I just got back from tour managing Die! Die! Die! around NZ on their release tour for Form, it was a ton of fun and I made this little highlight reel with footage from most of the 25 shows we did.
I’m doing heaps of traveling see bands over the next few months, I’ve put a little calendar above that shows what city I’ll be in at what time and If I’m free to come see your band, if I am, please invite me.
Download this video here
CALH2011 tickets on sale now! Click here for tickets or just more info.
CAMPUS A LOW HUM 2011
11-13 Feb. Bulls
I couldn’t bring myself to issue a press release filled with hyperbole and propaganda to convince everybody of the awesomeness of CALH.
Next year will be the fifth time I’ve hosted this party, surely ya’ll know what to expect by now? If you haven’t been before, you must have heard the stories, seen the photos and dodgy videos. That’s what it’s like; chalk dicks on blackboards and parties in empty swimming pools. It’s Campus A Low Hum and it’s time for Term 2.
Tickets go on sale July 1 at www.campusalh.com and as usual I’ll slowly leak some of what’s happening over the coming months. Of course, as per the tradition, there will be no official band announcement, however for the boring basics of what you need to know right now, click here.
You can join the Camp A Low Hum Facebook group here
I’ve started work editing the highlight video from CALH2010 and it should be finished in a few weeks. You should subscribe to my Youtube channel if you want to be alerted as soon as it’s up.
http://www.youtube.com/user/alowhum
I’m trying to collect all video out there for it, so if you shot any video at all, even if its crappy cell-phone footage or whatever send me an email and I’ll work out how to get from you: alowhum@gmail.com
Documentary Interviews
We are still shooting interviews for the A Low Hum Movie. If you are keen to be interviewed on camera talking about your experiences (good and bad) at Camp, Campus or even the A Low Hum tours. Please get in touch: alowhum@gmail.com – will only be interviewing those who get in touch ahead of time.
We’ll be filming on these dates:
Wellington – July 11
Auckland – July 18
Christchurch – July 30
Dunedin – Aug 2nd
More Awesome Reviews for ‘The Fever Fold’ by RED STEERS 
They keep coming in! Have you downloaded it free yet? HERE
“Beautiful sounds… long sweeping choral sound-scapes and traces of tribal thunder”
5 Stars. Groove Guide
“Different from anything you’ve heard from New Zealand before. A giddy mix of competing faux-choral voices, emphatic drums and deft atmospheric touches.”
8/10 Under the Radar
“Beautifully melodic and awash with choir-like layered vocals that give me goosebumps on my goosebumps”
The Canterbury Press
“Almost like a choral, blissed-out version of dubstep”
Salient
“Awesome pop music that’s like medicine for the ears. More hooks than a Long John Silver impersonation contest and beats so bouncy you’d swear they were made of rubber.”
The Devil has the best Tuna Blog
DISASTERADIO
Disasteradio’s first single since his critically acclaimed 2007 album Visions is due out VERY SOON!
‘Gravy Rainbow’ is as brilliant a piece of pop as you’d expect, listen out for it!
DIE! DIE! DIE! Album Tour
I’m sure everybody has heard by now that Die Die Die are the latest signing to Flying Nun, they sneakily announced it at CALH2010 months before they were meant too! I have been helping put their tour together and will be tour managing it also, providing the weather is not my enemy again. I will get to see everyone around the country as this tour is going everywhere.
The new album is really good, and Flying Nun and Die! Die! Die! Are doing a real sweet deal where if you buy a ticket to one of the shows, you can buy the album for just an extra $16!
To get tickets (and albums) click here. To check out dates, check out the Facebook event here, come to the shows and say “hi”.
Die! Die! Die! on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/diediedieband
Die! Die! Die! on Myspace http://www.myspace.com/diediedienz
48 Hours Film
This year was the first time I’ve been involved with the 48 Hours Film competition, haha, and I stamped my mark all over the soundtrack. Featuring songs from Disasteradio, Signer, a short live performance from So So Modern, and two BRAND NEW tracks from the forthcoming Psychic Powers record.
