Brag#583

ISSUE NO. 583 OCTOBER 8, 2014

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MUSIC, FILM, THEATRE + MORE

INSIDE This Week

T HE T E A PA R T Y

Jeff Martin talks about an unexpected reunion.

NE W F OUND GL ORY

It’s been a tough 12 months, but they’re back on the scene.

IMOGE N HE A P

Her new album explores the personal like never before.

BIL L B A IL E Y

The UK funnyman is debuting his new show Down Under.

Plus

WILLOW BEATS JIM GAFFIGAN DONNY BENET

RHYS DARBY GRIN AND BEAR IT

99% GENRE FREE

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FRE

E

BONDI HIPSTERS

8TH OCT + THE DEMON PARADE WWW.BEACHROADHOTEL.COM.AU

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rock music news welcome to the frontline: the latest touring and music news...with Chris Martin, Tyson Wray and Lauren Gill

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MICHAEL BADGER FROM THE DEMON PARADE mess around with traditional Middle Eastern and Indian tunes. But once you get to know us there is a lot of consistency. It’s all about the wall of sound behind us and we like to think our melodies are instantly recognisable. I run my own recording studio so we’ve always got that freedom of trying out different things and seeing what works and what doesn’t.

Keeping Busy This [‘My Hurricane’ single] 2. is our first release and tour for

1.

Your Profile Over the past few years we’ve really tinkered with our sound a lot.

I personally find it hard to just stick

to one sound and keep churning out the same stuff. We can go from garage/retro-influenced to electronic, hypnotic beats and even

the year. I had to take the first six months off music to help my family as I had a few extremely ill relatives. The one I was closest to passed away a couple of months ago and the other two are still kicking along. It really put a lot into perspective. It’s given me heaps to write about and I’m enjoying making music more than ever right now. So in the near future you’ll be seeing

us a lot more and hearing much more new music!

Best Gig Ever There’s been quite a few 3. memorable shows; I’m not really sure if any stick out more than others but we toured with The Brian Jonestown Massacre in 2010 and they took us over to Perth. It was by far the best show on the tour and I’d put that down to the punters. I’d have to say our worst show ever was probably in Adelaide last year when I attempted to make a bad joke directed towards our drummer and it really didn’t come off well and I was lucky the whole band didn’t just walk offstage there and then. I tend to stay away from any comedy during shows now.

4.

Current Playlist I’ve been listening to heaps of traditional Hindi music. It’s relaxing, it puts me in a great state of mind

and to be honest I don’t really like anything I hear on the radio right now so it’s a great alternative. I’ve just mixed half of the new King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard album and there are some incredible tracks worth listening to on that record. I saw them on their most recent tour and I think they’d have to be the best psych band in the world right now.

Your Ultimate Rider We’re happy with just a slab 5. of Melbourne Bitter. But they have to be stubbies. The cans are horrible and just smell and taste like The Espy in Melbourne. Vodka and champers are always a great addition to any rider!

Where: Beach Road Hotel / The World Bar When: Wednesday October 8 / Friday October 10

Xxx

MANAGING EDITOR: Chris Martin chris@thebrag.com 02 9212 4322 ONLINE EDITOR: Tyson Wray ONLINE COORDINATOR: Emily Meller SUB-EDITOR: Emily Meller STAFF WRITERS: Adam Norris, Krissi Weiss, Augustus Welby NEWS: Lauren Gill, Roger Ma, June Murtagh, Tyson Wray ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant PHOTOGRAPHERS: Ashwin Arumugam, Katrina Clarke, Ashley Mar ADVERTISING: Georgina Pengelly - 0416 972 081 / (02) 9212 4322 georgina@thebrag.com ADVERTISING: Les White - 0405 581 125 / (02) 9212 4322 les@thebrag.com PUBLISHER: Furst Media MANAGING DIRECTOR, FURST MEDIA: Patrick Carr - patrick@furstmedia.com.au, (03) 9428 3600 / 0402 821 122 DIGITAL DIRECTOR/ADVERTISING: Kris Furst kris@furstmedia.com.au, (03) 9428 3600 GIG & CLUB GUIDE COORDINATORS: Emily Meller, Roger Ma, June Murtagh gigguide@thebrag.com (rock); clubguide@ thebrag.com (dance, hip hop & parties) AWESOME INTERNS: Roger Ma, Debbie Shankar, Jacob Mills, June Murtagh REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Nat Amat, Ian Barr, Prudence Clark, Keiron Costello, Marissa Demetriou, Christie Eliezer, Blake Gallagher, Fergus Halliday, Cameron James, Tegan Jones, Lachlan Kanoniuk, Mina Kitsos, Emily Meller, Adam Norris, Kate Robertson, Erin Rooney, Raf Seneviratne, Leonardo Silvestrini, Amy Theodore, Rod Whitfield, Harry Windsor, Tyson Wray, Stephanie Yip, David James Young Please send mail NOT ACCOUNTS direct to this NEW address 100 Albion Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 ph - (02) 9212 4322 fax - (02) 9319 2227 EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or staff of the BRAG. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Luke Forrester: accounts@furstmedia.com.au ph - (03) 9428 3600 fax - (03) 9428 3611 Furst Media, 3 Newton Street Richmond Victoria 3121 DEADLINES: Editorial: Thursday 12pm (no extensions) Ad bookings: Friday 5pm (no extensions) Fishished Art: No later than 2pm Monday Ad cancellations: Friday 4pm Deadlines are strictly adhered to.

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Chet Faker

ALL ABOARD THE VAN

The budding regional Vanfest event has added two massive headliners for its Forbes festival this December.

Electronica it-man Chet Faker and indie songwriter Matt Corby will headline the day, joining the likes of dance crews Sneaky Sound System, Bag Raiders and Van She alongside Allday, Oxblvd and British India. Vanfest takes over the Forbes Showgrounds on Saturday December 6.

THE WHITLAMS

The Whitlams are returning to Sydney for their first band shows in a good ol’ while, bringing their classics to the Metro this month. Tim Freedman and co. performed as part of a sold-out national orchestra tour in 2013, but this is The Whitlams in their natural element and on hometown soil.

Expect to hear all the hits from the band that won Best Group at the 1998 ARIA Awards and soundtracked an Australian generation. The Whitlams play the Metro Theatre on Saturday October 18.

GINGERFEST

Punk rock event Gingerfest has added more names to its inaugural 2014 edition. Sydney blues rockers The Snowdroppers are atop the event’s second announcement. Also added to the bill are party punks Chris Duke and The Royals, Melbourne melodic mosh lords Anchors, Perth’s skate punkers The Decline, and ska-punk troupe Steel City Allstars. Isaac Graham, Lost In The Line, and Adam ‘Mad Dog’ MacDougall round out the acoustic stage. These new additions join headliners 28 Days, Bagster and many more to raise funds for Vision Australia in honour of Canberra punk identity Nicholas Sofer-Schreiber AKA The Ginger Ninja, who was tragically murdered in late 2013. Gingerfest takes places Saturday December 6 at The Factory Theatre.

GYROSCOPE

Perth rockers Gyroscope have announced they’re hitting the road to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their debut album, Sound Shattering Sound.

Released in 2004, the record spawned a mass of singles including ‘Doctor Doctor’ and ‘Safe Forever’. Gyroscope’s upcoming tour will be their first since 2011 and will see the guys perform Sound Shattering Sound in its entirety as well as favourites from their later releases. Catch them at Oxford Art Factory on Friday December 12.

Ash Grunwald

ROCK THE GATE

Anti-fracking movement Lock The Gate has announced a bumper first lineup for its Rock The Gate event, signing up a host of Australian and international musicians to the cause.

Pete Murray, The Herd, Ash Grunwald, Tex Perkins and The Dark Horses, Natalie Pa’apa’a Trio, Nahko, Trevor Hall, Diesel n’ Dub and more will lead the event at the Enmore Theatre. The campaign is endorsed by Yoko Ono, and aims to draw awareness to unsafe coal seam gas mining. 53% of Australia is under fracking exploration licence.

All funds raised at the event will go directly to Lock The Gate, and a full program of arts, dance, spoken word and comedy is to be announced. Rock The Gate is on Sunday November 23 at the Enmore Theatre.

ED KOWALCZYK

Ed Kowalczyk, lead singer of legendary rock outfit Live, will make his way to Australia for two very special solo performances this November.

As the frontman of Live, he sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and churned out hits like ‘I Alone’, ‘Selling The Drama’ and ‘Lightning Crashes’. In 2010, Kowalczyk released his first

LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2015

solo album, Alive (geddit?), which spawned the single ‘Grace’ and was followed by 2013’s The Flood And The Mercy. For his upcoming I Alone Acoustic Tour, Kowalczyk will perform a solo acoustic set, drawing from the Live catalogue as well as songs from his solo releases. Catch him at the Seymour Centre on Saturday November 8.

St. Vincent

St Jerome’s Laneway Festival will return for round ten early next year. The 2015 festival will mark a decade since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio threw a party in the backstreets of the Melbourne CBD, and since then the festival has grown to include five Australian cities plus New Zealand, Singapore and Detroit. The 2015 incarnation will feature MC Agnes DeMarco, Andy Bull, Angel Olsen, Banks, Benjamin Booker, Caribou, Connan Mockasin, Courtney Barnett, Dune Rats, Eagulls, Eves, FKA Twigs, Flight Facilities, Flying Lotus, Future Islands, Highasakite, Jon Hopkins, Jungle, Little Dragon, Lykke Li, Mac DeMarco, Mansionair, Perfect Pussy, Peter Bibby, Pond, Ratking, Raury, Royal Blood, Rustie, Seekae, SOHN, Spod (also on MC duties), St. Vincent and Vic Mensa. Sydney’s edition of Laneway will take place on Sunday February 1 at the Sydney College of the Arts, Rozelle.

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tickets on sale now fallsfestival.com

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HUSKY ARE BACK

RED TED FROM THE RUMINATERS John, Paul, George and Ringo.

2. Inspirations Your Band The Rumies are Pencil, Red Ted, 3.

Gilligan’s Island and Sloppy. We have all been friends for years and play music together in the studio we built. We like fishing, surfing and playing b-ball. Pencil has three chickens.

The Music You Make We just finished our debut record. It’s 4. a collection of tracks that we recorded up at Sloppy’s farm near Byron Bay. We got our friend Rohin Brown (Angus Stone, The Walking Who) to come and produce it and we think it sounds real nice. We then gave it to our other friend Wade Keighran (The Scare, Wolf & Cub) to mix it. He made it sound even nicer.

Melbourne songwriter Husky Gowenda and his band Husky are back on the scene with Ruckers Hill, their follow-up album to the spectacular 2012 debut Forever So. After two years touring the world and writing new material, the new-look Husky release Ruckers Hill on Friday October 17. The album features lead single ‘I’m Not Coming Back’ and another standout in ‘Saint Joan’, and here at BRAG HQ we’ve only got good things to say about the record as a whole. Husky are stepping out on a national album launch tour, arriving at Oxford Art Factory on Thursday November 13, and we’d love to send you and a friend along on us. To be in the running to win a double pass, head to thebrag.com/freeshit and tell us why you’re looking forward to seeing Husky live.

Husky

Music, Right Here, Right Now Main Beach are really cool. That’s why 5. we got them to come join us at The Standard Bowl on October 17. Our old friends The Walking Who are killing it too.

1.

Growing Up Mum and Dad never played music themselves but always loved and encouraged listening at home growing up. Dad showed me

Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts

heaps of tunes like The Beach Boys, Santana, Carole King and The Beatles, which I’ve always been thankful for. All the guys’ parents are legends and they have helped us heaps along the way.

JEFF ‘TAIN’ WATTS

US drummer and composer Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, best known for his work with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis and McCoy Tyner alongside his own projects, will bring his jazz chops to Sydney this month ahead of Wangaratta Jazz Festival. Watts has twice won the Best Drummer Award from Modern Drummer and is regularly seen playing his original music in the 17-piece Watts Family Reunion Band and his Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts Quartet, the latter of which arrives at Foundry616 on Wednesday October 29 and Thursday October 30.

Katie Noonan

Joni In The Moon

With: Main Beach Where: The Standard Bowl When: Friday October 17

War Rages Within

WAR RAGES WITHIN

Metal act War Rages Within will celebrate the release of their debut EP with a headline show in Sydney.

They’ll lead the line at Valve Bar on Saturday October 18, supported

by Exekute, War Of Attrition and EdenFall. If that doesn’t do enough for you, you can also catch the band supporting US outfit Prong at the Metro Theatre on Wednesday November 19.

KONGOS

Kongos are heading our way this November.

Brothers Johnny, Dylan, Daniel and Jesse Kongos have been making waves overseas with their single ‘Come With Me Now’ spending five weeks at number one on the Billboard Alternative Chart and earning them support slots for Kings Of Leon and One Republic.

Joining the band for the Australian dates will be Melbourne rockers Kingswood. Kongos will hit Sydney on Thursday November 27 when they play Oxford Art Factory.

IT’S JUST DEVINE

While in Australia supporting Manchester Orchestra, singer-songwriter Kevin Devine will be taking on a couple of shows of his own. The versatile artist will be showcasing his extensive portfolio as well as tracks

from his latest simultaneous crowdfunded releases Bubblegum and Bulldozer. Don’t miss Devine at Newtown Social Club on Sunday November 16.

THE STIFFYS

Melbourne duo The Stiffys have announced a tour to launch their new single ‘Kick Another Flip’, taken from their upcoming Art Rock EP. Art Rock marks the band’s evolution to a new sound and will be accompanied by a mini-documentary series covering the transition to their new Art Rock sound and aesthetic. The upcoming tour will be the latest in a year of ongoing tours for the band, after nearly 60 shows in the last 12 months. The Stiffys will hit The Factory Floor on Friday November 21 (with Dividers and Bad Bitch Choir) and Newcastle’s Lass O’Gowrie on Friday December 12 (with Hey Lady!).

JONI IN THE MOON

MUSICAL MASTER CLASSES

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New Navy

PUT THAT BACK

Acclaimed vocalist Emma Donovan and Melbourne rhythm combo The PutBacks will release their new album Dawn this November and they’re hitting the road to celebrate.

Recorded in one room on eight channels of analogue tape, the LP features hard-hitting and heartfelt soul songs telling stories of grief, struggle and redemption. Emma Donovan and The PutBacks will play Newtown Social Club on Sunday December 21.

JOIN THE NAVY

New Navy have announced they will be heading off on their first-ever national headline tour this November. The tour will see the trio playing ten shows around the country, kicking things off in their hometown of Ulladulla in rural New South Wales. 2014 has been a huge year for New Navy, seeing them finishing off their soon-to-be-released debut album, dropping a few singles that garnered a heap of attention and touring nationally with Andy Bull in sold-out venues. New Navy will take over Newcastle’s Cambridge Hotel on Wednesday November 19 and Newtown Social Club on Friday November 21.

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Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts photo by Oliver Link

The Telstra Road to Discovery program, which for 12 years has offered up-and-coming Australian musicians invaluable support, is set to present a series of live streaming Master Class sessions to aid homegrown artists even further. Each Monday from 8pm starting Monday October 13 through Monday November 3, the Road to Discovery website (telstra.com/trtd) will stream sessions covering topics from getting started in the music biz to songwriting, social networking and tour management. Each session will feature musicians and industry experts including the likes of Katie Noonan, Steve Smyth, Kav Temperley, Illy and more.

Perth group Joni In The Moon are set to make their debut trip across to the east coast. Frontwoman Joni Hogan formed the group with Ofa Fotu and pianist Tara John, crafting deft arrangements and careful harmonies to showcase the eponymous Joni’s sweet voice. After three years at work, Joni In The Moon have released their debut record Sorrow Trees – recorded with Joni’s brother Josh in his Fremantle studio – so it’d only be right to welcome them with open arms at The Newsagency on Friday October 10. Local performers Maia Jelavic and James Teague will play in support.

BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 7

Industrial Strength Music Industry News with Christie Eliezer

THINGS WE HEAR * Which entertainment venture drew 50 people to a 1,700-capacity venue on its opening night and now has its three partners at loggerheads? * Is YouTube to launch its ad and subs music service “in coming weeks�? * Will Melbourne’s Mix rebrand to KIIS in 2015 like it did in Sydney? * Is Apple negotiating with majors to lower streaming rates? * Congrats to Support Act’s ambitious month-long Bandwagon fundraising campaign using the services of some of the top music artists and executives.

Support Act had a target of $100,000 but it made $145,019 by last Thursday. * Guess who couldn’t attend his own afterparty bash in Sydney? Justin Timberlake and his 50-strong entourage. They turned up to the Miind club 15 minutes after the 1:30am lockout

kicked in, and weren’t allowed to enter despite a lengthy heated argument with the Oxford Street club crew. Without the star attraction, the club closed early as patrons filtered off. * Bluesfest Byron Bay’s second artist announcement for 2015 promises the reunion of “one of the greatest bands around the globeâ€?. * US singer Meghan Trainor is the first artist to crack the UK singles chart from streaming alone. ‘All About That Bass’ had 1.17 million streams across services including Spotify and Deezer and entered at number 33. * Right in between their third year exams, Byron band Parkside Orchestra of Southern Cross University won this year’s National Campus Band Competition. It’s the fifth win for a SCU act. * Ed Sheeran has added third shows for Sydney and Melbourne and a second for Brisbane ‌ Passenger’s Hobart, Canberra

THE X STUDIO LAUNCHING IN KINGS CROSS The X Studio is a new luxury broadcast, music and entertainment venue, opening under the Coca-Cola sign in Kings Cross this Friday October 10. Local and international artists, producers and content creators can perform, film, record and broadcast to the world. Opening in phases, the first facilities to open are the radio, digital and live broadcast rooms, and green rooms for chilling out. On the way are a recording studio, film screening space and bar and a 500-seat concert venue. It’s all the brainchild of digital entrepreneur Ron Creevey, 42, who dropped out of school at 17 and joined Australian ISP Magna Data, then went on to start YuuZoo and Moment Media.

and first Melbourne shows have sold out ahead of his Australian & NZ summer tour ‌ The first 15,000 tickets for the 2015 Glastonbury festival went in 14 minutes. * Slipknot say they will create extra ambience at their upcoming Knotfest event by shipping camel dung to the site and burning it in oil drums. * There are calls for greater security for Tamworth’s iconic 12-metre high Golden Guitar after graffiti artists sprayed tags on it.

Because of a metallic element in its gold paint that makes erasing graffiti impossible, authorities have to repaint it at a cost of $3,500 and will install extra CCTV coverage. * Final figures are not tallied yet, but organisers of the Coffs Harbour International Buskers and Comedy Festival, which normally draws 20,000 people, say this year’s event could post a record in crowd numbers. * Wollongong hardcore trio Crash Tragic will donate

POSTON LEAVES WARNER Mark Poston, who was made managing director of Warner Music Australia’s Parlophone and Warner Bros. Records divisions in January, has taken a redundancy package after a restructure at the major.

AUSSIES THE FOURTH HIGHEST ONLINE CONSUMERS Australians spend an average of 9.9 hours a day on an online device, making us the fourth most obsessed online consumers, says research company Datamonitor Consumer. The Americans took top spot (11.3 hours a day), then Canadians (10.6) and Singaporeans (10).

Meantime, a survey by Roy Morgan found that 52% of Australians in the 14-24 age group use the internet more for entertainment than information, compared to 31% of all Australians.

E HIFI 1300 THO M.AU

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Just Announced This Week

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The People

proceeds of new single ‘You Break Me’ to the Motor Neurone Disease Research Centre at Macquarie University. The donation is through The Regal Regiment, set up by bassist Paul Ditton’s wife and sisterin-law after they lost two family members to the disease. * Sydney singer-songwriter Miriam Lieberman journeyed to India to make a video in the ancient city of Varanasi, about which she sings on ‘Birds Of The Moon’. * Southern Cross Austereo’s regional radio and TV stations raised a total of $2.5 million for its children’s hospitals charity initiative, Give Me 5 for Kids. * One Direction, who have been blamed for singles nicking from Def Leppard’s ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’ and The Clash’s ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’, are now being accused by New Found Glory of taking the main piano riff from their track ‘It’s Not Your Fault’ for new single ‘Steal My Girl’.

RETROACTIVE ADS IN MUSIC VIDEOS Advertisers can now digitally insert their products into previously released music videos. Universal Music has signed a deal with Mirriad to provide the technology. The first to get the treatment is liqueur brand Grand Marnier into a video by Avicii. The ad runs for a specified time and can then be replaced by another, and may soon be adjusted based on the viewers’ location and demographic. Universal-signed acts include Justin Bieber, Rihanna and The Rolling Stones.

