THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 3 •
PRESENTS
VILLAGE SOUNDS AND SECRET SERVICE PRESENT THE 11TH ANNUAL ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL
FRIDAY 29, SATURDAY 30, SUNDAY 31 JULY 2011 TICKETS ON SALE NOW
3 DAYS U ONSITE CAMPING U MULTI STAGES
WOODFORDIA, WOODROW ROAD, WOODFORD QUEENSLAND 1.5 HOURS NORTH OF BRISBANE U ALL AGES & LICENSED
COLDPLAY (ONLY AUSTRALIAN SHOW) U KANYE WEST (ONLY AUSTRALIAN SHOW) U JANE’S ADDICTION U THE HIVES PULP U THE LIVING END U THE MARS VOLTA U REGINA SPEKTOR (ONLY 2011 SHOW...ANYWHERE) BLISS N ESO U PNAU U MOGWAI (ONLY AUSTRALIAN SHOW) U DJ SHADOW U FRIENDLY FIRES U GLASVEGAS THE GRATES U DEVENDRA BANHART AND THE GROGS U MODEST MOUSE U THE MIDDLE EAST KAISER CHIEFS U JAMES BLAKE U KELE U THE VINES U ELBOW U ESKIMO JOE U NOAH AND THE WHALE CHILDREN COLLIDE U THIEVERY CORPORATION U CUT COPY U ISOBEL CAMPBELL AND MARK LANEGAN BLUEJUICE UÊ THE KILLS U BLACK JOE LEWIS & THE HONEYBEARS (FEATURING THE RELATIVES) ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI U FOSTER THE PEOPLE U THE PANICS U JEBEDIAH U THE VACCINES GOMEZ U BOY AND BEAR U GOTYE U DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH? U CLOUD CONTROL U MONA SPARKADIA U WARPAINT U MUSCLES (LIVE) U FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS U THE JEZABELS DRAPHT U BRITISH SEA POWER U TIM & JEAN U LEADER CHEETAH U GROUPLOVE U SEEKER LOVER KEEPER YELLE U KIMBRA U PHRASE U OH MERCY U DANANANANAYKROYD U THE BLACK SEEDS U MARQUES TOLIVER THE HOLIDAYS U GHOUL U LIAM FINN UÊ THE HERD U YOUNG THE GIANT U GUINEAFOWL HUNGRY KIDS OF HUNGARY U JINJA SAFARI U WILD BEASTS U ILLY U CUT OFF YOUR HANDS GARETH LIDDIARD U ALPINE U WORLD’S END PRESS U MOSMAN ALDER U LANIE LANE PLUS DJ’S THE ASTON SHUFFLE U FLIGHT FACILITIES U D-CUP (WE NO SPEAK AMERICANO) U AJAX (MEGA JAM SET) HOODRAT & DANGEROUS DAN U LIGHT YEAR U HOOPS U CASSIAN U WAX MOTIF U KATO U TONI TONI LEE CHARLIE CHUX U TRANTER U TRIPLE J UNEARTHED WINNER AND LOCAL ACTS TO BE ANNOUNCED TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE FROM MOSHTIX.COM.AU
VISIT SPLENDOURINTHEGRASS.COM FOR UPDATES
THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 5 •
fbi 94.5 FM & Drum Media present
AN EXCLUSIVE GIG FEATURING:
TUMBLEWEED MY DISCO AND
200 double passes to be won. *
Enter when you buy a Coopers Dark Ale at these pubs:
Rozelle *Terms and conditions apply. See coopers.com.au for details. Promotion ends at 11.59pm on 10/7/2011.
ANNANDALE HOTEL Annandale
BEACH ROAD HOTEL Bondi
CLARE HOTEL Ultimo
GYMEA HOTEL Gymea
HAROLD PARK HOTEL
LONDON HOTEL
Glebe
Balmain
KELLYS ON KING
OAKS HOTEL
Newtown
Neutral Bay
PYRMONT POINT HOTEL Pyrmont
TRINITY BAR
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Surry Hills
Newtown
kwp!CPR11180_DM
3 WEEDS HOTEL
STREAMING
NOW!
ABBE MAY DESIGN DESIRE
WA’s Abbe May credits a country town upbringing for her primal performance style. May arrives at her third album not quite ready to rein in her inner wild child - but there is balance, as Design Desire also showcases May’s “slightly more exposed side”. Here May delivers ethereal vocals across heavy riffing rock’n’roll licks. It’s no wonder she’s been compared to such a wide array of rock icons from Joan Jett to The White Stripes.
DESIGN DESIRE IS OUT JULY 8 ON SOURCE MUSIC THROUGH MGM
PLUS
PLAYER PIANO MEMORY TAPES STREAMING ONE MORE WEEK
OUT NOW ON INERTIA POWERED BY STREET PRESS AUSTRALIA
• 8 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
SECRET SOUNDS PRESENTS
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
T H E G R AT E S
T H U R S D AY J U LY 2 8 ENMORE THEATRE T I C K E T S F R O M T I C K E T E K , W W W. T I C K E T E K . C O M . A U P H 1 3 2 8 4 9 . (LICENSED, ALL AGES)
TICKETS ON SALE NOW SPLENDOURSIDESHOWS.COM
THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 9 •
• 10 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
SECRET SOUNDS PRESENTS
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS STRANGE TALK
AUG 3 METRO THEATRE TIX: BOX OFFICE 02 9550 3666 | TICKETEK.COM.AU, PH 132 849
TICKETS ON SALE NOW SPLENDOURSIDESHOWS.COM
IAMKELE.COM
THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 11 •
WWW.MANLYFISHOS.COM.AU
MANLY FISHO’S. NEW VENUE. COMING SOON. SIGN UP TO THE MAILING LIST AT
WWW.MANLYFISHOS.COM.AU
FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS
• 12 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
LIVE NATION & FASTER LOUDER BY ARRANGEMENT WITH PRIMARY TALENT INTERNATIONAL PRESENT
FIRST TIME EVER PERFORMING
DOPES TO INFINITY IN ITS ENTIRETY PLUS THE HITS
WED SEPT 14 METRO THEATRE WWW.TICKETEK.COM.AU 132 849 & OZTIX.COM.AU LIVENATION.COM.AU
S I H T E L A 8 S N ULY O S AY J T E IT CK FRID THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 13 •
COMING SOON
WEDNESDAY 6TH JULY
JAMES BLUNDELL & CATHERINE BRITT THURSDAY 7TH JULY
OLD MAN RIVER
+ Gabrielle & Cameron (Dead Letter Chorus) + Patrick James FRIDAY 8TH JULY
DRAGON SATURDAY 9TH JULY
A TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY CASH Featuring: Stuart French and Daniel Thompson
TUESDAY 12TH JULY
LITTLE JOHNNY THE MOVIE Feature length animation based on Little Johnny jokes
THURSDAY 14TH JULY
MARTINEZ AKUSTICA + Imogen Harper (Guineafowl) + The Firetree
Friday 15 July Dan Sultan & Alexander Gow Saturday 16 July The Paper Scissors Sunday 17 July Mark Seymour Friday 22 July Bob Marley Tribute Saturday 23 July Stevie Ray Vaughan Celebration Tuesday 26 July Ninth Pillar Thursday 28 July Sarah McLeod Friday 29 July Bachelor Girl Saturday 30 July The Last Waltz Revival Sunday 31 July Bones Atlas Thursday 4 August Diesel Friday 5 August Kira Puru Saturday 6 August Mr Percival Sunday 7 August Bones Atlas Wednesday 10 August Panda Band Thursday 11 August Matt Corby Friday 12 August Ray Beadle Saturday 13 August James Taylor Tribute Sunday 14 August The Louds Tuesday 16 August Boats Of Berlin
COOGE E SAT JULY 9
TRIPLE SHOT OF ORIGINAL ROCK
3 LOCAL ORIGINAL BANDS FOR $10 @ DOOR
THE REVELLERS + FIRE TO THE HAYSTACK + CROWS FEAT FRI JULY 15
VARIETY BASH FUND RAISER FEATURING:
SOPHIE KATINIS & PLANET GROOVE & NATHAN FOLEY Tix & info at www.planetgroove.biz/band-faq/charity-fundraiser.html SAT JULY 16
SARAH MCLEOD THE SNOWDROPPERS
+ GABRIELLE & CAMERON + PATRICK JAMES WED 13TH JULY
Penny & The Mystics + Southerly Change
Deep Purple Tribute
‘LITTLE JOHNNY’
ADVANCED FILM SCREENING WITH LIVE INTRODUCTION BY KEVIN ‘BLOODY’ WILSON
info@codeone.net.au - www.codeone.net.au
Tickets & info from www.coogeediggers.com.au
• 14 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
OLD MAN RIVER
For The Love Of Purple
MON AUG 1
COOGEE DIGGERS 9665 4466 CORNER BYRON & CARR STREETS
STEVE KILBEY & RICKY MAYMI
FRI 15TH JULY
SAT JULY 30
Band Bookings
Thur 21/07 Tiny Ruins (NZ) Fri 22/07 (THE CHURCH) The Strides + Uncle Jed (BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE) Sat 23/07 + JILL & ALSY (THE TRIFFIDS) + RICHARD LANE (THE STEMS) The Sins Single Launch SAT 9TH JULY + The Glamma Rays + The Pork Collective
THU 7TH JULY
USE ME.
SAT 16TH JULY
Hendrix & Heroes
Fri 29/07 Last Waltz Revival Sat 30/07 Sarah McLeod
Thurs 4/08 Wouter Kellerman (South Africa) Sat 6/08 Café Of The Gate Of Salvation With guest Paul Capsis Tue 16/08 Kevin ‘Bloody’ Wilson Fri 19/08 Songlines Thur 25/08 After The Goldrush Tribute Fri 26/08 Jeff Martin & Terapai Richmond Wed 31/08 The Amazing Rhythm Aces (US) Fri 9/09 Otis Redding 70th Birthday Celebration w/ Johnny G & The E Types
Secret Sounds presents
AUSTRALIA 2011 With Special Guests Pulp have decided to get together and play some concerts this year. The shows will involve the original members of the band (Nick Banks, Jarvis Cocker, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey & Mark Webber) & they will be playing songs from all periods of their career. (Yes, that means they’ll be playing your favourites) If you wish to know any more then please visit www.pulppeople.com where you will be subjected to a barrage of cryptic questions. In the meantime ask yourself this: “Do You Remember The First Time?” Thank you for your attention.
Wed 27 July Hordern Pavilion Tickets from Ticketek, www.ticketek.com.au, Ph 132 849
ON SALE NOW SPLENDOURSIDESHOWS.COM
THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 15 •
TUE 5 JUL FREE
THU 7 JUL $10
FRI 8 JUL $12(DOOR)
BUY THE BAND A BEER FEATURING: WARM WATERS (FRONT BAR)
THACKER BEAT RUIN GLORIA
(USA) + JACK LADDER + DONNY BENET
+ CAVE OF THE SWALLOWS + ALIBRANDI + HARD AS NAILS
SAT 9 JUL $15(DOOR)
(US (USA)
24 FESTIVAL FEATURING: RED FIRE RED + BEDLAM IN BELGIUM + STRIKE THE BLONDE + MORE
DOMINO - BIG JOE RUMBLE – DIRTY LITTLE IMMIGRANTS – ARCADIA – PEGAZUS - FORBIDDEN
SAT 23RD JULY
Royal Chant SAT 29TH JULY
Lockdown + Bridges + Get Real + Deadly Visions
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• 16 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
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FRI 19TH AUG
THE BRAND NEW ALBUM FROM DIGITALISM.
DIGITALISM I LOVE YOU DUDE
FEATURES THE SINGLE “2 HEARTS”
OUT NOW! APPEARING AT PARKLIFE 2011 VISIT PARKLIFE.COM.AU FOR INFO/TIX
MAISON KITSUNE
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THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 17 •
Y 1ST JULY
Wednesdays Riot House Comedy 45% *5,9
ROCK-STEIN TRIVIA
FRIDAY 8TH JULY
STRIP!
TUESDAYS
THURSDAY 28TH JULY
THE STUDY PRESENT
7%$ *5,9
DAVID JOHNSTONE
4(5 *5,9
GO WITH COLOURS
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THE FIRE TREE + SPECIAL GUEST
PURPLE SNEAKERS PRESENT LAST NIGHT
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*5,9
LUNCH TAPES + THE FILTHY STEPPERS
OUROBOROS
*5,9 A MILLION DEAD BIRDS LAUGHING MYTILE VEY LORTH
• 18 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
PLUS YOUR FAV PURPLE SNEAKERS DJ’S
SYDNEY ROLLA DERBY LEAGUE OFFICIAL AFTERPARTY
12/07 ROCKSTEIN TRIVIA + STRIP 13/07 DANIEL ALLARS + RIOT HOUSE 16/07 MAJOR RAISER 21/07 CROSSROADS LAUNCH NIGHT 23/07 NOWHERE/BODYJAR 28/07 FOSTER THE PEOPLE 30/07 VTRIBE + BUD SPELLS 31/07 LOS SKELETONE BLUES
BACHELOR GIRL FRIDAY 5TH AUGUST
SLOW WAVES + ALICE TERRY
&2) 3!4
&2%%9 %.42
SARAH MCLEOD
COMING SOON
HENDRIX & HEROES
FEATURING STEVE EDMONDS SATURDAY 13TH AUGUST
ALVIN YOUNGBLOOD HART (US)
FRIDAY 15TH JULY
MARK SEYMOUR FRIDAY 29TH JULY
DIESEL THURSDAY 11TH AUGUST
THE PANDA BAND
FRIDAY 19TH AUGUST
JOHNNY G & THE E TYPES
FOR BAND BOOKINGS, PLEASE CONTACT INFO@CODEONE.NET.AU
- Wed 6th -
Elizabeth Rose, Pom Pom (Melb), Jugu And Tim Fitz
SYDNEY'S NEWEST
LIVE MUSIC VENUE
- Thur 7th -
Octane And Dlr (Uk) With Andrew Wowk, Whitey, Paul Dred, Dauntless - Fri 8th -
Index Feat Rockwell (Uk, Shogun Audio, Darkestral, Digital Soundboy) - Sat 9th -
Joseph Liddy And The Skeleton Horse, Whiskey Indian November, Danger Dannys - Sun 10th -
Dome Home 3, Feat. Holy Balm, Model Citizen, Paris Is Burning (1990) www.tone.net.au facebook.com/tonesydney twitter.com/tonevenue
16 Wentworh Avenue, Surry Hills NSW 2010 (02) 9287 6440
FRI 8TH JULY (LIVE) INFUSION DJS : SPENDA C & CHARLIE CHUX
$15 on the door after 8pm, Doors open 5pm
COMING UP
FRI 15TH THE SNOWDROPPERS FRI 22ND STRANGE TALK
FRI 29TH THE DIRTY SECRETS Be the first to know about upcoming gigs upstairsberesford.com.au/subscribe
level 1, 354 bourke st surry hills upstairs beresford.com.au THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 19 •
Contents Issue No. 1067 Tuesday 5 July 2011 PLEASE NOTE: All entries for giveaways are now via our Facebook, so head to facebook.com/drummedia for details.
DRUM MEDIA Giveaways – Look to your left for free stuff, silly!
20
The Front Line hits hard with industry fact and conjecture, plus is there a market in Australia for a ticket reselling site? StubHub obviously thinks so. 22 Mailbag – your say on what floats your boat or makes the red mist descend, plus Backlash and Frontlash. 24 The News – just like it says, with tours, releases and more.
26
It’s not rocket science – Art Vs Science divulges their musical formula. 32
ALPINE
HEAD TO THE VILLAGE Melbourne’s Alpine caused a stir last year with the EP Zurich, which was launched with a sold out tour around the country. Yet again they’re piling into the van to head on tour, this time on the back of their new single, Villages, which already has become a triple j fave and remained in the Top 20 there for eight weeks. They’re joined by Boy In A Box when they play Oxford Art Factory on Thursday 14 July and we have two double passes to give away.
GOODBYE BREAD, HELLO TY San Franciscan lo-fi garage punk king Ty Segall has just released a new album, Goodbye Bread, and is heading down to our fair country this month for his first ever Australian tour. Dude’s only 23 years old and has already made nine albums, including four solo ones since 2008 – talk about making everyone else look bad. He’s bringing the band over with him and hitting GoodGod on Friday. We have three packs to give away, each including a double pass and a copy of the album.
DOUBLE TROUBLE This Saturday at the Annandale, over two stages there’ll be a bunch of bands strutting their stuff, including Brackets, Spangled Mistress, Radio National, The Rubens, Siren Lines and heaps more. There’ll also be free arcade games and ping pong if that’s up your alley and you need a bit of a break from all the wicked tunes going on. Can’t afford to get along? Good thing you picked up Drum this week then, because we have five double passes in our hot little hands that we’re going to pass along to five lovely readers.
SALLY STINGS Local singer/songwriter Sally Street is taking the Happy Hippy Show on the road, jazzy hits in the suitcase as she hops in the van and drives along to Slide on Thursday. Her most recent album, released last year – it’s called The Scorpion Maid – includes songs that were finalists in the 2010 Great American Song Contest and the 2010 Australian Songwriting Competition. Pretty impressive stuff, and we just happen to have two prize packs to give away, each containing a double pass and a copy of the album.
MASTERING THE GUITAR Karma Country frontman and author of international bestseller The Open Tuning Chord Book For Guitar, Brendan Gallagher is running a masterclass for open tune and slide guitar on Saturday at the Bondi Pavilion, offering a unique opportunity for budding musicians to learn the tricks of the trade from a man who’s been in the business for over 30 years and played on recordings by artists from Kylie Minogue to David Bowie. Two tickets are up for offer to the masterclass for lucky Drum readers.
AT HOME IN THE BASEMENT Two of this country’s most respected artists and singer/songwriters, James Blundell and Catherine Britt, are lost – metaphorically speaking – and the search is seeing them playing a whole host of shows while they try to get a better geographical grip on things with the Can’t Find My Way Home tour. The two will perform in an intimate acoustic setting at The Basement Circular Quay on Thursday night and Drum has three double passes to give away.
ICE CREAM SHORTS Launching last month, Future Shorts One is a new monthly short film festival held at Trackdown in Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter. We say ‘held at Trackdown’, but the event is simultaneously hosted in 18 countries worldwide; the future is now. This month’s event takes place on Saturday with blues band The Vandemonians performing and the screening of seven short films, ranging from clips for REM’s Uberlin and Battles’ Ice Cream to an Australian short about swingers. We’ve got three double passes to give away – which is the equivalent of 21 free movies! – ‘cause we’re feeling generous.
WHOA MAMA Alphamama is releasing her debut solo EP and it will be launched Wednesday 13 July at Tone, with special guests Kween G, Ngaiire, Milan, Mirrah, Danny G Felix and West Labz. There are two double passes to give away to the launch, so get in quick. Please note – prizes that are to be collected from the office must be done within four weeks of notification of winning. • 20 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
twitter.com/drummedia
Replacing political with personal, Unearth shows no signs of slowing.
33
The mystery of the sea captures the imagination of Tiny Ruins.
34
Don’t call it a comeback. Actually yes, do call it that, as that’s exactly what Kaiser Chiefs planned with their unique album concept.
36
German duo Digitalism returns with plenty of love to give. 41 With a fresh line up, The Wonder Stuff are no longer just dizzy.
42
Ty Segall makes an album where he can stand behind the lyrics.
43
On The Record reviews new release albums and singles from The Horrors, Black Lips, Handsome Furs and more. 44 David Neil is worth a footnote in history as a kind of an oddity, courtesy of Steve Kilbey and Ricky Maymi.
47
Nomadic Australian producer/DJ Jaytech still has a soft spot for home. 47 The five-year wait is over and The Laurels’ debut EP finally surfaces.
47
Sean Pollard’s solo project swells in Split Seconds.
47
Chris Maric gets local with hard rock and metal in The Heavy Shit.
48
Sarah Petchell brings us local and international punk news in Wake The Dead. 49 With The Breakdown on holidays, Kris Swales captures the zeitgeist in Paradigm Shift.
50
Viktor Krum asks you to Get It Together with the latest in hip hop.
50
Dave Drayton gets Young & Restless with all ages goings on. 50 Cyclone gives you urban and R&B news in OG Flavas.
50
Dan Condon features the world of blues and roots with Roots Down. 51 Michael Smith delivers some Blow with jazz and world music news.
51
Go south as you enter Pedro Manoy’s Swamp Shack. 51 We get the latest updates from our local industry and beyond from the good folks at MusicNSW.
52
It’s business time in the club world as Paz gives us Business Music. 52
FRONT ROW This Week In Arts plans your upcoming days; Region-Free reviews the best recent releases from overseas; Made You Look has an art world problem. 53 In the lead up to the Underbelly Arts Festival on Cockatoo Island, we catch up with Sexy Tales Comedy Collective, Triage Live Art Collective, Strings Attached and Swanbrero.
54
Martin Vaughan discusses Ensemble Theatre’s At Any Cost. 55 Caleb Lewis gears up for Aleksander And The Robot Maid, The Reg’s debut show; Cultural Cringe wraps up the week’s arts news and whispers. 56
LIVE It’s all here: gig reviews, tour guide, what’s happening this week, charts, gig guide, club guide, random shit and Delorean Tide writes a love story with a twist. 57 Backstage and BTL – your guide to studios, recording, gear, courses and more.
70
The Classies – need a singer/bassist/ drummer/any other service/product you can think of? Your answer is here. And on iflog.com.au. 73
ELECTRICAL SAFETY RECALL
Powered Amplifiers
P2500S, P3500S, P5000S, P7000S
Powered Speakers
DSR112, DSR115
Powered Subwoofer
DSR118
Compact Speaker
MS101III
DTX Monitor System
MS50DR, MS100DR
Sold by Yamaha Music Authorised Dealers between October 2010 – June 2011 Defect In some circumstances the mains plug may have been wired incorrectly.
SYDNEY'S NEWEST
LIVE MUSIC VENUE
Hazard Due to the defect the products can cause serious injury or death to the user. What to do Consumers should immediately stop using the listed products and contact Yamaha Music Australia to have the mains plugs tested by an Approved Technician and rewire the mains plug if faulty. Contact Yamaha Music Australia Pty Ltd on (03) 9693 5167 9-5pm EST Monday to Friday or productrecall_australia@gmx.yamaha.com or visit au.yamaha.com
See www.recalls.gov.au for Australian Product Recall information
SAT 9TH JULY (LIVE) KATALYST DJS : MATT NUGENT & HOBOPHONICS
STREAMING
NOW!
$15 on the door after 8pm, Doors open 6pm
COMING UP
SAT 16TH DUBMARINE
ABBE MAY DESIGN DESIRE
WA’s Abbe May credits a country town upbringing for her primal performance style. May arrives at her third album not quite ready to rein in her inner wild child - but there is balance, as Design Desire also showcases May’s “slightly more exposed side”. Here May delivers ethereal vocals across heavy riffing rock’n’roll licks. It’s no wonder she’s been compared to such a wide array of rock icons from Joan Jett to The White Stripes.
DESIGN DESIRE IS OUT JULY 8 ON SOURCE MUSIC THROUGH MGM
PLUS
SAT 23RD VAN SHE
SAT 30TH THE TONGUE Be the first to know about upcoming gigs upstairsberesford.com.au/subscribe
PLAYER PIANO MEMORY TAPES STREAMING ONE MORE WEEK
OUT NOW ON INERTIA POWERED BY STREET PRESS AUSTRALIA
level 1, 354 bourke st surry hills upstairs beresford.com.au THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 21 •
front
LINE
NEWS FROM THE INDUSTRY WITH SCOTT FITZSIMONS
MASHED UP SCREENINGS After the competition took place over the June long weekend, the Music Video Mash Up screenings will take place across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne this week. Filmmakers and artists were matched up and given 72 hours to shoot a music video, with a range of prizes now to be awarded to the best productions. Sydney’s screening will take place Thursday at Palace Verona Cinema, before the National Awards Gala Night at Brisbane’s Tivoli Theatre Friday 22 July.
EARLY TO THE PRIZE Australian artists did remarkably well in the recently awarded International Song Competition, with Kasey Chambers taking home the main award and the likes of Sierra Fin and Kimbra getting mentions for genre categories. Entries for the next competition are now open, with early bird discounts (for multiple song entries) available until Friday 15 July. You can enter by emailing an mp3, mailing a CD, tape, DVD or other or by providing a link to your MySpace (yes, MySpace). Head to songwritingcompetition.com for the full details. Entries are open until Wednesday 21 September.
WOLLONGONG’S SCENE TAKES A STAND Music and live entertainment are starting to firm as political issues and the industry has campaigned for recent federal and state elections. Now Wollongong’s live music stakeholders, who’ve struggled with venue closures in the last year, have launched the Rock The Vote Wollongong! campaign ahead of the local government elections in September. The group is concerned with perceived links between candidates for Mayor and connections between the 2008 corruption scandal, and wants to promote “progressive outcomes” in the elections. The group’s organisers are currently looking for submissions for a compilation CD of local bands and hope to get as many as possible. For artists that want to record a new track, Mainstreet Studios are offering a discount rate. There are also plans for a live show featuring local and touring bands as a centrepiece for the movement. For more information, or to be included on the CD, email robcarr09@yahoo.com.au.
FUNDING TO NETWORK MusicNSW has announced funding for artists and their managers to help them attend industry conferences and showcases with a view to developing international relationships that will allow overseas touring. Artists and managers can apply for one-off grants of $650 per member (with a limit of $4,000) through the program, which focuses on Australian events. Full information, selection criteria and applications are available at musicnsw.com. The money is available through support from Arts NSW.
PLAYING UP TO BOSTON The Berklee College Of Music (Boston, USA) and Sydney’s JMC Academy have teamed up for a second year to offer workshop clinics for JMC students and “inspired” high school students. The workshops will, in practical lecture and masterclass formats, teach students about improvisational techniques and how to implement them. The classes will be held Thursday 14 July – head to the JMC website for more info and registration. Berklee is also holding auditions for entry into its college Friday 15 and Saturday 16 July at the JMC campus, but you need to apply prior through apply.berklee.edu.
FRESHLY INKED New PR agency Long Live PR, formed by Laura Martinovich (ex-Byrneside Music Group) and Fiona Stafford (Taperjean Records), has signed Adelaide’s Mere Theory as its first project. The band will be releasing its next album, Walking In Storms, in August through MGM.
NEWS? ANNOUNCEMENTS? TIP-OFFS? RUMOUR AND GOSSIP? SEND THEM THROUGH TO FRONTLINE@STREETPRESS.COM.AU
SIX NIGHTMARES RESPOND TO RECORDS SAGA
Last week a dispute between Sydney band Totally Unicorn, Brisbane’s Ironhide and Sydney based label/ promoter Six Nightmares Productions was made public, with the band alleging that Six Nightmares hadn’t fulfilled their obligations to produce vinyl records for the bands despite taking approximately $2,000 in presales. According to an article in Your Daily SPA, they claimed a number of things: that Six Nightmare’s head Iain Gilbert had falsified invoices and tracking documents for a Czech Republic pressing plant which, when contacted by the bands, hadn’t heard of either of them; that he never showed up on the flight to Brisbane where Ironhide was meant to meet him; that he had been out of contact for weeks and Ironhide t-shirts had been found at his former Sydney residence; and that he had spent the pre-order money on personal purchases. (Visit themusic.com.au/newsletter/bands-claim-rip-off-by-sydney-promoter for the full article.)
Over the weekend Gilbert contacted those who had pre-ordered a record and said that all the money would be refunded. In the email he said, “Is it really worth sitting here and explaining what went wrong, and why it all fell apart, when (understandably so) it’s not going to really be believed anyway?… I received a message from someone at themusic.com.au yesterday, saying they’d love to get my side of this whole debacle. I didn’t reply, but the only thing I wanted to say was that I’d like to have two records on the shelf right now, but we can’t all get what we want, now can we? But in reality, there really is no story to hear my side of. I tried to start a business, and it fell flat on it’s [sic] face. The End. It truly is Pulitzer Prize winning material. “Have I been ignoring this? Yes. But it’s far from the back of my mind as well. I kept going along for some time thinking I could get this together, and then, BANG you get evicted, and BANG you lose your job. I’m not apologising, no one would accept, so it’s not really worth the effort on my part.” He advised people to apply for refunds through PayPal, and if they were not available there to invoice sixnightmaresproductions@hotmail.com. He said he hoped to have all money refunded by 21 July.
FOREIGN ALBUMS STORM TOP TEN Adele’s stranglehold on the ARIA charts continues this week, with 21 holding off debuts by Beyoncé (4, second) and LMFAO (Sorry For Party Rocking, third). With strong international releases recently, it’s pushed all but one local release out of the top ten – Seeker Lover Keeper’s self-titled album sits tenth. Elsewhere there were debuts from Gillian Welch (The Harrow And The Harvest, 11), Weird Al Yankovic (Apocalypse, 28), Taking Back Sunday (Taking Back Sunday, 49) and In Flames (Sounds Of A Playground Fading, 50). Adele’s Someone Like You still holds the top single spot above LMFAO’s Party Rock Anthem.
FBI’S VENUE TO STAY FBi Radio’s FBi Social venue at the King’s Cross Hotel has announced that it’s going ahead indefinitely after its three-month trial. Other small venues in Sydney had originally raised concerns that an FBi-run venue would affect their own business, but the station’s General Manager, Evan Kaldor, said that they believed Sydney could sustain the extra venue.
SNEAKY VOCALS ON THE KANYE/JAY-Z ALBUM Music newsletter Your Daily SPA (published by The Drum Media’s publisher Street Press Australia) has reported that Sneaky Sound System’s Connie Mitchell recorded with Kanye West and Jay-Z for the collaboration album Walk The Throne while the entourage was in Sydney for last year’s U2 tour. She said they recorded in a Sydney mansion and although West fell asleep while Mitchell was recording, it was more because of his irregular sleeping patterns and penchant for “power-naps” rather than her singing. Jay-Z, on the other hand, tried to ensure that she was eating (“You gotta eat, baby girl!”) and brought her food and tea through the process. Beyoncé was also there, but stayed in the background. Mitchell featured on the leaked track That’s My Bitch, which featured La Roux’s Elly Jackson, but the song may not make the album – due as early as this week – because of the leak. She’s being tight-lipped over the new Sneaky album From Here To Anywhere though, with the unnamed second single said to be a ‘80s electro track with soul production.
DIGGERS DPROJECT IN NEW HOLE After Warner originally had troubles with the Army over their use of the term The Diggers for their recording project (made up of serving military members and based on the UK’s The Soldiers), they’ve hit another snag over the trademarking of the name. Minister of Veterans’ Affairs Warren Snowden will be lobbying the registrar
to not allow the term to be trademarked. Speaking to The Front Line, he said, “We’re completely opposed to the trademarking of ‘the Diggers’ – or any term that’s significant to our wartime heritage. The term belongs to the Australian men and women who served our country – not to a single entity. It has special significance in our cultural and military history – describing the Australian soldier who served our country in the First World War.” In response Warner issued a statement saying that they’d hoped the trademark would “prevent copycat singers from releasing products or performing live under that name. The project will now proceed without such protection”. Their official statement read, “There continues to be discussion between Warner Music Australia and the Australian Army about the appropriate way to properly protect our mutual endeavours to raise money for charity around The Diggers musical project. Both parties have already agreed that neither will act without the other’s involvement and consent. Both the Leagues Association and Legacy have been consulted from the beginning.”
SANDO COULD FACE COUNCIL’S SMOKING BAN In a bizarre case of council jurisdiction, Marrickville Council’s decision to ban smoking at footpath cafe tables will mean that the west side of King St will have the ban while the east side, controlled by Sydney City Council, will not. Originally reported in the Sydney Morning Herald, included in those west-side businesses is a staple live music venue, the Sandringham Hotel. Speaking to the paper, the venue’s owner Tony Townsend said he’d fight the ban, which would likely prohibit punters from smoking on the footpath outside the venue. “I’ll fight that restriction,” he said. “I actually rent the footpath space from council, I’m forced to insure it, that is part of my licensed premises… I would consider my legal stand on that.” Other businesses the paper spoke to were unaware of the restrictions and council had not contacted them.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE JOINS MYSPACE’S TEAM News Limited has chalked up a $US545 million loss on MySpace after selling the company for a measly $35 million to Specific Media last week. Even that amount is not in cash; News Corp will receive shares in Specific Media as part of the price. News Limited bought MySpace in 2005 when the social networking website was at the height of its power, but its influence and user numbers have declined since as the cleaner Facebook and simpler Twitter gained ascendency. As part of the deal, Specific Media have appointed Justin Timberlake as part of their marketing team for the website. Specific’s founder Tim Vanderhook said in a statement, “When we met with Justin and we discussed what our strategy was, we hit a chord with him. One of his passions is he really enjoys helping other artists and creating a community
music
• 22 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
TOTALLY UNICORN
In a joint statement the two bands said, “It has become apparent within the last couple of days that Six Nightmares Productions will never come good on their promise [of the records].” A statement from Alex Bailey, who was also involved with Six Nightmares, offered an apology, but the bands suspected he was a victim as much as they. “It saddens me to say that some people aren’t always as genuine as they make out to be,” he wrote. “It appears that my ‘business partner’, Iain Gilbert… has not made any attempts to go forth with these orders. I have tried to contact him many times over the last few days and as of today his phone is disconnected and his Facebook account deleted.”
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for people to really express themselves.” Timberlake will have an office and staff of six. In a statement he said, “There’s a need for a place where fans can go to interact with their favourite entertainers, listen to music, watch videos, share and discover cool stuff and just connect. MySpace has the potential to be that place.”
FAKER FRONTMAN “BOWS OUT” OF DISPUTE Faker’s frontman Nathan Hudson will not be following up claims he made last week that he was assaulted by the bar manager of Launceston’s Hotel New York. On his Twitter he’d originally posted, “My recollection of last night is that I got beat up by the manager of Hotel New York, Launceston. It felt homophobic and it felt backward.” After the story broke, the venue issued a statement saying that Hudson had become aggressive after they’d repeatedly refused him entry into the nightclub part of the hotel because he was intoxicated. “Under Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming legislation, it would have been an offence to allow Mr Hudson into a licensed area whilst showing signs of intoxication,” they said. “After being picked up by car, Mr Hudson left again and when he returned at 5.50am he appeared to be even more intoxicated and insisted on being served even though the venue was closed. After getting into a verbal argument with the venue’s manager they pushed each other and Nathan fell over. Nathan was then helped back up and assisted by other staff members to his room.” After consulting with management, Hudson issued a statement saying he would “bow out” of further public comment. “There are a number of discrepancies between my claim and the story offered on the website of the Hotel New York. This is not entirely unexpected, but I do have some aversion to making this event, which was quite painful to me, into a public dissection… On this occasion I will manage to cope with having been assaulted, it’s happened to me before, on other occasions, in different circumstances. What I do have real trouble with, is the possibility that the fight against homophobia could be tempered by the reporting of an incident which may appear to be less substantial due to the involvement of alcohol. For this reason I’m choosing to bow out of further public comment on this incident.”
QUARTERLY MUSOS PAYOUTS As previously reported, APRA has confirmed that quarterly payments for its members’ royalties fees will begin in August, replacing the payments that would have otherwise been issued in November. The new August payments will cover domestic revenue from January through March, which would previously have covered the first six months of the year in November. Television revenue and music played in churches will still be paid every six months and the current self-reporting payments for live performance, jingles and ambient music will remain annual. Payments for the exclusions will happen in November.
front
TICKET WARS
IN AUSTRALIA QUITE OBVIOUSLY TO TEST THE WATERS FOR AN AUSTRALIAN LAUNCH, GLENN LEHRMAN, DIRECTOR OF TICKET ONSELLING WEBSITE STUBHUB, TELLS THE FRONT LINE THAT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. BY SCOTT FITZSIMONS.
T
he ticket on-selling market has always been a controversial one in Australia, the word ‘scalpers’ usually considered dirty. But in the United States a secondary market for tickets has become widely accepted, with a number of legitimate services available for those who want to sell concert or event tickets they no longer want or need by listing them on the website at a price of their choosing in a trading post-type model. One of the most prominent names in that market is StubHub, which was acquired by pioneering internet auction eBay for $US310 million at the end of the first quarter in 2007. In Australia to meet with the parent company and presumably drum up awareness of successful ticket on-selling, senior director Glenn Lehrman told The Front Line that they’re actively looking into the possibility of launching here. In fact, the interview was pitched on the fact. Traditionally. StubHub purchases have been limited to those who live in America – you needed an American address and credit card – but management found that people were finding ways around this. So in March this year they opened up their service – which deals primarily in sporting and concert tickets – to cross-border purchases. Figures since then, Lehrman says, have indicated that Australia is their biggest market outside of the US, with near 30 per cent more purchases than the next country. He put it down to both the strong Australian dollar and his perception that “Australians go to events as part of their itinerary” when traveling. Lehrman said they “launched the cross-border trade to track the ticket patterns of other countries” and as a result of those patterns “Australia is something we’re looking at”. They hope to have a presence here in the next two or three years. “Australia is very attractive because like the States it is sport heavy and has a good concert base… and it has less regulation than other countries.” They’re sure to be met with resistance though; the existing primary market ticket sellers in Australia aren’t exactly welcoming the secondary market. A website called Ticketman launched earlier this year, with the company’s CEO Ron Hodge telling this column at the
LINE long and bitter feud continues. “We’ve had our share of problems with Ticketmaster in the States,” said Lehrman, “but I think they understand now that the secondary market will be there and have even purchased secondary sites themselves… it was a long process to get there.” In March they slung press statements and Twitter posts at each other over StubHub’s support for paperless ticket legislation - that is, tickets that are scanned from a smartphone. That’s already being implemented locally, with a paperless ticket-only concert used to promote the system and events like the Sydney Film Festival encouraging the method. “Primary sellers have the right to sell tickets at whatever price… and we think you have the right to sell it at whatever price too,” said Lehrman. “We know that it takes time for consumer mindset to change.”
GLEN LEHRMAN time, “[Our] only real competition is eBay, which we believe has 100 per cent of the market in second-hand tickets.” Ticketman hasn’t exactly taken off as well as he probably hoped, with only 13 listings (for Elton John, Enrique Iglesias, the Bathurst 100 and an Australian Rules games) on the site at The Front Line’s deadline. In response to their March launch, CEO of Moshtix Adam McArthur claimed that such a website breaches existing terms and conditions of tickets sold. “Officially it’s not illegal, but in a lot of cases it contravenes the terms of sale” - that is, tickets are not allowed to be resold, he said. Often when tickets have been sold on, Moshtix cancels them. “What we’re trying to stop is
ticket buyers getting illegitimate tickets… what these sites can do is sell tickets that aren’t valid.” Moshtix has its own internal system for re-issuing tickets, which is currently being used for Splendour In The Grass. Although the event hasn’t sold out, camping tickets are no longer available elsewhere. It may be a race against time for existing ticket systems to get such services up and running before secondary ticket selling websites, that will be a force in the market (with the eBay name attached to it, StubHub carries an air of legitimacy automatically), do it for them. StubHub has had its fair share of problems in the United States, particularly with Ticketmaster, with whom its
Part of the acceptance will be StubHub’s ability to ensure the consumer’s security, as other companies will no doubt attempt to undermine it. In the United States they ask sellers to provide a credit card as collateral or in cases when they have partnerships with events, they cross-check the barcodes of the tickets. Against all their checks, inevitably invalid tickets do circulate. “It happens, but our statistics show that about .02 per cent are what we call ‘rejected at the gate’.” At some events they’ll have a representative at the gate to help with such instances (it seems utopian, but the company does sell thousands of tickets to single events in cases and/or if arrangements can’t be made for another ticket consumers have their money returned and/or gift vouchers provided. Lehrman also claims that it’s a 50-50 split for tickets being sold above and below face value on the website. At the moment most tickets being sold in online auctions in Australia are well above value, tickets to The Cure’s world exclusive shows going for thousands in some cases. “Prices here are high initially because of the low inventory,” he said, “[but] when more people got interested there was more inventory and it means that tickets dropped.” Now not just offering tickets to events, there’s a selection of seating and cost on StubHub. “It’s what we call choice and access, at least you have that option.”
SECRET SOUNDS PRESENT
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RETURN TO FORM Dear Drum, For months now, the letters published in Drum Media have lacked the wit, insight and originality of prior times. But in last week’s Drum Media (mailbag #1066) there was a clear (though not dramatic) return to form. STFU from Epping made some good points about the poor souls in the world who use social media websites. You’re not alone STFU – I also pity these individuals. A mate of mine, during the recent Jebediah gig at the Factory Theatre, was (allegedly) updating his status on a social networking site during each song. WTF!? I’m gonna have to call him now to let him know about the whole night that he missed out on. And then Rex from Eastwood made a fantastic point about the disappearance of MCs at live gigs. This is so true, Rex! You don’t always remember to research the support acts for a gig, so a part of the night’s entertainment can end in a mystery. There have been times where I’ve had to do some post-gig research just to find out who I was watching. But despite these excellent points, unhelpful comments were subsequently left by Ed that sought to undermine the point being made by the writers. I believe there is a role for editorial rebuttal, but only if it enhances, clarifies or balances the points being made in the original piece. If the response is unnecessary, cheap, nit-picking or low-brow, then I don’t see the point in it being made. Surely an editorial comment (which, bear in mind, carries massive influence) need not always be made! How does that saying go about great power and great responsibility? Shane Alexandria We think the Ed’s comments have most definitely lacked the wit, insight and originality of prior times – Ed
MAINSTREAM GOES HARD
Wollongong Mmm… random dangly leather bits. Aaaaarglh. – Ed
FEET TO EAT Dear Drum, Not a new thing to talk about at all but I’m just so baffled by how there are certain venues in Sydney with absolutely no amenities around them. I recently attended an all-day gig and had to walk for close to 20 minutes before finding anything remotely edible for dinner. This is probably not the venue in question’s fault, nor any other venues that have similar issues, but I think at least a fraction of the success of venues like the Enmore and the Hordern are the masses of options around for a drink or a bite before or after shows. Although I’m not sure if it’s a continuing problem anyway, since most newish venues seem to be well serviced enough, so never mind me – just don’t be surprised if you see a girl clawing the walls looking for food next time you’re at a foodless venue. Say hi instead and offer me a Tic Tac or something.
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but the infiltration of heavy music into a wider public consciousness is increasing. Perhaps it started with Parkway Drive getting that inaugural ARIA award for best heavy metal/br00tal/ rock act. Perhaps not. All I know is that I was watching the tennis and there was this hilarious advertisement
Balgowlah Here’s an idea: there are venues that actually serve food as well as music. Might help next time you plan your night with your stomach instead of your ears. – Ed
BACKLASH
WAKE UP JEFF
KING ST SMOKING BAN
Our thoughts go out to purple Wiggle Jeff Fatt after he had heart surgery. Glad to see he’s alright. We reckon now he’ll surely be able to get some good stuff in hospital to help him with that awful case of narcolepsy he seems to possess.
It’s only on one side of the street, so makes no sense (yes, we know it’s because of different councils), but why doesn’t the government just outlaw smoking completely rather than impose all these laws and restrictions? Sorry, how many millions in taxes did you say they make from it…?
NEAR AND FALLS
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• 24 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
Cody
Tia
So the first few snippets of the Falls Festival line-up has been announced. Here’s hoping all of them manage to come up to Sydney and aren’t festival exclusives like a few of the Splendour acts for those of us unable to travel.
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FRONTLASH
OPEN 7 DAYS SERVING GREAT PUB FOOD ALL NIGHT
for shoes. It wasn’t even an advertisement really, because there were no actors. Or dialogue. Not even that much information. It said the brand name and had their logo, it may have even had a few prices for the different shoes, but it was pretty much just a slideshow of different sandals and really weird looking joggers that have random dangly leather bits. The most relevant thing about the ad for this particular observation was the soundtrack – it’s set to a chugging instrumental hardcore track. Hilarious. I think it’s awesome that the heavier end of the musical spectrum is getting featured in the oddest of places now – for me it shows a shifting culture where even if heavy music is not enjoyed by a wider public, it is at least acknowledged. I’m all for blast beats with boat shoes and licks for loafers. While I highly doubt I’ll purchase a pair of those shoes any time soon, I will happily be banging my head each time that ridiculous ad comes on telly.
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RATINGS WAR We know why they do it, but it’s annoying how TV networks pitch quality shows against each other in the quest for ratings. A new season of Grand Designs has started up against Who Do You Think You Are? and Masterchef. Decisions Decisions!
MONACO IN WHITE We have our doubts about the longevity of the other royal wedding this year, which took place in Monaco. What was all that crying about from the bride? Linda Heller-Salvador, Luke Eaton, Rod Hunt, Tony Mott
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NEWS@DRUMMEDIA.COM.AU Bonjah’s new album, Go Go Chaos, is released Friday 15 July and they’re hitting the road to let everyone know about it, playing the Great Northern Newcastle Friday 2 September, the Oxford Art Factory Saturday 3 and the Brass Monkey Sunday 4. Canberra trio Fun Machine will play GoodGod on Wednesday 13 July in support of their second EP, Desert Creatures. The Sydney leg of Miami Horror’s Summersun tour, which hits The Metro with Gold Fields on Sunday 16 July, has completely sold out. The Drones’ Mike Noga has been announced as the support for the upcoming tour from singer/songwriter Jordie Lane, who hits the road extensively in the coming weeks to showcase his new album, Blood Thinner, stopping into the Front Gallery Wednesday 27 July, Wickham Park Hotel Thursday 28, The Vanguard Friday 29, Grand Junction Hotel Saturday 30 and Lizotte’s Kincumber Sunday 31. For a little while in the ‘90s, The Mutton Birds was the most successful indie band to come out of New Zealand, even relocating to London. The band’s founder, singer and songwriter Don McGlashan comes to Lizotte’s Dee Why Thursday 28 July and The Basement Circular Quay Sunday 31 July. Mikelangelo & The Tin Star returns to Sydney to play The Vanguard Friday 5 August and Katoomba RSL Saturday 6.
TIMES NEW VIKING
POP DON’T STOP
GOT THE BLUES
The 2011 line up for the 16th annual Great Southern Blues Festival is upon us, and it’s a corker. The festival, happening Friday 30 September to Sunday 2 October at Mackay Park in Batemans Bay, is a must for lovers of the genre and boasts acts from Australia and beyond. Big Australian names like John Butler Trio (pictured), Pete Murray, Kasey Chambers and Blue King Brown are amongst the headliners, and acts visiting from abroad such as Kenny Neal Band and Booker T. Jones. Renee Geyer, Bomba, Backsliders, Jeff Lang, Bondi Cigars, Chris Wilson, Graveyard Train, Shane Nicholson, Ali Penney & Her West Coast Money Makers and Mama Kin are just a few of the other artists you’ll catch playing across the Labour Day long weekend. Single day tickets are available, as well as tickets covering the entire weekend.
Popfrenzy and Tone have teamed up to organise some massive line ups of live and loud music from near and far over the coming months. Kick starting the series is Ohio band Times New Viking (pictured), who’ll play with Sydney’s Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys on Thursday 25 August. Sydney’s Songs, who’ve been quiet for a while but write some of the best indie drone music in this city, will play the venue Thursday 8 September along with Tiger Choir from Tasmania. October’s session will come from US songstress Marnie Stern in her first ever Australian visit, where she’ll be joined by our own Unity Floors. Each of the nights will also see the Popfrenzy DJs fire up some tunes to get everyone in the mood. A combo ticket for all three shows is available as well as individual show tickets.
PATH TO SUCCESS With their highly anticipated new EP, Dress For Success, in hand, Melbourne indie rockers Apollo Pathway are loading their gear into a van and heading out to conquer the East Coast this month on a tour of the same name. The EP, recorded under the watchful eye of Tom Larkin of Shihad, was released last week on iTunes and features the radio favourite single Never Ending Story. The band has enjoyed radio play from plenty of community stations around the country, too. They play Friday 15 July at the Lansdowne Hotel with Sex In Columbia.
REGURGITATOR Regurgitator have begun the process of drip-feeding their new album, SUPERHAPPYFUNTIMEFRIENDS, over the next couple of months, commencing with first single, One Day, as they take to the road once more, hauling into the CBD Hotel Thursday 11 August, Wollongong Unibar Friday 12, the Manning Bar Saturday 13 and the ANU Bar Sunday 14, accompanied throughout by NZ’s Disasteradio, showcasing new CD, Charisma. New Zealand post punks Cut Off Your Hands, who recently released their second album Hollow, have been announced as the main support for the now sold out Friendly Fires Splendour sideshow at The Metro on Thursday 28 July. Bryan Adams has announced a second Sydney show for his intimate acoustic Bare Bones Tour on Sunday 18 September, at the Sydney Opera House. Local supports for the upcoming Doomriders/I Exist tour have been announced with Lo! opening at the Annandale on Saturday 23 July, Safe Hands at the Cambridge Hotel on Sunday 24 and 4 Dead playing the Canberra show on Monday 25 at ANU Bar. Nova Scotia – the Brisbane band with three guitarists and an affinity with ‘90s slacker music, not the Canadian province –are touring the east coast in support of their debut self-titled LP, playing Black Wire Records on Friday 8 July. With four shows at the Sydney State Theatre already sold out k.d lang has added a fifth show at the same venue on Saturday, 19 November. Tickets go on sale Thursday.
BATRIDER
MIKE NOGA
NO ORDINARY MAN
RIDE IT OUT
As well as supporting Jordie Lane on his upcoming Blood Thinner tour, The Drones’ Mike Noga has a tour of his own to undertake. On the back of the recent release of his latest solo album The Balladeer Hunter, the songsmith is preparing to take to the road again, this time in support of his newest single, Ballad Of An Ordinary Man. The Ordinary Man tour sees Noga take in some intimate venues, and here in Sydney that’s The Vanguard on Saturday 3 September.
New Zealand trio Batrider’s new album, Piles Of Lies, is set for release next Friday 15 July through Two Bright Lakes/Remote Control. The 16-song record was made in Adelaide, inspired by the ‘90s and marks the band’s first release as a three-piece. Batrider formed in 2002 and has gone through some personnel changes since then, now solidified in the current line-up. The Piles Of Lies album launch happens in Drum parts on Saturday 20 August at GoodGod and Sunday 21 at Phoenix Bar.
NEW LOOK
DANCE ALL NIGHT
Making Derek Zoolander proud is Brisbane songstress Sharon Friel, who’s been busy with her delightfully named band, The Blue Steel, on the local scene, having released her debut EP in the last year and, more recently, a new single entitled I Could Be Good For You. They’re jumping in the van and heading on tour to promote the music, which they worked on with renowned Brisbane producer Caleb James. The I Could Be Good For You tour stops into the Old Manly Boatshed on Wednesday 13 July, Phoenix Bar on Thursday 14, Hotel Gearin on Friday 15 and Great Northern Newcastle on Saturday 16.
