Brag#634

ISSUE NO. 634 OCTOBER 14, 2015

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

MUSIC, FILM, THEATRE + MORE

DBHOY Y N AN X O B E H T F OUT O

Plus

A R T V S S CIENCE OMID D JA L IL I T HE WA IF S R AURY !!!

The dance-punk revival isn't over just yet.

MEL BOUR NE SK A ORCHE S T R A

Nicky Bomba's 26-person team is wearing its own colours proudly.

CR IMSON PE A K

Guillermo del Toro tells us about his latest passion project.

T ON Y MO T T: A R E T RO SPE C T I V E Iconic rock shots on display at the State Library.

L I V E W OR K S A ND MOR E

CAT T L E YA R D P R O M O T I O N S P R E S E N T S

F E AT U R I N G

A N DY G A RV E Y • A R T VS S C I E N C E • ASTA • BAS E N J I B O O S E E K A • B W I S E • C R O O K E D C O L O U R S • E ^ ST F R I E N D W I T H I N ( U K ) • F U T U R E L OV E H A N G OV E R T H E G R I SWO L D S • JAW Z • L - F R E S H T H E L I O N LU E N • LU K E M I L L I O N • M AT O M A ( N O R ) T H E M E E T I N G T R E E • N G A I I R E • PAC E S • SA F I A S H A N TA N WA N TA N I C H I BA N • S P I T SY N D I CAT E S T O N E Y R OA D S D J S • T K AY M A I D Z A • T U K A U R T H B OY • U V B O I • YO U N G F R A N C O & TRIPLE J UNEARTHED WINNER WITH PREMIUM PRODUCE SUPPLIERS AUSTRALIAN BREWERY • BELLA SHACK BURGERS CANONBAH BRIDGE WINES • THE CITRUS FACTORY • COURTNEY’S BRASSERIE EMMY’S TURKISH GOZLEME • THE EMPORIUM • HILLBILLY CIDER • KNAFEH JERUSALEM STREET FOOD RIVERSIDE BREWING COMPANY • SUNDWEESH • TAJ INDIAN MASALA • YAN’S ASIAN & MORE

PA R R A M AT TA PA R K 5 DECEMBER 2015 W W W.T H E P L O T. C O

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PIERCE BROTHERS

INTO THE DIRT NEW EP OUT NOW - TOURING OCT/NOV National tour info & tickets from piercebrothers.com.au 6 :: BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15

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rock music news

the BRAG presents

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Aaron Streatfeild, Tegan Reeves and James Di Fabrizio

MICHAEL P CULLEN Lazybones Lounge Thursday November 19

on the record WITH

STEPH CRASE FROM SUMMER FLAKE

3.

The First Thing I Recorded I played guitar and some drums on No Through Road’s Too Much Or Not Enough album in 2005. We live-tracked drums, bass, guide vocals and guide guitars in a small studio to get the feel, then overdubbed guitars and vocals at home and Matt Banham mixed it all on his computer. It was a good overview of different recording methods, and I think it’s still a pretty good album! Fond memories.

The First Record I Bought 1.

Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet, on cassette. I was five years old and I wanted to be a cowboy.

I’ve still got the tape, haven’t played it for about 25 years though.

2.

The Last Record I Bought

I have been avoiding the record shops to manage my money for a bit – it’s really hard! I got Wireheads’ Big Issues at their Tote gig recently, which is thoroughly enjoyable. I loved Sharon van Etten’s Tramp, so I bought Are We There a little while back, but I haven’t been able to latch on yet – it’s pretty epic.

The Last Thing I Recorded The new EP Time Goes 4.

By was basically all written and recorded in August 2015! It’s the quickest I’ve ever worked – we just grabbed a deadline and went with it. Restrictions really get things going. We recorded the drums one evening at [James] Mannix’s house, and I played guide guitar and had a vocal mic so I could feed him some directions over

FOALS

headphones. Mannix is a great intuitive drummer. Then I did vocals, guitar and bass at Geoff O’Connor’s granny flat studio in Thornbury, and he mixed it.

Geoff’s the most patient, efficient, talented, easy-going, problemsolving guy. He saved the day a million times. We performed one of the EP songs, ‘The Sun Won’t Shine’, for the first time at the Small World Festival in Sydney.

The front-of-house PA blew and there was some weird siren going off throughout… a very memorable experience.

Hordern Pavilion Tuesday January 5

BLOC PARTY Enmore Theatre Thursday January 7

PARTY IN THE PADDOCK –

The Record That Changed My Life 5.

Live Through This by Hole was

ft. Violent Soho, Spiderbait, The Preatures and more Burns Creek, Tasmania Friday February 19 – Saturday February 20

a revelation. I first got a copy of it when I was 13 and I listen to it all the time still. It is eternally powerful.

What: Time Goes By out now through Rice Is Nice

THE CAPITAL OF FOLK

MANAGING EDITOR: Chris Martin chris@thebrag.com 02 9212 4322 ONLINE EDITOR: Tyson Wray SUB-EDITOR: Sam Caldwell STAFF WRITERS: Adam Norris, Augustus Welby NEWS: James Di Fabrizio, Eden Gillespie, Tegan Reeves, Aaron Streatfeild ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant PHOTOGRAPHERS: Katrina Clarke, Ashley Mar ADVERTISING: Les White - 0405 581 125 / (02) 9212 4322 les@thebrag.com Krystal Le - 0421 662 486 / (02) 9212 4322 krystal@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

Celebrating its 50th year, the National Folk Festival has unveiled its first round of artist announcements for Easter 2016. Featuring more than 1,200 artists spread over five folk-packed days, the first round of acts to be announced includes Mànran, The East Pointers, The Company, Jacinta Price, Andrew Winton and The Mae Trio. “We have a very special program planned for the 50th National Folk Festival and the 2016 festival will be like no other,” said festival director Pam Merrigan. The festival will be held at Exhibition Park, Canberra, from Thursday March 24 – Monday March 28.

El Vez

GOOD GOD, IT’S MINI MANSIONS

The all-star indie-pop outfit Mini Mansions are coming to town. The trio is led by Queens of the Stone Age bassist Michael Shuman, and will be touring Australia in November with Tame Impala. Mini Mansions’ second LP The Great Pretenders dropped earlier this year, featuring vocals from the likes of Brian Wilson and Alex Turner. In welcome news for fans, they’ve now locked in a Sydney headline show. It’s happening on Thursday November 12 at Goodgod Small Club.

GIG & CLUB GUIDE COORDINATOR: Sarah Bryant - gigguide@thebrag.com (rock); clubguide@thebrag.com (dance, hip hop & parties)

KING KENDRICK AND BLUESFEST SIDESHOWS

AWESOME INTERNS: Elias Kwiet, Tegan Reeves, Aaron Streatfeild, Eden Gillespie REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Nat Amat, Prudence Clark, Tom Clift, Christie Eliezer, Patrick Emery, Tegan Jones, Lachlan Kanoniuk, Emily Meller, David Molloy, Annie Murney, Adam Norris, George Nott, Daniel Prior, Kate Robertson, Natalie Rogers, Erin Rooney, Spencer Scott, Natalie Salvo, Leonardo Silvestrini, Jade Smith, Lucy Watson, Rod Whitfield, Harry Windsor, Tyson Wray, Stephanie Yip, David James Young Please send mail NOT ACCOUNTS direct to this NEW address 100 Albion Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 ph - (02) 9212 4322 fax - (02) 9319 2227 EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or staff of the BRAG. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Luke Forrester: accounts@furstmedia.com.au ph - (03) 9428 3600 fax - (03) 9428 3611 Furst Media, 3 Newton Street Richmond Victoria 3121 DEADLINES: Editorial: Friday 12pm (no extensions) Ad bookings: Friday 5pm (no extensions) Fishished art: No later than 2pm Monday Ad cancellations: Friday 4pm Deadlines are strictly adhered to.

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EL VEZ HAS (NOT) LEFT THE BUILDING The King of Rock’n’Roll is coming to Sydney. No, not Elvis Presley – we’re talking of course about the Mexican king of rock; el Rey del rock’n’roll, El Vez. He’ll be stopping by Sydney and Melbourne on his way to the Falls Festival circuit at the end of the year, animating Elvis onstage like it’s some kind of flipped-out Day Of The Dead. Be sure to see the King in his full glory – with a dash of chilli, lime and some salt around the rim – when he stops by Newtown Social Club on Saturday December 26 and Sunday December 27. Viva El Vez!

One of the most exciting artists in contemporary music – no matter the style – is Kendrick Lamar.

In some huge Bluesfest news, King Kendrick has been added to the bill for the 2016 festival. Yes indeed! It’s all happening at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm from Thursday March 24 – Monday March 28. Meanwhile, the first round of sideshows has landed. If you can’t make the trip north of Byron Bay for the festival itself, some of the biggest names on the schedule will keep you satiated with their Sydney visits. Sturgill Simpson is one of them, playing the Metro Theatre on Tuesday March 22, while Steve Earle and The Dukes play Rooty Hill RSL Club on Wednesday March 16 and the Metro Theatre on Thursday March 17. Revived ska, punk and reggae veterans The Selecter will be at the Factory Theatre on Wednesday March 23, and rounding out the first sideshow announcement are The Wailers, doing Rooty Hill RSL Club on Wednesday March 23.

PVT REACH THE POINT

2005 saw seminal experimental Sydney rock band PVT release their first album, Make Me Love You. Ten years on, the PVT boys will celebrate this milestone by playing headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne, giving fans a taste of

all four of their albums, as well as a hint of what may be in store for the future. The Sydney show will take place at Newtown Social Club with support from Melbourne’s Gold Class. Clear your schedule and help celebrate a milestone on Thursday November 5.

BUILDING LEON BRIDGES

The Falls sideshows just keep on coming. The latest to be announced is 26-year-old singersongwriter Leon Bridges. Hailing from Fort Worth, Texas, his critically acclaimed debut album Coming Home was released in June this year, peaking at number eight in Australia. See him at the Metro Theatre on Sunday January 3.

MODERN CHARLATANS

Off the back of their 12th record, Modern Nature, indie stalwarts The Charlatans will head to Sydney as part of a national tour, making their first Australian appearance in over five years. Featuring 11 new tracks, the album was produced by The Charlatans and Jim Spencer before being mixed by Craig Silvey (Arcade Fire, Portishead). Modern Nature features a slew of contributors, including Peter Salisbury (The Verve) and Stephen Morris (New Order). Get down with The Charlatans at Max Watt’s on Friday March 11.

FAIRLY GROUNDED

The South Coast’s first Fairgrounds Festival is set to be a berry good time, with indie-soul star Meg Mac joining the already gargantuan lineup. Rising swiftly through the ranks, Mac has made her mark on Australian music with gusto, dominating venues and airwaves both at home and overseas. The Fairgrounds Festival in Berry welcomes Mac to the festival’s inauguration, along with Perth three-piece Methyl Ethel, Melbourne singer-songwriter Ben Abraham, South Coast locals Shining Bird and singer-songwriter Le Pie. They join a stellar lineup that also includes the likes of C. W. Stoneking, Father John Misty, Ratatat, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and many more. Continuing its support of homegrown talent, Newtown craft beer label Young Henrys will be Fairgrounds’ official alcohol partner on the day. The festival’s curators are also busy sourcing wines and local delicacies from neighbouring estates. Fairgrounds Festival kicks off Saturday December 5 at Hazelberry Park in Berry. Check out the full lineup at thebrag.com.

Meg Mac

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Mini Mansions

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

THU 7 JAN ENMORE THEATRE TICKETS ON SALE NOW FROM SECRET-SOUNDS.COM.AU

WWW.BLOC.PARTY

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live & local

free stuff

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... with Chris Martin, James Di Fabrizio and Tegan Reeves

head to: thebrag.com/freeshit Rae Howell_Credit – Anne Skilbeck

on the record WITH

JARRED YOUNG FROM BAD PONY every time. I always change my mind about favourite albums/songs but I do remember the first time I heard Rick James when I was 15.

I couldn’t figure out how something could be so funny and lame yet so totally excellent and badass at the same time.

Your Band Sam, Mark and I used to play in a 3. bluesy rock band together (I played drums),

Growing Up My folks aren’t particularly musical but 1. my grandfather was a drummer. I think I must have got my desire to hit things from him. My earliest musical memory is from when I was about three; I used to stand in this particular spot every time a Boyz II Men tune came on and sing into the window. Every time. I don’t know what it was about the spot but I was adamant about being in it and singing my little toddler heart out.

Inspirations Growing up, I loved Michael Jackson. I 2. still do, he was amazing. ‘Dirty Diana’ gets me

and whenever we used to drink at parties, I would muster up the courage to sing a few ditties. Through the drunken foggy memories Sam remembered something he liked the sound of and kept encouraging me. Sam and I ended up writing and recording some tunes, put them up on the interwebs and we were asked to do a tour. We then recruited Isaac, Cron and Mark so we could play all the parts live. Now we are a five-piece with no drummer, but lots of drums (figure that one out).

4.

The Music You Make I would call us an indie rock or indie pop band. Honestly, it just depends on the song. We’re pretty all over the place and try not to pigeonhole ourselves. It’s great because it lets us write freely. We take influences from lots of places but have been compared to Two

Door Cinema Club, Foals, Kings Of Leon and Bombay Bicycle Club, to name a few. We selfproduced our EP Limbo with a little help from Malcolm Besley (Northeast Party House), who mixed ‘Down To You’. Our live show is a lot of fun. We all sing, and four out of five of us play some sort of percussion. There’s chanting.

There’s fast bits and slow bits. There’s hard things and soft things. We love it. There’s lots of smiling involved.

Music, Right Here, Right Now The quality of music in Australia is 5. super high. I’m loving it. The best thing about the music scene is the awesome people you meet. I think the biggest obstacle for musos is being able to balance money and time. Music takes up a lot of both. The best local acts on my list are Swim Season, Ngaiire, Harts, All Our Exes Live In Texas and Halcyon Drive.

What: Limbo out now independently Where: Beach Road Hotel When: Wednesday October 14 And: Also appearing at the Roxbury Hotel on Saturday November 28 and supporting Tropical Zombie at Moonshine Bar on Friday November 6

TONY MOTT

Aussie rock photographer Tony Mott is the kind of artist whose work you’ve undoubtedly seen before, even if you didn’t know who was behind it. He’s captured acts from The Rolling Stones, Björk and Nirvana to INXS, Cold Chisel and Midnight Oil in the studio and onstage, sweaty, passionate and raw. To celebrate the book release of an archive of his work – Alphabet A-Z: Rock’n’Roll Photography By Tony Mott – the State Library of New South Wales is hosting an exhibit of 300 photos from his collection. In the words of Neil Young, “Rock’n’roll will never die,” and Mott’s images make sure of it.

We’ve got a Tony Mott prize pack to give away, including a signed copy of the book and a double pass to the exhibition opening night on Friday October 16. Enter the comp at thebrag.com/freeshit.

CONRAD COMES TO TOWN

Conrad Sewell

CONVERGING ON SYDNEY

As part of the University of Sydney’s Verge Festival, focusing on all things emerging art, Sydney Conservatorium of Music jazz students are getting together with some bigger names on the scene for a series of jams at Converge Festival, hosted this week at Venue 505. The students will perform their own compositions with accompaniment from jazz artists of their choice, including Lloyd Swanton, Greg

20-something Brisbane boy Conrad Sewell is taking the next step on his march to pop supremacy with the release of a new single from his forthcoming EP ahead of national tour dates and his first jaunt to New Zealand. Back in June, the pop singer landed his maiden Australian number one single with ‘Start Again’, and he’s returned with ‘Who You Lovin’, a track penned with an all-star team of writers and producers including Jamie Hartman (Christina Aguilera, Joss Stone), Jacob Kash (Maroon 5, Usher, Britney Spears) and Sean Douglas (Madonna, Nick Jonas, Backstreet Boys). It’s funny how the songwriting sharks begin to circle at the sniff of a future star, isn’t it? Anyway, Sewell’s new EP All I Know is due out on Friday November 13, and his launch dates will include a show at the Metro Theatre on Wednesday November 25.

Check it.

Coffin and Andrew Gander, this Wednesday October 14.

A BIG WEEK AT BEACH ROAD

Bondi’s Beach Road Hotel has got it all going on this week, with a bunch of great local names bringing the party vibes over three nights.

Sosueme lights up this Wednesday October 14

Anatomy Class

ANATOMY FACTORY

Formed only a year ago, Anatomy Class are made up of Sydney music scene stalwarts Dan Rosen, Nick Kennedy (Knievel, Big Heavy Stuff), Michaela Davies (Sister Jane, Bichos Locos) and Craig Beck (The Rushing Dolls, Skybaby Siren). They are currently in the studio recording with notable Australian producer Wayne Connolly (You Am I, Boy And Bear, The Vines, Youth Group), but they’re taking a break from all that to share some new music in the live environment.

See them do just that at Oxford Art Factory’s Gallery Bar on Friday October 16.

with Discovery, Australia’s tribute to Daft Punk, who’ve been performing around the land since 2012. They’ll be backed up by a super lineup of originals from Food Court, Flowertruck and Bad Pony. Get back to the venue on Friday October 16 for the regular Night Lyfe party and this week’s headliner, the Mexican-style face-painted metal trio Kallidad. Rounding things off on Saturday October 17 will be a selection of in-house DJs for the Yours party. All events are free.

CATCHING WAVVES

Adding to their already announced Falls Festival performances, Wavves have locked in headline shows in Melbourne and Sydney. The LA noise-pop outfi t will be returning to Australian shores for the fourth time in their career, riding high following the release of their fi fth studio album, V. Catch ’em at Oxford Art Factory on Saturday January 2.

Walken

Apes

WALKEN ON SUNSHINE

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Oz rock up-and-comers Apes have emerged from a period of studio hibernation with a new single and national headline dates alongside their support tour for those masters of stadium rock, The Darkness. ‘Dimension’ shows off the new and refined Apes sound, which embraces all the pop catchiness and showbiz charisma that will make them a fine match for The Darkness at the Enmore Theatre on Friday November 13. Once that’s all wrapped up, they’ll be back our way to headline the Beach Road Hotel on Friday November 27. Before you know it, Apes will have a debut album to peddle, so now’s the time to get behind them.

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Xxx

Garage rockers Walken have locked in a Sydney show this week to celebrate the release of their new single, ‘Even If It Kills Me’. The two-piece have been making waves since their debut single, ‘The Great Noise’, scoring a coveted spot on Violent Soho’s No Sleep Til Mansfield tour before going on to play with the Hard-Ons, Clowns, The Peep Tempel and The Smith Street Band, as well as Andrew Jackson Jihad and Iron Chic as part of the I Love Life festival. They take over The Standard Bowl on Thursday October 15.

MONKEY BUSINESS

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Industrial Strength Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer

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THINGS WE HEAR * Which New Zealand musician, who admitted to assaulting his ex-partner, asked an Auckland court to give him a discharge without conviction because his band has just signed a record deal in Europe and it would curtail his career? He successfully applied to have his name suppressed. * Are The Darkness planning to change their name? * Which musician plans to live in a tent over the summer? * Is the character Ello Asty in the forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens film based on the three Beastie Boys? * Hilltop Hoodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; label Golden Era is launching its own beer in conjunction with Adelaide brewery Pirate Life. * Just before the first of two Parkway Drive shows in Byron Bay, drummer Ben Gordon went out on a kayak with a mate. Two whales leaped from the water metres away to say hello, initially scaring the hell out of them. * Playing in Newcastle the day after Childish Gambino famously got booed off for hardly singing, The Preatures couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help taking the piss. Two

songs into their set, Isabella Manfredi quipped, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it from us â&#x20AC;&#x201C; only two songs and then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re gonna play a DJ set.â&#x20AC;? * British PM David Cameron night be a madcap Smiths fan but Johnny Marrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management still nixed his request for tickets to Marrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show in Manchester, where the Conservative Party conference was taking place. * Tkay Maidza leads the nominations for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s South Australian Music Awards. She is up for seven of 14 categories. * Sneaky Sound Systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Connie Mitchell and Angus â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Black Angusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; McDonald are back in Sydney after tying the knot in Ibiza on Tuesday September 22, and are set to return to the road this month. * BeyoncĂŠ and Jay Z snapped up the mansion from cult classic movie The Big Lebowski in Beverly Hills for US$45 million. * Jack White produced the Courtney Barnett track â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Boxing Day Blues Revisitedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as part of his Third Man Recordsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Blue Series of singles. White said she was at his Nashville studios â&#x20AC;&#x153;over a long weekend this summer to record a couple tracks and damn did she ever deliverâ&#x20AC;?.

LEGAL VICTORIES FOR MODULARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PAV Modular Recordings founder Steve Pavlovic has had two legal victories. The first was his case with Universal Music, which bought 50 per cent of the label whose global success stories include Tame Impala, Wolfmother and The Avalanches. Their claim centred on whether their agreement for Pavlovic to quit Modular was binding because he never signed the document. Last month, the Supreme Court of New South Wales found in favour of Universal, saying that even though the document was not signed, both sides negotiated as if it was, and Pavlovicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lawyer indicated he was about to.

But now the NSW Court of Appeal has unanimously overturned that decision. Chief Justice Bathurst found, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whichever way the matter is looked at, I do not think that a binding agreement was reached.â&#x20AC;? Universal now has to pay all legal costs. As a result of the appeal, Pavlovic remains a director and 50 per cent shareholder of Modular Records Pty Ltd. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pavâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; said he was â&#x20AC;&#x153;greatly relieved that my position has been vindicatedâ&#x20AC;?. He added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I built Modular out of sheer passion and a belief in unique creativity. I regret terribly that the bands I have nurtured and adored all these years were caught in the crossfire between Universal and I.â&#x20AC;?

The second win was the Southern District Court of New York dismissing German publishing giant BMGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quest to recover mechanical royalties (worth around AU$1 million) for Tame Impalaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overseas sales. Pav said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pleased that the misunderstanding about the US statutory rate for calculation of mechanical royalties has been resolved,â&#x20AC;? apologising to Impala for â&#x20AC;&#x153;any upsetâ&#x20AC;? and slamming the â&#x20AC;&#x153;completely inaccurate and out of handâ&#x20AC;? media reports of the case.

