September 2009

Well here we are, on the other side. It's all a little bit spooky isn't it? We've had a few weeks to let it sink in, and guess what, it wasn't a hoax! Not even John Farnham can twist our arms now... We had such a great time at the farewell shows, and we thank everyone who came along, including people who flew in from all corners of the world! It was a real treat for us to catch up with all our old friends and to see so many familiar faces in the crowd. And anyone who was at the final show at the Corner will know, we filmed the entire show! That's right — all professional-like, to match our slick performance.. ahem. So, yes, there will probably be some kind of digital video type of viewing disc available some time in the near-to-not-too-near future! We'll keep you posted on this stuff (and more) right here, so please check back in from time to time. All purchasable goodies will remain up on our Order page.

June 2009

Due to the crazy overwhelming response to our two Melbourne farewell shows (Saturday is sold out, and there's just a few tickets left for the Wednesday), we have decided to go totally insane and add two more final dates — Tuesday, August 25 at the the Corner, and Friday, August 28 at the beautiful Thornbury Theatre . These will definitely be the final dates added! If you're feeling like making a night of it, please note the Friday (Thornbury Theatre) night will be optional dinner 'n' show, with a two-course dinner available for $40 $35! We probably won't be doing the cooking however. Washing up, possibly.


May 2009

Hey again guys. Well... It's been a long sad week for us, but so heartening to read all the guestbook and Myspace messages, and blog entries and website posts... It really means a lot to receive all these warm thoughts and things. Thank you all!!!

And thanks to everyone who has bought a ticket to our farewell shows. Looks like these shows are shaping up to be some seriously fun parties! We're excited to announce (while, of course, sorry to anyone who missed out) that our final farewell show at the Corner has sold out in one day! So, all in a tizzy, we have scrambled a second Melbourne show together at the Corner Hotel on Wednesday, August 26, with tickets now on sale here! Special guests for the night will be announced soon.

In other big news, we have added a Tasmanian date — Thursday, August 27! At the Brisbane Hotel in Hobart. And yes, by jingos, Darren Hanlon will be appearing with us! Tickets will go on sale on August 1 for that one. We'll keep you posted.

All ticket info to hand is below. We'll be adding Fremantle and Canberra details within the next few days, so please check back in for any updates.

Fri August 14 — Jive Bar, Adelaide. Tickets at www.moshtix.com.au

Sat August 15 — Mojo’s Fremantle with The Bank Holidays. Tickets at www.oztix.com

Fri August 21 — Factory Theatre, Sydney with Darren Hanlon. Tickets at www.seatadvisor.com and www.ticketek.com.au, or at Enmore Theatre and Metro box office.

Sat August 22 — Tilley’s, Canberra with Darren Hanlon. Tickets at Canberra Ticketing and Canberra Theatre Centre box office.

Sun August 23 — The Zoo, Brisbane with Darren Hanlon. Tickets at www.oztix.com.au (phone 1300 762 545) or Rockinghorse Records (City), Kill The Music (City), Butterbeats (City & Valley), Bombay Rock (Townsville), Cooly Hotel (Coolangatta), Disasterpiece (Southport), Gooble Warming (West End), Great Western (Rockhampton), Moshpit Music (Maroochydore), Rockaway Records (Springwood), Sands Tavern (Maroochydore) & Sunflower Music (Broadbeach)

Wed August 26 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne. Tickets at www.cornerhotel.com and Polyester Records (Fitzroy and City stores)

Thurs August 27 — Brisbane Hotel, Hobart with Darren Hanlon. Tickets on sale August 1.

Sat Aug 29 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne with Darren Hanlon. SOLD OUT!


May 2009

A sad message to all our friends

Dear Friends,

There's no easy way to put this, so please accept our apologies for the seemingly abrupt nature of this post. We are saddened to announce that after sixteen years as The Lucksmiths, the band has decided to break up.

The last few years have been an uphill battle in many ways, so this isn't a hasty decision based on any falling-out between band members, but rather, an acceptance of the inevitable. This decision was finally reached a few months back, so we've had plenty of time to let it sink in.

We had tried to operate the band in a way that would suit all of us, but at the same time we've been very conscious that too much compromise would in the end affect our creative output. We're very proud of the music we make, and we certainly didn't want it to start stinking. So, in taking our cues from Devo, we've decided to whip the proverbial cream before it sits out too long.

