Party: The Wild Wild Inner West Review

Party: The Wild Wild Inner West Review

What is “The Wild Wild Inner West Review”? There’s been a movement around the Inner West of excellent alt.country/Americana type bands for some time. These aren’t necessarily bands that will make it to Tamworth next week, though some certainly have and will. But they wear their love of this style of music proudly, ranging from the glossier commercial pop variety, all the way through to the more raucous, rustic, blue-grassy and folky as well. The aim of these nights is to bring a bunch of these bands together, for all those neglected country music fans who live in the City. It’s kind of a pre-festival, mini review, featuring 4 great acts.

Sydney based producer/singer-songwriter guy Michael Carpenter was reminded recently that he use to have an alt.country type band. With this band, The Cuban Heels, he recorded 4 albums over a 2 year period, and after building up good momentum, they just stopped. So, reminded of how good they were, Carpenter has gotten the band back together, and this show sees them doing their first headline show in about 4 years. Inspired by Steve Earle, Buddy Miller, Tom Petty and Mike Nesmith, among others, this deeply experienced 5 piece band, whose members have worked with Russell Morris, Perry Keyes, Jason Walker and many, many others, bring an accomplished mix of Americana tinged originals combined with a stunning variety of covers. There’s even the promise of new material as they embark on their next chapter.

Perth based Chris Murphy’s career has taken him through many many twists and turns. After coming 4th in Australian Idol in 2007, he’s released several well received solo albums, toured nationally with artists like Creedence Clearwater Revisited, rejoined his brothers in one of Perth’s most successful acts "Murphy’s Lore", and formed the new power pop combo, also with his brothers, "The Murphy Brothers". In 2014 he finally relented and released his first contemporary country mini album “Happy Boy” featuring 2 singles that tore into the iTunes Country Top 10, “Kid From The Country at Heart” and “Workin’ For A Livin’”. With his first full length country album, “Ghost Town” ready for release in the first half of 2015, Chris is excited about his first full Sydney performance of any kind in about 7 years.

For a lass that can shoot a gun, ride a horse and write songs whilst driving the tractor, Fanny Lumsden is the genuine article. With her impeccable voice and timeless skill for songwriting, Fanny and her band the Thrillseekers deliver a kick arse country hoedown with a whole lot of heart. Its built on a small town theme where pure country twang ran off into a pop heartland and had a folking good time. Off the back of the success of their debut Ep and single release Fanny and the boys have spent 2013 and 2014 touring the country playing urban festivals to country halls and everything in between. Self-managed and independent, Fanny and the boys (thanks to a wildly successful crowd funding campaign) have just recorded their debut album, which will be out early 2015.

Born in Detroit, Michigan to a diversely musical family, and raised throughout the United States, Amber Rae Slade’s introduction to music came early. From her first visit to Nahville, a place she would for years hang her hat, Amber found her musical home and heritage. She delved deep into the music of her idols such as Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson, and Leadbelly (to name a few) and through their sound, discovered her own. Currently halfway through the recording of her debut album, Amber and husband, Matt Fell have created a live performance far from the standard acoustic, two guitars, two singers setup. Through the use of down and dirty baritone guitars, looping, and an array of percussion and drums, the music coming through the speakers sounds like the work of a band rather than duo. Amber has already secured some major supports slots in Sydney and Tamworth and her music is fast gaining the attention of the music industry.