This June, Pixar Animation Studios’ all-new feature film Soul introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) – a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth.

Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (voice of Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tried to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions.

Directed by Academy Award ® winner Pete Docter (Inside Out, Up), codirected by Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami) and produced by Academy Award nominee Dana Murray (Pixar short Lou), Disney and Pixar’s Soul opens in Australian cinemas later this year.
www.facebook.com/DisneyAUNZ

The soul star along with her nine-piece band will begin in Perth on Tuesday 4 February at the Crown Theatre, followed by performances in Sydney at the Star Event Centre on Thursday 6 February, Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on Saturday 8 February and at the QPAC Concert Hall in Brisbane on Tuesday 11 February. She will then venture across the pond to perform at the Civic Theatre in Auckland on Thursday 13 February and Christchurch’s Town Hall on Saturday 15 February. These will be Ms Knight’s first Australia and New Zealand shows in over 20 years!

‘Uplifting anthems came laden with poignant nostalgia on a night where the vivacious veteran showed no sign of stopping’ – ★★★★ The Guardian

Early success came to Knight when she began performing alongside siblings and cousins as Gladys Knight and the Pips. Breakout hit ‘Every Beat of My Heart’ was followed by a string of successful singles before the release of ‘Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye)’, which earned Knight her first Grammy. Another Grammy came for #1 hit ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’, before she picked up two more for ‘Love Overboard’ and her collaboration with Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Dionne Warwick, ‘That’s What Friends Are For’, another #1 single.

The decorated singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman and author has numerous other hit singles to her name, including three further Grammy Awards for her solo work, a James Bond theme for License To Kill, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Golden Globe nomination for her acting work. She’s been inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, taken home a BET Lifetime Achievement Award, and was listed as one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Her most recent album is 2014’s Where My Heart Belongs.

Truly one of the greatest musical voices to ever grace our shores, Gladys Knight is not to be missed when she arrives in Australia and New Zealand in February. Grab your tickets now to see the Empress of Soul live!

Gladys Knight 2020 Australian Tour
Tuesday 4 February – Crown Theatre, Perth
Thursday 6 February – Star Event Centre, Sydney
Saturday 8 February – Hamer Hall, Melbourne
Tuesday 11 February – QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane
www.facebook.com/msgladysknight

However, an accident causes Gardner’s soul to be separated from his body and transported to the “You Seminar”, a center in which souls develop and gain passions before being transported to a newborn child, and Gardner must work with souls in training, such as 22, a soul with a dim view on life after being trapped for years at the You Seminar, in order to return to Earth before it’s too late.

Soul stars Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, and will be released in Australian cinemas June 2020!
www.facebook.com/pixarsoul

Fellow Brit, Georgia, will add a twist of electro-pop into the mix, joining the seven-piece on the road in both Australia and back home in the UK. Taking inspiration from the likes of M.I.A. and Micahu, Georgia broke on to the scene with a self-titled debut album in 2015, sporting her very own brand of unmistakably British underground pop. Her most recent tracks, ‘Feel It’, ‘Mellow’ featuring Shygirl and ‘Started Out’ are shining examples of Georgia’s thrilling pop lyricism combined with her natural flair and distinctive sound.

Led by childhood chums Josh “J” Lloyd-Watson and Tom “T” McFarland, Jungle began to infiltrate playlists worldwide in 2014 with tracks like ‘Busy Earnin’’ and ‘The Heat’ climbing up the charts. Four years on from the release of their stand out self-titled debut album, Jungle made their seamless return to the airwaves with For Ever, debuting in Australia as triple j’s Feature Album of the Week.

Still maintaining their signature soul-funk flavour, packed with falsettos and psychedelic grooves, Jungle have expanded their sound with lyrical layers exploring emotion-drenched themes of real love and loss. Inspired by swapping London for LA in the pursuit of love and life experience, ‘Heavy, California’ was the first of many For Ever tracks to make an impact, reaching televisions around the world with striking live performances on The Ellen Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live.

For Ever’s dreamy tracks don’t stop there, with groove-inducing tunes ‘Happy Man’, ‘Cherry’ and ‘Casio’ complete with stunning self-produced video clips.

Jungle’s triumphant return to Australian stages with special guest Georgia will be nothing short of spectacular. Tickets are on sale now in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.

Jungle 2019 Australian Tour
April 24 – ENMORE THEATRE, SYDNEY
April 26 – THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE
April 28 – FORUM, MELBOURNE
www.facebook.com/jungle4eva

Khalid’s hypnotic soulfulness is delivered sevenfold when he steps on stage. Captivating the room from the first beat of his band, Khalid produces a performance usually reserved for those with decades of experience.

The New Yorks Times recently praising his voice as not only powerful “but one with internal grace and calm”.

Khalid First Ever Australian Tour
07 November 2017 – Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park, NSW
08 November 2017 – Enmore Theatre Sydne, Newtown, NSW
09 November 2017 – Festival Hall, Melbourne, VIC
10 November 2017 – Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill, QLD
www.facebook.com/thegreatkhalid

Since the release of his debut ‘Sundanza’ EP in 2010 and 2013’s ‘Dual’ EP, Sampha has quietly but assuredly become one of the UK’s most enigmatic and respected artists. Still just twenty seven years old, he has lent his vocal, production and songwriting talents to a range of stand out releases, from UK contemporaries such as FKA twigs, Jessie Ware and SBTRKT to world-renowned superstars like Drake, Kanye West and, most recently this year, on Frank Ocean’s Endless and Solange’s A Seat At The Table albums. Now it’s time for Sampha to tell his own story and Process, produced by Sampha himself and Rodaidh McDonald, is set to be his defining musical statement.

