Brag#362

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Michael Coppel by arrangement with Phil Mcintyre Entertainment proudly presents

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SECRET SOUNDS PRESENTS SECRET SOUNDS PRESENTS

ecstatic, dramatic and live The Album ‘Go’ CD/DVD - Experience Edition - out now

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TIX: METRO THEATRE, (02) 9550 3666 OR METROTHEATRE.COM.AU; TICKETEK OUTLETS, 132 849 OR TICKETEK.COM.AU

Tickets available from manningbar.com , www.oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545 ACCESS tickets: In person from The Access Centre (Lvl 1, Manning House)

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THE NATIONAL

HIGH VIOLET The brilliant new album.

Features guests Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver), Sufjan Stevens and Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire).

Includes Bloodbuzz Ohio

SOUND BY REMOTE CONTROL

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NEW PORNOGRAPHERS TOGETHER

THE GHOST WHO WALKS

After 2 million album sales and 400 concerts worldwide, Gotan Project release their third studio album, Bringing tango in to the 21st century, mixing its traditional elements with chilled contemporary beats

Canada’s finest, featuring Neko Case, deliver an album filled with addictive choruses, magical middle eights and boy/ gal harmonies that’ll make you swoon.

Includes Hands Together

An album filled with tales of dashed hopes and crimes of passion. With Jack White producing and on drums and Patti Smith’s son Jackson on guitar

TANGO 3.0

KAREN ELSON

ENTER THE

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The Adelaide band’s debut album includes ‘War Coward’ and ‘Little Cowboys, Bad Hombres’.

The debut album from Sydney outfit Parades, produced in band member Jonathan Boulet’s garage. Includes Dead Nationale and Past Lives

Playing Live

National Tour June & July: see http://www.myspace.com/parades

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rock music news welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on, down and around town. By Nathan Jolly

he said she said WITH

LANEOUS FROM LANEOUS & THE FAMILY YAH write lyrics and help me justify my existence as a vocalist. I only really listen to hip-hop and soul and have since I was fairly young, but like many people my age I listened to lots of punk and grunge as well - through the character forming years of high school - and that has certainly made a stain on the music I (and the rest of the band) produce today.

T

here was lots of singing going on in my early childhood. My mother was an opera singer and used to sing me to sleep. I was in a Boyz II Men-type boy group in primary school. In high school I became very active in the Brisbane music scene through 4zzz radio, where I was the youngest announcer for a few years, which brought me to many punk gigs. I once guest-starred with awesome Brissie punk act Godnose, yelling “OY” over a cover

of ‘Working Class Man’. That was an important moment in my musical development.

I’ve got a band called the Family-Yah. They are a good band. There is a drummer that likes music and snare drums, a bass player that likes to rock and has a nice beard, a guitarist who makes good sounds with many pedals, a guy who plays samples and keys and guitar and tambourine with vigour and a few back up singers who have lovely voices and also rap a bit. We all met in the incestuous environment of the Brisbane music scene. When we are not making music we are making coffee, practical jokes, love and very little money.

I am inspired by many different musicians and performers. I like Slim Gaillard, a silly funny jazz singer/guitarist/pianist from early to mid 20th century. I like MF Doom the rapper.

He is so very clever. I like Georgia Anne Muldrow. She is a genius neo-soul girl. These people are among the many that inspire me to

We make specifically Croon Punk and Grunt music. We are not eclectic at all. We are very down the line Grunt and Croon Punk ‘cos the only way to do the genres justice is to do it right.

We are making a Grunty as fuck album at the moment which will be finished in a few months and will be far Gruntier and Croon Punkier than

The Soft Pack

PUBLISHERS: Adam Zammit & Rob Furst EDITOR IN CHIEF: Adam Zammit 9552 6333 adam@peergroupmedia.com EDITOR: Steph Harmon steph@thebrag.com 9552 6333 ARTS EDITOR & ASSOCIATE: Dee Jefferson dee@thebrag.com 9552 6333 STAFF WRITER: Jake Stone jake@thebrag.com NEWS CO-ORDINATORS: Chris Murray, Chris Honnery

any of our other releases. Our rich daddys are paying for it ‘cos we said “Daddy, I wanna be a Grunt star.” We will perform a lot of the material from the album at our shows in Sydney where you can check out just how Grunty Grunt can be and also how lovely we can play Croon Punk.

The Brisbane music scene is going great.

There’s lots of great hip-hop that’s not ‘Aussie hip-hop’, if you know what I mean. There are great bands kicking around of all types. It’s such a small scene so everyone knows each other more or less, and it’s a really supportive environment. When Kamahl came, all the bands in the west end saved gig money and went together. We all have a great relationship like this. I don’t know where to go in Sydney. We just follow the Phonies and Jimmy Swouse and the Angry Darts and Ray Mann Three around to wherever they go.

Who: Laneous and the Family-Yah With: The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, The Basics and more…

What: Gumball Music Festival When: Saturday May 29 Where: Belford, Hunter Valley

Songs, Lost Animal and Dead Farmers.

Great lineup, great venue and considering how polarising this duo are within the local scene, this launch is sure to be packed out.

If you haven’t heard the record yet, the little stirrers describe it as “a roadmap of underage prostitution and the horror of addiction, all set to the kind of music that makes you want to dance, break the law and wish you were jailbait once again - just for the fun of it.” Also, it sounds a bit like The Stooges…

ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant GRAPHIC DESIGN: Irina Belova SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER: Tim Levy SNAP PHOTOGRAPHERS: Ashley Mar, Sofii McKenzie, Renee Rushbrook, Rosette Rouhana, Daniel Munns, Hannah Cary, Patrick Stevenson, Andrea Heart, Maja Baska, Jeremy Bowring, Caroline Garcia, Will Reichelt SALES/MARKETING MANAGER: Mark Brownie 0411 547 356 / (02) 9552 6672 brownie@thebrag.com ADVERTISING: Les White - 0405 581 125 / (02) 9552 6618 les@thebrag.com ADVERTISING: Sara Golchin - (02) 9552 6747 sara@thebrag.com GIG & CLUB GUIDE CO-ORDINATOR: Christian Moraga - gigguide@thebrag.com (rock) clubguide@thebrag.com (dance) INTERN: Rach Seneviratne REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Joshua Blackman, Bridie Connell, Tony Edwards, Christie Eliezer, Murray Engleheart, Chris Familton, Lucy Fokkema, Mike Gee, Alice Hart, Kate Hennessy, Chris Honnery, Nathan Jolly, Christine Lan, Amelia Schmidt, Xanthe Seacret, Jonno Seidler, RK, Beth Wilson, Alexandra Young Please send mail NOT ACCOUNTS direct to this address 153 Bridge Road, Glebe NSW 2037 ph - (02) 9552 6333 fax - (02) 9552 6866 EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Publisher, Editor or Staff of The Brag.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Stephen Forde : accounts@furstmedia.com.au ph - (03) 9428 3600 fax - (03) 9428 3611 Furst Media, 3 Newton Street Richmond Victoria 3121 DEADLINES: Editorial Wednesday 12pm (no extentions) Art Work, Ad Bookings Thursday 12pm (no extensions) Ad Cancellations Tuesday 4pm Published by Cartrage P/L ACN 104026388 All content copyrighted to Cartrage 2003 DISTRIBUTION: Wanna get The Brag? email distribution@furstmedia.com.au or ph 03 9428 3600.

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14 :: BRAG :: 362 17:05:10

SOFT PACK TOUR

Naming your band The Muslims seems very punk-rock and funny when you’re playing gigs in your shitty little town to friends and other members of the local ‘scene.’ But if you have any international ambitions, it is possibly a good idea to rethink and rename - which is exactly what LA-based The Soft Pack did. And now, after a well-received debut album, a killer Letterman performance, and a horribly misframed cover slick, The Soft Pack are heading downunder, courtesy of Civil Society. They play our favourite box-shaped venue, Oxford Art Factory, on July 7. Tix onsale now from Moshtix.

JAZZ IN MY PANTS

Proving that Sydney is more than a haven for indie-rock coolsie bands, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority is calling for all inspiring jazz and blues performers to be part of the Darling Harbour Jazz and Blues Festival. But before you start practicing your atonal trumpet playing and loading up on moonshine and heroin, there is a catch. The festival will be hosting an Open Mic stage from 12pm-2:30pm on Saturday May 22 and Sunday May 23 where you will be judged by the pun-tastic George Washingmachine. The winner will then get to perform on the Aquashell at 4pm that day. Find out more at darlingharbour.com.

SYDNEYVISION SONG CONTEST! FUN!

Unless you are Tim Rogers or Tom Morgan, name-checking Sydney suburbs in songs sounds horribly lame. But that kind of snotty preconception means nothing to the The Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, who are organising the first ever Sydneyvision Song Contest! Let us explain. Contestants are to submit a video of themselves performing an original song, naming the suburb they live in and therefore ‘represent’. Good luck making Lewisham sound poetic. The only other rule (and we aren’t entirely sure if they’re being facetious with this one) is at least one member of your band “must either wear sequins or wink shamelessly at the camera at some

point during the performance.” There are cash prizes, as well as a hallowed 15 minute spot at the Newtown Festival up for grabs - so start rhyming jam with ‘ham, pill with ‘ville, and remember - if stuck, go to a minor chord. It will give your song unearned depth.

AUSTRALIAN MUSOS COOP

It is hard being a musician these days, what with having to pack amps and guitars in the back of a tiny hatchback, trying to fit kick drums through tiny venue side-doors, and ringing Dave to make sure he isn’t too late or too stoned. The Australian Musicians Cooperative can’t help with any of that stuff, but they can strengthen professional relationships between bands, reduce legwork, help lift the profile of emerging musos, and offer a multitude of other services. (…But did they bring a spare capo along?) In order to facilitate all this awesomeness they have organised a fundraiser gig this Thursday May 20 at the Gaelic Club.

Aside from it being a worthwhile gig, it features The Crooked Fiddle Band, Captain Kickarse & The Awesomes, Emma Davis, Day Of The Meerkat and The Lurkers. C’mon, what else are you doing Thursday evening?

CIRCLE JERKS

Sydney’s most punchable duo Circle Pit are launching their debut album Bruise Constellation on Wednesday May 26 at Oxford Art Factory. Joining them on the night are

Super Wild Horses

SUPER WILD HORSES ARE SUPER.

If the idea of two cute, instrumentswitching, garage-pop-playing, vocalharmonising girls whose music appears in Bonds adverts appeals to you, then aside from having overly-particular tastes, you may also enjoy the debut album from Melbourne duo Super Wild Horses. Forming last year, these girls evidently don’t waste any time, selling out their debut EP while touring the country with the likes of Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Jon Spencer, The Drones and My Disco. Mikey Young from Eddy Current produced the record (titled Fifteen) which will be out July 23 through Aarght!/Shock.

GIG OF THE WEEK

JUNGLE FEVER

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BEWARE! SO MUCH FELINE POWER IN ONE WOMAN – IS IT POSSIBLE? DONNA DYNAMITE – HIGH AMONG THE VINES AND THE JUNGLE CEILING LIVES THIS FLYING FOX! LOOK UP… AND BE ENTHRALLED! ELECTRIC DREAMS – SOME TRULY CHEEKY MONKEY BUSINESS - SO CLOSE TO HUMAN YOU’D SWEAR SHE WAS THE MISSING LINK! WATCH THIS DELIGHTFUL CHIMP SPIN! BRIANA BLUEBELL – IN AN ENCORE PERFORMANCE, RETURNING ONCE AGAIN TO PLAY IN THE DANGER ZONE…BUT WHAT PERILS WILL SHE FACE IN THESE UNTAMED WILDS! PLUS MC RENNY KODGERS – HE’S GI JOE, HE’S TARZAN, HE’S INDIANA JONES HE’S…A COUNTRY SUPERSTAR! AND HE’S YOUR SENSATIONAL TOUR GUIDE AND MC. WITH DJ GOLDFOOT – BRINGING THE RHYTHMS OF THE JUNGLE FLOOR - TO THE DANCEFLOOR! HEAR THE DRUM…BUPPA BUMP BUMP BUMP! GRAB YOUR TICKETS EARLY SO THE RIVERBOAT DOESN’T LEAVE YOU ASHORE!

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rock music news

free stuff

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on, down and around town. By Nathan Jolly

FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM

five things WITH

THE GHOSTS the street, to dish pigs, to two minute noodles in squats – but that’s where we met. The four of us are connected by a spiritual life force called Saint Paul, the holy patron saint of psychedelic pop.

The Music You Make We make psychedelic noise for unholy 4. minds. Songs that want to blow up like old

5.

Growing Up Inspirations We all grew up on different planets. Tony We only listen to bands that explode – 1.

2. grew up in a Mexican border town. He told us bands that are willing to jump off edges and that when he was a baby, Jimmy Page used him in ceremonies held at Aleister Crowley’s house. That’s why demons fly out of his strings when he plays. Gavin is from a planet called Aotearoa. As a child he listened to intergalactic signals sent through space from the Beatles. Michael was raised by magic wolves so he was nursed with every sound known to the universe – and Matt was born in a hippy commune. We all tried to sell our souls to the devil but we don’t take credit – so the universe clicked its fingers six months ago, put us together, and sent us out at gun point.

run into cliff faces. Small Faces, Kinks, Los Beatles, lost souls – Zeppelin, Pavement, Elliot Smith and anything Flying Nun – so pretty much any band or singer that isn’t around now, apart from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Brian Jonestown Massacre.

Your Band The Ghosts are Tony (lead guitar), 3.

Michael (drums), Gavin (rhythm guitar, vocals), and Matt (bass). We all met due to a shitty day job in a record store; well not that shitty as we’ve all done worse, from living on

Music, Right Here, Right Now Unfortunately ‘music right here, right now’ loses out to ‘music back when, back there’.

That usually happens when something is ready to happen – so we’re holding our breath for one four-headed Buddha monster for the masses to rise from the dead. I guess we’re all waiting for something to be said. Sydney has a couple of choice bands, but nobody’s listening to them yet. We don’t listen to synths and we don’t listen to egos – so that narrows the field. We don’t dig dudes in day-glo, dreadlocks, dance bands…

Who: The Ghosts When: Saturday May 22 Where: The Gaelic Club

its back while semi-naked girls in flannelette bikinis strut around,” then you are in luck.

Rodeo Rockfest is coming, combining the action and drama (and, let’s face it, violence) of live rodeo events with a live music festival.

On top of this, there are thousands of dollars of prizes to win every night for audience members. Rodeo Rockfest will hit eight locations throughout the country, staying for three nights at each. In the least surprising news ever, Jack Daniels have signed on as the major sponsor, while Channel [V] will be chronicling the full tour.

BIFFY CLYRO

We’re convinced that these guys became known in Australia via a Channel 10 advertisement for AFL. We’re convinced that these guys are named after some exotic porn star. We’re also convinced that regardless of these trivial matters, Biffy Clyro is a mammoth band with an ambitious sound and soaring choruses.

Their breathy Kilmarnock-tinged voices are helping them ride the tsunami wave of ludicrously successful Scottish bands that seem to be taking over the world, one oddly pronounced word at a time. They have arrived on Australian soil on the back of their 5th album Only Revolutions, featuring the aforementioned AFL-associated single ‘Mountains’. We have a double pass to give away to their May 20 show at The Metro, just tell us the name of their fourth album.

King Khan and BBQ Show

King by NRMAL Studio, Monterrey, Mexico

suns. We’ve written six albums worth of songs in a basement underneath Gavin’s house.

We also bury our victims there so that our songs stay secret from the evil industry types that want to turn our tunes into Coke adverts.

We’ve just written a Coke advert that will never sell a can – you can hear us premier the song at the Gaelic on Saturday May 22.

There’s a plug for ya!

CADBURY CRUISE

Midlake

BIG SCARY AUTUMN

Having just scored the national support slot for Fleetwood Mac-plundering folksters Midlake, now seems the perfect time for Melbourne band Big Scary to launch their new EP Autumn. And in a startling act of synchronicity, that’s exactly what they are doing. It’s happening this Friday May 21 at Spectrum, and it also happens to be their first headlining show in Sydney. Come along and catch their great live shows and when people start banging on about how they totally upstaged Midlake in August, you can raise a smug eyebrow and mutter, “Oh, Big Scary are still knocking about are they? I saw their first Sydney headlining show, way back in May.” Imagine how sweet that will be.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE COME TO OZ

Bullet For My Valentine are heading to Australia! The Fever was their latest effort, and it hit the top five in our very own island. They’ll be hauling Bring Me The Horizon and Canada’s Cancer Bats along for the ride, hitting Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on September 10. Tickets go on sale at 9am on May 27. \m/, basically.

SAE INSTITUTE OPEN DAY

If you want to get one of them there cool jobs in film or audio, Sydney’s SAE Institute is having an open day on Saturday May 22. You can mooch around the studios and watch them do things like Recording and Mixing and Stuff On Green Screens and Other Technology.

There will be demonstrations, tours and staff on hand to answer questions about courses, career pathways, opportunities, enrolments and

scholarships. 55-57 Wentworth Avenue in the city, from 11am – 3pm.

THE CLUB SHOWCASE

Every Sunday, the Club in Kings Cross has a free showcase of up-and-comers in art, fashion and music – so you can be one of those insufferable people who relentlessly claim to have been there from the start. This week, bands include Canopy Choirs, the Future Prehistoric & The Company. The doors open at 8pm and walking through them involves complimentary cocktails and canapés, so pretty much get to 33 Bayswater Road this Sundee, May 23.

RODEO ROCKFEST

If you have ever been in a pub watching your favourite band play and thought quietly “I really wish a bull would rampage through this venue, trying to toss a hapless rider off

You know how during your lunch break instead of going and getting something filling and nutritious you usually duck across to the 7-Eleven and grab two Cadbury chocolate bars?

Well this time, keep the wrappers and your receipts, jump onto 7eleven.com.au/cadbury and enter the code thing and you could win one of 50 double passes to a cruise with Jessica Mauboy around Sydney Harbour. And the woman can sing.

CHERRY BOMB

Black Cherry parties kick arse, but mixing rock and roll, burlesque and awesome DJs can’t really go wrong... It’s all happening on Saturday May 29 at the Factory Theatre, with Torch Le Monde, Wes Pudsey and The Sonic Aces, Los Capitanes and Devine Electric providing the aforementioned rock and roll. With six Burlesque shows also happening throughout the night and a happy hour between 8 and 9, it really is a no brainer…

FOALS SIDESHOW IS TOTES HAPPENING

Holy shit! Have you heard that new Foals song, ‘Total Life Forever’? It totally steals ‘Into Your Arms’ by The Lemonheads, (or Love Positions if you want to be a technical dick about it) only it does so in such a weird and blatant way that we can’t tell if it’s an appropriation, a cover, or whether one of them heard it a few times when they were eight-years-old and then brought a rocking new familiar-sounding hook into the band room one day. “It came complete to me, words and melody, kinda like how McCartney wrote Yesterday; should we play sideshows in Australia, this would go down a treat?” That exact scenario undoubtedly happened. But what that band member neglected to mention is that the Manning Bar sideshow is on July 28, and tickets are on sale…NOW!!

VIVID, YOU HIT ME WITH A FLOWER Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson know what they are talking about when it comes to art, so when they’re curating a festival, we tend to sit up and take notice. There isn’t enough space to list all the amazing things the married pair have lined up for Vivid LIVE, however the latest round of announcements include Marc Ribot’s ‘Border Music’, second shows for Holly Miranda, My Brightest Diamond and King Khan and BBQ Show, and a Noise Night which features Oren Ambarchi, Rice Corpse, The Night Terrors, Zond Bardo Pond, Melt-Banana and Boris melting faces with dissonance and feedback. But all that seems like formulaic bubblegum pop compared to ‘Music for Dogs’, a 20-minute dogwhistle piece written by Anderson which will enjoy-the-shit out of every dog in the area. See you there. We’ll be the ones with the super sweetsmelling Griffon terrier.

“There’s a house across the river but alas I can not swim. And a garden of such beauty that the flowers seem to grin” – LAURA MARLING 16 :: BRAG :: 362 17:05:10

triple j & The Atlas Agency presents

FRIDAY 11TH JUNE NEWCASTLE PANTHERS NEWCASTLE WWW.NEWCASTLE.PANTHERS.COM.AU CNR KING AND UNION STREETS, NEWCASTLE WEST. TICKETS FROM WWW.OZTIX.COM.AU & WWW.MOSHTIX.COM DOORS OPEN 8PM. WITH WASHINGTON.

SATURDAY 12TH JUNE WAVES TOWRADGI WWW.TOWRADGIBEACHHOTEL.COM.AU 170 PIONEER ROAD, TOWRADGI. TICKETS WWW.MOSHTIX.COM.AU & WWW.OZTIX.COM.AU DOORS OPEN 8PM. WITH WASHINGTON.

SUNDAY 13TH JUNE ENTRANCE LEAGUES CLUB GOSFORD WWW.TELCLUB.COM.AU 3 BAY VILLAGE RD, BATEAU BAY. TICKETS FROM WWW.OZTIX.COM.AU & WWW.MOSHTIX.COM DOORS OPEN 8PM. WITH WASHINGTON.

WEDNESDAY 16TH JUNE BAROQUE NIGHT CLUB KATOOMBA WWW.THECARRINGTON.COM.AU 15-47 KATOOMBA ST, KATOOMBA. TICKETS FROM (02) 4782 1111 & WWW.OZTIX.COM DOORS OPEN 8PM. WITH WASHINGTON.

SATURDAY 17TH JULY ENMORE THEATRE SYDNEY NSW WWW.ENMORETHEATRE.COM ENMORE RD, ENMORE. TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM WWW.TICKETEK.COM.AU & WWW.ENMORETHEATRE.COM DOORS OPEN 7PM. WITH WASHINGTON & CHASM AND VIDA SUNSHYNE.

www.myspace.com/thebeautifulgirls www.facebook.com/thebeautifulgirls BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 17

dance music news

free stuff

welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... With Chris Honnery onthefly.com.au

FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM

he said she said WITH

THE CO-OP

JIMMY FROM SPIT SYNDICATE one pours beers, one climbs bridges, and one runs concord.

The Music You Make We make contemporary Australian hip4. hop that you can play in your car, smoke weed on a beach to or dance in your room to. With this record it was still all about the content and sharp lyricism, but we tried to make an album that would translate well on stage. The whole recording process for Exile was daunting and stressful at times but for the most part we had a whole lot of fun making this record and we hope the listener enjoys it just as much.

Growing Up The kind of music my mum had playing 1. when I was a kid was anything from the Bee Gees to the Easybeats; Crowded House to Patsy Cline.... I’m yet to find any connection between myself and them so far, but I did find my connection with rap music through my friend Henry Hill, who shared with me a set of headphones and the long bus route home.

Mum showed me some cool shit but it was those bus trips from year seven onwards that really shaped my opinion and taste towards music.

2.

Inspirations I like to think I take from a whole range

of artists and genres when it comes to song writing, but most recently I’ve been checking for dudes like J.Cole and Kid Cudi.

Both are very different and they inspire me to write for different reasons, but they both have the ability to connect with the listener and let them in to their world in such a unique way. Outside of music, just getting around…new people, new places makes me wanna write.

Future Music’s techno sub-brand, The Likes Of You, returns in early July with the headline pairing of German techno figurehead Stephan Bodzin and Italy’s classically trained club convert Hugo. Bodzin, who cut his teeth producing with compatriot Marc Romboy, entertained crowds on his last tour of Australia with a series of outlandish live performances that featured a visual screen set up behind him so the crowd could see in real time how he operated his machinery. (That’s to be taken literally, incidentally.) This time around, Bodzin will raise the ante with the premier of his new ‘Re_ Lived’ show, which encompasses a panoply of visual and lighting effects along with three midi controllers, a kaoss pad, firebox, laptops and an assortment of other gadgets.

Bodzin and Hugo play the Arthouse Hotel, Pitt St, on Saturday July 2 with support from Murat Kilic, Ben Morris, Schwa, Diatribe, Bump DJs and others.

a whole bunch of dudes getting their name out there making the music that they wanna make. People aren’t as afraid or limited in their approach to writing music anymore and it’s paying off. Every year now you see the bar get raised and people from all corners are collaborating and supporting each others releases. Don’t get me wrong, there are some wizards out there still making wack shit, but we off that!

Your Band Yours truly, Jimmy Nice, and Nicholas 3.

Lupi make up Spit Syndicate with the

Who: Spit Syndicate

incomparable DJ Joyride towering over us when we play live. Between the three of us

Where: The Gaelic Club / Live At The Wall

K-OS @ OAF LIKES OF YOU

Music, Right Here, Right Now I believe that the scene is the healthiest it 5. has ever been, Sydney especially. There are

Trinidad born and Toronto-raised musician, emcee and producer, k-os (also known as Kheaven Brereton) will play a Splendour in the Grass sideshow at Oxford Art Factory on Wednesday August 4. k-os has been basking in the success of his fourth LP Yes!, and particularly the singles ‘I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman’, which featured Nelly Furtado and a sample of Phantom Planet’s ‘California’, and ‘4,3,2,1’ (hip hop’s response to Feist’s ‘1,2,3,4’).

With a musical ethos based on the mantra that “art should be like a comet – it should come out of nowhere and just smack people in the face,” you can bet k-os’ live show will pack a rather significant punch; in fact in light of this statement, you’d be advised to play it safe and bring a mouth guard! [Sigh].

When: July 24 / July 25

BOOKA SHADE

German electrohouse warriors Booka Shade are proving to us that they are the best thing to come out of Germany since the sprayon condom, with their fourth studio release More! out now.

The two dudes are worthy ambassadors for the party people, and they have not disappointed their legions of fans; the new album is one big sonic painting of a night out – with a more refined, multi-layered production. And if it couldn’t get any juicier, the album features a guest vocal spot from Yello, of ‘Oh Yeah’ fame. You know… that one song everyone remembered from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? We have three copies to give out - to get your hands on one tell us the name of Booka Shade’s 2008 album.

COMMON + KID CAPRI

The irrepressible Fizz returned to the journalistic frontline to cover the hip hop double bill of Common and Kid Capri scheduled for The Forum on Friday June 11. Take it away Fizz!

“One of hip hop’s most poetic and respected lyricists, having served up eight albums and numerous urban #1s alongside four Grammy nominations, Common needs little introduction. Likewise, Kid Capri has had his share of notoriety over the past few years as resident DJ on Russell Simmons ‘Def Comedy Jam’ - for better or worse he was “the first DJ to ever perform live DJ routines on TV”.” Succinct and punchy, that’s a throwback to the halcyon years of the Brag’s DMN circa December

BOUNDARY BONDS WITH...

DARA GILL,

MULTI-DISCIPLINED VISUAL ARTIST Which medium do you prefer and why?

I find it very hard to stick to one medium, and my choice of material changes as frequently as my ideas do. At the moment I’m really enjoying working with video as a tool for documentation of some of the taskbased performances I do.

Midnight Juggernauts

MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS RETURN

Stephan Bodzin

The Australian Musicians Co-operative is a free service run by artists for artists, intending “to reduce the cost, time and headaches of being a musician”. Well it seems they could well be putting paracetamol companies out of business, as the Coop have put together their first fundraising event at The Gaelic Theatre.

The event consists of a showcase of Sydney’s budding prodigies including London-born Emma Davis, bluegrass trio The Lurkers, and ecstatic folk vigilantes The Crooked Fiddle Band. To win a double pass to this May 20 gig, get on to the site australianmusicianscoop.org and tell us the name of an artist on their page.

With the Midnight Juggernauts’ long-awaited second album The Crystal Axis due to drop in the next fortnight, the three-piece have announced a series of solo shows over August in addition to their performance at Splendour in the Grass. The Juggers ought to be at their finely tuned peak for these shows as they follow on from a slew of high profile international festival dates including Bennicassim in Spain, the Exit Festival in Serbia and the Montreaux Jazz Festival; it seems that the Melbourne lads have well and truly arrived on the global stage. Their latest single ‘Vital Signs’ has made the cut for the NME’s ‘10 Tracks You Have To Hear This Week’, and is an apt forerunner for The Crystal Axis, a 50-minute symphony of grandiose synth-rock that was engineered

by Chris Moore, who’s also worked with TV on the Radio and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Midnight Juggernauts play The Forum on Friday August 20.

Where does your main source of inspiration come from?

My process is heavily research based; not much is left to process. At the moment my conceptual terrain deals with anxiety - so in this sense my reading of key writers on the topic becomes a critical framework that my work responds to. The other side to my research involves people. A key methodology in my developing practice is the Survey - situational based research where a subject responds to stimulus or a constructed environment, often with a visual outcome.

What can we expect to see at your first solo show?

Up until this year I haven’t felt ready to do a solo show. Group shows, collaborations and institutional education provide more than enough opportunities to stay busy and move forward. My first solo show at Firstdraft Gallery in August will be a continuation of my explorations into anxiety, with a majority of new pieces and a couple of expansions on previous work.

“Hold your devil by his spoke and spin him to the ground” – LAURA MARLING 18 :: BRAG :: 362 17:05:10

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 19

free stuff

dance music news welcome to the frontline: what’s goin’ on around town... With Chris Honnery onthefly.com.au

he said she said WITH

JACKIE MARSHALL

imagination. ‘The Boxer’ was a favourite S&G track; just thinking about it raises my pulse, even today.

I favour different musicians for different moments. A bit like Andy Warhol’s refrigerated perfume collection I tend to wear a record for a while and then put it away - and if I feel the urge to remember something during its rotational era, I put it back on again. Recently I’ve been re-visiting mid-late 90s hip hop, which apparently has something to do with some fin de planetary siècle my astrologer would be the better person to explicate. As far as inspirations go, I’m a wake-up-bolt-upright-in-the-middleof-the-night rip-it-out-of-the-ethers kind of girl.

Although I think I obligatorily wrote a tune once after listening Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska’.

I

grew up listening to the sound of my dad crying out passionately whenever the umpire made a wrong call. I grew up in Pineapple Land, I wasn’t born there.

Roundabout the age of ten I routed through my folks’ neglected Mantovanni Pops Orchestra vs. Neil Diamond collection, to find Simon & Garfunkel’s Sound Of Silence and Neil Young’s Harvest - apparently donated by a hipster uncle.

I would sit around on rainy days putting together 2000 piece jigsaws depicting some romantic Mediterranean port or another with those two records on maddening rotation, losing myself in plate reverb and my funky little ten-year-old

2008! GOLDFRAPP SIDESHOW Tickets to Goldfrapp’s Splendour in the Grass sideshow go on sale this Friday. The acclaimed UK duo, comprised of capricious diva Alison Goldfrapp and the reclusive Will Gregory, have reinvented their sound with each of their four albums, traversing folk, glam rock, electronic and pop influences in a back catalogue that includes memorable singles like ‘Strict Machine’, ‘Ooh La La’, ‘Train’, ‘Lovely Head’ and most recently ‘Rocket’. They are also known for a spectacular live show, as anyone who saw them at the Sydney Opera House in 2008 will attest to, so you’d be illadvised to miss out on tickets to their show at the Big Top at Luna Park on Thursday July 29.

JAY-Z HITS

Hip hop monolith Jay-Z will release his first greatest hits comp next month according to recently launched website jayzhitscollection.

The Black Alles Band, which features on Ladies’ Luck, is a prize collection of mostly Queensland-originating musicians.

