Bluebottle Kiss 2022 Reunion Tour
Described by AllMusic as ‘challenging, rugged, dramatic rock with folk tendencies woven intricately into its coarse fabric’, Bluebottle Kiss were a Sydney based group who existed over a number of line-ups between 1993 and 2007. They released six critically acclaimed albums and countless eps and singles before disbanding in 2007.
One of the finest ferocious and tender, experimental rock albums this country has produced, Patient (1999) is a sublime collision of melody and visceral guitars that was easily the equal of contemporary acts such as Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, The Afghan Whigs and Swervedriver, and one that would set a tantalising and inspiring benchmark for the band’s subsequent albums over the next seven years.
Now, for the first time in 20 years, in association with Sound As Ever (Australian Indie 90-99), the seminal line-up of Jamie Hutchings, Ben Fletcher, Richard Coneliano and Ben Grounds return for a run of headline shows celebrating the new vinyl & digital reissue of the album that cemented their place as a much loved Australian indie rock band of the 90s and 00s.
Joining BBK at these shows are a collection of bands both new and old. In Adelaide ‘part-time monster rock band Diplomat’, who in various incarnations shared the stage with BBK in the ’90’s and ’00’s will open the night. In Melbourne, Deloris will be reforming for one-night only plus new dark and elegant rock outfit The Gin Palace, featuring Peter Fenton (Crow/The Tall Grass) and members of Glide & Scarlet will perform. Emerging from Frankston at the turn of the century, Deloris released four critically-acclaimed LPs and two EPs of vivid, narrative-driven art-rock, which saw them sleep on floors with the likes of The National, Okkervil River, Something for Kate and Augie March, before disbanding in 2008. With frontman Marcus Teague now releasing music elsewhere (Single Twin, Near Myth and new outfit Sole Trader), this is an extremely rare return to them yelling about other stuff in a special one-hour set.
Brisbane fans will be serenaded by ‘sun-skewered faux wave outfit from the sub tropics of Brisbane’ The Stress of Leisure and instrumental group Ghost Notes, who encompass folk, jazz, noise-rock, kraut, spaghetti-western soundtracks and various strains of ‘experimental’ music. Rounding out the tour in Sydney, BBK are excited to share the stage with a rare performance by the slow burning Knievel, fronted by producer to the stars Wayne Connolly, plus cathartic Blue Mountains-based trio Yeevs.
Love As Fiction Records are also currently reissuing the band’s 1997 EP Somnambulist Homesick Blues on vinyl.
“Firing up Patient again gave me goosebumps – the moment the band kicked in I was back in 1999, touring together with BBK, watching them strangle guitars and spray sweat around the stage night after night. Half the crowd would be totally transfixed, the other half would stand slack-jawed in disbelief; all of them stunned that three guys could muster such beautiful chaos!” Tim Steward of Screamfeeder.
