central coast|hunter|north coast #065 Dec/Jan
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Ron Wood Playing up with Some Girls
I Am The Agent The full effect
Kate Bush Snow angel
Grouplove In love with a happy song
Placebo We Come In Pieces
plus: Pendulum + Dallas Frasca + Joe Robinson + Ed Sheeran + Bluejuice + Miles Kane
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STARRING
THU 05 JAN THE ENTRANCE LEAGUES CLUB GOSFORD
WED 11 JAN YAMBA BOWLING CLUB YAMBA
FRI 06 JAN PANTHERS NEWCASTLE
THU 12 JAN PLANTATION HOTEL COFFS HARBOUR
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au and 1300 762 545 / Oztix outlets / venue
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au / 1300 GET TIX / Moshtix outlets / venue
TUE 10 JAN GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL BYRON BAY Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au / 1300 762 545 / venue
Tickets available from www.offbeatoperations.com.au / 02 6646 2305 / venue Tickets available from www.offbeatoperations.com.au / venue / 02 6652 3855 / Park Beach Music at the Plaza / 02 6652 3725 / Coopers Surf Australia Palms Shopping Centre / 02 6652 6369 /
FRI 13 JAN PANTHERS PORT MACQUARIE
Tickets available from www.offbeatoperations.com.au / 02 6580 2300 / venue
W o o d f o r d
F o l k
F e s t i v a l
27 Dec - 1 Jan
OvEr 2,500 ArTISTS ONE vILLAgE - SIx DAyS
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featuring
The Dreaming
MuSIC DANCE TALKS CIrCuS vAuDEvILLE ThEATrE FILM vArIETy WOrKShOpS gALLErIES
TICKETS ON SALE AT www.woodfordfolkfestival.com
panthers
thursday april 5 on sale now!
1300 438 849 or moshtix.com.au
NEWCASTLE ENT. CENTRE
FRIDAY APRIL 20 ON SALE
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9 132 849 or ticketek.com.au Future History out now
Presented by Michael Coppel I briansetzer.com I jasonderulo.com I coppel.com.au
No. 65
Reverb Magazine is locally owned & published by The Lockup Garage. Printed by Spotpress, Marrickville: sales@spotpress.com.au
index
contents
News Dallas Frasca Bluejuice Ed Sheeran Placebo Miles Kane Bats and Battleships Pendulum Grouplove Scissor Sisters I Am The Agent Ron Wood Duncan Woods Kate Bush Blake Noble Joe Robinson Ball Park Music Cartoon Horoscopes Talking shop Album reviews Fashion General motoring – Porsche 911 (991 series) Bitter and Twisted review Live reviews Harvest review Film reviews Simon Pegg DVD reviews Gig guide
8-13 15 16 16 17 18 18 20 21 22 23 24-25 26 27 28 29 29 31 31 31 32-33 34-35 36 37 38 39 40 40 41 42-44
The National
editor’s letter
Credits
I must admit that I was quite pleased to see Boy and Bear dominate the ARIAs this year. Album of the Year for Moonfire, well deserved. It is nice to see the industry taking notice of the new artists that are doing great things. As this is our final issue of 2011, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year. With everyone else closing up shop for the holidays, we have decided that we need to join them, so this December issue will be running until mid January. Expect the next issue on the street January 15, 2012.
Editor
Film reviewer
Writers
Melissa Roach
Editorial
Kevin Bull
Mark Snelson
Paul Applekamp
Luke Saunders
kevin@reverbstreetpress.com or 0410 295 360
Ross Beckley
Madeline Smith
Much love guys, Kevin.
Contacts
Sub-Editor
DVD Reviewer
Kevin Bull
Byron Struck
Sales, Newcastle & Central Coast
Kate Hamilton
Sallie Maree Pritchard
Eliza Church
Lee Tobin
kevin@reverbstreetpress.com or 0410 295 360
Josh Clements
Chloe Webb
art director
Motoring writer
Stephanie de Vries
Cam Bennett
Peter Douglas
Cameron Edney
Photographers
Sales, North Coast
Craig Faulkner
Kevin Bull
stephen@reverbstreetpress.com or 0458 559 938
North Coast Mgr
Cartoonist
Mark Henderson
Chrissy Kalaveros
Gig guide
Stephen Bocking
Tony Jenkins
Charli Hutchison
Laurie Klippel
gigguide@reverbstreetpress.com.au
Nick Mackay
Matt McIntyre
Senior Writers
Stephanie McDonald
Melissa Roach
Production
Birdy
Veronique Moseley
Madeline Smith
cam@reverbstreetpress.com.au
Matt Petherbridge
Jamie Nelson
Emma Visman
Amelia Parrott
Postal address
Max Quinn
PO Box 843, Woy Woy NSW 2256
Chelsea Reed
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magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
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Giveaways just email editorial@reverbstreetpress.com.au First come, first served
2 double passes
Win one of two double passes to New Beginnings Festival at Morriset on Saturday January 14
1 double pass
Win one double season pass to Peats Ridge Festival at Glenworth Valley, December 27 – January 1
1 double pass
Win one double show-only passes to see Tim Freedman at Lizotte’s Lambton on December 13 and 14
2 double passes
Win one of two double show-only passes to see Ash Grunwald at Lizotte’s Lambton on Wednesday December 28
5 copies
Five copies of Placebo: We Come In Pieces on DVD
2 double passes
Win one of two double show-only passes to see The Church at Lizotte’s Lambton on Thursday December 15
3 copies
Three copies of George Harrison: Living in the Material World on DVD
5 copies
Five copies of Spicks and Spicks: The Best Of and Farewell Finale on DVD
5 copies
Five copies of Usher: OMG Tour on DVD
mike patton
SYDNEY FESTIVAL
Each year, the Sydney Festival outdoes itself with an eclectic music line-up, and this year is no exception. Here are some of the highlights: AA Bondy — January 19 and 20, The Idolize Spiegeltent, Parramatta. Amiina – January 24 and 26, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park; January 27, Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith. Asa & Fefe – January 17, Riverside Theatre, Parramatta; January 18, Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
Kurt Wagner – January 22, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park. Lambchop – January 21, City Recital Hall, Angel Place.
Cant – January 14 and 15, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park
Mike Patton’s Mondo Cane – January 14, The Domain, Royal Botanic Gardens; January 16 and 17, State Theatre.
Dan Sultan, Busby Marou, Kasey Chambers – January 21, Old Kings School. Deerhoof & DJ Yamantaka Eye – January 9, Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro & Electric Empire – January 8, Hyde Park Barracks Museum. Andrew Weatherall & Neville Watson – January 14, Hyde Park Barracks Museum. PJ Harvey – January 18-19, State Theatre. Sam Amidon – January 21-22, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park.
Ed Kuepper – January 21 and 22, The Idolize Spiegeltent, Parramatta.
Shabazz Palaces, Taylor McFerrin & Shangaan Electro – January 13, Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
Eleanor Friedberger – January 28 and 29, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park.
Nouvelle Vague & Moriaty – January 19, Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
Fatoumata Diawara – January 17 and 18, The Idolize Spiegeltent, Parramatta; January 20 and 21, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park; January 22, Sutherland Entertainment Centre.
Sons and Daughters, Songs & The Laurels – January 12, Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
Frank Yamma – January 15, The Idolize Spiegeltent, Parramatta.
The Jolly Boys – January 6, Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith; January 8 and 10, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park.
DJ Koze & Prins Thomas – January 28, Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
The Pedrito Martinez Group & Watussi – January 26, Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
Holly Throsby presents See! — January 12 and 13, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park.
The Stepkids & Electric Wire Hustle – January 27, Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
IOTA – January 17-21, Playhouse, Sydney Opera House. J Mascis – January 11 – 13, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park.
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Kort – January 19, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park; January 20, City Recital Hall, Angel Place.
Mad Racket: Peven Everett — January 25, Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
Dan Deacon Ensemble & John Maus – January 11, Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
Julianna Barwick – January 15 and 17, The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park.
Beth Orton – January 17, City Recital Hall, Angel Place.
Clairy Browne and the Bangin’ Rackettes – January 13, The Idolize Spiegeltent, Parramatta.
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Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau Duo – January 19, Concert Hall, The Concourse, Chatswood; January 20, City Recital Hall, Angel Place.
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The Whitest Boy Alive & New Navy – January 21, Hyde Park Barracks Museum. Washington presents Insomnia – January 25, Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.
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PLAYGROUND WEEKENDER FIRST Line-up ANNOUNCEMENT
judy collins
BLUE MOUNTAINS MUSIC FESTIVAL FIRST Line-up ANNOUCEMENT
The 17th Blue Mountains Music Festival of Folk, Roots and Blues has just dropped its first line-up announcement for the 2012 event. Artists who will be in Katoomba next March 16–18, 2012, will be Judy Collins, Abigail Washburn, Harry Manx, Pierre Bensusan, Eric Bibb with Staffan Astner, Krystle Warren, Ben Sollee, Blue King Brown, The Shane Howard Band, Fred Smith, Eddi Reader, April Verch, Noriana Kennedy, Truckstop Honeymoon, While and Matthews, My Friend the Chocolate Cake, Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, The Beez, Frigg, Beoga, ahab, Afro Mandinko, The Buddy Knox Blues Band, Alwan and The Quarry Mountain Dead Rats, Chris Wilson, Fiona Boyes, Rescue Ships, Claude Hay, George Kamikawa and Noriko Tadano, Cass Eager, Phil Davidson, Daniel Champagne, Tonks Green, The Simpson 3. Full weekend early bird tickets are on sale now until December 31, and are available online only.
The ever-evolving boutique music festival Playground Weekender is taking over The Del Rio Resort, just an hour and a half outside Sydney for the sixth consecutive year in 2012. The first line-up announcement has been delivered, and it is a mouthful — Chic Feat Nile Rogers, Fat Freddys Drop, Boy and Bear, Roots Manuva, Unkle Sounds, Modeselektor Live, Manchester Orchestra, Ariel Pinks Haunted Graffiti, Bonobo Live, Neon Indian, Lanie Lane, The Orb, Bomb The Bass, Seekae, Greg Wilson, Damian Lazarus, Cuba n B ro t he r s , Ca nyo ns , H u dso n Mohawke, Lee Burridge, Art Department, Rustie, Danny Daze, Kirk Degorgio, Toucan, Nantes, Northeast Party House, millions, Elizabeth Rose. Playground Weekender spanning three days between March 2 and 4 at The Del Rio Riverside Resort, Wisemans Ferry.
WOODFORD DREAMING
The Woodford Folk Festival will weave its magic through Woodford this year, with our planet’s oldest cultures sharing their timeless traditions alongside groundbreaking contemporary performing arts. From folk legend Buffy Sainte-Marie, to the hauntingly beautiful Pitjantjatjara man Frank Yamma, The Medics to new discovery Sue Ray, and the über-fresh BLAKWax. Under the stars in the Amphitheatre, meet maestro Gotye and his ten piece multi-instrumental all-singing band, digitally triggering visuals on the big screens, plus Xavier Rudd, Cloud Control, Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro, Eagle and The Worm, Owl Eyes, The Herd, Jesca Hoop and a cast of thousands for the Big Bang on New Year’s Eve. Other musical must-sees are De Pedro, Jordie Lane, Benjalu, Swamp Thing, Faux Pas, Husky, Sticky Fingers, Roesy and Andy Bull and guitar virtuoso, Joe Robinson, returns from Nashville with a killer swag of new songs and a young R&B rhythm section from Memphis. With over 400 acts from across the world, Woodford Folk Festival runs between December 27 and January 1 at Woodfordia, Queensland.
GUM BALL UP AND RUNNING for 2012 Crosby Stills and Nash
ROGER DALTREY AND CROSBY STILLS NASH FOR BLUESFEST
Bluesfest 2012 has dropped two amazing line-up announcements in the space of a couple of weeks, and we all know this is just the start. This is the line-up so far – Roger Daltrey, Crosby Stills & Nash, Earth Wind & Fire, The Pogues, The Specials, Lucinda Williams, John Butler Trio, My Morning Jacket, Yes, G3 featuring Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather, John Hiatt & The Combo, Buddy Guy, Donovan, Angelique Kidjo, Maceo Parker, Seasick Steve, Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot!, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Keb Mo, Johnny Jang, Nick Lowe, Yann Tiersen, Rosie Ledet, Bettye Lavette, Steve Earle, Justin Townes Earle, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Seth Lakeman, Harry Manx, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Alabama 3, Great Big Sea, The Jayhawks. Bluesfest 2012 runs from April 5–9, 2012, at the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay.
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The Gum Ball Music Festival is back on the workbench with organisers officially announcing that the eighth annual festival will be held on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 April, 2012, at its beloved bushland home ‘Dashville’ at Belford in the Hunter Valley. Providing an experience reminiscent of some of the country’s early festivals, the Gum Ball provides simple pleasures with a taste of country living in a laid back weekend with some of the freshest and best performers from the delicatessen of music. Exclusive member tickets have already sold out with second round early bird tickets currently on sale through the Gum Ball website and Oztix. The Official Gum Ball 2012 launch party will be held at the Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland, on Sunday December 18, in conjunction with the popular Annual Xmas Party. It’ll be last chance to pick up early bird tickets. There’ll also be raffles and freebies, along with THE BIG REVEAL on who’s playing in 2012.
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reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 9
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PLANTO REOPENS FOR BUSINESS
LIVE MUSIC L I V E S P O R T, G R E AT F O O D DEC 4
SAT
Charlie Henderson Daniel Simms Run Squirrel
DEC 7
oTHiNG iS SaCReD WED N Exit For Freedom Roadwarrior DEC 8
THU DEC 11
SUN
Eye On You MARRIAH
DEC 14
THE HUNTER SAFE HANDS WED INUCLEAR SUMMER TIRED MINDS DEC 15
THU
The Leadbellies
DEC 21
WED
The Jimmy Bazil Project Powdersnout
Lefta Centa
NYE
SAT
HAVE A KARAOKE NEW YEAR!
ball park music
IT’S YOUR FESTIVAL
On Saturday December 10, Newcastle’s Cambridge Hotel will host 10 hours of live music over two stages, launch two brand new dedicated art spaces, and transform its carpark into a mini market place. Your Festival is the festival you go to when you’re not going to a festival. It’s about spending a summer afternoon at your local pub with your friends, watching your new favourite bands without the exorbitant ticket prices, hiked-up drink prices and long toilet queues that come with most festival experiences. Brisbane’s Ball Park Music lead a handful of bright young national acts including Sydney singer-songwriter Andy Bull and yet another Brisbane pop discovery, The Jungle Giants. The local contingent is just as enticing with Triple J Unearthed winners Long Island Sound & The Guppies joining The Owls, Jen Buxton, Sky Squadron, the Delta Lions, The Canyoneersmen, Young Pretties, The Tillegra Damned and Riley & Donna with more announcements to come.
GETTING SHIPWRECKED
Shipwrecked 2011 is shaping up to be one hell of a show, attracting the best local talent Newcastle has to offer, but also some Sydneyside favourites in an all-ages daytime festival held across three stages. Headlining the main stage will be Sydney’s The Mission In Motion. The quintet are in the midst of embarking on their east coast tour following the release of their debut album Somewhere Safe. Strangers, also hailing from Sydney, have just recently completed a slew of shows with the likes of Grinspoon and Shihad and will also be sharing the main stage at Shipwrecked 2011. Local supports will include The Calvacade and Bury The Innocent. The hip hop stage features local favourites Prem Bedlam, Tycotic, Lefta Centa & Central Coast’s Poetic Transition. The acoustic stage will be the place to chill with the talents of Grace Turner, Jessica Cain, Elisa Kate Barker, Shaun Danger, Spencer Scott, Lachlan Collins, Josh Ballico and Amos Wellings. Shipwrecked 2011 festival hits the Newcastle Foreshore on Saturday December 10 between midday and 4pm.
CENTRAL COAST xMAS FAIR
Live It Up Karaoke
FRI SAT 9.30PM–2.30AM FRONT BAR
Monday Night Poker Tuesdays
7.30PM BEAUMONT STREET’S ONLY POOL COMPETITION
Happy Hour
THURS SUN 4-6PM $3.50 SCHOONERS
2-6 BEAUMONT ST OPEN 9.30AM-3AM DAILY 10 reverb
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magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
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The Central Coast Christmas Fair, now in its fourth year, remains the premier Christmas event on the coast. Over 20,000 patrons have attended this locally loved event in the past three years, and it is a great day for the whole family, boasting over 100 high variety market stalls, international food area, Santa visits, children’s choirs, roving carol singers, Christmas trees and produce, amazing kids interactive and amusement area and animal rides to name a few. New inclusions this year are an outdoor kids’ movie cinema, buskers, cartoon characters, dress up photography, cooking demonstrations and giveaways. Live entertainment all day is provided by Lizotte’s, and includes Taylor and the Makers, Jacob Pearson, and the Seltic Sirens. Central Coast Christmas Fair will be held on Sunday December 11 from 10am-3pm at Terrigal High School.
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The Plantation Hotel of Coffs Harbour has re-opened for business under new management, and all is right with the world. When the Plantation closed its doors last month a cold shudder ran right along the coast. The Planto has long been one of the coasts’ prime venues, but in recent years it seemed to lose its way. However, under the helm of new manager Harry Barry, the Planto is set to return to its former glory. “You can’t have a great venue without first having a great pub,” says Barry. “And I’ll make the Plantation Hotel a great pub, and the Coastal home for every touring Triple J act making its way north or south”. To prove he is good to his word, the first band off the rank to rock the Planto is the mighty Wolfmother, playing on Wednesday December 14 along with some very special surprise guests. And it doesn’t stop there. The rumour mill is running wild with a whole cavalcade of top line artists lining up to rock the Coffs coast. So watch this space, and watch Coffs Harbour’s one and only Plantation Hotel. That big back room is set to rock the whole coast.
BLUEJUICE ARE SIZZLING
For the third year in a row, Bluejuice are packing the tiniest shorts they can find, dusting off their surfmats, reacquainting their shoulder hair with natural sunlight, and rolling their Sizzling 2012 tour into a coastal town near you (or your summer holiday town at least). Having just released their third and favourite album, Company, and having abused the airwaves for months with their devotional ode, ‘Act Yr Age’, Bluejuice are preparing the tour van with ripening nectarines and peaches and are ready to roll with their first tour in ages. Sizzling 2012 will see Bluejuice and their house music pals The Aston Shuffle bring an unparalleled level of summer fruitiness and crotch sweating to the otherwise respectable coastal towns of Australia. It’s going to be sticky. Bluejuice and The Aston Shuffle perform at the Entrance Leagues Club on Thursday January 5; Newcastle Panthers on Friday January 6; Coolangatta Hotel on Sunday January 8; Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Tuesday January 10; Yamba Bowling Club on Wednesday January 11; Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour, on Thursday January 12; Port Macquarie Panthers on Friday January 13.
SETZER’S ROCKABILLY RIOT
Brian Setzer, rockabilly’s most iconic ambassador, has unleashed a brand new line-up for his upcoming Australian tour. Dubbed ‘Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot!’ this new look is an all-out assault on the rockabilly norm, an overcharged and thrilling attack of American rock ‘n’ roll. Setzer’s line-up includes two (yes, two!) slappin’ stand-up bassists, each bringing some extra thump to the party; two drummers — one being none other than Stray Cat Slim Jim Phantom; and a classic boogie-woogie piano that plays so well with Setzer’s rockin’ riffs. The show will include all of Brian’s hits and originals, favourite covers, and a special set with Slim Jim and Brian together, playing legendary Stray Cats hits including ‘Rock This Town’, ‘Stray Cat Strut’, ‘Runaway Boys’ and many more! Catch Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot at Newcastle Panthers on Thursday April 5, 2012.
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henry ROLLINS ON THE LONG MARCH
For better than a quarter of a century, Henry Rollins has toured the world as a spoken word artist, as frontman for both the Rollins Band and Black Flag and, without a microphone, as a solitary traveller with insatiable curiosity, bypassing the resorts in favour of places like Siberia and Senegal, or Burma and Bangladesh. His curiosity and hunger for experience-based knowledge teamed with his willingness to travel; his no-holdsbarred delivery of opinions and observations and his wicked sense of humour make him one of the most inspiring and interesting commentators and entertainers of a generation. He returns to Australia in 2012 brimming with tales of recent exploits all packed together under the banner of ‘The Long March’. Henry Rollins performs at Newcastle Panthers on Tuesday April 24.
