Puff'n'Stuff

To start off with, a tour that Puff is especially looking forward to, something that was sadly cancelled but is well and truly back on the cards...

After being forced to postpone their August trip after bass player Jamie Reynolds broke his leg jumping off a stage at a festival in France (silly bugger, eh?), the Klaxons return to Australia to play some colourful shows this October and this time they're really really really really really really coming! And to top it off, the tour now includes a date in Adelaide, yeeh! Check 'em out Sun 21 Oct at HQ.

The Falls Festival have just announced the line-up for the 15th year... Kings Of Leon, Groove Armada, Paul Kelly, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Waifs, Gotye, Built To Spill, Jose Gonzalez, The Go! Team, Blackalicious, The Mess Hall, Girl Talk, Kev Carmody, Whiskey Go Go's and - huge breath - last but not least Neville Staple's Special. Over 80% of tickets will be allocated to subscribers and the remaining tickets go on sale 9am 10 Sept. You'd be crazy to miss it!

Our very own The Hot Lies are about to release their debut LP 'Ringing In The Sane' - you might have heard lead single Emergency! Emergency! just a few times, and possibly seen the brilliant new clip on the telly. Following some recent headline shows for the single, and huge supports with US punk rockers Sum 41 and Yellowcard, the band is in red hot form and guaranteed to tear up stages - The Gov to be exact, on Fri 14 Sept with Mere Theory and The Open Season. They'll be putting on an extra good show for their hometown fans, so get in quickly as tix are sure to fly out the door!

Two of the most touted new artists in the country have teamed up for a national tour to launch their respective debut EPs - Mercy Arms with 'Kept Low' and Ghostwood with their self-titled disc. The Strokes, The Pixies, Cut Copy and The Editors all handpicked Mercy Arms to open their Australian shows, so see what all the fuss is about and get along to Rocket Bar on Thurs 23 Aug.

Plucked out of Nashville and now living in London, Chicago-born Stephanie Dosen is being hailed as one of the finest new singer-songwriters to emerge on the scene this year. 'A Lily For The Spectre' was released to great critical acclaim earlier this month and she's just announced her first Australian tour as support to songstress Holly Throsby. Catch her part pop part low fi style at the Jade Monkey on Sun 30 Sept.

And the headliner for this tour is of course Miss Holly Throsby who has just release her first EP 'One Of You For Me'. Apparently Holly and her band performed a cracker of a set at Splendour In The Grass, so Puff thinks it might be wise to go check this out - reminder, at Jade Monkey Sun 30 Sept. Here's the lovely Holly herself.

According to the press release The Vasco Era and The Fumes are 'killer live bands'. But we don't need convincing, do we? Anyone in their right mind wouldn't pass up the opportunity to see the Vasco boys live, and you'll have just that chance as they team up with Sydney two-piece blues rock explosion The Fumes for a 25 date national tour, hitting Jive on Fri 5 and Sat 6 October. Catch these guys when they swing through town - Puff guarantees you won't be disappointed. (Puff wishes to advise dB does not take responsibility for disappointed people.)

And what is set to be another killer co-headlining tour, Expatriate and The Cops are set to tour nationally this September. Both bands have enjoyed phenomenal success - The Cops with 'Drop It In Their Laps' and Expatriate with 'In The Midst Of This'. They'll be rotating the headline slot on each night so make sure you don't miss your favourite band. They'll be in A-Town Sun 14 Oct at The Gov.

In more touring news, Ben Kweller will be charming the pants off you all with signature dance moves and uplifting melodies on his upcoming tour. He's just dropped his latest album, on which he plays every instrument from guitar to glockenspiel. Catch this pocket dynamo on Thurs 18 Oct at Fowler's Live.

Priding themselves on being 'the most random band in the universe', the southern rock avalanche known as He Is Legend is set on its first ever collision course with Australia. The genre-bridge they've built has seen them share the stage with the likes of Killswitch Engage, Atreyu, Story Of The Year, Every Time I Die and Norma Jean - not bad for a band of would be pirates, who just want to sail the open seas and loot all in their path. So prepare to be boarded as He Is Legend sets sail with Brisbane's own Amity Affliction at the helm, playing Fowler's Live on Sat 8 Sept.

