Kram - Good Love

THE ‘GOOD LOVE’ TOUR & SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS

To celebrate the release of Good Love, the 2nd single lifted from his debut solo album Mix Tape, Spiderbait co-vocalist and percussive lynchpin Kram has just announced dates for his national ‘Good Love’ tour. The tour kicks off with a performance at Splendour In The Grass Sunday July 26th.

Please find full details on all below, but for little perspective on the album and artist:

Kram & Mix Tape

In March this year - Kram released his debut solo album Mix Tape. The idea was simple – in his own words: “I wanted it to be like a radio station where all the songs sound like different bands, but it’s all played by one person.” Produced in short sessions over a two year period with engineer Andy Baldwin at Melbourne’s Sing Sing South studio, aside from the odd guest – such as Jet’s Nic Cester and Tumbleweed's Richie Lewis – Kram played all instruments on the record.

With over half a million records sold and an enduring live popularity via Spiderbait, it’s almost hard to believe that it took Kram this long to put out a record under his own name. He’s long had a restless creative energy that’s seen him take part in numerous side-projects, including the rock & roll supergroups The Wrights and Hot Rollers. While you can naturally hear echoes of Kram’s work with Spiderbait, Mix Tape gave him the freedom to explore new perspectives.

Mix Tape was received emphatically by media and punters alike. 1st single Silk Suits was quickly added to high rotation on Triple J and across the board at Nova, Triple M and regional networks right around the country. Appearances everywhere from Rockwiz and Good News Week to Spicks & Specks followed. Combined with features in Rolling Stone, FHM, Ralph, and every other major print and online portal in the country, album launches SOLD OUT – and on it rolls. Kram and his Mix Tape have arrived.

Good Love

Kicking off with an upcoming performance at Splendour In The Grass, Kram has just announced dates for his national ‘Good Love’ tour. Good Love, the 2nd single lifted from Mix Tape is - in Kram’s own words: “my girl, my little boy and me. It’s our life. Wrote the song in a cab on the way to the studio. 4 hours later it was finished. Full on and a little bit fucked up. My best guitar solo. Mix Tape is a luv and rock n roll record, and I made ‘Good Love’ because that says it all: just me and my girl Ree and our little boy Lonnie. Pretty simple... but awesome."

Kram debuted Mix Tape live with a prestigious Friday night slot at The Meredith Music Festival last December: “I wanted it to be fresh and do whatever sounded good without any preconceptions. That’s what’s been liberating about the whole process and why it’s come out so well.” As word spread, Mix Tape album launch shows across the country quickly SOLD OUT. Live, Kram performs with a full band. Sometimes on drums but largely up front, he swaps between different instruments for different songs. Though the drum kit has never held him back, he makes a dynamic and compelling frontman – as the roof of many a venue could attest to.

With Spiderbait currently on hiatus (although plans are afoot for 21st anniversary activities), Mix Tape is a potent reminder of how Kram has long been a creative force. And now, the public’s taste for bold, genre-hopping albums has finally caught up with his idiosyncratic outlook. Live – Kram is all you’d expect him to be; physical, pugnacious, exhilarating, engaging and devastatingly effective to boot.



Download 'Good Love' here:


Catch Kram on his ‘Good Love’ tour:

‘Good Love’ Tour Dates

Sun 26th July - Splendour In The Grass Festival

Friday August 21 – KRAMplifier, Perth
Tickets on sale from www.newworldartists.net, Heatseeker
phonecharge 08 6210 2850 or www.heatseeker.com.au & all Heatseeker outlets and from Moshtix phonecharge 1300 438 849 or www.moshtix.com.au
also from Star Perth, Mills Fremantle and Planet Mt Lawley

Saturday August 22 – Prince of Wales, Bunbury
Tickets on sale from www.newworldartists.net and from Heatseeker
phonecharge 08 6210 2850 or www.heatseeker.com.au and all Heatseeker outlets.

