Inpress Issue #1175 by TheMusic.com.au

VICTORIA’S HIGHEST CIRCUL ATING STREETPRESS

DANDY WARHOLS

PARKWAY DRIVE MELBOURNE SYDNEY BRISBANE

JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN

MORBID ANGEL

LITTLE JOHN VALENTIINE TIKI TAANE THE HAUNTED

W E D N E S D AY 2 5 M AY 2 0 11 ~ I S S U E 117 5 ~ F R E E

MELBOURNE - MORNINGTON PENINSULA - BALLARAT / BENDIGO - GEELONG / SURF COAST

33,253

twitter.com/inpressmag

WEDNESDAY 25TH MAY

SIMON ASTLEY + BEN SMITH

THURSDAY 26TH MAY

MATT GLASS SHAG MARRY KILL + KYLINA

FRIDAY 27TH MAY

GLORY B THE PROMISES + YANTO SHORTIS & BAND

SATURDAY 28TH MAY

THE WEATHERMEN ROSIE BURGESS TRIO + LITTLE WISE

SUNDAY 29TH MAY

LLOYD BOSCH AN EVENING OF BURLESQUE 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

NEW MENU

8.30pm $8

6pm

8:30 pm $5

6pm

8:30pm $5

5pm

8:30pm $12

4pm

8pm $20

TUESDAY 31ST MAY

WESLEY ANNE OPEN MIC NIGHT

7.30pm

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

bookings: 9482 1333

twitter.com/inpressmag

ISSUE 1175

WEDNESDAY 25 MAY 2011

THE HAUNTED

INPRESS 18 The week’s best and worst in Backlash/Frontlash 20 The Frontline brings you the hottest industry news 20 In The Studio keeps you turned on to your fave band’s movements 22 Foreword Line brings you all the latest tour announcements 26 Grunge was the first music that really hit home for City And Colour 28 There’s no telling how the new Dandy Warhols album might sound 30 Joan As Police Woman knows she’s not Prince 32 On The Record rates new releases from Battles and Panda Bear 34 Morbid Angel’s new album is their masterwork 36 Byron Bay is the only place Parkway Drive play without a crowd barrier 37 Alex Lloyd and the Pigram Brothers are Mad Bastards

FRONTROW 38 This Week In Arts lists the arts events happening over the week ahead 38 Stage star Gerard Theoret discusses his transformation as The Baron in Circque Du Soleil’s Saltimbanco 38 The Menstruum tackles the art of poetry 40 Improvisation comic Rik Brown buzzes over the Theatresports Grand Final 40 Film Carew weighs in on Of Gods And Men and Oceans 40 Beached Az co-creator Nick Boshier talks about the cartoon’s upcoming live show 41 Bob Baker Fish reviews new DVD releases Gainsbourg, Heathers and Valhalla Rising 41 Filmmaker Rose Bosch discusses the difficulty of putting the holocaust on film for La Rafle 42 Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson discuss

No.109

BRUNSWICK

Thursdays in May

Sweet Jean Beautiful “aspirational folk” by Sime Nugent & Alice Keath 7.30pm

Sat arvos in May

Spoonful

The mighty Spoonful return playing their highly charged rhythm & blues rock 5pm

EDITORIAL

Group Managing Editor Andrew Mast Editor Shane O’Donohue music@inpress.com.au Front Row Editor Daniel Crichton-Rouse frontrow@inpress.com.au Contributing Editors Adam Curley, Bryget Chrisfield Staff Writer Michael Smith

ADVERTISING

Ron Peno

Sun 29 May

artroom@inpress.com.au Group Art Director Stuart Teague Inpress Cover Design / Art Direction Stuart Teague Layout Kieryn Hyde, Matt Davis, Stuart Teague

Peno (ex Died Pretty) plays with support 9pm

DESIGN & LAYOUT

ACCOUNTS & ADMINISTRATION

Dukes of Despair

accounts@streetpress.com.au Reception Holly Engelhardt Accounts Receivable Anita D’Angelo Accounts Payable Francessca Martin

Acoustic-based trio from Healesville 5pm

CONTRIBUTORS EVERY TUESDAY

Tuesday Trivia 7.30pm

THE UNION HOTEL

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

9388 2235

Senior Contributors Clem Bastow, Jeff Jenkins International Contributors Tom Hawking (US), James McGalliard (UK), Sasha Perera (UK). Writers Nick Argyriou, The Boomeister, Atticus Bastow, Steve Bell, Alice Body, Tim Burke, Anthony Carew, Luke Carter, Jake Cleland, Dan Condon, Rebecca Cook, Kendal Coombs, Adam Curley, Cyclone, Guy Davis, Carolyn Dempsey, Liza Dezfouli, Lizzie Dynon, John Eagle, Guido Farnell, Sam Fell, Bob Baker Fish, Robert Gascoigne, Cameron Grace, Andrew Haug, Andy Hazel, Andrew Hickey, Kate Kingsmill, Joey Lightbulb, Michael Magnusson, Baz McAlister, Sam McDougall, Tony McMahon, Count Monbulge, Luke Monks, Fred Negro, Mark Neilsen, Roger Nelson, Danielle O’Donohue, Matt O’Neill, James Parker, Adele Psarras, Josh Ramselaar,

twitter.com/inpressmag

BACK TO INPRESS 45 My Friend The Chocolate Cake are 21 today 45 Little John’s appeal lies in blokes singing harmonies 46 Sierra Fin have released one of the most ambitious debuts of the year 46 Valentiine are spreading the love 46 The Haunted are not regular humans 46 Emma Donovan sings for reconciliation at the Toff this Sunday 47 Tiki Taane’s night in the cells is only helping his career 47 I Dream In Transit are the sound of jetlag 47 Winter Street aren’t out to be the biggest band in the world 47 Stu Hunter has never considered himself a jazz muso 49 Gig Of The Week shimmies with Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes 49 LIVE:Reviews gets down to Blue King Brown 56 Sarah Petchell will Wake The Dead with her punk and hardcore talk 56 Andrew Haug takes us to the dark side in The Racket 56 Kendal Coombs leads the under-18s boardroom in the Department Of Youth 57 Pop culture happenings in The Breakdown 57 Dan Condon blues and roots in Roots Down 60 If you haven’t appeared in Fred Negro’s Pub, your mother probably still speaks to you 61 Jeff Jenkins gets down and local in Howzat! 62 Our Gig Guide fills your diary for the weekend 68 Gear and studio reviews in BTL 70 Find your new band and just about anything else in our classy Classifieds

CREDITS

sales@inpress.com.au National Sales & Marketing Director Leigh Treweek Victorian Sales Manager Katie Owen Senior Account Executive Nick Lynagh Bands &Local Advertising Dean Noble Sales Assistant Kobi Simpson

SAT 28 MAY

Team Edward and Water For Elephants 42 Cultural Cringe looks at David Mitchell and the rapture that never happened 44 Dave Drayton talks to laconic comedian Jon Lajoie

Paul Ransom, Leonie Richman, Symon JJ Rock, Antonios Sarhanis, Ingrid Sjolund, Dylan Stewart, Nic Toupee, Rob Townsend, Danielle Trabsky, Dominique Wall, Doug Wallen, Jeremy Williams.

PHOTOGRAPHERS Senior Contributor Kane Hibberd Jesse Booher, Chrissie Francis, Andrew Glover, Kate Griffin, Andrew Gyopar, Lou Lou Nutt, Gina Maher, James Morgan, Heidi Takla, Nathan Uren.

INTERNS Lana Goldstone, Stephanie Liew

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

twitter.com/inpressmag

GIVEAWAYS

Paranoia Pop is both a sound and a concept. It’s the name of a new late-night movement. It’s also a chance to spend one night in a dark room, listening to obscure sounds, stories and reverb drones. The line-up features Cuba Is Japan, I Dream In Transit, A Dead Forest Index, Pow Pow Wow (a new project for Ben Ely of Regurgitator), KINS and Orbits. The event will be held at the Workers Club this Saturday from 7pm. We have two double passes to give away.

Australian duo Bachelor Girl are reuniting for the release of their greatest hits album, Loved & Lost: The Best Of Bachelor Girl. Loved & Lost is the first best-of collection from the group and will bring together hits such as Permission To Shine, I’m Just A Girl and Buses & Trains, along with four ‘lost’ songs. The latter were recorded between 2002 and 2003 and have remained unreleased until now. To launch the album, Bachelor Girl will perform at the Forum II this Saturday. We have two double passes to give away.

Andras Fox

Triple R’s Autumn Almanac series of live-to-air broadcasts is well under way, with Boomgates and New War already putting in some stellar performances. Next up The City Rises take over Max Headroom this Thursday from 7pm, featuring performances from some of Melbourne’s most exciting electronic producers, with Mikekay and Andras Fox playing liveto-air. We have three double passes to give away.

Australia’s biggest R&B club brand, RNB Superclub, has just dropped Volume 11 of its hugely successful compilation series. Mixed by DJ G-Wizard and DJ Def Rok, the 34-track, two-disc set features monster hits from the likes of Katy Perry, Nelly, Ke$ha, Wynter Gordon, Akon, Ne-Yo and stacks more. We have five copies to give away.

HEAD TO THE INPRESS FACEBOOK PAGE TO ENTER

CORRECTION

The interviews with Beached Az on page 40 and Jon Lajoie on page 44 in Frontrow this issue have the incorrect venue listed: the shows are taking place at the Comic’s Lounge this Sunday.

FRONTLASH Noooooo!

SPLENDOUR SIDESHOWS Start saving now!

AMAZING G-RACE Like everyone, we despise sexist, Oompah Loompah-shaped local Amazing Racer Chris but we love the big Big W ladies. Never has rolling around in ox shit looked so much fun.

GWYN LOSE SITUATION It’s not often we praise major record labels for their forward thinking, but news that talks of a deal between Gwyneth Paltrow and Atlantic “have crumbled” is music to our ears.

twitter.com/inpressmag

BACKLASH The world. Still here.

IDIOT BOX The media watchdog has taken Channel 9 to task for its mishandling of countless viewer complaints, yet the station remains unpunished for reviving Hey Hey It’s Saturday. Priorities, people!

THE HEAT IS ON The UK has announced it will halve its carbon emissions by 2027, while our Government and the opposition continue to squabble over the issue for cheap political points.

THE APOCALYPSE Worst. Rapture. Ever.

twitter.com/inpressmag

THE

FRONTLINE

IN THE STUDIO WITH BRYGET CHRISFIELD

HORNY HIVES

Devilishly stylish Swedish quintet The Hives are packing their black’n’whites into matching monochrome suitcases to head our way for Splendour In The Grass this year. In The Studio caught up with drummer Chris Dangerous (Christian Grahn when he’s in his civvies) to hear how album number five’s coming. “We’re working in the studio all the time, but today and yesterday I’ve been home trying to step back a little bit from what we’re doing all the time – sit back and listen to where we’re at,” the drummer explained. Although all Hives members have home studios, Grahn revealed, “We’re currently recording in Hive Manor in Stockholm, we’ve been to several studios on this record, too. We go into one studio, book it for a number of days and, when we’re done there, we’re not completely… I mean, we’re happy, but we’re not really there yet, so therefore we have to go into another studio to finish that stuff. And then we might start recording a few songs in that new studio, but then we don’t have time to finish those so we have to [laughs], you know, it’s always like that.” When it’s suggested you can’t rush perfection, he approves of this sentiment: “Exactly.” On whether any guest artists have dropped by to offer their services, Grahn admits, “We’ve had friends over and hear what they think sometimes, and just to hang out, but there’s not really many people that have done something musically.” No help required. “Not really,” he agrees, “maybe in some areas, but I will not tell you that much… Oh, I can tell you. There’s a few guys playing horns on some songs. It really is fantastic. I’m not trying fool you here, either, it’s turning out fucking great.” So will The Hives be bringing a couple of extra touring members to our shores? “Ah, no, they’re not that good,” he chuckles. If you’re simply gagging for a sneak peak of new songs by The Hives, they’ve been previewing Bad Call and Patrolling Days at live shows. Google it, but only if your imagination can cut through the shit sound quality.

ANT FARM

After battling to manage his bipolar disorder for the best part of the last decade, Adam Ant has returned to the stage for a string of shows in the UK. And the dandy highwayman sure sets high standards for himself. “I just wanna sing the songs in tune and just look good and entertain them,” the artist born Stuart Leslie Goddard told muscinews.com of the effect he intends to have on audiences. “And please them, seduce them, terrify them, make them go home thinking they’ve never seen anything like that before and hold that memory with them for the rest of their lives.” According to a journalist who attended the Adam Ant & The Good, The Mad & The Lovely Posse show at the Junction in Cambridge last week, Goddard’s still got it: “The overwhelming impression is one of triumph: of a man we once thought lost returning to remind us exactly what it was we loved about him in the first place.” Calm down, there is a comeback album, but Adam Ant Is The Blueblack Hussar In Marrying The Gunner’s Daughter isn’t scheduled to drop until next year. Goddard co-wrote the new material with Boz Bora (who does a lot of work with Morrissey) and Chris McCormack (from British rockers 3 Colours Red). “I’m deliberately being provocative by saying I don’t wanna do downloads ‘cause I don’t want – this ain’t, this record is not for earplugs and a lap… it’s not for a mobile phone, I don’t care about that, you know,” he stressed in the muscinews. com interview. “If you haven’t got a stereo – I think if you’ve got kids, you owe it to them to play them the final disc, in their lifetime, ‘cause once they hear it and they get into it they will, I think, never get over that experience. It is such a wonderful experience and the traditional is definitely coming back. And I don’t like the people that invented the internet. You look at them, they’re geeks and they love it and they want us all to be Trekkies, and I think the Trekky mentality is just abhorrent. And it encourages children to sit in a room, not move, look at a screen and get fat and that is exactly what is happening. No one cares! I do, I’ve got a daughter so I don’t want that. I don’t want her to be looking at an iPad, I want her to go to a library, get a book, order it, take it home, read it, cherish it and take it back, and that’s tradition. Same with music: I want records, real people – plug in and play. I’m tired of karaoke.” Goddard has certainly found his voice and told UK radio station XFM earlier this year that he’s also been working on material inspired by specific celebrities and hopes they will be down with appearing in the respective music videos. “I’ve written a song for Kate Moss called Punky Young Girl and another for Ray Winstone called Hard Men Tough Blokes because he is hard,” he revealed. Antpeople, you’ve been warned.

INDUSTRY NEWS BY SCOTT FITZSIMONS

SHOCK IN MANAGEMENT RESTRUCTURE Shock Entertainment’s long-serving executive general manager Tim Janes has resigned, with the move generating a restructure of the independent label’s management. Current label manager Leigh Gruppetta will take up the newly created position of general manager of music in the new look, while neither his replacement nor other management moves are yet to be announced. In an internal email obtained by The Front Line, Janes, who has spent 13 years at the company, “has decided to pursue other opportunities within the industry”. It also said that his service to the company had been “immense”. Janes’ final day will be Friday 3 June. Speaking to newsletter Your Daily SPA, Gruppetta said, “I’m very excited to be heading up the music team and looking forward to a very bright future for Shock. We have a huge June coming up with new albums from City And Colour, The Prodigy (live CD/DVD), Kitty Daisy & Lewis, Gomez and Thievery Corporation. We are also a week away from making a very special announcement regarding a highly regarded and much loved singer/ songwriter.”

LATEST STREET PRESS FIGURES ANNOUNCED The latest circulation figures for Australian street press magazines have been announced by the Circulations Audit Board for the October 2010 to March 2011 period. In Sydney The Drum Media – published by Street Press Australia (SPA) – slightly increased circulation, rising from 33,589 copies per week to 34,203 in this period. Main competitor The Brag was not audited. In Melbourne the tight numbers between SPA’s Inpress and Furst Media’s Beat Magazine continued with Inpress just taking the lead back from Beat. Inpress had 33,253 from 32,903 previously, while Beat had 31,428 from 33,013. In Brisbane, SPA’s Time Off is the highest circulating despite a drop from 21,928 to 20,262 copies per week. Rave Magazine Pty Ltd’s Rave Magazine offered figures of 16,524 for the majority of the period but posted 10,000 for its last three weeks. Rave’s publisher Colin Rankin told The Front Line that 16,534 was their official figure and that the number for the three final issues was “just the mechanics of the way the CAB works”. If a publication’s figures are outside 10% of the average, the CAB’s regulations state it requires a separate figure. In Perth, Columbia Press Pty Ltd’s X-Press holds the biggest circulation with 37,769 copies from 38,004 last period while SPA’s The Drum Media Perth is at 37,522 from 33,013. In Adelaide, Adelaide Review Pty Ltd’s Rip It Up is audited at 10,748 copies, almost steady from 10,109. DB is not audited. It was a tough period for street press, as along with Rave’s last three weeks SPA’s east coast title 3D World announced its closure and Junior Magazine is going online. 3D’s final figures were 15,100 in Brisbane, 21,936 in Melbourne and 20,841 in Sydney, all of which were down from the last audit period. National Junior posted final figures of 81,450 copies.

BEST COAST GOES FOR GLORY Best Coast vocalist Bethany Cosentino has been called in by pop punk band New Found Glory to record vocals for their new record Radiosurgery. Posting on the band’s blog, New Found Glory’s guitarist Chad Gilbert wrote that the bands had met over Twitter. “The story goes, I wanted to get in to see their sold out show at the Troubador and didn’t have a ticket. I tweeted them half kidding about putting me on the guest list! Come to find out they were NFG fans and totally hooked me up. Since then we’ve been buds!”

GURRUMUL AND WILL.I.AM MEET SPARKED COLLAB CHATTER A chance meeting between Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu and Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am sparked the possibility of a collaboration between the two, but at the moment that’s just “industry chatter”. The two met in Paris more than a year ago while Gurrumul was working with Sting, and Will.i.am congratulated him on his career to date. Gurrumul’s producer, bassist, translator and friend Michael Hohnen told The Front Line the meeting was more the Black Eyed Peas frontman showing his support to “keep going with it” than proposing collaboration. It was “more of a personal encouraging moment”, he said. The meet was revealed in an Inpress cover story whereby Blue King Brown’s vocalist Natalie Pa’apa’a was talking on the rare collaboration her band did with Gurrumul. “Yeah, we feel very honoured,” she said. “We have that connection together and he knows us, so when people like Will.I.Am approach him to do something, he probably doesn’t know who that is and it’s probably not important to him – he’s very down to earth and about the music and we have a good connection, so we were lucky in that sense that we’re one of very few artists who have been able to collaborate with him.”

PALAIS ANNOUNCE RE-OPENING LINE-UP Tim Rogers has been announced as the artist given the honour to headline the re-opening weekend for the

PAUL KELLY’S “OUTSTANDING SERVICES” HONOURED Paul Kelly has been announced as the next recipient of the Ted Albert Award for “outstanding services to Australian music”, which is to be presented at the APRA Music Awards, held Thursday at Sydney’s Carriageworks. Previous winners of the award – named after the founder of Alberts Records – include Don Burrows, Slim Dusty, Michael Chugg, Angus & Malcolm Young, Roger Davies, Dennis Handlin AM, Bill Armstrong and radio station Triple J.

APRA’s director of membership Milly Petriella told The Front Line that APRA’s board – which decides the recipient – wasn’t necessarily looking for a musician this year. “It’s an over-arching award for achievement that can encompass anyone in the industry,” she said. “Personally, I think it’s the most honourable award of the [APRA Awards] evening.” Comparing it to the ARIA Hall Of Fame award, Petriella said that the two were “equally as significant”, but the Ted Albert Award has a wider scope than that of the Hall Of Fame’s recording/performing artist focus. “This one is a little more about [someone’s] overall contribution to the industry.” Palais. Under new management, the venue will open its doors once again on the Queen’s Birthday weekend – Friday 10 and Saturday 11 July. Locals Checkerboard Lounge and The Town Bikes will perform on the Friday, with Rogers’ solo set taking place Saturday.

PETE TOWNSEND’S CONTROVERSIAL BOOK GETS RELEASE Controversial and long-awaited memoirs from The Who’s Pete Townsend will be released in the southern hemisphere spring next year thanks to a book deal recently announced with HarperCollins. In 2003 Townsend was cautioned by UK police for accessing child pornography, which he claimed at the time was research for the book. At the time he said in a statement, “I believe I was sexually abused between the age of five and six-and-ahalf when in the care of my maternal grandmother who was mentally ill at the time. I cannot remember clearly what happened, but my creative work tends to throw up nasty shadows – particularly in Tommy. Some of the things I have seen on the internet have informed my book… and which will make clear to the public that if I have any compulsions in this area, they are to face what is happening to young children in the world today and to try to deal openly with my anger and vengeance toward the mentally ill people who find paedophilic pornography attractive.” The book has been in the development for approximately 15 years and in announcing the deal, HarperCollins’ executive editor David Hirshey said, “In his autobiography, generations of fans will finally get the answer they’ve been waiting for.”

FAIRFAX TO SELL OFF RADIO Fairfax has announced intentions to sell its radio assets, not long after announcing a restructure of the flagship newspapers and outsourcing sub-editing. In a statement last week, the media company’s chief executive Greg Hywood said, “The decision to consider the divestment of Fairfax Radio has been taken in response to strong expressions of interest from prospective acquirers and as part of our ongoing review of opportunities to maximise shareholder value and the mix of assets we own.” The assets include Sydney’s 2UE and Melbourne’s 3AW, and John Singleton’s Macquarie Radio Network is being mentioned by observers as a possible buyer. It is hoped that sales will be completed by the year’s end, with the total assets worth about $250 million, possibly more if they’re split up.

SPA TO LAUNCH NEW MAG Street Press Australia, publishers of Inpress, have announced they’ll be launching a new magazine, with the last edition of 3D World to be hitting East Coast streets today. Street Press Australia managing director Craig Treweek said, “3D World has served the dance community well for over 20 years but as the clubbing community is now part of the wider music scene, it can no longer be sustained as a standalone publication.” The new magazine will be East Coast based, monthly and comprise a lot of the lifestyle and culture editorial content that 3D had following its redesign this year.

FRESHLY INKED Sibling starlets Stonefield have signed to newly formed Warner Music label Wunderkind, which is under the management of Michael Parisi. He told The Front Line

twitter.com/inpressmag

that the label – which also has Owl Eyes on its roster – is very much an artist development label with a view to international success, with the idea coming from Warner boss Tony Harlow. “I just think Stonefield are one of the most exciting artists I’ve seen in a long, long time,” Parisi said. “They’ll make an impact both here and overseas… There’s already general excitement in the UK.” Stonefield are already booked to play Glastonbury (after being seen at the One Movement showcase) and their record has been picked up for release by Flock Music in the UK. Management, publicity and promotion company Red Rebel Music have announced the signing of alternative rock band Playdeaf, whose album Super Sexy Market is due for release later this year. Sydney’s Cameras have signed to Speak N Spell to release their debut album, with the band set to tour America before touring Australia in support of the album’s release. The as-yetunnamed record will be out later this year.

BOY & BEAR CHALLENGE IDOL/CLUB SINGLES Boy & Bear are the only local non-Idol or club track to feature in the ARIA Singles Chart this week, with Feeding Line scraping into the top 50 at position 49. DJ Havana Brown’s We Run The Night is still the highest ranked local in 11th, while Tonite Only enter the picture with a track of the same name – though spelled differently – We Run The Nite, debuting at 46. In the albums chart Ben Harper’s new record Give Till It’s Gone debuted in ninth, but it was beaten out by Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours which, buoyed by TV show Glee featuring the music, re-entered in second spot, still held out by Adele’s 21. The album’s gone platinum 13 times over. Comedy group The Lonely Island managed 15 with Turtleneck And Chain, Friendly Fires slotted in at 19 with Pala, Adelaide hip hop artist Vents in at 25 with Marked For Death and newlyindependent lads Trial Kennedy managed 48 with Living Undesigned. Elsewhere, this week marked one year in the charts for Justin Bieber and his album My Worlds, which is now two times platinum. In the compilations chart the latest Ministry Of Sound: Sessions Eight release holds top spot, the two-disc set mixed by locals Sam La More and Tommy Trash. For DVDs AC/DC knocked André Rieu off top spot with their new concert film Live At River Plate, which hit the top spot in as many as 17 countries around the world. Internationally, INXS’s track Original Sin (featuring Rob Thomas) has climbed to second on the Dance/Club Play chart and Cut Copy’s Zonoscope is back into the top 15 in the Electronic Albums chart. Hungry Kids Of Hungary’s debut album Escapades has reached 46 in America’s CMJ College Music Chart. Parkway Drive’s latest album Deep Blue went gold ahead of their current tour, a first for the band and their record label Resist Records. Resist’s founder and owner Graham Nixon told The Front Line, “It’s a fantastic result for the guys, having seen all the hard work they have put into their band from day one. To get a gold record in today’s music climate is amazing.” For up-to-date news delivered every day to your inbox, subscribe to the Your Daily SPA newsletter at themusic.com.au.

Got news? Announcements? Gossip? Unsubstantiated but hilarious rumours? Send them all to frontline@streetpress.com.au.

THE

FRONTLINE

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY

Hot-tub time machines, free beer and homemade mango rum are just a few of the reasons BOY & BEAR’s JAKE TARASENKO will need a year to recover from South By Southwest. The bass player kept a diary of the band’s Texan exploits for Inpress. happened last night; today consisted of two shows performed more or less back-to-back. The Aussie BBQ, the first, was preceded by what was probably the fastest soundcheck performed by anyone in the history of soundchecks. The next, a band acoustic set for Chess Club, had us scrambling in an entirely different manner. We went on stage more or less unrehearsed, lacking equipment, in full sunlight, competing with the hardcore band next door. I believe we did okay, though it was hard to make that judgement above so much double-kick devastation. 20/03/11 I forgot to mention more hot-tub action last night. This action managed once more to affect the

following day, but perhaps I should be grateful for that lesson – don’t stay up all night drinking in a hot-tub if you’ve somewhere to be the following morning. Admittedly, the place we had to be was a casual breakfast next door, but it was still difficult. The plan for today was fairly relaxed, but still involved some effort on our part. Officially, SXSW ended yesterday for us, but we had one final show to play for Mark, our host and his extended family at the party he organises each year (apparently, this year was considered a ‘gathering’ though, seeing as 60 people isn’t enough to be called a party). The best part about all this was that Mark’s gathering was the best organised event I had been involved in all week. In fact, the show was one of the most relaxed and well played I had ever

played. Surrounded by people who loved us once or twice removed and who didn’t care all that much, to whom I didn’t have anything to prove, seemed a fi tting finale to such a hectic week. I hope to see the Gaults and SXSW in the future, but I don’t think I’ll regain the energy for it by next year.

WHO: Boy & Bear WHEN & WHERE: Tonight (Wednesday), Thursday and Friday, Corner Hotel; Saturday, Bended Elbow (Geelong)

15/03/11 I don’t quite know how it happens. I’ve always maintained that I’m not the travelling type. Somehow though, when a new trip creeps its way across the calendar, I feel something. Certainly not excitement, but anticipation, I suppose. Not even the type of anticipation one would expect to experience in front of a firing squad; it’s a positive sort of anticipation. Unfortunately, after a certain obscene amount of time spent in transit (indeed, this is the second 15th of March I’ve experienced in less than 48 hours), I am more disappointed in myself and my anticipation than anything else. Nonetheless, perhaps some divine intelligence has seen fi t to repay our tribulations by bestowing a magnificent boon upon us. Our wonderful hosts for the next six days, the Gaults and their extended familial tree, have so far provided for us no less than fi ve-star accommodation in their ‘compound’, Mexican food, Mexican beer and cookies the likes of which I fear I will never experience again (thank you, aunt Jessie). I can positively feel my jetlag receding. 16/03/11 Strange how a city the size of Adelaide can transform from sleepy to, well, sleepless. Granted, our show today had finished by four in the afternoon, but walking in the vicinity of Austin’s Sixth Street well beyond the midnight hour is a unique experience. People from literally every walk of life crowd the streets which were, that morning, clean and lonely. What’s more, for every ten metres walked, one is exposed to at least three different sources – and indeed genres – of music. From an ‘industry’ point of view too, SXSW is a strange occurrence – old friends are met on every corner in a profoundly relaxed environment, despite the multitude of events going on a stone’s throw from one another. Perhaps that same unquantifiable quality that lends laze to southern drawl has also descended upon all of us? After today, I might believe it. 17/03/11 Something is definitely afoot. Today’s schedule was full of backto-back press with us left to negotiate Austin’s SXSW gridlock in between. After all that, today’s show was to be performed on the stroke of midnight. I say something’s afoot because I can’t seem to imagine how today could have fl owed any more smoothly. We arrived at all of our press engagements on time and the show was one of the best I’ve ever played. We’re surrounded by such a great team over here, so I think the majority of the credit goes to them – the drivers and the managers, the tour manager and the host. Also, I didn’t pay for a single beer today, which may have added to the overall candour. 18/03/11 I’m actually writing today’s entry from tomorrow. I suppose I could itemise today’s events one by one, but I feel like although they were not unenjoyable, they were quite similar to yesterday. So rather than that, I’ll hint at the reason I didn’t record today yesterday. Upon arriving back at the compound I proceeded to wash away the mine’s worth of salt that the Texan sun had sucked from my skin. Whilst towelling myself off, I heard raised and jovial voices emanating through the fl oor from below. As I entered the kitchen, I was supplied with what was described as the ‘family drink’ – a rum and coke. One thing led to another and before I knew it, some of us had consumed two martini glasses of homemade mango rum, while others were lured into certain states by tequila shots dressed with salt and lime. Needless to say, the night was long and by the time I had extricated myself from the hot-tub, it was three in the morning. Hence, I am writing to you from ‘tomorrow’. 19/03/11 In hindsight, last night wasn’t the best choice of nights for what

FOREWORD LINE T EN S E PR

WEDNESDAY 25 MAY

HMAS VENDETTA THE RED JANE SHOW RUSTY (ELECTRIC MARY) DELSINKI JANE ENTRY $5, 8PM

THURSDAY 26 MAY

WAITING ROOM/EP LAUNCH

THE PHILISTINES DRUNK MUMS THE CHAOS KIDS THE PRETTY LITTLES MERRYGOROUNDS ENTRY $8, 8PM

FRIDAY 27 MAY

DUSTEDORANGE TWENTY TWO HUNDRED ROCK CITY RIFF RAFF THE ADVOCATES

ENTRY $12 DOOR, $10 PRESALE THRU MOSHTIX, 8.30PM

SATURDAY 28 MAY

LIVE DVD FILMING

ENGINE THREE SEVEN

T EN S E PR

Meet your latest band crush: Nashville rock revivalists Mona. Handpicked by the BBC for their annual Sound Of 2011 poll and currently touring alongside Kings Of Leon, the Southern rockers have the kind of addictive sound (not to mention punk preacher style) that rock‘n’roll legends are made of. Look for their debut this month and check them out at Splendour and at the East Brunswick Club on Tuesday 26 July.

FIRE AWAY

After the mammoth success of their previous Australian tours, including memorable performances at 2009’s Splendour In The Grass and the recent Good Vibrations festival, UK trio Friendly Fires will be bringing their energetic, irresistibly punchy live performance back to our shores this July – this time armed with brand new grooves from their recently released second album Pala. It’s been three years in the making but Pala was worth the wait, destined to build on the success of Friendly Fires’ eponymous 2008 debut album (which earned the band a Mercury Prize nomination and two Brit Awards nominations). Friendly Fires play a Splendour In The Grass sideshow at Billboard on Friday 29 July.

A WHALE OF A TIME

Three records in, indie folk popsmiths Noah & The Whale have delivered their best record yet in the bombastic, beautiful Last Night On Earth. Prepare for vigorous singalongs, kindred folk spirits, and intimate tales when they play the Corner Hotel on Wednesday 3 August.

ENTRY $15 DOOR, $12 PRESALE THRU MOSHTIX, 8.30PM

THE OCTOPARTY – PUNK/HARDCORE FEST

THE GUN RUNNERS

MONDAY 30 MAY

RESIDENCY

8 BIT LOVE INDIGO KIDS

DONATION ENTRY, 9PM $10 JUGS!

TUESDAY 31 MAY

RESIDENCY

ROSIE & GEORGE

PEOPLE POWER They’re responsible for one of the past summer’s most infectious hits: Pumped Up Kicks, a contagious, dance pop anthem. No band could have asked for a more successful first offering – it was an instant hit, landing the #32 spot in Triple J’s Hottest 100. On the back of their highly anticipated debut album, Torches, LA’s Foster The People are back for Splendour In The Grass. Joining them at their just-announced sideshow will be Sydney’s Guineafowl, whose EP Hello Anxiety was embraced in a great big bear hug by fans. Critics alike have hailed their infectious blend of anthemic indie pop music as ones to watch in 2011. Catch both bands at the Hi-Fi on Wednesday 27 July.

LIVING IN HIS SHADOW

DJ Shadow makes a welcome return to Australia when he brings his groundbreaking Shadowsphere Tour down under for headline shows this winter, following a performance at Splendour In The Grass. Displaying his formidable mixing and scratching skills with tunes old and new, Shadow works from turntables mounted in the centre of the Shadowsphere. The show offers sensory overload as the giant orb, rotating at Shadow’s will in front of a massive backdrop screen, displays stunning projected graphics and images as visually mesmerising as the beats and breaks pounding from the speakers. DJ Shadow plays the Palace Theatre on Sunday 31 July, with special guests Midnight Juggernauts (DJ set) and Ghoul. Tickets go on sale this Friday through Ticketek.

WATCH THEM LIKE A HAWK

SUNDAY 29 MAY

ENTRY $12, 5PM

OOOH, MONA

BRANCH ARTERIAL THE PARADIGM SHIFT RIOT IN TOYTOWN

MINDSET CROWNED KINGS HAWAIIAN ISLANDS CHARGING NORTH STRICKLAND CAVALCADE DECLARATION

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

KILL YOUR BLOOD PRESSURES Brace yourselves for the return of one of the hottest rock duos around: The Kills will be performing headline shows in Melbourne this July, in addition to playing at Splendour In The Grass. The Londonbased duo’s fourth and most recent studio album is Blood Pressures. Alison Mosshart Jamie Hince are as renowned for their ferociously seductive live shows as for the pulsing riffs and growling vocals ingrained within all four of their widely acclaimed albums. The Kills play the Prince Bandroom on Thursday 28 July.

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan are a true renaissance duo, channelling the dusty desert sounds of Texas and LA and the red dirt encrusted highways of Las Vegas via three stunning collaborative albums, including the Mercury Prize nominated debut Ballad Of The Broken Seas, the much celebrated follow-up Sunday At Devil Dirt and their latest, Hawk. And now the unique couple are making their way to Australia for the very first time to appear at Splendour In The Grass and for a series of headline shows. Backed by a four-piece band, you can be assured of the full Campbell & Lanegan experience when they play the National Theatre on Monday 1 August.

BIG, BIG LOVE

They’re armed with insatiable melodies and golden-hued guitars: prepare for the arrival of LA indie escapists Grouplove! It’s been a rapid rise for the sunny five-piece, who’ve stolen our hearts with Triple J favourite Colours, from their self-titled EP. Grouplove and fellow Cali band Young The Giant play the Corner on Tuesday 2 August.

WE LOVE BEING SNEAKY

Hot on the heels of Sneaky Sound System signing to Modular Recordings and announcing the imminent release of their forthcoming album From Here To Anywhere, Black Angus and Miss Connie Mitchell have released details of their first Australian tour in more than two years. Meantime We Love, the first cut from the duo’s new album, will premiere on Australian radio this Friday. The album will follow late-August, with tunes from the record to premiere at their upcoming headline shows. Catch Sneaky Sound System at the Corner on Friday 1 July. Tickets are on sale from Thursday 9 June.

NOT SUCH A MODEST FOLLOWING

Longtime genre-blending stalwarts Modest Mouse return for headline shows this July. After developing a cult-like following with their earlier work, the band’s 2004 offering Good News For People Who Love Bad News and its massive hit Float On propelled them further into full-fledged stardom and primed us for their most recent album, 2007’s We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. The band recently were in the studio working with hip hop heavyweight and OutKast rapper Big Boi on a couple of new songs. As well as featuring on the Splendour bill, Modest Mouse play at the Prince Bandroom Wednesday 27 July.

WARNING: MAY CAUSE OFFENCE

British electro punks Does It Offend You, Yeah? have announced a headline show to coincide with their appearance at the 2011 Splendour In The Grass festival. The five-piece from Reading, UK, burst on to the international music scene in 2008 with the release of their debut album, You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into. In March this year, DIOY,Y? released their long awaited second album, Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You, which has received critical acclaim around the world. Catch DIOY,Y? at the Prince Bandroom on Friday 5 August.

NEW CHEF NEW MENU NEW GRUB

SAMBROSE AUTOMOBILE THE CALL UP

THURS 23RD JUNE

ENTRY $7, 8.30PM $10 JUGS!