We're really excited about our upcoming European tour, and have booked some Australian dates for our "farewell tour" in August. The details for these shows are in our gig guide. We really hope to see as many people at these shows as possible, as we will be playing super long sets, cramming in as many old favourites as possible.

We must apologise for not making it back to the USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand or Singapore, or to the other amazing European countries we've previously visited — and for never having made it to the other fifty or so countries we'd hoped to tour one day.

We really want to thank you all, especially the wonderful people who've helped us out in any way, and anyone who's listened to our music or come to a show. We've loved having you in our world and we will miss you dearly.

xo The Lucksmiths

April 2009

Good news! We'll be playing a song or two on the radio, this Wednesday night, April 22, between 12 midnight and 2am (yes, technically that is Thursday morning...) during Daniel Kitson's final night of his RRR live-to-air season. Those of you in Melbourne, who missed out on tickets to Mr Kitson's show Work in Progress should tune in on Wednesday night, or even better — if you're a RRR subscriber, you can win tickets to be in the audience! Also playing some tunes will be the amazing Grand Salvo, as well as some other hilarious people, probably.

Furthermore and notwithstanding, we also have some very exciting shows rapidly approaching in May with Okkervil River!

Friday, May 8 — Annandale Hotel, Sydney
Sunday, May 17 — Billboard, Melbourne

December 2008

Season’s greetings and all that, everyone.... For those of you looking for some respite from your Christmas shopping ordeal, an admittedly late reminder that we’re playing at Pure Pop Records in St Kilda this Saturday evening (December 20) at 5pm. There are more details at our "gigs" page.

We‘d also like to let you know that we have a brand new song coming out on a compilation put together by Melbourne-based magazine The Lifted Brow. Apparently someone stumbled upon a fake bookshelf — made-up books painted onto a wall — and they had the rather wonderful idea of asking various bands and writers to come up with pieces based on those titles. No way can we refuse that sort of thing! Our contribution is a jaunty little number called "The World of Professional Golf 1994". You can pre-order a copy now at www.theliftedbrow.com. Or, better still, you could get along to the launch: Friday January 16 at the East Brunswick Club. The line-up inlcudes Bachelorette, Sly Hats, Aleks and the Ramps, Institut Polaire, and Fulton Lights — although not, unfortunately, us.

November 2008

Listen to Mark and Tali's Melbourne Cup Day interview on RRR FM!


October 2008


Our new album First Frost is available to pre-order now!! Here's where...

Australia: The Lost and Lonesome Recording Co.
UK: Fortuna Pop!
USA: Matinee Recordings


Read Marty's recording diary on Mess & Noise!


June 2008

Hey everyone....

It’s been three long years since we last ventured into the recording studio to make an album. Governments have fallen, icecaps have shrunk, and wars have dragged on pointlessly. However, we’re very pleased to announce that a brand new Lucksmiths album is not too far away. At the end of this month we’re packing our warmest socks and heading to Tasmania, where we’ll record with Chris Townend at his studio in the foothills of Mt Wellington. Chris has previously worked with Portishead, Lior, Laura Jean, and our old friend Darren Hanlon, among others, and we’re really excited to have the opportunity to work with him ourselves. We have a bunch of new songs that we’re excited about, too; those of you who can make it along to one of our warm-up shows — and given the climate, that might be an all-too-literal term — in Melbourne and Hobart (details below) will have a sneak-preview of a few. And if that wasn’t enough to entice you along, we also have some brand-spanking-new Lucksmiths umbrellas for sale, as well as a new, thematically compatible fridge magnet. See you then, then.

May 2008

Melbourne and Hobart shows added!!!

Melbourne — Friday June 27, East Brunswick Club with The Bell Divers and Grand Salvo
Hobart — Sunday June 29, Republic Bar with Anthony Rochester and Sam J. Nicholson

Oh, and..... Singapore!!!! We're really excited to have been invited to play the Baybeats Festival on Saturday August 30. More news as it comes to hand.

