Five gigs not to miss before the end of the year

Posted on 7 November, 2017

Can’t get enough live music? 

We’ve rounded up five gigs not to miss before the end of 2017.

Brass Knuckle Brass Band

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Canberra street funk nine-piece Brass Knuckle Brass Band have played at Falls Festival, Woodford Folk Festival and even joined Canberra hip-hop artist Citizen Kay on his single ‘Raise a Glass’ which played on high rotation over the Triple J airwaves.

If you’ve never seen a sousaphone alongside trumpets, trombones, saxophones and percussion before, don’t miss BKBB supporting Jon Cleary at the Canberra Theatre Centre this Wednesday 8 November.

Jon Clearly (dubbed the ‘Ninth Wonder of the World’) and The Absolute Monster Gentlemen will be touring his Grammy Award-winning album of New Orleans funk, soul and R&B wonder.

Brass Knuckle Brass Band supporting Jon Clearly | The Canberra Theatre Centre | 8 November 8pm | Click here for tickets

BOO SEEKA

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Never been to Academy prior to 11:00 pm? Now’s your chance! The premier nightclub is now one of Canberra’s leading entertainment venues and on 18 November will play host to international indie electronic duo, Boo Seeka.

The duo has accumulated over eight million Spotify streams, featured in Triple J’s Hottest 100, won a J Award for Unearthed Artist of the Year, and are coming to Canberra on the back of a six-month tour of the US and Australia with 40+ shows. Having sold-out shows and festivals across the globe, Boo Seeka have appeared at SXSW, Groovin The Moo, Splendour In the Grass, Southbound Festival and Party In The Paddock.

Boo Seeka | Academy Club | 18 November 8pm | Click here for tickets

LUCY SUGERMAN

Canberrans should by now be no stranger to Lucy Sugerman‘s rising success after making it to the grand finale of The Voice.

Performing her first headlining show, Lucy’s support acts include two talented songstresses – Amber Nichols (also of The Voice fame) and Sophie Edwards, local singer-songwriter.

At just 16, Lucy has already signed with Universal, and this year became the Young Canberra Citizen of the Year. Lucy’s homecoming show at The Street Theatre will see songs performed on The Voice, original compositions, and is family friendly.

Lucy Sugerman in concert with Amber Nichols and Sophie Edwards | The Street Theatre | 3 December 6pm | Click here for tickets

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) recognise Australia’s diverse and successful live industry. Back after its inaugural year in 2016, the NLMAs are hosted as eight satellite events across the country in each state and territory. Focusing on national and state categories, the awards are voted on by the industry as well as select public-voted categories.

The ACT has a whopping 20 nominees across categoies such as Live Act of the Year, Live Voice of the Year, Live Venue of the Year and Live Event of the Year. In partnership with BMA Magazine and Smiths Alternative as the Canberra event’s host, the lineup of nominees for this free event is being announced soon.

National Live Music Awards | Smiths Alternative | 7 December 6pm | Click here for tickets

THE EAST POINTERS

Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres are partnering with Woodford Folk Festival and the National Folk Festival to present The East Pointers in Canberra for their What We Leave Behind Tour. The celtic-folk power trio from Prince Edward Island, Canada, caught up with HerCanberra for a quick chat on being back in our familiar country.

You’re no stranger to adding smaller towns to your touring schedules; hailing from a small island, do you see particular importance in this inclusion?

Koady Chaisson: Absolutely. Growing up we all spent most of our time playing shows in small town halls or community centres, they are the heart and soul of small communities and they need performances! I know it was always a big deal whenever an international band or band from another province would roll through our community. I found as a listener that I was always loyal to the bands that rolled through town, they had a fan for life with me. I think now, on the other side, we’re starting to see that a lot of our fanbase is outside of the major city centres. That’s pretty neat. We’ve played in Canberra one time before, for the National Folk Festival, and we’re glad that they’re presenting this show so that we get to have a better look around.

Australia must almost feel like a second home by now. What draws you back to playing festivals such as Woodford and touring our East Coast so extensively?

Koady Chaisson: We’ve said this over and over to a lot of people over the last three years, nobody dances like Australians dance!

It’s the truth, nowhere else have we played where people are so open to just letting go and busting out on the dance floor. As a band that plays dance music, it’s a huge incentive in coming back again and again…dodging Canadian winter doesn’t suck either.

How much inspiration is drawn from the amount of time you spend on the road, and how is this reflected in What We Leave Behind?

Koady Chaisson: We’ve been lucky over these past three years to play shows in vastly different places, festivals in the Shetland and Orkney Islands, festivals in the Rocky Mountains, shows in abandoned towns in Tasmania, shows on boats for festival volunteers.

The people we meet at all of these places never cease to amaze us and they fill us with all kinds of inspiration. 80% of What We Leave Behind was written while we were on the road, and whether you can hear it or not, Australia is in a lot of the tracks. You’re also hyper-aware of situations you’re moving into and leaving when you tour as often as we do, so that influenced the album content for sure.

The East Pointers | Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres | 7 December 7.30pm | Click here for tickets

Feature image: Supplied