MAGPIE DIARIES

to tour debut album

‘Sanctuary’

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THE HISTORY OF DASHVILLE

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The first official release for Dashville as a music label, the album arrived Friday November 16th.

Alluding to an era of more simplistic notions, Magpie Diaries take flight into an abundant musical sanctuary with this 11-track debut album; a sanctuary that delivers Magpie’s story via smooth soulful folk country, with subtle flourishes of psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll attributed to great acts like Grateful Dead, Neil Young and Van Morrison, melded with modern influences such as Cat Power and My Morning Jacket.

Sanctuary is a journey through the past and into the future, where one can still roam with wild exuberance,  where the desire to perform is matched with the desire to escape and unravel inside the music.

Sanctuary is Magpie’s happy place.

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The band title and songs within Sanctuary centre on the mind of singer-songwriter and Dashville founder Matt “Magpie” Johnston. (pictured above).

BACK STORY – Johnston, committed to being a resourceful trojan, had been hosting The Gum Ball music festivals in his parents’ front yard since 2004. Somewhere in the festival fog he’d acquired a working pseudonym as the Magpie, due to his nature of swooping in on anything tangible that would potentially provide service to the festival site.

In the winter of 2012, after the sudden tragic passing of a close friend, Johnston unassumingly began the Magpie Diaries project as a way of coming to terms with the loss. The emotional journey led him to revisit past musical escapades and written memoirs, where he pieced forgotten songs and faded memories together in order to play a special solo show at his favourite pub in the world, the Junkyard, Maitland.

COMING UP – Fast forward to October 2018, and Magpie has clearly been chipping away on his craft, with his long-awaited debut album released on November 23. The album was recorded in various locations over three years and produced by Matt Sherrod (Crowded House, Beck).

Magpie Diaries will tour throughout Australia during the first half of 2019, the first stop being the prestigious Woodford Folk Festival over New Year’s Eve.

The video for the first single, ‘When Love Comes’, was a hit when it was released earlier this year. Shot at one of Australia’s most celebrated live music venues, The Grand Junction Hotel in Maitland, it features Magpie endeavouring to find true love via a furry array of local pooches.

MAKE IT RAIN – On a separate note, Magpie as curator of the Dashville Skyline festival, was a leading force in the curation and delivery of the Make It Rain compilation album, with 100% proceeds going to drought relief in NSW.

Head to Dashville.com.au for further info on Make It Rain, Magpie Diaries and Dashville/Gumball.

 

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ALBUM TOUR

Key dates for 2018/2019

Tickets available through Ticketbooth

Dec 29-Jan 2 – Woodford Folk festival, Woodfordia QL

January 3 – Nimbin Bush Theatre  w/ Coda Chroma donation entry

January 3 – Byron Bay Brewery w/ Coda Chroma + Family Jordan free entry

January 4  – Bellingen Federal Hotel w/ Coda Chroma free entry

January 5  – Flow Bar, Old Bar w/ Coda Chroma

January 11 – Brass Monkey, Cronulla w/ Steve Smyth

January 12 – Sly Fox, Enmore

January 13 – Hardys Bay Club, Hardys Bay w/ Baghead free entry

January 19 – Tamworth Hotel, Tamworth free entry

January 20 – Tamworth Hotel, Tamworth (12pm to 1pm) free entry

January 20 – Junkyard, Maitland free entry

January 24 – Servo Food Truck, Port Kembla w/ Baghead

January 25 – Tomerong Hall, Tomerong w/ Steve Smyth + Baghead + Dave Wells

January 31 – Stag & Hunter, Newcastle

February 6 – Transit Bar, Canberra w/ Steve Smyth

February 7 – The Old Bar, Fitzroy w/ Masco Sound System + Dave Wells

February 8 – The Eastern, Ballarat w/ Steve Smyth + Masco Sound System

February 9 – Barwon Club, Geelong w/ Steve Smyth + Masco Sound System

February 10 – Northcote Social Club, Northcote
w/ Steve Smyth + Masco Sound System + Dave Wells + Coda Chroma

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AMNPLIFY – DB