The eagerly anticipated full-length album Carnival Of Fools from Brisbane dirty-soul act Blues Arcadia is a record that almost didn’t get made. Personal struggles and a band implosion shortly after they began the process of following up their award-winning self-titled debut release of 2016 saw them scrapping the results of their initial recording sessions and figuring out where to start again.
Along with new drummer Casper Hall, the band took the songs on the road and found their way back together. Recording began I early 2018 with original drummer and engineer Steve Robin at the Barn Studios, and continued into the summer at Black Box studios with Jeff Lovejoy at the controls.
The result is a collection of songs that swing from the rafters and shake the foundations of blues and soul. From the opening stomp of Seven Days A Week to the final dark echoes of Good Thing, there is both swagger and sensitivity in Chris Harvey and Alan Boyle’s songwriting, tempered by the intense drama of Paris Rose’s keys and the solid anchor of Jeremy Klysz’s bass guitar. There is also deep joy woven into the fabric of these songs. It’s the sound of a band falling in love with their music again.
“We’ve all bought tickets to the Carnival Of Fools at some point”, says guitarist Harvey, “but sometimes it’s the only show in town.”
Carnival Of Fools will be released Friday March 1st through Only Blues Music.
Blues Arcadia are heading out for an extensive run of shows through March and April.
Check out below for a show near you.
BLUES ARCADIA ‘CARNIVAL OF FOOLS’ TOUR Dates
Tix to all shows available at https://www.bluesarcadia.com/live
Friday 22nd March – The Bunker @ Imperial Hotel
1 Etheridge St, Eumundi QLD
Ph: 07 5442 8811
Doors 7pm
Saturday 23rd March – The Old Museum
With special guests Hussy Hicks
480 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills
Ph: 07 3257 4089
Doors 7pm
Sunday 24th March – Mo’s Desert Clubhouse
6/36 Central Drive, Burleigh Heads
Ph: 0438 461 423
Doors 4pm
Friday 29th March – The Vanguard
With special guests Simon Kinny-Lewis Band
42 King St, Newtown
Doors 7pm
Saturday 30th March – Club Windang
2 Judbooley Parade, Windang
Doors 7pm, free entry
Sunday 31st March – The Brass Monkey
115A Cronulla St, Cronulla
Ph: 02 9544 3844
Doors 7pm
Thursday 4th April – 5 Church St
5 Church St, Bellingen
Ph: 02 6655 0155
Doors 6pm
Friday 5th April – The Stag & Hunter
187 Maitland Rd, Mayfield
Ph: 02 4968 1205
Doors 7pm
Saturday 6th April – The Basement @Panthers
1 Bay St, Port Macquarie
Ph: 02 6580 2300
Doors 6.30pm
Thursday 11th April – The Shake Shack @ Hume Blues Club
19 Harding St, Coburg
Ph: 0425 794 653
Doors 7pm, free entry
Friday 12th April – The Fyrefly
With special guest Mike Elrington
34 Inkerman St, St Kilda
Ph: 03 9810 0087
Doors 7pm
Saturday 13th April – The Worker’s Club
With special guest Charlie Bedford
51 Brunswick St Fitzroy
Ph: 03 9415 6558
Doors 1pm
BLUES ARCADIA ‘THE BEST DAMN SOUL MUSIC SOUTH OF the BLUES’
