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2 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014
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The Amity Affliction
Meat Puppets The Beards Brisbane International Jazz Festival performer Louise Denson Taking On The Chocolate Frog actor Paul ‘Macca’ McKenzie and coach Grant Thompson Heads Of Charm Closure In Moscow Vancouver Sleep Clinic
feature “WE’VE SPENT THIS LONG FIGHTING FOR BEARD EQUALITY, WE’RE NOT GOING TO STOP NOW.” - FACIAL HAIR ENTHUSIASTS THE BEARDS (P15)
“IT CAME UP AGAINST MANY A BAG OF DICKS FLYING INTO OUR FACE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF GETTING THIS ONE OUT.” - COCKING ABOUT WITH CLOSURE IN MOSCOW (P18)
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REVIEWS
Album: Parquet Courts Live: James Vincent McMorrow Arts: Good Vibrations
THE GUIDE Cover: Andrew Tuttle Food/Drink Frontlash/Backlash Indie News Indy Features Gig Guide
“AT THE START OF WARPED I COULDN’T EVEN GO AND GET MY OWN FOOD FROM CATERING WITHOUT HAVING A MELTDOWN AND BURSTING INTO TEARS.” - JOEL BIRCH OF THE AMITY AFFLICTION (P12)
review “LAIDBACK AND RELAXED BUT NATURALLY CAPABLE OF SPRINGING INTO ACTION AT THE SLIGHTEST PROVOCATION.”
- STEVE BELL BREAKS DOWN THE NEW PARQUET COURTS ALBUM (P20)
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THIS WEEK THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK • 28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2014
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This weekend marks the last hurrah for much-loved Brisbane venue The Hideaway, the intimate Valley room which for the last few years has been home to a vibrant array of music, comedy, burlesque, poetry and so much more. The final weekend will see a host of burlesque acts and bands toasting their home away from home – get down and have one last beer, and help celebrate the end of an era in the style The Hideaway deserves.
Even the fittest readers would have to admit that running can be pretty bloody tedious – plodding along with only your innermost thoughts or some righteous tunes to keep you occupied, nothing seems to stave off the boredom. Except colour! The Swisse Colour Run hits Springfield Central Parklands this Sunday morning – get fit and inject some colour into your life as you jog 5km while being showered with coloured powder!
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A little bit of Broadway comes to Brisbane this week as Savoyards Musical Comedy Society proudly presents the hilarious Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Iona Performing Arts Centre, Wynnum. The play is based on the jazz scene of 1920s New York, a time of social change and upheaval, and features a slew of song and dance numbers and of course a few feats of frisky flappers. There are eight performances kicking off Saturday evening – get moving! BRISBANE
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HOMBRES & RUFUS THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 7
national news news@themusic.com.au KATE MILLER-HEIDKE
THE EAGLES
EASY RIDERS
SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS
Neil Gaiman compared her voice to “being fucked by butterflies” – what more do you need to know about Kate Miller-Heidke? Clearly though, Gaiman isn’t the only one enamoured with the Brisbane songstress, who managed to crowdfund her latest album O Vertigo! in a remarkable three days. KMH hits the road to showcase this latest offering, performing 1 Aug, Astor Theatre, Perth; 7 Aug, Empire Church Theatre, Toowoomba; 8 Aug, QPAC, Brisbane; 16 Aug, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Penrith; 22 Aug, Newcastle City Hall; 23 Aug, Canberra Theatre; 26 Aug, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong; and 29 Aug, Melbourne Recital Centre. Word has it she’s disappearing overseas for a substantial amount of time after these shows, so make sure you send her off the right way!
GIVE US SOMETHING TO BREAK
Picking up where they left off following their Faceless launch dates, Buried In Verona are back at it again, heading up the Midyear Mayhem tour, which also features Antagonist AD and Stories. Catch the bands 17 Jul, The Brightside, Brisbane; 18 Jul, The Lab, Brisbane*; 19 Jul, Masonic Hall, Blacktown*; 20 Jul, Bald Faced Stag, Sydney*; 23 Jul, Small Ballroom, Newcastle; 24 Jul, Magpies, Canberra*; 25 Jul, Phoenix Youth Centre, Melbourne*; and 26 Jul, Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne. BIV, meanwhile, will be going it alone out west, playing with local supports 1 Aug, Prince Of Wales Hotel, Bunbury; 2 Aug, Amplifier Bar, Perth; and 3 Aug, YMCA HQ, Perth* (*all ages).
ONLY WAY IS UP
The screams are no doubt going to be window-shattering when pop superstars One Direction return Down Under for a massive stadium tour of the country. Catch up with Harry, Zayn, Niall, Louis and Liam when they run through their platinum selling catalogue 7 Feb, Allianz Stadium, Sydney; 11 Feb, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane; 14 Feb, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne; and 20 Feb, Patersons Stadium, Perth.
PAINT THE TOWN RED
Death metal doesn’t get any more punishing than Cannibal Corpse; they practically designed the brutal genre, and with every new record they continue to redesign it. Gear up for some blunt force trauma when the US maniacs team up with fiery Italians Hour Of Penance to spread the hate round the country. The two bands play 9 Sep, Capitol, Perth; 11 Sep, Metro Theatre, Sydney; 12 Sep, 170 Russell, Melbourne; and 13 Sep, The Hi-Fi, Brisbane.
“AREN’T WE WELL PAST THE POINT OF HAVING TO CLARIFY ‘NO SMOKING’ ON THE FLIGHT? LIKE ANNOUNCING ‘NO BEING A VIKING’” BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE POOR VIKINGS @JOHNSAFRAN? 8 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014
You’ve listened to them, your parents have listened to them, your grandparents have listened to them. There’s no arguing the Eagles are a rock’n’roll institution and now you can experience the full extent of their musical worth when the band settle in for some massive dates as part of the History Of The Eagles world tour. The band play all ages shows at Perth Arena, 18 Feb; Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, 22 Feb; Hanging Rock Reserve, Macedon Ranges, 28 Feb; Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney, 2 Mar; Allphones Arena, Sydney, 4 Mar; Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, 7 Mar and Brisbane Entertainment Centre, 10 Mar. Tickets on sale 10 Jun.
AUSTRALIA FAREWELL
After more than a decade together Kids In Glass Houses have announced they’ll be calling it a day on a chequered career that’s brought with it four albums, numerous headline tours and loads of festival performances around the globe. They will tour the country a final time with Confidence, playing 21 Aug, Villa Nightclub, Perth; 23 Aug, Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne; 24 Aug, Wrangler Studios, Melbourne (all ages); 27 Aug, Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle; 28 Aug, Factory Theatre, Sydney (all ages); 30 Aug, The Brightside, Brisbane and 31 Aug, The Lab, Brisbane (all ages).
CRIME FLICK
EDGERTON AND DEPP TEAM UP IN NEW CRIME FLICK
Shooting has started on location in Boston for the new Whitey Bulger movie, based on the book Black Mass: The True Story Of An Unholy Alliance Between The FBI And The Irish Mob. The as-yet untitled film features the formidable talents of Johnny Depp, who’ll be starring as Bulger himself, while Aussie Joel Edgerton will act opposite Depp in the role of FBI Agent John Connolly. Directed by Scott Cooper, the film will be distributed by Warner Bros Pictures.
THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 9
local news qld.news@themusic.com.au MR HILL & RAHJCONKAS
THE RED SHOES
PASSION AND OBSESSION IN EVERY DIRECTION
Missed out on the Coachella advanced sale for 2015? No sweat, the Normanby Hotel have you covered. Simply head along to the city venue on 8 Jun for the 5 Ways Festival and you can take part in the Russian Standard High Five Shootout, a competition giving punters the chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the iconic Californian festival, the prize for two worth over $5000. Even if you don’t take home the bacon though, you’re still going to have a ripper day, with five stages featuring music from the likes of GC DJ dynamo Tigerlily, hip hop pair Mr Hill & Rahjconkas, as well as Mash’d N Kutcher, Antiheros, Rave Radio, Keesh and plenty more. What else? All this is free. Mega times.
QUICK RELEASE
Melbourne indie horn-blasters Eagle & The Worm return to Queensland to launch their new single Automatic with a headline date at Black Bear Lodge, 6 Jun. Special guests include Fox & Fowl and Love Signs.
WARM TIMES NORTH
Since kicking off late last year, Eumundi Live has become one of the best live music experiences on offer up Sunny Coast way, and the Experience Eumundi team are keeping up appearances with WinterSun Festival. Two stages will play host to Tanya Batt, Cirque Espace, Elliot The Bull, Funkzilla, His Merry Men, Kyle Lionhart, Mustered Courage, Christian Patey and Hannah Rosa on 29 Jun. In addition, there’ll be circus acts, dancers, arts, crafts and plenty of enticing food and drink on offer at the Eumundi Amphitheatre.
A LOCAL AFFAIR
How do you feel about heading to The Brightside on Friday for a night with The John Steel Singers? Off the back of a killer tour through the UK and Europe, the local lads will shake us all over, with Brisbane favourites Mosman Alder and Tundra.
ANSWER THE DAMN PHONE
SPELL IT OUT
Know your witchcraft from your wizardry? Can you tell us the four animals that are on the Hogwarts crest? Well get down to Black Bear Lodge, 24 Jun, for Man Vs Bear’s second session of Harry Potter Trivia. There’ll be glory, giveaways and plenty more after doors open at 7pm. Registrations are essential so email manvsbeartrivia.com.
Aggressive pop-punk is going to be generously served when Californians Forever Came Calling look to make amends for their cancelled 2013 tour, crossing the pond with a clutch of tracks from their forthcoming record What Matters Most. The band start their tour right with two Sunshine State dates, happening 21 Aug, Snitch, The Brightside, and 22 Aug, The Lab (all ages). Special guests at both shows are domestic products Trophy Eyes and Anchors.
MARES OF BRISBANE
Raw and poignant, Halfway’s fourth record Any Old Love is an album designed to make you sit on that bar stool a little longer. The expansive Brisbane unit are pulling another single off the release, and will launch Dulcify at The Zoo, 7 Jun. Support comes from Harley Young and The Casuarinas.
“SPIDERS HAVE AMAZING THIGH GAPS.” THIS IS RUDE @THELINDYWEST, IN THE WEIRDEST OF WAYS. 10 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014
Award-winning choreographer and Expressions Dance Company Artistic Director Natalie Weir brings the company’s brand new signature work, The Red Shoes, to life in the QPAC Playhouse, 18 – 26 Jul. The Red Shoes, featuring Elise May in the lead role, tells the twisted tale of a woman’s obsession with dance, which ultimately leads to her self-destruction. Head to the venue website to secure tickets for an experience of sheer poetic beauty and gripping storytelling.
JEANETTE WINTERSON
FOR LOVE AND POETRY
With more than 20 novels behind her, including revelatory stories Orange Are Not The Only Fruit and Sexing The Cherry, Jeanette Winterson OBE is widely recognised as one of the most vital authors of our time, and will share her tales of life, love and learning with talks at Byron Bay Writers Festival, 1 – 3 Aug and Brisbane Powerhouse, 7 Aug. Share space with the celebrated storyteller – tickets on sale now.
local news qld.news@themusic.com.au MARLON WILLIAMS & MELODY POOL
CLARE BOWDITCH
SHINE DOWN ON US
The fourth annual Winter Secrets tour is taking place in July, with instigator Clare Bowditch heading out on the road, accompanied by the equally captivating Adalita. These two impressive voices can be heard loud and clear at Brisbane Powerhouse, 8 Aug. As Bowditch says, “It’s a world, and you’re invited.”
TALENT ON DISPLAY
You know the songwriting work of Steve Poltz – after all, this is the guy that penned Jewel’s ’95 hit You Were Meant For Me – but you may not be across his own canon. You should change that situation. Catch the US singer-songwriter when he performs 3 Jun, Dowse Bar.
GORGUTS
SOULS IN UNISON
Hunter Valley songstress Melody Pool is hitting the road with Kiwi-born, Aussie based troubadour Marlon Williams, for a captivating double header that will show off two of the best young voices around. For lovers of storytelling, whiskey and heartache, catch these two singersongwriters 7 Aug, Black Bear Lodge and 8 Aug, St Martin’s Parish Hall, Mullumbimby.
THIS IS JUST A TRIBUTE
Forget meatballs at your local IKEA – if you want some Swedish flavour then get along to QPAC, 28 Nov, where Björn Again – the world’s number one ABBA experience – will be celebrating 25 years together. Thank ABBA for the music, but share it with this acclaimed Melbourne tribute act – ticketing information can be found at zaccariagroup.com.
“ALL OF US COWORKERS WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR SEXY BO. IT’S SEXY AND DISTRACTING.” PAULA PELL [@PERLAPELL] KNOWS THERE’S ONE PERSON IN EVERY OFFICE.
GRIN AND BEAR IT
You’ll want to be hanging on to something secure at Crowbar, 16 Nov, when the sonic maelstrom of Gorguts spews forth from the speakers. The Canadian extremists are coming Down Under for the first-ever time, and The Music is proud to present the east coast run.
