Monday 18 March 2013

Gene Simmons - base guitarist and co-vocalist of KISS visits Hard Rock Cafe, Surfers Paradise


Gene Simmons - base guitarist and co-vocalist of KISS visits Hard Rock Cafe, Surfers Paradise



(Photography Credits: Rob Pirie, Von Piros Productions)

KISS rock god Gene Simmons has been a busy demon as of late.
Only days after popping into Hard Rock Cafe Sydney to donate some guitars, he jetted off north to Surfers Paradise do the same thing at the Surfers venue - this time with wife Shannon Tweed.
It all ties together nicely with his global Monster tour.
The rock music mastermind continues his win win business ventures.
Rock on Gene, and stay tuned to Hard Rock International, as they continue to bring big time acts and celebs to its Australian venues.







FINAL BATTLE OF HARD ROCK RISING


PLUS: FINAL OF THREE BANDS TO BE ANNOUNCED AT WEDNESDAY’S BATTLE
Gold Coasters have one last chance to show support for their favourite local bands and help push them through to the Grand Final of Hard Rock Rising, Hard Rock’s Global Battle of the Bands Competition which gives local musicians the chance to ‘rock out’ in the world’s biggest battle of the bands.

The annual Hard Rock Rising encourages bands throughout the world to enter and compete against other bands for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be flown to London and perform on stage at Hard Rock Calling, play on a world tour in six cities with all expenses paid, make an album, record a music video and win new equipment valued at $10,000.
 
Hard Rock in Surfers Paradise is one of only two venues in Australia participating in the world-wide competition, giving Gold Coast musicians a real shot at taking out the prize.

This year saw a record number of 71 bands from the Gold Coast enter the competition, up from 66 bands in 2012.

The competition has been fierce between local bands.  Proud heat winners have been announced with Gold Coast heavy metal outfit ‘The Black Swamp’ winners of Heat One which took place on 28 February and laid back and melodic funk, reggae due ‘Hans Solo’ taking first place for Heat Two which took place on 6 March. 

Heat Three which takes place this Wednesday night at the Hard Rock Surfers Paradise will be a big one with some local favourites taking the stage to battle it out for the last place left in the grand final.  Local girl pop-rap band ‘Sneeky Picnic’ who recently played at the Big Day Out Gold Coast will be bringing their crowd of followers as will the eclectic group from Miami, Gold Coast known as ‘The Midnight Antics’.  To complete the line-up gold coast band, ‘Mayan Fox’  will bring their high energy show to the stage and attempt to grab the final place for themselves!

and heavy metal band ‘The Black Swamp’ are currently in the lead, with hundreds of votes already cast through Hard Rock Surfers Paradise Facebook page.

Hard Rock Surfers Paradise General Manager Paul McNally said three heats will be held where the winners of the public vote will play and be judged by a panel of top industry professionals, before heading to the grand final.

“We’ve secured some top industry judges for our three heats and the winners from each three heats will then rock off at the Hard Rock Rising Grand Final in Surfers Paradise in front of large crowds of supporters and music lovers, giving bands an energetic concert-feel to perform in front of,” he said.

“We are excited to announce that this year’s judging panel includes industry professional Guy Cooper who is a music producer, manager and label owner.  Plus we have Ross Williams, a Griffith University lecturer in popular music who has extensive experience in record label A&R and as a professional touring muso.”

“Rounding off the panel is true local rocker Jeff Hoad, who as lead singer of Kings of the Sun, toured the world with KISS and Guns & Roses,” he said.

The Gold Coast winner of Hard Rock Rising will get to perform live on the beach at the 2013 Surfers Paradise Festival’s Hard Rock Rocks the Beach April 6, among a stellar line-up of international acts. 

They will then be judged against local winners around the world, with the winners of Hard Rock Rising world-wide winning an a slot on the bill for Hard Rock Calling in London, an international tour performing in Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Chicago and Honolulu (example locations only), a recording contract with Hard Rock Records, album and video recording and new band gear valued at US$10,000.

This is Hard Rock Surfers Paradise’s second year hosting Hard Rock Rising with the event previously attracting over 15,000 entrants world-wide and showcasing some of the country’s best undiscovered talent.

 “We’re so excited to be involved again this year as it takes us back to good live music at its heart where bands compete to be the best and audiences are flooded with the sweet sounds of rock and roll,” said Mr McNally.
 
Gold Coasters can vote by downloading their favourite band’s song, for free, from the Hard Rock Surfers Paradise Facebook page. 

Hard Rock Rising Dates
·         Heat Three – Wednesday 20 March 2013
·         Grand Final – Wednesday 27 March 2013

The industry judging panel will be Ross Williams, Guy Cooper and Jeff Hoad.

For additional information please visit www.facebook.com/hardrockcafesurfersparadise or call Hard Rock Cafe Surfers Paradise on (07) 5539 9377. 

