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REVIEW: JOE BONAMASSA – PALAIS THEATRE, MELBOURNE 0

Review: Joe Bonamassa – Palais Theatre
Monday 23 September, 2019
Review: Joshua Batten
Photos: Mark Moray, Wicked Rock Photography

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder”. Such is the case for antipodean fans of Joe Bonamassa, the 21st-century blues-rock titan with more #1 albums on the US blues chart than many of his contemporaries on the mainstream charts. It’s been three years since Joe’s last Australian tour (his longest gap to date between visits), and in that time he’s released his 13^th studio album Redemption, and his 15^th live album British Blues Explosion, recorded in London and featuring tributes to his original heroes Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. At the time of writing, a 16^th live album is on its way, recorded on his last Australian tour at the Sydney Opera House.

All this means Joe has over 100 original songs and 200 covers from his catalogue at his disposal. Still, a vast majority of patrons tonight probably won’t be crying out for a deep cut from 2011’s Dust Bowl and they probably couldn’t tell you which Gary Moore song Joe covered on his Greek Theatre live album – they just want to hear some good old-fashioned blues-rock guitar playing.

People are still finding their seats when Joe walks on with a Gibson ES-355 in hand and bursts into Muddy Waters’ “Tiger In Your Tank”. Despite sounding slightly sharp in the vocal department, there’s no stress or hesitation when he steps away from the mic for the first of many guitar solos.

For Joe, an artist simultaneously considered the saviour and sacrilege of blues music, the first twenty minutes of the show do nothing to quell either argument, and instead provide the best of both worlds. After “Tiger”, Joe runs through a selection of tunes from Redemption, including classic rocker “Evil Mama”, the Albert King inspired “Just ‘Cos You Can, Don’t Mean You Should”, and “King Bee Shakedown”, a good ol’ boogie-woogie shuffle.

Joe is infamous in the guitar world for his vast collection, and indeed several of his prized axes were on display tonight. Aside from his usual Les Paul’s, a Fender Stratocaster was used to give “This Train” a bright, dirty tone, a Firebird gave the title track from “Blues of Desperation” a majestic, soaring quality, and a Telecaster with a humbucker was used on “Tea for One/I Can’t Quit You Baby”, taking tunes from both the early and later careers of Jimmy Page and giving them the Bonamassa treatment.

Throughout the night, Joe mixed his trademark techniques with a few lesser-known ones. Of course, there were enough volume swells, high screams, tremolo strums and shred-a-thons to fill up the quota, but my favourite moments were the ‘less is more’ bits, like in “Sloe Gin”, played with a steady, slow arrangement and giving Joe a chance to focus on long, sustained notes, emphasising emotion over virtuosity. Another technique worth mentioning was one where Joe performed pull-offs with his left hand, while using his right palm to slide down the neck, creating a Steve Stevens-esque pinch harmonic run. It’s a testament to Joe’s talent that even after over sixty years of the electric guitar’s existence, it still continues to surprise.

Following “Sloe Gin”, Joe took the opportunity to introduce his band, arguing that the marquee out the front of the venue shouldn’t just say his name, but rather “Joe Bonamassa and the Cavalcade of Stars”. Indeed, this is an all-star group of industry professionals onstage, and almost everyone gets a chance to shine throughout the night – veteran bassist Michael Rhodes favors chords in his solos while still holding down rhythm, legendary Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble keyboardist Reese Wynans wails on his Hammond organ with his right hand while throwing in electric piano stabs with his left, and fill-in drummer Lemar Carter lives up to his reputation as one of LA’s most in-demand session musicians – even though Joe’s right-hand man Anton Fig is sorely missed, Carter brings a youthful energy to the stage with steady, powerful backbeats. On the far left, trumpeter Lee Thornburg and saxophonist Paulie Serra are powerful enough to make it sound like there’s a full brass section coming from the stage, and on the far right, a trio of great Australian lead vocalists provide backing vocals with guts and gusto. Mahalia Barnes takes a solo on “If Heartaches Were Nickels”, giving new life to a song which first appeared on Joe’s debut album back in 2000, and Juanita Tippins is a more than adequate fill-in for Beth Hart, trading lines with Joe on Bonnie & Delaney’s “Well, Well”. Jade McRae is unusually quiet tonight after a headlining single launch from the night before, but she still provides enthusiastic tambourine and syncs in with the other BVs.

