Adelaide sisters Germein have the kind of close musical partnership that can only be shared by siblings and are kicking off 2018 with a brand-new sound and confidence with the single ‘Talking’.

Whether jamming together at their home in the Adelaide Hills, playing alongside Arcade Fireand Catfish & the Bottlemen at the Isle of Wight festival or opening UK stadium shows forLittle Mix, it’s their mutual connection to music that has seen sisters Georgia, Ella and Claramake their mark in music while staying under the radar…. Until now. Taking their lead from strong artists like Haim, Chvrches and Tegan & Sara, the sisters aren’t afraid to explore a wide palate of musical styles, while keeping a firm hand on pop sensibilities. While they have previously toured the world and released music independently, the new single ‘Talking” is the first taste of a new Germein, created and recorded and produced at home by Georgia with mixing by acclaimed mixer John Castle (Dean Lewis, Cub Sport, Washington). “As siblings, we’ve been playing together for so long that the band had become second nature to us,” said Georgia. “We realised that it was time to take control for ourselves and really start making the music that we want to make on our own terms. We hit play on ‘Talking’ and know it’s the musical vision we’ve had for ourselves finally coming to life.” ‘Talking’ shows Germein at their best, mixing their close three-part harmonies with a soaring break-out chorus. The song is a strong statement from the all-female act and will launch in Sydney on the eve of International Women’s Day, March 7. “We are proud that we’ve been able to march forward and prove to the world that we can make it doing what we love regardless of being young and female,” said Clara. “Whether it’s raised eyebrows when you tell someone that you’re a drummer or not believing we really write our own material, we are happy to tackle the stereotypes as women in the industry and we can’t think of a better time to launch ‘Talking’ live than on the eve of International Women’s Day.”

GERMEIN ‘TALKING’ AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2018 February 22: University of Newcastle, Newcastle NSW (Lunchtime) February 24: Ground Up Espresso Bar, Toowoomba QLD February 28: Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane QLD March 7: Leadbelly, Sydney NSW March 10: The Ark (Adelaide Fringe Festival), Adelaide SA March 17: Smiths Alternative, Canberra ACT March 22: The Toff, Melbourne VIC March 25: The Loft, Warrnambool VIC

After the success of his double-platinum top 10 smash here in Australia, ‘I Like Me Better’,independent singer, songwriter and producer Lauv releases a new track ‘Getting Over You’ just a week after announcing the sell-out of his Sydney and Melbourne March shows.

The next release from his ‘I met you when I was 18’ playlist, the track comes off the back of his Jimmy Kimmel live performance, dates around Asia with Ed Sheeran and continuing rise across US radio with his global hit ‘I Like Me Better’.

Lauv releasing his music in the form of a playlist instead of a traditional album is symbolic of how his music has been consumed since first releasing his debut single, “The Other,” followed by streaming favourites including ‘Paris in the Rain’ and ‘Easy Love’ which have joined with ‘I Like Me Better’ to rack up an amazing 700 million streams on Spotify alone.

Lauv touches down in Brisbane in just a matter of weeks, with his show at The Triffid on Tuesday March 13 and Adelaide Festival appearance the last opportunity for Australians to catch one of the globes biggest rising stars after the Sydney and Melbourne shows sold outlast week.

LAUV AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2018 Presented by Chugg Entertainment. With Special Guest Nicole Millar TUESDAY 13 MARCH - THE TRIFFID - BRISBANE, QLD (SELLING FAST) THURSDAY 15 MARCH - THE METRO - SYDNEY, NSW (SOLD OUT) FRIDAY 16 MARCH - CORNER HOTEL - MELBOURNE, VIC (SOLD OUT) SATURDAY 17 MARCH - ADELAIDE FESTIVAL - ADELAIDE, SA

The entire town of Winton will become a festival site this April as visitors from across Australia and the world descend on Outback Queensland to celebrate the re-opening of the Waltzing Matilda Centrefrom April 19-22.

With an amazing music festival line-up including Jessica Mauboy, John Williamson, The Living End, Kip Moore (US), Lee Brice (US), Sheppard and many more already announced, today adds 30 new artists including James Blundell and 2018 Tamworth Golden Guitar winners Brad Butcher (best new talent) and Dean Perrett (Best Bush Ballad) plus bush balladeers, poets and storytellers, as historic outback venues like The Winton Club, The Winton Hotel, North Gregory Hotel, Tattersalls Hotel and even the Australian Age of Dinosaurs become part of the extravaganza.

The Saturday is also set to explode with an outback race meeting including five exciting local races, bookmakers and fashions on the field including $10,000 in prizes, with the authentic country experience included in the price of your Way Out West Fest ticket.

"Winton’s Way Out West Fest is more than just a music festival," said Winton Mayor Gavin Baskett. "This event is about celebrating everything that’s great about life in the outback from our songs and poems like Waltzing Matilda, through to our iconic Winton Races, our friendly locals and of course our iconic pubs. If you haven’t yet sat in an outback pub for a beer with a local, Winton’s Way Out West Fest is the best opportunity to tick it off your bucket list." Minister for Tourism Industry Development Kate Jones said the star-studded festival line-up and country race meeting were fantastic draw cards for Australian and overseas travelers wanting a true-blue Outback Queensland experience. "Way Out West Fest will showcase the town of Winton, the iconic Waltzing Matilda Centre and what traveller’s love most about Outback Queensland – its incredible landscapes, friendly country hospitality, unique wildlife and rich history," Ms Jones said. "Events play a vital role in promoting our stunning destinations, driving visitation, generating jobs and fostering pride in our local communities, and this event will do just that."

Way Out West Fest will also serve as the outback launch of James Blundell’s new single, ‘Way Out West’ a reworking of his 1992 hit which became the highest selling Australian country music singleof the 90s, cementing him as country music royalty. The new version features James joining forces with good friends Adam Brand, Tania Kernaghan, Brewn, Bec Lavelle, Ben Ransom and Paul Costa. The song will join with the iconic Waltzing Matilda as the event showcases two of Australia’s musical treasures. After it’s devastating destruction by fire in 2015, the newly rebuilt $23 million Waltzing Matilda Centrewill be the pride of Western Queensland once more as the festival marks the re-opening of an outback icon. The Centre is a landmark celebrating the resilience of the local community as well as the spirit of what is our unofficial national anthem. "What Winton has gone through after the fire in redesigning and rebuilding the Waltzing Matilda Centredemonstrates the community thread that is evident in people in country communities," said James Blundell. "Only in the bush would you find folks with the tenacity to rebuild and say to the whole of Australia that their country pride and identity will not waver despite the adversity. I look forward to not only celebrating the Waltzing Matilda Centre, but also the entire region and everything that’s great about living Way Out West." The music will flow right across the weekend including at the North Gregory Hotel, the site of the first public recital of Waltzing Matilda by Banjo Patterson himself, as well as seven other venues across the town including the "pop up" Johnny Ringo’s Outback Pool Saloon at the Winton Bowls Clubcomplete with mechanical bull, surf board, swimming pools (with lifeguards) and heaps more. Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to participate in the Queensland outback’s biggest ever Pub Choir to sing their own rendition of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ as well as songwriting workshops hosted byQMusic for country kids who may well be our next Jessica Mauboy, James Blundell or even Banjo Patterson. The Crack Up Sisters will also be taking over Winton Memorial Park with a stunning display of whip cracking and acrobatics sure to satisfy all ages.

