June, 2011
This month we're looking forward to playing once again at the Theatre Royal, Quiet Place. We'll be supporting the wonderful Kavisha Mazzella when she launches her new album 'Love and Sorrow'. Book at www.theatreroyal.info Just the show $15 or Dinner/show available.
We had a wonderful time playing the National Folk Festival in Canberra last April.
All our shows went off so well in great venues including the Flute 'n'Fiddle, the Troubadour and the Coorong for the 'festival folk sing Joni Mitchell' show.
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In May we returned to Canberra for our ACT/NSW tour, kicking off with an interview on Artsound 92.7fm with Bill Quinn and playing a couple of songs live to air.
Had a great time on the road and played in Canberra, Newcastle, Gosford and Sydney.
February 2011
Going to the Woodford Folk Festival was a definite highlight of the summer for us. It was crazy rainy weather and we actually did all of our gigs wearing our gumboots! But it was such an amazing festival with diverse and beautiful music and enchanting lantern, fire and light displays.
It was great to be part of the ‘festival folk play Joni Mitchell’ show. We played to a full house and the show received rave reviews on ABC Radio National, describing it as a festival highlight.
We really enjoyed our own gigs at the Duck and Shovel and the Chai in ‘Women Upfront'.
Looking forward to checking out Woodford in different weather.
By contrast Bendigo turned on a beautiful summer evening for ‘Summer in the Parks’.
Steve Kendall of Bendigo Weekly wrote :
'Come 7pm all was ready for Alanna and Alicia Egan to kick off the festival. Sultry sounds with a jazz twist was a real crowd pleaser…the perfect start to a perfect evening….'.
We're really looking forward to playing at the National Folk Festival in Canberra over Easter.
Our band will feature the wonderful Andy Baylor on fiddle and some guitar, fine picker Damien Neil on guitar and Mark Elton on double bass.
We'll keep you posted about the program.
'festival folk sing Joni Mitchell' is on again at the National by popular demand and this time it's in the Coorang with 12 ofTuesday, December 28th @ 7pm Woodford Folk Festival, QLD @ The Duck and Shovel.
We'll be singing in a Joni Mitchell Tribute Album show, and sharing the stage with several lovely singers including Kristina Olsen, Ange Takats and Penny Larkins. We'll be accompanied by fine guitar picker Damien Neil and also performing as a trio at some other spots around the festival.
Saturday, Sept 4th @ 2pm our Melbourne Launch at the Northcote Social Club, 301 High St!
Saturday, August 21st. 4.30pm @ The Troubadour Weekend, Campaspe Downes (near Kyneton) we'll be singing in another Joni Mitchell tribute show and this time Kavisha Mazzella will be playing guitar and singing with us. Check out the festival and line up at: www.wineandmusic.net Lots of great things on with US guitar legend, Albert Lee, headlining.
Sunday, August 29th @ 9pm we'll be playing and doing an interview with John Carver on his show 'Across the Tracks' on pbs 106.7FM.
Alicia is a finalist in the Australian Songwriting Awards with her gorgeous song 'The Book'.
She is also a finalist in the Darebin Music Feast Songwriting Competition with her bittersweet song 'The Sharehouse' - she sings in the first semi final on Sept 9th. Good luck Alicia!
The Folk For Fire Relief gig was AMAZING!!
The show sold out in pre sales the day before after we were interviewed and played 'live to air' on The Derek Guille Show.
There was a lovely vibe in the room and everyone played beautifully. As well as the door takings, NSC donated all bar and food takings to the Red Cross so combined with the raffle ( prize was a CD of each of the bands) and donation tins, we raised close to 19 grand!! The show exceeded all our expectations. Such a memorable night and thanks to everyone who came.
Wednesday, July 21st 'Old Hat' with Alanna singing old jazz standards and some originals @ Bebida Bar, Smith St, Collingwood.
Great little bar with good coffee & tapas.
Saturday, July 31st @ The Newmarket, Charleston St, Bendigo, our country Album Launch.<>
Should be a great night with Amy Bennett on piano and viola, Andy Baylor on guitar and some special guests including Cally Bartlett on cello and Ben Gibbons on double bass.
