KARRAUNDONGGA HAYRIDE ft. Ben Mastwyk & His Millions
Event description
KARRAUNDONGGA HAYRIDE ft. Ben Mastwyk & His Millions
Melbourne's psychedelic-country-rockers BEN MASTWYK & HIS MILLIONS team up with Brisbane's garage-americana hipslingers, HILLSBOROUGH, for a double act like no other! Local cowboy, BENNETT & CO. will get the party started, so get there early!
FRI 26 MAY
WHEATSHEAF HOTEL
THEBARTON, SA.
KAURNA COUNTRY
DOORS: 7PM
BEN MASTWYK & HIS MILLIONS (MEL)
HILLSBOROUGH (BRIS)
BENNETT & CO. (ADL)
GENERAL ADMISSION $25 + BF
CONCESSION $20 + BF
BEN MASTWYK writes his songs on the move. Planes, trains, rivers and highways set the mood. “There’s something about the rhythm of the world rolling by that stimulates the process,” he explains. Gold-suited and rhinestoned, Mastwyk leads his seven-piece band THE MILLIONS into bold sonic territories where songs erupt into swaggering, psychedelic bar-room gems.
As a teenage noise-rocker, Mastwyk’s love of twang was instilled when he rode shotgun on the production of a family country record, exposing him to artists such as Cash, Kristofferson & Parsons and firmly establishing his love of classic country music. At art school he picked up a banjo and joined Jemma Rowlands and her Clifton Hillbillies leading to performances in Nashville TN and Austin TX; then a borrowed guitar spawned a flood of songwriting culminating in his 2015 debut album Mornin Evenin'. Further journeys across America’s south inspired his second, more sonically diverse album, Winning Streak.
With a growing reputation as a dynamic entertainer and applauded songwriter, Mastwyk has become an artist to watch in the Australian country music scene. Twice nominated for Best Country Album (Music Victoria Awards), Mastwyk has toured his songs around Australia, NZ and the USA receiving high rotation across national radio. His third album, 2021’s Livin' On Gold Street, debuted at #1 on the Australian Independent charts and #2 on the ARIA Australian Country charts.
PRESS QUOTES
“Wonderfully crafted songs with superb lyrical observation, killer choruses and enough attitude to make you sit up and pay attention.”
TAMWORTH COUNTRY CAPITAL NEWS
“Mastwyk plunges headlong into Seventies country-soul glam with lashings of cosmic American pedal steel and psych-guitar glitz.”
COUNTRY UPDATE MAGAZINE
“The songs are rich with meaning and truth…real and raw, just as true country music should be.”
RHYTHMS MAGAZINE
“A direct line to heartache, Mastwyk has captured the soul of country music.”
POST TO WIRE
Since 2016, HILLSBOROUGH have been peddling their own brand of Alt-country/Blues at bars and festivals around Queensland, Australia. The culmination of years treading the boards at live music venues and festivals around the globe, Phil Usher and Beata Maglai have had the privilege of sharing the stage with a weird and wonderful kaleidoscope of artists - from The Dandy Warhols through to Tina Arena and a whole lot in between.
Hillsborough released their debut single and video in February 2022 through Sydney label Heartsville Records, with the full album following on digital platforms, CD and vinyl on October 4th. Recorded by Dan James (Drawn From Bees) at BBC Studios and Matt Weatherall at Tym Guitar Studios in Brisbane, the album Comin' Back To You was expertly mixed by James Aparicio (Grinderman, Spiritualized) and Richie Belkner (Bertie Blackman, Lanie Lane).
The singles and videos from the album have already garnered international attention, creating fevered anticipation with fans, radio and press for their debut record. The band have recently completed their first National Australian tour, traveling through Victoria and New South Wales in February 2023 for the first time to promote latest single 'Stitches'. The song has received widespread national airplay including stations 4ZZZ, 2SER, 3RRR and PBS.
The name Hillsborough was adopted as a tribute to a region in Western Queensland where Phil’s family have been living since the late 1800’s. Started initially as a side project to Brisbane’s Psych/Garage machine Sacred Shrines, the group has morphed from predominantly a solo project to a duo and then to a fully fledged band over the duration of recording their debut album. Carving out their own corner in the world of Alt-country and Americana, the band is completed with the addition of Robbie Zawada (Double Bass) and Jonathan Pickvance (Drums) to help fully capture the sound of the record.
Chief songwriter Phil Usher, who also drums for Screamfeeder and Sounds Like Sunset, has had his work featured internationally on TV shows and movies, with songs featured on Gossip Girl, Dawson’s Creek, Bondi Rescue, Underbelly and more.
PRESS QUOTES
"This is an enormously satisfying album filled with aching emotions, cinematic vistas and scything guitars."
BACKSEAT MAFIA 8.6/10
“This is one of the finest alt-country/Americana singles we’ve heard so far in 2022.”
POST TO WIRE
“With a sound that is so undeniably infectious and motivating, I think it’s safe to say that we’ll all be Comin’ Back (For You) to this single for the foreseeable future. (I only wish it was longer!)"
WEAREWMX
“... there’s an epic, cinematic sweep to much of the material here. Comin’ Back For You is a precociously, confident debut.”