Tuesday, 2 October 2012

TWO FACES OF JANUARY - FIRST LOOK IMAGE


Photography by Jack English
Chester (Viggo Mortensen), Rydal (Oscar Isaac), Colette (Kirsten Dunst)



The first picture of THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY has arrived.

Starring Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst and Oscar Isaac, the film is currently shooting in  Crete, before moving to Athens, Istanbul and Ealing Studios in London.

THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY is a stylish international thriller based on the novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith adapted for the screen by Hossein Amini (DRIVE), who also has his directional debut here. Please see below for a short synopsis -

1962. A glamorous American couple, the charismatic Chester MacFarland (Mortensen) and his alluring younger wife Colette (Dunst), arrive in Athens by boat via the Corinthian Canal. While sightseeing at the Acropolis they encounter Rydal (Isaac), a young, Greek-speaking American who is working as a tour guide, scamming tourists on the side. Drawn to Colette's beauty and impressed by Chester's wealth and sophistication, Rydal gladly accepts their invitation to dinner.

However, all is not as it seems with the MacFarlands and Chester's affable exterior hides darker secrets. When Rydal visits the couple at their exclusive hotel, Chester presses him to help move the body of a seemingly unconscious man who he claims attacked him. In the moment, Rydal agrees but as events take a more sinister turn he finds himself compromised and unable to pull himself free. His increasing infatuation with the vulnerable and responsive Colette gives rise to Chester's jealousy and paranoia, leading to a tense and dangerous battle of wits between the two men. Their journey takes them from Greece to Turkey, and to a dramatic finale played out in the back alleys of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar.

THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY is produced by Working Title and Timnick Films. STUDIOCANAL finances and will distribute in the U.K., Germany, France, Australia & New Zealand, selling the rest of the world. Hoyts Distribution will release the film in 2013.

ROBERT PATTINSON TO TOUR SYDNEY FOR THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2




HOYTS DISTRIBUTION is thrilled to announce that ROBERT PATTINSON, star of the upcoming release of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 will be coming to Australia to promote the final instalment in the global phenomenon. 

As part of the Sydney only tour later this month, Robert will be participating in media interviews to support the NOVEMBER 15 release of the film, and will appear at a fan event on Monday 22nd October, details of which will be revealed in the coming weeks.

The astonishing conclusion to the TWILIGHT SAGA franchise, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2, illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions. 

Academy Award® winner Bill Condon directed both the first and second part of the two-part finale starring KRISTEN STEWART, ROBERT PATTINSON and TAYLOR LAUTNER. The film, based on the fourth novel in author Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series, was written by MELISSA ROSENBERG with WYCK GODFREY, KAREN ROSENFELT and STEPHENIE MEYER producing.

About THE TWILIGHT SAGA film series

THE TWILIGHT SAGA film series stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson & Taylor Lautner and tells the story of 17-year-old Bella Swan who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, and becomes drawn to Edward Cullen, a pale, mysterious classmate who seems determined to push her away. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together...even when Edward confides that he and his family are vampires.  The action-packed, modern day vampire love story TWILIGHT, the first film in the series, was released in Australian theatres on December 11, 2008 to a blockbuster reception. The second instalment of the film franchise, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON was released November 19, 2009, the third instalment, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE was released July 1, 2010, and THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 1 was released on November 17, 2011.

About Hoyts Distribution

In July 2012 STUDIOCANAL acquired HOYTS DISTRIBUTION Pty Ltd, one of Australia & New Zealand's leading independent film distributors.

Hoyts Distribution has been operating a successful film distribution business in Australia and New Zealand for over 10 years, becoming one of Australia's leading independent film distribution companies. Hoyts Distribution boasts a film library that contains over 120 titles, including four films from the highly successful SAW series and all of the films from the enormously popular Twilight franchise, including the final instalment, The Twilight Saga: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2, which opens in cinemas November 15.