TIM FREEDMAN RECRUITES LOCAL AMY VEE into THE IDLE
GRINNERS SUMMER TOUR NORTH COAST
After almost a year off touring, Grinspoon are back on the road in December. During their time off, Grinspoon have been busily writing their new album, not to mention scoring three mentions in Triple J’s Hottest 100 Albums Of All Time with A Guide To Better Living coming in at Number 12! Grinspoon, with Melbourne band Redcoats in support, perform at Club Forster on Tuesday December 27; Laurieton United Services Club on Wednesday December 28; CEX Club, Coffs Harbour, on Thursday December 29; Yamba Bowling Club on Friday December 30; Twin Towns Services Club, Tweed Heads on Saturday December 31.
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magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
WOLFMOTHER HIT THE REGIONALS
Off the back of a massive sell out tour of Europe, playing to enormous crowds at legendary festivals such as Rock Am Ring and PinkPop, Wolfmother couldn’t think of a better way to spend the Australian summer than to hit the regional pub circuit of Australia for some upfront and personal, flat-out loud rock shows. Wolfmother will be road-testing some new songs off their forthcoming record, due for release early next year. A nation-wide Australian tour and subsequent world tour will follow. So here they come — the bags are packed, the amps are cranked, the clothes are still unwashed and they’re on their way to a local near you. Wolfmother perform at Entrance Leagues Club on Wednesday December 7; Newcastle Leagues Club on Thursday December 8; Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour, on Wednesday December 14; Yamba Bowling Club on Thursday December 15; Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Friday December 16; Coolangatta Hotel on Saturday December 17.
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Tim Freedman is back with his first album in five years, Australian Idle. Free of all expectations, Freedman has recorded an unabashedly joyful 70s piano pop album. From Elton John to 10CC and back to The Beach Boys, his influences are on his sleeve. Keyboard heavy and rich with intricate backing vocals, his band of two girls and two guys features two band leaders in their own right, Heath Cullen and Amy Vee. On bass is the renowned Zoe Hauptmann, and on drums Dave Hibbard. Fans will be given a chance to see Freedman performing live with his band The Idle when they hit the road for a national tour in December. Tim Freedman and the Idle perform at Lizotte’s Lambton on December 13 and 14.
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LYDIA to PAINT THE FUTURE GOLDEN
WENDY MATTHEWS TO PLAY TOMMY’S
The renaissance of the north coast live music scene continues with the welcome return of Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore, as a fully fledged live music venue. Tommy’s underwent a renovation some time ago, and while the hotel looked great inside and out, the old management failed to see the value in toeing the line with top rate entertainment. Well thankfully times and managements change, and Tommy’s have come under the helm of new management keen to see the venue fulfil its potential as a classy place to enjoy fine food and top quality music. So to kick things off in style, Tommy’s management are proud to announce that the magnificently talented and internationally renowned vocalist Wendy Matthews will be playing on the Thursday December 15. Dinner and show tickets are expected to sell out quickly, so please do get in early to book your seats. After that great introduction to top rate entertainment, keep your eyes on the prize as Tommy’s are preparing to up the ante, right across the entertainment spectrum, as a premier entertainment venue.
KERSER TOURS THE NEBULIZER
There is an new saying — 1.2 million Youtube views don’t lie. Emcee Kerser is the selfprofessed poor runt from Campbelltown with a take no prisoner attitude towards the soft cock puss nuts that infect the genre. His brutally honest lyrics have the Facebook community buzzing with 16,000 likes, proclaiming Kerser as the sickest emcee around. His fans have also spoken loud and clear, with Kerser’s new album, The Nebulizer, selling out at JB Hifi as soon as it went on sale. His skill with the mic is undeniable, with the crown as Australia’s #1 battle rapper in his hands. His upcoming joust with 360 at the Laundry Bar in Fitzroy, Melbourne, on Saturday December 17 is sure to be memorable for all the right reasons. Over the summer, Kerser hits the Australian highways for the Nebulizer tour, to get right in your face, performing at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle on Saturday February 11.
SEABELLIES to PLAY GREAT NORTHERN FOR NYE
For the best part of 2011, things have been rather quite in Seabellies land with only a few live gigs at the beginning of the year. Well, just to make sure we have not forgotten them, The Seabellies return to Newcastle just in time to see out 2011. The Seabellies, with The Owls in support perform at the Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle, on Saturday December 31. Find us on Facebook
When Lydia found themselves at a crossroads in 2010, their fan base is what brought the project back together, and pushed them forward. The band decided in 2010 that they would formally disband. They chose to release an EP of new material, titled Assailants, and head out on a farewell tour. The reception they received and the quality of the performances outweighed the gloom of the band’s imminent demise. After witnessing a very strong reception from crowds on the other side of the Pacific in Australia, the band realised this would be a very difficult thing to leave behind. After much debate and late nights, lead singer Leighton Antelman and drummer Craig Taylor decided to bring Lydia back to life. They went back into the studio in the summer of 2011 with Matt Malpass (Rookie Of The Year, Copeland, Manchester Orchestra, Train) and began recording their follow up to Assailants, titled Paint it Golden. Lydia perform at the Hunter Valley Brewery, Maitland, on Sunday January 8; Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Thursday January 12; Entrance Leagues Club on Saturday January 14.
ROSE TATTOO GET ANGRY
From their first gig on New Year’s Eve, 1976, until today, Rose Tattoo have rarely strayed from their mantra of being the best bar room blues-based rock band in the world. For 35 years the one constant has been the band’s lead vocalist Angry Anderson, whose vocals tell a story of bars, booze, fights and love, mostly lost. Over the last few years touring has not been a focus but now Rose Tattoo are back, playing a mix of regional towns, inner city clubs and suburban hotels. Angry Anderson still delivers with all the passion and emotion he is renowned for, with his band consisting of Dai Pritchard on slide, Paul DeMarco on drums, Geordie Leach on bass and Randall Waller on lead guitar. If this is your first time to experience Rose Tattoo — welcome to what blues and rock created. Time to dust off your leather jacket... good old fashioned rock is coming to the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Thursday December 8; Port Macquarie Panthers on Thursday December 15; Coolangatta Hotel on Friday December 16.
DANIEL MARCH SWAPS GUITAR FOR KEYS
Having already made his mark in the music scene over the years, with sold out shows and album launches, Daniel March has now set his sights on ‘Storytellers’ — an intimate solo performance, alongside Ben and the Sea. March will be performing a solo set entirely on piano, and sharing stories of his creative process and the meanings and influences behind his songs written from 2005–2011. “I am pumped about the whole thing and cannot wait to share my stories and play keys rather than guitar, which is a first. I am also stoked to be playing alongside Ben as I am a big fan, and we are good mates, so it is going to be a very happy evening and a positive atmosphere.” March’s album The Wonder & Hunger will be available for purchase on the night. Daniel March and Ben and the Sea perform at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Newcastle, on Thursday December 8.
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HOWLING BELLS RING LOUD
Howling Bells return to their spiritual home, Australia, for their first national tour since September 2009. Howling Bells continue their endless summer, fresh from a UK/ European tour supporting one of the UK’s most established, longest standing and well respected indie artists, Elbow. In early September we saw the release of their raw, psychedelic third studio album, the sequel to 2009’s Radio Wars, The Loudest Engine. Produced by The Killers’ Mark Stoermer, the recording of the album saw the four-piece forge a sonic union with Nevada’s expansive surroundings and street-soiled vibe of Las Vegas. Comprising singer/guitarist Juanita Stein and her brother Joel (lead guitarist), drummer Glenn Moule, and bassist Brendan Picchio, Howling Bells bring their distinctive brand of psychedelic indie folk rock to a city near you, performing at the Newcastle Leagues Club on Friday December 9, and Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Wednesday December 14.
SARAH HUMPHREYS DELIVERS HIM ON ABC
Over the last 10 years Sarah Humphreys has toured this country, playing in small pubs, big stages, folk festivals, lounge rooms and everywhere in between. This independent songstress has won hearts with her sweet blend of happy-sad folk music and her honest and grounded nature. Humphreys’ new EP of ukulele cover songs, Him, has just been released nationally through ABC/ Universal, and to celebrate, she will be travelling all of 15 minutes to Gosford for a family friendly event (kids under 12 free) with chai, vegetarian food, cushions, couches and plenty of room to stretch/ dance/nap. Head along to the Rhythm Hut, Gosford, on Friday December 9. Pre-sold tickets are $10 or $15 on the door. Humphreys will be joined by a mini-choir of some of the central coast’s finest singers.
THE STILLSONS GO BIG
gypsy and the cat
NYE at QWB
New Year’s Eve at the Queens Wharf Brewery will offer a carnival atmosphere with three separate music venues, interactive games, a variety of bars and all the end-ofyear revelry on Newcastle harbour. An array of music acts will keep the party rolling ‘til after midnight including headline performers Gypsy and The Cat, and Sparkadia. Melbourne-based duo Gypsy and The Cat were signed by Sony RCA in the UK after writing and producing their first album. Since that time they’ve had three songs in Triple J’s Hottest 100 countdown and this year they scored the coveted support slot for Kylie Minogue’s Aphrodite concert tour in Australia. The alternative pop duo will play hits from their album Gilgamesh. Sparkadia began as a four-piece band whose first full-length album, Postcards, reached no. 23 on the ARIA albums chart with their follow-up, The Great Impression, peaking at number 8. Founding member Alex Burnett now heads up Sparkadia as the lead vocalist, guitarist and keyboard player. Tickets for the Queens Wharf Brewery New Year’s Eve event are $50 for general admission and $150 for a VIP ticket.
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The Stillsons are kicking off 2012 with their ‘Mammoth’ summer tour. They will be visiting regional towns on the east coast, with twenty one back-to-back shows throughout January. 2011 was a big year for the Melbourne based country roots band, they not only released their sophomore album Earnest, but they also thrilled audiences across Australia with their eclectic live shows, many of them extending up to three hours of original material. The Stillsons perform at the Wickham Park Hotel, Islington, on Sunday January 8; Lizotte’s Lambton on Wednesday January 11; Port Macquarie Hotel on Thursday January 12; Valla Beach Tavern on Friday January 13; Roots Records, Bellingen, on Saturday January 14; Federal Hotel, Bellingen, on Saturday January 14; Beach Hotel, Byron Bay, on Wednesday January 18; Port Macquarie Hotel on Friday January 27; Ocean View Hotel, Urunga, on Saturday January 28; Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland, on Sunday January 29.
LIVE & LOCAL AT LIZOTTE’S
Lambton Lizotte’s: Wednesday January 4, Ben Bradley, Kristy James, Francesca Sidoti, John Newsome; Thursday January 5, Joe Robinson; Wednesday January 11, Bec Sandridge, Luke Watt, Nigel Wearne, The Stillsons. Kincumber Lizotte’s: Wednesday December 11, Rocwater; Wednesday December 14, Israel Cannon; Wednesday January 4, Toni & Gibran, Vaughn Matthews, The Lyrics, Oliver Thorpe; Sunday January 8, Joe Robinson; Wednesday January 11, Kelly Griffith, Kirsty Lee James, Hayden French, Luis Montiero.
reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 13
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magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
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Painting with Sound This soul sister is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of gal — and we love what we’re seeing! DALLAS FRASCA has a bullshit-free conversation with MEL ROACH about her passion for independent musicians, being a greenie and giving back to her supporters. Growing up with her mum’s powerhouse rock (INXS, Midnight Oil and co.), Dallas Frasca fell in love with blues guitar at the age of 12 after watching 80s music flick, Crossroads, inspired by legendary blues musician Robert Johnson, featuring an original score (and climactic guitar duel) by Ry Cooder and Steve Vai. After “wopping” school the next day, Frasca watched the film 13 times and it is these past greats – Johnson, Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Billy Holliday, whose sound infuses Frasca’s raw style of blues and roots. Having had only one vocal lesson in her life, Frasca learnt to sing by listening to her “little, shitty transit radio” and trying to mimic her idols. Silenced for 18 months by throat nodules, she had time to sit back and listen, taking in what she liked from each artist and incorporating it into her own capabilities as a singer. She also learnt guitar during this time. Joining with guitarist Jeff Curran, whom she describes as “brilliant” (“he actually plays his guitar upside down”) and drummer Pete McDonald (“the missing link”), Frasca and her Gentlemen, got together a catalogue of over 100 songs and rehearsed every night for over four months in preparation for recording. “We knew all of our strengths we wanted to bring to every song and we did it,” says Frasca. The trio jetted off to New York to record her soon-to-be released album, Sound Painter, with Australian producer Andy Baldwin (Bjork, Living End, Cat Empire) at Rola Pola Studio’s in Brooklyn. After the theft of one of their show’s takings from Melbourne airport, Frasca was Find us on Facebook
still determined to go ahead with their album release next year. They reached out to their supporters for help in raising funds in time for the release and after just five days, over $1,700 worth of pledges came in. A humble Frasca said social media has definitely expanded the support of artists over the years. Life on the road can be quite isolating, she said – performing and mingling for a few hours before getting back in the van again and off to your next gig. Frasca describes playing with Midnight Oil as a career highlight, despite the jitters inspired by taking the stage after drummer Rob Hirst, who watched from the wings as Frasca’s nodule-breaking vocals tore the house down. From then on the pair became good friends, working on a few songs together and discussing saving the world over dinner. ‘’Music really is a healer and you can learn from it,” says Frasca. Proudly independent, Frasca says she prefers to sacrifice regular income for creative freedom. Although she confesses that it can be challenging at times. One of Australia’s strongest and most inspiring female artists, she has been described as a ‘modern day Janis Joplin’. As humbling and enchanting as she is lovely, and with a string of awards under her belt, Frasca is all set for a cracker of a ride to the top. And her chunky guitar riffs and deep husky vocals are sure to get dancefloors passionately stomping. Dallas Frasca and her gentlemen perform at the Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland on Friday January 13, and the New Beginnings Festival, Morriset on Saturday January 14.
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January 2012 Recovery party Dubbary – 6pm Jordi, Top Shelf, Mount Mocha (Japan) & Skinny Tuba (USA) – $25 Wed 4 Open Mic Night with Mario $200 cash giveaway Thu 5 DJ A. Skillz (UK) – 3pm – $15 early bird tix (100 only) Fri 6 Brotherfunk – 8pm – free Sat 7 Oka/Deya Dova Sun 8 Bobby Alu – 5pm Tue 10 Kobai – reggae rock – free Wed 11 Open Mic Night with Mario $200 cash giveaway – 7pm Thu 12 Cockatoo Paul – 7pm – free Fri 13 Moondogs Gypsie Blues Band – 7:30pm – free Sun 15 Huge DJ Set - Surprise - 3pm Sun 1 Mon 2 Tue 3
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reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 15
b l u ej u i c e — ed s h eer a n
Jokes Aside
A healthy sense of humour and a love of good times are an integral part of what Sydney rockers Bluejuice are all about – but three albums later and some life-lessons learned along the way, frontman JAKE STONE tells BIRDY that it’s time to get a little retrospective, if not exactly mature. “For me it’s been pretty important for people to realise we’re [not] just about joking around all the time,” says Stone. “We’ve noticed that given the way that we often market ourselves out to the public – it would be very easy for people to perceive this band as something not very serious. And it’s a bit of a shame because a lot of effort goes into this band! Don’t get me wrong, I like to have fun but it all has to be balanced to some degree. With us, we can’t even communicate unless we’re kidding or unless we’re taking the piss out of each other! It’s just a private concern of mine that people could think we’re like this semi-unskilled rock ‘n’ roll band.” That said, it’s highly unlikely that the musicians collaborating with Bluejuice on Company would have agreed to spend studio time with the semi-unskilled. It’s a “wholesome” record, according to Stone, showing a side to the band we’ve never seen before. “I love writing a consistent, catchy, radioready pop tune that you can sing along to. It takes a lot of work to sound fun and effortless. So I think with this album it’s been very important for us to show consistency and that’s why we wanted to work with other people who have shown that level of consistency in their own work. People like Julian Hamilton [The Presets] – the dude’s record goes way back - and he’s just one example. I think the fact that we have the chance to even work or be in contact with these kind of people goes to show our profile.” Also featuring Sparkadia’s Alex Burne, Papa Vs Pretty’s Thomas Rawle, jazz guitarists Ben Hauptmann and Aaron Flower, as well as vocalists Elana Stone, Zoe Hauptmann and Yael Stone – it was working with Hamilton that most made its mark on the Bluejuice singer. A long time fan of the electro duo, Stone says Hamilton’s work ethic and outlook reflected his own at the time of writing. “With all the success he’s had with The Presets and everything else, Julian is just a truly genuine singer-songwriter, and I think that’s where his celebrity really lies. Julian is a trained musician so he can really play and he has his own songwriting ability, as well as unique playing ability, 16 reverb
magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
and a reliability that is very rare. I’m very inspired by his class and sense of style. I’ve seen The Presets a lot over the years, believe me. I’ve been a fan from way back when Kim [Moyes, drums/keys] was a jazz musician, and the Pnau days - which is a long time ago, like I said!” Stone gets a little nostalgic about his own life, looking back on failed relationships, lost friendships, and the sometimes painful transition from his 20s to his 30s. “I’ve personally gone through a breakup this year, so this year hasn’t been that awesome for me, to be honest,” Stone laments. “That’s just one big change right there. I guess everyone in the band has gone through at least a couple major changes, though – a lot can happen in a year. It has definitely fed the record. The funny thing is how a lot of the things we were writing about, we didn’t even realise it at the time. I mean, you could be writing about something and not realise that it’s actually happening to you as we speak, then when you listen back to the record you realise that it’s commentary on what was going on at the time. “I’ve come to realise that I’m an adult and I know that life isn’t always going to be fun, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t still have a sense of humour. We’re very lucky in that when we get together as a band, all we do is joke around and laugh. But then you get your private moments and life can seem a lot harder. In your 20s everything is awesome and you haven’t had any massive fuck-ups yet, so you can just be easy-going about everything and you’re still going for your dreams because you haven’t really failed yet. But I’ve failed a few times now and I’ve been through a few challenging things over the last year and it’s been a bit harder to meet that with a light attitude.” Bluejuice perform at The Entrance Leagues Club on Thursday January 5; Newcastle Panthers on Friday January 6; Coolangatta Hotel on Sunday January 8; Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Tuesday January 10; Yamba Bowling Club on Wednesday January 11; Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour, on Thursday January 12; Port Macquarie Panthers on Friday January 13.
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METube
Seeing Damien Rice perform at eleven years old marked the beginning of ED SHEERAN’S music career. Since then he has become a Youtube sensation and his indie EP hit number two on the iTunes chart. In town for just three days on a speedy promotional tour, the flame-haired Londoner found time to chat to AMELIA PARROTT about his new album, his new label and the truth behind his success.
Ed Sheeran lounges on the sofa in his Surry Hills hotel room with a Coke in his hand, acclimatising to the balmy Australian weather in shorts and a T-shirt; instantly recognisable with his boyish good looks and striking colouring. “I’ve been here a day and a half and all I’ve really seen is this hotel room so I’m hoping to see some more of [Australia],” he says. In town on a whirlwind promotional tour, it is the first time Sheeran has been to our shores and many Australians wouldn’t have heard of him if it weren’t for the surprising success of his single ‘You Need Me I Don’t Need You’. “It wasn’t really pushed here,” Sheeran says of the track. “This is the push now and it’s already been played on the radio for the past two months so yeah, it’s very surreal”. Back in England, life was already on the surreal side for the 20-year-old. After moving from the countryside of Framlingham in Suffolk to a flat above a pub in London, Sheeran’s fan-base grew as he began playing shows and selling his independently released EPs from his rucksack. Earlier this year his eleventh EP, No.5 Collaborations Project hit number two on the iTunes music charts, selling over 7000 copies in its first week. In September, Sheeran released his debut long player, Plus, through Atlantic Records. The lead single ‘The A Team’ entered the UK charts at number three and the video has been
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viewed more than 16 million times on Youtube. With stats like that you can understand why the British press call him a ‘Youtube sensation’. “It wasn’t ever a conscious decision like, ‘okay, cool, I’m going to start using social networking to promote myself now’,” Sheeran says. “The media in England say that I made it using social media but the truth of it is that when the Collaborations EP came out it went to number two on iTunes. Everyone said it was down to social media but I had 3000 followers on Twitter and then had 20,000 followers the next day because of it going to number two, so I think it was more down to fan-base and touring.” Despite this, Sheeran stops short of saying YouTube had nothing to do with his popularity. The video for the latest single from Plus, ‘Lego House’, already has close to eight million views and stars Harry Potter star and Ed Sheeran doppelganger, Rupert Grint, as a crazed fan. “I don’t really like appearing in my videos. I prefer to have my videos as a bit of a Where’s Wally where I just kind of pop up,” explains Sheeran. “It came through Tom Felton, the guy who plays Draco Malfoy — he posted a video of mine on his Twitter and then we just got in touch. He hooked me up with Rupert which was really nice of him.” In the midst of his album success, Sheeran has also been given his own label with Warner Music. He has already signed his previous independent releases to the label and is set to release another EP after Christmas. But Sheeran remains tightlipped as to what other artists will be joining him on his label. “I’m thinking of signing one of my heroes [who] has been probably one of the biggest influences on me. I’ll keep that under wraps but he’s very, very good.” Plus is available now through Atlantic Records.
