IMAGES FROM PLUS ONE LABEL PARTY - JULY 2010



Our good friend Stephen Cameron took some great shot of the band at the Plus One Records Label Party, Brunswick st Mall July 2010. Also we're very excited to have Jed Walters join the band handling keys and bass. The Plus One Records 'Label Parties' was the first time we played in this format with great results. The Blackwater Fever are now a trio!
VIEW IMAGES ON TBWF FACBOOK >>





IMAGES FROM THE TIVOLI THEATRE - JUNE 2010


Our good friend Stephen Cameron took some great shot of the band at the Ash Grunwald support at The Tivoli Theatre June 2010. VIEW IMAGES ON TBWF FACEBOOK >>





TSUNAMI INTERVIEW: RECORDING 'IN STEREO' 18.05.10
Sticking my head into The Blackwater Fever’s current hideout, the new Borough Studio in Brisbane’s inner north, the first impression I get is of the open plan of the room. There is no division between band and engineer, just one great big space filled with all the fixin’s for recording. With work underway on TBWF’s second full length record, titled In Stereo, the open plan room seems perfect for a band starting to take control of their own recording process. With the assistance of seasoned producer, engineer and studio owner Skritch, the frontman Shane Hicks and drummer Andrew Walter are allowing themselves to find their own way amongst the tangle of cables, microphones and amplifiers. While their previous release Sweet Misery was a rather dark sounding album, Blackwater are taking a different approach to recording and songwriting to nail their songs to the wall. MORE >>

MURDER BALLADS CHAPTER TWO - THE JUDITH WRIGHT CENTRE: 23.04.09
"The Blackwater Fever build upon the strong foundation of Apps’ performance to transform the night’s atmosphere from exceptional to amazing. The soulful blues-rockers present some of the most chilling originals of the night – suicide lament ‘If You Only Knew’ is harrowing – while Shane Hicks’ vocal performance of Leadbelly’s ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night?’ is nothing short of magnificent." - Time Off Mag





MAY 2010 - 1AM LATE SLOT RESIDENCY @ THE TROUBADOUR, BRISBANE
Saturday 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th May
The Blackwater Fever are taking the reigns of the 1am residency for the month of May at The Troubadour. Using this time to hone new material for their upcoming 2nd release ‘In Stereo’. This guitar / drums two piece seem custom fit to play at this ungodly hour with their dark and potent original slant on blues, soul and rock n’ roll.

www.thetroubadour.com.au

APR 2010 - MURDER BALLADS @ JUDITH WRIGHT CENTRE, BRISBANE
Friday 23rd April - Featuring: Texas Tea, Silver Circus, Kristy Apps, The Blackwater Fever, The Good Ship.
From those early folk balladeers to Johnny Cash and Nick Cave, we just can’t get enough of these eerily intoxicating tales, better known as ‘murder ballads’. And that deliciously dark tradition will be celebrated once again this April when some of Brisbane’s finest artists come together over two very special nights forMurder Ballads Chapter Two. Each act will perform a selection of their favorite murder ballads from past and present, alongside their own original songs inspired by the dark side.

www.judithwrightcentre.com





MAR 2010 - BEST AUSTRALIAN RELEASE 2009
Sweet Misery was voted 'Best Australian release of 2009' by the Polish radio statioN.

www.blues.pl

FEB 2010 - THE BLACKWATER FEVER ON HBO
Two tracks from The Blackwater Fever, 'Night Creeper' and 'Bad Seed' have been chosen for a series of ads for HBO's Cinemax Spring 2010 Promo Campaign. With over 38 million HBO subscribers in the United States let's hope this brings the band some new exposure.




FEB 2010 - THE KILL DEVIL HILLS SUPPORTS

06-12-09 'IN STEREO' RECORDING SESSIONS
In the final few free weekends remaining of 2009 we did a few sessions at Brisbane's Borough Studios with good friend Skritch at the controls.

Images and footage here >>





06-12-09 HEAVY TRASH SUPPORT
Weds 9th Dec - The Zoo
Tickets: TheZoo.com.au

 

24-09-09 MERCH PACKAGE DEAL IN THE ONLINE STORE
Pack it up and move 'em out! To make way for new stock we've put together a special deal in the merch online store.

MERCH PACKAGE DEAL
• Signed copy of Sweet Misery LP
• Abused Blues EP
• Abused Blues Black T-Shirt
• 5 Stickers

$40.00au + postage

HEAD TO THE STORE TO BUY ONLINE >>





01-08-09 MORE FOOTAGE FROM INSIDE THE BLACKBOX
While filming the music video for Better Off Dead we also filmed and recorded 3 other songs.One more to come later.

A big thanks to James Muller from earthbase.net.au and Pete Towson & Dave Drummond from elevenpm.com for making this happen.