SOCIAL FAMILY GROUP SIGNS WITH GIGGEDIN Social Family Group has signed with GiggedIn, the Aussie crowdfunding and ticketing platform that allows promoters and acts to finance gigs, tours and festivals.

Social Family Group consists of Social Family Records, social media marketing agency Jaden Social, management company George Said MGMT and SFR Store, a direct-to-fan consultancy. Its CEO Jake Challenor called GiggedIn “the solution and a new much needed tool for the industry�.

SOUNDS OF THE STREET PROGRAM SEEKING STUDENTS The Sounds of the Street program is the music component of Mission Australia’s Surry Hills-based Creative Youth Initiative (CYI). It is a free, six-month, TAFEaccredited course for under-25s, essentially for disadvantaged or at risk folks but open to anyone with a passion for music and the arts. Run by musicians and artists, it includes a qualified social worker to overcome short-term barriers and develop longer-term solutions. In Sounds of the Street, students create songs, record, are introduced to music software, gain an understanding of the music industry, release a compilation CD and play at its launch.

They are looking for students for the 2015 inaugural semester program. See youtube. com/watch?v=yYoyPL5WXRI for more info.

DMA’S LAND INTERNATIONAL AGENCY DEAL On the eve of dates in the US, Europe and the UK, Newtown’s DMA’s have signed a North American booking agency deal with Paradigm Talent – home of Coldplay, The Black Eyed Peas and Dave Matthews Band.

They came to the attention of Paradigm agent Kevin French who was swotting up on Aussie acts before speaking at last month’s Bigsound conference in Brisbane.

AUSSIE ‘HOW TO’ WEBSITE LAUNCHES

Fri 9 Jan

Wed 7 Jan

Sat 17 Jan

Glass Animals

Joey Bada$$

Inquisition

After 25 years in the music business (she’s done everything from booking venues to programming for QMusic), Martine Cotton this week launched a DIY skill development website called Music Industry Inside Out. For a membership fee, it offers video interviews with artists and industry folk on every aspect of the biz. The site starts off with 350-plus videos online from 28 speakers across 23 course modules, with a new one added each week. To

sign up for or for more information, go to musicindustryinsideout.com.au.

NEW MUSIC FEE FOR RESTAURANTS, CAFES APRA AMCOS is on November 1 introducing a new music licence scheme for restaurants and cafĂŠs. A $275 flat fee will be applied to a range of mediums including radio, television, CDs, smartphones and streaming devices.

Restaurant & Catering Australia CEO John Hart said, “Music is an important part of the hospitality industry,� and that the fee simplifies the process.

BLINDED BY SCIENCE A group of Swedish scientists admit they’ve been sneaking Bob Dylan lyrics into articles about their research as part of a 17-year bet.

Theses included Nitric Oxide And Inflammation: The Answer Is Blowing In The Wind; Blood On The Tracks: A Simple Twist Of Fate? (about the ability of non-neural cells to generate neurons); and Tangled Up In Blue: Molecular Cardiology In The Postmolecular Era.

AWARDS FOR MUSIC-LOVING BARS Bars in Sydney that showcase live music or DJs had wins at the Australian Bartender Magazine Bar Awards at Doltone House, attended by 550 execs. The Baxter Inn took out Bar of the Year for the NSW and National categories. The Marlborough Hotel won Pub of the Year. The Local Taphouse took Best Specialty Beer Venue. The Nightclub gong went to Melbourne’s The Emerson.

BEAT BROKER’S SAM CAMERON QUITS MUSIC BIZ After 20 years, Sam Cameron of Beat Broker has announced her exit from the music biz.

She is moving onto a role within the property industry (investment, advocacy, management and development). Cameron set up Beat Broker 13 years ago as a PR and specialist service for hip hop and dance music. She worked on 350 projects and built up a contact list of 17,000. Cameron is open to selling part or all of the business, and can be contacted at sam@beatbroker.com.au.

Lifelines Engaged: singer, The Voice finalist and recording studio owner Michael Paynter is tying the knot with fiancĂŠe Keinzley Papalia.

Arrested: KISS collaborator Stephen Coronel, 63 (he co-wrote their ‘Goin’ Blind’ and ‘She’ and was in Paul Stanely and Gene Simmons’ early band Wicked Lester), faces charges of uploading child pornography.

Suing: Beats Headphones is taking action against Steve Lamar, who is claiming he co-founded the company with Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine while he promotes his new Roam headphones company. Lamar is already suing the company for 4% royalty on certain headphones.

In Court: Dylan Frost of Sticky Fingers was disqualified from driving for three years and given a suspended jail sentence at Burwood Local Court for blowing 0.255 after being pulled over in July. Seven years ago, he lost his licence for 12 months and was fined $400 on a drink-driving charge.

Suing: Brit reggae band UB40 are hitting singer Ali Campbell for calling his band UB40 Reunited, which includes ex-members Mickey Virtue and Astro.

Suing: EDM act Krewella’s Kris Trindl is suing for US$5 million, claiming the other two hardpartying members got him sacked because he gave up the booze.

Died: British singer-songwriter Lynsey de Paul, 64, of a suspected brain haemorrhage.

Her biggest hit was ‘Sugar Me’ (1972) and she was the first woman to win an Ivor Novello for her song ‘Won’t Somebody Dance With Me’.

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RHYS DARBY

IN FULL FLIGHT

BY ADAM NORRIS

A

blasted landscape. Charred husks of SUVs scattered along silent highways, ruptured like cicada shells. Ruined cities on the horizon, colossal fires and irradiated rain.

And Rhys Darby, rifle at the ready, leading a ragtag group of haunted survivors to escape the zombie apocalypse/giant death robot invasion. Sure, this may not be the Rhys Darby that most people are familiar with. It’s a far cry from his stand-up career, and further still from Flight Of The Conchords. It may not be the Rhys Darby we want, but when the dead start a-stirring or the spaceships descend, it’s the Rhys Darby we’re going to need.

At first glance, a jaunt in the army isn’t the most obvious prerequisite to a career in comedy. A witty retort seems more likely to land you in the stockade than The Comedy Store. Yet this is precisely the trajectory Darby followed after leaving school and finding himself trained as a signaller in the New Zealand Army.

His soldiering days have left him in good stead, and when the inevitable monster apocalypse rolls around, he feels fairly confident.

As seems to be the habit of most Australasian performers, the allure of international success saw Darby relocate abroad to follow his inspirations. Having already begun developing the style of performance that would characterise his comedy – highly physical, story-based humour – a move to the UK to follow in the footsteps of his idols made perfect sense.

“There are so many different levels and aspects and genres of stand-up. For me, I was very obsessed with British sketch comedy, in particular Monty Python. From the start, that silly, surreal aspect of humour, the ridiculousness, I brought into my act. I really wanted to be in a sketch troupe, but didn’t really have anyone else, so I just ended up playing all of the roles. My stand-up became kind of sketch pieces, where I’d just play all of these different characters, so that’s where the physicality came into it; that’s how my stand-up was created. I didn’t start out saying, ‘Right! I’m going to be a physical comedian!’

I really just ended up moving around the stage quite a bit because I wanted to be all of these different people at once.”

“I WAS VERY OBSESSED WITH BRITISH SKETCH COMEDY, IN PARTICULAR MONTY PYTHON … I REALLY WANTED TO BE IN A SKETCH TROUPE, BUT DIDN’T REALLY HAVE ANYONE ELSE, SO I JUST ENDED UP PLAYING ALL OF THE ROLES.”

“I reckon I’d do pretty well.

I’ve got the survival skills from my military training, I can do Morse code. I’m physically fit, and I can act, so I can get behind enemy lines, I can blend in with the zombies or become some 50-foot robot. I might struggle with the height, but then I’m a good mime artist. I was the last of the Morse coders in my army, and I really think they should bring it back. I’ve always said that even if you’re crushed under rubble, if you can at least tap you can communicate.”

This does presuppose, however, that someone knows Morse code well enough to realise you’re actually in trouble. It’s all too easy to imagine your potential rescuer hearing your frantic taps and decoding, “He’s saying ‘S … O … T! It’s just ‘S.O.T.’ guys, he’s OK!” Darby laughs. “‘Yep, he’s fine down there, don’t worry about him!’ That could be an issue. The only problem with Morse code is, it’s all well and good knowing how to use it but you need other people to be able to receive it. It took me about six months to get to this level. And at the end the army just said, ‘Well, you can still do it with a couple of the other guys here on the course, but otherwise that’s it.’”

Darby’s formative days as a soldier and then journalism student have provided ample material for his stand-up career, and both were instrumental in determining that comedy was to be the unlikely path he would try to pursue. One can picture Darby as the large, humorously shaped fish in a small bowl, given the paucity of opportunities for fledgling comics in NZ in the mid-’90s.

10 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

“I think that’s one of the things comedians of this era need to know and need to be able to do,” says Darby. “You’ve got your material, fine; you try out new stuff, that’s fine too. But feel free to develop the skills to make stuff up on the night that you can work into your act, because that will all be fresh and exciting to people. As far as people filming stuff, if material does end up on the internet you just have to try and get it taken down. Comics who do the one-liners or gags are worse off in that instance, while ones like myself who tell stories or who are more performance-based are better off, because seeing some grainy thing on a video doesn’t really show you what the act is. But it is very much a different world these days.”

Seven years have now passed since Flight Of The Conchords introduced Darby to the world, although he had already been performing on some of the most prestigious stand-up stages long before his character, Murray Hewitt, was born. Yet the curse of the comedian – to be expected to always have a joke at the ready for any situation – is a pressure he has so far managed to avoid.

“Here in the States, it’s pretty rare that I’ll get recognised. Sometimes if I open my mouth people will recognise the voice. During the Conchord days there were definitely moments of people running across the street and yelling out, ‘Hey, Murray!’ There was a connection with the character that people, to this day, found it hard to separate from me. Family and friends, they tend to just treat me very regularly. But if you don’t know me, if you’ve only seen me or heard me through the work I’ve done, people think they know what to expect from you. But I’m really very normal. Well, I think so. Others might disagree. My friends and family, for the most part.”

What: Just For Laughs 2014 Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House When: Friday October 17

thebrag.com

Rhys Darby photo by Kate Little

“I was in the army for about four years before realising it wasn’t what I should be doing. I went to university, and found myself onstage as part of a comedy club that got together once a week to write sketches. In New Zealand there really wasn’t any stand-up happening at that time. One comedy club had opened in Auckland. It really wasn’t a career, but then I found myself in a right-place-righttime moment. I started a duo with my friend Grant [Lobban] – we were called Rhysently Granted, which we thought was pretty funny.

We did musical stuff, wanky sketches, that kind of thing. It was always just more of a hobby, and then gradually it turned into a proper job. Back in those days you only had that one comedy club and maybe a couple of bars that would do something once a month, and I was just performing pretty much in front of the same people. They’d come along on a Thursday and say, ‘Oi mate, I saw you say that on Tuesday.’ I hit the ceiling there pretty quickly.”

In an age where every audience member may potentially be a walking camera, there is a lesson to be learnt in Darby’s brand of absurd storytelling.

His jokes take time to unfold, and his movements across stage are difficult to capture on a jolting mobile phone screen. Comics who hit their peak from the ’90s onwards, like Jerry Seinfeld or the late, great Mitch Hedberg, could too easily find their punchlines floating around on the internet before they’d even arrived in town.

Rather than risk a routine that everyone has already heard, illicit recordings now almost force comedians into improvisation.

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The Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards The Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards are set to celebrate another great year in independent Australian music across a multitude of genres. The awards, organised by the Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR), are being announced this week – Wednesday October 8 – at the Meat Market in Melbourne. We caught five with some of the artists involved on the night to talk us through what they’re expecting will go down.

Ben Kirkham from SAFIA

MEG MAC

Nominees for the Carlton Dry Global Music Grant

Nominee for Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year, performing at the Independent Music Awards 2014

How pumped are you guys to be performing at the Independent Music Awards, as well as being in the running for the Carlton Dry Music Grant?

Very! I never thought we’d be playing at an awards night, especially doing what we do, so it’s sure to be a lot of fun. Not only that, to be nominated for the grant is crazy – only last year we were doing our first interstate shows and now we’re nominated alongside so many incredible artists to win $50,000 for building our name overseas. It’s all very surreal; I don’t think we’ve really taken it in yet.

The winners of the grant last year, King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, did quite a bit with the prize. What’s the first thing you’d do with the $50,000 cash prize?

I think we will definitely look at releasing our singles properly in the UK first thing. It will be good

to get the story happening for us on radio and UK media before we even book our flights over.

Using three words, how would you best describe your sound to new listeners?

Emotive, electric, extravagant.

Any hot tips for up-and-coming independent Australian artists like yourselves?

Our main tip for up-and-coming independent artists is to be confident in your own music and trust in what you do. The more and more you become a part of the music industry, you find that everyone has an opinion of what you should do and how you should be. I think the most important thing is to have confidence in yourself, because in the end, it’s the music that makes an artist successful, not the record label.

How would you describe the sound of your debut EP to new listeners?

I know that it is pop and that it is soul. But there are bits of inspiration from all over my life! I am going to go with a ‘dark pop’ sound for the new listeners.

Did you ever think you would have come this far so early on in your music career?

I always had hoped that I would be doing exactly what I am doing. From the day I uploaded my first song on triple j Unearthed, I hoped. It all started from there and things started happening in real life rather than in my head! Suddenly I believed in what I was doing and I worked up enough courage to email my song ‘Every Lie’ to all the presenters at triple j

myself – and they didn’t even think I was crazy.

Since then I have not stopped singing.

How does it feel to have the opportunity to perform at the awards in front of so many talented independent Australian artists?

It feels a little intimidating but feels good; I am always excited to sing for people.

I am looking forward to meeting other independent artists who are just like me in this music world.

What do you think the highlight of the AIR Awards 2014 will be?

I think singing at the awards will be the highlight for me – the singing is always my favourite part of any event.

Liam McGorry from SASKWATCH L-FRESH THE LION Nominee for Best Independent Hip Hop Album Using three words, how would you best describe the sound of your album One to listeners?

Soulful. Uplifting. Moving.

On top of your busy music career, you’re also an ambassador for the charity All Together Now. Tell us about your work with the organisation.

All Together Now is Australia’s only not-forprofi t organisation that exists solely to positively tackle racism. As an ambassador, I am aligned with the organisation’s goals in trying to build towards a more respectful, embracing and peaceful Australia.

What has been your biggest achievement in your career, both musically and with your work in the community?

My biggest music achievement so far has to be the release of my debut album One. It’s been such a long and rewarding process.

During its creation I built so many amazing friendships and went on such a rollercoaster 12 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

ride of life experiences. I’ll never forget it.

With my work in the community, there are so many stories of positivity. It’s such a blessing to be in a position where I can have a meaningful impact on the lives of others. My biggest personal achievement has to be the establishment of ‘giving back’ as a life principle. I’ve not only experienced the rewards of doing so, but have felt its necessity, and that’s such a beautiful feeling.

While writing your debut album, did you ever think it could end up being nominated for the Best Independent Hip Hop Album of the year by AIR? [Laughs] No. Not at all. Getting nominated for awards and getting played on radio was not on our minds when we created this album. Michael McGlynn (my producer) and I just wanted to make powerful and meaningful music. How people receive it is out of our control. What we can control, though, is making music that inspires people to feel.

Nominees for the Carlton Dry Global Music Grant The 2013 winners of the Carlton Dry Global Music Grant, King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, bailed on Australia and took off overseas for a while with their winnings.

What is the first thing Saskwatch would do if you won the $50,000 award?

We’d be doing the same, I guess. We’re already heading over to the States for our first time straight after the awards so obviously the grant would be making a huge difference. We’ve got a few shows at CMJ and a handful of other US shows too. It was great to see Gizz really make the most of the grant – inspiring.

If there were one reason why you guys deserve to win the grant, what would it be?

I wouldn’t say we deserve to win anything to be honest, there are a lot of deserving bands out there – but touring in Australia and overseas as a nine-piece band with a sound engineer is definitely an expensive exercise at the best of times. It would certainly make a huge difference to us.

How did you manage your time so well between constant touring, as well as the

recording of your new LP, Nose Dive?

It’s just worked out really well, I guess; we’ve been really lucky. We were touring our single ‘Hands’ and in between shows in QLD we were driving out to Fernvale to record with Magoo.

We love to keep busy and work hard.

For new listeners, describe the sound of your newest album, Nose Dive, in a few short words.

Well I guess it’s ‘soul-influenced’ still. I think we just tried to write some better songs and made a conscious effort to try and make more of an ‘album’ as opposed to a group of songs.

Has a lot changed musically and professionally between the recording of your debut album in 2012, Leave It All Behind, and the release of Nose Dive?

Totally. I think we’ve all really galvanised even more as friends and as a band. We’ve kind of relaxed a little bit, I think, and are comfortable being who we are, since playing at uni et cetera.

We’re just very happy with what we’re doing and want to push ourselves – and enjoy what we’re doing as well. thebrag.com

BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 13

The Tea Party Three’s A Crowd By Tom Valcanis

“We had to know, could we sound like that band again? Can we capture that magic up onstage again?”

C

hart-topping Canadian ‘Moroccan rollers’ The Tea Party separated in what affable frontman Jeff Martin insists was “not a break-up” in 2006.

They’ve since patched things up with a string of tours and the release of a new record, The Ocean At The End. But the reunion wasn’t always on the cards. “I didn’t even think we’d ever be on the same continent again,” Martin says.

Relaxed and easy, Martin is sitting in an upmarket coffee shop on the busy shore of Melbourne’s South Wharf. “What basically happened with the three of us over the seven years we are not calling a break-up, but a ‘hiatus,’” he says, making air quotes, “was the

differences that we thought were so pertinent and so philosophically opposed to one another – well, it’s all quite petty. It’s easy to get over, especially for the sake of making that music once again.

Individually over those years we’ve achieved things we’re all proud of. But nothing came close to the collective that is us.”

The music the trio has made has gained worldwide renown. The Tea Party’s sound was and still is built on suffusing Middle Eastern, Asian and African infl uences into hardedged rock’n’roll. Since 1990, their experimental attitude earned top-charting singles and albums both in Canada and Australia.

Martin not only plays guitar and sings, he fl exes a considerable

back in Canada. It would take more than mutual longing to put The Tea Party back together.

Middle Eastern things in there … it’s similar to what Page did. But what we do is take it a bit further.”

“The first thing we had to do was get into a room,” Martin says. “We had to know, could we sound like that band again? Can we capture that magic up onstage again?

I think the Reformation Tour in 2011 here in Australia proved that we were a band better than ever.

Done. Could we fi nd that brotherly love again that was so important to making records like The Edges Of Twilight and Transmission and Triptych? Could we fi nd that respect again for one another?

Found it. Once we had all that, it was like, ‘OK. Let’s make a new record now.’”

The album even branches into a standout gospel-inspired number, ‘Black Roses’. Martin lights up as it’s mentioned. “Some people don’t know this but I’m a huge fan of late-’60s, early-’70s country rock. I like The Byrds, Gram Parsons, Flying Burrito Brothers.

I thought it was cool because it was an element we’ve never really explored before.”

Martin and the boys changed their approach to writing and recording, easing the pressure they usually saddled themselves with.

To support The Ocean At The End, The Tea Party will join forces with Aussie rock stalwarts The Superjesus on a nationwide tour this month. Martin toured with frontwoman Sarah McLeod earlier this year, performing intimate shows around the country. Martin belly laughs when reminded he dubbed McLeod “a rock’n’roll firecracker”.

“We said, ‘First, we need to take our time. There’s no rush. Fans will wait.’” The band started writing in 2012 in Byron Bay. Martin also made his way back to Windsor, Ontario to reconnect with family in 2013. “It was a case of getting back to my roots,” he says. “There was no hocus-pocus or toys or nothing. Just a Les Paul plugged into a Marshall. Jeff had a drum kit, Stuart’s got a bass, maybe a shitty keyboard. That’s it. We were going to use our skills, use our musicianship. Write some songs.

‘The Line Of Control’ came out of that, ‘The Ocean At The End’ came out of that.”

“That’s an understatement,” Martin says. “I love that girl’s soul and her spirit. She’s basically become my little sister. We’ve almost completed this collaboration between us and Mick Skelton, drummer for the Baby Animals.

May God rest her soul, but where Chrissy Amphlett left off, Sarah has taken up her baton. She is rock’n’roll. She can be vicious but she can be absolutely adorable.

I still don’t think Sarah has been recognised for the talent that she is in this country. If it’s the last thing I do,” Martin thunders, banging his fist on the table, “I’ll make sure that she is.”

