Muhanamwé, meaning Culture, has emerged from Melbourne’s dense and vibrant world music scene as one of Australia's freshest and most exciting West African percussion and dance ensembles. With compelling rhythms, raw vocal harmonies and rippling balafon melodies, Muhanamwé not only draws from its deep roots in West Africa but also brings new life to the ancient musical and cultural tradition with original arrangements and drum solos. The group was established in 2007 by Guinean master drummers Aliou Sylla (Les Percussions de Guinée) and Mohamed Camara (Les Sorciers de Guinée) and also features Australian percussionist Anna Camara. Muhanamwé is proof that music transcends the boundaries of language, aiming instead for the heart and the feet.
Artist: Mr PC’s Boom Boom Rhythm Combo - Latin
Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Melbourne Guitarist/composer *Paul Carey *brings the 'Boom' with his group *Mr P.C's 'Boom Boom' Rhythm Combo.* Combining Latin and South American sounds with the ever present thread of jazz and improvisation, this group maintains the vital spirit of this music and has a commitment to making a contemporary statement, taking this music to new and exciting places.
Vocal adventurer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. Ballads, beatbox and beyond. A jolly jaw dropping journeyman. Eclectic, ebullient and even educational. Mal Webb uses a world of vocal techniques (including pygmy yodelling and Inuit panting) and song styles. He plays guitar, mbira, slide trumpet, chromatic harmonica, a loop recording pedal called Derek and the audience... a lot. He's a founding member of the Oxo Cubans, Sock and Totally Gourdgeous. Mal has spent a lot of time mucking about.
Like Bobby McFerrin, Aphex Twin and Cole Porter playing scrabble.
Artist: Isnod
Time: 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Artist: Mista Savona & Band
Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Melbourne's finest reggae band send out the vibes of authentic raw roots reggae and dancehall grooves. Led by Mista Savona (Jake Savona) producer/engineer /songwriter and keyboardist specialising in cutting edge new sounds and heavy vintage roots music. Hip-Hop, Dancehall, Roots Reggae and Heavyweight Dub sounds.
After nearly two years of questing through the audio underworld, wrestling crocodile-headed samplers and taming fire-breathing speaker stacks, Spoonbill has returned to the earth's surface, ready to address his ecstatic followers. His message: Zoomorphic, a shapeshifting sonic celebration of Spoonbillism. Zoomorphic is set to earn Australia's most unique aural oracle thousands of fresh converts across the globe. Squishy pulsating bass lines carpet the undergrowth, while dirty squelchy synth licks frolic in a warped menagerie of neurotic cyborgs, rattlesnakes, sirens, champagne froth, fireworks and crushed eggshells. The jamboree coalesces to form a single groove shrieking beat-creature, covered with feathers, scales, bells and whistles.
The Best of Music for Big Spirited kids and their grownups! Fuelled by the ukulele, great backbeats and fun lyrics, Cha Cha Sam concerts are a big house party. For Hi Vibe we specially present a selection of your favourite Cha Cha Sam songs - made with love and laughter in collaboration with leading specialists in children's health, education and disability. Look out for guest appearances by Nanna, Ruby and Pauline!
The Mighty bUZZniks perform an energetic, action packed show that introduces a broad range of musical styles with lyrics that are relevant to children. Come on a fabulous musical adventure with this six piece live band that create very cool music, quirky stories and a lot of energy that will have kids moving and parents grooving. The bUZZniks bridge the gap between music for toddlers and teens bringing a show kids relate to and a chance for everyone to enjoy live music together. It’s a rock concert for families that will have you buzzing! "The Mighty Buzzniks not only combine fabulous toe tapping tunes with vibrant outfits and high energy but song allegories that are relative to kids and intelligent." "The Mighty Buzzniks will entertain, captivate and delight the whole family"
This highly energetic drum and dance ensemble present an unforgettable experience of African music, dance and culture. They perform with captivating power, precision and energy representing the beauty of Africa with their telling music and dance styles. Combined with the contemporary influences of Australia they aim to encourage togetherness, understanding and peace among all Australian’s.