After ten songs and over 90 minutes of music, Joe decides we’ve been sitting down long enough and finally brings the audience to its feet with the one-two punch of John Mayall’s “Little Girl” and his own ‘biggest hit’ “The Ballad of John Henry”, both played on a black Les Paul custom, complete with a Nigel Tufnel-esque triple humbucker setup. With horns and BVs in full flight, “John Henry” has never sounded so good, and despite being around for a decade now, remains Joe’s most recognisable song and a perfect main set closer.

Of course, it’s not really over yet, and after a brief stop, Joe comes back out on his own with just an acoustic guitar, heading straight into an eight-minute rendition of “Woke Up Dreaming”, full of fast and furious notes and varying dynamics. Although many of the familiar licks from previous renditions have made it in tonight, there’s surely some improvisation going on to keep everyone on their toes. Finally, the rest of the band comes back on, Joe brings back the Telecaster, and as the first chords of “Mountain Time” ring out across the Palais, the final climb begins. Guitar and bass trade lines halfway through, the horns and backing vocals act as the musical wind in the sonic sky, and the night ends with all nine musicians triumphantly taking a bow together in front of an astonished crowd of over two thousand.

Although it’s been three years since Joe’s last Australian tour, it’s been five years since I’ve seen him in a headline slot. At the time I was afraid that the addition of so many extra musicians would distract Joe from putting on a true rock & roll show, instead leaning too heavily on the blues. Fortunately, he owned the stage tonight, and I’m sure he’ll continue to be a blues rock hero for several years to come. If you’ve never seen Joe Bonamassa live, start saving now and fix that when he comes back for his next tour, which surely won’t be too far away.

RICKY PETERSON INTERVIEW: KEYBOARDS FOR FLEETWOOD MAC, PRINCE & MANY MORE 0

A life long Minnesotan whose sound has always focused on a characteristically “Minneapolis” sound, Ricky Peterson is best known for his now 20 year association with saxophone legend David Sanborn and for having, produced, written and played keyboards for Prince on and off since his early days on the Twin Cities scene (perhaps most notably producing and arranging the song “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”).

Playing on David Sanborn records since the mid 80’s, he ensembled with and produced Sanborn on “Songs from the Night Before” and Prince on “Gold”, “Emancipation”, “Crystal Ball”. Peterson also played a big part in writing and producing George Benson’s “That’s Right” CD.

This is just the icing on a career whose associations (either live or in the studio) read like a diverse pop and jazz trivia encyclopedia: Bonnie Raitt, , Billy Joel, Anita Baker, James Taylor, Mavis Staples, Joe Sample, Sting, Sergio Mendes, Brian Wilson, Ben Sidran, Rodger Waters, Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, Phil Upchurch, Jimmy Buffet, Fine Young Cannibals, Steve Miller Band, GoGos, Paula Abdul, Boz Scaggs, Dave Koz, Lalah Hathaway, Sheryl Crow, Jonathon Butler, Bruce Willis, The Jets, Jermaine Jackson, Rhythm Syndicate, Chaka Khan, Robben Ford, Howard Hewett, Larry Graham, Tuck & Patti and John Mayer.

Ricky Peterson who has played keys for Stevie Nicks since 2007, was back in Australia with the new version of Fleetwood Mac, featuring Mike Campbell (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) and Neil Finn (Crowded House). Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips sat down with Ricky to discuss the Fleetwood Mac tour, his gear, his time with music greats such as Prince, David Sanborn and George Benson, as well as his current projects, WDR Big Band and The Peterson Brothers.

https://www.rickypeterson.com

THE STRUTS INTERVIEW: YOUNG, DANGEROUS AND WORKING IT ALL OUT 0

Pic by Anna Lee

AM’s Greg Phillips spoke to The Struts singer Luke Spiller and guitarist Adam Slack ahead of their current Australian tour