Monday, 1 October 2012

Dave Stewart and friends in LA




Dave Stewart called upon some Australian friends to help him out with a special one off, sold out show DAVE STEWART AND FRIENDS.
   
Joining guests vocalists Colbie Caillat and Amy Keys, was Delta Goodrem, Orianthi and Vanessa Amorosi on stage at a packed Troubadour Theatre in LA last night.
  
Dave was showcasing his latest album THE RINGMASTER GENERAL – the sequel to the highly acclaimed BLACKBIRD DIARIES. The packed theatre were treated with a selection of tracks from both albums along with some of his greatest hits including, Would I Lie To You, Missionary Man and Sweet Dreams.

“It was such great fun to have all these amazing musicians and singers join me onstage at the Troubadour. Very surprising and coincidental that three of them were from Australia; Orianthi on guitar (I just produced her new album Heaven In This Hell), and we were also joined by Vanessa Amorosi who belted out "Would I Lie To You" like there was no tomorrow, and Delta Goodrem who sang along with me on acoustic guitar doing a really emotional rendition of "You Have Placed A Chill." I was also joined by Colbie Caillat to sing a duet, "Bulletproof Vest" from my album, The Blackbird Diaries. A very dapper looking John Mayer lept up for the encore to play an amazing blues guitar on "The Gypsy Girl and Me."

The Ringmaster General is available at all JB HiFi stores.

Photo Credit: Cristina Dunlap










Websites

Dave Stewart official website

Sunday, 30 September 2012

DAVE STEWART AND FRIENDS


Photo Credit: Kristin Burns

DAVE STEWART called upon some Australian friends to help him out with a special  one off, sold out show DAVE STEWART AND FRIENDS.   
Joining guests vocalists Colbie Caillat and Amy Keys, was Delta Goodrem,  Orianthi and Vanessa Amorosi on stage  at a packed Troubadour Theatre in LA last night 
Dave was showcasing his latest album THE RINGMASTER GENERAL – the sequel to the highly acclaimed   BLACKBIRD DIARIES .  The packed theatre were treated with a selection of tracks from both albums along with some of his greatest hits including, Would I Lie To  You, Missionary Man and Sweet Dreams.
“It was such great fun to have all these amazing musicians and singers join me onstage at the Troubadour.   Very surprising and coincidental that three of them were from Australia;  Orianthi on guitar (I just produced her new album Heaven In This Hell), and we were also joined by Vanessa Amorosi who belted out "Would I Lie To You" like there was no tomorrow, and Delta Goodrem who sang along with me on acoustic guitar doing a really emotional rendition of "You Have Placed A Chill." I was also joined by Colbie Caillat to sing a duet, "Bulletproof Vest" from my album, The Blackbird Diaries. A very dapper looking John Mayer lept up for the encore to play an amazing blues guitar on "The Gypsy Girl and Me."

The Ringmaster General is available at all JB HiFi stores.



















Friday, 28 September 2012

Kym Staton in Yulli's Attic


Candlelight Dinner & Music Night 

Enjoy dinner plus some wonderful music in a very intimate setting. Experience a purely acoustic performance by candlelight, as Kym Staton plays renditions of jazz, blues, celtic, baroque, and original songs on guitar/vocals, violin and cello. Dinner and music will be served In the small attic with lovely warm acoustics, which holds only 24 people. The night also includes an interactive element, where audience members are invited to write down an idea for a lyric for a song that Kym later creates into and song and performs "off the cuff" at the end of the night! 
Kym Staton has studied music from a young age, taking up the violin at age 7. He has performed more than 50 concerts as a violin soloist, and has recently begaun performing as a singer/songwriter. He has very diverse tastes in different musical styles and is a multi-instrumentalist.
Date: Thursday 4th Oct, 2012
Time: Dinner orders taken from 6pm - 7.30pm, music from 8pm - 9pm
Please order your meal by 7.30pm at the latest, so that you do not interrupt the music performance.
Venue: Yulli's Restaurant, 417 Crown St, Surry Hills
Cost: $40
Includes: Entree + Main + live music performance
Bookings: Bookings essential. Click here and follow the links to book: http://www.meetup.com/Dinner-Live-Music/events/83357032/
Menu: Yullis has a full vegetarian/ vegan menu http://yullis.com.au/lunchdinner/
Enquiries: Email Kym Staton: kjstaton@me.com