BLACK MAGIC
The Voodoo Crypt is happening across two venues, 13 Jun, with bands, burlesque and more. New Globe Theatre will play host to Captain Reckless & The Lost Souls, Little Mac & The Monster Men, Midnight Creepers, The Undeadnecks and more, while The Underdog will stage Flangipanis, Whiskey & Speed and D Rouser. And hang around a little longer – the party will go until 5am upstairs at The Underdog.
DEAD ON ARRIVAL
For the first-ever time in Australia, European thrash greats Coroner will be inflicting their pain, at speed, like only they can. You better strap on in for a set of face-melters and relentless rhythms when the legendary Swiss tyrants – who have influenced everyone from Soulfly to Opeth – cause havoc at The Hi-Fi, 6 Jun.
GET EXPLORING
They’re President Obama’s favourite band from Ireland (at least after U2), so why not get familiar with The High Kings yourself, a folk act featuring the cream of the Irish scene. They’ll be out later in the year plugging fourth LP Friends For Life, playing 19 Sep, Eatons Hill Hotel; 20 Sep, Maroochy RSL, Maroochydore; 21 Sep, Empire Theatre, Toowoomba; and 23 Sep, Southport Sharks, Gold Coast.
FLAPPING HELL
Queer Prom 2014 is happening at Ellement Lounge, 6 Jun, with Tink, DJ Dzyr, Jane Doe, Frankie Trouble, Lu-na and DJ Rozaye serving up trap, electro, hip hop and R&B across two rooms. A partnering of Cheated Hearts and Sailor Jerry, there are free drinks up for grabs and fake tattoos on arrival, so get in your best pin-up attire and get involved – 9pm, $12 door.
SEIZE THE DAY
One of Australia’s finest and most respected heavy acts, Voyager, are touring the country this winter, supporting their latest release V – a powerful but melodic feast for the senses. Before jetting off for a run of concerts in Europe, the Perthbased band play The Brightside, 11 Jul. Tickets available now from Oztix. THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 11
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NOTHING LEFT UNSAID
and I didn’t want them to take it the wrong way, but it seems like even before the letter came out everyone was really liking it... I wrote all these lyrics and I thought they were much more negative than they’re coming across which is cool – an unexpected victory. I’ve had people message me and say, ‘Look, this doesn’t speak to me on an emotional level, but it’s cool that you’ve done it,’ and that’s pretty fucking awesome. It’s been a really good, really positive response, so I’m really happy that I did it.”
I
got an abusive message from him the next day saying, ‘Fuck you, thanks very much, my girlfriend left me because of what you said.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, what am I meant to do? I’m trying to help, I’m trying to make sure you don’t kill yourself and now you’re mad at me – what’s the deal? I do not understand the protocol for this; don’t tell me if you don’t want me to help.’ He was in America and I was like, ‘Fuck man, I can’t fly there and meet with you and have a talk, I can’t do anything.’”
But this wasn’t simply an impersonal email; this was Brian Fallon, “every word handwritten” type shit, scrawled in ink on notepad pages before being torn
Considering the initial shitstorm from uneducated individuals when the cover art for Chasing Ghosts was first
“I was extremely anxious – at the start of Warped I couldn’t even go and get my own food from catering without having a meltdown and bursting into tears,” he remembers. “I don’t know if that’s got anything to do with it, but I say just a lack of restraint on my
Honesty has always been central to The Amity Affliction, but on Let The Ocean Take Me, Joel Birch cracks open his ribcage like never before. He tells Benny Doyle about the emotional and physical stress that went into making the record. Cover photo by Kane Hibberd. f you’re across The Amity Affliction, then you’ve probably read Joel Birch’s open letter by now, penned to clarify the lyrical content on Don’t Lean On Me, the second single pulled from the band’s new record, Let The Ocean Take Me.
Another traumatic event Let The Ocean Take Me touches on is a seizure Birch suffered while The Amity Affliction were touring America last year as part of Warped Tour. The 32-year-old was found unconscious backstage on the Pittsburgh date – not breathing, no pulse – an almost fatal situation that was related to acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome. The opening cut on the new album talks about the seizure and his feelings following it, reflective times where he realised the pain he was causing flowed further than his own soul.
“I HAD PEOPLE TELLING ME THEY WERE GOING TO KILL THEMSELVES THEN AND THERE THAT NIGHT.”
out, scanned and uploaded for the world to see. It’s a letter that talks about the influx of self-harm and suicide messages Birch has received since the release of 2012 record Chasing Ghosts, and the fact that – although suffering from depression and anxiety himself – he can only offer empathy, not real solutions. The letter is raw, uncensored, heartfelt, and it adds so much more gravitas to lyrics like “Don’t count on me/’Cause I am drowning/Please don’t drown with me.” It’s a topic that Birch has wanted to discuss for a while now, while still keeping the avenue of communication open between the band and their fans. “Sometimes the messages I get, they really are too much for me to deal with, so I really wanted to address it finally and have my say, because it’s obviously inappropriate at the same token for me to write back and say, ‘Oi man, don’t tell me that,’” he reasons. “I put myself out there in our lyrics, so it obviously comes with the territory, but I feel like there should still be some restraint on people’s behalves when they’re talking to someone who’s obviously dealing with the same shit as they are. “I had people telling me they were going to kill themselves then and there that night,” he reveals. “In one instance I had a guy tell me that and I frantically went through his Facebook profile for family and friends, and sent them all the same message, and then 12 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014
released – a graphic shot taken from the neck down of a young man hanging from a tree – this open letter was also a logical way to rub out any more misconceptions early in proceedings. “The funny thing about that [Chasing Ghosts cover] is none of us gave a shit about what people were saying, because obviously for anyone that spends more than the five seconds it took them to look at the cover looking into our band, they’d know that our messages are strong, anti-suicide messages,” says Birch. “We all thought that was just fucking stupid, but that’s how it goes. “[With Don’t Lean On Me], I didn’t want to offend people
part is what led me to that. [But] it was definitely a wake-up call; I don’t think I’ll go as mental as I did on Warped ever again. Just knowing what I’ve got back here at home and knowing what I’ve got in the band and the position I’m in, I’m very lucky and very fortunate. To throw it all away just to party seems pretty fucking pointless to me.” After recording Chasing Ghosts and 2010 breakthrough Youngbloods Stateside, The Amity Affliction kept things local this time around, settling into guitarist Troy Brady’s Evergreen Studios in Brisbane to work at their own pace. “We got sick of going over there to be honest,” Birch says of recording in America. “Especially for Ryan [Burt – drums] and myself – I’m not needed until the last two weeks, and Ryan literally takes three days to do the whole album. It was just so much easier doing it here, and I’m pretty sure [we’ll] just try and do it in Australia from now on, it’s just such a better experience. “For Youngbloods and Chasing Ghosts, I think it was very important that we [went to the States],” he adds, “but now that we’ve matured a lot more in a recording sense I think that whole notion’s sort of out the window, it doesn’t really matter anymore, I don’t think, where we record. That’s a nice thing to think about, not being tied to a certain idea of needing to go anywhere.” And in keeping with the theme of familiarity, the band called on the services of producer Will
SING FREE FOREVER Another fresh element you’ll notice on Let The Ocean Take Me is a children’s choir, the voices bookending the record. With dramatic keyboard flourishes already an established part of the Amity sound, this extension has been a smooth one, staying in line with the band’s overall maturation as songwriters. Birch explains how we came to hear the vocal talents of Sunshine Beach State High School. “My stepson, he just started high school, and when we went to the open day they walked the parents through the school and I noticed they had a choir. We’ve always wanted a choir and I figured that would be the easiest way to get one. One of our managers, Caleb [Williams – UNFD], called up the school and sorted that all out, so it just happened all too easily. I was only there for a little bit [during recording] and they all seemed really nervous, but it’s kinda hard to gauge teenagers really, now that I’m not [one].” The logistics of taking the entire choir out on tour would be a nightmare (and that’s before we even discuss the pile of absentee slips required), however, the band have talked, albeit briefly, about the possibility of getting the kids involved at a Queensland show, though as Birch says: “I’m the wrong guy to talk to about that – I’m the dumb frontman,” he laughs, “don’t ask me too many questions.”
Putney (Northlane, Thy Art Is Murder), who, although having worked with the five-piece previously, was this time overseeing the entire operation instead of acting as the mop-andbucket guy called in to clean up the mess. “He’s our age, and he works on current music, so all his ideas were current, they weren’t recycled from the ‘90s or anything like that,” Birch says. “We’ve worked with him on Youngbloods, Chasing Ghosts, but it was good to have him come in and just do the whole thing this time around instead of... like last record we said, ‘Hey, you’ve got ten days and we need this fixed, please help.’ It really was an emergency call-out, we were like, ‘Can you fucking fix this? It sounds like shit.’” The creative process is pretty much the same for Birch every time – writing completely independent to everyone before starting one email chain with bassist/clean vocalist Ahren Stringer to go back and forwards with lyrics. But rather than going with his first drafts this time around, the screamer let Putney into his world to break down his verses. “He pointed out all the weak parts of the song, like, ‘You can do better than that, you can do better than that,’ Birch says. “Then he made me sometimes present him with up to four alternatives, and he’d pick the strongest part.”
Stringer, meanwhile, managed to take those lyrics and capture the emotions instrumentally, the tension, heartbreak and triumph heard not only in the words, but the notes, too. “He just knows what’s going to work where, and credit to him, he put all the lyrics to the songs perfectly – they fit really well.” The screamer also admits that getting touring guitarist and former Confession member Dan Brown involved full-time was critical to the success of the album. “I never really have anything to do with them [when
they’re songwriting], but Dan, Ahren and Troy really worked well together on this record, and I think Dan has been an invaluable addition,” comments Birch. “Things are looking up.” Put simply – the band didn’t compromise. Every element of Let The Ocean Take Me works cohesively and effectively, with the end result arguably The Amity Affliction’s finest hour. “It’s clichéd, but I think we’re growing as a band and getting better at what we do,” Birch levels, “which after ten years, is what you want to be doing.”
WHAT: Let The Ocean Take Me (Roadrunner/UNFD) THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 13
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LOSE A MILE On the eve of their first-ever Australian headlining tour, Meat Puppets frontman Curt Kirkwood tells Steve Bell about being too punk for punks and rolling with the punches of fame.
D
espite a long and distinguished career that stretches back nearly three-and-ahalf decades, Phoenix punk outfit Meat Puppets have only been to Australia once before – over two decades ago – and even that inaugural visit ended up a fittingly haphazard affair. “I think it was ’92, if I’m not mistaken – we were supposed to open for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and then their guitar player [ John Frusciante] quit,” recalls frontman and songwriter Curt Kirkwood. “We’d just gotten to Brisbane and our tour manager told us in the hotel, ‘The tour’s off, their guitar player quit,’ so the promoter scrambled and rearranged the whole thing so we got to do a little tour of some smaller venues, and thankfully we got to see a bit of the country.” This slapdash schedule wouldn’t have bothered the unflappable Meat Puppets – as evidenced by Kirkwood’s laissez-faire approach to their recent fourteenth album, Rat Farm. “I intended to keep it simple, and I thought that maybe it could be a mad folk album where we pretended to play acoustic instruments but we’d do it electrically with big drums and see what happened,” he shrugs. “It was okay. I always just kinda get what I get – I’m not good at making exactly what I want and I don’t really care too much. Part of the fun is just seeing where your little germ of an idea gets you to.” Since the outset Meat Puppets’ distinctive sound owed as much to country and psychedelic rock as it did the punk scene where they cut their teeth. “We grew up around the horse-race track in Phoenix, so we grew up around country music – there was always Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Buck Owens and the ‘60s country obsession for sure,” Kirkwood recalls. “That’s what was on the radio in the car. Then we had The Beatles, and even they had a fair amount of country influence really if you look at it. Then rockabilly and all that stuff, even Ray Charles – country is a common denominator in all of it. It’s a good way to be simple and not be folk.” Their first six albums were released by hardcore stable SST Records, home to the likes of Black Flag and The
Minutemen, and Meat Puppets ruffled plenty of feathers with their strange hybrid sound. “We found our audience that way, for sure,” Kirkwood laughs. “At one point around [1984’s] Meat Puppets II I remember thinking, ‘Why are we getting
a nice fast song and then went on to the most dirgy, folky crap I could think of – I’d bring out the Jackson Browne, Neil Young and Harry Chapin side of me. Even back to Bill Monroe and Hank Williams and stuff to really piss some people off – which it did. “It’s nice to [push buttons]. I think it stems from the fact that we’re pretty isolated out in Phoenix, and not every cool – we’re not very trendy, hip people – so it’s like, ‘Well this is our thing – too bad if you don’t like it.’” In time Meat Puppets II’s outsider bent unsurprisingly inspired Kurt Cobain and found Curt and his bassist brother Cris on stage with Nirvana doing acoustic renditions of Plateau, Oh Me and Lake Of Fire on MTV Unplugged – a situation that ended up both a blessing and a curse as the ensuing fame and notoriety threw the band off its fragile axis. “Primarily it was a blessing, even though it caused me trouble,” Kirkwood reflects. “It was our reaction to some of that stuff. For me myself it was great –
“IT’S THIS WEIRD PARADOX – IF IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE ‘PUNK’ AND ‘FUCK EVERYTHING’ WHY WOULD YOU PANDER TO IT?” all this stuff thrown at us by punk rockers?’ We could play really fast and be completely nuts if we wanted, but I thought, ‘It’s supposed to be punk rock, so why would you try to please them?’ It’s kind of this weird paradox – if it’s supposed to be ‘punk’ and ‘fuck everything’ why would you pander to it? So on Meat Puppets II we started off with
it never bothered me – but it pulled a little bit of innocence away, and we’d been able to maintain that for a long time up until that point. By that time we were on a major label and they wanted hits. We got one hit song and then they wanted more hit songs, and I don’t know what that is – I’ve never been able to sit down and go, ‘Let’s write a hit song.’ “I am what I am, and I feel lucky to be a musician at all. For me I just look back with fondness on the whole thing – mostly it was pretty amazing. And they’re great versions of the songs – it’s really nice to hear somebody that can sing that good do your stuff, that’s all I can say.” WHEN & WHERE: 30 May, The Zoo
DON’T SHAVE ME
The Beards are finally releasing a new album, right when we need a beard injection in our lives. Cam Findlay talks to Johann Beardraven about milestones, success and covering your album with beard hair.