Tickets for Way Out West Fest are selling fast with a final allocation now on sale. With travel agents providing easy flight, ground transport, camping and other travel packages and options, Winton’s Way Out West Fest is the perfect excuse to get out and explore Australia.

The Queensland Government, via Tourism and Events Queensland, is proud to support Winton’s Way Out West Fest which features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar. Queensland, just the place to experience Australia’s best live events.

Tickets are on sale now from www.wintonswayoutwestfest.com.au

For more information, call the Way Out West Fest hotline on 1300-MATILDA.

ABOUT THE WALTZING MATILDA CENTRE

The Waltzing Matilda Centre is the first museum in the world dedicated to a song. ‘Waltzing Matilda’ was written by ‘Banjo’ Paterson whilst holidaying in Winton on Dagworth Station. Legend has it that this song was first performed in public at North Gregory Hotel. Opened in 1998 and becoming an icon of the area, the original centre was destroyed by fire in 2015. The brand new $23 million Waltzing Matilda Centre was designed by award winning Cox Architects and built by A. Gabrielli Constructions, it will once again assist the heartbeat of the outback when it re-opens with Winton’s Way Out West Fest in April 2018.

ABOUT WINTON’S WAY OUT WEST FEST

Winton’s Way Out West Fest is a celebration of the outback, bringing together some of the world’s best artists for a celebration of culture and music. This is a camping festival utilising the Showgrounds and a popup tent city with Winton’s population expected to swell from 1000 to 6000 over the four days of the event from April 19-22. The festival will include Jessica Mauboy, John Williamson The Living End, Kip Moore (USA), Lee Brice (USA), Sheppard, Busby Marou, Russell Morris, The Black Sorrows, Pierce Brothers + more.

South Africa’s biggest contemporary music export Jeremy Loops announces his return to Australia and New Zealand today following on from his successful visit in 2016.

Becoming a hit outside of his homeland, Jeremy’s debut album Trading Change resulted in a 30,000-ticket tour across the UK and Europe as well as a massive European tour with Twenty One Pilots. His near-sellout tour of Australia in 2016 cemented his popularity downunder, while his latest single ‘Waves’ from his upcoming album ‘Critical As Water’ (March 16) has already racked up over a million streams on Spotify in just a few weeks. “The first time we toured Australia we had no idea what to expect but five minutes into the first show we knew Aussie live music fans are maniacs like we are. The energy in that room was insane, and we’ve been looking forward to coming back ever since,” saysJeremy Loops. “Getting to do Australia and New Zealand as part of this Critical As Water world tour shows just how important performing in this region is to us. And we know the love we give, Aussie and Kiwi crowds give will right back.” The Australian and New Zealand shows are part of a massive global tour with 27 shows across ten countries, kicking off in March to celebrate the album’s release and winding its way through Europe, the UK, the US, Canada and finally Australia and New Zealand in May. Loops’ cult-like following will continue to grow, with the new record Produced by Will Hicks (Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’, Lilly Allen, Bastille), with additional production contributions byJake Gosling (James Bay, The Libertines, Shawn Mendes). ‘Waves’ has already featured in Spotify’s international viral chart. When he’s not touring the world, Jeremy Loops is also the founder of South Africa’sGreenpop, a tree planting organisation that’s been responsible for 85,000 new treesacross his homeland. He is one of the biggest artists in the country with his debut record entering the South African charts at #1 and winning MTV South Africa’s Alternative Album of the Year and iTunes South Africa’s Album of the Year. Don’t miss Jeremy Loops this May, live and intimate across Australia and New Zealand.

JEREMY LOOPS AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2018 Presented by MJR Presents

- Tuesday 22 May: The Capitol, Perth WA Wednesday 23 May: Fowlers Live, Adelaide SA Thursday 24 May: Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC Saturday 26 May: The Zoo, Brisbane QLD Sunday 27 May: Factory Theatre, Sydney NSW Wednesday 30 May: Neck of the Woods, Auckland NZ Thursday 31 May: San Fran, Wellington NZ

Announce Album #2 ‘Watching The Sky’, Video & Major Sync

Brisbane sibling super-group Sheppard are celebrating the awarding of gold sales this week by ARIA for ‘Coming Home’ with a brand new video clip, after riding high on radio across summer and knocking on the door of the ARIA top 20. Premiering internationally on the US Today Show late last year, the single has climbed into the charts in seven different countries, hit #3 on the Australian airplay charts and is one of only half a dozen Australian tracks released in 2017 to achieve gold status here at home. To have reached that milestone completely independently is a huge feat, one that hasn’t been reached since Sheppard themself broke all records for independent singles in 2014 with their global smash ‘Geronimo’. The new single is also reaching a whole new audience, having been unveiled as the theme to the new animated feature ‘EARLY MAN’ from the makers of Chicken Run and Wallace & Grommit. The song has also been heard across summer on the Seven network as the promotional theme for My Kitchen Rules 2018 and across America as the new promo theme for the newly revived American Idol.

‘Coming Home’ paves the way for album number two from the band, which it can be revealed today is titled “Watching The Sky” and will be hitting stores in early May. The record will also feature the singles ‘Keep Me Crazy’ and the smash Latin hit ‘Edge of the Night’ which cemented Sheppard as stars across Brazil, Chile, Spain and Mexico in late 2017. “We can’t believe the response we’ve had for ‘Coming Home’ from both old fans and new ones. It’s great to know we’re reaching so many people with our music,” said George Sheppard. “For us as musicians though, an album is the true artistic statement, so announcing ‘Watching The Sky’ today is a really exciting step for us.” With support slots across the US, UK and Australia in 2017 with Justin Bieber and Little Mix, a festival appearance in front of 80,000 fans at Mexico’s Corona Capital festival alongside The Foo Fighters and Green Day as well as their own headline Australian tour, Sheppard have shown they’ve got what it takes to continue their reign both as one of Australia’s premier live acts and recorded hit-makers. 2018 will see the band performing as special guests of Robbie Williams at A Day On The Green in the Yarra Valley and as part of the stellar lineup for the Adelaide 500 20th anniversary celebration. While ‘Geronimo’ might have gone platinum in 21 countries and racked up half a billion streams, ‘Coming Home’ proves that while their first single was the one to ‘make that leap’, there’s plenty more in store as Sheppard settle into Australia’s musical heart for the long term.

Darwin’s Caiti Baker proved that cookie-cutter albums aren’t always necessary to cut through in 2017 as her massive debut ‘Zinc’ turned heads around Australia.