SURF SAFARI - Three larrikins ride the waves of slapstick drum & bass around Australia. Mongo, Drongo & Bongo are on the beach adventure of a lifetime. A show of ‘big barrels & phat’ surf beats, live cartooning, & intimate storytelling. Get high on Bongo vibes. THE SURF IS UP.
Bungalow Jam is a newly formed four piece rock outfit that has crafted their attack on the music world by practicing in a bungalow on the beach in the southern suburbs. This original band draws their inspiration from life, death and love. Comprising of Travis White on main vocals/lead, Chris Boon on rhythm, Paul Matthews on bass and Craig Seignior on drums, their musical style is a cadre of rock and alternative influences. Some say they can hear a bit of Nirvana, others say INXS or The Police, while others just say that Bungalow Jam are that band that rock the bungalow. Bungalow Jam is currently working on their debut CD for release this year.
Artist: The Newport Bush Orchestra
Time: 7:30pm - 8:30pm
The Newport Bush Orchestra is a group of lively and entertaining musicians from out Newport way. Under the direction of fiddler Greg O'Leary the group plays traditional Australian dance tunes that will get your feet tapping and put a smile on your dial. In the 3 years since they formed they have played at Festivals and for dances in Echuca, Colbinabbin, Newport, and Federation Square in Melbourne.
Artist: The Band Who Knew Too Much
Time: 9:00pm - 10:30pm
No sign of The Global Economic Downturn, its happy Hour 24/7 for Melbourne Pub Jazz Group The Band Who Knew Too Much. Veterans of sweaty pub fights all over this brown land. Their Aussie songs of beer-drinking and rent-spending hit as hard as a woodchopper’s axe. Exciting Australian songs propelled by energetic jazz-like woodchop rhythm! Add some strong local lyric, with gang vocal delivery and their unique sound is complete.
Shannon Bourne is a virtuoso guitarist, singer-songwriter and published expert on guitars and related equipment, from Melbourne Australia. With the release of his second solo album, Dark Things – ten tracks of melodic blues-infused acoustic and electronic guitar songs, Shannon’s aim of developing an intimate and personalised form of expression through music has proved to be an exhilarating experience for artist and audience alike.
On the back of their recent single Sunshower, Melbourne pop darlings The Little Stevies are proud to announce the release of their highly anticipated debut album “Love Your Band”. Making cubby houses has always been a favourite pastime for The Little Stevies. They’ve collaborated to create them since they were knee-high to grasshoppers. Then sisters Sibylla and Bethany and childhood friend Robin discovered music. Twenty years and three uni degrees later, The Little Stevies began work on their most ambitious cubby house yet. In early 2008, at a secret location, out of foam, mattresses, pillows and sleeping bags, they constructed their own recording studio the ‘Crimea Cubby’, and under the guidance of producer Jimi Maroudas (Tim Rogers, Pete Murray, Eskimo Joe), set about recording their debut album “Love Your Band”.
Liz's startlingly accomplished musicality is merged with a genuine storyteller's soul that creates a truly powerful and unique performance. With a voice like "melted chocolate" and "prodigious command of the steel-string guitar and banjo", listening to Liz leaves you feeling that you have uncovered a real artist of rare significance.
Miso deliver a captivating live performance with their unique blend of trip-hop, glitch and post rock textures. Seductive vocalist, Supina Bytol, writes abstract narratives that are perfectly complemented by the band's distinctive sound; a contrast of acoustic instrumentation and progressive electronica. Miso creates music that has been described as having "a Bristol-via-Tokyo feel". After a year long hiatus, the band is back with all new material.
Straight out of Brunswick’s bohemia come Rapskallion dressed in their decrepit finery, singing songs of the open road, blue stone alleyways, fruit falling from the trees and the seven seas, Rapskallion, reminiscent of 20's Paris Bohemia transported to a Romanian tavern and then set adrift on the high seas.
'The best way to describe The Woohoo Revue is to simply say that they're an instrumental gypsy folk band, a German oom-pah outfit, a wild-west fiddle contest and a roaring 20's swing band all rolled into one; only sped up by a factor of ten.' Spoz
Megan Washington is an ex-Brisbane, now Melbourne-based singer songwriter. She studied jazz, and loves Buddy Holly, Hank Williams and green tea. Washington - Megan and her 5 piece band.
