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STATE I’M IN MUSIC VICTORIA UPDATES WITH PATRICK DONOVAN Imagine a city that funds the production and distribution of a CD of local artists and a free booklet to help visitors navigate their way around its labyrinth of music venues and record stores. Imagine if it also set up its own television station to promote just local music. And has a scheme to encourage banks to offer loans to musicians. A city which reveres its musicians so much that it holds gigs on the Town Hall balcony after council meetings, in the main street on Fridays and twice a week at the airport. A city which embraces live music to such an extent during its music conference that even a dentist suite doubled as a venue dubbed Mouth By Mouthwest. Yes, we’re talking about Austin – the Texan city that just doesn’t know how to do things on a small scale. It had the balls to make its official slogan ’Live Music Capital Of The World’, only after backing down from the claim it was the live music capital of the universe (we know from the bar scene in Star Wars that aliens love their acid jazz). And then it dutifully went about fulfilling its lofty aims. On my recent visit to Austin, I met with dozens of councillors, musicians and policy makers to find out what makes Austin tick, and will be presenting my report and recommendations to the Melbourne City Council and Tourism Victoria in the next fortnight. Let’s hope they take some of it onboard. Initial responses have been heartening. My visit was timed around Austin’s 25th South By Southwest music conference, where a record 500 Australians – including 60 bands – attended to try and further their careers in overseas markets. After rocking successful Aussie BBQ showcases at Canadian Music Week in Toronto and the Bowery Ballroom in New York, 30 Australian acts, including 12 Victorian groups such as Wagons, Washington, Blue King Brown and Dan Brodie, tore up three stages at a packed Maggie Mae’s on Sixth Street. There was a huge vibe on Australian music – locals told us that their mission for this SXSW was to see as many Australian bands as possible. So while the Aussies were spread more thinly this year, there were more industry peeps than ever searching for our best talent. As for what the Victorian bands got out of the experience, it is very hard to attach specific results to attendances and pinpoint what led to deals and opportunities. In all likelihood, it is repeated visits to territories that bring about results. Speaking of attendances, some of Victoria’s best emerging acts are playing to the biggest crowds of their careers in Music Victoria’s latest initiative, Live At The ‘G. Thanks to our AMIN partner MusicNSW, which has put together a legal pack to help artists navigate the legal complexities of the music industry via a free resource available on our website (musicvictoria. com.au). It includes a detailed tax checklist for musicians, covering everything from advice on how to set up a business, to GST and what artists can claim when preparing their tax returns.
BABYMACHINE PUTS OUT
More people than ever are listening to music and many brands are trying to tap into the lucrative youth market, so keep your eye out for new opportunities. There are thousands of students studying music who need a thriving music industry to provide employment opportunities. We will continue to advocate on behalf of the industry for increased media opportunities and the kind of tax breaks that are offered to the local film industry. The Austin model is certainly something to aspire to. Patrick Donovan, Music Victoria CEO
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THE NEW AGE SET
After more than three years, Jimmy Stewart ended his long-standing Tuesday night residency at Collingwood’s Gem Bar after almost 150 shows. Previously he’d held a year solid at Fitzroy’s Rainbow Hotel, and apart from annual trips to the USA where he has a summer residency at NYC’s Anyway Cafe, Jimmy has performed every Tuesday night that he’s been in Melbourne since 2006. To continue this tradition, he now convenes at the Town Hall Hotel for a new Tuesday night residency, bringing his muddled bag of melodies and a “Good Evening Tuesday!” to a new neighbourhood. This riotous ringleader of Clinkerfield and The Miserable Little Bastards plays two sets from 9pm, leading us not into temptation, and delivering us from the lamentable procession from autumn into winter, before he boots off again to the USA summer in June.
Since forming in 2003, The Go Set have gained a reputation for unique musical experiences. The group have four albums to their name, combining traditional folk instruments with punk guitars and timeless rock’n’roll energy. They’ve shared stages with The White Stripes and Wolfmother and are playing their own headline gig this Saturday at the Northcote Social Club. Punk poet and songwriter Attila The Stockbroker, who also features in this doubleheadliner, is on his 30th anniversary world tour, having played around 2,700 gigs! Watch the music video for The Go Set’s opening track off their Fallen Fortunes EP, The New Age, online and grab tickets from the venue – $15+BF or $18 on the door from 8pm.
