Vote For Aimee Francis In ISC People’s Voice Category
Melbourne singer/songwriter/rock chick Aimee Francis might live in Sydney now (after some time in LA where she even supported the mighty Steel Panther at the Key Club on Sunset Boulevard – sweet gig!), but she still makes it back home for shows now and then. Aimee is one of the finalists in the 2011 International Songwriting Competition’s People’s Voice award, with her song Control. Other Melbourne-related finalists include Missy Higgins, Skipping Girl Vinegar, The Dead Leaves, Oh Mercy, Louis King, The Mighty Buzzniks, Children Collide, The Living End, Caterina Torres, Kate Vigo and Dallas Frasca. Vote at songwritingcompetition.com to support some great Aussie music!
Gig Alert: Hoodlum Shouts, The Smith Street Band & Palisades
Canberra’s Hoodlum Shouts (pictured) release their debut album on today via Poison City/Hello Square, and to celebrate they’re planning an east coast jaunt. They play at The Old Bar on Wednesday April 18. It’s an 18+ gig, and supports are The Smith Street Band and Palisades.
These Go To Eleven
Marshall Amplification has just unveiled a cool new product – literally – at the Frankfurt Musikmesse trade show: a refrigerator that looks like a Marshall half-stack amplifier. Attention to detail on this thing is incredible, and yes, the knobs do go to 11. They start to ship in October, so that’s plenty of time to pester your local Marshall dealer to register your interest. More info at marshallfridge.com
Double Dragon Evolves Into Sons Of Asena
Remember a few weeks ago when Adelaide’s mighty Double Dragon announced they were calling it a day? Well that’s still true, in a way, but the band is morphing into something new. Following the departure of Roady, there are no original members of the band left. All shows booked under the name Double Dragon will go ahead as planned, but after that the band will change their name to Sons Of Asena (which happens to be the title of their current album) and will record an EP. The lineup for this new band will debut some time this year: Liam Weedall (drums), Davin Buttery and Shane Carroll (guitars), Josh Lamonte (bass) and Lee Gardiner (vocals). “As Sons Of Asena, the music will be changing,” the band said in a statement. “We will be tapping into our death metal influences, and also delving into more abstract and unconventional forms of music. The track Asena from the album Sons Of Asena is a good example of where we are going musically, although with this lineup there are no rules.” The final Double Dragon Melbourne show will be at The Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood on Saturday May 5.
Gig Alert: Jim Breuer
If you’re a fan of hard rock or metal – and if you’re not, why are you reading this, dude? – then you might very well want to check out Jim Breuer at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. He starred in Half Baked with Dave Chapelle, he was on Saturday Night Live for years, and Metallica called on him to host their 30th anniversary run of shows last year. He’s a total metalhead and this comes up quite a lot in his show. You’ve gotta hear his impression of James Hetfield singing kids’ songs. Breuer is at the RMIT Capital Theatre on Friday April 20 and Sunday April 22. Tickets are $39.
New Meshuggah Out This Week
Fresh from kicking your arse at Soundwave a few weeks ago, Meshuggah releases their new album Koloss on Friday March 30. The band previewed the new track Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion while in Oz.
Gig Alert: Veil of Mayer, The Storm Picturesque & Stories
Chicago’s Veil of Maya are hitting Australia in April and bringing along some great Aussie bands for the ride: Newcastle’s The Storm Picturesque (who release their progressive metal debut album Arrival soon) and Sydney metal/hardcore act Stories, who are preparing to release their debut EP. Veil of Maya’s new album Eclipse was produced by Periphery’s Misha Mansoor, with vocal production by Michael Keene (The Faceless). Catch Veil of Maya, The Storm Picturesque and Stories at Musicman Megastore in Bendigo on Tuesday April 10 (all ages), Karova Lounge in Ballarat on Wednesday April 11 and at the Phoenix Youth Centre in Footscracy (all ages) on Friday April 13.
Gig Alert: Arch Enemy
Don’t forget, Arch Enemy are touring Australia soon in support of last year’s Khaos Legions album. They play on Tuesday May 1 at Billboard The Venue with Teramaze & Elysian.
Feedback
If you’ve got any news, poems, dirty limericks, top five lists, suggestions, or if you’d like your band covered in Crunch, email me at [email protected]
BY PETER HODGSON