 

04-08-09 NEW TOUR DATES
We have some new tour dates locked and loaded! We're heading back to Melbourne with good friends Rogerthat. Plus we're heading to Western Australia for the first time! We've got a swag of new tunes we'd like to show you while we're out and about too. All the details are over there on the right >>



18-02-09 'BETTER OFF DEAD' MUSIC VIDEO
Hot outta the editting suite comes the 'Better Off Dead' music video!
Directed by James Muller @ www.earthbase.net.au

20-01-09 NATIONAL TOUR WITH DALLAS FRASCA FEB-MAR '09
We're hitting the road with our good friends Dallas Frasca in support of Sweet Misery.
All details below. See you out there!

* supporting DALLAS FRASCA

February
Fri 20- The Espy Hotel, St Kilda, VIC*
Fri 27- Rubys, Belgrave, VIC*
Sat 28- Baha Music Bar, Rye, VIC*

March
Fri 6- Council Club Hotel, Wangaratta. VIC*
Sat 7- The Pony, Melbourne, VIC 2am late show
Fri 13- The Basement, Canberra, ACT*
Sat 14- Brass Monkey, Cronulla, NSW*
Sun 15- Annandale Hotel, Sydney, NSW *
Thu 19- Bar on the Hill, Newcastle Uni, NSW *
Fri 20- Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour, NSW *
Sat 21-The Troubadour, Brisbane, QLD *
Fri 27- Soundlounge, Gold Coast, QLD *
Sat 28- Live @ Joes Eumundi, QLD*

08-01-09 SWEET MISERY ON INTERNATIONAL ITUNES
After some delay, we have finally managed to get the complete Sweet Misery album on international iTunes. So you can purchase the album now digitally where ever you after in the world. itunes >>



15-12-08 SWEET MISERY ALBUM OF THE WEEK ON PBS FM
The good people at PBS 106.7 FM in melbourne have taken a liking to THE BLACKWATER FEVER'S new "Sweet Misery" album. Enough to make it their feature album this week. Check it our at www.pbsfm.org.au and tune in to win yourself a copy.



05-12-08 SWEET MISERY REVIEWS

Time Off Magazine
THE BLACKWATER FEVER - Sweet Misery
Brisbane's own The Blackwater Fever are, unfortunately, always going to be a target for the Two-Piece Backlash – pretty much every duo since The White Stripes has had to deal with the stigma of not coming up with the one-guitar-vocals-drums first. Big whoop. Fact of the matter is two-pieces have to work harder than their larger counterparts to be both engaging for a crowd and to flesh out their songs, and Blackwater handle these tasks with bombast and aplomb. Kicking off with a Lanegan-esque intro before launching into thundering theme song 'Blackwater', Sweet Misery's most obvious strong points are both its energy and gritty-yet-perfect production, while vocalist/guitar man Shane Hicks has a throaty roar and a guitar tone that'd make The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach shit. 'Good Night Darling, Sweet Dreams' and 'Better Off Dead' prove the fellas can handle the sultrier end of blues, as well as showing off Andrew Walter's seismic drumming. The title track crops up at the end of "Side A"; a haunting country-flavoured tune laced with violin and wandering boldly into 16 Horsepower territory, before the second half of the album begins with a spaghetti western instrumental. And then it's off again into the storm of floor tom beats that is 'Lovesick'. Across much of the album there's a dark river of vitriolic rock'n'roll; when it lets up for the sensitive stuff, such as 'Red', the grit doesn't fade away, nor does Hicks' voice fail to measure up. Forget preconceived ideas about what two people in a rock band can achieve: Sweet Misery can bury albums by bands with three times as many members. Rock'n'roll at its best. 4½ - 5 TAL WALLACE


Tsunami Magazine
THE BLACKWATER FEVER - Sweet Misery
Too often, the blues is wheeled out like a dusty old museum piece. Someone, often a genteel white guy, will don a guitar, play a twelve bar progression with a technically proficient blues-wank solo, and say, 'Look, this is where rock 'n' roll came from'. Often that person's name is Eric Clapton, and he will say, 'I was in Cream, remember; I used to be God'. But what the Claptons of the world forget is that blues is all about atmosphere and raw passion, and Tsunami favourites The Blackwater Fever have nailed both on their debut longplayer. With its vinyl crackle and staticy interjections of preachers and the like, 'Sweet Misery' sounds like The Blackwater Fever have trawled the mythic swamps of the Mississippi to find the music's primordial essence, filtered it through a sieve of the Fat Possum Records back catalogue, and cooked it all up on an alternative rock griddle to create something that is truly their own. 'Sweet Misery' is that rarest of things: a tough, passionate garage blues album that is satisfying from beginning to end even after the umpteenth listen, with barnstorming rockers like 'Blackwater' and 'Lovesick' working perfectly alongside sludgy lurchers like 'Good Night Darling, Sweet Dreams' and the brooding slow-burn of the title track. It's a song typical of the rough edges and simmering ambience of the album, as Shane Hicks's gruff voice and guitar-picking ride Andrew Walter's slithering cymbal rolls and the violin rasp of guest player Alex Archer (Kill Devil Hills) into a sweat-drenched, malarial dream of fuzzy guitar and elemental rhythms. The Blackwater Fever have seen where the blues began, they know where it's been, and because they treat it like the breathing, dangerously-alive entity that it is, they are also part of where it's going. 9/10 STROM


