DEVILSKIN ALBUM BE LIKE THE RIVER CERTIFIED GOLD

NZ band DEVILSKIN’s (James Southgate) second studio album, Be Like The River released in November 11, 2016 debuted at #1 on the Official Album Chart on the 18th November 2016 has today been certified Gold.

Gold status means more than 7,500 copies of Be Like the River have been sold. Certification is awarded on the basis of over-the-counter retail sales and streaming data.

Paul Martin makes comment on behalf of the band;

A #1 Gold Album!! Thank you so much to everyone who has had a part in this!

Nic, Jennie, Nail and I are terrifically proud of Be Like The River. This album, to us encapsulates our journey, vision, sacrifice and passion, the years of hard work (from so many) and the beautiful ride that it continues to be. We are all so greatful to be able to do what we love, and that you love it!

Big thanks to too many to name but our family, management, crew, friends, the gang at The Rock, Rhythmethod, NZ On Air, the NZ music industry as a whole and YOU awesome people that get out there and support us by buying our albums. Thank you! See you out there soon NZ!

Be like the river that cuts through the stone.

Be Like The River features the smash singles VOICES, MOUNTAINS, PRAY and the recently released BELIEVE IN ME. The album is available as an 11 track album, 13 track deluxe pack and Gatefold LP vinyl edition.

The album was recorded with producer Clint Murphy at Modern World Studios, Tetbury in the United Kingdom after Devilskin’s European Tour.

Press Release, Friday 14 July 2017

Devilskin’s debut album We Rise released on July 11, 2014 and went straight to the top of the charts remaining as the Number 1 Album and Number 1 Kiwi Artist Album for 3 weeks and achieving Gold Sales after only 2 weeks. The album was certified Platinum in February 2015 with sales exceeding 15,000 albums.

Not only are they achieving considerable sales Devilskin’s fans have been streaming their music in all parts of the globe. Devilskin are the FIRST domestic NZ rock band to exceed 1,000,000 streams with one song, that being Elvis Presley Circle Pit and they are approaching 7,000,000 streams in total.

Devilskin have established themselves as a household name in their native New Zealand. Formed in Hamilton in 2010 this four piece rock band are bonded by blood. Paul (bass) and Nic (drums) are father and son, Jennie (vocals) is Nics’ Aunt and Pauls’ sister in law, Nail (guitar) is Pauls evil twin.

Devilskin have recently returned from their 4th UK tour in the past two years, which included sold out gigs in Ireland and playing at the legendary Rock + Metal 3 day festival DOWNLOAD. While in the UK they were also busy shooting the music video on location for their latest single BELIEVE IN ME with award winning director Shae Stirling – watch this space. 

DIAZ GRIMM – FOREIGNERS

The latest song from Diaz Grimm has landed, joining his impressive and ever expanding catalogue, but also serving a tidy summation of the artist’s career to date.
 
The journey of Foreigners can trace its start way back in 2000, with an 11-year-old Diaz taping Eminem's 'Real Slim Shady' from the radio onto cassette. Falling in love with the track and experiencing the standard play-rewind-repeat familiar to all music fans, it became the first ever rap song he learned the words to.
 
Not long after at age 15, Diaz downloaded 'How We Do' by The Game and 50 Cent.  After accidentally receiving the instrumental version, it inspired him to write a verse for the very first time.
 
Fast-forward several years, an EP, and two albums later, to Songhubs 2017 where Diaz collaborated with the man responsible for both of these iconic tracks, Mike Elizondo.
 
“When Mike and I first stepped into the studio I asked if we could start the day by playing ‘How We Do’ at full volume.  After the early 2000’s style rap set the scene, head bopping around the studio we came out of the day with a track laden with odes to that era of hip hop” – Diaz
 
Written entirely within the APRA Songhubs 2017 programme, Foreigners also features an outstanding verse from Grimm’s long time collaborator and fellow Waikato based rapper Raiza Biza, as well as Wellington’s soul songstress Iva Lamkum adding her effortless vocals. 
 
With the current political atmosphere, the feeling of being foreign is a hot button topic globally, bringing people together just as much as it appears to be dividing them. Calling out this climate, Foreigners is a confident announcement to the world: Aotearoa is in the building.
 

Time to let the foreigner in.

THE BLACK SEEDS NZ ALBUM RELEASE TOUR

New Zealand, get ready.