Sunday August 23 – Mojo’s, Fremantle
Tickets on sale from www.newworldartists.net and from Heatseeker
phonecharge 08 6210 2850 or www.heatseeker.com.au and from Star – Perth, Mills – Fremantle and Planet – Mt Lawley

Friday August 28 – Brisbane Hotel, Hobart
Tickets on sale from www.newworldartists.net, www.thedwarf.com.au, Ruffcut Records and from the venue.

Saturday August 29 – Hotel New York, Launceston
Tickets on sale from www.newworldartists.net or Oztix pheoncharge 1300 762 545, Mojo Music, Will’s Music, Red Hot CDs and Collectors Corner

Friday September 4 – Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne
Tickets on sale from www.newworldartists.net or Oztix phonecharge 1300 762 545 and all Oztix outlets

Thursday September 10 – Heritage Hotel, Bulli (Wollongong)
Tickets on sale from www.newworldartists.net or Oztix phonecharge 1300 762 545 or from the venue phonecharge 02 4284 5884

Friday September 11 – Spectrum, Sydney
Tickets on sale from www.newworldartists.net and from Moshtix www.moshtix.com.au, phonecharge 1300 438 849 and all Moshtix outlets

Kram’s Mix Tape Is Available Now Through UMA

Island Vibe Festival

A Festival of Soul, Dub, Reggae and Island Culture

3 Days: Fri Oct 30, Sat 31 & Sun Nov 1

Home Beach, Point Lookout, Nth Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah)

FIRST LINE-UP ANNOUNCEMENT

We’ve already given you a sneak peak at a few artists on the bill, but now comes the first MASSIVE line-up announcement. Introducing in 2009:



Natiruts [Pictured] (Brazil), Sunshine Sound System (NZ), The House Of Shem (NZ), The Bamboos (Melb), Mista Savona (Melb), Ngaire (Syd), Josephine (New Caledonia), The Nomad (NZ) and Chocolate Strings (Bris)
+ MANY MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED!!

Not to mention Circus Performances, Traditional Dance, Speakers’ Forums, Cultural Workshops, and a whole bunch more – all taking part over three days on Stradbroke Island. Now in its fourth year, the annual Island Vibe festival has established itself as one of the leading cultural and musical festivals in the South Pacific.

The annual Island Vibe Festival at Point Lookout on Minjerribah, (Stradbroke Island) has established itself as one of the leading cultural and music festivals in the South Pacific. The three day event encompasses a large variety of roots and contemporary music, emerging circus performances, traditional dance, speakers’ forum and cultural workshops.

Artists

Natiruts: Brazilian reggae pioneers Natiruts are set to make their first trip to Australia to headline the 2009 Island Vibe Festival. Formed in Brasilia in 1996, Natiruts have led a reggae revolution in their home country, bringing their uniquely Brazilian sound to the forefront of the musical landscape. Their 1997 release Nativus sold 450,000 in Brazil alone, starting a remarkable trend they have continued over the group’s 5 other albums, including their most recent Raçaman.

Mixing traditional reggae techniques with their Brazilian roots, Natiruts incorporate elements of bossa nova, dancehall and backbeat, creating a distinctive sound that has been recognised worldwide. Coming off a recent tour to Europe which included a highlight set at the Rotonton Sunsplash European Reggae Festival, Natiruts are preparing t make a massive splash at this year’s Island Vibe.

Sunshine Sound System: Sunshine Sound System formed when DJ Downtown Brown (aka Simon Hendl) and P Digsss (aka Paora Apera) got together for a jam in Queenstown in 2000. They unashamedly jam the whole range of music that they love, typically including lots of fresh bootlegs, a bit of reggae & dub, plenty of hip hop, dancehall, original skool soul and funk including a few crate-digger breaks – plus if the mood takes them a badboy fusion of old skool ragga junglism, breaks and D&B. With the Sunshine Sound System Crew often busy with other collaborations and projects, this is a rare chance to catch them in Australia live.

