By Martin Boulton
TEX PERKINS & THE TENNESSEE FOUR
In recent years when Rachel Tidd was on stage performing the wonderful songs of June Cater and Johnny Cash with Tex Perkins as the Man in Black, she could not have imagined what lay ahead. Tidd and Dave Folley, who played drums in The Man in Black stage show, have a four-year-old son together, Frankie, who throughout this year has been fighting a rare, aggressive cancer called neuroblastoma. Frankie, or "Frank the Tank" to his family, has had six rounds of chemotherapy, plus surgery and endless tests, but he's not yet halfway through his treatment. To help support Frankie, Dave and Rachael as well as the rest of their family in this tough time, Tex Perkins is teaming up again with the Tennessee Four for a special fundraising show at the Athenaeum Theatre on Friday, August 19. Perkins, who many music fans will know from the Beasts of Bourbon, the Cruel Sea, Dark Horses or the many other acts he's fronted, won widespread praise for his role as Johnny Cash, but this performance will be a little extra special for everyone involved. Also playing on the night will be Chris Russell's Chicken Walk, Lost Ragas and the host of the evening will be Brian Nankervis. Frankie's family, friends and the local music community have rallied behind him, and now you can too, simply by getting along to the Athenaeum for this fantastic show. Tickets now on sale from premier.ticketek.com.au, or bit.ly/298UA0I
Tex Perkins will perform at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne with the Tennessee Four in a special fundraising show on August 19.Credit: Brendan Esposito
THE DACIOS BRING IT, DARLING
What's better than seeing mighty Melbourne three-piece the Dacios blasting through a bunch of songs? Seeing a pumped-up five-piece version of the Dacios playing a free show at the Grace Darling in Collingwood as part of Leaps and Bounds Music Festival across the City of Yarra. The band has been laying low, working on their follow-up album to 2014's Monkey's Blood album and will make a rare appearance on Saturday, July 16, with new members Bonnie Mercer and Mindy Mapp on board. This will be the only show the Dacios have scheduled in the forseeable future and it all takes place at the Grace Darling Hotel, 114 Smith Street, Collingwood, with support from Shit Sex and Root Rat. Lovely. leapsandboundsmusicfestival.com
GLENN FORD'S RECORD MACHINE
After releasing his independent solo album City Folk a few years back, Melbourne singer, songwriter and guitarist Glenn Ford felt the time was right to get a new band together and the Record Machine is that band. Ford and his new group settled into a studio for a few days in 2014 and songs from their debut album, now available, can be heard live tonight at Pause Bar, Carlisle Street in Balaclava, and next Friday, July 22, at the same venue. Bringing the blues, country and rock 'n' roll together in a time-honoured fashion, but adding his own passion for songwriting into the mix, Glenn Ford says he's "intensely proud" of new album Red Means Go and keen to punch it out live. pausebar.com.au glennfordmusic.com
Mick Thomas and the Roving Commission are on a mini tour.Credit: Robin Sharrock
MICK THOMAS' MID-WINTER HIT OUT
Not one to rug up and settle in for the winter months, Mick Thomas is about will take his band the Roving Commission on the road for a mini tour, playing The Grand in Mornington on July, MEMO Music Hall in St Kilda on July 30 and Oakleigh's always friendly Caravan Music Club on July 31. Thomas released new single Damo's Working in the Mines this week. The new vinyl single can be bought at Thomas' live shows or via mickthomas.bandcamp.com. Mick Thomas' special guest at the MEMO show on July 30 will be Sal Kimber. "Winter took its time coming but now it's finally arrived that's no excuse to prostrate yourself in front of the tele watching ads for Sportsbet," Thomas said. "Get out and catch Mick Thomas and the Roving Commission playing some fine Melbourne venues, something the city is rightly famous for."