Fresh from Groovin’ The Moo and Seth Sentry’s national tours, Tuka and Ellesquire have been tearing the country apart with sold out shows everywhere. Saturday June 8 will see them come direct to their hometown to join fellow locals Jones Jnr at Newtown Hotel for one hell of a night of Soul and Hip Hop.
Tuka, one third of Newtown’s beloved Thundamentals has had an insanely busy 18 months starting with the release of Thundmentals highly acclaimed Foreverlution which ignited a blazing tour all over the country. Thundamentals fast became Triple j’s most popular ‘Like A Version’ with their cover of Matt Corby’s Brother. October saw the release of Tuka’s solo EP Feedback Loop featuring diamond tracks such as Just To Feel Wanted and Die A Happy Man.
Ellesquire (Big Village and Loose Change) known for his smooth charm and eloquent wit will be whipping punters into a state of hilarity and style as he performs snippets from his brand new Mixtape ‘The Messtape‘ and his 2012 album Ready including the hit On The Prowl.
Ev Jones and DJ Morgs collaborated on the now infamous Thundamentals’ cover of Matt Corby’s Brother for Triple j’s ‘Like A Version’ with Ev Jones performing guest vocals with the band. This sparked a collaboration that saw the pair release a Soultape that soon spun international bookers into a frenzy. Make sure you get to the gig early to catch Jones Jnr and see their most recent live offering.
Don’t miss this free epic local Hip Hop and sweet soul line up. The show will kick off at 7pm so get in early to get a spot as this one is sure to hit capacity. For a taste of what’s to come check out the free download of Ellesquires ‘The Messtape’ and Jones Jnr’s ‘Soultape’. See you on Saturday the 8th of June.
Tuka and Big Village records present a now polished collection of songs which you may have seen pop up on my Tuka’s soundcloud page, youtube channel or heard on various radio appearances over the last 12 months. These have been fleshed out, re-recorded, mixed, mastered and spliced together with brand new unreleased songs to form The Messtape.
The Messtape features 13 tracks including the Let’s Do It (Remix) feat. Billie McCarthy. The Messtape is available as a free download. Mixed by Simon Cohen. Additional vocals on Don’t Fall In Love & Lets Do It (Remix) by Inés. Lets Do It (Remix) Produced by P Major. Design & Layout by NMBR19.
Since combining a lifelong passion for poetry with hip hop, 22 year old female emcee Madame Wu has worked tirelessly to produce a sensitive yet fearless style of lyricism commenting widely from social justice issues affecting youths to the highly personal.
With over 50 live shows under her belt in Sydney, Katoomba, Brisbane and New Zealand supporting the likes of De La Soul, Def Wish Cast, Thundamentals, Hermitude and Tuka as well as running her own monthly hip hop nights (she co organised the biggest all female hip hop lineup last year to raise funds for Sisters Inside) and with an album on the way, there are no signs of this emcee slowing down.
Ethereal vocalist Elise Graham and turntablism mastery by DJ Prolifik complete a commanding yet intimate live performance. Her album is now available at jbhifi through Creative Vibes and on iTunes.
Groovin’ the Moo (GTM) Maitland has officially SOLD OUT! Following directly on from GTM Bendigo selling out in less than two days last week, 2013 is the fifth consecutive year the flagship Maiitland show has sold out!
Stephen Halpin, Cattleyard Promotions said today, “Thanks Maitland! We are so grateful for all your support over the years. Feels that this year will be something special. Apologies to those who missed out, but we have a limited capacity and just can’t fit anyone else into the showground!”
With half the eastern seaboard events now sold out, GTM fans have the perfect reason to jump into the car and head out on a weekend road trip to GTM Canberra (28 April), pack your sunscreen and escape the winter blues to GTM Townsville (5 May) in Far North QLD or make a real adventure of venturing across the desert to the West for GTM Bunbury (11 May) – with a ticket price at under $100, they’ll be snapped up fast, so don’t drag your heels in securing your tickets to these events.