We drew “Romantic Comedy” – and if I do say so myself – my selection of Infinity off the forthcoming Psychic Powers record to accompany the last 3min30 of the film was genius…
“The Wake Up” directed and edited by Daniel Batkin-Smith and along with a mean crew of Wellington’s finest, came second in the Wellington finals, winning best editing and sexiest film. Watch it here
CALH2011 announced this week! Sign up to the mailing list below to receive details.
Red Steers’ new record was released on Monday; it’s a free digital download from here
The glowing reviews are coming in.
“A work of art containing alluring elements; driving percussion, blossoming harmonies and the feeling that you are venturing into an unknown world of beauty”
The Corner (full review)
“Great voice. Jaunty tunes. Each one totally enjoyable. Gorgeous almost choral moments.”
At Home with Rose (full review)
“With plenty of pop hooks and tonnes of bouncy beats, The Fever Fold is one of the most perfectly formed releases of the year”
Einstein Music Journal (full review)
If you like the record and would like to support A Low Hum and Red Steers and that we are making this music available free, you can purchase a limited edition A4 – 230gsm hand-print of the album artwork (By Chris Simpson/Ghetto Witch). It costs only $10NZD including free postage anywhere in the World! Click here to do so. Support is MUCH appreciated.
Affection, the long awaited follow-up to The Wolves EP is going to be released very soon. A new song ‘The Ocean’ is featured on a free CD compilation released with the May issue of Tally Ho magazine, and Real Groove’s new Awesome Feelings compilation (released as a digital download in May) features ‘The Garden (Small Steps)’.
I trialled it at Camp 2009 with a special compilation released with a poster, and have finally done it properly with the release of the new Red Steers record. Why?
A few years ago while on tour, me and some friends discussed the future of music distribution.
We were all well and truly over the CD as a format, it wasn’t only the wasted resources and environmental impact of the production of the CD that was annoying us, it was just that we didn’t even feel the one saving grace of purchasing music in a physical format anymore (the artwork) was even represented well with the CD, and getting vinyl pressed was simply too expensive and an elusive luxury.
It seemed so blindingly obvious. We loved the portability, affordability and no boundaries distribution of the MP3, but missed the collection and appreciation of the associated artwork. So I boiled it down to its bare necessities, removing all the unnecessary packaging and have decided to make the bulk of my future releases simply digital downloads with hand-printed artwork.
Many have been aware of my obsession with screen printed art over the years. I love the fragility of it, that every print is different. You know that each piece is unique and were created from scratch. It helps remove ourselves from the soulless world of mass-manufactured CDs and landfills full of unsold plastic jewel cases and discs.
The beauty of the MP3 is its availability to anybody with an internet connection, I didn’t want postage to become a hindrance to presenting this artwork, so have made postage free, anywhere in the World!
I settled on A4 as the ideal size after experimenting with ideas from postcard through to A3. The A4 seemed to be the perfect size where it was visible and looked great on a wall, but didn’t intrude. Also, the size reminded me of sticking record covers on the wall of my bedroom growing up and falling in love with album artwork in the first place.
The book I’m writing which started as an update to 2006’s Local Knowledge but has evolved into an all out DIY handbook for not just bands but anybody interested in music in NZ and who wants to make life better for themselves/everyone is taking shape. Much of it is me ranting on about this-and-that and I’m probably going to get no end of flack for it, but it’s exciting bridge burning time.
It is taking shape as a collection of essays, getting down on paper the thoughts that have been darting around in my head the past six years while doing long drives across the country and the World. It’s coming together on schedule, I’m aiming for it to be out in August, so stay tuned. There should be exact details in the next newsletter.
Doing another session of interviews in Auckland and also Christchuch during May. Details will be sent out on the Camp A Low Hum Facebook group.
I’m fully rested and recovered from 2010, and I’m keen to keep the punishment going. Expect some sort of announcement about CALH2011 in the next newsletter.
