Brag#664

ISSUE NO. 664 MAY 25, 2016

FREE Now picked up at over 1,600 places across Sydney and surrounds. thebrag.com

MUSIC, FILM, THEATRE + MORE

A CITY OF CINEMA

SY NEY FILM FESTIVAL 2016 TEENAGE KICKS

NASHEN MOODLEY

GOLDSTONE

THE BEST OF THE FEST

EMBEDDED

BORN TO BE BLUE

THE DEVIL'S CANDY SONITA Plus

V I V ID HO T SP O T S HOME GROUND TA L K S MODEL S DR APHT

TINY RUINS

DE AFHE AVEN

R AINBOW CHAN

After quitting hip hop to open a restaurant, he's back and raring to go.

How a Lorde connection led to a collaboration with David Lynch.

A force of nature preparing to tear through the Sydney Opera House.

Memory and family inspire her new experimental sounds.

BE T T Y & O S WA L D A ND MUCH MOR E

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AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE Two VR experiences ‘It’s like nothing you’ve seen before’ SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

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Photo by James Horan

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rock music news

the BRAG presents

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with James Di Fabrizio, Amy Henderson and Zanda Wilson

speed date WITH

Your Profile Autistic southpaw folk singer into pop 1. songs, wrestling and long-forgotten pop culture references seeks fellow hopeless types of all genders, orientations and races to harmonise on Britney, yell about how great CM Punk was and to call up random friends to ask, “Wazzaaaaaaaaaaaappppppppp?”

Metro Theatre Wednesday July 20

NOTHING RHYMES WITH DAVID

2.

4.

Keeping Busy I have just released my second album, entitled Things Work Out For People Like You. It was recorded at the end of last year at my friend Kai’s house down the South Coast.

I’ve been working on these songs for a long time – it’s been about three-and-a-half years since I last put anything out properly – and it’s a very gratifying feeling to have something I’m genuinely proud of to share with people. Away from that, I’ve been chalking up a handful of gigs here and there, and am keen to take my guitar off to places like Newcastle this June and Adelaide this July. Give me a place to sleep and enough notice and I’ll play pretty much anywhere.

Your Ultimate Rider 5.

I’d be set with a lemonade and maybe some cheese naan. If you insist on the

3.

cocaine, leave it for the rest of the bands.

They’ll get a lot more use out of it than I would.

Best Gig Ever In January, I curated a show held out in the beer garden of Black Wire Records, probably one of my favourite places in the world. I was lucky enough to put together a lineup with David Le’aupepe from Gang Of Youths headlining, as well as The Button Collective, Spencer Scott, Allison Gallagher, five local poets and myself. We packed the entire place out and it ended up being one of the best days of my life.

PETER BJORN AND JOHN

Current Playlist Like pretty much everyone, I’ve had Lemonade and Views on pretty extensive repeat listening. Away from that, I’ve been loving Thao and The Get Down Stay Down, Burlap, The Paper Kites, Fear Like Us, Anohni, Paul Dempsey, Modern Baseball, L-Fresh The Lion and James Blake. The song to beat this year is either ‘Ultralight Beam’ by Kanye or ‘Obsessive’ by Chase Atlantic. I would also like to use this platform to profess that Snakehips’ ‘All My Friends’ is an all-time banger.

What: Things Work Out For People Like You out now through Spit The Dummy With: Zeahorse, Heads Of Charm, Yes I’m Leaving Where: Black Wire Records When: Sunday May 29

THE 1975 Sydney Olympic Park Saturday July 23

AT THE DRIVE-IN Enmore Theatre Sunday July 24

JAKE BUGG State Theatre Tuesday July 26

SAD GRRRLS FEST Feat: Le Pie, Coda Conduct, Twin Caverns + more Factory Floor Saturday October 8

Coldplay photo by Julia Kennedy

NOBODY EXPECTS THE INQUISITION

MANAGING EDITOR: Chris Martin chris@thebrag.com 02 9212 4322 ONLINE EDITOR: James Di Fabrizio SUB-EDITOR: Sam Caldwell STAFF WRITERS: Joseph Earp, Adam Norris, Augustus Welby NEWS: James Di Fabrizio, Joseph Earp, Amy Henderson, Augustus Welby, Zanda Wilson ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant PHOTOGRAPHERS: Katrina Clarke, Ashley Mar, D.A. Carter, Robert Catto ADVERTISING: Tony Pecotic - (02) 9212 4322 tony@thebrag.com PUBLISHER: Furst Media MANAGING DIRECTOR, FURST MEDIA: Patrick Carr - patrick@furstmedia.com.au, (03) 9428 3600 / 0402 821 122 DIGITAL DIRECTOR/ADVERTISING: Kris Furst kris@furstmedia.com.au, (03) 9428 3600 GIG & CLUB GUIDE COORDINATOR: Sarah Bryant - gigguide@thebrag.com (rock); clubguide@thebrag.com (dance, hip hop & parties) AWESOME INTERNS: Elias Kwiet, Zanda Wilson, Keiren Jolly, Amy Henderson

Making their long-awaited return to the country, one of the world’s most hectic black metal hordes will play a Sydney show in August.

Formed over 30 years ago, Inquisition feature the hellish combination of Dagon on vocals and guitar, and Incubus on drums. The tour will celebrate the band’s forthcoming album, Bloodshed Across The Empyrean Altar Beyond The Celestial Zenith. Inquisition will play Newtown Social Club on Saturday August 13.

A MIGHTY AFFLICTION

The Amity Affliction are returning to venues they haven’t played in more than four years for a string of shows that will see the band get up close and personal with fans. The tour announcement comes off the back of The Amity Affliction revealing details of their widely anticipated new album, This Could Be Heartbreak. They’ll journey to the UK where they will embark on a series of summer festival dates and headline shows, including Slam Dunk Festival and Download Festival, before returning to Australia in August ahead of jetting off for a string of US festival dates in September. The Amity Affliction play the Metro Theatre on Friday August 26, with support from Trophy Eyes.

Coda are set to play a special one-off Sydney show in support of their new album. Veterans of the Australian music scene, the Sydneysiders have announced a triumphant return to the stage after a long hiatus. A classically trained collective of musicians, Coda have spent years pushing the boundaries of genre and style with their unique mash of strings, percussion and electronic music.

Now they’ve announced a special performance for Vivid Sydney at Camelot Lounge. The show will also see the launch of a new album for the ARIA-nominated outfit, Golden Times, and will feature guest vocalists Jane Tyrrell and Jessica O’Donoghue. See it all go down on Friday June 17.

EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or staff of the BRAG.

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6 :: BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16

British pop giants Coldplay are returning to Australia for a stadium tour. This is the band’s first world tour since the Mylo Xyloto Tour, which included Australian shows in 2012. Coldplay have two albums in the canon since their last jaunt around the globe, with the reflective Ghost Stories followed up by their latest, A Head Full Of Dreams – the group’s seventh release to date. Chris Martin and co. play Allianz Stadium on Tuesday December 13.

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COLDPLAY SEASON

Abbe May

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Coldplay

ALL THE WAY WITH ABBE MAY

Abbe May has announced a string of shows in support of her latest single ‘Are We Flirting?’, kicking off this July.

After spending two years in recovery following a dangerous seizure on tour in 2013, this is the first taste of her forthcoming record, Bitchcraft. May will play Newtown Social Club on Friday July 1.

Kid Congo is returning to Australia with long-time cohorts The Pink Monkey Birds. Following their first Australian tour early last year, which saw them sell out rooms across the country during the likes of Sydney Festival and SummerSalt, the swamp rockers return to our shores with their acclaimed fourth album, La Araña Es La Vida. Kid Congo and The Pink Money Birds play Oxford Art Factory on Thursday September 1.

A CLASSIC STITCH UP

Yes, it’s true: the man who had us all in stitches (not the funny or medical kind) has announced his Sydney show for the end of May. Shawn Mendes, who crooned his way into our hearts with hit track ‘Stitches’, is making the trip from Canada to serenade Sydney audiences. Casting our minds back to the age of 16, most of our accomplishments consisted of being able to make our beds, get to the bus on time and survive PE class – yet for Mendes, he was

smashing music charts across the world with his debut album Handwritten. And with such verve and talent, he is most likely to raise the Enmore Theatre roof with his intricately crafted work and charming demeanour. See him do so on Tuesday November 1 and Wednesday November 2.

BILLY, BE A HERO

Billy Talent, one the biggest Canadian rock outfits of the last two decades, are coming to Australia for a limited run of shows across the country. The five-piece are gearing up for the release of their fifth studio album, Afraid Of Heights, in July. Billy Talent first started slinging their pop-rock/punk/ rockabilly hybrid in 1993, taking a punt by putting such a declarative adjective in their band name, and many sceptics have been eager to cut them down over the years. But lovers of loud guitars, tight black T-shirts and a boiling kettle’s worth of hot licks have recurrently ratified the band’s bold designation. Billy Talent will take over the Metro Theatre on Saturday August 13.

DOING CARTWHEELS

Acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter Jack Carty is set to release a new album, and to celebrate he’s playing a Sydney show. Home State was performed, recorded and produced almost entirely

by Carty in his small apartment in Brisbane’s Red Hill. Impressively, he took on the duties of playing every instrument himself except for the bass, which fell to long-time collaborator Gus Gardiner, and a few tidy guitar solos from blues songster Jordan Millar. Carty comes fresh off a huge 2015, in which he supported Darren Hanlon and Ingrid Michaelson on their respective Australian tours, and also completed his own solo tour of Europe and the UK. Carty will unveil his fourth studio album at Newtown Social Club on Saturday August 20. thebrag.com

Present

NSW Battle Of The Bands 2016 The Ultimate band Comp

“a real opportunity, don’t miss this one...”

entries ClosiNg

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RUFFLEFEATHER + RACKETT

SATURDAY MAY 28TH

SEA GYPSIES + BLONDE BAND

MORE INFO AND Sign Up AT

SUNDAY MAY 29TH

NSWbattleofthebands.com.au

+ REVOLUTION INCORPORATED

THE STRIDES

SYDNEY HEATS AND NSW GRAND FINAL HOSTED AT PADDO RSL LEVEL 2, 75 THE CORSO, MANLY WWW.HOTELSTEYNE.COM.AU | FACEBOOK/HOTELSTEYNEMANLY | @HOTELSTEYNE

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live & local

free stuff

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with James Di Fabrizio, Augustus Welby and Zanda Wilson

STEEL PANTHER

five things WITH

BRODIE BUTTONS FROM THE BUTTON COLLECTIVE on cassette from an op shop and it hit hard.

The tape was damaged and would constantly speed up and slow down.

3.

a place in the bush band strumming chords and so would watch her from a distance.

Humming the tunes for days afterwards, I soon realised that traditional Irish and Australian music was the stuff I loved.

2.

Inspirations I find inspiration in the lyricism of bands like Bright Eyes and Bob Dylan. The first time I heard Bob Dylan was on a South Coast road trip. We bought his album The Freewheelin’

4.

The Music You Make Spending a lot of our time travelling around, we like to record in places that inspire that same feeling of excitement. We recorded our last release, The Lonesome Sea, in a log cabin and our next in a lighthouse cottage. At our live shows we love getting everybody up

dancing to our livelier bluegrass tunes before bringing them down with ballads of lost love.

Music, Right Here, Right Now 5.

We are in a great time for folk music, with small bars booking music all week and folk festivals everywhere attracting younger audiences. Sometimes people seem less open to the idea of going out to see a band they don’t know if the risk of them not enjoying themselves is too great to bother, but with great hard-working bands like The Plough, Catgut and The Morrisons performing regularly, it’s always worth heading out.

The mighty Steel Panther will be on the prowl in Australia again next month. The four comedy metal titans from California have, up until now, lived a life defined by sex and spandex, but with the release of their latest record they’ve displayed a softer side. Live From Lexxi’s Mom’s Garage is the name of their acoustic album, out now. But fans of the band’s rock’n’roll shouldn’t fear – when Steel Panther come back to Sydney in June, they’ll bring the full force of their live show with them.

Steel Panther play the Big Top Sydney, Luna Park on Friday June 17, and we’ve got a double pass to give away to the show.

Strap yourself in and visit thebrag.com/ freeshit to enter the draw.

What: Get Folked With: Andy Baylor, Black Vat Trio, The Low Down Riders, Queen Porter Stomp and more Where: The Gasoline Pony When: Saturday May 28 And: The Lonesome Sea out now independently

Steel Panther photo by David Jackson

Growing Up 1.

Growing up in Cooma, I would head along to the bush dances to chase a girl. I got

Your Band I met Quinton (accordion), Jake (double bass), Ben (banjo) and Bob (fiddle) four years ago studying music in Lismore. Ben and Bob live there still, while Jake lives in Sydney and Quinton and I just travel around. We all share a love of storytelling, singing shanties and drinking. We roped in our friend Steve Law to spend a week in a lighthouse cottage with us, recording and mixing the album we hope to put out soon on Tasmanian label, Folk ’Til Ya Punk Records.

head to: thebrag.com/freeshit

Dead Letter Circus Project Collective Ska

RUN AWAY WITH THE CIRCUS LIVE AT THE SLY

Enmore’s Slyfox has unveiled a huge lineup for the final Live At The Sly for this month.

The late-night and low-light weekly night of funk and vibes is set to feature one of Sydney’s most raucous instrumental acts going around this Thursday May 26, as Project Collective Ska, a nine-piece horn dominated outfit, promise to get you skanking. Filling out the rest of the lineup are leaderless electro-acoustic Sydney trio Brokebeat Mountain and new guys Colourfields.

MEET AT THE MARKET

The winter edition of the Sydney Rock ‘N’ Roll & Alternative Market will be held at Manning Bar on Sunday June 5. Piles of collectible goodies such as movie posters, handmade and

Tim Wheatley

vintage clothes, artworks, records and jewellery will make their way into the many stalls set up for this one-day event. On the entertainment front, 11-piece ska guys Backy Skank will be playing their last show, with support acts including Pat Capocci, Narelle Evans and The Jetbacks, and an array of DJs. There will also be a rock’n’roll dancing class for $11 from 10:30am, which requires prior booking and includes entry to the market. For all you nondancers, entry is $6 at the gate.

Brisbane’s favourite alt-rockers Dead Letter Circus have announced a run of national tour dates to pair up with recent single, ‘The Burning Number’. The track is lifted from the band’s third LP Aesthesis, which was released in August 2015 and hit number two on the ARIA charts. Plus, Dead Letter Circus care about being good blokes, so they’ll be donating one dollar from every ticket sold to this tour to the ocean conservation group Sea Shepherd.

Help Dead Letter Circus help Sea Shepherd by heading along to the show on Saturday August 20 at the Metro Theatre, with support from Clint Boge and Rival Fire.

Raised As Wolves

PADDO RSL CALLOUT

WHAT’S UP WHEATLEY

Alternative folk/rock troubadour Tim Wheatley has returned with his newest track, alongside an accompanying film clip that’s steeped in nostalgia. ‘78 Benz’ is a rambling, guitar-driven ode to those who follow their passion, despite the rejection and struggle that accompanies it. Produced by Paul McKercher (You Am I, Sarah Blasko, Josh Pyke) and mixed

by Niko Bolas (Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Warren Zevon), Wheatley’s effortless vocals float gently atop a bed of acoustic strumming, emotive harmony and country-inspired licks.

Catch him at the Marlborough Hotel on Thursday June 2.

BAD PONY, GOOD BAND

Indie rock troupe Bad Pony are going to get their pet to behave when they hit the road for a monster Australian tour later this month. The Sydneysiders’ new single is called ‘Sideways’ – hardly the position you want your pony to be in, but that hasn’t proven a hindrance, as it’s already been picked up by triple j and community radio. Taking cues from the indie-pop leaders of the previous decade

ONE OF THE PACK

Skate punks Raised As Wolves have returned from the den with new music and a quick run of interstate shows. Raised As Wolves’ new EP, Phonebook For Hokkaido – recorded at Def Wolf Studios in Sydney – marks a new direction for the trio, with songs tackling social anxiety, homesickness and loss, all filtered through a raucous lens. See Raised As Wolves at Oxford Art Factory this Saturday May 28.

– think Phoenix, Hungry Kids Of Hungary and Friendly Fires – Bad Pony are going at a canter right now. They’ve just hooked up with 123 Agency, and the ‘Sideways’ tour will take

them to all corners of the country. See Bad Pony at Oxford Art Factory’s Gallery Bar on Saturday June 4 and Waywards on Friday August 19. thebrag.com

xxx

8 :: BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16

Paddo RSL, one of Sydney’s most renowned live music venues in its heyday, is well and truly back on the entertainment train. Live music has now resumed at a venue that once held gigs by the likes of Henry Rollins, INXS and Hunters And Collectors, and the calendar will soon get even bigger with the NSW Battle Of The Bands.

The venue is now in the final stages of accepting entries into the comp, which boasts a $5,000 first prize. Paddo RSL is also set to introduce comedy and arts to its live offerings, with a third performance space inside the venue now mapped out. See more info and enter the NSW Battle Of The Bands at nswbattleofthebands. com.au.

Industrial Strength Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer

THINGS WE HEAR • Which argument between a promoter and the bassist of a touring band ended when the muso pulled a knife out of a boot?

• Will Justin Timberlake have Pharrell Williams and Timbaland back in the producers’ seats for his next album, and is he set to pop up on a track on The Weeknd’s next record?

• Which nightclub owner has dropped his asking sales price by $300,000 in the past six months?

• Delta Goodrem created the highest 360-degree music video performance in the Southern Hemisphere. As part of a radio promo, she and her piano were inside a glass cube 300 metres up on the 88th floor of Melbourne’s Eureka Skydeck while she warbled new single ‘Dear Life’.

• It seems US President Barack Obama is a fan of Nordic heavy metal. At a state dinner attended by leaders from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, he said, “Finland has perhaps the most heavy metal bands in the world, per capita, and also ranks high on good governance. I don’t know that there’s any correlation there.”

• At an Against Me! show in Durham, North

Carolina, its transgender lead singer Laura Jane Grace set fire to her birth certificate.

She said that while major acts including Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam had attacked the state’s new transgender laws (covering what toilets transgender people can use and withdrawing their ability to sue the state for bullying) by refusing to play there, she needed to do something more dramatic as her band wasn’t as well known.

• As Australian documentary Punks For West Papua kicked off its national screening tour in Perth, it picked up its fifth US award. This time it was the Los Angeles Cinefest Official Selection.

• After calling time following 20 years of the Great Southern Blues Festival in Narooma last August, promoter Neil Mumme planned to create a mini-festival within the Narooma Oyster Festival in October. However, due to “some complications out of our control that are yet to be resolved”, he’ll launch it at the same time in 2017, while the Oyster fest goes on as planned on Sunday October 2.

• SoundCloud has denied reports that DJ mixes are being pulled from the service in the wake of the March launch of its Go subscription model.

• The legendary blues rock Narara Festival of 1983 and 1984 is back in 2017 after 33

BEHIND THOSE RAGE RUMOURS

The announcement is officially not due until Wednesday June 1, but Rage Against The Machine are not reuniting. Instead, guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk will tour with Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Cypress Hill’s B-Real as Prophets Of Rage. Dates are still being organised.

years. Promoter Adrian Buckley says it will have the same format (all music, nothing else) and those on the bill will have to end their set with two covers from acts such as INXS, Chisel and The Angels, who played the original festival for up to 45,000 people.

It’s on Saturday May 6 at the Central Coast’s Forest Of Tranquility in Ourimbah (where, coincidentally, the first-ever Australian rock festival – The Pilgrimage For Pop – was held in January 1970 on Lt Colonel Henry Nicholls’ farm).

• The first radio survey of 2016 for Newcastle saw KOFM as a clear leader, expanding its market share by 3% to a 16.1% reach, dominating the over 40s and teen demographics. Following were NX (12%), ABC1233 (11.7%), triple j (11.4%), 2HD (11.2%) and New FM (8.7%).

• An Adelaide Iron Maiden fan got a tonguelashing from Bruce Dickinson after he was spotted pushing his way to the front and shoving another fan. He was told the Maiden crowd were “family” and he’d be thrown out unless he settled down.

• Six members of Richmond Valley Woodcrafters are currently building a huge three-metre-high guitar for June’s Ballina Coastal Country Music Festival to use in its promotion. browsers were up 78% to 570,000. During the grand final, #SBSEurovision was tweeted more than 33,500 times, hitting a peak of 240 tweets during Dami Im’s performance.

NEW SIGNINGS #2: JUST A GENT & LOKAL LEGEND 19-year-old Just A Gent, whose ‘Heavy As A Heartbreak’ was on triple j high rotation and who is set to play Splendour In The Grass, has signed with New York label Lokal Legend for the rest of the world. The label is owned by EDM artist manager Richard Bishop (Paul Oakenfold, Paul Van Dyk, BT, The Crystal Method) and Kuwaiti producer Rami Samir Afuni (Kiesza, LMFAO, Miley Cyrus).

NEW SIGNINGS #3: BAD PONY & 123 AGENCY

Sydney band Bad Pony now have bookings with 123 Agency. Three singles – ‘Zombie’, ‘Down To You’ and ‘Michael Moore’ – hit community radio, triple j and online. New single ‘Sideways’, recorded at guitarist Cron Van Niekerk’s home studio, is followed by a 23-date tour from Friday May 27 – Sunday September 4.

Rage Against The Machine

GOVERNMENT AND LIVE MUSIC OFFICE TO HOST GIGS IN WESTERN SYDNEY The New South Wales Government has announced $150,000 worth of music events in Western Sydney over the next two years.

