Inpress Issue #1123 by TheMusic.com.au

M E L B O U R N E - G E E L O N G / S U R F C OA S T - B A L L A R AT / B E N D I G O - M O R N I N G T O N P E N I N S U L A

VICTORIA'S HIGHEST CIRCULATING STREET PRESS

THE HOLD STEADY

TTHE RED EYES

NEW ARTS SECTION

EVEN

C ASE THE SUN CH STONE T EM P LE P I L OT S S ST K I L DA F I LM F E S T I VA L S K IM S A L M O N & T H E S UR RE AL I S T S

W E D N E S D AY 19 M AY 2 0 10 ~ I S S U E 112 3 ~ F R E E

33,222

Wednesday 19 May

SINGLE TWIN + ADAM COLE

8.30pm, $8 Entry (band room)

Thursday 20 May

MISS LUCY

6pm, Free in the Front Bar

EMMA WALL + SPINIFEX ROSE

8.30pm $10 Entry (band room)

Friday 21 May

JIMMY TAIT DUO 6pm Free in the Front Bar LAYDEE DEE + JAMES KENYON + ALYSIA MANCEAU + SUSIE MAE (NSW)

8.30pm, $7 Entry (band room)

Saturday 22 may

THE BOYS THE BON SCOTTS + I HEART CUSACK + SOURSOP

6pm Free in the Front Bar

8.30pm, $8 Entry (band room)

Sunday 16 may

TH E EDINBURGH COLLECTIVE

FEATURING OBVIAN +NIKKIPRATLEY+ JAMES DANIELS 4pm , $5 Entry (band room) + NIC TATE

Coming Up...

Open...MON - THU...from 4pm ‘til late FRI...from 2pm ‘til late SAT - SUN...from 12pm ‘til late

Live Music Bookings wesleyannebookings@gmail.com www.wesleyanne.com.au

28/5:THE PRETTY STRANGERS + GRIZZLY JIM LAWRIE + LEFT FEELS RIGHT, 30/5: STEPH BRETT BAND (CD LAUNCH), 2/6: AKASA, 3/6: THE BOY WHO SPOKE CLOUDS, 4/6: LUCAS PAINE, 5/5: LYDIA PHILLIPS

Autumn Special Two for one meals on Mondays (excludes steak, fish and specials)

bookings: 9482 1333 5

18/5

KARAOKE NIGHT 9PM FREE

19/5

OPEN MIC NIGHT 8PM FREE

20/5

JULIA ROSE + CATE DE CARTERET 9.30PM FREE

21/5

MATT COLLYER + GUESTS 10PM FREE

22/5

BENDER BAR 5TH BIRTHDAY WITH DJ’S DAPPER JAM 10PM FREE

23/5

OPEN DECKS NIGHT 6PM FREE

635 HIGH ST THORNBURY VIC 3071 OPEN 5PM TILL LATE, CLOSED MONDAYS PH (03)9495-0341 WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THEBENDERBAR

No.109

BRUNSWICK

Thursdays in May

Stephen Cummings Come for dinner and a stellar acoustic show of rockabilly, honkytonk and Chicago blues. 7.30pm

Saturdays in May

Suzannah Espie & the Last Word Soul-country heart-throb Suzannah Espie takes to the Union stage with her sensational band the Last Word for five glorious afternoon sessions. Check it out. 5pm

Sun 23 May

Chucks Wagon (NSW) All the way from Sydney, Chuck sings of heartbreak, sin and redemption with Jason Walker on pedal steel 5pm

THE UNION HOTEL

BRUNSWICK 109 UNION ST, BRUNSWICK UHBBOOKINGS@YAHOO.COM.AU

9388 2235

ISSUE 1123

WEDNESDAY 19 MAY 2010 CREDITS EDITORIAL

Group Managing Editor Andrew Mast Editor Shane O’Donohue music@inpress.com.au Interval Editor Daniel Crichton-Rouse interval@inpress.com.au National Dance Editor Kris Swales zebra@inpress.com.au Contributing Editor Adam Curley Staff Writers Bryget Chrisfield, Michael Smith

ADVERTISING sales@inpress.com.au National Sales & Marketing Director Leigh Treweek Victorian Sales Manager Katie Owen Arts & local advertising Sarah Blaby Bands & local advertising Adrian Stoyles Zebra/Clubs Fern Greig-Moore

DESIGN & LAYOUT artroom@inpress.com.au Group Art Director Stuart Teague Inpress Cover Design / Art Direction Matt Greenwood Layout Matt Davis, Matt Greenwood, Stuart Teague

ACCOUNTS & ADMINISTRATION accounts@streetpress.com.au Accounts Qing Shu

CONTRIBUTORS

KIM SALMON & THE SURREALISTS INPRESS 16 20 22 24 26 28 30 31 32 34 34 35

Foreword Line – news, opinions, tours, Backlash and Frontlash Tame Impala don’t drug their audiences The Hold Steady have lost a keyboardist and slowed down a bit Stone Temple Pilots always knew they’d get back together Kim Salmon & The Surrealists have a 22-minute track on their new album. Woah On The Record reviews new releases by The Black Keys, JJ and Male Bonding Even never rehearse Chris Bailey and Ed Kuepper don’t hate each other after all The Red Eyes play reggae and dub, bro Joey Cape doesn’t remember first meeting his wife Biffy Clyro will play Wembley Stadium later this year Shai Hulud don’t mind being called hardcore

FRONT ROW 57

59 60

This Week In Arts, your comprehensive guide to the week ahead; Metro Gallery gets profiled; the News; Snapshot; and Urchin’s Christopher Brown talks fear Cultural Cringe explores the Next Wave Festival; 7 Up looks at film titles that are also the storyline; and Film Carew weighs in on The Secret In Their Eyes, Fish Tank, and City Island Directors Mia Timpano and Gemma Lee talk about their films, screening as part of this year’s St Kilda Film Festival Theatre Reviews: The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot and That Face; Festival Director Lisa Dempster previews the Emerging Writers’ Festival

BACK TO INPRESS 62 62 63 63 63 65 65 65 74 74 74 75 75 78 79 80 86 90 90

The Wireflys are going places The Spitfires are moving away from punk Stonnington Jazz Festival features old- and new-timers Brian Chase and Seth Misterka play free jazz Chase The Sun are way more electric on their second album Our LIVE section has everything you need to know about the world of Melbourne live music! Gig Of The Week blows its load over Jen Cloher and Jordie Lane LIVE:Reviews is left a little flat by Tegan & Sara Stu Harvey gives you a ShortFastReport on the world of punk and hardcore Andrew Haug takes us to the dark side in The Racket Kendal Coombs leads the under-18s boardroom in the Department Of Youth Adam Curley is a film clip star in The Breakdown Dan Condon blues then roots in Roots Down If you haven’t appeared in Fred Negro’s Pub, your mother probably still speaks to you Jeff Jenkins gets Even in Howzat! Our Gig Guide fills your diary for the weekend Find your new band and just about anything else in our classy Classifieds Finish Line hits hard with industry fact (and conjecture) James McGalliard votes in London Fields

Together with Coopers, Inpress is super-excited to be presenting The Coopers AMP Intimate Gig. Featuring the winner of this year’s Australian Music Prize, Lisa Mitchell, it’s an exclusive, intimate, invite-only event

PHOTOGRAPHERS Chrissie Francis, Kate Griffin, Kane Hibberd, Lara Luz, Lou Lou Nutt, Gina Maher, James Morgan, Heidi Takla, Nathan Uren.

INTERNS Andrea Biagini, Dale Brett, Mitchell Brown, Stefanie Markidis.

EDITORIAL POLICY The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. No part may be reproduced without the consent of the copyright holder. By submitting letters to us for publication, you agree that we may edit the letter for legal, space or other reasons. ©

DEADLINES Editorial Friday 5pm Advertising Bookings Friday 5pm Advertising Artwork Monday 5pm General Inquiries info@inpress.com.au (no attachments) Accounts/Administration accounts@streetpress.com.au Gig Guide gigguide@inpress.com.au Distribution distro@inpress.com.au Office Hours 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday

PUBLISHER Street Press Australia Pty Ltd 2-4 Bond Street, Abbotsford VIC 3067 PO Box 1079, Richmond North VIC 3121 Phone: (03) 9421 4499 Fax: (03) 9421 1011

PRINTED BY Rural Press Victoria

GIVEAWAYS Lisa Mitchell

Senior Contributors Clem Bastow, Jeff Jenkins Overseas Contributors Tom Hawking (US), James McGalliard (UK), Sasha Perera (UK). Writers Nick Argyriou, The Boomeister, Paul Andrew, Atticus Bastow, Steve Bell, Tim Burke, Dan Condon, Anthony Carew, EJ Cartledge, Peter Chambers, Matthew Cheetham, Chris Chinchilla, Rebecca Cook, Kendal Coombs, Adam Curley, Cyclone, Michael Daniels, Wayne Davidson, Guy Davis, Carolyn Dempsey, Liza Dezfouli, John Eagle, Guido Farnell, Sam Fell, Bob Baker Fish, Johnny Gash, Cameron Grace, Stu Harvey, Andrew Haug, Andy Hazel, Anthony Horan, Rod Hunt, Layne Kim, Cookie Lee, Joey Lightbulb, Michael Magnusson, Baz McAlister, Keith McDougall, Sam McDougall, Tony McMahon, Adam D Mills, Count Monbulge, Luke Monks, Fred Negro, Mark Neilsen, Roger Nelson, Danielle O’Donohue, Matt O’Neill, Jordan Oliver, Adrian Potts, Paul Ransom, Symon JJ Rock, Adam Sharp, Nic Toupee, Rob Townsend, Dominique Wall, Doug Wallen, Rod Yates.

Email giveaways@inpress.com.au from 5pm Wednesday taking place on Tuesday 1 June at 8pm at a secret venue. Also playing are the winners of the Red Bull Award (in recognition of outstanding potential), Oh Mercy. We have ten double passes to the show to give away, and as Mitchell has just sold out the Forum on her current tour, this is a huge prize. Coopers handcrafted beers are Australian made and Australian owned, so it makes sense they would support Australia’s most prestigious music prize, with both The AMP and Coopers being dedicated to craft excellence. Sydney quartet The Holidays have announced east coast headline dates to coincide with the release of their imminent new single, Golden Sky. It comes hot on the heels of their acclaimed single Moonlight Hours, which reached number one on Triple J’s playlist earlier this year, and consolidates the band’s foray into an exciting new direction, blending wild percussion, sing-along chant choruses, falsetto vocals and squawking guitars. The Holidays will be playing at the Curtin Hotel in Melbourne on Saturday 12 June and we have two double passes to give away.

Also hailing from the Harbour City, blues-rockers Chase The Sun are impressing all and sundry with their new album Rednecks And Gentlemen, which is chock full of killer riffs, driving, southern-hillbilly rock and powerful blues. They’re launching the album in Melbourne at Yah Yah’s on Saturday, with guests Abby Cardwell and the Jarrah Thompson duo, and we have five double passes to give away. Since the release of their debut album Dap Dippin’ in 2002, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings have received widespread acclaim for their spearheading of the funk/soul revival. Their fourth and latest fulllength release I Learned The Hard Way is no exception, with critics noting in particular Jones’ maturing voice and the soulful musicianship as the album’s major strengths. To celebrate its release, we have two signed copies of the album to give away. Adelaide band The Beards just love singing about beards. Playing at the Evelyn on Friday, we have two double passes to give away.

WORD UP TO PRIZE WINNERS: Prizes must be collected from Inpress offices during business hours (9am-5.30pm, Mon-Fri). ID is required when collecting prizes. Prizes must be collected within four weeks of the giveaway being published. Please note, Inpress giveaway policy is that winners are permitted one prize per four-week period only.

Secret Sounds presents

Special Guests BOY & BEAR and JOHNNY FLYNN

th 4

WED AUG THE HI-FI Tickets from THE HI-FI, 125 Swanston St, Ph 1300THEHIFI or www.thehiямБ.com.au; Polyester Records

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

I SPEAK BECAUSE I CAN OUT NOW ON EMI

www.lauramarling.com

FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

MORE MITCHELL

Lisa Mitchell’s Oh Hark! national tour has been so well received that the Forum Theatre show on Friday 28 May has sold out. Due to popular demand, Mitchell has announced a show at the Corner Hotel on Thursday 27 May. Tickets are on sale now from the Corner box office and cornerhotel.com. Turn to our giveaways page to find out how you can win a double pass to an exclusive performance from Mitchell at The Coopers AMP Intimate Gig on Tuesday 1 June.

T EN S E PR

LANE’S WAY

WEDNESDAY 19 MAY

SISSIES & SLUTS THEATRE GROUP PRESENTS:

“WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HYENA MADRID?”

FOLLOWED BY A FILM SCREENING OF ‘DAY OF THE ANIMALS’ ENTRY $12, 8.30PM

THURSDAY 20 MAY

MELTING POT PRESENTS:

SIOBHAN & THE SHAKERS CREATURES OF KARMA STOLEN APPLES LAUREN VICTORIA

ENTRY $10, 8PM

FRIDAY 21 MAY

ALBUM LAUNCH

THE BEARDS THE WOOHOO REVUE THE BASTARD CHILDREN ENTRY $10, 9PM

SATURDAY 22 MAY

CHRIS CAVILL & THE LONG WEEKEND 2SWAI

Melbourne alt.country folksters Jen Cloher and Jordie Lane have announced a second show after selling out their Thornbury Theatre gig on Friday. Cloher and Lane have promised the shows will include new material, duets and even a sweet Fleetwood Mac cover. The new show will take place at the Northcote Social Club this Sunday. Tickets are available from the Corner box office and northcotesocialclub.com.

WHAT A GUY

The bro with the ‘fro is carving up home soil once again with a national tour in June. Guy Sebastian and his band will hit the road armed with radio favourites Like It Like That and Bring Yourself from his fourth and latest studio album. Since his 2003 Australian Idol victory, the soul and R&B singer has scored more than a touchdown in his home country and overseas, most recently teaming up with fellow Idol alumni and US pop powerhouse Jordin Sparks for single Art Of Love. He will play an evening and night show at the Palms at Crown on Friday 18 June. Tickets are on sale now from Ticketek and crowncasino.com.au.

SUNDAY 23 MAY

SCALE FORCE

BREAK OPEN THE SKY

Alt.rock brothers Secrets In Scale will join local favourites Dream On Dreamer, Qlayface, The Grey File and The Take Off when supporting Closure In Moscow at their Sunday 6 June show at Phoenix Youth Centre. The band will also appear alongside Closure In Moscow the night before at the East Brunswick Club. Tickets for the shows are available from moshtix.com.au and the East Brunswick Club box office.

N SE

With a career spanning more than three decades and 16 albums, UK punk rock veterans The Vibrators are charging into 2010 like a bull on steroids with new album Under The Radar and their first ever tour of Australia next month. With a line-up including band founders Knox and Eddie, along with long-time bass player Pete, The Vibrators will play the Arthouse on Sunday 13 June with support from Sin City, Bastard Squad and Mince Meat.

RESIDENCY

TUESDAY 25 MAY

RESIDENCY

THE MOXIE GOODNIGHT OWL WINTER ENTRY $5, 8PM

MID STRENGTH While limited tickets still remain for the band’s show at the Prince Bandroom on Monday 2 August, US rockers Midlake have announced another show for the night before at the same venue. Tickets for the new show on Sunday 1 August are on sale now through the venue, Polyester Records, Greville Records, Missing Link and at handsometours.com and princebandroom.com.au.

E ES

PURPLE PARTY With their first mix CD, We Mix You Dance, about to drop, indie DJ kings Purple Sneakers are set to launch a weekly Friday night gig at Miss Libertine. Split across two rooms, the night will feature the hottest new indie tunes as well as classic dancefloor fillers. Each week will feature a selection Australia’s finest disc spinners, including the Purple Sneakers DJs as well as sets from top international and local bands. It all kicks off on Friday 11 June.

OMG, SNFU!

All three Melbourne dates of Metallica’s World Magnetic tour have sold out. It took only hours for fans to snap up all tickets to the legendary band’s three Rod Laver Arena shows this November. Metallica perform on Thursday 18, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 November.

After 29 years in the biz, Canadian punk legends SNFU are back on the road again with a stable line-up and new material in the works. The skate punk pioneers play the Arthouse on Thursday 15 July with special guests The Duvtons, The Pints and Sin City. Tickets are available at moshtix.com.au.

WHERE THERE’S A WILLS

GOOD FOR WHAT ALES YA

METALLICA SELL OUT

MONDAY 24 MAY

ENTRY BY DONATION, 9PM

New surf rock outfit The Break are following up the release of their debut album Church Of The Open Sky with a string of shows throughout the country next month. The band, which comprises three founding members of Midnight Oil and Brian Ritchie from Violent Femmes, will play the Studio in Geelong on Friday 11, the East Brunswick Club on Saturday 12 and the Gershwin Room at the Esplanade Hotel on Sunday 13 June.

GOOD VIBRATORS TS

ENTRY $5, 8PM

DJ OSCAR

BUBLE BATH

Norwegian black metal legends Mayhem are heading down under for the first time in eight years. The band are regarded as pioneers of the Norwegian black metal scene, and have endured 26 years as a band, surviving the suicide of a lead vocalist and the murder of a guitarist. The band will prove the very meaning of their name when they hit the Hi-Fi Bar with their violent stage presence on Thursday 23 September.

JUMBLEDAT DJ MUEL EL MOTH & THE TURBO RADS

Midnight Juggernauts have announced a national tour which will see them stop off in their hometown for a show at the Forum on Thursday 19 August. The trio’s debut album Dystopia established them with audiences around the globe, and their sparkling synth-rock follow up The Crystal Axis is just two weeks away from release. Tickets for the show are on sale now through Ticketmaster.

Chart-topping crooner Michael Bublé has announced two Melbourne shows in February as part of his 2011 Crazy Love tour. The Canadian singer has won hearts with covers of classics Sway, Come Fly With Me, Fever and, from his latest studio album, Crazy Love and Cry Me A River. Performing previous hits and new originals, Bublé will play Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 February. Presale tickets go on sale at 9am on Monday from visaentertainment.com.au, with a general public release on Friday 28 May through Ticketek.

MAY DAY

ANITA GEORGE

ENTRY $9 PRESALE, $12 DOOR, 9PM

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR

To celebrate the release of her EP Somebody For Everyone, Ainslie Wills is hitting the road on a tour of Victoria. The Melbourne songstress, who has supported the likes of Missy Higgins, will play Bella Union at Trades Hall on Friday 28 May, the Helen Macpherson Theatre in Ballarat on Saturday 29 May, the Newmarket Hotel in Bendigo on Friday 4 June and the Palais in Hepburn Springs on Friday 25 June.

Scottish metal pirates Alestorm will navigate stormy waters to this here fair land in September, to unleash their blend of folk and power metal on Aussie audiences. The self-proclaimed Scottish pirate metal band will be joined by Australia’s own metal five-piece Claim The Throne for a show at the Corner Hotel on Saturday 19 June. Tickets are on sale from the Corner box office and Missing Link Records.

COMING UP:

SONGWRITERS COLLECTIVE PRESENTS: (WEDNESDAYS IN JUNE) SEX ON TOAST (27MAY) VOLTERA (ALBUM LAUNCH) (28 MAY) AFRO-MANDINO (29 MAY) CACOPHONY SOCIETY (3 JUNE) THE RESIGNATORS (ALBUM LAUNCH) (4 JUNE) RAINBIRD (5 JUNE) SARITAH (10 JUNE) MARSHALL & THE FRO (11 JUNE) A STATE OF FLUX (ALBUM LAUNCH) (12 JUNE) RED INK (17 JUNE) SLEEP PARADE (SINGLE LAUNCH) (18 JUNE) RAVE REVIEW 1ST BIRTHDAY (19 JUNE) MUMBLETOWN (24 JUNE) VAUDEVILLE SMASH (25 JUNE) ROOT! (26 JUNE) IDA BRAIM (1 JULY) OWN KIND (EP LAUNCH) (3 JULY) STRIKE ANYWHERE (17 JULY)

$2 CARLTON POTS EVERY MONDAY FRI 21 MAY - NICK BARKER + MICK THOMAS FRI 4 JUNE - FAMILIA MOJA FUNDRAISER WITH MISO + HOULETTE FRI 11 JUNE - FIRE! SANTA ROSA, FIRE! + KIMBRA + DEEP SEA ARCADE

WED 19 MAY RESIDENCY FINAL NIGHT!

GRAND ATLANTIC (RESIDENCY) + DETECTIVE SOCIAL + SKYE HARBOUR

SAT 22 MAY

THURS 20 MAY

FRI 21 MAY

+ NICK HUGGINS + J WALKER

HELLO SATELLITES (SINGLE LAUNCH) NICK BARKER (ALBUM LAUNCH)

MASTER CARDINAL + DREAMING OF GHOSTS + TEHACHAPI + STRANGERS FROM NOW ON WED 26 MAY

EMERGING WRITERS FESTIVAL

MICK THOMAS

(MACHINE TRANSLATIONS) TWO BRIGHT LAKES DJS (WEDDING PARTIES ANYTHING) SUN 23 MAY

POND (ALBUM PREVIEW FT. MEMBERS

OF TAME IMPALA) W/ EV & SHAGS + ZSA ZSA (MEMBERS OF KES, SONGS & FAB DIAMONDS)

FRI 28 MAY

IOWA 7”INCH LAUNCH

W/ SKULLSQUADRON + QUIET THE FEW

SAT 29 MAY

BRIGHT KNIGHTS ALBUM LAUNCH

W/ ELLE SKIES

FUNCTIONS@GETNOTORIOUS.COM

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

APOLOGY TO FURST MEDIA PTY LTD

T EN S E PR

On 9 December 2009 Inpress magazine featured a segment entitled “BARhop” which contained reviews of various bars in Melbourne. Since publication, it has come to our attention that the segment reproduced parts of the “Mini Bar 16” publication appearing in Beat Magazine on 4 November 2009, in which Furst Media Pty Ltd claims copyright. The reproduction was inadvertent. Inpress apologises to Furst Media Pty Ltd, the publisher of Beat Magazine, for any distress that this may have caused.

MARK OF A CHAMPION

Mark Lanegan will perform a series of shows across Australia in July, on his first solo tour since 2004. Lanegan was co-founder and lead vocalist of mid-’80s grunge heavyweights Screaming Trees, but his solo ventures and collaborations with artists since then are equally as notable.Throughout the ‘90s and after the demise of Screaming Trees, Lanegan worked solidly on his solo efforts, first with glorious debut The Winding Sheet. His most recent solo album, Bubblegum, was a critical smash and featured contributions from PJ Harvey, Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri, Dean Ween of Ween and Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin. Lanegan was also a member of Queens Of The Stone Age for albums Songs For The Deaf and Lullabies To Paralyze. Lanegan plays the Corner Hotel on Wednesday 7 July. Frontier members’ pre-sale tickets are available from noon today, general public tickets go on sale 9am Friday.

KEPT IN THE DARK Coopers Dark Ale, PBS FM and Inpress invite you to attend an exclusive gig at a secret location on Saturday 17 July. Featuring The Drones, The Dacios and Batrider, this free show, broadcast live to air on PBS, will be the most intimate gig The Drones have played in Melbourne in years. The band, whose local shows always sell out, performed at the Pavement-curated All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in the UK on the weekend. You can’t buy your way into this exclusive invite-only event; for further information on how you can score yourself a ticket go to coopers.com.au/events/soundsafterdark.

YOUNG LOVE

Following last week’s release of debut album We Are The Lost Loves, Melbourne dramatic ethereal pop duo Young Heretics have announced their first full-band national tour in July. In the band’s short history, members Kitty Hart and Matthew Wright have self-funded and self-produced an EP and debut album and captured audiences with their whimsical, dreamlike pop sound. They’ll be back onstage at the Northcote Social Club on Saturday 24 July. Tickets are on sale now from the Corner box office and northcotesocialclub.com.

S RE

FREE MUSIC DOWNLOADS

To get your hands on two free tracks from a couple of this country’s hottest up-and-comers, simply head to universalmusic.net.au/freedownloads/ streetpressaustralia! Cement (No Device Remix) WASHINGTON Washington is a singer/songwriter who is difficult to pigeonhole. She crosses genres from pop to country to folk and her influences range from Kate Bush to Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen to Radiohead. However, it’s her musicality, songwriting and intuitive intellect that distinguishes her from her peers. The title track from her debut EP How To Tame Lions won the inaugural Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition. Taken from Washington’s eagerly anticipated debut album I Believe You, Liar (released Friday 30 July), Cement can only be described as the perfect pop song. Washington’s second EP, Rich Kids, is available now. When I Feel Like Jesus’ Son The World Will Feel Much Different ERNEST ELLIS

A BIGGER SLASH After selling out his Palace show in eight minutes, the Melbourne gig of guitar god Slash has been moved to the much larger Festival Hall. Touring with Alter Bridge singer Myles Kennedy, Slash will perform songs from his latest self-titled album (featuring guest appearances from the likes of Wolfmother’s Andrew Stockdale, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Cornell, Dave Grohl, Lemmy and Ian Astbury) as well as Guns N’ Roses classics. Slash plays Festival Hall on Wednesday 11 August. Palace tickets are valid for the new show; remaining tickets go on sale from Ticketmaster on Friday.

Taken from his forthcoming debut album Hunting, When I Feel Like Jesus’ Son The World Will Feel Much Different incorporates all the Ernest Ellis hallmarks that we’ve come to know: a delicate falsetto, swelling guitar lines and arcane lyrics matched with memorable melodies. Recorded in various rural locales in NSW and mixed at 301 and Big Jesus Burger in Sydney, Hunting (out next month) includes the tracks Loveless, Bad Blood and Heading For The Cold.

UP THE HILL

With more than 18 million albums sold worldwide, Cypress Hill –the trio of rappers B-Real, Sen Dog and producer DJ Muggs – have pushed hip hop’s boundaries since their inception in the early ‘90s. The group’s new studio album, their eighth, is titled Rise Up and was produced by Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine and features appearances from Pete Rock, Daron Malakian, Mike Shinoda, Apathy, Pitbull, Marc Anthony and more. Cypress Hill play the Palace on Thursday 23 September. Tickets go on sale Thursday 3 June from Ticketmaster.

FORMIDABLE PASSION

All tickets to Passion Pit’s show at the Prince Bandroom on Thursday 5 August sold out in 20 minutes last week, so a second gig at the same venue on Wednesday 4 August has been announced. The band’s good-time electro indie pop was a huge hit at this year’s Big Day Out – Passion Pit will also be tearing it up at the sold-out Splendour In The Grass festival on Sunday 1 August.

E ES

GET IT OM Rising from the ashes of legendary Californian stoner doom metal lords Sleep, Al Cisneros and Chris Hakius – AKA Om – had a well-documented meltdown after the recording of their live album Jerusalem, later know as Dopesmoker. In 2008 Hakius left the band and was replaced by drummer Emil Amos, but Om remains one of the most innovative bands of modern psych, drone and doom metal. The San Fransiscan duo play the Hi-Fi Bar on Friday 16 July with Lichens and Blarke Bayer/Black Widow. Get tickets Friday from thehifi.com.au.

MERCY RULE

After gallivanting around the US following their performance at this year’s SXSW, Oh Mercy take time out from recording their second album to play a free, all-ages gig at Pure Pop Records at 3pm on Saturday 29 May. The band have a busy year ahead – once they finish their Mitchell Froom-produced new record, they join a national Temper Trap tour in July and play the sold-out Splendour In The Grass festival.

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

HAVE A HEART

T EN S E PR

The annual Heart Of St Kilda concert, which is the Sacred Heart Mission’s major yearly fundraiser to support them in the vital work they undertake, will be held at the Palais Theatre on Tuesday 29 June. Acts confirmed include Tex Perkins, Archie Roach, Paris Wells, Clare Bowditch, Mick Thomas, Rebecca Barnard, Ella & Jesse Hooper, Stephen Cummings, Kutcha Edwards, Even, The Frowning Clouds, Brian Nankervis, Des Dowling, Judith Lucy, Greg Fleet, Ian Bland and Hannah Gadsby. Every day of the year Sacred Heart Mission provides free breakfasts and three-course hot lunches to people who are homeless or living in poverty.

IN THE WARS

With Bodyjar duties behind them and debut single Giving It Up ready to go, the considerable talents of singer/ guitarist/songwriter Cam Baines and tub-thumper Shane Wakker, along with Mikey Juler (formerly of For Amusement Only) and Mark Brunott, are set to unveil Cola Wars’ debut album, Invader. The band launch their release at the Northcote Social Club on Friday 18 June with support from Behind Crimson Eyes and The Statics.

GOING SOFT

KEVIN SENT

The Soft Pack – formerly known as The Muslims – began as a collaboration of two friends, Matt Lamkin and Matty McLoughlin. In 2008 the pair recruited Dave Lantzman (bass) and Brian Hill (drums), dropped their somewhat-controversial “Muslims” moniker and continued their prolific rise, with releases of MP3s, sell-out vinyl singles and EPs, viral videos and an appearance on Letterman. Already garnering comparisons to the likes of The Strokes, The Velvet Underground and Eddy Current Suppression Ring, The Soft Pack play rock’n’roll distilled to its very essence. The band perform at the East Brunswick Club on Thursday 8 July.

BEST OF FRIENDS

My Friend The Chocolate Cake will preview new material and play a swag of old favourites as they play three intimate, two-set shows at Spenserlive on Saturday 10, Saturday 17 and Friday 23 July.

E ES

KICKING GOALS

SYN Media have announced that The Delta Riggs, Wilfred Jackal, Boarders, Money For Rope and The Kremlin Succession are the five finalists of this year’s Free Kick band competition. The Free Kick Competition is an initiative by SYN Media and the 2010 Community Cup, offering an emerging band or artist the chance to perform at this year’s event. The five finalists will battle it out at the Free Kick Finals at the Espy on Thursday 27 May. Held on Sunday 27 June at Elsternwick Park, the Community Cup is a top game of footy showcasing some of Australia’s best live musicians. The winner will perform at this year’s event alongside The Living End, Nick Barker & The Reptiles, The Blackeyed Susans and Little Freddie & The Pops. In keeping with The Clash theme for this year’s event, the winning band will also be required to perform a Clash song as part of their set.

Kevin Rudolf’s first Australian tour will deliver a maximum-impact close encounter with a star of global urban rock. Rudolf will perform songs from smash hit debut Let It Rock and upcoming second album To The Sky. Latest single I Made It, featuring Lil’ Wayne, Birdman and Jay Sean, has already dominated the charts worldwide and is currently sitting pretty in the top 40 of the ARIA Singles Chart. With support from rising LA-based rap star Tyga, Rudolf plays the Palace on Friday 16 July.

WHIT’S END

With a number of dates already sold out, Whitley has added a fourth and final show on his intimate solo tour. Armed only with a guitar, Whitley now also plays the Northcote Social Club on Monday. Head to northcotesocialclub.com now to book tickets. Whitley has also announced an extra 30 tickets each night on the door for his otherwise sold out shows at the NSC tonight, tomorrow and Friday. Get there early – they’ll be snapped up in no time.

CLOUD CONTROL

SAL OUT Sally Seltmann, the songwriter and singer best known for her previous work under the alias New Buffalo, will launch her new album Heart That’s Pounding with a full-band national tour in July. Joining Sally onstage will be her husband Darren Seltmann, lyrical pop songstress Jessica Venables (Jessica Says), Mark Monnone (The Lucksmiths) and Tim Harvey (Hot Little Hands). Together the band will be performing songs from Seltmann’s new album as well as reaching back into the New Buffalo catalogue. Joining her on Saturday 10 July at the Corner Hotel will be Melbourne art pop trio Otouto and rock outfit Kyu. Tickets are available from the Corner box office and at cornerhotel.com.

Recent Inpress cover stars The Frowning Clouds are teaming up with New South Wales band The Delta Riggs for a Sunday residency at the Workers Club in June. The Frowning Clouds’ recent debut album, Listen Closelier, is a garage rock gem, while The Delta Riggs are as steeped in genuine Americana and good-time classic freak’n’roll as ever a band was. Support acts include Here Comes The Sun and Fuzz Phantoms.

LETTER’S IN

Dead Letter Chorus are back with Covered By Snow, the first single from their forthcoming second album. The band recently spent more than six weeks touring Canada, where their previous record, The August Magnificent, was received well, leading one critic to call them “Australia’s answer to Arcade Fire”. Covered By Snow will be available as a limited edition 7” single and digital download later this month. With Canadian band Two Hours Traffic in tow, Dead Letter Chrous play the Northcote Social Club on Saturday 12 June.

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VALENTINE’S DAY With more than two millions records sold worldwide, and most recent album Fever going top five here and in the States, Japan and across Europe, metal behemoth Bullet For My Valentine play Festival Hall on Thursday 9 September. The huge bill also includes Warped tour favourites Bring Me The Horizon and Cancer Bats. Tickets go on sale Thursday 27 May from Ticketmaster.

FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

MACLELLAN AXED

The hospitality industry is “not disappointed” that the state government quietly appointed a new Director Of Liquor Licensing, replacing the controversial Sue Maclellan. ADRIAN POTTS garners the reaction. They Tote and they vote – pic by Leila Morrissey

he campaign for small live music venues to have their ‘high risk’ status removed continues in Victoria, however there are signs that their luck could change. The state government has appointed a new Director Of Liquor Licensing to replace Sue Maclellan, who faced widespread criticism for imposing rigid security conditions on all premises with amplified live music in an effort to curb alcohol-related violence. Live music advocates hope that the appointment of former Small Business Commissioner, Mark Brennan, as the new Director represents a shift in government attitude on the issue. Brennan previously has worked on projects to reduce red tape for businesses, the relaxing of retail trading hours and liquor industry reform. Spokesperson for the live music advocate group SLAM, Quincy McLean, believes that the coming months will be crucial in determining the future of small music venues. “We have a list of recommendations we’re going to be putting to the [state] government because now is the time to act,” McLean says. “The government are going to be developing their policies in the lead up to the election and Liquor Licensing is being restructured and they have a new Director.”

BACKLASH

music advocates and the state government – whereby venues can apply to have their high risk status removed – few venues have been granted a rollback of conditions so far. Greens MP Greg Barber has criticised the restrictive fine print of the Accord. “There are only a few dozen venues in the first round [of rollbacks] who are going to have their conditions varied,” Barber says.

Sue Maclellan alienated the music industry during her five-year tenure as Liquor Licensing Director through the proposed ‘2am lockout’ on licensed venues in 2008 and last year’s crackdown on security measures at live music venues. “She was very much out of touch with the requirements of licensed premises, particularly live music venues,” McLean says. “I would have thought the licensing director’s job would have been to work with licensed venues, not to punish them. “We had an opportunity to grill her about some of these issues at one stage and she seemed to have no qualms about the fact that venues had closed down,” he says. “We’re not disappointed to see her go.” That was, however, before the groundswell of opposition to the ‘high risk’ conditions that required small music venues to adhere to costly new security conditions. While many venues were forced to scale-back or cease allowing performances, the closure of rock institution the Tote ignited huge protest that culminated in some 15,000 musicians, gig goers and industry figures taking part in the Save Live Australia’s Music rally in February. Although a Live Music Accord has been signed between Space Invadas

He believes that rollbacks should extend to venues that had costly security measures imposed on them prior to the beginning of the government crackdown in early 2009. “That doesn’t even bring us to new venues that want to bring in live music but won’t because they are scared of the conditions that will be imposed on them,” he says. “Remove all the conditions as they relate to live music,” Barber says. “Live music shouldn’t be any sort of trigger to high risk conditions.” Liberal MP and opposition consumer affairs spokesperson Michael O’Brien has also condemned the government’s handling of live music, even in the wake of the Accord. “Having a brass band at the local RSL is not the same as having a Metallica gig at a venue,” he says. “The Liberals have proposed a five-star rating system where venues with bad track records will incur high risk measures and we will reward good venues that are well managed, with discounts on their liquor licensing fees.” Quincy McLean of SLAM will be continuing discussions with the state government in coming weeks. “We’ll certainly be asking questions about why only 33 venues were approached by Liquor Licensing for the rollback, and why only six venues applied and of those only two have had a rollback so far – the other ones I think Sue Maclellan left on her desk when she left,” he says. “As far as the rollback goes, I’d see that as a failure when there’s 400-plus [music] venues that have high risk conditions.”

FRONTLASH

TONY ABBOTT

SPACE INVADAS

The Lib leader lets slip that not everything he says is the truth – and for the first time we believe him.

Last time we saw this super-soulful local act at the Toff there was enough room to swing ten cats, so it was great to see a packed house for their mind-blowing show back there last week. Oh, guest singer Fantine was fuckin’ ace too.

PUMP UP THE VOLUME C’mon, Fitness Australia. We all pay way too much for gym memberships we never use – it’s about time you started paying musicians fairly for capitalising on their creative product.

QUIT FACEBOOK DAY Read all about this Herald Sun-endorsed campaign on the official Facebook event page. Yes, really.

THE PBS RADIO FESTIVAL As if you needed any more incentive to become a subscriber to this excellent radio institution, sign up before the festival ends on Sunday 30 May for a chance to win a new car.

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CHRIS KLEIN Worst. Audition. Ever

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NATIVE SPEAKERS “We rocked up in our tour van and there was a line outside the door and it had sold out!” frontman KEVIN PARKER tells BRYGET CHRISFIELD of TAME IMPALA’s London showcase gig. Cover pic by CYBELE MALINOWSKI.

but is now living with “some other friends”. “We pretty much live communally anyway,” he goes on. “We’re around at each other’s houses nearly every day.” Although you wouldn’t know from the listed members on the Pond MySpace page (Wirey B Buddha, Paisley Adams, Kaykay Sorbet, Celestius Maximus Argyle, etc), this Perth band shares multiple members with Tame Impala. “They’re our pseudonyms,” Parker chuckles of the inventive monikers, explaining that Pond is “as much [about] hilarity as serious songwriting”. “There is constantly music and sound being made in our sort of ‘jam house’. Jay and Nick are the two leaders of Pond, that’s one of our other band side-project things. I’m their drummer and so they just tell me what to do and I bash the skins and have great fun. And they have other friends of ours [contributing] that we live with and hang out with and stuff. I think there are about five people in Pond, but technically there are unlimited people because anyone can just do anything they want,” he continues. “They just finished recording their fourth album! We went down south for a couple of weeks – we just got back about a week ago – and recorded an album in our friend’s farm, which was pretty fun. They’re the most prolific band I’ve ever heard of. [Pond] produced all their albums in the time it took Tame Impala to do one.” Singling out a show Tame Impala played in the UK last year as a performance highlight, Parker marvels, “a few of our idols were there”. The hesitant namedropper needs further coaxing. “Well, this lady named Fabien del Sol – a singer that I’ve always loved. Liam Watson, who is a recording engineer, and Noel Fielding was there. And some of the guys from Klaxons. They all came to watch us.” Tame Impala’s Sundown Syndrome single was recorded by Watson in his Toerag Studios during this same stint abroad. “We had had a phone conversation before [the gig],” Parker tells of how Tame Impala secured the services of the engineer responsible for Elephant by The White Stripes, “but [Watson] knew that we were playing and he came to check us out and to listen to us.

ounging in the backyard of his Perth digs soaking up some rays, Tame Impala’s frontman Kevin Parker sounds relaxed but also inspired. “We had a small line-up change so we’re really into practising and it’s sounding really awesome,” he says of his band’s activities over the last couple of days. Is Parker speaking of the permanent recruitment of elfin guitarist Nick Allbrook? “Nah, we’ve had Nick for ages now,” he corrects. “He is now playing bass guitar and Dom [Simper] who played bass guitar is now on guitar duties.” Jay Watson is still thumping the tubs. The first time this scribe encountered Allbrook as part of the Tame Impala live show was at Meredith Music Festival in 2008 when he was sporting a crazy, multicoloured fluoro scarf/boa and handing grapes out to the front rows. “Oh, yeah he did,” Parker remembers. “We always get fruit in our rider so whenever we play a song that he doesn’t do anything in he always gives a bunch of fruit away to the audience.” Having initially waved the grapes past, I later kicked myself believing they may have been injected with liquid hallucinogens. “No, they were quite safe,” Parker laughs. “We’re not gonna go drugging our audience.” Tame Impala shared the Meredith stage with another band often flung into the psychedelic category, Brooklyn’s MGMT. The Perth quartet also scored national tour support duties for MGMT and will be reuniting to

share overseas stages with the band later this year. “We’re going to Europe in September and October to tour with MGMT,” Parker enthuses. “And we’re doing America with them in June, which will be really good.” Tame Impala are no strangers to support slots (they’ve previously warmed up stages for Yeasayer and The Black Keys). “Playing in Perth, you kinda have to do what you’re told in terms of stage set-up and the length of time [you play]. So when you see headline bands, they’re the ones making the rules and they can really tailor their live performance to what they want. And so – seeing each band that you support – it really inspires you to get your show to be unique in some way.” Parker says supporting MGMT really brought home the fact that “they are human”. “[MGMT] are probably the only band we’ve supported that we’ve watched every night. They break strings and their guitars go out of tune as well, you know. You always see huge international touring bands [as if they’re] on another level of musicianship, but it’s nothing like that – everyone’s potentially the same level of musician.” Parker recorded all of the instrumentation on Tame Impala’s self-titled EP before his band signed to a label and observes of the process behind their debut longplayer InnerSpeaker, “This was the first time that I’ve actually recorded a batch of songs for a foreseeable project – for

an album, from start to finish… It was done with a little bit more of a professional attitude.” Tame Impala were put up in what the InnerSpeaker presser describes as “an enormous treehouse mansion with 180 degree views of the Indian Ocean” to work on the album. “It’s this house on a hill in the middle of nowhere next to the ocean and it’s like three storeys high,” Parker elaborates, “and it’s made of a different scrap of wood for every panel. It’s huge but it actually looks like a mutant treehouse and it’s in the middle of the bush. It’s the most amazing house I’ve ever been to. The scenery is distracting to say the least.” Tame Impala’s expansive sound calls to mind the experience of stumbling across an unexpectedly breathtaking view after a taxing mountain hike at the best of times. So does Parker feel like this spectacular panorama infiltrated InnerSpeaker? “That was as much a blessing as a problem,” he offers, “because the scenery was so inspiring that, when your visual stimulation is that nice, you could play anything on an instrument and it would sound blissful – you’d just strum one chord and your life would be complete. It was hard to tell what was actually sounding dreamy and what was just [seeming that way] because of the scenery. We had to take the album back to our house in Perth and listen to it there and actually suss it out,” he confesses. Parker explains he used to live with the rest of the guys from Tame Impala

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“It was just us playing. Our label had organised a show in Islington and I thought there would just be a couple of journalists and random people [would] come to watch us. And we rocked up in our tour van and there was a line outside the door and it had sold out. It was a really career-changing night for me, that night. At the end of it I was sitting outside with Nick having a cigarette at the hotel and I was just thinking to myself, ‘How can life continue now that this has happened?’.” Parker laughs uncomfortably as if he believes this recollection sounds lame and then remembers another exciting incident. “Also, we were leaving that night and some people swamped us. They’d driven for two hours to see us and they were from somewhere in rural England or something.” Parker sounds surprised by the realisation that Tame Impala have already attracted attention internationally and confesses, “I’m not really attached to the outside world that well… I thought that we would forever be an Australian band [touring locally] but, yeah! It really opened my eyes to the fact that people in other countries are actually similar to you and listen to the same kind of things and everyone really has similar music taste when it comes down to it.” WHO: Tame Impala WHAT: InnerSpeaker (Modular) WHEN & WHERE: Friday, the Forum; Saturday 12pm, in-store at JB Hi Fi, Bourke Street store

CHANGE OF PACE Not everyone has been won over by THE HOLD STEADY’s laid-back new album, Heaven Is Whenever. “There’s X amount of people who are just resistant to change at all,” frontman CRAIG FINN tells STEVE BELL.

One of the most obvious examples on the record is that close inspection of the lyrics to The Weekenders reveals that the characters are clearly those from the song Chips Ahoy, which was a cornerstone of 2006’s Boys And Girls In America album.

hen it was announced a few months ago that the awesomely-mustachioed keyboardist Franz Nicolay was leaving The Hold Steady, many were concerned that it was more than just the Brooklyn band’s visual aesthetics that would suffer from his absence. Yet while there’s no doubt that Nicolay’s adroit skills had made an impact on the band’s anthemic barroom music over the course of their last few albums, the release of the Brooklyn group’s fifth, Heaven Is Whenever, has more than allayed any fears in this regard, for – while it has a distinctly more laidback vibe than their recent fare – the record proves without a shadow of a doubt that The Hold Steady’s rousing appeal has survived the change fully intact.

“You know what, I was thinking about social networking,” Finn admits of the song’s background. “I’m not on Facebook but my girlfriend is, and I was thinking about all of these people getting back in touch with each other through Facebook – people she hasn’t talked to since high school – and I was kind of thinking of those two characters in Chips Ahoy and having them reconnect, or try to reconnect. It was kind of supposed to be like, ‘Well we haven’t talked in a few years, but I’m reaching out to you’.”

“I think the songs just lead us there,” frontman and lyricist Craig Finn offers of the different direction displayed on Heaven Is Whenever. “I think a lot of it was because, being on our fifth record, we’ve played a million shows, which made us confident enough to try some new things and stretch out a little bit. I think the other thing is that Franz left the band, so we kind of got back to a four-piece for the writing process, and that puts space into the back end of the music that I really feels serves it well. There’s a little bit more room for the songs to breathe and I think that that’s a big part of the record. “The thing was that Franz came in late anyway – he wasn’t an original member of the band. It just freed up a lot of space, and maybe you can just hear the other four instruments better and it allowed us to really lock in as a four-piece a little more. So I think it definitely affected the songwriting process – we did use keyboards and piano, but only where we felt they were really needed.” As with all bands utilising a distinctive sound or persona, their devoted fans cling to this for dear life and are resistant to any change to what they perceive to be the group’s core motif. Accordingly, in the blogosphere many hardcore disciples of The Hold Steady have been somewhat nonplussed about this new direction. “Yeah, well I think if you look at it there’s X amount of people who are just resistant to change at all,” Finn laughs. “But I think for a band to stay interesting it has to grow a little bit, and that there’s things we’re going to have to constantly change musically to keep it interesting for us, and to keep it interesting for the

and explaining who’s doing what all the time because I do think that the beauty of a song is that people are able to inject their own emotions and own feelings about it, and I want to continue on that path – I think that’s more important to me than spelling out any sort of story.”

Another standout track on Heaven Is Whenever is We Can Get Together, a music geek’s wet dream which – aside from providing the name for the album – subtly namechecks a slew of bands such as Pavement, Hüsker Dü and Meatloaf (amongst many other more obscure acts).

audiences. I think one of the things is that we’ve done five albums now in seven years, so I feel like we can keep making records however we want to and it will always change a little bit because we do ‘em pretty quick.” While the band’s last two albums have covertly strived to encourage their fans to better themselves and look for the positives in the myriad of complicated scenarios that life often throws at us, their live shows – with the omnipresent ‘So much joy!’ mantra that Finn regales his fans with each night – also add to the band’s notoriously communal appeal. “I think that’s one thing I always wanted to do with the band, to inject some positivity into a rock’n’roll band or a rock’n’roll song,” Finn concurs. “I want our shows to be

this big communal experience and I think that’s something that we’ve been able to offer people. To offer a realistic but optimistic view on life, or just how they feel for that one night. We’ve done our thing in that regard, but the reaction has been overwhelming because people really will go there with us. It can get pretty crazy some nights.” Fortunately for long-term fans the ongoing narrative arc that unfolds over the band’s albums hasn’t completely disappeared – characters such as Gideon, Holly and Charlemagne are still woven into the lyrics, just now you have to delve a little deeper to find them. “I think that there’s some songs on this record that relate to that and some that don’t,” Finn admits. “But also I think I’ve continued to keep it away from the proper nouns

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“On that one I was just thinking about how when you meet someone who likes the same music as you, you can kind of go into this sort of static thing where you go, ‘Oh dude, have you heard this? Have you heard this?’,” Finn chuckles. “And I think I wanted to try and capture that, along with the idea of two people sitting in front of a record player and creating their own little world. Because in some ways that’s what The Hold Steady does, we’ve created this alternate world where all these characters live, but I think that that’s what people do with rock’n’roll in general sometimes – you turn up, you put on your headphones and you kind of block out the world. So there’s this kind of escapist thing, and sharing that with someone – as in the case of We Can Get Together – is what I was trying to capture. “That’s kind of been another thing that’s been amazing about being immersed in this band, just seeing lots of music and meeting some of your favourite artists. I still love buying records, I still love music.” WHO: The Hold Steady WHAT: Heaven Is Whenever (Vagrant/Shock)

THE SECOND STONE AGE

Nineties alt.rock giants STONE TEMPLE PILOTS are back with their first new album in ten years. “I don’t think any of us wants to redo anything we’ve already done,” guitarist DEAN DELEO tells DOUG WALLEN.

he career of ’90s alt.rock figureheads Stone Temple Pilots is littered with prestigious awards, gold and platinum albums, six #1 singles in the US, and more than 35 million albums sold across the globe. Despite 2003’s cherry-picking anthology Thank You, however, that blockbuster career sat dormant between 2002 and 2008. Coming off hiatus for an extensive North American tour in ’08, the California quartet stayed together and got down to work on a sixth album. Fans and haters alike may not have expected a new chapter in the STP saga, but for guitarist Dean DeLeo, it was always just a matter of time. “I can’t say I was really surprised,” he admits by phone, sounding as relaxed as could be. “I can say I patiently waited. I was ecstatic that the next chapter arrived. I knew it would, but I didn’t know when. I just felt like it wasn’t really over. None of us did.” Self-titled and self-produced, the new record is proof of the reignited partnership between

singer Scott Weiland, drummer Eric Kretz, DeLeo and his bassist brother Robert. DeLeo had been saving many of the new songs for a long time, making it a particular thrill for him to see them finally greet the light of day. “I love recording music,” he says, “especially songs that have been sitting in my pocket for many, many years. It’s quite cathartic to get them out. It’s very relieving. And that I have the opportunity to have guys like Robert and Eric and Scott embellish upon my music… it’s mighty fine, man.” Romping through 12 songs in 41 minutes, Stone Temple Pilots is built on effortless choruses and splashy guitar licks. Helmed by the brothers DeLeo in LA, it in no way rehashes the grunge thrills of platinum-selling early efforts like 1993’s Core and 1994’s Purple. The bluesy hooks of Take A Load Off and Hazy Days may immediately be of the familiar STP brand, but most of the songs have a ’60s or ’70s feel, flitting between power pop, glam, baroque rock and more. Hickory Dichotomy and First Kiss On Mars are decidedly Bowie-ish, while Between The Lines recalls Tom Petty by way of Nirvana. The closing Maver is a harmony-ripened ballad underscored with piano, and Dare If You Dare is a dreamy Beatlesque vision until the chorus tips its hat to Mott The Hoople’s Bowie-penned All The Young Dudes. “We sure didn’t set out to make that type of record,” DeLeo asserts. “I think we just wanted to be a little more expressive. Being the guitar player, I really have all the paints in front of me. That’s where all the colour comes from. I just wanted to approach things a little differently, with cleaner tones and a lot of Telecaster stuff. It’s funny you say ’60s or ’70s: I think the record has a real country tinge, quite honestly.”

“Our name’s not even on the cover. We didn’t want anything to disturb that image. That image, to us, was like a flower. How do you improve on that?” He cites a country influence in everything from Huckleberry and Hickory Dichotomy to Maver and First Kiss On Mars, admitting that the latter started as a “nice little country ditty” before Weiland introduced some very cosmic lyrics about a “bipolar disco” and “super magic robots”. “That’s what’s so exciting about Scott coming back with something,” DeLeo gushes. “He comes back with the complete, complete unexpected.” Although Weiland has said this is basically the first album where his lyrics weren’t preoccupied by his heroin addiction, witness the rascally refrain of the lead single Between The Lines: “You always were my favourite drug/Even when we used to take drugs.” Vocally and lyrically, he then approaches something like vintage Britpop on the super-romantic Cinnamon, a song written and demoed entirely by Robert one night after dinner. Coaxed along by the cascading jangle, Weiland swoons, “You’ve got to be the prettiest girl/I’ve ever witnessed in the whole world.” “We threw a lot of material at him,” recalls DeLeo. “We were demoing three, four songs a day. We worked up 20-something. Then we got together and, in our usual fashion, we played most everything acoustically so Scott could really hear the chordings that were happening. Then we played the stuff live. So the album was actually cut twice: once in demo form and then for real.” The album, he adds, was recorded digitally, albeit with the band’s own collection of vintage gear. As for the record’s eye-catching cover, it’s an image of fingers making the universal peace sign, courtesy of influential artist Shepard Fairey (the man behind the Obey Giant). Between that image and the decision to make the album self-titled, Stone Temple Pilots are letting the image and album speak from themselves. “That pretty much sums it up,” argues DeLeo. “Our name’s not even on the cover. We didn’t want anything to disturb that image. That image, to us, was like a flower. How do you improve on that?” Asked if the album could be taken as untitled, he laughs and says, “Call it what you want, man. You can call it Peace”. He acknowledges that, in the tradition of the Beatles’ White Album, fans will sometimes mint their own name for a record. With a new album hitting the world and more tour dates in the offing, STP are poised to make their first-ever visit to Australia early next year. Live, the band remain simply a quartet – “There’s nothing else playing but guitar, bass, drums, and a singer, the way god meant it to be,” beams DeLeo – but there has been talk of adding a touring member to man keyboards and other extras. Either way, he says, “We’ve played those songs as a three-piece live and it works.” Whatever one’s thoughts about Stone Temple Pilots in the year 2010, the band have avoided any cashing in on the burgeoning grunge revival. As DeLeo tells it, the new album isn’t derived from the band’s initial lifespan but rather the years spent on hiatus. “We haven’t made a musical statement as the four of us in eight years,” he reminds. “A lot happens in one’s life in a week, let alone eight years. [This] is just a reflection of what has transpired in our lives.” At the same time, he doesn’t put much stock in the idea that his time in various projects and Weiland’s years spent fronting Velvet Revolver lent some profound perspective to the new songs. “That doesn’t really affect me too much,” he says. “I treat everything differently. I don’t think any of us wants to redo anything we’ve already done.”

WHO: Stone Temple Pilots. WHAT: Stone Temple Pilots (Warner)

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THE SURREAL FEEL

KIM SALMON & THE SURREALISTS have just released their first new album in almost 15 years, Grand Unifying Theory, led by the mind-melting 22-minute title track. “If people don’t like it then stuff ’em,” SALMON tells TONY MCMAHON.

rand Unifying Theory is the new album from inventor of grunge and all-round national treasure Kim Salmon and his band The Surrealists. Billed as the most far-out music Salmon has ever been responsible for – considering the group’s other work, notably Hit Me With The Surreal Feel and some of their edgier stuff, that is certainly saying something – this absolute trip of a record blends avant-garde jazz, blaxploitation music noise and downright weirdness with Salmon’s trademark punk/thrash aesthetic. Conceived as a logical extension of what The Surrealists were up to before they took a turn towards becoming the successful indie band they were, Grand Unifying Theory is, in many ways, a record that could and probably should have been released in the ‘80s. Better late than never, though, and the wait has been decidedly worth it. According to Salmon, it’s the combination of a 1971 film by Gordon Parks and the wah-wah pedal we have to thank.

“It sounds very spacey to me, this album. I was never much of a Pink Floyd fan, but I’ve always been into that blaxploitation sound. It’s just always been around for me, you know? I, er, blossomed, shall we say, in the ‘70s when Shaft came along. That sort of guitar sound, you’d hear it everywhere. I was actually trying to write that kind of stuff when The Surrealists began back in the ‘80s. As soon as someone gave me a wah-wah pedal I was off. I’d never really touched one before that. I don’t know why. It was a match made in heaven.” It might be fair to say, then, that Grand Unifying Theory, as perhaps the name suggests, represents something like unfinished business for Salmon. He agrees, but is wary of the rock’n’roll clichés that go along with such statements and seems loath to be using all those tired old adjectives we associate with freak-out records. “That’s what I think, yeah. It’s definitely unfinished business. I suppose it’s a fair call to say that. It’s really hard for me to put all these things into words without sounding ultra-cornball, but it’s the album I always wanted to make. As far back as when I first started playing music with people, getting things together and jamming and stuff, I always had this idea that what I really wanted to do was something… arty. You know, there were all these adjectives: trippy, arty, free-form, anarchic. There’s been a few times I’ve attempted to do it: individual Scientists songs, [The Surrealists’ debut] Hit Me With The Surreal Feel and now this album.”