Just as their name implies, UK glam-rockers The Struts are brash, confident and hungry for success. However, none of the significant inroads made by the band to date in their quest for megastardom have effected the size of their heads … they’re grateful for the opportunity to travel the world playing music with their mates, know that hard work is the key to longevity and seem like genuinely nice blokes. Today charismatic frontman Luke Spiller and talented guitarist Adam Slack are slightly delirious, having flown into Australia from Japan hours earlier, yet know that media commitments are all part of the deal in pushing The Struts brand forward and are happy to chat.
“Playing shows is something we really enjoy doing and my god we play a lot, so it’s a blessing and a curse,” Adam responds when I ask what the best thing about being in The Struts is. “We love traveling the world and seeing different countries and playing shows in them. We miss home sometimes but it’s a dream for sure to be able to do it and call it a real job.” Luke chips in too. “All the best parts of being in The Struts are also the worst parts,“ he says referring to the jetlag they’re feeling.

The Struts is such a classic rock ’n’ roll band name that you’d think that someone would have already claimed it but the British quartet lucked out in that regard. The Devon Bridge Society and Baby Strange were also named under consideration before their manager at the time suggested The Struts as a name because Luke was always ‘struttin’ around’.

Such is the work ethic of The Struts that they’re back in Australia merely six months after their last trip. On that occasion, they were supporting another global ‘buzz band’ Greta Van Fleet, who had to cancel gigs after their singer had come down with laryngitis. Rather than sit around in their hotel suites waiting for their departure date, The Struts decided to play a couple of now-famous free gigs in Melbourne, one at the legendary Cherry Bar and the other at sister club Yah Yahs. It was a week that fans and the band remember fondly. “The memories are great ones,” says Luke without hesitation. “We took a bad situation and we flipped it on its head and in doing so had a couple of really special shows. I remember the walls literally sweating, that’s how hot it was.”

While The Struts come across as a band very much on a mission, you get the feeling that in their relatively short two-album career, they’re still very much trying to work this whole international touring and recording thing out. When they talk together as a band and discuss the future and goals, I wondered what the key elements were that kept coming up?
“Money!” states Luke quick as a flash as the band, listening in the background break into laughter. “In all honesty, the music side of it … that’s not really the challenge. There’s always songs floating around, there’s always ideas. It is not like we are at a point where we are not driven musically. Most of the meetings are usually about things like … if something has happened or something in the show was not working, it’s normally all quite constructive really. It usually all four of us at a pub or bar and we end up talking about something.”

One of the other current topics of conversation is the next album, the follow up to their acclaimed second disc Young & Dangerous. Where are they at with that project? “Nowhere really,” jokes Luke. “We are kinda accumulating ideas but it is really difficult to say. We are kind of in a slightly limbo kind of situation. When I say that, we are basically trying to figure out … do we consolidate these four weeks on this side of the year into trying to make an album or do we spend four weeks with no additional pressure but maybe try and come up with two or three really great songs instead of 10 and see where that goes? It is kind of starting but officially it hasn’t, if that make sense?

We were there mental notes made or lessons learned from Young & Dangerous that they would take into the next recording?
“I think the second album was pretty horrible to make at times but no mental notes really,” says Luke on reflection. “I think there were a few things in there that we could have done better. On the whole we are really proud of it but because of the constant touring and the fatigue and sheer amount of songs that were written in a short space of time, it kinda clouded judgement at times, which is something that I don’t think we want to repeat. So maybe relying on our gut instincts a little more is something that we could take awy from that.”

“Another thing we take away … is carving some time out to actually write and record instead of just getting off a 15 hour flight from Quebec and then trying to start writing a song for two days, record it and leave again … which is what we were doing,” Adam adds. “We are going to LA in November for a month and we’re just going to sit down and write some stuff, ”

It seems I’d hit a nerve and Luke gets quite animated as he recalls just how hectic their lifestyle has been. “Yeah, we’d come back to the UK after being on the west coast of the US and then we’d be in the studio the day after we landed. I remember we were recording a song … Adam was playing this riff and I fell asleep at 1pm in the afternoon, I couldn’t keep my eyes open and I woke up and he was still playing it. So fuckin hell mate, we don’t want to do that again. Although we probably will. We always say the same shit, we won’t do this many shows again or don’t worry mum and dad and family, I am not going to let people walk over me and then bang, before you know it, we are touring 395 days of a 365 day year.”

