John Mayer, Amos Lee, Sia, James Morrison, Jamie Cullum, Joni Mitchell, Eva Cassidy, Amy Winehouse, Kings of Leon, Ray LaMontange, The Beatles, Pink, John Frusciante, Gomez, John Butler Trio, Ben Folds, Bloc Party, Etta James, Carole King, Paolo Nutini, Coldplay, Corrinne Bailey Rae, Crowded House, Dannielle Gaha, Crash Symphony, Darren Percival, Silverchair, Sara Barielles, Imogen Heap, India.Arie, Jump Little Children, Marvin Gaye, No Doubt, Sade, Stevie Wonder, Thirsty Merc, Rachelle Ferrell, Bob Marley, Queen, Elton John, Missy Higgins, White Lies, The Kooks, Ladyhawke, The Fray, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Life.
Sounds Like
Australian Management & bookings:
e: larissamckaymusic@gmail.com
UK Management & bookings:
Keith Phillips
MD Axelottle Music
e: axelottlemusic@hotmail.co.uk
UK Mob: 07940919752
At the age of 15 she began playing the family piano by ear, taught herself chords and wrote her first song in no time.
A few years later an ex boyfriend asked her to join the ranks of a jazz/funk band he had going called The Groove Syndicate. The band played at The Manly International Jazz Festival among other events and recorded an EP called Up Late. After fronting this seven piece ensemble, Larissa gained the confidence to give her songs a little life and began performing them around Sydney with drummer, Steve de Wilde. The pair won recording time and with the help of bassist, Andy Gray, they recorded larissa & the wild grey’s first EP, Soldier, in 2007.
Larissa began booking gigs for the band around Sydney, on both sides of the harbour, including The Hopetoun, The Excelsior, The Vanguard, The Supper Club, Manly Boatshed, residences at Newport Arms Hotel and The Novotel Hotel in Manly, and the Sydney Opera House’s Utzon Room.
Along the way guitar shreader, Pete Covington, joined the trio. His work features on the track called The Rain.
In honing her craft at countless shows across Sydney, Larissa in early 2009 recorded her first solo EP Just the Wind, produced by Mr. Percival. The EP has a stripped back, emotive vibe which showcases what makes Larissa McKay a successful artist – her warm and captivating voice and songwriting.
With the new EP hot in her hand, she took off the USA to perform at seven small-venue shows, all booked independently.
The selected solo shows - in New York City and Hollywood, concentrated on small, intimate venues best suited to her lyrical soft-rock sound. Her CV now includes an appearance at the famous/notorious Viper Room on Sunset Boulevard, where the film stars go out to play, two shows at The Bitter End, New York City’s best known and longest-running live rock venue, in the heart of Greenwich Village. Arlene’s Grocery and The Living Room in the East Village, NY, and Room 5 in LA.
Her shows on the compact US tour sparked interest from agents in the UK, South Africa and USA, but one meeting proved more significant than the others.
Since fortuitously meeting visiting English chap/ artist manager Keith Phillips in Wicked Willy’s next door to The Bitter End, Larissa has been booked for the Great Escape Festival in Brighton, England (Europe’s biggest emerging artist festival), and the legendary Troubadour in London.
Her move to London early next year is now being planned as she ambitiously tries to crack both the Australian and English markets.
Larissa recently received Honourable Mention in the 16th Annual World Song Contest for her track Ricocheted, a song she wrote about feeling disorientated when her and her sister were separated by the Tasman Sea.
She also recorded backing vocals on Bryan Estapa's latest album set for release early 2010. Sung and appeared in the video for soul/funk band Kid Confucius and is dipping her vocals in the dance scene.
Listen out for Larissa’s music on Australia’s national radio station Triple J – 105.7fm and Sydney’s number one independent radio station FBi 94.5fm. Music can also be purchased online through www.cdbaby.com and itunes or at live shows.
“I love playing solo because it gives my music some portability, allowing me to travel, take risks, play and learn with lots of different musicians, and to move forward, because selfishly I only have to worry about myself.”
“But I do really love the energy, mateship and support that comes with playing with a band,” McKay observes. “There's nothing like sharing that amazing high with people close to you. It's just that like anything, it’s easy to get comfortable so that’s why I mix it up. It’s more like a high wire act without a net for me and the audience."
hey larissa! sorry for my late reply it's been a busy last 3days! was great to meet you too...you played beautifully! will hopefully run into you again very soon. keep in touch!
Welcome to the RHYMADA Clan! If you really dig our tunes you can buy our debut EP "The Ruin, The Rememdy" from www.rhymada.com or just listen to a few for free on our page!!
Tour dates in december to be announced very soon so keep in the Rhymada loop by dropping by once in a while.
Hope to see you rockin at a gig in the near future.
cool, good to know the old word of mouth is still working! yeah a show together would be rad lol. let me know if you have any spots open @ yours & i'll do likewise. mjwoodbridge.com
wow i wish i would have known earlier,been crazed this week.got a strange audition tomorrow.lol.gotta work on the stuff tonight/charts etc..stay in touch it would have been awesome to hang some more.you got my number..safe travels..xo Benny
hey larissa, not playing gigs at the moment, trying to get my e.p done, hopefully will start gigging and busking in the next month or so...looks like your playing some rad shows in the US!Hope its going well! Keep in touch, Dan.
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