House Of Shem: hail from Aotearoa, New Zealand and like many legendary reggae groups this band is built around the classic harmony trio format. At the helm is Carl Perkins, a man with over thirty years experience writing and playing reggae music. As a former member of Herbs, Mana and the Twelve Tribes of Israel Band amongst others, Carl’s musical credentials are impeccable. Joining him up front are two of his sons, Te Omeka and Isaiah who not only provide harmonies but both of whom also write, take turns at singing lead and play keyboards as well. It is this blood link and family bond that renders the sound of their combined voices as something really extraordinary. Each of the three has their own distinct song writing style and voice, effectively giving the band three different lead singers. The harmonies are sublime and the precision of their ensemble performance is phenomenal.



The Bamboos: (pictured) are Australia's masters of Deep Funk and Super-Heavy Soul. Forming in 2001, the Melbourne eight-piece have amassed a barrow-full of LP’s, 7-inches and single releases, gaining acclaim at home, throughout the UK and around the world. After signing with illustrious UK label Tru Thoughts in 2005, they’ve had their music featured everywhere from Grey’s Anatomy and Ugly Betty to the multi-platinum selling Nintendo Wii video game de Blob, whilst playing some of the biggest festivals on the planet through the UK, Europe and Aus. With the release of their 2008 album Side-Stepper The Bamboos have solidified themselves at the pinnacle of roots music in Australia, leading to their inclusion in The Age’s prestigious ‘Top 100’ list of influential people in Melbourne for 2008.

Mista Savona: One of the few Australian reggae producers to be making a name internationally, with collaborations with top Jamaican artists such as Anthony B and Horace Andy. Mista Savona’s album ‘Melbourne meets Kingston’ was a milestone in Australian reggae. Mista Savona, who is also an acclaimed keyboardist and band leader, will be touring later this year with a full band and will be taking the mainstage at this year's Island Vibe.

The Nomad: Multi-talented with achievements to match, The Nomad (Daimon Schwalger) has taken the road less-travelled in search of the good groove. Seamlessly fusing hip hop, drum ‘n’ bass, soul and jazz, with trip hop and dub, The internationally-renown DJ/producer has crafted a significant and successful career for more than a decade both behind the decks and in control of his production studio. Having released five albums to date and with his sixth due to drop in late 2009, The Nomad’s return to Island Vibe will showcase his latest offerings, as well as his much-loved old faves.

Chocolate Strings: have been described as one of Brisbane’s finest purveyors of grooved out dub. A range of diverse backgrounds and influences give them a smorgasbord of sounds, a veritable buffet of fresh beats, bass and acoustic grooves to please the most discerning appetite. From the rich deep Polynesian vocal harmonies of female vocalists Ofa Fanaika, Nia Falekakala and Nicole McWalters to the smokin' sax of Josh "Bachelor of Jazz" Appleby, these cats serve up a set where the only thing you can be sure of is leaving with a smile on your dial and sore legs from dancing.

Island Rhythm

This year Island Vibe also launches the Island Rhythm cultural program, a series of workshops, performances and forums where artists and presenters from Minjerribah and Pacific Island Communities share music, stories and skills with festival patrons. Island Vibe is free for children under 12 (accompanied by an adult), and has a bustling food and craft market and licensed bar. Island Vibe is dedicated to environmental sustainability and encourages the use of renewable resources, recycling, composting, car-pooling and cycling.

Website

The brand-new Island Vibe website www.islandvibe.com.au is online now. Check it out for all the latest news, including camping information, transport, merchandise, ferry discounts, and heaps, heaps more. And while you’re there, make sure you sign up to the Island Vibe Mailing List, to ensure you’re on top of all the latest Island Vibe announcements.

EARLY BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!

But hurry, Early Bird tickets are only available until August 31st
Tickets are available now through www.moshtix.com and the usual outlets

Adult (18+): $140 + bf
Youth (U18): $77 + bf
Children (U5): free

Day tickets will be available closer to the date



The Island Vibe Festival is benefiting from funding under the Queensland Events Regional Development Program (QERDP). The QERDP is an investment program designed to extend the flow of economic and social benefits of events to regional Queensland. A state-wide initiative, the program is committed to enhancing existing events in regional Queensland, as well as assisting in the establishment of new events. Since the QERDP began in 2001, more than $12.5 million has been invested in 600 regional events, an indicator of the important role these events play in their communities and wider Queensland.