“We’ve done some of the material live and, yes, it’s pretty trippy. It feels like something of a journey. There’s another one of those clichés. I hate to say it, but it really does feel like a journey to me.” And in the spirit of arty, trippy albums the world over, Grand Unifying Theory features a 22-minute title track that, despite the inherent fear with these kinds of things of being labelled indulgent, of falling into the musician having way more fun than the audience/listener trap, just makes so much sense here. Even given the obvious quality of the track, Salmon still seems slightly apologetic when talking about it. There is a humble tone to his voice but also a healthy dose of anti-establishment sentiment that suggests he is slightly conflicted in how he feels about this song. “It started out as only about half that length. But once we got into the studio our producer kept making us play it longer and longer. In the end, we just came up with ways to keep on going. We couldn’t stop ourselves. It was just way too much fun. People might make judgements about it, but I kind of look at it as like the original spirit of punk rock, doing what feels right, and it was something I’d wanted to do for a long time. If people don’t like it then stuff ‘em.” Basically recorded live over a series of sessions last year, it makes sense that Grand Unifying Theory should therefore be just about the perfect album to play onstage. The prospect certainly has this writer, for one, veritably salivating. Salmon again cringes as he lets slip another well-worn phrase. “We’ve done some of the material live and, yes, it’s pretty trippy. It feels like something of a journey. There’s another one of those clichés. I hate to say it, but it really does feel like a journey to me. Hopefully, the audience will be happy to come along on that ride, too.” In September this year, Salmon will travel to New York to launch Grand Unifying Theory. Along on the trip will be his ‘other’ band The Scientists, who are booked to play their seminal album Blood Red River at All Tomorrow’s Parties, alongside The Stooges playing Raw Power. Given that these two albums sat side by side in many a record collection of the 1980s, this coupling has a ring of correctness about it bordering on something like justification, albeit decades later than it should be. Criminally undervalued at the time, it’s nice to see an album like River finally recognised alongside one like Power. It’s likely that Salmon agrees, though he’s much too modest to come straight out and say it. “Naturally, I’m happy. It’s a really big thrill. I’m a rabid Stooges fan. Oh, you know, Raw Power is a really important album. It was a real turning point. It’s difficult for me to conceive of anything I’ve ever done alongside that. Iggy is a real icon. He’s been through so much too, and it’s amazing that he’s still here.” It would be irresponsible, journalistically speaking, for Inpress not to ask Salmon about whether or not he is looking forward to any backstage antics at the gig, Iggy’s and The Stooges’s reputations being what they are. Interestingly, though, his answer seems to indicate that with age comes a certain wisdom, although maybe not for Iggy. “Yeah, I might have a nice, cool water or something. That’s how it is for me these days. I don’t know about everyone else. I don’t know how it’ll be.” Talking of how it will be, perhaps people will do the right thing here and buy Grand Unifying Theory in numbers and it will become an instant classic. Then we won’t have to wait 20 years to see it take its deserved place alongside other important works. Salmon has done the hard yards, and it’s the kind of thing that deserves to happen to him.

WHO: Kim Salmon & The Surrealists WHAT: Grand Unifying Theory (Low Transit Industries) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Cherry

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SINGLED OUT BY CLEM BASTOW

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SINGLE OF THE WEEK

KYLIE MINOGUE ALL THE LOVERS Warner

JJ JJ NO 3 Secretly Canadian/Inertia

BAND OF HORSES INFINITE ARMS Columbia/Sony

HIGH PLACES HIGH PLACES VS MANKIND Popfrenzy

Let’s all hold hands for a moment and PRAISE THE LORD that Kylie is working with the other Thin White Duke. Stuart Price is unquestionably a production genius and he has gently coaxed from Minogue a performance of delicate beauty and emotional honesty that offers both a nod to her previous anthems like I Believe In You as well as a wink to Robyn’s pulsating Moroder-esque masterpiece With Every Heartbeat. It’s a beautiful song and a glorious gift for those who’ve been patiently awaiting Minogue’s next move.

Although signed to US hipsters Secretly Canadian, many suspect that unbelievably good-looking Swedish duo JJ are secretly Everything But The Girl. Many also believe that this is their third album but that would be incorrect too – the title of No 1 went to an EP in 2009 and No 2 was their first album, also last year. Title confusion aside, singer Elin Kastlander does indeed sound uncannily like EBGT singer Tracey Thorn – however, Kastlander gets to deliver a new release superior to her soundsake’s current solo foray.

It sounds like a battle, and surely one that would see the odds pitted against our now LA-based experimental art folk duo. But the title is a misnomer. This isn’t a competition – High Places have actively opened the door and let all of the messy bits of mankind flow into their sounds, all of the beauty and the detritus of modern society synthesised into one unique sound.

CLARE BOWDITCH BIGGER THAN THE MONEY Island

Previously the J’s went for ambihouse period-Thorn but this venture finds them harking to a time when Thorn and her partner Ben Watt experimented with plush balladry and vintage arrangements. Having ridden the indie swells of the Balearic revival last year (bustling for blog space with Memory Tapes, Friend and the like), JJ seem to have become taken with a style that the original Balearic scene would have used to take the edge off a big weekend of Eurotrashing it up.

There are some beautiful, slow-moving tracks on Infinite Arms like Blue Beard and the super-pretty ditty Evening Kitchen that cradles the inner ear like a second auricle. But Infinite Arms isn’t all slow and dreamy. The opening track, Factory, has a soaring feel to it, swinging on a skyhook through the big ole blue sky. Dilly is sweet and upbeat; it’s a lot like the music The Magic Numbers put out before they fell off the radar. Actually, I felt myself making comparisons throughout the album to The Magic Numbers and Fleet Foxes, the latter especially in On My Way Back Home. But then, as on their previous two records, Band Of Horses made Infinite Arms with legendary indie producer Phil Ek, who also produced Fleet Foxes. Perhaps, along with contemporary indie music’s folk revival, that helps explain the resounding echoes.

There’s something about La Bowditch’s Bigger Than The Money that reminds me of hyperactive new wave(ish) champs General Public, which tells you very little about this song other than suggesting correctly that I have a penchant for handclaps. But Bigger Than The Money has a compelling urgency to it that makes me think/hope the youth of the nation™ will take to this song and drive it to the top of the charts, which is what the divine Ms B deserves.

JAMIE CULLUM WHEELS Universal Does Jamie Cullum have single release attention deficit disorder? It feels as though he’s had at least five singles out in the last month (NB statistics not scientifically accurate). Wheels is a nice enough post-Damien Rice/ Coldplay piece of piano-led torch balladry (with du jour skittering drums), but like so many songs in its peer group, is unremarkable enough to form a poignant-videomontage background hum rather than leave any lasting impression.

MOUNTAIN MAN ANIMAL TRACKS Spunk With Joanna Newsom pursuing the less Appalachian aspects of her musical personality and Fleet Foxes currently missing in “action”, leave it to Mountain Man to beguile you with a song so fragilely gorgeous it would shatter if you so much as breathed on it. In a time when even folk is being flooded by multi-member superbands and kitchen sink production, sometimes a simple voice accompanied by guitar is the perfect aural palate cleanser.

No 3’s number one cut, My Life, could even be the sweetest comedown song ever recorded, “Looking for a way through the day/A life of the night… I’m just wondering why you haven’t taken my life” – accompanied only by the prettiest piano you’ll hear this side of EBTG’s Baby The Stars Shine Bright. By the time Kastlander is singing, “Take me away like I overdosed on heroin,” in Let Go, your heart will have broken a dozen times. And, by then the mouth harp is sounding even more beatific than the piano was earlier. While Kastlander and her J partner Joakim Benon may have a fondness for novelty covers (sublime but nonetheless gimmicky) on the blogosphere (Birthday Sex, the Welcome Back, Kotter theme – to name just two), there are no signs here of tawdry grabs for viral attention-getting. Like their name and release titles (and their album artwork), the duo present pieces of unadulterated simplicity – a little squeak of acoustic guitar string (ahhh… how we love that in the right hands), percussion that’s likely derived from that box of miscellaneous instruments found at the back of the studio and synthetic tones so crisp you could iron creases in them. So thoroughly quaint yet so thoroughly modern.

Band Of Horses’ music has travelled a way since Everything All The Time, which was more alt.country and rock than this. More Modest Mousey (hello again, Phil Ek) too, I’d say. You can still hear a country music twang in Infinite Arms, but it definitely has a more crafted, folk-oriented feel than previous work. Perhaps the recent development of the band’s sound has to do with lead singer Ben Bridwell losing the reins (sorry) on creative control. Other band members can take the credit for the songwriting and composing on much of the album. Guitarist and singer Tyler Ramsay is responsible for both Dilly and Evening Kitchen. Bassist Bill Reynolds and keyboardist Ryan Monroe also contribute to the songwriting. Infinite Arms is a gorgeous record, happier than Everything All The Time and Cease To Begin. I’m not sure whether it’s more accessible as well, or just better. The presence of the other band members is definitely felt – and welcome. They’ve created a gem.

CLOUD CONTROL BLISS RELEASE Ivy League/Liberation

Holy shit, this guy is still making music? The deeply anodyne Follow Me was one of 2001’s - yes, TWO THOUSAND AND ONE - most irritating earworms, so to say I hadn’t noticed it has apparently been five years since his last album “dropped” would be an understatement. Smile is the sort of dreck that Sharryn will ring up Love Songs & Dedications to request and send a shout-out to Danno who is currently in remand/on an oil rig. I bet the video clip features a slow motion dance scene and a crane shot of rain in the sunshine.

The Fall’s first album for Domino is no great departure from the 28 albums before it: Mark E Smith holds forth ever more like a bitter tyrant while his band relishes every possibility for churning repetition and flinty variation. It’s cool but kind of dumb, too, and there’s no arguing that Smith maintains anywhere near the forcefulness, authority, or shock value he once had. Still, he’s a bedraggled post-punk icon that refuses to go quietly into the night, though, and there’s something admirable in that.

INFANT SORROW JUST SAY YES Universal And on the topic of I Rock, here’s Jarvis Cocker and Carl Barat writing for Russell Brand as Aldous Snow (for the OST of Get Him To The Greek, effectively Joanie Loves Chachi to Forgetting Sarah Marshall’s Happy Days), with patchy results. Cocker’s work as lead singer of The Weird Sisters in Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire was a corker (as was his glam/weirdo band Relaxed Muscle) but Brand’s curious lack of charisma leaves Just Say Yes feeling a little... Kula Shaker.

WILL STOKER & THE EMBERS WILL STOKER & THE EMBERS Shock After releasing the Five Beds For Bitsy EP in 2008 and further strengthening their onstage reputation with numerous shows around Australia, Will Stoker and his four-man band cement themselves on CD with their selftitled debut album. Tickets Please opens, almost like a final check to the listener before they board the ride that is Will Stoker & The Embers, as he demands “get on that train! ”. First single The King, the band’s signature song, kicks the album along, Stoker singing vicariously of the enigmatic King Ludwig II Of Bavaria. He spits the opening verse before breaking into the chorus – “He was always a mystery to me.” The six-and-a-half-minute The Waves Hiss And Burst is given flavour from Stoker’s stylised clarinet, and brass comes courtesy of local lads The Brow Horn Orchestra. As you get to the second half of the album, standout rock tracks Ten Thousand Horses, Bower Bird Blues and In The Belly Of The Beast reveal themselves as the band’s best work, and even in the Bjork cover Come To Me the album holds strong. It isn’t until Dundee And Penelope that the brakes are applied to the weird and wonderful, replaced instead by straightforward melodic influences. What Will Stoker & The Embers have done is create an atmosphere throughout the album, an atmosphere which takes these songs out from the norm and you along with it, into Stoker’s off-kilter mind and through 45 minutes of music.

Your Future Our Clutter opens with the misshapen garagerock of O.F.Y.C. Showcase before moving into Bury Pts. 1 + 3, the first of several endurance tests exceeding six minutes. It’s great when it hits its stride, but the flabbier moments feel as haphazard and arbitrary as Smith’s lyrics these days. The buzzing keyboards we hear all over the album are the work of Smith’s wife, Eleni Poulou, who has been in The Fall for years now. Those keyboards offer yet another chance for disorientation, and she sings backup as well, but the working parts here feel rusty. That’s not to say there aren’t surprises: Smith’s slurred vocals and dissection of his failing health recalls recent Television Personalities on the closing Weather Report 2. He even manages two convincing, backwards-looking refrains: “You gave me the best years of my life” and “Nobody has ever called me sir in my entire life”. Oh, and there’s a cover of Funnel Of Love, a tune made famous by country queen Wanda Jackson. At their best, The Fall today are vulgar and fun. At their worst, they’re needling or even boring. The backing musicians are capable but somewhat generic and bargain-basement, much like this album’s cover art. And of course, there are far better Fall records to seek out. Doug Wallen

Sebastian D’Alonzo

Bob Baker Fish

Andrew Mast

THE FALL YOUR FUTURE OUR CLUTTER Domino/EMI

This is a gag, right? Something to do with Chris Lilley’s latest venture? No? Well, in that case, it may not be a joke, but it is wildly laughable. From the excessive AutoTune to the vaguely, i.e. not enough to alienate his nanna fanbase, druggy analogies (is there anything sadder?) and generally subpar “club banger” arrangements, Chemical Rush suggests McFadden has such a strong grasp on his musical reality he should be scoring ABC2’s I Rock.

Then there’s these little fragments that they’ve co-opted from a more conventional world. Some discerning use of funky guitar strumming totally transforms many of the tracks here, drawing associations as diverse as disco or even ‘80s pop. Mary Pearson’s voice, while still treated, is no longer such an ill-defined cloud that floats almost uninterestedly across proceedings. She now has body and feeling, her vocals actively directing the songs. Possibly the strangest thing here is that there are definite pop hits, tunes like the slacker funk of opener The Longest Shadows and the ramshackle, shimmering Constant Winter, which in a post-Animal Collective world is actually cohesive enough to get the kids jumping.

Alice Body

UNCLE KRACKER SMILE Atlantic

BRIAN MCFADDEN CHEMICAL RUSH Island

It’s their second album and everything feels much more defined; there’s a certain clarity, or perhaps sense of purpose, within the group’s strange semi-electronic amorphous pulses. It feels like everything but the kitchen sink has been sucked into these endearing little swirls that bubble around the repetitive drum machine beats. It’s a strange, rickety, almost accidental form of DIY dance music that owes possibly more to folk and experimental music than the dancefloor.

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If ice is the most addictive epidemic around at the moment then the government better place a ban on the debut album from Blue Mountains band Cloud Control; one play and I was hooked. A dozen or so rotations of Bliss Release later and I am happy to continue to push repeat. The four-piece – singer and guitarist Alister Wright, co-vocalist Heidi Lenffer, her drummer brother Ulrich along with bassist Jeremy Kelshaw – seem to have a new found authority, adopting a style that is stylistically uniform though somewhat different to the band’s previous self-titled EP. The resulting mix of choral-esque harmonies blended with an almost tribal beat and searing guitar licks permeates this release and draws comparisons to the likes of The John Steel Singers, The Polyphonic Spree and Fleet Foxes. Opening track Meditation Song #2 (Why, Oh Why) lulls you into a meditative state with Wright and Lenffer’s harmonies and the chant “Why, oh why”, before being replaced by fuzzed-out guitars and tambourine jangles. Playful handclaps, more tambourine and beautiful lyrics regale the listener with the uplifting thoughts shared in the outstanding There’s Nothing In The Water We Can’t Fight. With flashes of mysticism, there is something wonderfully simple in the quality of Wright’s voice and when paired with Heidi Lenffer it has a unique, natural dynamic. Ghost Story, with its Native American vibe, is a case in point. The pairing of album singles Gold Canary and This Is What I Said are clear standouts, with Gold Canary already receiving rave reviews overseas and the latter an instant pop classic invoking memories of The Go-Betweens. All ten tracks are beauties, worthy in their own right, while Just For Now may just be the next track lifted as a single. For mine the other gems are the emotion-drenched Hollow Drums and the closing track Beast Of Love. Contender for album of the year – ah, bliss! The Boomeister

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MALE BONDING NOTHING HURTS Sub Pop/Stomp

GREAT EARTHQUAKE DRAWINGS Sensory Projects

THE SCOTCH OF SAINT JAMES VIGILANTE NECK TIE PARTY Shock

THE BLACK KEYS BROTHERS Nonesuch/Shock

Genteel sophistication? Subtle prog rock imbued with metaphor and irony? Not likely. Male Bonding do lo-fi noise pop at its unreconstructed best, crashing sweetness and fuzz together in two-minute vignettes of lager-soaked pogo. Their debut album Nothing Hurts rockets through 13 tracks in less than half an hour, but manages to do so with brash aplomb.

Drawings is the latest offering from Great Earthquake, AKA Noah Symons, a local musician whose uncompromising though decidedly warm approach to his art would be worthy of praise even if it was nowhere near as intelligent and gripping as it is. Despite being something of a multi-instrumentalist – one-man band might be a more apt description – and a true renaissance man (Symons is also responsible for the stunning artwork on Drawings and is apparently a qualified barista as well) it is the contributions from vocalist Maude Farrugia and the production from Josh Bach that really make this record move, adding new dimensions to an already delightfully layered soundscape. There is ‘film soundtrack’ emanating from the overall effect of the album, but it is held together with seemingly incongruous moments of Spanish pop and big band sounds that, paradoxically, sit effortlessly side by side.

If this were the UK, then The Scotch Of Saint James would be massive. Indeed, all the ingredients are certainly there, from the quality hair to the artsy MySpace pics and, most importantly, a cracking first album. Unfortunately for these Perth lads, this ain’t the Old Blighty, so they’ve had to do it the tough way, playing countless gigs around town and country. However, the effort appears to have paid off, as the songs on Vigilante Neck Tie Party appear beautifully crafted by the time and effort put into playing them live night after night.

It’s certainly apparent that The Black Keys have not lost their sense of humour with the album art for Brothers, the band’s sixth album, simply stating the obvious facts along with other nuggets of knowledge hidden throughout the sleeve. The new album from the blues rock duo is a far cry from their 2008 experimentation on Attack & Release, as all the punching low-end fuzz and ride cymbal-dominated repertoire has returned.

That it all begins with a strummed chord crash and a primitive clatter of drums is no surprise. Year’s Not Long sets out the Male Bonding stall with its surfer-boy melodies and blissful distorted rumble. It’s like Ride in 1990, collecting together ‘60s California and UK punk and then just flooring it. There are also echoes of Kiwi noiseniks Die! Die! Die! in the brew. The result is straightforward adrenalised boy racer biff with a smear of pop sugar. Weird Feelings is another sweaty gem, belting you with bpm and buzzsaw. Meanwhile, Franklin slows it down a tad and allows the bass to throb in your face while the vocals hover somewhere in the mid-distance. Crooked Scene is sheer breakneck brilliance, a defiantly dumb and summery whir of sing-along and undiluted noise. Likewise, Nothing Used To Hurt has a heavenly pop chorus; it’s like Phil Spector meets My Bloody Valentine. The only breather we get is the closer, the bleary opiated Worse To Come, with its acoustic guitar, far-off female backing vocals and pedal rock coda of bottom end clouds. Hailing from Dalston in London, Male Bonding are a trio bristling with DIY attitude. Nothing Hurts is a rush of reverb and echo that recalls the spirit of ‘76. It’s an album dashed off with a kind of carefree joy in its bones. As such it is difficult to dislike, despite its beer-stained, sneaker kid predictability. And yeah, don’t blink. Paul Ransom

Interestingly, Symons nominates the writings of Japanese author Haruki Murakami and the films of auteur director Wes Anderson as two of his major influences, which somehow makes perfect sense. There is a surface accessibility here that belies this music’s deeper meaning and, just like Kafka On the Shore or The Royal Tenenbaums, we the listeners/viewers/readers are left to make up our own minds, which is not something that happens everyday in art. Having said that, Symons also nominates as influences the drumming of Dirty Three member Jim White and the hills where he lives, which I couldn’t hear at all. Such is the durability of Drawings, though, that I suspect subsequent listenings will reveal this, too. Not surprisingly, Drawings is released by Melbourne label Sensory Projects, who deserve kudos up there with that afforded in the past to labels like Sun or Factory Records for having the courage to support music as groundbreaking and iconoclastic as this. Tony McMahon

Produced by Dave Parkin (Snowman and countless others), the Scotch’s debut has a wonderfully crisp sound from go to whoa that really emphasises the quality instrumentation on offer, particularly Bobby Burgess’s scorching lead guitar licks and fills. Opening with a five-strong set of catchy pop rockers, including first single Blue Plastic Spoon and its excellent B-side The Happy Peacock, this album immediately takes flight before offering some respite in the piano-tinged Did None Boy. My Shoes immediately picks up the pace again as it hurtles towards a thrilling ending, leading into album highlight Oliver. Originally the song that found them Triple J Unearthed attention, this re-recorded version is quite simply a monster, its pounding stoner rock grooves and complex structure making it an early contender for my song of the year. Unfortunately the ballad Hitler’s Lament has nothing to do with his clips being pulled from YouTube (this album was recorded some time ago), but a howling, bluesy jam finishes off proceedings nicely on Bloated Country Pride and its ‘90s-style reprise. Indeed, this whole album has a mid-‘90s feel to it but that doesn’t detract from a rollicking and very promising debut.

Recording at the infamous Muscle Shoals studios was a positive step for the pair as the hallowed Alabama blues turf inspires the opening march of Everlasting Light. Sounding like a Creedence Clearwater Revival track that’s been soaked in mid-’70s rock riffs, it instils a sense of relief that the Danger Mouse phase is largely gone. Dan Auerbach’s lyrics and vocal delivery has only gotten stronger following on from his solo record of last year and his bittersweet ballads with pressing power are placed ever so delicately, including I’m Not The One, These Days and Never Gonna Give You Up. In stark contrast you’ve then got Black Mud, Sinister Kid and The Only One, with ripped palm muted guitar slams and thunderous skin smashing giving a bull-at-a-red-rag experience. This is the real element that kept Keys fans happy for the last few years. The 15 tracks on Brothers have an intoxicating mixture of classic stomping rhythm and blues, charging swamp guitar, true ‘shoot your no good woman’ lyrics and some small touches of porch-sitting acoustic ballads. Another great release by The Black Keys. Mark Beresford

Paul Barbieri

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EVEN STEVENS

With iconic Melbourne pop rockers EVEN preparing for their Sweet 16th show this week, bassist WALLY KEMPTON tells NICK ARGYRIOU that they’ll get by with a little help from their friends.

he story of Even goes back a long way in Melbourne rock history. It was March 1994 when they popped the musical cherry, so to speak, at the Empress Of India, Fitzroy – the same year and only weeks before our beloved grunge icon Kurt Cobain finished himself off. A three-piece joined at the hips, Even shared a mutual love of power pop melodies, bouncing rhythms and The Beatles, with songwriter, vocalist and guitarist Ash Naylor, drummer Matt Cotter and man about town Wally ‘Meanie’ Kempton plying their trade for the next 16 years. Which brings us to this week’s Hi-Fi extravaganza, and Even’s Sweet 16 birthday show. It’s been a ride, that’s for sure. Catching up with Kempton in the CBD over a double-shot espresso (the prolific artist needs it!) we delve into all things Even, his own incredible workload, booking bands at the Espy and managing his own catalogue of up-and-comers in his spare time (whenever

that is), we also discuss the state of the Australian music scene in general. Being the revered musical figure that he is, and one who has been around for as long as he has, Kempton’s the utmost authority on all these topics. King of the juicy quote, off-the-cuff remark and warm demeanour, he recollects the Even tale. “Sixteen years ago we did our first gig at the Empress,” he explains. “We’d got together late the year before. Ash and Matt had been in bands together before and approached me after a Meanies show at The Punters Club… we’d been three months overseas and declared we were going to take a break for six to 12 months, so Ash happened to be there and said to me, ‘You know, I hadn’t thought of this before, but do you want in during the break?’. I listened to the demos and fucking loved them and said yes straight away,” he informs. While Kempton admits that it was still The Meanies (who incidentally celebrate their 21st birthday this year, with a Melbourne show slated for June) that were still top priority, infrequent performances would inevitably force his hand into joining Naylor and Cotter in a more fixed role. “We didn’t have a name for out first gig… actually we didn’t have a name ‘til about gig four I think,” he tells. “The second or third show we supported You Am I at the Club and still didn’t have a name!” With Kempton becoming the band’s booking agent and pseudo manager right from the start, the whole ‘being in a band’ thing wasn’t as hard as you might think, he informs. “I was also doing both these roles for The Meanies, so it was easy to work out where I was going to be and more often than not the other two guys were fine with that because they didn’t that much going on.” Shift forward 16 years and the times have become substantially more hectic with all three members’ schedules conflicting like never before. “Ash has got the RocKwiz stuff and the Paul Kelly stuff and that’s just the start of it, and Matt’s an art teacher so it’s getting difficult to balance all the commitments, but at the time it was easy,” Kempton admits.

“My musical – dare I say it – heroes in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, like your Rod Stewart and The Faces and Elton John, were releasing two or three albums every 18 months and you get a band like us who has an album come out every three or four years… Why does it take so bloody long? It’s ridiculous.” As their one-sheet informs me, Even will soon be releasing their sixth studio LP, In Another Time, with the new record tapping into the analogue recordings of the ‘60s. It’s late-‘60s Kinks meets contemporary Dandy Warhols – no real surprise there, but it still should be of the highest pop quality. Launching latest singles Back To Life and Temperamental Flower, Kempton, while excited about the new material and eager to play the songs live, is adamant that Even should be more prolific in their output. “My musical – dare I say it – heroes in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, like your Rod Stewart and The Faces and Elton John, were releasing two or three albums every 18 months and you get a band like us who has an album come out every three or four years… Why does it take so bloody long? It’s ridiculous,” an exasperated Kempton informs. “But, as Ashley Naylor would write in a song: life gets in the way.” With the Brisbane and Sydney Sweet 16 Birthday Shows done, Kempton and the band have the ultimate line-up ready to go for Melbourne this Friday night. The Stevens! The who? Revealed last week as featuring two members of ‘paisley-clad garage pop rockers’ The Stems and two from… well, a band called Even, Kempton explains the deal. “The Stems leave on a European tour two days after the Even show and due to drummer Dave Shaw and guitarist Richard Lane not being able to go… Even’s Matt Cotter and Ash Naylor are filling in.” So The Even Stevens showcase support for the Even Sweet 16th performance will feature Dom Mariani and Julian Matthews along with two-thirds of Even. Kempton has so far been unable to nudge out Matthews to get the gig, we joke. “I’ve been trying to, I’m actually catching up with him shortly and might poison his coffee!” With the Sweet 16 birthday show featuring the collective works from the Even back catalogue, right up to material from the band’s forthcoming record, Kempton assures me that their will be an even spread, no pun intended at all. With Naylor touring RocKwiz across Australia, he returns just in time for Friday night’s massive event, as he jets in from the Bundaberg leg on the Thursday. Kempton admits that he can’t even recall the last time that Even rehearsed, let alone for this big show on Friday. “At the Sydney Sweet 16 show we hadn’t even been in the same room with one another for like a month or two, and Ash was doing RocKwiz that night at the Enmore Theatre – the only show of the whole tour that had run overtime – and he was late getting to the Annandale. He simply turns up close to starting, plugs everything in and we start, and there was more than a handful of people who said afterwards that it was the best Even show they’ve ever seen,” admits Kempton. Here’s hoping for Melbourne.

WHO: Even WHEN & WHERE: Friday, Hi-Fi Bar

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SAINTS AND SINNERS Ahead of a number of intimate shows revisiting their back catalogues, Saints founders CHRIS BAILEY & ED KUEPPER trade barbs with DAN CONDON. Pic by ALEX GILLIES.

ogether, Chris Bailey and Ed Kuepper were the creative force behind The Saints, one of the most highly regarded punk rock bands in history. Their influence is omnipresent even today and the three albums they released before Kuepper separated from the band in 1979 are still incredibly powerful pieces of music, even if their full clout is dulled by the millions of punk rock bands that have come since. Bailey answers the door of the converted warehouse on the inner-east side of Brisbane where he and Kuepper are busy rehearsing for their upcoming run of dates up and down the East Coast of the country. Inside, Kuepper sits silently at a table in the middle of the room sipping a glass of cola, Bailey wanders over, grabs a glass of white wine and chirpily offers comment on his recent encounter with the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which kept him away from rehearsals for a period of time. Throughout the 30 minutes, Bailey doesn’t sit, preferring to wander around the room, occasionally skylarking, often making astute comments, while Kuepper is quiet, considered, though no less hilarious with his dry wit. These are two very different men and when asked whether they’re looking forward to their new musical endeavour, their responses are telling. “Yep,” Kuepper deadpans. “No,” Bailey quips, before genuinely assuring: “Yeah, it’s good. It’s like joining a whole brand new band, it’s very exciting.”

there is respect, which I’ve never made a secret of. Edmund is a fucking crackerjack guitar player.” Both are quick to rule out the idea that any disdain that ever existed between both of them contributed to the fine music they made together at the tail end of the 1970s. Bailey just says it’s “bullshit” and Kuepper agrees wholeheartedly. “No, I don’t like tension in working environments,” Kuepper states firmly. “In any working environment if there is any animosity, it doesn’t work as well. It works for the press, it gets gossip going on in the internet and the gossip columns – but it’s bullshit. And anyone who says otherwise is a fucking liar.”

WHO: Bailey & Kuepper WHEN & WHERE: Sunday and Sunday 30 May, Bennetts Lane

The difference in these two personalities is stark and Bailey is quick to acknowledge it. “We’ve known each other a long time but have had rather disparate lives, but we seem to be umbilically connected somewhere; let’s just call it music,” he says. “Chalk and cheese is an expression that comes to mind; apparently our worlds are very, very different. But, as we’re discovering, there seems to be some common points in what we’re doing.” The way in which this Bailey & Kuepper project will conduct their work is very new to both involved parties, with an equal say in what material will be played and the manner in which it will be performed. The newly formed duo see their upcoming dates as exploratory, thus they have opted for residencies in a series of intimate venues to kick off their time together. “The virtue of stepping back is that you can maybe spark something else that otherwise wouldn’t have happened,” Kuepper explains of their decision to play smaller clubs. “You can rely a little bit on accidents and rely a bit on mild conflict. Not conflict in terms of big biffos, but, ‘You can try it this way,’ or, ‘No, let’s do this’. That kind of stuff is really healthy and interesting and also, in a slow sort of way, it’s proving to be fruitful. It’s sort of jumping in the deep end but in a way that ultimately doesn’t have too many consequences. If it works for us and it works for the audience then that’s fantastic. If it doesn’t then people were privy to it without a massive investment.” “Dare I say it, there is some reliance on spontaneity and improvisation. What we’re doing isn’t particularly genre specific,” Bailey adds. “The object of the exercise is just to make some good noise. It’s great for me to be able to rely on Ed’s meanderings over the years through different idioms and hopefully you’re finding the same in reverse. I think we go from perky pop to kind of turgid ballads – I didn’t realise what a depressing catalogue I had until we started playing it. Jesus… But repetition is the death of creativity; you just hope you don’t fucking rehash the same old shit every day.” When it comes to selecting material from their respective back catalogues, there has been no specific approach to certain styles or themes within the songs. But already there is a natural cohesion developing. “Fingers crossed that these rather randomly chosen tunes – the stuff that I like of his we’re not going to do, because he doesn’t want to – will be cohesive in some sense,” Bailey says, nodding to Kuepper. “As we’re halfway through the rehearsal process, unintentionally there is a mood coming out here.” “I’d agree and disagree,” Kuepper adds, much to Bailey’s chagrin. “I don’t think it’s actually that unintentional, it is just happening. It’s not like we’re not looking for it.” There may be a jovial kind of tension surrounding their relationship, but what is most important is the deep respect that the two still have for each other. Without that respect, both admit they wouldn’t bother embarking on such an unsure project. “When I was a kid I probably thought I’d be dead at 25, I didn’t think I’d spend my entire life in ‘showbiz’,” Bailey chirps. “Now whilst Edmund and I aren’t Liberace-esque showbiz characters, he’s spent his life playing music, I’ve done the same thing, so it would be sad if along that journey you didn’t pick up some skills. I’m not that much of a nerd, I hate practising and lots of things that are associated with careerist musicians, but I’ve been very lucky. I’ve had some good visitations from the muse and written some okay tunes and, you know, learnt some shit. And I’m very much respectful of Ed’s catalogue; he’s done some great stuff.” “Some of it’s working great,” Kuepper says of the new duo. “Whether it all works great by the end of this? Well that would be fantastic. It’s going to be much more of a risk you’d take then one would normally assume you’d bother doing these days. I mean, why? Chris could easily just do his stuff and I could just do my stuff.” “Yes, we are doing this for the cash; woo hoo! Small clubs!” Bailey jests. “Whilst I hope we will be professionally entertaining and a good night out, it’s nice to stress that, while some of the work is good, it’s a work in progress.” Given the talk that has circulated around the fractured relationship between the artists over the past three decades, is this new project an attempt to dispel any rumours about their dislike for each other? “I hate his guts,” Bailey mutters jokingly. “I am Christ-like in my ability to forgive,” Kuepper delivers. “Now you’re fucking bullshitting me,” Bailey retorts. “It’s nothing of the sort,” Kuepper says, getting back to the point. “This is a purely artistic endeavour.” Bailey adds, “And

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THE EYES HAVE IT Big reggae band THE RED EYES have more songs than they know what to do with, DAMIEN CHARLES tells SAMUEL J FELL.

ounding member of The Red Eyes, Damien Charles (AKA King Charlie), is relaxed today. He’s calm and genial, light-hearted and happy to talk, as well he should be. As he sips a beer he tells me he’s just finished mastering the band’s new record, Red Army, out at a studio in Nunawading, deep in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. He tells me he hadn’t been drinking whilst mastering, and so this one is going down a treat. As such, almost a year’s work is done, the album ready to be shared with the world, so here we are, talking about said record outside a pub in Fitzroy, a pub Charles and the rest of The Red Eyes used to frequent a lot, given they used to live on the same street. He’s happy about this too, as the pub itself holds many fond memories. “And that’s not just because they put our records on the jukebox,” he laughs. “We used to sit out here too and look at the street and say how it’d make a great spot for a mini-festival. We had that conversation many times.” The quiet street we’re on,

with its wide lanes and large median strip, would indeed be perfect for such an event, an event The Red Eyes themselves would have been more than happy to headline no doubt, any time during the eight years they’ve been hawking their dub reggae wears on an adoring Australian audience. “Well, this was something I always wanted to do,” Charles tells of how The Red Eyes first came together back in 2002. “I had some time on my hands when I was in hospital and I actually just decided while I was in this hospital bed to do The Red Eyes,” he expands. “The idea was for it to just be a jam. All the different musicians I knew at the time could come on down, whoever was up for it… There wasn’t any money in it, and not a lot has changed, but it was a lot of fun. For the first six months it was like that, just a jam with a revolving door of musicians. Then El [Witeri], the singer, he was a friend of mine and he turned up from New Zealand… We hadn’t seen each other for six years. He turned up at my front door, walked into my room where I was in bed, hungover, and said, ‘Bro, I’ve come to do music, bro’.” It was from that fortuitous event that The Red Eyes began to solidify and morph into how you’ll see them today, a group which still adheres adamantly to the ‘revolving door’ policy of players (“The Red Eyes are like Hotel California, you can check out anytime, but you can never leave,” says their presser), but a group that now boasts a core of seven regulars, reggae dub their watchwords, funky grooves their modus operandi. “We seemed to just slot into a niche at the time,” Charles says. “And our aim was to take it as far as we could, which it still is.”

“El, the singer, he was a friend of mine and he turned up from New Zealand… We hadn’t seen each other for six years. He turned up at my front door, walked into my room where I was in bed, hungover, and said, ‘Bro, I’ve come to do music, bro’.” Since those early days – days that included a long Tuesday night residency at Melbourne’s Evelyn Hotel, where the band would regularly pack out the room – The Red Eyes have begun to make a name for themselves as purveyors of dub and reggae tunes, all whilst not falling victim to the ‘Australian summer festival reggae band’ syndrome, and kudos to them. Since Witeri joined the band have gotten serious, for wont of a better phrase. In 2004 they released the Highplace EP, quickly following it with another in Prolific/My Kingdom (’05) and a full-length, Rudeworld, in 2007. All three of these recordings have served to back up their live set – a set which garners praise wherever they play – and also serve as a base from which they’re now building again, in the form of Red Army, their second full-length recording. “It’s not as energetic as we are live, but it’s more energetic than the last album,” Charles explains on where Red Army is coming from. “The whole first half is live favourites, which are quite up-tempo, but then there are a lot of others that are more downtempo towards the end of the album. We can’t forgo the dreamy, drifty, dub stuff completely.” Indeed, it is part of their watchword after all. I’m interested to know too, given Charles says some of these songs are ‘live favourites’, how old this material is. “None of the songs are older than three years old, and most of them have been written in the last year and half,” is the explanation. “And the next album that’s been half recorded already, we recorded this at the same time. Some of those songs are really new and some are really old too,” he adds. The fact, the band have enough material at the moment to complete two records also says a lot about their proclivity to write. “Well, that depends on who you compare us to,” he muses before adding with a laugh, “like, Prince has 400 songs in his vault. I don’t think we have that.” Still, enough for two records. “The last year has been the main focus; the start of last year was when we really knuckled down to write a bunch of new songs and when we realised we had 55 tracks to chose from and started sifting through them, we realised there were two distinct thematic drives,” Charles explains. “One of them was really outward-looking, based on what’s happening in the world, social commentary and ‘reading the newspaper’ kinda thing, which has come on to this album,” he goes on. “Even the more down-tempo songs on this one have a more outward looking, extroverted attitude than the last album. Then the next album, which will hopefully be released this time next year, is more personal, introverted stuff. It’ll also be more dub-oriented than this one, more instrumental.” From a jam band to where they are now – laying down records at a rate of knots – The Red Eyes have matured and are now older and wiser but no less committed to the cause dreamt up by Charles from a hospital bed in 2002. Red Army is a solid record from this crew, one which shows them for what they are – a group on their own tangent, doing their own thing within a genre dominated by filler. A new chapter has opened for The Red Eyes – it’s a chapter they’re writing on the run, but a chapter that I daresay won’t be the last.

WHO: The Red Eyes WHAT: Red Army (MGM) WHEN & WHERE: Friday, Corner Hotel; Friday 28 May, Barwon Heads Hotel

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THE GRADUAL REVOLUTION With a dream gig at Wembley booked, Scotland’s BIFFY CLYRO are proof that persistence pays off. “To come back home and play to 10,000 people, it’s quite a bizarre feeling,” bassist JAMES JOHNSTON tells KENADA QUINLAN. Johnston’s nature is genuine and articulate, as the subject switches to the development and production of the grand scheme of recent glossy concept videos such as The Captain. “We have a lot of input into the videos,” he says. “We don’t come up with the ideas ourselves – if we had great ideas we would definitely pursue them – but we try to spend all our energy on the music and just choose people that we trust and whose ideas we like and we have been lucky enough to work with some great people.” Andy Morahan, who has worked on previous videos for the Clyro, takes credit for the epic video for the aforementioned release. “We were lucky enough to work with Andy, who we built up a trust with over the years. The video for The Captain was the way it should be and exactly the way that the song was suggested. It’s also nice to dress up and have some fun; videos shouldn’t always be really serious.” After years of putting out quality music, it’s interesting to hear exactly how much Biffy Clyro are left to their own devices by their labels, 14th Floor and Warner.

f you ever doubted whether longevity existed within the ever-changing music industry, you need only to look over to Kilmarnock, Scotland to find the band Biffy Clyro, established in 1995. At the tender age of 15, the band’s members formed Biffy Clyro just before the eve of the download culture revolution, the three school buddies having never experienced the ‘golden times’ of money-making record sales or the beautiful half-arsed era when bands spent at least 40% of their time at home. Since being spotted by the legendary UK independent record label Beggars Banquet, the trio have been treading a long road, gaining hard-earned respect through relentless touring. Today, their dedication has paid off tenfold in the form of their first headline date at London’s Wembley Arena. “It’s something that we have dreamed about over the years,” bassist James Johnston chuckles, “but to be sitting in a shitty little dressing room in America with

no beer, no water… and to be knowing that we’re gonna come back home and play to 10,000 people, it’s quite a bizarre feeling. If there is anything to level you out or bring you back down to earth – if you are getting too big for your boots – that would be it.” The escalating popularity of this band and the increase in media attention leads us to ask: are there any nerves about how this type of recognition could impact on their quiet lives in rural Kilmarnock? “Maybe [it has] once or twice,” Johnston tells. “When you go to the pub you get a bit of attention, but I have to admit, people are generally really nice; they want a photograph but then they leave you alone.” Renouncing their popularity he continues, “I don’t know if we are at that stage yet or if I am being naive but I think we are the people that it won’t affect.” On the same note he points out, “If you go around seeking for people to adore you or if you go around looking for attention you’ll find it. We just care about our music and I think we’re just ordinary guys; we’re not extraordinary people.”

“We are not entirely left to our own devices, we have an A&R man that likes to poke his nose around and get involved; it’s a constant source of frustration.” Johnston laughs. “But,” he emphasises, “I think it’s quite good. I guess in some ways it’s nice to have an objective point of view in that regard, even if it’s just a case of which song they prefer. ‘Cause we love all the songs; it’s hard to pick a favourite and for that sort of thing it’s good to have input. When it comes down to writing songs there is no input from the label at all, it’s all about trying to find a balance where they are there to help you or when they are there to heckle you.” After five full-length albums and a great deal of experimentation with orchestral sounds, one wonders whether the songwriting process has changed much over the past 15 years. Johnston says that things are still pretty much the same as they have always been. “It’s always Simon on the guitar late at night, once the whole world has gone to sleep,” he explains. “He’ll sit and come up with ideas and he’ll bring them to the practice room and we’ll work on them from there. I

CAPED CRUSADER Best known as a member of punk legends Lagwagon, JOEY CAPE is in town to play an acoustic show with No Use For A Name’s Tony Sly. “I kind of rub a lot of people the wrong way,” Cape tells DANIELLE O’DONOHUE.

oey Cape has a very bad memory. He can’t remember the first time he met fellow punk rocker Tony Sly. He guesses it’s a boring story that takes place at a show they played together, but honestly, he’s just not really sure. After suggesting Inpress ask Sly for the answer, Cape proves how bad his memory is by explaining he doesn’t even remember his first meeting with his wife – although to be fair, his band Lagwagon had just finished mixing an album and he was out getting plastered with his bandmates to celebrate.

“I think it’s a fairly natural process,” Johnston says. “I think a common part of it is for anyone to be nervous as to whether you can top what you’ve just done, but I think that’s what keeps it interesting and what keeps us hungry with the desire to do well.” Being at home during the UK summer will give the band time to knuckle down and write the new material. “During the festival season we are going to be at home for three or four days a week. We’ll definitely get a chance to work on some stuff then.” The amount of singles that have been released from Only Revolutions already covers a fair portion of the record itself – you wouldn’t imagine there could be too many more left. “I’m not quite sure which singles are released when in each country, they’re different from place to place, but we’ll probably just do a Def Leppard and keep releasing singles until everyone gets sick of us.” With hardly any time off the road it’s surprising the Scots have time to put thought and effort into everything they do – including their B-sides. “We generally approach the B-sides in a completely different way; especially the way they are recorded is entirely different,” Johnston explains. “Often we want to find something that fits well with the A-side I guess, we always make a bit like a mini EP where the songs have some sort of context and flow together. I think it’s a bit of a shame when you buy a single and it’s just got a remix on the other side or something that hasn’t had much thought put into it.”

WHO: Biffy Clyro WHAT: Only Revolutions (Warner) WHEN & WHERE: Tonight, Hi-Fi Bar

together I think it’s going to be really a strong record. “I’m also one of those guys… you could say I’m a perfectionist but the reality is, there’s no such thing. We’re people that ruin things by working on them too much,” Cape says with a laugh. “It’s the opposite of perfection. You keep picking things apart and you get farther away. I’m trying really hard with acoustic stuff to honour that kind of natural, first time thing.”

“Let’s face it, if you’re in a band that’s been together over 20 years and you’re playing a song that was on your first record, it’s pretty hard to get inspired.”

Though Cape and Sly have both spent years playing with So Cal punk bands Lagwagon and No Use For A Name respectively, lately they’ve been taking it slower, revealing a different side of themselves with solo acoustic tours. Like Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan and his Revival Tour that’s recently passed through town, these style of shows give the artists a chance to be performers not defined by the people around them, and Cape loves the freedom that goes along with that. “You realise like a week into the tour this is just too fun, we ought to do this everywhere. What we realised as well is that when you’re having a really good time that comes across to people and people have a good time too,” he says.

And Cape says the best part of touring solo is you get to tour with your favourite artists and friends, like

Biffy Clyro’s latest record, last year’s Only Revolutions, sent the media into a frenzy and is stoking the fires for an already well-lusted after follow-up. Are there any uncertainties in regards to their ability to produce a credible successor?

One of the benefits of releasing music this way is the instant feedback Cape gets from his fans. “I love the fact that I can put up a song and within ten minutes read 49 comments of the song and there’ll be one guy… there’s always one guy that’s like, ‘Yeah, you know what man, yeah, I think you could’ve done a little better on this part right here,’ and I’m thinking he knows something. You might just be like, ‘Whatever, I’m doing what I do and I’m not going to be affected by that’, but ultimately that little thing is going to be sitting in your head for a little while.”

“I was also kind of on a date with another woman,” Cape explains with a wry chuckle. “I guess I ended up talking to my wife most of the night, who I wouldn’t meet again until almost ten years later. But she always talks about that that’s when we first met and I say, ‘Well I don’t remember it. I don’t think it should count’.”

“Sometimes when you’re in a band and you play shows for years and years and years, there are great nights – don’t get me wrong, there’s lots of them – but there are a lot of nights where it’s like, ‘Look, I don’t know’. You get pretty good at wearing a poker face so people don’t know. And I think most of us make the best of it and try and have a good time all the time, but I’m not taking anything away from my bands when I’m saying when you’re doing something new and fresh it’s great. Let’s face it, if you’re in a band that’s been together over 20 years and you’re playing a song that was on your first record, it’s pretty hard to get inspired.”

think with the extra elements – with the strings and brass – you dream up a lot of it and you think about it, and it’s really difficult when it’s just three guys in a room to picture how it’s gonna work out. Again, we work with some people that we trust, such as Eric Campbell who is a fantastic conductor and music arranger.”

Sly. “He’s just one of those people,” Cape says. “He’s so sweet and easy to get along with. It’s not true of me, I’ll admit; I’m not always the most likable person. I’m very honest and I speak whatever comes into my mind, so I kind of rub a lot of people the wrong way. But Tony, he just says the right thing all the time.” So far the music Cape has played on these acoustic tours has been released on his debut solo album Bridge and on this year’s unusual record, Doesn’t Play Well With Others. Cape is releasing his second album one song at a time. Available via subscription from his website, the record is being revealed one song a month over the course of a year. Then, at the end of 12 months, a physical CD and vinyl will be available.

Because Cape isn’t constrained by booking time in a studio (he’s recording the album at home), the 12 songs he had when he first started the project have changed. Cape says having the time to really think about his work is a good and bad thing. “I think when I started it I had enough of it done and I felt that maybe it was all done, so it gave me the confidence to embark, but what happens is – which is something I didn’t account for – by having the time to decide and really look over each song with a magnifying glass and really get into each song, I didn’t really feel like I wanted to release every one of those songs that I recorded, so I’m re-recording a lot of songs. Sometimes I’m rewriting the song that I wanted to release next and re-recording it. And it’s awesome because I feel like at the end of the year when I put all these songs

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At least you can count on family to love what you do. To accompany the songs, Cape is providing artwork done by his clearly very talented six-year-old daughter Violet. “In the case of all the art so far that I’ve released I gave her the title and I gave her a little bit of what it was about if she needed it, but she doesn’t need to be bothered with daddy’s interpretation of the song. It’s not really important to her. It’s usually just like, the word ‘fire’ comes out of my mouth and she just goes, ‘Okay. Okay, go away’. She doesn’t want me getting in the way of her art. And it’s awesome. It’s funny. She knows what’s going on. She knows a lot better than me what’s happening.”

WHO: Joey Cape and Tony Sly WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Corner Hotel

THIS IS HARDCORE With just three studio albums released in a 15-year career, SHAI HULUD aren’t the most prolific bunch. “I don’t think that I’m as clever as I want myself to be,” guitarist MATT FOX tells BRENDAN CRABB.

espite a strong touring ethic, American hardcore crew Shai Hulud have never rushed things when it comes time to their recordings. “I think it’s difficult for me,” the axeman says, speaking to Inpress from Malaysia. “I’m overly picky and I do realise this. I play my guitar every single day and write something new every single day and I would say 99% of it is just utter shit. I’m always writing stuff but I wouldn’t dare record any of it. So writing a song isn’t necessarily difficult, but I always want to kind of try to impress myself. As with most people, you’re always your own harshest critic, but I like that and really take that as a challenge, although the challenge just sometimes is too exhausting, because I don’t think that I’m as clever as I want myself to be.

Forming in 1995, a time well before the separation of church and state – or, in this case, metal and hardcore – had been eroded by the widespread crossover of styles that exists in today’s heavy music landscape, Shai Hulud’s music doesn’t really fit within the parameters of easily-applied scene labels concocted by trendy magazines or webzines. Today’s oft-cliquey attitudes within the heavy music fan base unintentionally had their roots then too. “I think the only reason we ever [used the term metalcore] was we made a joke about Earth Crisis,” Fox explains. “Not at their expense; we all love Earth Crisis. But I remember when Destroy The Machines came out [in 1995], a friend of mine and I listened to it. He goes, ‘Man, I love this, but it’s just so metal’. It was like we were almost afraid… We were both like, ‘Man, are we allowed to like this?’,” Fox laughs. “It’s kind of hardcore, but it’s not. Then somebody made the joke, ‘This is metalcore,’ and I’m sure somebody else came up with the term, too, but that’s where we came up with it.

“When I’m writing a riff or a song, I want to hear it, be nearly blown away and surprised that I came up with it. That’s how I know that I’ve written something that should go to Shai Hulud; when I write it and say, ‘Wow, I wasn’t aware that I could do something that cool’. A lot of bands record an album a year and that’s not to belittle their talent, but we’re not [like that]. It takes me a long time to write something I think is really worth sharing with other people. We’ve always taken a long time between albums and I think it’s just because we really scrutinise every note and every word.” Somewhat surprisingly, given the lengthy waits between previous records, Fox says album number four is already tentatively slated for release early next year. “Even when we were writing and recording Misanthropy Pure, there were other ideas being worked on for the follow-up. So we’ve got quite a bit of material. I believe we’ve got a title for the album, which I can’t give away just yet, ‘cause it’s still so early on. When we get back from this tour, the goal is to kind of put it all together and see where we’re at. But I think that we are further along with the follow-up to Misanthropy Pure than we were with Misanthropy Pure when we were at this stage. So I think all the guys feel pretty confident about how much material we have and the quality of it. I’ve been playing some riffs here and there and some of the guys in the band and also other people that we’re friends with have been saying, ‘Wow, is that new stuff? That’s really good’. I don’t know if they’re full of shit or not,” he laughs. “But we’re all pretty confident about how much material we have and the quality of it.”

of surprises and little gems on an album and based on the material that we have now, going with that theme I think that’s what we’re going to try and accomplish. You never know what style is going to be next; short, fast, raging hardcore song or something a little more intricate and melodic and metal. It should be cool and right now we’re all really excited [even though] I’m still not exactly sure where it’s going to go.”

As for the creative direction they’ll take for the next release, an expansion on their already varied musical template appears to be on the cards. “It’s going in a lot of different directions. There was one song that we recorded for a three-song demo which got us signed to Metal Blade [Records, the band’s current label home] and two of those three songs made it on to Misanthropy Pure. The other one didn’t, so we’re taking that one for this new album and it’s a very intricate, slow and heavy, melodic song, which is really awesome, because I think we kind of thrive on those types of songs. Some of the best ones we’ve written are like that. But lately, I don’t know what it is, but we’ve also got a couple of other tracks that we have

been working on and they’ve been short, fast old-school hardcore songs. So it seems like it’s going to be a very diverse album, where one song will be slow and brooding and the next will be like a minute-and-a-half hardcore song, with plenty of stage-dive potential,” he laughs. “For me, a big influence, at least when I was growing up was the American band Nuclear Assault. One thing that I always loved about them was that it was so intensely hardcore and so intensely metal at the same time and you could have tracks that were slow and brooding and then easily go right into, like, Hang The Pope, which is off their [1986] album Game Over. So I like those kinds

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“I think in like 1999 or 2000, we put the word ‘metalcore’ on a shirt, just kind of being funny and ever since then we’ve been tagged as being a metalcore band. Which is fine, I mean depending on what your view of it is. When I listen to us, I hear a hardcore band with serious metal influences. We’re clearly rooted in hardcore, our stage presence is hardcore, what we want from shows is hardcore. We come straight from the hardcore scene. One thing that I think maybe separates us [from] hardcore is a lot of things that are associated with hardcore these days, [such as] tending to lean towards being aloof and ignorant and often violent – that’s not something that Shai Hulud relates to. If those negative traits are associated with hardcore then I’d rather be anything but. But if hardcore is what I remember it being – Uniform Choice, Chain Of Strength, Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks – all the bands that got me into hardcore are still considered hardcore, then yeah, Shai Hulud is a hardcore band.” WHO: Shai Hulud WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, the Arthouse; Sunday, Seaford Community Centre (all ages)

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INSIDE:

WEDNESDAY 19TH MAY 2010

LAIDBACK LUKE

DJ ZINC

ELLE

OU T

DJ KUTZ

DIZZ1

IN THE STUDIO WITH TIMOTHY ALLAN

N E I L L A TH E

T S DU

2 Zebra Magazine

Zebra Magazine 3

ROBIN HOOD

CE M EN

TOURING DATES NO AN

NO NONSENSE: JAMES ZABIELA, CLIVE HENRY, TOM BUDDEN - May 21, Brown Alley

MAY

th Robertson Toronto natives Autoerotique (Kei ed to the add n bee have on) ders & David Hen set to are and up linestem Winter Soundsy a, as will the dominate the Dim Mak Main Aren Joachim Garraud likes of Underworld, Crookers, on to part with reas ther ano Yet i. Aok e Stev and cares away. your ce dan and ned -ear your hard 13 June at day Sun on e plac s The action take Hisense arenas Melbourne Park – Rod Laver and release First and surrounds from 10pm-7am. nd release now seco with out sold have ts ticke charges through on sale for $99+BF and service Ticketek.

DJ KUTZ - May 22, Mercat Cross P-MONEY - May 27, Eve MIAMI HORROR - May 28, Corner Hotel MIKE FIELDING (AKA NABOO) DJ SET - May 28, The Espy JACQUES RENAULT - May 28, New Guernica UNDERTOW - May 28, Miss Libertine MIKE FIELDING (AKA NABOO) DJ SET - May 29, The Espy

BUZZIN’ BACK

hip hop, LA trendsetters and rulers of indie o Adler, are Cisc Shwayze (AKA Aaron Smith) and f, sold out r brie returning to Australia after thei this time New And . uary Febr in tour st East Coa DJ Jason and x Knu The duo hop Orleans hip from Red port Sup g. alon ing Smith will be com Deadly Booty and Ink, Mafia, Dublin Aunts, 360, 19 June at the Streetparty Vs Swick. Saturday and all Oztix .au .com espy ugh thro ets Tick Espy. outlets.