With their brand new, second single 'Freakin'' released to the world last Friday, today The Black Seeds (Craig Pearce) can officially announce what we've all been waiting for... This September, the almighty 8-piece will be bringing it to a town near you onboard their nationwide New Zealand album tour.

Known for an electrifying live show, and having just returned from a successful tour of Canada & the US, The Black Seeds are set to play 8 dates across both islands in celebration of their new album, Fabric. 
 

COSMIC TICKETING PRESENTS:

THE BLACK SEEDS
'FABRIC'  NZ ALBUM RELEASE TOUR

Tickets on sale now! 

Thursday 21 September - Raglan, The Raglan Club
Tickets from cosmicticketing.co.nz & from venue, 22 Bow St, Raglan

Friday 22 September - Auckland, The Powerstation
Tickets from aaaticketing.co.nz

Saturday 23 September - Mt. Maunganui, Totara Street
Tickets from cosmicticketing.co.nz & from venue, 11 Totara St, Mt. Maunganui

Wednesday 27 September - Wanaka, Lake Wanaka Centre
Tickets from eventfinda.co.nz & from Base 2, 12 Helwick St, Wanaka

Thursday 28 September - Dunedin, Refuel
Tickets from cosmicticketing.co.nz or available from
OUSA main office on campus & Cosmic Dunedin, 355 George Street, Dunedin

Friday 29 September - Christchurch, The Bedford Bigtop
Tickets from cosmicticketing.co.nz & available from Cosmic stores

Friday 6 October - Wellington, San Fran
Tickets from cosmicticketing.co.nz & available from
Cosmic on Cuba, 97 Cuba St, Wellington

Saturday 7 October - Wellington, San Fran
Tickets from cosmicticketing.co.nz & available from
Cosmic on Cuba, 97 Cuba St, Wellington

* Supports TBA

Debuted on Friday, check out the brand new single 'Freakin', which follows on from the album's nostalgic summery anthem, 'Better Days'. “It's the meaningful, party, pick-me-up track on the album," says The Black Seeds co-frontman, Barnaby Weir of the new track created at Lee Prebble's The Surgery. 

"It's for the end of the week, end of the line, letting loose, shaking it off. It's a good dose of feel-good funk."

ALAE ANNOUNCE NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN TOUR

FoIk inspired Auckland band alae (Mikee Carpinter & Matiu Sadd) are ready to take their emotive brand of soulful sound on the road once more with a headlining national New Zealand and Australian tour announced for this August and September.
 
Taking in some of the most intimate venues in the country, alae’s 6 date NZ tour will kick off in Christchurch and wind its way up to Auckland before the band head across the Tasman to play 4 key dates in Australia thanks to the assistance of an Outward Sound grant.
 
You can experience alae at the following venues:
 
Friday 18 August                   Christchurch @ Orange Studios
Saturday 19 August               Nelson @ Rhythm & Brown
Thursday 24 August              Wellington @ Caroline
Friday 25 August                    Palmerston North @ MUSA
Saturday 26 August               Mount Maunganui @ Totara Street
Saturday 2 September          Auckland @ Golden Dawn
 
Tickets to the NZ shows are available now through undertheradar.co.nz and cosmicticketing.co.nz (Christchurch only).
 
With the Taite Music Prize acknowledgement in the Best Debut release category under their belt and continued support from NZ on Air, it’s fair to say that the adoration for alae has truly ignited. Latest single Things Change has found a cozy home across commercial radio in NZ, with the video receiving over 150k plays through Facebook alone. Across the ditch, alae will play to Australian audiences for a second time where Things Change has further sparked the support of leading music sites blankgc.com.au and themusic.com.au.
 
Anticipation is running hot for next single “1 to 3” which releases in August and will be the second single from alae’s forthcoming debut album, due for release in March 2018.
 
Don’t miss your chance to see alae perform up close and personal in what promises to be a collection of very special gigs this spring.  
 
For all details on alae’s Spring Tour 2017 check http://alae.band

DANIEL MADILL 'BAKE A SNAKE'

Continuing the tradition of his Diatom EP, released in 2015, Bake a Snake has been recorded on an analogue four track machine. Madill’s use of this lo-fi recording medium has captured a raw honesty as he delivers his ‘morality tales for the unearthly community’. It’s a nice little shot of his big sounding psych-folk, blues mash. Five tracks that cover love, social isolation and everything in between.

