Dave Walker and The Blue Moon Lodge will play all tracks from their new album at the Upper Yarra Arts Centre’s Mecca Theatre on Saturday 30 August.DAVE Walker and The Blue Moon Lodge are looking forward to the launch of their new album Diamonds on The Road.
The band has its roots firmly in the Upper Yarra Valley and is at the vanguard of the thriving music culture springing from the hills to Melbourne’s East.
To celebrate that culture, the Blue Moon Lodge is launching a new record at the Upper Yarra Arts Centre’s Mecca Theatre on Saturday 30 August.
They group will be playing all the tracks from Diamonds on the Road as well as a few pearls from their first album, combined with some multimedia and supported by Ewan Cloonan.
The following Saturday, 6 September, the boys will do it all again with a city launch at The Lomond Hotel in East Brunswick.
“We were very conscious of celebrating the release of this album with our fans both up here and down in town,” Dave said.
“The Upper Yarra Valley has been really supportive of this band and what we’ve been working towards. We’ve done a lot of shows locally since the start of the year, and that has helped generate a real buzz about the launch of this new record.”
Diamonds on the Road is the band’s second studio album. It leaves the listener in no doubt as to the musical and creative bonafides of this rockin’ alt-country outfit.
It was produced by Blue Moon Lodge violinist Greg Hunt and recorded by Mark Stanley at Red Room Studios in Burwood.
Mark played with seminal Irish band, The Mary Janes, and has had a long association and friendship with The Frames. In 2006 the band flew him over to France to work with Steve Fitzmaurice (U2, Kylie, Depeche Mode) on their album The Cost.
Greg said it was a joy to make this record with Mark at the controls.
“It’s a really rare thing to find that energy and the genuinely empathetic approach to music that Mark has. He’s a rare breed when it comes to that sort of thing in this country,” Greg said.
“He was really instrumental in allowing us to focus our energy. That sort of focus brings with it a real freedom.”
For his part, Mark enjoyed the freedom afforded him by the band.
“I really enjoyed this project,” Mark said.
“For me the super obvious thing was that the preparation was done and the songs were really polished.
“That gave us scope and freedom to do some exciting things in the recording process, all of which helped to make a great album.
Now the album is complete and the launch dates are locked in, Dave is looking forward to getting the band out on the road in the run up to Christmas.
“The live show has really crystallised over the past six months, and we’ve slotted in a regional Victorian tour for later on in the year. We’re really keen to get out and play this record to as many people as we can,” he said.