MIAMI HORROR - May 29, Corner Hotel ERIC LAU, FRANK BOOKER - May 29, The Croft Institute OXIA - May 30, Revolver DJ LORD - May 31, The Espy

JUNE WAX!: THE REVENGE - Jun 4, Revolver ESPIONAGE: KLUTE - Jun 5, Roxanne Parlour NADASTROM - Jun 5, The Espy DARKBEAT: CHRIS FORTIER, DUBFUNK, ALI B, SKOOL OF THOUGHT - Jun 11, Brown Alley SHAPESHIFTER - Jun 11, The Palace SOUND PELLEGRINO THERMAL TEAM - Jun 11, The Espy COMMON, KID CAPRI - Jun 12, Prince Bandroom RAP CITY: DJ PREMIER, THE BEATNUTS, MASTA ACE & EDO G - Jun 12, The Espy HEAVY INNIT!!: STAGGA, BOOT - Jun 12, Mercat Cross

Oxia (8Bit Records, R lver is excited to welcome Revo onents of techno prop est hott the of one France), s under his belt year 20 st almo and house. With has earned an chm Fren producing music, the g tracks on a formidable reputation releasin Records, Kompakt, renowned labels including 8Bit . He plays the dlife Goo l labe own his Tsuba and gs, Spacey Boo with May 30 night of Sunday e Callander and Space plus special guests Mik pre-sale tickets Nick Jones. Doors open 9pm, htix. Mos ugh thro

EROTIQUE WINTER

CHARLIE DARK - May 21, The Croft Institute

8 BITS TECH

BODZIN THE HOOD

CREATING K-OS

is the ert Hood and Hugo. Bodzin nt Stephan Bodzin (live), Rob h tale wit his no ore tech bef of s e atre dos a the an posing music for Europe The Likes Of You brings you com ber th tee mem g his ndin cut o fou a wh is an d sici Hoo son of an experimental mu ion as a DJ and live artist. Rounding out the t on to worldwide dominat with an emphasis on soul. no tech was discovered and he wen roit Det l ima min in love with es fell mak o Hug and an, nce sici ista mu Res jazz of Underground Italy. A classically trained n, Turi from o Hug is ies international delicac y. . Friday 2 July at Brown Alle electronic music in the ‘90s

ician/MC/ Trinidad-born, Toronto-raised mus aven Brereton) producer k-os (also known as Khe fourth studio his has enjoyed much acclaim from earances from album Yes!, featuring guest app ray Lightburn Mur and ric Met of es Emily Hain Splendour on out ed miss you If of The Dears. show at the side k-os the h tickets, you can catc ets through Prince on Tuesday 3 August. Tick .au. Ticketek or princebandroom.com

CASSETTE KIDS - Jun 12, The Toff In Town WINTER SOUND SYSTEM: UNDERWORLD, CROOKERS, MARKUS SCHULZ, ZOMBIE NATION, TIGA, ROGER SHAH, THE PROXY, MANDY, STEVE AOKI & MORE - Jun 13, Melbourne Park

THIS WEEK

GIFT OF GAB - Jun 13, Corner Hotel NADASTROM - Jun 13, Royal Melbourne Hotel RENAISSANCE MAN - Jun 18, The Espy SHWAYZE & CISCO ADLER - Jun 19, The Espy INTERVIEW: ANTIX - Jun 19, Miss Libertine RENAISSANCE MAN - Jun 19, LaDiDa GIGI BAROCCO, ACT YO AGE - Jun 25, Roxanne Parlour

JULY

THE LIKES OF YOU: STEPHAN BODZIN, ROBERT HOOD, HUGO - Jul 2, Brown Alley AIRPORT: SIMON PATTERSON, SIED VAN RIEL - Jul 2, Billboard SUPER DISCO: DROP THE LIME - Jul 9, Prince Bandroom KEVIN RUDOL - Jul 16, Palace Theatre LOWRIDER - Jul 17, Sandbar LOWRIDER - Jul 23, Westernport Hotel LOWRIDER - Jul 24, Corner Hotel LCD SOUNDSYSTEM, HOT CHIP - Jul 29, Festival Hall

AUGUST GOLDFRAPP - Aug 3, Palace Theatre K-O - Aug 3, Prince Bandroom

OCTOBER CYPRESS HILL - Sep 23, Palace Theatre

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NABOO @ THE ESPY Come with us now on a journey through time and space as the Espy hosts the Melbourne debut of Mike Fielding (AKA Naboo from cult UK television show The Mighty Boosh). The coolest freelance Shaman in the known universe has travelled the galaxy playing the hottest parties and festivals, working his psychedelic voodoo magic. Field is bringing his special blend of indie, electro and classic mash-ups Down Under, creating dancefloor mayhem for Boosh fans Australia-wide. Catch Naboo DJing this Thursday or next Friday 28 May.

CLIVE HENRY @ BROWN ALLEY Clive Henry made his grand entrance into the music scene as part of the duo Peace Division – one of England’s finest, most acclaimed production and remixing teams. Recognised as one of the original and current Circo Loco residents at the infamous DC10 in Ibiza, Henry is one of the most respected underground DJs hailing from London. This Friday.

CHARLIE DARK @ THE CROFT INSTITUTE With flamboyant gestures and vocal gymnastics, writer, producer and DJ Charlie Dark has made a dynamic impact on the UK poetry and performance scene. Dark is one-third of the critically acclaimed hip hop-inspired trio Attica Blues and will perform for the first time in Melbourne doing an intimate soundsystem set. Support from Gmuva (NZ), Inkswel, Aux One, Mamasita Bonnita, Dust, Andras Fox and Prequel. This Friday from 10pm. $10 on the door.

THE BEAT INVITATIONAL @ ROXANNE PARLOUR The Beat Invitational is back bringing your ears some of the freshest beats, heaviest bass and dopest live performances that Australia and New Zealand have to offer. The following handpicked producers will be showcasing their latest creations and unleashing their unreleased beats: DIZZ1, Sean Deans, Cosmo, Mike Kay and Chopper. Alongside the live beats there will be live painting by Otis Chamberlain. Support from Matik, J Silver, Nam and Shikung. The action takes place this Friday. $10 before midnight/$15 after.

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NO NONSENSE FEAT JAMES ZABIELA, CLIVE HENRY & TOM BUDDEN @ BROWN ALLEY No Nonsense presents James Zabiela, Clive Henry (Peace Division) and Tom Budden (UK). Every ticket holder will receive a free copy of James Zabiela’s The Masters Series: Life compilation on Renaissance. This Friday.

RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE @ THE PRINCE Unpacking the punch on the Rumble In The Jungle bill. Lost Memory (Brazil), Suntribe, Ozzy, Hard Vibes, Redline, Ben Evans, Gilli and CL!FFie shake up the front room. Taking care of the back room beats, Daktari, Suseri, Ryan Riback, Aaron ‘back from the ‘90s’ Smiles and Mish’chief. VJ-ninja has been confirmed and will be bringing a wicked array of twisted visual art for your viewing pleasure. This Saturday. Tickets $25+BF through Alley Tunes Records and Prince Of Wales Public Bar. More on the door.

UPCOMING RED BULL FIGHT CLUB FEAT P-MONEY @ EVE Thursday 27 May Red Bull, Big

Dog Entertainment and Switch Thursdays presents Red Bull Flight Club featuring P-Money (NZ), Jesus Loyola, Jarrod Moran, Dean Paps, Heath Renata and Switch’s residents spinning their magic. This party will give you wings so make sure you pack some comfortable dancing shoes. $20/$15 guestlist. Hit up switchthursdays.com.au for birthday and function enquiries.

KIDD KAOS VS ALEX KIDD @ BILLBOARD THE VENUE Hard Kandy and Kiddfectious present the masters of hard dance, the UK’s Alex Kidd and Kidd Kaos, doing battle in the ultimate showdown. Support from Scott Alert, Dr Willis NFX, Ben Jackson, Alex Db, Daniel Dobson, Ajax and Jamie Vlahos. Tickets: $40+BF (early bird), $45+BF (general) via billboardthevenue.com.au or Moshtix. Friday 28 May from 10pm.

JACQUES RENAULT @ NEW GUERNICA On Friday 28 May, Jacques Renault from New York City will jump behind the decks on New Guernica’s battered up old organ and play you some of the new impressions in modern music. Renault has released tunes through DFA Records and Radioslave’s Rekids imprint and is at the helm

of production group Runaways. Support from Fromage Disco.

to get your name on the list for hassle free entry).

cranking drum’n’bass that will rumble through your nether regions.

ERIC LAU & FRANK BOOKER @ THE CROFT INSTITUTE

ESPIONAGE FEAT KLUTE @ ROXANNE PARLOUR

SOUND PELLEGRINO THERMAL TEAM @ THE ESPY

Responsible for crafting soulful boombap backdrops for the likes of Lupe Fiasco, Guilty Simpson and Georgia Anne Muldrow, Eric Lau is a maestro behind the boards and one of the freshest party-rocking DJs. Catch him live launching his new EP on Ubiquity Recordings, accompanied by deep house don Frank Booker direct from NZ and launching his EP on Japanese jazzysport-affiliated label Wonderful Noise. Plus locals Kano, Inkswel, Prequel, Dust, Aux One, Who and Andras Fox. Saturday 29 May; $10 at the door.

DJ LORD @ THE ESPY The greatest line-up of action sport stars ever assembled will be performing never before seen tricks and stunts in the most spectacular live action sports show ever produced: Nitro Circus Live. To get things started, the Espy is hosting a pre-party on Monday 31 May with the theme of hip hop Vs hardcore featuring a special DJ set from Public Enemy’s own turntablist, DJ Lord. Lord will be joined by Nitro Circus DJs, Samsara, The Omen, At War With Gods and War Brains. Expect plenty of giveaways and special appearances from Nitro Athletes Travis Pastrana, Jake Brown and more. Tickets available from espy.com.au and all Oztix outlets.

WAX FEAT THE REVENGE @ REVOLVER Possibly the brightest shining star of the disco re-edit revival, Glasgow’s The Revenge (AKA Graeme Clark, one half of 6th Borough Project and Harri & The Revenge) returns to Melbourne to launch Revolver’s new Friday back room session WAX! Revolver also welcomes its newest back room residents on rotation: Otologic, Ooh Ee, Lewie Day, Andras Fox, Jnett, El-Sea, Mr George, Roman Bruce, Aram Chapers, Andee Frost and friends. Some things always stay the same with Sunshine taking over from 7am until midday Saturday. Friday 4 June. Tickets $20 on the door (email wax@revolverupstairs.com.au

Devoted disciples of drum’n’bass and, well, all kinds of music, will be pleased to hear Klute focusing on the kind of classic sound he does best and making an album with broad appeal, beyond the confines of just the club and kitchen. Music For Prophet is his sixth full-length album and when he’s not busy smashing the shit out of audiences worldwide with his extreme hardcore punk band The Stupids, Klute will be travelling the globe for an album tour that lands at Roxanne Parlour on Saturday 5 June. Tickets are $25+BF (early bird), $28+BF through Moshtix or more on door.

THE KOJO EP LAUNCH @ MISS LIBERTINE Featuring West Africa’s critically acclaimed Asanti Dance Theatre, Haiti’s MC/Producer/DJ Voodoo Dred, Australia’s premier Afro-DJ Mr Fish and Culture Connect’s Kojo solo EP launch. Expect dope percussion workouts with driving Afro rhythms, heavy world beats and future Aus hip hop. Saturday 5 June.

NADASTROM @ THE ESPY Nadastrom comprises Dave Nada and Matt Nordstrom from Washington DC and their debut Pussy release sold out on vinyl and became a digital store annual bestseller. According to the backto-back DJ team, “You gotta see it to believe it.” Nadastrom hit the Espy on Saturday 5 and Royal Melbourne Hotel on Sunday 13 June (day party) as part of their Lezgoz Australian tour.

SHAPESHIFTER @ THE PALACE Street Press Australia presents Shapeshifter. The New Zealand facemelters are all set to launch their new album The System Is A Vampire at the Palace on Friday 11 June and will be doing so by playing the longplayer live. This is

Orgasmic and Teki Latex are the two public faces of Paris-based label Sound Pellegrino and they’re getting ready to unite and form the Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team. Prepare to experience sounds flowing between tribal rhythms, pumping tech house, Baltimore and warped funky with a slice of club rap thrown in for good measure. Friday 11 June at the Espy.

DARKBEAT PRES CHRIS FORTIER, DUBFUNK, AL B, & SKOOL OF THOUGHT @ BROWN ALLEY Darkbeat presents Chris Fortier (USA), Dubfunk (SWZ), Al B (UK) and Skool Of Thought (UK). Friday 11 June.

RAP CITY @ THE ESPY A must see event for any hip hop fan, Rap City will feature over five hours of international and local artist performances, purpose built stage design, audiovisual displays, merchandise stall all backed by high impact graphic design and an interactive website. Featuring DJ Premier, The Beatnuts, Masta Ace & Edo G with local supports to be announced soon. Rap City takes over the Espy on Saturday 12 June. Tickets through theespy.oztix.com.au.

COMMON & KID CAPRI @ THE PRINCE Common and Kid Capri are heading to Australia and New Zealand this June for a five-city tour. This will be Common’s first appearance in Australia since 2006. Common rose to prominence as one of hip hop’s most poetic and respected lyricists and has even written two hip hop children’s books called The Mirror And Me and I Like You, But I Love Me. As for Kid Capri, hip hp heads will have noted that his name has appeared on the tour posters of heavyweight artists such as P Diddy, LL Cool J, Nas, Lil Kim, Jay-Z, Usher, R. Kelly, Mary J Blige, and Trey Songz. Catch them both on Saturday 12 June. Tickets on sale though Moshtix.

HEAVY INNIT!!

FEAT STAGGA @ MERCAT CROSS A big winter party will team special guests Stagga (Chrome Kids, UK) and Boot together with residents Affiks & A13 plus a quality local line-up including Riz-One and Heavy Innit!! virgin, Stack. Seven hours of devastating bass weight with a beefed-up Funktion-1 rig and killer outdoor balcony. Another wicked dubstep party coming right up upstairs at Mercat Cross and a long weekend to make it unmissable. $20 on the door, $15 VIPs before midnight. Saturday 12 June. 10pm5am.

GIFT OF GAB @ THE CORNER American MC/hip hop mastermind Gift Of Gab is heading our way in support of his new album Escape 2 Mars. The Oakland rapper is the skilful MC from Blackalicious (check out Alphabet Aerobics, people) and part of the group of hip hop eccentrics known as Quannum (which includes DJ Shadow and Lyrics Born). Gab was also a member of The Mighty Underdogs, a collaborative project including Lateef (Latyrx) and Headnodic (Crown City Rockers). Sunday 13 June.

RENAISSANCE MAN @ THE ESPY & LA DI DA

Cavalier. Antix, two fresh faced brothers with a love of electronic music, formed in the late ‘90s and were quickly snapped up by Iboga Records in Denmark. Support from Ben Evans, Blinky, Tony Loucas Vs Andy Simpson (B:R:B), Punkz On Junk, Motek (live), Deutronium, Loki, Simon Murphy and Nathan Canis. Saturday 19 June at Miss Libertine.

SOUND JUNKIES PRES GIGI BAROCCO & ACT YO AGE @ ROXANNE PARLOUR If you ain’t acting your age then you ain’t made for this gig. Act Yo Age are ready as anything to send decibels through our heads. AYA will headline alongside Gigi Barocco (Italy) to bring you their very own house/electro music. As resident to the Sweat It Out crew, be prepared for an impressive show. Eli B, Distrakt, Kris Baha, Mu-Gen, Kraymer, Trumpdisco, Swick, Airwolf, MYM, Pop A Cap, Zayler, daftwho?, J Heasy, Death By Disco, Swerve, Marco Polo, Luke Wellsteed, Dom Dolla and Paul Coverdale are also on the agenda. Friday 25 June, 10pm5am. Tickets are $25+BF (early bird) through Moshtix or more on door.

DIAFRIX & THE PUBLIC OPINION AFRO ORCHESTRA @ THE CORNER

Renaissance Man hail from Finland and both halves of the outfit met while working in an architecture office in Helsinki. Taking their inspiration from 3,000 years of art and science, Renaissance Man prove that you can think out of the box, but that it’s even better to think outside the walls. Or make that borders. Catch Renaissance on Friday 18 June joined by Mu-Gen, Scattermish, Lewis CanCut and Mat Cant. Tickets available now through espy.com.au and Oztix. A second show has been announced for Saturday 19 June at La Di Da.

Diafrix team up with The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra for a huge double bill. Diafrix debut album Concrete Jungle has taken their iconic concoction of hip hop, funk and African roots and developed it into a truly world-class sound. Saturday 26 June. Tickets through the Corner Box Office (12-8pm, Monday-Saturday) or online (cornerhotel.com).

INTERVIEW FEAT ANTIX @ MISS LIBERTINE

Back for another wild air race, the Airport artisans invite you to join their mile high club. Strap yourselves in for the ride of your life with trance heavyweights Simon Patterson

The Interview crew are back with New Zealand’s Antix launching their brand new fourth studio album

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

AIRPORT FEAT SIMON PATTERSON & SIED VAN RIEL @ BILLBOARD THE VENUE

and the flying Dutchman – Sied van Riel. Also featuring an impressive support line-up from around Australia including Nathan Cryptic (NSW), DJ Frost (SA) and local star Trent McDermott. First release costs $29+BF (strictly limited to 50), earlybirds are $39+BF (limited to 50), pre-sales will set you back $49+BF or first class flights cost $69 (available only through promoters). Friday 2 July. 9pm-5am.

DROP THE LIME @ THE PRINCE After setting the stage ablaze at the Stereosonic Festival 2009, Drop The Lime (DTL) is heading back to tour Australia in July. Drop The Lime (Luca Venezia) is an electro DJ/ producer hailing from New York who has remixed Moby, Blaqstarr, Rex The Dog, Armand Van Helden and Midnight Juggernauts as well as co-writing songs with Diplo and Herve. Catch DTL at the Prince on Friday 9 July.

PARADISE @ GWK, BALI Brought to you by Jungle Box, Paradise In Bali is a two-day drum’n’bass festival designed to give junglists a chance to come together and see some of the world’s finest artists under the sun. Sunday 14 and Monday 15 November sees the first inaugural Paradise launch its way into festival history with artists such as Makoto, Matrix & Futurebound, Utah Jazz, Ragga Twins, Squire and Bungle (live). Australasian heavyweight support comes from WA boys Shock One & Q-Bik, Kim Dela Hay (QLD) and DJ Low is representing Malaysia. Also featured will be Ragga Twins’ 20th Anniversary special, Utah Jazz’s new album tour and Bungle’s instrumental live show never before seen out of Brazil. Paradise will be held in the idyllic surroundings of Bali, enclosed by enormous limestone pillars with the Garuda figure as a backdrop and the dramatic lotus pond area has a capacity of 7,500. Tickets go on sale through Moshtix or directly through paradisefestival.com. au from 7 June. Pre-release industry tickets available now. Holiday packages also available.

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DA N

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DUMMIES’ GUIDE TO

ELLEN ALLIEN

RETURN TO EARTH LEAVING THE CLAUSTROPHOBIC SOUNDS OF HER LAST STUDIO OUTING SOOL BEHIND, BERLINER ELLEN ALLIEN HAS RETURNED TO HER ENERGETIC LEFTIFELD ROOTS ON DUST – A RECORD ON WHICH SHE FEELS SHE HAS COME INTO HER OWN AS A WOMAN. ELLEN ALLIEN PLAYS WINTER SOUND SYSTEM SUNDAY 13 JUNE. DUST IS OUT THROUGH BPITCH CONTROL/STOMP THIS FRIDAY.

he genuinely effervescent Ellen Fraatz – aka Ellen Allien – has been, and seemingly always will be, one of Berlin’s finest musical exports. Though she has explored the strengths of branding with her Bpitch Control collective, each of her many projects can hardly been daubed with the commercial brush. In fact this is precisely the type of thing she avoids – not consciously but because it’s within her personality to do so. For someone who juggles promoting the occasional party, two record labels, a fashion line, a DJ career and a production career she’s remarkably relaxed and at ease with the world, finding time to stop for admittedly over the top indulgences in wine and cheese with her boyfriend. A ceaselessly social creature, it’s the support of friends which helps keep Fraatz balanced – a theme she consciously and humbly incorporated into her recently released sixth studio album Dust. “I’m talking about climbing up the hill when I’m feeling overworked or that something is going on in the business,” Fraatz reveals. “Or I’m singing about when you’ve had a hard day and you walk down the street with a friend and they take your hand then you feel like, ‘Okay, life is easy’ – it passes through your body and through the floor and everything is easy. I think it’s about life and how it can be; standing up, falling, feeling love and not hate to make your day. It’s about night life and day life; meeting a person in the club, talking about after hours.” In terms of its overall composition Dust is streets away from her last album, the claustrophobic yet captivating SOOL. It feels like a genuine return to Fraatz’s roots – inclusive of all her energy, eclecticism and left thinking. Guitars, clavinet, strong vocals, buzzing techno synths… it’s all there and it’s good. Despite the moments which are reminiscent of Berlinette or even Thrills at a stretch, Fraatz has this time turned to the production talents of Tobias Freund rather than Holger Zilske, who worked with her on several early albums. “I did it in winter time in Berlin when the snow was coming back, this winter

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“

I THINK IT’S ABOUT LIFE AND HOW IT CAN BE; STANDING UP, FALLING, FEELING LOVE AND NOT HATE TO MAKE YOUR DAY. IT’S ABOUT NIGHT LIFE AND DAY LIFE; MEETING A PERSON IN THE CLUB, TALKING ABOUT AFTER HOURS.” was really hard in Berlin; we had non-stop snow, like two metres every day,” Fraatz recalls. “I recorded some vocals in my house and then I was going to my producer Tobias Freund and we recorded the rest. The girl from Bpitch accounting, Katrin, she told me about him that he’s searching for musicians and stuff and that he’s cool so I started working with him on some projects, some little projects. “Then he told me he’d like to do an album – it was very practical because his studio was next to my house so it was really cool being in the same street. I really like his productions – he’s making minimal techno normally… not so poppy stuff [but] in the past he did some stuff with vocals. At the end I think it’s a nice mix of everything, electronica, dance tracks and some rock/indie tracks. “I would say my last album was really minimal [whereas] the

other albums also had elements like this one: rock, some guitars [and] many vocals. This time I let my voice… if I’m over guitars it becomes very poppy. In the last albums I pitched my voice down more than the guitars so it sounds not so clear. On this album on two tracks my voice sounds clear like you can hear more pop. With this album I feel as a person inside as I’ve arrived somewhere; maybe it’s my age or that I feel like a woman, what I was coming through in the last years… I think this album sounds like I’ve landed somewhere.” Though Dust could be seen a deliberate attempt to rekindle a sense of the familiar in fans, it was made with the same buzzing energy and open-ended emphasis on expression that has always possessed Fraatz. It’s unfortunately not going to result in a live show as was the case with earlier album tours, but the idea is certainly on Fraatz’s radar.

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REAL NAME: Ellen Fraatz BORN: 1969 SINCE: 1992 FROM: Berlin, Germany LABEL: Bpitch Control ACCOMPLICES: Apparat, AGF, Holger Zilske, Tobias Freund. FUN FACTS: * Fraatz started her DJ career circa1992 squiring residencies at legendary Berlin clubs Bunker, Tresor and E-Werk. * Prior to the establishment of her lauded Bpitch Control label, Fraatz ran a label called Braincandy which she gave up due to discrepancies in disc sales. It was after the 2005 release of her third studio album Thrills that the Bpitch tech/ minimal house sub label Memo was established. * In addition to her record label, booking agency, promotions company, DJ career and production career, Fraatz also manages to find time to run a successful fashion label, Ellen Allien Fashion, which puts everything from t-shirts and bags to shorts and skirts on the market for both girls and guys. Much of it coincides with elements of artwork from many Bpitch music releases. QUOTABLE QUOTE: “We have the biggest club scene in the world I think, because after the wall came down, we had many, many locations on the east side where we could make small clubs, with cheap rent and no problems with all the neighbours, because there were no neighbours! In this time, from ’89 to ’95, the government had such a lot of problems to get us. Now it’s very complicated, because now it’s a big city, and all the capitalism shit is there, and now everybody likes to make money – it kills the underground…” 11-hour.com MEDIA HYPE: “Whilst many aspiring DJs dream of a life of fame, groupies and mega bucks, Germany’s Ellen Allien sees techno and DJing as an alternative culture and lifestyle. It’s a way of life. She doesn’t DJ for the money. She doesn’t DJ for the celebrity status. She hates the capitalists’ pursuit of wealth and doesn’t want to die of stress-related cancer.” beatportal. com SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY ALBUMS Stadtkind (Bpitch Control, 2001) Thrills (Bpitch Control, 2005) SOOL (Bpitch Control, 2008) Dust (Bpitch Control, 2010) SINGLES Go (Bpitch Control, 2007) Lover (Bpitch Control, 2009) COMPILATIONS Weiss.Mix (Bpitch Control, 2002) Fabric 34 (Fabric, 2007) Boogy Bytes Vol. 04

“I mean on many albums I was going in this direction. If I’m making albums I’m crossing some musical genres because I’m listening to a lot of different music and I know a lot of people who play instruments and I want to let them play. Of course when I would play live it would be like this – more mixed. My DJ sets are very house and techno based, I mean there can be a guitar track in between but let’s see what’s coming when I play live again! For this album I make a DJ tour but of course I want to play live again – maybe for my next album. I think it’s time, maybe next year.” By contrast to some of her peers, Fraatz finds the rigours of live performance far easier than those endured as a DJ, insinuating that the certainty involved is actually quite liberating. “It’s tougher making DJ sets because playing live you just play one hour and it’s not so intense,” she admits. “I learned DJ sets are tougher because I play longer and later – sometimes I’m playing for four hours. I have a lot of new tracks, I don’t know them so well and have to mix them which takes a lot of concentration. Playing live is not so hard for me because I don’t have two different records on my ear trying to mix them – it’s much easier because you know your tracks.” Once a staunch advocate for vinyl as a medium, Fraatz has recently succumbed to the pressure of lost record bags and poorly set up turntables; opting for the reliability and convenience of working with CDs. It comes as little surprise as Fraatz has regularly blogged about such difficulties via MySpace for the better part of the past two years. Were it not for a chance occurrence in Barcelona she could well have stuck to enduring the same frustrations. Convenience too is always a factor. “I’m getting a lot of things sent via mail so before my gigs I download my favourite tracks and I play them directly in my set. It’s a lot of promos or I go to websites to download – it’s a mix between that, Bpitch Control demos and some music I like,” she enthuses. “I hated CDs a lot before but sometimes my record bags didn’t arrive and there was one time they didn’t before a gig at a club in Barcelona. I was waiting in the airport for four hours by myself for it to arrive so I bought some blank CDs and I had my computer with me so I burned them all and had one of the best DJ sets I’ve had. I decided to start using CDs because I can take them on every aeroplane because they’re not so heavy and then I have everything with me in the plane. Also with needles jumping, every time there’s problems with turntables, especially at festivals; there’s a lot of bass and they don’t know how to set them up to prevent feedback and now I never have problems. It’s the safest way to play your set.”

BY EV STU AN AR S T

TURN IT UP LAIDBACK LUKE SAYS HE’S MORE EXPERIENCED THAN HIS FRESH FACE INDICATES, SHOWING NO SIGNS OF RAVAGES FROM THE SO-CALLED LOUDNESS WAR. LAIDBACK LUKE PLAYS WINTER SOUND SYSTEM SUNDAY 13 JUNE.

ow do you pronounce Luke van Scheppingen without sounding like a mumbling, dribbling fool with a mouth full of marbles? Thankfully his alias, Laidback Luke, is easier to articulate. But is he as mellow as a Jamaican dope smoker, as his name suggests? “I try to put as much energy as I can into music and performing. In music I’m not that laid-back. Away from music my friends say I’m a relaxed and easy-going kind of person,” he says. Van Scheppingen spent his formative years in the Philippine capital Manila, before moving to the Netherlands at four years of age. Before switching to house music, the young van Scheppingen was initially drawn to hip hop and graffiti values. It was at a high school party where he befriended his eventual mentor Dobre (Chocolate Puma), subsequently taking his hip hop skills and applying them to house music. Early production work, including We Can Not Get Enough,

resonated. Production wise van Scheppingen was on the money with a burgeoning reputation. Virgin Records took note and signed his seminal 2002 single, Rocking With The Best, then his debut album Electronic Satisfaction in the same year. So all was rosy with his production exploits, but his international DJ career was slower to take off. “I may not look like it but I’m a veteran of the scene,” he explains. “My career has had lots of ups and downs and at one point I was only known in my native country. After 2006 I finally got the chance to prove my DJing abilities. So it just took time to get out there.” His remix style is also second to none – Roger Sanchez, Martin Solveig and David Guetta have sought his particular brand of wizardry. And van Scheppingen is widely known as the informal fourth member of the Swedish House Mafia – his collaboration with mafia cohorts, Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve

Angello, resulted in Leave The World Behind. “For me the Swedish guys have been the Daft Punk of the 2000s,” he states. “They won’t like me saying this but they basically invented the electro genre. In 2004 house music was really stuck and searching for a new angle. The Swedish guys came along with this massive production sound and big basslines. They were a revelation.” House music is due for another change, he says. “We’re going into a period where house music will come back into its old form. It used to be genres without boundaries. Back in 1992 house could be tougher, softer, funkier or harder but it was always called house music. I feel we’re getting back into that.” Yet van Scheppingen’s style incorporates many influences – fidget, hip hop and junkyard house to name a few. And therein lies a problem. According to van Scheppingen he’s always been one step ahead of the pack, keen to test out sounds via the traditional bootleg. “I’ve always tried to remain ahead but people don’t always immediately understand my stuff until much later. I do have a sense of what’s coming up next and in the past it’s prevented me from being fully understood. These days I’m trying to push my mind backwards,” he says. The point is valid. Understanding his work doesn’t always come easily; like his tendency to produce tracks that send the bass needle into the red. Whilst some producers may fear mass sound distortion, he sees it differently. “I’m fully into this loudness war. I have the Swedish guys to thank for that,” he says. The loudness war is simple: make records as loud as possible. “It’s important to have a record that smashes you in the face. I’m really trying to be on top of the loudness but tracks need to make a really big impact on the floor.”

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NO GEE-UP ZEBRA LEARNS THAT ALL HAS BEEN QUIET ON THE GARETH EMERY FRONT FOR A REASON – HE’S BEEN PAINSTAKINGLY COMPLETING HIS DEBUT ALBUM. GARETH EMERY PLAYS WINTER SOUND SYSTEM SUNDAY 13 JUNE.

ith the launch of his label/club night Garuda, several Beatport trance chart hits and a jump to number nine in the DJ Mag Top 100 poll, 2009 was nothing short of a sweet year for UK trance man Gareth Emery. 2010 now looks to be even sweeter with his long promised LP now in the headlights, and despite the obligatory sleepless nights Emery is determined to get it sorted. “I’ve been working tirelessly doing these all night sessions,” he confesses. “I don’t get much time here back in the UK, because I’m touring pretty much all of the time. While I’m here, I’m literally spending every waking hour just working on it and trying to get it out. “I’ve been promising it for so long – I promised it back in 2006! ‘Next year my album’s going to come out,’ and, uh… it didn’t happen. And it didn’t happen the next year. Or the next year.” Fortunately, with half of it now finally completed, fans can rest assured it’s on its way. However, it’s meant a cut to his consistent presence as a remix artist and the period in between popular releases comes strangely for the producer. As Emery remarks, it was clear his attention was needed to focus on his original tunes, and the finished product will definitely be worth the wait. “I looked back in terms of production and I’d made like three original tracks and eight or nine remixes… That’s 11 or 12 tracks!” he says. “I’ve spent enough time to do an album, but I’ve just been doing remixes instead. So this year I was like, ‘I’m going to bite the bullet… Any time I’ve got I’m going to do my own stuff’. It does mean you get this limbo period because I get this first six or seven months of the year now without seeing any music [released].

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“But there’s going to be a whole record of it, which is over 50% done now,” he promises. “It’s definitely going to be dropping in October and it’s definitely worth it.” A typically hectic touring schedule coupled with determination to finally work on the album has forced Emery away from his production studio and marks a difference for his latest works. With more of his writing now taking place in the unconventional environment of an airport or plane, a distinct lack of “expensive studio gear” on the road means he is forced to focus more on composition. It’s easy to hear his voice light up when talking of this new found challenge in writing. Perhaps for the classicly trained composer in Emery however, this should come as no surprise. “One thing I’ve done with this record that I’ve not always done before, is writing a lot of stuff on the road,” he says. “You have a limited set-up, so you focus a lot more on the melody… You don’t have all your expensive studio gear, so you can’t go mess about with really fancy sound. “You have pretty basic sounds, so you focus on the music and the melodies, then you can get back to the studio with [those] melodies you’ve written and make it sound like something a little bit more substantial.” Emery’s also kept his club night Garuda in mind when writing new tracks, mindful that his “club stuff” is what he does best. As trance itself has become more diverse, you can expect to hear this in the album as well. “It’ll start kind of slow, some techy stuff in the middle, some uplifting stuff in the end… [but overall] club music is what I do best,” he says. “Even though it’s going to be mixed or blended for a home or car listening experience ultimately it’s going to be an album of dance music of completely Gareth Emery tracks.”

Zebra Magazine 7

PABY A TT N ER GU SO S N

A NEW LEASE ON LIFE JAMES ZABIELA WAS ONCE THE PIN-UP BOY OF MODERN DJ TRICKERY, BUT HE’S NOW PRACTISING A MORE RESTRAINED APPROACH WHEN HE FRONTS A DANCEFLOOR – IRONICALLY AS HE RELEASES HIS MOST AMBITIOUS MIX SET YET. XXX JAMES ZABIELA PLAYS NO NONSENSE AT BROWN ALLEY THIS FRIDAY. THE MASTERS SERIES: LIFE IS OUT THROUGH RENAISSANCE/STOMP.

he CD mix compilation has always been one of the hallmarks of dance culture, something club fanatics race to get their mits all over, barely able to contain their excitement in getting it home to devour those sparkly fresh sounds that had been handpicked by their favourite DJs. But that was then and this is now, and increasingly it’s a becoming an irrelevant format. How can it compete when dance enthusiasts are already so readily consuming free podcasts and live sets? If you’re James Zabiela, you face the sweeping changes in distribution head on – by giving it away for free. There is a catch though – you’ll have to catch Zabiela at one of his club gigs on his current world tour, where he’ll be giving away a copy of the latest Renaissance release The Masters Series: Life on special edition DVD, packaged with exclusive videos, screensavers, wallpapers and a bunch of other digital goodies. You can see it as an ‘adapt or die’ approach from Renaissance, and perhaps a recognition that in 2010, live performances count for everything. But when Zebra spoke to Zabiela, already well underway on the European leg of his worldwide tour and on his way to Australia, he played down any such dramatic notions. “It’s just a way of getting more exposure, and getting it into the hands of more people,” he says. “Especially when I’m playing a lot of far flung places, where people might not even have an internet connection. Certainly, the amount of people that I play to isn’t reflected in CD sales, that’s for sure.” In line with his unconventional approach in getting Life out to more ears, Zabiela similarly tried to do something a little different with the way he put it together. He says it was a matter of taking in the overwhelmingly positive feedback he received for the opening disc of his debut The Masters Series mix on Renaissance last year, where he fused a gorgeous selection of downbeat

B SWY K AL RIS ES

BOMBING RAID

MARTIJN VAN SONDEREN SPILLS THE BEANS ON WHY THE LONG-AWAITED NOISIA LONGPLAYER HAS TAKEN SO LONG TO SURFACE, AND THEIR MISSION TO CREATE A SOUND WHICH TRANSCENDS GENRE. SPLIT THE ATOM IS OUT THROUGH VISION RECORDS/STOMP.

hen Zebra last spoke to Noisia’s Nik Roos and Thijs de Vlieger on the eve of their December 2008 Australian tour, the duo proudly proclaimed they had just put the finishing touches on their much-anticipated debut artist album. So to say it’s been a torturous 18-month wait for their dedicated legion of followers for Split The Atom to finally drop would be something of an understatement, but the third member of the drum’n’bass power trio Martijn van Sonderen admits it’s nothing compared to what the Dutchman have experienced themselves. “We’ve heard it a million times obviously, so it’s a bit hard to still be overwhelmed by your own album,” a considered van Sonderen offers. “It got pushed back all the time because of distribution stuff and some legal stuff over some samples [the vocal sample for second track My World scrapped and ultimately 8 Zebra Magazine

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re-recorded by Giovanica], so that’s why at this point I’m so happy for it to be out there.” And it’s not just van Sonderen who’s happy – Split The Atom has been greeted with a warm reception in the global drum’n’bass community, and rightly so. It’s a willfully genre-crossing joyride through their signature tear-out neurofunk sound (2008 releases Diplodocus and Stigma get another run here), old-skool jungle, chunky breakbeat, downtempo and even electro, most of the elements of which are captured in the album’s opening gambit and unofficial overture Machine Gun. This scattershot musical approach is something the group have always captured in their club sets (Mr Oizo’s Flat Beat just one recurring example), but until now most of their more ‘main room’ offerings have surfaced under the Frizz and Hustle Athletics monikers. “We thought that the stuff we were making as Hustle Athletics

electronic music with haunting spoken word monologues, ambient sounds and ‘field recordings’ he’d collected while gallivanting across the globe. He wanted to try for something even grander this time – and as it turns out, he was equally influenced by the not so stellar feedback for the other ‘club’ disc on the same release. “I wouldn’t say that I’m ashamed of that second disc,” he says. “But it’s safe to say that it got rushed at the hands of the amount of time I spent on the first mix. So this time I was much more organised, and rather than put together two distinct styles, I wanted to shape one really long composition. Or at very least, make the second half of the mix compliment the first half. If you listen to the mixes as one big thing, you can hear the effort to try and get them to flow all the way through.” While Zabiela has always been quick on the uptake with new technology (unsurprisingly now touting Pioneer’s new CDJ2000s), on each subsequent visit the technical trickery is just a little bit more restrained. Does he feel that’s a natural evolution, for that to slide more under the radar? “I think that again, it’s a response to criticisms I’ve received,” he says, in the ever humble manner we’ve come to expect from one of dance music’s most down-to-earth personalities. “When you’ve got a new gadget or toy, it’s easy to get trigger happy with it. I even realised that myself when listening back to bootlegged recordings of my own club performances. I’d say, ‘Oh man, I went over the top there, I butchered that tune just a little bit too much’,” he laughs. “It’s finding the right balance, of being creative and able to mess around with tracks so you’re entertaining the audience, without ruining someone’s favourite tune. I still try at every gig to get that balance right.”

was all Nosia already,” van Sonderen argues. “It was the stuff that we were into, but it just was not drum’n’bass. So we thought we had to drop those aliases, and we had some others as well even within drum’n’bass which was stupid to be honest. We still write music which is still not hitting the Noisia… I’m not going to say standard, but it’s a completely different sound and we’re not going to put that out. “What was important to us was the image of, for example, The Prodigy who are not described as breaks or drum’n’bass or whatever – they’re just The Prodigy, and we wanted to achieve the same thing with this album.” It’s a ballsy move for an act who’ve long been the darlings of the more slamming end of the d’n’b spectrum, particularly given that sector of the music loving community’s staunch protection of their territory. That Noisia have managed to do so with no apparent backlash speaks volumes for their skill as both a production troupe and DJs, though van Sonderen admits it wasn’t an easy sell at first. “I remember a time where I played one electro tune in a set once in Poland,” he recalls, “and people began throwing lighters and glasses at me and shit like that. Nowadays it’s just different because there’s a whole bunch of people doing it, like playing sections of dubstep, breaks and electro in drum’n’bass sets. People like Sub Focus, Pendulum, Chase & Status, ourselves… I don’t know, it takes a bit of guts I think to just do it, but people just have to accept it for a while. “I play gigs with these guys a lot, and people go nuts wherever they play,” he offers on the Pendulum backlash. “It’s usually just the internet bords where they get slayed, and I’m not sure that’s a good representation of all the people out there.”

Zebra Magazine 9

ST ON

KUT AND DRIED YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF ANTHONY PARCHMENT, BUT WITH A STRING OF RELEASES ON DIGITAL SOUNDBOY AND SOUL JAZZ THE NAME DJ KUTZ IS HERE TO STAY. xxx

DJ KUTZ PLAYS MERCAT CROSS HOTEL THIS SATURDAY.

urrently sun-chasing in San Francisco, globetrotting DJ/ producer Anthony Parchment is a thoughtful interview subject, as if to show respect to the genre that is gaining such international prominence as dubstep is now. Parchment tours the US regularly under his DJ Kutz moniker, and notes that after initially playing to rooms of 100-odd punters is now playing to rooms of 2,000 people. Still, Parchment adds, “each show has its own energy”. “I’ve been here three times and definitely, it does get better each time,” he says. “I’ve been over here for a month now and sometimes you get to chill out, it’s nice,” he adds, given that his rise in profile has led to better working conditions. The dominating influence the UK has had over dance music for the

past 20 years is culminating now, with dubstep, drum’n’bass, grime, UK funky and even hip hop almost one and the same thing as far as contemporary club culture goes. Parchment definitely sees the rest of the world catching on to this trend soon. “Each time I go somewhere, the scene has grown and gotten bigger from the last time. About two years ago it wasn’t that big in the festival circuit but people are getting more open minded to the rhythms and now every festival has loads of dubstep. All of these places around the world keep popping up, places I hadn’t even heard of!” he quips. With dubstep almost comingof-age as it were, growing up relatively quickly as far as new forms of expression are concerned, does Parchment enjoy the fact that there are now so many cross-

pollinations of what was at first a soundsystem culture-influenced style but has now become a fairly militant sound? “I like dubstep on the whole, man, as an idea. I don’t care about the bpm whether it’s 137 or 140 or the beeper stuff, or slick bangers, it just shows diversity of the music that we need to be proud of,” Parchment says. “People are taking it where they want to go with it and now you’ve got more options. You can’t turn your nose up now when you hear one tune and say, ‘I don’t like dubstep,’ because there’s so many directions it can go [in].” Previous attempts to link dubstep to black music like reggae have gotten this reporter into trouble in the past, and while Parchment may come from dubstep’s spiritual home of Croydon, he’s siding a little more towards that fact – that when the genre was first emerging, its main influence was in dub and reggae as far as sounds and samples go, but he too does not want to put a colour on it. “I’d say it was just people wanting to make bass-driven music. You’re going to need those sort of soundsystems to get that vibe across,” he says, regardless of whether you’re a reggae aficionado or not. As likely to play to a set of old boys as he is to a bunch of madfor-it kids, he’s seen the rise and rise of the genre and knows how to handle himself no matter what the situation when he walks in to the club – and he doesn’t hold anything against kids with short attention spans. “The young crowd started getting into dubstep later,” Parchment says. “It’s like, with the access to technology, someone asks a kid, ‘Have you heard dubstep?’ So they search for dubstep and see some artist who is the club smasher at the time, which is most likely going to be a more rowdy sort of tune – that’s what they see as dubstep.”

B M YR EL IC DR H UMIE

A TOTAL CRACK-UP THOUGH LOVED FOR HIS DRUM’N’BASS ANTHEMS AS DJ ZINC, BENJAMIN PETTIT REVEALS THAT A SEARCH FOR NEW INSPIRATION LED TO HIM CREATING HIS SO-CALLED ‘CRACK HOUSE’ SOUND. xxx

DJ ZINC PLAYS THE ESPY THIS SATURDAY.

aking it in the music industry is one thing, but sustaining your success is something entirely different. DJs Cox, Oakenfold and co have been mixing records for over 20 years and, failing dementia, they’ll be doing it for 20 years to come. But the risk of staying at the top for so long is complacency. It becomes too easy. You don’t try anything new or take any risks, because you don’t have to. But as DJ Zinc (real name Benjamin Pettit) will tell you, “he who dares, wins”. “I know a few DJs who play music that they don’t really like because they get a lot of money,” Pettit admits. “But I didn’t want to be one of those people that was not doing what they really want.” For those interested in jungle or drum’n’bass, DJ Zinc will be a familiar name. He’s one third of the Tru Playaz label and the guy who produced Super Sharp Shooter, a track that can comfortably be called one of dance music’s all time classics. However, a few years ago Pettit disappeared from the d’n’b scene completely, not producing or performing throughout 2008. “In 2006 I was finding it really hard to find new drum’n’bass that I was excited about,” he explains. “So I worked out a tour with my agent where I was gunna play house, dubstep, breaks and drum’n’bass. Then, when I come to actually do

B M YR EL IC DR H UMIE

HIS HEAD IS SPINNING

DAVE NORRIS INITALLY APLIED THE RULES LEARNT AS A DRUMMER TO THE TURNTABLES, AND NOW THOSE LESSONS ARE FEEDING INTO THE SO-CALLED FUTURE BEATS HE PRODUCES AS DIZZ1. DIZZ1 PLAYS THE BEAT INVITATIONAL AT ROXANNE PARLOUR THIS FRIDAY.

ome kids are really good at sport, others are shit-hot at maths, some like to draw and some are into music. A few really annoying ones are good at all of them, while the more unfortunate ones are pretty crap at everything. When Dave Norris (AKA Dizz1) first started playing drums aged just eight years old, it was pretty obvious where his skill set lay. “I had tried a few different instruments and wasn’t really into it,” the Sydney local recalls. “Then I got drum lessons and just thought, ‘That’s what I want to do!’.” Those early years were spent thrashing away at the skins, honing his ear for a pattern and probably annoying the fuck out his neighbours. But having taken part in school concerts and formed numerous bands with his mates playing everything from rock through to jazz, something else caught his 10 Zebra Magazine

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attention. “I started hearing hip hop back in about ’88. I got my first tape and I was like, ‘Okay, that’s what I want to do now.’ It all just made sense. I guess I always knew it was going to be something to do with music but it was just about finding that sound, and hip hop was the one.” It was out with the drumsticks and in with the crossfader as mixing, scratching and turntablism became the newfound love for a young and eager Norris. However, despite the obvious differences, a background in drums lends well to a future in scratching as Norris took the workings of one artform and applied it to another. “I just wanted to copy all of the rudiments and all of the stickings that you’d learn with drumming and use them in scratching. I came up with my own turntable notation system. I had such a shit memory, so to learn the combos I kind of came up with a waveform with a

the tour, I went online to the mp3 stores and I couldn’t really find any house that I wanted to play. There was a couple of bits and pieces like Sinden and Switch – stuff that was kind of halfway to the sound that I wanted, but it just wasn’t there. There was a sound that I wanted to hear, but it didn’t exist.” Luckily for Pettit, there were artists out there turning his vision for house into a reality. “The best example is Jack Beats, one of which is Plus One from the Scratch Perverts,” he says enthusiastically. “Me and him were on the circuit together. I was playing drum’n’bass, he was playing a lot of drum’n’bass – I know them really well, I get on with those guys really well. When I was taking the year off, I heard a radio mix where I heard the Jack Beats remix of AC Slater. I’d never heard of Jack Beats before, I’d never heard of AC Slater before but I heard this song and I was like, ‘Fucking hell, this is amazing, this is exactly what I want to hear’. “Then, I happened to be on the phone to Prime Cuts, who is one of the other Scratch Perverts and I said to him ‘Here, you’ve got to listen to this tune, this is amazing, listen to this song,’ and he was like, ‘Are you taking the piss? That’s Neil’s [Plus One’s] tune!’ I had no idea that he was on exactly the same wavelength as I was – totally independently.” The “wavelength” Petitt refers to is a certain brand of house music he now plays and produces that he’s labelled ‘crack house’, a tougher form of house music with the emphasis firmly on the bass. Similar in vein to what Fake Blood, Boy 8-Bit and Mumdance have been pushing, it also sits nicely with the vibe of the current dubstep/garage/electronic sounds coming from artists including Joker, Joy Orbison and the excellent Deadboy. “It was a bit of a leap of faith,” Pettit admits of his change of styles. “But it worked out alright in the end.”

left/right as opposed to forwards/ backwards.” For years, Norris immersed himself in hip hop, although gradually he began to look beyond the limits of the genre and had a ‘eureka’ moment when he was struck by the euphony of Witness (One Hope) by UK hip hop rapper Roots Manuva. “That was for me, one of the baddest beats,” he says sincerely, “and I just thought ,‘That is the epitome of where the future of this music is going to go’. Just the big dub kind of reggae-based sounds and snappy drums and all the rest of it. I always wondered why there wasn’t more of that kind of grimy hip hop, without it sounding too rigid. It definitely comes down to that kind of feel.” Using that ‘feel’ as a base Norris now finds himself amongst a group artists who remain elusive in terms of defining the music they make. Whether we call it ‘beat music’, ‘aquacrunk’ or even ‘wonky’, the instrumental hip hop sound that arguably started with J Dilla has risen in Glasgow with the likes of Rustie and Hudson Mohawke, in Amsterdam with Jay Scarlet and Cinnaman, in the US with Flying Lotus, Samiyam and The Gaslamp Killer and through artists including Mark Pritchard, Stereotip and even techno producer Ricardo Villalobos, continues to take us further into previously uncharted territories. These days the rules as to the arrangement of hip hop have been well and truly flung out the window as Norris and others happily reconstruct the deconstructed with no interest in naming the results. “I guess the best explanation for it was future music,” he concludes. “Just future beats – making it brand new and as different as possible and not trying to conform to a certain style or genre because in the end, that’s what the problem is with most music; it gets stale and done and that’s the end of it. Fuck that!”

SINGLES

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM Drunk Girls

(Parlophone/EMI) I may be the only music critic in Christendom who has not yet heard the new LCD Soundsystem album, but I’m guessing the thrifty (thrift store even?) garage rock of Drunk Girls occupies the same role vis a vis the rest of James Murphy’s third release that Daft Punk Is Playing At My House and Yr City’s A Sucker did on previous efforts. That is, it’s a slight, slightly naff “rocker” that belies the more expansive efforts contained on the full-length. As always he approaches the style with a dance producer’s discipline: even the deliberately throwaway qualities of Drunk Girls (raucous, unhinged vocals and lyrics that veer between meaninglessly figurative and prosaically literal – “drunk girls think that love is an astronaut” vs “drunk girls wait an hour to pee”) are deployed with architectural precision. It’s like a sidewalk paving reproduction of old master paintings, but they’re usually nicer to look at than the hand-drawn efforts.

NOISIA

Machine Gun

(Vision/Stomp) I almost never get to review these big, brash, lumpen drum’n’bass/rock crossover efforts (except from, like, Australian live drum’n’bass groups) so I have no idea whether Noisia’s drift into a kind of electro house sound here is indicative of anything apart from their own desire for exposure. Of course the turgid synth-riffs of drum’n’bass and those of electro house are basically the same thing at different speeds and registers (d’n’b is habitually more bass-focused), which is maybe what Noisia is celebrating on Machine Gun, which passes back and forth between the two styles simply by speeding up and slowing down – now it’s constipated schaffel-rock, now it’s humourless clown-step! The fact that this trick “works” shouldn’t be taken as an endorsement of Noisia’s methods; rather it’s an indictment on the sonic myopia of both styles. In its favour, Machine Gun does sound appropriately “huge”, but not in any way that Dillinja et al didn’t already master and then repeat-to-exhaustion a decade ago. - TIM FINNEY

FLYING LOTUS

VARIOUS/ JUAN MACLEAN

Cosmogramma

DJ-Kicks

(Warp/Inertia)

BRAD SWOB

Los Angeles-based Steven Ellison (AKA Flying Lotus) has finally lifted the lid on what has been the most anticipated electronic album of the year, and Cosmogramma is the fulfillment of Ellison’s unique musical vision – which in turn consolidates his already unmistakable aesthetic while pushing the boundaries of his kaleidoscopic sonic palette even further. It is no longer adequate to describe FlyLo beats as postDilla or wonky. The amazing tones on the album owe as much to the likes of Madlib as they do Four Tet, Aphex Twin, Kode9, Motown, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis or Ornette Coleman; the composition and experimentation feels like a futuristic take on the spirit of ‘60s free jazz. For every squeak, bleep, squelch or manipulated sample there is an overriding sense of analogue warmth and melodic soulfulness whose juxtaposition doesn’t quite make sense at first. It’s a challenging listen and the individual compositions on Cosmogramma make most sense in the context of the overall album. As such, it’s difficult to pick obvious highlights. …And The World Laughs With You features the vocals of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, tweaked to provide just another layer to the track as opposed to the feature of it. Live instrumentation and string arrangements also feature heavily, with relative Ravi Coltrane lending sax to Arkestry and Dorian Concept adding keys on Satelllliiiiiiiteee. Only time will tell, but one can’t shake the feeling that this is an important album.

(iK7/Inertia)

1923

(Relish/Inertia) STUART EVANS

DARREN COLLINS

Eventually, everything must come around again. Last year Juan MacLean, in artist mode as The Juan MacLean, detonated many an unsuspecting dancefloor with his unashamedly ‘90s-influenced, piano-laden Happy House single. Now invited by iK7 to put together the latest in its much loved DJ-Kicks series, Maclean has gone heavy on new records with the sound of that decade. Still Going’s Spaghetti Circus recalls the work of Jestofunk with a Moroder bassline; The Revenge rework of 6th Borough Project harks back to the funky mid-’90s work of Moodymann and as such sits easily alongside fellow Three Chair Theo Parrish’s 1996 dub of Rick Wilhite and the tough disco cut-ups of Florian Meindl and Manuel Sahagun, which reek of the early work of Sneak and Derrick Carter. Sonny Foderra’s cheeky Everybody Get On the Decks, with its unfashionable funky disco guitar licks and hip hop exhortations, gives the impression of unabashed revivalism. But there is more to the mix than this. MacLean extends his reach back to the ‘80s with the acidic work of A+O and the late great Armando before fast forwarding to today and the hard grinding riffs of Jee Day’s Like A Child and devastating piano and bassline onslaught of Todd Terje and Shit Robot. In attempting to cover 20 years of house music on a single disc Maclean occasionally must make giant leaps in style yet, on two turntables no less, he pulls it together into one big, stinking, unpretentious pile of good fun.

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

HEADMAN

Not sure about you, but it took me over ten minutes to fathom what the hell this album’s called. The album sleeve is so confusing I started to make up my own titles. Headman is, of course, the pseudonym of Swiss dance skipper Robi Insinna, and this time round he’s joined by guests including Dieter Meier from the influential ‘80s group Yello. It’s clear that Headman has struck to his tried and tested formula as nothing on 1923 is new or a distinct shift from his previous albums. But that’s not such a bad thing. On offer are ten dancefloor tracks, most of them instrumental, that are big on nostalgia – particularly post-punk and heavy guitars riffs. That 1923 is littered with snares, drums, loops and synth sounds that appear to have been grafted from a Commodore 64 should be embraced, not ignored – yep, it’s harking back to the ‘80s again. But Headman isn’t trying to be too flash or savvy here. Instead he’s made ten equally likeable dance tracks that are consistent and could embrace any mix compilation. As an album, all tracks work well together, from the tribal percussive output heard on Voices to the alternative and soft rock-esque sound on Blue Boys. The major grumble is Fluctuation – the final track on the album, which concludes the whole musical affair rather feebly. It’s a shabby end to an otherwise respectable album.

