The news is contagious – this October, Ben Lee is set to spread his infectious pop sound down the East Coast of Australia! It gives The Frontier Touring Company enormous pleasure to announce that ARIA Award-winning artist Ben Lee will be performing a series of intimate shows in Melbourne, Ballarat, Moorooduc, Brisbane, Sydney and Wollongong.
One of Australia's most prolific and accomplished singer/songwriters, Ben Lee will showcase brand new material from his sixth solo album Ripe (out now through Inertia). Fans can look forward to hearing the sweetly-composed pop sounds of a polished artist, who has been honing his craft since signing his first record deal at the tender age of 14.
Since those early days, Lee has taken the Australian music industry by storm. His 1999 album Breathing Tornadoes contained the breakthrough single "Cigarettes Will Kill You", which hit #2 in that year's Triple J Hottest 100. In 2005, the breakthrough album Awake Is The New Sleep won four ARIA awards including Best Single for "Catch My Disease", which was also awarded Best Single at the APRAs. The "catchy" single was heard everywhere from TV show Grey's Anatomy to a massive Dell computer TV ad campaign, making Lee an international sensation.
The new album Ripe features collaborations with high-profile artists such as Mandy Moore and Benji Madden of Good Charlotte, but Lee is no stranger to mixing it with high profile artists - he can also list a duet with Kylie Minogue on his resume, as well as popular collaborative effort The Bens with Ben Kweller and Ben Folds.
Lee's success has turned into a worldwide epidemic, attracting praise across Europe and the US.
According to the Washington Post, "whatever he is, he's no throwback folkie. Generally mid-tempo or slower, the music builds like dance music, cresting and falling back, planting delightful Easter eggs in the corners of the arrangements that reveal themselves on repeated play while the songs remain irrefutably catchy."
The Sunday Times (London) described his music as "the combined work of Neil Finn and Bono", and The Scotsman claimed his "banter is as sweet as his music", and "for all his irreverence, Lee is entirely sincere and charming."
The debut single from Ripe, "Love Me Like The World Is Ending" was the 2nd most added song to Australian radio in the week of its release, according to The Music Network. As the phenomenon that is Ben Lee sweeps it way around the East Coast, only a lucky few will get to experience these personal performances. Get tickets fast, as these shows are sure to sell out!
A Frontier Members pre-sale for shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane will take place from noon AEST Tuesday 18 September until noon AEST Wednesday 19 September (or until pre-sale allocation is exhausted).
Tickets will go on sale to the general public Friday 21 September.