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FUNK DIRECT FROM JAPAN
Joining The Pieces When androgynous UK rockers PLACEBO approached STEVE FORREST to replace former drummer Steve Hewlett in 2008, Forrest figured he “might as well” go for it. At the time, the Californian sticksman had just got the boot from his old band Everline and was looking for a new gig. But as Forrest tells BIRDY, it wasn’t until the Battle For The Sun recording sessions began and the world tour kicked off that he finally realised what he’d gotten himself into. “I started getting pretty excited when we began recording the album,” Forrest recalls. “I guess I just didn’t realise the magnitude and the calibre of the band until we actually started touring the album. Before I joined Placebo, I only found out about them when my old band supported them at a gig a few years ago. I’d been kicked out of that band and when I joined Placebo, I just wanted to get some work really bad. It had been an uphill battle. After seven years of busting my balls to get to where I’d been, I was right back to square one. Placebo gave me an opportunity but I didn’t realise what I’d gotten myself into until I started making music with these cats that had been doing it for so long!” The best part, according to Forrest, was that such a well-established band would allow the much younger, new drummer to inject his own input into their new album. The fact that Forrest and Placebo’s main man Brian Molko clicked was key to his acceptance, according to the drummer. “Yeah, apparently Brian had had issues with other drummers before me, but I wasn’t aware of things like that when I joined. It wasn’t like, ‘oh god, these guys have gone through a lot of drummers so there must be something wrong with them!’ As far as I saw it, these other guys just weren’t meant to be in that spot. “I was really pleased that I was allowed to get involved in the songwriting, even though I didn’t want to fuck with the music too much. Placebo have been together for
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years and they’ve got their own work ethic and stuff. But I didn’t want to be just a session player either because I’m a very musical person. After Brian and I got together, it was swell! We clicked really well and we got along immediately. Even though there’s 14 years between us – we’re a lot alike actually! When I flew over to London, we hung out for a few weeks because they wanted to see how we vibed - everything else was kind of secondary at that point. But once we started writing songs and realised that we just couldn’t stop, that’s when we knew this was right.” And if the rabid audience response captured on Placebo’s new live DVD We Come In Pieces is anything go by, Forrest is right. Filmed at London’s Brixton Academy last year, the two-disc DVD comprises live concert footage on the back of Battle For The Sun, as well as an hour-long documentary, Coming Up For Air, which takes the viewer behind the scenes on the tour. According to Forrest, if the DVD serves any purpose, it is to show the incredible bond between Placebo and their legions of fans. “It’s an unbelievable thing with this band, I’ve never seen anything like it,” says Forrest. “This DVD shows a lot of the love between us as a band, but more so between the band and the audience. This gig at the Brixton was amazing, it was one of the best shows we’d done in a while - the vibe was just electric! The second disc is basically a film summing up the last two years on tour
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and all the ups and downs that came with it. We just really wanted to provide an inside look into our lives and how intense things really get. And they really do get pretty intense - sometimes it just takes a while to get your head together. I remember the anxiety attacks I started having once I first started touring with this band because it was so intense!” And while Forrest claims the band will go their separate ways from now until the end of the year, in order to recuperate and work out their next move, he says a new album is not out of the question for 2012. “We haven’t really caught up since September. We’ve decided to take some much-needed time apart. I say it’s much-needed because when you only get to come home for a few weeks at a time normally, then getting a few months off is a really big deal! We’re definitely going to write another record, we just don’t know when exactly, but it’s possible for next year. I’m very much looking forward to getting back together with the guys, but I don’t know if the feeling is the same! “The whole experience of being in this band has turned out to be very different to what I thought it might be. For the first time, I can honestly say I’m actually enjoying myself and having a good time. I think Brian and Stefan [Olsdal, bass] also just needed a change and to inject some new blood into the music. In my old band, it was like, ‘you have your role and that’s what you stick to’, but these guys let me contribute in whichever way I want. We’re trying to figure out how to make it a rollercoaster but also so that everyone on-board enjoys the ride.” We Come In Pieces is available through Eagle Rock Entertainment on DVD and Blu-Ray.
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JANuary
Sun 1st Cooltown Ball Coolum www.cooltown.com.au
Tue 3rd Byron Bay Brewery w/ Tuba Skinny (New Orleans) www.buddhabarbyronbay.com
Thu 5th Great Northern Hotel Newcastle w/ Super Heavyweights www.thegreatnorthern.com.au ‘UHURU PEAK’ out january 13th via instrumental recordings/mgm For further info and all ticketing go to www.topshelf.com.au
reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 17
m i l e s k a n e — b at s a n d b at t l e s h i p s
Released from the Trap Going into Battle After stints with The Little Flames, The Rascals, and a successful collaboration with Arctic Monkeys frontman, Alex Turner, under the moniker of The Last Shadow Puppets, MILES KANE has stepped forward to take the spotlight. The result – his debut solo album, Colour of the Trap. JAMIE NELSON caught up with Kane as he gears up for his Australian summer.
Have you been touring a lot for your album? This year we haven’t stopped. For me, it’s the best thing in the world - going out every night and playing shows… it’s like a drug. I’m addicted to playing gigs and when I don’t gig for three days… I’m itchin’. Itchin’ to get back out there and play these songs and just enjoy it. You changed producers halfway, how did that come about? Well, I recorded two tracks with Gruff Rhys (vocalist of Super Furry Animals) ‘Kingcrawler’ which is sort of a tribal song and an Elvis-esque love song called ‘Take The Night From Me’, and then went away for some more writing. I met Dan Carey (Franz Ferdinand, The Kills, Sia), though my manger. We went down to the studio for a week. It was just one of those things - it really worked. It’s hard to get it bang on the money so there is not a weak link. It’s very easy to sort of settle… you know, as long as you’ve got singles you can fill it with whatever. But for this I didn’t want a weak link. What’s your favorite song off the album? It’s hard to choose. I guess as an overall, just for an upbeat rocker I’d say ‘Come Closer’. That was the easiest song to write on that record - one of the songs that was done in an afternoon flat. I remember watching Kasabian a week before and I thought ‘wow, listen to that tune with all it’s lalalas and stuff’. I’d never really written a song like that and I wanted a song with ‘woah woah woah’. I remember writing that song and it’s sort of deliberately written to be a fuckin’ anthem. The BBC called you a ‘retro-visionist’. Do you agree? Hmm, I guess. I love The Beatles and I love T-Rex, and I love David Bowie and a 18 reverb
magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
lot of stuff like that, and I love Mowtown, and all of these great artists have had a big effect on me. To create these beautiful little pop and rock ‘n’ roll songs, it’s important to make it modern as well because when you’re on the radio you’re going to be next to Lady GaGa. So you’ve got to push it on, try to make it fresh and I think that’s what [I] do. Influences might sound a bit 60s - for instance if it’s a double vocal it may sound like T-Rex. What were you feeling when you made the decision to go solo? The Last Shadow Puppets was a great year. We made a great record which was just two best mates in a studio having the time of their life, and that’s what came out. After that, I’m not gonna lie, it was like ‘fuck, what now?’. So I decided ‘fuck it, I’m gonna write some tunes’. I knew that I could front it, and I knew I could be a solo artist but I’m not going to sit there with a guitar and [play] depressing tunes. I want to play great rock ‘n’ roll with straight upbeat tunes. And this year, to put it out there - to do what we’ve done and what we’re doing - well it feels fucking great and it’s been the best year of my life so far. What are you expecting from Australia? Oh yeah, we’re very excited to come over there and play our great rock ‘n’ roll. We’ve got the festival on New Year’s Eve (Falls Festival), which I think is going to be fucking… dangerous, man. It’s going to be mind-blowing. I’m going to go the moon that night. We’ve got a great tour. I want to get over there and rip it up, play these songs live and show you what it’s about. Miles Kane performs at the Falls Festival, Lorne, on Saturday December 31, and supporting Arctic Monkeys at the Hordern Pavilion on Thursday January 12.
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As if from nowhere, Newcastle post-rock four-piece BATS AND BATTLESHIPS have blown away audiences with their ability to induce sonic terror one minute and beautiful melodic passages the next. On the cusp of releasing their debut album, The Week That Was, MATT PETHERBRIDGE speaks to guitarist/lyricist JASON BREEN about the history of the band and the making of the album. How did Bats and Battleships come together? Fitzy (Nikki Fitzsummons, vocals) and Dylan (McCrae, drums) and I formed back in 2009. I put some material to them and we went from there. Chelsea (Feneley, bass) came into the fold about September, 2010. Dylan and I have been playing together for eight years, so we’re brutally honest with each other in the creative process. We record a lot of things and listen to them and figure things out, but the songs usually begin with us. Then Chelsea comes in and the first thing she plays is usually perfect (laughs). The Week That Was is due to drop in 2012. Why did you decide to make a full album? We had the songs there. Why not? Roll the dice and see how it goes. I write most of the lyrics. The creative process is quite interesting because Nikki is my vessel. We get very drunk together; we go over the words together and sometimes I go into graphic detail about what the songs are about, and then he expresses it for me. That’s interesting, because many lyricists don’t have someone they feel comfortable enough to discuss their lyrics with. Were you inspired by cathartic songwriters that you look up to? It was more of a need. I know there are some lyricists that are very open with their lives. I am a big fan of Yoni Wolf of the band, Why? Not all of my lyrics are cathartic, though. There’s a song called ‘Your Jacket Pocket’. I went through a break-up at the end of last year and the song is about packing my boxes in the house we were living in together, with that feeling that it was never really my home to begin with. It’s not a spiteful song though, I was just describing how things end up. It’s more metaphorical in that sense.
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You recorded the album with Oh, Silence, a recording team made up of members from Newcastle band I Am The Agent (for whom Jason now plays bass). What was it like to work with them? It was so fun! Very easy and laid back, they really know what they are doing with recording and engineering. I met the guys last year at a show and our bands begun playing shows together. We’ve formed a really solid relationship. We recorded digitally but it’s not a digital album. It was more feasible for us - we were able to record on the fly. I went in knowing that I wanted to have only the guitar parts that I do live, I didn’t want to go over the top. I overdubbed, but I wanted to stay faithful to our live sound. In the web documentaries on Youtube, I saw you playing an accordion at one stage. Have any extra instruments found their way into The Week That Was? We did a couple of special things on some key tracks - some minimalist stuff. Dylan did some amazing electronic stuff with a laptop on a couple of tracks. We’re looking at the possibility of incorporating those ideas with drum triggers, but it’s all about having the equipment. The album launch will also see I Am The Agent launch their EP, Volume 3. Can we expect any surprises from your doublelaunch night? The Agent guys and I are talking about having a bit of mid-set fun. I’m hoping the Maids guys, the other support band, will get on-board with something as well. Bats and Battleships, along with I Am The Agent and Maids, perform at the Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, on Friday, January 13.
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pendulum
Immersed At Home Close your eyes for one second and an entire decade passes you by – well, that’s how it feels to GARETH MCGRILLEN of dubstep kings PENDULUM. It seems one minute the ex-Perth lads were conjuring up drum and bass tracks in their tiny home basement, with hopes of attracting a handful of local punters, the next minute they were moving to the UK and blowing up millions of audiences worldwide. Nevertheless, as McGrillen tells BIRDY, it’s finally getting recognition back home, 10 years later, that Pendulum consider their biggest achievement of all.
“It’s pretty amazing to think that we’re already at the tail end of the Immersion tour,” McGrillen says of the band’s third studio album. “But it’s good to wrap it up back at home in Australia. It definitely still
feels like home – I’ve only ever missed one Christmas in Australia, I’m always coming back! Just getting the acceptance and recognition in Australia has been a very difficult thing for us to do – but we know
we’re not the only ones. It’s difficult for any band because Australia is a long way away and touring Australia is hard because it’s such a vast landscape. America is the same. “It was just sad that at one point we were massive all over the world but we had no influence in our own country. It happens all the time, though, bands will smash the rest of the world first and people back at home will be slow to pick up on them. To finally get that in Australia, and to this degree, that’s been a huge achievement for us.” With a well-deserved holiday on the
cards, the challenge is not generating ideas for the next album, but putting on the brakes for a while. “That’s the thing with us – even as we were wrapping up our last album [In Silico, 2008], we already had a track written for the next one [Immersion, 2010]. But before anything happens, we’re definitely having a bit of a break, and I’ve also got my side-project called Knife Party which is music not relevant to Pendulum.” “I’m still excited about this tour, though, don’t get me wrong. Festivals are great because we can draw a huge audience but our own shows are a whole different story. We’ve got a massive set and loads of screens and the visual element is heavily tied into the music – it’s literally triggered off by the music itself.” Before the Immersion cycle comes to a conclusion, Pendulum are releasing one last single off the album - ‘The Island’. “That [track] was a bit of a different one for us,” says McGrillen. “We wanted to try something we hadn’t attempted before. It’s basically house music – that’s a tempo Pendulum had never tackled before. We realised that after years of doing this, we now have the creative license to be able to do it! We went for it, and it turned out great, if you ask me. “I love the collaboration we did with In Flames [‘Self Vs Self’] – they’re such an inspiring band. Their music is widely different to ours but we have a lot more in common than you’d think. The collaboration worked so seamlessly – they just came in, sat down in the studio, we put the ideas down and the track was wrapped up in one day. That’s the kind of musicians they are. And so are we! We never had a doubt that a track like this could work, but we did try to calculate how much we’d scare the audience away with it!” Probably the most controversial track on the album would be McGrillen’s second favourite, ‘Immunize’, featuring Liam Howlett of Pendulum’s long-time rivals, The Prodigy. “There’d always been this kind of rivalry and standoffishness back stage between us,” says McGrillen. “Both camps would constantly hear all these stories about how much they hated us, or how much we hated them… I think we probably copped more shit, though, because we know journalists were calling us a “lesser Prodigy” and stuff. “It took a while for both bands to realise it was all the media stirring up bullshit and generating animosity, so we put an end to it after we had a chance to actually hang out with them at the Big Day Out in 2009. We became friends pretty quickly. So, yeah, doing a track with Liam was kind of rubbing it in the face of the media! It’s definitely tongue-in-cheek but it’ll hopefully also just put an end to lies that both of our bands have been putting up with for years.” Pendulum perform at Shore Thing, Bondi Beach, on Saturday December 31, and Summafieldayze, Gold Coast, on Monday January 2.
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gr o u p l o v e
A Love Story
US indie-poppers GROUPLOVE are the best thing to come out of a Grecian hippie commune since… well… ever. MAX QUINN spoke with HANNAH HOOPER, the kind-of-sort-of absolutely gorgeous frontwoman of the Los Angeles quintet, down the phone from Nashville, Tennessee, where the band is taking the time to marvel at their meteoric rise to success (and play a show or two). “Last time we were here we stayed in the basement of a friend of our manager,” says Hooper. “We all had to go the bathroom in a bad restaurant across the street. This time we’re in a hotel room – it’s an element of this life that I’m very new to. It’s like Narnia or something.” The band’s rise to the realms of room service has indeed been swift – their debut album Never Trust A Happy Song was released in September – but Hooper is quick to dispel any suggestion that their success has been a flash in the pan. “We’ve all been trying to make it
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independently with our own work for so long (Hooper worked as an artist in Greece before realising she just so happened to be an extraordinary vocalist), so having this union – these new friendships – has been wonderful. It’s a joy that we get to share with everybody when we play music and we’re so lucky to be able to do it.” The band’s fortuitous formation on the island of Crete is the kind of story that, much like that of a first kiss, begs to be told over and over, passed fondly through the generations as an example of how luck and love can intersect over the course of one
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golden summer. “Ugh! That story has been done to death,” moans Hooper when asked if she ever tires of telling it. “You’re probably pretty good with words, right? I trust you to do it justice!” Here’s the abridged version: Boy (singer/ songwriter Christian Zucconi) meets girl (Hooper) in New York. Whirlwind romance ensues. Boy follows girl to an artist residency in Greece, where they encounter guitarist Andrew Ressen, bass player Sean Gadd and drummer Ryan Rabin. Whirlwind musical romance ensues. Residency ends. Everybody sad. Boy and girl convene with rhythm section in Los Angeles months later. Grouplove is born. Astounding live show. Lots of CDs sold. Everybody happy. Brings a tear to the eye, don’t it? The band’s live set has been revered for its evocativeness - each member summoning the polar extremities of intense joy and anguished despair with every syllable sung, chord strummed, and drum… drummed. “It’s because we actually want to be there and play music,” explains
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Hooper. “I was fired from so many jobs prior to us starting to make music because it was pretty obvious what I would rather be doing. But even now, where we’re driving way too far to play a tiny show in a place we’ve never been to, we’re all still so excited. It’s exciting!” As Hooper sees it, the band draws an obvious parallel to a group also renowned for their cathartic live performances and instrumental virtuosity. “I like to think of us as the Spice Girls,” she says with no trace of a smirk. “The guys will hate that analogy but it’s the right one. We’re like one perfect person together, but separately we’re all of the individual extremes.” Hooper also kids that she was “this close” to getting the guys to dress up as the Spice Girls for Halloween this year. Grouplove perform at the Falls Festival, Lorne, on Friday December 30; Falls Festival Marion Bay on Saturday December 31; Factory Theatre, Sydney, on Tuesday January 3; Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, on Wednesday January 11.
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s c i s s o r s i s t er s
“We’ve heard about some internet rumours that maybe we’ll get to perform at the Olympics!” enthuses Hoffman. “But yes, we heard about Dolly Parton coming to Australia and we’ve always wanted to do some kind of collaboration with her. It’s almost become a ritual for us now – we ask her once a year, every year, and they always tell us the same thing to get us off their back. But look, we’ve been pretty lucky so far. Elton was so amazing to collaborate with – he was an absolute dream come true, and Kylie was another one. She is such an incredible songwriter, not just a singer she is the real deal!” Just like his own band – no longer considered a parody or ‘gay band’, the Scissor Sisters can proudly call themselves a world-renowned pop act, despite no support from commercial radio. “We always hoped to appeal to not just the gay community – not that that wasn’t
What Happens During The Night They might have missed Dolly Parton by a hair during her recent Australian jaunt, but SCOTT ‘BABYDADDY’ HOFFMAN of the Scissor Sisters reckons that won’t stop his band from stalking the country superstar in order to get a collaboration with her! In the meantime, paying us a visit for Summadayze is the next best thing for the New York five-piece, not to mention the chance to perform at the London Olympics. By BIRDY. important! But being able to reach a much wider fan base is always a lot better, right? We also had the problem of getting no support on American radio – most people thought we were a British band! That’s not the reason we didn’t get played, though, the problem was that American radio is strictly ruled by genre, so everything is split into urban, hard rock or bubble-gum pop. We
were electronic and that was just too vague – there was no radio station that specifically played that kind of music. Basically, the trouble was that our band was the result of a bunch of our favourite music put together and nobody did that at the time.” According to Hoffman, the band’s latest album Night Work brings a special sense of pride, despite a major battle with writers’
block which the Scissor Sisters managed to pull through in the end. “I’m really proud of Night Work even though that record took us a really long time to figure out,” says Hoffman. “We’d been through writer’s block more than once in our career, but that was one of the harshest times. It was a funny album because it was probably our best-reviewed
record, our most consistent album from beginning to end, and our most conceptual album as well. But at the same time it didn’t have a big smash single and it was not commercially as successful as the last one. I guess that probably speaks volumes about the quality of what you get on radio in comparison to the tastes of people who actually like, and have a clue about, music. It’s one of those things you have to deal with when you have a vision for your music and it’s not what the mainstream agrees with.” Night Work, according to Hoffman, was a revised version of an album that was scrapped at the last minute, prior to the band hitting the road to promote it. When it ain’t right, it just ain’t right, Hoffman explains. “We just knew it could be better and more in-line with a single vision. I still think there is a solid batch of tracks out of those songs that I’d like to put out at some point. There were definitely songs on that album that were amazing but I think it’s just that we’re very tough critics on ourselves. “Right now we’re in the studio again and we’re hoping to finish up our new record in the next month or two. I love it - it sounds great so far! I think it’s going to sound like Scissor Sisters but a big mix of our older and newer stuff combined. We’ve been listening to so much stuff – everything from classic rock to disco to house to really underground stuff - lots of modern sounds, too. I think the major difference people will notice is that the new record will have a little more urban and soul influence. I hope you like it!” Scissor Sisters perform at Summafieldayze, Gold Coast, on Monday January 2.