Making ‘best of 2017’ lists from both Rolling Stone and Double J, the album and it’s stunning singles ‘Wolf’ and ‘I Won’t Sleep’ have redefined Australian soul music, combining hip hop, pop, rock and urban to create its own sultry world, as likely to be inhabited by Jay Z as it is by Fiona Apple or Ella Fitzgerald. "The way Australia has embraced this album has really blown me away," said Caiti Baker. "When you create something as eclectic as this, you hope that people are open-minded enough to accept what you’re doing as an artist, but it’s not something you expect and I’m so grateful." To celebrate, Baker has released a brand new video for album track ‘Rough Old Town’ and is heading back to Sydney and Melbourne for shows in January and February. ‘Zinc’ truly is a forceful release, created with the support of producers J. Mangohig (Daniel Johns, Briggs) and Skinnyfish Music’s Michael Hohnen. The record melts Caiti’s experiences with samples from Caiti’s once-estranged musician father’s guitar recordings. Finding common ground in music, ‘Zinc" in many ways facilitated both a family and creative reconciliation, the record bristling with emotion and a raw energy of a tension-filled love that adds to the tapestry of life’s experience portraited on the album. It’s unlike any Australian album kicking around today. Opening with the sprawling soundscape of ‘Believer’, Baker creates an ethereal dream-like setting, creating an urban vision, but with a space and sensitivity evocative of her rural lifestyle. The record then kicks into high gear with ‘I Won’t Sleep’ drawing a line in the sand and truly introducing listeners to a confident and direct Caiti Baker. The listener is then taken on a journey from soul diva jams, country blues flavours, pop bangers and classy R&B, before closing its eleven tracks with ‘Wolf’, a melancholic end, the musical equivalent of a fine single malt to end a night of confident introspection. On ‘Zinc’, Caiti Baker has created a uniquely confident debut which is ignorant of genre and confident in message. The album heralds the arrival of a truly important Australian voice. ‘Zinc’ is out now through Perambulator Records / MGM Distribution.

CAITI BAKER UPCOMING SHOWS

January 19: The Steyne, Sydney NSW January 20: Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney NSW February 9: Northcote Social Club, Melbourne VIC February 11: St. Kilda Festival, Melbourne VIC February 17: River Boat Festival, Echuca VIC March 29-April2: Bluesfest

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT ZINC

"Baker has a swaggering voice to rival that of Adele". – Daily Telegraph

"Caiti Baker flips between catchy pop, dance and slower blues with this accomplished debut. Praise be for a diversity of style and influence (exploring sounds all in one place is rare these days)." – The Music

"One of the 10 most exciting new female voices in Antipodean music today." – Rolling Stone

"Queen Caiti takes us on quite the journey. Dynamic, commanding and a total force." – triple j Unearthed

"Caiti’s voice is as unique as it is powerful, endearing as it is commanding and as beautiful as it is raw." – Briggs

"An exemplary vocal range is Baker’s weapon and man, does she wield it with grace, confidence and charm." – The AU Review

With one of the biggest names in rap, 50 Cent set to land in Australia in February, MJR Presentshave today announced that the international rapper will welcome his crew G-Unit including Lloyd Banks, Uncle Murda and Tony Yayo. An integral part of 50 Cent’s musical past, present and future, G-Unit became one of the world’s most respected underground rap groups, before eventually establishing their own label G-Unit Records and releasing their double platinum debut ‘Beg For Mercy’. With a busy end to 2017 including 50 Cent’s latest single ‘Still Think I’m Nothing’, a number of freestyle releases from Lloyd Banks and Uncle Murda’s ‘Rap Up 2017’ single, G-Unit will be in full flight when they hit Sydney’s Parramatta Park and the Melbourne Showgrounds in February.

If that wasn’t enough to cement the stadium shows as the biggest hip hop events of the year, 50 Cent and G-Unit will be supported by an all Australian line up including multi award winning A.B. Original and Darwin newcomer Baker Boy.

Having taken out the 2017 J Award, A.B. Original also picked up two ARIA awards and the coveted Australian Music Prize for their album ‘Reclaim Australia’. Baker Boy’s hit single ‘Cloud 9’ infiltrated the triple j airwaves with an instant full rotation addition, a major slot at this year’s BIGSOUND Festival and a win at this year’s National Indigenous Music Awards for NT Song of The Year.

50 Cent’s return to Australia celebrates the 15th anniversary of his seminal album ‘Get Rich or Die Trying’.

The record that took him from the streets to the top of the charts after being discovered by Eminem and Dr Dre, ‘Get Rich Or Die Trying’ spawned a slew of hit singles including the iconic platinum smash ‘In Da Club’, Billboard chart topper ’21 Questions’ and ARIA #2 ‘P.I.M.P’. The album inspired the successful biopic of the same name and kicked off one of the biggest careers in hip-hop.

50 CENT AUSTRALIAN TOUR

SUPPORTED BY G-UNIT, A.B. ORIGINAL & BAKER BOY - FRIDAY 09 FEBRUARY - PARRAMATTA PARK - SYDNEY, NSW Limited Tickets Available SATURDAY 10 FEBRUARY - MELBOURNE SHOWGROUNDS - MELBOURNE, VIC Limited Tickets Available

MJR Presents announced today that Mariah Carey’s February 2018 Australian and New Zealand tour has been rescheduled to October due to a necessary realignment of her international engagements for 2018.

The rescheduled tour will see Mariah deliver all her greatest hits which include Dreamlover, Emotions, Hero, Without You, Fantasy, One Sweet Day, We Belong Together, Always Be My Baby and many more, following on from her successful 2017 Las Vegas residency. Cementing her place as one of the world’s all-time iconic vocalists, Carey has sold over 200 million albums worldwide and spawned a career across music, film, television, fashion, beauty and much more. Unfortunately, venue changes have been necessary for the Sydney and Melbourne shows with new tickets issued to patrons in the coming weeks. Tickets to the Brisbane show will remain valid for the rescheduled date and patrons will be contacted by the ticketing company with instructions. Those who cannot attend the new dates will be offered refunds. Unfortunately a Perth show has been unable to be accommodated on the new dates and patrons will be refunded. For those who have not yet purchased, tickets for the rescheduled shows will go on sale 2pmlocal time on Thursday February 1. More information for current ticket holders and new purchasers is available from www.mjrpresents.com. "It’s always unfortunate when these situations occur and we regret any inconvenience the rescheduling has caused for fans," said MJR director Scott Mesiti. "We’re very excited that we’ve been able to find suitable time for Mariah’s return to ensure fans don’t miss out on what is sure to be a spectacular show from one of the music world’s biggest music icons." TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY 01 FEBRUARY, 2018 - 2:00pm Local Time Via MJRpresents.com

MARIAH CAREY GREATEST HITS AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2018

Sunday 7th October - Spark Arena, Auckland Wednesday 10th October - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Friday 12th October - Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Sunday 14th October - Sandstone Point, Brisbane

After a triumphant return to Australia for near-capacity outdoor shows in Brisbane, Melbourne and the Hunter Valley in November, one of the world’s biggest reunited rock acts +LIVE+ are returning this March with new shows announced for Sydney, Perth and Adelaide.

The reunited original line-up of +LIVE+ - Ed Kowalczyk (vocals, guitar), Chad Taylor(guitar, backing vocals), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass) and Chad Gracey (drums, percussion) received rave reviews for their recent run of shows, proving that they are back in force as they delighted fans with all their hits including Lightning Crashes’, ‘Selling the Drama’, ‘I Alone’, ‘Lakini’s Juice’, ‘All Over You’, The Dolphin’s Cry’, ‘Heaven’, ‘Run to the Water’, ‘Turn My Head’ and many more. "Our recent shows in Australia were some of the best of our career and while we had a blast, we missed our fans in Sydney, Perth and Adelaide, so it was really important to us to get back and give them the opportunity to see the show," said Ed Kowalczyk. "We can't wait to see you all in March." With their seminal album ‘Throwing Copper’, +LIVE+ cemented themselves as one of the most popular bands of all time in Australia. Ticking over eight times platinum with that album, holding down five triple j Hottest 100 places and hitting gold, platinum and multi-platinum on every one of their seven Kowakczyk-fronted releases, +LIVE+ were the band that led a generation of teens from grunge back to rock with hits which continue to be staples across rock radio globally. The Sydney and Perth shows will also welcome seminal 90s rockers The Tea Party to the bill, creating a night of alternative rock not to be missed.