Dance Club has a party for you all to enjoy on Friday, and they’re claiming it as the biggest one night stand event they’ve put on to date. Featuring the world renowned DJ and producer Boy 8-Bit, the night will also feature some beat makers from closer to home, including Starfucker DJs, Anna Lunoe, Gus Da Hoodrat, Kato, Three Fingers, Mattrad, Awkward Boys and more. This Friday. Fake Club. Be there or be very, very square.
SUPPORT PETERSHAM BOWLO Laughing Outlaw Records joins forces with the Petersham Bowlo’s annual membership drive and fundraiser on Saturday to present a Winter Ball, where there’ll be live music happening from midday to midnight, a showcase for a diverse number of artists. In order of appearance, artists performing on the day will include Piers Twomey, Jason Walker, Barry Adamson of The Devoted Few, The Marines, Mindy Sotiri, Mark Lucas & The Dead Setters, Miss Little, Jamie Hutchings, Bryan Estepa, Sam Shinazzi, Grun and Hailer. The event is completely free of charge and there’s food and drinks available all day.
THE TREWS
TREW TO THEIR WORD
BIRDS OF TOKYO THE OPTIONALS Local supports for the upcoming No Use For A Name tour have been announced. Supporting the Californian punk rockers at the Cambridge Hotel on Wednesday 27 July will be Local Resident Failure and Excitebike, while The Conspiracy Plan and Homeward Bound step in Thursday 28 at Wollongong Uni. Along with Frenzal Rhomb on Friday 29 at ANU Bar is Lamexcuse, and Sunday 7 August at the Annandale Hotel it’s The Optionals and Homeward Bound. Aussie singer/songwriter Eli Wolfe has been peddling his wares overseas, but is expected back for a national launch tour through September and October for his new album. Keep your eyes and ears open. • 26• THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
THE TOXIC AVENGER
HERE COME THE BIRDS It’s been almost a year since Birds Of Tokyo’s third album, simply titled Birds Of Tokyo, was released, and in those short twelve months the record has gone almost double platinum, been nominated for APRA Awards, had a bunch of tracks included in the most recent triple j Hottest 100 and received an ARIA Award for Australia’s Best Rock Album. Not too bad, eh? The band is going to play a whole bunch of local shows before locking themselves away in the studio over the summer. They’re playing Wednesday 14 September at Newcastle Panthers, Thursday 15 at The Metro, Friday 16 at The Roxy Parramatta and Saturday 17 at Wollongong Uni. Tickets for all shows are on sale Friday 15 July.
TOXICITY Hailing from lovely Paris, Simon Delacroix, more commonly known as The Toxic Avenger, is a worldrenowned producer and remixer, having reworked tunes by everyone from Ladytron and Peaches to Benny Benassi and Chromeo. The Toxic Avenger makes electronic music his own with his gutwrenching bass, a whole new look for dance music. He has played alongside acts as diverse as Run DMC, Crystal Castles and Bloody Beetroots, and now he’s bringing the show down under. Thursday 11 August he’ll be at Onefiveone, and Saturday 13 Fake Club will open its doors for the producer to bring on a party.
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No strangers to our shores, Canadian rockers The Trews previously settled in to Australian soil by playing some long-standing residencies at a few of the country’s best loved venues. Then they jetted back home. And now they’re jetting back here. Hooray! Their most recent studio album, Hope And Ruin, was released last month in Australia and has received considerable airplay since, as well as the title single being promoted across major networks. True to form, they’re taking on quite an extensive tour so there’s no excuse for missing a show. Wednesday 14 September they’re at the Great Northern Newcastle, Thursday 15 at The Brass Monkey, Friday 16 at the Old Manly Boatshed, Saturday 17 at Notes for Sydney Fringe Festival, Sunday 18 at Beaches, Wednesday 28 back at the Great Northern Newcastle, Thursday 29 at Vault 146 in acoustic mode, Friday 30 at the Old Manly Boatshed, Saturday 1 October at The Brass Monkey in acoustic mode, back to the Great Northern Newcastle on Wednesday 12, The Brass Monkey – acoustic again – on Thursday 13, the Old Manly Boatshed on Friday 14 and The Gaelic on Saturday 15. Told you it was full on.
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THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 27 •
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RINGWORM
EARWORMS FROM RINGWORM Hardcore champions Ringworm will return to Australia for the first time in four years in September, following the upcoming release of their fifth album, Scars. The band has been around for two decades now and assaulted ears with their blistering tunes all along, and Scars will see them follow in that path of destruction, recorded with producer Ben Schigel (Chimaira, Walls Of Jericho). This will be the second tour of Australia for Ringworm, and they’ll be joined by our own Mindsnare when they hit the road. They play the Cambridge Hotel on Friday 23 September and the Annandale Hotel on Saturday 24.
SPARKADIA
SPARK UP WITH MARY Once a full band prospect, Sparkadia whittled itself down to just the one man, Alex Burnett, for The Great Impression this year, Burnett helming songwriting duties for the album. Live it’s once again a group effort, and following the album’s sold out launch tour the band is back on the road in a couple of months for the Mary tour, on the back of the single of the same name. Joining the band on the tour is Canadian group Imaginary Cities, who enjoyed staring the stage with none other than Pixies on their North American tour this year. Tickets go on sale 9am Friday for the shows at Entrance Leagues on Wednesday 7 September (Imaginary Cities will not appear at this show), The Metro on Thursday 8, University of Canberra on Friday 9, Waves on Saturday 10 and Penrith Panthers on Sunday 11.
2011: A TRANCE ODYSSEY
International superclub Godskitchen has announced that it’s making its way down to Australia for a night that’s sure to have trance lovers in a, well, trance. The brand began as a series of tiny underground parties in the UK, but has emerged as one of the world’s dance culture leaders and an experience for club lovers. This year’s incarnation sees four top notch dance lovers from around the planet, DJs Marco V (pictured), Richard Durand, John Askew and Ben Gold, come along to provide the beats. It’s going to be a trance odyssey and one for the clubbers to remember. Here in Sydney it happens Sunday 2 October at the Hordern Pavilion. Grab your tickets from 9am next Wednesday 13 July.
MOJO JUJU
REGRET NOTHING JOELISTICS
DIESEL
DOWN TO YOUR ROOTS
JOELISTICS’ VOYAGE
Knock knock. Who’s there? Oh no one, just a REALLY EXTENSIVE LINE UP FOR SYDNEY BLUES & ROOTS FESTIVAL. But really. The event, happening Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 October in Windsor, has finally announced its full line up and it’s a corker, with iconic rockers Baby Animals revealed as the main headliner. The group reformed in 2007 and has recently performed for the Dalai Lama in Perth – quite an achievement indeed. Diesel has just released a new album, Under The Influence, and has a lot of touring planned for the rest of the year – this festival included. From the USA, Folk Uke is a duo with musical roots to boot – it features the daughters of Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson – and they’ve got heart-melting harmonies to share on the back of their second album, Reincarnation. The frontwoman of Leonardo’s Bride, Abby Dobson, makes her debut at the festival this year, local singer/songwriter Kim Churchill also joins the bill after a year on the rise, including slots at Bluesfest, Woodford Folk Festival and others. And finally, Canadian Tim Chaisson rounds up the new additions ahead of the release of his fourth studio album.
Having recently been seen supporting the likes of The Herd and Lowrider, Joelistics is now hitting the road on his own, riding the wave of success that initially rolled out following his debut solo release, Voyager. Its single Glorious Feeling was embraced around the country as radio picked it up, playing it for all to hear. He’s been praised by everyone from street press to daily newspapers like the Sydney Morning Herald, and the Voyager tour is significant as it’s his first solo tour – so if you’re keen to show your support to both Joelistics and his special guest ISHU, head to the Great Northern Newcastle on Thursday 4 August and Waves on Friday 5 where they’ll be joined by Sietta, the Sandringham Hotel on Saturday 6 where Daily Meds joins the bill, and Transit Bar on Thursday 18, where Polo Club is the local support.
ALPHAMAMMA
THE BEARDS
BEARDS ARE BEST A fun fact, brought to you by Drum Media: There is nothing more delightful than bristly hair on a man’s face. No one knows this better than The Beards, a band that writes songs exclusively about these magical patches of fur that appear on the mugs of the most respectable of men. They have two beard-tastic albums behind them and are currently recording their third, and its first taste, the subtly named You Should Consider Having Sex With A Bearded Man, has a message worth listening to. The latest tour for the band is called the 100 Beards Tour, which will see them try to convince 100 “clean chins” to grow and keep a beard. Get hairy with The Beards at ANU Bar on Thursday 18 August, the Annandale Hotel on Friday 19 and the Cambridge Hotel on Saturday 20.
RUN FREE FOREVER With a Grammy and WC Handy Award under his belt, and having been praised by luminaries like Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton, blues rocker Alvin Youngblood Hart ain’t doing too badly for himself. Since 1996 he’s been spreading the musical word around the world with his albums, and he’s also had some forays into film, soundtracking 2006’s Black Snake Moan and hitting the big screen as a musician in The Great Debators in 2007. With roots man Paul Greene, he plays Vault 146 on Saturday 13 August, Lizotte’s Dee Why on Sunday 14, Lizotte’s Newcastle on Saturday 20, Lizotte’s Kincumber on Sunday 21 and The Basement Circular Quay on Wednesday 23.
MAMA MIA
SING TO THE SKY
The long-awaited EP from Alphamama is finally upon us, giving audiences a taste of the wild temptress within. The songstress has charmed Sydney audiences in the past with her unique all-girl band The Love Drug, and is now prepared to begin another musical journey on her own. The self-titled EP features the vocals of Ngaiire and was co-produced by West Labz, and will be launched Wednesday 13 July at Tone, with special guests Kween G, Ngaiire, Milan, Mirrah, Danny G Felix and West Labz.
Having received positive press from Australian music media both in print and online, The Singing Skies is the solo project of Sydney musician Kell Derrig-Hall. It’s his first solo venture, but he’s previously contributed to recordings and live performances by the likes of Jack Ladder and Seaworthy. His first album, Routine And War, features performances from Melodie Nelson, Laura Jean and Biddy Connor. He takes these tunes to the Petersham Bowlo on Friday, where he’ll play alongside Saskia Sansom and Transcription Of Organ Music.
• 28 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
Mojo Juju has been making tunes for the last eight years, taking clues from luminous ladies like Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Bessie Smith to carve out her own musical personality, singing the blues passionately. She’s also known as a founding member of seven-piece noir rockers The Snake Oil Merchants, but is now ready to be recognised as a solo force to be reckoned with. Horse Named Regret is the first taste of what’s to come, and she’ll be showing it off at The Vanguard on Thursday 21 July, Hotel Gearin on Friday 22, Great Northern Newcastle on Saturday 23 and Transit Bar on Thursday 28. Archer will support at all shows, with Jordan Colley stepping in for all shows except for Transit Bar, where Clairy Browne will do the honours.
BEAT IT UP This year’s Winterbeatz line-up has been announced, sure to bring some much needed heat to the frosty season. 50 Cent featuring G-Unit heads up the festival, a name that doesn’t need to be announced – dude’s taken nine bullets and not only survived, but sold a cool 36 million albums after that, as well as receiving a Grammy. Over the last decade, Fabolous has been at the forefront of hip hop and has two platinum-selling albums under his belt, as well as one gold. Since 1995, Lil’ Kim has rapped with style, blowing up its sex appeal and providing a real voice for women in hip hop, a place where they’re criminally under-recognised. And finally, Mario, hailing from Baltimore, brings some smooth R&B to the fold, having been compared to the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. The Winterbeatz line up is essential for any R&B/rap lovers this winter, and it comes to the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Friday 19 August. Tickets are on sale 9am Friday.
BRING ON THE GOOD TIMES The article of clothing might be daggy, but Perth rockers Tracksuit sure aren’t. The band recently released its second studio EP, Where Have All The Good Times Gone?, and has in the past supported Yves Klein Blue (may they rest in peace). ‘60s-esque rock is their vibe, with influences from that time such as The Kinks and those closer to today, like Jet – a mixture of rock from both Australia and the UK. On the back of the new EP, the band is embarking on a tour of NSW that stops into Rock Lily on Wednesday 13 July, CBD Hotel on Thursday 14 and Oxford Art Factory Gallery Bar on Friday 15.
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ARCTIC MONKEYS
FALL FOR THIS One of the great Australian summer festivals, Falls is an important event on many music lovers’ calendars as it marks a couple of days at the end of the year where work is forgotten and all that matters is music, mates and a lot of sunshine and fun. The first announcement for this year’s festival is now upon us, and though there are only a few acts on the bill yet, we can be sure to expect to hear more. British bad boys Arctic Monkeys head up the festival this year on the back of their latest album, Suck It And See, and comedian Arj Barker brings a few laughs to the line-up too. Also announced are Easy Star All, Fleet Foxes, The Jezabels and Tim Finn. In Marion Bay, Tasmania, the festival happens over three days from Thursday 29 December, while in Lorne, Victoria, it happens over four days from Wednesday 28. The Tasmanian festival is open to all ages, while you’ll need to be over 18 to get along in Victoria. Subscribe to the ballot before 5 August at fallsfestival.com, or wait for general public tickets to go on sale Wednesday 17 August.
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WAKE UP All barely 21 years old, the boys in Byron Bay metalcore band In Hearts Wake formed back in 2006 when they were wee high schoolers to make some noise together. Since then they’ve played in support of bands including Parkway Drive, The Wonder Years, The Amity Affliction and Oh Sleeper, and in 2010 released a split six-track EP with The Bride. More recently, the band recorded a cover of Chris Brown’s Yeah 3X, which they renamed Yeah 4X and are taking on the road. They stop into Hot Damn at Spectrum on Thursday 21 July, St Johns Hall in Sutherland on Friday 22 and Blacktown’s Masonic Hall on Sunday 24. The latter two shows are open to fans of all ages.
SPYING ON YOU
ATTRACTIVE TUNES
New Jersey quintet Monster Magnet burst onto the scene in the ‘90s, defining their genre and spreading the psychedelic rock‘n’roll love wherever they went. The stadium rockers’ landmark release remains 1995’s Dopes To Infinity, which saw them explode from the underground to an adoring mainstream following worldwide. The band appeared at Soundwave earlier in the year to much acclaim, and is coming back merely half a year later to blow minds once again, this time playing Dopes To Infinity in its entirety and performing a smattering of their greatest hits. Tickets are on sale Friday for the show at The Metro on Wednesday 14 September.
Pub rockers Spy V Spy have been treading the Australian circuit for nigh on 30 years, despite a hell of a lot of line-up changes and hiatuses. In any case, they have released a handful of albums since their inception, as well as a number of compilation albums and EPs. The band’s snagged itself a new lead singer and is performing a relaunch show on Saturday 6 August at the Penrith Hotel, free. The band is planning on recording some of the shows to create a new live album. Before that relaunch they play Hotel Gearin on Saturday, and a run of Lizotte’s shows in October including Dee Why on Thursday 6, Newcastle on Friday 7 and Kincumber on Sunday 9.
CRANK IT UP Saturday at Valve Bar is a huge day of local rock and punk bands, showcasing the best this fine city and surrounds have to offer over a full day. Valvefest is the name and acts performing include Brisbane’s Tinian’s Boy, who are down promoting their new video for Animal, as well as delSanto, BigBozza Band, FisherKing, The Underground Architect, Lower Coast Skies and more. There’ll also be a half pipe set up outside for skaters to do their thang, and BM Skateboards will be on hand, giving away T-shirts, hats and hoodies, and a door prize of a skateboard deck. Skating at 1pm, music at 2pm all the way through to midnight. All you need is 12 bucks.
CRASH AND BURN Swedish sleaze rockers Crashdïet will make their debut appearance in Australia, promoting their 2010 release Generation Wild. Taking hints from the hair metal of the ‘80s and the punk aesthetic, the band formed in 2000 and based its sound on bands like Skid Row, Guns N’ Roses and KISS. They’ll have a special guest in burlesque performer Antoinette La’Noir, as well as bands L.U.S.T and Sunset Riot, when they play The Gaelic on Saturday 20 August.
SMOKIN’ SALMON Best known as a founding member of The Scientists, Kim Salmon has had a musical career spanning almost 40 years, beginning in 1976 when he formed The Cheap Nasties, Perth’s first ever punk band which went on to become The Manikins. After taking the Old Bar Russian Roulette to Melbourne and selling out four shows, Salmon is bringing that concept here for two nights, playing two sets – each of which will focus on a different part of his career. He’ll also have different bands joining him for each set. Friday 19 and Saturday 20 August are the dates, the Sandringham Hotel is the place.
Grammy Award-winning hip hop artist Lil Jon will head down under to perform at MTV’s premier winter event, MTV Snow Jam, this time at the Burton Cattleman’s Rail Jam in Mt. Buller Saturday 16 July. Canadian indie rock band Handsome Furs will release their third full-length album, Sound Kapital, on Friday. Friday sees the release of the fabric 58: Craig Richards, the former the iconic British underground nightclub, the latter the venue’s musical director. Popular local country artist Adam Harvey releases his ninth album, Falling Into Place, Friday. Mixing lounge, house and jazz influences, Family With 3 Hearts, the new record from Massivan, will be released on Thursday 14 July. The solo project of Atlanta, Georgia multi-instrumentalist Ernest Greene, the much more hip sounding Washed Out, sees the release of a debut album, Within And Without, Friday 15 July. A splinter side project of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA), MellowHype releases their new album, BlackenedWhite, Friday 22 July. Wilco aren’t releasing their new album until September, but they’re releasing a limited edition 7” blue vinyl single, I Might, backed with a cover of Nick Lowe’s I Love My Label, Friday 22 July, available from their online store. Finland-based house music producer Jori Hulkonnen and Australian born, Chicago-based singer Tania Bowers wrote Continent One, the debut album from The Tania And Jori Continents, via email correspondence. It is released locally via Other Tongues on Friday 29 July – the same day that British producer Alex Metric’s first album on Virgin, Open Your Eyes, is released. Another release hitting shelves Friday 29 July is Foreverlution, the anticipated follow up to Thundamentals’ 2009 debut Sleeping On Your Style. SuperHeavy, the new collaborative project featuring Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, Damian Marley, A.R. Rahman and Dave Stewart, releases its self-titled debut album on Friday 23 September.
• 30 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
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Triple M, Video Hits, Channel [V], Fasterlouder, New World Artists and Crucial Music present
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WEIRD SCIENCE
AFTER HEARING ART VS SCIENCE WROTE A SONG ABOUT BAD BREATH, BRYGET CHRISFIELD SNIFFS OUT SOME DETAILS WHILE CONVERSING WITH DAN MAC.
“We had to do it for Sleek Geeks for Karl, you know Dr Karl [Kruszelnicki]?” Why, of course! Largely for his weekly science talkback show on triple j. Does Mac think his band’s name put them on Kruszelnicki’s radar as potential guest stars for the TV show he co-hosted with Adam Spencer? “Nah, I don’t think so,” he counters. “Hilltop Hoods came on and I think bands often come on there, but I guess we obviously jumped at the chance because we like Dr Karl.”
NOISE
the art of
HE MAY HAVE BEEN ELECTROCUTED IN THE NAME OF ART, BUT ART VS SCIENCE VOCALIST/MULTIINSTRUMENTALIST DAN MAC’S MUSICAL FORMULA ISN’T ROCKET SCIENCE. “WE JUST MAKE THIS STUFF BECAUSE WE LIKE IT AND I GUESS THAT’S WHY IT’S SUCH A NICE BONUS IF OTHER PEOPLE LIKE IT AS WELL,” HE TELLS BRYGET CHRISFIELD. COVER AND FEATURE PIC BY KANE HIBBERD.
“W
e were in Canberra and there was a girl who was really starstruck and it was um, I’m not sure how to describe the experience,” Art Vs Science vocalist/multiinstrumentalist Dan Mac (short for McNamee) recalls of a fan encounter at Groovin’ The Moo’s signing tent. “I don’t wanna say ‘cute’, ‘cause that sounds kind of demeaning, but it was kind of cute. She was like [puts on girly voice], ‘Oh, you guys! I love you guys!’ And I went, ‘Oh, okay. Anyway, do you want a hug? Get a photo?’” Has anyone asked the trio whose music never fails to get parties started to sign anywhere that’s usually concealed by undergarments? “No, no,” Mac chuckles. “It’s funny, they often imply that they might want you to, or get a bit of a thrill, like, say, ‘You can just sign it anywhere, anywhere at all, anywhere you want.’” It appears some fans come better prepared for signing ops than others. “You do get some bus tickets,” Mac admits. “Actually, a guy in Canberra brought the two booklets from two of the releases we’ve done to sign. That was pretty cool. That showed a lot of dedication there.” Mac remembers a brush with fame at a signing tent way back when the flipper was on the other foot: “Homebake used to do it. I remember I got Frenzal Rhomb’s signature in 2002 or something like that. I was the one going, ‘OH MY GOD!’ So I’ve been on the other side.” Art Vs Science found time to play dress-ups for our cover shoot en route to Groovin’ The Moo in Bendigo and Mac extols the virtues of their chosen outfits, “They were awesome! The steampunk thing is so cool. I think there’s definitely shades of Mighty Boosh in the steampunk thing: just the wacky sense of humour in their costumes and things like that. There is bit of a sense of humour to it, but it’s also kinda punky as well – it’s cool. We were actually saying to the designer that we’d like to see if she’d be interested in designing some stage clothes for us. We wanna get lasers on the arms or something like that to make it a bit more ‘future’.” Stay tuned for future developments at upcoming Art Vs Science shows. “Yeah,” Mac laughs, “we have some pretty grand ideas… I wonder how practical they’d be for jumping around though? The one I was wearing was really heavy and it had a thing in the back that had dry ice coming out of it, which makes this gassy stuff.” Perhaps after the big entrance, a costume change would be required. “Yeah, I think so,” Mac considers, “You wouldn’t wanna have some sort of Spinal Tap-esque costume malfunction like that one where he starts off in the chrysalis and then he can’t get out.” • 32 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
This isn’t the first time Art Vs Science has been inspired by creative types beamed into their universe. “It happens like that all the time,” Mac tells. “Our first video clip – which did really well for us, Parlez-Vous Français? – only came about because the guy who ended up directing it came on our first Groovin’ The Moo tour two years ago to shoot some documentary-style thing, which didn’t actually end up happening. But over the course of that week, or those days or whatever, he came up with this idea for Parlez-Vous Français? for the film clip.” If you’re a regular festivalgoer, you would probably have seen some punters dressed as the mime artists from the aforementioned music video. “There’s actually been a few people wearing the ‘Magic Fountain’ – the speaker jacket thing,” Mac marvels, namechecking their video
“
That’s always, to me, been what a band should be like – an experience, a live experience. There’s lots of crazy shit going on, but it’s all happening as you watch it.”
for Magic Fountain. “Now that’s dedication. Actually the director, the same guy again [Alex Roberts], was at – I think it was Harbourlife or something like that and he met someone who was wearing the thing and it actually worked better than the one in our film clip. The speakers actually worked on it and he had the song going on it. It was amazing!” Mac seems humbled by the fact that there are fans out there that obviously feel as if Art Vs Science’s music speaks directly to them. “It’s really exciting to see and it’s great that… I dunno, it just kind of makes you happy with the things you’ve imagined, I guess, ‘cause it’s all fun for us. Like, the music itself: some songs have deep, hidden meanings and some songs are just fun and really don’t have any meanings or anything like that
and it’s really cool that something you have imagined is being imagined by other people out there and with a good feeling, you know? It’s almost like a telepathy kind of thing ‘cause you think of this stuff – ideas for film clips or for songs and stuff like that – [and] you don’t actually expect to be sharing those thoughts with other people. But you kind of are, which is really cool. “I haven’t actually thought about it that much until this interview,” he laughs incredulously. “Yeah, it is kinda cool, but I guess at the same time maybe the reason we don’t think about it that much is because we’ve got something that we do which seems to work and we don’t want to put too many variables into it, if you know what I mean. We just make this stuff because we like it and I guess that’s why it’s such a nice bonus if other people like it as well.” Art Vs Science first grabbed the nation’s attention when their song Flippers won triple j’s Splendour In The Grass competition in 2008, the prize being an opening slot at the festival that same year. Of his band’s repertoire at the time, Mac says, “We had around five songs, I think. Oh no, we probably had seven or eight, but I think only five of those ones remain now. There were a lot of songs which have fallen into the Art Vs Science dustbin.” They were failed experiments that didn’t end up a part of their debut album The Experiment. “Yeah, exactly. Actually, we’re redoing the webpage at the moment and we’re gonna have a section on there just of the jams that we do, ‘cause we have jams all the time and we record them on our crappy GarageBand speakers and microphones and heaps of them just don’t end up seeing the light of day at all, even though they’re kinda cool. So we’re gonna put this thing up and, just in case those songs don’t end up being developed into other songs, at least people can have a listen and see if they like ‘em or not.” If aspiring songwriters decide to take matters into their own hands and see what they can do with Art Vs Science’s offcuts, Mac jokes that they would be required to “then hand them back along with some signed contracts and things”. His band went on to hone its craft live through a multitude of festival appearances and support slots, but Mac says this wasn’t a “super-conscious decision”. “We did all that because we were all fans of rock and stuff,” he continues. “I was a huge metal fan all through high school and Jim [Finn, vocals/keys] was into Blink-182 and all that stuff. I think Dan [Williams,
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Although Mac bemoans not having been called “Dr Dan” by Dr Karl, he offers, “We had an interesting physics question that stumped him, though. It was something – oh, it didn’t originate with me. Jim [Finn, vocals/ keyboards] was wondering about it… It was one of those ones where there are two trains moving towards each other at the speed of light or something like that.” Finn must have felt fairly pleased with himself after having stumped Dr Karl. “I think he really was actually, probably more so than he should have been,” Mac laughs, “but I mean you have to give the man credit, you don’t stump Dr Karl every day!” So who chose the subject of bad breath for Art Vs Science to investigate via song? “The TV show said, ‘Hey, we’re doing it. This is the one for this week: it’s about bad breath, make up a song.’ So basically we got one of Dr Karl’s essays that he provided for us and got some of the key facts and words and tried to make a Beastie Boys rap thing over the top of it. It only took about half a day. It was fun.” With a chorus that features the following lyrics: “When your breath smells like a bum/ You know there’s something freaky goin’ on”, you know you wanna Google it and then scream out requests to hear it at future Art Vs Science gigs. Mac ponders the likelihood of this song being included in setlists down the line: “Maybe we would for a really small gig, but when you’re playing festivals – as we are doing a lot of at the moment – you only get 40 minutes and so you kinda wanna play all the singles and your more upbeat, dancey ones.”
drums/vocals] liked Rage Against The Machine and all that kind of thing. For me, Mudvayne – they’re the sort of bands that well, the way I saw it, the live show for them was going out like Slipknot: there’s guys jumping around, there’s nine of them onstage, they’re in masks, they’re doing all this crazy shit yelling at the crowd, firing them up. And that’s always, to me, been what a band should be like – an experience, a live experience. There’s lots of crazy shit going on, but it’s all happening as you watch it.” You certainly couldn’t accuse Art Vs Science of playing it safe live. “In the US I was getting electrocuted,” Mac shares of a time when things weren’t going entirely to plan. “I need 240-volt power and they do 120 or whatever it is [in the US]. So basically they had to use a transformer – which doesn’t always do it perfectly – to get to my pedal board, which then transforms it back down again to whatever voltage it needs. And there’s all this stuff going on and it’s not as balanced as it is in Australia. So when I touched two certain things together at the same time, I’d get not really a pleasant kind of tingle. It was like a lower voltage - higher current kind of thing, so it was just like [makes a sound that’s somewhere between gargling mouthwash and crackling electricity]. It was just when I was plugging it in, but there was troubleshooting going on so I was trying to figure out why it wasn’t working. So I was touching it a lot when I was doing the soundcheck.” When asked whether he’s noticed any longterm effects from this experience, Mac sounds disappointed. “I thought you were gonna say superpowers. “Shit like that always happens. Jim was running along to do a big jump off the drum riser and then he stacked it. He slipped on the foot that he was gonna use to jump off – that foot slid right into the drum riser at a pretty quick pace and so his shin went right into the drum riser at full pelt. So he was hobbling around the stage after that. I’m always falling over as well. You get a bit sweaty and fall over once or twice.” WHO Art Vs Science WHAT The Experiment (Green/MGM) WHEN & WHERE Friday, Enmore Theatre
EXTRA FIRE
THEY’RE AIMING LESS VENOM AT GOVERNMENTS ON THEIR LATEST OUTING, BUT UNEARTH STILL DELIVERS MUCH VITRIOL – JUST NOT WHEN DOWNING SHOTS AND MIMICKING EDDIE VAN HALEN. BRENDAN CRABB WASHES AWAY THIS LYING WORLD WITH THE METALLERS’ FRONTMAN TREVOR PHIPPS.
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ccording to Unearth vocalist Trevor Phipps, the band’s impending return to Australia will be the Massachusetts crew’s seventh visit to our shores, but mention the upcoming Soundwave Revolution tour of which they’re a part and his enthusiasm immediately lifts. “It’s always a great place to play, but on this tour getting to see Van Halen every day will be great,” he gushes. “That’s a band we party to every single day on tour. We have what we call ‘Power Hour’ prior to going on stage and [Iron] Maiden and Van Halen get us psyched up for the show, with a few shots of whiskey. They’re a huge influence, but I’ve never seen them before, so I’m pretty stoked.”
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We wanted to take us to the next level and solidify our place in metal.”
Already touring veterans in this section of the world, he’s also pumped about another opportunity to preach to the unconverted. “Most bands will tell you that their first love is to play in small clubs to fans, but in a festival setting if you can get new people to rage and get into your band – that’s what it’s all about.” Although fond of a party and some cheesy on-stage antics, Unearth has carved a reputation as a meat and potatoes, steadfastly reliable and uncompromising metalcore act always steering clear of trends. Fans have responded to this integrity. Phipps’ lyrics often venture into political territory, but on latest album Darkness In The Light, he felt it was time to change things up slightly – not a practice many associate with Unearth’s career development. “Lyrically, I went to a few different places,” he explains. “There were more songs talking about personal hardship; that’s where a bunch of the lyrics came from. Others touch on politics and current events and there are some that are more positive. It’s more personal, which is hard to put myself out there. I was able to get loads of things off my chest. I’ve grown a little tired of politics, so I went a little more personal.” When Drum enquires why he’s lost some interest in political themes, Phipps is to the point. “They’re [politicians] full of shit,” he booms. “I think most people would see eye-to-eye if people weren’t trying to pull them towards someone else’s agenda, whether left or right. I think people are more in the middle than a lot of people think. Some people may lean more towards the left or the right, but they don’t always think that way. But if one extremist tells them one thing often enough, they’ll listen. Their agenda is to get people to go to their side and keep them apart, rather than pull them together. That’s what the first track on the album, Watch It Burn, is about.” On the musical front, he’s also mighty enthused about their latest songs. “I think it’s a combination of all the elements that are different on each record. It has the energy of our first album, the heaviness and melody of [2004’s second album] The Oncoming Storm, the speed of parts of [2006’s third album] III… and some of the structure of the last one. The feedback has been amazing; time will tell if it’s our best record. Until this point I thought The Oncoming Storm was our best record... I like each one as they all add something different. This is my personally most extreme record. I grew up as more of a hardcore vocalist, but this has more highs and lows. We just want to get better at our crafts and put out the best record we can.” The new album process also included retaining the services of famed producer, Killswitch Engage guitarist and all-round nutter Adam Dutkiewicz, who also briefly filled in on drums for Unearth in 2003. Phipps says it’s as simple as no one else understanding their sound better. “He knows us inside and out; he’s almost like another member of the band. But he’s still outside of the band, so he’s not as attached to it. Plus he’s a player – he plays a lot of instruments, has many tools and he just knows music. He has a great ear for a melody and a riff and he’s great with guitars. Ken [Susi] and Buz [McGrath, guitarists] have great harmonies, but he’ll say, ‘Try this note instead’ and it’ll be a better harmony.” While admired for not making anything resembling a dud release in their five-album career and also for their high-intensity live shows, Unearth has been given the “reliable” tag by many critics and fans. There’s a vibe about them which suggests that while consistent they almost seem content with their place in the metal world and as a result, they take few risks. Not the case, the frontman emphasises. “We have been given some critiques for not changing things up enough,” he says. “I think we have changed some things, but have kept a core sound. Pulling a 180 can really bum out your fanbase. As fans of music, we know that. We know why the band got noticed and we’ll try new things… But we know that bands like Slayer and AC/DC sound like those bands, you can tell it’s them in like the first three seconds of the song.” As for any inclination of the band not having serious aspirations to one day ascend to the top of the metal pile, perish the thought. “We’re in our tenth year as a full-time touring band. On this [album] I think we had a little extra fire. We’ve seen bands and trends come and go and we wanted to take us to the next level and solidify our place in metal. We want to take it to the Pantera level – on the band’s own terms. Our real idols are bands like Slayer and Cannibal Corpse, who have maintained a very successful career for more than 20 years; Slayer has never been as big as Pantera, but they have had a great, lengthy career. If the band had that level of success, it’d be awesome – the band doesn’t plan on going anywhere.” WHO Unearth WHAT Darkness In The Light (Metal Blade/Riot!) WHEN & WHERE Sunday 25 September, Soundwave Revolution
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THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 33 •
MASSIVE COMEBACK
KAISER CHIEFS RETURNED WITH A BANG WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THEIR ‘CREATE YOUR OWN ALBUM’ IDEA. BASSIST SIMON RIX EXPLAINS TO SEVANA OHANDJANIAN WHY HIS BAND WANT YOU TO MAKE THEIR ALBUM FOR THEM.
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O
n May 27 two words appeared on Kaiser Chiefs drummer Nick Hodgson’s Twitter: “We’re back”, with a link to a brand new song, Little Shocks. After nearly three years of silence, the band announced not only a new album, but 20 new songs and a unique way in which fans could get involved. Twenty song snippets were posted onto the Kaiser Chiefs website, along with a ‘create your own album’ project, wherein fans could listen to the songs, order ten of them to their liking and create the album artwork. They could get then go through and purchase their self-made version of The Future Is Medieval and put it on sale for fellow fans. Each time someone bought a version, the creator made a pound. Innovative or destructive to the concept of the album, bassist Simon Rix has a lot to say on the topic. “One of the interesting things about the way we did it, is when we initially did the first interviews on the first day, everyone was focusing on the fact that we had destroyed even more the album concept, because we had given the creativity of the tracklisting to the fans,” he recalls. “Which actually could be a point, but by giving them that responsibility and creativity, we’ve given them some ownership of the record and we think maybe people treat the record with a bit more respect because they see it as their record and they think they’ve made a record they like. “But also when people were making the album, I know of people who were spending more than a day listening to the song miniclips and doing them in the correct order, so we made them really think about the album and how important an album is and how important the flow of an album is, all that sort of thing. I actually think for some people we’ve actually given them back the value of the album they didn’t realise and people are putting it onto their computers and listening to it from beginning to end in the order they selected because they want to listen to their order, ‘cause they think it’s the best one.” The genesis of the idea itself is the answer to a number of their concerns, one of which is no doubt influenced by the leaking of their last record Off With Their Heads in 2008, three weeks before release. “Basically Ricky [Wilson, singer] had this idea that about the ten songs, twenty songs and choosing your own and it stems from loads and loads of different reasons,” explains Rix. “Personally from the band, from our side, we’d done the three albums and everyone was tired of touring the three albums and everyone was quite demotivated to make a new record. Recently Nick [Hodgson], who is our principal songwriter and our drummer, he’s got some family stuff , his dad is not well and he was very demotivated so we needed to do something different to re-energise and get ourselves going and creative about making another record, so that was one thing. “Another thing is obviously the music industry is going through a change and we all think that when we were young, CDs would come out and they were very expensive – they were something that you had to save up all your pocket money for and then you would get one and you would listen to it a lot and it would be pride of place in your bedroom. With digital downloads some of it is really positive – people can get a lot of music very easily – but obviously with illegal downloading people can get back catalogues for nothing… there are all sorts of problems with it. With the idea, it seems to tick a lot of boxes with things we did want to happen and things we didn’t want to happen. So it really works for us.” Having been away for three years, the band also felt the need to remind the public that they were still around too and, considering the media coverage that ensued after the album was released, it worked. “We also wanted to make a massive comeback. We didn’t want to come back with ten songs on a CD like everyone else, ‘cause it’s pretty boring, so we wanted to do something totally different. To have one day a few weeks ago where there was no new Kaiser Chiefs songs out there and everyone’s probably thinking, ‘Oh no they’re finished’ or ‘I wonder what they’re up to now?’, then suddenly the next day to have twenty songs on the internet – all of them we think totally brilliant and all of them a good enough standard to be on anyone’s album, ‘cause obviously there’s hundreds of different versions of the album out there – we thought it was a massive challenge but also made a massive statement about being back and being good and all that sort of thing.” The roll out of the album isn’t the only difference between this and previous Kaiser Chiefs records. One listen is all it takes to notice the band are delving into styles they’ve never touched on and Rix attributes it to time given to mull over a day’s work rather than making a slap dash effort.
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“For the second album [Yours Truly, Angry Mob], the day after we finished recording it we went on tour. It doesn’t give you a lot of time for reflection or spending time with it and making sure it’s everything you want it to be,” he laments. “We started working on this record from the beginning of 2010, so over maybe 16 months, we had a relaxed attitude towards this album, which was great. It was very different to the way we’ve made an album before. Before what we’ve done is write the songs over say two or three months and then go record them for six weeks and then stick it out and that’s it. But this time we wrote a bit, recorded a bit and because Nick had his own studio we could record ourselves and make some demos and a lot of that made it to the twenty [songs] as well. For the first time ever we re-recorded stuff we weren’t happy with… it was the first time we experimented with the songs a lot after writing.” WHO Kaiser Chiefs WHAT The Future Is Medieval (Liberator) WHEN & WHERE Saturday 6 August, Enmore Theatre
• 34 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
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JAMES BLUNDELL + CATHERINE BRITT Australia's most popular male country singer joins Australia's best female country singer to provide an unforgettable evening of entertainment. Two hot country stars on one bill! This is one gig not to miss. PLUS DJ ANDY GLITRE IN THE MACQUARIE PLACE BAR FROM 5.30PM!
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LIGHT MY FIRE: 40 YEARS ON -- A TRIBUTE TO JIM MORRISON AND THE DOORS Forty years on from the death of one of the most influential figures in rock music, we present a tribute to Jim Morrison and the Doors, starring Jeff Duff, Damien Lovelock, Sam Joole and Simon Bruce. PLUS EASTSIDE FM’S DJ TOON IN THE MACQUARIE PLACE BAR FROM 5.30PM!
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AFRO MOSES OJAH AND HIS 14 PIECE BAND + EBB N FLO (NZ) The dynamic, dreadlocked showman is back again from Africa, Indonesia and Europe to blow you away with his unique blend of Afro-fusion, reggae, afro-salsa percussion, and lots more. Join him and his all-star band for the launch of his new CD, I Want 2B Happy. Supported by NZ's hiphop reggae allstars, Ebb N Flo.
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KOOYEH + THE RAW TIDE + BONES AND ALL Catch three of the fastest-rising bands in New South Wales all on the same bill. Kooyeh deliver hiphop-accented ska reminiscent of Toots and the Maytals. The Raw Tide out of Katoomba are a trio that blend raw energy and brilliant acoustic refinement. Bones And All go hard and loud and are beloved by roiller derby fans in the Blue Mountains. PLUS DJ ANDY GLITRE IN THE MACQUARIE PLACE BAR FROM 5.30PM!
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JAMES MORRISON It is hard to imagine that James Morrison could get any better, but it seems with each time he hits The Basement stage, he raises the bar even higher and effortlessly sails over. PLUS EASTSIDE FM’S DJ BULLY DUX IN THE MACQUARIE PLACE BAR FROM 5.30PM!
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DAN SULTAN + ALEX GOW (OH MERCY) Two of the most unique and talented singer-songwriters in Australia performing side-by-side it sounds too good to be true. But it is. True, that is. SOLD OUT.
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THE WORLD IN THE BASEMENT: DR GOODVIBE, JO FABRO, KEREN MINSHULL AND MANY MORE Shake off the winter blues with a big dose of good vibes and girl power in our fantastic monthly showcase of world music! Dr Goodvibe will get the good times rolling, followed by a showcase of some of our most dynamic and diverse female vocalists, backed up by the fabulous Jo Fabro Band and vocalist Keren Minshull.
:fd`e^ Jffe 9ffb Efn 0),( ).0. N\[ Alcp )' – MR PERCIVAL + JAMES VALENTINE K_l Alcp )( – DRAGON =i` Alcp )) – MICK HART EXPERIENCE RECREATING HENDRIX JXk Alcp )* – THE JACKSONS EXPERIENCE, WITH BROWN SUGAR Jle Alcp )+ – ‘SHINE’, WITH IOTA, MATANZA AND MANY MORE N\[ Alcp ). – FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS
THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 35 •
TO THE SEA
WITH DEBUT ALBUM SOME WERE MEANT FOR SEA PACKED FOR HER JOURNEY ACROSS THE TASMAN, NEW ZEALANDER HOLLIE FULLBROOK AS TINY RUINS TELLS TYLER MCLOUGHLAN ABOUT NOSTALGIC MARITIME JOYS, ESCAPADES ABROAD AND SCORING COVETED SUPPORT DATES FOR SEEKER LOVER KEEPER.
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ollie Fullbrook is trying to seek out the quiet of Auckland’s laneways as she heads home in the after-work darkness. She’s late and slightly puffing; her new job (the one that doesn’t involve her beautifully melancholic brand of folk under the moniker of Tiny Ruins) is proving to be a big distraction. “I’ve finished my studies [in English literature, theatre and law] and I’m now working at the library as a part time job and just focusing on my music. It’s a bit of a novelty,” she gushes with the joy of a bookworm. “I got stuck in a book just before I left work – that was why I was late for my first interview because I was reading about the last interview with John Lennon actually… It is hard to pull yourself away from the interesting books that you’re dealing with all the time, but hopefully I can reign myself in.” It’s a quaintly fascinating image of an artist that begs further interest with an insight into some of the spaces and places she chose when working on the songs of her debut album Some Were Meant For Sea: New Zealand winters in a draughty apartment with a guitar and a cat for company and some real-time collaboration with her Spanish MySpace penpal A Singer Of Songs (otherwise known as Lieven Scheerlinck) in Barcelona. Her escapades abroad began as a youngster, emigrating from Britain to the land of the long white cloud, which goes some way to explaining her affinity with the sea and its absorption into her debut album. “Well I think from a very young age I was quite fascinated by the sea. When my family moved here when I was ten years old, the sea was sort of like the defining factor of New Zealand for me; it kind of stood out so much from where we’d come from, which was in a city. The idea of people who used to travel by boat everywhere is kind of a romantic one for me and I think while I was writing quite a few of the songs [for Some Were Meant For Sea] I was studying up on transportation to Australia in fact,” she mentions breezily, further reinforcing her bookish demeanour. “I just often gravitated towards subjects that involved maritime and old pirate songs and things like that. A lot of poems and songs have been written about the sea over the ages and I think just because it is the kind of subject that is easy to write about, it captures your imagination and it’s mysterious.”
Like love, the ocean is a comparably expansive topic to write songs about. “Yeah I think that’s true,” Fullbrook declares before exploring the depths of the theme. “Apparently some psychoanalyst said the deep sea is kind of akin to our subconscious and I think that’s an interesting idea. For sure the deep sea is something that I’m most frightened of; I find it the most unsettling thing watching films about the deep sea. It’s definitely a very powerful theme. But I didn’t set out to write songs about the sea. I didn’t write the songs with the plan of writing about voyages. When it came to thinking of a title for the album it just struck me that there were quite a few references to the sea and people leaving; [about] the simple distance in between people and in between places. So the title of the album is taken from one of the songs – from Priest With Balloons – and that was about a priest in Brazil who launched himself off a cliff with a bunch of helium balloons and disappeared off the sea. So the song itself was based on the story of this person who decided to do that about three or four years ago. His name was Father Carli – Google him!” With the songs down, Fullbrook asked around for producer recommendations and (Greg) J Walker (Holly Throsby, Machine Translations) came on board. Working from his base in the southern Gippsland region of Victoria, the pair spent a couple of weeks shaping Some Were Meant For Sea, in between fresh air breaks, garage sales and surfing. “I was told he had all these crazy instruments and lived in the middle of nowhere and it just sounded like a good place to start this album, which I wanted to be quite simple,” she says in earnest. “He managed to track down a little school hall about five, ten minutes down the road from his house, so it worked out perfectly just stumbling along to the school hall every evening to record. [We recorded in the] evening because there was a bird’s nest in the roof of the hall and they kept up such a racket in the daytime that we had to record at night, but I think that lends a slightly nocturnal feel to the album as well, the fact that it was recorded at night time. You can hear the birds actually in quite a few places.” Having already released Some Were Meant For Sea to an admiring home territory audience, it’s just been released in Australia. “For someone who’s come out of nowhere like I have, the New Zealand press have been totally on board,” she notes with a hint of phew. “I’ve had a fantastic run of kind reviews and interviews; it’s been nice to get a bit of acknowledgement from the mainstream press over here. They’ve been altogether quite positive.” With a voyage to Australia on the horizon, Fullbrook will fit her own Tiny Ruins headline shows in amongst support dates with Seeker Lover Keeper. The slight songstress with the sweetest of lilts and a penchant for picturesque artwork wasn’t a random choice for the trio; a Spunk Records label-mate of the group’s Holly Throsby, Fullbrook has had the pleasure of keeping Throsby’s company previously. “I toured with Holly Throsby and her band the last time I was in Australia. I loved hanging out with them and we got along well, so I don’t know if that had anything to do with it,” she laughs nervously of her coveted support slot. “This time around it will be just me. I’ll be on my guitar, troubadour style.” WHO Tiny Ruins WHAT Some Were Meant For Sea (Spunk/EMI) WHEN & WHERE Thursday 21 July, Notes • 36 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
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DOWN TO EARTH
IT’S BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE THEIR BREAKOUT DEBUT IDEALISM AND NOW GERMAN ELECTRO DUO DIGITALISM IS BACK WITH I LOVE YOU, DUDE. TROY MUTTON FINDS OUT FROM ISMAIL “ISI” TÜFEKÇI THEY’RE BRINGING INDIE BACK.
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Love You, Dude is Digitalism’s follow up to the hugely successful debut Idealism and, while it’s been a long time since then, the wait hasn’t been due to writer’s block or anything like that. “We finished the whole album in three months to be honest, but I have to admit… Say we finished playing in 2009 then we started DJing and we didn’t feel to do something new,” Ismail “Isi” Tüfekçi explains. “So what we did do was go into our studio in a World War Two bunker and we just said, ‘Let’s rip off the grey walls and renovate a little bit’. So we bought some new gear, we renovated and what we did then in 2010, we just decided, ‘Okay, let’s start a little bit slowly, do something’ and, yeah, of course then, ‘Let’s tour a little bit’.”
So with a freshly renovated bunker, the duo hashed out a few ideas in October 2010 before hitting the road for some DJ sets around the world, including a run of shows over the New Year period in Australia. “After Australia we went to Japan and after Japan we went back to Hamburg and we just started the album. So let’s say we started in January and finished March, which put us a little bit under pressure.”
“
We’ve [produced] in this bunker for six or seven years... we don’t see any sun or daylight, you only have a wall and you don’t know what’s happening outside.”
So after three years it took the twosome a quick three months to punch out I Love You, Dude, and the sequel has plenty of what worked in the original, improving on it enough that you can enjoy the experience as its own. However, that’s not to say I Love You, Dude is a complete re-hash – far from it, in fact. The duo has a newfound pop sensibility that works on tracks like 2 Hearts, while they’ve kept the banging electro styles on numbers like Blitz, plus there are other surprises like the slow-driving opener Stratosphere. It’s all the product of a very enclosed working environment. “Yeah, we were still in the bunker but we changed the way to produce a little bit. The first album was produced during the night, like Idealism was done totally during the night and I Love You, Dude was produced during the day… Made it in the daytime,” Tüfekçi laughs. “We’ve [produced] in this bunker for six or seven years so nothing has changed - no windows, we don’t see any sun or daylight, you only have a wall and you don’t know what’s happening outside. Friends call you wondering where you are.” Tüfekçi wouldn’t have it any other way, though. “It’s a good thing because you don’t really know what’s going on. It’s like, ‘Okay let’s go in the bunker’ and it’s so timeless. Sometimes friends call you and say like, ‘Hey, outside is like hardcore snowstorm, thunderstorm…’ and we’re just like, ‘Okay…’ It’s just funny. “Then you look into the newspaper another day and find out what’s up outside and it’s beautiful weather and you just say, ‘Okay I can’t come out because we have to work,’ so it’s a good thing actually.” Something Tüfekçi doesn’t find to be a good thing in the time that has elapsed since Idealism has been the growing disparity between electro and indie music. Back in 2007, in the heyday of Ed Banger and when Modular led the charge with its roster including the likes of The Presets and Van She, indie tracks were being remixed into electro bangers like they were going out of fashion… Which they did, but Digitalism is bringing it back. “If you look into the first album – and most people don’t know this of course – but when we finished Idealism, Pogo was the last track on it and we just realised we really like that. That was when Digitalism kind of changed. “We are still the same, there is still some electro stuff on it and there is still indie stuff on it and we want to be in between, because I think it’s a dangerous field if you just stay in one genre. For us it is so boring if you think, ‘Oh we are only electronic’ you know? We want to be a little bit more independent, we can say we are a little bit electronic and a little bit indie because I think that’s more exciting because what we are missing as well at the minute is the mixing crowd is going out, because you don’t see it.” Tüfekçi starts to build up to his point and gets quite animated in doing so. “If you go to a party there’s only one scene in a club, like let’s say the electronic kid. It’s a little bit… it’s not boring, but you’re missing the other people. What we’re trying to do is bring all the people back with that album; the indie kid and the electronic kid. “And I think, it’s a little bit missing and I hope we can make it again, like 2006/2007 or 2008, because at that time a lot of indie people and electronic audiences went together and they enjoyed it. I have to say, I want to see it back.” And the Germans plan on doing it one album at a time. “I think albums are really important. I mean, to do like three EPs in a year is not a problem, but I think it’s easy to do something without thinking with a whole story because, if you’re looking to Idealism and I Love You, Dude, you can listen to it from the beginning and the end and you understand the story a little bit,” says Tüfekçi, with an attitude that is slowly coming back into favour after a couple of years dominated by single and EP releases, with artists perhaps afraid to release albums when people are only going to download big singles. “I like to have it make sense, like I Love You, Dude – it’s a little bit down to earth and it’s like a grower… We stook some stuff further away, like the melody stuff has more melody, there’s some really strong structure, some proper songs, but still some other extreme songs.” WHO Digitalism WHAT I Love You, Dude (Cooperative) WHEN & WHERE Sunday 2 October, Parklife
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THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 41 •
TALKING ABOUT STUFF
ENDURING ENGLISH ACT THE WONDER STUFF IS BACK IN AUSTRALIA AFTER MANY YEARS. FRONTMAN MILES HUNT DISCUSSES THE BENEFIT OF DOING THINGS INDEPENDENTLY, AS WELL AS THAT SONG, WITH BRENT BALINSKI.
