Love As Fiction Records, the boutique Perth-based curator of 90s and 00s Australian music, jointly with Ben deHoedt and Bluebottle Kiss have announced a double vinyl album by Bluebottle Kiss ‘Never Leave Town – Live in Sydney’. This marks the first live album for the label, and the band, which documents the legendary Bluebottle Kiss reunion concert at The Crowbar in their hometown of Sydney on 22 October 2022.
The 22 October 2022 show was part of Bluebottle Kiss’ reunion tour of Australia, following the reissues of their album ‘Patient’ and EP ‘Somnambulist Homesick Blues’ in the same year. Spearheaded by filmmaker and Bluebottle Kiss fan, Ben deHoedt, the show was captured in its entirety in both high-definition video and audio.
As a result, fans can re-live the concert on the forthcoming vinyl, digital download and video streaming. There will also be live screenings of the show upon release at selected cinemas in Australia.
Matthew Tutt of Love As Fiction Records says:
Since discovering Bluebottle Kiss in the 90s as a teen, whilst their albums are amazing, their live sound for me has always been next level. Back in the early 2000s I attempted to capture this using handheld recorders at shows here in Perth, with average results. Their live sound remained elusive, especially as the band no longer performed after 2007 until the reunion.
Ben deHoedt has managed to perfectly capture the impossible, the band’s impressive live sound and show, preserved in high definition. I’m honoured to release this work by Ben and the band and to also release another Bluebottle Kiss album, having started my label to reissue their EP Somnambulist Homesick Blues on vinyl in 2022.
Ben and many others worked hard on the night and after to capture the show and it is a real gift to the fans, if you haven’t discovered Bluebottle Kiss yet, they have a rich back catalogue to explore. This album is a great snapshot of their prolific musical releases.
Jamie Hutchings has continued to produce much lauded music through Infinity Broke and solo work.
Screenings of the movie for Sydney and Melbourne as as follows:
17 May 2024 – Sydney (Chauvel) tickets and details here
17 May 2024 – Melbourne (Astor) tickets and details here
These are presented in partnership with Cinemaniacs and Palace Cinemas.
You can pre-order the album through the link below and it will be available from 17 May 2024:
Never Leave Town – Live in Sydney by Bluebottle Kiss
Formed in Sydney in 1993, Bluebottle Kiss was signed to the Murmur label (Sony) by John O’Donnell in 1995, alongside label-mates including Silverchair, Ammonia, Something For Kate and Jebediah. The band released 6 albums over their career, across various labels. The 2022 tour featured the lineup of Richard Coneliano (Drums), Ben Fletcher (Vocals/Guitar)
Feature Photograph: Jared Harrison