The Live Music Office, as part of its Live And Local scheme, will coordinate a series of multi-venue gigs and micro-festivals. In July it will ask councils and communities in the area for expressions of interest, and help them stage the shows. In the past two years, Live And Local events have included the Sydney Fringe in Surry Hills and Erskineville and Kings Cross’ Ignite: Heat The Street. The music events are part of the government’s $7.5 million investment in Western Sydney arts and culture in the next four years.

EMC ADDING AWARDS In its fi fth year, the Electronic Music Conference (EMC) is adding the Inthemix Awards to its activities. EMC is being held Monday November 28 – Friday December 2 at the Ivy in Sydney, with an expected 2,000 Australian and international visitors.

The Inthemix Awards, which have run since 2003 with 120,000 public votes and 750 in specialised industry-voted categories, are held on Thursday December 1. There’s also the music industry’s annual charity fi ve-a-side football tournament Musica Copa, plus new sessions, extended events and programs to be announced.

AUDIO STREAMING GROWS IN USA Audio streaming continues to grow in the US. While weekly streams have jumped by 203% in just two years, the volume in the first 19 weeks of 2016 was 149.8 billion, according to Nielsen. This was up 61.7% from the same period on 2015. Of this number, audio streaming accounted for 53.3% (or 79.8 billion streams), up 96.2% compared to the same period of 2015.

Video streams grew 34.7% to 70 billion.

thebrag.com

GROVE STUDIOS OPEN DAY FOR DIPLOMA

With Grove Studios beginning its Diploma of Sound Production on Monday July 11, it is taking enrolments and holding an Open Day on Saturday June 4 at Mangrove Road, Somersby from 10am-2pm. The diploma, taught in a professional working studio, covers analogue and digital recording, live PA, post production, music editing, location recording, mixing and Pro Tools. Guest lecturers include Scott Horscroft, Grove’s head producer and director Burke Reid, Jean-Paul Fung, Ryan Hazel and Jackson Barclay. See full details at thegrovestudios. com. Diploma students can also undertake an internship at the Grove Studios.

EUROVISION RATINGS UP IN OZ The Eurovision Song Contest was another success for SBS, with a total 3.7 million metro and regional Australians tuning in for the two semi-finals and grand final. These were SBS’ highest ratings for the year. The grand final rose 13% from last year with 1.4 million viewers. The SBS Eurovision website received nearly 800,000 visits since the Eurovision page was launched at the end of April, up 82% year-on-year. Unique

NEW SIGNINGS #4: THE DO YO THANGS & HOPESTREET Funk/soul label HopeStreet Recordings has added slow-jam/R&B group The Do Yo Thangs alongside Emma Donovan, The Cactus Channel and The Bombay Royale. The Do Yo Thangs, the brainchild of drummer and singer Hugh Rabinovici, will release their debut EP in coming months.

DOUBLE J LAUNCHES PODCAST Double J has launched a new podcast called Don’t Look Back, a weekly chat with artists about how music provided them with life-changing moments and which songs soundtracked their lives. It will be hosted by Caz Tran and the first three episodes feature Wayne Coyne on finding his brother’s drug stash, Gareth Liddiard on discovering jazz and Gillian Welch on finding comfort in darkness.

PANDORA HIT WITH ‘CORPORATE BULLYING’ CHARGES Pandora Australia/New Zealand has reportedly been hit with four lawsuits from former employees claiming “corporate bullying” by senior management, according to NZ trade title

NEW SIGNINGS #1: BIN JUICE & MONDAY RECORDS

Sydney funk/psych five-piece Bin Juice have signed with Monday Records and are planning their debut label release. Creating their songs from jam sessions, their live shows are renowned for being high-energy affairs.

Bin Juice

StopPress. The accusation has been denied

by Pandora, which told Ad News they were “baseless and without merit”. It is believed that those initiating action are former Pandora NZ commercial director Melanie Reece, who resigned at the end of 2015, and former regional sales chief Matthew Hunt.

Lifelines Hospitalised: Calvin Harris was a passenger in a car driving him to LA airport so he could do his weekly Las Vegas show, when it was hit by another car.

Hospitalised: Michael Bublé underwent vocal surgery, forcing him to pull out of a Marvin Gaye tribute concert and a Canadian awards ceremony. He expects to make a full recovery.

Recovered: Anthony Kiedis is due back performing with Red Hot Chili Peppers soon, after his scary hospital stay for what turned out to be intestinal flu.

Hospitalised: Michael Jackson’s father Joe, 87, fell ill with high fever during a routine check-up in LA. He had a stroke in Brazil last year and is a diabetic.

In Court: Maroon 5 bassist Mickey Madden got a one-day community service sentence for possession of cocaine this year. He was spotted passing a container of the stuff outside a New York nightclub to film producer James ‘Bingo’ Gubelmann, ex-boyfriend of Donald Trump’s daughter.

Sued: Justin Bieber for US$650,000 by Montreal events company Team Productions. The 22-year-old was paid to turn up at a club, sing some songs and hang with patrons. But Team Productions felt he wasn’t promoting the gig enough on social media, as he was supposed to. Things got frosty, and Bieber refused to turn up on the day and blamed them for their “breach of contract”, which they say made them look liars and lost them work.

Suing: Alanis Morissette, against her former business manager, for fraud, saying she was robbed of almost US$5 million from her account, which he used on his lavish lifestyle. He claims she invested her money in illegal marijuana fields.

In Court: Russian political punk performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky was convicted of vandalism by a Russian court – to wit, waving Ukrainian flags with other activists and trying to set alight the door of the secret service building in a pro-Ukrainian rally two years ago.

Died: Beatles publicist Tony Barrow, 80, who coined the term ‘the Fab Four’.

Died: Adrian Slattery, frontman of Melbourne’s Big Smoke and Major Major, from cancer. Big Smoke’s debut album will be released in tribute.

Died: Grammy-winning US country singer-songwriter Guy Clark, 74.

Born in Texas, he was best known for ‘L.A. Freeway’ and ‘Desperados Waiting For A Train’. His songs were covered by the likes of Johnny Cash, Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs, and he mentored future stars Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell.

Died: John Berry, original member of the Beastie Boys, 52, after suffering from “frontal lobe dementia, which worsened in recent months”. He helped form and name the band in 1982.

Died: former Megadeth drummer Nick Menza, 51, after collapsing during a gig in California with his current band OHM.

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Tiny Ruins Riding The Dream Wave By Augustus Welby

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iny Ruins’ Hollie Fullbrook can’t talk about her project’s latest single ‘Dream Wave’ without sounding like a class-A name-dropper. David Lynch produced the track, which itself is a dazzling detail. But once you learn that the partnership with Lynch came about after he tweeted he was a fan and then Ella YelichO’Connor (AKA Lorde) put him in touch, it begins to sound like an embellished Hollywood scenario.

It’s certainly good press release fodder, but what’s more significant is that Fullbrook’s session with Lynch resulted in another elegant, scenic folk number to add to the Tiny Ruins catalogue.

That said, one can’t help but enquire into the Auckland musician’s experiences alongside the American film and television auteur.

“I got an email from Ella,” Fullbrook says. “She knew that David Lynch was a fan of ours because he talked about us on Twitter about a year previously. And like only she can do, she took the initiative and called his people up, and because he already knew us I think he was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, I’ll do it.’ Then I had to send a whole bunch of demos and he chose ‘Dream Wave’ out of three demos that I sent. “[There was] maybe a week or two while we were still on tour where I was not really sure whether it was going to go ahead or not. It was a very bizarre feeling – ‘Either I’m going meet David Lynch in the next week, or it’s not going to happen.’

Then it did all happen very quickly and it was just lucky that we had two days off, so I flew to LA and that was that.”

Luck, however, can’t take responsibility for the spacious excellence of ‘Dream Wave’. “I had to keep reminding myself, ‘There was a reason he wanted to do it.

He really liked the song,’” Fullbrook says. “I’m trying not to be that annoying humble person all the time. I know it’s something that New Zealanders instinctively do. I think it’s important to celebrate that it did happen.”

It’s a stripped-back recording, featuring just Fullbrook and Lynch, with the rest of the Tiny Ruins band absent. “He did add some really amazing elements to the song, with the Twin Peaks-y bassline, and he used a cinematic technique that picks up on what chords are being played and adds this kind of atmosphere sound. We were working in his cinema editing suite, which is also his music studio.

It was really amazing hearing the songs through his cinema speakers.”

‘Dream Wave’ is the latest in a succession of impressive releases from Tiny Ruins. The project’s second LP Brightly Painted One landed in early 2014, and it’s just as capable of slowing down time two years later as it was on first listen.

Then came Hurtling Through, a collaborative EP between Fullbrook and Hamish Kilgour of The Clean, which came out late last year. In the wake of these releases, Tiny Ruins’ international profile has continued to expand, with the group making headway in Europe and the US as well as appearing at the Meredith Music Festival and supporting the likes of Sharon Van Etten. Despite this ongoing stream of success,

Fullbrook doesn’t believe the band has hit the big time just yet.

“It’s quite hard for a band these days to know how many people are listening to them,” she says. “But then something will happen that will hit you and you’ll go, ‘Oh shit, maybe people do know who we are.’ I do feel like every year we’ve stepped it up a little level more in terms of our playing and our writing and recording. I would never have expected to still be doing this. I always dreamed of playing music for my job, but I never really imagined that we would get this far.”

This feeling of incredulity is something Fullbrook wants to hang onto. And anyway, it’s not yet possible to take her success for

granted. “We’re in a weird place, because in some territories, like in Europe and the US for example, we’re still relatively unknown. Our shows there are still very small and touring is really low-budget, sleeping on people’s floors. So we’re in a space now where we’re able to do quite big things at home and in Australia and a few other places, and then we’re brought down to earth very quickly as soon as we go a bit further afield.”

One of those big things is Tiny Ruins’ upcoming Vivid LIVE performance at the Sydney Opera House. Fullbrook and the band are well accustomed to life on the road – in recent years they’ve played in dingy bars and tiny theatres, zoos, churches and at major festivals.

But while they’re not unfamiliar with unique shows, headlining the Sydney Opera House represents a certain level of achievement.

“We were thrilled to bits when we got asked. It was totally out of the blue. It made me feel like we’ve come quite a long way in the last three or four years of playing together as a group. I feel like for any international band it’s a huge honour to play at the Sydney Opera House. It is one of those venues that everyone knows. We’re really excited about it.”

What: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid LIVE 2016 When: Wednesday June 1

Black Stone Cherry Kentucky Fried Rock’N’Roll By Adam Norris as people. Every day we’re playing music, that’s always been how [we work]. As long as people like us doing what we do, there’s no need to change.

“You look at the great bands throughout history, and there are two different kinds. Led Zeppelin never made the same album twice, but then you get bands like AC/ DC who have always just done what they do best. I think what we’ve always tried to do is keep a consistent effort in maintaining the sound, but never getting it too similar to the previous sound. It’s kind of the best of both worlds. I feel like on this record, maybe more so than any other we’ve done, we’ve captured the essence, the integrity of what we’ve always done, but embellished it, given it something slightly different.”

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“That place has influenced the way we sound and who we are more than anything the four of us 10 :: BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16

had done before,” Robertson says of Practice House, the isolated getaway inherited from Kentucky Headhunters (who just so happen to be related to Black Stone Cherry drummer John Young). “It’s practically where we learned to play instruments, where we write songs together. You just walk into that house and it oozes soul and music. You can’t describe it, and if you’ve never seen it it’s hard to understand what I mean, but when you walk in you just know: this is a house that was built for music. It’s old and in bad shape, but still we go there to rehearse and write. It’s as much a member of the band as I am.”

Such is its significance that it even features as the new album’s cover art. It’s hard to imagine a more appropriate symbol for Black Stone Cherry – the rooms where rock first stitched the band together, and which have been the fulcrum for every step the four-piece has been inspired to take.

“I think collectively we have our own sound, but obviously we still want to evolve,” says Robertson.

“But we’ve never said, ‘We’ve done heavy Southern rock, so let’s try something different.’ It’s always been, ‘Let’s just write Black Stone Cherry songs.’ The evolution that’s going to happen is because of us

“I think what keeps us from doing the same thing over and over is the fact that you experience different things at different times of life, and then you experience the same thing again at another point in life, and the way they translate becomes different too. ‘Remember Me’ off Magic Mountain was written on the day of my grandfather’s funeral on my mother’s side. And then you look at ‘Long Ride’ on the new record.

The first part of the song is talking

As Black Stone Cherry have developed, so too has their audience grown, but the sheer number of fans they have amassed still strikes Robertson as incredible – seeing international crowds swell from a hundred punters to hordes a thousand strong has blown his mind. Suffice to say, let’s try not to disappoint them during their imminent tour across the country with Steel Panther.

“The hardest part now is just working out the setlist. I mean, we’ve got five albums, and you don’t know which ones the fans like better there. The setlist we’ve been doing now, we’ve been trying to keep songs from each album. The new fans who come to the show, whether it be in the UK or back home in the States or Australia, they might not be that familiar with us, and so we try to make it so they have a little bit of everything. It’s like this nice, small painting of the band’s career … So really man, that’s all just a long way of saying we’re excited to see how it goes down there.”

What: Kentucky out now through Mascot Where: Supporting Steel Panther at the Big Top, Luna Park When: Friday June 17

thebrag.com

Black Stone Cherry photo by Rob Fenn

tep into a closet and you might find yourself in the middle of a frozen forest.

Step into the flames and you might find yourself adorned with dragons (though probably best not try this at home, kids). Step into a certain house in Kentucky, however, and you might just discover a different type of magic. Black Stone Cherry have been plying the rock trade for 15 years now, but at their heart sits a house with a history. Frontman Chris Robertson talks about the path to their latest album, Kentucky.

Listening to Kentucky, this is no offhand sentiment. It is markedly different from 2014’s Magic Mountain – darker, yet ultimately an optimistic record – and may well be the high watermark in the band’s already impressive career. Traces of Black Stone Cherry’s evolution are embedded across the album, in part through the inevitable development of their musicianship. But it is the ordinary passage of time, of life and death, that gives this growth substance.

about my son and my wife, and the last part is about my grandfather on my father’s side, who passed away in 2014. There are two songs that both deal about the loss of my grandfathers, but they’re two totally different songs. Lyrically, the vibe, they’re totally different, but deal with the same thing years apart.

You start to get older, you start to see things in a new light. The same thing might happen to you at different times of life, but they can affect you in very different ways.”

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Betty & Oswald Bringing Britney Back By Joseph Earp the stage since Newtown Festival last November. Real life got in the way for a little bit, and the duo find that their day jobs can sometimes interrupt what they really want to be doing. Schmidt works in a café, whereas Sotiropoulos is a little luckier – he teaches guitar in a selfproclaimed ‘rock school’.

“It’s nice being at work and being able to think about music,” Sotiropoulos says.

“Better than thinking about bread and coffee,” Schmidt chimes in.

Sotiropoulos laughs. “All these jobs are just kind of jobs for now,” he says. “I mean, it’s fun to have a job you don’t take too seriously. But when you do that for more than four hours, it definitely starts to drain on you.”

P

ete Sotiropoulos and Claudia Schmidt are sitting in their car, chasing reception. “Can you hear us OK?” Sotiropoulos asks. “There’s shitty signal in our house so we had to go and drive somewhere where it’s better.”

It’s a fitting way for the two halves of Betty & Oswald to begin an interview – without fanfare or pretence. After all, their

unmanufactured quality has been the key to their sound since the beginning, and though the pair have never stuck to a single genre, they’ve certainly always stuck to themselves.

“We’re not worrying about what comes out [when we write],” Sotiropoulos explains of the band’s transition from gypsy folk to a newer, surf-rock-indebted sound.

“We’re not trying to fit it into what we were doing before. We all found it really fun to write these different songs that we wouldn’t normally write.”

Schmidt and Sotiropoulos are only just returning to music after what feels like a lengthy absence – their upcoming gig at Newtown Social Club represents the first time they have properly taken to

Nonetheless, the humdrum mundanity of daily life has provided the spark for some of the band’s recent tunes. Along with Patti Smith’s Just Kids (“A beautiful book,” Sotiropoulos says), Betty & Oswald have found inspiration in normality. “Mostly [our songs] are just about being stuck in the city,” says Sotiropoulos. “Driving ourselves a little crazy. And the absurdity of everyone working so much, and how that is what our lives revolve around these days.”

The band isn’t some diversion for Schmidt and Sotiropoulos – making music has been their fantasy for a long, long time. “For me, I’ve definitely always wanted to make music,” Schmidt says. “I think I had dreams of being Britney Spears.

And they never died.”

“Bring Britney back,” Sotiropoulos laughs.

“I’d have to kill her first,” says Schmidt.

In those early, Britney-centric days, Schmidt was so confident that she performed without the threat of nerves. “I think I got nervous later,” she says. “When I first started performing I was 11 and I had no fear. It was later [when] I realised there’s a world out there watching you.”

Though stage fright has recently begun raising its ugly head, Betty & Oswald are driven more than anything else by a deep love for what they do. “Looking out at the audience, I just feel euphoric,” Schmidt says. “Just looking out and seeing people listening and enjoying it – that’s the thing I need to keep going.”

“It’s been months since we’ve played live and got that immediate response from people,” Sotiropoulos says.

“You spend so much time squirrelled away writing, but then you see people getting into it and you’re like, ‘Oh good, this is great.’ In the leadup, when you’re not [performing], you forget what that connection is. That’s why it’s so much fun. You forget how normal it is.”

What: Newtown Social Club 2nd Birthday With: Richard In Your Mind, Slumberhaze, Mario Speedwagon and The Spectacles and more Where: Newtown Social Club When: Sunday June 5

Models The Language Of Song By Joseph Earp “I’m interested in how music talks to people,” he says. “I’m not saying like a lyric, like a Paul Kelly song. My mind doesn’t work like that. I’ve never been very good at processing lyrics.

I’ve tried listening to lyrics and I can’t – I get too involved in the music.”

That mistrust of language is fairly evident across Models’ discography.

Though Freud’s songwriting injected a jolting dose of autobiography into the mix, on the whole the band members always seemed suspicious of wearing their hearts on their sleeves, at least in an obvious way.

“A lot of the time with Models it’s been a pretty abstract connection between lyrics and the music anyway,” Duffield says. “I particularly love that about Sean Kelly’s writing for the band. It can be particularly obtuse and delicious.”

A

ndrew Duffield is having a pretty good day. The longserving keyboard player for Australian new wave chart-busters Models has just been appointed to the board of a not-for-profit organisation called Visionary Images, a charitable group he has been associated with for over a decade.

“I’ve helped them with work in the past,” Duffield says. “It’s about creating public art with disadvantaged and disempowered youth. It’s really tremendous work that they do. I was pleased to be invited onto the board. But gee, what a weird thing that is,” he laughs. “It’s all, ‘I second that motion!’ and that

12 :: BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16

kind of stuff. All these funny protocols and rituals.”

For Duffield, using music to help heal those who need it most isn’t some late-career U-turn. The artist has spent the better part of his life believing in rock’s power to redeem, even if he initially struggles to explain exactly what it all means to him. “I find music hits me on some sort of…

I wouldn’t say it’s a transcendental level.” He hesitates. “But it’s, uh…

Oh, I dunno. Help me out!”

He tries again. “Over the course of my career … I’ve found there’s an air of vulnerability to musicians.

Musicians work in a pre-lingual kind of state. There’s something very

‘early’ [about our] communication.

There have been studies done into the life of musicians, and they do die before the general public do. I’m kind of interested in those things.”

Duffield isn’t simply speaking in abstracts. James Freud, the songwriter behind Models’ ‘Barbados’, committed suicide in 2010 after a long battle with alcoholism. The chorus nestled like a snake at the centre of ‘Barbados’ – “I am the voice left from drinking” – wasn’t some kind of tangential poetic rumination. It was the bold truth.

Not that Duffield himself always thinks the strength of a good song necessarily comes from the words.

Such a kind of strange, barely defined creative process means it’s hard for Duffield to pinpoint exactly how songs get written. The processes that formed a track like Models’ 1985 hit ‘Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight’ are natural – like the pressures that turn coal into diamonds. “Rock bands are dysfunctional kind of families, I suppose,” he says. “You all have to coexist and everyone has to communicate their bit. I mean, we all had our strengths and our weaknesses that we were able to bring to the table.”

Models are a democracy, then – they always have been – and Duffield thinks the concept of musical auteurs is ultimately an outdated one. “What you discover is that unless you’re really trying to be tyrannical about it … ultimately the music is going to be the combination of those four people [in the band]. You can stamp your feet all you want and say, ‘I don’t like that drum feel,’ or ‘I don’t like the bassline,’ but it’s not going to ultimately [work]. That band is

who they are. They are that group of people.”

Such lessons learnt during his time in the band helped Duffield when he had to go it alone. During Models’ extended periods of silence, has Duffield directed his energy towards other projects, penning jingles and TV show themes. He even crafted the legendary earworm that kicked off each episode of the ABC kids’ show Round The Twist.

“It’s not about language,” Duffield says. “I think [it’s like] football. Anyone can speak about football with equal ability. You might be the most trained sportswriter, but in many ways the opinion of a five-year-old could be as telling of the outcome … Similarly, visuals and music – I think one is attracted to the other. [Soundtracks] and music for advertising are about complementing visuals with sound. So that’s something I’m very attuned to.

Doing advertising is a fantastic kind of leveller.

“I had to do work with McDonald’s and Cadbury’s,” he adds. “There are all these people in suits who are used to marketing and outcomes and you have to discuss music with them. And if you can engage them – if you can get them to loosen their neckties a little and stop being their marketing degree – then they can show a bit of passion.