During The Tea Party’s not-breakup, Martin left Canada for Dublin and eventually Australia. Bassist Stuart Chatwood and drummer Jeff Burrows set on their projects

Some of Ocean’s more involved tracks are lent signature Tea Party ‘Moroccan roll’ twists, while others drive back to Martin’s roots in Led Zeppelin fandom. “I think Jimmy Page himself would say there’s no closer band to Led Zeppelin than The Tea Party,” Martin smiles. “It all comes down to how I write. The

What: The Ocean At The End out now through Anthem/Sony With: The Superjesus Where: Enmore Theatre / Panthers, Newcastle When: Wednesday October 15 / Monday October 20

jeopardise their fan base; Shake Shook Shaken is a strong album with a lot of variety. Merilahti is hard-pressed to say what avenue she expects her writing and music to take next. The process seems happenstantial, with songs conjured from the unexpected rather than through deliberate choices. “I think the writing is not as intuitive, so it takes a long time. It comes from the brain more than the music, so

there’s this censorship that’s always present. It doesn’t come out as easily, but still I love it. I should write every day, but I don’t. I don’t know.

For me, it’s always surreal in a way, because it goes through my imagination, it’s not just relating things directly. Writing is something I don’t find … permanent, somehow.

Music is, though. It’s like your blood flow; it’s always ready to come out somehow.”

talent for exotic instruments: he plays the mandolin, sitar, oud, the hurdy gurdy – and that’s just the half of it.

“I always have a desire to fi nd new sounds,” Martin says. “But it’s always in the context of rock’n’roll.

I still think I’m on the tip of the iceberg right now. The reason why is because I’m a spiritual man. But I do believe we’ve all been here before. For me, it has something to do with the playing of stringed instruments. It’s a little uncanny, even for me.”

The Dø Shake It Up By Adam Norris

P

icture it: verdant fi elds, a line of distant trees. Sunfl owers and lavender. Top it off with an 18th century water tower transformed into a recording studio, and you have the setting for The Dø’s fourth release, Shake Shook Shaken. Given that one of the hallmarks of the record is the complete absence of acoustic instruments, it’s an unexpected place to draw inspiration, though setting has never been one of Olivia Merilahti’s chief concerns.

“I think it’s not as important for me,” says the singer-songwriter. “I can write on the road, be inspired wherever I am. I’ll just get away, you know? If I don’t like where I am I’ll just write a song. It’s like escapism.

But at the same time, I don’t think we ever really realised how important [location] is. For example, we recorded this album in the countryside, but we’d already decided that we wanted somehow an urban album, something close to the city, with horizontal and vertical lines. We finished ‘Anita No!’ in New York – we re-recorded it completely there and that was crucial. We were really inspired by New York, so it has a different energy – I think it’s a little bigger than the other songs, which is interesting. So obviously, whether we like it or not, we’re influenced by the places we record.”

For those uninitiated with the French/Finnish duo, a fine place to 14 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

start with The Dø is their live recording of ‘Slippery Slope’ from Studio Pigalle. Full of gorgeous horns and tribal drums, the energy there is incredible. It does make for a curious contrast, however, now that the band has moved into this new, electronic direction. Borne from the practicalities of shifting a full band from gig to gig, The Dø quickly found themselves enamoured by the necessary changes in performance.

“The last tour had so many different stages, and we started as a full sixpiece band with only acoustic instruments, which was impossible to travel with,” says Merilahti. “So we had to strip it down to a four-piece, and find certain practical solutions because we weren’t able to play everything live anymore. That’s when we started to use drum machines and sequencers onstage, and it was kind of a discovery for us; we really enjoyed it. It was somehow always more logical for the sound that we had in the studio, it felt really natural.

So I think it started from there. We were also really obsessed with hip hop – we listened to more electronic sounds and that kind of thing. So it started that way, and we kept it that way. It became our ultimate direction for the album.”

Though this direction may not be one that followers from their early days might be expecting, it’s difficult to imagine they’re going to

What: So Frenchy So Chic In The Park 2015 With: Émilie Simon, La Femme, Frànçois & The Atlas Mountains Where: St John’s College, University of Sydney When: Saturday January 17 And: Shake Shook Shaken out Friday October 10 through Cartell thebrag.com

Hollywood Undead Behind The Masks By Jody Macgregor

F

our years ago, rap-rock band Hollywood Undead were scheduled to play the Soundwave Revolution spin-off festival. But then, as rapper Funny Man elegantly summarises, “Van Halen got sick.” With the festival cancelled but the travel time scheduled they decided to come out anyway, playing their own headlining tour. They even put in the effort to head across to Perth for a show.

“We spent, like, three days in Perth – that was pretty cool, man. We got to hang out on the beach; our hotel was right on the beach. Kicking around there, checking out the city a little bit.

We even saw an opera at the Sydney Opera House.” I’m slightly suspicious of this unrelated factoid, so I ask Funny Man which opera he went to see. “I think it was called Dan Antonio? The Shakespeare play?” he says. “I left halfway through. It was a little too much. I couldn’t sit through the whole thing.”

The line between fact and fiction is pretty blurry with Hollywood Undead.

Though the rock half of the band sounds pretty pop-punk, their aesthetic and subject matter is straight horrorcore. I tried to sum up their sound to a friend by calling it “Good Charlotte fronted by Insane Clown Posse” and he made the most horrified face. They rap-sing about murder, suicide, the apocalypse and chloroform while wearing masks like hockey-playing killers or Mexican wrestlers. Funny Man insists that several members of the band have actual criminal records, which is why they found it hard to get into Canada.

“They don’t take that shit lightly up there,” he says. “They don’t allow DUIs, drug charges, any sort of criminal charges. If they see it and you don’t have any documents saying, ‘It’s OK, you’re here for work, blah blah blah,’ they will not allow you in. Luckily we

have a lawyer who files all these documents for us to make sure that we get across, that we don’t have any trouble. They give us a hard time as is, but it’s always a fuckin’ pain in the ass and it always costs a lot of money.”

He’s sanguine about the trouble with the authorities they’ve had on tour, however. “That’s our own fault because we’re idiots. We’re just a bunch of degenerates.”

To illustrate that fact, Funny Man tells a story about giving half a prescription sleeping pill to an unnamed bandmate on a plane, and the trouble that caused. “He woke up in his sleep, started sleepwalking into the galley and he started pissing everywhere.

He had no recollection of it whatsoever. As the flight attendants are telling him, ‘Dude, you just pissed all over the galleyway, what are you doing?’ he’s just like, ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about, that wasn’t me.’ It turned into a huge argument.

Then when we landed, I forget where, we had a layover somewhere in Australia, and the TSA and all the cops were waiting at the gate for him.

He got in some trouble; we had to talk all the cops into letting him go and all that stuff. It got pretty hectic but it was pretty funny. I guess it was my fault for giving him that little sleeping pill.”

There’s one odd fact in the catalogue of bad behaviour that makes up the Hollywood Undead biography. Back in 2009, they toured with Sonny Moore, the man who would become famous as Skrillex, in the period when he’d left hardcore band From First To Last and put together a new group called Sonny and The Blood Monkeys, but before he’d surprised everyone by switching from angry mall-punk to world-conquering electronic musician.

“He grew up with us,” says Funny Man, a fellow LA native. “We’ve known that kid for a long time. He started this band and we picked him up and as he

was touring with us he was writing all that music for Skrillex, and then next thing you know he’s fuckin’ Mr. Skrillex.

It was cool, man, it was fun. That tour we did, he did a cover of ‘Fuck Tha Police’ by N.W.A and I heard it the first night and I got stoked, then he asked if I wanted to come up onstage and sing it with him every night.”

Funny Man cites N.W.A as a formative influence, along with the rest of the 1990s hip hop boom, like Wu-Tang Clan and Snoop Dogg. “All that, man.

That was what I listened to. It was certainly nice having older cousins growing up who knew what was up, stealing their mixtapes and listening to them in my bedroom, getting yelled at

by my parents for listening to all those cuss words. Look at me now – I talk about pussy, weed and butthole all day, every day, dawg.”

There’s a sour note in that fulfilling life of his, however. The members of Hollywood Undead all redesign their masks for each album, and Funny Man’s current design, a black lucha libre mask with “FM” written in gold – an accessory he wears at every show and sees on kids in the audience who know all the words – doesn’t have any meaning for him.

“It’s just a mask that covers my face,” he says bitterly. “You know what’s funny is, I regret doing that one,

because after a while I started not feeling it anymore; I just went back to my old mask and [I’ve] been using that one. I learnt my lesson for this next cycle to make something that I’ll appreciate more and want to wear. Not be so bummed out about it.”

What: Soundwave Festival 2015 With: Slipknot, Faith No More, Soundgarden, Slash, Marilyn Manson, Incubus, Lamb Of God, Fall Out Boy, Judas Priest and many more Where: Sydney Olympic Park When: Saturday February 28 and Sunday March 1

Rowland S. Howard An Immortal Soul By Augustus Welby

I

n 2008, Rowland S. Howard appeared in an SBS documentary about Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ Murder Ballads album. Amid scattered recollections of his time playing with Cave in The Birthday Party, Howard makes one particularly incisive remark, which basically encapsulates the spirit of his and Cave’s respective careers.

“If you’re making rock music,” he firmly says, “it doesn’t mean that you’re working in the bargain basement of art.”

Sadly, Howard passed away in 2009, but the body of work he left behind gives credence to this declaration. Due for release on October 24, the 32-track Rowland S. Howard anthology Six Strings That Drew Blood travels chronologically through his 30-year music career. The collection shows that, while many chiefly know him for his dazzling, violent guitar work in The Birthday Party and The Boys Next Door, Howard was a truly original singer, songwriter and bandleader in his own right.

“That’s what he set out to do – make his mark on the world,” says Howard’s brother and former bandmate, Harry Howard. “I don’t think Rowland made an album that wasn’t pretty extraordinary in his career.”

The two-CD/quadruple-vinyl collection commences with Howard’s best-known composition, ‘Shivers’.

Before being covered a zillion times, ‘Shivers’ – written when Howard was aged 16 – was a minor hit for The Boys Next Door in 1979. The version on the anthology is a solo live recording captured in 1999, which makes it immediately clear Howard didn’t merely exist in Cave’s shadow. thebrag.com

At the time of that aforementioned documentary, however, the extent of Howard’s influence was rather slight compared to that of his former offsider.

“When we came out of The Birthday Party he had a really good profile,” says regular Howard collaborator and The Birthday Party member Mick Harvey. “There was always a basic level of interest and fandom for Rowland’s stuff and it just didn’t really start coming together until the lead-up to [2009 solo LP] Pop Crimes. There were always people who were huge fans of Rowland.

For some reason they wouldn’t get a vibe around an album that he’d be doing. It happened with [Howard’s 1999 solo debut] Teenage Snuff Film, too. When that came out it didn’t have a high profile at all and it kind of disappeared.”

Due to the friction caused by Howard and Cave’s competing creative personalities, The Birthday Party split up in 1983. Strangely enough, not long after the band’s demise, Howard was playing guitar for another band of London-based Aussie expats, Crime & the City Solution.

“He’d just come out of The Birthday Party and he needed to be starting his own thing,” Harvey says. “Then he just sort of joined the band when Simon [Bonney, vocals] asked him.

It was like, ‘Why?’ He just didn’t need to be in that situation again.”

Howard’s guitar playing and songwriting was an integral component of Crime & the City Solution’s 1986 LP, Room Of Lights, but his stint with the band wasn’t fated to last. He would soon put together his own band, These Immortal Souls, featuring

Harry Howard on bass, lifelong friend and confidant Genevieve McGuckin on piano and ex-Swell Maps drummer Epic Soundtracks.

Intermittently active for a decade, These Immortal Souls released two excellent records; Get Lost (Don’t Lie!) in 1987 and I’m Never Gonna Die Again in 1992. Unfortunately, the power of Howard’s songwriting wasn’t reciprocated commercially.

“It all went really well for quite a while and then we had this terrible hiatus between the first and the second albums,” Harry recalls.

“He didn’t think about career, in a way,” says McGuckin. “He just did whatever came next. If someone said, ‘Here’s a ticket to New Orleans,’ he was like, ‘Oh, alright.’”

One of the standout tracks on the forthcoming anthology is ‘So The Story Goes’ – taken from These Immortal Souls’ second record – which includes the lyric, “Everybody knows I’ve got no sense of humour / I’m too morose and too damn peculiar”. This moment of ironic self-deprecation could be used to summarise Howard’s entire creative perspective.

“He was always a very emotional person, very vulnerable,” McGuckin says. “He was a tragic romantic.”

“There was part of Rowland that was just upset,” agrees Harry.

“Almost constantly,” continues Harvey. “He’d even make jokes about it and be quite funny as well.

But it was still part of who he was.”

“He didn’t write songs when he was happy,” McGuckin adds. “I think very few people do.”

The fact that Howard would only write when afflicted by inner conflict explains his proclivity for minor keys, modal dissonance and shrieking guitar noise, as well as his grim, often self-scathing poeticism.

It also meant that he wasn’t what you’d consider a prolific songwriter.

whatever happened and whatever way it happened, it all seemed to end up with a really good output of Rowland’s,” McGuckin says. “Even though people say he didn’t make enough records, I think that what he did make is wonderful.”

Nevertheless, after These Immortal Souls faded from view, Howard carried on to a solo career.

Teenage Snuff Film was a truly striking document of a unique artist, beautiful and mournful all at once. Faced with health struggles and finally overcoming a decadeslong heroin habit, Howard didn’t release a follow-up until ten years later. That record, Pop Crimes, came out just months before his death. “The funny thing is that,

What: Pop Crimes – The Songs of Rowland S. Howard With: These Immortal Souls, Mick Harvey, Brian Henry Hooper, Adalita, Hugo Race, Jeffrey Wegener and more Where: Saturday November 1 When: Metro Theatre And: Six Strings That Drew Blood out Friday October 24 through Liberation

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Imogen Heap Let There Be Light By Emily Meller “Those samples made the beginnings of the song, the rhythm and the textures. The sound of the match was sent in by four individual people. I thought that was interesting, because no other two similar sounds were sent in, but four people chose to strike matches. I like the idea that the whole album started with the sound of the spark.”

That momentum acted as a perfect antidote to procrastination. Making the album over four years with a song released more or less every three months, Heap travelled to places like Bhutan and Hangzhou – opportunities she normally would have to decline when in recording mode. ‘Climb To Sakteng’ consists mainly of field recordings from a hike in the Himalayas that Heap took while collaborating on the soundtrack for the documentary The Happiest Place.

I

class because no-one else would do music because he was so awful.

So usually at the start of each class we had an argument, and I was being very obnoxious probably, and he kind of put me in this cupboard because he knew that I liked being there, where the computer was.

I realised I could type in with a musical keyboard the different parts of all the different pieces and I could hear them all back and I could edit them – it was so amazing to me.”

mogen Heap is a rare type of musician – the kind who pushes artistic boundaries, but does not shy away from being labelled ‘mainstream’ or ‘popular’. In fact, she relied on her considerable fan base to make her fourth full-length album, Sparks. It traverses the boundaries between pop and musical experiment, using technology like 3D gloves and a specially developed app in the process. All of it is tied together by Heap’s elastic, ethereal voice. A classically trained musician, her foray into technology started early, when a music teacher locked her in a cupboard.

Heap is softly spoken and selfassured, but doesn’t take herself too seriously. For many artists, the kind of creative risks she takes would be nerve-wracking enough to end in breakdown, or would lend themselves to a far more jaded outlook on the music industry. But

“I got to know how to use an Atari computer when I was 12 because I didn’t like my music teacher,” says Heap. “I was the only one in his

there is an underlying integrity to Heap’s vision, which she is able to articulate very clearly. Part of that is to explore the outer boundaries of pop music through challenging how an album is made (that is, be isolated in a studio for a year, tour the album for three, have an existential crisis, rinse and repeat).

Instead, Heap wanted this record to be made while she was also living her life – seeing friends, travelling and maybe even spending time with her boyfriend once in a while.

Thus Sparks started in a collaborative spirit, when Heap asked her fans to send in samples.

They responded with over 900 sounds, which Heap converted into the groundwork for the single ‘Lifeline’.

“I wanted to use all of the sounds from that place – I used the crunching of snow and yak bells and vocalist Sonam Dorji singing a traditional folk song. I took that and turned it into an instrumental piece. His job is to protect all of the folk music from the area before all the memory of it vanishes, and I thought it was just so perfect and had a real story.”

As diverse as these influences are, and as ambitious as the album concept is, Heap’s unmistakable lyrics are what lend the most coherency to the songs as a body of work. While her sound has developed significantly since 2009’s Grammy Award-winning Ellipse, and even further from her breakout track ‘Hide And Seek’ from way back in the days of The O.C., her general approach

to writing hasn’t changed. It is what makes Heap’s work feel intimate, even while trying to challenge the listener to broaden their expectations of what pop music is.

“Every time I write a lyric, I am always trying to dig out something, trying to get somewhere in the back of my psyche, trying to connect with a deeper emotion,” she says. “I don’t spend maybe as much time as I should with my friends, so in order to work things through I go to music and I go to lyrics writing. I’ve always been a bit of an introvert in many ways, even though I look like I’m not.”

This melding of the deeply personal and the experimental is most obvious on the track ‘The Listening Chair’.

It is a song in which each minute represents seven years of Heap’s life, and is going to be a work in progress until she dies. Her last minute has the weird, affecting line, “When did I stop eating bread and cheese? I love cheese / I want to have children / But I don’t want to have children, you know?”

As a process, writing these lyrics seems almost as good as therapy. “It took me to a place that was quite a difficult place and forced me to see patterns and places where possibly I was going wrong. But the good thing is, I kind of realised that I wanted children, and that was what I wanted the next minute of the song to be about. So when I’m 42 in seven years from now I’m sure it’s going to be about children.”

What: Sparks out Friday October 10 through Megaphonic/Cooking Vinyl

New Found Glory Gang Of Four By David James Young

T

he last year has not been particularly kind to New Found Glory. The biggest obstacle has come in the form of losing founding member and guitarist Steve Klein, following a world of legal trouble that neither the band nor this publication are willing to delve into (Google the matter if you’re so inclined). Still, what hasn’t killed the veteran pop-punk band has only made it stronger. The remaining members agreed to continue on under the name and work towards their eighth studio album, Resurrection. As the band itself will attest to, there’s never been a better time to hit ‘reset’.

with something to prove and something to say about where it finds itself in the world. It comes at a very interesting time in the overall chronology of New Found Glory, with its release date falling just shy of 15 years since they dropped Nothing Gold Can Stay, their debut LP. A lot of trends, styles and demographic shifts have passed in those years, but New Found Glory have somehow found themselves as a constant. Pundik is asked what he thinks are some things that have never changed about the band in that time – and there are more than one would expect, at least on a personal level.

“This record’s writing experience has been the easiest and the most fun in a while,” says lead vocalist Jordan Pundik.

“Going into it, we knew we were committing to one guitar, bass, drums and vocals. We still wanted to make it sound like New Found Glory and have it reflect what people like about our band. We went back and listened to stuff like Rage Against The Machine and Pantera – these massive, heavyas-fuck rock records with only one guitar. It inspired us to make the most out of this sound, even though we’re not a heavy-as-fuck band.”

“We try to not feel like we’re above anybody as far as how we interact with our fans,” he says. “That’s something we still have a strong opinion about. We don’t want to have this rock-star attitude about us. Especially for me – I wake up in the morning, I look in the mirror and I feel like I’m still the same guy I was before we started this band. I’m just a mama’s boy. For me, that’s a big thing – and I know our fans appreciate that, too. I know that there’s something to be said about the big, mysterious rock-star enigma. I honestly feel, though, that writing about real-life things, the human experience and being true to who we are – that’s what’s made this band a success.”

Pundik – who is joined by guitarist Chad Gilbert, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Cyrus Bolooki – confirms that not only will Klein not be replaced in the official band fold, there will not be a touring guitarist joining them either.

When it comes to New Found Glory in 2014, what you see is what you get. “I was so nervous before we did our first shows as a four-piece,” he says. “I was wondering how it was going to sound, but it’s actually better now. It’s tighter onstage and we can actually hear each other. The best part is that it sounds just as big.”

Resurrection is the sound of a band

With promotion and touring for Resurrection well under way, the band is set to return to Australia once again as a part of the Soundwave festivities in 2015. It follows an appearance on Australia’s 2013 Vans Warped Tour, which itself followed a 2012 headlining tour with Taking Back Sunday. Without resorting to cliché, there surely must be something that keeps bringing New Found Glory back.

“I know I’ve said this in the past, but I think it has to do with the fact that we

don’t come and play there as often as we do in the States,” says Pundik on the band’s fervent Australian fan base.