DELTA RIGGS

SATURDAY 2ND JULY COMING UP: KKS PROJECT + THE MELODICS (1 JUNE), THE HARLOTS (EP LAUNCH) (2 JUNE), LTM SHOWCASE: KINGSWOOD (3 JUNE), STAR ASSASSIN (SINGLE LAUNCH)(4 JUNE), TULLY & THE THIEF (MON IN JUNE) POCO LA PAX (TUES IN JUNE)

BELLES WILL RING

WED 25TH MAY

FRI 27TH MAY

SAT 28TH MAY

THE RELEASED SERIES PRESENTS: LOFLY RECORDS RESTREAM + MOUNTAIN STATIC + AOI

+ CHIMNEYS! + BRAINSWORTH (SOLO)

BUCKLEY WARD ALBUM LAUNCH

PARANOIA POP PRESENTS: CUBA IS JAPAN

FRONT BAR DJ BECAUSE GOODBYE

FRONT BAR: DJ ISAAC (YOUNG MAGIC)

SUN 29TH MAY

MON 30TH MAY

BEERS, BIKES & BANDS PRESENTS:

GREENROOM MINI-MONDAY RESIDENCY! W/ THE PRETTY LITTLES

THE LIGHTS + CHARLIE LIM + PHIA + HAZEL BOOT (WA)

$2 POTS, FREE ENTRY BEFORE 8PM

TUES 31ST MAY

WED 1ST JUNE

THUR 2ND JUNE

RE-MATCH MARIOCART CHAMPIONSHIP

APRA PRESENTS: THE SONGS N’ SOUND FROM START TO FINISH W/ URTHBOY, PIP NORMAN & ANGUS STUART FRONT BAR: DJ BECAUSE GOODBYE

+ PARADING + LAMEFOOT

NICCI@GETNOTORIOUS.COM

+ POW WOW WOW + I DREAM IN TRANSIT + A DEAD FOREST INDEX + ORBITS + KINS FRONT BAR: BACHELOR KITCHEN DJS

twitter.com/inpressmag

MIDNIGHT CALLER

CATE@GETNOTORIOUS.COM

twitter.com/inpressmag

FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

BASTARDS REJOICE!

N SE E PR

Here’s more great Bastardfest news. The second group of acts to be performing at this year’s magnificent events are ready to be unleashed. Along with a smattering of interstate and local bands glorifying the tremendous talent heavy music in Australia has to offer, Bastardfest caters for every single one of you bastards out there. Buy your tickets now. You’ll fit right in! Supporting Psycroptic for the Melbourne show at the Corner on Saturday 17 September will be Pod People, Claim The Throne, I Exist and Fuck I’m Dead.

THE ITCH-E & SCRATCH-E SHOW

SCREAM FOR JAMES BLAKE His sound is spellbinding: call it post-dubstep if you like, but young British composer James Blake is impossible to categorise or resist. Live, attentiongrabbing singles such as The Wilhelm Scream ooze with a visceral, rattling power; you could say this classically-trained pianist has imagined an entirely new sound. On the back of his acclaimed self-titled debut, get set for what will undoubtedly be one of 2011’s most anticipated shows. As well as gracing the Splendour stage, James Blake will perform at the Prince Bandroom on Tuesday 26 July.

There is some crazy winter weather descending on us, so Itch-e & Scratch-e are inviting you to come and keep warm as they get hot and sweaty at their DJ sets in June. They’ll be doing a final lap of dishonour for their album Hooray For Everything!!!, playing mostly tracks from their own back catalogue. Dust off your dance shoes and go check them out at New Guernica on Friday 24 June. Get your ticket for $20 from Moshtix.

ELBOWING THEIR WAY OUT

Elbow are returning to our fair country for the first time since 2009. The Mancurian five-piece will play a Melbourne headline show this July, ahead of their appearance at Splendour In The Grass. This year Elbow have delivered another collection of lush, orchestral and typically graceful sounds, Build A Rocket Boys!, complemented by frontman Guy Garvey’s gravelly, emotive vocals. Debuting at #13 in Australia, Build A Rocket Boys! is their fifth studio album in a ten-year-plus career and follows the critically acclaimed The Seldom Seen Kid. Elbow play at the Palace on Wednesday 27 July.

GOMEZ ON YOUR MIND? A STEAL OF A SHOW

Washington DC-based Rob Garza and Eric Hilton are Thievery Corporation, creating stylish, warm, lush and soulful sounds and fat beats. During their 15-year career Thievery Corporation have developed, established and extended their unique art, introducing and melding an eclectic mix of worldly influences from Afrobeat, Indian, Jamaican dub, Brazilian and New York tones with trip hop and acid jazz. As well as playing Splendour, they’ve got a Melbourne headline show planned. It will feature an 11-piece live band, drawing material from throughout Thievery Corporation’s stellar career including songs from the soon-to-be-released album Culture Of Fear. See the spectacle at the Palace Theatre on Tuesday 2 August.

JET THIS UP YA!

Crazy Japanese punks The Jet Boys are hitting Australian shores for the first time in their 28-year career, for what has been dubbed the Jet This Up Ya! tour. Having previously been banned from most Asian clubs for their onstage antics, The Jet Boys’ performance is one not to be missed. If seeing a naked punk shredding out a wicked guitar solo with a giant vegetable is your idea of a good night out, The Jet Boys are the band for you. Head on down to the Vineyard in St Kilda from 11pm this Thursday to see them tear apart the stage with the awesome Cherry Bang(ers). They’re also headlining Punk-A-Billy 12 this Saturday at the Barley Corn alongside Strawberry Fist Cake, The Half Pints, The Tearaways, Very Handsome Men, Working Horse Irons, Cherry Bang(ers), The Morrisons and Dixon Cider. Doors at 4pm.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR HI-FI

The Hi-Fi is celebrating its birthday with a special birthday show on Friday 10 June, featuring the distinguished Tim Rogers & The Temperance Union, Henry Wagons (solo) with very special guests Even and River Of Snakes. It’s the venue’s only birthday event for the year so it is sure to be an evening of revelry not to be missed. Tickets are just $35; doors open at 6pm.

BACDAFUCUP, IT’S ONYX

A full 18 years after making the world Slam, legendary rappers Onyx are finally making their way to Australia for the very first time on their Bacdafucup Tour. Onyx burst onto the scene with the primal unified chants of their debut single Throw Your Gunz. They followed it up in 1993 with their debut album Bacdafucup, a ruff and rugged street classic that sold three million copies and left an undeniable impact on the street mentality and sound of the East Coast for years to come. Don’t miss this iconic group’s performance at the Espy on Thursday 9 June. Grab your tickets now from Moshtix.

Gomez are heading back to Australia to play shows in support of their fine new slab of tunes, Whatever’s On Your Mind, which is to be released in mid-June. The band’s seventh studio full-length release is the culmination of international file swapping between the band members who are scattered all over the northern hemisphere these days. Playing at Splendour In The Grass, the band – with guests Leader Cheetah – play the Palace Theatre on Thursday 4 August.

COLOUR US IMPRESSED

Warpaint last appeared earlier this year when they whipped up a frenzy at Laneway Festival and their sold-out intimate shows. Playing as part of the massive Splendour line-up, the band will also play a headline show with special guest Jack Ladder. Warpaint have been together since 2004, slowly getting their sound together and releasing debut EP Exquisite Corpse in 2008, which set them on a roll. In 2009 they were joined by Australian drummer Stella Mozgawa and in 2010 they were the hot pick of SXSW and also released their debut album, The Fool, to critical acclaim. Don’t miss their mesmerising live performance at the Corner on Tuesday 26 July.

A NIGHT WITH THE OPERA

Boom Crash Opera look back over their 25-year career with a special show at Crown Casino on Saturday 9 July. These Here Are 25 Years is a two-hour show with both acoustic and electric performances by Boom Crash Opera featuring all their favourite songs: Onion Skin, Dancing In The Storm, Great Wall, The Best Thing and Hands Up In The Air, with a few classic album gems thrown in the mix, as well as an set from their musical mentor Sean Kelly.

SHOW BIZ

The legendary Biz Markie is a true hip hop veteran. His inclination toward juvenile humour and his fondness for goofy, tuneless, half-sung choruses camouflaged his true talents as a freestyle rhymer. With his silly humour and inventive, sample-laden productions, he proved that hip hop could be funny and melodic, without sacrificing its street credibility. As well as being the special guest for some of hit TV show Yo Gabba Gabba’s live stage shows in Australia, Biz will perform at the Espy on Friday 10 June. Tickets are on sale now from Oztix.

VIVA GLASVEGAS

As well as playing at this year’s Splendour, Glasvegas will also perform their very first Australian headline shows this July. The band’s independent, self-financed debut single Daddy’s Gone was ranked as one of the two best tracks of 2007 by NME. Glasvegas’ bigger and bolder second full-length album Euphoric Heartbreak was released last month. See what the fuss is about on Monday 25 July at the Hi-Fi.

CHUCKING FITZ, THROWING TANTRUMS

Feel like dancing? Putting a modern twist on Motown soul are Hollywood collective Fitz & The Tantrums, whose Pickin’ Up The Pieces cherrypicks from the best of ‘60s Staxstyle cuts, new wave knockouts and funk-infused grooves. With sultry singer Noelle Scaggs out front, this eclectic outfit are a powerhouse live. They’re on the fabulous Splendour bill, but for those who aren’t going, you can catch them at at Red Bennies on Friday 29 July with guest Lanie Lane.

ROYD RAGE

This time ‘round we hope they don’t break any bones on stage… yep, Dananananaykroyd play hard. In 2009, they seduced us with Black Wax from their rip-roaring debut. Now, with a brand new release due next month, the smokin’ Glasgow sextet head back our way for Splendour In The Grass. They will also play a headline show at the East Brunswick Club on Monday 1 August with special guest DZ Deathrays.

T EN S E PR

SHED THE TITLE Having in common their straight-up approaches and vehement fanbases, Title Fight and Touche Amore will be hitting the road together around Australia this September. The release of their brilliant new album, Shed, has seen Title Fight catapulted to the top of the punk world, with NME declaring Shed one of the best punk rock debuts of the year. Title Fight have been building music commune’s one fan at a time with their unpretentious and intensely passionate live show. Touche Amore have awoken something long forgotten in punk/hardcore, and their live set is a mass outpouring of anger and emotional honesty, which unites into something striking, vulnerable and refreshingly real. Make sure you catch both bands on Saturday 10 September at Billboard.

CLIMBING THE LADDER

In celebration of his third long-player, Jack Ladder is heading out on the Hurtsville album tour. Hurtsville follows 2008’s Australian Music Prize nominated Love Is Gone. Ladder plays with hi new full-time band The Dreamlanders at the East Brunswick Club on Sunday 19 June.

MORE DOOM, LESS GLOOM

With a stellar line-up starring Converge bassist Nate Newton on guitar and vocals alongside longtime friends Jebb Riley (Disappearer), Chris Pupecki (Cast Iron Hike), and new drummer Q (Clouds), Doomriders are a rare beast in today’s music world. The demon child of their collective unhealthy obsession with classic rock, hardcore, and skateboarding, their soulful no-frills approach conjures the spirits of Thin Lizzy’s guitar harmonies and Motörhead’s high-octane grime. In July, the Boston foursome make their maiden trip to Australia where they will be touring with Canberra’s I Exist. They play at the East Brunswick Club on Friday 29 July.

BREAKING OUT IN HIVES Setting the bar impossibly high are Sweden’s The Hives, who’ve been stripping rock right back to its basics ever since they delivered slices like Hate to Say I Told You So and Main Offender. Frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist is a force of nature on stage: turbo-charged, a lesson in showmanship and always well-dressed, this is a show not to be missed. As well as Splendour In The Grass, The Hives play at Festival Hall on Wednesday 27 July with special guest The Grates, which pretty much seals the deal, don’t you think? Get your tickets though Ticketmaster from this Friday.

twitter.com/inpressmag

FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

HEAR THE UNDERGROUND, OVERGROUND

T EN S E PR

After thrilling capacity crowds in 2010, Overground returns to the 2011 Melbourne International Jazz Festival on Sunday 12 June from 3pm for another historic, multi-stage happening, featuring a spectacular line-up of some of the most creative and experimental improvising artists in the world. Curated by program director Sophia Brous with Joel Stern and Lloyd Honeybrook, the extraordinary program of distinguished guests includes Tony Conrad, Charlemagne Palestine, Faust, Yoshida Tatsuya, Brian Ritchie, Chris Abrahams, Oren Ambarchi, Fabulous Diamonds, Golden Fur and many more. The six-hour, multi-stage mini-festival is an unrepeatable event, showcasing international, national and Melbourne’s own underground music culture. The running order and list of curated collaborations will be announced on Thursday 26 May.

THOSE LOVELESS CHILDREN

BIG SHOTS Last year the NME labelled The Vaccines the “worst kept secret in London indie”: it’s fair to say the secret’s out. On their debut LP What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?, the blistering British garage-popsters grab you by the throat via tracks such as quick juggernaut Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra). Live, The Vaccines blast through anthems with barely a breath. Find out why the band have garnered so much hype at the Hi-Fi on Wednesday 3 August.

DIESEL WILL MAKE YOUR MOTOR RUN

Since leaving Perth 25 years ago Mark Lizotte, AKA Diesel, has sold in excess of 800,000 records and become a household name. Now, to celebrate his alter ego’s silver jubilee, Lizotte has cut 15 tracks for his brand new album (to be released at the start of July) Under The Influence, an album dedicated to his musical heroes. You can catch him at Ballarat’s Regent Theatre on Thursday 22 July, Palms At Crown on Friday 23 July and at Geelong’s Gateway Hotel on Saturday 24 July.

LOOK, LISTEN, READ

Readings in St Kilda and Rockpool Publishing are hosting conversations with Tony Mott and Tim Rogers to launch the former’s new book, Rock’n’Roll Photography Is The New Trainspotting – A Retrospective of Work From The Last 30 Years. With his incredible enthusiasm for not only music but also musicians, Mott has the uncanny ability to capture the quintessential appeal of his photography subjects. Mott has toured with The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, Sarah McLaughlin, Avril Lavigne, Silverchair, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan and festivals such as Big Day Out. The book launch will be held at Readings on Acland Street on Thursday 9 June from 6.30pm. RSVP to stkilda@readings. com.au or call 9525 3852.

DRAW BLOOD

Melbourne’s Jordie Lane returns from an extended stint in the US to showcase his second album, Blood Thinner. Released on Friday 15 July, the album takes a sharp and unique turn away from his critically acclaimed studio debut, Sleeping Patterns. Blood Thinner is a record that travels across landscapes with gospel choirs, near-techno beats, campfire folk songs, bluegrass and West Coast country. Witness Lane’s storytelling prowess live when he plays the Corner on Friday 12 August.

PIONEER OR SABOTEUR?

Legendary Texas-based troubador Micah P Hinson is returning to Australian shores in June to tour his latest release, Micah P Hinson And The Pioneer Saboteurs. The album is drenched in strings and desolation and inspired by the political changes in America, and is his most ambitious, fullest, grandest and most punishing recording yet. Hinson will play an intimate show at the Toff In Town on Thursday 30 June.

T EN S E PR

SYDONIA STORM IN

Sydonia have announced the release of their new album, as well as a string of upcoming shows across the country in June and July. Legendary producer/ mixer Colin Richardson (Slipknot, Funeral For A Friend) recently came on board to mix current single Ocean Of Storms, from the yet-to-be-named album. The band’s debut album, Given To Destroyers, was independently recorded, produced and mixed in just two weeks. Sydonia will play the East Brunswick Club on Friday 17 June, and will be joined by special guests Contrive, so make sure you check them out.

PULP IS GOOD FOR YOU Reuniting after a seven-year break are Sheffield’s Britpop heroes, the Jarvis Cocker-led Pulp! If you’re not going to Splendour, you won’t want to miss out on their incredible headline shows – and the celebrated outfit are promising to play your favourites: Common People, Disco 2000 and Babies, to name but a few. With seven albums in 22 years, including the seminal Different Class (1995) and This Is Hardcore (1998), you’d be a fool to miss ‘em. All hail, Pulp are back! They play at Festival Hall on Friday 29 July. Get your tickets from Ticketmaster this Friday.

HAPPY DAYS

Townsville’s The Middle East have recently released their debut LP I Want That You Are Always Happy, and have now sold out two performances at the Corner Hotel. Luckily for any fans who missed out, the band have just announce an additional date – they now also play the Corner on Tuesday 14 June.

SEX SELLS

It’s been a long 12 months in the making, but the time is nigh – Brisbane three-piece The Moniters have officially announced the release of their debut EP Sex City Lovers. Comprising frontman Jimi Lucas, drummer Matt Schrader and bassist Barney Gickel, the three band members met at a Killers concert a few years ago. After demoing ideas at Lucas’ place, they sent a collection of tracks to producer Forrester Savell (Birds Of Tokyo, Dead Letter Circus). Forrester, loving the tracks, asked the band to fly down to record them with him at Sing Sing South studios. Catch The Moniters on Wednesday 15 June at the Empress.

SPIRIT OF THE SUN RA

BOXING WITH KELE Ferocious and focused: that’s Bloc Party leader Kele. The Everything You Wanted singer is back again with band in tow this winter to lay out audiences with the high-octane, electronic punch of his celebrated debut solo outing, The Boxer. Make no mistake, the dancefloor wallop of tracks like Tenderoni take no prisoners. He plays Billboard on Tuesday 2 August, with support from Strange Talk.

The world-famous Sun Ra Arkestra are bringing their iconic live performance to Australia for the first time. This must-see Melbourne Jazz Festival highlight presents the Arkestra in their sixth decade of existence. One of the great cult icons of jazz, Sun Ra formed the Arkestra in the mid-1950s and led them until his death in 1993. His ensemble has continued performing and creating supernatural sounds ever since, keeping the spirit of their late leader alive and bringing his music to new generations of Sun Ra lovers around the world. With their Forum Theatre show nearly sold out, the Jazz Festival has announced a very special additional performance by the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra – an intimate club show at the Kelvin Club on Saturday 4 June.

Taking in 12 dates and thousands of kilometres through August, Children Collide’s Loveless Tour is the final sojourn for the band as they round out the journey that has been the Theory of Everything album. The band will play four Victorian shows – Wednesday 3 August at Pelly Bar (Frankston), Thursday 4 August at Karova Lounge (Ballarat), Friday 5 August at the Bended Elbow (Geelong), and finally Saturday 13 August at the Corner. Tickets go on sale this Thursday.

TOUR OF THE VILLAGE

Hot off the back of their sold out Zurich EP tour and recent shows alongside The Naked & Famous, Sia and Sparkadia, Melbourne’s Alpine will once again take to the road to promote their single Villages with special guests Boy In A Box. Zurich, which also features the singles Heartlove and Too Safe, has received rave reviews and won fans here in Australia and Overseas, and has remained firmly entrenched in the iTunes Top 200 chart. Alpine will also be performing at this year’s Splendour In The Grass festival. Catch both bands on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 of July at the Northcote Social Club.

FINDING THEIR WAY HOME

Two of this country’s most respected singer/songwriters, James Blundell and Catherine Britt, will hit the road together on the Can’t Find Our Way Home Tour. Blundell, who has just released his tenth studio album, Woolshed Creek, will be debuting brand new songs from the release. Britt, who has recorded with Elton John, Shane Nicholson, Kasey Chambers, Paul Kelly and Kenny Chesney, is glowing in the aftermath of her most successful single ever, Sweet Emmylou. The show will be performed in intimate acoustic mode to highlight the songwriting talents of these two very unique artists. Three Victorian shows will take place – Wednesday 3 August at the Hallam Hotel, Thursday 4 August at Gateway Hotel in Corio, and Friday 5 August at Moe RSL club.

BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL EMPIRE

It has just been announced that Aussie rockers New Empire will be supporting Owl City on their All Things Bright And Beautiful tour in August this year. New Empire have had an action-packed start to the year, supporting Good Charlotte and Switchfoot, recording their second album and releasing the brand new single Here In Your Eyes. Catch them alongside Owl City at Billboard on Wednesday 17 August (18+) and Thursday 18 August (under-18).

KISS ME

Los Angeles dance pop duo Kisses makes their Australian live debut next month, bringing the sounds of summer to our increasingly freezing city. Last year’s The Heart Of The Nightlife showcased a youthful and starryeyed optimism that is sure to be present in their live show too. It was that album, in fact, that led the band to be named one of NME’s Best 50 New Bands Of The Year in 2010. The band – which expands to a trio live – will play 161 on Thursday 9 June.

T EN S E PR

ROCKIN’ ROLLERS It’s the clash you’ve been waiting for! The Victorian Roller Derby League are bringing you another smashing double header at the Melbourne Showgrounds, and this time it’s personal. The bout will see The Dead Ringer Rosies take on the Dolls Au-Go-Go. They’ve both got a win under their belts and are out to prove that they’re the team to beat in 2011. With an opening bout between the Toxic Avengers and Geelong’s own Bloody Marys, this is sure to be another night of nail-biting suspense and massive hits. In addition to some fierce competition, you’ll also be able to buy some of their awesome merchandise and have easy access to food and bar facilities. So get your tickets from Moshtix and head to the Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday 4 June for an action-packed evening. Doors at 4.30pm, first bout at 6pm.

twitter.com/inpressmag

FROM LITTLE THINGS... From a cold, lonely basement in Ontario, Canada, CITY AND COLOUR is now connecting with a global audience. Little Hell, the third LP under the name-play moniker for Alexisonfire’s DALLAS GREEN, is one of 2011’s most anticipated releases. The ever-humble Canadian tells BENNY DOYLE what to expect from an album that is sure to soundtrack a million moments this year. Cover and feature pic by CYBELE MALINOWSKI.

“I

’ve never been a sort of really world domination type of guy – I’ve just written songs.” It’s not exactly the tagline of a man on the verge of blanketing airways across the globe. But Dallas Green has never been one to puff his chest out, even when he’s creating a wall of noise as guitarist for melodic post-hardcore titans Alexisonfire. Worlds away from the abrasive nature of that five-piece and far from reflecting the inked-up physique of the 30-year-old, Green is a softly spoken, gently mannered individual who only wants to write songs that make himself happy. Only then does the hope of reaching a mass audience even cross his mind.

delivery, Green agrees that these tracks are a good indication of the disparate sounds we should expect this time ‘round.

Taking shape over the last couple of years, Green explains down the phone line from his Canadian homeland that Little Hell has been a slow process since the 2007 release of his previous City And Colour album, Bring Me Your Love. Writing here and there in between tours, the recording of the album was eventually finished in February so it’s been a couple of months of sitting, waiting, biding time, as is the nature of the industry. But fans haven’t been waiting as patiently. They’ve been demanding City And Colour. Attesting this fact, far further than his frantically snapped up sellout tour of Australia in April, is Green’s recent sold-out show at one of the most iconic venues on the planet, London’s Royal Albert Hall.

But just because there are smatterings of thicker instrumentation, don’t expect some middle-road bridging point between his two musical outlets.

“That was definitely one of those moments,” says Green when asked about some of the pinnacles of his performing career. “It was just something that you’d never think you’d end up doing, it was just one of those surreal moments. There’s just been so many things that have happened at that venue over the years, you couldn’t really count them all. To be on the list I guess, it’s pretty crazy to think about.” So far, only Fragile Bird and Northern Wind from Little Hell have been officially available to fans, although a few other album tracks such as Silver And Gold have popped up on social media thanks to the intrusive beauty of the camera phone. Polar opposites as far as their composition, sound and

“I think it’s a good example of how I went in both directions on this record. And I think it’s now to a point where I don’t think people, once they hear this record, there really won’t be any more talk of…” he regathers his thoughts, and says, “because I feel like for the last couple of years it’s sort of been all about ‘the two sides of Dallas Green’ sort of thing. Whereas now it’s just like people, I feel like people should just not expect their need to decide on the one thing, y’know. Like with the record, I wrote different types of songs and I didn’t want to just sort of shy away from one style just because it didn’t fit the mould of what people thought City And Colour should sound like. It’s my project and I write the songs the way I want to hear them.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that,” he states when such an idea is proposed. “The louder songs aren’t those four-to-thefloor punk songs. They’re just songs that have a full band arrangement, like Fragile Bird. There’s a couple of songs like that and then there’s some songs that are more acoustic based that still have a full band aesthetic. But then there are songs that are pretty much just me and a guitar. So it’s kind of all over the place but I think that’s sort of what I am. But at the same time, I definitely think that when you listen to the record front to back it sounds like a record, it doesn’t just sound like a bunch of songs mixed together. At least I like to think so. “There’s nothing really crazy going on,” he continues when asked about any new instruments that he latched onto during the recording process. “There’s pedal steel on a couple of songs but there was some pedal steel on the last record and I think there’s just more of everything I guess. Although there is no banjo and no harmonica, like some of that stuff that was on the last record, there’s none of that. But there’s just a bigger drum sound, a bigger guitar sound, a bigger bass sound. And there’s maybe a bit more piano on some of the songs.”

HARDCORE TROUBADOURS Dallas Green’s evocative and emotion-filled tunes aren’t the first to emerge from a rough-and-tumble punk rock background. Here are a few more inked-up crooners and skateboard-riding songsmiths who could not only incite circle pits or smith grind your local park bench, but probably entertain your folks at their silver wedding anniversary party, too.

Premiered globally on Triple J in early April to coincide with Green’s first headline tour as City And Colour, Fragile Bird is arguably the fullest sound that’s been heard from the originally solo project. With a throbbing bass, layered percussion and a climatic chorus seeing Green sing, “All that I can do is hope she makes it though,” it comes as something of a surprise to hear that, far from terminal illness or the recalling of a freak accident, the inspiration for the track actually stems from his wife’s intense night terrors. Green talks about how serious it can get for both himself and Leah Miller, the current host of Canada’s So You Think You Can Dance. “If I’m awake and they happen it’s not that bad, I can sort of corral them back before they get out of hand,” he says. “But when I’m sleeping and she wakes up screaming and jumps out of the bed and starts running away, it can get pretty crazy just because I need that few seconds to sort of figure out what I’m doing at the same time. She’s never hurt herself, thank god, but it’s scary just ‘cause she tends to grab the phone sometimes and throw it because she doesn’t really know what’s going on. We try not to keep any sharp objects or anything near,” he chuckles. With Alexisonfire, Green and his bandmates covered both Midnight Oil and The Saints for a special tour 7” last year while on City And Colour’s most recent tour, attuned ears would have picked up the subtle yet familiar melodies of Sam Sparro infiltrating the encore of the set. Showing himself to be not only a fan of tunes from down under but a general audiophile with a broad palate, Green talks about the first musical connection he spawned as an impressionable youngster. “It’s weird, growing up I kinda went through all these different periods. I guess the first music that really hit home with me was the grunge era because I was 11 or 12, maybe 13 years old when that blew up. So bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Nirvana, they were the first bands that I really felt a kinship with, like a really emotional connection with the music,” he reflects. “And that just led me on my path. Because I liked Nirvana, I found out about the Melvins because Kurt Cobain was a big fan.

Rumbleseat Is Dead, in 2005. Although strictly acoustic and with a far less venomous tone than was found over the turn of the millennium, Ragan has kept his allegiances with punk rock and continues to perform with musicians of a similar vein, such as Frank Turner and The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon. He also opened for Social Distortion on their west coast tour of the US earlier this year.

And Pearl Jam had the whole Neil Young connection which turned me on to the idea of Neil Young. I feel like I could go over chronologically the way I got to where I’ve gotten or the way certain bands have led me to other bands. But it would just take me forever because I’m an enthusiast, a music enthusiast – I like lots of different music and have always liked lots of different music over the years.” Green thinks more than anything, this is a generational situation that thanks to the internet has sadly tapered off. “You had to do research if you were interested in finding new music,” he reflects. “So I would read the liner notes of the CDs that I’d gotten and you’d look to see what bands that band thanked and if any of the names stood out to you then you’d go listen to them and that leads you to somewhere else and before you know it you’ve got a big CD collection.” It’s this core love of music that resonates through everything Green does and runs through Little Hell, from the gorgeous pastels of Scott McEwan’s cover to the curious song titles and vivid lyrical content. The songwriter attests this complete package is more important than ever before. But although important, it’s not everything. “I think it’s gotten better nowadays because it’s such a coveted thing, y’know. I think people are spending more time on their artwork and everyone is releasing everything on vinyl again. Because although technology is sort of overtaking, there are still those people who like I said, like myself, who are enthusiasts and who want to sit and read the lyrics and who look at the art and hold something when they listen to the record. But really, I feel like with a record and with songs, it all depends on how it makes you feel. So if you like the way a song sounds, you shouldn’t worry about what other people think.”

WHO: City And Colour WHAT: Little Hell (out Friday 10 June through Dine Alone/Shock)

many see this as an outlet for Gabel to remain true to a fanbase that have began questioning his ‘punk’ ethos. Gabel toured around Australia with Ragan in 2009.

stylings and aligning himself with an older audience. Millencolin continue to perform and release new music, but the way Sarcevic’s crisp and unique voice lends itself to these folk numbers should see him forging a far longer musical career than his bandmates.

JOEY CAPE (LAGWAGON) NIKOLA SARCEVIC (MILLENCOLIN)

Although there were flashes of acoustic emotion in amongst the blistering SoCal-styled speed punk this Swede was playing in the mid-’90s, it wasn’t until Millencolin’s breakthrough album Pennybridge Pioneers that Sarcevic really put himself out there as a solo artist. From the well-received final track of that album, aptly titled The Ballad, Sarcevic has gone on to release three albums of folk rock-inspired numbers, from 2004’s Lock-Sport-Krock to last year’s Nikola & Fattiglapparna. This latest release is also the first to feature Sarcevic singing entirely in his native tongue, further distancing himself from his punk rock

TOM GABEL (AGAINST ME!)

CHUCK RAGAN (HOT WATER MUSIC)

When Florida-based rockers Hot Water Music called it a day in 2006, Ragan chose not to follow his bandmates on a route remaining in punk rock. Instead, he flew solo, aligning himself with Hot Water Music side-project Rumbleseat, who released some 7”s and one LP,

Another product of rock music hotbed Gainesville, Florida, Tom Gabel originally formed Against Me! as a solo project back when he was 17. Now 30 years of age, Gabel is still the frontman of that band, a project that has evolved to a major label quartet with five albums under their belt. However, he has stripped back to his roots as a performer and released one solo record under his own name, the 2008 EP Heart Burns. With the recent backlash from older Against Me! fans regarding their major label recordings New Wave and White Crosses, and their far more mainstream sound,

Joey Cape is a man of many – you guessed it – cloaks. The longtime leader of seminal Californian punk band Lagwagon, Cape has also spent time rocking out the classics with the ultimate joke supergroup Me First & The Gimme Gimmes. Evolving from a split EP he released with Tony Sly of No Use For A Name, which featured acoustic takes on the two bands’ songs, he finally put together a full-length album of stripped back material in 2008 titled Bridge. Following on from that well-received LP while concurrently working on a new Lagwagon album, Cape put out his second solo release, Doesn’t Play Well With Others, earlier this year, playing every instrument and singing every note on the 12 tracks. Benny Doyle

THE DOPE RIDE Being in one of the most volatile rock bands in the world has accustomed THE DANDY WARHOLS guitarist PETER HOLMSTRÖM to life’s (and Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s) little surprises, he tells DOUG WALLEN.

he Dandy Warhols have a soft spot for Australia, and vice versa. Since first touring our country in 1998, the unpredictable Oregon band has done better here than in most foreign lands. Subsequent tours have only built upwards from there, and now drummer Brent DeBoer lives in Melbourne, where he founded the country rock ensemble Immigrant Union. The Dandys were just here last September for Parklife, but no one is complaining about another visit so soon. Least of all the band. “It seems to be a mutual admiration,” acknowledges guitarist Peter Holmström of their relationship with us. “The first time we came, we were received very well. The way our music sounds – a little lightweight on top, but with a heaviness hiding inside – sort of fits with the Australian spirit.” More tours to one place, of course, beget more success there. “If you keep going somewhere,” he agrees, “it tends to build. Places we don’t do well, like Germany, we don’t go to that often. I don’t know which is the cause and effect.”

It helps that The Dandy Warhols hail from Portland, a town that shares a laid-back, small-scale, and pervasively cool vibe with Melbourne. “I remember the first time I found out how big Melbourne actually was,” recalls Holmström. “I was convinced it was the same size of Portland, because it felt the same.” While on the topic of size, The Dandys can feel either like worldconquering rock stars or a slept-on cult act. The band’s been at it since the mid-’90s, and while there was a sizeable hit with Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth from their second album, subsequent LPs have swung between wild extremes. The millennial Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia was a vintage valentine to ’70s rock, 2003’s Welcome To The Monkey House adopted glossy synth-pop, and 2005’s Odditorium Or Warlords Of Mars proved dense with quirks. Three years later, …Earth To The Dandy Warhols… continued the band’s deepseated humour, druggy indulgence and musical nods to the past. So who are the real Dandy Warhols? “It tends to be whatever we feel like we’re not hearing,” Holmström muses. “When we did Thirteen Tales…, it was in the midst of the boy bands, Limp Bizkit era. So making an acoustic-y, warm, ’70s-feeling record was what we weren’t hearing. By the time we were ready to start the next record, everything was about these new guitar bands. So we did an electronic record.” That contrarian streak didn’t keep the band from a fairly long run at Capitol Records in the US and other major labels elsewhere. Today, however, such drastic shifts don’t shock as they once did. “It’s harder to make big, extreme changes like that now,” reckons Holmström, “because it seems like there’s everything out there all the time. After we put out the last record, I really thought we were going to do an electronic record next. And that’s definitely not the direction we’re going [so far]. It seems to be more of a straight-up rock record. But it’s too soon to say.” Apart from studio albums, The Dandys have released a B-sides collection, their rejected second LP (The Black Album), and the original, grittier mix of Welcome to the Monkey House, titled The Dandy Warhols Are Sound. Each band member – Holmström, DeBoer, sardonic frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor and bassist/keyboardist Zia McCabe – also got to remix songs from …Earth. As back catalogues go, then, this one seems all too open for reworking. That makes sense, given The Dandys’ longstanding irreverence, but it’s interesting to hear what individual members bring to the band. “If each of us had been in charge of how […Earth] came out,” Holmström says, “it would have been very different. Doing [remixes] has allowed everyone in the band to grow and become more confident in what they have to offer. We’ll see how that plays out with our next record.” That next record is still being worked on, but it should emerge in some form later this year. The band’s most recent non-studio output was last year’s collection The Capitol Years 1995-2007, for which it proved tricky securing the name. That’s because The Dandys were signed to Parlophone in England and EMI globally. “We had to fight a bit to keep that,” he concedes. “There were a bunch of arguments.” But then, these guys are no strangers to arguing with their label, whether it’s over a rejected album or a rejected mix. Unveiling the original vision for Monkey House was a personal victory for the band. (Capitol had agreed to it when it commissioned a new mix.) It also sheds light on just how much mixing can change a record. And since the in-progress new album is still far from the mixing stage, there’s no telling how it could sound, especially given the transforming force of Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s hand. “It’s going to change,” notes Holmström. “It could turn into anything. All my guitar parts could get taken out. It could be a completely electronic record. I don’t know.” This isn’t exactly a democracy we’re talking about, then. “It tends to be Courtney who comes in at the end and makes the major decisions,” he continues. “I’m fine with that. Starting with Monkey House, when ProTools took over everything, the way recording goes is that everybody puts down about 100 different ideas. So if you actually see one or two of those at the end of mixing, you’re like, ‘Woo hoo!’ Though, on the latest record we really tried to limit ourselves to one good idea and develop it.” Do Holmström and the other band members ever get to reclaim those original parts and ideas in a live setting? Or are they lost forever? “I tend to reclaim as much as I can,” he answers. “The live versions kind of stick with the recorded versions, but there’s things that don’t work. Having four people do everything that’s on a record without having lots of backing tracks is not possible. And we tend to not do that.” The thing is, it’s precisely this volatility that has endeared many fans to The Dandy Warhols throughout the ups and downs of their commercial success, not to mention those erratic albums. Fans know that a Dandys record will be arrogant and ballsy but not take itself very seriously. And yet there’s a surprising rock pedigree hiding behind so many tongue-in-cheek song titles and conceptual piss-takes. Also, the rest of the band is used to Taylor-Taylor’s role as leader, and that set-up has yielded a back catalogue that keeps the band touring and able to cut new records for its fanbase. One time Holmström truly didn’t mind shelving his recorded parts was when Dire Straits legend Mark Knopfler and Tom Petty’s trusty sideman Mike Campbell guested on the …Earth track Love Song. As the story goes, Taylor-Taylor had originally sought a banjo part from the multi-talented Steve Martin. When that didn’t pan out, he asked Campbell for the best banjo player around and Campbell offered himself. So he played that, while Taylor-Taylor enlisted Knopfler to play dobro. “I’m not sure I’m on that track,” laughs Holmström. “I think my parts got taken off to make room for theirs.”

