If you haven’t already heard the exciting news – like those who made it to the  Paddo gig – Nathan has  just  been formally invited to play at South by Southwest 2010, in Austin Texas. For the uninitiated, SXSW is  one of the world’s biggest music festivals showcasing hundreds of acts from around the world over 80 stages in downtown Austin. It’s even more special considering that only roughly 20 per cent of the acts playing at the festival are from outside of the US.

Other already announced showcasing bands from WA include Karnivool and The Chevelles, and from the east coast Paul Dempsey, Dappled Cities and Darren Hanlon. More to be announced soon.

Those of us who were down at the Paddington Alehouse last Sunday got to witness for themselves what Austin is in for next March. Talk about a rockin set – and not an acoustic guitar in sight (apart from one song with the 12-string – a Dylan-esque move perhaps?)

Some photos from the night:

Arun on the chicken box!

…And courtesy of our good friend Frog

By now you all probably know that Nath is back in Perth after busting his hump in the states to re-fuel, re-load and ask his mum for some more money (New York is an expensive place!) But on top of all that, he has also already hit the studio to record demos for his next album.

Now for those playing at home, we’ve already previewed some of the new tracks he’s been working on in previous post on this very blog. These are from some of the NY live shows. If you missed it earlier, here’s a recap. Thoughts, feedback, snipes etc. are welcome. Maybe not the sniping.

(Click on youtube links)

Big City Woman

Tiny Little Diamonds

Some of you Perth-ites may already have seen it advertised, so consider yourself reminded not to  make any plans for Sunday 22 November because you’re all going to be down at The Paddington  Alehouse in Mt Hawthorn for Nathan’s Return to WA show!!!

Don’t forget it’s a Sunday, so it’s an early start – doors open at 6pm. But i’m sure you’ll all want to be  there to poke and prod him for all the American goss and general back-slaps of love and adoration.

So support the muso who supports you!

http://fayeruz.blogspot.com/

http://flyingflashlight.com/

Big ups to the Gaunt faithful who came down to support our boy, as well as some punters from the BB Kings and other NY shows.

(Click here to watch Blue Skies For Miles live at The Living Room)

Well, who would have thought a budding, bright-eyed guitar player from Aussie who dared to dream  of one day gracing the stage of his guitar idol would finally get his wish some 15 years later,  Yes, dreams really do come true kids. Even if afterwards you’re left feeling a little deflated. But it was all worth it because for those few short hours, you were somebody! You stood in front of a slightly cynical (yet responsive) New York crowd with a funny accent and just kept talking! You even had your own dressing room with your name and a star on the front door for crissakes! (Don’t get too comfy there, tiger!) It’s enough to make you shed a single tear.

So it was lucky that with all that build up and expectation, he nailed the 30-minute set (of course) and managed to chip away at even the most hardened of New York hearts. What a pity that the headline act, for all his bluster about ‘the blues, man’, at the end of the day failed to embrace any of the blues spirit that the great man himself (BB) championed and has engendered into his club. Someone feeling a little threatened perhaps? The old-bull, young-bull scenario might have reared its ugly head. Shame.

Obligatory bright stage, dark audience shot

I also took some great video of the show which i’ll post soon. But in the meantime, here are links to a couple of videos now up on You Tube taken by our friend Patti from the show.

Galactic North:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbvPnIwPoMg

Big City Woman *new*: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNnL0yfIEPc

Another trip down to Washington DC and another great opening slot, this time at The Birchmere (which is technically in Alexandria, Virginia) with the Robben Ford band. After some fan boy action in the greenroom before the show, Nath hit the stage for a -some would say too short- 30 minute set. Another blinder, evidenced by the flurry of merch sales after the show. Which wasn’t really a surprise considering this was his third trip to these parts in the past year (Ram’s Head Annapolis two weeks ago and The Barns at Wolf Trap late last year) and he’s started to build quite a following. They really love their music down this way, and you get the impression that they are very supportive of music and arts in general.

Nath has been very lucky to have played some iconic music venues in the US this tour – and the Birchmere is yet another one of those. The legendary music hall has played host to some of the biggest names in music over the past 50 odd years – from Stevie Wonder, to Little Richard, Emmylou Harris, kd Lang, to name just a few.

On stage at the Birchmere

A welcoming site in the ladies bathrooms @ The Birchmere

Apart from gig his butt off, one needs to find novel – and cheap – ways to get to and from said gigs. And without a car (who would willingly drive in this city anyway!?), Nath has taken to other forms of transportation to get around.

($14.99 skateboard from Kmart + silly Australian musician = accident waiting to happen)

This will, sadly, be Nathan’s last show in the US for a little while, as he  heads back to Australia to re-load. But there is talk of him heading back this  way early next year – around Februrary/March – so we’ll keep our ears to the  ground on that one.

*Answer – yes it does. You probably remember me mentioning the wild thunderstorms we’ve been getting here in NY over the past few weeks. But the one on the way to a gig the other day took the cake.