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he first thing you have to do when commencing a conversation with The Beards, as any hirsute gentleman will tell you, is mention the state of your own beard. Johann Beardraven is satisfied with this scribe’s current level of facial growth. “Yeah, I assumed you did. I can hear it through the receiver,” he says, insinuating that our respective beards are somehow communicating telepathically. The Beards’ “beard-awareness” mission has been going on for almost ten years now, but it was 2012’s Having A Beard Is The New Not Having A Beard which really put
them on the map. Since then they’ve become an Aussie staple due to their dogmatic approach to their ideals. However, it’s slightly disconcerting to hear Beardraven in such a positive mood, given that recent news reports suggest bearded men are becoming less attractive as they become more common. “We don’t believe any of that,” Beardraven announces. “There’s so many interested parties out there who want to bring the bearded man down. That’s something we’ve had to constantly fight against. When we started performing songs about our amazing beards, it was
pretty uncommon for beards to be celebrated. But we really think that we’ve come a long way. Beards aren’t fashionable now; they’ll always be fashionable. And there’s always going to be some power group trying to say, ‘No, beards are unfashionable, they’re gross.’ We just don’t listen to them. We’ve spent this long fighting for beard equality, we’re not going to stop now.”
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With this in mind, The Beards are releasing their fourth album, The Beard Album, and yes, every track will have the word “beard” in the title. Like The White Album, it’s a culmination of the road taken to get to this point. “Beards are accepted [now], and we’ve been a big part of that, so this album’s going to be us celebrating, really. We love beards, and everyone else does now. So because of that, the music is much more positive, much more optimistic about the whole thing.” Of course, the question has to be raised: if one of the novelties of The White Album is the coloured sleeve, how exactly is The Beard Album going to packaged? The clearest way is to use beard hair. “Well, obviously,” Beardraven laughs, “but we’re willing to make that sacrifice. I mean, it won’t be all of anyone’s beard – we’ll just take small amounts from everyone or something.” It also adds an extra level of hairiness to their upcoming shows. “There’ll be a whole lot of hair all over the merch desk at every show. Well, more than usual, anyway.”
WHAT: The Beard Album (MGM) WHEN & WHERE: 2 Jul, The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba; 3 Jul, Soundlounge, Gold Coast; 4 Jul, The Tivoli; 5 Jul, Solbar, Maroochydore; 6 Jul, The Northern, Byron Bay
SENSE OF PLACE
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With Brisbane International Jazz Festival imminent, Tyler McLoughlan discovers what makes a quintessentially Queensland composition according to Louise Denson.
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risbane International Jazz Festival, in its second year since morphing from Valley Jazz, opens with the world premiere of four speciallycommissioned pieces from local composers Sean Foran, Rafael Karlen, Andrew Butt and Louise Denson. “Our brief was to write between 15-20 minutes of music for an ensemble of our choice, and for it to be inspired by Queensland,” Denson, a pianist, composer and educator, begins. “To a really large extent I think music is always connected to place. I was thinking about my experiences here in Queensland because I’ve now been here for 15 years although I’m originally Canadian. I don’t know if you ever stop thinking of yourself in terms of the country you came from, but I really am very used to my life here in Australia and there are so many things about Australia that I love and feel comfortable with. “I find the environment here very inspiring – the animals, the wonderful birds and so on – and I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve been able to spend quite a lot of time in the country, so I think that’s probably the primary inspiration for that music. Just walking in the bush and observing the water birds and having the wallabies hop across the lawn and so on – it makes me feel like writing and playing music. It’s not that I necessarily write a piece about a tree or an animal or whatever, it’s just that it makes me feel good and it inspires me to be creative.”
Over the course of a month, Denson channelled this creativity into the piece she’ll perform on piano within a quartet rounded out by bass, various wind instruments and the voice of Ingrid James. Titled Wine – Oath – Switchback, the inspiration came from an unlikely source. “We have a property near the Woodford festival site, and that’s been my main retreat for writing music for a number of years. [The piece is] about riding motorbikes, and/or bicycles because at the farm we are at the base of a road which goes up into a forest… with a lot of really steep hills and sharp corners, and it’s quite
a favourite with recreational motorbike riders; they go by and up the range on this really exciting road. I myself have just started riding my bike again – my pushbike – after a break of about 12 years. There’s this real excitement to being not in a car – out in the wind and the heat and the cool, and being a little bit closer to nature, and to be really feeling the sensation of moving through the air,” she says with childlike delight. “That’s sort of what this is about, the wind rushing by you as you ride the Switchback Road that the farm is near. Oath is more solemn – I guess it’s about a commitment that you make to yourself to live your life well, or to live your life the way you want to live somehow.”
WHEN & WHERE: 4 Jun, Brisbane International Jazz Festival, Queensland Multicultural Centre THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 15
tv
TAKING A LEAP A play written by a prisoner in Parramatta Correctional Centre, and performed by ex-inmates inside its decommissioned walls – actor Paul “Macca” McKenzie and coach Grant Thompson are unusually loose-lipped with Dave Drayton.
“I
f you need someone to play a golfer in a movie then you get a guy who can play golf; if you need someone to play an armed robber in a movie, you probably get someone who’s done a few hold-ups.” It seems simple enough, but actor and casting agent Grant Thompson realised not everyone had yet seen his logic, and in doing so found a way to help ex-criminals get in touch with their artistic side. “I was working on the Underbelly series, so I was doing all the extras, all the background casting for those shows, and I hired a couple of blokes to play a couple of armed robbers, and they’d actually been armed robbers before,” Thompson explains. “It came with an authenticity, mate,” Thompson continues. “There’s nothing worse than seeing shows on TV where you’ve got a bikie gang and they look like a bunch of Mosman fucking acting graduates. After doing the Underbelly series all the blokes that have done a bit of crime before come and see you and say, ‘I could do that,’ so I said, ‘Okay, well let’s see if you can.’” It was then that Thompson started training up former incarcerates in the art of acting, and the cohort soon grew as Knockabouts, an agency for former criminals turning their hands to acting, established itself and Thompson’s team landed more and more roles in the series. McKenzie got his start during Underbelly: Razor, which gave the one-time Parramatta inmate and father of actor Luke McKenzie (Rescue Special Ops) his first taste of the business. “It was fascinating for me, I loved it. I was an extra then, and for me that was perfect – just mulling about in the 1920s, 1930s clobber, just being part of it.” For many former inmates being part of something isn’t as simple as it sounds – the openness and trust required in Thompson’s classes run counter to the protective self-sufficiency many practice while serving time. “There is a lot of gangs inside, but I didn’t affiliate and never have. I just stayed on my own,” McKenzie explains. “As we assess human beings, and read them from our experience and find where blokes are at, when you’ve come from the same place and you recognise that, that’s when it feels comfortable and feels good – then you can guide each other, trust each other.”
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AMY SQUIRE AND MICHAEL LAHOUD IN TAKING ON THE CHOCOLATE FROG
“There’s a passion and a dedication that the blokes I work with have towards acting that you don’t get from a lot of actors here in Australia,” Thompson chimes in. “These guys worked their arses off. They turned up every week to class and wanted to get better, and to teach the boys to be part of a team is really important.”
company had a one-off performance to a crowd of actors, media and family after intensive rehearsals. “Mate, it was nerve-racking, tense, wonderful…” Thompson recalls in a blur. “It’s a task that was, looking back on it, you’d think that’s impossible. Like Macca – he’d never done ten lines of dialogue, live on stage, in front of a hundred people before, ever.” “I’d never even been on stage, mate!” interjects Macca. “He’s been in front of a judge before!” Thompson half-jests, before continuing: “He’s told some great stories, and we just used that experience – just speak from your heart, and allowing them to
“IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO PLAY AN ARMED ROBBER IN A MOVIE, YOU PROBABLY GET SOMEONE WHO’S DONE A FEW HOLD-UPS.” Teamwork became even more crucial when, late last year, a team of Thompson’s actors turned their hand to theatre. The work, fittingly, is Jim McNeil’s The Chocolate Frog, written during McNeil’s time in Parramatta Gaol; its title references prison slang for ‘dog’, or a snitch, and in it two seasoned cellmates subject a new inmate to a revealing mock trial. At the same facility, Macca and
stand there and to feel what that’s like, mate, I pushed them and they responded every time.” The entire process from rehearsal to show night was filmed and the resulting documentary, Taking On The Chocolate Frog, will air in June. While the performance proved successful, and provided a powerful closing chapter to the documentary following the progression of the group of actors, Thompson doesn’t want to stop there. “I want to have the blokes to feel what it’s like to do a six-week run of a play, to learn form that, to experience what it’s like to be a working theatre actor; that’s the next journey I want to take them on.” WHAT: Taking On The Chocolate Frog Starts screening 2 Jun, Studio, Foxtel
THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 17
music
SHORT AND SWEET
Heads of Charm frontman David Gagliardi tells Tom Hersey that they’re going to keep doing exactly what they’ve been doing.
“W
e want our sets to be no more than half an hour. We want to get up and execute it. Short. Sharp,” says Heads of Charm frontman David Gagliardi. This has been something Gagliardi and his fuzzy garage punk compadrés have had to think about a lot recently, as they travel further out from their Melbourne home base in support of their latest single, Spain Is On A Roll. Where other bands would be pushing for more time on stage, Heads of Charm aren’t losing sight of the oh-so punk rock value of brevity. “I think the value of keeping things to the point is something that should always be taken onboard. And
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it seems like now bands play longer than they need to, and when we first started the band I remember saying to guys booking shows that we only knew a few songs and that something like a half an hour set would be fine so it could just be an intense half an hour. Obviously it’s really important to us to be well rehearsed and playing well. But then stuff like Spain Is On A Roll is definitely an opportunity to have fun. There’s a bit of attitude in that song, and there’s a lot of space to cut loose, but that doesn’t mean we need to be up there forever. You can stand up and hit an audience with all your energy really quick and then get off. That’s what I want when I see bands.”
This strategy has been working out for Heads of Charm as well. On the back of their performances, and a string of releases, they’ve established a firm following around the country, and that momentum has continued to build with the release of Spain Is On A Roll. “Probably eight months ago we did the other single and now we’ve done this one, and that’s made it really clear that people are excited about what we’re doing. Each time it’s building and more people are involved and supporting us. And now with this tour, it’s jumping up again. “We were really lucky that [the single] got put into programming at triple j Unearthed, and on a community radio level as well it’s been going really well. But there’s also been a lot of great feedback from people; beside from all the media stuff, it’s important that people are liking what we’re doing and they’re coming out to the shows and having a good time.” Queried as to what Heads of Charm’s plans are for the immediate future, David admits “We always have immediate plans it seems…” a chuckle interrupts his train of thought. “We have this tour and then we come back to Melbourne where we lock ourselves up for two months so we can finish writing a bunch of material that we just haven’t had the chance to complete yet. Then the plan is to have a new EP that will come out in August and then September we’ll be on tour again.” WHAT: Spain Is On A Roll (MGM) WHEN & WHERE: 30 May, The Waiting Room (all ages); 31 May, Grand Central Hotel; 1 Jun, The Underdog
NEW, IMPROVED
Closure In Moscow vocalist Christopher de Cinque explains to Lochlan Watt why it took so long for us to face off with their “mutant, jewel-encrusted baby elephant”.