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GRAYSON Michael Edser is Grayson. He has toured extensively through Europe and the US after establishing a strong following in Australia. Grayson’s pop, rock and indie stylings will stay with you for life.
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magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
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i a m t h e a ge n t
With Volume 3 nearly upon us, can you tell us about the recording environment, and where you are at with it all? We’re currently about half way through the tracking process. We’ve tracked all of the drums, most of the guitar parts, and a bunch of bass parts are done. Two of the songs are almost totally finished while the others have some overdubs still to go, or we haven’t yet tracked the vocals for them. Everything we’ve got so far we captured in one weekend in a really hot, soundproof garage in Raymond Terrace that the kids from Bats & Battleships have affectionately named ‘The Batcave’. We spent the first day experimenting with drum sounds and microphone placements – trying interesting things that we thought would suit the songs. John Lambert (drums) had a really good time trying things like using two 16-inch crash cymbals as a set of high hats, and choosing from a massive range of cymbals that we borrowed from various drummers we’ve made friends with over the years. Has there been a change in the way you approached each of the three volumes? Actually, yes. With each EP we’ve changed the recording process dramatically. When we first started recording we had an iMac and two microphones and had to do everything in separate chunks. We had to do all the tracking on the central coast in our practise room, and we spent months layering overdubs, syncing beats, or precision-dropping drum samples in Pro Tools. With Volume 3, we’ve gotten used to our gear and we know our songs really well. We’ve started tracking live drums and guitar together and sometimes the vocals all at once. It captures a better, more dynamic performance where a lot can go
Volume and Effect New recording equipment has been purchased, and the iMac relegated to Facebook use. The recording process may have change for Newcastle band, I AM THE AGENT, but they remain one of the industrial city’s most promising noise merchants. KEVIN BULL spoke with vocalist and guitarist, MICHAEL GALE, as the band prepared to release their third EP in a little over 12 months. wrong, but it all adds to the atmosphere. This EP is really raw and fluid and represents our live show a lot better than the other EPs. What was the reasoning behind releasing three EPs over the year? When we started the band we had 12 songs and barely any resources available. We knew we wanted to record our own music and we wanted to release a CD straight away to sell at shows. I think the sound of each EP was dictated by where our heads have been during the time of recording. Volume One is this indie/pop/grunge-sounding thing that we hoped would be the most accessible grouping of songs, but still show our experimental side. It sold pretty well, although we didn’t mass produce it or anything. Volume Two is this angry, abrasive, psychedelic, studio exploration thing where we had just won the 2010 Bacardi Band Search and spent all the money on new studio gear. This next one kind of sums everything up for me – it’s got all my favourite songs, including ‘Drown’ which is, like, the whole reason I had to start this band in the first place. How will you measure the success of the release? Is it sales? Is it reviews? Find us on Facebook
All of our recording experiences have been very low-budget, typically costing under $100 to produce, and we’re generally pretty happy if we sell enough copies of the CDs to make back our initial investment. We don’t produce many copies of these EPs because all of the artwork is handmade through what can be quite a laborious process. Our CDs don’t really find their way into the hands of many reviewers apart from a few indie blogs online and of course, Reverb. The real reward that comes from recording is the sense of accomplishment at having created something that we can say we’re proud of. You could not say that the band plays straight pop or rock. How have you found the Newcastle live music scene’s acceptance of non-commercial rock? We have had the comment that ‘whoever gets it, loves it and whoever doesn’t get it, doesn’t hate it’. We have played a lot of shows in Newcastle and our philosophy used to be to play as many different venues as possible, as much as possible. One thing we have noticed is that the majority of people regularly attending our shows are people who are in bands themselves. We always make friends with bands wherever we go and Newcastle is full of underground sub-cultures that have been very accepting of our
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music. We have always considered it to be really important to support local musicians and we attend as many shows as we can. What are your plans for 2012? We’re currently excited to be planning our first east coast tour with Bats & Battleships which will commence in January. This will be in support of Volume 3 as well as Bats’ debut album. These guys are a good example of the amazing friendships that can grow out of playing shows to an audience made up of musicians. Aside from this, we have been writing new material which we hope will end up on our own debut album for a 2012 release. What gigs have you got coming up? The coolest show we’ve got coming up will be the last show of our tour – Friday, January 13, at the Cambridge Hotel. The plan is to offer a $10 ticket price with a free CD upon admission. We’re playing with Maids and Bats & Battleships which is like three of the heaviest, loudest, most feedback-laden experimental rock bands on one of the loudest and best-sounding stages in Newcastle. We’ll probably be breaking records for the most guitar effects pedals on stage in one night - along with most floor toms used in one song.
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reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 23
ron wood
Can you give us some background to Some Girls. What was happening in the band around the time? There were lots of developments happening during that time within the Stones; there was lots of experimenting. “More fast numbers!” — that was our catchphrase. “We can’t bore the people with mid-tempo or ballads, we want to kick a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll!”. Punk and disco were both exploding at the time the album was being recorded. Were you aware of them musically? Was that something the band wanted to tap into? We weren’t really aware at the time of punk or disco — we were trapped in the studio environment. And we were punk anyway, and writing about things that were happening at the time. Mick knew all about what was going on and he would cleverly write them into the words of the song at the time. The few times we did get to go out to clubs, there was this very disco-y thing in the air. [But] we regarded that disco beat as just... another variation of an African tribal beat. That’s how come we made songs like ‘Miss You’ — we thought “yeah, we can make songs with that beat!”. What was it like for you to start working with Keith as your new team mate in the Stones? How did the pair of you manage to slot together so well? Keith and I at the time did a lot of knuckling down — we really enjoyed playing together. We’d be playing all the time in the studio, even during the break we’d be playing. We’d carry our guitars around... back at the hotel, back in our rented apartments, wherever we were, we were playing. Keith and I were exponents of this art form [we] called ‘the ancient form of weaving’, which meant two nutcases talking to each other through their guitars, and we became quite
melodic with it, with songs like ‘Beast of Burden’ — that was a classic illustration of weaving. How did recording with the Stones differ from recording with the other bands you’ve been in? The Faces for instance, we’d go in and everyone would be jangling their car keys immediately in the studio, like “when are we going, can we go now?”. You know, there wasn’t a lot of dedication. There was dedication to cut the track but once that was over it was like, “well, let’s go then”. With the Stones, there was this dedication [to] playing the song over and over and over and letting it go through its changes. It’s a bit like working on a painting — you’d do the initial thing, sit with it for a few hours, go back to it and add a bit and come back the next day and change it around a bit, and then go, “oh I think I might change the background, you know, the colour”. Whatever it was, we were doing that with the songs, and developing the songs in a unique way. The Stones had this kind of thing that I had in me, but I’d never really got down to it to such an extent as they did. So Keith was my perfect sparring partner to work and re-work and then we’d go back and listen and re-listen and listen and listen and then go back and put it into practice. Tell me about recording Some Girls in Paris. What do you remember about those recording sessions in 1977? Well, in recording sessions we were on the floor, so to speak, all the time — actually plugged in with our instruments hanging round our necks, and there would be all kinds of side shows coming in, like wallflowers — there’d be all different bands coming in... French bands... actors, actresses, people coming round the outside, while we were just knuckling down — sort of “sorry, I ain’t
Following on from last year’s re-issue of Exile In Main Street, the Rolling Stones catalogue has been revisited once more, with the 1978 Some Girls getting a ‘deluxe edition’ dust off. Guitarist RON WOOD wades through his memories of the musical landscape of the times, the recording sessions, and why the album is still important after 33 years.
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“ Keith and I were exponents of this art form [we] called ‘the ancient form of weaving’ ” got time to talk right now”, run over and give somebody a kiss, go back, “take 25!”. You know, it was nose to the grindstone all the time and time off was very rare. When I did get back to my apartment or the hotel, Keith would bang the door down and drag me out of bed [saying] “nobody sleeps while I’m awake!”. Me and Charlie used to laugh about that. What was the feeling like in the Rolling Stones at the time of recording and writing Some Girls? It seems as though it really re-invigorated the Stones sound. Did it feel like that to you at the time? At the time there were no restrictions, with the energy put in to the album. I was coming out with all these ideas and singing and background vocals. It was a great sense of freedom, you know, anything goes. That was the beginning of the separate… kinda, well, Keith started to get his own songs, that he wanted to put his own stamp on. After songs like ‘Happy’ that he’d done in the Exile days, Keith kept it going with songs like ‘Before They Make Me Run’ which set a whole new precedent. The artwork for Some Girls is amazing. What did you think of it at the time? I remember the artwork for the Some Girls album cover coming through with all these weird ideas of us dressing up in drag and stuff and I remember it was quite a funny photo shoot because at the time there was so much going on and we were all so out of our brains… I think we had a few photo shoots where we all dressed up in make-up and wigs and stuff and then the rest were just collage. I like the artwork approach with it, the 40s hairdresser and pin-up girls. I love that. What makes the Some Girls album stand out to you? Some Girls to me stands out as kind of a forgotten gem. I didn’t realise how good and how free the band was. I mean, it’s one of the few albums that I can say, on looking back, that we could go on and play (live) nine of the ten songs on the original album without thinking about it. Which is quite unique with Stones albums and with any band, really. You very rarely get a band to play 90 per cent of the songs live, that they’ve put on an album. And I think if the Stones ever work again, if we could re-create 80 per cent of that energy that we had going at the time of Some Girls, we’d be doing all right.
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If you had to describe Some Girls to someone who had yet to hear it, what would you say? Hey, do you fancy rocking? Do you fancy hearing some pure unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll music? Then, listen to this! Some Girls Deluxe Edition is out now through A&M Records/Universal.
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Duncan Woods
The Long Road
was when it was recorded, if not more so.
Having left Zimbabwe at an early age before the country’s horrors tainted his memories, DUNCAN WOODS settled on the central coast and engrossed himself in music. On the verge of releasing his debut album, Woods spoke with KEVIN BULL about the opportunity to record in England. How did you find yourself in England recording your debut album, Together on the Road? I was backpacking through the UK and Europe during the 2009/10 uni holidays for three months, and I decided to book some gigs for when I went over. So having my guitar with me I was often either playing somewhere or talking to someone about playing somewhere. One night I was in a tiny pub and got chatting to someone who owned a studio, and was told to check it out while I was in town. I went in the next day, despite one of the worst hangovers in history, and met Rich [Dyer], the sound engineer. We instantly clicked, and after showing him some of my originals he asked if I would be interested in recording an album as part of a production deal that the studio was offering. I originally declined due to uni commitments back home but was persuaded to return to the UK mid-2010 and record. The rest is history.
living above a pub in a small village in England made me quite the oddity around town. Being in a different country away from everything I knew helped me to focus on nothing but my music, which I had previously never been able to do back home, with sport/school/uni/social life taking up huge chunks of my time.
What was the experience of recording in a foreign country like? The fact that I had family over there and had visited often during my life made the initial decision to record overseas less daunting. But the whole experience was fantastic. Being an Aussie working and
Do they still feel fresh despite the delay? Interestingly, while playing my originals throughout the year, I have had fluctuating feelings towards the songs on the album. Particular songs have certainly felt stale to me at various points, while others that I had previously thought weak have become
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Why the delay between recording and releasing the album? Being an independent project, both Rich and I had other jobs to maintain during the recording process, with work and live gig commitments making things difficult to begin with. Since returning to Australia and leaving Rich [to put] the finishing touches on production, we have both been pre-occupied with our day-to-day lives. We knew from the start that this would be a long and challenging process, but we both believed in the project and were not prepared to rush the finished product which we had worked so hard on.
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extremely fun to play live. Because of the delay, the album as a whole has seemed like a dropped and re-heated pie at times, but then something inside reminds me of why I wrote the songs in the first place and I find a new energy in them. I have even discovered deeper meanings within the songs, which have allowed me to better understand myself as a performer and as a person, and I feel that now the album is ultimately as fresh and relevant to me as it
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You were born and grew up in Zimbabwe. Can you tell us what Zimbabwe was like during this time? My childhood in Zimbabwe was something of an idyllic dream. The life that I lived as a white Zimbabwean was so different to what I know of the rest of the western world, that I often find it difficult to explain to people. As a child I was free to roam around my farm playing and growing up with the African people we employed, who taught me so much. African morality and respect has been ingrained in me and I feel like that has made me who I am. Looking back on my childhood, I realised that I was so oblivious to the inevitable implosion of the world I knew. My parents always complained about the government, but this was normal so I had no reason to believe it would change my life. Racism was an alien ideal to me, it was something that was talked about on TV but I never understood it until I started to get older. To me, black and white Africans were different but it didn’t mean they were any more or less important in my world. I now know that these issues were always in the air and that we had only managed to sweep so much under the carpet before everything collapsed, as it has done throughout Africa. Despite being uprooted at a young age because of the political unrest, I have nothing but good memories of the place I grew up because my family was lucky enough to get out before the true horror that is Zimbabwe came to the fore. Duncan Woods performs at the Soldiers Beach Surf Club on Saturday December 10.
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k at e b u s h
“ Some of my better work has been when I’ve been really happy”
You’re a fantastic example of someone who can write within the world of the imagination, going deep into uncharted waters. Is that something that has always come quite naturally to you? Yeah, I think it has. I think it just seemed to be something that I clicked with at a very early age. And I think also something that’s said a lot is that you have to be miserable to write something that’s good, and I’m not sure about that because, from my point of view, I think some of my better work has been when I’ve been really happy, such as Aerial. I think of that as one of my best pieces of work, and it was very experimental and it was one of the happiest times of my life and I think, you know, that somehow has gone into the music. With the different ways we consume music now, do you think that has impacted on the way you work at all, or do you actually try and keep that outside of your thought process? I think it’s really difficult - the complete overuse of most art forms, but particularly music and film I suppose. You hear music everywhere, all the time - it’s even in the back of documentaries and news reports now; places; nature programmes. There’s almost this feeling of music becoming disposable which I don’t think it is - I think music is a very important thing to most people. It’s just unfortunately when your work is released it becomes part of that kind of mad, mad world where everything is being shoved in people’s faces all the time. Do you like to think that someone would buy your record on a CD and go home and listen to it on a hi-fi - sit there and listen to the whole thing? Yes. I would love that because I still think that the album is a really important art form. I’m of the generation where you went and bought an album, and there was a whole buzz about taking that vinyl record home with that great piece of artwork - even the smell of the vinyl was all part of the experience. Ideally for me, people would buy the CD because, for a start, I go to a lot of effort to get it mastered to what I feel is a really good quality sound and put a lot of effort into the artwork, and it’s a complete work
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- it’s not just tracks that are just kind of slung together. Does the march of technology affect you in your studio as well? I know you definitely prefer to record on analogue tape, because it’s much warmer, but do you ever favour the options that are slightly more convenient in the studio? Yeah, we work with both. So hopefully, you know, we’re getting the benefits of analogue tape, but also the convenience of Pro Tools, certainly for editing. There’s this whole thing that goes with tape that’s connected to listening to stuff. I think when you’re working on Pro Tools, it actually becomes a much more visual process. I find it really interesting how some people actually listen with their eyes - they’re watching where the edit points are, they’re not actually listening, and it is different. Do you think you will start something new quite soon afterwards? Well I still can’t get over the fact that I’ve actually managed to do it (50 Words For Snow) in time! I’ve already got some ideas for the next one but I need to take some kind of break because I’ve been working so consistently for quite a long time now. I think that’s very important because if you work incessantly, it’s quite dangerous. I mean that’s just me; maybe it works for other people. What’s a record doing well in your eyes these days? Is it sales? Is it reviews? Is it none of the above? Or is it fan letters? I think that’s a very good question. I mean, what is a record doing well at this point in time because, you know, record sales are really, really bad, and I think that used to be a good way of gauging the success of a record. But I think that ultimately what’s important, when I make a record and I do the best that I can and I think there’s something there that’s interesting, I’ve always felt this - if it’s received well by people it’s the most fantastic added bonus. If you were totally relying on how people reacted to it, and they didn’t like it… well where do you go from there? And you can’t make something for somebody else. You can’t do that can you? You have to make it for yourself.
Falling Snow For KATE BUSH, 2011 will be remembered as the most productive period of her career. Following 1993 album, The Red Shoes, Bush waited 12 years to deliver Aerial (2005), and now, six years later we have two releases in the space of six months. With 50 Words for Snow having just been released, Bush speaks about the recording process, her love of vinyl, and what success means to her.
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I often think about how a lot of the great artists of the past would have existed in the world of Twitter and Google because you’re now able to read immediately what people think about you. You can be so put off by one snide comment from someone who probably gave it half a second’s thought. Yeah, you have to be really strong. You do have to be really strong. And I must say, I do like to read at least the first sets of the reviews that come out, because I’m keen to know what people think. 50 Words For Snow is available though Fish People/EMI.
reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 27
b l a ke n o b l e
It’s difficult to describe, but essentially I see my 12-string guitar as a set of strings surrounded by a hollow box of wood, all of which are potential drums. I was originally a drummer [and] my Mum is a piano teacher, so I approached the guitar as a guitar/piano/drum kit hybrid. I saw what people like Tommy Emmanuel were doing, in terms of percussive playing, and I thought I might be able to teach myself how to do it. I was also influenced by Erik Mongrain to adapt a style called lap tapping, which is when you lay the guitar flat in your lap and play it more like a piano while hitting harmonics in between notes. These styles are becoming increasingly popular thanks to artists like Kaki King and movies like August Rush. I still think I could have played the role of the eightyear-old homeless guitarist in that movie!
Shining in the Sun When BLAKE NOBLE views his 12-string guitar, he sees not only the steel strings but the whole percussive potential of the hollow body. KEVIN BULL spoke to Noble about his unique playing style, his upcoming appearance at Festival of the Sun, and his plans to relocate to the US. Having won the People’s Choice Award at this year’s Bluesfest busking competition, you found yourself performing at Bluesfest itself. Can you tell me about your Bluesfest experience? I was lucky enough to grab the People’s Choice Award, but unfortunately I did not find myself performing at Bluesfest on account of the rain. It was pretty
heartbreaking to earn a spot at Australia’s best festival with the biggest names in the industry only to have it taken away at the last moment on the last day of the festival due to heavy, heavy rain. Your playing of the guitar is quite unique. For the uninitiated, how would you describe it and how did this develop?
You have recently put together a threepiece band, Blake Noble and the Ninja Stars. Was it difficult to find musicians that complimented your guitar style? Yes. Luckily I had local six-string guitarist Luke Horsfield to rely on. We have similar styles and work well together writing tunes. We had booked four gigs through November, and ended up finding our drummer Alex Reid about three-and-a-half weeks before the first gig! We wrote close to 20 songs in just over three weeks, and when we hit the stage it was like we had played together all year. There is talk that you are relocating to the US. Is this still on the cards, and what are you looking for overseas? Love and music. That is all I am ever looking for. Now I just need my visa! I have been working as a full time musician for
just over two years now. It’s a hard road, that’s for sure, but it is harder when you are a solo instrumentalist in country Australia. The US is obviously a much bigger market, with more opportunities, and many more options for solo instrumental guitarists. You are now sponsored by Bigfoot Stompbox and Elixir Strings. Is there anything better than free shit? I doubt it! It is a magical feeling to have such a well respected international company recognise and support what you are doing. I have always used Elixir strings on my guitars, so to have them send me free strings to slap around is a dream come true. I am also extremely excited about my partnership with Bigfoot. Their stomp boxes are made locally in the northern rivers, which is perfect as they are the best out there. I have used them for years, and will be taking my collection over to the US to show them off. Debut solo album, Music For The End Of The World, was released in March 2011. For you, what are the signs of a successful release? I wanted to just put my hat in the ring and get my name out there. A successful release to me is simply to achieve a recording and put it out into the world. It is a lot of work it’s daunting, and very expensive to do so. I have had good sales online with iTunes, good hits on YouTube, and great sales at my live shows. People seem more willing to support my music when they have seen me live. Blake Noble performs at the Brewery, Byron Bay, on Tuesday December 6, and Festival of the Sun, Port Macquarie, on December 9–10.
