Music News Australia: 03/27/12

Tuesday, 27 March 2012

Duran Duran Rock Sydney Entertainment Centre, Australia

Tonight's the night. The Sydney Entertainment Centre was privileged to showcase iconic 80's group Duran Duran to Sydney.

The group looked and sounded great, and it didn't look like they missed a beat from when they were in their prime.

Favourite numbers of mine included ‘Hungry Like The Wolf' and 'Girls On Film'.

The anticipation of music lovers in Sydney has been building for some time and was further fuelled along by the announcement of promoter Dainty Group...

Dainty Group is thrilled to announce that after a long absence, one of the world's most iconic bands, DURAN DURAN, will return to Australian shores in March 2012 for a series of six concerts, in support of their latest album ‘All You Need Is Now'. This highly anticipated tour will see the band perform across the country, with shows in Sydney, Melbourne,Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and the Hunter Valley.

DURAN DURAN's Australian tour will comprise a run of spectacular arena shows, as well as two unforgettable outdoor concerts at Sandalford Estate (Swan Valley, Perth) and Tempus Two Winery (Hunter Valley, NSW). Last in Australia in 2008, DURAN DURAN will showcase songs from their critically acclaimed new album on the March dates, alongside all of the unforgettable hits from across their thirty-year career.

DURAN DURAN's stunning new album: ‘All You Need Is Now', has already been proclaimed a triumph by fans and critics alike, and hit the #1 spot on download charts in the top 15 markets around the world when it was released earlier this year (on Shock Records in Australia). Produced by Grammy Award-winner Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Adele, Kaiser Chiefs, Lily Allen) and mixed by Spike Stent (Madonna, Björk, No Doubt), it features guest vocals/rap from long-time Duran Duran pal/collaborator Ana Matronic of the Scissor Sisters, and R&B/neo-soul superstar Kelis; while Owen Pallettof Arcade Fire contributes the album's string arrangements. ‘All You Need Is Now' is a return-to-roots homage to DURAN DURAN's most celebrated musical panache, and has already been dubbed the "imaginary follow up to Rio that never was."

The announcement of the band's 2012 Australian dates comes hot on the heels of their brilliantly reviewed North American tour, a sold out 11 show arena run in the UK, and a whirlwind year that has seen them, amongst other things, make a spectacular live film with director David Lynch, and most recently release a uniquely DURAN DURAN video for the song ‘Girl Panic !'.Directed by Grammy-award winner Jonas Åkerlund (who has shot videos for Madonna, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, including the notorious "Telephone"),this dazzling short film reunites top supermodels Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen, Eva Herzigova and Yasmin Le Bon, and was shot over the course of two days this past June at the Savoy Hotel in London. As the models take on rock star roles playing Simon, John, Nick, and Roger, the nine minute video unfolds into a stunning, fast-paced, high fashion affair, that has fast become the most talked about collaboration of its kind this year. Australian fans can view the video here.

The original Duran line-up of Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Roger Taylor, and Nick Rhodes continues to reign supreme as one of the biggest British bands of all time - reimagining pop music, creating ground-breaking music videos and winning over millions of new fans worldwide with their unique fusion of music, art, technology and fashion.From the very beginning,when DURAN DURAN first took the visual imperatives of the New Romantic movement of the 1980s to a whole other level, defining the MTV generation, they have built a loyal army of fans who have stayed with them to this day.

Since their first worldwide hits, that included ‘Planet Earth', ‘Girls on Film', ‘Hungry Like The Wolf' and ‘Rio', the band have maintained their success and solidified their place within pop music history. They have sold over 80 million records worldwide, had more than 30 hit singles and have garnered a global presence with huge concert audiences on five continents. Now a seemingly unstoppable force, with no fewer than six prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards under their belts (MTV Video Music Awards, the Brits, the Ivor Novellos,Q Magazine, the Spanish Ondas and most recently GQ Magazine),DURAN DURAN are in a category with only a handful of other internationally acclaimed artists.

As this new chapter begins, they have nothing left to prove, but everything to play for. So for them and their loyal army of fans... All You Need Is Now!

Thank yous...

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has been diligently working away in putting this awesome concert together.

We'll see you back at the Sydney Entertainment Centre again really soon.

Websites

Duran Duran

www.duranduran.com

Dainty Group

www.daintygroup.com

Sydney Entertainment Centre

www.sydentcent.com.au

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Eva Rinaldi Photography

www.evarinaldi.com

Splash News & Pictures

www.splashnews.com

Leisel VS Bondi

Leisel Jones has won three Olympic gold medals, broken twelve world records, won 7 World Championships and last week became the first Australian swimmer of all time to qualify for four Olympic Games.

Leisel will be at Bondi Beach on Tuesday morning to cheer on participants as they attempt to better her world record 200 metre breaststroke time...participants will however be allowed to swim freestyle!

Interview and photo opportunities will be available.

Leisel Jones (Swimming Australia)

www.swimming.org.au/profiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=Profile&ProfileID=1065867

North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club

www.northbondisurfclub.com.au

Qantas

www.qantas.com.au

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Eva Rinaldi Photography

www.evarinaldi.com

Music News Australia

www.musicnewsaustralia.com

Bondi Beach Directory

Charles Billich and Ian Thorpe; Spiritual Training Portrait

Ian Thorpe

It was, and still is, the talk of the Sydney arts world...

Iconic Australian sports figure Ian Thorpe returned to Sydney to launch a portrait painted of him for the 10-year anniversary of his charity, Fountain for Youth.

The painting was completed a year ago but was been revealed due to the swim star's Olympic training commitments.

Thorpe attended tonight's launch, coming off the Olympic trials in Adelaide.

Well known and celebrated artist Charles Billich has enjoyed some wonderful conversations with the swimmer during their sittings for the portrait.

The art is entitled "Spiritual Training" and is described as "A composite portrait of Ian Thorpe...an iconic Australian Renaissance man".

Billich said the artwork was meant to encompass Thorpe's devotion to the pool and his work with indigenous people and will be sold to raise money for the Ian Thorpe Fountain For Youth charity.

The occasion is in support of Ian Thorpe's charity - The Foundation for Youth. The painting will be acquired by silent auction.