A LOW HUM – Most would given up by now, but I'm contractually obliged to present the best, most rad shows in the entire universe ever, so I must carry on.

There are no bNet awards in 2006. Wanna know why? ‘Cause this next band would have won them all and Scribe woulda got jealous and overdosed on pies. “Best new band”, “Best Live Act”, “Best unreleased song”, “Male Fox”, “Best Vocals”, “Best Synthpop New Wave Disco Punk Happyhardcore album” are all theirs… there was no point even having a ceremony. So So Modern from Wellington is hands down THE live act worth seeing in New Zealand today. Sure…Fat Fredd y's Drop may have sold 17 billion records, but do you see them handing out chocolate muffins to the audience? Making a piñata for bashing at the show? Nope. Lookout… It's Mu in a tu-tu, it's So So Modern !

City City City were so last month, it's all about Collapsing Cities right now dawg. They've got the songs, they've got the hooks, they've got the talent, they got the looks, they could very well be the Worlds most perfect band, though very unlikely, but still possible, though I doubt it.

Do you like to stamp your feet? Bopping along to a disco beat? Collapsing Cities are a treat; well that's the word on the street. It's about time my press releases started to rhyme, miss Collapsing Cities it's a crime. Word to ya mutha!

There's an old touring quandary “How do you make someone from Auckland dance?”… The answer, “You can't”. Well, rules were made to be eaten and the pairing of Frase & Bri from Christchurch eat that rule with a side of snakes. What is a Frase & Bri? Is it some sort of cheesy French dessert? Close. Change “cheesy” for “radically freakin' awesome” and “French” for “commodore 64 toutin' disco playin'” and “dessert” for “damn sexy bitches” and you got it in one.

Phew. Surely that's it? Well, remember I am a nut, and far be it for me to simply rest at taking a band from Auckland , Wellington and Christchurch on tour. Why not invite an aussie over? Not from somewhere with a cool musical heritage like say Melbourne …why not Newcastle ?

Maybe you remember Alps from such compilations as the last track on A LOW HUM , Series 3, Issue 3. Maybe it's that you shed a tear and held close your John Howard doll during the patriotic Alps ballad “I Burned an Australian Flag”. Maybe you thought that Blink should start the evenings off a bit slower so people wouldn't be all danced out too early and thought some nic e lilting electro nic indie-pop would set the evening off in style. Whatever it was that you were thinking… you were right. That mad ocker Alps is coming back to New Zealand for his second NZ nationwide tour in four months! Man, I don't even know of any New Zealand bands who tour that much here. If you're a slack kiwi band come along and give Alps a punch in the arm ‘cause he's showing you fools up!

A LOW HUM + JACK DANIELS + CREATIVENZ presents:
So So Modern (WLG)
+ Collapsing Cities (AKL)
+ Frase & Bri (CHCH)
+ Alps (AUS)

Auckland – Sept 15th – The Dogs Bollix. 9pm
With guests TEENWOLF
Hamilton – Sept 16th – Upsett Records, All ages show starts at 2pm .
With guests THE LOOKIE LOOS
Hamilton – Sept 16th – The Castle, R18 show from 9pm .
With guests THE LOOKIE LOOS
North Shore – Sept 17th – The Takapuna War Memorial. All Ages show from 6pm .
With guests TEENWOLF
Nelson – Sept 20th – Phat Club
With guests MANNICANE
Motueka – Sept 21st – Hot Mamas
Christchurch – Sept 22nd – The Penthouse (above “Unlimited school") All Ages show from 6pm
with guests BLACK MARKET ART
Christchurch – Sept 22nd – The Jetset Lounge. 9:30pm start.
Dunedin – Sept 23rd – Refuel. All Ages show from 6pm
With Guests TAKING THE FALL
Dunedin – Sept 23rd – Refuel. R18 from 9:30pm
With guests THE RIFF RATS
Wellington – Sept 29th – San Fran Bathhouse. All Ages show from 6pm
With Guests CYBERSEX ON MARS
Wellington – Sept 29th – San Fran Bath House. R18 show from 9:30pm with guests FIGHTING THE SHAKES
Palmerston North – Sept 30th - The Stomach – 8pm Start

To hear what the bands sounds like, check out:
http://www.myspace.com/sosomodern
http://www.myspace.com/collapsingcities
http://www.myspace.com/frasemusic
http://www.myspace.com/alpsalps
http://www.myspace.com/alowhum

As always, entry to shows = $10, or if you fork out an extra measly $5 you get the September A LOW HUM pack which features the new September issue of A LOW HUM + the new compilation which features tracks from: So So Modern , Phony Bone, Dimmer, The Coolies, Teenwolf, Motor Vehicle Sundown, Alps, Collapsing Cities, Frase & Bri, Audrey and more…

With the A LOW HUM pack you also receive a bonus album. This month I've chosen to release the awesome unreleased mini-album from Wellington band Ejector . Shortly before they broke up in 2003 they demoed a few of the songs from their live set. They never got around to recording them properly and they reckon they're only half finished, but I bullied them into releasing them anyway ‘cause I still reckon it's a gem of a record. Demo…schmemo

CAMP A LOW HUM tickets will be on sale during this tour for the special introductory price on $125.00- www.myspace.com/campalowhum

If they didn't know they were so damn cool already, I'd ask you you tell them they were cool. You rock!, the big JD; Jack Daniels!! The Interislander, screw that bluebridge bollix, CreativeNZ keeping me art-tastic, and keeping my ears fresh and nice are my favourite kids RDU, R1, Active89FM, BFM, FleetFM, Contact, Control. Oh yeah.

[ http://www.alowhum.com ]