The Vagrants / Bendigo Blues and Roots November 2011

Fronted by the husband and wife team of Steve Iorio and Renate Ludwig, the Vagrants are one furious rock and roll machine who delivers an intensely energetic live show that leaves any competition eating dust.

Formed in the early years of the new millennium, the Vagrants are without parallel for their conviction, entertainment value and work ethic. In the past 6 years the band has released 4 CD`s and toured their backsides off both nationally and internationally.

The Vagrants are a must see for anyone who likes their live music experiences hot, sweaty and shout it out loud. In Renate Ludwig the Vagrants possess a firebrand of a front-woman who`s stagecraft is mind blowing in its physicality.

If you read German check out this live review from our tour this year….  check out the crazy eyes!

CD Reviews

Written by Ross Welford

Thursday, 02 June 2011 05:00

Straight up, no frills, no gimmicks…….. just old fashioned good time ROCK.That’s maybe too simplistic a term as The Vagrants throw their blanket over a varied bunch of inspirations but the essence of what is ROCK is definitely heard in every groove on this, their third release.This album is proof that old skool ROCK has a place in the market place, maybe ‘The Man’ won’t make enough from it so they won’t bother, but this is pure, well crafted music and that so often gets over looked.Yeah, it’s not original but it’s done to a high standard and with conviction. Steve Iorio can write a killer tune and in obvious focal point Renate Ludwig, they have a smouldering powerhouse of a voice that wraps around every word sung. Part Blondie (‘Believe’, ‘Fanghouse’), part Fleetwood Mac (‘I See Angels’), chuck in some INXS style non metal ROCK and you’d be getting close to what The Vagrants are all about. ‘Talk To Yourself’ has a Talking Heads vibe whilst ‘Stand Up’ could easily have been on the Point Break soundtrack all those years ago, such is its coolness, mood and spirit.Add to that three bonus live track from their previous offerings and you’ve got yourself a nice little introduction to the Turtle loving five piece.You’ll have to investigate that last bit. Go see ’em live in the UK in June or just simply try here;

THE VAGRANTS – Be True THE VAGRANTS – Be True Written by Branimir Lokner Monday, 22 December 2008 THE VAGRANTS ” Be True ” ( Self – released ) 2008. CD Power pop/rock – AUSTRALIA

Out of Melbourne comes a band The Vagrants. They are very active concert act, and during the previous years they have played in many places around domestic therithory and abroad. Till now, they have released a 2 EP’s and 2 full-lengths. “Be True” is a newer one, and last few months band did a lotta’ promotional activities to introduce its work to wider audience. As a band, The Vagrants are faithfull I would say equally to power pop tendencies and rock options. An interesting and convinceble rola in its approach belongs to female fronted singer Renate Ludwig, and her method of vocalizations posses evident energy as same as emotional statements. In some aspects, musically The Vagrants knows to reminds on classic rock acts from the 70’s and 80’s, and in the other side on power pop groups, comes out from the post new wave era period.Its offering materials posses similiar valuabilities, without weacker places, but also without some tipical hittish tunes. One general pleasent atmosphere, as same as vibrations has offered Aussie band, and “Be True” even of planty of positive moments, as a album is mostly nearer to 80’s psychology than to nowadays options. Rating : 7,5/10 C / o :www.thevagrants.com.au

Monday, 22 December 2008 THE VAGRANTS “Be True” (Self – released) 2008. Medij: CD Žanr: Power pop/rock

Zemlja: Australija Iz Melbourna dolazi sastav The Vagrants, aktivan poslednjih nekoliko godina. Izrazit su koncertni akt, a pored velikog broja odrzanih nastupa na domacem terenu, puno su svirali i u drugim zemljama/sredinama/kontinentima. Do sada su realizovali 2 EP-a i 2 full-length albuma. “Be True” je aktuelno ostvarenje, i do sada su uradili puno oko promocije i generalno medijskog plasmana. Zanrovski, The Vagrants su verni rekao bih jednako power pop tendencijama i rock nasledju. Vaznu ulogu u njihovom pristupu ima pevacica Renate Ludwig, ciji nacin vokaliziranja poseduje snaznu energiju, ali i prisustvo emocionalnih promena, bitnih za psihologiju samih pesama. Australijski sastav zna da podseti na classic rock bendove iz 70-tih i 80-tih godina, ali takodje i na power pop grupe “izasle” iz post new wave ere. Njihov ponudjeni materijal ima slicnu vrednost, i nema slabijih numera, ali takodje ni izrazitog hita. Generalno, jedna prijatna atmosfera i pozitivne vibracije dominiraju “Be True” albumom, koji je po svemu mnogo blizi standardima iz 80-tih godina. Ocena: 7,5/10 Website: www.thevagrants.com.au Autor Recenzije: Branimir Bane Lokner