WHO: The Dandy Warhols WHEN & WHERE: Friday, Palace

twitter.com/inpressmag

HEED THE SIREN Watching her friend Rufus Wainwright struggle with fame and drugs, JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN alter ego JOAN WASSER learned how to take the reigns of her own career, she tells ANTHONY CAREW.

oan Wasser has a lot to consider. The 40-year-old songwriter – who writes, records and performs under the happily ridiculous handle Joan As Police Woman – has just been to see Prince play at the Mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden, and she’s wondering if she should take pointers from stadium jazz funk’s tiniest entertainer. “At one point, during the show, he pulled a girl out of the audience and sang a love song for her,” Wasser recounts. “And it was so over the top, and ridiculous, and great. And I thought: I really want to be able to do that myself. What do you think about that? Would you like that to happen to you? Would you like that to be part of a Joan As Policewoman show?” Um, isn’t that a possibly humiliating thing to happen to someone? Don’t you have to place a plant in the audience? “I would have to find someone who was confident enough to be comfortable on stage, to be used as, totally, a prop for the show,” thinks Wasser,

gears in her mind turning over. “At Prince, the girl was this very young, very model-looking girl. She clearly wasn’t a plant, but they obviously chose someone attractive, is what they did. And I’m not going to have my crew trolling the crowd, looking for attractive young man or woman. I would have to just pick the person from my vantage point. I’ll have to consider this some more before I actually go through with it.” These days Wasser has become a stage-strutting entertainer herself. “I absolutely am!” she says. “I know I’m an entertainer. But, I also know I’m not Prince.” It’s a long way from her early college-rock days, as crazily haired, violin-playing firebrand in Boston outfit The Dambuilders. Back then, she rarely used to look at the crowd; in the band’s early days, she was often overcome by stage-fright. “I just had to get used to the fact that they were just other human beings out there and there was nothing to be afraid of,” she recounts. Wasser was 25 when the band made their first tour of Australia, opening for her then boyfriend, Jeff Buckley. After Buckley’s death, Wasser – who was playing, also, in a pair of projects made up of members of a Buckley/Dambuilders/Grifters/Shudder To Think scene of pals; Mind, Science Of The Mind and Those Bastard Souls – took his backing band and stepped out front of them, as Black Beetle. Her turn as vocalist/guitarist was her first-ever at the front of stage. “It’s happened really gradually, for me, that transition to becoming the ‘lead singer’” Wasser says, with appropriate ironic emphasis on the term. “It happened so gradually that it felt really easy, and really natural, for me to just morph into that place.”

“

I don’t have a stage persona. I don’t do put-ons. I just act how I’m feeling…”

After pouring herself into those projects as a form of grief counselling, Wasser’s life “fell apart, basically,” and she found solace playing violin, again, in Antony & The Johnsons, and started to play in Rufus Wainwright’s band right as he was coming out of his ‘crystal meth’ phase. Needless to say, her existence was filled with drama. “I watched a lot of people I knew become famous, and saw what happened to them, and learned from that,” she says, “saw how different people handled it, saw what worked and, y’know, what didn’t. And so, from that, I got to sit back and learn. I didn’t know I was doing it at the time, but when it came time to be my turn, I felt like I had a pretty good handle on what I was doing.” Wasser began playing as Joan As Police Woman in 2002, but her break came in 2004, when she opened for her old pal Rufus. “That was a great gift for me,” she says. “I was playing my music solo, as the opener, and then I was playing in the band with him. And opening solo for Rufus Wainwright’s crowd, who are real music lovers, it really teaches you what you’re doing that’s right, both as a songwriter and a performer. It was really clear to me, every single night, what the crowd responded to.” Which was? “Well, what I learned,” Wasser says, “is that the crowd feels most comfortable when I feel most comfortable. I learnt that, as a performer, it was most important for me to be not performing. So, when you see me, now, when you come to a Joan As Police Woman show, there’s no difference between how I am onstage and how I am offstage. I don’t have a stage persona. I don’t do put-ons. I just act how I’m feeling and talk about how I’m feeling. I really like talking on stage, I think that’s the key. That’s what makes it fun for everyone. I learnt that if I could get to a place of comfort, other people would feel comfortable, too. Which makes you feel really accepted, for who you are.” It gave Wasser confidence when she set out work on her debut album, 2006’s Real Life, a record of orchestral, soul-tinged MOR pop that introduced her as star-of-the-show. “I was 36 by the time I put out my first album,” Wasser says. “In so many ways, I’m glad this wasn’t all happening to me when I was 19. I didn’t know if I would’ve been able to handle everything that came with it if I was. And I don’t think I could’ve written songs that were this honest. I find it most fun to write about things I struggle with on a daily basis; I know that, if I’m tangling with something overwhelming, there’s no way I’m the only one.” The lyrics on Real Life – whose title served as badge-of-honour – were filled with a sense of, no surprise, loss; a theme that trickled through to 2008’s also-pointedly-titled To Survive, a generally more fussy, less charmed variation on a similar sound. With her latest JAPW LP, The Deep Field, takes Wasser away from the torchsongs, and pushes the tempo. “I wanted to make music that you could dance to,” she says. “Well, okay, at least some of it. I like listening to that music myself, old soul music and R&B is really my thing. Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder… I was thinking about the things that were playing on the AM radio when I was getting ready to go to elementary school: Ann Peebles, Diana Ross. That stuff sinks in deep, when it’s so early on in your life. I wanted to make something that reflected those formative experiences.”

WHO: Joan As Police Woman WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday 8 June, Athenaeum Theatre

twitter.com/inpressmag

SINGLED OUT BY CLEM BASTOW

ON THE RECORD

LATEST CD REVIEWS

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

KATY PERRY LAST FRIDAY NIGHT (TGIF) EMI Am I the only person surprised to hear Katy Perry – who is, along with Lady Gaga, one of the most impressively-piped singers out there – resorting to AutoTune? Beyond that, there’s something immensely appealing about the easygoing idiocy of Last Friday Night, which turns the post-Ke$ha “itinerary of debauchery” trend on its head by setting reminiscences like “We went streaking in the park/Skinny dipping in the dark/Then had a ménage a trois” to breezy sunshine pop instead of grody synthesisers. Also, this saxophone solo is better than the one in The Edge Of Glory.

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER LOVE NEVER DIES FEAT NICOLE SCHERZINGER Universal Yes, old turtle-face himself is listed as the “artist”, not Scherzinger. I’m also confused as to why Love Never Dies sounds like a subpar Faith Hill torch song when it is, in fact, from a musical? Look, when you’ve spent your life marinating in the glory of Stephen Sondheim, the work of the man who shares his birthday can only seem bloated and corny in comparison.

JOSHUA RADIN I MISSED YOU Warner

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE CODES AND KEYS Universal

DANGER MOUSE & DANIELE LUPPI ROME EMI

PANDA BEAR TOMBOY Mistletone/Inertia

In the lead up to the release of Codes And Keys, Death Cab For Cutie’s seventh album and first since the charttopping Narrow Stairs pushed them from indie cult(ish) favourites to global stars, chief songwriter and singer Ben Gibbard suggested that it would be the least guitarcentric effort the band had done yet. He told no fibs. As the album opens with Home Is A Fire the warm and well-rounded bass drives in short bursts like a rapid pulse. The rhythm section of bassist Nick Harmer and drummer Jason McGerr is as tight as ever and takes a more pivotal role driving the songs, as a kaleidoscopic soundscape of guitars and samples twinkle above them. In this sense it is perhaps the closest Death Cab For Cutie have come sonically to Gibbard’s side project The Postal Service, particularly on the electronica-heavy Monday Morning.

Danger Mouse, AKA Brian Burton, has more than justified the hype surrounding The Grey Album, his cult postmodern mash-up of The Beatles and Jay-Z. While his Gnarls Barkley homie Cee Lo Green continues to air twisted ol’ skool soul, Burton has presented increasingly adventurous projects, including last year’s grungy Dark Night Of The Soul with Sparklehorse. This time the auteur/producer has teamed with composer Daniele Luppi to reinvent the spaghetti western soundtrack. They’ve actually hired Ennio Morricone’s old muso cohorts (among them the otherworldly soprano Edda Dell’Orso and Alessandro Alessandroni’s I Cantori Moderni choir). Rome has been five years in the making, with multiple analogue studio sessions in (where else?) the Eternal City.

It doesn’t take a genius to discern Noah ‘Panda Bear’ Lennox’s substantial influence on music in the last half-decade. Hugely responsible for the ever-contentious chillwave zeitgeist of the 2000s thus far, Panda Bear’s Person Pitch spurred a massive global trend of nostalgic, repetitive, synth/reverb-heavy pop (I once heard it referred to as ‘ketamine pop’) after its release in 2007.

For the most part the reverb and delay-soaked guitars serve more as atmospheric elements than the driving force of songs, with keys and piano taking a more prominent role as in the bellowed piano chorus of Doors Unlocked And Open, the modern-meets-antiquated-pop of Portable Television and the sombre Unobstructed Views. Elsewhere uplifting strings (Stay Young…) and a yawning, yearning violin (Codes And Keys) fill the void. Guitars finally emerge as the focal point midway through the album on You Are A Tourist and pull you in with a playful, optimistic riff. Similarly, album closer Stay Young Go Dancing begins with acoustic guitar and Gibbard’s vocals, at first a simple ditty that soon swells into the cinematic, melancholy pop that Death Cab For Cutie have rightfully made their own. Dave Drayton

So my strike rate as far as picking the latest Packed To The Rafters promo songs has been pretty spot on thus far, hasn’t it? With that in mind, I would be shocked and appalled if Joshua Radin’s wholly inoffensive I Missed You didn’t turn up in some sort of Rafters-related capacity. (Failing that, I’ll take Winners And Losers for five points.) Hey, Seven, how about just giving me a job already?

Rome’s feature vocalists, used sparingly on an inherently instrumental album, are subversive choices. Here we have Norah Jones, forever rebelling against her ‘light jazz’ image, and gothic bluesman Jack White. White is in his element on The Rose With A Broken Neck, embodying alt.country torment and Italo romanticism, but Two Against One is the grooviest and most off-kilter record he’s done since Mark Ronson’s hip hop Here Comes The Fuzz. Jones is all drowsy melancholia on the soulful Season’s Trees, the best of her three songs. Morricone’s scores for films like Sergio Leone’s 1966 The Good, The Bad And The Ugly are fetishised by chill-out and rare groove DJ/producers – and Rome betrays the influence of post-trip hop types Kruder & Dorfmeister, especially on the blunted retro funk The Gambling Priest. Perhaps inevitably, compared to vintage Morricone, Rome is more subliminal, and edgier, than spectrally panoramic or lavishly psychedelic. It’s urban cowboy blues. The only shame is that the 70-something Dell’Orso, who brings her wordless – or abstract – psy-operatics to Theme Of “Rome”, as well as the beautiful Roman Blue, doesn’t share equal billing with the Americans. Still, Burton and Luppi have succeeded in crafting a sublimely languorous and cosmopolitan album that transcends (café) kitsch.

Though it’s been a long four years since Person Pitch, Tomboy feels like a definite continuation of its predecessor’s style. Lennox’s textural synths are present as ever, if not a little more droney than usual (hell, there’s even a track called Drone) and the almost Gregorian chant-like vocals are of course instantly recognisable as Lennox’s own. The album starts off a little slowly with the pulses of You Can Count On Me, and it’s not until the tracks Surfer’s Hymn and Last Night At The Jetty that Panda Bear’s summery sensibilities begin to shine through (it’s no surprise that Tomboy has been released just in time for the American summer, waves-crashing samples and all). Middle track Drone really is the high point of Tomboy, and though perhaps the simplest track on the album, it seems to open the door – albeit just a smidgen – to a sound beyond what listeners have heard from Lennox before. Alsatian Darn and penultimate track Afterburner both see Lennox delving into thicker sounds and more complicated song structures than in his previous releases. With the influx of chillwave spin-offs having popped up since 2007, it would’ve been good to really see Lennox show the kids who’s boss with Tomboy. Sadly, and despite the constant evolution of Lennox’s main project Animal Collective from album to album, it’s a little surprising and perhaps disappointing that Tomboy takes so much sustaining as a listener for it to differentiate itself from its antecedents. Sara Savage

Cyclone

WILD BEASTS BED OF NAILS Domino/EMI Despite their occasional forays into Antony-isms and Tindersticks-itis, there’s something beguiling about Wild Beasts, and nowhere is that more evident than throughout Bed Of Nails. Somehow, in their hands, lines like “I want my lips to blister when we kiss” and “I would lie anywhere with you/Any old bed of nails will do” feel bracingly romantic, thanks mostly to the swirling arrangements and heartbeat drums that buffet Hayden Thorpe’s yearning vocals.

TAYLOR SWIFT STORY OF US Universal The thing about Taylor Swift is that Love Story and You Belong With Me were just so brilliant that everything else she’s released has paled into insignificance, and Story Of Us – which is fairly Dolly-poetry-esque, even within her oeuvre – is no different. As tends to be the case with crossover stars, Swift’s output is sounding less and less countrified, making it more and more like any other pop offering out there; Story Of Us could be Selena Gomez or Avril Lavigne or anyone, really.

INDIANS TO HEAVEN A FINAL KISS WILL BRING ME PEACE/ (FALL) INTO MY ARMS Independent Indians To Heaven make reversing the meaning of Pantera songs their business (i.e. Cowboys From Hell > Indians To Heaven, GEDDIT?!), which is all very smart and witty and everything, however an unintended (I assume?) sideproduct of their gee whiz modus operandi is that their songs – well-arranged adult contemporary tunes – are musically more or less the opposite of Pantera, too. Which is to say, the opposite of dynamic, exciting, engaging, awesome...

DEAN BRODY TRAIL IN LIFE ABC Music As you’ll all be well aware by now, I’m a sucker for a big country ballad (whether trad or crossover or whatever). There are times, however, when country can get too earnest even for me – this is one of those times. When Dean Brody deadpans “It was a May full moon/We parked the car/And I sang you a song I wrote on my guitar”, unfortunately instead of crying or wanting to slow dance, I collapse into apoplexies of laughter. By the time his what-if torch song got to “College days/Frat house nights…” I had to press pause just to prevent a heart attack.

BATTLES GLOSS DROP Warp Records Opening track Africastle – almost four songs in one, structurally – brings to mind the plonky blops of an old-school Monbulk jam commercial (a feeling revisited later in the album through Toddler). DJ Shadow-style, shimmering folkloric noise is infused and then drums pummel in and hijack the mix (John Stanier’s precise sticksmanship would rival any machine) before it morphs into what could be the soundtrack for a chase scene in any American crime drama from the ‘70s. The CD artwork features a mound of sickly pink ice-cream and Ice Cream is the title of track two, where human exertion becomes percussion. Enter Matias Aguayo’s vocal, which utilises indecipherable language, and you’ll feel like Battles have recorded the sound of your tastebuds going nuts. There’s a lot of Balinese percussion throughout this release and this is teamed with sleighbells on Inchworm. It’s in successfully integrating these seemingly disparate instrumental elements that Battles truly shine. Wall Street is an aural Inception: cascading alternate realities. Gary Numan features on standout track My Machines and immediately falls in with the shattering pace, providing apocalyptic calls that battle to be heard over the cogs in this sonic artistry. The jackhammer intensity of Rolls Bayce is all buttons hit at once, which abates into the slow build of White Electric just in time to escape being skipped. Fat Cat would enjoy dancing to the tail end of this penultimate track. Battles must have pained over Gloss Drop’s tracklisting since it boasts true cohesion. The listener is taken on a journey with the longplayer best listened to in its entirety. Sundome (featuring Yamantaka Eye) employs what sounds like a rusty gate groaning in the wind. Experimental. This is very much music to be appreciated through headphones. If you whip it out as post-dinner party chillout music, it’ll hasten your guests quickly out the door. Twyla Tharp needs to commission Battles for her next dance project. Bryget Chrisfield

OMAR RODRÍGUEZ-LÓPEZ TELESTERION Other Tongues FIREBALLS HELLRIDER XXX Fireballs Records This is their first album in 14 years, but given that Australia’s (and, proudly for us local fans, Melbourne’s) metal-driven psychobilly legends, Fireballs, were practically non-existent for eight of those years, the fact they have actually released a new album is something to be celebrated. Original guitarist Matt Black may have departed (many years ago now) and left big shoes to fill, but guitarists Dylan Villain and Pete Speed have cemented their places as more than worthy replacements. It’s clear from the get-go that the reborn Fireballs aren’t pulling any punches with Hellrider. The opening instrumental, Day At The Races, sets the tone and you just know that this is one accurately-titled album. The pace doesn’t settle for a second as Eddie Fury, Joe Phantom, Villain and Speed tear through the following 12 tracks. In fact, the only time it does is in the minutes before the hidden track, a reprise of Day At The Races, makes itself known. Until then, you’re being fully assaulted (aurally speaking, of course) and begging for more. One interesting thing is that a handful of Sinshifters tracks have made their way onto Hellrider. High On Speed, Black Zone, Reanimator and Kill Kill Kill have been brought back to life and sound as good as ever. It’s hard to pick standouts from this album as the quality is consistent throughout the whole thing. The beauty of Hellrider is that it proves that Fury and Phantom have not lost any of the energy, passion or quality that their earlier work held and, together with Villain and Speed, are, as Fireballs, primed to regain their rightful place as Australia’s finest metal/psychobilly band. This is one comeback that we should definitely be grateful for. Dominique Wall

twitter.com/inpressmag

Does Omar Rodríguez-López ever sleep? With more than 40 albums released in almost two decades, it certainly doesn’t seem like it. With Telesterion, Rodríguez-López (best known as the guitarist for proggy psych rock scientists The Mars Volta) attempts to synopsise his hefty personal back catalogue in just two discs. The self-professed “workaholic” wastes no time getting Telesterion started, kicking off with the manic, drum-driven Locomocion Capillar from 2009 release Solar Gambling, the compilation remaining fast and hard until the aptly named Coma Pony rears its smooth, jazzy head. If you find it hard to endure flagrant displays of technical musicianship, it’s probably around this point that you’ll realise Telesterion is not for you. Though Rodríguez-López claims he is “ignorant” of music theory, there’s no doubt that the guy is a) an incredible guitarist/multi-instrumentalist, and b) a total show-off. The track Sex, Consolation For Misery is a slow, five-minute, masturbatory guitar solo that Omar-philes will no doubt be rapt to hear reprised. The rest of the album does well to showcase the enormous range of influences Rodríguez-López has managed to pack into his body of work: from the heavy Latin-American influenced tracks like Deus Ex Machina (Rodríguez-López, more so than The Mars Volta, almost exclusively uses Spanish vocals in his work) to the kosmische-jazz ballads like Victimas Del Cielo and the minimalist (by Rodríguez-López’s standards anyway) finisher of the compilation, Lunes. An avid collaborator, many of the tracks on Telesterion feature guest musicians such as Mexican singer/songwriter Ximena Sariñana Rivera, whose vocals prove a welcomed break from Rodríguez-López’s distinctive howls. The thing about Rodríguez-López’s albums is that they’re really experiences in themselves, almost always travelling seamlessly from start to end. The best-of format of Telesterion works against the album for this reason, but with that said, already dedicated Rodríguez-López tragics are sure to love it nonetheless. Sara Savage

ON THE RECORD

LATEST CD REVIEWS

MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA SIMPLE MATH Favorite Gentlemen/Sony

JAMIE WOON MIRRORWRITING Candent Songs/Polydor

TALL BUILDINGS LIGHT THE SHALLOWS Independent

KATY B ON A MISSION Sony

Three albums in, Atlanta fivesome Manchester Orchestra are going for the jugular, tackling the beast that is the concept album. Simple Math finds them venturing further to the stadiums and into the hearts of disillusioned young adults everywhere.

It was inevitable really, just a matter of time before the sonic language of dubstep got appropriated for the purposes of an otherwise completely conventional pop framework. On his debut record, Moonwriting, Jamie Woon does to dubstep what Craig David and Daniel Bedingfield did to UK garage, what the Eurythmics did to new wave and what Cliff-bloody-Richard did to rock’n’roll: that is, to take a vibrant, interesting and important new sound and make it safe, insipid and, sadly for those of who actually give a shit about music, popular. Woon placed fourth in the BBC’s Sound Of 2011 poll.

“Oh won’t you find me somewhere to rest my head against, darling?” sing Tall Buildings on Light The Shallows’ opening number Vampires, and it’s this sort of sentiment – vulnerable but self-aware, endearing yet insightful, cute but smart, smart, smart – that informs this gorgeous debut album from start to finish. Recorded in a single day, this has the effect of rendering the music herein as honest and immediate rather than rushed or falsely aspiring to any kind of home-recorded lo-fi chic. One could imagine a slightly rockier Go-Betweens making an album like this somewhere nebulously between their first and second incarnations had they hooked up with, say, Mick Harvey.

Katy B’s fallen angel vocals effortlessly coax weary feet onto the dancefloor during Lights On (featuring Ms Dynamite). If you’re farming the grey matter thinking, “I’ve heard those pipes before,” that may well be because Ms B sang on The Count & Sinden’s irresistibly sassy Hold Me. Katy B co-writes all her material, so how old is this pocket rocket? She’s 21 years young.

The thread is the life of 23-year-old lead singer Andy Hull, as he deals with adulthood. Considering the personal nature of the subject matter it’s hard for the concept to get bogged down like so many of its ilk do. This is no Roger Waters hitchhiker album. The emotionally charged orchestrations of cuts like the aptly titled Mighty and the title track help make this Manchester Orchestra’s most fully realised work yet. Unfortunately the power of the musicality doesn’t always gel with Hull’s vocals. The gritty guitar-driven sound of April Fool and others almost begs for a singer with more gravitas. The sweeping strings and hair metal licks of Pale Black Eye work more effectively because the slow-burning groove is built around Hull’s tales of a rocky relationship and the emotion of his voice. As a lyricist Hull is very self-aware of both his persona and the journey his band are taking. On opening track Deer he refers to their fanbase and how taken aback he is by the growing popularity. Dan Hannon, who helmed the production for Simple Math and the band’s earlier work, has a Starbucks compilation and some Christian rock albums on his CV, which gives somewhat of a window into some of the sounds behind the album. At times it resembles ‘Manchester Orchestra does FM rock’. The fact that they pull the style off better than many of their contemporaries and add an emotional core help make it more than a tribute. Longtime fans and newcomers will most likely find a kinship with the band and the subject matter with this polished new epic. Andrew ‘Hazard’ Hickey

Let’s be clear. I have nothing whatsoever against fusion or hybridity. Woon can count as his peers in the dubstep-crossover market James Blake, Darkstar and Subeena amongst others, all of whom are great. But there’s a big difference between fusion as a way of fashioning something genuinely new and fusion as a mask for a total lack of originality. James Blake this ain’t. There’s nothing remotely exciting here. This is the same old R&B with the same old utterly vapid lyrics and the same old ever-so-sincere and soulful-but-actuallycompletely-unaffecting vocals. The only difference is that on Moonwriting Woon’s tarted it all up with dubstep’s patented glitchy bleeps, pitched voices and a whole lot of reverb. Moonwriting isn’t actually as bad as a lot of pop you’ll hear this year. But it’s a particularly disappointing example because Woon is clearly a pretty talented chap. He’s got a good voice, an ear for a tune and has evidently been hanging out in all the right places. As a result, it’s a real shame that, where his early demos and singles showed some definite promise, this record has wound up being such a massive bore.

Boasting a pedigree derived from established indie rock darlings Gersey, Light The Shallows was, rightly or wrongly, always going to be a release deserving of special attention. The really surprising thing, however, is that the record as a whole presents as the equal of anything that much more recognised band has ever done, no disrespect intended. I love Gersey. I really do. Driving rhythms, clever little guitar parts and a range of voices literally ignite track four Heart Attack, a Molotov cocktail thrown through the window of love. There’s an almost prog-like epic scope to Don’t Fear Me. And closer Silver Lining, at seven and a half glorious minutes, contains songwriting gravitas and musicality off the indie charts that could well hint at mega masterpieces to come. Guitarist Daryl Bradie is on record as saying that despite the small-time, garagey nature of this band, the work he does in Tall Buildings is no less rewarding than his much more recognised contribution to Gersey. With the release of Light The Shallows it’s not tough to see what he means. Tony McMahon

James Parker

twitter.com/inpressmag

“So does it make you feel good?/‘Cause that’s the only way I want you to feel with me” – Katy B could be describing her modus operandi for making music here. If her first single Katy On A Mission annoys you a bit, don’t let this put you off the entire album. Fierce dubstep tempos add interest and Geeneus and Zinc succeed in bringing an underground quality to these beats without alienating the record-buying massive. Syncopated beats throughout Why You Always Here are guaranteed to make you seek out the nearest party and don’t even try to sing along with Katy B’s subtly nuanced vocal melody – you’ll just come off sounding tone deaf. Broken Record shows off Katy B’s ability to shift effortlessly into her ‘head voice’ and the track fittingly concludes with crackling vinyl noise. There’s a crazy Crystal Castles randomness to the fluctuating synths behind Witches’ Brew. The brass injections in closer Hard To Get strike you where it matters but incorporating your “shouts” into a track is just plain weird – “First of all big up my mum, dad, brother, Aunty Gaia and the rest of my family…”). But, other than that, we’re picking up what Katy B’s putting down. There’s nothing smarmy about the songstress and her image seems true to a tomboyish-yet-undeniably foxy identity. Props for not succumbing to industry pressure to get her baps out as well! This natural born singer with cred is touring later in the year. Be there. Bryget Chrisfield

A WORD FROM THE DEAD Ahead of their triumphant return to these shores, supremely confident MORBID ANGEL main man DAVID VINCENT explains to BRENDAN CRABB why their new album is a masterwork. To place Morbid Angel in the death metal elite is understating the bleeding obvious – few bands in the field can legitimately rival the reverence afforded the Floridian veterans, who redefined extreme music with their 1989 debut, Altars Of Madness, before further raising the bar with crushing albums like Blessed Are The Sick and Domination. Considering it’s been eight years since the band’s previous record and double that since vocalist/bassist Vincent’s last studio outing, expectations for new platter Illud Divinum Insanus are surely reaching extraordinary heights for many dedicated fans. Vincent is well aware of the buzz surrounding the new record. It doesn’t faze him; actually, he’d be disappointed if there wasn’t some degree of excitement for it. “Well, there should be some anticipation,” he emphasises. “We’ve made our own boots that we have to fit. We’ve always set our standards really high, so I wouldn’t want people to somehow not have high standards or

expectations of us. I can tell you that the standards that we set for ourselves are high to begin with. I’m glad that people expect a lot out of us, because we expect a lot out of ourselves.” The new material has been a few years in the works, partially due to drummer Pete Sandoval being sidelined with injury. “Could we have done it, should we have done it sooner?” Vincent says. “Probably. But there’s been a lot of interesting developments. Some good, some not so good, as far as everything from the line-up [change]… So everything took a while for us to figure out, but we did and rather than making any excuses we have this new masterpiece that I’m looking forward to sharing and unleashing on the world. I tell you, this record is a piece of work. It sure is. I would really be happy to play any of the songs [live] on the new record, they’re that fun.” Fans of long-running bands can be possessive if a beloved member isn’t around anymore, and Sandoval’s inhumanly fast and distinctive style has been a vital facet of the Morbid Angel machine. Due to his extended layoff, Tim Yeung (Hate Eternal, Vital Remains, Divine Heresy) instead performed on the album and will join the band on tour, including their upcoming visit to Australia, which marks the beginning of the Illud Divinum Insanus touring cycle. Vincent is quick to dispel any misconceptions about Sandoval’s status. “Pete never got fired from the band. Pete bowed out because he couldn’t do it and he’s still not 100% recuperated. We’re hoping for the best for him, obviously. The guy is a wounded warrior, but he’s a family member nonetheless. Let’s just say he’s on an indefinite hiatus while he heals.”

“

I tell you, this record is a piece of work. It sure is.”

So, what of his replacement? “He did a stellar job on the record. His playing is great. I like him a lot as a person; he’s funny, he’s just amazingly talented and we share a lot of personal likes and whatnot. He is a really good fit. Tim is a very respected player, people know that he has the chops and he delivers. He’s spontaneous, he works very hard… He’s a monster behind the kit, he really is. Some people have told us that they’re obviously going to miss [Pete] because everything sounds a little bit different. Tim does have his own style. People have said that all they can do is have the same hopes that we do, in that Pete continues as steadfastly on his road to recovery. In the meantime, we enlisted the services of someone who is more than capable of bringing every ounce of chaos that these songs need and then some. I can’t imagine that anybody’s going to be the slightest bit disappointed about the choice of Tim for this record.” The new album aside, numerous trends have been spawned and subsequently disappeared shortly after within metal during the past two decades, but Morbid Angel has possessed considerable staying power, despite a few lean years about the turn of the millennium, following Vincent’s temporary departure. “Well, that’s true that a lot of trends have come and gone,” he ponders. “I don’t think that we’re a trendy band. I think that we’ve just always been very honest about who we are and what we do. I think that’s resonated with people and they know when we do something, we give it our all and we’re unique. We don’t sound like every other band. There’s a lot of bands that came out of the so-called Florida scene, but we don’t sound like any of them and we never have. We’ve always sort of done our own thing, even though we’ve been portrayed as part of this overall scene, for lack of better terminology. That’s great, but we really never considered ourselves part of anything other than we are who we are and we play extreme music. I am thankful that the people appreciate what it is that we do.” Death metal itself is in a curious state at the moment – the mutant strain known as deathcore has brought a whole new breed of fans to the dance, while others placing more focus on technicality have blossomed. At the same time, the old hands (Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Immolation and Morbid Angel themselves) have found a new lease on life. The frontman isn’t going to be drawn into any debate about the overall shape the style is currently in – again, he’s just pleased someone is still listening. “Well, I can’t really comment on the genre. I can comment on what we do and I think that what we do is unique. There’s a lot of bands that have… That’s what they do, they’re lifers. Cannibal Corpse you mentioned, that’s one of them. Those guys get out there and they do what they do and you know what you’re gonna get from them and you know what you’re going to get from us. That’s part of the reason why someone would be attracted to something. We’ve probably been the most diverse… I think other bands probably have a formula that works for them, and we’ve found the formula that works for us is changing shit up and keeping it interesting through the years. I think that and the fact that there’s just definitely a lot of personality in the band. I think these things people have gravitated to over the years. What they really like and respect about the band is that we kind of write our own rulebook.”

WHO: Morbid Angel WHAT: Illud Divinum Insanus (Season Of Mist/Riot) WHEN & WHERE: Friday, Hi-Fi

twitter.com/inpressmag

JUST DIVE IN Despite a multitude of successful world tours, there’s no place like home for Byron Bay’s metalcore superstars PARKWAY DRIVE. BRENDAN CRABB follows frontman WINSTON MCCALL into the break.

lthough they have spent significant chunks of the past six years touring the world – and winning a major following in the process – an Australian tour is still one very special event within the Parkway Drive camp. A vital fixture of each jaunt to these shores is a hometown show. It’s much like any homecoming… if your house was filled with a manic group of punters decked out in board shorts, singlets and metal shirts crowd surfing, stage diving and hardcore dancing from every direction. “If you want to see some of our craziest shows, come to Byron,” Parkway Drive vocalist Winston McCall laughs, speaking from the very town he describes so lovingly, at the time enjoying a break before a UK tour with Bring Me The Horizon. “It’s pretty much the only place we play without a crowd barrier. It’s like anything goes. It’s hard, because you have to try and play, but it can also be hard to get out of the way of everyone stage-diving. It’s ridiculous, but it’s so, so much fun. It’s a thousand people on a basketball court with no security. It’s absolute mayhem.”

It’s that modus operandi of having fun that drives every aspect of Parkway Drive’s activities. Now in the enviable position of being able to select almost any metal or hardcore band throughout the world to support them here, the quintet took a different approach to the upcoming Mix ‘N’ Mash tour. Featuring eclectic Ohio up-andcomers Miss May I, American pop punk act The Wonder Years and Aussie hardcore favourites Confession, it combines friends of the band with a diverse bill of acts. When Inpress suggests there are few things more tiresome than a multi-band gig solely featuring derivative, sound-alike metal acts, McCall quickly leaps in to agree. “That was exactly our outlook,” he enthuses. “But we didn’t know if anyone else figured the same. We grew up on those shows and we appreciated that, a bit of everything. You may not be able to mosh your head off to the whole thing, but it’s a chance for a breather. It’s covering a lot of ground. I’m not sure how it will work out with the order [of bands]. People can destroy each other and hopefully appreciate what the more melodic bands have to offer.” Has the band ever considered performing an album – such as latest disc, concept record and ARIA Award-winning (in the inaugural “Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album” category) release Deep Blue – from start to finish live? Doing such things has become decidedly trendy for bands with albums both new and old. “I’ve never really considered it. I’ve never really thought of it until you just mentioned it,” the vocalist laughs. “It could be something to think about. The problem for us is the kids are so attached to the old stuff I’d hate to deny them that – and I love playing those songs as well. I’m not sure we have the self-discipline to do it either,” he adds, laughing again.

“

Not many bands can actually surf without any stunt doubles…”

“The new stuff goes over really well live though, better than we could have anticipated. The crowds are so into it. We’ve only played half of the new record; [there’s] so many we’re yet to play live.” The upcoming Australian jaunt will also be the first events filmed for the band’s next DVD, the follow-up to the entertaining and informative (not to mention mega-selling) The DVD, released two years ago. The first release documented their rise from their hometown’s almost non-existent hardcore scene to world-conquering heroes. “It’s not so much a sequel to the last DVD, but we’re going to film about a year of the band’s existence. We loved the last one, but that was six years of existence crammed into an hour and a half. We’re going to try and go a bit more in-depth. We’ll be trying to encapsulate what it’s like in this band and the world people have kind of created for us. If people weren’t supporting us and coming to the shows, we’d still be five guys in Byron. It’s become bigger than ourselves and that’s a wonderful thing. We’re simply a soundtrack to what people have taken on board,” he says with trademark humility. “We just make the music, get on stage and do what we do and the people take over from there. They give it meaning.” This profile piece will include looking at the day-to-day rigours and triumphs of being an internationally touring outfit. “Being away is a thrill in itself. It’s not like you’re doing nine to five,” McCall enthuses. “You’re playing amazing shows and travelling. It can be tough, but to put it in perspective, it doesn’t feel like a hard day’s work at all.” The morning of the day Inpress’s conversation takes place, the video for new track Karma is officially released online. Set on Dolphins Beach, Byron Bay, the clip presents Parkway Drive in their absolute element; a place where heavy riffs meet the serenity of the shoreline and hardcore breakdowns mesh with offshore breaks. It features the band – all of whom are known to be surfing enthusiasts – performing on the beach and also on their boards, mastering both surf tricks and heavy music. When it’s jokingly suggested this is taking their ethos of having fun with everything band-related almost too far, McCall laughs. “Not many bands have that connection with the beach and can actually surf without any stunt doubles or crap acting,” he chuckles. “It’s definitely not a metal video clip. It’s definitely us, though.” Besides, in the internet and social networking age, video clips don’t really have the same impact as decades past, when a few spins on MTV could spell a major spike in interest and sales. “Exactly,” McCall says. “We’re not going to sell millions of records or have a smash hit single off the back of a video. So we just said, ‘Let’s get our friends to do it – something that will get a smile from people and so we can have an excuse to surf’. It’s pretty much the opposite to the Sleepwalker video. We could be trying to portray ourselves as hard-ass metal guys, but we’re not.” His next comments capture a large aspect of their ongoing appeal to the masses. “We’re just regular guys; people like that,” McCall suggests. “I think people can relate to it and I think the DVD worked in that it showed who we are – ordinary people in an extraordinary situation.”

WHO: Parkway Drive WHEN & WHERE: Tonight (Wednesday), Festival Hall

twitter.com/inpressmag

OUTBACK MADNESS The man who gave the world Amazing, ALEX LLOYD, is currently travelling the country with two of the PIGRAM BROTHERS as MAD BASTARDS. MICHAEL SMITH joins in.

ou know you’re working a world away from rock’n’roll when the interview, happening in an extremely well-appointed hotel suite overlooking Sydney’s Circular Quay, is being held up by a commercial TV channel’s film crew, but like old troopers, Inpress joins Alex Lloyd and brothers Alan and Stephen Pigram out on the balcony while they take advantage of a break to up their nicotine content. We’re gathered here to talk about what, on paper at least, might seem an unlikely collaboration – between a chart-topping pop balladeer and two very laid-back, unassuming Broome-based Indigenous musicians – and the filmmaker who brought them together to create the soundtrack for his feature film, Mad Bastards, writer, director and producer Brendan Fletcher. “Back in the late ‘90s,” Stephen Pigram starts, “Brendan was doing stuff with Alex and came up and did some stuff with us. With us he did some music videos and we did a short movie in 2000, a couple of documentaries working with communities there, educational DVDs and stuff. So that introduction to what he was coming up there for, he was translating back to Alex as a friend.”

got the call from him saying, ‘You have to be in the film.’ And I said, ‘That was never the deal!’ But I came out and they put me in a mechanic’s outfit, grease on my face and they told me to sit there and play Slow Train, sit there and play Catfish [Rain] live, because the studio versions never sounded as good, and it works so nicely, and that was his vision.” In fact, all the songs you see the Mad Bastards perform in the film are shot live – no miming – and it all came so easily and naturally it was obvious that they should then take those songs and more – they even do a version of Amazing – out on the road. WHO: Mad Bastards

WHAT: Mad Bastards (MGM) WHEN & WHERE: Tonight (Wednesday), Northcote Social Club

“He would come home to Sydney,” Lloyd takes up the story, “and tell me all these stories of fishing trips or hunting dugong, all these sorts of things that from a city kid’s perspective sounded amazing. Then he played me their music and showed the documentary and eventually he asked me to do the score for his feature documentary, 2006’s 900 Neighbours. “So about five or six years ago, he said, ‘Do ya want to come to the Kimberley?’ and I was like, ‘It’s about time you asked me!’ I was in London at the time [where Lloyd still lives], so it was a bit more of a trip and basically they were [recording] for the film, looking for the talent and still writing the script for what became Mad Bastards. So I came and met these fellas and we spent a few days in the studio and I was a little unsure at first ‘cause I had a way of doing things and they had a way of doing things that were pretty different. But once I kind of got into the groove of ‘Broome time’, then I was able to slip into the groove of ‘Kimberley time’ and go off on a journey with these guys. And I met some amazing people because these guys are a pass into all the communities up there, and we played music and started writing and I’d see the land and hear stories, it was inspiring and it was so different, and maybe I was looking for something more weighty as a theme really that came along in the form of Mad Bastards.”