It includes Chris Pickering, Greg Cathcart, Adrian Mauro, Ben Tolliday and well, quite a few too many generous souls to mention here unfortunately. I plan to tour with them later in the year. I’m very fortunate to be touring most of this record with Heath and his miraculous band The 45 as my backing band. They are sensitive, go all the way from 0 to 100 in the shake of an arse, and are a perfect accompaniment to what I do live. Those guys have been playing

com. The site is fairly Spartan, with only an audio player hinting at the track listing by featuring “Public Service Announcement”, ‘D.O.A.’, ‘Run This Town’, ‘Empire State of Mind’, and ‘Where I’m From’. With an apparent release date of June 29 you can expect more details to surface shortly – watch this space.

DISCO PUNX

Local brand Disco Punx returns to the Civic Underground for its next monthly installment on Friday May 21. This time around, Sydney 3-piece Bon Chat, Bon Rat will top the bill with a live performance of material from their recently released debut self-titled EP. In support, Slow Blow will be gracing the turntables for a two-hour set wedged in and around Disco Punx crew of Luke Yeah, Hentai and Chux. Cost is $10 on the door or a measly $8 presale through Resident Advisor, with doors open from 10pm.

Shapeshifter

together since they were kids, and it shows.

Ladies’ Luck is the name of my new album, the follow-up to my much gentler debut Fight n’Flight. Fight n’Flight was shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize ’06 alongside the likes of Augie March, The Drones, Sarah Blasko and a number of similarly excellent others. We are genre-tagging this album as “pineapple flavoured alt-deco rock’n’roll”. It’s loud and cheeky, blending 60s rock with an intimate but definitely not limp-wristed kind of arty country music. I’m pretty happy with it.

I love the Australian music scene; Sydney never fails to turn up the gold. According to at least one Government contracted organisation I currently live in the Inner West, and it is there that I go to catch most of my live music while in town. I often feel spoilt for choice and in fact, if I wasn’t on the job this Sunday you could probably find me anywhere from The Annandale to the Botany View to someone’s Petersham backyard soaking up some tunes while re-coating my fingernails and getting re-acquainted with some local brew or another.

Who: Jackie Marshall Where: Notes Live, Newtown When: Sunday May 23

JARVIS ATTENBOROUGH?!

New Zealand live breakbeat outfit Shapeshifter return to Australia on the back of their fourth LP, The System Is A Vampire. A five-strong line up both in the studio and on the stage, the Kiwi veterans have lost none of their salience over the past decade and retain a reputation for putting on a pulsating live show, with their Live at Christchurch Town Hall album capturing the troupe at their peak. Have a listen with the volume cranked well up in anticipation of their forthcoming performance at The Metro on Sunday June 13 (that’s the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend, so you have Monday to recover), with tix available through www.metrotheatre.com.au.

MATHESON

Hailing from the goldmining ghost town of Ballarat, Matheson is hitting the big smoke with their debut album These Are My Horses.

Matheson harness delicate country tones akin to Paul Kelly, which meld and interweave with a rock-immersed immediacy and the large sound of Kings of Leon.

Described as ‘Bob Dylan folk-bones under a country-stadium cloak’, these guys will have you swooning over a love-soaked ballad before suckerpunching you with a riff-laden rock number. We have five copies of These Are My Horses to give away – to get your hands on one, visit mathesonband.net.au and tell us the number of band members.

SECRET SOCIETY @ THE VANGUARD

There is now something to do on a Tuesday, apart from eating peanut butter out of the jar with a spoon while watching NCIS or CSI or SVU or some other crime-fighting acronym.

The Vanguard is starting up a monthly night – Secret Society – where the tables and chairs are cleared to make way for a night of dancing and debauchery featuring up-and-coming indie bands. Starting on May 25, the first night will have Guineafowl, Vacations, and the BMXicans on stage to make the young folk boogie. We have four double passes to share.

If you wanna come along tell us the address of the Vanguard…we forgot it.

Jarvis Cocker

The charismatic Jarvis Cocker, formerly of Britpop outfit Pulp, has delved into the realms of the obscure by producing the new album, National Trust: The Album.

The release is comprised solely of natural sounds including birdsong, crashing waves and crunching gravel recorded across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Apparently the album was commissioned following research from the National Trust (NT) that found that 88% of people say they find it easier to think when surrounded by natural sounds such as birdsong and the sea (they obviously didn’t poll Brag HQ). So while we miss out on Cocker’s trademark witty quips and catchy riffs, we do get what one of the NT’s directors has hailed as “the ultimate chill-out album”(!). Cocker himself describes the 13-track, 33-minute release as “a ‘holiday for the ears’. It’s not really meant to be listened to intently, like a piece of music, but more as something to have on in the background to aid relaxation or contemplation. Plus, you get to visit 13 National Trust properties in the space of 30 minutes.” Those curious can download “the ultimate chill-out album” at www.uniquefacilities.com/files/ nationaltrust.htm.

CLIVE HENRY

SHAPESHIFTER

FREESTUFF@THEBRAG.COM

Local crews Shrug and Chemistry have combined their considerable powers for a joint bash at The Civic Underground this Saturday May 22 with a headline set from veteran Englishman Clive Henry, one half of the now defunct duo Peace Division (along with Justin Drake). Henry pushes quality deep house, tribal tech sounds and techno sounds as one would expect from anyone who’s spun at notorious Ibiza day-club DC10. For any young sconies unaware of Peace Division, I assure you they were the real deal back in the day, pioneering and pushing tribal and deep house from ’94 onwards - and both Henry and Drake remain at the forefront of the club scene today. Also spinning will be local impresarios Robbie Lowe, Chemistry’s Jordan ‘all hands on’ Deck and Shrug’s Dave Stuart.

SHWAYZE

The LA hip hop pairing of Shwayze (a.k.a Aaron Smith) and Cisco Adler return to Australia for a series of dates that includes a show at Home Nightclub on Friday June 18. The pair broke through on the back of a string of hit singles such as ‘Buzzin’ that turned them into reality television

stars on MTV and landed them a slot on the Vans Warped Tour. Shwayze and Cisco released their sophomore album, Let It Beat, earlier in the year, with leadoff single, ‘Get U Home’, featuring in the ’09 film Sorority Row, which was criminally overlooked at the Academy Awards. Support comes from New Orleans hip-hop duo the Knux on their debut trip down under, with tickets on sale as of Thursday...

FLATTERED, BUT SPOKEN FOR

Finally a shout out to my apparent fan base at 3D World, who reprinted one of last week’s news items as the basis for an advertisement of deluded self-congratulation! Firstly, thanks for reading. Now, before you suggest that surely 3D World could find other material to fill out their publication, I would like to applaud the fellow street press for such a deft appropriation; indeed what is ironic in one context can easily be presented literally in another. Yet at the same time I’d discourage easy potshots as, for the sake of Sydney’s local music scene, it’s important to have competitive media. So I do invite the 3D editorial team to keep reading... from wherever they are these days.

“I’m not going to lie if you look in my eyes, wiping beer from your cheek and a tear from your eye” – LAURA MARLING 20 :: BRAG :: 362 17:05:10

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 21

Industrial Strength Industry Music News with Christie Eliezer

THINGS WE HEAR * Despite the trail of chaos in its inaugural run this year — the latest being that it will lose a $20,000 bond after gatecrashers, noise and moshpit trouble caused police to shut the event down in Perth — Supafest will return next year. * Ticketmaster was trying to explain why the final round of Powderfinger tickets were listed on eBay a day before they went on sale last week. Scalpers were asking $299 for tickets that went on sale for $108.40. * Neil Finn’s next album could be with his musician wife Sharon, following their

SPLENDOUR IN THE BLENDER Never a dull moment for the folks running Splendour In The Grass. After their 30,000 tickets were snapped up in five hours for its temporary site at Woodfordia, Byron Bay fans wondered if the festival would return to Byron. Co-organiser Jessica Ducrou quickly replied they are expecting Splendour to move to its 250 hectare Parklands site, near Yelgun for the 2011 event – they’re just waiting on approval from the NSW Department of Planning. Alas; on the same day, North Byron environmental and residential group Conservation of North Ocean Shores (CONOS) published a report that would support the push to stop the Yelgun site from becoming for a permanent rock festival. The report was handed over to the NSW Department of Planning. Scientists Andrew Benwell and David Scotts warned that the area could see chemicals added to water, that some species could be lost, while pests such as cane toads and rats would be attracted by garbage.

LILITH FAIR HEADING HERE The all-girl Lilith Fair tour is looking at becoming a global event — and plans to be in Australia in September, say co-founders Sarah McLachlan and her manager Terry McBride in The Advocate. They said the tour would also visit the UK in October, and Japan and Asia early next year. The Australian run could include Missy Higgins and Kate Miller-Heidke.

BUDGET 1: FUNDING BOOST FOR TOURING In last week’s Budget, funding for the 2010– 11 Contemporary Music Touring Program was

endless jam sessions at home after their two sons moved out. They’re calling themselves The Pyjama Party. Finn turns 52 during Crowded House’s Euro tour. * On Art vs Science’s first visit to London, keyboardist Jim Finn was robbed of £100 and his mobile phone, and left with a bloody nose. * The Kills’ Jamie Hince has formed a new band featuring his gal pal Kate Moss. * Iggy Pop has the ugliest face in showbiz, according to 1,300 people polled by cosmetic surgery advice group The Good Surgeon Guide. Cher, Dead or Alive’s Pete Burns and Iron Man 2 star Mickey Rourke also made the top ten.

increased. It gets emerging acts on the road to regional areas, who normally don’t get live shows. The government will also provide $260 000 over three years for CONTROL: The Business of Music Management - an intensive training program to improve the business skills of music industry managers.

BUDGET 2: AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FUNDING The government will provide ongoing base funding to the Australia Council of $686.6 million over four years. It will also provide funding of $3.2 million over two years for the Australia Business Arts Foundation— although the grant has been unchanged for eight years, and hence represents a decline in real terms.

BUDGET 3: AUSTRALIAN FILM REBATE Film companies continue to get a rebate of 15% of their costs — something the music biz has been wanting too, to attract more investment.

ENOUGH DOUGH FOR EMI EMI Group owner Terra Firma Capital Partners has raised investors’ approval to raise £105 million, so as not to default on its repayment to Citigroup, due on June 12.

Citibank holds more than £3 billion of EMI debt and had appointed a restructuring adviser, in case it has to take control of EMI. Sony last week denied it was in talks to buy EMI, saying its CEO Rolf Schmidt-Holtz was misquoted.

METALLICA SHIFTS 215 000 IN OZ Metallica has now shifted 215 000 tickets in Australia, after Perth dates went on sale last Thursday and sold out in 20 minutes. This makes theirs the fastest selling arena tour in 2010, with 13 shows going in an hour. The excitement is swelling across the pond. After their NZ shows sold out in 20 minutes, Air New Zealand said it would fly 120 fans from Christchurch to the show in Auckland for $1.

SOUNDWAVE OUT OF ADELAIDE Soundwave Festival promoter A.J. Maddah has pulled out of taking the festival to Adelaide next year. He says that Adelaide City Council wants a % of each ticket sold and also charge the same rent for the days the promoters set up the stage and then tear it down as for show days — a rise of 1100%. “(The) rest of country is already subsidising (the) Adelaide (show),” Maddah tweeted.

22 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

DIVORCE OF THE WEEK

[V] AND MTV BATTLE AT ASTRAS

David Lee Roth is getting a divorce. Problem is, he doesn’t know the woman who’s divorcing him. He said Jo Ann Fonzone of Allentown, PA. can’t produce photos of herself with Roth or a marriage certificate; she says she left them in California when she left Roth in 1993. She also claims in court documents that Roth used her Social Security number to gain a $50 million credit line. Since 1997, Fonzone has filed 20 lawsuits and complaints about others.

Music channels Channel [V] and MTV duke it out at the ASTRA pay-TV awards. [V]’s ‘Big Day Out Li[v]e’ is up for Music Program (alongside [V] and MAX’s ‘Sound Relief’ and MTV’s coverage of the 2009 ‘ARIA Red Carpet’), and Use of Innovation in Programming. ‘Sound Relief’ is also up for Favourite Program. [V]’s Danny Clayton is nominated for two categories — Outstanding Performance by a Presenter, as well as Favourite Personality alongside MTV’s Ruby Rose and Jimmy Barnes. ‘My First Gig’ is a contender for Light Entertainment Program.

NEW SIGNING #1: LG SPONSORS A DAY ON THE GREEN LG Electronics signed on to become sponsor of Roundhouse Entertainment’s A Day On The Green winery concert series for the next three years. “For LG, ‘A Day On The Green’ beautifully reinforces our ‘Life’s Good’ brand values, and gives us a chance to share that with hundreds of thousands of our consumers all around Australia,” says LG’s Corporate Marketing Manager, Mark Nesci.

The deal was brokered through Waterfront Entertainment Marketing, which has created a multi dimensional marketing platform around the events including major brand positioning, consumer engagement, trade and sales promotions, and a range of above and below the line activities.

NEW SIGNING #2: WONS PHREELY AT IVY LEAGUE Ivy League has added Wons Phreely (real name: Justin Wonsley Snowball) to its roster.

After releasing his The Rules Of Nature EP, Wons lived for 18 months in London, Berlin and upstate New York. His first single with Ivy League, ‘The World Has A Bank Account’, is out this week.

NEW SIGNING #3: NATIVE TONGUE SCORES PHILLY JAYS Native Tongue signed Philadelphia Grand Jury. Started by childhood buddies, Berkfinger & MC Bad Genius, the Philly Jays lineup now includes 54 year-old African dynamo drummer, Calvin. They are currently based in London promoting the UK and US release of debut album Hope is For Hopers and secured a single release for ‘The Good News’ through Beggars imprint Too Pure. Speaking from Native Tongue’s London office Jaime Gough said, “(They are) one of the best live bands around. The feedback from our US and UK affiliates has been amazing.”

SCHOOL STUDENTS GET “PASS” TO BIZ About 200 high school students get the chance to learn from songwriters and musicians during a day-long workshop called “Backstage Pass” at APRA’s Song Summit.

Held June 20, the panels of 20 mentors will be led by John Foreman. These include hip hop, vocals, drums, music business, songwriting, bass, audio engineering, guitar, keys and event production. Following the program, students will do a live performance.

Mentors include “Australian Idol” vocal coach Erana Clark, Rai Thistlethwayte (Thirsty Merc) Qld band Finabah and guitarist Peter Northcote. Matthew Priestley and Toby Finlayson from Desert Pea Media will mentor 15 students on how to use the language of hip hop and rhyme to advocate awareness of youth social issues. See www.songsummit. com.au.

SENATE: VENUES SHOULD PROVIDE EAR PLUGS Music venues would have to hand out ear plugs and put up warning signs where music is loud enough to cause hearing loss, recommends a Senate committee to the Health Department. One in six Aussies suffer hearing loss, due to aging and to loud noise, causing $11.75 billion a year in medical bills and lost wages. The committee found that personal music players and music venues do the most damage. The committee also advocated the Australian Government fund a research study into the long-term impacts of exposure to personal music players.

Life lines Expecting: Noel Gallagher and partner Sara MacDonald in September: if it’s a boy, it’ll be called Carlos after Manchester City soccer player Carlos Tevez.

Marrying: Bobby Brown proposed onstage in Jacksonville, Florida, to his girlfriend of three years, manager Alicia Etheridge. They have a son, Cassius, 11 months.

Recovering: Billy Zoom, guitarist with LA punkoids X, from prostate cancer.

Shot: Jamaican dancehall performer Mad Cobra (best known song ‘Flex’), three times at his home on the outskirts of the capital of Kingston.

Released: Rapper Gucci Mane from an Atlanta jail, after serving six months for violating his probation on an assault charge.

Fined: singer/broadcaster RickiLee Coulter, $200, for driving an unregistered and uninsured car in Brisbane in March.

In Court: Atem Isaac Chol, 22, pleaded guilty in Perth Magistrate’s Court to striking a 21-year woman in the face with the heel of her stiletto during a fight outside Subiaco’s Sapphire Club. The victim lost a tooth and six stitches to her lip.

Died: Music technology pioneer Walter Sear, 80, in New York. He designed the tuba, and helped Robert Moog with the design of the moog synthesizer.

Died: Jazz singer Lena Horne (“Stormy Weather”), 92, who triumphed over the bigotry that allowed her to entertain white audiences but not socialise with them.

Secret Sounds presents

Special Guests BOY & BEAR and JOHNNY FLYNN

nd 2

MON AUG METRO THEATRE Tickets from Metro Theatre, Ph 9550 3666 or www.metrotheatre.com.au; Ticketek outlets, Ph 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

I SPEAK BECAUSE I CAN OUT NOW ON EMI

www.lauramarling.com

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 23

By Alasdair Duncan

The Dabbler

T

he first time I interviewed James Murphy it was the middle of 2007 and Sound Of Silver had just been released to near-universal acclaim. A collection of driving disco tracks with lyrics themed around growing older (if not wiser), it was equal parts melancholy and defiance - and though it had only been out a few months at the time, it already sounded like a classic. I’d always thought of Murphy as the kind of guy who would just keep on making records forever, but when I asked if he saw LCD Soundsystem as a long-term prospect, his answer took me by surprise.

“It’s not necessarily about wrapping LCD up,” he tells me, “I feel really lucky; we’ve been given a lot of great support and there’s really no other band I’d rather be in. It’s become more of a job than I want, though – it’s a job I love but it’s still more of a job than I want it to be. The band was always supposed to be a thing I did in addition to a lot of other things – running DFA Records, producing things, designing new equipment – but after eight or nine years, I realised it was taking up all my time.”

We’d been talking about the writer Philip Roth, a life-long favourite of his and mine; when considering his own career, Murphy said that he was not single-minded enough to devote his entire life to one thing in the same way. “I’m a dabbler,” he said to me, “I tend to get involved in things and do them very whole-heartedly, but at a certain point, I get the hankering to do something different. One day I’m going to die, but in the mean time, I’d like to surf, train as a kick-boxer, write a book. If I just kept making records and going on tour for the rest of my days, it would start to feel very rote. I think even two albums in, I feel a little bit itchy.”

“I don’t like to do things halfway,” he continues. “I like to do the best job I can, and to do that with LCD Soundsystem basically means I don’t really get to do anything else. We’ve been a band that makes records and videos and singles and goes on tour, but I’d like to not do that anymore after this. I’m excited about the tour, but I think after this, I think I’d like to go back to the way things were at the beginning - just releasing the odd single here and there while doing other stuff.”

Three years on and it seems the itch has gotten the better of him. Days after the announcement that he had completed work on the third LCD Soundsystem album This Is Happening, Murphy announced that in all likelihood it would be the band’s last - he would be wrapping things up for good after one last round of touring and promotion. Although I’m glad that Murphy will finally get to write that book or take that kick-boxing class, as a fan, the idea of no more LCD Soundsystem records makes me, well, pretty sad. When I speak to Murphy again, I remind him of that first interview, and ask him why he chose this point to wrap things up?

“We had an idea to go to LA,” he tells me, “but when we got there, we kind of created an LA of our own. We rented an amazing beat-up mansion and put our gear in it, rather than going to a studio. Everybody came, and people lived there on and off. Sometimes we’d have as many as fifteen or twenty there. It was incredible, kind of like a dream.”

Though he surrounded himself with people to create this album, Murphy didn’t really collaborate with them to any great extent.

“The way I work with people is that I pretty much just hang out with them,” he says. “We talk about stuff – we don’t even really talk about the music, just about things we like and things we care about – then they go and I get back to work.”

“I want to do some normal life stuff, like have a garden, and I’d like to go surfing sometimes.

I’d like to read more and get back to writing a bit more, which I miss.”

If This Is Happening does turn out to be the band’s last full-length release, at least Murphy can say that he ended things on a high-note.

A sprawling affair, it’s the most melodic of all three LCD albums - and also the saddest, with echoes of David Bowie, Roxy Music and Iggy Pop woven into its pristine electronic fabric. Half of the album was made in Murphy’s native New York, and the other half in Los Angeles, but not in all that straightforward a fashion.

If Murphy’s approach to collaboration is uncommon, his method of writing songs is even more so. “There’s a bunch of different processes that are all wildly unrelated,” he tells me. “Some songs start as an idea – I’ll hear them in my head and try and write down all the instruments I hear, figure out the notes, then I’ll really quickly try and record them. Other times, it’s more theoretical. I’ll say, okay, I’d like to have a song with a very long synthesiser intro and a guitar that rises out of it, or I’ll have a song where I feel like I want a quiet intro and a very loud outro. I’ll just come up with formulas, and think of them as projects or problems to solve.

Other times I’ll have a beat and just play stuff on top of it and see what happens.”

Sometimes, a heavy dose of sleeping pills can help, too. ‘Somebody’s Calling Me’ – the song,

which echoes Iggy Pop’s classic ‘Nightclubbing’ - was written mostly in Murphy’s sleep. “I had a piano and a drum machine and a guitar with a little amplifier and a recorder in my bedroom with me, so that if I woke up in the middle of the night, I would work on things,” he says. “I was having kind of a shitty time at the house and took a sleeping pill – I remember kind of fiddling around in the middle of the night and recording drum machine and piano parts, and when I woke up I liked what I was doing, so I set about getting it done quickly. I worked on the song all through the night because I was obsessed with getting it finished before I went back to bed, and about three or four hours in, I realised it sounded ‘Nightclubbing’-ish - but it didn’t really bother me. I was just so excited about the big, huge synth sound I had made.”

So what does Murphy plan to do when his time with LCD is up, I wonder? “I want to do some more work with DFA Records,” he says. “I really want to produce more – I have a lot of friends who make music and I really want to work with them but I just never have the time. I want to do some normal life stuff, like have a garden, and I’d like to go surfing sometimes. I’d like to read more and get back to writing a bit more, which I miss a lot.” It’s a dumb question to end on, but I wonder, has James Murphy read any good books lately?

“I just finished Consider The Lobster by David Foster Wallace,” he says, “and now I’m reading a book on grammar, on the use and misuse of the English language. There are a couple of things I don’t know too much about, and grammar’s definitely one of them. I find it interesting, I like language.”

Who: LCD Soundsystem What: This Is Happening is out now Where: Splendour In The Grass, Woodford When: July 30 – August 1

“In the breaking of the morning you’ll be dancing on the soft lawn” – LAURA MARLING 24 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

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Cloud Control Blissing Out By Amelia Schmidt

W

hen I sit down to talk to Alister Wright and Heidi Lenffer Drynan from Cloud Control, I’m struck suddenly by a memory of the first time I heard their charming melodies - at an intimate Sydney Uni Night Markets show, on a makeshift stage a couple of years back. “Woah!” exclaims Alister happily. “Out the front of the bank?” I nod. Like any local interested in the indie music scene, I’ve seen more than a few magical Cloud Control gigs. “Ah, I really enjoyed that show,” Heidi says. “I wore a good dress that night.”

You’d think that a band who’ve toured with the likes of Leader Cheetah, Yves Klein Blue and of course Vampire Weekend wouldn’t be caught dead doing such a show these days; but Al and Heidi both agree that they probably would.

They’re down to earth, unpretentious and lovely people, proud but humble in the face of the phenomenal success of their band.

It’s been a few years since that little show, but the band’s first full-length album was only just released last week. Bliss Release is a definitive recording of some of Cloud Control’s past hits, along with some excellent new material. But it’s been a long time coming. “We spend ages on

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songs,” explains Heidi. “A really long time, months and months and months. When songs first start getting worked on we usually work on getting them up for the next live show. We often end up writing and arranging to suit a live sound.”

With so many shows over the years, the songs eventually came together – but recording them opened Cloud Control’s mind to a whole new realm of sounds. “When it came to the recording process there was a lot of re-jigging to do to figure out how it would translate with lots of layers; layers that we can’t achieve live.”

“There are so many extra little things that just all add up to give it another layer of goodness that we just can’t play live,” agrees Al. “We’re getting there now, though. We’ve bought some tricky tricks like little boxes and things.” Heidi laughs and explains: “Boxes that replicate Alister, really.

And this is the first time we’re going to be touring with two guitar amps, which means there’s more sounds that Alister can produce, which is good.

So we’re slightly changing our live sound of late.”

I’m interested to know how much they’ve been involved with the techy ins and outs of production after all this talk of tricky tricks. “We worked pretty closely with Liam,” says Al. He’s talking about the album’s producer, Liam Judson from Belles Will Ring. “We worked at his house, his parents house actually, and I was going up there quite a lot. I was just kind of doing mixes and stuff to kind of show him the ideas we were looking for and he’d go in and do his thing. And then… results!”

“There are so many extra little things [on the record] that we just can’t play live. We’re getting there now, though. We’ve bought some tricky tricks...”

There’s a delightful local music culture that surrounds the band, whose members can be found at gigs each weekend, supporting the scene and their musical friends and family – Al’s brother Doug fronts indie-electro-pop trio We Say Bamboulee. “There’s definitely some really cool bands in Sydney at the moment,” says Al. “Bamboulee, obviously, I really like. And I really like WIM as well.” Heidi gushes over WIM live, but mentions she hasn’t managed to hear a recording yet. “Oh my gosh, their recordings are so cool,” says Al excitedly. “What’s that one song that kicks ass? ‘Diamond’? Oh my god, that’s awesome. I really like Danimals, and Seekae, too, and Belles Will Ring. They’ve got a new single coming out, too!”

On their album tour, Cloud Control will be taking Sydney friends Richard In Your Mind around with them on a 15 date national trip. “RIYM are really great,” says Heidi. “We’ve played with them a few times. They’ve got a different thing going on now. Richard kind of raps a bit in the songs, which he did a little before, but now it’s got a fuller sound because Conrad’s on the synth bringing the beats in. It’s really enjoyable seeing little Richard rapping away. He’s got some real solid beats.”

But with some big local names like Philadelphia Grand Jury going overseas recently, Al and Heidi have to think about what happens to Cloud Control after this tour. “I think what bands do in Australia is they seem to do the national rounds, supporting people for a while, and then hopefully they’ve got enough fans for a headline tour, and then they just pack up and go overseas,” says Heidi. “Once you reach that, there’s nothing much else to do except go overseas and come back and play the Enmore.” Cloud Control’s lead single ‘Gold Canary’ got solid airplay on BBC 6, where it was voted ‘Single of the Week’ by listeners. So is the band planning to disappear abroad as well?

“There’s no specific, logistical, organisational thought,” Heidi says, “But there’s dreams.”

“We’re going to London in a few months,” Al says, with a look at Heidi. “But it’s depending on if we get a grant... I mean, we’d better - because we have shows booked, and a festival!” Heidi adds, “They can’t tell us ‘til the end of May and the shows are in July. It doesn’t give us a lot of time to buy tickets!” But theirs is a band of loyal patriots, at least a little reticent to defect so quickly. “Australia’s pretty great,” smiles Al. “I love Sydney. There are lots of good bands here.”

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Robert Forster The Lyrical Legacy By Mike Gee

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obert Forster’s last solo album was called The Evangelist. For a while the title slid by me, but a few months back while listening to The Go-Betweens’ Spring Hill Fair, it all made sense. You see, there’s never been a more sublime songwriting partnership in Australian music than Forster and Grant McLennan. Forster as the tall, correct, droll and dry, svelte gentleman, perfectly poised and correct; McLennan shorter, toned, laidback, quick-witted and casual. Both supreme storytellers; both supreme lyricists. When Grant died so unexpectedly in 2006, the story of this splendid partnership and its celebration of - and impact on both pop and Australian music ended too early.

I first met Robert Forster in 1988, on a tour associated with 16 Lovers Lane. In the previous seven or eight years the Go-Betweens had produced a canon that had NME drooling and Robert Christgau, that doyen of US writers, declaring the pair “the greatest songwriting partnership working today”. By the time I next met Robert, I was a full convert to the church of the Go-Betweens. Nervously, I turned up to chat about his 1994 collection of covers, I Had A New York Girlfriend. He was decked out perfectly, as usual:

suit, cravat, shiny polished shoes, sitting in a highbacked wood chair, perfectly straight, upright. He was dauntingly formal. He was daunting. He could have been an evangelist.

Sixteen years later he’s still daunting - and with the passing of Grant, Robert has branched out. Yes, there’s that solo album, but there’s also a book. The 10 Rules Of Rock and Roll collects together some of his writings as a music critic, and adds a few new ones to the mix. He’s been gaining a name for himself as a regular columnist - so much so he’s been invited to the Sydney Writers’ Festival, to play live and be interviewed by Toby Martin from Youth Group.

At home in Queensland, he’s a busy talker. He always has been. Words are perfectly pronounced, the sentences often manicured, the accent slightly British. “I’ve been doing things you can’t see,” he says. “I’ve been writing songs. I did the book - we’re doing a deluxe edition with four songs from artists I reviewed in the book.

“I’m also writing for the Monthly [an Australian essay magazine published 11 times a year], and some other things. I’m enjoying life. It’s busy. It’s good. It’s good to be doing something else other than writing songs. It’s good to split the brain and split my time. Would you believe, it’s five years now since I started writing the columns and critical pieces.”

In 2006, Robert was awarded the Pascal Prize for Critical Writing, with his work anthologized in New York’s Best Music Writing 2007, and The Best Australian Essays 2009.

Robert is also producing two Brisbane bands – The John Steele Singers and Halfway. Both are a perfect fit for him. “The John Steel Singers are in their mid-20s, six in the band, quite eclectic, brass, keyboards, guitars, lots of singing, adventurous pop.

Halfway are more like a country bar band. An eightpiece … that can be quite difficult to wield in the studio. Things can get a little congested. But we’re doing well.”

While he’s pursuing other laneways, he’s still got an eye on the next solo outing - although he stresses that he’s not on an album-every-two-years cycle any more. “And I don’t think I should be,” he says, righteously and Robertly. “I’ll give it another year and see where we are then. I am still writing songs though; I can say that I already have a clutch of really, really good songs for the next album. It was lovely going into the studio and doing those songs for the book as well.”

“I’m enjoying life. It’s busy. It’s good. It’s good to be doing something else other than writing songs.”

A Queenslander to the core, he’s written a few songs about surfing along the way. None are better than ‘Surfing Magazines’ for The Go-Betweens comeback album, The Friends of Rachel Worth - with a melody that puts the sand between your toes and keeps the water lapping at the frayed hems of that pair of faded Lee Cooper jeans. “As a Queenslander I’m fond of the beach,” he says, “but not as fond as other Queenslanders. You are right though; I have written a few surfing songs. They are part of my background. When I was surfing, in the mid-70s, there wasn’t a surfing cult then. You were just living it; at least that’s the way it felt to me. It wasn’t until the 90s that there was a momentum and realisation of a surfer culture. I think it had been there all along but it became bigger, more obvious.”

Naturally enough, our conversation swings to 1970s Australian surfing films and albums, particularly the film Morning of the Earth - which was revived a few years back. Principal among the writers and performers on the soundtrack was G. Wayne Thomas, whose ‘Open Up Your Heart’ was a seminal moment on the score. “He’s the forgotten man,” Robert says. “I’m very interested in him.” It sets off a chain of memories of other 70s psych and surf greats - Tully, Tamam Shud, Pirana, Blackfeather to name a few. Forster is deeply interested in them all, and even wants a report on how the Midnight Oil/Violent Femmes collective The Break is sounding. He’s positively bursting with enthusiasm and energy.

“Well why not!” he says. “I’m going to the UK with the book for a couple of shows in July. The [commemorative] Go Between bridge in Brisbane is being opened. I keep writing for the Monthly. It’s a very, very satisfying time. I’m full of beans.”

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28 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

Who: Robert Forster In Concert What: Sydney Writers’ Festival When: Friday May 21 Where: Sydney Theatre

Rat VS Possum The Sonic Wilderness By Alex Young

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Photo by Nicola Trethowan

he image that comes with the name ‘Rat Vs Possum’ isn’t really all that inviting. To be honest I’m imagining some kind of fucked-up cult where humans feast their eyes on a vicious battle between two relatively filthy animals; and I’m mildly bemused at the thought of speaking with one of the purveyors of such an image. But when I do talk with a member of the Melbourne band, vocalist Daphne Shum, she‘s not at all the kind of crazy I was expecting. In fact she is perfectly sane, doesn’t give off the vibe that she endorses animal brutality and, like me, is heading to university classes after our conversation – another welcome symbol of normalcy.