JAMES CRUICKSHANK MOURNED

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Tributes were flowing for The Cruel Sea guitarist and keyboard player James Cruickshank after he succumbed in a battle with brain cancer. He was 53. Cruickshank developed a global reputation for his work with the Sea, his first band Widdershins, Beasts Of Bourbon and Mick Harveyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s band. Born in Melbourne, he moved to Sydney at 23 to follow his music and complete a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in communications. Producer Magoo called him an â&#x20AC;&#x153;incredibly gifted man and one of a kindâ&#x20AC;?, while Cam Roc Callope of Native Ryme said he was a mentor: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The years spent together and the things I learnt from you, just being around you, will never be forgotten.â&#x20AC;?

* Haim want to organise an all-female music festival like Lilith Fair, which ended in 2010. * Michael Crafter, an influential figure in Australian metalcore (I Killed The Prom Queen, now Confession), is calling it quits. Not only has he decided itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to put a bullet through Confession after seven years, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also exiting music. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As far as music goes, this was always going to be my last ditch effort and once this was done, I was done with being in a band,â&#x20AC;? posted the artist, who in 2008 appeared on Big Brother and relishes the controversy he caused. * After the success of the inaugural Murwillumbah Country Roots Festival, founder Lou Bradley has confirmed itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be back next year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We built a family, not a festival,â&#x20AC;? she said. Meanwhile, Port Macquarieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wildwood will become an annual event, said founder Simon Leigh. * Aussie punk band Cuntz had their Seattle show axed over their name. Their US booking agent Nicole Erin Yalaz of Strange Victory Touring posted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so disgusted right now â&#x20AC;Ś So sick of these rich young college kids who think that trolling a show into being cancelled is making a difference in the world.â&#x20AC;?

REAL ESTATE: ALBERTS TO BE DEMOLISHED, NEW MERIVALE VENUES ON THE WAY The globally famous Alberts Studios on Neutral Bayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rangers Road â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where The Easybeats, Billy Thorpe, AC/DC and more shaped the Oz rock sound â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will be knocked down in early 2016 by developer Helm Properties to make way for a $80 million luxury apartment and retail block.

The Four In Hand in Paddington, best known for its jazz ambience, is on the market.

Analysts say nearby pubs exchanged hands for $8 million to $9 million.

Justin Hemmesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Merivale group is opening eight venues by February. These include the music-showcasing Newport Arms and the Queen Victoria Hotel (bought this year), The Paddington (ex-Paddington Arms) and Fredâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on Oxford Street, a J&M whisky bar in Angel Hotel, a chicken shop, and Sussex 1854.

Merivale also unveiled a new Mediterranean look for its Ivy Pool Club.

NUFFSAID LAUNCHES TO REPRESENT EDM ACTS Nuffsaid is a new Sydney-based agency representing EDM acts from Australia and abroad. Its 27-strong roster includes Groove Terminator, Strange Talk, Kilter, Late Nite Tuff Guy, Dr Packer, Odd Mob, the Mexicoborn and LA-based Boombox Cartel, bassline hero Loâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;99, house cat Terace, triple j fave Luke Million, Poolclvb, DMC world champion I-Dee, beats artist Naderi and Toolroom Recordsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; latest house and techno signing Juliet Fox. The agency is headed by James Deighton, with six agents including Paul Azzopardi (Chinese Laundry, Good Vibrations) and Trent Grimes (Soapbox). Nuffsaid shares the same building as record labels Ministry of Sound Australia, Etcetc, Sweat it Out, October Records and Central Station, as well as publishing company 120 Music, touring agency and venue consultants Soapbox, artist management company Crown Rights Management, video agency Joker Theory and social media monitoring and customer experience company Local Measure. Nuffsaidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first international tours are Foolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gold Australia with Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sleepy Tom (Friday December 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saturday December 26), the Dirtybird Records tour with Worthy and Ardalan (Friday December 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saturday December 19), Ghastly (Friday October 16 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saturday October 24) and the Netherlandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Franky Rizardo (Saturday October 31 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Monday November 2).

SEED ANNOUNCES 2015 RECIPIENTS Of the Seed Fundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2015 recipients, the 23 chosen for the management workshops were Luke Girgis, Mel Lewis, Jess Carroll, Louise Cuming, Paul Watson, Melody Forghani, Charlotte Abroms, Leah Avene, Nancy Bates, Matt Cannings, Eli Chamravi, Jamie Croft, David Crowe, Camilla Hodgkins, Beatrice Lewis, Craig Lock, Jake Lowe, Fanny Lumsden, Wally Maloney, Hugh McClure, Xanthea Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, Marcus Walkom and Harris Waters. The Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All About The Song winners were Darling James, The Ninjas and Louis Spoils, while selected in the Professional Management Wages category were Bex Chilcott, Samuel Dutch, Jess Ribeiro and Jess Beston. In its 11th year, the Seed is funding its activities through its Pozible campaign, which closes this Wednesday October 14. As of the start of the week, it had reached 80 per cent of its target.

SOUTHERN BLUES CLOSES ON A HIGH After 17 years, the Great Southern Blues Festival in Narooma has closed its final event in its current format on a high. Founder Neil Mumme told Industrial Strength that a great bill and weather saw the Friday night as its biggest-ever opening night and the Saturday a sell-out, with the eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VIP seats also a sell-out. Tears were starting to fall by the time Ross Wilson performed the final slot on the Sunday.

Lifelines Expecting: James Blunt and Sofia Wellesley, after a year of marriage.

Ill: Foals had to cancel gigs in South America and Mexico after doctors ordered singer Yannis Philippakis to rest.

Ill: The Alarmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mike Peters is fighting cancer for the third time after doctors discovered he had a relapse of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Ill: Sigurd Wongraven, singer with Norwegian black metal band Satyricon, has been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

In Court: AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd lost his appeal against a New Zealand conviction for drug possession and threats to kill. In July, he was sentenced to eight monthsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home detention.

Jailed: Lance William Shiels, 24, for 18 months after he was sprung with 53 tablets at Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stereosonic. He argued heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d merely carried in the stuff for his friends in exchange for a free ticket but the judge didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t buy it.

Jailed: Cairns man Robert John McKenzie, 64, for three-and-a-half years after shooting at a neighbour for playing music too loud in his car. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a doozy!â&#x20AC;? said the judge.

Died: Simon Cowe, founding guitarist for the British folk rock band Lindisfarne, in Toronto after a long illness.

Died: US country singer Billy Joe Royal, 73, best known for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Down In The Boondocksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I Knew You Whenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Cherry Hill Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Died: Gail Zappa, 70, widow and music/business collaborator of Frank Zappa and mother of artists Dweezil and Moon Unit.

Died: Koopsta Knicca of US rap act Three 6 Mafia, 40, after a stroke.

Died: US jazz drummer and producer Larry Rosen, who also set up the successful jazz fusion label GRP Records, 75, brain cancer.

Died: Scottish singer-songwriter Jim Diamond, 64. He had a hit in 1982 with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Let You Downâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with his band Ph.D and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I Should Have Known Betterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; solo.

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BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 13

DANNY BHOY FRINGE DWELLER BY DAVID MOLLOY

I

t’s four days out from the end of the world’s largest arts and comedy festival, the spectacular Edinburgh Fringe, and Danny Bhoy is looking forward to being one of the very few comedians who won’t be evacuating the city come week’s end. To the Scotland-born comic, it’s not simply home sweet home. From the moment he sat in on a latenight Lee Mack gig at the age of 12 – one of six people in the audience – Bhoy’s relationship with the Fringe, the comedy circuit and the city itself has flourished.

“I love the cities, right? I think the places I like going won’t surprise you because everyone loves them – places like New York, Chicago, Sydney, Melbourne. London, even. I love history and architecture and all those things, ’cause I did history as a degree. It’s nice to see that hasn’t gone to waste,” he laughs.

“But honestly, if I had to say this, Edinburgh’s still my favourite, y’know? Because everything I’ve ever done has always come from the Edinburgh Festival. Every job I’ve got, every festival I’ve done, every tour I’ve done, it’s always been because people have seen me here and thought I could work in Canada or Australia or wherever. So I’ve gotta take my hat off to Edinburgh.”

It’s been a rather different festival for Bhoy this year – he’s taken a rare break from his touring schedule to enjoy the festival from the other side of the mic. “I’m a proper punter!” he laughs. “I’m going and heckling my friends.”

For those who haven’t been to the Fringe, it’s an incomparable experience. For one month in the Scotland summer, its capital city is flooded with performers and tourists alike, and every nook and cranny are filled with the wildest the arts have to offer. It can be an overwhelming experience even for a regular showgoer, so Bhoy is kind enough to provide a few tips on surviving your first Fringe.

“Listen, the thing about Edinburgh [Fringe] is you walk around the city and everyone’s got five stars on their poster, right?” he says. “Everyone’s got a quote that suggests they’re the next comic genius and everyone’s got recommendations and fancy artwork and all that sort of stuff, but to delve inside that and underneath that is the key to enjoying the Fringe; to discover something which hasn’t already been discovered.

“It’s a great place for just taking a punt on something and, y’know, 90 per cent of the stuff you see might be shit. But if you see that one or two incredible things, it’s worth the journey.”

14 :: BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15

he’s come across much worse in his time. “There’s all kinds of tricks at the Edinburgh Fringe, believe me.

I’ve seen people so desperate to get people into their show. They will literally try anything.”

Of course, Bhoy’s been in the game for years, so naturally he’s had poster troubles of his own. A standout in his memory was the poster printed for his Canadian tour that used an Aussie reviewer’s quote calling him “the stand-up equivalent of Bill Bryson”.

“About halfway through my tour, I met my promoter for dinner and she said, ‘Yeah, who is Bill Bryson?’ And I went, ‘What?! How could you have commissioned this poster without knowing?’ And she goes, ‘No-one in Canada knows who he is’. I went, ‘Why didn’t you tell me that when I put the fucking poster out?!’” he laughs.

Despite this, it’s remained one of his favourite references, simply because it avoids the platitudes of so many headline-grabbers pasted on festival flyers.

“I don’t think Bill Bryson said [it]. I think it’ll be a long time before he has a quote on his book saying, ‘I’m the literary equivalent of Danny Bhoy – edgy and effortlessly funny on page.’

Maybe it’s a self-correcting quote, because if you don’t know who Bill Bryson is, you probably shouldn’t be coming to my show.”

Even without his own show at Edinburgh this year, Bhoy has noticed the festival change over time, gradually becoming more of a business than a creative love-in.

Regardless, he says, there’s still plenty to recommend the trip.

“The whole idea is that people come up with crazy, wacky shows and put them on in small pubs and little back rooms and stuff,” he says. “It seems to have become a little bit more geared towards now the tourist market, but that’s sorta like anywhere, right?

Anything that’s good sooner or later becomes slightly bastardised by corporate interests.”

Therein lies the inspiration for Bhoy’s newest show, Please Untick This Box; an effort to beat a tactical retreat from the theatricality of its

predecessor, Dear Epson, in favour of a fresh stand-up show lamenting the ‘overpackaging’ of just about everything in the modern world.

“Being the typically contrary, obtuse person I am, I decided to do the opposite [to Dear Epson], so now this show is all about stripping it all back and going back to what standup is and being very raw and not having big light shows,” he says.

“I start off the show talking about people that overpackage things and need a kind of forced hype in order to enjoy the experience. And this also goes back to what we were talking about, about the Edinburgh Festival, actually, and how if you unpeel that and actually start listening to what people are talking about, that’s really where the actual kernel or the joy of the show is.”

Going back to basics is something that allows for Bhoy to hone his craft in a different way to experimenting with structure. It also allows him to tackle a frustration he admitted to in an interview with Australia’s Digital Spy around the time of his last visit: that many bigger-name comedians – including himself – are too afraid of losing fans to innovate or stay politically edgy.

“We’re very fragile people, comedians,” he laughs. “We’re scared to take a leap of faith. It’s hard when you’ve already got an established audience that like what you do … The last show I did was deliberately out of my comfort zone and the reason I did that was ’cause I wanted to challenge myself.

And I was getting a bit bored, to be honest, with just doing regular stand-up shows, y’know? There’s no harm; there’s always going to be a market for people that want to see certain people tell jokes the way they always do. But it’s also important as an artist or if you’re creative – if you’ve got a brain that wants to be constantly challenged – that you’ve gotta mix it up a bit.”

It’s this desire to challenge himself that has fuelled Bhoy’s rise through the ranks of global comedy and kept him touring the world for the last 14 years, alongside his humility and a dedication to learning from experience.

“Someone once told me a few years ago, ‘You never learn anything from a good gig.’ And I think that’s really true, y’know? It’s the bad gigs which you learn from – it’s the six people in the crowd, it’s the hundred people staring at you, it’s the pissed hecklers.

“It’s when those things go wrong, if you like, that things start to go right.”

What: Please Untick This Box as part of Just For Laughs Sydney 2015 Where: State Theatre When: Monday October 26 – Wednesday October 28 And: Also appearing at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House on Sunday October 25 xxx

We swap anecdotes about Fringe comedians’ posters we’ve seen – a one-star review being used as the quote “A Star”; Alan Carr stealing Jimmy Carr’s glowing references in The Guardian – but Bhoy guarantees

“WE’RE VERY FRAGILE PEOPLE, COMEDIANS. WE’RE SCARED TO TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH. IT’S HARD WHEN YOU’VE ALREADY GOT AN ESTABLISHED AUDIENCE THAT LIKE WHAT YOU DO.”

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BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 15

Zebrahead Earning Their Stripes By Augustus Welby

C

alifornian rap/funk/pop-punk dudes Zebrahead have long sustained a reputation as party animals. Several of the band’s songs contain references to embracing the good times, and they’re known for being loudly frolicsome onstage. However, to perceive the Orange County quintet as nothing but fun-seekers is to take a fairly shallow view. Negative themes have continually shown up in the band’s lyrics ever since their emergence 17 years ago.

This is definitely true of Zebrahead’s latest single ‘Save Your Breath’, the first taste of their 12th album, Walk The Plank. The song doesn’t paint a pretty image for the narrator or the implied listener. Accordingly, one of the band’s two lead vocalists, MC Ali Tabatabaee, agrees that the impression of Zebrahead as carefree hedonists is rather twodimensional.

“I know, especially live, we have a very light-hearted attitude – we try to have fun and have a good time with the crowd,” he says. “But if you actually listen to our songs, the majority of them are filled with serious issues. I think it’s like anybody’s life – you’re going to have times where shit goes bad and you have to deal with it and you have to feel a way out of it, and there are other times when things are fun and you’re having a good time. Your experiences vary as everyday life changes.

“I think a lot of people, when they say that we’re just a bunch of dorks that want to party and have fun and that’s it – I don’t think they’ve actually listened to the majority of our songs. Personally, I write my

parts based on my experiences, or experiences of people around, and they’re not always super fun or positive. Sometimes things are shitty and you have to deal with them and figure out a way to come out of it.”

Walk The Plank comes out this weekend. It was preceded by April’s The Early Years – Revisited, which contained re-recordings of Zebrahead’s biggest songs from prior to 2003, only this time around with Matty Lewis on vocals/guitar (he replaced Justin Mauriello in 2005) and Dan Palmer on lead guitar (he replaced Greg Bergdorf in 2013).

“We started talking about this when Matty joined the band,” says Tabatabaee. “A lot of the fans would say they’d like to hear some of the older songs with Matty singing them, where they could actually take a CD and listen to Matty’s voice. And we were like, ‘OK, yeah, that’s something that we want to do.’ We kept putting it off, and then when Dan joined the band things changed. The way Dan plays the guitar is a little bit different than the way Greg played the guitar. Then we had a little bit of a break when we were at home, and we decided to go in and re-record the songs.

“Also to me, these songs live, after you record them initially, things change. Like the way you do phrasing or the way you play songs changes a little bit. It was a second chance to go back and fix things.”

Zebrahead’s mainstream debut, Waste Of Mind, came out in 1998. Despite containing such fan favourites as ‘Check’ and ‘Get

Back’, prior to its release they’d never embarked on a serious tour.

“We went from playing in our little warehouse to recording the songs,” says Tabatabaee. “Then over the years playing them so many times live you’re like, ‘Ah man.

Certain things I wish I could’ve just tweaked a little bit’.”

Walk The Plank is the second album to feature Palmer on guitar, after he came in partway through the production of 2013’s Call Your Friends. The band’s songwriting methods have altered significantly since his entrance.

“The thing with Dan is, he will sit there and literally give you 500 different choices for a guitar riff,” says Tabatabaee. “He just keeps giving you ideas until you’re

like, ‘Oh, that’s the one.’ He’s just such a positive guy, so it’s kind of refreshing to have a guy come into the band that wants to do more and do better and is stoked on every opportunity. It makes the rest of the guys in the band get a second wind and feel like, ‘Hell, let’s keep going.

We can improve on this.’ It just breathes new air into the writing process.”

Having been around for nearly two decades, Zebrahead have a firmly established fan base and a reputation as highly entertaining live performers. At this stage in their career, the chief focus is on delivering something substantial and personally significant.

“Obviously it’s great to improve your fan base, but when we’re writing we try to write each song individually,

and usually it’s motivated by experiences that we’ve had, or people that we’ve known have had.

And we just try to be honest as an artist and write the music. You never know how people are going to perceive it. Half of them are going to like it, half of them aren’t going to like it. It’s really hard to chase that, so I try not to focus on that. Each individual song, I try to make it the best song that we can and then move on to the next song.

“Being relevant to the music scene is out of the artist’s hands. I think the more honest you are about what you’re trying to communicate through the song, the more people will relate to it.”

What: Walk The Plank out Friday October 16 through Rude

!!!

The Party Ain’t Over By David James Young and still with so many of the same people as when this band started. It’s been fun for us the whole time that we’ve been doing it.

People ask us why we’re still around and so many other bands like us have gone away.

We can’t speak for them, obviously. I don’t know why they’re not here. I only know why we’re still here – and that’s because we still love doing this.”

This week sees !!! release their sixth LP. Entitled As If, it’s a timely and vital reminder of just how much of that fun Offer and co. are still having. There’s a sense of urgency in its harder-hitting tracks – which, given they were created during a time of considerable creative unrest for the band, makes perfect sense.

“We were kind of sitting around on our hands for a while, waiting for Thr!!!er [2013] to come out,” Offer says. “I started learning Ableton, and so did Mario [Andreoni, guitarist]. The two of us would come up with little beats or loops that we’d show one another, eventually bringing what we’d started over to Rafael [Cohen, multi-instrumentalist] – he was already well across using Ableton, so he was able to clean things up really easily.

“Before too long, we had this massive backlog of demos – all the time we were promoting Thr!!!er, we had this whole other thing going on. We had 40 songs, eventually recording 20 of them. We then went even further and whittled them down to what ended up being the songs that made the album – our friends, people on the label and the rest of the band all had a hand in voting in and voting out songs.”

16 :: BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15

11 years later, !!! are still alive and kicking. In fact, they never stopped – and the fact they’re still keeping the dream alive is as surprising to them as it is to any keen observer of the time period in which they first flourished.

“I’m aghast to our longevity as anyone else is,” says Nic Offer, the band’s frontman. “I’m truly surprised to be here after all this time

“The process really helped us look at what we were creating a little more objectively. Of

They’re not done with what’s left of the 20 songs that made the cut, either. “You may well see another album in fairly close proximity to this one,” Offer says. “We’re tossing up the idea of taking them into the studio with another producer and seeing what more we can do.”

Although the band only found a larger profile after the turn of the century, the earliest formation of !!! goes back to the mid-’90s, during which time Offer – then the vocalist in a hardcore punk band, The Yah Mos – was brought in to front a new project that rose from the ashes of two Sacramento acts, Popesmashers and Black Liquorice. “We wanted a band in which we knew we were going to be able to sit in a van with one another for hours on end,” Offer explains.

“The idea, musically, was to play funk – but we never wanted to be experts or virtuosos.

In fact, we wanted to get it wrong. We wanted to discover what lay off the path.”

Nearly 20 years later, !!! still stand. The band still tours, still receives formidable reviews and still has a respectable following. The key, according to Offer, has been to ensure that it never feels like a chore to keep the group going.

“There’s something to not taking yourself so seriously,” he says. “I mean, we take the creative process seriously, I suppose, but in a lot of ways we’re just laughing at ourselves the entire time. It’s music, after all. It should be fun, I think. It deserves to be fun.”

What: As If out Friday October 16 through Warp/Inertia

thebrag.com

!!! photo by Piper Ferguson

I

n the early-to-mid-2000s, a curious hybrid of revival dance-punk took over both the still-blossoming blogosphere and the sweaty rock clubs. In high rotation was a bizarrely titled Californian collective using three exclamation points (most commonly pronounced “Chk Chk Chk”) as their name, coming into their own with a cult classic sophomore LP, 2004’s Louden Up Now.

Going from 40 songs to just the 11 that made the final cut of As If – 12 if you include the Japan-exclusive bonus track – was not an easy process by any stretch. There were plenty of arguments and disagreements over what would eventually get pressed to disc and put on wax. As Offer testifies, however, it all resulted in something positive and constructive for the immediate !!! camp.

course, there were songs that I was vouching for and really wanted to get through the voting system. When you’re saying yes, though, and at least a good share of people are saying no, you have to take a step back and think about what’s not working. It allows for the songs to develop and for us to work toward better songs as a collective. Plus, if your friends don’t tell you the truth, the truth will come out as soon as other people hear the record.”

Melbourne Ska Orchestra Under One Banner By James Ross

N

icky Bomba is the effervescent frontman of Melbourne Ska Orchestra, a 26-member band he’s previously referred to as a “musical church”.

“In a way, all small bands are like a belief system,” he tells the BRAG. “Your group has a philosophy on life, and this band represents that for me. You want your team to be doing good stuff. We’re constantly challenging ourselves to make something better … If you think the same way about us, join us, because we think we’re doing good work.

“I want to move away from the church thing, though,” he adds.

“We’re more like a soccer team.”

Melbourne Ska Orchestra photo by Ian Laidlaw

It’s an inclusive sentiment that characterises the band’s approach to its broader genre. In the same way the upbeat rhythms of Jamaican ska fused with the aggressive punk of England to form two-tone, the MSO are proud of their strong multicultural roots, drawing upon them to add flavour to their music.

“We’re big fans of funk, rocksteady and South American vibes, and we’re developing hybrids with calypso that are uniquely our own,” says Bomba, who is of Maltese heritage. “We’re wearing our own colours now.”

