New Abbe May tour details

We've been championing Australian Abbe May for a while now, so it's exciting to see how well things are going for her. A critically acclaimed debut has led to two AIR award nominations and the use of Mammallian Locomotion in the credits of hit international TV show Entourage. Hooray.

Not only is she super talented and hotter than the sun, but she is clearly hard-working too. Having only just returned from her album launch tour, she's now announced a new national run of shows. After recent stints in New York and Europe, Abbe is set to embark on a big final quarter schedule of touring including an extensive list of regional dates with Art vs Science, the national triple j Nick Cave Straight to You theatre tour through November, special appearance club dates and iconic festivals such as Meredith, Pyramid Rock, Wave Rock Weekender and Mullum to name a few. You can catch her at the following locations:

TOUR DATES
(AVS- Supporting Art Vs Science, HL- Headline show, FES - Festival, STY- Straight To You: triple j's Tribute to Nick Cave)
Wed 21 September Great Northern Hotel Byron Bay NSW (AVS)
Thu 22 September Spotted Cow Toowoomba QLD (AVS)
Fri 23 September Kings Beach Tav Sunshine Coast QLD (AVS)
Sat 24 September Coolangatta Hotel Gold Coast QLD (AVS)
Wed 28 September Hotel Tasmania Launceston TAS (AVS)
Thu 29 September Wrest Point Showroom Hobart TAS (AVS)
Fri 30 September Panthers Newcastle NSW (AVS)
Sat 1 October Bateau Bay Hotel Central Coast NSW (AVS)
Sun 2 October Waves Wollongong NSW (AVS)
Wed 5 October Northcote Social Club VIC (HL)
Thu 6 October Pier Live, Frankston VIC (AVS)
Fri 7 October Bended Elbow Geelong VIC (AVS)
Sat 8 October Kay St. Entertainment, Traralgon VIC (AVS)
Sun 9 October Bended Elbow Ballarat VIC (AVS)
Fri 28 October Wave Rock Weekender Hyden WA (FES)
Wed November 9 Performing Arts Centre Geelong WA (STY)
Thu November 10 Her Majestys Ballarat VIC (STY)
Fri November 11 Forum Theatre Melbourne VIC (STY)
Sat November 12 Forum Theatre Melbourne VIC (STY)
Wed November 16 Royal Theatre Canberra ACT (STY)
Thu November 17 Enmore Theatre Sydney NSW (STY)
Sat November 19 Panthers Newcastle NSW (STY)
Sun November 20 The Tivoli Brisbane QLD (STY)
Sat November 26 Mullum Festival Mullumbimby NSW (FES)
Sun November 27 Mullum Festival Mullumbimby NSW (FES)

Abbe May - Taurus Chorus

If you read this website with any level of regularity, you'll know that we are big fans of super-hot guitar-wielding Australian, Abbe May. Well, today we have double the reason to post about her. Not only has the new video for her upcoming single, Taurus Chorus dropped, but it's her birthday.

Taurus Chorus combines blues with post-grunge references and is the third single to be lifted from her fine new album. You can read our review of the gutsy, visceral long-player here. If you are Australia-based, you can catch her ripping the roof off the following venues in August:

Thu 11 Aug - PRINCE OF WALES HOTEL, BUNBURY
Sat 13 Aug - ASTOR THEATRE, PERTH
Fri 19 Aug - SETTLERS TAVERN, MARGARET RIVER
Wed 24 Aug - EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB, MELBOURNE
Thu 25 Aug - ANNANDALE, SYDNEY
Tue 30 Aug - GRACE EMILY, ADELAIDE

Abbe May - Design Desire

Design Desire, the third album from Australian singer/songwriter Abbe May, isn't the kind of record that politely asks to played. In fact, so immediate and exhilarating is the guitar-driven opening title-track, that it kicks your front door in, chases you up the stairs and throws you against the wall before the seductive vocal gets you all hot under the collar. It's a fine start and one which is representative of the gutsy blues-rock to follow.

Next, Universes sees layered vocals atop a mesmerising groove and howling guitars before the chorus of Mammalion Locomotion intersperses a chunky, White Stripes-style chorus with verses led by May's ever-sultry voice. Meanwhile, the short and snappy Taurus Chorus combines blues with post-grunge references. Nods to Polly Harvey in You Could be Mine and Patti Smith in Cast That Devil Out sandwich a well-timed change of pace in the form of the woozy No Sleep Tonight, in which May - to continue the iconic female comparisons - goes all Beth Gibbons on us. Further proof that she isn't all about huge, scaling riffs and reverb-laden vocals comes from the sparse, dark and rather beautiful Blood River.

It's perhaps something of a shame though, that things never really regain pace after this. For instance, as the record draws to a close, Carolina - at six minutes long - could have been an epic denouement, but rather meanders towards the finish line. Still, this is merely a minor grumble. By the time Design Desire runs slightly out of stream, Abbe May has already displayed enough diversity - from primal blues to pared back ballads via some smoky Portishead ethereality - to genuinely impress. Expect to be hearing a whole lot more from from this lady in the future, and if she is ever wielding a guitar on a stage near you, then you'd be a goddamn idiot to miss it.

Have a listen to the album's title track here.

Review by Bobby Townsend.
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Abbe May - Design Desire video clip

A while back we brought you an Abbe May video clip featuring some damn fine rollerskating action. Well, above is her new offering. Taken from the hotly-anticipated upcoming LP of the same name, Design Desire shows the kind of guitar driven intensity and seductive vocal that puts Abbe May firmly in BobbySix.com's good books.

The Australian singer/songwriter has attracted comparisons to everyone from Portishead to Patti Smith. Check her latest video out and come to your own conclusion. As usual, comments below please...