*** PREMIUM FRONT ROW SEATING SOLD OUT ***
*** PREMIUM SECOND ROW SEATING & GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET REMAIN ***
“If Bob Dylan was born 20 years later and grew up fraternising in Collingwood bars, he would sound like this.” Patrick Emery, Beat Magazine, Melbourne
Van Walker launches his new album Healing Descent with support by Joel Silbersher.
Van Walker is a Tasmanian native who’s prolific songwriting productivity has seen him become a ‘cult figure locally’ in his adopted Melbourne, having written over 500 songs across many genres, releasing 6 full length albums between 2008 & 2010, a selection of which the Fuse Music Group released in 2012 on the Underneath the Radar compilation, which met with national critical acclaim, prompting Mess & Noise to state, “Literary vigour and scathing social commentary, if there is any justice in this world, Underneath the Radar will provoke a radical awareness & appreciation of Van Walker’s songwriting talents.”
Since then Van has been busy touring nationally and internationally, writing and releasing two albums with the powerpop outfit The Livingstone Daisies (2013, PBS Album of the Year) (2014 4.5 Stars AGE EG) with Liz Stringer, his brother Callan, and Michael Barclay (Paul Kelly), recording and touring Heartbrokers (Jeff Lang, Ash Davies and Ezra Lee); forming the three piece blues boogie outfit Goatpiss Gasoline (Hank Green & Suit Watkins); while also writing and performing as a member of the critically acclaimed Vandemonian Lags stage production (Mick Thomas/Tim Rogers, et al).
Take a listen to some of Van Walker below:
Last year he released the lauded solo album Ghosting, Rhythms Readers Poll Album of the Year Runner Up, and Music Victoria Country Album of 2021 nominee, while Rubber Records released The Best of The Swedish Magazines: I Wish Life Could Be (4.5 Stars Rolling Stone Magazine).
2022 will see the release of his next album Greetings from Newtown Geelong.
Van’s move from Melbourne to Geelong in 2018 was a much-needed sea-change for the restless artist and another chapter in the ongoing adventure with him teaming up to play with local musicians The Ferriters. Named after the Irish folk hero Pierce Ferriter (see song: The King of the Irish Rebels), the band built crowds locally and became popular among Irish and non-Irish festivals alike, winning over audiences with their mix of Aussie and Irish folk/rebel music. The tight knit unit with Seamus Hoare on bass and harmonica, and Maree Dertien on Accordion, it built to include Greg Field on Fiddle & Mandolin, Dan Musil on dobro, and Michael Barclay on drums and vocals.
Born & raised on the windswept prairies of north-west coast Tasmania, Van first heard the music of Bob Dylan around adolescence & began picking guitar & writing songs. Many songs later, he moved to Melbourne to form the rocknroll outfit The Swedish Magazines, and sing his unique acoustic material on the side.
The first collection of these beguilingly simple songs came out in 2008 entitled The Celestial Railroad, & in 2009 three separate sessions were released, The Last Record Store (Jan) Greetings from Penguin Tasmania (Aug) & Love Fate (Oct). Drawing on the grand storytelling tradition of artists such as Ray Davies, Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, & the acoustic finger-styles of John Fahey & Mississippi John Hurt, Van created a sound both old & new, with a laconic familiarity that speaks to the heart with an intimacy more effortless than contrived.
Supporting on the day is Joel Silbersher. Doors open at 3pm and tickets can be purchased below:
Van Walker (Album Launch) Tickets, George Lane, St Kilda | TryBooking Australia
See you there :)