For me, the best things about watching The Struts perform on stage are both the level of energy that the guys create and the simplicity and flexibility of their shows, the old three chords and the truth approach as opposed to being prisoners to pyrotechnics or lighting cues as many of today’s bigger bands are. However Luke is quick to shoot that philosophy down in flames.
“Well it has only been simplistic just because of money really,“ he says bluntly. “We did a show in New York at Pier 17, which is where I think the band should be heading, we had pyrotechnics, flame throwers, sparks. I rode a Harley Davidson out on stage. If your impression of us is that we keep the production minimal for artistic reasons, then I’m afraid you’re gravely mistaken. It’s simply because we can’t afford it.”

What is an indisputable fact however, is that The Struts possess an enticingly loud, chunky and rich rock ’n’ roll sound. A large part of that is due to lead guitarist Adam Slack’s tone. Growing up, Slack was a major fan of Brian May’s Red Special sound and also Keith Richards’ Telecaster tones. While Adam does own a couple of Red Special replicas, it’s been the Les Paul sound that he has gravitated to.
“Being the only guitar player in the band .. I have a Tele and I do play it sometimes but it doesn’t fill the space I need to fill being the only guitar player,” he explains. “A lot of the songs on the record have multiple guitar parts. I have gone to other guitars because I love the tone of the Teles. In the studio I use them a lot. When I play live I always gravitate to this one Les Paul, which is 59 replica of Mike McCready’s (Pearl Jam guitarist) Les Paul. I played about ten of them in the Chicago Music Exchange and I didn’t know the price of any of them and that one was amazing and sounded incredible. Of course, it was the most expensive but I got it and have used that in the studio since I’ve had it and taken it around the world with me and I love it. You can do everything on it and especially live … our sound guy absolutely loves it. Whenever I play anything else, he’s like yeah it good but the Les Paul is awesome… I have just got a new set of amps too. I’ve still got the AC30 but now I have a Marshall replica of Angus Young’s 67 Blackface from this company called SoloDallas. It’s a guy who lives in the Newport Beach area of California who is obsessed with AC/DC. He’s been nerding out over Angus Young’s wireless kit that he used in the studio for Back in Black, it compressed the tone. Anyway he has made that into a pedal and I have got the pedal and I saw that he made the amp and I got one too and it’s the best amp purchase I have ever made. So I have an AC30 blended with that Marshall and then I also have a little 12 inch Supro amp mixed in. Mainly it’s the Les Paul and then I have a couple of juniors that I really love, which is Keith Richards to me as well … the TV yellow double cut, which he called Tumbling Dice.”

If you’re looking for the ultimate example of The Struts great rock ’n’ roll tone, look no further than their cover of The Sweet’s Ballroom Blitz, which they recorded for the 2016 movie Edge of Seventeen. It has all the excitement of the original glam rock classic yet invigorated with modern day production, offering much fatter riffs and bigger bottom end. I suggested that 70s glam rock is a largely untapped treasure trove of potential hit cover versions.
“Absolutely,”says Luke. “That’s kinda where we are coming from to an extent. We’ve covered Get It On by T Rex live numerous times and Rebel Rebel. Maybe we could do Tiger Feet (Mud) or Mickey (Toni Basil),” he throws up as recording possibilities but in the same breath suggests, “Sorry man I am delirious, I am knackered and have no idea what I am saying.” On that note I left the band to grab whatever rest they could before hitting the stage later that night at The Corner Hotel to further enhance the band’s fine reputation.

The Struts website

BLUESFEST 2020 FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT: DAVE MATTHEWS, PATTI SMITH, CROWDED HOUSE & GEORGE BENSON 0

A few surprises and a host of returnees will make Bluesfest 2020 one to look forward to. Held at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm – just 10 minutes north of Byron Bay, Bluesfest 2020 runs from April 9-13. Among the headliners for next year, Dave Matthews band is back for their 3rd Byron Bay stint. “Dave Matthews Band is one of the top-grossing, most in-demand bands in the world – and finally they are coming back to Bluesfest. This is going to be magical and unmissable,” says Bluesfest Festival Director, Peter Noble.

In a major surprise, Patti Smith and band are back too after the Godmother of punk suggested her 2017 tour would be her last. Anyone who witnessed Patti’s 2017 performance will be thrilled to relive that energy.