April 2008

Alright — we’ve finally given in to our cravings for miniature bags of peanuts and/or pretzels, and over the coming month we’re taking to the nation’s skyways to bring the Lucksmiths live experience to a state capital near you.* There’s more information on our gig listing page, but, briefly, the shows are:

Sydney — Friday April 18, Hopetoun Hotel
Adelaide — Friday April 25, Grace Emily Hotel
Perth — Saturday April 26, Mojo’s
Brisbane — Saturday May 10, Jugglers

Come along — no excuses, now.

*Nothing confirmed for Hobart yet, but stay tuned; Canberra and Darwin are not state capitals.

March 2008

We're playing a really fun sounding show on Saturday March 29 at the Brunswick Velodrome! It's called Velorock and the sweet looking line-up also features The Crayon Fields, Mid-State Orange, The Motifs and The Icypoles.

Here's some of the great things about this show: It's FREE! It's ALL-AGES!! It's ALL-BICYCLE!!! So, this means all the bands and all the instruments, amplifiers, sound system, everything! will be carried to the Velodrome on bikes.

The show runs in the afternoon from 2 till 7pm at the Brunswick Velodrome (Harrison St, right down on Merri Creek, close to Ceres), and as well as music, there'll also be bike races and free bicycle repair workshops. We hope to see you there, sans-autombile!

January 2008

Happy New Year everyone — if it's not already too late for such niceties. And indeed there's a bit to be happy about: we’re very excited to announce that our good friends and labelmates Still Flyin' are making the long journey from one side of the Pacific (ie not this one) to the other as guests of the Laneway Festival. The party really kicks off, though, the night before, when they join us and Fred Astereo for a good old-fashioned L&L revel: Saturday February 23 at the East Brunswick Club. We played a bunch of shows with Still Flyin’ in the US late last year, and they were utterly amazing. It’s pretty much impossible to imagine a better live band — or to do justice in print to their riotous 15-piece (approx) brand of indie/world/reggae. See? You’ll just have to come along. We plan on breaking out some new tunes, and some old, for the occasion.

We also have a couple of support spots coming up: with Kelley Stoltz at the Corner on Saturday February 9, and with Feist at the Prince of Wales on Tuesday Feb 26 (sold out).

November 2007

Hello, and thanks for dropping by again! Firstly, a bunch of long-overduers — THANKYOU to everyone who helped make our US tour such a hoot, starting with the generous, hard working people who helped pull the shows together (most of whom let us pass out on their couches too) — Jimmy and Mary, Curt and Molly, Liz, another Molly, Erik, Bryan and Brian. And of course, all the venues and especially anyone who made it along to a show. Special thanksies to our travelling buddies Math and Physics Club, Ladybug Transistor and Still Flyin’, and to OJ for the hilarious itinerary!

Okay, calendars out..

Saturday, December 8 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne. LOST AND LONESOME PARTAAAAY!

Without overstating it, it’s the greatest night of your life just waiting to happen. Check the line-up: The Bank Holidays, The Smallgoods, Fred Astereo, The Zebras, Mid-State Orange, and us! It’s a ridiculous array of some ace bands, playing together to celebrate a year well done, though most likely full of regrets as usual. So fill your glass to half-empty and wear something pretty! Doors are at 7pm, and tickets can be purchased through the Corner website or at Polyester Records. See you there!

September 2007

We're very excited and a little nervous as our US TOUR starts TONIGHT! Please check our gig guide for show details.. some shows have early starts and the Schubas Chicago show will be us playing first (thanks to our friends the Brunettes for adding us at such late notice!). There's also a New Orleans show just added at the Hi-Ho Lounge!!

Also, please drop by and check out our new-look Myspace page. Big thanks to Diana Valerie who set the long distance record maintaining it, and to Nate who has recklessly received the baton!

And finally just a quick note (before we load up the van here at Matinée HQ in Santa Barbara and head down to LA) to mention our new album Spring a Leak is out now through Lost And Lonesome in Australia and Matinée Recordings in the US!

Later in July 2007

Thanks so much to Hellogoodbye for having us along on their Aus tour recently. The shows were really great fun and they were true gents indeed. Thanks to all you kids for coming along too (even the ones who showered us in glow sticks, uhh..).

And, well yes, it's true... we have some US dates in the works for September and October! Still finalising venues and line-ups, but here's how the dates are shaping up....