“Back home, we can do a tour and then do another tour a few months later and then do a festival. When it comes to Australia, we only come once or twice every couple of years. When we come back, people seem to really appreciate it and really want to show that they know the lyrics and want to go off harder. That’s a big thing for us, making the trip all the way out there. We want to make it worthwhile for everyone.”

Even the group’s previous trip to Australia brought back some fond memories for New Found Glory, as they were one of the few bands on the 2013 lineup to have done a Warped Tour in Australia before. “They do this whole thing where you have to travel around in big buses,” Pundik explains. “You’re sharing buses with three or four other bands full of dudes that are out of their minds. I remember Hatebreed getting on the bus about six in the morning, and most of them had been out all night. They were still raging! It took me back to when we did Warped in Australia back in 2001 – we were the young kids on the bus back then. It was us, The [Mighty Mighty] Bosstones and All. That was so cool to us – it was crazy to come back and do it again.”

What: Soundwave Festival 2015 With: Slipknot, Faith No More, Soundgarden, Slash, Marilyn Manson, Incubus, Lamb Of God, Fall Out Boy, Judas Priest and many more Where: Sydney Olympic Park When: Saturday February 28 and Sunday March 1 And: Resurrection out Friday October 10 through Hopeless/ Unified

“The wriggling, squiggling worm inside devours from the inside out” - THOM YORKE thebrag.com

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16 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

Politicians strangle it, celebrities fake it, media inflates it... who can you turn to for truth?

The nation's mightiest wordsmiths gather for Word Travels Story Festival: an epic 3 days packed with poetry, stories, lyrics and monologues.

Featuring Australian Poetry Slam National Finals at Sydney Opera House iInspiring Australians to tell their story

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HOST: MIKEY ROBINS

Get ready to fall off your seat, with Vince Sorrenti headlining a line-up of hilarious acts.

Enjoy $5 local beers, house wines and selected spirits. 5pm – midnight. Food till late.

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BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 17

Richard In Your Mind Sonic Experiments By Paul McBride album], but we’ve had it ready for a little while now, and now it’s not just in our heads, it’s in the world. We wanted to make sure we got it right.

It took as long as it did, and once it was finished it was decided we were putting it out in five months, which seemed like ages, but time is on a slope and it goes fast and here we are now. It feels good.”

The off-kilter album found its title following a discussion about the Cartwright family on the American TV Western Bonanza.

“People seem to get it,” he says. I think it’s kind of a weird album, I guess, although that’s for other people to decide. There are songs on there that stick out like a sore thumb, but we decided we’d keep them on there anyway because that’s what we like and what we wanted to do, and it seems that other

people are like, ‘It’s great that you did that,’ instead of, ‘You really messed up the whole thing by doing that.’ So we’ve been pleasantly surprised that people get it, and that’s cool.”

A 14-track collection of psychedelic pop gems mixed and produced by regular collaborator Spod, Ponderosa features woozy instrumentals, waves of percussion and a few surprises.

“There’s one called ‘Good Morning’ and even a little of ‘My Volcano’; they’re kind of synthy and groovy,” Cartwright says. “‘Good Morning’ especially has a pitch-shifted and

distorted vocal. It’s kind of noisy. We wrote heaps more songs than we put on the album. We basically kind of just chose the best. In making the list, we played around a lot before deciding. There are still heaps of songs we really like that didn’t make it on, but we tried to balance the instrumental tracks in between the ‘songy’ songs to make sure people weren’t getting too lost in an instrumental before giving them another kind of stronger feeling anchored to a proper song.

“In the long run, there’s an argument for not having too much coherence. I feel like there’s always more work to be done leading up to releasing [an

While the influences and variety of sounds on Ponderosa are as eclectic as they come, the single ‘Hammered’ is a frolicking ray of sunny pop that pays tribute to daytime indulgence, although Cartwright admits it’s not necessarily about alcohol.

“It depends on what you’re getting hammered on, really,” he says. “With booze you should wait a little bit, until you’ve done something, but if you’ve got the day off, the sun is shining and you want to have a spliff in the morning, you can.”

“I think it’s the same rule as ‘a few’, so three,” he laughs. “Two is only a couple of four-leaf clovers, so obviously you’ll want more, so I’d say three is enough for a little salad. My wife is really good at finding four-leaf clovers – she finds them constantly, and the way you get luck is by eating them, or so she tells me. I was walking the dog one day and that concept occurred to me, as I think I did eat a few.”

Expect upcoming Richard In Your Mind shows along the east coast to be heavy with new material.

“To start with, it’s a small eastern tour; Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Newcastle, Byron Bay, Brisbane and stuff. Then hopefully we’ll play a bunch more shows. We’ve played a couple of shows, mainly focusing on the new songs. We want to make sure a couple of the new songs are more up-to-scratch, but at the moment our set is probably 50 per cent new stuff. We’ll try to get it up to about 75 per cent new stuff, while keeping songs we’ve always enjoyed playing live as well.”

What: Ponderosa out now through Rice Is Nice Where: Lansdowne Hotel / The Commons, Newcastle When: Friday October 17 / Saturday October 18 And: Also appearing alongside Deep Sea Arcade, Astronomy Class, Donny Benet Show Band, Tigertown and more at Newtown Festival, Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Sunday November 9

Richard In Your Mind photo by Chris Frape

B

lue Mountains psychedelic pop quintet Richard In Your Mind have returned with Ponderosa, their most accomplished album to date. Ahead of their Sydney shows, bandleader Richard Cartwright explains how it came together and why marching to the beat of your own drum is a good thing.

“Well, I’m a Cartwright,” the singer says. “Not that I really grew up watching a lot of Bonanza, but my parents and people in the generation above who did grow up with it would talk about Bonanza and start singing the tune to me. It was only recently when my mother came to visit and we were talking about Bonanza that she mentioned that the ranch was called Ponderosa, out of the blue, and I thought it was a kick-arse name for something. The whole album is a diverse album; it goes to different places, but in a way [it’s about] this idea of home and trying to describe the different things that stand for a unified whole, or the quest for home, or something – it’s not specifi c but it’s a vibe.”

When he’s not getting loaded in the daytime, Cartwright can probably be found collecting ingredients for dinner, as described on ‘Four Leaf Clover Salad’. But how many fourleaf clovers constitute a salad?

Donny Benet A Weekend Away By Augustus Welby Inviting six distinct personalities to separately contribute to a record could quite easily have resulted in a disjointed collection of tunes. But Weekend At Donny’s maintains a consistent aesthetic that’s sure to bring joy to Benet’s disco-loving fan base.

“I recorded everything and played all the instruments,” he says, “so that’s probably why it has some similarities from track to track. As far as the writing, it was all a real 50/50 contribution. I think they were trying to let loose and write a Donny song. Without sounding too cheesy, it was just a whole bunch of fun.”

Weekend At Donny’s isn’t the first time that Benet has opened his arms to a bunch of esteemed guests. The record harnesses the spirit of uninhibited fun that defined a series of club gigs put on by the mustachioed bandleader and friends back in early 2013.

Last month Benet returned with his third full-length, Weekend At Donny’s, which is firmly rooted in the present context. No, this doesn’t mean Benet has abandoned his beloved disco-funk influences.

Rather, the record features vocal performances and co-writing input from six of Benet’s distinguished contemporaries: Kirin J Callinan, Jack Ladder, Elana Stone, Geoffrey

O’Connor, Spod and The Preatures’ Isabella Manfredi.

“I wanted to do this as a bit of a snapshot of Sydney – and in the case of Geoff, Melbourne – artists during this time,” he says. “It’s a Donny album but it’s not a Donny album. It was just really nice to get together with these people and write some music.”

Accordingly, Weekend At Donny’s directs you to let your hair down, grab hold of a margarita and let your worries slip away. Additionally

“We definitely didn’t go into it with a throwaway attitude – ‘Oh, let’s just write a really silly song,’” Benet says. “At the end of the day, with any music you release under your name, the responsibility goes back on you. You’re not going to put something out you’re not happy with artistically. We were just having fun with the songs, but we still wrote the shit out of the songs.”

Before we get carried away with notions of earnest artistry, the dapper showman makes it clear that broadcasting positivity remains his number one priority.

“With playing Donny stuff, I’ll only ever play music that I enjoy performing and that I’d enjoy to listen to. I’ve got a pretty good sense of humour. The last few shows we did in Sydney, the stage was invaded by young women.

And that’s cool. It’s escapism for me, it’s escapism for them. For me personally, the last thing I’d want to do is sit there with my arms folded, nodding my head, stroking my beard.”

What: Weekend At Donny’s out now through Rice Is Nice/Inertia Where: Brighton Up Bar When: Friday October 10 / Saturday October 11

“The drunk machine spitting nonsense, spitting feathers, talking in tongues, swivelling heads, splitting hairs” - THOM YORKE 18 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

thebrag.com

Donny Benet photo by Andrew Finlayson

T

here’s no doubt Donny Benet is a convivial character. Since emerging with the Italo-disco celebration Don’t Hold Back in 2011, Benet has established himself as an ambassador of good times.

But given his allegiance to sounds of the late ’70s and early ’80s, the linchpin of Sydney’s post-disco revival has always seemed slightly anachronistic.

“We decided to play some covers but we were just being a bit silly so I got Spod to cover some Gloria Estefan; Tim [Rogers, AKA Jack Ladder] covered some Tina Turner and Kim Carnes,” Benet says of the shows. “So it was a bit of tonguein-cheek to begin with. It was just such fun to play with those guys in that kind of environment, so [the album] just stemmed out of that.”

– as you might expect from a record brewed up with a number of canny collaborators – Weekend At Donny’s also features first-rate songwriting.

BRAG’s guide to film, theatre, comedy and art about town

arts in focus

The Australian Ballet - Giselle photo by Georges Antoni

Bill Bailey

in between days also inside:

xxx

JIM G A F F IG A N / T HE L I T T L E DE AT H / A R T S NE W S / A R T S GGII V E AWAY / R E V IE W S thebrag.com

BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 19

arts frontline

free stuff

arts news...what's goin' on around town...with Roger Ma, Chris Martin and June Murtagh

head to: thebrag.com/freeshit

five minutes WITH

SANDY EDWARDS, CURATOR OF OCTOBER UNSEEN depends on the work and what is appropriate to the space. It also depends on the artist’s budget, as exhibitions are expensive. As one of the few dedicated photography spaces, 10x8 Gallery is a great space for photographers to be seen in. Artists are always working at producing new work so it is important and exciting for them to show that work, even if it is work in progress.

Archer by Lynn Smith

A

rthere founder Sandy Edwards’ latest photography exhibition, October Unseen, is showing at 10x8 Gallery in Chippendale this month. Edwards took five to tell us all about it.

BAH, HUMBUG

Miranda Tapsell in A Christmas Carol

Richard Roxburgh in Cyrano De Bergerac

What’s next for Arthere?

Good question. There are individual artists I have been working with to find venues for their work – Jill Crossley and Nancy Trieu, for example. Scott Walker has a show coming up at Gaffa in November, which is worth catching.

What: October Unseen Where: 10x8 Gallery, Chippendale When: Until Sunday October 26

Brad Pitt in Fury

UNLEASHING FURY

Back in the day, Brad Pitt used to fight with his fists. Now he’s got a tank. It’s called Fury, and so is Pitt’s latest film, set in April 1945 as the Allied forces make their final charge through Europe. Pitt plays an army sergeant named Wardaddy, leading Fury and her five-man crew behind enemy lines to strike at the vulnerable heart of Nazi Germany. Directed by David Ayer, Fury also stars Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Jon Bernthal, Michael Peña, Jason Isaacs and Scott Eastwood.

Fury opens in cinemas on Thursday October 23, and we want to help you see it in style at IMAX Darling Harbour.

We’ve got fi ve double passes to see Fury on the biggest of big screens – just head to thebrag.com/freeshit and tell us your favourite Brad Pitt fl ick for the chance to win.

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Talk us through the concept of October Unseen.

With the concept behind Arthere, I am placing photographic artists into existing galleries of all kinds – commercial galleries, artist-run spaces, rental spaces or pop-up spaces. It

You’ve had a long involvement with Stills Gallery – what’s appealing about this 10x8 Gallery space at Central Park?

My involvement with Stills Gallery has continued for over 20 years. I have learnt enormously from my work there. I now work very part-time at Stills Gallery. Arthere was founded in 2008 and it is an idea of my own based on my time at Stills, looking at the work of many artists coming to find what is very limited space in Sydney to exhibit work. I could see there was a need to educate artists in negotiating the art world and to support them in the many steps that are required to mount work for exhibition. 10x8 is associated with the work of photojournalists and documentary photographers and has had many fine exhibitions from both local and overseas photographers.

What can you tell us about some of the artists involved in this exhibition?

You will see a range of work offering interpretations that reflect both the portrayal of the moment and a rich variation of styles seen currently in photography. There is also a beautiful video work by Julie Williams.

You will see new styles of landscape and street noir photography by Catherine Cloran, Chris Round and Lynn Smith, seemingly traditional landscapes by Lisa Sharkey and Jill Crossley, panoramas by Suellen Symons and evidence of the human spirit by Digby Duncan, Luke Hardy, Sally McInerney, Zorica Purlija, Sandy Edwards and Meg Hewitt.

Chalk Urban Art Festival

Robert Menzies will star in Belvoir’s new production of the renowned classic A Christmas Carol. Audience members will be transported into another world as they enter the Upstairs Theatre at Belvoir to witness Charles Dickens’ classic narrative.

The much-loved tale, directed by Belvoir’s Resident Director AnneLouise Sarks, is sure to be loved by families, theatregoers and anyone who gets into the Christmas spirit.

Experience the magic at Belvoir St Theatre from Saturday November 8 – Wednesday December 24.

Blood Brothers

CHALK IT UP

KINGS CROSS FESTIVAL

CYRANO DE BERGERAC

Sydney Theatre Company’s Andrew Upton directs his own adaptation of the classic French romantic comedy, Cyrano De Bergerac, from November. The new production features a 16-strong cast led by Richard Roxburgh, Eryn Jean Norvill and Chris Ryan. This also marks the third time the STC has put on this production, following on from Richard Wherrett’s record-setting 1980 season and the 1999 Marion Pottsdirected version. Cyrano De Bergerac is playing at Sydney Theatre from Tuesday November 11 – Saturday December 20.

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BLOOD BROTHERS

Enda Markey will produce Blood Brothers, one of the longestrunning musicals in theatre history, for a strictly limited four-week season in 2015. Blood Brothers is entering its 32nd year of production since it first opened on the West End in 1983. Blood Brothers returns to Sydney for the first time since 1988, boasting Helen Dallimore (the original Glinda in the London production of Wicked) as Mrs. Johnstone, supported by a diverse cast of international actors and singers. Blood Brothers plays at Hayes Theatre Co from Friday February 6 – Sunday March 8.

Food, photography and art are the focus of this year’s Kings Cross Festival, taking over the suburb this weekend. A Sunday long table lunch on Macleay Street will be the focal point of festivities, showing off the best culinary delights of one of Sydney’s most famous precincts.

There’ll be an accompanying wine tasting option available. Other events include the art and photography program, featuring a guided art walk. Kings Cross Festival 2014 is on Saturday October 11 and Sunday October 12.

PYRMONT STREETFEST

Sydney’s best food trucks, musicians and live artists will feature at the 2014 edition of StreetFest in Pyrmont this week. X Factor star Adrien Nookadu will lead the entertainment lineup, joined by Gang Of Brothers and a host of local musicians. There’ll also be ten artists painting live, a pop-up street bar, Sydney’s finest food trucks and more. StreetFest takes over Pyrmont Bay Park opposite The Star on Friday October 10 from 5-10pm.

INAPPROPRIATE NUDITY

Television producer turned artist Harley Oliver is laying bare for his first solo exhibition.

Featuring 14 large oil paintings, Inappropriate Nudity challenges expectations to explore nudity in unexpected situations. From today’s celebrities, early explorers, 1930s beachgoers, and even the Queen of England herself, nothing is off-limits in this new exhibition at Darlinghurst’s Stanley Street Gallery, showing from Wednesday October 29 – Saturday November 22.

JEWISH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The annual Jewish International Film Festival is set to return for another year, with 47 films making their Australian premiere. A total of 49 award-winning features, documentaries and shorts have been hand-picked to screen at this year’s event. Following the spectacular success of JIFF last year, the festival expands to Perth, the Gold Coast and New Zealand for the first time. Opening the festival in Sydney is the acclaimed drama Gett, The Trial Of Viviane Amsalem, which was recently named Best Picture at both the 2014 Ophir Awards (the ‘Israeli Oscars’) and Jerusalem Film Festival.

The Jewish International Film Festival runs at Event Cinemas in Bondi Junction from Wednesday October 29 – Sunday November 16. thebrag.com

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Customs House at Circular Quay is set to host a week-long street art festival supported by the City of Sydney. Inspired by the success of street art festivals in Europe and America, the eighth annual Chalk Urban Art Festival makes a return to Sydney this year, seeing Australian pavement artist Jenny McCracken and Dutch internet sensation Leon Keer collaborate on a massive 3D chalk artwork on the forecourt of Customs House.

There’ll also be a host of activities for visitors of all ages to express their inner creativity on nearby Alfred Street. Chalk Urban Art Festival 2014 takes place Sunday October 19 – Sunday October 26.

Jim Gaffigan

Bill Bailey

[COMEDY] For The Love Of Food By Tegan Jones

[COMEDY] In Limbo By Chris Martin

R

ill Bailey answers the phone from the offices of his production company in West London, not far from his home. It’s been a long morning of press interviews already – or in Bailey’s words, he’s been “blithering on about myself in a rather increasingly less comprehensible way”. After a couple of coffees, he warns, he may not be making any sense. “If I start rambling uncontrollably, you’ll have to just – ‘Bill! You’re taking nonsense!’ – reign me in.”

enowned comedian and best-selling author Jim Gaffigan is on the way to Sydney as part of The White Bread Tour. Coming off the back of his second wildly successful book, Food: A Love Story, Gaffigan will be bringing his passion for all things culinary to Just For Laughs this month. Speaking to the BRAG ahead of the shows, the comic confesses he never really intended to focus on his literal meal ticket for his material.

“There was nothing intentional about me talking about food,” Gaffigan says. “I do love that fact that it’s universal in that everyone eats it, except for a couple of actresses here and there.

“It’s more about writing things that I’m passionate about, and I’m passionate about rather mundane stuff, like food.

I certainly didn’t set out to concentrate on food, I just think I’m kind of a glutton.

There’s not a lot of people that are going to be put off by a topic such as food; it’s not very divisive, so I’m not really losing anyone in the audience.”

Despite the fact that food plays a large role in many of Gaffigan’s acts, it wasn’t the direct inspiration behind the name of The White Bread Tour.

“White bread has this connotation of being non-ethnic,” he explains. “When I moved to New York in the ’90s, all the comedians would be Italian, Jewish, half-Polish, and I was none of those things. I was from the middle of the country, so I was considered ‘white bread’. No-one really wanted to be considered ‘white bread’. It’s generic. It’s unfancy.”

The comedian’s Australian fans will be excited to hear they will be getting more of the Jim Gaffigan they know and adore on this tour. “If you look at my setlist it will look like a grocery store list,” he laughs. “I’m somebody who romanticises laziness and eating, and I’ve also been described as an off-beat observational guy.

“Hopefully it’s just funny. In the end, people who come to see my shows are driven by the substance of the material. They’re not there to see the outfit I’m going to wear or to see if I say something crazy.”

One of the most unique aspects of Gaffigan’s comedy is that his wife is involved in the writing process. “It’s so rare to write with someone for stand-up,” he explains.

“I’ve worked with [my wife] for a while and it would be dishonest to say that we don’t write together. She comes up with great lines and topics, and I’m a very verbal guy so a lot of our writing is just sitting around once the kids are in bed and talking, so it’s very much a collaboration.”

Gaffigan is also known for his clean topics and wide vocabulary onstage, which is quite rare for a big-name 21st century comedian.

However, he doesn’t feel it’s his defining attribute.

“I’m supposedly considered ‘clean’, but it’s not like I’m puritanical and don’t want Jesus to hear me curse. I curse in everyday life, but when I’m onstage I wouldn’t say certain things that I might say in another situation.

“My subject matter doesn’t really necessitate cursing. I’m not trying to shock people, and that’s not to say that some of my favourite comedians don’t do that. Also, I do long shows. I’m onstage for an hour, and early on you could have a great filthy joke, but how do you follow it? It’s not like you can then talk about blueberries. People would be like, ‘Wait a minute, go back to the oral sex joke.’”

xxx

What: Just For Laughs 2014 Where: Playhouse, Sydney Opera House When: Wednesday October 15 – Friday October 17

B

While I consider the gross unlikelihood of me interrupting this immensely loved British comedian, no matter how far he embarks down a particular tangent, he’s already launched into talking about what’s been a busy 2014 so far. For a man who’s most visible (to Australian audiences at least) through his television ventures, from Black Books to QI, the year has been relatively TV-free.

