Despite winter insistently creeping through the last cracks of summer the word on the street is JOY and the streets are paved with GOLD. News from Vance Joy, JOY 94.9 and Laine Lane and The Amity Affliction go gold.

Far out of the city on the banks of the Hawkesbury River you can find one of Sydney’s best kept musical secrets, which shouldn’t really be a secret at all given it’s a music festival.

When I first heard about the Key of Sea initiative, I was intrigued and excited. The Key of Sea is basically a compilation featuring collaborations between established Australian artists and extraordinary musicians, who have moved to Australia to escape war, hardship or persecution.

In the column this week: the Jagermeister Independent Music Awards are announced, Richard Branson and Paul Dainty team up, and is Songi happening soon?

The nominations for the 2012 Jagermeister Independent Music Awards have been announced, with Chet Faker leading the pack with five nominantions! The Jagermeister Independent Music Awards is returning for its seventh year in 2012, acknowledging Australia's brightest emerging artists alongside established and well-respected performers. Check out the full list of nominations below!

2012 JAGERMEISTER INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES

Pictured: At The Drive In

With two touring bands (one all boys, the other girls); no set list; the best-dressed roadies in the biz and recent exploits including sending records up into space, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Jack White wants to be in The Flaming Lips. But this third man and seventh son was just being himself in the lead-up to his debut solo tour in Oz. Sydney’s rock ‘n’ roll circus was at the Hordern and lived up to the high expectations everyone had for this great White.

A new revolution was spawned when reality television paved the way for relatively unknown musicians to catapult themselves onto the main stage and become what seemed an almost overnight success.

With the successful packed out shows of Lanie Lane's recent tour, she has decided to return with a solo tour at regional venues. The shows will also promote her single, "To The Horses'. For those unable to make the trip to major venues, this is your chance to see Lanie in all her glory!

Lanie Lane brings her swinging sounds to the Corner Hotel for three sold out shows on her Bangity Bang Tour. Michael Christian brings you these photos.