The Paper Kites

SHORT BIO

The Paper Kites are a folk/rock five-piece from Melbourne, Australia. Formed in 2010, the ARIA nominated group have released five studio albums, with their most recent record Roses (2021) garnering over 88 million streams, and collectively over 1 billion streams across their catalogue. In 2021, their single "Bloom" was certified platinum in the U.S.A, Canada, Australia, Italy & the Netherlands. Earnest and sincere, The Paper Kites capture hearts around the globe for their moving performances and cherished song writing.

In July 2022, The Paper Kites arrived in the small Victorian town of Campbells Creek (140km north-east of Melbourne) with a vision in mind – to enquire about an empty old roadside property. "It used to be a gold mining supply store back in the days of the Victorian gold rush, then I believe it was a hotel – I was told there was a large fire there in 1876 that almost destroyed the whole building – but it survived and is still standing today. It's this beautiful dramatic old structure by the side of the road," says singer Sam Bentley.

They decided this would be the place to make their next album, At The Roadhouse. They committed to a month-long stay. In the days that followed, the old diggers store was bustling with friends and fellow artists transforming the space into a living, breathing venue. On the same property was a vintage all-analogue studio in a barn behind the venue. They worked on the album here during the week, and every weekend, they'd open the doors of "The Roadhouse" to perform. The shows would be free and unannounced, relying solely on local word of mouth. After five studio albums, over a decade-long career of touring relentlessly internationally and around Australia, The Paper Kites relished playing back at home to intimate local crowds.

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FULL BIO

Somewhere in the Australian wilderness, a building once served as a supply store for local gold miners. Many years later, the structure's weathered bones could barely contain its rich history or the echoes of a band jamming all night long…

Coming to life like a mirage, this place doubled as ground zero for The Paper Kites to create their sixth full-length LP, At the Roadhouse [Nettwerk Music Group]. The quintet — Sam Bentley [Lead Vocals, Guitars, Harmonica & Mandolin], Christina Lacy [Backing Vocals, Pianos, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, Guitars], David Powys [Backing Vocals, Guitars, Banjo], Samuel Rasmussen [Bass], and Josh Bentley [Drums] — quietly holed up here to record (during the day) and perform (at night) to crowds of locals who quickly and graciously became "regulars." Through the month-long residency, whiskey glasses shook at the edge of the stage, and emotions stirred from the soul.

As such, the record sounds like a band playing their hearts out for an audience of you alone.

"We'd had the idea for quite a while – to post up at a venue, open it to the public, and play there as the house band," notes Sam. "We came across this old building literally on the side of the road, and we thought we could transform it into The Roadhouse bar we'd been looking for. Once we opened the doors, it was like walking into a dream."

Over the past decade-plus, The Paper Kites inched towards making The Roadhouse a reality. In 2010, the five-piece buzzed out of Melbourne with the independent Bloom EP. Among many highlights, it yielded the signature title track "Bloom," which tallied over half-a-billion streams and picked up a platinum certification from the RIAA in the United States. Their sound only tightened across full-length offerings such as States [2013], Twelvefour [2015], On the Train Ride Home [2018], On The Corner Where You Live [2018], and Roses [2021]. Of the latter, The Line of Best Fit professed, "On Roses, each track has the potential to be a newly discovered gem." Between packing houses on tour, they also garnered nominations at the ARIA Awards and J Awards in Australia.

During 2022, the group stumbled upon what would become The Roadhouse in the small Australian town of Campbells Creek. The members converted the space into a proper venue evocative of "all the great dives bars we'd been to around the world" and accented it with "things from our lives with histories of their own" – such as an old horseshoe-shaped mirror owned by Sam's great-great grandfather.

Once complete, word had already got around that the band was in town and would be performing Friday and Saturday nights. Tape rolled during these weekend performances and throughout the week where they recorded in the barn behind the "venue" – marking the first time they had ever tracked an album live.

"It made a big difference," notes Sam. "During the week, we worked on the songs. Then we would play them on the weekends for an audience, and they kept evolving and taking on more meaning. We wanted to capture that energy on the recording. There were no expectations or pressure around the performances – just us and a small room full of people. The whole point was to try and connect with people and in turn develop a sense of community around the music – I think that's what happened."

The Paper Kites initially heralded the LP with "The Sweet Sound Of You," "Till The Flame Burns Blue," and "Hurts So Good" – enticing fans to take a seat inside The Roadhouse. Single "Black & Thunder" conjures the spirit of old-time blues. The guitars simmer beneath smoky vocals, locking into a magnetic groove.

"That was a song that seemed to get people out of their seats," recalls Sam. "There was a woman who would come to every show and just dance by the fire all night. It was one of the many moments I remember thinking how alive The Roadhouse felt – so rich and vibrant with its many characters."

Sparse guitar murmurs through a soft beat and steeping vocals in "I Don't Want To Go That Way", and Sam's intonation suggests a crucial turning point. "There's a lot of hope and healing on the record," he goes on. "You forget the power of a song until you see it on someone's face. I think I saw that every night."

Elsewhere, the hyper-charged "June's Stolen Car" revs up with a bright and boisterous guitar riff. Hinging on a co-lead vocal by Sam and David (another first), it thematically paints a blissfully reckless portrait of a high-octane joy ride with an invitation, "It's a long, long ride to the next town boy, if you want to start something new."

"Pocket Full Of Rain" stands out as the commanding folk styling that have earned the band their devoted gathering of listeners around the globe, articulating and gently navigating the motifs of loss and hope.

As much as At The Roadhouse is an album, it's also a time capsule and a feeling meant to be shared from The Paper Kites to you… an immersive listening experience that gently draws you through the doors of their Campbells Creek residency.

"There's a lot of nostalgia and magic preserved in the album," he leaves off. "I hope people hear it and feel like they're there with us, At The Roadhouse."

ROADHOUSE BAND

Sam Bentley (Lead Vocals, Guitars, Harmonica & Mandolin)
Christina Lacy (Backing Vocals, Pianos, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, Guitars)
David Powys (Backing Vocals, Guitars, Banjo)
Samuel Rasmussen (Bass)
Josh Bentley (Drums)
Hannah Cameron (Backing Vocals, Organs, Piano & Percussion)
Chris Panousakis (Backing Vocals, Guitars, Percussion)
Matt Dixon (Pedal Steel, Guitars)