“I’ve really been focusing on the live stuff the last year, particularly after I made this documentary for BBC [Jungle Hero] about Victorian naturalist Alfred Wallace,” he says.

“An extraordinary thing happened as a result of that; I ended up in the Natural History Museum in London with David Attenborough, who’s probably one of my greatest heroes, unveiling a statue of Wallace in the Darwin Garden.

“That sort of took over the whole [of 2013], really, and this last year I’ve been touring in Europe, which is another first – I’ve been performing in Scandinavia and the Baltic states; ex-Soviet countries, places I’ve never been before. So it’s been quite a year of firsts and revelatory experiences.”

Bailey’s next endeavour is to debut his Limboland stand-up show on Australian shores this month, taking in the Sydney Opera House during the Just For Laughs festival.

Like a lot of his shows, he says, there’ll be anecdotes, music and tales of travel – one of Bailey’s greatest passions – but the subject matter will be “more reflective and personal” this time.

“A lot of it is about recollection of the last few decades of my own life, and the name implies also a state of unknowing, a pivotal point in my own life, and looking forwards as well as back – so it’s not a negative thing, it’s a state of weightlessness, if you like.

“Calling it Limboland is saying this is a country, this is a place perhaps we all inhabit – a place of not knowing what is what, and increasingly [so] in a world where the sort of absolute institutions or the things upon which I would rely and also think were unimpeachable were now revealed to be flawed and corrupt and completely not as we see them. So there’s sort of an acceptance of that and maybe a finding your own truth in it in your own life, and part of it is having fun with that.”

Speaking of perceptions versus reality, Bailey used to tell a joke about members of the public who couldn’t believe a celebrity like him would be walking around like ‘normal’. “When they see me taking the bins out or going to the shops, they just look at you like, ‘How can you be doing this?’” he says.

“There’s a huge gap in that perception [between celebrity and reality]. It’s probably bolstered by the fact there are a lot of people in the public eye that are like that, and a lot of people that do like to have all the trappings of fame; they like to have minders and people to give themselves a sense of their own importance. I don’t know, I find them to be a bit hollow, and not only a bit hollow, it’s fake. It’s a strange oddity, and maybe that’s another limbo – the nature of fame. It’s so fickle and transitory, you have to see through that.”

What: Limboland as part of Just For Laughs 2014 Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House When: Thursday October 16

The Little Death [FILM] Sex And The Suburbs By Travis Johnson

I

t’s not an original refrain, but it’s one that rings true: a fi lmmaker – often an actor/ fi lmmaker – is none too impressed with the fare on offer elsewhere, so he decides to make something more in line with his own tastes. It’s what drove Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to make Good Will Hunting, and a similar urge propelled Josh Lawson (House Of Lies, Any Questions For Ben?) to labour on his new fi lm, the suburban sex comedy The Little Death.

“I have been critical of a lot of Australian fi lms for a long time,” Lawson explains. “I have been dissatisfi ed as well, and not just with comedy, but across the board. I can’t say that I love a lot of Aussie fi lms – I wish I could, but I just can’t say it. So for me, it was borne out of the fact that I was tired of complaining about what wasn’t in the industry and decided to make the sort of fi lm that I thought we should be making.”

xxx

The result is a kind of multi-stranded narrative that delves into the lives of fi ve different couples, each at different stages of their relationship, each suffering through a different kind of crisis, and each focused on a different kind of kink.

“I thought we should tackle sex. I thought it thebrag.com

was an interesting topic, I thought there was plenty of comedy in it and I thought it was a bit risqué. I thought it was a topic I could choose that might get a bit of attention, you know? As opposed to your usual kitchen sink drama. I thought that if I did a comedy about sex, that might be strong enough to get the attention of these Australians who don’t seem to want to see any Aussie movies.”

While not setting out to shock, Lawson’s fi lm does cast a wide net in terms of the fetishes it takes in, starting with the opening scene in which Maeve (Bojana Novakovic) confesses her rape fantasy to her boyfriend Paul (Lawson). “The first one in the movie is the first one that I wrote. That’s where it all began. It was a risqué one; it’s one that if we handled it indelicately could have fallen really fl at, and I just wanted to make a splash, I really did. That’s why I started there and then the others followed. Over the years I developed it and the script matured, and I grew and the script changed with me, and ultimately we’ve gotten it made at the right time. I think the script needed time to be refi ned, because it’s such a delicate topic.”

But though the fi lm does go to some potentially dark and problematic areas, it’s saved by Lawson’s assured understanding

The Little Death of tone – and one other crucial underlying factor.

“I think the reason we can get away with it and what unifi es [the couples], even though they are all different, is that they are all love stories,” says Lawson. “As long as I kept the love between them, they could do pretty horrible stuff, provided there wasn’t any malice. That’s the thing: no-one’s being

cruel. When they do awful things it’s actually to get closer to their partner. It’s trying to fi nd an intimacy that’s not there and they decide to go through unusual or even dark means in order to fi nd a connection with the person they love.”

What: The Little Death (dir. Josh Lawson) Where: In cinemas now BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 21

Film & Theatre Reviews Hits and misses on the silver screen and bareboards around town Kryptonite photo by Lisa Tomasetti

■ Theatre

Kryptonite

KRYPTONITE Playing at Wharf 1, Sydney Theatre Company until Saturday October 18 Sue Smith’s new play, her second after Strange Attractor at Griffin in 2009, has been billed as a thriller, which is an unfair grab for the marketing types to have shackled it with. Kryptonite flirts with espionage late in the piece, but at its heart it’s the story of a thwarted love affair, a modern Romeo And Juliet with crosscontinental implications. Lian (Ursula Mills) and Dylan (Tim Walter) represent the SinoAustralian culture clash writ large, a single relationship clearly meant to illuminate a much bigger one.

Like countless young students from China living in Sydney, Lian is studying as well as working two or more casual jobs to survive. Dylan is a classic Sydney University type: entitled and articulate, fond of scaling a flagpole naked but with ideas formed at the coalface of no real hardship whatsoever. The play tracks the way their assumptions are challenged by each other, but Smith is after something bigger than a pat statement about cultural or political relativity. Tiananmen is the play’s organising event, and Smith uses it to try to explore the concept of memory itself.

Both actors are strong, especially Mills, whose character in lesser hands could have veered close to caricature. And if Walter as Dylan is never particularly likeable, that’s perhaps the point. Victoria Lamb’s set foregrounds them in front of walls made of corrugated tissue paper, onto which dates and names are painted but quickly disappear.

Lian becomes a successful businesswoman and Dylan a rising political star. They slip in and out of each other’s lives, and gradually the line where affection meets utility becomes blurry. Dylan and Lian are symbols, two characters also meant to embody two cultures, so it’s to Smith’s credit that they still feel like human beings. We’re left with a gimlet-eyed picture of a world in which good intentions exist, but real trust is all but impossible.

Harry Windsor

■ Film

Gone Girl

GONE GIRL In cinemas now

xxx

Gone Girl, adapted from Gillian Flynn’s bestseller by director David Fincher, doesn’t feature anything as outlandish as Adjani having sex with a tentacled demon creature, but it belongs more to the latter category than the former, using a blatantly preposterous plot – beginning with the disappearance of Amy (Rosamund Pike) in suburban Missouri, and the search that puts a nationwide media spotlight on her husband Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) – to envision marriage as an epic battle of control and manipulation.

Outlining what makes both the film (and its source material) potentially problematic without spoiling its many surprises is a tough task, though it’s a testament to Fincher’s expert control of mood and sense of humour that the film remains immersive and entertaining beyond its many twists and turns, all faithfully transplanted from Flynn’s novel. It’s also one of the most cannily cast

■ Theatre

WICKED Now playing at the Capitol Theatre Wicked is indisputably everything a musical should be; there’s the universally familiar story, the catchy refrains, and the heroes and villains. But this familiarity is undercut by clever twists and contemporary themes.

Wicked balances a deeper message with surface humour, predictability with surprise, escapism with reality.

Lucy Durack plays an outstanding Glinda, her voice saccharine, tremulous, and at times annoying. It’s hard

to tell whether it’s deliberate, but either way, she nails the role as she skips, taps her heels and flicks her oh-so-blonde hair. The real standout, and rightfully so, is Jemma Rix, who hits every note as Elphaba. She’s fierce and proud and so, well… green. To see how joyfully and completely Rix takes on the role – both physically and vocally – it could well have been written for her.

Fiyero (Steve Danielsen) makes an inauspicious entrance, but by the end he earns our love as much as Elphaba’s. Glen Hogstrom charms as Doctor Dillamond, and Reg Livermore as The Wizard neatly, if not passionately, conveys his trajectory from all-powerful

ruler to banished sham.

Maggie Kirkpatrick gives Madame Morrible subtle sinister overtones from the beginning, and Edward Grey plays Boc as the lovesick schoolboy and the bitter captive convincingly, while Emily Cascarino is tragically beautiful as Nessarose.

The set, almost a character itself, evolves from school dormitory to a castle to the Emerald City, with steampunk-inspired sliding walls, fairy lights aplenty, and of course, Glinda’s bubble.

Everyone deserves a chance to fly, and Wicked does, brilliantly.

Hannah Warren

films in recent memory, with Affleck, Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris utilised in a way that allows for productive extra-textual frisson, and the gifted Pike owning her challenging role.

Nonetheless, much like Fincher’s muchloved Se7en and Fight Club were, on one level, slickly packaged mainstream Trojan horses for dime-store philosophising, the satire of Gone Girl has a rankling smugness to it; tsk-tsking at media sensationalism while giving into a not-toodissimilar impulse. Additionally, Fincher’s patented detached, procedural style – with a visual sheen somewhere between an insurance commercial and Korn video – often feels at odds with the overheatedness of the material; it highlights why his best films (Zodiac, The Game) are also his most sheerly process-oriented. It might’ve been more resonant had it wedded its glib misanthropy to a less naturalistic and more hyperbolic method of delivery.

Ian Barr

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Arts Exposed

Alia Gabres

What's in our diary...

Word Travels Story Festival Various Sydney Locations, Friday October 10 – Sunday October 12 We all know how fast word can travel, and when an event captures the imagination as much as Word Travels Story Festival did last time around – well, the results were inevitable. The event is back for another year, set to fill Sydney with some of the nation’s finest wordsmiths for events in The Rocks, the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Dance Lounge.

One highlight is the tenth annual Australian Poetry Slam, with the NSW final being held at Sydney Dance Lounge on Friday October 10.

For the full program and to book, visit wordtravels. info.

22 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

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Wicked photo by Jeff Busby

The best films about marital woes and anxieties tend to skew toward extremes of representation; claustrophobic, ostensibly realistic snapshots like Bergman’s Scenes From A Marriage (1973) and Cassavetes’ A Woman Under The Infl uence (1974), or surreal, allegorical phantasmagorias such as Andrzej Zuławski’s Possession (1981), in which Isabelle Adjani’s restlessness with hubby Sam Neill manifests in the form of a demonic possession.

Wicked

T H E B R A G ’S G U I D E T O It’s the race that stops the nation – or at least gets us away from work for a few hours. Melbourne Cup 2014 is on Tuesday November 4, and we’re here to help you pick a winner when it comes to a venue for your celebrations. Happy Cup day!

MELBOURNE

CUP

CHERRY BAR AT THE STAR Venue Name: Cherry Bar at The Star

COOGEE PAVILION Venue Name: Coogee Pavilion What to see and do: Get some sand in your cup at Coogee Pavilion. Sit down to a delectable three-course à la carte race day menu and enjoy a flute of Chandon on arrival.

Pick a winner – what’s the highlight: Beachside three-course à la carte race day menu and a

complimentary flute of Chandon on arrival.

Wallet damage: $100 Bookings: Bookings required – 9240 3000 Where: 169 Dolphin St, Coogee When: 12pm

RUPERT & RUBY Venue Name: Rupert & Ruby

just to name a few…

What to see and do: Receive a glass of champagne on arrival. Ruby herself will then show you to your table where you will be served an eight-course meal created by executive chef Eli Challenger. Throughout the day there will be numerous festivities including lucky door prizes, fashion in the field, sweepstakes with money-can’t-buy prizes up for grabs, and games like pin the tail on the suckling pig. Televisions will screen the races live; Rupert will be giving out form guides and there will be general jolliness all day.

Pick a winner – what’s the highlight: The sweepstakes and events over the course of the day will be the highlight.

You will feel like the winning jockey if you pin the tail on the suckling pig.

What’s the fuel: $95 gets you entry with champagne on arrival and the eight-course set menu. Dishes will include oysters with horseradish, boqueron and creole prawn cocktail,

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Have a flutter: There is a TAB next door. Our hot tip is Who Shot Thebarman.

What to see and do: Celebrate Melbourne Cup with us at Cherry this year with a fabulous special celebration package that’s sure to delight punters.

So grab a group of your friends and make sure you have a prime position for all the fun! Tables available for booking as well as individual tickets.

What’s the fuel: Enjoy gourmet canapés, desserts and premium drinks, all tap beers and non-alcoholic beverages.

Pick a winner – what’s the highlight: The stunning views of Sydney Harbour and entertainment by DJ Minx.

Where: IconPark, 78 Stanley Street, Darlinghurst When: Festivities will start at 11am

Wallet damage: $120pp Bookings: Bookings essential, call 02 9657 8913 or email Jemma.

Huggins@echoent.com.au Where: Cherry Bar at The Star, 80 Pyrmont St, Pyrmont When: Entry from 12pm, package between 1-5pm

DOVE & OLIVE Venue Name: Dove & Olive What to see and do: We’re doing a fancy lunch – a relaxed threecourse luncheon, with six massive screens around venue to catch all the races indoors and out. There’ll be sweepstakes, hampers for the bestdressed ladies and chaps with the best ties.

Wallet damage: $95 plus drinks.

Bookings: Bookings essential through Dean Worland reservations@iconpark. com or call 7901 0396

Have a flutter: There will be TV screens in Cherry and there are TAB facilities around the property.

Venue manager Tessa Bruce’s top tip for Melbourne Cup is: “Go with who the trainer is – they got them that far!”

What’s the fuel: Think three courses of king prawns, smoked ocean trout, pink snapper or beef mignon and chocolate and double cream tart for dessert. The package also includes bubbles or craft beer on arrival from sponsors Seppelt or Stone & Wood who are bringing along a new limitedrelease lager for the celebrations.

Pick a winner – what’s the highlight: Making your way through our 26 different beers and ciders.

Have a flutter: As part of the package everyone receives a mystery trifecta ticket for the big race, so everyone’s a part of it.

Wallet damage: $69 plus online booking fee.

Bookings: Bookings of two or more are essential! doveandolive.com.au/ melbcup Where: 156 Devonshire St, Surry Hills When: Sittings start from 12pm, winding up at 4pm

BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 23

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

ALBUM OF THE WEEK ICEAGE

Moon’ is unexpectedly pretty, with a piano line set against violins and accordion. Musically, everything the band attempts lands.

Plowing Into The Field Of Love Matador/Remote Control

Whatever you once thought about Iceage, good or bad, is about to change. Plowing Into The Field Of Love is a radical, favourable new direction for the Danish foursome. Piano gets a greater part to play, violin and brass are featured, there are clear-cut, defined riffs, and the band even slows down on occasion.

Plowing Into The Field Of Love is Iceage’s best record to date. On the basis of the changes heard here, when you think about how far they could take their sound in the future, the mind reels.

Leonardo Silvestrini

ELECTRIC WIZARD

KELE

NICHOLAS ALLBROOK

Time To Die Spinefarm/Caroline

Trick Kobalt

Ganough, Wallis & Fatuna Spinning Top

British doom lords Electric Wizard have been delivering music sludgier than The NeverEnding Story’s Swamps of Sadness for over two decades. Their eighth studio album Time To Die is their darkest and most decimating yet.

The album opens with the natural gurgles of a river, then broods for almost 11 minutes in crunching, grinding reverb. It slowly drops you into a haunting abyss full of grave-turning riffs. News clips from the 1980s Ricky ‘The Acid King’ Kasso murder case, where satanic ritual and devil worship were linked to rock music, cast that extra bit of disturbing malevolence over proceedings, and a touch of humour.

Standout tracks like ‘Lucifer’s Slaves’ and ‘Sadiowitch’ have a more upbeat stoner/blues vibe but still crawl into the Wizard’s signature blood-curdling drone. Jus Oborn’s vocals echo hypnotically in the distance, buried beneath the shattering atmospheric feedback.

Electric Wizard have successfully created a grimy, vintage feel, with Hammond organs and crackling tube amps featuring throughout.

It’s a thundering demonic feast for the ears and will chill your bones to the core. Perfect for your next night in with the Ouija board.

Kylie Finlay

Next year will be the tenth anniversary of Bloc Party’s debut album, Silent Alarm, which had everyone dancing not so silently all throughout the mid-to-late ’00s.

Dismissing the possibility of a reunion anniversary tour as “cringey”, Kele Okereke is powering on in solo fashion with Trick, his second LP.

Nicholas Allbrook’s main band Pond makes quality records of throwback psych/glam and performs live shows that are something to tell your friends about, with Allbrook a junkie soul captain out front. But it’s always felt like he’s capable of much more than what fits with that band’s bombastic slant.

Buzzing beats contrast with see-saw melodies, and call-and-response choruses combine with short, well-timed huffs of breath as Trick covers stories of relationship woes and celebrations. Opener ‘First Impressions’ (ironically) grows on you after a few listens, as smooth female vocals in the chorus play an affectionate game of tag with Kele’s unmistakable croon. Female voices also appear on ‘Closer’, another intimate track that demonstrates Kele’s transformation and expertise in beat-dropping.

Ganough, Wallis & Fatuna, the first record released under Allbrook’s own name, comes good on the promised potential of his idiosyncratic talent.

He moves freely between dreamy falsetto and ocker-tongued speaksinging. Accordingly, the lyrics range from confessional – “Nothing in my heart” – to Dylan-esque surrealism: “Omniscient beings wouldn’t choose to live in the gutter”.

Throughout Trick, songs are sustained by dark, popping beats, especially on the single ‘Doubt’, one of the more ominous-sounding cuts on the record. Kele’s tone ranges from impassioned lover in ‘Year Zero’ to focused storyteller in ‘Stay The Night’; each persona set against a distinctly dark, underground London.

The choruses contain enough lipsmacking melody to suggest that Allbrook could easily match the singalong quality of Yoshimi-era Flaming Lips. Instead, he frequently detours into experimental or just plain fuckedup territory.

Moving away from the upbeat Bloc Party vibe towards grittier dance tunes, Kele’s work is more grooveinducing than ever.

While Ganough, Wallis & Fatuna proves Allbrook is a dexterous and crafty musician, a crucial level of simplicity is maintained throughout. There are plenty of clever chord patterns and the brilliant disfiguring of seemingly well-behaved songs, but Allbrook makes sure each song is worth listening to first.

Katie Davern

Augustus Welby

INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK Wollongong’s Obscura Hail – or Sean Conran to his nearest and dearest – has been making his wonderfully weird brand of darkly shaded wood-cabin folk since the tender age of 16. That said, there’s never been a better time to discover Conran’s music than right now, at the ripe old age of 24.

OBSCURA HAIL Thrown Into the Sea No Safe Place

24 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

His latest EP, recorded and performed entirely on his lonesome, is another voyage into low-key, spiralling song progressions, rich in reverberation, layered vocals and hyperactive guitar work recalling that of Nick Drake and Jose Gonzalez.

At a time when it’s increasingly difficult for the humble WGWAG (white guy with acoustic guitar)

to create anything of merit, the music of Obscura Hail serves as a welcome relief from your typical coffee-shop variety – and, beyond that, it presents a particularly unique take on the format of the singersongwriter entirely. The best part is that there is plenty more where this came from – with his three albums and countless releases in the ether, newcomers to Conran’s music have not only heard Thrown Into The Sea, but the clang of the treasure chest that lies beneath.

Hugely imaginative and sweetly enchanting, Thrown Into The Sea is a brief but captivating adventure.

xxx

On Xxxx their third album, Iceage have delivered their best record to date.

Within their early ’80s post-punk mould, Iceage mess with a number of new styles. ‘How Many’, with its half-time chorus and relatively uplifting melody, is almost anthemic. ‘Forever’ features a brass fanfare that never fails to catch you off guard. ‘Against The

What makes or breaks an Iceage album is singer Elias Bender Rønnenfelt. He doesn’t sing so much as retch into the microphone. It worked perfectly for their former all-out attack, but with their new sonic palette it might not be as well suited to listeners. But it’s his voice that makes the songs original and gives the band its edge.

