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8 Ball Aitken – Tour in a Million
Multi-awarded global troubadour, 8 Ball Aitken, returns home for the ‘Tour In A Million’ this October armed with his eighth album, The New Normal, for an extensive four month all states, coast to coast road trip. 8 Ball Aitken is impossibly dedicated to his six string muse, and absolutely devoted to entertaining the masses at every show. He unleashes the party vibe with his funky, foot stomping energy, infectious blend of hurricane blues and driving country rock, devilish wit and endearing laidback charisma. Inhibitions dissolve and before you realise it, you’re on the packed dance floor, singing the chorus, sharing the spotlight and playing a red kazoo in unison. Aitken has garnered numerous accolades, awards, rave reviews and chart recognition since his debut album in 2003, Behind the 8 Ball. 2014’s single (She’s Going to Mexico) I’m Going to Jail from his seventh album Southern Hemisphere, crossed genres reaching the top spot on country and #2 on blues charts.
With two Queensland Music Awards and a Southern Star already under his belt, The New Normal has just been announced as a finalist in three categories of the Southern Stars Australian Independent Country Music Awards – APRA/AMCOS Single and Male Artist of the Year for the achingly beautiful ballad, Girl In A Million and Album of the Year. Since relocating to Nashville in 2012, 8 Ball Aitken has built a solid American fan base through multiple tours travelling the NashvilleMemphis circuit and appearing at featured shows in Texas, California, North and South Carolina, New Jersey, Connecticut and New York City. He’s also raised his profile during four tours of Japan and several other festivals in Canada and Europe – England (also live appearance on BBC), Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Poland. Other USA highlights include regular gigs at Loretta Lynn’s Tennessee ranch, recording The New Normal with musicians from the Lynard Skynyrd, George Thorogood, Emmylou Harris and Taylor Swift bands, having his songs placed in the soundtracks of prominent television shows Breaking Amish, Parking Wars and Justified; and appearing as an extra on the international hit series Nashville, where his unique posters are displayed as background art on the venue sets. 8 Ball Aitken will be playing live on Friday October 23, 8pm at the Kuranda Hotel, Saturday October 24, 7pm at the Cairns Blues Club and on Sunday October 25, 3pm, at The Shed in Atherton. The full tour itinerary is available on his website – www.8ballaitken.com.
Austen Tayshus heads to Atherton Austen Tayshus was born at Sydney’s first Comedy Store in Jamieson Street, in 1981. He stood up for the first time after a fairly precarious delivery, in March of that year. By 1982, ‘AUSTRALIANA’ was ready to record and it was released by Regular Records through Warner music in June 1983. It sold in excess of two hundred thousand copies, went double platinum and still holds the record for the highest selling Australian single ever. Austen Tayshus became a household name immediately and began touring extensively throughout Australia and New Zealand. ‘AUSTRALIANA’ was a hit in New Zealand too. Austen hosted the Narara Rock Festival in 1983 and 1984, which showcased many big Australian and international rock bands. Throughout the 1980’s Tayshus appeared with the biggest bands in Australia, as MC and as support act, including Mental as Anything, Inxs, Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Uncanny X Men, Richard Clapton etc. In 1984 Austen Tayshus sold out the Sydney Entertainment Centre, supported by local comedians. At the Countdown Awards in the same year he was awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award for ‘AUSTRALIANA’. Austen has been producing a comedy record almost every year since 1984. Most of these records have been nominated for Arias. Austen Tayshus has performed numerous
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times at the Melbourne and Sydney Comedy Festivals and also at the Adelaide Fringe. He has worked all over the United Kingdom, Los Angeles, New York, Bali and Fiji. He has performed for many corporations and charitable organisations, as well as at many celebratory occasions including birthdays, bar mitzvahs, weddings and circumcisions. His work is improvisational and sometimes frightening, and tends to polarize his audiences, but is attractive nevertheless as he draws his audience in like a magnet. By the 90’s, Austen had moved to L.A. to begin pursuing a movie career. He had a small cameo in the Sharon Stone movie ‘SLIVER’ and by day auditioned for many big movies. By night Austen Tayshus worked in all the comedy clubs in L.A. including the Comedy Store, the Improvs in Santa Monica and on Melrose, the Laugh Factory, Igby’s and Carolines in New York. Austen Tayshus will soon be touring Australia and will be appearing at the Atherton International Club on Friday, October 2.
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hfield it m S , d R rk a P re u is e b, L IVANHOES Football Clu MBER E T P E S H T 19 , T H IG N Y A SATURD 30.00 $ S E L G IN S • 0 .0 5 5 $ MILY GATES OPEN 4PM • FA
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Atherton International Club Friday 2nd October 2015 - 8pm www.theexpressnewspaper.com.au
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1300 855 835 The Express, Wednesday, September 16, 2015 PAGE 11