Getting To Know... House of Shem

House of Shem tell Bobbysix.com about their tours of Australia and the US: 

House of Shem are an all Maori trio of vocalists, song writers and producers, fronted by New Zealand Reggae ambassador Carl Perkins and his two sons Te Omeka and Isaiah Perkins with the best selection of Reggae musicians from New Zealand behind them providing the world with quality Reggae Music.

Our debut headline tour of Australia will be a fun experience. We love the vibe there the people are always happy and skanking when we come there! We are covering WA, VIC, NSW and QLD and we cant waitttt!!

Before then, we are travelling to The States in June to perform at the Sierra Nevada World music festival alongside some of the biggest names in Reggae music and performing for the first time in Hawaii. Hawaii has been waiting for over seven years for us to go there from the time we released I Love U Girl in 2003. Our song Thinking About You was a number 1 hit for a long time on the radio there. We cant wait to share our music and culture with the People of Hawaii!

We're currently listening to our children laughing and playing, also our new album which is sounding so niceeee! Also we are listening to Stevie wonder, The Eagles, Steely Dan, Bob Marley and the Marley Family, Alborosie, Steel Pulse, Big Mountain... the list goes on, but daily we just write and listen to our hearts and minds to create some music for you all.

Auckland is fire inna Babylon city, haha! Some of us are based in West Auckland and it is beautiful out here. You can see a bit of bush and it's nice and quiet because they limited how many alcohol outlets are out here, so even Better.

It might surprise people to learn that we have just recorded a reggae version of a Beatles song, ready to be released on a compilation that is been compiled in Argentina.

House of Shem Australian Tour 

Thurday 12th July - Wanneroo Tavern, Wanneroo WA 
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au, www.heatseeker.com.au, www.moshtix.com.au, venue and usual outlets. 
Friday 13th July - Eliot St Bar, Bunbury WA
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au, www.heatseeker.com.au, www.moshtix.com.au, venue and usual outlets. 
Saturday 14th July - Rosemount Hotel, North Perth WA Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au, www.heatseeker.com.au, www.moshtix.com.au, venue and usual outlets. 
Sunday 15th July - Leisure Inn, Rockingham WA Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au, www.heatseeker.com.au, www.moshtix.com.au, venue and usual outlets. 
Thursday 19th July - Kings Beach Tavern, Sunshine Coast QLD Tickets $25+bf from www.oztix.com.au 
Friday 20th July - Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast QLD Tickets $30 +bf from www.oztix.com.au Saturday 21st July - The Zoo, Brisbane QLD Tickets $30 +bf from www.oztix.com.au 
Sunday 22nd July - Byron Bay Brewery, Byron Bay NSW Tickets $25 + bf from www.oztix.com
Thursday 26th July - Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle NSW Tickets $30 +bf from www.moshtix.com.au Friday 27th July - The Standard, Sydney NSW Tickets $30 +bf from www.moshtix.com.au & www.eventfinder.com.au 
Saturday 28th July - Deep Roots @ The Espy, Melbourne VIC Tickets from www.oztix.com.au

Kids Of 88 - Tucan

Evocative, wistful and driving, Tucan is the first single from New Zealand duo Kids Of 88’s forthcoming second album, Modern Love.

"Who are Kids of 88?" we hear you ask? Well, they bounced onto the scene with 2009's My House, a major hit in their homeland that saw them tour internationally, release their debut long-player Sugarpills, pick up some New Zealand Music Awards and several gold and platinum singes.

The new single sees Sam McCarthy’s vocal blend into a sound world composed of hip-hugging Kudoro drum rhythms, acapella arrangements and water droplet melodies. With a vocal assistance from Alisa Xayalith of The Naked And Famous, Tucan uncovers a gentler, more melancholic side to a band renowned for their party-starting live performances. But you don't need us to tell you that. Just click play on the below clip to hear for yourselves.

Kids of 88 are playing a little Australian tour. You'll find them: 
Saturday, 9th June - Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane  - tix $12 from Oztix.com.au
Wednesday, 13th June - Beach Road Hotel, Sydney - free!
Friday, 15th June - Esplanade Hotel Melbourne - tix $12 from Oztix.com.au

Kimbra - Cameo Lover

While it is amazing to see our old pal Gotye killing it in the UK (we been raving about him for years), we were a little surprised to learn that quite a few people in Blighty still don't know too much about his partner on Somebody That I Used to Know. So we thought we'd post the above clip with the recommendation to get on board with the insanely talented human-being, Kimbra, right away. 

We've seen her perform on her own headline tour and at pretty much every Australian Festival over the summer and can confirm that this Melbourne-based New Zealander has got quite the set of pipes on her. Her self-produced debut album, Vows, is a fantastic coming-together of disco, soul, pop and dance via funk and jazz. When we reviewed Vows last year, we described it as an "ingenious melding of a whole host of genres and consequently the creation of something new and electrifying, helped in no small part by being tied together by some seriously bone-shaking beats. If the brilliant disco belter Cameo Lover (above) doesn't make you want to dance, there is clearly something wrong with you. Vows is a soulful, textured, vibrant triumph of a debut which immediately establishes Kimbra as a unique and genuinely exciting new artist. Bravo." So there you go. Open up your heart to Kimbra. She's great.

Radiohead announce Australian and New Zealand tour.

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.

Mark Lanegan Band announce Australian tour

While Mark Lanegan is no stranger to Australia - having recently toured in support of his projects with Isobel Campbell and his 2010 solo dates - this April the Mark Lanegan Band will play their first Aussie tour in eight years, following the release of their acclaimed new album Blues Funeral.

