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THE POTBELLEEZ - Self-Titled
When Rolling Stone's Tim Duggan proclaimed The Potbelleez to be "the fastest rising stars of the dance scene" in 2006, he foresaw what would be almost unanimously obvious to the wider industry and music fans alike only 18 months later. Their first single 'Don't Hold Back' brought Aussie audiences to their knees. Their second 'Are You With Me' is currently riding high in the charts while the band recently scored three ARIA award nominations. Couple this with a non-stop touring schedule across Australia and Europe and a gargantuan debut album due for imminent release - The Potbelleez are on the success super highway with not a break-light in sight! The Potbelleez are DJ-producers Dave Goode and Jonny Sonic, sassy singer & MC Blue and vocalist Ilan Kidron. Both Irish, Dave and Jonny landed as backpackers in Sydney in 2002 and met shortly after to form the original dynamic duo. Blue joined the pair in 2005, having previously dropped rhymes for legendary UK act Hexstatic, whilst living in London and Ilan made his entrance in 2006 as the band took about a legendary 2 year Saturday night residency at Moulin Rouge in Sydney's red light district, Kings Cross. In 2006, the band made their first momentous strike with the dancefloor killers 'Junkyard' and 'Duuurty Dreemz'. 'Junkyard' stormed to No.2 on the Australian ARIA club charts. Both tracks feature on the debut EP 'In the Junkyard' which was released in April 2007. The Limited edition sold out in 6 weeks. In October 2007, things took another massive step forward, when the band dropped 'Don't Hold Back'. Combining Dave & Jonny's punchy electro-laced beats, guitar-licked sonics and Ilan's captivating vocals, the track was the kind of unique offering that demanded people sit up and take notice. It spent an incredible 17 weeks at No.1 in the ARIA dance charts and 29 weeks in the ARIA Top 40 singles chart. The single also went platinum selling over 100,000 units - gaining them three ARIA nominations for the 2008 award, in the category of 'Highest Selling Single', 'Breakthrough Artist - Single' and 'Best Dance Release'. With The Potbelleez's reputation spreading like a bush fire, so it was no surprise (but indeed a privilege) when Channel Ten requested the band open the world famous Sydney Harbour New Years Eve celebrations - the performance being watched by over 2.2 million viewers nationally. A recent show stopping performance on the Australian MTV awards and the band taking out #5 position in the National inthemix50 DJ poll again reinforce the high-demand for the band. The momentum was starting to build globally also with 'Don't Hold Back' backed by BBC Radio One heavyweights Jo Whiley and Pete Tong in early 2008. The track was added to Radio One and Galaxy's play list a few months later. With all of the buzz building, legendary Ibiza super club Pacha signed up Jonny & Dave to mix a new compilation. Amidst the excitement, the band managed to produce an exceptional follow up single 'Are You With Me' which hit the ground running as Australian radio's #1 Most Added Song to national playlists. This track was an instant hit on the ARIA Charts. Out of 16 weeks of ARIA airplay, 15 of those weeks were spent in the top 40, peaking at #15. It was also heavily featured during Channel 7's broadcast of the Beijing Olympics. Ministry of Sound Australia also snapped them up to record the latest platinum selling 'Sessions 5' mix which was released on 31st May 2008. Seemingly everything The Potbelleez touch turns to platinum. Today, The Potbelleez unquestionably stand as one of Australia's most in-demand acts, having performed over 250 gigs in 2007 alone. The band may have set the benchmark high but it seems that in 2008 they may top it, having played Future Music Festival, Good Vibrations, We Love Sounds, MTV Snow Jam in NZ and huge gigs at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland. They also toured extensively for 2 months under the Ministry of Sound Sessions 5 banner. Upcoming performances at Global Gathering Australia, Homebake in Sydney and Southern Amp in New Zealand will ensure the year ends with a bang and that 2009 starts with an even bigger bang with live performances at headline slots at the Global Gathering Festival and Good Vibrations National tours. The Potbelleez live show is excitement plus, with Dave and Jonny displaying their breathtaking skills over four CDJ's, two mixers and two FX units, while Blue and Ilan weave their magic up front. The set-up is a proven winner for music fans and promoters alike, with the band having played in front of 35,000 people at the opening of the A League Soccer Grand Final at Sydney Football Stadium plus a host of festival appearances including Global Gathering & Godskitchen (UK) and the Jim Beam Mix it Up Tour in China in 2005. In Europe, hype for The Potbelleez continues to spread. The band has signed with respected imprints Frenetic Records, alongside UK man-of-the-moment Out of Office as well as inking a deal with Steve Murano's Kontor Records in Germany. It's a daunting thought to imagine where The Potbelleez will be a year from now. The Potbelleez self-titled debut album has just been released through Vicious (and includes the Platinum selling 'Don't Hold Back', the exceptional follow up single 'Are You With Me' plus their brand new 3rd single 'Trouble Trouble') while a recent tour throughout Germany and upcoming tours in the UK and Ireland will also further boost The Potbelleez profile. And if they have a few spare hours, Dave, Jonny, Blue and Ilan may just fit in a few hours of sleep, but there are no guarantees of that when you're one of the hottest damn dance acts on the planet. Check out www.myspace.com/thepotbelleez The Potbelleez debut self-titled album is out now.
