Busby Marou

This upcoming tour follows the momentum of a huge past year of summer performances and new songwriting material from Tom Busby (hailing from Queensland, Australia) and Jeremy Marou (from the beautiful Torres Strait Islands). The duo rounded off 2018 with their biggest ever headline show, playing to over 3,000 people at their own One Hot Night festival in Rockhampton, QLD. 2019 began with the recording of their fourth studio album The Great Divide with producer Oscar Dawson (Holy Holy), with whom they had an immediate and compelling connection. The album which was born as a result is a powerful chapter in the story of two men from two very different worlds, on the same journey and having reached a new level of maturity.

The duo said of the new album, “The Great Divide is not about division or adversaries. It's about recognising that we all have a different account of events in our own lives and celebrating how those differences combine to create a unique and colourful story. Without our great divide, there is no Busby Marou story”.

Just this month, Busby Marou shared the first taste of their forthcoming album with the hit track ‘Over Drinking Over You’. “‘Over Drinking Over You’ is a song about when fun habits stop being fun. The symptom is a broken heart and the medicine is the whiskey to endure it.”

A mark of difference between Busby Marou and many other live bands is their ability to captivate a crowd in a country theatre or pub in regional Australia equally as much as in a slick inner-city venue. The duo make a point of sticking close to their roots by touring regional areas, and regardless of venue, their live performances fill the room with distinct Australian storytelling and heavenly vocal interplay.

“The two Queenslanders know how to improvise, how to pace themselves, how to entertain. And they know their way around everything from plaintive country ballads to bombastic rock 'n' roll wig-outs.” - The Australian”

“There’s something about them that keeps drawing crowds… Their chemistry is intriguing: Busby could hold an audience for days, he is so engaging [and] Marou’s more-than-steady hand and blinding short solo riffs on guitar add spice to the lyrics.” - The Newcastle Herald

Tom and Jeremy have come a long way since they met years ago, busting out tunes in the corner of Rockhampton’s Oxford Hotel to anyone who might listen. A gift for storytelling, exquisite harmonies and a potent chemistry between the two mates make for a sound which is truly unique to Busby Marou. Their success over the past decade includes millions of global streams, top 20 airplay, three ARIA charting albums and twice winning the APRA Blues & Roots Work of the Year. Their debut self-titled album was certified ARIA Gold in Australia in 2014, while their follow up album Farewell Fitzroy debuted at #5 on the album chart. Their most recent album Postcards From The Shell House, released in 2017, is their first ARIA #1 album. Last year, they released their Aussie anthem, ‘Sound of Summer’ which currently has over 2.5 million global streams.

Joining Busby Marou on tour is Gold Coast born-and-bred singer and multi-instrumentalist Bobby Alu, whose chilled out, ukulele-driven tunes nod to a strong family lineage of Polynesian performance and bring a sense of Island-time serenity and gentle optimism to his live shows. Following his exploratory self-titled debut in 2010 (which made triple j Roots ‘n All top 10), and his widely-praised 2013 album Take It Slow, Bobby Alu has spent the past five years touring internationally on drums for Xavier Rudd. During this time, he also recorded and released his solo five-track EP Bay Sessions, released in 2015. Alu will bring to the stage this October & November flavours from each of these albums as well as, hopefully, a taste of his fresh material to come.

Leanne Tennant will be joining Busby Marou in Cairns, with her alternative roots bringing an escape from the everyday, taking inspiration from nature and her own life experiences. Landing firmly on the map with her debut album Pull Up Your Britches in 2015 and follow up Red Wine, Late Nights (2016), Leanne Tennant was awarded the esteemed Carol Lloyd Award in 2018. Now in the process of creating her third album, her sound is expanding into something new and bold, whilst still remaining true to her alternative roots. The debut single ‘Cherry Cola’ has already had extensive airplay on Double J and BBC Radio. Leanne will bring her strong live presence to Cairns in November alongside Busby Marou, armed with all the hits from her first two albums and if we’re lucky, a taste of her new record.

Secure tickets ASAP to bear witness to what will be a powerful and moving show. As an added bonus, ticket buyers will be offered the exclusive chance to pre-order The Great Divide at a discounted price when checking out.

TOUR DATES

Friday 25 October – The Tivoli, Brisbane (18+)
Saturday 26 October – Venue 114, Sunshine Coast (18+)
Sunday 27 October – Home Of The Arts, Gold Coast (18+) 
Thursday 31 October – Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide (18+)
Friday 1 November – Freo.Social, Fremantle (18+)
Saturday 2 November – The River, Margaret River (18+)
Friday 8 November – Palais Hepburn, Hepburn Springs (18+)
Saturday 9 November – Corner Hotel, Melbourne (18+)
Thursday 14 November – The Cambridge, Newcastle (18+)
Friday 15 November – The Factory Theatre, Sydney (18+)
Saturday 16 November – Ettamogah Hotel, Kellyville Ridge (18+)
Friday 22 November – The Jack, Cairns (18+)
Saturday 23 November – Kirwan Tavern, Townsville (18+)