Featuring over 26 artists across the GTM double outdoor stages and in the Moolin Rouge big top tent, the festival also provides local food and market stalls, licensed bar facilities, slingshot rides and chill out areas to make a perfect day. The official 2013 GTM tour diary: Saturday 27 April 2013 – Maitland NSW – SOLD OUT Maitland Showground Blomfield St, Maitland NSW 2320 Sunday 28 April 2013 – Canberra ACT University of Canberra Kirinari St Bruce ACT 2617 Saturday 4 May 2013 – Bendigo VIC – SOLD OUT Bendigo’s Prince of Wales Showground 42 – 72 Holmes Rd, Bendigo VIC 3550 Sunday 5 May 2013 – Townsville QLD Murray Sports Complex – Townsville Cricket Grounds Mervyn Crossman Dr & Murray Lyons Cres, Idalia QLD 4811 Saturday 11 May 2013 – Bunbury WA Hay Park (off) Parade Rd Bunbury WA 6230
Tickets on sale now by logging onto gtm.net.au or moshtix.com.au | By calling 1300 438 849 (GET TIX) By visiting selected MOSHTIX outlets – visit gtm.net.au for an outlet in your local area.
Sun’s coming up on a pure gold Groovin’ The Moo (GTM) 2013! Come the April/May cusp, GTM is looking forward to sharing some of the freshest sonic produce from favourite home-grown acts to international imports when returning to its much loved four regional towns as well as the Nation’s capital.
From Flume, Tame Impala, The Temper Trap (who will close the main stage) and Seth Sentry to Example (UK), The Kooks (UK), Tegan and Sara (CAN) and The Bronx (USA), the GTM community of 75,000 from across the country are in for a premium shindig. Just one year shy of celebrating its 10th birthday and with a history of sell-out events, in 2013 GTM’s five shows will again be ready to cater for all ages (16+ recommended).
In the market fresh words of GTM Promoter Stephen Halpin, “After six months of planning, it’s always an exciting time when the GTM line-up is finally revealed. Again we’ve assembled a great bunch of exciting new acts and festival favourites. We’re very excited to be hosting They Might Be Giants’ first visit to Australia in a long while.”
With over 26 artists set to feature on the GTM double outdoor stages and in the Moolin Rouge big top tent, the festival will also again provide local food stalls abundant with fresh produce of the culinary variety and markets filled with knick knacks, licensed bar facilities, slingshot rides and chill out areas which all collide together to complete a premium recipe.
In the wise words of Will Rogers, “An onion can make people cry but there’s never been a vegetable that can make people laugh.”
However, a pineapple comes pretty close. Speaking of…to turn a colloquialism, a couple pineapples ($99.90 + bf) will help secure your tickets when they go on-sale from 9am local time on Tuesday 5 February (Maitland & Canberra) and today 6 February (Bendigo, Townsville & Bunbury). Be first to get all the news and festival updates, by signing up for the Moos Flash here.
Don’t forget, entries for the GTM TEE Competition are now open. For your chance to have your design in the official GTM merch trailer and nail a swag of great prizes visit the Competitions page here.
The official 2013 GTM tour diary: Saturday 27 April 2013 – Maitland NSW Maitland Showground Blomfield St, Maitland NSW 2320
Sunday 28 April 2013 – Canberra ACT University of Canberra Kirinari St Bruce ACT 2617
Saturday 4 May 2013 – Bendigo VIC Bendigo’s Prince of Wales Showground 42 – 72 Holmes Rd, Bendigo VIC 3550
Big Village is very proud to welcome production duo Suburban Dark to the fold. Suburban Dark is the first act to be officially signed to the label outside its founding members since the label began 3 years ago and adds more depth to an already diverse roster.
Suburban Dark’s analog infused sound is deep, minimal and razor sharp, built with the intent to be played loud, from spine chilling noise to straight up bass assaulting bangers.
They have already released 2 tunes through Big Village Records, Straight Edge feat Jeswon, and Vertigo feat. Tuka, Ellesquire and Rapaport on Big Things Vol One and Two respectively. Suburban Dark released their debut EP Expeditions Digitally and on 12’ vinyl in 2010, through Sydney electronic label The Frequency Lab.
