The Very Good Agency

Wu Tang, Wu Tang, Wu Tang

Not everyone in the photo made it to Australia for the first time, about 15 years after Wu Tang beat the shit out of the world scene… but some of them did, and from what we’ve heard from the Sydney event last night, it was enough to get the party started.

If you’ve not yet heard of Wu Tang Clan, well I wouldn’t really know where to start… so just go. do it. With some of the world’s most notorious emcee’s, and a big crowd of them at that (well not this time), there’s enough coming out of them to cover it all:

Wutang Clan – Triumph

Rumour has it that the crew was stripped back a little to RZA, GZA, Raekwon, and Inspectah Deck.

Personally – I don’t give a shit who turns up, it’s Wu man.

Mean

Melbourne tomorrow – Festival Hall – You can get your tickets ate Ticketmaster

…bs

Tags: gigs, hip hop, Old School

Isaac Aesili Eye See Album Launch

Isaac Aesili is heading to Australia this week to play a few shows in support of his new album ‘Eye See’.

Isaac’s debut solo album Eye See is a rich tapestry of sound with R&B at its heart, and lashings of soul, reggae and funk woven within. Experimental and futuristic in some parts, warm and soulful in others, the album, an extension of its author, is a tribute to diversity.

Adopted as a baby and raised in Aotearoa, New Zealand with a cultural and ethnic heritage comprising Guyanese, Pakeha, and Maori. Eye See is an album that celebrates people’s differences and explores the universality of music in an increasingly diverse world. The album features collaborations with a variety of gifted vocalists; Aaradhna, Rosita Vai, Rachel Fraser, Mara TK and Deva Mahal.

Isaac Aesili feat. Aaradhna – With you in my bed

Isaac is a classically trained trumpet player and self-taught producer, vocalist and DJ with a love of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, fusion, world and electronic music. In 2003 Isaac completed a Masters Degree in Political Science From the University of Auckland with a thesis on the topic of Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples and Neo-Colonization. Over the last decade Isaac has been an integral member of: Solaa, Opensouls, Eru Dangerspiel and The Recloose Live Band with whom he has toured Europe, the US, Australia and Japan. Isaac’s debut Eye See is an album of soulful inspired music; in essence it is an investigation of our world from the perspective of the youth looking towards the future.

You can check out Isaac Aesili at:

First Floor – Melbourne Thursday October 29th

Beach Road – Bondi Friday October 30th with the after party at Melt in Kings Cross

and some tunes at:

www.myspace.com/isaacaesili

…bs

Tags: gigs, hip hop, New Zealand Artists, Soul

3 months, 3 Very Good Australian tours.

Very Good things are happening now that the spring has arrived and everyone’s coming back out to play… 3 tours coming up over the next 3 months are definitely going to make for some great nights out, first up in November it’s Batucada Sound Machine visiting from New Zealand to drop their massive 13ish piece bands sound on your doorstep if your in Sydney, Melbourne, or Robe. BSM are partnering up with some other great live acts along the way, making for some pretty sweet lineups including King Tide,  LABJACD, Pataphysics, and heaps of wicked local and international artists at Melbournes AWME and Robe Festival, (dates and ticket info  at the end of article)

Dec 3rd will see the first friendly battle of Olmecha Supreme VS Pataphysics at Canberras ANU Bar. The tour will hit most cities in Australia before Olmecha Supreme carries on to play the Woodford Folk Festival Dec 30th. These two 5 piece multi genre heavyweights go head to head, as well as being joined along the way by some special appearances including Laneous and The Family Yah, Budspells, DJ JC and DJ Mike Who among others. You can get a feel for what will be going down from

Olmecha Supremes awesome live performance at the De La Soul Concert in Wellington.

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As if this wasn’t enough, just confirmed in Sydneys world famous live venue The Basement, a performance from New Zealand’s incredible neo soul duo Oakley Grenell and Mark Vanilau. Stepping aside from their hectic solo and group projects, the duo will start in Sydney on January 14th and work their way around the east coast from there. This will be the first time that the duo have toured Australia together and with them will travel some of Australias finer jazz musicians and special guests.

Oakley Grenell and Mark Vanilau – Moving on live at Red Bull Studio New Zealand

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Batucada Sound Machine plays:

Gaelic Club, Sydney – with King Tide Nov 19th – Get your tickets From Moshtix

AWME Black Box Melbourne Nov 20th – Get your tickets to AWME

Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave Nov 21st with Pataphysics – Get your tickets From Moshtix

East Brunswick Club Melbourne with LABJACD & Pataphysics Nov 26th- Get your tickets here

Robe Village Fair Robe Nov 27th and 28th – Get your tickets here

Olmecha Supreme VS Pataphysics plays:

ANU Bar Canberra – Dec 3rd, Beach Rd Bondi – Dec 4th, Gaelic Club Sydney – Dec 5th, The National Hotel Geelong – Dec 11th, First Floor Melbourne – Dec 12th, Hotel Great Northern Byron Bay – Dec 17th, Cooly Hotel Gold Coast – Dec 18th, Hi Fi Bar Brisbane – Dec 20th.