Opening for us will be the lovely singer/songwriter Michelle Meehan who won 'Best New Talent 'at the Port Fairy Folk Festival this year.
Anyone going to Port Fairy? If you are we'd love to see you at the launch of our new album 'Two in a Book'
on Saturday, March 6th, at 1.15, stage 5.
We will be introducing Australia's elder statesman of folk, country, jazz and blues, Andy Baylor on guitar, with longtime band member Amy Bennett on piano, viola, violin & harmonies, Justin Bernasconi (The Stillsons) on slide and guitar, and Mark Elton (Flap!, The Band who Knew too Much) on double bass.
Last week we finally slipped the master of our new album through the after hours slot of the front door of Implant Media. 'Two in a Book' is being pressed as I write. It is about to take flight and will be playing in your kitchens, in your bedrooms and on your car stereos in no time! We are free of a million small decisions and infinite possibilities. 'Analysis is paralysis' we were warned and so we let it go. We are so happy and proud of 'Two In a Book' and can't wait for you all to hear it!
The Vic Rocks grant we received enabled us to expand our arrangements and have some talented guest musicians play on the album so you'll hear some cello, mandolin, drums, double bass etc.
We recorded the album with Barry Stockley at Fatsound Studio and it is a very present, live, true sound. Below street level, Barry's studio is a darkened cave full of vintage ribbon mics and amps, reverb plates and other treasure that captures sound in that warm, old world way reminiscent of the old records we grew up listening to. Barry has incredible ears and always knows which take is 'gold' and, being the father of twins, he knew exactly how to handle us!
We're distributed by Vitamin Records so you will be able to buy the album in all good record stores by mid March. If you don't see 'Two in a Book' on the shelf, just ask for it and say it's distributed through Vitamin and the shop should be able to order it in.
You'll also see us in 'A Woman's Voice' Stage 1 Sunday March 7th at 12.30 and the whole band again on Fiddler's Green on Sat @ 4.30pm. There's such a great line up at the festival this year but hope you can fit us into your program.
So exciting!!!
BRUNSWICK MUSIC FESTIVAL March 20th supporting the wonderful Scottish singer Eddi Reader. There are some great acts booked for the Brunswick Music Festival - check it out at www.brunswickmusicfestival.com.au
Sat,March 6th, Port Fairy Folk Festival on Stage 5 @ 1.15pm ~ Our new album launch 'Two in a Book' with Andy Baylor, Amy Bennett, Justin Bernasconi & Mark Elton.
Sun, March 6th, Port Fairy on Stage 1 @ 12.30pm ~ 'A Woman's Voice'
Sun, March 6th, Port Fairy at the Fiddler's Green @ 4.30pm our full band playing an hour's set.
Sun, March 6th, Port Fairy @ the RSL hall we'll be hosting the Retro Open Stage from 7pm - 9 pm.
Saturday, March 20th @ 8.30pm opening for Scottish folk singer Eddi Reader at the Brunswick Music Festival, Brunswick Town Hall.
Sunday, March 21st The Basin Music Festival
Sunday, March 21st @ 8.30pm @ the Northcote Social Club supporting UK band Passenger. 'Mike Rosenberg, aka Passenger, is an act that has stripped everything back. A classic troubadour cut from the same mould as Van Morrison, Neil Young and John Prine, with the ability to flick from the humorous to heartbreaking with every song.' Check them out at www.myspace.com/passengerofficial
Sunday, April 4th @ the Troubadour, The National Folk Festival 'Tribute to Joni Mitchell' album launch
Sunday,April 25th from 7.30pm Melodica @ the Wesley Anne, 250 High St, Northcote.
Friday, April 30th @8.30pm, Northcote Social Club supporting the Hazelman Brothers at the launch of their new album 'Eyesight Like an Owl'. Our set is at 9.30pm
Wed Feb 24th 8.30pm @ the Clifton Hill Hotel - Note the date of this gig has been changed from March 3rd. We'll be playing with the amazing Andy Baylor on guitar and longtime band member Amy Bennett on piano and viola. We'll be giving you a preview of our new album 'Two in a Book'. Also on the bill is the wonderful blues guitarist Nick Charles.