+LIVE+ AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2018 Presented by TheMusic.com.au & Unbreakable Touring

- THURSDAY 01 MARCH - ICC SYDNEY THEATRE - SYDNEY, NSW Supported by The Tea Party Presale - 12:00 Noon AEDT, Thursday 14 December, 2017 General Public - 12:00 Noon AEDT, Monday 18 December, 2017 SATURDAY 03 MARCH - ADELAIDE 500 - ADELAIDE, SA Tickets on sale NOW TUESDAY 06 MARCH - HBF STADIUM - PERTH, WA Supported by The Tea Party Presale - 12:00 Noon AWST, Monday 18 December, 2017 General Public - 12:00 Noon AWST, Wednesday 20 December, 2017

Britpop legends Shed Seven have finally given into fan pressure and announced their first ever Australian tour, following the release of their brand new record ‘Instant Pleasures’

The iconic 90's rockers, responsible for contributing heavily to the britpop revolution, alongside bands like Oasis, Blur and Ocean Colour Scene, will make their first trip down under in April next year, with shows confirmed for Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. "Playing live in Australia has been right at the top of our bucket list for years" Said the band. It eluded us in the 90’s so we are ridiculously excited to finally be coming over to play these shows. We get so many great messages from fans in Australia and can’t wait to finally bring our show over for you….. Bring your best singing voices! " Having stamped their names into the book of Britpop by the mid-nineties, the York five-piece, whose hits include the alt-rock favourites Chasing Rainbows and Going For Gold, amassed a myriad of chart milestones, with fifteen Top 40 singles, four Top 20 albums and a wash of sell out tours around Europe as America. Despite breaking up in 2003, the band returned to the stage in 2007 for a reunion tour, following a call from fans. In 2017 the band announced the release of ‘Instant Pleasures’, their first full length LP together in over 16 years. Instant Pleasures (out on November 10th) is the most fitting title for this, their fifth album and their first since 2001’s Truth Be Told. Frontman Rick Witter remarks that it works in two ways. Not only is it a comment on our tech-obsessed, social media crazy, instantaneous world, it’s also a literal tongue-in-cheek reference to the tracks themselves. Tickets are on sale Friday 15 December via MJRpresents.com

SHED SEVEN AUSTRALIAN TOUR

- Tuesday 17 April – Capitol – Perth, WA Thursday 19 April – The Triffid – Brisbane, QLD Friday 20 April – The Corner Hotel – Melbourne, VIC Sunday 22 April – Metro Theatre – Sydney, NSW

Scottish Indie royalty Belle & Sebastian return to Australia in May next year for the first time since their massively successful tour in 2015. With their latest single 'I'll Be Your Pilot' signalling a fresh new wave of activity for the band, the Australian shows wrap up a global tour, with performances confirmed for The Sydney Opera House, Melbourne's Palais Theatre, Perth's Astor Theatre and The Tivoli in Brisbane.

To commemorate 20 years since the bands previous multi-EP release - 1997's 'Dog On Wheels', 'Lazy Line Painter Jane' and '3.. 6.. 9 Seconds Of Light' – the twee-pop superstars have also announced the release of three more EPs in quick succession this December. All titled 'How To Solve Our Human Problems', the first EP will be released on December 8, the second on January 19, and the final instalment landing on February 16, just ahead of their tour down under. "We are delighted to be coming back to Australia in 2018, with some new songs to play for you." Said frontman Stuart Murdoch ahead of the upcoming shows down-under. In addition to re-embracing short-form releases, the project finds the group exploring an off-the-cuff, anything-goes ethos, experimenting with sounds, formats and themes. Belle & Sebastian formed in 1996. They have released nine studio album, received critical acclaim from outlets including Pitchfork, SPIN, Rolling Stone, NPR, NME and The New York Times and have produced a back catalogue of both critical and cult-status hits that have helped the band sell out venues for over two decades. The band arrive in Perth on May 2 before heading east for shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane

BELLE & SEBASTIAN AUSTRALIAN TOUR

- Wednesday 02 May, 2018 - The Astor - Perth, WA Friday 04 May, 2018 - Palais Theatre - Melbourne, VIC Saturday 05 May, 2018 - Sydney Opera House - Sydney, NSW Monday 07 May, 2018 - The Tivoli - Brisbane, QLD

“‘Coming Home’ can now be added to the list of perfect pop anthems from Sheppard. This band has feels good down to a T.” - BILLBOARD

Multi-platinum Brisbane sibling super-group Sheppard return this week with a hot new single – “Coming Home.” The song is an infectious feel good anthem that is dropping on November 10 across the globe in the leadup to the world premiere on the US TODAY Show during Thanksgiving Week.

“Coming Home is an anthem for the homeward bound. We’ve tried to capture the joy and excitement we all feel when we get to travel home at last - whether home is a place, a person or a state of mind. It's our most euphoric song to date.” – George Sheppard

With their US top 40 hit “Geronimo” going platinum in 21 countries while achieving well over quarter of a BILLION streams and their recent funk-tinged single “Edge of the Night” becoming a smash hit in Europe and Latin America, Sheppard will undoubtedly cement their global status further with the release of “Coming Home.”

The band’s new single and headline US tour comes on the heels of two huge 2017 tours – a main support slot with Justin Bieber on his latest Australian trek this Spring and a UK run this Summer with Little Mix on their “Summer Shout Out Tour.” In addition, while in the UK in July they reunited with Bieber at “BST” in Hyde Park – London’s biggest outdoor event and will play in front of 80,000 screaming fans at Mexico City’s prestigious Corona Capital festival on their way to the States, alongside The Foo Fighters, Green Day, The XX and more.

“Coming Home” marks a triumphant American return for Sheppard as they gear up for their sophomore album in 2018 and get ready to embark on their first stateside tour in two years. Listeners will be transported into the holiday season by George’s uplifting vocals that capture the essence of returning home for the holidays.

SHEPPARD NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2017 - Supported by Romes*and Hailey Knox^

Mon 13-Nov Rickshaw Stop, San Fransico, CA ^

Tue 14-Nov The Roxy, CA ^

Mon 20-Nov U Street Music Hall, DC *

Tues 21-Nov Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY *

Wed 22-Nov Once Ballroom, Boston, MA *

Fri 24-Nov The Foundry At Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA *

Sat 25-Nov Rex Theatre, Pittsburgh, OH *

Sun 26-Nov The Basement, Columbus, OH *

Mon 27-Nov Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL *

Jamaican musician Chronixx is one of reggae’s leading lights, bringing together the traditions of dub, dancehall, ragga, soul and hip hop into his own fusion which has put reggae back on the main stage.

Discovered in 2014 by Jimmy Fallon during a chance meeting during a Jamaican holiday, Chronixx quickly turned heads around the world after performing on his show, with his first EP topping reggae charts in the US, UK and Japan. With supports for the likes of The Stone Roses, Nas and Lauryn Hill, Chronixx has proven his cross-genre appeal, with his debut album earlier this year ‘Chronology’ hitting the iTunes top 20 in several countries.