This Christchurch based musician has performed shows all over the long white cloud. He has shared the stage with the likes The Eastern, Bill Morris, The Tattle Tale Saints, Mali Mali, Shunkan, Luckless and Violet French.

The Release of Daniel Madill’s new E.P. is a welcome sign that he is set to continue creating his unique and exciting garage-folk sound.

EP available from 6th July on Bandcamp and Spotify.

Also check out www.danielmadill.com

SKINNY HOBOS 'SUBURBAN LIVING'

After a hectic stint of live dates around the North Island over the last 2 months, Skinny Hobos (Sam Holdom) continue to push their gigantic 2-piece sound into NZ’s earholes with the release of their brand new single and accompanying video for 'Suburban Living,' which premiered this morning on The Rock and is available to view now.

Delivering more energy and noise than two men legally should, the bombastic single perfectly showcases the Hobos driving rock and roll sound, adding a bucket of sass and a pinch of groove to the mix. Says guitarist/singer Alex Elvis of the instrumentation, “You couldn't get more cowbell if you cloned 30 copies of Will Ferrell, chucked them in a field full of Dutch dairy cows, and made it rain fidget spinners.”

Suburban Living is the third single release from Skinny Hobos, and becomes Chapter 3 in the video saga which began with their debut single ‘The Merchant of Tirau’ in May 2016 and continued with follow up single ‘Jokers and Fools’, released last December. Furthering their visual partnership with director Stefan Coetzee, the duo has again been put through their paces after previously surviving a gang attack, transportation onto a deserted island, a missing-persons hunt and a swarm of mysterious doppelgangers. With the support of a NZ On Air for their latest project, prepare to see the Hobos fight back with what they do best in installment number 3.

Supporting the Suburban Living release, this Auckland based 2 piece will again be delivering their explosive live set straight to the main centres of NZ this July. Catch them with headliners Decades along with Bakers Eddy and Dead Favours at these locations -

July 14 Hamilton - Gravity Bar
July 15 Auckland - Galatos
July 22 Wellington - Meow
July 28 Christchurch - Blue Smoke
July 29 Dunedin - Re:Fuel
Tickets are available from www.wearedecades.com. 

Skinny Hobos' debut album has been recorded at Roundhead Studios and is due for release this Spring.

PAUL MCLANEY 'PLAY ON'

Live across NZ from August to October
Album available August 4 on vinyl & digital

In April 2016, award-winning musician and MMF mentor Paul McLaney assembled a collection of well-known musicians to perform Play On at Auckland’s Pop-up Globe Theatre. The sell-out one-off show saw a collection of Shakespeare’s most well-known soliloquies performed as a song cycle by some of NZ’s most talented vocalists.

Following on from the show’s success, McLaney and the cast undertook a series of recording sessions and the result is Play On – 11 tracks setting some of Shakespeare’s most famous words to music for the first time.

To celebrate this world first concept, the show will travel to the Christchurch Arts Festival, Taranaki Arts Festival and the Auckland Live International Cabaret Season in 2017.

“If music be the food of love, play on…”

PLAY ON THE SHOW –

Each show will feature tracks from the album replicated by a range of musical talents, in some of the country’s finest venues. 

Taranaki International Arts Festival – Crystal Palace, Friday August 25
Paul McLaney w/ Julia Deans, Mara TK & Jessica Hindin, Mahuia Bridgeman-Cooper & Rachel Wells (Edin String Section)
Tickets available now from http://artsfest.co.nz/artists/play-on

Christchurch Arts Festival – Isaac Theatre Royal, Wednesday August 30
Paul McLaney w/ Julia Deans, Maisey Rika, Ria Hall, Fran Kora, Laughton Kora, Mara TK, Andy Keegan (Drums), Richie Pickard (Bass) & Jessica Hindin, Mahuia Bridgeman-Cooper & Rachel Wells (Edin String Section)
Tickets available now from http://artsfestival.co.nz/play-on

Auckland Live International Cabaret Season – Concert Chamber
Saturday September 16 (Evening Show) & Sunday 17 (Matinee Show)
Paul McLaney w/ Julia Deans, Ria Hall, Laughton Kora, Mara TK, Andy Keegan (Drums), Richie Pickard (Bass) & Mahuia Bridgeman-Cooper, Peau Halapua & Rachel Wells (Edin String Section)
Tickets available now from https://aucklandlive.co.nz/show/play-on

PLAY ON THE ALBUM – 

Across 11 tracks, Play On sees McLaney’s diverse musical experience applied in yet another new way, creating music around lyrics that are over 400 years old. 