The progression of the group from playing ska covers to original tracks has been an exciting one. Bomba is acutely aware of the MSO’s place in the history of the genre, and is resoundingly enthusiastic about the video clip for their latest single, ‘Satellite’, taken from upcoming second album Sierra-Kilo-Alpha (due out early next year).

“We’ve grown up! We’re no longer under the apron strings of the UK sound, although that’s still represented in the music we play today,” Bomba says. “It’s not perfect, but there’s a sense of adventure to it.

“The first album was a collection of all the things we’d been doing over the years. We weren’t really a serious entity until 2009, so that was really a statement about everything that had come before. This new album is more a sense of, ‘This is our voice.’ We’ll always harp towards the old stuff because of our love for ska, but this new clip is moving towards the future.”

A recent tour overseas saw Bomba and co. brushing shoulders with even more fans who barrack for the black and white. In England they performed with original rude boy Stranger Cole and two-tone legend Rhoda Dakar of The Bodysnatchers. The band was met with an overwhelming response from ska aficionados in Turkey, and Bomba seems as excited about performing as when the MSO first assembled.

“It was a real honour to be playing with the people there,” he says. “The thing about ska is – and it’s why the Orchestra works – there is a real love for the music. It means fans – they can be kids, parents or even grandparents – still have the energy.

Stranger Cole is 75 and even I had trouble keeping up with him!”

The MSO’s connection to Stranger Cole meant they were invited to feature three tracks in a short film (Beverley), telling the story of a young rude girl growing up during the volatility of the Thatcher era.

For Bomba and his crew – who are at heart just music fans who

partly came together due to their appreciation of Madness and The Specials records – it was a big achievement. However, it’s also a stark reminder to Bomba of how the music scene has changed from the mid-’70s until now.

“My first release was on vinyl because that’s all there was,” he says. “Now you can just press a button and you’ve downloaded your song in seconds. Somewhere along the way, the music was cheapened.

We’re trying to highlight the value of music as it’s perceived. There are a lot of processes involved; recording, rehearsal, writing. It’s gotten to the point where the only source of revenue is playing live. It means our music is political in some ways, but also it’s motivational. You figure out ways to survive. If your trajectory is about making the best art you can and being positive about it, you’ll manage.”

He seems confident, but notes that with a band of the MSO’s size, it’s difficult to manage without the help of government grants, and laments the recent reduction of funding to the Australia Council.

“Our human race is a creative species. We have the technology to live quite comfortably, but we don’t have that balance right yet. That’s what I noticed overseas, that they have a real appreciation of their art and culture. It’s about what people need, and sometimes common sense is what’s right for the agenda.”

Referencing the Velvet Revolution of Czechoslovakia in 1989, Bomba’s words reflect the stance of a man who regularly has to organise 25 bandmates on tour. “Ask questions.

Small voices count. They base these things off the polls. The polls are – that’s the people! And that’s kind of the attitude of the Melbourne Ska

Orchestra – keep motivating and energising people.”

If that’s the case, then Bomba has definitely found the right team to play with. Despite the workmanlike ethic that has the Orchestra back on the road so soon after their international tour, he maintains a sunny disposition. “I like to see the beautiful adventure of the world. I won’t be home for two to three weeks at a time, but I have a little ceremony that I do. It makes me really positive.

Home is where I am.”

Bomba’s faith that the group’s music will help inspire its listeners as well as his fellow bandmates remains his guiding light.

“This next album will make us proud.”

Where: Metro Theatre When: Friday October 23

BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 17

The Waifs A Beautiful Team By Tex Miller

J

oshua Cunningham is sitting on the building site of his new house on the New South Wales coast as we begin to chat about the welcome return of The Waifs.

Beautiful You was released a few weeks ago, and sees the band hit the mark once again with its trademark storytelling from years of time on the road. It’s been 23 years, in fact, since The Waifs burst onto the Australian music scene with their debut cassette (which would later form the basis of their selftitled CD), and they haven’t looked back since.

Touring internationally throughout America and Europe in the years after their 1996 debut, the success that has followed The Waifs is down to their ability to write endlessly relatable songs. Everybody has their favourite Waifs album, but it all took off properly for the band on the back of Up All Night, released in 2003 with hit singles such as ‘Lighthouse’ and ‘London Still’. In the aftermath of Beautiful You, Cunningham’s voice is full of excitement for the months to come around Australia playing with Sal Kimber and Mia Dyson.

“This batch of songs seems to have an instant resonance with people, and we feel really positive about that. Sometimes you make

Beautiful You sees Cunningham and his bandmates Vikki Thorn and Donna Simpson head into different territories. Musically, it’s the most expansive and adventurous thing they have done to date; however, when it came to the creative process required to make things interesting, the band turned to different techniques to produce the album’s final 12 tracks.

“Up until now, the three of us have individually written songs for an album and brought them to the table to work on,” Cunningham explains.

“For a change and to spice things up a little, we decided to try and write some songs all together.”

Part of the collaborative plan was getting each member to name the worst song they’d ever written.

“It created an uneasy feeling and tension and allowed us to try some different writing exercises,” says Cunningham. “It didn’t really work, though, and we ended up reverting back to how we have written since the early ’90s.”

Heading into Studios 301 in Byron Bay, The Waifs looked to Nick DiDia – who has worked with the likes of Powderfinger, The Living End, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Train and Rage Against The Machine – to capture the classic sound they have worked on tirelessly over the years.

The result is a raw and emotionally charged record that focuses on delicate and honest songwriting, referencing the band members’ old home in Western Australia and their new abodes throughout the US.

“[DiDia] brought a new lease on life to the songs and took them in a direction that we may not have explored had he not have produced it,” Cunningham says. “I think DiDia’s real emphasis is on rhythm sections and guitar. I spent a lot of time with him working on guitar parts and what fitted into which part of the songs. I think that was important to create a stronger album, where I would have just overdubbed a guitar solo here and there previously. DiDia’s really into getting a vibe and an energy to the music, and really thinks we hit the mark with Beautiful You.” Having formed in the early ’90s in the city of Albany when Thorn and Simpson were touring around the country in an old Kombi van with

their acoustic duo Colours, it was a ten-minute jam session that sealed the deal on the budding Waifs.

“It was a welcoming atmosphere right from the very beginning, and we never really had any ambition to do anything with our music when we first started playing,” Cunningham remembers. “We were young hippies in a van travelling around the country instead of picking fruit or working behind the bar. We never had an expectation or a vision for anything to happen.

Initially we sold a six-track cassette to raise enough funds to record our debut. We felt that we had reached the pinnacle of success by having a real CD to our names. We feel really humbled by every opportunity that has come our way since.”

More than two decades on from their formation, and looking forward to the future, Cunningham reveals that a new home studio at his soon-to-be-completed East Coast dwelling will allow The Waifs to self-produce their next LP. Unlike the gap between Beautiful You and its predecessor, Temptation, we’re reliably assured there won’t be a four-year wait before The Waifs’ eighth album. Having settled into their groove, there’s no reason to stop.

What: Beautiful You out now through Jarrah/MGM With: Mia Dyson Where: Enmore Theatre When: Thursday November 5

The Audreys Moving And Shaking By Peter Hodgson to Australia, we’re like, ‘Wow, you’re from America,’ but an Australian act goes over there, they don’t really care. You’re not special in that way – you’re competing with all the American acts, so it’s really hard to get noticed. Whereas here we have a good profile so we should be able to convince the American bookers that we’re worth going to see. That’s the plan – but you know how it is with plans!”

T

he music industry is a foreverchanging beast. Once upon a time, sheet music sales were a big deal. Families would gather around the piano and listen to a family member playing the latest tunes because nobody had a damn radio yet. Now, well, nobody knows what’s going on, really. First, illegal downloading tore the guts out of album sales. Then streaming services became so efficient and affordable that most people don’t bother to download anymore, since it’s actually easier to get your music legally. But that doesn’t give the

artist much wiggle room to make a living, which makes live shows even more important to musicians than they were before.

The Australian Worldwide Music Expo, taking place in Melbourne in November, is a unique event; a music industry conference and showcase for roots music. It’s designed to give artists a platform to foster stronger relationships with industry associates by bringing together musicians, industry partners/representatives and festival audiences for three

days of non-stop performance, networking and conference sessions. For the average musicloving punter, it also means lots of great artists like The Audreys, whose co-founder Taasha Coates is looking forward to using the home fi eld advantage to woo overseas movers and shakers.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to get in front of overseas booking agents and buyers without having to actually go overseas,” Coates says.

“Which we have done several times as well. If an American act comes to

“I just got my publishing statement and saw that I had 109 plays on a German streaming service and I made three cents. Streaming does not a career create.”

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Coates offers some advice for musicians playing any schmoozy conference event, which is fitting in time for Sydney’s own Australian Music Week, also happening next month. “Do you know that theory about how once someone hears about you for the third time, then it sticks? We went to South By Southwest and then we went to Americana, and some of those people will be at AWME too, so they’ll be seeing us for the third time. Apart from anything else, it’s showing that you’re serious about the market because you keep turning up. I think that’s part of networking: being seen and being charming and not being desperate and not being pushy. I think a lot of networking happens at the bar when you’re just having a yarn. You make a personal connection with someone and that can flow into work.”

That’s almost at odds with the Australian propensity for tall poppy syndrome, or rather the way that the fear of tall poppy syndrome tends to lead our artists to underpromote themselves. “Americans are so good at self-promotion because they’re so positive about everything,” says Coates. “I read an article with Keith Urban where he said it took him a few years in

America to realise that people were just being super polite.”

The Audreys have been around for a decade now – 2016 will be the tenth anniversary of their debut album – and in that time they’ve seen the musical landscape utterly reshape itself. For a band with a few ARIAs under its belt but not falling into the “multimillion-seller like Taylor Swift” category, it’s not necessarily all glamour.

“I just got my publishing statement and saw that I had 109 plays on a German streaming service and I made three cents,” Coates says.

“Streaming does not a career create, certainly. Look, if people were paying really great money to come out and see shows then that’d be fine, but people still grumble about the price of a concert ticket, and a lot of festivals struggle. It’s not like they’re just putting their money somewhere else in the music industry, they’re withdrawing it from the pool that artists have to make a living from. There aren’t more people coming out to gigs. Ticket prices haven’t gone up. Gone are the days when you can make a living from music. It’s pretty tough to do.”

The Audreys will preview their AWME set at The Vanguard in Newtown on Friday November 6.

“We’ll be bringing our drummer and playing as a trio, and I recently acquired a cherry red bass ukulele, which is incredibly awesome,” says Coates. “It’s so good. I love it. I wish I could do justice to how awesome it looks with my playing, but we’ll get there.”

Where: The Vanguard When: Friday November 6

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The Waifs photo by Jarrad Seng

“The tour is going to be fantastic,” says the multi-instrumentalist.

“It’ll be great to head out to both regional towns as well as busy city centres. We’ve just finished playing in the US and the songs are really taking off in the live set, I feel. A lot of the time, the songs off an album, it’s not until a tour or two later that people start to request them after they have had time to live with the record in their lives.

the album and you won’t play the track before you hit the road, and they take a while to settle in. I feel we are in a really positive position heading into this run of shows.”

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STOP t THINK t RESPECT

BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 19

Tony Mott: A Retrospective Life Through A Lens By Augustus Welby

A

head of the State Library of New South Wales’ upcoming exhibition What A Life! Rock Photography By Tony Mott, a month ago we asked Mott to name his five favourite artists to photograph. He replied

with Chrissy Amphlett, The Rolling Stones, Tex Perkins, Sarah McLachlan and You Am I. However, speaking just prior to the exhibition’s opening weekend, Mott is having second thoughts.

Keith Richards

“It’s forever changing,” he says. “Picking the top five is always randomly difficult. But I’ve got a new book that comes out with the exhibition, which is called Alphabet A-Z: Rock’N’Roll Photography. There’s over a thousand bands and artists in there, but [for] the first section I picked my top ten photos.

And I picked them not necessarily for the photo, but also who they are.”

In order of preference, this list consists of U2’s Bono, Amphlett, Peter Garrett, Mick Jagger, Kurt Cobain, Björk, Michael Hutchence, John Lydon, Keith Richards and Iggy Pop. They’re all iconic figures, but Amphlett is especially significant for Mott. Along with being a unique artist and powerful performer, Amphlett and her Divinyls played a pivotal role in launching his photography career.

“I was far from being a professional photographer,” Mott says. “I was just purely a passionate music fan, and it was in the early ’80s when Sydney had the greatest rock’n’roll scene in the world. You could go and see a great band seven nights a week in any suburb.

“The Divinyls had a residency – they played every Monday night at the Piccadilly Hotel in Kings Cross. One night through a drunken haze, as an amateur photographer, I thought, ‘Jeez, it must be bloody hard to photograph something like that.’ So the following week I took my camera along and did so every Monday night for about five months until I developed some level of competence.”

Thanks to a combination of opportune timing and good luck, just when Mott started feeling confident, Divinyls’ manager came to speak to him. “He said, ‘Oh, can we have a look?’

And they used one and it became a tour poster and it began a career in rock’n’roll photography.”

Prior to getting this invaluable exposure, Mott’s motivations were fairly modest. “It was pure pleasure. I was a huge music fan, so I used to go and see bands all the time anyway. An art student friend taught me basic black-and-white processing and printing, and from that the two hobbies and passions combined.”

After the sale of the Amphlett photograph, Mott quickly rose to become one of Australia’s most prominent rock photographers. His working relationship with The Rolling Stones started on Jagger’s 1988 solo tour. Mott subsequently photographed four Stones tours, twice as the official photographer.

Given there are so many famous images of the Stones already available, you can imagine the pressure would have been enhanced.

However, this was not the case.

Tex Perkins

“I think almost the more famous the artist, the easier your job becomes. If I produced an ordinary photo of Mick Jagger, it’s already got an impact because it’s Mick Jagger. I’ve only ever done one portrait of the Stones.

It was quite amusing, because they all just stood there in sunglasses and after about three minutes I said, ‘Maybe a shot without the sunglasses?’ And there was just a stony silence. It was a tour T-shirt, and as proud as I am of it, there’s nothing particularly special about it.

“The live Stones photos, on the other hand, I am completely proud of. But also, they weren’t that difficult to shoot, insomuch as it is Keith [Richards] in front of you being Keith, so it’s pretty special to start with.”

Throughout a career that has seen him work with everyone from Slipknot to 5 Seconds Of Summer, Mott has taken time to learn about each artist’s music before conceptualising a shoot. By this token, his favourite photo subjects aren’t united by a shared quality.

“You have to treat each one individually,” he says. “Let’s do two extreme examples. Marilyn Manson – I set up a really crazy canvas and I’ve got dead roses as a prop. Marilyn walks into the room, introduces himself as Brian, which is sort of disconcerting, then I show him the set-up. He says, ‘Very good. That’s great,’ and he’s got a little carrier with contact lenses of different colours, then he sits down.

I’ve got beautiful light, got the canvas, and the image is there – I’d have to be a complete imbecile not to get a great shot. He’s totally professional, obliging and he’s comfortable in front of the camera.

“The complete opposite – I did a Sarah McLachlan portrait for an album cover. Sarah had sold 30 million records, been around for a while, so she’s quite experienced, [but] unbelievably uncomfortable in front of a camera. It’s not a pleasure for her at all, and that took much more work on my behalf. So I had dinner with her, we talked about music – she couldn’t be a nicer person. Not 100 per cent comfortable in front of a camera, but luckily there was plenty of time. So by the time I get to do the shoot I’m not a complete stranger.

“I was having a joke with her, telling her I’m going to shoot her in the toilet, but the toilet was actually the State Theatre and it’s the Butterfly Room – one of the most beautiful rooms in Sydney. And when we actually shot it, as much as she was still quite shy, finally I was happy with the results.”

Mick Jagger

20 :: BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15

With: What A Life! Rock Photography By Tony Mott Where: State Library of New South Wales When: Saturday October 17 – Sunday February 7

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You Am I

Chrissy Amphlett

BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 21

Pete Murray Feeling It Out By Tex Miller have a crack at music. In 2002, he independently recorded and released an album called The Game, which caught the attention of Sony Music.

After signing with the label, Murray relocated to Melbourne and got to work on Feeler. Boasting a string of successful singles such as ‘So Beautiful’, ‘Bail Me Out’ and the title track, the album reached platinum sales. However, when Murray was writing the songs, he couldn’t have imagined they would lead to such widespread acclaim.

“I didn’t really think ‘So Beautiful’ was going to be the track to initially take me places,” he says. “On the record it goes for four minutes and 50 seconds and it’s really quite a long song. It was never written for radio, and I remember having the argument with the record label saying that they were wasting their time trying to make it the single – and I remember they wanted to chop off the third verse of the song, which I was dead against. I wouldn’t budge, and then they released it and things took off.

It was very different to what was around at the time. It’s still surprising, though; that was the song to break me into the scene.”

E

ver since the breakout release of ‘Feeler’, the lead single from his 2003 album of the same name, Byron-based singer-songwriter Pete Murray has continued writing simple, catchy hits, and his next album (slated for release in the first half of 2016) is sure to be a cracker. In the meantime, his 33-date Yours Acoustically tour is beginning its lap of the nation this month.

When Murray answers the phone, it’s still school holidays and he’s

22 :: BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15

spending time with his kids. Murray has spent most of the year recovering from a knee reconstruction, so he can’t wait to get back out on the road to play fan favourites from his five-album back catalogue.

“At this moment in time, I am feeling really great,” he says. “The knee is healing up well, and although I probably won’t be jumping around as much as I usually do, it’s going to be great to get out once again and play some shows. Part of the reason I am doing this tour now is because

the new album is coming out next year. I want to really be pushing and focusing on the new songs for that.

This tour is all about playing the older tracks like ‘Ten Ft Tall’ and ‘Bail Me Out’ so that the fans that have followed me since the beginning can hear the songs they want to hear.

When we release the new album, I want to be focusing on the new direction and try to put some of the older songs to bed for a while.”

Back in the early 2000s, Murray left a career in sports medicine to

In recent times, several Australian performers have allowed fans to request what they want to hear at shows. Although Murray is yet to follow suit, the Yours Acoustically dates will certainly be a lot of fun. The tour even features a surprise guest: none other than Jeremy Marou from Brisbane folk rockers Busby Marou.

“Jeremy is coming out on the road with me and is going to be playing guitar and singing, and so that is going to be another great aspect to the show,” Murray says. “One of his favourite albums of mine is Summer At Eureka and it will be pretty

good to play a lot of tracks off that album too. Everyone has their own favourite Pete Murray tracks. [Often] they relate to a place in their lives, and they definitely don’t have to be singles. By the end of the tour, I think I should probably know most of the songs that I have written,” he laughs.

Over the years, Murray has toured to amazing places all around the world, and he’s very thankful for all the opportunities that have come his way.

“I’m lucky to even have a career. A lot of artists in Australia struggle to earn a living from it, and so I hope that with the new album coming out, I can continue to be able to do what I have been so fortunate to do for the best part of a decade.”

As for what we can expect from Murray’s forthcoming LP, he’s been engaging with some unexpected influences.

“I’ve been working a lot with different beats and loops since I’ve started this new album, and rather than having a bass player and a drummer, you work out the grooves yourself. It simplifies it a lot, and I can’t wait for people to hear it. I’ve been streaming a lot of The Roots and Frank Ocean on Spotify, and although I’m not giving too much away just yet, I’m excited to share a new single and the full release in early 2016. So keep an eye on the social media pages for the first news.”

With: Garrett Kato Where: The Basement When: Saturday November 21 and Sunday November 22 And: Also appearing at Mona Vale Hotel on Thursday November 26

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BRAGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide to film, theatre, comedy and art about town

arts in focus

liveworks Xxxx

experimental everywhere

also inside:

OMID DJALILI / CRIMSON PEAK / ARTS NEWS / ARTS REVIEWS / ARTS EXPOSED / CATS GIVEAWAY thebrag.com

BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 23

arts news...what's goin' on around town... with Tegan Reeves, Aaron Streatfeild and Eden Gillespie

five minutes WITH

WILLIAM STREET FESTIVAL

fashion gems, and the festival aims to help promote the culture that abounds here.

How has the festival grown over its seven years in existence?

The festival grew every year together with the street retailers community that is very aware of what kind of event they want and the activities they’d like to happen on the day. This year marks the seventh edition of the William Street Festival, and we’re going to have many new and exciting features.

W

hat is it about William Street that demands it gets its own festival, the aptly named William Street Festival?

Held in the heart of Paddington, William Street Festival is a celebration of the street, its unique retailers and Paddington lifestyle. Cosmopolitan William Street is different from other places in Sydney; it celebrates the finer things in life and iconic heritage buildings. It is a dynamic mix of cultures, styles and people. A street well known for its array of high-quality boutiques, bars and eateries, William Street contains many hidden

How important is it to the Sydney night-time entertainment scene that William Street Festival has been able to expand after dark?

What are the other highlights of the day?

The festival is offering 33 amazing outdoor activations thanks to the street retailers participating in the event and 20 stalls thanks to our fantastic external vendors, providing the festivalgoers with great shopping and delicious food. We’re going to have a full music program and a kids’ corner sponsored by Opus during the day, plus an Open Air Cinema and light projections at night. An extra and unique feature of this year’s festival is the Progressive Dining Walk, organised by The Sydney Connection, to promote the high standard of innovative cuisine, good service and great dining rooms available at the restaurants and bars on William Street.

This activity is part of Good Food Month.

CATS

Cats, the internationally acclaimed musical from Andrew Lloyd Webber, is clawing its way back onto the Australian stage. The record-breaking musical is coming Down Under for a limited season, opening in Sydney on Friday October 30 before touring to Hobart, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Delta Goodrem will star as Grizabella. Since its world premiere in 1980, Cats has travelled to 30 countries and has been translated into 15 languages. You might get a little bit catty if you miss out on tickets, because they’re moving fast.

We’re giving away two double passes to opening night at the Capitol Theatre. For your chance to win, visit thebrag.com/ freeshit.

Cats

Where: William Street Festival 2015 Where: Paddington When: Saturday October 17

The Birdsville Cup

A Girl With The Sun In Her Eyes

A Girl With The Sun In Her Eyes photo by Kate Williams

Sydney Dance Company

This year’s event features an Open Air Cinema. How did it come about, and what can audiences expect?

