STAR 101.9'S BAND CAMP 8 FEATURING TRAIN, ORIANTHI, THE THROWDOWNS AND PIMPBOT
Where: Blaisdell Arena
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Cost: $25, $35 and $45
Info: 591-2211 or
www.ticketmaster.com
Orianthi tours Japan after her Band Camp show. —Courtesy Photo
THE NEW at Band Camp is represented by the fresh-faced Orianthi (last name Panagaris), who is best known for her appearances in the Michael Jackson rehearsal documentary, “This Is It.”
The 25-year-old Australian guitarist was supposed to be Jackson’s featured musician for his upcoming tour, until he met his untimely death in June 2009.
Orianthi came to the attention of Jackson after she appeared with Carrie Underwood at the Grammy Awards earlier in the year.
The guitarist relocated to Los Angeles in 2006, where she has been reinventing herself as a singer-songwriter. Her guitar work — think serious chops along the lines of Steve Vai and Eddie Van Halen — continues to be her calling card, and she’s been on tour of late behind a re-release of her debut solo album. Called “Believe (II),” the record re-orders the original material and adds some new songs.
Calling from Los Angeles last week, Orianthi said she and her backup band opened for Adam Lambert during concerts a couple of months ago. Before that, she toured with John Mayer.
“After we play Hawaii, it’s on to a Japan tour, then Christmas back home in Australia, and in early January, start on a new album,” she said.
She grew up in an Adelaide household filled with music. Her father played in a Greek band and collected instruments, and his record collection contained such names as Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana. She even got to jam with Santana during a sound check for a concert in her hometown when she was 18. “I actually started playing in a cover band when I was 16,” she said.
“My parents are just happy that I found a passion for something that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” she said, reflecting on how far she’s come. “Whenever young people ask me how they can make it big in the business, I tell them just to work as hard as they can. Fame and success are never handed to you. You end up doing as much work as you did before, even once the record deal goes through.
“But I love it all. At this point, I’m writing for my next record, which will definitely be more rock, and you’ll see a lot of that live in concert.”
Orianthi thinks it’s important that she keep pushing new material, considering that the original, pop-driven “Believe” was released two years ago.
The breakout single from the earlier release, “According to You,” as well as “Think Like a Man” and her shredding duet with Vai on the instrumental “Highly Strung” survived the cut for the re-release, as did the album’s second single, “Shut Up & Kiss Me.”
“Believe (II)” includes a new single, “Courage,” and a cover of the John Waite ballad “Missing You.”
“I’ve been writing songs since I was 7,” she said. “I’m a huge Elvis and Beatles fan. When I’m writing, the inspiration varies: Sometimes a song might be based on a guitar riff, sometimes it’s a lyric I have. It’s always different. I especially like co-writing with other lyricists now, because they bring something different to the table.” Orianthi was particularly enthusiastic about working with Desmond Child, whose career stretches 30-plus years and has worked with such acts as Clay Aiken, Bon Jovi and Katy Perry.
And since she was able to play with one of her idols in Steve Vai, Orianthi looks forward to playing and jamming with other of her favorites.
“I love Keith Urban, and even though I toured with him, I’d love to play with John Mayer,” she said. “I got a chance to jam with Prince, and I hope we record something together sometime in the future. Plus I have your typical heroes. I’d love to jam with either Eric Clapton or B.B. King.”
—Gary Chun / gchun@staradvertiser.com
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