YELL FOR FRANTI IN SEPTEMBER

Michael Franti is a regular and much welcomed visitor to Australasia and its greater community. Once more Michael Franti and Spearhead will return to weave their magical, music spell over Australasian audiences.

This is Michael’s first Australasian concert tour with Spearhead since the ‘Everyone Deserves Music’ tour.

Since his last sell-out tour of Australasia, Michael has travelled to the trouble zones of Iraq, Israel and Palestine. This wasn’t a USO green zone sponsored visit. Franti and his team organised a trip that would take him to the core of the red-zoned, war torn neighbourhoods of Baghdad, the West Bank and Gaza Strip with his guitar, video cameras and the intent to experience first hand the human cost of war.

Out of this journey, Franti created both the compelling documentary film I Know I’m Not Alone and the searing, reflective new album of original songs titled Yell Fire! recorded in Kingston, Jamaica and Franti’s hometown of San Francisco, California.

Ironically Franti’s journey has inspired his most uplifting set of songs to date. He explains “The thing that I found is that when I was in the war zones, nobody wanted to hear songs about war. They wanted to hear songs about connection to people and songs about love and life; songs that make them dance”.

Yell Fire! debuted on the national Australian album charts at #14. “In the past, we’ve touched on a lot of genres of music,” Franti says, “but this is an album where all of those things have been rolled into one. I feel this is our best record yet.”

“I Know I’m Not Alone” - an uplifting blast of hope and the forthcoming radio/tv track from the Yell Fire! album - will be appearing on the radio from late July.

Dates:
September
Friday 15th - St James Theatre, Auckland
Sunday 17th - Thebearton Theatre, Adelaide
Wednesday 20th - The Forum, Melbourne
Friday 22nd - The Enmore, Sydney
Sunday 24th - The Tivoli, Brisbane
Tuesday 26th - ANU, Canberra

THE VALENTINOS GETS SUED

Sydney's self styled synthed up post everything, noise storm The Valentinos are being sued. An American band of the same name has recently contacted The Valentinos with a court order demanding that they change their name immediately or else further action will be taken. To mark this occasion, the band hit the road with UK darlings Johnny Boy next month, and are also releasing a new EP - Damn and Damn Again.

As you can see, word of The Valentinos is fast travelling around the globe, and the band is enjoying the rocket-to-stardom success that the modern world can offer. With a tour 12" release confirmed for the UK later this year, they've just signed an International Management deal with Metrobass (stable mates Digitalism recently toured Australia with fellow hipsters The Presets) the buzz overseas is mounting with stellar reviews in music bibles Vice UK and Remixes, they can also be heard on dancefloors worldwide as DJs such as rug cuttin' royalty 2ManyDjs and Headman drop tracks in to their sets and then later drop in to The Valentinos palatial homes.

If you haven't seen a Valentinos show, the band let rip with a manic energy, from vocals that shout to guitars that make noises that are from another planet earthed by pounding drums. And if you're wondering, the band isn't changing their name. Yet.

Direct from playing with fellow greats such as The Artic Monkeys, Daft Punk and the Flaming Lips at the Summersonic festival, Johnny Boy join The Valentinos during their first visit to Australia – rumour has it they are looking for an Island to buy. The classic boy/girl pairing of Lolly Hayes and 'Davo' is Indie pop at it's glorious best. They perform with an intensity and passion channelling the spirit of vintage British and American pop—Motown swagger, bleary late-night trip-hop, Northern Soul and pre bonkers Phil Spector.

But don't just take out word for it, make up your own mind about the hype when the The Valentinos jet around the country with UK's Johnny Boy this August. Stay tuned for local supports and more hot-off-the-presses Valentinos news.

Dates:
August
Sunday 6 – Indie Bar, Scarborough (WA)
Tuesday 15 – 610, Brisbane (QLD)
Thursday 17 – 34B, Sydney (NSW)
Friday 18 – Spectrum, Sydney (NSW)
Saturday 19 – Northern Star, Newcastle (NSW)
Thursday 24 – Oxford Tavern, Wollongong (NSW)
Friday 25 – East Brunswick Club, Melbourne (VIC)
Saturday 26 – Rocket Bar, Adelaide (SA)