Nathan "Whippy" Griggs is a musician with a difference.
He uses his stockwhips as percussion instruments, playing along with music, intermixed with some dry and dusty Aussie humour.
Griggs not only entertains with his whipcracking expertise, he also holds five Guinness World Records - four times for fastest records with one and two hands, and one for the longest whip in the world (cracking a whip more than 100 metres long).
He is playing a fundraiser at for ovarian cancer research at Maitland Rugby Club, Lorn, this Friday, March 12, and then at The Mighty Hunter Valley, Nulkaba, on Saturday, March 13.
"I think people appreciate the talent behind it all and enjoy the effects of cracking with fire and cracking to music," Griggs said.
Get On Board tour
The Badloves are touring to support the first vinyl release of their 1993 debut album Get On Board. It was the album that made them a household name in Australia in the '90s thanks to songs like Lost, Memphis, I Remember and Green Limousine and won them two ARIA awards. It spent 69 weeks in the charts. Catch The Badloves at Lizotte's Newcastle on April 22.
National roadies day
Roadies are the true unsung heroes of the music events we all enjoy, but these roles often take their toll on those involved. On March 13, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought live music to a complete standstill. All shows were cancelled and more than 20,000 live production crew found themselves without work. A year later and the situation remains virtually unchanged, with the industry operating at less than 4 per cent of pre-COVID levels.
Roady4Roadies is a day for crew, and the musicians who work with them, to reconnect with their colleagues, friends and family, providing each other with the support of their peers and acknowledging their resilience throughout such trying times. It will be celebrated in 10 major cities on April 11, including Newcastle. The day commences with the Roady4Roadies Walk at Lambton, culminating in a variety of family activities and live performances at Lizotte's. Tickets are $30 plus BF and are on sale now through Moshtix.
Man and a piano
Tim Freedman has embarked on a new solo tour, Hot Autumn Nights 2021, after selling out 35 dates late last year. The tour will preview more songs from The Whitlams' forthcoming album Gaffage and Clink, including the single Man About a Dog (out on April 16). Freedman will perform at Lizotte's on March 24.
Rockers on a roll
KISS have announced a second Sydney date on their End Of The Road tour later this year. It's on November 27, and tickets are on sale now.
Singer on home turf
Maitland singer-songwriter Dave Wells has kicked off his first post-COVID headline tour, taking a mostly unheard set of songs on the road for a series of solo and full-band shows. The first taste of the new material will be single Hey Mate, his tribute to a friend. His new eight-track album, which he worked on with renowned producer Nick DiDia, is due for release in mid-2021. You can catch Wells live in the beer garden at The Junkyard in Maitland on March 25.
Single launch
Newcastle-based singer-songwriter Nick Saxon has just released his new single The Great Migration through Band Camp and will be celebrating with a launch at Lizotte's on March 12.
Short Stack's back
There are some noteworthy gigs coming up at The Cambridge Hotel, one of them being Short Stack (April 3).
Remember them?
The Central Coast trio has released a new single, Burn You Down, and in a first for the band it was played on Triple J's Short Fast Loud on Tuesday night.
The big hair has (thankfully) gone and the boys' sound is a lot heavier and melodic, rather than pop-punk.
"The response to our new song has blown us away. We have never been more nervous about putting something out, but to everyone who has commented on the video or shared it with their friends, thank you so much. We've been doing this for a minute now and can honestly say we've never been more excited," the band said on social media.
They have signed with independent label UNFD and last week sold out a gig at Sydney's Crowbar.
Taking us back
Jon Stevens has announced a gig at The Station Newcastle next month.
It's a tribute to the many songs that have helped to shape his career.
Jon Stevens: The Noiseworks & INXS Collection Tour was a sell-out in 2019. The show includes hits like Take Me Back, New Sensation, Touch, Don't Change, Hot Chilli Woman, Never Tear Us Apart, Reach Out and No Lies.
The story goes that Andrew Farriss (INXS) saw Jon performing his Best Of tour in 2018 and told him to add a few of his favourite INXS songs to the set list. Stevens toured with INXS as lead singer from 2000 to 2005.
Tickets to Jon Stevens: The Noiseworks & INXS Collection Tour at The Station on April 18 are on sale now at bigtix.com.au. The music starts at 4pm.
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