RIHANNA DIAMONDS WORLD TOUR CONFIRMS AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND CONCERT DATES!



Wednesday, March 13 2013 – Melbourne, AU. – For Immediate Release.
Worldwide superstar Rihanna - the “#1 Person On Facebook” with over 63 million fans
– is bringing her DIAMONDS WORLD TOUR to Australia and New Zealand this spring.
World tour promoters Live Nation confirmed today that the tour which kicks off in North
America this week is set to dazzle fans down under with concerts confirmed in Perth,
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney before touching down in Auckland on
October 6th. Complete tour itinerary follows.


Rihanna has dominated global charts with “Diamonds,” the fastest-rising single of her
career to date and first single to be release from UNAPOLOGETIC her 7th studio album
for Island Def Jam in just seven years.


The recipient of six Grammy Awards® and seven Billboard Music Awards, Rihanna has
sold over 41 million albums and 150 million digital tracks worldwide, and currently holds
the record as the top-selling digital artist of all time. Forbes named Rihanna the world’s
#1 social media star with over 2.9 billion views on YouTube/VEVO, the most ever for
any female artist, over 63 million Facebook fans, and over 27 million Twitter followers.
In addition to her 12 Hot 100 #1 singles and overall 24 Top 10 singles, she also has 18
#1 singles on the Billboard Dance Club Song Charts.


Tickets for the Diamonds World Tour in Australia and New Zealand will go on sale
beginning Friday, 22-March at 9am.


Advance tickets for the Australian leg of Rihanna’s 2013 Diamonds World Tour will be
available to all Visa Credit, Debit and Prepaid cardholders from 9.00am Friday 15 March
2013 until 5.00pm Monday 18 March 2013 or until presale tickets sell out
at www.visaentertainment.com.au

In New Zealand, Visa cardholders can get tickets to Rihanna’s concert in Visa
Entertainment’s exclusive pre-sale, from 9am Friday 15 March until 5pm Monday 18
March or until presale tickets sell out. Pre-sale ticket details are available at:
www.visaentertainment.co.nz

My Live Nation members can access tickets through the exclusive pre-sale beginning at
midday Tuesday 19 March. Sign up at www.livenation.com.au

Rihanna Diamonds World Tour is promoted world-wide by Live Nation Global Touring.


AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
24-Sept Perth, Australia Perth Arena
26-Sept Adelaide, Australia Entertainment Centre
28-Sept Brisbane, Australia Entertainment Centre
30-Sept Melbourne, Australia Rod Laver Arena
3-Oct Sydney, Australia Allphones Arena
6-Oct Auckland, New Zealand Vector Arena
Itinerary subject to change.
For complete tour and ticket information, visit:
www.rihanna.com and www.livenation.com.au





STOMP - THE BROADWAY, WEST END AND INTERNATIONAL SENSATION RETURNS TO Australia from 13 August, AND IT’S BETTER THAN EVER!



Tickets on sale 18 March for Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra.
Adelaide on sale from 21 March.

‘Stomp brings the house down’ The Independent on Sunday, UK
‘Brilliant and very funny’ New York Times
‘Pure stage magic’ The Sunday Telegraph, UK

The Broadway, West End and international sensation STOMP is back, and it’s better than ever! 

Following their acclaimed performance at the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, STOMP returns to Australia from 13 August, with new routines, new choreography and new music.

Wordless, witty and fun, STOMP has become a global phenomenon over the last 22 years.  Its universal language of rhythm, theatre, comedy and dance has resonated with audiences throughout the world, setting feet stamping, fingers drumming and adrenalin rushing for over 15 million people in 50 countries across 5 continents.  STOMP is currently playing in the UK, US, throughout Europe and South America.

Eight performers use everything from supermarket trolleys to Zippo lighters, plastic bags to bin lids, and even the kitchen sink to hammer out an explosively feel-good rhythm. 
STOMP is a show that continues to evolve – new music and choreography now join a fresh array of ordinarily mundane objects, onto which the cast work their musical magic.  Two new routines that have been introduced in 2013 include “Trolleys” and “Frogs”.  Trolleys taps into the everyday experience of negotiating a busy shopping aisle with a fully laden supermarket trolley, with the piece transforming into STOMP’s first ever fully fledged drum corps march. Certainly an eye-catching spectacle.  Frogs explores the bizarre sonic possibilities of a variety of plumbing fixtures.  It has to be heard to be believed!

In one spectacular routine, paint cans are tossed between the performers, as they simultaneously build an astonishingly complex rhythm over every surface of the airborne cans.  With the emphasis very much on ‘spectacular’, the Stompers are also joined by inflated monster truck inner tubes strapped around their waists to create both a dance of bobbing, whirling rubber skirts and pounding, portable drum kits – the ultimate redefinition of ‘surround sound’.