I
t’s been nearly two decades since we last saw The Wonder Stuff here, with a different line up and off the back of a hit single. Miles Hunt, the exuberant frontman for the West Midlands indie rock outfit, believes that things have changed for the better. “Well, the line up’s changed considerably. We have a different drummer and a different bass player,” he says. “I would imagine we were awful company 20 years ago for anybody who had to have anything to do with us. I don’t know, we didn’t particularly get on with each other back then. These days we’re very, very good friends in the band and we enjoy each other’s company.” Hunt has been a full-time musician nearly his entire adult life and believes things are more laidback and friendly now that the band is doing things independently. “Sadly, back then we were tied to a major label that turned us into little salesmen and sent us around the world trying to sell our records and we were all a bit shocked that that’s how it worked,” he says. “We were pretty naive back then... And therefore weren’t particularly the nicest people to hang around. So that’s really changed – not that we’d welcome an audience with us in the dressing room.” You probably know The Wonder Stuff from their early ‘90s hit, a cover of Tommy Roe’s Dizzy. It’d be a stupid person that believes a band that has been around for over two decades can have its entire creative output represented by one big hit (and one which was performed with a guest singer, comedian Vic Reeves, no less), but there’s no severing the band’s attachment to the track. It’s always there, included in pretty much every mention of the band in its press. Hunt is too sensible to care much about a song that the band doesn’t even play live anymore. “I had very little to do with it, to be honest... I sing a backing vocal at the end of the song,” he points out. “I thought that period was really great for them. I’m still very good friends with Vic Reeves as well. So in terms of the effect it’s had on my life I have nothing but good things to think about it. In terms of the publicity – if we get any at all these days – it tends to go straight to Dizzy.” Hunt also says it makes things interesting when he catches a taxi. “And one thing it’s given me, is that if I jump in the back of a cab with a guitar case and the cab driver might say, ‘Are you a musician, mate?’ Yeah. ‘Anything I’d know?’ Without Dizzy, I’d say I’m in a band called The Wonder Stuff. ‘Never heard of you, mate.’ But I get to say, ‘Remember when Vic Reeves did Dizzy? Well I was in the backing band’ [laughs].” The Wonder Stuff has had several different line ups and their original rhythm section of Martin Gilks (drums) and Rob Jones (bass) has passed away. The only two original members are Malcolm Treece and Hunt, who are currently joined by Fuzz Townshend (formerly of Pop Will Eat Itself) on drums, Erica Nockalls (who is Hunt’s partner and performs and records with him in a duet format) and Mark McCarthy (formerly of Radical Dance Faction) on bass. The band will only be performing material “from the last century”, says Hunt, ruling out songs from the albums Escape From Rubbish Island (2004) and Suspended By Stars (2006). This is mainly because there hasn’t been time to rehearse everything with Townshend. “Not necessarily all singles, but there’ll be a few singles in there. Album tracks from the first four albums, a couple of B-sides,” says Hunt. “They’ll be pleased there’s nothing in the set that we wrote and recorded this century... We haven’t had time rehearse the entire Wonder Stuff song book with Fuzz, really. So we’re just concentrating on the ones we know go down well live.”
Some of the material The Wonder Stuff currently performs is from their breakout album, the bluegrass flavoured Never Loved Elvis, which turns 20 this month and is a favourite with longtime fans. Despite the anniversary, the band has no plans to re-record Elvis, as it has with the last two albums that have had double-decade anniversaries. “We’re going to do some shows in the UK in December that I think will probably be filmed and put out as little souvenir DVD in early 2012,” explains Hunt of the plans to mark the album’s age. “There’s a few songs in our set, there’s [Welcome To The] Cheap Seats, The Size Of A Cow, Mission Drive, Here Comes Everyone. So four or five probably from Never Loved Elvis that we’ll be playing when we come to Australia.” After all his years as a performer, Hunt still lists never having “had a job” as an adult as his happiest accomplishment. Not that he’s lazy, of course. He just struggles to imagine a life that doesn’t include playing music as a way to pay the rent. “I suppose I had a couple of jobs when I was a kid before The Wonder Stuff, but my imagination and my passion was always to get into a band. By the time I was 20 I’d pulled it off and by the time I was 21 we were signed to a major publisher, a major record label and didn’t have to work a day job anymore,” recalls Hunt with more than a little joy in his voice. “At the same time, you have to perhaps work a little harder than you did ten years ago. To keep selling CDs you need to be on the road constantly. Erica and I are on the road every month. And I think it’s sort of made a better person of me... “CD sales are down everywhere and everyone’s just got to work a bit harder. I was raised in a socialist family, so I’m sort of proud of the fact that we go out and we graft for our money, rather than sit back with our feet up becoming more and more useless every day and less and less in touch with our audience.” WHO The Wonder Stuff WHEN & WHERE Saturday 20 August, Enmore Theatre • 42 • THE DRUM MEDIA 28 JUNE 2011
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LITTLE GOALS
TY SEGALL TALKS TO DOUG WALLEN ABOUT BEING MORE OPEN, HOW HE LIVES IN ONE OF THE BEST ROCK’N’ROLL SCENES AND WHY MOTÖRHEAD RULES.
B
lown-out guitar burners have been Ty Segall’s speciality for some time now. On albums like 2009’s Lemons and last year’s Melted, the 23-year-old San Franciscan mingles garage, punk and psych amid heaps of ear-splitting fuzz. But on his folky new Goodbye Bread, Segall laboured over the lyrics and took longer than ever with recording. The result is more of a songwriter record that slows and softens his music without lessening its casual sway or disorienting oddness. It’s also the album that’s bringing Segall to Australia for the first time in his prolific, band-juggling career. Segall was still a teenager when his garage rock outfit The Epsilons started putting out records in the middle of last decade. Since then he has played in likeminded Bay Area acts like The Traditional Fools and Party Fowl. “I always wanted to make records,” he recalls. “That was the whole goal – I just wanted to make one record. Then it was to make a better one. Then you start a new band and you have to make a record and go on tour. There’s all these little goals.”
“
If you’re in Motörhead you put a guitar solo in every song and that rules, because it’s Motörhead. But for me it just depends.”
That’s a humble way of explaining a handsome number of albums at such a young age. Segall’s profile has risen steadily in recent years, as he’s jumped from cassette- and vinyl-only albums to more prominent CDs on the US garage label Goner. Out in Australia on Popfrenzy, Goodbye Bread saw Stateside release on the veteran indie label Drag City. As much as there’s a cottage industry built around lo-fi garage and punk at the moment, Segall’s sudden mellowing comes at a perfect time. It speaks to a wider audience and proves there’s a sturdy songwriter underneath all the noise. “I definitely did not want to make an aggressive record, like garage or punk,” he explains. “Because I feel like I’ve done that a lot. I wanted to make something different. I didn’t necessarily want to make a slow record, but it turned into that, which is cool. I didn’t think about the tempo. I wanted it to be more open with space and have the lyrics and melody be more the focal point.” Recorded with his friend Eric Bauer in Bauer’s basement studio, it took six months from start to finish. Compare that to nine days of recording for Lemons and even fewer for earlier albums. Segall wanted Goodbye Bread to be more like Melted, which he took several months to record, but stronger overall. Thus, he recorded nearly two dozen songs and gave himself no deadline. That way, he and Bauer felt fine abandoning songs that weren’t working, even if they had spent days on them. This method allowed Segall to get, in his own words, “super weird” with things. The resulting ten songs encompass the day-in-the-life nonchalance of the money-lamenting title track and the couch-centred Comfortable Home (A True Story), the John Lennon-esque I Am With You, the grunged up My Head Explodes and the jokey ode to misanthropy that is California Commercial. I Can’t Feel It is worthy of One Foot In The Grave-era Beck, while Segall’s farewell on the closing Fine brings to mind Jonathan Richman. Despite the quieter vibe and noted influence of people like Neil Young though, the album shares with Segall’s others a love of weedy distortion. “There are all sorts of ways to make things sound different,” he admits. “It’s just another tool, like echo or reverb. That’s why I like blown-out music too, because it sounds different. The aesthetics can really change the emotions of the song.” Another hallmark of Segall’s records is still apparent – frazzled guitar noodling. “I’m definitely not a great guitar player,” he’s quick to say. “I know what I can do and there’s things I can’t do. But I’m down with guitar solos for sure. I think there’s a time and a place and it changes all the time. If you’re in Motörhead, you put a guitar solo in every song and that rules, because it’s Motörhead. But for me it just depends.” Also worth noting is that Segall plays every instrument on Goodbye Bread. “It was another experiment for me,” he reckons. “It’s how I write songs too. I like having people come in and play with me, but this time it was an intense writing process and just ended up being me.” Segall’s visit comes not long after those of fellow San Franciscans like Thee Oh Sees, Girls and Sonny & The Sunsets. The city’s underground scene is attracting global attention these days, even as its defining bands pal around as if they were obscure nobodies or weekend warriors. “I’ve lived there around six years,” Segall confirms. “I feel like it’s one of the best rock’n’roll scenes right now. There’s so many cool bands. It’s a close-knit place, so that really affects how people make music and get everyone to play on the same records and play all the shows together.” For all the above focus on Segall’s looseness of sound and aesthetics, he mentions repeatedly that better lyrics were the quality he sought out most on Goodbye Bread. “On this record I spent the most time on lyrics,” he adds. “Even more so than on the melodies and the songs and the changes. That’s one area I always felt uncomfortable within my music. My personal goal was to make a record where I could stand behind the lyrics truly.” That’s not to say he didn’t enjoy himself. When he caps the album with that friendly goodbye on Fine, it’s improvised. In fact, he didn’t even know at the time that it’d be the final song. “There’s a lot of just winging it,” Segall confirms. “That’s super fun.” WHO Ty Segall WHAT Goodbye Bread (Popfrenzy) WHEN & WHERE Friday, GoodGod
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THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 43 •
WITH ROSS CLELLAND
BJÖRK Crystalline One Little Indian What sounds like a toy piano tinkles in to announce her return. That definitively unique voice starts at you in fast shallow breaths. According to herself: “swimming out, like the planets, but also swimming in, into the atoms”. That’s not the lyrics, that’s an interview quote. Being in the avant of the garde again, her new Biophilia will cover music, video, art installations, concerts and an iPod app. With games. Really. Anyone else, you’d roll your eyes, but it’s Björk so you accept and know it will somehow work. As ever, special.
WILCO I Might dBpm Apparently continuing their pendulum arc back to making things a bit noisier, and having fun enjoying just being the most assured jam band in the world, this wanders in on a just messy enough organ line, while Tweedy chats about ‘not setting fire to the kids’ and stuff. It swings in the way of white boys from the Midwest do. Includes b-side bonus of Nick Lowe’s I Love My Label, to celebrate now having one of their own. It is, as you’d expect, all good. Call it ‘garage’ – if that’s what you call the place where you keep the Prius.
ESKIMO JOE Love Is A Drug Warner It all sounds so right. But. It’s all rich and well put together, the chorus all big and designed for synchronised arm-waving among festival crowds. Cue upward arcing guitar solo, and repeat. Kav laments that said drug of the title no longer ‘takes him higher’. This is then rhymed with ‘fire’ and ‘desire’. You know they’re miles past Sweater, but even From The Sea and attendant mainstream success still had some wit about it. This just seems hollow, and built by committee as a commercial exercise. Which is a waste, really.
AVALANCHE CITY
BLACK LIPS
EARTH CRISIS
Warner
Vice/Cooperative
Century Media/EMI
Our New Life Above The Ground Our New Life Above The Ground, the debut album from Avalanche City, is made up of a collection of earnest, introspective folk pop songs that speak both of remarkable maturity and refreshing innocence at once. These songs sound untouched yet masterfully constructed simultaneously. The first track, Love Love Love, is catchy and full of excited energy, making it a perfect choice to open the album. There is a slow but pleasantly sustained build that develops across the first two tracks but is conspicuously fractured in the third, Drive On. In this song, the same rawness of the vocals and the production that has added a unique flavour to the other tracks begins to disrupt the Avalanche City sound for the first time. The next few tracks are similarly disappointing compared to the openers, but this is very quickly offset by the surprise appearance of the album’s standout, Love Don’t Leave. The song is not overly complex or even particularly catchy, but its honest lyricism and its slow, steady tune, bringing to mind the likes of City & Colour, give it the impression of a wisdom that far surpasses the expectations of a debut release.
Arabia Mountain For 11 years and six studio albums, Black Lips have traded in a seemingly self-styled shambolic charm – it’s been the consistently solid bread and butter that’s delivered them success and singularity in an increasingly congested garage rock scene. Given that, long-term fans will cower to hear that the Atlanta quartet’s sixth and latest album, Arabia Mountain, was produced (save for two tracks helmed by Deerhunter’s Lockett Pundt) by Mark Ronson, knob-twiddler to shiny mainstreamers with names like Aguilera, Winehouse, Williams and Merriweather. But it takes all of three seconds of opener Family Tree to realise Ronson wisely hasn’t cleaned up the band’s sound so much as to taint its very virtues – production-wise, Arabia Mountain is cleaner than 2009 predecessor 200 Million Thousand, but none more so than their standout 2007 effort Good Bad Not Evil.
Neutralize The Threat Earth Crisis is as much about the message as it is the music, and on that score the Syracuse, New York natives have indeed been forever true. Lyrically, Neutralize The Threat displays a band unwilling to compromise an inch on its core beliefs – no booze, no cigarettes, no animal products and well, no intoxicants or stimulants of any kind. Vocalist Karl Buechner is fearsome as ever, his anger driven by conviction as he declares himself willing to undertake Total War for his beliefs. In fact, with the album’s lyrics as a whole inspired by the vigilante activities (“direct” action if we’re being polite) taken by animal rights and other activists, it could be argued that this LP is every bit as incendiary as Firestorm and represents a band getting angrier rather than mellowing with age.
With the introduction of a country-blues feel in Go and Ends In The Ocean, the album again suffers before closing with a return to the earnest, heart-warming folkiness offered at the beginning of the record with The Silence and Snow. The record certainly suffers some weak moments and allows its inconsistency to detract from its integrity at times, but there are also some fascinatingly powerful songs hidden away here and they are definitely worth digging up.
Arabia Mountain is, in typical Black Lips fashion, packed to the hilt with countless brief sonic bursts that bristle into being, ride a wave of ragged yet informed pop smarts and are gone in two to three minutes. At its strongest – the utterly invigorating New Direction, the fuzzy, thumping Don’t Mess Up My Baby and the Peter Parker-inspired Spidey’s Curse – the album is up there with the band’s best work. And there’s plenty more to enjoy here, with a handful of other tracks (Go Out And Get It, Raw Meat and Dumpster Dive) proving the band remains committed to the cause. Over these 16 tracks they do miss on occasion, but jarring psychedelic closer You Keep On Running is the only major blemish. Short, sharp and rough with tangible pop hooks, Arabia Mountain is the Black Lips we’ve known all along.
Musically, Neutralize The Threat strongly resembles 2009’s To The Death. Eschewing the big bang anthems that drove Kill The Machines and Breed The Killers, Neutralize… instead offers a more measured, and at times even understated, collection of tunes. Don’t worry though, understated doesn’t mean forgettable. With a sleek powerful edge courtesy of producer Zeuss, the likes of Black Talons Tear and 100 Kiloton Blast will incite the pit as easily as Broken Foundation or Wrath Of Sanity. By maintaining the rage, Earth Crisis has maintained vitality and with Neutralize The Threat they put bands half their age to shame. That the future of metallic hardcore lies with veteran bands like Earth Crisis, Ringworm and Integrity is somewhat ironic, but if the veterans continue to put out quality offerings like Neutralize the Threat then so be it.
Lucia Osborne-Crowley
Justin Grey
Mark Hebblewhite
TITLE FIGHT
TUNE-YARDS
TINY RUINS
SideOneDummy/Shock
4AD/Remote Control
Spunk
Putting a name to the genre of music that would accurately depict Pennsylvania’s Title Fight would prove to be difficult and totally pointless. The four-piece combines a mixture of punk, rock and surprisingly, a keen ear for pop melodies, that when put together sounds familiar but also like something that is fresh and not heard of before. You could call them pop/punk but that would bring to mind the Blink 182s of the world, and that is not doing Title Fight justice.
Merrill Garbus returns to further explore the ideas she first penned in her lo-fi debut, this time with much more sterile production. Recording under the moniker tUnEyArDs, her second album is the epitome of a musical playground. It explodes with eccentric and choppy audio edits, all bound together by her hybrid style of Afro-pop, acoustic folk, jazz and funk. She does not completely abandon the lo-fi elements of her previous sound, also weaving in snippets of home recordings.
THE HORRORS Still Life XL/Remote Control Other than people questioning Bono’s tax status, and prominent Tories dead in the portaloos, The Horrors were apparently one of the happier surprises of Glastonbury the other week. It seems the tight black jeans whine has been re-routed. There’s a synth-washed melodrama to this, recalling everyone’s favourite previously unfashionable decade, the ‘80s. There’s some angst-era Cure in here, and some Psychedelic Furs artificial brass. These are not bad things, and thus neither is this. Not at all oppressive.
THE WAYSMITHS Killing Kisses Independent With memberships from bands who have been through the mill and out the other side, The Waysmiths know what they’re about. They make a muscular rock noise that does sometimes have some nice complexities and dynamics to it. And Jamie Thomas – he of Henry’s Anger, among other things – does have the necessary lung power to make himself heard over a well focused racket. Title track does ebb, flow and howl with some style, while The World has gentler opening, and a darker heart. But they know what they’re doing.
BONJAH Go Go Chaos Lemon Tree/MGM Locally resettled New Zealand roots/folk band, who – despite the title of this – seem to have some subtlety in their music, politics and egos. Some others on the stand-around-the-campfires festival circuit could learn from them. Chaos has a quiet lope to it, which doesn’t fall back on the default cod-reggae riddums many seem to. They leave some spaces as it rolls out, and can draw the listener in. This is also available in ‘deluxe’ box version – autographs, artworks and promo goodies ahoy-hoy for the enthusiasts. • 44 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
whokill
Shed
Opening with the frenetically punk-paced Coxton Yard before moving into the slightly more melodic title track, the diversity becomes more obvious with melodic guitar lines dispersed throughout, and screamed vocal lines brought down in the mix so that all tracks are presented as one defining wall of sound, with no one piece of instrumentation taking precedence. Walter Schreifels, of Quicksand and Rival Schools fame, produced this record and this ‘organic’ sound has his fingerprints all over it. This isn’t a polished sounding punk rock record – this is DIY all the way man! The allure of Crescent-Shaped Depression is an infallible depiction of Title Fight at their collective best, likewise the enthusiastic Flood of ’72. What Title Fight has managed to create with Shed is an honest record that portrays a band in the infancy of its career, either blissfully ignorant of current trends or just not giving a fuck. Shed is one of 2011’s standout punk records, and if you are only a smidgen curious you can check them out in September when they tour with Touché Amoré. James Dawson
Her songs do not abide by typical structures. Instead, her musical ideas go off into tangents, each song engineering its own shape and form. With an emphasis on looping and repetition, there is very much a ‘skipping record’ effect throughout, but not enough to cause irritation. Each repetitive sequence varies, either with the addition of an abrupt chromatic saxophone glissando (My Country) or layers of obtrusive sirens (Gangsta). Choruses have been replaced by instrumental interludes or vocal segues, with the exception of Bizness, which carries an outstanding chorus and a sharp hook. Singing briskly, she adds particular emphasis on the syllabic rhythms reeling listeners in. She utilises her bold and overpowering voice to its full extent by layering her wails with shrieks and her percussive vocal loops with softer soulful moments. Riotriot unleashes the peak of Garbus’ monstrous voice, belting out “There is a freedom in violence that I don’t understand, and like I’ve never felt before”. Dragging out those phrases, her voice momentarily stands alone allowing listeners to have a few precious seconds. The moment is then interrupted by the offbeat entrance of the full jazz ensemble. This is Garbus at her best. Celline Narinli
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Some Were Meant For The Sea Some Were Meant For The Sea is Tiny Ruins’ first album, a sweet folky foray riding under a canopy of rolling strings and Hollie Fulbrook’s huskily whispered nothings. The Kiwi export’s debut is sparse but welcoming – like a desert after rain, or a warm bed in winter. Lyrically, Running Through the Night is a swirl of broody regret, supported by a delicate combination of guitar and accordion. It’s a strong representation of the album – subtle but beautiful in its execution. Penultimate track Pigeon Knows is softly spoken and piano heavy, taking a step away from the oftenarpeggiated guitar that permeates the album. Pick of the album is probably the second track, Priest With Balloons. It has the same sweet guitar of the rest of the album, punctuated with light, brushed percussion. It’s also dipped with relaxed harmonies, and while dark, it has a distinctively charming playfulness. Some Were Meant For The Sea could be criticised for a lack of musical diversity, but it more than makes up for it with lyrical depth and an overwhelming feeling of maturity. It’s simple, pure folk at its core – something to be appreciated, not rejected. Tiny Ruins is not a band of heavy instrumentation and overproduction; they’re elegant and lightweight. This is folk that dares to stray out of predetermined bounds, freeing itself of the festering malaise of Australian pop-folk. The songs are heartfelt, warming and lovely, collectively infused with a feeling of restrained longing. No gimmicks, just honest folk. Alex Watts
Badwan’s howl becoming one with Joshua Hayward’s screeching guitar. Skying is an unassuming record, never forcing itself upon the listener but leaving its indelible traces subconsciously. Sevana Ohandjanian
FACT FILE Length: 10 tracks, 55 minutes.
JOHN MAUS
We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves Upset The Rhythm/Inertia
John Maus is the latest US underground musician to be swept to the surface on the back of the current nostalgia-pop wave. Maus approaches his music through a filter of ‘80s melancholic synthesisers with gothic overtones and covered with a Teutonic, glacial sheen. The influence of acts like OMD, The Cure, Human League and Bauhaus is clear across the album, yet it manages to avoid copycat accusations via Maus’ sincere and sombre vocals. He is working in the pop idiom but it doesn’t sound shallow or disposable. The opening synth bleeps of Streetlight announce the ‘80s setting of the album and unashamedly so, yet it is misleading as the record’s cleanest pop moment. Quantum Leap, rides a great throbbing bass line from the book of Peter Hook and it is the first time you really hear Maus’ dour moan of a voice. ...And The Rain and Hey Moon pull on the heartstrings with gentle melodrama that lead you to start thinking that this could be real winner of an album before momentum is lost via some filler tracks. Cop Killer is one of the better moments, but it is the closing track of the relatively short record that is the highlight. Believer brings all the dramatic and disparate moments together in a few minutes of glorious and anthemic gloomy synth music. Maus sings high in his range and it is equal to the high points of ‘80s electronica. If Maus can write and record an album to equal the excellence of this track he’ll be onto a sure thing. For now he is only showing glimpses of greatness. Chris Familton
SBTRKT
Moods: Unassuming, bombastic and complex.
DID YOU KNOW
SBTRKT
Young Turks/Remote Control While the more obnoxious end of dubstep is busily exploding into the main rooms of clubland in 2011 (much to the chagrin of purists), the movement continues to splinter off into new and ever more creative directions just out of the glare of the mainstream spotlight. SBTRKT is one such producer mining a rich and much more textural vein coloured by Detroit techno and two-step, his debut long-player (following several solo releases and remixes for Underworld among others) shooting off in all sorts of directions and for the most part hitting the mark. SBTRKT sees the South London producer hedge his bets a little, dipping a toe into the poppy post-dubstep waters James Blake and Katy B are swimming freely in, but doesn’t seem quite confident enough to immerse himself completely. It doesn’t help that his songwriting smarts still aren’t quite in the league of the aforementioned – while Sampha’s Blake-esque vocals over the gentle 4/4 pulse of Hold On hit all the right notes, he and Jessie Ware’s lyrical contributions over the sinewy half-step grooves of Sanctuary seem like they’ve been shoehorned in where the background harmonies may have been enough. SBTRKT’s production beds are simple, uncluttered yet always beautifully arranged, dark and foreboding yet spacious and with plenty of melodies to cling to. Pharaohs in particular is so warm and funky you just want to give it a big hug as it takes the best bits of ‘80s pop and classic mid-‘00s Booka Shade and wraps them up in the perfect bundle. A few more hooks like this next time round can only be a positive for the mysterious masked man and his cohorts.
• The band appeared in the final episode of the third season of The Mighty Boosh, performing as The Black Tubes – a band the character Vince is attempting to join that maintains a strict skinny leg drainpipe jean policy.
THE HORRORS Skying
XL Recordings/Remote Control We’ve had psychobilly Horrors, introspective krautrock Horrors, now we have the bombast – the Screamadelica by way of Simple Minds record. The Horrors continue to exceed expectations with a record that is as complex in its instrumentation as it is broad, as they throw in a previously unexplored realm of horns to their repertoire and turn the synths up over the guitars. Yet the brooding darkness of frontman Faris Badwan, which makes for the quintessential Horrors experience, remains at the forefront. Changing The Rain is a swaying affair to sink yourself into, before You Said’s rippling melody and Badwan’s baritone drags you to the surface. There’s still the throbbing pulse of their past lives in the jangly, almost ‘60s pop of I Can See Through You, with Badwan’s cutting lyrics hanging in the air as the subtle guitar strum of Endless Blue washes in, saxophones not far off. The undeniable highlight comes in Still Life, its slowburn dueling guitars giving way to a gloriously ‘80s synth line, married to a subtle bass and percussion. As Badwan sings, “Don’t hurry, give it time/things are the way they have to be”, ease sets in and the song blends together magnificently, the Sea Within A Sea of this record, and another Horrors opus. Psychedelic influences permeate Wild Eyed and the eight minutes of Moving Further Away leave the listener deeply entranced. Monica Gems is a crashing rock song,
• Counting In Fives, a documentary made about The Horrors’ 2007 USA tour in support of their debut album, Strange House, was screened at the 2008 Sundance Film Awards. • For the recording of Skying, The Horrors built their own studio in London, allowing them the freedom to record at odd hours and have next to no time constraints on the recording. • The members of The Horrors each have one (or more) pseudonyms used for creative output. Faris Badwan was formerly Faris Rotter; Joshua Hayward is also known as Joshua Third and was previously known as Joshua Von Grimm; Tom Cowan was formerly called Tomethy Furse; Rhys Webb goes by Spider and Joseph Spurgeon was also known as Coffin Joe.
Gloria Lewis
Gibson Guitars and The Drum Media present
Styled from the movie “Crossroads” the deal is, submit a CD with your 2 minute jam ASAP to: The Gaelic Hotel, 64 Devonshire St Surry Hills. First heat commences July 14. The battle will come down to the final 8 to be held over one massive night with a special guest band performing and guest judges. For more information: gaelichotel@gmail.com www.thegaelic.com
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Prizes: • Gibson Les Paul Guitar, • Marshall combo amplifier • 10hrs studio recording time at Zen Studios • 100 CD’s with2 page bio booklet.
THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 45 •
ALBUMS WRAP-UP WITH SCOTT FITZSIMONS Psychedelic Horseshit has always been an apt name for the Ohio outfit, just as the druggy Laced (Fatcat/Inertia) is for its latest record. A mixture of experimental noise, tribal lo-fi indie and listenerchallenging melodies, what makes this album alluring is that everything’s intentional and it’s got an air of cooler-than-thou elitism. Far easier to listen to is Burning Bush Supper Club (Other Tongues) by New York’s Bear Hands. Often compared to the wistful indie of MGMT, that’s valid, but there are tones of irritation and angst. It’s more berating an old lover than appealing to a new one. Gang Gang Dance rides through the usual range of emotions and influences in Eye Contact (4AD/Remote Control). The album will be remembered for epic opener Glass Jar, but it’s the drive of tracks like Adult Goth that is best here and now. Calming things down, Danish-born German-based Agnes Obel is obviously a master of her craft on Philharmonics (PIAS/Liberator). Her piano playing is immaculate, her voice moving and subtly powerful. Her scope is too narrow for people to get overly excited about, but her sorrow demands more attention than just about anything mentioned in this column. EMA’s debut album Past Life Martyred Saints (Spunk/EMI) is just a little bit too unfocused. She’s having fun, but the listener suspects they’d get more enjoyment out of a conversation about Sonic Youth’s influence on the world than indulging this solo artist in their attention. It’s a more admirable effort from Sydney’s own Jane Walker, Walk Gently (GoSet), a pure record of light pop from the singer/ songwriter. It’s just all a bit unremarkable and middle of the road. Instrumental outfit The Burning Sea does restraint and soft/loud well on The Burning Sea (Capital Games). But over the course of ten tracks you’re expecting more from a band with two guitarists than these simple hard rock weaves, which rely too often on textured guitar tones. From the vocalless to the vocal-heavy, Giant Sand’s Blurry Blue Mountain (Fire Records/Other Tongues) has a weary Dylan/Cohen tone to it. What the Arizona 25-year alternative rock veterans could do with is a bit of imagination. Or inspiration. One gets the feeling that British indie-popsters The Pigeon Detectives have a popular album on their hands with third full-length Up Guards And At ‘Em! (Dance to The Radio/Other Tongues). There’s also the feeling that it would be nicer if the genre didn’t sound so worn out, stretched and re-tread as it does here. The Yard-Apes are all lead guitar and swagger on Devil’s Road (Impedance), the Victorian garage-rockabilly outfit making one hell of an impressive racket for just a trio. Music to drink to, and music that will entice you to drink. A far more haphazard and messy recording is that of New Zealand’s Jackal, whose homegrown Furnace Creek (Independent) would loose most of the amateur edge it’s got if polished back at all. Influences of the Red Hot Chili Peppers are most prevalent in this rock. From London and bearing gifts of erratic melody and delicate arrangement, The Leisure Society’s Into The Murky Water (Full Time Hobby/Other Tongues) does share a sense of wonder with the underwater fairytale imagery of its artwork. Ex-Salmonella Dub man Tiki Taane does commercial dub/drum’n’bass better than most on In The World Of Light (Stop Start/EMI). Even if tracks like Come Fly With Me employ cheap vocals and climaxing hooks, there’s nothing guilty about this pleasure. Wynter Gordon’s With The Music I Die (Atlantic/Universal) is a harder sell, the disco/retro influences threatening to cheapen what is otherwise well crafted pop with legitimacy in the tracks, not in their marketing. Another Perth band that should keep the rest of Australia on its toes, Umpire has an accomplished debut album with Now We’re Active (Hidden Shoal). They’re slightly stretched over ten tracks, but it’s a hard criticism for one of the better young indie rock bands in the country at the moment. Devon Sproule’s new album I Love You, Go Easy (Tin Angel) is also accomplished, benefiting from a life spent writing songs and being surrounded by them. It’s humble, understated and folky. Immediately Sydney’s The Singing Skies – Kell Derrig-Hall’s solo project – is more pretentious on Routine & War (Preservation). It works though, because his sparse tension gives his personal stories resonance. Sydney’s eight-piece reggae show The My Tys is undeniably fun on its self-titled record (Independent) and right from opener Running Man, it’s proven that the members are more than competent songwriters. They do a good job of making a dated genre sound fresh, but you do notice it. Rival Sons are treading a blues-rock path already trod with Pressure And Time (Riot!/Warner), but they’re doing it well enough that those allergic to Wolfmother will still give the time of day. And to finish us off, something easy to listen to and enjoyable because of the fact. Canada’s Mother Mother’s second album Eureka (Last Gang/Shock) is straight up indie rock. Things can get a bit cheesy, but it’s part of the fun.
CATHERINE TRAICOS & THE STARRY NIGHT
HANDSOME FURS
HARMONY
Sub Pop/Inertia
Casadeldisco/Other Tongues
AOA/Fuse
This is the first Handsome Furs album to be released in the wake of Wolf Parade announcing their “indefinite hiatus” (Dan Boeckner being the vocalist of both bands), and perhaps Sound Kapital, the Furs’ third album, gives insight into why the Parade called it a day.
Gloriosa
Catherine Traicos introduces her new band, The Starry Night – Darren Nuttall, Kasper Kiely and Tim Day – on her second record, Gloriosa. Named after a visit to floodstricken Brisbane, where Traicos saw the blossoming of the Gloriosa Superba (Flame Lily) amongst the dirt and destruction, this embodies the essence of this record – from destruction and chaos, beauty can always be born. Under the talented and guiding hand of five-time ARIA award winner Paul McKercher, this record is a beautifully understated addition to Australian music. Many of the songs on the record play with the idea of sad lyrics with an uplifting melody. Walk Into The Stars melds two songs of opposing feelings – one optimistic, one pessimistic, this track has kept the best of both worlds. Jason Walker’s pedal steel guitar gives it a cheerful country twang, but the darkness can be felt on the edge. Walker’s pedal steel guitar allows Baby Don’t Cry to expand with The Starry Night’s pop basics, to a strong country/folk ballad. The emotion in Traicos’ delicate vocals creates a spine tingling sensation of truth, love and desperation. A Stranger is one of the strongest tracks on the record – the only song that Traicos wrote about the passing of her grandmother that she put on the album. The restrained guitar of McKercher and the rising and falling cello line of Gareth Skinner musically embody the emotional tension of the lyrics. Gloriosa is a great follow up to Traicos’ debut, The Amazing. The Starry Night adds a greater pop influence to her country/folk trends, but does not take over.
Opener When I Get Back Home introduces the sound of the album: heavy synths, big beats and euphoria – a sound that’s been utilised well recently by a lot of indie-dance crossover acts. Damage has a great breakdown, a moment that’d well suit soundtracking night shots of urban sprawl (think Michael Mann films), whilst Repatriated is driven by the best bass lines in recent memory. The album is at its most interesting, however, on Memories Of The Future, where Boeckner boasts, “Nostalgia never meant much to me”. The song borrows blatantly from Wolf Parade’s own Shine A Light – its groove is near identical and at one point the lyrical melody leads you on into thinking Boeckner’s about to lift his own past lyrics: “I throw my hands to the sky/I let my memories go.” You can’t help but read this as a direct reference to his other project. It just so happens to be the best song on the album. Sound Kapital is an incredibly fun and catchy as hell pop record that’s also incredibly sexy; you can sense the sweat dripping off Boeckner as he pants and moans his lyrics as if this was the last thing he’s ever going to record. Thankfully (well, we hope), it’s not. Handsome Furs making a dance record? Who’da thunk it?
Harmony
Tom Lyngcoln of The Nation Blue and his wife Alex Kastaniotis are at the centre of an ensemble that bares the former’s raw musicality softened and sweetened. Mclusky bass payer Jonathan Chapple and a threestrong female vocal presence in Maria Kastaniotis, Quinn Veldhuis and Amanda Roff (of The Ukeladies) complete the band and emphasise both ends of the sonic spectrum. As Lyngcoln threatens to tear his throat with his fierce wail, a bed of gentle, comforting female vocals cocoons him and sweetly carries the songs. It sounds old world in its often-understated approach, with lo-fi aesthetics and heart-melting ‘bop-shoo-wop’s. In Extinction Debt Lyngcoln sings, “Waves of concrete rolling in harmony”, and in doing so perfectly describes the balance the band strikes. The drums and guitars (including a cameo from avant-garde guitarist Marc Ribot on Heartache) sound brittle and the vocals roomy and slightly distant, increasing the desperation. Cacophonous Vibes remains a standout and the quintessential Harmony song; a tortured slow-dance with a touch of broken-hearted blues balladry. The guitars threaten to break, squealing violently in choruses and delicately driving verses, and the wonderful paradox between the male and female vocals is on full show. Throughout it all – the jangling belted riffs of No Hope to the malnourished depths in Painted Blue, where voice and guitar walk the same beaten melody to great effect – there remains a captivating earnestness and raw quality. It lumbers and stumbles with grand steps, sounding like a desperate and fragile gospel.
Christine Caruana
DCR
Dave Drayton
THE AUTUMN ISLES
THE ELLIS COLLECTIVE
VETIVER
Laughing Outlaw/Inertia
Longhaul
Sub Pop/Inertia
Means What It Means
Kaleidoscopes
Kaleidoscopes, the debut album by five-piece indie pop group The Autumn Isles, while carefully-crafted and well-produced, is certainly underwhelming and at times feels more than slightly repetitive. While the songs are an impressive display of each member’s masterful command of their instruments and their vocals, the record does somehow give the impression that something is missing. The album opens with Sun Soaked Horizon which, with its full band sound and captivating vocals, exhibits an element of stylistic variation that we later find is missing from the rest of the record. The song that follows, Mystery To Hide, consolidates the strong start to the album. The next section of the album, however, is considerably less inspiring with an overall lack of musical variety. Again, while the consistency and production quality are certainly worthy of note, one is still left feeling that something has been forgotten. The exception to this, appearing near the middle of the record, is Just Like The Others. This track is the most comprehensive exhibition of the group’s talent and uses a perfect combination of full-sounding vocals and catchy hooks to engage an idle listener in a way that the foregoing tracks have failed to. A surprising but welcome addition of emotionally loaded lyricism and captivating female vocals is introduced in Runaway, another standout. The album is then closed with Fire Away, an upbeat pop tune with a distinct sense of promise. The potential of the group exhibited throughout the record is irrefutable, but it nonetheless lacks the vividness and wonder that its title implies. Lucia Osborne-Crowley
• 46 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
Sound Kapital
An assured debut indeed from a Canberra-based sevenpiece that’s been around since 2007, that assurance inevitably built, though the songs are credited as collectively written, on the years as a solo artist of guiding light singer/songwriter Matty Ellis. The most obvious progenitor of The Ellis Collective’s mix of traditional musical elements and punk/indie sensibilities is Weddings Parties Anything. In the end though, for all their diversity they’re all the “progeny” of Mick Thomas, and that’s certainly no bad thing. Ellis and company certainly aren’t mere WPA/Thomas clones, bringing their own contemporary sensibilities to play in this collection of tales of love sought and lost, usually as a result of enjoying certain alcoholic beverages a little too much. Delivered either with the simplest of stripped-back acoustic accompaniment or an off-kilter brass dirge, a chirpy violin or melancholy cello, or even a faintly ghostly saw, as heard on Wanderings and played with impressive subtlety by violinist and backing vocalist Emma Kelly. Ellis is ebullient and forlorn by turns, depending on how the story he’s telling unfolds, and it’s obvious that he’s a masterful actor as well as a master storyteller, more than ably accompanied by the six other members of the Collective but also the five additional guest musicians. Leavening the otherwise potentially overwhelmingly “bloke-heavy” – as sensitive as it often is – vision is the Collective’s other vocalist, Alison Proctor, though she never really steps forward, essentially sticking to providing the odd harmony. Perhaps next time around, Ellis could explore that more feminine side of the story. Michael Smith
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The Errant Charm San Francisco’s Vetiver doesn’t play folk music; no matter how endlessly the vile PR machine tries to persuade you that the five-piece is an “indie folk” band, in reality they’re more akin to a band like Wilco – a summery, slightly hazy, dreamy version of the Chicago greats. And in that vein, on The Errant Charm, their third album in four years and fifth overall, the Andy Cabic-led band is for the most part firing on all cylinders. Don’t let rudderless opener It’s Beyond Me, which fails to find a purpose over six and a half haze-filled minutes, turn you off The Errant Charm. From wistful second track Worse For Wear onwards, the album gets better almost with each song, building to a superb climax in its latter half. And while not stretching the palette too far beyond reason, there’s plenty of variation in these ten tracks. With shimmering keyboards and a breezy persona, Can’t You Tell is the musical embodiment of San Francisco and an utter delight. The album reaches its high point with the instantly charming one-two of Wonder Why and Ride Ride Ride. Wonder Why bounces along on crisp, perfectly placed piano melodies and is summery pop perfection. Ride Ride Ride, easily the most immediate song on the album, is a chugging, freight train rocker propelled by snarling blues licks. In some cruel twist of fate for the listener, The Errant Charm ends like it started – on a bland, overly long number, Soft Glass. Book-ending an album with its least appetising numbers isn’t the wisest of moves, but in between entrée and dessert there’s some quite satisfying mains on The Errant Charm. Justin Grey
DAVID WHO?
WORTH THE WAIT
ONCE UPON A TIME STEVE KILBEY IMAGINED A ‘60S ROCK STAR NAMED DAVID NEIL. RICKY MAYMI HELPED MAKE HIM REAL. MICHAEL SMITH IS TOLD THE TALE.
NOISE PURVEYORS THE LAURELS ARE LAUNCHING THEIR DEBUT EP AFTER A FIVE YEAR TEASE. GUITARIST AND VOCALIST PIERS CORNELIUS TELLS SEVANA OHANDJANIAN OF THE SOMETIMES HARD ROAD TO MESOZOIC.
“I
have a blog and I write about things that are true and things that are not true and then sometimes I mix things up,” Kilbey explains of the idea behind what he describes as this conceit that he’s called David Neil. “I started writing about a dead rock star that I had been on tour with once when I was twenty years old in 1974. I was on this guy’s tour, his only tour of America, playing bass. And then I started to write snippets of lyrics that he might have written and then I started to kind of imagine the people around him and all this kind of thing. “Ricky Maymi [guitarist with the Brian Jonestown Massacre] was interested in this and I think he might have even been implicated in the story in some weird, anachronistic way, ‘cause obviously he just would have been born in those days. Eventually we got together in Sydney and the two of us wrote the songs that David Neil would have written if he had indeed existed. So we made the album to sound like it was created by this guy named David Neil.” That album – released on limited edition blood red vinyl – is titled The Wilderness Years and to Kilbey’s ears is something of a cross between Neil Young and David Bowie. “I think this record’s swung more towards Neil Young in some spots,” he suggests, “then the sort of David Bowie bit’s making it sweeter and sometimes it has these chord progressions that are more David Bowie than Neil Young would write. It was all kind of done in the spirit of the thing, just written pretty quickly, just maybe writing two or three songs in a session and then in the studio Ricky played most of the guitars and the drums and just kind of recorded pretty quickly to get that fresh sort of feeling.
“Anyway, it’s reasonably authentic, like a record by some lost minor character from rock… There are these characters; there was a guy in England that made a couple of albums that everybody raved about and when I got them I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about – and then he disappeared. The Humours Of Lewis Furey, you ever heard of him? Google that. He’s like David Neil, came along and made a couple of albums, made
T
a splash with a few people and he disappears. So that’s what David Neil’s like. He’s not one of the greats, but he’s kind of worth a footnote in history as a kind of an oddity.” Kilbey and Maymi are both writers who are far too good to create anything that doesn’t smack of quality, but this collection of tunes, as Kilbey’s blog describes it, “until recently… kept in a locked valise”, is very different from anything else he’s written in collaboration. “A lot of things, I’m at the mercy of who I’m playing with,” Kilbey suggests. “If you get somebody like Martin Kennedy [All India Radio], in Melbourne, does Kilbey Kennedy and gives you these atmospheric, ambient, droning kind of things, that’s what I do. And you play with Ricky and he likes organic and live and rock’n’roll and likes the ‘60s and the kind of values they had – that’s how the music’s going to be. I’m happy for it to go any way it wants to go as long as it’s got integrity and I think David Neil has some integrity to it.” Integrity, but maybe not longevity – just don’t go expecting, unless it’s so wildly, mindbogglingly, spectacularly successful that it’s demanded, that there’s necessarily any more “lost” David Neil in that valise. WHO David Neil AKA Steve Kilbey & Ricky Maymi WHAT The Wilderness Years (Independent) WHEN & WHERE Wednesday, Beach Road Hotel; Thursday, Notes; Friday 5 August, Lizotte’s Kincumber; Saturday 6, Lizotte’s Dee Why; Sunday 7, Lizotte’s Newcastle
BRANCHING OUT
The end result is the melodic psychedelia of Mesozoic, a title Cornelius insists is open for interpretation.
“Recently we’ve been learning a whole bunch of new songs to play live, ‘cause we finished recording the EP last year sometime and just spent a little while getting it mastered and the artwork done, stuff like that. We’ve just been hanging around, twiddling our thumbs, learning new songs, waiting to go back into the studio again. And it won’t take that long ever again, hopefully.”
“Anyone is free to take whatever they want from the name. We just thought it sounded pretty good and looked good,” discusses Cornelius. “I like words that have a ‘z’ in it, but the whole thing’s to do with how that was a really important time in history with environmental changes and we’re all into the idea of history repeating and saying stuff that was going on back then is still happening now, but just at different levels… Mesozoic is actually a song that will probably be on our first album when it gets recorded.”
The real story behind the making of the EP says more of The Laurels’ dedication to ensuring their music is always representative of them at the moment, rather than the past.
The band certainly has a deep history, the music having changed since they first began playing shows locally. Years of live performance allowed them to hone their skills and the songs that eventually made the EP.
“I think we started [making the EP] probably in 2007,” says Cornelius. “We started recording with the aim of doing an album and we spent quite a long time because we could only do it sporadically, because the studio was set up so that we were recording in a place that was an office in the day time hours. So we could only really do it at night whenever our producer Jon [Hunter, The Holy Soul] was free and whenever we all were free. We were all working and it ended up being one night a month over a couple of months.
“Playing all the songs so much live, our sound has matured a little and we’re a bit happier with the sound that we ended up putting down,” admits Cornelius. “I guess it’s good in some ways that our first record, or our first recordings, have come out with a sound that we’re happy with, rather than just a rush job to get something out and looking back on it a few years later and saying, ‘Oh well, that’s not very good’.”
“Then after we completed it, we realised that the songs that we’d finished were really old and we didn’t even really like them anymore, so we went back in ‘cause the place where he was recording us was actually closing down. He said, ‘We’ve got two weeks when we can do it,’
WHO The Laurels WHAT Mesozoic (Other Tongues) WHEN & WHERE Friday, Lansdowne Hotel; Saturday, Repressed Records
IT ALL BEGAN WITH A BUNCH OF SONGS; A SOLO PROJECT THAT BECAME A BAND CALLED SPLIT SECONDS THAT RECENTLY SCOOPED THE POOL AT THE WA MUSIC INDUSTRY AWARDS. SEAN POLLARD TELLS MICHAEL SMITH THE STORY.
B
Cayzer, who has formal training in piano, began producing in his teens, releasing his first tune at 16. The same year he departed for London, Cayzer presented his debut ‘artist’ album, Everything Is OK, through the Anjunabeats offshoot Anjunadeep, devoted to “melodic house music”. Indeed, Cayzer belongs to a new generation of electronic shapeshifters, effortlessly negotiating the once tribal (and adversarial) realms of trance, progressive and techno. “My roots have always been fairly planted in house music – and then [I’ve] obviously been very heavily influenced by trance music, seeing as I’ve been surrounded by so much trance over
“We were strapped for cash, I guess,” explains Cornelius. “It’s pretty costly getting all that stuff mastered and working out how you’re going to release it.
so we went in and redid another six songs over about three nights. It was a long time spent stuffing around basically for getting something quickly done in the end.”
COMING HOME
EVEN THOUGH HE PREFERS TO LIVE THE NOMADIC LIFE AND TOUR THE WORLD, DJ/PRODUCER JAYTECH, REAL NAME JAMES CAYZER, ALWAYS FINDS HIS WAY BACK HOME, AS CYCLONE DISCOVERS.
erlin is a long way from Canberra, but it’s now home for Jaytech, aka James Cayzer. In 2008 the DJ/producer followed Anthony Pappa, Australia’s first bona fide superstar DJ, by heading to London, initially shacking up with a sister. British stadium trancers Above & Beyond had discovered Cayzer on licensing his track Starbright for a compilation, and he soon strategically aligned himself with their Anjunabeats label empire. Today, when not forging his own career, Cayzer is Above & Beyond’s regular warm-up DJ. “I just finished up an absolutely massive tour of North America with those guys – I actually got back yesterday,” he announces. The US is in the midst of a dance music “boom”, with even the hip hop contingent trance-crazy, but the underground is also surging. Nevertheless, Cayzer is based in subcultural Berlin, which, being less “hectic” than London, allows him to record in downtime. “I was in London – I relocated here about a year ago. It’s like a little halfway house that I have here because I’m away most of the time. This is where I come to sleep about one week of every month.” Cayzer is touring Australia this winter and he’ll be here again in September supporting Above & Beyond. To ward off homesickness, he engineers return visits every six months, connecting with family and friends, capitalising on frequent flyer rewards if necessary. “The kind of nomad way of life is definitely for me, it’s the way I prefer to live, but I do try to get back to Australia as much as I can. I can see myself living there on a more permanent basis eventually.”
he myth of The Laurels’ EP is a well-known tale in the Sydney scene. Renowned for their astounding live shows that attack audiences with wall-to-wall sound, the four-piece formed five-odd years ago. They’ve since played shows in nearly every venue across our city and supported heroes such as Swervedriver and Low, but whispers of a record have lead to nothing until now, with their debut EP Mesozoic. Though fans may have been waiting impatiently, there’s a solid reason behind the delay.