If you’re familiar with the five-piece, you’ll understand such a wild vision. Coming together in 2008, the jungle-meets-acid-pop five-piece have generated a buzz about a live experience that invites the audience into the weird and wonderful world that is Rat Vs Possum. Constant gigging over the past 12 months at residencies, house parties and warehouses has seen the band adopt countless vibrant aesthetics, from projecting 3D rainbows to covering an entire venue in bubble wrap before performing. Their reputation for a knockout experience exploded faster than the bubbles, but rather than employing some grand concept about live performance, Daphne explains that it’s more about just making it epic.

and structure are still at the front of their minds; they are a band to be taken seriously. “Our music is definitely not concept music at all. I mean, at the time [of recording] we wouldn’t have thought, oh animals, and fruit, and colourful aesthetic…

“I guess we don’t just want to be known as a novelty act,” Daphne continues. “People always use tags like ‘jungle’ and ‘tribal’ to describe our music, but we always just thought of our songs as pop songs. We really want to have that kind of blissful, static kind of pop sound, and naturally through our own personal performances our live show is quite aggressive and energetic. I guess we wanted to capture the pop element of that…

We’re really just intent on writing good songs that we’re proud of.”

Who: Rat Vs Possum What: Daughter Of Sunshine is out now on Sensory Projects When: May 28 / May 29 Where: St Petersburg (St Peters) / Dirty Shirlows (Marrickville)

“People always use tags like ‘jungle’ and ‘tribal’ to describe our music, but we always just thought of our songs as pop songs... We’re really just intent on writing good songs that we’re proud of.”

“Whenever we have an idea that we’re inspired by, we always like to take it to the most extreme conclusion. Like the time we did the bubble wrap, it really started off with Matt just sitting around at the warehouse where he was just popping bubble wrap in his hand. He was like ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to cover the whole venue in bubble wrap so that people would be walking all over it!’ And I was like, ‘That’s a cool idea!’ It’s definitely not a concept; it’s just that whenever we’re really passionate about something, we like to take it to the extreme.”

Extreme is certainly the word. Since they formed in 2008, the group have jumped from opposite ends of the spectrum as they grew from amused party-starters to signed recording artists; their debut LP Daughter of Sunshine was released this month. With backgrounds ranging from makeup artistry to web design, the band came together after a series of random gigs at parties that saw members of different bands slowly come together.

Friends have described their early shows as “terrible”, and Daphne concedes that music wasn’t always a serious plan. “It did just start out as a bit of a joke,” she admits. “Being silly and coming up with really silly and stupid lyrics, funny riffs - it just kind of made us laugh! But it just slowly became a more serious project. We decided that we were going to work really hard, put a lot of effort into it, and really try and have a good output of songs and constantly write new material. And constantly perform, so that it wasn’t just every fourth of fifth gig that was good, it was every gig that was good rather than just us fucking around.”

The months of hard work have paid off - released this month, critics are already impressed with the sound of Rat Vs Possum. Although short in length, Daughter of Sunshine is a sonic journey, travelling through a dreamy haze that embeds nature references, group chants and dreamy pop hooks. And while the buzz has been on their live performances, when they recorded the group was adament they’d find the balance between their trademark warehouse gigs and the desire to create the pop music that they envisioned. “I think people have been a little bit surprised at how pop [the album] is; people are used to our live shows being quite aggressive and sonically wild. But we deliberately aimed to make an album that wasn’t necessarily just encapsulating the live show, so that it was altogether something different.”

There is clearly a desire amongst the band to be seen beyond the most distinct elements of their sound. While thunderous off-beat drumming, animal references and exhilarating chanting make the term ‘tribal’ impossible to avoid, Rat Vs Possum are wary of such imagery overwhelming their overall idea about music. Despite the grandeur and frivolity they exude, song writing BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 29

Last Dinosaurs The Start Of Something By Birdie

“S

ometimes a little passiveaggressiveness goes a long way,” jokes Last Dinosaurs’ drummer Dan Koyama. He’s talking about his band’s time in the recording studio with Jono Ma of the Lost Valentinos. Helping to shape the up-andcoming Brisbane indie-rockers distinctive, heavier-than-usual sound, Ma took the role of producer on Last Dinosaurs’ forthcoming debut EP Back From The Dead, and offered the fourpiece a tip or two.

“Jono totally took us under his wing,” chuffs Koyama. “But it was such a surreal experience too. For one, we’ve never had anyone critique our music, positive or negative, and on top of that, we’ve never had someone like Jono comment on it! I don’t even know how we hooked it all up, I think our A&R guy was just throwing around some producer names and we liked the sound of Jono. …He was nice enough to sort out a time, and he came down to Byron Bay to record us after working on some of our songs in Brisbane first.” Koyama concedes it was challenging to hear what someone else had to say about their music, but at the end of the day it was a welcomed opinion. “That’s part of the reason you get a producer into the studio.”

And while Ma was by no means the pushy

type, Koyama claims the Lost Valentinos guitarist did offer some advice that guided Last Dinosaur in directions the band had never considered before. “We ended up making a few drastic changes to some of the songs,” admits Koyama. “As much as the record was ours, it was also Jono’s work going into this EP - and so it’s natural that he had to be completely honest in his thoughts. The track ‘Saturn’ used to be a really different song at first. It was a lot more angular and it had a big rock guitar element to it, but now it’s turned into a really smooth, flowing kind of song.”

This seems to have been the general result of the process – as Koyama says, a lot of the songs started out with that more jaunty feel, but have been toned down since. “We didn’t clash with Jono or anything, we respect him quite a bit, so it wasn’t like, ‘don’t diss our tracks, fuck off!’ … We realise that it’s a give-and-take process. He was more passiveaggressive than anything, like, ‘well, you could do that or whatever, but I don’t really like it…’ It’s much better than being told, ‘no, you can’t do that’ - and we do realise there are producers out there that could have been a lot worse in that respect!”

According to Koyama, having the opportunity to work with a member of the Lost Valentinos

has served as quite a turning point for Last Dinosaurs in general. Not only has the band decided to take itself a lot more seriously with the release of the new EP, but so has the rest of the Australian music industry – the band will be making a grand appearance at this year’s Splendour In The Grass. “It’s an unbelievable achievement for us,” enthuses Koyama. “Even only a couple of years ago, I never would have considered something like that to ever be a part of my life. Having a band was always something I wanted to do, but I never thought we’d achieve what we have on this scale, at least not in such a short amount of time.”

Splendour’s a big deal – but actually, Dan’s more nervous about their headline tour.

“When you’re opening up for someone else, there’s a lot less pressure… You know that there’s always going to be someone else after you (not to say that you play half-heartedly, though). But this time, that’s it! We’re the last band you’re going to see!” We’re sure they’ll do just fine…

Who: The Last Dinosaurs What: Back From The Dead is out now When: May 28 / May 29 Where: Ivanhoe Hotel, Manly / Spectrum, Sydney

Big Scary Not Actually Scary At All By Oliver Downes

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wo things about Melbournite two-piece Big Scary. Firstly, their name is charmingly inapt - containing all the solemn-eyed intensity of a child passing judgement on a thunderstorm. Secondly, they are versatile, ambitious, assured, and well and truly on the make – they just landed the national support slot for Midlake’s Splendour sideshows.

Those Darlins Raw ‘N Raucous By Mikey Carr

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ennessee’s Those Darlins aren’t a band to waste too much time on appearances; or as Nikki Darlin puts it, “We don’t care how cool we look, we just don’t give a crap.” Made up of the three sisters of circumstance Nikki, Kelley and Jessi Darlin, Those Darlins fuse together the reflective lyricism and guitar twang of country music with the visceral energy of punk rock and the catchiness of early Beatles. Confused?

Imagine what Patsy Cline would sound like if she played with The Stooges as her backing band.

It’s a one-two punch of infectious songs and wild live shows that’s been winning over crowds across the US. “On stage I’ll throw myself around and spit beer on my band mates or whatever,” Nikki Darlin tells me over the phone from her backyard bonfire in Murfreesboro. “We’re seriously just a band who love to have fun.

“We want to have just as much fun at our shows as anyone else is going to have,” Nikki explains of their fun equals fun philosophy. “I think the more fun we have, the more fun everyone else has. I mean, when I go out I don’t want to go see a band go play and look bored on stage.”

Now while ‘fun’ and ‘country music’ are often seen as mutually exclusive terms nowadays, Those Darlins are set on bringing back the rough, ready and usually drunken attitude that made raw country music great in the first place. “We’re mainly influenced by the older era of country music, that’s really what we draw from - not what you hear on the radio now, that’s just pop music with some fiddles or whatever in the background,” Nikki informs me. “It’s just all really overproduced, it’s not raw like country music should be.”

With songs about getting caught drink driving and eating whole BBQ chickens out of the fridge after a night on the tiles, Those Darlins back catalogue is sort of like the sonic equivalent of a slaughterhouse. “What we are singing about isn’t bullshit made up about some fantastical country

lifestyle, as if that’s how we were raised. We actually grew up poor, struggling and wanting to be musicians and artists and that’s what we were really inspired by. We care about being honest and raw.”

The real question though is why. Why are Those Darlins so opposed to the pretention and coolerthan-thou mentality that seems inescapable in today’s music scene? The simple answer is, they were never part of it. “I think it’s cool that we got to be completely removed and not know what’s hip, I think that helps us make music that is completely true and raw and from the bottom of our hearts, and stupid senses of humour.”

Since their first live show in 2006, Those Darlins have been touring relentlessly across the US, wowing audiences at the South By South West music conference in Austin Texas as well as garnering praise from everyone from Vice Magazine to The New York Times for their self titled 2009 debut. “It is kind of surreal,” Nikki says amidst nervous laughter. “Sometimes it really blows my mind just thinking about where we’re at compared to when it was just us playing music on the front porch, not being a band, and just learning harmonies for the first time with each other.”

Big Scary formed back in 2008 after Tom Iansek (guitar, piano, vocals) and Jo Syme (drums, guitar, ukulele, vocals) returned to Australia after six months of invigorating European moochings.

Shaken out of their holding patterns – travel was “an eye opening experience” says Tom – the pair set about “mucking around” with music with a renewed sense of possibility.

The results are eclectic, the band sailing through bright, heady waters where defining choices have yet to be made - and each new song is an entity unto itself. Their EP At the Mercy of the Elements mixed crunchy garage (‘Hey Somebody’) with piano-driven indie (‘Falling Away’) while their new release Autumn veers into Bon Iver-inflected folk. So, what’s the go?

“I guess we’re trying to figure that out for ourselves” says Tom. “We write parts based on what it feels like the song should have. We sort of mix it up as much as we can and try and make it fun for ourselves, and squeeze as much out of being a two piece as we can.”

‘Squeeze in as much as fits’ may as well be the band motto, with ‘ain’t nothin’ gonna stop us!’ running in close second. With At the Mercy of the Elements only released in February, the band has already moved onto bigger things – The Autumn EP just came out, the first in a planned set of four, with one for each season slated for release over the course of 2010.

“The idea of nature is a bit of a recurring theme in our music and my lyrics,” explains Tom. “We

recorded [At the Mercy of the Elements] during a week of crazy weather at the end of last year – fire, rain, dust storms and hail, all at the same time, all over the country. I suppose that’s where the four seasons idea stemmed from originally.”

It’s a lovely idea that’s off to a promising start.

While B-side ‘Microwave Pizza’ is a finely crafted miniature, reflective of the self-disclosed influence of Bon Iver on the songwriter, ‘Autumn’ is a warm and wistful piece of pop, suggesting bracing mornings with a nip in the air - as well as a certain precipitatory nursery rhyme…

“I’m definitely a cold weather person” says Tom. “Autumn is my favourite season – I get over summer really quickly, it’s just a bit of a drain by the end and I can’t wait for it to be over.

Autumn it cools down and you can actually start to do stuff again. In autumn I really come alive, creatively and in other ways.”

Wanderlust is one of those ‘other ways’ - the travel bug has well and truly sunk its teeth. Big Scary just returned from a five week tour around and about supporting the Vasco Era (which Tom describes as “SO MUCH fun”), and are planning on accompanying the release of each of their seasonal EPs with a tour to different parts of the country - Autumn will be launched in Sydney at the end of the week. Tom is enthusiastic about the possibilities.

“Before the tour I loved recording, and I still do love being in a studio. But I really just love being on stage. It’s a great adrenalin rush; it’s just forty minutes of fun.”

Who: Big Scary What: Autumn is out now When: Friday May 21 Where: Spectrum

The band is about to head to Australia for an East Coast tour with Melbourne’s favourite sons of the soil Wagons, after meeting the boys in Texas earlier this year. But while an international tour could be daunting for them, it’s fun that is still in the forefront of their minds. “We love to carry on with a bunch of wild drinkers and we hear that Australia is the place to do it.”

Who: Those Darlins With: Wagons When: Friday May 28 Where: The Annandale Hotel

“I’ve got opium in my chimney, no other life to choose. Nightmare made of hash dreams. Got the devil in my shoes”- NICK DRAKE 30 :: BRAG :: 359 :: 26:04:10

Minus The Bear Stretch Your Brain By Renee Tibbs

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ow many times has that hackneyed old phrase ‘difficult to categorise’ been bandied about? Oo-er, he’s not playing 4/4. Omigosh he’s so outside the box and unique! Wow this rock band is using a (insert seldom-used instrument here, preferably a mellotron), they’re ker-azy! Hey look, it’s David Byrne! ‘Difficult to categorise’ is overused, overdone, and the bane of indie-land.

So when a band comes along that actually plays two freaking songs at the same time on their new album, it’s time to break out the big guns: capital letters. Folks, Seattle outfit Minus the Bear are Difficult To Categorise.

Whereas their last album Planet Of Ice was maybe the best math-rock offering of 2007, their brand-spanking new album Omni is completely different. Their fourth studio album is a funkalicious blend of rock and pop that blends deep bass lines and lovely slinking keyboards with lead singer Jake Snider’s Harry Nilsson-ish hound-dog falsetto and soaring summery guitars. And yes, the album closer ‘Fooled By The Night’ has two songs playing simultaneously… as one overall song.

Confused? It’s Snider’s favourite song on the album. “It’s got such a narrative to it,” he muses while waiting for a sound-check in perpetually sunny (but perpetual shithole) LA. Yeah right, the ‘narrative’. This from a guy who once said that the band “always wanted to see just how weird we can make a pop song.”

With this new direction came new representation.

LA-based Dangerbird Records were already home to artists such as Silversun Pickups, the Dears and our own Dappled Cities, and seemed a natural new home for the band. “We made the record on-spec really, and shopped it around to lots of labels. We talked to several and Dangerbird was kind of one of the later players that came in… but once we started the conversation, I think we pretty much all knew that that was where we were gonna end up. It was the obvious decision all along.”

‘Obvious’ is not the word that springs to mind when you think of Minus The Bear, and god knows where you’ll end up when you chuck on Omni. One thing though, it won’t be in the vanilla countryside of mainstream pop. Take the wise words of Jake Snider: “People hate to be challenged, sometimes; the public, for sure. But I think that that’s selling people short in terms of music.” The message? Be challenged.

Who: Minus The Bear What: Omni is out now on Dangerbird

So ok, sure, the album is a strange cookie. But a loveably rocking strange cookie. “We’re trying to take people on a journey,” explains Snider, “kind of like point A to point B… where, at the end of that, it doesn’t feel like the last song sounds exactly like the first song, or the third song, or whatever.”

Well, mission accomplished old buddy old pal.

The quirky time signatures and funky riffs that dominate the album intrigue the ear upon first listen. It’s a directional change that was allowed to happen, in part, with arrival of legendary producer Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket, The Shins). “He brought out a different kind of record than what I think we would have made if we’d done it on our own again,” Slinger says obliquely. “He was very specific about each level of the production; it made this different overall perspective that he had, coming from outside…

Whether we liked him or not, he didn’t give a shit.

So it was good to be pushed like that.” It was this new direction that produced such a novel and exciting record. In an outlandish triumph, Minus The Bear have put out an album that’s both thoroughly experimental yet instantly accessible.

“King Crimson had pretty big radio hits back in the day, but now there’s nothing ‘weird’ on the radio.”

The normally laconic Snider grows pretty verbose when the topic of the experimental/accessible tightrope dance comes up. For the most part, they’ve been successful in striking the balance, but it’s a move that’s kept them under the radar of most mainstream music outlets, which is of course not necessarily a bad thing. He thinks for a bit then comes out with what could be considered the Minus The Bear mantra: “Bands like Yes and King Crimson had pretty big radio hits back in the day and now there’s nothing ‘weird’ on the radio at all.

It’s our challenge to try to put it into a perspective where the contemporary listener will buy it; will understand it. Like, understand what we’re trying to do.” So, like all of us, Minus The Bear just want to be loved.

To Snider, the perfect pop song is one that can be a good listen, while staying true to the experimental nature that defines the band. “I think people musically are ready to be challenged now,” Snider declares. “You can play pop in a way that entices a bit of ‘deep’ listening, where you’re trying to pull out the little intricacies of the music.” And that’s what this band’s all about.

There was also a conscious decision to bring to the new record the live sound they honed while touring extensively Planet Of Ice. “It gives it an energy, and just a little bit more of that performance aspect,” Stringer informs, and it’s nice to know that there’s an experimental band out there that doesn’t over-produce their album until it sounds like, well, a crappy over-produced experimental album. “It’s a produced record, that’s for sure,” he’s quick to define. “We always play together [in the studio] when we track, but we usually kind of replace the bass and the guitar or the keyboard later,” he explains, “and this time we just kept it. It made for pretty long days and a longer recording process, but I think the payoff is a record that doesn’t sound like it’s been put through the ringer.”

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 31

Darwin Deez

Urthboy

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His Parents Don’t Approve By Emma Bergmeier

tarting out in a time when Australian hip hop was looked at by the music industry in very much the same way that Louis IXV looked at the French peasantry, Urthboy is an artist who’s won his fair share of victories against the unjust and corrupt musical aristocracy in this country. Taking time between working on his music, both as a solo artist and a member of The Herd, to serve as label manager for leading Sydney hip hop label Elefant Traks, Urthboy is one of the few Aussie hip hop artists you could count as having changed the music scene in Australia.

ust six months ago, Darwin Deez was waiting tables at a vegan restaurant by day and making music by night. Wind the clock forward and the quirky, curly-haired indie-pop star is now on the road touring the world. When I call him, he’s packing up yet another European hotel room. “I’m good!”

Deez says with enthusiasm, when asked about how he’s faring. “I’m just checking out of a hotel in Glasgow; I have to make sure I don’t leave anything... meanwhile, our tour manager is sitting in the loading zone and we’re trying to pack the van.”

Deez is a new face on the music scene, with his self-titled debut album only released last week, but already he’s attracting world-wide attention for melodious indie pop that brims with positivity and enthusiasm. To be fair, he’s been making tunes for a while... “Well, I got my first guitar when I was 11, then I got some machines and samplers later on when I was getting into electronic music,” Deez explains. “So I’ve been making music for about 15 years - except for one year which was my first year of college.” Musicians often comment that they don’t feel like themselves when they have no time to create, and the year off certainly took its toll on Deez. “It was a washout year, I didn’t make any music, it was the worst year of my life. Music is what makes me happy - I’ve been discovering that over the last five years.”

When questioned about how his life has changed in the last six months, Deez is temporarily distracted by the checking out process, but finally manages an answer.

“How has life changed? Well, let’s see, I’m much busier, that’s for sure. Oh no, I forgot my toothbrush!” he exclaims. He pushes through… “I am a little more stressed out sometimes, and suddenly people seem to know the lyrics to our songs. We got to London last month and did a couple of shows and it was a nice surprise to hear people singing back to us, loudly, for the first time. It doesn’t feel like too much has changed yet, but later in the year maybe it will feel like it has.”

Aside from being stressed out, Deez also reveals that his social life has changed dramatically since he started life as a touring musician. “A ritual of mine is just seeking out the cutest girls to flirt with every night,” he laughs. “It’s a fruitless pursuit but I can’t help it. To be fair, I’m 26 and I had acne when I was a teenager and now’s my chance to experience affection from the opposite sex.

So I’m going for it.”

Storming the Bastille By Mikey Carr

So music (and it’s perks..) are making him happy, but as is often the way, not everyone approves… “There’s a lot of pressure on me from my parents to finish college and get a regular job; something I can support myself with, you know?” he says. “At first I think they were just worried; they were perfectly happy with me doing this. It’s just that they wanted me to graduate first… but I dropped out, I only did two years of college.”

Parental pressure aside, Deez loves making music, and likes nothing more than having a quiet night in on his lonesome with a slew of instruments for company. “I wrote everything for this album. Except for a few of the garnishes, I wrote it all myself,” he says. “I definitely prefer that, and that’s probably the way it will continue. I’m kinda a control freak when it comes to music, so it’s better for me to work alone. The fun thing about art for me is that I can be in control of every minute aspect.”

Who: Darwin Deez What: Darwin Deez is out now on Pod, through Inertia

Having helped construct the foundations upon which the new school of Aussie hip hop artists are now building their houses, Urthboy is much like a proud father, basking in the reflected glow of their success. “You wake up with it, you wake up with a sense of pride.” Regardless of his current success, battling against a culture of pub rock and mindless pop wasn’t easy, and Urthboy is quick to mention that it takes more than hard work and talent to succeed. “You need to have a mixture of luck and success to be able to pursue a passion. I think with Elefant Traks, if we’re honest with ourselves, if we didn’t have a few pivotal things go our way… we might not have a label that has endured for as long as it has.” But lucky he was, and successful he is, preparing at this very moment to embark on yet another national tour before heading off for his first European tour in July. With fans eagerly awaiting any hint of what’s coming next for Urthboy, it would seem that The Sneakquel Tour may just offer a little sneak preview. “The next project is a vague idea at the moment, we’re sort of putting together songs, but we definitely don’t want to do the same set that we did back in October.”

Part of the tour will include a performance at the Tuned In Festival in Dubbo on May 30, a free all ages event put on by the NSW Reconciliation Council. While Urthboy has always been touted as quite a political artist, he considers the issue of reconciliation to fit more in the sphere of individual views and responsibilities. “Reconciliation is a personal thing, and I don’t believe it’s political at all. We have a lot of self-serving people in positions of power that insist on using these issues as a way of increasing their own influence,

and that’s disgusting.

It’s exploiting base level prejudice in people who aren’t always prejudiced but are prone to be fearful about certain things they don’t understand.”

Urthboy offers that it is the politicisation of the inequality that’s seen our efforts to redress it fail so miserably.

“We veer further and further away from a logical and humane way of looking at these things, and it just becomes a robotic bureaucratic approach, and that’s just a damn shame. One of the great piss weak excuses for Australians to avoid reconciliation is that they weren’t directly involved with the persecution of indigenous people. It’s just sad really, that people can hold on to that notion of a collective sense of being Australian but when it comes to a collective response to something like this, everyone ducks and weaves like fucking cowards. It’s what John Howard did for 10 years about an apology to the stolen generation. And then Kevin Rudd came along and [apologised] within his first few months in office; and it’s probably the best thing he’s ever done, or will ever do.”

While hip hop may be his first love, I reckon a career in politics seems if not likely, then well suited to Urthboy. Having already made great contributions to swaying our nation’s tastes, and with a plenty of fans and supporters, let’s just be thankful then he’s touring at least one more time before he suits up...

Who: Urthboy What: The Sneakquel Tour When: May 20 / May 21 Where: Mona Vale Hotel / The Cambridge

Sheila E Sheila Take A Bow By Matt Thrower

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Prince was never like that. He would say, ‘This is what the instrument sounds like, so just play it’. I found this new level of musical spontaneity recording with Prince.”

heila E has been the percussionist of choice for the likes of Prince, Beyonce, Herbie Hancock and Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band. This week, the Latino legend embarks on her national Australian tour – with Minneapolis keyboard whiz Ricky Peterson.

“They called me, told me they were going to come over and they thought, ‘Let’s bring Sheila with us’.” Sheila is relaying the astonishingly simple chain of events that led to her upcoming appearances with Peterson, ivory tinkler for such diverse artists as saxophone legend Dave Sanborn, Prince and Sheryl Crow. They’ll also be joined by brothers Peter, Billy and Jason Peterson, who between them have worked with the likes of The Steve Miller Band, Morris Day & The Time and, yes, Prince. When we spoke, the band had still not worked out the finer details of their set-list. “Because the Petersons are so talented, they’re trying to figure out what instruments they are going to play,” Sheila says with a laugh. “We’ll all be jamming on stage together, but we’re still going over what material we’ll be performing.”

Sheila E was born Sheila Escovedo, into a family flowing with music. Her father Pete is a legendary percussionist, who’s played with the likes of Santana and Azteca. It was fate that young Sheila would also take up the bongos, toms, hi-hats … whatever happened to be lying around the house. “When I was growing up, the musical instruments were part of the furniture,”

I ask Sheila some of her other favourite musicians and singers to work with. “I loved playing with Beyonce. Also, it was only a brief collaboration, but I played with an orchestra for Diana Ross, which was great. Also, I always tell everyone what an amazing drummer Ringo Starr is. His technique and style is so intricate … I’d never play like that, it just wasn’t in my DNA. I learnt a lot from him and our styles complement each other. I mean, he played on every Beatles song!”

she recalls. “My dad practised every single day. Bands came over and would have jam sessions. There was always music in the house.

“Mum and Dad always said I started playing when I was three years old … Then, at 15 years of age, Dad’s percussion player got sick and I was playing on stage in a 12 to 18-piece band with three keyboard players, three percussion players…” Sheila recalls the first time she took a solo. “I closed my eyes and when I opened

them, I had chills all over my body. From there, I just knew I had to play music.”

Of course, Sheila received a great deal of recognition for her collaborations with Prince, both on record and in concert. “I’d recorded with musicians like Billy Cobham and Herbie Hancock before working with Prince,” Sheila says. “Working in Los Angeles, the LA sound had to be clean and perfect - it could take an hour or two hours to get a single drum sound.

Among Sheila’s many extra-curricular activities include her Elevate Hope Foundation, an organisation dedicated to helping abused and abandoned children through music and the arts. “It’s hard to get money for the cause during these times, but the Foundation is going really well. The kids are learning how to write and record music and make videos. We’re also about to expand into elementary classes, so we can work with younger kids as well.”

Who: Sheila E With: Ricky Peterson When: Sunday May 23 Where: The Basement

“I saw it written and I saw it say… pink moon is on its way” - NICK DRAKE 32 :: BRAG :: 359 :: 26:04:10

Jamie Lidell The Ultimate Instrument By Mikey Carr

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amie Lidell would have to be one of the most unique and innovative artists working in music today. Bringing together disparate influences like soul, electronica, funk and folk, Jamie has an appetite for the unexpected, and his latest album Compass is just that.

Lidell first gained renown as a solitary figure; his looped vocals, beat-boxing and layered tracks built him as a sort of one man IDM-jazz-fusion band. But he’s been moving away from all of that since his 2008 album JIM, which saw him exploring his funkier side and recruiting a band for the first time. Compass extends this further, with Lidell incorporating an even broader palette of sounds and artists than JIM or Multiply before it.

With Beck in the producer’s chair, and help from a long list of collaborators including Feist, Gonzalez, Wilco guitarist Pat Sansone, and Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor, Jamie’s taste seems to be spreading faster than topical references to volcanic ash. While the album is still undeniably Jamie, it shifts moods like a premenstrual schizophrenic, moving from the glitch soul of opening track ‘Exposed’ to the nebulous dirge of penultimate song ‘Big Drift’.

After performing some pre-album shows in solo mode, Jamie has decided to get a band together once again - albeit with a slightly different flavour this time round. “It just felt really right to come out with a few more people again, but I was kind of just thinking how I could do it differently this time. So I’ve pretty much reduced the number of band members by one,” he explains with a laugh of resignation. “But yeah it’s good, you’d be surprised how much it changes things, and how much more of a lean machine you can be when you just have one less person.”

Considering the sheer amount of sounds on the album though, it seems like four guys on stage alone won’t really be able to do it much justice. But Jamie scoffs jokingly at this notion, adding that it actually gets harder the more people he adds.

“We’ve been using a lot more samples from the record this time round, just making it sound more modern. I mean, I’ve worked a long time on the sound of the record and I went to a lot of different places to achieve it. That’s sort of what’s made me want to use actual samples from the record and slot them into the live show in a live way, you know, as opposed to using backing tracks or whatever.

“While obviously it’s not the same, having the samples there sort of means we have some of the power of the record in the live show, and it just makes it really satisfying. It sort of ties it to certain moments on the record.”

Lidelle maintains that his new show won’t just be a lot of button pushing and mincing about on stage though. He plans to make full use of his band; especially, he plans on bringing in serious amounts of live beats: “We’ve got this really huge drum and percussion section that takes up pretty much half the stage.”

“This time I’ve got a band with really powerful voices...

It’s probably the sweetest musical buzz, just singing vocal harmonies with people.

It’s crazy, the power of it.”

Jamie has also been lucky enough to net in a few warblers into the live band. “The last time out I had a great band, but no one really wanted to sing. This time I’ve got a band with really powerful voices, so we have a lot of vocal power in the show. I mean I was really influenced by Grizzly Bear, just after making the record and working with Chris Taylor, and one of the things that I think is so amazing about their show are the vocals - all the close harmonies and whatnot.

It’s probably the sweetest musical buzz, just singing vocal harmonies with people. It’s crazy, the power of it. It’s the ultimate instrument really.”

While most bands are given ample time to refine their stage show and get used to playing together, Jamie finds all that practicing a bit tired and old fashioned. Out of necessity also, he’s taken only a handful of days to prepare for his upcoming run of shows across Europe and North America. “It sort of had to happen really fast,” he explains, with a hint of regret and fatigue. “We’ve literally been together now for no more than twelve days, including two gigs.

It’s funny though, ‘cause the Grizzly Bear guys came down to the New York show and I asked them what they thought, and told them that we’d only been playing together for about ten days. They seemed impressed and I asked them how long they’d been playing together and they told me five years!” he exclaims. “Five years Vs twelve days. Its’ kinda crazy; I feel like I’m asking a lot of everyone!”

He may be asking a lot, but surely adding some Aussie dates to the tour isn’t out of the question?

Who: Jamie Lidell What: Compass is out now through Warp

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Dan Sultan Doesn’t Need A Pink Cadillac By Christie Eliezer

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he buzz around Indigenous-Irishman Dan Sultan that began around 2008 has grown even louder this year. The 26-year old has featured at a wide range of festivals, made his acting debut on Bran Nue Day, popped up on TV high-raters Spicks And Specks and Rockwiz, and started to get a bit of mainstream airplay to boot. As a result his fan base has widened – and his photogenic looks and sexy onstage moves (which had Clare Bowditch dub him “the black Elvis”) has assured a majority of his admirers are, yes, female. On his website they offer him marriage proposals, home-made perfumes, and ceramic owls to complement his owl tattoo - a lesbian couple even asked him to provide the seed for their child. “Not sure how serious they were about that,” he chuckles during a late lunch at a café near his digs. He doesn’t really take the sex symbol bit seriously.

“I’m sure the way [the band] look doesn’t hurt.

But I used to weigh 130 pounds at high school, and few girls looked at me, so now I’m lapping it up. This is justice!”

