Blues | Musicosity

Blues

Guthrie

It began in a swamp. Well, in a Tipi in a swamp, with a telephone attached to an ironbark gum. This is not fiction. This is the cold smoking truth. The bearded man was born. Many years passed to the sounds of Tom Waits, AC/DC, Tim Buckley, The Black Keys, Pantera and Springsteen. The young bearded man moved to a bigger swamp filled with smoke and bars and girls. A land of knife fights and drug dens and muscle cars and rock’n’roll. He lost his way and began to despair. Half drowned in Jack Daniels he prowled his new domain.

The Kill Devil Hills

The Kill Devil Hills are a 6 piece country, swampy blues band from Perth, Western Australia. Their 2004 release Heathen Songs was followed in 2006 by The Drought, an album which has been widely praised by local reviews. The multi-award-winning group spent the best part of 2009 completing their third album, ‘Man, You Should Explode’ released nationally in September 2009 through Torn and Frayed/Shock.

Artist Type: 

Jonny Lang

Jonny Lang (born Jon Gordon Langseth, Jr. in Fargo, North Dakota, January 29, 1981) is a Grammy Award-winning American blues and gospel singer. In 1995 (at the age of 14) his first album, Smokin’ by Kid Jonny Lang & The Big Bang was released. As a result of the LP becoming a regional hit, a major-label bidding war ensued that culminated in Lang signing to A&M Records in 1996. In 1997 (at the age of 15) his major-label debut, Lie to Me, was released to mixed reviews.

Artist Type: 

Mojo Webb

Utterly fresh and unique but steeped in the tradition of real, authentic blues, Mojo Webb's music is truely world class. He began singing and playing the guitar at 12 and has added harmonica, saxophone, bass and drums to his repertoire. Webb began his career spenging 6 years on the road with Buzz & The Blues Band (1992-1998). Since then, Webb jas fronted his own bands and also performed solo. His stunning vocal delivery, incendiary guitar and harmonica playing have earned him countless admirers.

The Preatures

To compare Sydney newcomers The Preatures to any musical acts would be unfair. Not that they don’t have their influences (Think <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Patti+Smith" class="bbcode_artist">Patti Smith</a> and <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Wolfman+Jack" class="bbcode_artist">Wolfman Jack</a> with a dash of <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Fleetwood+Mac" class="bbcode_artist">Fleetwood Mac</a>) but their live show is more reminiscent of a religious cult. From the howling voodoo high priest Gideon Bensen to the Magdeline-esque passion of Isabella Manfredi, the voices in this band stir up a religious fervor that makes you want to drink the kool aid and wait for the spaceship.

Liz Green

Liz Green is a Manchester-based singer-songwriter. She is linked with Humble Soul records. Green won Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition for in 2007. She includes Shane MacGowan, Blues, Canadian Hip Hop, Anti-folk, Musicals, George Thomas, and Late nights that last until dawn among her influences

Artist Type: 

Daniel Champagne

Recently described as 'the most talked-about rising star of Australia's next generation' Daniel Champagne delivers one of the most impressive one-man-shows out there!

Reaching to musical depth’s far beyond his years and a way with the guitar that can only be seen to be believed. Champagne often sounds closer to a three-piece band than the 21 year old singer songwriter guitarist now established as a renowned performer on both the Australian and international stage.

A reputation on his instrument of choice firmly established, recent descriptions of the live show state 'Proof that the acoustic guitars only limit is our imagination' (Lloyd Spiegel) and 'The best young guitarist in Australia' (IFC President). Daniel's playing runs from the instruments soul to way outside of its box. His Signature explosion of 2-hand tapping, body percussion and fiery runs in a swag of different tunings can be expected. As can the jazzy finger picking and tasteful improvisation of someone that first picked up the instrument at seven years old and as it would seem, hasn’t put it down since.

The same versatility can be said for his writing and material. Pulling off setts from intense blues-driven crowd pleasers, experimental compositions, bags of originals to century old Folk and Blues Songs delivered with an exiting youthful flair. As for the voice...'He sings with a wonderfully pronounced and proud Aussie twang, howling here, hushed there, always confident, fearless and knowing' (Jamie Forbes)

In all, a live show to mark as an absolute must see!

