Australian News 6/28

Frontier Touring firms up Crowded House reunion tour, Kylie celebrates 20 years of fame, Powderfinger’s Ian Haug in court, Dainty Consolidated Entertainment changes address, and more…

 

Stop Dreaming, It’s Not Over

Frontier Touring Company has firmed up the Australian leg of Crowded House’s reunion world tour.

The act will stop at Sydney Entertainment Centre, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Entertainment Centre and Supreme Court Gardens in Perth November 5-16.

Retailers are suggesting that the band’s appearance at July’s Live Earth show in Sydney will create an additional sales spike for its Time On Earth album, due to drop June 30.

Opening on all shows is Augie March, whose award-winning Moo, You Bloody Choir album was recently released in the United States.

Recent Australian runs by Neil Finn with Split Enz and The Finn Brothers (with his elder sibling Tim) have been sellouts.

 

Minogue Feels Lucky, Lucky

Kylie Minogue is apparently planning a star-studded party to celebrate her 20th year since hitting the charts with a cover of "The Locomotion."

Being a cast member of the sitcom "Neighbours," which screens in Australia and the U.K., Minogue had a ready-made market when the single was released through Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom Records.

She went on to have 13 Top 10 hits in a row, four of which were chart-toppers.

At the same time, she also became a clubland and gay icon. Kylie came under fire recently over her new junior range of "Love Kylie" lingerie, which is being targeted to girls as young as 8 years old.

 

A Powderfinger In Court

Powderfinger guitarist Ian Haug lost a court bid to obtain crucial security footage relating to his early-morning ejection from Brisbane’s Treasury Casino last February.

Haug is suing the casino, claiming its security team used excessive force. In court papers tendered, he claimed he was "forcibly marched" outside, and that his "wrists were bent, twisted and restrained with significant pressure and force throughout.

The claimant’s pleas for the restraint to be loosened in light of extreme pain were ignored, he said.

Haug had been drinking heavily at the casino, celebrating a friend’s birthday. But he denied any of his actions justified the treatment he received.

As part of the civil trial process, Haug’s solicitors in March attempted to obtain security footage of the incident, along with personnel and training records of the security guards who escorted Haug from the building.

A judge ordered the casino to provide the information. But the casino appealed, arguing successfully that it would be a "breach of security." Haug was ordered to pay costs for the appeal process.

 

Taking It Easy

A poll of Australian music executives voted the most memorable Australian music moment as the day Harry Vanda and George Young met as teenagers after arriving with their families and staying in a migrant hostel in Sydney.

The pair went on to form The Easybeats and wrote classics including "Friday On My Mind" and "Good Times."

They later set up a production team and launched the careers of AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and The Angels.

The poll was conducted by the quarterly Australian Musician magazine to celebrate its 50th edition, and printed in the current June issue.

 

Short Notes

Concert and theatrical producer Dainty Consolidated Entertainment has moved to 470 St Kilda Road, Victoria 3004, Australia. Phone and fax numbers remain the same.

Magnolia Electric Co. is set to play two club dates in August for Handsome Tours before embarking on a 40-date US tour.

Aussie trio Something For Kate will return from a brief hiatus for an eight-date run in September behind their new double-CD greatest hits album, The Murmur Years, which includes a new track titled "The Futurist."