Despite the attention, Sultan remains focused on the music, turning down offers from major labels in order to work on second album Get Out While

You Can. The album mixes blues, soul, rock and country together as a collection of love songs; and not all June Moon love songs either. “‘Letter,’ about getting letters in prison, is a love song.

‘Get Out While You Can’ is … about refugees in a war torn place. The couple sell everything they own, and in the end they can only buy one seat to freedom. So the man lets his wife escape and he stays behind.”

Dan once had a woman come up crying to thank him for another love song ‘Crazy’, about violence; her son had been beaten to death by thugs. But an indigenous man dismissed the concerns of the very same song because, he said, “unless you smack your woman around, she’ll never know you love her.” “That is such bullshit!” Sultan bristles. “That’s part of the problem in our culture. You have young women growing up thinking that’s the case, and there are young men growing up thinking that’s the case. It’s not. It’s disgusting. That’s not our culture, and any self-respecting indigenous black man would know that. He’s selling himself, his family and his ancestry short. They’re ignorant rednecks — you don’t have to be white to be a redneck.”

Sultan’s father is an Irish lawyer who worked for the Aboriginal Legal Service near Alice Springs.

His indigenous mother is an arts administrator from the Aranda and Gurindji clans of central Australia. When Dan would walk into a store with his white father as a kid, shop assistants would coo over him; but if he was with his mother, they’d cast dirty looks. Growing up in Melbourne and Cairns, he was one of the few black kids at school. He tells me he learned boxing to survive.

“I haven’t been in a fight for a long time, which is nice,” he says quietly.

“I’m sure the way [the band] look doesn’t hurt. But I used to weigh 130 pounds at high school, and few girls looked at me, so now I’m lapping it up. This is justice!”

SUPRISE WASP

Cut through his affability and you find a strong ambitious streak. Growing up with his mother there was little money; they’d eat Weetbix with water, the fridge wouldn’t work and people slept in lounge rooms because there weren’t enough bedrooms. “So at a young age I was determined to be comfortable,” he shrugs. “Not extremely rich - I don’t need a pink Cadillac, or a hot tub full of white girls.” Music, he remembers, was “something I just did, there was no thought to it.”

His parents had many musical friends. “It was never a case of could I do it or want to do it, it was just ‘I’m doing it’. If things got stressed in the house, I’d go into my bedroom and pretend to be a rock star.” At 13, his mother struggled to put a guitar on lay-by for him. “The people in the store knew we had no money so they said, ‘Take the guitar home and pay for it when you can.’”

A large amount of women over 35 are drawn to the lyrical maturity that seldom comes out of a mouth of someone his age. Partly it’s that, when growing up, Sultan tended to surround himself with older people. “Especially when I was studying in Cairns, I hung with the older students because I didn’t like the kids in my class. And they didn’t like me.” Another reason is that his songwriting partner and guitarist, Scott Wilson, is 15 years older. Dan’s career went into overdrive after he met Wilson at a karaoke competition.

Wilson was taking a break from playing in rockabilly and roots bands to concentrate on his songwriting, and says of Sultan, “It was obvious Dan had something special there.” In spite of the age gap, the two share a love for the look and music of the 1950s. Wilson, who loves tinkering on his vintage cars and motorbikes, plays an old style Gretch that he saw The Cramps and Duane Eddy play. Hank Williams is his favourite songwriter, while Sultan’s pinup boy is the soul singer and dancer Jackie Wilson.

For Sultan, the stage is a magical place. “It’s all about the gig for me. I love recording, but all the other stuff, the interviews, the traveling - it’s about standing in front of a crowd and kicking its ass.”

Who: Dan Sultan What: Get Out While You Can is out now When: Friday May 21 Where: Manning Bar

34 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

THE NEW ALBUM

MAY 21

Featuring the new single BETWEEN THE LINES www.warnermusic.com.au

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brushstrokes WITH ARTIST MADELEINE

PRESTON

including the roof of the Lansdowne - but the Sydney developers were always just behind me; so I moved to Melbourne, did a Masters in painting at RMIT. Melbourne was cheap and fun so I stayed.

How would you describe your work as an artist?

I don’t have a style; I don’t always paint in oils or paint the same subject matter. It makes you less bankable as an artist but I find it more interesting. My work includes oil paintings, installation and new media, whatever medium or method works with the idea.

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his week at Left Coast Festival you can sink your teeth (figuratively speaking) into the digital photo installation Darlinghurst Eats Its Young – a tribute to Sydney in the ‘80s, by Madeleine Preston.

What is your artistic training/background?

I did a BA at Sydney Uni majoring in art and film theory, and from there went to what was then East Sydney Tech, now the National Art School, to study painting and drawing. After finishing tech I had studios all over the place -

How did you come up with the idea for Darlinghurst Eats Its Young?

Recently a friend put up a lot of scanned photos on Facebook. They were all of Sydney in the ‘80s. The hair, the clothes, the look of the past; they got a lot of attention from people, some just liked the aged look of old photos, the look you can’t get with digital pics. So I started thinking about what it was that made people interested in the photos of people they didn’t even know. Photos from a time when they weren’t even born.

Darlinghurst Eats Its Young is about a Sydney in the ‘80s, before the money moved in. The work was made specifically for Sedition’s window, and is an installation like the

Facebook interface, with digital photo frames set inside for people to view the photos from the street.

How did you get involved in Left Coast?

I heard about the Festival after responding to a posting on Sedition’s website asking for interest from artists. Michael who owns Sedition suggested coming along to a planning meeting, where I met Robyn [Wilson – Left Coast Festival Director].

The UK version of Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino? You decide. Harry Brown is causing a stir in its native country, and now here, for its portrait of youth out of control, and the military veteran who’s not afraid to mete out his own brand of vigilante justice. Not since Get Carter has Michael Caine been quite so cool.

We have ten double passes to Harry Brown up for grabs – to get your hands on one, tell us who directed this film (hint: see our lead feature.)

What: Darlinghurst Eats Its Young, as part of Left Coast Festival (May 12- June 30) When: Opens Thursday May 20, from 6-8pm Where: Sedition, 275 Victoria St Darlinghurst More: Left Coast program at www. viewsofcourage.wordpress.com

SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL

Still from Iranian indie-rockumentary No One Knows About Persian Cats.

You know what they say – one person’s art is another person’s Goat Sluice. But there’s something for every taste at this year’s Biennale, which runs until August 1 at Cockatoo Island, Pier 2/3, the MCA, Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Artspace and AGNSW. Big names this year include Turkish video artist Kutlug Ataman, venerable sculptor Louise Bourgeois, and British filmmaker Isaac Julien.

This Thursday evening, May 20, head to Artspace for the latest edition of international phenomenon PechaKucha, an informal gathering that celebrates the sharing of creative projects. For the full Biennale program see www.bos17.com

What seems to be the problem, officer?

What else are you up to in 2010?

I am in two group shows that open this Friday May 21. One is at the Art House in New York, the other is at Hardware Gallery in Enmore. I'm also involved in an artist guerrilla photocopy paste-up on Thursday arvo, which should be a lot of fun. In August I am in a group show in Melbourne; in October I have a solo sculpture show at Chrissie Cotter Gallery in Marrickville.

Goat Sluice © Yvonne Todd

BIENNALE 2010

HARRY BROWN

CREATIVE SYDNEY

Not to be mistaken for an arts festival – oh dear! – Creative Sydney (June 4-13) is firmly focussed on Sydney’s creative industries – from photography and filmmaking to fashion, independent publishing, architecture, design… you get the gist. In its first year, Creative Sydney managed to set the agenda for discussions and ‘ones to watch’ for the rest of 2010 – who and what we were talking about, how we thought about Sydney’s creative scene.

This year, the line-up of panel discussions and cross-disciplinary performance sessions are even more exciting, including Chris Ying from McSweeney’s, Mike Walsh (author of Futuretainment), The Loop, BWM, and Izrock Pressings. For all info, head to www.creativesydney.com.au

P-SPACE: YOU ARE HERE

This week P-Space launches the second part of You Are Here, their program of exceptional

performance. Artistic Director Daniel Brine says “our first season was about physical locations and place and this season is more about how we are located in time.” Opening this week is Urban Theatre Projects’ The Folding Wife; Bromance - a dance work exploring relationships between men; and Hole in the Wall a fragmented suburban love story, exploring ideas of how you get a home. You Are Here runs until June 6 at Performance Space (CarriageWorks) performancespace.com.au

Yow! With Vivid Live and Splendour in the mix, it’s hard to save pennies for those flexi-passes – but with tickets for Banksy’s much-hyped Exit Through the Gift Shop and Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer already sold out, and Opening Night film South Solitary (by she of Love Serenade fame) close on its heels, not to mention Luca Guadagnino’s masterpiece I Am Love, starring Tilda Swinton… We’re just sayin’, don’t come crying to us when it’s too late! You can get a Flexi10 for $135.00 or a Flexi20 for $248.00 – and with four tickets per screening, you might want to split one with your bestie or your better half. Tix and full program at sff.org.au

Artist-Run Initiative (ARI) galleries – First Draft, MOP, Locksmith Project Space, and Serial Space. To celebrate the next generation, or just, you know, “art” generally: head to Locksmith Project Space, 6 Botany Road in Alexandria this Saturday May 22 6-8pm.

VIVID LIVE LINE-UP

Vivid LIVE is set to take over the Opera House between May 27 and June 21 this year, as part of Vivid Sydney. Legendary rocker Lou Reed and the queen of New York’s boho art scene, Laurie Anderson are holding the curatorial reigns, presenting their vision of the most exciting contemporary music and performance.

What we’re most excited about in the arts department is New York theatre company Young Jean Lee, which will make its Australian debut with The Shipment, a darkly humorous trip through African-American stereotypes.

For the full line-up announcement, hit www. sydneyoperahouse.com

PLAYTIME

The Wall’s new monthly theatre night, Playtime, combines short plays and beers, for a kind of artsy-cultural tapas. Brilliant. Head along this Wednesday May 19 and you can expect nince bite-sized plays in two hours for just $10, produced by Actors Anonymous in conjunction with some of Sydney’s finest theatrical talent.

Wednesday May 19 from 8-10.30pm @ the Club Room, Ground Floor, World Bar.

ART SAFARI

It went so quickly! This Saturday you can catch the closing night party of SafARI - the ‘unofficial’ fringe exhibition to the Biennale of Sydney. Over the last couple of weeks, SaFARI has exhibited 14 emerging artists across four of Sydney’s 36 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

UTE LEMPER

Cabaret queen and charismatic singer Ute Lemper will be backed by a string of talented musos when she swoops through Australia, on a swift East coast tour. Having had leading roles and solo performances in Broadway and West End musicals (Cats and Chicago) and an extensive discography, this German chanteuse’s talent is unquestionable. She will be playing just one show in Sydney, at the State Theatre on May 19. Tickets from www.ticketmaster.com.au

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HARRY BROWN

Director Daniel Barber dishes out some vigilante justice.

By Joshua Blackman

“Y

ou have failed to maintain your weapon, son,” says an ice-cool Michael Caine before blowing away a gaunt, trashy drug dealer.

Already causing a stir in its native UK, Harry Brown brings to light a generation of lost youths who run amok in the 'lost quarter' of London’s Elephant and Castle.

Though currently undergoing a £1.5 billion redevelopment, this area, centered on the decaying Heygate Estate, still retains its reputation for drug-related violence – a matter that the film’s ex-military pensioner, Harry Brown (Caine), takes into his own hands.

At this point I could describe how this film has Caine at his Get Carter-cool best, or how it’s part Death Wish, the 1974 Charles Bronson vigilante flick, and part Gran Torino, Clint Eastwood’s 2008 drama about a disgruntled Korean War vet. But that’s something the film’s director, Daniel Barber, wouldn’t take to kindly.

“I think it’s laziness, really. I think that Gran Torino is about a man who lives in America who is a racist. I don’t think it’s a great film about racism, but my film is not about racism.

It’s about drugs, violence, and about total and utter lack of respect within a generation of youths in our country, which is a reality. It’s a much tougher, more daring, more brutal film

than Gran Torino, but it’s not sensationally so.

I just think it’s typical, you know - most people do this thing where they go, 'well it’s a bit like this and bit like that'. I can’t bear it, to be honest.”

Barber, an experienced commercial director who helmed the 2008 Oscar-nominated short The Tonto Woman, is a passionate man with a desire to make challenging, provocative films.

Based on the superb audience response – the film just won Empire magazine’s award for Best British film – and its water-cooler profile in the public sphere, he’s already achieved that with his debut feature. “[Harry Brown]’s become famous and it’s made important political and social comment.

It’s made it to the point where Michael Caine has been asked by the Conservative party in our country to come on board with them, to find a way through, and out of this swathe of [disenfranchised] youths that we have, which are disconnected from society.”

Outside the glowing reviews, some journalists have criticised the film’s excessive violence, and accused it of advocating vigilantism as a solution to deep-seated social problems.

By way of explanation, Barber says, “I think the film at its heart is about – why do people more and more feel that they need to take the

law into their own hands. I’m not saying that on a regular basis people take to arms and go out on the streets and go out and kill, and I’m not advocating that it’s the right thing to do. But why do people feel [the] street they’re living in is not safe to walk down at night? It’s trying to bring to the fore the issue that we’re having with youths in our society.”

“I don’t have the answers to it, and I don’t think anyone does, but I do know one thing – that if we don’t find some answers soon, the problem’s just going to exacerbate and get worse. I’ve got a son, I don’t want to worry about him getting stabbed one night for no reason, for the entertainment of another kid.

The point of the film is we’re in troubled times and [it’s] about showing some of the troubles that we have.”

Barber, like Caine, would know. They both grew up not too far from the Heygate estate, and were familiar with the often dangerous residents lurking in the concrete throughways.

Realism was hence a primary concern; as part of his research Barber spent time with police, residents and local youth groups.

Furthermore, many of the kids in the film were non-actors and given the freedom to improvise, especially in a key scene where they confront two local police officers, played

by Emily Mortimer and Charlie Creed-Miles.

“A lot of them were first-time actors, but I cast them very carefully, and obviously I made sure they could act, so they had that talent.

As much as we say they’re not actors, actually they are actors, just that they didn’t know it," Barber.

Lest he be pigeonholed as a serious, topical director, Barber’s next project, Devotchka, is a 'commercial' film about a Russian woman in London, and he admits to enjoying big screen extravaganzas like Die Hard and Iron Man. But he’s also quick to emphasize that his heart lies with more realistic, inquisitive material.

“If you want to go out and see a film for an evening where the most exciting part of your evening is not the film, but the pizza afterwards, don’t go and see Harry Brown. I want to see cinema that makes me think. I want to see cinema which affects me. I would like to make films that touch people, that affect people, not necessarily that people like all the time, but that causes them to think or care. I think that’s valid.”

What: Harry Brown, Dir. Daniel Barber When: Released May 20 More: www.harrybrownthemovie.com

AY W A

E

IV

G

Jake Gyllenhaal gets royally buff in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – the latest blockbuster adventure from team behind the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) have created an epic action-adventure set in the mystical lands of Persia, where a rogue prince (Gyllenhaal) reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess (Gemma Arterton) to safeguard an ancient dagger with mystical powers from dark forces.

Only At The Movies May 27 38 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

We have ten special Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time packs up for grabs – each one contains 1 x Backpack 1 x T-shirt 1 x Cap 1 x Leather Notebook 1 x In-season double pass to Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

To get your hands on one, tell us one other film Jake Gyllenhaal has starred in.

© Disney Enterprises, Inc. and Jerry Bruckheimer, Inc.

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2Threads teamed up with Brag to cover RAFW - and here is our pick of the bunch! You can see runway galleries, backstage photos, videos from the hottest shows and interviews galore over at www.2threads.com Words by Kirsty Brown; images by Ashley Mar.

One of the most prevalent trends in womenswear for the Spring/Summer season is a palette of nude colours - fawn, blush, oatmeal - and their constant use throughout the RAFW shows felt repetitive, as though everybody had the same idea at the same time. Was this ‘fashion’ week we were attending, or ‘high street clothing’ week?

Arnsdorf used these colours in their ‘Opticks’ collection too, but coupled

with beautiful burnt ambers, camel, lilacs and a striking graphic print, the collection felt new and fresh. My eyes were certainly thankful for the break, and come summer I’ll be grateful to wear some colours that actually flatter my skin tone. The print in particular was very striking; created bespoke for Arnsdorf, it looked like shards of broken crystals, refracted through a dewy window, and was used liberally in stiff tulip skirts, mod shift dresses and on a beautiful, soft trench.

Southern vampires and Melbourne punks are a hell-of-a world away, but when Saint Augustine Academy referenced these two unique subcultures in their ‘Crystal Ballroom’ collection, worlds collided in the best possible way.

to my unabashed delight!). Faces were painted the whitest of white, eyes were rimmed in black and eyebrows were hidden with studded strips; these models look ferocious enough to kill you with one stomp of their Dr. Martin-clad feet.

Styled to look like the cast of Romper Stomper had been turned into vampires, the show opened with a trailer for True Blood s2 (afterwards, I was treated to a bottle of O Negative

Sharply cut shirts finished just above the elbow on the men, revealing tattoos and lean, toned arms. The shirts were tomato red, black or white and often had tasteful detailing, like a contrasting

Despite running more than an hour late due to Fernando Frisoni’s extravagant showing, a large crowd stuck around the Overseas Passenger Terminal to see what Gail Sorronda had to offer. After days of lacklustre collections that were mostly in very neutral colour palettes, seeing some womenswear that had an edge to it was a delight.

for interesting plays on volume and contrast. Some pieces felt a little juvenile – something Wendy might have worn in bed before being whisked away to Neverland, but the ‘nightie’ feel was toughened up by the giant headpieces that looked like bike-spokes finished with pompoms, and the crazy hair the models wore.

– light and floaty nude blouses were tucked into man-style pants, and neoprene sleeves added much needed body to shapeless beige dresses.

The amber hue was used on stiff wrap tops, very cute tailored shorts, high waisted trousers with exaggerated hips, and slouchy silk singlets. Casual simplicity was key to the collection

The Arnsdorf show was held in the beautiful airy space of the MCA, and the models were asked to smile while strutting their stuff - which was honestly a little creepy as some of them looked like they hadn’t smiled in years and were trying to remember how to do it. It wasn’t the collection of the week (that goes to Dion Lee by a country mile) but Arnsdorf are a label in evolution and this collection showed that the strengths of designer Jade Sarita Arnott are still being finessed; it’s exciting to watch.

With Ksubi closing out RAFW after a three-year absence, the expectations were high. Not only that, Ksubi were celebrating their tenth anniversary. A long and chequered 10 years it has been for them indeed, hence the name of this show and its complimentary collection ‘One Via Zero’.

that the clothes themselves lived up to the vision the show tried to convey.

Ksubi may have reached their creative peak with their SS07/08 collection of apocalyptic digitally printed silk shirts, that were heavily referenced by others this year at RAFW (Karla Spetic, we’re looking at you).

The show itself was less dramatic than making models walk the plank, throwing cash into the crowd or sending rats down the runway.

Instead, an unsettling piece of video art played ominously while the guests were seated. Static doubled as music; a huge UFO-like lighting rig lifted up and the models emerged from a giant black box in the middle of the Royal Hall of Industries, to then walk a circular loop rather than a runway.

It was all very elaborate, but with the promise of Victoria’s Secret casting agent Kannon Rajah and editrix Brana Wolf styling, I’m not quite sure

This year, they showed a lot of hot, white denim. Jeans with bandage detailing, leather trucker caps and one of the season’s key trends – double denim. That’s right! No longer the domain of your uncool uncle, double denim is the only way to wear your blues come Spring! Gorgeous crinkled dresses were spray-painted with advertising logos and orange bean printed jackets were tagged cheekily with “Has Beans”- prophetic or just tongue in cheek? Ksubi have always delivered the goods and have lead where others follow. Let’s see if they can rise above the hoopla...

Sorronda played with volume in an ornate and baroque collection entitled ‘Murmer’. Sheer black blouses had exaggerated features like billowing arms that cuffed on the elbow and cinched at the waist.

They were paired with sleek-looking knickerbockers and over-the-knee socks for a look that was half lingerie, half goth. Black smock dresses had ruffled neck details that invoked Victorian-era dressing, while white shirt dresses with oversized Peter Pan collars were placed over black tutus and long-line silk vests 40 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

A diaphanous black dress played with seaming and mesh for a sleek cocktail-dress feel, but gold satin pieces were clumsy and out of step with the rest of the show, looking a little too ‘mother of the bride’ for the über-cool girls who’d normally be seen in Sorronda’s clothes. Sheer feathered dresses with pintucked bib details were a standout as were the long white tasseled t-shirt dresses.

There are a lot of separates to love in this collection - expect every graphic designer in Surry Hills to be wearing these fierce threads!

Fashion Snap

At the heartfrom of the arts Highlights Rosemount Australian Fashion Week By Ashley Mar

bib or a two-toned collar paired with a matching bow tie. They wore stovepipe jeans that were held up by chainmail suspenders and again, in keeping with this season’s movement towards doubledenim, chambray studded shirts were tucked neatly into them.

The women were also treated to a dash of Saint Augustine Academy for the first time, in tuxedo-like mini dresses, loosely-tiered skirts, sharply suited blazers and sheer long lace singlet dresses. Finishing off a dress that recalled Sookie running through the prairie to lose her virginity to Vampire Bill, it was a delicate, white off-theshoulder gown, soaked from the bottom up in what looked liked blood.

RWB backstage by Limuel Martine

Saint Augustine Academy put on my favourite show of the week, simply for how rock’n’roll their clothing managed to be without feeling fake, or borrowed. They are just dripping with attitude.

At one of the New Gen shows during Fashion Week, a hooded Grim Reaper dragged out the gravestones of Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, while the front row dutifully shook their heads. But the larger question this upstart was asking was: has avant-garde died along with these legends?

Romance Was Born know how to put on a show. From the elaborate, out-of-the-way venue (in one of Sydney Uni’s old halls) that was lined with the creepy and the weird as you entered, to the strange whirring bird noises and insect hums that doubled as music and added to the incense-filled room’s ambience.

But you barely needed ambience; every single person here was so excited to see what this collection, named ‘Renaissance Dinosaur’, would be that they could have sent out girls in hessian bags and people still would have leapt to their feet for the only standing ovation I witnessed all week.

What they did send out, however, was infinitely more magical. The ‘dinosaur’ theme revealed itself in gilted gold scales, fitted together like a splayed soccerball. Heavy jewel-encrusted necklines, ghetto-long nails like claws, and neon hairy things emerged.

The ‘Renaissance’ idea was visible in lavish lace and silk outfits, thigh-high boots, catlike masks and neck ruffs. A crazy volcano dress went down the runway (please Bjork, be nominated for another Oscar…) and a bride was carried out on the shoulders of her groom, both drowned in white lace. It was a display of creativity like no other, and there is no doubt that Romance Was Born is the new guard of Australian talent, being both whimsical and wearable.

The avant-garde is well and truly alive. Grim Reaper - trouble someone else with your negative thoughts.

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Buy My Book [SYDNEY WRITERS' FESTIVAL] Author beware: don't throw in your day job just yet! By Felicity McLean The Legacy, for a whacking (yet undisclosed) fee. And Rebecca James (dubbed ‘the next J.K Rowling’) pocketed more than $1 million for Beautiful Malice. And if that isn’t enough to give you a warm, fuzzy Prozac feeling, consider this: James’ Beautiful Malice was originally rejected by every literary agent in Australia, and more than 70 agents worldwide. Now, it’s sold in more than 20 countries and in 13 languages.

T

here’s a Leunig cartoon that goes something like this: Patient: “Help me doctor. I’ve got a book inside me!”

Doctor: “Most people have a book in them. Perhaps I can refer you to a publisher.”

Patient: “No! I don’t want it published. I want it surgically removed – or dissolved with herbs or something – maybe some sort of therapy. I want to be rid of it! Please!...

I don’t want to become... a WRITER!”

For those ‘patients’ afflicted by the urge to put pen to paper and try making a living as a writer, this year’s Sydney Writers' Festival offers a range of healing treatments. First, try ‘So You Think You Can Write?’

This session dares wannabe authors to ‘come ready to pitch your story proposal to two experts and (merciless) judges: publisher Shona Martyn (HarperCollins) and agent-to-the-stars Lyn Tranter.’ Ten lucky writers will each be given three minutes in the spotlight to convince the judges that they are the next Stephenie Meyer or Christos Tsiolkas.

Or, for fledgling authors wanting an ‘upper’,

the ‘Big Deal’ session might be just what the doctor ordered. Here, we’re introduced to two shiny new talents who have netted sickeningly lucrative advances early in their careers. Kirsten Tranter (daughter to the aforementioned Lyn and poet John Tranter) sold her debut novel,

But don’t throw in your day job just yet. Rather than quizzing these two stars on the hard yards behind their success, this session instead asks: “How on earth did you get so lucky?” Lucky? So blood, sweat and tears (plus a healthy dose of talent) is not enough to see your name up in literary lights?

Not necessarily, says Rebecca James on her self-titled blog: “there is absolutely no guarantee that your persistence will pay off.

The truth is that most people will never be published.” That’s some bad-tasting medicine.

Especially when you learn that publishers routinely receive more than 100 unsolicited manuscripts each week. Far more than they could ever hope to read.

score yourself a book deal; it’s unlikely to be in the same financial ball-park as James’ gobsmacking home run. The 400-odd panellists at this year’s Festival might not be defaulting on their mortgages, but many are working second jobs.

Still reading? Then you’re obviously hooked, and no amount of Festival rehab can cure that sort of ambition to write. And nor should it.

While it might not bring in a fortune, for some, money can’t buy the feeling of seeing your own words in print.

Or, you could always have that damned book surgically removed.

SESSION DETAILS: So You Think You Can Write? May 21 from 2.30–3.30pm, Heritage Pier, Upstairs Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay; Big Deal: May 21 from 10-11am, Sydney Theatre, Richard Wherrett Studio.

What: Sydney Writers Festival 2010 When: May 15 – 23 Where: various locations More: www.swf.org.au

And just say you do win the literary lottery and

Bug [THEATRE] An infestation invades Griffin's Stables. By Stephanie Yip her doorstep, inviting him into the seedy motel that she has made her home.

Set in the outskirts of Oklahoma City, and written by American playwright and actor Tracy Letts in 1996, the cultural context of Bug suggests that it may pose many challenges for an Australian cast.

So which did Cronin find the most difficult? “Well obviously the accent.

Always thicker than you think!” she exclaims before revealing her love of the timbre. “The Oklahoma accent is a gorgeous one. We have a wonderful dialect coach, Carmen Lysack, to help us with our twang.”

Or, as Cronin jokes, to “rouse on us when we sound like we’re from Bondi.”

Jeanette Cronin & Matthew Walker

I

s it part of the human condition to be excited by the prospect of seeing a woman half naked? While Tracy Letts’ comic thriller Bug does deal with aspects of love and the human condition, it doesn’t exactly answer this question - although lead actress Jeanette Cronin reckons the fact that she takes her top off should be enough to entice an audience to see the play. Then again, this remark was made with a hint of uncertainty and even coyness which suggests she could be joking – though not about the top-taking-off thing.

Bug comes with a bold audience warning; and rightly so, as it’s riddled with moments of nudity, drug use, violence and blood so confronting that one critic has compared watching it with “a strong cup of coffee.”

“It must have been a very strong cup of coffee,” Cronin says upon hearing this description; because even “more confronting than the nudity, violence and the drugs is the utter despair that drives people to abuse themselves in such a way. The lack of love in their lives…”

It’s this lack of love that drives her character, Agnes, to drink and drugs; and it is this lack of love that drives her to indulge in an intimate relationship with a stranger who appears on

42 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

And while Bondi is a lot closer for an Australian audience than Oklahoma City, Bug seamlessly travels the distance that separates the two.

“Great writing transcends borders and creates its own strong world,” Cronin affirms. “Bug has its cultural references and idiosyncrasies, but the world of the motel room and the lives of its residents, strikes a universal chord.” The strongest of which could possibly be paranoia.

Plagued by the memory of a son who is missing, and locked within the confines of her motel room, it isn’t long before Agnes begins to spiral into paranoid delusion.

From a criminal ex-husband, to the CIA, to the effects of her crack addiction, and down to that dreaded bug infestation; the dangers that lurk both outside and within her safe haven are brought to light, and so is her ever growing anxiety over them.

“No imagination, no paranoia. No paranoia, no imagination,” is Cronin’s personal take on the notion of human paranoia, and Agnes’ state of mind as Bug reaches its climax.

And what of Cronin’s state of mind after she has taken her final bow and exited the stage after such an emotionally charged play? Well, that’s yet to be determined. “We’re still in rehearsal,” she counters. “But I expect I’ll want a beer afterwards.”

Or a very strong cup of coffee.

What: Bug, by Tracy Letts. Dir. Anthony Skuse.

Where: SBW Stables / Griffin Theatre When: May 15 to June 5

The End Of The Line [FILM] Water water everywhere, and not a fish in sight. By Beth Wilson upert Murray’s documentary The End of the Line, is the first feature length film to examine the devastating impact of overfishing, and the catastrophic consequences that seem to have gone almost unnoticed - until now.

R

“I had a sense that there was something terrible happening out at sea; there were a few sporadic newspaper articles filtering through to me here in London.” It was when Murray picked up a copy of investigative journalist Charles Clover’s book, The End of the Line, that he realised this would be the topic of his next film. “The book is a mine of incredible, jaw-dropping detail. I read it, and I suddenly realised the problem was much much worse than I’d imagined”.

Murray’s passion for his subject gave him a strong desire to make a positive difference.

“Everywhere we went [for filming] I was bowled over by one shocking fact after another. I want the audience to feel that relentless onslaught of mind-numbing details and statistics and data. In a sense, I want the audience to hear as much as possible, because the more you hear, the more shocked you’ll become, the more likely you are to change the way you do things.”

Murray and his team travelled from Alaska to Senegal, the Straits of Gibraltar and Tokyo, to show the enormity of the problem. When asked, the director is quite blunt about the reasons why the plight of fish has been ignored for so long.

“The problem is that fish are so alien to us that people find it difficult to get worked up about their demise. You look at them and you think ‘perfect food’. I find when I look at fish there is something primeval that says ‘that would be delicious on a BBQ’. It is very difficult to get rid of that, I don’t know how you get rid of that, I mean the reason I made the film is because I love seafood.”

The film’s purpose isn’t to dissuade viewers from eating fish; Murray wants to illuminate the issue, so that we can start making informed decisions about what we eat. “Fish and the ocean are such a massive part of Australian culture, yet how many people know how many local stock are overfished, and where the fish you actually eat comes from?”

While scientific experts predict an end of global fish stocks by 2048, ultimately there is a message of hope and individual power woven through the documentary’s narrative, with the same experts stating that if fishing practices and regulations improve, the tide can be turned back before it is too late.

Murray isn’t too optimistic - yet. “This is a 360-degree issue, every way you look there is a massive problem; in any fishery, anywhere in the world - even the sustainable ones, even the ones doing the best practice - there are still massive issues.”

Watching The End of the Line, you start to wonder why it has taken so long for this serious environmental crisis, with huge food-shortage implications, to be revealed; and it appears Murray feels the same way. With the voice of a man obviously frustrated by bureaucracy and weak political will, he makes it clear that you simply have to do what you can.

“It would have been nice to have made this film ten years ago, when there was three quarters of the catastrophe, but unfortunately the world doesn’t work like that. It’s sad that we had to wait until it gets extremely bad before you can start really shocking people about it.”