Sat,March 6th, Port Fairy Folk Festival on Stage 5 @ 1.15pm ~ Our new album launch 'Two in a Book' with Andy Baylor, Amy Bennett, Justin Bernasconi & Mark Elton.
Sun, March 6th, Port Fairy on Stage 1 @ 12.30pm ~ 'A Woman's Voice'
Sun, March 6th, Port Fairy at the Fiddler's Green @ 4.30pm our full band playing an hour's set.
Sun, March 6th, Port Fairy @ the RSL hall we'll be hosting the Retro Open Stage from 7pm - 9 pm.
Saturday, March 20th @ 8.30pm opening for Scottish folk singer Eddi Reader at the Brunswick Music Festival, Brunswick Town Hall.
Sunday, March 21st The Basin Music Festival
Sunday, March 21st @ 8.30pm @ the Northcote Social Club supporting UK band Passenger. 'Mike Rosenberg, aka Passenger, is an act that has stripped everything back. A classic troubadour cut from the same mould as Van Morrison, Neil Young and John Prine, with the ability to flick from the humorous to heartbreaking with every song.' Check them out at www.myspace.com/passengerofficial
Sunday, April 4th @ the Troubadour, The National Folk Festival 'Tribute to Joni Mitchell' album launch
Sunday,April 25th from 7.30pm Melodica @ the Wesley Anne, 250 High St, Northcote.
Friday, April 30th @8.30pm, Northcote Social Club supporting the Hazelman Brothers aWednesday, Nov 4th @ 8.30pm we'll be playing a 45 minute set at the Clifton Hill Hotel, 89 Queen's Parade. Also on the bill are Lydia Phillips whose intimate sound blends indi folk and pop rock www.myspace.com/lydiaphillips and Unsung, an exciting, uplifting trio. Unsung is backed with acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle and a turbo charged magic yellow egg - worth sticking around just to see the egg! "Imagine if Janis Ian, Lucinda Williams and Neil Young met at a party and jammed.. that's what Unsung sounds like!" www.myspace.com/unsung So come down to the Clifton Hill for a great night of fine acoustic music. Our set is at 9.30pm. On Saturday Sept 5th @ 8pm we'll be hosting 'Harmony on High' with some very special guests who are all very creative with harmony in their music. Come and experience the stunning harmonies of The Hazelman Brothers, the amazing, acapella originals of Cadmium Waking and the creative acapella interpretations of unlikely covers by The Vocal Agents.
It's on @ Bar 303 High St, Northcote.* Saturday, September 5th, 8pm @ Bar 303, High St, Northcote 'Harmony on High'with The Hazelman Brothers, Cadmium Waking and The Vocal Agents.
* Wednesday, September 9th, 7.30pm Alicia is in the semi final of the Darebin Music Feast songwriting competition with her song 'The Sharehouse' @ the Northcote Town Hall Studio 2.Good luck Alicia!
* Thursday, September 10th, 17th and 24th 'Old Hat' with Alanna & Liam doing songs from the 30s & 40s and some of their own jazz songs @ Bebida Bar 325 Smith St, Collingwood. Great coffee and tapas at this little bar,
* Wednesday, September 30th, 8.30pm Old Hat @ the Clifton Hill Hotel with Michelle Hines and Andy Ellis, 89 Queens Para
* Friday July 31st we are once again performing at an excellent folk club - Burrinja Ranges Folk Club held at the Burrinja Cafe 351 Glenfern Rd, Upwey. It's a friendly, intimate space with excellent sound and listening atmosphere. If you haven't been to a gig for awhile this is the one to choose. You can have dinner if you like and there's also coffee, snacks and bar service available all night. We'll be playing two sets and bluesman Dave Diprose will be playing one. Dave plays blues the old way recreating the sound of the Mississippi Juke Joints. He plays sensational slide guitar with songs in country, swing and bluesgrass. Promises to be a fantastic night.
*Monday, August 10th Alanna & Alicia with Justin Bernasconi @ The Good Folk Club, Brunswick Hotel, Sydney Rd.