“I
t came up against many a bag of dicks flying into our face through the process of getting this one out,” Closure In Moscow frontman Christopher de Cinque suggests of the five-year incubation of the new album, “almost to the point where it felt like it was cursed or had some kind of voodoo hex. We were a bunch of elephants carrying baby elephants way past full term, and as you know, elephants gestate for quite some fucking time, and it finally feels really, really good to spew out the mutant, jewel-encrusted baby elephant that is Pink Lemonade.” De Cinque is a colourful character, his speech flitting from free-rolling verbosity to hesitance, where you can almost hear his mental Thesaurus attempting to settle on the next word. Forming in 2006, Closure In Moscow released their debut, First Temple, in 2009, and spent most of that year touring the US. Citing “a lot of anxiety and chronic depression” coupled with “some pretty unprofessional situations”, the band also took time off after America. “I straight-up had a nervous breakdown and had to get home. That put things to a grinding halt; we were burned out and jaded after that. Also, with a couple of line-up changes, everything just went into stasis for a little bit, and kind of had to find its feet again and reboot.” At one stage he even thought, “I’m done, I don’t want to do this anymore. That’s such an easy head-trap to
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get into when you’re in that insular universe. It’s that kind of Spinal Trap syndrome when you’re in that band universe bubble, and it’s hard to pull out of and go, ‘Wait a sec, you’re just a person in a band, you’re not fighting climate change, come on.’” Closure In Moscow is a band reborn. While some threads of their original style remain, the realms of obscure, psychedelic creativity are much more voraciously explored on their latest offering. The album’s title came “like a bolt from the blue”, and was “completely coincidentally” validated by the accidental viewing of the pink lemonade scene in The Sound Of Music.
Conceptually and artistically, the band appears to be flagrantly not giving a fuck, while simultaneously giving more of a fuck than ever before. “Pink Lemonade is a symbol for a tacky, shitty, quick-fix that promises more than what it is. The character on the front of the album is offering this pink lemonade as a shortcut to enlightenment, curing all your woes, and closing the chasm of despair that’s in a lot of people trying to deal with 21st century living. As narcissism and individualism becomes more rampant, it’s also creating more anxiety and depression, and culturally things are getting pretty fucking overwhelming to deal with. So it’s like, ‘Hey, drink the all-new sexy pink lemonade, and have all your problems melt away,’ when really, it’s just a shitty, gimmicky, sugary soft drink called Pink Lemonade.” WHAT: Pink Lemonade (Sabretusk/MGM) WHEN & WHERE: 30 May, Solbar, Maroochydore; 31 May, Crowbar
WINTER IS COMING Back in Australia after a string of highly successful shows across the US, Tim Bettinson of Vancouver Sleep Clinic tells Jazmine O’Sullivan there are many more big things to come.
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he name Vancouver Sleep Clinic evokes images of a warm, toasty cabin set amidst a cold, winter chill, and with the recent release of the band’s EP, Winter, also bringing chilly thoughts to mind, it’s time we found out just what’s so fascinating about the cooler climates for frontman Tim Bettinson.
“I was writing all the material for the EP in winter,” Bettinson explains, “but I mostly just like the metaphor. I kind of used winter as a metaphor for a cold and dark period in my life, and that was kind of the space I was writing in. It was freezing and I was alone in my bedroom, it felt cold and dark a lot of the time, so yeah, I thought that would be a cool metaphor that would translate well in the EP. “All the songs I’ve written so far, I always make sure they’re personal – I think it’s important to make a connection with the music in that way. So a lot of it is about a darker time that I went through, and each song
expresses a different mentality or thought process that I went through. Tracks like Collapse and Flaws, towards the start of the EP, are pretty hopeless, almost desperate lyrically, which I think we can all kind of relate to in some way or another, but then it’s all resolved towards the end with Vapour and Rebirth – there’s more of an understanding and a hope towards the future.”
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Having just wowed audiences across the US, particularly at their SXSW show, Bettinson says he and his band are really looking forward to their first headlining tour back home. “I think it’s been about nine months since we started planning for this tour, and for about seven of them I’ve been really looking forward to these shows. It’s been a long time coming, but I think the time is right, and I think we’re finally ready to play. We’re all super excited and I think the venues are small and intimate; they should be a couple of really special nights.” Vancouver Sleep Clinic are set to play the European festival Electric Picnic later in the year, about which Bettinson is understandably thrilled. “I’m still trying to toss up which is the most exciting thing happening for us – I think I’m just excited about everything! Electric Picnic will be our first festival so it’s kind of ridiculous that we’ll be playing with the likes of Outkast, but yeah, I can’t wait to get over to Europe, I reckon it’s going to be unreal. As for the artists at the festival, it’s an incredible line-up this year. I’m a huge fan of Beck and Mogwai in particular, then there’s FKA Twigs, I love her, and obviously Outkast and Lily Allen will be great to check out as well. The whole thing is just going to be amazing.” WHAT: Winter (Independent) WHEN & WHERE: 28 May, Black Bear Lodge
PURE ESCAPE
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In recent years Kisschasy have taken their foot off the gas, but as Darren Cordeux tells Benny Doyle, it doesn’t mean they love playing any less.
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hat’s going on in the world of Kisschasy? Not much according to Darren Cordeux. The frontman says he hates the term hiatus, but admits with a sigh that, unfortunately, that’s what the Melbourne quartet have been on since 2009 record Seizures. The frontman currently leads White Caves, an atmospheric bedroom project that’s developed into a fully fledged band, while other Kisschasy members have had kids and settled into professional careers. The four friends now simply get together for the fun of it, with no plans on releasing an album anytime soon. “We never wanted to just churn out records for the sake of it,” Cordeux remarks. “I want everything we ever put out to be inspired and special, and [to force it] would almost be disrespectful to the fans. We’ve got a good back catalogue that I’m proud of, and I think it still stands up now.” Relentless touring and two Gold records ensured Kisschasy were everywhere during the mid‘00s. However, music began to feel like a job for Cordeux, “and that’s not why I started to play”. He began writing songs because it was an outlet to vent. As soon as that outlet became “you working for the man”, it took away from it.
“Now, when we get together and play we can really enjoy it,” he smiles. “We started this band when we were 17, we had no idea where it was going to go, and it surpassed anything we thought it was ever going to do. So now when we play you can appreciate the songs, and there’s something about playing with three other people you’ve played with for so long; you get into a room and you just understand each other musically, it’s something that only time can do.” Long before we knew the venue as The Brightside, The Rev played host to one of Kisschasy’s most memorable shows way back in 2005.
“It was an exciting time – that was where we first felt like something was happening that was bigger than us,” Cordeux remembers. “It was maybe our fourth time in Brisbane and more and more people were coming [to our shows], and I remember that night there being this energy in the room, like people actually gave a shit. And then the power blew and we thought it was going to be the worst show ever, but it added to the atmosphere; people were screaming, it was dark, I jumped on the drums and just fucked around a bit, then it came back on and we ripped through the rest of the set. And even though the band hasn’t been in our midst since last October, they’ve always held a soft spot for our city. “Brisbane has always been a good place for us,” Cordeux agrees. “Some of our biggest and most enthusiastic crowds have been there, so that permeates into the energy that we put forward and we always play our best shows.” WHEN & WHERE: 31 May, The Brightside THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 19
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
★★★★ ½
album reviews
PARQUET COURTS
DUNE RATS
Rough Trade/Remote Control
Surprise! In this, their debut album, Brisbane’s Dune Rats sing a lot about smoking weed, who woulda thunk it? It’s altogether 35 minutes of surfpop, made up of mostly twominute songs that lack the pace and energy of their epic live sets, but remain fun and warm. Indebted to Best Coast, with whom they toured last year, the album is at times frantic and at others moody, flitting between balls-out garage riffs and more laidback surf licks.
Dune Rats
Ratbag/Warner
Sunbathing Animal The imagery invoked by the title, Sunbathing Animal, perfectly captures the calm insouciance of the Brooklyn-based quartet’s third album, laidback and relaxed but naturally capable of springing into action at the slightest provocation. Indeed this ability to move from languidly stretching out to terse bursts of noise at will provides a sonic dichotomy integral to their substantial charm. Lysergic opener, Bodies ends on a teasing vibe akin to Pavement at their most playful, before the urgent Black And White ups the ante with its incessant beat, handclaps and chaotic breakdowns while the languid, bendy Dear Ramona introduces its strange but captivating calland-response arrangement. Elsewhere the mild druggy hypnotism of She’s Rolling segues into the staccato machine gun delivery of the title track. Their
Velvets-esque use of repetition is also notable – the nagging chords and chugging beats of tracks like Vienna II and the frenetic Duckin’ And Dodgin’ gradually worming their way into your brain – yet despite their casual vibe these econojams are deceptively intricate. Lyrically, where 2012 long-player Light Up Gold found the band coming to terms with their adopted hometown New York City, Sunbathing Animal deals with issues like confinement and the tyranny of distance with compelling results – an already alluring aesthetic morphing in new and fascinating directions. Steve Bell
FUCKED UP Matador/Remote Control
Their trademark innovative arrangements and ambitious structures remain intact and the triple-axe attack gives plenty of musical grunt, but Glass Boys is dominated by the growling, scabrous worldview of frontman Damien Abraham. The band’s hard-earned success of late, while seemingly earned without compromise, has nonetheless brought on the hardcore 20 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014
melodic songs on the album. Them, along with midpoint slowjam Lola, are obvious highlights, before the middling fast-loud last stretch of the album. The problem with the album isn’t that it’s bad per se, but that it’s not a WOW first effort either. It lacks the originality and boldness of some of their peers’ blistering debuts, often coming off as derivative. Although some songs are catchy and fun, most don’t have enough going for them to drive them anywhere beyond the parking lot – the parking lot in which you can probably find the three boys from Dune Rats smoking a few cones. Hannah Story
HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR
Glass Boys
Toronto sextet Fucked Up’s long-awaited fourth long-player, Glass Boys, begins with a delicate prelude at the start of Echo Boomer and concludes with the beautifully lulling piano that trails from the closing title track, but the journey between those quiet extremities is anything but sedate. Whereas their last effort – the sprawling double album David Comes To Life (2011) – allowed them to stretch far beyond their hardcore roots, this ten-track follow-up is far more succinct and condensed and as a result delivers a hefty punch.
Opener Dalai Lama is the most fun, but also the most lyrically sparse. Fuelled by power chords and an unbridled enthusiasm for marijuana, the track will get the mosh started at live shows, especially if followed by Superman which takes its slacker-rock cues from Wavves’ debut album. Lead single Funny Guy and then Homesick could’ve been written by Sydney’s Palms, but they’re some of the more earnest and
★★
The Feast Of The Broken Heart Moshi Moshi/[PIAS] Australia
★★★★ equivalent of an existential crisis, whereby Abraham struggles to reconcile his relative success against that of the underground bands that he grew up revering (“We traded our moral high ground so they’d sing along/But is it so bad? Is it as dark as it seems?/To trade a little purity to prolong the dream?” – The Art Of The Patrons). Tellingly, tracks like Sun Glass, the punchy Paper The House and the epic Led By Hand (featuring J Mascis) showcase just why Fucked Up have so effortlessly crossed over, marrying uncontrived aggression with innate melody and thoughtprovoking narratives. Long may the dilemma continue. Steve Bell
Hercules’ latest deals in rainbowcoloured house that seamlessly brings together disco, Hi-NRG and the straight-up jack of early Chicago. There is a familiar well worn feel to these grooves but the application of a flamboyant energy allows Hercules to produce a coherent album that offers pure nightclubbed bliss. Despite the tyranny of effervescent beats Hercules inserts more darkly hewn pop songs that deal in themes of redemption and salvation. This is a natural fit for dark horse John Grant who could just as well be singing on remixes of songs that didn’t quite make Pale Green Ghosts. The aching I Try To Talk To You finds Grant’s sad introspection surrounded by cascading piano chords eloquently drifting around a ballroom house groove. The
★★★★ androgynous Rouge Mary and Krystle Warren have previously dabbled in gospel and folk but under the sparkle of Hercules’ mirrorball they are transformed into sassy disco divas. Rouge Mary maintains a fierce but fun presence whether he’s flipping the funk on Think or glamorously dishing advice on love and life on The Key. The feelgood electrohouse machinations of My Offence provide the perfect context for the sexy, smoky huskiness of Warren’s voice. Similarly she shines when ruminating on break-ups on The Light. Moving beyond the glitter and glamour there’s plenty of depth and meaning to Hercules’ disco. Guido Farnell
albums/singles/eps
★★★★
THE CURRAWONGS
VARIOUS
RAT & CO
No Peace
All My Friends: Celebrating The Songs And Voice Of Gregg Allman
Binary
The Currawongs Independent
Sacramento hardcore merchants Trash Talk have, on No Peace, reaffirmed where the connection with their label, Tyler, The Creator’s Odd Future, lies. At once buoyant and belligerent, aggressive yet ambivalent, the album manages to convey in under half-an-hour the tumultuous energy that lies at the heart of youthful emotion. Everything is to the fore – this is a hardcore album after all – but the abrasiveness is tempered by fevered excitement, funnelled and distilled into a singular serrated tablet to get off your face on. No Peace is catharsis through calibrated chaos.