What: The End of the Line, dir. Rupert Murray When: Released May 13 More: endoftheline.com

Strong horror violence

IN CINEMAS MAY 20 HE’S A POWDER KEG OF

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WH HIL ILE E ST S OC OCKS OCKS KS LAS AST Strong sex scenes, nudity and coarse language

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Arts Snap

Film & Theatre Reviews

At the heart of the arts Where you went last week.

What's hot on the silver screen and the bare-boards around town.

FOOD INC. Released May 20 Warning: this film will make your next visit to the supermarket very fraught.

Robert Kenner’s Academy Awardnominated documentary raises questions about what we eat, and where it comes from, ultimately looking at unveiling the hidden truths of modern food production.

Narrated by activists and investigative journalists Eric Schlosser (author of Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma) this documentary covers vast territories from the complete industrialisation of farming and genetic ownership of crops, to concerns over governance and ever increasing corporate power. This is an issue film, so don’t expect objective musing. The filmmakers want their audiences to change their lifestyles and they aren’t afraid to use shock tactics.

PICS :: TL

tania mason

There is always a fear with big issue films that viewers will be overwhelmed by the breadth of the problems and will, in the end, do nothing upon leaving the cinema, and in some ways Food Inc. falls into this trap by trying to cover too much. Factory farming, FDA inaction, corn monopoly, farming subsidies, health concerns, cost of healthy food, consumerism and advertising, seed ownership, genetically modified food, migrant working rights, the list goes on and while these issues all link into one another it is a lot to take in, in a short amount of time (94 mins).

06:05:10 :: No-Where Is Anywhere Else@Tin Sheds :: 154 City Rd Chippendale

It is, however, hard to ignore footage of chickens grown to monstrous commercial proportions, unable to stand; or the factory slaughterhouses that treat both their employees and products (animals) with inhuman detachment. Very personal accounts from Barbara Kowalcyk, whose two-year-old son, Kevin died from E.coli poisoning after eating a contaminated hamburger; and seedcleaner Moe Parr, whose livelihood has been destroyed by agricultural giant Monsanto’s patenting practices - are poignant individual illustrations of the larger issues.

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PICS :: TL

Food Inc. does what all good documentaries should; it makes you stop and think. This film is focused on America and its food industry and while it is easy to bury our heads in the sand and think of the problem as contained there, you have to wonder with Australian’s obesity statistics if we too don’t have an unhealthy food industry.

05:05:10 :: CarriageWorks :: 229 Wilson St Eveleigh 85719099

■ Theatre

NYUNTU NGALI [YOU WE TWO]

Arts Exposed

Reviewed May 5 at Wharf 2

Our hot tip for the week...

EVEN BOOKS PRESENTS

LE READERS’ FESTIVAL MAY 21-23

As Sydney Writer’s Festival launches, the gals from Even Books are preparing a diabolical counter-festival for those of us who just like to read!

Friday May 21 is a celebration of library-lovers and amateur writers alike, in a night themed around Richard Brautigan’s The Abortion, and held at Performance Space’s Club House. We’re particularly intrigued by the rumour of a life-size diorama… Saturday May 22 from 7pm at Curious Works is Read This Screen - a gentle soiree of films that make love to books, curated by FBi’s Kate Jinx. Topping the bill is Party Girl, a debauchery of drugs, drunkeness and the Dewey Decimal system, starring Parker Posey as the world's most fashion-conscious librarian. Sunday May 23 is the Redfern Readathon ('nuf said?) All deets at evenbooks.tumblr.com 44 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

Beth Wilson

It’s paradoxical, and even quite funny, but theatre’s great strength: live immediacy can sometimes prove to be the art forms greatest weakness. Unlike other mediums, the stage is void of such luxuries as ‘re-takes’, ‘edits’, and the ability to make on-the-spot alterations.

And unfortunately for the Sydney Theatre Company’s opening night staging of Nyuntu Ngali [You We Two], these manipulative tools were in considerable need.

A faulty speaker, intent on crackling and thudding throughout the entire first half of the performance, appeared systematically intent on ruining the entire production. Besides this annoying opening night hiccup, Nyuntu Ngali, appears to be an otherwise challenging experiment in artistic ‘convergence’.

Merging theatre with live music, dance, painting, and film, Nyuntu Ngali makes a valiant attempt to re-engage teenage audiences with the stage.

The play tells the story of a crosscultural teenage couple’s fight for

survival in post-apocalyptic Australia.

Amidst this desolate setting the naïve couple, along with their newly born child, must re-discover the survival instincts indigenous to human nature. However, the modern age of computers, pop music, and portable technology has all but destroyed the human capacity to hunt, gather, create fire, and live away from the ‘city life’.

Far from the most engaging element of the production, the play’s narrative, told from the point of view of the couple’s now-grown son (played by Trevor Jamieson), is somewhat ‘old hat’, and only salvaged by the story’s charismatic narrator. Jamieson breathes life into what is, at times, an un-engaging narrative, by means of his hypnotic voice and strong stage presence. While not necessarily a must-see production, Nyuntu Ngali will probably prove a major hit with younger audiences.

Barlow Redfearn ■ Film

ROBIN HOOD

Released May 13 In one sense, Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood is fresh – a ‘prequel’ to the typical Sherwood Forest story, and Robin as you’ve never seen him before; in another, it’s anything but – a mishmash of things you’ve seen plenty of times before. But being a historical action epic starring Russell Crowe as a common soldier who leads an uprising, goes on to fight side-by-side with kings, before becoming an outlaw – it’s fair to say that Scott has given the Robin Hood legend the Gladiator treatment. This is a distinct departure from the camp, comic and swashbuckling incarnations from the past – from Douglas Fairbanks to Disney, Errol Flynn to Sean Connery, and (who could forget) Kevin Costner’s Prince of Thieves.

That’s not to say this film is bad – with Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven, Scott has proven his passion and proficiency for historical epics with superbly shot battle sequences, and a heady mix of political machinations, romance, sex and blood. Robin Hood follows this mould, while never quite filling it (by comparison to Gladiator). While he surrounds the legend with lots of interesting historical detail, and ties it to the origins of England’s Magna Carta (a charter of liberties that marks the birth of modern constitutional law), I found it hard to muster much interest in the actual characters, despite good performances.

Crowe plays Robin ‘Longstride’ as a warrior, with considerably more heft than cheeky wit; Cate Blanchett gives her typically nuanced inflection to Marion (a glint of the eye here, a raised eyebrow there, perhaps a hint of amusement around the corners of her mouth), although the period setting and the steely nerve at the centre of her performance call to mind Elizabeth. There are some fun scenes between the two, and even a couple of genuiney romantic moments – but no real urst.

If it’s an adventure you want, that’s what you’ll get – but not much more!

Dee Jefferson

See thebrag.wordpress.com for more reviews

Arts Exposed pic by Isabella Melody Moore

■ Film

DVD Reviews What's been on our TV screens this week

By Joshua Blackman

9

Madman Entertainment Released April 29.

The love-child of director Shane Acker, this is a gorgeously designed but emotionally tepid animation.

Its birth as a fiendishly imagined and wordless Oscar-nominated short is too obvious, and by the 50 minute mark has already exhausted its thin story (total run time is a mere 76).

Still, the visual wonder is astounding. Set in a post-apocalyptic alternate future – sometime, we gather, around the time of WWI – steampunkinfused spindly machines hover around and make life difficult for our heroes. They’re nine sack-covered dolls, the only remaining remnants of humanity. They rummage through the desolation as in the silent movie-half of Wall-E, an aesthetic to which Acker is clearly enamoured.

It's when the characters begin to talk that the movie falters. In the extras Tim Burton (who, with Wanted’s Timur Bekmambetov, produced and shepherded the project to the screen) notes that the all-star cast disappear into their characters. This is to its detriment; the last thing this film needed is for Elijah Wood (“9”), Jennifer Connelly and Martin Landau to be non-presences. Only Christopher Plummer as “1”, the oldest and grouchiest of them, makes unique the otherwise sparse and personalitydevoid dialogue.

Despite his film’s narrative deficiencies, Acker is a gifted visual storyteller and has fun in pillaging action beats from Star Wars and reimagining old monsters, such as a metal Medusa with glowing, paralysing eyes that is far more effective than the more traditional version in the atrocious Clash of the Titans.

9 is, for better and for worse, exactly what it is: an overinflated adaptation of a brilliant directorial showpiece that, at least, confirms Acker as a filmmaker to watch.

DOUGLAS SIRK: KING OF HOLLYWOOD MELODRAMA

Madman Entertainment Released April 26.

Let’s get one thing out of the way: if you’ve never cried during a movie, these are probably not the films for you. Chickflicks in the very best sense of the term, the 1950s tearjerkers of director Douglas Sirk are masterpieces of emotion, style and, if you look hard enough, subtle irony. Nine of the best, including All that Heaven Allows, Imitation of Life and The Tarnished Angels, are included here in this collector’s boxset.

In their time, they were popular successes but critical flops, and were seen as little more than 'women’s pictures', draped in an overblown, self-consciously expressive visual-style. Largely about the domestic toils of women struggling with family and the restrictive social constructs of the period, they’re now championed by critics and referenced in everything from Pulp Fiction (Douglas Sirk, steak, anyone?) to the overt homage of Todd Haynes’ Far from Heaven.

That film gives one a good flavour for the tricky social mores and family relations navigated

by Sirk’s heroines, who include Jane Wyman, Barbara Stanwyck and Lana Turner. His most frequent collaborator was however the dashing Rock Hudson, who appears in four of the nine, including, bizarrely, Sirk’s previously unreleased Western, Taza, Son of Cochise, in which we are incredulously meant to buy him as a Native American.

In addition to All I Desire, There’s Always Tomorrow, A Time to Love and a Time to Die and Magnificent Obsession, a treat is the inclusion of a rarely seen Tony Curtis romantic comedy, No Room for the Groom, which is an energetic hoot.

Written on the Wind’s absence, arguably his best film, is an unfortunate oversight, but with a good smattering of extras, this a film buff essential.

Street Level With the superbly colourful AntoChrist!

W

hat’s your background/training?

My background as an artist is actually in sculpture, I never did art as such at school, I just use to make crazy weird monsters out of clay and Fimo. But I realized that I wanted to explore art more and so I went to TAFE for 2 years as I didn’t get my HSC, and ended up at COFA. What have you been up to between (art) shows?

Well my last solo show was in 2007 and since then I’ve been pretty busy organizing events like the Colour Parade and the Carnival of Electric Illusions with my boyfriend Casio (ONO). Our collective (The Beautiful Creatures Of Parade) help out also. I’ve gotten to this point where I have soooo much work to be shown that I have to do this for myself to hopefully give these images a home. I would rather them on someone’s walls than in my room collecting dust.

Your upcoming show is called Evolve Already – what’s it about?

Well my work is all based on evolution. My scenario is that we (as humans) have destroyed the world with atomic bombs and the toxicity of those chemicals has made a fluorescent ocean.

Everything has been so destroyed that life as we know it has to re-create itself. My paintings are not what they seem on first glance.

There’s so many little images creating the bigger image that it forces the viewer to actually look more deeply into the painting.

There will be

paintings photography and my crocheted soft sculptures on display.

When, where and why did your little collective begin?

T.B.C.O.P are all rad people. We all got together during ‘The Aviary’ in 2006 and new people have joined since then. Everyone that’s part of our crew are such different people aesthetically.

We connect on that fact that we are all open and use that openness to collaborate and create something more, something bigger than ourselves.

When's the next Carnival Of Electric Illusions?

The last Carnival is on Friday June 4. It’s not going to be in a club because we want everyone to really party. It’s actually our farewell party as we are going over seas for a year to have a break and re-absorb. The last theme will be the 'Best of Carnival'. So anything really goes. The space is beautiful but you have to join the Facebook group to find out about where it is...

Crocheted wearable animals – where can we get one? Seriously.

Lol - well if you’re willing to pay I can have one made up for you in 3 months...lol. But if you can’t afford an entire animal I also make crocheted winter collars to replace ugly scarfs. They will also be on show.

What: AntoChrist - Evolve Already When: Opens Wed May 19 from 6.30pm Where: The Doctors, 102 Burton St East Sydney

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 45

live reviews

What we've been out to see this week...

KID KOALA PRESENTS THE SLEW LIVE

The Metro Theatre Thursday May 6

I was drawn like a pig to shit when I first heard about The Slew. Wolfmother’s exrhythm section touring with Ninja Tunes veteran Kid Koala and DJ P-love doing a ‘psych/heavy-rock-drenched’ set with six turntables? A clash of the genres, yes, but I imagined an unpredictable and immense sound.

Rapper Seth Sentry’s opening set was performed in a snow cave on the Planet Hoth. At least that’s what the empty Metro Theatre felt like as he tried in vain to warm it up with his rhymes. I always find one guy rapping over his own dubs a trip down Struggle Street, but he did win me over with his first-class beats and self-deprecating humour about being “the ‘Waitress Song’ guy” (his triple j hit.)

Halfway through the first Slew song, everything was going according to plan. I had my tinny of VB and the sound was mammoth.

Kid Koala and P-love’s hands were a blur as they mixed in vocals, samples and lead guitars over Chris Ross’s crisp basslines and Myles Heskett’s steady Bonham-esque drums. I’m from the rock camp myself so watching the DJs flip, switch, swap and scratch their self-pressed records was mind boggling.

The next couple of songs used the same formula but then, from nowhere, a “yaaawn!” came exploding out of my face. Suddenly it all felt like dumb and unimaginative rock grooves with dudes scratching wick, wick, wickety-wick whack! over the top. “Is this it?” I wondered. It dawned on me that the people there to get their fix of stoner/psych rock were getting short-changed as the exWolmother lads failed to get dirty, heavy or psychedelic enough. Meanwhile, Kid Koala fans were missing out on his brilliantly idiosyncratic DJing approach. A lose-lose situation for everyone except those blessed and ever-present punters that will dance to their own heartbeat. The slow building prog journey of closing track ‘Battle Between Heaven and Hell’ rekindled some of my earlier enthusiasm, but others were shuffling towards the door.

As the house lights came up I reminisced about my piggy eagerness to witness The Slew, and wished I'd found some other shit to roll in.

to the stage, the audience has halved in size. And it’s a damn shame. Here to launch their album Lands, this set is a convincing introduction to the band who, in keeping with the theme of the night, experiment with traditional pop and rock structures. TTT create a dark atmosphere that calls Joy Division to mind, and vocalist Simon Gibbs sings in a style that pays homage to the starkness of Robert Smith. When Gibbs adds an extra set of drums, a tribal feel enters the room and the energy is lifted. Suddenly I’m awake again, enjoying the clash of guitar and bass in ‘Past Histories’, and I dance ‘til their final note.

Alex Young

JULIAN CASABLANCAS, ANDY CLOCKWISE Metro Theatre Sunday May 9

Like a book with an ending that makes you want to rip the last few pages out and pretend they never happened, the last night of Julian Casablancas’ first solo tour of Australia was great until the final few minutes.

We were doing so well!

Support Andy Clockwise drew on a superabundance of energy to pump up the crowd, playing not just on the stage but all over it. He performed too-cool little Michael Jackson dances and reached out to physically touch and connect with the audience. He was mesmerising, as was his bassist’s amazing Conan O’Brien fringe – must be a Boston thing. “This is a song about LA douchebags and Sydney wankers,” Andy told us at one point: “Of which I am both.”

Julian Casablancas is a new dad and all grown up since I last saw him wandering drunkenly around a stage forgetting the words to his songs. This time he was gracious and charming; his voice has really developed over the years, and his solo efforts are a delight live. The crowd loved him.

I felt a pang of something indescribable when he and his band did Strokes songs.

Is it technically a cover when it sounds, essentially, like the band is right there in front of you? I felt a bit possessive watching someone else play Nick and Albert’s riffs, and no one was holding their instruments high enough up their chests. In the end, while Julian has clearly won over some new fans with his solo album, some of the biggest cheers were for the Strokes.

Tyler Broyles

Excelsior Hotel, Sydney Thursday May 6

After seeing Sydney’s Megastick Fanfare for the first time, the lingering thought was how balanced their sound is. A happy balance, where experimental and psychedelic meets quirky yet accessible; ‘Musing’s Heartthrob’ is the perfect example, where jovial pop chords and ho-hums are joined by distortion pedals and curving synth. What’s even more impressive tonight is the band’s absolute synergy, the mix of styles evolving together effortlessly while an electric atmosphere makes sure the audience can’t help but follow the heavy swaying of the band. The interplays between both vocalists keep us engaged, and while a ‘less is more’ approach could at times be adopted to their use of delay pedals, the band’s performance has undoubtedly won them new fans.

Ghoul has attracted much acclaim and regard in the Sydney scene and, in theory, are a band I should love. A mix between indie, electronic and pop, the band’s sound pushes for innovation, and while they draw from some clear influences – think Amnesiac’s dull synths that leave an ache in the air, or the off-beat pulsing of a youthful Animal Collective – they do well to create a sound that is inherently their own. They perform tonight with confidence and ease, yet there is one key element missing from their performance: I don’t believe them. Yes, the singer croons beautifully throughout the set, but it only reaches so far, and despite a style and lyrics that should immediately touch the heart, the connection is not made.

I’m still intrigued by them – I’m sure I’ll return to their shows in the future.

The two local supports have been pretty hyped over the past year - and when Melbourne’s TTT (nee Tic Toc Tokyo) take 46 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

Romi Scodellaro Julian Casablancas

Julian Casablancas live by Tim Levy

TTT, GHOUL, MEGASTICK FANFARE

As Julian and friends walked off the stage to cheering and applause after their encore, an unfortunate thing happened: the house-lights didn’t turn on, and after-show music didn’t kick in. The pregnant pause birthed a cry for a second encore from the crowd, a cry for an encore as I imagine it was originally meant – not for a scripted finale, just a genuine plea for something more from someone you’re not sure has anything left to give. But Julian was gone, was out of material anyway, and the night ended on a downer as minutes of combined roaring, shouting and stamping led to ‘Skeletons’ by Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing through the sound system at an increasing volume as people booed and eventually left.

And yet – it had been such a good night!

live reviews

What we've been out to see this week...

When Yeah Yeah Yeahs drummer Brian Chase and saxophonist Seth Misterka insinuated themselves onto the stage I was relieved that things were becoming a bit more interesting. MacManus slunk off stage within a few minutes of their arrival, and left this duo to create a blasphemous cacophony of free jazz that had me swimming in a drowsy headspace. It was a challenging and dazzling performance, quite out of place at Manning but perhaps somehow all the more appropriate for that.

After ‘Love,’ the band returned for the ‘hits’ section of the gig and the audience warmed noticeably. There was a sense that Australia has much fonder memories of the Electric and Sonic Temple albums though when the band delivered rousing versions of ‘Electric Ocean’, ‘Wild Flower’, ‘Love Removal Machine’ and ‘Fire Woman’.

The immensity of the venue, a false start and an audience lacking in youthful enthusiasm all contributed a generally disappointing show. For the most part, Astbury and co gave it everything they had - but the magic was absent and the reciprocal love was definitely non-committal.

Chris Familton

TORTOISE, BRIAN CHASE Manning Bar Saturday May 8

GROOVIN THE MOO University of Canberra Sunday May 9

An outdoor music festival in Canberra in May? Anyone who’s ever lived there knew it was going to get cold - jackets and scarves replaced Aussie flags as the outerwear of choice; gas bar heaters replaced misting tents and stubbie holders were used to keep hands warm, not beers crisp.

Canada’s Tegan and Sara remarked how at home they felt in the weather, and New York post-grad indie icons Vampire Weekend apologised for playing “summer jams� even though it obviously wasn’t summer. I’ve never seen Canberrans dance so manically and ecstatically as they did to Vampire Weekend - but then again, maybe the temperature had something to do with it.

The University of Canberra, where the festival was held, was my old alma mater and when British India dropped a cover of Nirvana’s ‘Lithium’, it made me feel like I was back at O-week 1998 all over again. First time seeing Spoon live and I finally get what all the fuss is about: they’re much more accomplished and cohesive live than their albums let on. And then over in the dance tent (the Moolin Rouge), the Katalyst/Good Buddha project Space Invadas delivered a smooth, new millennium soul show to a largely disinterested crowd, before FunkOars packed it out with their upbeat Aussie hip hop. Bagraiders got the munters moving, before Kid Koala’s wildly inventive but highly repetitive ‘progressive rock avec scratching’ project, The Slew, played to a smattering of people who didn’t want to see Empire Of The Sun.

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I left the grunge sarcasm for the ironic breaks of Yacht Club DJs, and wasn’t disappointed by their erratic 90’s rock choices or their showmanship finale: crowd surfing to ‘Eye of the Tiger’. If only going to Canberra Uni was this much fun the first time around.

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And speaking of the neo-pseudo-electropsychedelic international darlings - did we really need costumed interpretive dancers?

I’m all for a bit of theatrics, but Empire’s stageshow was like a pretentious glam-rock Cirque Du Soleil spaceship pirate freak show in a candy factory. On acid. Ridiculous - and leaving a lo-fi Silverchair to close the night. Road testing new material and old old hits, it seemed obvious from his attitude that Daniel Johns didn’t want to be there - so neither did a lot of the crowd.

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Although I was interested in the supports for the gig, perhaps my impatience for the main act tainted my opinion somewhat... Black Widow (the moniker of Rob MacManus of Monarch fame) managed, through a tabletop landscape of electronic gadgetry, to create a sound for forty solid minutes that reminded me of nothing other than an extended robot orgasm. True, this drone did become more dynamic as the set progressed, but I still felt like something was amiss; he’d been playing for a little too long by the end.

Jack Gabriel

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Tortoise are thumping post-rock hulks that look like your Dad’s friends. In Melbourne for the International Jazz Festival, they took the time to stop off in Sydney for a quick gig before jetting off to Tokyo. So enthused about this gig were my companions and I that we arrived far too early, along with a similarly enthused scattered rabble waiting outside the doors.

Here’s hoping you were there.

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After an hour between bands The Cult finally appeared and launched straight into Love’s opening track ‘Nirvana’. Memories of The Cult’s 1995 tour quickly came to mind when Ian Astbury stopped singing, gestured angrily to the stage soundman, dropped the mic and assaulted the monitors. Never one to suppress his emotions he stomped offstage while the band battled on. The flow of the set was quickly restored with Astbury’s return, but the connection between band and crowd never fully recovered. While guitarist Billy Duffy played note-perfect riffs and solos, his frontman continued to bait the crowd when they wouldn’t clap or sing along, even defending his weight gain due to being 47 and undergoing a hip operation.

There is more I could say, but there’s a danger there of drowning in a bog of hyperbole and superlative. Suffice to say Tortoise’s performance was my personal musical highlight of this year.

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The Black Ryder did a great job filling the cavernous Big Top with their droning psych rock. Featuring tracks from Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride, the band have developed into an awesome sounding live band. Aimee Nash was sultry and at times menacing while Scott Von Ryper worked his guitar pedals industriously. The swelling crowd were more receptive than one might expect, and I got the feeling that the band had impressed a heap of first time listeners.

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Big Top, Luna Park Thursday May 6

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When Tortoise walked on stage they acknowledged the audience with serious nods and got straight down to business; they opened with the hypnotic ‘Gigantes’ followed by the sublime ‘Prepare your Coffin’. With two drumkits, multiple synths, keyboards and percussion played by a rotating cast of three, along flanking guitarist and bassist, it was hard to fathom the talent of these gents. Their songs were tight almost to the point of perfect album facsimiles – yet each was performed to raucous approval if not applause by an audience that became increasingly aroused (there is no other word) as the evening progressed. We were able to tickle them out for two glorious encores, yet even so there were still a few songs left unperformed and I couldn’t help but suspect it was intentional.

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 47

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

CD OF THE WEEK FOALS

kind of dancing. There’s a lot more here – the songs are more complex and move from soft and tender lows to explosive, post-punk, angular highs. It does take a few listens to understand, so let the riffs settle in.

Total Life Forever Warners I’m one of those people. I don’t read the prologue or the intro or whatever - I want to get straight to the meaty stuff. So when I saw there were two CDs in this Foals release I was all, ‘eh, whatever second disc’. I mean, the first CD is really, really good: ‘Blue Blood’ opens the record with an amazing riff and catchy melody that carries you to a land further away from Antidotes.

Total Life Forever wavers between post-punk, math-rock, post-rock and, especially on that second disc, experimental moments - all woven together into a rich and impressive sophomore release.

‘Spanish Sahara’ is the climax of it all. “Forget the horror here,” sings Yannis Philippakis, who sounds beautiful on this album - and somewhat in the vein of Bloc Party. But don’t get the idea that this is just another one of those records, although tracks like ‘After Glow’ can drive you to the same

BAND OF HORSES

Also, BoH now fall squarely on the rock side of folk-rock. Whether it’s the fullbody swoon of ‘Factory’, the dizzying spire of harmonies that open ‘Blue Beard’ or the glorious, uncompromising stomp of first single ‘Laredo’, Ben Bridwell and co clearly don’t do things by halves. And while it’s easy for a band like this to get carried away with rollicking immenseness, but there’s plenty to hold your attention through those crucial middle tracks. The sudden jump in vocal register on ‘On My Way Back Home’ feels like the first new breath after a steep dive.

It’s tempting to dub BoH the Crazy Horse to the Fleet Foxes’ CSNY, but their music is very much its own beast; simpler, perhaps, but with just as many nooks and crannies, lofty bough perches and sunny windowseats for you to cling to and cherish.

Remember that scene in Almost Famous where Kate Hudson says if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends?

This album will be a good pal to you.

Luke Telford

Amelia Schmidt

TRENTEMOLLER

SPIT SYNDICATE

Where their debut Towards The Light sounded very much like two young rappers talking about their love of the high life and the ladies, Exile sees Spit Syndicate maturing in sound, staying true to their roots and core themes but broadening them. In essence, they’ve grown up a bit, and therefore their lyrics reflect experiences that are a little more adult, and a little less carefree.

There is still plenty of party rap on this album, and a few cringe-worthy moments lyrically, but the tone has shifted from the cheesy funk vibe of their debut to a hard bitten straight hip hop feel. With most of the songs being produced by Horrorshow’s Adit, a long-time friend of the band, it seems it’s not just SS who’ve grown up. I seriously think this album has some of the best production I’ve heard on a local release in a while. Solo from Horrorshow makes a few appearances as well, and it’s clear that these two groups should probably just hurry up and form a supergroup or something; not only do they work so well together, it seems they just can’t get enough of each other.

Whereas a lot of Aussie hip hop has a very Aussie sound, Exile manages to avoid this, while at the same time not really sounding American or English either. It’s a new trend that will help the genre aim toward an international sound, and I think it’s for the best - all that BBQ rap got old real quick.

While hardly breaking new ground in terms of lyricism, MCs Nick Lupi and Just Enuf do an amazing job of translating their impeccable live energy to record - and matched with sublime production, they’ve achieved it much better than any other local crew that comes to mind.

Masterful, if not a masterpiece.

Mikey Carr

SAGE FRANCIS

Into The Great White Yonder Stomp

Exile Obese Records

Infinite Arms Sony Music Band of Horses sound enormous and lush on their third fulllength. A mere three seconds into the album, and you’re ensconced in an expansive well of colour and space. It’s folk rock, if you want to label it — and it certainly falls into a certain rift in that genre that’s appeared lots over the last couple of years. Recordings like Bill Callahan’s Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle, My Morning Jacket’s entire back catalogue, even Joanna Newsom’s newie – all these artists draw you into their rich, oak-panelled worlds and woo you with inventive, glowing backwoods charm. A couple of things distinguish Infinite Arms from those records, though: while the above all have their darkness and minor-key passages, this album is resolutely positive, and only occasionally wistful.

The second disc is made up of mainly short tracks, around one minute long, which seem to document the off-cuts and musings. The first track, ‘Bloo Blood 2’ re-imagines its namesake on disc one in a stripped back, re-shuffled guitar-focused experiment, while the eight minute exploration of ‘Black Gold 2’ grooves along, wandering casually in and out of clever guitar work and scattered vocal snippets. With a conscious move away from Antidotes, The Foals have released quite a concept album - with recurring melodic ideas, sonic moods and sounds.

Many people think of Denmark’s Anders Trentemøller as a techno producer. Such a view is misleading and reductive in the extreme. Though Trentemøller has released some notable club singles, his musical palette stretches far beyond the constricting 4/4 prison of house and techno paradigms. The recent Harbour Boat Trips compilation showcased Trentemøller’s inclination to explore disparate territory, and encapsulated the Dane’s broader visions and ambitions; he was yearning to leave the security of the nightclub behind and journey into the great white yonder.

While Trentemøller’s debut LP The Last Resort was released on Steve Bug’s Poker Flat imprint, Into The Great White Yonder is the first release on his own label In My Room, allowing him more freedom to develop his songwriting and experiment with instrumentation - a bass mandolin, theremin and a music box all feature on the album.

Like its predecessor, Into The Great White Yonder maintains a consistent atmosphere throughout each of its ten songs despite the increased gravitation towards songwriting. In fact, the vocal tracks are among the album highlights. Lead single ‘Sycamore Feeling’ is a refined and hypnotic song that trades off Marie Fisker’s seductive vocals, while serene closer ‘Tide’ evokes the Cocteau Twins and confirms that Trentemøller has arrived as an accomplished songwriter in his own right. Where he journeys to from here is difficult to predict, but by venturing outside of his comfort zone Trentemøller has created a mature release that should attract a broad new listenership. Bring on LP 3!

The next step in Trentemøller’s sonic evolution unveils a decidedly more ‘live’ sound for the Dane. The result is more akin to Sigur Ros or Fever Ray than anything from the European tech house brigade.

Sage Francis has always pushed the boundaries of hip hop with his music, but as soon as I heard this album it seemed he’d actually just thrown the whole idea out the window - and gone in a more indie-pop-with-rapping direction. It took a bit of further listening for the album to make more sense - and for Sage’s idiosyncratic lyrical story-telling to really sink in.

A logical extension of him touring with a live band, this new direction still seems to overcrowd the songs. It sounds more like an indie band with an MC on top, rather than the hip hop poetry of his earlier albums. I hate to ask, but has he gotten all Black Eyed Peas on us? On Li(f)e his words have at times become almost instrumental parts to his tootrendy production. Considering he’s roped in Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla and other indie luminaries, you would’ve thought the music wouldn’t have been quite so safe. In saying that the last song with Yann Tierson, the man behind the Amelie soundtrack, is pretty damn pleasant - the standout track on the album.

Maybe if he'd made this album five or six years ago - before all the sounds on it had been jammed down my throat on a daily basis by an ever changing lineup of fuckwit indie bands - then maybe this album would’ve sounded like the leap in hip hop Sage thinks it is. For now, it just sounds like a rapper trying to cash in on the indie trend.

Not quite hip hop, not quite indie, this album is more confused than that YouTube kid who just got back from the dentist. And only slightly less annoying.

Mikey Carr

Chris Honnery

INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK Mojo Juju & The Snake Oil Merchants

Sellin’ You Salvation The Hoodoo Emporium If someone tells you they’re a snake oil merchant, you’d be right to back away - they’re shifty folk who will talk you out of house and home, and steal anything that isn’t tied down. Mojo Juju & The Snake Oil Merchants certainly will capture your attention and never return it.

These musical gypsies have managed to bottle up their 48 :: BRAG :: 362:: 17:05:10

vaudeville soul into a neat little package with Sellin’ You Salvation. Missy Mojo herself describes their musical stylings as “junkyard punk”, but other phrases like “vaudeville fanfare” and “gypsy blues” are equally as telling.

Opener ‘Catch Afire’ is a voodoo-blues tune that harks back to ‘The Pink Panther Theme’, complete with its alluring walking-pace beat that draws you into the world of Mojo Juju and her musical buccaneers. And it’s not just the music – troubadour Mojo Juju writes killer lyrics.