“

The music became a part of the land…”

The film itself, which essentially evolved from the stories of the characters, none of them trained actors, whom Fletcher cast, follows the journey of the central character, TJ, played by Dean Daley-Jones, who goes back to his community of Five Rivers in the Kimberleys in North-West WA where he’s confronted by the local cop, Texas, and the two hard men set about battling to do the right thing by their families. Rather than have Lloyd and the Pigrams sit down and watch the film in order to come up with a score or collection of songs appropriate to the images they were seeing, Fletcher, who even chipped in a couple of lines on one song – Won’t Look Back, a song Lloyd had started in London – took them around with him as the filming progressed, incorporating their performances into the film. “It was almost like, ‘This is a good scene, this song,’” Lloyd laughs. “The music was written with a context of doing something,” Stephen elaborates, “and somewhere along the line in the movie, that doing something would arrive and the song was able to be popped into that spot rather than the other way round. So we were making music about places, people, feelings, whatever, knowing we were doing the movie. So we were obviously talking all the storylines and bits and pieces, so it’s filtering into your system but you’re going consciously, ‘Oh, I’ll write about that now.’” “That was the thing,” Lloyd picks up the thread. “Some of the songs – we wrote between 20 and 30 tracks and obviously not all of them made it onto the soundtrack CD or even the film – some of them are really literal, not intentional, but the stories often seen and heard in the Kimberleys are too literal to use in the film but may be good for another record somewhere down the track. That’s one thing we really noticed; the music became a part of the land and I think that was Brendan’s foresight to put us together and make us go on these trips. Not that he had to force us! ‘London in the winter… Kimberley anytime?’ So he’d already decided that the music would be written at the same time as the script, developed in the same manner.” Not all the songs that make up the soundtrack CD on the back of which Lloyd and the Pigrams have been touring, as Mad Bastards, were written specifically for the film. Two come from the Pigrams’ 2004 album, Jiir, while Lloyd revisited Slow Train from his 2008 album, Good In The Face Of A Stranger. “Villaret [from Jiir] spoke strongly to Brendan,” Pigram explains, “about a good feel of the land, the slow transition in the film to the Kimberley, getting somewhere, so it’s an introduction to this place.” “Brendan had very specific ideas about the music,” Lloyd continues, “and there was music that he had written and conceptualised that were pre-existing. Slow Train I’d put on my last album in a very different form, but we did it once up near the waters outside Broome as a trio, not even performing to anybody, and it just sounded so good and Brendan always had his laptop out with GarageBand in real instrument mode and he used our version when he was doing the rushes. So I

twitter.com/inpressmag

THIS WEEK IN

ARTS a stellar young cast and a musical score that surges from soul-soaring rock to heart-warming ballads. As an ordinary family try to navigate through a storm of fractured psyches and feelings, Next To Normal will move you with its graceful honesty and powerful spirit. Playhouse, Melbourne Theatre Company, last day.

SUNDAY 29 WEDNESDAY 25 Saltimbanco — Cirque du Soleil’s original show makes a return down under, bringing with it the finest contortionists, clowns and circus artists in the world. Opening night. Rod Laver Arena until 3 June. St Kilda Film Festival — annual short film festival, showcasing the best of national and international titles. Astor Theatre until Sunday 29.

FRIDAY 27

The Carnival: A Circus Opera — a wild operatic circus where the audience is swept up in a wild carnival of contortion, classical virtuosity, fire, and mayhem with the extraordinary risqué classical beauties Ilythian featuring several of Melbourne’s finest circus performers. Red Bennies, 8.30pm.

SATURDAY 28

Exposé — a reoccurring event designed to provide a platform for emerging circus and performance arts students and new talent to perform in a professional environment to an audience of industry folks and general public. Tonight: Reuben Zalme, Tomoko Saka, Whitney Muscat, Letitia Forbes, Brett Franzi & Don del Pino, Amy MacPherson, and Stan Ricketson. Red Bennies, 7pm. Weaving Art And Change — in 2010 eight contemporary Australian artists generously created original artworks to be woven in to carpets in Nepal. Weaving Art And Change presents these eight stunning carpets that explore the connection between artist and artisan, fine art and function. Fortyfivedownstairs, last day. Next To Normal — one of the most talked about new shows on Broadway makes its Australian premiere, featuring

Beached Az Live & Jon Lajoie — the popular animated series about a beached whale, Beached Az, makes its debut live show incarnation for the delight of Australian audiences. The crew are joined by Canadian comedian Jon Lajoie, best known for his songs Show Me Your Genitals and Everyday Normal Guy. Comedy Store, 7pm.

TUESDAY 31

Short Cut — monthly short film night. Tonight’s selection features titles including Born & Razed, The Danger Of Need, Dead Man’s Debt, Overdue, A Hesitant Move, The Moustache Incident, and The Butterfly Circus. Red Bennies, 8pm.

ONGOING

Drip — exhibition exploring spraypaint drips, runny water-colours, and wash painting from artists Nicole Tattersall and Megan Dell, on a variety of media, from surfboards to skate decks to salvaged timber. For Walls Gallery at Miss Libertine. The Haunting Of Daniel Gartrell — Under an ochre sky something happened at Mt Ragged. The incident inspired celebrated bush poet Daniel Gartrell’s (John Wood) most analysed piece of verse, a poem that’s final verse has never been published. Now an enigma, Gartrell lives as a recluse in the suburbs, his only contact is with his daughter, Sarah (Marcella Russo). Gartrell is at home, thinking very oblique thoughts when an emerging actor from Bondi, Craig Catevich (Samuel Johnson), knocks on his door. The ambitious and optimistic Castervich has been cast to play Gartrell in a biographical movie, and in his research for the role, is ready for anything …or so he thinks. Fortyfivedownstairs until 12 June.

THE MENSTRUUM 29: LIFE UNDER GLASS BY ROBERT LUKINS I have on my bedside crate: a busted clock, two empty beer bottles, Luke Davies’ The Feral Aphorisms and Cate Kennedy’s The Taste Of River Water — all precious objects. The thin volumes of poetry tell more about a life than would a telephone-book biography; the bottles tell the time in a more useful way than the clock. It is so tempting to turn the things we profess to love into icons. There were years when I collected records, so many of them, solely for the act of collecting them. I would stand in those shops — hidden on the second-least

STAGE VETERAN GERARD THÉORÊT’S LATEST ROLE SEES HIM SPEAK IN A MADE-UP LANGUAGE WHILE IMPLORING AUDIENCES AND ACROBATS ALIKE TO TRUST HIM. HE SPEAKS TO ALEKSIA BARRON ABOUT PLAYING THE BARON IN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S SALTIMBANCO.

THE BARON OF HAPPINESS “I was blown away the first time I saw it,” says Gerard Théorêt, recounting his first experience of a Cirque du Soleil show. “Just the sheer ability of what the human body can do.” The show he’s talking about, in one of life’s strange coincidences, is in fact Saltimbanco, currently the oldest active touring show in the Cirque du Soleil wheelhouse, and the cause of Théorêt’s recent return to the stage. He’s enjoyed an incredible career in the arts — a former soloist with the Winnipeg Ballet, he trained as an actor in the UK and enjoyed a successful stage career before turning to direction. From 2007 to 2010, he worked with Cirque du Soleil, but not as a performer. Instead, he was the artistic director of Corteo. “When I left, I let the directors know that I might be interested in going back to the stage, after all these years,” explains Théorêt. “It was only about six weeks later that they called me and said that the role of The Baron on Saltimbanco was opening up.” At the time, Théorêt didn’t realise that he was thinking of joining that first show he’d seen, all those years prior. “I thought I’d never seen the show, but in fact, it was the first show I’d seen, 20 years ago.” Since it had been so long, he canvassed friends and acquaintances for their opinions of it. “Before I took this contract, I asked

people what they thought of Saltimbanco, and they all used to say, ‘Oh, you’re going to do the happy show’.” Given that Corteo is about a funeral, joining Saltimbanco, a celebration of pure joy, was something of a change of pace. Théorêt embodies The Baron, a curious character who forges the connection between the audience and the strangeness onstage, and who Théorêt compares to the Emcee from Cabaret. “He’s a complex character,” says Théorêt, adding that approaching his performance is complex in itself. “I am very fortunate to be trained by the guy who originated the role, and who actually wrote the text for it, which has been the greatest challenge, probably, because it’s a made-up language.” Indeed, the speech of the Saltimbanco world, which sounds like such nonsense to an audience, is surprisingly complex. “It’s very difficult to memorise. I worked as an actor for many years, and I’ve memorised a lot of text, but in this case, it took me a long time.” Another challenge faced by Théorêt is the task of drawing in an entire arena of audience members. Saltimbanco’s previous Australian tour was under the cover of the Grand Chapiteau, but in 2007 was reconfigured for

expensive streets of the third-furthest flung suburbs — fingering through the racks and racks, praying for a near mint Before Hollywood. I would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some other fevered accumulator, buy my vinyls, head home, perhaps play them, perhaps not, add them to the piles.

not the reason you live or die. / We had all been so cruel to each other, in the name of theories.’ The thoughts come in a drunk rush, then over, the ‘clock ticks and is gone’.

The Feral Aphorisms (Vagabond Press) is a year in 12 short pages; Davies’ looking out to a city, to a world of cities, from a high window. His ambition is so great and the language weighted and heady, then like a pocket of clean air, such clarity: ‘... You know then that it is

Now the air smells of yeast; Cate Kennedy presents a long feast in The Taste Of River Water (Scribe). In describing the act of living — as she does with such potency; mouthwatering — she creates a new life between her and me. There is a baby in my lap, perhaps most beautiful and full in Cate’s words on its death: ‘Had my waters broken four weeks hence /

arena performances, enabling shorter runs in more cities. Théorêt’s task as The Baron is to draw even the most distant audience members into the Saltimbanco world, which he approaches with his years of acting experience in hand.“The best way to draw an audience in is to keep it small, to allow them to come in,” explains Théorêt. “If you reach too far out, they sit back, whereas if you bring them in, they play an active part in getting the story communicated.”

Ultimately, in the life-affirming world of Saltimbanco, The Baron is the intuitive, mysterious figure who encourages the greatness of the acts on stage. “He needs to, in my impression of the role, tell all the characters to let go of their inhibitions and start enjoying life,” says Théorêt. And the same goes for the audience. WHAT: Saltimbanco WHERE & WHEN: Rod Laver Arena tonight until 11 June

all might have been different. / Instead they break now / my boy is born drowned / still and perfect.’

Eventually I got rid of all my records, before moving to Melbourne. Had one of those moments, just let them go. Left them on a corner.

Something is most powerful when it is allowed to be assumed and become invisible: thoughtfulness, art, and yes, the same can be said of hate and complacency, but that is the risk of being fully human. The ultimate wish of poetry is for it to be the agent of its own destruction: when it is indistinguishable from that which surrounds it, when it is everywhere. When love is expressed by freeing, rather than placing on exhibition.

Virginia Woolf wrote on the subsuming of poetry into prose. I was searching for a half-remembered quote, instead I found this on a forum: ‘Personally, I don’t read much literature. Douglas Adams is about my speed. And I hate poetry. Mostly I just cruise around the site to antagonize people.’ So properly beautiful. I’m going to suggest that poetry should not be precious — that it should be treated rough, eaten, breathed.

twitter.com/inpressmag

frontrow@inpress.com.au

FILM

CAREW REVIEW

WITH ANTHONY CAREW

THE ART OF MAKIN’ IT UP THERE’S MORE TO IMPROVISATION THAN JUST MAKING IT UP ON THE SPOT. JUST ASK RIK BROWN, A 12-YEAR VETERAN OF IMPRO MELBOURNE AND A CHAMPION COMBATANT IN THE ANNUAL IMPROMPTU THESPIAN JOUST THAT IS THEATRESPORTS. HE SPEAKS TO PAUL RANSOM. “I guess there are some inherent skills,” Rik Brown says rather modestly of his craft. “Overcoming fear is a big part of improvisation. The other thing is trying to make each other look good; so y’know, removing the idea of trying to make yourself look good and just working on making the other people on stage look good.” Now in its 26th year, Theatresports reaches its season climax this Sunday with the 2011 Grand Final. Crack improvisors have been furiously ‘going with the flow’ over the last month of Sundays in order to determine exactly which team will get star billing; but all in good fun, of course. “The competitive side of it is very theatrical. It’s like wrestling,” Brown notes wryly. “The teams are battling it out but within each team it’s a real trust thing. It has to be when you’re out there without a safety net.” For an actor, impro is both an escape from the shackles of the text and a headlong plunge into the theatrical unknown; but is it more fun? Brown ponders the idea for a beat, before: “It’s definitely more exciting. It’s one of those artforms that has a very rich connection with the audience because it’s all happening on the spot; and you can really feel the connection between the performers and the audience.” While the performers certainly get a buzz out of it, what’s happening for the audience? What’s their pay-off? “It’s a much more live feeling,” Brown states, perhaps aware how odd that might sound. “There’s much more spontaneity,” he promptly adds, “and when it’s done to a high standard,

which we always aim to deliver, it’s almost impossible to believe that it is just being created on the spot. Y’know, we’re always having to reassure people that we are actually improvising.” However, experienced improvisors will tell you that one of the inherent challenges of the form is how to avoid the lure of the safe routine, of patterns easily adapted and repeated. As Brown acknowledges, “It’s a real danger with improvisation actually, falling into safe things that you know well. Y’know, this sort of character or this sort of thing will guarantee this sort of result. We’re always challenging ourselves to not fall into those patterns.” The fact that Theatresports has now racked up a quarter century is surely testament to its continuing freshness. Brown is positive that this is due in no small part to the fact that Impro Melbourne work assiduously on new ways and means. Indeed, it’s that very unpredictability that keeps the turnstiles ticking. “It’s the same reason people go to the football all the time, even though it’s the same basic thing. But because you don’t know the outcome, you don’t know what’s going to happen; it’s worth going just to see what is going to happen.” One thing’s for sure: the crowd at the 2011 Theatresports Grand Final will most certainly play a significant part in the drama. Why? Well, you can make up your own reasons, can’t you? WHAT: Theatresports Grand Final WHERE & WHEN: The Space, Prahan Sunday 29 May

GIVEAWAYS

What started out a a viral smash hit has evolved into a full-blown cultural sensation, with Beached Az, the tale of a beached whale and the

conversations he has with friends — all delivered with richly thuck New Zealand accents — having now become a stage show. Expect all your favourite jokes, and some new ones, as the creators take to the stage with props and all. Joining them will be comedian Jon Lajoie, whose songs Everyday Normal Guy and Show Me Your Genitals have made him a YouTube hit. We’re two double passes to their Comedy Store show, happening Sunday 29 May. For your chance to win one head to the giveaways section of facebook.com/inpressmag.

As the Algerian Civil War escalates, a monastery of Trappist brothers high in the Algerian hills stays put. They won’t be strong-armed by the guerrillas. They won’t be bullied by the army. They won’t be made to leave the country by governments Algerian or French. God has sent them to be in this place, at this time; if they must leave, God must speak it. Religion rarely looks good on screen; its abundant disgusting hypocrisy and illogical extremes usually fodder for satire. But Xavier Beauvois’s Of Gods And Men allows itself religious reverence, taking the Trappists’ fondness for silence as an aesthetic cue. His subtle meditation on religious devotion and the search for god is delivered with score, with barrage of edits, without unnecessary exposition, without explosions. This is a Civil War of the mind, with the abstract terror of potential harm most living in the patient thoughts of these quiet, humble, reasonable men-of-thecloth. Beauvois spends much of his two solid hours watching the monks carolling in unison, singing psalms, their voices standing naked, ringing through the stone walls. The monks — whose ranks include Lambert Wilson (in all his gravity) and Michael Lonsdale (whose eyebrows are a work of art) — alternate between group and solitary prayer, personally exploring their feelings on the conflict whilst periodically sitting down, in a round table, to discuss what they should do. Their discussions are not tinged with self-preservation or politics, but essential — almost existential — examinations of self, of the individual’s

OCEANS

role in greater human conflict. In many ways, they are their own martyrs, men of faith willing to risk suffering for a cause they believe in. But, here, the cause is simple human decency, and Of Gods And Men builds such a shrine to that very notion that, here, their honest devotion is powerful enough to suggest a higher power. Forget Mel Gibson’s bondage extravaganza: those seeking religious solace on screen need look no further than this remarkable picture. Oceans represents the IMAX aesthetic crossed over to regular cinemas.

LIVE AZ AT FIRST IT WAS A VIRAL SENSATION, THEN A POPULAR TV SERIES, AND NOW, ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION: A LIVE SHOW. JOSH WHEATLEY TALKS TO BEACHED AZ CREATOR NICK BOSHIER ABOUT THE ROAD FROM YOUTUBE TO STAGE. Absurdist small-screen animated series Beached Az is making its way to the comedy stage. Revolving around a beached whale’s conversations with a variety of New Zealand accented creatures, the hit cartoon has won legions of fans for its charming slice-of-life humour. The popular series has been screened on the ABC in minute-long installments, with the show’s creative team now afforded the opportunity of a much longer comic set. Co-creater Nick Boshier explains, “I was originally asked by the World’s Funniest Island if they wanted us to do a show, and impulsively I just said yes. I say yes to anything that comes up, so I got myself cornered with this one.” The Cockatoo Island-based comedy festival folded before it really took off, but the concept of a live show lingered. “It’s been something we’ve been kicking around for a while, and honestly, we’re not quite sure how it’s all going to work out.” Boshier takes pleasure in talking about the live show, and seems taken aback that it will be happening in the coming weeks. Asked how the animated series can be translated to the stage, he says, “We’ve got a giant whale on stage, we spared no expense.” Boshier insists that the mix of puppetry and cardboard cut-outs will work on stage, but he believes that live comedy shows such as Beached Az work best with a little imagination.

“We watched the Mighty Boosh live tours on DVD and that’s the kind of thing we’re going for,’ he admits. “It’s really pared back but it’s absolutely hilarious. I’m not comparing our show in anyway to the greatness of theirs, but it’s the same kind of idea.” Along with co-creators Jarod Green and Anthony McFarlane, Boshier has written entirely new material for the show, and hints at the prospect of new characters. When asked if any the comedians have a live performance background, he laughs. “No, no. And that’s a funny question because we have no experience at all. I mean, we did some things at uni, but this is something totally new to us.” However, the young comedy producer remains unfazed by the challenge, and is looking forward to finally bringing his energies to the stage. “I think it’ll be a lot of fun. We’ve been working on it for a while now, and even though I’m not sure how everything is going to go...” He laughs. “No, it’ll be fine!” For a series that derives much of its humour from New Zealand mannerisms and eccentricities, Beached Az seems to have enamored itself with its targets of satire. Says Boshier, “I was in New Zealand not long ago, and wherever we went people were talking about the show. They couldn’t get enough of it. They totally got it.” The comic writer then throws on an excited NZ voice, giving the show praise.

It’s bankrolled by something called Disneynature; an arm of those oligarchical overlords likely set up after they made a Christian Right mint on March Of The Penguins. This monster-budget French production features no real story, except for an imposed framing-narrative in which some its maker — the Cousteauesque figure of Jacques Perrin — intermittently babbles purple prose in thrall to oceanic splendour, often whilst thoughtfully eyeing/ruffling-the-hair of a towheaded tyke. And, aside from being about the beauty of the seas and a vague plea of conservation, it’s not really actually about anything. But, oh lord, does it look splendid, full of whales splashing and sharks hunting and birds plunging into the waves and seas of millions of fish and barnacled iguanas swimming excitedly in the deep blue. It’s nature documentary unencumbered by the burden of facts, a natural history lesson teaching no lesson other than the wonders of cinema, natural splendour reduced to fodder for marine-porn eye candy. It’s both inspiring and depressing to watch, and its glorious visuals will fool many into thinking it’s an actual work of art when it’s anything but. If you’re the kind of person who hates those films about characterswho’ve-committed-dark-sins-in-theirdistant-pasts, and the tedium that comes from patiently waiting for the

Starting life as a YouTube short in early 2008, the cartoon skit of a whale and a seagull went viral. Its success has spawned two television series, DVDs, and T-shirts. Boshier talks proudly of the show’s success, but he and the team have several more projects in the

big secret to be revealed, like, ten minutes from the end, you may want to dodge Get Low. At the start, we’re presented with Robert Duvall’s crazy old coot, a Fuzzy Lumpkins-esque hillbilly from Tennessee who’s likely to shoot any tyke that sets early-20thCentury-boot on his property. His beard is large, his words are miserly, his humanity withered like a piece of old fruit. It’s kind of a promising beginning, admittedly, but then come the annoying necessities of modern scriptwriting: the back-story, the explanation as to how the man became a monster, the obligatory plot development where a character is removed from their comfort zone and forced to change, and a hokey, feelgood moral arising by heartwarmin’ end. The sitcom set-up of Get Low — and the screenwriting conceit that stirs all the above into action — finds Bobby D paying to stage his own funeral… before he’s dead! Shaboing! Patiently, we wait to learn that he went into imposed isolation after murderin’ the other-man’s-woman that he loved and her no-good husband, too. Or did he…? Chris Provenzano and C Gaby Mitchell’s screenplay pulls every punch, and director Aaron Schneider sugars even the bitterest of pills. Instead of a Southern Gothic tale of Depression Era America as desperate, hillbilly hell, we get the feelgood film of the year; or, y’know, something like that.

pipeline. “We’re so lucky to be doing this kind of stuff, like the tour,” he says. “It’ll be great fun. I promise!” WHAT: Beached Az & Jon Lajoie WHERE & WHEN: The Comedy Store Sunday 29 May

twitter.com/inpressmag

frontrow@inpress.com.au

C U LT U R A L

CRINGE

DAVID MITCHELL

WATER WORKS WONDERS CYCLONE TALKS TO WATER FOR ELEPHANTS DIRECTOR FRANCIS LAWRENCE AND STARS REESE WITHERSPOON AND ROBERT PATTINSON. A movie about a struggling circus in America’s Great Depression may not seem the most pertinent or trendy, but Water For Elephants is an old-fashioned Hollywood romance with a darker, more contemporary subtext. It ain’t no throwback to the Marx Brothers’ At The Circus. Water For Elephants is adapted from Sara Gruen’s best-selling novel and directed by Francis Lawrence, whose previous work includes Constantine and I Am Legend. (He’s likewise overseen music videos, such as Beyoncé’s Run The World (Girls).) It centres on Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattinson), who, close to finishing his veterinary studies at Cornell University, suddenly loses his parents in a road accident. Dazed on discovering the extent of their debts, he stows away on a circus train. The charismatic and intimidating ringmaster August Rosenbluth (Inglourious Basterds’ Christoph Waltz) gives him the job of keeping its menagerie. Jankowski must

break in an elephant (screen veteran Tai, whose trainers have this week been accused of past mistreatment), and he falls in love with Rosenbluth’s performer wife, Marlena (Reese Witherspoon). The tale, sublimating themes of animal, domestic and workplace abuse, is told in flashback by an elderly Jankowski (80-something Hal Holbrook). Pattinson is famed for his portrayal of Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga but, a reluctant teen heartthrob, he’s determined to pursue credible and even risky endeavours. Apart from appearing in Remember Me (for which he served as an executive producer), the Brit has lately completed an adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s Bel Ami, depicting an unscrupulous journalist, and scored the lead in David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis. Yet, before that vampire franchise, he rendered Salvador Dalí in Little Ashes. Pattinson, whom Lawrence has compared to James Dean, holds his own alongside Witherspoon and Waltz, both Oscar-winners. The diminutive Witherspoon, perceived as the archetypal Southern ‘lady’, is witty yet unexpectedly tenacious in person. Pattinson is a mix of English public school boy charm and indie-kid insouciance. Says the mild-mannered Lawrence, “Reese was the first person who I ever pitched for the role of Marlena — the first and only person who I actually ever pitched for the role. I knew that I wanted a very American actress to play the part of Marlena. She’s a fantastic actress — she’s smart and sexy and funny, but she’s also pretty tough underneath the smile and the jokes. The character’s a bit of a survivor and I wanted to have some of that toughness inside. “And Rob, I knew that I wanted to cast him when I sat down with him, because I think that he himself is a lot like the character of Jacob Jankowski. There’s kind of a purity to his heart, and a warmth. Sometimes he pretends to be a little cynical, but he’s not. I knew that if we got some of that on screen, we’d be in good shape.” Pattinson has suggested that he’s inherently pessimistic — did channelling Jankowski change that? “Did I say that in an interview?,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t really see the worst in everything. I guess I’m quite a positive person. I never really know which parts of the character are you and which parts you’ve kind of created for the movie. But I had a nice time making [WFE]. It made me feel more positive about filmmaking afterwards, so maybe that was to do with the character.” Curiously, in his inaugural film, and prior to Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, Pattinson played Witherspoon’s son. It was Mira Nair’s Vanity Fair — but Pattinson’s scene ended up on the proverbial cutting-room floor. It’s ironic, too, that in Water For Elephants the newly remarried Witherspoon is a woman contemplating adultery. However, she empathised with Marlena’s desperation. “She’s in such a particular marriage that’s so voluble and abusive...and particularly being a woman in the 1930s with no education, no job opportunities, no real options in life, I think the idea of getting out of a marriage is terrifying but also sort of thrilling — and then a cute guy comes to town, what are you gonna do?” she says. “Really, you dangle a steak in front of a pitbull...you know what I’m sayin’?” Water For Elephants is, Witherspoon maintains, about “second chances”. Gruen researched exhaustibly but, like some historical novels, it’s almost too obviously formulated. Lawrence’s visceral — and sumptuous — movie is more realistic. (Jacqueline West’s costume designs for Witherspoon were modelled on those of ’30s cinematic starlets like Jean Harlow.) The director abandoned the maudlin facets of the book dealing with Jankowski’s decline, and sharpened Waltz’s character. “There’s a character named Uncle Al, who was actually the [circus] owner/operator in the book, and we combined him with August to make up August the ringmaster and the owner/operator,” he says. “That did a bunch for us in terms of his character — because he was schizophrenic in the book. We gave him a bit of logic and took the schizophrenia away to sort of add some layers and a little more humanity to his role.” WHAT: Water For Elephants WHERE & WHEN: Screening in cinemas now

WITH REBECCA COOK So, as far as I’m aware the world didn’t end on Saturday — unless a) it did and I can stop worrying about eating chocolate because I’m really in a tank of ectoplasm being kept alive through the sort of straw they’d keep in the Death Star galley or b) the totem is still spinning, I’m asleep, and it’s still Friday night. One gentleman who’s all too familiar with end-of-the-world prophecies is Benjamin Grant Mitchell, the son of a former doomsday cult minister. Mitchell’s pretty chuffed that the rapture didn’t occur over the

weekend nor, when he was a child, as he’s just published a book about his experiences and he’s keen to see through his speaking engagement at this year’s Emerging Writers Festival that kicks off on Thursday. This year’s programme is packed full of such life-affirming surprises but you need to be quick as some events such as Tram Tracks (literary adventures on the 86 tram) and the Business Of Being A Writer masterclass are already sold out and the opening night gala, First Word, is also close to capacity. Despite the world not ending, the festival seems to have taken on a ‘last day on Earth’

vibe and injected some particularly playful elements into this year’s programme. A couple of activities that take Cringe’s fancy this year include Freeplay’s Deliberately Lost Stories, whereby you write an explanatory note in your favourite book (buy a second-hand copy if you can’t bear to part with it) and then leave it around the festival for other festival-goers to discover. The second is Lego Poetry, located at Rue Bebelon, the Festival Hub. Buckets of Lego bricks covered in words will be available for you to build your poem with. Once complete, poets are asked to take a photo of their masterpiece and post it on Twitter or Facebook using the #legopoetry hashtag. You also never know where that Lego creation may lead you; last week acclaimed English author David Mitchell described his writing process as exactly like “building a Lego fort” in his speaking appearance at the Wheeler Centre last week. The author of Cloud Atlas and Ghostwritten was self-deprecating about his abilities, explaining that his technique of using short stories that interconnect was simply a case of him not knowing how to write a whole novel. He also confessed that he rather likes writers’ festivals such as the Sydney one he was in town to attend, because he gets to feel like a rock star for a day or two. “I’m David Gilmore, instead of David Mitchell.” If you want to make some anxiety-ridden scribes feel like Tom Jones for the day, then check out the Emerging Writers’ Festival programme at emergingwritersfestival.org.au. In brief, the figures are in and Comedy Fest has had another cracker of a year. A total of 611,079 folks attended the laugh-fest forking over more $12 million in box office sales, an 11 percent increase on last year’s event.

LIVE REVIEW WALKING WITH DINOSAURS

Hisense Arena The lights dim in the stadium. Distant roars of dinosaurs fill the air and ginormous fangs glow menacingly as part of the stage setting. Teasing my eight-year-old nephew seems like a fun idea until he begins trembling and hides beneath his hoody. As soon as a paleontologist appears to narrate the action, sharing the performance space with the stars of the show, fear factor is lessened. All 15 life-size dinosaurs are introduced chronologically. One breed of ’saurus hatch from eggs as the action commences and then we are taken through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods until “the terror of the ancient terrain”, Tyrannosaurus rex, thumps around the arena to provide a thrilling conclusion. Vegetation grows before our eyes and then withers according to the environmental factors that categorise each period. The skin on the various ‘dinosaurs’ ripples and they blink realistically while prowling past, fighting for survival against other species or engaging in tender moments with their young. The paleontologist announces one such majestic beast as “the weight of two supermodels”. A child behind us asks, “What’s a super…?” Dad opts for a PC response: “People, two people.” Unrivalled ‘edutainment’ for the whole family. And no nightmares for the nephew (although he experienced some recently after watching The Sixth Sense). Season finished

BRYGET CHRISFIELD SPAGHETTI WESTERN ORCHESTRA PLAYS THE MORRICONE HITS The spaghetti western is a muchloved genre that’s regaining popularity through a new generation of directors brought up on Sergio Leone films, and, of course, the endless enthusiasm of Quentin Tarantino towards the genre. The Spaghetti Western Orchestra will be performing the “hits” (if such a term exists) of the one and only composer Ennio Morricone from classic films such as A Fistful Of Dollars, The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, Once Upon A Time In The West, My Name Is Nobody, and more for one night only, at Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre Wednesday 13 July. Get your tickets (quick sharp!) through the venue. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

ACMI GOES SCI-FI FOR NEXT EXHIBITION

ACMI’s continuing their stellar year of programmes, with the announcement of Star Voyager: Exploring Space On Screen, which spans science fiction from its origins — Georges Méliès’s A Trip To The Moon (1902) to recent hits such as Duncan Jones’s Moon and James Cameron’s Avatar (both 2009). The exhibition will feature objects and costumes and models from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Danny Boyle’s Sunshine (2007), etc, footage from NASA’s Apollo 12 mission, a site-specific installation, and more. Head to acmi.net.au/starvoyager for more details. The exhibitions runs 22 September to 29 January 2012.

frontrow@inpress.com.au

DVD REVIEWS

GAINSBOURG

Hopscotch Two kids are sitting at the beach. “Can I put my hand in yours?” asks the boy timidly. “No, you’re too ugly,” exclaims the girl as she runs away. Gainsbourg’s ugly mug then proceeds to follows him throughout the remainder of the film. Literally. Offering advice. It’s his Harvey, his Drop Dead Fred, his Donnie Darko. “Django only used two fingers,” the mug says to young Serge. “The rest can be sacrificed.” At one point Gainsbourg pulls a gun on it. Just to get it off his back. But his mug can also be helpful, dragging him kicking and screaming where he needs to be. “Make some poisoned apples,” it says. And then he explodes into stardom. In case you hadn’t guessed, Gainsbourg isn’t your typical biopic. It’s strange and surreal, episodic in structure. Sure, it travels through his precocious artistic childhood in Nazi-occupied France, through his affair with Brigitte Bardot, meeting Jane Birkin and it’s all tied into his artistic process. His songs with Birkin and Bardot are seductions. The beast who attracted the beauties. Bardot in particular is distraught after singing his first love song with him. Possibly because she was married at the time. His nose grows, his ears expand. He walks around with a cabbage on his head and his world falls apart, descending into more alcohol and cigarettes. There hasn’t been a biopic like this since Cronenberg’s Naked Lunch, so liberal with the text but so true to his aesthetic. The film itself is an artistic development of the themes that consumed him. Then of course it all occurs amongst those incredible tunes like Bonnie And Clyde and of course Je t’aime…moi non plus which caused a sensation. A remarkable film about a remarkable life.

BOB BAKER FISH

HEATHERS (BLU-RAY)

Umbrella Back in 1988, Heathers was a revelation. It was the perfect mix of satire, cynicism and teen angst, one of the first films to acknowledge that for many, high school life can be a living hell. It was played for laughs, but there’s no disguising the bitter, pitchblack undercurrent bubbling throughout. This was a film that highlighted the gulf between adults and their teens, so out of touch were the adults and teachers that they were willing to believe the American teenager was capable of anything. Even 23 years on, it’s wilfully scathing. Can you imagine a nasty little comedy about teen suicide being funded in 2011? There is a reason why director Michael Lehmann now works in television (True Blood, Californication, Nurse Jackie). Three popular, hyper bitchy, immaculately groomed girls rule Westerburgh High. And they’re all named Heather. Veronica (Winona Ryder), desperate to be popular herself, is also part of the clique, being groomed for cool and having left her daggy friends behind. When a mysterious outsider, JD (Christian Slater in his best Jack Nicholson impression), appears she finds a way to get her own back and the bodies start piling up. The writer, Daniel Waters, who would reach such heights as Hudson Hawk, created a whole new teen language here, lacing his acerbic wit with lines like, “What’s your damage, Heather?” and, “Call me when the shuttle lands,” and in doing so provided the fuel that launched your Mean Girls, your Juno, your Gossip Girl. There’s something very anti-establishment about this film. It sides with the teens but then delights in their murders and pokes fun at them after death. It’s black as pitch. Delightfully puerile yet incredibly well written, teen suicide has never been so much fun.

BOB BAKER FISH

HISTORY REPEATED VALHALLA RISING

Madman Valhalla Rising is a Viking fever dream death trip, a violent desolate odyssey from precocious Danish filmmaker Nicholas Winding Refn. It’s unrelentingly sparse and brutally minimal, with lingering shots of a brooding, unforgiving landscape and little in the way of dialogue. In fact, the main character One Eye (Mads Mikkelsen from Refn’s infamous Pusher trilogy), is mute; his violence does his talking. It opens with One Eye in a Scottish highland mud pit strangling and disembowelling opponents, a prisoner who lives in a cage forced to fight for his survival. When he escapes he joins some Christian Vikings on a quest for the holy land. In Refn’s hands it’s a mystical quasireligious El Topo/Aguirre Wrath Of God-like trip with strange psychedelic flourishes, surreal set pieces and savage bursts of ultra violence. In the directors commentary, Refn says it’s almost like an acid trip: “How can you make a movie that is like a drug?” he asks before suggesting, “If you’re looking for conventional filmmaking you might not be too happy.” He’s got grand plans here, drawing allusions to both the monolith and the evolution of the species in 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s not a historical drama, he suggests, before dropping the bombshell. It’s science fiction. With a God complex. Are we watching the same film here? This is one of those rare occasions where the director’s commentary totally alters your perception of the film. It’s long, beautiful, occasionally slow, violent, gore-obsessed and very self-indulgent. It’s the kind of precocious manipulation of the cinematic form that few filmmakers are able to get away with these days. But from the Pusher trilogy to Bronson, Refn has continued to demonstrate a unique and assured vision. Valhalla Rising, despite being his least traditional and, well, weirdest film, is also his most rewarding.

