THE annual EnergyAustralia Surfest is a chance for Newcastle to host some of the world's greatest surfers on our shores.Surfing greats like Kelly Slater, Layne Beachley, Andy Irons, Lisa Anderson and Novocastrians legend Mark Richards will all be part of Surfest in 2003.But put aside the surfing side of things and the event is also a chance for
Newcastle to host some of the biggest parties of the year.One of the biggest social attraction during Surfest will be held at ClubNova Panthers Newcastle on April 2 when Grinspoon returns for its second Surfest appearance.The band last rocked the Surfest stage when it headlined a huge gig at ClubNova Panthers
Newcastle on April 2.Grinspoon will be joined by much-hyped Melbourne trio The Casanovas along with locals Muzzy Pep, Mousemoon and Shankwater.Grinspoon will arrive fresh from a tour of the UK to unleash its national Panic Attack Tour, kicking things off right here in Newcastle.
It will be the boys' first return to Newcastle following a sell out date at Newcastle University in June 2002.That tour followed the release of the band's latest album New Detention, an album which has become an enormous success for the band.It debuted at No.2 on the national ARIA chart and four of the album's tunes made it on to the Triple J Hottest 100 countdown.The album's first single, the string driven Chemical Heart, almost topped the
poll after it came in at No.2.``Chemical Heart did really well for us. It got played on commercial radio, which doesn't happen often with us,'' frontman Phil Jamieson said.``All the (people in the) record company knew that song would be a bit of a hit. I had no idea. I am so bad at picking singles.``I'm the kind of guy who will want to put out the most rocking track.''But Jamieson concedes that he is happy with the shift which has seen the band take a step away
from its earlier heavy rock releases.``I'm very happy with the fact that we are now writing songs that sound good with orchestration.''``Six or seven years ago, when we first started writing songs, we never thought we would be able
to give them the instrumentation they deserved but now we're writing songs with a bit more depth.``It's nice the orchestration doesn't seem out of place with it -- it just seems like it fits, which is the biggest challenge.''The album also spawned the singles Lost Control and No Reason.The band has already returned with another new offering for fans with the release of the new EP
titled Panic Attack.The four track EP includes the tracks Off Piste, Boredom, Fall Away and a re-working of INXS's track Don't Change.The disc is available as a single EP release or as an extra on the newly re-packaged New Detention album.Grinspoon fans can also look forward to the release of a DVD in August which will feature live concert
footage, interviews and behind the scenes footage.Tickets to Grinspoon's Surfest gig are available for $29 from the club on 4926-2700 or by phonecharge on 4929-7555.
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