“I the last few years. Especially this month I’ve been at trance parties pretty much five nights a week [laughs], so it’s hard not to be influenced by that sound when you’re exposed to so much of it. But, like people always say, the best artists are the ones who can’t really be classified by one particular [genre]. I think it’s good to branch out and do a few different things.” Cayzer, a ready Anjunabeats ambassador, lately teamed with James Grant for the comp Anjunadeep:03. Anjunadeep:03 is primarily “a showcase” for the label, but in his DJ sets, too, Cayzer champions music by labelmates. Next, he’ll wrap a second studio album. Some in dance circles maintain that the LP is redundant, but not Cayzer (or his bosses Above & Beyond, who’ve just dropped Group Therapy, a trance counterpart to the Massive Attack opus). “I think it definitely is [relevant]. For me, as an artist, what I like to hear most from people is just new tracks, no matter what sort of format they come out in. But the thing about an ‘artist’ album is that it’s kind of like a landmark event in an artist’s career where they can build a really big tour out of it. It’s the best way to progress to the next level as an artist and break new ground... I’m doing my second ‘artist’ album at the moment and the aim is to get that out this year. Actually, while I’m back in Australia, I’m gonna be putting the finishing touches on that in between all the gigs. So that’s coming along pretty well.” WHO Jaytech WHAT Anjunadeep:03 (OneLove/Sony) WHEN & WHERE Saturday, Chinese Laundry; Friday 15 July, The Clubhouse
t was a pretty good night,” singer/songwriter Sean Pollard reckons, on the line from Perth and still a little surprised at his band’s success at the WAMis (WA’s equivalent of the ARIAs). “A total surprise! I think we got nominated for, like, six of them, but I think we were just hoping to not walk away without anything and be publicly humiliated, so it was good to avoid public humiliation to actually win something, which was really the main thing for us [laughs].” Not only did Split Seconds walk away with a sackful of awards, including Most Promising New Act, Best Indie Pop Act and Best Vocalist, they also managed to outscore every other WA-based act in contention, which is no mean feat for any band, let alone one that’s barely a year old and with only an eponymous debut EP to credit so far. That success came on the back another big win for the six-piece, their debut single, Bed Down, included on the EP, having won them a triple j Unearthed spot on the Perth leg of this year’s Big Day Out. “Yeah, that was pretty good too actually,” Pollard remarks. “It all seems like a lot when you talk about it this way. That was another pretty unexpected thing that happened. I mean, we knew triple j were pretty keen on the single, but to win that Unearthed thing was a really big deal, especially the Big Day Out one.” And all was based, to some extent, on a few songs he wrote in London that, initially, were simply going to be for a solo project. “I kind of ended up in London following a girl, as you do [laughs]. I moved over there with my girlfriend – probably three years ago now – and just lived the lifestyle for a little while. I didn’t really plan to write any songs while I was over there, but I brought a guitar with me and ended up writing a bunch of songs that I sent home to my family, and felt I should do something with them.” Before heading off to London, Pollard had been in a band called New Rules For Boats, which did a few tours
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and got some airplay but didn’t really break through. “It was energetic but a bit too hyperactive I think, so I needed a bit of time to calm down and actually start writing some real songs, so that’s why I kind of took those couple of years off, went to London and figure out what I was doing with myself. So this band is kind of a result of that – the experience of having been in a band helping me to know what to do and what not to do in putting this band together.” The result has that classic WA pop ballad feel. “I think obviously it seeps in, kind of hanging around in WA. You always hear people banging on about The Triffids and before them bands like The Go-Betweens and these kinds of bands end up influencing you, kind of despite yourself really [laughs]. So once I kind of let it happen, let it in, without kind of railing against it, it was really great to find bands like that to become influenced by and I really did discover a lot of them while I was away as well. Hopefully it’s got that WA feel – I like to think that it does. In fact I did a bit of research and The Triffids actually lived about five minutes from where I lived in London [laughs]. I found that out after I came home.” WHO Split Seconds WHAT Split Seconds (Shock) WHEN & WHERE Friday, Oxford Art Factory THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 47 •
METAL AND HARD ROCK WITH CHRIS MARIC
MARILYN MANSON
SOUL FLYING HIGH FOR TONY Arizona metallers Soulfly have announced that Tony Campos, who’s played for bands including Static-X, Prong, Asesino, Ministry and Possessed, is their new permanent bassist following the July 2010 departure of Bobby Burns, who had played with Soulfly since 2003. Campos will make his live debut with the band at the end of the month at Belgium’s Lokerse festival. Before this announcement, Johny Chow of Cavalera Conspiracy and Fireball Ministry had been filling in the bass duties live for the band.
ODD COUPLE In one of the more random collaborations in recent years, Transformers star and general Hollywood pretty boy Shia LaBeouf has been tapped to shoot a new documentary about the making of a musician’s new album. “Okay,” you’re thinking, “that doesn’t sound that weird” – yeah, until you find out that said musician is shock rocker Marilyn Manson. What? So recently, Mr LaBeouf has shot and edited the clip for Kid Cudi’s Marijuana, and met Manson during an appearance on the talk show Live With Regis And Kelly. Apparently they hit it off straight away and hung out and watched movies and whatnot, which is kind of a weird visual, but anyway. Manson last month released a 26-second video teaser for what he’s called “an undisclosed song with an unreleased title”. His eighth studio album is set for release later this year through Cooking Vinyl Records, as in 2009 he split with his long-term label Interscope.
ON YOUR NERVES Choking Victim is a new song from Fear & The Nervous System, the project featuring Korn’s James “Munky” Shaffer, Faith No More’s Billy Gould and Repeater’s Steve Krolikowski. It can be downloaded free at fatns.com, and is available for streaming on YouTube. Other artists involved in the early F&TNS recording sessions include Bad Religion’s Brooks Wackerman. A press release called the band “an exciting project that opens up the boundaries of rock, harkening back to the days when music was fearless”. Stay tuned.
The guys at Quarterpipe Records have been busy of late. Next up on their release schedule are those Southern Highland black/thrash/death/tech guys, Norse. If they are from the Southern Highlands, shouldn’t they be called Sorce? Har fkn har. Anyway, their album Hellstorm is set to take them into international territory and is available on QPR’s site for ordering.
Darker Half hits The Basement in Belconnen on this cold July night. Like your rock more than your metal? Head to The Metro instead as Stone Parade and Red Remedy will be playing a kick ass show with Thousand Needles In Red, Floating Me and Electric Horse. Presale tickets are just $20 – hit up Red Remedy for them! Doors open at 7pm.
The last time Leif Snake Sixx’s name was involved with Heavy Shit, it was due to his heroic efforts in rescuing that goat fuck of a tour involving LA Guns. This time, though, it’s because his new EP, called The Konspiracy Theory, is ready to roll. It features some big names, including Michelle Madden (Tourettes), Marc from German outfit Morgoth and some guy called Henry Rollins. Throw in a remaster of his early work with Sydney grindcore merchants Aftermath, and you have another good reason to go visit Quarterpipe. It’s good to see the local scene doing more than just gigging. We’ve got albums coming out our ears (buy physical CDs – you’ll appreciate them more!) and now we have videos coming out our eyes. Melbourne’s In Malice’s Wake has just released a clip for the first track off the album The Thrashening, Endless Possession. Check it out on YouTube or keep an eye out on MTV’s Headbangers Ball in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, those productive young men in Lord have pumped out their fifth video from their awesome Set In Stone opus. Forever features an extended version of the track, making it a nine-minute epic psychological thriller. Killer! Just a heads up that Jim Ward (ex At The Drive In, Sparta, Sleepercar) will showcase his new album, Quiet In The Valley, On The Shores The End Begins, at the Annandale on Wednesday 10 August.
FRIDAY Darker Half has signed to Rockstar Records for the local release of second album Desensitized. If you find yourself in Newcastle, head over to the Hamilton Station Hotel and hear most of it being played live. Stars Of Addiction will play their first show sporting their new line up at the Annandale this evening. Keep an eye on the bass player. Can you believe the Valve has been the Valve for a year already? Time flies when you’re banging your head, eh? They are having a week-long party to celebrate and
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IN MALICE’S WAKE Friday is metal night. Find ten bucks and get up there from 7pm to catch Delinquent, Under The 8 Ball and Datura Curse warm the stage up for Havoc, who are debuting their new vocalist, Gary Vickers (formerly of 1 Shot Kill). Hard As Nails will be smashing it up at The Wall with Ruin Gloria, Alibrandi, New Manic Spree and Melbourne’s Cave Of The Swallows. HAN has just released Messiah on iTunes but they will have CDs available at the show with bonus tracks too – see, told you CDs are still good! Having launched their debut album, How To Shampoo A Yak, to a 300+ crowd at Brisbane’s most iconic live music venue, The Zoo, and also having supported and shared stages with the likes of The Bronx, H20, Pangaea, You Am I, Violent Soho, Birds Of Tokyo, The Hard-Ons, Front End Loader and many more, The Mercy Beat is now making its maiden voyage down the East Coast and hitting Newtown’s Town Hall Hotel tonight, with Steppin Razor and Dividers, and will be at the Hamilton Station Hotel on Sunday.
SATURDAY – DECISIONS, DECISIONS… The Lewisham Hotel will be playing host to the epic Led Fest, featuring the best of bands from both Newcastle and Parramatta Club LED. Kicking off at 3pm, the show will include Empirical, Grim Demise, A World Less Cruel, Enviktas, Foundry Road, The Seer, Ilcontent, War Faction, Head Hammer and Putrefaction.
If you feel like being brutalised and punished, then The Gaelic is where you need to be as the mighty Ouroboros delivers what, to my ears, is the best local death metal album of the year and it is firmly inside my top five for the year all round. Glorification Of A Myth is a monster of a record, with the perfect balance of melodic leads and huge drums, and Evgeny has a voice lying somewhere between Nergal and Johan Hegg’s! Joining the fun are A Million Dead Birds Laughing, Mytile Vey Lorth and Alice Through The Windshield Glass. Venom is serving up a pretty impressive night too. The Agincourt Hotel has a great live line up in store, with Everything Handed Down getting things going at 9.45pm before Festering Drippage, who have traversed a mountain to come and play (okay, they’re from Lithgow), take over. Wollongong’s New Blood takes things up to midnight and then Wolfkahn comes on to see if they can destroy the stage better than the last time they played it back in May. Album launches on the night include the crushing Darkness In The Light from Unearth and a newie from the legends that are Earth Crisis, plus the heaviest band on the Victory Records roster, Jungle Rot. Venom is also the place for all your after party needs; you can bargain for a special door price by showing your Metro ticket as proof you just saw FloatingMe and the bands that played The Gaelic will end up here too.
SUNDAY The Lucky Australian at St Mary’s is giving the younger ones among us a chance to experience a killer metal gig this afternoon as they host an all ages monstrosity. Kicking off at 12.30pm with the first band on at 1pm, who wouldn’t be impressed with a line up that includes Sanctium, Starforge, Anno Domini, A Million Dead Birds Laughing, Bane Of Isildur and Ouroboros? heavy@drummedia.com.au
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• 48 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
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PUNK AND HARDCORE WITH SARAH PETCHELL I have been hoping for this since the additions to Bastardfest were last announced, but now here it is. Ringworm will be touring Australia this September with Melbourne’s Mindsnare in a battle of the hardcore heavyweights. This is seriously huge! Ringworm was last in Australia about four years ago, but with the release of the amazing fifth album Scars this July, it’s time for them to head back over the Pacific and play a few shows here. As I said, the band will be joined by the fantastic Mindsnare, who in their own way are as influential and huge as Ringworm (yeah, I went there!). Tickets for this tour are on sale now for the Newcastle and Sydney shows. On Friday 23 September, the bands will be playing the Cambridge Hotel, with tickets available through Moshtix. Then on Saturday 24, the tour will hit the Annandale Hotel in Sydney, with tickets available over the bar and through the Annandale website. While we’re still on the subject of Resist Presents tours, the supports for the Doomriders tour that starts later this month were announced with week as well, and it kind of makes me want to travel to Canberra to make sure I catch the show there. We already know that the four-piece from Boston will be supported by Canberra’s I Exist, but the local additions to the line up rule as well. On Saturday 23 July, the show at the Annandale will see Lo! opening the night’s action. Then on Sunday 24, the Cambridge Hotel will see locals Safe Hand supporting, and finally on Monday 25, 4 Dead will be playing alongside these two bands at ANU Bar, Canberra. Polar Bear Club has undergone a member change, with the departure of drummer Emmett Menke and his subsequent replacement with Tyler Mahurin. In a statement, Menke explained that he had had constantly struggled with the role of being a drummer in the band and his role as a father, and had decided to do the right thing as a dad and walk away. He also stated, “I love my brothers in Polar Bear Club and wish them the best. I had the pleasure of writing and recording 35 songs with the most talented people I’ve ever played music with. I’ve seen more of the world than I ever thought I would.” Night Hag is a fantastic band out of Adelaide about to embark on its first East Coast tour to coincide with the release of debut album Gilded Age. If you haven’t heard about Night Hag before, I strongly suggest that you head over to their Tumblr (nighthag.tumblr.com) and check them out because they are doing some really cool stuff musically – think elements of black metal mixed with hardcore and you’re on the right track. You can pick
STORY OF THE YEAR No strangers to our shores, St Louis, Missouri posthardcore band Story Of The Year will be out here yet again in September as a part of the massive Soundwave Revolution line up. Before that rolls around, though, Drum managed to grab guitarist Ryan Phillips and get him to spill on all things Australia, festivals and the band itself.
RINGWORM up their EP, New Tourists, now while you’re waiting for the album to be released through Capitalgames Records (Coerce, Dangers). And in the meantime, make sure you check them out on their East Coast tour. The band plays Bar 32 in Canberra on Tuesday 19 July, the Hamilton Station Hotel on Wednesday 20, the Sandringham Hotel on Thursday 21 and the Town Hall Hotel on Friday 22. If you don’t know them already, All Pigs Must Dig are a Massachusetts slaughter squad made up of vocalist Kevin Baker (The Hope Conspiracy), drummer Ben Koller (Converge), guitarist Adam Wentworth (Bloodhorse) and bassist Matt Woods (also from Bloodhorse). After releasing a self-titled EP last year, the band is now preparing to release their debut full-length. Entitled God Is War, the pummeling eight-song album has been set for release on 16 August through Southern Lord Records and was recorded and mixed by Kurt Ballou (Converge guitarist and producer extraordinaire) at his God City Studio. No word on when there will be a local release date, but you should be able to order through the band and Southern Lord around the August date. Despite a series of farewell shows not too long ago, Bodyjar resurrected themselves to pay tribute to the Arthouse in Melbourne when they played one of the final shows there earlier this year. It seems like perhaps they have fully returned to the grave after that show, with the announcement earlier this week that they would be heading out one more time to play a show at The Gaelic’s new Sydney nightclub, Nowhere, on Saturday 23 July. Supports and further details are to be announced soon, but if you’re like me and don’t really
go to clubs, I think this may be one show that I make an exception for.
What are you most looking forward to about heading to Australia for Soundwave Revolution?
This branches off a little bit into hip hop territory, but bear with me for a second as I am about to tell you about one of the coolest (though some may say the most sacrilegious) things I’ve heard about this year. Doomtree is a hip hop collective out of the midwest of the US (P.O.S. is probably their most noted member) – however, they’re a bit more than hip hop as they include samples from punk and hardcore songs in their beats and have been known to spout Fugazi lyrics mid-rhyme. In tribute to this love of Fugazi, and a tribute to their love of the Wu-Tang Clan, Doomtree is releasing a homage project called Wugazi, which will culminate in the release of an album titled 13 Chambers that will be released in the US on 13 July. If you head to wugazi. com you can check out the leak of the first track called Sleep Rules Everything Around Me. I’m not a massive Wu-Tang fan, but I really like the concept and if this one track is anything to go by then this project has been done really well and I’m curious and a little excited see what the whole thing sounds like.
Pretty much just hanging out with all of our friends in other bands that we haven’t seen in a while. A lot of good people. Excited to drink beer and listen to Eddie Van Halen wail some eruption. Excited to play. Just excited to be back in Australia. I love it there.
Finally for this week, keep an eye on noheroesmag.com as we will (finally) be releasing Issue Ten this week. This is an all-Australian issue featuring some of the best punk and hardcore acts in the country right now, including Break Even, Miles Away, Fires Of Waco, Coerce, House Vs Hurricane, Totally Unicorn and so many more bands. We’re very excited about this little project and hope you all like it as well.
Who are you most eager to check out on the bill? Van mother fucking Halen!
What is something that no one knows about your band? There are a couple things that no one knows, but I can’t tell you those things… Hmm, not many people know that we drink hamster blood out of a deer skull before we go into the studio.
Do you have any rituals or superstitions that you have to stick to before you go onstage? If so, what? We’ve had the same ritual for our entire career. About an hour before we go onstage, we all get in a room together and blast music and drink beers and Sailor Jerry’s rum and just treat the show like it’s a party. These days it’s usually all rap music. We just hang out and create energy in the room that we carry out on to the stage.
What is your dream festival line up? Pink Floyd, U2, Greek Fire and 30 bands that don’t suck.
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THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 49 •
HIP HOP WITH VIKTOR KRUM I’m really pleased that the Sandringham Hotel exists as a rap music venue. It’s near a train station. Solid beers on tap. Bloodwood within 100 metres for the wankers. Kebabs within 100 metres for the yobbos. The Townie nearby for kicking on late. Plus it’s a nice size for a scene packed full of real-job-having, cash-strapped, semi-successful musicians. It’s an intimate fire hazard without being claustrophobic. You know? You know. Anyway, you’ve got another chance to get a dose of Sando on Saturday 9 July. Kobra Kai will be playing and they’ll be sharing stuff from their new album. Good times. I am someone who plays favourites, though, so I’ll be showing favouritism to some other artists at this show. (But not too much! <3 Kobra Kai!) First: Mailer Daemon who is the future of dance music and pop music and any other kind you care to name. (Disclosure alert! This columnist is a friend and some time colleague of Mailer Daemon’s.) Then: Swarmy, who is basically the perfect guy. At once intimidating and friendly; he’s the exciting uncle you never had. Plus his raps are ridic. Go make friends with the Vanilla Gorilla. Next Saturday, dudes. How else are you going to ring in the new financial year? That is a good question, I don’t mind saying. Did your boss have an end of financial year party for your other slightly less senior bosses? Do you have any idea why? Yeah, me neither. It’s no NYE. It’s not even a Christmas in July. I mean, if someone said, “accountancy party, you guys! Let’s get messy!” then your natural, appropriate response would be to back away slowly while maintaining eye contact and speaking with a calm, soothing tone. Right? Right. Welcome to the new financial year, anyway. What’s your new financial year resolution? Fiscal responsibility? Sexy. Just make sure you don’t have too much fun. Good news for people who like good news: Sydney has just secured another permanent live music venue. And there are competent people running nights there! FBi’s trial at the Kings Cross Hotel is over. The permanent phase has begun. Punch-happy bouncers and puffyfaced radio announcers aside, this is basically good news for everyone. Evan Kaldor is the FBi main guy. He said, “FBi Social has proven that Sydney can sustain, and indeed embraces, more music venues. We think FBi Social has an important role to play as a smaller capacity, intimate space for emerging bands in
ALL AGES WITH DAVE DRAYTON There is a huge week of gigs ahead, with plenty of different stuff on offer, so for now I’ll just say get along to some of the following, and explain the rest later. Let Me Down Jungleman is touring all around southern NSW this week – with a bunch of all ages shows – for the End Of World Sex Party Tour. Despite the odd name, which kind of sounds like the Justin Timberlake tour a few years back, there are some great line ups. They play Thursday night at Huskisson Community Centre with Break A Leg, Lost In Verona and HSTF and on Saturday night they play Tathra Hall with a six band bill featuring Totally Unicorn and Sydney rock legends Grand Fatal.
MAILER DAEMON Sydney”. (Remember when we said intimacy, proximity to a train station, expensive food, cheap food, and pubs that stay open late were all ticks of approval for live venues? Yeah. That set up paid off nicely.) Big Boi’s playing the Enmore on Saturday 27 August! You remember Big Boi: he’s the less interesting one from Outkast. He’s the guy who made the solid but wildly overrated album that somehow defined 2010 for everyone. He’s from Atlanta. A bit chubby but still probably sleeps with mucho ladies. Yeah? Yeah! Him! Anyway, you can catch him at (arguably) Sydney’s best venue in a couple months. In support will be Thundamentals, who’ll be blasting songs at you from their newie Foreverlution that is due out on 29 July. Oh, if that’s not enough Thunda for you. The Thundakats will also be playing next Saturday 9 July at… Sydney’s newest permanent live venue! They’re there for Party & Bullshit, an FBi night at the Kings Cross Hotel. It’s worth remembering that Bias B’s Biaslife is out in shops or up online for you to get your hands on. Remember: the fact that Bias B is very experienced and well respected is a stupid reason to listen to this album. Don’t be so uncritical. Think. The smart reason to listen is that Biaslife is an achievement. Autobiographical without whine. Angst without self-pity. Engagement without aggression. Check the single Midlife first but – yeah – put this on your radar. getittogether@drummedia.com.au
If you’re down the coast and that’s not to your liking there’s another great option on Thursday night at Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre. For just $5 you can get yourself in to see Skipping Girl Vinegar launching their album Keep Calm, Carry The Monkey. Canadian songstress Colleen Hixenbaugh is main support. Speaking of album launches, Art Vs Science is touring its latest, The Experiment, after performances with Yo Gabba Gabba (awesome). They play the Enmore on Friday night with Strange Talk opening. And onto the slightly smaller, but equally worthy of ‘launching’ EPs, Sydney band The Laurels launch their new EP, Mesozoic, on Saturday night at Repressed Records in Newtown. The show kicks off at 6pm and is free. Saturday also sees Truth Or Tragedy, Ventures, To Kill A Sunrise, Killing Lennon, Above City Skies, Sundacy and Run The Avalanche playing from 1pm at the Lucky Australia Tavern. At the same venue the next day thrashers Ouroboros are launching their debut album, Glorification Of A Myth, with support from Bane Of Isildur, Anno Domini, Starforge, Sanctium and Amoeba. Also on the Sunday (told you it was a big week), Canberra post-hardcore band Hands Like Houses is playing at Valve Bar with We Rob Banks and more. Now to explain the rest. The reason it’s great to go to shows is that when you do, people put more on because they can see AA shows are viable. Simple as that. Which leads us to the Bondi Pavilion. They put on an all ages show a few weeks back and were so impressed with the turn out and response (they sent an email to say as much) that they are putting on another show with the
It’s pretty easy for people of a certain vintage to get all misty-eyed about how everything was better back in the day, which is true to an extent if you’re willing to suspend disbelief and delude yourself into thinking that there’s actually a serious message beating away at the heart of Technotronic’s Pump Up The Jam once you scratch the surface. But for the sake of this week’s argument, let’s just pretend that Black Box’s Ride On Time is operating on a profound level that few can even comprehend and begin a sustained assault on just what constitutes dance music in 2011. Pointless dubstep breakdowns, eardrum bursting ravey synth stabs, guest 16s from rappers who should know better, David Guetta/Will.I.Am/Benny Benassi – these are the current prerequisites for 4/4 dance music chart crossover success. What the fuck exactly is the justification for the existence of LMFAO’s Champagne Showers? What about the portamento house synth squeals that have been shoehorned into Havana Brown’s We Run The Night? Is it because I traumatised my Grade 7 teacher so much she had to get a transfer to another school? Should I call my mother more? The coup de grâce is the press release for Vanessa Amorosi’s new single Gossip breathlessly trumpeting that it’s an “electro-pop track with a dab of dub-step (sic)”, the “dab” in question being a brief five second interlude which feels like it was included for the sole purpose of fulfilling a mystery checklist for Saturday morning TV ubiquity (and presumably because Snoop Dogg and/or Ludacris were unavailable for a guest spot). It’s nowhere near the po-faced seriousness of the breakdown in Britney’s Hold It Against Me (which was so close to disappearing up its own arsehole that it was unintentionally hilarious), but in terms of pointlessness it’s right up there with transforming robots from a • 50 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
WAYS Youth Service on Saturday 16 July. It’s U18, only $7 and the line up includes April Falls, Your Way Sucks, Charsonnez, Sweet Apes, Milwauke and The Shady Drive. So put it in the diaries, go along again and hopefully watch the trend pick up. If you’re into jazz and are thinking of turning your interest into a living or education, then it is worth having a look at the Sydney Conservatorium Open Academy. Next Tuesday 12 July from 6-9pm, Craig Scott will lead a workshop where potential tertiary jazz students can find out more about the Con’s audition requirements and the tertiary jazz program. The workshop includes the opportunity to try a mock audition if you choose. This is a great way to test the waters while you’re still deciding what to do post-school. While not exactly musical, the John Marsden Prize for all you young aspiring writers still warrants a mention. Entries are open for anyone under 24 years of age and you can submit poetry or short stories, with a prize pool of $10,000 up for grabs. Submissions close 31 August, so there’s still plenty of time to get something together. More info and entry forms are available at expressmedia.org.au A final reminder that there are still spots available in the 7 Deadly Sins band competition, which is held at the Lucky Australia Tavern in St Mary’s, though no doubt they will fill up quick. Get in touch with Nycole at rock_chic@hotmail.com to get involved. allages@drummedia.com.au
URBAN AND R&B NEWS BY CYCLONE
CAPTURING THE ZEITGEIST WITH KRIS SWALES Poor old electronic dance music. It really can be amazing, honest, but a little part of me dies inside every time I switch on Rage on a Saturday morning for my weekly dose of mainstream music (though I do have a nasty Triple M habit at the moment, but it seems the poor programming department there only has albums by the Foo Fighters, Chisel/Barnesy, INXS and Run To Paradise at their disposal so I don’t think it provides a good representative sample of what’s really going down out in lowest common denominator land).
SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR
Beyonce Knowles is doing a Madonna. She has sussed out what’s hot and is putting her own twist on it, citing Adele, Florence + The Machine and festival acts such as Muse as her latest fixations – in addition to ‘80s R&B. “At this point, I really know who I am and don’t feel like I have to put myself in a box,” the super-diva asserts in Billboard. “I’m not afraid of taking risks – no one can define me.” Okay, then.
VANESSA AMOROSI galaxy far, far away having human attributes like hair, beards and the ability to pass wind. So there you have it. Dance music – brainless, formulaic, instantly disposable, thanks for parting with your $2.19 on iTunes (and somewhere in the vicinity of 350,000 Australians have done just that for LMFAO’s Party Rock Anthem, none of whom I’ve ever met or ever want to. Sorry, I’m sure you’re a lovely person and cook a mean lamb roast, but I just don’t think it’ll ever work out for us.) Am I really this far out of touch with reality? Was Melissa’s Read My Lips really any better back in 1991 than J-Lo’s On The Floor is now? Am I just old and set in my ways and settled in for opening any discussion about music for the rest of my life with the phrase “back in my day”? I really hope not. Because as much as I doubt I’ll have another year like 1994 or 2000 where every new album I had in my possession somehow felt important, hearing a perfectly constructed pop song from Katy Perry or Katy B or even KT fucking Tunstall gives me some hope that maybe I’m not due to be wheeled off to the Old Gurners’ Home just yet. And if I am, I’ll just put on Henry Saiz’s Balance 019 to reassure myself that even in 2011, profundity and dance music aren’t mutually exclusive. Vive Le Progressive House. Reach for the lasers. Safe as fuck.
Knowles is an icon, possessing a wondrous voice, but she’s never presented a seminal album – just singles. Newly liberated from her ‘dadager’ Mathew, she’s delivered her most artistic solo endeavour yet in 4. The futuristic post-MIA dancehall banger Run The World (Girls), which scandalously faltered as a single Stateside, is a red herring, being closer to the ‘old’ Knowles – or Sasha Fierce. In contrast, 4 is big on ballads – the most commercial, I Was Here, courtesy of songwriter Diane Warren and Halo producer Ryan Tedder, hardly risk-takers. In fact, 4 isn’t really a ‘singles’ album, but conceptual. That’s risky. Forget Adele. Knowles is sounding more like the b-girl who presaged Adele – Alicia Keys. Knowles, too, is now bringing neo-soul values, and live instrumentation, to slick contemporary R&B, while conspicuously eschewing the ubiquitous Euro-disco. Knowles has enjoyed a well-deserved break (mind, she did perform at some New Year’s Eve bash for Colonel Gaddafi’s son) but, in that time, Lady Gaga became a phenomenon, no mere game-changer. However, Knowles’ major threat is the rebellious Rihanna, who’s not only edgier, but also less about female empowerment than guerilla grrrl tactics – especially with her controversial Man Down video. Knowles appearing at Glastonbury the other week will reboot her pop cred, even though her fellow headliners included… Coldplay. But much hinges on 4. Knowles is obviously emulating her adventurous sister, Solange – always freer to express her personality than B. Solange is also adept at absorbing fresh influences into progressive R&B. Knowles sings powerfully on 4’s stunning opener 1 + 1, the most Adele-like with its pared back production and country feel. Nearly as amazing is the synth-laden I Care… Is this Beyonce’s response to Florence’s dramatic indie-soul? Because it’s actually more redolent of Mariah Carey, circa the riveting Emancipation Of Mimi. Aaliyah died 10 years ago this year. Knowles’ sublime, spacey slo’ jam
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BEYONCE I Miss You, co-written by Odd Future’s Frank Ocean, sounds like what she might have been recording today: illwave. And, significantly, it’s not dissimilar to Solange’s experimental soul on Sol-Angel And The Hadley St Dreams. 4 is muddier after that. Babyface resurfaces to orchestrate the overblown Best Thing I Never Had, which, ironically, could be Ne-Yo’s work. There’s more rock guitar soloing – superfluous here. Rather Die Young, co-penned by the Aussie Luke Steele (!), is beautifully crafted, albeit forgettable. Knowles does offer dance numbers. Kanye West helms the Prince-y funk Party – featuring Andre 3000 – with Knowles’ layered harmonies harking back to the New Jill Swing troupe Jade. Love On Top is early Whitney Houston – smoke-machine disco-pop. At the opposite end, Countdown is jittery hip hop soul – and very Destiny’s Child. The Fela Kuti-inspired End Of Time is Beyonce’s trademark club music with input from both The-Dream and Dave “Switch” Taylor – a track to accompany the Major Lazer-sampling Run... The-Dream (of Single Ladies… fame) is just one of the familiar names in 4’s credits. Ultimately, 4 unravels as Knowles veers off into multiple directions, underscoring that ‘Brand Beyonce’ is still about covering all bases. In the end, Knowles’ greatest limitation is that, like Madonna, she’s a megastar – an industry unto herself. (4 comes with a sample of her ‘parfum’, Heat.) Expectations, expectations… Nevertheless, 4 is auspicious, if no ‘B Revolution’. ogflavas@drummedia.com.au
HEADING BLUES AND ROOTS WITH DAN CONDON frankly, no idea, but with Booker T Jones doing both this and Batemans Bay, does this mean the latter might snatch a few other Caloundra acts? At any rate this festival is a bloody good excuse to soak up some sun and surf on the beautiful Sunshine Coast.
Did you manage to get along and see Micah P. Hinson when he was in town over the weekend? If you didn’t then I’m sorry to say you missed something very special indeed. The Nashville born, Texas based singer-songwriter proved once more that the rather grandiose arrangements on his records may be stunning, but they’re not necessary as he wowed all present with nothing but his booming voice and a sole acoustic guitar. It had been too long between visits; let’s hope it doesn’t take that long for him to return next time. The next announcement for Batemans Bay’s Great Southern Blues Festival has come through and it has bulked up the bill considerably let me tell you! The bill as it stands now includes John Butler Trio, Pete Murray, Kasey Chambers & Band, Blue King Brown, Booker T. Jones, Kenny Neal Band, Blues Caravan ‘Girls With Guitars’, Renee Geyer, Bomba, Backsliders, Jeff Lang, Bondi Cigars, Chris Wilson, Graveyard Train, Shane Nicholson & Band, Sweethearts, Collard Greens & Gravy, The Detonators, Ali Penney & Her West Coast Money Makers, Brothers Grim, Mama Kin and the St Peters Blues Band. So, as you can see, the organisers have gone for a fairly even split of somewhat mainstream crowd pleasers and really good quality (some might say more credible) blues and roots artists. It all goes down at Mackay Park in Batemans Bay From Friday 30 September through to Sunday 2 October; tickets are available from the festival website (bluesfestival.tv) for
CHRISTINA CROFTS around $200 for the full weekend, though you can buy single day passes if you so wish. Pardon my language, but fuck me dead the Caloundra Music Festival has really pulled one out of the bag this year. I won’t crap on too much in the fear that it may take away from the incredible line up that boasts the likes of Allen Toussaint, Booker T Jones, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Jon Cleary and Tower Of Power as well as Aussies like The Black Sorrows, Diesel, Icehouse, Richard Clapton and a whole heap more. For the full line up (that also features a lot of your usual crappy ‘alternative rock’ favourites) and ticketing details, hit caloundramusicfestival.com.au. It goes from Friday 7 October to Sunday 9 October. Now don’t read anything into this because I have absolutely no inside work and,
There are few things more ambitious in the world of contemporary rock music than having a crack at performing the legendary Jimi Hendrix record Are You Experienced in full, in front of a live audience. But The Mick Hart Experience reckon they’re up to the challenge and the good people of Sydney are going to be the lucky folk who get to witness it live in action. On Friday 22 July, the band are going to be cranking up their amps at The Basement and blazing through the 1967 classic from start to finish. If you dig on Hendrix, then you don’t want to miss out; tickets are just $20 + bf from Moshtix. If you’re in the Rozelle area on Saturday night and you don’t stop by the Bald Rock Hotel then you’re a damn fool. Christina Crofts is one hell of a guitar player, not to mention a wonderful singer and songwriter and she will be cranking it up with help from Harry Brus and Bruce Stephens on bass and drums respectively from around 7.30pm. Some call her spirited, some call her passionate, others say she’s reckless, but one thing she has truly proven over the past 15 odd years is that she knows how to play and put on a great show so don’t miss your chance to see her. Entry is free. rootsdown@drummedia.com.au
Acoustic pop singer/songwriter Cilla Jane has released her second record, Until Morning Comes, and is out on tour, playing The Vanguard Wednesday and Front Gallery, Canberra, on Saturday. Drum caught up with her to talk about the new album.
How do you think your new album differs from the first in sound and the process behind it? I think each song on my latest release has a character of it’s own. More time was spent on arranging. I used different instrumentation and effects. My first album was pretty raw. The new album captures intimacy in some songs and others have a fun eclectic pop sound. The process was a little different; I worked on the arrangements a lot with the full band. We performed the songs live for nearly a year before going into the studio. I think the songs matured nicely over that time.
How does your material translate live, and what do you try to offer listeners in the live experience that they can’t get from listening to a CD? I have an emotional connection with my songs that translates better live. The songs come alive when played to an audience. I love my band and the way they play, the recording doesn’t fully capture every detail. In the live show you can appreciate the finer nuances.
What was influencing you while making the album? The underground Melbourne music scene influenced me and also my urban lifestyle called for a few more electric sounds. The way I was feeling about my own art at the time resulted in some songs being a little moodier than others.
WOMAD’S NEW FESTIVAL JAZZ/WORLD WITH MICHAEL SMITH THURSDAY
The winner of the 2011 Freedman Jazz Fellowship will be announced following a public concert, Freedman Jazz, in The Studio, Sydney Opera House, on Friday, featuring the four finalists – Perth pianist and composer Tom O’Halloran, Perth-born Melbournebased drummer Ben Vanderwal, Sydney drummer Evan Mannell and saxophonist and Sydney composer Matt Keegan – and their respective bands. Meanwhile, this year’s winner of the Jann Rutherford Memorial Award, Bungendore-raised, Canberra-trained, Sydney-based composer and double bassist Hannah James, takes her quintet – comprising some of Sydney’s most outstanding young jazz players, Casey Golden (piano), Tim Clarkson (saxophone) and long time associates Ed Rodrigues (drums) and Dave Rodriguez (guitar) – into the Sound Lounge Friday. She might be travelling under the banner The Happy Hippy Show, but the fact that joining vivacious singer/ songwriter Sally Street Thursday night at Slide in Darlinghurst are four of the city’s finest jazz musicians in pianist Gerard Masters, guitarist James Muller, bassist Alex Hewetson and drummer Evan Mannell suggests another kind of journey altogether. She’s sure to be showcasing cuts from her latest album, The Scorpion Maid, too. Saturday night sees The Basement Circular Quay hosting an evening of world music with the irrepressible Afro Moses fronting his 14-piece O’Jah Band and delivering The Spirit Of Africa in a swirl of Afrobeat, reggae and
Christa Hughes & The Honky Tonks – 505 My Goodness, McGuiness! – Jazz Dungeon, Newcastle Evan Lohning – Hernandez Café Glebe
FRIDAY Declan Kelly – 505 Rebekka Neville Trio – Bar 77, Grace Hotel
SALLY STREET
Evan Lohning – Hernandez Café
salsa as they launch a new CD, I Want 2B Happy, with New Zealand nine-piece Ebb ‘N’ Flow opening the night. If you’ve ever wondered what a real Stradivarius violin sounds like, you get four chances over the coming week or so as violinist Satu Vänskä joins the Australian Chamber Orchestra to present some of the finest pieces in the Baroque classical canon, 7pm Saturday and Wednesday 13 July, and 8pm Tuesday 12 in the City Recital Hall Angel Place and 2pm Sunday in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.
Chris Alexander Trio – Rydges Campbelltown Cameron Jones – Vivo Café, City
SATURDAY The Melodies – Town & Country, Tempe The catholics – Sound Lounge Marsala – Camelot Lounge Paul Sun – Organic Food Markets, Riverside Girls High
TUESDAY
SUNDAY
Marty Weiczorek + Jess Green’s Bright Sparks – 505
The Swinging Blades – Marrickville Bowling Club
James Valentine Quartet – Golden Sheaf
The Unity Hall Jazz Band – Unity Hall Hotel, Balmain
Paul Sun – Jazushi
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
Jeremy Rose Quartet – 505
Tom O’Halloran Trio – 505
blow@drummedia.com.au
The team behind WOMADelaide has announced the inaugural companion event, the WOMAD Earth Station Festival. Taking place at Long Gully in Belair National Park, Adelaide, from 21-23 October, it will bring together the arts and fresh perspectives on sustainability practices. The first line up of speakers and performers has just been announced in time for the first batch of ticket sales, with three day tickets and camping passes available from today. While the full line up will not be released until August, already confirmed are headliners Kronos Quartet, who will be performing their Sun Rings show, an epic multimedia work – commissioned by NASA no less – that explores space, the universe and music in equal measure. Joining Kronos Quartet is kora (a West African harp) virtuoso and two-time Grammy winner Toumani Diabaté, roots reggae musician Mista Savona and from China, internationally renowned pipa player Wu Man. It’s not all about the music however, and guest speakers including US geology professor Steve Pekar, Australian comic and green activist Rod Quantock, host of the Science Show on ABC Radio, Robyn Williams, and co-directors of the Sydney Theatre Company and environmental activists, Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton, will be sure to help festival director Ian Scobie’s vision of creating a forum that enables patrons to creatively and intelligently contemplate and discuss some of the biggest contemporary environmental issues while being entertained by a range of extraordinarily eclectic musicians from around the planet. Tickets and all the finer details can be found at earthstationfestival.com.au.
ROCKABILLY/PSYCHOBILLY/ALT.COUNTRY WITH PEDRO MANOY Once branded the bad boys of country, The Wolverines are real softies at heart and over the years have demonstrated that with their support of numerous charities. The hard rocking country trio had a monster hit back in 2001 with the single 65 Roses, which sold a staggering 35,000 copies in Australia alone. The band has also won numerous awards including a Golden Guitar at Tamworth, as well as Mo and Ace awards for best country outfit. You can catch them on one of the all too infrequent visits to the big smoke this Friday at Lizotte’s Dee Why and then on Saturday at Lizotte’s Kincumber. A reminder that entries close this coming Friday for the Sydney Blues Society’s Blues Performer of the Year. The competition features cash prizes towards airfares to Memphis Tennessee to represent the Sydney Blues Society at the International Blues Challenge in 2012. There are both band and solo categories, with heats run throughout August and the final on Saturday 3 September at the Bald Faced Stag. Previous winners include Ray Beadle, Jan Preston, Finn and Alison Penney. The “Fourth of July” might have passed but the celebrations for all things Americana continue at 33B in Oxford Street this Saturday, as Frankie Bubble presents a night of burlesque from the follies of Broadway through the bump and grind of California to the showgirls of Las Vegas and the trophy girls of the speedway strip. The night promises to recapture the glitz and glamour and the innocence and raw sex appeal
with your solo career’, and that’s exactly what’s in store for Philip Ricketson this Wednesday night at the Sandringham Hotel when his band mates The Hoo Haas will be rejoining the maestro to create as much mayhem as possible on a Wednesday night in Newtown.
FRIDAY Don Hopkins & Rob Grosser travel to the exotic Blue Diamond Bar at the Sebel Harbourside Resort in Kiama with a cocktail hour start at 6pm. At the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel you’ll find the bluesy sounds of the Steve Edmonds Band. Terry Batu is solo at the East Hills Hotel.
JAN PRESTON of the classic burlesque images of Americana with a stellar lineup that features Tasia, Kira Hula-la, Jade Twist, Lucille Spielfuchs, Cherry Lush along with MC Renny Kodgers and DJ Goldfoot. Bluegrass fans from all over the country will converge on Redlands Bay in Queensland this weekend for the annual Redlands Bluegrass Convention. The three-day festival features workshops, jam sessions and concerts, including a special tribute to Bill Monroe. Local acts this year include Hardrive, Coolgrass, the 4.33’s, Fatchance, Groundspeed and the Redlands Bluegrass Boys, with international visitors Adam Chaffins, Ryan Drickey, Dave Goldenberg and Josh Philpott. Bluegrass fans are amongst the most dedicated in the world and will happily travel thousands of miles to join in events such as this.
WEDNESDAY Mutiny is rife when your band mates decide ‘to hell
THURSDAY James Blundell and Catherine Britt bring some classic homegrown country to the heart of Sydney’s CBD with a big show at The Basement Circular Quay. The Peter Head Trio plays the Harbour View Hotel in The Rocks.
SATURDAY Stormcellar plays the Pendle Inn Hotel from 9.30pm.
SUNDAY Mississippi Shakedown kicks off the afternoon at the Macquarie Arms Hotel from 1pm. Eight Ball Aitken brings a taste of the swamp to the Marrickville Bowlo and The Slowdowns continue their residency at the Sandringham Hotel, both shows from 4pm.
CATHERINE BRITT
LOVE BEING LOST Singer/songwriters James Blundell and Catherine Britt are hitting the road together on the Can’t Find Our Way Home tour, which in Drum parts has them playing intimate acoustic shows on Wednesday at The Brass Monkey and Thursday at The Basement, Circular Quay. We checked in with Britt just before the tour kicked off.
What are you most looking forward to with your touring buddy? I have toured with James before and he is always a very gracious person to be around and it’s always fun, so it will be great to play some music with him and Paul Greene, who is also joining the tour, again.
You are hitting metro as well as regional venues this tour. What do you feel are the differences between audiences? Not a lot, to be honest. I find that good music and songs work everywhere and both regional and metro audiences are both equally appreciative and that’s great for artists.
The House of Blues featuring Matt Black & The Phat Cats takes over the Botany View Hotel from 7pm onwards.
When was the last time you couldn’t find your way home and why was that?
swampshack@drummedia.com.au
After the recent APRA Awards. Took a wrong turn…
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THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 51 •
WORDS FROM THE PEAK BODY OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC IN NSW
NEW FUNDING ANNOUNCED We are literally over all the moons of the galaxy to announce a new funding round supporting artists and artist managers in developing export opportunities whilst attending Australian industry conferences, trade fairs and other events in 2011. This new funding has been established to support artists in capitalising on career defining opportunities. Artists and artist managers are invited to apply for one off funding of up to $650 per member of the touring party (artists and artist managers only) up to a limit of $4000. This program focuses on attendance at Australian conferences and trade fairs as a means to developing relationships in international markets prior to traveling overseas, and to assist in the development of business skills and a national audience. It is also available to support career-defining opportunities that would otherwise be cost prohibitive to artists, which may consist of major support opportunities or other key showcase events. For more info go to musicnsw.com.
MUSICNSW WORKSHOPS For the rest of this year we’ll be running workshops all over the state, giving you the skills you need to navigate your way through the industry. The thing is, instead of holding workshops and seminars in the areas we think you should know about we’d much rather present to you the knowledge you want to know. To do this, we’ve currently got a survey going around for artists. Help us out by sending us your ideas on workshops you reckon would give you the leg-up you need in the industry to info@musicnsw.com.
NEW STAFF AT MUSICNSW Joining us in the new position of Education Officer is Siobhan Poynton. Siobhan will manage our workshop programs and resources, as well as our regular Music Open Day with FBi. Siobhan can be contacted on siobhan@musicnsw.com.
Project Coordinator, and Scarlett Di Maio, who joins us in the new position of Communications and Administrative Assistant. Both Chris and Scarlett come to us with experience gained at FBi Radio and Maps Entertainment. Starting at the beginning of next month, Chris can be contacted on chris@musicnsw.com and Scarlett on scarlett@musicnsw.com.
WANNA GO TO ICELAND??? The total babes at FBi Radio have just launched a competition to send two solo artists/electronic producers to the Iceland Airwaves festival, chaperoned by none other than the FBi music director, Dan Zilber. We expect incredible things from this opportunity – to be in the running head to fbiradio.com/Iceland.
FUNDING Arts NSW Quick Response Funding: Funding to support participation in international and national arts and cultural events/activities. Closes 8 August 2011. Australia Council Live On Stage: The program provides travel support for professional musicians (and their manager/representative) selected to showcase original Australian music at key international music trade fairs and festivals. No closing date. Australia Council Independent Curators: This initiative supports professional independent curators of Sound Art who are developing their career outside arts and cultural organisations. Closes 12 August 2011. Australia Council Don Banks Music Award: The award is to publicly honour a senior artist of distinction who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to music in Australia. Nominations from all areas of music are invited. Nominations close 1 September 2011.
Stepping up as the Indent Project Manager will be Meg Williams, who brings with her years of experience working on the project and running events.
Australia Council Skills and Arts Development: Skills and Arts Development grants support skills development for professional artists and projects that foster skills development for the applicant and/or other participants. Closes 1 September 2011.
Also new to the team are Chris Zajko, our new Indent
For more info visit musicnsw.com
Order your copy of AMID now!
INVESTING IN CLUB MUSIC WITH PAZ
CLOUD DJ With the movement to online “cloud” technology, hipsters in Goa are getting their PHP programming cousin in Mumbai to knock up some great Psy-Trancey cloud software. Plenty of that available, but until you get someone from The Allies to endorse it, it probably is best left to PVD wannabes. Why do we need it? Aren’t you sick of carrying 90GB of tracks around? LOL. Apple is launching Algoriddem Djay LOL. There is a cloud DJ service called IWEBDJ. They all offer beat matching services. LOL. How do you beat match Jazz? YouTube has got a demo for iPad DJ virtual decks that emulate what is required of performance, but nothing is said about syncing it with Cloud services.
WWWIMEDJPHP The idea of Cloud services means we can auto display set lists, which feeds Facebook, Twitter and (add future social network here). That means that all the whingers complaining about “promoter DJs” can now tick that box. If we simply just want to get from A to B neatly and hassle free, why not Virtual ourselves completely? The future is Surrogates x Dj Hero x Facebook x Grand Theft Auto sponsored by Jagermeister x Microsoft x Google x HTC. How about the virtual groupies and herpes? Could you imagine the response sheet for the song request auto reply? The pros and cons are mindboggling. The Business Music virtual DJ skin would be a Bill Gates surrogate, DJing on vintage 1200’s, streaming to Trinidad (strictly during carnival), a rider of virtual jazz sticks, an authentic “beach sounds” vst plugin and the M.O.P “Ante Up” voice package auto request responder. Maybe get that Bill Gates paycheck as well.
VIRTUAL SOUVLAKI Virtual drink card would need a virtual tasting facility. Maybe Willy Wonka can invent real cider flavour, with added hang over cures. What we all need is the virtual after club souvlaki/kebab generator. That would put me on cloud 9, more so than the Gwen Stefani Harajuku Lovers dance emulator.
REVALATION THUMBS UP / DOWN PLUG IN Finding the source material for the sample/edit you love can be a perplexing moment. We need a thumbs
TULLIO DE PISCOPO up/thumbs down for this. I recently flac jacked Tullio de Piscopo’s Stop Bajon (Primavera). I can’t stop listening to it, but realised I knew the sample. Now, I recently sold my whole collection of records, but one of the only remaining 12’s I kept was Pulsation Records 002, which features the A side tropi-boogie bumper Primo Vera by Con Bacon. The package is a bunch of dope edits, Melbourne pressed vinyl and I only kept it because it’s signed by one of the co-creators who can set eBay alight. Con Bacon and CO have schooled me on many things over the years, so glad to have both versions back in my ear drums.
AUTO STAGE NAME GENERATOR I have always wanted to start a list of unfortunate but memorable DJ/stage names. An app here would have been useful in the days of Ice T. Or how about Old Dirty Bastard’s Brooklyn Zoo crew, there is one cat who dubbed himself Shorty Shit Stain. I think the Caribbean needs this more than ever. I am concerned with names like Sluggydan, Snakey Dan, Farmer Nappy, Soca Elvis and Flourgon. Flourgon’s name came from constantly eating dumplings. Nice. The “Dan” in most cultures refers to a male who is funny, caring, the party starter and somewhat Lothario. Why put “Sluggy” in front of that? Consultants on a name generator should be Frank Ocean, Duce Man, Tensnake and Dam Funk. Those are top ranking names.
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• 52 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
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THIS WEEK IN
ARTS
WEDNESDAY 6 The Graduate — Mike Nichols won an Academy Award for his innovative direction of this touching, witty, unsettling and unforgettable film about a young man, Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman in his first major role) attempting to chart his future and develop his own set of values. He falls in love with Elaine (Katherine Ross), but finds himself seduced by her wily, sexy mother, Mrs Robinson (Anne Bancroft). Capturing a sense of the disorientation, alienation and defiant idealism of the 1960s, meaning and medium are artfully integrated — in the script, direction, acting, cinematography, design and music. Domain Theatre, Art Gallery of NSW, 2pm and 7:15pm.
THURSDAY 7 At Any Cost — Des loves his wife Faith dearly, but she is gravely ill. The family must decide whether her intensive care treatment should be prolonged. Des can’t bear to have any part in ending her life, but her three children vary sharply in their attitudes. Written by David Williamson. Opening night, 8:15pm. Ensemble Theatre until 27 August.
SATURDAY 9 Aleksander And The Robot Maid — join Drop Bear Theatre for an original steam-punk adventure where childhood curiosity and friendship prevail in a troubling world. Closing night. Reginald Theatre. Bully Beef Stew — a fearless theatrical exploration of Aboriginal manhood. Three young Aboriginal men, Sonny Dallas Law, Colin Kinchela and Bjorn Stewart, have been working together with director Andrea James to transcend usual notions of what it is to be an Aboriginal man today. Closing night. PACT centre for emerging artists. Terminus — From bustling streets to the skies above Dublin, then deep into the bowels of the earth, Terminus whisks us away on an incredible journey through a night of strange and fantastical occurrences. Three people, ripped from their daily lives and catapulted into chaos, narrate their seemingly disconnected tales which will eventually collide in a brutal head-on smash. Presented by Sydney Theatre Company and performed by Ireland’s Abbey Theatre. Closing night. Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House.