The Open Air Cinema is an activity that we proposed to the street retailers since the very first meeting, together with the extension of the duration of the event, and they immediately loved the idea. Audiences can expect to enjoy a movie with a French component in a nice and cosy lounge area!

The festival this year wants to attract different audiences and have something for everybody.

We want the festival to offer a wide variety of activities and entertainment, to celebrate this unique street in the best way possible.

head to: thebrag.com/freeshit Triptych photo by Peter Greig

arts in focus

free stuff

THE SUN SHINES ON HER

SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY 2016

In 1989 and 1990, photography student Berylouise Mitchell travelled to the remote Australian outback town of Birdsville to photograph the iconic Birdsville Races. To celebrate the 25-year anniversary of these photos being taken, Mitchell has created a book of the images, with all proceeds from its sales going towards the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Shot on black-and-white film, the series covers all aspects of the races: the bookies, the punters, the early morning trainers, and the races themselves. A selection of works from the book The Birdsville Cup is on display at Janet Clayton Gallery from Wednesday October 14 – Sunday October 25.

the festival will invite attendees to partake in cooking classes with world BBQ champion Tuffy Stone as well as witness the Sydney Butcher Wars, hosted by Jess Pryles (AKA BurgerMary). The event will also incorporate a number of uniquely Australian themes, such as the inclusion of barbecued seafood and lamb products. Musicians providing some meaty tunes include The Beards, The Snowdroppers and Henry Wagons.

XAVIER LE ROY

World-renowned French choreographer Xavier Le Roy’s newest project, Temporary Title, 2015, will premiere at Carriageworks next month. In collaboration with Hong Kongbased choreographer and dancer Scarlet

Yu and 18 Australian performers, Le Roy – a dancer, performance artist and former molecular biologist – will unveil his latest work for Sydney audiences. Temporary Title, 2015 focuses on movement as a medium, with performers transitioning between abstract and familiar forms, challenging our perceptions of the human body. The public is also invited to participate in a series of open rehearsals hosted by Le Roy, Yu and the local performers.

Meanwhile, Le Roy’s solo work Self Unfi nished will also be featured over three nights at Carriageworks. Temporary Title, 2015 runs from Friday November 20 – Sunday November 22, preceded by Self Unfi nished from Tuesday November 17 – Thursday November 19.

SCULPTURE IN THE VINEYARDS

Sculpture In The Vineyards, now in its 13th year, is back this October, bringing the perfect mix of wine and sculpture to the Hunter Valley for all art-lovers alike. The festival is completely free and held on the Wollombi Valley Wine Trail in the Lower Hunter Valley Region.

Sculpture In The Vineyards features over 100 international and domestic artists and will take over four vineyards, the Wollombi Village and Old Fire Shed Gallery. The festival begins Saturday October 31 and finishes on Sunday November 29. Visit sculptureinthevineyards. com.au for details.

MEET UP AT MEATSTOCK

Don’t despair if you find yourself single by the time Valentine’s Day rolls around. A new meat festival is coming to town, and we’ve already fallen in love. In a celebration of all things carnivorous, the folks over at Meatstock are bringing their meat and music festival to the Sydney Showgrounds on Saturday February 13 and Sunday February 14.

Featuring a number of events, as well as some of the most famous names in the BBQ industry, 24 :: BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15

WARMING UP THE ALLSTARS

Beloved Sydney comedy venue The Laugh Stand at Harold Park Hotel has pulled off an all-star coup for its lineup next week. It’s none other than the Doug Anthony Allstars returning to their old stomping ground for a pair of warm-up shows ahead of their national tour dates. Paul McDermott, Tim Ferguson and Paul ‘Flacco’ Livingston promise an evening of death, sex and horror – all the ingredients for a great night of comedy. They’ll have a couple of new songs and all the old rock comedy favourites to share on Tuesday October 20 and Wednesday October 21.

Doug Anthony Allstars

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Sydney Dance Company photo by Irenaeus Herok

Sydney Dance Company has announced its 2016 program, combining masters of the music and dance fields. A highlight of next year’s schedule is the double bill entitled CounterMove, featuring award-winning Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman’s acclaimed and hilarious Cacti, showing alongside the world premiere of Helpmann Award-winning choreographer Rafael Bonachela’s Lux Tenebris. This collaboration will tour throughout regional centres over the course of 2016, and opens in Sydney at the Roslyn Packer Theatre on Friday February 26. Later in the year, Bonachela will share the bill with Adelaide’s Gabrielle Nankivell for an 11-show season of Untamed, opening Tuesday October 18, while the third edition of the New Breed initiative, focusing on the next crop of talented choreographers, will open at Carriageworks on Tuesday November 29.

HOLD YOUR HORSES

Described as The Shield meets Memento, the raved-about crime piece A Girl With The Sun In Her Eyes is set to make its Australian premiere at the Old Fitz Theatre.

Directed by Red Line Productions’ Andrew Henry (Of Mice And Men, Orphans), A Girl With The Sun In Her Eyes tells the story of a missing undercover cop, while asking the question: how far would you go to protect the life you have? The play opens on Tuesday October 27 and runs until Saturday November 14 at the Old Fitz.

Liveworks

Nicola Gunn in Piece For Person And Ghetto Blaster

[FESTIVAL] A Sense Of Adventure By Adam Norris of their process and that they’re doing exciting things.”

Though Liveworks does not shy away from serious and stirring themes, it is by no means a celebration of all things severe. Amidst the dance, distress and desire, there are great reserves of pathos and humour.

It is the whole gamut of human experience that Khan and the artists are attempting to chart here, even when humans themselves are conspicuously absent.

L

iveworks is coming, folks, and you’d better be prepared. As ambitions go, the scope of the experimental art festival is damned impressive; housed at Carriageworks in Redfern, with over two weeks of performance, discussion, artwork and innovation, Liveworks promises to be quite unlike any festival you’ve encountered before. In fact, that’s rather the point. And for those who shirk at the mere mention of ‘experimental’, Performance Space artistic director Jeff Khan promises your fears will be allayed.

While each Liveworks event promises to conjure something unique, there are several that seem particularly striking. Les Festivites Lubrifi er, Triumphs And Other Alternatives (which wins the award for best name) and Robot Opera each have an intriguing premise, and it is precisely

their capacity to stir audiences’ emotions and expectations that first drew Khan’s attention.

“You look at all the great work that is out there in Australia, and we’ve only limited spots in a festival to show that. So we want to make sure that we’re programming the best and most exciting work we can find. A big part of that is the level of research.

We’ll be in artists’ studios, seeing festivals, catching shows in Australia and around the world, talking with colleagues and making sure we have really strong relationships with artists, making sure we understand what they do and why. By the time we select the shows, even if it’s a commission and a world premiere, we know that the artist is a leader in their field. Even if they’re an emerging artist, we know the rigour

In addition to the performances and installations themselves, a further hallmark of the festival is the inclusion of ‘meditations’ –

“The meditations are something really interesting,” says Khan. “For an extra $20, you meet an hour before the show and an expert on that artist or art form will lead a discussion or exercises that relate to what you’re about to see. Then you all go into the show together, and afterwards come back to the space and there’s wine, the chance to talk about what you’ve seen and ask questions.

We don’t want it to be alienating, we want it to be as welcoming as possible. We want people to get to know the artist and the work beyond simply turning up at the theatre and seeing a show before walking away.

“So we have this series of programs built around the festival, and there’s one space at Carriageworks that is entirely dedicated to these artist talks and workshops. There are actually 22 of those, as well as the 11 works in the festival itself, and they’re really designed to give people more insight into the work. There are all sorts of different ways for people to have a more rounded, exciting experience.”

What: Liveworks 2015 Where: Carriageworks When: Thursday October 22 – Saturday November 7 More: performancespace.com.au

xx

“I think those people who are a little bit wary or nervous of the term ‘experimental art’ and what it means have maybe been burnt by things like interpretive dance in the past,” Khan laughs. “This is a festival for anyone who has a sense of curiosity

and adventure. ‘Experimental art’ can be an intimidating term, but I’d ask people to look at what is in the festival, rather than what it’s called. There’s Robot Opera, a piece entirely performed by robots. There’s a physical theatre performance based on head-banging as a movement language; there’s an indigenous woman lost on the Paris Metro on her 45th birthday. These are some of the ideas that everyone will find a way of relating to, but will also find quite exciting.”

“You look at Robot Opera and can’t help but ask, ‘Just how intelligent are they?’ It’s certainly an aspect of this work. I think the idea of what it means to be human is something that all forms and genres address in some way. You look at comedies and they’re concerned with that as much as something like Robot Opera, though expressed in different ways. I think they’re themes artists return to again and again. But in terms of heaviness, in Robot Opera there are certainly heavy themes, but there’s also a lot of humour. You’re being confronted by these things that are humanoid but behave bizarrely and are struggling to understand us as much as we’re struggling to understand them. There are other works in the festival, like Vicki Van Hout’s [Les Festivites Lubrifi er], which has indigenous politics but is also this story of Vicki getting lost on the Metro – [it’s] about an Aboriginal woman getting lost far from home. There are real moments of lightness within the festival, and to use a bit of a cliché, there’s really something for everyone.”

opportunities for audiences to delve behind the curtain and uncover new insights about particular artists or creations. It is a further attempt by Khan and his colleagues to demystify that abstract term, ‘experimental’, and allow the festival to flourish across a broad sweep of people. In short, if you have yet to sample experimental wares, there is surely no finer time.

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Crimson Peak [FILM] Guillermo Del Toro’s Passion Project By David Molloy

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movie like Crimson Peak is a hard sell as far as production studios are concerned. Despite films like The Conjuring experiencing a box office resurrection, the ‘ghost story’ tag is too simplistic and clearcut to apply to such an elaborate and intricate film.

However, like the film’s protagonist Edith (Mia Wasikowska), Crimson Peak is a story that Mexican-born director Guillermo del Toro has carried with him for years. Yes, it may contain truly horrific elements, but its origins lie in the gothic romances that ignited Del Toro’s passions as a child: Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.

“It’s a strange genre, because it’s caught between love and death,” says Del Toro. “It’s really not quite a horror genre but not quite a romantic genre. It’s sort of a nostalgic, creepy kind of love story, and I wanted to do one because it’s been decades, many decades, since Hollywood tackled the genre with any scope.

“I wanted to make an old-fashioned, really lavish movie but still have really creepy moments, and a couple of scares – but ultimately a very human story.”

It’s a pitch that could well describe most of Del Toro’s creations, ranging from early horror efforts like Cronos and Mimic to the immaculate, Oscar-winning Pan’s Labyrinth, as well as Hollywood blockbusters Hellboy, Blade II and Pacifi c Rim. Originally a special effects and make-up designer, Del Toro’s trademark visual spectacle finds an ideal home in Crimson Peak, a tale that demands bold,

striking colours and extravagant architecture to create its classic atmosphere.

“The gothic romance require[s] the actors and the story to be a little bit on the hyperdrive,” he says. “You have to be a little overwrought, and I would say a little melodramatic in the tone. I knew that I wanted to be a little operatic in order to make the movie feel of a piece. I tried to use the visuals as images that are telling you the story.

“I jokingly say, instead of eye candy, I am fabricating eye protein.”

It’s an appropriate analogy, given the obsession with ophthalmology on display in the film. Not only do the film’s transitions often sink into the eyes of the characters, but the house setting itself was designed

by Del Toro, with round, eye-like windows leering in on its inhabitants.

“It was important to underline the theme of capacity to see,” he explains. “Edith lives in a very modern America, but she can see something as ancient as ghosts, and Thomas [Tom Hiddleston] lives in an ancient land but he can see the future in his machine. So they are both outcasts, and they find each other in the story, and they ultimately fall in love.”

Though Edith and Thomas’ romance is the heart of the story, it is counterpointed with moments of stomach-turning violence, reminiscent of the dance between fairytale and war story that made Pan’s Labyrinth so potent. This, Del Toro says, is all courtesy of the penny dreadfuls that inspired him in his continuing search for “terrible

beauty”. “When they were at the height of their popularity in the 1800s, they were novels that contained very lurid and titillating moments of sex and violence. And obviously, by our standards, those novels are now very quaint, but back then, people were shocked,” he says with a chuckle.

“I wanted to stimulate the same sort of sensory centres in people watching the movie. I needed to shock them a little bit with the violence and make sure the sex was not exploited in a gratuitous way, but it was strong enough to make it into an adult movie.”

A film that is both romantic and unsettling, arousing and shocking in equal measure is a challenging proposition. But Del Toro has spent his entire career in the realm of the impossible, and cares only for the freedom to create.

“A lot of people are gonna tell you, ‘Go where the budget is’; I’m gonna

tell you, ‘Go where the freedom is,’” he says, his voice loaded with passion. “I can tell you I have complete freedom on Crimson Peak, but you know, if the budgets were $20 million, $30 million more, I would lose that freedom.

freedom. The Lovecraftian At The Mountains Of Madness; trilogy closer Hellboy III; the hugely anticipated game Silent Hills – all have suffered the same fate. It has led Del Toro to a rather pessimistic view of his career.

“What you should always protect as a filmmaker is your freedom.

And if you are young and starting, I would advise: put everything you can on your first movie, and be ready to sort of die for it, because you should not think any further than that. If you die of a heart attack or you never finance another movie, let the one movie you make contain everything you can, you know?”

“I’m always at the mercy of strangers, you know? I’m always out with my tin cup asking for financing for the movies, and it’s always really hard,” he says.

Sadly, Del Toro’s own projects are themselves caught between love and death. In the last decade, many of his most beloved projects have languished in pre-production purgatory, failing to acquire either the funds or Del Toro’s vital

As such, we will not be hearing much about Del Toro’s next project, a film “of the same size as Pan’s Labyrinth”, until it hits the big screen. “I have found with horrifying result that every time I talk about a project, it falls apart,” he laughs. “So I’m gonna keep it quiet in the hopes that it happens.”

Where: Crimson Peak Where: In cinemas Thursday October 15

Omid Djalili [COMEDY] Changes Afoot By Tegan Jones “It’s called Iranalamadingdong because it gives the impression that it’s a kind of Iranian merrygo-round,” explains the UK-based stand-up. “It’s moving away from talking about anything ‘ethnic’ and having me deal with the most generic subjects I possibly can: long-term relationships, celebrity and how everyone wants to be one. I actually argue that everyone almost is a celebrity. I also talk about getting older, growing old with grace and dignity. It’s the most exciting show I’ve done and it’s certainly the most fun.”

Djalili’s perspective on celebrity culture is particularly interesting in regards to everyday celebrities and the need to be noticed.

“It’s like a feverish need to be a celebrity. It’s like a bunch of sperms trying to fertilise an egg,” he laughs. “Some people can’t even be themselves until they’re famous, and then they relax. I always wonder if I’m like that, because whatever you say about other people you’re often saying about yourself as well.

“These days, everyone has in a sense been groomed for being a celebrity. Some people have massive egos and want it, like me, which have been born out of wounds from their childhood, and they seek validation in front of an audience.

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fter decades in the industry, both in film and onstage, Omid Djalili has become a comedic institution of his own.

For the first time, he is coming to Sydney this month for the Just For Laughs festival, performing his

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new show, Iranalamadingdong. It promises to not only be a night of hilarity, but also one that will work to eradicate the notions of race and stereotyping that has been so predominant throughout Djalili’s own career.

“What I’ve observed is that everybody already is a celebrity. In your own life, someone is always the prettiest, the most successful, the funniest … So I’ve always dealt with being a certain way, and the way I’ve negotiated that has been very similar to how I’ve dealt with people recognising me from TV and film.”

The idea of a performer best known for appearances in films like Gladiator, The Infi del and the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise tackling seemingly mundane and everyday topics is fascinating in itself, and certainly represents new territory for Djalili.

“I’ve always been brought on television to talk about a book I’ve got or a film and then some terrible thing will happen in the news. A bomb will go off in Israel or Hamas will do something and I’m always asked for my thoughts – even if I’m promoting a kids’ film. That’s why I felt I really needed to do this.

“It’s interesting, because I’ve just come from Montreal and they have something called The Ethnic Show, and I’ve never been asked to do it because they know I would say no. I don’t like to be pigeonholed like that. I felt like I had to make a final statement saying that I’m a comedian and it doesn’t really matter where I’m from. I am of a certain shape, I am bald, I am short.

So being the fat, bald, short guy is a relief after being pigeonholed as the Iranian guy. That seems to be enough to get people to come,” he laughs.

For a man who’s made a career from making others laugh, Djalili has an unusual history with the concept of laughter itself.

“I hated laughter when I was a kid,” he says. “I always felt like people were laughing at me, not with me. I was very quiet, and from the ages six to ten, I was almost mute. So my journey has been to try and embrace laughter because it’s a joyous thing.

We’re the only animals on the planet that have the ability to do that. They can be amused, dogs can wag their

tails, but you don’t really see them sitting around exchanging stories. I think a lot of comedians don’t really come alive until they’re onstage.

There’s validation, there’s laughter; it is kind of what everyone wants.

“I’m too old now to really see laughter as an end unto itself. When you’re on the comedy circuit where people go to laugh, you no longer see the point in that. There has to be a point you want to make, and you use laughter to make it. As I get older, I like to watch a film or a live show where I’m transformed in some way, and laughter is a route to that, but not an end. That’s why I try to put more thought into what I do.”

Indeed, comedians occupy a privileged position of social commentary, where they can often get away with saying a lot more than others who have a public platform.

“Comedians are now the new philosophers, and they have a responsibility,” Djalili agrees. “A lot of people listen to comedians.

In my documentary film, We Are Many, which is about the anti-war demonstrations of 2003, we hold the world record for film for our Twitter thunderclap, and it was mostly comedians such as Stephen Fry and Russell Brand who were supporting it. We had an outreach of 37.5 million, so the comedy industry is a very powerful voice for social change, and we’re beginning to realise that.”

What: Iranalamadingdong as part of Just For Laughs Sydney 2015 Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House When: Thursday October 22

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Film & Theatre Reviews Hits and misses on the silver screen and bareboards around town

■ Film

BLACK MASS In cinemas now Black Mass is the true story of Boston crime boss Whitey Bulger (Johnny Depp) and his uncanny ties with the FBI, which led him to an unprecedented level of rule over the city throughout the ’70s and ’80s. After childhood friend and FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) brings Bulger on as an ‘informant’ – naively plotting an allegiance to help crack down on the city’s growing Mafia contingent – the agent suddenly finds himself stuck in a decades-long stalemate with what becomes one of the era’s most ruthless crime bosses.

The promo for this film has Depp looking decidedly odd and, to get it out of the way, he looks just as odd through the film. While he’s obviously consumed with Bulger, and delivers a menacing performance, there’s still a level of suspension required to get past the combover and pale make-up.

As much as it may have been in line with the real-life character, he just sticks out, and even more so with the odd casting choice of Benedict Cumberbatch as his older brother, who’s also a Senator. While Cumberbatch is a welcome addition to any film, and delivers accordingly, there’s just no world in which the two would be brothers convincingly, and Depp’s make-up exacerbates this.

choice, Guy Pearce (who bailed prior to production), which may have potentially softened Depp’s overall ambience. While the performances on the whole are formidable, with some strong moments from the full team, there are some points the Bostonifi cation creeps into slight parody, particularly from Edgerton and Depp’s combover.

period, it uses some broad strokes to set the scene, but ramps up in the third act to really deliver some punches. However, it never really shows the true relationship between Bulger and Connolly, so it’s left uncle ar whether this is a story of a bumbling, naive agent who gets in far too deep, or a classic tale of internal payoff and corruption.

It’s interesting to imagine Cumberbatch’s role being fi lled with its initial casting

The story itself is also not without some holes. Covering an almost two-decade

Julian Ramundi

Black Mass A Property Of The Clan

choreographer Rafael Bonachela in tribute to the compositions of Benjamin Britten. The pieces themselves are energetic, loaded with sensuality and always revolving around intimate relationships.

T he first two movements of the dance before interval are both contained and vibrant, with an extremely wellpractised chamber orchestra, the ACO2, accompanying four performers as they engage in what could be described as some sort of wholly innocent partner swap.

There’s a playfulness on display that keeps the audience attuned.

It’s the second part where something truly special unfolds, as national treasure Katie Noonan steps up to the microphone to perform – in French – as accompaniment for the second movement. Being such a vivacious and passionate performer, it becomes difficult to tear your eyes from her to focus on the dancers. Their second piece, sharper and with more adaptive lighting, is intriguing in the way it spacially isolates each dancer before bringing them together in breathtaking lifts and waltzes.

■ Dance

TRIPTYCH Reviewed at Roslyn Packer Theatre on Tuesday September 29 Dance is a curious creature. There’s an immediacy to it, a boldness and an inherent sexual magnetism that it exudes, as well as

the aura of watching gifted performers engage in their craft. But there’s also the sense that, without some training in the form or intimate knowledge of its meaning, much is lost in translation. This collection of both new and old compositions offers both experiences.

Triptych, as its name suggests, is a threefold night of dance pieces from renowned

Open Day

Sydney Opera House photo by Prudence Upton

Triptych photo by Peter Greig

Triptych

The third part, however, suffers from its comparative length. It’s truly wondrous to watch a stage of 20 dancers moving in absolute unity – less so when the whole sequence, its narrative kept in the dark, runs twice as long as those that preceded it. It also lacks Noonan’s accompaniment: a shame indeed.

Triptych is a classy night out for those in the know, but to those outside the world of dance, it may provide little illumination.

David Molloy

Arts Exposed What's in our diary...

Sydney Opera House, Sunday October 18 This weekend, the Sydney Opera House is opening its doors and inviting visitors on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the nation’s most iconic landmark – and it’s all completely free. Ever wondered what an Opera House dressing room looks like? Or what life is really like backstage? There’s no better chance to find out. To make the day more exciting, there will also be pop-up acts throughout the building.

As well as learning about the history of the Opera House, there will be an opportunity to discuss the future renovation plans.

Doors open at 9am and last entry is 3pm. Register online at sydneyoperahouse.com.

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■ Theatre

A PROPERTY OF THE CLAN Playing at Blood Moon Theatre until Saturday October 17 It’s been some time since A Property Of The Clan has graced a Sydney stage, but thanks to the efforts of Don’t Look Away and the brand new Blood Moon Theatre, this brutal, beautiful text is fi nding new contextual relevance and vitality under the guidance of an engrossing and muscular cast.

