Simmer Town is bringing hip hop/rap to the region

Thanks for you time with Forte! Can you introduce yourself and give our readers a bit of a run-down on what brought you this point.
Thanks for having us. Simmer Town is a collective that was founded in early 2017 by Mikiyas Alemu and Anthony Martino. Our objective for starting the collective was to support each other throughout the creative process and help the artists on our line-up achieve their full potential. The artists in the collective represent a vibrant range of musical experience and genres from all around the world. More than being creative individuals, we are a family. We celebrate together, support each other in general life and create great music together.
Is this your first time performing in Regional Victoria? What can the punters expect from you?
It will be a first for Royalty Noise but Bizz Oh, Tumi the Be, J Waters, Luke Seeka and myself performed at Baha in Rye for the launch of FTW’s Mental Health/Suicide Prevention App in mid 2017. The welcome we got from the locals inspired us to invest more time into touring locally. We believe that it is important to build a relationship with our community because of how much it influences the cultural landscape. We feel that regional Victoria needs to be represented and have the chance to experience the most Melbournians take for granted.
Are you aware of any Hip Hop/Rap scene in Castlemaine or Ballarat?
We like to think we keep our ears close to the ground but as yet don’t know anyone in the Ballarat or Castlemaine scene. That being said, we have heard about an up and coming rapper named Mitchell Burgess from Ballarat so we look forward to hearing more from him. Throughout our shows, artists are encouraged to have a jam song in their sets and invite any performers that may be in the crowd to join them. Whether they’re an MC/Rapper/ singer, musician or dancer, participation is encouraged.
Royalty Noise combine elements of Jazz and Reggae to their loops and rhymes, and have a diverse background. Can you expand on my very basic description of the band?
Royalty Noise is a band that explores more then its roots of musical genre. When first formed the band was purely focused on ‘boom bap hip-hop’ which is a style that focuses on sampled / loop based 90’s style musical back bone. Check out their first album Daily Rituals (2014) to get an idea.
As the band matured in their musicality, they began to experiment fusing other styles of music and individual influences to their creativity. The band is backed by a six piece back line set to a soundscape fusing vintage electronica, jazz, R&B with poetic lyrics that touch on personal experience and those around them. To get a better scope of the bands new sound, check out their new single “All that I got” ft Thando who is a power house of her own. Royalty Noise is gearing up to release a full-length album in February 2019.
Any final words?
We hope that the punters of Castlemaine and Ballarat are ready to get their dance on and party with us into the early morning.
When & Where: The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine – October 18 & The Eastern, Ballarat – October 20.