Zebra Magazine 11

TIMOTHY ALLAN

Your biggest success to date was Your w the Hong Ho ong Kong Blondes Blo remix of Empire Em Of Th he Sun’s Wal lking On A Dream – did The Walking you ever envisage yo envissage working on a track of WHERE AND WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST SET? W this style and how much work did it take “First set was at Loft in 2004, it was a very interesting night.” to reach this point? p WHAT’S YOUR ALL TIME FAVOURITE 12”? “Looking back at that, the EOTS remix was “Way too many to mention... but I guess Underworld – Born Slippy, actually more a case of who you know, Jeff Mills – Condor From Mallorca, and Carl Craig – The Climax. not what you know. We were told to by the WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF WHAT YOU DO? llabel b l that th t EOTS EOTTS was this thi greatt up and “My parents are always supportive, I’m not sure they know exactly coming group who’d be promo-ed like what I do and what it involves but they smile and nod anyway.” crazy, and that tha we should jump on board with a remix. We didn’t know at the time WHAT DOES THE MELBOURNE CLUB SCENE NEED MOST? that the track would spend 30 weeks or “More attitude and more chinstrokers… on the ARIA charts!” something ridiculous rid hang on there’s enough of that.” Having made mad comparisons between FAVOURITE CLUB TO PLAY? your work and a that of Booka Shade, “Brown Alley – on the roof!” Chris Lake and a Axwell is it fair to say WHAT’S YOUR BEST ALL TIME GIG? that you often oft look to them for ideas “Mixed Messages birthday! Love playing to Or would you more and inspiration? inspirat our crew cos they are all loose.” often write music first and compare WHAT GIGS HAVE YOU GOT COMING UP? later? “Stereotype every Friday at Fashion Lounge, Under Suspicion every “Write first and compare later is exactly party.” birthday Bar Blue alley, brown at Saturday popped up as I was it. Those names na M. FM SS FM. ISS KISS OFF KI ME O ME OM O OME HOME Z A: H ZZA IZZA PIZZA: P S PI SS S KISS ATT KISS trying to tell tel people about the style DA PIC BY KANE HIBBERD of my latest tracks, so I needed some popular names nam that people would of my tracks contained recognise. Some S big stabby synths or piano elements, so I pulled out Lake’s name. nam Another couple vocal tracks had these massive hands in the air breakdowns, and others were soft melodic proggy ones with more bleeps and bloops… Axwell and Booka Shade.” With the The KULT Of Timothy Allan you’ve made a pretty cohesive statement of what you’re about as a producer, did you set out with specific goals and concepts in mind when creating it or was your approach a little broader? “The title itself stems from an ongoing thing that KULT Records does with artist albums. It’s nice to be one of their many artists to get this next release. As far as the th initial concepts, it was about as broad a you can as ca get. KULT is cool like that, they gave me free reign to release whatever I wanted on the album. Of course they had to like the tracks themselves,, but other than that it was track

e e Thlfi r l e H Club

1. Scribble UNDERWORLD FEAT HIGH CONTRAST 2. Incorrigible JAMES CHANCE & THE CONTORTIONS 3. XXXO MIA 4. The Dance FAITHLESS 5. Fabric 52 VARIOUS/OPTIMO 6. Hidden THESE NEW PURITANS 7. 15 To 29 (Punk Funk Remix) miix) m THE PHENOMENAL HANDCLAP BAND 8. DJ-Kicks VARIOUS/JAMES HOLDEN 9. Tattoo Man (Special Disco Mix) FAZE ACTION 10. Please Don’t Panic LATEST CRAZE RA AZEE AZ

wide open. All the tracks are club mixes, so The KULT Of Timothy Allan could be looked at as a collection of singles.” You’ve a remix coming up for Dave Seaman & Funkagenda’s Mighty Ming 2010 slated for release on Toolroom – are these guys as big an influence as we could expect of a prog fan such as yourself? “Yeah, I’m really excited about that one. It was one of my 2010 goals to get a release on Toolroom, and up until a few weeks ago I had no idea how I was going to make it happen! I did end up putting extra work into the remix as Dave had lost all the original parts and didn’t have anything other than a vocal snip and a bongo loop to give me! I really wanted to do a remix that contained more elements from the original, so I dug up a copy of the original track on YouTube. I used that to recreate the original synth patches and re-did the original programming from scratch.” On the flip side you’ve arranged a remix comp for your Hotel Radio EP, what sparked the idea and how difficult was it to arrange the rather generous prize packages? “This remix competition for my new track Bugger It is turning out great, and it’s been a fantastic group effort by a bunch of people. I’ve been producing a successful ongoing house music tutorial video series, distributed through a company in the US called Groove3. The guys who run Groove3 were in conversation with another fellow who runs Findremix.com and they came up with the initial concept. The Findremix guy got a hold of Camel Audio and Ohmforce for prizes, and I agreed to supply the track and include all three of the winners on my upcoming Hotel Radio Remix EP coming out later on System Recordings.”

“

SHOULD RATATAT CHANGE THEIR NAME TO R@@@ IN ORDER TO FIT IN WITH THE POST-TWITTER WORLD?”

WHERE W WHE REE DID DID s THEE ID THE EA FOR FOR IDEA ene s c r S e t Thed Masser, H HE HEL ELLFI L RE COM LFI OM OME ME HELLFIRE COME d ÜBER-HIP BLOG HIPSTER RUNOFF POSES THE UNASKAB QUESTION – IF n i r i THEIR EMAIL Beh Richa rgan ADDRESS WAS R@@@@R@@@.COM THE WORLD MAY LE FFR RO R OM M IINITIALLY? NIT N NI ITIAL ALLY? AL LY Y FROM WELL IMPLODE. er, onder) r wit(h h fu fou “I was “I w in LA and was picked picke ed up in a bookstore by a co cool ool LA chick. She took me to some S&M so ttoo cel celebr celebrate ebrate t FFr Freedom eedom eed dom off Spe SSpeech peechh an andd Expr EExpression xpress essiion ion iinn Au Aust Australia. strali aliaa. I me m mean ean ean clubs (Sin a Mati Matic tic an and ndd Cl C Club lub Fuck). As soo soon on as I got back I decid decided ded to try running fuck Conroy and his filter, yeah? The real target of this filte lterr I believee is a club like the ones II’d ’d seen myself. Hellfire opened in October ‘92 ‘ and six legitimate adult consensual S&M material – that is not cla classifi assified byy the months later I opene opened ed the Sydney one. Bo Both oth kicked ass in the ‘9 ‘90s 90s and were two OFLC in Australia and can be blocked under the filter. That means noo of the coolest and ha hardest ardest clubs around.”” online porn with spanking, whipping or bondage in it. Som Something mething lik like ke 80% of Australians are dead against this Filter. No one is pointing p ou out ut WHY DID NIGHT HIATUS, HY DI D YOU YOU U PUT PU UTT TH THEE N IGH HT ON ON H IA IA ATU US US, S S, the S&M issue in this debate. We are.” AND NOW THE DECISION BRING BACK? AN ND N D NO NOW WHY WHY TH HEE DE DECIS C ION CIS N TO O BR RIING IN N IT BA ACK? CK?? “I hav “I hhavee aanother life inn film, video and film festivals and that tookk over the majority DO YOU FAVOURITE/MEMORABLE HELLFIRE PATRON? OU HA HAVE VE A FFAVO AVOURI AVO URITE/ URI UR T /MEM TE/ EMORA MORA ABLE HE HELLF LLFIRE LLF LLFIRE REE PATRO PA ATRO R N? RO N? off myy iint nttterests iin the h ‘00s. After running weekly w clubs in Melbou Melbourne urne and Sydney “Eccentrics like Rubber Roger, Mr Nude, the trough man… interests … oh, and the f te fo for ten en yyears ears it got a little tired. I needed a break. A hobby had become ecome a career career. SSydney d PParty t TTwins. i Th The llater t ffor private i t reasons…”” – n (Speek-Er-Sheek) always Buut I alw But B ways had it in the back of my head to bring it back as a monthly club and w LLEATHER LEA TH THE H R OR OR LACE LLACE? ACE ACE? CE? WHERE IS IT? First Floor, 393 Brun combine Burlesque com oombinne the Hellfire vibe with growing Bu rlesque craze. And voila, I went and did swick St, Fitzroy. spank a girls “Leather. I’m a Dom. It comes naturally to me. I like to span WHEN IS IT? Every Wednesday nigh itt! He it! Hellfi llfifirre is back with style… as our first two t parties at Red Bennies and Noise t from 9pm (starting 26 May). think Gen Y laced… or bare bottom. Both are good for me, he he. I thi testif tes testify.” tify tif i y.”” WHAT CAN YOU HEAR? Audio frequ can open all their neural floodgates at Hellfire onto a wond wonderfully encies ranging from 20hz to 22.05Khz, plus harmonics HAVE YOU NOTICED ANYTHING DIFFERENT NEW CROWDS? H HAV HA AV A VE Y OU NOT N TICE ICED DA NYT N YTTHIN H NG D IFF ER IFF REENT ABO R ABOUT AB UT THE HEE NE N WC ROWDS? ROW DS DS? excitement, power rewarding and satisfying tableau of experience, excitemen generated by refractions in the envir onm ent. But mostly, fresh as fuck indie “Genn Y aare loving it. They must all be a littlee tired of their tweeting and poking “Ge and pleasure.” tunes, top shelf electro badness and the occasiona eachh oth eac oother thher online and some might actuallyy feel like experiencing some non-virtual th l post-disco classic. BENNIES HELLFIRE RED EED BE B BENNI ENNIES NNI N ES E IS NOW OW W WH WHERE ERE REE HE HELLF LLF LFIRE RE R WHO PLAYS? Residents Smile On reality re rea ealit lityy ki lit kkinkiness i and excitement. We’ve hadd an amazing group of attractive Impact and Youthful Implants WEE B BEE S SEEING CALLS CA CAL LS HOM LS HOME, E, WILL E, W LW WI WIL EEING EE EEI NG YOU U HE H RE HERE set the standard with weekly gues women and men under 30 come along andd getting right in to a bit of spanking, ts ranging from green children to FO A LON FOR O G TTIME IME M OR ME O JUST JJUST A G OOD O O TI TTIME? IME? M ME LONG GOOD hard ened professionals. Real instruments also whipping, hot wax, fetish fashion, etcetera etcetera.. Or just loving the Burlesque shows “Both. Red Bennies and Noise were the venues of party 1 and feature when they and performances from the likes of Gypsy Wood, W Vesper White, Sparkarella and make it past the bouncers. around 2. Parties 3 and 4 will be at Red Bennies. We’ll move it aro Kerry X. Gen Y seems to have developed a natural n taste for naughtiness… and it’s WHO ’S GOIN G? Uni kids, Fitz-royalty, artsy-type occasionally. I dig the stylish Red Bennies and get along w well with s, glamour long overdue. Who knows this could be thee start of a Gen Y fetish craze… with the models, scientists, cyberpunks, emo RB’s wunderkind troublemaker Chris Mitchell.” space-clo ‘90s revival and all?” firemen, cinematographers, meter-ma wns, ids. WHAT FIRST-TIMERS HELLFIRE AND AN N WH W AT CAN AT CA FFI IRST RST-TI RST T-TI -TIMER -T MER RS EEXPECT XPE PEECTT TO O SEE S AT H SE WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNO WHAT’S PAST HELLFIRE W WH WHA T’S S YOUR YO OUR FAV FFAVORITE OR TTEE PA ORI PAS P AS STT HELL H ELL LLLFIR IIR RE THEM TTHEME? HEM ME? W? Free entry, $4 champagne THIS WEEKEND? THI HSW WEEK EEKEND EEK END ND? ND all night, photography screenings. WEIRDEST COSTUME? HELLFIRE MEMORY? WE WEIRD WEI E RDE RD ST C RD COSTUM COS TUM ME? E? OR OR HEL HELLFI HE L RE LFI RE ME M EM EEMORY MO OR ORY R ? Find us on Facebook “Salo, spanking, bondage, S&M, amazing outfits and unifo uniforms, controversial “All the contro roversial ones! Ha ha. The Nazi dress d up Nuremberg Party, the car at Speaker Chic Wednesdays. hipster kinksters, great Burlesque acts from Vesper White and crash eroticism m JG Ballard Night, the Russia Russiann Communist Party. This month’s crew, etc. What better way to spend a chilly Sunday Night in theme: The Megalomaniac M Party Party… recalls ssome ome of that mischief and has already Melbourne… hmmm?” upset a few wowsers. We are also playing Salo this week at 7pm before the party THE HELLFIRE CLUB TAKES OVER RED BENNIES THIS SUNDAY. at Red Bennies. Salo is the previously banned in Oz Pasolini masterpiece. We do

SPEAKER CHIC

Zebra Magazine 13

LOFT SATURDAYS BURLY BAR

BURLY BAR

DYSFUNKTIONAL @ THE

LOFT

LOFT SATURDAYS

BURLY BA BAR

RAHBAR

RHYTHMALISM @ FUSION RHYTHMALISM @ FUSION

LOFT SATURDAYS

RAHBAR

RHYTHMALISM @ FUSION

KHOKOLAT KOATED @ KHOKOLAT BAR

DYSFUNKTIONAL @ THE LOFT

DYSFUNKTIONAL @ THE

KHOKOLAT KOATED @ KHOKOLAT BAR

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KOLAT BAR

KHOKOLAT KOATED @ KHO

HELLFIRE @ BENNIES

LLFIRE @ BENNIES HELLFIR

HELLFIRE @ BENNIES

BASS ODYSSEY @ BASS ODYSSEY @

ABODE

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CIRCUS

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STIFFONOMICS ST TIFFONOM 101: GU UCCI MA GUCCI MANE

8pm Saturdays Adam Askew Henry Thorn Peter Baker Sam McEwin Adam Trace

Miyagi Samari Grayskull Myles Mac Tom Evans

Plus Special Guests

Spacey Space Tahl Muska

$4 Pizzas 7-9pm Kitchen closes at 2am Corner Brunswick Street & Rose Street Fitzroy VIC

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So anyways, there I am doing my homework (yes, I actually do things other than the import-export business, and I mean, if you’re serious about this kinda stuff, you actually should go to business school and understand supply chain logistics, basic marketing and the workings of international transactions), and I started thinking about the incentives for rappers to get arrested and sent to jail, which, when you think about it from a career perspective, are very high. This was prompted by Gucci Mane leaving jail and surprisingly having his photo taken by many different people. First, there will be a spike in album sales. This goes without saying. Getting arrested is a publicist’s dream. But it has to be for something that’s not too evil. I mean, you can get arrested on gun charges, but you can’t go around killing people – that prompts household boycotts with your biggest market, teenage boys that masturbate heavily. Similarly, apparently you can have alleged heterosexual relationships with underage girls (R Kelly), but can’t go around beating up overage women (Mystikal). Second, getting arrested delivers content. Think about it. Gucci Mane is going to base se three entire fucking albums on going to jail for six goddamn months. In ordinary circumstances this would be about as interesting as, well, sitting in jail for six months. For example, let’s say a white-collar crim who stole say $150k goes too jail for six months. He gets released and goes to a movie studio and says, “I was in jail for six months, I think you should make a movie about it”” at which point the movie executive is likely to look up from his pipe and say, “You interrupted my freebasing for this? What, are you trying to set my hair on fire or something?” Third, this requires no lifestyle change. Say, for example, you are a music executive attempting to control the image of Miley Cyrus, and before you know it, she’s having crack-fuelled orgies with football teams. Tricky. Not only do you have to manage the media, you have to manage a nymphomaniac with low self-esteem and a drug-induced psychosis. On the other hand, if you end up with Gucci Mane, what do you say? “Yes, thanks Mr Mane, please keep smoking that crack and carrying those guns in your car, you’re unlikely to get arrested” – as you go and call the police and every journalist you know. So, there you have it. For my next class, I’ll be looking at increasing margins and incentives for suburban community level involvement in profit-sharing ventures – aka, how to sell more meth at your local mall.

PRESSURE DROP WHERE IS IT? The Johnston, 62-67 Johnston St, Fitzroy. WHEN IS IT? Saturday 22 May WHAT CAN YOU HEAR? Strictly reggae & dancehall – from the best of classic dancehall beats, right through to up-to-the-time riddims. WHO PLAYS? Hosted by Sista Itations with resident MC Riff-Raph, plus Melbourne’s finest selectors on guest rotation. This month the Redda Red boys, Sista Sarah and Major Krazy will be on turntable duties, delivering the best bass-banging riddims this side of Jamaica. WHO’S GOING? All Melburn town danchall massive and crew. WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW? Saturday 22 May marks the first session at The Johnston Fitzroy, so to make the house-warming something to remember there’ll be bonus treats from the north side massive, including a vocal performance from empress Sarita and live dance vibes from Melburn’s newest dancehall troop the Bam Bam Assassins. Reach before 11pm for super cheap drinks and half price entry.

Saturdays at Lucky Coq TAHL

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MOONSHINE

JEAN PAUL

ASH-LEE

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CRN CHAPEL & HIGH ST WINDSOR WWW.LUCKYCOQ.COM.AU

It’s been way too long since we’ve heard any new Underworld material, but now you can raise both hands skyward as the official radio edit of their High Contrast collab Scribble has dropped to get the hype for their September album drop properly bubbling. It’s stadium-sized drum’n’bass euphoria kids, and it’s going to smash Winter Sound System in a couple of weeks. Get excited.

WITH CYCLONE

OG Flavas ton Braxton Brax oni Braxton Toni Ton T To

From Fr om The om The he Sublime S Su Subl ubl blim ime im ime To The The he Freaky F Fr rea eaky eaky ky

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Yoour biggest Your biggesst success su to date was the w t Hong Hoong Kong Blondes re emixx of Empire Em mpir Of The Sun’s remix W Walk king Onn A Dream – did Walking you yo ou ever e envisage ennvisa working on a track tracck of this thhis style and how m h workk did it take to reach much th his point? p this “L Lookking back baack at a that, the EOTS “Looking re emixx was actually actua a remix more a case off who whho you know, kno not what you know. kn now w. We were w told by the label th hat EOTS E w this t great up and that was co comin ng group grouup who’d w coming be promoed like crazy, crazy, and annd that t we should jump on boa board ard w with a remix. We didn’ w at the t time that the didn’tt know track would spend spe 30 weeks or some ething ridiculous ridic r something on the ARIA charts!” chart ts!” Having Havin ng made madde comparisons c between betw ween your yo work w and that of Booka Lake and Book ka Shade, Chris C Axwell Axwe ell is it fair fai to say that you oftenn look to them th for ideas and inspiration? inspiration Or would you moree often write wri music first and compare comp pare later? “Write “Writ te first and compare later is exactly exaactly it. Those Tho names popped popp ed up as I was trying to about the style of my tell ppeople eople abou latestt tracks, so I needed some popular popu lar names that people would recognize. recog gnize. Some Som of my tracks contained synths or conta ained big stabby s pianoo elements, elements so I pulled out Lake’ss name. Another couple Lake’ A vocal tracks had these massive handss in the air breakdowns, hand

somewhere somewh som ewhere ewh ere between betwe betwe tween e Justin en Justin Timberlake, Timbe Ti mberla mbe rlake rla lake, e George Geo eorge gee Michael M Mi Micha c el and ch cha an Luther LLuuthe heer Vandross. Vand andros an rosss. ro Hee audaciously audaci aud u aci a ous ously lyy borrows bor orrow rowss from row from om Marvin Ma Marvi rvinn rvi Gaye’s Gaye’s Trouble Troubl Tro ublee Man ub ubl Man for for Million Mi lio Mil lionn Dolla Doll olla lla Baby BBaby. aby. b Rollacoasta Elevatas Rolllac Ro Rol lac acoas oastta oas ta is is very ver ve ery ry Prince Princ nce ce – and Ele Elevat vatas vat ass a bit bit rocky Michael Jackson… It’s ironic that in the same year that the ‘quiet storm’ Sade returns, her US counterpart Toni Braxton is also staging a comeback – Pulse. Braxton last offered 2005’s Libra, which had little impact. Now, having competed in Dancing With The Stars, she’s signed to Warner. Braxton has had a miserable run, with business issues, relationship dramas and health problems, but, in contrast to Whitney Houston, she sounds better – and more impassioned – than ever. That said, Pulse is conservative fare – alas, Braxton doesn’t exude Sade’s cool or mystique. The real trouble is that Braxton’s tasteful material just doesn’t live up to that of her LaFace heyday – classics like the sultry Another Sad Love Song, Breathe Again or You’re Makin’ Me High. The lead single, the ‘trad’ ballad Yesterday, over-produced by Frank E (BoB), is utterly forgettable – no wonder it flopped. (Syrupy as it was, Un-Break My Heart had a tune.) Oddly, Braxton has madeover Delta Goodrem’s overblown femme anthem Woman. The album’s stand-out is the punchy (and, with its horns, very Rich Harrison-ish) Make My Heart – the closest Braxton comes to a hip uptempo (Wardrobe is playful but doesn’t convince). Word is that the diva recorded a song with the suave Thicke that didn’t make the album. What Braxton really needs is for Beyonce Knowles to donate some songs.

WITH STEVE DUCK

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WEDNESDAY

CANDY STORE @ LOUNGE

After smashing out her own dirty blend of techno for the last six months, it’s time to farewell Sassou. Get down and have one or two last drinks with her and a dance to her wicked tunes. DJs PCP and very special guest Mahatia will also be playing. From 10pm-very late. $5 entry.

COQ ROQ @ LUCKY COQ DJs Lady Noir, Agent 86, Kiti, Mr Thom and Joybot give you nothing but the best new wave, punk, Brit pop, bong rap and hair metal this side of Seattle from 9pm.

WEDNESDAYS @ MOSQ Aside from the stunning Moroccan decor and exotic food, Mosq is now featuring free tarot readings with the very insightful and intriguing Miss Andrea. Readings from 6-8pm.

COSMIC PIZZA @ BIMBO DELUXE For those of you not content on mere earthly pleasures, join NHJ and friends for a taste of space. Playing freaked-out bass jams, depressed disco, tropi-jazz and shit you won’t hear on the other nights.

FIVE ELEMENTS & JESTER CREW @ MISS LIBERTINE Representing the true old school mindset, weekly selectors MzRizk, DJ Sizzle, Takaco, Ayna, Duchesz and special guests walk you through all eras of hip hop. Regular guest DJs, MCs and international acts ensure Five Elements maintains maximum freshness. On top of that, hip hop outfit Jester Crew are hosting Wednesdays in May. Throughout the month Jester crew will be teaming up with some of Melbourne’s finest live hip hop acts. Free entry.

REVOLVER ROCK @ REVOLVER Revolver Rock is Melbourne’s longest running rock/retro/electro/cheese night. For the last three years Revolver Rock has been the place to go for a dose of your fave rock and old school tracks. Join our DJs Spidey, Mary M, Adalita (Magic Dirt) and Whitt (Spiderbait) for a night you won’t forget... Or remember.

THURSDAY

RENDER #2 @ BAR OPEN

Featuring acclaimed dubstep producer Droid Sector along with Inkswel (Wax Museum) and champion MPC pad-basher Daltron (Low Def). The night begins with Dublab’s thrift-shop sampling doco Secondhand Sureshots featuring Daedelus, Ras-G, J Rocc and Nobody. All beatmakers (beginner to professional) are invited to bring along their best new track on CD for all to hear. Live acts start around 10pm. Whether you’re a beatmaker or a fan of electronic music production, Render is a place to meet, share and make new friends. Free entry.

BAGRAIDERS @ THE TOFF Love Story, the new night by 1928 (Strobe/Eurotrash) is bringing Bag Raiders to town. Limited tickets available from Moshtix.

TROPPO LOCO & MISK @ MISS LIBERTINE A mix of global street sounds and tropical subsonic kookiness featuring

18 Zebra Magazine

Paz, Mr Fish, BP555, Wankel Rotary Engine, Yoink! and more. From 9pm-3am in the back room. Also on is Misk, where the music floats between deep melodic tech house, groovy jazz-spaced stabs, crunchy minimal techno and smooth cocktail house. Featuring resident DJs U-one and Dave Pham plus this week’s guest Vic Navarro. Free entry for both.

HANGTIME @ EUROTRASH Hangtime continue to rock the shit out of Eurotrash. Featuring a rad line-up of rotating DJs to keep you boozed and buried on the dancefloor.

FREE RANGE FUNK @ LUCKY COQ Free Range Funk DJs Who, Agent 86, Lewis CanCut and special guests tempt you into the night with their eclectic bag of treats. Expect to be charmed with delightful jazz, deep soul and funk early. Stick around after dessert and it’s fruity disco, choice house and hipster dance drops. Free entry.

BASS CAMP @ LOUNGE Not just a breaks night, Bass Camp encompasses hip hop, electro, tech and basically anything that will get you moving. This week it’s Mr Nice opening things up with some funky party beats and hip hop. Then it’s over to Shifty Sly for some bootydropping with Citizen.com closing it all off. From 10pm-late. $5 entry.

RING THE ALARM @ FIRST FLOOR A night of deadly dancehall and killer reggae. Join Cat Sweeney from Burn City Queens as she hosts dancehall classes beforehand. Then residents Jesse I and Major Krazy are joined by weekly guest selectors. This week’s guests are Redbelly and Fee. From 9pm-3am. Free entry.

VARSITY @ BIMBO DELUXE School’s out for the week and we’ve cleared out the lounge room. Teaching you a lesson in hip hop, soul and funk after school are Matt Radovich, Mr Moonshine, Just Lindsay, Tahl and Rowie.

RHYTHM-AL-ISM @ FUSION The Rhythm-al-ism team bring you the best urban jams and house grooves every week. Featuring Damion Da Silva, FMR, A-Style, K Dee and Simon Sez. From 9.30pm4am. $15/$12 guestlist (guestlist@ restless.com.au).

THURSDAYS @ NEW GUERNICA Turns out those dudes in high school who were into music like The Smiths, The Cure and Manson learnt how to mix, typed the name Derrick Carter into Wikipedia and got themselves a residency at New Guernica. Conductors from 9pm include Negativ Magick, Post-Percy, Leslie Salvador and Bromance. Free entry.

3181 THURSDAYS & SCATTERBLOG @ REVOLVER Revolver keeps it laidback and local from 6pm. There are tunes from Hans DC and guests. Plus vintage video games, foosball, free wi-fi internet and half price meals every week from Colonel Tan’s all-new kitchen for local residents and traders. Up-tempo tunes later in the night. Then Scatterblog, the best in modern dance music culture from across the globe,

is on from 10pm. Styles include: tribal, tropical, kuduro, bashment, cumbia, funky, guarachero, dancehall, afro-tech and pretty much everything else. The team includes Mu-Gen, Scattermish, Lewis CanCut, Mat Cant and Swick with guests Tranter, 1997 Rad Dad Convention, Congo Tardis, Sleeves and more. Free entry.

FRIDAY

HOT DOGS @ FIRST FLOOR Fat Kids are back with another night full of greasy goodness and crazy shenanigans. Hot Dogs picks up where the other Fat Kids’ parties left off. Track selectors include B.Two, 25th Hoodlum, Ms Butt, Spleezy and a special appearance from Fat Fucks. Also, Fat Kids will be releasing 50 limited edition Hot Dogs t-shirts on the night. Each t-shirt will be numbered and specially packaged. If you missed Fried Chicken in January or Aww Shit in March, you definitely won’t want to miss this glorious event.

OVERNOISE @ MISS LIBERTINE This installment is Overnoise’s last Friday night show before taking on Saturday nights in the coming months. Haul Music pioneer Christian Vance is back for another epic live set, so come down and celebrate. Vance will be accompanied by Steve Law (for his first show with Overnoise) plus Dean Benson, Pat Tassone, Mike Buhl, Isaac Fryar, Tom Evans, Nick Jones and Bryce Lawrence. From 10pm-midnight. $5/free entry before 11pm.

NQR @ REVOLVER The NQR team return to Revolver from 1am with special guests Chardy, Dwayne Thompson, Hoops and Isaac Fryar joining residents Nick Young, Aaron Trotman and TBIB. Residents Hans DC, Who, Jumbo and Paz keep things sizzling in the back bar from 8pm. Sunshine’s infamous Saturday morning shenanigans kick off from 7am and finish up somewhere around midday.

NTI @ ABODE A night of sophisticated, erotic play for open-minded individuals. Featuring resident DJ Steve Punch.

LIKE DISCO @ LA DI DA What is Like Disco? Motown and funk led us to disco and now original disco classics have been re-edited, remixed and reinvented. Disco continues to be a constant source of basslines, riffs and vocals for house and techno. So put your hands up and let your hair down as you dance to everything that’s like disco. From 7pm-dawn. $15/$10 guestlist.

SCRIBBLE @ Q Start your weekend with Scribble. Featuring a line-up of super-producer M-Phazes, Jase (Beathedz), Flagrant, MAFIA and Derek {K}. You can expect to hear party jams, hip hop, R&B classics, soul anthems and pickings of the freshest new releases.

FRIDAYS @ EUROTRASH Mu-gen and NXR play party through to electro. Free entry. Open until 3am.

night when you’re at a club and the DJs work the same part-time jobs during the week as you; it means they’re probably up for getting loose just the same. At New Guernica we’ve got more Nudie Jeans folding clerks and fixie part importers than you can poke a stick at. Oh, and the kitchen may burn down as Herbie and Post-Percy are the evening’s master chefs.

FRIDAYS @ 3D This Friday is the final of the 3D DJ Competition. Also on level one will be residents St Luke, M-Experience, Kid Dyl, X-Statik and DJ Fusion playing uplifting hard trance and anthems. On level two, it’s Anything Goes with Illusive, DJ Snaz, Chris Dynasty, DeX and 6head_slug playing techno, trance and hard trance. Up on level three, DJ Hellraiser is back with his twisted new sound alongside Wr3ckless, EUST4CE and Jye playing the harder styles. $16/$12 guestlist.

BAMBAATAA @ LOUNGE This week join residents and very special guests for an all-night classic versus night. There is Hey Sam battling with Mr Magoo, Popeye trying to take Jez Sing back to school, Mitch smashing it out against Tubby and Eazy taking on Barlov. So come down and support your favourite resident by getting loose with the crew. $10/$5 guestlist (badrunnerproductions@ hotmail.com).

SOUNDS OF FUSION @ FUSION Commercial progressive house to get the place jammin’. Special guest Nick Foley with support from Dean T, Phil Ross and Johnny M. From 9.30pm-4am. $15/$10 guestlist (fusion@ crownmelbourne.com.au).

PAPARAZZI @ CO The biggest anthems all night long. Featuring special guest Molly Meldrum with DJs Joe Sofo, Kitty Kat and Nikkos. Plus R&B sounds in the chill out lounge. From 9.30pm-4am. $15/$10 guestlist (co@crownmelbourne.com.au)/ free entry before 11pm.

FRIDAYS @ NEVERLAND Melbourne’s newest superclub has arrived. Neverland has been laced with state of the art sound, lighting and visual equipment to take your nightclub experience to a whole new dimension. $15/$10 guestlist until 11pm.

POPROCKS @ THE TOFF Join the crew at the Toff with Dr Phil Smith playing no-brainers and guilty pleasures from the ‘60s/’70s/’80s/’90s/today and tomorrow. The sounds of pop, disco, rock, R&B, funk, soul and oddball covers. The party starts at 9pm and entry is always free.

SATURDAY

CANYONS @ NEW GUERNICA Over the last few years, Canyons have been honing their craft and have become the first Australian act to get a release on the prestigious DFA records. Support from residents Ando, Leslie Salvador and Belgium.

FRIDAYS @ NEW GUERNICA

DJ KUTZ @ MERCAT BASEMENT

You know it’s going to be a good

DJ Kutz is one of dubstep’s rising

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

stars with his debut album set for release on Soul Jazz mid this year as well as collaborations with Benga on Digital Sound Boy on the horizon. Kutz is a name you will be hearing a lot in the near future. Support from Void Sydney and local crews Bass High, Too Much and Heavy Innit. Pre-sales $20+BF through qjump.com.au.

A NIGHT AT THE JAZZ ROOMS @ THE ORDER OF MELBOURNE Featuring The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra live on stage and DJs Russ Dewbrey, Ms Butt and Blair Stafford playing the heaviest funk, jazz, soul, Afro, Latin and boogie. From 9pm-2am. $15 +BF available from Moshtix and Northside Records. More on the door if available.

PRESSURE DROP @ THE JOHNSTON Pressure Drop returns home to Fitzroy with a strictly reggae and dancehall bass-heavy bang. After a short excursion into the CBD, we’re bringing the vibes back to Johnston Street and kicking off with a royal house warming at our new crib. Host Sista Itations will be joined by lyricist MC Riff-Raph plus selections from Major Krazy, Redda Red and Sista Sarah. From 10pm3am. $10/$5 before 11pm.

FAVELA ROCK @ MISS LIBERTINE Featuring DJs MAFIA, Jesse I, TPC, Micka, Steezy and DTP belting out all the latest in hip hop. The last event reached capacity extremely early so email names to guestlist (favelarock@opulentmagazine. com) for priority entry.

SATURDAYS @ ABODE Enter a world of sophisticated, alternative clubbing. The space where anything is possible. Featuring residents Jon Montes and Syme Tollens pumping out deep tech and progressive sounds.

THE LATE SHOW @ REVOLVER Featuring breaks, dubstep, grime and funky in the front room with samples, disco, boogie, cut-ups, house and the rest in the back room. Residents Ransom and Raph Boogie together with this week’s guests Deviant, D*Funk, Mr Moonshine, Junji Masayama, Disco Harry and Mat Cant.

HOUSE PARTY @ EUROTRASH Party on two floors with 1928, Sleeves, Megawuoti, Tranter, Mu-gen and D Ceed. $10/$5 before 10pm. Email adam@eurotrashbar. com.au for birthdays – you’ll get free entry and a cheap guestlist for your friends.

IT’S OUR HOUSE @ LOUNGE Join Darren Coburn and Moose for a sensual start to your Saturday night. Then, from the Smashbang label, its big daddy Luke McD smashing out original left-of-centre techno/electro tracks. Finally, connecting all the dots, Nick Coleman gets down to keep you up until the early morn’. From 10pm-late.

UNDER SUSPICION @ BROWN ALLEY Under Suspicion is Brown Alley’s new resident Saturday night. It’s a party that represents the best of underground culture and music. Under Suspicion aims to create a new underground culture

that breaks down the walls of industry trends and ignites a party experience like no other.

RED BENNIES CABARET @ RED BENNIES Featuring performers Three Feet Of Beat, Swing Patrol and Skopalova. DJs Brad Spolding and Mike Gurrieri will also be playing. From 9pm-3am. $20/$15 guestlist.

THE TECH REPUBLIC @ POISON APPLE In the main room Boogs, T-Rek, Jen Tutty, Phil K, Ross Horkings, Tyrone and Bianca White supply the soundtrack to your evening while in the basement Gavin Keitel, Mike Callander, Lister Cooray, Bart Bara, Clint Morgan and Jamie Coyle bring you some of the finest house and techno to get your ass groovin’. $15 guestlist (inpresslist@ live.com).

DISCO SOCIALE @ FIRST FLOOR Enter Studio 393 as the disco bandits, Kano and Mr Moonshine, play all that is disco, boogie and funk.

SWEAT SATURDAYS @ ONESIXONE The new undisputed jump-off for lovers of sophisticated grooves, Sweat continues bringing the goodness. Featuring DJ Who, Anthony Larr, Ant J Steep and MJ. Doors open at 10pm. $15/$10 (mention Sweat).

REPLAY @ FUSION Featuring Ping Pong DJs Australian tour. Support from Tate Strauss, Dean T and Johnny M. From 9.30pm-4am. $22/$18 guestlist.

SATURDAYS @ LUCKY COQ Spread over two levels with DJs downstairs including Tahl, Jean Paul, Sam McEwin and Greyskull playing tech house and electro. Upstairs you’ll find Kodiak Kid, Moonshine, Ash-Lee and guests playing funk. From 9pm-late. Free entry.

SATURDAYS @ THE LOFT Featuring DJs Scotty Erdos, Phil Ross, Nick James and Ontime dropping top 40 dance and house tunes in the main room and DJs Achos, G-Funk, DJ Ryza, Shaggz, Az, Dylisco and Julez in the R&B room.

SUNDAY

HELLFIRE CLUB @ RED BENNIES Hellfire is back. Gen Y got its kink on with more established scene players and mixed it up with wild shows, performances and decadent mayhem at the first two Hellfire shows of the year. The third installment of Hellfire Club for the year is entitled The Megalomania Party and clientele are encouraged to dress up in an outfit that says ‘power’. Featuring DJ David Thrussell and Pandanomi. From 8pm-3am. $25/$20 members.

SUPASTAR SUNDAYS @ CO Craig G, Jay-J, Ken Walker, DIR-X, Baby D, Dinesh and Marcus Knight heat up Co with R&B, old school, house and mash-ups. $15/$12 guestlist (info@houseofgroove. com.au). From 9.30pm-late.

SUNDAYS @ REVOLVER Revolver’s all-day electric disco party is one of the world’s most

unique clubbing experiences – tight like family and welcoming like long lost friends. Featuring four of Melbourne’s best DJs: Boogs, Spacey Space, Radiator and T-Rek. $15 in the morning, free most nights except for Summer Series events.

jazz and funk. Following them is Askew, Booshank, Paz, Miss Butt, Jumbo, Junji & Harry, Pete Baker and guests laying down slick tunes until 3am.

SUNDAYS @ NEW GUERNICA

Slide into your favourite comfy couch or across the dancefloor as masters of entertainment PhatoA-Mano, Agent 86 and Tigerfunk hit you between the ears every Sunday.

A mix of Little Richard slamming a piano with a pair of blue suede shoes to John Lydon pissing off his Sex Pistol fans with his new band that was just as important, along with all the good new wave, death disco, punk funk, post punk and Liverpool pop you can hear in a good night out. Free entry.

GOSSIP SUNDAYS @ LOVE MACHINE Spectacular stage shows, podiums and MCs freestyling live. Sexy, uplifting vocal house beats by Peter McNamara, Mr Stoj and Sebastian Morxx. Doors open 9pm, $15 guestlist (Gossip Sundays Facebook Group). Plus complimentary entry if you mention Zebra magazine at the door 9-11pm.

PARLOUR TRICKS @ RED VIOLIN Each and every Sunday, the luscious ladies of Trife Parlour Crew host a party night of hip hop, crunk and booty-shaking madness. Featuring TPC along with weekly guests on the decks, Parlour Tricks is the ultimate place to get loud, loose and boozy before the Monday morning grind. From 8pm3am. Free entry.

STUN!DAYS @ BLUE BAR How many DJs does it take to change a lightbulb? Come down to Blue Bar and find out. Featuring Rowie and Kate Niall mixing it up. From 6pm-1am. Free entry.

SOUTH SIDE HUSTLE @ LUCKY COQ Pilgram Light Circus kick the night off from 5-7pm playing live

SUNDAE SHAKE @ BIMBO DELUXE

MONDAY

STREET POETICS @ FIRST FLOOR Street Poetics is the heart of Melbourne’s underground hip hop scene. A meeting place for beat boxers, DJs, MCs, b-boys and b-girls alike. MC Mantra hosts the night with the Street Poetics band and DJ Wasabi on the decks. If you love hip hop, this is the way to start your week. Free entry.

DIAMOND DOGS @ BIMBO DELUXE Inspired by David Bowie; Lady Noir and Kiti span the ages of rock, glam and indie. If you’re after something a little different, then look no further.

DEEP @ NEW GUERNICA An mp3 player on shuffle isn’t as entertaining as listening to someone who actually loves playing good music getting loose with you from behind the decks. Hence New Guernica’s new take on Monday evenings. On rotation from 9pm, music lovers grace the organ and play sounds from the deep to keep the weekend wrongness flowing.

THE OMGS @ LUCKY COQ Self-proclaimed hipsters The OMGs play live. The six-piece band bash out original tracks over two sets from 9.30pm. Free entry.

TUESDAY

PERCY’S PLAYHOUSE @ NEW GUERNICA Hosted by the delightful young chap who thinks high tea means margaritas on a Monday morning. Special appearances by Percy’s colourful friends and a rabidly fun, five-hour-odd set of party dance with one of Melbourne’s most eloquently wasted madmen.

NEVER CHEER BEFORE YOU KNOW WHO’S WINNING @ REVOLVER Maybe this isn’t the trivia for you. I mean, do you know the name of Radiohead’s first album? Who plays Johnny Drama on Entourage? Or what’s above Cookie Bar in Melbourne? Well there are heaps of CDs, DVDs and movie passes to be won if you do. Email revolver@ revolverupstairs.com.au to book (eight people per team max) or register at the venue by 7pm. Teams that register early get sent three bonus questions.

COSMIC PIZZA @ LUCKY COQ Uneasy listening, freaked-out bass jams, romantic comedy disco, tropijazz and shit you won’t hear on the other nights courtesy of NHJ and friends. From 8.30pm-3am.

CURIOUS TALES OF A VIVID LUSCIOUS @ BIMBO DELUXE DJ Who delivers surreal sass and cunning in the forms of sly, charming music and sumptuous live art. Be entertained and amazed in a world existing between couches and canvas.

UPCOMING

SPEAKER CHIC @ FIRST FLOOR A tribute to the sophisticated musical tastes of Melbourne’s

north side. Combining indie grooves and electro with the occasional vintage reference or post-disco classic. Launches on Wednesday 26 May with an epic live performance from Tiger Funk with support from Mat Cant, Smile On Impact and Youthful Implants. Free entry.

HOW LOVE & TRONIKELESCH SINGLE LAUNCH @ THE TOFF How Love is the collaborative work of Melbourne producers/writers Finn Robertson, Andrew Worotniuk and Jamieson Moore and their first single, complete with Tronikelesch remix, is being released through Sydney-based blog Kluster. To celebrate, they will be performing live with Tronikelesch and support from Children, Angel Eyes, Rat Vs Possum Vs Fail DJs. Visuals on the night come from local VJ Zeal. $10 on the door. From 7.30-11pm. Thursday 27 May.

MC MANTRA @ EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB As Melbourne MC Mantra prepares for his nationwide tour support for Urthboy, his debut longplayer, Power Of The Spoken, has received Triple J Feature Album status. Check out Mantra’s local album launch on Friday 28 May at East Brunswick Club with support TBA.

BLACK DYNAMITE LAUNCH PARTY @ YAH YAHS Swizzle Au-Go-Go is proud to announce the official Australian movie launch party of the new blaxploitation film Black Dynamite. Richie 1250, The Brides Of Christ, Vince Peach, Mr Lob, Chris Gil, Dirty Garry, El Bastardo, Decameron and Big Sammy will keep you dancing to ‘60s and ‘70s soul and funk. 9pm start. $10 entry. Friday 28 May.

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

THE JAM @ FIRST FLOOR Special guest Mz Rizk will make an appearance to play the kind of old school hip hop that makes you want to bounce, while DJs Duchesz and Ayna dig out ‘90s R&B classics. Add in a little gangster rap from DJ Wax Vandal and this night will be just the extra spice that you’ve been looking for. $10 entry. Friday 28 May.

UNDERTOW @ MISS LIBERTINE Undertow is no stranger to the stage. He’s rocked the mic at drum’n’bass and breaks events under the DTech alias for years. There is something about hip hop, though, that makes Undertow keep coming back to it. The Minds Believing LP has been brewing in Undertow for a long time. With the album release and an east coast album tour in May, he aims to imprint his name on the evergrowing Australian hip hop scene. Support from Rezadent, Dazed and Flawlezz, Rukis Crew, JP and Bogues. Tickets are $10 on the door. Friday 28 May.

LUXXE @ LOOP Luxxe Party presents Volta and Danni B – two of Melbourne’s finest tech house purveyors of the female variety. These two will be gracing the decks from midnight. Samari and Rips will be kicking off the party at 10pm with Jem The Misfit providing visuals on the night. Free entry. Friday 28 May.

UNSTABLE SOUNDS @ LOOP It’s time for another Unstable progressive, techno and psy trance event. The deepest, driving tunes brought to you by Ben Evans, Freya, Mish’chief, Denham Jay, Loki, Henk D and James Brooke alongside a visual explosion brought to you by VJ Kyogen and special guest Ninja. From 10pmlate. Free entry. Saturday 29 May.

D’OPUS & ROSHAMBO @ REVOLVER D’Opus and Roshambo are set to unleash some new material and are spearheading it with their new single Come Find Out. This year, D’Opus and Roshambo have something keen to share to the hip hop world. Come Find Out certainly sounds like the right sort of invitation. $10 on the door. Friday 28 May.

MIAMI HORROR @ THE CORNER After two years of writing, recording and road testing, Miami Horror will perform songs off their debut album. Their dynamic live reputation has recently earned the band a spot at Falls Festival, where they counted in the 2010 new year. Support from Cassian. Doors 8.30pm. Tickets $20+BF from the Corner Box Office. Friday 28 May and Saturday 29 May.

STINKIN’ RICH @ THE JOHNSTON If you’re dripping in bling or your richness comes from within, then Stinkin’ Rich is the party for you. A journey through garage, drum’n’bass, dubstep and dancehall. Featuring Spikey Tee, Lady Erica. Mr Fish, DJ Bonnita and MC Dizzy Dee. You may arrive poor, but you will definitely leave feeling stinkin’ rich. $10 entry. From 9pm-3am. Saturday 29 May.

LOCAL PRODUCE @ MISS LIBERTINE Twisted Audio presents Local Produce – a night dedicated to local producers. Featuring Phetst, Nasty Genius, Dysphemic, Barron Von Rotten, Deall, Meltdown, Skirmish Vs Stryfe, Deep Element and Lickweed Vs Monkee. Hosted by MCs Harzee and Dzylexic with visuals by Dougstep. From 10pm-5am. $15/free entry before midnight. Saturday 29 May.

Zebra Magazine 19

0407 845 278 ESPLANADE HOTEL 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda 9534 0211 EUROTRASH 18 Corrs Lane, Melbourne 9564 4411 EVE BAR/LOUNGE 334 City Rd, Southbank ABODE 9696 7388 374 St Kilda Rd, St Kilda E-55 9525 5552 55 Elizabeth St, Melbourne ALIA 9620 3899 Level 1, 83-87 Smith St, (corner of Smith St, and Gertrude St), Fitzroy FIRST FLOOR 9486 0999 393 Brunswick St, Fitzroy ALUMBRA 9419 6380 Shed 9, Central Pier, Docklands THE FOX 9690 0883 351 Wellington St, Collingwood THE APARTMENT 9416 4917 401-405 Little Bourke St, Melbourne FUSION 9670 4020 Level 3, Crown Entertainment Complex, 8 Whiteman St, ATTICUS FINCH Southbank 129 Lygon St, East, Brunswick 9292 5750 9387 0188 GEORGE LANE BAR THE BALCONY 1 George lane (off Grey St,), St 422 Little Collins St, Melbourne Kilda 9642 8917 9593 8884 BARAKI UPO MEZETHES THE GERTRUDE HOTEL 168 Lonsdale St, Melbourne 148 Gertrude St, Fitzroy 9663 1002 9419 2823 BARBARA GERTRUDES BROWN COUCH Level 1, 203 Swan St, Richmond 30-32 Gertrude St, Fitzroy 9429 3146 9417 6420 BAR OPEN GOLDEN MONKEY 317 Brunswick St, Fitzroy 389 Lonsdale St, (enter via 9415 9601 Hardware Lane), Melbourne BERTHA BROWN 9602 2055 562 Flinders St, Melbourne THE GOOSE & VINYL 9629 1207 91-93 Flinders Lane (entrance via Duckboard Pl), Melbourne BIGMOUTH 1300 843 466 168 Acland St, St Kilda GRACE DARLING HOTEL 9534 4611 114 Smith St, Collingwood BILLBOARD 9416 0055 162 Little Bourke St, Melbourne THE GREAT BRITAIN HOTEL 9639 4000 447 Church St, Richmond BIMBO DELUXE 9429 5066 376 Brunswick St, Fitzroy THE HAIRY CANARY 9419 8600 226 Little Collins St, Melbourne BLUE BAR 9654 2471 330 Chapel St, Prahran HORSE BAZAAR 9529 6499 397 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne BLUE TILE LOUNGE 9670 2329 95 Smith St, Fitzroy HOTEL BARKLY 9417 7186 109 Barkly St, St Kilda BOUTIQUE 9525 3332 134 Greville St, Prahran INFLATION 9525 2322 60 King St, Melbourne BROWN ALLEY 9614 6122 Corner of King St, and Lonsdale St, Melbourne KATUK 9670 8599 517a Chapel St, South Yarra CABINET BAR & BALCONY 9827 9004 11 Rainbow Alley, Melbourne KHOKOLAT BAR 9654 0915 43 Hardware Lane, Melbourne CANARY CLUB 9642 1442 6 Melbourne Pl, Melbourne LA DI DA 9663 1983 577 Little Bourke St, Melbourne CANVAS 9670 7680 Level 1, 302-320 Burwood Rd, LA LA LAND Hawthorn 134 Chapel St, Windsor 9819 2200 9533 8972 CHAISE LOUNGE Basement, 105 Queen St, Melbourne LAIKA 9 Fitzroy St, St Kilda 9670 6120 9534 0002 CHASERS THE LOFT 386 Chapel St, South Yarra Level 2, 117 Lonsdale St, 9827 7379 Melbourne CIRCUS 9650 3388 199 Commercial Rd, South Yarra LONG BAR 9804 8605 60 Lygon St, Carlton CLUB ODEON 9380 4004 Level 3, Crown Entertainment Complex, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank LOOP 19-23 Meyers Pl, Melbourne 9682 1888 9654 0500 THE CONTINENTAL HOTEL LOUNGE 1-21 Ocean Rd, Sorrento 243 Swanston St, Melbourne 5984 2201 9663 2916 COOKIE Level 1, Curtin House, 252 Swanston LUCKY COQ 179 Chapel St, Prahran St, Melbourne 9525 1288 9663 7660 MADAMME BRUSSELS THE CORNISH ARMS 63 Bourke St, Melbourne 163A Sydney Rd, Brunswick 9662 2775 9380 8383 MAEVE FOX CROFT INST,ITUTE 472 Church St, Richmond 21 Croft Alley (off Little Bourke St), 9427 1233 Melbourne THE MARKET 9671 4399 CUSHION LOUNGE 143 Commercial Rd, South Yarra 99 Fitzroy St, St Kilda 9826 0933 9534 7575 MATCH BAR & GRILL DECCA BAR 249 Lonsdale St, Melbourne 95 Queen St, Melbourne 9654 6522 9600 0900 MANCHURIA DING DONG LOUNGE 7 Waratah Pl, Melbourne Level 1, 18 Market lane, Melbourne 9663 1997 9662 1020 MERCAT CROSS HOTEL THE DROWNING OLIVE 456 Queen St, Melbourne 407-409 Swanston St, Melbourne 9348 9998 9650 5486 METROPOL ELECTRIC LADYLAND 60 Fitzroy St, St Kilda Level 1, 265 Chapel St, Prahran 9534 5999 9521 5757 MISS LIBERTINE EMPRESS 34 Franklin St, Melbourne 714 Nicholson St, North Fitzroy 9663 6855 9489 8605 MISTY PLACE ESCOBAR 3-5 Hosier lane, Melbourne 189 Lonsdale St, Melbourne 9663 9202 MOTHER’S MILK (BRIGHTON) 287 Bay St, Brighton 20 Zebra Magazine

9596 9470 MOTHER’S MILK (WINDSOR) 17 Chapel St, Windsor 9521 4119 NASH HOTEL 344 Victoria St, Richmond 9428 3418 NEVERMIND 336 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn NEVERWHERE BAR 185 Smith St, Fitzroy 0422 560 890 NEW GUERNICA Level 2, Hub Arcade, 318 Little Collins St, Melbourne 9650 4464 THE NIGHT CAT 141 JohnSt,on St, Fitzroy 9417 0900 THE NIGHT OWL Basement, 33 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 9614 2777 NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB 301 High St, Northcote 9489 3917 ONESIXONE 161 High St, Prahran 9533 8433 THE ORDER OF MELBOURNE Level 2, 401 Swanston St, Melbourne 9663 6707 PALACE THEATRE 20 Bourke St, Melbourne 9663 4288 PLATFORM ONE Vault 7/8 Banana Alley, Melbourne 9620 7080 THE POST OFFICE HOTEL 90 Swan St, Richmond 9428 6674 PRINCE OF WALES 29 Fitzroy St, St Kilda 9536 1166 PUBLIC BAR 238 Victoria St, North Melbourne 9329 6522 THE PURPLE EMERALD 191 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 9650 7753 Q BAR 257 Toorak Rd, South Yarra 9804 7800 RANDY DRAGON Basement, 313a Flinders Lane, Melbourne 9629 9141 RED HUMMINGBIRD 246 Russell St, Melbourne 9654 2192 RED BENNIES Level 1, 371-373 Chapel St, South Yarra RED LOVE MUSICROOM Level 1, 401 Swanston St, Melbourne 9639 3722 RED VIOLIN 1/231 Bourke St, Melbourne 0411 423 245 REVOLVER 229 Chapel St, Prahran 9521 5985 ROBARTA 109 Fitzroy St, St Kilda 9534 9041 ROBOT 12 Bligh Pl, Melbourne 9620 3646 ROOFTOP BAR Level 7, Curtin House, 252 Swanston St, Melbourne 9663 3596 ROOM 680 Level 1, 680 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn 9818 0680 ROXANNE PARLOUR 2/3 Coverlid Pl, Melbourne 9663 1018 RUBY’S LOUNGE 1648 Burwood Highway, Belgrave 9754 7445 SAGI BAR 57 High St, Northcote 9489 9983 THE SAINT 54 Fitzroy St, St Kilda 9593 8333 SECTION 8 27-29 Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne 0422 972 656 SEVEN 52 Albert Rd, South Melbourne 9690 7877 SOFTBELLY BAR 367 Little Bourke St, Melbourne 0410 329 129 SORRY GRANDMA! 590 Little Bourke St, Melbourne 9670 7493 STAR BAR 160 Clarendon St, South Melbourne 9810 9954 SYN BAR Level 1, 163 Russell St, Melbourne 9663 8990 TERMINUS HOTEL 605 Victoria St, Abbotsford

THE ARSE END HEADS UP MTV MOV MOVIE AWA AWARDS Aziz Ans Ansari is hosting!!! If you hosting! haven’t seen Parks And him Park RRecreations ecreati or Funny PPeople eople yyet, you are missing out on one greats in the o the gr of making. m aking. This could bbee up th there with the ’’07 07 awa awards when Silverman SSarah arah Si managed m anage to offend entire planet. tthe he entir

D-Bridge Aziz Ansari

MDNA

/\/\/\ /\Y \Y//\\

ITCH-E ITC CH-E & SCRATCH-E

Get used sed to it. That’s supposedly the title of the MIA alb album bum (which we’ve had a sneaky listen to – it ain’t like what our fave lass ass has ever done before) and it spells out her real name Maya – see?!

Reasons to lo love ove return: 1) Radio-unfriendly rap by MDNA in Other Planets (“Nev ((“Never Nevver call me a bitch even if I suck dick after dick” dick”, “I sprinkled som some meth in your drink,”… and they are the tame lyrics); 2) The futuro-ret futuro-retro clip; 3) We missed them.

ARSE LICKS

Zebra Venue Guide

Masterchef

SPIT THE A AP PP PLE LE

Apple CEO Steve Jobs got embroiled in an email slanging match with a blogg gger er critical of the iPad… Really! That’s what keeps CEO’ss awake at night!

NDAL SCHNITZEL SCA to tears by Masterchef? Are we the only ones who Are we the only ones bored ascot-wearing lard arse don’t give a flying fuck about what some pretentious, cook? people thinks about the crap food

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

Tony Abbott

MPANIES MINING CO and pay your new taxes, bitches. Shut your whining

BOOKA SHADE CDS

If the taste of new material Booka Shade hade gave us at Future Music Festival a couple of months back got you all in a lather, then you’ve no doubt already got your hands on a copy of More! and are all over the soundss of bombs like Regenerate, Teenage Spaceman and Bad Love. But if yyou’re not, we’ve got fivee copies of the German duo’s fourth longplayer to give away! Please email giveaways@inpress.com.au press.com.au with Subject Line: BOOKA SHADE, and include nname, address and daytime time telephone number in the body of your email.

THIS WEEK IN WEDNESDAY 19

And Then Something Fell On My Head – live performance exploring risk and fear; real and imagined. Shed 4, Docklands, 8.30pm and 10.30pm. Beast Of Hoof And Trunk! – a show written, directed, and performed by Tar Pitt’s Peter Reid, about an elephant rampaging Flinders St Station, combining live music and performance. 1000 £ Bend, 10pm. A Comedy – the most hysterical show ever, according to the Brown Council, who have created the show, mixing humour and violence. Trades Hall, 8.30pm.

THURSDAY 20

Trans-Mute – performance from Butoh-cabaret artist Yumi Umiumare. Guild Theatre, Melbourne University, 7:30pm. And Then Something Fell On My Head – live performance exploring risk and fear; real and imagined. Shed 4, Docklands, 8.30pm. Beast Of Hoof And Trunk! – a show written, directed, and performed by Tar Pitt’s Peter Reid, about an elephant rampaging Flinders St Station, combining live music and performance. 1000 £ Bend, 10pm. A Comedy – the most hysterical show ever, according to the Brown Council, who have created the show, mixing humour and violence. Trades Hall, 8.30pm.

FRIDAY 21

The First Word – opening night of the 2010 Emerging Writers’ Festival, featuring a keynote address, debate, comedy, burlesque, music, and poetry. BMW Edge Theatre, 7.30pm. Trans-Mute – performance from Butoh-cabaret artist Yumi Umiumare. Guild Theatre, Melbourne University, 2pm and 7.30pm. And Then Something Fell On My Head – live performance exploring risk and fear; real and imagined. Shed 4, Docklands, 8:30pm and 10.30pm. A Comedy – the most hysterical show ever, according to the Brown Council, who have created the show, mixing humour and violence. Trades Hall, 8.30pm.

SATURDAY 22

Trans-Mute – performance from Butoh-cabaret artist Yumi Umiumare. Guild Theatre, Melbourne University, 7.30pm. And Then Something Fell On My Head – live performance exploring risk and fear; real and imagined.

SHOT SNAP-

MUFIT, 2010 JOSEPHINE BRADLEY SCOTT

Displaying at Ladies First, and exhibition of works from 13 female Australian artists at Brunswick Sreet Gallery Friday 21 May to Thursday 3 June.

MAY

2010

ARTS PROFILE G A L L E RY

METRO GALLERY 1214 High St, Armadale metrogallery.com.au

Shed 4, Docklands, 8:30pm. A Comedy – the most hysterical show ever, according to the Brown Council, who have created the show, mixing humour and violence. Trades Hall, 2pm and 8.30pm.