Ricko’s underage party is the talk of Blackrock Point, and every teenager in the area wants to be there. But when a young girl is raped and murdered on the beach, the entire community is left stunned, torn between those who want the truth and those who just want the whole damn mes s to disappear.

The characters, divided between youngsters and adults, are woefully prepared to cope with the fallout of the party. They are played expertly by a cast of four who rotate roles as necessary, always bringing each new addition to the stage with clarity.

Samantha Young’s shell-shocked Jade, Megan Drury’s long-suffering Diane, Jack Starkey-Gill’s extreme leaps between Glenn and Ricko, and George Banders’ powerful performance as Jared show an ensemble united in their purpose.

On paper, the set design concept has the potential to be underwhelming – a perspex sheet on which the actors paint – but it’s a device that is used to stunning effect. As bright primary colours bleed into darker shades, the sense of play with which the actors begin shifts into something far more sinister: the chronicling of a world-shaking horror. Credit, then, to Martelle Hunt and director Phil Rouse for bringing the concept to its full potential.

A Property Of The Clan is the second play in so many months to directly address one of the major issues facing our country – that of violence against women. Don’t Look Away has even taken the extra step of donating a cut of the profi ts to White Ribbon in order to translate the artistic expression into measurable social change.

It is truly awful that Nick Enright’s 1992 version of the play can still resonate so powerfully with modern Australia, but the text is extremely potent and even-handed in the way that it examines rape culture, and has clearly been approached with considerable thought and care.

Alternately funny and harrowing, bleak and redemptive, A Property Of The Clan is an excellent debut for the Blood Moon Theatre.

David Molloy

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Game On Gaming news with Adam Guetti

OCT

2015

What's On INSERT COIN(S)

Insert Coin(s) has floated in and out of the Sydney scene for a while now, but the fan-favourite event has just announced it’s going monthly, and the good news is that the next one is slated for Thursday October 22. Taking place at the supremely versatile Oxford Art Factory, Insert Coin(s) combines the wonders of retro gaming, art and themed cocktails for one hell of a good night. This month celebrates the addictive Daytona USA by bringing in six networked machines for instant multiplayer madness.

Review Round-Up With game releases heating up in time for the holiday season, here are some of the biggest titles you should be keeping an eye on…

PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2016 PS4, XBO, PS3, 360, PC

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PAX AUSTRALIA If you’re big into games, comics or all things pop culture, then the biggest event of the month is a total no-brainer. There’s only one caveat – it’s in Melbourne. That’s right, PAX Australia 2015 runs from Friday October 30 – Sunday November 1 and will feature the chance to get your hands on the likes of Star Wars Battlefront, marvel at a cavalcade of cosplayers and even sit in on a panel or two, like Storytime With Warren Spector – the legendary man behind Deus Ex and Thief.

POKÉMON – SYMPHONIC EVOLUTIONS For the first time in Australia, Pokémon – Symphonic Evolutions allows long-time fans of the historic franchise something they could have only ever dreamed of – hearing the greatest Pokémon tunes brought to life in all new arrangements from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. It all takes place at the Sydney Opera House on Friday November 20 and Saturday November 21, so jump onto sydneyoperahouse.com to grab tickets before somebody else catches them all!

Review: Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection PS4 Pro Evolution Soccerr has had an incredibly tumultuous past, but after a few last-gen missteps, the series has found its footing once more with PES 2016 – a game that, in many ways, is superior to its EA competitor, FIFA 16. Team movement is exceptional, controls are increasingly responsive and moment-to-moment gameplay feels more unpredictable than ever before. It may lack FIFA’s sheen, but PES 2016 nails what counts.

METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN

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PS4, XBO, PC

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bove all the rest, there’s one developer and one hero who truly influenced the video game industry throughout the last generation. With the Uncharted d series, Naughty Dog managed to create a charming, lovable and quip-happy protagonist in Nathan Drake. More importantly, however, the studio concocted a magical blend of exploration, action and cinematic flair that was unrivalled, quickly redefining the entire third-person action genre in the process.

The thing is, as great as the series was, not everybody had a chance to experience the tour de force, which brings us to Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection – an incredible value proposition that takes the original Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and its sequels (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception), then somehow squishes them onto a single disc. Not only that, but each has been given a healthy dose of TLC thanks to a new coat of 1080p paint and a frame rate boost to a buttery smooth 60fps. Full credit must go to Bluepoint Games for managing to pump out three ports of such immense quality – an achievement that can (and often does) go so easily awry.

That said, don’t expect the sins of the past to disappear entirely without a trace.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, for example, holds up the least successfully out of the trio, but understandably so. Naughty Dog was yet to find its feet with the debut effort, so expect the narrative’s pacing and game’s shooting to be a tad more unrefined than what you’re used to; especially if you’ve already made your way through the series.

Uncharted 2, on the other hand, somehow manages to remain as jaw-dropping as it was eight years ago. In fact, the exhilarating opening, manic train sequence and emotional story still put some new releases to shame.

By the time you reach what is arguably the best game in the trilogy, Drake’s Deception, you’ll be embracing Naughty Dog’s stylings as the team reaches the height of its craft. Sure, Uncharted d has always tried to ape the classic Indiana Jones feel, but this was the sequel that, for many, managed to best it. Nate’s tale was at its most fascinating as the spectacle hit fever pitch. No matter your favourite, though, The Nathan Drake Collection is incredible value for money and an even more incredible bundle of games. Buy it.

There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding The Phantom Pain, but the best advice is to ignore it and focus on what’s in front of you: an open-world stealth masterpiece. Hardcore fans will be disappointed at the lack of story, but in its place are an addictive slew of missions that offer immense flexibility. Even if you’ve been out of the loop, sneak on over and give this a shot.

FIFA 16 PS4, XBO, PS3, 360, PC

3

Adam Guetti

The biggest knock against FIFA 16 is also its most consistent – a lack of proper evolution.

The introduction of female teams is fantastic, the Ultimate Team Draft mode can be a lot of fun, and the presentation is as impressive as ever, but where PES is striving to better itself each year, the team behind FIFA seems too concerned with rocking the boat. You can’t argue with the logic, it just means this year’s iteration isn’t as solid as it could have been.

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out & about Queer(ish) matters with Lucy Watson

Guitar Hero Live For Those About To Rock By Tegan Jones

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ne of the perils of same-gender dating is finding yourself smitten with someone who shares your name. In my time I’ve known a Georgia and a Georgia, a Marcus and a Marcus, and a Clare who’s dated not one, but two Claires. It’s not entirely unheard of in mixed-gender dating; I’ve known an Alex and Alex, and I harbour a strong desire for The Bachelor and The Bachelorette to hook up so we’ve got Sam and Sam, but it’s a far more likely situation in same-gender scenarios. There’s even a Reddit thread devoted to discussing the benefits and pitfalls.

I’ve always found it fascinating, and had an unnecessary amount of questions for my same-name couple friends. I found myself swiping right on Lucys, almost purely because of their name, but it seemed like a distant fantasy.

Until I met Lucy.

Now I’m one of those people who dates someone with the same name as them. There are some highs, and some lows, and some myths that need to be dispelled (but mostly confirmed).

The first time we met someone together and they said, “Lucy and Lucy? Two Lucys! Well, that’s easy, only one name to remember,” it was mildly funny. The second time, I laughed out of politeness.

Now, I still laugh because I’m a nice person, but seriously, we’ve heard it before. Almost every fucking day. It’s not only not funny, but it’s also highly unoriginal.

It’s been five years since we last saw a new version of Guitar Hero, and a hell of a lot has changed in the interim. Now seems like the perfect time for an encore, and that’s where Guitar Hero Live comes in. We chat to designer James Norris from Freestyle Games about the ambitious new title and how it’s going to revolutionise the franchise and the gaming industry as a whole.

At the forefront of the latest features is Guitar Hero TV, which offers a brand new way to play.

“The way people listen to music now is different, so we thought we could do something new,” explains Norris. “Guitar Hero TV is a kind of music discovery platform. We’re launching with hundreds of songs and we’re always going to be adding new ones. We hope that people will turn it on, find the songs you would expect in Guitar Hero, but also discover something new.”

One of the highlights of Guitar Hero TV is the online multiplayer aspect that connects you with players across the globe. “The coolest thing for me is that when you tune into one of our channels you’re playing the same song at the same time with the rest of the world,” Norris says. “It’s a nice unifying sort of thing; everyone is listening to and jamming to that song at the same time.”

As a huge fan of customisation in games, I can’t help but ask how that will come into play so I can stand out online. “The two main things are your note highway, which is what you’re staring at most of the time, and your player cards, which is what people will see during the result sequence,” replies Norris. “They will also show up on the leaderboards so everyone will know who is the top dog.”

There will also be plenty of swag for those who love exclusivity. “We also have premium shows on GHTV and they will change pretty regularly.

If you win one of them you’ll get a special note highway that no-one else can have. We want to give people new bragging rights and a lot of options.”

EB Expo attendees in Sydney this month were able to test the GH Live mode, where the player gets to see everything from the perspective of the guitarist. ”This is the mode that makes you the star,” Norris says. “You get onstage and whether you do well or suck, the crowd and your bandmates

are going to react accordingly, like throw stuff at you and give you the stink eye. In previous versions you would be saved by the kick out, but now we want you to feel what it’s like knowing everyone is looking at you and you’re the one messing up,” he laughs.

One of the biggest changes the game is introducing is a brand new controller with six black-and-white buttons in a 2x3 layout. “Gone are the colours of the past,” declares Norris. “At first we thought that taking them was crazy and we booed the UI artist right out of the building [laughs]. But then we tried it out and it worked really well.

Lucy has a pretty extreme habit of referring to herself in the third person (which one of us am I referring to?! Holy shit). This makes almost everything especially difficult as I can never tell if she’s talking to me or to herself. It does mean I can pick and choose what to respond to, though. And when she says, “Shut up, Lucy,” it never gets old to respond, “But I didn’t say anything!”

It’s also fun to fuck with people. A friend once confessed she wasn’t sure if it was enough to simply say “Hi Lucy” or “Hi Lucys” or even “Hi Lucii”, or whether she should say “Hi Lucy and Lucy” when she sees us. For a while we toyed with the idea of demanding “Lucy and Lucy” at all times, just to annoy everyone.

I’ve also thought about pretending there’s a subtle difference in pronunciation of our Lucys and demand everyone infl ect slightly differently when referring to me.

When a friend wants to talk to both of us, they can just say “Lucy!” and we both turn around. It happens. Though lately, I’ve stopped responding when people say my name, because other Lucy (‘Lucy Two’ as I affectionately call her, to her despondence) is far more popular than me, and more people want to talk to her. I recently found myself the only Lucy in the room, a rare occasion of late. Every time someone called to me, I ignored them, just assuming “Lucy” no longer signifi ed me.

We’ve joked that we should get married and take each other’s name, so she becomes me and I become her. I think mostly that would just be annoying for us, but also hilarious.

Putting aside the minor identity crisis in not recognising my own name as referring to me, having another Lucy around has its benefi ts. I can usually take most of her stuff and say, “But it’s Lucy’s! That’s me!” This is pretty fucking annoying of me, but luckily she fi nds it endearing.

The great takeaway from this grand experiment (kidding, Lucy, you’re not an experiment) is that having the same name will always be a funny joke for us, but it no doubt gets old for everyone else. Plus, if one more person says to me, “Wow, you have the same name!” I’ll strangle them.

I’ve so far avoided the obvious and burning question. But yes, having sex with someone with the same name as you is awesome. I’ve previously never been much of a name person during sex, but now, saying my own name while fucking is always funny, and great for my ego.

this week…

Matthew Mitcham

“A lot of players found it difficult to use the pinky, but the new set-up allows you to stay in one comfort zone at the Beginner difficulty.

As you step it [up] you climb into the black buttons and then there are some barre and power chords in Advanced. But it’s when you hit Expert that it gets really exciting. It’s going to be a new challenge for old GH players. If you were really good at that then, there’s still something new for you here.”

This Saturday October 17 sees the glorious return of Heaps Gay after a two-month hiatus. This time at the Beauchamp Hotel, there’ll be Wild Sunset, Adi Toohey, Sveta and Cunningpants, as well as a bunch of performers.

And on Sunday October 18, Sydney Femme Guild, Dykes On Bikes and The Inner West Ladies Auxiliary are co-hosting a cocktail party at Miss Peaches.

What: Guitar Hero Live When: Out Tuesday October 20 through Activision

Matthew Mitcham photo by John McRae

Adi Toohey

This Wednesday October 14 is Queerstories at Kings Cross Library’s Late Night Library, featuring stories from a bunch of fabulous Sydney queers, including Zoe Coombs Marr and Matthew Mitcham.

There’ll be wine and music too.

thebrag.com

BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 29

BARS BRAG

B R A G ’ S G U I D E T O S Y D N E Y ’ S B E S T WAT E R I N G H O L E S

A Work In Progress 50 King St, Sydney CBD (02) 9240 3000 Mon – Fri noon-2am Ash St Cellar 1 Ash St, Sydney CBD (02) 9240 3000 Mon – Fri 8.30am-11pm The Attic 275 Pitt St, Sydney CBD (02) 9284 1200 Mon – Fri 11am-1am; Saturday 5pm-1am Assembly 488 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9283 8808 Mon – Tue 5-11pm; Wed

The Australian Heritage Hotel 100 Cumberland St, The Rocks (02) 9247 2229 Mon – Sun 10.30am-midnight Balcony Bar 46 Erskine St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 3526 Mon 5pm - late; Tue – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight BAR100 100 George St, The Rocks (02) 8070 9311 Mon – Thu noon-late; Fri – Sat noon-3am; Sun noon-midnight

Bar Eleven Lvl 11, 161 Sussex St, Sydney CBD (02) 9290 4712 Thu 4-9pm; Fri – Sat 4-11pm

Bondy’s L1, 16 Philip Ln, Sydney CBD (02) 9251 2347 Thu – Fri 5pm-late; Sat 5pm-late

The Barber Shop 89 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 9699 Mon – Wed, Sat 4pm-midnight; Thurs – Fri 3pm-midnight

Bulletin Place First Floor, 10-14 Bulletin Place, Circular Quay Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thurs – Sat 4pm-1am

Basement 33 Basement, 27-33 Goulburn St, Sydney CBD (02) 8970 5813 Mon – Thu 5pm-late

deVine 32 Market St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 6906 Mon – Fri 11.30am-11.30pm; Sat 5.30-11.30pm

The Baxter Inn Basement 152-156 Clarence St, Sydney CBD Mon – Sat 4pm-1am

Frankie’s Pizza 50 Hunter St, Sydney CBD Mon – Fri noon-3am; Sat – Sun 4pm-3am

BASEMENT 33

Goodgod Small Club 53-55 Liverpool St, Sydney CBD (02) 8084 0587 Wed 5pm-11pm; Thu 5pm-1am; Fri 5pm-3am; Sat 6pm-3am Grain Bar 199 George St, Sydney CBD (02) 9250 3118 Mon – Sun noon-late Grandma’s Basement 275 Clarence St, Sydney CBD (02) 9264 3004 Mon – Fri 3pm-late; Sat 5pm-late The Fox Hole 68A Erskine St, Sydney CBD

bar bar

OF

ADDRESS: BASEMENT, 27-33 GOULBURN ST, SYDNEY PHONE NUMBER: (02) 8970 5813 WEBSITE: BASEMENT33.COM OPENING HOURS: MON – THU 5PM-LATE

The Glenmore 96 Cumberland St, The Rocks (02) 9247 4794 Mon – Thu, Sun 11am-midnight; Fri – Sat 11am-1am

TH

EK

– Fri noon-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight

Gilt Lounge 49 Market St, Sydney CBD (02) 8262 0000 Wed 6pm-midnight; Thu & Sat 6pm-2am; Fri 5pm-2am

E E W

(02) 9279 4369 Mon 7am-3pm; Tue – Fri 7am-evening The Grasshopper 1 Temperance Ln, Sydney CBD (02) 9947 9025 Mon – Thurs & Sat 4pm-late; Fri noon-late Harpoon Harry 40-44 Wentworth Ave, Sydney CBD (02) 8262 8800 Mon – Sun 11:30am-3am The Lobo Plantation Basement Lot 1, 209 Clarence St, Sydney CBD 0415 554 908 Mon – Thu, Sat 4pm-midnight; Fri 2pm-midnight The Loft UTS 15 Broadway, Sydney (behind 2SER) (02) 9514 2345 Mon – Wed 2pm-10pm; Thurs – Fri 2pm-late Mojo Record Bar Basement 73 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 4999 Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu, Sat 4pm-1am; Fri 3pm-1am The Morrison 225 George St, Sydney CBD (02) 9247 6744 Mon – Wed 11.30am-midnight; Thu 11.30am-1am; Fri – Sat 11.30am-2am; Sun 11.30am-10pm 11.30am-10pm The Palisade 35 Bettington St, Millers Point 0421 001 474 Tue – Fri noon-2.30pm & 6pm-9.30pm; Sat 6pm-9.30pm Mr Tipply’s 347 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 4877 Mon – Sat 10am-late Palmer & Co. Abercrombie Ln, Sydney CBD (02) 9240 3000 Mon – Wed 5pm-late; Thu – Fri 3pm-late; Sat – Sun 5pm-late

Tell us about your bar: Located minutes away from the heart of the Sydney CBD, this new hotspot is known for its New Yorkstyle Italian pizzas and signature cocktails in a newly renovated basement. Think of a more upmarket Frankie’s, without the price tag. Basement 33 boasts an industrial look throughout, which is what you expect for a venue located in a basement. Owneroperator Nathaniel Bourke has hit the nail right on the head with the venue’s design: polished concrete floors, galvanised pipe light fixtures and tables made from old cable reels.

Group bookings are welcome and there are both booths and private rooms available for functions. One of the function spaces, The Pawn Shop, looks exactly like an old pawn shop, with display cabinets filled with antiques and other cool things that tie into the basement theme. Being on the edge of Sydney’s Chinatown, this new addition to the city definitely stands out amongst the crowd.

What’s on the menu?

Signature sourdough pizzas and cocktails. Visitors can always expect big flavours and quality ingredients whenever they visit. The Godfather pizza is a must!

Care for a drink?

Our signature drink is the Mel-Ki. Sounds: Everything fun, from old-school hip hop to modern pop.

Highlights: Everything on the menu screams fun. Pizzas are named after classic American movies, there’s friendly staff in a great-looking venue – you would expect to find a place like this in Surry Hills, not on this side of the city.

The bill comes to: $32 for a pizza and a cocktail; $48 for a pizza and two cocktails.

Papa Gede’s Bar Laneway at the end of 348 Kent St, Sydney CBD Mon – Sat 5pm-12am Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern Basement, 60 Park St, Sydney CBD Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 6pm-10pm Rockpool Bar & Grill 66 Hunter St, Sydney CBD (02) 8078 1900 Mon – Sat lunch & dinner The Rook Level 7, 56-58 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 2505 Mon, Sat 4pm-midnight; Tue – Fri noon-midnight The SG 32 York St, Sydney CBD 0402 813 035 Tues – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight

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Thu – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight Small Bar 48 Erskine St, Sydney CBD (02) 9279 0782 Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight The Smoking Panda 5-7 Park St, Sydney CBD (02) 9264 4618 Wed – Sat 4pm-late Stitch Bar 61 York St, Sydney CBD (02) 9279 0380 Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Thu – Fri noon-2am; Sat 4pm-2am The Swinging Cat 44 King St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 3696 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight Tapa Vino 6 Bulletin Place, Circular Quay (02) 9247 3221 Mon – Fri noon-11.30pm Uncle Ming’s 55 York St, Sydney CBD Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 5pm-midnight York Lane 56 Clarence St, Sydney CBD (02) 9299 1676 Mon – Wed 6.30am-10pm; Thu – Fri 6.30pm-midnight; Sat 6pm-midnight

121BC 4/50 Holt St, Surry Hills (02) 9699 1582 Tue – Sat 5pm-midnight Absinthe Salon 87 Albion St, Surry Hills (02) 9211 6632 Wed – Sat 4-10pm Arcadia Liquors 7 Cope St, Redfern (02) 8068 4470 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Bar Cleveland Cnr Bourke & Cleveland St, Redfern (02) 9698 1908 Mon – Thu 10am-2am; Fri – Sat 10am-4am Bar H 80 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9280 1980 Mon – Sat 6pm-late; Sun 11am-3pm Bellini Lounge 2 Kellett St, Potts Point 0432 241 556 Thu – Sun 6pm-late The Beresford 354 Bourke St, Surry Hills (02) 8313 5000 Mon – Sun noon-1am Black Penny 648 Bourke St, Surry Hills (02) 9319 5061 Mon – Sat 7am-midnight; Sun 7am-10pm Button Bar 65 Foveaux St, Surry Hills (02) 9211 1544 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight

Shirt Bar 7 Sussex Ln, Sydney CBD (02) 8068 8222 Mon –Wed 8am-8pm; Thu – Fri 8am-10pm

Café Lounge 277 Goulburn St, Surry Hills (02) 9016 3951 Mon – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sunday 4-10pm

Since I Left You 338 Kent St, Sydney CBD (02) 9262 4986 Mon – Wed 5pm-10pm;

Casoni Italian Bar & Eatery 371-373 Bourke St, Darlinghurst

Tue – Thu 5pm-11pm; Fri – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 5pm-10pm Central Hotel 42-50 Chalmers St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 3814 Mon – Sat 10am-2am; Sun 10am-10pm Ching-a-Lings 1/133 Oxford St, Darlinghurst (02) 9360 3333 Tue – Wed 6pm-11pm; Fri – Sat 6pm-1am; Sun 5pm-10pm The Cliff Dive 16-18 Oxford Square, Darlinghurst Wed – Sat 6pm-4am The Commons 32 Burton St, Darlinghurst (02) 9358 1487 Tue – Wed 6pm-late; Thu – Fri 12pm-late; Sat – Sun 6pm-late The Darlie Laundromatic 304 Palmer St, Darlinghurst Mon – Sat 5pm-11pm Darlo Bar 306 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst (02) 9331 3672 Mon – Sun 10am-midnight Dead Ringer 413 Bourke St, Surry Hills (02) 9331 3560 Mon – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Eau De Vie 229 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst 0422 263 226 Mon – Sat 6pm-1am; Sun 6pm-midnight The Forresters 336 Riley St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 3035 Mon – Wed noonmidnight; Thu – Sat noon-1am; Sun noon10pm Gardel’s Bar 358 Cleveland St, Surry Hills (02) 8399 1440 Tue – Sat 6pm-midnight Gazebo 2 Elizabeth Bay Rd, Elizabeth Bay (02) 9357 5333 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat – Sun noon-midnight Golden Age Cinema & Bar 80 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills (02) 9211 1556 Mon - Sun 11am-9pm Goros 84-86 Mary St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 0214 Mon – Wed 11:30am-midnight; Thu 11:30am-1am: Fri 11:30am-3am; Sat 4pm-3am The Hazy Rose 1/83 Stanley St, Darlinghurst (02) 9357 5036 Wed – Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 3-10pm Hello Sailor 96 Oxford St, Darlinghurst (02) 9332 2442 Tue – Sun 5pm-3am Hinky Dinks 185 Darlinghurst Rd, thebrag.com

COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK Pour it in your mouth-hole... (responsibly).

