BIGSOUND has unveiled its first round of tastemaker attendees and speakers, drawing from a massive pool of buyers, talent scouts and A&R from around the globe, along with some inspirational local legends! Heading the announcement are two Australian artist keynotes, Archie Roach and Tina Arena. Proving there are many ways to Australian music success, the two speakers’ career paths couldn’t be more different, yet they have both cemented their place in the Australian consciousness through crossing cultures, ages and genres to prove the relevance of telling Australian stories through song across multiple decades.

Last year saw 7000 people from around the world converge on Brisbane to surf the next wave of Australian music, with this year’s edition sure to be even bigger. The first announcement overflows with names on the lips of A&R across the globe including Winston Surfshirt, Hatchie, Alex the Astronaut, Polaris, Mansionair and Ruby Fields, as well as return BIGSOUND visitors Hockey Dad, Mama Kin and The Creases.

BIGSOUND will run from September 5–8 and will encompass numerous venues across Fortitude Valley.

BIGSOUND Festival 2017
Tuesday September 05 2017 ‐ Friday September 08 2017
Various Location throughout Fortitude Valley Brisbane
www.bigsound.org.au

The legendary self-taught guitarist’s love affair with Australia is no secret; Rodriguez first toured our shores in the late 1970s, long before the rest of the world caught onto his talent thanks to Malik Bendjelloul’s Oscar-winning film Searching for Sugar Man.

The Searching for Sugar Man. documentary follows Rodriguez’s celebrated history that began in the bars and clubs around Detroit in the 1960s. Drawing inspiration from the city’s post-industrial urban decay, Rodriguez recorded and released albums Cold Fact (1969) and Coming From Reality (1971) that largely went unnoticed in the United States.

Thanks to bootleg recordings and word of mouth, Cold Fact found its way to South Africa where its counter-culture lyrics resonated with the country’s politically-alienated youth. Without a telephone and working factory and construction jobs to support his family, Rodriguez remained oblivious to the fact that he was bigger than Elvis in South Africa.

More than four decades after the release of his debut, Rodriguez’s incredible vocal and musical skill is finally being heard by audiences throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and North America, including recent appearances at the iconic Glastonbury and Coachella festivals.

Lauded as the downtown Bob Dylan, Rodriguez’s blend of social politics, emotional insights and street observations, showcased in songs like ‘Sugar Man’, ‘I Wonder’ and ‘Cause’, vividly capture a certain time and place, all complemented by his impeccable voice.

Archie Roach is a soul singer in the true sense of the word. His lyrics are uniquely Australian yet undeniably universal and he is one of our most respected, beloved and admired singer/songwriters. Archie first came to the attention of most Australians with the release of his debut album Charcoal Lane (1992). The album launched his career and ‘Took The Children Away’, his own story of the stolen generations, heartbreakingly captured the human cost of government policy. He is that rarest of beings; one that sees beyond race, religion, gender and ideology.

It is with great pleasure that Archie Roach and band have been invited to perform songs from his forthcoming album Let Love Rule on this tour. Let Love Rule is Archie’s tenth studio album in what has become an extraordinary career – the new songs explore the theme of love. “I wanted to write about love, or a willingness to love all people,” says Archie.

Rodriguez’s most recent Australian tour in 2014 saw extra shows quickly being added in several cities to meet overwhelming demand, and the music icon’s return later this year is set to be just as highly anticipated. Act quick to secure your tickets!

The Return of Sugar Man Australian Tour
11 November – Lyric Theatre Qpac, Brisbane QLD
12 November – Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane QLD
14 – 17 November – State Theatre, Sydney NSW
19 November – Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley NSW
21 November – Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart TAS
25 – 26 November – Plenary, Melbourne VIC
29 – 30 November – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide SA
2 Dec – Sat 3 Dec – Fairgrounds Festival, Berry NSW
5 December – Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
10 December – Kings Park & Botanic Gardens, Perth WA
www.rodriguez-music.com