[That’s] really interesting.”

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter whether Duffield is writing for Cadbury or the ABC, or Models, or even for himself.

Not much distinguishes a jingle from a pop hit or a theme song, anyway – the end result is always the same. “Music is a common language,” he says. “It’s our way of communicating passion without killing each other.”

With: Machinations, Dave Mason Where: Enmore Theatre When: Sunday May 29 thebrag.com

Deafheaven An Escape From Bermuda By Augustus Welby

D

eafheaven’s inclusion on the 2016 Vivid LIVE bill is no accident, though the Californians’ stylistic orientation sets them apart from the majority of acts that have ever played the festival. Splicing together black metal, shoegaze, hardcore and post-rock, Deafheaven are a unique phenomenon.

Against the odds, Deafheaven had a major breakthrough in 2013 with their second LP, Sunbather. While not accompanied by a hefty marketing campaign, it became the subject of lofty praise from critics and music lovers of all stripes, establishing the group as not just one of the more interesting contemporary rock bands, but an act that could break down boundaries in peoples’ taste. Sunbather garnered interest regardless of listeners’ existing genre allegiances – eliciting as much curiosity from Mayhem fans as those who prefer, say, Built To Spill.

However, as vocalist George Clarke explains, it wasn’t Deafheaven’s objective to make a genre-thwarting album.

“Obviously we understood that what we were doing was combining a lot of different things into a melting pot of music,” he says, “but there was no political motivation. There was no, ‘We’re going to tear this down. We’re going to show people that you can do this and do this.’ It’s just the music we like and it’s the way we write songs.

And that’s all we really are – we’re just songwriters and that’s how they come out. There’s not a whole lot of behindthe-scenes other than that.”

When Sunbather arrived, Deafheaven weren’t exactly newcomers – Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy started working on Deafheaven demos in 2009, and they signed with US

punk and metal imprint Deathwish to release their 2011 debut, Roads To Judah. But prior to Sunbather’s unexpected explosion, Deafheaven were still relatively unknown, especially on this side of the planet.

Last year’s New Bermuda gained a similar response, solidifying their position as one of the decade’s most critically acclaimed rock bands and opening up such opportunities as the Vivid LIVE gig. The exceptional nature of the band’s critical standing isn’t lost on Clarke.

“I think it’s very cool,” he says. “I’m very excited to play the Opera House, and any time a record gets praised it’s very appreciated. But I do think it is a bit of a pay-off as well – we’re a very hard-working band. We have not slowed down for the last few years, and I think people are seeing our work and it’s getting us places.”

Looking beyond which genre category Deafheaven ought to be listed under, their music is inherently challenging. This applies to New Bermuda perhaps even more so than Sunbather – the record includes just five songs, each between eight and ten minutes long, and all containing elaborate shifts in tone and texture and juxtaposing dynamics.

“We enjoy writing music that makes people think, and I’m glad that that’s the reaction these songs have received,” says Clarke. “Whether it be positive or negative, I think it’s important to create something that is satisfying in that way. But ultimately it’s just the way we write songs. We just like this kind of stuff and we like this kind of stuff, so we figure, why not put them together?”

It helps that Clarke and McCoy have a knack for blending their somewhat disparate interests. The history

of popular music contains many instances of musicians haplessly merging incongruous stylistic elements (think Limp Bizkit, or Nelly’s recent ‘country hip hop’ offerings). But where the attempts of other acts have felt cheap, Deafheaven’s music is implicit of the members’ broad music tastes.

Individual songs on New Bermuda, such as ‘Brought To The Water’ and ‘Come Back’, contain more musical deviations than some bands cover in an entire career, and listening far and wide plays an integral part in maintaining their creative versatility.

“Even though we’re using the influence of a lot of different styles, it can still feel stagnant,” Clarke says.

“If our next album were to sound like New Bermuda or sound like Sunbather – even though those albums have a lot of different sounds in them – it would be boring. So it’s important to always listen to new music and think about music and what can work and what doesn’t and what would be a cool idea. If what you do is write music and perform music, you’re going to always try and find new ways to keep it fresh and keep it interesting to yourself.”

Along with releasing New Bermuda, Deafheaven’s touring schedule has been fairly unrelenting since their previous Australian visit in early 2014. They’ve now performed the songs from Sunbather countless times, and it’s starting to feel that way with the New Bermuda material. These aren’t compositions you can enter into lightly; both the heavy sections and the gentler sections require a real emotional investment, not to mention the gruelling physical task Clarke faces in summoning his freakish scream.

But again, such practice comes naturally to the band.

“I feel energised by emotionally driven music, and I think that playing emotionally driven music keeps everyone at full throttle onstage.

As long as it’s meaningful, we can keep up our pace. You just have to practise enough and perform enough to where running the marathon of our set doesn’t seem too strenuous anymore.

“Especially for an audience that’s there to see you, I think that’s

important to put yourself in that space.

It’s the one thing that we’re there to do, and it would be a disservice to everyone around us if we didn’t [go all the way].”

What: New Bermuda out now through Anti-/Warner Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid LIVE 2016 When: Thursday June 2

LIVE

AT THE

5

$

TINNIES ALL NIGHT

SLY

5

$

FIREBALL WHISKEYS 7.30 - 9.30PM

Thurs 26 May

PROJECT COLLECTIVE SKA FEAT. TONY HUGHES (KINGTIDE) BROKEBEAT MOUNTAIN COLOURFIELDS

1 9 9 E N M O R E R OA D, E N M O R E thebrag.com

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arts in focus

arts news...what's goin' on around town... with Augustus Welby, Keiren Jolly and Zanda Wilson

free stuff head to: thebrag.com/freeshit Sebastian Maniscalco

education profile WITH

ourses on offer: Auditions are currently open for the Screenwise Showreel Course, a 12-month, part-time course that develops and refines screen acting skills required for a professional and competitive showreel.

C

What makes us different: Graduates from the Showreel Course not only develop a

SCREENWISE

showreel that illustrates the breadth and depth of their acting calibre, students are also equipped with the skills and confidence needed to back up their showreel performances when they land important auditions and screen tests.

Losers, A Place To Call Home) plus more. In addition, Screenwise Showreel students have scored roles in Janet King, Underbelly, Home And Away, Rescue, Crownies, Packed To The Rafters and countless TV commercials whilst studying at Screenwise.

Who are the teachers? Overseen by Screenwise CEO and Principal, Denise Roberts (Schapelle, Wonderland, Packed To The Rafters), Screenwise tutors are current industry professionals – award-winning actors, directors and casting consultants including John Jarratt, Gary Sweet, Sarah Wiseman, Robert Mammone and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, just to name a few.

What else you need to know: The Showreel Course is an extremely popular course, and due to its boutique style, spots are limited and fill up quickly.

Take the next step: The Showreel Course is a proven launch pad, boasting actors of the calibre of Stef Dawson (Hunger Games: Mockingjay), George Houvardas (Packed To The Rafters), Tabrett Bethell (Legend Of The Seeker), Christian Clark (Gabriel), Ed Kavalee (actor and radio host), Nathaniel Buzolic (The Vampire Diaries), Matt Levett (Winners &

Enrolment dates: Auditions for the Showreel Course are held each year from September till early January for the January intake and April till June for the July intake. Students can choose their preference of either two classes on one day or two evenings per week.

Address: 84-86 Mary St, Surry Hills Phone: (02) 9281 4484 Email: info@screenwise.com.au Website: screenwise.com.au

SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO

Sebastian Maniscalco is a 2014 American Comedy Award nominee who has appeared on The Late Late Show, Conan and The Tonight Show, as well as having filmed an acclaimed observational television special Aren’t You Embarrassed? in 2014. Now Maniscalco is touring Australia for the first time in June 2016, and will bring his unique brand of stand-up to the Enmore Theatre on Saturday June 4.

As it happens, we’ve got two double passes to give away to Maniscalco’s Sydney show.

To enter the draw, head to thebrag.com/ freeshit. xxx

Aunty Donna

equipment that filmmakers usually have to contend with is no barrier to this festival, of course, and it offers talented unsung creatives the chance to have their films seen by not only a national audience, but a global one. Entries are open until Monday August 1, and the ten finalist films will screen at a gala awards night on Friday August 26 at Chauvel Cinema. The top ten will be made available for public voting online, and the winning filmmakers and actors will take home prize packs worth over $7,000.

Visit sf3.com.au and get filming.

NIDA

Observation Society, Guangzhou

AN AUDIENCE WITH AUNTY

Aunty Donna were one of the standouts of the 2016 comedy festival season, and the Melbourne sketch trio have announced a big ol’ national tour to celebrate. Made up of Broden Kelly, Zachary Ruane and Mark Samual Bonanno, Aunty Donna and their festival offering New Show had audiences in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney collecting their jaws from the floor. With sketch comedy that errs more towards comedic than sketchy, Aunty Donna are playing some of their biggest-ever Australian shows this June and July.

See them at the Enmore Theatre on Thursday July 7.

MICHAEL MCINTYRE LIVE

London comedian Michael McIntyre has confirmed a round of enormous Australian shows as part of his Happy & Glorious world tour. If you regard the UK as the home of comedy – which many do – then McIntyre could be seen as one the leading proponents of comedy worldwide. Why’s that? Well, he’s only the UK’s biggest-selling bloody comedian, isn’t he? But while his sales figures are something to boast about, what’s more significant is McIntyre’s on point social satire and observational comedy, influenced by the likes of Woody Allen and Billy Connolly, and seen on such programs as Live At The Apollo and The Michael McIntyre Chat Show. See McIntyre chatting at Qudos Bank Arena on Friday October 21.

SMARTFONE FLICK FEST

Australia’s only dedicated smartphone film festival, SmartFone Flick Fest (or SF3, as the cool kids call it) is back for 2016 – and entries are open now. The high cost of production 14 :: BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16

SISTER CITIES UNITE

Marking the 30th anniversary of Sydney’s sisterly relationship with the Chinese city of Guangzhou, a two-stage exhibition will be hosted across both cities. Sydney’s 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art will collaborate with the Observation Society, Guangzhou to bring together a unique project across two art spaces. The two galleries are removed by their geography, but will be linked through the Sea Pearl White Cloud exhibition, which will highlight the unique urban conditions across the sister cities. Sea Pearl White Cloud will be on display in Sydney from Saturday July 30 – Saturday September 24.

NIDA JUNE PRODUCTIONS

Mixing original works with Shakespearean classics and international plays, the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) has a diverse month planned for its annual June production season. At the starting line is The Olympians, making a timely premiere on Saturday June 11. The original work

by Stephen Sewell dips into themes of national identity and power on the world stage, and it will play on the eve of the Rio Games, running (no pun intended) until Saturday June 18 at NIDA’s Parade Theatre.

Meanwhile, German playwright Marius von Mayenburg’s Eldorado comes to NIDA’s Space Theatre for the same period, directed by NIDA graduate Imara Savage. A Sarah Goodes-directed Scorched runs from Tuesday June 14 – Monday June 20, and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night are being reimagined from Tuesday June 7 – Wednesday June 15 at NIDA’s Playhouse and Atrium Theatres, respectively.

GO GO JOBRANI

Renowned Iranian comedian Maz Jobrani will head to Australia for two special shows this year. A founding member of the Axis Of Evil comedy group, Jobrani has had three successful television specials with Brown And Friendly, I Come In Peace, and most recently I’m Not A Terrorist, But I’ve Played One On TV. Jobrani’s comedy tackles topics of politics, race, religion and other common issues that exist in our daily lives. He takes pride in breaking down stereotypes about Iranians and the Middle East in general, and at a time when the Middle East and the West are in deep-rooted conflicts, he sets out to help bring the two worlds closer together.

Catch him at the Enmore Theatre on Thursday July 14.

ICKE WAKES UP

Controversial conspiracy author David Icke is bringing his world tour to Sydney in celebration of the release of his latest book. Icke is at the forefront of authoring books that over the years have aimed to expose hidden political agendas, secret societies, espionage and covert manipulation of the masses. Although much of his work has been labelled as conspiracy theory, several of his arguments have been confirmed through ensuing events. Icke is now embarking on a world tour to launch his latest book Phantom Self, which explores how the current state of the world is only a reflection of the stage of the individual, and suggests that we are living in a

time when we must choose between apathy and taking responsibility for the collapse of a world that we helped to create. Icke will bring Phantom Self to Sydney Town Hall on Saturday July 16.

MAKING MODERNISM

The Art Gallery of New South Wales, Heide Museum of Modern Art and Queensland Art Gallery are coming together to present O’Keeffe, Preston And Cossington Smith: Making Modernism, a ground-breaking exhibition that will bring a major body of Georgia O’Keeffe’s work to Australia for the first time. As well as showcasing the iconic art of O’Keeffe, one of the most significant American painters of the 20th century, the exhibition will also showcase modernist masterpieces by pioneering Australian artists Margaret Preston and Grace Cossington Smith. Making Modernism will show at the Art Gallery of NSW from July until October 2017.

HOME AND AWAY

Sport For Jove has planned a short run of shows for the 30th anniversary of Australian theatre staple Away. Michael Gow’s classic tale of death and renewal will be reimagined by co-directors Samantha Young and Damien Ryan, and includes acting talents Georgia Scott, James Bell and Sarah Woods. See it at Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres from Thursday June 2 – Monday June 6, and at the Seymour Centre’s York Theatre from Wednesday June 22 – Saturday June 25. thebrag.com

COVER FEATURE

THE BRAG’S GUIDE TO:

MY SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL With Festival Director Nashen Moodley

SY NEY FILM FESTIVAL

8 –19 JUNE 2016

EMBEDDED Political Erotica By Joseph Earp

M

y fifth year as festival director is the festival’s 63rd, with a theme very close to my heart. Six simple words: change your view, change your world. They describe the remarkable way that changing your frame of reference can alter your entire reality. I believe films can do this more effectively than any other medium. The immersive quality of cinema, simultaneously engaging so many of our senses, makes other lives, other worlds and other places compellingly real, whether fact or fiction. This allows you to change your view, seeing the world anew again.

Over the past few years, the power of film to cause real change has been demonstrated over and over.

From Blackfi sh to Gayby Baby, documentaries may be the obvious candidates, but features do it too.

Last Cab To Darwin’s plea for the right to die with dignity resonated with audiences last year and has helped move that debate along.

One film’s title from last year asked How To Change The World. My short answer would be, “Make a film.” I look forward to your discovery of this year’s life-, nation- and world-changing films. Some of the hundreds of new views to be found in this program include national perspectives in Irish Cinema: From Rebels To New Romantics and Korea On The Verge: Social Faultlines In Korean Cinema to broader programs including European Cinema: 10 Women Filmmakers To Watch. We will also change your view of the future of screen culture through our new free virtual reality and iCinema experiences.

With changed classification rules this year, we can make more films accessible to younger audiences, and a larger youth program means Sydney Film Festival’s appeal is broader than ever.

This year we will present 244 films from 60 countries, and the program includes 25 world premieres, three international premieres and 137 Australian premieres.

So plan your festival journey well! And I’ll see you there.

N

ecessity really is the mother of invention. Just spend any time talking to Australian playwrightturned-filmmaker Stephen Sewell and you’ll realise how much creativity can be born from restriction. The lauded writer’s debut directorial feature, Embedded – a stripped-back erotic thriller screening as part of Sydney Film Festival – didn’t come into this world naturally. In fact, on a strictly practical level, it’s a kind of large-scale demo reel.

“I have another film in the works with [Embedded producer] Steve Jaggi,” Sewell explains. “There was interest in the United States for it but the investors over there said, ‘The problem is, Stephen Sewell hasn’t directed a film before. Get him to direct a film and then come back.’ So Steve said, ‘Let’s make a film that we can get together quite easily.’ And I said, ‘I’m sure I can whip one up.’ So the restriction was a budgetary restriction, which translated into locations and the size of the cast.”

Luckily, Sewell is the kind of artist who really can simply ‘whip up’ such a colossal project at short notice. His experience writing the screenplays for such lauded films as Rowan Woods’ dark Aussie thriller The Boys (a new print of which will also screen during the festival) and the confronting, similarly minimal horror film Lost Things put him in good stead when it came to crafting Embedded’s troubling plot.

“I’ve been a writer for many, many years, so writing isn’t so hard for me anymore,” Sewell says. “I have a great history [in dealing] with political themes. I have a particular interest – along with many other people – in the conflict in the Middle East … Though maybe it’s wrong to say ‘interest’. It evolved in that kind of way. It wasn’t terribly hard to write. It wasn’t terribly hard to research. And the philosophical issues are things I have been thinking about for many years as well.”

Embedded hinges upon a one-night stand, as Australian war correspondent Frank (the gravelly voiced Nick Barkla) begins a tryst with a mysterious, potentially dangerous stranger named Madaline (Saw V’s Laura Gordon). Though the majority of the movie takes place in the confi nes of a hotel room, it quickly becomes apparent that the couple’s budding, brutal relationship is a kind of emotional stand-in for a whole myriad of other issues, not least of all the impact of violence and the state’s ceaseless desire to spy on its constituents.

And yet despite the intensity of the material and the fact the project represented his first foray into directing, Sewell paints a surprisingly non-taxing portrait of the shoot. “Having a producer behind me who really believed in my work and wanted it to happen was [great],” he says. “There were never any negotiations with him where he was saying, ‘Can we do this, can we do that, can you tone it down?’ It was nothing like that. He was just absolutely supportive and encouraging to me within the parameters of the budgetary restraints.”

Certainly, one can imagine the kind of producer who might have balked at the film’s subject matter. As much as anything else, Embedded is a staggeringly explicit film, though it’s more interested in shock than titillation.

The sadomasochistic relationship at the movie’s centre isn’t simply meant to allure. In the style of Sewell’s celebrated play The Blind Giant Is Dancing, the intensely personal and the intensely political become intertwined with each other. “That’s certainly been one of the focuses of my entire body of work,” he says.

Such an erotic fi lm as Embedded could not have been made without the support of a tight, immensely

committed crew, and Sewell speaks gratefully about every member of his team – not least of all because his production assistant, Karla Urizar, also happens to be his wife. “My wife Karla … found it really, really hard with such a small crew,” Sewell admits. “I was in a privileged position as the director. I was being protected by all the other heads of departments from their difficulty. My difficulty was simply getting the performance and the shot.

From that point it wasn’t hard at all.”

The fi lm’s erotic action is interspersed with battle scenes, as Frank’s brutal recollections of his time spent in the Middle East begin to bubble back to the surface. Unsurprisingly, these exteriors proved problematic in terms of shooting schedule. “We did two weeks in the QT boutique hotel down in George Street but then we had to wait almost another year to shoot the exteriors,” says the director.

Indeed, the sex scenes were much easier to shoot. Though erotic set-ups in movies are notoriously unappealing and embarrassing for all involved, Sewell bypassed this awkwardness by casting a real-life couple to play the fi lm’s lascivious pair.

“There was an intimacy that they had anyhow that made it much easier to deal with those scenes,” he says. “I mean, professional actors know how to do eroticism for sure, but with the speed we had to get there, it was very good that they had a shorthand. They were comfortable with one another and they were trusting of one another.”

In many ways, that trust is the fuel that keeps Embedded’s fires burning. One just hopes for the sake of the movie’s two leads that their off-screen relationship is rather less intense than the one audiences will fi nd themselves spellbound by come Sydney Film Festival.

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GOLDSTONE A Meeting Of Cultures By Tom Clift

T

hree years ago, writer-director Ivan Sen stood in front of a soldout crowd at Sydney’s State Theatre, where his latest movie, the outback noir Mystery Road, had been selected as Sydney Film Festival’s opening night film. In just a few short weeks, he’ll return to the venue for the very same occasion – as will his Mystery Road protagonist, hard-edge indigenous detective Jay Swan.

“After making Mystery Road I felt like the character Jay Swan had a lot more to offer,” Sen tells the BRAG in the lead-up to this year’s Sydney Film Festival. “He’s someone who is in a very complex situation as an indigenous police officer who’s upholding white laws and working for the Crown. He’s walking between these two different worlds, and I just felt like there was an opportunity to show another layer of Jay – a certain emotion that I felt like I didn’t quite tap in to with Mystery Road.”

Although not a direct sequel, Goldstone sees Sen reunite with actor Aaron Pedersen, whose compelling performance as Swan proved one of the original film’s most memorable elements. This time he’s working a missing persons case, one that takes him through a small mining town populated by a who’s who of Australian screen talent, including David Wenham, Jacki Weaver and acclaimed indigenous actor David Gulpilil, as well as veteran Chinese actress Cheng Peipei.

“I don’t quite consider it a sequel, but there are certain areas which lead in from where Mystery Road left off,” says Sen. “There are elements which

connect to Mystery Road, which you don’t really need to know about, but if you have seen Mystery Road there is a connection.”

Once Sen had decided to move forward with the project, things came together extraordinarily quickly. “I sat down and made the first draft of the screenplay in ten days, and then it was funded a few months after that,” he says.

The writer-director also worked closely with Pedersen in shaping where Swan’s story would go. “Aaron was very keen to do another project with Jay. We spoke a lot about Jay’s state of mind in this film. It’s a journey for all the characters, but for Jay it’s a spiritual journey to reclaim his cultural identity.”

As one of the more prominent indigenous filmmakers working today, cultural identity – and indigenous identity in particular – is a major theme in Sen’s work. His debut feature, Beneath Clouds, followed a pair of indigenous teenagers making their way across the country, while 2011’s Toomelah told the story of a troubled ten-year-old living in a remote community in New South Wales. Both films were critically acclaimed, receiving praise for their frank, unflinching depiction of the hardships faced by many indigenous Australians.

