Revered soul/pop songstress Ann Vriend (aka AV) is returning to her honorary second home of Australia for her annual summer tour. Bringing her band back with her down under, the sultry songwriter will be traversing throughout New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and even the nation’s capital. Showcasing new material from her as-yet-untitled EP – due for release in early 2017 – AV will also be jammin’ out audience favourites from her current release For The People In The Mean Time, plus a few back catalog selections.
It has been almost 12-months since the soulful performer was in Australia and she can’t wait to get back on local stages. “I can’t wait to play some of my new tunes for everybody down there,” says Ann. “Some of the new tunes we’ve been playing for a year live already and people always ask for them at the merch table. And, I’m not going to lie, Australia’s summer is such a thing to look forward to when you’re from such a cold northern city as Edmonton.”
Despite the cold, it has been a huge year for AV – both on the home front and internationally. She has recently signed on the dotted line with Canadian record company Aporia Records and spent several weeks touring Europe. Add to that a plethora of festivals throughout Canada and needless to say, there has been little downtime for Ann and her band. In fact, the few breaks in touring they had throughout the year were spent in the studio, laying down tracks for the new release.
Returning to Australia will continue the busy streak that looks set to carry AV through well into 2017. She is bringing her acclaimed band back with her, the award-winning Rooster Davis Group, who are rapidly gaining fans in Australia with their New Orleans blues and funk sound in their own right. They can’t wait to perform back down under.
“We’ll play the new songs we’ll be releasing, plus some favourites from the previous albums,” says Ann. “In general, it’s a lively show on the soul-funk-pop side, with some quiet ballads on the piano here and there. The band has two keyboard players – me on piano or wurly and Rooster Davis on basslines on the Hammond organ (and drums and vocals), and then our third band member is on drums and backing vocals, so it is a very unusual set-up instrumentally. We have been touring this way for about three years and although people are always sceptical when we’re first setting up – as they don’t see a guitar or bass guitar – by the end of the show even the biggest sceptics are converted. I’m very lucky to have monster musicians in my band to make it work.”
For those who have previously seen AV perform – either with her band or in a solo setting – it is evident that the effortless songstress is comfortable in any situation – on any stage. The Vancouver born singer has been finding her feet musically since she was three. By age nine she was already composing music on the piano and she hasn’t really stopped since. Described as an enchanting cross between ‘the girly timbre of Dolly Parton and the blues-filled prowess of Aretha Frankin’, Ann is revered for her live shows – endearing audiences from the first bar to the closing song.
As a musician, she loves the diversity of playing both solo and with the backing of the Rooster Davis Group, and it is that versatility that has seen Australian audiences embrace Ann and her music. She is always pushing the envelope – both in the studio and on the stage – and acknowledges the great support she receives from fans ‘down under’ for her live shows. “I love both scenarios equally,” she says of performing in a solo or band setting. “As an artist you sometimes get pigeonholed in the music biz so that your artistic freedom gets very compromised. I’m lucky to be working with people who see my diversity as a plus and not a minus – that is a real gift.”
Don’t miss Canadian songstress Ann Vriend as she brings her exceptional live shows with The Rooster Davis Band back to Australia in 2017. Tickets are on sale now.
Friday 10th February 2017
Australian Blues Music Festival, GOULBURN NSW
www.australianbluesmusic.com.au
Saturday 11th February 2017
Australian Blues Music Festival, GOULBURN NSW
www.australianbluesmusic.com.au
Sunday 12th February 2017
Smiths Alternative, CANBERRA ACT
www.smithsalternative.com
Saturday 18th February 2017
Paris Cat, MELBOURNE VIC
www.pariscat.com.au
Sunday 19th February 2017
Old Hepburn Hotel, HEPBURN SPRINGS VIC
www.oldhepburnhotel.com.au
Thursday 23rd February 2017
Brass Monkey, CRONULLA NSW
www.brassmonkey.com.au
Friday 24th February 2017
The Heritage Hotel, BULLI NSW
www.heritagehotel.com.au
Saturday 25th February 2017
Venue 505, SYDNEY NSW
www.venue505.com
Thursday 2nd March 2017
Lizottes, NEWCASTLE NSW
www.lizottes.com.au
Friday 3rd March 2017
Flow Bar, OLD BAR NSW
www.flowbar.com.au
Saturday 4th March 2017
63 First Ave, SAWTELL NSW
www.facebook.com/63FirstAveSawtell
Thursday 9th March 2017
The Bison Bar, NAMBOUR QLD
www.thebisonbar.com
Friday 10th March 2017
Nightquarter, GOLD COAST QLD
www.nightquarter.com.au
Saturday 11th March 2017
Brisbane Jazz Club, BRISBANE QLD
www.brisbanejazzclub.com.au
Sunday 12th March 2017
The Rails, BYRON BAY NSW
www.therailsbyronbay.com.au
For more information, please visit www.annvriend.com
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