The February tour will awaken reggae fans across the country as Chronixx and his band Zincfence Redemption hit stages in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Chronixx said: "I'm so excited to be back performing live in Australia for my fans, where I'll be performing new tracks from the Chronology record as well as the classics. See you soon!"

Tickets for the tour go on sale this Monday November 13 through www.mjrpresents.com

CHRONIXX AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2018

February 21: Metro Theatre, Sydney NSW February 22: Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC February 23: The Zoo, Brisbane QLD

www.mjrpresents.com

It’s there whenever Australians want to quell their fears, steel their resolve, express their joy, celebrate their victories or lament their defeats. As our unofficial national anthem, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ has inspired a nation and this April, Australia celebrates the re-opening of the iconic Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton with the biggest inland music and culture festival ever held in Queensland, Winton’s Way Out West Fest.

Bringing together artists from country, pop, rock and blues, the first annual Winton’s Way Out West Fest presents Jessica Mauboy, The Living End, Kip Moore (USA), Lee Brice (USA), John Williamson, Sheppard, Busby Marou, Russell Morris, The Black Sorrows, The Pierce Brothers and more to be announced playing across the four-day festival from April 19-22.

"It's a real honour to play with such a great line-up of stars for Winton’s Way Out West Fest,” said Jessica Mauboy. “Waltzing Matilda is one of the icons of Australian folklore and the reopening of the Waltzing Matilda Centre will itself be a new chapter in the history of our nation. I can't wait to share the occasion with the thousands who will come from all corners of Australia to celebrate with us."

After it’s devastating destruction by fire in 2015, the newly rebuilt $22 million Waltzing Matilda Centre will be the pride of Western Queensland once more, as the journey of Waltzing Matilda turns another chapter.

With a country race meeting, live entertainment in many venues across the town, markets and more, Winton will come alive with country hospitality, creating not just an amazing music festival, but a complete outback experience like no other.

“The Waltzing Matilda Centre is the lifeblood of our region and to welcome it back in such spectacular fashion is a testament to the spirit of our community,” said Winton Council CEO Allan Rayment. “With some of the country’s finest talent as well as the kind of country hospitality that only our region can provide, Winton’s Way Out West Fest is going to be a unique experience. Wherever you are in Australia, we welcome you to Winton this April.”

With travel agents providing easy flight, ground transport, camping and other travel packages and options, Winton’s Way Out West Fest is the perfect excuse to get out and explore Australia.

WINTON’S WAY OUT WEST FEST LINEUP – APRIL 19-22, 2018

Jessica Mauboy The Living End Kip Moore (USA) Lee Brice (USA) John Williamson Sheppard Busby Marou Russell Morris The Black Sorrows The Pierce Brothers

+ More to be announced Tickets are on sale from Friday October 27 from www.wintonswayoutwestfest.com.au For more information, call the Way Out West Fest hotline on 1300-MATILDA.

ABOUT THE WALTZING MATILDA CENTRE

The Waltzing Matilda Centre is the first museum in the world dedicated to a song. ‘Waltzing Matilda’ was written by ‘Banjo’ Paterson whilst holidaying in Winton on Dagworth Station. Legend has it that this song was first performed in public at North Gregory Hotel. Opened in 1998 and becoming an icon of the area, the centre was destroyed by fire in 2015. The brand new $22 million Waltzing Matilda Centre was designed by award winning Cox Architects and built by A Gabrielli will once again become the heartbeat of the outback when it re-opens with Winton’s Way Out West Fest in April 2018.

ABOUT WINTON’S WAY OUT WEST FEST

Winton’s Way Out West Fest is a celebration of the outback, bringing together some of the world’s best music artists for a celebration of culture. This is a camping festival utilising the Showgrounds and a pop-up tent city with Winton’s population expected to swell from 1000 to 8000 over the four days of the event from April 19-22. The festival will include Jessica Mauboy, The Living End, Kip Moore (USA), Lee Brice (USA), John Williamson, Sheppard, Busby Marou, Russell Morris, The Black Sorrows, The Pierce Brothers + more to be announced.

One of the world’s most loved and recognized voices, Mariah Carey is heading down under, bringing her ‘#1s Tour’ to Australia and New Zealand this February.

Mariah will perform the songs that made her the biggest selling female artist of the millenium, including Hero, One Sweet Day, Fantasy, Always Be My Baby, Vision of Love, We Belong Together and many more.

From her debut in 1988 through to her massive smash hit album ‘Music Box’, her move into movies & TV and her legendary Las Vegas residency, the world has grown up with Mariah Carey who has become the soundtrack of the last three decades.

The tour takes Mariah outdoors to take advantage of the Australian summer, hitting Melbourne Showgrounds, Parramatta Park and Sandstone Point in Brisbane as well as Perth Arena and Auckland’s Spark Arena. The shows will be Carey’s first shows in Australia and New Zealand in four years with her successful album ‘Me. I Am Mariah’ and reality docuseries ‘Mariah’s World’ continuing her reign as the Queen of the American music scene.

Mariah Carey is a music icon, a soul legend, a pop phenomenon, a breathtaking live artist and planet Earth’s best-selling female artist of all time. She has sold over 220 million records and 17 of her 18 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles have been self-penned, more than any other solo artist.

With her distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific songwriting, and producing talent, Mariah has defined the modern pop artist. As a singer/songwriter/producer, amongst her countless awards, she has been recognized with multiple Grammy Awards, 21 American Music Awards, Billboard's “Artist of the Decade” Award, the World Music Award for “World's Best-Selling Female Artist Of The Millennium,” and BMI's “Icon Award” for her outstanding achievements in songwriting.

She has topped the charts globally and has played to packed audiences in stadiums and arenas around the world. Her combination of stellar talents has inspired her dedicated fans in almost every country and set new standards for excellence in the music industry.

Mariah Carey's ongoing impact transcends the music industry to leave an indelible imprint upon the world at large. She has made substantial marks in film with critically acclaimed roles in Precious (2009), Lee Daniel’s The Butler (2013) and most recently Mariah made her directorial debut in A Christmas Melody, a special festive feature for Hallmark, in which she also stars. A Congressional Award recipient, Mariah has generously donated her time and energy to a range of philanthropic causes near to her heart including Save the Music, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, World Hunger Relief, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, among many others.

Tickets for Mariah Carey’s ‘#1s Tour’ are on sale from 9:00 AM AEDT, Monday 23 October from www.mjrpresents.com.

MARIAH CAREY “#1s TOUR” 2018 AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

THURSDAY 1ST FEBRUARY - SPARK ARENA – AUCKLAND, NZ

SATURDAY 3RD FEBRUARY - SANDSTONE POINT – BRISBANE, QLD

MONDAY 5TH FEBRUARY - PERTH ARENA – PERTH, WA

FRIDAY 9TH FEBRUARY - MELBOURNE SHOWGROUNDS – MELBOURNE, VIC

SATURDAY 10TH FEBRUARY - THE CRESCENT - PARRAMATTA PARK – SYDNEY, NSW

LAUV is just like any US independent singer/songwriter/producer trying to break on through. The difference is, his global debut single ‘I Like Me Better’ has just hit platinum in Australia, has this week cracked the ARIA top 10, has been heard on Spotify over 160 million times and is one of the biggest streaming and radio hits of the year. With no label, a lot of love and a global indie team put together by him, his manager and AWAL/Kobalt, is LAUV the proof we need that cream rises to the top, or is there a secret behind the 23-year-old’s storming route to the top of the charts? Inspired by everyone from Paul Simon to Eminem to The Postal Service, LAUV (Latvian for Lion, a nod to his mother’s star sign) has had a quick rise, with ‘I Like Me Better’ arriving just a couple of years after his first track dropped on blogs, took over Hype Machine and reached the Spotify global top 100.