Taking time off from his Fleetwood Mac duties, Neil Finn will be at Bluesfest next year fronting Crowded House in an exclusive Australian performance. Their anthems such as “Don’t Dream It’s Over’, ‘Weather With You’ and ‘Better Be Home Soon’ still resonate with a global audience of all ages.

One of the biggest surprises is the inclusion of guitar and vocal legend George Benson. Since 1977, George Benson, who is recognised as one of the world’s greatest guitarists, has won 10 Grammy Awards – and has been nominated for an additional 15. It’s been quite a while since we’ve had the opportunity to see George play in Australia.

Here’s the full list of artists in the Bluesfest 2020 1st announcement.

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
CROWDED HOUSE 
PATTI SMITH AND HER BAND
GEORGE BENSON
BRANDI CARLILE
JOHN BUTLER
XAVIER RUDD
THE CAT EMPIRE
MORCHEEBA
JOHN PRINE
JENNY LEWIS
FRANK TURNER
JOHN MAYALL
BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE
THE MARCUS KING BAND
WALTER TROUT
CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM
GREENSKY BLUEGRASS
LARKIN POE
THE WAR & TREATY

Bluesfest 2020 is being held from 9 – 13 April 2020. Tickets are on sale now via Moshtix.

WWW.BLUESFEST.COM.AU

ALICE COOPER TO TOUR IN FEB WITH AIRBOURNE AND MC50 0

The original shock rocker Alice Cooper is returning to Australia in February 2020 with his all-new “Ol’ Black Eyes Is Back” show.  On his last tour of Australia in 2017, Cooper showed that he still has what it takes to present a rockin’ fun night of hits. This tour will be additionally appealing as special guests on the Australian leg of this international tour will be Aussie rock stalwarts Airbourne along with MC50, featuring Wayne Kramer of the legendary MC5 with an all-star band performing MC5 classics. 

Having shocked and delighted fans in equal measure for five decades, Alice Cooper’s new outlandish stage show incorporates a setting inside his Nightmare Castle and features not only the return of FrankenAlice but also the new Billion Dollar Baby. With a revamped setlist which includes not only the classic hits but some select deep album tracks and new music, Australian fans are in for a real treat when Alice Cooper takes to the stage in early 2020.

Pre-sale tickets for “Ol’ Black Eyes Is Black” Australian tour will be available via Telstra Plus from 11 am (local) Thursday 15 August, before the general public on-sale at 2.00pm (local) Wednesday 21 August 2019 from Ticketek.

Known as one of the hardest working people in music, Alice Cooper also records and tours with The Hollywood Vampires with pals Joe Perry and Johnny Depp, while continuing his long-running nightly syndicated radio show “Nights With Alice Cooper,” heard worldwide on over 100 radio stations, including Australia.

New music from Alice Cooper is also imminent, with the announcement of the September 13 release of mini-album “The Breadcrumbs” from (earMUSIC), a tribute to his Detroit rock origins, recorded in Detroit with Detroit musicians, featuring covers of classic Detroit-originated songs.

Special guests to Alice Cooper are Australian Rock ‘n’ Rollers, Airbourne. The loud and proud musicians have played around the globe and performed on the main stage at Download UK and co-headlined the Wacken Festival.

Joining them is Detroit’s proto-punk/hard rock band MC50, who will bring their ‘Kick Out The Jams: The 50th Anniversary Tour” to Australia.  Known as MC50 for the forthcoming “Ol’ Black Eyes Is Back” tour, the supergroup features MC5’s Wayne Kramer joined by guitarist Kim Thayil (Soundgarden), drummer Brendan Canty (Fugazi), bassist Doug Pinnick(King’s X), and frontman Marcus Durant (Zen Guerrilla).

