John Vella

The meaning of Groove can be defined as
1. to appreciate and enjoy;
2. to please immensely; &
3. to be a real band.

As a firm believer in the Groove, John Vella’s music is well and truly entrenched in this definition.
A Sydney based singer-songwriter, John’s passion for music and a truly enjoyable performance experience makes him a rare find among the growing indifference of the live music scene in Australia.
John’s band consists of two important halves. First is the foundation with a pulse; dynamic duo Grant Gerathy on drums (Ray Man Three, Cool Calm Collective) and Joel Burton on bass (Ray Mann Three, The Bass People). These two cats make up an undeniably world class rhythm section. Married to this anchor is another experienced and well versed duo in Anthony Donlon on keys and John on guitar and vocal, who have spent years working together building melodic chemistry. Performing as a 4-piece band is where the John Vella musical experience becomes alchemy in the true sense of the word. It’s an affair of the heart, where a common love of lyrical story telling, intelligent composition and arrangements come together to create a performance that is both infectious and inspiring.
John’s music has been likened to a mixture of Ryan Adams, John Mayer, Coldplay and Bob Dylan, which makes it a truly intriguing and enjoyable event.

John’s debut Album, Backbreaker was released in November of 2010. Playing to a full room at Sydney’s iconic Annandale Hotel for his album launch was a turning point for Vella.
“It was a few years in the making, and I wanted it to be damn good… which it was. Definitely a proud moment!”
With all 10 tracks penned by John himself (one co-write with Donlon) and the much of it recorded in his home studio, the album was guided to its full potential with the help of producer Chris Gray (Claire Wyndham, Luke O’Shea, Designer Pilot) who tracked & mixed the rest of the record. Backbreaker was mastered by the best ears in the business, Paul Stefanidis (Short Stack, Athens Olympic Games). A fantastic first record, Backbreaker combines great lyrics and melodies into something you want to listen to again and again.

John has toured the East Coast of Australia, supported the likes of Thirsty Merc and has played at the prestigious Peats Ridge NYE festival 2 years running.

A musical all-star, John has also been involved in a number of other projects, including composing and producing the soundtrack to the adventure documentary “Four strokes of Luck” and working with the likes of food giant McDonald’s on major advertising campaigns. Finally, in his spare time John created the well-known ‘SongCatcher’ iPhone application; the musicians portable sketchpad. A product which also earned him a short-listing in The Dyson Junior Design awards, and the world-renowned Braun Prize in Germany. SongCatcher has had over 50, 000 downloads worldwide since its release last November.

“…clearly these guys are amazing musicians…”- Drum Media

“The duo’s troubadour approach had much to recommend it, with nice harmonies, tinkly keys and a nice cover of Ryan Adams’ ‘Two’. The stripped down re-workings of the material demonstrated the strength of the songwriting without sounding weedy or sparse. Not an easy thing to pull off on short notice.”
- Thirsty Merc Tour Support Review, Drum Media, July 2010

For all media & booking enquiries please contact
Justine: madisonentertainment@me.com: 0414 566 070