Still remaining is STOMP’s signature high-octane mix of slick choreography, tight ensemble work, industrial percussion, and continuous comedy; as the irrepressible troupe of eight performers turn brooms into soft shoe partners, clapping into intricate conversations and water cooler bottles into sophisticated instruments.

Producer James Cundall, CEO of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions says “STOMP has to be one of my favourite shows.  It is a unique and supremely clever idea, to create music from everyday objects and combine it with side-splitting comedy and intricate choreography to produce a polished theatrical performance, the likes of which you’ve never seen before.”

Loved by audiences of all ages, this multi-award winning show has just celebrated its most successful year yet in its 11-year run in London’s West End, breaking the record for highest annual audience ever at the Ambassadors Theatre.  And on Broadway STOMP is enjoying its 20th year, breaking the record for the longest-running show at the Orpheum Theatre. 

The fun started back in 1991 at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, with a single drum hanging around Co-Creator/Director Luke Cresswell’s neck.  STOMP was an instant hit, becoming the Guardian’s "Critic's Choice" and winning the Daily Express's "Best of the Fringe" award, and went on to play to capacity audiences around the world.  In 1994 STOMP received an Olivier Award nomination for “Best Entertainment” and won the award for "Best Choreography in a West End Show".  With appearances at the Oscars, the Emmy's, on prime-time US TV shows such as Letterman and Leno, and most recently at the London 2012 Olympics, STOMP has become a household name across the world.

STOMP last visited Australia in 2009 and enjoyed a sell-out season.  “We are really excited about coming back to Australia,” says STOMP’s Co-Creator/Director Steve McNicholas.  “If you’ve never seen STOMP you should come and see what all the noise is about, and if you’ve seen it before then this show has plenty of new routines to enthral.”

Venue and Dates

Perth – 13 to 18 August
8 Shows Only – Regal Theatre
Book at Ticketek.com.au or 1300 795 012
Groups 10+ Save! Call 1300 364 001

Melbourne – 20 to 25 August
8 Shows Only – Comedy Theatre
Book at Ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 111 011
Groups 10+ Save! Call 1300 889 278

Adelaide – 27 August to 1 September
8 Shows Only – Her Majesty’s Theatre
Book at Bass.net.au or 131 246
Groups 10+ Save!  Call 08 8205 2220

Canberra – 3 to 8 September
8 Shows only – Canberra Theatre
Book at Canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 02 6275 2700
Groups 10+ Save!  Call 02 62752700

Sydney – From 10 September
Theatre Royal
Book at Ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 723 038
Groups 10+ Save!  Call 1300 889 278

Kate Miller-Heidke Announces Major Regional Tour Of Australia




Building on the announcement last week of her metro tour of churches and cathedrals, Kate Miller-Heidke will be embarking on her first extensive regional tour since 2009. Taking place in theatres around the country throughout May and June, tickets for the tour go on sale on Friday March 22nd 2013.

Described as a ‘triumphant statement’ (Daily Telegraph) and a ‘masterpiece’ (The Brag), Kate’s 3rd studio album ‘Nightflight’ was released last year to critical acclaim, debuting at #2 on the ARIA album charts. Previously Kate’s first album ‘Little Eve’ achieved gold status and received four ARIA nominations, her second album ‘Curiouser’ going on to reach double platinum sales in Australia, spawning two platinum hits ‘Last Day On Earth’ and ‘Caught In The Crowd’.  In 2009 Kate, along with collaborator Keir Nuttall, became the first Australian to win the grand prize in the International Songwriting Competition for ‘Caught In The Crowd’.

The past year has been a whirlwind for Kate as she undertook two national tours, dates in Asia and Europe, a handful of festivals including Splendour In The Grass, Woodford Folk Festival and Pyramid Rock, a headline tour across the US, as well as a return visit to support the newly re-formed Ben Folds Five in stadiums throughout the country.  Kate also performed a principle role in “The Death of Klinghoffer” with the English National Opera in their 2012 London season. In 2013 she will be singing again with the English National Opera in the world premier of “Sunken Garden”, a sci-fi opera written by Michel Van der
Aa and David Mitchell (bestselling author of 'Cloud Atlas'), in which Kate will be appearing on stage via 3D projection.

And now, for the first time since the release of ‘Nightlfight’, Kate is heading out on the road for an extensive tour of regional centres around Australia. Playing in intimate theatres and venues, Kate will be performing as a duo with her long-time collaborator Keir Nuttall on guitar.

Kate says, “Of course I love playing in the capital cities, but there is something very special about the audiences in regional areas.  It has been more than three years since my last big regional tour, so this one is long overdue.  These fans are hugely important to me, and I can't
wait to see them!”