See you there - if you dare! :-)


***bookings essential***

Thursday, 27 September 2012

DREAMING – ‘BLONDIE’ CONFIRMED TO TOUR AUSTRALIA IN 2012 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS ‘THE STRANGLERS’ AND ‘THE SAINTS’


                                                                                                  

McManus Entertainment is thrilled to announce the return to Australia of one of music’s most acclaimed bands Blondie. Boasting one of the most compelling front-women in music Deborah Harry, Blondie have enjoyed a stream of timeless top ten hits bursting with great hooks and brilliant iconic lyrics. Aussie fans can expect a stellar performance from this renowned group. Tickets go on sale Tuesday 9th October at 9:00am.

Blondie’s tour will hit Australia in December. They will play to fans in Hobart, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Townsville and Brisbane and will also grace the stage at this year’s Homebake Festival. Joining Blondie for these special shows will be special guests The Stranglers and The Saints. For the Sydney show special guests The Machinations will play to crowds in place of The Saints.

“I’m so excited to bring Blondie back to Australia. They enjoyed their first taste of success here back in the ‘70s and have a legion of fans awaiting their return, ” says promoter Andrew McManus. “Deborah Harry is like no other front-woman in the industry – fans can expect a first-class show.”

Blondie emerged from New York in the late ‘70s and quickly became music, style and pop culture icons selling over 40 million albums globally throughout their 37-year career. Scoring hits with reggae, rock/disco, hip-hop and pop songs alike, Blondie pioneered the early American new wave and punk scenes of the ‘70s.

The disco-infused track Heart of Glass was Blondie’s first US number one single which became a worldwide hit selling more than a million copies. Blondie repeatedly reached the top of the charts over the course of four decades with hits such as One Way Or Another, Rapture, The Tide Is High, Call Me, Picture This, Rip Her To Shreds, Hanging On The Telephone and Maria. The band landed a phenomenal five US and five UK number one singles cementing them as music royalty.

Deborah Harry is unquestionably one of the most important and influential women to have graced the stage and a living punk icon. Blondie has continued to be a powerhouse live act, attracting audiences around the world. 2006 saw Blondie inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band’s plaque situated right below The Beatles.

Australia has always had a special place in the band’s heart, being the first country in the world to give them commercial success.          

Blondie’s special guests are English punk rockers The Stranglers who scored 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums over a career spanning five decades. The Stranglers are the longest surviving and most continuously successful band to come out of the ‘70s UK punk scene. Top hits include Golden Brown, Always the Sun and Skin Deep.

Also joining Blondie is the Aussie rock band touted by Sir Bob Geldof himself as one of the first and most influential groups of the punk rock genre - The Saints. Evolving into one of the greatest Aussie bands of the ‘70s and ‘80s, singer Chris Bailey is constantly seeking new inspiration and always on the lookout for an unholy array of diverse musos to perform with. With 20 odd albums under their belt and a brand new album release this summer, The Saints will have you standing on your seats for more! Their legendary hits include (I’m) Stranded and Know Your Product.

The Saints will not be performing in Sydney. Instead, the popular Australian ‘80s dance-pop outfit Machinations will perform at the Enmore Theatre. The band’s hits include Pressure Sway, My Heart’s On Fire and No Say In It.
               
