Mick Thomas’ Roving Commission have announced a national ‘Out and About’ July tour ahead of the April 30 release of their new album ‘City’s Calling Me’, a warm collection of songs about the inner suburbs of Melbourne.
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The Goderich Celtic Roots Festival, North America’s longest-running pan-Celtic event, is offering the opportunity for qualified emerging artists to participate in a virtual showcase at this year’s festival, to earn a spot to perform live on stage at next year’s festival.
The program has two phases: a virtual phase and a showcase phase. A panel of judges will select a shortlist of 10 artists who will be presented in virtual format during this year’s festival, August 6-8, 2021. An audience poll will determine the top two artists who will go on to receive a year of artist development workshops and mentorship before appearing onstage in Goderich at next year’s festival.
The submission deadline is June 4, 2021
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Tasmanian-based singer-songwriter Fiontan Cassidy (pronounced Fintan) has just released a beguiling single “Windwater Waters”.
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Country music trailblazer Joy McKean OAM will be the 2021 recipient of the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. Finding a talent for writing songs as a young child, Joy has had a stellar career as a performer, songwriter and manager, spanning more than 70 years.
She became famous performing, recording and broadcasting with her sister Heather in the 1940’s and 50’s, and went on to compose some of country music’s most celebrated songs including “The Biggest Disappointment”, “Ringer from the Top End”, “Walk a Country Mile” and “Indian Pacific”. Joy was making her mark, composing hit country songs and touring regional and remote Australia at a time when the perceived role of women was that of home maker. She created a lifelong partnership with her husband Slim Dusty, writing many of his most famous songs and was his manager for more than 50 years.
Joy was recently subject to a documentary and accompanying soundtrack Slim & I
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Queensland Music Festival has unveiled an inaugural travelling music festival dubbed ‘The Outback Trail’ which will run across June and July, rolling through the Western Downs, into the heart of the Australian outback and towards the red desert.
The event will kick off with Opera At Jimbour, which will feature a series of intimate opera and chamber music performances, before a series of unique events at various locations involving Kate Miller-Heidke, Emily Wurramara and Karl S Williams. Paul Kelly, John Williamson, Kate Ceberano and more will then take the stage at the annual Big Red Bash.
Ecopella Album Launch
Ecopella is a choir that has sung for the environment for 23 years. They will launch their fourth CD You’re Needed Now a collection of more upbeat and energetic protest songs. Details – 9 May 3pm at the Gaelic Club, 64 Devonshire Street, Surrey Hills VIC, free entry CDs $25.
National Celtic Folk Festival
Organisers have just announced that the 2021 edition of the National Celtic Folk Festival will be proceeding. The event will take place in Port Arlington, Victoria 11 to 14 June and the first round of artists include The Maggie Carty Band, Trouble In The Kitchen, Hats Fitz & Cara, Pete Denahy, Rich Davies, The New Graces, Fiona Ross & Shane O’Mara, The Bushwackers and the Melbourne Scottish Fiddlers.
Tickets are now on sale HERE.
The Australian Music Association is again partnering with Community Music Victoria in presenting Make Music Day Australia on June 21 this year.
In the past Make Music Day happenings around Victoria have included street bands, choirs, workshops, jams, open mics and roving musicians, for musicians of all levels. Check out the Make Music Day Australia website to get details on how you can participate.
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Natalie D-Napoleon has released a new video for “Gasoline & Liquor”, a track from her recent album You Wanted To Be The Shore But Instead You Were The Sea.
You can read a review of the album at Listening Through The Lens.
A special edition of the song is at Bandcamp which includes a limited edition signed photographic print by Brett Leigh Dicks.
Sounds Australia is currently calling for applications to Global Music Match 2021, a pilot initiative created to continue raising the profile of local artists in international music markets within the challenging parameters of the COVID 19 pandemic.
You can apply HERE.