Supporting all shows on the tour will be Franky Walnut, a well-scrubbed country boy who has been enthralling audiences both locally and at home with his extensive back catalogue of between 6 and 7 songs, most of which he can remember the lyrics to without prompting. His material tackles weighty issues such as Australian identity and ringworm. He was a finalist in the first round heats of the Clintonvale State School talent quest and pie drive in 1987, after which he managed to kiss Shelley Nolan on the oval. 

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience an up close and personal night with Kate Miller-Heidke as she tours Australia throughout May and June.

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE National Tour dates:

With special guest Franky Walnut
*NB: Franky Walnut no longer performing at Heavenly Sounds shows
Tickets on sale Friday March 22nd 2013         


Sunday 26 May 2013                       STAR COURT THEATRE                                                   LISMORE, NSW
                                                                Tickets: (02) 6622 5005 // www.starcourttheatre.com.au

*Tuesday, 28 May 2013                 ST JOHN’S CATHEDRAL                                                  BRISBANE, QLD
                                                                Tickets www.ticketek.com.au  

Thursday, 30 May 2013                  EMPIRE CHURCH THEATRE                                          TOOWOOMBA, QLD
                                                                Tickets: 1300 655 299 // www.empiretheatre.com.au

Friday, 31 May 2013                        GOLD COAST ARTS CENTRE THEATRE                      GOLD COAST, QLD
                                                                Tickets: (07) 5588 4000 // www.theartscentregc.com.au               
Saturday, 1 June 2013                    CALOUNDRA RSL                                                              CALOUNDRA, QLD
                                                                Tickets: (07) 5438 5800 // www.caloundrarsl.com.au

*Wednesday, 5 June 2013           ST JOSEPH’S SUBIACO                                                   PERTH, WA        
                                                                Tickets
www.ticketek.com.au  

Thursday, 6 June 2013                    MANDURAH PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE             MANDURAH, WA
Tickets: (08) 9550 3900 // www.manpac.com.au

Friday, 7 June 2013                          ALBANY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE                          ALBANY, WA
                                                                Tickets: (08) 9844 5005 www.ticketek.com.au
               
Tuesday, 11 June 2013                   MILDURA ARTS CENTRE                                                MILDURA, VIC
                                                                Tickets: (03) 5018 8330 // www.milduraartscentre.com.au                           
Wednesday, 12 June 2013           CHAFFEY THEATRE                                                          RENMARK, SA
                                                                Tickets: (08) 8586 1800 // www.chaffeytheatre.com.au
                               
*Friday, 14 June 2013                     FLINDERS STREET BAPTIST CHURCH                         ADELAIDE, SA   
                                                                Tickets
www.ticketek.com.au  

Saturday, 15 June 2013                  SIR ROBERT HELPMANN THEATRE                            MT GAMBIER, SA
                                                                Tickets: (08) 8723 8741 //

Sunday, 16 June 2013                     LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE                                                  WARRNAMBOOL, VIC
                                                                Tickets: (03) 5559 4999 // www.lighthousetheatre.com.au

Tuesday, 18 June 2013                   GPAC – DRAMA THEATRE                                            GEELONG, VIC                  
                                                                Tickets: (03) 5225 1200 // www.gpac.org.au        
*Friday, 21 June 2013                     ST MICHAEL’S CHURCH                                                                 MELBOURNE, VIC
                                                                Tickets www.ticketek.com.au  

Saturday, 22 June 2013                  THE CAPITAL                                                                      BENDIGO, VIC
                                                                Tickets: (03) 5434 6100 // www.thecapital.com.au                           
Sunday, 23 June 2013                     WESTSIDE PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE                  SHEPPARTON, VIC
                                                                Tickets: (03) 5832 9511 // www.riverlinksvenues.com.au

Tuesday, 25 June 2013                   STREET THEATRE                                                              CANBERRA, ACT              
Wednesday, 26 June 2013           STREET THEATRE                                                              CANBERRA, ACT              
                                                                Tickets: (02) 6247 1223 // www.thestreet.org.au                
*Thursday, 27 June 2013               ST STEPHEN’S UNITING CHURCH                              SYDNEY, NSW  
                                                                Tickets www.ticketek.com.au  

Friday, 28 June 2013                       NEWCASTLE CITY HALL                                                  NEWCASTLE, NSW
                                                                Tickets: (02) 4929 1977 // www.ticketek.com.au               
Saturday, 29 June 2013                  MANNING ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE                     TAREE, NSW
                                                                Tickets: Video Ezy (02) 6552 5699 // www.gtcc.nsw.gov.au/mec



HEAVENLY SOUNDS ANNOUNCE: TUESDAY 12 MARCH
HEAVENLY SOUNDS ON SALE: FRIDAY 15 MARCH

TICKET PRICE: $62.50 +bf


REGIONAL ANNOUNCE: MONDAY 18 MARCH
REGIONAL ON SALE: FRIDAY 22 MARCH

TICKET PRICE: $47 +bf