So Darren used to be in a heap of great bands, but you can google them yourselves. He hasn't lost anything going solo and it's probably the first time you'll get a chance to notice how good his lyrics and voice are! Probably one of the top 5 Sydney songwriter who make me feel like giving up.
Annaliesse Monaro is on after Darren and she's a face you probably know by now, having played The Union about 5 or so times. It's the usual story: Boys meets girl, boy plays in bands, girl has to sit there, drinking and watching all of boy's bands, girl realizes she can do it just as well if not better than the boys herself and finally goes about recording her debut EP with ARIA award winning producer Brendan Gallagher. Then there's the Conversations! 3 siblings and friend make subtle, delicate but robust neo-folk music smack full of harmonies and get asked to support acts in all of Sydney's bigger venues. But of course you get to see the whole lot at The Union for free! Why I oughta...   

Erik The Red. So I saw these guys play at The Lansdowne supporting a friend's band. They were the odd ones on the bill of salty Newtown types who'd been playing, and playing, and playing for years. Fresh-faced lads, they looked like they shared a house (judging from the video I'm at least half right) and studied engineering but they could fucking sing harmony and evinced perfect control and dynamics. Shit I even liked the Katy Perry cover they did (assuming she writes her own songs). With date swaps, exam periods - LOIFE! ETC- it's taken me nearly 2 years to get them on at PMS so appreciate this gig fuckers! In support are Union locals Sam Newton and Diz! 

Emma Swift has been a bloody god-send for Proper Music. She's a great singer, songwriter and performer which, you know, helps when you run a venue. But unlike many of our other great performers she's been able to give us another leg up - besides just being awesome in the venue - by hosting In The Pines on FBI and giving us the odd mention. For a venue like ours it's promotion we can't (afford to) buy. Come along tonight and give her the farewell she deserves before she's back off to the States via a panel SXSW 

My first blog post is about the first bluegrass band I ever booked, the first band I ever booked for a residency: Oh Willy Dear! They've played The Union at least every month since 2010. Come see why this Sunday.