The Corner House 281 Bondi Rd, Bondi (02) 8020 6698 Tue – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 3pm-10pm

Rosie Campbell’s 320 Crown St, Surry Hills (02) 8356 9120 Mon 5pm-midnight: Tue – Sun 4pm-midnight

Fat Ruperts 249 Bondi Rd, Bondi (02) 9130 1033 Tue – Fri 6pm-late; Sat – Sun 2pm-late

Shady Pines Saloon Shop 4, 256 Crown St, Darlinghurst Mon – Sun 4pm-midnight

Mr Moustache 75-79 Hall St, Bondi Beach (02) 9300 8892 Mon – Fri 5pm-11pm; Sat noon-11pm; Sun noon10pm

Freda’s 109 Regent St, Chippendale (02) 8971 7336 Tues – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 4pm-10pm

The Robin Hood Hotel 203 Bronte Rd, Waverley (02) 9389 3477 Mon - Sat 10am-3am; Sun 10am-10pm

The Hideaway Bar 156 Enmore Rd, Enmore (02) 8021 8451 Tue– Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sat noon-1am; Sun noon-10pm

Speakeasy 83 Curlewis St, Bondi (02) 9130 2020 Mon – Sat 5pm-11pm; Sat – Sun 4pm-10pm

Hive Bar 93 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville (02) 9519 9911 Mon – Fri noon-midnight; Sat 11am-midnight; Sun 11am-10pm

Temperance Society 122 Smith St, Summer Hill (02) 8068 5680 Mon – Thu 4pm-11pm; Fri – Sat: noon-midnight; Sun: noon-10pm

Kelly’s On King 285 King St, Newtown (02) 9565 2288 Mon – Fri 10am-2.30am; Sat 10am-3.30am; Sun 11am-11.30pm

Thievery 91 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 8283 1329 Tue – Thu 6pm-11pm; Fri 6pm-midnight.

Sat 11pm-3pm & 6pm-midnight

The Soda Factory 16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills (02) 8096 9120 Mon – Fri 5pm-3am; Sat – Sun 6pm-3am Surly’s 182 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9331 3705 Tue – Sun noon-midnight Sweethearts Rooftop 33/37 Darlinghurst Rd, Potts Point (02) 8070 2424 Mon – Thu 2pm-11.30pm; Fri – Sun noon-11.30pm

BARLEY DAVIDSON @ THE OLD CLARE HOTEL, 1 KENSINGTON ST, CHIPPENDALE Ingredients: • 30ml Johnnie Walker Black Label • 20ml lemon juice • 10ml fino sherry • 10ml sugar syrup • 1 egg white • A dash of walnut oil • Walnut bitters Method: Dry shake then hard shake over ice Glass: Metal tankard Garnish: Bandana, mint sprig and lime wedge

Darlinghurst (02) 8084 6379 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 1-10pm Hollywood Hotel 2 Foster St, Surry Hills (02) 9281 2765 Mon – Wed 10am-midnight; Thu – Sat 10am-3am Hustle & Flow Bar 105 Regent St, Redfern (02) 9310 5593 Tue – Sat 5pm-midnight

Origins: A twist on a whisky sour, the use of walnut oil adds a silky smooth texture to the egg white and the overall drink. The drink is garnished with a bandana wrapped around it to give it a biker look. The name comes from Scotch being made from barley and served in a metal tankard which is the ‘heavy metal’ aspect of the drink description.

Best drunk with: Men with beards.

During: A night out.

While wearing: Leather.

And listening to: Heavy metal.

More: theoldclarehotel.com.au

(02) 9360 0088 Mon – Wed noonmidnight; Thu – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon11pm Love, Tilly Devine 91 Crown Ln, Darlinghurst (02) 9326 9297 Mon – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 4-10pm Low 302 302 Crown St, Surry Hills (02) 9368 1548 Mon – Sun 6pm-2am

Li’l Darlin Darlinghurst 235 Victoria St, Darlinghurst (02) 8084 6100 Mon – Sun 4pm-late

Mr Fox 557 Crown St, Surry Hills 0410 470 250 Tue – Wed 5pm-late; Sat 10am-midnight; Sun 10am-10pm

Li’l Darlin Surry Hills 420 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills (02) 9698 5488 Mon – Fri noon-late; Sat 4pm-late

The Norfolk 305 Cleveland St, Surry Hills (02) 9699 3177 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm

LL Wine and Dine 42 Llankelly Place Potts Point (02) 9356 8393 Mon – Thu 5pm-11pm; Fri – Sat noon-late; Sun 11am-10pm The Local Taphouse 122 Flinders St, Darlinghurst thebrag.com

Old Growler 218 William St, Woolloomooloo 0422 911 650 Tue – Sat 5pm - midnight The Passage 231A Victoria St, Darlinghurst (02) 9358 6116 Mon – Sat 5pm-late

Peekaboo 120 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo 0403 747 788 Mon – Thu 4pm-10pm; Fri – Sat 4pm – 12am Play Bar 72 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9280 0885 Tues – Sat 5pm-midnight Pocket Bar 13 Burton St, Darlinghurst (02) 9380 7002 Mon – Wed 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 4pm-1am; Sun 4pm-midnight The Powder Keg 7 Kellett St, Potts Point (02) 8354 0980 Wed 5pm-1am; Thu 5pm-2am; Fri – Sat 4pm-2.30am; Sun 1pm-midnight

Doris & Beryl’s Bridge Club and Tea House 530 King St, Newtown Mon – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat – Sun 5.30pm-midnight

Roosevelt 32 Orwell St, Potts Point 0423 203 119 Tue – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm

This Must Be The Place 239 Oxford St, Darlinghurst (02) 9331 8063 Mon – Sun 3pm-midnight Tio’s Cerveceria 4/14 Foster St, Surry Hills Mon – Sun 5pm-midnight Vasco 421 Cleveland St, Redfern 0406 775 436 Tue – Sat 5pm-midnight

Spring Street Social (and Jam Gallery) Underground 195 Oxford St, Bondi Junction (02) 9389 2485 Tues – Sat 4pm-3am Stuffed Beaver 271 Bondi Rd, Bondi (02) 9130 3002 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm

The Angry Pirate 125 Redfern St Redfern (02) 9698 9140 Tue – Thur 5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 3pm-midnight

Earl’s Juke Joint 407 King St, Newtown Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 4-10pm

Knox Street Bar 21 Shepherd St, Chippendale Tue – Thu 4pm-l0pm; Fri – Sat 4pm-11pm Kuleto’s 157 King St, Newtown (02) 9519 6369 Mon – Sat 4pm-late; Thu – Sat 4pm-3am

Bar-racuda 105 Enmore Rd, Newtown (02) 9519 1121 Mon – Sat 6pm-midnight

The Little Guy 87 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 8084 0758 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat 1pm-midnight; Sun 3pm-10pm

The White Horse Hotel 381-385 Crown Street, Surry Hills 1300 976 683 Mon – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm

The Bearded Tit 183 Regent St, Redfern (02) 8283 4082 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri – Sat noon - midnight; Sun noon - 10pm

Mary’s 6 Mary St, Newtown (02) 4995 9550 Mon – Fri 4pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm

The Wild Rover 75 Campbell St, Surry Hills (02) 9280 2235 Mon – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun noon-10pm

Blacksheep 256 King St, Newtown (02) 8033 3455 Mon – Fri 4pm-11pm; Sat 2pm-11pm; Sun 2pm-10pm

The Midnight Special 44 Enmore Road, Newtown (02) 9516 2345 Tues – Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun 5pm-10pm

The Village Inn 9-11 Glenmore Rd, Paddington (02) 9331 0911 Mon – Sun 12pm-late

The Winery 285A Crown St, Surry Hills (02) 9331 0833 Mon – Sun noon-midnight

Anchor Bar 8 Campbell Pde, Bondi (02) 8084 3145 Tue – Fri 4.30pm-late; Sat – Sun 12.30pm-late Bat Country.

32 St Pauls St in Randwick (@ The Spot) (02) 9398 6694 Mon – Sat 7am-midnight; Sun 7am-10pm Beach Road Hotel 71 Beach Rd, Bondi Beach (02) 9130 7247 Mon – Sat noon-1am; Sun 11am-10pm

The Print Room 11 Glenmore Rd, Paddington 0424 034 020 Wed – Fri 3pm-late; Sat 12pm-11pm, Sun 12pm-10pm

Bondi Hardware 39 Hall St, Bondi (02) 9365 7176 Mon – Wed 5pm-late; Fri noon-midnight; Sat 9am-midnight; Sun 9am-10pm

Queenie’s Upstairs 336 Riley St, Surry Hills (02) 9212 3035 Tue – Sat 6pm-late & Fri noon-3pm

The Bucket List Shop 1, Bondi Pavilion, Queen Elizabeth Drive (02) 9365 4122 Mon – Tue 11am-5pm; Wed – Sun 11am-late

Bloodwood 416 King St, Newtown (02) 9557 7699 Mon, Wed – Thu 5pm-late; Fri – Sat noon-late; Sun noon-10pm

Miss Peaches 201 Missenden Rd, Newtown (02) 9557 7280 Wed – Sun 5pm-midnight

5pm-midnight; Fri – Sat 11.30am-midnight; Sun 11:30am-10pm The Record Crate 34 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9660 1075 Tue – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm The Royal 156 Norton St, Leichhardt (02) 9569 2638 Mon – Thu 10am-1am; Fri – Sat 10am-3am; Sun 10am-midnight Secret Garden Bar 134a Enmore Rd, Enmore 0403 621 585 Mon – Sun 1am-11pm Soho In Balmain 358 Darling St, Balmain 0407 525 208 Tue – Sun 5pm-midnight

Timbah 375 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9571 7005 Tue – Thu 4pm-10pm; Fri noon-11pm; Sat 3pm-11pm; Sun 4pm-8pm Wilhelmina’s Liquid and Larder 332 Darling St Balmain (02) 8068 8762 Tues – Fri 5pm - late; Sat – Sun 8am - late The Workers Lvl 1, 292 Darling St, Balmain (02) 9555 8410 Thu – Sat 5pm-3am; Sun 2pm-late ZanziBar 323 King St, Newtown (02) 9519 1511 Mon – Sat 10am-4am; Sun 10am-12am Zigi’s Wine And Cheese Bar 86 Abercrombie St, Chippendale (02) 9699 4222 Tue 4pm-10pm; Wed – Sat 2pm-late

Your bar’s not here? Email: chris@thebrag. com Sun 8am-10pm Honey Rider 230 Military Rd, Neutral Bay (02) 9953 8880 Tue – Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 4pm-10pm InSitu 1/18 Sydney Rd, Manly (02) 9977 0669 Tue – Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat 9am-midnight; Sun 9am-10pm The Hunter 5 Myahgah Rd, Mosman 0409 100 339 Mon – Tue 5pm-midnight; Wed – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm Jah Bar Shop 7, 9-15 Central Ave, Manly (02) 9977 4449 Mon – Fri 4pm-late; Sat 9am-late; Sun 9am-10pm The Local Bar 6/8 Young Ln, Neutral Bay (02) 9953 0027 Tue – Fri 11.30am-midnight; Sat 7am-midnight; Sun 7am-10pm Los Vida 419 Pacific Hwy, Crows Nest (02) 9439 8323 Mon – Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu – Sat 11.30am-midnight; Sun 11.30am-10pm Manly Wine 8-13 South Steyne, Manly (02) 8966 9000 Mon – Sun 6.30am-late The Mayor 400 Military Rd, Cremorne (02) 8969 6060 Tue – Wed 5pm-late; Thu – Sat noon-late; Sun noon-10pm Miami Cuba 47 North Steyne, Manly (02 99775186 Tue – Thu 8am-10pm; Fri – Sat 8am-1am; Sunday 8am-4pm Moonshine Lvl 2, Hotel Steyne, 75 The Corso, Manly (02) 9977 4977 Thu 5pm-2am; Fri 1pm-2am; Sat noon-2am; Sun noon-midnight

The Chip Off The Old Block 3 Little Queen Street, Chippendale (02) 9318 0815 Tue – Sat 4pm-11pm

The Moose Newtown 530 King St, Newtown (02) 9557 0072 Wed – Sat 6pm-midnight

Alberts Bar 100 Mount St, North Sydney (02) 9955 9097 Mon – Wed 11.30am-10pm; Thu 11.30am-11pm; Fri 11.30am-midnight

Cornerstone Bar & Food 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh (02) 8571 9004 Sun – Wed 10am-5pm; Thu – Sat 10am-late

Mr Falcon’s 92 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9029 6626 Mon – Thu 4pm-midnight; Fri 3pm-midnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun 2pm-10pm

Firefly 24 Young St, Neutral Bay (02) 9909 0193 Mon – Thu 5-11.30pm; Fri 4-11.30pm; Sat noon11pm; Sun noon-10pm

SoCal 1 Young St, Neutral Bay (02) 9904 5691 Mon – Tue 4pm-late: Wed – Thu noon-1am; Fri – Sat noon- 2am; Sun noon-midnight

Corridor 153A King St, Newtown 0405 671 002 Tue – Fri 3pm-midnight; Sat 1pm-midnight; Sun 1pm-10pm

Newtown Social Club 387 King St, Newtown (02) 9550 3974 Mon 9am-6pm; Tues – Fri 9am-8pm; Sat 10am-8pm

The Foxtrot 28 Falcon St, Crows Nest Tue – Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu 5pm-1am; Fri – Sat 5pm-2am; Sun 4pm-10pm

The Stoned Crow 39 Willoughby Rd, Crows Nest (02) 9439 5477 Mon – Sun noon-late

Cottage Bar & Kitchen 342 Darling St, Balmain (02) 8084 8185 Mon – Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu – Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10pm

The Oxford Tavern 1 New Canterbury Rd, Petersham (02) 8019 9351 Mon – Thu noon-10pm; Fri – Sat noon-11pm; Sun noon-9pm

The Hayberry Bar & Diner 97 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest (02) 8084 0816 Tue – Thu 4pm-12am; Fri & Sat noon-midnight Sun noon-10pm

The Treehouse Hotel 60 Miller St, North Sydney (02) 8458 8980 Mon – Fri 7am-late; Sat 2pm-late

Different Drummer 185 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9552 3406 Mon – Sat 4.30pm-late

Raven’s Eye 127 King St, Newtown (02) 9557 6429 Mon – Thu

Hemingway’s 48 North Steyne, Manly (02) 9976 3030 Mon – Sat 8am-midnight;

The Pickled Possum 254 Military Rd, Neutral Bay (02) 9909 2091 Thu – Sat 9pm-1am

Wilcox Cammeray 463 Miller St, Cammeray (02) 9460 0807 Tue – Thu 4pm-10pm; Fri – Sat 2pm-11pm; Sun 2pm-10pm BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 31

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

ALBUM OF THE WEEK CALIGULA’S HORSE Bloom InsideOut

The Brisbane prog rockers set the stage for world domination.

BOY & BEAR Limit Of Love Island/Universal

After the neo-folk brilliance of debut Moonfi re, followed by the steady, ’70s-rock-flecked Harlequin Dream, Boy & Bear feel and sound like a band infinitely comfortable in their position. They’ve been gradually stretching and flexing, but never attempting anything that would seriously rock the boat they’ve built.

Like any of their releases, Limit Of Love lends itself to being examined over a few listens. They’ve wandered further down the Harlequin Dream road of ’70s rock, although this time there are big flourishes of alt-country, like the tangy curls of pedal steel on ‘Breakdown Slow’.

Recorded live to tape, with barely any overdubbing or editing, the tracks are pervaded by a certain looseness, whether it’s within the chugging rhythms of single ‘Walk The Wire’, the lazy warmth of ‘Where’d You Go’, or the lockeddown rollicking of ‘Hollow Ground’.

Dave Hosking’s vocals are still the most impressive instrument, whether caked in cold reverb (‘Showdown’), or crackling on the closer, ‘Fox Hole’.

As a lyricist he’s as self-critical as ever, calling himself a liar, before breaking open and admitting: “I’m not sure of anything anymore”.

The term ‘next big thing’ gets bandied around a lot by journos, publicists and assorted others, and almost as often it turns out to be simply hype. This is one of those rare occasions when it is absolutely justified.

Caligula’s Horse will be the next Aussie progressive rock

act to make major waves in overseas markets. There, I said it. All the signs are there – they have already had interest from abroad, and Bloom is the album to push them forward.

Bloom is a thing of beauty and wonder. You can certainly hear traces of influences, but the band takes those influences and infuses them with something very much its own. Caligula’s Horse can certainly be heavy when they feel the need, but it’s more of a smooth, quicksilver

heaviness that soothes the ear rather than brutalises it, and of course their grasp of dynamics, melody, and light and shade is exemplary.

This is an album that you simply let wash over you, and allow its healing powers to flow through and cure your ills, insecurities and anxieties.

It’s time to sit back, watch and listen in awe as this band brings the rest of the world on its journey.

Rod Whitfield

OK GO

COLD CHISEL

CLUTCH

Crosseyed Heart Virgin/EMI

Hungry Ghosts Warner

The Perfect Crime Universal

Psychic Warfare Weathermaker/Rocket

There are very few artists who would have the fortitude – the arrogance, even – of opening an album with 90 seconds of mumbled 12-bar blues, abruptly halting and announcing: “That’s all I got!” Then again, when you’re the man who cannot be killed by conventional weapons, there’s a bit more room to do as you please.

The fact that the internet wasn’t abuzz with a new and incredibly impressive music video from OK Go’s new album Hungry Ghosts could be a bad sign. While the Californians have already thrown up some pretty cool clips for songs from the new album, they have failed to amass the same attention as they did before. Some have taken it to mean the band has lost its sound, while others believe it’s an attempt to focus more on the music. It turns out everyone is right – sort of.

Few bands can lay claim to being more quintessentially Australian than Cold Chisel. The Perfect Crime is the eighth addition to a career that spans over 35 years and has been responsible for some of the nation’s most iconic songs.

Push in the clutch of a car, and the gears go up or down. Listen to Clutch, and the songs go every which way. Blues, hard rock, stoner rock, punk and alternative metal find themselves in a jumbled order, propelled, withdrawn or repeated with consummate ease by these Americans, who have released their 11th album with Psychic Warfare.

KEITH RICHARDS

Keith Richards hasn’t made a solo album since 1992’s Main Offender, but the 71-year-old Stone isn’t the kind to kick up a fuss over the matter. Crosseyed Heart gently idles by in its own way. The record feels like a lazy jam session with a handful of friends – who, collectively known as the X-Pensive Winos, have appeared on Richards’ two previous releases. Knowing that as the clear aesthetic adds charm to the meandering blues twiddle, although it grows tiresome across its near hour-long runtime.

Welcome distractions arrive in the form of a smoky take on Leadbelly standard ‘Goodnight Irene’, lead single ‘Trouble’ and a sultry Norah Jones cameo on ‘Illusion’.

It doesn’t break new ground, but Limit Of Love is a worthy addition to the Boy & Bear catalogue.

Keef is clearly having fun on Crosseyed Heart, and perhaps he’s allowed to be self-serving after all this time. Even so, the album is almost exclusively a fans-only affair.

Jules LeFevre

David James Young

Songs like ‘Another Set Of Issues’ and ‘Obsession’ use an array of sounds that seem like they were sampled from a robot’s dream, while album opener ‘Upside Down & Inside Out’ could only be described as video game pop-rock.

However, the musical talent of the band members doesn’t seem to have made the transition, with the simple pop melodies and lyrics sometimes at odds with the digital minimalism, confusing the overall direction.

There is growth and maturity, both attesting to the fact these guys have the chops and legs to be more than a Super Bowl halftime commercial phenomenon, and this new direction may lead towards a new strength in their music – but Hungry Ghosts strays a little off the map.

Daniel Prior

INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK

PIPE-EYE Cosmic Blip Flightless/Remote Control

32 :: BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15

Not a whole lot is known about exactly who put this record together. There’s been no public confirmation of the personnel involved. What I will say, however, is that the mystery vocalist sounds remarkably similar to one Cook Craig, who’s sung on a couple of King Gizzard tracks and plays guitar and bass in that band.

Purely speculation, but the release through Flightless makes it seem likely. What I will also say is that if Carl Sagan were still around, he’d be playing in a band like this, no question.

Like Sagan, Pipe-Eye know how to spit some serious cosmic wisdom. Then they leave you to ponder it over the course of the 30- to 60-second segue tracks

that pepper the record. It adds a nice buffer to what is otherwise essentially a four-track EP by giving it a theatrical feel.

It may not resonate with everyone – I’m sure some will feel cheated by the 50 per cent split between songs and noisy interludes. But it gives the songs – all of which would stand quite nicely as singles – a little bit of breathing space without the risk of adding half-baked tracks for the sake of fi ller.

It’s a highly promising – albeit mysterious – debut from the group, and it will be interesting to see where it leads.

While no song on this new record has the ability to dethrone their classics, the disc is filled to the brim with no-frills rock’n’roll, with elements of rockabilly, soul, and even disco thrown in. Several cues have been taken from Jimmy Barnes’ solo career, as he delivers one of his strongest vocal performances in years, from vocal gymnastics with first single ‘Alone For You’ to the blues explosion of ‘The Mansions’. Ian Moss and Don Walker work seamlessly together on keys and guitars, never stealing the spotlight from each other, nor holding it too long.