‘God And The Devil’ paints a picture of the singer herself telling Satan to “chill the fuck

out”, and ends up acting as peacemaker between him and “that other dude”.

But the thing that really carries the Snake Oil Merchants along is not their deliciously exotic caravan of instruments (reed organs, trombone, banjos and, yes, a saw) - it’s Mojo Juju’s voice. The band leader of these marvellously dirty vagabonds may dress like an androgynous gangster, but her mischievously enticing and always cheeky voice gives her away as a smooth-as-whiskey, hard-as-nails jazz/soul singer at heart. ‘ So if it’s salvation that you’re after, don’t bother with self-help books from Borders; We hear that Mojo Juju & The Snake Oil Merchants are sellin’.

Paige X. Cho

HORSE FEATHERS

Li(f)e Epitaph/Shock

Thistled Spring Sub Pop I’ve felt almost as if I might be over this whole ‘folk’ thing recently; that maybe the 21st century kids with the banjos and the beards are getting just a little too contrived and ridiculous. Horse Feathers have really set me straight on that one.

This third album from the Portland band takes all of the arresting beauty and melancholy of their second, House With No Home, and expands it just a little to a deeper, more orchestral, sound - with stronger drums and a fuller feeling overall, expanded much from the pared down three-piece sound of earlier work. The array of sounds on Thistled Spring is quite wide too – various harmonium sounds, string effects, banjos, guitars and booming percussion come together in different ways to underscore vocalist Justin Ringle’s caramelic singing.

The opening track ‘Thistled Spring’ draws on some of the same melodic ideas from the last album, as does ‘Cascades’ - which opens with the shivering, breaking note of Ringle’s warm voice. ‘Belly of June’ and ‘Veronia Blues’ are different though; Thistled Spring moves towards a stronger, brighter place, without losing the gorgeous and heartbreaking song writing. ‘This Bed’ is an example of that: a perfect, simple, Sufjan-esque banjobased laid back walk through dappled sunlight, perfectly recorded with some harmonium and subtle harmonies, building up to a wonderful climax – the kind of track that makes Horse Feathers not just another folk band, but one capable of producing some of the most glimmering dew drops of songs.

Ideas of memory and emotion are told thoughtfully through landscape imagery, as is the way of folk music - but this is an album that takes Horse Feathers to a new and powerful, confident folky height.

Amelia Schmidt

OFFICE MIXTAPE Wondering what the 'experts' listen to?

Here's the music that drives The Brag... for this week, anyway.

DICK DIVER - Arks Up TAME IMPALA - Innerspeaker JONNY GREENWOOD - Popcorn Superhet Receiver

AVI BUFFALO - Avi Buffalo LE TIGRE - This Island

Single Reviews

Vinyl

Record Review

B y M i key C a rr Fro m M u s i c Fe e d s . c o m . a u

THE UV RACE

GAYNGS

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

The Gaudy Side Of Town Sounding like some twisted mix of 80s soft rock and downtempo R & B, Gayngs are a bit of an odd to pill to swallow in this world of synth pop and mindless indie rubbish. With a sound tighter than Alan Jones’ arse, this track has a timeless seductive quality and wouldn’t sound out of place playing in the background of a smarmy bachelor pad with motorised fixtures and mood lighting. In all seriousness though, even though this band started off as a bit of a joke between

IVY ST.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

Oh Their Faces

Who Are You New York

ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI

over 25 indie musos around America – Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon sings through most of the album - this song, and the album from which it is lifted, are both masterpieces of post-modern music.

Reflexive of its influences and embracing all the tasty goodness of the genres that have been appropriated, ‘The Gaudy Side Of Town’ is the first piece of 80s revivalism to have truly captured the feeling of the decade, rather than just stealing its synths.

GOSTELERADIO

THE BLACK KEYS

Beginning in some very Panda Bear/Animal Collective territory, this song sort of splits me down the middle. On one side, disappointment at how derivative and of the moment it sounds, but on the other hand - it's a pretty great track.

All my jaded cynicism aside, it’s actually a really fucking good example of where pop is going at the moment – to pastoral, tribal folk-pop land.

Regardless of how much this sort of sound irks me, these lads from Melbourne do it as well as any international artist I’ve heard trying the same thing; if not slight better. It gets pretty boring though; aside from a few moments where they drop in some more weight behind the song, it pretty much just stays the same without changing the whole time.

While having moved away from their super stripped back roots with Thickfreakness, The Black Keys latest single sounds much more mature than I expected. While I'm mourning the loss of their almost adolescent blues riffage, the attention to songwriting and insightful lyrics which replace it are equally satisfying. Starting out almost Motown, at about 2:40 it breaks out in a riff stolen straight from Strummer, before bringing back the earlier foundations and coating them in a thin layer of bluesed-out punk. Seeing an artist grow can often be as torturous an affair as it can be rewarding, but with the Black Keys it seems they’ve definitely struck a happy medium between innovation and holding their style.

The Reprisal

Tighten Up

Round and Round These lads from Tasmania sing about isolation in small towns with either a sense of pride or shame - it's hard to tell.

This truly is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve had the good luck the review in a long while.

Delivering a sort of post punk, bone rattling and noise laced instrumentation over fractured vocals, ‘Oh Their Faces’ has a feel to it that is as much Nick Cave and the Birthday Party as it is My Disco. Maybe because I’m hung over while writing this, but I do really think the song leaves a sort of dry taste at the back of your mouth; the taste of a late night with nothing achieved, and an overarching need to get out of the hole you feel stuck in.

L

I

Sounding like a colloboration between Antony & The Johnstons’ composer Nico Mulhy and Thom Yorke, ‘Who Are You New York’ showcases the amazing talents of a truly humbling artist. The references to Grand Central Station and The Empire Sate building help build a sense of nostalgia around this song; a sense of nostalgia I don’t quite understand not having ever lived in New York myself… But still, it works?

I didn’t know people still make music this good.

V

With all the smarmy charm of The Bee Gees, and plenty of tongue in cheek indie humour about it, Ariel Pink’s latest offering is a dreamy slab of demented synth pop, well suited to a generation of slightly demented people. Shit is just so so slick on this song, like Phil-Spector-holding-a-gunto-your-head slick. The almost laughable back up vocals sung in some sort of odd puton falsetto, coupled with the sample of someone picking up a phone, sort of sums up the atmosphere of absurd silliness that inhabits this song. Really though, it’s all about The Beach Boys-esque breakdown at 1:40, with Ariel begging us to “hold on”, cos “he’s coming”.

Shit is just so damn cash.

S/T Aaarght Records Sufferers of the chronic condition Vinyl Based Addiction (VBA) tend to howl about in its throes if they can't get their hands on the first edition of a band’s latest wax offering. I was introduced to the UV Race recently and was pleasantly surprised to find that the re-pressing of their selftitled debut is on shiny yellow vinyl.

Unfortunately when you have VBA, it can be difficult to stop looking at the purdy colours long enough to listen to the damn thing.

Warragul’s finest line their album sleeve with notes explaining each of the twelve tracks. While not a new concept, the appeal in this instance is frontman Marcus Rechsteiner’s engaging and honest reflections.

These range from the band being in a “race from the sun”, knowing when the world is going to end, to the slightly more banal excitement of just driving around with friends. The medium of vinyl itself foregrounds Marcus’ voice, bringing his wailing speak-sing right to the listener. It’s as though the man is standing right behind you alternating between accusation and praise with equal conviction. It’s not all about the wailer though, with producer Mikey Young (Eddy Current’s guitarist) subtly moving between the buzzsaw guitars that dominate the latter stage of ‘Stare Into The Whole’ and the harmonising female vocal lines, which haunt out the track.

Ultimately, as Marcus has stated, The UV Race has boobs on the front of their album. ‘Nuff said.

Benjamin Cooper

E

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The Minor Chord

The All Ages rant bought to you by Indent.net.au. By Hana Williams

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D

Another instalment of generationext is upon us - the every so often Sunday night at the Museum of Contemporary Arts (MCA) that invites the “minors” (in legal terms) back to the gallery after dark with some swish food, some swoosh (non alcoholic) bevvies and some sweet tunes… And essentially they are doing a call out for those sweet tunes. Are you an indie or electro-post band? Maybe even a solo performer or DJ? Do you want to deck the halls at the MCA in The Rocks with your sound art? Well the next event is on Sunday June 27, and they are looking for the line up – it’ll be a double whammy ‘cause the next night is happening during the revered Biennale of Sydney, an international festival of contemporary art held every two years.

There are a few criteria you should meet, like being under eighteen to perform or attend - oh, that’s it.

This week, we have some American friends in town to help you get your hardcore fix.

Evergreen Terrace are headlining at the Factory Theatre in Enmore this Wednesday May 19. It’s metal with just the right amount of punk, and the band are touring with fellow Americans and metal/punk-ites Casey Jones, as well as Dropsaw (a healthy taste of hardcore from Newcastle) and Phantoms (a Melbourne-based hard rock/surf rock band). Tickets are 40 big ones, through the venue.

If that’s not enough hardcore for you, the Metro Theatre on Friday May 21 is hosting The Dillinger Escape Plan (USA), supported by the talented Maylene and The Sons of Disaster. This is the only Sydney show for both bands, and tickets cost a fair $64 - available through the venue.

Ok heavy isn’t for everyone, and if you’re feeling a bit lucky, head to the Channel [V] website quick smart for your chance to win free tickets to see Brisbane's Operator Please live in action, celebrating the release of their latest and most anticipated studio album Gloves. You have up until Tuesday May 18 to register to win tickets, but if you pick this up later in the week then you can still hit up the gig the following Thursday May 27 at Fox Studios, Moore Park. The event will start early (like at 4pm) which is just enough time to fess your guts up on TV to win the chance to meet the band, dance to some channel [V]J’s and then make it home for dinner.

Morganics

Morganics vy Angela McMillan

7.30PM DOORS $5 ENTRY

oes anyone know what Anastomosis is? Pronounced Anna-stome-o-sis. In scientific terms it’s a phenomenon of networks of streams that both branch out and reconnect neurons firing in the brain… Learning from pop culture – tick. In music terms, Anastomosis is a recently created monthly performance night for musicians and artists in and around Sydney. A conception from Sydney Improv Trashbags, Anastomosis is essentially an opportunity to jam, experiment and make a lot of noise in a lot of creative ways (musically specific or not).

This kick off night is happening on Friday May 21, and calling for expressions of interests from the spontaneous-minded.

Still not satisfied with this hardcore line up? Then how about you line up at The Factory Theatre this Saturday May 22 from 8pm for the heavy metal styling of Turasis (Finland). Better known back in their homeland as the Gods of War, they come to us not as Gods of war but as Gods of Rock! To help these ‘battle-painted warriorpoets’ rock are the talented Dead Letter Opener and Belakor. Tickets are at a price of $62.60(+bf) - don’t miss your chance to rock out to these crazy rockers of Finland.

Also this week uber-awesome venue; The Red Rattler in Marrickville will continue their string of unique and outstanding programming with Sketch The Rhyme - a multimedia and visual arts show based around freestyle rapping and drawing!

From what we can gather, the artist’s drawing is projected to an audience that the MC’s will then improv-rap about. It could equally be the other way around…

The night features some of the greatest local performers including Nikkita, Morganics, Redfern City Rockers, DJ Morgs and Survival Tactics. It’s $15 bucks on the door.

Until next time minors, for all these stories and more hit up indent.net.au.

Evergreen Terrace

Send pics, listings and any info to minorchords@thebrag.com

Remedy

More than The Cure since 1989 with Murray Engleheart

POP THE COLLAR

Man, we had to laugh at this. No sooner did we submit last week’s column with our rant about Iggy feeling the need to show off his chest all the damn time than we saw The Guardian in the UK was running a poll about whether the Ig should put a shirt on.

Ah, great minds…We voted early and often.

SUNN O))) AND BORIS REUNITE

It wasn’t the holy sonic Godhead type moment we had hoped it could and would be when it came out, but Sunn O))) and Boris are reuniting to perform their joint Alter slab at ATP New York in September, curated by filmmaker Jim Jarmusch.

Also on the ATP bill are Iggy and The Stooges (sheesh!) doing Raw Power, Holy Mountain, Sonic Youth, Mudhoney, Tortoise, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Explosions In The Sky and plenty more.

y a d r u Sat

New York - the joint that The Beatles’ phenomenon famously hit so riotously hard - with Bird Blobs’ howler Tim Evans on vocals. The rest of the band includes Jim White and Mick Turner both now of Dirty Three fame and glory.

Y A M 22

QOTSA REISSUE

It seems a tad early after just ten years to get all revisionist and stuff but Queens Of The Stone Age’s Rated R is being reissued in July. It’ll come with the usual extra tracks and live goodies.

PRIMUS REFORM

Musically we never really got ‘em for some reason and we really should have and we really did try. But now they’ve reformed pretty much - so we get a second shot at digging what Primus do.

GOATSNAKE REISSUE

Southern Lord Records have reissued Goatsnake’s third LP, 2000’s out of print Flower Of Disease. And what a lineup it was! Greg Anderson (Sunn O)))), Pete Stahl (Scream), Greg Rogers (The Obsessed) and Stuart Dahlquist (Burning Witch) plus Petra Haden and Dave Catching (Eagles of Death Metal, QOTSA, Mondo Generator). The band just thumped those lucky enough to be at the Roadburn festival in Holland, which over the past few years has became the place to do that special heavy thing moment. It was their first show in almost six years.

VENOM P STINGER

As a warm up for their reformed showing at ATP in the UK last week, legendary Melbourne noiseniks Venom P Stinger played at the historic Shea Stadium in

TQ ^M JI V L["

THRASHED

Primus

ON THE TURNTABLE

Space: 127 Liverpool St

On the Remedy turntable is the Travelling Flower Band’s Satori album, which is one song by the near mythical Japanese outfit over two sides in multiple parts - and it’s pretty damn amazing. (We still can’t believe that we found a copy of it. And on vinyl too no less). Also twirling is Edgar Winter’s They Only Come Out At Night which is somewhere between hard rock and funk with later Montrose guitarist Ronnie Montrose tearing it up.

Pity they never did anything in the studio as incendiary as a performance we once saw on the old In Concert TV series from Madison Square Garden. Things have been rounding out with Jason and the Scorchers’ outstandingly rip roaring Fervour mini effort.

TOUR AND INDUSTRY NEWS Louder Than Love - The Grande Ballroom Story is a movie in progress, produced and directed by Tony D’Annunzio about the famed late sixties’ Detroit venue that played obvious host not only to The MC5 and The Stooges but big Brit tourists like Led Zeppelin and Cream. Its tale is told by those who were there, and D’Annunzio has organized a benefit gig in Detroit to raise funds to help offset the huge costs involved. Music copyright etc ain’t cheap. A sister (Anne) benefit gig is happening to add some support for the cause from our side of the planet, what with the huge impact of the “Detroit” scene in Sydney in the late seventies and

early eighties. The Sydney show is on May 29 from 6pm at Sandringham in Newtown, featuring Ghosts Of The Grande - Chris Masuak (Radio Birdman), Paul Hayward (Young Docteurs), Andy Newman (Soulmovers), Bruce Tatum (Decline Of The Reptiles), Murray Shepherd (The Fun Things and Screaming Tribesmen) along with special guests, Young Docteurs, Molten Universe, The No-Such Things, New Vintage and IL Bruto. MC is Glenn A. Baker Johnny Casino and The Secrets are back on the road for three consecutive shows.

On May 21 they’re at the Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland, May 22 at the Oxford in Wollongong and on May 23 they’re pumping out three sets at the Sandringham from 4 until 7pm.

Circle Pit launch their debut slab, the snappily titled Bruise Constellation at the Oxford Arts Factory on May 26 with support from Songs, Lost Animal and the excellent Dead Farmers.

Circle Pit

Mother Eel require “somebody who can equal or better the mighty “Blather” McQueen on the skins.” Must be able to play fast and slow and handle death, black, doom, grind, sludge etc. The lot really. Contact the band through www.myspace.com/mothereel or mothereel@hotmail.com

Send stuff for this column to remedy@ozemail.com.au by 6pm Wednesdays. All pics to The Brag please.

Circle Pit photo by Pedro Ramos

Ed Kuepper is in the middle of a string of shows with fellow former Saint Chris Bailey in what ain’t no Saints reunion as such, OK? See the Saintly pair at The Vanguard in Newtown on the Wednesdays of May 19 and May 26, where they’ll be running through all manner of things.

BRAG :: 362:: 17:05:10 :: 51

snap sn ap

julian casablancas 09:05:10

PICS :: TL

up all night out all week . . .

:: The Metro Theatre :: 624 George St City 92642666

spoon

PICS :: WR

It’s called: 34B’s Jungle Fever A Burlesque Safari It looks and sounds like: A thrill ing very swinging safari van, with som trip through the darkest jungle, on a e just through the undergrowth. You deadly femme fatales hiding somewhere can hear their cries, and then – they attack!

Performers/ DJs: Kira Carden – a goddess to her people. Lauren La Rouge –this lethal vixen is part hum – a wild cat… beware! Donna Dyn an, part-poison ivy! Kitty Van Horne amite – high among the vines and jungle ceiling lives this flying fox! the Elec monkey business! Briana Bluebell tric Dreams – some truly cheeky – in an encore performance! MC Renny Kodgers – he’s your sens ational tour guide and MC. DJ Gold bringing the rhythms of the jungle foot – floor - to the dancefloor.

Sell it to us: After the massive succ ess of 34B’s Women in Uniform, Sydney’s premier Burlesque nigh t takes a step into the wild. Come, if you dare, into the hear t of darkness!

34B lands - and the creatures we’ve disco journeys deep into the savage jungle vered will astound, terrify…and delig ht!

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: With the claw marks across your and vines in your hair you won’t back have trouble remembering every thrilling moment – if you’re lucky enough to make it out alive!

Crowd specs: Adventurers of all walks of life steppin’ out - on safa ri.

Wallet damage: $20 general adm ission/reserved table tickets $30 (min 4 – max 7 people) Where: 34B Burlesque 44 Oxford St Darlinghurst –Q bar entry When: Saturday May 22

07:05:10 :: The Forum :: Entertainment Quarter Moore Park

mum

PICS :: CG

party profile

34b's jungle fever

tegan & sarah

PICS :: HC

07:05:10 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

07:05:10 :: Luna Park :: 1 Olympic Drive Milsons Point 99226644 52 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

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andy clockwise

PICS :: HC

up all night out all week . . .

06:05:10 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93323711

It’s called: Show Case Sundays @ The Club It sounds like: Too good to be true – a refreshing clash of melodic regg fusion alongside speakeasy unde ae rground electro & indie pop.

Bands/DJs: Canopy Choirs, The Future Prehistoric & The Company

by Muzz & Jizz, Dan Cares & So + DJ sets Serious DJs. Three records you’ll hear on the night: The freshest mixes: ‘I’ll be Foxy Brown feat. Jay-Z (the sampled good nineties gangsta version); Alice Coo ’ by ‘Poison’; Simian Mobile Disco’s ‘I per’s Believe’.

And one you definitely won’t: You Blah’ or Lady Gaga’s ‘Alejandro’, rest will NOT hear Ke$ha’s babble ‘Blah Blah assured.

Sell it to us: Sydney’s newest and hippest arts factory brings an ecle emerging + unsigned talent from ctic mix of the Sydney fashion & music + arts scene.

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: in their quick and easy dominatrix The last romantic girls cracking the whip suits and realising you're late for work, with a welted ass and a soothing Monday morning hangover.

Crowd specs: Statements will be made here; you’ll find creative cats double denim or black on black. wearing Wallet damage: No need to heck le the doorman for free entry, it’s only 5 bucks you scrooge.

Where: Where else but 33 Bayswate r Road, Kings Cross.

When: Sunday May 23… 8pm shar p.

trash

PICS :: TL

05:05:10 :: Spectrum :: 34 Oxford St Darlinghurst 93316245

party profile

upstarts: convaire

PICS :: EE

show case sundays

bitch

PICS :: RRU

08:05:10 :: Agincourt Hotel :: 871 George St City 92814566

07:05:10 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93323711 54 :: BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10

) ASHLEY MAR :: ROSETTE S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO MUNNS :: PATRICK STEVENSON :: OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER MY BOWRING :: DANIEL JERE :: IE ENZ MCK II SOF :: REICHELT :: RENEE RUSHBROOK ROUHANNA A :: CAROLINE GARCIA :: WILL HANNAH CAREY :: MAJA BASK

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 55

g g guide gig g

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

pick of the week JAZZ

20 Cent Dog

FRIDAY MAY 21

Cameras

Spectrum, Darlinghurst

Big Scary, Cabins, Cameras $10 8pm

Taipan Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 8pm Bno Rockshow Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Brendon Hui Arthouse Hotel, Sydney free 5.30pm Glass Chain Albion Hotel, Parramatta free 8pm Ian Blakeney Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm Mick Vawdon The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 9.30pm Nights In Mumbai, MKF, Life On Top Of Hyde Park The Basement, Circular Quay $20 (+ bf)–$25 (at door) 9.30pm Shai Hulud (USA) Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West $15 (+ bf) 7.30pm Steve Tonge O’Malley’s Hotel, Darlinghurst free 9.30pm The Manly Marvels Band Competition: Never Ending Crisis, Jukebox Zombies, The Fatals Manly Fisho’s $10 8pm They Call Me Bruce Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney free 9.30pm

JAZZ

Peter Head Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 8pm The Darts, The Denominators 505 Club, Surry Hills $8–$10 8.30pm

ACOUSTIC/FOLK

Songsalive! Showcase: Mai-anh, Helmut Uhlmann and guests Club Five Dock free 7pm Tuesday Night Live: Alisa Fedele, Yolanda Brown, Sam Smith, Anthony J Ousback Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 8pm

WEDNESDAY MAY 19

Big Scary

ROCK & POP

MONDAY MAY 17 ROCK & POP

Gerard Masters Opera Bar, Sydney free 8.30pm Kick Star Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Rumours - The Australian Fleetwood Mac Experience Dee Why RSL Club free 8pm Sarah Paton The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 9.30pm Scarlett Assassin, My Future Lies, Portable Junk Band The Basement, Circular Quay $15 (+ bf) 8.30pm Singer Songwriter Night Vic on the Park Hotel, Marrickville $5 8pm The Jam Thing Gasworks Nightclub, Albion Hotel, Parramatta free 8pm Tony Slavich Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm Unherd Open Mic: Ghostboy, Derkajam Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 7pm

505 Club, Surry Hills $10 9pm Open Mic & Jazz/Latin Jam Session: Daniel Falero, Pierre Della Putta, Phil Taig, Rinske Geerlings, Ed Rapo Bar Me, Potts Point free 7pm Peter Head Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 8pm

ACOUSTIC/FOLK

DinkiDiAcoustic: Dave Turner, J Nelson, C Grech, G Healy The Hive Bar, Erskineville free 8pm Songsalive! Showcase: Mark Wilkinson, Mikey Fitz, Senani, Pave Leclair, Russell Neal, Maianh, Helmut Uhlmann Kellys On King, Newtown free 7pm Songwriter Sessions Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills free 7.30pm

TUESDAY MAY 18 ROCK & POP

Alien Zoo, A World Less Cruel, The Ruby Wilde Resurrection, Trixie

Agus Sandjaya, Andrej Kouznestov St James’ Church, Sydney free–$5 (donation) 1.15pm Bailey & Kuepper The Vanguard, Newtown $27.75 (+ bf)–$30 (at door) 6.30pm Bell Weather Department, Ashleigh Mannix, Braden Evans, Andy Golledge Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills free 7pm Catch 22 Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Come Out and Play Croatian Wickham Sports Club free 8pm Cruzade Jam Nights Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor free 7.30pm Dan Spillane, Mark De Costa & the Blacklist The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free 9.15pm Dan Sultan Uni Bar, Wollongong University, Gwynneville $22.50 (student)–$27.50 8pm David Agius Duo Ettamogah Pub, Rouse Hill free 5.30pm DC Bligh Hotel, Sydney free 5.30pm Evergreen Terrace (USA), Casey Jones (USA), Dropsaw, Phantoms The Factory Theatre, Enmore $41.40 (+ bf) 8pm Gemma The Observer Hotel, The Rocks free 9.30pm Ian Moss Brass Monkey, Cronulla $39.80 (presale) 7pm Jager Uprising: Electric Elements Crew, Blonde Soverign, Driftwood Drones, Jeremy Harrison Annandale Hotel $5 7.30pm

The Fumes Jesse Morris Bar on the Hill, University of Newcastle, Callaghan 12pm Joel Sarakula, Brendan MacLean Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm JP O’Malley’s Hotel, Darlinghurst free 9.30pm Lucy Sassoon Dee Why RSL Club free 6.30pm Mandi Jarry Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel free 6pm Mark Moldre, Tall Tails, Mike McCarthy, Sarah Humphreys Lizotte’s Restaurant, Lambton $13.50 7.30pm Marty Stewart Rocksia Hotel, Arncliffe free 7pm Mitch Fingers Band Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney free 9.30pm Open Mic Night Excelsior Hotel, Glebe free 7.30pm Sideshow Wednesday: The Scare, Rushcutters Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 8pm Solskyr, Mayday Way Hey, Found At Sea Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $8 8pm The Foreign Objects, Broadway Mile Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West free 8pm The Forest Folk, Hey Maverick Hampshire Hotel, Camperdown free 7pm The Liberators Macquarie Hotel, Sydney free 8pm The Slowdowns Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 8pm The Unexpected The Three Wise Monkeys, Sydney free 10pm They Call Me Bruce Coogee Bay Hotel, Beach Bar free 10pm Victoria Baillie Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $15 8pm Yourspace: Drop Tank, Handsome Sons, Victa, Feick’s Device, Edie Lot & The Last Shot, Yu Si Liu, Steven Rivers, Emad Younan Town Hall Hotel, Newtown free 7pm

JAZZ

Ali & The Thieves, Ben Thatcher Raval, Surry Hills $18.90 (presale) 8pm Angels Over Berlin: Ute Lemper (Germany) State Theatre, Sydney $89 (conc)– $95 8pm Didi Mudigdo Jazushi, Surry Hills free 7pm Glen Cardier The Basement, Circular Quay $20 (+ bf) 9.30pm John Redmond Trio The Manhattan Lounge, Sydney free 6.45pm Peter Head Harbour View Hotel free 8pm Robyn Pinson Trio Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL free 9.30am Scott Tinkler’s Drub 505 Club, Surry Hills $10 9pm Yuki Kumagai, John Mackie, Tony Burkys Church Street Mall, Parramatta free 12pm

ACOUSTIC/FOLK

SSA Concert: Lisa McGlasson, Massimo Presti, TAOS + guests Newtown RSL free 7pm Songsalive! Showcase: We_are_a Leopard, Shining Whits, Pete Campbell, Daniel Coates, Naomi Merciai, Dave Seaside, Matthew Wells, Peter Williams, Russell Neal Harbourview Hotel, the Rocks free 7pm

THURSDAY MAY 20 ROCK & POP

Arkestra, Whipped Cream Chargers, Preachers Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm Biffy Clyro

“Do you feel like a remnant of something that’s past? Do you find things are moving Just a little too fast?” - NICK DRAKE 56 :: BRAG :: 362:: 17:05:10

gig guide

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

Bacardi Band Search: Little Black Dress, Shivering Indies, Sendfire, Truth Ruby Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West free 8pm Biffy Clyro (Scotland) Metro Theatre, Sydney $40.70 (+ bf) 8pm Chris Pickering, Cookie Baker, Matt Gresham, Nicole Brophy Lizotte’s Restaurant, Lambton $12 (presale)–$15 (at door) 8pm Cloud Control, Richard in Your Mind Harp Hotel, Wollongong 8pm Crushed Ice Bankstown Trotting Club free 7.30pm Dan Sultan Bar on the Hill, University of Newcastle, Callaghan $22.80 (student)–$28.10 8pm Darryl Apps Brighton RSL Club, Brighton-LeSands free 8pm David Christopher Bligh Hotel, Sydney free 5.30pm DC Brooklyn Hotel, Sydney free 6.30pm Doug Williams & The Mix, Tiaan Williams The Basement, Circular Quay $20 8.30pm Emma Davis, The Crooked Fiddle Band, Captain Kickarse & the Awesomes, Day of the Meerkat, The Lurkers Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills $20 (+ bf) 7.30pm Evergreen Terrace (USA), Casey Jones (USA), Dropsaw, Buried in Verona Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong $27.75 (presale) 6pm Glen Mead Five Islands Brewing Company, Wollongong free 8pm Grand Atlantic, Skarlet Blue, Broadway Mile, The Virgin Thursdays Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale $8 8pm

Harvey Swagger band (album launch), Oscar Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $10 8pm Hitseekers Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Hoodoo Gurus, The Fumes Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $33 (presale) 8pm Hot Damn!: Surprise Wasp, The Gun Runners, The Foreign Objects, Hot Damn DJs Spectrum, Darlinghurst $10–$12 8pm Ian Blakeney Piano Bar, Bankstown Sports Club free 8pm Ian Moss Brass Monkey, Cronulla $39.80 (presale) 7pm It’s Showtime Sussex Inlet RSL Club free 8pm Jesse Morris Mary Ellen Hotel, Merewether 8pm John Hill Dee Why RSL Club free 7pm Johnathon Devoy Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 8pm King Tide Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 8pm Luke Escombe Macquarie Hotel, Sydney free 8pm Mad Polly, The Animators Ryan’s Hotel, Thirroul free 8pm Mick Buckley Five Dock RSL free 7pm Mick On Wheels Windang Bowling Club free 8pm Muddy Feet Jannali Inn free 7pm Quest For Rock The Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill free 7pm Sharron Bowman Guildford Leagues Club free 10pm Simone Dee Trio Woollahra Hotel free 7.45pm Singled Out The Three Wise Monkeys, Sydney

free 10pm Sounds Like Two Coogee Bay Hotel, Beach Bar free 10pm Super Heroes & Villains Party: The Villains Uni Bar, Wollongong University, Gwynneville free (student)–$10 8pm Teknofear, The Conspiracy Plan, Steel City Allstars, Liberty County Live at the Wall, Leichhardt $12 7.30pm The Donovans The Orient Hotel, The Rocks free–$5 9.15pm The Suspects Marble Bar, Sydney free 8.30pm Three Stripe Avenue Bradbury Inn free 8pm Tim Freedman, Lucie Thorne The Vanguard, Newtown $40 (+ bf)–$86 (dinner & show) 6.30pm True Love Chaos, The Still Bandits, Pixilated Pirates, Prue Philips Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $10 8pm Vitaley & The Barefoot Souls Jamberoo Pub free 8pm White Bros New Brighton Hotel, Manly free 10pm - late Wifey, Delta Riggs, Virgo Rising, John Song, Pasqual Black Melt Bar, Kings Cross $10 8pm Zoltan The Mill, Milperra free 8pm

JAZZ Newyorkio 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 9pm Peter Head Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks free 9pm Sandy B Clarence Hotel, Petersham free 8pm The Continental Blues Trio The Funky Deli Cafe, Newtown free 7pm

The Crooked Fiddle Band

ACOUSTIC & FOLK Lissa Kukura, Amanda K & the Honest Folk Raval, Surry Hills $12 (+ bf) 7.30pm Dennis Aubrey’s Songwriters Night @Newtown RSL free 7pm Songsalive! Showcase: Velvet Road, Clement Armstrong, Jessica Blakeley, Daniel Coates, Hugo Yap, Andrew Denniston Royal Albert Hotel, Surry Hills free 7pm Tall Tails, The Temperamental Pocket The Chilli Lounge, Wyong $8 8pm

