IT'S easy to feel despondent at the moment.
Greater Sydney is halfway through a two-week lockdown, crossing its collective fingers and toes, and whatever else, that it's enough to halt the contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.
Brisbane, Perth, Darwin and Alice Springs have all just emerged from snap lockdowns this week and here in the Hunter, and the rest of regional NSW, we're wearing masks indoors and restrictions have returned on social gatherings. It's a harsh dose of déjà vu nobody wanted.
Naturally it's led to a raft of gig postponements in Hunter venues, just as musicians and promotors were growing in confidence to schedule tours after a wretched 2020.
But, let's be positive. Both the US and UK music industries are finally awaking from their hibernation in the northern summer due to high vaccination rates.
So let's look ahead to what's happening in Hunter live music for the second half of 2021 when the weather is warmer, and hopefully, the vast majority of us are vaccinated.
AUGUST
Paul Kelly, Civic Theatre, August 8: Simply, Paul Kelly is a national treasure. Songs like How To Make Gravy and To Her Door are the soundtrack to Australia.
On his most recent visit to Newcastle in November 2017, Kelly performed at the Entertainment Centre with Steve Earle and Middle Kids, so the opportunity to catch the legendary songwriter at the city's finest venue will be appreciated.
Since his last visit Kelly has released the album Nature, plus a collaboration with Paul Grabowsky, Please Leave Your Light On.
Archie Roach, Newcastle City Hall, August 13: At 65 and with significant health issues, this will likely be the Indigenous folk legend's final national tour. Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the landmark album, Charcoal Lane, which featured Stolen Generation anthem Took The Children Away.
In recent years his music has reached new levels of appreciation due to his acclaimed memoir Tell Me Why and its soundtrack and last November Roach was deservedly inducted in the ARIA Hall Of Fame.
Julia Jacklin, Newcastle City Hall, August 26: The rising indie star has previously played the Newcastle Hotel and Cambridge Hotel on her ascent in the Australian music scene.
After acclaimed albums Don't Let The Kids Win (2016) and Crushing (2019), Jacklin is ready to step up for her biggest Newcastle show at City Hall. She'll perform solo, further accentuating her emotive songwriting.
SEPTEMBER
Delta Goodrem, Newcastle Entertainment Centre, September 24: Initially Goodrem was planning to tour her sixth studio album Bridge Over Troubled Dreams in April and May.
Her second attempt will begin in Newcastle and promises to be a celebratory moment for the 36-year-old pop diva, who was forced to relearn how to talk and sing last year, after nerve damage following the removal of a salivary gland.
Tim Minchin, Civic Theatre, September 28-29: It was back in August last year when the musician, comedian and actor first announced he was returning to Newcastle in March 2021.
Demand for tickets was strong, even though COVID-19 didn't allow for the show to proceed. Minchin's tour was extended to two sold-out shows, scheduled for last Monday and Tuesday. They, of course, were postponed by the latest Sydney outbreak. Here's for third time lucky.
OCTOBER
Dashville Skyline, Dashville, October 1-3: After last year's edition was cancelled due to the pandemic, Matt Johnston and his Dashville crew have delivered a quality first round of artists for their Americana and alt-country festival.
Veterans The Black Sorrows will headline, alongside the Liz Stringer, Jeff Lang, Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife, the Hunter's William Crighton and more.
Dashville was supposed to host PigSty In July today, but it was postponed until July 31 and Johnston is maintaining a cautious approach for Thrashville (September 11) and Skyline.
"Everybody is a little more knowledgeable about the situation, which is somewhat helpful," Johnston said. "It doesn't make it any easier."
Grapevine Gathering, Roche Estate, October 9: The first youth-focused music festival of the 2021-22 summer will be Grapevine Gathering, featuring a star-studded line-up of Peking Duk, The Jungle Giants, Vera Blue, The Veronicas, San Cisco and more.
Everyone on the bill has spent 2020 writing and recording new music, so expect as much excitement on stage as in the winery crowd.
Kate Miller-Heidke, Newcastle City Hall, October 17: The Brisbane singer-songwriter possesses one of the most powerful voices in the Australian music scene - operatic, quirky and bewildering.
