Welcome to the introduction of our new feature! One that hopes to make you reflect on all the good times (and possibly some bad times) over the last month. So, what events in April stood out for you? Before you go off into a train of thought, here’s our top 10 highlights for the month (in no particular order):
1. Coachella Music Festival
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, Coachella was the topic on everyone’s lips, from the bragging rights to watching the live stream on YouTube, discussions of how the second weekend barely received any coverage compared to the first, the good, bad and ugly outfits posted on various blog sites, the celebrity attendance check and of course, the artists/bands themselves and their performances, which leads me to…
2. Dr Dre & Snoop Dogg set at Coachella (featuring the infamous Tupac hologram)
There was no denying that Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg were the highlight of the three-day event on the first weekend and even the whole event, as they blasted hit after hit alongside some of the biggest names in rap/hip-hop, such as Eminem, Wiz Khalifa, Warren G, Kurupt, Kendrick Lamar, Nate Dogg and even Tupac, as a 3D hologram, with the latter causing mass hysteria for some and others were second guessing the rapper’s untimely departure. We could only imagine what it would be like to see the hologram in real life!
3. Splendour in the Grass line-up announcement and record sell-out
Our own version of Coachella, Splendour in the Grass, did something right by announcing that the festival was to be held at the birthplace of Belongil, Byron Bay. Tickets went on sale today and were all snapped up in record time (43 minutes to be exact), which is a stark contrast to last year’s slow struggle. Headliners include Jack White, At The Drive In, Bloc Party and The Smashing Pumpkins, along with a vast stellar line-up. Definitely not to be missed!
4. Gotye makes it to #1 in the U.S.
It has been a long time since an Aussie cracked gold in the US, with the last men to do it being Savage Garden, back in 2000. Now, folk-pop singer, Gotye, has made his mark, with the support of New Zealand singer, Kimbra, by hitting #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts with “Somebody That I Used To Know”. With Ashton Kutcher and Lindsay Lohan tweeting their support for the song, covers of the single becoming a viral hit on YouTube and US TV show “Glee” holding a tribute for the musician, there’s no telling what the future holds for the man of the moment. Nothing like a bit of Aussie pride!
5. DZ Deathrays release debut album Bloodstreams and embark on national tour
Another recent success story, DZ Deathrays, made waves with the highly anticipated release of their debut full-length, Bloodstreams. To celebrate the launch of the album, the Brisbane boys made their way across Australia in hopes of promoting the new album and making themselves heard. We’re pretty sure their sound would not fall on deaf ears.
6. Prince announces Australian tour
Third time’s the charm, long at last, as Prince (not the royal kind) publicly declared his intention to grace us with his presence throughout the month of May in capital cities Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The sultry singer’s concert promises to be one of the events of the year as he performs his classic hits, including “When Doves Cry” and “Strawberry Beret”, amongst others. We just hope that he doesn’t bring the weather with him, in the form of “Purple Rain”. Yes, we went there.
7. Deb ‘Spoons’ Perry Does The Black Keys
Who thought that collecting teaspoons would turn into a hobby and launch into a viral video? Deb Perry did. The Western Australian multi-instrumentalist covered “Lonely Boy” in a brilliant display of tapping and slapping the spoon in sync with the hit single. Coincidentally, The Black Keys will be here in October for a tour. Surely the YouTube video should gain a few views from the US band and maybe she can tour with them as a guest!? Only time will tell.
8. Kate Miller-Heidke debuts at #2
Nightflight is the latest LP from our darling Kate Miller-Heidke, achieving an impressive feat by entering the ARIA Album Charts at #2, coming off the back of a successful sold-out festival tour and upcoming solo tour in August across most states. Unfortunately, the songstress was beaten out by the One Direction boys, who clung on to the #1 spot. Speaking of the devils…
9. One Direction fever hits Australia
Move over Jonas Bros, the One Direction boys are the biggest sensation to sweep the nation. The five lads from Britain caused a standstill as they made young women lose all sense of sanity and the older bunch ask who they were. By the end of their visit, we all knew who One Direction was. Now that’s what I call a successful promotional campaign!
10. The show goes on – Supafest delivers despite no shows
For a brief moment, there was controversy and worry that the organisers could not deliver a great event at the last minute as headliners Missy Elliot, P. Diddy and Rick Ross pulled out of the line-up. The fans didn’t seem to mind though, as there were other notable performers present, such as Lupe Fiasco, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Ice Cube, Nature by Nature and more. All’s well, ends well.