“With the rise of indigenous filmmakers, obviously [indigenous perspectives] have gained a lot of weight, and have attracted more and more of an audience,” says Sen. “But in saying that, if you look at the amount of Australian films being produced, they’re still only a very small percentage.”

At the same time, Sen doesn’t see Goldstone as offering an exclusively indigenous point of view. “It’s about what happens when the indigenous perspective crosses with a white perspective, and then crosses with a Chinese perspective,” he says. “So you get this cross-section of cultures, and that’s why I think I really wanted to continue with this character, because he walks between cultures, and give audiences a chance to get a sense of what it’s like. But there’s a pain that comes with that, because in the end you don’t fully belong to any of them.

“In all of my films, I’ve never left the main character,” Sen continues.

“They’ve always had this one line, this one plot structure, where you stay with a character and you experience the world through one

person’s eyes. I didn’t want to do that with Goldstone. I wanted to present different cultural perspectives, and allow the audience to see the world through different eyes. [I wanted] audiences to walk in the shoes of different characters and to see this collision of worlds from the perspective of each different character … to feel what they feel.”

and basically I felt like I couldn’t make the film without her.

To that end, Sen approached some of the most talented actors in the country, writing several parts with specific casting choices in mind.

“When you do that you can feel a little bit anxious, because if you don’t get those actors then you feel like there’s something missing,” he admits. “I always had the idea of casting Jacki Weaver as the mayor in the film. I wrote that character with her in mind,

Special too is being selected not once but twice to open one of the country’s biggest film festivals. It’s an honour that certainly hasn’t been lost on Sen. “We know that it’s a really exciting screening,” he says. “I’ve had some screenings around the world which have been very exciting, but this one’s just as exciting as Cannes or Berlin. There’s a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of positivity in the air.”

“There’s a kind of major scene in the film, where her character talks about life to Aaron Pedersen’s character. I remember writing that scene in this café one day, and then the day Jacki came out, hearing her speak the words I had written specifically for her, that was pretty special.”

WHAT: SYDNEY FI LM FESTI VAL O P E N I N G N I G H T GA L A WH E R E : STAT E T H E AT R E WH E N : WED N ESDAY J U N E 8 A N D : A LSO SH OWIN G AT CASU LA POWERHOUSE ARTS CENTRE O N FRI DAY J U N E 10 , STAT E T H E AT R E O N SAT U R DAY J U N E 11 A N D H AYD EN OR PH EU M C R EM OR N E ON SU N DAY J U N E 12

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8 –19 JUNE 2016

TEENAGE KICKS Department Of Youth By David James Young

T

he bigger things in life – love, death, family, friendship, sex – are hard enough to fully grasp in one’s adult years. Imagine, then, what happens when it all comes hurtling at you with full force before you’re even legally allowed to drink. This, on the surface, is what Teenage Kicks deals with. Craig Boreham’s new independent Australian film, shot in and around Sydney, takes some large-scale issues and gives them a name, a face and a location, driving them home even further.

“I used to be a youth worker at a place that was an advocate for homeless queer youth – we would provide a place to stay if they had nowhere else to go,” begins director and writer Boreham. “In the time that I worked there, I came across a lot of different stories concerning internal family conflicts around sexuality and coming out. That’s where the story got its spark.

There have been a lot of films made about that theme, though, so I think that I was originally uncertain about it. I didn’t think that there was anything I could contribute that hadn’t already been said. At the same time that this was happening, my partner lost his brother and went through a very intense period of grief.

When I began writing again, this idea of immediate loss of someone extremely close to you was inextricable. I realised the future of this story was this blend between a struggle of sexual identity and of dealing with the loss of a loved one.”

At a time when there is a drought of movies not inherently concerned with straight white males, Teenage Kicks can be viewed as subversive for its focus on characters who are not only people of colour, but also fluid in their sexuality and subsequent exploration of it. According to Boreham, he began shifting his focus to this element of character development upon further exploring both the ideas behind queerness and an interest in moving past predefined gender roles for young people.

such a project – especially one that has taken up a big part of his life in recent times – he awaits the initial reaction with great anticipation.

“I’m excited to see it with an audience,” he says. “We’ve done a handful of test screenings before, but the audience has almost always been connected to the project in one way or another. I’m curious to see the reactions of an audience that knows nothing about the movie going into it. You see what makes them laugh, what affects them, what moves them. It’s not always in the exact place that you think it’s going to be. It’s always a bit terrifying, but I get so much out of it.”

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SF3 is Australia’s only international smartphone film festival for filmmakers of all ages and it is now open for entries!

“I was thinking a lot about the LGBTIQ community,” says Boreham, who himself is openly gay. “That ‘Q’ lingered in my head. There is a queer and questioning part of the community that doesn’t get talked about that much. I wanted to create a character that didn’t define their sexuality so rigidly – someone who perhaps hadn’t entirely worked everything out just yet. A lot of young people don’t want a label placed upon themselves – they don’t so much want to be placed in a box in terms of their gender or their sexual orientation. That’s something I really wanted to explore with Mik as a character. It was very interesting to write something away from that well-worn white Anglo experience, and working with characters connected to a racial minority not always looked upon in the mainstream. It’s a different experience, and you don’t see it very much. It changes things.”

Teenage Kicks centres around 17-year-old Miklós (played by Miles Szanto), who lives with his family in suburban southern Sydney. His life is turned upside down by the shocking and untimely death of his older brother, Tomi; a death only he knows the true story behind. The film also deals with Miklós’ family, his friends and his love interests – the latter two, in particular, increasingly overlapping as the film progresses. Szanto has previously appeared in Australian dramas such as Love My Way and The Elephant Princess, and has collaborated before with Boreham, who knew from the outset that he wanted Szanto involved in the film.

“He’s been working in television since he was eight years old,” Boreham says. “We’d worked together on a short film previously, so I knew from the outset that I wanted him attached to it.

He understood the role completely, and that’s exactly what I needed when it came to casting – there’s a lot of dark stuff in this film, and there’s a lot going on at any given time. Dan [Webber] has been working a long time, too – he actually just finished working on 11.22.63 with J.J. Abrams over in the States, where he played Lee Harvey Oswald. When it came to the rest of the cast, I knew we had to have people on board that were committed and enthusiastic, that fit the roles and embraced them.”

This June will see Teenage Kicks have its debut screening as part of Sydney Film Festival – including an encore screening five days later – as well as an inclusion at Newcastle’s Travelling Film Festival. Although Boreham is going through the usual nerves before unveiling thebrag.com

Everyone has a great idea for a short film and a potential movie camera in their pocket so no excuses.

As long as your film is shot entirely on a smartphone or tablet and it is within the six and a half minute time limit your film is eligible for submission.

We are offering an exciting array of prizes as well as the chance to have your film screened at our Gala Finals Event at Chauvel Cinema in Paddington on August 26, 2016.

Here’s your chance to start filming!

Enter by August 1, 2016 at

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THE DEVIL’S CANDY Sympathy For The Devil By Joseph Earp

“I

[didn’t] know what horror was till I had twins,” laughs Sean Byrne. The lauded director behind the Australian cult classic The Loved Ones and his newest The Devil’s Candy is talking to the BRAG in a rare moment of peace, having just managed to get his two three-year-olds out the door to childcare. “It’s like going to war,” he says, joking. Kind of.

But Byrne should be thanking his young brood. The twins served as the starting point for The Devil’s Candy, an impeccably crafted chiller about a young, heavymetal-obsessed father – the appropriately named Jesse Hellman (Ethan Embry) – who begins to face a rapidly escalating series of supernatural threats.

“I think a large part of The Devil’s Candy comes from parental fears,” Byrne explains. “I started writing it when my wife was pregnant and continued writing it when the kids were born. I think it’s kind of an

allegory for the worst possible scenario … I was kind of terrifi ed of the prospect of becoming a parent.”

supernatural element or start blaming it on the devil, then it’s like, ‘Oh, everything’s OK as long as it wasn’t us.’

The fi lm’s titular devil comes to play a large, if mostly unseen part in the fi lm, driving a serial killer called Ray (expertly portrayed by Pruitt Taylor Vince) to harass Jesse and his family. But despite the strong supernatural theme at the heart of The Devil’s Candy, Byrne’s initial draft was a much more stripped-down, realistic home invasion thriller.

“I had to keep bending it to meet the market,” Byrne adds. “It became a supernatural fi lm out of necessity. Then the task for me was to be really excited about that direction … It was really just a change in the atmosphere.”

“[It] started out as a story about a child predator,” Byrne says.

“Basically that was extremely difficult to get fi nancing for, because whenever you’ve got a story about kids in peril, executives tend to get quite scared. I found it interesting – if we’re exploring the dark heart of humanity, then that’s kind of too confronting for people. But as soon as you bring in a

Certainly, when it comes to atmosphere, Byrne has exceeded himself – The Devil’s Candy is expertly directed. Byrne pulls out every one of the tricks he has in his blood-soaked bag, utilising such deranged directorial fl ourishes as rapid montages, unsettlingly drawn-out bouts of slow-motion, and terrifying onslaughts of sound. “[Sound is] the forgotten hero of horror fi lmmaking,” Byrne says. “[It’s how] I experience life – through sound as much as I do

visuals. I grew up listening to metal and loving metal.”

Indeed, along with casual demonic worship, heavy metal is another of the fi lm’s strong through lines. But it’s never mocked or belittled – the characters are at their most tender when they are throwing up their metal horns, and as much as The Devil’s Candy is a horror fi lm, it’s also a testament to the binding power of hard rock tunes.

“The fi lm has a long-haired, heavy

metal hero. I [had] never seen that kind of character [as] a father before,” Byrne says. “Metal characters are usually treated as buffoons. It’s like a cliché. But I mean, in real life people are a product of their infl uences. I wanted his relationship with his daughter [to be] authentic. I think if you do that – if characters work in a behavioural sense as opposed to an expositional sense – you embrace them. You’re not being treated like an idiot as an audience member.”

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SONITA Rapping For A Cause

By Annie Murney

T

he story of Afghani immigrant Sonita Alizadeh – rapper, activist and would-be child bride – is as compelling as they come.

Screening as part of Sydney Film Festival, Iranian director Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami’s powerful documentary Sonita has collected prizes across the world, including the prestigious Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival. As well as capturing an inspirational tale of resilience, Sonita challenges the conventions of documentary filmmaking.

In the poor suburbs of Tehran, teenage Sonita – an undocumented exile – spends her time writing lyrics, dreaming of stardom, struggling to pay the rent and rebelling against the Afghan tradition of forced marriages.

That is, until Ghaemmaghami crosses her path.

“My first idea was more focused on child labourers and stateless

teenagers as well as discrimination against immigrants,” says Ghaemmaghami. “And then I met Sonita through my cousin who is a social worker at an organisation that supports street children. She called me and said she had a girl who writes lyrics and tries to record music but she doesn’t have any artistic connections.”

While Sonita’s passion for hip hop may seem like typical teenage defiance, the stakes are much higher in this case. Her future prospects become bleak when her mother arrives in Tehran with a plan to take her back to Afghanistan and marry her off to the tune of US$9,000.

“When I got to know Sonita, I began to realise how many problems she had,” says Ghaemmaghami. “At that point, I didn’t know much about the struggles Afghani immigrants have to face. I learnt how ambitious she was and started thinking that this would make a good documentary – someone who has so many dreams and so many obstacles.”

Ghaemmaghami admits now that she didn’t think this story would end happily. On the cusp of Sonita being whisked away, the film becomes

strong, women’s solidarity is almost impossible,” says Ghaemmaghami.

“Patriarchy dominates all of the relationships between women. Many women, like Sonita’s mum, support patriarchal values – that’s the problem.”

In spite of this, and with the indispensable assistance of Ghaemmaghami, Sonita ultimately manages to win enough support to alleviate her struggles. In some ways, she has since become an accidental activist – her rapping continues to channel her passion for social justice issues. unpredictable, mirroring the child’s precarious circumstances. Weighing up the ethics of intervening, Ghaemmaghami eventually decides to pay $2,000 in order to defer Sonita’s impending marriage.

“It was a heavy decision,” she says. “I was thinking, ‘I’m killing the drama – if I don’t interfere, we will still have a dramatic story. If I’m paying the money, there will be no problem anymore. Will I have an unfinished movie as a consequence of interfering?’ But imagining Sonita taken to Afghanistan and sold gave me a very bad feeling.”

As well as changing the course of Sonita’s life, Ghaemmaghami’s compassion changed her understanding of documentary filmmaking. “I have more courage now,” she says. “It’s not that I want to make documentaries in order to interfere in everybody’s lives. But I suppose I won’t respect the rules anymore. I’ll just be honest and clear and transparent.”

As the film traces Sonita’s seemingly insurmountable mission to prove her personhood, the difficulty of building support networks becomes apparent.

“In countries where patriarchy is very

The Sydney screening will be followed by a Q&A with Ghaemmaghami and representatives from Human Rights Watch. When asked what she hopes people will glean from the film, Ghaemmaghami says that everyone should feel a personal responsibility.

“I was not a rich or powerful person, but I became able to change Sonita’s life,” she says. “$2,000 was not easy for me to afford, but it was not impossible.

Most people are stronger, richer and more powerful than me. If everyone does what they can, we will make a better world.”

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very first film I did at film school was a little jazz short film. When I dug a bit deeper into Chet Baker’s story, I was fascinated by his character, particularly the section of his career in the ’60s when he made a comeback. I just kind of got pulled in.

He’s a mysterious and enigmatic guy and I think he has this power of people.”

This certainly makes the film fascinating for music-lovers, but will it have as much pulling power in 2016, when many people – in Australia especially – are more familiar with the name Chet Faker?

BORN TO BE BLUE And All That Jazz By Tegan Jones

B

ased upon the life of the legendary jazz musician Chet Baker, Born To Be Blue is a semi-fictional account of his tempestuous 1960s battles with drugs and the law, and his eventual

comeback. Writer, director and producer Robert Budreau explains that this is a story of ‘what ifs’, but it’s ultimately all about the music.

“I’ve long been a fan of jazz. The

“I think the themes that we explore are still relevant today, especially addiction and race in particular,” says Budreau. “One of the things that attracted me to the story was this idea that he idolised his black idols, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie.

Obviously in the ’60s it was a time of change for race relations in America and I think it’s still an important issue today.”

And that’s not the only topic that carries just as much weight today as

it did in Baker’s time. “[Drug] addiction with artists and others are still very relevant,” says Budreau.

“And hopefully at the end of the day it’s also just a story that speaks to an artist’s struggle, themes of love and all those things that are universal for people.”

Ethan Hawke is mesmerising in the main role, truly encompassing Baker’s character. Considering the actor’s penchant for playing complex, broken men, it’s no surprise he turned out perfect for the role.

“He was always my first choice,” says Budreau. “He had wanted to play Chet Baker for quite some time and had thought about doing a Chet Baker film in the past, so he came very prepared and knowledgeable.”

Born To Be Blue’s unique approach to narrative has seen it described as an ‘anti-biopic’. However, that doesn’t mean it’s entirely divorced from reality.

“I deliberately set out to make something that was not a traditional biopic and mixed fact with fiction,”

Budreau explains. “This is partly because I think that traditional biopics tend to be very cliché and I also think there’s an inherent fallacy to them. People present these stories as if this is exactly what happened – inventing things about characters and presenting them as truth. I thought it would be more interesting to be upfront about that, especially when you’re doing a jazz movie.

“It was important to me to find a tone for the film that reflected jazz. For me, it was a good approach to take because in real life [Baker] was approached by Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis to make a Chet Baker movie where he would play himself.

It happened when he was in prison, but it fell apart before they could shoot it. I thought it would be interesting to just pretend that the film did happen and use that as a way, at the start of the movie, to tell the audience that this is a mixture of fact and fiction – kind of like a Charlie Kaufman type of device.

When I found out about that, it really excited me about creating an antibiopic.”

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BEST OF THE FEST

Gimme Danger State Theatre, Friday June 17 / Event Cinemas George Street, Sunday June 19 Legendary fi lmmaker Jim Jarmusch has fi nally crafted another documentary, this one a tribute to the formative years and subsequent musical career of Iggy and The Stooges. Gimme Danger is fresh off being featured at Cannes Film Festival, and is a must-see for rock and Stooges fans alike.

Skyline Drive In Blacktown, Friday June 10 / Event Cinemas George Street, Saturday June 11 Tom Hiddleston heads an unreal cast for this dystopian novel adaptation that depicts the residents of a tower apartment block as they descend from luxury and morality into savagery and murder. Apart from its George Street screening, High-Rise will also show at New South Wales’ only remaining twin drive-in cinema, Skyline in Blacktown.

8 –19 JUNE 2016

International Animation Showcase Event Cinemas George Street, Saturday June 11 Sydney Film Festival’s International Animation Showcase will see ten of the best animated films from around the globe on display in one session.

Selected from over 4,300 submissions, the showcase will display films from Canada, the US, France, Spain, Estonia, the UK and Ireland in a snapshot of international imagination.

Thank You For Bombing

By Zanda Wilson

Another Kind Of Girl

National Bird

Contemporary Color

Dendy Newtown, Saturday June 11 / Event Cinemas George Street, Wednesday June 15 Program: International Documentaries The US drone program is as chilling as it is secretive, and National Bird brings to life the cold reality of identifying and killing targets on the other side of the world through the eyes of three whistle-blowing former US Air Force analysts, while also exploring the life-altering consequences for those involved.

Dendy Newtown, Friday June 10 / Event Cinemas George Street, Saturday June 11 Program: Sounds On Screen Featuring music from St. Vincent, Nelly Furtado and Dev Hynes, Contemporary Color is a Tribeca Film Festival award-winning film showcasing the complex marching sequences and flag-twirling of ten elite colour guard teams. In between their sets, viewers will be taken inside the world of the colour guards through backstage conversations and interviews.

Dendy Opera Quays, Saturday June 11 and Monday June 13 Program: European Cinema – 10 Women Filmmakers To Watch Thank You For Bombing is a fictionalised, behind-the-scenes account of the experiences of war correspondents told in the format of a documentary. Split into three stories, this Barbara Eder-written film explores the price of journalistic integrity through an insightful look at three people who deliver news at all costs.

Dendy Opera Quays Cinema, Friday June 10 and Sunday June 19 Program: Short Films This year’s Sydney Film Festival features an incredible selection of some of Australia’s best short films chosen from thousands of submissions. Another Kind Of Girl is a particularly timely piece, documenting the story of a 17-year-old Syrian refugee and the life she lives in a refugee camp in the space of just ten minutes.

Love & Friendship State Theatre, Sunday June 19 (also showing at the Hayden Orpheum Cremorne on the same evening) Closing Night Gala In a fi tting farewell to the 63rd annual Sydney Film Festival, the Closing Night Gala is set to be an evening of applause, awards and acclaim at the State Theatre. The night will feature the Whit Stillman fi lm Love & Friendship, a fi lm that follows a romance of a Jane Austen novella and sees it come to life as a vibrant comedy.

FULL PROGRAM AVAILABLE AT SFF.ORG.AU ▼

High-Rise

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David Attenborough’s VR Experiences [EXHIBITION] A Dive With The Don By Tegan Jones the Natural History Museum in London,” says Johnson. “You put the headset on and then you go under the water in this bubble with Sir David Attenborough – you can actually see the bubble if you watch the Life On The Reef doco series that screened on the ABC. It’s cool because it’s being filmed really close to Lizard Island, which is where we have our Australian Museum field station.”

But what about the experience itself? What can excited museumgoers expect, besides the constant paranoia of excitedly flailing into the person next to them?

T

he Australian Museum is offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit with Sir David Attenborough and experience the sheer beauty and majesty of the Great Barrier Reef. And thanks to the magic of virtual reality, you can do it all without leaving your chair in Sydney. The director of the Australian Museum Research Institute, Dr. Rebecca Johnson,

talks us through this spectacular combination of technology and nature.

“It’s the next best thing to diving,” she says. “Even the anticipation waiting for it to start is like going on a ride. Anything that has David Attenborough is very exciting – it’s scientifically correct, it has his incredible voice, his authority and

you know it’s been done really thoroughly.”

Virtual reality, or VR, is a gamechanger not only for the tech industry but for museums as well, providing an entirely new way of experiencing documentaries and exhibits.

“This is the first place where the experience has been seen outside

“It’s just over 20 minutes – you cruise around the reef in the bubble and you can literally look everywhere,” Johnson explains.

“If you’re flexible enough, you can even look behind you. If you turn around you’ll see that you’re actually kind of sitting on David Attenborough’s knee whilst he’s looking around and talking, as well as Professor Justin Marshall commentating on what you’re looking at. Whenever I’m on the reef I always like to have a field guide with me so I know what I’m looking at from a scientific, nerdy perspective. So it’s pretty fun having Justin there talking about what you can see.”

And what audiences do get to see is absolutely spectacular. “There’s amazing corals, which include some sections where you can see super close up,” says Johnson.

“These aren’t in 3D but instead they’re time-lapsed so you can see

the coral polyps doing their thing like eating and filter feeding. You can even see them grow, which is really cool.

“You can also see awesome big potato cods, sharks – you really get everything, including a ‘Nemo’ section, which is very sweet. So you basically get to experience this amazing thing with David Attenborough. A huge amount of content has gone into this particular little film. I’ve seen it a few times and every time you look at it you see something different, because you can look everywhere.”

Because the subject matter revolves around the Great Barrier Reef, there is a deeper message that lies beneath the surface of the experience. The reef isn’t simply there to be marvelled at – it’s in danger of extinction, and raising awareness is an integral part of this VR documentary exhibit.