Who are some local artists you admire?

SUNDAY 23

Page Parlour – a marketplace for books, posetrs, magazines, zines, literary journals, handcrafted books, and more. The Atrium, Federation Square, 12pm to 5pm. And Then Something Fell On My Head – live performance exploring risk and fear; real and imagined. Shed 4, Docklands, 8.30pm. A Comedy – the most hysterical show ever, according to the Brown Council, who have created the show, mixing humour and violence. Trades Hall, 6.30pm. A Good Death – closing night performance of The Sisters Hayes’ tales of martyrdom. St Mary Star Of The Sea, Howard St, 5pm. 48 Hour Play Generator – the resulting works from six playwrights given 48 hours to produce new works, featuring Anna Barnes, Elise Hearst, Tobias Manderson-Galvin, Patrick McCarthy, and Amelia Roper. Malthouse Theatre, 5.30pm.

MONDAY 24

15 Minutes Of Fame – four book launches from four diverse emerging writers. The Wheeler Centre, 7pm. Write What Your Know – discussions from a panel of industry members on how to get started, challenges, and other things to expect from the writing industry. The Wheeler Centre, 6pm.

ONGOING

Oh Susannah those sleazy elders – exhibition of paintings by David Beaumont critiquing religious power, ritual, and philosophical authority. Gertrude Contemporary Art Space, until 12 June. Tuesday to Friday 11am to 5.30pm, Saturday 11am to 4.30pm. Mercy Street – a collective exhibition of works by Sherry McLane Alejos, CJ Conway, Kaori Kato, Alanna Lorenzon, and Nicholas Waddell, curated by Anusha Kenny. Gertrude Contemporary Art Space, until 12 June. Tuesday to Friday 11am to 5.30pm, Saturday 11am to 4.30pm. The World Is A Text With Several Meanings – video program curated by Liv Barrett. Gertrude Contemporary Art Space, until 12 June. Tuesday to Friday 11am to 5.30pm, Saturday 11am to 4.30pm.

from a place of storytelling and mythology. Large animals curl in the laps of alienated figures that seem to be of the world of fable rather than the world we know.

Tell us about yourself. Alex McCulloch, director and equity partner of Metro Gallery: At 22 years of age I established my own gallery (McCulloch Gallery) in the Melbourne CDB; this gallery focused on street art, Indigenous art, and was dedicated to giving a public profile to new promising artists. I kept this afloat, by utilising the space for a diversity of exhibitions and music evenings for five years before moving to Metro Gallery as director in June 2009. What are some of your past highlights? In recent times having Blek the Rat exhibit at Metro was a significant night as it drew out of all of the corners of Melbourne artists and followers of street art.

UTE LEMPER AND CAROLINE NIN MELBOURNE SHOWS This month Melbourne has lucked out with not one but two of the world’s greatest cabaret stars in our town, with both Ute Lemper and Caroline Nin visiting. Firstly, Lemper will perform her Angels Over Berlin concert, featuring the works of Brecht, Weill, and Brel, at Hamer Hall, the Arts Centre this Friday, while French chanteuse Nin will be taking to the stage at the Melbourne Recital Hall Tuesday 1 June to Saturday 5 performing Hymne A Piaf, a tribute to the much-loved Edith Piaf. Tickets to Ute Lemper through Ticketmaster and Caroline Nin through the venue.

CONTROVERSIAL SALÒ TO SCREEN DURING MUFF The most recent film to be removed from Australia’s banned list, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salò, Or The 120 Days Of Sodom is a pretty gutwrenching experience, telling the story of four libertines who kidnap 18 teenage boys and girls and subject them to four months of depravity. Finally only being allowed release under the proviso that its DVD release feature additional material giving the film context, the Hellfire crew have decided it’s about time the film was shown to the wider public, as part of the Melbourne Underground Film Festival. Catch Salò at Red Bennies Sunday 23 May at 7pm. Tickets through the venue.

What’s currently exhibiting? Can you tell us about it? Michael Peck’s paintings are being exhibited. Michael at 33 has created some extraordinary paintings that have the ability to engage with people’s past – in particular their childhoods and perhaps even the awareness of what forms us now is never disconnected from our earliest experiences of pain. The exhibition is cannily called This May Hurt and, gauging the response from the hundreds of people who attended the opening night, when all his work was sold, it did indeed have a particular impact. The other artist being exhibited is Justin Lee Williams. Again, like Peck, he works on a large scale. His highly illustrative works (pencil and water colour) are ornate, dynamic in colour, and come

There are too many to list so I’ll pick out three randomly who are not directly connected to Metro Gallery: Sam Leach, Jeremy Kibbell, and Sophia Hewson. Leach took out the Archibald and Wynne prizes this year and won the Metro Gallery art prize in 2006. His works are exquisite and he is highly respected amongst his peers. Kibbel’s works are acquired by collectors all over the world, and he also manages to find the time to run his gallery Block Projects in the Melbourne CBD, one of the most innovative galleries in Australia. Looking to the immediate future – what’s on the cards? A group show titled On The Wall, featuring works by Banksy, Swoon, Blek Le Rat, Shepard Fairey, Nick Walker, and Dface and Melbourne street artist Ha-Ha. These artists are considered the Gods of the international street art scene. The show runs 27 September to 17 October. We have also booked in a solo exhibition with Swoon in 2011.

WAIT. WHERE’S INTERVAL? If you’ve been flicking back and forth through Inpress trying to find Interval this week you’ve come to the right place. With such a massive redesign, we decided a change in title was in order – and since we quite liked the name ‘Front Row’ that we were using within Interval already, it made sense to upgrade it to the section’s title. So, as of today Interval will be called Front Row. You can still expect to find all the arts content you’ve come to rely on within these pages, but you’ll now find a lot more of it. (And this is only the beginning. Mars is next. Then Jupiter, and beyond the infinite…) There will be a stronger focus on the local arts scene, with gallery profiles, more pictures, loads of features, reviews, and anything else we can come up with. Galleries and art spaces, make sure we’re on your mailing list. Hope y’all enjoy the new look Inpress arts supplement, Front Row.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION CHAMPION TO SPEAK The Melbourne Writers’ Festival may not be until August but this Sunday they present (alongside the Sydney Writers’ Festival) freedom of expression champion John Ralston Saul, who will speak on the topic of freedom and globalisation. Saul is President of the International PEN, an organisation setup in 1921 to promote literature, and this speak is in support of Melbourne’s PEN Centre. John Ralston Saul will speak at RMIT Capitol Theatre Sunday 23 May.

I’M NOT SCARED FEAR TAKES CENTRE STAGE IN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ANIMALS’ NEW PLAY, URCHIN. TONY MCMAHON TALKS TO CO-WRITER/ CO-DIRECTOR/ACTOR CHRISTOPHER BROWN. Billed as a darkly comic exploration of the politics and culture of fear, Urchin is a tantalising hybrid theatrical work by exciting new company Encyclopedia Of Animals. Utilising text, film, song, choreography, and kinetic sculpture, Urchin tells the story of two brothers who claim to have an object that is a vaccine for fear and the ex-motivational speaker they employ to sell it. Fear is obviously an extraordinarily relevant topic in today’s society, as arguably it has been always. Christopher Brown, who not only co-wrote and co-directs the production but also stars in it, says that the idea of getting rid of fear would be quite an upsetting one for those with a vested interest. “The theme of fear came from the object itself. We called it the Urchin because it resembles the shape of a sea urchin. Sea urchins have an innate fear mechanism rather than having to learn what to fear. Our Urchin [the device] purports to be a vaccine for fear, which is quite a subversive idea when you think about it. A device that removes fear threatens to render the exploiters of fear – governments,

marketers, drug companies, etc – quite powerless. Our story is motivated by the politics of fear and the fascinating topic of how fear has been hijacked yet concerns itself with the personal fears of the three main characters.” Interestingly, the impetus for the show came from an actual urchin co-writer and director Rhian Hinkley found on a beach, which points in part to the unique way this company go about their work. Brown says that other found objects may well play a part in determining future Encyclopedia Of Animals productions. “It was its shape that inspired him to design, with Mark Cuthbertson, the portable inflatable device. It’s possible that a shape, object or animal may be the starting point for another project. Perhaps all our work should begin with an animal; it would certainly make literal sense of our name.” Talking of future projects, one that Encyclopedia Of Animals has on their books is a feature science fiction film, and we’re hard put to think of another Australian example of the genre. The

embarrassment of Howling 3: The Marsupials is probably as close as we’ve come. “Yeah, that’s interesting,” says Brown. “I can’t really think of one apart from Matrix, but that’s not really Australian. I guess they don’t get funded. An excellent Australian sci-fi writer is Greg Egan. We’ve been thinking about this film for longer than we’ve been making Urchin. It’s top secret but it’s going to happen.” As far as the fusion of text, film, song, sculpture, and choreography in Urchin is concerned, Brown is adamant that the different elements serve the telling of the story well. “The piece is text-based but uses other modes to tell different parts of the story. Film is used to depict the experience of being inside the Urchin. WHAT: Urchin WHERE & WHEN: Fairfax Studio, the Arts Centre until Saturday 29 May

C U LT U R A L

CRINGE

WITH REBECCA COOK “You know life isn’t that hard here when so many people have got the time to come and watch this,” commented someone ahead of Cringe in the mass trying to get a glimpse of a boisterous Belgian delegate. There was delight as Italy took itself rather seriously and the UK couldn’t decide which end should be pointed towards the microphone. As Cringe was departing the Melbourne Museum forecourt and trying to avoid being decapitated by wellphotographed errant skateboards, she could hear the strident tones

of debate amongst the United Nations delegates. Who would have thought 47 dachshunds would cause such a stir? Well, maybe the artist responsible Bennett Miller, who has been working with sausage dogs for a little while now. His latest work Dachshunds UN is a scale replica of a former United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland complete with little country nameplates, but staffed by said sausages dogs. Often Cringe finds explanations of artworks or performance to be overly wanky, but in this case it’s spot on: “Dachshund UN is both a joyful and chaotic

experiment, and a meditation on the utopian aspirations of the Commission On Human Rights, and our capacity as humans to imagine and achieve a universal system of justice.” The sausage dogs – some barking, some dipping under their desk, some distracted by the owner of the dog next to them doling out treats – were a perfect analogy for the chaos of desires which an organisation such as the UN must try to navigate. While the first Saturday performance went off without any visible hitches, the work is not without a woof of controversy. A reliable source in the dachshund community did tell Cringe that there was some dispute over the types of dachshunds invited to participate in the installation. Apparently only the smooth-haired

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dachsies were originally included, thereby excluding the long-haired and the wire-haired breeds. This dogism was obviously sorted out prior to Saturday’s performance as Cringe did spy some less than smooth dogs acting their little hearts out. A statement in the show’s media release “the greatest dachshund project ever to be attempted by the Perth-based artist” caught Cringe’s attention and raised the question what else has Miller done with Schnitzel von Krumm? Apparently he also built a topiary maze for sausage dogs at this year’s Garden Art Action. Prior to dachshunds, Miller spent five years obsessed with mini golf and created his Golf War series of 20032007, which retold the story of a war in Iraq across nine different courses.

Clearly Miller is not a man who does things by halves so expect more canine-fuelled works. Dachshund U.N. is part of this year’s Next Wave Festival, which exploded into town last week. They say you should never work with children or animals and so in terms of risk, employing 141 (over three shows) little furry beasts in your show, could be considered on par with being a bomb disposal expert. And this is just what Next Wave Artistic Director Jeff Khan was looking for from this year’s theme – No Risk Too Great. “In a world grappling with financial and environmental crises, with worldwide inequalities, and in which the sustainability of our current way of life is under increasing scrutiny, the time seems right for a little creative intervention… in a world which sometimes seems driven by self-interest, how willing are we to step outside our comfort zones, to consider those outside our immediate experience and ideas that are bigger than our lives?” challenges Khan. For more details head to nextwave. org.au.

FILM

TITLE = PLOT By Cam Grace 1. Snakes On A Plane (2006) 2. Mars Needs Women (1967) 3. Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living And Became Mixed-Up Zombies (1964) 4. Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla (1952) 5. Zack And Miri Make A Porno (2008) 6. Zombie Strippers (2008) 7. Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969)

CAREW

WITH ANTHONY CAREW The views of Oscar voters normally leave me perplexed; but, watching The Secret In Their Eyes – this year’s winner for Best Foreign Language Film – I felt like I could see exactly what they saw. I’m not talking about the film itself; a sentimental procedural in which a recentlyretired Ricardo Darín is haunted by the murder of a young girl on his watch, 25 years prior in Peronist-era Buenos Aires (nor about the fact that its director, Juan José Campanella, served US TV penance on many varieties of Law & Order, thereby making him a known name for Academy stooges). I’m talking about that one virtuoso moment in which the pic – if but briefly – comes to glorious life: a single (well, a virtually single) five-minute shot that explores the entirety of Tomás Adolfo Ducó stadium; descending from a helicopter shot on high, whipping across the pitch as Húracan and Racing Club play, combing through the faces in the crowd, and then plunging into the bowels of the stadium as if descending into hell. It’s inspired by old-fashioned virtuoso tracking shots like the opening of Touch Of Evil, but Campanella’s moment-of-greatness was actually filmed across three days and patched together over nine post-production months. It’s a grand case of a director pursuing his ‘vision’ at great length, logistical-wrangling, and cost; a romantic devotion that, if you stretch far enough, matches the never-giving-up narrative. Fish Tank is a different kind of award-winner – a Cannes Jury Prize honouree – but, whilst that suggests a greater sense of artistry, it doesn’t guarantee a better film. Andrea Arnold’s Rosetta-inspired kitchensink/council-estate realism trails after forever-fuming, 15-year-old Mia as she stomps through unwelcoming, inhumane spaces: disused lots, the

sides of motorways, the wastelands between tenement towers. At its worst, Arnold’s picture borders on Mike Leigh-ish working-class caricatures – drunken, screeching, mangling their vowels – but, at its best, it expertly captures that prison of adolescence: its teen lead less fish in a tank, more caged animal; her violent thrashing-about never getting her anywhere near escape. Fish Tank is verily steeped in hopelessness: its every dream tainted by a sad reality; its every note of optimism ringing false. This is embodied in the beefcakish form of Michael Fassbender; mum’s new, gainfullyemployed boyfriend blowing in as a sweet Irish breeze, tantalising with the promise of a better life, before swiftly turning a predictable waft of sour. With his ‘hidden’ dirty secret patently obvious, it’s a short wait until daughter and pseudofather-figure invariably get it on. Such a scandalous moment is more mundane than anything else. In many ways, that serves the story perfectly: in this world, a 15-year-old is entirely capable of using their sexuality as power; a grown adult just as capable of abusing a position of intimacy. But the fact that this money shot – and the film’s leap into melodrama near climax – seems strangely flat is certainly telling. City Island is set in a little hamlet in the Bronx, so you don’t gotta be no rocket-scientist to guess that it’s going to riddled with non-stop double negatives delivered in goonball, Guido-esque Noo Yawk accents. The film concerns a mouthy Bronx family – whose every interaction is ‘comically’ yelling at each other – and their varying secrets-and-lies, which all get tangled up with so many intricately-plotted contrivances and coincidences that no true tension ever gets to build. The result is a ‘feelgood’ flick that left me feeling rather less than good.

STILL WEARING SHORTS

THE WAKE

THE 27TH ST KILDA FILM FESTIVAL OPENS NEXT WEEK AND, AS YOUNG DIRECTORS GEMMA LEE AND MIA TIMPANO TELL PAUL RANSOM, IT WILL BEAT THE PANTS OFF TV.

he numbers are impressive. The top 100 Australian short films vying for $40k worth of prizes in a six-day event that’s now in its 27th year as the nation’s premier dedicated short film festival. As always, the St Kilda Film Festival offers a full buffet of shorts; drama, comedy, animation, doco, etc. And then there’s Alan Brough hosting the festival crowd fave, SoundKILDA, a big screen ‘concert’ of Australianmade music video. (This year’s playlist includes Nash Edgerton directing Bob Dylan and entries from Powderfinger, Bridezilla, and Phrase.) In a universe where screen culture is dominated by features and TV, the short film is an often invisible subclass, despite the fact that it’s the way most filmmakers cut their teeth. So it is that festivals like St Kilda create focus and networking opportunities for those toiling in shorts. Scottish born and now Sydney resident filmmaker Gemma Lee is someone getting used to the joys of the festival circuit. Her sevenminute drama The Wake has already screened at Tribeca and Flickerfest

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and recently won the Audience Favourite award at Palm Springs. “Some films do make a profit,” she optimistically observes. “If it gets a lot of attention and airlines wanna show it and TV networks pick it up, then y’know… Also, there are a few more ways of getting your films out there now. But even with YouTube and stuff like that it’s still relatively unpublicised.” Enter the festival. “The great thing about events like Palm Springs and Tribeca, which we just came back from, is meeting people in the industry,” Lee continues. “The transference of information at these kinds of festivals is amazing… and St Kilda is a festival that I’ve been to the opening of every year religiously. If didn’t get an invite I’d be hounding someone I knew.” If Gemma Lee sounds like she’s muscling her way in, then Melbournebased magazine journalist Mia Timpano is perhaps something of a gatecrasher. Her first film, a lo-fi fan flick called Don’t Thank Me, Thank AA: The Dave Mustaine Story, is anything but the typical film school outpouring. Shot entirely at Festival Hall, it is basically a homage to the man that many consider thrash metal’s greatest ever guitarist. “I don’t really feel like a filmmaker like other people because a lot of them seem to have big film ambitions, whereas I made something to amuse myself,” Timpano admits. “That said, I am in production for a feature documentary now.” Indeed, unlike most short makers, Timpano has not sent her film out to every brand-name festival. For her, stumbling onto the setlist at St Kilda is more than enough reward.

“I’m incredibly amped for the festival. It’s probably because I don’t have a total picture of what it’s gonna be like. It’s pretty humbling actually. Y’know, I really have to stress that because it’s pretty amazing for me to be in the company of people like Gemma Lee.” Yet just as Timpano’s film is a oneday wonder, so too is Lee’s much more cinematic offering. The Wake was shot in Melbourne on a day of hailstorms, with takes grabbed quickly between downpours. “We were actually just using it as an experience to see how we could work together and to get the ball rolling after college,” she reveals. “We never expected it to do what it’s doing; taking us overseas and exposing us to all these industry people.” Of course this is all part of the peculiar magic of shorts. Made cheaply and shot quickly they allow filmmakers to play with the form; and even if they often end up looking like second year cinematography exercises they permit a freedom that features rarely grant. “It’s the kind of filmmaking I like,” Gemma Lee enthuses. “Minimal crew, shoot on the shoulder, move freely. I guess what got me into filmmaking was Dogme films; there’s something about that feeling of spontaneity, even if the setup are pre-meditated. It’s about honesty and realness and not overcooking.” That said, Lee readily admits that making shorts is a calling card. “Most people I know, and certainly myself, wanna to do shorts to develop skills and attract attention for longer form work.”

Timpano, meanwhile, is less of a careerist. “My feeling about that is that it’s good to keep your own personal risk factor low; y’know, you’re not sinking your inheritance into it and getting emotionally attached and thinking you’re gonna live or die by the success of your short film. Basically, I think that’s a kind of mental disorder.” Ironically, though, her motivation for Don’t Thank Me did fringe on obsessive. “Dave Mustaine was like my Holy Grail because he’s an incredible individual all round,” she devoutly declares. “I don’t always get so starstruck but I remember the moment when I saw him; he was leaping out of the van backstage and his red hair just flew out behind him like a flock of seagulls. It was the greatest moment of my life, just seeing Dave Mustaine’s hair.” Meanwhile, back at the festival, the big screen will flicker with a hundred Australian visions, including directorial debuts from Deborah Mailman of Secret Life Of Us fame and Alexandra Schepisi, daughter of Fred. There’s also an international program, which this year has a distinctly German flavour and the return of the much loved Comedy Session at Dog’s Bar. For Lee, being screened at festival events like St Kilda is certainly a notch in the belt. “It’s an amazing thing being in a theatre with a bunch of people you don’t know and hearing them laugh. It’s a very validating experience.” WHAT: St Kilda Film Festival WHEN: Tuesday 25 to Sunday 30 May

THEATRE THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT fortyfive downstairs This show is much funnier than it sounds. True, it delves into some dark and difficult moral territory, but it eases the tension with crackling bursts of humour and moments of genuinely affecting humanity. Stephen Adly Guirgis’ script is surprisingly warm and the court case in question proceeds with regular intercessions of New York savvy. Good thing too, because the serious side is very serious: betrayal, culpability, suicide, damnation. In the dock, history’s arch-betrayer, and on the witness stand a cavalcade of Biblical and contemporary figures from Satan to Mother Teresa. Indeed, as the trial moves forward it seems that just about everybody’s eternal soul is on the line. Under the adroit and often beautifully subtle direction of David Myles, the 27 strong cast bring this adventurous, existential work to frequently bristling life. Holly Shanahan is the lynchpin as defence counsel Cunningham; at turns sexy, strident and cracked. Chantelle Jamieson almost steals the show with her hip hop St Monica. Justin Hosking as Butch Honeywell provides the night’s most moving moment with his truly heartbreaking mea culpa. Until 30 May PAUL RANSOM

REVIEW

THAT FACE Red Stitch Actors Theatre This play about a dysfunctional family has received a lot of attention, as the playwright, Polly Stenham, famously was only 19 when she penned it. It is a strong and staggeringly well-constructed piece with much control and mastery of pace. There is black-and-whiteness about the script, especially with the dialogue from the younger characters whose voices ring true. The golden rule is show, don’t tell but here we get all the characters ‘off the page’, ‘as written’; played larger than life with emphasis on the comedic elements so that at times the play seems farcical and the characters hamming it up, especially the flouncing and pouting Martha. Sarah Sunderland’s Martha is a complex monster with some killer lines but she’d be so much more sinister with less ‘performance’ of her character in her sober moments. Some fine work is elicited from Tim Potter playing the broken Henry. Stenham’s writing is being compared to Edward Albee’s (somewhat overstating the case) and her second play is already doing the international rounds. This production of That Face, however, holds little back and so fails to completely satisfy. Until 29 May LIZA DEZFOULI

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NEW KIDS ON THE BLOG WITH THE EMERGING WRITERS’ FESTIVAL KICKING OFF THIS WEEKEND, TOBY WALKER CHATS TO FESTIVAL DIRECTOR LISA DEMPSTER ABOUT THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN 2010.

he internet has already redefined the music industry and journalism, and now with the emergence of e-readers, it is poised to radically shake up publishing. E-books still account for only 1% of Australian publishing sales, according to IBISWorld data, but industry heads predict that figure to grow substantially in the coming decade as people become accustomed to reading downloaded books. Already battling to cut through the white noise of information freely available online, will the digital migration give writers a stronger voice? Director of this month’s Emerging Writers’ Festival Lisa Dempster believes it will. “I think online communities are already making the idea of a literary scene a bit unnecessary because you can be an active member of a scene without being based in Melbourne or some other city,” she says. “Now writers can self-publish in online forums and as those forums become more accepted as serious mediums for writing I think the structure between publishers and writers will change dramatically.

“In traditional print media, publishers or editors had the power, but now that writers can build their own audiences and have their own means of disseminating their thoughts, ideas and work they’re becoming more powerful and less reliant on the traditional structures. [Publishing] will become more like collaboration or partnerships.” Last year about 6,000 people turned out for the festival’s expanded sellout program. In her first year as director Dempster is hoping to extend its reach even further with a ten-day schedule of events that people can choose to attend in person or participate in online. One of those events is TwitterFEST in which the somewhat maligned singleline phenomenon will see Australian writers discuss subjects like Twitter’s potential to advance the art of writing or what makes a novel ‘Australian’. Many will be keen to hear what recently-sacked freelancer Catherine Deveny has to say about it when she speaks at The Workers Club on 26 May for the festival’s In The Pub freelancing event.

Such is the rapid spread of social networking’s influence that the term ‘blogging’ would have been met with some curiosity back in 2004 when the first Emerging Writers’ Festival first kicked off as a day-long zine fare at the Victoria Hotel. But while there may be much to discuss about the future, Dempster said the festival will continue to remain faithful to its roots with a focus on the craft of writing, and of course a showcase for new zines. “I go to a lot of writers’ festivals and it’s not always necessarily about writing,” Dempster says. “We are a festival for writers and we program everything with writers in mind. We have three things that we do; we create professional development opportunities for writers, we create

networking opportunities for writers, and we program events that will entertain and inspire writers.” The Melbourne Town Hall will host a revolving cast of guests over two days to discuss specific writing styles, from prose fiction to songwriting, theatre, video games, copywriting, poetry and comedy. And when you’re done agonising over the craft then you can opt for something a bit more fun like Wordstock, which puts the spotlight on new songs, comedy, short plays and performance pieces inspired by AC/DC, or a lecture on the power of disco by Triple J’s Craig Schuftan. WHAT: Emerging Writers’ Festival WHERE & WHEN: Various locations Friday 21 May to Sunday 30

TOTALLY WIRED

PUNK’S DEAD? GOOD

Newcastle trio THE WIREFLYS have spent two years honing the songs on their upcoming debut album, drummer BEN BRISCOE tells EJ CARTLEDGE.

As they prepare to launch their second EP, Perth trio THE SPITFIRES explain to JASON KENNY why they’re not a punk band.

reward when venturing into unknown territory. “We look forward to visiting new places and playing to new audiences,” he says. “We thrive on that, really, and if we go down well then we can keep going back. But I guess you never really know who is going to turn up… there’s a chance we’ll be playing in front of five people,” he laughs. “So you have two choices: you can perform halfarsed or you can rock their socks off and they’ll become fans of yours forever. The thing is, we want to get out there and promote what we’re doing and plant the seed. It’s all part of the journey. Plus we get out of work!”

fter sharing the stage with the likes of British India, Kisschasy, Regular John and Grafton Primary, The Wireflys are hitting the road for their Brown Suits, Black Ties tour. Originating from the wilds north of the border – well, Newcastle to be precise – the trio have spent the past two years in the studio producing their first full-length album, The World We Live. As single All These Lies testifies, they have managed to transfer a remarkably tight live energy onto disc – not a compliment granted lightly. With influences ranging from INXS to Placebo, The Wireflys create an impressive mix of guitar-driven rock pop. As drummer Ben Briscoe suggests, such influences can shape ideas, but the final musical outcome should be unique. “I think what makes The Wireflys unique is that our tastes in the band are so incredibly different,” he says. “I’m right into Something For Kate and INXS, Chris loves Doves and Blur and those type of bands, and Justin [Holland] is into the Red Hot Chili Peppers. We get into the rehearsal room and each one of us has a different idea, a different sound that has been spinning around our head. So there’s certainly no one sound that defines us and that can be a hard thing, as people won’t recognise your sound straight away. But overall I think it’s a strength to be unique and hopefully people will get into us after a couple of listens.” The band have just returned from their first visit to Brisbane. According to Briscoe, there is both risk and

Bassist and lead vocalist Chris Tester produced the record and Briscoe is full of praise for his efforts. As for the lengthy time spent working on The World We Live, Briscoe suggests two things: one, the album has been a genuine labour of love and two, it will be worth the wait. “I guess everyone believes they have a good live show,” he says, “and we’re no different – but the idea was to capture that sound as much as possible, in the studio environment. We’ve also been able to look at songwriting and production in a totally new light. That’s why it has taken the best part of two years. Our track All These Lies, for example, was originally over four minutes long. Through the studio process, we’ve hammered it down to two and a half minutes and it’s definitely the slickest sounding song on the album. Our singer Chris produced the album and his work on that particular track has just been awesome. Overall his work has been fantastic. “So we’ve pretty much held off giving out demos and the like… as we’ve been holed up in the studio for a couple of years doing the album. We did have demos and singles but we were never happy with the way they sounded. Because we were somewhat tentative in giving stuff out we haven’t been pushing for radio play. Now that we’ve had that time in the studio and we’re stoked with what has been produced, that attitude will change. It’d be fantastic to get some Triple J airplay but in the meantime we’ll push for community radio play and build from there.”

WHO: The Wireflys WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, Revolver; Saturday 3pm, Pure Pop in-store; Saturday 9pm, Bang at the Royal Melbourne Hotel

Ramone on a skateboard? “I think the Americans created punk,” Regan says, “and then subsequently went on to ruin it over the last ten years. It’s a shame really because I still consider us a punk band, but we’ve got to change the label a bit.”

fter opening for The Cribs in their hometown in mid-February, Perth three-piece punk rockers The Spitfires had to explain to the crowd that they weren’t the next big thing from the UK. Eager punters, taken by the energetic performance and confused by frontman Sean Regan’s British accent, were keen to get behind the band. “We got a really positive response,” Regan explains, “and we had people from the crowd shaking our hand saying, ‘You guys are the next big thing out of England then?’ and they were a bit stunned to hear we were a local band.” The band headed into the studio after releasing their first EP to keep the momentum going. They soon realised the five tracks might not be what they wanted to release. “Three of them sounded really good, and two sounded like they belonged on the last one. We thought we’d be a bit more ambitious, we’d hold off on it. There’s no point in just doing another EP. We need to move forward.” Part of developing the sound was moving on from the punk label they’d traded on and doing something more with the second EP. That was the motivation behind having it mastered at Abbey Road. “The first one we were keen on making a punky sound, but we started to realise that we were being considered a punk band and we were being put into that little pigeonhole, and people were saying, ‘You can play at [Perth venue] the Hydey with all the other punk bands’. We started thinking about touring over east and people were saying, ‘Yeah, here’s a great skate park you can go to’. A skate park? Don’t think that’s going to work.” Does anybody else have trouble picturing Joey

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

One suggestion is ‘garage thrash’. Whatever tag The Spitfires decide to go with, they’ll keep the social commentary in their songs. This latest EP comments on drunken violence and has a go at the upper class. The rocking live set closer Fox News swings hard at mainstream media. “Punk used to be about social commentary,” describes Regan, “but it’s kind of lost that and it’s got pretty self-indulgent. If you listen to a band like The Jam they started as a punk band with social commentary and then moved on to other things, like Paul Weller started to do his northern soul. The Clash started out political punk, not always of course, but then they expanded their horizons. Punk’s a nice place to start out but we’re not going to be boxed. We’re going to do whatever the fuck we want really.” Being aware of the band’s strength and weaknesses shapes the sound. The band stumbled upon punk as the best way to express themselves when they started, due to their lack of musicianship. That led to their energetic and sweaty live show. “We kind of realised that’s what we’ve got to do. We’re not a big band with lots of guitars. We’ve got to have enough energy to keep the crowd going. I think from watching too many Libertines gigs and all that, and how they had a lot of energy, and I think it’s a bit of a response to Perth where you go to [a gig] and the indie bands are standing there with their nice haircuts and everyone’s standing there appreciating it.” Having the audience stand there, watching and appreciating is not for The Spitfires. “I suppose you could say we just don’t play very fashionable music. We play music that is there for people to enjoy.” WHO: The Spitfires WHAT: Dead? Good! (Independent) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Ding Dong Lounge

21ST CENTURY BLUES Over the past few years, CHASE THE SUN have gone from nowhere to being named Best Group at the Australian Blues Awards. With their second album finally out, MICHAEL SMITH gets a progress report.

“I

t’s more us I think,” Chase The Sun guitarist and singer Jan Rynsaardt says of new record Rednecks And Gentlemen, though until he’d cut their eponymous debut album, he couldn’t have know what “us” might actually sound like. “The first album was really a bit of testing the water, but we kind of went electric straight after that anyway, so we didn’t keep within the same character as the first record, because it felt better.”

a broken relationship to match the failed band, picking up gigs with his old friends in the Ginhouse Blues Band and writing a bunch of acoustic-based, love-gonewrong blues when he bumped into larger-than-life drummer about town Jon Howell (ex-Leonardo’s Bride). Howell obviously heard the potential in those tunes, called in bass player Ryan Van Gennip and the three cut the debut album at Gennip’s studio. Three years on, they’ve released Rednecks And Gentlemen.

For a couple of years there in the early noughties, Rynsaardt looked like he’d finally found the right vehicle for his particular take on the raw electric blues as expounded by the likes of Freddie King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It was a three-piece called Freeway that took him to the States, where in 2006 he was sharing stages with the likes of Walter Trout, who took him under his wing for a while.

“It’s a bit more humorous, I suppose. I didn’t want to make this one as serious as the first one, which was cool but it was a little bit emotional here and there. But still serious, if you know what I mean; more of an experiment. The aim as well was to do this album as a band. We all had input and we all worked things out in the rehearsal studio and nutted out a few of the tunes in the recording studio too, sort of spur of the moment.

Then it all fell apart and Rynsaardt was back in Sydney,

“We did the bulk of it at Megaphon Studios because we

DYNAMIC DUO

ADAM D MILLS catches up with BRIAN CHASE and SETH MISTERKA, two New Yorkers in Australia showcasing their incredible free jazz stylings.

ost people would know Brian Chase as the drummer extraordinaire in New York’s finest art-punk trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs. But when he’s not tearing up stages with his pals Karen and Nick, he finds himself performing in a number of much more low-key ensembles. One such group is a duo with saxophonist Seth Misterka, in which they explore the language of free jazz that nods to such greats as John Coltrane, Sun Ra and Anthony Braxton. The pair released their debut album Duo in 2007 via Melbourne label Heathen Skulls and are currently crisscrossing the country, having supported Chicago post-rock pioneers Tortoise as well as playing a bunch of their own shows.

This is Chase’s second visit to Australia in recent times, having been here over summer in support of the latest Yeah Yeah Yeahs album, It’s Blitz!, during which he played before thousands of people at venues like Festival Hall and Sydney’s cavernous Hordern Pavilion. This trip, however, is a much more low-key experience. “It’s definitely a nice change of pace in that way,” he says. “The values of the performance are still the same, but the method is very different. It is nice to have it be more grass roots and not as big. It definitely feels more direct in many ways.” Misterka’s extensive resume spans everything from traditional jazz to rock, electronica and noise. Having long been active in the New York avant-garde community, he has played alongside a huge number of artists such as Anthony Braxton and Shy Child. “I feel very blessed to be in New York City where there’s such a great number of musicians,” he says. “It’s really a fantastic place to be based as a musician. There’s just so many creative possibilities.”

They also experimented with the use of electronics on this record, using real-time processing and effects to add new textures to their material. This new element has also been incorporated into how the duo performs live. “I like to think of it as a third member; another reactive element in the group that’s neither Seth or I.” Interestingly, Chase says the shows he plays with Misterka are attended by folks with a serious interest in experimental and avant-garde music, rather than curious Yeah Yeah Yeahs fans. “Every once in a while there are people that are curious and come and check it out, but it happens much less than I’d expect,” he says. “I still feel like typical Yeah Yeah Yeahs fans, it’s kind of out of their comfort zone to check out new music that is unfamiliar to them. It’s like when you hesitate to introduce yourself to somebody you’ve never met. Even though they’re curious there’s still this barrier of unfamiliarity.”

Rednecks And Gentlemen also sees Chase The Sun throwing in a dash of funk/groove mojo. “Yeah, there is a bit of that in there. We try to cover all areas. There’s even a little bit of country in there and southern rock and, like you say, funk and we tried to mix that with the rock and make it a rock record. I was playing all sorts of stuff through school, but when I heard Joe Satriani, that’s when I knew I wanted to be a guitar player and then Stevie Ray pushed me in an early direction, back to the blues masters like BB King, Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter, so all that comes into the music that we’re making now.” WHO: Chase The Sun WHAT: Rednecks And Gentlemen (Only Blues Music) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Yah Yah’s

ALL THAT JAZZ Stonnington Jazz Festival patron ALLAN BROWNE runs through some highlights of the upcoming event with SAMUEL J FELL. and we’re seeing a lot of younger players who’ve won up at Wangaratta [the biggest of the Australian jazz festivals] playing down here too,” says Browne who, as well as being a player and a patron this year, is also co-director (with Bob Sedergreen) of the Stonnington Youth Jazz Initiative. “And it gives these players the chance to lead their own bands,” he adds.

Chase and Misterka met in the mid-noughties and began playing together almost immediately. “I was curating an avant-garde improvisation series at a club in Williamsburg, Brooklyn,” says Misterka. “Brian was at one of the concerts and just approached me afterwards to thank me for hosting it. I wasn’t aware of any of his activities, but he mentioned he played the drums so I suggested we get together and start to play. So we just struck up a friendship and started jamming together.” The duo recently recorded their second full-length album The Shape Of Sound, which will be available to purchase at their shows. “For this record we decided to reinterpret some jazz standards and use that as a starting point for improvisation,” says Chase. “Which was nice, because some of the older material is really beautiful; some of those melodies are gorgeous. And then we would use those themes as an introduction to improvisation.”

wanted to capture that old-school vibe. We all listened to Robin Trower’s Bridge Of Sighs album two or three months before we actually went into the studio and thought, ‘Fuck, this’d be great to capture this sound,’ and to be honest I don’t think we did, but maybe you just can’t really replicate Robin Trower. Hopefully the next one will be a little bit closer again.” Trower was the original guitarist in Procol Harum, before going solo in 1972 to pursue his Hendrix inclinations, releasing the aforementioned Bridge Of Sighs in 1974.

eginning next week and running for ten days, the fifth Stonnington Jazz Festival will bring its horn-laden grooves and ivory-tinkling good times to the residents of Prahran and Malvern, Windsor and Caulfield, and to anyone else who cares to trip south of the Yarra. This year looks to be the biggest festival yet, and while it’s only been running for a handful of years, the area has been rich in Australian jazz heritage for some time. “It is a relatively new festival, but Stonnington has always been involved in jazz,” concurs jazz veteran, Allan Browne, leader of the appropriately named, Allan Browne Quintet, and this year’s festival patron.

WHO: Brian Chase and Seth Misterka

“It’s more to do with the age of people in the area I think,” he goes on, Browne himself a Stonnington resident. “When I was a kid, jazz was very popular, it was almost like pop music is today, especially on this side of town. So those people have all grown up and they live in Stonnington, so they all go out to the festival, which is great, it makes it a different kind of festival.” Indeed it does, but one no less rich in content – this year Browne, James Morrison, Vince Jones, Joe Chindamo, Tina Harrod, Bob Sedergreen, Paul Williamson and a host of others will make up a bill guaranteed to whet the appetite of any discerning jazz fanatic.

WHAT: The Shape Of Sound (Heathen Skulls) WHEN & WHERE: Friday 28 May, Pony; Sunday 30, National Hotel (Geelong)

Also, it’s festivals like this that support the younger generation of players, most notably in this instance Rai Thistlethwayte, Zac Hurren (winner of the 2009 National Jazz Award) and Sarah McKenzie. “Absolutely,

For Browne himself, 2010 marks 50 years in jazz, an achievement met by very few. “It’s certainly a good achievement health-wise, to be able to keep playing,” he laughs. “I’ve spent my whole lifetime playing music. And we’re doing, at the festival, the first public launch of our new album which is inspired by Arthur Rimbaud’s poem A Season In Hell. We’re quite excited to be able to present that.” This is with the Allan Browne Quintet, a more contemporary group as opposed to his trio which is based in the old 1920s jazz era. So what does being the patron for this year’s festival mean to Browne? “It is an honour, but it just means you’re old,” he laughs of the role. “But whatever it is, it’s great, it really is a great festival.” Having been a resident of Stonnington myself and having attended the odd show, I can attest to this, and this year looks to be no different, worthy of the reputation it’s made for itself over the past half-decade. As local mayor Tim Smith has noted recently, “This reputation has been established through a vibrant program featuring 100% Australian artists, both established and emerging, year after year. In 2010, the City Of Stonnington is proud to present the most diverse, exciting and largest program yet.” “There’s a band coming down from Sydney called Ten Part Invention, which is a really important part of Australian jazz history,” Browne goes on. “These guys are getting together in Melbourne for the first time in years and years. And also Bernie McGann, who’s an incredible legend.” Seems to me this one is gonna be a winner. “Yeah, it’s going to be great,” smiles Browne. I think, given his experience in all things jazz, I’ll trust his word on that. WHAT: The Stonnington Jazz Festival WHEN & WHERE: Thursday until Sunday 30 May. For full details go to stonningtonjazz.com.au

kwp!CPR10759

What does opening a COOPERS DARK ALE sound like? Visit coopers.com.au for all details. SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

ISSUE 1123 - WEDNESDAY 19 MAY, 2010

TOURS

PRESENTS

THIS WEEK INTERNATIONAL

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, MAYLENE & THE SONS OF DISASTER: Tonight Billboard The Venue RICKY PETERSON & THE PETERSON BROTHERS: Tonight Corner Hotel BIFFY CLYRO: Tonight Hi-Fi Bar HOUSE OF SHEM: Thursday Hi-Fi Bar JOEY CAPE & TONY SLY: Saturday Corner Hotel SHAI HULUD: Saturday Arthouse; Sunday Seaford Community Centre MICHAEL BOLTON: Saturday Palais GEORGE LYNCH: Tuesday Allans Music Cypress Hill September 23 Palace

NATIONAL

GRAND ATLANTIC: Tonight Workers Club WHITLEY: Tonight, Thursday, Friday and Monday Northcote Social Club JIMMY HAWK: Thursday Grace Darling ZULYA: Thursday Apollo Bay’s Mechanics Hall; Friday Portland Arts Centre; Saturday Hamilton’s Performing Arts Centre RSVP & THE RETURN TO SENDERS: Thursday Retreat Hotel JAMES REYNE: Friday Palais Theatre EVEN: Friday Hi-Fi Bar THE RED EYES: Friday Corner Hotel TAME IMPALA: Friday Forum JEN CLOHER & JORDIE LANE: Friday Thornbury Theatre; Sunday Northcote Social Club REBECCA BARNARD: Friday Basement Discs MARK SHOLTEZ: Friday, Saturday Bennetts Lane Jazz Lab KIM SALMON & THE SURREALISTS: Saturday Cherry Bar CHASE THE SUN: Saturday Yah Yah’s CLOUD CONTROL, RICHARD IN YOUR MIND: Saturday, Sunday East Brunswick Club GEOFF ACHISON, JIM HOCKING: Saturday East Brunswick Club BAILEY & KUEPPER: Sunday Bennetts Lane DON WALKER: Sunday Northcote Social Club THE AUDREYS: Sunday Toff In Town

GIG OF THE WEEK JEN CLOHER & JORDIE LANE

FRIDAY, THORNBURY THEATRE; SUNDAY, NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB If you missed out on tickets to this pair’s sold-out Thornbury Theatre show on Saturday, fret not – a second show, this Sunday at the Northcote Social Club, is now on sale (and selling fast). We love a good ol’ fashioned double bill and we can’t wait to see these two sharing the stage for a bunch of duets, covers (we’ve heard Fleetwood Mac mentioned) and new songs. Lane, whose 2009 debut, Sleeping Patterns, was one of the year’s best roots releases, has been busy writing songs for a follow-up in between support slots with Cat Power, Charlie Parr and Old Crow Medicine Show. Cloher, meanwhile, pulled in a swag of great reviews last year for her second record, Hidden Hands, written while she spent time caring for her Alzheimer’s-inflicted mother. Now, ditching their bands, the pair finish up a run of east coast shows before heading to the States. For a taste of what to expect, tune into Triple J this Friday at 7.45am to hear Cloher and Lane performing “a very unexpected cover of one of last year’s very famous hits” for the Like A Version segment.

Tegan & Sara pic by Lou Lou Nutt

Next up is Astronautalis (AKA Andy Bothwell), a witty, quirky American rapper and heaps of fun. I especially admire his confidence and charisma, as I do anyone who gets up on stage with nought but a laptop to keep ‘em company. The Jezabels and Astonautalis do a mighty fine job opening for Tegan & Sara, but there is something inexplicably amiss as soon as they come on stage. I don’t know what it is. The Forum’s sold out and the floor is packed but the crowd totally lacks enthusiasm. It’s infectious, and kind of embarrassing. What kind of audience do you call this? Tegan & Sara keep asking if we’re out there – they eventually receive a ripple of applause.

UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL

MONDO GENERATOR: May 27 Northcote Social Club THE CORONAS: May 28 Prince Bandroom PATRIZIO BUANNE: May 30, 31 Hamer Hall WILLY VLAUTIN, DAN ECCLES (RICHMOND FONTAINE): May 30 East Brunswick Club KING KHAN & BBQ SHOW: June 2 Corner Hotel THOSE DARLINS: June 2 Ruby’s; 3 Theatre Royal (Castlemaine); 4 National Hotel (Geelong); 5 and 6 Corner Hotel (with Wagons) RICKI LEE JONES: June 3, 4 Forum

KASABIAN July 23 Festival Hall HOUSE OF SHEM: Thursday Hi-Fi Bar EVEN: Friday Hi-Fi Bar THE RED EYES: Friday Corner Hotel CHASE THE SUN: Saturday Yah Yah’s CLOUD CONTROL, RICHARD IN YOUR MIND: Saturday, Sunday East Brunswick Club LISA MITCHELL: May 26 Bluestone (Ballarat); 28 Forum DEAD LETTER CIRCUS: May 28 Hi-Fi Bar MIAMI HORROR: May 28, 29 Corner Hotel KING KHAN & BBQ SHOW: June 2 Corner Hotel WAGONS, THOSE DARLINS: June 2 Ruby’s; 3 Theatre Royal (Castlemaine); 4 National Hotel (Geelong); 5 and 6 Corner Hotel MUPH & PLUTONIC: June 11 Hi-Fi Bar CHILDREN COLLIDE: June 13 Hi-Fi Bar KATIE NOONAN & THE CAPTAINS: June 18 Hi-Fi Bar THE MEANIES: June 19 Hi-Fi Bar TUMBLEWEED: June 25 Hi-Fi Bar OPERATOR PLEASE: June 25 Corner Hotel DEEZ NUTS: June 26, 27 (under 18) Hi-Fi Bar KARNIVOOL: July 6 Hi-Fi Bar KASABIAN: July 23 Festival Hall GRIZZLY BEAR: July 27 Palais ALBERTA CROSS: July 27 Corner Hotel; 28, 29 Palace THE MAGIC NUMBERS: July 28 Corner Hotel YEASAYER: July 29 Prince Bandroom SURFER BLOOD: July 30 Corner Hotel MIDLAKE: August 2 Prince Bandroom ASH, WE ARE SCIENTISTS, LAST DINOSAURS: August 4 Billboard The Venue LAURA MARLING: August 4 Hi-Fi Bar SLASH: August 11 Palace SARAH BLASKO: October 7 Theatre Royal (Castlemaine); 8 Palais; 9 Meeniyan Town Hall

LIVE: REVIEWS

TEGAN AND SARA, ASTRONAUTALIS, THE JEZABELS

THE FORUM

e enter The Forum as The Jezabels are kicking off; their big heavy spoonfuls of dynamic, grandiose pop filling the venue rapidly, from the stage up to the ceiling so very high above. The four of them are like little worry dolls: simultaneously structured from and struggling against a multitude of tightly wound strands as each band member belts their hardest to be heard. The music could sound like a warzone, but instead it works. The Jezabels sounded like big stuff in the pub two years ago – after hearing them at the Forum I reckon they’re gonna be right at home in the sizeable venues that beckon these days.

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Afflicted by the epidemic of slack-jawed stagegazing I begin to feel that maybe Tegan & Sara’s music isn’t all infectious melody and toe-tappin’ beats. Maybe it’s a screensaver you got on your desktop 15 years ago… with an early CGI-rendered ball bouncing (“wop!... wop-wop!… wop!”) in the same places, interminably. Alligator rouses me momentarily from the sulky mire all around me and I feel positively human again when the encore treats us with Back In Your Head. What a shame about the rest of it. Perhaps the dead vibe was there the whole night and I just thought that people were saving themselves for the main act. Then again, maybe Tegan & Sara’s constant changing of guitars dampened the spontaneity and energy of the live performance. Or maybe Melbourne is the undisclosed capital of blasé Tegan & Sara fans. Whatever it was, I think it was ultimately an unfortunate miscommunication of something, somehow. Alice Body

live@inpress.com.au

UNEARTH, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER: June 4, 5 (under-18) Hi-Fi Bar BOBBY RYDELL: June 5 Palms At Crown HOLLY MIRANDA: June 5 Toff In Town STRUNG OUT, THE LOVED ONES: June 9 Barwon Club (Geelong), June 10, Hi-Fi Bar STORY OF THE YEAR: June 11 Billboard The Venue THE VIBRATORS: June 13 Arthouse YUSUF: June 16, 18 Rod Laver WANDA JACKSON: June 18 Corner Hotel HERE WE GO MAGIC: June 18 East Brunswick Club ALESTORM: June 19 Corner Hotel MILES AWAY, BREAK EVEN: June 19 Arthouse, 20 Phoenix Youth Centre (all ages) PAUL DI’ANNO: June 24 Espy TRAIN: June 25 Forum MARK LANEGAN: July 7 Corner Hotel THE SOFT PACK: July 8 East Brunswick Barb Waters & The Mothers Of Pearl June 5 Thornbury Theatre

Club BOYS LIKE GIRLS: July 14 (U18), 15 (18+) Hi-Fi Bar SNFU: July 15 Arthouse KEVIN RUDOLF: July 16 Palace STRIKE ANYWHERE: July 16, 17 Evelyn KASABIAN: July 23 Festival Hall GRIZZLY BEAR: July 27 Palais ALBERTA CROSS: July 27 Corner Hotel FOALS: July 27 Hi-Fi Bar BAND OF HORSES: July 27 Palace MUMFORD & SONS: July 28 Palace Theatre 30 SECONDS TO MARS: July 28 Festival Hall BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB: July 28 Billboard THE MAGIC NUMBERS: July 28 Corner Hotel LCD SOUNDSYSTEM, HOT CHIP: July 29 Festival Hall YEASAYER: July 29 Prince Bandroom THE STROKES: July 30 Festival Hall MIDLAKE: August 1, 2 Prince Bandroom FRIGHTENED RABBITS: August 2 Hi-Fi Bar FLORENCE & THE MACHINE: August 3 Festival Hall GOLDFRAPP: August 3 Palace Theatre BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE: August 3 Corner Hotel TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB: August 3 East Brunswick Club ASH, WE ARE SCIENTISTS: August 4 Billboard The Venue KATE NASH: August 4 Corner Hotel LAURA MARLING: August 4 Hi-Fi Bar BAND OF SKULLS: August 4 East Brunswick Club JONSI: August 4 Palace PASSION PIT: August 5 Prince Bandroom SLASH: August 11 Palace EELS: August 15 Palace SENSES FAIL: August 21 day (under-18), evening (18+) Hi-Fi Bar NAPALM DEATH: September 5 Hi-Fi Bar MAYHEM: September 23 Hi-Fi Bar CYPRESS HILL: September 23 Palace ASLAN: September 30, October 1 Clifton Hill Hotel PAUL WELLER: October 26, 27 Forum CELTIC WOMAN: October 30, 31 Palais Theatre ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK: November 5 State Theatre METALLICA: November 18, 20 Rod Laver Arena MICHAEL BUBLÉ: Feb 22, 23 Rod Laver Arena

NATIONAL

GRAND ATLANTIC: May 26 Workers Club JIMMY HAWK: May 27 Grace Darling ZULYA: May 28 Wangaratta’s Performing Arts Centre; 29 Warburton Upper Arts Centre; June 4 Corner Hotel

LISA MITCHELL: May 28 Forum DEAD LETTER CIRCUS: May 28 Hi-Fi Bar MIAMI HORROR: May 28, 29 Corner Hotel AINSLIE WILLS: May 28 Trades Hall; 29 Helen Macpherson Theatre (Ballarat); June 4 Newmarket Hotel (Bendigo); June 25 Palais (Hepburn Springs) EPICURE: May 29 Karova Lounge THE SCOTCH OF SAINT JAMES: May 29 Grace Darling OH MERCY: May 29 Pure Pop Records BAILEY & KUEPPER: May 30 Bennetts Lane ROSS MCLENNAN: May 30 Northcote Social Club WAGONS: June 2 Ruby’s; 3 Theatre Royal (Castlemaine); 4 National Hotel (Geelong); 5 and 6 Corner Hotel (with Those Darlins) LAST DINOSAURS: June 3 Espy; 4 Ding Dong; 5 Colonial Hotel COG: June 4 Billboard BIRDS OF TOKYO, MIDNIGHT YOUTH (NZ): June 4 Palace Theatre KATY STEELE: June 4 Northcote Social Club PARADES: June 4 East Brunswick Club REBECCA BARNARD: June 5 Pure Pop Records; 25 Thornbury Theatre; 29 Palais; July 3 Bennetts Lane MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AIR with PAUL KELLY and PAUL GRABOWSKY: June 5 Hamer Hall BARB WATERS & THE MOTHERS OF PEARL: June 5 Thornbury Theatre CLOSURE IN MOSCOW: June 5 East Brunswick Club BOY & BEAR: June 5 Northcote Social Club TOE TO TOE: June 5 Arthouse PAUL GREENE: June 11 Sand Bar (Mildura) MUPH & PLUTONIC: June 11 Hi-Fi Bar GYROSCOPE: June 11 Forum DAPPLED CITIES: June 11 Prince Bandroom FIRE! SANTA ROSA, FIRE!: June 11 Worker’s Club THE PARADISE MOTEL: June 11 Thornbury Theatre IAN MOSS: June 11 Bennett’s Lane;12 Brighton Beach Hotel; Hepburn Springs Palais THE BREAK: June 11 The Studio (Geelong); 12 East Brunswick Club; 13 Espy DEAD LETTER CHORUS: June 12 Northcote Social Club CASSETTE KIDS: June 12 Toff In Town GOSTELERADIO: June 13 Toff In Town CHILDREN COLLIDE: June 13 Hi-Fi Bar ROCKWIZ TOUR: June 15 Palais KATIE NOONAN & THE CAPTAINS: June 18 Hi-Fi Bar DAN SULTAN: June 18 Forum COLA WARS: June 18 Northcote Social Club GUY SEBASTIAN: June 18 Palms At Crown 1927: June 19 Forum THE MEANIES: June 19 Hi-Fi Bar THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS: June 25 Palace TUMBLEWEED: June 25 Hi-Fi Bar JONESEZ: June 25 Birmingham OPERATOR PLEASE: June 25 Corner Hotel 50 LIONS: June 25 Arthouse DEEZ NUTS: June 26, 27 (under 18) Hi-Fi Bar Inferno (Traralgon); 25 Palace Theatre COMMUNITY CUP with THE LIVING END, NICK BARKER & THE REPTILES, THE BLACKEYED SUSANS and LITTLE FREDDY & THE POPS: June 27 Elsternwick Park THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT: June 30 Ferntree Gully Hotel, July 1 Bended Elbow (Geelong), 2 Inferno (Traralgon), 3 Pier Live, 4 Commercial Hotel (South Morang) ASH GRUNWALD: July 3 Corner Hotel; 4 Ruby’s Lounge; 18 The Loft (Warrnambool) THE AMITY AFFLICTION: July 3 Hi-Fi Bar (under-18s arvo, over-18s evening); 5 Karova Lounge (Ballarat - all-ages); 6 Kangaroo Flats Leisure Centre (Bendigo all-ages) GANGA GIRI: July 3 East Brunswick Club REGURGITATOR: July 4 East Brunswick Club KARNIVOOL: July 6 Hi-Fi Bar SALLY SELTMANN: July 10 Corner Hotel MY FRIEND THE CHOCOLATE CAKE: July 10, 17, 23 Spenserlive THE NATION BLUE, A DEATH IN THE FAMILY: July 17 East Brunswick Club VIOLENT SOHO: July 22 Northcote Social Club