*Wednesday, June 3rd @ The Empress, 714 Nicholson St, Fitzroy North we'll be playing a show with the fine acoustic trio Fly South (fiddle, guitar, glockenspeil, percussion and vocal harmonies) and The Hazelman Brothers whose stunning three part harmonies and guitar are always a wonderful treat. This show has an early start with The Hazys starting at 8pm followed by us at around 8.45 and then Fly South. Check them out at www.myspace.com/flysouth1 and www.myspace.com/thehazelmanbrothers
* Saturday 20th June - Wesley Anne with Michael Peter a fine singer songwriter from Sydney and John Flanagan and the Begin Agains, a folk/bluegrass outfit with a great sound.
* 9th May - We're really looking forward to playing at the Melbourne Folk Club which is now at the Grandview Hotel 47 Pearson St, West Brunswick.We'll be doing two sets starting @ 3pm and playing most of the tracks ready for our new album. There'll be another act between our sets. The club has a great listening atmosphere so come along and support live music in Melbourne.
* 24th May - We'll be doing a show at the Wesley Anne with singer songwriter Nigel Wearne. He does alt folk/country and has played the Queenscliff Music Festival and supported people like Chris Wilson, Carus and Billy Thorpe. 'Equipped with homemade instruments, his organic stories and evocative lyrics deliver honest and refreshing music in an exciting new age of folk.'. Really looking forward to hearing him and playing with him.
*27th May - 'Wine,Whisky & Women' @ The Drunken Poet 65 Peel St, Melbourne - just opposite the Victoria Market. We'll be playing an hour set from 8pm.
CONGRATULATIONS Alicia!The Basin Music Festival Songwriting Award winner 2009!!The Basin Music festival - we'll be playing a 45 minute set at Oak Tree Tavern, Forest St at 3pm. The Basin is a smaller music festival in a beautiful setting, with both outdoor and indoor venues. It's easy to find - just follow the Burwood Highway and turn left at the Mountain Hwy which leads to The Basin
* 8th April - Back at the Clifton Hill Hotel, one of our favourite places to play. This time with Michelle Hines and Johnnie Cronin.
* 17th April - @ the Wesley Anne, 250 High St,Northcote.
Playing with NICE VERDES a bluesy,Latin,gypsy,jungle,folk, constantly evolving band based in Canada/Adelaide.Sally sings, plays accordion and piano, Jesse does vocals, guitar, harmonica and percussion and Phil is on congas and African percussion. Sounds like lots of fun.'Danceable and uplifting they create their own world fusion.'
* 14th March - Softbelly Bar 367 Little Burke St, 2pm - 7pm Acoustica CD Launch. We have a track - Alicia's song 'The Book'- on this compilation from artists who have performed at 'Music in a Quiet Place' at the City Library. There will be live music from 3pm featuring artists on the album including Lady Grey,Emily Williams, Simon kerr and Andre Camilleri. We'll be playing a 30 minute set from 4.15pm.
20th February - Our band plays support for the wonderfully talented singersongwriter Freya Hanly from W.A @ the Wesley Anne, 250 High St, Northcote. We are all very much looking forward to playing with Freya.Have a listen to her on : www.myspace.com/freyahanly
A quote from Drum Media Magazine about Freya Hanly : 'It’s been a while since a musician gave me goosebumps, but with a voice like this alongside such well crafted, relevant lyrics, there was no way anybody was leaving this gig without feeling a sense of connection to this songstress whose glowing energy took over the warmly lit stage.” Not to be missed!!
Alicia has been very busy organising a bushfire benefit gig 'Folk For Fire Relief' to be held at the Northcote Social Club on Sunday, March 1st, 4pm start. Headlining the show will be guitar genius and inspirational singer songwriter Jeff Lang and Best Female Artist at the ARIA awards 2006 Clare Bowditch with the hilarious comedian Denise Scott as MC. They will be joined by some of Melbourne's finest singer songwriters including Jordie Lane, Rosie Burgess, The Hazelman Brothers, Tim McMillan and of course, us! All door takings will be donated to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal and go towards helping those who have suffered so much in the devastating bushfires. $15 pre booked tickets at the NSC or $20 at the door. Please mark this date on your calendar - a great way to support fellow Australians in need.