Girls, you better get ready. Eighteen-year-old Eran James blew everyone away with his debut album 'Reviewing The Situation' in 2004, and now the young Melbourne lad is back with his soul inspired second album 'Touched By Love'. With the CD hitting the shops Sept 8, Eran will be supporting Brooke Fraser at Her Majesty's Theatre on Fri 31 Aug where he'll show off some tracks from the new album in a special acoustic set. Eran says of Adelaide: 'The people are fantastic and the girls are friendly too!' so be prepared!

Queensland four piece The Charlie Parkers wind up the Adelaide leg of their national tour this week, celebrating their album 'Step Back Forward' - you might have heard the song Black Heart on the boom box recently. The last Adelaide dates before they head to Perth are 22 Aug at Grace Emily with the City Riots, the 23rd at The Cavern Club and the 24th at The Exeter.

Mia Dyson is coming to town on the back of her soon-to-be-released album 'Struck Down', playing The Gov on Sat 6 Oct.

And a whole bunch more dates to put in your diary... The Cat Empire hit Thebarton Theatre Sun 28 Oct... Regurgitator play Night Train on Sat 13 Oct With New Pants and I Heart Hiroshima... Josh Pyke brings his exclusive visual show to Her Majesty's Theatre on Fri 2 Nov with 78 Saab and Whitley... Birds Of Tokyo declare minor war on Adelaide to promote their fourth single titled, you guessed it Minor War, at Fowler's Live Sat 13 Oct with local boys Soft White Machine...And the gorgeous Sarah Blasko rounds up her tour in Adelaide on Sat 3 Nov at Her Majesty's Theatre.

Local Adelaide gal Zkye, with her husky vocals and soulful and often quirky blues/jazz style, has been quietly refining her writing and singing craft in Adelaide after returning from Europe two years ago and has been paying the bills doing covers in the local pub circuit whilst recording her indie album 'Beyond The Pane'. As a special treat for her Adelaide audience, before heading off to Sydney for a series of performances at The Basement, Zkye will be performing her original works at The Promethean on Sat 1 and Sun 2 Sept, so Puff suggests you get along and see this fresh talent while we still have her!

The Yearlings and The Sea Thieves, two of Adelaide's most enchanting duos, will be playing an afternoon gig at the Wheatsheaf Hotel on Sun 26 Aug. You'll hear the pluck of the ukulele, the wheezing of bellows, the singing of a saw, the twang of banjo along with the usual suspects of guitar and voices. The Sea Thieves will kick off proceedings at 4pm, followed by The Yearlings. It's all over by 7pm and it's most importantly free, so why not ay?

And Delia's album launch on Sat 25 August at The Gov represents the official 'arrival' of one of Adelaide's own after many years abroad. 'Hello... I Like You' was recorded at Mixmasters Studios in Hawthorndene but began over two years ago while Delia was still living in Tahiti, French Polynesia. Puff is told the night is shaping up to be a lot of acoustic fun, with local favorite Heather Frahn making an appearance among other special guests, and support from Joshua Spier with his own unique brand of piano/voice 'acoustic folk' goodness.

And to continue with local news... Electro pop rockers Squeaker are warming up for the launch of their new single 'Jesus Ain't My Boyfriend' with a big Thursday night at The Gov on 30 Aug... Long-running resident pub rockers The Gels are set to launch their new full-length CD 'Fortune Favours The Slave' Fri 24 August at the Worldsend, just across the road from the dB office... The Kemp Brothers are launching their new CD 'Songs About Something' at The Grace Emily on Sat 8 Sept with support good mate John Woods... To celebrate their drummer Johno's birthday, local lads Omnium will be grinding out their brand of extreme metal at the Crown & Anchor Hotel on Sat 8 Sept supported by their hard-drinking buddies Mythyca... And another drummer's birthday slash gig - Left By The Wake return to the local scene on Sat 25 August, after a short hiatus induced by injury, at the Magill Club, Uren Street, Magill, with Deafening Silence, 12 Straight Months Of Winter, Darkened Reality and newcomers Grievance. Happy birthday!