Having released two celebrated studio EPs - 'My Own Design' (2009) and 'Wide Eyed and Open' (2010). Daniel has now taken his explosive live show to all corners of his homeland and received an overwhelming response on an international level. He has performed at some of the fore-most world renowned Folk and Blues festivals including Woodford, Byron Bay Bluesfest, Nationals (Australia) Vancouver Folk, Salmon Arm Roots & Blues (Canada) to name a few. After Sharing stages with some of the leaders in acoustic music today and been marked as a true light in its future Daniel Champagne now holds a firm reputation for dropping jaws, breaking guitars and making festivals buzz wherever he goes!

PRESS QUOTES
"Daniel is proof that the acoustic guitars only limit is our imagination. It's a thrill to see a young artist with so much creativity, desire and talent using the instrument in a unique way" (Lloyd Spiegel)

"The best young guitarist in Australia" (IFC President)

"His on-stage presence radiates a musical maturity well beyond his years and a phenomenal method of playing the guitar leaves audiences thrilled' (TE Herald, Newcastle)

"It's his guitar work that really steals the show. Champagne has not only mastered his instrument, he's conquered it! Reaching into Folk, Blues, Classical, Jazz, Rock and other styling’s, with nods to virtuosos too numerous to mention. Champagne has created a pastiche all of his own... I cannot recommend this cd highly enough. Buy it, spread the word, something wonderful is happening down here" (BDN)

"A precarious young talent in the guitar world!" (Rhythms Magazine)

PERFORMANCE REVIEW
'Today I saw the future of Folk! - Festival goers flocking in their thousands towards main stage to witness the young musical phenomenon from Australia dish out an absolute show-stopper at the evening’s end.

It's not often that what we are told in this industry is reality, but I can tell you...the hype surrounding this kid is!

Daniel Champagne's guitar skills are indeed unparalleled, I've seen all the great players but have never heard such a sound come out of one instrument. Prowling the stage with it swinging around his shoulders and through the air, his hands are a blur as he taps notes with both hands, beats out rhythms on the body and toys with our emotion in a musical rollercoaster running from all out attach to complete silence with a mere slide of hand. Each song is a polished gem delivered in the vein of a old Folk troubadour, yet with an exiting youthful flair. But it's the manner in which he holds his audience...his commanding stage presence, cheeky road stories of a 21yr old on the international circuit and his old school dancing-in-the-crowd, guitar behind the head showmanship that had the audience in hysterics and had me convinced that we've really struck gold here.

In the modern age of Hip Hop and processed rock music where our folk players are getting pushed to the festival side stages in place of the more 'popular' acts. It’s a true joy to see a young performer steeped in our rich folk tradition who is able to hold a festival crowd both young and old with just a guitar, a voice and an old thing called talent!' (Exert from ‘The Firefly Column’ San Francisco by Anthony James)

FESTIVAL APPEARENCES
- Byron Bay Bluesfest
- Woodford Folk Festival
- Queenscliff Music Festival
- Australian Blues Music Festival
- National Folk Festival
- Vancouver Folk Festival (Canada)
- Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival (Canada)

Fairbridge Festival, Corinbank Music and Arts Festival, Snowy Mountain's of Music Festival, Wallaby Creek Festival, Cygnet Folk Festival, Illawarra Folk Festival, Mt Beauty Music Muster, Palm Creek Folk Festival, Red Deer Festival, Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival, Cobargo Folk Festival, Candelo Village Festival, Tilba Easter Festival, Bega Valley Transition Festival, Tuross Music Festival and many more...
Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

Artist Type: 

Gay Paris

“We're bringing art back to music and rock back to rock n' roll. We're putting the Devil in a sweet red dress and heels made for cloven hooves and makin' God dance with him until they put their differences aside and make sweet, blasphemous love in plain sight. We know what the people need even if they don't want it yet.”
Yep, that's right folks. WH Monks is at it again. When Gay Paris formed a year ago, they were telling anyone in earshot that that they were too sweet for the Devil to lick and too damn hot for God to dance to.

Artist Type: 

Hurray For The Riff Raff

Hurray For the Riff Raff is currently a 4 piece folk band out of New Orleans, Louisiana. Alynda Lee leads the band with her all-star banjo skills and deep, aching voice. Walt McClements plays accordion, fiddle & toy piano, Aubrey Freeman plays double bass, and Shae Freeman plays the saw, autoharp & vocals. They sometimes collaborate with other local artists or long-time friends, including Brooklyn-based Amelia Jackie.