17th January - Melodica Acoustic Festival @ the Wesley Anne 250 High St, Northcote, 4pm - 11pm . This is the fourth Melodica festival which celebrates local music and independent artists, encouraging networking and the building of a sense of community between them. We share the stage with some great acts such as Sam Bourke, Cilla Jane, the Hazelman Brothers, Tracey McNeil, Andy Hazel, The Orbweavers, Owls of the Swamp, Caitlin Park and James Cannon . Our set is at 7.30pm on Saturday.
12th September The Darebin Music Feast at the Wesley Anne 250 High St Northcote 8.30pm.
We have a great show planned as part of the Darebin Music Feast - 'The twins, the skinny man and the owl'.
It’s Alicia’s homecoming show and we will be doing songs which will be on our new album plus some you will know well.
Our special guests are amazing guitarist Tim McMillan who plays his own unique brand of acoustic, viking metal/power folk – it’s a fusion of many styles including flamenco, blues, fingerstyle and Latin jazz – sure to be a feast for the ears!
And Owls in the Swamp – Melbourne singer/songwriter Pete Uhlenbruch combines distinct mellow vocals with haunting melodies and lush instrumentation to create an enchanting style of 'swamp folk'.
Pete will also just be home from Europe. Promises to be a great night of acoustic music.
NO SIBLING RIVALRY HERE!
This is a very special night for us – we are playing in excellent company at a fabulous venue – the Northcote Social Club. Please support it and bring some friends!!
NO SIBLING RIVALRY HERE. Correct! There will be no biffo on stage (we're too old for that), no tantrums, no jealousy, not even any blackmail. Just pure sibling musical chemistry. This is your chance to see 4 stunning sibling acts showcasing skills of collaboration that first sprouted years ago surrounded by Mum and Dad's vinyl records. You will hear some of the finest harmonies going around. The Hazelman Brothers create warm, dynamic, conversational songs with intricate structures moving from gentle ballads into darker melancholic themes without warning. Young Werther, together with brother Dylan, conjures richly detailed pictures of people in nature and on their own – and was a recent Feature Artist on Triple J Unearthed. Alanna and Alicia Egan are identical twins who sing original poetic, perceptive tunes blending folk, jazz and blues, while Cavanagh and Argus are classically-influenced brothers featuring mesmerising twin guitar parts. So bring your brothers, bring your sisters, and be sure to give them a hug. Awwwww...
January, 2008
Happy New Year everyone.
Our band is currently having a break. Alanna has been studying Jazz with the Monash Uni jazz cats in Tuscany, living the high life and doing some jazz gigs in Europe.
Now she is jaunting around Europe, and while I have been swimming in tepid lakes in the bush, rumour has it that she is currently in Switzerland rolling around naked in the snow! She is due back at the end of our summer.
I have done one cheeky gig on my own with Amy and Khristian, which was fun.
I have been going through a purple patch with my songwriting and have written four new songs - yay!
I have also been singing harmonies for Shisha pm, a lovely English folk singer/songwriter. We have just returned from an East Coast tour supporting Tim Mc Millan – a brilliant Melbourne based guitarist. We started in Sydney and worked our way up the coast to Byron Bay. It was a fun, exhausting and delirious experience – with lots of inhouse tour jokes and car singing!
Thanks to Shisha, Tim, Andy, Rowan and Dima for making it so much fun.
It has inspired me to organise an East Coast tour for the Alanna and Alicia Egan Band for next year – look out - the next touring chapter of our lives has begun!!
I have been singing with Shisha and Tim McMillan on RRR radio where we have a residency every Saturday night over the summer. So for all you night owls, we are on the RRR party show for the next four Saturday nights from 12 – 2am. Hope you all have a great summer, and check out our site for our upcoming gigs when Alanna gets back.
Love Alicia x
September, 2007
Our next gig is Friday, September 21st at one of our favourite venues, the Wesley Anne, 250 High St, Northcote.
As part of the Darebin Music Feast we’ll be hosting 'Women in Song' a showcase of women singer/songwriters.
