Kailey Pallas has come a long way since she first performed at the Newcastle City Farmers Market at the age of six.
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Now 19, the singer, songwriter and guitarist has joined the inaugural Sound Station Music & Arts Festival on April 4 at The Station Newcastle. She will be performing alongside the likes of Gooch Palms, Grace Turner and Amy Vee at the event, which is a show of support for live music and the arts in Newcastle.
Entry to Sound Station is free but you must register for a ticket online at soundstationfestival.com.
Pallas, whose sound is a blend of blues and soul, has opened for Mental As Anything, Glenn Shorrock, Shannon Noll, The Radiators and Darryl Braithwaite in recent years.
She grew up at Fletcher, attended Hunter School of the Performing Arts, completed a Diploma in Music at TAFE NSW Newcastle and recalls performing with singer Carter Edwards at Belmont Golf Club when she was just seven.
Hearts of gold
Lizotte's Newcastle is again doing its bit for fire-devastated regions of Australia. It hosted the Cookin' Up Relief concert on February 4 starring John Paul Young, Brien McVernon, Komiti, Kylie Jane, Grant Walmsley and Lili Craine, to name a few, and raised $24,771.20 for the Rural Fire Service. Brian and Jo Lizotte chipped in to make it an even $25,000.
"The fires spread so quickly and caused so much devastation. It left us all feeling overwhelmed about how to help," Brian Lizotte said.
"We were so humbled that our staff, suppliers and musicians all offered their assistance without a second thought - which says a lot for the community spirit here in Newcastle. We are looking forward to writing a cheque for the Rural Fire Service this week to thank them for all they have done and continue to do in saving homes and lives all around the country."
Now it's time for round two.
From One Valley to Another Spread the Love, in conjunction with Lizotte's, is holding the Hearts of Gold Concert to raise money for fire-devastated areas of the Bega Valley - including Cobargo.
Some of Newcastle's finest musicians will perform a lunchtime matinee at Lizotte's on Saturday, February 22. Doors open at 11am with Dave Carter kicking things off, followed by Justin Ngariki, Steel City Sue, the Greg Bryce Band and the Nick Raschke Band.
Tickets cost $20 at lizottes.com.au, with 100 per cent of all proceeds going to Cobargo Rural Fire Service and associated charities.
Lizotte's is hosting some amazing artists in the coming weeks, too: 19-Twenty (February 14); James Bennett and Vena Klymo (February 16); Bowie Unzipped ft Jeff Duff (February 21); The Badloves (February 22); Beccy Cole (February 23); Karise Eden (February 29); Eugene Hideaway Bridges (March 1); Cedric Burnside (March 5); Seeker Lover Keeper (March 7); and Irish Mythen (March 8). Wow.
On the road with British India
British India are returning to the stage after a 12-month hiatus following the departure of lead guitarist Nic Wilson in 2018. Their upcoming East Coast tour will stop off at Shoal Bay Country Club on April 4. The Aussie band has four Top 10 ARIA albums to their name.
Debut album tops chart
The delightful Max Jackson has released her debut album Life Of The Party, recorded between The Sound Emporium in Nashville, Tennessee, and The Music Cellar at Erina on the Central Coast. It will be officially launched at an intimate performance by Jackson at Newcastle's The Royal Exchange, on Bolton Street, on March 1. Tickets are on sale now through trybooking.com. Jackson will be opening for Gina Jeffreys on her Beautiful Tangle Tour at Lizotte's Newcastle on Friday, September 4.
Reggae renegades
The Wailers are stopping off in Newcastle while in Australia for Bluesfest at Byron Bay to celebrate the music and life of Bob Marley. They will be performing songs from Marley's album Legend and other classics from the king of reggae's back catalogue. The Wailers' line-up includes Aston Barrett Jr, keyboardist Tyrone Downie and saxophonist Glen DaCosta, with Josh David Barrett stepping into Marley's shoes on lead vocals. Catch them at the Cambridge Hotel on Thursday, April 16.
Let the good times roll
The APIA Good Times Tour returns to Newcastle's Civic Theatre on June 12 with a legendary line-up.
The eighth anniversary Apia Good Times Tour is the biggest yet, starring Brian Cadd, Deborah Conway, Joe Camilleri, John Paul Young, Kate Ceberano, Leo Sayer, Vika & Linda Bull and, making her Good Times debut, Wendy Matthews.
Matthews' hit songs include I Don't Want To Be With Nobody But You, Token Angels, Lets Kiss, Woman's Gotta Have It, The Day You Went Away, If Only I Could and Friday's Child. In 1992 Wendy picked up the ARIA for Best Female Artist and Best Single and again in 1993 for Best Female Artist.
Tickets go on sale at 10am on Monday, 17 February, through Ticketek and at civictheatrenewcastle.com.au.
Live On The Lake
Toronto Hotel continues to attract quality acts under the Live On The Lake banner. The Black Sorrows are playing there this Sunday, February 16, and Moving Pictures has just been announced for March 7.
Wine Machine
Wine Machine is fast approaching and emergency service personnel are reminded that they can pick up a free ticket by emailing cellarmaster@wine-machine.com. Hot Dub Time Machine, The Jungle Giants, The Naked and Famous (NZ), Regard "Ride It" (EU), Bag Raiders, Young Franco, Alice Ivy and Don West are on the festival line-up which comes to Roche Estate, Pokolbin, on Saturday, March 14. Wine Machine is also making an initial donation of $10,000 to be shared among national rural fire services as well as dedicating $1 from every ticket sold to each of the respective regions' rural fire services. On the day, each event will also have a drop-off for festivalgoers to donate perishable items needed by those both displaced by the recent fires. For details and to buy a ticket, go to wine-machine.com.
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