Fri Sept 21 — Los Angeles, CA
Sat Sept 22 — Santa Barbara, CA
Sun Sept 23 — San Francisco, CA
Mon Sept 24 — Seattle, WA
Tues Sept 25— Portland, OR
Wed Sept 26 — Chicago, IL
Thurs Sept 27 — Cambridge, MA
Fri Sept 28 — New York, NY
Sat Sept 29 — Brooklyn, NY
Sun Sept 30 — Washington, DC
Mon Oct 1 — Durham, NC
Tues Oct 2 — Athens, GA
Wed Oct 3 — New Orleans, LA
Thurs Oct 4 — Austin, TX

Check the gig guide for further details. More news soon!

July 2007

When our fingers thaw out a bit, we'll be back to tell you a lot more about our exciting new double-CD entitled Spring a Leak. For now we can tell you it's a compilation of non-album Lucksmiths tunes from the past decade, gathering 7” tracks, b-sides, compilation songs, live tracks, unreleased rarities, and cover versions — 45 songs in all!!! Spring a Leak will be out in early-September on Lost And Lonesome and Matinée Recordings.

In the meantime, we've got two fine shows we hope you can make...

Friday August 3 in Melbourne at The Toff in Town with Hit the Jackpot and Julian Nation, and
Saturday August 18 in Sydney at Spectrum with Laura Imbruglia

Gonna be warmer than a beanie in a sauna!!

Even more May 2007

Thanks to everyone who came along to our recent shows in Brisbane, Canberra, and Sydney! We had a great time at every single show. Thanks also to The Zebras, Trevor Ludlow, La Huva, Clementé, and John Columbus for cracking the keg, so to speak. Oh, and a huge thanks to Edwina, Trevor, and Cody the dog for pumping up the lilos and of course, flipping the snags at their amazing recovery BBQ and show in their backyard!! Lutwytch will be forever with us.

We have four big shows coming up in late-July — as guests of Hellogoodbye as they visit us briefly on their Australian tour:

Thursday, July 19 — Sydney, Roundhouse @ NSW University (all ages)
Friday, July 20 — Brisbane, The Arena (all ages)
Saturday, July 21 — Melbourne, Corner Hotel (over 18 only)
Sunday, July 22 — Melbourne, Corner Hotel (under 18 only)

More May 2007

Extra Brisbane show just added....

Sunday May 27 — Ed and Trev's backyard, 146 Stoneleigh St, Lutwytch. 3pm start. (Catch any 375 or 376 bus to Lutwytch. Get off when you see the big GOOD GUYS store. Other side of Lutwytch Rd is Stoneleigh St and you're there.)

May 2007

Extra Sydney show just added....

Sunday May 20 — Abercrombie Hotel (cnr Abercrombie St and Broadway). 2:30pm — 5:30pm. With The Zebras and Clementé. Presented by Purple Sneakers!

April 2007

Amigos, hola to you! Crazy times here as we prepare for some Australian shows in May, as well as working on some new jammies and getting our catalogue up and available for online impulse-purchase over at our new label Lost And Lonesome.

Here are our dates:

Thursday May 3 — Peninsula Lounge, Moorooduc VIC, with The Zebras and Summer Cats.
Tickets $12 + booking fee from www.peninsulalounge.com.au or $15 at the door

Saturday May 5 — East Brunswick Club, Melbourne VIC, with The Zebras and Summer Cats.
Tickets $12 + booking fee from www.eastbrunswickclub.com or $15 at the door

Friday May 18 — Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney NSW, with La Huva and John Columbus.
Tickets $12 at the door

Saturday May 19 — Tilleys, Canberra ACT.
Tickets $20 at the door

Saturday May 26 — The Troubadour, Brisbane QLD, with The Zebras and Trevor Ludlow.
Tickets $15 from Oztix

January 2007

Hey guys!