JULIAN CASABLANCAS+THE VOIDZ Tyranny Cult/Inertia Julian Casablancas has said that his latest venture with The Voidz has the potential to be commercially successful – “catchy” even. It doesn’t.

Tyranny is not an easy-listening experience. Teaming up with five session musos in the form of The Voidz, Casablancas has been granted unprecedented creative freedom. Tyranny exudes art-punk/ prog rock sensibilities that The Strokes loyalists may find alienating, both because of the (illegitimate) rationale, “They’ve changed and are now no good,” and because this record is genuinely confounding.

‘Human Sadness’ is melodically driven and meandering. You’d think it could slot into Phrazes For The Young until you realise it’s 11 minutes long. The destination is unclear, and Casablancas’ falsetto weaves haphazardly through the reeling guitar solos and sporadic electronic percussion. This tune is not without its merits, but experimentation eclipses its finer moments.

Tyranny is the record Casablancas has long wanted to make but never could with The Strokes. But the sprawling complexity of each track is so ambitious it results in an aggressive mess that evokes a real fear of being drowned… in sound.

Sharon Ye

ZOLA JESUS Taiga Create/Control / Mute Sweeping, dramatic, intense production is Zola Jesus’ marker on Taiga. At times it would be nice to hear Nika Roza Danilova’s voice stripped back and allowed to stand on its own, but sometimes it gets drowned out by the overly busy production. On some tracks the effect works – like ‘Go (Blank Sea)’ and the album’s highlight ‘Dangerous Days’, where the rising melody and pulsing rhythms complement the soaring vocals.

Not so successful are ‘Dust’ and ‘Ego’. But ‘Lawless’, with its snapping snares, brings the focus back to her voice. Album closer ‘It’s Not Over’ is glinting and echoic, fading out to silence.

All the competing elements are at times distracting. When a press release uses the word ‘accessible’, it gives me pause, because often what made an artist so engaging and entertaining in the first place were the quirks and what they did differently.

Of course, different can be alienating, but it can also be fascinating, and while I’m all for progression, going back to basics a bit more could have been interesting on Taiga.

Sweeping and stirring, Taiga verges on overwhelming at times, but the soaring vocals are stunning.

Natalie Amat

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

HAMMOCK - Oblivion Hymns ICE-T - Greatest Hits: The Evidence MUSE - Black Holes And Revelations

TAYLOR SWIFT - Red FRANK TURNER - Tape Deck Heart

David James Young

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frankie’s

PICS :: AM

up all night out all week . . .

missy higgins

PICS :: AM

05:10:14 :: Frankie’s Pizza :: 50 Hunter St Sydney

the fabergettes

05:10:14 :: The Hi-Fi :: 122 Lang Rd Moore Park 1300THEHIFI OUR LOVELY PHOTOGRAPHER

S :: JAMES AMBROSE :: KATRINA

CLARKE :: ASHLEY MAR

PICS :: KC

dead kennedys

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04:10:14 :: Enmore Theatre :: 118-132 Enmore Rd Newtown 9550 3666

04:10:14 :: Brighton Up Bar :: 1/77 Oxford St Darlinghurst 9361 3379

“Karma police, arrest this man. He talks in maths. He buzzes like a fridge. He’s like a detuned radio” - THOM YORKE thebrag.com

BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 25

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live reviews

up all night out all week . . .

What we've been out to see...

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE Allphones Arena Thursday October 2 It’s hard to imagine what it feels like to be Justin Timberlake. At 33 years old, he has been in the game for over two decades, and The 20/20 Experience World Tour marks a comeback after a surprisingly successful foray into film. The accumulated star power inspires both awe and a vague sense of horror (after all, we are talking about a career largely built on lyrics where “sexy” is the major artistic theme).

JT emerges from beneath the stage in a suit, a questionable lightning bolt shirt and sneakers. Without saying a word he points at the crowd and the shrieking (note: median audience age looks about 30) reaches a dangerously high decibel. He stands for a bit and the noise intensifies. In fact, there are five full minutes of him onstage, not speaking.

Finally, things calm down enough for him to get in a “What’s up Sydney?” and we’re right back where we started.

It was never going to be an intimate evening, but between insane audiovisuals and the 20-strong Tennessee Kids, plus dancers, it feels designed to overwhelm.

Even with this enthusiasm, particularly from

the brass section, the opening half falls a little flat. ‘FutureSex/LoveSound’ doesn’t quite get people jumping, even when JT implores the crowd to “party”. The visuals are robotic, slick and high-def in a way that makes everything feel manufactured. When Timberlake takes to a white baby grand for ‘Until The End Of Time’, the audience waves its sterile blue phone lights. Like the absence of real lighters, it feels like the ‘soul’ in the evening has been replaced by the ‘neo’.

But things pick up by the second half, not least because the platform carrying JT and four dancers rises from the stage to travel over the heads of the crowd and to the back of the arena. Gimmick?

Sure. But being a few metres below JT dancing on a moving Perspex stage gives the fans more than what they could have imagined.

An extended ‘Turn Back The Night’ and ‘Let The Groove Get In’ are just ambitious enough.

It’s telling that ‘Señorita’, performed without any visuals, is a highlight. But it’s the encore ‘SexyBack’ that seals the deal.

Even if it feels contrived, fans want the Justin Timberlake experience: a slick showman, a sharp performer, cheeky but clean. That’s exactly who he plays – to a ‘JT’.

Emily Meller

PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR

SCREAMFEEDER, THE LAURELS, FREAK WAVE Newtown Social Club Friday October 3 Playing to a quiet room, Melbourne’s Freak Wave were three dudes with low-slung guitars, one singing drummer and a Guided By Voices t-shirt. They kinda sound like Jawbox, with pounding drums, squealing guitar and Superchunk-y riffs, offset by Neil Moog’s deep vocals. They played a tight set to the small but appreciative audience that was trickling in.

The room was full by the time The Laurels started setting up, dragging a large pedal board onstage.

Against a wall of ear-splitting sound, ‘Tidal Wave’, ‘Manic Saturday’ and ‘Changing The Timeline’ felt particularly woozy, with the standout being the epic ‘Black Cathedral’. They’re reminiscent of a darker version of The Charlatans or The Stone Roses – there’s a sweetness to the vocals and relentless pop hooks underneath all that fuzz.

From the first piercing note, Screamfeeder had the crowd pulled in, frantically shaking along as frontman Tim Steward leapt around the stage.

There was much love for the Brisbane band that spent over a decade carving a place for itself as Australia’s own purveyors of noisy pop, and those onstage were enjoying themselves as much as the punters. Steward was particular bouncy, jumping off the bass drum and high-kicking, while after one song he dropped his guitar and high-fived bassist Kellie Lloyd. The two kept the self-deprecating chatter flowing in between songs, talking candidly with the audience.

DMA’S, THE CREASES Oxford Art Factory Friday October 3 The Friday DMA’s show at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory was bound to sell out, and rightly so.

Kicking off the night to a nearly full room, support act The Creases did a quality job of warming up the crowd. Serving up a lustre of jangly guitar and hooky vocal melodies, the Brisbane natives’ placid shoegaze lo-fi/pop flair had all those before them eating out the palm of their hands.

After the crowd spent what seemed like an eternity staring at the black curtain that was to reveal the headline act, DMA’s strode onstage, head to toe in Nike and Adidas, and proceeded to blast through an aural onslaught of the sort not many other artists can pull off. Coherent, commanding and fierce are just a few words to describe the band’s live display. Upgraded to a six-piece ensemble, the group made for an energetic start as the frenetic pace continued almost non-stop until the end of the show.

Wasting no time, the set dived right into sheets of shredded guitar and Madchester vocals in ‘Feels Like 37’, the first track from their debut EP DMA’s. ‘The Plan’, ‘Your Low’ and ‘Lay Down’ showcased the increasingly melodic quality of the band’s songs, contrasted with the refreshingly slower swiftness of ‘So We Know’.

Swapping vocal duties between Tommy O’Dell, Johnny Took and Matt Mason, the unit powered through an entire catalogue of tunes, oozing with ease. Ultimately, though, the audience was not to be surprised – it knew what it wanted and it was certainly delivered. ‘Delete’ drew huge cheers from punters before the set finished up with the fuzzed-out sounds of ‘Play It Out’.

With only one EP under their belts, there was no encore; they didn’t have a huge amount of material to work with. But that couldn’t disguise what was a solid offering from one of Sydney’s tightest acts.

Kiera Thanos PHOTOGRAPHER :: KATRINA CLAR

KE

Coinciding with the re-release of Screamfeeder’s first four albums (Flour, Burn Out Your Name, Fill Yourself With Music and Kitten Licks) on Melbourne’s Poison City records, this was the first night of their Early Years tour. The songs held up. Steward admitted that while some of the lyrics felt distant and had lost their initial meaning, re-learning their earlier material meant they found new ways to reconnect with them based on the feeling.

With boundless energy, they ripped through a blistering hour set including ‘Wrote You Off’, ‘Static’, ‘Explode Your Friends’, ‘Gravity’, ‘Fill Yourself With Music’ and the Sugar-esque ‘Tower’.

Crowd favourite was the bratty ‘Dart’, which was met with jerky air guitar, while Lloyd’s sugary vocals took the lead on ‘Down The Drinker’.

Chiara Grassia

“Please could you stop the noise, I’m trying to get some rest From all the unborn chicken voices in my head” - THOM YORKE 26 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

thebrag.com

Z CLUB Z A J T S E W E N - SYDNEY’S

OCTOBER

Every Tues JAZZGROOVE PRESENTS Weds 8 QUARTET A V JA Thurs 9 FRANCES MADDEN & BAND Fri 10 LA GA XSTARE FEATURING KRISTIN BERARDI Sat 11 THE SIRENS BIG BAND Weds 15 KIM LAWSON TRIO Thurs 16 CONVERGE L JAZZ FESTIVA

616 Harriis Street, Ultimo

16 @ FOUNDRY6 T O H S ’ T A H E W COME AND SE

LATE-NIGHT HIP HOP FREESTYLE SESSIONS EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT TILL 2AM More gigs:

www.foundry616.com.au

OCTOBER 2014 MONDAYS FROM 9PM

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WENESDAY FROM 9PM

FRANKIE’S WORLD FAMOUS HOUSE BAND KEITH MOON CUP PINNIE COMP DAVE EASTGATE’S ROCK&ROLL KARAOKE 1 ST HURST 8 TH LITTLE COYOTE 15 TH STRANGE KARMA 22 ND TINNIE TAKEOVER + LEPPERS&CROOKS 29 TH ADAM ECKERSLEY BAND RED WINE ROSESS

THURSDAY

10’O’CLOCK ROCK FROM 10PM

SUNDAY

SABBATH SESSIONS FROM 6PM

2 ND 9 TH 16 TH 23 RD 30 TH

ROHAN RICK DANGEROUS TWENTY TWO HUNDRED MARSHALL OKELL & THE PRIDE FRANKENSTEIN’S HALLOWEEN

5 TH 12 TH 19 TH 26 TH

WORKINGHORSE IRONS BLACK LABEL THE DEAD LOVE BONEYARD FEST

ray chen

with timothy young Jet-setting virtuoso Ray Chen is one of the brightest stars in the new generation of violinists. Joined by pianist Timothy Young, this program has all the spectacular fireworks you could wish for, from elegant and subtle melodies to exuberant acrobatic repertoire.

MON 10 NOV 7PM & SAT 15 NOV 2PM CITY RECITAL HALL ANGEL PLACE, SYDNEY

“From the first notes there was no doubt of being in the presence of something special” THE STRAD

Under 30? Tickets are just $30*!

Book Now! Call 1800 688 482

or visit musicaviva.com.au/Chen *Terms and conditions apply. Booking fees apply. Under30 tickets are subject to availability and will be seated in the best available B and C reserve seats.

frankiespizzabytheslice.com • facebook.com/stcfrankiespizza 50 HUNTER STREET, SYDNEY BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 27

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

pick of the week

FRIDAY OCTOBER 10 Sheppard

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Stuart Jammin + Andrew Kidd Rosehill Hotel, Clyde. 7:30pm. free.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Bullhorn The Annandale Hotel, Annandale. 9pm. free.

Foreigndub Meets Inner West Reggae Disco Machine Goodgod Small Club, Sydney.

10pm. $5.

Galaxstare - feat: Kristin Beradi Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $21.50.

Jazz Hip Hop Freestyle Sessions Foundry616, Ultimo. 11:30pm. $5.

Marsala Venue 505, Surry Hills. 8:30pm. $20.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 12

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

Enmore Theatre

Sheppard + Microwave Jenny

7pm. $34.80.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8 JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Gang Of Brothers Jam Night Spring Street Social, Bondi.

9pm. free.

Jazzgroove Presents: The Java Quartet featuring Bobby Singh Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $11.50.

Lionel Cole Imperial Hotel, Paddington.

8pm. free.

Micheline Van Houtem Venue 505, Surry Hills. 8:30pm. $30.

The Java Quartet Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $16.50.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

28 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

Andrew Denniston + Gabriel Levin + Iyo + Bradley Primmer + Emma Wolthers + Angelena Locke The Loft (UTS), Ultimo . 6pm. free.

Loretta D’Urso + Andrew Kidd Court House Hotel, Lithgow.

7:30pm. free.

Mitch Anderson & His Organic Orchestra Coopers Hotel, Newtown.

8:45pm. free.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 9 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

The Blues Preachers The Vanguard, Newtown. 8pm. $26.80.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Cole Soul And Emotion feat: Lionel Cole The White Horse, Surry Hills.

8pm. free.

Frances Madden & Band Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $11.50.

Free The Beats Venue 505, Surry Hills. 8:30pm. free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

10 O’Clock Rock Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 10pm. free.

Alex Hopkins Open Mic Night Northies Cronulla Hotel, Cronulla. 8pm. free.

Alkemie Night - feat: Live Music + DJ Sudek Spring Street Social, Bondi.

9:30pm. free.

Andrew Denniston + Tom Hume + Red Shift Hampshire Hotel, Camperdown.

7:30pm. free.

Baro + LHA + Marcus Goodgod Small Club, Sydney.

8pm. $10.

Black Diamond Hearts Soda Factory, Surry Hills.

10pm. free.

Black Label Aust Bull & Bush Hotel, Baulkham Hills. 9pm. free.

Brad Johns Observer Hotel, The Rocks.

8:30pm. free.

Chris Raicevich + Murder Of Crows + Daniel Host + Tommy Pickett + Bradley Primmer + James Macintosh

+ Sean Renford Gladstone Hotel, Chippendale.

7:30pm. free.

Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7:30pm. $15.

Courtney Barnett Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.

8pm. $18.40.

Dave White Duo Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney.

9:30pm. free.

David Agius Hillside Hotel, Castle Hill. 7pm. free.

Greg Agar Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney.

7:30pm. free.

Greg Byrne Duo Crows Nest Hotel, Crows Nest.

9pm. free.

Jess Dunbar Dee Why Hotel, Dee Why. 7pm. free.

Loretta D’Urso Forest Lodge Hotel, Forest Lodge. 7:30pm. free.

Mick Hambly Ruby L’otel, Rozelle. 7:30pm. free.

Musos Club Jam Night Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill.

8pm. free.

Rachel Laing Northies Cronulla Hotel, Cronulla. 7:30pm. free.

Rebecca Moore Fortune Of War, The Rocks.

7pm. free.

Sam Lyon Duo Pendle Inn, Pendle Hill.

7:30pm. free.

Schapelle! The Musical Manning Bar, Camperdown.

7pm. $20.

The Late Night Soda Social Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 5pm. free.

Valentina + Helmut Uhlmann + Miracle Remedy + David Rapicano Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

thebrag.com

xxx

Andy Mammers Duo Maloney’s Hotel, Sydney. 9pm. free.

Captain Cook Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 8pm. free.

Courtney Barnett Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.

8pm. $18.40.

Fat Bubba’s Chicken Wednesdays Soda Factory, Surry Hills. 5pm. free.

Gary Johns Hillside Hotel, Castle Hill. 7pm. free.

Happy Hippies Ettamogah Hotel, Kelly Ridge.

6:30pm. free.

Matt Jones Le Pub, Sydney. 7:30pm. free.

Mixed Business + The Fallen

Gentry Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

Musos Club Jam Night Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 8pm. free.

Sarah Paton Observer Hotel, The Rocks.

8:30pm. free.

Strut! Band Comp Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt. 8pm. $15.

The Happy Hippies Ettamogah Hotel, Kelly Ridge.

6:30pm. free.

Tom Freeman Optus Centre, Macquarie Park.

12pm. free.

Veronica Wagner + John Chesher + Pete Scully + Russell Neal Old Fitzroy Hotel, Woolloomooloo. 7pm. free.

2SER 107.3 Supporter Drive - feat: Courtney Barnett + Smudge The Loft UTS, Ultimo. 5:30pm. free.

A Gig For Megg’s - feat: Unknown To God + DWA + Inebrious Bastard + Brutal Struth + Headbutt + Bloody Ripper Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

Andrew Dyce The Grand Hotel, Rockdale.

5:30pm. free.

Armchair Travellers Duo Sutherland United Services Club, Sutherland. 7:30pm. free.

Backlash Penrith Gaels, Kingswood.

8pm. free.

Bandintexas + Kaleidoscope + Latham’s Grip + Propeller FBi Social, Kings Cross. 8pm. $10.

Ben Finn PJ Gallagher’s, Enfield. 9pm. free.

Best Kept Secret Revesby Workers Club, Revesby. 8:30pm. free.

Black Diamond Hearts Crows Nest Hotel, Crows Nest.

10:30pm. free.

Brad Johns Northies Cronulla Hotel, Cronulla. 9pm. free.

Cambo Parramatta RSL, Parramatta.

5pm. free.

Carl Fidler Observer Hotel, The Rocks.

6pm. free.

Cassandra Braslin Optus Centre, Macquarie Park.

4pm. free.

Cath & Him St George Leagues Club, Kogarah. 9pm. free.

Clay Vetter Harbord Beach Hotel, Harbord.

7pm. free.

Courtney Barnett Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.

8pm. $18.40.

Darren Johnstone The Oriental Hotel, Springwood. 8pm. free.

Dave Morris Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale.

9pm. free.

David Agius Duo Kirribilli Hotel, Milsons Point.

8pm. free.

Deni Hines The Vanguard, Newtown.

6:30pm. $33.80.

DJ Town Hall Hotel, Balmain.

7:30pm. free.

DJ Marty

Wentworthville Leagues Club, Wentworthville. 9pm. free.

Eclypse Ramsgate RSL, Sans Souci.

7:30pm. free.

Elevate Orient Hotel, The Rocks.

9:30pm. free.

Endless Summer Beach Party Ivanhoe Hotel, Manly. 10pm. free.

Evie Dean The Ranch, Eastwood. 5:30pm. free.

Felicity Robinson Windsor Leagues Club, Windsor South. 9pm. free.

Funkified Vineyard Hotel, Vineyard.

9:30pm. free.

Geoff Rana Duo Horse & Jockey Hotel, Homebush. 7:30pm. free.

Glenn Esmond Crown Hotel, Camden. 8pm. free.

Greg Agar Duo Hillside Hotel, Castle Hill. 8pm. free.

Harbour Master Kareela Golf Club, Kareela.

6:30pm. free.

Hedge Fund Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.

8pm. $2.

Jess Dunbar Greystanes Inn, Greystanes Inn. 8pm. free.

Jimmy Bear Town Hall Hotel, Balmain.

4:30pm. free.

JJ Duo Courthouse Hotel, Darlinghurst.

10pm. free.

Joe Echo PJ Gallagher’s Whisky Bar, Jacksons On George, Sydney.

5:30pm. free.

Joe Echo Duo PJ Gallagher’s, Leichhardt.

10pm. free.

Joni In The Moon The Newsagency, Marrickville.

8pm. $21.50.

Joseph Gatehau Quakers Inn, Quakers Hill.

8pm. free.

Live Music At The Royal The Royal, Leichhardt. 9:30pm. free.

Luke Dixon Trio Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee.

10:30pm. free.

Mass Hampshire Hotel, Camperdown.

7:30pm. free.

Matt Jones Ingleburn RSL, Ingleburn. 9pm. free.

Melody Rhymes Crows Nest Hotel, Crows Nest.

7pm. free.

Metal Evilution 11th Anniversary Show - feat: Avarin + Killrazer + Raven Black Night + Fenrir + Under Night’s Cover Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

Miss Elm Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham. 7:30pm. free.

Natasha Kavanagh Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale.

5:30pm. free.

New Delhi Llamas + Twisted Rope + Emerald Scar Ruby L’otel, Rozelle. 8pm. free.

