We sit down with Australian duo Busby Marou backstage at Bluesfest in Byron Bay.

And just like that we'd once again come to the end of the Byron Bay Bluesfest. As the event's fifth day, it's fair to say that by now we were both exhausted and used to the exciting lifestyle that the festival offers. It's never an easy event to say goodbye to, especially after a year that housed one of its best lineups ever, and was without a doubt the best Bluesfest we've ever attended. Although my sore, sore feet beg to differ.

While I’ll admit to not being a huge listener of country music, I do have an interest. I’ve always found it to have a balanced perspective on life. So when an opportunity arose to see Zac Brown Band, supported by Busby Marou, I was intrigued enough to take it.

In this issue: Passenger, Hungry Kids of Hungary, PVT, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Frightened Skulls, They Might Be Giants and Flume add extra shows, Zac Brown Band play Sydney, Dying Fetus & Putrid Pile and Yacht Club Djs announce supports, World’s End Press to tour with Bloc Party, last two shows for Melbourne Zoo’s twilight shows and punk PiL change Brisbane venue.

Passenger National Tour Sold out Nationally, New Dates Announced!

O-week…the only time when getting absolutely shit faced on a Wednesday afternoon is socially acceptable. Gear Up, The University of South Australia’s biggest O-week event, was of course no exception. Featuring Hungry Kids of Hungary, Ball Park Music, Busby Marou, Asta and way too many drunken first years, the mini-festival of sorts was a sure-fire hit, despite the notably moist weather.

Pete Murray is quintessentially Australian. Having spent the past years nestled in Byron Bay, he has been living a life enviable by many. However, it’s not all rays of sunshine and waves, Pete has been hard at work on his latest album Blue Sky Blue and the remade Byron Sessions, and is currently on a huge Australian tour that sees itself to a serious amount of shows across the land. Elke had the chance to talk to Pete about his recent collaborations and the albums' success.

Bleach Festival has announced it's 2nd round of music artists. Mat McHugh and Seperatista Sound System, Band of Frequencies and Kingfisha will join previously announced Oh Mercy and Busby Marou along with a bunch of other artists for the Gold Coast music and contemporary festival.

Bleach Festival runs from Friday 22 February - Saturday 2 March along the beaches and venues of the Gold Coast.

Tickets and event schedule is available at www.bleachfestival.com.au

El caught up with Tom Busby and Jeremy Marou of Busby Marou to talk rock n roll and the many hidden wonders of Australia.

This years Festival Of The Sun saw itself through with brilliant weather and plenty of crowd pleasers. Held at the Sundowner Tourist Park at Port Macquarie’s Breakwall Beach, the festival stage was about 50m from the shoreline and the ground full of sand – genius construction as feet on this terrain are able to dance wilder and stand stronger through performances.

The first local and New Zealand artist line up for the Byron Bluesfest has finally landed! Joining the already killer line up that features Jimmy Cliff, Ben Harper and Robert Plant are the following:

THE CAT EMPIRE

FAT FREDDY’S DROP

XAVIER RUDD

ROCKWIZ LIVE

THE BREAK
Feat. Members of Midnight Oil, Violent Femmes, Hunters & Collectors

BEASTS OF BOURBON

KARISE EDEN

THE BAMBOOS

The Bleach* Festival will be celebrating the coastal culture of the Gold Coast with a series of outdoor pop up music and arts events and installations next year! Running from late February into early March, Bleach* will see the following artists (plus many more local acts) take to venues down the coast for some awesome nights of parties and live performances.

Check the schedule out!

Saturday, February 16 - Burleigh Beach
Bleach* Warm Up Party :

Busby Marou

This week in the State Of Affairs: the highest ticket selling promoters are revealed, the deadline to the road to discovery has been found, Tim Rogers signs to a new imprint label plus workshops ahoy!

Pictured: Busby Marou, Jessica Mauboy, Shellie Morris, Gurrumul Yunupingu, Troy Cassar-Daley.

From the Top End to Tasmania, the nation’s most outstanding Indigenous artists have been selected as the finalists in the 2012 National Indigenous Music Awards with the winners announced on August 11.

Rockhampton duo Busby Marou is at Fowler’s tonight and, although the weather in the city hasn’t been exactly welcoming, I’m looking forward to getting amongst the raved about warm atmosphere that Tom Busby and Jeremy Marou are known for generating via their tunes.

Busby Marou, fresh from a successful tour of the US and Canada, have announced a national tour for June & July. Promoting their new track, "I Still Don't Believe", Busby Marou will be giving fans their last chance to see them perform on home turf before they head back to the US and Canada for the rest of the year. Joining them on tour will be Adelaide's Leader Cheetah and Melbourne's The Hello Morning.