Pic by Jason Rosewarne’s from Cooper’s 2017 Australian tour

ALICE COOPER
“OL’ BLACK EYES IS BACK“
AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES 2020

Saturday 8 February             Perth, RAC Arena
Tuesday 11 February            Adelaide, Entertainment Centre
Friday 14 February                Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
Saturday 15 February           Sydney, Qudos Bank Arena
Tuesday 18 February            Brisbane, Entertainment Centre

ALICE COOPER FAN CLUB PRE-SALE
9.00am Wednesday 14 August – 9.00am Thursday 15 August (local)

TELSTRA PLUS PRE-SALE
11.00am Thursday 15 August – 11.00am Monday 19 August (local)

VISA PRE-SALE
1.00pm Monday 19 August – 1.00pm Wednesday 21 August (local)

GENERAL PUBLIC ON SALE
2.00PM WEDNESDAY 21 AUGUST 2019 (local)
www.ticketek.com.au

RED HOT SUMMER 2020 TOUR ON SALE TODAY WITH EXTRA SHOWS 0

(Photo by Martin Philbey, Story by Australian Musician) 

The RED HOT SUMMER TOUR celebrates 10 years of Red Hot Rock in 2020 and in true style, organisers have put together an incredible all Australian line-up for a massive four-month series of dates. In an incredible coup for music-fans, ARIA Hall of Fame inductees Hunters & Collectors are reuniting to headline the 2020 tour, bringing with them special guests James Reyne, The Living End, The Angels, Baby Animals, Killing Heidi and Boom Crash Opera.

Promoter Duane McDonald launched the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR in 2011 with a line-up of three artists on the bill and six shows throughout Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. Fast forward a decade, and the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR is one of the hottest tickets on the summer music calendar. In 2020, the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR will visit Queensland, both the metro centre and the Tropical North, the Northern Territory, Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania, fully realising Duane’s original dream of ensuring the music-loving public around the country had to access to top-quality festivals.

“The past 10 years have gone so fast and we have been so proud to see the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR continue to grow each year,” says Duane. “The support we have received from audiences has been phenomenal. To everyone who has attended a RED HOT SUMMER TOUR show over the last decade – thank you. You are the reason we do what we do and will continue to bring you the best quality music experience, every year. We can’t wait to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Red Hot Rock with music fans around the country.”

Reforming for this special 10th anniversary of the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR, Hunters & Collectors performances are a rare thing indeed and a huge coup for music fans. The legendary band disbanded over two decades ago and have only performed again a handful of times since – notably at The Sound Relief Concert in 2009 and a brief run five years ago. Banding together again specifically for the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR is apt, considering that Hunters & Collectors voracious live performances are so well suited in a festival environment. With the smash hit songs such as When The River Runs Dry, Say Goodbye, Do You See What I See, True Tears Of Joy, Holy Grail and the anthemic Throw Your Arms Around Me, Hunters & Collectors have sold over one million albums spawning 19 hit singles.
“The lads are very excited to be getting out into all the regional towns that made them welcome when they were touring at their peak throughout Australia,” says Hunter & Collectors lead singer Mark Seymour. “This tour is going to be huge.”

James Reyne has been treading the boards in the rock halls of Australian music for decades. From his time fronting the legendary Australian Crawl through to his successful solo career, James’ music is part of Australian history. As a prolific songwriter and strong vocalist, it’s no surprise that James has won accolade after accolade for his contribution to music. When Australian Crawl split in the mid-1980s, James embarked on a successful solo career. James Reye stands alone within an elite cluster of exclusive Australian performers.

The Living End are considered Australian rock royalty, and for good reason. Their blistering live performances have seen them perform far and wide, and their reputation precedes them, they rock from the first note to the last. When The Living End first smashed onto the scene in 1997 with their double-A single Prisoner of Society and Second Solution, they embraced a new Australian sound and fans and critics sat up and listened. Since then they have released seven studio albums, two of which have debuted at #1 on the ARIA Chart – four of those are Platinum and two are Gold. They have been nominated for an incredible 27 ARIA Awards. They released their eighth studio album Wunderbar in September 2018, and audiences at the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR will get to see the band in full flight!

When it comes to great Aussie rock, it doesn’t come much better than The Angels. It’s been over four decades since brothers Rick and John Brewster co-founded the iconic band and have penned some of Australia’s most anthemic tracks. The Angels are widely reputed for their killer live shows. With hits like Long Line, Marseille, Be With You, After the Rain, Shadow Boxer and Mr Damage to name a few. Audiences have always loved seeing The Angels on the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR and 2020 promises to really rock!