Walker provides two songs from his back catalogue (‘The Perfect Crime’ and ‘Four In The Morning’), and the album also features a songwriting collaboration with ex-Australian Idol star Wes Carr.

When the band’s core members come together, though, everything sounds distinctly Chisel.

The lads obviously figured out long ago how to mix their various influences, and it’s become so easy to them that they can be playful about it. In the lead single and first proper track encountered on this album, ‘X-Ray Visions’, lead singer Neil Fallon introduces the members of the band – quite a lark considering there’s only been one change in their 25-year-long career. Except for the cheeky, spoken-word opener and ‘Our Lady Of Electric Light’, the 12 tracks on this album are remarkably different variations of the blues/punk/ hard rock batter hinted at above; a high-tempo rhythm section meets slurred lead guitars and Fallon’s hyper and gruff vocals. Unlike other greyhaired rock bands trading on past glories, Clutch stick to their gun-tars, and their love and care for their music seeps through.

The Perfect Crime isn’t a bad album by any means, but it lacks the timelessness that has made Chisel a household name.

A thoroughly inoffensive album in its quality and sense of fun, Psychic Warfare adds another healthy score to Clutch’s discography.

Spencer Scott

Nicholas Hartman

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

RADIOHEAD - Hail To The Thief THE SMITH STREET BAND - Throw Me In The River PIXIES - Trompe Le Monde

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Nebraska M83 - M83

Nicholas Johnson thebrag.com

live reviews What we've been out to see...

KISS, THE DEAD DAISIES Allphones Arena Saturday October 10

They weren’t the type of guys that usually go out wearing make-up and spandex on a Saturday night. But outside Allphones Arena, they paraded proudly. Walking tall (literally, on four-inch platform boots) these everyday fellas and their families came dressed in accurate ode to their favourite KISS band member. The KISS Army had gathered – surely among the most dedicated and passionate in all of rock fandom.

There were lots of Genes, with demonic bat wings painted around their eyes and hair tied in a top knot. There were plenty of Pauls, in tight black and silver leotards and bright red lipstick. Foursomes of friends had come as the whole band.

Everybody else – everybody – wore an official band tee. One group arrived in a KISS-emblazoned transit van.

All-star rock collective The Dead Daisies began proceedings inside with a crowdpleasing set including covers of ‘Hush’ and ‘Helter Skelter’. Bassist Marco Mendoza in black leather cape and trousers flung picks into the audience while drummer Brian Tichy bounced his sticks so high off the tom they nearly hit the lights above.

And then: “You wanted the best, you got the best!” called the announcer. The curtain fell and the pyrotechnics blasted.

Fireballs burst from the back of the stage on the beat. Lights, smoke and the mammoth riff of ‘Detroit Rock City’. And there they were, high above the crowd aboard a giant laser-eyed gantry spider – where else?

Critically snubbed and oft-mocked, it can never be denied that KISS put on a show.

And not just any show: a theatrical, sparks flying from the end of the guitar, glitter and fireworks kind of show.

The hits were plentiful and each member got a spot to shine. Gene Simmons played a rumbling bass solo as he spat blood from his flapping tongue before he shot skyward on a wire. Paul Stanley rode a zip line to a stage at the back of the arena to play ‘Shandi’ under a huge disco ball.

That white make-up really hides their age, while their high-kicking onstage acrobatics don’t reveal it either. It was over-the-top.

It was ridiculous. It was a true spectacle, signed off (how else?) with an encore, a “We love you, Sydney,” spinning wheels of fire and a confetti cannon.

See you next time, KISS Army. I’ll be in leggings.

George Nott

SARAH BLASKO Sydney Opera House Sunday October 11

“We’re going to play an album you’ve never heard,” announces Sarah Blasko, her eyes slightly widened and her face twisting into a nervous smirk. Album playthroughs are now commonplace in one’s gig diary – from The Breeders to Motion City Soundtrack, You Am I to Lior – but the albums in question are ones celebrating a certain age, a vintage. For Blasko to throw her audience in the deep end with a record still to be released is a gamble, to say the least. Lucky her, then, that not only are those within the Concert Hall up for the adventure, they’re rewarded greatly for going along.

Here’s what we know about Eternal Return, Blasko’s fifth LP: it’s poppy.

Super poppy. It’s layered with synth warble, churning bass and tightly wound grooves, expressing a love of early-tomid-period Madonna, Speak & Spell-era Depeche Mode and The Human League.

You’ve potentially heard lead single ‘Only One’, and in the context of the tracklisting it thrives even further. Across the darker shades and the shifting-sand arrangements, Blasko’s quintessential coo remains a solid, steady constant, sounding as vital and as emotionally invested as any of her greatest work.

record is brought to life onstage is twofold. Firstly, Blasko has assembled an all-star backing band – Donny Benet holds it down on bass, PVT’s Lawrence Pike hammers away like the human metronome he is, while fellow Dreamlander Neil Sutherland and Sarah Belkner (AKA Miss Little) unroll the myriad of synth and keyboard patterns – the latter also adding her more-thancapable voice to nicely complement Blasko’s. Then there’s the visual element – apropos of the Opera House’s Graphic festivities – in which artist Mike Daly adds minimalist, shape-shifting backdrops specifically crafted for each song. It’s far from any Media Player-esque autopilot – a lot of work clearly went into crafting these, allowing for the observer to immerse themselves in the album even further.

As nice as it is to hear a handful of old favourites during the encore (‘All I Want’, ‘We Won’t Run’ and a thunderous ‘I Awake’ to close), this performance never intended to be about Blasko’s past.

Instead, she chooses to guide us into the future – one in which, potentially, she has released her best record since her all-important debut, 2004’s The Overture & The Underscore. The future’s so bright, Blasko’s gotta wear shades – or, at least, some glittery black gloves.

David James Young

The efficient manner in which the

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send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

pick of the week Laura Marling

TUESDAY O C TO B E R 2 0

Enmore Theatre

Laura Marling

Bondi Beach. 8pm.

Free.

Sexy Sunday Jam Bellini Lounge, Potts Point. 7pm. Free.

Hands Like Houses

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

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

Free.

Dave Ireland Padstow Park Hotel, Padstow. 7pm. Free.

Geoff Davies The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7:30pm. Free.

John Vella Marrickville Ritz Hotel, Marrickville.

8pm. Free.

Kurt Williams Chatswood RSL, Chatswood. 5pm.

Free.

Pat O’Grady Duo Royal Motor Yacht Club, Newport.

8:15pm. Free.

Sam Newton 99 On York, Sydney.

5:30pm. Free.

Stormcellar Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8pm.

Free.

The Loaded Six Strings Vineyard Hotel, Vineyard. 9pm. Free.

The Ruckus Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

9pm. Free.

The Sphinxes Crown Hotel, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

Winston Surfshirt + Eddie Boyd & The Phatapillars

Hotel Steyne, Manly.

9:30pm. Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

(Hed)P.E. + Snot + Recoil Vor + Horrorwood Mannequins Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $56.10.

Abbath Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $65.30.

Anatomy Class + Imperial Broads + Sleepy Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $10.

City Calm Down Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $20.

Ego Egg Records, Newtown. 2:40pm.

Free.

Good Boy + Prints The World Bar, Kings Cross. 7pm. Free.

Hands Like Houses Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle. 8:30pm. $34.30.

Helloween Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $66.60.

Kye Brown Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 5:45pm. Free.

Lifehouse Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point.

8:30pm. $76.90.

Mat McHugh Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $33.80.

Pearl - The Janis Joplin Story The Vanguard, Newtown. 6:30pm.

$38.80.

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

Relentless Factory Floor, Marrickville. 8pm. $12.

Rockwiz Live!

Salutes The Aria Hall Of Fame Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7pm. $94.10.

Salvador Dali Llama + The Bleeding Flares + Magic America + Suffusion + Bad Valley Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $15.

The Basics The Basement, Circular Quay. 8pm. $29.20.

The Vanns Hotel Steyne, Manly.

9pm. Free.

+ D.D Dumbo 8pm. $69.90.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

Songwriting Society Of Australia Showcase - feat: John Cheser + Gavin Fitzgerald + Paul Mcgowan + Pete Scully Old Fitzroy Hotel, Woolloomooloo 7:30pm. Free.

The Squeezebox Trio Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

7pm. Free.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Converge Festival - feat: Joseph Lisk & Nish Manjunath Band + Holly Conner Band + Yutaro Okuda Band Venue 505, Surry Hills. 8pm. $15.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Ben Lee Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $43.30. thebrag.com

Leisure + Mezko Goodgod Small Club, Sydney. 8pm. $14.40.

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

The Bon Scotts Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 7pm. Free.

Thirsty Merc The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $34.50.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 15 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Fade In Mona Lisa + Phantastic Ferniture + Slow Loris Slyfox, Enmore.

7:30pm. Free.

Global Sounds feat: Watussi + The Strides The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $17.

Thursdays In Jam - feat: El Moro + DJ Av El Cubano Jam Gallery, Bondi Junction. 9pm. Free.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Duo Mate

Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

8:30pm. Free.

John Milligan The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

Music Sessions feat: Zack Martin + Saffire Rose Marrickville Bowling Club, Marrickville.

7pm. Free.

Ted Nash Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 7pm. Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

(Hed)P.E. + Snot + Recoil Vor + Bleeding Gasoline Small Ballroom, Newcastle. 8pm. $56.65.

Alpha Experiment + Lost In The Woods Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $10.

Anna Cordell + The Jam Jar + Sarah Belkner + William Crighton The Vanguard, Newtown. 7pm. $13.80.

Chris Cook Trio Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.

Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 7pm. Free.

Good Boy + Hollow States Marlborough Hotel,

Newtown. 7pm. Free.

Hayden Calnin + Jack Reilly + Harrison Storm Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $17.

Kisschasy + Luca Brasi Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle. 8pm. $34.30.

Ocean Alley Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $17.90.

Speedball Distorted Hearts + Black Knuckles + The Derros Standard Bowl, Surry Hills. 8pm. Free.

The Creases + Hunch Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $13.60.

Tesseract Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7pm. $44.90.

The Vanns Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt.

5pm. Free.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 16

wed

thu

14 Oct

fri

15 (9:00PM - 12:00AM)

Oct

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

5:45PM  8:45PM

16 Oct

(10:00PM - 1:40AM)

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

(4:30PM - 7:30PM)

5:45PM  8:45PM

sat

sun

17

18

Oct

Oct

(8:30PM - 12:00AM)

(10:00PM - 1:15AM)

mon

19 Oct

tue

20 (9:00PM - 12:00AM)

Oct

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Kallidad Beach Road Hotel,

BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 35

g g guide gig g

g g picks gig p

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Freedman New Jazz (Paths And Streams II) - feat: Matt McMahon Paddington Uniting Church, Sydney.

8:20pm. $40.

Sexy Sunday Jam Bellini Lounge, Potts Point. 7pm. Free.

The Beat Kitchen - feat: DJs Fi Fi La Frug + Palma Rubia + Tom Andrews Different Drummer, Glebe. 8:30pm. Free.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Alfredo Malabello The Push Bar, The Rocks. 7:30pm.

Free.

Blake Wiggins Picton Hotel, Picton.

8pm. Free.

Chich And The Soul Messengers The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville. 3pm.

Free.

Dave Ireland The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney. 7:30pm.

Free.

John Vella Duo Crown Hotel, Sydney. 9pm. Free.

Loco Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill. 8pm.

Free.

Mojo House Band - feat: Jesse & James Mojo Record Bar, Sydney. 7pm. Free.

Oneworld Rooty Hill RSL Club, Rooty Hill. 8pm.

Free.

Pat O’Grady Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee. 10:30pm.

Free.

Rebecca Johnson Band Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown. 9pm.

Free.

Spit Roasting Bibbers Kings Park Tavern, Kings Park. 7pm.

Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Bigbang Allphones Arena, Sydney Olympic Park. 8pm. $99.90.

Boney M - feat: Maizie Williams

Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $89.70.

Catlovers Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7pm. $18.50.

Craig Thomo Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 5:45pm.

Free.

Dead Letter Circus UNSW Roundhouse, Kensington. 8pm. $42.10.

Drunk Mums Goodgod Small Club, Sydney. 8pm. $13.90.

Duo Caliente Paragon Hotel, Sydney. 8pm. $97.90.

Frances Madden The Basement, Circular Quay.

7:30pm. $20.

Good Boy + Jody Vic On The Park, Marrickville. 7pm.

Free.

Hands Like Houses + Lower Than Atlantis Newtown Social Club, Newtown.

8pm. $33.

Katcha Mr Falcon’s, Glebe.

8pm. Free.

Kisschasy + Luca Brasi Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $28.85.

Matt McMahon Paddington Uniting Church, Sydney.

8:20pm. $35.

Modtoberfest Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 6pm. $15.

Paul Hayward And His Sidekicks Town & Country Hotel, St Peters.

4pm. Free.

Penny Ikinger + The Maladies + Masami Kawaguchi Factory Floor, Sydney. 8pm. $20.

Rhye Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $54.90.

Rockwiz Live!

Salutes The Aria Hall Of Fame The Concourse, Chatswood. 7pm. $93.44.

Thy Art Is Murder + Aversions Crown + Feed Her To The Sharks + Colossvs Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $25.

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

Zodiac Club #2

By Visions - feat: King Colour + Bin Juice + Gypsys Of Pangea + DJs Lord Gladstone Hotel, Chippendale.

8pm. Free.

Thy Art Is Murder

SUNDAY OCTOBER 18

up all night out all week...

MONDAY OCTOBER 19

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

John & Yuki Jazz Band Berry Island, Sydney.

12pm. Free.

Sonic Mayhem Orchestra Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm.

Free.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Benn Gunn Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown. 2pm.

Free.

Blake Wiggins Fortune Of War, The Rocks. 6pm. Free.

Crooked Fiddle Band Glebe Town Hall, Glebe. 5pm. $22.

Dave Debs Picton Hotel, Picton.

12pm. Free.

Dave Ireland Strawberry Hills Hotel, Surry Hills. 4pm. Free.

LJ The Mill Hotel, Milperra. 12pm. Free.

Nathan Cole Ingleburn Hotel, Ingleburn. 1pm. Free.

Songsonstage - feat: Andrew Denniston + Merilyn Steele + The Count’s Band + X-Iled Ruby L’otel, Rozelle.

4pm. Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS The Mighty Surftones Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 6:30pm.

Free.

Megadeth + Children Of Bodom Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. 7pm. $96.85.

Nerdlinger Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 4pm. Free.

Open Mic Epping Hotel, Epping.

5pm. Free.

Rhye Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $54.90.

The Strides + Blackbird Hum Hotel Steyne Manly, Manly. 7:30pm. Free.

U2 Elevation Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 4:30pm. Free.

UK Anthems Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 8:30pm. Free.

Yeo + Tashaka + Jayways Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 3pm. $18.

Ben Lee

Kallidad Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm.

Free.

Lifehouse Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 8:30pm. $76.90.

Mat McHugh Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $33.80.

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

7pm. Free.

Songsonstage - feat: Russell Neal + Chris Brookes + David Levell Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 7:30pm.

Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Frankie’s World Famous House Band Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free.

Swerve Society - feat: Burlap + Nailhouse + Party Dozen Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7:30pm.

Free.

They Call Me Bruce Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 20 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Songsonstage - feat: Stuart Jammin + Guests Kelly’s On King, Newtown. 8pm. Free.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC Career Advice + Colourfields The Dock, Redfern.

8:30pm. Free.

Steve Hunter Band Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville. 8:30pm.

Free.

Sunset Jazz - feat: Jazz Society Hermann’s Bar, Darlington. 6pm. Free.

City Calm Down Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $20.

Pearl - The Janis Joplin Story The Vanguard, Newtown. 6:30pm. $38.80.

Relentless Factory Floor, Marrickville. 8pm. $12.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14 Ben Lee Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $43.30.

Leisure + Mezko Goodgod Small Club, Sydney. 8pm. $14.40.

Thirsty Merc The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $34.50.

The Basics The Basement, Circular Quay. 8pm. $29.20.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17 Boney M - Feat: Maizie Williams Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $89.70.

Catlovers Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7pm. $18.50.

Dead Letter Circus UNSW Roundhouse, Kensington. 8pm. $42.10.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 15

Drunk Mums Goodgod Small Club, Sydney. 8pm. $13.90.

Anna Cordell + The Jam Jar + Sarah Belkner + William Crighton The Vanguard, Newtown. 7pm. $13.80.

Frances Madden The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $20.

Fade In Mona Lisa + Phantastic Ferniture + Slow Loris Slyfox, Enmore. 7:30pm. Free.

Hands Like Houses + Lower Than Atlantis Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $33.

Global Sounds - Feat: Watussi + The Strides The Basement, Circular Quay. 7pm. $17.

Kisschasy + Luca Brasi Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $28.85.

Hayden Calnin + Jack Reilly + Harrison Storm Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $17.

Ocean Alley Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $17.90.

Tesseract Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7pm. $44.90.

The Creases + Hunch Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $13.60.

Penny Ikinger + The Maladies + Masami Kawaguchi Factory Floor, Sydney. 8pm. $20.

Rhye Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $54.90.

Thy Art Is Murder + Aversions Crown + Feed Her To The Sharks + Colossvs Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $25.

Zodiac Club #2 By Visions - Feat: King Colour + Bin Juice + Gypsys Of Pangea + DJs Lord Gladstone Hotel, Chippendale. 8pm.

Free.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 16 (Hed)P.E. + Snot + Recoil Vor + Horrorwood Mannequins Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8pm. $56.10.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 18

Abbath Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $65.30.

Megadeth + Children Of Bodom Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. 7pm. $96.85.

Anatomy Class + Imperial Broads + Sleepy Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $10.

Nerdlinger Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 4pm. Free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS Adz & Cookie Orient Hotel, The Rocks. 9pm. Free.

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

7pm. Free.

Laura Marling + D.D Dumbo Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8pm. $69.90.

Open Mic The Bourbon, Potts Point. 7pm. Free.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Karaoke Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free.

Dead Letter Circus xxx

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BRAG’s guide to dance, hip hop and club culture

dance music news club, dance and hip hop in brief... with Chris Martin, Gloria Brancatisano and Eden Gillespie

five things WITH

THE TONGUE

Elliphant will follow up her visit to Australia for this year’s Splendour In The Grass with a Sydney headline show to accompany her appearance at Falls Festival next January. The Swedish hip hop maverick will have her much-anticipated debut album Living Life Golden out at the end of January, so Australian audiences are sure to hear cuts from that record at these shows.

The album follows up her two previously released EPs, which featured the likes of Diplo, Skrillex and TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek. Catch Elliphant at Goodgod Small Club on Wednesday January 6.

HUNTING FOR HUNTEMANN Growing Up I’m still trying 1. to grow up. A pub bouncer asked me for my ID the other night… I’m a six-footone 31-year-old with facial hair, for fuck’s sake!

2.

Inspirations One of the songs on my new album is about my heroes. I realised they all had common personality traits; they were brave, determined, creative and stuck to their ethics. Some of the names I drop include Hunter S. Thompson, John Lennon, Nelson Mandela, Kendrick Lamar and Lauryn Hill. They are all inspirations who pushed me to want to be more, to lead and affect the lives of others in a

positive way.

Crawford and Ev Jones (from Jones Jnr).

Your Crew I’m now into my 3.

Music, Right tenth year of rocking Here, Right Now 5. with Sydney label Let’s be honest; Elefant Traks. It’s been wonderful to see my labelmates Hermitude go from underground instrumentals to world-touring festival kings over that period.

I’m also excited about the upcoming releases from Jimblah, L-Fresh The Lion and Horrorshow.

The Music You Make And Play 4.

My new fourth album is called Hard Feelings.

It’s the best record I’ve ever put together.

It’s deliberately short and to the point, just ten great songs.

Guests include Ngaiire, Jeswon and DJ Morgz (Thundamentals), Mataya, Thom

THEIR SECRET IS OUT

38 :: BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15

With: DJ Morgz, Joe New Where: Oxford Hotel When: Saturday October 17

It’s time for Oliver Huntemann.

The modern techno master is back on the scene and coming to Australian shores on the eve of summer, lighting up Max Watt’s on Saturday November 28.

While much of the chatter around innovative dance music is centred on Berlin, Huntemann’s roots are further north in the German city of Hamburg. It’s there where he passed through the domains of electro and rave before fi nding his way to techno, and the next thing Huntemann knew, the world had found him. He’s released on the likes of Cocoon, Datapunk and his own Confused Recordings, but his club set will be an experience like no other.

FIELD DAY 2016 LINEUP

Field Day, Sydney’s annual festival to ring in the New Year, has locked in a massive lineup for its 2016 return. The Domain is the place to be this New Year’s Day for a lineup of local and international performers who traverse dance, indie rock, hip hop and beyond.

UK electronic duo Disclosure lead the schedule (is it too much to

Carmada

hope for a live version of their new collaboration with Lorde?), joined

by The Wombats and Australia’s own Flight Facilities. Get there a little earlier for the likes of Pusha T, RL Grime, Golden Features, Halsey, Skepta, Boys Noize, Seth Troxler and Django Django. If there’s one good reason to hoist yourself out of bed on New Year’s Day, this is it.

Toro y Moi

C.U SATURDAY AT THE CIVIC

Sydney’s favourite basement club is getting a facelift and event revamp this October. The Civic Hotel’s legendary club level, The Civic Underground, will undergo a makeover, providing Sydney’s nightlife with a muchneeded wakeup call. Taking into consideration recent closures such as the Imperial Hotel and the Flinders, Spice DJ/producer Murat Kilic will be leading the charge with long-time friend and resident Robbie Lowe for the weekly event, C.U Saturday. UK house heavyweight Jessie Rose will kick off the reconditioned club’s opening this Halloween, headlining a fancy dress event aptly named Nightmare On Pitt Street. C.U Saturday will debut on Saturday October 31.

Dress up for the occasion.

TORO FOR YOU, TORO FOR MOI

Toro y Moi will bring the bangers to Sydney, alongside his Australian festival performances, this January. Chaz Bundick and his band will play a headline date in our backyard as well as sets at Falls Festival in Lorne, Tasmania and Byron Bay and Southbound Festival in Western Australia. You can catch the vibe at Oxford Art Factory on Monday January 4.

Rodriguez Jr.

RODRIGUEZ READY TO ROLL

The south of France is about much more than yachts, casinos and wine, though the tourist brochures would hardly have you believe it.

