Underwards (The Band)

We’d love to see you tomorrow at Monday Night Confessions!

Underwards launch THE SCRUBS single this Monday Feb 9 at Monday Night Confessions! We’re first up at 8pm followed by Ground Patrol (USA/AUS, with bonus secret bassist??!!) launching their new album. Nyowwww. The Scrubs is a piece by Ellen Kirkwood written for her PhD, about how much the prevalent eucalyptus forest in south east Australia is very unhealthy (scrubby, overgrown, thick) and nothing like how it was before 1788 when it was cared for by First Nations peoples using fire. Like other recent releases by Ellen, this track is available via private file share - just DM this account or @ellen_c_k with your email and she will send it to you

Coming up this Monday, we’ve got a huge night of new music, including a SINGLE RELEASE from local supergroup UNDERWARDS! Ellen Kirkwood - trumpet, voice
Hilary Geddes - guitar, effects
Brendan Clark - electric bass, effects
Alex Inman-Hislop - drums Evoking places and experiences in nature through a rich blend of jazz and experimental music, with hints of folk and contemporary classical, Underwards is led by award-winning composer and trumpeter Ellen Kirkwood. Currently, the majority of Underwards’ works form part of Kirkwood’s PhD project, exploring respectful Indigenous-informed immersive connecting with and learning from Country. At this edition of Monday Night Confessions they will be launching ‘The Scrubs’: a tangled punk-jazz response to overgrown, unhealthy Australian bush that’s a firey disaster waiting to happen. “Deeply sensitive, intellectually inquisitive, modern and of today. Underwards is breaking the jazz coma.”- Eric Pozza, Canberra Jazz Blog “Beauty blended with visceral excitement” - John Shand and Annabel Ross, Sydney Morning Herald

SOUND ON! Underwards is launching our new single, THE SCRUBS! Come hear our set at Monday Night Confessions on Feb 9. The Scrubs is a reaction to the dangerous poor health of the majority of the bushland in Australia - pre-1788 it was cared for through Indigenous cultural burns but now the risk of bushfire is huge and ever-present. Also playing on Feb 9 will be Ground Patrol (USA/AUS) - that’s Alon Ilsar (drums/perc) and Kyle Sanna (guitar/bass)!

Brooklyn/Sydney experimental duo Ground Patrol are playing some rare shows to launch their new record Converge. We’d love to see you at one of these shows: Mon 09 Feb: Church St Studios, Sydney with @underwards Thu 12 Feb: Lazybones Lounge, Sydney with @helutheband Sun 22 Feb: Leadbeater Hotel, Melbourne with @squidnebula_ , Involve Online and Banksia Mon 23 Feb: Bar 303, Melbourne with Factory House Band Sat 28 Feb: Mirrorball Ministries, Brisbane with @_plainer , Joseph Rabjohns & Lachlan R. Dale and @pointeband Tickets are are available now from tix.to/groundpatrol

New band shot, who dis? Yes, we will do a ‘proper’ shoot with our new bassist Brendan soon, but for the meantime, please enjoy this lovely family photo, and please come hear us this Saturday at the free and family-friendly Rhythms of Ryde event at Ryde Park. We’re on at 2pm in the rotunda, and after us will be the brilliant Tom Avgenicos Trio. #freegig #parklife #jazzpark #livemusic #rydesydney

Underwards in a park! We play while you play!* On Saturday May 17 we’ll be playing at the Rhythms of Ryde event at Ryde Park, 2pm. After us will be the amazing Tom Avgenicos trio. And best of all, it’s a free event! *play equipment may or may not be present at Ryde Park, but play is a broad term and parks are public spaces. #parklife #jazzpicnic #amusementryde #playingnice #outsiderart

Last night at Local Edition! We had a lovely time - thanks to Hamed at L.E. For taking good care of us, and for these pics! Thanks also to those who came out to listen :) xo

Come hear us tomorrow night at @localedition.au Glebe! New music, new bassist! Get your tix via our linktree #livemusic #jazz #newmusic #sydney #improvisedmusic

Hope you can make it to our gig this Friday at lovely Local Edition, Glebe! Visit our linktree for a link to bookings!! #livemusic #newmusic #sydneylife

Here’s a snippet from Ellen’s most recent blog post about a new piece of hers we’re going to be playing at @localedition.au on Friday. It’s called ‘Wangal View from the Canopy’ and it’s about the knowledge and familiarity with Country that grows over time wherever we live. If you know Country, Country knows you too.

Here you see the photos of 2 talented, creative and lovely bass players. The first is Nick Henderson and the 2nd is Brendan Clark. Sadly for us, Nick let us know last year he’d be leaving the band. He’s a busy guy, as he should be, with his own successful projects (check out @thegoodbehaviours !) and mad sound skills, and so he’s off devoting more of his time to those wonderful things. He’s been with the band from day 1, putting his unique stamp on the music and being a ray of sunshine! We’ll miss you Nick! To take his spot, we’re chuffed to have Brendan Clark on board! Brendan plays in all sorts of fantastic groups, including Australian/West Bengali ensemble The Three Seas, Lisathe and Golden Strangers. He’s brilliant at what he does and we know he’ll bring his own unique and cool thing to our music. Come hear him with us on Friday 11th at Local Edition!! #livemusic #sydney #bass #jazz #newmusic #improvisedmusic