Australian STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS Song - First Listen and Making Of Featurette

J.J. Abrams ‘STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS’ is Australia’s number one film this week, and to celebrate we have a featurette with Australian singer/songwriter Penelope Austin who has written and recorded an original song with J.J. Abrams for the film called ‘THE DARK COLLIDE’. An electro-pop stomper, the track is being hailed as the best of the six sourced from around the globe.

Penelope Austin and co-writer Robert Conley are among a select group of artists from six countries who received a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have their work featured in the upcoming film from Paramount Pictures.   

For the first time ever in a Paramount live-action film, lyricists, vocalists and music producers from around the world were invited to add their creative talents and a local flavour to a track written for a major motion picture, which will be featured in the film during its theatrical run in each of the artists’ respective countries.

So, moviegoers in the countries that participated will hear a unique and different soundtrack than the moviegoers in other countries.  This opportunity, in which the artist’s own song will play during a pivotal scene with Star Trek’s iconic character Scotty, drew interest from the world’s hottest talent, including Australia’s Conley and Austin—who as of today will now hear their work in the soundtrack in every movie theatre in Australia

Their song ‘THE DARK COLLIDE’ is featured on the “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” soundtrack during a nightclub scene, which also features Academy Award®-winning composer Michael Giacchino’s score, in every theatre in Australia.   

This featurette is a behind the scenes look from Austin and Conley about how they came to be involved in this fabulous opportunity and the inspiration behind ‘THE DARK COLLIDE’.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE or direct link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYrlhFSlcPg

Todd Rundgren Announces New Melbourne Shows

Todd Rundgren has announced that his Melbourne shows in Ferntree Gully and Chelsea Heights will now be replaced by three special intimate shows at Bennetts Lane in the CBD on the 18^th of July and the Caravan Music Club in Oakleigh on the 20^th. Bennetts Lane in Melbourne's CBD is renowned for its quality as a live music venue so much so Lonely Planet dubbed it as the world's best jazz club. Todd Rundgren will perform both early and late evening shows at the hallowed venue. Caravan Music Club is fast becoming a must play destination for great touring artists both from Australia and the world with the venue boasting an intimate and up close experience that is unique and unforgettable. Limited tickets are also still available for Todd's originally announced show at The Corner Hotel on the 21^st of July.

A Wizard, A True Star. The title of Todd Rundgren's 1973 solo album aptly sums up the contributions of this multi-faceted artist to state-of-the-art music. As a songwriter, video pioneer, producer, recording artist, computer software developer, conceptualist, and, most recently, interactive artist, Rundgren has made a lasting impact on both the form and content of popular music. This July Todd and his amazing band will bring to life 40 years of amazing music to Australian audiences.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Rundgren began playing guitar as a teenager, going on to found and front The Nazz, the quintessential `60's cult group. In 1969, he left the band to pursue a solo career, recording his debut offering, the legendary Runt. But it was 1972's seminal Something/Anything?, on which he played all the instruments, sang all the vocal parts, and acted as his own producer, that catapulted Todd into the superstar limelight, prompting the press to unanimously dub him 'Rock's New Wunderkind'. It was followed by such landmark LPs as The Hermit of Mink Hollow and the above mentioned A Wizard, A True Star, as well as such hit singles as I Saw The Light, Hello It's Me, Can We Still Be Friends, and Bang The Drum.

In 1974, Todd formed Utopia, an entirely new approach to the concept of interactive musicianship, and embarked on an extensive round of touring and recording. Standout Utopia offerings included Oops! Wrong Planet, Adventures in Utopia, and Oblivion. Along the way, Utopia combined technical virtuosity and creative passion to create music that, for millions, defined the term "progressive rock."

Rundgren's myriad production projects include albums by Patti Smith, Cheap Trick, Psychedelic Furs, Meatloaf, XTC, Grand Funk Railroad, and Hall And Oates. Rounding out his reputation as rock's Renaissance Man, Rundgren composed all the music and lyrics for Joe Papp's 1989 Off-Broadway production of Joe Orton's Up Against It (the screenplay commissioned by The Beatles for what was meant to have been their third motion picture).

Todd Rundgren will release his new studio album State on the Esoteric Antenna label via Cherry Red in May, 2013.State is Rundgren's 24th solo studio album (and that's not including the two albums he recorded with his first band The Nazz, and the nine albums he recorded with his band Utopia). Todd's latest musical vision is a fusion of rock, soul, r'n'b and electronica that is at once danceable, ground breaking, spiritual, challenging and infectious.

Lennard Promotions Present

An Evening With Todd Rundgren

17TH. JULY THE GOV, ADELAIDE

Tickets via Moshtix on 1300 438849 or venue box office 8340 0744

18TH.JULY BENNETS LANE, MELBOURNE

(2 NEW SHOWS ADDED – Evening and Late Show)

http://www.bennettslane.com/

20TH. JULY CARAVAN MUSIC CLUB, OAKLEIGH

(NEW SHOW ADDED)

www.caravanmusic.com.au

21ST. JULY CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNE

Tickets via venue box office on 9427 9198

23RD. JULY LIZOTTES, NEWCASTLE

Tickets via venue box office on 4956 2066

25TH. JULY BRIDGE HOTEL, BALMAIN

Tickets via moshtix on 1300 438 849 or venue box office on 9810 1260

26TH. JULY WHITLAM THEATRE, REVESBY WORKERS, SYDNEY

Tickets via venue box office on 9772 2100 or via www.rwc.org.au

27TH. JULY TWIN TOWNS SERVICES CLUB, TWEED HEADS.

Tickets via venue box office on 1800 014 014

For tour information visit:

www.lennardpromotions.com.au & www.facebook.com/lennardpromotions

Australian-born Songwriter Jess McAvoy Launches an IndieGoGo Campaign to Fund her 13th Studio Album, “The Women”

Toronto, Canada, May 7 2013.    As the music industry changes rapidly and demand informs supply, fans play an active role in their favorite artists' next move. With her 13^th recording, “The Women,” Jess McAvoy gives crowd-funding backers the opportunity to become part of the recording and production process.

Jess McAvoy will launch an Indie a Go Go campaign on May 7 2013, which will run for 45 days. The campaign aims to fund McAvoy’s thirteenth release on Henduwin Music, her own music label, as she opens up her back catalogue and outs the songs that have been in hiding.

The Women. Twelve songs spanning seven years, capturing aspects of McAvoy’s relationships with a number of different women. Lovers, friends, and even her mother.

“G’day, My name’s Jess McAvoy. I am from Perth, Western Australia and I currently live in Toronto! I want to talk to you about my new record, The Women, and how [gestures at the viewer] we’re going to make this record together,” says McAvoy in the video she filmed for the campaign.

The release of 2008’s “As the Sun Falls” expanded McAvoy’s audience internationally, especially through the spin-off video from her Melbourne concert featuring Grammy Award-winning Wally De Backer (aka Gotye) performing a duet with McAvoy on her classic, “The Sailor.”

“The Women” and the crowd-funding process will give fans unprecedented access to McAvoy's creative process.

Upon meeting her funding goal, McAvoy will be booked for rehearsals and recording in mid-July in Toronto, mixing with Kevin Killen in New York in the first week of August, with an anticipated release to backers towards the end of August.

Official public release of the record is slated for early October, 2013.

Jess McAvoy Indie Go Go Campaign Launch for “The Women” (slated release October, 2013)
www.jessmcavoy.com