Eclectic dance sounds have also taken hold in the region, at least when they’re at the hands of Olivier Mateu, AKA Rodriguez Jr., a music-maker born by the seaside and raised to maturity on the international club scene. Mateu made his name as one half of electro outfit The Youngsters, and across his musical projects has appeared at festivals like Tomorrowland, ADE and Sonar Off. He’s coming Down Under to play Victoria’s Strawberry Fields festival and a run of headline dates including The Civic Underground on Saturday November 21.

thebrag.com

Elliphant photo by Dan Monick

Carmada will this month headline a one-off secret Sydney gig hosted by Boost Mobile called 4Play. Indie dance duo Carmada have a sold-out headline tour, Ultra Music Festival and Splendour In The Grass appearances listed on their trophy wall, and are celebrating the explosive success of their single ‘On Fire’. Carmada will be supported by Tigerlily, Young Franco, Danny Clayton and Clueless at an unknown location for the show, and tickets are only available via social media.

Fans have until Thursday October 22 to get their hands on tickets by uploading a picture of what they do for play, tagging @boostaus and using the hashtag #4Play.

The show will be held on Thursday October 29.

the music industry is a leaky ship and the war on venues/ lockout laws isn’t helping. Times are tough for independent musicians in Sydney.

Only those with pure passion for music would bother pushing through all these difficulties for years on end. However, when a song you write strikes a chord with people and the show goes mental, it always feels worth the sacrifice.

Elliphant

ELLIPHANT IN THE ROOM

Art vs Science The Final Frontier By David James Young

A

Art vs Science photo by Angelo Kehiagos

rt vs Science have been an omnipotent and omnipresent factor of Australian music in the 2010s – so much so, it barely even feels like yesterday when they were launching their debut album The Experiment into the stratosphere; a mix of certified bangers and more groove-oriented head-nodders. Only now, as their second album is arriving, does it click that we’re looking at over four years between long-players.

Thankfully, the trio has made up considerably for lost time – Off The Edge Of The Earth And Into Forever, Forever picks business right back up, with the band continuing to bubble, blend and blur genre lines to the point where they are leaving even those paid to write about their music lost for words.

“I was talking with another journalist who’d just heard the album recently, and they wanted to know what genre to call it,” says Dan McNamee, the group’s primary vocalist, keyboardist and guitarist who goes by the alias Dan Mac in order to differentiate from the band’s other Dan, drummer Williams. “They were like, ‘What do you call this? What genre is it?

I don’t know how to describe it!’

It was weird at first, and I didn’t quite know how to respond. It got me thinking, though – this album really isn’t one genre or one style.

I don’t think we’ve ever been like that, really. I think it’s a culmination of everything that we listen to – we don’t worry about whether it will fit a certain mould. If it feels right, we just go for it. Thankfully, the journalist liked the album, so it wasn’t too awkward.”

Piecing together extensive jam sessions at Bondi Pavilion and

recording with noted producer Paul McKercher (who has previously worked with acts like You Am I, Eskimo Joe and Sarah Blasko) at Oceanic Studios, Art vs Science were grounded in their native Sydney during the creative process. They even took further recording and overdubs into their own home recording spots. Not that this meant the trio – McNamee, Williams and keyboardist/vocalist Jim Finn – were at all lazy or lacking ambition.

Rather, as McNamee testifies, it was more to do with seeking out what makes them happy – not putting pressure on following up The Experiment, but rather letting the direction come naturally.

“Fun was the crucial ingredient in making this album,” he says. “It takes itself just seriously enough, but it can also get a little camp and a little goofy. Take the album title – it’s a bit sci-fi and a bit grandiose.

You can read it in a lot of different ways, too – so if someone just sees it as a bit of a gag, I can go along with that, or I can kind of get a little deep on it if someone sees it as philosophical or properly meaningful.

“There’s always a bit of a wink to what we do – you can take a lot of our more silly moments as very tongue-in-cheek. There’s a song on this album called ‘Bongo Plan’, which is quite possibly one of the silliest and funniest songs we have ever done. That arose straight from the band room to the tape – more or less a straight-up jam session.

It’s the sound of us really having fun, and I’m really glad it made its way onto the album.”

Of course, Art vs Science have hardly sat idly by in the years

BY DAY

separating The Experiment and Off The Edge Of The Earth. Finn founded a solo project, Vydamo, which earned him considerable radio play and a well-received LP, Becoming Human. Williams, meanwhile, took up with his former band, Philadelphia Grand Jury, undertaking a reunion tour that ultimately led to the writing and recording of a second album released at the start of the month.

Even McNamee mentions his desire to get back into playing guitar along with DJ sets. “That literally used to be my job,” he says. “I’d moonlight with a few different people, soloing along to whatever they were playing across bars all around Sydney.”

Of course, all the while the band members were busying themselves with other creative avenues,

no-one was pestering them over whether Art vs Science had broken up. They always made a point of playing together every year, whether at secret shows or through small runs of club dates. It was never even in question that the trio would come back to one another – after all, as they say, it’s absence that makes the heart grow fonder.

“Our time apart has become way more important than I actually realised,” says McNamee. “I was kind of against that idea of going off and doing my own thing for a long time – I was kind of set in my way that Art vs Science was my project, that it was all I needed. I think that attitude was a bit stressful for the other guys. I started bringing in infl uences and different things that they pretty clearly weren’t vibing on. After a

while, I realised that having time away from one another to go off and explore the other things that we like actually helps us to get along a lot more. It allows us to be who we are around each other, which seems to work. We’re listening to one another a lot more.”

What: Falls Festival 2015/16 With: Bloc Party, Foals, Django Django, Miami Horror and many more Where: Lorne, Marion Bay and Byron Bay When: Monday December 28 – Sunday January 3 And: Off The Edge Of The Earth And Into Forever, Forever out now through Magellanic/MGM

BY NIGHT

Sunday 18th October TERRACE

TERRACE

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Garth Linton Steven Walsh (Bday set)

THE DEN Ezra Brendan Pinilla Matt Weir

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BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 39

Raury He’s All We Really Need By Adam Norris

I

t is easy to grow cynical of the music industry today. With so many artists underpaid and overworked, and a market saturated with assembly-line sounds, it can be quite disheartening talking with artists who are forced to cut corners or compromise their passion.

Yet Atlantan soul/hip hop savant Raury has been able to avoid such concessions, and is quite humble in acknowledging his good fortune.

“You’ve really gotta keep your eyes open,” Raury warns. “You have your back against the wall so often in terms of timing – when you want to get your album done, when you want to tour, how much money you have, all of these different factors. I was blessed enough to get the deal that I got from Columbia, because there are plenty of people out there who just didn’t have that kind of appeal, who had to change what they do because they didn’t meet the right people. It’s not even a matter of it being anybody’s fault, it’s just getting lucky with opportunities and making the most of them. You do what you have to do. There are people out there who do things they wouldn’t be proud of, but hey, they have to feed their family.”

In the course of our conversation, it becomes clear Raury isn’t speaking in abstracts here. Establishing exactly what kind of artist he hopes to be – which, in effect, is the same person from everyday life – and how that can work within the modern music world is something he is all too conscious of. His first mixtape, Indigo Child, was released last year to almost instant acclaim, culminating in him being shortlisted for the BBC Sound Of 2015 poll. This week he unveils his studio debut, All We Need, and it doesn’t take a betting person to foresee a huge year ahead for the

19-year-old. This is all the more impressive given his life already seems to be quite a dervish.

“I’ve got these incredible experiences, but a lot of people don’t hear from me that often anymore. I’m all wrapped up in this thing, I’m in another country, so I have to remember to keep my phone charged,” he chuckles. “I was never a person to call someone, to reach out all that often to begin with, so now that I’m busy, the only people who tend to hear from me of late are the people I’m directly working with. My management team, they’ve become like my best friends. I mean, my manager is only 23. I met him when I was 15 and he was 19, so he’s more like a big brother, and everyone else in the management team are around the same age. We all just work together, and they’re the most immediate people in my life now.”

Raury sounds amused – and thankful – for the life he leads these days, but there remains an undercurrent of concern to his voice.

Melodious as his songs are, there is often a seriousness to his lyrics and themes, and given his relatively young age, it is unsurprising that he carries such empathy and worry for his circle of friends; those who are also taking their fledgling steps in the adult world, but who might look at the wild success Raury has forged with resignation.

“Take a song like ‘Crystal Express’.

I was an 18-year-old kid graduating from high school, like all of my other friends, and I just happened to strike success with a music career. But a lot of my friends, they don’t know where they’re gonna go. They don’t know what they want to do; they’re still trying to figure it out. And when the person next to you, who here

happens to be me, is doing really well, you might get discouraged, you know? So ‘Crystal Express’ was a song that I was hoping could breathe some life into them, tell them that if you believe in yourself and keep putting yourself out there… you need to meet your dream halfway.”

While the lead single, ‘Friends’ – which, incidentally, features a certain Tom Morello – has already been showcasing the new album’s strengths, it is worth noting that in response to Indigo Child’s ‘God’s Whisper’ comes a companion track, ‘Devil’s Whisper’. It seems a fitting way of charting Raury’s creative

development to have him discuss just how these songs reflect the man he is, and what he hopes to become.

that. To say, ‘Yeah, I’ve felt that way, I’ve almost become that jaded.’

That’s what the song is about.

“‘God’s Whisper’ was the good angel on one shoulder, ‘Devil’s Whisper’ is about the evil angel on the other.

Early on I had that whisper in my ear telling me, ‘Man, you can take on the world with this sound, you can become what you want to become.’

And now I get out here, I’m touring, making artist friends, and now that devil is saying, ‘You know, you can use all this to become extremely rich. You can use this for personal profit.’ And I had to be honest with myself, and be open to writing about

“I could have changed, I could have fallen down so many wrong paths along the way. That’s what the first verse of ‘Devil’s Whisper’ is about.

But then the second verse is about self-realisation, knowing that you shouldn’t be doing this for the profit, but for people. That’s what you have to remember.”

What: All We Need out Friday October 16 through Columbia/ Sony

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thebrag.com

club guide g

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

send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com

club pick of the week KLP

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17 Chinese Laundry Chines

SUNDAY OCTOBER 18

Xxx

KLParty

CLUB NIGHTS

KLP + Dr Fresch + Terace + Friendless + more 9pm. $27.70.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14 CLUB NIGHTS

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

Scubar Presents When I Grow Up feat: Steve Zappa Scubar, Sydney. 8pm.

Free.

Side Bar Wednesdays - feat: Bangers & Mash Side Bar, Sydney.

9pm. Free.

Sosueme - feat: Discovery (Daft Punk Tribute Show) + Food Court + Flowertruck + Bad Pony Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm.

Free.

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

Wunderbar Party feat: Tigerlily UNSW Roundhouse, Kensington. 8pm. $10.

HIP HOP & R&B

Boyz II Men Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 7pm. $95.95.

CLUB NIGHTS Five Dollar Thursdays - feat: DJs Steve Zappa + thebrag.com

FRIDAY OCTOBER 16 HIP HOP & R&B

Coolhandluke’s Shakedown - feat: Coolhand Luke + Moto + Naiki Play Bar, Surry Hills.

6pm. Free.

Cult - feat: DJ Derek Turner + DJ Rise Different Drummer, Glebe. 7pm. Free.

Ivan Ooze + X & Hype + Mr Clean Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $16.50.

CLUB NIGHTS Basenji Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.

11:30pm. $20.

Bassic - feat: Odd Mob + Ian Munro + Spenda C + Nemo + Two Hoe + Bluegrass DJs + Clam Joust + Verto Chinese Laundry,

Sydney. 9pm. $22.60.

Blvd Fridays - feat: I Am Sam Marquee, Pyrmont.

10pm. $13.40.

Derriere - feat: Rotating DJs Goros, Surry Hills.

6pm. Free.

El Loco Later - feat: DJs On Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 10pm. Free.

Feel Good Fridays feat: DJs Bar100, The Rocks.

5pm. Free.

Florida Blanca Supper Club + Bar Publico - feat: DJs Harpoon Harry, Sydney. 6pm. Free.

Frankie’s Pizza Fridays - feat: Rock ‘N’ Roll DJs Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free.

Fridays Frothers feat: Babysham + Jesse Sewell Side Bar, Sydney.

9pm. Free.

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

Free.

Rhythm Of The Night - feat: Levins + Tulett + Ariane + Matka + Harry Hunter + Beni Goodgod Small Club, Sydney. 9pm. $15.

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

Free.

Student DJs Hermann’s Bar, Darlington. 5pm. Free.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17

HIP HOP & R&B

Benny Hinn Play Bar, Surry Hills.

6pm. Free.

CLUB NIGHTS

Banoffee Goodgod Small Club, Sydney. 8pm. $18.40.

Critical Sound - feat: Phace + Emperordnb + Ivy Lab + Foreign Concept + Fuh + 8 Diagram + Ncrypt + Flyying Colours DJs Manning Bar, Camperdown. 8pm. $35.

El Loco Later - feat: DJs On Rotation Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills. 10pm. Free.

Establishment Saturdays The Establishment, Sydney. 9pm. $20.

Florida Blanca Supper Club + Bar Publico - feat: DJs Harpoon Harry, Sydney. 6pm. Free.

Frankie’s Pizza Saturdays - feat: DJs Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 9pm. Free.

Frat Saturdays - feat: Jonksi + Guests Side Bar, Sydney.

7:30pm. Free.

Havana Brown Marquee, Pyrmont.

10pm. $28.80.

Large And In Charge National Tour - feat: Latrice Royale + Mimi Imfurst And Jaydn Dior Fierce Arq Nightclub, Sydney. 8pm. $67.

Le Fruit DJs Goros, Surry Hills.

8pm. Free.

Cafe Del Mar Sun Sets DJs - feat: Simon Caldwell + Noise In My Head + Murat Kilic + Robbie Lowe + Johnny Gleeson + Steven Sullivan + Wild Sunset Cafe Del Mar, Sydney.

12pm. $20.

Ice Cream Sundays - feat: Kallidad + Klue + Sam Z + Jr Dynamite + Tony Chill Cliff Dive, Darlinghurst. 9pm.

Free.

Marco Polo Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 1pm. $17.50.

Picnic Social Harpoon Harry, Sydney. 4pm. Free.

S.A.S.H By Day feat: Michelle Owen + Monkey Tennis + Dylan Leicester + Kerry Wallace Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 1pm. $15.

S.A.S.H By Night feat: PQM + Garth Linton + Steven Walsh + Ezra + Brendan Pinilla + Matt Weir + Kato + Astronafrica Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour.

8pm. $15.

Basenji

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14 Boyz II Men Big Top Sydney, Milsons Point. 7pm. $95.95.

Scubar Presents When I Grow Up - Feat: Steve Zappa Scubar, Sydney. 8pm. Free.

Sosueme - Feat: Discovery (Daft Punk Tribute Show) + Food Court + Flowertruck + Bad Pony Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm. Free.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 15 Wunderbar Party - Feat: Sampology UNSW Roundhouse, Kensington. 8pm. $10.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 16 Basenji Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 11:30pm. $20.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17 Banoffee Goodgod Small Club, Sydney.

8pm. $18.40.

Critical Sound - Feat: Phace + Emperordnb + Ivy Lab + Foreign Concept + Fuh + 8 Diagram + Ncrypt + Flyying Colours DJs Manning Bar, Camperdown.

8pm. $35.

Havana Brown Marquee, Pyrmont. 10pm. $28.80.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 18 S.A.S.H By Day - Feat: Michelle Owen + Monkey Tennis + Dylan Leicester + Kerry Wallace Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 1pm. $15.

Ivan Ooze

Bassic - Feat: Odd Mob + Ian Munro + Spenda C + Nemo + Two Hoe + Bluegrass DJs + Clam Joust + Verto Chinese Laundry, Sydney.

9pm. $22.60.

Blvd Fridays - Feat: I Am Sam Marquee, Pyrmont. 10pm. $13.40.

Ivan Ooze + X & Hype + Mr Clean Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst.

8pm. $16.50.

Rhythm Of The Night Feat: Levins + Tulett + Ariane + Matka + Harry Hunter + Beni Goodgod Small Club, Sydney.

9pm. $15.

Banoffee

MONDAY OCTOBER 19 CLUB NIGHTS Mashup Monday - feat: Resident DJs + DJ Thieves + Recess + Otg + Chivalry + More Side Bar, Sydney.

8pm. Free.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 20

Xxx

THURSDAY OCTOBER 15

Skinny Scubar, Sydney.

8:30pm. Free.

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

Mixed Tape - feat: DJs Hermann’s Bar, Darlington. 5pm. Free.

The Midnight Swim Sessions - feat: Thomas Studdy Goros, Surry Hills.

8pm. Free.

Wunderbar Party feat: Sampology UNSW Roundhouse, Kensington. 8pm. $10.

Lndry: KLParty feat: Dr Fresch + Terace + Friendless + Discofool + Elijah Scadden + Jack Bailey + Crux + Oh? + DJ Eko + DJ Just 1 + Mike Hyper Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $27.70.

Murray Lake + Brenny B + The Potbelleez Manly Wharf Hotel, Manly. 6pm. Free.

Pacha Stereosonic Launch Party - feat: Marlo + Tygris + Gemelini + Fear Of Dawn + Dylan Sanders + Losty + A-Game + DJ Eko + Elly K Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney. 6:30pm. $53.30.

Scubar Saturdays feat: Live DJs Scubar, Sydney.

8:30pm. Free.

Yours Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach. 8pm.

Free.

CLUB NIGHTS Coyote Tuesdays The World Bar, Kings Cross. 9pm. $10.

BRAG :: 634 :: 14:10:15 :: 41

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Off The Record

VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT

up all night out all week . . .

Dance and Electronica with Tyson Wray

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Peterson in their fan base. They’ve recently played at Glastonbury, Warehouse Project and Bestival, and now they’ll hit Sydney on Thursday November 12 at Oxford Art Factory.

Oliver Huntemann

One of the biggest names in dubstep (the good kind, not the shitty wubWUBwubWUBwub kind), Mala, has locked in an Australian tour. Best known for his work with Digital Mystikz (alongside Coki, Loefah and St Pokes), he began spreading the message in the early ’00s in South London – he and the Mystikz guys launched the DMZ club night back when dubstep was not widely known. He’s also a producer, DJ and label owner, and has worked with the likes of Francois K, Moritz von Oswald, Grace Jones and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. He’ll be joined by Jason Howson, Garage Pressure, Subaske, Scatterbrain, Lewba, Wompa and 9toe on Sunday January 3 at The Civic Underground.

O

ne of the most influential names in techno, Oliver Huntemann, will return to Australia late next month.

Originally a promoter of acid house in Hamburg, Huntemann has been a regular on the scene since the late ’80s. Over the course of his career, he’s had releases on the ilk of Sven Väth’s seminal Cocoon imprint and Anthony Rother’s Datapunk, alongside running his own Confused Recordings. Most recently, last year he launched the Ideal Senso label. Y’all can get schooled by the man himself on Saturday November 28 at Max Watt’s.

Those cats Maribou State have announced a return Down Under. Having released their debut album Portraits earlier this year (on Counter/Ninja Tunes through Inertia), Chris Davids and Liam Ivory are two of the fastest-rising names in the game. The duo have been going from strength to strength since releasing their Tongue and Truths EPs for Norman Cook’s Southern Fried Records, and can count Zane Lowe, Huw Stephens, Annie Mac, Pete Tong and Gilles

A brand new weekly house and techno night will open later this month. Dubbed C.U Saturday, the parties will take place every weekend on the best sound systems in the city at The Civic Underground. The launch party will be headlined on Halloween by London’s Jesse Rose, and will also feature local talents Murat Kilic, Robbie Lowe, Sam Francisco and Sam Arellano. Future events will spotlight international names such as Rodriguez Jr. in November and Margaret Dygas in December.

Tour rumours: LA’s Secret Circuit will be coming to town next month, while in January you can expect visits from Beats In Space head honcho Tim Sweeney and the almighty Dâm-Funk.

Best releases this week: Levantis (AKA Actress under a different guise) has come out with a crack titled Romantic Psychology 1 on Ninja Tune. Other highlights include iO & Silat Beksi’s Dub Ass (Mulen), Xandru’s Intrasi (CrazyJack) and Dresvn’s First Voyage (Honest Jon’s).

Mala

RECOMMENDED Norman Nodge Burdekin Hotel

SUNDAY OCTOBER 25

Public Possession Harpoon Harry Daniel Bortz Greenwood Hotel

FRIDAY OCTOBER 30 DJ Nobu Bridge Hotel

SATURDAY OCTOBER 31

Baauer Oxford Art Factory Fred P Marrickville Bowling Club Mr. G, Fur Coat, DJ HMC Greenwood Hotel

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 12 Maribou State Oxford Art Factory

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14 Nina Kraviz Greenwood Hotel

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20

Lapalux Chinese Laundry

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21 Bicep Oxford Art Factory Justin Martin Chinese Laundry

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27

Eric Cloutier, Peter Van Hoesen Marrickville Bowling Club Rødhåd Oxford Art Factory

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 28 Oliver Huntemann

Max Watt’s

THURSDAY DECEMBER 3 Gilles Peterson Oxford Art Factory

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4 – SUNDAY DECEMBER 6

Subsonic Music Festival: KiNK, Dop, Rick Wade, Roman Flügel + more Riverwood Downs Mountain Valley Resort, Barrington Tops

SUNDAY DECEMBER 13 Wolf + Lamb Café del Mar

SATURDAY DECEMBER 19 Floating Points Oxford Art Factory

FRIDAY JANUARY 1

Finnebassen, Lovebirds, Bjorn Wilke + more Café del Mar

SUNDAY JANUARY 3

Mala The Civic Underground

s.a.s.h by day

PICS :: AM

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17

11:10:15 :: Greenwood Hotel :: 36 Blue Street North Sydney 9964 9477

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SALE PRICE

TOM DELONGE

EPIPHONE RRP $1099

SALE PRICE

$825

CLEARANCE ITEM!

ILABLE GIBSON 1958 LP BOURBONBURST BIGSBY – $8999 RRP SALE PRICE $4799 ALSO AVA

More GREAT GUITAR deals available in-store!

ANNANDALE 55 Parramatta Rd

9517 1901

The RRP is the recommended retail price as set by the Australian distributor of the product.

While stocks last. Products pictured are for illustration purpose only.

www.gallinsmps.com.au