newsletter
TIMFREEDMAN & The Idle
TIMFREEDMAN & The Idle
Hi Everyone,
I’m sitting here in the calm before the storm, in those sweet minutes leaning in the kitchen between last prep and first customers. The new album is all done.
Yes it took nearly six years, but at least that gave me a title:
AUSTRALIAN IDLE
I shot a cover idea today. In a pool, doing nothing.
The twelve songs come in at 39 minutes. I wouldn’t dare say it’s my best yet (let’s judge in a few years), but it may be my catchiest. It reeks of the 70’s. Hundreds of harmonies, piles of piano, stacks of synth, one banjo, a timpani and an oud.
You’ll see shows advertised as Tim Freedman and The Idle. This is my new 5 piece band. I’m joined by two great chicks and a couple of likely lads.
The album is out on November 4 through Sony Music. So it’s new album, new sound, new band, new label. I should get a haircut too.
We will tour from the release date through to Christmas, playing a lot of my favourite rooms -the ones that sound good and aren’t too big.
Sneaky observations, new lyrics, photos and a video of a piano/vocal demo will be on this Facebook page over the coming weeks, so to keep most up-to-date please go here and click on “like” http://on.fb.me/nj3Twq
Come and say hello – I’ll be out front after the show as usual,
Soon,
Tim
AUSTRALIAN IDLE TOUR DATES
WED 9th NOV – SPOTTED COW – TOOWOOMBA
TIX www.oztix.com.au & Venue 4639 3264
THUR 10th NOV – JOE’S WATERHOLE – EUMUNDI
TIX THRU VENUE 5442 8144
FRI 11th & SAT 12th NOV – THE ZOO – BRISBANE
TIX www.thezoo.com.au or www.oztix.com.au
THURS 17th & FRI 18th NOV – STREET THEATRE – CANBERRA
TIX THRU THE VENUE 6247 1519 & www.thestreet.org.au
FRI 25th NOV – THEATRE ROYAL – CASTLEMAINE
TIX THRU www.theatreroyal.info VENUE 54721196
SAT 26th NOV – CORNER HOTEL – RICHMOND
TIX www.cornerhotel.com Ph: 94279198
SUN 27th NOV – MULLUM MUSIC FESTIVAL – MULLUMBIMBY
TIX www.mullummusicfestival.com
FRI 2nd DEC – LAUNCESTON COUNTRY CLUB – PROSPECT VALE
TIX 1300 795 257 or www.tixtas.com.au
SAT 3rd DEC – WRESTPOINT CASINO SHOWROOM – SANDY BAY
TIX 1300 795 257 or www.tixtas.com.au
FRI 9th DEC – THE GOV – ADELAIDE
TIX www.thegov.com.au www.moshtix.com.au/default.aspx? or www.venuetix.com.au
Phone: 83400744
TUES 13th & WED 14th DEC – LIZOTTES – NEWCASTLE
TIX www.lizottes.com.au 49562066
THURS 15th DEC – ORANGE EX-SERVICES CLUB – ORANGE
TIX VENUE 6362 2666
FRI 16th DEC – ROTH’S WINE BAR – MUDGEE
TIX VENUE 6372 1222
SAT 17th DEC – THE METRO – SYDNEY
TIX 9550 3666 www.ticketek.com.au
Greeting All,
Greetings all.
I’m working on some new songs and I’ve got on a bit of a roll. How I’ve missed these little jigsaw puzzles.
I’m going to do two solo shows at The Vanguard to try them out on Thursday and Friday May 20 and 21. A fully seated affair again, with more space between the rows downstairs. Tickets go sale Wed 17 March, at http://sa2.seatadvisor.com/sabo/servlets/TicketRequest?eventId=100128465&presenter=AUVANGUARD&venue=&event
My friend Perry Keyes released his wonderful third album on March 5. I play pump organ and piano on track 16, “Boxing Day”. Please consider ordering the album for a ridiculous $12.99 from JB Hifi, and get a set of four drinks coasters http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/music/pop-rock/johnny-ray-s-downtown-bonus-coasters-signed-copy/482353
Perry and I played the song on NSW Stateline on ABC Television. The segment is online at http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/03/05/2838163.htm Also I will be playing a solo set at his album launch at Notes in Enmore on Saturday April 17.