TAPE/OFF Australia’s Most Liveable City Sonic Masala The Tape/Off album Chipper is nearly here – it’s been a long wait! This is the first song off the album, and it lulls you into thinking it’s going to be a lo-fi underproduction before it kicks in properly.
Universal You only have to take one look at the star-studded cast (including Jackson Browne, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill) pitching in to celebrate the career of Gregg Allman to understand his significance as a songwriter. This double-CD and DVD retrospective of a January performance at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre hits all the high points of his solo and Allman Brothers catalogue; the epic encore jamming of Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks on Whipping Post alone is worth the purchase. Tyler McLoughlan
Brendan Telford
MGM
★★★
★★★
HOWLING BELLS
THE JONESEZ
Heartstrings
Lazyboy
Modern Lovers
Birthday/Caroline
Gun Fever
Showoff
Sydney hip hop producer Chasm completes his series of four EPs featuring guest vocalists with some pretty serious clout in the form of UK rap legend Blak Twang, rounding out the series with a bang(er).
After an extended hiatus, Howling Bells return with their fourth release. The Aussierelocated-to-UK band has an impressive resumé – working with experienced producers and playing arena support slots with Coldplay and The Killers. The LP is true-to-form – the moody vocals, reverb-laden tracks and growling guitars show potential, but the sultry fire lit upon their inception still hasn’t taken off. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where Heartstrings skips a beat. The intrigue is still intact on Slowburn, Possessed and Paper Heart, but where the listener should be howling at the moon, they’re left waiting for the clouds to clear.
What can you expect from an album called Lazyboy? The songwriting on the third album from Melbourne’s The Jonesez won’t change your life, but the instrumentation is hot enough to melt the cheese off your pizza. The riffs on P-90 and Hey Tomorrow (Please Don’t Be Like Today) are as fuzzy as rotten peaches. Frontman Mark Stewart’s hooks find their mark on songs Charity and Crack Me Open. Lazyboy may not get off the couch to greet you, but at least it doesn’t play with the remote. An album from guys who can only do better.
Chris Yates
Ben Marnane
Romy Hoffman, formally from Macromantics, digs into some minimal ‘80s electro punk ideas with very spiky edges and soft pads with her new group Agender, and it all works out very well.
CHASM Night Vision EP Obese
Melbourne-based quartet Rat & Co return with their second album, Binary, which from the very outset displays the perfect marriage of complex yet minimalist sounds within ambient electronica. Josh Delaney’s vocal swirls are a delight, blending so seamlessly into the background on opening track, Samurai, before taking the spotlight in Free Town to superb dramatic effect. The scratching, industrial samples paired with delicate synth contributions of Calculated Movements I gives the first glimpse of the band evolving into something utterly spectacular, a notion that develops strongly through the course of the album.
MORE REVIEWS themusic.com.au/reviews
Two Alarms
AGENDER
Caroline
Jazmine O’Sullivan
SCOTT SPARK This bouncy song reminds of the classic era of Australian indie pop in vein of Candle Records artists like The Lucksmiths or Darren Hanlon, and the video is fantastic.
★★★★
TRASH TALK Sony
A delight of field recordings, fingerpicking folk, heavy guitar jams, droning Farfisa and other things I can’t quite determine. It’s not always obvious which direction The Currawongs are gonna fly, which makes for exciting listening.
★★★★
Shiny Joe Ryan – The Cosmic Microwave Background Gum – Delorean Highway Hamilton Leithauser – Black Hours Taylor McFerrin – Early Riser
Roshan Clerke
THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 21
live reviews
JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW, AIRLING QPAC 23 May The duo of performers and slew of effects on keys and guitar that comprise Airling are tasked with warming the senses of the crowd. Delicate and breathless off the mark, singer Hannah Shepherd gains control, her soft and feminine style not losing traction nor the attention of the audience, intrigued by what is unfolding before them. Particularly in the opening tracks of the set, Airling’s songs seem
an ironic warmth to the stage, precise vocals meeting an enveloping combination of claps, brass and elated keys. An animated moon in the background works in unison with the illuminated pyramids and spotlights above to draw the large audience into a series of very intimate moments, while colours and strobe lighting burst from within, shooting the falsettos straight through the back of your seat. The stage is both staggeringly too big yet unable to contain the talent that claims and transforms it. The to-ing and fro-ing of time-stamped releases continues through Down The Burning Ropes, with its stomping beats, while Follow Me Down To The Red Oak Tree brings audiences
JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW @ QPAC. PIC: DAVE KAN
to stumble off the mark, halting before proceeding and second-guessing their most suitable path; this is all an illusion, perhaps a subtle way to keep the audience on its toes, as often complacency in a performance is what dulls its impact. As the stage dims, there is a scattering of pyramids amongst the instruments, illuminating the path for the four members of the James Vincent McMorrow outfit as they grace the stage. With a cursory wave and humbled smiles they launch straight into the set. From his 2011 album Early In The Morning, he chooses Hear The Noise That Moves So Soft And Low, the first delicate treat, McMorrow’s accompanying trio joining in with harmonies and percussions. Glacier brings 22 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014
from his New Year release, Post Tropical. The final notes bring a roar of applause and cheers. He takes a moment to stop and give thanks before explaining that his final song is one he’s known for singing but is not his own, one which he has had a break from playing because of how heavily it is demanded, yet as he loves it so much he will play it for us tonight. Stepping into the opening notes of Higher Love, his cover of the classic Steve Winwood song, the applause that follows is the loudest of all and continues when he returns to play the encore, And If My Heart Should Somehow Stop, alone, and then If I Had A Boat, with the band. Alice Bopf
JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW @ QPAC. PIC: DAVE KAN
face to face with one of the particularly tender moments of the set. McMorrow takes a moment to recognise the journey his Brisbane fans have taken with him – from the understated Black Bear Lodge to the grandeur of QPAC, he’s grateful to have such enthusiastic fans accompanying him on what he admits to being a fast rise to fame. Exemplary of the beautiful sounds of the night is From The Woods!! with the mandolin adding a sense of urgency; McMorrow sings each chorus louder than the last, those exclamation marks in the title gaining an insistency that otherwise cannot be understood. Perhaps one of the moments most heavily anticipated is the performance of Cavalier, the opening track and lead single
bass, something these house tunes are lacking. Not that the crowd care, as they get their glow sticks out for Disclosure’s When A Fire Starts To Burn. After minutes of people chanting “Alison”, Alison Wonderland pulls out her first tune and the bass goes right through, rattling ribcages. Any previous muddiness of the sound system has gone completely; in fact the at times ear-piercing high melodies common in trap are much more pleasant. At the start of her set, Alison dances between trap, footwork and other heavily bass-oriented genres, with the crowd singing any song they know, which is usually on high rotation on triple j, ZHU’s Faded for example. This seems to be the gel that sticks Wonderland’s energy to the crowd’s, as they
ALISON WONDERLAND @ FACTORY ONE. PIC: TERRY SOO
ALISON WONDERLAND, WAVE RACER Factory One 24 May A warehouse gig at a secret location is Alison Wonderland’s vision for this tour, and this is exactly what it delivers. Wave Racer, a trap DJ/ producer from Sydney who has been getting a fair bit of airplay on triple j recently, plays originals you would expect, as well as other trap. Near the end of his set Wave moves towards chilled house, which seems fairly fitting given the environment, yet doesn’t quite sound right as the system is definitely set up for
don’t appear to be dancing too readily to anything not on the radio. Actually, as Wonderland goes heavier on the instrumental side of trap the audience seems to thin. By this point anyone left can’t sustain solid dancing and can only dance for a few bars after the drop, which is probably why Alison drops tunes so quickly, a remix of Sage The Gemini’s Gas Pedal gets a brief play to the enjoyment of the crowd. Alison throws in some Lorde, which, as expected, gets the crowd riled up once more, before ending the night with some big-room house. The fish-eye lens view of the mixer projected either side of the decks gives another dimension to the show, as do the lights and other effects, culminating in a sensory treat. Paul Mulkearns
live reviews
BRANT BJORK, HAZARDS OF SWIMMING NAKED
it can’t be much longer a wait for a follow-up, and tonight’s set excitingly forecasts a bright future looming on the horizon.
The Zoo 23 May
Brisbane’s Hazards Of Swimming Naked may not be the most obvious support choice, but they burst onto the stage with a rapturous blast that draws attention. After the storming start they shift down a gear and glide their way through expansive terrains of atmospheric rock. Though the direct influences on their ‘post-rock’ sound become more explicitly apparent in the live setting, they deliver enough diversity to leave a lasting impression of their own identity. They wrap their set up in grand style with a seemingly light piece that drops a bomb midway and explodes into a fury of doom riffs. Nearly five years on from their debut Our Lines Are Down, it’s looking like
It’s only been a few months since Vista Chino, or Kyuss Lives! (lawsuits aside), graced stages across the land, but already Brant Bjork is back in our collective faces and getting busy with what he does best. Although he’s not the most prolific touring artist in the world, he’s squeezed in a lot of love for his Australian fans over the years. This dedication seems to have helped nurture a solid foundation of support, and in spite of a rather inflated ticket price, a decent little crowd packs in tonight. From the outset Bjork is all guns blazin’. Bright and ready to reward the faithful, he dives deep into his back catalogue, delivering Jalamanta’s The Low Desert Punk, Lazy Bones and Automatic Fantastic, and Too Many Chiefs... Not Enough Indians in all their frantic glory. The course deep down the retrospective road is kept throughout, leaving the previous two albums, Punk Rock Guilt
(2008) and Gods & Godesses (2010), completely overlooked. Some material – including Let The Truth Be Known, 73 and Freaks Of Nature – from the Brant Bjork & The Bros project gets a look in, but it’s Keep Your Cool’s I Miss My Chick and new song We Don’t Serve Their Kind that really jam hard and flex the musical muscle. He’s put together a solid, hard-rocking band this time around, and the latter of the previously mentioned pieces certainly acts as a promising little preview of their ventures together. There’s no doubt at any point, however, that it’s still through and through the ‘Brant Bjork Show’. No matter the artillery behind Bjork, his distinct musical vibe and lively Hendrix-meets-Cheech & Chong stage presence simply steals the focus at every turn. While at times the set seems to lack a little contrast and diversity, the displayed passion and enduring commitment to the DIY creative politics and aesthetic overshadow such minute shortcomings.
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NAKED MAJA @ THE UNDERDOG. PIC: EMILY BAGNELL
Naked Maja @ The Underdog Isaac de Heer @ Dowse Bar
Jake Sun
arts reviews
GOOD VIBRATIONS
GOOD VIBRATIONS Film
In cinemas 12 Jun A true story from Northern Ireland about Belfast’s apolitical and burgeoning punk rock scene during The Troubles of the early 1970s, Good Vibrations at first comes across as one of those biopics marred by too much cinematic sheen and gloss: a shiny collection of un-lived-in locations and starchy costumes given little life by characterisations built on bad haircuts and longexpired pop culture lingo.
While the film doesn’t completely transcend those shortcomings, it smartly blurs them into the background, wrapping its focus and energy around a warm and effusive performance from its lead, Richard Dormer, as historical protagonist Terri Dooley, and by splicing the story’s chapters with deft appropriations of archival footage, producing, as a consequence, a wonderful, whiskey-soaked sense of irony, of horror and, often, of pure silliness about those indeed Troubled times. Where the film’s narrative excels is in its refusal to posit Dooley as someone morally tired of the civil warfare and looking, like a care worker, to give vocation to
the impressionable local youth straddling a dangerous, neutral line. Things are greyer than that, and instead Dooley is shown stumbling into the punk scene, investing un-smartly with his money, and variously making deep, unexpected inroads into the industry, and never much profit. The man, we’re shown, in all, is just being hopeful, and incredibly kind, during a strange and difficult time.
The line-up this year is killer. Young comic Amos Gill opens, oozing confidence and sharing personal, confessional stories. Next comes Elbowskin, an incredibly savvy musical duo who do a song about how people come up after gigs and say “I don’t usually like musical comedy, but...” pillorying the close-minded comedy fan. Their foodie reworking of Denis Leary’s classic Asshole is worth the admission price alone.
Sam Hobson
After a short break, more Nankervis and a very good sport from the front row, high energy US comic Greg Behrendt delivers a set brimming with personality. He leaves this writer longing for a full hour or more, so intriguing is the glimpse into his life – a contemporary of Margaret Cho, he’s the author of He’s Just Not That Into You.
MICF ROADSHOW Comedy
Brisbane Powerhouse (finished) The MICF Roadshow is back, perhaps even slicker than ever – and a lot of that’s down to the amazingly easy charm of MC Brian Nankervis. There’s no fanfare; rather, it’s a lovely, organic kick-off as the Rockwiz co-host presses the flesh before plucking a chap from the crowd and launching into his set.