The Cult pic by Kane Hibberd

THE CULT THE PALACE A line of women who’ve changed into newly purchased Cult t-shirts emerge from the bathroom and join the speckling of ’80s-era dudes and dads, many also in merch-stand wear, on the bottom level of the Palace. They’re all keeping a casual eye on Sydney’s The Black Ryder, whose dope-eyed rock’n’roll impressively whooshes and curls into the corners of the venue, but the opening band is clearly incidental. Tonight’s show, the smaller follow-up to The Cult’s sold-out Palais gig, is going to be about reliving, sans modesty, a piece of music that hasn’t enjoyed a revival in the way the ‘cult’ (sorry) albums from many of their reunion-touring contemporaries have. Now on their third life since kicking back into gear in 2005, the English rockers – or, for purists, Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy plus others – who straddle gothic, heavy and psych rock, are touring their 1985 Love album in full, an album perhaps too earnest but not sullen enough to be grabbed onto by cool-staking revivalmongers. Even though, you know, it’s fucking awesome – it has swagger, a certain danger in the sharp, scrawling walls of guitars, and is full of incredible, swooning hooks as well as Astbury’s god-calling vocals. But it is called Love and, happening onto a spot up the front due to a fair bit of space left on the floor when they start on Nirvana, it’s uncontrollably earnest types from left to right. The obese dudes in biker jackets reaching for clouds; the woman making no subtle post-gig intentions clear to her boyfriend; the skinny geeks on shoulders screaming; the scary prison type knocking us out of the way to take photos on his phone and the two Sunset Strip lookers on the raised side landing seemingly trying to touch Astbury with their none-too-covered chests. Rejects, the lot of us, and this is our soundtrack. Duffy’s guitar tone is a perfect replica of the recording and, though he looks like he dragged his fat arse off the couch and doesn’t remove his sunglasses until the encore, Astbury still holds the magical balance of acidity and bliss in his vocal – hearing his holler on Big Neon Glitter live is a moment. Of course, Love on record isn’t about singular tracks, despite its only real wide-spanning hit, She Sells Sanctuary. There are few sonic variations or intro trickery to distinguish songs. That, accompanied by the band’s desire for Duffy’s guitar to be the focus, to create a rock sound bigger than the songs themselves, means many in the venue are standing back and taking it all in. With the Palace’s sound system, this is the perfect show to be on the upper level. It’s a shame, then, that Astbury scornfully deems tonight’s audience not enthusiastic enough. “Riveting,” he deadpans between songs, then, “You guys are so mellow, I don’t know what’s wrong.” Then, “Who do you think we are?” Some take it as a call to arms, others, like us, a reason to stop being so earnest in our approval. Hanson said it best: where’s the love, Asbury? Where’s the love? Adam Curley

DAN KELLY NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB Following the Friday night Bindi Irwin Apocalypse Jam Tour show, Saturday’s event is a true assault on the senses. A tropical, Copacabana feel consumes the stage, with inflatable sharks hanging up the back and twinkling lights adorning the front of stage. Kelly and his Dream Band features Augie March duo Kiernan Box on keys, harps and effects and the manic Dave Williams pumping out the beats; alpha-male guitarist Lewis Boyes performs several cameo roles, along with Kelly’s girl cousins from Mt Eliza, Memphis and Madeline, looking every part The Veronicas as they support big cuz with some rather incredible harmonies. It all runs in the bloody family, doesn’t it! What a gene pool. Playing an ambiguous set of Dan Kelly faves such as Checkout Cutie (a stalking-ode of sorts about Kelly’s infatuation with two Russian Safeway

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attendants he admits to having the hots for when he was living in St Kilda a few years back), Kelly introduces each song with a tale even more random, albeit rather humorous, than the one that preceded it. Alongside the eclectic, psychedelic, Strokes-type The Decommissioner (a new one from forthcoming record), Dan Kelly’s Dream provides a kickarse highlight early on, and it’s intriguing to watch Williams and Box wearing their nautical-themed headgear, filled with smiles and good vibes and loving the change of environment from their more serious Augie March roles. Well, Williams remains the same anyway. Drunk On Election Night shines with Kelly having us sing-along and inject a little profanity into the chorus breaks. “Cocksucker, motherfucker... one more time... cocksucker... motherfucker... cocksucker, motherfucker,” – a more intelligent chorus break I’m yet to hear. Discussing Melbourne City Council’s idea to stream classical music at shopping centres and trouble-spot train stations as a tool to fight crime (A Clockwork Orange, anyone?), Kelly even sings a tune called I Was A Classical DJ At Dandenong Station, or as he jests, “Stravinsky for ice freaks”. Funny stuff. Our boy Dan is the quintessential king of quirk, as his fantastical post-song declaration shows: “If you listen to that song 20 or 30 times you get right into it!” Dan Kelly pic by Chrissie Francis

Poor old Bindi cops it again on Kelly’s uber-psych pop classic, Bindi Irwin Apocalypse Jam, following Melbourne comedian Catherine Deveny’s Logies night tweets and fellow comedian Fiona O’Loughlin’s rants about the precocious 11 year old. Tying in lyrics that include Jimi Hendrix, Ringo Starr and Kelly in an underwater jam, is not something your typical Aussie muso could ever quite manifest, and is what makes Dan Kelly so unique. The man’s wailing guitars are his other strength – damn, the guy can play the axe! Another new tune, Poisoned Estuary Jam, is the highlight tonight. Eastern-flavoured guitar signatures battle against an African back-beat with a harmony swell that gives me goosebumps. Kelly cousins Memphis and Madeline’s backing vocals take the song to euphoric levels as Dan’s guitar playing tears the roof of the place. Exiting the stage, Dan Kelly and his Dream Band leave us gobsmacked at the display as feedback swirls and drum loops play over and over until the lights shine back on. Aussie gig of the year so far. Hands down. Nick Argyriou

X, THE UV RACE DING DONG LOUNGE Having recently played high-exposure support slots for Eddy Current Suppression Ring, The UV Race were a name I’d heard around town. A friend suggested that I see one of their shows, since as the secondhand story goes, the lead singer Marcus Rechsteiner – a Rubenesque man – once performed in a sequinned G-string. Not the most original shtick, but I can’t say I wasn’t interested. Originating from Warragul, The UV Race don’t sound like many other bands. They could be said to be proto-punk, experimental and/ or blues-inspired garage. The UV Race’s sound is certainly eclectic and unpredictable. Society Made Me Selfi sh sounds like a duet from Grease that got transferred to The Ramones’ Rock’N’Roll High School. Although the clothes stay on for the entire show, they still maintain my interest. A raw, acquired taste like sashimi, The UV Race make for a good entrée. In an interview Rechsteiner claimed that X’s debut album X-Aspirations was the “most Australian record ever produced”. This year marks the 31st anniversary of that album’s release. It also sees them embark on their very first US tour and tonight is their second last show in Australia before they leave. I find it hard to believe that they haven’t performed in America before. X’s sound is very close to the quintessential NY punk

live@inpress.com.au sound of the 1970s. The music is fast, loud and catchy and the lyrics are obnoxious and succinct. Perhaps it was the reputation for hard living, hard drugs and violent crowds that held X back from being more than visceral outsiders to the music industry. The snotty, energetic outbursts of tracks like Present (“I’ve got a present for you/it’s in a garbage bag”), Suck Suck and Simulated Lovers are like performative interpretations of crude public toilet graffiti. Dirty Degenerate Boy (covered in the ‘90s by The Mark Of Cain) has an ageless, “fuck you” attitude that should live in the very heart of every real punk (“I ain’t got no money, I ain’t got a cent/Last week’s dole check, up my arm it went”). Time has definitely taken its toll on X, but also grants them the gift of experience which many younger performers lack. X remain energetic and true to their roots. Sammaneh Pourshafi ghi Wilco pic by Lou Lou Nutt

hitting intricacy and power. The band play the melancholy Noises & Light, from their recently released EP Dénouement, and end their set with the poetic finesse of The Zombie Apocalypse Love Song – a great tune that cuts from calm to the sudden noise of giddy, alt.rock heights. Second support Secrets In Scale showcase their psychedelic riffs and dramatic rock sound, with vocalist David McGuire delivering compelling vocals and a ’70s-style wail from under a mop of shaggy brown hair. The boys perform songs from their EP, including This Love, and older tracks such as the distraught Temple Ruins. A highlight of their set is the band’s exit from the stage, not for relief at the close of their set, but because they exit the stage making monkey noises and ambling off as armpit-scratching apes. Strange. Fantastic. Hart and Wright are joined onstage by a drummer and keyboard/guitarist. Wright, in a floral jacket and ruffled shirt, sports a new, short hair look and Hart is all gypsy madness in a flowing white dress with a gold headband over wild crimped

hair. Four gold satin-robed, catface mask-wearing backup singers are a telling addition to the show. Hart’s voice is at once delicate and powerful. She is an enthralling performer and physically inhabits the stage with convulsive dancing, twisted arms and crazy-eyed stares into the crowd. She is undeniably the centrepiece here. Their music is a powerful and potent magic dreamscape, rich with the wonder of youth and the brokenness of lost innocence. Weaving tales of rabbits, wolves and forests, the two seem intent upon forcing enchantment back into the world. Arms splayed and eyes sharp, Hart leads the band into action with opener Animal War, before brandishing a gold-glittered megaphone for Risk_Loss. While Hart fills instrumental breaks by prancing around the stage in a flurry of musician hysteria, Wright and his guitar retreat with downcast eyes to a back corner. Ballad Dark Prince slows the pace and showcases Hart’s amazing voice, before Wright takes a momentary step into the spotlight with solo tune

I Know I’m A Wolf. Alone on keys and vocals, he delivers an earnest performance of this dark ode to dangerous love. Joined by a saxophonist in unveiling their hippie spirit anthem Come Together, the two prove the complementary nature of their shared vocal work. For crowd favourite Bones Of A Rabbit, Hart recites pained lyrics through gritted teeth before the two take to a set of cymbals and a drum with two drumsticks and an emotional ferocity that mirror the dramatic climax of the song. Hart hits the high notes in Trapperkeeper, before the duo close the night with the lingering philosophising of Paperdolls. While Hart’s onstage characterisation of Glinda The Good Witch on LSD is fresh and interesting, it is at times overdone. It’s a shame that the undoubtedly talented Wright appears a mere backup in her enchanted doll party rather than the other half of a duo. But nevertheless, the launch saw a stunning performance from a very promising young band. Stefanie Markidis

WILCO THE FORUM Merryment good, photography bad. So explains a Stephen Hawking-like recording pre-gig as it dispenses advice on Wilco audience etiquette. When the same computerised voice individually introduces each band member during the coda of opener Wilco (The Song), it’s clear we’re watching a band who have come to entertain. Wilco rarely (if ever) play the same set twice, and tonight’s two hour-plus show draws generously from their entire back catalogue. You can almost divide the night into two halves – the first mainly comprised of material recorded after 2004, when this current line-up of the band came together, the second taking in the group’s more straight-up country rock and pop output as heard on their first three studio albums – with selections from their 2002 career-maker, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, sprinkled throughout. An early highlight is a mesmerising Bull Black Nova, propelled by a stabbing, icy groove that erupts into a brain-frying squall as the song nears its conclusion. If Wilco are indeed the most electrifying band in the world today, as their promo material likes to claim (and on tonight’s form, it’s easy to believe), then much of the credit has to go to guitarist Nels Cline. The man is a freaking genius, and his frenzied shredding and sonic layering – those short, sharp bursts of controlled noise during Via Chicago, for example – push frontman Jeff Tweedy’s songs from great to mindblowing. Tweedy is in good form, despite noting a weird energy in the room (“it’s your fault,” he jests. “We’re playing our asses off”), even making a joking reference to his one-time prescription drug addiction. If there is a weird energy it’s well and truly gone by the time bassist John Stirratt – Tweedy’s long-time collaborator, and the only other original member – takes lead vocals on It’s Just That Simple from the band’s 1995 debut, AM. It kickstarts an epic run home that includes another AM bar-room belter, Box Full Of Letters, a chugging A Shot In The Arm, a mass sing-along to Jesus, Etc, a sublime take on California Stars (from the band’s Billy Bragg/Woody Guthrie project, Mermaid Avenue) and the rollicking one-two closer of Monday and Outtasite (Outta Mind) from 1996’s Being There. It’s fitting that The Late Greats and I’m A Wheel, a couple of songs from 2004’s A Ghost Is Born, the album (and subsequent tour) that brought this line-up together, conclude the epic evening. Wilco are a band at the peak of their powers. Shane O’Donohue

YOUNG HERETICS, OUR ANATOMY, SECRETS IN SCALE THE TOFF IN TOWN A looped string of red fairy lights illuminates the Toff’s empty stage and sets the scene for what will be a dreamlike adventure though the local indie music scene. Young Heretics, the quirky duo comprising Kitty Hart and ex-The Getaway Plan frontman Matthew Wright, launch their debut album The Lost Loves to a crowd that knows every word of every song, despite the release of the record the day before. Melbourne four-piece Our Anatomy opens proceedings, filling the cosy, lowlit pink walls with a punchy set and a polished rock sound. The boys look the part in skinny jeans, checked shirts and long hair, and impress with their style of spacey, indie rock. Drummer Scott is a percussive master, all hard-

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HOUSE CALLS

DINO MIGHT

House Of Leaves, without delusions of grandeur, have strived to develop a sound that is unique and expressive. Their sound takes a peculiar combination of influences, interests and personal circumstances and produces something that is distinctive, creative and genuine. The music itself is a conglomerate of soaring melodies, rich harmonies, seismic heaviness, cascading rhythms and delicate ambience. They play Ruby’s Lounge in Belgrave this Thursday with Declamation and Volytion.

Jeff Goldblum-worshipping locals WILFRED JACKAL describe their sound as ‘dino-pop’, ANDY LYNCH tells NIC TOUPEE. stuff that has been recorded, you can see how you have progressed. And it does have a functional purpose – it’s a thing we can release and send out to people who can’t see the live show. However, I get a lot more out of the live side of it,” he admits.

GRONG NOT WRONG

Grong Grong were one of the lost hopes of the Australian punk rock experiment. They burned too bright and too fast and left only confusion in their wake. The band tore up stages for a brief few years and left most perhaps a little relieved when they were gone, swallowed up again by the desperate suburbs of that desert town. But the members of Grong Grong kept on fighting, kept on struggling with the monolith of rock‘n’roll in numerous legendary and arcane bands, and now they’re back on form. Taking to the streets on their Anal UFO tour, they play the East Brunswick Club this Friday with Intoxica, and the Old Bar this Saturday with The Stabs and Zond.

ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH

The Once Overs and The Bakelite Age are experiencing a brief yet torrid affair at the Retreat Hotel this Friday. Soon to be labeled the love rats of Melbourne’s rock gossip magazines, The Once Overs bring their garage punk’n’roll to this sordid liaison via a smashin set at Cherry Rock. The Bakelite Age will begin this dodgy fling by slipping into something comfortable then slamming us with an dangerous dose of aural viagra and a pants tearing potion of rock’n’roll. It’s going to get loud and messy. Bands start at 9pm – get there early to avoid lines.

HAVE YOU HEARD?

SATURDAY NIGHT LIGHTS The Lights will be burning bright at the Empress Hotel this Saturday at 10pm. They return to the venue, where they made their debut only three months ago, with a killer set of effervescent passion-pop. Influenced by Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and ‘90s Britpop, The Lights lift spirits and feet, so take your smile and your dancing shoes.

EAT DUST

Jane Dust and her supergroup, The Giant Hoopoes, play their brand of early ‘70s country pop symphonic treats at the Retreat in Brunswick on Sunday at 7pm supporting Australian king of pop Dave Graney & The Lurid Yellow Mist. Dust’s second album, engineered by Casey Rice, will be released in September through Vitamin Records.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LUV

Melbourne rockers Russia have been leaving audiences drenched in sweat of late with their highenergy live shows, phat riffs, big drums and short skirts. Russia have just finished their new EP titled, Life In Black And White, which promises to be their most true and rocking record to date. The band celebrate the release of their new EP this Saturday at Revolver Upstairs. Special guests on the night include The Happy Endings and The Mercy Kills. It’s going to be a straight up and down, four on the floor, whoops-I-missed-the-train rock’n’roll extravaganza. Doors open at 9pm and entry is $10.

DON IN THE CARAVAN The Good Ship play the Grace Darling on Saturday and the Old Bar on Sunday. HOW DID YOU GET TOGETHER? Daz Gray, vocals/guitar/banjo/mandolin: “John and I formed the band one night while drinking red wine and bitching and moaning about the state of our bands at the time. I asked John whether he’d like to hear a song I wrote about a prostitute who’s seen 6,000 cocks. Not to be outdone, John played me a love song he’d written with the touching chorus of, “Don’t kiss me with your lips, use your penis.” It seemed a theme was emerging. As the night wore on, we realised we had a whole album’s worth of material and had pretty much formed a new band.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “We have just recorded our debut album and are in Melbourne promoting the first single, A Harbour Fair. We will be back on Saturday 3 July to launch the album Avast! Wretched Sea. I do actually prefer to tool around in my bedroom, but it has nothing to do with music…” CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Actually, I can sum it up in one word, if made-up words count. We call our genre POCOFOCA – porno country folk cabaret, which I guess is four words anyway. Personally I prefer ‘smut pirate sea shanties’, but whatever floats your boat.” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “I probably should say Nick Cave or Tom Waits because they have been such an influence, blah, blah, but in reality I’d like to support Vampire Weekend, just so I could punch that smug bastard Ezra Koenig in his Ralph Lauren-clad chest.” IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “These questions normally elicit platitudes to ‘the greatest album ever made’ (which is Revolver by The Beatles, and I challenge anyone who dares disagree to a duel), but in fact I would probably save a 12-inch of Band Of Gypsys by Hendrix that I have with Jimi, Brian Jones, Bob Dylan and John Peel depicted on the cover as puppets. I’ve never seen it before and I think it is worth shitloads.”

Once Lynch describes their live shows, you can see how the vibe the band try to project may be difficult to emulate on record. You certainly can’t hear their elaborate props or Jeff Goldblum fi xation on the CD the way you can see it in their stage show.

If you haven’t caught a show at the new Caravan Music Club (located at the Oakleigh/Carnegie RSL in Oakleigh) they have a blinding array of musical delights coming up to tempt you. This Friday the legendary Don Walker (Cold Chisel, Tex Don & Charlie) with full band grace the stage with support from Roy Payne; on Sunday it’s The Mecurials featuring Mark Ferrie (RocKwiz band), Andrew Pendlebury (The Sports) and Adi Sappir. Check caravanmusic.com.au for all upcoming show and ticket details – there’s stacks on!

SIOBHAN SHAKES IT

Fresh from Melbourne, Siobhan is a 21-year-old singer/songwriter whose music is often described as acoustic folk lyrical pop. Despite starting out as a solo artist but has recently taken to the stage alongside her band The Shakers, who add rhythm and further aid her unique sound that she has made her own. Siobhan is set to head back into the studio this June to work on her debut album to follow up last year’s self-released EP Time On Me, but in the meantime you catch her at the Evelyn Hotel this Thursday with Creatures Of Karma, Stolen Apples and Lauren Victoria. Doors at 8.30pm.

ilfred Jackal sounds like the name of an evil cartoon character: wiley Wilfred Jackal, a dab hand at explosives with a sinister laugh. It’s not, though. It’s instead the name of a Melbourne band who are about to launch their effervescent indie-tastic pop at the CD-buying public in the form of first single Rail. They describe their particular sonic proclivities as ‘dino-pop’ – a moniker generously donated to the band long ago at a gig under unusual circumstances, recounts bassist/vocalist Andy Lynch. “One of our earliest shows, in late-2008, was at the Espy playing to about 25 people. A drunk Irish guy got up on stage during our set and knocked over half of our stuff and accidentally unplugged it and a friend had to pull him off. After the show he came up to us and said, ‘You made me stomp like a freaking dinosaur’. We got ‘dino-pop’ as the name of our style from that.” That’s not the only description which has stuck with the band over time: their moniker was originally an amalgam of the names of the band members, Lynch explains. “The name Wilfred Jackal came about because there were four people in the band called Will, Fred, Jack and Cayle and they just put all their names together. But two of those people left, so the derivative name doesn’t mean anything – but, again, it stuck,” he laughs. Whilst Lynch is most passionate about their live performances, the band are still pleased to have an artefact in their hands. “I think for us it’s nice to have a record. When you talk about releasing a record, it is a record of what you’ve created as a band. Even though it’s your older

FREUDIAN SLIP

Schadenfreude are back with their first headline gig after a two-year hiatus – and are returning with a stellar night of indie, post-punk and shoegaze at the Old Bar this Thursday. With a new line-up and a host of killer new songs, Schadenfreude have been impressing old fans and winning over new. They’ll be joined by the lush indie rock of Pretty Strangers, and Thieves will be supplying panoramic sounds to seep through your skin. Entry is $7 from 8.30pm.

ROCK SAINT FRANCIS

Melbourne Fresh presents Aimee Francis launching her debut EP The Calm Before The Storm at Revolver Upstairs this Friday. Francis has come a long way to now being one of the best emerging female rock voices in Australia. Combine Bon Jovi with Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, a dash of Janis Joplin and Suzi Quatro, and youll start to understand who Aimee Francis is. She heads off to tour the UK and the US in June, so be sure to catch her with The Vera Knights and Samantha Lombardi to kick off your weekend. Doors open 8.30pm.

Attention-grabbing live shows are at the heart of Wilfred Jackal’s popularity thus far, and Lynch sees a dynamic stage presence as essential for a band’s survival in this new dinosaur-age. “We and a lot of the bands we play with put emphasis on making it a real ‘show’ now: no success is ever going to come from just having good songs to listen to at home because that doesn’t have any effect anymore,” Lynch says. “What you can do to make an effect is be renowned for having a great live show and giving the crowd a good experience.” But the Goldblum-love doesn’t always go down so well. “We did a show last year in Werribee where we were booked for the punk and hardcore night – we’re not sure why,” Lynch admits. “Apparently Jeff Goldblum and dino-pop are not so welcome in that genre – there was a mass exodus and over two thirds of the room ended up walking out! You could hear a few not-quite heckles: they were as baffled as we were as to why we were there!” WHO: Wilfred Jackal WHAT: Rail single (Independent) WHEN & WHERE: Friday, Ding Dong Lounge; Thursday 27 May, Free Kick final at the Espy

PANEL BEATERS

Panel Of Judges have made the modest masterpiece of their ten-year career. Their most recent release Bad Vibrations crystallises everything that is great about these beloved bastions of the Melbourne underground: restless imagination, lazily catchy melodies, epic rhythms, and heavenly riffs. Panel Of Judges have recently added a forth member to the line-up, so go check it out at the Birmingham Hotel this Saturday! This amazing local lineup also includes Hissey Miyake, The School Of Radiant Living and Pop Singles.

BURLESQUE ATROCITIES

SEXY MEXI BROS After selling out their launch at Yah Yah’s the other week, mariachi band from hell The Puta Madre Brothers plan on doing the same thing to the Old Bar this Friday. The three-piece-one-man band are having a fiesta to end all fiestas with support from the surf garage band Johnnie & The Johnnie Johnnies and Busty Insects kicking the night off. Get down early or miss out. Entry is $12 from 8.30pm. Ole!

“We did a residency at the Royal Derby Hotel on Brunswick Street, and decided to have a different theme each week, which involved us decorating the whole place. One week we covered it with inflatable palm trees for Mauritian Independence Day and wore loud Hawaiian shirts. Another week we covered the walls with posters of our hero Jeff Goldblum – he resonates with us as a geeky creepy weirdo in movies like The Fly and Jurassic Park.”

JAPANESE RODS John Farnham has had a few farewells now and we hope these guys have more than one, too. Japanese Psychobilly at its bizarre best, The Rockin Rat Rods feature upright double bass, face paint and that Japanese sense of humour that makes you wanna kidnap them. They are playing a combined album launch and farewell gig at the Bendigo Hotel this Friday. Catch them before they head back to Japan and pick up their new album too. Don’t miss out – you may never see them again! They’re joined by Casket Radio plus special guests from 8.30pm. Entry is $10.

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A sadistic soap opera of sex, violence, insanity and tragic beauty designed to confront and captivate – theatrical cabaret and burlesque show Atrocity Unleashed is a black journey into the mind of man. Combining shock performance with music, song, dance and the art of wicked tease, its debut sell-out show had audiences stunned, weeping and fainting. It’s a theatrical experience unlike any other, which haunts the viewer long after the final curtain. See it at Burlesque Bar on Johnston Street in Fitzroy on Sunday until 6 June from 9pm. Check atrocityburleque.com for details.

JUNGAL BOOGIE Sunday Sets at the Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood is here to wet your whistle every week with an afternoon of live music, $5 pizzas, a heated beer garden and free entry all day long! This week the day kicks off at 3pm with all-girl roots trio Jungal, rocking out in full throttle. Jungal create their own brand of Australian flavour indie roots – three harmonious voices causing a stir in Melbourne’s live music scene. They’re joined by Jed Rowe Band – soulful vocals, lap steel, double bass, and stomp box to produce a blend of folk, blues, reggae and rock.

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WEDNESDAY KICKS ASS

Revolver Rock is Melbourne’s longest running rock retro electro cheese nights. For the last three years Revolver Rock has been the place to go for a dose of your fave rock and ol’ school tracks. Located at the iconic Revolver Upstairs, Revolver Rock is the place to beat the Wednesday night blues with your mates, great Thai food and great tunes! Join DJs Spidey, Mary M, Adalita (Magic Dirt) and Whitt (Spiderbait) every Wednesday night for a night you wont forget, or remember… something like that!

MADONNA GETS AROUND

Melbourne’s party-punk ska kids Madonna are back at the Birmingham Hotel this Thursday night. Since nearly destroying the venue a month ago for their album launch they are back for more. Joining them on the night are three of Melbourne’s newest ska bands. Featuring members of This War, The Knockabouts, Trojan Horns and more are The Opeartors. Also playing are The Kujo Kings and Piranha Party will open the night. Entry is $5 from 8pm.

WEEKEND IN BIRMO

Newcomerrs to the Melbourne scene, The Weekend Pharaohs have played a handful of amazing house shows and even played on a skate ramp in the middle of a Carlton Street. This Friday is their first headline gig at the Birmingham Hotel, after recently supporting Dick Diver there. Joining them on the night are Cartel Syndicate and Isle Adore and entry is only $5 from 8pm.

ROUGH ON SUNDAY

SHUFFLE ALONG

Following their cclaimed 2001 independent release Hometown Blues, Melbourne-based musicians Craig Woodward (fiddle, five-string banjo, banjo manolin, vocals) and Warren Rough (guitar, vocals) combine talents once again in this offering of 14 new recordings. Drawing on thier longtime impassioned study of traditional old-time American music, Woodward & Rough brings you another selection of old-timey blues, rags and breakdowns played in thier own unique but authentic style. They play the Fox Hotel in Collingwood this Sunday from 5pm.

Their style is most easily described as a hot blend of jazz, swing, blues, boogie but that hardly does justice to their raw energy and enthusiasm – the kind of energy that will bring you to your feet and onto the dancefloor before you even quite know what is happening. The Shuffl e Club have spread their influence and fan base by successfully touring in the UK, Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean and Japan. Catch them at Red Bennies this Friday from 9pm – entry is $10.

JAZZ WITH SHIRAZZ

Shirazz are a six-piece Melbourne trad jazz and dixieland band, specialising in classic hot jazz of the ‘20s and ‘30s. Featuring exciting ensemble playing, driving rhythms and hot solos, Shirazz have been fast gaining a reputation as one of this city’s premier jazz bands. They play Red Bennies this Thursday from 8pm to 10pm – entry is $12/$10 concession.

SMOKING SALMON

Kim Salmon & The Surrealists launch their new LP, Grand Unifying Theory, at Cherry Bar in ACDC Lane this Saturday. Tickets are $20 and only available at the door, so be early! Awesome support comes from Go Go Sapien plus extra special guests. Grand Unifying Theory is out now on Low Transit Industries.

KENYA DIG? Enjoy a night of trip hop, French pop and folk while raising funds for Familia Moja Children’s Centre, a charity run orphanage that is helping to shape the future of Kenya. Miso, Houlette, Owl + Moth and Sheahan Drive will take to the stage at the Workers Club on Friday 4 June. Tickets are just $15 from Moshtix and on the door, and all proceeds go directly to Familia Moja Children’s Centre. Check out familiamoja.org for details.

BURLY BABES What better way to wind down your working week than with a bit of tantalising titillation? Every Friday is Burly-Friday at Burlesque Bar in Fitzroy with live acts from some of Melbourne’s best (and a few of the naughtiest!) burlesque beauties. Shows start at 10pm, entry is $15 on the door or book online through burlesquebar.com.au. Go and dare to be decadent!

RAPSKALLION GET SAUCY

Do you do the tango? The crew from Rapskallion certainly do, amongst other sordid and saucy things! Thumping out their gypsy-esque tunes every Saturday night in May at the Burlesque Bar in Fitzroy, this theatrical assault on the senses will draw you into the wonderful and wayward world of the tsingani and leave you begging for more! A rich and raunchy cacophony of color, sound and spectacle! Entry is $5.

HAVE YOU HEARD?

Clairy Baby Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes play the Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood this Saturday. HOW DID YOU GET TOGETHER? Clairy Browne, vocals: “I wanted to play old soul music and make a space for people to get into in Melbourne’s music scene; the kind of ’60s soul and doo-wop that smacks of wailing, Sugar Pie DeSanto heartache and guts and makes people move. No one was really doing it; it’s the kind of thing my friends and I wanted to go to, so I thought, ‘Why not do it ourselves?’. I got together with some friends who shared the same dream and we started to play around with the sounds we liked. We put a show together for Sweet Jelly Roll and went on from there.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “We are about to record our first EP in July, ready for sale on our national tour with The Cat Empire.” CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Sweaty, gritty dancehall, 1964.” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “Tina and Ike with the Ikettes. She is a livewire of energy that never stops giving, a truly amazing vocalist with so much heart. Their music was out of sight and damn, those girls could move.” IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “From A Whisper To A Scream by Esther Phillips.”

3HUPLW 1R ²

DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “Not so much lucky, but most definitely visually enhancing and glamour-augmenting items, of which there are too many to mention.” IF YOU INVITED SOMEONE AWESOME ROUND FOR DINNER WHAT WOULD YOU COOK? “Hot Mexican barbecue with guacamole and Sol with fresh lime.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRINK IN MELBOURNE? “Hell’s Kitchen.”

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DOG STYLE

GROW YOUR OWN

Dog With Wheels are a melbourne five-piece dedicated to bringing you the finest in original rock’n’soulful Americana. They strike next at the Empress Hotel on Friday 28 May for a night of unbridled musicjoy. Supported by the newly formed Blood Red Bird (featuring Tim Heath from The Basics) it will be a night not to be missed. Entry is $7 and the night kicks off at 9pm.

THE BEARDS’ ongoing quest to make the world a more bearded place is no gimmick, NATHANIEL BEARD tells MITCH KNOX. “We don’t want to neglect country Australia. We’ve done a lot of touring, especially through the cities, and they’re probably the most important places to reach,” Beard explains. “But we do want to have a bit of a word to outback Australia because it’s supposed to be quite a bearded place… but just like in the city at least 90% of the audience tends to be beardless – so even the traditionally bushyfaced stockmen from the country are still shaving off their beards, which is not really good enough.” Despite some outward disappointment, The Beards have experienced the other side as well, with some formerly beardless fans growing facial hair purely because they were inspired by the band.

eards: that is all that Nathaniel Beard, bassist/vocalist for Adelaide quartet The Beards, wants to talk about. Seriously, he says the word “beard” or some variation thereof a total of 86 times throughout his conversation with Inpress today. But it’s that kind of passion and dedication to facial hair big and small which reveals something about Beard and his bandmates which is critical to their success: they fucking believe in beards. “There’s only one thing that any of us care about, and that’s beards,” Beard declares. “If there’s one thing that I’ve ever heard that is without a doubt true, it’s that you’ve got to write from your heart and write about what you believe in, and none of us believe in anything aside from having a beard, so it’s only natural that all our songs should be about that.” The band are currently spreading their pro-beard message across the country, and from the sounds of things, their fuzzy-faced fanbase is growing with every show. “There’s always more people at every gig, which is a good sign,” Beard says. “But more importantly, there’s always more people with beards at every gig, which is our ultimate goal: to have 100% beards. Not just in our audiences, but in the streets and in society in general.” Notably, they are visiting a number of rural locations on their tour, in an effort to have a chat to fans in more isolated locales and wake the dormant outback beard movement.

BAPTISM AT EMPRESS After an impressive April residency at Old Bar, Baptism Of Uzi lend a helping hand to the local filmmaking community by headlining a fundraiser at the Empress ths Friday for this year’s forthcoming Beg, Scream And Shout!, a showcase of short films by Melbourne based filmmakers. Onboard as well will be the primal psychedelic blues show of The Toot Toot Toots, with the up and coming Buried Feather to cap off what looks to be an impressive night of dirty, head rolling fun. Entry is $8 from 8pm.

“I remember the first time I realised: I was at a gig and a drunk guy came up to me – he had no beard – and he said he was going to grow a beard especially, and I thought he was lying because he didn’t have a beard and I don’t tend to trust people without beards,” Beard laughs. “And I was playing a show about a month-and-a-half later and I see this guy looking at me from the audience… and I remembered it was the same guy, and he had this massive beard. He’d grown this big beard just because of us. I remember thinking, if just that one person grows a beard because of us, the last five years would have been worthwhile.” So it seems the South Australian song-smiths’ music is having an effect after all, although Beard is not adverse to perhaps slightly less liberal methods to spread the bearded revolution. “I think [shaving] should be illegal,” he asserts. “People should just evolve to the conclusion that having a beard is the only thing worth doing. ‘Will I grow a beard? Yes, of course I will – it’s better to have a beard than to not have a beard’. But if people aren’t going to come to that conclusion, then I would be all about the law enforcing that, and them being forced to have a beard. I would like that.” WHO: The Beards WHAT: Beards, Beards, Beards (MGM) WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, Palais (Hepburn Springs); Friday, the Evelyn; Saturday, Ruby’s Lounge; Sunday, the National Hotel (Geelong)

CREW FROM THE SWAMP

The Doultan Crew are four incredibly talented musicians who as individual’s have played with some of the biggest names in Australian music, including INXS, Divinyls, James Reyne and more. They come together to experiment with an eclectic mix of songs from Elton John and The Rolling Stones to modern artists such as John Mayer and even Britney Spears, to turn them upside down! All different versions of such hits presented in their own brand of soul, swamp rock and blues. The Doultan Crew play this Sundays from 3pm at Transport.

BEGGARS AND CHOOSERS

FERNANDO UP THE ART Melbourne’s own international exporters of downtuned rock’n’roll mayhem, Don Fernando, have returned triumphant from their 26-date European tour. Covering over 10,000 miles and bringing their unique tunes to satisfied punters from Berlin to Barcelona, their next tour is already in the planning stages and a number of labels are already lining up to listen to their second album which is currently in pre-production. Get down to the Arthouse this Friday for their return show with support from Thomy & The Tanks and Kretch.

A double bill at the Empress this Saturrday arvo offers up a taste of the latest material from two formidable songwriting forces. Singer/songwriter Martin Stuart will take to the stage with his band to perform a set of melodic and heartfelt indie grooves from his forthcoming album Tales Of Love & Lust. The Manholes, fronted by Cameron Rose, will deliver a short, sharp set of sweet stoner punk rock. Expect a cool autumn afternoon to remember.

PONY GENOCIDE The sky will turn black this Saturday at Pony with a night of metal featuring Systematic Genocide starting the night off with a blast that will get most heads swinging for more. Second on the bill is Geelong’s own black/death metal band Haxan, who are currently recording and preparing themselves to set Melbourne ablaze. Next up are Dawn Of Retribution, currently launching their new album, while headlining this most unholy night is Melbourne’s own Wood Of Suicides. Doors open at 9pm.

SLAPPED WITH COD This Friday is set to bring a night of crazed live electro through the buzzing performances of Melbourne’s best out of the box bands at the Edinburgh Castle. From the genre exploding stylings of The JSB’s to Jeff Marni’s ‘80s-induced songs about girls, hot chips, and dead dogs, you will not be able to contain those dancing hips of yours. Set to headline, The Cape Cod Affair promise to arouse through erotic electro, bedroom beats and promiscuous lyrics. Never too shy to mention the juicy details of lovers entangled between the sheets, The Cape Cod Affair will take you through the foreplay to the climax. Entry is $5 from 8.30pm.

JAREK SPACE OUT

Following the release of Jarek’s debut album, Space In Noise, this instrumental and other worldy outfit (with the abundance of instruments they continue to collect) headline an intimate and unbelievably diverse night of music at the Edinburgh Castle this Saturday. Part comedy, part nostalgia, and a whole lot of nymph, sassy four-piece a cappella outfit The Nypmhs open the night followed by the tropical and classical tastings of Citrus Jam. Entry is $6 from 8.30pm.

MATT WILCO FROM 9PM TILL 11.30PM

B-BOOGIE

FROM 11:30PM TILL CLOSE SAT 22ND

80’S RETRO TUNES SAM MCEWIN FROM 9:00PM TILL 11:30PM

TRANSPORT HOTEL @ FEDERATION SQUARE 9654 8808 / WWW.TRANSPORTHOTEL.COM.AU

MISS SARAH

FROM 11:30PM TILL CLOSE

HAVE YOU HEARD?

MARTN’S SHEEN

SUN 23RD:

FRI 21ST:

The first track from Society Of Beggars’ forthcoming debut album Exit Soul is a traditional slice of MiddleEastern Raga Punk titled Skortha. Have a taste by downloading the track for free at societyofbeggars.com and, if you’re in, head to Pony this Friday night to catch them live. The band will be joined by the riff-laden mayhem of Moroccan Kings as well as indie rock act The Red Cherries. Doors open at 9.30pm.

SUNDAY SESSIONS ALEXIS NICOLE 12.30PM -2.30PM SOLO

THE DOULTAN CREW 3PM -6PM BAND

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My Secret Circus play the Espy this Friday. HOW DID YOU GET TOGETHER? TJ Regan, guitar: “Longtime friends who shared the same idea of creating a band that was totally kick ass.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “We have two EPs under our belt, which we sold out of pretty quickly. Next step is the full length album.” CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Powerful, addictive, tight, unique.” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “Pearl Jam, ’cause that would be one massive, musically -appreciative crowd, and I could raid Eddie Vedder’s red wine cabinet.” IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “Blood Sugar Sex Magik by Red Hot Chili Peppers. It’s the greatest flowing album of all time – 17 songs and not one that can be skipped.” DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “A left ear plug to protect me from our drummer Aaron’s thunderous power.” IF YOU INVITED SOMEONE AWESOME ROUND FOR DINNER WHAT WOULD YOU COOK? “Barbecue and beers – the only way to entertain.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRINK IN MELBOURNE? “Sentido Funf – the coolest, most chilled beer garden in Melbourne.”

WHATS ON:

MONDAY MADNESS

$5 PINTS CARLTON DRAUGHT

THURSDAY IS

LADIES NIGHT $5 BUBBLE & $10 COCKTAILS

SOLO ARTISTS, DUO’S AND BANDS INTERESTED IN GIGS AT TRANSPORT HOTEL PLEASE CONTACT

rkake@transporthotel.com.au

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LEHMANN’S GOT BACK

LEFT FEELS BETTER

GLEE GROUPIE

Having released a debut album of scary lo-fi acoustic songs last year, Lehmann B Smith has changed his mind, put together a choir and begun playing ‘60s style pop numbers. He and his choir will sing these new songs every Thursday this month at the Builders Arms. This coming Thursday they’re supported by Far Concern and Owl + Moth. Entry is $5 from 8.30pm.

Melbourne band Left Feels Right capture live audiences with their intense stage energy and perform a dynamic set of dance-infused post-rock. Heavily influenced by bands like Explosions In The Sky and Minus The Bear, their arrangements are journeys of intertwining melodies that evolve to dance pop rhythms and jagged guitar riffs. With their debut self-titled EP in the can, they play this Saturday at the Curtin Bandroom. Supporting are good friends The Analyte and The Moxie and doors open at 8pm.

Born in the olden days, back before the banjo had become the coolest kid in class, the fine young gentlemen of the Bakersfield Glee Club established a firm plan. This plan was both outrageous and canny, a plan for the ages. That plan was to take musical instruments, and play them, often all at once! Featuring some familiar faces of the local country and roots scene, the Glee Club would like to cordially invite you along to the Drunken Poet this Sunday from 4pm for an afternoon of traditional country, masterful musicianship, and, well, glee. The keys to the country music treasure chest are rumored to be in the possession of this ragtag bunch, what is found inside is anyone’s guess.

SASKWATCH CAN PARTY Saskwatch are a nine-piece collective of young Melbourne musicians playing original soul and funk. In the name of Aretha, Hendrix, Curtis and Marvin; this deliciously filthy soul-steeped party machine wield their unique brand of funk and soul music that makes it impossible for you to keep still. A sound born from busking on the streets of Melbourne, with raw grooves, organ, guitar, horns and wild break-beat throw downs, they play Bar Open this Friday with good friends The OMGs. Oh my god , it’s free! Doors open 10pm.

GOLDEN SHOWERS Stroll down the cold, dark, cobbled laneway conecting Albion and Tinning Street, Brunswick on the evening of Saturday 12 June and you will be greeted by the warm glow of Tinning Street Gallery, where your insides will rumble to the reverberations of four of the most exciting bands to come out of Melbourne’s musical woodwork in the last 12 months. Not content to play conventional venues dictated by liquor licensing laws, dance punks Parents have decided to curate their own line-up and present a show to remember and have hand-picked a line-up of post-goths Gold Tango, synth’n’drone band New War and math-pop trio Absolute Boys. Stick it in your diary!

BIG IS JAPAN

GEOFF GOLD PLUM POSITION Two of Melbourne’s foremost blues roots guitarists, Jimi Hocking and Geoff Achison, are teaming up once again, this time at the East Brunswick Club, for a fantastic evening of friendly six-string rivalry.Besides promoting his latest Electric Mojo Machine album, Hocking is also currently reviving his role as lead guitarist with Aussie rock giants The Screaming Jets. Achison, meanwhile, has lately been touring interstate both as an acoustic soloist and as frontman for his Souldiggers band. In June he departs for the US and UK, making this show his final Melbourne appearance for several weeks. They play Thursday 27 May from 8pm with a warm-up set from bluesman Dan Dinnen. Tickets are $22 from eastbrunswickclub.com.

One of the most thrilling underground rock bands in this city, Cuba Is Japan will bring their heartcrashing drums, violins and guitars to the Builders Arms on Friday, following a rare, intimate duo performance from Ninetynine’s Laura Macfarlane and Cameron Potts. In support will be Slaughter Matthew and Timothy & Wilderness, each playing quiet, burning sets to set your stomachs on fire. Entry is $10 in the band room from 8.30pm.

YOUNG ONE VIVIENNE Vivienne Black launches Flowering Camellia, a collection of songs recounting the universally felt lament of unrequited love, at the Empress Hotel this Sunday from 3pm. Flowering Camellia, both amused and heartbroken, presents an austere front undone by yielding, winsome and gripping melodies. Supporting are Melbourne’s Steph Brett, a breathtaking voice and endearing performance, and emerging jazz pop trio headed up by Kathryn Frances. Don’t miss Black’s last Australian show before taking off for singing adventures in America and the UK.

HOWL AT THE ART

LYNCH FOLK In the lead up to the release of his new live album, Gabriel Lynch will be performing a series of free Sunday evening shows at Edinburgh Castle. With his propensity for sensitive and lyrical songwriting, these shows will include an array of new material, as well as several of the songs that have helped Lynch make his mark on the Melbourne folk pop circuit. Each week will be kicked off with sets by some of Lynch’s most respected peers – this Sunday it’s John Flanagan. Entry is free from 5pm.

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Art:Noise is an event where punters can enjoy established and up and coming bands while getting involved with arts and crafts on the night. There will be a line up not to be missed with swampy rock’n’roll from headliners Howl At The Moon, nostalgic shoegazey psychadelia from the Boarders, indie angular twee from Tropical Gordon and a kitsch brand of folky pop from beloved Courtney Barnett & Friends. So head down to Bar Open tonight, Wednesday 19 May, to watch some bands and make some art. Also, this Sunday from 2pm at Shop 31 Sydney Road, Cobug, Art:Noise holds an all-ages featuring Little Killing, Franco Cozzo and Alphabet Snakes!

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SHORT FAST

Parkway Drive

OF YOUTH

REPORT

Hardcore and punk with STU HARVEY shortfast@inpress.com.au It is now official: Byron Bay’s favourite sons Parkway Drive will unleash their third album, Deep Blue, on Friday 25 June. Frontman Winston McCall described the concept behind the album: “It’s basically about the search for truth in a world that seems to be devoid of that. The story is told through the eyes of a man who wakes up and realises that his life is a lie and nothing he believes in is real. So he tries to find the truth within himself and his journey takes him to the bottom of the ocean and back again.” Their first two classics, Killing With A Smile and Horizons, were recorded with Adam D of Killswitch Engage producing, but this time the band has switched Adam out and brought in Joe Barresi, whose impressive credits include Queens Of The Stone Age, Bad Religion, Tool and Melvins. You can pre-order the album now. Comeback Kid are gearing up for a new album in September. According to a post on their Twitter (cbktweets), the album will be called Symptoms And Cures. The band have released previous albums with Victory Records outside of their home Canada. Punknews.org has reported that the band have signed a deal with Distort (Alexisonfire, Cancer Bats) for Canada, but who will release their material in the rest of the world is still up in the air. Could they be next in the growing list of bands to leave Victory? Epitaph Records have signed Social Distortion and are planning to release their first studio album in almost six years towards the end of 2010. Social D entered a Burbank studio in March to record their yet-to-be-titled seventh studio album, produced by Mike Ness. Social D have still never toured Australia, not that I’m holding a grudge. Mike Ness commented on the signing, “We feel that Epitaph has a natural understanding of Social Distortion; both the history of the band and the direction we want to go... Combine that with their successful track record and it felt like a good next step for us. We’ve always been open to new ideas and pushing the envelope, but we have also been very conscientious about the decisions we’ve made. We considered a lot of options, but in the end, Epitaph feels like the right home for us. We’re looking forward to taking this step forward, opening some new doors with this upcoming album and this next chapter of Social Distortion.” Fans of Biffy Clyro should check out English act Dogs. Their debut album, Turn Against This Land, which has received critical acclaim in the UK, has just been released in Australia. Don’t take my word for it – Clash magazine said the

THE

RACKET Metal, heavy rock and dark alternative with ANDREW HAUG theracket@inpress.com.au We have lost another legend! Wendy Dio, wife/ manager of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio, has released the following statement to Blabbermouth.net: “Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7.45am on Sunday 16 May. Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away. Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all. We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us. Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss. Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever.” Are you confused again? Can you keep up with the constant changes in Anthrax’s line-up these days? Well check this out! It now seems official that former vocalist Joey Belladonna has rejoined the band: “I am super-excited about this,” said Scott Ian. “Joey and the rest of the band came to see me play at a club in New York; I hadn’t seen Joey for years, since the end of the reunion tour. Joey taps me on the shoulder, instant big hug; it felt like no time had gone by. The band dynamic is an interesting one — in Anthrax, Joey and I spent so many years of our lives together, we grew up together, we know each other so well, so it was like no time was lost.” Okay, but what about this long overdue album, Worship Music? “We’re going to do these summer shows and gel as a band,” explained Charlie Benante, “get comfortable playing with each other again, and the energy from that should go right into making new music.” Scott Ian interjects: “We’ve got an unusual luxury of hindsight. We finished an album a year ago,

DEPARTMENT All things under 18 with KENDAL COOMBS accessallages@inpress.com.au

album “is an easy mix of fiery punk and anthemic rock that has more hooks than The Ramones on a fishing trip”. The good people at Trusty Chords Music will be releasing the album in late May. After releasing an album and two brilliant EPs in the space of two years, Sydney’s Lungs have taken a longer, more considered road towards delivering their eagerly awaited second fulllength. Recorded over the past three months with Lachlan Mitchell at Production Avenue Studios (Frenzal Rhomb, Hard-Ons) and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side, NY, The Two Chief World Systems delivers the trio’s most potent and cohesive group of songs to date. Former hardcore act Avenged Sevenfold are releasing a brand new digital single this week. You can head to iTunes to check out Nightmare, their first song post the death of original drummer James ‘The Rev’ Sullivan. Boomtown Records (Amity Affliction, The Getaway Plan, Sounds Like Chicken) have announced the latest signing to their roster, as Melbourne’s Dream On Dreamer join the family. The first release for the band will in the form of an EP titled Hope, which will be available online and in select stores on Friday 4 June. Head to myspace. com/dreamondreamerband for a preview.

SHORT FAST REPORT TOP 5 Parkway Drive. Tonight on Short.Fast. Loud. (Triple J, 10pm) we will be chatting to the band and premiere a brand new song!

Bring Me The Horizon & Cancer Bats! Back in September to support Bullet For My Valentine. Tickets on sale Thursday 25 May for Thursday 9 September at Festival Hall. La Dispute. The boys will be back in Australian in January! Dropsaw. Their new album Hard Justice was recorded in San Diego with As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis, Kelly Cairns and Daniel Castleman (Austrian Death Machine, Winds Of Plague, Sworn Enemy, Impending Doom), the album is out now. Jamie + Joey + Tony. Jamie Hay (A Death In The Family) is the opening act for Joey Cape (Lagwagon) and Tony Sly (No Use For A Name). Catch the fun this Saturday night at the Corner.

we’ve lived with those 12 songs since then, and we can look back on them and see what we really love and what we can make even better, especially with Joey back in the fold.” Benante further added, “There are five or six songs from a year ago that we don’t want to change, we love them the way they are, other than having Joey making them his own with his vocals. Then there’s another five or six that we may want to rework, and then there are a bunch of other tunes that are still in the early stages, that we want to finish.” Stone Sour have set Audio Secrecy as the title of their third album, due late summer via Roadrunner Records. The band and producer Nick Raskulinecz (Alice In Chains) are currently holed away at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, where they’re putting finishing touches on the much buzzed-about record. “Audio Secrecy is the summation of everything we want, everything we crave and everything we fight for,” says lead singer Corey Taylor. “The dimensions go further than anything we’ve ever tried before. It’s metal, rock, slow, soft, hard, fast, bitter, beautiful and most importantly, it’s REAL. You can’t get an album like this out of a band that doesn’t exist. We’re throwing caution out the damn window.”

The release and subsequent success of films such as Kick Ass, Iron Man 2, The Watchmen and The Losers makes me think that I’m not the only born-again comic book geek out there and that perhaps a greater majority of the population would be interested in a comic book superhero-related world record attempt. If this does sound like you then listen up. On Friday 29 May Federation Square is hosting a gathering of super proportions, attempting to break the world record for the most amount of people with superhero costumes on all in the one place. The event is sponsored by DC, so maybe choose something from their repertoire or they may be offended. The day is billed as family-friendly and with activities for everyone to enjoy. The success of the world record is resting with us. Get down to Fed Square at 10am with your superhero costumes on. In other news we have two more heat winners for the FReeZA Push Start Battle Of The Bands Competition. From the eastern metropolitan region heat that was held at EV’s Youth Centre a few weeks back we have Prelude To Doomsday. And from the Hume region heat held at Mount Beauty Secondary College a few weeks back The Shackles were the winners. They’ll both be moving on to the regional finals later in the year and have a chance to play at the Push Over Festival next Labour Day long weekend. Friday – the FReeZA Push Start Battle Of The Bands Frankston Heat number one will see Max Taylor, The Posers, The Siege On Vienna, 2seconds, These City Secrets, The Way With Tragedy, Brighter At Night and Kids Collapse battling it out for a place in the next round at the Grand Hotel in Frankston from 6pm. Entry is $10 on the door. Wednesday 26 May – Under The Radar, a youth short film competition run in association with FReeZA and the St Kilda Film Festival, is happening at the Palace George Cinemas from 6pm. Entry is free but spaces are limited so if you don’t want to miss this screening make sure you rock up early, or head to the Palace George cinema before the screening and book a place in the theatre. Friday 28 May – Regenerate! Dance Party, featuring DJ Ceff, is on at the Yinnar Memorial Hall in Yinnar from 7pm. Entry is $10 on the door.

mastering our fourth full-length album, Under A New Sun. After six months of hard work, we have what we believe to be our strongest album in the bag and we have been lucky enough to work with some fantastic people along the way.” German power metallers Blind Guardian have set At The Edge Of Time as the title of their new album, tentatively due late summer via Nuclear Blast Records.

LOCAL GIG GUIDE

Black Majesty, Eyefear, Orpheus – Saturday 5 June, Hi-Fi Bar

TOURS, TOURS, TOURS

The Dillinger Escape Plan – Wednesday 19 May, Billboard The Venue Turisas – Sunday 23 May, Billboard The Venue Unearth, The Black Dahlia Murder – Friday 4 June, Hi-Fi Bar (18+) Alestorm – Friday 18 June, Corner Hotel

Resurrected late-‘80s/early-’90s death metal act Pestilence They certainly haven’t wasted any time – they’ve already begun penning a new studio album, to be titled Doctrine, for a February 2011 release. It will be produced by V Santura (Triptykon).

Paul Di’Anno – Thursday 24 June, the Espy

The legendary Chuck Schuldiner from Death, who passed away in 2001, will have his last studio effort under the moniker Control Denied officially released. It will be titled When Man And Machine Collide. Recorded more than ten years ago at Morrisound Studios with producer Jim Morris, the album was tracked by Schuldiner but left incomplete upon his passing.

Napalm Death – Sunday 5 September – Hi-Fi Bar

Melbourne’s dark rockers The Eternal have issued the following update: “We have just completed

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

Om – Friday 16 July, Hi-Fi Bar Slash – Wednesday 11 August – Palace Mayhem – Thursday 23 September – Hi-Fi Bar Overkill – Friday 24 September, Hi-Fi Bar Metallica – Thursday 18, 20 and 21 November, Rod Laver Arena Andrew Haug hosts Triple J’s The Racket every Tuesday from 10pm – triplej.abc.net.au/ racket. Email theracket@inpress.com.au

live@inpress.com.au

THE

Adam, far right

BREAKDOWN Pop culture therapy with ADAM CURLEY I was once in a band that broke up just before our first single was released on a small label that was mostly just a haven for bands no one else wanted to release but would’ve worked great in the UK (the chanted salvo for any failed Australian band). The promo copies were ripped, the artwork finished and then it was all thrown out. The biggest disappointment, however, wasn’t that I never got to hear the song on the radio, because I did after the promo copies were sent off by an overeager intern and I had to contact one radio station and tell them they should probably give the airtime to someone more together. It was that I never got the chance to be in a music video, however goonbudgeted it was going to be, and make use of the pouty face I’d spent years cultivating in MySpace pictures. So, when I received an email from a friend-of-a-friend director asking if I wanted to be in a video he was making for a young Australian singer with a talent-show history and a moody, dreamscape vision for her debut single, I was so in. I got up at 6am, downed a coffee and was on the bus by 6.30am headed for the location, an old theatre in the outer-inner suburbs. By 9am I’d already downed two more double-shot coffees from the catering table while I sat around and waited for my wardrobe to be ready and a crew of about ten packed in the set, a stage filled with plants and flowers and, in front of it, a table at which I would be sitting with two other ‘actors’. My role was as a Satanic goth mobster minion, which meant that, when my outfit did arrive, it was a black turtleneck with a silver chain on the outside, black pants and boots. Bobby Brown never looked this good. My make-up, when it was finished, deemed not fitting with the creative vision 40 minutes later, wiped off and reapplied, took me from being Bobby B to being Manson guitarist Twiggy without the hair or – my preferred inspiration for my role – Spike from Buffy if he’d been a Robert Palmer girl. I was white-faced, black-eyed, blacklipped and crashing hard from the caffeine high, which, it turned out, was perfect preparation for my role once the call to the set came. For the first three hours, I sat still in a chair while the singer was shot on the stage from behind

ROOTS DOWN

Blues ’n’ roots with DAN CONDON rootsdown@inpress.com.au Geoff Achison

Blues guitar masters Geoff Achison and Jimi Hocking aren’t just two of Melbourne’s best, they are a couple of our country’s finest when it comes to blues guitar. Achison is a hard-touring artist, with countless interstate tours under his belt as well as a lengthy stint in the US, so he has plenty of experience and always puts on a good show, be it solo or with his band the Souldiggers. Hocking is no less accomplished, having spent more than two decades on the national scene with a variety of projects, including The Screaming Jets and The Angels. These two hard-rocking blues guitarists are facing off next week and when these two guns go head-to-head, the audience is the true winner. They will be armed with both acoustic and electric guitars and will also be backed by a first-class rhythm section and bluesman Dan Dinnen will open things up. It all happens at the East Brunswick Club on Thursday 27 May from 8pm. You can grab tickets from the venue right now for $22. Friday 4 June will see the release of Hot Mama Vibes, the brand new album from exciting Aussie roots man Ash Grunwald. You might remember his last record Fish Out Of Water, which saw Grunwald team up with TZU and Urthboy producer Countbounce, which brought a strong hip hop element to Grunwald’s usual style of blues. The new record sees him develop

us – us being another minion and our menacinglooking mob boss, whose daytime job, I learned between takes, was as a dance instructor. The song was played as the singer mimed the words and the band mimed the playing. It was replayed, played again, and again and again, until in my head it had turned from a cleverly mysterious crossover track to a genius, mind-controlling pop song set to take British parliament. We stopped briefly for lunch and I went outside for air. People glanced at me and then looked to the ground. No one spoke to me or asked me what was happening inside, and I realised why goths dress the way they do – it’s like you don’t exist, so mission accomplished. One tradesman did slow down and glare at me from his truck, but I think he thought I was a Robert Palmer girl. Back on set, ten hours in and waiting for our big front-on scene, the other minion and I started a goth hip hop group. We called it hip-goff and we would have choreographed skinny-man moves and perhaps feature a member of The Temper Trap for media interest. Delirium had set in, which made it easy to stare at the now absent singer’s microphone stand like I was going to eat her alive for the next two hours. We shot close-ups and an ‘action sequence’ from every angle imaginable and I felt like Jake Gyllenhaal if he was less camp. The thrill of doing something and seeing it on the monitor straight after, cinematic and slick, made the previous hours of sitting and glaring fade away. My throat was caked in hairspray and artificial smoke, and my eyes are still, days later, lined with make-up no chemical can remove, but when the director called a wrap on the production, it was a rush of adrenalin I hadn’t expected. No, don’t ever feel sorry for those sad-faced Palmer girls. They lived the MySpace-photo dream.

that element of his music further; this time he’s teamed up with Countbounce again, as well as artists like Mr Trials (Hilltop Hoods) and Chasm (Astronomy Class) and word is the results are again pretty special. Grunwald is heading out on the road on the back of the new record and will be playing the Corner on Saturday 3 and Ruby’s Lounge on Sunday 4 July. He’ll also play Swindlers at Mount Hotham on Thursday 29 July. The original queen of rock’n’roll is coming back to Australia! Yes, at 72 years old Wanda Jackson is still going strong, making records and touring the world, and she’s making another visit to Australian shores next month. In 2009 Jackson went into the studio with The White Stripes frontman Jack White, a seemingly perfect combination, and hopefully we’ll get a chance to hear a bit of the material she laid down with White’s assistance when she’s in the country. She plays the Corner on Friday 18 June. Tickets are available from the venue now for $38+BF. The 2010 Blues Music Awards were held in Nashville, Tennessee last Friday and Tommy Castro and his band were the big winners on the night. Castro took out the Entertainer Of The Year, Band Of The Year, Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year and Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year awards, all on the back of his great Hard Believer record of last year. Nice one, Tommy. Now come back to Australia. Other winners included Ruthie Foster, who beat out some incredibly tough competition to pick up the Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year award; Cyril Neville and Mike Zito, whose Pearl River from Zito’s album of the same name earned them Song Of The Year; and the highly renowned It Ain’t Over! Delmark Celebrates 55 Years Of Blues picked up the award for DVD Of The Year. Chicago-based blues and rockabilly vocalist Nick Willett has become one of modern rockabilly’s most loved up-and-coming artists and his last visit to Australia proved the esteem he is held in over here as well. He is coming back to Australia for 2010’s Wintersun festival up north and will be stopping in for a show at the East Brunswick Club on Sunday 6 June. Supporting him on the night are The Starliners, performing together for one night only for the first time in many years. Tickets are available from the venue now for $29.