Produced by Alain Johannes, Blues Funeral is the band’s first offering since 2004’s Bubblegum. Alongside Lanegan’s trademark gravel and grit vocals, known to envelop listeners and mesmerise audiences the world over, Blues Funeral features appearances from his former cohorts Greg Dulli of The Gutter Twins and Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age.

MARK LANEGAN BAND TOUR DATES:
Wednesday 18 April - Powerstation, Auckland
Tickets on sale 9am Monday 20 February via Ticketmaster 0800 111 999 or www.ticketmaster.co.nz Friday 20 April - The Hi Fi, Sydney
Tickets on sale 9am Monday 20 February via The Hi Fi 1300 843 443 or www.thehifi.com.au 
Saturday 21 April - The Tivoli, Brisbane
Tickets on sale 9am Monday 20 February via Ticketek 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au 
Tuesday 24 April - The Gov, Adelaide
Tickets on sale 9am Monday 20 February via Moshtix 1300 438 849 or www.moshtix.com.au or VenueTix 08 8225 8888 or www.venuetix.com.au
Thursday 26 April - Forum Theatre, Melbourne
Tickets on sale 9am Monday 20 February via Ticketmaster 136 100 or www.ticketmaster.com.au

Kimbra at The Metro, Sydney

KIMBRA 
HUSKY 
FIRE SANTA ROSA FIRE!
The Metro, 16/09/11

After Adelaide's female-fronted Fire Santa Rosa Fire! had created an impressive sound with giant bass meeting snarling guitars and synths, Husky's acoustic songs were dreamy to the point that they weren't quite as attention-grabbing as they needed to be. That is, until their final offering and radio favourite, History's Door, showed just how good a tune these guys can write. With its rumbling drums and lovely melody, it was the first standout song of the evening.

There would be many more standout moments to follow though, as Kimbra arrived on stage in a fantastic ruffled dress and set about bringing the party to The Metro. Starting with album opener, Settle Down, it was instantly clear that her show was going to be a whole lotta fun. Fun in music can be a tricky thing, as often it can come across as contrived and insincere but, as the New Zealander bounced around stage with abandon, it was obvious that she was genuinely having the best time ever. Her effervescence was complimented by her band as finger-clicking, red-suited male backing singers boogied in the background. She even managed a mid-set costume change. Looking feisty in off-the-shoulder red, she sent the female-heavy crowd into a frenzy with more tracks from Vows, most notably the disco-pop of Cameo Lover, which is surely one of the year's best singles.

Of course, Kimbra hasn't caused such a stir simply because she has a good time on stage. She oozes talent too. Her songs are expertly put together and they translated perfectly to the live arena. And then, of course, there's the voice. Holy smoke, what a voice. When this woman opens up her lungs and lets go it is absolutely breathtaking. Like poor old Amy Winehouse, it just doesn't seem possible that such a powerful and extraordinarily soulful sound could come from her thin frame. The constant comparisons to Nina Simone help nobody (how could anyone live up to such expectations?) but there is absolutely no doubt that she is a quite phenomenal vocalist. Judging by this excellent display, Kimbra is going to be a big star. Let's just hope that she can become one while remaining as interesting and diverse as she is at the moment.

Review by Bobby Townsend. It originally appeared in Sydney's Drum Media. Oh, and please excuse the terrible photo. The nasty security man made me ditch my camera before I got a decent shot. Boo.

Kimbra - Vows

While many people's main exposure to Kimbra Johnson thus far is perhaps hearing her lend a vocal to Gotye on his recent mega-hit Somebody That I Used To Know, the truth is that she isn't new on the scene at all. Since relocating to Melbourne from her native New Zealand over three years ago, the 21-year-old has in fact been tirelessly working on the songs that have eventually formed her debut long-player.

Vows was recorded and produced by Kimbra – at home and in various studios – alongside Australian Urban export M-Phazes (Amerie, Pharoahe Monch) and François Tétaz (Bertie Blackman, Gotye). Musically, things jump from disco to soul to pop and dance via funk and jazz, while her powerful and impressive vocal is at times reminiscent of Nina Simone. Elsewhere, her voice has the playfulness of Björk or Camille. However, regardless of influences and comparisons, there is nothing even remotely derivative about Kimbra's sound. Rather, Vows is the joyous and ingenious melding of a whole host of genres and consequently the creation of something new and electrifying, helped in no small part by being tied together by some seriously bone-shaking beats.

If the brilliant disco belter Cameo Lover doesn't make you want to dance, there is clearly something wrong with you. On it, she sings “Open up your heart to me.” With fantastically written and produced music being delivered with the invention, heart and energy of this, it would be impossible not to comply with her demands. Simply, Vows is a soulful, textured, vibrant triumph of a debut which immediately establishes Kimbra as a unique and genuinely exciting new artist. Bravo.

Review by Bobby Townsend. It originally appeared in Sydney's Drum Media.

The Veils - The Stars Came Out Once The Lights Went Out

London-based New Zealanders The Veils have just released a new film clip for The Stars Came Out Once The Lights Went Out - the first single from their new long-player Troubles of the Brain.

The clip (above) is well worth a look. Like most good videos, it is one of those DIY efforts that relies on a clever central idea rather than a big budget. Kayne West can keep his million dollar extravangas, we're happy enough watching a man dressed as a star enjoying erotic images of black holes...