SUNDAY 10 The White Guard — Set in the Ukraine, where the Russian Revolution
THEATRE A LITTLE ROOM The Living Theatre Room, CarriageWorks The space is enormous, beautifully dressed, and hinting an al fresco café come tavern come runway come installation. We are thrown between time and the lives of three women who have lost and loved. Their narration far outweighs the dialogue and in both cases the delivery is more often than not soaked in such sickly sincerity that it is hard to swallow. The stream of consciousness and narrated observation is largely responsible for the aforementioned balance, but it also delivers moments of real beauty; as when on a train heading east to Sydney we hear a woman’s observation; “White sheets ballooned out like yachts in their own private
THUNDAMENTALS T-SHIRT DESIGN COMP
is sweeping towards Kiev, the play follows the Turbin family as they gather in their home to prepare for the Bolsheviks’ arrival. With the city in chaos, the time has come for its residents to fight or flee. Turbin brothers Alexi and Nikolai have resolved to stay and fight for The White Guard but with Russia broken up into pieces, battling to pull it back together will not be a straightforward task. Closing night. Sydney Theatre. #beardtheatre
ONGOING A Different Time: The Expedition Photographs of Herbert Basedow 1903-1928 — a National Museum of Australia touring exhibition. Photographs by Australia’s first homegrown professional anthropologist, Herbert Basedow, document his expeditions into central and northern Australia in the early decades of the 20th century. Basedow’s pictures record both people and places, including rare photographs of Indigenous Australians. A qualified medical doctor who pursued many fields of scientific knowledge, Herbert Basedow was one of the few people of his time actively recording traditional Aboriginal life. Cockatoo Island until 31 July. 10am-4pm daily. Edward Gant’s Amazing Feats of Loneliness — Over the course of the evening Victorian impresario, Edward Gant and his troupe of performers will create ‘a freak show of deformed minds’; they will conjure ‘an array of lonely souls for your fascination and entertainment’. Sometimes grotesque, sometimes exceptionally beautiful, Edward Gant’s Amazing Feats of Loneliness is an affecting existential play that contemplates our aloneness in the universe. Wharf 1, Sydney Theatre until 23 July. Faustus — starring John Bell as Mephistophilis and Ben Winspear as Faustus, Michael Gow’s startling adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s play takes a closer look at temptation and the price we pay for instant gratification. Playhouse, Sydney Opera House until 24 July. Stainless Steel Rat — world’s first play about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. This ‘wikiplay’, an exposé on the secrecy of government being destroyed by new concepts of technology, derives inspiration from the words of Assange himself: “Change the world… through passion, inspiration, and trickery!” York Theatre, Seymour Centre until 17 July.
Sydney based clothing label King Of Nothing are teaming up with hip hop crew Thundamentals for a new competition, where entrants design a T-shirt inspired by Thundamentals’ new single Paint The Town Red. Winners of The Leg-Up T-shirt Design Competition will score a cash prize, a signed copy of the album, tickets to the album launch, and a one-off T-shirt. So what are the judges looking for? “We’re really looking for something that’s gonna stand out from run of the mill type band shirts. Rather than just font, we’d like see some illustrations or slick design work as well,” says Tuka of Thundamentals. Head to kingofnothing.com.au for more info and to enter.
REGION WITH IAN BARR Those seeking an example of classic film-noir at its noir-est would be hard-pressed to find a creepier genre entry than 1952’s The Prowler. An outright scorcher from McCarthyblacklisted director Joseph Losey, the long-unavailable film has been recently released on DVD in the US (playable on all regions) through VCI Entertainment. Among its special features are an excellent (if gossipy) commentary track from genre historian Eddie Mueller and short doco on the film’s historical context, featuring crime-fiction writer James Ellroy, who therein describes the film as “perv noir”. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine a sleazier, scummier protagonist than Webb Garwood (an excellent Van Heflin), whose hilariously suggestive first name barely begins to describe his psychological ensnarement of suburban-LA housewife Susan Gilvray (Evelyn Keyes), a pursuit based on a mixture of animal lust and her husband’s fortune. On top of that, Webb’s a police officer, called by Gilvray after her report of a neighbourhood prowler she sees outside her window. The film’s pleasures are unabashedly voyeuristic, from the peeping-tom opening sequence onwards; Webb’s an outright sociopath, but there’s a morbid fascination to his desperate possessiveness, mixed with a queasy empathy for his outsider-wanting-in status. The plot turns are often contrived to the point of farce, but it all adds to the delirious tone of this sinister gem. Minnie & Moskowitz is distinctive in a few notable respects — it’s a lighthearted John Cassavetes film, and a romantic comedy (starring Cassavetes’ wife and muse Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel as mismatched lovers) that’s also full of emotional truth. Possibly because of its atypicality in Cassavetes’ angsty, emotionally exhausting filmography (Faces, A Woman Under The Influence, Opening Night, et al.), the idea of a
- FREE
relatively accessible film from this famously uncompromising, audienceunfriendly filmmaker might be regarded by some as heresy. But lo-and-behold, here’s a film of his that contains only one scene of harrowing domestic abuse, a punch-up that’s played for laughs, and dialogue that’s actually quotable rather than seeminglyimprovised, inarticulate rambling. “I think about you so much I forget to go to the bathroom!”, “If you think of yourself as funny, you become tragic” and “you don’t know beans from Boston” are simply canonical movie quotes waiting to happen. The film’s ending is likely a hurdle for Cassavetes-purists who’d balk at something so upbeat, but considering the glib ‘downbeat = realism’ sensibility that pervades so many of today’s indie romances, it feels like an act of heroism in Cassavetes’ hands. A US edition has been long out of print, but the great British label Mr. Bongo Films have issued a new bare-bones cheapie DVD that’s playable in all regions. Getting a Blu-ray/DVD dual release late this month from the British Film Institute (BFI) is the awesomely moody coming-of-age flick Deep End, from underrated Polish maestro Jerzy Skolimowski (you might remember him as the dude who played Naomi Watts’ dad in Eastern Promises). Released the same year as Harold And Maude (1971) and also featuring songs by Cat Stevens (and an original score by krautrock kingpins Can, here credited as ‘The Can’), this is that film’s down-and-dirty cousin. Set amidst the seamier side of London, it depicts a world of prostitution both literal and figurative, where all human interaction is a form of exchange, as 15-year-old Mike begins a job at a grungy public bath house and obsesses over a gorgeous female co-worker. Charming, disturbing, and bleakly funny in equal measure, it’s a knockout whose cult following is sure to expand with its new availability.
REVIEWS Penrith harbours.” Elsewhere, where curiously descript dialogue has the potential to slow the work, or muddy the waters of intention, a beautiful hypnotic piano motif from the Alister Spence Trio has the sense of blowing the performance, moving it forward with a soft breeze. From somewhere in front, the smell of perfume; floral, syrupy, somehow ‘purple’. It gives the sense of the production, this anonymous scent of an audience member. The smell is just a moment, a piece of the woman, who tonight, offers a little of herself to be witnessed by others in a cavernous and dark room. Not all of it, she remains hazy in all memories, though like the cast’s crisp shadows — created by Guy Harding’s lighting — there’s a sense of her, of all these women, to take away and build upon. Season finished DAVE DRAYTON
EDWARD GANT’S AMAZING FEATS OF LONELINESS Wharf 1, Sydney Theatre Company Edward Gant’s troupe is ramshackle, ragtag ensemble and when coupled with the ropes and pullies of a mechanically humorous and rustic circus set there is a real feeling of an old world travelling theatre troupe. The kind of troupe that travels in caravans, that lives on the road and that performs to eat. All performers elicit the necessary melodrama and desperation — and the fickle infighting and group politics that go with it. The much hyped costuming, designed by fashion label Romance Was Born, lives up to expectations, finding
the endearing excess, fantasy and creativity at the heart of the script. Lindsay Farris’ performance as Nicholas Ludd is outstanding; a man with a tortured past and a cynics heart worn on his sleave. Bryan Probets’ Jack Dearlove as the clumsy right hand man, aloof but well intentioned, easily bruised, is similarly impressive, as is our host Edward Gant (Paul Bishop — here a born performer) and Emily Tomlins, who best emphasises the pantomime influence on the production. A beautiful, magic story Edward Gant’s Amazing Feats Of Loneliness is proof in and of itself of the need for whimsy. It is a show that fuels imagination with heartbreak. Forget the hungry and the poor, forget the potatoes and forget reality. Feed them with imaginary tea and cake and give them hope. Until 23 July DAVE DRAYTON
MADE YOU
LOOK
ONE OF MAGRITTE’S MOST FAMOUS PAINTINGS
WITH BETHANY SMALL A Picasso painting donated to Sydney University has been sold for $20.7 million at a London auction at Christie’s. The painting, Jeune fille endormie, a 1935 portrait of Picasso’s French mistress Marie-Therese Walter, was the second highest price paid at the auction at £13.5 million ($20.7 million). It was given to the university by a US-based anonymous donor on the condition it was sold and the proceeds would be used to fund scientific research. New legislation that came into effect at the start of the month has transferred 100 years of Australian social history from Screen Australia to the National Film and Sound Archive. The collection of 5,000 titles, including archival footage of Queen Elizabeth II’s first visit here, forms part of an archive of material produced by the former Film Australia. It’s unique in that copyright is held by the Commonwealth and access for documentary makers is free through the zero-fee licensing scheme. The collection will be known as the Film Australia Collection and continue to be managed by Anna Nolan and Harry Ree. All current copyright arrangements and contracts will remain the same. Well known Australian artist Clifford Frith has been jailed for at least six months for child sex offences. The 86-year-old sculptor and painter was found guilty of the offences relating to 11-year-old girls between 1989 and 1992. Frith maintains his innocence. Frith moved to Adelaide from London in 1972 and was a senior lecturer at
FILM
the School of Art. His works have been displayed around the world including in the Tate Gallery in Britain and he has also won a number of awards. As Sydney’s appetite for commercial musicals continues a John Frost production of Annie will light up the Lyric Theatre from 29 December. Anthony Warlow will return to the role of New York zillionaire Daddy Warbucks after playing the title role in Doctor Zhivago. Nancye Hayes will play Miss Hannigan, who runs the orphanage where Annie begins her journey. This is the third Australian production of Annie Hayes has been in. She played Lily St Regis in the original one and was assistant choreographer for the second. Todd McKenney is also in the cast along with 2GB Broadcaster Alan Jones, making his musical theatre debut in the role of President Roosevelt. Belvoir St Theatre has commissioned a book full of essays, memories, and photos to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary. It includes essays by Robert Cousins, Ralph Myers, Robert McFarlane, Rhoda Roberts, James Waites, Alan John, Rita Kalnejais, Benedict Andrews, and Neil Armfield. 25 Belvoir Street traces the social and political background from which Belvoir emerged. The Actors College of Theatre and Television is joining Sidetrack Theatre at the Addison Road Centre at Marrickville. The college will host performance workshops at the centre as part of The Sydney Fringe between 9 September and 2 October.
REVIEW
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON 3D As a director, Michael Bay can make great movies. His slo-mo military fetishism and his eye for heartpounding action sequences and bombastic soundtracks make him a natural for helming action flicks. Some of his earlier films, I would argue, are some of the best straight actioners ever made, like The Rock and Bad Boys. But he can only be as good as the script that’s turned in, and Ehren Kruger, the man who put the finishing touches on Transformers 2, has let Bay down again with the third instalment. The third film sees Optimus and his Autobots working sanctioned black-ops missions with Lennox (Josh Duhamel) to solve the world’s problems, with the Decepticon threat gone. But the discovery that the Apollo Moon landings were a cover-up for an important part of Transformers history spirals events out of control again. Sam (Shia
LaBeouf, again stuck in fifth gear), meanwhile, is dealing with the pressure of trying to get his first job and hold on to his new girlfriend Carly (miscast model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley). The third film is hamstrung by Kruger’s feeble attempts to inject comedy into the screenplay in all the wrong places. Mercifully we’re spared the worst of the second film’s transgressions (racist robots and humping dogs) but there’s a slew of pointless turns by the likes of John Malkovich and Ken Jeong in chaotic, wasted, over-the-top roles that suck precious screen time away from the robots themselves. That said, there is a fantastically choreographed highway chase sequence, and the final act is an hour of wholesale eye-popping destruction as Chicago is invaded by legions of Decepticons. The spectacular smackdowns and setpieces come close to making up for the off-the-mark first half. WHERE & WHEN: Screening in cinemas now BAZ McALISTER THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 53 •
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REPTILIAN GENOCIDE
JOAN OF ART
SEXY TALES COMEDY COLLECTIVE FOLLOW UP THEIR SEXY TALES OF PALEONTOLOGY SHOW WITH 100 YEARS OF LIZARDS FOR UNDERBELLY ARTS. BETHANY SMALL TALKS TO GROUP MEMBER PATRICK LENTON.
JOAN OF ARC’S NOT DEAD APPARENTLY, ACCORDING TO TRIAGE LIVE ART COLLECTIVE. MELANIE JAME WALSH TELLS BETHANY SMALL WHAT THAT’S ALL ABOUT.
I’m not sure if Patrick Lenton is modest or not. “I don’t know if I can say anything devastatingly brilliant about it,” he says of the show he and fellow members of Sexy Tales Comedy Collective are putting on at Underbelly Arts, “but it will be devastating.” The show is called 100 Years Of Lizards, and builds on the group’s success with Sexy Tales Of Paleontology, which played at a bunch of festivals last year. The similarities between the two shows are evident: dinosaurs and scientists in that one, lizards and scientists in this one. “We haven’t actually fully decided what kind of scientists they are,” Lenton admits, “but I mean obviously it’s going to be Professor Something, who’ll be a herpetologist (that’s a scientist of lizards) and the other one’ll be, at this point, a botanist.” This is said with all the excitement of someone who gets to make up their own worlds, and get the inhabitants to do what they want. In this case, “So the botanist is, like, totally in love with the herpetologist, but she lives only for lizards. Only. For. Lizards.”
Lizards, in this case, who have exiled themselves on an island after causing the extinction of dinosaurs. The scientists have come to study them, and also there will be a corrupt reality TV host who eats exotic animals. No wonder Lenton gets a bit breathless summarising the plot. He also gets a bit emotional setting up the backstory, and sounds wonderfully like a voiceover. “At some point,” he intones, “at the end of the Cretaceous Era — or whenever the last one to have dinosaurs was; I really should research that — we see the victorious lizards, horrified by their actions. They have won, but at what cost? At. What. Cost?” Given that Lenton’s storytelling lends itself to being boomed from the darkness, it’s exciting to think of what Sexy Tales will be able to do with the spaces of Cockatoo Island (although perhaps worrying for lizards, given all the concrete and midwinter?). “There are these cave-like spaces that kind of make sense for lizards,” Lenton says, “and this bunker where I’m inevitably keen to do a scene. It’ll be the dark pit of the Lizard Queen!” The group are planning to stage sketchbased shows all over the island, “a
series of things turning into a larger show.” As well as taking advantage of the island takeover Underbelly Arts is staging to rehearse and put on a multi-venue show at the festival, Sexy Tales will be using the 10-day Arts Lab component of the programme to develop as a company. “As a young theatre group we’ll be working out how we collaborate,” Lenton says, “and it’s such a luxury to have this big lab project. We’ve got the writing, actors, someone composing, possibly even someone coming in as a specialist stage designer. We get to work all that out, and what our identity as a company’s going to be.” Just so long as they don’t turn out like those lizards, who might live “for thousands and thousands of years,” but end up making a decision to renounce higher reasoning “because it was the ethical thing to do. All it got them to was genocide.” WHAT: Sexy Tales Comedy Collective: 100 Years Of Lizards WHERE & WHEN: Underbelly Arts Festival Cockatoo Island Saturday 16 July
According to the Underbelly Arts website, Joan Of Arc Is Alive And Well And Living On Cockatoo Island is a “One to One” participatory durational performance installation event. Want a second to break that down? Okay, ‘event’ I think you’ve probably got. ‘Installation’ is where a thing is put into an environment and becomes part of it. A ‘performance’ in this case means that what is being installed is someone doing something. ‘Durational’ means that the length of time the work goes on for is significant, in that it’s likely to be a long time for whatever’s happening to happen and that it means something that it happens for that length of time. And the “One to One” means that the audience is going to consist of a single person at a time and he or she will be interacting with the artist, in this case Melanie Jame (yup it is Jame, not Jane) Walsh. Well, with J. Dark, actually, as in Jeanne d’Arc (like how the French call him Guillame le Conquerant not William the Conqueror) as in the character Walsh will not be not so much playing as being throughout the Underbelly Arts Lab and Festival.
“I’ll be camping out, and I really do intend to camp out in character,” Walsh says, “because it’s so rare that you get a chance to, you know, really inhabit the character in that way, like to have it be allowed and permissible, like, ‘I’m doing a lab, so I can!’” As she explains the project, “the idea is ultimately that there’s an appointment made with J. Dark, who’s like a Joan of Arc in exile. She’s kind of a psychotherapist kind of character, and they have an appointment.” Visitors get a card with J. Dark’s details and schedule a time and place to meet, and their appointment becomes an experience of impromptu intimacy between strangers. And while the audience may be confronted by such a participatory engagement with the artist in becoming a part of the project, Walsh is quick to stress that “it’s just as much about the artist having to deal with the audience. It’ll change with every person,” she says, “and be governed by the dynamic between myself as J. Dark and what the audience member brings in as a person.” The project will be under development during Underbelly Arts, with Walsh aiming to make use of the possibilities of Cockatoo Island as a venue to
explore the possibility of different kinds of engagement that might take place in the more structured environments she sees the piece moving into. “The dramaturgy of the work is so influenced by the space,” she explains. “The interaction with the architecture, I guess, and the psychological space, the psychogeography.” Fundamentally it’s the use of a physical space to construct one psychologically, and to structure different types of interaction. “We’ll be doing all kinds of things,” is as specific as Walsh will get in terms of what will go on during appointments. “There’ll be moments where there might be dress-ups, or there might be singing together, or there’ll be questions that I ask them, and I’ll be experimenting with proximity and that kind of stuff.” Proximity is probably a very good starting point given what temperatures’ll be like out on the island, too. WHAT: Triage Live Art Collective: Joan Of Arc Is Alive And Well And Living On Cockatoo Island WHERE & WHEN: Underbelly Arts Festival, Cockatoo Island Saturday 16 July
LET’S GET PHYSICAL
CAUTION TO THE WIND
WAREHOUSE REDEVELOPMENT IS OPENING UP NEW RESIDENTIAL SPACES AND CLOSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR AERIAL CHOREOGRAPHY, ALEJANDRO ROLANDI TELLS DAVE DRAYTON.
ONE HALF OF INTERDISCIPLINARY ART DUO SWANBRERO, COREY CRUSHCORE DREAMLOVER IS KEEPING MUM ABOUT THEIR NEW WORK. DAVE DRAYTON TRIES TO FIND OUT MORE.
Physical theatre company Strings Attached have been at work since 2006, creating large-scale productions that incorporate dance, movement, aerial acrobatics, and mechanical contraptions. While there is potential for great beauty and for the company to — as their statement says — create physical theatre that quite literally suspends the mind, it is not without its difficulties. Director Alejandro Rolandi is frazzled, frantically scrambling to assemble the mass of set equipment required for their new show — a joint effort with ex-La Fura Dels Baus collaborator, Spanish artist Younes Bachir — Ojo. A pertinent piece, Ojo explores natural disasters and the consequences such events have in a contemporary world where science and technology are seen as panaceas, but still fail to predict the worst. It is premiering at the Underbelly Arts Festival on Cockatoo Island and the final barge before they begin constructing the set is leaving imminently, “Everything that we are going to take has to be • 54 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
organized today,” Rolandi says, exhausted. Ojo will be staged in the Turbine Hall on the island. The size and aesthetics of the venue were absolutely crucial in the formation of the work. “It’s going to be fundamental,” says Rolandi of the venue. “We are going to effect the space and enhance the industrial qualities of it, but the work could not be done in any other set up. It’s really about utilising the industrial element of the space. When I heard about Underbelly being on Cockatoo Island I thought, ‘If it’s ever going to happen, it has to be here.’” Finding an appropriate venue is an uphill battle Rolandi and the other members of Strings Attached have been fighting for some time now. “It’s completely frustrating to be honest. It’s one of the reasons there is a less vibrant culture of physical theatre here in Sydney — even in Melbourne, perhaps — because the lack of spaces for this kind of work. We are using warehouses for development every day, so it’s not getting any better. “It’s rare to find in Sydney the right place for this collaboration. Younes is used to working in that type of industrial space. We need the height and we need the interesting intricate steel structures. Our company does
aerial dance and aerial theatre and there’s not that many spaces in Sydney, so this was a good opportunity to use Younes’ experience for large scale spectacles,” says Rolandi, referencing the influence Bachir has brought to the collaboration, “and we can add on top of that our own interests, details and craft.” The creative roadblocks don’t stop there, once Strings Attached find a venue, there are numerous safety regulations that become applicable given the company’s use of scaffolding and similar sets. “Regulations are also an obstacle, in some ways it’s a good obstacle. We are very safety conscious and we don’t want to ever have an incident working with heights because it could be fatal. But on top of being safe there are a bunch of regulations applied across the board that are designed for safety at work, not artists, so we find them problematic sometimes.” So far the worst incident in their five-year history was a dislocated finger and as Rolandi points out, “That happened in groundwork anyway.” WHAT: Ojo WHERE & WHEN: Underbelly Arts Festival, Cockatoo Island Saturday 16 July
Swanbrero appears to be constructed from opposites. One half of the art-making duo goes by the psychedelic moniker of Corey Crushcore Dreamlover, the other by a comparatively regular name of Lara Thoms. Dreamlover is from Melbourne, Thoms from Sydney, and both are interdisciplinary artists in their own right. Dreamlover explains the makings of the collaboration, “We had been doing our own art with other people and our own work for a few years and then we did a show together last year and we became really good friends and wanted to make work together. We did a group show together last year, but we didn’t make any work together for the show.” From there the seed was planted, gradually getting closer to a full collaborative effort between the two. “I was looking on the National Australia Visual Arts website and there was this thing on Cockatoo Island, and I knew what it was, I had been there and Lara’s from Sydney. So I was like, ‘I feel like I’m drawn to the island, I need to go to the island to make the work that we’ve been talking about,’ and Lara said, ‘Yeah, it’s so perfect.’”
The ‘thing’ on Cockatoo Island is Underbelly Arts Festival and the work they had been talking about, Inflate My Heart With 1,000 Gushes Of Wind, which employs a combination of video, live performance, interpretive choreography, costume, and wind, was still just a concept before the ideal location was discovered. “We chose to do this project on the island because the island itself is already really windy. We had been thinking about making this work for like a year and a half and we hadn’t decided where we wanted to do it. Then it was like, oh wow, this festival is on an island, it’s really windy on the island, that’s such a perfect place for the work! It’s what we need to make it work,” says Dreamlover. Beyond the importance of wind, and a plan to ‘insert a piece of Parramatta Road into the natural wonderland of Cockatoo Island’ not much is known about the work, which is exactly how Swanbrero want to keep it. “We like to make very emotionally driven works and we wanted the title to be a bit mysterious because we have a few
surprises in the work that we don’t want to divulge before the actual day,” says Dreamlover. With a little coaxing Dreamlover expands the description, offering an explanation of their intentions, “We wanted to take something that’s usually discarded and left in the elements and that maybe sometimes people hate. It’s not a very loved character,” says Dreamlover of a now personified Parramatta Road, “we wanted to work with it because it’s very majestic. Most of the road is saturated with advertising and stuff so it’s something to do with the advertising on the strip.” Dreamlover breaks down in laughter and frustration while trying to explain the work while maintaining a suitable level of mystery, “It’s so hard to describe without saying what it is but I’m not allowed.” WHAT: Inflate My Heart With 1,000 Gushes Of Wind WHERE & WHEN: Underbelly Arts Festival, Cockatoo Island Saturday 16 July
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THE COST OF
LIVING DESPITE CELEBRATING HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY JUST WEEKS AGO ACTOR MARTIN VAUGHAN SHOWS NOW SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN WITH ROLES IN DAVID WILLAMSON’S AT ANY COST AND GROSS UND KLEIN AT STC LATER THIS YEAR. HE TELLS DAVE DRAYTON HOW HE CREATES A CHARACTER.
When Martin Vaughan plays a character, it is not enough to know the portion of that character’s life on stage or in the script. He must know how they got there, what happens to them before and after the curtain drops. It’s not method, just a desire to truly know who he is portraying, “It’s just a matter of building up a history as I do with any character I play. I usually write a little background story which gives me his personality and his attitudes. I’ve always been interested in psychology — well, not always, all my adult life I have. I’ve read up quite a bit on formation of personal identity — which was on the of subjects I was doing at uni,”
says Vaughan, who completed his philosophy degree in his early sixties, veering away from a psychology degree after hearing the first two years were “full of statistics”. The character Vaughan has been constructing most recently is Des, an elderly man with a gravely ill wife and a family that can’t decide whether her intensive care should be prolonged. It was written by David Williamson and playwright and professor of surgery Mohamed Khadra. The concept for the play was spawned from an article published in the most recent edition of the Australian Medical
Journal, in which editor Annette Katelaris observes, “It has long been accepted that the majority of an individual’s health care costs are expended during the last few months of life. However, acknowledging the futility of this has not led to the development of effective alternatives.”
humour in it — very Australian humour. You run the full gamut of emotions in a way because it’s a family situation and someone’s dying. There are memories that are funny and memories which cause a lot of friction, like every family. David’s spent a whole career dealing with families.”
“I’ve only done one Williamson play before and I had a minor role in that,” explains Vaughan. It’s surprising given his years of experience of Williamson’s everpresent but oft-debated presence in Australia’s theatrical landscape. “It’s very emotional, but it’s got
Vaughan is becoming acquainted with Des; he shares his history. “He left school around 14 and went straight into an apprenticeship to become a carpenter and a builder eventually. So he has a blue-collar background — from Wagga — and he was heavily into sport. He
played Aussie rules in the local competition — Riverina — and cricket, he excelled at both… So you’ve got a pretty good idea of the culture he grew up in. “His attitudes probably have a bit of tunnel vision here and there because his imagination doesn’t extend that far, he’s a good man” — Vaughan pauses as the vision clears and shortcomings become apparent — “or he tries to be a good man. He tries to do things and he gets it wrong. He wouldn’t consider himself a racist but he certainly has attitudes which could be classified as racist. There’s no offence meant, and there’s no menace in it, but if you grew up in bloody Wagga in the ’40s and ’50s... They’re very simple terms that the people think in unless they go to some sort of meetings when people sit down and discuss things they’re never going to change, but going to the footy club for a couple of beers it’s not likely that they’re going to sit around and talk about philosophy. He was very proud.” Vaughan knows Des’ creed well and recounts a story of similar men antagonising him years ago. “I remember going to Goondiwindi in I think 1951, ’52, somewhere around there, and I happened to look a bit different. My hair was long; in those days most people had their hair shaved up short back and sides. And my clothing was very different because I was emulating jazz musicians from Harlem,” he says with a rueful chuckle. “This didn’t get a good reception in Sydney, you can imagine what it was like in Goondiwindi, I think there was a
plot afoot to pounce on me. There was a girl there at the local dance and she was jiving and I thought, ‘Well that’d be good,’ ’cause I was bored up there so I asked for a dance and we got chatting. It got to the end of the night and I said, ‘Do you want me to walk you home?’ — you didn’t expect anything else in those days, it was just a polite thing to do — and she looked across the room, and said it wasn’t a good idea. I looked across the room and there’s about 10 or 15 young guys over there looking at us sort of thinking, ‘You step out the door with that girl and you’re bloody dead.’” Aided by hindsight and good humour, Vaughan tells the story with a smile now. It’s stories such as these that he uses, experiences that are pieced together to create a false history that makes for an incredibly real character. So real that Vaughan has been moved to tears on numerous occasions during rehearsals as the beliefs and values he holds dear meet in conflict with the ones he must embody as Des. “With Des, his attitudes are different to mine and I try to impose them as much as possible, so that my attitudes are forgotten while I’m there. It’s caused me to break down several times, without any warning and suddenly I couldn’t speak.” WHAT: At Any Cost WHERE & WHEN: Ensemble Theatre Thursday 7 July to Saturday 3 September
EDIA EN AND M E R C S F O A D DIPLOM ADVANCE
SOON G IN S O L C JULY 2011 R O F S N IO APPLICAT
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For a taste of what IFSS has to offer come to our
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THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 55 •
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GOT IT
MAID CAN YOU DO CHEKOV FOR KIDS? CALEB LEWIS TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW PLAY, ALEKSANDER AND THE ROBOT MAID, WITH DAVE DRAYTON.
Recently renamed The Reginald, the Downstairs Theatre at Seymour Centre launched a season to compliment the ’50s facelift given to the venue. Drop Bear Theatre, an Australian company with a focus on young audiences, were given the honours of the first production for Reg’s inaugural 2011 season and are delivering Aleksander And The Robot Maid; ‘A new Australian play for the adventurous aged 8 to 108’. Drop Bear commissioned awardwinning Australian playwright Caleb
• 56 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
Lewis to create the tale. “The girls from Drop Bear came to me and said, ‘We’re really interested in doing a play that empowers kids and we’re really interested in robots.’ So that intrigued me, but I wasn’t necessarily interested in that usual kind of kitsch 1950s approach to Invaders From Space type robots, or going down the kind of tin foil theatre sci-fi root with it,” says Lewis, his tone souring as he describes the latter. “Funnily enough I was reading a fair bit of Chekov at the time — go
with me, I know it’s a tangent,” he adds with a chuckle, climbing down the rabbit hole. “Reading all those stories about all those aristocrats and bourgeoisie sitting around in their manner houses and complaining about how bored they all were and I just got to wondering, ‘Well who’s doing all the work?” The question led Lewis to the steampunk genre — an influence that has since been developed aesthetically in the production too — and the story began to take shape.
“It’s one of those genres that we are becoming increasingly familiar with, but people just don’t know there’s a name for it or an aesthetic for it. For me I was just really interested in that Victorian-era stream driven world. However 99 percent of those stories are told in Victorian England and it’s always on the cusp of the industrial revolution. I just thought that we’ve got the Anglo angle on it, but I’d be really keen to see how that translates to other cultures,” says Caleb. With the voice of Chekhov still ringing, Lewis had an idea, “I thought that Russia — with its history of the communist workers and the proletariats rising up against the bourgeoisie — it would be a cool analogy.” Tangent complete, he finishes the journey. “But between all that it’s still a kids’ play with people walking around wearing cardboard boxes on their heads. That’s the cool magic of theatre; hopefully you can grapple with some fairly complex ideas but do it in a really simple story that is understood at a really simple level and that people can engage with.” Lewis needed a city in which the bourgeoisie could be bored and the robots overworked. “What I picture is a manor house, out in the country, that is attached to a very big factory which is pumping out these robotic workers. The manor house itself is about to open as a model of the kind of lifestyle that will be available to people should they pick up a few of these ‘industrials’ — which is what the robots are called.” And Robotika was born. WHAT: Aleksander And The Robot Maid WHERE & WHEN: The Reginald, Seymour Centre until Saturday 9 July
C U LT U R A L
CRINGE
WITH JAMELLE WELLS A Picasso painting donated to Sydney University has been sold for $20.7 million at a London auction at Christie’s. The painting, Jeune fille endormie, a 1935 portrait of Picasso’s French mistress Marie-Therese Walter, was the second highest price paid at the auction at £13.5 million ($20.7 million). It was given to the university by a US-based anonymous donor on the condition it was sold and the proceeds would be used to fund scientific research. New legislation that came into effect at the start of the month has transferred 100 years of Australian social history from Screen Australia to the National Film and Sound Archive. The collection of 5,000 titles, including archival footage of Queen Elizabeth II’s first visit here, forms part of an archive of material produced by the former Film Australia. It’s unique in that copyright is held by the Commonwealth and access for documentary makers is free through the zero-fee licensing scheme. The collection will be known as the Film Australia Collection and continue to be managed by Anna Nolan and Harry Ree. All current copyright arrangements and contracts will remain the same. Well known Australian artist Clifford Frith has been jailed for at least six months for child sex offences. The 86-year-old sculptor and painter was found guilty of the offences relating to 11-year-old girls between 1989 and 1992. Frith maintains his innocence. Frith moved to Adelaide from London in 1972 and was a senior lecturer at
the School of Art. His works have been displayed around the world including in the Tate Gallery in Britain and he has also won a number of awards. As Sydney’s appetite for commercial musicals continues a John Frost production of Annie will light up the Lyric Theatre from 29 December. Anthony Warlow will return to the role of New York zillionaire Daddy Warbucks after playing the title role in Doctor Zhivago. Nancye Hayes will play Miss Hannigan, who runs the orphanage where Annie begins her journey. This is the third Australian production of Annie Hayes has been in. She played Lily St Regis in the original one and was assistant choreographer for the second. Todd McKenney is also in the cast along with 2GB Broadcaster Alan Jones, making his musical theatre debut in the role of President Roosevelt. Belvoir St Theatre has commissioned a book full of essays, memories and photos to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary. It includes essays by Robert Cousins, Ralph Myers, Robert McFarlane, Rhoda Roberts, James Waites, Alan John, Rita Kalnejais, Benedict Andrews, and Neil Armfield. 25 Belvoir Street traces the social and political background from which Belvoir emerged. The Actors College of Theatre and Television is joining Sidetrack Theatre at the Addison Road Centre at Marrickville. The college will host performance workshops at the centre as part of The Sydney Fringe between 9 September and 2 October.
live@drummedia.com.au FAKER @ CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE. ALL PICS: JOSH GROOM
NATIONAL
PARADES
DEEP SEA ARCADE
CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
Factory Theatre 02/07/11
This year’s Choose Your Own Adventure featured appearances from some of the best up-and-coming acts on the Australian music scene. Each set was a tribute to the role FBi Radio plays in exposing talented Australian acts. With a DJ booth and art in the courtyard, plus two rooms bursting with sound, there was certainly enough music to go around. Lady Killer had an elegant, unique sound, with almost effeminate vocals. Their huge sound totally filled the space – well mixed, vibrant and enigmatic. Kirin J Callinan’s set opened with some awkward yet endearing pre-show banter. His distorted guitar lines and shrill, slightly eerie synthesised echoes were otherworldly and entrancing. The most remarkable thing about WIM had to be their gorgeous, earnest vocal harmonies. There was something reminiscent of the flower child age in the way their frontman sat on the front of the stage and sang with sincerity, and in the whole other realm the band seemed to occupy. Dynamic, tight and, most importantly, different, it seems clear that WIM is on the cusp of wider acclaim. Deep Sea Arcade gave an excellent live performance of their harmony-rich, Beatles-esque tunes. Crowd favourites included Don’t Be Sorry and Girls, during which the heavy rhythm section and high vocals merged perfectly, although there were a few instances of vocals being simply drowned out by the rhythm section. There’s something unmistakably British rock star about Deep Sea Arcade’s clean-cut, collared shirt aesthetic and the neat stylings of their music. Step-Panther was a tight trio, presenting a set somehow unstudied – they had a carelessly cool rock‘n’roll attitude about them. Their sounds, which paid homage to the old school of rock, bewitched the tiny audience crammed into the room. Initially the subtleties of Parades’ quiet, resonant guitar lines and eloquent, complex drums were lost on the back half of the audience because of a poor mix. As the set went on and the sound crew made adjustments, however, things began to look up; the gorgeous, mystical guitar lines and ethereal, echoing vocals of tracks like Loserspeak In New Tongue took on more of the clarity and balance as found on their album. Holy Balm was the closing act on the small stage. A hardcore following danced, trancelike, to their throbbing beat. Their warbling vocals and disjointed, almost creepy lyrics were set against a fast, staccato rhythm. Self-deprecating dancing and a fair few early walkouts seemed to dominate the beginnings of Faker’s set. Yet they managed to psyche a good portion of a crowd that was beginning to grow lethargic and, though their tracks tended to sound formulaic and repetitive, Faker has obviously hit on a formula that works with a certain audience. There were troubles with acoustics and some awkward scheduling meant that the two stages were in a constant double up, which forced punters to miss out on half the talent being offered. This, however, was probably the only downside to a fantastic evening. Jessie Hunt
GEORGIA FAIR, DANIEL LEE KENDALL: Jul 6 Front Gallery NOVA SCOTIA: Jul 6 Lass O’Gowrie, Jul 8 Black Wire Records JAMES BLUNDELL: Jul 6 Brass Monkey, Jul 7 The Basement Circular Quay, Jul 8 Milton Theatre CILLA JANE: Jul 6 The Vanguard, Jul 9 The Front SEEKER LOVER KEEPER: Jul 6 & 7 Heritage Hotel, Jul 8 & 9 The Factory, Jul 11 Lizotte’s Dee Why, Jul 14 Lizotte’s Newcastle, Jul 18 & 19 Clarendon Guesthouse STEVE KILBEY & RICKY MAYMI: Jul 6 Beach Road Hotel, Jul 7 Notes, Aug 5 Lizotte’s Kincumber, Aug 6 Lizotte’s Dee Why, Aug 7 Lizotte’s Newcastle SARAH MCLEOD: Jul 7 Lizotte’s Newcastle, Jul 8 Vault 146, Jul 9 Waves, Jul 16 Coogee Diggers CAVE OF THE SWALLOWS: Jul 7 The Patch, Jul 8 Bald Faced Stag, Jul 9 Hamilton Station Hotel GREENTHIEF: Jul 7 Hamilton Station Hotel, Jul 8 The Basement Belconnen, Jul 9 Lansdowne Hotel TRANSCRIPTION OF ORGAN MUSIC, SASKIA SANSOM: Jul 7 Front Gallery, Jul 8 Petersham Bowling Club, Jul 9 Yours & Owls OLD MAN RIVER: Jul 7 Brass Monkey, Jul 8 Northern Star, Jul 9 Notes, Jul 27 Beach Road Hotel KITCHEN KNIFE WIFE: Jul 8 The Gaelic ART VS SCIENCE: Jul 8 Enmore Theatre THE PANICS: Jul 8 Oxford Art Factory SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR: Jul 8 Street Theatre JEBEDIAH: Jul 8 Waves THE LAURELS: Jul 8 Lansdowne Hotel, Jul 9 Repressed Records THE MERCY BEAT: Jul 8 Town Hall Hotel, Jul 10 Hamilton Station Hotel THE PAPER SCISSORS: Jul 8 Clarendon, Jul 13 Beach Road Hotel, Jul 15 Great Northern Newcastle, Jul 16 Brass Monkey KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD: Jul 8 World Bar, Jul 9 Oxford Art Factory DARKER HALF: Jul 8 Hamilton Station Hotel, Jul 9 The Basement Belconnen, Jul 23 Harp Hotel, Jul 30 Venom LEO SAYER: Jul 8 South Sydney Juniors Club, Jul 29 Rooty Hill RSL, Sep 17 Smithfield RSL, Oct 22 Bankstown Sports Club, Nov 11 Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, Nov 12 Belmont 16ft Sailing Club PEAR & THE AWKWARD ORCHESTRA: Jul 9 505 SURECUT KIDS: Jul 9 Onefiveone
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SEEKER LOVER KEEPER
FEATURE TOUR
Throsby, Blasko, Seltmann – three of the biggest names in Australian music in general, not to mention that they’re all female, which is always very much appreciated in such a male-dominated field. They’ve all made their own names doing their own things, and now they’ve emerged, all three together, as Seeker Lover Keeper. Their self-titled album is out there now, and they’re hitting the road to show everyone what it’s made of. This week the tour hits the Heritage Hotel on Wednesday and Thursday, The Factory on Friday and Saturday, and Lizotte’s Dee Why on Monday, with dates to follow next week as well.