INTO THE MORNING Local acoustic pop singer/songwriter Cilla Jane is thrilled to announce the release of her sophomore record Until Morning Comes in mid-May, along with a series of intimate shows that will coincide with the release. The first single to come from Jane’s captivating eclectic pop album, titled Into The Woods, is a combination of haunting strings, piano and vocals that rise and fall, taking listeners on a journey through an incredible soundscape. Cilla Jane has steadily built her profile on home shores over the past years, receiving the coveted John Butler Seed Fund grant in 2006 and sharing the stage with the likes of The Audreys, Kate Miller-Heidke, Tim Freedman, Brian Kennedy and Luka Bloom to name a few. Check her out at the Northcote Social Club on Saturday 1 May.
A VOYAGE ON VENDETTA Arrr! Those piratical badasses Alestorm are sailing their way through the seas of time to once again plunder our shores on an ale- and wench-raiding mission. Joining the adventure nationally will be WA melodic maestros Voyager. They play at the Corner on Saturday 14 May with HMAS Vendetta.
PLAY LIKE A SIMPSON Kerri Simpson is one of Australia’s great songwriter/ performers, always initiating, never imitating, and always singing straight from her soul. Few singers have so successfully traversed musical genres as Simpson. From pop, dance and rock to jazz, world music, roots, alt-country, blues and African-American gospel, she imbues her music with a compelling and uniquely intense style. Simpson will perform at the Cornish Arms this Tuesday as a special guest for Play Like A Girl.
Apollo Pathway launch their new single at the East Brunswick Club this Friday. HOW DID YOU GET TOGETHER? Pat Carrick, drums: “We all answered an ad in the newspaper put out by Simon Cowell. It didn’t take long for the band to gel because we have all been mates since high school anyway. See what I did there…” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “Over the summer we were in the studio with Shihad’s Tom Larkin. He has taught us a lot and really brought out our sound. The first instalment from that is a new single, Never Ending Story.” CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Electric, meaningful, fun, rocksteady…” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “Foo Fighters. We have a lot of different influences, but the Fooeys are a benchmark for us. Not because of stadium concerts and millions of albumss sold but their knack for writing explosive rock/pop tunes that make you nod your head. Playing a stadium would be nice though, no doubt. Wait – is rocksteady two words?” IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “Weird Al Yankovic’s Running With Scissors. I guess after I lose all my other records I would need something to laugh about.”
THE END OF SIN? It’s been nine and a half years since Sin City exploded on to the Australian music scene. Armed with nothing more than three chords and a maniacal stage presence, the band went on to become one of Australia’s premier independent rock acts clocking up over 900 shows, releasing eight CDs, touring Australia countless times, moving from Perth to Melbourne, playing everything from the Big Day Out to Sounds Loud and with everyone from The Misfits to Metallica. Not bad for a pack of punks. But now they’ve decided it’s time for a hiatus while members travel and catch up on some sleep. They’re throwing a massive part this Saturday at Pony with their mates Stranglehold, Bombing Angels, The Mercy Kills, Ramshackle Army and Australian Kingswood Factory. Then from 2am Sin City play their favourite time slot in their favourite venue for the last time in who knows how long.
ENNIS GOT BACKBONE Ennis Tola launch the first single, Backbone, from their forthcoming second album this Saturday at the East Brunswick Club with support from Xenograft, Rainbird and The Design. Sending shockwaves throughout the progressive rock community with their first album, Seed, Ennis Tola’s brazen rock attitude earned them rave reviews in the US and Australia. Their distinctive progressive rock-meets-world music flavour scored them a spot on the coveted Prognosis CD sampler in the March issue of Classic Rock Presents Prog (UK), as well as a nomination for Best Debut Foreign Record in Italy. With UK-based Daniel Rejmer at the helm for coproduction (Björk, The Kills, Foals), this next release will be something out of the ordinary. Tickets are $13+BF (with copy of single) or $10+BF (ticket only); or $16 (with single) and $12 (without) at the door from 8.30pm.
