer’ as much as Bobby Valentine. The larger-than-life Valentine is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, band-leader and raconteur who has been, as the title of his new show notes, ‘getting paid for it’ for thirty years. Anyone that has witnessed Bobby’s talents first hand will tell you that he most certainly earns his money! His huge, soulful...
Steve Poltz is meant for us
By LACHLAN BRYAN Steve Poltz has flown under the radar for many years now – but never too far under. The Canadian singer-songwriter has had a long and successful career in the music business, punctuated by constant touring and the release of ten well-received solo albums. In 1996, Poltz had a brush with mainstream fame when he collaborated with Jewel on her worldwide hit You Were Meant for Me (he even starred in the video which many...
Tiny Little Houses
By LACHLAN BRYAN New indie bands appear almost every week in Australia’s capital cities, but few can lay claim to the kind of early success and momentum experienced by Melbourne’s own Tiny Little Houses, who’ve already gained high rotation airplay on triple j, mass support from community radio and a prime spot at Brisbane’s Bigsound conference. “We actually hadn’t played a gig until after we’d recorded,” says frontman and...
Her muse is anything but blue
By TERRI LEE FATOUROS Bluemuse is talented singer, songwriter Maria Cassar, who happens to perform a mixture of originals and covers expressed with a unique twist. Cassar is a blues/folk artist with a strong feminine soul and has been described as having an ethereal voice full of spirit and narrative. “I’ve often been asked about my writing process which is tricky because I’m not a trained musician. I have a beautiful 1967 Martin...
Tom Dockray
By LACHLAN BRYAN Originally from Tasmania, singer-songwriter Tom Dockray is just about the most authentic old-timey guitar picker and songwriter a Melbourne gig-goer is likely to encounter. Tom’s songs have their roots in the country-blues of Mississippi John Hurt, but the wit and wisdom of his words conjures up comparisons to John Prine, Kinky Freidman and Australia’s own Don Walker. In 2014 Dockray released his debut EP Iron Suit –...