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Even more Beautiful returns

Australia's Beautiful Girls return to Whistler for two shows at GLC
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"There needs to be more rockin'." Matthew McHugh, photo submitted

Who: The Beautiful Girls

When: Aug. 27 & 28

Where: Garibaldi Lift Company (GLC)

Tickets: $16

With a new skin basher Australia’s The Beautiful Girls – which is a band of blokes – have another direction to take their award-winning music.

"He’s an old friend of ours," frontman Matthew McHugh says of new drummer Bruce Braybrooke.

"He’s great to have on tour," said McHugh, who was reached on the band’s touring bus making its way from Portugal to Amsterdam. "As a drummer, we’ve got a lot more we can do. It can go anywhere now. There needs to be more rockin’. We can take it on any tangent we want because he can technically pull anything off. It’s a great thing."

One tangent the band will be taking is to Whistler, for two shows at the Garibaldi Lift Company, Aug. 27 and 28.

The new band member also marks the end of an era for Australia’s number one band as well as a new beginning; one McHugh aims to capture on the band’s next album, a live recording mix from concerts around the world.

"With a new drummer, things are sounding a little different," McHugh said. "We’ve been wanting to do a live album for a while now."

The trio of McHugh, Braybrooke and bassist Clay McDonald are reaching a turning point in their career with their music stretching outside of their home turf with sold-out tours through Europe and North America.

The Beautiful Girls are just wrapping up the last stop on their European tour, closing out in Belgium with Los Lobos.

"I really love Europe," McHugh says. "It’s good to get out for Australia’s winter."

The band was also recently nominated for two 2006 APRA Song Awards, the Australian equivalent of Canada’s Juno Awards.

"It’s done really well," McHugh said of the band’s most recent album We’re Already Gone , which departs from acoustics and moves forward with electric guitar, keyboards, brass and even harp solos.

"I think the record is more about what we wanted to write and play; it doesn’t matter what instruments are there," McHugh said. "The criteria has always been to do whatever we want to do. We make that the number one priority, otherwise you just end up repeating yourself – creating what you think people want. It’s creative suicide."

From the desperation of blues and sensitivity of soul to big bass lines of dub and classic lines of rock ’n’ roll, The Beautiful Girls style and content transcends boundaries.

"We are starting to get a name," McHugh said. "It’s been kind of an underground thing. In Australia, it’s crossing over to mainstream. I think it’s all hinging on the next record. I think the next one is really important for us."

The Beautiful Girls will bring almost two albums worth of new music in their suitcase to Whistler, although McHugh says they don’t want to give it all away.

"It’s like opening your Christmas presents before Christmas; you want some element of surprise," he said.

Sample the boys’ tracks at www.thebeautifulgirls.com.

The Beautiful Girls will be joined by an opening performance from singer/songwriter Hayley Sales. The Universal recording artist is currently promoting her new album, Sunseed .

Advanced $16 tickets are available at the GLC or by calling 604-280-4444.