Noel McDonald Castle Hill RSL, Castle Hill.

9:30pm. free.

Outlier Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney.

9pm. free.

Panorama Duo Orient Hotel, The Rocks.

9:30pm. free.

Rob Henry Duo Time & Tide Hotel, Dee Why. 7:30pm. free.

Ryan Thomas Wentworth Hotel, Homebush West. 9pm. free.

Sheppard + Microwave Jenny + Microwave Jenny Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi. 7pm. $30.

Swanee Ettalong Bowling Club, Ettalong.

9pm. $25.

Talk It Up

g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@thebrag.com Bull & Bush Hotel, Baulkham Hills. 10pm. free.

Ted Nash Fortune Of War, The Rocks.

8pm. free.

The Tribe Marlborough Hotel, Newtown.

10:30pm. free.

Tim Mcartney Chatswood RSL, Chatswood.

5pm. free.

Tori Darke Stacks Taverna, Sydney. 5pm. free.

Victoria Avenue Adria, Sydney. 5pm. free.

Woodlock Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $15.

Young Fellas + Cherokee Rose + The Aviators Gladstone Hotel, Chippendale.

8:30pm. free.

Zeppelin Live Colonial Hotel, Werrington.

8:30pm. free.

Zoltan Castle Hill RSL, Castle Hill.

6:30pm. free.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 11 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Paul Hayward + Little Jim + Loll Town & Country Hotel, St Peters. 4pm. free.

Xxx

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Bullhorn Marble Bar, Sydney. 8:30pm. free.

Chich Batch Brewing Co, Marrickville.

4pm. free.

Mr Percival Venue 505, Surry Hills. 8:30pm. $20.

Sirens Big Band Foundry616, Ultimo. 8:30pm. $27.50.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

90’s Tribute Show - feat: The Buzzlovers + Damage Inc + The Jizzlobbers + Johnathan Devoy + Life Is Korny + Jar Of Dirt + Tundrel + The Fishermen + Sodomiser + Alice Through The Windshield Glass Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 4pm. $20.

AJ Harbourview Hotel, The Rocks.

8pm. free.

Alex Hopkins New Brighton Hotel, Manly.

10pm. free.

Angie Dean Castle Hill RSL, Castle Hill.

6:30pm. free.

Antoine Greystanes Inn, Greystanes Inn. 8pm. free.

Ben Finn Trio The Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill.

9pm. free.

Big Way Out Courthouse Hotel, Darlinghurst.

9:30pm. free.

Blake Tailor Duo Westmead Tavern, Westmead.

8pm. free.

Bohemia The Hi-Fi, Moore Park. 7pm. $70.50.

Born Jovi & The Ultimate P!nk Show Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown. 9pm. free.

By The Horns - feat: Balescream + The Arbitrary Method + The Dirac Sea + A Gentleman’s Agreement Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

Cara Kavanagh + Mark Oats Duo

thebrag.com

PJ Gallagher’s, Leichhardt.

10pm. free.

Carl Fidler Observer Hotel, The Rocks.

5:30pm. free.

Cath & Him Plough & Harrow, Camden.

8pm. free.

Compound 2nd Birthday Goodgod Small Club, Sydney.

11pm. $10.

Craig Thommo Orient Hotel, The Rocks.

4:30pm. free.

Crossroads - Eric Clapton Show Wentworthville Leagues Club, Wentworthville. 10pm. free.

Daniel Romeo Crows Nest Hotel, Crows Nest.

7pm. free.

Dave White Experience Crows Nest Hotel, Crows Nest.

10:30pm. free.

David Agius Cronulla Leagues Club Sharkies, Woolooware. 7pm. free.

DJ Town Hall Hotel, Balmain. 8pm. free.

DJ Marty Wentworthville Leagues Club, Wentworthville. 9pm. free.

Doprah - feat: Magic Hands + Twin Caverns Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale.

8pm. free.

Ellie & The Vandelles Kareela Golf Club, Kareela.

8pm. free.

Evie Dean Panthers, Penrith. 5:30pm. free.

Felicity Robinson Oxford Hotel, Darlinghurst.

9pm. free.

Glenn Esmond Fortune Of War, The Rocks.

8pm. free.

Green Mohair Suits The Vanguard, Newtown.

7:30pm. $21.80.

Heath Burdell Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel, Woolloomooloo. 9pm. free.

High-Tails Goodgod Small Club, Sydney.

8pm. $13.

Hot Chocolate + John Paul Young And The Allstar Band Enmore Theatre, Newtown.

7pm. $87.90.

Jed Zarb Wallacia Hotel, Wallacia. 8pm. free.

Jess Dunbar Duo Albion Hotel, Parramatta. 9pm. free.

Jive Bombers Penrith RSL, Penrith. 2pm. free.

John Vella Duo Crown Hotel, Camden. 10pm. free.

Keith Armitage Castle Hill RSL, Castle Hill.

9pm. free.

Kye Brown Huskisson Hotel, Huskisson.

8pm. free.

Luke Zancanaro The Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill.

6pm. free.

Mandi Jarry Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown. 6pm. free.

Mark Travers PJ Gallagher’s, Enfield. 9pm. free.

Marty Stewart The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney.

8:45pm. free.

Mass Sky Raid + Mercury Sky + Red Remedy + Mandala Spectrum, Darlinghurst. 8pm. free.

Matt Lyon Duo Kelly’s On King, Newtown.

9:30pm. free.

Meg Mac Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.

8pm. $18.50.

Michael McGlynn Kirribilli Hotel, Milsons Point.

8pm. free.

Michael Saracino Observer Hotel, The Rocks.

4pm. free.

Miracle + Oddular Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee.

10pm. $8.

Moving Pictures + Cranky

Alice Mounties, Mount Pritchard.

8pm. $40.

One Hit Wonders Penrith RSL, Penrith. 9pm. free.

Orphans Orphans Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $18.

Pop Fiction Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown. 9:30pm. free.

Rob Henry Northies Cronulla Hotel, Cronulla. 9pm. free.

Rock Box Carousel Inn Hotel, Rooty Hill.

8pm. free.

Russell Nelson Wentworth Hotel, Homebush West. 9pm. free.

Smooth Jive Consultants Revesby Workers Club, Revesby. 8:30pm. free.

Soundproofed Epping Hotel, Epping. 9pm. free.

Spank Castle Hill RSL, Castle Hill.

10:30pm. free.

Stellar Bull & Bush Hotel, Baulkham Hills. 9:30pm. free.

Steve Tonge Harbord Beach Hotel, Harbord.

7pm. free.

Ted Nash Fortune Of War, The Rocks.

3pm. free.

The Be-Bop-A-Lula Band Ramsgate RSL, Sans Souci.

7:30pm. free.

The Griswolds Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $17.

The Lonely Boys The Mercantile Hotel, Sydney.

8:30pm. free.

The Mike Whitney Band Juniors At The Junction, Maroubra. 8:30pm. free.

The Spit Roasting Bibbers Riverwood Inn, Riverwood.

8pm. free.

The White Brothers Ettamogah Hotel, Kelly Ridge.

7pm. free.

Three Rams Penrith Gaels, Kingswood.

7pm. free.

Tim Conlon Brewhouse Marayong, Kings Park. 8pm. free.

Tori Darke Le Pub, Sydney. 9pm. free.

Trilogy Ivanhoe Hotel, Manly. 10pm. free.

VIP Scruffy Murphy’s Hotel, Sydney.

10pm. free.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 12 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

4pm. free.

Glenn Esmond The Mill Hotel, Milperra.

12pm. free.

Joe Echo Duo The Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill.

1pm. free.

Joseph Gatehau Old Fitzroy Hotel, 8pm. free.

Knievel + Arrester + Community Radio Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale. 7:30pm. free.

LJ Moorebank Sports Club, Sydney. 2pm. free.

Mark Travers Ettamogah Hotel, Kelly Ridge. 1pm. free.

Matt Jones Duo Northies Cronulla Hotel, Cronulla. 6pm. free.

Matt Lyon Panthers, Penrith. 3:30pm. free.

Meri Amber Oatley Hotel, Oatley. 1pm. free.

Raoul Graf Plough & Harrow, Camden.

3pm. free.

Rebecca Jones Band Time & Tide Hotel, Dee Why. 2pm. free.

Reel Big Dog + Dave Mason + Dog Trumpet + Big The Vanguard, Newtown.

6:30pm. $28.80.

Restless Leg + The Answers The Gasoline Pony, Sydney.

6pm. free.

Ron Ashton Ramsgate RSL, Sans Souci.

2pm. free.

Ruby Amore + Chickenstones + Dependant Valve Bar, Agincourt Hotel, Ultimo. 5pm. $10.

Sheppard + Microwave Jenny

2thorns Windsor Leagues Club, Windsor South. 4:30pm. free.

Am 2 Pm Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown. 6pm. free.

Angelena Locke Ingleburn Hotel, Ingleburn.

3pm. free.

Buckshot Penrith RSL, Penrith. 2pm. free.

Cath & Him Cronulla Leagues Club Sharkies, Woolooware. 2:30pm. free.

David Agius Bull & Bush Hotel, Baulkham Hills. 2pm. free.

Evie Dean Mosman Returned Services Club, Mosman. 3pm. free.

Fabels + Ukes Of Today + Rani’s Fire Hotel Hollywood, Surry Hills.

MONDAY OCTOBER 13 ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

Stuart Jammin + Chris Brookes + Massimo Presti + Rick Taylor Kelly’s On King, Newtown.

7:30pm. free.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

Latin & Jazz Jam Open Mic Night World Bar, Kings Cross. 7pm. free.

Motown Mondays - feat: Soulgroove The White Horse, Surry Hills.

8pm. free.

wed

Oct

Jazzgroove Presents Foundry616, Ultimo. 8pm. $10.

Old School Funk & Groove Venue 505, Surry Hills. 8pm. free.

Swingtime Tuesdays The Basement, Circular Quay.

7pm. $9.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

Declan Kelly + Dog The Duke + Bek Jensen + James & Bobo Bar 34 Bondi, Bondi Beach.

8pm. free.

Greg Agar Cock & Bull, Bondi. 7pm. free.

Ryan Bingham Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 7pm. $48.

The Script Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $77.50.

Triumphant Tuesdays - feat: Dave Eastgate Karaoke Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney.

8:30pm. free.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK Blues Tuesdays Spring Street Social, Bondi.

7:30pm. free.

Oct

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

10

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

09

Oct

fri

TUESDAY OCTOBER 14

thu

08

Peach Montgomery Garry Owen Hotel, Rozelle.

3pm. free.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

Enmore Theatre, Newtown.

7pm. $34.80.

Slaves Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $34.30.

Ted Nash Riverstone Sportsmans Hotel, Riverstone. 12pm. free.

The Flipped Out Kicks Botany View Hotel, Newtown.

7pm. free.

The Sphinxes Overlander Hotel, Cambridge Park. 2pm. free.

Tom Freeman Oxford Hotel, Darlinghurst.

2pm. free.

Visions #7 Bank Hotel, Newtown. 8pm. free.

Zoltan Harbord Beach Hotel, Harbord. 6pm. free.

Jay Parrino

(4:30PM - 7:30PM)

(9:30PM - 1:30AM)

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

(4:30PM - 7:30PM)

sat

sun

11

12

Oct

(8:30PM - 12:00AM)

(9:30PM - 1:15AM)

mon

tue

13 Oct

(4:30PM - 7:30PM)

Oct

14 (9:00PM - 12:00AM)

Oct

(9:00PM - 12:00AM)

BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 29

gig picks

up all night out all week...

Courtney Barnett T 02 9331 0666 bookings@damiengerard.net www.damiengerard.net Facebook damien-gerard-studios

SINGLE DEAL 2 days recording/mixing/mastering at reduced rates

EP DEAL

Joni In The Moon

5 days recording/mixing/ mastering plus 500 pro manufacture CDs

Bohemia The Hi-Fi, Moore Park. 7pm. $70.50.

MINI ALBUM DEAL

damien gerard

Doprah + Magic Hands + Twin Caverns Lansdowne Hotel, Chippendale. 8pm.

Free.

7 days recording/mixing/mastering and manufacturing

soundstudios

SATURDAY OCTOBER 11

ALBUM DEAL

Green Mohair Suits The Vanguard, Newtown. 7:30pm. $21.80.

15 days recording/mixing/mastering and manufacturing MCI JH 24 Track 2� Tape/Pro Tools v10.0/Classic Analog

High-Tails Goodgod Small Club, Sydney. 8pm. $13.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8 Courtney Barnett Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $18.40.

Hot Chocolate + John Paul Young And The Allstar Band Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7pm. $87.90.

Meg Mac Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $18.50.

The Griswolds Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7:30pm. $17.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 10 SUNDAY 2ser 107.3 Supporter Drive - feat: OCTOBER 12 Courtney Barnett + Smudge The Loft (UTS), Ultimo. 5:30pm. Free.

Joni In The Moon The Newsagency, Marrickville. 8pm. $21.50.

Woodlock Newtown Social Club, Newtown. 8pm. $15.

Slaves Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $34.30

TUESDAY OCTOBER 13 The Script Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $77.50.

The Script

Courtney Barnett by Leslie Kirchhoff

30 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

thebrag.com

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

brag beats

inside:

plus: + club guide + club snaps + weekly column

Willow Beats photo by Daniel Luxford

jerome isma-ae

willow beats family matters Have you heard?

thebrag.com Extra bits and moving bits without the papercuts thebrag.com

BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 31

brag beats

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

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

five things WITH

Stafford Brothers

Sage Francis

SPENDA C

SAGE FRANCIS

NYE HARBOUR PARTY

Luna Park is the place to be once again this New Year’s Eve, with the 2014 Harbour Party lineup confirmed. The soundtrack to the world’s most stunning New Year’s location – in our own backyard, no less – will be provided by a boom lineup of the finest acts in contemporary dance. Headliners the Stafford Brothers will be joined by The Potbelleez, Wax Motif, Mr. Wilson and Laprats at the Big Top. The Crystal Palace venue will feature Wave Racer, Ganz, Cosmo’s Midnight, Basenji, Sinjin Hawke, Dugong Jr. and Laxe, with more artists to come. Harbour Party 2014 takes over Luna Park on Wednesday December 31. Tickets go on sale 9am Thursday October 9.

US rapper, poet and all-round wordsmith Sage Francis will return to Australia this December. Francis has bounced back from a four-year hiatus with his fifth record, Copper Gone, which reached the iTunes top five for hip hop in both his home country and the UK. Aussie fans will remember him from his 2013 tour with Sweden’s Looptroop Rockers, but now Francis is taking the headline slot with support from Fait Accompli. The Sydney show is at The Roller Den on Friday December 5.

OMEGAMAN KNIFE PARTY Growing Up My mother used to teach piano at 1. primary schools around Mackay where I grew up. I used to tag along and play the claves. My parents were always very supportive, they bought me a Pearl drum kit when I started high school. I have no idea how they put up with me practising every day for hours on end!

Inspirations I love American punk music, bands 2. like Social Distortion and H2O. I fi nd it inspiring when musicians forge their own sound within a scene and stick to their guns. I first heard Social Distortion’s Live At The Roxy in a bar after a gig when a drunken US marine hijacked the stereo. Mike Ness has this crazy voice and attitude that just hooks you in.

After a year of touring all over the world with their racuous brand of EDM, Knife Party have announced that they’ll return home for a string of shows this December. The tour will come on the back of their debut album Abandon Ship, which is due out on Monday October 27. Even though it’ll be Knife Party’s first official LP, the duo has already amassed fans the world over with hits like ‘Internet Friends’ and ‘Bonfire’.

Knife Party will hit the Hordern Pavilion on Saturday December 13. Tickets go on sale midday Thursday October 9.

AFROBRASILIANA IS BACK

Afrobeat and Brazilian funk and boogie are the flavours of choice this Friday October 10 at Play Bar, where the Afrobrasiliana event returns for round two. With support from 2SER and DJ personalities from Eastside Radio and Bondi Beach Radio, these festivities have

grassroots support but cast an eye across the Pacific, promising dance-ready grooves to kickstart your weekend. Taking responsibility for said beats are DJ JoN, Paris Groovescooter, Trevor El Chino, Thomas Studdy and Raphael Ramires Brasil.

SIDNEY IN SYDNEY

If you like your funk with a bit of spice, then Omegaman has you covered. The man otherwise known as Marc Scully learnt his chops as a bass player on the Sydney scene before transitioning into DJ and production work, and is set to launch his Hot Sauce EP through Fort Knox Recordings. Catch his blend of funk, Latin, lounge and soul at Play Bar on Saturday October 11.

Hamburg man Sidney Charles (born Sidney Charles Hurricane Vieljans, but it’s not the ’80s, so he had to drop the ‘Hurricane’) only started releasing his productions in 2011, but by 2013 he was topping Resident Advisor’s Top 100 Most Charted Artists list. Charles’ sound is a throwback to classic 4/4 club sounds, and when he’s not making beats he does A&R for Sante’s Avotre imprint. In other words, he’s a busy man, but that won’t stop him making his way Down Under for a run of dates this year, including Mantra Collective’s warehouse party on Saturday November 1.

Todd Terry

3.

Your Crew Sydney has a good crew of bass DJs and producers right now. Guys like Nemo, Hydraulix and Oski are all doing fantastic things and we’ve all been collaborating for a while now.

The Music You Make And Play I like to look for bits I can steal from 4. all styles of music and stick them together with my sound. At the moment I’m really getting into twerk and trap and also experimenting with Jersey and Bmore club sounds. I have a tune coming out soon with good friends the Surecut Kids which is a nice blend of all these influences, which will be coming out on Klub Kids in early October.

KLP

Music, Right Here, Right Now I think Australian dance music is 5. in a really good place right now. There are guys and girls killing it in all different styles and I think the rest of the world is really starting to take notice. Guys like Peking Duk, Alison Wonderland, Motez and Anna Lunoe are all doing very different sounds but are absolutely smashing it! I think labels like Vicious Bitch and Klub Kids are really helping push music with a bit of edge, too.

With: Deckhead, Verto, Rack-A-Mack Where: Chinese Laundry When: Friday October 10

32 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

KLP

TERRY IN THE HOUSE

New York house legend Todd Terry will return to Sydney next month. Off the back of his sold-out 2012 Australian tour, Terry was here in 2013 to support Chic’s Melbourne and Brisbane shows, with sold-out sideshows of his own. This time he will hit our shores for a four-show, three-day run, stopping in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane. Terry will play the High Flyers Day Cruise on Sunday November 1 alongside Graeme Park, Karl Prinzen, DJ Ad-verse, D*Funk, JC and DJ JoN.

Kristy Lee Peters, better known for her production work and triple j House Party hosting gig under the name KLP, is set to launch her firstever live tour. After collaborating with the likes of What So Not, Zimmer and Satin Jackets, KLP has been beavering away at new material, not only as a producer but also as singer-songwriter. She’ll be melding pop, R&B and beats in her live set at Brighton Up Bar on Saturday November 29.

thebrag.com

THE BIG

URNE MELBSOIC WEEK MU

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PROTIPS

RRA ILLAWLKA FESTIVAL O F

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Rory McLeo

l.com.au tival kfestiva warrafol /illawarrafolkfes www.illa book.com

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May 22 Festival, www.winterm – 31, 2013 Blues On au Sydney, Broadbeach NSW oonfestival.

May 31 www.generat Festival, com – Jun 2, Come Out Gold Coast 2013 ionsinjazz.c Festival, May TBA, QLD Adela om.au Denmark ide SA 2013 Festival www.swf.org May TBA, of Voice www.blueson .au Next Wave 2013 Denmark broadbeach Festival, WA May TBA, Melbourne .com Bass In 2013 www.comeou VIC The Grass, May TBA, t.on.net Darwin Groovin’ NT WWW 2013 The Moo www.dfov.or May TBA,.THEB IGTIC KET.C g.au 2013 OM.A U WAM Festiv www.nextwa al, Perth ve.org.au WA www.bassint Stonnington hegrass.com Jazz Festiv .au al, Melbo JUNE: www.groovin urne VIC themoo.com Jun 8 – www.wam.as 10, 2013 www.stonnin n.au Jun TBA, Darling gtonjazz.com 2013 Harbour .au Jun TBA, Jazz & Blues Festiv Come Togeth 2013 al, Sydne er Festiv Jun TBA, y, NSW al Sydne Winter 2013 y, NSW Sound System Jun TBA, Wintersun 2013 www.darling Festival, harbour.com Jun TBA, Coffs Harbo National www.cometo 2013 ur NSW Celtic Festiv gether.com.