After a long labour, Wollongong’s longest running all female band Babymachine launch their second album, Appetite For Reproduction, at the Old Bar on Friday 29 April. Recorded at Birdland Studios, this is 12 songs of big, loud, dirty rock guaranteed to please. With supports Plast Her Ov Paris (featuring members of Bracode and Remake Remodel), Ana Nicole (AKA Fluorescent, Teen Wolf) and Bonnie Mercer (Grey Daturas) you don’t wanna miss this night! Entry is $10 from 8pm.
Music Victoria is also developing business workshops with Small Business Victoria to help artists develop practical skills to run their music careers as successful and sustainable small businesses. And regional subscribers, please contact us if you want us to pay you a visit on our On The Road With Music Victoria regional music workshops around the state in late May/June. With commercial radio and major retailers seemingly showing less and less interest in supporting Australian music, it’s more important than ever to run your business wisely and look to new ways to earn a buck and get vital exposure. It’s even more reason to support our wonderful community radio and independent record stores. This Thursday, nine Melbourne community music stations will broadcast side-byside live from Federation Square to commemorate the first community radio stations in Australia to make the leap to digital. And this Saturday, make sure you pop into your favourite independent record store for the annual Record Store Day.
STEWART STRIKES AGAIN
DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “I’ve grown to like my black headband. Not because it’s lucky but when on stage and I’m sweating up a storm my hair turns into an Irishman’s afro and the headband keeps it in check. I tried hats for a bit but they always come off when I’m swinging my head around like a fool.” IF YOU INVITED SOMEONE AWESOME ROUND FOR DINNER WHAT WOULD YOU COOK? “I am probably the worst cook this side of the Yarra so I guess I would get Gordon Ramsay over to tear me a new one. I’m always up for some self improvement and a competition to see who could put the most fucks in a sentence.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRINK IN MELBOURNE? “My place! Get the crew around, no cab fare, no door charge, no fighting for a seat, listen to the music you want, pour a drink when you please, be sick wherever, bedroom jam sessions, bring in passersby, kiss girls in corridors, be sick again, sweet talk police, living room dancefloor, shots in the kitchen, kiss passersby in corridors, bathroom D&M, backyard nudie runs, stumble to a bedroom, pass out next to three others and sleep through the clean up the next day…”
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BAR-BARBARBARION At the beginning of 2011, while the peasants rested and took time to worship their gods, the mighty warriors of Barbarion were engaged in the creation of a video tribute to themselves and all they stand for. Now it is time for the worthy to view the finished product. The Tote will come alive to the thunderous sound of Barbarion this Saturday as they premier their film clip before charging into battle. They will have new songs, new stage effects and an all new level of crowd participation. You certainly don’t want to miss this one!
ADORE THEM DARLING You know how sometimes you have those Thursday nights where you find a musical time that makes you feel so buzzed and so alive that you forget all about the fact that it’s a school night? Then the next day your still high vibin’ off all the sweet tunes you’d seen the night before while the hangover pumps a fuzzy love haze through your veins? Well two of those nights are happening at the Grace Darling over the next two weeks. Isle Adore, now a full band, is in residency and they’ve got all their favourite bands playing alongside them. The four-banda-night, super line-ups include The Ancients, Montero, Milk Teddy and Scott & Charlene’s Wedding. It’s going to be a total pop-cocktail. Be there this Thursday from 8pm.
DUST ON HER GUITAR As part of the Drunken Poet’s weekly Wine, Whisky, Women sessions, Jane Dust will be doing a special solo show with Suzie Stapleton tonight (Wednesday) from 7.30pm. Dust has been working on her new album, which will see her switch from acoustic guitar to her new Telecaster. The new sound will be unleashed in August when her band, The Giant Hoopoes, re-hatch from their eggs to play new symphonic groove anthems. Tonight will be one of the last times to catch her playing her mighty Maton that has served her well for so long. Her 2010 self-titled album will be available on the night.
GRUNTLED BRUNNERS Australia’s premier avant-medieval improvised drone combo The Gruntled play a very rare show this Friday at the Victoria Hotel in Brunswick, teaming up with Dead Ants Rainbow, who also have come out of the woodwork for a rare appearance. Invoking improvised and experimental noise from somewhere way beyond the imagination and capabilities of most, this double bill will baffle those surrounding the noise. It’s free from 9pm.