Sitting in an audience it's almost too emotional for me at the moment, it's too amazing.
Kate Miller-Heidke
The ornate surrounds of City Hall should perfectly showcase Miller-Heidke's talents when she finally tours her comeback pop album Child In Reverse, released last October. Miller-Heidke has only performed sporadically in the past 18 months and says she's become far more appreciative of the opportunities.
"There's so many small things I don't take for granted anymore, even going out for dinner with friends at a restaurant," Miller-Heidke says.
"I feel like this is amazing and I don't want that feeling to go away actually. Sitting in an audience it's almost too emotional for me at the moment, it's too amazing."
Red Hot Summer, Roche Estate, October 23: Jimmy Barnes returns to the Hunter armed with a brand new album, Flesh and Blood, that continues his late-career renaissance. After an uncharacteristically quiet 2020, Barnes is frothing to return to big-time gigging.
Joining the Cold Chisel frontman will be Hoodoo Gurus, Jon Stevens, Diesel, Vika & Linda Bull and Chris Cheney.
NOVEMBER
Guy Sebastian, Newcastle Entertainment Centre, November 4: It feels like an eternity ago that Sebastian announced his tour for ARIA No.1 album T.R.U.T.H, released last October. Singles like Choir, Standing With You and Before You Go have been among the best received material of Sebastian's 20-year career as he blended old-school Motown with modern pop.
The former Australian Idol winner told the Herald last year he was dying to tour again.
"It's been tough for me, the performer, but I do carry a fair bit of personal pressure," Sebastian said.
This That, Wickham Park, November 6: Just how Newcastle's biggest annual music festival will operate is unclear, but it almost certainly won't feature crowds of 18,000 like previous years.
This That was postponed from February following the Avalon cluster, but has maintained the majority of its line up. The bill includes everything from cheeky punk bands Dune Rats and The Chats to electro heavyweights Hayden James, Crooked Colours and Confidence Man to indie-pop songstresses Mallrat and Jack River.
Scene & Heard, Wickham Park, November 7: While the kiddies sleep off their hangovers, the 30 and 40-somethings come out to play for the third edition of Scene & Heard.
Alt-rock legends Grinspoon lead the charge, alongside their '90s and 2000s contemporaries Regurgitator, Ratcat, Killing Heidi, Frenzal Rhomb, Custard and more. The bands may be a little greyer and those black t-shirts might be tighter, but past Scene & Heards have been a triumph.
Sunset Sounds, Roche Estate, November 20: You'll be forgiven for thinking you've stepped into a mid-2000s Homebake when you rock up to Sunset Sounds.
Surf-folk will roll into the wine country with Xavier Rudd and The Beautiful Girls, while there will be ample singalongs provided by Pete Murray, Kasey Chambers, Josh Pyke and Ben Lee who all enjoyed major commercial success during the iPod era.
DECEMBER
Keith Urban, December 1: Australia's top country export has been relatively quiet since cutting short his Las Vegas residency after four shows in 2020 due to the pandemic. In September Urban is heading back to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace to re-start the residency, which should have Mr Kidman firing on all cylinders when he begins his tour in Newcastle.
Urban, 53, last played Newcastle in January 2019 in front of a sold-out crowd. Newcastle Herald's Lisa Rockman wrote, "he whipped the crowd into a frenzy. It's difficult to believe Urban is 51 - he was full throttle from the get go and never slowed down."
Perth pop-rockers Birds Of Tokyo are coming along for the ride, guaranteeing a rocking night in the ole Broadmeadow shed.
JANUARY
SummerSault, Roche Estate, January 29: This could potentially be the hottest ticket of the summer.
There aren't many Australian bands who have enjoyed a steeper rise in popularity in recent years, than The Teskey Brothers. The Melbourne band's modern interpretation of '60s soul-rock has attracted fans young and old, ARIA awards and US interest.
SummerSault is more than just the Teskeys. Festival favourites The Cat Empire, John Butler and Boy Bear are also performing, along with rising artists Montaigne and Emily Wurramara.