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magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
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j o e r o b i n s o n — b a l l p a rk m u s i c
Happiness, Smells Like Teen Spirit Sunshine, Beautiful People
JOE ROBINSON came to national attention when he won Australia’s Got Talent at age 17. With his third album about to be released — a collection that he says represents “a chance to move forward into a new direction and add more talents to my palette,” ROSS BECKLEY and VERONIQUE MOSELEY sat down with Robinson to talk about his musical journey. Growing up in Kempsey, NSW, Joe Robinson has been playing the guitar since the age of 10. “You know what it’s like when you’re young - it isn’t about talent, it’s simply about who can play an instrument and join the band. The fun part is performing in front of a crowd, whether that’s the school presentation night or the local fundraiser doesn’t really matter.” Robinson acknowledges the value of those early opportunities by appearing at events such as the Central Coast GOATS Festival to inspire the next generation of young musicians. “I was motivated by experienced musicians sharing their stories and music in the early days. That sharing, plus opportunities to perform, build confidence and inspire you when you’re starting out. That’s important.” Robinson’s passion for the guitar was unstoppable, motivating him to teach himself with the help of lessons on Youtube. At age 14 his ability with the guitar was already stunning when he recorded his first solo instrumental album, Bird Seed, at Cloud Studios, with producer Parris Macleod. Robinson came to the attention of guitar legends the Emmanuel brothers which led to an invitation to perform with Tommy in Nashville. By the age of 16, he was touring around the world with renowned Australian and overseas musicians. Shortly before recording his second album, Time Jumpin’, Joe entered and won Australia’s Got Talent, followed by the World Championships of Performing Arts in the USA, where he became the youngest and first instrumentalist to take the top prize, landing him the prestigious title: ‘Senior Grand Champion Performer of The World’. So what inspired the addition of vocals to his repertoire, given the success of the solo instrumental albums and performances? “The idea for the album germinated in November of last year while I was doing a 60-day tour of Europe, Japan and Australia,” says Robinson. “I really enjoyed collaborating and playing with other musicians and this felt like a chance to move forward into a new direction and add more talents to my palette.” Find us on Facebook
In that collaborative phase, Robinson also started songwriting and singing. He spent six weeks writing songs with different songwriters. “I learnt a ton over that period of time and the songwriting and singing just kept growing on me – the more I did, the more I liked it. It was a challenge, but a fun one. I like to push myself in ways that make me inspired into new directions, and this was just that kind of a challenge.” The last 12 months have been a steep learning curve for Joe. “It’s like a university course - I’ve learnt so much. I was doing an average of 200 gigs a year since I was 12, [but] the last 12 months have been deliberately a little quieter, to give me time to focus on new skills and to record the album.” Once he felt comfortable with his new skills, Joe wrote all the music for the album, with some collaboration on the lyrics. “This is a far more deliberate album with a sound unique to me — it’s been a lot of fun,” he says. The transition from solo instrumentalist to lead singer and guitarist in a small band is one his audiences have embraced. “It was hard at first, because the audience have this expectation of me as an instrumentalist. [But] I’m blessed to have awesome musicians playing with me - the whole dynamic is so different for me now with a band.” It hasn’t taking long for the word to spread that Joe Robinson’s transition is much more about adding to his performance skills than swapping guitar for vocals. Every bit of his instrumental skill still shines through. Add powerful vocals to ingenious guitar riffs and you have the makings of a major star. But then again, isn’t that what you’d expect from someone who gained the title of ‘Senior Grand Champion Performer of The World’ at the mere age of 18. Joe Robinson performs at the Woodford Folk Festival, Woodfordia, December 27– January 1; Glasshouse, Port Macquarie, on Wednesday January 4; Lizotte’s Lambton on Friday January 5; Lizotte’s Kincumber on Sunday January 8.
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If you’ve seen Ball Park Music’s calamitous live show, you’re most likely a fan. If you’ve heard their debut record, Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs, you’ll understand why they are one of the most important Australian bands of 2011. Never heard of them? You’re about to – MAX QUINN spoke with guitarist DEAN HANSON at the conclusion of their Happiness tour. Last time I spoke with Sam [Cromack, vocals/guitar] at a gig, he dobbed in a certain band member for their rogue sleepwalking. Tell us what happened. Paul [Furness, keys/trombone] is the one you want. We were on tour with Eagle and The Worm a few months ago, and they went out drinking after a gig in Sydney. Paul likes a bit of a party, so he went with them, and that was that. Next morning, we get a phone call from EATW, and they were like, “guys, we don’t know how to say this, but we’ve lost Paul”. And we were like, “OK, great, he’ll turn up. No worries”. Then they said “well … that’s not the worst of it. We’ve lost Paul, but we have his phone, his wallet and all of his clothes”. So Paul was un-contactable, in the middle of Sydney, without a wallet, and obviously naked. He then woke up in a strange hotel room with no idea where he was or how he got there. He said there were food scraps everywhere and a room service tray on the floor. He opened the door to this mystery hotel room, and he was four or five doors down from EATW. Needless to say he’s been too scared to sleepwalk again. I came up to see the Brisbane show from your tour, and it was fantastic. How have the rest of the dates been? It’s been fantastic. We really didn’t expect to sell out Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne – that was a huge surprise. It’s great to see people in the crowd singing the songs – especially the newer songs on the album that haven’t been singles. That feeling never gets old. I remember the first time it happened to us was probably about a year ago, and it was such a euphoric thing for me to be a part of. The thing that I really like about the album is that the non-singles really stick out. Was there a conscious effort to make a body of work rather than a collection of singles? Leading into recording, we made the decision to put some of the songs we had previously released as singles, onto the album. It was a bit of a challenge to
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produce and arrange the newer songs that Sam had written, that really hadn’t been heard before, so that it became a cohesive body of work. The songs are quite eclectic in nature, but I think that’s what ties them together and makes the album interesting. Do you think that distinctive, eclectic songwriting and arrangement is what makes the songs resonate with different listeners? Yeah, absolutely. The six of us all have some individual input into the songs, and, as would be the case with any six people with a wide range of influences, there ends up being a mishmash of different sounds and styles all wrapped up in this one song. Some of us love commercial hip-hop, some of us love 90s metal, you know? I was really interested to hear you cover Marilyn Manson’s ‘Beautiful People’ on this tour. Is that a good example of what you’re talking about? Exactly. Sometimes we struggle to get people to understand where we’re coming from. We get labelled as this sunshine pop band, which is entirely based on the sound of the singles we’ve released. But it’s not entirely accurate. Playing that cover is a reflection of that – nobody expects it from us, and that’s completely our intention. It’s such a conundrum for me to read about Ball Park as a sunshine pop band, because I think the songs themselves [‘Rich People Are Stupid’, ‘I Fucking Love You’] are quite provocative. I feel the same way. We’re conscious of saying what we want to say in our songs – Sam’s really good at nailing that feeling of ‘that’s what I think about all the time but never say’. There’s a definite attitude to it. The last song on the album is ‘Happy Healthy Citizen of the Developed World Blues’, and that’s about murdering your ex, which I think is something that everyone can relate to. Ball Park Music performs at Your Festival at Newcastle’s Cambridge Hotel on Saturday December 10. reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 29
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toenail clippings — crunchy fortunes
TALKING SHOP Profiling music industry professionals
Name? Chloe Goodyear Who do you work for? Queensland Folk Federation/Woodford Folk Festival Current position title? Programme manager How long have you been in this position? In programming, 10 years on and off, and in this role for two. What are the main responsibilities of your position? Deciding on the format and direction for the programme. How did you get involved in the music industry? By a series of happy accidents.
fortunes
Steve Burrito’s crunchy fortunes
Sagittarius — Dashing through the snow on a onehorse open sleigh? It’s bloody boiling out there. There’s no snow. How about dashing down the pub and grabbing me a slab? Who writes these bloody things anyway? Get lucky – don’t wear undies.
Aries — I have the list of naughty people, and you’re on it. Congratulations about that. The down side is all about the dwarves. Oh – they haven’t told you about the dwarves yet? Oh bugger. Let’s hope Santa brings you some lube.
Leo — Everyone’s heard of egg nog, but what is it? Well it turns out it’s just normal nog, with egg in it. That’s a bit disappointing. This Christmas we were going to give you New Zealand, but it was too hard to wrap, so we got you a tattoo on my butt.
Capricorn — It’s about time we put all the commercialism aside and remembered the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is all about a Jewish zombie that can walk on water, returns from the dead and insists that we all eat his flesh.
Taurus — On the first day of Christmas your true love will give to you, a partridge in a pear tree. You really do need a better true love. Fortunately a complete stranger will bring you guilt-free sexual favours and a shiny new bicycle. You love a ride.
Virgo — You love Christmas. It’s all about giving, and you love giving. You’ll give and give until it hurts, over and over, on and on. Well at least that’s what I wrote on your Facebook wall. Oh and I also tagged a picture of a dog’s bum as you. Merry Christmas, little fella.
Aquarius — Dear Santa – the Aquarians can explain. You said if they were good, they’d get something for Christmas. As it turned out they were brilliant, but now they can’t find their pants. Your lucky number is mine – call me.
Gemini — There’s this story about three wise men and a virgin. It obviously wasn’t set on the NSW north coast. As a major surprise this Christmas, Santa is going to bring back your virginity. Well perhaps not your virginity exactly, but the box it came in.
Libra — While you are sleeping an obese reverse kleptomaniac will sneak into your house and leave you a bizarre assortment of crap you would never have bought for yourself. You’ll pretend to love it. This month you’ll get lucky.
Pisces — Don’t look now, but there’s a dozen giant cow-like animals with killer horns on your roof and they seem to be under the control of someone who keeps yelling out that you’re a “ho”. Have you been hanging out with that band again?
Cancer — Santa’s oompa loompas are pissed off at you. First you wanted a pony and now you don’t. Now they’ll be eating horse stew until March. Your local supermarket will start Christmas carols in D minor. That’s a bit sinister.
Scorpio — It was the night before Christmas and, all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Why? Has there been some sort of rodent zombie apocalypse? And since when did mice start stirring anything? This has all gotten very weird.
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Proudest moment? Last year, during the Queensland floods, when Uncle Noel Blair (traditional custodian) stood up to give his opening address. It was absolutely hammering with rain, and Uncle Noel just threw his hands up and shouted ‘Woodford! Woodford! Woodford!’ and the crowd gave it right back. It was really awesome. Is there anyone you’d really like to meet? Nah, I can’t keep up with the cool people I get to meet without trying. Best live show you’ve been to? Maybe Gillian Welch at The Tivoli. Favourite venue? Woodfordia’s Amphitheatre on a starry night. Favourite musical instrument? Fiddle. To whom should we be listening? Jesca Hoop. What would be on your ultimate rider? Champagne – it works anywhere, anytime. Best way to spend a Sunday morning? Yoga, beach, yesterday’s papers and a coffee the size of my head. Obviously that’s the polite answer you’ll receive from everyone… Any advice for people trying to break into the industry? Remember that before it’s an industry, it’s life, and that should make the way you go about doing things a lot easier. And beyond that, do what you say you’re going to do – well, nicely and happily.
reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 31
album Reviews Feature albums
Tom Waits
Pete Murray
The Answer
Washington
Anti/Epitaph
Sony
TAP Music/Universal
Mercury/Universal
4.5/5
3/5
3.5/5
3.5/5
Blue Sky Blue
Bad As Me
Pete Murray has been gracing our airwaves with his soft, sweet compositions for just over eight years now and ever since the release of his debut album, Feeler, Australia has been completely infatuated. Blue Sky Blue is Murray’s fourth LP release and a wonderful accompaniment to his entire backcatalogue. Murray does not cover any new ground, but he continues to create the gentle, acoustic tracks he is best at. ‘Always A Winner’ and ‘Hurricane Coming’ are highlights, opening the album with an uplifting and warm atmosphere. Blue Sky Blue is by far Murray’s edgiest record, moving towards more of a rock-pop sound, which is certainly a push in the right direction. For Fans of: Jack Johnson, Powderfinger, Alex Lloyd. ~Josh Clements
With scars aplenty from past promises of ‘finest album(s) to date’, I approached the twentieth-odd album from Tom Waits – Bad As Me – warily. It was a short-lived reticence though, as the deeply layered brassy blues opener ‘Chicago’ swiftly flung aside any caution, as if to that city’s famously ferocious wind. Waits mesmerisingly pushes musical and narrative boundaries to capture a contemporary American landscape of corporate greed (the falsetto ‘Talking at the Same Time’); mad war (the regimental ‘Hell Broke Luce’ – with Keith Richards, harp great Charlie Musselwhite, Chilli Pepper’s Flea and Waits’ son Casey on drums); and of course simple love (the beyond classic ballad ‘Back in the Crowd’). This is a breathtaking reminder of what the term ‘musical artist’ can mean. ~Craig Faulkner Ashes and Fire PAX-Am/Sony
4/5
Ryan Adams might be a pretentious prat, but maybe you would be too if you had his talent. Skirting alt country pop, Ashes and Fire sees Adams stick to his familiar formula of husky-voiced ballads about lost love – he has a knack for writing songs that make you wish the one that got away didn’t slip through your fingers after all. ‘Do I Wait’ is the standout track, re-inventing the organ with an air of (almost) cool. The more upbeat ‘Chains of Love’ is another catchy number. Although there are a few average songs, the good songs are simply spectacular. ~Stephanie McDonald
Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes Baby Caught The Bus Independent
4.5/5
If you’re after a sexy sound that has the best of soul, jazz, gospel and blues, go no further than the debut album of nine-piece Melbourne band, Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes. These modern day doowoppers have the ability to take you back to a soulful past, with their smooth and truthful sound, incorporating the best of bass, saxophone and jazzy piano with the leading vocals of Clairy Browne. The first track ‘Love Letter’ establishes the album’s consistent sound; ‘I’ll be Fine’ made me want to join a church choir; ‘Far Too Late’ made me cry and the rest made me want to dirty dance with Patrick Swayze. This fresh and fun album introduces a promising talent. One to watch out for. ~Eliza Church
The Duke Spirit
Independent
Fiction/Universal
3/5
3/5
Hailing from the Gold Coast, Tijuana Cartel is a unique entity in the Australian electronic scene. The quartet seamlessly blends flamenco guitars, trumpet and Afro-Cuban percussion into their hard-edged electronic framework, adding a distinct world music flavour that never comes across as awkward or gimmicky. ‘White Dove’, with its oddly English-sounding vocals, begins as a straight-forward electro-dance number, before the flamenco guitar flourishes and middle-eastern melodies propel the track into more interesting territory. ‘Tempest’ carries its lengthy duration with aplomb, featuring some nice tempo shifts and superb instrumentation. The epic ‘So Many Nights’ weaves driving rock and dreamy psychedelic passages into its complex electronic structure. The chilledout vibe of the instrumental track ‘Mr Joshua Sinclair’ showcases Tijuana Cartel’s innovative use of horns and percussion, while ‘Keep off the Chemicals’ is an energetic anthem. Though the songwriting does not always match the ambitions of the band, M1 remains a tight, diverse album where the highlights override any inconsistencies. Tijuana Cartel has cultivated a unique electro sound that is well worth revisiting. ~Luke Saunders
Trophy Wife Bruxism Inertia
3/5
This album from Oxford band Trophy Wife begins with the upbeat ‘Canopy Shade’ but quickly seeps into an understated mood as the slow, almost gloomy tracks unfold. ‘Wolf’ forces you to slow down as the drama of the track unfolds within your mind. Calm, beautifully-blended electronica, Bruxism is an album that you can dissolve into when you’re in the mood for relaxing, reflecting or simply disappearing. Lose yourself. ~Eliza Church
2012
Irish festival giants The Answer bring forth their third album, Revival. A mass-attack of shredding guitar solos and powerhouse rock to boot. The effortlessness of singer Cormac Neeson’s raspy, soaring vocals and strong melodies, with subtle harmonised undertones, brings a rich sound. Anthems of lust, pain, life on the road, and having a good ol’ drink fill the album. Not even token love ballad ‘Tornado’ is the slightest bit lame, due to the vocal fireworks delivery early in the piece and intricate guitar work. A duet with Lynne Jackaman on ‘Nowhere Freeway’ easily steals the show, with the energy and raw power of soul, blues and rock fusion. If you’re not afraid of consistency in your rock albums, this will surely satisfy. ~Charli Hutchison
Tijuana Cartel M1
Ryan Adams
32 reverb magazine issue #059 — June #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2011
Revival
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Bruiser
With their third fulllength release, Bruiser, The Duke Spirit continues to teeter on the verge of greatness. On paper this should be their moment in the sun. They have charisma, chops and a firecracker of a frontwoman in Liela Moss; and songs like the churning, ‘Sweet Bitter Sweet’ and the fuzz-soaked ‘Bodies’ certainly suggest a band on the cusp of a breakout. But while contemporaries like The Dead Weather and Florence and the Machine stack up one glowing press clipping after another, TDS continue to battle in relative obscurity. There’s no question Bruiser is a step in the right direction for the Londoners, but it merely jabs around excellence without ever delivering the knockout punch. ~Nick Mackay
Jinja Safari
Insomnia
Maintaining the quintessential quirkiness that captured many a heart on debut release I Believe You Liar, Megan Washington has created a profound second gambit in Insomnia. Kicking off with the luscious, kazoo-filled cabaret ‘Holy Moses’ and carrying the vibe into ‘Plastic Bag’, a more delicate Washington is exposed in track three, with the fervent and melancholytinged ‘Skelton Key’. Washington’s sweet, crisp vocals are perfectly audacious throughout. Insomnia may only hold eight tracks but it is just as satisfying as a fulllength album. Oh Washo, you’ve done it again. ~Chloe Webb
