TOURING SYDNEY & MELBOURNE THIS WINTER
With a brand new album due for release later this year and promising a live show packed full of your favourites, Australia’s much-loved troubadour, Ben Lee, is coming home – with two special shows announced for Sydney and Melbourne in June/July.
Ben Lee has been making music for half his life-time. Discovered at age 14 by Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, the four-time ARIA Award winner grew up fronting Sydney punkers Noise Addict, before going solo and charming his way into the hearts of fans worldwide. Now 35, thanks to penning pop gems such as ‘Catch My Disease’, ‘Cigarettes Will Kill You’, ‘Gamble Everything For Love’ and ‘Love Me Like The World Is Ending’, Ben’s amassed an impressive, ever-evolving body of work. Nine albums so far, as a matter of fact, including 1995 debut Grandpaw Would, 1998’s Breathing Tornados, 2005’s Awake Is The New Sleep, and 2007’s Ripe.
“After tonight’s fun, brave and at times ultra-silly show, I like Ben Lee even more” – Mess + Noise
“Ayahuasca is wonderfully indulgent ... a welcome and beautiful addition to a remarkable body of work.” – Stack Magazine
Following on from 2013’s spiritual, joyous Ayahuasca: Welcome To The Work (released via his own Ten Fingers Records label), Ben’s been hard at work on his next musical offering – a brand new album, titled Love Is The Great Rebellion, which he reveals details of in a new update to fans below. Ben will be sharing these new songs on his upcoming Aussie dates, performing them alongside all your favourite hits. Says Ben of his winter trek down under:
“It felt like the right time to let you guys in on some of the new songs as a bit of a preview to the new album.
For those of you for whom my forays into the impressionistic psychedelia of my last album Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work was a little hard to grasp, you may be pleased to know that this new album is full of (gasp) pop songs! With choruses!
I’ve put a little trio together of Dave Rogers on guitar and Sophie Koh on keys, and we’re getting excited for these gigs. Come along and hear some brand new tunes, some old ones, and absolutely no versions of anything on the Frozen soundtrack! (Parents of little kids will understand.) Big love, Ben.”
Joining Ben in both cities is Danny Ross, whose talents were made clearly visible on 2013’s series of “The Voice”, where he wowed fans and ended up third runner-up. Danny’s debut album, As The Crow Flies, was unveiled last year to positive reviews. A deeply moving and distinctly engaging performer, Danny is an artist evolving, exploring and uniting diverse genres and ideas. A virtuoso on guitar, Danny has spent 2014 immersed in the recording process with some of Melbourne’s finest collaborators... a singer/guitarist humbly bringing his compositions to you, in support of one of his all-time heroes: Ben Lee.
Ben Lee is also coming to Australia as a guest of Festival of Voices, Australia’s premier celebration of the human voice. Ben performs at Hobart’s Federation Concert Hall on Saturday 5 July and in an exciting first for the artist, is running a 90 minute vocal workshop. Says Ben, “While I¹m not a technical singer by any means, I’ve always believed that a unique voice is all about the authenticity and communication of intention. I am looking forward to getting to know the singers, their voices and what they each have in their hearts to share.” For more information visit: festivalofvoices.com.
It’s been a long time since we’ve had Ben Lee back on our shores: let’s welcome him home! Grab a ticket while they last.
TOUR DATES
Saturday 28 June Sydney | The Basement (18+)
Wednesday 2 July Melbourne | Howler (18+)