Happy New Year to you all!! Hope 2007 so far is everything you’d hoped it would be. We’d first of all like to kick off this action-packed news update with a humungus overdue THANKYOU! to all the wonderful hard-working people who helped make our European tour last year such a wild raging success, and more importantly, just a real fun time. Thanks a lot Fortuna Pop!, Lovedance, Professor Pez, Frode Strømstad, Svenska Musikklubben, Matti Eräsaari, Marsu On Paras, Tauno Maarpuu, Three Cheers For Our Side, Roberto and Laura, Uke, Victor, Sones Live, Enrico Poddighe, Knifeville, Paola, Homesleep… the list is seemingly endless! Thanks to everyone who came along to the shows, and to all the great bands we got to play with (yes, that even includes Fred Astereo) – thank YOU! So many other people offered us their floors, couches, kitchens, driving skills, etc, and to them we are eternally grateful, but to list them all would break my keyboard and restrict me from typing up the other news items we’d like to hit you with, for examps..

Candle Records farewell shows!

Yes it’s true – this year’s Candle shows will be laced with more than a little sadness, as they will bring the curtain down on the label that has been so good to us over the last twelve years. As you may or may not know, our good friend Chris Crouch has decided to hang up the iron fist and close down Candle Records. We thank him and Danielle Atkinson for all their tireless work, and for being so integral to our lives, and to so many of our closest friends’.

Friday February 9th – The Metro, Sydney

Saturday February 10th – The Zoo, Brisbane

Friday February 16th and Saturday February 17th – The Corner, Melbourne (we play on the Saturday night)

For all line-up and ticketing details, visit the Candle Records website.

New label found – Lost And Lonesome!

So, to answer the question many people have been asking us – we have decided to release our records ourselves in Australia, through our own Lost And Lonesome Recording Co! Lost And Lonesome (or L&L for short, and let’s face it, we like short.. esp when txtn) has been releasing CDs from some of our favourite bands over the past decade, so we’re extremely happy to be joining the party. The L&L website will be getting a serious makeover pretty soon, so online ordering will be a breeze, and we hope our new label will be of as much assistance as Candle has been. Crouchy will be working with us to make sure we don’t make a mess of things, and of course he’ll be the first one we run to when things get icky.

Our whole back-catalogue will eventually be available through L&L. And as always, you can still find Lucksmiths releases aplenty around the world through the excellent people at Matinée Recordings (US), Microindie (US), Fortuna Pop! (UK), and Boompa! (Canada).

Anyway, hope you’re doing well and getting the right dose of vitamin D and either eating plenty of soy products or avoiding them (depending on which current affairs program you choose to believe…). We’ll see you soon somewhere!

xo, us guys.

November 2006

Melbourne show!!

We're so excited to be playing again back in our old 'hood. We have just one big Melbourne show before the new year rings its shiny bell. Thursday, December 7 at the East Brunswick Club with support from Light Music Club. You can't even begin to imagine how much fun it's going to be!

More news soon when I can afford another coffee at this wifi hotspot..

August 2006

Second London show added!

As tickets to F-POP!Fest have been selling quickly, we've decided to squeeze in a second London show right before we fly back home, on Wednesday September 13 – in the east this time, at The Spitz. Support on the night will be from the wonderful Michaelmas.

Ticket info soon.



July 2006

Tour o' Europe!!

Hello dear friends! After months of sneaky tip-toeing around, we The Lucksmiths finally have a bona fide European tour to announce!! Yes, it's true. Some of you smarter cookies seem to have guessed it was imminent, so extra sprinkles for YOU! We've had some very friendly and organised people helping us plan our way around, and know these shows will be the most fun ever! We're very excited to be making the long journey over, and hope you can make it to one of the concerts.. if we're not playing in your town, flights seem cheap around September, so why not plan a little late-summer escape? This tour will mark the first time we visit many of these cities, and actually, the first time we visit Estonia and Italy, so please come along! See you soon.

Weds Aug 30 - The Luminaire, London, UK
As part of Fortuna Pop's F-POP!FEST
w/ Would-Be-Goods, Airport Girl & Fanfarlo
Tickets on sale now for £8.00 from Ticketweb

Thurs Aug 31 – Garage, Bergen, Norway
w/ Professor Pez and Fred Astereo
(Please note this is the new venue for the Bergen show).

Fri Sept 1 - Sound Of Mu, Markveien 28, Oslo, Norway
w/ Fred Astereo & Southern Alps - Early Show

Sat Sept 2 - Pop Dakar Festival, Stockholm, Sweden
Presented by Svenskamusikklubben
w/ The Russian Futurists (CAN), Rubies (US),