biography
Energetic. Raw. Feisty.
These three words tell you everything you need to know about Australian roots artist Toby on stage.
Toby is a stand out performer - and this is why she is making her mark touring the world - with seven Canadian tours up her sleeve, she also tours throughout Europe, America and Australia playing major festivals, and performing her own headline shows.
For an audience, these live shows are a deeply emotional and joyous experience. For Toby, she wears her emotions, thoughts and adventures on her sleeve as clearly as the delighted smile she sports while playing. It's that chemistry and connection – in between plenty of dancing and jumping from both sides – that makes each performance so strikingly unique and deliciously unpredictable.
Passionate and known for her unwavering commitment to her craft Toby is willing to take the risk and be vulnerable with her thoughts and emotions committed to song.
Perth born TOBY’s new album "SLEEPTALK" is the album you should be listening to! Why?
This album was recorded in San Francisco, California, where TOBY worked with co-producer Carey Williams. They met when TOBY played alongside Etta James (managed by Carey) at a festival in Milwaukee in 2009.
This is TOBY’s fourth full length album and is the culmination of years of touring endlessly throughout Australia, four tours to Europe, eight tours to Canada and memorable performances in the USA.
This album showcases TOBY’s insightful, honest and poignant song writing. It is an invitation to explore her mind and her soul. This critique of the human condition is both personal and broad.
It has captured TOBY’s best songs to date - with a full mature sound, and an incredible line up of musicians!
It tells stories across emotions and continents, yet never loses track of it's Australian roots, giving it a sense of place and time.
But best of all, it is simply full of great songs that people want to hear.
TOBY’s songwriting skills are honed enough to make her radio-friendly, and her voice is naturally soulful, earthy and dynamic enough to appeal to all kinds of music fans. The songs themselves have some seriously infectious hooks and draws in European flavours, some gutsy blues, slow, chilled out reggae and some soulful acoustic ballads.
Half of SLEEPTALK was recorded at Decibelle Recording in San Fran with JJ Wiesler, and the other half in Berkely at San Pablo Recorder with Jon Evans. One track was recorded at Couch Studio with Shaun O'Callaghan, North Fremantle, WA (John Butler Trio)
Carey put together an amazing team of musicians to record the album . Jon Evans played bass on several tracks. Jon has toured and performed with Tori Amos for twelve years. He has also worked with Linda Perry and Paula Cole. Other musicians include Dawn Richardson on drums (4 Non Blondes, Tracy Chapman), Julie Wolf (Ani Difranco, The Indigo Girls, Maceo Parker), David Matthews (Etta James), Claytoven Richardson on backing vocals (Kenny G., Michael Bolton, Elton John, Peabo Bryson, New Kids on the Block, Ricki Martin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole), Sakai (live performances with Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, and Chaka Khan), Marcie Brown (She has performed with Lucianno Pavoratti, Andreas Bocelli, Dizzy Gillespie, Itzak Perlman and Ray Charles. She has been a member of the Cirque du Soleil.)
TOBY has pulled together experiences from travelling the world, performing her music. She has supported the likes of Sheryl Crow, John Mellencamp, Paul Kelly, The John Butler Trio, Brandy, The Indigo Girls, Gomez, Donavon Frankenreiter, Luka Bloom and Pete Murray. TOBY has performed at major festivals worldwide including Summerfest (Milwaukee, USA), PrideFest (Milwaukee, USA), Big Time Out Fest (Canada) and WA Blues and Roots Fest (Australia)
By not deviating from her fiercely independent origins, TOBY keeps this album real and untamed as she criss-crosses the globe connecting with audiences, injecting them with the passion she feels for music and turning each performance into a memorable party.
www.tobymusic.com.au
www.myspace.com/tobybeard
www.youtube.com/tobybeard
updated August 2010
50 words...