Our special guests will be Hazel Brown and Rosie Burgess. Rosie Burgess is a high energy performer whose quirky, original tunes captivate audiences wherever she goes. She’ll be playing songs from her latest album ‘Humble Pie’, a folksy, rootsy, bluesy offering of tales from her journeys through life. www.myspace.com/rosiesmusic
Hazel Brown is a soulful songstress who has been quietly wooing audiences with her acoustic folk pop.
'Writing songs is a way of crying, breathing, letting go of things or picking apart conflicts and things that confuse me.' www.myspace.com/hazelbrown1
We’ll be playing some new original songs and songs from our album ‘Funny She’s So Much Like Me’. Frank will be joining us on double bass for the first time and Rosie’s going to play some banjo with us.
We’ll each be doing a 40 minute set, kicking off at 8.30pm sharp.
At only $5 entry you’re in for a memorable night of beautiful acoustic music.
We have a new outlet for our CD in central Vic – it’s now available at Burkes Music, 66 Mostyn St, Castlemaine. We’ve just recently discovered this fantastic little outlet for folk, jazz, blues, celtic – alternative music in an upstairs space. Tom Burke is a great supporter of local and independent artists.
August 2007
Hey people,
In an out of the way suburb in the hills, in a back street in a T shirt factory, inside a tiny cupboard which you would expect to be filled with cotton weaves, our band began to record what will be the beginning of our second album! We scored some free recording time at Music One Connection from the prize Alicia won for her song 'February Day' in the Sachar Amos Songwriting Award at the Basin Festival earlier this year, and that wintery night in this most incongruous setting, we put the prize to good use. We recorded two new tracks 'Pasted In My Mind' and 'Categories'.
Alanna threw everything into chaos in her usual style by thinking of new ideas for the songs at two in the morning on the day of recording. So we all flew into a panic saying it was too late to change things now, but Lan being Lan insisted, and miraculously it all came together in the studio and turned out to be a visionary decision!! This time around we decided to go against traditional method of laying down a lead vocal track and then putting the harmony line down afterwards. Instead we convinced the sound engineer to allow us to record the two voices simultaneously. We stood in the same room side by side with two microphones as we would in a live gig. Our voices are so similar that “spill” wasn’t a problem. We saved a lot of time and the close and intuitive nature of our harmonies which is a feature of our live performances, was captured. We would never go back to the conventional way of recording. You learn something new every time.
We go back for the mixing later this month. Keep an eye on our My Space as we will release the new tracks there first.
We have some interesting gigs coming up at Clifton Hill Hotel with Jason Lowe and Lloyd Speigel, the Old Bar with Rosie Burgess and our very special'Women In Song' night at the Wesley Anne with Hazel Brown and Rosie Burgess as part of the Darebin Music Feast. Then we will be doing one last gig for the year at the Good Folk Club, Brunswick Hotel in October, before Lan flies to Italy with the Monash Jazz Cats to hone her skills. Unfortunately we had to turn down a great spot playing at the Maldon Folk Festival as it clashed with Lan's trip. But there's always next year...
Hope everyone is happy and well. Don't be a lame winter sook.... come and check out a gig soon.
Love Alanna and Alicia
May 2007
We're back at the beautiful Wesley Anne on Thursday, June 7th with a very special show.
Firstly our special guests will be the sultry smooth roots/jazz/pop trio Tinpan Orange. They will be doing a 45 minute set from 9.00pm.
Renee Geyer said : ‘If my voice had a baby, it would be Emily.’ (Tinpan’s singer). Not to be missed.
Opening the night we’ll be introducing Alexandra Toleman who we met at the Basin Music Festival. Alex won the Sachar Amos Songwriting Award for her song ‘Misunderstood.’ She’ll be performing it and a couple of others.
For our set at 10pm we’ll be featuring Glory Tuesday’s John Flanagan on keys and Tinpan’s Alex Burkey on strings, along with our regular guitarist Khristian Mizzi. Should be an exciting gig with some new songs and spicy new arrangements.
So come down to the Wesley Anne for a glass of red and settle back by the fire to enjoy a beautiful night of live music.
Thanks to everyone who supported us last week at the Spanish Club.
Also it was great to meet lots of new people and old supporters at Port Fairy and The Basin festivals and the Selby Folk Club earlier this year.
Hope to see you at a gig soon – come up and say hello.