Starting out supporting great Australian artists, The Middle East, Firekites, Jack Ladder, and Nick Huggins, Kid Sam will be out on the road for the remainder of 2009. With the launch for their second single “down to the cemetery” at Melbourne’s Newtown Workers Club selling out on the night, make sure you don’t miss everyone’s new favourite duo, next time they’re in your town!
"ridiculously awesome lo-fi art-fuck rock" Beat magazine. "the best Australian debut of the year to date" Tom Hawking, Inpress Album Review. "St Helens have songs that will tear you up in both the misty eyed and torn to shreds senses." twothousand.com
Melbourne band Black Cab is singer and programmer Andrew Coates and guitarist James Lee and features live and recorded performances from a number of well known Australian musicians including drummer Richard Andrew (Registered Nurse, Underground Lovers, Crow), bassist Anthony Paine (High Pass Filter), programmer Steve Law (Zen Paradox), and guitarist Alex Jarvis (Amplifier Machine, Alex Jarvis Band). Black Cab's sound is a blend of rock and electronics with shades of Europe and America in the '70's.
Etched firmly in the hearts of Melbourne’s live music loving community, Clinkerfield have been forging their own indescribable path for the past five years, content to allow incessant live showings (are they Melbourne’s hardest working band?) do the bulk of the talking.
Artist: Play With Me: Darebin Music Feast Special Event
Time: 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Music is for everyone and everyone should have the opportunity to create it. For this reason a piano has been placed in the Northcote Civic Square. Play With Me is a provocation, inviting the public to take a seat, tickle the ivories and bash out a tune. This piano belongs to you!
All-female eleven-piece brass band. Fitted out in red marching costumes, plumes, epaulettes and knee-high boots, The Red Brigade brings you big band swing, Balkan brass numbers and all-time classics. These ladies are hot!
Artist: Danny Walsh
Time: 2:00pm - 2:45pm
Danny Walsh is a revelry bluesman. He has engaged audiences from the wheat paddocks of the Wimmera, to the juke joints of Melbourne’s North, the stages of Port Fairy Folk Festival and now to High Vibes!
Japanese Shinobue bamboo flute ensemble who ask that you sit back, relax and be taken on a journey to a magical garden of delicate imagery and graceful sounds.
Artist: Kutcha Edwards Duo with Bruce Haymes
Time: 4:00pm - 4:45pm
Kutcha Edwards is a Mutti Mutti man born in Balranald in New South Wales. He was ‘stolen’ at 18 months of age and denied his birthright to grow up with his family. As a teenager he was reunited with his family and so his journey began to retrieve his identity and reclaim his family and his community. For many years he was the lead singer in Blackfire and has since formed Kutcha Edwards and Band. Kutcha performs today in duo mode with Bruce Haymes.
Artist: Gianni Marinani’s Zoetrope
Time: 5:00pm - 5:45pm
Zoetrope takes its name from the landmark company started by Francis Ford Coppola, who decided he would build a studio that would conceive creative approaches to filmmaking. The Zoetrope Quartet explores not only film, but also original compositions.
Artist: Babaganoush
Time: 6:00pm - 6:45pm
Babaganoush combines the best Gypsy and Balkan music from Eastern Europe to tantalise you with their spicy melodies and hot rhythms. Exuberant, authentic and heartfelt, the band has an organic beauty that is rare and unforgettable.
Artist: Rose Turtle Ertler
Time: 7:00pm - 7:45pm
Direct from the New York Ukulele Festival and hot on the heels of the launch of her new CD Tryhard Trailer Trash, Rose Turtle Ertler kicks it on her antique 1930s and 40s ukulele, banjo and autoharp. Rose has also just released a cook book of recipes from ukulele players from around the world called “What Do Ukulele Players Eat?”
Artist: Darebin Music Feast Songwriters’ Award: Grand Final
Time: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
How can one town handle so much songwriting talent? Who will take out the prestigious APRA Open Award? Duck in off the street at High Vibes and witness the suspense-filled judging by our distinguished panel. Hosted with heart and humour by the Darebin Songwriters’ Guild’s Wendy Ealey.