“So many people don’t know the importance of conservation,” says Johnson. “But if you can see it, you have a much better concept of what it is we need to protect and what is going to be affected by climate change. The narrow range of tolerance that coral have for temperature changes and carbon dioxide levels – if you are exposed to it, then suddenly you view it in a different way.”

What: David Attenborough’s Virtual Reality Experiences Where: Australian Museum When: Until Monday July 18

Homeground Talks [PANEL] A Long-Term Focus By Tegan Jones

H

omeground Talks, taking place at the Sydney Opera House this week, will feature two panels discussing First Nations issues and experiences. One of these panels – Open For Business: Diverse Economies In First Nations Communities – will specifically delve into the long-term impacts of mining on both the land and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Amelia Telford, a Homeground Talks panellist and the national director of the Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network, tells us what people can expect from such a complex and important discussion.

“Coming from the background of working with the Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network as an Aboriginal and young person, I think we really need to be looking at our communities and position we’re in at the moment with the amount of poverty we’re seeing, the lack of access to basic human services and the need for us to continue the culture that we have been a part of for over 60,000 years,” Telford says.

At the moment, one of biggest risks these communities and their land are facing is the devastating effect of mining.

“You can even look at the federal budget and see that around 7.7 billion dollars has gone into the fossil fuel industry,” says Telford. “We compare that with the lack of the money that goes into Aboriginal infrastructure and communities … and the fact that there’s still very limited funding going into frontline services.”

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Amelia Telford

The question is, with the amount of money and resources being poured into the mining industry, as well as the fiscal gains it provides, are there any viable alternatives? Furthermore, can these alternatives be aligned with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and values?

“We need to try and stop the ongoing devastation of our country and our culture when it comes to mining, [look at] the current proposals that are on the table and the economic development that comes with that,” says Telford. “We also need to recognise the short-term gains and know that as indigenous people we need to be looking long-term, as we have always done. Looking into sources of energy that are renewable, ways that we can have our people working out on country and doing the things that make us a part of who we are.

“There are businesses out there that are building from a community perspective that are looking for different alternatives, whether it’s ecotourism or sustainable energy. We need to engage business in a way that isn’t just business as usual, where big corporations control the majority of the money and have all of the power and decision-making. Alternative solutions need to come from the community itself, because those who are affected by it know the impact and what the solutions can be – we just need to be supported to do this by each other and the industry.”

Telford isn’t alone when it comes to her passion for conserving both the land and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

“There are so many young people out there that care about their culture and their country who want to know,

realistically, what they can do about it.

Seed provide people with a platform to get involved and to actually start talking about it and doing something,” she says. “We are trying to raise awareness in different ways: events and engaging with the community online as well. Particularly for a lot of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, we’re more connected than ever through social media – making sure we’re getting videos out there, telling stories to each other and making sure that information is provided.”

And this seems to be an incredibly important point for Telford, as well as the Homeground Talks panel as a whole – ensuring that as much information as possible is available to those who need to hear it.

“I think that’s what it comes down to, especially when it comes to looking for ways forward for our community economically,” she says. “People need to have access to information to be able to make informed decisions – that’s what a lot of our communities are lacking. They might be told about how many jobs they’re going to get and the money that’s going to come in, but they might not be told about the impact of climate change, the destruction of country or whether a site will be rehabilitated.

The long-term impacts are often missing. We want to make sure our communities are empowered and informed.”

This also includes representing the diversity of opinions within these communities and ensuring that one

person doesn’t speak for everyone.

“Having conversations about the economy and where we’re heading is going to be a discussion and a debate,” says Telford. “My experiences and opinions, as a young person, compared to other people who are going to be on the panel, are very different. I think it will be a robust discussion, but one we need to be having. I hope that people leave not only with the understanding that there is diversity, but also questioning and challenging themselves about what their role in this is.”

What: Homeground Talks Where: Playhouse, Sydney Opera House When: Friday May 27

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She adds: “It’s about looking at our health, the ways we can continue our culture, and keeping it strong. It’s also about looking at what alternative jobs are out there for our people and how we can be supporting each other to actually exist and thrive on this land, not just survive. I think

that currently a lot of that is at risk because so much money is going into mining.”

theatre reviews

education profile

Hits and misses on the bareboards around town

WITH NIDA Courses on offer: The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is Australia’s leading centre for education and training in the performing arts. For those wanting to start a career in the creative arts, we offer full-time accredited Bachelor courses in Acting, Costume, Design for Performance, Properties and Objects (props), Staging, and Technical Theatre and Stage Management; and Masters courses in Cultural Leadership, Design for Performance, Directing, Voice and Writing for Performance. We also offer Vocational Diploma courses in Musical Theatre, Live Production and Technical Services, Specialist Make-up Services, and Stage and Screen Performance.

■ Theatre

AS WE FORGIVE Reviewed at SBW Stables Theatre on Thursday May 12 Griffin Theatre Company’s As We Forgive, co-presented by Tasmania Performs, traverses the complex terrain of morality.

It is the work of playwright Tom Holloway, a name that seems to be within constant earshot on the Australian theatre scene.

Robert Jarman takes the stage as three separate characters, each concerned with an emotional truth on the one hand, and “what we think we should feel” on the other.

Jill Munro’s set design is predictably sparse for a one-man show. A redhued stream of images – storm clouds, natural landscapes, derelict interiors – is projected on a video screen above the stage. As the lights come up, Jarman addresses the audience in the manner of a writers’ festival, thanking them for their attendance on such an “auspicious” evening. He verbally navigates through virtues and vices, mulling over what is innate and what is socially constructed. In this way, the play takes shape as a series of narratives clothed in philosophical enquiry.

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Three morality tales unfold, each with a separate focus: vengeance, hatred, and finally forgiveness. The vengeance story traces the struggle of an elderly man in debilitating pain. When the centre of his small world breaks, he gains strength from a sense of righteous vengeance, vowing to “take back what is mine”. This chapter is probably the strongest – and the longest – of the three. The hatred tale depicts a man unable to shake the shadow of a troubled childhood, before the forgiveness story introduces a man riddled with health problems and haunted by a terrible mistake.

As We Forgive Director Julian Meyrick ensures dynamic shifts between sections, making good use of a notoriously small theatre space. Each chapter is broken by cellist interludes (Jack Ward), generating a moral weight that matches the monologues. From the emphases in his speech to subtleties in his physical gestures, Jarman is totally engrossing as he untangles the emotional nuances of Holloway’s writing.

His performance is that of a casual conversation, albeit one that is unafraid to venture into dark corners of moral ambiguity and vulnerability.

There is a thread of cynicism running through these stories. A shadow of doubt is cast over the implicit ethical framework that dictates how we behave and how we deal with pain. But rest assured, As We Forgive is more thought-provoking than depressing.

Annie Murney

■ Theatre

THE EVENTS Playing at Belvoir St Theatre until Sunday June 12

Catherine McClements (The Secret Life Of Us) makes her return to the Sydney stage as the protagonist Claire, a liberal-minded minister and choir leader whose local hall is stormed by a gunman. As the play unfolds, Claire interacts with a character known to the audience only as The Boy, played by Johnny Carr. Carr deftly switches between different characters, playing a journalist, a right-wing politico, The Boy’s father, someone he knew from school, a psychiatrist, and finally The Boy himself.

As The Boy, he admits to Claire that by the end of the shootings in question, he started to feel selfconscious and “a bit silly”, and just wanted it to be over. As Carr twists and turns through these different characters, the audience slowly realises just how embedded The Boy has become in Claire’s psyche.

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Who are the teachers?

The NIDA teaching staff bring a wealth of professional experience and expertise as well as invaluable industry contacts, providing students with access to the skills and knowledge required to build a career in their chosen career. Practising artist and NIDA’s deputy director and head of design for performance, Michael ScottMitchell, is a great example. In addition to designing the world-renowned Sydney 2000 Olympic cauldron, last year he worked on Broadway’s Doctor Zhivago, and more recently, completed his 35th show for the Sydney Theatre Company.

What else you need to know: Applications for the 2017 intake open July 1 and close September 30 for NIDA’s Vocational Diploma, Bachelor and Masters courses, with all eligible applicants offered an interview/ audition. For more information about interview and audition preparation, visit apply.nida.edu. au. NIDA short courses, including audition preparation classes, are offered through NIDA Open year-round and accommodate all ages and skill levels. For more information, visit open.nida.edu.au.

Open Day: Potential applicants can watch the 2016 NIDA Open Day stream online at apply.nida.edu.au.

Address: 215 Anzac Pde, Kensington Phone: (02) 9697 7600 Email: info@nida.edu.au Website: nida.edu.au

arts giveaway Head to: thebrag.com/freeshit

S AY W EA IV G

The Events photo by Brett Boardman

The Events is an Australian incarnation of David Greig’s awardwinning play that opened at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2013. Propelled by the acts of the lone Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik in 2011, Greig references elements of his story: the shootings, his personal manifesto, his racist anti-Muslim rantings and references to Viking berserkers.

What makes us different: At the heart of NIDA’s success is our emphasis on balancing academic and practical study. Whilst all our students receive a strong theoretical grounding for their area of study, we also make sure they have many opportunities to put that knowledge into practice. NIDA students have the chance to work on full-scale theatre works, musical productions and film projects. The NIDA campus in Sydney is an award-winning facility tailored to performing arts training. In addition to the new NIDA Graduate School – a designated purposebuilt facility for graduate students – students have access to theatres, rehearsal rooms, multimedia and CAD studios, a sound stage, a lighting studio, fully equipped production workshops and the latest in audio-visual facilities. As Cate Blanchett so rightly mentioned, “NIDA is central to nurturing the creativity required for Australia to develop and maintain a rich performing arts sector.”

Take the next step: As NIDA has been welcoming students since 1958, we are proud of our alumni’s success, including the likes of Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Joel Jackson and Sarah Snook, among many others. Other success stories include the likes of design graduate Deborah Riley, who is the current production designer of international cult sensation, Games Of Thrones. 2015 technical design and stage management graduate Sally Withnell not only had the opportunity to complete a secondment in New York earlier this year, she is now the production manager at Sydney’s iconic Belvoir St Theatre, and recent directing graduate Kip Williams is currently the co-resident director at Sydney Theatre Company as well as continuing his association with NIDA through teaching directing subjects.

The Events Greig’s text confronts head-on the aftermath of violent acts by young disenfranchised men. The result is a claustrophobic 70 minutes in which every second counts. And there isn’t much in the way of answers, despite Claire’s attempts to understand The Boy. Is he evil? Is he mad? He must be either mad or evil, mustn’t he?

She comes up short, sending herself mad in the process.

Claire is a jarring character and her destructive quest for answers is uncomfortable to watch. She’s annoying, demanding and becomes something of a villain herself at times. But she’s also representative of all of us, as she desperately grasps for answers.

The Events is smart and charming in many ways, but over the course of the play certain bigoted comments on race and ethnicity start to pile up and go unchallenged: not because the playwright is lazy or didn’t notice, but rather because he assumes too much of his audience. Perhaps these views aren’t countered in the play because Claire never succeeds in countering what The Boy has to say, because she wants to reason with him, and he is unreasonable and unknowable. Perhaps the visual marker of the choir onstage – a wonderful mix of age, gender and ethnicity – is intended to be enough of a retort to the racist rhetoric.

Sarah Little

SUPANOVA POP CULTURE EXPO! DOUBLE PASSES! he annual Supanova Pop Culture Expo is coming back to Sydney this June. A celebration of the world of film, television, fantasy, comic books, anime, sci-fi, cartoons, books, gaming and collectables, Supanova will give cosplayers and pop culture fans alike the chance to see some of the world’s biggest stars in person. Buffy’s James Marsters, The Lord Of The Rings’ Sean Astin, Warcraft’s Travis Fimmel, Deadpool’s Brianna Hildebrand and Stefan Kapicic, and Peter Facinelli and Tyler Hoechlin from Twilight will make appearances alongside music performances, masterclasses, wrestling and competitions.

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We have five double passes to give away to the Sydney event, which runs from Friday June 17 – Sunday June 19 at Sydney Showground. Head to thebrag.com/freeshit to enter.

WIN!

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The Orient Hotel 89 GEORGE ST, THE ROCKS What to see and do: Live music seven nights a week along with fun entertainment including karaoke and trivia, and all on the doorstep of the Vivid action on Circular Quay.

For our ears: A huge program of live music for the duration of Vivid to give you a soundtrack for your evening’s adventures. Highlights include Jonathan Jones, The Chosen Few, Mark Travers, Wildcatz Band, Reckless and many more. For the full program, visit the BRAG gig guide at thebrag.com/gig-guide.

The fuel: The Orient Hotel has launched an all-new comfort food offering with a diverse variety of flavours from across the globe. Enjoy a range of steaks, pastas, salads and shared options. Either indulge in the dining room or relax in the atrium.

The Argyle

The cost: A $5 cover charge applies from 9pm on Friday and Saturday nights, otherwise entry is free.

18 ARGYLE ST, THE ROCKS What to see and do: Delight in futuristic, state-of-the-art lighting productions and illuminated performances. Enjoy electrifying live music entertainment every night of the week during Vivid. There’ll also be enigmatic roaming performances, Vivid-inspired cocktails and a whole spectrum of surprises awaiting you.

For our ears: DJ lineups include Brooklyn, Andy Murphy, Glover, Jesabel, Moto and Kin, and live music from Mike Champion, Rob Edwards and Alyse Marie.

The fuel: The Parallel Universes – our intergalactic cocktail comprising of Belvedere pink grapefruit, Aperol, raspberry and passion fruit – will be offered throughout the Vivid celebrations.

The cost: $20+ on Friday and Saturday nights, free entry all night Sunday – Thursday.

The BRAG’s Guide To

vivid hotspots

Our city will light up once again this Friday May 27 – Saturday June 18 as Vivid Sydney’s festival of lights, music and ideas returns for its longest stretch yet. Since its inauguration seven years ago, Vivid has become one of our city’s most popular times of the year – and certainly one of its brightest. Every night out at Vivid deserves to be special, so we’ve asked some of the venues around Sydney and the Circular Quay precinct what they’re doing to celebrate. Beat the crowds, enjoy the view and grab a drink at some of our Vivid Hotspots for 2016.

The Ship Inn

Ryan’s Bar

1 PITT ST, SYDNEY

264-278 GEORGE ST, SYDNEY

What to see and do: Come and try out our luscious Belvedere cocktail menu and enjoy our lighting display, just a stone’s throw from the central Vivid trail’s main attractions.

What to see and do: As part of the Vivid Trail hosted by Ryan’s Hotels this year, Ryan’s Bar will showcase DJs every Friday and Saturday night for the duration of the festival, as well as being a great place to escape the crowds or prime yourself for a journey into the heart of the action.

For our ears: DJs on rotation on Friday and Saturday from 6pm until late, including Katie Nix, Coopa, Steph Lusk and Charles Oliver.

For our ears: Resident DJs every Friday and special music events every Saturday night. Come experience the best in R&B/party tunes to set the scene of fun and adventure at one of the hottest bars in the CBD.

The fuel: The Ship Inn has a dedicated pizza menu with 22 different styles to choose from, along with gourmet salads and wraps.

The fuel: Ryan’s Bar has a focus on pub food classics, offering a variety of steaks, burgers, pizzas and salads to fuel up for Vivid.

The cost: Free entry.

The cost: Ryan’s Bar is free entry during the Vivid period.

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Friday May 27 – Saturday June 18

The Paragon Hotel

1 LOFTUS ST, SYDNEY What to see and do: A focus on quality food offerings and tantalising cocktails, just around the corner from Customs House – one of the most popular destinations for the Vivid lights.

For our ears: Pub staples and resident DJs on rotation.

The fuel: The Paragon Hotel’s bistro offers succulent burgers and share plates, steaks and more moreish plates. Enjoy our à la carte bistro menu and open air courtyard while taking in the Vivid light displays around the hotel’s 360-degree views. The Paragon will also be host to a Moet & Chandon Ice activation throughout Vivid – drop in and treat yourself to our extensive beverage list.

The cost: Free entry.

Taylor’s Social & The Republic Hotel 69-73 PITT ST, SYDNEY What to see and do: Enjoy the Vivid views of Sydney’s eye-catching landmarks, coupled with local and international acts. Situated nicely atop the heritage-listed Republic Hotel, Taylor’s rooftop bar on the corner of Pitt and Bridge Streets brings together a piece of Sydney’s rich history and a piece of modern-day lifestyle to create the perfect marriage.

For our ears: Australian electronic music label will take over the rooftop of Taylor’s Social every Saturday night during Vivid for DANCE Etc. Saturday May 28 will feature Go Freek, Acaddamy and more; Yolanda Be Cool headline on Saturday June 4; and Father Dude and Stace Cadet play on Saturday June 11. Taylor’s will also host DJs every Friday night.

The fuel: Taylor’s is launching a new gourmet sandwich menu with plenty of yummy sides to complement creations like fried chicken, sriracha mayo and coleslaw, and roasted pork belly, roasted onions, fennel and apple sauce.

The cost: Entry for the Vivid series each Saturday night is $20.

thebrag.com

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Album Reviews What's been crossing our ears this week...

ALBUM OF THE WEEK MICHAEL KIWANUKA Love & Hate Polydor/Universal

An immense achievement built on retro aesthetics with an experimental update.

MODERN BASEBALL Holy Ghost Run For Cover/Cooking Vinyl

Two years might not seem like a long time in the grand scheme of things – hell, no-one calls a two-year-old baby ‘old’ – but that certainly doesn’t mean a lot can’t happen in that time period.

Brendan Lukens and Jake Ewald – otherwise known as the singing, guitar-playing and songwriting half of Philadelphia’s Modern Baseball – have had their respective battles to fight in their immediate personal lives in the time since breakthrough second album You’re Gonna Miss It All. As such, Holy Ghost is as much an exercise in catharsis as it is an exorcising of demons.

In its sub-half-hour runtime, it deals with love, loss, distance, denial and self-destruction across college rock guitars and skate-punk drums, derived from a diet of Replacements and Get Up Kids records. A lot to take in? Certainly – especially when you factor in the songs’ lengths averaging anywhere between one and two minutes.

Even so, Ewald, Lukens and co. manage to not only convey their innermost feelings and interpersonal conflicts, but drive them home in a way that they’ve never quite done on such a scale previously.

Effortlessly retro and undeniably lush, British soul musician Michael Kiwanuka’s second album sees him strike gold. Indeed, Love & Hate is a record so heavily drenched in soul that it could easily have been made 40 years ago – which is somewhat of a contradiction given that there is also great experimentation, confidence and vulnerability on display here.

Love & Hate is a leap from Kiwanuka’s 2012 debut Home Again. With rich, loose string arrangements, relaxed beats, and vocals that are simultaneously heartbreakingly weary and melt-inyour-mouth, comparisons can be made to the likes of Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and Van Morrison. It’s something that producers Inflo and Brian Joseph Burton, AKA Danger Mouse, cleverly helped to craft.

Kiwanuka co-wrote the hypnotically rhythmic lead single ‘Black Man In A White World’ with Inflo, and its challenging and emotional exploration of black identity

includes the illustrative line, “I’m in love but I’m still sad / I found peace but I’m not glad”. Other standouts are the ten-minute opener and devastatingly raw ‘Cold Little Heart’, and the groove-inducing ‘One More Night’.

Given the commercial success of other vintage-inspired confessional crooners like Adele and Amy Winehouse, Kiwanuka could have played it safe and same-same on Love & Hate. Instead, he’s chosen a bold, inspired and passionate approach.

Anita Connors

DEATH

TEGAN AND SARA

HIGHASAKITE

SPOOKYLAND

Scream Bloody Gore Relapse

Love You To Death Warner

Camp Echo Caroline

Beauty Already Beautiful Inertia

There’s nothing like a bumper reissue to get the cynicism senses tingling, right? After all, few things smack more of ‘cash grab’ than the decision to re-release an album that’s barely turned 30. Death’s Scream Bloody Gore isn’t even at mid-life crisis age yet – does it really deserve a two-disc deluxe edition?

We’re well past the flirting stage as far as the relationship between the Quin siblings and the humble synthesizer is concerned. Their last outing, 2013’s Heartthrob, lit the flame. Now? Love, pure and simple.

On Camp Echo, Norwegian band Highasakite leave behind the spacious folk tones of Silent Treatment in favour of heavier electronic stylings and dark atmospherics. This corresponds with frontwoman Ingrid Håvik’s interest in war – the album title is a reference to a detention centre on Guantanamo Bay, and Håvik’s distinctive voice relates many politicised first-person narratives across the record.

Spookyland released their Rock And Roll Weakling EP back in 2014, but really made waves with the video for ‘The Silly Fucking Thing’ the following year. The emotive song showcased just what it is that appeals about this band: soaring instrumentals, contrasting vocals and raw emotion.

The answer, surprisingly, is yes.

Time has been very kind to a record that has been routinely described by those in the know as the birthing ground for the entire death metal genre. And yet it’d be wrong to pigeonhole Scream Bloody Gore as a metal record. It’s a lumbering, lopsided behemoth; a drunken Cthulhu tripping over its own tentacles in a surprisingly gratifying way.

Songs stop and start ad nauseum, and tracks like the singularly inspired ‘Sacrifical’ and ‘Evil Dead’ owe as much to punk rock and jazz as they do to more conventional genres.

Better still, the bumper second disc is less an assemblage of out-takes and more an all-important glimpse into the demonic forces that brought this screaming mess into the world. It’s a peek around a bloodied curtain – one as illuminating as it is disturbing.

Almost ten years removed from The Con, Tegan And Sara are in an entirely new place. It should be stressed, however, that this is purely from a musical standpoint. For those who came to the Quins for their uncanny ability to convey their innermost anguish and romantically inclined anxieties, you’d best stick around – there is arguably more weight to that side of things on Love You To Death than there has been from the duo in a long time.