With the inclination to keep things analogue, SD are focusing their attention on writing Hip Hop in a technically limited capacity. Using dated drum machines, prehistoric synthesis and dusty reel to reel tape players SD have managed to create a sound that is both sci fi infused and dangerously heavy with enough RMS to make the neighbours complain.
One third of triple j hip hop fave’s Thundamentals, for MC Tuka, the past twelve months have been relentless. No sooner had Thundamentals release their highly acclaimed second album Foreverlution in July last year that, in-between a hectic Thunda’s touring schedule, Tuka was already “working day and night” on what would emerge as his sophomore solo LP Feedback Loop.
Picking up where 2010’s Will Rap For Tuka left off, Feedback Loop is Tuka’s 2nd solo long player and is in Stores Oct 26th through Big Village / Creative Vibes. The first two singles to be lifted from Feedback Loop – Just To Feel Wanted and Die A Happy Man (featuring the classiest lady in Australian hip hop, Jane Tyrrell) – have both already been placed on full triple j rotation as well as cutting up airwaves across all key community radio nationally.
Feedback Loop, admits Tuka, had him working at unprecedented levels. “It’s left me spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially exhausted and is easily the biggest project I’ve ever had to be solely responsible for. It’s the biggest gamble of my life, creatively; I feel like I’ve really pushed myself.”
On Feedback LoopTuka teamed up with Inner West Sydney’s Sleepers Awake to create a consistent sonic landscape. “We have been able to really fine tune a specific ‘sound’ that has been applied not only to the beats and songs that we’ve created but also to the guest producers I worked with.”
Ruminating on the album title and content, Tuka muses: “Feedback Loop is an album that is completely up for interpretation. I know that seems like a cop out, but the theme is actually about my interpretation of the world, and our society; [how my] interpretation can feedback into where it came from. I will no doubt take the feedback I get from this release, and thus the cycle repeats itself.”
Seven days after the album was completed, Tuka hit the road as headliner on Sydney hip hop collective Big Village’s national label tour to launch their second label compilation album Big Things Vol 2. Official launches for Feedback Loop will go down in late November.
Feedback Loop’s second single Die A Happy Man featuring The Herd’s Jane Tyrrell is the calm before the storm. A charming, nostalgic head-nodder in the vein of Portishead, it’s had fans champing at the bit for more of the creative MC’s clever wordplay and lyrical patterns.
After the instant impact at radio of the single Just To Feel Wanted, Thundamentals MC Tuka launches his second solo album Feedback Loop this November with select shows in Sydney, Melbourne and hometown Katoomba. Not afraid to lean on all of his influences, mix them up and present something completely new, Just To Feel Wanted’s catchy, almost Gnarls Barkely feeling was just a small taste of what is to come on Feedback Loop, a record that is leaps and bounds ahead of his solo debut Will Rap For Tuka, sonically, lyrically, stylistically and… pretty much every way you look at it.
Having toured Australia a few times over with Thundamentals on stages like Sydney’s Enmore Theatre or Hi Fi and Luna Park’s Big Top (Come Together) and most recently Big Sound, Tuka is as at home in front of a couple of hundred as he is in front of a few thousand. He’s developed his performance style to be comfortable handling the stage on his own or as part of an ensemble (as seen with the Big Village tour and the upcoming Thundamentals with live horns tour). His captivating style ranges from playful to menacing, sometimes all in the one song.
Tuka’s – Feedback Loop has got singles for days and the first two at radio may just throw you for a loop as there are still so many styles to uncover. From Moroder-esque synths to swirling symphonies, raw rock dynamics and cutting edge electronica, Feedback Loop has got it all. Don’t miss Tuka as he performs these intimate shows ahead of what is going to be a very busy Summer for the solo MC as well as his group Thundamentals.