June TBA, al, Portar www.winters Barunga au 2013 lington Cultural oundsystem VIC June TBA, & Sports .com Melbo 2013 Festival, www.winters urne Intern Katherine June/July un.org.au ational www.nationa NT Katherine Jazz Festiv TBA, 2013 lcelticfestiv Country al, Melbo Music Muste al.com urne VIC www.barung Emerge r, Kathe Festival, afestival.co rine NT Melbourne m.au www.melbou VIC rnejazz.com www.kcmm.c om.au www.multicu lturalarts.co m.au

ENTRY LE VEL

WWW.THEB IGTIC

KET.C OM.A

U

NATIONAL FESTIVAL GUIDE

AUSTRALIA’S #1 ANNUAL FESTIVAL HANDBOOK ON STREETS october 2014

for your inclusion, please contact Les white: les@thebrag.com - PH. 02 9212 4322

I M A G I N E B E I N G M A D E TO

F EEL L I KE C RAP J U ST FOR

Okay, that’s hard to imagine?

But being gay, lesbian, bi, trans or intersex is no different to being born left handed, it’s just who you are. So stop and think because the things we say are likely to cause depression and anxiety.

And that really is pretty crap.

GO TO LEFTHAND.ORG.AU TO WATCH THE VIDEO BEING

LEFT

H A N D E D.

STOP t THINK t RESPECT

BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14 :: 33

Jerome Isma-Ae Future Funk By Penny Lane and Zoe Kilbourn Unlike many producers, he’s not above fitting himself into a genre, even if he then moves to another, and he’s very comfortable with the crowd-focused elements of his work.

Isma-Ae’s journey proper began with the nu-disco-tinged Future Funk project in 1996. “I met this guy, Marcel Krieg, in my local record store, and he told me that he just bought a sampler and is going to sample some beats from records,” says Isma-Ae. “I had already a few synths so we put our gear together and started to sample old disco records and mixed it with house beats. This is how we created the project Future Funk. We released tracks on Sony, Strictly Rhythm and many more labels. After a while, I tried other styles and wanted to change my own musical style.”

J

erome Isma-Ae, progressive house DJ/producer and founder of Jee Productions, is one of the most respected names in the game.

He’s elusive, laconic and deeply dedicated to his work, giving very little away when he’s interviewed.

What is clear is that his musical success – in a career that’s swung from techno to house to breaks

to its current comfortable position in progressive house – is deeply rooted, and not fading away anytime soon.

“I was in school,” he says of where his EDM passion began. “I got quite early into dance music at the age of 15. I didn’t really take care about [a career] when I started to produce. I

made it just for fun. It was my hobby and my passion without thinking, ‘How far can I go with this?’”

And that’s just it – Isma-Ae, like most of the ravers and househeads who were jacking in Munich warehouses back in the ’90s, seems to be very comfortable with the immediate, functional elements of dance music.

He’s comfortable these days with the hallmarks that define his sound.

“I would say it’s something between techno and trance,” he says.

“Techy, driving beats and basslines combined with trancey chords and pad sounds.

“The tracks I produce now are very different to the tracks I used to make,” he adds. “Music style is changing, but everything comes back after a while, just like in the fashion industry. Deep house, for example, seems to be something

very new for many people, but it was already there 20 years ago.”

His musical tastes are far from limited, nor are they the be-all and end-all of Ismae-Ae’s day-to-day life. “I listen to everything from classic to jazz, from rock to pop, but sometimes it’s also good to listen to nothing for a while,” he says.

When it comes to his own work, however, there’s a very clear sense of self in his productions and the way Isma-Ae speaks about them. He’s an artist who not only values his quiet time, but his independence.

“I started the label Jee because I didn’t want to discuss any changes or whatever in my music with an A&R guy of a record label. The whole idea behind Jee is that I can release all my tracks whenever I want.”

As for his latest Australian tour, Isma-Ae’s not afraid to drop some of his new cuts for punters. “I have tonnes of bootlegs, mash-ups, remixes and new productions to play,” he says. “Of course, in the near future there will be a new collab with Ilan Bluestone and [I’m working] on a few other productions, but I can’t talk about them yet.”

Where: Marquee When: Saturday October 18

Willow Beats Forestronica By Jody Macgregor

A

uthor Martin Shaw wrote, “Myth is not much to do with the past, but a kind of magical present that can fl ood our lives when the conditions are just so.” The music of Willow Beats is all about creating those conditions. They may be making electronic music, glitchy dubstep and chilled-out trip hop, but their lyrics are about mermaids and alchemy and their titles sound like they belong on a power metal album with barbarians on the cover – songs like ‘Grom The Betrayer’ and ‘Cog Goblin’. “I don’t listen to a whole lot of metal but I probably should, because I love the whole fantasy thing that they get into,” says Narayana Johnson, the production half of Willow Beats. “Dragons and stuff are awesome.”

Johnson and the other half of Willow Beats, his niece Kalyani Ellis, were raised as Hare Krishnas, and that’s part of what’s gone into making their music so distinctive. “[In] the Hare Krishna folklore there’s a lot of fantasy stories,” Johnson explains, “like ten-headed demons and heroes with magical arrows that will split into 1,000. Fantasy stuff like that.

A lot of it is from that, and also where we grew up: Murwillumbah, where I am right now, is a beautiful town with lots of rivers and forests and mountains. I think that had a lot to do with it as well.” He thinks for a second, before adding, “Also, we’re really into The Lord Of The Rings.”

As for how an uncle and niece came to be playing music together, that also has a lot to do with their unusual upbringing. Although born in scenic rural Murwillumbah, on the Tweed River in north-eastern New South Wales, their extended family frequently moved around as a unit when they were younger. “[Kalyani] was born in Australia but then we went to Singapore when she was really young and we lived there for a while, and then we went to the States. We lived in America for two years. We were moving around heaps, we lived in all these different places in the United States. I grew up with her in this really fast-moving lifestyle and

34 :: BRAG :: 582 :: 01:10:14

because I was always having to make new friends and stuff we’d hang out a lot.”

The closeness of their bond is evident in their music, which may meander through neighbouring genres and tempos but feels unifi ed in theme and tone. “When we write music we have a lot of similar ideas,” says Johnson. “We think about music the same way. It works pretty well, man. I guess Kalyani knows what I’m good at and I know what she’s good at and we just let each other have freedom within that. I’m producing it so I’ll be recording her vocals and I know how to get the best takes out of her and know how to help her get the best out of her writing. Like, ‘This is really cool, what about this?’ Or, ‘I don’t really like this line.’ We workshop a lot of stuff and I think it’s a good dynamic, man. We have a lot of respect for each other.”

All too often there’s an assumption with male/female electronic double acts that the guy does all the musical heavy lifting and the lady stands out front singing and looking pretty, and it’s almost always wrong. In Willow Beats, Ellis plays keys and the majority of the song ideas begin with her and a keyboard, crafting a piano line that Johnson later develops and adds beats and synth to.

“Occasionally it’ll be different, I’ll write like a little 16-bar loop and she’ll write over that,” he says.

After attracting some attention through triple j Unearthed – where they won a competition to play the Parklife festival – and racking up the hits on SoundCloud, Willow Beats’ shows have only been getting bigger. Their sets involve remixing some of the slower tracks from their first two EPs, making what Johnson calls “hyped-up dancey versions” of them that

people will only hear at their gigs, where they use Ableton, MIDI instruments and drum pads to create a more energetic version of their atmospheric soundscapes. “I like to headbang a bit,” Johnson says. “I kind of glitch up the vocals live as well so Kalyani will be singing and I’ll put a beat repeat thing on her voice and there’ll be glitches and stuff.”

Willow Beats have just released their third EP, Water, which features the single ‘Merewif’.

Plenty of electronic music has played with underwater sounds, bubbling and gushing, but in ‘Merewif’ that watery sound collage goes beyond being part of the backdrop to being the text, with Ellis singing like a siren perched on a rock about how much you’ll enjoy it when she drags you under the waves.

Johnson says he loves the idea of having the samples inform the

subject of a song, and wants to continue doing it in the future. “Do you know what an Ent is?” he asks, referencing J.R.R. Tolkien’s talking trees. “I was thinking it would be cool to do an Ent-themed song and have these really low vocals, pitch-shifted down vocals, and then this really slow, marching-type beat, and I want to use breaking stick samples, breaking wood, all ‘KSHHH!’, like when a tree falls down.”

What: Ouija Beats 2014 With: Cosmo’s Midnight, Basenji, Panama, Northeast Party House, Olympic Ayres and more Where: Big Top, Luna Park When: Friday October 31 More: Also headlining The Basement on Saturday December 6 And: Water out now through Pilerats

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Off The Record

up all night out all week . . .

Dance And Electronica With Tyson Wray

Staying on the Victorian note: Rainbow Serpent festival has dropped a huge second lineup, with friggin’ Sebastian Mullaert leading the charge. While you may not be familiar with his name, he’s the man behind acts such as Minilogue, IMPS, Son Kite and Ooze. Expect Sydney dates for several of his noms de plume to be revealed soon.

Already announced for both Falls Festival and Field Day, Scott Hansen AKA Tycho has locked in a headline show in Sydney.

Signed to Matthew Dear’s Ghostly International label, earlier this year Hansen dropped his fourth studio album Alive to mass critical acclaim. He’ll perform live on Saturday January 10 at The Hi-Fi. Also confirmed: Detroit ghetto-tech pioneer DJ Godfather will perform a free Red Bull Music Academy show at Goodgod on Thursday October 23 (you just need to RSVP via Dash Tickets).

for beyondblue. The night will be filled with back-to-back sets, with Bradley Zero going head-to-head with Jimmy Sing, Simon Caldwell locking horns with Magda Bytnerowicz, Mike Who spinning alongside Huwston and Pelvis getting down with Noise In My Head. Last year they raised over $8,000 – see if you can help them top that on Friday October 24 at Goodgod.

the 45 sessions

04:10:14 :: Play Bar :: 72 Campbell St Surry Hills 9280 0885

Best releases this week: two longawaited full length albums have dropped this week and they’re both killer – Torn Hawk’s Let’s Cry And Do Pushups At The Same Time (on Mexican Summer) and Andy Stott’s Faith In Strangers (Modern Love). Other highlights include Locked Groove’s Thesseus (Permanent Vacation), Marquis Hawkes’ Fifty Fathoms Deep (Houndstooth), Austin Cesear’s West Side (Public Information), Jordan GCZ’s Digitalis (Future Times) and Shanti Celeste’s Universal Glow (Broadwalk).

In sadder news, Stephen Samuel Gordon, AKA Hyperdub’s Spaceape, passed away on October 2 following his five-year battle with cancer. Over the course of his career the electronic/dub vocalist collaborated with the likes of The Bug, Martyn, Junior Boys, Jerry Dammers and Redshape, just to name a few. Rest in peace.

safia

PICS :: KC

M

elbourne Music Week has locked in its full 2014 lineup and as usual there is a host of electronic talent.

While many of the acts have already announced Sydney shows (Optimo, Pachanga Boys, et cetera) some of the biggest drawcards on the bill are seminal Detroit techno outfit Underground Resistance, DJ Spinn and Oneohtrix Point Never. Sources tell me you can expect Sydney dates to be announced mighty soon. Stay tuned.

PICS :: KC

Underground Resistance

05:10:14 :: Oxford Art Factory :: 38-46 Oxford St Darlinghurst 9332 3711

Tour rumours: a little birdie tells me that Jamal Moss AKA Hieroglyphic Being will be returning in March, while UK duo Bicep (who just dropped a killer Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1) will also be back early next year.

Feel like getting down for a good cause?

Later this month Astral People will be throwing their regular fundraiser party

Spaceape

RECOMMENDED SATURDAY OCTOBER 25

SATURDAY OCTOBER 11

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1

FRIDAY OCTOBER 17

Sasha Chinese Laundry

DJ Spider Club 77

Jeff Mills Chinese Laundry

Peter van Hoesen The Imperial Hotel

THURSDAY OCTOBER 23 DJ Godfather Goodgod Small Club

FRIDAY OCTOBER 24

Dave Clarke Chinese Laundry

Sidney Charles Mantra Collective

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 14 Ten Walls The Hi-Fi

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 14 – SUNDAY NOVEMBER 16

Del Rio Resort

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 22

Lost Disco: Seth Troxler, Âme, Pachanga Boys, Optimo Greenwood Hotel

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 23 Stimming The Spice Cellar

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 28 Powell The Imperial Hotel

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 29

OutsideIn: Pantha Du Prince, Seekae, Client Astral People beyondblue Return To Rio: Ten Walls, Liaison Fundraiser Lake People, Laura Jones, Manning House, Sydney Goodgod Small Club University Gavin Herlihy

strictly vinyl 003

PICS :: KC

FRIDAY OCTOBER 10

05:10:14 :: Cliff Dive :: 16-18 Oxford Sq Darlinghurst

Got any tip-offs, hate mail, praise or cat photos?

Email hey@tysonwray.com or contact me via carrier pigeon. thebrag.com

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

club pick of the week Hot Dub Time Machine

FRIDAY OCTOBER 10

Enmore Theatre

Hot Dub Time Machine

SATURDAY OCTOBER 11 CLUB NIGHTS

Cakes - feat: 4 Rooms Of Live Music + DJs And International Guests World Bar, Kings Cross. 8pm. $10.

Claire Morgan + Massimiliano Pagliara + Matt Vaughan Civic Underground, Sydney.

10pm. $25.

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

10pm. free.

El’ Circo - feat: Resident Circus Act Performers Slide Lounge, Darlinghurst.

7pm. $109.

Frat Saturdays - feat: DJ Jonski Side Bar, Sydney. 6pm. free.

Infamous Saturdays - feat: Live DJs Scubar, Sydney. 7pm. free.

LNDRY - feat: Jeff Mills + Kito & Reija Lee + A-Tonez + Hatch + U-Khan + Andrew Wowk + Fingers + DJ Eko + DJ Just 1 + King Lee + Nine Lives + Acid Mouth Chinese Laundry, Sydney.

9pm. $32.80.

Masif Saturdays Space, Sydney. 10pm. $25.

Miracle - feat: Oddular Tyro Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee.

7pm. $10.

Omegaman - feat: Benny Hinn Play Bar, Surry Hills. 6pm. free.

Pacha Sydney - feat: Kaz James + Tigerlilly + Jimi Frew + A-Tones + Matt Nugent + Spenda C + U-Khan + Chris Arnott + Jace Disgrace + Samri + Danny Lang + DJ Just 1 + Deckhead + E-Cats + Skoob + Pro/Gram + Trent Rackus Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney.

6:30pm. $35.

Sean Tyas Marquee, Pyrmont. 10pm. $28.60.

Sienna Saturdays - feat: Resident DJs The Establishment, Sydney.

9pm. free.

Soda Saturdays - feat: Resident DJs Playing Disco And Funk Soda Factory, Surry Hills.

5pm. free.

Spice - feat: Gabby + James Petrou + Robbie Lowe + Nikolai + Michelle Owen + Guests The Spice Cellar, Sydney.

10pm. $25.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 12 CLUB NIGHTS

La Fiesta - feat: Samantha Fox + Agee Ortiz + Av El

CLUB NIGHTS

DJ Tom Kelly Goldfish, Kings Cross. 9pm. free.

The Wall - feat: Various Local And International Acts World Bar, Kings Cross. 9pm. $5.

Whip It Wednesdays - feat: Various DJs Whaat Club, Kings Cross.

9pm. free.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 9

Hot Damn Spectrum, Darlinghurst. 9pm. $10.

Loopy - feat: Drty Csh + Daschwood + Generous Greed + Guest DJs The Backroom, Kings Cross.

10pm. $12.

Loveit - feat: Rabbit Taxi + Gerrit Oliver + Giesy + Adam Stromstedt The Spice Cellar, Sydney.

7pm. free.

Pool Club Thursdays - feat: Resident DJs Ivy Bar/Lounge, Sydney.

5pm. free.

The World Bar Thursdays World Bar, Kings Cross. 9pm. free.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 10

HIP HOP & R&B

Joyride Lo-Fi, Darlinghurst. 6pm. free.

CLUB NIGHTS

Fear Of Dawn Goldfish, Kings Cross. 8pm. free.

Full Up! - feat: Mikey Glamour + Nick Toth + Jimmy Sing + Prince Andrew Goodgod Small Club, Sydney. 8pm. free.

Goldfish And Friends - feat: Regular Rotating Residents Goldfish, Kings Cross. 10pm. free.

36 :: BRAG :: 583 : 08:10:14

HIP HOP & R&B

Allday + Remi + Baro Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7pm. $28.70.

Hustler Fridays - feat: MC Shaba Hustle & Flow, Redfern. 7pm. free.

Jon Hermann’s Bar, Darlington.

8pm. $5.

CLUB NIGHTS

Afrobrasiliana II feat: DJ JoN + Paris Groovescooter + Trevor Elchino + Thomas Studdy

MONDAY OCTOBER 13 CLUB NIGHTS

Crab Racing Scubar, Sydney. 7pm. free.

Mashup Monday - feat: Resident DJs Side Bar, Sydney. 8pm. free.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 14 CLUB NIGHTS

Chu World Bar, Kings Cross.

9pm. free.

send your listings to : clubguide@thebrag.com

Brooklyn Marquee, Pyrmont. 10pm. $18.40.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 11

7pm. $45.67.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8

Cubano + Resident DJ Willie Sabor The Establishment, Sydney.

8pm. free.

S.A.S.H Sundays Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour. 2pm. $10.

Sunday Sessions - feat: Cadell + Tom Kelly + Ocky Goldfish, Kings Cross. 4pm. free.

Sunday Spice - feat: Kato + U-Khan + Guests The Spice Cellar, Sydney.

9pm. $10.

Sundays In The City - feat: Various DJs The Slip Inn, Sydney. 12pm. free.

Claire Morgan + Massimiliano Pagliara + Matt Vaughan Civic Underground, Sydney. 10pm. $25. + Raphael Ramires + Bateria 61 Play Bar, Surry Hills. 6pm. free.

Bassic - feat: Lenzman + Spenda C + A-Tonez + Linken + Deckhead + Verto + Kuphosis + Daschwood Chinese Laundry, Sydney.

10pm. free.

Brooklyn Marquee, Pyrmont. 10pm. $18.40.

DJ Spider Club 77, Kings Cross. 10pm. $20.

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

10pm. free.

Factory Fridays - feat: Resident DJs Soda Factory, Surry Hills.

5pm. free.

Feel Good Fridays Bar100, The Rocks. 5pm. free.

Frisky Fridays Scubar, Sydney. 5pm. free.

Hot Dub Time Machine Enmore Theatre, Newtown.

7pm. $45.67.

Loco Friday - feat: Various Live Bands And DJs The Slip Inn, Sydney. 5pm. free.

Soul Control Launch feat: Ben Fester + Preacha The Spice Cellar, Sydney.

7pm. $15.

Thank Funk It’s Friday The Ranch, Eastwood.

9:30pm. free.

Allday

FRIDAY OCTOBER 10 Allday + Remi + Baro Metro Theatre, Sydney. 7pm. $28.70.

DJ Spider Club 77, Kings Cross. 10pm. $20.

Afrobrasiliana II feat: DJ JoN + Paris Groovescooter + Trevor Elchino + Thomas Studdy + Raphael Ramires + Bateria 61 Play Bar, Surry Hills. 6pm. free.

LNDRY - feat: Jeff Mills + Kito & Reija Lee + A-Tonez + Hatch + U-Khan + Andrew Wowk + Fingers + DJ Eko + DJ Just 1 + King Lee + Nine Lives + Acid Mouth Chinese Laundry, Sydney. 9pm. $32.80.

Spice - feat: Gabby + James Petrou + Robbie Lowe + Nikolai + Michelle Owen + Guests The Spice Cellar, Sydney. 10pm. $25.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 12 S.A.S.H Sundays Home Nightclub, Darling Harbour. 2pm. $10.

Jeff Mills

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hardwell

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up all night out all week . . .

04:10:14 :: The Domain :: Sydney INA CLA RKE :: ASH LEY MAR S :: ASH WIN ARU MUG AM :: KATR OUR LOV ELY PHO TOG RAP HER

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marcus schossow

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up all night out all week . . .

code ft.hernan cattaneo

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04:10:14 :: Marquee :: The Star Sydney Pyrmont 9657 7737

05:10:14 :: Marquee :: The Star Sydney Pyrmont 9657 7737 38 :: BRAG :: 583 :: 08:10:14

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marquee all stars

s.a.s.h sundays

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05:10:14 :: The Greenwood Hotel :: 36 Blue St North Sydney 9964 9477

05:10:14 :: Home :: 101/1-5 Wheat Rd Darling Harbour 9266 0600 INA CLA RKE :: ASH LEY MAR S :: ASH WIN ARU MUG AM :: KATR OUR LOV ELY PHO TOG RAP HER

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OCTOBER i dd 1

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