My name is Ben Salter and I'm a Melbournebased songwriter and performer. I'm writing
because I'm coming over to Aotearoa in July for a ninedate tour with fellow Australian
singer/songwriter and good friend Dan Kelly. Both Dan and I have reasonably high profiles here in Australia our full bios are attached below, but between us we've released dozens of albums with various bands and been nominated for a swag ofAustralian music awards.
HARD YAKKA
Dan and I have both been labouring at the coalface of the salt mine of theAustralian music industryfor some twenty years apiece that’s a total of forty years. We’ve each
criscrossedAustralia and the globe numerous times, both as solo performers as well as
members of numerous bands, outfits and groups Dan plays guitar for legendary
Australian entertainer Paul Kelly and has performed with The Dronesand Augie March,
while I am a founding member of well respected Australian acts such as The Gin Club,
Giants of Science and the twice ARIA award nominated Wilson Pickers. Dan's most
recent album, Leisure Panicwas shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize whilst my most
recent album The Stars My Destinationwas nominated for best album in the Age Victoria
Music Awards. Both albums received a bunch of great reviews in the national press in
Australia. Anyway read the bios if you’re superinterested.
CROSS CULTURAL
As I mentioned I've toured around NZ a couple of times, both with my band The Gin Club as well as solo. I last visited in 2014 with the aforementioned Dominic Hoey aka Tourettes,
who I met in Iceland. I also played bass in Marlon Williams'band here in Australia for a tour supporting Justin Townes Earle, and more recently I opened for Marlon on his national tour.
Finally, I have performed with Liam Finna number of times and once beat him in a rap
battle. I have read all the Footrot Flatsbooks. As previously mentioned, Dan is also no
stranger to New Zealand eithe, having played guitar for Paul Kelly and Neil Finn on their joint tour, as well as touring with Bic Runga.
NITTY GRITTY
Both of us will be playing solo, as well as doing a few songs together. We each have an
array of noise machines and brightly coloured trinkets,as well as questionable taste in
clothes/coiffure, to keep things interesting.. Dan's more upbeat party tunesand dream
balladsare a great foil to my more introspective, folky, wankymaterial. I think we make a
pretty good combo. Dan uses both electric and acoustic guitars.. I mainly stick to acoustic.
WRAP UP
Anyway we’re looking forward to coming over to New Zealand to play some shows, in
between spending long hours gazingout of the window of our hire car at the
embarrassment of natural riches your country has on offer. I was going to insert a cynical
comment about Australia there but I should keep it ‘upvibe’.