THOUSAND NEEDLES IN RED, FLOATING ME: Jul 9 The Metro HANDS LIKE HOUSES: Jul 9 St James Hotel, Jul 10 Valve LOREN: Jul 9 Northern Star, Jul 10 Grand Junction Hotel JAYTECH: Jul 9 Chinese Laundry, Jul 15 Trinity Bar SPY V SPY*: Jul 9 Hotel Gearin, Aug 6 Penrith Hotel, Oct 6 Lizotte’s Dee Why, Oct 7 Lizotte’s Newcastle, Oct 9 Lizotte’s Kincumber PENNY & THE MYSTICS: Jul 13 Notes TRACKSUIT*: Jul 13 Rock Lily, Jul 14 CBD Hotel, Jul 15 Oxford Art Factory Gallery Bar TONIGHT ALIVE: Jul 13 The Harp, Jul 15 & 16 Annandale Hotel YOUNG REVELRY: Jul 13 Cambridge Hotel, Jul 14 Yours & Owls, Jul 15 Caringbah Bizzo’s, Jul 16 Transit Bar, Jul 20 Kings Cross Hotel JACK CARTY: Jul 13 Otis Bar, Jul 14 Kings Cross Hotel SHARON FRIEL*: Jul 13 Old Manly Boatshed, Jul 14 Phoenix Bar, Jul 15 Hotel Gearin, Jul 16 Great Northern Newcastle FOUNDS: Jul 14 Oxford Art Factory Gallery Bar PANEL OF JUDGES: Jul 14 GoodGod TIJUANA CARTEL: Jul 14 Beach Road Hotel ALPINE: Jul 14 Oxford Art Factory VENTS: Jul 14 Transit Bar, Jul 15 CBD Hotel, Jul 16 Beach Road Hotel APOLLO PATHWAY*: Jul 15 Lansdowne Hotel DOUBLE DRAGON: Jul 15 Valve SIX FT HICK: Jul 15 Sandringham Hotel BALL PARK MUSIC: Jul 15 The Gaelic DAN SULTAN & ALEXANDER GOW: Jul 15 Brass Monkey, Jul 16 The Basement Circular Quay BELLES WILL RING: Jul 15 Clarendon, Jul 16 GoodGod JINJA SAFARI: Jul 15 Northern Star, Jul 16 Oxford Art Factory COUNT EFFECTZ: Jul 15 The Gaelic, Jul 16 Cambridge Hotel, Jul 22 ANU Bar
MIAMI HORROR: Jul 16 The Metro NEW EMPIRE: Jul 16 The Lair DAMIEN LEITH: Jul 16 Enmore Theatre, Aug 13 Canberra Theatre THE IMMIGRANT: Jul 16 Chinese Laundry, Jul 22 Academy, Aug 4 OneFiveOne FAIT ACCOMPLI: Jul 16 Spectrum, Jul 22 The Patch NIGHT HAG*: Jul 19 Bar 32, Jul 20 Hamilton Station Hotel, Jul 21 Sandringham Hotel, Jul 22 Town Hall Hotel MR PERCIVAL, JAMES VALENTINE: Jul 20 The Basement Circular Quay, Jul 21 Lizotte’s Newcastle, Jul 23 The Village Springwood, Jul 24 Lizotte’s Dee Why LEE KERNAGHAN: Jul 20 Wests Leagues Club, Jul 21 Cessnock Supporters Club, Jul 22 Nelson Bay RSL, Jul 23 North Sydney Leagues Club, Jul 29 Dapto Leagues Club, Jul 30 Castle Hill RSL SLEEPMAKESWAVES: Jul 21 Tone DAMN DOGS: Jul 21 Oxford Art Factory BUSBY MAROU: Jul 21 Heritage Hotel, Jun 22 CBD Hotel, Jul 23 34B IN HEARTS WAKE*: Jul 21 Spectrum, Jul 22 St Johns Hall, Jul 24 Masonic Hall MOJO JUJU*: Jul 21 The Vanguard, Jul 22 Hotel Gearin, Jul 23 Great Northern Newcastle, Jul 28 Transit Bar MUSHU: Jul 22 Oxford Art Factory JAMES CRUICKSHANK: Jul 22 Camelot Lounge CATHERINE TRAICOS & THE STARRY NIGHT: Jul 23 Phoenix Bar, Jul 29 Heritage Hotel, Jul 30 Hermann’s Bar, Aug 6 Grand Junction Hotel ANGELAS DISH: Jul 23 Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel, Aug 14 Bateau Hotel SHORT STACK: Jul 23 Royal Theatre National Convention Centre, Jul 30 Newcastle Panthers PAUL KELLY & PAUL GRABOWSKY: Jul 24 Sydney Opera House
Concert Hall, Jul 29 Canberra Theatre PNAU: Jul 27 Enmore Theatre, Jul 28 Waves, Jul 29 Newcastle Panthers BACHELOR GIRL: Jul 26 Lizotte’s Newcastle, Jul 28 Vault 146, Jul 29 Brass Monkey, Jul 30 Lizotte’s Kincumber, Jul 31 Lizotte’s Dee Why SOUNDS AFTER DARK feat. TUMBLEWEED, MY DISCO: Jul 28 Sandringham Hotel JORDIE LANE: Jul 27 Front Gallery, Jul 28 Wickham Park Hotel, Jul 29 The Vanguard, Jul 30 Grand Junction Hotel, Jul 31 Lizotte’s Kincumber DAN BRODIE & THE GRIEVING WIDOWS: Jul 28 The Patch, Jul 29 Sandringham Hotel OPIUO: Jul 29 Oxford Art Factory DIESEL: Jul 29 Vault 146, Aug 4 Brass Monkey, Aug 26 & 27 The Basement Circular Quay, Sep 2 Clarendon Guesthouse, Sep 3 Milton Theatre, Sep 9 Canberra Southern Cross Club, Sep 10 Rooty Hill RSL, Oct 21, 22 & 23 Brass Monkey FRENZAL RHOMB: Jul 29 ANU Bar SKINWALKERS: Jul 29 Hamilton Station Hotel, Jul 30 St James Hotel MOVING PICTURES: Jul 30 State Theatre SYNDICATE: Jul 30 Bridge Hotel SINGLE TWIN: Aug 2 Street Theatre, Aug 3 Lass O’Gowrie, Aug 4 Low 302, Aug 6 Yours & Owls FELIX RIEBL: Aug 3 Lizotte’s Newcastle, Aug 5 Oxford Art Factory ADALITA: Aug 4 Transit Bar, Aug 5 Great Northern Newcastle, Aug 6 Annandale Hotel JOELISTICS*: Aug 4 Great Northern Newcastle, Aug 5 Waves, Aug 6 Sandringham Hotel, Aug 18 Transit Bar THE OWLS: Aug 6 The Gaelic HOLLAND: Aug 10 Bar On The Hill & Lizotte’s Dee Why, Aug 11 Wollongong Uni, UNSW Roundhouse & Oxford Art Factory Gallery Bar, Aug 12 CBD Hotel, Aug 13 Front Gallery, Aug 14 Yours & Owls, Aug 16 Brass Monkey THE PANDA BAND: Aug THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 57 •
live@drummedia.com.au URTHBOY @ UPSTAIRS BERESFORD. PIC: ANGELA PADOVAN
10 Brass Monkey, Aug 11 Vault 146, Aug 12 Northern Star, Aug 13 The Gaelic, Aug 17 ANU Bar REGURGITATOR: Aug 11 CBD Hotel, Aug 12 Wollongong Uni, Aug 13 Manning Bar, Aug 14 ANU Bar ASH GRUNWALD: Aug 11 ANU Bar, Aug 12 Oxford Art Factory, Aug 13 Waves, Aug 14 Cambridge Hotel, Aug 16 Beachcomber Hotel THE POTBELLEEZ: Aug 11 The Cube, Aug 12 Mounties, Aug 13 Penrith Panthers CHILDREN COLLIDE: Aug 12 Manning Bar THE BEATLES BACK2BACK: Aug 12 & 13 State Theatre SYNTHETIC BREED: Aug 13 The Basement Belconnen, Aug 19 Bald Faced Stag, Aug 20 Hamilton Station Hotel THE BEARDS*: Aug 18 ANU Bar, Aug 19 Annandale Hotel, Aug 20 Cambridge Hotel DEAD LETTER CIRCUS: Aug 18 Bar On The Hill, Aug 19 Manning Bar, Aug 20 Wollongong Uni, Sep 2 University of Canberra, Sep 9 Hawkesbury Entertainment Centre, Sep 10 Mona Vale Hotel KIM SALMON*: Aug 19 & 20 Sandringham Hotel FANTINE: Aug 19 Beach Road Hotel, Aug 20 Great Northern Newcastle MAT MCHUGH: Aug 19 Lizotte’s Newcastle, Aug 20 Oxford Art Factory SEEKAE: Aug 20 The Metro THE TIGER & ME: Aug 20 The Basement Circular Quay GOTYE: Aug 20 Sydney Opera House RICHARD CLAPTON: Aug 20 State Theatre HELM: Aug 26 Waves, Aug 27 Bald Faced Stag JACQUES RENAULT: Aug 27 Civic Underground THE VINES: Aug 27 The Metro, Sep 1 Wollongong Uni, Sep 2 Cambridge Hotel
INTERNATIONAL JIMMY WEBB: Jul 6 Street Theatre, Jul 7 Sutherland Entertainment Centre TY SEGALL: Jul 8 GoodGod BOY 8-BIT: Jul 8 Fake Club FUNTCASE: Jul 9 Eleven Nightclub, Jul 10 OneFiveOne LADY GAGA: Jul 13 Sydney Town Hall EMALKAY: Jul 15 Fake Club RISE AGAINST: Jul 16 Sydney Entertainment Centre JASON HERD: Jul 16 Fake Club, Jul 22 Academy TINY RUINS: Jul 21 Notes AVALANCHE CITY*: Jul 21 Heritage Hotel, Jul 22 CBD Hotel, Jul 23 34B TOKIMONSTA, NOSAJ THING: Jul 22 Oxford Art Factory DEM SLACKERS: Jul 22 • 58 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
JAMES BLAKE
DRUM PRESENTS
SEEKER LOVER KEEPER: Jul 6 & 7 Heritage Hotel, Jul 8 & 9 The Factory, Jul 11 Lizotte’s Dee Why, Jul 14 Lizotte’s Newcastle, Jul 18 & 19 Clarendon Guesthouse ART VS SCIENCE: Jul 8 Enmore Theatre SYDNEY ROLLER DERBY LEAGUE: Jul 9 Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre YOUNG REVELRY: Jul 13 Cambridge Hotel, Jul 14 Yours & Owls, Jul 15 Caringbah Bizzo’s, Jul 16 Transit Bar, Jul 20 Kings Cross Hotel VENTS: Jul 14 Transit Bar, Jul 15 CBD Hotel, Jul 16 Beach Road Hotel BELLES WILL RING: Jul 15 Clarendon, Jul 16 GoodGod MIAMI HORROR: Jul 16 The Metro CATHERINE TRAICOS & THE STARRY NIGHT: Jul 23 Phoenix Bar, Jul 29 Heritage Hotel, Jul 30 Hermann’s Bar, Aug 6 Grand Junction Hotel JORDIE LANE: Jul 27 Front Gallery, Jul 28 Wickham Park Hotel, Jul 29 The Vanguard, Jul 30 Grand Junction Hotel, Jul 31 Lizotte’s Kincumber SOUNDS AFTER DARK feat. TUMBLEWEED, MY DISCO: Jul 28 Sandringham Hotel THE HIVES: Jul 28 Enmore Theatre MONA: Jul 28 Annandale Hotel JAMES BLAKE: Jul 28 The Factory, Jul 30 The Metro FOSTER THE PEOPLE: Jul 28 The Gaelic, Jul 29 The Metro THE VACCINES: Aug 2 The Metro KELE: Aug 3 The Metro JIM WARD: Aug 10 Annandale Hotel ASH GRUNWALD: Aug 11 ANU Bar, Aug 12 Oxford Art Factory, Aug 13 Waves, Aug 14 Cambridge Hotel, Aug 16 Beachcomber Hotel MAT MCHUGH: Aug 19 Lizotte’s Newcastle, Aug 20 Oxford Art Factory JESUS JONES, THE WONDER STUFF, THE CLOUDS: Aug 20 Enmore Theatre CALLING ALL CARS: Sep 1 Transit Bar, Sep 2 Oxford Art Factory, Sep 3 Waves BONJAH: Sep 2 Great Northern Newcastle, Sep 3 Oxford Art Factory, Sep 4 Brass Monkey EAGLE & THE WORM: Sep 9 Oxford Art Factory, Sep 10 The Junkyard FUNK N GROOVES: Sep 10 Pokolbin MONSTER MAGNET: Sep 14 The Metro COASTER: Sep 17 Gosford Showground THE HERD: Sep 17 The Metro, Sep 24 ANU Bar SEBADOH: Sep 21 The Metro
Trinity Bar, Jul 23 Fake Club TOMMIE SUNSHINE: Jul 23 Fake Club HENRY SAIZ: Jul 23 Chinese Laundry REVEREND BEAT MAN: Jul 23 The Vanguard ENRIQUE IGLESIAS: Jul 23 Acer Arena ROGER SHAH: Jul 23 Space Nightclub DOOMRIDERS: Jul 23 Annandale Hotel, Jul 24 Cambridge Hotel, Jul 25 ANU Bar DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN: Jul 24 Oxford Art Factory GLASVEGAS: Jul 24 The Metro MODEST MOUSE: Jul 25 Enmore Theatre THE KILLS: Jul 25 & 26 The Metro FITZ & THE TANTRUMS: Jul 27 The Basement Circular Quay PULP: Jul 27 Hordern Pavilion DEVENDRA BANHART: Jul 27 The Metro NO USE FOR A NAME: Jul 27 Cambridge Hotel, Jul 28 Wollongong Uni, Jul 29 ANU Bar, Aug 7 Annandale Hotel FRIENDLY FIRES: Jul 28 The Metro JAMES BLAKE: Jul 28 The Factory, Jul 30 The Metro THE HIVES: Jul 28 Enmore Theatre MONA: Jul 28 Annandale Hotel WARPAINT: Jul 28 Manning Bar BRITISH SEA POWER: Jul 28 Oxford Art Factory FOSTER THE PEOPLE: Jul 28 The Gaelic, Jul 29
The Metro DON MCGLASHAN: Jul 28 Lizotte’s Dee Why, Jul 31 The Basement Circular Quay ISOBEL CAMPBELL & MARK LANEGAN: Jul 29 The Factory DANANANANAYKROYD: Jul 29 Annandale Hotel ELBOW: Jul 29 Enmore Theatre CHYMERA: Jul 30 Chinese Laundry DJ SHADOW: Jul 30 Hordern Pavilion PERIPHERY, TESSERACT: Jul 30 Annandale Hotel MADE IN THE ‘90S feat. RALPH TRESVANT, 112, ALLURE, SHAI, HORACE BROWN: Jul 30 Big Top AVENGED SEVENFOLD: Jul 31 Sydney Entertainment Centre THIEVERY CORPORATION: Aug 1 Enmore Theatre GOMEZ: Aug 1 The Metro, Aug 3 The Factory THE VACCINES: Aug 2 The Metro NOAH & THE WHALE: Aug 2 The Factory NEON TREES: Aug 3 Manning Bar THE MARS VOLTA: Aug 3 Enmore Theatre GROUPLOVE: Aug 3 Oxford Art Factory KELE: Aug 3 The Metro DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH?: Aug 4 The Metro FUNERAL PARTY: Aug 5 The Metro WU-TANG CLAN: Aug
4 & 5 Enmore Theatre FORBIDDEN: Aug 5 Bald Faced Stag KAISER CHIEFS: Aug 6 Enmore Theatre JOHN 00 FLEMING: Aug 6 Chinese Laundry THE GET UP KIDS: Aug 6 The Metro YELLE: Aug 6 Oxford Art Factory
FESTIVALS SING ALONG: Jul 16 Annandale Hotel SLAUGHTERFEST IV: Jul 30 Sandringham Hotel LOUD FEST: Aug 21 Annandale Hotel BASTARDFEST: Sep 10 Sandringham Hotel FUNK N GROOVES: Sep 10 Pokolbin WOLLOMBI MUSIC: Sep 17 Hunter Valley COASTER: Sep 17 Gosford Showground SOUNDWAVE REVOLUTION: Sep 25 Old Kings Park GREAT SOUTHERN BLUES FESTIVAL*: Sep 30 – Oct 2 Mackay Park PARKLIFE: Oct 2 Kippax Lake FAT AS BUTTER: Oct 22 Camp Shortland SYDNEY BLUES & ROOTS: Oct 28 – 30 Windsor NEWTOWN FESTIVAL: Nov 13 Camperdown Memorial Rest Park HOMEBAKE: Dec 3 The Domain CMC ROCKS THE HUNTER: Mar 16 – 18 Hope Estate * indicates new or amended listing this week
URTHBOY
TONI TONI LEE KATO
Upstairs Beresford 01/07/11 The responsibility to set the standard for Sydney’s new live music venue, Upstairs Beresford, fell on the shoulders of Australian hip hop legend Urthboy. As anyone who’s seen an Urthboy show could have anticipated, he carried this torch valiantly and both met and surpassed expectations with his enigmatic live performance. The night was opened by DJ Toni Toni Lee, who played a steady mix of upbeat pop tunes to bring the room to life and bass-heavy hip hop numbers to establish the mood of the evening with an energetic set. Urthboy approached the night with a finesse and confidence which made him a perfect choice to open the venue to the public. The set began with some of the more optimistic and energetic tracks from his most recent release Spitshine, and vocal prodigy and fellow member of hip hop collective The Herd, Jane Tyrrell, complimented his performance flawlessly. The
FIREBALLS
THE DARK SHADOWS DUNHILL BLUES JARRAN ZEN & THE SWITCHBLADES
Sandringham Hotel 01/07/11
Jarran Zen & The Switchblades seemed a fine choice as openers for the Fireballs, with roots in psychobilly but a healthy fascination with dirty rock’n’roll and metal. A small crowd probably contributed Zen and co.’s refusal to move around all that much, but they performed reasonably well and degenerate outpourings like Taste Your Skin were worth the listen. An inaudible sax didn’t hurt the enjoyability of Dunhill Blues too much, and the surf-ish six-piece reminded of The Stooges, or maybe a little of Rocket From The Crypt but with a more traditional vibe. Frontman Dan Batchelor has a voice as raw as steak tartare, though he and his bandmates produce something far less revolting. Though the support act, The Dark Shadows pulled quite a crowd of their own, with the little Sando room rather full by the time Brigitte Handley and her ladies took the stage. As usual, their Freedom Of Choice cover stood out and slower shuffle numbers did nicely when the switch was flicked to “eerie”. The band’s vibe just seems a tad indistinct, their performance a bit lukewarm and their sound a bit flat to blow a crowd away. Sure, they can play well and they obviously have their fans, but they could use some more mongrel. On the subject of mongrel, psychobilly stalwarts Fireballs still have plenty of it and could give most bands a comprehensive lesson in not giving a fuck. Early on, the audience responded enthusiastically to So Bad It’s Good, which made up for the sound with gobs of intensity. Fireballs have always been among the top of the pile in their genre due to their irrepressible live energy and their willingness to add a little metal to the equation. The occasional RKL-style guitar solo and the thrash metal drum beats fused splendidly with the Mad Sinesque psychobilly madness this band does as well as anyone else. Bassist Eddie Fury appeared a master at the muscular slapping this genre demands and his solo during the encore was a highlight. These codgers still have a lot of life left in ‘em. Brent Balinski
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following throwback to older Urthboy releases such as Modern Day Folk was particularly well received, as the crowd seemed very happy to enjoy a back catalogue too. The atmosphere changed again when Urthboy performed some of his more emotionally loaded tracks, Nuthin’ I’d Rather Do, The Clocks and No Other. We also heard Hermitude’s track Your Call with El Gusto himself on the decks, which is a rare treat in terms of Urthboy’s live performances and was indubitably a highlight. Popular tunes We Get Around and The Signal, heard so infrequently due to the man’s irregular live playing schedule, had something of an epic feel to them. With a stage presence that speaks of remarkable maturity and depth of experience, Urthboy certainly knows how to put on a good show. Again without letting the energy drop even for a moment, Urthboy’s performance was followed closely by DJ Kato. Kato opened the set with the likes of A Tribe Called Quest and Ice Cube to establish an old school hip hop vibe, which made for a fitting end to the evening. The night continued in this vein, with a progression of classics mixed with a few newer hip hop tracks to bring to a close what really was a very successful opening night. Lucia Osborne-Crowley
PHATCHANCE & COPTIC SOLDIER
JON REICHARDT COGEL STORIES FOR NOTHING
Oxford Art Factory 02/07/11
From beginning to end, the Sydney show of Phatchance and Coptic Soldier’s acoustic Hey, Where’s Your DJ? tour was not at all what you would expect from a hip hop show, but it was nevertheless enormously successful both for all of its novelty and for the refined talent of its respective performers. This new and unusual approach to the evening began with the support acts, with emerging hip hop act Stories For Nothing opening. The young rapper performed an acoustic set with a full band, complete with a saxophone and trombone. This set was followed by Cogel, an indie folk band that brought a new, heartfelt quality to the evening, the performance delivered with remarkable maturity and finesse. Next came Jon Reichardt with vocals of a heart-melting potency that is so very rare and so very satisfying. His performance consisted of a collection of powerful acoustic tracks which, with all of their vocal grace and musical competency, had everybody entranced. Phatchance & Coptic Soldier then took the stage together in front of a full six-piece band and performed an extraordinary acoustic hip hop set, comprising a smooth exchange between tracks from the pair’s respective recent acoustic releases. This lent the show a certain variety of sound and atmosphere, somehow without sacrificing consistency. Phatchance’s I Don’t Know saw his earnest lyricism complimented by the vocal prowess of Jon Reichardt and the combination was intoxicating – a perfect choice to open the night. The atmosphere in the room was stimulated very conspicuously when both the band and the two rappers delivered a remarkably energetic performance of Coptic Soldier’s No More Waiting. This energy continued to build as each song seemed at once more exciting and more comfortable than the last. The triumph of the evening came in the closing moments of the set, with Phatchance’s Infinity. Although the performers had to overcome some technical difficulties in forgoing songs that caused temporary fractures in the overall sound, an impressive recovery was made and everything fell neatly back into place in this final performance. Whether it was the way these two performers fed off each other so
THE BLACK ANGELS
Metro Theatre 01/07/11
Psych rockers The Black Angels have enjoyed a sudden increase in popularity this last year, but the large proportion of the crowd (or at least, the very vocal elements of it) who turned out on Friday night were obviously fans from the Passover days (2006), when the only people outside of their hometown of Texas who knew the band were people who knew someone from Texas. And it’s likely many of them already can’t wait for the band to come back. The five-piece with a penchant for drones, distortion and other face-melting, soul-destroying sonic goodness didn’t just perform material from all three of their albums and numerous EPs – they reworked it, ad-libbed and pieced songs together into a set that was coherent in a way not many bands seem to be able to achieve. Their set worked its way the through dark, intensely psychedelic sounds of Science Killer and Manipulation, the more playful musically – but still morose lyrically – Bad Vibrations and Telephone, to the fist-in-the-air protest vibes of The First Viet-
CLARE BOWDITCH & LANIE LANE @ FACTORY THEATRE. PIC: JOSH GROOM
namese War. The encore was definitely the highlight for the obsessively nerdish fans, however, featuring relatively overlooked single Better Off Alone and You On The Run in succession, followed by Ronettes as an rousing closer, which built from only Stephanie Bailey on drums to every member of the band causing as much noise as possible. It’s possibly a cliché to say it, but The Black Angels are actually a band that sounds even better live than on your stereo. Alex Maas’ voice is pitch-perfect and captivating, Christian Bland’s mastery of multiple guitars (including an amazing twelve-string beauty) and effects is enough to make anyone stand transfixed in awe, Stephanie Bailey’s pounding, rhythmic drum patterns sound so much fuller and clearer, while Kyle Hunt’s and Nate Ryan’s thick, distorted basslines and vintage keys rounded out the experience perfectly. But the winner of “most awesome moment of the night” goes to Nate Ryan’s efforts during You On The Run – watching someone drag a tambourine from the top of the neck right down to the bridge of their guitar while standing in front of their amp and just lapping up every ear-piercing second of the feedback is pretty hard to beat. Andrew Wowk
CLARE BOWDITCH & LANIE LANE Factory Theatre 01/07/11
This was not your usual headline act and support type gig, but more of a collaboration between two artists whose mutual admiration and support are all too obvious, not just from their performance on stage but from the way they interact with each other in the public sphere. The Clare Bowditch and Lanie Lane show was a strange and wonderful beast – part cabaret, part comedy show, a fair amount of audience participation and, thankfully, some singing as well. It was more like watching a couple of girlfriends (albeit super talented girlfriends) playing dress-ups and mucking around in their lounge room with a couple of guitars and a Casio than your typical gig.
THE BLACK ANGELS @ THE METRO THEATRE. PIC: ROD HUNT
productively or simply the fact that the performance itself was riddled with musical sophistication from all corners of the stage, somehow the whole thing fell together with alarming simplicity for all of the complexity of its elements. Lucia Osborne-Crowley
SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR
KIERAN RYAN COLLEEN HIXENBAUGH
Notes 01/07/11
Acoustic guitar in hand, Canadian songstress Colleen Hixenbaugh drew the audience in quickly with her modest folk songs that told stories of places she’d been and people she’d seen, the performance feeling like a naturally flowing conversation. Occasionally she mixed up the textures on the guitar to emulate other instruments, like a pounding piano. The tales she told were engaging and, when joined by Skipping Girl Vinegar’s Chris Helm for TV Summer, her music accepted another layer into its simple but effective folds. Kieran Ryan’s steady croon made for an arresting set of Kid Sam songs reworked. In unplugged solo mode tonight – without the driving percussion of his bandmate or the blistering electric guitars that define their band’s work – songs like We’re Mostly Made Of Water adopted new meanings, their lyrics shining ever brighter when the voice was made the only vessel, a shy acoustic guitar its sole partner. At times they felt like completely different songs. A versatile performer, Ryan’s set was a quiet triumph – even when he ended his set too early and came back minutes later, apologising for the mix-up and playing a few more haunting songs before a proper exit. Light-up stars and cutouts of forest animals adorned the stage for Skipping Girl Vinegar’s set. Opening with a rambunctious rendition of the rollicking Hand To Hold, the whimsical Melbournians went from that level of loudness to sweeter numbers, like the beautifully poppy Here She Comes and River Road, which saw them step away from the microphones and invite the audience to join in singing in what felt like a moment around the campfire. Mark Lang’s voice went from sonorous lows to the falsetto highs of You Can, and drummer Chris Helm’s exaggerated arm movements produced pounding beats that drove the music steadily forth. Backing female vocals added colour to the songs but it was closer Heart Does Ache, where Helm and Lang harmonised gorgeously, that resonated most. Oh, and the lovely little quirks! The band gave a David Bowie cassette tape to an
The girls were chatty, with lots of personal stories thrown in, sketches and costume changes. It did, however, seem like the music was a secondary concern in the overall scheme of things, but when
audience member mid-set and handed out lemon slices, baked by keyboardist Amanthi Lynch and violinist Kelly Lane, to punters as they left. For the record, they tasted just as sweet as the tunes sounded.
punter had nicked.
Giselle Nguyen
MYLES MAYO
THE MESS HALL
Fiona Cameron
MICAH P HINSON
Clarendon Guesthouse 03/07/11
78 SAAB UNDERLIGHTS Annandale Hotel 01/07/11
It was a veritable bucket of Neapolitan ice-cream at the Annandale on Friday night; three bands with three distinct flavours, and everyone has a favourite. Underlights had a few fans among the early arrivers, judging by how many of the handful wandered in to the band room to catch the show. The four-piece worked a line in expansive, atmospheric tunes with guitars that sounded like they’d been tuned to evoke the reverb drenched twang of mandolins and sitars. Theirs is a space-y, trippy vibe that piles layers on layers on rumbling drums. They’ve got a certain something that was unfortunately buried under a few songs that sounded the same. Local stalwarts 78 Saab have been plying their wares for a while now and, judging by the way the room filled up for their set, garnered a strong contingent of adherents. Alas, the anodyne charms of their set didn’t quite win over all ears. The material veered from a light, folksy vibe to one reminiscent of Weezer without the levity or the weirdness. If the scattered applause was anything to go by, mustering the enthusiasm to do so wasn’t a terribly high priority. Drive was an interesting number though. The numbers of punters crammed in to see The Mess Hall meant the occasional blasts from the cold and drizzle outside were almost welcome by the time the band hit the stage and cranked out one of their first live shows in aeons, and one of the best to grace a Sydney stage this year. The set butted low slinky thumping numbers up against those with plenty of stomp and, for additional flavour, brought Chris Ross out on stage on keys. Oh look! Maracas. “It’s always one of the pleasures of our lives to play the Annandale,” said he of the cut-glass cheekbones, frontman Jed Kurzel, a reminder that this was in the midst of the venue’s birthday celebrations. “May it go on and on.” Hear, hear. The evening finished with an extended encore number Lock And Load, a birthday present for Ellie and a bemused Cec Condon signing the drumsticks an over-enthusiastic
Eight months after the release of his fifth and latest album, Micah P Hinson And The Pioneer Saboteurs, Texan troubadour Micah P Hinson wrapped up his long-awaited return to Australia with a quiet Sunday evening in the Blue Mountains. Hinson’s Other Tongues’ labelmate and frontman of rather underrated Adelaide indie rockers Special Patrol, Myles Mayo, opened the night with a set dominated by his recently released eponymous solo album. Sporting a trucker’s cap, strumming an acoustic guitar and backed by Sonny Taverna, who added tasteful electric/slide guitar, Mayo ran through amiable acoustic pop that included How You Done Me Wrong, Daddy’s Lamb To Slaughter and Leave The Party. Sipping a Coke and donning a brown leather vest over flannel, Micah P Hinson strapped on his small-bodied acoustic guitar, hugged it high and close to his chest and, peering out over his white-rimmed glasses, opened with a cordial, “Hi, I’m Micah Paul Hinson and I’m gonna play you some songs” and strummed into Take Off That Dress For Me. It was immediately clear that anyone who expected Hinson live to be a carbon copy of Hinson on record would be disappointed. Hinson stripped his songs down – necessitated by the fact that he tours in solo mode – and, like the mentally weary Dylan, he messed around with the tempo of many. Most came out much slower than on record, over hushed, spacious strumming with an estranged, almost pained vocal delivery – but Hinson proved spine-tingling from square one. Beneath The Rose was the one song Hinson played faster in his set, while Tell Me It Ain’t So, I Still Remember and I Keep Havin’ These Dreams were the pick of the bunch. Hinson didn’t engage the crowd much insofar as eye contact or cheap showman’s tactics, but it was nonetheless impossible take one’s eyes off his small frame and body language that almost seemed disjointed – perhaps a result of that much-discussed back problem of his. The only setback of the night was Hinson’s almost constant need to retune his guitar, but he filled these moments with hilarious banter in his thick Texan accent, with Wikipedia, Twitter and his hometown of Abilene taking a beating. After showing honest, immense appreciation for those who came to hear him play,
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they did sing a song or two, it was lovely. Some songs were performed together and both Bowditch and Lane did little solo sets. The sketch that involved the obnoxious celebrity trainer and her sidekick/ best friend was the highlight of the first half of the show. Bowditch and Lane both looked hilarious in their wigs and costumes, delighting the audience with their silly antics. However, there was a musically serious side to the show as well. Bowditch’s performance of Divorcee By 23 was simply and beautifully executed, as was the duet with Lane, You Look So Good. Lane performed an a cappella version of What Do I Do with the help of the audience providing back up which was fun, but some musical accompaniment would have been equally as nice to hear. It’s true that both singers have amazing voices that need little else to create magic with, but this reviewer would have preferred a little more instrumentation overall. As a show however, it was cheeky, novel and a lot of fun. Kind of like a good cup of tea and a visit with your favourite aunty and cousin. Not quite rock’n’roll, but sweet and delicious nonetheless. Francesca Palazzolo
Hinson ended a superb 90-minute set with Dyin’ Alone and God Is Good. Justin Grey
RED INK
PARTICLES
The Gaelic 01/07/11
Particles were palpably hard rock, but equally timid and their short set felt like watching a band rehearse (in front of a dozen or two strangers) or more aptly, animated background music if there was anything else happening in the foreground besides the antics between regulars and bar staff. Nonetheless, the heavy outfit has a surprising ear for melody, as well as a small gaggle of enthusiasts. Red Ink strutted quickly into position and launched into their first song without a greeting, and the immediate fervour seemed crudely unjustified. They maintained a frantic energy for the full 40 minutes, but at times, focus would dilate and reveal the unclear, whining whirr of high drama, burning with a paucity of rich melody. It had a powerfully ‘80s odour and every song was shouted with distracting charisma by the typically gaunt lead singer John Jakubenko. His theatrical and passionate singing had noticeable strength within a smooth tenor range, but accentuated it consistently with the goofy, cheesy, bad white-guy ‘80s dancing (though smoother than Peter Garrett) and the meekly young guitarists harmonised along to the detriment of clarity. Jakubenko was not, however, afraid of silence or the audience that was growing steadily throughout. He was happy to play with the crowd and took time to introduce the drummer Aaron Sim, who was a jarring stand-out. The singles and “hits” from their EP were all played (What My Friends Say, Catching A Killer, Battlescars), but blurred together dispassionately. The band seems to have roughly two emotive musical arrangements they enjoy and the whole endeavour is an effort to push those as far as possible, with little creative genius propelling them. Red Ink’s combined charisma is largely the musclememory skill of constant touring from small to large festivals and from dingy bars to shiny rock theatres. Yet they feel, or at least to be fair, Jakubenko feels as though he wants success, fame and acclaim too badly. Jarred Keane THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 59 •
live@drummedia.com.au
INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION After the success of last year’s CRANK YOUR CRED division of the International Songwriting Competition (ISC), the promotion will kick off again for 2011 in July. The CRANK YOUR CRED promotion gives aspiring and established songwriters the opportunity to not only enter their songs online in an easy manner, but also take advantage of social networking and have the chance to win monthly. Entrants are encouraged to enter the International Songwriting Competition via the competition’s MySpace site. Entrants every month are then picked out as winners in the lead-up to the closure of the competition entry. The entrants’ songs are judged on songwriting merit. This is a fantastic opportunity for those up-and-coming songwriters to get feedback on their songs prior to the announcement of the competition winners. International Songwriting Competition founder & director Candace Avery says the CRANK YOUR CRED competition was launched last year and was a huge success. “We received a lot of entries that were great songs,” she says. “The ability to enter through an artist’s MySpace page (and not have to upload songs to ISC) makes it really easy to enter. Moreover, each month [last year] two winners were selected. At the end of the competition, all the monthly winners went head-to-head in an online vote so that the public could pick their favourite.” CRANK YOUR CRED expands the opportunity for songwriters to be part of the coveted International Songwriting Competition, and encourages the public to be involved in the voting process. Ms Avery says the competition decided to launch this promotion to give artists another opportunity to gain exposure and recognition. “ISC is not just about winning prizes but also about furthering an artist’s career, and every opportunity given (and taken) can be another step toward accomplishing this goal,” she says. “Getting the public involved also helps to increase an artist’s fan base by exposing their song to a wide audience.” With social networking one of the biggest music marketing techniques available for all artists, established and emerging songwriters not only use this medium to enter the competition, but also to derive extra promotion and grow a new expanded fan base. Ms Avery says social networking is an important part of music today and the ISC recognises its prevalence in music promotion. “The grassroots of social networking really appeals to us and is very effective,” she says. “Our entrants are very involved and knowledgeable about social networking, so it is a very easy and direct way to communicate about ISC to the music public. For musicians, the opportunities regarding social networking are endless and it is probably the most important tool today for promoting an artist’s music.” The ISC is an annual songwriting competition with a mission to provide the opportunity for all songwriters to have their songs heard in a professional, international arena. Songwriters entering their songs via CRANK YOUR CRED are considered part of the official competition and will also be in the running to take home a swag of impressive prizes. Each year, ISC awards songwriters over $150,000 in cash and prizes. Ms Avery encourages songwriters to get in early with their entries on MySpace. She says early entries have a higher chance of winning. “The ISC gets fewer entries early on, so the odds are higher that an entry can become a monthly winner,” she says. “As the months progress and the deadline nears, ISC receives a lot more entries, thereby lowering the odds.” Entries for the 2011 competition are open now. For more information or to enter the International Songwriting Competition, please visit songwritingcompetition.com. To enter via CRANK YOUR CRED, visit myspace.com/ISC. CRANK YOUR CRED was launched on 1 June and entries are already being judged. Enter now!
gettingCOMFY SOUNDS LIKE SUNSET
MESOZOIC
WHISKEY INDIAN NOVEMBER
The Laurels are launching their debut EP, Mesozoic, and are playing a couple of free shows this week. They launch their EP at the Lansdowne this Friday, with support from Sounds Like Sunset, Kill City Creeps and Ghastly Spats, and play an in-store at Repressed Records on Saturday at 6pm. Entry for both shows is free.
BOLT LIKE A HORSE Saturday at Tone, Joseph Liddy & The Skeleton Horse are joined by Whiskey Indian November and Danger Dannys for what promises to be a rockin’ night of tunes.
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BRRR
MY NAME IS BROUS
The Winter People have the perfect name for this time of year, and they’re bringing their chilled sounds into FBi Social at the Kings Cross Hotel on Thursday.
Sophia Brous is Brous and will be debuting her new musical venture and new psychpop single, Streamers, at GoodGod this Thursday night. She’ll be joined by Donny Benet, Kirin J. Callinan, Erik Omen and more.
BREAKTIME It’s breaks and dubstep anthems galore this Friday at Chinese Laundry, where Q45 is headlining. Supporting will be Def Tonez, Mike Big FX, Riggers, Doctor Werewolf and A-Tonez. Entry is $15 before 11pm.
SPY NOT-KIDS Spy V Spy is ready to show off its new lead singer with a relaunch of the band at Hotel Gearin this Saturday.
200 GIGS Playing 200 gigs is no ordinary feat – Stormcellar will tell you so. This Saturday’s show at the Pendle Inn marks this milestone for them. The night starts at 11pm.
PARTY AND BULLSHIT Party And Bullshit is taking place this Saturday at FBi Social as part of the Sydney Sounds Like mid-winter showcase. Over four levels, there are a whopping amount of artists performing – including Hermitude, Anna Lunoe, Kato, 104 Collective, Thundamentals, Bingethinkers and Flight Recorder.
SHHH! Hurdy Gurdy is a psychedelic shindig going down this Friday night from 8pm, but we can’t tell you where it is, because we don’t know. The secret Enmore venue will be revealed on the Octopus Pi website. This super clandestine gig will have Unity Floors, Old Growth Cola and Day Ravies playing.
UNCLOG THE VALVE Valvefest! The mini rock and punk festival hits the Valve Bar this Saturday with bands like Tinian’s Boy, delSanto, BigBozza Band, FisherKing and more all performing. There will also be a half pipe set up outside for skaters to rip up from 1pm.
KEEP IT CONSTANT Constant Project headlines the alternative acoustic show at Valve Bar on Thursday, with The Fabergettes, Luchi and more from 7pm.
CAFFEINE HIT Sutherland Shire’s annual Coffee Festival is on this Saturday at the Peace Park and Wards Xpress, Al Britton and Travis New are slated to play from 2pm.
JAZZ HANDS Composer/bassist Hannah James and her jazz band are playing at the Sound Lounge this Friday from 8.30pm.
PLAYING DOWNTOWN Steve Edmonds Band has a few shows this week, kicking off the sting with the Downtown Music Guitar Night at the Empire Hotel this Thursday. They then play the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel on Friday, the Hornsby Inn on Saturday and Heathcote Hotel on Sunday.
RAW PASSION Playing both covers and originals, funksters Red Raw Band take to the Excelsior Glebe on Saturday night.
AWKWARD TURTLE
OUR MONK What is it about the venue that makes you want a run of shows there? We’ve always enjoyed playing at the Lansdowne. Its quasi-ramshackle atmosphere really suits our approach to writing and performance. Each of the songs of our set is thrown together regardless of their stylistic differences, like the furniture there. Our oft-used horn section seems to look real nice there too.
Same set every week or mixing it up? We’ve put it upon ourselves to insert a brand new tune that we haven’t performed or recorded yet into the set every week. This one song per week scheme will surely inspire repeat attendances.
Any special guests going to make an appearance during your tenure? Probably an old friend of ours called Steele Turkington, an actual professional touring spoon player from Kentville. Possibly even former member Alexandra Ortuso, now of a band called Owl Eyes. Both of them will only be permitted to play tambourine and only exactly when we tell them.
Favourite position at the venue when you’re not on stage? The dress circle.
When are you in residence? Every Thursday of July!
Brisvegas folk-popsters Pear & The Awkward Orchestra play Saturday at 505. They’ve just released their debut album, Smocks!, and will play with supports Hello Vera and Skritch.
RULE THEM ALL Prog-metallers and obvious Lord Of The Rings enthusiasts Avarin headline at the Lewisham Hotel on Friday, with The Cruel Kind and Release The Hounds also playing. Entry is $10 from 8pm.
I HATE CAVES Melbourne three-piece Cave Of The Swallows is tearing up the East Coast this month with a new single, I Hate You, starting with The Patch on Thursday, The Wall on Friday and the Hamilton Station Hotel on Saturday.
KNIFE WIFE
RED FIRE RED
Don’t be scared of Kitchen Knife Wife when they tour this week. Already having supported bands like The Wombats, this Friday they’re playing at Last Night at The Gaelic with their new single, Happy.
Your music is…?
VITAL ORGANS Transcription Of Organ Music, delicate solo project of Tasmania’s Damon Bird, is heading around on a winter tour this week. He brings ethereal songstress Saskia Sansom along for the ride as they stop by the Front Gallery on Thursday, Petersham Bowling Club on Friday and Yours & Owls on Saturday. All shows are supported by The Singing Skies.
Rock.
Which acts inspired you to produce your own music and why? Mahler, Miles Davis, The Beatles, U2, The Police, Queen, Rage Against The Machine, Jeff Buckley, Sly & The Family Stone… All great original artists who all changed the way we listen.
What’s your wildest ambition for your music? “Hello Wembley…” or “Hello Springfield…” Either way it’s all good.
Why should we come and see you? ‘Cause we are, without a doubt, hands down, the most rocking new band in town.
How do you find the local live scene? We’re are all about breaking a new scene for underground artists in Sydney; check our events page at redfirered.com/twentyfour.
What’s your greatest rock’n’roll moment?
SATELLITE V
OUT IN SPACE Satellite V plays a blend of rockabilly, hillbilly and rock’n’roll and have been doing so for 10 years. They’re playing at Rose Of Australia this Friday from 9pm. • 60 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
MARK DA COSTA
MATT BLACK
WHAT’S DA COSTA?
GOT THE BLUES Matt Black & The Phat Cats play on behalf of the House of Blues at the Botany View this Sunday, kicking off from 7pm for a free show.
Former Australian Idol contestant Mark Da Costa plays the Marlborough Hotel on Saturday night, kicking off from 10.30pm. And in case you’re wondering, “Da Costa” is free.
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Playing in front of 25,000 people at Strahov Stadium in Prague, supporting Tool, Slayer, Ozzy Osbourne… And making it out of there alive.
Next available at: Saturday 9 July – The Wall
For more info see: redfirered.com
live@drummedia.com.au
MEOWMIX
SOLKYRI
R.I.P. PIRATES The Former Love Pirates are launching their EP, Ghost Town, this Friday at the Sando. With support from Solkyri, Brendan Maclean and The Deer Republic, it’s only $10 to get in.
MAKING MUSIC Taylor & The Makers, Bag O’ Bones, Ange Murphy and Amelia Willis are heading to the Valve Bar this week for chilled out Sunday night gig. Bands from 6pm.
GETTIN’ SLIZZARD King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are slithering into World Bar this Friday along with March Of The Real Fly, The Fabergettes, The Walk On By, Sweet Teeth and The Walking Who. They also take charge at Oxford Art Factory this Saturday with their new single, Black Tooth.
SLOW WAVES
WAVE GOODBYE Having recently announced an indefinite hiatus, Slow Waves will be waving the scene goodbye so come say your farewells on Thursday at The Gaelic, where they’re supporting local five-piece Go With Colours and songbird Alice Terry.
[V] SATURDAY 8AM MUSIC VIDEO CHARTS
This Wednesday, blues rock’n’roll group Meow Kapow is heading to the Beach Road Hotel with Steve Kilby of the church and Ricky Maymi of Brian Jonestown Massacre. Steve Kilby and Ricky Maymi are also playing with Jill And Alsy and Richard Lane at Notes on Thursday.
THAT’S WEIRD Melbournites Strange Talk step into the supporting role for Art Vs Science at their stop into the Enmore Theatre on Friday, with party tunes supplied first by Sosueme DJs.
ZEROPOINT
HANDS LIKE HOUSES
STRONG HANDS Following in the vein of many American posthardcore acts, young Canberra experimental/ post-hardcore band Hands Like Houses recently recorded their debut album at Florida’s Chango Studios. Now they’re on their Welcome Home tour, stopping by SFX this Saturday with We Rob Banks and the Valve Bar from midday this Sunday with the same support plus Caulfield, Drawing North, Seek The Silence and Recording All. $10 and $15 respectively will get you in.
GALLOP IN Electric Horse are saddling up for the road this week, as they play the Metro Theatre this Saturday on the A Thousand Reasons tour. They’re heading in with Red Remedy and co-headliners Thousand Needles In Red and FloatingMe.
TOBY MARTIN
FIREBREATHIN’
SEEK LOVE KEEP
Dragon is back and with the strongest line up yet. They play at The Brass Monkey this Friday at 7pm.
Sarah Blasko, Sally Seltmann and Holly Throsby come together to form Seeker Lover Keeper. The three ladies are sweeping across town with some gigs this week, starting with Wednesday and Thursday at the Heritage Hotel, Friday and Saturday at The Factory and Monday at Lizotte’s Dee Why. Youth Group’s Toby Martin joins the fun.
The metal show at the Valve Bar this Friday will have Havoc, Delinquent, Under The 8 Ball and Datura Curse all taking the stage.
+Dome SEEKAE Q: Lennon Covered #2 VARIOUS W PLANNINGTOROCK The Infinite Music Of… FRENCH HORN REBELLION Quiet In The Valley, On The Shores The End Begins JIM WARD
FBI’S FAVOURITE NEW AUSSIE TRACKS
Indie kids Skipping Girl Vinegar are heading to the Street Theatre on Friday to launch their new album, Keep Calm, Carry The Monkey.
METAL SHOW
ON THE DRUM STEREO
Soma Records: 20 Years VARIOUS 101 70s Hits VARIOUS VARIOUS New Weird Australia: Bleak Metal BRITNEY SPEARS Femme Fatale Piles Of Lies BATRIDER
Zeropoint at Oxford Art Factory this Friday is hosting a free evening of electronica, synth pop and wall art, with Snout Cassette, Xanthopan, Travellers Of The Great Unknown and more all slated to play from 7pm.
SALT’N’VINEGAR ELECTRIC HORSE
Someone Like You ADELE Party Rock Anthem LMFAO FT. LAUREN BENNETT & GOONROCK Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) KATY PERRY The Edge Of Glory LADY GAGA Jet Lag SIMPLE PLAN FT. NATASHA BEDINGFIELD Jar Of Hearts CHRISTINA PERRI Give Me Everything PITBULL FT. NE-YO & NAYER Ready To Go (Get Me Out Of My Mind) PANIC! AT THE DISCO We Run The Night DJ HAVANA BROWN Where Them Girls At DAVID GUETTA FT. FLO RIDA & NICKI MINAJ
Streamers (Edit) Lodum (Rising) Ghosts On Main Street Fireworks Spraying Moon
BROUS GHOUL HARMONY JONTI
My Friend (Magic Silver White Remix) SPARKLE MOTION
Empty ALLBROOK/AVERY Like A Diamond BLOODS Da Da! MASTER OF RIBONGIA Tattooed Head (Short) NO ZU The Trembling Fires Of Dreams EARS
July 2011
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else. verything
Tuesday 5th July
Jess Green’s Bright Sparks Marty Wieczorek Tuesday 12th July
Tina Harrod A.C.R.O.N.Y.M ORCHESTRA Tuesday 19th July
The Vampires Tim Bruer Quartet Tuesday 26th July
Cam McAllister Bri Cowlishaw Venue 505 280 Cleveland Street Surry Hills
www.jazzgroove.com twitter.com/drummedia
THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 61 •
live@drummedia.com.au
LOVE STORY IT MIGHT ONLY BE AN EP, BUT THERE’S QUITE A GRAND VISION BEHIND THE NEW RELEASE FROM DELOREAN TIDE, AS MICHAEL SMITH DISCOVERS FROM JJ BRADY.
“W
e wanted to cover a lot of bases and show what we’re really capable of, I suppose, and what we can do,” Delorean Tide’s singer Julian “JJ” Brady describes the thinking behind debut EP, Endless. “There is a definite theme across the whole record and everything that we actually write; there’s a story behind it all. I wouldn’t say that we’re necessarily a concept band, but there is definitely a story that we’re trying to adhere to.” The Sydney five-piece is certainly committed to the bigger picture in everything they do, whether it’s the striking artwork of the eight-page CD booklet or their determination to present as diverse a set of songs within the heavier end of things without tipping over into
ep FOCUS
metal in any of its forms. Their overall vision is certainly ambitious for an emerging independent band. “The story actually came from two songs we wrote about two years ago. I was really sick and tired of writing the same old ‘My God, this girl broke my heart’ or ‘I’m upset about something’ song. I wanted to really take especially my personal side of things – since I write the lyrics – out of it and make it something that’s accessible by everybody, especially everybody in the band, so they can all grab a hold of it. “The story that came out was about a guy and a girl fighting to be with each other but can’t be with each other because of this whole family… almost Romeo & Juliet-ish but not as, I suppose, daggy as that [laughs]. The whole story is basically set around the 1600s and quite in depth but the EP is almost an overview, I suppose. The main character of the story, his name’s Oblivion and the female character in it, her name is Ascender. “We released a single last year that had both their character songs and kind of introduced them. This guy
Oblivion, who is the first mate on a ship, is sent off to war and he dies and meets sirens and has to get his body back and all that sort of thing so he can get back to what is his greatest love.”
How many releases do you have now? Two – Anicca (debut EP 2009) and Retribution.
WHAT Endless (Independent)
How long did it take to write/record?
WHEN & WHERE Thursday, Annandale Hotel
Ghost Town. The first track is called The Ghost, which is what originally sparked the concept. In other songs we refer to a hypothetical town and naturally the ‘ghost town’ became a theme. It has nothing to do with the Ricky Gervais film.
How many releases do you have now? This is our second EP, but we’ve released other demos and tracks along the way.
CHRIS PICKERING
DON’T PANIC
SING US A SONG Singer/songwriters take over the Excelsior Glebe on Thursday, with Monii playing from 7.30pm, Shane Flew from 8.30pm and Wayne Tritton rounding the night off from 9.30pm.
The Panics are heading around on a tour this month in support of their new single, Majesty, with a date at the Oxford Art Factory this Friday. In support will be young indie band Split Seconds and Perth songstress Grace Woodroofe.
er a 29-date tour with rix was dropped aft e Monkees began Th , 67 19 ly Ju support act. Hend 8 the on as at e Th nc … rie OW pe e. Ex DID YOU KN er audienc The Jimi Hendrix for their teenybopp t was not suitable ac his t tha s nd ou the gr just six shows, on
How long did it take to write/record?
TRIPLE SHOT
AGES AGO
After we released our first EP we did a lot of performing and quickly got sick of those songs. Between writing and recording it took about one year.
Bring out the shot glasses, because a Triple Shot Of Original Rock is hitting Coogee Diggers this Saturday. For 10 bucks, The Revellers, Fire To The Haystack and Crows Feat will all perform.
Melbourne rockers 1927 are playing all Lizotte’s venues this week, starting with Lizotte’s Kincumber on Friday, Lizotte’s Dee Why on Saturday and finally Lizotte’s Newcastle on Sunday.
Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making?
CLAWS OUT
FRONT ON
It’s like we’re living the real life X-Men. Wolverines are heading to Lizotte’s this week, playing the Dee Why restaurant on Friday and the Kincumber restaurant on Saturday.
Daniel Lee Kendall is heading into the Front Gallery with Georgia Fair this Wednesday.
BACK TO SOVIET RUSSIA
Brisbane act Nova Scotia is playing at Lass O’Gowrie on Wednesday and Black Wire Records on Friday in support of their debut album.
Most of the songs were written a long time before we recorded them so there was a big collection of inspiration for the final product. Western films and dancing are two standout themes.
What’s your favourite song on it? Probably Family Tree. It is the oldest track but we still love playing it. We spent a lot of time refining this song when we were recording it, we even got a children’s choir to sing with us.
Will you do anything differently next time? We recorded this EP with one of our brothers in his apartment. It was close to home and we weren’t worried about time or anything. So I think we’d do that the same but hopefully next time it’s an album.
Will you be launching it? Friday – Sandringham Hotel
For more info see: facebook.com/theformerlovepirates
Falcona Friday’s first birthday is this week and they’re having a Soviet Russia themed party. Furnace & The Fundamentals, Boats Of Berlin and more will be performing, along with the regulars like Alison Wonderland, Hobophonics, Starjumps and more.
S
aturday sees FBi Social at the Kings Cross Hotel light up with four floors of spectacular hip hop and dance partying for Party & Bullshit, part of FBi Radio’s Sydney Sounds Like festival. We rounded up a few of the acts playing – Anna Lunoe, Hermitude and Kali – to talk us through what their favourite parts of this wonderful city are, and just why partying, as fun as it is, can sometimes mix up with a little BS too.
Anna Lunoe: I live high up in an apartment block and get cockatoos and lorikeets at my window all day – they are noisy little guys!
STARTING NEW
Hermitude: The sound of an A380 roaring over the inner west. Yuppies in Newtown.
Stars Of Addiction are playing their first show with their brand new line up at the Annandale this Friday. With old and new songs up their collective sleeve, they play from 8pm.
Kali: Right now a jackhammer going off nearby. Joy. Although sounds I like are the noise my cat makes in the morning as she simultaneously stretches and moves up the bed to give me a good morning cuddle, the hum of Surry Hills and the nearby city (mainly
• 62 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
NOT IN CANADA WAVING TO JEBEDIAH Alt rockers Jebediah are pulling into Waves this Friday. Mental note: make sure to avoid all comets.
We hired an old Ludwig acrylic drum set (like John Bonham used in Led Zeppelin), which sounded amazing. Hearing it through an old Neve desk was pretty damn inspiring.
What’s your favourite song on it? Mayan Dawn. I think whenever a band has a song that goes for around nine minutes they will make the claim that this is their favourite song!
Will you do anything differently next time? I like to think this is the aim of Greenthief, to be continually evolving.
Will you be launching it? Thursday – Hamilton Station Hotel Friday – The Basement Belconnen Saturday – Lansdowne Hotel
For more info see: greenthief.com
IRON BAR HOTEL
HURRICANE HURLEY Launching their debut EP, folksters Susan Hurley & The Hurricanes will step into The Vanguard on Friday with Iron Bar Hotel and Buck & Deanne.
WHAT A LOAD OF…
What is the non-musical sound of Sydney? Anything from public transport to weird things you hear elsewhere...
STARS OF ADDICTION
Over two years the songs were refined; often the songs are quite long to begin with then it is the case of cutting the fat. The tracking was done over two days down in Byron Bay at Rockinghorse Studios. Overdubs were done in Brisbane and Byron Bay with the record being mixed down in Melbourne. All up this was done over a fourmonth period.
Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making?
SHANE FLEW
THE FORMER LOVE PIRATES
Retribution.
WHO Delorean Tide
ep FOCUS
What’s the title of your new EP and where did it come from?
GREENTHIEF What’s the title of your new EP?
traffic punctuated with sirens I guess), the sound of the ocean but also the sound of swimming in the ocean, the I-can-srceam-louder-than-you roar of Paddy’s Markets, Chinatown and the most magical of all – when you actually think you can hear silence (of course you probably never can). What’s the most bullshit part about partying? AL: That it’s kinda my job? STOOPID. H: The hangover, being broke the next day and having to deal with dickhead bouncers. K: That they haven’t invented a cease and desist pill for hangovers. What does Sydney sound like to you – what acts, DJs etc do you associate with the city? AL: Hmm, well I think of Presets, Flight Facilities, Beni, Toni Toni Lee, Bag Raiders, Killaqueenz… I know I’m forgetting people, but basically Sydney artists who I have watched grow and change over the years. And also a super exciting emerging crop of eager, educated, smart musicians and DJs who I see making little waves already.
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ANNA LUNOE I think the Sydney sound is more influential overseas than we probably realise. H: The late Jackie Orzacsky used to play at the Rose in Erskineville every Tuesday night for close to 10 years. It was like an institution for a lot of Sydney’s best musos and somewhere you could go hang out and listen to amazing live music. K: For me personally, it’d have to be picnicstuff.com. au – that is the culmination of my (many) years spent partying and DJing in Sydney. I’ve been influenced by so many individuals and creative groups it’s impossible to name names here… Quickly though, Mad Racket, Paradise Lost, Slow Blow, Ha Ha and Future Classic all throw great parties with DJs/acts that I dig a lot more than other people’s take on music/partying.
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THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 63 •
live@drummedia.com.au
ep FOCUS
ALIBRANDI What’s the title of your new EP? The Emergency.
How many releases do you have now? The Emergency is our first.
How long did it take to write/record? We’ve been writing songs for about three years prior to recording so narrowing it down to the five that made the EP was tough. We recorded and mixed the EP in ten days.
Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? Personally, I had just been through a pretty rough break up and so the lyrics on the EP were inspired by that. Also during the first day of recording, our drummer Michael received a phone call to say that his grandfather was about to pass away so he needed to come home and say goodbye. So all of that really inspired the performances on the EP.
STAND TO REASON
H
aving wrapped up recording for their anticipated debut album, Thousand Needles In Red join Sydney rockers FloatingMe for the co-headline east coast A Thousand Reasons tour. Drum asked FloatingMe drummer Lucius Borich and Thousand Needles guitarist Trizo Bouillaut to interview one another ahead of their gig at The Metro on Saturday night. Trizo: Where did the name FloatingMe come from? Lucius: Andrew’s lyrics in Spirals, I thought it should be the band’s name. T: FloatingMe features members from Cog, Karnivool and Scarymother – how and when did the band come together and whose idea was it? L: Andrew and I hooked up in LA and stayed in touch when we both returned, he had some ideas with songs already in the works. Jon I met when Karnivool toured with Cog and when the band idea came together I suggested Jon, Andrew brought Toby and Antony. T: How has your debut album been received by fans and critics?
L: To have a great time and play the album to people that may not have heard us before this tour. Also drinking some special tea with them. T: What advice could you give young bands on where to find/book a show – particularly in Sydney where there seems to be a lack of venues? L: That is a great question. We have had to do it ourselves, management book shows, friends in other bands gave us supports, it is a matter of keep working, take no prisoners, believe in your music and your band and keep attacking. Lucius: How does Thousand Needles In Red differ from other bands? Trizo: Needles tries to have its own way of doing things. We have always believed that lots of different styles is healthy (hence our choice of supports on tour) for the Australian music scene. We are just trying to do our style the best we can. Needles hasn’t slept since it began and we feel on a writing level we have very different songs to what’s happening in Oz today. The new album will help answer this question.
L: I must say I am blown away by the response, critics have loved it and old and new fans have given us a lot of love and recognition.
L: What are the differing styles between Thousand Needles In Red and The Butterfly Effect?
T: What are your expectations and what are you looking forward to the most on the Thousand Reasons tour?
T: Butters are a very soundscape; European car as we are an old low rider V8. If you take the vocals out of both there are two very different bands there. Put vocals back in and you’ll have some similarities.
LUCIUS BORICH L: What motivates you to write? T: Everything and anything. I love writing so much, it never gets old. I suppose like most musicians our instruments become our voice, so writing and capturing that voice is a drug for me. L: Are you planning to take the band overseas? T: Yeah for sure. We have had some offers and opportunities we would be crazy not to consider. But it’s all about timing I suppose. First things first though: getting the record oiled and massaged here. L: What is the chance that we could collaborate on a song on stage? T: Sounds like a pretty good idea to me. You choose the song mate!
What’s your favourite song on it? If You Play Now, You Pay Later – it’s a bit of a middle finger to someone and our producer/engineer really captured the vibe on that song. It’s raw and rock’n’roll.
Will you do anything differently next time? I think we’ll budget for more time in the studio so we have time to experiment a little more with different sounds and instruments.
Will you be launching it?
ART VS SCIENCE
Friday – Bald Faced Stag Saturday – Hamilton Station Hotel
For more info see: alibrandimusic.com
GIG OF THE WEEK
ORIGAMI
FIERCE ANGEL
The Paper Scissors are cruising into the Clarendon Guesthouse to play on Friday this week.
Fierce Angel is showcasing at the Beresford Hotel on Saturday with Moto Blanco playing, as well as Oxford Hustlers, Troy Cox and Tommy Kelly.
DARK AND LIGHT OLD MAN RIVER
RIVER CRANES Members of Dead Letter Chorus (Gabrielle and Cameron) and Patrick James will join Old Man River on his 1000 Cranes tour, which continues on through the state this week. They stop by The Brass Monkey on Thursday, the Northern Star on Friday and Notes on Saturday.
LED BY EXAMPLE
Drum’s cover boys this week and festival favourites, Art Vs Science, will perform their only Sydney club show for 2011 on Friday at the Enmore Theatre as a part of their first headlining tour in a year. They recently released their second album, The Experiment, and their self-titled EP has gone platinum. Supporting on the night will be Melbourne indie popsters Strange Talk.
Sydney thrash metal quartet Darker Half is bringing the darkness to the Hamilton Station Hotel this Friday, as well as The Basement Belconnen on Saturday.
WAKE UP Sleeping Starfish, The Paragraphs and Tor are playing at the Beach Road Hotel tonight from 8pm.