Certainly, the sugar rush of lead single ‘Boyfriend’ is irresistible. Its linchpin, however, is the bittersweet lyrical reveals – “I don’t wanna be your secret anymore” may be one of the year’s more heartbreaking one-liners. Elsewhere, ‘BWU’ subverts the love-and-marriage fairytale across gated snares and a rose-tinted chorus, while ‘That Girl’ flourishes through its sparse piano and trademark tessellating dual vocals.

Highasakite piece together clusters of synthesizers and artificial beats to brilliant effect. ‘My Mind Is A Bad Neighbourhood’ features an undercurrent of anxious beats and erratic sounds interwoven with the lead melody. Håvik’s vocals never threaten to overpower the noise, but instead meld to the shape of the song. ‘I Am My Own Disease’ sees Highasakite delving into more anthemic territory, while ‘Golden Ticket’ is filled with grandiose tonal rises and a delicious shimmering chorus. It’s also the only track that seems to infer themes of love and affection. Many other songs are bright around the edges, but they’re underpinned with something sinister – see album highlight ‘Deep Sea Diver’.

Now comes Spookyland’s debut album, Beauty Already Beautiful.

The opening track, ‘Abuse’, kickstarts proceedings with Marcus Gordon’s drawling vocals draped over strings. ‘Nowhereland’ is a sprawling, unwinding affair, before the single, ‘Big Head’, announces itself brashly.

This track suggests Gordon is willing to pursue any subject matter that pops into his head, no matter how strange or inappropriate it may seem.

The vocals are again at the fore on ‘Champions’, which is undoubtedly one of the album’s strongest moments. ‘Discipline’ is a strippedback number, followed by the piano ballad ‘Rebellion’. By the time ‘Turn’ rolls around, it’s ridiculously apparent that Spookyland aren’t worried about making radio-friendly songs. Despite this, all the tracks gel together. Sure, each one has an obvious beginning and end, but the record is very much a cohesive experience.

For better and for worse, in sickness and in health, Holy Ghost is growing up.

Scream Bloody Gore is filthy, fitful and ferocious. In the words of Anton LaVey, the famous demonic occultist – “Satan approves.”

At barely over half an hour, Love You To Death is a lean, focused record. Love stinks, but everything is cool when you’re part of a team.

Camp Echo is Highasakite’s most confident album yet, covering considerable ground without losing direction and showcasing incredible aptitude at their new electronic leanings.

Spookyland have lived up to the promise of their debut EP and delivered an album that’s more a work of art than a mere hotchpotch of songs.

David James Young

Joseph Earp

David James Young

Angela Christian-Wilkes

Alexander Crowden

INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK It’s tempting to see Shepparton Airplane as the successor to Jefferson Airplane’s hirsute and hallucinogenic message of peace, love and happiness. The rhetorical shine of West Coast idealism has worn off, replaced by the disenfranchised reality of regional Australia, wrapped up and spat out in abrasive punk rock form.

This is where the world was always heading; those hippies didn’t know shit from clay.

SHEPPARTON AIRPLANE Shepparton Airplane Independent/Bandcamp

24 :: BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16

But Shepparton Airplane is a lot more than just a clever pun: they’re a straight out, serious as fuck rock’n’roll outfit.

With members from Graveyard Train and The Peep Tempel, Shepparton Airplane know how to play rock’n’roll with punk attitude. You’ve got the decapitated Ramones psychosis of ‘Got No Head’, tempered by the

disaffected north-west snarl of ‘Long While’ and the chunky post-punk fatigue of ‘Depressure’. ‘What Would You Know’ offers a Buzzcockian salute to the pretenders of social status; ‘Drink The Water’ is Jonestown tragedy via The Lizard Train; and ‘Superheroes’ is so pissed off it’s in danger of being detained for disrupting the peace.

‘Town Cryer’ yanks you out of your terminal cerebral malaise and into a place of manic antisocial excitement; ‘Rockin’ Man’ is a frenetic blend of jagged melody, pithy punk rock discourse and screaming feedback.

OFFICE MIXTAPE And here are the albums that have helped BRAG HQ get through the week...

SKEPTA - Konnichiwa MILES DAVIS - Kind Of Blue DIRTY PRETTY THINGS - Waterloo To Anywhere

DAVID BOWIE - David Bowie BEIRUT - No No No

There’s some seriously good shit happening here, and it ain’t none of that hippie crap.

Patrick Emery thebrag.com

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CAT POWER City Recital Hall Monday May 16

As the woman of the hour once so famously proclaimed, she’s lived in bars, danced on tables and swum with sharks.

Here in Australia, she’s also broken down onstage, been unable to sing and spent more time talking than actually performing.

It’s an inconsistency that has often plagued her attendance numbers as well as her live reputation for not entirely unfounded reasons. For every great Cat Power show story, there’s a tragic one to counteract it. Thankfully, enough of a crowd has gathered in the always stunning surrounds of the City Recital Hall – if anything, as a signal of good faith and belief in Chan Marshall as an artist and a performer.

Interestingly, the first thing that one picks up on is the silence. This is not a hootand-holler operation, folks – out of respect to the stunning surrounds of the venue, not a peep is made until a song reaches a definitive conclusion. As Marshall opens with the simplistic strum of ‘Old Detroit’, ASHLEY MAR RAPHER TOGleaves PHO she her::audience mesmerised by her unmistakable smoky voice – so much so that many do not notice the seamless transition into her famous reworking of the Rolling Stones classic ‘Satisfaction’, in which she recontextualises a shout into a

ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS, KEVIN BORICH Enmore Theatre Tuesday May 17

Eric Burdon always had a voice that made him sound like a weathered old bluesman, and now his body has finally caught up. The lead singer of The Animals recently celebrated his 75th birthday, and this Enmore show proved that although older and wiser, he can still effect pure nonchalance.

the cat empire + pierce brothers

PICS :: AM

Kevin Borich opened with ‘21st Century’, a rocking piece of raw power that had something in common with Jimi Hendrix’s work. Borich demonstrated some amazing guitar skills as he teased and conjured up great blues licks for songs like ‘Snowball King’. ‘Fight On’ was a thoughtful look at cancer, while ‘Gonna See My Baby Tonight’ served as a sweet lullaby to end a sharp and entertaining set.

When Eric Burdon performs he is basically saying, “For better or worse, you take me as I am.” He wore sunglasses for the whole concert as well as a crazy, psychedelic shirt that was so loud it made crowd members blush. He would often resort to reading his lyrics off a screen, and when he wasn’t doing that, he pottered around the stage and offered quips about fantastic Aussie seafood, or at other points

whisper with flourishing results.

A persistent cough sidetracks her from time to time across the evening, which explains why she attempts to refrain from too much talking, apart from a couple of awkwardly funny moments in which she notes the audience’s discomfort. “I can see you smiling,” she notes wryly, “but you’re not laughing.”

Instead, this is a set where the music – when it reveals itself in all of its splendour – speaks for itself. Some songs, such as Moon Pix deep cut ‘Color And The Kids’ or ‘3, 6, 9’ from her most recent LP, 2012’s Sun, take on a Dylanesque transformation – almost unrecognisable until a key phrase is uttered. Others, such as You Are Free standout ‘I Don’t Blame You’ and the title track to 2006’s The Greatest, are instantly identified and subsequently applauded.

No matter where Marshall takes the performance, it has a cohesive flow that almost feels dreamlike in its warmth and depth. Toward the end of the set, Marshall affirms how grateful she is to be alive and to be in a room of people who listen to her music. The love is mutual, and the risk pays off.

David James Young

ignored the audience completely in order to chat with an offsider. The guy is the epitome of devil-may-care cool.

‘Spill The Wine’ had a real, funky groove as Burdon’s young six-piece band (another incarnation of The Animals) played a tight track that was true to the original.

Burdon still has a great, gravelly voice and scratchy vocals that show only limited signs of aging.

‘When I Was Young’ was reinvented as a mid-paced ballad that bled straight into ‘Inside Looking Out’. Burdon and band also performed a number of cover songs; some of these hauntingly good, like Lead Belly’s ‘In The Pines’ (made famous by Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged In New York), while others did not work at all (see David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’, on which the lyrics were still fluffed and Burdon couldn’t hold a candle to Ziggy).

The Animals’ biggest hits were the real highlights of the night. ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ and ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’ sent shivers down the spines of everyone in attendance. The evening concluded with ‘It’s My Life’, and never before had the lyrics seemed so apt – for better or worse, Eric Burdon is Eric Burdon, and he ain’t changing.

Natalie Salvo

21:05:16 :: Enmore Theatre :: 118-132 Enmore Rd Newtown 9550 3666

thebrag.com

BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16 :: 25

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PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR

M83, JAPANESE WALLPAPER

Sydney Opera House Thursday May 19

David Robert Jones died on January 10, 2016. David Jones did. Not David Bowie.

David Bowie has never died. He never will, so there’s no need to mourn him. We don’t have to say goodbye to him or his songs – not till this thing we call music evaporates or the world winks out.

Fittingly then, Nothing Has Changed wasn’t a memorial. What would there be to memorialise? Which idiot would get up on the Sydney Opera House stage, backed by one of the world’s finest symphony orchestras – the Sydney Symphony Orchestra – and pretend that anything about David Bowie exists in the past tense?

Early obstacles were dismantled with stunning ease. Though iOTA’s vocals were drowned out during his version of ‘Space Oddity’, the show’s opener, by the third song such problems belonged to a different gig. Pleasure piled upon pleasure, as spooled-wire guitar solos nestled up against string arrangements that hardened Bowie’s songs, turning oak through coal to diamond.

Jack Ladder played it cool, swaying in the background, plucking choruses out of the air. Deborah Conway concentrated on her voice. iOTA was all shimmering plastic and beautifully nuanced tones.

O PHOTOGRAPHER :: ROBERT CATT

26 :: BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16

But even Rogers’ showboating had its place. Each musician became a kaleidoscoped version of Bowie writ large. Each took something totally different from the man and threw their whole selves at those complicated targets. Rogers plonking his foot on the piano and then mock-miming an apology for scuffing its surface was an exuberant flourish that recalled every inch of the Glass Spider Tour. Ladder’s stylised remove was the Thin White Duke in slow motion. Adalita didn’t sing ‘Modern Love’, she was ‘Modern Love’, and Kilbey was pop’s distorted pastiche – the chorus of ‘Station To Station’ dressed up in a suit and sent out to strut.

That’s what people talk about when they talk about David Bowie. They’re not talking about a man, or an attitude, or a point in time. They are talking about the things that exist outside language’s scope. They’re talking about music, and magic, and the way the two intertwine.

They’re not talking about a star – they’re talking about the stars.

Enmore Theatre Monday May 16

:: ASHLEY MAR RAPHER TOGgreat PHO How is the Enmore Theatre? The

grand old dame of a live music venue is Sydney’s longest-running, and it never fails to impress. Sure, the air conditioning has conked out once or twice in its time, and the ground floor can shake like a mother, but it damn well knows how to host a party. And as ’80s revivalists and saxophone enthusiasts M83’s home for one night, it was no different.

Opening the show was the somewhat surprising choice of Japanese Wallpaper, AKA Gab Strum. Charming as his twinkly tunes may be, they fall far from the bonkers big sound of M83. And the Melbourne-born multiinstrumentalist’s set was just and only that – charming. His cover of Björk’s ‘Hyperballad’ indeed reflected a heartfelt love for the Icelandic superstar, but stripped the original of its dark wonderment. In comparison, new song ‘Cocoon’ was a little beauty, lifting the mood with a pulsating beat and rolling melody. And despite a false start, Airling’s performance on ‘Forces’ was a nice surprise.

Rather like a Keith Haring artwork come to life, M83 took to the stage against a black backdrop and scattered neon lights with ferociously frenetic energy.

It is an unusual gig when there is no absolute standout, when each song is an utter killer. ‘Do It, Try It’ from their latest album Junk was blisteringly explosive, ‘Walkway Blues’ was an entrancing slowbuilder, and somehow ‘Road Blaster’ managed to be even funkier, jazzier and rockier live. But as expected, ‘Midnight City’, their mammoth single from 2011’s Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, received the biggest response from the audience, causing a mini-riot.

While Gonzalez naturally attracted a lot of attention, the whole band was transfixing to watch. Guitarist and sometime vocalist Jordan Lawlor had some crazy-hypnotic dance moves. And singer and synth player Kaela Sinclair enraptured, hitting all of Susanne Sundfør’s demanding notes on sci-fi theme ‘Oblivion’. Altogether, it was a commanding and truly memorable gig.

Until next time.

Anita Connors

Joseph Earp

live at the sly

PICS :: DC

DAVID BOWIE: NOTHING HAS CHANGED

Adalita was the rock’n’roll soul, all sashay and swagger. Steve Kilbey ran up and down the stage as though it were a marathon’s path. And Tim Rogers tried and failed to turn the proceedings into the Tim Rogers show, mugging for cameras that weren’t there.

Start to finish, it was a rhapsodic, ear-drum-melting performance by the French but LA-based five-piece. Founder and lead singer Anthony Gonzalez had hilariously limited banter. In the middle of set opener ‘Reunion’ he rallied, “Let’s have some fun, let’s dance, let’s be crazy.” After that, the songs were rarely interrupted or introduced, and he only ever really repeated the word “Sydney”, often in threes.

19:05:16 :: Slyfox :: 199 Enmore Rd Enmore 9557 2917 thebrag.com

g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Olympia Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm.

Paul Wynn Duo Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.

Roadhouse Rockabilly Night Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen, Newtown. 7pm. Free.

Rock The World Band Comp - feat: Various The World Bar, Kings Cross. 8pm. $15.

Violent Soho + DZ Deathrays + Dune Rats Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7:15pm. $54.90.

Wallflower Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $13.60.

pick of the week Anohni

FRIDAY MAY 27 – TUESDAY MAY 31

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

Sydney Opera House

Anohni 7:30pm. $59.

WEDNESDAY MAY 25 INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Evie Dean Optus Centre, Macquarie Park.

12pm. Free.

Mark Travers Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.

Muso’s Club Jam Night - feat: Various Ruby L’otel, Rozelle.

7:30pm. Free.

The Dinlows - feat: Mamajae Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 7pm.

Free.

The Ramblers Bald Faced Stag

Hotel, Leichhardt.

8pm. Free.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Big Daddy Wilson The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $35.

Big Daddy Wilson The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $35.

Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm.

Free.

Manouche Wednesday - feat: The Squeezebox Trio Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

THURSDAY MAY 26 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Gin + Jazz Busby, Woolloomooloo. 6pm.

Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Belinda Marks Penrith RSL, Penrith.

11am. Free.

Capital Coast Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm.

Free.

Client Liaison + GL Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $33.90.

Evie Dean Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale. 4pm. Free.

Jep & Dep + Hannah Marjorie The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $7.

Live At The Sly - feat: Project Collective Ska + Tony Hughes + Brokebeat Mountain + Colourfields Slyfox, Enmore.

7:30pm. Free.

Lycanthrope - feat: Double Chamber + Path Of Victory + The Chaotic Borderline + Black Rheno Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

No Refunds Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt.

8pm. Free.

Oliver Goss Band + Wilder Lee Marlborough Hotel, Newtown. 9pm. Free.

Beccy Cole Slide Lounge, Darlinghurst. 7pm. $89.

Clare Bowen Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $50.90.

Dave Anthony Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale. 7:30pm.

Free.

Ginger’s Jam - feat: Various Bands Oxford Hotel, Darlinghurst. 7:30pm.

Free.

Glenn Esmond Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

Harbourview Hulabaloo - feat: Zack Martin + Julia Michaels + Michael Kerr + Julia Michaels’ Students + Jack Cooper + Sam Cooper Harbourview Hotel, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

Katherine Vavahea - feat: Olatundji + Rob Demasi + Dom Morgan + Bek Jensen Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $10.

Live & Original @ The Merc - feat: Gene Gibson + Deers From Embers + Spines The Mercantile Hotel, The Rocks. 7:30pm.

Free.

Live Music @ Manning

Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm.

Free.

Mark Lucas & Friends Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

8:30pm. Free.

Michael Kopp Crown Hotel, Sydney.

4:30pm. Free.

FRIDAY MAY 27 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Fado In Australia Django Bar @ Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $20.

Prime Time Quartet Foundry616, Ultimo.

6pm. $20.

Suite Az Fridays + DJ Troy T The Arthouse, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Alfredo Malabello The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

Altitude Engadine Tavern, Engadine. 9pm. Free.

Blake Wiggins Kings Park Tavern, Kings Park. 7pm. Free.

Key To The Highway The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $7.

Leroy Lee Lord Raglan Hotel, Sydney. 7pm. Free.

Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm.

Free.

Michael Gorham 99 On York, Sydney.

5:30pm. Free.

Shamanic Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

9pm. Free.

Steve Crocker Chatswood RSL, Chatswood. 5pm.

Free.

Unleash Vineyard Hotel, Vineyard. 9:30pm.

Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

1927 The Home Tavern, Wagga. 8pm. $30.

Anohni Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 7:30pm. $59.

B.A.P Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 6pm. $79.

Basement Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7pm. $50.

Blake Tailor The Oriental Hotel, Springwood. 8pm.

Free.

Bon Iver Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8pm. $89.

Cath & Him Dee Why RSL, Dee Why. 9pm. Free.

Chase The Sun Brass Monkey, Cronulla. 7pm. $23.50.

Cherie Currie Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $65.80.

Chris Turner And The Cavemen Paddo RSL, Paddington. 8pm.

Free.

Client Liaison + GL Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $33.90.

Clive Hay Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale. 9:30pm.

Free.

Crossroad Heritage Hotel, Bulli.

7:30pm. Free.

Don Walker Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $32.70.

Gold Class + Mere Women Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $15.

One Hit Wonders Revesby Workers Club, Revesby.

8:30pm. Free.

Original Sin INXS Show Colonial Hotel, Werrington. 9pm. Free.

Reckless Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 10pm. Free.

Rick Dangerous And The Silkie Bantams + Hammers Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $10.

Sam Lyon Duo Quakers Inn, Quakers Hill. 8pm. Free.

Screaming Jets Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 7:30pm. $45.

The Chosen Few Penrith RSL, Penrith.

9pm. Free.

The Fossicks

Brass Monkey, Cronulla. 7pm. $23.50.

The Great Gig In The Sky - feat: Simon Meli + Juliane Disisto + Mark Dacosta + Lozz Benson The Basement, Circular Quay. 9pm. $47.70.

The Love Junkies The Basement, Circular Quay. 8pm. $10.

Unbroken Au Presents Underminer - feat: Absolution + Of Divinity + Boardwalks + Below Arcadia + Pillager Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

Vander Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt.

8pm. Free.

Violent Soho + DZ Deathrays + Dune Rats + The Gooch Palms Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7:15pm. $54.90.

SATURDAY MAY 28 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Geoff Davies The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free.

Get Folked - feat: The Button Collective + Queen Porter + Stomp + Andy Paylor + The Black Vat Trio + Low Down Riders The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 10am. $15.

JP Project The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney. 7:30pm. Free.

Michael Gorham Rocks Brewing Co, Alexandria. 2pm. Free.

Midnight Circus Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill. 8pm. Free.

Shane Nicholson Django Bar @ Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $28.

Spit Roasting Bibbers Picton Hotel, Picton.

8pm. Free.

Ted Nash Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 8pm. Free.

songwriters’ secrets WITH

MARGARET JOUGHIN FROM THE GOLDHEARTS

fans, but it is important that they have an understanding of – or open mind to – a musical project that has two guitars, bass and drums, and that you can call it a guitar band and play indie rock, or in our case ‘indie rock grunge twang’.

Keeping Busy 2.

We’ve been listening to mastered tracks and trying to

1.

Your Profile We are old-fashioned traditionalists, and have to say we loved the world when female bands ruled the airwaves in the ’90s – think thebrag.com

Hole, PJ Harvey, The Breeders – but like to think we have kept up with the times and love Courtney Barnett.

We’re happy for potential fans to love EDM and all that it offers to music

decide on the album track order. It was harder than we thought. We’re working closely with the team at The A&R Department to prepare for the album release. We’re also building our audience on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, and played a couple of shows without Sydney guitarist Trace while she was travelling in the USA and catching up with the infamous radio Rodney Bingenheimer. Rodney has provided the band with ongoing

support and airplay on LA’s KROQ and especially through his weekly show Rodney On The Roq.

Barnett album on high rotation at my place for the past 12 months, it’s time to listen to some new stuff. I’m enjoying the new Ladyhawke album.

Best Gig Ever 3.

Individually we have played Your Ultimate Rider some pretty big festivals in previous 5.

This early in The Goldhearts’ bands. It’s just over a year since career, the rider usually consists of The Goldhearts’ first live show so each show is building, as is our performance. The last Sydney show in December at Chicks With Picks at the Townie in Newtown went off.

There was a big crowd and they were super supportive. It felt comfortable onstage and just felt awesome. Much of the set will be included in our show this Saturday at the Tit, plus more. We want to get down here more often.

Playlist 4. Current After having the Courtney

a couple of drink tix, if you are lucky.

Our ultimate rider would include champagne, quality red, cocktails, and a tasty antipasto platter (like the one we once witnessed playing with the Stone Roses at Brisbane’s Festival Hall). A massage would be great!

What: The Rise And Fall Of The Goldhearts out Friday May 27 independently Where: The Bearded Tit When: Saturday May 28

BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16 :: 27

g g guide gig g

gig picks

up all night out all week...

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Whelan & Gover Kings Park Tavern, Kings Park. 7pm. Free.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Andrew Russelle + John & Yuki Well Co Cafe, Glebe.