$15 8pm Urthboy, Mantra Mona Vale Hotel $15 (+ bf) 8pm

COUNTRY Tracy Killeen Fred Chubb Lounge, Rooty Hill RSL Club free 8pm

FRIDAY MAY 21 ROCK & POP

HIP HOP Sketch the Rhyme: Nikita, Morganics, Morgs, Survival Tactics The Red Rattler Theatre, Marrickville

2 Of Hearts Mosman RSL Club free 7pm 3rd Time Lucky Blacktown RSL Club free 8pm After Party Band

wed

19 May

(9:15PM - 12:15AM)

thu

20 May

(9:15PM - 12:15AM)

fri

21 May

(9:15PM - 1:00AM)

(5:00PM - 8:00PM)

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

sat

22 May

sun

SATURDAY NIGHT

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

23 May

SUNDAY NIGHT

(8:30PM - 12:00AM)

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 57

gig guide send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

Dan Sultan Campbelltown Catholic Club free 9pm Armchair Travellers Club Rivers, Riverwood free 9pm Back 2 Rock Iron Horse Inn, Cardiff free 6.30pm Batrider, Pets With Pets, Bare Grillz, Alps of NSW Croatian Wickham Sports Club 8pm Big Scary, Cabins, Cameras Spectrum, Darlinghurst $10 8pm Big Way Out Crows Nest Hotel free 10.45pm Blackout Fire Station Hotel, Wallsend free 8.30pm Bliss Bombs Coogee Bay Hotel, Beach Bar free 10.30pm Bon Jovi Show Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 10pm Brendon Hui Arthouse Hotel, Sydney free 8pm Brown Sugar Marble Bar, Sydney free Celadore Candy’s Apartment, Kings Cross 8pm Chris Pickering, Cookie Baker, Matt Gresham, Nicole Brophy Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba $18 8pm Club Blink: Never Content, Flatline Drama, The Turning Tide Agincourt Hotel. Ultimo $12 Cm4 Cronulla RSL free 8pm Dan Sultan, Gin Wigmore, The Hello Morning Manning Bar, Sydney University, Camperdown $22 (+ bf) 8pm Diana Anaid, Nicholas Roy, Grayson, Brendan MacLean Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $15 (presale) 8pm Dillinger Escape Plan (USA), Maylene & the Sons Of Disaster (USA), Periphery (USA) Metro Theatre, Sydney $64 (+ bf) 7.30pm Doobie, Eagles & West Coast Rock: Barry Leef The Basement, Circular Quay $25 (+ bf) 9.30pm Doug Williams & The Mix The Manly Boat Shed 10.30pm Endless Summer Beach Party St Marys Leagues Club free 9pm Epicure, Sailmaker, Dave Anderson Annandale Hotel $15 (+ bf) 8pm Express The Forbes Hotel, Sydney free 5pm FourPlay Notes Live, Enmore $25.50 (presale) 7pm Free Jane, Baby X, Circle, The Raids Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills $10 (+ bf) 8pm Got It Covered Albion Hotel, Parramatta free 6pm Happy Daze Showband Rainforest Lounge, Bankstown Sports Club free 9pm Happy Hippies Bidwill Hotel free 7.30pm Hoodoo Gurus, The Fumes Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $33 (presale) 8pm Hue Williams Gladstone Hotel, Dulwich Hill free 7.30pm Ignition The Three Wise Monkeys, Sydney free 10.30pm Instant Replay East Hills Hotel free 7.30pm Jacks In Black Richmond Club free 8.45pm 58 :: BRAG :: 362:: 17:05:10

Jamie Caves Beach Hotel free Jim Conway’s Big Wheel Cat & Fiddle Hotel, Balmain $15– $20 8pm Jimmy Bear Tall Timbers Hotel, Ourimbah 6pm JJ Duo Maroubra Junction Hotel free 8pm Joey & the Boy Revesby Workers Club free 8pm Johnny Casino & the Secrets The Junkyard, Maitland 8pm Justine Eltakchi, Michael Duschene, Laura Roxbury Room, The Roxbury Hotel, Glebe $10 7.30pm Kick Warners Bay Hotel free 9pm Kick Star Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 1.30am Klassic Blak Ettalong Bowling Club, Ettalong Beach free 7.30pm Lionel Robinson Piano Bar, Bankstown Sports Club free 8pm Mark Wilkinson Persian Basement, Lane Cove 8pm Mick Buckley Empire Hotel, Annandale free 8.30pm MP2 Empire Bay Hotel 7pm MUM: Dirty Secrets, Radio National, The Spitfires, Upstairs: Red Ink, The Preachers, Simo Soo, Hey Fever, Monii The World Bar, Kings Cross $10– $15 8pm Nightshift Moorebank Sports Club, Hammondville free 9.30pm Nova Tone St Marys Band Club free 8pm Octive Key Largo, Terrigal free 7pm Pete North Sydney Bowling Club free 7pm Pod Brothers Engadine RSL & Citizens Club free

Diana Anaid

8pm Pop Fiction Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL free 10pm Purple Sneakers: SVU, M.I.T., Ben Lucid, Nick Findlay, Seabass Gladstone Hotel, Chippendale $12 7pm Reasons 2b Cheerful Narrabeen Sands Hotel free 8pm Recoil, Overthrown, Khargish, 4arm The Chilli Lounge, Wyong $12 8pm Rock Party Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 10.30pm Sam & Jamie Show Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel free 7pm Satellite Newtown RSL Club free 7.30pm Sianna Lee, Fergus Brown The Grand Hotel, Wollongong 8pm Spectacular Feets Mattara Hotel, Newcastle free 8pm Stickyfingers, Massema Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm Stone Cold Sober Crown on McCredie Hotel, Guildford West free 8pm The Coronas (Ireland) The Factory Theatre, Enmore $40 (+ bf) 8pm The Eagles Show Cardiff Panthers free 8.30pm The Hitmen, Dead Rabids, Bob Short Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $22–$25 8pm The Kamis Fred Chubb Lounge, Rooty Hill RSL Club free 8pm The Led Zeppelin Show Engadine Tavern free 9.30pm The Pink Floyd Experience Enmore Theatre $89.90 (silver)–$99.90 (gold) 8pm The V Dubs The Shaft Tavern, Elermore Vale free 8.30pm The Waves Harbord Beach Hotel free 8.45pm Theodore, Parapluie Manly Fisho’s $10 8pm Tim Freedman, Lucie Thorne The Vanguard, Newtown $40 (+ bf)–$86 (dinner & show) 6.30pm Time Machine Penrith Gaels Club free 8pm Tony Williams Guildford Leagues Club free 10pm Two Minds Maroubra RSL Club free 8.30pm Underlights Melt Bar, Kings Cross $12 9pm Ursula Yovich Riverside Theatres, Parramatta $31 (u30 yrs)–$39 (adult) 7.30pm Vee Bees, The Casino Rumblers, Manic Pistoleros Hamilton Station Hotel, Islington $10 8pm Viagro Long Jetty Hotel 7.30pm Wildcatz

Wentworthville Leagues Club free 10pm Zeros Caringbah Bizzo’s

JAZZ Bridge City Jazz Band Club Ashfield free 7.30pm Darling Harbour Jazz Festival: James Morrison, Stan Walker, Harry Manx (Canada), Ash Grunwald, The Strides, D.I.G., Jeff Duff, Dave Brewer & Lucky Oceans, The Hands Big Band, Bob Bertle’s Jazz Syndicate, Backsliders, Emma Pask, MJ Woodbridge, Uncle Jed, The Blues Preachers, Urban Gypsies Darling Harbour Aquashell, Sydney free 11am Mats Lideborg (Sweden) Courtyard, Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill free 6pm Miss Little, The Rescue Ships 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 9pm SIMA: The Richard Maegraith Band The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $12 (member)–$18 8.30pm

ACOUSTIC & FOLK Cafe Carnivale: Jorge Campano, Serenata Eastside Arts, Paddington $10 (child)–$28 8pm

COUNTRY Carus Thompson Coogee Diggers 8pm The Flood Lizotte’s Restaurant, Lambton $25 (show only)–$65 (dinner & show) 7pm

HIP-HOP Dust Tones: Nick Knowledge, The Phonies, Mathmatics, Mike Who Beach Road Hotel, Bondi free 8pm Urthboy, Jane Tyrrell, El Gusto Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West $17 (+ bf) 8.30pm

SATURDAY MAY 22 ROCK & POP 031 Rockshow Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 1.30am Acca Dacca Shellharbour Workers’ Club $25 (member)–$27 8pm Akinga Fred Chubb Lounge, Rooty Hill RSL Club free 8.30pm Alex Albion Place Hotel, Sydney free 10pm All Star Duo Coogee Legion Ex-Service Club free 8pm Allstar Gateshead Tavern free 8pm Almost Famous Wentworthville Leagues Club free 10pm Alphamama Club: Alphamama Tokio Hotel, Darling Harbour free 8pm Armchair Travellers St George Motor Boat Club Ltd, Sans Souci free 7.30pm Back To Funk Fiddler Bar, Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill free 9pm Batrider, Pets With Pets, Brian Chase, Seth Misterka, Dead Farmers The Red Rattler Theatre, Marrickville 8pm Battle of the Bands: Snoozefests, Outsane, Boomshanka Hornsby Inn free 8pm Blue Bossa Coogee Bay Hotel, Beach Bar free 10.30pm Caffeine Crunch Catherine Hill Bay Hotel free 1.30pm Carl Stewart Band, Good Question, Question Mark Roxbury Room, The Roxbury Hotel,

Glebe $10 7pm Carus Thompson Brass Monkey, Cronulla 8pm Chris Pickering, Cookie Baker, Matt Gresham, Nicole Brophy Heritage Hotel, Bulli $12 (presale)–$15 (at door) 8pm Dave White Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel free 3.30pm Diana Anaid, Nicholas Roy, Grayson Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton 8pm Double Trouble Parramatta RSL free 7.30pm Dragon Lizotte’s Restaurant, Lambton $40 (show only)–$99.50 (dinner & show) 7pm Funkstar Marble Bar, Sydney free 9.30pm Future Is Now: The Cadres, Paper Moon, The Ghosts, Convaire, Howling Bells DJs Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills Got It Covered Appin Hotel free 8.30pm GTS St George Masonic Club, Mortdale free 7.30pm Hooray For Everything Courthouse Hotel, Darlinghurst free 10pm In Pieces, Bliss Bombs Penrith Panthers free 9pm Jack Young Belvedere Hotel, Sydney free 8pm James Pamino Richmond Club free 8.30pm Jenny Marie Lang Guildford Leagues Club free 10pm Joanna Melas, Ron Osborn Piano Bar, Bankstown Sports Club free 5.30pm Johnny Casino & the Secrets Oxford Tavern, Wollongong 8pm Karaoke Lake Macquarie Tavern, Mount Hutton free 7.30pm Katy Steele Notes Live, Enmore $35 (+ bf) 8pm Keep the Faith The Pinnacle, Hurstville South free 9.30pm Kira Puru & the Very Geordie Malones Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West $12 (at door) 8.30pm Kristy Lee Penrith Gaels Club free 8pm Latin Addiciton Rainforest Lounge, Bankstown Sports Club free 9pm Latin Guitars Sydney Cricket Ground, Moore Park free 12pm Lisa Crouch After Dark Bar, Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL free 10pm Lou Bradley Fubah on Copa, Copacabana $6.50 8pm Lungs, The Gun Runners, Surprise Wasp, Easy Company, Nice Guys Lansdowne Hotel, Broadway free 9pm Mark Da Costa The Three Wise Monkeys, Sydney free 10.30pm Mark Da Costa, Black Diamond Heart Club Marlborough Hotel, Newtown free 8pm Mark Moldre, Tall Tails, Mike McCarthy Raval, Surry Hills $15.90 8pm Martys Place Cronulla RSL free 8pm Metallica Show The Steyne Hotel, Manly free 9.30pm Midnight Shift Liverpool RSL free 8pm Millennium Bug Penrith RSL free 9pm Nightshift RG McGees Hotel, Richmond free 9.30pm One, Two Many, Before The Lights, Sky Squadron, Chasing Amy, One Minute Of Living The Chilli Lounge, Wyong $12 2pm Party Vibe Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 1.30am Pockets, Border Thieves Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst free 8pm Pod Brothers Stoned Crow, Crows Nest free 9pm Recoil Live at the Wall, Leichhardt 8pm Rob Henry Duo

gig guide

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Harbord Beach Hotel free 8pm Rockstar Cock ‘n’ Bull Tavern, Bondi Junction free 8pm Rubicon Warners Bay Hotel free 9pm Sianna Lee, Fergus Brown Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $15 8pm Singled Out Regents Park Sporting & Community Club free 7.30pm Sounds Like Two Taren Point Hotel-Motel free 9pm Swivelhead, Wormholes Exist, Black Acid Flashbacks, Upside Down Miss Jane Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $10 8pm Tempered Red, Arrowhead, Hook Elation, Lovers Jump Creek Manly Fisho’s $10 8pm The Bad & The Ugly Belmont Hotel free 6.30pm The Beatnix Blacktown RSL Club free 10pm The Coronas (Ireland) Newcastle Leagues Club, Newcastle West 8pm The Dread Sky, No Peace For Charlie, Intrigage @Newtown RSL, Sydney free The Eagles Show Cardiff Panthers free 8pm The Meanies, Stumblin’ Jesus Mosquito, Life Adjustment Disorder, The Turps Annandale Hotel $25 (+ bf) 8pm The Pink Floyd Experience Enmore Theatre $89.90 (silver)–$99.90 (gold) 8pm The Rebel Rousers Ettalong Bowling Club, Ettalong Beach free 7.30pm The Strides, Watussi Coogee Diggers 8pm The Three B’s Show Bankstown Sports Club $7 (member)–$10 7.30pm The V Dubs Hotel Delany, Newcastle free 9pm Tice & Evans, Kaki Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel,

Newtown free 8pm Tim Freedman, Lucie Thorne The Vanguard, Newtown $40 (+ bf)–$86 (dinner & show) 6.30pm Tim Rogers Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba $35 (+ bf)–$73 (dinner & show) 7pm Trash: Dakota Court, Vanity Riots, Why God Why Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo $10 (guestlist)–$12 9pm Turisas (Finland), Dead Letter Opener, Belakor The Factory Theatre, Enmore $62.60 (+ bf) 8pm Two Minds Mercantile Hotel, The Rocks free 8.30pm Wayne Pearce & the Big Hitters Bayview Tavern, Gladesville free 10.30pm Wildcatz Cronulla Bowling & Recreation Club free 8.30pm Zoltan Revesby Workers Club free 8pm

9pm Mats Lideborg (Sweden) Courtyard, Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill free 6pm Robert Susz & the Continental Blues Party The Funky Deli Cafe, Newtown free 9pm SIMA: Elana Stone, Jeremy Sawkins Band The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Chippendale $12 (member)–$18 8.30pm The Music of Maxwell & Mary J Blige: Miguel George, Lady Lyric The Basement, Circular Quay $25 (+ bf)–$28 9.30pm Yuki Kumagai, John Mackie, Tony Burkys, Paul Furniss, Bob Gillespie Penrith RSL Club, Penrith free 2pm

ACOUSTIC & FOLK Cornerbrook, Jimmy Mullarkey Ceili Band, Aoife Kelly, Pat Hunt, Get Folked Irish Gaelic Club, Surry Hills $15 7pm Mick Hart Croatian Wickham Sports Club free 8pm Songsalive! Showcase: Carolyn Crysdale, Rachae McHugh + guests Leichhardt Bowling Club free 5pm Songsalive! Showcase: Maianh, Helmut Uhlmann, Andrew Denniston + guests Grumpy’s Inn, Hurlstone Park free 8pm The Troubadour Folk & Acoustic Music Club: Ballpoint Penguins CWA Hall, Woy Woy $7 (conc)–$10

JAZZ Bernie McGann Quartet 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 9pm Darling Harbour Jazz Festival: Note - Line-up not finalised, James Morrison, Stan Walker, Harry Manx (Canada), Ash Grunwald, The Strides, D.I.G., Jeff Duff, Dave Brewer & Lucky Oceans, The Hands Big Band, Bob Bertle’s Jazz Syndicate, Backsliders, Emma Pask, MJ Woodbridge, Uncle Jed, The Blues Preachers, Urban Gypsies Darling Harbour Aquashell, Sydney free 11am Didi Mudigdo South Sydney Juniors, Kingsford free 6pm Eclipse Alley Five Strawberry Hills Hotel, Surry Hills free 4pm Janet Seidel Trio Cosmopolitan Cafe, Double Bay $42

COUNTRY Catherine Britt Lizotte’s Restaurant, Lambton $27 (show only)–$67.50 (dinner & show) 7pm

The Re-Mains The Junkyard, Maitland 8pm

HIP-HOP Urthboy, Mantra Caringbah Bizzo’s 8pm

SUNDAY MAY 23 ROCK & POP 2 Minds Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Black Diamond Heart Club Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel free 5pm Chasing Eden, Matty Effin Morrison, Scarlet’s Revenge Sandringham Hotel, Newtown $8 8pm Chris Pickering, Cookie Baker, Matt Gresham, Nicole Brophy Brass Monkey, Cronulla $12 (presale)–$15 (at door) 8pm Craig Calhoun & the Brothers of Oz Woollahra Hotel free 6.30pm Dan Granero Premier Hotel, Broadmeadow free 4.30pm Dan Spillane Coogee Bay Hotel, Beach Bar free 7pm Diana Anaid, Nicholas Roy, Grayson Hotel Gearin, Katoomba 8pm Feral Swing Katz Rocksalt, Menai free 12pm Gilbert Whyte Fubah on Copa, Copacabana 2pm Glen Bain Hurstville RSL Memorial Club free 2pm Grant Robinson Tall Timbers Hotel, Ourimbah 4.30pm

Greg Bryce Long Jetty Hotel 2pm Jackie Marshall, Heath Cullen & The 45s, The Retreat Notes Live, Enmore $15 8pm Jan Preston Cat & Fiddle Hotel, Balmain $15– $20 2pm Joey Cape & Tony Sly Uni Bar, Wollongong University, Gwynneville 8pm Johnny Casino Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown free 4pm Jorge Ben Jor (Brazil) Enmore Theatre $89 7pm Lee Rolfe Docks Hotel, Darling Harbour free 5pm Mark Moldre, Tall Tails, Mike McCarthy Lizotte’s Restaurant, Kincumber $13.50 7.30pm Mission Jones Belvedere Hotel, Sydney free 5pm Nick Bavarell, Lisa Crouch Rainforest Lounge, Bankstown Sports Club free 2.30pm Patrizio Buanne State Theatre, Sydney $110 (gold)– $149 (premium) 8pm Pete Richmond Club free 3.30pm Peter Byrne Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 3pm Radio Social: Hattie Carroll, The Tourist World Bar, Kings Cross $5 5pm Rolling Stoned, The Rock Music Experience, Moonshine Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale free 6pm Show Stoppers: David Harris, James Millar, Sophia Ragavelas Riverside Theatres, Parramatta 5pm Steve Balbi Harbord Beach Hotel free 6pm Sunsets: Ben Romalis, Richie Cuthbert, Eleanor Angel Fringe Bar, Paddington $8 (at door) 5pm

THE JÄGERMEISTER AIR INDEPENDENT

11.05.2010 15/10/07

AUSTRALIA’S INDEPENDENT MUSIC CHART

Chart Key: TW - This Week, LW - Last Week, TI - Time In, HP - Highest Place, * - Mover of the Week, RE - Re-Entry

SINGLES/EPs INDEPENDENT LABELS THROUGH INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTION TW LW TITLE

ARTIST

LABEL

DIST

TI

HP

1 1 CLOSE TO YOU

JOHN BUTLER TRIO

JARRAH RECORDS

MGM

5

1

2 2 Clap Your Hands

Sia

Independent

INR

2

2

3 3 Art Vs. Science

Art Vs. Science

Independent

GRN

50 1

4 4 One Way Road

John Butler Trio

Jarrah Records

MGM

21 1

5 5 You’ve Changed

Sia

Independent

INR

17 2

6 9 Beneath The Satellites British India

Flashpoint

SHK

9

7 7 Can’t Touch It

Ricki-Lee

Public Opinion

SHK

57 1

8 11 She’s So Hard

The Jezabels

Independent

MGM

12 8

4

INDEPENDENT LABELS THROUGH ANY DISTRIBUTION TW LW TITLE

DIST

TI

HP

YOLANDA BE COOL & DCUP CENTRAL STATION

UMA

1

1

2 3 Love Lost

The Temper Trap

Liberation

UMA

11 1

3 1 Sweet Disposition

The Temper Trap

Liberation

UMA

50 1

4 4 Dinosaur

Kisschasy

Eleven: A Music Company

UMA

13 2

5 5 Close ToYou

John Butler Trio

Jarrah Records

MGM

6

2

6 6 Clap Your Hands

Sia

Independent

INR

2

6

7 8 Art Vs. Science

Art Vs. Science

Independent

GRN

51 2

8 9 Out My Bitch

T-Rek

Hussey

UMA

9

1 -

WE SPEAK NO AMERICANO

ARTIST

LABEL

7

© 2010 Australian Independent Record Labels Association Ltd (AIR) 437 Spencer Street, West Melbourne VIC 3003.

To request permission to reprint, publish or otherwise utilise any AIR chart, please contact AIR. The AIR charts are compiled by AIR from sales rankings supplied by the Australian Recording Industry Association for the period indicated. Both digital and physical sales are included for the compilation of the charts.

For more info go to www.aircharts.com.au

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 59

gig guide

send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com

WED 19 MAY

THU 20 MAY

FRI 21 MAY

SAT 22 MAY

TUE 01 JUN

FREE EVENT BELLWEATHER DAPARTMENT + ASHLEIGH MANNIX BRADEN EVANS + ANDY GOLLEDGE

THE CROOKED FIDDLE BAND + CAPTAIN KICKARSE & THE AWESOMES + EMMA DAVIS + THE LURKERS

FREE JANE + BABY X + THE DEAD RABBITZ + THE RAIDS FUTURE IS NOW PARTY

ft PAPER MOON + THE CADRES (live) DJ SETS JOYRIDE + HOWLING BELLS JUST ANNOUNCED

ROCK-STEIN TRIVIA COMING SOON

WED 26 MAY

STAR ASSASSINS

FRI 28 MAY

CLOSURE IN MOSCOW

SAT 29 MAY

A SOUND MIND

WWW.THEGAELIC.COM

EVENT EVENT &&FUNCTION FUNCTIONBOOKINGS: BOOKINGS: clayton@selectmusic.com.au danielle@thegaelic.com BAND BANDBOOKINGS: BOOKINGS:clayton@selectmusic.com.au clayton@selectmusic.com.au

The Coronas (Ireland) Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill $40 8pm The Strides Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach free 6pm Tim Pringle Doyalson-Wyee RSL Club 5pm Two Minds Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney free 11pm Viagra Falls Catherine Hill Bay Hotel free 1.30pm

JAZZ

Bill Dudley’s New Orleanians Strawberry Hills Hotel, Surry Hills free 5pm Brian Chase, Seth Misterka The Vanguard, Newtown $15 (+ bf)–$20 (at door) 6.30pm Cabaret Jazz Adamstown RSL free 2.30pm Darling Harbour Jazz Festival: James Morrison, Stan Walker, Harry Manx (Canada), Ash Grunwald, The Strides, D.I.G., Jeff Duff, Dave Brewer & Lucky Oceans, The Hands Big Band, Bob Bertle’s Jazz Syndicate, Backsliders, Emma Pask, MJ Woodbridge, Uncle Jed, The Blues Preachers, Urban Gypsies Darling Harbour Aquashell, Sydney free 11am Jive Bombers Rhythmboat (departs Pyrmont Bay Wharf) $45 (dinner & show) 11.45am Mats Lideborg (Sweden) Courtyard, Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill free 1.30pm Ricky Peterson & the Peterson Brothers, Sheila E The Basement, Circular Quay $70 (+ bf)– $77 (at door) 9.30pm Shawnuff Quartette Oatley Hotel free 2pm The House of Blues: The Subterraneans Town Hall Hotel, Newtown free 6pm The Shawnuff Quartet Hampshire Hotel, Camperdown free 3pm Yuki Kumagai, John Mackie, Tony Burkys, Richard Booth Whelan May Fair at Waikanda Park, Whelan free 7pm

ACOUSTIC & FOLK

Blue Grass Arvo: Gary Brown Marrickville Bowling and Recreation Club 4.30pm Gemma The Entrance Sails Stage free 11am Green Jam The Hero of Waterloo Hotel, Millers Point free 7pm Kelly’s Heroes P.J. O’Brien’s, Sydney free 7pm Ku-ring-gai Council African Drumming Workshop St Ives Showground $10 2pm Matt Jackson Pontoon, Darling Harbour free 2pm Ron Lemke, Annalisa Kerrigan (Ireland) City Recital Hall, Sydney $27.50 2pm

COUNTRY

Kings of Country North Sydney Leagues Club, Cammeray $30 7.30pm Mo Trowell & The Delivery, Billygoat & The Mongrels, The Nice Folk, Iron Bar Hotel Lansdowne Hotel, Broadway free 1pm The Flood, The Pardoners Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $15 5pm

gig g gp picks

up all night out all week...

WEDNESDAY MAY 19

Ed Kuepper

Bailey & Kuepper The Vanguard, Newtown $27.75 (+ bf)– $30 (at door) 6.30pm

THURSDAY MAY 20

Biffy Clyro (Scotland) Metro Theatre, Sydney $40.70 (+ bf) 8pm The Crooked Fiddle Band, Emma Davis, Captain Kickarse & the Awesomes, Day of the Meerkat, The Lurkers Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills $20 (+ bf) 7.30pm Hoodoo Gurus, The Fumes Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst $33 (presale) 8pm

FRIDAY MAY 21

Dan Sultan, Gin Wigmore, The Hello Morning Manning Bar, Sydney University, Camperdown $22 (+ bf) 8pm

Dillinger Escape Plan (USA), Maylene & the Sons Of Disaster (USA), Periphery (USA) Metro Theatre, Sydney $64 (+ bf) 7.30pm

Diana Anaid, Nicholas Roy, Grayson, Brendan MacLean Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $15 (presale) 8pm

Miss Little, The Rescue Ships 505 Club, Surry Hills $10–$15 9pm

SATURDAY MAY 22

Future Is Now: The Cadres, Paper Moon, The Ghosts, Convaire, Howling Bells DJs Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills Sianna Lee, Fergus Brown Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills $15 8pm

SUNDAY MAY 23 Gin Wigmore

60 :: BRAG :: 362:: 17:05:10

Jackie Marshall, Heath Cullen & The 45s, The Retreat Notes Live, Enmore $15 8pm

2 DAYS 3 NIGHTS

5 STAGES 34 BANDS JAMES MORRISON BREWSTER BROTHERS STAN WALKER HARRY MANX BOB BERTLES THE STRIDES ASH GRUNWALD UNCLE JED THE HANDS BIG BAND DIG BACKSLIDERS M J W O O D B R I D G E T H E C AT H O L I C S JEFF DUFF DAVE BREWER & LUCKY OCEANS

Darling Harbour Jazz and Blues Festival is proudly produced by Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 61

club guide send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com

club pick of the week

The Lincoln, Kings Cross Kareem the DJ free (guestlist) The Sugarmill, Kings Cross Battery Operated DJ Matt Hoare free

Levins

THURSDAY MAY 20

FRIDAY MAY 21

Home The Venue, Darling Harbour

Oh My! WOLF. Levins, Pete Vs. Toby Deejays, Wedding Ring Fingers, Clockwerk, Fantomatique, My Goodness, Bangers n Mash, Smack, Futroniks (live) MONDAY MAY 17

Wee Pete free–$5 World Bar, Kings Cross Pop Panic Karaoke, DJ Shipwreck, Nude & Daigo free

202 Broadway, Chippendale Hospitality Crew free Empire Hotel, Potts Point Bazaar HBK, I Low free One World Sport, Parramatta Ricky Ro free Soho, Kings Cross Comedown free The Sugarmill, Kings Cross Mondays James Rawson (live), Kavi-R free V Bar, Sydney Monday Mambo Mambo G $5–$10

TUESDAY MAY 18 Xxx 202 Broadway, Chippendale Salsa free Cruise Bar, Circular Quay DCE Salsa Lessons $20 Establishment, Sydney Rumba Motel DJs Willie Sabor and Guests free Martin Place Bar, Sydney Louis M, Sammy free The Gaff, Darlinghurst Coyote Tuesday Kid Finley, Pee

WEDNESDAY MAY 19 Bank Hotel, Newtown Girls’ Night DJ Beth Yen free Cruise Bar, Circular Quay Rockstar free Establishment, Sydney Mid Week Hurdle Nic Phillips, Craig Patterson free Gasworks Nightclub, Albion Hotel, Parramatta DJ Fresh free Goldfish, Kings Cross The Salsa Lounge Latin Mafia Sound System free Sly Fox, Enmore Queer Central Sveta, DJ Beth, DJ Bel free The Eastern, Bondi Junction John Glover, Tenzin, Here’s Trouble, Cassian, U-Go-B, Steve Frank, Mistah Cee, Naiki, Kavi-R free The Gaff, Darlinghurst New Generation Franny, Alex, Triky, Electroholics, Con-x-ion, Psygnosis, Calico, Kermy, Deceptikon free

Collingwood Hotel, Liverpool After School Detention DJ Rangi, Mac, K-Note MC Buddy Love free Downstairs, Sandringham Hotel, Newtown Brett Hunt free Dug Out Bar, Burdekin Hotel Speakeasy Magda, Dave Fernandes Empire Hotel, Potts Point Episodes DJ Schoder, Wanted, Zahra, Jason K, Johar free Gasworks Nightclub, Albion Hotel, Parramatta Da Bomb with DJ Fresh free Goldfish, Kings Cross The Funk Quarter Phil Hudson, Phil Toke, Dave 54, Michael Wheatley free Home Terrace, Darling Harbour Unipackers RnB, Top 40, Electro $5 Hotel Chambers, Sydney Timewarp Retro DJs free Judgement Bar, Taylor Square Judgement Night. Sex Worker & Ymerej, weekly guests free Kinselas Hotel, Darlinghurst Simon Alexander free Lady Lux, Kings Cross Notorious Thursdays Die Pritti, Jimmy 2 Sox, Stick Man free Mansions, Kings Cross Van Sereno and Cavan Te (live) on rotation free Martin Place Bar, Martin Place Thursday’s at MPB Louis M free Melt Bar, Kings Cross TV Party (live) Wifey, The Delta Riggs, Virgo Rising, John Song, Pasqual Black $10 Mona Vale Hotel Urthboy, Mantra $15 (+ bf) Q Bar, Darlinghurst Hot Damn! DJ Sarah Spandex, Mark C, Heart Attack $10–$12 Sapphire Suite, Kings Cross Flaunt Nacho Pop, Diaz, Eko, Tom Piper, R-Son, Zero Cool free Scubar, Sydney Bikini & Boardies Party Seamus free Shelbourne Hotel, Sydney The Social Club Beth Yen free The Eastern Hotel, Bondi Junction Sneaker Husky, Ant Best Shy, Travis Hale, Dave Rizzle, Yogi free The Gaff, Darlinghurst Night Fall Hannah Gibbs, Nic Mclean, Nic Scali, Marc Jarvin free The Red Rattler Theatre, Marrickville Sketch the Rhyme Nikita, Morganics, Morgs, Survival Tactics $15 The Rouge, Darlinghurst Surprise Surprise Astrix, SMS, Ember, Lights Out, Tom Piper World Bar, Kings Cross Teenage Kicks The Vines DJs, El Mariachi, Nik V, Johnny Segment free