I will be giving more succinct and slightly more frequent updates via Twitter which I am now utilising. And to think I used to be an early adopter.
You can sign up to my Twitter thingy here http://twitter.com/timfreedman . I’ll keep you informed about the making of the solo album which I am starting to hear. It’s going to have energy. It’s going to be fun.
The Whitlams four-piece are doing some shows in the coming weeks:
March
Friday 26 Mandurah, WA
Saturday 27 Mundaring Weir, Perth, WA
Full details and ticketing information at www.thewhitlams.com
We had a great time on the weekend in Canberra and Orange. Thanks to those of you who came along a and whooped it up,
All my best,
Tim
Tommorrow
Tomorrow on “Sunrise” and “The Morning Show” – Channel 7 and Prime, The Whitlams perform with 12 of the Sydney Symphony at the following times:
7.50am Charlie No. 1 (a new arrangement)
8.50am Keep the Light On
9.50am No Aphrodisiac
Also, just announced, Tim Freedman will also be playing three solo shows in Sydney:
The Basement (Limited Capacity)
Sunday 27th December w/ Lucie Thorne
Monday 28th December w/ Perry Keyes (solo)
You can grab tickets from The Basement on 02 9251 2797.
The Vanguard (Fully Seated)
Friday 5th February w/ Perry Keyes (solo)
Theatre seating downstairs, limited dinners upstairs
Tickets for this show are available now through The Vanguard
on 02 9020 6959 or via this link
Hi everyone,
Hi Everyone,
I’m sitting in Newtown tonight finishing off a song I’m going to sing tomorrow night for the brain surgeon Chris O’Brien’s Memorial Dinner in the Great Hall at Sydney University. They called me two days ago because Michael Parkinson had cancelled. I said “yes” because I wanted a deadline. And my knee specialist might be there, and I want to talk to him. Maybe one day I can stop saying “no” to Dancing with the Stars.
The song is about an old roadie of ours called Max, Man and Van. I spoke at his funeral last week. I suppose some people only write good songs about death.
Tickets are $1000 a head if you want to hear it. A better offer might be this:
We are doing a special corporate gig in Melbourne and they have some tickets left over, so they have now opened it up to our friends. It’s a new 200 seater venue in Preston. They are offering dinner, booze and us for $69. Only catch it’s this Friday night. Details at the end of this note.
Other news briefly is I’ve signed a new record deal with a bunch of do-gooders called Sony, so I’m writing a record which will go out under my own name sometime after I finish it. The Whitlams will still play when we’re asked and bribed accordingly, but it will mainly just be me for the next little while.
Actually my first shows playing a few of the tunes from the next album will be between Christmas and New Year in Sydney. I’ll be doing two Basement shows with reduced capacity for comfort. Opening on the 27th December will be the sublime Lucie Thorne and on the 28th the indescribable Perry Keyes. If you are away Christmas consider the one only (six nearly killed me last year) Vanguard show on February 5 in all seated mode.
Those that know say there are still some tickets left for The Whitlams and Sydney Symphony show at the Opera House on Saturday 5 December where we do Eternal Nightcap start to finish.
Tickets are available from Ticketek . Also we’re going to do the Eternal Nightcap show in Hobart with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. It will be on Wed 14th February next year & tickets will be on sale soon.
Finally, I’ll have included a link for a free download . It’s a previously unreleased live recording of “Buy Now Pay Later” with a great arrangement by Brett Dean & performed with the Sydney Symphony back in 2007.
Here’s the Preston show details,
Tim Freedman and The Whitlams playing live in an “up close and personal setting” at The Marquee at Bell City. A fantastic nights entertainment for a special rate of $69.00 per person for Dinner, Show and Beverages (Beer, Wine, softdrinks). Normal price is $139.00.This special rate is being offered to fans of The Whitlams for a limited number of seats.
Friday 20 November at The Marquee at Bell City. 215 Bell St Preston Victoria.
Tickets available by phone on 1 300 737 363 or on line at www.bellcity.com.au and press the “Marquee at Bell City” button. Enter “Fan” as the promotional code.