Tuka ‘Feedback Loop’ Album Launch Shows Saturday 17th November – Gearins Hotel – Katoomba, NSW with special guests Rapaport, 10th Dan and Grub
Thursday 22th November – The Annandale Hotel – Annandale, Sydney with special guests Rapaport, 10th Dan and Grub
Saturday Nov 24th – The Workers Club – Fitzroy, Melb with Soliloquy, Remi and special guests
Time & Space is taken from Tuka’s sophomore album Feedback Loop out Oct 26th through Big Village Records.Feedback Loop features guest vocalists: Jeswon, Jane Tyrrell, Ellesquire, Tenth Dan, Solo & Maples.
Feedback Loop will feature production by: Sleepers Awake, DJ Morgs, Roleo, Grub & Suburban Dark.Time & Space, produced by Roleo. Recorded at Two Toes Studios by Caustic. Additional vocals by Maples, recorded at Studios 301 by Simon Cohen. Stay tuned for the premier of Tuka’s next single featuring Elefant Traks beauty Jayne Tyrrell titled Die A Happy Man.
Big Village Records are genuinely thrilled to announce the forthcoming release of Big Things Vol Two. Dropping August 10th, Big Things Vol Two is the labels latest compilation and features all exclusive new tunes from Big Village founding members Tuka (Thundamentals), Ellesquire, Daily Meds, True Vibenation and Loose Change, as well as collab tracks and solo tunes from Reverse Polarities, Suburban Dark, Rapaport, Klue and Tenth Dan.
In what can only be described as a gargantuan undertaking by anyone’s standards, to celebrate, they’re taking the whole damn label on the road for a national tour to launch said album– that’s nearly 20 of Sydney’s finest MCs, DJs and Producers.
Big Label: Since its beginnings in 2010, Big Village has been a collectively run and forward thinking label that has focused on raising the standard of quality and diversity in the Australian hip hop landscape. Big Village was originally created by 13 predominantly Sydney based hip hop artists, MCs, DJs and Producers (namely Daily Meds, Loose Change, True Vibenation and members of Thundamentals, Tuka and Jeswon), many of whom had already been working together for years. Hence, all seeking a platform to release high quality hip hop music, they combined their networks, skills and support to create their own record label, owned and run by the artists it represents.
Big Things Volume Two will be Big Village’s 8th official release and the list of achievements across those releases has been exceptional. Suffice to say that for starters, between all Big Village Acts, main projects and side projects inclusive, there’s been about 10 tracks on triple j rotation since the labels inception.
Here’s a taste test of the Big Village posse’s live video Be My Guest. All audio and video was recorded live from one single take on a rooftop and illustrates the diversity and skills of the various artists, as well as the joy and natural chemistry between them as label mates.
Big Album: Big Things Vol Two is as creatively adventurous as it is maturely executed, a darkly tinged buffet of bass heavy tunes that range in style and content but share a no bullshit attitude to making hip hop music. Released in May last year, Big Village’s first label compilation Big Things Vol 1 was both the triple j hip hop show ‘s and FBI ‘s Album Of The Week. The label itself was nominated for a 2011 SMAC award for Best Collective (FBI radio).
Big Tour: Big Village has undertaken the audacious task of taking their entire label on the road for the Big Things tour across September / October. The tour will feature the full roster of current label acts including Tuka and Ellesquire performing a dual headline set, Daily Meds fresh from their Happy Daze album release and tour and True Vibenation who also recently completed their own national tour. Coming along for the ride are Loose Change, Reverse Polarities and speed-draw-freestyle-rap-gameshow Sketch The Rhyme, featuring Big Village members Rapaport, P.Smurf and Jeswon.
That’s a lot of people, but then that’s why it’s called the Big Things tour folks. The tour also represents the first time proper that the Sydney based label will truly unfurl itself at a national level, so look out. From the Annandale to The Oxford Arts Factory, the last 4 Big Village presents shows in Sydney have all sold out.
The Big Village fam invites you to come and experience this travelling party and get a sense of the groups undeniable passion and respect for both each other and the wider hip hop community.
Tour Dates: Sept 14th @ OAF – Sydney Sept 22nd @ Northcote Social – Melbourne Sept 28th @ Connistan Lane – Brisbane Oct 5th @ The Cambridge – Newcastle Oct 6th @ Gearins – Blue Mountains
