My exam death means that I have been unable to report about this exciting bit of news, but now that the last essay is in I can finally scream it from the rooftops – BEN FUCKING FOLDS IS COMING BACK TO AUSTRALIA!

After a sold out slew of orchestra shows in 2006 (one of which I attended as an 18th birthday present <3), the piano funnyman is back for two special one-off shows in Melbourne and Sydney, in solo mode, just him and the piano. You can expect to hear stuff from last year's Way to Normal of course, as well as lots of old classics.

This is one of the most exciting things of this year, I reckon! Tickets are out on June 14 so don’t miss out if you want to see one of modern music’s most charismatic men in action.

TOUR DATES
Mon August 31 – Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney
Thu September 3 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne

If you’re kicking yourself for not getting the cheaper tickets to see Simon & Garfunkel on their upcoming tour, kick no more – the legendary ’60s folk duo have added an extra date to their Sydney leg.

As well as their weekend shows on June 20 and 21, Paul and Art will also be playing at Acer Arena on TUESDAY JUNE 23. Tickets will be in the same tiered price format – ranging from $97 (bronze) to $493.50 (“Total Concert Experience” in platinum) – and they can be in your hot little hands from 9am on Tuesday May 19 through Ticketek.

Limited platinum and gold tickets ($385.50 and $285, respectively) are still available for the weekend shows.

For those of you who are unaware, FBi 94.5 is a not-for-profit community radio station and is one of the strongest voices in the Sydney music and arts scene. Its license states that 50% of the music it plays is to be Australian, with at least half of that 50% to be Sydney-based. Past presenters include triple j’s Marc Fennell and DJ Kid Kenobi, and FBi was also the first station to play such bands as Wolfmother, The Presets and Angus & Julia Stone.

tl;dr version: There is no other station in this city that offers anything like what FBi does in terms of new music and promoting local talent.

“So,” I hear you say, “how is this relevant to me?”

Actually, it is relevant to you! FBi has hit a little spot of financial trouble and have dreamed up an ingenius idea to get them back on their feet – the Ask Richard campaign! Basically, the plan is this: FBi hands the reins over to you. You think of the most wacky, wild way you can get Richard Branson to notice the campaign and (hopefully) donate $1 million. And whoever Richard picks as the best entrant wins $50 000 of the million! That’s right – help save Sydney’s best station, and you get cash in YOUR pocket!

Head to the website for more details and do your thing to help a station that deserves it.

And in slightly more bogan news, Aussie hard rock icons AC/DC have announced a tour of Australia and New Zealand for next year – their first on home soil since 2001.

Filling in the support slot (in Australia only) will be our very own Wolfmother, who have recently revamped themselves, going from a trio to a quartet with Andrew Stockdale now the only remaining original member.

Tickets available from May 25 – lock up your daughter and snap ‘em up!

2010 TOUR DATES
Sat January 30 – VENUE TBA, Auckland (NO WOLFMOTHER)
Sat February 6 – VENUE TBA, Wellington (NO WOLFMOTHER)
Thu February 11 – Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
Thu February 18 – ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Thu February 25 – Nathan Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, Brisbane
Tue March 2 – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Sat March 6 – Subiaco Oval, Perth

Chicago’s folk rock sensation Wilco has announced the title of their upcoming seventh album. Wilco (The Album), the followup to 2007′s Sky Blue Sky, is to be released through Nonesuch Records on June 30 – and they’ve been so kind as to provide us with a track list too!

WILCO (THE ALBUM) TRACKS:
01 Wilco (the song)
02 Deeper Down
03 One Wing
04 Bull Black Nova
05 You And I
06 You Never Know
07 Country Disappeared
08 Solitaire
09 I’ll Fight
10 Sonny Feeling
11 Everlasting Everything

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for upcoming news on this exciting new release. Hopefully we’ll get a sneak at the album cover soon!

It’s that time of year again when Aussies either get super excited or super annoyed about the Splendour in the Grass lineup. The first announcement for the Byron Bay festival (to take place on the weekend of July 25-26) was released earlier today, and here’s what they’ve got in store:

THE FLAMING LIPS
BLOC PARTY
JANE’S ADDICTION
MGMT
THE SPECIALS
MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA
MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS
FRIENDLY FIRES
WHITE LIES
JOSH PYKE
GRINSPOON
YUKSEK
HILLTOP HOODS
AUGIE MARCH
SARAH BLASKO
LITTLE BIRDY
BIRDS OF TOKYO
THE GUTTER TWINS
DECODER RING
LOST VALENTINOS
THE MIDDLE EAST
BOB EVANS
KRAM
YVES KLEIN BLUE
LEADER CHEETAH
JACK LADDER
POLAROID FAME
GLASS TOWERS

My thoughts – a decent enough lineup, but zero excitement. Flaming Lips and Jane’s are both pretty incredible additions, but MGMT and Bloc Party were both here less than 6 months ago – people literally JUST saw them. Australian acts are the ones that are at basically every festival ever. So Giselle’s verdict? Probably not attending, but awaiting second announcement with bated breath…

Tickets are $240 for just the event and an additional $132 for camping, and will be available through QJump (god help us) at 9am on May 14.

Darling readers,

See that face? That is the 10:30am face of Giselle A. Nguyen who, in a flurry of reckless passion, purchased tickets to see Simon & Garfunkel. For $285. For one ticket.

However I will be seeing them TWICE in just a bit over two months! (Add a few extra billion of those for effect).

That little bank card that I’m holding is not going to be impressed though. We’re in a recession! I’m a struggling arts student! I don’t have a steady income!

Fuck, I really can’t properly justify this, can I?

Do not try this at home. No really, don’t.

I don’t know about you, but a large chunk of my teenage years was marked by one word: ANARRCHHYYYYYY! And whilst I wore my wrist cuffs and black eyeliner and Chuck Taylors and Sex Pistols shirt, there were two bands that I listened to religiously: NOFX and Bad Religion. No really, RELIGIOUSLY. Linoleum supports my head…

Well it looks like it’s my 15 year old self’s lucky day, because these two seminal 90s punk rock bands are heading to Australia, TOGETHER, this September. Don’t miss out on tickets to what promises to be a fierce punk show featuring two bands who aren’t afraid to voice their opinions.

Tickets available from April 24 through your usual outlets.

DATES
Thu September 24: Metro City, Perth
Sun September 26: Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Mon September 27: The Palace Theatre, Melbourne
Tue September 28: The Palace Theatre, Melbourne
Thu September 30: Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Sat October 2: Brisbane Riverstage, Brisbane

The most exciting tour news of the year is finally set in stone, with legendary folk duo Simon & Garfunkel set to return to Australian and New Zealand shores mid-year for their first visit here in 25 years.

The duo claim this to be their last ever reunion, so don’t miss out on what is set to be one of the most incredible tours to hit this country in many years. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity won’t come cheap, with tickets selling for up to $380, but I daresay it will be worth it.

Presale starts at midday on Monday April 6, and tickets will be available to the general public on Friday April 17 through Ticketek.

DATES
Sat June 13: Vector Arena, Auckland
Sun June 17: Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
Sat June 20 / Sun June 21: Acer Arena, Sydney
Thu June 25 / Fri June 26: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Tues June 30: Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
Thu July 2: Burswood Dome, Perth

This is the only April Fools joke I fell for today.

Shit dude.