All my Best
Tim
ETERNAL NIGHTCAP in SYDNEY with the SYDNEY SYMPHONY
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ETERNAL NIGHTCAP in SYDNEY with the SYDNEY SYMPHONY Due to popular demand, Sat 5 Dec 8PM, concert announced Secure the best seats before they go on sale! Two years ago, The Whitlams and the Sydney Symphony rocked the Sydney Opera House in four sold-out shows. This December, they’re back by popular demand! Seats to the first two shows have almost sold out and we’ve been invited to come back for a third. Tickets go on sale 8 August to the general public, but in this exclusive presale period, you can buy the best seats in the house today! Celebrating 12 years since the release of their quadruple platinum, Aria breakthrough album, Eternal Nightcap, you can expect to hear the album in it’s entirety in the first half of the show. Organise your friends for the best night out you’ll share all year! The concerts of 2007 were described as: Special advanced Bookings are available from this Friday 31st from www.sydneysymphony.com & on 02 8215 4600. ETERNAL NIGHTCAP SHOWS ETERNAL NIGHTCAP IN MELBOURNE Friday 7th & Saturday 8th August sees The WHITLAMS return to their favourite rock room The CORNER HOTEL for their last Melbourne shows of the year. However, if you want to go you need to be seriously quick as there is literally only a handful of tickets remaining. For phone bookings are on 9427 9198, & online bookings at www.cornerhotel.com ETERNAL NIGHTCAP in ADELAIDE ETERNAL NIGHTCAP in BRISBANE The WHITLAMS in MACKAY The WHITLAMS in TOOWOOMBA The WHITLAMS in WA – A DAY ON THE GREEN |
ETERNAL NIGHTCAP in SYDNEY with the SYDNEY SYMPHONY
| ETERNAL NIGHTCAP in SYDNEY with the SYDNEY SYMPHONY
By popular demand The Whitlams will return in their only Sydney shows of the year to reprise their Sydney Symphony collaboration at the Sydney Opera House. This time to mark twelve years since the release of their classic breakthrough album “Eternal Nightcap”, The Whitlams and the Sydney Symphony will play “Eternal Nightcap” in its entirety in the first half of the show. “Eternal Nightcap” was their third album and led them to win Best Group at the 1998 ARIA Awards. Last year in ABC TV’s vote for the nation’s favourite 100 albums of all time it polled at No. 27. The Whitlams and the Sydney Symphony collaboration is considered the benchmark for rock and classical unions. The concerts of 2007 were described as: “…an exciting and enriching musical experience” Rosalind Wadley -The West Australian
”…the kind of arrangements which assume intelligence not just on stage but in the audience. “…superbly orchestrated with a sophistication of sound rare in a pop gig.” Andrew Murfett – December 3 and 4 in the Concert Hall are the dates to remember for this special concert. Special advanced Bookings are available from this Friday from www.sydneysymphony.com & on 02 8215 4600.
ETERNAL NIGHTCAP IN MELBOURNE After the resounding success of the 3 Hamer Hall concerts late last year with the Melbourne Symphony, The WHITLAMS return to their favourite rock room The CORNER HOTEL for their last Melbourne shows of the year.
The WHITLAMS also will make their first appearance of the year in Adelaide at The GOVERNOR HINDMARSH HOTEL on Friday 25th & Saturday 26th of September. These will both be All-Ages shows & tickets will be available from www.venuetix.com.au from Monday next week.All these shows will have the band play the album ETERNAL NIGHTCAP in it’s entirety, followed by a set of other favourites.