BOB BAKER FISH

DIRECTOR ROSE BOSCH’S FILM LA RAFLE (THE ROUND-UP) FOLLOWS IN THE CINEMATIC FOOTSTEPS OF FILMS LIKE SCHINDLER’S LIST AND THE PIANO. TALKING WITH SAM HOBSON, SHE REVEALS THAT THE PROCESS OF MAKING SUCH A THING VASTLY TRANSCENDS ITS IMPORTANCE AS A MERE ENTRY INTO HER DIRECTORIAL CANON, OR THAT OF ANY PARTICULAR GENRE. It’s hard to wax about Rose Bosch’s latest film, La Rafle, through any critically founded bent after talking at length with her. You’d think this’d be a common outcome of the process of interviewing a director; someone whose film you’ve watched in preparation, and formed an inherently distanced opinion of. But it’s often an incidental thing. Sometimes their recollection of the creative process is uninspiring, and you maintain that disconnect. And then there’re times when you speak with a filmmaker, and you’re very much overcome by the strange enormity of what they do; that deeply inscrutable process of artistic — and, in Bosch’s case, historic — translation. This was one of those interviews. “I am a former journalist, I should’ve known,” Bosch quietly punctuates, mid-recollection of the myriad horrific discoveries she made during the five years it took her to gather the film’s

story; one which chronicles the mass exodus and then genocide of French Jewish families, in particular following the plight of the children who were killed alongside their parents in WWII. “These times, even if it was 70 years ago, this was after the declaration of Human Rights,” she gasps, incensed and incredulous, still. “This was after France was presumably this ‘light in the dark’ about human rights; it’s just so hard to believe.” She explains how her husband and she have ‘lived’ this story for the last ten years or so, haunted by the fact that, had his family (Jewish) not fled Paris just before the round-up, had they not been “so pessimistic in life” then she and he would not have met, nor had two children together. And it’s this precise butterfly-wing indeterminism that heaves and seethes throughout La Rafle, taking shape in depictions of the French Government’s betrayal

of the Jewish populous, who, thinking France a safe haven, trusted them to their deaths, and aches and echoes of a larger, sadder set of lives that never happened. And to tell this story, to have it out, she went to tremendous lengths. “I looked for survivors,” she recalls, “and everyone was telling me I would not find specifically what I was looking for. I was looking for someone from Montmartre, because of my in-laws… and then I wanted children [who had] not just survived the round-up, I wanted one of them who had lived this story as far as possible… up to almost climbing on the train.” “My historical advisor, Serge Klarsfeld — who is also known for being a Nazi Hunter; he contributed to the arrest of Klaus Barbie — he had been over time listing every single kid who had been deported. I said, ‘Give me everything you’ve got.’ And [even] he believed [finding] survivors was not possible.” But then, as immense luck would have it, her father-in-law stumbled upon an 18-year-old VHS, taped over with a documentary about a particular survivor named Joseph Weissman. Amazingly, she managed to find an old letter he had written as a child in Klarsfeld’s research and tracked him down. He was 83, but found, and La Rafle is now his story. WHAT: La Rafle WHERE & WHEN: Screening in cinemas now

frontrow@inpress.com.au get it and of course they’d get the boner jokes. So it was really surprising and great, and they have a really dark sense of humour,” says Lajoie, giving a pretty clear summation of his humour. His creations, such as the WTF Collective — a piss-take rap group which features Lajoie playing 12 rappers including MC Shit My Pants Frequently, MC Gets Sidetracked Easily, MC Lethal Weapons 1,2, & 3 and MC Lethal Weapon 4 — were born from a love of hip hop and rap that started in Lajoie’s Montreal basement.

THE JOIE OF COMEDY IN A WORLD WHERE YOUTUBE FAME CAN BE FLEETING, JON LAJOIE HAS FOUND SUCCESS, DAVE DRAYTON ASKS HIM, ‘SHOW ME YOUR GENITALS.’ Have you ever watched L’auberge du chien noir? Of course not. Why would you watch a French-Canadian sitcom living in Australia. You have, however, probably come across actor

Jon Lajoie’s work elsewhere, as he has accumulated millions of YouTube hits with a series of parody songs and infomercials. The success of his YouTube presence

has been converted to a stage show, which recently took him to Iceland for a surprisingly good tour.’ “You know what, I was kinda worried about it,” he says. “I was really worried that they wouldn’t get subtle things in my show where I’m not just screaming out ‘penis’ and ‘vagina’. “They got all of it man! They got tiny little absurdist kinda jokes, when I played around with language they’d

“I enjoy some really good hip hop, for example the new Beastie Boys album is really awesome. I did a bit of rapping — never publically — I recorded in my basement on my cassette team and make a little beat on a Casio keyboard,” says Lajoie. After some prompting he delivers on those earlier verses, which already revealed his penchant for weed and normality, “‘It doesn’t matter if you’re white, black, yellow, or brown, it’s the green that makes the whole world go round. It ain’t all about the money, it ain’t all about the fame,’ Man, that is some deep shit! “When I was in my late teens and early 20s I was in a band and that musical training comes from being in a band for four years. We were very unsuccessful, but worked our arses off; rehearsing three nights a week, doing shows constantly in front of no one. I kind of taught myself how to sing that way and to play guitar and to write songs and by the end when I was fed up with the whole thing I quit the band. That eventually led to me going, ‘What do I enjoy doing?’ And basically the only thing I could come

up with was comedy, so I gave that a shot. I used all that musical knowledge to sing about my genitals and getting high, basically,” he says. “The reason I went to musical comedy was really a technical one. I was making these videos with a really shitty camera that had a shitty mic on it and the audio was always bad, I couldn’t get good audio. I just knew through messing around with the audio software that if I imported audio I could just think up images and it would just kind of have a more professional feel, ’cause you wouldn’t hear the terrible hiss and bad sound of my camera. So I was like, ‘I’ll record a song and then think up images’, and I recorded High As Fuck and went into some field near my house and just shot some images, so the musical comedy thing actually comes out of a weird technicality that I was trying to overcome and when people responded to High As Fuck I was like, ‘Oh shit, musical comedy, alright, I’ll take this’,” Lajoie explains his unexpected early success. Though, as he points out, if you’re writing songs about smoking weed and genitals for YouTube it’s hard to miss the mark, “That internet audience, half of the people are high and half of the people are just masturbating…and most of them are probably high and are doing both.” While you can’t masturbate during his stage show (unless you purchase one of the ‘public masturbator trenchcoats’ he has made an advertisement for), there’s still the opportunity for a laugh. “If they’ve seen the clips and enjoy my sensibilities then they’ll definitely enjoy the show. I’m not necessarily

getting up on stage and performing my videos. There’s a lot of stand-up; I do a few little bits and pieces, I do a course on creating successful online videos and of course do the songs that people expect me to do and the songs that people wanna hear. It’s not just the songs reproduced on stage though, I’d be bored and I think the audience would be as well. “Everyday Normal Guy comes in at one point, and the MC Vagina character comes in at one point. You know, I mean, I’m always kind of in character ’cause I’m very insecure and a very sad person so I have to be in character regardless. I’m always kind of playing a character on stage,” Lajoie says. This raises an interesting point. We’ve seen Jon Lajoie the misogynistic rapper, Jon Lajoie who is ‘high as fuck’, Jon Lajoie who ‘has hookers for lunch every day’. So who, exactly, is the real Jon Lajoie? Could he please stand up? “You know what, he’s very uninteresting. When people meet me they expect wackiness but I really channel that into my comedy and my videos and when I’m acting, I channel everything that’s interesting about me into those things. So I’m just generally uninteresting I guess,” he concludes with a chuckle. If nothing else you can head to the show and see if the merch stand is stocking any of the great products Lajoie spruiks online. You know; paedophile beards, rapist glasses, serial killer vans and “not giving a fuck”. WHAT: Beached Az & Jon Lajoie WHERE & WHEN: The Comedy Store Sunday 29 May

BIRTHDAY CAKE

VOICE WORKS

Staying out of the mainstream has allowed MY FRIEND THE CHOCOLATE CAKE to clock up 21 years together, founder DAVID BRIDIE tells JEREMY WILLIAMS.

Blokes singing harmonies lie at the heart of LITTLE JOHN’s success, JOHN DICKSON tells SAMUEL J FELL.

because on the posters it had ‘featuring members of Not Drowning, Waving’ – it created its own market quite early on. Not Drowning, Waving broke up in ‘93/’94, I guess at that point for me as a writer, it became the main thing.”

he Australian music scene boasts a few bands with offbeat names, however, David Bridie is a man who can boast being a member of not only Not Drowning, Waving but also My Friend The Chocolate Cake – two acts with rather inexplicable but equally memorable monikers. While Not Drowning, Waving disbanded back in 1994, My Friend The Chocolate Cake, which had been intended as a small side-project (with songs written by Bridie and Not Drowning, Waving’s Helen Mountfort), celebrate their 21st birthday this year. So what was it that turned a fun project into a career-dominating offshoot? Meeting Bridie over brunch at Brunswick’s Black Cat it becomes clear that the decision had been far from calculated, but rather making the most of a difficult situation. Bridie reveals, “contractually we were switching companies and we had already recorded the next record before one had been released, so we were already one record behind. That was part of it, thinking that it would be at least four years before these songs by Not Drowning, Waving would even be released, so that was all part of the thinking.” While the contractual obligations explain the initial release, what was it that prompted the decision to continue with the band? Without any hesitation, Bridie launches into a trip down memory lane. “We were signed to Warners at the time as Not Drowning, Waving and they put the [My Friend The Chocolate Cake] record out and it did really well. So from an early time it was obvious there was something in the band that people were into. It wasn’t just

Given that Not Drowning, Waving lasted a good decade before giving up the ghost, second time around it is clear that Bridie found the secret to long-term success with his off-shoot. With a wry smile, Bridie admits “we’ve never had a hit really,” before laughing “that is the secret, don’t do it mainstream and you will last a lot longer”. However, what begins as a self-deprecating reflection soon transforms into a serious train of thought. Pleased with his realisation, Bridie continues, “bands have a smash hit record, then their next record sells 40,000 records and everyone is disappointed because it didn’t sell the 150,000 the one before did. But it was still a good record and it didn’t have maybe the song that gained it the exposure. But if everyone is looking at it as a failure, then it wears down on a band.” While he willingly admits, “we’d have loved a hit record,” it is clear that Bridie is aware that it takes more than a lack of pressure to be in the privileged position of a long-running career. “I think the longevity is just down to a really unique sound and a really unique bunch of people. Normally after 21 years a band is like The Ramones, all travelling in separate cars and staying in different hotels as they really hate each other, but we actually really enjoy each other’s company. We respect each other’s playing and everyone knows bands are more than just what music you are playing. Everyone has their little part and it makes it a good outfit that way.” While it has already been six years since the group’s best-of compilation Parade was released, Bridie is excited about the band’s latest album, Fiasco, and he admits the end is far from sight. “I just want to keep making really good records,” he says.

WHO: My Friend The Chocolate Cake WHAT: Fiasco (Shock) WHEN & WHERE: Friday, Meeniyan Town Hall; Saturday 6pm and 8.30pm, Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre; Saturday 11 June, Geelong Performing Arts Centre; Saturday 25 June, Thornbury Theatre

week for four weeks, it was awesome. I was shocked how happy people were and how into it they were. “And I think that’s partly having a bunch of people singing,” he goes on. “I wanted to make it slightly different to being a songwriter, I never really saw myself as a songwriter, or a really strong songwriter. I wanted the band to be something more and I think there’s something more in our band with having three or four guys singing harmonies – I think people relate to that and enjoy that.”

That they do, nowhere more evident than in the relative success of Little John’s debut record, Put Your Hands On Me, released late last year. The record that has, again, struck a chord and done quite well – another surprise for Dickson and the band. “It did [come as a surprise],” he muses, “because we recorded it all ourselves. And because we were relatively unknown on the Melbourne music scene, so yeah, I think surprised by the reception and by how much people really liked it. They’d come up and say they loved the album – to me, that just seems surprising.”

“Basically, in Redfi sh we were just doing standards, I guess,” muses Dickson on the transition which now, two years down the track, is proving to have been a wise move. “And I had a bunch of original songs that I wanted to do and I guess expand beyond… I mean, I really love that style of music, but I was a bit bored of it and I wanted to expand beyond being a roots band and beyond just imitating a certain style.

Put Your Hands On Me is, to my mind, a slow grower. Once it’s there, though, it’s a veritable exercise in lusty old-time music, dalliances through folk and subtle pop and an understated elegance that belies the young age of the band itself. I’ve gone on record before saying the album wasn’t my cup of tea (not long after it was released), but having had it grow, I can see why it’s become so popular amongst the Melbourne music faithful.

couple of years ago, guitarist/vocalist John Dickson up and left Redfi sh Bluegrass, the traditional band he’d been playing with for some time. It was not an acrimonious split, more one of necessity for Dickson was pining for something new and untapped, something he couldn’t find with Redfi sh, despite his love for the music they created.

“But it was really just a matter of having a bunch of songs built up, ones that I thought were worth playing,” he adds. “It wasn’t a long-term goal that I had, it just all happened to happen all at the right time really.” So Dickson left Redfi sh, his clutch of songs held close to his chest, and he rounded up four likeminded fellas and Little John were born, and an easy birth it’s been, as this is a group who are garnering more than their fair share of attention around town. “It’s a fun band. We’re doing what we want to do and it seems to make people happy,” Dickson reasons on why the group are striking such a chord. “It’s a fun band to play in, too. I’m still shocked how much people like it. We played a residency at the Old Bar back in February and I was shocked, it was like a party every

twitter.com/inpressmag

Later this week, the band play a special show at the East Brunswick Club to promote the launch of their new website, as well as the release of a film clip for the album’s title track, filmed at Wesley Anne in Northcote. After that, who knows? “After May, we’ll reassess,” Dickson smiles. “We’ll probably do a tour of Brisbane and Sydney, then record in the second half of the year.”

WHO: Little John WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, East Brunswick Club

STRINGS ATTACHED

PERFECT HARMONY

SIERRA FIN’s debut album is a major label-style epic recorded on an indie band budget, the Sydney group’s RUSS TAINTON tells MICHAEL SMITH.

There is more than just music at stake at Sunday’s She Sings For Reconciliation gig, EMMA DONOVAN tells JEREMY WILLIAMS.

but that turned into a bit of a debacle,” Tainton explains of the band’s hunt for their orchestra. “But they put us in contact with [conductor] Guy Noble and again, it was one of those things, like getting producer Paul McKercher on board – he immediately loved the project so we were starting to collect people who were super enthusiastic about it and once you do that things become possible. He basically came up with the idea of putting together our own orchestra from people he knew in all the top orchestras around the country, got them to do it freelance and we ended up doing it for about five grand cheaper with professional musicians rather than Youth Orchestra musicians, which was incredible.”

“Y

eah, it seemed a bit insane, huh?” singer, guitarist and keyboards player Russ Tainton laughs when talking of Sierra Fin’s debut album, Cautionary Tale Of The Beautiful Blackout. A concept album, the story of Cautionary Tale… is loosely based on the band’s own experience, told in three parts – yesterday, today and tomorrow – through a character dissatisfied with the numbing effect of the daily grind. “I guess it was one of those things that we decided, after a tune, ‘Oh bugger it, we’ll do it with the orchestra.’ It was one of those things that stuck and I’ve done a bit of orchestral arranging in the past and knew that that element was possible with enough time so we decided, ‘Let’s do it.’ We then set about the path of actually trying to make it happen which… Oh, we bit off a lot more than we could chew. It took us a long time to work out the logistics of it all.” It certainly took Sierra Fin a lot longer than they ever imagined to follow up their 2008 debut EP, Shake Stare Sleep, though in the end, the actual recording of Cautionary Tale Of The Beautiful Blackout only took five days. Of course, the first major obstacle was getting the money together, so they set about putting together a massive fundraising effort over a couple of months culminating in a concert. They got knocked back on a lot of grant applications, ultimately scoring a modest bit of help through a JB Seed Arts Grant, before finally raising enough to “do it on an extremely tight budget,” as Tainton admits.

a large part of her life, the singer had been mulling over a move for several years before she finally got the guts to just go for it. She admits, “I always kind of really wanted to move to Melbourne, since a long time ago. I just hit a point when I went, ‘I am sick of always talking about it.’ Seeing as I do a lot of work down here, I just thought, ‘I am going to get down there now and give it a go.’” However, having had a base in New South Wales for so long, Donovan found the move was far from easy. Perhaps relating to her current situation, it is clear that there is a difference between being at home and close to those you love and being in a completely different state. Though it is clear she had made her mind up to finally make the move, when a little voice of doubt starting whispering in her ear, Donovan found that it was one of her nearest and dearest who gave her the courage of her conviction. “I had a really close friend saying, ‘No, you’ve been talking about this forever, you need to go! I am going to drive you down there myself.’”

In the end, the orchestra got their parts down in one session. “We had pretty much six hours to get the entire album down,” Tainton explains, “so it was frantic to say the least.” The band, meanwhile, after six months of intense pre-production rehearsal, spent three days recording their parts, then one day for all the vocals. “Then it took eight days of mixing, so it took longer mixing the thing than to actually record it.” Having almost blown the entire budget on making the album, for the launch Sierra Fin will be joined by not a full orchestra, but a string quartet, a flute/ clarinet player, trumpet, trombone and French horn. “So we’ve sort of got all the bases covered in a small version. We’ve also got Joel [Joslin], our keyboardist, who also fills in the rest of the gaps, so it should be as close, for the moment, as is possible.” As for following up such a grand first effort, the band have actually been thinking about the “difficult” second album. “Just working on new music again after living with this album for two years is pretty exciting. We haven’t actually finished any songs yet but we’ve got a whole lot of tapes of new songs and we’re probably going to go down a slightly different path to the orchestra. I’m not sure what it’ll be just yet, but it’ll be something completely different again and no less grand,” Tainton laughs.

here are occasions when interviews seem to be hit by no end of issues. Having arranged to speak to world-renowned Indigenous singer/songwriter Emma Donovan, who you may know from her work with Black Arm Band, a trail of voicemails leaves us somewhat despondent about the realisation of our conversation in time for the fast approaching deadline. However, after a final attempt on a sunny Saturday morning, Inpress’s phone rings and we strangely recognise the number as if it were that of a close friend. An apologetic Donovan explains the issue: “I actually just booked some flights, I have to head back to Sydney tonight. A little bit of sad news with my family, so I am going to try make it home to visit a really, really sick auntie tonight, so you caught me at a bit of a bad time.”

Having successfully relocated, it is apparent that Donovan has no regrets and she has now set her sights upon achieving her goals. Having not waited long to find her feet, Donovan has launched herself head first into new endeavours. “I am starting up just playing with some new people here in a band. I also work with Black Arm Band and they are based here, so I just started doing more work with them. So that is the other reason I am here. But I am working on my own stuff in the studio, working on a new album.” With the creativity bubbling away nicely in the background, this Sunday sees her using her musical outlet to champion a cause close to her heart when she appears alongside female stars aplenty (including Lady Lash, Candice Monique and Vida-Sunshyne) at Songlines Aboriginal Music’s She Sings For Reconciliation. While she can’t wait to get to grips with a jam at the end of the night, she realises there is more than just music at stake. “I have been a part of these gatherings for years now. The messages that people are singing about, the diversity of different cultural backgrounds unified, is important.”

“We were initially approaching the Sydney Youth Orchestra

After insisting, “I will be okay once I get around my family,” it becomes apparent that the warm, friendly voice at the other end of the line may have more important things to focus on, but for now is happy with a moment or two of distraction. Our conversation quickly moves on to Donovan’s recent relocation to Melbourne. Having been based in Sydney for

CONSTANT EVOLUTION

FOR THE LOVE OF IT

It’s all quite a leap from the humble duo of Tainton and drummer Chris Frost, where it all started, who formed Sierra Fin towards the end of 2007 when the pair left the band in which they’d met, The Model School.

WHO: Sierra Fin WHAT: Cautionary Tale Of The Beautiful Blackout (Half A Cow/MGM) WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, Bennetts Lane

From the recording of their debut LP to its launch at the Tote, VALENTIINE’s every move is informed by their passion for music, writes SAMSON MCDOUGALL.

Whichever way they head creatively, there’s no compromise for Swedish metallers THE HAUNTED, amiable frontman PETER DOLVING explains to BRENDAN CRABB.

to translate this timelessness of a known aesthetic while allowing the quality of writing to shine through the wash of nostalgia. For the band, Vanessa continues, it was hugely important for the recording process to be as light-hearted as possible. “The record came off sounding exactly the way we wanted it to sound. We were really worried about recording with someone who’s pushy or that we didn’t feel comfortable with, but we just gelled. It was always fun, the sessions never dragged and were never boring. We just fucked around really and somehow made a record.

“We’ve been on the road since we were little kids. I don’t even know what so-called normal people with an everyday job, what they think, perceive and act. We don’t know what it’s like to have a regular job and stay in one place for a long period of time. You’re at home for two weeks and then you go again. It really changes you as a person. It’s hard to get your head around what that does to how you perceive the world. I think as an artist it’s a good headspace to be in; it’s really positive in that the more we travel, it becomes apparent that people are much the same everywhere and enjoy similar things. There are also a lot more nice people than assholes.”

he Haunted’s recorded career could be placed into two chapters – the blistering thrash/melodic death emanating from the violent assault of their 1998 self-titled debut through to 2004’s stellar rEVOLVEr, and the far more expansive, melodic direction explored since. Suffice to say, recent releases have come under considerable fire from fans and critics alike. Ask The Haunted vocalist Peter Dolving about this reaction, however, and he’s not troubled. “I’m not bothered in the slightest,” the immediately friendly vocalist emphasises. “We make our music primarily for ourselves and secondarily for the people who actually like what we do,” he laughs. “Those who don’t like what we do – we don’t go looking for you. You’re entitled to your opinion and in ten years you might find you like that record.” If that response seems a tad tokenistic, that’s not a quality characteristic of Dolving, who is animated, engaging, but also unpredictable in conversation, covering the recording process, working out, side-projects and “how beautiful life is”. The band’s seven-album career (Dolving temporarily departed from 1998-2003) encapsulates not only a wide spectrum of sounds, but also a distinct shift in lyrical focus – from the pure vitriol dripping from their debut to the more reflective and worldly, yet still abrasive, men of today. Questioning him about the difference in mindset from their debut to 13 years later draws a loud chuckle. “I’m really happy – all of us are really happy – that we’re not those kids any more.

Dolving documents many of these unique observations via social networking and therefore has become somewhat of a minor online celebrity in recent years. “I really like Facebook,” he says. “I live and work very solitary… I live in a house in the countryside and the only people I see are my kids – and the occasional hot woman will come and see me, which is rather enjoyable,” he adds, bursting into laughter. “It’s nice to be able to talk to people about what I’m doing as I’m doing it. I don’t like hanging out, unless it’s connected to touring. I’m a very private person when it comes down to it.” On the touring front, Dolving is surprised at how effectively the Unseen selections meld with the earlier material in the live environment, but quickly adds that he enjoys covering each of their albums at shows. “When we play live, we play a lot of stuff from our old records. We don’t say,” he begins, adopting a voice akin to a sportsground announcer, ‘Well, we’re only going to play songs from our new record, as that’s what we’re here to sell and promote’. We are there to just play with the most intensity that we can. We’re not the kind of band to ever feel forced to do this or that. If the audience enjoys it, they will show their appreciation in their own way. There is no standard of how to get something across to other people – you just have to be honest in the end.”

WHO: The Haunted WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Hi-Fi

WHO: Emma Donovan WHAT: She Sings For Reconciliation WHEN & WHERE: Sunday, Toff In Town

“I don’t think we’d record with someone that didn’t like the music we like. I couldn’t imagine as an engineer sitting through hours and hours of music that you didn’t even like. He was passionate about the stuff we laid down. It wasn’t audacious; it was just laid back and really cool.”

his dude was telling me, ‘They’re like early ‘90s stoner or grunge music man, you’ll love it,’ and he was right. Valentiine draw heavily on a sound synonymous with that period. Think L7, Breeders and Veruca Salt and you’re halfway there. Catching them live for the first time is like a (mild acid) trip down memory lane. But more than that, their songs stand up so strongly they’ll be buzzing around in your head for days. Love Like, the first single from their about-to-be-released self-titled debut, was launched to a packed Old Bar as a sweet little 7” earlier in the year. The audience on the night was like a sliding scale of age and musical fancies from old rockers banging away at the rear of the room (including a couple of noted local-via-Tasmania hardcore exponents) to the cutest bunch of barely legal rock girls dancing circles in the front row. For the band, the leaning towards a known period of rock’n’roll was more a case of saluting what they love than trying to replicate the past. “We’ve all got the same influences,” says singer/ guitarist Vanessa V. “I started playing guitar because of Veruca Salt. It’s always gonna come through but with each song we write there’s more of us there, if that makes sense. The roots are there, you can still hear where we’re coming from, but there’s more of ourselves in there.” Recorded at Brooklyn Sound by – fellow lover of all things 1994 – Malcolm McDowell, the record is shaped

twitter.com/inpressmag

Having packed out the Old Bar for the single launch, Valentiine are stepping it up a notch for this Saturday’s album launch at Melbourne’s veritable home of rock’n’roll, the Tote. With a cluster of worthy bands on offer on the night, it already smacks of one of those, not infrequent, all-killer bills the venue is famous for. For Valentiine it goes hand in hand with being based in this city – the diversity and quality of acts on offer every week is insurmountable. “I don’t know if Melbourne’s always been this way, we feel really privileged,” she continues. “Yes, there are a lot of bands, but there’s so much really great stuff happening, it’s buzzing. The venues, especially places like the Old Bar or the Tote, really know how to put together a good bill. “The reason we wanted the Tote for the album launch was that the first time we played there was a Tuesday night and we felt like absolute rock gods. There was no one there, like five people or something. Then we played there a ridiculous amount of times. I think they have this rule where you can’t play there twice in one month, so we’d change the name of the band and play a second time. It just became a second home like it is for a lot of bands, I guess. The Tote is so a part of the record, it wouldn’t feel right anywhere else.”

WHO: Valentiine WHAT: Valentiine (Independent) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Tote

IN BETWEEN DAYS

REAL GANGSTER

Few bands capture the torpor and restlessness of long-distance travel as magically as I DREAM IN TRANSIT, writes SAMSON MCDOUGALL.

New Zealand’s TIKI TAANE tells TYLER MCLOUGHLAN how spending a night in the big house has furthered his career prospects.

in comparison. “We fit into the music scene here a lot better,” he says. “I don’t think I could have put this kind of event together in Sydney. There’s a lot of interesting projects up there but there’s just not the audience for it. There’ll be a lot of fascinating things up there but Sydney people just don’t go and see them for a lot of reasons. It’s just not as welcoming as here. In Sydney people tend to prepare for a Friday or Saturday night out but when they go out they don’t really seem to be enjoying themselves. Here it’s about going out as opposed to the preparation.”

“P

eople kept saying David Lynch, David Lynch, David Lynch, but I’ve never seen his films,” says I Dream In Transit’s Steven Heath when queried about whether the band’s nightmarish compositions would make for killer movie soundtrack material. “Something pretty strange, a little bit dark, I think. When I hear Sigur Rós I think of icebergs for some reason. What I see in my head is like a 1940s movie with the sound turned down, and that doesn’t make for a very entertaining hour and a half.” For the moment Heath’s sights are set on this weekend’s Paranoia Pop mini-festival he’s organising at the Workers Club. I Deam In Transit’s insomniac dreamscapes will be joined by Cuba Is Japan’s high-seas adventures, A Dead Forest Index’s discordant brooding and a bunch of other, equally boundary-pushing, outfits for what is shaping to be an aural extravaganza for those bold enough to experience it. “The idea behind the event, and even calling it an event and not just a gig,” Heath continues, “is that all of these bands do express things differently with their stories and experimenting with sound. Hopefully it will be a listening event where people can come along and stand in the dark and have things happen around them.” A recent relocation to Melbourne from Sydney has opened the door for Heath to get involved with more events like Paranoia Pop. He explains that while he thinks the quality of music in Sydney is equivalent to anything that’s happening here, the numbers of gig-goers pale

Coinciding with the current promotion and touring effort for his second solo album since leaving Salmonella Dub, titled In The World Of Light, Taane couldn’t have planned his run in with the law better if he tried. “Since then I’ve released some t-shirts called Love The Police that I’m selling and a percentage of that goes towards charities,” Taane says, whose extensive range of merchandise also includes teething necklaces for babies and soft toys decorated with Maori prints. “I’ve also written a song about it called Freedom To Sing [of] which I’ve done a recording with Michael Franti as well and I’ll be releasing that as a single. So the whole thing for me is fine you know – I’ve gotten a lot of press out of it, kids think I’m real gangster now and I’m getting heaps of gig offers and it’s awesome,” he says with genuine delight.

Interestingly, similar thematic sentiments run through I Dream In Transit’s music. As their name suggests, their tunes somehow revolve around a disorienting core of the airport lounges and restless wakefulness we experience during travel. “We came up with the name at the airport in response to the idea that it’s a very strange thing to do to be a person who’s constantly in transit,” he continues. “I guess the idea of air travel and way we live now is kind of strange, a weird form of psychedelia. So the idea of jetlag we tried to convert into a sound.” The results are strikingly accurate given the existentiality of the subject matter. There is a familiarity in the mood of the music they create that floods with recurrent memories of the forgotten ‘in-between periods’ of our journeys. It’s a universally appealing concept, and one that will make for a unique live experience. “It’s all we knew in a way,” Heath continues. “A lot of the psychedelic music being made I enjoy but the lyrics and the concepts don’t really mean anything to us. A lot of it was centred around the Vietnam War and themes of the ‘60s, even with bands like The Black Angels, bands making music now. What we did know was airports and travelling and industrial areas and shopping malls – anonymous empty spaces and so we just tried to convert that into a sound. It’s not really about overseas; it’s more about the process of getting there and the in-between periods of life. It’s a weird kind of grey area of existence that nobody seems to notice when they’re out of it. We tried to remember it for some reason.”

WHO: I Dream In Transit WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Paranoia Pop at the Workers Club

HITTING THE ROAD

With the hard time out of the way for now, Taane is focused on the genre-traversing set he’ll bring across the Tasman, which will please both longtime fans and newer ones brought into the fold from the success of 2007’s sweet, acoustic, chart-busting single Always On My Mind.

iki Taane is puffed from dancing around his lounge to The Wiggles as Inpress interrupts playtime with his son. It couldn’t be further removed from the scene in the early hours of 10 April that landed New Zealand’s King Of The Dubs in jail following an incident with police at his Tauranga show after performing part of NWA’s Fuck Tha Police.

“I sang the first two lines of the song and the crowd joined in for the last chanty bit,” Taane recalls of the song that has made a regular appearance in his set over the years. “The whole thing lasted 30 seconds and I did it while the police were at my gig. It was my gig, it was private, it was R18, people paid money to be there and I sang it – that’s what I do sometimes when the police are there just as a bit of a laugh, because I know it’s not illegal. But the police officer who came back an hour and 15 minutes later who questioned me about it was really upset about it and really offended by it and it ended up with me being handcuffed, arrested and walked out through the audience, put in the police car and taken off to the cells for the night. I’ve been charged with disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence and I’m due in court on [Monday].”

Without wanting to bracket themselves, there is a reluctant admittance that the single is “indie pop”, but rather than dwell on the self-promotion, Helps decides instead to discuss the best of Melbourne’s many music venues. Having been on the scene for three years already, Winter Street have played some of Melbourne’s finest, but there are two that really stand out. Conceding that his thoughts “change every now and then,” Helps reveals “it was Revolver for a long while – we played some good gigs at Revolver not too long ago. Then last year we did a residency at the Worker’s Club and did a few good gigs [there]. So that’s a couple we really like to play.” While many a Melbourne stage has been tried and tested by the troupe, they are aware that there are plenty more stages they have yet to grace with their presence. So, if they could choose any that Melbourne has to offer, which one would they jump at first? The answer lies in an unrealised commitment. “We got

WHO: Tiki Taane WHAT: In The World Of Light (Stop Start/EMI) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Corner Hotel

STU HUNTER’s award-winning album The Gathering was inspired by the ‘non-jazz’ jazz musician meeting his now-wife, writes ALICE BODY.

offered a gig at the Corner last year, but we couldn’t do it because one of us was sick,” Helps says. “So the Corner would be good. Supporting a band we all really like would be a good gig we would like to take.”

“Y

“This record is gonna hit more the underground… I can keep those [old] fans happy and just let them know I haven’t gone commercial, I haven’t softened up – I’m still representing bass culture and underground music. Then later on in the year I’ll release the acoustic album which I know will do really well because it’s gonna be more of a mainstream kind of thing. It’s got nice pop songs on it!”

HUNTER’S GATHERING

Locals WINTER STREET aren’t out to be the biggest band in the world, but they’re quietly ticking off goals, writes JEREMY WILLIAMS.

ou can never tell what is going to happen with the band, so it is best to not predict it. It is best to just take it as it comes,” says Ben Helps, guitarist and vocalist with Melbourne rockers Winter Street. With two EPs already under their belt, the band recently headed into the garage-turnedstudio of Big Scary’s Tom Iansek to record a couple of tracks to show where they are currently at. The first of these, the broodingly brilliant There We Stand, is finally ready to be unleashed on the public as the dynamic quartet hit the Grace Darling to launch said single.

“I’ve been fiddling around with that genre for a while now, the acoustic stuff and the bass-heavy kind of reggae dubstep drum’n’bass thing,” he says without missing a beat. “It sounds weird when you think about it – an acoustic set into dubstep drum’n’bass – but it actually works really well and flows really nicely. I’ve got a couple of acoustic tracks that I can play live and then my DJ can mix into that the dance version… so it’s not like a sudden stop, bang, all of a sudden we’re into heavy shit.

Rather than aiming for a headline slot, the Winter Street boys strangely pitch themselves only at a support level. For a group who have already admitted that they don’t know quite what is around the next corner, it seems odd to sell themselves so short. However, given that they themselves see their the Corner debut in a supporting role, do they have any preference as to whom they would be opening for? “I would jump at the chance to support anyone who is playing Splendour [In The Grass], or Big Scary would be great. Warpaint are coming down and they are pretty hot babes, so that would be cool.” Clearly quite non-committal when it comes to revealing their hopes and dreams, the big question remains as to what it is that really drives Winter Street? “It is quite free fl owing,” Helps says. “It is always in the back of our heads that we want to play bigger and better shows. Playing interstate is always something that kind of comes up. It is not like we have a big mission to go out and become the biggest band in the world. We enjoy playing in the band and have done for the past three years. As long as we continue to enjoy playing then there is nothing wrong.” Though the boys are wanting to let their enjoyment drive the band, it is clear that they do have dreams and goals. So, with There We Stand ready to hit the shelves, have they got anything else stowed away up their sleeves? “We are going to do another single later in the year and we will go to Sydney,” Helps says. “We have got plans to do things and stuff, but I guess we just take it as it comes. If anything happens in between, then we will be open to whatever. It is just about having an open mind about being in a band.”

WHO: Winter Street WHAT: There We Stand single (Independent) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Grace Darling

as that, because the music I play and create with other people forms such diverse ranges of styles and expression. All that has had a massive informing of what I write – when I do write for myself – without any boundaries placed on it.” “Other people” certainly include a diverse range: from late jazz giant Jackie Orszacky to Portishead to Silverchair.

“I

’m getting my head together,” Sydney-based pianist Stu Hunter says after the initial greetings. “I was just recording a pretty weird sound, so I kind of feel like I’m coming back to normality.” He’s speaking from his new studio, the hideaway in which he’s able to – as he puts it – go into the zone and get his concepts sorted out. The concept-sorting zone has been a prolific place for Hunter. One product of it has been the highly acclaimed album The Muse in 2007. Another, 2009’s The Gathering, is at least as equally revered – or perhaps even more. The Gathering was the highlight for many at last year’s esteemed Wangaratta Jazz Festival, established jazz music journalist Roger Mitchell writing that “surely no one left without being entranced and engrossed”; and the album received both the 2010 Bell Award for best contemporary jazz album and the 2010 Australian Independent Music Award for Best Independent Jazz Album. (On a quick personal note: I was initialised into the world of Stu Hunter’s music while serving drinks at The Gathering’s launch in Sydney. The experience – and this is coming straight from the black, burnt-out heart of someone who’d been working in hospitality for far too long – was nothing short of revelatory.) Yet despite such evidence to the contrary, Hunter is clear that he doesn’t consider himself a jazz musician. “Up until The Muse I’d just been on a massive apprenticeship I guess,” he explains. “The music I’ve been writing, it sinks into this jazz genre, but I’ve never really considered myself as a jazz musician, in pigeonholing myself

twitter.com/inpressmag

Apart from what he learnt from ten years of mainly playing other people’s music, Hunter identifies two other sources for his music’s inspiration: his day-to-day life in the world as an artist and his private imaginings. “The Muse was the story of the struggle of my whole musical life up to that point, and then I met a beautiful woman,” he explains. “That’s sort of why I wrote that piece. Then with The Gathering, things just seemed to be happening from then on. You know, we got married and a lot of wonderful things were happening for me in music, and it really sort of felt like a gathering of energy and things coming together after so many years struggling to find them.” Hunter’s wife created the album artwork for The Gathering, a collage depicting exotic and mythical characters hodgepodge against a yellow sky. “She creates really beautiful worlds out of collage, and it’s a nice parallel, it’s a nice visual reflection,” Hunter muses. “In my head, I have this fantasy going of other worlds. The group of characters – in procession almost – on the cover, I guess I would have been telling her a lot of these images and stories that I was seeing… The sort of images that kept flooding my head.” Hunter is bringing the musical contents of his head to Melbourne’s Stonnington (100% Australian) Jazz Festival this year with his band. Despite being a “total Stonnington virgin”, Hunter sees the festival as a good gauge of Australia’s strengthening music scene. “It’s great to have a festival where they don’t feel the need to fly in acts from overseas to validate it,” he contends. As both one of those masterful composers that make a festival like Stonnington possible, and an exceptional artist in his own right, Stu Hunter is not to be missed.