BONDI MUSIC FEST The Bondi Music Festival is on at the Beach Road Hotel this Saturday with three stages continuously rotating a the likes of Tales In Space, Snifferdogs, Paris Club, Red Slim and Howler from midday.
FOUNDRY ROAD
Led Fest will see things get loud at the Lewisham Hotel on Saturday, with Putrefaction, Head Hammer, War Faction, Ilcontent, The Seer, Foundry Road, Enviktas, A World Less Cruel, Grim Demise and Empirical all pitching in for a full day of rocking out. Kicking off at 3pm, it’ll cost you $20 to get yourself through the door.
SUPERCLUB R’n’b Superclub is back weekly and relaunching at the Arthouse Hotel this Friday! The grand opening will feature DJs G-Wizard, Troy T, Lilo, Def Rok, Eko and MC Jayson.
DRUM’N’BASS Tone is bringing you a night of finger-on-pulse drum’n’bass this Thursday with Leeds’ Octane & DLR headlining this week. Supporting them will be Wowk, Whitey, Paul Dred and Dauntless so get in from 9pm.
ART AND DUBSTEP Wednesday at the World Bar? Let it be known as Art And Dubstep. This week they have a secret international dubstep act, Glovecats, Special K and more, starting from 7.30pm.
WHAM BAM
AXLE WHITEHEAD
EVENINGS WITH SARAH Sarah McLeod continues around on her intimate, stripped-back acoustic tour this week. She stops by Lizotte’s Newcastle on Thursday, Vault 146 on Friday, Waves on Saturday and Coogee Diggers on Saturday. The Firetree and Axle Whitehead will be supporting.
Wham! It means ‘winning hearts and minds.’ This Saturday, Wham! at the World Bar is winning people over with a huge list of DJs from 8pm right through to 7 in the am. Cassian, James Taylor, Pablo Calarmari, Illya and heaps more will all be in the house.
UNPLUGGED AT THE MARLY JAMES BLUNDELL
BLUNDELL AND BRITT Country singer/songwriters James Blundell and Catherine Britt are heading out on tour together and are stopping by The Brass Monkey this Wednesday where the pair plays from 7pm. They also head into The Basement Circular Quay on Thursday and the Milton Theatre on Friday. • 64 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
Stepping into the acoustic Thursday night format, Craig Thommo takes on the Marlborough Hotel stage this week from 8.30pm.
STRIKE THE BLONDE
MUSIC FROM THE UNDERGROUND
GET YOUR SHIT IN
The Wall this Saturday has a two-stage festival planned from 7pm onwards, with a huge rockin’ line up ready to take the stage including Red Fire Red, Young Romantics, Strike The Blonde, Bedlam In Belgium and more.
ATTN: Local bands! If you have a gig or release in the pipeline that you want to promote, send the details, blurb (no longer than 100 words) and pic (no bigger than 1MB, NO SMALLER THAN 200 DPI and in .JPG or .PDF format) to live@drummedia.com.au. Get in quick, it’s fuckin’ FREE!
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KWEEN G
READY TO DROP Sydney producer Katalyst is heading to the Beresford Hotel this Saturday with Kween G, Steve Spacek, Hau and many more in tow! He’s just released his new single, Ready To Drop.
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
GABRIELLE & CAMERON (DEAD LETTER CHORUS)
THURSDAY JULY 7 SATURDAY JULY 9
BRASS MONKEY
NOTES LIVE NEWTOWN
FRIDAY JULY 8
WEDNESDAY JULY 27
CRONULLA S Y D N E Y NORTHERN STAR BEACH ROAD HOTEL
HAMILTON www.1000cranesforjapan.net
BONDI
www.facebook.com/oldmanrivermusic
LET YOUR MUSIC TAKE YOU ON A
It’s every musician’s dream to play in a band that goes on tour and not many careers allow professional musicians the chance to do so while at the same time helping their country. If performing live gives you a buzz, then you’ll be part of a band that uplifts audiences and raises the morale of the Navy. This is your opportunity to really make a difference with your music, gather experiences of a lifetime and become part of a unique team. If you’re interested to see where a Navy Musician career can take you, visit defencejobs.gov.au/navy
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THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 65 •
GIG GUIDE TUE 05
AAMAZING ENTERTAINMENT KARAOKE: Penrith Htl ADAM PRINGLE BAND: Sandringham Htl downstairs DAVE WHITE: Coogee Bay Htl, Beach Bar DJ MYME, DJ ATO, GEE WIZZ, + more: Valve Bar and Venue, Tempe ELLE KENNARD: The Vanguard LIVE N COOKIN WITH JONNY & SARAH: Lizottes, Kincumber MARK GORDON: Manhattan Lounge MARTY WEICZOREK, JESS GREEN’S BRIGHT SPARKS: 505, 280 Cleveland St Surry Hills OPEN MIC NIGHT: Great Northern Hotel PETER HEAD: HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL SLEEPING STARFISH, THE PARAGRAPHS, TOR: Beach Rd Htl Bondi SONGS ON STAGE feat., Sam Jones, KEN MCLEAN, ALEX HUGHES, TAOS, + GUESTS: Coach & Horses Hotel, Randwick TERRY SERIO, MINISTRY OF TRUTH: The Basement THIRD WATCH: Scruffy Murphys
WED 06
CILLA JANE: The Vanguard DAN SPILLANE: Coogee Bay Htl, Beach Bar DAVE WHITE: Scruffy Murphys DJ ALEX MITCHELL: Beach Rd Htl (Camera Club) Bondi DJ GREG PERANO: Beach Rd Htl (Public Bar) Bondi DJ MOUSSA: Marlborough Htl ELITE VOCAL STUDIO SHOWCASE: Lizottes, Kincumber JAMES BLUNDELL, CATHERINE BRITT: Brass Monkey KERRI LEWIS DUO: CLUB RIVERS LIVE & LOCAL: Lizottes, Dee Why LIVE & LOCAL: Lizottes, Newcastle MARK WILKES, ALEX HUGHES, ANITA LENZO, RUSSELL NEAL, + GUESTS: Kogarah Hotel MEOW KAPOW: Beach Rd Htl Bondi MEREWETHER FATS: Great Northern Hotel MOSHPIT COMEDY: The Gaelic
• 66 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
OUTLIER: 3 Wise Monkeys PAUL JACKSON: The Basement PEABODY, THE HOLY SOUL, ROYAL CHANT: ROCK LILY - STAR CITY PETER HEAD: HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL PHILIP RICKETSON: Sandringham Htl downstairs SEEKER LOVER KEEPER, TOBY MARTIN: Heritage Htl STEVE KILBEY, RICKY MAYMI (BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE), MEOW KAPOW: Beach Rd Htl (Rex Room) Bondi TAFE SHOWCASE: Valve Bar and Venue, Tempe THE HOO HAAS: Sandringham Htl TOM O’HALLORAN TRIO: 505, 280 Cleveland St Surry Hills
THU 07
031 ROCK SHOW: Scruffy Murphys AAMAZING ENTERTAINMENT KARAOKE: Penrith Htl ACOUSTIC SHOW: Valve Bar and Venue, Tempe ALIBRANDI, CAVE OF THE SWALLOWS: The Patch - Fairy Meadow ANDY GLITRE: The Basement ANDY MAMMERS: Harbord Beach Htl BIG BEN DUO: Coogee Bay Htl, Beach Bar CAMBO: Observer Htl CHRIS CONNOLLY: Guildford Leagues CHRISTA HUGHES: 505, 280 Cleveland St Surry Hills CRAIG THOMMO: Marlborough Htl DAN SPILLANE: Northies Cronulla HtlSport Bar DELOREAN TIDE, LOWER COST SKIES, MAD CHARLIE: Annandale Htl DI SOLOMON: Pioneer Tavern DONNY BENET, KIRIN J CALIHAN, BROUS, OMEN, LAURENZ PIKE: Good God Small Club FBI SOCIAL, THE WINTER PEOPLE, PIKELET, HOLY BALM, DONNY BENET: Kings Cross Htl FBI SOCIAL, JACK CARTY, JORDAN MILLER, LEEROY LEE: Kings Cross Htl - Level 2 GLENN WHITEHALL: Edinburgh Castle Htl GLOVECATS: Australian Hotel & Brewery, Annangrove
5 - 11 JULY 2011 gigs@drummedia.com.au
JAMIE HUTCHINGS: SATURDAY 9, PETERSHAM BOWLING CLUB GO WITH COLOURS, ALICE TERRY, SLOW WAVES: The Gaelic GREENTHIEF: Hamilton Station Htl, Newcastle GREG BYRNE: Dee Why Hotel JAZZ FACTORY: Great Northern Hotel JESSE JAMES: Gymea Bay Hotel JIMEOIN: Epping Club JIMMY WEBB: Sutherland Ent Centre JOHNATHON DEVOY: Sandringham Htl downstairs LUKE DIXON DUO: Ski Rider Htl Wilsons Valley MICHAEL MCGLYNN: Greengate Htl MONII, SHANE FLEW, WAYNE TRITTON: Excelsior Glebe NEW MANIC SPREE, JOEL MYLES & THE JETPACK ACADEMY: The Gaff, Darlinghurst OLD MAN RIVER, GABRIELLE & CAMERON (DEAD LETTER CHORUS), PATRICK JAMES: Brass Monkey OUR MONK, HEY BIG AKI, Tales In Space, SID AIR: Landsdowne Hotel PANORAMA: 3 Wise Monkeys PETER HEAD TRIO, + FRIENDS: HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL QUINI: Five Islands Brewery, Wollongong SAM & JAMIE TRIO: Maloney’s Hotel SARAH MCLEOD: Lizottes, Newcastle SARAH PATON: O’Malleys Kings X SCOTT DONALDSON: Campbelltown Catholic Club SEEKER LOVER KEEPER, TOBY MARTIN: Heritage Htl
SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR, KEEP CALM, CARRY THE MONKEY, COLLEEN HIXENBAUGH: Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre SONGS ON STAGE feat., ALEX HUGHES, ADAM KISS, DaNIEL HOPKINS, + GUESTS: Lone Pine Tavern Rooty Hill SONGS ON STAGE feat., ROSS BRUZZESE, RENATE NGUYEN, HELMUT UHLMANN, + GUESTS: Red Lion Htl STEVE EDMONDS BAND: Empire Htl STEVE KILBEY, RICKY MAYMI (BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE), JILL & ALSY (THE TRIFFIDS), RICHARD LANE (THE STEMS): Notes, Newtown THACKER BEAT, SHEZBOT, INK THE SUN: The Wall (The Bald Faced Stag) THE DREY ROLLAN BAND: ROCK LILY - STAR CITY THE HAPPY HIPPY SHOW: Slide Darlinghurst THE NOMAD, RAYJAH, BENJALU, BENTLEY, DJ ABILITY: Beach Rd Htl (Rex Room) Bondi THE STILLSONS: Wickham Park Htl Islington TIM ROLLINSON: Artichoke Café Manly TRIVIA: Riverwood Inn
FRI 08
1927: Lizottes, Kincumber 2 OF HEARTS: North Richmond Hotel AM 2 PM: PJ’s Irish Pub Parramatta ARMCHAIR TRAVELLERS DUO: Western Suburbs Leagues Club ART VS SCIENCE: Enmore Theatre BACK TO THE 80’S, SMELLS LIKE 90s: Bayview Tavern
BANDANA DUO: Hillside Htl Castle Hill BECCY COLE: Central Coast Leagues BEN FINN: Brewhouse Pub St Marys BIG BEN DUO: Mercantile Htl BLACKBIRD HUM, TONKS & GREEN, ANGE MURPHY: Eastern Lounge, Chatswood BLISS BOMB: Club Marconi BOB GILLESPIE: Penrith RSL, Castle Lounge CHART BUSTERS: Rooty Hill RSL COUGAR: Vineyard Htl CRAIG THOMMO: Royal Oak Htl Parramatta DALI’S ANGELS, HOLY COW: Great Northern Hotel DAN LISSING DUO: Crows Nest Htl DAVID AGIUS DUO: PANTHERS - TERRACE BAR, PENRITH DECLAN KELLY: 505, 280 Cleveland St Surry Hills Delinquent, UNDER THE 8 BALL, DATURA’S CURSE: Valve Bar and Venue, Tempe DEVIATION: Belmont 16’s DJ: Campbelltown Catholic Club DJ MATTY ROBERTS: The Watershed Darling Harbour DJ MICHAEL STEWART: Cronulla RSL DJ SHAMUS, DJ JEDDY ROWLAND, DJ ANDERS: Cohibar DJ STRAIGHT ARROWS, GHASTLY SPATS, KITCHEN FLOOR, ROYAL HEADACHE, SILVER MOON: Landsdowne Hotel DR DON’S DOUBLE DOSE: Sebel Kiama Blue
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DRAGON: Brass Monkey DREW MCALISTER: Grand Htl Rockdale EBB N FLO: CBD Htl Newcastle ENDLESS SUMMER BEACH PARTY: Narrabeen Sands FALCONA FRIDAYS, ALISON WONDERLAND, DJ Hansom, HOBOPHONICS, Devola, + more: Kit & kaboodle, Kings Cross FLAMIN’ BEAUTIES: Crown Htl City FREEDMAN JAZZ CONCERT: The Studio Syd Opera House FRESHMIX: Kro Bar, East Leagues Club, Bondi Junction FUNKSTAR: 3 Wise Monkeys GET THE PARTY STARTED-THE PINK SHOW: Pioneer Tavern GRAND THEFT AUDIO: Exchange Htl Newcastle GREG LINES: Cabramatta Leagues GROOVE ACADEMY: Water Bar HANNAH JAMES GROUP: SIMA HAPPY HIPPIES: Commercial Htl Parramatta HARBOUR MASTERS: Kings Cross Htl HEATH BURDELL: Macquarie Htl, Liverpool HELLO CLEVELAND: Red Cow Inn Penrith HOORAY FOR EVERYTHING: Padstow RSL INTIMATE LOUNGE MUSIC: Fairfield RSL, Supper Club JAMES BLUNDELL, CATHERINE BRITT: Milton Theatre JEBEDIAH, SEA LEGS: Towradgi Beach Htl JENNY MARIE LANG: Guildford Leagues JIMEOIN: Parramatta RSL
JO JO SMITH, BRENDAN MACLEAN: CAMELOT LOUNGE JOSH MCIVOR: Harbord Beach Htl JUNGLE KINGS: Kirribilli Htl KITCHEN KNIFE WIFE, LUNCH TAPES, THE FILTHY STEPPERS DJS: The Gaelic LATE SHIFT: ROCK LILY - STAR CITY LAWRENCE BAKER: Hawkesbury Htl LIES N DESTRUCTION: Heathcote Hotel LIGHT MY FIRE - 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF JIM MORRISON: The Basement MANDI JARRY: Greengate Htl MARK TRAVERS: Castle Hill RSL MARTYS PLACE: Richmond Club MATT JONES: Northies Cronulla HtlSport Bar MENTAL ELF: Hero of Waterloo MISSION JONES: Parramatta Leagues MIX TAPE: Shelbourne Htl MOVEMENT: Beach Rd Htl (Rex Room) Bondi MUM, KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD: World Bar Kings X NEILL BOURKE: O’Malleys Kings X NIKKI THORBURN: Artichoke Café Manly NO SECRETS - ANGELS SHOW: Wentworth Leagues Club OLD MAN RIVER, GABRIELLE & CAMERON (DEAD LETTER CHORUS): Northern Star Htl Newcastle OMG!: Scruffy Murphys OUTLIER: Coogee Bay Htl, Beach Bar OVER THE EDGE: Club Five Dock PANORAMA: Marlborough Htl PEPPERMINT JAM: Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL PETE GELZINNIS: Charlestown Bowling Club PETER BATU: Oasis Hotel, Campsie PHONIC: Belmore Htl Newcastle POWDERFINGER SHOW: Penrith Htl RAPTURE: CLUB RIVERS REBECCA JOHNSON BAND: The Kyle, Blakehurst RESIDENT DJs: Jacksons on George RICK FENSOM: Chatswood RSL
ROB HENDERSON & CRYING SHAME: Observer Htl - Early Rolling Stoned: Engadine Hotel SAM & JAMIE BAND: Crows Nest Htl (Late) SARAH MCLEOD, + SUPPORTS: The Vault, Windsor SEEKER LOVER KEEPER, TOBY MARTIN: Factory Theatre SPEEDSTER: Mounties Mt Pritchard Terrace Bar STEVE BALBI: Quakers Inn STEVE EDMONDS BAND: Pyrmont Bridge Hotel STEVE TONGE: Novotel - Brewery Bar, Olympic Park SUMMERLAND KINGS: Speers Point Park, Newcastle SUSAN HURLEY & THE HURRICANES, IRON BAR HOTEL, BUCK & DEANNE: The Vanguard SWINGING SIXTIES: Unity Hall Htl TALL POP SYNDROME: South Sydney Juniors TERRY BATU: East Hills Htl, East Hills TESSA & THE TYPECAST, PEAR SHAPE: Oxford Art Factory - Gallery The Affairs: Mean Fiddler Htl THE BEATELS: Cromer Golf Club THE DEAD LOVE: Fitzroy Htl Windsor THE FORMER LOVE PIRATES, THE DEER REPUBLIC, SOLKYRI, BRENDAN MACLEAN: Sandringham Htl Upstairs THE MERCY BEAT, STEPPIN’ RAZOR, DIVIDERS: Town Hall Htl, Newtown THE PANICS: Oxford Art Factory THE VILLANS: Bombaderry Htl THIRD TIME LUCKY: Penrith Gaels TOM T DUO: Colonial Hotel, Werrington TOUCAN: Kurnell Rec Club TUCAN: Cessnock Supporters Club TWO MINDS: Customs House Sydney TWO TRIBE: Matraville Htl TWOS COMPANY: Kingswood Sports Club TY SEGALL: Good God Small Club VINYL EXPRESS: Engadine Bowling Club WHITE BROS: Penrith RSL WILDCATZ: Golden Sheaf WOLVERINES: Lizottes, Dee Why
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To ďŹ nd out more and to enrol, go to: TZEOFZ FEV BV NVTJD PQFOBDBEFNZ 5 Classes are held at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Macquarie St, Sydney
THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ 67 â&#x20AC;˘
GIG GUIDE ZOLTAN: ALBION HOTEL - PARRAMATTA
SAT 09
031 ROCK SHOW: Peachtree Htl Penrith 1927: Lizottes, Dee Why 2 OF HEARTS: Brighton RSL 24 HOURS: Belmore Htl Newcastle A TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY CASH:, STUART FRENCH, DANIEL THOMPSON: Brass Monkey ABSOLUTE POWER DJs: The Gaelic (Late) AFRO MOSES, EBB N FLO: The Basement ALIBRANDI, CAVE OF THE SWALLOWS: Hamilton Station Htl, Newcastle ALMOST FAMOUS: R.G.McGees, Richmond AM 2 PM: Parramatta Leagues AMERICANA BURLESQUE, TASIA, KIRA HULA-LA, JADE TWIST, LUCILLE SPIELFUCHS, CHERRY LUSH, + more: 34B Burlesque Darlinghurst ANDY MAMMERS: Northies Cronulla HtlSport Bar ARMCHAIR TRAVELLERS DUO: Coogee Bay Htl, Beach Bar
• 68 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
BAROQUE VIRTUOSI: City Recital Hall Angel Place BEN FINN DUO: Ettamogah Htl BIG BEN DUO: Mercantile Htl BLACK DIAMOND HEARTS: Crows Nest Htl (Late) BONDI FESTIVAL: Beach Rd Htl (Rex Room) Bondi BOWLS, BEER & BANDS feat., JAMIE HUTCHINGS, GRUN, HAILER, SAM SHINAZZI, BRAN ESTEPA, JASON WALKER, MARK LUCAS & THE DEAD SETTERS, MINDY SORTI: Petersham Bowling Club BRIAN GILLETTE: Guildford Leagues CELEBRITY THEATRESPORTS: Enmore Theatre CHAINSAW MASCARA, STEEL CITY ALLSTARS, THE RAIDS, RAINBOW MONSTERS, MOROCCAN HOLIDAY, DISTRACT, + more: The Cabbage Tree Htl, Fairy Meadow CHART BUSTERS: Bull & Bush CHASING KARMA: Beaches Htl Thirroul CHRISTINA CROFTS: Bald Rock Htl Rozelle CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE feat., RUMOURS: State Theatre
5 - 11 JULY 2011 gigs@drummedia.com.au
PEABODY: WEDNESDAY 6, ROCK LILY, STAR CITY DAVE STEVENS: Observer Htl - Early DAVE WHITE EXPERIENCE: 3 Wise Monkeys DAVID AGIUS: PJ Gallaghers Drummoyne DEAR ORPHANS, KARL BROADIE: Mars Hill Café DELSANTO, THIAN S BOY, FISHERKING, BIG BOZZA BAND, + more: Valve Bar and Venue, Tempe (Afternoon) DES GIBSON: Lansvale Htl DIRTY DEEDS - AC/DC SHOW: COAST HOTEL DJ: Mounties Club Mt Pritchard DJ BRYNSTAR, DJ ANDERS HITCHCOCK: Cohibar DJ CHEEKY: Gymea Bay Hotel DJ GREG PERANO: Beach Rd Htl (Public Bar) Bondi DOG TRUMPET: Clarendon Guest House EBONY & IVORY: Penrith Htl ELEVATE: Scruffy Murphys EMBER, CADELL, MINX, + More: Pure Ivy ENDLESS SUMMER BEACH PARTY: CLUB CRONULLA ENDLESS SUMMER BEACH PARTY: Cronulla Bowling Club FBI’S SYDNEY SOUNDS LIKE feat., DASE TEAM 5000, THUNDAMENTALS, BINGETHINKERS, SKY’HIGH, ELEFANT TRAKS DJS, STOLEN RECORDS DJS: Kings Cross Htl FLUX: Golden Sheaf FUN MACHINE: Lass O’Gowrie Newcastle GARY JOHNS TRIO: Maloney’s Hotel GENTLE BEN & HIS SENSITIVE SIDE, KIRA PURA & THE BRUISE, MADE FOR CHICKENS BY ROBOTS: The Vanguard GLENN SHORROCK: Lizottes, Newcastle GREENTHIEF: Landsdowne Hotel GTS: Padstow RSL HANDS LIKE HOUSES, ROB BANKS, + more: St James Htl Sydney
HELLO CLEVELAND: Mean Fiddler Htl HIGHWAY TO HELL-AC/ DC SHOW: Fitzroy Htl Windsor HOORAY FOR EVERYTHING: St George Motor Boat Club HUEY & LOUIS: Courthouse Htl INCOGNITO: Cessnock Supporters Club JEBEDIAH: Batemans Bay Soldiers Club JELLYBEAN JAM: Panthers TC’s JIMEOIN: North Sydney Leagues, Cammeray JOHN FIELD TRIO: Easts Leagues JOHN FIELD TRIO: Kro Bar, East Leagues Club, Bondi Junction KAFE KOOL: Fairfield RSL, Supper Club KATALYST, KWEEN G, STEVE SPACEK, HAU, MR CLEAN, LEEROY BROWN: The Beresford KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD: Oxford Art Factory KITTY FLANAGAN, LINDSAY WEBB, SAM BOWRING: El Rocco Kings X KOBRA KAI, SWARMY, LEANNE RUSSO, MAILER DAEMON: Sandringham Htl Upstairs LAWRENCE BAKER: Sir Joseph Banks Hotel LJ: Picton Htl LOREN: Northern Star Htl Newcastle LOVE THAT HAT: Belmont 16’s LUKE DIXON DUO: Ski Rider Htl Wilsons Valley MANDI JARRY: Brewhouse Pub Marayong MARK DA COSTA: Marlborough Htl MARSALA, SUE TOTTERDELL: CAMELOT LOUNGE MATT JONES: Castle Hill RSL MATT PRICE DUO: PANTHERS - TERRACE BAR, PENRITH MICHAEL STEWART, RESIDENT DJs: Jacksons on George MICKEY PYE: Novotel - Brewery Bar, Olympic Park MJ, DREW MERCER: Shelbourne Htl MOONLIGHT DRIVE: Exchange Htl Newcastle MYSTERY GUEST: Richmond Club
NATALIE CONWAY, TIKI TEMBO: Northies Cronulla Htl NOVA TONE: The Belvedere Htl OLD MAN RIVER, GABRIELLE & CAMERON (DEAD LETTER CHORUS), PATRICK JAMES: Notes, Newtown OMG!: Bay Hotel ONE HIT WONDERS: Helensburgh Workers OUROBOROS, A MILLION DEAD BIRDS LAUGHING, MYTILE VEY LORTH, ALICE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD GLASS: The Gaelic PARTY VIBE: Wentworthville Leagues PAUL SUN, MATT LAMB, MONIQUE LYSIAK: Organic Food Mkts Riverside Girls High PETER HEAD: HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL REBECCA JOHNSON BAND: Carousel Inn Rooty Hill RED FIRE RED, STRIKE THE BLONDE, BEDLAM IN BELGIUM, THE GOOD GOD DAMNED, + more: The Wall (The Bald Faced Stag) RED RAW BAND: Excelsior Glebe ROB HENRY DUO: Harbord Beach Htl ROCK BUSTERS: Macarthur Tavern Campbelltown ROCK MY SOUL: Penrith RSL, Castle Lounge ROCK STEADY: Town Hall Htl Balmain SARAH PATON: Novotel Rooty Hill SCOTT DONALDSON: Kirribilli Htl SEATTLE SOUND: Mean Fiddler Htl, Woolshed SEEKER LOVER KEEPER, TOBY MARTIN: Factory Theatre SHY GUYS: Unity Hall Htl SID AIR: Great Northern Hotel SKY BAR: The Watershed Darling Harbour SONGS ON STAGE feat., RUSSELL NEAL, + GUESTS: TERRY HILLS TAVERN STAFFORD BROTHERS: King Street Hotel
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STEPPIN’ OUT: Kingswood Sports Club STEVE EDMONDS BAND: Hornsby Inn STEVE TONGE: Observer Htl - Afternoon STORMCELLAR: Pendle Inn SUMMERLAND KINGS: Budgewoi Soccer Club TERRY BATU: Mortdale Htl THE AUSTRALIAN PINK SHOW, KATY PERRY SHOW: Blacktown RSL THE BANDITS: South Sydney Juniors THE BOBHAWKS: Engadine Tavern THE BUDDYS: Campbelltown RSL THE CATHOLICS: SIMA THE DONOVANS: Penrith Gaels THE GOYLES: Imperial Htl, Bowral THE MELODIES, 4D: Town & Country, St Peters THE POD BROTHERS: Orient Htl THE REVELLERS, FIRE TO THE HAYSTACK, CROWS FEET: Coogee Diggers THE RUMJACKS, TOPNOVIL, Rock Steady Dub Militia, THE HANDSOME YOUNG STRANGERS, SWEAT & SHAME, BILLY DEMOS: Red Rattler, Marrickville THE SHUFFLE BOYS: Club Five Dock THE WINSTONS: Pittwater RSL TOM T DUO: Sutherland United Club TOO MANY GUITARS: Campbelltown Catholic Club TOO MANY GUITARS: Campbelltown Catholic Club - Caf‚ Samba ULTIMATE JOEL: Maroubra RSL WE’RE BACK: Riverwood Inn WILDCATZ: Oatley Hotel WOLVERINES: Lizottes, Kincumber XTRA HOT: Engadine RSL ZOLTAN: Revesby Workers
SUN 10
1927: Lizottes, Newcastle 8 BALL AITKEN: Marrickville Bowling Club ACE: Brighton le Sands RSL
ACE KARAOKE: Brighton RSL AM 2 PM: Malabar RSL ANDY MAMMERS: Woolloomooloo Bay Htl ANGE MURPHY, BO BANTA, TAYLOR & THE MAKERS, BAG O BONES, AMELIA WILLIS: Valve Bar and Venue, Tempe (Afternoon) ANTHONY K, DEMOLITION, GEE, GARY HONOR: Teagardens Hotel, Bondi Junction APHRODISIAC INDUSTRY NIGHT: Jacksons on George BAROQUE VIRTUOSI: Sydney Opera House BLOOM: Belmont 16’s BLUES SUNDAYS: Artichoke Café Manly BRIAN KING, PHIL SIMMONS: Campbelltown Catholic Club CAMBO: Harbord Beach Htl CRAIG THOMMO: Coogee Bay Htl, Beach Bar DAVE WHITE DUO: Northies Cronulla Htl DAVE WILKINS: Richmond Club DAVID AGIUS DUO: Ettamogah Htl - Afternoon DJ JAMIN (THE TRIP), THE LIVE COLLECTIVE, + GUESTS: Beach Rd Htl (Camera Club) Bondi DJ JEREMY: Beach Rd Htl (Public Bar) Bondi DJ MATTY ROBERTS: The Watershed Darling Harbour DOUBLE AGENT: Club Five Dock DRIVE, SARINA JENNINGS: Bridge Htl Rozelle DWAYNE ELIX: Penrith RSL, Castle Lounge ELEVATION - U2 ACOUSTIC, EXIT STRATEGY: Orient Htl EX-BNO: Landsdowne Hotel EYE OF THE TIGER: Riverstone Sportsman Htl FIERCE ANGEL: The Beresford FREDDIE MACK: Cronulla RSL GIRLS TALK: Kro Bar, East Leagues Club, Bondi Junction GREEN JAM: Hero of Waterloo GREG BYRNE: Northies Cronulla HtlSport Bar HOUSE OF BLUES: Botany View Htl JEBEDIAH, SEA LEGS: Bateau Bay Htl JJ DUO: OLYMPIC HOTEL JOHN FIELD DUO: Mounties Mt Pritchard Terrace Bar JOSH MCIVOR: The Belvedere Htl KIRK BURGESS DUO: Peachtree Htl Penrith LAZY SUNDAY LUCH WITH, GLENN SHORROCK: Lizottes, Kincumber LOREN: Grand Junction Htl Maitland
LUKE DIXON DUO: Ski Rider Htl Wilsons Valley MANDI JARRY: Ettamogah Htl MATCHBOX 20 SHOW: Fitzroy Htl Windsor MATT JONES DUO: PANTHERS - TERRACE BAR, PENRITH MATT PRICE: Woolwich Pier Hotel MIKE BENNETT: Observer Htl - Late NEILL BOURKE: O’Malleys Kings X PETER HEAD TRIO, + FRIENDS: HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL PHILL SIMMONS: Campbelltown Catholic Club - Caf‚ Samba RECKLESS: Gymea Bay Hotel RICK FENSOM: Waverley Bowling Club ROB HENRY: Observer Htl - Early SAM & JAMIE DUO: Mean Fiddler Htl - Sub Bar SAX ON LEGZ, HOUSE DJS: Mounties Club Mt Pritchard SEAN COFFIN QUARTET: Cafe Sydney SHANE MACKENZIE: Cohibar SONGS ON STAGE feat., ETHAN BLENCOWE, KELLY HONEYCOMBE, BRETT GEDGE, RUSSELL NEAL, + GUESTS: Palm Court Htl SOUL SHAKEDOWN DJ’s: Great Northern Hotel STEVE EDMONDS BAND: Heathcote Hotel SUMMERLAND KINGS: Gosford Sailing Club SUSAN GAI DOWLING, ANITTA SPRING: The Clarendon Hotel THE GEEZERS: Beaches Htl Thirroul THE MERCY BEAT: Hamilton Station Htl, Newcastle THE SLOWDOWNS: Sandringham Htl downstairs TRIPLE IMAGEN: South Sydney Juniors TWIN SET: Campbelltown RSL UNITY HALL JAZZ BAND: Unity Hall Htl WARDS XPRESS, FEAT…, AL BRITTON, TRAVIS NEW: Peace Park - Sutherland WILDCATZ: 3 Wise Monkeys ZOLTAN: Bull & Bush
MON 11
BERNIE: Observer Htl
DAVID AGIUS: Opera Bar SEEKER LOVER KEEPER, TOBY MARTIN: Lizottes, Dee Why SONGS ON STAGE feat., BADJANE, LUCKY LUKE, ALANA-LEE, HELMUT UHLMANN, + GUESTS: Kellys on King Newtown STEVE TONGE: Coogee Bay Htl, Beach Bar
CLUB GUIDE TUE 5
5@5: The Beresford Hotel DESIGN SOCIAL: The Beresford POKER TUESDAYS: Soho POP PANIC!: DJS 16 TACOS, PIPEMIX: World Bar STRANGER THAN PARADISE: The Flinders Hotel STRIP! FEAT EX BNO: The Gaelic Hotel XCHANGE: The Ivy
WED 6
ELIZABETH ROSE, POM POM, JUGU, TIM FITZ: Tone EMBRACE: Tokio Hotel DARRYL BEATON: Civic Hotel HIP HOP ALL NIGHT LONG: The Flinders Hotel STUDENT NIGHT: DJ MOUSSA: Marlborough Hotel THE RIOT HOUSE MOSHPIT COMEDY: The Gaelic Hotel THE STUDY: The Gaelic Hotel THE WALL: GLOVECATS, SPECIAL K, MIKE WHO, HOBOGESTAPOS HOBOPHONICS, ELLA LOCHA: World Bar
THUR 7
BETH YEN: Hugos
D&DS BEAT KITCHEN: The Darlie Laundromatic DJ FRESH: The Albion Hotel GO WITH COLOURS: The Gaelic Hotel FLAUNT THURSDAYS: DIRTY DIMES, ZIGGY, DIM SLM, TROY T, G WIZARD AND MORE: Sapphire Lounge INHALE: GRIME SPECIAL: Eleven LIVE @ THE PARK: Green Park Hotel MOJITO CENTRAL: The Arthouse Hotel OCTANE & DLR (UK), WOWK, WHITEY, PAUL DRED, DAUNTLESS: Tone PROPAGANDA: DJS URBY, FINLAY, DAN BOMBINGS AND TEEN SPIRIT DJS: World Bar THE NOMAD, RAYJAH: The Beach Road Hotel THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE: Favela UNIPACKERS: Home Nightclub UP CLOSE & PERSONAL: LIVE ARTISTS: The Marlborough Hotel SIAMESE: DONNY BENNET, DROUS, KIRIN J. CALLINAN, ERIK OMEN, LAURENZ PIKE: Goodgod Small Club SOUL IN THE BAR: DJ ANDY GLITRE: The Basement SOUL NIGHTS: Tokio Hotel VELVET UNDERGROUND: Civic Hotel ZEROPOINT: Oxford Art Factory
FRI 8
ADDICTION FRIDAYS: The Bank BREAKS & DUBSTEP ANTHEMS: Q45, DEF TONES, MIKE BIG FX, RIGGERS, DOCTOR WEREWOLF, A-TONES: Chinese Laundry BRING ON THE WEEKEND!: DJ MATTY ROBERTS: The Watershed Hotel DANCE CLUB: BOY 8-BIT, STARFUCKER DJS, GUS DA HOODRAT (BANG GANG): Fakeclub CLERIC AND ANGEL: The Flinders Hotel DJS JEREMY KIRSHNER, MURRAY HOOD: The Bank Hotel Newtown DJS JOHNNY VINYL, STRIKE: Cruise Bar DJ NIC PHILLIPS: Pontoon Bar INFUSION, SPENDA C, CHARLIE CHUX: Upstairs Beresford GAME ON FRIDAYS: Bristol Arms Retro Hotel GLAMMED UP: Tokio Hotel GOOD FRIDAYS: Cargo Bar GRAZ: Hugos INDEX: ROCKWELL: Tone JUST DANCE FRIDAYS: The Star Bar KITTY GLITTER: Civic Hotel LIQUID SKY: KNOCKED UP NOICE, CALIBRA, SOHDA: Candys Apartment
5 - 11 JULY 2011
LOVE GUNS: The Ivy MISS URBAN DANCE AUSTRALIA: The Bank Kings Cross MUM: KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD, MARCH OF THE REAL FLY, THE FABERGETTES, DJ JACK SHIT: World Bar PLUS ONE: Civic Hotel PURPLE SNEAKERS PRESENTS: LAST NIGHT WITH KITCHEN KNIFE WIFE The Gaelic Hotel RATPACK, DJS GRAZ & JIMMY2SOX: Hugos RNB SUPERCLUB SYDNEY GRAND OPENING: The Arthouse Hotel SAPPHIRE FRIDAYS: DJS DIM SLM, NACHO POP, DISCOKID, REGZ AND MORE: Sapphire lounge SIDEWAYS FRIDAYS: Club 77 SUBLIME: Home THE PANICS, GRACE WOODROOFE, SPLIT SECONDS: Oxford Art Factory US VS THEM, DIGITAL THERAPY: Wolf Bar WE GOT SOUL: Tone ZAIA: MC SUGA SHANE, DJ SEFU AND MORE: Space Nightclub
SAT 9
ADULT DISCO: TEVO
HOWARD: Civic Underground AMERICANA BURLESQUE: 34B AUTODIDAKT: Oxford Art Factory BONDI MUSIC FESTIVAL: TALES IN SPACE, SNIFFERDOGS, PARIS CLUB AND MORE: The Beach Road Hotel DISCO DISCO: Candys Apartment DJS CASA, DANNY PRESTI, SIMON NEAL: Cruise Bar DJS MARK US, ALEX ALMEIDA: The Bank Hotel Newtown DJ MATTY ROBERTS, DJ BRYNSTAR: Cohibar DJS PHIL ENGLISH, NOBBY GROOVES: Pontoon Bar EMPIRE SATURDAYS: The Empire Hotel FAKE: DJs G-WIZARD, TROY T, DEF ROK, EKO, LILO: Establishment FUNK INC: MR GLASS, ROBIN KNIGHT, JAMES LOCKSMITH, SILVIO MYSTERIO, DEL LARKIN, FRENZIE: Goodgod Small Club FAKE: DJs G-WIZARD, TROY T, DEF ROK, EKO, LILO: Establishment FUNTCASE: The Arthouse Hotel HOMEMADE 3RD ANNIVERSARY: JAMES BELIAS: Home HORNE DOGG: The Flinders Hotel
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JAMROCK: 202 Broadway KATALYST LIVE AND DIRECT, MATT NUGENT, HOBOPHONICS: Upstairs Beresford KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD: Gallery Bar, Oxford Art Factory KITTY KITTY BANG BANG: MISS T, GABBY, CASSETTE, ALISON WONDERLAND: Kit & Kaboodle OFF THE BEAT: DJS FRENZIE, SAYWHUT?!, KING LEE, TOM YUM, SIMON CALDWELL: Melt Bar PARTY AND BULLSHIT: THUNDAMENTALS, BINGETHINKERS, HERMITUDE, DASE TEAM 5000 AND MORE: Kings Cross Hotel PEOPLE MUST JAM: AL KENT (GLASGOW), PETE DOT, MATT TROUSDALE, JMS: Inner City Warehouse PURE IVY SATURDAYS: EMBER, CADELL, MINX, LIAM SAMPRAS, JOHNNY SOMERVILLE, MIKE STEVA: The Ivy PUSS IN BOOTS PARTY: The Bristol Arms Retro Hotel RESIDENT DJS: The Marlborough Hotel SATURDAY SOUND SYSTEMS: Green Park Hotel SATURDAYS AT CARGO: INSTITUTE OF MUSIC: Cargo Bar SCOTT PULLEN AND THE GROOVE ACADEMY (LIVE): Water Bar
SFX: St James Hotel SIENNA: DJS DEF ROK, G-WIZARD, LILO, TROY T, EKO: Establishment SITUATIONS SATURDAYS: FRESH RNB AND FUNKY HOUSE: The Star Bar SKYBAR: The Watershed Hotel SRDL PULP FRICTION AFTER PARTY: The Gaelic Hotel SUGAREEF SATURDAYS: DJ TEEJAY: Le Panic SWEET TABOO: Civic Underground THE SUITE: DJS JO FUNK, STEVE S, CHARLIE BROWN, JOEY KAZ, BOBBY DIGITAL, WILL FX, DIM SLM: Sapphire Lounge THE USUAL SUSPECTS: Soho TONE DEFEAT: BRACKETS, JACKIE ONASSIS, SPANGLED MISTRESS, THE RUBENS AND MORE: The Annandale Hotel WHAM!: JAMES TAYLOR, PABLO CALARMARI, ILLYA, MATTT, BOONIE, MIKE WHO AND MORE: World Bar
DEEPEND: ROBBIE LOWE, JAMES TAYLOR, DISCO PUNX, MAN JAZZ: World Bar FIERCE ANGEL: MOTO BLANCO: Upstairs Beresford JUSTIN SCOTT: The Bank Hotel Newtown MATT JACKON AND GUESTS: Pontoon Bar SAPPHIRE SUNDAYS: DIM SLM, DJ TROY T: Sapphire Lounge SHANE MACKENZIE, CLUB PARADA: Cohibar SNEAKYS SUNDAYS: Hugos SPICE: Fakeclub STAR SUNDAYS CHILLED OUT GROOVES: The Star Bar SUNDAYS CRUZ LOUNGE: Green Park Hotel SUNDAY LOUNGE SESSIONS: Cargo Bar SUN SETS: DJ STRIKE: Cruise Bar SUNSETS: Northies Cronulla THE SUNDAY CLUB: The Bank
AFTERNOON DJS: DJ BRYNSTAR: The Watershed Hotel APHRODISIAC INDUSTRY NIGHT: Jacksons on George BERESFORD SUNDAY DJS: Beresford Hotel
5@5: The Beresford Hotel DJS 16 TACOS, PIPEMIX: World Bar MARGARITA MONDAYS: Cruise Bar OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Albion Hotel
SUN 10
MON 11
THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011 • 69 •
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
BEHIND THE LINES WITH MICHAEL SMITH BTL@STREETPRESS.COM.AU
EFM AUSTRALIA 1ST BIRTHDAY Global event logistics company EFM is celebrating its first year of business down under. Since regional manager Chris Woods set up shop in Sydney in July 2010, the company has toured the likes of Grizzly Bear, Ne-Yo, INXS and Mumford & Sons. To celebrate, the company has invested in a new purpose built 45 foot tour truck with a single piece ramp to be used for touring artists and festivals.
CLAPTON’S “BEANO” SUNBURST LES PAUL The Gibson Custom Shop has lovingly recreated the 1960 Les Paul Standard Eric Clapton used on the legendary 1966 John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers album, Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton, on which the guitarist is pictured reading UK kids comic Beano. The single-cutaway Sunburst Les Paul featured was dropped from the Gibson line after 1960 and replaced with the double-cutaway SG body shape, so it became something of a must-have model after the album’s release. As it happens, that particular Les Paul was stolen shortly after he used it in the recording, while rehearsing on tour with the band that made him an international guitar god, Cream, and was never recovered. Recreated with Clapton from photographs, only 55 of the Eric Clapton 1960 Les Paul items have been made, hand-aged by Tom Murphy and signed by Clapton, who has kept the first five manufactured, so it’s a real collector’s item. A further 95 hand-aged but unsigned models are being manufactured along with a further 350 finished with Gibson’s Vintage Original Spec treatment, which makes it 500 guitars all up.
RETURN OF THE VILLAGER Meanwhile, over at Fender, they’ve resurrected their classic 12-string Villager acoustic guitar. Originally released back in 1965, it’s probably best remembered for its distinctive “hockey stick” headstock as much as its sound, which the new model retains of course, but the 2011 model has been given the full Fender upgrade, most notably scalloped X bracing and dualaction truss rod inside and the Fishman Isys III pickup preamp system on the upper bout, as well as a shiny new set of Fender Duratone coated strings, standard issue for all Fender acoustics these days.
DANCING WITH MYSELF
milk trucks. I actually recorded one song at midnight purely to avoid them.”
AVALANCHE CITY’S OUR NEW LIFE ABOVE GROUND HAS SWIFTLY GROWN INTO ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DEBUT ALBUMS OF RECENT MEMORY IN THE BAND’S NATIVE NEW ZEALAND. AHEAD OF THE RECORD’S AUSTRALIAN RELEASE, MATT O’NEILL SPOKE TO MAIN MAN DAVE BAXTER ABOUT ITS UNIQUE GESTATION.
The recording process itself was quite direct. Keeping things simple, Baxter opted for only a handful of microphones and a trusted preamp. The producer (also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist) did indulge somewhat in regards to instrumentation – dragging a vast collection of instruments borrowed and bought to each recording session to explore the necessary background for each song and, in one instance, actually resorting to an array of multi-tracked xylophones for a song.
T
here is something genuinely affirming about the success of New Zealand folk-rockers Avalanche City. With less than two years having passed since their formation, the band has already delivered a goldcertified chart-topping single (Love Love Love) and a critically and commercially acclaimed debut album, Our New Life Above Ground. Such success, meanwhile, has arrived despite an almost complete lack of pursuit on the band’s behalf. Originally, Avalanche City was not actually a band. It was barely even a solo musician – originally, Avalanche City was a recording experiment. Inspired by the similarly recorded debut album of Texan musician Bryce Avary’s The Rocket Summer, Calendar Days, Auckland producer Dave Baxter decided to record an album outside of the studio wherein every aspect of production, composition and performance (bar mastering) was a solo endeavour. “I didn’t really have anything in mind when I started,” Baxter admits. “I’ve been recording bands for ages. It’s what I’ve done as a job. Ever since I’ve heard that story about The Rocket Summer I’ve thought, ‘man, that is so cool’. I knew I was going to try it eventually and I guess this was just the right opportunity for it. All the songs were already written. I’d demoed them out and figured out how they should sound so it was just a case of hiring the hall for a week and pounding it all out.” In regards to location, Baxter opted for a New Zealand
town hall in the country. Old buildings with high ceilings and exceptional acoustics, the producer had always presumed the structures would make for ideal recording spaces – and the ability to rent a space for somewhere in the region of 15 dollars a day was also appealing. Despite the unconventional setting, the process was only marred by minor complications. “I like to record in different places. Once I recorded a punk band in an abandoned house’s basement where we had to pipe our electricity from the neighbours,” Baxter explains of the decision. “I love finding new and exciting places to record and, on a drive home from the city one day, I passed a whole lot of country halls. They’re all built about a hundred years ago, all have solid wood floors and high ceilings and I just knew they would sound really good. “So, yeah, I just did a web search for halls in my area, found one about an hour’s drive from the city that was really cheap and just leapt on it. It was about 15 dollars a day. I think the whole process cost me about $150 – maybe a little less,” the producer laughs. “The only thing I didn’t realise was how thin the walls of the hall would be. Many a good take was ruined by passing
“I like to not have too many options when it comes to recording. I think sometimes when you’re recording in a studio, you can waste a lot of time fluffing about choosing different microphones when it just isn’t necessary. I like to minimise everything when I’m recording my stuff,” the producer explains. “Though, I have to admit I’m pretty much the complete opposite when it comes to instrumentation. I like to have heaps of instruments to choose from.” All of which makes the success of the project both surprising and heart-warming. Initially, Baxter had no intentions of making anything of the record. He actually put it up for free download. It wasn’t until after 10,000 downloads (and a high-profile synchronisation deal with a New Zealand television network) that the producer decided to round out the line up and release the record through official channels. Now, Avalanche City is signed to Warner and preparing for the first Australian tour. “It’s really amazing. I really started all of this when I started learning how to sing so, really, all of the songs that are on the album are the first songs I have ever written,” Baxter laughs incredulously. “When I started, I wasn’t trying to make Avalanche City. I was trying to make songs I could actually sing. I certainly never thought I’d be touring Australia on the back of it all.” Avalanche City’s Our New Life Above Ground is out Friday through Warner. Avalanche City plays the Heritage Hotel Thursday 21 July, CBD Hotel Newcastle Friday 22 and 34B Saturday 23.
SOUND BYTES One-time Deep Purple/Trapeze bass player Glenn Hughes and recent visitor, guitarist Joe Bonamassa, in their side project, Black Country Communion, with drummer Jason Bonham and keyboards player Derek Sherinian, went into East West Studios in Hollywood to record their second album, 2, with, once again, expat South African Australian Kevin Shirley, whose original concept it was anyway. Engineers on the session were Jeremy Miller and Jared Kvitka, while Shirley did overdubs and mixed the album at The Cave in Malibu. The finished record was mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound in New York. Recorded at East West in Los Angeles and Shangri-la in Malibu, California, the forthcoming Red Hot Chili Peppers album, I’m With You, was produced by Rick Rubin, who has produced the band’s previous five albums, while Andrew Scheps and Greg Fidelman mixed the album. Rubin will of course also be on board when the guys from Metallica go in to record their next album, currently being written. Half-Australian, half-US Nashville-based four-piece The Greencards called on studio veteran Justin Niebank (Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Keith Urban) to engineer and produce their latest album, The Brick Album. I profiled the making of his then untitled ninth solo album back in December, and Tim Finn is now officially releasing The View Is Worth The Climb, recorded late last year at his brother Neil’s Roundhouse Studios in Auckland with American producer/ mixer Jacquire King (Kings Of Leon, Tom Waits, Norah Jones, Modest Mouse) towards the end of August. Brisbane four-piece Holland recorded their debut album at Southern Tracks Recording Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, with American producer Nick DiDia, whose CV includes working with Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against The Machine and Bruce Springsteen among many. Sydneysiders Slimey Things are currently in The Brain Studios in Surry Hills recording their third album with engineer/producer Clayton Segelov. May saw Wolf & Cub in Big Jesus Burger Studios in Sydney’s Surry Hills recording a few tracks with engineer/producer Burke Reid. • 70 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
BLACKSTAR HT-1 (WITH REVERB) Those who judge on first appearance may have found the Blackstar HT-1 to be slightly on the trivial side. Unfortunately for the ignorant, they are wrong… again. Dig your fingers and brains deep into the source and begin the unraveling of the babushka doll that is the HT series of amplifiers from Blackstar, starting with the HT-1 being based off the award winning HT-5 amplifier, then the HT-5 which was based off the award winning HT series of pedals – which are some of the leading tube overdrive pedals available on the market to date – and so on. Armed for battle, the HT-1 has a unique and innovative tone consisting of two channels, one ‘deliciously warm’ clean and an ear rattling high gain overdrive. The gain knob will be your saviour on the clean channel if you wish to get an “old-school” crunch. In reality this amplifier is very capable of producing virtually any sound – there are nearly infinite tonal adjusting abilities via the “Patent-Applied ISF” feature that you will regularly see on Blackstar products (such as their heads and tube-overdrive pedals). It doesn’t exactly require a manual to figure out, not even a simple crash course. Turn the knob all the way to the left and you will find your “US” style tone. Turn the knob all the way to the right and there is your “UK” style tone… and as you imagined, anything between the points is free game for whatever country would like to claim it.
BLACKSTAR HT-1 nothing short of useful and almost guarantees that you will be using it for the majority of your recordings. Ryan Mortimer Supplied by Icon Music; available from blackstaramps.co.uk.