2016 has seen Sampha become one of the most in-demand new live acts around, with two London shows at Corsica Studios and The Electric Brixton selling out in a matter of minutes. In fact, every one of Sampha’s UK and North American tour dates this year have sold out. The 2017 dates will feature Sampha’s biggest headline shows to date, including London’s 2,000 capacity Roundhouse and New York’s 3,000 capacity Terminal 5, plus debut shows at Sydney Opera House, Melbourne’s Croxton Bandroom, Brisbane’s Triffid and Auckland’s Studio.

Sampha Debut Australian Tour
Brisbane – 25 May 2017, The Triffid
Sydney – 27-28 May 2017, Sydney Opera House – Drama Theatre
Melbourne – 29 May 2017, The Croxton Bandroom
Melbourne – 30 May 2017, The Forum
www.sampha.com

Off the back of a successful North American tour and a huge run of shows supporting Leon Bridges, Son Little will be performing in support of his self-titled debut album which he released in October 2015. The record is, in its purest form, quintessentially American music, described by Rhythms Magazine as “a striking gust of fresh air with one foot in the past, the other striding bravely into the future“.

“Livingston’s voice is captivating, somehow finding common ground between growling holler and sweet croon, an emotional device as much as a musical instrument” proclaimed RollingStone Australia when describing Son Little (AKA Aaron Livingston), while The New York Times said of his live show, “The music had roots, but wasn’t looking back.”

Born to a preacher and a teacher in Los Angeles, where he learned how to listen and how to play before moving east to New York and New Jersey.  Son Little dropped in and out of schools and scenes in Manhattan and then Philadelphia, where he collaborated with both The Roots and RJD2. The songs on Son Little draw inspiration from the diaspora of American music to create something both familiar, recalling the warm vinyl of a beloved classic, while sonically rooted – with it’s staccato beats, echoing guitars and rumbling bass.

Supported by Caiti Baker in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Darwin, Son Little will also be appearing at Queenscliff Music Festival, Fairgrounds & Disconnect.

“Son Little’s self-titled debut album is nu-soul, not neo-soul, and the distinction is drastic. Little doesn’t strive to reproduce his influences; he recombines them into something new.” – NPR

“A potent collection of soulful new Americana” – Noisey

“Son Little’s soulful debut long player traverses American roots music, from the north to the deep south. Vintage tracks are regularly peppered with drum machines, synths and effects, weaving seamlessly the old moody and brooding blues with modern indie R&B – SMH

Son Little 2016 Australian Tour
Brisbane – Thu 24 November 2016, Black Bear Lodge
Queenscliff – Sat 26 November 2016, Queenscliff Music Festival
Adelaide – Sun 27 November 2016, The Porch Sessions
Melbourne – Tue 29 November 2016, The Toff In Town
Sydney – Wed 30 November 2016, Newtown Social Club
Berry – Sat 3 December 2016, Fairgrounds
Darwin – Wed 7 December 2016, The Studio Theatre
sowww.nlittlemusic.net

So it somehow makes sense that they’re about to embark on a concept tour, taking their already infamous crowd interaction to the next level.
 

 
Getting personal at up-close venues around the country, the Philly Jays will be creating their very own karaoke bars where some lucky fans will be able to get up on stage and join the band to sing their favourite Philadelphia Grand Jury songs.  There might even be some classic karaoke covers thrown in there as well.

“The important thing on the night was that the Philly Jays live show (still) kicks ass.” – The Music

So You Think You Can Philly Jays Australian Tour 2016
Friday 27 May – The Brightside, Brisbane
Friday 3 June – Transit Bar, Canberra
Saturday 4 June – Jimmy’s Den, Perth
Friday 10 June – Brighton Up Bar, Sydney
Saturday 11 June – Yah Yah’s, Melbourne
www.philadelphiagrandjury.com.au

Taking in a national run of dates in venues a huge step up from his relatively small performances, this October tour will see Hozier perform at Perth’s Belvoir Amphitheatre on Wednesday 28 October, the Palais Theatre in Melbourne on Friday 30 October, Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on Tuesday 3 November, before closing at Brisbane’s stunning Riverstage on Friday 6 November.

With so many countless fans missing out on seeing Hozier live on this brief Easter visit, here now is your chance to witness the grandeur and yet deeply intimate nature of this extraordinary artist.

“The smooth blend of folk, blues, gospel and rock on [Hozier]’s self-titled album left me at times questioning how someone in their early 20s could conjure up such poetic and poignant music and lyrics.” VH1

Hozier 2015 Australian Tour
Perth – Wednesday 28 October, Belvoir Amphitheatre
Melbourne – Friday 30 – Saturday 31 October, Palais Theatre
Sydney – Tuesday 3 November, Hordern Pavilion
Brisbane – Friday 6 November, Riverstage
www.hozier.com

There are even times when it can inform on a period that wasn’t even experienced first hand. That ramble brings us to Lovelace, it’s not a film score but a collection of tracks that evidently will be included in the not yet released movie about the porn star Linda Lovelace and the movie Deep Throat.

If taken as a sampler of the radio of the day (Deep Throat was released in 1972) it shows how constricted and formatted modern day radio has become and how wide open and fun it used to be. Funk, rock, soul and R&B (and not the R&B lite crap of today) was presented back to back and the end effect was very groovelicious.

One of the coolest things about this collection is despite the fact that a number of the songs included here were somewhat minor-hits back in the day, they play out so well together now. Reading the song list does little to spike the memory until you play them and then the revelations start to happen.

Play it during your next retro cocktail party and its grooves will perfectly suit the click of martini glasses. Better still spin it while you’re getting busy with your significant other and it all makes sense. Also just wanted to add as an antidote to my next-door neighbours’ incessant playing of Christian rock on Sunday, it worked a charm.

Rob Hudson