WHO: The Stu Hunter Ensemble WHEN & WHERE: Tonight (Wednesday, performing The Muse) and Thursday (performing The Gathering), Chapel Off Chapel

twitter.com/inpressmag

ISSUE 1075 - WEDNESDAY 25 MAY, 2011

TOURS

PRESENTS

THIS WEEK INTERNATIONAL

BOY & BEAR: May 25, 26, 27 Corner Hotel; 28 Bended Elbow (Geelong)

JOE BONAMASSA: May 26 Palais THE JET BOYS: May 26 Vineyard MORBID ANGEL: May 27 Hi-Fi DANDY WARHOLS: May 27 Palace TIKI TAANE: May 28 Corner THE HAUNTED: May 28 Hi-Fi FREDDIE WHITE: May 29 East Brunswick Club

OWL EYES: May 27 Miss Libertine; June 10 Espy THE GROWL: June 1 Old Bar; 2 161; 3 Ding Dong; 4 Espy THE MIDDLE EAST: June 11, 12, 14 Corner Hotel; 13 Karova Lounge (Ballarat) STORM IN A TEACUP: June 16 Corner Hotel

NATIONAL PARKWAY DRIVE: May 25 Festival Hall THE MAD BASTARDS TRIO: May 25 Northcote Social Club PEZ, MAYA JUPITER: May 26 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); 27 Loft (Warrnambool) ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI: May 26 Hi-Fi BOY & BEAR: May 26, 27 Corner; 28 Bended Elbow (Geelong) KASEY CHAMBERS, SHANE NICHOLSON: May 27 York (Lilydale); 28 Palms at Crown; June 1 Regent Theatre (Ballarat); 3 Gateway Hotel (Geelong) FELICITY GROOM: May 27 East Brunswick Club MY FRIEND THE CHOCOLATE CAKE: May 27 Meeniyan Town Hall; 28 Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre ESKIMO JOE: May 27 East Brunswick Club BACHELOR GIRL: May 28 Forum THE SPOILS: May 28 Old Bar LITTLE JOHN: May 28 East Brunswick Club CLAIRY BROWNE & THE BANGING’ RACKETTES: May 31 Toff In Town

Itch-E & Scratch-E Friday 24 June New Guernica

BAD MANNERS: June 16 East Brunswick Club THE GRATES: June 25 Corner Hotel MIAMI HORROR: June 29 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); July 9 Forum

GIG OF THE WEEK

CLAIRY BROWNE & THE BANGIN’ RACKETTES TUESDAY, TOFF IN TOWN

ART VS SCIENCE: July 2 Forum THE BLACK ANGELS: July 2 Hi-Fi HIP HOP APPROACH: July 7 Prince Bandroom MONA: July 26 East Brunswick Club

The ten-piece conclude their May Toff residency with the launch of their debut 7” single, She Plays Up To You. Produced by Steve Schram (Little Red, Eagle & The Worm), it’s a smoky slow-burner about the ol’ green-eyed monster that shows the group can smoulder just as well as they shake. Taking their cues from the classic days of R&B, girl groups and jump blues, Browne and her Rackettes have steamed up festival stages from the Big Day Out and Golden Plains to the Melbourne Festival. Regulars at guaranteed-good-night-out Sweet Jelly Roll, the group’s Toff residency has already seen them shoot a video clip and hold a live audition/dance class. Tuesday’s launch also features sets from the soulful Jess Harlen and the tropical Stella Angelico, a brass marching band and DJ Jimmy The Clink.

FOSTER THE PEOPLE: July 27 Hi-Fi THE HIVES: July 27 Festival Hall KELE: August 2 Billboard THE VACCINES: August 3 Hi-Fi SEBADOH: September 18 Corner Hotel

Blue King Brown pic by Giovanni Lorusso It’s an energised start to the evening ahead of the promise of Blue King Brown.

UPCOMING

INTERNATIONAL 2MANYDJS: June 2 Prince Bandroom OFWGKTA: June 3 Prince Bandroom AFROJACK: June 4 Prince Bandroom SUN RA ARKESTRA: June 4 Kelvin Club JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN: June 8 Athenaeum Theatre ONYX: June 9 Espy NEVERMORE: June 10 Billboard BIZ MARKIE: June 10 Espy RON CARTER TRIO: June 10 Melbourne Recital Centre PASCAL SCHUMACHER QUARTET: June 10 Bennetts Lane; June 11 Jazz Basement (Albury-Wodonga) YO GABBA GABBA!: June 11 Palais CLASSIXX: June 11 Roxanne Parlour THE PAJAMA CLUB: June 15 Corner BAD MANNERS: June 16 East Brunswick Club KINKY FRIEDMAN, VAN DYKE PARKS: June 16, 18 Toff In Town; 17 Prince Bandroom STEVE IGNORANT: June 17 Tote LYRICS BORN: June 17 Billboard CUT OFF YOUR HANDS: June 18 Northcote Social Club

BELLES WILL RING: July 1 Workers Club

LIVE: REVIEWS

BLUE KING BROWN, ASH GRUNWALD FORUM

Ash Grunwald is one of those lovable characters on the Melbourne music scene whose gigs are always a lot of fun. He’s doing a fine job warming up the clearly receptive crowd who cheer him on as they throw back the VBs. Grunwald may cite the influence of classic blues on his music but tonight his take on the blues brings to mind The Black Keys. Effects distort Grunwald’s guitar and vocals giving them a rough edge and he’s backed by a drummer and also a tabla player who seems to add samples to the mix. The real surprise of the set is the emergence of Vika and Linda Bull, whose backing vocals add plenty of colour and character to the proceedings.

twitter.com/inpressmag

Blowing into town on a chilly Friday night, Blue King Brown energetically showcase their acclaimed second album Worldwize Part 1, North And South reportedly recorded at the legendary Tuff Gong studios in Jamaica. The six-piece band, based in Melbourne, have just returned from festival appearances in North America to embark on an Australian tour. The crowd erupts into joyous applause as the outfit take to the stage pumping out a rootsy instrumental workout that has shades of Santana in the mix. Looking and sounding more confident than ever, Blue King Brown have come a long way since Stand Up was released back in 2007. Tonight they deliver a seamless fusion of reggae, dub, funk and hip hop that keeps the crowd jumping all night long. At the core of their sound, Carlo Santone and Pete Wilkins combine bass and drums respectively to produce muscular rhythms that are augmented by two out-of-control percussionists. Sam Cope’s organ and keys fill in the mix, which still has plenty of space for some pretty wild guitar solos. Natalie Pa’apa’a confidently swaggers on stage with a band of green makeup across her eyes, reminiscent of a lad who was insane a long time ago. At a time when the Ballieu government thinks it’s a little too politically correct to acknowledge traditional Aboriginal landowners at public events, Blue King Brown do so loudly and proudly at their start of their set. Bringing to mind Caspar Pound’s ‘90s dance outfit, Pa’apa’a is most definitely a home girl, hippie and funki dredd all rolled into one complete package. She spits flow in ways that bring to mind the funky goodness of Bahamadia and when she sings her lyrics are suffused in consciousness whether she’s talking genocide in Tibet, independence in West Papua or taking it south of the border with the Mexican Zapatistas on the Latin-infused Our Word Is Our Weapon. Tonight Pa’apa’a’s deadlocks are tied back, but as the set progresses it becomes increasingly hard to ignore the feel-good reggae and dub vibes and the intoxicating influence Jamaica has exerted on her music. Tonight’s show comes down without an encore on a wild exuberant jam that sees exiting punters beaming. Guido Farnell

live@inpress.com.au The Script by Heidi Takla EMMURE, SHINTO KATANA: June 18 Corner FINBAR FUREY, BRENDAN GRACE: June 21 Capital (Bendigo); 22 Melbourne Recital Centre; 24 Geelong Costa Hall; 25 Frankston Arts Centre; 26 Ballarat Regent Multiplex. JOSHUA RADIN: June 23 Forum MILEY CYRUS: June 23, 24 Rod Laver Arena KATCHAFIRE: June 23 Pier Live (Frankston); July 1 Prince Bandroom BRIAN MCKNIGHT, DWELE: June 24, 28 Track Lounge Bar HELMET: June 25 Hi-Fi MICAH P HINSON: June 30 Toff In Town SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM: July 1 Corner THE BLACK ANGELS: July 2 Hi-Fi TY SEGALL: July 9 Tote RISE AGAINST: July 21 Festival Hall Pinback Sunday 21 August Corner Hotel

DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN: July 21 Espy GLASVEGAS: July 25 Hi-Fi JAMES BLAKE: July 26 Prince Bandroom MONA: July 26 East Brunswick Club WARPAINT: July 26 Corner ENRIQUE IGLESIAS, PITBULL: July 27 Rod Laver Arena FOSTER THE PEOPLE: July 27 Hi-Fi MODEST MOUSE: July 27 Prince Bandroom ELBOW: July 27 Palace Theatre THE HIVES, THE GRATES: July 27 Festival Hall THE KILLS: July 28 Prince Bandroom REVEREND BEAT MAN, DELANEY DAVIDSON: July 28 Northcote Social Club FRIENDLY FIRES: July 29 Billboard PULP: July 29 Festival Hall FITZ & THE TANTRUMS: July 29 Red Bennies DOOMRIDERS: July 29 East Brunswick Club DJ SHADOW: July 31 Palace Theatre NO USE FOR A NAME: July 31 Corner; August 2 National Hotel ISOBEL CAMPBELL & MARK LANEGAN: August 1 National Theatre DANANANANAYKROYD: August 1 East Brunswick Club AVENGED SEVENFOLD, SEVENDUST: August 2 Festival Hall THIEVERY CORPORATION: August 2 Palace Theatre GROUPLOVE, YOUNG THE GIANT: August 2 Corner KELE: August 2 Billboard NOAH & THE WHALE: August 3 Corner THE VACCINES: August 3 Hi-Fi GOMEZ: August 4 Palace Theatre DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH? August 5 Prince Bandroom THE GET UP KIDS: August 7 Billboard OWL CITY: August 17 (18+), 18 (U18) Billboard BIG BOI: September 2 Palace TITLE FIGHT, TOUCHE AMORE: September 10 Billboard SUZI QUATRO: October 2 Schweppes Entertainment Centre (Bendigo); October 3 Palais STEELY DAN, STEVE WINWOOD: October 27 Rod Laver Arena LONDON ELEKTRICITY: October 31 Prince MAD SIN: November 11 Hi-Fi KD LANG: November 12 Sidney Myer Music Bowl KINGS OF LEON: November 13, 14 Rod Laver Arena ELTON JOHN: December 6 Rod Laver Arena

NATIONAL KASEY CHAMBERS, SHANE NICHOLSON: June 1 Regent Theatre (Ballarat); 3 Gateway Hotel (Geelong) THE GROWL: June 1 Old Bar; 2 161; 3 Ding Dong Lounge; 4 Espy AIRBOURNE: June 2 Inferno (Traralgon); 3 Palace MARK SEYMOUR: June 2 Northcote Social Club; 3 Trak Lounge; 4 Caravan Music Club CALLING ALL CARS: June 3 Northcote Social Club JESS MCAVOY: June 3 Corner THE YEARLINGS: June 3 Wesley Anne COERCE: June 3 Tote; June 4 Catfood Press

BLISS N ESO: June 3, 4 Festival Hall AN HORSE: June 4 Northcote Social Club SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR: June 4 Fairfax Studio; August 26 West Gippsland Arts Centre COLLARBONES, GHOUL: June 5 Northcote Social Club ALBARE: June 7 Melbourne Recital Centre NATHAN LEIGH JONES: June 7 Toff In Town KARNIVOOL: June 8 The Pier (Frankston); June 9, 10, July 6 Corner EAGLE & THE WORM: June 9 Cherry Bar SONS OF RICO: June 9 Corner SUNWRAE STRING QUARTET: June 9 ABC Centre PUTA MADRE BROTHERS: June 10 Tote GB3: June 10 East Brunswick Club JIMMY HAWK & THE ENDLESS PARTY: June 10 Cherry Bar STONEFIELD: June 10 Ding Dong Lounge THE NATION BLUE: June 10 National Hotel (Geelong); 11 Tote TEETH & TONGUE: June 11 Toff in Town THE MIDDLE EAST: June 11, 12 Corner; 13 Karova Lounge (Ballarat) THE GIN CLUB: June 12 Northcote Social Club KYLIE MINOGUE: June 14-16 Rod Laver Arena BASS KLEPH: June 14 Home House (Geelong); June 18 Superdisco THE MONITORS: June 15 Empress THE DELTA RIGGS: June 16 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); June 23 Workers Club; June 24 Yahoo Bar (Shepparton); June 25 Sandbar (Mildura) DEREB THE AMBASSADOR: June 17 Corner TEX PERKINS & THE DARK HORSES: June 17 Thornbury Theatre JACK LADDER: June 19 East Brunswick Club MOUNTAIN STATIC: June 23 Community Church of St Mark (Clifton Hill) GOSSLING, RYAN MEEKING: June 23 Karova Lounge; 24 Northcote Social Club ITCH-E & SCRATCH-E: June 24 New Guernica TUMBLEWEED: June 24 Corner; 25 Barwon Club Hotel; 26 Elsternwick Park LITTLE RED, WORLD’S END PRESS: June 24 Palace(18+); June 26 Hi-Fi (U18), THE GRATES: June 25 Corner MIAMI HORROR: June 29 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); July 9 Forum BELLES WILL RING: July 1 Workers Club ART VS SCIENCE, STRANGE TALK: July 2 Forum SHORT STACK: July 2 Festival Hall ALPINE: July 7, 8 Northcote Social Club DAN SULTAN, ALEXANDER GOW: July 7 Performing Arts Centre (Geelong); July 8 National Theatre; July 9 Theatre Royal (Castlemaine) WAGONS: July 8 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); July 9 National Hotel (Geelong); July 16 Forum Theatre DAMIEN LEITH: July 8 Palms At Crown BOOM CRASH OPERA, SEAN KELLY: July 9 Crown Casino THE SMITH STREET BAND, FORMER CELL MATE: July 9 East Brunswick Club; 10 Catfood Press (all ages) CLARE BOWDITCH, LANIE LANE: July 13 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); July 14 Wellers Restaurant (Kangaroo Ground); July 15 Theatre Royal (Castlemaine); July 16 Thornbury Theatre DIESEL: July 22 Regent Theatre (Ballarat); 23 Palms At Crown; 24 Gateway Hotel (Geelong) JINJA SAFARI: July 23 Corner PNAU: July 26 Billboard MOVING PICTURES: July 29 Palais JAMES BLUNDELL, CATHERINE BRITT: August 3 Hallam Hotel; 4 Gateway Hotel (Corio); 5 Moe RSL club CHILDREN COLLIDE: August 3 Pelly Bar (Frankston); 4 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); 5 Bended Elbow (Geelong); 13 Corner JORDIE LANE: August 12 Corner REGURGITATOR: August 25 Bended Elbow (Ballarat); 26 Hi-Fi; 27 Bended Elbow (Geelong) JOHN WATERS: October 27 Playhouse (Geelong); 28, 29 Palms At Crown; 30 Frankston Performing Arts Centre; November 12 Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre

FESTIVALS MELBOURNE JAZZ FESTIVAL: June 4-13 EMERGE FESTIVAL: June 15-July 30

duo, and a loud conversation during crowd favourite Do The Right Thing prompts a few fans to shush angrily. Guest Bec Rigby helps out with vocals on the upbeat Do The Right Thing, which begins with a bit of an unsuccessful, three-part a cappella harmony. “We’re not professional singers, we’re just pretending!” says Oscar, but they try again and hit the notes. Rigby shows off her rich tone in the smooth serenade What I Know, but unfortunately the drums and bass drown out all other sounds in this song. Psychedelic jungle tune All I Think About begins with a few false starts but then Oscar + Martin ease into the song’s joyful vibe and it quickly infects the entire room. The duo’s frenzied drum jam at the end of the song is a highlight and segues into the tropical-tinged Lion’s Heart. It represents the night well: performance-wise, Oscar + Martin are perhaps not on their game or simply need to work on being tighter, but redeem themselves with their smile-inducing songs and expressions of the genuine joy they get out of performing music.

THE SCRIPT, TINIE TEMPAH FESTIVAL HALL Starting off the show and revving up the crowd that’s packed into Festival Hall, Tinie Tempah is greeted by the screams of hundreds of fans. Performing songs from his 2010 debut album, Disc-Overy, Tinie Tempah gets the energy of the place up and running with his latest hit Written In The Stars. With the anticipation and excitement built, Irish trio, The Script, burst on stage to showcase their abundance of well-known tracks. The thousands of voices in the hall scream out the lyrics to We Cry, the words all-too-familiar as lead singer Danny O’Donaghue passes the microphone down to the crowd. The joyful sing-along has us laughing and spirits are high, setting the atmosphere for the rest of the night. The Script’s music boasts a kind of soulful hip hop/pop, blending genres into melodies with ballads and rock anthems. Their lyrics are full of emotion and passion that manages to burst through the beautiful voice of O’Donaghue, who brings out such an upbeat and happy vibe in all those within reach. Hearing their music live really is so different from the recordings. The Script’s raw energy and enthusiasm for what they do exudes from all band members to produce the most amazing feeling. With a cheeky little intro about drinking away girl troubles at the local pub, and drunk texting (something you’ll regret in the morning), the guys do a fun and fantastic rendition of their track Nothing, giving the audience something they can all relate to. Then for something a little special the lights are dimmed, the instruments are gone bar one acoustic guitar, and the sweet, angelic I’m Yours serenades the crowd with the mildest of introductions – a song simply for the person you love with all of your heart. After melting the crowd, who echo out every word of the song, O’Donaghue and the guys bring the atmosphere back up with Dead Man Walking and For The First Time. Then after a quick “Thanks Melbourne, goodnight!” The Script walk offstage, much to the horror of all in the room who stomp their feet on the ground and demand an encore. Of course The Script oblige since they haven’t yet sung what everyone’s been waiting for. Returning to the stage accompanied by a drum roll of feet stamping on floorboards, The Script power out their best performance of the night with Breakeven rolling off the tongue of O’Donaghue and everyone else. With such a soulful, passionate and truly wonderful performance, no one walks away without a smile on his or her face. Leading us all to wonder when their next album is due for release. Catia Toniolo

OSCAR + MARTIN WORKERS CLUB The band room of the Workers Club is tightly packed with people waiting for up-and-coming, SYNapproved Melbourne duo Oscar + Martin to come on stage. In this age of electronic music, instruments and band members are often replaced with a laptop and sample pads. This is not a bad thing; it just results in a different kind of performance than what you’d expect from your standard live band ensemble. Oscar + Martin are a bit of both – with their tape player, MacBook and other curious pieces of technology whose features the average punter could only wager a guess at, as well as a bass, guitar, floor tom and percussion instruments. Oscar gets the set going by plucking a sweet intro to My Blood on his 12-string guitar, singing in his signature soft falsetto, “Darling, your tears mean more to me than my blood ever could.” Martin bangs a beat on the drum as they go into the endearing Recognise. Their quirky blend of art-electro pop, R&B, hip hop influences, tribal beats and soulful melodies is perfect for Oscar + Martin and their fans alike to show off dance moves that involve grooving, stomping, head-bobbing, shoulder-shrugging and torso-twitching. However, there are often pauses or sparse instrumentation in Oscar + Martin’s songs, during which you can hear some members of the audience talking. This seems to annoy the audience more than it does the

twitter.com/inpressmag

Stephanie Liew

ERIC BIBB, RUTHIE FOSTER MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE Waiting in the foyer at the Melbourne Recital Centre, you can feel a reverent buzz of anticipation amongst the crowd. It’s a Monday evening and the venue is packed out with adoring fans, obviously pleased to be kick-starting the week with a little blues music. Opening the show to a standing ovation is the incredibly talented Ruthie Foster. The Texan-born singer/ songwriter comes from a family of gospel singers and her soul-infused blend of folk and blues is the perfect aperitif. You know you’re in for a good night when the support act can raise the roof with just cymbals, a kick drum, handclapping and her voice. Only a man of elegance can walk on to a stage, pick up a guitar, give it a quick tune and then whip out a number that can wow a roomful of people. And that’s exactly what Eric Bibb does. Who needs bells and whistles when you can rely on pure talent? Playing alongside the illustrious Delta blues-inspired troubadour is the magnificent Swedish guitarist Staffan Astner. The aweinspiring duo are a powerhouse and, boy, do they make it look easy! Astner’s effortless electric arrangements coupled with Bibb’s acoustic guitar and flawlessly buttery vocals are a recipe for music that touches you all the way down to your soul. The only problem with the Recital Centre is that a seat is the last place you want to be when Bibb takes to the stage. Blues isn’t the kind of music that you can just sit back and enjoy; you feel it coursing through your veins. Every time you hear one of those beautifully melodic guitar riffs, it sends tingles down every nerve in your body and there’s no way of controlling the desire to get out of your seat and just let the music take over. But, alas, seated you are, so you just have to be content with toe tapping and head bopping, which, if you look around, every member of the audience does. Much like his music, Bibb oozes sophistication. He tells the audience that songs are like treasures and he performs like he treasures every single one of them. He is graceful and articulate and genuinely affected by the fact that people want to listen to him. Busting a move in his trademark, white top hat, the 60-year-old singer’s energy and passion are infectious, unforgettable and have you hoping the show will never end. Tianna Nadalin

THE GO! TEAM, NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE CORNER HOTEL Despite the skies emptying in cold abundance and rumours that this will be The Go! Team’s last Australian tour, nothing dampens our spirits or prevents this show from being a titanic display of bright, wild intensity. Quite an achievement if you consider the standard previous shows have set and the humbling tour schedule we find them amidst. Well suited to be opening for them is Northeast Party House, a band who’ve been steadily working away to little attention and a lot of acclaim despite being months from their debut release. Though there still seems to be some nerves – offset by uninhibited gyrating from guitarist Jack Shoe and a massive Jigglypuff Pokémon head worn by singer Zach Hamilton-Reeves – the House put on a stellar show. Anchoring the songs with bass riffs the size of a Brunswick warehouse is Josh Delany, who drives dynamic shifts and, like the rest of the band, knows when to push against a beat and pull back for maximum impact. With most of their set springing from Rolling Blackouts, an album that’s a little more textured and lower on the intensity than the previous two, The Go! Team’s set doesn’t suffer at all. Though she’s always been the focal point of The Go! Team show, singer Ninja is an absolute prize weapon in a war on gig tedium, making anyone who stands still to sing a song seem lazy. Though I said in a review several years ago that The Go! Team set a new standard for usage of an exclamation mark in a band name, they seem to be more interested in creating happy

live@inpress.com.au yet nostalgic or happy yet spooky rather than just blasting out the good times like a positive vibe machine. From TORNADO via a typewriter-lead Secretary Song and the deft banjo of Yosemite Theme to the sweat-laden, steel drum-boasting closer Back Like 8 Track, The Go! Team let nothing phase them. With every member bar Ninja playing drums and switching instruments in every song, the sense of communality makes the songs even more engaging, the audience response growing with each song before stamping feet and bellows of ‘encore!’ bring them back for new single Apollo Throwdown and a blistering Keys To The City. Throngs of sweaty punters surround a weirdly understocked merch desk, conversations of approval eke through ringing ears and The Go! Team have won again. Andy Hazel Jimmy Eat World pic by Kane Hibberd

There are few performers as warm and welcoming as Dan Kelly. While very few people are able to carry off a white suit, Kelly’s relaxed retro styling suits the chatty crooner. With a set that equally balances banter with psychedelic sing-along, Kelly has his audience captivated. Though his set is used primarily to showcase material from his latest record Dan Kelly’s Dream, he is far from a performer who ignores a request. Feeding off screams from his adoring fans, Kelly switches his planned set to please both his own needs and his audience’s wants. Having set the bar high, The Drones frontman Gareth Liddiard is disappointingly the worse for wear from a big night out with his former Alpha Males bandmate and good pal, Dan Kelly. While Kelly shows no signs of anything near to a hangover, Liddiard is clearly still in a drunken stupour. As a result, his long-winded introductions and general nonchalance leave the audience divided. Liddiard is lucky to have devoted fans. While people can be heard complaining, “He’s fucking wasted,” few make their way to the door. Though he may not be able to touch on Kelly’s warm charm, Liddiard only needs to open his mouth and breathe his songs for the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up. Liddiard is a vocal talent that tears through every cell and can make grown men cry even when performing at half capability. Jeremy Williams

OUCH MY FACE, DAMN TERRAN OLD BAR Old Bar is teeming. Teeming with beards, specs and awesomeness galore. No, it’s not the last instalment of Harry Potter (in Old Bar? Yes. Why? Hush), it’s Ouch My Face’s 7” launch. Ouch My Face, the band you mention to any old random Melbourne person under 35 who looks like they might know the difference between their Froot Loops and their iPod contents and they go, “Yeah! Ouch My Face are awesome!”

JIMMY EAT WORLD, THE JEWEL & THE FALCON TRAK It’s not often you find the streets of Toorak filled with punk rockers. And I wasn’t really expecting the manly overload coming from a band whose main single is titled Sweetness, either. The Jewel & The Falcon start the night with droning, dark rock that meshes beautifully, but the pair seem to be at odds. Patrick Matthews is an Australian Ben Gibbard and Sarah Kelly still filters the same I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude that would scream Alison Mosshart if it weren’t for her soft, raspy voice. The two may not match vocally or visually (Kelly is well known for standing perfectly still for an entire set), but musically it works. As the drums roll along and the two are bathed in deep red lights, it’s quite mesmerising. Jimmy Eat World rip straight into Salt Sweat Sugar with lyrics that target every 16-year-old: “I’m not alone ‘cause the TV’s on/I’m not crazy ‘cause I take the right pills every day, and rest.” I look about, expecting to see thrashing and jumping maniacs in the crowd but everyone is rather tame. And it’s in response to what the band is offering – lead singer Jim Adkins gives so much to make up for the band’s nonchalant attitude, but no matter how many face scrunches, dips and shakes he does, it doesn’t hide the surrounding bored band members swaying. Yes, SWAYING. The type of dancing three-year-olds do when they mimic their parents’ drunken Christmas dancing, thinking this will get them into a Britney video. So no wonder Adkins is trying his darnedest to overshadow that. And he’s doing an amazing job – it’s just such a shame that he’s the only person in the band not bored shitless with their entire back catalogue. Set closer Goodbye Sky Harbour offers relief from the boredom as Adkins puts away the guitar and plays with some vocal looping. He runs about the stage to the somewhat disjointed music and it almost seems, for a moment, like the band is actually enjoying this and the crowd hungrily feed off it. The encore is a chance for redemption, but The Middle sounds much the same as their other songs, blending the seams of boredom together. But as soon as Sweetness comes out, it’s something else entirely. The peak of their musical career is blasting out of the speakers and I can’t help but smile. The room is chanting and it feels and sounds great. Leonie Richman

GARETH LIDDIARD, DAN KELLY EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB Somewhat surprisingly, Rebecca Black rings out through the East Brunswick Club. Her annoyingly catchy chorus closes to Dan Kelly’s declaration of love for Friday. The feeling is clearly shared by the audience, who are more than looking forward to an evening of musical delights to start the weekend unwind.

BB King pic by Kane Hibberd

And they are. Oh, are they ever. Before I get too hasty with their awesomely awesome awesomeness though (they’re awesome), big kudos must also go to the support. Damn Terran are a perfect choice as opener, delivering what they deliver best: a rip-roaring jolly good time of hard-hitting post-punk, egged on by the crowd spilling out the sides of the band room and standing on the furniture so as to see. Rational Economic Man remains a fi rm favourite of mine, and it’s good to get one last live rendition of it before they go on hiatus for a couple of months, as well as get a taste of some of the new tracks they have in store for their return. Damn Terran are tops – be sure to keep an ear out for when they hit the live circuit again! Despite straining with every inch (and let me tell you, with boots I got no less than 75 inches with which to strain), I can only catch glimpses of Ouch My Face when they take the stage. The crowd fall over themselves to wrangle with the band’s fresh-pressed brand of experimental metal, and I’m reminded – as I stand craning all my inches on the fringe of the carnage – of the battle scenes in 300. Ouch My Face are the unyielding Spartans taking on the masses – though in this case, the masses are loving it. You could say one of the highlights of the night is frontwoman Celeste Potter calling up a shitload of people to participate in – and channel – Eyeball To Eyeball, but really the whole freaking thing is one big highlight, a big fat highlight Texta scrawling “OUCH MY FACE” all over Melbourne’s live music visage. Alice Body

BB KING HISENSE ARENA

encouraging, “Make him happy, please!” A special big-up is reserved for his nephew, Walter Riley King, on baritone sax. There’s a lot of faffing about, but when King unleashes on Lucille (his signature model Gibson), it’s as if he’s possessed by a voodoo spirit. King’s band leader/trumpeter James ‘Boogaloo’ Bolden has been with him for 31 years and the audience agree this is a worthy achievement. When the drummer borders on what King deems ‘showing off’, he is pulled back into line: “I’m from Mississipi, carry a knife AND a razor and will cut.” King often trails off into weird monologues that go nowhere in order to fi ll the gaps when he doesn’t seem to know what’s going on, but he isn’t shy of ‘fessing up when he forgets lyrics. The runner-up for musical highlight goes to The Thrill Is Gone, but Rock Me Baby (“Rock me baby like my back ain’t got no bone” – amen!) is this evening’s clear winner. BB pulls out a hilarious ‘female booty’ dance while still seated in his chair – one hand placed on his hip, the other waving on a high diagonal. A dude strides purposefully down one of the centre aisles toward the stage and we soon realise why when King starts distributing bling to select, outreaching arms in the front rows. “You’ve been so good to us,” King graciously concludes. “If I live ten more years, can I come back?” When The Saints Go Marching In finishes an extremely short set and then lots of baffled audience members mill about. Scaling the stairs on the way out of the stadium, a punter observes, “I don’t know that he’ll be back in ten years. Still, now you’ve seen ’im.” It’s anticlimactic that there’s no music to soften the fi ling out process and a loudly spoken gent punctuates the silence: “I’ll forgive him ‘cause he’s 82 years old, but there won’t be much about that to talk about in a year.” Au contraire: we’ve been blessed to witness a legend at work and that backing band is next level. Bryget Chrisfi eld

BRUNO MARS, DIAFRIX FESTIVAL HALL Whoever’s idea it was to play a slew of Sam Cooke songs over the Festival Hall’s PA system is my new favourite person. Though our headliner Bruno Mars has been compared to Cooke, the old-school soul sets the mood for the night.

Mixing equal parts Aussie hip hop and reggae, Melbourne’s Diafrix open the night with some upbeat, smooth rhythms, including new single Simple Man. Though I would have preferred a more soulful support to match Mars’s sound, Diafrix bust out some pre-booty-shaking beats to happily stir and sway the crowd. Although his mainstream success and pop-friendly tunes make him seem a perfect candidate for Teenybopperdom, Bruno Mars is actually a skillful guitarist and gorgeous soul singer; he performs the entire show behind a sexy electric guitar and drips a honey-smooth soul voice onto a voracious crowd. The show itself owes much to the Motown ‘revue’-type shows of the ‘50s and ‘60s: between synchronised dancing (think more Supremes than Spears) and a cappella singing to singular audience members, it’s a charming throwback to the days when an artist performed not just a gig, but a ‘show’. Mars’s backup singer and sidekick Phil Lawrence (of massive songwriting duo The Smeezingtons with Ari Levine), helps Mars with much of the cheeky call-and-response singing and pelvic thrusting preceding a cover of Money (That’s What I Want) and there’s a feeling that this show would suit the Thursday night Cherry crowd more than the Nova FM listener. Mars bursts out his Travis McCoy joint, the massive single Billionaire, before dipping into his Doowops And Hooligans album material: the cringe-worthy Our First Time is followed by, be still my beating heart, Marry You which segues seamlessly into The Lazy Song – sweet but a little too Jason Mraz for my tastebuds. Ladies swoon and squeal and grab each other’s shoulders when Mars eases into the Hawaiian-style Count On Me but hardens up for the Damian Marley collab, Liquor Store Blues. The floor is suddenly awash with light: Pyrotechnics? Laser show? Aurora Borealis? No. Just hundreds of phone screens shooting up to catch power ballad Grenade, Mars’s signature song to date, following up with the diabetically sweet Just The Way You Are. We’re all feeling a little more romantic. Mars encores with personal album highlight, the pop funk number Runaway Baby, before leaving us. And between Sam Cooke on the big speakers, Marry You and Mars’s adorable charm, this reviewer is walking on bloody sunshine for once. Lisa Dib

Bruno Mars pic by Heidi Takla

The fi rst overheard sentence in Hisense’s foyer references “the big oil companies” and as soon as “for example” follows, we tune back out. It’s a friendly atmosphere in this ginormous venue and Neil and Judy Percy from the canteen queue offer to meet me at “halftime” so that they can share their observations for this review. The Arena is in intimate mode tonight, with the upper sections curtained off to conceal empty rows. Plastic seats distributed in the stalls section have A4 sheets, with letters of the alphabet printed on them, Cellotaped to the end of each row for navigation purposes. It’s been over 20 years since tonight’s drawcard last toured our shores and he makes us wait even longer, with his backing band belting out a couple of songs in his absence. Still, when a four-piece brass section harmonises, it’s a thing of beauty. Introduced as “the undisputed king of blues worldwide, Mister BB King”, Riley B King takes the stage resplendent in a multicoloured, textured, flocked velour jacket. Yes, there is some bordering-on-sleazy banter from the octogenarian blues monarch as he takes in the audience – “Seems like my other wife is asleep already; it don’t matter, she’s so pretty” – but it’s all in good fun. King introduces each band member at the close of his fi rst song and seeks our applause,

twitter.com/inpressmag

live@inpress.com.au

BLUEJAYS PSYCH OUT Tonight (Wednesday), catch The Bluejays for an exclusive free show at Cherry Bar with special guests My Left Boot. Originally from Perth, The Bluejays continue to wow audiences with their, infectious, psychedelic rock. The guys have shared the stage with Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and toured nationally with The Black Keys and are heading for Cherry Bar for an exclusive free Melbourne show. Be there at 8.30pm.

TRACY STARTS A FIRE Tracy McNeil is launching her new album, Fire From Burning, on Saturday 11 June with a show at Bella Union, Trades Hall. McNeil’s third release, behind her 2007 debut Room Where She Lives and 2008’s No Time To Die (released under Fireside Bellows with Jordie Lane), has been a long time coming, but McNeil’s many fans will be delighted with the result. Fire From Burning is a beauty; chockfull of gorgeous, smartly written country roots tunes. With McNeil’s stellar band featuring Matt Green, Bree Hartley and Rod Boothroyd, plus very special guests Van Walker, Sweet Jean and Luke Sinclair, the album launch is a must, and one of your only opportunities to hear these new songs live until later this year. McNeil and her band have also just announced an instore appearance at Basement Discs in the city on Friday 10 June from 12.30pm. So if you can’t make it to the launch, grab yourself a long lunch break the day before instead.

WONDER WHAT’S NEXT This Thursday night at Next, the stage is graced by some very special guests from the USA performing their only Australian sideshow – The Wonder Years and Miss May I! Currently both bands are on tour with Parkway Drive so will be in top form for a massive night. They will be supported by local guests Strickland and The Playbook. Get down early to avoid the queue. Resident DJs will be playing the best punk, hardcore, emo, metal, alternative, rock, indie, electro, dubstep, retro and party tracks across multiple rooms all night. For more info and weekly club pics check destroyalllines.com or facebook.com/NextNightclub. Entry is $15 from 9pm.

LOVELY TRANCE ALLAN Did someone order a dish of techno? The finest techno assassins from all around Australia, and even one from as far as Mauritius, will feed you all you need at Loop Bar this Saturday night. Techno wouldn’t go down quite as nicely without a side sprinkling of psy-trance. Allan Nonamaka (Sydney) a techno specialist with releases on epic labels Subsist and Labyrinth, and Olivier Marcello (Mauritius) helm the night, along with the madness of Problem Child, Freya, Fabel, Loki and Henk.D, with visuals from Kyogen & Ninja. Entry is free from 10pm.

FIRE ALIVE AND KICKING

JACKS OFF AT THE RETREAT Judge Pino & The Ruling Motions are a whole lotta reggae! Head down to witness these genuine interpretations of ‘70s reggae and dancehall when the band performs this Thursday evening at the Retreat Hotel, Funk soul outfit Sarah & The King Bees provide support from 9pm. Then, this Friday night at the Retreat, enjoy a post-work bevy whilst listening to Wally Corker’s Drunk Arsed Band in the front bar from 7pm, and later punk rockers The Jacks with country punksters Cherrywood. On Sunday night catch Den Hanrahan and Mick Daley square-off in a battle of the bards, with The Light Rail on stage from 7pm with their acoustic folk pop and blues.

RICHMOND BASTARDS The Bastard Children take their multifarious machinations to the Great Britain Hotel for two jumpin’ sets this Saturday. With the colonial clout of a nine-piece line-up featuring bastard horns, the band have spanned genres and the globe, playing spiegeltents, festivals and speakeasys from Edinburgh to Melbourne. It’s a multiinstrumental, style-hopping jaunt featuring a wandering line-up of wheezing accordions, bleeding harmonicas, tearing guitars, scraping mandolins, drums, whistlers, banjos and fiddles. Sordid, scandalous and superbly attired, it’s twisted folk, a smattering of gypsy, old-world jazz, part junkyard blues, part Celtic-Australian and all about good times. Entry is free and they start at 9pm.

STARS OF THE COUCH Head down to Gertrudes Brown Couch this Thursday to catch indie darlings Radio Star before they head out on their national tour to celebrate the release of their new single, You Got Me (I Got You). Presented by I’ll Do Anything, it will be a night of sweet indie music with support from Red Leader and The Isenbergs. Loosen up before exams and get in early for drink specials. Entry is $8 or $6 for students.