Love Alanna and Alicia
December 11th
What a year it has been for us – it’s well and truly time for a website ramble.
We have launched our debut album 'Funny She’s So much Like Me' not once but three times, and now watch it fly through CD players and across radio airways into kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, and gardens, filling the spaces between conversation, between drivers and empty night roads, accompanying midnight tears and private smiles. How strange to think of our tilt on the world being woven into the fabric of people's lives, strangers' lives. Stranger still to have my lyrics taunted back at me in arguments, now that people can listen more closely to the songs and learn the words by heart.
Thank you to everyone who came to the unofficial sneak preview launch at the Port Fairy Folk Festival and to those of you who came to the country launch at The Golden Vine and the overwhelming number of you who came to the Melbourne launch at the Wesley Anne.
Your support is so much appreciated.
Thank you to everyone who took care of the little special details at the Melbourne launch; like Moira who made the fortune cookies with our lyric lines inside and Chris and his workmates who stopped work on Friday afternoon to fold a hundred golden cranes, to Jeremy Smith for being such a considered and calm sound man, to Monash Jazz Cats - Brenden Tsui, Chris Port, Tiffanni Waldron and Scott Edwards for realizing the dream of my jazz arrangements for the songs beginning the second set and to our lovely support act Tom Tuena and Adam Pallozzi.
If you haven’t managed to pick up a CD yet and are too lazy or geographically challenged to make it down to Readings in Lygon St, Carlton – don’t despair as you can now buy our CD online – just click on the link to The Last Record Store and it's all there. They are located at 304 Smith St, Collingwood and are great supporters of independent Australian music. If you live in the area our CD is also on their shelves now.
Thank you to all who supported us at the Bendigo Folk Club – we really enjoyed ourselves there. It is heartening to see that unpretentious, genuine, traditional folk clubs still exist. Our experiences there are much better summed up by the reviews of local radio presenter Trisha May and 'Purple Poet', Tru Dowling.
We will be taking a break over January as Amy is going to Paris (and will hopefully come back with a piano accordion ala Paris metro busker style and some Yann Tiersen musical sensibilities).
We'l be back in February with a gig at the Empress and the Selby Folk Club soon after.
Until then have a lovely summer
Love Alanna and Alicia
News Article from the Bendigo Weekly November 10th 2006
September 15th
Our CD launch was just fantastic - the venue was packed with standing room only. A big thank you to everyone who came along to support us.
Alanna has reached the final of the Darebin Songwriters’ Competition and will present her song along with the other finalists. Come along and support her and see a great free concert and witness the suspensefilled judging! - 24th September, Darebin Music Feast Songwriters’ Festival at Northcote Town Hall West Wing (entry via Westbourne Grove) at 2.00 pm. Ph: 9481 9500
Love Alanna and Alicia
August 27th
For everyone who has witnessed a new song find its wings in one of our bedrooms, or been lovely enough to ask, "So when are you going to release your first album?", the answer is very soon. On the Friday 8th of September, at 8pm we are holding the official Melbourne launch of our independent debut album, "Funny She's So Much Like Me", at the Wesley Anne, 250 High St, Northcote, as part of the Darebin Music Festival. Funky blues and roots acoustic duo Tom Tuena and Adam Pallozzi will be supporting us, and our guitarist, Khristian Mizzi will treat us to some of his beautiful solo songs, (the night just wouldn’t be complete without a wistful rendition of "Wishing"!) We are excited to be a part of the Darbebin Music Festival and to relish other local music and lap up the festival energy. The Wesley Anne is a romantic, warm space complete with candles, crimson velvet curtains and an open fire place. It seems the perfect place to have our Cd launch as we were given our first residency there a couple of years ago when it was called Ruckers and ran by Theo who believed in our music.
So come and help us celebrate a creative project that has been years in the making... I still can’t quite believe that everything is complete and our little baby is ready to be kicked out of the nest and into the world...
Thanks to all who have supported our gigs, most recently the Artery, Bar 303, the Idgaff Bar and the Golden Vine... hope to catch you all at the launch, or another gig soon.
Love Alanna and Alicia
News Article from the Bendigo Advertiser April 29th 2006
April 29th 2006
Hello to you all!