Proudly presented by Empire Touring, MAX, Heart 107.3, Gold 104.3, Cruise, WSFM, Zinc 100.7, 4KQ and FasterLouder.
                                                                                                             
                                  
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TOUR DATES: BLONDIE
Saturday 1st December                      Derwent Entertainment Centre, HOBART                                                      ticketmaster.com.au 136 100
Monday 3rd December                       Arts Centre Melbourne, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, MELBOURNE             ticketmaster.com.au 136 100
Tuesday 4th December                       Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre, ADELAIDE                                   ticketek.com.au 132 849
Thursday 6th December                     Enmore Theatre, SYDNEY                                                                                ticketek.com.au 132 849
Monday 10th December                     Townsville Entertainment Centre, TOWNSVILLE                                         tecc.net.au 07 4771 4000
Thursday 13th December                   Brisbane Riverstage, BRISBANE (18+)                                                          ticketmaster.com.au 136 100

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Hellcat Records, Bombshellzine, Jacknife and Paperbag Music proudly presents: Revolution Rock - A Joe Strummer Tribute Night 2012



Revolution Rock - A Joe Strummer Tribute Night is back for 2012 and is now in its 6th successful year in commemorating and the life, music and times of Joe Strummer.

From front man of The Clash and the 101ers to his work with The Mescaleros, Joe Strummer was, and still is a massive influence to so many bands and people’s lives worldwide.

2012 marks the 10th anniversary of Joes untimely passing away in December 2002 at the premature age of 50.

Revolution Rock - A Joe Strummer Tribute Night is a charity event and all proceeds from the events will go to benefit Strummerville: The Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music. Strummerville is the official Joe Strummer charity set up in Joe's honour, which aims to offer support to young musicians. www.strummerville.com

To commemorate this occasion Hellcat Records has just released a digital album called ‘Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros, The Hellcat Years’. The album came out on August 21st, which would have been the iconic artist’s 60th birthday. In addition to the digital release, Rock Art and the X-Ray Style, Global A Go-Go and Streetcore, will be re-issued on September 28th. Giveaways of these albums will be happening at the shows as well as the albums being on sale there too.

In 2012 Revolution Rock will expand past the regular Sydney and Melbourne shows to also include for the first time Brisbane and Adelaide:

SYDNEY
Saturday 6th October - The Sando, Newtown

Streams Of Whiskey
The Strums
Sweet Teens
Steppin' Razor

MELBOURNE
Saturday 13th October - The Reverence, Melbourne

Streams Of Whiskey
Rise Of The Rat (tbc)
The Tearaways
Steppin' Razor
Sweet Teens



BRISBANE
Friday 19th October - Beetle Bar, Fortitude Valley

Grand Atlantic
The Strums
Brixton Rockers
Fifty Bags

ADELAIDE
Saturday 27th October - The Crown & Anchor

The Tearaways
Sweet Teens
Ben David & The Banned
Hightime

Tickets on sale shortly through usual outlets.

Let's rock again!


Tuesday, 25 September 2012

Helpmann Awards 2012: Sydney, Australia





Australia's top female dramatic actors, Robyn Nevin and Cate Blanchett, won their categories in the national Helpmann Awards presented in Sydney last night, but unusually no single production dominated the ceremony.

While Nevin won for Belvoir St Theatre's Summer of the Seventeenth Doll and Blanchett for Sydney Theatre Company's Gross und Klein, the award for best play went to Ganesh Versus the Third Reich by the Geelong company for intellectually impaired performers, Back to Back Theatre.

This was the pattern for the night with glamour productions picking up individual awards but rarely clinching the top gong in their categories.

The most successful production was Opera Australia's first Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, La Traviata, which won four awards, including best female singer for Emma Matthews.

Best special event - Perth Festival's Place des Anges

Meow Meow's Little Match Girl at the Malthouse Theatre won three awards, including best cabaret performer.

Paul Capsis was best actor in a play for Angela's Kitchen. Also snatched the award for best new Australian work.

Melbourne's Production Company won three musical awards for Grey Gardens, with Pamela Rabe winning for best female actor in a musical, Nancye Hayes for her supporting role and Roger Hodgman for direction.

But the overall best musical award went to A Chorus Line.

Stephen Page won best dance choreography for ID from Bangarra's Belong, which also earned the award for best score for his brother, David, and Steve Francis.