Finally, things are set up for much-loved Tassie native with a deft touch Hannah Gadsby to knock things out of the park. At two-and-a-half hours, it almost feels too short to leave these people’s company. Baz McAlister THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 23
the guide
ANDREW TUTTLE Name/instrument played: Andrew Tuttle – computer/banjo/synthesiser/guitar/electronics. How long have you been performing? Under my own name for just over a year. Prior to that I performed solo under the moniker Anonymeye for eight years, and have been in other bands and ad-hoc groups for around a decade or so. Would you rather be a busted broke-but-revered Hank Williams f igure or some kind of Metallica monster? As long as I’m not sharing a dressing room with Hank Williams III and Dave Mustaine after they’ve had a couple of bottles of scotch and a few hours to explore Kennedy assassination theories, I’m pretty easy. It seems like a lot of hassle to be either dead Hank or alive Lars. Which Brisbane bands before you have been an inspiration (musically or otherwise)? In no order a very small list of *many* include Scraps, Blank Realm, Sekiden, Toxic Lipstick, Lawrence English, Dot.AY, Brain Drain, Ur, Eat Laser Scumbag!, The Deadnotes, Ed Kuepper, Heinz Riegler, Mark Barrage, etc. There’s some expats in there but they’ve all been Brisbane at some point. What part do you think Brisbane plays in the music you make? A fairly important part. Many of my formative musical experiences happened here and I’m still regularly inspired by the great music that I get to see in Brisbane. The sub-tropical climate definitely impacts the music I make too – I’ve found that when I’ve lived in other cities, it gets a little more bleak and cold. What’s in the pipeline for you musically in the short term? I’m slowly but surely working on some new recordings for release in some form or another in late 2014/early 2015. A few live performances around Brisbane in the meantime, and maybe some interstate shows later in the year as well. Andrew Tuttle plays Sonic Masala Fest at Greenslopes Bowls Club on Saturday 21 June.
Pic: TERRY SOO 24 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014
eat/drink PITA BREAD PIZZAS – AKA OPEN, CRUNCHY WRAP 1: Spread tomato paste on pita bread. 2: Put toppings of your choice on. TIP: Do not overcrowd because pita bread can only handle so much weight. 3: Bake in oven for 15 minutes. 4: P-I-Z-Z-A.
FLAVOURED POPCORN – AKA AIR ENCASED IN THIN GRAIN MATTER 1: Make popcorn (pop your own kernels or get the microwave packet stuff, just make sure it’s plain. Buying pre-flavoured popcorn is CHEATING). 2: Flavour with your choice of melted butter, sea salt, melted chocolate, caramel sauce, icing sugar, cinnamon sugar, garlic powder, paprika, parmesan cheese, sesame seeds and nori, wasabi powder (not all at the same time though).
CHOC TOPS – MORE FUN TO HOLD THAN JUST STUFF IN A BOWL 1. Scoop ice-cream of your desired flavour into cones. 2. Freeze for a bit to make sure ice-cream won’t melt at the dipping stage. 3. Melt one part copha with two parts chocolate. 4. Coat ice-creams in chocolate mixture, then top with optional nuts, candy etc. 5. Wait a minute or two for it to set, then mangia!
TV SNACKS Easy to make, easy to eat, relatively mess- and fuss-free snacks that will enhance your TV show-viewing/home cinema experience. Illustration Sophie Blackhall-Cain.
CHIPS – THE HOT KIND AND THE CRISPS KIND 1: Chop desired vegetable (potato, sweet potato, eggplant, zucchini) into thin slices (crisps) or chip-shaped bits (chips). No need to chop if it’s, like, kale. 2: If it’s eggplant or zucchini, coat in flour or breadcrumbs or whatever. Otherwise, coat lightly in oil, salt, pepper, spices and well wishes. 3: Pop in the oven until crispy.
NACHOS – ACTUAL CINEMA FOOD IN AMERICA 1. Assemble layers of corn chips, grated cheese, salsa, beans in a tray. If you’re feeling particularly hungry chuck some chilli con carne on top. 2. Bake in oven until everything kinda just melts together. 3. Top with guacamole and sour cream to serve.
CHECK OUT DOG CUSHIONS So now that you’ve got your homemade snacks – that’s important – but you’ll also need something to snuggle up to or lean against while you’re TV-watching. If you don’t have a fellow human to use for that purpose, try one of these dog cushions (that’s cushions in the shape of dogs, not cushions for dogs... unless you really like to pamper your dog). Made from organic cotton with a polyester filling, the range includes a pretty Pink Chihuahua, a mighty Maroon French Bulldog and a boisterous Blue King Cavalier to name a few. Available at Urban Attitude. urbanattitude.com.au
THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 25
the guide qld.live@themusic.com.au
FRONTLASH
INDIE NEWS
FLIPPING GREAT!
It’s been confirmed that awesome cartoon Bob’s Burgers is making the leap to a (hopefully) awesome comic book! It kicks off in Aug.
VIBE ON UK flick Good Vibrations just scored a local release – it’s a funny and thought-provoking look at the importance of culture in times of trouble. The part when Teenage Kicks by The Undertones kicks in is worth the price of admission alone…
TERMINAL BROADCAST The final night of the last ever Monty Python reunion will be broadcast into Aussie cinemas from the UK on 6 Aug! Comedy genii on the big screen.
GENERATION NEXT
ALMOST FAMOUS
NOTHING STRONGER
With a voice that belies his 18 years, Adelaide singer-songwriter Jesse Davidson has announced his first national headline tour off the back of debut EP Ocean. Experience his powerful vocals and ghostly acoustics at Alhambra Lounge, 10 Jul.
Push your way to the front row and move before the cameras when LeSuits take over Kaleidoscope at New Globe Theatre, 5 Jun to film Get Rich Or Die On A Bus in full-band mode. Magenta Voyeur, Nonsemble and The Unofficials support.
Local hardcore hard-men Bound For Ruin play Crowbar, 28 Jun; The Irish Club, Toowoomba, 4 Jul; and Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast, 12 Jul. Plenty of local supports at all shows, with door tix $15.
‘TUDE & GRIME
HEAVY STYLINGS
UNITED BY NOTES
Scuffing up the stage with their “seaweed rock” sounds, you can enjoy the playful thrusts of Waxhead when they play The Bearded Lady this Thursday with support from fellow troublemakers Baskervillain and White Elephants.
Combine metal, post-hardcore, synth, screams and you get Road To Ransome, a group dedicated to the heavier side of life. They headline The Brightside, Thursday, joined by special guests Rivals, Rivalries and Itouchedthesunset.
Pat Tierney and Bree Bullock are getting cosy together at Dowse Bar, Sunday, looking to maintain warmth on the first day of winter with an eclectic mix of roots and folk. Get in early for Jarrah and Ronaldo Januario.
BRIGHT SPARKS
BIG ROOM, BIG TIME
CELEBRATE LIFE
If the shimmering pop positivity of single Daisy Eyes didn’t suggest it already, we’ll tell you now – I Know Leopard have got it right with their debut EP Illumina. Hear the songs at The Bearded Lady, Sunday – support from The Furrs.
Quickly establishing himself as one of the hottest new names in Stateside EDM, American producer Henry Fong will be showing off his progressive electro styles at The Met, 11 Jul and Platinum, Gold Coast, 19 Jul.
JezStock2 – an event paying tribute to Jeremy ‘Toecutter’ Blue – happens 22 Jun at Beetle Bar, with $10 getting you tunes from Hits, Lords Of Wong, pictured, Sunday Sessions, The Grills, Dirty Liars, The Buzzrays, Motorway Ends and Spook Hill.
CARVED IN STONE
NOISY ANTICS
LOSE YOUR INHIBITIONS
You need some special bands to suitably support a metal goliath like Earth. Luckily, the Seattle drone legends are getting looked after right, with Dreamtime and A Savage God along for the ride. 17 Jun, Crowbar.
No Agendas is back at New Globe Theatre on Saturday. As usual there’s a nice mix of styles, with $10 getting you Baskervillain, HRBRT, Rohan, Dead Zephyr, To Tail A Thief, Elston Gunn, Maiden May and Zed Charles & Sam Dilly.
It’s going to be a long night of song swapping when Lisa Richards, Nadia Sunde and Michael Fix hit New Farm Bowls Club, 14 Jun. Enjoy these three accomplished artists as they let it all hang out on stage – $15 on the door.
BB KINGS
BACKLASH HEAD START
So Paul Gallen has alleged that Queenslanders have “two heads”? Must be why we always smash those freaks in Origin – superior vision. Winning every year is getting boring…
#NOTONEMORE Surely after yet another shooting massacre in the States they have to have a serious look at the gun control issue? The NRA can’t stifle proper debate forever.
SPEED KING So serial doofus Kyle Sandilands gets a speeding ticket and then bitches on radio that “the speed limits are too low”. At least we know that stupidity doesn’t discriminate between the rich and the poor…
26 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014
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the guide qld.live@themusic.com.au
EP FOCUS
BONNEY READ EP Title: Live To Tell How many releases do you have now? This is our second EP. Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? We were lucky enough to work with the legendary Mark Opitz (AC/DC, KISS, Rose Tattoo) on this EP, and the rock’n’roll oozing out of him really inspired the overall rock/pop sound.
We’ll like this EP if we like... Imagine a combination of the hard hitting vocals of Pink or The Distillers, the guitar licks of Anberlin, the bass lines of Muse and the drumming of Paramore. Bonney Read play the Beetle Bar on Thursday 29 May.
SINGLE FOCUS
WINTERPLAN Member’s name: Dave Tran Single title: Eyes In The Dark What’s the song about? It’s about crisis of faith; although the lyrics overtly relate to religion, it’s about questioning any belief system that’s outdated. How long did it take to write/ record? It took about a week a write and three months to get the recording all finished. Is this track from a forthcoming release/existing release? Eyes In The Dark is a track from our upcoming debut album Fight/ Fight, which is scheduled for release in August 2014.
What’s your favourite song on it? We love Runaway, which we just released as a single and we produced a video clip for. It’s anthemic!
EP FOCUS
What was inspiring you during the songs writing and recording? We were listening to a lot of the Knife’s album, Silent Shout, at the time, and wanted to write something that was haunting, layered and with dark overtones. We’ll like this song if we like... The Knife, Kent and Ladytron. Do you play it differently live? Yes. We’re heavily influenced by Daft Punk’s live album (Alive 2007), and strive for a performance that keeps essential parts of song and yet offers something different live. Winterplan play New Globe Theatre on Friday 30 May.
EP FOCUS
It’s slower and more sparse than the rest, it kind of sums up what DLG is about. We’ll like this EP if we like... It has been described as Eagles meets John Mayer but with a female voice. If you enjoy any alt-country, pop or anything ‘rootsy’ and organic with a twist.
JILL BETH Name: Jill Beth EP Title: Don’t Let Go How many releases do you have now? Right now I have my debut EP Don’t Let Go, and the first single released from it is Let You In. Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? The EP was a long time coming, a trip to NYC not only sharpened my focus but provided inspiration for music and help supply the staying power to see the project through. What’s your favourite song on it? Better than Nothing.
When and where is your launch/next gig? My tour started at Dowse Bar in Paddington on 22 May and is going anywhere and everywhere!
ARUNDEL
Jill Beth plays The Treehouse, Byron Bay on 21 June, The Loft, Gold Coast on 24 July and Brisbane Square Library on 22 August.
How many releases do you have now? Naturestrip (2010), Olive Caves (2012), Channels (2014).
Member’s name: Lucas Arundell EP Title: Channels
Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? This record has definitely been the most eclectic in terms of inspiration; I wanted these songs to explore a more accessible sound than the previous, more atmospheric songs. You can definitely have a boogie.
excited about the string arrangement and how it feels at the end of the record. We’ll like this EP if we like... Pharrell, Gotye, Portishead, Kraftwerk, UNKLE, Massive Attack, Bibio. When and where is your launch/next gig? Launching in a cinema at the New Globe Theatre – with full force of our own visuals edited together like a film. Seated venue for comfort.. maybe popcorn! Arundel play New Globe Theatre on Friday 30 May.
