She welcomed the birth of a daughter and son - and the joy and upheaval that brings - and was also shattered by the 2016 death of her friend, bandmate and mentor Jon English.

Those experiences and emotional growth were channelled into her second album Same Skin.

"I feel like it's a bit darker, but there's a real maturity too," Vee said. "I think the mark of a really good record is if it's really representative of that artist at that particular point in time.

"If I can go into the studio and say, 'This really speaks to who I am', then I feel I've succeeded in making a good album."

Same Skin also introduces a denser and more experimental sound. While Fits and Starts followed Vee's folk roots, Same Skin sees her embracing electronic beats and synths.

"I used to come into the studio with a whole song formed and [producer] Gareth [Hudson] would put the instruments around it, but this time we had more freedom to be creative in the studio," she said.

Amy Vee's east coast album tour passes through the Royal Exchange on October 20.

THE relaunch of The Beasts (formerly Beasts of Bourbon) earlier this year understandably created plenty of excitement for fans of the booze-soaked blues-rockers, despite the absence of late guitarist Spencer P. Jones and bassist Brian Hopper.

The tour for Still Here, their first album in 12 years, was so successful The Beasts are gearing up to growl again this summer.

Charismatic Magic Dirt frontwoman Adalita will join The Beasts when they return to the Cambridge Hotel on December 5.

READ MORE: Kim Salmon expects The Beasts of Bourbon to keep recording after the success of Still Here

THE trilogy will soon be complete. And no, we're not talking about the upcoming Star Wars film Rise Of Skywalker.

Acoustic blues maestro Lloyd Spiegel will release his 10th record Cut and Run on September 3 to complete an album trilogy also featuring This Time Tomorrow (2017) and Backroads (2018).

"Cut and Run has a positivity and clarity in it, that for me, resolves a great deal of the questions I asked myself on the last two albums," Spiegel said. "It's definitely the end of a chapter for me both musically and personally."

Spiegel kicks off his national tour at his favourite Newcastle stomping ground of the Stag and Hunter Hotel on October 15.

NEWCASTLE made a strong start towards reclaiming their dominance in the Passport To Airlie band competition on Sunday when two local acts won heat one at the Stag and Hunter Hotel.

Bulahdelah-bred folk-pop songstress Elisa Kate and Newcastle alt-rock two-piece The Letter Tellers progressed to the first semi-final on August 25. Kate, armed with a smoky-sweet vocal, released her second single Now Or Never in March, while The Letter Tellers reformed in 2018 after a brief hiatus.

The overall winner of the national band competition secures a place on the main stage line-up at the 2020 festival, a $1000 performance fee, accommodation and a spot on Music View TV.

Last year was the first time an artist from outside the Hunter or Central Coast won the Passport To Airlie when Sydney's LamBros were victorious.

Heat two continues on Sunday with Welsey's Edge, India & The Journey To The East, Glover's Lane and Time On Earth.

THOM Yorke fans generally take his music very seriously, be it his solo material or work with his art-rock giants Radiohead.

Abicus in Darby Street is providing the ideal opportunity for Yorke fans to indulge in their fandom on August 16 from 5pm when they host a three-hour exploration of the English songwriter's work.

By Way Of Dream Camera will feature a journey through Yorke's three solo albums - The Eraser (2006), Tomorrow's Modern Boxes (2014) and his latest acclaimed record ANIMA (2019).

There will also be a public screening of the 15-minute promotional film for ANIMA and a live in-store performance from ambient modular synth project Oleander.

FELICITY Urquhart's world turned upside down in May when the country artist's husband and fellow musician Glen Hannah took his own life.

Two weeks ago Urquhart made a triumphant return to the stage at the Groundwater Country Music Festival on the Gold Coast and she has bigger plans ahead.

In November she'll link up with friends Adam Harvey, Beccy Cole and Darren Coggan for the Reunion - Young Stars Of Country....20 Years On, to celebrate the 1999 tour the foursome completed when they were some of the brightest new names in the business.

The second show of the tour will be held at Belmont 16s on November 15.