GERARD DOES CYNDI Gerard Daley is playing a couple of solo acoustic sets down at Honey in South Melbourne this Sunday to launch his new album of Cyndi Lauper covers, He’s So Unusual. He’ll be on from 3pm-5pm and will be playing a set of Cyndi Lauper songs – so make sure you get there early and take along your singing voice! It’s free entry, and a great way to spend your Sunday arvo.

TASTE TEST BROOKE ADDAMO – OWL EYES The first record I bought with my own money was... Probably something to do with the Spice Girls. I had all this crazy Spice Girls junk when I was little. The record I put on when I’m really miserable is... Any Strokes or Phoenix albums. They instantly lift my mood and make me dance around. The record I put on when I bring someone home is... Cat Power – You Are Free. The most surprising record in my collection is... Biggie Smalls – Ready To Die. Probably not expected but I do like hip hop. A closet hip hop fan.

The best record I stole from my folks’ collection was... Fleetwood Mac – Rumours. One of my all-time favourites. My mum used to listen to it all the time so there was no escaping becoming a huge Stevie Nicks fan!

The last thing I bought/downloaded was... Seekae – The Sound Of Trees Falling On People. I saw them live not long ago at the Toff and was blown away! Owl Eyes plays Can’t Wait at Miss Libertine this Friday and the Espy on Friday 10 June.

Fresh from winning the APRA Songwriting award at Push Start 2011 with their unique blend of progressive rock and blues, catch The Fire Alive when they team up with Luke Legs and The Midnight Specials for a very special night at Revolver Upstairs on Wednesday 8 June. Also joining in for a wild night will be The Laughing Leaves and two of Melbourne’s best up-and-coming DJs, Leighboy & Bongas (Krew Ent) to keep the party going into the night. Tickets are $7+BF from Moshtix or $10 on the door from 8pm.

All Fires The Fire launch their new album at the John Curtin this Thursday. HOW DID YOU GET TOGETHER? Christopher Wessing, multi-instrumentalist: “All Fires The Fire grew out of the ashes of short-lived Hobart band Supershow (their EP, Platinum, is hard to find but worth hunting down). This was in early 2008, when Peter Ferguson (bass) and I joined Adam Ouston (vocals, keys, guitar) and Carl Higgs (many synthesisers). We initially aligned ourselves with the sometimes thrilling, always bitter Hobart ‘indie scene’ (as in independent, not a style of music). But we soon found ourselves as outsiders. Not fitting in anywhere, really. Which led to a bit of an identity crisis at first but we eventually became comfortable with our unpopular music. We started writing songs together rather than individually, won fans in the industry (and some in the public) and starting winning awards, which obviously boosted our self-esteem, if nothing else. We became more indie than indie, by recording and producing ourselves, designing our artwork and forming our own label, Quarter Tsar.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “We’ve recorded a plethora of material; we’re addicted. Our tooling around in the bedroom lasted about three months and then we recorded our first album, The Longest Night. We recorded a couple of radio-only singles in 2009, then our latest album, Gloryland, in 2010. We record high-quality demos of most things we write. It’s a great way of self-editing and fulfils my incessant desire for being in the studio all of the time.”

PULL THE CHORD After a year of recording, mixing and intermittent shows with his folk/noise side project Children Of The Wave, Major Chord has emerged with a popinfused, folk-related work of art – a new single titled Tomorrow Night. The track comes from Major Chord’s third album, Psychic Civil War, which was released in late August. This time around Major Chord uses more percussion, sharpens the arrangements and delves a little deeper to deliver a result that is sometimes bleak, often hopeful, a little confusing but always true. He launches the single at the Builders Arms on Friday 10 June before touring with Micah P Hinson in June/July.

CORSAIRS MAKE WAVES Four-piece garage/surf/rock band The Corsairs have just burst onto the stages of Melbourne. Forming at the start of 2011, they have quickly started to fill dancefloors with their captivating songs and energetic live performances. Balancing raw garage rock with layered surf harmonies, The Corsairs compel you to dance around in the front row, yet are melodic and soulful enough to be the soundtrack to that perfect summer night. Let the city’s newest surf rockers warm you up this Saturday at Revolver Upstairs with special guests and the Tone Deaf DJs. Entry is $12 from 8.30pm.

CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Electronic. Acoustic. Quiet. Loud.” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “It would be really nice to get on the back of a tour by one of the groups on Brooklyn label Captured Tracks. Any of them, really. But Wild Nothing, especially. It would have to be a band that we could have fun with, learn from and talk to. The idea of supporting a big band sounds like a definition of a bad time. That’s as imaginative as this fantasy gets for me.” IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “You have to save the kids first, don’t you? So probably our latest, Gloryland. Though, I’d be slowed by the possibility of saving The Associates’ Sulk. Billy Mackenzie’s croon would certainly sooth my grief in the aftermath and I never tire of hearing it. But I’d obviously die making this decision…” DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “It’s not a piece of clothing per se, but I have a Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy bar towel that I use as a sweat mop, beer mop and something to cover my snare drum from rain in our leaky rehearsal space. It’s disgusting and I love it. I get very anxious without it. It’s a source of comfort but not luck. Luck is for lazy people.” IF YOU INVITED SOMEONE AWESOME ROUND FOR DINNER WHAT WOULD YOU COOK? “Pasta, probably. Nothing else is worthwhile.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRINK IN MELBOURNE? “The John Curtin, of course.”

twitter.com/inpressmag

LESSON MORE WORDS Melbourne’s best spoken word performers including Geoff Lemon (Wordplay), Sean M Whelan & Isnod (Red Leaves), Luka Lesson (Melbourne Poetry Festival Slam champion), Steve Smart, and Randall Stephens, will converge at Little Lonsdale Street’s Horse Bazaar this Saturday with fellow wordsmiths from the hip hop and comedy communities including Elf Tranzporter & Izzy (Combat Wombat), Linda Beatty (The UnEnchanted Princess), Ollie MC, Ezekiel Ox (Mammal), Mr Monk (The Black Jesus Experience), Dyzlexic & JP (The High Society), Julez, Dragonfly, Able (Uncomfortable Beats), Wyldcard, and D Wolf & Ad-Wan (Los Theory). This melting pot of the city’s best word expressionists will be called Word Is Born. Budding vocalists of all types are encouraged to participate in the open mic and all-in jam sessions, while crowds can be entertained over a Japanese-influenced dinner cooked by Chef-Sonik. Entry is $15 from 7pm.

live@inpress.com.au

LANEWAY CULCHA

WINNIN’ CHURCHILL

It’s a year since Louise O’Reilly and Paul Hannan, two parts of Laneway, made the move from Brunswick in Melbourne to the Natural Bridge in South East QLD, taking their child and their folk/alt-country sounds into the forest. With their brand new single, The Turbine, tucked firmly under their belts, Laneway and Adelaide’s alt. country roots outfit The Yearlings will play at the Wesley Anne in Northcote on Friday 3 June.

Young up-and-comer Kim Churchill will play the Northcote Social Club on Saturday 11 June in what will be one of his final Australian shows for a very long time. After trips to Canada, the US, Japan and even New Caledonia in 2010, Churchill’s music has gone global, and for the next six months he’ll be globetrotting to fulfil promises to the fans. This past April, Kim played his first shows in the UK, blew away audiences at Byron Bay Blues Festival, and supported roots/rock royalty Michael Franti on his national tour. Support at the NoSo comes from The Hello Morning and Rick Steward, and tickets are $15+BF from the venue or $18 on the door.

ROCK, CLEARLY

PUNK’D BY RICK MORANIS

It’s been three exciting years since Clear Springs Entertainment started in the music industry with an aim to support local independent talent. Company founder and artist representative Chris Parke has decided to celebrate the occasion with a good old fashioned rock gig. The bands that will be showcasing in support of Clear Springs Entertainment on the night are Black Hayet, The Superguns, Felix Glyde and One Kind. The event date is set for Saturday 30 July at The Central Club in Melbourne.

BRUMBY GAINS GROUND Two-time ARIA Award-winning singer/songwriter Monique Brumby launches a brand new single, Underground, at the Northcote Social Club this Saturday. Brumby will be perfroming with her five-piece band along with special guests

Nick Batterham and his band and Izzy Losi. Underground is the first single from Brumby’s fifth studio album, Half Moon Half Everything (due out October 2011). Underground is available as a free download at moniquebrumby.com and the video clip can be viewed there too. Tickets are $12+BF from the venue or $15 on the door from 8pm.

WITCHGRINDER HOOK-UPS Rising from the depths of Australia’s promising underground metal scene, dark industrial metal outfit Witchgrinder are taking over the Prague in Thornbury this Saturday night. Taking their cues from ‘80s-era Metallica, mixed with the strong, industrial grooves of Ministry, Rammstein and Static-X, the band was derived from the classic horror/sci-fi stories that make your skin crawl and your spine tingle. Support comes from Pretty Suicide, Octanic (SA), As The Palaces Burn (Lamb Of God tribute) and Venomartyr. Entry is $12 from 7pm.

Rick Moranis Overdrive is a two-piece garage punk outfit from Ballarat created by George Hollick and Gareth Harrison, who’s a member of Yacht Club DJs. The pair created the band after meeting and realising they have a shared love of early garage and punk banks such as The Cramps and The Sonics. They also decided that they wanted to create a sound reminiscent of early garage recording techniques and create true homemade punk recordings just like them. As a result of this they launched a project called 2weekpunks, the idea being to write, record and perform brand new music with a brand new band all in the space of two weeks. Rick Moranis Overdrive launch their debut album, Honey, I Ate The Kids, at the Karova Lounge in Ballarat on Saturday 11 June.

MIKELANGELO WINS WEST Mikelangelo & The Tin Star’s debut album, The Surf ’n’Western Sounds Of…, will be launched at the Northcote Social Club on Friday 10 June. Last time Mikelangelo played with The Tin Star at the NSC he launched himself off the bar in a kung-fu frenzy and spectacularly injured himself for the entertainment of all. No doubt he will feel the need to top this in some way for the album launch. The Surf ’n’Western Sounds Of… was recorded and produced by Tin Star guitarist and studio wunderkind, Germanborn Fiete Geronimo Geier. It features nine tremolo guitarladen original tunes, with cameo appearances from the sultry, sequinned Saint Clare (who supports at the gig), underground legend JP Shilo and the horn section of garage country big band The Toot Toot Toots. Tickets are $15+BF from the venue.

HOBART FRUSTRATIONS Tasmanian art-punk two-piece The Frustrations play their first Melbourne show in eight years at the Tote this Friday. Joining them will be fellow Hobartians Ivy St and Matt Bailey and band. The Frustrations formed in Hobart in mid-1994 when school friends Mike and Julian starting writing songs in Mike’s suburban bedroom. The Frustrations put out cassettes, a 7” EP on Chapter Music and albums including It’s Time To Move On and The Dole Years and eventually made the move to Melbourne in 1999. Perhaps the move to the big city wasn’t the best thing for the cohesiveness of the band but nevertheless they played semi-regularly, wrote and recorded a new album with Neil Thomason and then promptly broke up mid-2003. Don’t miss their return! Entry is $12

PARTY TIME After having spent a period living and writing in Los Angeles, Jimmy Hawk returned home to record and release his debut album, Echo Park. Hitting shelves and the blogosphere last year to critical acclaim, the album garnered massive community radio support around the country and raves in the blogosphere. Now backed by a full-time band and having spent the latter part of last year focused on new material, Jimmy Hawk & The Endless Party have announced the release of their new 7”, Meet Me At The Party, a rollicking tale of doe-eyed yearning evoking Gram Parsons and Roy Orbison, coloured by lap steel guitars set to a Bo Diddley beat. To celebrate the launch of this one-off single ahead of his forthcoming second album, Jimmy Hawk & The Endless Party play Cherry Bar on Friday 10 June.

twitter.com/inpressmag

live@inpress.com.au

STEALIN’ YER SUNDAY

FRAGMENTED FREQUENCIES

Maestros of fine original rock and blues, three-piece Kings And Thieves headline Sunday afternoons at the grand old Grandview Hotel, Station Street, Fairfield, kicking off this Sunday from 6pm. The gig signals the landmark return to live music six days a week at the historic inner north venue after a long break. Cool acoustic tunes from two great local supports: Nic Tate from 3pm and Leah & Paul at 4pm, with Kings And Thieves following with two killer sets. Entry is free.

OTHER MUSIC FROM THE OTHER SIDE WITH BOB BAKER FISH In 1964, Phillips unveiled the compact cassette. Small and inexpensive to manufacture, it heralded the future of music, though it didn’t really take off until the ‘80s when, in conjunction with the Sony Walkman (the iPod of the ‘80s), cassettes began to outsell vinyl. Suddenly music was portable and for the first time you were the DJ in the soundtrack to your life. By the late-‘80s, the public had embraced the format. It entered our consciousness. Even an old geezer like Cliff Richard could become the height of ‘80s cool because he was gliding along on roller skates, “wired for sound”, bopping along to his Walkman with a “head full of music”. But, alas, it wasn’t to last. When CDs were unleashed onto the market in the mid-‘90s, with a propaganda campaign that would make the US military machine blush, cassettes never stood a chance. The introduction of the compact disc offered the mobility of cassettes with the promise of a perfect sound quality even greater than that of vinyl. In short, it exposed the flaws of cassette – namely that speed could vary dramatically between playback devices, it increased noise levels and deteriorated in quality over time. Everyone replaced their music collections with the newfangled CDs and record companies halted cassette production. But this is not the end of this story, because the format wars didn’t end. In fact, they never end. Whilst DJing culture has developed a fetish item out of vinyl and crate diggers scour entire continents in search of exotic rare grooves, cassettes have been unable to elicit the same kind of devotion. The problem is that no one wants to DJ with tapes. They’re too fiddly to splice and the quality issues and deterioration make them unattractive formats to store music. While they lasted longest in car stereos, even this was destined to end, replaced with compact discs or now Bluetooth. Even op shops can’t sell cassettes any more. The problem is that few people can play them. Even if they still own a cassette player, the chances are that its heads are probably so dried and decayed that all you’ll hear is the rusty squeal of a format where the love affair has well and truly ended. With blank CDs so cheap and every garage band using GarageBand and able to manufacture their own music, cassettes seemed destined to the scrap heap. But then mp3s happened. An endless supply of free music up for grabs on the net, all of which served to devalue music as a commodity. Music became simply files to be traded, and people longed nostalgically for an artefact. Something to make the music special again. Simultaneously, the cassette became a signifier of cool. Something about its obsolescence appealed to designers and musicians alike, appearing as art on T-shirts, CD covers, purses, pencil cases, you name it. For musicians vinyl is too expensive. CDs are too ubiquitous, and mp3s are too ethereal. That leaves cassettes. Not only is there something subversive about using a doomed format, but there’s also a rich history of cassette culture particular amongst the DIY punk culture of the ‘80s to tap into. Of course there’s also our own nostalgia, of the mix tapes we created over the years. Then of course the sustainability factor, of rescuing our cassette players from the landfill. But ultimately there’s something else. It’s the distinctive qualities that cassette offers, the warm noisy tape hiss that often serves to flatten out some of the more difficult frequencies, making it more of an aesthetic decision. Then, of course, on cassette, music is never finished. As the tape deteriorates the noise floor raises and the music slips unstably into the background, evolving subtly with each listen.

BLOODLINES PUMP JAZZ

WHAT A WASTNEY Hooked Up and Varsity Records Presents the inaugural Scarf It Up! – three of Melbourne’s finest acts kickstart your inner city winter, indie acoustic style, at the Builders Arms this Saturday: College Fall bring their heartfelt indie pop sweethearts from Preston, telling tales of love, loss and the darkness that exists within all of us; Chimneys play irresistible, charming, quirky, piano and guitar featuring members from local darlings Jack On Fire; and New Zealand’s Bryce Wastney, an uplifting songsmith with a pedigree including numerous film scores and heavy touring, plays his debut Melbourne show. Entry is $10 from 8.30pm.

SEA CATS ROCK Thursday night at Yah Yah’s will kick off with Emily Sherbrook playing her seductive ethereal folksy blues with a twist, followed by The Old Faithfuls, playing with a soft melodic tone that manages to enter the very core of your soul, leaving it fi lled with joy and wonderment. Next up is Massivists, formerly known as The Prisms, with a sound that can only be described as ‘sick’ and perhaps also ‘delicious’. Then, Sea Cats will enthral with hormonal backflips and solid folk rock styles before headliners The Cordyceps do their uninhibited psych rock blues thing. Doors at 9pm.

START YER ENGINE Engine Three Seven are fast becoming a mustsee band around town with their spine-tingling and infectious live show. This Saturday at the Evelyn Hotel, their set will be fi lmed for their fi rst ever live DVD, so make sure you get down and get your mug on camera! Support comes from Branch Arterial, The Paradigm Shift (comeback show) and Riot In Toytown. Tickets are $12+BF from Moshtix or on the door from 8.30pm.

BILLY’S THE KING Louis King & The Liars Klub’s philosophy is that if they’ve still got any energy left after a gig, they haven’t put in a good one. King’s rockabilly showmanship and presence has made for very entertaining evenings over the last four weeks of the band’s residency at the Great Britain Hotel and this Sunday, the last night, will surely be no different. Grab a taste of this high-intensity blues and oldschool rock’n’roll show from 7pm. Entry is free.

So like it or not, the cassette has returned from the dead. And in its second coming it’s less about playing and more about stroking.

PUNK-ABILLY BOYS After the overwhelming response to last year’s tour, the Punk-A-Billy Festival is set to hit the road again! For number 12 the kids down at Punk-A-Billy really have outdone themselves, presenting Japanese punk rock stars The Jet Boys as the festival’s headline act. This will be The Jet Boys’ first Australian tour since forming in 1983 (in which time they have been banned from most venues in Asia). Punk-A-Billy Festival is back at it’s home grounds the Barley Corn this Saturday, kicking off at 4pm and also featuring Cherry Bang(ers), The Morrisons, Dixon Cider, Working Horse Irons, The Tearaways, Thee Knockouts, Strawberry Fist Cake, Very Handsome Men and The Half Pints. Entry is $15 between 4pm and 5.30pm, $20 thereafter, so get there early!

SMOKE THAT SOUL

PUNK MOTHERS JK Kennedy left school at 16 to be a skateboarder. He taught himself how to read three years ago. In 2011, he decided to do something apart from skating and petty drug dealing. He started Teenage Mothers. The songs are about broken love, dead-end jobs, jacking off, kicking against the pricks… Teenage Mothers play songs are about being a loser in Australia today. With their new single, Orlando And Miranda, stirring up a whole lot of shit about Hollywood’s ‘hottest’ couple, the band play a residency at Yah Yah’s, Thursdays in June. The first night, Thursday 2 June, features support from Sydney’s Dark Bells, Fierce and Poon DJs.

Deep Street Soul play Bar Open this Friday night. The group have emerged from the studio with record number two and it’s a smoking, Hammondheavy affair with phat, snappy, breakneck beats, southern soul guitar sounds and big, soulful vocal tunes. Head to Bar Open to see the city’s favourite funk quartet team up with the mighty May Johnston for two sets of smokin’ soul and deep funk. It’s free and it kicks from 10pm.

VIDEO A GO-GO Bombastic psych-popsters Go-Go Sapien synthesise their distinctive pop tunes from a wide range of influences including post-punk, psych rock, surf music and sci-fi fi lm scores. Their live performances are visually dynamic, energetic and theatrical, characteristically featuring outlandish, matching uniforms and live fi lm projections. Bear witness to the cosmic spectacle as the group launch a second video clip (featuring footage from their forthcoming album/movie) at Yah Yah’s this Sunday. Support comes from Plague Doctor and Aitches and entry is free from 6pm.

DIG ON VINYL The Crate Digger Record Fair is back at Yah Yah’s this Saturday so vinyl can get a winter fi x before the freezing cold really sets in. Doors open at 12pm and with four new stallholders (one in particular with a massive stall) joining the usual suspects, you’re sure to find some choice records for your collection. Expect to find indie, punk, garage, soul, ‘50s/’60s rock and pop, psych, northern soul, doo-wop, soundtrack, hip hop, funk, electro, disco, boogie, Latin, jazz, rocksteady, rockabilly and more. The event will be running in conjunction with the Hello Sailor Vintage Fair and entry is free!

DID AND DUSTED

And with record companies desperately trying to distinguish themselves in a rapidly shrinking marketplace, all these factors become increasingly significant. Which may explain why a number of indie and experimental labels have recently begun issuing limited edition tape releases (often in conjunction with a free download). Niche labels like Touch have began issuing the odd cassette releases, while artists like Deerhunter, Animal Collective, Oneida and BJ Nilsen have all offered up limited edition cassette offerings. “We’re done with CDs like all smart people,” offers Brisbane-based improviser Joel Stern in discussing his latest project Sky Needle, a four-piece conceptual rock group that draws heavily on the punk/new wave of the mid-‘80s. “We dubbed the tracks down onto cassette and somehow it sounded better. And lots of my favourite releases of recent times are on cassette.”

Bloodlines is a collective project featuring the original music of David MacRae, Joy Yates and Jade MacRae, performing a very special set as part of the Stonnington Jazz Festival at Malvern Town Hall this Friday from 7pm-10pm. This is a rare opportunity to catch the three family members performing together, with the support of one of Australia’s finest rhythm sections, Cameron Undy on bass and Nick Cecire on drums. Bloodlines draws from David’s rich jazz history, having played with the likes of Clark Terry, Buddy Rich, Chet Baker & Gil Evans, through to his work as part of groups Nucleus, Soft Machine and Pacific Eardrum, a collaborative project with Joy. All compositions have been interpreted lyrically by Joy and Jade. With Tina Harrod also on the bill, it’s going to be a magical evening. Head to stonningtonjazz.com.au for tickets and info.

CHERRY LUST Underground rock’n’roll spewed forth from the gutters of Sydney. That’s what you’ll get when Lust projectile leap onto the stage at Cherry Bar this Saturday night, making for yet another gloriously dirty rock’n’roll rumpus at the club. Joining them in support will be local rippers Mercy Kills and Dead City Ruins, and entry is $13 from 8pm.

DustedOrange return to the stage this Friday at the Evelyn Hotel after releasing their second self-titled EP with a killer line-up that includes Twenty Two Hundred (back from supporting Slash on his Asian tour), Rock City Riff Raff and The Advocates with Mike Elrington. Over the past couple of months the band has received extensive airplay on international and local radio stations and have been working tirelessly, writing new material to supplement the existing catalogue in preparation for the fulllength album to be released later this year. Tickets are $10+BF from Moshtix or on the door from 8.30pm.

FUNKY RUSSIANS Russian Roulettes have emerged from the studio with LP number two and it shows the band expand on their garage punk rock pysch jams with flavours of Motown fatback soul and the ‘70s funk jams of Sly & The Family Stone, Amnesty and Funkadelic. They play the Retreat Hotel this Saturday with support from James McCann’s Dirty Skirt Band featuring Dan Mackay from The Nation Blue and Kim Voltman. Free entry means more money for beer and nachos.

twitter.com/inpressmag

TIM’S WEIRDO POP Join a handful of Melbourne’s most innovative pop-mentalists upstairs at Bar Open on Wednesday 1 June, curated by producer and radio broadcaster Tim Shiel (Faux Pas, RRR). Go early to see the washed-out electro R&B tunes of teenage crooner Naminé, then stick around for the gorgeous, baroque pop of Adelaide expat Clue To Kalo and the sophisticated genre exercises of dance professor Super Melody, who’ll be debuting new material. Closing out the night will be the audio-visual origami of Tim Shiel’s ever evolving Time Shield project, which welds the woozy electronic music of Faux Pas to live video loops pilfered from film, TV and YouTube. DJs Duelling Badness will keep things weird between the bands. First 25 through the door get a free mix CD and entry is free from 8pm.

live@inpress.com.au – NMIT in Fairfield to be exact. The quartet met while studying music and have combined their love of indie, soul and jazz, crossing between sounds drawn from the likes of Radiohead and Joan As Police Woman. Elephant Eyes play at 9.30pm and entry is free.

PRINCELY CHARLES It is no news that Charles Jenkins is a fine songwriter. From Icecream Hands through to his current work on the solo front, this fine gentlemen has been filling our ears with wonder for some time. Jenkins’ last two records have both been lauded as the best of his career, the sort of form that is very hard to argue with. Songs for the postrapture world, one in which we must all now live, stuff that a recently returned messiah would approve of. Jenkins will be spreading his very own good word this Sunday at the Drunken Poet from 4pm. The Little Sisters bring further salvation from 6.30pm.

ALEXIS FRONTS UP Alexis Nicole has been composing pieces since she was big enough to play guitar at the age of six. Playing at the Edinburgh Castle Hotel tonight (Wednesday), Nicole presents courage and vulnerability to her art all at once, with a determination to bring back a fusion of folk, alternative and gyspy genres. Now with her band The Missing Pieces, including double bass, saw, banjo and drums, she and this talented group of gents aren’t to be missed. It’s free in the front bar from 8pm.

COINCIDENTS IS CATCHY Pop is back! No, not the Black Eyed Peas’ version of pop, REAL pop. Remember melodies? Remember tunes you could dance to without having to have been to pole-dancing classes? After years being hidden in underground obscurity, The Coincidents are leading the charge for the renaissance with their new album, Modern Heart. They’ve combined

Rolling Stones swagger, timeless pop melodies (think The Beatles), ‘50s girl-group harmonies and a hell of a lot of fun to bring you everything that’s missing in today’s pop music. Catch them on Friday 3 June at the East Brunswick Club with fellow pop aficionados Mini-Bikes, Adrian Whitehead and band and The Bell Parade. Entry is $12 and CDs will be available for the insanely cheap price of $8.

SECRET BAND WHAT? This Friday, the Grace Darling bandroom is hosting a secret show by a band that has put out two dope EPs and slithered away since to write new songs. So like how Johnny Depp checks into hotels under the name Mr Donkey Penis, this band will be slaying their new stuff on stage as Ciao-a-bunga. Supporting on the night will be community radio darlings The Bonniwells along with up-comers Le Fox. Entry is $8 from 9pm. Shhh.

The Jacks play this Friday at the Retreat. HOW DID YOU GET TOGETHER? Jungle Jim Smith, guitar/vocals: “Well, I’ve known Sammy since our high school days back in the old country – we bonded through a mutual love of punk rock, drinking and the mighty green stuff. We met old mate Tim around the watering holes of Melbourne. We were looking for a drummer, he said he was keen to bang our drums. That was that.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “Yeah, there’s a seven-tracker called Deluxe that came out last year, that’s on CD and up on iTunes. We’ve also just recorded our next offering, The Double Feature, which should come out mid-year on both wax and iTunes.” CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Motörhead raping Eddie Cochran.” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “Ramones! But that ain’t gonna happen, is it? So… Turbo AC’s, because they’re awesome, and I missed seeing them when they came out to Australia.” IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “Tough question… Whatever I can grab that’s not yet on fire?” DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “I like to wear a hat. Dunno if it’s a lucky hat though.” IF YOU INVITED SOMEONE AWESOME ROUND FOR DINNER WHAT WOULD YOU COOK? “I can’t cook, so a good old bag of Doritos and a couple of Twix bars would probably be the go, I reckon.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRINK IN MELBOURNE? “I usually end up at Crazy Dave’s place down little Beavers Lane.”

STEP LIKE BIMBO Google ‘hot step’ and you’ll get a bunch of Vietnamese game reviews and Balkanese dances on YouTube. But that’s nothing like what you can expect to find within the confines of Bimbo Deluxe this Saturday night. Developing thick and heavy but altogether groovy, enjoy an eclectic mix of fairy floss funk, doom disco and monk movement minimal every single Saturday night. Entry is free of course, and you can feast on Bimbo’s famous pizzas while you’re there!

SNAKES EAT PONY River Of Snakes, the powerhouse trio consisting of Raul Sanchez (Magic Dirt, Midnight Woolf) on guitar and vocals, Elissa Rose (The Loveless) on bass and vocals, and Dante Gabriele (Midnight Woolf, Silence Dead Silence) on drums, continue to deliver their brand of incendiary noise-punk rock scuzz to the Melbourne masses. They’ll be playing the Pony 2am slot this Saturday night/Sunday morning, so if you are one of the children of the night looking for a chance to let loose and get it on, it’s probs not a bad place to be. And it’s free.

RED-HOT RECHORDS Apparently Saturday night’s all right for fighting, but it is almost certainly better for enjoying yourself amongst good company with great music. Rockabilly fi reball music, in fact. Perhaps the type that causes some form of inferno. Yes? Then The ReChords at the Drunken Poet this Saturday is for you. In their short history, The Rechords have become synonymus with bringing the good times. A three-piece sans drums, expect hillbilly, western swing, R&B, rockabilly and a damn fine evening. They kick it from 9pm.

DO THE ELEPHANT Elephant Eyes play their inaugural gig this Saturday at the Cornish Arms in Brunswick, supporting Autumn Gray and Left Feels Right. The Elephant Eyes kids spend most of their time rattling around the halls of an old infectious diseases hospital

twitter.com/inpressmag

live@inpress.com.au

DEPARTMENT

WAKE THE

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

Hardcore and punk with SARAH PETCHELL

Triple J have announced that The Living End will play at your school should your band win their Unearthed High competition, in which the national youth broadcaster looks for the nation’s best high school band. This year, if you win, Triple J will fly you to Sydney to professionally record your winning song, and will go to your school to put on a concert for your peers. The Living End formed waaaaay back in 1994 when Chris Cheney and Scott Owen were introduced by their older sisters, while they were still at school. They went on to produce one of the ‘90s’ most memorable anthems, Prisoner Of Society, and have released five studio albums, been on countless tours, and despite their success, still play local grassroots gigs such as this one, all over the country. If that doesn’t inspire you to enter Unearthed High then perhaps one of the features instructing you how to form a band, how to write a hit song and how to stand out in the competition will. Check it all out on triplejunearthed.com/unearthedhigh/resources.

Rumours have been floating around for a few weeks about Doomriders hitting Australia. These were partially fuelled by Deathwish Inc (their label) posting on their Tumblr that Doomriders may be heading to Australia sometime soon. While I’m sure a lot of people were excited at this news, I’m sure they didn’t expect the tour to be this soon or this big. That is, they didn’t expect it to be this July (I know I was thinking around September or so) and they didn’t expect Doomriders to be supported by Canberra’s I Exist. So there we go, the line-up of Converge bassist Nate Newton, Jebb Riley (Disappearer), Chris Pupecki (Cast Iron Hike) and new drummer Q (Clouds) will be hitting these shores for the fi rst time, in about two months time. If you haven’t heard Doomriders before, I strongly suggest you check them out, especially their most recent effort, 2009’s Darkness Comes Alive. This will be I Exist’s very fi rst tour on the back of their new album, II: The Broken Passage. You can catch the tour at the East Brunswick Club in Melbourne on Friday 29 July.

OF YOUTH

Speaking of grassroots gigs, June is fast approaching and that means one thing – the Reclink Community Cup footy match, fought out between the Espy Rock Dogs and the RRR/ PBS Megahertz. Four bands have so far been announced to play pre-match, at halftime and after the match and they are The Rebelles, Mercy Kills, Tumbleweed and You Am I, featuring Rock Dogs star, Connolly medallist and Community Cup legend Tim Rogers. For the second year running SYN have teamed up with the Community Cup for the Free Kick competition where they try to find an up-and-coming Australian band to join these established Melbourne artists on stage at the Cup. The final of the competition was held last weekend at the Tote and saw the Red Rockets Of Borneo take out the title. They have some time to prepare before the big day but in keeping with this year’s Community Cup theme of Do You Love Me?, they now have the difficult task of picking a Nick Cave song out of his whole amazing repertoire, and performing it on the day. Head to communitycup.org.au to check out all the details of this year’s Cup, and see you there. This weekend sees the National Gallery Of Victoria celebrate their 150th birthday, and boy is it a celebration. There are bands, films, workshops, tours and general party merriment, way too much to fit here so head to ngv.vic.gov.au and check out all the action.

TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY) Parkway Drive and special guests Hallower, Miss May I, Confession and The Wonder Years play Festival Hall from 6.30pm. Tickets are $40.50, available through Ticketmaster.

THURSDAY Joe Bonamassa and Claude Hay play the Palais Theatre from 7.30pm. Tickets start at $59 through Ticketmaster.

SATURDAY Musicathon is an event for emerging bands and artists aged 14-25 to have the opportunity to learn all about the Australian music industry. The free workshop will cover songwriting, releasing a record, marketing and publicity, record labels and management and event and stage management. Register your interest with Soundslike Productions by sending an email to soundslike@stonnington. vic.gov.au. The workshop runs from 10.30am at the Sound Lab Studio in Prahran. The Never Ever, Daylight Hours, Remission Theory, Wake The Giants and Matt Casey play a massive all-ages show at the Phoenix Youth Centre in Footscray from midday. Tickets are $15+BF through Moshtix.

SUNDAY The Never Ever, Way With Words and Daylight Hours play a free in-store show at Fist2Face in Ringwood from 2pm. We Can’t Be Heroes, Tess & Bridget, Lyndsey Colls, Gail Negron and Ryan Scott play acoustic covers in a special show at the Phoenix Youth Centre in Footscray from 1pm. Entry with gold coin donation. Conway Savage, Georgia Fair and Alexander Gow from Oh Mercy play free instore at Pure Pop Records from 3.30pm.

DEAD

The Poison City Weekender is on again in 2011. The weekend is scheduled to run from Friday 16 September until Sunday 18 September, with the fi rst two days at the East Brunswick Club and the Sunday at the Tote. This year features Bridge & Tunnel from the US. Think DC post-hardcore like Rites Of Spring or Fugazi and you’re on the right track here. Joining them will Screamfeeder, The Nation Blue, The Hawaiian Islands, Paper Arms, The Smith Street Band, Anchors, Jen Buxton, Fires Of Waco, Grim Fandango, Headaches, The Optionals, Stolen Youth and many, many others including reunions by Mutiny and The Gifthorse. Tickets go on sale on Monday from Poison City Records, the Corner Hotel box office and the Tote. This year a limited early bird allocation of three-day passes will be for sale as well, but you can check out all the details on the Poison City Records website. Two of the most hyped names in punk and hardcore circles are touring together this September. They are of course Touché Amoré and Title Fight, and as both bands have new albums under their belts, undoubtedly fans will be dying to see tracks from these records performed live, not to mention that this is each group’s fi rst trip to Australia. Title Fight’s The Shed sees them taking a softer approach as they start to sound more like Brand New (at least to me) than their more pop punk-based debut. As for Touché Amoré, their Deathwish-released full-length has so much hype around it that when pre-orders went up on the Deathwish site

THE

RACKET Metal, heavy rock and dark alternative with ANDREW HAUG theracket@inpress.com.au Stone Sour members Corey Taylor and Jim Root recently released the following statement: “It is with regret that we have decided to cancel the remaining dates on our current headline tour. Our friend and drummer, Roy Mayorga, suffered a minor stroke a couple of nights ago after our show in Des Moines. He’s doing great and is expected to make a 100% recovery. We apologise to all the fans and look forward to getting back out on the road with Roy in the coming months.” Extreme metal supergroup Lock Up will release their new album, Necropolis Transparent, on 1 July via Nuclear Blast Records. It will feature guest appearances by Hypocrisy main man Peter Tägtgren along with Jeff Walker of Carcass. Commented bassist Shane Embury: “I always wanted Peter on the third album since he was on the first record Lock Up did. It made sense from a weird trilogy aspect to get him on the record. His tones complement Tomas [Lindberg, current vocalist] perfectly as well. It’s great that Lock Up is back in the saddle again and that I could be a part of it,” commented Tägtgren. “This album will tear you a new asshole!” Walker added, “I think it’s pretty fair to say that the current incarnation of Lock Up have done the late Jesse Pintado more than proud!” Sydney extreme metallers Beyond Terror

Doomriders

for the record, the site crashed under the amount of traffic. Titled Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me, the album is already having the label of ‘best album of 2011’ attached to it. These shows are going to be pretty big, and the promoters are expecting them to be considering that the Melbourne show is at Billboard on Saturday 10 September, with tickets for the tour on sale this Friday through Ticketek. After six weeks of touring the US and a debut album that is set to undoubtedly burst into the Australian music charts, Sydney pop punk outfit Tonight Alive have announced a headline run of dates on their own this July. They will be joined by their buddies from the Gold Coast, Skyway, for dates in most capital cities. You can catch the tour at the East Brunswick Club on Saturday 2 July for an 18+ show and then on Sunday 3 July there is an all-ages afternoon show at Ding Dong. Seeing Fucked Up twice during Soundwave season was definitely one of the highlights of my gig attending career so far. So the impending release

Beyond Grace have announced they’ve entered the xx studio to begin recording their third album. The band are recording at 3 Phase studios in Melbourne with engineering and production duties being handled by Joel Taylor (The Abandonment). Commented drummer Steve Smith: “These songs are intense, atmospheric, sinister and climactic, which is very exciting. Like past material the speed and energy is there, but there is now a much bigger focus on dynamics, mood, and raw emotion, which is revealing new dimensions of the band previously unheard of and resulting in some huge sounding songs. Like the last album there will also be a number of guest appearances which we are very excited about. This album is definitely shaping up to be our most powerful, focused and diverse yet.” Miami hard rock quartet Black Tide have set Post Mortem as the title of their second album, due on 23 August via DGC/Interscope Records. Sacramento, California’s Will Haven will release their new album Voir Dire on 11 October via Bieler Bros Records. The follow-up to 2007’s The Hierophant also marks the return of the band’s original vocalist Grady Avenell. The CD will feature Slipknot percussionist Chris Fehn handling bass duties, following the departure of Mike Martin, who left the group to focus on family life. Charred Walls Of The Damned, the project led by acclaimed metal drummer Richard Christy (Death, Iced Earth), are scheduled to begin mixing their second CD in June for a tentative 11 October release via Metal Blade Records. Christy states, “The album is crushing and I’m so proud of it; I cannot wait for people to hear it!” British black metal pioneers Venom have set Fallen Angels as the title of their new album, tentatively due

twitter.com/inpressmag

of their most recent effort, David Comes To Life, has me shouting that THIS will be the album of 2011, hands down! The album is due for local release via Matador/Remote Control on 3 June, and to build even more hype the band have released an almost ten-minute mini-documentary on the making of the record, which features interviews with band members as well as live and archival footage of Fucked Up doing what they do best – put on an amazing live show! David Comes To Life is a 78-minute rock opera set in a fictional British town during the Thatcher administration. The story is split across four acts, telling a tale of lost love, global meltdown, depression, bombs, guilt and madness. This is an epic undertaking on so many levels for this accomplished Canadian band and, honestly, I can’t wait to get my hands on the thing. You can check out the video on YouTube or through most music sites (including noheroesmag.com) so check it out and get psyched!

in August/September via Universal Music. The CD was mixed with producer Tom Belton at his London studio and will contain 13 new “classics”. Regarding what fans can expect to hear from the next album, bassist/vocalist Conrad ‘Cronos’ Lant told the Quietus, “The new tracks are tremendous.” Something to put in your calendars for later this year: the return of Bastardfest! It hits the Corner Hotel on 17 September. Bands on the bill are Blood Duster, Pod People, Claim The Throne, Psycroptic, I Exist and Fuck I’m Dead. Guitarist Alex Paul, drummer Edwin van den Eeden and bassist Joost van der Graaf have left Dutch death metallers Sinister. Vocalist Aad Kloosterwaard, who is the only remaining member of Sinister, has vowed to relaunch the band with a brand new line-up and “let the Sinister flame burn for some more years to come”.