What’s your favourite song on it? Morning Sex & Headache – THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 27
the guide qld.gigguide@themusic.com.au Rockabilly Meltdown with Ramjet + The Argonauts + The BobKats + The Sugar Shakers: The Underdog (Doghouse), Fortitude Valley
THE MUSIC PRESENTS TSUN: The Time Machine 31 May, The Bearded Lady 5 Jun, The Northern 7 Jun Kingswood: The Hi-Fi 31 May Our Man In Berlin: Alhambra Lounge 5 Jun New Empire: Old Museum 7 Jun The Bronx: Crowbar 15 & 16 Jun In Hearts Wake: The Brightside 15 Jun, The Sands Tavern 29 Jun Hard-Ons: Coolangatta Hotel 20 Jun, Prince Of Wales 21 Jun The Audreys: Solbar 20 Jun, The Zoo 21 Jun, Soundlounge 22 Jun Frente!: Star Court Theatre 27 Jun, Brisbane Powerhouse 28 Jun Yeo: Alhambra Lounge 27 Jun, Solbar 28 Jun Dune Rats: The Zoo 28 Jun, Alhambra Lounge 29 Jun (U18)
WED 28
Vancouver Sleep Clinic + Wafia + Brett Shaw: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Locky: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane Ilona Harker + Morgan Hann + Brandon Blythe: New Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley Le Parti Soul feat. Machine Age + Megan Bernard + DJ Redbeard: Ric’s, Fortitude Valley Ramjet: Royal Exchange Hotel, Toowong Elephant Unplugged feat. various artists: The Elephant Hotel, Fortitude Valley Open Mic Night feat. various artists: The Loft, Chevron Island Candice: The Plough Inn, Southbank The Pressure: The Press Club, Fortitude Valley Thank God It’s Wednesday feat. What We’re Worth + True North + No Trust: The Underdog (Doghouse), Fortitude Valley
THU 29
Bonney Read + The Stray Selection + Rawr Vanity: Beetle Bar, Brisbane Jordan Rakei + Louis Baker + DJ Gavin Boyd: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley James Whiting Quintet: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point Russ Walker + DJ J-Mixx: Chalk Hotel, Woolloongabba Soul’sa: Cloudland, Fortitude Valley King of the North: Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta The Acfields + April Maze: Dowse Bar (Iceworks), Paddington B.O.S.S Productions: Empire Hotel, Fortitude Valley Tuffy: Hamilton Hotel (Public Bar), Hamilton Jabba: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane
The Beards: The Spotted Cow 2 Jul, Soundlounge 3 Jul, The Tivoli 4 Jul, Solbar 5 Jul, The Northern 6 Jul
Shandy: The Underdog (midnight), Fortitude Valley Heads Of Charm: The Waiting Room (all ages), West End
Little Bastard: Black Bear Lodge 10 Jul, Solbar 11 Jul
Meat Puppets + Love Hate Rebellion + Magenta Voyeur: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley
Something For Kate: The Tivoli 11 Jul Violent Soho: The Hi-Fi 12, 13 & 19 Jul The White Album Concert: QPAC 13 Jul
GIG OF THE WEEK WE ARE SCIENTISTS: 29 MAY, THE ZOO
REMi: Solbar 17 Jul, Bowler Bar 18 Jul BIGSOUND 2014: Fortitude Valley 10-12 Sep Bonjah: The Zoo 10 Oct, Racecourse Hotel 11 Oct, Surfers Paradise Beer Garden 12 Oct Gorguts: Crowbar 16 Nov
Way Out Wes: JMI Live (6pm), Bowen Hills Ingrid James: Limes Hotel, Fortitude Valley Thursday Night Blues with The Enterprise: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End Dave Ritter: Logan Village Hotel, Logan Village Ballad Boy: Loving Hut, Mount Gravatt Underground Sounds Open Mic Night feat. various artists: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane Gogarty + Bandito Folk: New Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley Mar Haze + special guests + DJ Valdis: Ric’s, Fortitude Valley Jeff Carter: Royal Exchange Hotel, Toowong Karaoke: Royal Exchange Hotel (Public Bar), Toowong Barry Charles & The Deeper Beat: Solbar (7pm), Maroochydore The Waifs + special guests: Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns Waxhead + The Baskervillans + White Elephant: The Bearded Lady, West End Road To Ransome + Rivals + Rivalries + Itouchedthesunset: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley Elephant Unplugged feat. various artists: The Elephant Hotel, Fortitude Valley
We Are Scientists + We All Want To + Fox & Fowl: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley
FRI 30
LDRU: Oh Hello!, Fortitude Valley
DJ Indy Andy: Albany Creek Tavern (Creek Bar), Albany Creek
Chase + MDMA + Flowz + Biotic + more: Prince of Wales Hotel, Nundah
Joelistics + Dialectrix + N’Fa: Alhambra Lounge, Fortitude Valley
Naturally 7: QPAC (Concert Hall), Southbank
Tim McMillan Band + Guards Of May + David Aurora: Beetle Bar, Brisbane DMA’s + The Furrs: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Women of Swing feat. Bec Whitehead & Jesse Green Band: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point Shrapnel + Per Purpose + Primitive Motion: Caxton Hotel (The Haunt), Brisbane Metal of Honor feat. Symbolic Weapon + Magget Death + Asylum + End Us + The Stone Fox: Chardons Corner Hotel, Annerley Willy Angelo & The Basement Hustle: Cloudland, Fortitude Valley
Ten Cents In Quebec + Between Kings + DJ Valdis: Ric’s, Fortitude Valley DJ Ryan: Ric’s (Upstairs), Fortitude Valley Kim Sheehy + The Cover Up: Royal Exchange Hotel, Toowong Caught In The Rye: Royal Mail Hotel (6.30pm), Goodna Nicky Convine: Saltbar, South Kingscliff Closure In Moscow + special guests: Solbar, Maroochydore Kevin Bennett and The Flood + Kirk Lorange: Soundlounge, Currumbin Bernie Maguire: Story Bridge Hotel (The Corner Bar), Kangaroo Point
Various artists: Coolangatta Sands Hotel (Sand Bar), Coolangatta
DJ Ritchie: Story Bridge Hotel (Shelter Bar/10pm), Kangaroo Point
Bounce Sessions with SCNDL: Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill
Quasar + DJ Black Amex: The Bearded Lady, West End
Monkey See, Monkey Do: Empire Hotel, Fortitude Valley
The John Steel Singers + Mosman Adler + Tundra: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley
Tom Foolery: Hamilton Hotel (Public Bar), Hamilton Upstairs At Murphy’s feat. various DJs: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane Jabba + B-Rad: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane Darren J Ray: Kedron Wavell Services Club, Chermside South
Little Wise + Megan Bernard + TJ Quinton: The Joynt, South Brisbane
Out Of Abingdon: Lambert’s Restaurant (6.30pm), Kangaroo Point
Tim McMillan Band + Frankie + Timmy Rickard: The Loft, Chevron Island
Various DJs: Limes Hotel, Fortitude Valley
Mike Blundell: The Plough Inn, Southbank
Women of Swing feat. Bec Whitehead & Jesse Green Band: Limes Hotel, Fortitude Valley
The Ben Eaton Trio: The Press Club, Fortitude Valley
Som De Calcada: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End
Open Mic Night feat. various artists: The Underdog (Public Bar), Fortitude Valley
Seductive Soul: Logan Village Hotel, Logan Village
Stone Chimp + Sons Of The Soil + Periapsis: The Underdog (Doghouse), Fortitude Valley
Casey Fogg + Red On Red + Unsought Duke: New Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley
Lounge Party + Locky: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane Arundel + Winterplan + Machine Age: New Globe Theatre (Cinema Room), Fortitude Valley
Electric Samurai + Bond: The Elephant Hotel, Fortitude Valley Late Night Comedy feat. various artists: The Hideaway (10pm), Fortitude Valley Little Odessa: The Hideaway, Fortitude Valley Ingrid James + Julian Jones: The Lido Cafe & Restaurant, Ascot Mar Haze + Kip Casper + Alone Alaska + Louise Gilroy: The Loft, Chevron Island Chocolate Strings + Captain Dreamboat + Rainman: The Motor Room, West End Hayley Grace: The Plough Inn, Southbank Pocketlove: The Press Club, Fortitude Valley Larry Carlton: The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley Diamond Dave: The Underdog (Public Bar), Fortitude Valley
1000S OF GIGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU 28 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014
Dave Cavanagh: Twin Towns, Tweed Heads
SAT 31
Cookie Jar + various DJs: 633 Ann, Fortitude Valley Safia + Akouo: Alhambra Lounge, Fortitude Valley Parislane + Say Do Now + Kasper + George Higgins: Beetle Bar, Brisbane DJ James Wright: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Swing Alive: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point Honey + various DJs: Chalk Hotel, Woolloongabba La Boum: Cloudland, Fortitude Valley Various artists: Coolangatta Sands Hotel (Sand Bar), Coolangatta Closure In Moscow + special guests: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley John Course + Vandalism: Family Nightclub, Fortitude Valley Trainspotters feat. Heads Of Charm + guests: Grand Central Hotel, Brisbane Solar Rush + Nathan Bruen Duo: Hamilton Hotel (Public Bar), Hamilton DJ Brooke Evers + DJ Trademark: Hamilton Hotel (H Lounge), Hamilton Berst + Locky: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane Upstairs At Murphy’s feat. various DJs: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane Various DJs: Limes Hotel, Fortitude Valley Devil’s Kiosk: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End One More: Logan Diggers Club, Logan Central Superfreak + Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane No Agendas Festival feat. The Baskervillans + HRBRT + Rohan + Dead Zephyr + Elston Gunn + more: New Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley Generik: Oh Hello!, Fortitude Valley The Keepaways + Ape Farm + DJ Valdis: Ric’s, Fortitude Valley DJ Ryan: Ric’s (Upstairs), Fortitude Valley Jeff Carter Duo: Royal Exchange Hotel, Toowong Lez Karski Band: Royal Mail Hotel (12.30pm), Goodna Dezzie D & The Stingrayz: Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna Request Night with DJ Jazzy Jay: Saltbar, South Kingscliff
the guide qld.gigguide@themusic.com.au Alison Wonderland + Wave Racer + Young Franco: Secret Location, Gold Coast
Ashleigh Mannix + Justin Carter + Marcus Blacke: The Loft, Chevron Island
Pat Tierney + Jarrah + Bree Bullock + Ronaldo Januario: Dowse Bar (Iceworks), Paddington
Joelistics + Dialectrix + N’Fa Jones: Solbar, Maroochydore
Nathan Pursey + Archie Rye: The Plough Inn, Southbank
Jabba + Ragdoll + Mick McHugh: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane
Masters Of Rock Show: Souths Sports Club, Acacia Ridge
Gentleman Sir: The Scratch, Milton
Various artists: Limes Hotel, Fortitude Valley
Vintage Rock Box: Story Bridge Hotel (The Corner Bar), Kangaroo Point
TSUN + guests: The Time Machine, Nambour
Terrence Boyd Tallon: Lock ‘n’ Load Bistro, West End
DJ Ritchie: Story Bridge Hotel (Shelter Bar/10pm), Kangaroo Point Postcards From Perth: Burlesque Revue feat. various artists: SYC Studios (7pm), East Brisbane The Acfields: Taps Australia, Mooloolaba Tusk + Hobo Magic: The Bearded Lady, West End Kisschasy + For Our Hero + The Sleepless Melody + Nine Sons Of Dan + The Lie Downs: The Brightside, Fortitude Valley Alter Egos + Brad Lee: The Elephant Hotel, Fortitude Valley Defected In The House feat. Kenny Dope: The Fox Hotel, South Brisbane
