Simon Comber

The Verlaines turn 30 years old this year, and they are doing a New Zealand tour. Please don’t leave this world without hearing their last record Corporate Moronic. It is a heavy heavy piece of work. Oh and I should add that Tono and myself are going along for the ride. I should also add that this makes me pretty darn happy.

Dunedin –  Sat March 13 Otago – University Main Common Room
Auckland – Friday March 19 – Monte Cristo Room
Wellington -Friday March 26 – Bar Bodega
Christchurch -Saturday March 27 – The Bedford

Limited pre-sale tickets will be available from Feb 6 at www.undertheradar.co.nz

Hope to see you there!

I started recording an e.p yesterday. Don’t really know what I should and shouldn’t say about it.  Seeing as my second album Endearance still isn’t even “out” yet  (if “out”= sent to the press for critique/consideration for year end lists & hard copies instores) because I couldn’t find a distributor to take it on .. like… anywhere … and was stubbornly holding out to find one, I guess I’ve got the order of the way things go all wrong, but that should finally hit shops in a couple of months if things go according to plan with some people down the bottom of the South Island. The E.P will be hot on its heels. Some show dates coming REAL SOON too. One last thing: please see the short films Lynne Ramsay made before Ratcatcher and Morvern Callar if you get a chance. They are as bleak as Kieślowski’s Dekalog, but as mesmerising too. She was already one hell of a director when she was fresh out of film school.

I’ve been skiving off in Europe for the last month and managed to have  a few wondrous musical experiences along the way. I bought a ticket off a scalper for Puccini’s La Boheme at the Staatsoper in Vienna. Ok, so Maria Callas was not playing the part of Mimi but it was amazing all the same. I also saw Vienna’s Mozart Orchestra in the Brahm’s Hall at Musikverein. It’s comforting to realise music that’s been done to death in movies and t.v adverts is still so full of life in the here and now when it’s being performed by people who have such command over the material.  Last but not least, I was lucky enough to be in Berlin when John Vanderslice was passing through. Catch him if you can! Rightio. Time for band practice.

You’ve gotta hand it to Emersons. Southern Clam Stout. What a beer! Please try it next time you’re in Dunedin.  Also deserving of mention, Cinema Paradiso movie theatre in Wanaka. Play a gig there if you get a chance. In other news, I can now confirm that Garcia tequila is NOT superior to Patron. Can also confirm that Islay Mist is an o.k single malt, but you can’t go past the $8.50 Laphroaig doubles at Wunderbar. What does all this have to do with playing music ?? EVERYTHING! Thanks to Hannah, Tom, Claire and Lachlan for a great South Island jaunt. And may the magpie who swooped down into the tour van windshield when I was driving through Mackenzie Country rest in peace.

Kina rules!

The new album Endearance is pressed. Thanks to Rose it looks fantastic. A totally ownable artifact.  It won’t be in music  stores for a while (does anyone go to those anymore anyway? …oh, well I do actually*) but you can purchase it directly from me now, and I will have have it available on the merch counter at the upcoming gigs with Hannah. 

*For those of you who are satisfied with files, I don’t pretend to understand you, but let’s not let that come between us. Both albums will shortly be available on i-tunes.

The finalised artwork and audio masters are being signed off on Monday.
And then some mind breaths.
Should I delete my myspace page??
I’m looking for a drummer. Feel free to write me if you’re interested.

1 — 2 – 3 — 4

I’m playing with The Phoenix Foundation and Double Ya D at The Penguin Club in Oamaru on 19th April. Thanks to Double Bookings Incorporated for making this gig happen.

Damn, I wish all gigs were this cool.

Here is the programme for the “Many Voices” concert on 17th April at Marama Hall, Otago University, Dunedin.

8:30pm – Anthonie Tonnon (Tono and the Finance Company)
8:50pm – Judy Bellingham (songs of Old Dunedin)
9.10pm – Anthony Ritchie (setting 2 Baxter poems to music)
9.20pm – Graeme Downes (hear songs form the forthcoming Verlaines album)
9.40pm – Matthew Bannister (The Sneaky Feelings, The Weather)
10.00pm – Haunted Love (bestest friends and Lynchian pop trio)
10.20pm – Simon Comber (ahem)
10.40pm – David Kilgour (when was the last time you saw DK in a CONCERT HALL?)

Hope to see you there Dunedinites!

My good friend jackthelad whose been maintaining my website these past couple of years is pretty busy these days. And half a world away. So here I am, with a new self-maintainable site. It is a strange time to be releasing an album. The internet door swings in the wind. Not so much a door as an infinite portal. I suppose you could say, if you were so inclined, that with this first post I walk through that portal. And fail to not look back…..

….Anyway, I have a new set of songs champing at the bit, and some of them are up on the music page. They are dying for you to check them out. I have an exciting gig coming up for those of you in or near Dunedin. On 17th April I’m playing at Marama Hall, Otago University with a whole host of great musicians and composers. Full details soon.