Play On showcases not only the vocal ability of McLaney, but also his skills as a composer and features Esther Stephens, Julia Deans, Maisey Rika, Ria Hall, Laughton Kora, Mara TK, Andy Keegan (Drums), Richie Pickard (Bass) & Jessica Hindin, Mahuia Bridgeman-Cooper & Rachel Wells (Edin String Section).

01. Come Away Death
02. The Deeds of Mercy w/ Ria Hall
03. The Sound & Fury w/ Mara TK
04. The Lunatic, The Lover & The Madman w/ Julia Deans
05. Love w/ Esther Stephens
06. The Passionate Shepherd To His Love w/ Esther & Laughton
07. To Be Or Not To Be w/ Esther Stephens
08. Until This Night w/ Mara TK
09. Hold! w/ Julia Deans
10. Our Revels Now Are Ended w/ Laughton Kora
11. Sonnet 18 w/ Maisey Rika

PLAY ON THE ALBUM –
Released August 4 on vinyl and digital
Pre-order the vinyl now from Bandcamp
First Single – ‘Come Away Death’ out now. Links here: http://radi.al/PlayOn

PLAY ON THE SHOW –

Taranaki International Arts Festival – Crystal Palace, Friday August 25
Christchurch Arts Festival – Isaac Theatre Royal, Wednesday August 30
Auckland Live International Cabaret Season – Concert Chamber
Saturday September 16 (Evening) & Sunday 17 (Matinee)

All show info at http://loop.co.nz/shows/upcoming

TOP PADDOCK FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FIRST LINEUP

Kaylee Bell * Hurricane Fall
Jody Direen * Assembly Required
Cam Luxton * Jenny Harraway
 

Returning after a brilliant inaugural celebration to welcome 2017, Top Paddock Festival returns to Lake Hawea on December 31 to ring in the new year with a bang!

Tickets to the New Year Festival in the heart of the Southern Alps go on sale TODAY

The iconic outdoor venue provides a stunning backdrop for the Festival amidst the surrounding lake and mountains. With camping available both on the festival site and a short walk away at the Lake Hawea Holiday Park, waking up to the magnificent surroundings of Lake Hawea would arguably be one of the greatest ways to start 2018.

Add to that an amazing line up of local and international acts, led by the first announcement of artists: Kaylee Bell, Hurricane Fall (AU), Jody Direen, Assembly Required, Cam Luxton and Jenny Harraway, this is a Southern New Year festival not to miss!

Coming off a whirlwind year including performances at both Keith Urban and The Dixie Chicks New Zealand shows, Kiwi Kaylee Bell will headline Top Paddock, adding to her impressive history of huge international shows – in Nashville and countless mainstage appearances at Australia’s major music festivals. Kaylee promises to bring her captivating stage presence, huge voice, and catchy country-pop to the Top Paddock stage. Rousing sing-alongs are to be expected from her energetic set, especially with her smash singles – Getting Closer (#1 on the NZ iTunes singles chart), Pieces (#1 radio chart in Australia, NZ APRA Best Country Song 2015), and That’s What I Call Crazy (Australia's Top 10 Most Played Country Songs of 2016).

Joining Kaylee on the bill is Australian’s Hurricane Fall, who will bring their rock-edge country sound. The four-piece found immediate success with their debut self titled EP peaking at No.2 on the iTunes country chart in Australia, and promise a diverse set of covers and original material to get the crowd dancing. Fresh from opening for major USA acts Leann Rimes and Scotty McCreery, local queen of country and 2017 Vodafone NZCMA best album winner Jody Direen returns to the festival along with sensational YouTube stars Assembly Required who co-headlined with Jody last year.  Canterbury based Cam Luxton and Golden Guitar winner Jenny Harraway round out the first artist announcement of this year’s Top Paddock 17/18 lineup.

With more acts still to be announced your NYE plans for 2017 are sorted.  Stay tuned for more information and a second lineup announcement soon!
 

Tickets on sale now via www.toppaddock.co.nz