I'm sure those of you who went will agree - the Basin Festival was lovely, intimate and non commercial; reminiscent of how folk festivals used to be. Feeling a little bit under the weather after Amy's housewarming party, we started the day slowly with a Devonshire tea on the grass, listening to some folky bands that made me think of lying on a blanket up amongst the rocks as a little girl at the Maldon Folk Festival with the fam.
Then it was time for Khristian to flaunt one of his beautiful love songs in the song competition as we set up in the pub across the road for our gig. We began with a few piano songs, and then a few more, then we received a message that Khristian would be delayed and it was time to inform the audience that we could have an extremely happy, or rather disappointed, guitarist walk through the door at any second. Then, just as we began a piano version of February Day, in walked Khristian with a beaming smile, carrying a brand new, handcrafted guitar! After raptuous applause and hugs and kisses, whilst we were still playing February Day, he quickly tuned up and played an amazing solo without missing a beat. He managed to 'Pied Piper' most of the Basin festival goers over to pack out the Acorn on Forest, for our gig, which was, after all the excitement, giddy and glorious.
This was followed by more blues and folk and then dancing tipsily to a remarkably good Frank Sinatra impersonater.
We met a lovely man there called Dave Hoskin who is currently playing our music on his radio program called Folk Works which is on Wednesday nights from 5 to 7pm 3MDR FM 97.1 so keep an ear out for it. Dave is arranging a gig for us at the Selby Folk Club and we're looking forward to playing some more venues in the Dandenongs.
As for our residency - no one can stay in the most Comfortable Chair forever (we have been sitting in it every Tuesday since January!) and so it seems that the time has come for us to get up, brace ourselves, go into the big wide world and get some gigs in new and exciting places... we'll keep you informed....
The next adventure for us is the country launch of our album Funny She's So Much Like Me in Bendigo where Alicia and I grew up... should be nostalgic watching our past come out of the woodwork to hear a few tunes - grade one teachers, the dentist, highschool crushes, can't wait... Hope to see some of you there at the Golden Vine where we had our very first performances, and as sixteen year olds, opened for The Waifs.
"Thankyou everyone for your continued support and lovely emails."
Love, Alanna and Alicia
March 21st, 2006
Hey! Guess what? We’ve done it! We have finally finished our independent debut album ‘Funny she’s so much like me’. Our precious newborn came off the press at the eleventh hour before the Port Fairy Folk Festival, where we played four fantastic gigs on the fringe stages (but not without a little drama)...Driving down to Port Fairy we took a wrong turn and, like our album, nearly didn’t make the deadline. With seconds to spare we ran straight from the car to the stage. But nothing could not stop us all having an amazing weekend of music, ocean swims, wine, dancing and maniacal laughter all the way home. So thanks to all of you who came to our gigs - we loved meeting old and new friends.
Another high point of the festival for us was our newly acquired guitarist, Khristian Mizzi, winning a guitar in the Fiddlers Green open stage competition for his solo work. Yep, he’s with us. In 1998 Alicia won a Maton guitar at the festival for Best New Talent, and Alanna and Alicia have both had several songs reach the finals of the Lawson Patterson Songwriting competition - so next year it’s Amy’s turn.
After our last gig at Folkworx on Monday morning, it was back to Melbourne for our weekly Tuesday night residency at the Comfortable Chair in Lygon St, East Brunswick (just across the road from the Quarry). Coming straight from Port Fairy we were all feeling just a bit too comfortable even for the Comfortable Chair! It was a delirious gig with so many inhouse band jokes that I doubt anyone (even our most devoted fans) could’ve understood us. But come down and have a drink with us on a Tuesday night –we promise not to do that again.
Watch this space for upcoming gigs, band news, especially details confirming our CD launch, which we will most likely be having at the Northcote Social Club some time in May. Very exciting! We would love to see you all there!
Our country launch in our home town of Bendigo will be at the Golden Vine on the corner of King St and Myrtle St, Bendigo on April 30th.
And write to us – we love getting letters... and watch this website grow with us... this new world of cyberspace is a strange phenomenon indeed for two little luddites with their heads full of music.
Love to all, Alanna and Alicia.
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