Congratulations to Grayson Gilmour for being the first signing to the re-launched Flying Nun. I was proud to have booked the release tour for this important occasion and for the first time in maybe three!? years, I’ll be touring around New Zealand with a band. I’m especially excited about getting down to Christchurch and Dunedin again in what seems like an eternity. If you want to check out dates of the tour etc, check here: http://www.myspace.com/graysongilmour
Hand Printed Artwork
You can download The Fever Fold from Red Steers for free by clicking here (35mb)
If you would like to support Red Steers and A Low Hum and that we are making this music available free, please purchase a copy of the limited edition artwork released with this download, pictured on the left.
The poster is hand printed on textured A4 230gsm paper and costs only $10 NZD including free postage ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. You can pay by credit card or paypal by clicking here
or
If you have an NZ bank account you can purchase via Trade Me here or you can make a payment directly into the bank account below. If you make a bank payment, please email me straight after: alowhum@gmail.com with your postal address.
CAMP A LOW HUM
03 0525 0337765 00
Westpac
Want to know why I have chosen artwork as a format for delivery of future releases? Click here
You can also have a listen to the new single from The Fever Fold: Night Hawkes
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Red Steers is Wellington’s Daniel Johnston. I am really excited about his new record, some amazing tracks on it, please download the first single below.
Canoe from the forthcoming record The Fever Fold
Download here or listen below
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The Fever Fold is released April 26th, 2010.
The old Red Steers EP (2008), Laga Luga Lagoon can also be downloaded for free from here
To view the gallerys of photos, click here: http://alowhum.picturepush.com/
Click on the thumbnails to view larger version, to then download a high resolution copy, click on the larger version.
Photos taken by Abby Cattermole.
Photo by Ben Butcher
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=43641971929 The official CALH facebook group
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=43641971929 The official CALH facebook group
REVIEWS
http://www.nzmusician.co.nz/index.php/ps_pagename/article/pi_articleid/1865Review in NZMusician Magazine
http://www.capitaltimes.co.nz/article/2733/Camptimes.html Review in Wellingtons Capital Times
http://www.messandnoise.com/articles/3858787 Review by Andy Hazel for Mess and Noise
http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/utr/liveReview/CID/53/N/Campus-A-Low-Hum-2010.utr Review on Under The Radar
http://thekitchensink.co.nz/totems-flare/campus-report-card/ – Review on The Kitchen Sink
http://morphmagazine.co.nz/component/content/article/40-articles/94-too-cool-for-school-campus-a-low-hum-2010.html – Review by Morph Magazine
BLOGS
http://pissingonthemainframe.blogspot.com/2010/01/camp-low-hum-2010.html
http://thecolourofmyloveforyou.blogspot.com/2010/01/calh.html
http://harrowkimchi.blogspot.com/2010/02/campus-low-hum.html
http://myjewelsgoldandgems.blogspot.com/
http://crackhouse5.blogspot.com/2010/01/campus-killed-us-dead-i-aint-got-no.html
http://www.sonorouscircle.com/tag/a-low-hum/
FORUMS
http://www.messandnoise.com/discussions/3784970
http://www.smallnightin.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3516&start=0
http://cheeseontoast.co.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5
http://toohotforpants.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=652
http://www.outofkilter.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2886
http://www.what-the-funk.com/showthread.php?t=4433
PHOTOS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rachel_brandon/collections/72157623169102015/ – Photos by Rachel Brandon
http://longexposurephotos.blogspot.com/search/label/campus%20a%20low%20hum Photos by Ben Butcher
http://longexposurephotos.blogspot.com/2010/02/campus-low-hum-2010-deluxe-edition.html More Photos by Ben Butcher
http://www.einsteinmusicjournal.co.nz/campus-a-low-hum-2010-photos/ – Photos on EMJ
http://fknhell.tumblr.com/
VIDEOS
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=campus+low+hum&search_type=&aq=f A bunch of stuff on Youtube
http://vimeo.com/9286171 – Dan Deacons ENTIRE pool set.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvY9gPwUhJc – So So Modern
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs160.snc3/18780_449215940499_595000499_10707098_7474022_n.jpg
Overall, THANK YOU. It was for me everything I imagined. SO Stoked.