Step-Panther Step-Panther
Speak N Spell/Inertia
3.5/5
This self-titled album from Sydney’s current surf/punk sweethearts is a boldly eclectic mix for a debut, and demonstrates Step-Panther’s propensity to shun the formulaic. While deft punk/post punk may rule supreme on tracks like The Ramones-style ‘Young and Dumb’ (46 seconds, complete with a flick of the sudden-kill switch) and the Lou Reedesque ‘My Neck’, the album is infused with a liquid heart. The opener, ‘Never Again’, and closer, ‘Rock and Roll Alien’, owe plenty to surf-guitar pioneer Dick Dale and even a little to early Midnight Oil (ala Bird Noises and their self-titled debut). The sole hiccup for me is the pleading, wall-of-sound ‘Scorpions’, which seems sadly laboured. Oh, I forgot to mention the fabulous Spector girl-group style ‘Rock and Roll Alone’… well, I did say eclectic. ~Craig Faulkner
Bluejuice Company
Locked By Land
Dew Process/Universal
Cooperative Music
3/5
3.5/5
The shining likes of Jinja Safari have delivered a bounty of leaf-littered, percussion-clad forest rock in what is essentially a compilation of their releases over the past 18 months. It includes all of the songs from their 2010 self-titled EP, along with some singles released during a tour this year and some sonic remixes tacked on at the end. The distinctive glockenspiel opening and sitar chorus of ‘Peter Pan’ is often an immediate dancefloor trigger in their live shows and on the album it sparks the same gyrate urge. ‘Head In A Blender’ tends toward filler. All of the songs successfully blend together, allowing the album to fly past in one sitting. ‘Families’ and ‘Mermaids’ possess a similar anthem-like chorus, with a sense of adventure. The LP is filled with folk-like twinkles and gentle melodies. Jinja Safari have earned the popularity that’s surrounded them since Splendour 2009. ~Jamie nelson
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They created a stir last month with their sexy and disturbing ‘Act Yr Age’ video and now Bluejuice have dropped their third album. Company sees the Sydney five-piece pursue a more mature sound without sacrificing that quintessential Bluejuice energy. Album opener ‘Can’t Keep Up’, as well as ‘Cheap Trix’, ‘Dressed For Success’ and ‘Kindaevil,’ are upbeat pop tracks reminiscent of their previous album Head of the Hawk, and will be awesome live. Company also features a couple of solid guest production efforts. Alex Burnett of Sparkadia lends a hand on album highlight ‘Shock’, while Juilan Hamilton from The Presets helps out on the surprisingly sophisticated ‘On My Own’. Bluejuice are one of my favourite live acts, with their wildly entertaining and innovative sets. But listening to Company, I’m reminded of Kiss – who, in the early 70s, failed to capture the explosive nature of their live shows on their records. I found myself thinking – this would be so much better live. Perhaps they need to release a live album. I’m awaiting the day. ~Amelia Parrott
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album Reviews album of the month
absu Abzu
Candlelight Records
3.5/5
Texan metal sorcerers Absu return with their second album in a planned trilogy (all of which are variations on the band’s name). This latest release sees the band tap into a vein similar to their last album. While the lyrics explore the occult Thelemic/Enochian magickal systems, the band retains many of the sonic intricacies that made them legendary in the metal underground. Drummer/ vocalist extraordinaire Proscriptor McGovern goes above and beyond beating the skins, wielding his razor-sharp vocals with the precision of a surgeon; while the musicianship of newer band inductees, Ezezu and Vis Crom, cuts a fine line between savage technicality and classic metal-influenced riffing, keeping the music interesting and engaging. This album sounds more aggressive than 2008’s Absu and maintains the band’s status as one of the more interesting forces in the upper echelons of metal. ~Byron Struck
Canyons
Keep Your Dream
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 4/5
There comes a time when every parent has to choose a favourite child. In some families (like mine), the choice is clear cut – one sibling stands head and shoulders above (like me)… and the other possesses all of the talent, intelligence, charisma and equilibrium. But I’m way taller. In the Gallagher family, choosing which obnoxious, outspoken twerp you like best is more of an arduous task. Thankfully, Noel and his High Flying Birds have come along with a pristine pop record bound to make Liam, Gem and the rest of Beady Eye sit down and think hard about what they’ve done. Noel’s record is (somehow) honest and compelling at its best, and even when it missteps (‘The Wrong Beach’), it does so with the kind of 21st century shimmer that turns a dross Beatles derivative into something punchy and enjoyable. ~Max Quinn
Sneaky Sound System From Here To Anywhere
3.5/5
Modular
Keep Your Dreams is the debut release from Australian electronic duo Canyons, and is quite the impressive showcase of boutique electronica, proving that synthesisers aren’t limited to club anthems. Canyons have created extremely versatile soundscapes and audio experiences within Keep Your Dreams, heavily influenced by psychedelic and trance genres. Early singles ‘My Rescue’ and ‘When I See You Again’ are perhaps the most involving tracks on the album, incorporating catchy lyrics, hooks and riffs amongst the obscure instrumentation. Keep Your Dreams is a very successful atmospheric recording but it might not be suitable for everybody’s taste. It’s out there. ~Josh Clements
4/5
The Bowers
Watussi
Love and Theft
MGM
4/5
4/5
Odds and Evens
In an age of engineering wizardry and the relentless forging of new musical frontiers, who’d have thought placing yourself atop the garage/pop pack would be a case of looking back and paring down? Like the habit of their avian namesakes, Melbourne’s The Bowers have cleverly rifled select sounds from across the rock ages for their second album, Odds and Evens. While initially the listener might be distracted by pondering who The Bowers sound like (Yardbirds, Kinks… Hoodoo Gurus?) better to appreciate their simple yet novel contemporary take, and the fact that no one sounds quite like them. Add a stark production style, that instils powerled and spitfire drum-driven pop with the exuberance of a rowdy mate’s garage, and this album is nothing but a good time. Test drive ‘Lay the Marigolds’ and you’ll see what I mean. ~Craig Faulkner
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It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Sneaky Sound System, and this latest release seems to have come out with little of the hype it deserves. This is a solid album. Frontwoman Connie Mitchell’s voice shines, with tracks such as ‘Really Want To See You Again’ proving she can sass it up when things get funky. The melodramatic ‘Big’ is a highlight and a potential hit, while the aptly titled ‘1984’ and ‘Lovetown’ are pure 80s electro-pop fun. This album may be lacking the catchiness of their first two, but it makes up for it with more experimental arrangements and soulful vocals. Sneaky Sound System are a godsend in a world of vacuous dance-pop music. Let’s hear them in the clubs again. ~Chelsea Reed El Olivido
Watussi - Cuban slang for ‘the most handsome man at the party’ - is an energetic Latin-rock band renowned for getting half-drunk Aussies to go wild on the dancefloor. Naturally, it’s important to get that live air-kicking vibe onto record, and the eight-piece has succeeded with its second studio album, El Olivido. In traditional Latin songs like ‘Nina’, warm horns haven’t been overly mixed and singer/guitarist Oscar Jimenez’ distinctly Colombian voice charms. ‘Nina Part Two’ is a modern-day drum ‘n’ bass explosion that could easily slot into a clubber’s compilation. El Olivido’s diversity prevails through talented musicianship and Joel Hamilton’s (Tom Waits, BlakRoc) cluey production. While the album’s five interludes are symbolic, I can’t help thinking one solid 10-song release from these lads would smash any remaining barriers between them and a mainstream audience. ~Paul Applekamp
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Coldplay Mylo Xyloto
Ceremonials
EMI
Universal
3/5
4.5/5
Sour Mash/Mercury
Modular
Florence and the Machine
Without any doubt, Florence and the Machine were the indie music superstars of 2009, with their stunning debut album Lungs topping every chart and capturing the hearts of audiences across the globe. The question now on everybody’s lips - is it possible to trump such a stellar start to a career? The answer is yes. Ceremonials is a beautiful sophomore album, accentuating the maturity and confidence the group has developed over the past two years. From the incredibly powerful ballad ‘What The Water Gave Me’, to the hauntingly beautiful ‘Leave My Body’, Florence Welch’s strong, sensual vocals are showcased throughout the album. Florence and the Machine’s musical style hasn’t changed dramatically, but their songwriting has developed, with a greater focus on Welch’s Celtic roots. There are certainly less mainstream singles on Ceremonials than there were on Lungs. But their latest release has more musical integrity, creating a more cohesive and enjoyable record as a whole. Ceremonials is an excellent release from one of the most adored groups of the past few years. For Fans Of: Laura Marling, Lisa Mitchell, The Jezabels. ~Josh Clements
Ben lee
Deeper Into Dream Dew Process
2/5
Becoming a father has sparked a change in direction for Ben Lee. The ninth album for the Aussie ex-pat, Deeper Into Dream, explores Lee’s fascination with dreams and the subconscious mind. The album opens with one of three tracks featuring people talking about their dreams. This gives way to the title track – ethereal and soundscapey, with soft acoustic guitar, piano and digital undertones - which, along with ‘Lean Into It’, sounds like the prelude to an epic Arcade Fire or Sufjan Stevens track. But in this case is just hard to listen to and a slow start to the record. Deeper Into Dream has its good moments: ‘Indian Myna’ is a classic Ben Lee pop song which wouldn’t have sounded out of place on his 2005 breakthrough, Awake Is The New Sleep; and the vulnerability of ‘Pointless Beauty’ harks back to Breathing Tornados. However, the rest of album is full of halfbaked pop songs and sparse synth tracks that showcase Lee’s struggle to find a new identity. On the positive side, Lee seems less concerned with generating hits these days. He has really let his creativity run wild on Deeper Into Dream – a little too wild, erring on the side of self-indulgence and leaving this listener wishing he’d stepped away from the synth. ~Amelia Parrott
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When I heard that Brian Eno was co-producing Coldplay’s fifth studio album, Mylo Xyloto, I was immediately drawn to it. After hearing the first single ‘Every Teardrop is a Waterfall’ I was certain the album would be something special and the pop-gem of a follow up single ‘Paradise’ left me longing for more. But after the long wait I was left just a little bit underwhelmed. The record is a continuous story and needs to be listened to in its entirety to be fully appreciated. Although at times I found myself tuning out. ‘Hurts Like Heaven’ and ‘Major Minus’ had very little impact and the three short interval musical tracks ‘Mylo Xyloto’, ‘M.M.I.X’ and ‘A Hopeful Transmission’ added nothing to the album. Despite this, there are some absolutely magical moments on the record - break-up songs ‘Up in Flames’ and ‘Us Against the World’ are beautifully written, simple and melancholic. The biggest surprise on the record is the slow-starting ‘Princess of China’, with guest vocals by Rihanna, featuring sublime harmonising with Chris Martin. Coldplay fans don’t lose heart because when they get it right on Mylo Xyloto, they nail it. ~Mark Henderson
Lenny Kravitz
Black & White America Roadrunner Records
1.5/5
As a long time fan of Kravitz’s work, I was extremely disappointed with this album, disliking it more with each listen. Black and White America could be the soundtrack to a 70s porn film – musically dated to say the least! Filled with plenty of funk and soul, the brass section in ‘Come On Get It’ is one of the only things that impressed me on the album. No doubt Kravitz knows his way around a fret board and he proves that on a few of the tracks but it’s nowhere near impressive enough to save this album from being repetitive and boring. By far the best song was ‘In the Black’ - sung great, nice melody and not as 1976 as the rest. The only other song I loved on the album was the stripped back ‘Dream’. The strings and piano in the background really make this track, and while he sings more softly than I’ve ever heard him, Kravitz’s voice sounds amazing. But compared to the phenomenal work Kravitz has done in the past, this album falls far short. ~Cameron Edney
reverb magazine reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec issue #059 — June 2011–Jan 2012 2011 33
f a s h i o n — p h o t o gr a p h y by L a u r i e K l i p p e l
Ravneet wears Storm Trooper, $89.95.
Jackel wears Candylicious, $79.
Photography by Laurie Klippel | Style and make-up by Kate Clifton | Modelling by Jackel Aitchison, Rebecca Frith, Ravneet Ghuman, Stephanie Hunt Swimsuits by Ossix. Available at Sista Wish, Laurieton, and ossix.com.au
34 reverb
magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
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f a s h i o n — p h o t o gr a p h y by L a u r i e K l i p p e l
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reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 35
ge n er a l m o t o r i n g
“They absolutely haul arse, then pop your eyeballs out under brakes”
Calling 911 In the States, they pay around $85 grand for a Porsche Carrera S while here in Oz, we pay $290,000 for the same car. It’s a disgrace to say the least, and comes down to a greedy federal government which collects around $90 grand from the sale here, in luxury car tax and GST, and Porsche itself engaging in a serious level of price gouging. It could be feasible to buy a Carrera S in the US, ship it here, have it converted to right hook and pocket the undoubtedly substantial difference. You’d end up with an absolutely wonderful car if it was the new gen’ 991 series of the 911. This is the once-in-a-decade generational change to the 911, complete with a new, longer wheelbase chassis and lighter body, with 90 per cent of parts either revised or replaced. Punters on the street might be hard pressed to pick the new 991 series but rest assured - it’s new from the wheels up. Porsche 911 buyers wouldn’t wear major styling changes so Porsche obliges thank goodness. Lucky us went to the US for the recent international launch of the new 911, based out of Santa Barbara in California. It was perfect Porsche territory except for the profusion of good ole ‘smokies’ (highway patrolmen), in their Crown Victoria sedans, marauding up and down the coast in search of speeding Porsches. Understandable really, given that the Chinese motoring press delegation, in the group before us Aussies, got caught doing 180mph (300kph) on a public road (idiots). We don’t know how the cops caught them but suspect it was a road block. Result locked up, then bailed out with a $10,000 surety to return and face the court. We 36 reve rb
magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
made it through unscathed after drinking deeply from the Porsche 911 trough. THE LINE-UP A full range of cars will eventually be available, including turbos, all wheel drives, cabrios and coupés. But first off the mark are the naturally aspirated Carrera and Carrera S coupés – pure, rear-drive Porsches. The Carrera has a smaller capacity engine this time around, down from 3.6 litres to 3.4. But more power and torque - rated at 257kW/390Nm. More importantly, fuel consumption from this sleek coupé with near supercar performance is 8.2 litres/100km in manual. The manual gearbox itself is special, being the only seven-speeder in the world. And it’s a clever box with electronics to optimise operation and still deliver the requisite Porsche feel. You can get into the manual Carrera for $229,900 - ouch. Carrera S is the next step up and is the car we’d have given the readies. It has a 3.8 litre flat-six cylinder engine with 294kW/440Nm output and is also available with the seven-speed manual. Both Carreras are available with optional sevenspeed, PDK-automated, manual dual-clutch gearboxes which have been revised and reduced in size this time around. PDK punches in gears like a F1 car - quicker than the manual and they also maximise performance. PERFORMANCE We only drove the Carrera S in manual and PDK and clocked a 0-100kph sprint in four seconds flat in the PDK car, fitted with optional sports chrono, which includes
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launch control. It would go into the threes with a more skilful driver but we were happy with four flat. It’s bloody quick. But off the line is only part of the 911 story because it is a rocketship everywhere else ,and will fairly rip up to 300kmh top whack. Engine redline has been extended to 7800rpm and it pulls hard all the way to the top. Both the cars we drove had carbon ceramic brakes and six-piston calipers, so braking wasn’t an issue. Others who drove with steel brakes said they were pretty good too. There’s a button on the centre console to open the exhaust, which we think should default to open because the throaty wail is so addictive. We didn’t even bother cranking up the optional 850 watt Burmester audio system because the exhaust note was so good. Fuel economy from the S was impressive at a snip over 10. But it uses a lot more when you wick it up. The dry sump engines have direct fuel injection, variable cam timing and lift, and other stuff designed to optimise efficiency. Leave the sport button on all the time to get the most from your 911. HANDLING So good it makes you crook on a mountain road - even when you’re driving. Those huge 20 x 295 rear gumballs hook up and propel the (up to 98kg) lighter 911 through corners like a race car. There’s new electrohydraulic power steering that caused a few furrowed brows but has pretty much the same feel as the previous model - sharp, tactile, responsive with a tight turning circle. Electronic aids abound and include torque vectoring on the S with PDK, active suspension on the S, stability management
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r e vi e wed
Porsche 911 r e vi e wed by
Peter Douglas
and even hill hold function. The suspension is strut up front and multi-link rear and active stabiliser bars are available. INSIDE It’s evolutionary change inside but much better than the previous model with attractive materials for the various fascia, an easy to read five dial instrument pod and reduced switchgear. The large touch screen in the middle of the dash has simplified operating the car’s equipment and provides a large format satnav system. The stitched dash looks like it’s out of a luxury saloon and the seats themselves are luxury sports in design. Upholstery is leather. The new body offers more room inside but the rear seats are useless. THE DRIVE It was a race for the driver’s seat on the four drive loops we took and each loop was rigidly divided into half each. Nobody wanted to get out from behind the wheel because driving one of these cars is such an entertaining experience. They absolutely haul arse then pop your eyeballs out under brakes. We even had the chance to do hot laps on a makeshift race track with some retired F1 drivers – the pricks are fast let me tell you. You can tootle along like you’re on a shopping expedition to the mall or wick it up and play race on those mountain passes. The 911 makes child’s play out of all types of driving and the rear drive format gives you that pure Porsche feel with plenty of driver engagement. Love the sound, the looks, the feel, the performance of the new 911. But the price sucks. Follow us on Twitter
Images ©kevin bull
BITTER & TWISTED Review DEC
3
DEC
10
ROCHELLE LEES BAND
PINK ZINC ************** DEC 15
WENDY MATTHEWS ************** DEC
17
DEC
24
JAN
7
JAN
14
ROCHELLE LEES BAND THE TROUBADOURS
COBBLESTONE ROAD
SKYDADDY
PUSH JAN
21
JAN
28
FEB
4
FEB
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ROCHELLE LEES BAND
PINK ZINC Bitter and Twisted Maitland Gaol Saturday, November 5.