Bizerka are a bunch of crazy musicians creating Melbourne's freshest gypsy-inspired dance music this side of Moldavia. Playing traditional music from the seven corners of Europe in a distinctly untraditional style, croassing Cocecks with Kolos, Rachenitsa's with Rampi Rampi's and Russians with Romanians.
Sal Kimber and The Rollin' Wheel are a rockin’ Alt Country n Roots band that weave stories of our great Australian landscape into powerful heart-moving songs -that are sure not to disappoint the dance floor.
With members from Ukraine, Hungary, Brazil and Australia, high energy Gypsy band Lolo Lovina draw influences from across Eastern Europe and Latin America. The bulk of the band’s lyrics are in Rromani, the language of the gypsies, presenting intricate heart moving masterpieces.
Legendary Queensland band, A French Butler Called Smith, perform high energy Latin funk and gypsy dance. Percussion, guitar and bass and groovy layers with trumpet and sax – these guys are extraterrestrial and yet earthbound – crazy yet in control!
Reminiscent of the 1920s bohemia, Rapskallion present a theatrical feast of gypsy world music from around the globe – Balkan Cocecks, sing along see shanties, Spanish gypsy love songs and much more!
Spawned from the fiery pits of Melbourne, cutting their teeth in the underground theatre scene and with the taste of blood on their lips, 7 piece ensemble The Barons of Tang bastardize mainly traditional gypsy and tango feels to inappropriate perfection. With accordion, double bass, saxophone and tuba to name just a few, the outfit create what they call ‘gypsy death-core’. The catchy tunes and punk ethos all tie together to mean one thing…dancing is inevitable!
Artist: The Jelly Tub Rollers - Inside Open Studio
Time: 10:00pm - 11:00pm
Featuring Thomas the Tap Engine
Jelly Tub Rollers are over dressed barrelhouse jazzbo's who play righteous foxy swing, preach down and out party blues & thigh slappin 1930s depression hillbilly hoe downs with a live tap dancer en tow. Totally mad and very cool, this 5 piece shiny zoot suit outfit are sure to get the dance floor going.
Brolga Boys have been performing for over many years and have established themselves as one of the Indigenous Bands in the country. All members are excellent musicians in their own rite and together they form a band that produces a great sound. They celebrate their music every time they take to the stage with a dynamic performance.
The Peep Tempel play the music you would celebrate a successful bank robbery to. It goes great with champagne and smug grins, and will give you more than enough adrenalin to deal with the close physical attention that the local law enforcement agencies will be giving you when they know that your far too pissed to defend yourself and come bashing down the door for their slice of the pie. We like Lobby Lloyde, Ezy E and alcohol fuelled ball games, We look forward to meeting you!
Artist: Brothers Grim and the Blue Murders
Time: 2:00pm - 2:40pm
Brothers Grim began as the Inabinet Brothers duo, ripping out 20/30’s style delta blues songs with a furious fervour. Over the coarse of the next two years they slowly bought on board a string of musicians to settle on their current band ‘the Blue Murders’ – a fat and sweaty combination of Drums, Double Bass, Dolbro slide guitar and Howling vocals.
The result has been described as “…Skip James on too much cocaine, tempered with that ol’ fashioned morphine that’s good enough for your gran-pa, a truly engaging experience ”
But the short of it is: Brothers Grim and the Blue Murders are the filthiest Country-Blues band to come out of Melbourne in some time. It is not the clean homogenised ‘white-boy’ blues repackaged again and again, but rather straight up ‘country-blues’ – fired at you like a buck-shot!
Order a whiskey, sit down and strap in…this is gonna be a bumpy ride.
Melbourne based five piece Downhills Home have quietly earned their place as one of the finest roots-rock acts getting around the country today. They released a cracker of a record earlier this year, their second to date, titled ‘the Wolves in the Woods’ and it was met with a tone of praise from critics and fans. Martin Jones of Rhythms Magazine called it ‘the guitar rock album of the year’, the Age gave it 4 stars and Beat Magazine said ‘Downhills Home are as real as bands come. Great songs, serious licks, elegance as far as the eye can see.’
Since it’s release the band have been touring extensively across the nation and now return home in better form than ever, to play one of their first Melbourne shows since July.
