SOUNDWAVE 2014 FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT
Okay, so by now you’ve surely heard the first line-up announcement for Soundwave 2014. My personal “Eeek!’ bands are Living Colour, Devildriver, Clutch, Megadeth, Letlive, Baroness, Testament, Megadeth, Korn, Alter Bridge, Trivium, Black Dahlia Murder, Skindred, Volbeat, Alice In Chains, Avenged Sevenfold, AFI…then of course there’s Green Day, Rob Zombie, Down, Newsted, Rocket From The Crypt, Biffy Clyro, Five Finger Death Punch, Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington, Alkaline Trio, Bowling For Soup, Nancy Vandal, August Burns Red, Asking Alexandria, Motionless in White, Mushroomhead, Pulled Apart By Horses and many, many more. The Melbourne event is on Friday February 28 at Flemington Racecourse. Tickets on sale Thursday September 5.
NEW DEVILDRIVER MAKES LIFE WORTH LIVING
Holy crap. Have you heard the new DevilDriver album yet? These guys have always been awesome but I’ve always felt they were one particularly monstrous album away from really charging up a few levels, and they’ve totally done it with Winter Kills. It’s so real next-level stuff – aggressive and diverse with killer production.
ROCK AND METAL AT THE BENDIGO
Getteth thee to the Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood on Saturday August 31 to catch Swidgen, Grim Rhythm, Watchtower, Chaingun and City Of Cool.
BABY ANIMALS TO FILM LIVE DVD
Hot off the success of their first studio album release in 20 years, This Is Not The End (and its Top 20 ARIA Album Chart debut), iconic Aussie rockers Baby Animals are hitting the road for the Feed The Birds tour, which begins in Newcastle on Saturday October 12, followed by dates in Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, Geelong, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. The tour will be filmed for the band’s first ever live DVD, to be called Feed the Birds (Live). Fans can pre-order the DVD, or grab a limited release bundle that includes a ticket to the show and a signed copy of the DVD upon its release for Christmas, from thebabyanimals.com. They’ll be at The Wool Exchange in Geelong on Wednesday October 30 and the Corner Hotel on Thursday October 31. Tickets for the Feed The Birds tour, exclusive fan bundles and copies of This Is Not The End and Feed the Birds (Live) are available from thebabyanimals.com.
GIG ALERT: KILL TV
Kill TV are a brand new power-pop/punk/grunge three-piece from Melbourne who are bringing back the best of singer/songwriter Kat’s old songs from previous bands Kill Krush Destroy, KTV and Kathematics as well as new songs written by Kat and bass player Lauren. Kill TV play their debut gig Thursday August 29 at The Vineyard on Acland St in St Kilda at 11pm. Free entry.
GIG ALERT: MICHAEL PLATER, MIDNIGHT SCAVENGERS & FRAUDBAND
Local proponents of feedback-laced lyrical art-noir Michael Plater and the Exit Keys will be bringing their finely-honed act to Tago Mago (744 High Street, Thornbury,) on Saturday August 31. Joining them will be Midnight Scavengers and Fraudband. The action kicks off at 8pm and it’s free.
DREAM THEATER PREORDERS NOW OPEN
The new self-titled Dream Theater album is releasers on Friday September 20 but you can pre-order it now. Plenty of links for various versions at roadrunnerrecords.com. I’ve heard a preview and it’s amazing – layers and layers of awesomeness just waiting to be discovered on each new listen.
THE WINERY DOGS OUT THIS WEEK
Speaking of Dream Theater and its associated acts, the Australian release date for the debut album by The Winery Dogs (featuring former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy along with Richie Kotzen and Billy Sheehan) is Friday August 30. You can preorder it on iTunes now.