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live@inpress.com.au

CARN COLLINGWOOD

A few week’s back Carnation launched their single Gone to a packed and very sweaty Ding Dong Lounge. To keep the momentum flowing the band will be playing at the Grace Darling this Thursday and next Thursday night. Carnation will be playing songs from their almost completed forthcoming EP. Along for the ride will be Melbourne’s Jimmy Hawk, styling his way through old favs and new material.

YER BLIND, DARLING

Blind Alley Band have been building momentum over the last 12 months spreading their own take on nu-folk and gypsy rock. Accordion waltzes to guitar driven blues belters to contemplative balladry, Blind Alley Band fuse classic styles into a contemporary sound. They play the Grace Darling Hotel this Friday before taking a break to finish working on their debut album. The night will also feature the alt. country rock of Broadside Push and the bluegrass reggae of Power & Greig. Entry is $8 from 9pm.

BLACK TONES

Sydney’s lords of psychedelic drone, The Black Ryder, make their long-awaited return to Melbourne for their first headline show of 2010, and it’s a one-off show exclusive to Tone Deaf at Ding Dong on Saturday 29 May. Joining them on the night will be the driving shoegaze candy wheels of the much blogged new buzz band Three Month Sunset, and the Black Angels meets 13th Floor Elevators primitive psychedelic jams of Dreaming Of Ghosts?, who will be launching their debut release. RSVP at RSVP at tonedeaf. com.au/RSVP for cheaper guaranteed entry.

CATHERINE THE GREAT

Sydney acoustic folk singer Catherine Traicos will make a rare appearance in Melbourne, joining Henry F Skerritt (The Holy Sea) for the final installment of his Builders Arms residency. Traicos has been garnering praise here and in the US for her 2009 release The Amazing. Her voice and intricate compositions have critics likening her to artists such as PJ Harvey, Gillian Welch, Cat Power and Beth Orton. Skerritt plays every Saturday from 5pm for free, and Traicos appears on Saturday 29 May.

HAVE YOU HEARD?

Sorted for E&Ps HOWL HOWL

AINSLIE WILLS SOMEBODY FOR EVERYONE

I Oh You/Shock

Four punky shards of angst from this precocious, barely legal Ballarat sextet. Blackout launches with the spine-chilling wail of one of the outfit’s alternating vocalists (half the band at last count), Lachlan Morrish. Drummer Daniel Marie’s patterns are imaginative and on point and Galen Strachan’s keys provide just the right amount of unhinged melody. Provocative lyrical content – “I’ll be the guy who shows off/ You’ll be the girl who plays dead” – barnstorms through unconventional song structures. Add some rapidfire riffs à la Vampire Weekend and you’ve got an original sound that threatens to crash your house parties and inspire mass goon-bag fights. Distinctly Howl with not a whimper in earshot.

THE SPITFIRES DEAD? GOOD Firestarter Distribution This Perth-based trio boast a Mancunian frontman, Sean Regan, whose mouthy delivery embraces British hooliganism – “Here grab hold of my kebab Steve I’ll have it after I’ve finished him off ”. Dead? Good kicks off strongly with clever wordplay and satirical swagger rounded out by Paul Bovenkerk’s playful bass twists and stop/start drum patterns. By Qui Aime Bien Chatie Bien (translation: “The one who loves well, punishes well”), the vocal phrasing needs attention as Regan struggles to make sentences fit into musical phrases that are damn catchy. Their MySpace is listed under thesupermarinespitfires (of course!) and you can check out these geezer stylings at Ding Dong this Saturday.

HELLO WORKERS

HMAS Vendetta launch their new single this Saturday at the Espy. HOW DID YOU GET TOGETHER? William James Smith, vocals/piano: “While watching a Finnish battle-metal band on Halloween 2006 in London I was inspired, and embarked on a mission to return to Australia, form an operatic rock band and sing about Aussie history, with all of its triumphs and tragedies. Over the next two years I hunted down the crew – Zack on violin, Rory on drums and Ozz on bass. HMAS Vendetta is now fully armed and operational.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “We have recorded and are launching our debut single Boganheart on Saturday at the Espy. It’s a song about our struggle to rock in a modern culture addicted to wimpiness. It was mastered by George Marino of Sterling Sound, New York, and Triple J says it’s ‘mad’ (mad meaning good).” CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Orchestral trench-warfare, sir.” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “Iron Maiden, because Bruce Dickinson, tenor, commercial pilot and fencing Olympian, is my hero. He is the wind beneath my wings.” IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “Handel’s The Messiah, because I figure I’d have to repair my relationship with the higher power. Alleluia!” DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “My white Nike high-tops with velcro ankle support. They allow the safe execution of David Lee Roth split jumps.”

Hello Satellites is the work of Melbourne-based songwriter Eva Popov. The bones of her debut LP began as a solo project in a suburban shed before taking full form as a collaboration with producer Nick Huggins. The introductory single Out There is pop music at the edges, taking you through exquisite, unexpected territory. Featuring a live lineup including strings, drums, bass, Hello Satellites create expansive and lyrically engaging music. With an album due this year, they launch the single the Workers Club this Thursday with Nick Huggins and J Walker. Entry is $10 from 8.15pm.

MONDAY WITH THE EX There’s not often much happening on a Monday night for those who’ve spent their weekends serving drinks to wasters, or for wasters who are still out for that matter. There’s even less to do for those who want to see some decent live music, which is why Emergency Room this coming Monday 24 May at the East Brunswick Club is absolute must for anyone with their eyes open. The night features Ex Spectator, awesome Exo Records signings Gold Tango, Sucio Poder and Infi nite Void (ex Diamond Sea, Schifosi, Circuits). Entry is just $5 from 8pm.

LOUD BARKER

Nick Barker has released his seventh solo album, Black Water Blues (produced by Mick Thomas), his first since 2005’s C-sides, and is hitting the road with a swag of new tunes and a new band featuring Michael Barclay (Paul Kelly & The Messengers and the legendary WPA), Justin Garner (Adelaide roots rockers South Poor) and on bass Alan Brooker (ex Dots). They play the Workers Club this Friday with Mick Thomas and Chuck’s Wagon. Tickets are $15+BF from Moshtix or $20 on the door from 8.45pm.

GANGA IS GOOD

EP Reviews with Bryget Chrisfield

Indigenous Australian artist Ganga Giri will tour nationally next month in support of new album Good Voodoo and electronic/roots fusion single Bayami. The world-renowned didgeridoo virtuoso and percussionist will be joined on the road by traditional Indigenous dancer and musician Gumaroy, dub reggae vocalist Jornick and band members Dan Pearson and Yeshe Reiners when he plays the East Brunswick Club on Saturday 3 July. Tickets are available from the East Brunswick box office.

Independent

DOZERS GROWLER Independent

Wide Load’s layered vocals and sparse but complementary arrangement showcase Ainslie Wills’ highly trained instrument to perfection. Something about It’s A Shame calls to mind the vulnerable timbre of Norah Jones with a meandering melody that would be hard to imitate. Just outside the last 30 seconds of Quite Capable, a melody akin to Les Miserable’s I Dreamed A Dream (SuBo’s poignant audition piece) seeps in. The piano outro of Fine Fool is a classy touch, which to this set of ears would have made a much more memorable exit point than the reprise that follows. Wills possesses an ethereal voice that is engaging on record and bound to enchant live at Bella Union, Trades Hall on Friday 28 May.

The CD has bangers’n’vegies with the band’s name written in dead horse printed on it! Dozers sound like the kind of carnage-fuelled night you had before waking up in a stranger’s bed and rushing home to fry up whatever’s in your fridge in an attempt to mop up the impending hangover. Frontman Tom Sullivan’s vocal is the focal point despite the fury of Steven Fisher’s Tommy Leecrazy drumming and Dom Mercuri’s menacing bass. Gritty, psychotic and relentless, these tunes will fuck you up but there’s also a satisfying balance between raw energy and precision. Closing track Mud winds down at around four minutes and then kicks into a monotonous beat that sounds like a possessed alarm clock until the 11.40 mark. They play I Heard They Eat Cigarettes Warehouse (hey?) Saturday 29 May.

MANIC PISTOLEROS MANIC PISTOLEROS Independent

KATE VIGO SOMEONE BETTER Independent

From the first “Yeehar!” of ridiculously fast-paced opener Don’t Waste My Time to the final rifftastically accompanied yelp, it’s clear this rockabilly/ psychobilly quartet don’t intend to waste yours. There’s a très rockstar photograph of a blood-spattered palm complete with blood blisters upon blood blisters among the CD’s artwork and I’m certain the victim would have been told to harden the fuck up if he requested a night off. Here’s hoping the Manic Pistoleros’ lineup is locked in ‘cause these dudes sound like the soundtrack to a gringo orgy. Upright bass rules.

The piano-driven title track utilises what sounds like a ticking clock and sunny vocal melodies. Kate Vigo’s voice is soaring rather than gutsy and there’s definitely some interesting overdubs and vocal percussion on this EP. Strings throughout Left Alone create the effect of seagulls circling overhead and here Vigo’s poignant portrayal stops you in your tracks. Each song receives a totally different treatment to best accompany Vigo’s voice, which is obviously the star. Experimental looping elements would make the Vigo live experience interesting to behold.

CARDINAL COMES DOWN

of The Process. With special guests every week, this is rock’n’roll at its most visceral and thrilling; and with these bands about to step up in to the big league there’s never been a better chance to see them so you can pull out the old ‘I saw them back when they played in small venues’ line. Entry is just $5.

Travelling through the interstellar wasteland of cosmic debris, a handful of psycho space cadets return to Earth – and the Workers Club – to bring you psychedelic rock sounds from the seventh dimension. A sonically centred and abrasively hazy line-up decends on the venue this Saturday, including Master Cardinal, who are hot off the back of their recently released debut EP which resulted in a sold-out launch, as well as Dreaming Of Ghosts, Tehachapi and opening act Strangers From Now On preparing you for the night’s musical journey! Entry is $7 from 8pm.

POND SCRUM

Perth band Pond, consisting of Jay Watson (Tame Impala), Paisley Adams and Joseph Orion, wanted to create their fantasy band and album. After two home recorded albums and the recent addition of Kevin Parker (Tame Impala) on skins and Jamie Terry (The Silents), Pond’s recent LP, Frond, might just be it. Set for release in June/July through Sydney label Hole In The Sky, the band are well prepared for tour after playing shows in Melbourne, Perth, New Zealand and Japan. Frond sees their sound refined to encompass the power of Blue Cheer, the quirk of early Sparks with the fantasy of glam era Bowie. They play the Workers Club this Sunday from 7pm with Ev & Shags and Zsa Zsa. Entry is $10.

LIKE BABY, BABY OH

Charles Baby’s much anticipated new EP has all the integrity and lyrical craftwork that his fans have come to expect. There is a haunting directness to lead single Secret Selves and elsewhere beauty and lyrical originality. Charles Baby Has Quiet Choruses is being launched at the Toff In Town this Saturday. Joined by the band that played throughout the recordings, Charles will be unveiling the songs from the EP as well as material from the album coming out later this year. Support comes from Isaac De Heer and Tom Tuena and tickets are on sale from Moshtix or on the door from 7.30pm.

PROCESS THE DONG To show you why you need to listen to rock’n’roll live instead of through the tinny speakers of your computer, Ding Dong has two of Melbourne’s hottest bands lined up for a May residency. Every Thursday the apocalyptic squall of The Priory Dolls will be shaping up to the post-Bad Seeds dramalogue

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ROOT! GIVE IT AWAY

Root! are playing their first ever show at Spenserslive in West Melbourne on Saturday 29 May and, in celebration, are giving ticket holders the chance to win a win a hamper valued at over $300! Spenserslive is located up the quiet end of Spencer Street, near Festival Hall. With its retro-stylish booths, cosy atmosphere, and excellent lighting and sound, Spenserslive exudes relaxed cool – the perfect venue for a Root!. Plus you’ll be entertained by special guests The Rebelles, a the classic girl group with 15 singers. Grab tickets from Moshtix and spenserslive.com.

I OH YOU RADNESS

Holy balls! On Friday 4 June, I Oh You is leaving the living room and will be taking over the Ding Dong Lounge! It’s going to be all sorts of crazy. Word on the street is that approximate one in every two babes are going to be there! Taking the stage will be indie sweethearts and all-round nice guys Last Dinosaurs – these guys have been getting smashed on Triple J and are fresh from a national tour with Yves Klein Blue and Cloud Control. They’re joined by Neon Love and Rat Vs Possum DJs, with plenty more DJs to keep you dancing. Tickets are just $5 pre-sale from Oztix. This will sell out so get in now!

ALICIA ROLLS OVER Music booker and journalist Alicia Bee always wanted to be ‘Like A Rolling Stone’. In spite of criticism that ordinary people should not celebrate their birthdays, Bee has assembled an all-star cast of musicians to help celebrate her birthday at Yah Yah’s this Sunday – and they are all performing covers of Rolling Stones classics. Performing on the night will be Andrew McCubbin & The Hope Addicts, The Cheats, The Taylor Project, Gabe Atkinson, The Weathermen, Merry Prain & Brett Dellavedova, Joe Dulce, James Hazleden, members of X, Bethany King, Lindsay Phillips, James Butt, Tim Woods, Paul William Ray, The Falling Sky and Ryan Sterling. Not only is the gig free entry, but you‘ll also get a piece of

live@inpress.com.au

to capture the true essence of a record or show.”

Even

Worst review? “I try not to read the bad ones – it can poison your mind. Musicians have enough self-loathing and doubt; reading bad reviews can compound this.” Favourite Even headline? “A cover page in The Drum Media in 1996. The photo shoot was conducted at a friend’s house the morning after a huge night in Sydney. Shooting was interrupted by my vomiting, which peppered my face with broken capillaries. Nice look! The headline was something to do with our rise to the toppermost of the poppermost.” The first album included the line, “You must have lost your mind, has it lost you?” What’s been the band’s craziest period? “Probably when Less Is More came out. It was bizarre garnering so much attention. But, thankfully, we had the machine behind us and a good record to justify the spotlight. It was crazy, in a good way.”

HOWZAT! Local music news by JEFF JENKINS

SIXTEEN ODD YEARS FOR EVEN Their debut album was called Less Is More. So did Even ever think they’d survive 16 years? “I didn’t think too much about the future when I was in my 20s,” laughs singer Ash Naylor. Ash and drummer Matthew Cotter had been in a band called The Swarm (fronted by SEN’s Francis Leach). “Matt and I did some demos in ’93 and a good friend of ours, Jeff Tennant [who also managed The Fauves], mentioned to Wally [Kempton] that we were looking for a bass player. As it happens, Wally liked the demo and had some time up his sleeve, and here we are.” Even did their first gig in 1994, at the Empress with Ammonia and Hurdy Gurdy. Has Ash made a living out of Even? “Sometimes.” Any regrets? “As far as what we’ve done on stage and on record, no.” Has the band ever actually broken up during the 16 years? “No.” Ash says Even “gravitated towards like-minded bands” in the early days, and they’ve outlived just

about all of ’em, including Snout, Sidewinder, Oliver, 78 Saab, Ammonia and Knievel. As Even get set for their Sweet 16 show (with The Stems at the Hi-Fi on Friday) and prepare to release their sixth album, In Another Time, we put Ash in the Howzat! hotseat: What’s been the most exciting moment during the 16 years? “The moment before we go on stage.” Best gig? Worst gig? Biggest gig? “The next show will be our best gig! Worst: Big Day Out 1995 – I lost my voice. It was the longest 45 minutes. And the biggest: Probably supporting Silverchair and Spiderbait at the Sydney Showgrounds in 1996. Scary, yet exciting.” What’s your favourite Even song? “I’m fond of all of them, but the easiest ones often end up being favourites. Life Gets In The Way is one of those songs.” Favourite review? “There are some rippers in the archives, but hindsight taught me to treat good and bad reviews in the same way. It is extremely rare for a review

Your favourite Even album? “Another impossible question, but Free Kicks will always be dear to me. We had been interrupted by some music industry headaches at this time. Being able to finance the album ourselves gave us the impetus to form our own label and not be at the mercy of the whims of the industry around us. And having Ian McLagan play on the album was an incredible experience.” What advice would you give a young band starting out today? “Write great songs.”

RONNIE’S SOLO RETREAT After nearly three decades of making wonderful music with Died Pretty, Ronnie S Peno is finally working on his first solo album. Ron is writing with Cam Butler and plans to hit the studio in August. “It’s just little steps, there’s no need to rush,” Ron told Neil Rogers on RRR last week. Ron will release the album under his initials – RSVP (Ronald Stephen Valentine Peno) and his band is called The Return To Senders. They’re doing three “sneak preview” gigs – this Thursday at 9pm at the Retreat, Sunday at the Old Bar (9pm), and Sunday 6 June at Yah Yah’s.

BARKER BACK TO WORK

As Nick Barker & The Reptiles get set to do their first shows in 17 years, Nick is also busy promoting his seventh solo album, Black Water Blues. He’s playing at the Workers Club on Friday.

CHART WATCH

Vanessa Amorosi hits the top five, and Perth group Pendulum swing into the Top 40 with Watercolour, which has already debuted at number four in the UK. Mr Mysterious VANESSA AMOROSI (number four) We Speak No Americano YOLANDA BE COOL (19) Unbroken STAN WALKER (30) Love Lost THE TEMPER TRAP (35) Watercolour PENDULUM (37, debut) Seventeen JET (40) The brilliant British India have a top ten debut. Iron Man 2 AC/DC (number four) Compass MARK VINCENT (six) On Broadway DAVID CAMPBELL (seven) Avalanche BRITISH INDIA (ten, debut) Golden Rule POWDERFINGER (13) Down The Way ANGUS & JULIA STONE (15) April Uprising THE JOHN BUTLER TRIO (17) Koonyum Sun XAVIER RUDD (18) Hazardous VANESSA AMOROSI (24) The Enchanted Way DAVID HOBSON (25, debut) Conditions THE TEMPER TRAP (26) Wonder LISA MITCHELL (39)

HOWZAT! PLAYLIST

Don’t Wait EVEN Age 14 REBECCA BARNARD Vanilla BRITISH INDIA First Frost LIZ STRINGER Sunny’s Song NICK BARKER

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Abelton APC40 Controller Akai E2 Headrush Pedal Allen & Heath ZED12 FX Ampeg SVTVI PRO All Tube Arturia ARP2600V Virtual Arturia Origin Desktop Audio Technica AT2020 Blackstar HT Club 40 Dean DNRESH Resonator Dean ML79 Black Gold Digitech DG Weapon r FX Dynacord Power Sub 315 Eastman AC510 Cutaway EDEN ED210XLT XLT Series Electro Harmonix BIG MUFF ESP Alexi-Scyth EV RE410 Mic Condenser EV SXA360 Powered Focusrite PLATINUM 4 Fostex PM0.4 High efﬁcie Gibson Explorer in case Golden Age 1073 pre

1099 499 899 3999 399 4999 195 1249 995 1799 329 4495 1595 1450 249 4999 329 2299 2795 599 1999 541

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Hartke A100 Bass Combo Katoh MCG-20 4/4 Classic Kawai ES6 Piano Korg Micro Kontrol Marshall AVT100X Tribute Maton EM225C Ac/El Guitar M-Audio Axiom 61 Control Neumann TLM49 Studio Con Novation Launchpad Pedal Train PT-2-SC PRS SE Custom Flame Top Quested S6R Active 2 way Radial PZ-Pre Preamp Roland PCR500 Sennheiser E906 Guitar Tanglewood TW15CE/B Taylor 114CE Cutaway P/U TC M-ONE XL stereo Warwick Pro 4x10 Bass Cab Wharfedale EVP-X15PB Wharfedale EZ-M10X2 Mini AKG C1000S & C2000B

999 249 2295 699 1399 1499 450 3149 299 289 1299 1995 749 569 449 1399 1799 1299 999 1129 119 1099

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BOSS CH1 Super Chorus DBX 1231 Graphic EQ 31 Digidesign MBOX 2 Factory Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb Fender BandMaster VM Fender Hot Rod Ext Cab Godin A5 Natural Bass Gretsch G6128 DUO JET Guild F40 Valencia InCase Medeli DD501 Kit Peavey 16FX W/USB Roland Bass Cube 100watt Roland JC120Guitar Amp Shure PGX24SM58P6 Wireles Shure SM58L Dynamic Vox AC30C2 Vintage Style Yamaha A15 15/Horn Yamaha EMX512SC Zoom A2 Acoustic Guitar Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recor

189 879 755 2399 1599 799 2799 3899 3699 599 1899 899 2199 899 199 1699 549 1199 229 499

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119 699 629 1599 999 399 1699 2699 1999 449 1099 719 1799 549 149 1299 299 729 159 399

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Acid Casualty, Extrafoxx, Caught Ship, Francis Plagne Empress Hotel Biffy Clyro HiFi Bar Boogie Monster, The Indigo Kids, Constant Mongrel The Arthouse Casual Quiz The Marquis of Lorne Combo Bombo Jazz Ensemble, Knight at the Discotheque, North Carolina, Cacophony Society 303 Dale Gorfi nkel, Robbie Avenaim, Tom Hall, Ivens, The Daniel Green Ensemble, DJ Downpat Stutter Detective Social, Skye Harbour, Grand Atlantic Workers Club Howl At The Moon, The Boarders, Tropical Gordon, Courtney Barnett Bar Open Jane Dust & the Giant Hoopoes The Retreat Hotel Milk Teddy, Monnone Alone, Angel Eyes, Ben Montero Birmingham Hotel Nick Costa Beav’s Bar, Geelong Open Mic Bender Bar Open Mic Night Grind ‘n’ Groove Bar Open Mic with Matt McFarlane Brunswick Hotel Revolver Rock in the Backroom, Spidey, Mary M, Adalita, Whitt Revolver Ricky Peterson & the Peterson Brothers, Sheila E Corner Hotel Ruby’s Unsigned Band Competition Rubys Lounge Sarah Mackintosh, Kate Lucas The Drunken Poet Sharpie Crows, Pop Singles, School Of Radiant Living The Old Bar Single Twin, Adam Cole Wesley Anne Sissies & Sluts Theater Company, ‘Whatever Happened to Hyena Madrid?’, Film, Day of the Animals Evelyn Hotel The Boy Who Spoke Clouds, Owls of the Swamp Edinburgh Castle Hotel

9LVLW FRRSHUV FRP DX IRU DOO GHWDLOV 80

THU 20

A Fundraiser for Endometriosis, A Night of Drag Kings Empress Hotel A New Horizon, Imaan Hadchiti, The Dirty Brothers, Ancient Man Esplanade Gershwin Room Alan Boyle, Steve Boyd The Drunken Poet Alex Anonymous, Into The Night, Box Rockets Spenserlive Bag Raiders The Toff In Town Carnation, White Birds & Lemons, Jimmy Hawk Grace Darling Hotel Chris Duke & The Royals, Calico Jacks, Fortnight Jumbo, The Playbook The Arthouse Cloudmouth, Steeler, Clowns, Brighter at Night Esplanade Basement Colin Cook & his band The Fleece Hotel College Fall, Indigo Hotel, Darren Gibson 303 Dozers, Beat Disease Lyrebird Lounge

Hello Satelites, Nick Huggins, J Walker Workers Club House Of Leaves, Declamation, Volytion Ruby’s Lounge JJ Symon & The Monochromes Edinburgh Castle Hotel John Montesante Quintet, Julie O’Hara The Commune Julia Rose, Cate De Carteret Bender Bar Knight at the Discotheque, North Carolina, Fat Gold Chain Brunswick Hotel Lamine Sonko, TeAyPe East Brunswick Club Lehmann B Smith Choir, Far Concern, Owl & Moth Builders Arms Hotel Low Rent Great Britain Hotel Madonna, The Operators, The Kujo Kings, Piranha Party Birmingham Hotel Melting Pot Presents, Siobhan & The Shakers, Creatures of Karma, Stolen Apples, Lauren Victoria Evelyn Hotel Miss Lucy, Emma Wall, Spinifex Rose Wesley Anne Monotone, My Musical Collective, Le Foxx, Brian Eno, Phil Spector, Leonne Western, DB Caulfield, DJ Pinball, 3181 Thursdays Revolver Naboo, The Ox & The Fury Esplanade Lounge Next Dimension, Gabriel Lynch, Claire Tonti IdGAFF Rapskallion Bertha Brown

Render, Droid Sectors, Inkswel, Daltron Bar Open Ring the Alarm, Redbelly, Fee First Floor Riverside Travellers The Spanish Club Rock Aerobics, These Patterns, Cult Visions, Tropical Gordon, Pauli Douglas Yah Yah’s Rockin Wrestlin, Digger & The Pussycats, The Spazzys Prince Bandroom RSVP, Penny Ikinger and the Evolution Retreat Hotel Rudely Interrupted, Heidi Everett, Institut Polaire Corner Hotel Schadenfreude, Pretty Strangers, Thieves, DJ Steely Dan McKay The Old Bar Stonnington Jazz: Shirazz Red Bennies The Beards The Palais, Hepburn Springs The Loop, In The Woods, The Rhetorics, Strangers From Now On, Slow Dance Pony The Process, The Priory Dolls Ding Dong Lounge The Resignators, King City Seven, The Wireflys Next The Skylines Cherry Bar The Spazzys, Digger & The Pussycats Prince of Wales, Melbourne Whitley, Gossling, Seagull Northcote Social Club

FRI 21

DEAD GRACEFUL After launching their debut album, A Room Full Of Beggars, to a packed crowd at the East Brunswick Club, the Dead River Deeps continue to fire on with a show at the Grace Darling Hotel band room this Saturday with The Good Ship and The Wildes. Sometime assassins, sometime saints, the Dead River Deeps mix uplifting choruses, searing emotional power and a barely contained menace to produce music that is as powerful as it is memorable. Entry is $10 frm 8pm.

A Lonely Crowd, Fritwicky John Curtin Hotel Aimee Francis, The Vera Knights, Samantha Lombardi, Revolver Fridays: NQR, Chardy, Dwayne Thompson, Hoops, Hans DC, WHO Revolver Baptism of Uzi, The Toot Toot Toots, Buried Feather Empress Hotel Blind Alley Band, The Broadside Push, Power & Greig Grace Darling Hotel

Burly-Friday Live Show featuring, Scarlett, Miss Nic, Foxtrot India, Honey B Goode, Poppy Cherry, Goldiloks, LadyChocolat Burlesque Bar Business As Usual Rockstar Bowling Catgut Mary, Chris Duke & The Royals, Madonna Spenserlive Cuba is Japan, Ninetynine Duo, Timothy & Wilderness, Slaughter Matthew Builders Arms Hotel DJ Lovepuff The Marquis of Lorne Don Fernando, Thomy & The Tanks, Kretch, The Tear Aways The Arthouse Don Walker, Roy Payne Caravan Music Club El Moth & The Turbo Rads, Jess Ribiero & The Bone Collectors, Tony Johannson Reveller’s Bar El Moth Turbo and the Rads, Tony Johannsen, Jess Ribiero & The Bone Collectors Reveller’s North (upstairs) Electrik Dynamite, The Deep End, Tantalum Cherry Bar Even, The Dacios, The Stems, Money For Rope HiFi Bar Fat Kids Presents - Hot Dogs, B.Two, 25th Hoodlum, Ms Butt, Spleezy, Fat Fucks First Floor Get To The Chopper, Sons of Abraham, Own Kind, Sleepa, Shade Esplanade Gershwin Room Grong Grong, Intoxica East Brunswick Club I Am Duckeye, SHERIFF, Dirty F, Dana Roskvist The Public Bar Jen Cloher, Jordie Lane, Young Werther Thornbury Theatre Jimmy Tait Duo, Laydee Dee, James Kenyon, Alysia Manceau, Susie Mae Wesley Anne Jodie Moran, Mark Smith Kaleidoscope Kurk Jackson, Laura Clarke Grind ‘n’ Groove Bar Mandek Penha, Bum Creek, Dead Boomers 303 Mark Phillips, with Supports Reveller’s North (downstairs)

Matt Mollyer Bender Bar Matt Wilco, B-Boogie Transport Hotel (Fed Sq) Mere Theory, Envy Parade, Assemble The Empire, Tonight Alive, Majoring in Minors Mooroolbark Community Centre Mr Nice & Ego Loop My Secret Circus, Twelve Foot Ninja, Fading Hour, The Quarters Esplanade Lounge Nick Barker, Mick Thomas, Chuck’s Wagon Workers Club NTI, Steve Punch BluAfterGlow Phill Deeh, Sam Mc Intosh Ruby’s Lounge Poprocks at the Toff, Dr Phil Smith The Toff In Town Puta Madre Bros, Johnnie & The Johnnie Johnnies, The Busty Insects, DJ Montenegro The Old Bar Rockin’ Rat Rods, Casket Radio Bendigo Hotel Saskwatch, O.M.G.’s Bar Open Shaun Kirk Paddy Tavern Society of Beggars, Moroccan Kings, The Red Cherries, Dynamo, Sideshow vs. Yoink! Pony Stonnington Jazz: The Shuffle Club Red Bennies The Advocates, Zero Degrees, Almaria, Racing Daphne Brunswick Hotel The Beards, The Woohoo Revue, The Bastard Children Evelyn Hotel The Denotators The Johnston The Once Overs, The Bakelite Age, DJ Geoff Leppard Retreat Hotel The Rebelles, The Shambelles, Dave Gray Yah Yah’s The Red Eyes, Mista Savona, The Reefs, Sista Itations Corner Hotel The Rostovs, Black Creek, The Ravines IdGAFF The Tiger & Me Builders Arms, early show The Weekend Pharoahs, Cartel Syndicate, Isle Adore Birmingham Hotel Traditional Irish Music Session, Dan Bourke & Friends The Drunken Poet

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Vultures Of Venues, National Airlines, Squares & Zeros Esplanade Basement Whitley, Gossling, Seagull Northcote Social Club Wilfred Jackal, The Smoke, Skye Harbour Ding Dong Lounge

SAT 22

Anna Smyrk & The Appetites, Beth King & The Hemingway Collective, Kate Lucas Builders Arms Hotel Aurora Jane, Rosie Burgess Trio, Mal Webb Northcote Social Club Austin The Drunken Poet Barbarion, HMAS Vendetta, Bogan Nation, Winterstorm, Tantalum, Elm Street, Rise Electric Esplanade Gershwin Room Bender Bar’s 5th Birthday, DJ Dapper Jam Bender Bar Charles Baby, Issac De Heer, Tom Tuena, The House deFROST, Andee Frost The Toff In Town Chase The Sun, Abbie Cardwell Trio, Jarrah Thompson, Melvis Yah Yah’s Chris Cavill & The Long Weekend, 2swai, Anita George Evelyn Hotel Chris Duke & The Royals, Damn The Empire, The Duvtons The Public Bar Cirque De Femmes, Rapskallion Burlesque Bar Clairy Baby Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes, DJ Mohair Slim, Anna’s Go Go Academy Bendigo Hotel Cloud Control, Richard In Your Mind, Love Connection East Brunswick Club Dead River Deeps, The Good Ship, The Wildes Grace Darling Hotel Dead River Deeps The Grace Bandroom Disco Sociale First Floor DJ Shortsleeves The Marquis of Lorne Grong Grong, The Stabs, Zond, DJ TJ Honeysuckle The Old Bar Henry F Skerritt Builders Arms, early show

Jarek, The Nymphs, Citrus Jam Edinburgh Castle Hotel Jodie Moran, Mark Smith St Andrews Hotel Joey Cape, Tony Sly Corner Hotel Johnnie & The Johnnie Johnnies Bar Open Kim Salmon, The Surrealists, Go Go Sapien Cherry Bar King & Lily Grind ‘n’ Groove Bar Left Feels Right, The Moxie, The Analyte John Curtin Hotel Level One, Jon Montes, Syme Tollens BluAfterGlow Master Cardinal, Dreaming Of Ghosts, Tehachapi, Strangers From Now On Workers Club Miguel George, Lady Lyric The Basement Panel Of Judges, Hissey Miyake, The School Of Radiant Living, Pop Singles Birmingham Hotel Passion Box, Deadly Are The Naked, Wah Wah Groove, Wet Young Dolphin, Dallas Heron Brunswick Hotel Ralph DeSilver, The Pang, The Angle Sea 303 Red Bennies Cabaret, Feet Of Beat Red Bennies Robot Child, Macarvan Empress Hotel, Arvo Show Russia, The Happy Endings, The Mercy Kills, The Late Show, Ransom, Ralph Boogie, Mr Moonshine, Mat Cant Revolver Sam McEwin, Miss Sarah Transport Hotel (Fed Sq) Samsara, IRE, The Weight Bang Shai Hulud, Shinto Katana, I Exist, Identity Theft The Arthouse Sin City, Catgut Mary, Waz E James, DJ Trevor Travis Retreat Hotel Smells Like Pharmacy, A*S*Y*S, Proteus, Frisky HiFi Bar Stomp Box Rumble, The Undecided By Defult Great Britain Hotel Sweetmac, 180 Proof, Lewis Farmen IdGAFF The Beards, The Woohoo Revue, The Bastard Children Ruby’s Lounge

kwp!CPR10759

WED 19

The Stillsons Duo The Standard Hotel Twenty Two Hundred, The Gin Talking, Big Left, The Hosies Esplanade Lounge White Woods, The Ancients Builders Arms Hotel Whitley, Gossling, Seagull Northcote Social Club

Wed. 19th (Wine, Whiskey, Women) 8pm: Sarah Mackintosh 9pm: Kate Lucas Thurs. 20th 8pm: Alan Boyle 9pm: Steve Boyd Fri. 21st 6pm Trad. Irish music session with Dan Bourke & friends Sat. 22nd 9pm: Austin Sun. 23rd 4pm: The Bakersfield Glee Club 6.30pm: Shaun Kirk Tues. 25th 8pm Weekly Trivia

All Shows Always Free! The Drunken Poet, 65 Peel Street (Directly opposite Queen Vic Market). Phone: 03 9348 9797 www.myspace.com/drunkenpoets 81

gigguide@inpress.com.au The Boys, The Bon Scotts, I Heart Cusack, Soursop Wesley Anne The Denotators Monash Hotel The Gems, The Lights, Sunday Waits Empress Hotel The Initiation The Palais, Hepburn Springs The Overview, The Choice Cuts, Duke Street, White Summer, The Feel Goods, The Quarters Esplanade Basement The Public Life, Dirt River Radio, Burn In Hell Reveller’s North (upstairs) The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, DJ Ross Dewbury, Ms Butt, Blair Stafford The Order Of Melbourne The Rusty Pickers Reveller’s North (downstairs) The Stillsons Edinburgh Castle, early show Weekender, The Spit Fires, En Tout Cas Ding Dong Lounge Wonk, Mark J, Ash Vershuur, Ryan Beck Loop Wood Of Suicides, Dawn Of Retribution, Haxan, Systematic Genocide, The Cheats, Pink Fitt Pony

YER FLAP! SHOWING Much-loved Melbourne band Flap! finally return to for their first major gig of 2010. Combining fiery youthful charm and cheeky character with influences from 1920s jazz, gypsy brass, English folk and Trinidadian calypso, Flap! create a sound that makes every song a surefire floor filler. Previewing songs from their forthcoming album, but not neglecting their fan’s favourites, Flap! play the East Brunswick Club on Thursday 3 June, supported by their old friends The Band Who Knew Too Much, with their signature renegade style. This is a rare chance to catch both bands in their full line-ups on the same bill. Zinc, Mat Cant, Paz, Dust, Phil Para Esplanade Lounge

SUN 23

Alexis Nicole, The Doultan Crew Transport Hotel (Fed Sq)

Anonymeye, Penguins, Brain Drain Empress Hotel Apache Spurs Great Britain Hotel Atrocity Burlesque Bar Austin Floyd The Standard Hotel Chevrolet Rise Lord Newry Hotel Chicken House St Andrews Hotel

Clowns, Remotive, Violet Flames Brunswick Hotel Clunk Orchestra, Sunday Waits, Sarah Carnegie 303 Dave Graney & The Lurid Yellow Mist, Jane Dust & the Giant Hoopoes Retreat Hotel Dominic Cincotta, Michael Cormick Spenserlive Don Walker, Roy Payne, Jen Cloher, Jordie Lane Northcote Social Club Fred Negro’s Kooky Karaoke Lyrebird Lounge Gabriel Lynch, John Flanagan Edinburgh Castle, early show Headspace, Dale Ryder Band, Bad Boys Batucada Esplanade Lounge Jaguar Spring, Townhouses, Alps, Crouching Tiger DJs Bar Open James Kenyon, The Lloyd Weir Bertha Brown Jumbledat, DJ Muel Evelyn Hotel Lindsay Field, Angus Burchall Carringbush Hotel Nathan Porter, James Fitzpatrick, Muckle Pup, Nick Kissane IdGAFF Open Decks Bender Bar

Open Stage Ruby’s Lounge POND, Ev & Shags, Zsa Zsa Workers Club Radio Vertigo, Summer of Betrayl, The Alfies, The Lipsticks, Forsaken, 8 Bit Love Esplanade Gershwin Room Revolver Sundays, Boogs, Spacey Space, Radiator, T-Rek Revolver Sforzando, Leprosy, Bloody Hammer The Arthouse Steve Lane & The Autocrates, Cooper Black Edinburgh Castle Hotel Sunday Sets, Jungal, Jed Rowe Band Bendigo Hotel Taasha & Tristan, The Sunday Set, DJ Andy Black, Haggis The Toff In Town The Bakersfield Glee Club, Shaun Kirk The Drunken Poet The Blowup Grandview Hotel The Bulls The Marquis of Lorne The Denotators Grand Hotel The Edinburgh Collective feat., Obvian, Nikki Pratley, James Daniels, Nic Tate Wesley Anne

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

The Good Booking Agency presents:, Like A Rolling Stone, Andrew McCubbin & The Hope Addicts, The Cheats, The Taylor Project, Gabe Atkinson, The Weathermen Yah Yah’s The Hellfire Club Megalomania Party Red Bennies The Hired Guns, RSVP, The Good Ship, DJ Radford The Old Bar The Mercurials, Mark Ferrie, Andrew Pendelbury, Adi Sappir Caravan Music Club The Tim Pledger Quartet Builders Arms, early show Vivienne Black, Steph Brett, Kathryn Francis Empress Hotel, Arvo Show

MON 24

Adam Afif & Fergus McAlpin and friends The Marquis of Lorne Bogan Bingo Retreat Hotel ‘Crotchety Knitwits’ The Old Bar Curious Fingers 303

El Moth & The Turbo Rads, DJ Oscar Evelyn Hotel Ex Spectator, Gold Tango, Sucio Poder, Infi nite Void East Brunswick Club Gabby B Empress Hotel Passionate Tongues - Poetry and Spoken Word Brunswick Hotel Swing Classes The Toff In Town The Little Stevies Esplanade Lounge Whitley, Gossling, Seagull Northcote Social Club

TUE 25

Applikator, Citrus Jam, Grist The Arthouse DJ Mac G Retreat Hotel Film, Slow Fashion Screening 303 Goodnight Owl, The Moxie, Winter Evelyn Hotel

Melbourne Fresh Industry Showcase, Laura Winter, Midnight Heavies, May & Ozzi, Elouise Bates, The Final Cut, The Contortionists Handbook, Battle Elephants, Blood Union Revolver Open Mic Empress Hotel Rosanna & The Virginettes, Michael Johnston, Eugene Holcombe, Life Drawing The Old Bar Stonnington Jazz: The Twoks Red Bennies The Basics, Georgia Fields Northcote Social Club The Brunswick Discovery, Boy Cried Wolf, Little Rain Brunswick Hotel The Lion & Ryan, Mark Nixx, Chris Manning, Earl Grey Policy, Michelle Meehan Esplanade Lounge The Paper Kites, Stu Larsen, Ben Abraham The Toff In Town Weekly Trivia The Drunken Poet

THURSDAY 20TH

FRONT BAR, FREE ENTRY $10 PARMA

RIVERSIDE TRAVELLERS 8:30PM

MONDAY 24TH

FRONT BAR, FREE ENTRY $10 PARMA

KARAOKE 9PM

WEDNESDAY 26TH

FRONT BAR

DARRYL TAYLOR ACOUSTIC SAT 12TH JUNE

UMULAT + DR EL SUAVO SCREENING FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR FILM CLIP & DVD LAUNCHES PRESENTING LOCAL & TOURING BANDS

WANNA GIG? BAND BOOKINGS:

spanishclubbookings@gmail.com

FUNCTION BOOKINGS WELCOME www.myspace/thespanishclubvenue

59-61 Johnston St, Fitzroy P: 03 9417 2505

140 Sydney Rd

BRUNSWICKHOTEL.NET

9387 6637

NO COVER CHARGE

WED MAY 19 - 8:30 PM

THE BRUNSWICK OPEN MIC

WITH HOST MATT MCFARLANE. $10 JUGS! REGISTER AT 8PM ON THE NIGHT! (FREE BEER PER PERFORMER!)

THURS MAY 20

KNIGHT AT THE DISCOTEQUE NORTH CAROLINA FAT GOLD CHAIN

FRI MAY 21

THE ADVOCATES ZERO DEGREES ALMARIA RACING DAPHNE

SAT MAY 22 - 6PM

PASSIONBOX X 2 SETS 9PM - DEADLY ARE THE NAKED WAH WAH GROOVE WET YOUNG DOLPHIN DALLAS HERON SUN MAY 23 - 9PM

CLOWNS

REMOTIVE VIOLET FLAME

MON MAY 24

PASSIONATE TONGUES

POETRY AND SPOKEN WORD FEATURING A CONSTANTLY CHANGING LINE-UP OF SOME OF MELBOURNES FINEST POETS. KICK OFF AT 8PM. HOSTED BY MICHAEL REYNOLDS

TUES MAY 25

THE BRUNSWICK DISCOVERY

GIVING CHANCES TO NEW UP AND COMING ARTISTS (ENQUIRIES TO BRUNNYGIGS@GMAIL.COM) THIS WEEK: BOY CRIED WOLF, LITTLE RAIN

gigguide@inpress.com.au

303

Wednesday Combo Bombo Jazz Ensemble, Knight at the Discotheque, North Carolina, Cacophony Society Thursday College Fall, Indigo Hotel, Darren Gibson Friday Mandek Penha, Bum Creek, Dead Boomers Saturday Ralph DeSilver, The Pang, The Angle Sea Sunday Clunk Orchestra, Sunday Waits, Sarah Carnegie Monday Curious Fingers Tuesday Film, Slow Fashion Screening

BANG

Saturday Samsara, IRE, The Weight

BAR OPEN

Wednesday Howl At The Moon, The Boarders, Tropical Gordon, Courtney Barnett Thursday Render, Droid Sectors, Inkswel, Daltron Friday Saskwatch, O.M.G.’s Saturday Johnnie & The Johnnie Johnnies Sunday Jaguar Spring, Townhouses, Alps, Crouching Tiger DJs

BENDER BAR

Wednesday Open Mic Thursday Julia Rose, Cate De Carteret Friday matt collyer Saturday Bender Bar’s 5th Birthday, DJ Dapper Jam Sunday Open Decks

BENDIGO HOTEL

Friday Rockin’ Rat Rods, Casket Radio Saturday Clairy Baby Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes, DJ Mohair Slim, Anna’s Go Go Academy Sunday Sunday Sets, Jungal, Jed Rowe Band

BIRMINGHAM HOTEL

Wednesday Milk Teddy, Monnone Alone, Angel Eyes, Ben Montero Thursday Madonna, The Operators, The Kujo Kings, Piranha Party Friday The Weekend Pharoahs, Cartel Syndicate, Isle Adore Saturday Panel Of Judges, Hissey Miyake, The School Of Radiant Living, Pop Singles

BRUNSWICK HOTEL

Wednesday Open Mic with Matt McFarlane Thursday Knight at the Discotheque, North Carolina, Fat Gold Chain Friday The Advocates, Zero Degrees, Almaria, Racing Daphne Saturday Passion Box, Deadly Are The Naked, Wah Wah Groove, Wet Young Dolphin, Dallas Heron Sunday Clowns, Remotive, Violet Flames Monday Passionate Tongues - Poetry and Spoken Word Tuesday The Brunswick Discovery, Boy Cried Wolf, Little Rain

BUILDERS ARMS HOTEL

Wednesday White Woods, The Ancients Thursday Lehmann B Smith Choir, Far Concern, Owl & Moth Friday Cuba is Japan, Ninetynine Duo, Timothy & Wilderness, Slaughter Matthew Saturday Anna Smyrk & The Appetites, Beth King & The Hemingway Collective, Kate Lucas

BURLESQUE BAR

Friday Burly-Friday Live Show featuring, Scarlett, Miss Nic, Foxtrot India, Honey B Goode, Poppy Cherry, Goldiloks, Lady Chocolat Saturday Cirque De Femmes, Rapskallion Sunday Atrocity

CARAVAN MUSIC CLUB

Friday Don Walker, Roy Payne Sunday The Mercurials, Mark Ferrie, Andrew Pendelbury, Adi Sappir

CHERRY BAR

Thursday The Skylines Friday Electrik Dynamite, The Deep End, Tantalum Saturday Kim Salmon, The Surrealists, Go Go Sapien

CORNER HOTEL

Wednesday Ricky Peterson & the Peterson Brothers, Sheila E Thursday Rudely Interrupted, Heidi Everett, Institut Polaire

DING DONG LOUNGE

Thursday The Process, The Priory Dolls Friday Wilfred Jackal, The Smoke, Skye Harbour Saturday Weekender, The Spit Fires, En Tout Cas

EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB

Thursday Lamine Sonko, TeAyPe Friday Grong Grong, Intoxica Saturday Cloud Control, Richard In Your Mind, Love Connection Monday Ex Spectator, Gold Tango, Sucio Poder, Infinite Void

EDINBURGH CASTLE HOTEL

Wednesday The Boy Who Spoke Clouds, Owls of the Swamp Thursday JJ Symon & The Monochromes Saturday Jarek, The Nymphs, Citrus Jam Sunday Steve Lane & The Autocrates, Cooper Black

EMPRESS HOTEL

Wednesday Acid Casualty, Extrafoxx, Caught Ship, Francis Plagne Thursday A Fundraiser for Endometriosis, A Night of Drag Kings Friday Baptism of Uzi, The Toot Toot Toots, Buried Feather Saturday The Gems, The Lights, Sunday Waits Sunday Anonymeye, Penguins, Brain Drain Monday Gabby B Tuesday Open Mic

EMPRESS HOTEL, ARVO SHOW

Saturday Robot Child, Macarvan Sunday Vivienne Black, Steph Brett, Kathryn Francis

ESPLANADE BASEMENT

Thursday Cloudmouth, Steeler, Clowns, Brighter at Night Friday Vultures Of Venues, National Airlines, Squares & Zeros Saturday The Overview, The Choice Cuts, Duke Street, White Summer, The Feel Goods, The Quarters

ESPLANADE GERSHWIN ROOM

Thursday A New Horizon, Imaan Hadchiti, The Dirty Brothers, Ancient Man

PONY

Friday The Red Eyes, Mista Savona, The Reefs, Sista Itations Saturday Joey Cape, Tony Sly

PENO HARDENS UP The legendary Ron Peno will be performing with his brand new outfit, RSVP & The Return To Senders, featuring Cam Butler on guitars, Brett Poliness on drums, Andy Papp on bass and Tim Deane on keyboards this Thursday night at the Retrea! As if that’s not enough, crossing the river to play with Peno and band will be Penny Ikinger & The Evolution. On Friday night at the Retreat, say rock with The Once Overs and The Bakelite Age. Saturday sees Retreat regulars Waz E James and band playing the front bar in the early evening and then later out the back catch Sin City joined by Catgut Mary. We’re also in for a treat this Sunday too, with Dave Graney & The Lurid Yellow Mist and Jane Dust & The Giant Hoopoes to warm you up and make you smile. Open fires are cranking, beer is cold, and it’s all free. See you there! Friday Get To The Chopper, Sons of Abraham, Own Kind, Sleepa, Shade Saturday Barbarion, HMAS Vendetta, Bogan Nation, Winterstorm, Tantalum, Elm Street, Rise Electric Sunday Radio Vertigo, Summer of Betrayl, The Alfies, The Lipsticks, Forsaken, 8 Bit Love

ESPLANADE LOUNGE

Wednesday Twenty Two Hundred, The Gin Talking, Big Left, The Hosies Thursday Naboo, The Ox & The Fury Friday My Secret Circus, Twelve Foot Ninja, Fading Hour, The Quarters Saturday Zinc, Mat Cant, Paz, Dust, Phil Para Sunday Headspace, Dale Ryder Band, Bad Boys Batucada Monday The Little Stevies Tuesday The Lion & Ryan, Mark Nixx, Chris Manning, Earl Grey Policy, Michelle Meehan

EVELYN HOTEL

Wednesday Sissies & Sluts Theater Company, ‘Whatever Happened to Hyena Madrid?’, Film, Day of the Animals Thursday Melting Pot Presents, Siobhan & The Shakers, Creatures of Karma, Stolen Apples, Lauren Victoria Friday The Beards, The Woohoo Revue, The Bastard Children Saturday Chris Cavill & The Long Weekend, 2swai, Anita George Sunday Jumbledat, DJ Muel Monday El Moth & The Turbo Rads, DJ Oscar Tuesday Goodnight Owl, The Moxie, Winter

GRACE DARLING HOTEL

Thursday Carnation, White Birds & Lemons, Jimmy Hawk Friday Blind Alley Band, The Broadside Push, Power & Greig Saturday Dead River Deeps, The Good Ship, The Wildes

HIFI BAR

Wednesday Biffy Clyro Friday Even, The Dacios, The Stems, Money For Rope Saturday Smells Like Pharmacy, A*S*Y*S, Proteus, Frisky

JOHN CURTIN HOTEL

Friday A Lonely Crowd, Fritwicky Saturday Left Feels Right, The Moxie, The Analyte

LYREBIRD LOUNGE

Thursday Dozers, Beat Disease Sunday Fred Negro’s Kooky Karaoke

Thursday The Resignators, King City Seven, The Wireflys

NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB

Wednesday Whitley, Gossling, Seagull Thursday Whitley, Gossling, Seagull Friday Whitley, Gossling, Seagull Saturday Aurora Jane, Rosie Burgess Trio, Mal Webb Sunday Don Walker, Roy Payne, Jen Cloher, Jordie Lane Monday Whitley, Gossling, Seagull Tuesday The Basics, Georgia Fields

SUMMERFESTIVALGUIDE.COM.AU

Thursday The Loop, In The Woods, The Rhetorics, Strangers From Now On, Slow Dance Friday Society of Beggars, Moroccan Kings, The Red Cherries, Dynamo, Sideshow vs. Yoink! Saturday Wood Of Suicides, Dawn Of Retribution, Haxan, Systematic Genocide, The Cheats, Pink Fitt

PRINCE BANDROOM

Thursday Rockin Wrestlin, Digger & The Pussycats, The Spazzys

RETREAT HOTEL

Thursday RSVP, Penny Ikinger and the Evolution Friday The Once Overs, The Bakelite Age, DJ Geoff Leppard Saturday Sin City, Catgut Mary, Waz E James, DJ Trevor Travis Sunday Dave Graney & The Lurid Yellow Mist, Jane Dust & the Giant Hoopoes Monday Bogan Bingo Tuesday DJ Mac G

REVELLER’S NORTH (DOWNSTAIRS)

Friday Mark Phillips, with Supports Saturday The Rusty Pickers

REVELLER’S NORTH (UPSTAIRS)

Friday El Moth Turbo and the Rads, Tony Johannsen, Jess Ribiero & The Bone Collectors Saturday The Public Life, Dirt River Radio, Burn In Hell

REVOLVER

Wednesday Revolver Rock in the Backroom, Spidey, Mary M, Adalita, Whitt Thursday Monotone, My Musical Collective, Le Foxx, Brian Eno, Phil Spector, Leonne Western, DB Caulfield, DJ Pinball, 3181 Thursdays Friday Aimee Francis, The Vera Knights, Samantha Lombardi, Revolver Fridays: NQR, Chardy, Dwayne Thompson, Hoops, Hans DC, WHO Saturday Russia, The Happy Endings, The Mercy Kills, The Late Show, Ransom, Ralph Boogie, Mr Moonshine, Mat Cant Sunday Revolver Sundays, Boogs, Spacey Space, Radiator, T-Rek Tuesday Melbourne Fresh Industry Showcase, Laura Winter, Midnight Heavies, May & Ozzi, Elouise Bates, The Final Cut, The Contortionists Handbook, Battle Elephants, Blood Union

THE ARTHOUSE

Wednesday Boogie Monster, The Indigo Kids, Constant Mongrel Thursday Chris Duke & The Royals, Calico Jacks, Fortnight Jumbo, The Playbook Friday Don Fernando, Thomy & The Tanks, Kretch, The Tear Aways Saturday Shai Hulud, Shinto Katana, I Exist, Identity Theft Sunday Sforzando, Leprosy, Bloody Hammer Tuesday Applikator, Citrus Jam, Grist

THE DRUNKEN POET

Wednesday Sarah Mackintosh, Kate Lucas Thursday Alan Boyle, Steve Boyd Friday Traditional Irish Music Session, Dan Bourke & Friends Saturday Austin Sunday The Bakersfield Glee Club, Shaun Kirk Tuesday Weekly Trivia

THE MARQUIS OF LORNE

Wednesday Casual Quiz Friday DJ Lovepuff Saturday DJ Shortsleeves Sunday The Bulls Monday Adam Afif & Fergus McAlpin and friends

THE OLD BAR

Wednesday Sharpie Crows, Pop Singles, School Of Radiant Living Thursday Schadenfreude, Pretty Strangers, Thieves, DJ Steely Dan McKay Friday Puta Madre Bros, Johnnie & The Johnnie Johnnies, The Busty Insects, DJ Montenegro Saturday Grong Grong, The Stabs, Zond, DJ TJ Honeysuckle Sunday The Hired Guns, RSVP, The Good Ship, DJ Radford Monday ’Crotchety Knitwits’ Tuesday Rosanna & The Virginettes, Michael Johnston, Eugene Holcombe, Life Drawing

THE PUBLIC BAR

Friday I Am Duckeye, SHERIFF, Dirty F, Dana Roskvist Saturday Chris Duke & The Royals, Damn The Empire, The Duvtons

THE SPANISH CLUB

Thursday Riverside Travellers

THE STANDARD HOTEL

Wednesday The Stillsons Duo Sunday Austin Floyd

THE TOFF IN TOWN

Thursday Bag Raiders Friday Poprocks at the Toff, Dr Phil Smith Saturday Charles Baby, Issac De Heer, Tom Tuena, The House deFROST, Andee Frost Sunday Taasha & Tristan, The Sunday Set, DJ Andy Black, Haggis Monday Swing Classes Tuesday The Paper Kites, Stu Larsen, Ben Abraham

THORNBURY THEATRE

Friday Jen Cloher, Jordie Lane, Young Werther

TRANSPORT HOTEL (FED SQ)

Friday Matt Wilco, B-Boogie Saturday Sam McEwin, Miss Sarah Sunday Alexis Nicole, The Doultan Crew

WESLEY ANNE

Wednesday Single Twin, Adam Cole Thursday Miss Lucy, Emma Wall, Spinifex Rose Friday Jimmy Tait Duo, Laydee Dee, James Kenyon, Alysia Manceau, Susie Mae Saturday The Boys, The Bon Scotts, I Heart Cusack I Heart Cusack, Soursop Sunday The Edinburgh Collective feat., Obvian, Nikki Pratley, James Daniels, Nic Tate

WORKERS CLUB

Wednesday Detective Social, Skye Harbour, Grand Atlantic Thursday Hello Satelites, Nick Huggins, J Walker Friday Nick Barker, Mick Thomas, Chuck’s Wagon Saturday Master Cardinal, Dreaming Of Ghosts, Tehachapi, Strangers From Now On Sunday POND, Ev & Shags, Zsa Zsa

YAH YAH’S

Thursday Rock Aerobics, These Patterns, Cult Visions, Tropical Gordon, Pauli Douglas Friday The Rebelles, The Shambelles, Dave Gray Saturday Chase The Sun, Abbie Cardwell Trio, Jarrah Thompson, Melvis Sunday The Good Booking Agency presents:, Like A Rolling Stone, Andrew McCubbin & The Hope Addicts, The Cheats, The Taylor Project, Gabe Atkinson, The Weathermen

EMPLOYMENT ADMINISTRATION

3044.