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Hello all
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Hello All, The “Best of ” year and tour are now over, so thanks to everyone that came along or bought the album. It’s time to look ahead. But first some gigs. Just announced so you can still get early bird tickets is a two night performance in Sydney with some of my friends singing songs about women. It will be quite a funny evening I think. If it goes well I hope to bring the show to other capital cities over the next year. The press release for “Pillow Talk” is below, and under that some more dates including Jackson Browne, The Garden of Earthly Delights in Adelaide (all solo) and a full Whitlams’ show at The Quarry in Perth. Then I’m going to write and record. What, I don’t know, Cheers “Pillow Talk” at the Basement Tim Freedman has recently completed a sold out solo tour in which he combined archival images of his past loves with the songs he wrote about them, and also an explanation of why they were written. Tim enjoyed presenting these intimate shows so much he was inspired to seek out his closest friends for an evening of secret men’s business. Pinky Beecroft (Machine Gun Fellatio & The White Russians), David McCormack (formerly of Custard, now David McCormack & The Polaroids) and Perry Keyes (chronicler of Sydney’s inner city and winner of Radio National’s Album Of The Year) were quizzed by Tim about their tales of love and lust – what we would have given to be a fly on the wall that night. From there it was a hop, skip and a jump to the idea that yes, these four fine friends are all lovers of women and they like declaring such in song. Having sold over a million albums between them the boys have the war wounds, the one liners and the songs to fill a teenager’s diary. Observe Beecroft’s “Pussytown” and “Unsent Letter” , Freedman’s “No Aphrodisiac”, McCormack’s new “A.V.O” and the old classic “Anatomically Correct”, and Keyes’ love song for “Fairfield Girls” (although generally he prefers to stick to single mothers on methadone wheeling prams). For two special nights at the Basement, four of Australia’s most interesting songwriters join forces for the first time with a hand- picked backing band to tell their tales of love won and lost, of spare parts for broken hearts, of lust and the lack, and of the stuff that wet dreams are made of. Urbane and slightly insane, these troublemakers can’t wait to tell you how it is, of the women they’ve loved and the women they wished had loved them back. Until Feb 7 early bird tickets are $35 plus booking fee. Thereafter tickets will be $42 plus booking fee. When: Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March Where: The Basement, Reiby Place, Sydney Tickets: Dinner and Show 02 9251 2797 General Admission online at www.thebasement.com.au Fri 20th March – Moshtix Sat 21st March – Moshtix Shows Fri 30 & Sat 31 Jan Sun 1 Feb Tues 24 & Wed 25 Feb Thur 26 Feb Sat 28 Mar Jackson Browne opening spots between Fri 27 Feb and Sun Mar 15. All shows are listed at www.thewhitlams.com
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This Issue
In this issue:
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A letter from Tim Freedman
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Links to pre-order ‘Truth, Beauty & A Picture of You’
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Watch exclusive footage of Tim Freedman
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‘Best Of’ national tour dates
A Letter From Tim Freedman
Hi Everyone,
We’ve been pretty quiet since the orchestral tour ended last November, but that’s about to change with the “Best of” out this Saturday, a big tour coming up, and lots of waffling in the newspapers, radio and TV over the next few weeks.
Terepai has been with Missy Higgins in America much of this year but he’ll be back in time for the Hobart date in mid August and doing the rest of the tour. Jak has been playing with lots of different bands around Sydney and grown the thickest beard I’ve seen (think Charles Manson meets 1969 Lennon), and Warwick has been looking after his little boy. I put together the live album that went out with newspapers, went to France for a while and ate cheese,
had knee surgery and worked on the “Best of”.
I’ve also been spending time with my little girl. I think the Sydney Morning Herald will talk about that in a story this Saturday. They came to my house and I couldn’t be bothered taking the photos off the wall. Her name is Alice. She is three.
I’m in Melbourne tonight. There’ll be a story in the Sun Herald Sun down here, and I’ve talked to the Advertiser and the West Australian and Courier Mail in the last few days. Yes, it’s been the week of reminiscing.
The “Best of” flows really well I think. Everyone will have their own preferences for this type of collection, but this is my version. If you have lots of the albums you may not need it, but you will notice the following.
– the new track with Torcha and The Queensland Orchestra “The Road is Lost”
– “Keep the Light On” and “The Curse Stops Here” live with the Sydney Symphony
– a new mix of Gough
– single mixes of “Melbourne” and “I Make Hamburgers”
– DVD with a long interview with me talking about the songs and with clips of “Ease of the Midnight Visit” and “Fondness Makes the Heart Grow Absent” from the Sydney Opera House concerts last year.
At least now if someone asks me to give them one of my albums I know which one.
Finally, you might catch us on television this week if you want. I’m doing an interview with Today Tonight this Thursday morning which they intend to try and get ready for that night. Later on that night we are on the Rugby League Footy Show playing 8 choruses on the way in and out of ad breaks, and doing a full song at the end. Then the next morning we are playing “I Make Hamburgers” and “Thank You” on Sunrise. The songs are on at 7.40am and 8.50am usually.