You can check out more from the artists in their artist profiles or at:

www.myspace.com/olmechasupreme Olmecha Supreme

www.myspace.com/brotherpataphysics Pataphysics

www.myspace.com/batucadasoundmachine Batucada Sound Machine

www.myspace.com/kingtidesydney

www.myspace.com/labjacd

Tags: Australian Artists, Blues, Collaborations, Funk, gigs, hip hop, Jazz, New Zealand Artists, Soul

Isaac Aesili and Electric Wire Hustle Album(s) Release Tour

Press Release:

Isaac Aesili & The Vision and Electric Wire Hustle Dual Album Release Tour!

After branching out with their individual projects the two founding fathers of Christchurch Hip Hop Soul Collective Solaa – Isaac Aesili (pictured) and Dave Wright – are releasing their respective albums on the same day, 9 September 2009!

For Isaac it is his solo album Eye See and for Dave the album with his new band Electric Wire Hustle alongside Mara TK (vocals, guitar, bass guitar) and Myele Manzanza (drums).

“It seemed natural to want to celebrate the release of both of our albums together. Both projects have their own spin but are formed from a similar grounding.” Says Dave

Isaac Aesili and The Vision band and Electric Wire Hustle will be celebrating all their hard work by touring a multi-media, multi-sensational show in 5 centres – Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, Queenstown and Christchurch in early September.

Pre – sale tickets are available from Cosmic Corner stores nationwide for $12 or for bFm, Active card, RDUnited and 1 Card holders $10.

See Isaac Aesili & The Vision and Electric Wire Hustle live at:

11 Sept – Khuja, Auckland, with support from Recloose
12 Sept – San Fran Bathhouse, Wellington
17 Sept – ReFuel, Dunedin
18 Sept – SubCulture, Queenstown
19 Sept – Double Happy, Christchurch

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Isaac Aesili feat. Aaradhna ‘With You In My Bed’

…Yossarian

Tags: Funk, gigs, hip hop, New Zealand Artists, News, Soul

Low:Fi – NAS and Chali 2na head up hip hop feast!

Australian hip hop fans are blessed with the announcement of the massive ‘Low:Fi tour’ that will be traversing the country late October/early November this year. Featuring east coast hip hop heavyweight NAS, supported by the baritone himself Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, as well as turntable master Q-Bert and MC Supernatural, this is surely to be one of the biggest shows to hit our shores in 2009.

Long regarded as one of the best in hip hop, self proclaimed King of New York Nasty NAS heads back to Australia to headline his very own tour after supporting Kanye here late last year.  Since his 1994 debut album, ‘Illmatic’, regarded as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time, NAS has remained at the forefront of the scene. Whether that be with his masterful flow and provocative rhymes, his well publicised ‘beef’ with Jay-Z (and subsequent reunion…) or the attention garnered by the controversial naming of his most recent album, there has been no escaping NAS’ impact on the shape of hip hop.

Coming through with strong support is the irrepressible Chali 2na of the now defunct Jurassic 5. Having just released his debut solo album, Fish Outta Water, the ‘verbal Herman Munster’ will be performing with a live band and is sure to entertain. Hip hop these days lacks such down-to-earth and laidback artists; having met 2na in Wellington back in 2004, I can honestly say he is everything that is right with the industry and is one of the nicest guys out, not to mention a solid performer on the mic and sure fire crowd-pleaser. No doubt he will be keen to impress fans with a combination of classic J5 bangers as well as decent collection of his new material.

Nas – I can

But it doesn’t finish there, the Low:Fi tour also features the MC/DJ combination of Q-Bert and Supernatural in a freestyle battle the likes of which you’ve never seen; a powerhouse pairing of arguably the most technically sound DJ in hip hop, and strongest freestyle MC in the scene. Qbert‘s involvement in the DMC team The Invisble Sqratch Piklz in the mid 90’s (along with Mix Master Mike) positioned him as the world’s most respected hip hop DJ, and was subsequently banned from competing after wining 3 consecutive titles! He and two time U.S. freestyle battle champion MC Supernatural will amaze with their man versus machine, head to head, battle to the death that is rarely seen outside of the U.S.

Now, some lucky punters across the country are going to be fortunate enough to see all of these artists in one show, others, however, will have to attend separate gigs; let me spell this out to avoid confusion:
Sat 24th October, Adelaide – Summer Break, Rymill Park
(CHALI 2NA, QBERT & MC SUPERNATURAL ONLY)
On Sale Date: Thursday 20th August
Sun 25th October, Perth – The Aberdeen Hotel, Aberdeen Street & The Shed
On Sale Date: Thursday 6th August
Wed 28th October, Melbourne – The Palace Metro Theatre
(NAS ONLY)
On Sale Date: Thursday 20th August
Thurs 29th October, Adelaide – The Barton Theatre
(NAS ONLY)
On Sale Date: Thursday 20th August
Friday 30th October, Melbourne – The Esplanade Hotel
(CHALI 2NA, QBERT & MC SUPERNATURAL ONLY)
On Sale Date: TBC
Sat 31st October, Sydney – The Enmore Theatre
On Sale Date: Thursday 20th August
Sun 1st November, Stradbroke Island – Island Vibe Festival
(CHALI 2NA ONLY)
On Sale Date: TBC

And if you’re a Sydney dwelling hip hop and drum and bass fan, check out the link below, the above artists combined with some of the world’s best drum and bass DJ’s will surely make for one of the events of the year!
www.lowfi.com.au
Get your tickets soon as this will be one show you will not want to miss!

…Crack

Tags: gigs, hip hop, Old School