KAWAI PIANO MAY MADNESS SALE

HEADROOM SOUND AUSTRALIA Using; P Audio, B & C, JBL and E.V. Top quality drivers in all our custom built bins. Top boxes, mids, subs, wedges to spec. This online pic is our new folded horn with one 18inch challenger, putting out 137db – 140+ when coupled. Call us for a free quote. 0414355763 iFlogID: 3100

EDUCATION & TRAINING VIOLIN TEACHER NEEDED! Position available in Busy music school in Beverly Hills, Kogarah and at various government schools. Teaching mainly beginners to intermediate level. Enthusiasm, patience and ability to inspire will be looked at more than your qualifications and experience. Email resume jobs@jumbonote.com.au

BRAND NEW 3 CHANNEL 100WATT 2X12 COMBO - WITH FOOTSWITCH, ENGLISH MADE, 5 YEAR WARRANTY. HAS SOME SHOP WEAR. RRP $3399 OUR PRICE $1799 CALL US 07 54743033 iFlogID: 3647

MESA BOOGIE TRIPLE RETIFIER

SECONDHAND RR24 RANDY RHOADS - WHITE EMG PICKUP AND FLOYD ROSE BRIDGE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION - NEW $2899 AS NEW $1549 CALL US 07 54743033

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ROSS PC110 POWERED MIXER

STYLE O PARLOUR GUITAR

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CASIO WORKSTATION WK200 Special price of $399 Power adapter $29 GREAT VINTAGE LOOK WITH MODERN SPECS. BEAUTIFUL TONEWOODS. 14 FRET SLIM ADJUSTABLE NECK. THE PHOTO SHOWS ONLY THE STYLE - MY GUITAR IS MUCH MORE STUNNING. EXCELLENT CASE. THINELINE PICKUP. CAN BE SEEN IN CITY - DAYTIME. iFlogID: 3986

BOSS DISTORTION PEDAL

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BASS

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PIANO TEACHER NEEDED! Position available in Busy music school in Beverly Hills, Kogarah and at various government schools. Teaching mainly beginners to intermediate level. Enthusiasm, patience and ability to inspire will be looked at more than your qualifications and experience. Email resume jobs@jumbonote.com.au

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OTHER HEADROOM SOUND Using; P Audio, B & C, JBL and E.V. Top quality drivers in all our custom built bins. Top boxes, mids, subs, wedges to spec. This online pic is our new folded horn with one 18inch challenger, putting out 137db – 140+ when coupled. Call us for a free quote. 0414355763

$500 RESORT VOUCHER

LANEY AMP MAY MADNESS SALE

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PEAVEY CLASSIC50 2 X 12” NEW

SAME AS PICTURE BUT 5 STRING.. BRAND NEW LTD EDITION CORVETTE, ONLY 300 MADE WORLDWIDE WAS $6299 - NOW ONLY $3149 CALL US 07 54743033

Boss MT-2 Metal Zone. Good condition, brutal distortion. These things never break- $90

GIBSON 1960 RI GOLDTOP

iFlogID: 3635

MIJ SQUIRE JAZZ BASS

WANNA WORK IN THE MUSIC BIZ? Valleyarm are a global digital music supplier and are seeking sales contractors to sign bands and artists. On target earnings of $37800 PA, flexible hours and awesome incentives! A passion and an ear for good music is essential, if you like checking out bands and have good people skills then this might be the job for you! A real chance to make huge dollars within the music industry! Training provided. Email interest and resumes to info@valleyarm.com or call 03 9525 5589 for more information. iFlogID: 4686

PROMOTER ROCK/METAL BAND SEEK MANAGER

Japanese made Squier Jazz Bass L Series 91-92 Very good condition, great sound, all original PEAVEY CLASSIC 50, 2 x 12”, BRAND NEW, 5 YEAR WARRANTY, WAS $1999 NOW $1400, CALL (07) 3812 1880

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MUSICMAN SUB ACTIVE 5 STRING

SECONDHAND 1960 RI LES PAUL GOLDTOP IN EXCELLENT CONDITION W/CASE ONLY $3395 CALL US 07 54743033 - MUSIC@NOOSA

VIPER GUITAR AMP.ALL VALVE

Original hard rock/metal band Silent Rose based in Melbourne, is currently seeking a dedicated manager. Visit www.myspace.com/silentrosemusic or email silentrosemusic@hotmail. com for more details.

iFlogID: 4384

iFlogID: 4610

CD / DVD METAL CD’S FOR SALE Over 500 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal CD’s for sale.Dozens of different bands.70’s to current.All in excellent condition.Many hard to find.Expand your collection overnight. $3400 the Lot or will sep.at $8 each.

YAMAHA BRASS MAY MADNESS SALE 12-24 MONTHS INTEREST FREE, NO INTEREST EVER, TAKE HOME YOUR GUITAR,AMP,P.A,KEYBOARD,ETC TODAY... CALL US FOR MORE DETAILS 07 54743033 MUSIC @ NOOSA

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IBANEZ LIMITED ED H.R.GIGER RG

100 watt head and matching 4/12 angled quadbox.2 fully seperate channels with reverb/crunch/mean/filth. effects send/return.all footswithable. very versatile.Australian designed quality.MINT CONDITION.$850 ono. iFlogID: 4664

MARSHALL VS100 VALVESTATE AMP.

Would you like to be able to offer everyone you know and everyone they know and so on, the BEST PRICES GUARANTEED in the world for all their new brand name shopping? Well take a look at this. This is most certainly a lifetime opportunity to launch ongoing income well into the future. www. hotglobalbusiness.com/fortunate

BRAND NEW.TOP OF THE RANGE -SONOR 5 PCE DESIGNER KIT. 10,12 AND 16 TOMS.14 SNARE. 22 BASS DRUM, 3 CYMBAL STANDS,HI HAT STAND AND SNARE STAND. RETAILS $12888. SPECIAL $6999. iFlogID: 3529

GUITARS GUITARS FENDER GIBSON MARTIN

Yamaha Brass instruments at great prices for the month of May. 02-9520 3044. iFlogID: 4286

YAMAHA WOODWIND MAY MADNESS Yamaha Woodwind May Madness. Woodwind instruments at great prices, call 02 9520 3044. iFlogID: 4288

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FENDER PINK PAISLEY STRAT.

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JACKSON RR24 RHOADS WITH CASE

Australia’s first online booking agency with a difference!!!! For Artists & Promoters

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$99 per song +gst for online mastering via our secure servers. Analog chain, digital chain, mix evaluations, online mastering and attended sessions - we ensure your mastered product sounds amazing. www.matthewgraymastering.com. iFlogID: 3422

FORENSIC AUDIO MASTERING Professional high end analog and digital mastering. Online service available with highly competitive rates. www.forensicaudio.com.au mobile 0401 499 667 iFlogID: 4091

OTHER CUSTOM BASS DRUM HEADS

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“MUSIC INDUSTRY BIBLE”

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KEYBOARDS KORG TRITON EXTREME88

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WANT TO PERFORM OR TOUR? Do you want to perform or tour? Need help sourcing $ for? There are government grants closing soon. For help contact: speakeasywordsandmusic@ gmail.com or 0439 620 526. Professional, down to earth, affordable grant writing and music/tour booking

HIRE SERVICES

COOL PERTH NIGHTS

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Coming soon to a movie theatre near you, this dramatic fantasy musical adventure. From the trenches of the first world war to a new world beyond the mysterious Timeless Forest. All enquiries to Duncan on mobile: 0402 136 335 duncan321sunrise@yahoo. com.au View associated website at www.adventuresofjack.webs.com

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Valleyarm Digital are looking for bands to be included on compilation albums that will be featured on iTunes worldwide. All genres are welcome and we’ll also be offering a Worldwide Digital Deal to a band or artist that we think we think we can market on a global scale! This will include $5000 worth of online marketing and a worldwide release on all the major digital stores. Submit your tracks (1 per band/artist) along with bio and contact details to - info@valleyarm.com iFlogID: 4717

PA / AUDIO / ENGINEERING

PA/OPERATOR FOR HIRE For as low as $100, you get a PA system with a sound mixer, complete with a human operator as well to set it up for you for the evening. You can play your own music through it, sing, talk, do a disco, small function, etc, etc, etc. Contact Chris 0419 272 196.

SPEAKER REPAIRS - ALL MODELS

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PA AND INSTRUMENT HIRE Cool Perth Nights weekly mailout features all the coolest live music, theatre, indie film screenings and art exhibition happenings in and around Perth Western Australia. Sign up via www.coolperthnights.com and receive this clean presented and very fun info each Wednesday lunchtime WST.

Headroom Sound Australia. Re-cones to all models e.g. JBL, P Audio, B & C, E-Tone etc Custom built crossovers, all at budget prices. For quotes contact Ray on tallpoppies@iprimus. com.au or 04143 55763 iFlogID: 3094

HEADROOM SOUND AUSTRALIA

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Thousands of titles, call Engadine Music now on 02 9520 3044 BRAND NEW LIMITED EDITION H.R.GIGER RG + CASE. RRP $2995, SELLING FOR $2295, ONE ONLY, CALL (07) 3812 1880

Custom bass drum heads ensure your bands name gets remembered after the gig. The sickest, best quality custom bass drum heads, banners, backdrops, stickers, and full drum wraps! www.kustombassdrumgraphics.com.au sales@kustombassdrumgraphics.com.au

Our international engineers of Unprecedented Reputation are now available for consultation and advice with no obligation. A NEW, SENSIBLE MUSIC MASTERING SERVICE. Super fast upload/download turnaround with incredible results... You won’t be disappointed, you won’t believe who we are.

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Melbourne Pa and Instrument Hire Specialists. We have a large range of Pa equipment, large and small to suit any occasion. Dynacord,yamaha,mackie,cordless mics,etc etc. Instrument hire also available such as drumkits,keyboards,amps and much more. Call for 9689 4622 Just 10 min from cbd

LOVE IN A KINGDOM - FILM OPERA

Using; P Audio, B & C, JBL and E.V. Top quality drivers in all our custom built bins. Top boxes, mids, subs, wedges to spec. This online pic is our new folded horn with one 18inch challenger, putting out 137db – 140+ when coupled. Call us for a free quote. 0414355763 iFlogID: 3102

PORTABLE RECORDING SERVICE

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MASTERING

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Maton M225 Solid Sitka Spruce soundboard Queensland Maple Back, sides & neck Rosewood with dot inlays fingerboard Australian Made Original Elixir strings Natural Finish $750 *pick up in Sydney area

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ADVENTURES OF JACK BARTHOLEMEW

BANDS NEEDED FOR ITUNES!!!

HUGE SELECTION OF PRINT MUSIC

Vintage and USA guitars. Buy, Sell and Trade. mattsvintageguitars.com 02-9518-0150

ACOUSTIC GUITAR MATON M225

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Rode Microphone May Madness sale, call Engadine Music now on 02- 9520 3044

May Madness sale on now at Engadine Music. Call 02-9520 3044

SONOR ‘DESIGNER’ KIT

LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY

RODE MICROPHONE MAY MADNESS

JUPITER BRASS AND WOODWIND

DRUMS

SELF-EMPLOYMENT

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FREE MASTERING ADVICE

MUSIC@NOOSA - INTEREST FREE

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DUPLICATION/ MASTERING

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PA EQUIPMENT

READ THIS BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY! Receive a FREE $500 Resort Voucher to more than 500 Australian resorts and 7500 International resorts when you register for FREE as a customer and make an $8.00 purchase. www.grabonlinebargains.com/fortunate to register. Ph 0423831660 for more details

Authentic Rock Memorabilia and reprints from around the globe. www. rockgodsandlegends.com

FENDER TREMOLUX HEAD AND 2X12 CAB.made in 1965 IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. ONLY $3499 CALL US 07 54743033 - MUSIC@NOOSA

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Music for Film, TV, Radio, and Media. Composition of songs, jingles, commercials, themes, scores and classical pieces. Most genres undertaken: classic pop-rock, easy listening, acoustic, country, folk, comedy, lyrical and classical. Accomplished and experienced composer/ writer/ vocalist/ musician. All enquiries contact Duncan on 0402 136 335. duncan321sunrise@yahoo.com. au www.myspace.com/filmtvradio www.filmtvradio.webs.com www. loevinakingdom.webs.com www. adventuresofjack.webs.com

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FENDER 1965 TREMOLUX STACK

MUSICMAN S.U.B. X04 ACTIVE 5 STRING, BRIDGE HUMBUCKER, POPLAR BODY, ROSEWOOD FINGERBOARD, TEXTURED WHITE COLOUR, MADE IN USA, BRAND NEW, RRP $1795, ASKING $1295 ONO, CALL (07) 3812 1880

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MATTHEW GRAY MASTERING - $99

ON LINE BOOKING AGENCY

ROCK MEMORABILIA

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Shop online 24/7 at www.tsp.net.au for Australia’s biggest and best range of official licensed band merchandise. Hundreds of bands, thousands of products! AC/DC, Blink 182, David Bowie, Dead Kennedys, Escape The Fate, Iron Maiden, Jimi Hendrix, Joy Division, Megadeth, Metallica, MGMT, Minor Threat, Misfits, Nirvana, Opeth, Parkway Drive, Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd, Ramones, Slayer, Sonic Youth, Tool, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more! T-shirts, fleecy hoodies, caps, beanies, bags and loads of other cool stuff. Shop now at www.tsp.net.au.

Trust your next mastering project with Paul who’s been working with major international artists for over 25 years..you’ll probably find his name on CDs you own.....For a limited time song transfers through the ATR100 - the worlds finest 1/2” tape machine - is absolutely FREE!! (Worth up to $100 a song)...So for only $88 per song you can get the results you want at the price you can afford..-..Post - Upload, or call in......For further details visit --- www.gomersall.com --- Call Paul 0407 488 697

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ENTERTAINMENT Gigging rock band with EP seeks manager. Solid originals act, lots of potential. Call Michael on 0402 112 557.

SHOP FOR BAND MERCH ONLINE!

MUSIC SERVICES BAND MERCHANDISE

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ROCK BAND SEEKS MANAGER

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Engadine Music is offering great deals on Laney Amps for May. Call now on 02 9520 3044

Month Online Sub $40 -- iPhone App,$19.95(from Apple iTunes Australia Store). To purchase your copy call the IMMEDIA! Office on (02) 9557 7766 or purchase online at www. immedia.com.au/amid

HEADROOM SOUND

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5 STRING WARWICK LTD EDITION

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LANEY TT100 2X12 COMBO

May Madness sale only $349 Power adapter an extra $29 Call 02 9520 3044 or email shop@engadinemusic.com

At the special price of $399 Power adapter to suit this keyboard $29

MARSHALL TSL 602

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Ibanez Thermion TN120 All Tube Guitar Head. Good Condition, great amp. $600

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YAMAHA NP30 DIGITIAL PIANO

YAMAHA PSRE413 USB KEYBOARD

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perfect condition, custom grill cloth, amp cover, great amp. reluctant sale. 0408 385 476 Richmond

Prefer female: Position available in Busy music school in Beverly Hills, Kogarah and at various government schools. Teaching mainly beginners to intermediate level. Enthusiasm, patience and ability to inspire will be looked at more than your qualifications and experience. Email resume jobs@jumbonote.com.au

Great deals on Kawai Pianos for the month of May at Engadine Music Call 02 9520 3044.

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100watt rms. 4 channell with EQ/ REVERB. stereo CD input. CUBE STYLE. Very good condition.

IBANEZ THERMION GUITAR HEAD

VOCAL TEACHER NEEDED!

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Original 2 channel Mesa Boogie Triple Retifier. Better sounding than the newer 3 channel one. Awesome condition. $3300. 0412642196

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FOR SALE AMPS

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A rarely used example of this classic and much sought-after synthesizer in excellent condition. Price includes delivery to any destination on mainland Australia. iFlogID: 3583

YAMAHA KEYBOARD MAY MADNESS Great deals on Yamaha keyboards at Engadine Music. Phone 02 9520

The Directory is a sourcebook for all the contacts in the Australian music market. Over 5,000 listed companies and individuals in 70 sections covering all business sectors from Artists cross referenced by Agents, Managers and Record Labels, Music Media, Online and Mobile Music, Venues, Lawyers,Promoters, Associations, Publishers and much more! We have 3 versions of our latest book (March 1), the 44th edition available in Print $55 (incl. GST & post)-- 6

MASTERING BY PAUL GOMERSALL

Coming soon to a movie theatre near you, this sensatonal new and original film opera / musical. A dramatic and compelling medieval adventure set to classical music and song. Contact Duncan on mob: 0402 136 335 or at duncan321sunrise@yahoo.com.au View associated website at: www. loveinakingdom.webs.com myspace. com/duncansmusicsunrise iFlogID: 4473

MUSIC FOR FILM TV RADIO MEDIA

Assisting with CD releases, Live DVDs, Offering you professional audio which you can also upload to Myspace, YouTube, E.P.Ks etc. ANY GENRE 18 channels of Pro Tools, 16 channels of professional isolated stage splitters (Radial, JensenTransformers), Quality pre amps, Great microphones, Internationally experienced engineer Jeremy Conlon MOB: 0421 836 876 EMAIL: jeremy@cooperblack. net www.myspace.com/jeremythesoundengineer B. Music (Composition) , Cert IV Music Tech, Cert IV Work Place Skills and Assessment

For a limited time. Free online and print classifieds Book now, visit iflog.com.au 86

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PA HIRE PA Hire & Experienced operator, Pubs, Clubs, Corporate & Private Events plus more. Contact Matt 0412474551 iFlogID: 4089

ROCK MIXER WANTED FOR EP

AT $5.50 PER HOUR. EXTRA EQUIPMENT CAN BE HIRED WITH THE ROOMS. PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU WILL BE NEEDING WHEN YOU BOOK SO THAT WE CAN HAVE IT READY FOR YOU. iFlogID: 4330

We have 5 days recording in late June. We need a great Rock producer/engineer to mix our 5 tracks. Must have plenty of experience in Rock/Metal/Punk www.mypace. com/droptankband droptankband@ gmail.com

TUITION GUITAR TUITION 100+ LOCATIONS

BAND PHOTOS

BAND PROMO PHOTOS

Learn to play from some of Australia’s best guitar teachers. G4 GUITAR is a network of over 100 teachers across Australia using the latest learning techniques to ensure students the absolute best tuition available. Backed by the G4 GUITAR METHOD our teachers have the reputation to take you from beginner to pro. Please visit our website to find your closest teacher and grab a free download. www.g4guitar.com.au or Phone 0405-274456 iFlogID: 2633

Studio, Location and live set band portraits. Visit www.griffinrocks.com. au for current work. Email kate@ griffinrocks.com.au or phone 0405 148 709 for more information.

SINGING LESSONS THAT ROCK

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography...Get the right shot the first time at an affordable cost..Contact Mike 0447572106 iFlogID: 4631

POSTERS ILLUSTRATOR AVAILABLE NOW!

All Levels and Styles, Learn to play having fun, record the lessons in video to watch again at home! $50 p/h. Call Roger 0404659197 iFlogID: 4233

PHOTOGRAPHY

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GUITAR LESSONS IN BONDI BEACH

A1 HOME CALL GUITAR TUITION

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Looking for a photographer for your band?Checkout theartofcapture. com to see examples and portfolio of work. Studio and location shots.All states. Contact Kane Hibberd Kane@theartofcapture.com or call 0419 570 660.

training is also availble from www. groove3.com. Mobile: 0431 556 746 email: abletontrainer@optusnet. com.au

Your voice has the ability to sing at the Audioslave/ Radiohead/ Aretha/ P.J.Harvey level because of Design. Extend your vocal range learn to sing the right technique the first time, career counseling how to start a band. For advanced students: • Microphone Techniques • Recording Techniques • Songwriting • Harmonising. Free performance nights for current and previous students. 10 + years teaching experience. Beginners to Advanced also guitar lessons 0405-044-513 iFlogID: 2671

INTEGUITAR.COM

A1 very experienced guitar teacher available for home call tuition.we come to you! become a better musician soon!based in sydney’s inner west.I had the best teachers,now you can too.learn the fundamentals that make a great guitar player!many styles taught in a relaxed,fun manner that will get you happening fast.ph 0421727864. iFlogID: 4240

CAULFIELD MUSIC CENTRE Caulfield Music Centre MUSIC SCHOOL * where students become musicians * www.caulfieldmusic. com.au QUALIFIED TEACHERS AVAILABLE Monday - Friday: 4pm-9pm * Saturday: 10am-4pm * Sunday: 11am-4pm * *Please call for lesson availability times. PRIVATE LESSONS - $28 PER HALF HOUR GUITAR BASS PIANO SINGING & VOICE PRODUCTION DRUMS PERCUSSION SAXOPHONE FLUTE RECORDER HARMONICA VIOLIN At Caulfield Music Centre Music School, we offer private, oneon-one lessons. We believe this is the best way for students to learn their chosen instrument. All students receive special student DISCOUNTS on musical instruments and equipment. All lessons are payable weekly, one lesson in advance. A DISCOUNT applies when paying for 10 lessons in advance. Missed lessons incur the full fee unless a minimum of 24 hours notice is given. Exceptional circumstances will be considered. ALL ENQUIRIES AND BOOKINGS PHONE 9528 1162 OR EMAIL music@ caulfieldmusic.com.au iFlogID: 4356

SINGING TEACHER NYC TRAINED CONTEMPORARY AND MUSIC THEATRE SINGING TUITION. TRAINED WITH LEADING NYC VOCAL TEACHER WORKED WITH ARTISTS IE. AVRIL LAVIGNE, KELLY CLARKESON AND BEYONCE. WORLD RENOWNED VOCAL EXCERSISES TO VASTLY IMPROVE VOCAL TECHIQUE BASED ON EXCSERCISES FROM MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC. LOCATED EASTERN SUBURBS. AVAILABLE TO TRAVEL. ORIGINALS WELCOME. AUDITION COACHING. 0435 426 012

into other pages such as blogs etc, a Panoramic Video is a perfect choice for viral marketing.. Our videos keep the interest and by their nature keep users and fans on your website for longer than a standard video. It’s cool, and it’s unique, and a great option if you are looking for something different and innovative.. Costs will vary depending on where you are and what we do for you, but our rates are very reasonable.... We are a new innovative business in Melbourne and looking to help promote local bands and artists with our interactive videos.. so give us a call for a great deal. Check out some of our samples at www.panoramicvideo.com.au then give us a call on 03 9457 7600 today.. We would love to hear from you! iFlogID: 2774

MUSICIANS AVAILABLE DRUMMER EXPERIENCED DRUMMER Experienced drummer available with pro-gear for working band or form a band.Have own transport in Melb. Dedicated and reliable.I am a all rounder drummer wanting to get back into giging. call Bing 0404576365 iFlogID: 4618

GUITARIST EXPERIENCED GUITARIST

sing passable back up vox and luv performing!Practice 1-2 times per week. Gig asap. All ages welcome. www.myspace.com/nicolesero 0435 426 012 iFlogID: 4394

DRUMMER WANTED

THE UNFORGIVEN METALLICA TRIBUTE SHOW & BIGWAYOUT rock cover band requires a professional bass player for immediate start!! Agency backed, 8-12 shows per month. Your own form of transport and good gear a must.. Call John on 0416144111 iFlogID: 4083

BASS PLAYER WANTED

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LEAD GUITARIST AVAILABLE Lead guitarist looking to jam/form a heavy metal band, preferably on the central coast but willing to travel. Influences: Mercyful Fate, Judas Priest, Metallica, Iron maiden - Blake 0403138542

iFlogID: 4701

RECORDING STUDIOS ATTENTION ALL STUDIOS!! Attention all studios and music producers! Want to become an agent for Valleyarm? Valleyarm are a global digital music supplier and are seeking studios and producers Australia wide to be official agents, you’d be responsible for signing new bands and artists to add to our catalogue. If you ever have bands asking how they can get their songs on iTunes then this is the perfect chance to bring in extra revenue with excellent monthly bonuses available! Training and point of sale is available to get you started straight away. Email info@valleyarm. com or Call 03 9525 5589

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BLUES HARP LESSONS

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BASS PLAYER WANTED

Lets see, currently there are 3 amazing INXS shows in NSW. KICK, Original Sin and What You Need. I reckon there is room for one more fitting tribute to this amazing band. I am a vocalist seeking musicians, incidentally I am also interested in a Doors tribute show as well:) Maybe even on the same bill?? There’s no time to waste!

We are a rock covers band playing classics from the 70’s to current styles. AC/DC is a big influence along with Guns N’ Roses, Pearl Jam and Hendrix. We are easy going down to earth people looking for the same. We’re looking for someone who is committed and doesn’t take themselves too seriously. We have a view to play local gigs around Wollongong and eventually doing originals and touring. If you’re interested in rocking your way to the top then look no further. Call Dale on 0409 408 596

**MENTION THIS ADVERTISEMENT TO RECEIVE A FULL 5 HOUR REHEARSAL STUDIO BOOKING ON SATURDAY OR SUNDAY FOR $45** WELCOME TO CAULFIELD MUSIC REHEARSAL STUDIOS. WE HAVE FIVE LARGE, SOUNDPROOF ROOMS AVAILIBLE FOR HIRE. ALL OF THE ROOMS ARE THE SAME SIZE (APPROXIMATELY 7 X 6 METRES). EACH ROOM IS EQUIPPED WITH A 12 CHANNEL P.A. SYSTEM, 4 MICROPHONES, 4 MICROPHONE LEADS AND 4 MICROPHONE STANDS. OUR REHEARSAL ROOMS ARE ALL AIR CONDITIONED. THEY ARE ALWAYS KEPT CLEAN AND WELL MAINTAINED. WE HAVE TWO ROOMS WITH PIANOS AVAILABLE FOR SOLO, PRIVATE USE. THESE ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR HIRE WHEN THEY ARE NOT BEING USED FOR TEACHING. PLEASE CALL FOR AVAILABILITY. THEY ARE HIRED

Learn Blues Harmonica all styles from Ragtime, Country Blues , Chicago Blues styles. Private lessons in Sydney with Blue tongue & Workshops across Australia with Bluetongue, Ian Collard & Doc Span. web- http://www. bluetongueharmonica.com.au p-02 80037132 m-0412 668575

VIDEO / PRODUCTION 360 DEGREE INTERACTIVE VIDEO

Ableton certified trainer and author of Ableton video training for Groove 3 (USA) Craig McCullough is available locally in SE Qld for private Ableton and music technology training. Video

GUITARISTS WANTED TO TEACH

Experienced saxophonist is looking for bands and studio sessions. Jazz, funky, afro, reggae, latin, rock, folk. If interested contact me at 0410041979. Cheers. Lorenzo iFlogID: 2848

PRO TROMBONIST AVAILABLE

DRUMMER WORSHIP NITES SEEKS EXCELLENCE

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BASS PLAYER + DRUMMER WANTED I’m a Sydney based artist looking for a bass player and a drummer. I’d love to give everyone a go but we can only consider accomplished players. We are and will continue to be gigging regularly around Sydney. With the music getting regular airplay on FBI and attention from all the right people, we need musos that LOVE the music I do and believe 100% in it. Let Management know if you’re interested by emailing: management@ taylorkingmusic.com or calling on 0404 370 768 Check out the music at my Myspace: www.myspace.com/ taylorjking iFlogID: 3484

Professional Trombone player available for gigs, session and tours. Jazz, Funk, Latin, Pop, Rock and Classical. Can sight read, improvise and write parts. Contact Brendan 0409833827. iFlogID: 4101

SINGER LOOKING FOR LIFE TIME BAND

BASS PLAYER WANTED Original rock. Sound like muse, birds of tokyo, silversun pickups. We have started recording debut album due out later this year. We need someone who knows their craft and our style of music to be a valuable part of what we are doing. Visit www.myspace. com/escaperadiomusic for more info. Email escaperadio@rocketmail.com iFlogID: 3787

METALLICA SHOW

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SINGER NOEL GALLAGHER-OASIS COV BAND OASIS cover band needs a Noel Gallagher. That means a good singer with tight rythm guitar ability. Lead not essential. Good gear and transport required. Call Blake 0420 774 819

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS SHOW Established and agent backed Oz Red Hot Chili Peppers Show are looking for a experienced singer. Must be based in Sydney, with own transport. info@ ozredhotchilipeppersshow.com.au iFlogID: 4679

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GOSPEL SINGERS WANTED

SERVICES BEAUTY SERVICES WEB & GRAPHIC DESIGNSYDNEY

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Have you got a great attitude, a heart to serve and a desire for excellence? Cronulla Uniting Church seeks experienced drummers for Sunday Nite service @ 6.30pm. Ph: 95441144. www.worshipnites.com

MUSICIANS WANTED BASS PLAYER

Panoramic Video create interactive 360 degree online videos that are a unique addition to any website, putting your fans and web viewers virtually there with you. We can add in hotspots into the videos too so that you can direct users to other web sites for ticket or music purchasing, and with the ability to be embedded

GUITARIST

G4 Guitar is an Australia wide network of Guitar Teachers who teach from their own homes and studios. With over 100 teachers we are the No.1 name in guitar tuition. We welcome both inexperienced and experienced teachers and we provide online training and support. To apply to become a teacher please visit our website at www.g4guitar.com.au or phone 0430-426137

EXPERIENCED DRUMMER NEEDED!!! Experienced drummer needed for post hardcore/ alternative rock band. Must be able to play to a click, have good gear, be dedicated. No time wasters please! iFlogID: 4031

DRUMMER WANTED Drummer wanted for prog metal band Circadian Pulse. Call Simon on 0401 826 787 or Email/MSN at dream3011@hotmail.com. iFlogID: 4134

FUNKY RYTHYM SECTION WANTED! funky rythym section wanted for dynamic sexy funk/rock/blues hip hop band.influences-the meters,early rhcp,sly stone,james brown,jimi hendrix,parliament/funkadelic.phone 0421727864. iFlogID: 4238

Five world-class passionate vocalists wanted for a Gospel music CD project. Must have beautiful, passionate, powerful and devotional delivery. iFlogID: 3585

WANTED:SINGER/GUITARIST

OASIS cover band requires a NOEL GALLAGHER. That means good singing ability and tight rythm ability. Lead not essential. Please be a fan of the music, have your own transport and some good gear. Call Blake 0420 774 819

Singer/guitarist wanted for Melbourne based psychedelic rock band.Influences include:Pink Floyd,The Flaming Lips,Underground Lovers,Echo&theBunnymen.Must have own transport and gear NO TIME WASTERS.Male voice is prefered but will consider female.Age late 20’s mid 30’s.If interested email Damian at floydfrogfrood@gmail.com

WANNA BE IN MY BAND??!!!

VOCALIST WANTED

NOEL GALLAGHER-OASIS COV BAND

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ABLETON CERTIFIED TRAINER

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genuine music man searching life time members.

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Sydney Based “Sons Of Genghis” need versatile drummer, if you play like primus meets Chilli Peppers, Faith no more meets Pantera,this is the band for you and we want your chops!! Check the sounds at www. myspace.com/sonsofgenghis. Call Jono 0410 330 702 or Andy 0420 771 357.

Female fronted originals band seeks musically open minded bass player. Rehearsing in inner west. We like PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, The Bellrays, MC5, Nick Cave, Thin Lizzy, The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath. Call 0410 865 035 or email newtons4@aapt. net.au

SAXOPHONIS AVAILABLE

PRODUCTION/MIXING TUITIONS I’m a professional Music Producer and Sound Mixer who has worked with internationally renowned artist such as Seal and De La Soul, and I’m offering private tuition in Mixing and Production. Bring your own session (Logic or Protools) or use one of mine, and I will show the tricks that they do not teach you at school, I work from my home setup (Surry Hills) only, $65 per hour. http://www.steevebody. com

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BASS PLAYER WANTED

OTHER

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REHEARSAL ROOMS CAULFIELD MUSIC CENTRE

PROFFESSIONAL ROYALTIES EARNING POP ROCK SONGWRITER AVAILABLE FOR TUITION AND GUIDANCE. TRAINED WITH LEADING NYC VOCAL TEACHER WHO HAS WORKED WITH ARTISTS IE. AVRIL LAVIGNE, KELLY CLARKESON AND BEYONCE. COMMERCIAL RADIO PLAY FOR ORIGINALS. LOCATED EASTERN SUBURBS. AVAILABLE TO TRAVEL. ORIGINALS WELCOME OR BEGINNING FROM AFRESH. K.I.S.S. = $$$$$. 0435 426 012

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GET YOUR MUSIC ON RADIO!

ULTIMATE INXS TRIBUTE SHOW!!!

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The Guitar is an easy instrument to play BUT it is an extremely difficult instrument to learn. Taking from 4 to 7 years to reach the competency level. The problem is the blank Fretboard. InteGuitar solves this problem by giving the Fretboard a temporary VISUAL INTERFACE to play the rudimentary OPEN and BAR chords of guitar in Weeks/Months not years. Play songs on guitar INSTANTLY For the price of $49.99 kit of 4 X Interfaces and Tutorial CD. The Interfaces DO NOT interfere with the playing of the guitar. Call us now on 0405 044 513

SONS OF GENGHIS NEED DRUMMER!

Want to get your music heard on radio? Australian Broadcasting Media(ABM) has over 30 radio stations so getting your music out there is no problem! Interested? email andy@zfmcountrywide.com

iFlogID: 4774

NY TRAINED SONGWRITING TUITION Professional illustrator available for any project. Book covers, children’s books, album art and much more. Based in Melbourne, drawing world wide! Excellent rates. www.paulikin. com -Phone: 0403 996 129 or email paul@paulikin.com

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Details: http://hotelwilliam.yayabings. com.au This is the underground melting pot of music jam sessions, organised by the Yayabings Music Club with the JazzKatts romping the Fusion Bar. Musicians/singers, comedians and artists at all levels perform by coming in on that evening. Totally impromptu and musicians may improvise with other musicians/singers or perform their own set. Local/Backpackers/ Internationals all welcome.

Bass playwer wanted for originals band in Melbourne. Have the basics of songs completed, just need to learn the songs to add the bass and get them gig ready. Looking for someone determined and eager to play. Influences are Sonic Youth, The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, etc. Contact 0403929446.

iFlogID: 4573

Experienced lead and rhythm guitarist available for working band. Good gear. Transport. Dedicated and reliable. Styles: hard rock/rock, covers, 80s. Very good at learning material at short notice. Call Ace on 0438199219

Drummer wanted for originals band in Melbourne. Have the basics of songs completed, just need to learn the songs to add the drums and get them gig ready. Looking for someone determined and eager to play. Influences are Sonic Youth, The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, etc. COntact 0403929446.

We’re not looking for anyone interested in making money as soon as they join a band as we are not gigging yet, but will be looking to just for fun to start, then who knows. Whilst we dont like to admit to being influenced directly by any particular bands, we all like a mix of, The Specials, Toots and the Maytals, Madniess, Reel Big Fish, Prince Buster, Sublime as far as ska goes, we also individually have many opposing influences such as, The Clash, The Ramones, Stiff Little Fingers and thats just me! We have had a great time in the rehearsal rooms in Marrickville, Sydney for the past couple of months, doing 2 hours every fortnight until we get storage then looking to make it more regular. We are now finding that we are hitting a wall without a singer and are looking for someone to come along and give us some input and help us over this hurdle. We are looking for a singer who is decent, but doesnt feel the need to bash it out at 100% all the time, someone who can relax into a voice and also belt out some cheeky stuff every now and then too. If you feel you would have a good time practising with us, give us an email and see how you go. If you enjoy our company then I am sure you would be a welcome friend.

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Who wants to be in a all girls original pop rock band hav some fun and make some $$$?! Guitar/bass/ drummer needed. Must be able to sing passable back up vox and luv performing!Practice 1-2 times per week. Gig asap. All ages welcome. www.myspace.com/nicolesero 0435 426 012 iFlogID: 4392

KEYBOARD SKILLED KEYBOARDIST WANTED to complete lineup of new show. Ability to cover orchestrations and excellent sounds to match a must. High quality show with good pay. Contact: onemoreguitar@yahoo.com.au iFlogID: 4323

KEYBOARD PLAYER / SYNTH WIZ Keyboard Player / Synth Wiz needed urgently for exciting new band (trip hop / electronic / rock / indie inspired). We are ready to record our debut album and support it playing gigs, but still looking for the right person to complete the line-up. Chops are less important than enthusiasm, commitment and appreciation of mood and space! Contact: Rokk Latanzio - 0407 518 526 iFlogID: 4729

OTHER MUSO’S WANTED TO JAM/ FORM BAND

WANNA BE IN MY BAND??!!!

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Who wants to be in a all girls original pop rock band hav some fun and make some $$$?! Guitar/bass/ drummer needed. Must be able to

MUSICIANS AND AUDIENCE WANTED

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Vocalist wanted for prog metal band Circadian Pulse. Call Simon on 0401 826 787 or Email/MSN at dream3011@hotmail.com. iFlogID: 4136

SINGER FOR GRUNGE/ROCK BAND Sydney Grunge/Rock band Samsara looking for a talented singer and front man to join a complete band looking to gig and record. An albums worth of music is already written but need vocal melodies and lyrics. Influences include Silverchair, Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin, Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Black Sabbath etc etc. Contact Daniel: 0403 885 433, for more information and demos.

Inspire Design Studios provides meaningful, smart and economic design solutions that communicates clearly with a given market. From website design, to branding, we can take you through the entire process of creating an identity for your organization. Maybe you just need some business cards, or maybe you need a completely new look. From logo design, to website creation, to company apparel, and anything in between. To provide you with the most competitive pricing contact us to discuss your requirements without any obligation. Special prices Static website (within 5 pages) $495 CMS website (within 7 pages) $695 Online shopping site $795 No hidden charges or on-going monthly fees To find out more please visit www. lydiay.com iFlogID: 2762

GRAPHIC DESIGN REAPERS IMAGE DESIGN CD Art/Layout design,posters, stickers etc, video editing/filming,DVD, multimedia. Cheapest rates in Melbourne. reapersimagedesign.com.au 0403 416 424 iFlogID: N/A

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WANT A LOGO FOR YOUR BAND?

FEMALE SINGER WANTED We are looking for an open-minded and charismatic artist. Experience not necessary. Keyboardist optional. Preferred age: 16-26. We are a new band looking to jump into the live music scene. Located in Bondi, our influences include blues, punk, rock and funk. Jam and practice sessions twice a week. Call Bo on 0401365924 or Email on andrewakman2001@ gmail.com. iFlogID: 4442

SINGER WANTED Alternative heavy rock band seeks professional singer. Album worth of material ready to but also willing to jam and write together. Samples available, SMS Tek 0425 729 690 for further details. iFlogID: 4565

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Want a logo to differentiate yourself from other bands? We can make you stand out from the rest! Boggleworks are currently offering a special price of $250 (RRP $349) for your very own custom designed logo. Visit www. boggleworks.com for more info. Be sure to enter the promotional code “IFLOG” for the special discount!

We are a new band called Low Gear. Have had about 16 practices together at home, and now about 10 in a studio.

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bourne Central Complex its easy to get to. Some of the services include * Art Layout design for CD’s/Digipack/ Gatefolds, * Vinyl Sleeves 12” & 7”, and professional Band Websites. Feel free to visit our site to find out more about our services www.paulikin. com iFlogID: 4626

ILLUSTRATOR AVAILABLE MYSPACE - WEBSITES - ALBUM ART - POSTERS - LOGOS - PROMO - TSHIRT DESIGN - Graphic Design services for everything in the music industry. Website packages start at $449 Custom Myspace $899 WE KNOW YOUR BUSINESS Email for a free quote/consultation paul@cattanachdesign.com.au or vist the website www.cattanachdesign.com.au iFlogID: 3643

Qualified and trained. Freelance illustrator for childrens books, album cover, book covers, you name it! Based in Melbourne Central Complex but can do work for anyone anywhere. www.paulikin.com ---Paul:0403 996 129

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graph” PDMA in 2009, member of the AIPP and have extensive experience in photographing events from parties through to music events of 40,000 revellers, so you can be assured of affordable quality and professional photos for your party or event! Check us out or make a booking today at www.atomikarts.com

Do you need an affordable Illustrator? Freelance illustrator Paul Ikin has a 3 year Advance Diploma in Illustration and can create a range of styles for your project. No hidden cost at an affordable price. Album Covers - Book Sleeves - Children Books - Online Images - Fliers - Posters - Editorial Artwork. Visit www.paulikin.com - T: 0403 996 129 World Wide based in Melbourne

Global Sanctuary Photography are currently running their yearly May, June and July specials. To name a few people we have shot: John Mayer, Jimmy Barnes, Iva Davies, Cruel Sea, Panic at the Disco, Human Nature, Killing Heidi and Delta Goodrem. We come to you on location or at your gig or come to our awesome warehouse studio at Botany. Studio style or grungy warehouse, the choice is yours. We are creative and easy going producing quality work using canon pro gear. Call us on 0416 144 277 or email us at globalsanctuary@mac. com. Visit www.globalsanctuary.biz

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PRO TOOLS/LOGIC TRAINING UTS:Pro School offers high quality, professional short courses in Digidesign Pro Tools 8 designed to improve your music and audio postproduction skills. PT 101 12-13 July PT 110 14-16 July PT 201 19-20 July PT 210M 21-23 July Logic Pro 101 7- 9 July Ring 9514 9931 or go to http://www.utsproschool.uts.edu.au to book your place

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100% devotion to music and the packaging it comes in. Pi (Paul Ikin) has a Complete Design Studio aimed at album cover design, packaging and Band Websites. Based in Mel-

Whether you just want to sing for your own pleasure or dream of being a singer on stage, all aspects covered from diction, breathing, microphone technique, pitch, harmony,working with live bands and performing. Utilising the latest techniques from the US, sing without stress or fear. All lessons can be recorded and take place in a relaxed and fully equipped studio in Botany. All ages welcome - female teacher- children welcome. INTRODUCTORY OFFER: $30 per lesson for the first 3 months. Conditions apply.

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Discover tygarbright for your shopping needs http://tygarbright.com http://multimedia.tygarbright.com http://shopping.tygarbright.com http://unbeatablesales.tygarbright. com http://makemoney.tygarbright. com Enjoyable, quick, easy - links to Amazon, Yahoo Best Regards, Abra 0416013269

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Next time ‘they’ call you a Witch you will be! Begin your journey to experience the ways of the Witch & psychic development. 4 weeks, (3hr x 4). Classes provide detailed theory & practice. It’s the best way to make a serious start in Coven-based Witchcraft. 13 places. See www.WitchesWorkshop.com iFlogID: 4308

P&O have teamed up with DJ Bootcamp to bring u Australias first 8 day/3 island professional DJ Course Cruise.Learn DJing and enjoy, food,entertainmet,accommidation and 3 islands!Early booking discounts.Go www.djbootcamp.com.au to book 95472578 info. Sails August 29, 2010 iFlogID: 4498

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Launch my label fashion show is looking for new up and coming Australian fashion designers who want to showcase their collection on 27th May.Please contact chicpetiteevents@hotmail.com iFlogID: 4052

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FINISH LINE

INDUSTRY NEWS BY BRYGET CHRISFIELD

LONDON FIELDS THE VIEW FROM EC4 WITH JAMES MCGALLIARD

Queen are the latest to break free from EMI

MAGIC HAPPENS Four Australians with a passion for music, movies, gaming or technology will be handpicked by industry professionals and awarded the opportunity to experience Sony’s world of innovation and creativity in the Sony Make.Believe competition. The music prize includes touring a digital studio, hanging out at a video shoot, attending six music events, meeting Sony talent and hosting your own channel on bandit.fm. For more information visit sony.com.au/ makedotbelieve/experiences.

FRESHLY INKED Epitaph Records welcome Southern Californian rockers Social Distortion to the label with plans to release their first studio album since 2004’s Sex, Love And Rock’N’Roll in late 2010. Hellyeah, the American heavy metal supergroup featuring Vinnie Paul (Pantera), Chad Gray and Greg Tribbett (Mudvayne), Tom Maxwell (Nothingface) and Bob Zilla (Damageplan) have signed a deal with Riot! Entertainment (for Australia and New Zealand) for their upcoming Stampede album. Ivy League also announced their latest signing – punk poet Wons Phreely

DARE TO PLAY DAREBIN

The Darebin Music Feast is running from 4-19 September and venues right across the municipality seek bands and community music groups interested in staging their own events. Musicians and community music groups can also apply for a free venue to perform in at the Hub, Northcote Town Hall. For more info or to download an application form, visit darebin.vic.gov.au/dmf. The Darebin Music Feast is hosting an information session on Tuesday 1 June from 6-8pm at Northcote Town Hall for those with queries. Applications to hold an event close on Friday 11 June.

JOB OP A live music venue in the northern suburbs is on the lookout for a band booker. The successful applicant must have previous music industry experience in booking, promotion and/or marketing as well as administrative and computer/internet skills plus a broad understanding of the Melbourne and Australian music scenes. Send CVs to: bandbookingjob@gmail.com.

ENTRIES OPEN FOR THE MELBOURNE PRIZE FOR MUSIC 2010

Submissions for the Melbourne Prize For Music 2010 and awards are now open. Three monetary prizes will be awarded to Victorian musicians or groups: $60,000 for the Melbourne Prize For Music for an outstanding contribution to Australian music that has enriched cultural and public life; $30,000 for the Outstanding Musicians Award for a recent work displaying creativity and skill (must be 40 years or under); and $13,000 for the Development Award for emerging talent with the potential to develop a professional career (must be 30 years or under). Entry forms are available at melbourneprizetrust. org. Entries close on Monday 19 July and a free public exhibition of finalists will be held at Federation Square between 8 and 22 November. Finalists will be announced on Wednesday 15 September and winners on Wednesday 10 November.

BE CARBON SMART On World Environment Day, Saturday 5 June, Live Earth Australia will launch a not-for-profit, interactive website: soundemissions.com.au. The site is aimed at providing members of the Australian music community and their fans with information, tips and resources designed to help minimise their carbon footprints. You may be surprised to discover that purchasing a CD in a plastic jewel case generates 1.1kg of carbon. For further information please contact Viv Fantin (viv@fantincomesalive.com.au). Got news? Announcements? Gossip? Unsubstantiated but hilarious rumours? Send them all to finishline@streetpress.com.au.

EMI – LIMITED SUPPLY OF FUNDS

UK record label EMI has been temporarily assisted by an injection of extra funds from private equity owner Terra Firma in order to prevent Citigroup bank from taking control. The British label – home to esteemed acts such as The Beatles, Kylie Minogue, Coldplay and Gorillaz – was acquired for £4 billion by Terra Firma before the digital age brought with it a decrease in physical album sales, later exacerbated by the global financial crisis. The 2007 deal was bolstered by loans from Citigroup and EMI is currently in debt to the US bank the tune of £3.2 billion. Since the takeover, Terra Firma and Citigroup have been locked in a legal battle, with Terra Firma accusing Citigroup of driving up EMI’s price by misrepresenting that there was another interested bidder for the company. Terra Firma also accused the bank of planning to take control of the label to later sell it to Warner Music Group. Guy Hands, head of Terra Firma, has agreed his company will pay a sum believed to be in excess of £100 million to buy EMI some time, until March 2011, to drastically increase their profits. An increasing number of revered acts have abandoned EMI in recent years. The Rolling Stones and Radiohead left immediately after the acquisition. Viral sensations OK Go broke away from EMI in March after expressing disappointment relating to the label’s policy that prevents fans from embedding music videos on other sites. The following month Paul McCartney shifted his solo and Wings back catalogues from EMI to Concord Music Group. EMI remain in control of The Beatles but McCartney has been vocal about the part the label has played in delaying the availability of the Fab Four’s songs for download via iTunes. “I know iTunes would like to do it, so one day it’s going to happen,” McCartney told BBC Newsbeat. “It’s been business hassles, not with us, or iTunes. It’s the people in the middle, the record label.” EMI released a statement saying that discussions were ongoing. The latest EMI deserters are Queen, who have been signed to the label for almost four decades. The Times reported that Queen have been lured over to Universal as their contract with EMI approaches renewal and it’s believed the rival label has offered the commercially successful band a new contract worth tens of millions of pounds. Although EMI remains temporarily afloat, a further £255 million will need to be scratched together later this year to buy the label more time and ensure it is financially stable until 2014.

BASS QUITTERS

EMPIRE STATE OF MIND

Bassist Kelson Mathias, one of the founding members Future Of The Left, has left the band. No reason has been given but Mathias, who formed the noisy Welsh outfit with former Mclusky members Andy ‘Falco’ Falkous and Jack Egglestone in 2005, released the following statement: “I’d just like to say thanks to everyone that’s supported me in this band over the past five years, everyone that I’ve met at shows all over the world and all the bands I’ve had the pleasure to play gigs with. I’d like to wish Andy and Jack the best for the future.” Falkous followed this up with another statement: “How do we feel about it, as a band? Well, sad, happy, annoyed and relieved at the same time. We wish Kelson good luck and hope that he flourishes in whatever he ends up doing.” The band’s singer also stressed that this latest news doesn’t spell the end for Future Of The Left who will find a replacement bass player and release their third album later this year. Another band to recently lose their bass player was New York indie rockers Interpol. Carlos Dengler (AKA Carlos D) left Interpol as they readied themselves for a forthcoming tour to promote their fourth album. “He has decided to follow another path, and to pursue new goals,” a note on the band’s website revealed. “This separation is amicable, and we whole-heartedly wish him great happiness and success.” Dengler’s skills were put down on the upcoming studio album before he stepped down and no replacement has been announced as yet. A new track called Lights has been unleashed on the band’s official website to provide a taste of what’s to come.

Empire Of The Sun have expanded their upcoming tour of the US, which kicks off with a Lollapalooza appearance on Friday 6 August. The first LA show at Henry Fonda Theater sold out in minutes. A second date was added and sold out the following day and then a third show sold out at the same venue. A second show was also added at New York’s Terminal 5 Theatre when the first sold out. The defection of former Empire Of The Sun member, Pnau’s Nick Littlemore, seems so far to have eluded overseas publications with NME reporting these added shows for the “Australian duo”. The image of Luke Steele, the band’s sole remaining founding member, is currently immortalised in a Selfridges shop window on Oxford Street, London, as part of the department store’s ‘Sounds Of The Mind’ window exhibition.

VALE RONNIE DIO American heavy metal vocalist/songwriter Ronnie James Dio, died from stomach cancer age 67 on Sunday 16 May. Dio commenced his career with Elf but was first propelled to the attention of rock fans worldwide in the mid-‘70s when he was enlisted as frontman of Rainbow. Dio’s howling vocal control was then sought out by Black Sabbath and he replaced Ozzy Osbourne on three albums. The band Dio was formed when the lead singer and Sabbath drummer Vinnie Appice joined forces and continued to release material over the next decade. Dio toured our shores as part of the Heaven And Hell world tour in 2007.

Watching the media coverage of the recent UK general election, I was reminded of a 1970s student film called (something like) Fraser Opens Monash Toilets (although I couldn‘t find reference to it on Google). Anyway, the film in question features reportage from the front line of a student protest against Malcolm Fraser’s campus visit – the violent camera shakes indicating a thronging mass seemingly on the verge of riot. That is until you see the long shot which shows that all the fracas and pushing is actually the TV cameramen jostling each other to make it appear as though they were at the centre of a mêlée. Certainly I’ve never seen an election where the depiction of the situation varied so dramatically depending on the source which was providing the information. Electoral reform had been a major issue throughout the campaigns and the end results seemed to make the need for an overhaul of the current system even clearer. As the saga unfolded, everything else became muddier; an election with no clear winner, talk of minority governments, rainbow coalitions, and possible stalemates that would lead to another election. There was much that made it feel like a US presidential election, with leaders rather than parties being the focus, and three live 90-minute televised debates between these three leaders (of the main English parties, much to the annoyance of Welsh and Scottish parties who were not offered a part). Catchphrases from the Obama campaign crept in as well, and on the election day itself, The Sun featured a reworking Shepard Fairey’s iconic poster as its cover with Obama replaced by an image of David Cameron. Yet there was no landmark victory. With no clear winner, Gordon Brown remained as Prime Minister, while the only clear losers were the British National Party who were comprehensively trounced in their attempt to gain a seat in Barking, and in the local elections for Barking and Dagenham Council, all 12 BNP councillors lost their seats. The only decisive victory came in Brighton, where the Green Party won their first ever seat. In London, Labour actually did well – my seat recorded a swing of more than a 5% swing in their favour, and they gained control of eight more councils in the local elections. After five days and much horse bartering, Brown resigned and a coalition government was formed between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. And while it seemed that the nation as a whole has been more politicised by the live debates and ongoing saga of the hung parliament, it didn’t stop a large number of viewers contacting the BBC to complain that they had bumped popular soaps EastEnders and Holby City off their schedules to show these historic events live. The next morning saw The Sun relegate its page three girl to page 15. Amongst all the mess, one thing remains abundantly clear: no one got the government for which they had voted. Perhaps this will be a good thing? Certainly the scrapping of the ID card seems to be a good start, but I fear for the future of the BBC, and worry about the changes in the no confidence rules tied into the new fixed five year parliamentary terms. The other certainty is that the mother of all parliaments is desperately in need of renovation. This last election saw the largest voter turnout since the Blair Labour government came to power, but still only 65.1% of those on the roll bothered to make their voices heard (although in a travesty of democratic process, some hundreds of voters were left unable to vote due to understaffed polling stations). The UK system of first past the post even led to a council seat being decided on a coin toss as both candidates had received exactly the same number of votes. It seems likely that there will be a move to alternative vote (like the Australian preferential vote) with other possibilities of reform (proportional representation) going to committee and perhaps referendum, and an elected upper house even further away. The Liberal Democrats offered themselves to the voting public as an alternative to the two major parties, and now find themselves actively aligned in government with one of them. Only time will tell if those who voted for them this time around may find themselves humming The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled Again in 2015. Comments/Feedback inpresslondon@yahoo.co.uk

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What do THE DRONES, THE DACIOS and BATRIDER have in common? 90

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