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You know Radiohead are, like, really good, right? You know that their eighth studio LP, The King of Limbs, was voted Bobbysix.com's Album Of 2011. So we'll spare you the superlatives. All you really wanna know is how the hell to get tickets for their landmark return to Australia and New Zealand in November (it has been nearly a decade since the Oxford bred five-piece last graced Australian shores and a staggering 14 years since playing in New Zealand).
As they are only playing six shows, it's safe to say that it will be a total shitfight for tickets, so, read the below carefully. As we have said before, if you snooze, you lose.
Tickets for all shows go on sale at 9am on Thursday 1st March (local time).
Radiohead are playing at the following venues:
Tuesday 6 November: AUCKLAND
Vector Arena - www.ticketmaster.co.nz Friday 9 November: BRISBANE
Entertainment Centre - www.ticketek.com.au or call 132 849 Monday 12 & Tuesday 13 November: SYDNEY
Entertainment Centre - www.ticketmaster.com.au or call 136 100 Friday 16 & Saturday 17 November: MELBOURNE
Rod Laver Arena - www.ticketek.com.au or call 132 849
So, set your alarm and be sitting at your computer/by your telephone at 8.59am on Thursday. Good luck.
Over the past few days we've brought you a whole bunch of 'best of' lists from 2011. In that time, the number crunchers in Bobbysix Towers have been busy totalling everything up in an attempt to draw some conclusions. As well as our knowledgeable writers giving their opinion and our industry buddies telling us what's on their stereo, for the first time ever we've invited the general public to contribute. So, if you don't agree with the winners of our End of Year Poll, don't blame Bobbysix.com, blame stupid democracy. Here goes:
Of all of the categories in our end of year poll, Album Of The Year offered the broadest spectrum of nominees, as voted for by the readers and writers of Bobbysix.com. Varying degrees of folk were represented by strong showings for Laura Marling, Bon Iver and Caitlin Park, while chunky guitar riffs won lots of votes in the form of Foo Fighters and The Black Keys. Meanwhile, Veronica Falls and The Jezabels waved the flag for melodic indie. However, in the end, it was the ever-inventive, ever-relevant Radiohead (pictured, above) that were victorious, with their album The King of Limbs. Not only was it a quality record but, delightfully, it was given away for free on the band's website. On 18th February, with little fanfare and, indeed, a day ahead of schedule, guitarist Ed O'Brien posted online: "It's Friday... It's almost the weekend...It's a full moon....You can download The King of Limbs now if you so wish!"
Husky's History's Door was popular, Kimbra was well-represented for Cameo Lover and for her collaboration with Gotye and Bon Iver received the biggest number of collective votes (but for different songs). But it was Sydney trio Cameras who received the most love for the fantastic Defeatist. Great song and a great video, in which The Preachers' Isabella looks simply beautiful. Bravo.
Gig of the Year: THE GRATES - The Metro, Sydney, 12th November
This was a three-way race between The Grates, Seeker Lover Keeper and Florence + The Machine. The Brisbane band eventually won it by a single vote. Here's our review the show in question:
In Patience Hodgson, The Grates boast one of the most appealing lead-singers in
the business. She announced her arrival on stage by bouncing up and
down on the spot like an over-excited kid at Christmas and was
crowd-surfing by the conclusion of the second song. Looking
splendiferous in a sheer blue blouse and red skirt, the front-woman
constantly engaged the audience in banter, accepted roses from besotted
fans, handed out glow-stick bracelets and got members of the crowd to
make out. It was impossible to take your eyes off her. During songs, she
bounded around the stage and danced like the biggest dork in the world,
her limbs flailing in every direction. It is very apparent that Hodgson
just wants to have fun, without caring a jot about being cool. And
that, of course, makes her cooler than most. As Young Pricks brought the set to a frenzied end, the band's
performance demanded an encore, which closed with the giant sweary
singalong of Inside, Outside. With the beguiling combination of
infectious pop, meaty post-grunge and a singer that owns the room with
her utter lust for life, tonight once again proved that to see The
Grates live is to best understand them (read the full review here).
"Oh wow," Patience tweeted having read our review of the night. "Perceptive review, I AM A DORK. It's undeniable, it's who I am. I drink Sugar Free Caffeine Free Coke = DORK."Not just any old dork either, Patience, but our favourite dork. And we can't think of a bigger compliment than that.
This was a close battle between Submarine and Drive, with the latter
just edging it in the end. Two very different films - one sweet,
charming and funny, the other edgy and violent. Both had good
soundtracks though.
So, that's it. Another year over. Thanks for reading in 2011. The site has gone from strength to strength over the past 12 months and it's because of you. Well, actually, it's down to a small gang of people spending a lot of hours in front of the laptop, on the phone and in sweaty music venues, for no money, but simply for a love of doing what we do. But if you didn't read our words, then there would be no point in any of this. As the song goes, everything we do, we do it for you. In 2012, we're relaunching the site with a new name, more writers and a prettier, user-friendly look. We hope you'll join us.
It must happen to all drummers. They hit their mid-thirties and - tired of being stuck at the back of the stage keeping a beat while band-mates whack out sexy guitar solos and killer choruses - contemplate releasing those solo efforts that have been gathering dust in the attic.
And so we have Familial, a bunch of songs from a man better known for being the guy who bashes the skins for an English band you might have heard of called Radiohead. Far from a vanity project though, Familial is a modest and unpretentious record in which Selway plays down his position as a member of one of the world’s biggest bands. There are certainly no unit-shifting guest vocals from Mr. Yorke, but just a rather sombre collection of gentle, understated acoustic songs delivered in Selway’s hushed tones. The only clear trace of Radiohead’s influence is the scratchy loop and slightly Yorke-like delivery of Beyond Reason. Otherwise, Familial consists of tender folk which deals with subjects such as depression and, on Broken Promises, the death of his mother, “Once the hurt has faded/Only the love will remain.” Pleasant enough as his voice is though, Selway isn’t an astonishing vocalist, and God knows there are already a plethora of earnest singer/songwriters out there.
So, there are two ways of looking at Familial. Either it is an album not remarkable or groundbreaking enough to garner such attention were it not for the status of its author, or it is a surprising and therefore faintly pleasing diversion from an unexpected source. The truth lies pretty much exactly twixt the two.
