Australian singer/songwriter Ben Salter to tour UK

Ben Salter

Acclaimed Australian songwriter and performer Ben Salter returns to Europe in 2018 to promote his new solo album Back Yourself (available now).

Back Yourself is Salter’s third solo album, following on from 2015’s Stars My Destination, 2011’s The Cat, and a number of EPs. Recorded in Salter’s new home of Tasmania (in the far south of Australia), Back Yourself is another eclectic collection of songs ranging from acoustic ballads to prog-metal work outs. Salter will tour Europe throughout the summer of 2018, performing songs from the new album plus his extensive back catalogue.

A 20 year veteran of the Australian music scene, Salter is regularly cited as one of the nation’s finest songwriters. He has won a number of songwriting awards as well as being nominated for three Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards. He has collaborated with some of the biggest and most respected names in the local music industry including Tim Rogers (You Am I), Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger), Gareth Liddiard (The Drones, TFS), Mick Thomas (Weddings Parties, Anything), Robert Scott (The Clean, The Bats), Marlon Williams, and producer Aaron Cupples (Kirin J Callinan, The Drones, J Spaceman). He has toured with acts including Cat Power, J Mascis, Gareth Liddiard, Counting Crows, Marlon Williams and most recently Built To Spill.

Salter has released more than 20 albums and EPs in a diverse array of styles through bands such as bluegrass super group and three-time ARIA award nominees The Wilson Pickers; nine piece folk country collective The Gin Club; heavy rockers Giants of Science; as well as numerous side projects including The Young Liberals, Megafauna, Anigozanthos, Immaculate CV and most recently post punk trio Hownowmer.

His idiosyncratic and literary style is reminiscent of the work of songwriters such as Robert Wyatt, Scott Walker and John Cale and he draws inspiration from the likes of The Velvet Underground, Roy Orbison, The Ink Spots and Low. His songs evoke a strong sense of longing, both personal and geographical, delivered with a distinct antipodean flavour.

Ben’s distinctive, emotive voice is regularly cited as the one of the best in Australia. His performances highlight his storytelling, humour and sincerity, while his recordings experiment with a diversity of styles from acoustic ballads to indie rock, avant garde soundscapes and instrumentals.

Salter returns to Europe in the summer of 2018, following extensive tours in 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2008. He tours relentlessly, predominantly solo, but often with full band. On this trip he plans to do both. A seasoned performer, Salter tours endlessly. Over the past 18 months he has played more than 200 shows taking in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hawaii, and Mexico, and a sold out show at the National Gallery of Victoria. With his various bands he has entertained local festival audiences at Port Fairy Folk Festival, Dark Mofo, Queenscliff Music Festival, East Coast Blues and Roots Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, Splendour In The Grass, Livid, Big Day Out, Brunswick Music Festival, Riverboats Music Festival, Panama, Big Sound, Nannup Music Festival, Moomba, as well as abroad at The Great Escape (UK), Musexpo (USA) and for Australia’s Governor-General at the nation’s consulate in London.

Salter has written and performed for highly successful productions and events, with lauded contributions to the convict tales of Vandemonian Lags, collaborations for TEDx, and regular performances for national broadcasters including the ABC’s Radio National and Double J, and TV favourite RockWiz where he performed alongside pop superstar Kimbra.

Artist’s website: https://www.bensalter.com.au/

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