This delightfully bittersweet festival is by far my favourite event of the year. Because, seriously, what’s not to love about boutique beer, delicious wine, to-die-for cider (hello Matilda Bay’s Dirty Granny Cider, you saucy minx), diverse market stalls and quality entertainment? Not to mention the effectively creepy venue. This year, however, I made one massive mistake. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it pains me to say I attended this deliriously drunken event largely… sober. Unclouded by its usual alcohol-induced haze, this review can’t help but point out one massive drawback of this unique two-day occasion – the not-so-unique brand of spectator. Bitter and Twisted could very easily be renamed Boganville (Bogan Town or Bogan City would also suffice). The packed-out crowd mostly comprised sleazy, badly-dressed males oozing bad pick-up lines. But hey, I guess that’s what you get at
a beer-based festival. So you can imagine the drunken dancing that ensued as headliners Hungry Kids of Hungary took to the main stage. The five-piece indie outfit pleased the obnoxious crowd with an energetic performance including highlyrotated tunes ‘Coming Around’, ‘Set It Right’, ‘Wristwatch’, ‘Let You Down’ and ‘Scattered Diamonds’. Despite the Brisbane band’s unsettling resemblance to New York ensemble Vampire Weekend, it was an electric set that showed off the impressive vocals of both Dean McGrath and Kane Mazlin. All in all, I can’t help but praise any event that allows punters to consume cupcakes that look like Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster (be sure to check out the Fantasy Cupcakes stall at next year’s festival) at a place where the criminally deranged used to piss, bleed and vomit. Cool, huh? ~Lee Tobin
CLOCKWORK ORANGE CLOCKWORK ORANGE
ROCHELLE LEES BAND
PUSH FEB
25
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reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 37
LIVE Reviews Pete Murray
Boy and Bear
Kings of Leon
Gold Fields
The Grates
Coolangatta Hotel Thursday, October 27
Newcastle Panthers Wednesday, November 2
Allphones Arena, Sydney Friday, November 4
Level One, Newcastle Leagues Club Saturday, November 12
Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Wednesday, November 16
©Madeline Smith
©Kevin Bull ©Emma Visman
With the stage in darkness, the chords of ‘Always A Winner’ echoed through the Coolangatta Hotel as a sold-out crowd watched and waited in anticipation. After a very long two minutes the super-cool Pete Murray appeared on the stage, sending the audience into a screaming fit. With his first tour in more than two years, Murray is appearing nationally in support of his latest release Blue Sky Blue. The show took off to a quick start with the band taking little time to stop and acknowledge their eager audience. After a few of the newer tracks, such as ‘Tattoo Stained’, ‘Let You Go’ and ‘Broken’, the audience was treated with some material from his well-loved older albums including ‘Bail Me Out’, ‘Opportunity’ and a quieter acoustic performance of ‘Better Days’. Murray seemed more reserved than usual, maybe the result of his back-to-back show dates. The highlight of the night came when he took a few minutes to explain to the crowd that he wanted to do something he’d never done before – “we’re going to play a song wearing sunglasses. This may just be the only time I’ve worn sunnies inside”. After struggling to stop said shades fogging up, the band began the long instrumental of ‘Class A’ which got everyone in the room dancing and ended the show on a very high note. ~Madeline Smith
©Mat Mcintyre
The brilliant and critically acclaimed Sydney five-piece, Boy and Bear, kicked off the first stop of their highly anticipated Moonfire tour at an all-ages gig at Newcastle Panthers. The evening was a Triple J Unearthed extravaganza with support acts The Paper Kites and Ball Park Music doing an impressive job of warming up the mostly young, hip and hyperactive crowd. The vibe was slightly dampened by the venue choice as beers were banned from the auditorium, but we downed them in time to catch Boy and Bear’s opener ‘My Only One’, which completely lifted our sober spirits. By song three the teens had the beach balls out and everyone started getting funky as the band delivered a pumped-up rendition of their hit song ‘Milk and Sticks’. They followed straight on with ‘Mexican Mavis’ which well and truly lifted the roof off. The mesmerising and beautiful melodies continued but the absolute highlight was a rendition of Crowded House’s ‘Fall at Your Feet’ which showcased the band’s ridiculously perfect vocal harmonies and nearly made me weep! They continued to delight with ‘Part Time Believer’ before ending the evening on ‘Feeding Line’. A most amazing and uplifting display of pure melodic joy. ~Stephanie de Vries
Straight To You Newcastle Panthers Saturday, November 19
©mel Roach
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Having postponed their March 2011 dates due to an injury to drummer Nathan Followill, six months would pass before they would perform their rescheduled Allphones Arena shows. Their support, in the form of alt-country rockers Band of Horses, won many a new fan with a strong, but far too short, set. ‘Ode to LRC’ and ‘Is There A Ghost’ sounded superb on the big stage, on which they appeared quite comfortable. A quality support for a quality night of rock. Opening with the recent ‘Radioactive’, the near-capacity crowd was in for a massive 22-song set that was pure arena rock. Kings of Leon have moved easily to the overblown venues. The pre-’Sex on Fire’ songs sat quite comfortably with the later tracks - the set list jumping between the band’s five releases without a hiccup. It was pleasing to see ‘Molly’s Chambers’ still getting an airing - the only cut from their debut, Youth and Young Manhood, to be played. The final four songs of the night included their best known hits ‘Sex on Fire’, ‘Use Somebody’, and a pair of older tracks, ‘The Bucket (Aha Shake Heartbreak) and the closer, ‘Black Thumbnail’ (Because of the Times) - a definite nod to fans old and new. It is hard to fault Kings of Leon on stage. The set list was super strong, and whatever size stage they wish to occupy, they own. ~Kevin Bull
©Chrissy Kavaleros
Gold Fields lured an array of eccentric movers and shakers to the Newcastle Leagues Club on their very first full-Australian tour. Whirling warm spotlights flickered over an electronic drum kit and a regular kit decked in golden glitter, and the ensuing battle kicked off the show with a dazzling start. Mixing chugging guitars, ambient melodies and world music-inspired dance rhythms, Gold Fields delivered an electro-indie fusion, soured by the addition of an orchestral synth wash. But when a size 12 boot laid into the wah wah during ‘Holy No’, and breakthrough effort ‘Treehouse’ was let loose, there wasn’t a single person in the place not dancing. After a mere 35 minutes for their main set, the encore broke into hardhitting jungle drums, pushing into a hardcore trance beat to which an enthusiastic crowd tore up the floor. For a band that looked a little wet behind the ears, Gold Fields really delivered and were tight as hell. ~Charli Hutchison
Triple J’s tribute to Nick Cave, descended upon Newcastle on a balmy Saturday night at the Panthers club. The allstar cast of artists was just as diverse - a long list of talented musicians and vocalists including Kram, Adalita, Jake Stone (Bluejuice), Alex Burnett (Sparkadia), Bertie Blackman, Abbe May, Lanie Lane, Dan Sultan, Muscles, Johnny Mackay (Children Collide) and Lisa Mitchell, under the musical direction of Cameron Bruce. Kram kicked off proceedings with a brooding, faithful rendition of ‘Red Right Hand’, before popping up on many of the tunes with his tight, energetic drumming. He later shared the stage with Dan Sultan and Lisa Mitchell for a delicate version of ‘Henry Lee’. The moody baritone of Muscles was a perfect fit for his duet with Bertie Blackman on ‘Do You Love Me?’, and Lanie Lane put her own stamp on ‘Where the Wild Roses Grow’, with Alex Burnett. Children Collide’s Johnny Mackay took things into overdrive with a schizophrenic cover of the Birthday
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I am firmly of the opinion that the best way to enjoy a live set by Brisbane pop-rockers The Grates is to be blind drunk. It’s not so much that you have to be drunk to enjoy the music, but a little social lubrication goes a long way towards allowing you to give back what Patience Hodgson and her homies put out. It was sweaty, it was ragged, and the house was near capacity - all the makings of a rollicking hour-and-a-bit of music. The band opened with the ubercatchy ‘Science is Golden’ from their 2006 debut, Gravity Won’t Get You High, and ran through tracks from their entire catalogue. Careful selections from 2008’s Teeth Lost, Hearts Won were met with generous applause, and it was pleasing to see the crowd sing along to the new stuff (like the brilliant ‘Change’, from Secret Rituals). In the end, though, the oldies were indeed the goodies Hodgson was the frog-in-sock personified during ‘19-20-20’, and the audience responded in kind. As a general rule, I don’t know whether or not people who live in Byron Bay actually have jobs, but I am certain there would have been some sore heads on cubicle desks/in the waves on Thursday morning. And deservedly so - it was Grate. ~Max Quinn
Party’s ‘Nick the Stripper’. On a quieter note, microphone troubles threatened, but failed, to derail Lisa Mitchell’s angelic, spine-tingling version of ‘Into My Arms’, complete with a brief slow dance and vocal from Jake Stone. The song selection sampled obvious hits and deeper album cuts from Cave’s long solo career fronting the Bad Seeds, but the Birthday Party and Grinderman projects were also touched on. Other highlights included the raw blues-rock renditions and visceral guitar heroics of Abbe May; an upbeat take on ‘The Weeping Song’ by Jake Stone, Lisa Mitchell and Lanie Lane; and a stunning encore featuring Adalita on lead vocals, sharing the stage with all the artists for a searing version of ‘Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry’. No halfarsed project, the attention to detail, thoughtful arrangements, collaborations and song choices of this tribute were delivered with passion and a collective respect and appreciation for Cave’s extraordinary music. ~Luke Saunders Follow us on Twitter
Images ©kevin bull
harvest Review
tv on the radio
bright eyes
clap your hands say yeah
flaming lips
portishead
The Family Stone
mercury rev
Harvest Festival Old Kings Oval, Sydney Sunday, November 13
It was a gorgeous spring day. The sun wasn’t too hot and there was adequate cloud cover, but not enough for rain. The first thing I noticed was the lack of shirtless bogans and overly-tanned girls with their bottoms peeking out their shorts. Already the debut event was in the good books. Oversized bird nests seated relaxed patrons in the ‘secret garden’ and ‘bootleg alley’, home to eccentric girls and skinny clowns bolting about anomalously. The Family Stone, sharply clad in baby blue sequins, were first on my agenda. ‘Everyday People’ and ‘Family Affair’ had festival goers jiving and clapping along, then cheering when “Funk isn’t dead!” was hollered as they left the stage. Seekae attracted a deliciously small audience, who accordingly bobbed along to their experimental
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electronica. And Brooklyn’s TV On The Radio did not fail to impress - blasting their creativity across ‘the great lawn’. The consistency of loop/vocalists Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe was unearthly cool (especially when Malone’s mouth was hidden by the mic). Bright Eyes were perfectly suited to their afternoon timeslot. Oberst sung his alternative melancholy just right, with anecdotal wallows like ‘Lover I Don’t Have To Love’ and a wistfully solo ‘Landlocked Blues’, complete with lyrical dancing to distract listeners from an induced poetic funk. Tripped-out screens backed The National’s performance, which Matt Berninger fronted with his amazing baritone voice. The suited Berninger and brothers pumped out the soothing ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ and ‘Sorrow’, closing with ‘Terrible Love’ which lulled the crowed into a state of
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euphonic hypnosis. The Flaming Lips were initially a little disappointing — what with some technical difficulties and their tendency to drag regular-length songs out into feature-length extravaganzas. But when the classic vaginal entrance and the tsunami of confetti washed upon Parramatta Park, all was forgiven in a haze of psychedelic tunes and light projections. A strong, dramatic set from Portishead closed the evening (late, on that note) but nobody seemed disappointed. Patrons rushed over after Lips to get a good spot, and it would have been worth it. The Bristol band played ‘Glory Box’ flawlessly, led by Beth Gibbons’s gorgeously haunting voice and backed by some stunning visuals. Portishead were a tremendous closing to a successful first year of Harvest. ~Jamie Nelson
Film Reviews
Leading the Attack Attack the Block is directed by Joe Cornish, who is joined by the producers of Shaun of the Dead. It is a sci-fi creature feature set in a South London council estate. But there is no Sigourney Weaver or Arnold Schwarzenegger to save the day here, only a group of wayward youths who are determined to take back their turf. Sam (Jodie Whittaker) is a nurse who is mugged by a teen gang led by Moses (John Boyega) on the street outside the council block where they live. The crime is suddenly interrupted by something falling from the sky and destroying a nearby vehicle. Moses heads to the car in search for valuables to steal but is attacked by a vicious creature. The gang gives chase and ends up killing it and returning to their block with the corpse, only to find that there are larger, more vicious aliens invading their block and a battle of survival begins. Given that this film would have had only a fraction of the budget of most US blockbusters, the effects are quite impressive and realistic. The acting is
When Planets Collide The latest offering from Lars von Trier is back to his usual form after The Antichrist disappointed many of his fans. Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on whether you are a fan. Some will see it as a profound work of art and others will see it as a tedious and depressing piece of self-indulgent cinema. The film starts with Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgard) on their way to their wedding reception. It is an extravagant event that has been funded by her wealthy brotherin-law John (Kiefer Sutherland). Justine suffers from severe depression and whilst her sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) desperately wants the event to run smoothly, she finds herself struggling to keep it all together when Justine disappears for a nap and later a bath during key moments. All the while Claire tries to keep her fear that the end of the world is nigh, at bay, with news that a mysterious planet named Melancholia is on a collision course with Earth. This is a fear not shared by Justine who seems to welcome the potential disaster. I have never been a fan of von Trier’s
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magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
On A Mission
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Attack the Block r e vi e we d by
Mark Snelson r ate d
4/5
great all round, particularly from the young cast who put in believable performances with excellent comic timing. The screenplay is sharp and witty with excellent direction from Cornish who perfectly balances action with humour. Attack the Block is a great horror action sci-fi flick with some strong British wit and a little social commentary thrown in for good measure. It is funny, tense and fast-paced, with an ample serving of gore. There is already talk of an American remake which would be a pointless exercise as there is nothing wrong with this version and British humour never translates well to the US. Go see this one before they ruin it.
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Melancholia r e vi e we d by
Mark Snelson r ate d
2/5
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zoomed-in, hand-held camera work. I know it is meant to add to the realism and give you a fly-on-the-wall sense of the story but all it does is frustrate me. The cinematography is not all bad though. There is some beautiful imagery thrown in amongst the shaky stuff, particularly during the eight-minute opening sequence and closing scenes. There are some strong performances in Melancholia - mainly from Sutherland and Gainsbourg. Kirsten Dunst seems to be getting all the attention, having won the gong at Cannes this year. But I found her performance uninspired compared to the rest of the cast. Overall the film is far too long for what it has to offer and I am sure things could have been trimmed by at least half an hour. While Melancholia boasts a sci-fi premise, fans of that genre would be best steering clear of this if they are looking for another Armageddon or Deep Impact, as the impending demise of planet Earth is very much a secondary story to the main plot. Fans of von Trier will no doubt love this. I found it slow and tedious but I made it to the end which is more than I can say for a couple of his other films.
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DVD Reviews
DVD Marathon I Saw a Film Today (Oh, Boy)
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George Harrison: Living In The Material World r e vi e we d by
Kevin Bull r ate d
5/5
A Spirited Life Though Living In The Material World may not be film-maker Martin Scorsése’s first film venture into the music industry (The Last Waltz, No Direction Home, Shine A Light), his dissection of the life of George Harrison is quite possibly his most personal, engrossing and important. Over the course of three hours, Scorsese traces the incredible life of one of the 21st century’s most acclaimed artists, through rare archival footage, interviews with Harrison’s closest friends, home movies and, of course, Harrison’s music.
Living In The Material World begins at the end, with Harrison’s death, before returning to his birth and youth - a Scorsése trademark seen in The Last Waltz and Raging Bull. We travel through Liverpool, Hamburg, and on to the British invasion of the US. The film’s true highlight, however, is its depiction of Harrison’s spiritual awakening, through his experimentation with LSD, and his lifelong search for the ultimate high – drug-free enlightenment. Living In The Material World is a
stunning achievement in documentary making – moving and transformative. The final 15 minutes, which bears witness to Harrison’s illness and death, left me in tears at his genuine selflessness. When Ringo, whose daughter was ill with a brain tumour, went to visit a bed-ridden Harrison in the last weeks of his life, he told him he was going to Boston to be with her. Harrison’s final words to Ringo were: “do you want me to come with you”. Please, watch this film. You will never be the same again.
The Drones: A Thousand Mistakes r e vi e wed by
Kevin Bull r ate d
4/5
A Beautiful Mistake
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A Hard Day’s Night (Richard Lester, 1964) The Beatles’ first foray into film is 87 minutes of swooning time for teen girls and arguably one of the first concert films. One the one hand, it’s a documentary-style look at the band’s preparation for a filmed performance, exaggerated for comic affect. On the other hand, it’s a critical commentary on the pressures of fame the band was already feeling. Perhaps hardest of all, the boys have to deal with Paul’s pervy old grandfather, played by Steptoe and Son’s Wilfrid Brambell. Inspired: The Monkees (1966-1968), This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Spice World (1997), and sadly, Never Say Never (2011). Magical Mystery Tour (George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr, 1967) The Beatles starred in this tele-movie and wrote and sang the theme tune. But their first go at writing and directing was not very well-received at the time. The title is almost selfexplanatory - Ringo and his aunt go on a bus tour, which is both mysterious and magical. Largely made up as they went along, its most memorable sequence is ‘I Am The Walrus’. Inspired: Musicians like Rob Zombie, David Byrne and Prince. Television series like Flight of the Conchords (2007 – 2009) and The Mighty Boosh (2004 - 2007).
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A Thousand Mistakes provides everything you need know about the live Drones experience. Across seven venues, between 2005 and 2010, we see the band in all their incarnations. The three-song set from The Tote (2005), and the 12 songs at the Fairfield Warehouse (2010), are poles apart. The Tote is dark, gritty and grainy, much like the music. The band is simply dangerous on stage. In contrast, it is a subdued and intimate acoustic Drones at the Fairfield. There is no audience but the performance is no less powerful,
Whether they are the subject of analysis, critique or parody, musicians have long been in front of the film-makers’ lens. This month’s release of George Harrison: Living In The Material World is a well-deserved tribute to the Beatles’ gifted but perhaps overlooked songwriter. It’s by no means the first time the ‘quiet’ Beatle has been immortalised on film. But along with starring in all of the Beatles’ films, Harrison served as executive producer on over 27 films, not to mention making the odd television appearance. Of the five films made by Harrison and the rest of the Fab Four, here are the most memorable:
highlighting the strength of the songs. In between, the two songs from Le Confort Moderne, France (2007), provide jerky, in-your-face visuals with on-stage camera work, and a manic crowd invading the stage during ‘Motherless Children’. Camera work is much slicker and cleaner for the seven-song Haldern Festival in France (2007). Liddiard (in full beard) and crew deliver an inspired set that covers their catalogue pre-Havilah. From the State Theatre, Sydney (2008) under clean white lighting, the band’s take of Kev Carmody’s
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‘River of Tears’ is astounding. We then head into Havilah territory at The Metro, Sydney (2008), with ‘I am the Supercargo’, ‘Oh My’ and ‘Luck in Odd Numbers’. To finish off, we head back to the East Brunswick Club in Melbourne for an 11-song, black and white set that taps into the band’s full catalogue. Monochrome, the small club, and the music of The Drones merge beautifully. There are 39 live cuts in all, giving the viewer a multitude of experiences to delve into. Quite perfect.
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Yellow Submarine (George Dunning, 1968) Based on the music of the Beatles and featuring the Fab Four as defenders of a musical underwater paradise called Pepperland, the band initially had no involvement in this film. When they remembered that anything they were remotely associated with would be incredibly successful they contributed their voices to the end of the film and a soundtrack album was released. Inspired: The Simpsons episode Last Exit To Springfield, in which Lisa’s dental surgery involves a trip past a Pepperland-esque landscape and a purple submarine. (Not to mention many LSD trips). ~Sallie Pritchard
reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 41
NEWCASTLE Don’t forget — Live & Local every Wednesday night 1 Dec
gig Guide Newcastle Thur, December 1
Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newc
Blush Nightclub, Gosford
Lizotte’s, Lambton
Foreign Objects, Young Romantics, Fangs, Whole Baby Octopus
Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Bacardi Band Search Semi 1 w/
The Radiators
Bats & Battleship, Tired Minds,
2 Dec
Dragon
The Virtue
3 Dec
Catherine Britt’s Hillbilly Xmas Jam
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Lucie Thorne
Great Northern Hotel, Newc Lizotte’s, Kincumber
8 Dec
The Alchemical Cabaret
Lizotte’s, Lambton
Diesel
Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson
Fri, December 2 Bacardi Band Search Semi 2 w/ How To Survive A Bullfight,
The Idle 15-16 Dec The Church 17 Dec
Bob Evans & Adalita
Sunset Exodus
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Lachy Doley
Great Northern Hotel, Newc Bowen and the Lucky Dutchmen, Jaffa, Funkwit
King Street Hotel, Newcastle
19 Dec
Comedy Showcase feat/ Tommy Dean
21-22
The Black Sorrows
28 Dec
Ash Grunwald
29 Dec
Beccy Cole
30 Dec
Brian Cadd & Russell Morris
31 Dec
New Year’s Eve w/ Grant Walmsley & The Agents of Peace
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Catherine Britt, Lacklan Bryan
Lizotte’s, Lambton Dragon, The Duke Wilde Band
Loft Youth Centre, Newcastle Sienna Skies, Sound of Seasons, Built On Secrets, I The Hunter,
Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Adam Eckersley
Sat, December 3 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Great Dividing Range, Bambino Koresh Isaac Graham, Fish Out of Water, Jen Buxton, The Strums, Run Squirrel
19 Jan
Bruce Mathiske
Lizotte’s, Kincumber
21 Jan
Graeme Connors
Dragon, Rhys Zacher
Lizotte’s, Lambton Catherine Britt, Lacklan Bryan The Mighty Kingsnakes
Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield Phase III
The Domain, Sydney Homebake
Wickham Park Hotel, Islington
A Tribute to Robert Johnson
Duncan Woods
Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield OMG!