8pm. Free.

Sydney University Wind Orchestra (Symphonies Of Gaia) Sydney Conservatorium Of Music, Sydney.

7:30pm. $35.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Agent 69 Penrith RSL, Penrith.

9pm. Free.

Anohni Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 7:30pm. $59.

Baby Animals Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $65.

Being As An Ocean + Saviour + Void Of Vision Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7pm. $35.

Bon Iver Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8pm. $89.

Charlie Heart Golden Age Cinema, Surry Hills. 8pm. Free.

Clare Bowen Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $50.

Clive Hay Penrith Panthers,

Penrith. 5:30pm. Free.

Cook Fest - feat: King Colour + Capital Coast + Hunch + Mac The Knife + Triple One + Sck Chx + Powla + White Blanks Botany View Hotel, Newtown. 2pm. Free.

Darren Johnstone Novotel, Rooty Hill.

6:30pm. Free.

DJ Matt Ellis AKA Matty O Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 8:30pm.

Free.

Fourth And Forever Paddo RSL, Paddington. 8pm.

Free.

Geoff Bull And The Finer Cuts Penrith RSL, Penrith.

2pm. Free.

Hard-Ons + Milkk + Baby Machine Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $19.

Hits & Pieces Oatley Hotel, Oatley.

8pm. Free.

Jalapeno Deluxe Revesby Workers Club, Revesby.

8:30pm. Free.

Jed Zarb The Oxford Hotel, Drummoyne. 10pm.

Free.

Jonathan Jones Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 3pm. Free.

Louise Adams Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 7:30pm. $25.

Moving Pictures Wenty Leagues Club, Wentworthville. 8pm. $40.

wed

Show: A Tribute To The Music Of John Farnham North Bondi RSL, Bondi North. 8pm.

Free.

Winter Warm Up At Valve - feat: Bubbleboy + Balko + The Gum Drops + Cosmic Flanders + The Valleys Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

SUNDAY MAY 29 INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Bon Iver Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8pm. $89.

Dress Up Attack! feat: Walter Martin + Sally Seltmann + Holly Throsby Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 10am. $39.

Hamro-Fest - feat: Cosmic Vibe + Chronic + Chillaum + The Stairs Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 5pm. $10.

Jack Horner Wallacia Hotel, Wallacia. 1pm. Free.

Jed Zarb Jamison Hotel, Penrith. 1pm. Free.

Louise Adams The Vanguard,

thu

25 May

Peace Train Mounties, Mount Pritchard. 8pm. $50.

Perfect World - Night Of Punk - feat: Hey Reckless + Your Truly + The Ruiins + Whispering Jackie + Sarahkills Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt.

8pm. $11.80.

Raised As Wolves + Japam + Bad Moon Born Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $12.

Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue Show Kareela Golf Club, Kareela. 8pm. Free.

The Chosen Few Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 10pm. Free.

The Goldhearts + DJ Mama The Bearded Tit, Redfern. 4pm. Free.

The Great Gig In The Sky - feat: Simon Meli + Juliane Disisto + Mark Dacosta + Lozz Benson The Basement, Circular Quay. 9pm. $47.70.

The Pigs Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $30.

The Posse Cake Wines Cellar Door, Redfern.

1:30pm. $17.

Todd McKenney Sings Peter Allen Revesby Workers Club, Revesby. 8pm. $55.

Whispering Jack

26 (9:00PM - 12:00AM)

May

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

fri

27 May

(10:00PM - 1:40AM)

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

sat

28

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

sun

3:00PM  6:00PM

May

29 May

(8:30PM - 12:00AM)

(10:00PM - 1:15AM)

mon

30 May

3:00PM  6:00PM

tue

(8:30PM - 11:30PM)

31 May

(8:30PM - 11:30PM)

Newtown. 6:30pm. $30.

Models + Machinations + Dave Mason Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7pm. $46.

Pete Byrne Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 8:30pm. Free.

Rob Henry Duo Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 3pm. Free.

Slide McBride Woollahra Hotel, Woollahra. 6:30pm.

Free.

The Matches Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $48.90.

Villains + Jethros Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi. 9pm.

Free.

Vintage 4 Penrith RSL, Penrith.

2pm. Free.

Walter Martin Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $23.

Zeahorse + Heads Of Charm + Yes I’m Leaving + Nothing Rhymes With David + Lapse Black Wire Records, Annandale. 3pm. $15.

The Monday Jam feat: The New Ojezz House Band + Local DJs The Basement, Circular Quay. 8pm.

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Cook Fest - Feat: King Colour + Capital Coast + Hunch + Mac The Knife + Triple One + Sck Chx + Powla + White Blanks Botany View Hotel, Newtown.

2pm. Free.

Violent Soho + DZ Deathrays + Dune Rats Enmore Theatre, Newtown.

7:15pm. $54.90.

Wallflower Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $13.60.

FRIDAY MAY 27 B.A.P Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point.

6pm. $79.

Basement Factory Theatre, Marrickville.

7pm. $50.

Bon Iver Sydney Opera House, Sydney.

8pm. $89.

Cherie Currie Manning Bar, Camperdown.

8pm. $65.80.

Gold Class + Mere Women Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $15.

Key To The Highway The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $7.

Rick Dangerous And The Silkie Bantams + Hammers Factory Theatre, Marrickville.

8pm. $10.

SATURDAY MAY 28

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Client Liaison + GL Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $33.90.

Live At The Sly - Feat: Project Collective Ska + Tony Hughes + Brokebeat Mountain + Colourfields Slyfox, Enmore. 7:30pm. Free.

Bob Dylan 75th Birthday Bash Union Hotel, Newtown. 4pm. Free.

Dave Anthony The Mill Hotel, Milperra. 12pm. Free.

Hawaiian Cowboy Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

Michael Kopp Bella Vista, Pyrmont.

12pm. Free.

Miss Peaches Hootenanny Bluegrass Sundays Miss Peaches Soul Food Kitchen, Newtown. 8pm. Free.

The Tall Grass (Fenton & Hutchings) The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 5pm.

Free.

MONDAY MAY 30

Clare Bowen Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $50.

Jep & Dep + Hannah Marjorie The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 7pm. $7.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

Alturas Django Bar @ Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 6:30pm. $28.

Sound Gardens (Vivid New Music At The Con) feat: Sydney Conservatorium Orchestra + Thomas Avgenicos Group + Mimi Kind + Sabrina Toon Sydney Conservatorium Of Music, Sydney. 3pm. $20.

THURSDAY MAY 26

Get Folked - Feat: The Button Collective + Queen Porter + Stomp + Andy Paylor + The Black Vat Trio + Low Down Riders The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 10am. $15.

Hard-Ons + Milkk + Baby Machine Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $19.

Raised As Wolves + Japam + Bad Moon Born Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $12.

The Great Gig In The Sky Feat: Simon Meli + Juliane Disisto + Mark Dacosta + Lozz Benson The Basement, Circular Quay.

9pm. $47.70.

SUNDAY MAY 29 Louise Adams The Vanguard, Newtown.

6:30pm. $30.

Models + Machinations + Dave Mason Enmore Theatre, Newtown.

7pm. $46.

The Matches Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $48.90.

Walter Martin Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $23.

Zeahorse + Heads Of Charm + Yes I’m Leaving + Nothing Rhymes With David + Lapse Black Wire Records, Annandale. 3pm. $15.

Baby Animals Enmore Theatre, Newtown.

8pm. $65.

TUESDAY MAY 31

Being As An Ocean + Saviour + Void Of Vision Factory Theatre, Marrickville.

7pm. $35.

Hiatus Kaiyote + Sampa The Great Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8pm. $49.

$5.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK John Maddox Duo Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

Live & Original @ The Corridor Corridor Bar, Newtown. 7pm. Free.

Songsonstage feat: Russell Neal + Kenneth D’ Aran Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 7:30pm.

Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Anohni Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 7:30pm. $59.

Bon Iver Sydney Opera House,

Sydney. 8pm. $89.

TUESDAY $0.00 MAY 31 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Live Music @ Manning Manning Bar, Camperdown. 3pm.

Free.

Songsonstage feat: Ingrid Mae + David Levell Gladstone Hotel, Dulwich Hill. 7:30pm.

Free.

Songsonstage feat: Melissa Page + Guests Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 8pm. Free.

POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Anohni Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 7:30pm. $59.

Bandsonstage Ruby Tuesday - feat: Russel Neale + Green Manalishi Ruby L’otel, Rozelle.

7:30pm. Free.

Bucket Lounge Presents – Live & Originals Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

Hiatus Kaiyote + Sampa The Great Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 8pm. $49.

Live Rock & Roll Karaoke Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 4pm. Free.

Vera Blue + Matt Gresham Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $25.

INDIE, ROCK, thebrag.com

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Juñor

GLOVER

COME TOGETHER 2016

Sydney’s biggest celebration of all things hip hop, Come Together, is coming back to town in time for Vivid 2016. This year’s festival boasts a bumper lineup of Aussie talent, led out by the returning rap god himself, Drapht. Also on the bill are Allday, Tuka, Spit Syndicate, Dylan Joel, Gill Bates, Mallrat and triple j Unearthed winner Manu Crooks, but that won’t be all the entertainment on offer for the day, with tickets including free Luna Park rides from 1-5pm. Score!

Come Together takes over the Big Top, Luna Park on Saturday June 11. We’ve got a double pass to give away, and you can enter the draw at thebrag.com/freeshit.

A MINDFUL MC

Rapper, producer, engineer and DJ Juñor is working hard to make his name on the local scene, having released Free Mined and now set to launch its ‘epilogue’, Psyde B. Free Mined was his second effort in the space of 12 months following the Fluorescent Connections EP, which debuted at number six on iTunes’ hip hop charts last year. Perceptive hip hop fans will recognise Juñor as the DJ behind Ivan Ooze, but he’ll be centre stage at Brighton Up Bar on Friday July 8 with Young Dred and Phillabusta joining the action.

Growing Up 1.

Growing up I came from a musical family; my mum would sing, sister played the flute, brother played the guitar and I played the saxophone and for a short period played the drums as well. This definitely helped when later on I started DJing and writing my own music.

2.

Inspirations MJ was a huge influence when I was younger. I remember having Thriller on repeat for a very long time. I was also a big new jack swing fan, so everything that Teddy Riley was involved with as well as groups like Jodeci and SWV. The golden era of ’90s hip hop was great – Pete Rock, DJ Premier, et cetera; Timbaland and The Neptunes later on as well. I got into electronic music through the likes of Derrick Carter, Daft Punk and Armand Van Helden. More recently I find myself listening to the likes of Disclosure, Calvin Harris, The Weeknd, Galantis and Kaytranada, to name a few.

Your Crew 3.

My new single has just been released through Onelove records. It’s a collaboration with Zurez and

Sydney band Dream Delay.

We heard a few of Dream Delay’s songs through their SoundCloud and thought they would be great to work work with, so we reached out to them and together wrote ‘Let Go’.

D.D Dumbo Laurent Garnier, Maya Jane Coles, Adam Beyer, Stacey Pullen and Kerri Chandler.

His SoundCloud is a port of edgy grooves and subtly progressive production tricks, encompassing deep house and main room techno. See Over in Sydney for S.A.S.H (venue TBC) on Sunday July 10.

The Music You Make 4.

And Play Currently in my playlist are: Glover & Zurez – ‘Let Go’ (feat. Dream Delay); Galantis – ‘No Money’ (Dillon Francis remix); Odd Mob – ‘Into You’; Flume – ‘Never Be Like You’ (Tom Budin bootleg); and Martin Solveig – ‘Do It Right’.

5.

Music, Right Here, Right Now There is so much good music coming out of Australia – artists like RÜFÜS, What So Not, Peking Duk, Tommy Trash, Flume, Golden Features et cetera. It’s super inspiring to see how well their music is being received globally.

What: Parallel Universes: Avatar ‘Escape To Pandora’ as part of Vivid Sydney 2016 With: Andy Murphy, Jesabel Where: The Argyle When: Friday May 27 – Sunday May 29

DUMBO SUMMONS THE DEVIL

Returning with his first cut of new music in over two years, D.D Dumbo – the musical alias of Victoria’s Oliver Hugh Perry – has released his new track, ‘Satan’.

After uploading his eclectic home-recorded debut EP online in 2012, Perry garnered a heap of support, which saw him play at festivals like SXSW, Splendour In The Grass and Meredith, as well as scoring supports for the likes of Tame Impala, Beirut and St. Vincent. Sydney can look forward to a show at Newtown Social Club on Friday July 29.

MOVE OVER KEVIN

This July, German producer and DJ Kevin Over is bringing his ’90s-tinged dancefloor prowess to Australia. The ’90s influence makes sense, considering that’s the decade when Over was born. So turned on by the sounds he

heard, he was already DJing by the age of 14. That was 11 years ago, and since then he’s gained praise from the likes of

VIVID LIGHTS UP THE ARGYLE

Ever wanted to see Chewbacca cut some shapes on the dancefloor? Here’s your chance. As part of its Vivid Sydney offerings, The Argyle – an ideally placed party hub on the doorstep of all the Vivid light show action on Circular Quay – has announced plans for a series of themed parties.

Across 21 colourful nights, the venue will host world-class light shows (it’s Vivid, after all), roving performers, Tex-Mex food, live bands and DJs. Each week during Vivid also comes with a theme: Avatar (Friday May 27 – Sunday May

29), Willy Wonka (Monday May 30 – Sunday June 5), Star Wars (Monday June 6 – Sunday June 12) and Marvel (Monday June 13 – Saturday June 18). The DJ lineup includes the likes of Andy Murphy, Glover, Brooklyn, Mike Champion and Minx, and you better believe there’ll be dress-up action. See The Argyle’s full Vivid schedule at theargylerocks.com.

WEISS IS NICE

Toolroom Records man Weiss is bringing his deep jacking grooves Down Under next month. The British producer and DJ, who made his name with cuts like ‘My Sister’ and ‘The Guitar Man’, will arrive for a seven-date tour of Australia and New Zealand, his biggest run in this part of the world yet. ‘My Sister’ has been an institution on Ibiza dancefloors, so no doubt it’ll get the crowd going – along with Weiss’ other selections – at Chinese Laundry on Saturday June 4.

Nocturnal Tapes

What So Not photo by Damien Weatherley

What So Not

WHAT SO A-TRAK RHYTHMS OF THE NIGHT

Nocturnal Tapes are set to play a Sydney show in support of their new single, ‘Pattern’.

The indie-electronic dudes are a rising force on the scene, having plied their trade at Mountain Sounds, Sweaty Palms and UTS Summerfest in the past year. Now they’ve finally released the follow-up to their debut single, and to celebrate, the North Coast duo will play an energetic show at The World Bar at the back end of their statewide tour.

Nocturnal Tapes will be in Sydney on Friday May 20.

thebrag.com

This could be a physically punishing back-to-back performance from two guys who know how to unlock dangerously low bass frequencies. Yep, What So Not and A-Trak are heading all over the country in conjunction with their Splendour In The Grass appearances. What So Not recently caused the children and adults of regional Australia to weep during his stint on the Groovin The Moo tour. A-Trak, meanwhile, has been kicking goals via his label Fools Gold, while also thrashing turntables in clubs of the world and on festival stages whenever he gets the chance. What So Not’s latest release, ‘Lone’ with Ganz and vocals from Joy, has been listened to two zillion times on Spotify. Not a bad way to lure in listeners ahead of the anticipated follow-up to his 2015 EP Gemini. Catch What So Not and A-Trak at the Enmore Theatre on Thursday June 30.

BRAG :: 664 :: 25:04:16 :: 29

Rainbow Chan Memory And Identity By Erin Rooney much like a collage. After some more chipping away at the ideas, the result is her nostalgic, layered electropop compositions that often provide a direct window into her soul.

“I try to draw influences from things that are not just music-based,” she explains. “So I will go and try and see performances, or sit by the beach and just look at the waves roll in. I just try to make it a bit more holistic and not just fixated on sounding like a particular genre.”

Starting out from more conventional beginnings, first learning the saxophone and then using the piano and her voice to write, Chan’s music began in a different place altogether – one she describes as “traditional” and “minimal”. Her interest in electronic music arose when she started observing similarities between live instrumentation and particular elements of electronic music, and her compositions began to take quite a different path.

I

magine moving to a new country as a child and being told to choose which of your favourite belongings to bring. You’re only allowed to fit them into a single box, and the selection could define the pieces of your childhood you’ll cherish for years to come. For Rainbow Chan, when she moved from Hong Kong in 1996 as a sixyear-old, the choice was simple.

“When I moved to Australia, I brought a box of VHS tapes with me – before

the internet was a thing. These music videos and anime programs that would take up the TV were stored in a kind of time capsule. I would watch that with my sisters over and over again – it helps me to keep reimagining myself as coming from a particular place and time.”

These memories and influences still play a large part in Chan’s musical process today, in which she takes snippets of ideas from a wide pool of sources, then pieces them together

“I think for me it’s seeing musical sounds as a spectrum and not as a dichotomy between technologically based sounds and organic sounds,” says Chan. “How can you play the piano so it doesn’t sound like a piano? How can you play the saxophone in a way that it sounds like it’s growling or industrial rather than a saxophone?”

The idea of breaking down the foundations of sound has naturally led Chan into various opportunities, like doing the sound design for art installations. At the moment, she’s particularly interested in counterfeit culture, and how certain industries and markets affect creative output.

She’s been able to investigate these kinds of statements even further through making sound art.

“Within the pop realm, there’s only so much space to make comments on that without the song sounding contrived,” she says. “So I think being able to do it in an installation or in a performance art context is more conducive to those kind of comments.”

Turning to the stage, and after taking out FBi Radio’s Northern Lights prize in 2011, Chan has had the opportunity to perform at a number of festivals, including the Iceland Airwaves Festival in Reykjavík, known for unearthing new artists from all over the world. 2016 will be her third year performing at Vivid Sydney, and she’ll take part in two events – Heaps Gay’s Festival Of Queer Delights and a Women In Electronic Music Showcase at the Museum of Contemporary Art. For Heaps Gay’s party, she’ll be teaming up onstage for the first time with Moon Holiday (best known for voicing ‘Insane’ on Flume’s debut album) and techno keyboardist Corin. “They [the Heaps Gay organisers] liked the idea of having an all-female band as part of their lineup,” Chan says, “so that was nice for more representation of female artists.”

She also feels honoured to have made the lineup for the Women In Electronic Music Showcase, spotlighting a section of the music industry where there certainly needs to be more representation for women. Chan speculates that there are pressures surrounding image that prevent some women from entering the industry, and especially in a genre that is perceived as more “traditionally masculine”. However, as Chan herself has gotten more experience, she’s learned to face this issue head-on.

“I take a lot of control over the way I’m presented,” says Chan. “With more experience, there’s more dialogue in general about the fact that it’s important to represent yourself in an image that you’re most comfortable with.”

Alongside these upcoming performances, Chan is also preparing to release a new album. Like much of her work, it is strongly linked to emotional experiences and lessons learned as she gets older, piecing together memories and feelings. “[The album] came from a very specific time in my life where I did a lot of growing and I was kind of shedding this very young adult skin into something that was a bit more formed and tough – emotionally and musically, I think.”

She has already released two tracks from the album, each exploring the human experience: ‘Nest’, a song about accumulating experiences from a failed romance, and ‘Last’. The album will arrive as a whole in the next couple of months.

“Musically, the songs range from ballads to more dancey numbers,” says Chan. “But I think thematically it’s about accepting failure into your life.”

What: Heaps Gay – The Festival Of Queer Delights as part of Vivid Sydney 2016 With: Collarbones, The Blow Waves, HTML Flowers and more Where: Factory Theatre When: Sunday June 12 And: Also appearing at MusicNSW’s Women In Electronic Music Showcase at the Museum of Contemporary Art on Saturday June 18

Drapht Man In The Mirror By David James Young

N

ormally living life on a threehour delay, Paul Reid – AKA Perth rapper Drapht – is in sync with the east coast for a spell, spending some time in Melbourne to put the finishing touches on his forthcoming comeback LP, tentatively titled Seven Mirrors. It’s been preceded by a new single, ‘All Love’, as well as a run of dates as part of regional music festival Groovin The Moo – shows Reid is still reeling from.

“It was a bit of a dream run,” he says excitedly. “I haven’t done a show at that scale in a long time. It was such a gratifying experience to return to a bigger stage and to get that kind of energy and response from the audience. I’m playing with a new band, too, which is made up of some of my closest mates. It’s great place to find yourself in after being out of the game for so long.”

“To be completely honest with you, I bought that restaurant because I thought that I was never going to make another album,” confesses Reid. “After I came off the last record cycle, I was just miserable. What was probably my most successful album was the thing that broke me – both commercially and 30 :: BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16

hip hop crew Syllabolix. Now 33, he’s seen a myriad of artists come and go – not just in his native Perth, but on a national scale. Perhaps more importantly, however, he has witnessed the inevitable rise of hip hop’s local visibility, from a fringe indulgence to the mainstream of Australian music.

Although Reid has – for now, at least – put the restaurant life behind him, he appreciates the fact it was dropping off the radar of Australian hip hop and focusing on his meals that rekindled his passion for the art form. “I took six months off when the restaurant first started,” he explains, “and then all of these ideas started to build up. I just found myself writing and writing and writing – and not even with the idea of putting anything out or making another record, just writing because it felt right. I realised that I had to get away from everything – just focusing on the restaurant, getting away from the industry – in order to comprehend how much I needed music.”

“What a lot of these young artists don’t understand is that I didn’t get any kind of real airplay until my third album,” he says. “I didn’t ever even have ambitions of living off my music when I put out my first album [2003’s Pale Rider]. It never seemed possible to me. It was my hobby away from my full-time job – that’s all it was. Hip hop in Australia has gone from a pastime activity to something that can sell out an arena with 15,000 people. I’ve seen artists kick doors down and I’ve seen artists go from strength to strength.