Rat, Slow Blow $8 pre/$10 door Club 77, Kings Cross The Party U-Go-B, Dan Cares!, Mirror Mirror, The Courtesans $10 Collector Hotel, Parramatta Corner Shop Tikelz, DJ Browski, J Lyrikz, Naughty, Gunz free Collingwood Hotel, Liverpool Fuego DJ Mac, Don Juan, K-Note, Asado, Dennis Tha Menace, The Empress MC, MC Seba Cruise Bar, Circular Quay Johnny Vinyl, Strike free Dugout Bar, Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst Progression64 DJ Key-Star free Establishment Hotel Carnival La Fiesta Sound System and Special Guest DJs all night free Gladstone Hotel, Chippendale Purple Sneakers SVU, M.I.T., Ben Lucid, Nick Findlay, Seabass $12.00 Goldfish, Kings Cross Sugar & Soul Phil Hudson, Paul Hatz, Agey, Danny De Sousa, Matt Cahill, Tom Kelly free Home The Venue, Darling Harbour Oh My! WOLF: Levins, Pete Vs. Toby Deejays, Wedding Ring Fingers, Clockwerk, Fantomatique, My Goodness, Bangers n Mash, Smack, Futroniks (live) Kinselas, Taylor Square Toby Wilson free Kit & Kaboodle, Darlinghurst Gameboy Fridays The Gameboys, Hansom, Calling in Sick $10 after 10pm Mansions, Kings Cross Nick Polly, Little Rich, Nick T, Stevie S, Adrian Allen free Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill Jarred Baker, Tenzin, Knickers, Bobby Dazzler free Melt Bar, Kings Cross Melt Live Underlights $12 Middle Bar, Kinselas, Darlinghurst Flavours on Friday MC Q-Bizzi, C-Bu, Trey, Mike Champion, Naiki, Tekkaman $20 Omega Lounge, Sydney Unwind DJ GST and Guests free Opera Bar, Circular Quay Gian Arpino free

FRIDAY MAY 21 202, Broadway Headroom Monk Fly, Jonny Faith, Harmonic 313, Sofie Loizou, oneofour collective $10 Bank Hotel, Newtown DJs Eddie Coulter, Jack Prest, Marc Us free Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach Dustones Nick Knowledge, The Phonies, Mathmatics, Mike Who free Chinese Laundry, Sydney Let’s Get Ill Samrai, DJ Moto, Nacho Pop, Mike Hyper, Tom Piper, A-Tonez $20/$25 Civic Undergound, Sydney Disco Punx Hentai, Chux, Disco Punx, Luke Yeah, Bon Chat Bon

Urthboy

“Won’t you come and say if you know the way to blue?” - NICK DRAKE 62 :: BRAG :: 361 :: 10:05:10

Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst DubRave Flux-3, Temnein, Will Styles, Frenemies, Hayley B, Rubio, Creeptown $10 Phoenix Bar, Darlinghurst Force Majeure Dauntless, Bhopps, Blackout, Reload, Fire & Whitey, Speaks, SFL, Peter Chen, Pappaboom $15 Q Bar, Darlinghurst Mighty Boosh Party Naboo, Joyride, Alison Wonderland, Elaine Benes, Damien Crangle, Rogers Room, Max Smart, Coitus Interuptus, Mr Belvedere, SIDP, LITK, Monkey Genius, Nick Walsh, Seabass and Mush, Lone Wolf, Robbie Erectro, Downkick Jared Reyes SOLD OUT Raval, Surry Hills Listen Hear Huwston, Micah, James De La Cruz, Chris Coucouvinis free Sapphire Lounge, Kings Cross Entourage Lil Pete, Jason K, DiscoKid, ADAMO, James V $10 guestlist Sly Fox, Enmore Solid Gold Hell free Soda Bar, Golden Sheaf, Double Bay Mike Who, Mr Glass, Brynstar free St James Hotel, Sydney One Night in Cuba Mani, Yemaya, Nandez, Av El Cubano $15 Tank Nightclub, Sydney RnB Superclub Def Rok, Eko, G Wizard, Lilo, Troy T, MC Jayson The Eastern, Bondi Junction John Glover, Tenzin, Here’s Trouble, Cassian, U-Go-B, Steve Frank, Mistah Cee, Naiki, Kavi-R free before 11pm, $10 after The Gaff, Darlinghurst DJ Tokoloshe, Sveta free The Lincoln, Kings Cross The Scene Charlie Brown, Samari The Loft, King Street Wharf Late at The Loft Somatik, Noel Boogie, Noodles, DJ Huwston, Meem, The Swat DJs, Lippo free The Roxy Hotel, Parramatta Roxy Fridays $10, free for members The Sugarmill, Kings Cross The Gameboys, Calling In Sick, Joyride $10 after 10pm Trademark Hotel, Kings Cross

club guide send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com

Disco Punx PGOTW Stellar Mc, Jackson, adrian m, Jace, Andy Rodriguez free (guestlist)–$10 Watershed Hotel, Darling Harbour Warped free

SATURDAY MAY 22 202 Broadway, Chippendale Jamrock Nick Toth, Joe (USA) $15 Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo Trash DJ M!Veg, DJ Absynth $12 Bank Hotel, Newtown DJs D-Funk (Canada), Alex Almeida, Dale Stephen free BB’s, Bondi Beach Wildlife DJ’s Mesan, James Roberts, Adriano Giorgi, Dinseh Sundar, Matt Singmin, Chris Kyle free Carmen’s Nightclub, Miranda 2 Way DJ Hook ‘n’ Sling, Paul Moritz, Dave MacKay Chinese Laundry, Sydney James Zabiela (UK), Tom Budden, Mattt, Andrew Wowk $25 Civic Underground, Sydney Clive Henry, Dave Stuart, Robbie Lowe, Jordan Deck $15 Clarence Hotel, Petersham Caesars Sandy Bottom, Justin Scott, DJ Chip free Collingwood Hotel, Liverpool Pop Fiction, Zoltan free Cricketer’s Arms, Surry Hills Pod War free Cruise Bar, Circular Quay DJ Simon Neal, Ben Vickers free Docks Hotel, Darling Harbour Fabulous Nino Brown, Don Juan, Samrai, Tikelz, Solz, Lil B, Robbie Knotts, Broski, Shruggz, MC Q-Bizzi, MC

Mike Celekt, Aga, Akay, Dimi K, Yanni-B $20 Eastern Hotel, Bondi Junction I Love Saturdays Zannon, Tony Shock, Matt Ferreira, Tass, Akay, Don Juan, Dante Rivera, Dennis Agee, Willie Sabor, Oscar Cadena free Empire Hotel, Potts Point Level Brenden Fing, Ben Morris, Mike Ruckus, Foundation, DJ Jasmine free Gasworks Nightclub, Albion Hotel, Parramatta DJs Matt Hoare and Andy Marc $10 Goldfish, Kings Cross Abel, Tom Kelly, Phil Hudson, Ross Middleton on Sax free Grand Hotel Wollongong Pang! AKA, Lachlan Holland, Jeremy Quinn, Stafford Brothers, Simon Roach, Struz, Ludlow $15 Home, Sydney Homemade The 808s, Aladdin Royaal, James “Saman” Spy, Matt Ferreira, Hannah Gibbs, Tony Venuto, Dave Austin, Flite, L.K.O, Seiz, MC Uncle Abe $20 VIP/$25 door Hotel Hollywood, Surry Hills Suenomartino, Pete Dot, Matt Trousedale, JM Swing4 $5 Kinselas, Taylor Square Brynstar, Shaun Keble, Yin Yang, Beth Yen and Matt Hoare free Mansions, Kings Cross Reckless, Little Rich, Shaun Keeble, Nick Polly free Martin Place Bar, Sydney Bamboo Eko, Nude-E, Mirage, Shorty, Ace, Moto, Qrius, IllDJ $5 Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill Dave Montgomery, Rob Brizzi $10 Melt Bar, Kings Cross Mental Michael Jaye, Matt Plant, Andrew Myers, Bassline Brothers, 10:87,

Matt Rad $15–$20 Opera Bar, Circular Quay Krishna Jones free Sackville Hotel, Rozelle Maike free Shelbourne Hotel, Sydney Shipwreck, Daniel Nall, Leon Pirello $10 after 10pm Space Nightclub, Sydney Sfx DJs Bzurk, Absynth, Snowflake $10 Spectrum, Darlinghurst P*A*S*H Goldfoot, DJ Knife $7 Stonewall Hotel, Darlinghurst Greg Boladian, Nick J free The Bank Nightclub, Kings Cross Sin City Don Juan, DJ Willie, Mista Kay, MC Q-Bizzi The Dolphin Hotel, Surry Hills DJ Chris Skinner, DJ Carl O’Brien free The Gaff, Darlinghurst Perfect Day Resident house DJs Mark Alsop, DJ Chip, DJ Murray Hood, DJ Miss Match, DJ Brett Austin, DJ Scotty Tanner, DJ James Tobin, DJ Man and DJ Dirty Dan free The Loft, King Street Wharf Late at the Loft Somatik, Noel Boogie, Noodles, DJ Huwston, Meem, The Swat DJs, Lippo free The Manhattan Lounge, Martin Place Hushhh... DJs Stunna, Sonny, Special K $10 after 9pm Verandah Bar, Sydney The Booty Bar George B, Nasser T, Lenno, K Sera Watershed Hotel, Darling Harbour Paul Moussa free World Bar, Kings Cross Wham! James Taylor, Kato, Klaus Hill, Levins, Ben Morris, llya, Discopunx, Adam Lance, Foundation, Moneyshot, Gabriel Clouston $15 before 10pm, $20 after

SUNDAY MAY 23 202 Broadway, Chippendale Meem, Frenzie, Gian Arpino, DJ Huwston, Simon Caldwell free Bank Hotel, Newtown DJ Troy Cox free Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Bondi Cultura The Strides free Collingwood Hotel, Liverpool Michael Peter Cruise Bar, Circular Quay Sassy Sundays free Docks Hotel, Darling Harbour Salsa Caliente Sabroson, DJ Vico free Downstairs, Sandringham

James Zabiela

BRAG :: 361 :: 10:05:10 :: 63

club guide

Deep Impressions

send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com Brown, Don Juan free Phoenix Bar, Exchange Hotel, Darlinghurst Loose Ends Resident DJ Matt Vaughan & Regular Guests Including Seymour Butz, Mark Murphy, Stephen Allkins, AvraCybele, Ben Drayton, Sveta, The Loin Brothers Free Entry From 10pm Sapphire Suite, Kings Cross Random Sundays Mike Rukus, Tom Piper, James Taylor, Matt Nukewood, Goodfella, Adam Lance, RobKAY free (guestlist)–$15 The Bank Nightclub, Kings Cross Soul On Sunday Nino Brown, Don Juan free The Beresford Hotel, Surry

Hotel, Newtown DJ Metal Matt, Louis Tillett free Goldfish, Kings Cross Martini Club Live DJ Pascal & Crew free Home Terrace, Sydney Spice After Hour Clive Henry (UK), YokoO, Robbie Lowe, Nic Scali $20/$10 Hotel Chambers, Sydney La Chambre Rouge X-Tof, DJ XL, Trey, Twinz $20 Ice Bar, Sydney The Kitsch Sound System, Phil Hudson, Chloe West, Mark Matthews free Kinselas Hotel, Darlinghurst The Fifth Dimension free Madam De Biers, Kings Cross Soul on Sunday Nino

Underground Dance and Electronica with Chris Honnery Hills B Side free The Rouge, Kings Cross Cartel Barfly, Tom Piper, Tenzin, Matt Nukewood free The Roxy, Parramatta Sunday Social $10, free for members The Sugarmill, Kings Cross Neighbourhood Kate Munroe free Tilbury Hotel, Woolloomooloo Apres Future Classic DJs free Trademark Hotel, Darlinghurst Soul on Sunday Nino Brown, Don Juan Watershed Hotel, Darling Harbour Miss Gabby free

Clive Henry

Superpitcher

This Week’s Episode: A Focus on Deutschland

T

o say that my attention will be focused on German producers over the next few months is nothing new. However, when one considers the quality of some of the upcoming releases emanating out of Deutschland, and Cologne in particular, then you ought to agree that a more detailed look at some of these is in order.

club picks up all night out all week...

SATURDAY MAY 22

World Bar, Kings Cross Wham! James Taylor, Kato, Klaus Hill, Levins, Ben Morris, llya, Discopunx, Adam Lance, Foundation, Moneyshot, Gabriel Clouston $15 before 10pm, $20 after

SUNDAY MAY 23

202 Broadway, Chippendale Meem, Frenzie, Gian Arpino, DJ Huwston, Simon Caldwell free

James Taylor

THURSDAY MAY 20 Mona Vale Hotel Urthboy, Mantra $15 (+ bf)

FRIDAY MAY 21

202, Broadway Headroom Monk Fly, Jonny Faith, Harmonic 313, Sofie Loizou, oneofour collective $10 Chinese Laundry, Sydney Let’s Get Ill Samrai, DJ Moto, Nacho Pop, Mike Hyper, Tom Piper, A-Tonez $20/$25 Q Bar, Darlinghurst Mighty Boosh Party Naboo, Joyride, Alison Wonderland, Elaine Benes, Damien Crangle, Rogers Room, Max Smart, Coitus Interuptus, Mr Belvedere, SIDP, LITK, Monkey Genius, Nick Walsh, Seabass and Mush, Lone Wolf, Robbie Erectro, Downkick Jared Reyes SOLD OUT

64 :: BRAG :: 361 :: 10:05:10

Phoenix Bar, Exchange Hotel, Darlinghurst Loose Ends Resident DJ Matt Vaughan & Regular Guests Including Seymour Butz, Mark Murphy, Stephen Allkins, Avra-Cybele, Ben Drayton, Sveta, The Loin Brothers Free Entry From 10pm DJ Moto

Kompakt Records kingpins Michael Mayer and Superpitcher are primed to release a mix compilation and an artist album respectively (see bottom), and then there is also Cologne Tape to consider. To the untrained eye, or perhaps that should be ear, ‘Cologne Tape’ doesn’t have the same resonance as either of the abovementioned names – that is, until the individual members of the Cologne Tape collective are revealed. The group comprises an imposing assortment of electronic and experimental heavyweights, including Axel Willner (aka The Field), Ada, Jörg ‘The Modernist’ Burger, Popnoname and John Stanier of Battles. The ‘supergroup’s’ sound conflates analogue and kraut rock influences, and will be unveiled on their debut EP, Render, which will be released next month in a limited run of 300 vinyls and 1000 downloads ahead of a full-length album in the new year. Render will also be the first release on Magazine, a new label distributed by Kompakt and founded by the artists Barnt, Crato and PNN (who are also members of Cologne Tape). The label purportedly aims to “position itself in between the art and music markets and enhance the value of the object and its collection in an environment that is getting more and more ephemeral.” Watch out for forthcoming releases on Magazine from The Field, who will appear under the moniker Loops of Your Heart.

The forgotten brother, Matthew Hawtin, who lives in the shadow of older brother Richie, has mixed a selection of 29 ambient tracks for a compilation on Plus 8 entitled

Once Again, Again. The release provides a snapshot into the electronic scene of the 90s, when Matthew was a regular at Detroit parties like Hardest, Spastik and Heaven and Hell, often spinning more leftfield electronica in the backroom to compliment his older brother out in the main arena.

The vast majority of the tracks featured on the compilation are taken from the period of 1993 – 96, which covers material from artists such as Sun Electric, Irresistible Force, Peter Namlook and MLO. Until now most of these tracks had only been released on vinyl, but thanks to Tim Xavier’s mastering skills they have never sounded richer. Once Again, Again is highly recommended for fans of the ambient genre, which has experienced a resurgence this year thanks to a spate of excellent releases, including New Zealand-based Andrew Thomas’ Between Buildings And Trees on Kompakt (where else?).

According to my usually reliable sources, Aksel Schaufler, aka Superpitcher, should have released his sophomore album Kilimanjaro on Kompakt on May 17 - but it's been tantalisingly pushed back to a September release date. It’s not all doom and gloom however, as lead-off single ‘Rabbits in a Hurry’ has been out for a few weeks, and hints at what we can expect from Aksel in his overdue follow-up to the ’04 debut album Here Comes Love.

Discussing the forthcoming LP in an online interview, Aksel said that the final push to create the album only came about over the last year, explaining, “The songs on Kilimanjaro are in different directions musically. Everything fits together, but it still sounds varied. There’s a lot more live instruments…and singing.” He also asserted that the album marks another step in Superpitcher’s evolution beyond techno paradigms. “I want Superpitcher to be a proper live act,” he affirmed. “I have always envisioned it as a traditional band.

With Kilimanjaro, I feel that I’ve come closer to this without losing the essence of what people know my music for.”

LOOKING DEEPER SAT 22 MAY

SAT JUNE 5

SAT 22 MAY

SAT JULY 2

James Zabiela Chinese Laundry

Clive Henry (Peace Division) The Civic

Co-Op Ft. Harri To Be Announced

Stephen Bodzin The Arthouse

James Zabiela

Deep Impressions: electronica manifesto and occasional club brand. Contact through deep.impressions@yahoo.com.

snap

Soul Sedation Soul, Dub, Hip Hop & Bottom Heavy Beats with Tony Edwards

Soul Sedation goes live every Wednesday night on Bondi FM (88.0 or bondifm.com.au). Tune in 10pm 'til midnight to hear a deep and soulful selection of the tunes covered here, and plenty more that I don't have room for.

up all night out all week . . .

ON THE ROAD Dexter

S

If you felt the synth-heavy eighties Dam Funk sound that got us moving at the Basement this weekend just gone, you might want to check out Philly World records for the Best Of that’s just been released on Essential Media Group. It’s packed with R&B, synth-funk and boogie from the mirrorball decade, including classics from Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, Cashmere, and Captain Sky. Digitally remastered so they’ll sound good on your monstrous 21st century woofers!

The gigs keep rolling into town. Ubiquity super producer Eric Lau joins us in late May. He’s the studio whiz to whom names like Lupe Fiasco, Dudley Perkins and Oddisee turn when they need a dope beat.

His ‘08 album, New Territories, earned him praise from all the right camps. Supports from 13th Son, DJ Sandro and 5 Coffees, plus Huwston, Trey & JC. Unfortunately this party shares that date - Friday May 28 - with a couple of other recommended gigs… so it’s going to be hard to settle on just one.

There’s a new Quantic mix CD out on Mochilla - Addis To Axum. It’s a live set he mixed before a Mulatu Astatke gig in LA and consists solely of Ethiopian records he turfed up on a trip he took there in 2004.

Dexter Oxford Art Factory Eric Lau Melt Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, The Strides

The Basement

FRIDAY JUNE 11 DJ Premier & The Beatnuts The Forum

paul denz red box clothing 06:05:10 :: Kit & Kaboodle :: 33-35 Darlinghurst Rd Kings Cross 9368 0300

SUNDAY JUNE 13 Shapeshifter The Metro

Brooklyn duo get involved in some deep, deep digging and their mixes are always top quality. The historians also have an extensive back catalogue in a similar vintage vein on BBE. Kero One’s about to drop his third album, Kinetic World. The lead single isn’t as jazzy as this column would perhaps like, but hopefully the album packs more of that classic golden-age goodness of which Kero is capable. The record features a swathe of Korean hip hop stars. “I thought I would gather all my favorite Asian artists and have them drop their two cents,” says Kero of the new album.

Check out Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Festival line-up: Josh Wink, Flying Lotus, The Gaslamp Killer, dOP, Norman Jay, Floating Points ft. Fatima, Quantic Y Su Combo Barbaro, Jeremy Ellis, Joy Orbison, Foreign Beggars, Dorian Concept, SBTRKT ft. Sampha, Gilles Peterson & Roberto Fonseca present Havana Cultura, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, Dynamite MC, Mala, Kyle Hall, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Gonja Sufi, Theophilus London and Ross Allen.

The weekend will be opened by none other than Gil Scott-Heron. It all goes down on the beaches of France’s south coast, so if you’re in Europe in early July you’d be crazy to miss it. Soul Sedation will make it one year!

radio social

09:05:10 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

magic happens

dj profile

Rare disco and funk abounds here: Kon & Amir - Off Track III: Brooklyn. The

FRIDAY MAY 28

Kon & Amir

Send stuff for this column to tonyedwards001@gmail.com by 6pm Wednesdays. All pics to The Brag (art@thebrag.com).

PICS :: TL

Saturday brought yet more joy with a visit to Russ Dewbury’s Jazz Rooms.

Melbourne’s Deep Street Soul were on fine form, and although Ms. Monique ‘Mon Cherie’ Boggia was missing from her Hammond stool, Jimi Polar did a fine job of standing in. Russ D dropped some Latin d’n’b bombs to a packed dancefloor, and Mark Pritchard finished us off with a selection of rare exotica. That guy really does have a weird and wonderful collection! The Jazz Rooms are back at The Basement Saturday June 12 with the Black Jesus Experience, a nine-piece afro/jazz/hip hop outfit out of Melbourne.

Get down there if you haven’t already done so!

PICS :: HC

oul Sedation has just had the pleasure of being treated to an extensive weekend of live music!

The Bamboos and the Ray Mann Three packed out the Manning Bar on the Friday in what was a seriously enjoyable evening. The musicianship displayed by both groups really is the pinnacle of what this country has to offer. It’s been great watching both acts emerge as sceneshapers over the last few years, embarking on national tours and releasing world class music. The healthy turnout was clear recognition for the top shelf funk and soul they represent!

Yr moniker – what’s the deal?

The Champagne, Ladyfingers and Cler deal is there is no deal. I’m also Sip ic Apton.

What’s yr sound? Dollop hous e/frock deesco/cheech tech When/why did you decide to take on the decks and star t DJin back to the community that had g: To give given so much to me.

Five records that define you: Des Brains - I Against I; LCD Soundsy cendents – Milo Goes to College; Bad stem – ‘Losing My Edge’ 12”; Gram with The Flying Burr ito Brothers Parsons – The Gilded Palace of Sin; Jacq ues Renault - On The Prowl Presents OTP Part y Breaks #2.

Best gig you’ve ever played?

Good Eating 1.0 @ Goodgod And the worst? The nightclub/DJin wholesome group of legends I have g/promoter community is such a never had the unfortunate circu of playing a bad gig. mstance

If your music was a soundtrack for a film, what would it be abo would be Tommy Wiseau’s The ut? It Room and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Outside of DJing, what pushes your buttons? Fahn wahn, fahn and fahncay wahmahn. dahnahng What was the last thing you wro te on your hand: “Mum” for Moth er’s Day. Last time you were really, real ly, really happy: Fashion Week.

And we can see you: Heebie Jeeb ies – Thursday nights @ The Darl o Bar.

) ASHLEY MAR :: ROSETTE S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO MUNNS :: PATRICK STEVENSON :: OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER DANIEL :: RING BOW MY JERE OOK :: IE ROUHANNA :: SOFII MCKENZ A :: CAROLINE GARCIA :: WILL REICHELT :: RENEE RUSHBR HANNAH CAREY :: MAJA BASK

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 65

snap sn ap

07:05:10 :: Kit & Kaboodle :: 33-35 Darlinghurst Rd Kings Cross 9368 0300

08:05:10 :: Arthouse :: 275 Pitt St Sydney 92841200

It’s called: Citizen It sounds like: Post-indie apocalyp tic glam-folk.

Who’s spinning? WIM has take n refuge inside the building for five weeks so you can expect to hear them in vario us formats and modulations. But also expect a range of other artists and friends, ranging from Oriental Chinese Harp playing music from an era gone by. ists to DJs Sell it to us: It’s the year 3010. Sydn Society has been overrun by tyran ey’s streets are in peril. The world is f%#ked! nical forces and hideous mutants roam the streets outside. Most plant and animal life has died out and all that is left is a wasteland that has replaced wha t was once our fair city. But one safe desolate remains - a group of survivors who haven are calling themselves “WIM” are abandoned nightclub - a last natu hidin ral oasis, on the secret and complete g out in an fourth floor of the Kings Cross Hote ly transformed l.

Three records that’ll rock the fl oor: ‘5 Years’ – David Bowie; ‘Peo ple Get Ready’ Curtis Mayfield; ‘Graceland’ – Paul Simon.

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: breathing room, the amazing soun the dense foliage, the sweet oxygen and d telephones taken from the year 2010and the massive walls of televisions and .

Crowd specs: Lost refugees look ing for a home, survivors of the apoc enlightened benevolent beings, muta alyp nt escapees, alphas and other cast se, notability. es of

Wallet damage: $10 Where: Hidden Level 4 – Kings Cros s Hotel (enter via secret entrance Lane Potts Point) on Brougham When: Every Thursday, until and including June 3

sunsets

PICS :: TL

party profile

citizen

arcade

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gameboys

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up all night out all week . . .

starfuckers

PICS :: AM

09:05:10 :: Fringe Bar :: 106 Oxford Street Paddington 93605443

the wall

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08:05:10 :: Club 77 :: 77 William St Kings Cross 93613387

05:05:10 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700 66 :: BRAG :: 362:: 17:05:10

) ASHLEY MAR :: ROSETTE S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO MUNNS :: PATRICK STEVENSON :: OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER DANIEL :: RING BOW MY JERE OOK :: IE ROUHANNA :: SOFII MCKENZ A :: CAROLINE GARCIA :: WILL REICHELT :: RENEE RUSHBR HANNAH CAREY :: MAJA BASK

THE FRONTIER TOURING CO.,CHANNEL [V] & INTHEMIX PRESENT

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

WEDNESDAY 4 AUGUST OXFORD ART FACTORY (18+) ON SALE WED 19 MAY

WWW.MOSHTIX.COM.AU 1300 GET TIX (438 849) K-OS - YES!

N E W AL B U M O U T N O W

WWW.FRONTIERTOURING.COM WWW.K-OSMUSIC.COM BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 67

snap sn ap

ministry of sound destroy tour feat. aston shuffle PICS :: AM

07:05:10 :: Q-Bar :: 34-44 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93601375

coochie coo

07:05:10 :: Q-Bar :: 34-44 Oxford st, Darlinghurst 93601375

party profile

It’s called: Coochie Coo

It sounds like: ‘70s vampire soun dtracks and ‘90s RnB. DJs: We pick the cream of the crop . Neil Down, B-boppa Lubas, The Larnach Monster, Slowblow, National Treasure plus others (changes every week).

Three records you’ll hear on the night: ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ – Serge Gainsbourg; ‘Daydream’ – Mariah Carey; ‘Face to Face’ - Gino Soccio.

And one you definitely won’t: Orac ular Spectacular – MGMT. Sell it to us: Bubbles, foam, chee se, funk, disco, bums on the floor and so much more!

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: Bubble machines, foam machines, go-go dancers, girls on wheels. laser lights, Crowd specs: Anyone and anything – it is still the mixing pot that is Igua we are still in the Cross – it’s what na Bar and makes it.

Wallet damage: $5 guestlist, $10 before midnight.

Where: Iguana Bar 15, Kellet Stree t Kings Cross.

0

the palace

PICS :: MB

When: Friday nights.

candy’s apartment

PICS :: JB

08:05:10 :: The Palace :: 169 Dolphin St Coogee 96642900

07:05:10 :: Candy’s Apartment :: 22 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93805600 68 :: BRAG :: 362:: 17:05:10

) ASHLEY MAR :: ROSETTE S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO MUNNS :: PATRICK STEVENSON :: IEL OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER DAN :: RING BOW MY OOK IE :: JERE ROUHANNA :: SOFII MCKENZ A :: CAROLINE GARCIA :: WILL REICHELT :: RENEE RUSHBR HANNAH CAREY :: MAJA BASK

AND PS

sosueme

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up all night out all week . . .

snap

f.r.i.e.n.d.s.

PICS :: RR

up all night out all week . . .

05:05:10 :: Fringe Bar :: 106 Oxford Street Paddington 93605443

palace saturdays

purple sneakers 5th birthday PICS :: MB

party profile

It’s called: Palace Saturdays

07:05:10 :: The Gladstone Hotel :: 115 Regent St Chippendale 96993522

It sounds like: Acoustic upstairs, pumping DJ beats downstairs.

DJs: Robbie Santiago, Danny Simm s, Steve Frank, Alex Mac. Upstairs acoustic: Addicted to Twisties and is Soulganic.

Three records you’ll hear on the nigh Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP; ‘Flashbac t: ‘We Speak No Americano’ – Love’ – Florence and the Machine k’ – Calvin Harris and ‘You’ve Got The .

And one you definitely won’t: Mam ma Mia…here I go again…

Sell it to us: Don’t battle the crow ds in Kings Cross or get denied in the city, head to The Palace Saturdays at Coogee and enjoy the nightlife with mates the way it’s meant to be – your fun, friendly, fantastic.

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: looking like 80s tennis stars in their Our bar staff wearing devil ears, or sweatbands…

Wallet damage: $0 entry! When you com.au you can get a complimenta email boothbookings@palacegroup. ry drink too!

Where: 169 Dolphin St, Coogee

the black boater

PICS :: TL

When: Each and every Saturday

lee jeans/vice party

PICS :: TL

07:05:10 :: The Black Boater :: 16 Wentworth Ave Surry Hills 92676440 ) ASHLEY MAR :: ROSETTE S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO MUNNS :: PATRICK STEVENSON :: IEL OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER DAN :: RING BOW OOK IE :: JEREMY ROUHANNA :: SOFII MCKENZ A :: CAROLINE GARCIA :: WILL REICHELT :: RENEE RUSHBR HANNAH CAREY :: MAJA BASK

05:05:10 :: The Chocolate Factory ::

BRAG :: 362 :: 17:05:10 :: 69

snap sn ap

hot damn

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up all night out all week . . .

teenage kicks

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06:05:10 :: Spectrum :: 34 Oxford St Darlinghurst 93316245

06:05:10 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

It’s called: Oh My! It’s Julian Casa blancas’ sexy-as-fuck drummer Alex Carapetis DJs: Alex Carapetis, SVU DJs + Oh My! DJs Three records you’ll hear on the night: ‘11th Dimension’ – Julian Casa ‘Last Night’ – The Strokes…you get blancas; the drift…

And one you definitely won’t: We’r e not promising anything.

Sell it to us: The Strokes = Julia n Casablancas = Alex Carapetis = Hot!! And it’s all happening in Sydney’s newest, cutest small bar!

The bit we’ll remember in the AM: You will have found your new loca bar… Wolf. l small Crowd specs: Get out your inne r groupie.

Wallet damage: 9pm-11pm = $5 entry + $5 vodka… 11pm onwards $15 entry unless you email sophie@homesyd ney.com for a discount guestlist!

Where: Cockle Bay (near the Imax )

wham

PICS :: DM

party profile

oh my!

08:05:10 :: World Bar :: 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross 93577700

chinese laundry

PICS :: RRU

When: Wolf @ Oh My! is every Frida y.

oh my! it's wolf

PICS :: SM

07:05:10 :: Chinese Laundry :: 111 Sussex Street Sydney 82959958

07:05:10 :: Home The Venue:: Tenancy 101 Cockle Bay Whf Darling Harbour 92660600

70 :: BRAG :: 362:: 17:05:10

) ASHLEY MAR :: ROSETTE S : TIM LEVY (HEAD HONCHO MUNNS :: PATRICK STEVENSON :: IEL OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER DAN :: RING BOW MY OOK IE :: JERE ROUHANNA :: SOFII MCKENZ A :: CAROLINE GARCIA :: WILL REICHELT :: RENEE RUSHBR HANNAH CAREY :: MAJA BASK

176.#95 61 6*' '0& /#;

41%-56#4)#/'5 %1/ 4'&&'#&4'&'/26+10

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