IBANEZ RG 870 If you haven’t had a chance to check out the latest range of the Ibanez RG Premium series, then it is high time you do. Ibanez guitars have always been a reliable piece of equipment and a worthy addition to any player’s arsenal, a fact that musicians all over the world would happily agree with. As many would know, Ibanez has been supplying quality products for well over 50 years.
The price tag on the Ibanez RG 870 is certainly not unattainable for any serious musician. It ticks over the $1000 mark quite easily but don’t let that frighten you – the RG 870 is worth every one of those pretty pennies. A try before you buy is always a good idea – while the overall function of the Ibanez is nothing short of spectacular, it may not be suited to everyone. The high-end Dimarzio pickups are a very nice bonus to the 870, allowing those deep, rich tones and those squealing pitch harmonics. The tremolo locks allow drop-tuning problems to be non-existent – if it is heavy sounds you seek then look no further. The overall design of the RG 870 is aesthetically pleasing – the bound rosewood fret board provides much comfort whilst shredding through all of your favourite licks and riffs, and with jumbo frets and a wizard premium neck, it is really hard to go wrong. At first the weight of the RG may catch you off guard, but with a bit of TLC we doubt it will cause any major glitches in your playing style. All in all it is hard to find any fault with the RG 870. It is more than a pleasure to play and just as pleasing to look at, a very well designed machine. Ibanez has once again stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park. Raymond Barnfield Supplied by Icon Music; available from ibanez.com.
The model that was reviewed featured an inbuilt digital reverb, which surprisingly worked rather well. Much unlike other reverbs, you can really crank the reverb knob to full and not suffer from an eardrum-piercing load of gibberish. Being only a single knob, it might not be a universal sounding ‘verb’ but considering this whole head isn’t much more expensive than a Boss effects pedal, who are we to complain? The HT-1 also features a Stereo MP3 input, providing you option for a guitar-karaoke, play along styled practice session. This modest looking amplifier is the perfect addition to any studio setup and is more than alluring as a practice amplifier for your home. The emulated line out is
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IBANEZ RG 870
Don Bartley s
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CD DVD MANUFACTURING * Busking / Promo pack 50/100/200 CD in sleeve with 4 page booklet Full colour $140/ $215/ $370
* CD in Card Sleeve
50/ 100/200/500/1000 CD in Card Sleeve Full colour $220/ $350/ $500/ $710/ $1050
* CD in Fold out Card Sleeve 500/1000 CD in Fold out Card Sleeve Full colour $970/ $1160
* CD in Jewel Case
50/100/200 CD in jewel case with booklet and rear inlay Full colour $197/ $332/ $605 500/1000 CD in jewel case with booklet and rear inlay Full colour $765/ $1320
YOUR AD IN THIS SPACE CALL JAMES AT DRUM MEDIA ON 9331 7077
* CD in Digi Pack
500/1000 CD in Digi Pack with clear tray Full colour $1270/ $1700
www.AcmeMusic.com.au KevinW@AcmeMusic.com.au 07 3107 1688 - 02 9008 1177
N I D A R U O Y E C A P S S I H T
CALL JAMES AT DRUM MEDIA ON 9331 7077
REMOVALIST & DELIVERY MAN matt the mover
Too hungover to move your gear? ä 7DLORU PDGH GHOLYHULHV WR VXLW \RXU QHHGV ä 2QH RU WZR PDQ UHPRYDOV DYDLODEOH ä 6HUYLFLQJ WKH ,QQHU :HVW (DVWHUQ 6XEXUEV DQG 6\GQH\ &LW\
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SoundEdit Services Audio Editing/Mastering, Format transfers Artwork design /layout/ printing
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with 4 page colour insert (single fold) , &single sided rear inlay supplied in standard cases (from 1 master)
only $300
www.soundedit.com.au brett@soundedit.com.au Mob: 0418 232 797 Ph: 02 8002 4029 Berowra
YOUR AD IN THIS E C A P S CALL JAMES AT DRUM MEDIA ON 9331 7077
YOUR AD IN THIS SPACE CALL JAMES AT DRUM MEDIA ON 9331 7077 • 72 • THE DRUM MEDIA 5 JULY 2011
EMPLOYMENT
FOR SALE
ADMINISTRATION
AMPS
‘ALEXI’ NEED NEW GUITARIST
Vase ‘Trendsetter 60’ guitar tube amp original 1960’s.2 2/12 matched cabs. HUGE sound.perfect condition.Aussie made.$1200 ono. Ph.0428744963. Cooroy.
Original Rock band ‘Alexi’ require a new Guitarist/songwriter. We have gigs coming up and plans to write new material and record later this year. If interested please contact Adam0405005130 or Chantell-chantellalexi@ iinet.net.au iFlogID: 14091
Bass player wanted for recording and live work by classy heavy rock band. Call Duncan 0430 406602. iFlogID: 13821
DRUM KIT WANTED or cymbals, snares etc. Also interested in anything vintage, ph 0419760940 iFlogID: 13226
Drummer wanted for Sydney Grunge Band. In Carlingford/Paramatta area 24 years and under. Influences: Silverchair, Nirvana, AIC, Sabbath etc Contact Daniel on 0403 885 433 for more info and demos. iFlogID: 13938
GOOD DRUMMER WANTED
Skate Rock,Heavy Metal & 80’s Punk- Metallica, Foo Fighters, Sex Pistols, Pantera,Fugazi, Silversun Pickups, Suicidal Tendencies, Magic Dirt. Pixies. Contact Lincoln 0402 901 789 or lincoln666@optusnet.com.au iFlogID: 14019
iFlogID: 13025
Laney GH120 Guitar Head 120 watt.2 channel.f/switchable.reverb. direct out.very punchy.great tone. UK made.VGC.$400.Ph.0428744963. Cooroy iFlogID: 13021
Peavey Bandit 80watt 12” guitar combo 2 channel.footswitchable.great fat tone.reverb/saturation etc.USA made. VGC.$350. Ph.0428744963. Cooroy iFlogID: 13019
Peavey Windsor series 400watt 4/12 slant cab. supreme XL speakers.HUGE bottom end grunt.AS NEW cond.$500.. iFlogID: 13023
BASS Gibson Epiphone SG Bass guitar. solid mahogany.great fat tone. VGC.$450.Ph.0428744963.Cooroy. iFlogID: 13029
Warwick Streamer Stage II, 5 string Bass. As new condition. Beautiful bass, amazing tone. As made famous by Dirk Lance of Incubus. $3800 ono iFlogID: 14251
BUSINESSES Rehearsal & recording studio, Northern Beaches. Established 1999. Goodwill and equipment. Email mail@conti.net. au iFlogID: 13879
Keyboard player wanted to play with small, mature aged band. Blues, classics and originals. One night a week jam and occassional gigs.
iFlogID: 14049
Les Paul Custom Epiphone White, goldtop hardware. plays beautiful and gives a great full sound. comes with gator hardcase and fender straps-W-straplocks.retail $1800 selling $950!!! call Nathan on 0423197252 iFlogID: 14232
Line 6 Flextone (Multi Effects) 75Watt Bought for $1450, selling $850. looks brand new, great clean to heavy metal. to buy or test Call Nathan on 0423197-252
CD / DVD Attention Musicians, Record Collectors, Universities, Libraries - new Book (print/ cdROM/direct download) compiling 100 years of popular music. GO TO www. plattersaurus.com web-site on how to buy. Enquiries: (02) 9807-3137 eMail: nadipa1@yahoo.com.au iFlogID: 13287
THE FLOWER KINGS - Unfold the Future Limited Edition 2 CD Set with bonustrack (Hard Digipak) $25. PROG ROCK LEGENDS Ph0449713338
DRUMS
Skins needed for new dance/punk project. aggressive guitar based music with a big beat. wollongong/sydney area. txt/call 0403508102 for details and demos. male/female, pref between 18-30. must be committed.
DRUM KIT WANTED or cymbals, snares etc. Also interested in anything vintage. Ph 0419760940
SQUARE CD RECORDING
ROLAND DRUM SYSTEM V-COMPACT
Record in Blacktown with Square CD. We have studio and live recording with live sound. See www.squarecd.com. au contact@squarecd.com.au or call Brendan on 0408 677 378 for more information. iFlogID: 13889
Want your music on CD? forums.indiemunity.com!
iFlogID: 13801
WANTED PIERCER AT BONDI INK!!
Peircer/Shophand wanted to join the amazing team at Bondi Ink. Must be sales savvy,family friendly and work well in a team environment. Build your own business within a business. Filming Reality TV show soon. Great exposure for the right person. Call Wendy on 0451676669 for an interview. NO TIME WASTERS. iFlogID: 13990
SALES & MARKETING
iFlogID: 13232
Percussion Sound Module, Kick Trigger Unit, Hi-Hat Control Pedal, Pad x 4, Cymbal Pad x 2, Tuning Key, TD-3Kit Manual, Stool, Headphones + Sticks. Bought $3000, selling $1,500 Collect in Surry Hills 0414 400 807 iFlogID: 13657
ZILDJIAN K DARK THIN CRASH CYMBALS, 16” $275 AND 18” $290, BOTH BRAND NEW IN PLASTIC BAG, BARGAIN. PH 0419760940 iFlogID: 14028
GUITARS Fender Pink Paisley Strat. genuine 1980’s.all original.in case.great tone/action/condition.very rare.$2500 ono.Ph.0428744963.Cooroy iFlogID: 13027
Fender Stratocaster Wine Red mim 2001 with Hard Case as new $650 0416000169 iFlogID: 14247
GODIN MIDI GUITAR ACS SA Nylon string semi-solid body with piezo and 13-pin MIDI output plus the Terratec Axon AX100 Synth controller & AX101 MIDI pickup. $2,400 including delivery. THE001Music@hotmail.com iFlogID: 13086
KEYBOARDS
iFlogID: 13785
KORG TRITON Extreme88 synthesizer in new condition with keyboard stand and damper pedal. Worth over $7,000 sell for $4,295 including delivery. Currently in Perth. Phone 0439301165 Email: THE001Music@hotmail.com
People needed to send eMails offering a new music Book for sale. Must have own computer - payment by commission via Paypal. Contact Bill on (02) 9807-3137 or eMail: nadipa1@yahoo. com.au
BUCK 65 Situation 2 x Vinyl LP . Sleeve and Record are Brand New. $20 Ph0449713338
Looking for fun, ethical, paid work? Love meeting great people? Looking for a little more out of your career? Check out www.funwaysing.com
iFlogID: 13289
FILM & STAGE OTHER Sydney Impersonation Festival is auditioning now! Check us out on Facebook. Cash prizes! Impersonate anyone, including singing, dancing or mime. 3 minute max. Must audition. iFlogID: 14173
iFlogID: 14074
iFlogID: 13158
COLDCUT Sound Mirrors 2 x LP Vinyl. Sleeves and Records are brand new. $25 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 14066
THE BUTLER MASTERING...
iFlogID: 14070
KING CRIMSON Beat Vinyl LP Signed by Adrian Belew (guitars on Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, Tori Amos albums). Sleeve and Record in excellent condition. $25 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 14060
MURS 3:16 The 9th Edition Vinyl LP. Sleeve and Record in excellent condition. $20 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 14058
NINE INCH NAILS Closer 12” Vinyl: further away (part one of a two record set), 1994. SEALED!!! VERY RARE! $85 ono Ph:0449713338 iFlogID: 14076
NINE INCH NAILS Year Zero Triple Gatefold 2 x Vinyl LP. Special Edition Heavy Etched Vinyl w/16 page book! Sealed! $50 Ph:0449713338 iFlogID: 14078
PETE ROCK NY’s Finest 2 X Vinyl LP. Sleeves and Records are brand new. $20 Ph0449713338
We have the experience, the equipment, and the room to deliver world class results for all music genres. - We have a fixed pricing structure for all of our mastering work, so everyone knows where they stand. This same price includes attended or un-attended sessions, as well as stereo or stem mastering. - We guarantee our results and archive all of our work. - Our many clients, both locally and internationally, both signed and unsigned have been happy with their masters for a reason. - Do your music, and your wallet a favour and drop us a line. - EP $320 / Album $600... including Red Book Master Disc, DDP Master DVD, 2 x Master Listening Discs and Archive. - WWW.THEBUTLER.COM or INFO@THEBUTLER.COM or 0403 435 686 iFlogID: 13818
iFlogID: 14072
OTHER Want your music on CD? forums.indiemunity.com
iFlogID: 13803
PA / AUDIO / ENGINEERING
BAND MERCHANDISE
P.A - LIGHTS - STAGING
iFlogID: 13134
DUPLICATION/ MASTERING Audio Mastering, mixing, recording. CD-R music & data duplication, cover artwork, colour disc printing, online global distribution. Full studio package deal for EP or full album projects. Enquiries ph: 02 98905578 iFlogID: 13156
CD/DVD DUPLICATION
Short Run Specialist. Audio/Video Editing, Mastering, Format Transfers. Artwork Layout/Printing. SoundEdit Services, Berowra NSW PH: 8002 4029, MOB: 0418 232 797 go to: www.soundedit.com.au for Specials
iFlogID: 13489
CD MANUFACTURING:Acme is Australias best price CD manufacturer. 500 CD package = $765.05: 1000 CD package = $1320.00 Short run also available. www.AcmeMusic.com.au KevinW@ AcmeMusic.com.au iFlogID: 13117
HIRE SERVICES For as low as $100, you get a professional sound/pa mixer system with an operator for the evening. Suitable for weddings, pub/clubs, gigs, private parties etc. Infovision@yayabings.com.au. Contact Chris 0419272196
30 YEARS EXPERIENCE, QUALITY GEAR - PROFESSIONAL OPERATORS and GREAT PRICES. 02 94563124 - jacksongigs@gmail. com iFlogID: 13442
P.A hire using top quality outboard gear; Lexicon, Allen & Heath, Sure 4.800, DBX drive-racks, 160SL compression, 4-way front-of-house, 3-way active fold-back. 30years+ experience in the music industry. Old-school sound. iFlogID: 13264
PA System and operator available for parties, pub, club and function work. New professional equipment at competitive prices. All areas. Contact 0414 724 473, 0414 PA HIRE iFlogID: 13628
PORTABLE RECORDING/ PRODUCTION I can come to your rehearsal space, home, church, school, wherever you are creative. Acoustic Demos, Band Rehearsals, Digitizing, Pre-Production, Remixing, Re-amping. All budgets. Call 0438382873 iFlogID: 13966
RC AUDIO AND LIGHTING. PA and Lighting systems with operator. 0424335720 rcaudioandlighting@hotmail.com * Find us on Facebook*
WOOHOO IT’S TAX TIME!
iFlogID: 13900
NEW!
iFlogID: 13521
GUITAR LESSONS BEGINNERS-$25HR 1xFREE-LESSON guarantied guitar playing in days not years taking the frustration out of learning. Music CD’s teaching tools supplied. Teaching guitar 10years + SMS 0405 044 513
30 WORDS
FREE
iFlogID: 13973
GUITAR LESSONS with experienced and qualified tutor. Rock, pop, jazz, etc. Beginners to advanced. In the convenience of your own home. Good results guaranteed. Phone Oles 0407413143 or email oles85@yahoo.com
D
iFlogID: 13872
GUITAR LESSONS
BOLD HEADING
5 STRING BANJO TUITION. Up-Picking and 3 Finger Picking. tel. John 0431953178
iFlogID: 13523
A GREAT WAY TO LEARN GUITAR From blue to new - all styles of guitar from Chris Turner(Buffalo,Tattoo etc) Rhythm,lead, Basic skills & Songs. Recording avail www.big-rock.com. au 9552 6663 Lilyfield guitardoctor@ bigpond.com iFlogID: 11369
AAA EXPERT GUITAR TUITION www.guitartuition.net.au
iFlogID: 13923
Affordable singing lessons with experienced female teacher Botany studio. Adults and children welcome - beginners to experienced. Opportunities to perform. $40 per hour Call 9316 4742 / 0403 869 364 iFlogID: 13644
CREATIVE GUITAR TUITION
PHOTOGRAPHY Cardboard Box Studios, specialising in providing high quality creative images to a diverse range of clients, www.photodane.com iFlogID: 13711
RECORDING STUDIOS Do you want to hear your song fully produced before you hit the recording studio? Any Instrument. Any Genre! First song is free!! For more information: 0435556985 llewellynstudios@live. com.au www.youtube.com/llewellynstudios
iFlogID: 13154
STUDIO AND PRODUCER Superb relaxed studio environment 20 mins from CBD. Multi instrumentalist producer/engineer available to record and mix your music. Extensive experience in all genre music and television production. Previous experience with major international platinum selling artists. Many credits in all aspects of music craft. Collaboration and remixing a speciality.PHONE NOW on 0412621330.
With experienced and fully qualified tutor. Who has 20 years of studio and live performance. Most styles including Rock, Pop and Jazz. Learn to play your favourite songs, practical theory, improvisation, proper technique, etc. etc. Beginners to advanced are welcome. In the convenience of your own home. Good results guaranteed. Phone Oles on 0407413143 or email oles85@ yahoo.com
iFlogID:
SUPER BOLD HEADING 13500
500
iFlogID: 14249
MUSIC PRODUCER & SONGWRITER Experienced producer will teach you how to setup your own studio on a budget. How to use the software and equipment; how to track, mix and produce your own music. Call Kimon 0439335499.
iFlogID: 13500
ADD COLOUR TO YOUR HEADING
50c
COLOUR HEADING
iFlogID: 14093
Music tuition, classical / flamenco guitar, celtic harp, theory & harmony, arranging. 9am - 9pm, 7 days. Parramatta area. $40 hr, $30 half hr. Mature & patient. Harps for hire. Ph: 02 98905578
COLOUR IMAGE
iFlogID: 13500
iFlogID: 13152
COLOUR IMAGE
SINGING LESSONS - MODERN VOCAL Singing & Songwriting Lessons - Rock/ Pop/Indie/R’n’B/Punk. Signed artist with 10 years experience. Recorded over 100 times. Pay per lesson - no contracts. Lessons can be either at Gordon music school rooms or in Wahroonga. Beginners through to experienced singers welcome. 1hr lessons only $50. Also open in school/uni holidays. Call AJ on 0448-080-619.
$1.50
SUPER BOLD HEADING
$3
13500
COLOUR BORDER
iFlogID: 13569
iFlogID: 13500
SINGING LESSONS Petersham/ Sydney. Real guitar for committed students. Attentive, one on one guitar lessons in a fully equipped music studio. Learn Jazz, Rock, Blues, Contemporary , Funk, Latin , Gypsy, Folk and other popular styles. Learn at a pace and in a direction you want to go. Beginners to advanced, all aspects of guitar are supported. Incorporate a practical approach, using rhythm, harmony, melody and improvisation. Learn theory and all about scales and modes and how to apply them effectively. Learn songs and practice techniques. Ear training, song writing, composition and sight reading. Learn all about chords, arpeggios, substitutions, synonyms and inversions. Alternate tunings, slide guitar, finger style, chord melody and world music. Study your favourite players and learn how to develop your own sound. Comfortable, air-conditioned studio with huge resource library and comprehensive digital recording available to those wanting to demo. Days and evenings, Monday to Thursday and Saturday day. Ask about special introductory offer and gift vouchers. Contact Craig Corcoran: 0430344334 (02)95726702 creative-guitar@hotmail.com www.creativeguitar.com.au
$1
iFlogID: 13500
BOLD HEADING
iFlogID: 13601
TUITION
Additional words 10 cents each.
iFlogID: 13500
Feel like you’re grinding that axe? Get your guitar/bass professionally set-up/ repaired/restored by an experienced luthier. Check out the website or ring 0448559947. From Alembic to Warwick we’ve done the lot.
iFlogID: 13943
Recording Studio, Parramatta, $30hr casual rate. No kits! Singers, songwriters, instrumentalists for acoustic, world, classical genres specialist. 25+yrs exp, multi instrumentalist, arranger, composer, producer. Ph: 02 98905578, 7 days.
iFlogID: 14154
iFlogID: 13954
Warehouse rehearsal space in hurstville area, rent $100 p/w.practice with gear left how you last played it. play loud & great place to start creative vibe. ring sash for details on 0409579688
iFlogID: 14165
iFlogID: 13120
Detax will maximise your tax refund, or minimise your tax liability, by applying years of Entertainment & Arts industry tax knowledge into your tax return. Individual Tax Returns from only $99. Discounted rates available for multiple years. Fully Qualified Accountant & Registered Tax Agent. www.detax. com.au
REHEARSAL ROOMS NEW CLEAN REHEARSAL STUDIO NORTHERN BEACHES. Terry Halliday Productions is pleased to announce that STUDIO259 is back!! Flat load, Parking, NEW PA, Air con, Equipment hire CALL TERRY259 on 0419 595 298
Sydney PA Hire: Best quality equipment, small to large 2, 3 and 4 way systems, packages for all occasions, competitive prices servicing Sydney and environs. Details; http://www.sydneypa.biz, Chris 0432 513 479
iFlogID: 13713
LEGAL / ACCOUNTING
iFlogID: 13571
Options Categories
MUSOSREPAIRSHOP.COM.AU
MUSIC SERVICES PRODUCER / ENGINEER PROVIDING DISCOUNT RATES IN A PROFESSIONAL RECORDING STUDIO, 32 TRACK ANALOGUE DESK, DEMOS, TRACKED MIXED AND MASTERED $400 3 TRACK EPs TRACKED AND MIXED $1000 Dave 04300 52 606
Sean Carey (ex Thirsty Merc) is the In-House Producer/Engineer at TRACKDOWN Studios in Camperdown. Multiplatinum ARIA accredited Artist with over 10 years of production experience. Vintage guitars, microphones, gear and industry contacts! Get the most out of your songs! www.myspace.com/seancareyproducer. Ph: 0424923888.
NEW!
FINGERSTYLE GUITAR, open tunings, slide, flat picking, improvisation, country, blues, folk, celtic styles. All styles from Doc Watson and Nick Drake to Blind Willie Johnson and Eric Clapton. Beginners are welcome. tel. 0431953178
REPAIRS
iFlogID: 14068
TYPE O NEGATIVE Dead Again Gatefold 2 x Green Vinyl LP. Sleeves and Records are brand new - Sealed. $20 Ph0449713338
Drummer and Drum Lessons Drum Lessons avaliable in Gladesville Teach all Levels, ages and experience. Played for 16 years. I studied at Billy Hydes Drumcraft, Obtained Dipolma in Drummming Mob: 0402 663 469 Michael iFlogID: 13703
DIMMU BORGIR In Sorte Diaboli Gatefold Vinyl LP + bonus 7”. Limited Edition No. 1424 of 2000. Sleeves and Records are brand new - Sealed. $35 Ph0449713338
OTHER
Celtic Harp kits. Unfinished / half assembled harps. All instructions & strings etc supplied. 45 string Rosewood, 27 string mahogany, 23 string Lap Harps. Need woodwork skills. Enqiries 02 98905578
SEAN CAREY - PRODUCER
iFlogID: 14062
iFlogID: 13084
iFlogID: 14064
MASTERING
Desert Sessions Vol 9 & 10 CD. Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss), PJ Harvey and Twiggy Ramirez (Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, A Perfec Circle) etc. $15- Ph0449713338
iFlogID: 14056
iFlogID: 14230
iFlogID: 13171
CRADLE OF FILTH Godspeed and the Devil’s Thunder Gatefold 2 x Vinyl LP. Sleeve and Record are brand new Sealed! $20 Ph0449713338
Print & Online Classifieds
$1
COLOUR BORDER 500
Singing lessons in a positive environment with a highly experienced and professional singer/songwriter. Lessons tailored to suit individual needs. Also beginners guitar. www.realvoice.net.au for more details. Inner West, Rosanna 0431 157 622.
iFlogID: 13593
iFlogID: 13940
Free online and print classifieds Book now, visit iflog.com.au
OUND
COLOUR BACKGR
COLOUR BACKGROUND
500
$2
iFlogID: 14133
iFlogID: 13555
All prices include GST
VISIT IFLOG.COM.AU TO PLACE YOUR BOOKING NOW.
SINGING-LESSONS-THAT>>ROCK<<
Brisbane based drummer available for fill in work (studio, live, film clips etc) around existing live and recording schedule. email - todd@thebloodpoets. com , www.youtube.com/thebloodpoets . iFlogID: 13348
POP AND ROCK DRUMMER FOR HIRE!
Your voice has the ability to sing at the Audioslave/ Muse/ Aretha/ YeahYeahYeahs level because of Design. Pick any singer you like and you can sing as good using this relaxed technique. Microphone-recording-songwritingtechniques Beginners to advanced Newtown 0405-044-513 iFlogID: 13846
SLIDE GUITAR TUITION: All styles from Duane Allman and Ben Harper to Blind Willie Johnson and Son House. tel. John 0431953178 iFlogID: 13527
TEACHER TO THE STARS STEVE OSTROW VOCAL COACH who started the careers of Bette Midler, Barry Manilow, Peter Allan, and countless others now accepting limited amount of private students all styles pop, classical, beginners welcome. Call me on 0408461868 iFlogID: 11667
VOCAL TUITION for students having problems with pitch, placement and breathing. tel. John 0431953178 iFlogID: 13525
VOICE LESSONS
Experienced drummer available for covers work. Pop, Rock and light funk. Good gear and transport. Lets have some fun! Jez- 0414 800 255 iFlogID: 13770
Professional mature-age Drummer/ Vocals/reads/back acts/shows - all styles including jazz - available for casual work. phone:(02) 9807-3137 eMail: nadipa1@ yahoo.com.au iFlogID: 13285
GUITARIST 18 year old guitar player looking to form Rock N’ Roll band. Influences: Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, New York Dolls. Preferably in South. Call Tom on 0401722767. iFlogID: 13358
GUITARIST / DRUMMER / SINGER 10+ yrs experience. I am available for gigs short/long term. age 24. don’t have to be paid gigs. gimme a call. 0402937011. hellojoshgraham @gmail. com iFlogID: 13950
Guitarist Available for WORKING duo/ band or studio session gig. Proficient in rock, funk, pop, acoustic and hard rock. Pro gear and attitude. For further info contact Scotty @ www.scottygraham. com.au iFlogID: 13080
SONG WRITER singer/songwriter seeks members to collaborate with write songs maybe form an originals band. written over 170 songs check me out on myspace www.myspace.com/1roni all songs by me. contact roni 0468712826 iFlogID: 13910
GUITARIST/BASSIST/ KEYBOARDIST all needed for a covers project with view to include originals. We will target high-class nightclub/restaurant venues & corporate work. When not working as a full band we’ll work as a duo or a small ensemble. You must be experienced, professional & have your own gear and transportation. Style: Electronica-Dance/RNB-Soul/ Jazz. Influences: Portishead, Florence & the Machine, Massive Attack, Groove Armada, Morcheeba, Basement Jaxx, Eva Cassidy. Repertoire may Include: One Day I’ll Fly Away – Randy Crawford, Light My Fire – Erma Franklin, Lady Marmalade (Moulin Rouge), Hey Big Spender – Propeller Heads, You’ve Got the Love – Florence & the Machine, Good Luck – Basement Jaxx, Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend (Moulin Rouge), Sing It Back – Moloko. Image: Mod-Glam/Burlesque/ Bond 007/Moulin Rouge. Please email me your name, training, experience, photo and demo at andrea8884@gmail.com. iFlogID: 14038
BANDS
iFlogID: 13875
Want to learn an instrument? Or learn to read music? Drum, Bass, Guitar and Music Theory lessons for beginners. Based in Sydney. First lesson free!! For more information: 0435556985 llewellynstudios@live.com.au iFlogID: 13215
VIDEO / PRODUCTION D7 STUDIO MUSIC VID FROM $250 music vid $250. Live gig edits, multiple angles, from $150 or 1 live track from $80. All shot in full HD. d7studio@iinet. net.au ph:0404716770
iFlogID: 13368
Kontrol Productions is a highly professional production company that specializes in the production of music video’s. We ensure that our products are of the highest industry standards. For enquiries www.kontrolproductions.com iFlogID: 13827
MUSIC VIDEOS offer a great way to gain exposure. Immersion Imagery has worked with a variety or artists and strives to offer quality & creative Music Videos. Visit www.immersionimagery. com email info@immersionimagery. com iFlogID: 13825
MUSICIANS AVAILABLE BASS PLAYER BASS GUITARIST Bass Guitarist Available with over 40 years playing experience. Gigs, Deps, Sessions/Working Band. Soul, Funk, Jazz, Pop, Reggae. No Metal or Grunge! Contact Dave on 0419416778. iFlogID: 14183
DRUMMER A1 PRO DRUMMER AVAILABLE for freelance gigs, tours etc. Extensive touring experience, gret time/tempo/groove, great drum gear and pro attitude. Sydney based but will travel. More info, ph 0419760940. www.mikehague. com iFlogID: 13230
**BASS PLAYER WANTED**
For Pop/ Rock Band Static Silhouettes. We are looking for a bass player with: dedication to our band, ambition, own transport/ equipment, a passion for bass, a creative talent for writing and performing confidently, and an instinctive ability to put up with horrible Dad jokes. We have our own practice space, and we are looking to release/ tour our second EP at the end of this year. For more information, please contact Jackson at static.silhouettes@live.com, or on 0431978034 iFlogID: 14193
BASS PLAYER WANTED ‘2 Rude: A Tribute to Ska Show’.. Playing the likes of British Beat,Bad Manners,Madness,The Specials. Professional gig with shows booked this spring. Looking for experienced Bassist to join Drummer, Vocalist & Brass Section. If you’re 30- 50yrs, have a professional attitude, looking to have some fun & playing Ska two tone music. Please call Mark 0432 350 215 iFlogID: 14105
BASS PLAYER WANTED Bass player wanted for original band with album recorded. Must be technically proficient with a good feel and sense of timing. A professional attitude is also essential. We are Blue Mountains based but are willing to travel if need be. Check out our music at www.soundcloud.com/earprojector. iFlogID: 14256
Drummer, Bass, Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, Keyboard NEEDED. Main influence, K-ON!
iFlogID: 14168
KEYBOARD PLAYER WANTED ‘2 Rude: A Tribute to Ska Show’.. Playing the likes of British Beat,Bad Manners,Madness,The Specials. Professional gig with shows booked this spring. Looking for experienced Keyboard Player to join Drummer, Vocalist & Brass Section. If you’re 30- 50yrs, have a professional attitude, looking to have some fun & playing Ska two tone music. Please call Mark 0432 350 215
LEAD SINGER - COVERS/ROCK Covers band with difference. Bon Jovi, Kings of Leon, Pink. Experienced live performer. 2-3 gigs per month. Commitment and strong vocals Email resume to Craig.Dow@syd.com. au Backed by agency with gigs. www. agent69.com.au iFlogID: 13928
LETS START A BAND!!!
21 yr old multi-instrumentalist seeks serious collaborators in the inner sydney area to write, gig and record original material. I like Radiohead, The Beatles, Pixies, TVOTR, Deerhunter and Neil Young. Text or call Fletcher 0431 722 647.
SECOND GUITARIST/OR SYNTH
BASS PLAYER
We are looking for a male or female bass player interested in playing in an original indie rock band. We practice one night a week in Ultimo, play gigs and record. Occasionally we do weekend tours interstate. No equipment necessary. Think Ryan Adams, Wilco, BRMC. Check www.myspace.com/demostuff1975. Email aaron@harrisons.com.au Ex jerk singer seeks bass player for Sydney prog band. Influences Tool, Porcupine Tree, Rush, cog ect. Ph Michael 0425907720 Kick ass rock / funk cover band seeks BASSIST to round out our sound. Our goal is to be Sydney’s premier party band and have fun and line our pockets with cash while we do it. Artists include: AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Guns n Roses (yes, our singer can hit Axl notes), Stevie Wonder and many more… Bring your own ideas to the table! Rehearse at least once per week near CBD and gig once a fortnight. Contact Andrew at 0432617756. iFlogID: 14199
PRO bassist required for www.greendayshow.com.au and www.repliktrio. com.au. must be pro with good BV’s. currently doing around 6+ sydney gigs per month local gigs $150-200. contact rick on 0419 437 794 iFlogID: 13211
UPRIGHT/ELECTRIC BASS REQUIRED A four piece funky/sultry, smooth jazz lounge looking for an upright/electric bass for an ongoing upcoming gig. If you like contemporary r&b, chill-out lounge, Al Jarreau, Cassandra Wilson, Sade, Maxwell, Erykah Badu and the like, then you know exactly what I am talking about. Laid back & feel good music. If you love great music, then you are going to love this ensemble. Males, aged 30 to 60 from New South Wales, Australia Min Bass Guitar ability: Expert iFlogID: 14236
DJ
Singer/Guitarist looking for musicians/ singers to jam/play Soft Rock, 70-80s with. Bass, Drums, Keyboard, Guitar, singers etc. I have rehearsal space in Botany and sound sytem. Contact Ian, 0414351100
aggressive solid drummer needed for band. have material written and demos recorded. rehearse in the wollonong area, keen to gig asap. age/ sex/skill level not important. contact 0403508102 for demos
iFlogID: 13866
SINGER we are looking for a versatile singer male or female that has the confidence to be out front and can handle singing some tool , soundgarden ,the cure ,police ,u2, depeche mode and many others and some originals and add their own flair to the songs so this band would not suit a karoake singer ,we rehearse once a week and enjoy a fun friendly environment while maintaining a proffessional attitude, 0417044497 iFlogID: 13837
SOCIAL MUSO’SWANTED Cronulla. Mature aged musos wanted for regular jams on a social basis (not about the money) but don’t mind the occasional gig if it comes along. Just playing for the love of it ring warren 95440169
iFlogID: 14052
DRUMMER
iFlogID: 14021
Campbelltown based rock band requires tight & solid drummer. Age 25 t0 45. Band plays classic rock & originals. We’re ready to gig when you are. Contact Will on 0419 614 313 iFlogID: 14241
dedicated guitarists looking for other musicians to jam/play live with, got contacts for gigs just need musicians, if interested samheidke@hotmail.com iFlogID: 14175
DRUMMER WANTED
iFlogID: 13790
Event Cinemas Bondi Junction is looking for solos/duos/bands to perform in their funky laid back bar. Must provide all own equipment. Covers and/or originals welcome. All styles considered including jazz/blues/world/classical/ funk/rnb/ambient etc. Please email bondijunction_events@eventcinemas. com.au if interested. iFlogID: 14156
iFlogID: 13835
Ex Jerk singer seeks drummer for sydney prog band. Influences Tool, Porcupine Tree, Rush, Cog ect. Phone michael 0425907720 iFlogID: 14098
FUNK/SOUL DRUMMER WANTED
iFlogID: 13977
INDIE-POP DRUMMER WANTED HI THERE! HOW ARE YOU? WE’RE LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED DRUMMER IN THEIR 20’S FOR SYDNEY BASED (INNER WEST) INDIE POP BAND. THINK THE LATEST METRONOMY ALBUM FOR STYLE REFERENCE. SYNTH CLEAN GUITAR POP. MUST HAVE OWN KIT AND TRANSPORT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU! CALL 0402937011 OR EMAIL HELLOJOSHGRAHAM @ GMAIL.COM iFlogID: 13947
Joey’s off to New York so Azadoota’s looking for a new drummer. Take our audition quiz if you’re up for the challenge. www.azadoota.com/quiz.html or follow the link at www.facebook.com/ azadoota iFlogID: 14211
Kick ass rock / funk cover band seeks DRUMMER to round out our sound. Our goal is to be Sydney’s premier party band. Artists include: AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Guns n Roses, Stevie Wonder and many more… Bring your own ideas to the table! Rehearse at least once per week near CBD and gig once a fortnight. Contact Andrew at 0432617756. iFlogID: 14201
New Sydney Hard Rock band seeking Drummer to join the lineup. Influences include: Three Days Grace, Papa Roach, Seether etc. Rehearsals weekly. Looking to record and gig soon. Call 0403513251
SYDNEY FOLK/PUNK DRUMMER Passionate drummer wanted for our Sydney folk pirate punk rock band. Have space in Alexandria. Want to rehearse 1-2/ wk, gig much as possible. Think Flogging/Dropkicks/Social D..Come party! 0414 481 697 iFlogID: 14000
GUITARIST 18 year old guitar player looking for another guitar player. Influences: GN’R, Aerosmith, Zeppelin, New York Dolls. Preferrably someone in the south (Shire). Call Tom on 0401722767 iFlogID: 13407
Agent backed working Rock Band www.2 -Shots.com need a guitarist with great rhythm/lead ability. The right person can gig upto twice a weekend and rehearse once a week at hornsby. iFlogID: 13736
ALEXI are looking for a new Guitarist/ songwriter for their original Rock band. We have gigs lined up and plans to write new material and record later this year. Must be reliable and professional. For more info or to book an audition please contact Adam- 0405005130 iFlogID: 14243
iFlogID: 14135
Drummer wanted for Sydney rock band. Currently recording and gigging. Music video scheduled for August. Prefer aged from 19 to 25. For info contact Manager, Mark, on 0407 453 466 or at markmontgomery@live.com.au. Listen to the band at: http://www.myspace.com/ ramshackleau. iFlogID: 13960
iFlogID: 13753
MOONBOMBS NEED A GUITARIST!
We have experienced bass, keys, guitar and singer, and need a talented drummer for our original funk/acid jazz/soul band project. Experience and professionalism a must. Rehearsals northern beaches. Influences are Jamiroquai, EWF, B N Heavies, Steely Dan, and similar. Interested ?? email pscottman@ yahoo.com.au with your details. 1st audition Sun 26 June.
CENTRAL COAST BAND needs lead guitarist infl. 60s psych/garage/freakbeat gigs available when ready Phone Rob 0423 014819
iFlogID: 13904
WANT SOME EXPOSURE?
LEAD GUITARIST NEEDED!!! We are an original alternative rock band looking for a lead guitarist. In order to fit in you will need to have an array of effects and also good gear. Professional attitude a must. Must be aged between 25yrs - 35yrs. Rehearsals weekly. Please no time wasters. Serious musicians only. To check some of our stuff go to http://www.myspace.com/yoyodiablotheband or call 0404 267 155 to have a chat.
iFlogID: 14187
second guitarist or synth player wantedguitarist must have sounds and previous band exp we cover tool ,stp ,the cure ,u2, depeche mode ,pink floyd, and many others ,rehearse once a week friendly environment 0417044497 iFlogID: 13839
DRUMMER WANTED we are looking for a drummer we play covers from tool .stp .the police ,cure, depeche mode,soundgarden ,u2 ,the pixies,and many others and also do some originals we rehearse weekly ,we are easy go get along with and enjoy having fun but have a profesional attitude to music, 0417044497
iFlogID: 14221
Looking for a cool DJ to work with in forming a killer club act with live drums/ percussion. Call Al on 0400 909 633 drumpercuss@hotmail.com
GUITARIST WANTED
iFlogID: 14107
iFlogID: 14118
iFlogID: 13882
Guitarist singer songwriter seeks collaborators to form band. Influences: The National, Band of Horses, Arcade Fire, Ryan Adams, Wilco. Prefer age 30+ yrs. Call Charlie: 0404 084 425
‘2 Rude: A Tribute to Ska Show’.. Playing the likes of British Beat,Bad Manners,Madness,The Specials. Professional gig with shows booked this spring. Looking for experienced Guitarist to join Drummer, Vocalist & Brass Section. If you’re 30- 50yrs, have a professional attitude, looking to have some fun & playing Ska two tone music. Please call Mark 0432 350 215
Foo Fighters tribute, acoustic and electric show seeks bass player. Original set also written with goal to cater for different venues. Must have stage experience and be competent/confident on the instrument. Own good equipment and transport a must Call Mick after 6pm on 0415 739 292 or 9586 0405
iFlogID: 14109
Untalented Libertines/BlocParty/SexPistols inspired singer/songwriter/ guitarist seeks bandmates who are also inspired by these bands, willing to practice, prefer making originals rather than covers & who are easygoing. Inner West/Sydney, How bout it?
iFlogID: 13823
BASS PLAYER WANTED
iFlogID: 14100
MUSICIANS WANTED Sing with the TONE, POWER, CONTROL and RANGE you’ve always wanted! Achieve natural breath support & dispel vocal mysteries. The Deva Method, developed by Hollywood Celebrity Voice Coach Jeannie Deva, will unlock your voice and develop your unique sound. SPECIAL OFFER: For a limited time, get your initial 30min consultation FREE - valued at $30. Contact - Certified Voice Instructor of The Deva Method® - Maureen Longo ph:0402007453 devavoicesydney@optusnet.com.au www.jeanniedeva.com
BASS PLAYER
DARK SEXY GUITARIST WANTED
For a band that is creating dark sexy ballads very much with a Nick Cave feel. You must have the desire to play differing styles ranging from blues, country, jazz, rock, sea shanties and rock and roll in order to form a truly original sound. Your influences should be varied, BAD SEEDS, Sarah Blasko, Tom Waits, Dresden dolls, Rolling stones, Frank Sinatra, Elvis... the ability to not over play is essential. Rehearsal inner west. tom 0411 874 673 iFlogID: 13902
Hard Rock originals band need a singer who can also write lyrics & melodies. Influenced by Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Audioslave etc. Based at Gosford, weekly rehearsals, gigs waiting. Contact: scottm@y7mail.com iFlogID: 14009
MALE SINGER
iFlogID: 13271
NIRVANA TRIBUTE Sydney based, agent backed NIRVANA TRIBUTE SHOW require a singer. Experience and own transport required, ability to play guitar a bonus but not necassary. All Paid gigs. Must be aged between 18 - 40yrs. Please send your details to brotherbooth@gmail.com iFlogID: 13848
Sydney 3 piece MOONBOMBS need a guitarist! Influences: Sonic Youth, Die! Die! Die!, Health, Radio Dept & Ratatat. About to release new single & tour. Email moonbombs@gmail. com NOW! No metal freaks! iFlogID: 14083
New Sydney Hard Rock band seeking Guitarist to join the lineup. Influences include: Three Days Grace, Papa Roach, Seether etc. Rehearsals weekly. Looking to record and gig soon. Call 0403513251 iFlogID: 14185
NOEL GALLAGHER required for SYDNEY based OASIS cover band. Must have good gear, transport and band experience. Lead ability not essential. Good vocals. Call karl 0415 877 918 iFlogID: 13432
NOEL GALLAGHER required for SYDNEY based OASIS cover band. Must have good gear, transport and band experience. Lead ability not essential. Good vocals. Call karl 0415 877 918 iFlogID: 14036
Progressive/Black Metal band looking for 2nd guitarist. High level of technicality a must. Full live set ready to go. Influences include Opeth, Emperor, Borknagar, etc. Contact James on 0424163546 iFlogID: 13483
Sydney based singer/songwriter releasing debut single. Looking for a fresh start on the scene with new guitarist (early to mid 20’s) and eventually a new band. Check out www.myspace.com/ bryleysings bryley@hotmail.com iFlogID: 14007
The Net Of Being ambient prog rock/ metal act seeks guitarist, influences isis, pelican, mogwai, rehearse ashfield, www.reverbnation.com/thenetofbeing call 0401056876 iFlogID: 14015
KEYBOARD Ex Jerk singer seeks keyboard player for Sydney prog band. Influences Tool, Porcupine Tree, Rush, Cog ect. Ph Michael 0425907720
iFlogID: 14102
Hammond/Rhodes sounds wanted for funky/dubby jams. Influences Meters, King Tubby, Betty Davis. Inner west rehearsals Ph Ken 0413 590 728. iFlogID: 14030
Metal/visual kei band needs keys/ synth player to complete lineup. Influences include Disturbed, Evanescence, the GazettE, and more. Preferred age 18-25, at least intermediate playing level. Contact dragonlugia@hotmail. com for more info. iFlogID: 13906
REBORN, a 60’s / 70’s hard rock / blues rock cover band, seeks mature, professional and talented singer (m/f) to front a dynamic and tight rock outfit. We are professional, serious and committed and seek someone who matches these traits. A set list of 30-odd songs is ready to go. Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Grand Funk Railroad, The Beatles, Free, The Black Crowes. We plan to mix in original material later on. If the music style and these bands strike a chord with you and if you are serious about giving it your all then let’s hear from you. Own transport and good equipment is a must. You will need to commit to at least one rehearsal night per week (Zen Studios, St Peters) and serious practice in between rehearsal sessions. We look forward to hearing from you. iFlogID: 14191
REVERTIGO are a Campbelltown 3 piece band looking for a singer! We have songs written, have gigging experience and are ready to go all the way! Contact Mark on kenny2309@hotmail.com iFlogID: 14259
Rock singer wanted. Vocal style: Who, Zeppelin, Purple. High energy, great rock songs. If interested, email: walrusblues@hotmail.com iFlogID: 13634
ROCK SINGERS!!!!!
Sydney Based Rock/Prog rock band auditioning for kick ass front man. Must have incredible vocal abilities, professional attitude & song writing abilities. Email gasentertainment@hotmail.com for further details & audition times. iFlogID: 13958
SINGER FOR FOLK, PUNK BAND Guys with loud instruments are looking for a front person with passion, creativity to add some loud inspiring vocals to our blend of folk, punk, pirate ROCK! 0414 481 697 iFlogID: 14181
SINGER WANTED FOR SYDNEY GRUNGE BAND. Less than 24 years old please. influences: Silverchair, Nirvana, AIC, Sabbath etc Contact Daniel on 0403 885 433 for more info and demos. iFlogID: 13145
Singer wanted. We’re into ZZ Top, Chuck Berry, R Stones, CCR, Santana, E Clapton, LZep, ACDC etc. Northern Beaches based. Easy going trio need Vocals, gigs ready. ph Mark 0424568280. iFlogID: 14144
South West Sydney Hard Rock band looking for a lead singer, aged 16-19. Influences include Guns N’ Roses, Skid Row and Motley Crue. Contact Stefan on 0401340314 iFlogID: 13615
SYNTH GUY OR GAL WANTED HI, WE NEED A SYNTH PLAYER IN THEIR 20’S FOR OUR SYDNEY BASED INDIE POP PROJECT. STYLE: THINK METRONOMY’S LATEST ALBUM. HOOKY INDIE POP. LETS HAVE A JAM AND A BEER. CALL 0402937011 HELLOJOSHGRAHAM @GMAIL.COM iFlogID: 13956
SINGER 30yr old lead guitarist seeking singer to form Rock band, covers & originals. Hoping to rehearse on a weekly basis and eventually play gigs. Contact Paul, 4774 0085 or 0402746733 iFlogID: 13646
Blues/Rock outfit (Bass, Guitar & Drums) looking for a dynamic singer (male or female) to front the band. Ability to play harmonica, keyboards or sax to complement other instruments highly desirable. iFlogID: 14054
GOSPEL SINGERS WANTED for nondenominational music ministry to record triple-CD in Perth. World-class, passionate and devotional vocalists sought. View www.THE001Music.com for details. Jesus is KIng! Reverend Eslam. God Bless You! iFlogID: 13088
STROKES SINGER WANTED Singer wanted to complete The Australian Strokes Cover Show. Someone with at the least a similar sound to julian is obviously important. Rehearse with vision for steady, fun cover work. Sydney/Wollongong Area. Bandmates have industry experience and are professional. Contact CJ on 0408489964. iFlogID: 13994
Sydney rock/metal band seek a talented, enthusiastic singer. Influences include QOTSA, Deftones, Foo Fighters, FNM, Muse. Rehearse in Marrickville. Check us out at myspace.com/gentleenemies and send singing samples to gentleenemies@gmail.com iFlogID: 14142
Wedding singer Wanted with a band in Oct 2011 need a wedding singer with or without a band that sings covers please call me 0405 398 888 or email vivsue@yahoo.com
SONG WRITER Song writer wanted to collaborate with to form an act with jazzy/60s vibe. Influences include early beatles,Billie holiday, she and him,death cab,big star,Sinatra,tegan and sara iFlogID: 14254
VIOLIN Violinist required for Sydney band “LOL@50uff$” based out of Redfern. To play away the pain of another unsuccessful NRL season. Contact Russell C - maximus@gmail.com iFlogID: 14023
SERVICES GRAPHIC DESIGN Full Colour Band Posters @ Amazing Prices 100 A4 full colour on Gloss = $40 100 A3 full colour on Plain = $50 100 A3 full colour on Gloss = $80 Go to WWW.BLACKSTAR.COM.AU for a full price list
iFlogID: 13768
Get your Band or Business Online Cost effectively and PROFESSIONALLY- from $399 including UNLIMITED pages, Logos, Hosting and 5xemail addresses and much more! Contact info@ bizwebsites.com.au or see www. bizwebsites.com.au iFlogID: 13864
Limited Edition mens tees and hoodies with a sense of humour. All hand-screened and numbered. monstrositystore.com iFlogID: 13611
OTHER EARPLUGS FOR MUSICIANS Protect your hearing with custom moulded earplugs designed to reduce the level of sound without adversely affecting the frequency response of the music. Choose between 10,15 and 25dB attenuation. Fitted by professional audiologist, by appointment only. Ph 9387 3599 iFlogID: 11697
Get your Band or Business Online Cost effectively and PROFESSIONALLY- from $399 including UNLIMITED pages, Hosting and 5xemail addresses and much more! Contact info@ bizwebsites.com.au or see www. bizwebsites.com.au. iFlogID: 13862
GIG AND BAND PHOTOGRAPHY Gig photography, tour photography, band publicity & portrait shots. Reasonable rates & friendly service. Robert 0438 02 72 21 iFlogID: 13011
TATTOO Monstrosity Dreadlocks, Sydney. Dreads and maintenance special: All service $30 per hour. Professional, guaranteed service. Kings Cross. Call 0421356410 iFlogID: 13613
TUITION
ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS FOR GUITAR
4 week course gets you playing fast! Chords Rhythm Songs Theory. Individual tuition in the inner west.Call David 96603877 iFlogID: 13503
BASS GUITAR LESSONS IN SYDNEY
Best bassist at Australian finals of Emergenza, performed on the soundtrack of T.V. series Underbelly. 4 years gigging experience. Lessons: $30 an hour. Session work: $60 an hour. Ph: 0416031430. iFlogID: 14081
GUITAR LESSONS BEGINNERS-$25HR 1xFREE-LESSON guarantied guitar playing in days not years taking the frustration out of learning. Music CD’s teaching tools supplied. teaching guitar 10years + SMS 0405 044 513 iFlogID: 13975
WANTED
iFlogID: 14114
YOUNG MALE R&B SINGERS Looking for male R&B singers, age1830, interested in forming an R&Bgroup in Sydney 0422259451 iFlogID: 13757
Free online and print classifieds Book now, visit iflog.com.au
OTHER PLAY MORE CHINESE MUSIC love, tenzenmen. www.tenzenmen. com
iFlogID: 13077
THREE SENSES – ONE MAGAZINE AUGUST 2011
CONTACT YOUR REP TO BE PART OF THE EVOLUTION - 02 9331 7077
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