The Waifs + special guests: The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley Jason Castle: The Underdog (Public Bar), Fortitude Valley White Devil + The Dirty F Holes + Underwood Mayne + Big Bongin Baby: The Underdog (Doghouse), Fortitude Valley Faith + various DJs: The Underdog (Upstairs), Fortitude Valley Winterplan: The Waiting Room, West End Minus Nine + Dead Wolves + Junkyard Diamonds + Xens Arrival: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley
SUN 01
Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s (3pm), Brisbane Locky: Mick O’Malley’s (7pm), Brisbane Jan Lennard’s Jazz Crew: Mr & Mrs G Riverbar (3pm), Brisbane The Prisoner Of Jazzkaban: Ric’s, Fortitude Valley Venus Envy + Dean Watkin: Royal Exchange Hotel, Toowong Tim McMillan Band + Carl Wockner: Solbar, Maroochydore DJ Ritchie: Story Bridge Hotel (Shelter Bar/3pm), Kangaroo Point I Know Leopard + The Furrs: The Bearded Lady, West End
Miss Mandy Swings: Brisbane Jazz Club (5pm), Kangaroo Point
Scramjet + Timbah: The Elephant Hotel, Fortitude Valley
Little Odessa: Broadbeach Tavern, Broadbeach
Ronnie Walker + Archie Rye: The Plough Inn, Southbank
The Stress Of Leisure: The Hideaway, Fortitude Valley
Chocolate Strings: Cafe Le Monde, Noosa
Barry Charles & The Deeper Beat: The Joynt, South Brisbane
Various artists: Coolangatta Sands Hotel (Sand Bar), Coolangatta
Sunday Rock N Roll BBQ feat. Heads Of Charm + BMX-RAY + Silicones: The Underdog (12pm), Fortitude Valley
Kingswood + The Medics + The Belligerents: The Hi-Fi, West End
THE WAIFS: 31 MAY, THE TIVOLI Women of Letters feat. Madonna King + Katie Noonan + McKisko + Becky Lucas + Rhianna Patrick + Eleanor Jackson: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley
MON 02
James Blunt + Busby Marou: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Bank Rob Hackwood Duo: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane
TUE 03
The Bug feat. Mama Juju + Chuck E + Stockade Band: New Farm Bowls Club, New Farm Trivia: Royal Exchange Hotel, Toowong Mark Sheils: Samford Valley Hotel, Samford Valley Gabrielle Aplin + Melody Pool: St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane
1000S OF GIGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU
PRE ORDER NOW STORE.THEMUSIC.COM.AU
THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 29
tour guide qld.gigguide@themusic.com.au
INTERNATIONAL
New Globe Theatre 14 Jun
Voyager: The Brightside 11 Jul
Freak Wave: Crowbar 14 Jun, Tym Guitars 15 Jun
Something For Kate: The Tivoli 11 Jul
Meat Puppets: The Zoo 30 May
Keith Urban, Sheppard: BEC 17, 18 Jun
Mango Groove: Eatons Hill Hotel 30 May
Emma Russack: Black Bear Lodge 18 Jun
Jeff Lang: Mullumbimby Town Hall 11 Jul, Brisbane Powerhouse 12 Jul
Kenny Dope: The Fox 31 May
Loose Change: Alhambra Lounge 19 Jun, Solbar 20 Jun
We Are Scientists: The Zoo 29 May
James Blunt: BCEC 2 Jun
Hard-Ons: The Northern 19 Jun, Coolangatta Hotel 20 Jun, Prince Of Wales 21 Jun
Steve Poltz: Dowse Bar 3 Jun Gabrielle Aplin: St John’s Cathedral 3 Jun Ellie Goulding, Broods: BCEC 5 Jun (AA)
PROPAGANDHI: 8 JUN, THE HI-FI
Coroner: The Hi-Fi 6 Jun Ejeca: Coniston Lane 6 Jun
The Tivoli 2 Aug
Ron Pope: Princess Theatre 6 Jun
Neurosis: The Hi-Fi 4 Aug
White Lung: Alhambra Lounge 6 Jun
Hanson: The Tivoli 5 Aug, Coolangatta Hotel 6 Aug
Slim Jim Phantom: Racecourse Hotel 6 Jun, Bramble Bay Bowls Club 8 Jun
I Am Giant: The Rev 6 Aug
Hot Chip DJs, Matthew Dear: Oh Hello! 6 Jun
Forever Came Calling: Snitch 21 Aug, The Lab 22 Aug (AA)
ScHoolboy Q: The Hi-Fi 7 Jun
Kid Ink: The Hi-Fi 22 Aug
TLC: Eatons Hill Hotel 7 Jun
Taking Back Sunday, The Used: Eatons Hill Hotel 22 Aug
Kevin Mark Trail: The Loft 7 Jun, Dowse Bar 8 Jun
Anathema: The Hi-Fi 21 Aug
Knapsack: Crowbar 23 Aug
Kristin Hersh: Black Bear Lodge 8 Jun
King Buzzo: Black Bear Lodge 24 Aug
Propagandhi: The Hi-Fi 8 Jun, Miami Shark Bar 9 Jun
Lady Gaga: BEC 26 Aug
Bastille: BCEC 13 Jun (AA)
The Dandy Warhols: The Tivoli 30 Aug
The Bronx: Crowbar 15, 16 Jun
Kids In Glass Houses: The Brightside 30 Aug, The Lab 31 Aug (AA)
Earth: Crowbar 17 Jun
Biffy Clyro: The Tivoli 4 Sep
Finntroll: The Zoo 18 Jun
Anberlin: The Hi-Fi 6 Sep
Supersuckers: The Zoo 19 Jun
Cannibal Corpse: The Hi-Fi 13 Sep
Carcass: The Hi-Fi 13 Jun
La Dispute, Balance & Composure: Trinity Hall 19 Jun (AA), The Hi-Fi 20 Jun Dragon: Kedron Wavell Services Club 20 Jun, Twin Towns 21 Jun Aborted: Miami Shark Bar 20 Jun, The Brightside 21 Jun, The Lab 22 Jun (AA)
Kanye West: BEC 15 Sep The High Kings: Eatons Hill Hotel 19 Sep, Maroochy RSL 20 Sep, Empire Theatre 21 Sep, Southport Sharks 23 Sep Ingrid Michaelson: New Globe Theatre 21 Sep
Band Of Skulls: The Hi-Fi 21 Jun
Robbie Williams: BEC 22 Sep
Katchafire: Miami Marketta 22 Jun
Veruca Salt: The Zoo 24 Sep
Joan As Police Woman: The Hi-Fi 24 Jun
Justin Timberlake: BEC 26, 27 Sep
Story Of The Year: The Hi-Fi 26 Jun
Rick Springfield: Eatons Hill Hotel 9 Oct, Twin Towns 10 Oct
The Vibrators: Prince Of Wales 28 Jun
More Than Life: Snitch 6 Nov, Tall Poppy Studios 7 Nov (AA)
The Crimson Projekct: The Hi-Fi 28 Jun
Gorguts: Crowbar 16 Nov
Tiny Ruins: Black Bear Lodge 1 Jul Bell X1: The Zoo 4 Jul Lloyd Cole: Brisbane Powerhouse 10 Jul, Soundlounge 11 Jul, Star Theatre 12 Jul Henry Fong: The Brightside 11 Jul, Platinum 19 Jul
Sepultura: The Hi-Fi 4 Oct
Closure In Moscow: Solbar 30 May, Crowbar 31 May
Straight Arrows: The Brightside 20 Jun
Joelistics, Dialectrix: Alhambra Lounge 30 May, Solbar 31 May
sleepmakeswaves: The Northern 18 Jul, The Zoo 19 Jul Crooked Colours: Alhambra Lounge 19 Jul, Beach Hotel 24 Jul Perfect Tripod: QPAC 25 Jul Bodyjar: The Hi-Fi 7 Aug Kate Miller-Heidke: Empire Church Theatre 7 Aug, QPAC 8 Aug Melody Pool & Marlon Williams: Black Bear Lodge 7 Aug, St Martin’s Parish Hall 8 Aug
TSUN: The Time Machine 31 May, The Bearded Lady 5 Jun, The Northern 7 Jun
The Angels: Queensland Lions Club 8 Aug, North Leagues & Services Club 9 Aug
The Audreys: The Byron Theatre 19 Jun, Soundlounge 20 Jun, The Zoo 21 Jun, Solbar 22 Jun
James Reyne plays Australian Crawl: The Tivoli 9 Aug
Alison Wonderland, Wave Racer: Gold Coast 31 May
Deez Nuts, Confession: Crowbar 20 Jun
Our Man In Berlin: Alhambra Lounge 5 Jun
Freedman Does Nilsson: Soundlounge 15 Aug, Old Museum 16 Aug
Teeth & Tongue: Beetle Bar 21 Jun
The Getaway Plan: The Brightside 6 Jun, The Hi-Fi 6 Sep Eurogliders: Lismore Workers Club 6 Jun, City Golf Club 7 Jun, Buderim Tavern 8 Jun Eagle & The Worm: Black Bear Lodge 6 Jun Halfway: The Zoo 7 Jun New Empire: Old Museum 7 Jun Hell City Glamours: Crowbar 7 Jun Drunk Mums: Grand Central Hotel 7 Jun Rüfüs: Beach Hotel 8 Jun The Bennies: Crowbar 8 Jun Graveyard Train: The Northern 11 Jun, The Zoo 13 Jun The Love Junkies: Black Bear Lodge 12 Jun
Captain Reckless & The Lost Souls: New Globe Theatre 13 Jun
Roxette: BEC 10 Feb
The Paper Kites: The Northern 13 Jun, The Hi-Fi 14 Jun Amaya Laucirica: The Treehouse 13 Jun, The Bearded Lady 14 Jun Lancelot: Elsewhere 13 Jun, Oh Hello! 14 Jun Mindsnare: The Brightside 14 Jun My Friend The Chocolate Cake:
I, A Man: Grand Central Hotel 21 Jun Chet Faker: The Tivoli 21 Jun, Lake Kawana Community Centre 22 Jun Yeo: Alhambra Lounge 27 Jun, Solbar 28 Jun Frente!: Star Court Theatre 27 Jun, Brisbane Powerhouse 28 Jun Hands Like Houses: The Brightside 28 Jun Dune Rats: The Zoo 28 Jun, Alhambra Lounge 29 Jun (U18) In Hearts Wake, Dream On Dreamer: The Brightside 15 Jun, The Sands Tavern 29 Jun The Beards: The Spotted Cow 2 Jul, Soundlounge 3 Jul, The Tivoli 4 Jul, Solbar 5 Jul, The Northern 6 Jul Dan Sultan: Solbar 2 Jul, The Spotted Cow 3 Jul, Soundlounge 4 Jul, Eatons Hill Hotel 5 Jul, The Northern 8 Jul Northeast Party House: Alhambra Lounge 3 Jul, Solbar 4 Jul, The Spotted Cow 5 Jul Nine Sons Of Dan: Snitch 3 Jul, Racehorse Tavern 5 Jul, Swingin’ Safari 6 Jul The Cairos: The Northern 3 Jul, Alhambra Lounge 4 Jul, The Spotted Cow 5 Jul, Broadbeach Tavern 6 Jul, Solbar 12 Jul Holy Holy: Black Bear Lodge 4 Jul Little Bastard: Black Bear Lodge 10 Jul, Solbar 11 Jul, The Rails 12 Jul Jesse Davidson: Alhambra Lounge 10 Jul
1000S OF GIGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU 30 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014
Dave Graney: Beetle Bar 18 Jul, Solbar 19 Jul, The Northern 20 Jul
Allday: Bowler Bar 20 Jun
Katy Perry: BEC 27, 28, 30 Nov, 1, 15 Dec
Vancouver Sleep Clinic: Black Bear Lodge 28 May
Buried In Verona: The Brightside 17 Jul, The Lab 18 Jul (AA)
Kisschasy: The Brightside 31 May
Bloods, Major Leagues: Black Bear Lodge 13 Jun
NATIONAL
Remi: Solbar 17 Jul, The Brewery 19 Jul
Kingswood: The Hi-Fi 31 May
Toxic Holocaust: The Northern 19 Nov, Crowbar 20 Nov
Eagles: BEC 10 Mar
Josh Pyke: Empire Theatre 20 Jun (AA), Majestic Theatre 21 Jun (AA), Byron Cultural & Community Centre 22 Jun (AA)
The White Album Concert ft Tim Rogers, Chris Cheney, Phil Jamieson and Josh Pyke: QPAC 13 July
Psycroptic: Miami Shark Bar 20 Jun, The Brightside 21 Jun, The Lab 22 Jun (AA)
The Waifs: The Tivoli 31 May
Saskwatch: Soundlounge 13 Jun, The Zoo 14 Jun
Andrew Strong: The Commitments: The Tivoli 25 Jul, Twin Towns 26 Jul
Wagons: The Zoo 20 Jun
Heads Of Charm: The Waiting Room 30 May (AA), Grand Central Hotel 31 May, The Underdog 1 Jun
The Rolling Stones: Brisbane Entertainment Centre 18 Nov
Pelican: The Zoo 24 Jul
The Creases: Black Bear Lodge 20 Jun Mondo Rock: Eatons Hill Hotel 20 Jun
Twin Beasts: The Loft 12 Jun, Solbar 13 Jun, Beetle Bar 14 Jun
One Direction: Suncorp Stadium 11 Feb
The Holidays: Alhambra Lounge 20 Jun
Safia: Beach Hotel 30 May, Alhambra Lounge 31 May
Accept: The Hi-Fi 16 Nov
Gareth Emery: Platinum 17 Jul, The Met 18 Jul
A Great Big World:
The John Steel Singers: The Brightside 30 May
The Sinking Teeth: Surfers Paradise Beer Garden 19 Jun, Tatts Hotel 20 Jun, Crowbar 21 Jun
Violent Soho, The Smith Street Band: The Hi-Fi 12, 13 Jul
Tina Arena: Jupiters 23 Aug, BCEC 24 Aug The Aston Shuffle: The Zoo 29 Aug Busby Marou: Soundlounge 29 Aug, Eatons Hill Hotel 30 Aug (AA) Boy & Bear: The Arts Centre Gold Coast 12 Sep, The Tivoli 13 Sep Bonjah: The Zoo 10 Oct, Racehorse Hotel 11 Oct, Surfers Paradise Beer Garden 12 Oct Björn Again: QPAC 28 Nov
FESTIVALS
Cooly Rocks On: Coolangatta/ Tweed Heads 30 May-9 Jun Brisbane International Jazz Festival: BEMAC 4-8 Jun 5 Ways Festival: Normanby Hotel 8 Jun Caxton Street Seafood & Wine Festival: Caxton Street 8 Jun Live It Up: RNA Showgrounds 21 Jun Sonic Masala Fest: Greenslopes Bowls Club 21 Jun Jam’n’Beats: Club Greenslopes 28 Jun WinterSun Festival: Eumundi Amphitheatre 29 Jun Splendour In The Grass: North Byron Parklands 25-27 Jul Gympie Music Muster: Gympie 28-31 Aug BIGSOUND: Fortitude Valley Entertainment Precinct 10-12 Sep Soulfest: Riverstage 25 Oct
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THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014 • 31
32 • THE MUSIC • 28TH MAY 2014