“I put out my first song 'The Other' a couple years ago while I was still in college and got some early blog love, “ said LAUV. “I did a little bit of touring while I finished school, but it wasn’t until I graduated and moved out to LA at the beginning of 2017 that the song started to take off on some Spotify playlists and my music started to get discovered by more and more people. It's been an incredible experience. “ Since that first taste of success, LAUV has worked with other artists, co-writing ‘No Promises’ for Cheat Codes and Demi Lovato and becoming one of the world’s most in-demand collaborators. His single with DJ Snake ‘A Different Way’ dropped last Friday and was co-written with Ed Sheeran, whom he will share a stage with on his upcoming Asian tour.

‘I Like Me Better’ first appeared on streaming services in May, quickly gathering momentum and passing milestone after milestone before being added across the board to all Australian CHR radio in August and September.

Things in Australia are only just heating up for LAUV, with the single continuing to climb, despite already having a platinum plaque on his wall. With rumours of tour dates in 2018 and opportunities compounding by the day, one thing’s for sure—Australia has taken LAUV to heart and the stunning simplicity of ‘I Like Me Better’ still has a long way to ride as it sets its sights on the top.

’I Like Me Better’ continues his streak of finding the sweet spot in down-tempo pop.” – TIME “[‘I Like Me Better’ is] a starry-eyed love song with a charming drop.” – Idolator “In such a short amount of time, Lauv proved to his audience his capability, as well as reliability, in releasing banger after banger.” – Baeble

This is how we do it Australia! The 90s are back with ‘I Love the 90s Tour: The Party Continues’ heading back downunder this March to Australia and New Zealand. Following on from sellout shows across Australia earlier this year, a new line-up of the 90’s hottest acts is gonna make you sweat, bringing the best in hip hop, R&B and dance from Naughty by Nature (OPP, Hip Hop Hooray), Blackstreet (No Diggity), Sisqo (The Thong Song), Montell Jordan (This Is How We Do It), All 4 One (I Swear), Rob Base (It Takes Two), C&C Music Factory with Freedom Williams (Gonna Make You Sweat, Things That Make You Go Hmm) and Snap (The Power, Rhythm Is A Dancer).

“The 90’s are well and truly alive and we’re going to live them again on this tour Australia! It takes two, plus you, and we have the party!” Said Rob Base.

Those who caught the original ‘I Love the 90s’ tour earlier this year will know exactly what to expect: a night full of fun, dancing and nostalgia celebrating the songs that defined a generation. With eight hitmakers playing across the night, ‘I Love the 90s: The Party Continues’ promises hit after hit after hit! “Australia! Let’s have a party! We couldn’t be more excited to head down under and get these parties well and truly started with you” said Blackstreet

Tickets for 2018’s biggest 90s party go on sale Friday September 29 from www.mjrpresents.com

I LOVE THE 90s TOUR: THE PARTY CONTINUES Naughty By Nature – Blackstreet – Sisqo – Montell Jordan – All 4 One – Rob Base C&C Music Factory With Freedom Williams – Snap

SUNDAY 11 MARCH – REDHILL AUDITORIUM – PERTH, WA WEDNESDAY 14 MARCH – ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE – ADELAIDE, SA FRIDAY 16 MARCH – MELBOURNE SHOWGROUNDS – MELBOURNE, VIC SATURDAY 17 MARCH – PARRAMATTA PARK – SYDNEY, NSW SUNDAY 18 MARCH – EATONS HILL OUTDOOR – BRISBANE, QLD TUESDAY 20 MARCH – REID PARK – TOWNSVILLE, QLD FRIDAY 23 MARCH – SPARK ARENA – AUCKLAND, NZ

If being part of new Australian music’s biggest party is on your agenda for 2017, you’d better be quick, with just TEN purple passes (full party, conference and festival access) remaining and a limited number of rainbow passes available at just $85 (+booking fee), giving punters access to 152 of Australia’s hottest emerging live bands over four big nights.

Abbe May, Alex the Astronaut, Baker Boy, BLESSED, Carmouflage Rose, Caiti Baker, Confidence Man, Clea, Cub Sport, Donny Benet, Golden Vessel, Good Boy, Hatchie, Hockey Dad, Kylie Auldist, Lupa J, Mama Kin Spender, Mansionair, Manu CROOK$, Oh Mercy, Polaris, sleepmakeswaves, Sløtface, The Beautiful Monument, The Creases, Tia Gostelow, WAAX, Washington, WEST THEBARTON, Winston Surfshirt and over a hundred of their closest friends will be playing in front of over 3000 punters, music lovers and industry tastemakers in what has become the country’s most sought after choose-your-own-musical-adventure story.

The BIGSOUND app is now live for iOS and Android and allows you to plot your four-night journey. See the full sets of your favourite bands, or dash between venues to see how many brand-new acts you can see in just four nights. Judge the nation’s future hits for yourself as the acts vie for the attention of industry tastemakers and a slice of the $100,000 Levi’sÒ Music Prize.

For those not quick enough to grab the final purple passes for parties and conference events, all is not lost—Ableton Live Lab and Canon have announced special events open to the public to celebrate BIGSOUND. The Ableton Live Lab will be open Tuesday September 5th – Thursday 7th from midday to 4pm with free entry, giving you the opportunity for hands-on mentoring sessions through a variety of workshops, showing how their software can enhance the creative process for musicians and producers and giving participants the chance to win Live 9 (Suite). Canon will be hosting exclusive masterclasses with Melbourne Canon Collective ambassador Neal Walters. Choose from video production or live music photography workshops featuring Clowns, Endless Heights and Polaris. Places are limited and you must pre-register, see more info at www.canon.com.au/collectivebigsound

For the first time, BIGSOUND will also host a merch desk and artist DJ pop up bar, available in the Brunswick Street Mall. Come on down and see BIGSOUND Festival artists on the decks and signing merch. Found your new favourite band? Well now you can deck yourself out in the shirt in between sets. And while you’re there, don’t forget to check out the amazing art and light installations that will be blowing minds all over Fortitude Valley and redefining Brisbane’s famed live music precinct.

BIGSOUND Festival partner Virgin Australia is also extending the musical journey this year, offering two return economy class airfares anywhere on their international long-haul network to one lucky visitor who books their flights to the festival via the BIGSOUND Festival website. Whether you choose Coachella, Auckland City Limits or FYF Fest, BIGSOUND might be just the start of your musical adventure!

BIGSOUND Festival is accessible for as little as $45 (+bf) for a single night pass with the Rainbow pass giving you access to four nights of music including the closing party hosted by Mountain Goat Beer for just $85 (+bf) with tickets on sale now through our proud BIGSOUND Festival partner Oztix. The final ten purple passes for full access to conference, party, festival and social events are available at www.bigsound.org.au but are expected to sell out over the weekend.