An up'n'coming local band to check out - Lines & Lines are launching their debut EP at the Jade Monkey, Fri 24 Aug with Brunatex and Breakerfall.

And some more new kids on the block... a new metal force will be hitting the Lizard Lounge on Sat 8 Sept, headed by the power metal kings Skintilla, along with three hot new metal bands, Octanic, Devonera and ISAW all of which will be performing only their first or second shows.

After taking a couple of years off after his band LaRusso called it a day, local lad Palky has been diligently writing and recording his sweet pop songs into his solo debut EP 'So There You Are You See', and will be playing on Sat 25 Aug at Jade Monkey with The Brels (former members of Krystapinzch). The EP can be snaffled up for a mere $5, which is pretty darn good Puff thinks!

Melbourne lads Freestate and Famous By Association team up with Adelaide rockers Day On Fire to tour their respective new EPs 'Surrender', 'Pilot' and 'The Only Way We're Leaving Here Is Together'. Newtonheath is also onboard, with their new album to be released later in the year. These four bands are some of Adelaide's favourites so Puff recommends you get down to Electric Light Hotel Producers Bar on Fri 24 Aug to hear some new material.

Here's something new around town... If you like your jazz, then there's definitely somewhere you'll want to be every Friday night. Stamford Plaza has introduced live jazz to their Cascades Cocktail Lounge, from 7pm til late, starting with the fabulous Marlene Richards on the grand opening night Fri 7 Sept. To come is Liz Chehade Fri 14, Luke Thompson Fri 21 and Take 5 on Fri 28 Sept.

Orchestral sci-fi art rockers, The Red Paintings are hitting the studio this month to record their highly anticipated debut album 'The Revolution Is Never Coming', which, like their recent EP 'Feed The Wolf', is being financed by fans. They're hoping to raise $40K+ to record the album and fans who donate $40 or more will receive a signed copy of the album, a credit on the album sleeve as well as an invitation to a private acoustic show at the studio in Brisbane. Check out their website if you wanna hand over some dosh.

A few reminders of some kick-arse shows coming up that you might want to grab tickets for before you miss out... Kisschasy play HQ on Fri 7 Sept with British India... Punk veterans Bad Religion hit Adelaide on Sat 10 Nov with Strung Out (Puff is purely excited just at this) and MYC at Thebarton Theatre for an all ages affair... Probably the biggest tour in a while, appropriately named Gigantour, brings Megadeth, Static-X, Devil Driver and Lacuna Coul to our fair state, all together at Thebby on Mon 12 Nov... Taste Of Chaos will be rolling into town again on Sun 21 Oct at the Entertainment Centre and on the tour bus is The Used, Rise Against, Aiden, Escpae The Fate, Gallows and Carpathian... Hinder will be at Thebby on Tues 9 Oct... And finally, The Black Crusade featuring Machine Head, Trivium and Arch Enemy will join forces to provide a bangin' show on Tues 30 Oct at Thebarton Theatre.

The West End Music Festival was launched last week, and takes place from Sept 13 - 16 in and around 14 venues in the West End. If you haven't ventured into this precinct for a while, now's the ideal time! Music from country to jazz, cabaret to hiphop will be showcased, with a great skate/bmx comp happening at the CitySk8 park on North Terrace on Sat 15. Check out the venues on www.myspace.com/westendmusicfestival2007.

And finally, a big round of applause to dB gals Kate Fabbian and Jess Moschetti who were seen out last week judging the National Campus Band Competition round of heats for Adelaide Uni, but an even bigger round of applause for the six bands who stomped through to the finals - Room One, Hyatus, The Battery Kids, Aphelion, Gates & Gate Keepers and Against The Overdose. They're all fighting each other to make it to the State Finals next month, so the Adelaide Uni Final on Fri 24 Aug is sure to be a rockin' affair.

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