Campus A Low Hum 2010
SOLD OUT. Though to go on waiting list incase I get any returns, email: alowhum@gmail.com
Check out www.campusalh.com for details on the location, and the announcement of the Roller Disco! The Campus map will be online very soon.
Fields of Dreams
100% Sold Out! So sorry to those who missed out on tix. Please don’t ask me for some, its completely sold out.
The Dodos and Daedelus – Jan 29th, Bodega
Two absolutely amazing acts from the US are going to be playing some shows in NZ late January, I’m putting together awesome all night long double bill show in Wellington on Jan 29th.
$30 will get you the early show of The Dodos + Orchestra of Spheres and free entry into the late show of Daedelus and Signer. Tickets from www.undertheradar.co.nz or Real Groovy Wellington.
THE DODOS (Live) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McA1dM_FtEg
DAEDELUS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYElsvpB8RA&feature=fvwe1
DAEDELUS (Live): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G65TXujhYxQ
THE DODOS (MYSPACE) http://www.myspace.com/thedodos
DAEDELUS (MYSPACE) http://www.myspace.com/daedelusdarling
Signer
Signer’s “Next we bring you the Fire” is in shops now!!
You can download two free mp3s from the album “Languidly Toot” and “+Kicks and Kicks” from here
GAYWYRE
I don’t normally do this, infact, i pretty much never do this, but there is this band in Wellington who are seriously a good time live, and they are doing an EP release show this Friday at Bodega. I didn’t think it was possible to have this much fun at a metal show, but please, if you like it heavy and if you like a goodtime (and slightly erotic), don’t miss this show! Only $5 too.
Campus A Low Hum 2010
I’m gonna try not to talk too much about Campus right here, as soon as I start even thinking about it I get all choked up at how incredible it’s going to be and I can’t say anything. Thought I’d just try to calm down, and lay out some facts.
Two of the parties happening at Campus 2010 have been announced. CALH’s very own Orientation party and Leavers Formal. Details above, click on CALH
Tickets are still available, but selling hell fast
The Christchurch Travel Special is all sold out. Sorry to those who missed out.
There are details on the site now about the bus I have organised from Wellington to Campus and back, this will likely also sell out real soon, so please book fast!
The D.I.C.K Mixtape swap is back for 2010, though with a twist. Details on the website soon!
Dorm Rooms are selling quickly. Book one ASAP if you want one.
Camp A Low Hum 2009
Blair Young from Glasgow made a real sweet little edit of highlights of his time at Camp ’09, currently only on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=178502233053
Fields of Dreams
Tickets are going swell for the inaugural Fields of Dreams at Camp Wainui this NYE. They’ll all be sold out pretty soon, don’t be a typical kiwi and slack around buying tickets and be stuck at some boring pub gig on NYE, while we’re out under the stars.
Tickets are only $30 for 2 days of relaxed beauty and 2 nights of chaotic party.
http://alowhum.com/nye/
A Low Hum Label
It’s been a very quiet 2009 for A Low Hum, the label. The one and only CD I’ll be releasing in 2009 is coming out November 23rd and I am so proud that it’s the third album from the one and only SIGNER! His new album “Next we Bring you the Fire” I guess is best described as “pop infused lush shoegaze ambient techno”, though…just have a listen, cause that description sounds absolutely terrible. The NZ release of the album features two tracks not on the US Carpark Records release.
You can download an mp3 of the new single +kicks and kicks here: http://www.alowhum.com/free/Signer_kicksandkicks.zip
And, click on “Free MP3s” above to download another track from the album called “Languidly Toot”.
Disasteradio
D-rad is heading off in one week for his third totally self funded European tour and is having a HUGE fundraising show this Saturday at Bodega in Wellington. Two floors of party with friends Gaywyre, Reptilian Future Cops, The Postures, Cartoon, Body 125, Cult of the Cobra, Tengu and KazaamBLAM!
Bodega, Sat Nov 7th. 9pm. $10
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=176981508627&index=1