Baby Animals burst onto the Australian scene in the 1990s with a solid rock force and a sassy lead singer. Suze DeMarchi proved that girls could rock just as hard as guys and the Baby Animals soon kicked some impressive rock butt with hits such as Rush You, Early Warning and One Word. The band scored themselves ARIA awards for best album and toured the globe. When they split in the mid-1990s they ended a special era of Australian music. The band’s recent reformation and inclusion again on the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR line-up is an opportunity for music fans to see their original rock at its best.

Killing Heidi also celebrate an auspicious anniversary in 2020, two decades since the release of their rock-pop debut Reflector. The smash-hit singles – including Weir and Mascara – embedded the album in Australian music history, took out four ARIA awards and reached four times platinum status. It also catapulted Killing Heidi and its teen musicians – Ella and Jesse Hooper – into international superstar status. The Hooper siblings were revered for their songwriting prowess and their subsequent albums earned them critical acclaim.

Marking another milestone on the tour, Boom Crash Opera celebrates the 30th anniversary of their ARIA Top 10 album These Are Crazy Times, which spawned smash singles such as Onion Skin, The Best Thing, Talk About It, Get Out Of The House and Dancing In The Storm. To make the occasion even more special, the band – Peter Farnan, Peter ‘Maz’ Maslen and John Favro – are excited to welcome back Dale Ryder who will lead the vocal charge. Audiences will be treated to all the hits, including Hands Up In The Air, Her Charity, Love Me To Death and Great Wall to name a few. Boom Crash Opera have a lot to celebrate and what better place to do it than on the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR in 2020.

The RED HOT SUMMER TOUR is always a sell-out series and the 10 Years of Red Hot Rock in 2020 will create Australian music history. Don’t miss these very special shows.

Tickets are only available through authorised ticket outlets listed. Patrons are advised not to purchase tickets from Viagogo or other Third Party Sellers, as fraudulent tickets will not be honoured.

Apple Music’s editors have created a playlist of Red Hot Rock for the 2020 RED HOT SUMMER TOUR. Stream it now on Apple Music here: www.applemusic.com/Redhotsummer

Saturday 4th January 2020
Bendigo Racecourse, BENDIGO VIC
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Sunday 5th January 2020
Old Mount Gambier Gaol, MOUNT GAMBIER SA
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100
Old Mount Gambier Gaol 08 8723 0032

Saturday 11th January 2020
Mary Ann Reserve, MANNUM SA
Sounds By The River
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100
Mannum Visitor Information Centre 1300 626 686

Sunday 12th January 2020
Sandalford Estate, SWAN VALLEY WA
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Saturday 18th January 2020
Mornington Racecourse, MORNINGTON VIC
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Saturday 25th January 2020
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, HOBART TAS
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Sunday 26th January 2020
Country Club Lawns, LAUNCESTON TAS
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Saturday 1st February 2020
Westport Park, PORT MACQUARIE NSW
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100
Glasshouse www.glasshouse.org.au

Saturday 8th February 2020
Cockatoo Island, SYDNEY NSW
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Saturday 15th February 2020
Roche Estate, HUNTER VALLEY NSW
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Sunday 16th February 2020
Bella Vista Farm, BAULKHAM HILLS NSW
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Saturday 22nd February 2020
Sandstone Point Hotel, BRIBIE ISLAND QLD
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Sunday 23rd February 2020
Queens Park – Frogs Hollow, TOOWOOMBA QLD
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Sunday 1st March 2020
Harrigans Drift Inn, JACOBS WELL QLD
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Saturday 7th March 2020
Mackay Park, BATEMANS BAY NSW
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100
Batemans Bay Visitors Centre 1800 802 528

Saturday 14th March 2020
Kiama Showgrounds, KIAMA NSW
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100
Kiama Visitor Information Centre 1300 654 262

Saturday 21st March 2020
Gateway Lakes, WODONGA VIC
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Saturday 28th March 2020
North Gardens, BALLARAT VIC
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Sunday 29th March 2020
Seppeltsfield, BAROSSA SA
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Saturday 4th April 2020
Lazy River Estate, DUBBO NSW
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100
Dubbo Visitor Information Centre 02 6801 4450

Saturday 11th April 2020
Darwin Amphitheatre, DARWIN NT
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Saturday 18th April 2020
Barlow Park, CAIRNS QLD
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

For more information, please visit www.redhotsummertour.com.au