Sand Tracks 2018

Sand Tracks 2018

This year Sand Tracks will be touring Saltwater Band and Black Rock Band!

For full venue details check out the event page here.

 

Sand Tracks is supported by Healthway and the Act-Belong-Commit message. 

Band Info

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned photographs/videos below may contain images of deceased persons which may cause sadness or distress.

Saltwater Band

 

In 1998 eight young and talented musicians set out on the road to become recording artists.

The Saltwater Band from Elcho Island off the northeast Arnhem Land coast set their sights on releasing their debut album. Northeast Arnhem Land already had a strong reputation for producing exceptional musicians and bands.

In 1999, the release of the band’s first album “Gapu Damarrung” reached unprecedented heights in sales across Northern Australia it would have made the ARIA charts if those sales had been through traditional music stores instead of through the community stores. “Gapu Damarrung” set the benchmark for future albums.

In 2004, Saltwater Band released their second album “Djarridjarri/Blue Flag” setting a new benchmark for the band. It achieved numerous outstanding reviews and is selling strong. “Djarridjarri/Blue Flag” was nominated for an ARIA in the World Music category winning album of the year at the 2004 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art and Music Awards.

Their long awaited third album “Malk” was released in September 2010.  The album immediately generated media attention and national airplay.

Saltwater Band’s career will always be challenged by the physical isolation from the major music markets, but the band’s members are determined to continue to carve out a place for the band in the national and international music scenes.

Black Rock Band

 

Black Rock Band hail from the West Arnhem region in the Northern Territory’s Top End.

Drawing on deep musical family history they incorporate traditional and contemporary sounds with a steady rock style, singing in both Kunwinjku and English.

With songs like Struggle, Learning on Country and their first recording Bininj Kunborrk, literally translating to ‘traditional song and dance, the band sing about their families’ cultural richness as well as contemporary social and political issues that reflect their experience as First Nations people. Their songs are a celebration of culture, connection to country, the fight for social justice and the future they want to create for the next generation.

Since their inclusion in the Music NT Bush Bands program in 2017, Block Rock Band’s body of work has continued to grow, with 2018 hailing the release of their first two singles and accompanying film clips.

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