English company DV8 won for best ballet or dance work for its verbatim theatre piece, Can We Talk About This? at the Opera House.

Opera Australia won seven awards, with Anthony Dean Griffey best male performer in Of Mice and Men and Mitchell Butel best actor in a musical for The Mikado.

But the best opera award went to the State Opera of South Australia's Moby Dick, which won three awards.

Background...

The Helpmann Awards recognize distinguished artistic achievement and excellence in Australia's live performing arts sectors. The recognized disciplines include musical and physical theatre, contemporary and classical music, opera, and dance, with a comedy category introduced in 2006. The Helpmann Awards also incorporates the JC Williamson award (formerly the James Cassius Award) for outstanding contribution to the Australian entertainment industry.

The award, named after Sir Robert Helpmann, was established by the Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). It is similar to Broadway's Tony Awards and London's Laurence Olivier Awards. The awards inaugurated in 2001 and are presented annually in Sydney Australia.

The official website lists the objectives of the awards 'to nationally and internationally serve and promote Australian live performing arts industry by recognising distinguished artistic achievement and excellence, ensuring the Awards are administered and made with integrity, ensuring the Awards are celebrated by the industry and the Australian community; and ensuring the Awards are the most prestigious awards in the industry and the highlight of each Season'.

The full name of the Awards is the Helpmann Awards for Performing Arts in Australia. The trophy was designed by silversmith Hendrik Forster.

The Helpmann Awards were hosted by Simon Burke from 2001-2006.

Since 2010, the awards have been broadcast live on arts channel STVDIO.

News Update...

Hours before the Australian theatre industry celebrates its success with the Helpmann Awards at the Opera House tonight, 100 top actors and directors have launched a campaign against the use of more foreign performers on Australian stages.

A long list of Helpmann award winners, including actors Richard Roxburgh, Rachel Griffiths and Geoffrey Rush, playwright David Williamson and director Neil Armfield, have signed an open letter to theatre and musical producers, calling on them to renegotiate a 20-year agreement on the use of foreign performers.

For two decades, the number of foreign performers hired for Australian productions has been controlled via the agreement between the producers' association, Live Performance Australia, and the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, in a bid to protect local jobs.

Signatory against foreign performers ... actor Geoffrey Rush. 

LPA, which represents subsidised and commercial producers and organises the Helpmanns, abandoned the agreement in April and since then has, according to the union, refused to discuss the issue. (Fairfax Media)

Arts Minister Simon Crean, who was not at the awards ceremony last night but sent an adviser, has said the NCP will appear by the end of the year.

In LPA's submission to the discussion paper, Richardson spelled out the sector's need for policies that not only assist production of cultural events but also encourage demand. It also argued for funds to help develop new Australian work and for measures to promote private investment.

A note of discord surrounding this year's Helpmanns concerns the vexed issue of foreign performers working in this country. Earlier this year LPA unilaterally broke its agreement with the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, ending an arrangement to consult the union when producers want to engage foreign artists.

The MEAA yesterday published an open letter to LPA members -- among the signatories are Neil Armfield, Steven Heathcote, Emma Matthews and Rush -- warning that harmony between performers and producers is at risk over the issue.







Websites

Helpmann Awards official website

Sydney Opera House

Eva Rinaldi Photography

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

Music News Australia

MGM Publicity and Promotions

Monday, 24 September 2012

Killing Then Softly movie premiere at Dendy Opera Quays





'Killing Them Softly' enjoyed its Sydney, Australia movie premiere at Dendy Opera Quays this evening.

Writer/ director Andrew Dominik (Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) and star of the film Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises, Animal Kingdom) will attend the Australian premiere of KILLING
THEM SOFTLY on Monday 24 September.

Other guests attending include Bella Heathcote, Aaron Glenane, Brenna Harding, Elizabeth Blackmore, Felix Willamson, Gillian Armstrong, James Frecheville, John Jarratt Khan Chittenden, Krew Boylan, Leanna Walsman, Mary
Coustas, Matthew Nable, Peter Phelps, Sacha Horler, Samara Weaving, Sarah Snook, Sean Keenan and Toby Schmitz.