It’s incredible to be a part of and it’s incredible to look at.”

Seven Mirrors is currently in its mixing stage, almost ready for public consumption following some serious doubts on Reid’s part over the final product. “The album was finished about a year ago, but then I had this massive case of demo-itis,” he says.

“It didn’t feel like the album that I wanted to come back with. I decided to bring in some friends to be executive producers – Styalz Fuego, Nic Martin and my friend Daz, who was in Downsyde with me. The three of them were able to give me advice that I’d never had previously. I knew that if I was going to come back to music, I had to be open to other ideas and other people’s visions.”

Reid began rapping and performing at the age of 17 as part of the WA

Indeed, Reid will get to formally reacquaint himself with the hip hop world this June as the headlining act of Sydney’s Come Together festival, joining the likes of Allday, Tuka and Spit Syndicate on a huge local bill.

“There’ll be a bunch of new stuff that we’ll trial out in the set,” he says.

“We’re definitely going to be playing what I hope is going to be the next single as well. I’ll be very interested to see what people’s reaction to it will be. Besides that, we’ve got all the old classics in store. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Rainbow Chan photo by Romain Duquesne

Indeed, it has been five years since Reid dropped his last LP as Drapht, 2011’s The Life Of Riley. The album ended up being one of the most commercially successful records in the history of Australian hip hop, sporting two high-charting singles, earning gold certification and hitting the top of the album charts. Instead of plotting a massive follow-up, however, Reid retreated into life as a restaurateur – 2013 saw him and his sister Alisa open up Solomon’s Café in Highgate, located north of Perth’s CBD and serving primarily organic fresh food and beverages.

personally. It was tough, but I’ve found you have to go through darkness to find the light again. I’m still very passionate about whole foods and what Solomon’s is about, but I actually sold it before I went out on tour with Groovin. Both starting the restaurant and moving on from it were both so important in my life.”

What: Come Together 2016 With: Allday, Tuka, Spit Syndicate, Dylan Joel and more Where: Big Top Sydney, Luna Park When: Saturday June 11 thebrag.com

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club guide g

club picks p up all night out all week...

send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com

club pick of the week Bradley Zero

FRIDAY MAY 27 Sydney Opera House

Goodgod Super Club Bradley Zero + Simon Caldwell 9pm. $39.

WEDNESDAY MAY 25 CLUB NIGHTS Birdcage - feat: The Lezident DJ Comp Week 2 Slyfox, Enmore. 9pm.

Free.

Salsa Wednesdays - feat: DJ Miro + Special Guests The Argyle, The Rocks. 8:30pm. Free.

SBW - feat: Jonski Babysham + Resident DJs Side Bar, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

Sosueme - feat: Touch Sensitive + Dune Rats DJs + Acaddamy + Hobophonics Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 7pm.

Free.

The Wall The World Bar, Kings Cross. 9pm. Free.

Yellow Wednesdays Secret Garden Bar, Enmore. 7pm. Free.

THURSDAY MAY 26

xxx

HIP HOP & R&B The Snapback

Auction - feat: John Cotton & The Book Keepers Play Bar, Surry Hills.

5pm. Free.

CLUB NIGHTS Femme Fetale The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free.

House Keeping - feat: DJ Conor Boylan + Guests Side Bar, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

The Goods - feat: Guest DJ Plan B Small Club, Sydney. 9pm. Free.

Toho Nights - feat: Jay Katz + Special Guests Goros, Surry Hills.

8pm. Free.

FRIDAY MAY 27 HIP HOP & R&B Angelus Apatrida Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt.

8pm. $40.90.

Citizen Kay + Genesis Owusu Plan B Small Club, Sydney. 8:30pm. $16.90.

Freshly Pick’d Headz - feat: Benji Pk + Kaoe + Fizone

32 :: BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16

+ Mumblez + DJ Myme + DJ Poksac Cauliflower Hotel, Waterloo. 7:30pm.

Free.

Red Bull Music Sound Select - feat: Tuka + Sampa The Great + B Wise The Chippendale Hotel, Chippendale.

8pm. $10.

CLUB NIGHTS Afrobrasiliana - feat: Trevor El Chino Parkee + Thomas Studdy + Raphael Ramires Brasil + Paris Groovescooter + Walking Fish Play Bar, Surry Hills.

6pm. Free.

Another Night Of Bollocks - feat: Geoff The Chef + Hi Shock + Biz E + Mark N + Mookie + Ming De Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 9pm. $10.

Argyle Fridays The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free.

Bassic - feat: Brillz + Goldbrixx + Blackjack + Sparrow + Gomu + Kahl Page + Brandon Jonak + Sidhu Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $22.90.

Belvie Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 5pm.

Free.

El Loco Later - feat: DJs On Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 9pm. Free.

Feel Good Fridays Bar100, The Rocks.

5pm. Free.

Friday Frothers feat: DJ Babysham + Guests Side Bar, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

Fridays At Zeta Zeta Bar, Sydney.

9pm. Free.

Goodgod Super Club - feat: Bradley Zero + Simon Caldwell Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 9pm. $39.

Harbour Club Fridays The Watershed Hotel, Sydney. 6pm. Free.

Jam Fridays Jam Gallery, Bondi Junction. 9:30pm.

Free.

Jesabel Marquee, Pyrmont.

10pm. $13.70.

Loco Friday - feat: DJs On Rotation The Slip Inn, Sydney.

5pm. Free.

Motorik X Vivid Presents: Locked Groove + Kirin J Callinan + Csmnt61 + Stereogamous + Made In Paris + Jac Frier + Francis Xavier + Vivi + Mclean & Mai Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 9pm. $28.70.

Parallel Universes: Avatar - feat: Andy Murphy + Glover + Jesabel The Argyle, The Rocks. 8pm. $20.

Safia Secret Location, Sydney. 8:30pm. $33.

Scubar Fridays - feat: DJs On Rotation Scubar, Sydney. 8pm.

Free.

Shoko The Laundry Party Part 2 - feat: Micky Price B2B Andy Bird + Craig Whyte B2B John Mchaffie Jam Gallery, Bondi Junction. 9pm. $16.50.

Sly Fridays - feat: Marley Sherman + Harry Buisman + Smooth Prince + Jackson Winter Slyfox, Enmore.

10pm. $10.

Somatik Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 8pm. Free.

Welove - feat: Various DJs Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 10pm.

Free.

SATURDAY MAY 28 CLUB NIGHTS C.U Saturday - feat: Andrey Pushkarev + Mantra Collective + Persian Rug + Mike Watts Civic Underground, Sydney. 9pm. $22.

Clique Sydney Cruise Bar, Sydney.

8:30pm. $20.

Dance Etc. @ Taylor’s Rooftop - feat: Go Freek + Acaddamy Taylor’s Social, Sydney. 5pm. Free.

El Loco Later - feat:

DJs On Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 9pm. Free.

Foxlife - feat: Amp Rose + Tim Gollan + Rabbit Taxi Slyfox, Enmore.

10pm. $10.

Frat Saturdays feat: Danny Simms + Jayowens Side Bar, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

Gonzo’s Soul Club & Beyond Waywards, Newtown.

8pm. Free.

Goodgod Super Club - feat: Oneman + Mike Who Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 9pm. $39.

Lndry - feat: Detroit Swindle + Friendless + A-Tonez + Andy Bird + This DJs + Refuge + Offtapia + Coda + King Lee + DJ Just 1 + DJ Eko Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $28.

My Place Saturdays - feat: DJs On Rotation Bar100, The Rocks.

8pm. Free.

Pacha - feat: Sneaky Sound System Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 6:30pm. $38.

Parallel Universes: Avatar - feat: Andy Murphy + Glover + Jesabel The Argyle, The Rocks. 8pm. $20.

Scubar Saturdays - feat: DJs On Rotation Scubar, Sydney.

8:30pm. Free.

Soda Saturdays Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 6pm. Free.

Something Else feat: Phil Smart + Trinity + Girl Friday + Zankee Gulati + Matt Crowe + Aaron Robins + Dave Stuart Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. 10pm. $16.50.

Stuey B And Husky + Husky Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 6pm. Free.

The Rhythm Of The Night (’90s Dance Pyjama Party) - feat: Levins + Ariance + G Coo + Matka Plan B Small Club, Sydney. 9pm. $16.90.

Timmy Trumpet Marquee, Pyrmont.

10pm. $13.70.

HIP HOP & R&B Ante Up House Party - feat: Amity + Adverse + Dewis + Nofussruss Play Bar, Surry Hills.

6pm. Free.

Chasm Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7:30pm. Free.

SUNDAY MAY 29 CLUB NIGHTS Deepchild Museum Of Contemporary Art, The Rocks. 6pm.

Free.

House Of Mince 5th Birthday - feat: Boris + Gemma + Ben Drayton Cruise Bar, Sydney.

2pm. $27.50.

Husky + Tim Boffa

WEDNESDAY MAY 25 Sosueme - Feat: Touch Sensitive + Dune Rats DJs + Acaddamy + Hobophonics Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 7pm. Free.

FRIDAY MAY 27 Bassic - Feat: Brillz + Goldbrixx + Blackjack + Sparrow + Gomu + Kahl Page + Brandon Jonak + Sidhu Chinese Laundry, Sydney.

9pm. $22.90.

Citizen Kay + Genesis Owusu Plan B Small Club, Sydney.

8:30pm. $16.90.

Motorik X Vivid Presents: Locked Groove + Kirin J Callinan + Csmnt61 + Stereogamous + Made In Paris + Jac Frier + Francis Xavier + Vivi + Mclean & Mai Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 9pm. $28.70.

Slyfox, Enmore. 10pm. $10.

Goodgod Super Club Feat: Oneman + Mike Who Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 9pm. $39.

Lndry - Feat: Detroit Swindle + Friendless + A-Tonez + Andy Bird + This DJs + Refuge + Offtapia + Coda + King Lee + DJ Just 1 + DJ Eko Chinese Laundry, Sydney.

9pm. $28.

Something Else - Feat: Phil Smart + Trinity + Girl Friday + Zankee Gulati + Matt Crowe + Aaron Robins + Dave Stuart Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst.

10pm. $16.50.

The Rhythm Of The Night (’90s Dance Pyjama Party) - Feat: Levins + Ariance + G Coo + Matka Plan B Small Club, Sydney.

9pm. $16.90.

Timmy Trumpet Marquee, Pyrmont. 10pm. $13.70.

SUNDAY MAY 29

Red Bull Music Sound Select - Feat: Tuka + Sampa The Great + B Wise The Chippendale Hotel, Chippendale. 8pm. $10.

House Of Mince 5th Birthday - Feat: Boris + Gemma + Ben Drayton Cruise Bar, Sydney. 2pm. $27.50.

Safia Secret Location, Sydney.

8:30pm. $33.

Oneohtrix Point Never Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 7:30pm. $49.

Sly Fridays - Feat: Marley Sherman + Harry Buisman + Smooth Prince + Jackson Winter Slyfox, Enmore. 10pm. $10.

S.A.S.H By Day - Feat: Secret Guest + Alex Low + Kerry Wallace Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 2pm. $15.

SATURDAY MAY 28 C.U Saturday - Feat: Andrey Pushkarev + Mantra Collective + Persian Rug + Mike Watts Civic Underground, Sydney.

9pm. $22.

Dance Etc. @ Taylor’s Rooftop - Feat: Go Freek + Acaddamy Taylor’s Social, Sydney.

5pm. Free.

Foxlife - Feat: Amp Rose + Tim Gollan + Rabbit Taxi

Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 4pm. Free.

I Remember House - feat: Darren Mason + Richie Carter + DJ Haylenise & Dan Murphy + Amanda Louise + Mason Andrews Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 12pm. $34.

Oneohtrix Point Never Sydney Opera House, Sydney.

7:30pm. $49.

Parallel Universes: Avatar - feat: Andy Murphy + Glover + Jesabel The Argyle, The Rocks. 6pm. Free.

Picnic Social Tatler, Darlinghurst.

4pm. Free.

S.A.S.H By Day feat: Secret Guest + Alex Low + Kerry Wallace Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 2pm. $15.

S.A.S.H By Night - Feat: Christoph + Eric Volta + Cassette + MSG + Vivi + Marc Jarvin + Webber + Jay Doyle + Pisani + Gonzo + Shaped Records Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour. 9pm. $15.

Soul Of Sydney Vivid Special - Feat: Bullhorn + Soul Of Sydney DJs + Juzzlikedat + Phil Toke Secret Funk Oasis, Sydney.

2pm. $16.67.

Yours - Feat: Linda Marigliano Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 5pm. Free.

S.A.S.H By Night - feat: Christoph + Eric Volta + Cassette + MSG + Vivi + Marc Jarvin + Webber + Jay Doyle + Pisani + Gonzo + Shaped Records Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour.

9pm. $15.

See You Sundays feat: Andy Benke Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 3pm.

Free.

Sin Sundays The Argyle, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

Soul Of Sydney Vivid Special - feat: Bullhorn + Soul Of Sydney DJs + Juzzlikedat + Phil Toke Secret Funk Oasis, Sydney. 2pm. $16.67.

Yours - feat: Linda Marigliano Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 5pm.

Free.

MONDAY MAY 30 CLUB NIGHTS I Love Mondays Side Bar, Sydney.

9pm. Free.

TUESDAY MAY 31 CLUB NIGHTS Coyote Tuesdays The World Bar, Kings Cross. 9pm. $10.

Side Bar Tuesdays - feat: Black Diamond Hearts Side Bar, Sydney.

9pm. Free.

Terrible Tuesdays Slyfox, Enmore.

5pm. Free.

thebrag.com

out & about Queer(ish) matters with Lucy Watson

M

aybe I can’t take a joke, or maybe I just don’t get them, but I really dislike when drag queens make bad lesbian jokes.

I was reminded of this when I saw a review of Bianca Del Rio’s show last week that said “lesbians in comfortable shoes” were in the firing line. I loved Del Rio during season six of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and I still think most of her jokes are hilarious, but this particular joke just doesn’t sit well with me.

Firstly, it’s the oldest joke in the book.

Lesbians wear ugly shoes. Lesbians wear flannel. Lesbians like flat-pack furniture, don’t have sex, have too many cats, and don’t eat meat. These stereotypes often have a grain of truth in them (except, recent research proves, the sex myth), but they’re also well-trodden jokes. They’ve been done before. Move on, find something else to laugh about – invent a new lesbian joke, and maybe I’ll find it funny.

Drag queens exist to parody femininity.

They wear ridiculous high heels, fabulous glittery dresses, and paint their faces for hours so we can all laugh at how ridiculous excessive femininity is. So then, when they make fun of lesbians for not performing femininity correctly – comfortable shoes, daggy clothes, flat-pack furniture – it seems contradictory. I always thought one of the main purposes of drag was to critique the gender binary, to satirise this ridiculously rigid set of norms we apparently have to conform to. What else is a lesbian in comfortable shoes if not also fucking with gender norms (while simultaneously maintaining good foot health and the ability to stand and walk for hours on end without cramps)?

that we’ve been fighting against them for years. Second wave feminists burnt their bras, and in doing so, burnt unrealistic expectations about femininity. And drag queens have been satirising these expectations for even longer.

When drag queens, in their excessively performed femininity, also make fun of lesbians in their comfortable shoes, the performance becomes less about highlighting ridiculous beauty standards and gender norms, and more about just laughing at women. It becomes even more crystal clear that up onstage is a man, dressed as a woman, laughing at femininity – both those who do it well, and those who ‘fail’. And then, for me, the performance stops being a critique of gender norms, and starts just being plain old misogyny.

And not only misogyny, but also – and especially – transmisogyny (the misogyny trans women face), which is why drag queens who use the word ‘tranny’ in their performances are often criticised.

I love drag queens. I’m an avid fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and I go to shows at the Imperial on a regular basis. But when drag queens diss women, they reinforce gendered norms and expectations instead of mocking them, and suddenly, that glittery dress isn’t so sparkly anymore.

Or maybe I just can’t take a joke.

Bianca Del Rio

We should be on the same team. We’re both fighting back against gender norms in our own ways – the queens in stilettos, the lesbians in sneakers. But the fact is, it’s still ridiculously easy to make fun of a woman who doesn’t do femininity right.

Masculinity is fragile and confusing – football stars tackle each other to the ground in hulky bravado, then cry when they lose the game. But femininity seems so much more rigid, while simultaneously much less revered – we expect our women to wear dresses, exactly because that makes them less mobile, more uncomfortable, more subject to a male gaze. I recently saw a make-up tutorial video that said, “There are no ugly women, only lazy ones,” implying that a rigorous make-up routine is what makes women beautiful. Then there’s the woman who got fired from PricewaterhouseCoopers in London this month for not wearing high heels to work.

These ideas are ludicrous: that women must wear make-up, and must wear high heels in order to properly fulfil ‘correct’ ideas about femininity. So ludicrous, in fact,

this week…

Boris

On Friday May 27, celebrate ten years since Electroclash with Two Thousand And Sexxx at Tokyo Sing Song. There’ll be music from Matt Vaughan, Smithers and Mu-Tache, as well as performances by LaDonna Rama and Apocalypstick.

Then on Sunday May 29, celebrate the House of Mince’s fi fth birthday at Cruise Bar with a daytime party (starting at 2pm), featuring Boris all the way from Berlin (and Berghain), as well as Sydney favourites Gemma and Ben Drayton.

thebrag.com

BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16 :: 33

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Off The Record

VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT

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up all night out all week . . .

Dance and Electronica with Tyson Wray

xx

DJ Pete

RECOMMENDED FRIDAY MAY 27

Eduardo de la Calle Locked Groove Oxford Art Factory Burdekin Hotel

SATURDAY MAY 28

Detroit Swindle Chinese Laundry

Fatima Al Qadiri Oxford Art Factory

SUNDAY JUNE 12

Digitalism Andrey Oxford Art Factory Pushkarev Civic Underground

SATURDAY 18 SUNDAY MAY 29 JUNE Pinch Boris Cruise Bar

SATURDAY JUNE 4 Weiss Chinese Laundry

A

nyone who knows anything about techno knows about Tresor, right?

Right. And anyone who knows anything about Tresor knows that the Berlin club has been celebrating its 25th anniversary by holding parties around the globe, right? Right. Well, now it’s Sydney turn – and it’s set to be the biggest night on the techno calendar this year. Headlining the evening will be none other than German luminary DJ Pete (you have to be pretty fucking good at your game to get away with a DJ name that lazy – luckily he is) and the Frenchman Marcelus (whose debut LP Vibrations is set to drop in July, so expect to hear some new material).

They’ll be joined by an all-star cast of locals including Sebastian Bayne, Biz-E, Phile, Matt Lush, Jordan Peters and Gav Whalan. It’s happening on Saturday June 18 at Zoo Project.

Having witnessed him make his debut Down Under back in 2014, I’ve been hanging out for the return of Spaniard Eduardo de la Calle ever since – and it has finally been announced. The man behind the vinyl-only label Analog Solutions is a favourite among the likes of Rødhåd, Ryan Elliott and Davide Squillace, and his own meticulous house and techno productions have found homes on the likes of Hivern Discs, Mule Musiq and Cadenza Records. His documentary Beatz (which includes interviews with the likes of Derrick May, Dimitri Hegemann and Robert Moog) can be viewed for free online, so give it a squiz before you catch him on Saturday June 11 at the Burdekin Hotel, flanked by Oscar Mike, B_A, Jac Frier, Brosnan Perera, Steve Frawley and Jahra Mortimer.

Cesar Merveille Burdekin Hotel

FRIDAY JUNE 10

Louisahhh Oxford Art Factory

SATURDAY JUNE 11

Andhim Chinese Laundry

Burdekin Hotel DJ Pete, Marcelus Zoo Project Andy Webb, Ben Fester Jam Gallery

SATURDAY JUNE 25

DJ Pierre Civic Underground

FRIDAY JULY 1

Matthias Meyer Slyfox

in Thankyou City for a three-hour live set on Saturday June 11 at The Bridge Hotel, Tom Moore of Melbourne’s Otologic and Animals Dancing is coming our way this Friday May 27 at Eleven Nightclub, while Refuge Recordings has announced its second birthday shindig to take place on Saturday June 25 at the Burdekin Hotel with performances from Donald Leicester, Peekay, Oscar de Lima, Ace Basik, Paul Scott, Adamwah and Circa87.

Tour rumours: you can bet your sweet bippy that we’ll be seeing returns from Midland and M.A.N.D.Y. announced sooner rather than later.

Best releases this week: y’all need to listen to the long-player from Huerco S., For Those Of You Who Have Never (And Also Those Who Have) (on Proibito). Otherwise Beatrice Dillon and Ben UFO’s dual mixtape 43:44 / 44:32 (Wichelroede) is well worth a gander, as is Road Hog (AKA Galcher Lustwerk)’s Tour De Hog (independent – grab it from his Bandcamp).

Ben Fester

Errrryone’s favourite marathon party One Night Stand is turning five. After 20 outings of all-night jams featuring the likes of Tamas Jones, Simon Caldwell, Canyons, Tornado Wallace and Late Nite Tuff Guy, Picnic are calling upon the lovable locals Ben Fester and Andy Webb to go back-to-back from start to finish for the birthday shenanigans. Expect a smattering of house, disco, techno and beyond on Saturday June 18 at Jam Gallery.

xxxx

Eduardo de la Calle

Got any tip-offs, hate mail, praise or cat photos?

Email hey@tysonwray.com or contact me via carrier pigeon.

34 :: BRAG :: 664 :: 25:05:16

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