Sun, December 11 Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Claude Hay, Matt Anderson
Great Northern Hotel, Newc Grace Woodroofe
King Street Hotel, Newcastle Sampology
Thur, December 8
Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newc
Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Lizotte’s, Kincumber
Daryl Aberhart, Wrong Crowd
Rose Tattoo
Rocwater
Lizotte’s, Lambton
Suzannah Espy, Ian Collard
The Guppies
Diesel, Jordan Miller
Newc Entertainment Centre Cold Chisel, The Break
Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong
Level One, Newc Leagues Club Wolfmother
Lizotte’s, Kincumber The Church
Lizotte’s, Lambton
Northlane, Brooklyn, Hold Your Own
Tues, December 13 Lizotte’s, Lambton
Alchemical Cabaret w/ Dangerboy Pen Island Daniel March, Ben and the Sea
Fri, December 9
Tim Freedman and the Idle, Gossling, Amy Vee
Wed, December 14 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Sendfire
Great Northern Hotel, Newc
Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Lovers Jump Creek, Elliot the Bull, Static, Silhouettes, I’m No Thief,
Sights and Sounds
Bridgemary Kiss
Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newc
No Pressure
Psycho Pucko, Thomas Lawson, Lachlan Collins
Claude Hay, Matt Anderson
King Street Hotel, Newcastle Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newc
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Israel Cannon, Samara
Lizotte’s, Lambton
Purkinje, Organik, Grand Master Monk
Tim Freedman and the Idle, Gossling,
Level One, Newc Leagues Club The Howling Bells, Step-Panther,
Lizotte’s, Lambton Diesel, Jordan Miller
Amy Vee
Thur, December 15 Grand Junction Hotel, Mait
Rhythm Hut, Gosford Sarah Humphreys
Ngariki
Lizotte’s, Kincumber
Seven Seas Hotel, Carrington
Bob Evans, Adalita
Lizotte’s, Lambton
J21’s
Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield
Sat, December 10 Your Festival w/ Ball Park Music,
Sun, December 4
Andy Bull, Long Island Sound,
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait
The Owls, Sky Squadron, Delta Lions
The Jungle Giants, Jen Buxton,
The Church
Fri, December 16 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Bacardi Band Search Grand Final
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Benjalu
Great Northern Hotel, Newc Mojo Juju
Camp Shortland, Newc F/shore
Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newc
Shipwrecked w/ The Mission In Motion,
Funkwit, Hatty Fatners, De’May
Poetic Transition, Bury The Innocent,
Lizotte’s, Kincumber
The Calvacade, Prem Bedlam, Tycotic,
Diesel, Israel Cannon
Chris & Cha, Mirrabooka, Supajam,
Elisa Kate Barker, Grace Turner, Lefta
Lizotte’s, Lambton
Midnite Mojo, Crunchtime, Spitfire,
Centra, Jessica Cain, Shaun Danger,
Breakout, Dan Granero, Jellyfish,
Spencer Scott, Lachlan Collins, Josh
Supernova
Ballico, Amos Wellings, Strangers
Elton John
Jack’s Bar and Grill, Erina
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King Tide
King Street Hotel, Newcastle Kissy Sellout
Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newc Love Parade, Natural, Oh Willy Dear
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Diesel, Israel Cannon
The Havelocks
Lizotte’s, Lambton
Half Nelson
Great Northern Hotel, Newc
Lizotte’s, Lambton
Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Mustered Courage
Method
magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
Opie Will Break Your Heart,
MamaTone
Hope Estate, Hunter Valley
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Bones Jones & the Skeletones,
Steve Smyth
Elton John
Seven Seas Hotel, Carrington
or visit lizottes.com.au
High Rankin
Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newc
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait
Diesel, Jordan Miller
Andy Murphy, Tenzin
Great Northern Hotel, Newc
1927
phone (02) 4956 2066
Endless Heights
Sat, December 17
Lizotte’s, Lambton
Great Northern Hotel, Newc
Mi-Sex
15 Jan
information,
A Night at the Crossroads A Tribute to Robert Johnson
Coast Hotel, Budgewoi
Last Kinection
Hope Estate, Hunter Valley
For bookings and
Dennis Boys
Lizotte’s, Kincumber
Soldier’s Beach Surf Club
Wolfmother
Royal Exchange Theatre, Newc
Kirsty Larkin
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait
27-28 Jan Ian Moss
The Andalusian Beefweek Show,
Loft Youth Centre, Newcastle
We Built Atlantis
Seven Seas Hotel, Carrington
Mark Seymour
Rogues Gallery
Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newc
Great Northern Hotel, Newc
Ben Wells & The Middle Names,
7-8 Jan
14 Jan
War & the Harlots Mouth, The Bride
Great Northern Hotel, Newc
Caves Beach Hotel
Exile On Main St
Playboys
Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Mustered Courage, Julian Abrahams
Glenn Shorrock Rolling Stones tribute -
Wed, December 7
Tommy 9 Fingers, Swiss Army Wives,
6 Jan 12 Jan
Satchmo’s Sundays w/ Pat Capocci
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait
Stafford Brothers
Afro Moses
Wickham Motorcycle Club
A Night at the Crossroads -
Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newc
18 Dec
Gleny Rae Virus and her Junkyard
King Street Hotel, Newcastle
The Radiators
Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
13-14 Dec Tim Freedman and
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait
Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson
Entrance Leagues Club
New Navy
Hat Fitz & Cara Robinson
9-11 Dec
Galleri, Captain of the Push
Thy Art Is Murder, Make Me Suffer,
4 Dec
feat/ Dangerboy
Great Northern Hotel, Newc
J.K.L. Project, Hubert Hubertson
The Church
Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield
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Funky Munky
Bob Evans, Adalita
Seven Seas Hotel, Carrington Nick Raschke
Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield No More Gaps
Sun, December 18 Grand Junction Hotel, Mait The Grandy Locals Christmas Party w/ The Perch Creek Family Jug Band
Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newc Rod Ansell, Teinne, Adam Cousens, Jay Fraser
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Diesel, Israel Cannon
Lizotte’s, Lambton Afro Moses
Mon, December 19 Lizotte’s, Kincumber The Black Sorrows, James Chatburn
Lizotte’s, Lambton Tommy Dean
Tues, December 20 Lizotte’s, Kincumber The Black Sorrows, James Chatburn
Wed, December 21 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Sparrows
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Diesel
Lizotte’s, Lambton The Black Sorrows, Crawford Brothers
Thur, December 22 Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Austin Busch
Lizotte’s, Kincumber A Tribute To Van Morrison
Lizotte’s, Lambton The Black Sorrows, Crawford Brothers
Wickham Park Hotel, Islington Bowen and the Lucky Dutchmen
Fri, December 23 Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Bowen & the Lucky Dutchmen, Jaffer
Great Northern Hotel, Newc Nickson Wing, 1929 Indian, Zoe K
Kincumber Hotel Manyana
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Bondi Cigars
Lizotte’s, Lambton A Tribute To Van Morrison
Sat, December 24 Cessnock Supporters Club Marissa Saroca
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Pow Wow, Fish Fry
Seven Seas Hotel, Carrington Flash Seedy and the Instromatics
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gig Guide Newcastle (cont.) gig Guide North Wed, December 28
Sun, January 8
Thur, December 1
Thur, December 8
Lizotte’s, Kincumber
Bateau Bay Hotel
Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
Gollan Hotel, Lismore
The Seltic Sirens
Lizotte’s, Lambton Ash Grunwald, Taylor and the Makers
Thur, December 29 Lizotte’s, Kincumber Brian Cadd, Russell Morris
Lizotte’s, Lambton Beccy Cole, Lyn Bowtell
Fri, December 30 Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Marshall and the Fro
Great Northern Hotel, Newc Harrys Lookout
Kincumber Hotel Hugo Boz
Lizotte’s, Lambton Brian Cadd, Russell Morris
Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield OMG!
Sat, December 31 Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Milestones, The Dennis Boys Band
Great Northern Hotel, Newc The Seabellies, The Owls, Enola Fall
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Beccy Cole, The Toombs Brothers
Lizotte’s, Lambton Grant Walmsley & the Agents of Peace
Queens Wharf Brewery, Newc Gypsy and the Cat, Sparkadia
Seven Seas Hotel, Carrington Muma James Blues Band
Wed, January 4 Lizotte’s, Kincumber Toni & Gibran, Vaughn Matthews, The Lyrics, Oliver Thorpe
Lizotte’s, Lambton
Illy
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson
Hunter Valley Brewery, Mait Lydia, The Cavelcade
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Joe Robinson, Annabelle Kay
Lizotte’s, Lambton Mark Seymour, Nick Saxon
Wickham Park Hotel, Islington The Stillsons
Wed, January 11 Lizotte’s, Kincumber Kelly Griffith, Kristy Lee James, Hayden French, Luis Montiero
Lizotte’s, Lambton Bec Sandridge, Nigel Wearne, The Stillsons, Luke Watt
Thur, January 12 Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Lydia, The Cavelcade
Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Nigel Wearne
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Passenger
Lizotte’s, Lambton A Tribute to The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street
Fri, January 13 Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Dallas Frasca
Great Northern Hotel, Newc Loon Lake
Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Maids
Great Northern Hotel, Newc Mountain Mocha Milimanjaro, Super Heavyweights
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Hanggai
Lizotte’s, Lambton Joe Robinson, Annabelle Kay
Northern Star Hotel, Newc Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro
Fri, January 6 Grand Junction Hotel, Mait The Bearded Gypsy Band
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Mark Seymour, Matt Cornell
Lizotte’s, Lambton Glenn Shorrock, Tim Wheatley
Newcastle Panthers Bluejuice, Aston Shuffle
Sat, January 7 Grand Junction Hotel, Mait Nimeo
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Glenn Shorrock, Tim Wheatley
Lizotte’s, Lambton Mark Seymour, Israel Cannon
Bowen and the Lucky Dutchmen,
His Merry Men, The Incredible Kicks,
Jaffer, Ben Martin
The Victims
YAC, Byron Bay
Treehouse On Belongil, Byron
Thy Art Is Murder, Make Me Suffer, War & the Harlots Mouth, The Bride
Fri, December 2
Kantara House, Green Point Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro
Lizotte’s, Kincumber Rogues Gallery w/ John Swann, Rick & John Brewster
Lizotte’s, Lambton Passenger
Sat, January 14 Entrance Leagues Club
Rogues Gallery w/ John Swann, Rick & John Brewster
Morriset Showground New Beginnings Festival w/ Vengaboys, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Grafton Primary, San Cisco, The Only, Peter Combe & the Newspaper Mama Band, Tommy Trash, Evil Eddie, Iluka, Millions, Ellesquire, Dallas Franca, Bleeding Knee Club, Tomas Ford, Loon Lake, Bass Drum of Death, Rufus, Nantes, Glass Towers, Benjalu, Israel Cannon, Toucan, Ebb n Flo, Kamakaze Thindakats, Lime Cordiale, Rubix Cuba, The Herbs, The Guppies, Heartbreak Club, Ashleigh Mannix, Dalis Angels, Little Dottie, Funkwit, Lange Theory, Life On Earth, Tor, Collective Crew, The Rumunaters, Elliot The Bull, The Hatty Fatners, Vandals Gone Vagabond, Hot Cop,
Fri, December 9 Fat Albert
Windy Hills, Sand Pebbles, Black Cab
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Southerly Change M Jack Bee, Little Casino, Swamprats
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Ben Francis
Lennox Point Hotel Mumbo Jumbo
Manning Ent Centre, Taree
Vanessa Lea and Roadtrain
Lennox Point Hotel
Glenn Shorrock, Wendy Matthews
Rails, Byron Bay
Loren
Sawtell Hotel
Dragon
8 Dec
The Church
10 Dec
Night at the Crossroads – a tribute to Robert Johnson
11 Dec
Rocwater
14 Dec
Israel Cannon
15 Dec
Bob Evans & Adalita
16-18 Dec Diesel 19-20 Dec The Black Sorrows
The Weekenders
Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga
Australian Hotel, Ballina
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore
Hekyl and Jive
Legless Lizards
Sharon Cooper
Ballina RSL
Treehouse On Belongil, Byron
Mick McHugh
Alice Blu
Barrington Tops
Sat, December 10
Subsonic Festival
Gollan Hotel, Lismore
21 Dec
Diesel
22 Dec
Tribute to Van Morrison
23 Dec
Bondi Cigars
29 Dec
Brian Cadd & Russell Morris
33 on Hickory, Dorrigo
Precious Jules, Christian Pyle, Thundedrgods of the Multiverse,
Victoriana Gaye, Jeff Raglus
Australian Hotel, Ballina
Substation
Great Northern Hotel, Byron
Brian Watt
Glasshouse, Port Macquarie
The Snowdroppers
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Glenn Shorrock, Wendy Matthews
31 Dec
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Quick Fix
Never Land Bar, Coolangatta
New Year’s Eve w/ Beccy Cole
Secret Squirrel
Mullumbimby Civic Hall
The Aston Shuffle
Sawtell Hotel
Alice Blu
Ocean View Hotel, Urunga
Twist Tops
Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore
Tijuana Cartel, Kooii & His Merry Men
Pacific Hotel, Yamba
Rochelle Lees
Sun, December 4 Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
The Postmortemists, Mick Daley
Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park, Port Macquarie Festival of the Sun w/ Art vs Science, Ladyhawke, Dan Sultan, Floating Me,
Late For Woodstock
Brewery, Byron Bay
Hungry Kids of Hungary, Pigeon,
6 Jan
Mark Seymour
7 Jan
Glenn Shorrock
13 Jan
Rogues Gallery
14 Jan
1927
20 Jan
Graeme Connors
21 Jan
Bruce Mathiske
28 Jan
Choirboys
The Snowdroppers, Young Revelry,
Colin Moore, Paul Green
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Brothers Grimm, The Delta Riggs, Guineafowl, King Cannons, Benjalu,
Willie Hona
Ben Wells & the Middle Names, The Medics, The Pixiekills, Colin Moore,
Lennox Point Hotel
Claude Hay, Blake Noble, The Lyrical, Microwave Jenny, Larissa McKay,
Jim Kelly, Sarah Grant
Lismore City Bowling Club Beats, Bowls and Blingo w/ Lady K, 1iSAMURAi
Surecut Kids
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Watson Turner Banister
Pacific Hotel, Yamba Clay Blyth
Sphinx Rock Cafe, Mt Burrell
Sun, December 11 Brewery, Byron Bay
Sam Joole
Crooked Fiddle Band
Mon, December 5
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Brewery, Byron Bay
Lennox Point Hotel
Victoriana Gaye
Coastal Soul Garrett Kato
Tues, December 6
Wed, December 14
Brewery, Byron Bay
Great Northern Hotel, Byron
Blake Noble and the Ninja Stars Geoff Turnbull
3 Dec
Sawtell Hotel
Sat, December 3
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Hillbilly Xmas Jam
Bowen and the Lucky Dutchmen
Ben Francis
Discrow, Daniel Webber
Catherine Britt’s
Brewery, Byron Bay
Great Northern Hotel, Byron
Lizotte’s, Lambton
2 Dec
The Postmortemists
Jabiru
Lalaland, Byron Bay
Hat Fitz & Cara Robinson
Bangalow Hotel
Brewery, Byron Bay
Lydia, The Cavelcade
1 Dec
Victoriana Gaye
Ballina RSL
Occarock
The Hedonists, plus many more.
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Roger Faynes
Port Macquarie Hotel
Ballina RSL
Ben Bradly, Kristy James
Bluejuice, Aston Shuffle
Ben Francis
Port Macquarie Hotel
Blush Nightclub, Gosford The Red Paintings
Don’t forget — Live & Local every Wednesday night
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Australian Hotel, Ballina
I Am The Agent, Bats & Battleships,
Entrance Leagues Club
The Postmortemists
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Tues, January 10
Francesca Sidoti, John Newsome,
Thur, January 5
The Potbelleez
CENTRAL COAST
For bookings and information, phone (02) 4368 2017 or visit lizottes.com.au
The Howling Bells, Step-Panther, Steve Smyth
Plantation Hotel, Coffs Wolfmother
Download Page
Download Issue
reverb magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012 43
gig Guide North (cont.) DECEMBER AT THE AUSSIE FRI 02 OCCAROCK 8PM SAT 03 LEGLESS LIZARDS 7:30PM FRI 09 SHYBABY 8PM SAT 10 BRIAN WATT DUO 7:30PM FRI 16 BOWEN & THE LUCKY DUTCHMEN SUPPORTED BY
Thur, December 15
Thur, December 22
Thur, December 29
Tues, January 3
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
Cex, Coffs Harbour
Brewery, Byron Bay
Rob Dowsett
The Lucky Wonders
Port Macquarie Hotel Lovers Jump Creek, Ships Piano,
Rose Tattoo
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Acid Bleed
Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore Wendy Matthews Wolfmother
Fri, December 16 Australian Hotel, Ballina Bowen & the Lucky Dutchmen, Jaffer
Ballina RSL Barrel House
Tibet 2 Timbuk 2, Yuki, Taro Terrahara
Brewery, Byron Bay Alan Boyle
5:30PM FRI 30 THE LIQUID SEARCH 8PM SAT 31 CRUSH – NYE REUNION 8:30PM FRI JAN 06 THE RED PAINTINGS SAT JAN 07 THE FIRETREE & OLLIE BROWN
Rose Tattoo
Coorabell Hall, Byron Bay Rapskallion, Ivy Lucille
Great Northern Hotel, Byron Wolfmother
Ballina RSL
Woodfordia, QLD Woodford Folk Festival
Fri, December 30 Australian Hotel, Ballina The Liquid Search
Brewery, Byron Bay
Ballina RSL
Young Tree
Round Mountain Girls
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Chinderah Tavern
Secret Squirrel
Lennox Point Hotel
Mark Easton
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Quick Fix
Lennox Point Hotel
Little Big Fish
Sabrina and the RVs
Late For Woodstock
Sawtell Hotel
Valla Beach Tavern
Foo Fighters Tribute Band
Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga
Matt Southon, Two Rivers Blues
Sat, December 24
The Edge
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Sharon Cooper
Woodfordia, QLD
Australian Hotel, Ballina
Woodford Folk Festival
Clay Blyth
Yamba Bowling Club
Ballina RSL
Grinspoon, Redcoats
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Lennox Point Hotel
Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Alice Blu
Ballina RSL Mike Bennett, Gary Who, Mandy Nolan
DJ Benners
Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
DJ Wez Boy
Sat, December 17 Australian Hotel, Ballina Birdy
Brewery, Byron Bay Alice Blu
The Vaudeville Smash King Tide, Kindred, Paul Master, Raz Bin Sam & Lion 1 Band, D-Funk, MC Kitch
Diggers Tavern, Bellingen
Australian Hotel, Ballina
Caravana Sun
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Birdy
Wolfmother
Brewery, Byron Bay
Sharon Cooper
Mon, December 26 Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Beats Working, Little Fish, DJ Brown Sugar
Vanessa Lea and Roadtrain
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Mick Bateman
Lalaland, Byron Bay
Lalaland, Byron Bay
Round Table Knights
Lennox Point Hotel A Little Province
Come Together w/ The Don Nadi
Lennox Point Hotel
Experience, Psychedelic Eric, Brother Man, Johnny G, Daisy Chain Danielle
Fat Albert
Lismore City Bowling Club
Port Macquarie Panthers
Delicious w/ Lady K, Elscorcho,
Ministry Of Sound w/ Tommy Trash,
1iSAMURAi, Vonnstar
Tom Piper, Dirtycash DJs, DSul,
Nimbin Hotel
Lennox Point Hotel The Argonauts
Port Macquarie Panthers
Ollie Brooke, Allan Humphreys
Bowen and the Lucky Dutchmen
Sawtell Hotel Grayson
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Slim Pickens
Tues, December 27
Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore Rochelle Lees
Yamba Bowling Club Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson
Sun, December 18 Matt Southon, Two Rivers Blues
Beach Hotel, Byron Bay The Red Eyes
Brewery, Byron Bay Miami Horror DJ set
Finnians Irish Tavern, Port Bowen and the Lucky Dutchmen
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs The Strides, Geoff Turnbull
Lennox Point Hotel
Lalaland, Byron Bay Minx
Woodfordia, QLD
Chester
Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore The Troubadors
Twin Towns Services, Tweed Grinspoon, Redcoats
Woodfordia, QLD Woodford Folk Festival
Laurieton United Services Club Grinspoon, Redcoats
Woodfordia, QLD
Sat, January 7 Australian Hotel, Ballina The Firetree, Ollie Brown
Brewery, Byron Bay Oka, Deya Dova
Sawtell Hotel Strauss and Co.
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Blind Lemon
Tommy’s Tavern, Lismore Cobblestone Road
Bobby Alu
Coolangatta Hotel Bluejuice, Aston Shuffle
Lennox Point Hotel Guy Turk
Tues, January 10 Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bluejuice, Aston Shuffle
Wed, January 11 Great Northern Hotel, Byron GroupLove
Yamba Bowling Club Bluejuice, Aston Shuffle
Thur, January 12 Lennox Point Hotel David Knight, Tom Rule
Plantation Hotel, Coffs
The Stillsons
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore Cole Cox Lovejoy
Fri, January 13 Lennox Point Hotel Brother Funk
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Sawtell Hotel
Coastal Soul
Ivory Tavern, Tweed Heads Hed Kandi w/ Sean Doyle, Aaron T
Lennox Point Hotel Jed Rowe
Woodfordia, QLD Woodford Folk Festival
Bluejuice, Aston Shuffle Mick Hart
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore David Knight, Tom Rule
Valla Beach Tavern The Stillsons
Sat, January 14
Mon, January 2
Federal Hotel, Bellingen
Lennox Point Hotel
Roots Records, Bellingen
Woodford Folk Festival
Download Page
Loren
Port Macquarie Panthers
Lalaland, Byron Bay Stafford Brothers
Akmal
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore
Sun, January 1
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs David Strauss
The Mank
Sawtell RSL
Bluejuice, Aston Shuffle
Woodford Folk Festival
Wed, December 28
Brotherfunk
Lennox Point Hotel
Port Macquarie Hotel
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs Harbour Keogh
The Red Paintings
Brewery, Byron Bay
The Nevilles
Club Forster Grinspoon, Redcoats
Australian Hotel, Ballina
Sawtell Hotel
Brewery, Byron Bay Dan Hannaford
Fri, January 6
Brewery, Byron Bay
Crush The Big Gig w/ Fiona O’Laughlan,
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore
Dave Cooke
Australian Hotel, Ballina
Sawtell Hotel Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga
Top Shelf, Skinny Tuba
Lennox Point Hotel
Sun, January 8
Mason Rack
Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga
Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro, Jordi,
Sat, December 31
Marshall O’Kell
Pacific Hotel, Yamba
Grayson
Sawtell Hotel
Malcolm Gladstone
Little Fish
Lennox Point Hotel
Quick Fix
Sawtell Hotel
Max Music
Babalou, Kingscliff
magazine issue #065 — Dec 2011–Jan 2012
Australian Hotel, Ballina
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore
The Strides
Bellingen Memorial Hall
Coolangatta Hotel
44 reverb
Fri, December 23
Cole Cox Lovejoy
Birdy and the Random Crew
Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
Kooii
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore
Kyle Watson
Due Wave
Coolangatta Hotel
103 River Street, Ballina Ph 02 6686 2015 www.theaussiehotel.com
Damon Towner
Josh Taylor, Stranded
Yamba Bowling Club
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Keogh
Tattersalls Hotel, Lismore
Elliot the Bull
Port Macquarie Panthers
JAFFER 8PM SAT 17 BIRDY DUO 7:30PM FRI 23 JOSH TAYLOR & STRANDED 8PM SAT 24 CLAY BLYTH DUO 7:30PM MON 26 BIRDY BAND (BOXING DAY RACES AFTER-PARTY)
Hoey Moey Hotel, Coffs
Grinspoon, Redcoats
Download Issue
Guy Kachel
The Stillsons The Stillsons
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