Scene Magazine
THE BLACKWATER FEVER - Sweet Misery
Not for a while has an album title summed up the content so well. I always wondered if two-piece bands are only two-piece bands they have no other friends, but really, Brisbane boys The Blackwater Fever don't need any other friends. And don't be expecting no White Stripes imitation – this is dirty swamp slide-guitar blues, growling and barking at you, trying to bite your hand off as Shane Hicks warbles with a distinct Eddie Vedder vibe. You should be sweating heavily and drinking JD when you listen to this. I'm going to grab my twelve-bore and shoot me some alligators. SKD


Rave Magazine
THE BLACKWATER FEVER - Sweet Misery
A fair bit of sound coming from two blokes! Local gents Shane Hicks and Andrew Walter are in keeping with the very popular roots music set-up of the last 10 years or so, operating as a guitar/drums power blues duo. Guitarist Hicks is also a suitably gravelly vocalist, while drummer Walters can lay down everything from old-fashioned garage kit thrashing to more minimalist, skeletal rhythms for the album's darker, slower tracks. And, yes, if you like Black Keys, there are enough raw blues rock numbers to keep you satiated – so that's a fuzz pedal tick of approval for Blackwater, Crawlin' Skin and the barnstorming Lovesick. They are similarly adept at slower jams, like the churning Good Night Darling Sweet Dreams and the gothic, cello-enhanced ballad Sweet Misery. And while fans of other immensely successful two-piece roots rock outfits will find much to love here, The Blackwater Fever also possess an impressive sonic fullness, a dramatic cinematic sweep and even a dose of glam rock stomp to create what is ultimately a sound all their own. 3½ - 5 MATT THROWER



20.11.08 TRIPLE J'S ROOTS 'N ALL INTERVIEW THIS THURSDAY NIGHT
Tune into Triple J's Roots 'N All show this Thursday night. We'll be having a chat to Sarah Howells about the new album Sweet Misery out this Saturday. Also we may play a live track! There's also rumors the interview will be broadcast on Home & Hosed.



18.11.08 SWEET MISERY OUT THIS SATURDAY!!!
It's finally here! Sweet Misery hits Australian retails stores this Saturday. International/online orders can be placed at www.plusonerecords.com



05.11.08 THE BLACKWATER FEVER ON THE COVER OF TSUNAMI MAG
Be sure to pick up a copy of this months Tsunami Mag. We're on the cover, with a feature article inside
See cover >> Interview >>



28.10.08 SWEET MISERY HITS JAPAN STORES!!!
Our good friends at P-Vine Records has just released Sweet Misery into the Japan market! You can check it out here>>
And Japan based fans can order it online here >>



26.09.08 TIME OFF REVIEW: ASH GRUNWALD, THE BLACKWATER FEVER @ THE TIVOLI
"The Blackwater Fever open with a barrage of no-nonsense electric blues, driven by the seething growl and punching riffs of bearded guitarist/vocalist Shane Hicks. Every note Hicks wrenches from his guitar is more muscle-bound than Arnie himself, with particular standouts coming with 'Blackwater' and 'Crawlin' Skin'. The tempo - but not the intensity - drops with 'Baby Please Don't Go' and 'Sweet Misery', before they close with 'Better Off Dead' which again features superb slide work from Hicks."



01.06.08 PRESS REVIEWS FROM THE BLACK KEYS SUPPORT
"Tuesday night gigs are always weird. It's simply hard to get into the mood with so much of the working week remaining. But locals The Blackwater Fever went quite a distance towards helping to ease the mid-week blues with their own entertaining blend. The duo was obviously rapt to be on the large Tivoli stage, with their dark garage blues going down well with the genre-favourable crowd. You would expect they would have picked up a new swarm of fans with their entertaining set." - Tsunami Mag

"First cab off the rank tonight, The Blackwater Fever did their best to convince us that they were not simply The Black Keys version 2.0, and it worked. Despite the fact that they resemble the headliners in both instrumentation (drummer Andrew Walter and guitarist/vocalist Shane Hicks) and dark bluesy-vibe, as their name suggests, there is a more tormented, often feverish element that sets the pair apart, providing early punters with a tight set of gritty blues-rock." - fasterlouder.com.au

"Playing some of the dirtiest blues in the business, ex-Sunshine Coasters The Blackwater Fever couldn't be more at home than here in the grand ole' Tivoli, playing in support of the world's premier exponents of the blues-duo genre. They grind through a short set including the faster Blackwater and finish with a palpable anger in Better Off Dead." - Rave Mag

"Before we find out we're treated to a brilliant opening set by Brisbane-via-Sunshine Coast garage blues duo The Blackwater Fever. Led by the unbelievably guttural, heartbroken howl of vocalist/guitarist Shane Hicks, the band deliver stomping blues with 'Blackwater' and 'Back For You'." - Time Off Mag