Energetic, raw and feisty, Toby is a charismatic singer, songwriter and guitarist magically weaving together roots, rock and reggae. Passionate and joyous on stage, recent appearances like America's Summerfest prove why Toby is warmly welcomed to festival bills, support slots and headlining shows world-wide.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST FEW
YEARS
| 2009 |
|
| DECEMBER |
support for Brian Cadd and Russel Morris |
| NOVEMBER |
full band east coast tour |
| OCTOBER |
full band tour of WA (17 dates)
support for Ash Grunwald |
| SEPTEMBER |
Europe tour with full band (13 shows) |
| AUGUST |
Victoria tour |
| JUNE/JULY |
USA/Canada full band tour (22 dates)
support for BRANDY at PrideFest, Milwaukee
played alongside Cyndi Lauper and Etta James |
| MAY |
full band tour of WA (15 dates) |
| APRIL |
Victoria tour |
| MARCH |
support for James Reyne at Fly By Night Club, WA |
| FEBRUARY |
east coast tour of Australia |
| 2008 |
|
NOVEMBER
OCTOBER
SEPTERMBER
JULY
JUNE/JULY
JUNE
MAY
MARCH/APRIL
FEBRUARY
JANUARY |
Day on the Green - supporting John Mellencamp and Sheryl Crow
"Live at the Fly" DVD launch tour WA (15 dates)
Full band Tour Canada (22 dates)
opening for Gomez at Summerfest, USA
Tour of Canada, Europe and USA (launching "Love Underground"
East Coast tour of "Love Underground"
Fremantle SOLD OUT launch of "Love Underground" (over 600 people)
WA Tour - launch of "Love Underground"
Full band Canadian tour (15 dates)
East Coast tour
Support for Renee Geyere |
| 2007 |
|
| DECEMBER |
16 date european tour |
| NOVEMBER |
Blues at Bridgetown Festival MAIN STAGE (outselling any other artist) |
| NOVEMBER |
release of "Red Rooster" single |
| OCTOBER |
18 date tour of WA |
| AUGUST |
Big Time Out Fest, Canada (with Michael Franti and Xavier Rudd)
full band tour of canada |
| JULY |
WA Northwest Tour |
| JUNE/JULY |
QLD/NSW full band tour |
| MAY/JUNE |
5 gigs in Switzerland |
| APRIL/MAY |
15 gigs in UK |
| MARCH |
West Coast Blues and Roots Festival (fringe fest) |
| FEBRUARY |
toby singing backing vocals/percussion on stage at the Tivoli
in Brisbane with the VIOLENT FEMMES |
| FEBRUARY |
having the VIOLENT FEMMES join them on stage at The Rails in
Byron Bay |
| FEBRUARY |
east coast tour - qld and nsw |
| 2006 |
|
| November |
Day On the Green (Bunbury) and Perth (10, 000 people) SOLD OUT |
| November 11th |
Bridgetown Blues Festival |
| Oct/Nov |
wa state wide tour |
| September |
solo canada tour |
| July/August |
wa state wide tour |
| May 23rd |
support for eugene hideaway bridges |
| May 20th |
"RENAISSANCE" ALBUM
LAUNCH SOLD OUT FLY BY
full 14 piece band
(drums, guitar, bass, harmonica, violins, cello, flute, sax,
trumpet, keys, percussion, vocals etc) Fly By Night Club, Fremantle |
| May 6th |
 |
| May 4th |
support for NICK BARKER AND BAND |
| April 22nd |
support for IAN MOSS |
| April 7th |
Freo Blues and Roots local showcase |
| March 5th |
nannup music festival with ash grunwald |
| 2005 |
|
| November 19th |
ravenswood blues and roots festival |
| November 12-14th |
bridgetown blues festival |
| October 19-30th |
northern coastal springtime tour (wa state wide) |
| September 3rd |
support for GLENN TILLBROOK (UK SQUEEZE) |
| August 4th-12th |
melbourne tour - support for Bomba, and also Carus |
| June 20th |
CD LAUNCH
"On Second Thoughts" |
| May 27th |
support for THE CHOIRBOYS |
| May 3rd - June 6th |
residency at Roebuck Hotel, Broome |
| April 27-May 1st |
support for Hirst and Greene |
| April 14th-17th |
Sydney tour - supporting Eugene Hideaway Bridges |
| April 2nd |
Fremantle Blues and
roots
with Jack
Johnson, Violent Femmes, G-Love,John Lee Hooker Jnr
etc |
| March 13th |
support for Luka Bloom (sold out) |
| March 2nd-5th |
Solo Brisbane Tour |
January
8th |
Vintage Blues Festival
with the Waifs
and Tex Perkins |
| 2004 |
|
| December 12th |
support for Pete Murray 6000 people |
| November 27th |
CD LAUNCH
GiddyUp |
November
12-15th |
Bridgetown Blues
Festival
with Xavier
Rudd, Ian Moss etc |
| October 22nd |
support for Donavon Frankenreiter |
| August 20-22nd |
Broome Blues and
Roots Festival
with the Waifs,
Tex Perkins, Xavier Rudd, Jeff Lang |
| August 25th- September 2nd |
WA state wide tour
Broome, Derby, Kununurra,
El Questro |
| August 4th-8th |
Melbourne Tour (full band) |
| May 6th-31st |
WA state wide tour |
| April 16-18th |
Fairbridge Festival |
| April 7-14th |
El Questro special performances for crew of 'Outback Jack' |
| April 4th |
CD launch - "Indi - Live On The West Coast' |
| March 24th-28th |
Solo Melbourne tour |
| February 6th |
support for Paul Kelly (sold out) |
| January 3rd |
Vintage Blues Festival |
| 2003 |
|
| Nov-Dec |
Clancys residency |
| September 21- October 3rd |
WA tour with Carus Thompson |
| August 28th-September 9th |
Broome/Derby tour |
| August 1st |
solo performance at Swiss Day Festival, Switzerland |
| July 10th-August 2nd |
residency at Metro Bar, Interlaken, Switzerland |
| May 24th - June 2nd |
WA state wide tour |
| March/April |
Paddington Ale House residency |
| January |
solo Melbourne Tour |
  |