Adapted from George V. Higgins novel and set in New Orleans, Killing Them Softly follows professional enforcer, Jackie Cogan (Pitt), who investigates a heist that occurs during a high stakes, mob-protected poker game.

Plot:

Jackie Cogan is a professional enforcer who investigates a heist that went down during a mob-protected poker game.

Director: Andrew Dominik
Writers: Andrew Dominik (screenplay), George V. Higgins (novel)
Stars: Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and Richard Jenkins

IN CINEMAS 11 OCTOBER 2012









Websites

Killing Them Softly

Dendy Cinemas

Eva Rinaldi Photography

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

Music News Australia

Nixco

Gerry & The Pacemakers 2013 You’ll Never Walk Alone Tour





Showcase Entertainment Group, in association with The Harbour Agency, are thrilled to announce British pop rock icons Gerry and the Pacemakers 50th anniversary Farewell Tour of Australia, simply titled You’ll Never Walk Alone. Gerry and the Pacemakers were a major part of ‘The ‘60s British Invasion’, along with their friends the Beatles, with smash hit songs like How do you do it, I like it, Ferry ‘cross the Mersey and You’ll never walk alone.
These simple melodies were the soundtracks to a generation and are the reason why Gerry has achieved such longevity as a popular drawcard on stages worldwide. The tour kicks off in Ipswichfor what promises to be a trip down memory lane, and the end of an era for one of the British Invasion’s most enduring artists. Tickets are on sale from September 24 – Gerry’s 70thBirthday. Don’t miss out – book today!



Fat As Butter Festival, Newcastle



Newcastle got another taste of the Fat As Butter festival this September with an eclectic mix of acts announced as part of the first line up.

Festival organisers promised "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" for this year's bill and created a solid card with Grinspoon, 360, Mystery Jets, Good Charlotte and Eiffel 65 just some of the names that appear on the line up.

Urthboy, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Pond, Seth Sentry, The Rubens, Hunting Grounds and a stack of other Australian acts also performed.

Full list:

360
GRINSPOON
MYSTERY JETS
URTHBOY
HUNGRY KIDS OF HUNGARY
POND
GOOD CHARLOTTE
SETH SENTRY
THE RUBENS
HUNTING GROUNDS
RUFUS
ART OF SLEEPING 
HEY GERONIMO
KILL CITY CREEPS
WHEATUS
YELLOWCARD
MARIANAS TRENCH
EIFFEL 65
N-TRANCE
YACHT CLUBS DJ'S [LIVE]
BOMBS AWAY
REBECCA and FIONA
SHOCKONE
NICK THAYER
FEENIXPAWL

DJs:

THE ONLY 
TENZIN
DR DON DON
JAMXPRESS
DOCTOR WEREWOLF

Once again the festival was held across four stages, with a selection of international and local talent, spanning from dance, hip hop, rock, punk and everything in between. 

Websites

Fat As Butter

Music News Australia

Saturday, 22 September 2012

Good Charlotte performs at The Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney



Good Charlotte performed strongly at The Big Top at Sydney's Luna Park earlier this evening.

It was jam packed and Joel Madden looked and sounded as good as ever.

News media was rushed on this busy Friday night but we will have more follow up information published soon.

Thanks to everyone who made the event possible.

Bio (short)

Good Charlotte is an American pop punk band from Waldorf, Maryland, that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas, and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin. Their latest drummer and percussionist is Dean Butterworth, who has been a member of the band since 2005. The band has released five studio albums: Good Charlotte (2000), The Young and the Hopeless (2002), The Chronicles of Life and Death (2004), Good Morning Revival (2007), and Cardiology (2010) as well as two compilations: Greatest Remixes (2008) and Greatest Hits (2010). (Wikipedia)







Websites

Good Charlotte

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

Eva Rinaldi Photography

Music News Australia