When Rolling Stone's Tim Duggan proclaimed The Potbelleez to be "the fastest rising stars of the dance scene" in 2006, he foresaw what would be almost unanimously obvious to the wider industry and music fans alike only 18 months later. Their first single 'Don't Hold Back' brought Aussie audiences to their knees. Their second 'Are You With Me' is currently riding high in the charts while the band recently scored three ARIA award nominations. Couple this with a non-stop touring schedule across Australia and Europe and a gargantuan debut album due for imminent release - The Potbelleez are on the success super highway with not a break-light in sight! The Potbelleez are DJ-producers Dave Goode and Jonny Sonic, sassy singer & MC Blue and vocalist Ilan Kidron. Both Irish, Dave and Jonny landed as backpackers in Sydney in 2002 and met shortly after to form the original dynamic duo. Blue joined the pair in 2005, having previously dropped rhymes for legendary UK act Hexstatic, whilst living in London and Ilan made his entrance in 2006 as the band took about a legendary 2 year Saturday night residency at Moulin Rouge in Sydney's red light district, Kings Cross. In 2006, the band made their first momentous strike with the dancefloor killers 'Junkyard' and 'Duuurty Dreemz'. 'Junkyard' stormed to No.2 on the Australian ARIA club charts. Both tracks feature on the debut EP 'In the Junkyard' which was released in April 2007. The Limited edition sold out in 6 weeks. In October 2007, things took another massive step forward, when the band dropped 'Don't Hold Back'. Combining Dave & Jonny's punchy electro-laced beats, guitar-licked sonics and Ilan's captivating vocals, the track was the kind of unique offering that demanded people sit up and take notice. It spent an incredible 17 weeks at No.1 in the ARIA dance charts and 29 weeks in the ARIA Top 40 singles chart. The single also went platinum selling over 100,000 units - gaining them three ARIA nominations for the 2008 award, in the category of 'Highest Selling Single', 'Breakthrough Artist - Single' and 'Best Dance Release'. With The Potbelleez's reputation spreading like a bush fire, so it was no surprise (but indeed a privilege) when Channel Ten requested the band open the world famous Sydney Harbour New Years Eve celebrations - the performance being watched by over 2.2 million viewers nationally. A recent show stopping performance on the Australian MTV awards and the band taking out #5 position in the National inthemix50 DJ poll again reinforce the high-demand for the band. The momentum was starting to build globally also with 'Don't Hold Back' backed by BBC Radio One heavyweights Jo Whiley and Pete Tong in early 2008. The track was added to Radio One and Galaxy's play list a few months later. With all of the buzz building, legendary Ibiza super club Pacha signed up Jonny & Dave to mix a new compilation. Amidst the excitement, the band managed to produce an exceptional follow up single 'Are You With Me' which hit the ground running as Australian radio's #1 Most Added Song to national playlists. This track was an instant hit on the ARIA Charts. Out of 16 weeks of ARIA airplay, 15 of those weeks were spent in the top 40, peaking at #15. It was also heavily featured during Channel 7's broadcast of the Beijing Olympics. Ministry of Sound Australia also snapped them up to record the latest platinum selling 'Sessions 5' mix which was released on 31st May 2008. Seemingly everything The Potbelleez touch turns to platinum. Today, The Potbelleez unquestionably stand as one of Australia's most in-demand acts, having performed over 250 gigs in 2007 alone. The band may have set the benchmark high but it seems that in 2008 they may top it, having played Future Music Festival, Good Vibrations, We Love Sounds, MTV Snow Jam in NZ and huge gigs at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland. They also toured extensively for 2 months under the Ministry of Sound Sessions 5 banner. Upcoming performances at Global Gathering Australia, Homebake in Sydney and Southern Amp in New Zealand will ensure the year ends with a bang and that 2009 starts with an even bigger bang with live performances at headline slots at the Global Gathering Festival and Good Vibrations National tours. The Potbelleez live show is excitement plus, with Dave and Jonny displaying their breathtaking skills over four CDJ's, two mixers and two FX units, while Blue and Ilan weave their magic up front. The set-up is a proven winner for music fans and promoters alike, with the band having played in front of 35,000 people at the opening of the A League Soccer Grand Final at Sydney Football Stadium plus a host of festival appearances including Global Gathering & Godskitchen (UK) and the Jim Beam Mix it Up Tour in China in 2005. In Europe, hype for The Potbelleez continues to spread. The band has signed with respected imprints Frenetic Records, alongside UK man-of-the-moment Out of Office as well as inking a deal with Steve Murano's Kontor Records in Germany. It's a daunting thought to imagine where The Potbelleez will be a year from now. The Potbelleez self-titled debut album has just been released through Vicious (and includes the Platinum selling 'Don't Hold Back', the exceptional follow up single 'Are You With Me' plus their brand new 3rd single 'Trouble Trouble') while a recent tour throughout Germany and upcoming tours in the UK and Ireland will also further boost The Potbelleez profile. And if they have a few spare hours, Dave, Jonny, Blue and Ilan may just fit in a few hours of sleep, but there are no guarantees of that when you're one of the hottest damn dance acts on the planet.
Check out www.myspace.com/thepotbelleez The Potbelleez debut self-titled album is out now.
© 2012 Sydney Unleashed - All Rights Reserved - editor@sydneyunleashed.com