Be True

release 2008

Es tiempo de bailar con un grupo lleno de fantasía, colorido y que sabe cómo comunicar y compartir su alegría y frescura con una música en la que se dan cita el funk, la balada, el rock, el r&b y el pop a partes iguales. The Vagrants transmiten frescura con este ‘…Karma’ que, por el momento, es la obra cumbre de un grupo que compone sus propias canciones con originalidad y elegancia. Catorce temas en los que se combinan instrumentos como guitarras, teclados, saxo y flauta, además de bajo, batería, percusión y voz. Todo ello crea un ‘climax’ que traspasa las fronteras de lo meramente interesante para convertirse en una música de una gran sutileza y belleza sonora. Un trabajo muy digno, ¡si señor! BUENO.
It’s time to dance with a colourful imaginative band who really know to communicate and share their joyful cool music with the audience. You will also find funk, ballads, rock, r&b and pop music details. The Vagrants give us a cool unaffected music in ‘…Karma’ cd that, for the time being, is the best one of a band who write their original tasteful own songs. Fourteen tracks where they combine different instruments like guitars, keyboards, saxo and flute together with bass, drums, percusion and vocals. All that creates a ‘climax’ which spreads beyond the borders of a merely interesting record to become a very subtle beautiful music. An extremely worthy piece of work. Yes, indeed!. GOOD.

2007

The Vagrants love to hit the road & if you want a full on music trip this is the Band to give it to you.

Their music is pedal to the metal, hard, hot & steamy. Renate’s voice tells you this is a girl not to mess with & the boys back her all the way. Vocals & instruments are done so that you know they mean business & also know their business. Music at its best. The Vagrants can only keep on going, onwards & upwards to the very top. Best wishes to all of you.

I play them on my show Spirit of the Blues & love them.

Wendy Rudin- Spirit of the Blues

Diablos Lounge … Tour 2006

Wow, look at you ambitious hooligans.
its good to see you getting dates and rocking the globe. you kickass so I’m sure you’ll do great wherever you go.
see you next year!!!

Ethan Pierce
Diablos Downtown Lounge

Kharma

release 2006

When the first track “Let’s Party” opened on this album, I thought I was listening to something from the early years of rock and roll with Janis Joplin and the likes of Big Brother and the Holding Company. The Members of the band are influenced by a wide array of musical genres and that is certainly heard in their sound. They have a laid back vibe with bite and some fancy guitar work along with an exceptionally rhythm section. This album is so coloured that each song is different; some sound a little country in parts, and then change to a roaring blues sound, others are rock. I love Renate’s’ voice in the song “You’re Gone” which is a moody blues rock number reminding me of my all time favourite singer Janis Joplin. “S-Cat” has a more rock-country vibe, twang n’ all, showing how varied her voice can be. And this is the way the album carries on’ it’s got a bit of everything!

**** 4 Stars (Independent Release, distro MRA) Brionne Naish

Beat Magazine .. melbourne 2006

Australia has a habit of producing fantastic local bands, and then neglecting them. This was the case of The Vagrants. Thankfully their name is true to their nature or we wouldn’t have the raw, warts and all power of their independent self titled first recording. Perhaps thanks to these nomadic tendencies The Vagrants are a unique sound in today’s aural landscape of local bands. Their choice of instruments gives them a point of difference to most bands, including the occasional saxophone, flute or harp. By far the greatest twist at their disposal has to be Renate Ludwig. In the tradition of Fiona Apple, Alanis, and Susie Di Marchi, the power of the vocal resonating out the littlest person in the room is unfathomable.

It was cold, it was wet, and it was St Kilda. Basically, the perfect setting for getting down and dirty with one of the greatest experiences that happens to haunt ol Melbourne town. Indeed, late afternoon on the day that Eurovision would later be taken out by a bunch of Nordic wankers who’d broken into Gwar’s trailed backstage at a gig in Helsinki years back, there were people out to see the jazz tinged blues rock of The Vagrants in the superbly decadent front bar of The Greyhound.

Renate (the singer) prowled, scowled the way into the grizzled punters hears, as formerly hirsute guitarist Steve Iorio tore the Greyhound apart like the re-incarnation of boogie Jesus, but way better at the blues.

The beers went down, the tunes went down, and the punters got down. They dropped the rockabilly jazz rock explosion of “That’s what life is like”, the groove ridden highway RAWK of “Accelerated Kharma”, and disgustingly funky folk blues rendition of “Wrong side of the Tracks”

They boogied their way into “Let’s Party” and subsequently, the party continued. The overlap of white boy funk meets restrained and upbeat rootsy bluesy folk meant that no matter who was there, be they old, you, young, sexy or homely, it was a joyous crowd. You’d actually be hard pushed to find a crowd as happy and as buoyant down in St Kilda on a cold wet Sunday Afternoon.

But then, that’s the nature of The Vagrants. Their groove gets under your skin; the riffs make your toes go at angles away from your knees. It’s like getting pissed on the mandibles of funk and expounding all that’s fun in life. Melbourne should be proud.

Jaimz Clements – Beat Magazine Dec 2006