#BIGSOUND17 Gear up for BIGSOUND Festival now with the official BIGSOUND Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/bsfestival/playlist/7kvabVGYxiJXVJIEMBj9X1

BIGSOUND is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and Tourism and Events Queensland. BIGSOUND has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.

When Darwin’s Caiti Baker casually dropped a new jam ‘Wolf’ in July, what was supposed to be a sneak peek of her upcoming album quickly became something more as heads turned both at home and overseas as the world was welcomed into her world of sultry soul hip-pop. Creating her own brew of ‘Darwin soul’, Caiti stamped her arrival on her own terms and was snapped up for coveted spots at next week’s BIGSOUND Festival and Australian urban event Sprung, while ‘Wolf’ quickly smashed up airways from triple j, Double J, community radio and beyond.

Today, Caiti drops a brand new single ‘I Won’t Sleep’ as she announces her debut album ‘Zinc’ for an October 6 release. The single was the first song recorded for the album and explores Baker’s battle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and symbolises her awakening—metaphorically, artistically and physically.

“I Won't Sleep is a song about finding my identity after having been asleep with CFS for so long,” said Baker. “The driving production is a musical metaphor for the energy and hype that for so long was absent in my life. In a way, it's a celebration of having clarity and being present.”

Produced by J. Mangohig (Daniel Johns, Briggs, Sietta) and Michael Hohnen (Dr G Yunupingu, Saltwater Band, Tom E. Lewis), the album has been a labour of love for Caiti Baker, created over the last year deriving inspiration from both her worldly extra-curricular live and studio activities with artists like Booker T, A.B. Original, Pete Murray, Son Little, Briggs and Dan Sultan, along with her more personal rich musical upbringing and the unique storytelling of growing up in rural Australia.

Emerging as one half of electro-soul/hip hop act Sietta and currently lending her voice and style to A.B. Original, Caiti has already taken out a swag of accolades at the NT Music Awards for her 2016 tracks ‘Heavy On My Heart’ and ‘Make Your Own Mistakes’ with the success has emboldening her to take her creativity even further on her debut album.

“I feel like over the last few years there’s been two Caiti’s: the one you see performing with A.B. Original and when I’m in my hip hop element and then there’s “other” Caiti who is less genre-specific and exploring her musical world which is dominated by the music she grew up on. In some ways, the two songs of last year were an exploration of the ‘other’ Caiti and in doing that I’ve really learned that rather than try to push myself into two separate boxes, it’s best to be myself and create my own path.”

“My album is a real reflection of that and I feel like through this process I’ve reclaimed my music and found my identity. It’s a hip hop album. It’s a soul album. It’s a roots album. You can choose to pigeonhole me however you like, but the bottom line is that it’s MY album.”

‘Zinc’ is slated for release October 6 through Perambulator Records / MGM Distribution.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT CAITI BAKER

“Caiti’s voice is as unique as it is powerful, endearing as it is commanding and as beautiful as it is raw.” – Briggs

“Queen Caiti takes us on quite the journey. Dynamic, commanding and a total force.” – triple j Unearthed

“One of the 10 most exciting new female voices in Antipodean music today.” – Rolling Stone

“An exemplary vocal range is Baker’s weapon and man, does she wield it with grace, confidence and charm.” – The AU Review

“Caiti Baker’s soaring vocals and fiery stage presence stole the show.” – Yewth Magazine

“Caiti’s voice breaks the stratosphere with some high-octave magic in parts, making her a standout vocalist amongst her contemporary peers. She has the moves, the grooves and voice to take this all the way to the top.” – Foldback Magazine

The 2017 National Indigenous Music Awards blew an appreciative Darwin audience away at the iconic Amphitheatre under the stars tonight as Troy Cassar-Daley, A.B. Original and Electric Fields all took home major awards, showing the breadth across genres of Australian Indigenous talent. Opening with an amazing set from triple j Unearthed winner Baker Boy and closing with a touching tribute to Dr G. Yunupingu, the night was a night of elation and emotion as generations of Indigenous music and its place in Australian culture were celebrated and acknowledged.

Troy Cassar-Daley took home the coveted Artist of the Year trophy as well as album of the year for ‘Things I Carry Around’, adding to his Golden Guitar win earlier in the year and addition to the Country Music Awards Roll of Renown.

“Things I Carry Around” is one of the most personal things I’ve ever made and talking about my family in depth like that and my culture as well was vitally important to what the album meant,” said Troy Cassar-Daley, “I just want to say thanks to everyone who voted.”

A.B. Original took home two trophies for Song and Film Clip of the Year for their modern Australian anthem ‘January 26’ featuring Dan Sultan. A blistering performance of the track was one of the night’s highlights along with special guest Paul Kelly joining A.B. Original and Dan Sultan for their version of ‘Dumb Things’.

New Talent of the Year Electric Fields also delivered a blistering set of electronica proving they have truly arrived on the national scene. In a tightly contested category, the audience was also treated to live performances from nominees Emily Wurramara, Leah Flanagan and Apakatjah as well as last year’s new talent winner Gawurra.

Traditional Music Awards were awarded to the Numbulwar community’s Numburindi Festival 2016, Numbulwar’s Mardayin Skin Ceremony 2016 and the Wangga Complete CD set, while Community Video Clip went to the Halls Creek Indigenous hip hop project’s “Save Our Water (Ngaba)”.

Triple J Unearthed High Indigenous award was also awarded to Rebecca Hatch.

The night ended with a touching tribute to Dr. G Yunupingu from members of his family and The Saltwater Band including speeches and musical tributes recognizing the life of the National Indigenous Award’s most awarded artist over their nine-year history.

The National Indigenous Music Awards compilation “The Sound of Indigenous Australia” double CD in conjunction with Warner Music Australia is in stores now and features tracks from this year’s winners, nominees and performers including A.B. Original, Troy Cassar-Daley, Dan Sultan, Yirrmal, Emily Wurramara, Gawurra, Apakatjah, Jessica Mauboy, Busby Marou, Leah Flanagan, Tia Gostelow and Electric Fields. Disc two features anthems of Indigenous Australia including Yothu Yindi’s ‘Treaty’, Archie Roach’s ‘Took the Children Away’, Christine Anu’s ‘My Island Home’, Warumpi Band’s ‘Blackfella/Whitefella’, Kev Carmody’s ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’ and many more.

The National Indigenous Music Awards will return in 2018 to continue the campaign to celebrate, nurture and advocate for Indigenous music across Australia and the world.