We’re looking forward to the shows over the next few months. Some are with Symphony Orchestras (Melbourne and Hobart), some with 30 piece female orchestra (Sydney) and some with the good old 4 piece. We’ll concentrate on the “Best of” songs, but I’ll make sure to throw in a few rarities (maybe the best B-side “Coming Up for Air”) and some covers.
The links below are for pre-ordering a signed physical copy of the “Best of” from JB HI Fi and for a YouTube channel that will be showing parts of my interview about the songs over the next week, with new stuff going up every few days.
Be kind to teenagers,
Tim Freedman
Links To Pre-order & Watch The Whitlams
Pre-order ‘Truth, Beauty & A Picture of You at JB Hi Fi
Watch exclusive footage of Tim Freedman speaking about songs off the new album out August 2 onYouTube
The Truth, Beauty & A Picture of You 2008
National Tour
Thursday 7 August
Davistown RSL, Central Coast
Tickets available from the venue Ph: 02 4363 0199
Friday 8 August
The Brewery, Maitland
Tickets available from the venue Ph: 02 4933 578
Saturday 9 August
Dubbo RSL, Dubbo
Tickets available from the venue Ph: 02 6882 4411
Friday 15 August
Wrest Point Casino, Hobart
with The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Tickets available from Wrest Point Ph: 1300 795 257
Friday 22 & Saturday 23 August
The Gov, Adelaide
Tickets available from Venue Tix
Thursday 4 & Friday 5 September
The Zoo, Brisbane
Tickets available from OzTix
Thursday 11 & Friday 12 September
State Theatre, Sydney
with 30 piece female orchestra “Symphonie des Femmes”
Tickets available from Ticketmaster
Wednesday 24, Thursday 25 & Friday 26 September
Hamer Hall, Melbourne
with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Tickets available from Ticketmaster
Saturday 4 October
Belmont Sailing Club, Newcastle
Tickets on sale soon
Thursday 9 October
Late Night Festival Hub – McCabe Park, Wollongong
Tim Freedman solo
Tickets available from the venue Ph: 02 4226 3366
Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 October
Tilley’s, Canberra
Tickets available from Canberra Ticketing
Friday 17 October
Lizotte’s, Kincumber
Tim Freedman solo
Tickets available from Lizotte’s
Saturday 18 October
Mullum Civic, Mullumbimby
Tickets on sale soon
Sunday 19 October
Caloundra Festival, QLD
Tickets available from Caloundra Music Festival
Friday 24 October
Tank Art Centre, Cairns
Tickets available from Ticket Link or Ph: 07 4031 9555
Saturday 1 November
Regal Theatre, Perth
Presented by Supersonic & Mix 94.5
Tickets available from Ticketek
Friends of The Whitlams
Dear Friends of The Whitlams,
There simply is “no aphrodisiac” like The Whitlams and the Sydney Symphony joining forces for two magical shows on 20 and 21 September, 2007 in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.
Front-man Tim Freedman and the band will play their hits of the last decade plus great new material arranged just for the Sydney Symphony. The band continues to be a prominent force on the Australian music scene with their current album Little Cloud moving towards being their 4th consecutive platinum album.
Book your tickets to The Whitlams with the Sydney Symphony during the special ‘Friends of The Whitlams’ internet pre-sale which starts today.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday 30 April at 9am.
To book simply click on the link below which will take you to Sydney Symphony event page and enter the specialpromotional code: 1160 to log on and access the booking page.
http://www.sydneysymphony.com/event_detail.asp?s=573
BOOK NOW!
Solo Shows
Dear Friends of The Whitlams,
2007 Dates with Tim Freedman:
FRI DECEMBER 7 – Lizottes, Central Coast NSW
Tickets from Lizottes or call 02 4368 2017THUR DECEMBER 20 – The Basement, Sydney NSW
SOLD OUT
FRI DECEMBER 21 – The Basement, Sydney NSW
SOLD OUTFRI DECEMBER 28 – The Heritage Hotel, Bulli NSW
Tickets from the venue or call 02 4284 5884SAT DECEMBER 29 – Milton Theatre, Milton NSW
Tickets from Country Leather Milton 02 4455 3056 or Mailbu Music 02 4455 5693
MON DECEMBER 31 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla NSW
Tickets from the venue or call 02 9544 3844*********************************************************
Now for those of you already planning 2008 the Sunshine & Clouds tour has been announced.