Melbourne three piece THE RED TREE create a unique synthesis of ambient, textural and electronic pop; delicately interweaving dense sonic landscapes with haunting vocal harmonies and driving beats. Their music moves dynamically through minimalist sonic lullabies to full, realised crescendos, resulting in a captivating, melancholic yet beautiful listening experience which is set before a flickering backdrop of sublimely animated projections. The group formed whilst living together above a gallery in 2005, and after a few years of experimentation, they have finished their debut album entitled 'I am not a bird', released in June 2009.
Have you seen Silver City Highway before? In which carnation did you see them? Was it a full blown psychedelic beast? Perhaps it was the mellower side of songwriter Fergus McAlpin you witnessed at a quiet Fitzroy local.
Additions of Viola and Theremin to the ever changing line up, from the epic wall of sound to the intimate and everywhere in between, Silver City Highway shows are never the same twice making them an addition to the High Vibes festival not to be missed.
Sydney sextet Cuthbert & the Night Walkers have just released their new single ‘Pace Ourselves’ – an ode to surviving a big night on the town – and they’ll be making the trip down to Melbourne to play it to Northcote on Sun 20 Sept at High Vibes festival. Mixed by Cornel Wilczek (Qua), ‘Pace Ourselves’ is the first slice of delicious pop lifted from the band’s sophomore album, due for release October 2009 through ABC Music/Universal. Cuthbert & the Night Walkers won triple j’s Unearthed in 2007. Since then they have gone onto perform with Soko, Peter Bjorn & John, and Still Flyin’, and played festivals including Playground Weekender, The Great Escape and Peats Ridge.
Very few artists wield so much charisma that they can sell you just about anything before you’ve realised what’s happened. Matt Joe Gow has the charisma to be one of those artists – but he isn’t. Matt prefers to concentrate on the conviction. On writing and delivering songs that look you straight in the eye. You don’t have to listen to more than thirty seconds of Matt’s debut LP ‘The Messenger’ to appreciate that. The deep quaver in his voice leaps out of opening track ‘Come To Mama, She Says’, like an arrow, both graceful and inexorable.
The mourning sons are a four-piece indie rock/grunge band based in Melbourne. the mourning sons began working with producer Dean Dirt (Magic Dirt, The Red Sun Band, Violent Soho) in late 2008 and are now putting the finishing touches on their self-funded debut album 'pipedreams'. Engineered by Brent Punshon (The Nation Blue, Legends Of Motorsport) at Head Gap Studios in Melbourne, 'pipedreams' is an album with a large emphasis on live performances and spontaneity.
The mourning sons - 'pipedreams' is set to be independently released mid 2009. In the meantime the mourning sons will continue to perform their original brand of foot stomping rock n roll at various live venues in and around Melbourne.
Every now and again an artist like Melbourne's own Paris Wells comes along seemingly just to make life hard for people who have to pigeon-hole things for a living. Even MySpace's three category fool-proof plan misses the mark by about ten categories on this one. We're talking about a girl whose influences range from NWA to Led Zeppelin; who built up an incredible street-level buzz throughout Melbourne's underground circuit and then took a break to jet off around the country to support Justin Timberlake; who has the style and grace of Audrey Hepburn with the attitude of Keith Richards. This girl is Oxford and Webster's worst nightmare, but she's going to become your eardrum's best friend.
In late '07, Paris swung the spotlight onto herself through the release of her debut EP, Mum Hasn't Slept Yet, and suddenly St. Jerome's favourite resident became a household name amongst the in-crowd at bars across the country. Off the back of this notoriety, Paris hit the road and mesmerised crowds at Meredith Music Festival, Big Day Out, Falls Festival and Sydney Festival with a voice that could turn gay men straight and straight men insane.
“Keep It's” suggestive and infectious first single, Dat Du Dat, has taken radio hostage over the past couple of months and, in true Paris Wells' style, has crossed boundaries from ultra-hip community stations to the country's largest commercial networks. The album, produced by True Live's RHyNo, is destined for the same fate – accessible, catchy songs infused with a jaded swagger that will kick you in the throat and make you love it.
And now she joins forces with the Peacock Hotel and the High Vibes festival to bring in the good vibes in style.