2017 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARD WINNERS

ARTIST OF THE YEAR : Troy Cassar-Daley SONG OF THE YEAR : A.B. Original Ft. Dan Sultan – January 26 ALBUM OF THE YEAR : Things I Carry Around – Troy Cassar-Daley NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR : Electric Fields FILM CLIP OF THE YEAR : A.B. Original Ft. Dan Sultan – January 26

TRIPLE J UNEARTHED HIGH INDIGENOUS AWARD : Rebecca Hatch COMMUNITY MUSIC CLIP OF THE YEAR: Save the Water (Ngaba): Halls Creek Indigenous Hip Hop Project

TRADITIONAL AWARDS: Wangga: Complete CD Set Galiliwa Nunggarrgalu, John Lalbich for Mardayin Skin Ceremony 2016 Numbulwar John Murrungun, Samson Ngalmi, Samuel Ngalmi for Mardayin Skin Ceremony 2016 Numbulwar Jeff Nunggarrgalu, Graham Nunggarrgalu for Numburindi Festival 2016 Numbulwar Giningayi Ngalmi, Richard Ngalmi for Numburindi Festival 2016 Numbulwar Kerwin Murrungun, David Murrungun, Dean Austin Bara, Bradley Bara for Numburindi Festival 2016 Numbulwar

The Hunter Valley’s iconic Roche Estate has today announced ‘Crossroads In the Vines’, a new festival series for 2018 bringing together the biggest names in country and blues for two massive days of premium music, food and entertainment.

Crossroads Country in the Vines will take place on March 24, welcoming Billy Ray Cyrus, Lee Kernaghan, Kasey Chambers, John Williamson, The McClymonts, Sara Storer, Adam Harvey, Beccy Cole and many more of the country world’s biggest names, while Crossroads Blues in the Vines on February 10 will host 7-time Grammy Award winner Buddy Guy (US), Ian Moss, Diesel, Russell Morris, Richie Kotzen (US), Larkin Poe (US), Ted Mulry Gang, Kevin Borich, Mia Dyson and many more, creating two of the biggest musical feasts in Australia.

No stranger to unforgettable events, Roche Estate has played host to the likes of Elton John, Neil Diamond, Lionel Richie, Duran Duran, KD Lang, Rod Stewart, Cat Stevens and many more. Elegantly paired with Roche’s reputation for gourmet food and premium wines, the ‘Crossroads in the Vines’ events will bring the very best country and blues music, artisan markets and food stalls to their brand-new home; under the stars of Australia’s Hunter Valley wine region.

The artist line ups have been lovingly selected to ensure a selection that excites true music fans.

Returning for the first time in eighteen years, Billy Ray Cyrus is one of the country world’s biggest names, exploding the genre into the mainstream with the iconic hit ‘Achy Breaky Heart’. Australian country royalty Lee Kernaghan, Kasey Chambers and John Williamson, young stars Caitlin Shadbolt, Amber Lawrence, Viper Creek Band and Christie Lamb and many more will round out an enviable list that no Australian country fan will want to miss.

“Back in 1993 was when I kicked off my world tour in March in Australia, so now 25 years later it just kinda felt like the right thing to do at the right time!” said Billy Ray. “I love the fans there. They love their music, they love their football, they love the arts. It’s a great country with great people and we love coming down there and playing!”

For blues fans, it doesn’t get much bigger than 7-time Grammy Award Winner Buddy Guy. Described by Eric Clapton as “the best guitar player alive”, Guy’s six-decade career has been one of the most influential in blues history. Australian blues and blues-rock legends Ian Moss, Diesel, Ted Mulry Gang, Kevin Borich and Phil Emmanuel join with modern Australian virtuosos Mia Dyson, Lachy Doley Group, Mark Moroney and many more to create a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the genre.

Located a scenic two-hour drive from Sydney or one hour from Newcastle, Roche Estate brings together life’s pleasures with its award-winning restaurants and cellar door playing host to Tempus Two and Meera Park Wines, The Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop, Oishii Japanese restaurant and more, expanding out for the Crossroads events to welcome an outdoor market of artisan food and drink merchants to entice the senses to ensure a true Roche Estate experience that’s not just for the ears.

Tickets for both Crossroads in the Vines events go on sale on August 9am August 24 from Oztix. Exclusive pre-sale tickets are available to Crossroads In the Vines members from August 17 with pre-registration now at www.crossroadsinthevines.com

CROSSROADS BLUES IN THE VINES

Saturday 10 February 2018

CROSSROADS COUNTRY IN THE VINES

Saturday 24 March 2018

Buddy Guy (USA)

Ian Moss

Diesel

Russell Morris Richie Kotzen (USA)

Larkin Poe (USA)

Ted Mulry Gang

Kevin Borich

Shane Pacey Trio

Mia Dyson

Lachy Doley Group

Nathan Cavaleri

Phil Emmanuel

Irwin Thomas

Genevieve Chadwick

Mark Moroney

Peter Phillips-Vass

+ MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED

Billy Ray Cyrus (USA)

Lee Kernaghan

Kasey Chambers

John Williamson

The McClymonts

Sara Storer

Adam Harvey

Beccy Cole

O'Shea

Shane Nicholson

Travis Collins

Wolfe Brothers

Amber Lawrence

Buddy Goode

Caitlyn Shadbolt

Adam Eckersley Band

Viper Creek Band

Christie Lamb

Casey Barnes

Tori Darke

Bob Corbett

www.crossroadsinthevines.com

One of the world’s biggest rock acts +LIVE+ have reunited and are heading to Australia for a series of massive shows under the stars this November including a not-to-be-missed outdoor event at the Hunter Valley’s iconic Roche Estate.

The original line-up of +LIVE+ - Ed Kowalczyk (vocals, guitar), Chad Taylor (guitar, backing vocals), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass) and Chad Gracey (drums, percussion) recently reunited for this worldwide tour, bringing their explosive live show to Australia for the first time in over a decade with special guests, Lifehouse and The Calling.

With their seminal album ‘Throwing Copper’, +LIVE+ cemented themselves as one of the most popular bands of all time in Australia. Ticking over eight times platinum with that album, holding down five triple j Hottest 100 places and hitting gold, platinum and multi-platinum on every one of their seven Kowakczyk-fronted releases, +LIVE+ were the band that led a generation of teens from grunge back to rock with hits including ‘Lightning Crashes’, ‘Selling the Drama’, ‘I Alone’, ‘Lakini’s Juice’, ‘All Over You’, The Dolphin’s Cry’, ‘Heaven’, ‘Run to the Water’, ‘Turn My Head’ and many more which continue to be staples across rock radio globally.

2017 marks the 25th anniversary of their debut album Mental Jewelry, which will be celebrated with re-issues on August 11th on Colored Vinyl, Standard Vinyl, Cassette and the Deluxe Edition on a two-CD set. Produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads, the album was originally released on December 31, 1991 and includes the hit singles “Pain Lies On The Riverside” and "Operation Spirit (The Tyranny of Tradition).”

"The band couldn't be more excited to return to Australia and celebrate our reunion. We are having the time of our lives and can't wait to share this experience with our fans down under. It's gonna be amazing!” said Ed Kowakczyk.

Returning to Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Brisbane’s Riverstage and the iconic Roche Estate in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, +LIVE+’s November shows are limited to these three special outdoor events with no further shows possible. With +LIVE+ being joined by their platinum-selling contemporaries Lifehouse (Hanging By a Moment) and The Calling (Wherever You May Go) the shows create a virtual festival of sound under the stars, celebrating the dominance of rock that stormed Australia across the 90s and early 2000s.

Tickets are on sale Thursday July 27 or sign up for the exclusive pre-sale at www.liveaustraliantour.com.au

LIVE

AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2017

Presented by Triple M, KOFM and Unbreakable Touring With Special Guests Lifehouse & The Calling

November 15: The Riverstage, Brisbane QLD November 17: Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne VIC

November 18: Roche Estate, Hunter Valley NSW