LOCAL GIG GUIDE Black Majesty, Anarion – Friday 3 June, Central Club

TOURS, TOURS, TOURS Morbid Angel – Friday 27 May, Hi-Fi The Haunted – Saturday 28 May, Hi-Fi Emmure – Saturday 18 June (U18 arvo, 18+ evening), Corner Hotel 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

BREAKDOWN Pop culture therapy with ADAM CURLEY We pull out of the service station and she puts on a song I haven’t heard before. It’s fast and heavy and the singer is shouting about how being in love makes him feel sick. “I’ve been listening to this a lot,” she says. “It’s good,” I nod. We get back out onto the highway and listen to it in silence, and I wonder what she’s thinking. Probably something about some other time she’s heard it, or maybe the first time she heard it. Some other time when I wasn’t here, where I grew up with her, where I left long ago to go towards something else, but also – maybe even mostly – to go away. Away from everything. It’s my turn, and I plug my iPhone in and put on a song I’ve been listening to lately, but it doesn’t fit, and I change it before it ends. It’s not meant for here and it doesn’t say anything about this place, and it definitely doesn’t say anything about her. “You put something on,” I say. We get to the beach and stop into a café to buy drinks. The radio is playing – some community dance station – and she makes a comment about how it must drive the staff crazy having to listen to it all day. But, to me, this is what makes sense here – some young DJ playing up to his place behind the mic, talking shit about a T-Pain remix that played at some club he went to on the weekend that I’ve never heard of. The DJ ends his shift while we’re at the counter – “Laterz, surferz” – and I laugh and she gives me a confused look because she’s tuned out. Because, to her, it’s stupid. The stupid side of home; the stuff she tries to ignore because, unlike me, she never left and she has to put up with this every day. People like this. People who say ‘laterz’.

We find a place on the sand and lay out our towels and I say I want to swim. “It’s too cold,” she says. Because, to her, it is. “I’m just going to read for a bit.” I go in alone, striding into the green water and standing my ground when the waves hit, then going further in and swimming out past the break. There’s barely anyone around because, I guess, they all think it’s too cold. I lie on my back and let my feet rise up in front of me, and all I can see is the marbled acres of green and white and a sweeping sheet of dark blue above them. Back where I live now – at home, or wherever – the sky doesn’t look like this. I’ve never really noticed before, but it’s almost like you can stare into it and see how far it goes, and the longer you stare the deeper the blue gets. And I’m here. Not there. And he doesn’t want me. And I don’t know what I’m doing when I get back. I don’t know what I’m doing at all. Later, when it’s dark, we go to an old friend’s house and he gets out an acoustic guitar and a stomp box he’s just bought off the internet, and she plays us a song she wrote while he makes muffled thumps with his sock-covered foot. The song is about a girl she liked once – some girl I never met – and I sit and listen as she self-consciously sings it, and I wonder what the words mean to her, or how much, or something. “You should play somewhere,” he says when the song is finished. “No, I’m not good enough for that,” she shakes her head and laughs and starts to play the riff to a different song – a Martha Wainwright song, she says. Something that makes sense to her. Like her own private radio station. She puts the guitar down and they keep talking about music and jobs and travel plans, and I pick it up, but I can’t remember any songs now, only chords, and I play them in no particular order and they don’t pay any attention. And I’m home. And I’m nowhere.

ROOTS DOWN

Blues ‘n’ roots with DAN CONDON rootsdown@inpress.com.au Local outfit Little John released their debut album, Put Your Hands On Me, at the end of last year and the band have been enjoying some very positive press since its release, reviewers around the country seeming to really connect with their brand of folky rock and country gospel. The band have just made a video for the album’s title track, a simple black and white clip filmed at Northcote’s Wesley Anne, and they are throwing a bit of a party to launch it on the weekend. The band have booked out the East Brunswick Club this Saturday; they will headline proceedings and Buried Horses and Magic Mountain Band will be there in support. Entry will set you back $13+BF if you grab a ticket from the venue now, otherwise you can get one on the night for $15. I finally decided to put on Let Them Talk, the debut record from Hugh Laurie the other day. After a very average album (and even more average live performances) from Tim Robbins I was not looking forward to hearing another actor trying his hand at music, but Laurie’s hilariously selfdeprecating comments and the incredible guests he has helping him out got me too interested. The first thing is that this record sounds incredible; the production from the inimitable Joe Henry is once again absolutely on point and testament to his genius. The musicianship is also fantastic, but with Kevin Breit and Patrick Warren in the band and a helping hand leant from Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint and Dr John, that’s not surprising. But Laurie’s performance is what will make or break this record, and sadly it’s not good. His is a unique voice for sure and it is refreshing to hear he hasn’t tried to replicate any of the blues legends he covers here, but it doesn’t work. Laurie will impress some, but it’s not likely to have blues purists salivating. Another record that’s just been released, and one I have actually been looking forward to, is Road To Memphis, the new one from the legendary Booker T Jones. The album is awash with some pretty incredible guests; members of The Roots back him up on the 11 tracks presented here, which also feature guest performances from people like Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket, Matt Berninger from The National, Sharon Jones and Lou Reed. I thought that 2009’s Potato Hole, Booker T’s record with the Drive-By Truckers, was a decent set of tunes but nothing too special and I’d have to

Little John’s John Dickson

say the same about what he’s released here. Most of the time his iconic organ playing (you can just tell it’s Booker T) fits really well inside the song arrangements, though there are a few tunes that don’t work. His cover of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy is fun, but not all that good per se. Lou Reed singing on The Bronx is a bit strange, but so is just about everything Reed has done of late, but I can absolutely say that Booker T’s own vocals on Down In Memphis are fantastic and, frankly, I’d have liked to have heard him sing on more tracks. Having said that, the instrumentals here groove just about as hard as you can imagine One of last year’s best songs by far was Fitz & The Tantrums’ MoneyGrabber. The song was lifted from the band’s debut record Pickin’ Up The Pieces, which I enjoyed upon its release but I think I may have underrated a little bit as it has really grown on me. The band were one of a couple of good soul acts announced for this year’s Splendour In The Grass festival and they’ve just announced that they’ll be playing a Melbourne sideshow when they’re in the country, hitting Red Bennies on Friday 29 July. Tickets are available from OzTix from Thursday morning for $48.45 and support comes from Lanie Lane. No word on whether we’ll get a Black Joe Lewis & The Honey Bears sideshow down here but one would imagine they will be paying a visit also. I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as something is announced.

twitter.com/inpressmag

live@inpress.com.au

STATE I’M IN MUSIC VICTORIA UPDATES WITH PATRICK DONOVAN The state budget was handed down by Treasurer Kim Wells on 3 May, and Music Victoria was thankful to see the Coalition’s commitment to fund Music Victoria to the tune of $500,000 over two years. So much work has been put into setting up this organisation properly that it would have been devastating to have seen it go to waste. This money will go towards operational costs and programs for our music community.

SUPER FLY THE RELEASED SERIES sees the Workers Club hosting a series of nights curated by local labels. We check in with tonight’s host, ANDREW WHITE from LOFLY RECORDS. Restream

Which labels do you most admire? “Hot Flush, Tri Angle, Feral Media, Anticon, Sensory Projects, R&S, Holy Mountain, Waaga.”

We were particularly relieved to receive funding in such a tight budget, with millions of dollars being distributed to flood assistance in country Victoria and Queensland and for New Zealand’s devastated Christchurch region, as well as revenue lost in state GST revenue to the federal government. Organisations such as ours and Multicultural Arts Victoria were looked after, and funding for the successful Arts Victoria-managed Victoria Rocks contemporary music grants program is secure for the next three years. But unfortunately there wasn’t enough money in the pie for some other worthy programs, such as the Australian World Music Expo; the peak Aboriginal music body, Songlines; and The Push’s excellent FReeZA Central mentoring program. Many of our members have contacted us to express their disappointment that this program will not continue. One of Music Victoria’s priorities is to support the music educators and the young musicians – our future industry leaders. Victoria enjoys a deserved reputation of excellence for its arts and culture, but perhaps what makes the state truly stand out is its willingness to embrace the new, to be experimental and to explore new possibilities. It keeps our arts vibrant and relevant. As a soon-to-be released report commissioned by Arts Victoria on the economic, social and cultural contribution of live music in Victoria will attest, our thriving contemporary Victorian music industry benefits not just music people but the many auxiliary industries, from bars to ticket sales, media to merchandise. In fact, musicians are just about the only people struggling to make a living out of music – and that is a worrying trend that we are trying to turn around. There were few surprises in the Federal Budget. The Labor government committed to $1.6 million over four years to continue funding for the Contemporary Music Touring Program, and $10 million was committed over five years for additional support for Australian art works. In an exciting development, the Arts Minister, Simon Crean, has announced that he is working towards the development of a cultural policy for Australia. This will be the first time since Paul Keating’s ‘Creative Nation’ policy in the early ’90s that such a thing has happened in Australia, and through our membership in the Australian Music Industry Network, we look forward to getting involved in helping shape the agenda. We will be encouraging Government to get to the root of the problems, and consider initiatives which have been previously been proposed by academics and politicians, such as including music lessons in the family education tax rebate and engaging with recognised arts organisations so musicians can more readily meet social security requirements.

Who are your three fave musical acts at the moment and why? “How about three Brisbane bands? Re:Enactment – weird party music also for headphones. Indie math ravecore? No Anchor – amazing live noise experience, great recent release. Moon Jog – about to be released no wave-ish EP recorded in a giant cavern. Sounds genuinely new.” How long have you been running your label? “Four years.” What’s the philosophy behind your label? “A local label/collective full of incestuous collaborations between a large bunch of friends interested in the edges of indie and electronic genres.”

Subscribers will be glad to hear that our website is currently being overhauled and a dynamic new site with resources galore will be launched in the second week of June. Patrick Donovan Music Victoria CEO

“Restream – Latency. Four 12-minute songs: glitchy, shoegaze, witchy, prog, epic, OTT.” Who have you chosen to play at your night at the Workers and why? “Restream (label founder) with Melbourne friends Aoi and Mountain Static.”

What was your first release? “Restream –Loopsforstereogram.”

Lofly Records showcase at the Workers Club tonight (Wednesday).

And the most recent? “Nova Scotia’s self-titled LP.”

NOISY BONES Where will you be this Saturday night? Watching the latest Celebrity MasterChef on TV? Wrong! You’ll be at Pony! First up is Fraser & The Grace Singers, who sound like Arlo Guthrie at Woodstock, followed by the pumping alt.rock of Drifter, and the Tex-Mex madness of garage rockers Mesa Cosa – their fuzzy guitars and mental-as energy will pierce the limits of reality and have you gasping for breath. Finally, Magic Bones launch their newest single Space Between Us – they’ll fi re every bit of energy to make the party burn. Doors open at 9pm.

GRILLED BY WINTERUN With almost ten years of heavy grooves under their belt, Melbourne four-piece Winterun are back with a blistering new EP, Shadow. Described as sounding like “Dreadnaught drank beer with Clutch then stepped out the back to burn one down with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion” in Rhythms Magazine, the EP has earned itself monster launch

celebration at the Tote this Sunday arvo. Joining the ruckus will be local rock royalty Sons Of The Ionian Sea and Molten Duke Ranch along with emerging blues merchants CatFish Voodoo and vibe distillers the Spiritual Squad DJs. It all kicks off at 5pm with a free BBQ in the Tote’s venerable beer garden. Entry is $10.

TELECOM BANG HEADS Telecom share many things with The Cheats. Instruments, a sense of style, riffs, electricity bills, ex-girlfriends, Hep C, cigar ends, songs on the Underbelly soundtrack and a love of Danish Dogma fi lms aren’t any of these things. What they do share is a drummer (in Tom “The Coop” Cooper) and a taste for partying. So go support the Car-Pooling For Drummers Initiative as both bands appear on the best double headlining bill of the weekend at the Marquis Of Lorne this Sunday afternoon from 5pm. Having a hangover on Monday has potentially never been more fun. Except for that new Hangover movie. That looks pretty good.

TASTE TEST

This Saturday’s Bang is going to be amazing! Club favourites Forgiven Rival are headlining with support from local legends Of Whispers and up-and-comers The Aura Cura. Upstairs will be hosting a very special Slipknot tribute night to pay our respects to former bassist Paul Gray on the one-year anniversary of his death. DJs will be playing heaps of Slipknot and I’m sure there will be plenty of head banging and circle hugs to commemorate our fallen brother. For more info and club pics head to destroyalllines.com or facebook.com/ bangnightclub. Entry is $15 from 9pm.

SPRINGSTEEN’S THUNDER If you’re a big Bruce Springsteen fan, you’re probably hoping that he might visit these shore sometime soon. Well, in case you cant wait, here’s the next best thing: a night of Boss songs played live and loud on the Corner Hotel stage, by a full seven-piece E Street-style band. Thunder Road have been paying homage to Springsteen for a little while now, bringing to life his classic songs and remaining true to the spirit and energy of the music. Not wanting to disappoint the true fans their setlist comprises of old and new Springsteen songs and some surprises, too. The band plans to play two huge sets, with over 30 songs, at the Corner on Saturday 4 June. Entry is $20 from 8.30pm.

COMEDY STARS BUILD FUNHOUSE Comedian Dave O’Neil is starting a new night of comedy at the Grandview Hotel in Fairfield. O’Neil, now a Fairfield local, is launching Dave O’Neil’s Comedy Funhouse on Wednesday 8 June. O’Neil promises it will be fun and a bit different from your average comedy night. “I’m going to host every night and we’ll have stand-up comedy but we’ll also be doing sketches, games, anything unusual to get a laugh,” he says. On the first night he’s got 7pm Project star Dave Thornton and RRR darling Josh Earl, with Dave Hughes, Tom Gleeson, Rod Quantock, Lehmo, Cal Wilson, Bob Franklin, Sammy J and Adam Rozenbachs all linees up for future Funhouse fun. The Grandview Hotel is on the corner of Station and Heidelberg Rds, Fairfield. Be there!

MONIQUE BRUMBY as a teenager in Hobart and buy my albums secondhand there. Aretha, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone – all wonderful artists who have inspired me just by their brutal honesty when they sing.

Clearly the big issue from both state and federal budgets is the continued imbalance between funding for ‘heritage’ music and contemporary music. As Sydney academic John Wardle points out, the federal arts administrator, the Australia Council, spends about $4 for every Australian on classical music each year and less than 20 cents for each Australian on programs to support contemporary music annually. Rather than taking away from other art forms, we need to increase the contemporary music funding pie. Fortunately, Federal Arts Minister Simon Crean has announced that Mr Harold Mitchell, the executive chairman of the Mitchell Communication Group, will undertake a review of private sector support for the arts in Australia and how arts funding is distributed, and we’ll be making some strong arguments to him about evening up the ledger.

What releases do you have coming up?

BANG TO FORGIVE

The record I put on when I’m really miserable is… Berlin by Lou Reed if I wanna feel sadder, otherwise I listen to Stone Roses if I wanna feel good about my sadness. The record I put on when I bring someone home is… Maxwell, Fiona Apple maybe. That’s a tough one ‘cause I recently got married so when I bring my wife home we listen to whatever floats our boat at the time. If I bring my whippet home from the park she likes to listen to me play guitar. She gets all dreamy, funny thing. The best record I stole from my folks’ collection was… Rod Stewart’s Greatest Hits. Sailing, Downtown Train, You’re In My Heart – yeah, I did sing along. I listened to Rod quite a bit. Him in his silky pink shirt… my mum had the hots for him. That husky tone sure won over the ladies.” The first record I bought with my own money was… an Aretha Franklin album, can’t recall the title. I used to go into Aeroplane Records

The most surprising record in my collection is… Screaming For Vengeance – Judas Priest. The last thing I bought/downloaded was… Sainthood – Tegan & Sara. I like quirky singer/songwriters. Some other faves are Patti Smith, Ron Sexsmith and Suzanne Vega. Monique Brumby launches her new single at the Northcote Social Club this Saturday.

twitter.com/inpressmag

HOLY INCHES The Holy Sea are set to launch their first vinyl release: the limited edition and numbered 7” double-A single The Ten Rules/St Thomas Sound. The release follows on from the critical acclaim for their 2010 album Ghosts Of The Horizon, which was nominated for Album Of The Year in the 2010 Rolling Stone magazine awards. Make sure you join The Holy Sea for a very special evening, as they launch the 7” with special guests Buried Horses and The Andrew Higgs Band at the Builders Arms this Friday night. Entry is $12 from 8pm.

live@inpress.com.au

MAJOR AVENT Ma Petite is Melbourne-based musician Indiana Avent’s solo project. After spending half of last year in North America touring and recording with artists such as Soko and Zachary Lucky, Avent is heading back there… to live! She will be recording Ma Petite’s debut album in Vancouver and then residing there for as long as Canada will have her. Playing her last gig in Melbourne, Ma Petite will headline a bon voyage show with guests Georgia Fields, Elk & Whale and Tim Woods at the Northcote Social Club this Thursday.

PRICE OF GAS IN IOWA

LOON ECLIPSE Garage infused indie pop five-piece Loon Lake spent last summer in the studio, feverishly polishing and perfecting their thrilling debut EP, Not Just Friends. The result is an arresting and infectious debut only a band of brothers – Simon, Sam and Nick along with two close friends Tim and Dan – could produce. Mixed by Robin Mae (Nick Cave, John Butler Trio), Not Just Friends will be released on 3 June and comprises six hook-laden tracks that combine frenetic vocals and sweet harmonies, leaving raw sincerity resonating from every infectiously raucous riff. With Triple J already giving their demos some love, it’s sure to be a big one when they launch the EP at Ding Dong on Friday 3 June with Frowning Clouds in support. Tickets are $10+BF from Oztix. Loon Lake also support Red Riders at the Northcote Social Club on Friday 17 June.

Noisy stoner rockers Iowa play their last show this Friday at the Gasometer Hotel in Collingwood before they head into Head Gap Studios to record their debut record with Neil Thomason (My Disco, Ricane, Adam Harding). Support comes from Tall Buildings, featuring members of Gersey, who have just released their killer debut album, and relatively new yet sonically huge shoegazers Slow Ocean Mind. Doors swing open at 9pm and

its only $5 entry! Iowa will be playing a bunch of new songs for the first time and will have copies of both the Red and Green 7” records for sale for $10.

STALKERS CARE Recent times have seen energetic three-piece Dear Stalker play live shows all over Melbourne (including the legendary Arthouse in its final months), and shoot their debut video for the track In A Right Mind, which is currently getting airtime on Rage and features on Fist2Face’s first ever Music2Face compilation. Don’t miss out on your last chance to see the Stalker for a while – the band plans to lay low for the next few months, organising tours, planning the international release of their debut EP and working on material for a debut album. Squeeze into IDGAFF this Thursday – entry is $6 from 8pm, and BOB and Hands Like Ours support.

WILD ABOUT HARRY It has been a long time since a trumpet melody could climb to the top of the charts, a pop song

could bring a tear to your eye and a smile to your heart. Sound cheesy? Well that’s nostalgia, baby. Best known for his performances with The Cat Empire and Jackson Jackson, Harry James Angus takes to the stage with his award-winning band as part of the Stonnington Jazz Festival at Red Bennies this Thursday night. Playing all the hits of the 1940s, The Harry James Angus Band create a live show like no other. Tickets are $33+BF from redbennies.com.au.

EAT, PRAY, ROCK Monday Night Mass sees the Northcote Social Club bandroom door thrown open for a free, three-band extravaganza from the deepest caverns of Melbourne’s underground. Every week the venue will be bringing you some of Melbourne’s loudest, brashest and most brazen local offerings. From 6pm smash a chicken or eggplant parma for the bargain price of $15 and jugs of Draught all night for $12. Bands start from 8.30pm and the kitchen is open ‘til 9.30pm. Kicking things off on Monday 30 May are brutal, free-jazz/grindnoise quartet Embers, Actual Holes and DEAD.

Ashleigh Mannix will play alongside Laura Hill this Friday at the Red Till (Anglesea), Saturday at the National Hotel (Geelong) and Sunday at the Empress. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING? Ashleigh Mannix: “I’ve been playing guitar and singing for about ten years.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “Yeah, I have a few CDs – a couple of studio-recorded EPs and a live album. I really love mucking around, playing music in my room and with friends, but it’s great when you can capture and record the music you create and make a CD too. I prefer recording live than in a studio. I’m actually getting ready to record a new EP next month.” CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Acoustic. Folk. Blues. Roots.” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “Fleetwood Mac for sure. I just love them! I reckon if I ever met Stevie Nicks I’d die.” IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “The Best Of James Taylor.” DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “No, I don’t have anything superstitious with clothing, but I do get funny with my jewellery. I always have to make sure I’m wearing earrings and at least one necklace… If I forget to wear any I don’t feel right on stage. Weird!” IF YOU INVITED SOMEONE AWESOME ROUND FOR DINNER WHAT WOULD YOU COOK? “I’m a shocker in the kitchen, but I make a mean apple and peanut butter toasted sandwich. Yeah, I’d probably order in.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRINK IN MELBOURNE? “I haven’t spent heaps of time in Melbourne so I don’t know many places, but I always have a fun time at the Espy.”

twitter.com/inpressmag

live@inpress.com.au

HOWZAT! Local music news by JEFF JENKINS

JUST ADD MAYO Howzat! recently went to the footy with a recording engineer who now works for a bank. “Why did you leave the music business?” we asked. “Because I was tired of seeing great bands getting nowhere.” Howzat! is astonished that Adelaide’s Myles Mayo is not a star. He gets some Triple J love, but he should also be all over commercial radio. After four albums fronting Special Patrol, Myles recently released his sparkling self-titled solo debut (on Other Tongues). To Howzat!’s ears, the album sounds similar to Special Patrol. But Myles says, “It feels a little less serious. I tried to make the album exist in a makebelieve world, almost like a real life, modern, dark fairytale.” Myles Mayo

HAY TRIPPER When he was a young boy in Scotland, Colin Hay wanted to be in The Beatles. His dad, who had a music shop, told his son he thought the band would do well. Colin was 14 when his family moved to Melbourne in 1967. He never quite got to join The Beatles, but Howzat! was struck by Colin’s close connection to the band when he played at the Corner on Sunday. He did two tours with Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band, and he met Paul McCartney when Paul went to one of Colin’s gigs at Largo in LA. Paul later revealed that Colin’s Going Somewhere was one of his favourite songs, and he and Heather Mills invited themselves to dinner at Colin’s house. He served them Peruvian rice and Cuban beans. They announced their divorce a couple of weeks later and Colin was worried it was the beans. Colin – who has just released a new album, Gathering Mercury – also revealed to the Corner crowd he “loved the weed” and was stoned

when he wrote all the Men At Work hits. “When I say, ‘all the hits’, there were five or six, which is better than one and not quite as good as ten. I’d like to think I could have written them straight, but I’ll never know, will I,” Colin laughed.

Roy DAMIEN LEITH (number three)

CHART WATCH

Greatest Hits THE SEEKERS (31)

No Aussie singles in the top ten. We Run The Night DJ HAVANA BROWN (number 11) From The Music THE POTBELLEEZ (21) Loud STAN WALKER (36) Hip hop act Vents has a big debut with his second album. Touring with Andre Rieu sees The Seekers back on the charts. And the new Trial Kennedy album lands at 48.

Rrakala GURRUMUL (16) The Life Of Riley DRAPHT (22) Marked For Death VENTS (25, debut)

Birds Of Tokyo BIRDS OF TOKYO (40)

HOWZAT! PLAYLIST Crazy Like Me MYLES MAYO Send Somebody COLIN HAY You Can SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR Before Now CAITLIN HARNETT Great Expectations MFTCC

The album also features a Special Patrol flashback – the album concludes with a re-recorded version of Like I Loved You Then, which was also the closing cut on the band’s 2009 album, The Stranger’s Dozen. “I recorded close to 20 songs and that was one of them,” Myles says simply. “I then picked the 12 that fit together best. I liked that sketch-like version of it, and felt like it was closer to how I had imagined it originally. And it worked really well as a closer, with the sound of the tape being switched off to finish the album.” Myles gives Cyndi Lauper a shout-out (“If you fall, I will catch you, I’ll be there waiting, Cyndi Lauper said/But I can’t just sit ’round waiting for the fall, time after time”). Howzat! still loves She’s So Unusual. What were Myles’ favourite albums when he was at school? “Dylan’s Blood On The Tracks, Paul Simon’s Graceland, Jethro Tull’s Aqualung, You Am I’s Hourly, Daily, and Grandaddy’s Sumday are five that I listened to a lot growing up.” Myles is playing on Friday at the East Brunswick Club with Eskimo Joe.

CAN I HAVE ANOTHER PIECE? ‘Fiasco’ is a fabulous word. The new My Friend The Chocolate Cake album (out now on Shock) is called Fiasco, and it comes with a definition of the word: “Somewhere between the sacred and the bleeding ordinary”. The album – their first in four years – coincides with the band’s 21st anniversary. “There’s nothing louder than the sound when we pat ourselves on our backs,” David Bridie sings. But Fiasco is no exercise in indulgence. This is a sterling set of suburban stories. Not all of it is pretty (check out Foreigner, which starts, “Nobody will notice when the foreigner goes down/Nobody misses a beat when his head hits the ground”). MFTCC are even better when they lighten up – the wonderfully playful Great Expectations is sure to be a live fave. Speaking of which, MFTCC are playing at the Arts Centre on Saturday. It’s time David Bridie was inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame. He’s had a remarkable career, with Not Drowning, Waving, MFTCC, screen composing and his work with indigenous artists. And Fiasco shows there’s a lot of life left in him. You can have your Cake and eat it, too.

GREAT BAND NAMES #238 There’s a lot to love about the band name China Vagina. It’s kind of offensive, but not really. It’s more comical than crass. And it’s memorable. More importantly, China Vagina are an impressive band, with riffs reminiscent of classic Oz rock, from Rose Tattoo to Radio Birdman. China Vagina play at the Espy Basement on Friday, with Destroy She Said.

gigguide@inpress.com.au

WED 25

Adam Katz, Ben Anderson, Brendan Tsui, Christian Meyer, Sam Hirshfelder Paris Cat Jazz Club Alexis Nicole and the Missing Pieces Edinburgh Castle Hotel Alistair Parsons Band, Young/Brates/Maguire 303 Anna’s Go Go Academy Bendigo Hotel Bomba The Night Cat Bopstretch Uptown Jazz Café Boy & Bear, Jinja Safari, Emma Louise Corner Hotel Das Musik Mann The Standard Hotel Dave Panichi Septet, Murphy’s Law Bennetts Lane Dizzys Big Band Dizzy’s Jazz Club Fierce, The Chappell Show, Im Joel Nolan Karova Lounge Fromage Disco New Guernica Genevieve Chadwick Clifton Hill Hotel Hit the Turf Turf Bar Jenny Biddle, Club Crain, Burning Violet Bridges, The Hidden Venture Esplanade Lounge Kasey Chambers, Shane Nicholson, Bill Chambers, Ashleigh Dallas Hallam Hotel Marty Williams Baha Matty Raovich, PCP Lounge Bar Mikey Young, Spidey, Adalita Revolver Open Mic Brunswick Hotel Open Mic Elwood Lounge Open Mic The Bender Bar Parkway Drive, Miss May I, The Wonder Years, Confession Festival Hall Rapala, Brittany Green, Matthew Blair Builders Arms Hotel Restream, Mountain Static, Aoi, DJ Because Goodbye Workers Club Sean Simmons Retreat Hotel Simon Astley, Ben Smith Wesley Anne Sizzle, Backlash Brew, Project Puzzle Miss Libertine Sleep Decade, Leagues, Frames The Toff In Town Stand and Deliver, Petar Tolich Co., Crown The Blue Jays, My Left Boot Cherry Bar The Ovals, Tehachapi, The Sunblindness Grace Darling Hotel The Pigram Brothers, Alex Lloyd, Jack Carty Northcote Social Club

The Red Jane Show, HMAS Vendetta, Rusty (Electric Mary), Delsinki Jane Evelyn Hotel The Reigate Squire, Cameron & Co., The Pears Empress Hotel Thomy & The Tanks, Wicked City, The Spinning Rooms The Old Bar Through The Window Veludo Wednesday Soul Army, Vince Peach, Miss Goldie, Prequel, Black Diamond Kicks Bimbo Deluxe Where Were You At Lunch, Sarah Mary Chadwick, Chris Smith, A Wallace Bar Open White Walls, Borders, The Stevens, Jumpin Jack The Tote Wine, Whiskey, Women, Sarah Carroll, Zikora The Drunken Poet

THU 26

Ainslie Wills, Major Chord Edinburgh Castle Hotel All Fires The Fire, Pretty Strangers, Little Audrey John Curtin Hotel Architecture In Helsinki, Zowie, Oscar & Martin The Hi-Fi Are You Armed?, 23rd of Elvis, Blind Pilots The Tote Bent Cabaret, Miss Deviant, Trixie Venom, Kitty Rock, Miss Juliet, Mad Dame Bendigo Hotel Boy & Bear, Jinja Safari, Emma Louise Corner Hotel Brian Cadd, Russell Morris York on Lilydale Brian Mannix, Scott Carne, Dale Ryder, David Sterry Gateway Hotel Charging North, Foxtrot, Calvacade, Love/Hate Pony Clowns, Cold Hiker, Humans Esplanade Basement Cylinders The Sporting Club Dave Panichi Hammond Trio Uptown Jazz Café Dead River Deeps National Hotel Deja, Richard Lipp, Yuko Nishiyama Grace Darling Hotel Dozers, Zombie, See Saw, Breaker Morant, Burn That Cat DJs Ding Dong Lounge Elf Tranzporter Horse Bazaar Finlo White, Kitty Kat Co., Crown Genevieve Chadwick The Fox Hotel Collingwood Glory Tuesday, Glycerine, The Scarletons 303

Goodtime Medicine Band Lomond Hotel Harry James Angus Band Red Bennies Ikarii, The Close, September Falls Revolver Jail Bird Jokers, Dead Canary, Cloudmouth The Prague Jason Lowe, Joshua Seymour The Drunken Poet Joe Bonamassa, Claude Hay The Palais Kasey Chambers, Shane Nicholson, Bill Chambers, Ashleigh Dallas John Leslie Theatre Little Wise Elwood Lounge Ma Petite, Georgia Fields, Elk & Whale, Tim Woods Northcote Social Club Matt Glass, Shag Marry Kill, Kylina Wesley Anne Matty Grant, Matt Dean, Phil Ross Billboard Mood, Johan Elg, Photography Night Walks Loop Negative Magick New Guernica Night Skool DJs Eurotrashbar No Escape For the King, Los Dominados, The Pang The Old Bar Open Mic, The Big Fish & You The Grandview Hotel Pez, Maya Jupiter, 360 Karova Lounge Rollin Connection, Paul Beynon, Jon Bets, Lister Cooray Miss Libertine Rosco James Irwin, The Magic Mountain Band, Tranter, Sleeves, Megawuoti, Supremes, TDAH The Toff In Town Sarah & The King Bees, Judge Pino & the Ruling Motions Retreat Hotel Scissor Grinder, The Borte Empress Hotel Screenings Esplanade Gershwin Room Sierra Fin, Joe Chindamo Trio Bennetts Lane Simon Phillips Veludo Skylines Cherry Bar Son Tres Mi Corazon Sonya Veronica Quartet Dizzy’s Jazz Club Sweet Jean Union Hotel Brunswick Tatu Rei Paris Cat Jazz Club The Bufty Boys, King Leghorn, Bits of Shit, The Red Twenties Brunswick Hotel The Cordyceps, Sea Cats, Massivists, The Old Faithfuls, Emily Sherbrook Yah Yah’s The Great Pub Quiz Challenge Cornish Arms Hotel

The Philistines, Drunk Mums, The Chaos Kids, The Pretty Littles, Merry Go Rounds Evelyn Hotel The Seminar of Funk The Night Cat The Wonder Years, Miss May I, Strickland, The Playbook Next Tiger Funk Bimbo Deluxe Unlucky DJs Seven Nightclub Vintage Cinema Great Britain Hotel Wiggle Pidgeon, Lashes to Lashes, Alex Rowe Builders Arms Hotel Wilderbeast, Dani Marie, Joe McGuigan Bar Open

FRI 27

180 Proof, Medusa, Elm Street, The Superguns Brunswick Hotel A.A.D.D., Neighbourhood Watchmen, Cirque De Freak, Arcane Saints The Prague About The Noise, Every Second Friday, Aricochet, Fierce Mild, Honeymoon Ghost Esplanade Gershwin Room Afreakya 2011, The Melodics, San Fran Disco, Scarlet City, The New Eileens Prince Bandroom Andrew Reid, Gianni Marinucci, Greg Spencer Dizzy’s Jazz Club Art of Wor, The Harlequin Chapter, Rapacious, Nine Of Swords, Iron Curtis Revolver Bareknuckle Burlesque, Casket Radio Cornish Arms Hotel Baryshnikov, Absolute Boys, Ships Piano, Electric Sea Spider, Heart Machine Fitzroy Bowls Club Blackout Bimbo Deluxe Boogs, Chardy, T-Rek, Adam Bartas, Stevie Mink, Dean Paps, Heath Renata, Kizzam, Mike Metro Billboard Boy & Bear, Jinja Safari, Emma Louise Corner Hotel Brad Rumberlow, Daniel Reeves The Bender Bar Brian Mannix, Scott Carne, Dale Ryder, Sean Kelly Ferntree Gully Hotel Brothers Grim & the Blue Murders, Joni Lightning, Essay Edwards, DJ Front Punch The Old Bar Buckley Ward, Chimneys, Brainsworth, DJ Issac Workers Club Ciao-A-Bunga, The Bonniwells, Le Foxx Grace Darling Hotel

Dandy Warhols Afterparty, Zia McCabe Ding Dong Lounge Deep St Soul Bar Open Destroy She Said, Free To Run, China Vagina Esplanade Basement Devolved, Widow the Sea, House Of Thumbs, Elysian, Dark Earth Rubys Lounge dustedORANGE, Twenty Two Hundred, Rock City Riff Raff, The Advocates Evelyn Hotel Electric Sea Spider, White Minus Red, Guerre, The Townhouses, Andrew Young Yah Yah’s Emma Dean, The Tiger & Me, Fronz Arp Empress Hotel Eskimo Joe, Myles Mayo, Felicity Groom East Brunswick Club First Floor DJs First Floor Francolin, Officer Parrot, Maggie & Elsie Rigby 303 Frankie Alibi & the Fugitives, Abbie Cardwell & Her Leading Men, Mr Doo Wop Bendigo Hotel Glory B, The Promises, Yanto Shortis & Band Wesley Anne Gypsy Brown The Night Cat Half Mast, Mindset, Declaration, Bateman, Re:enactment, Charlie Cooper Pony Jackhammer Flanagans Jen Knight & the Cavaliers, The Electric Sun Kings, Stealer Karova Lounge Junior Massive Giant, Royston Vasie, Kit & Con, James Young, Lucy Cherry Bar Kollosoul, Saskwatch Veludo Ladida DJs Ladida Lily Parker, Tessa & The Typecast, Kate McMahon, Joel Stibbard, Frankie Andrew Seraphim Little Sisters Builders Arms, early show Long Live Bon Scott Forum Theatre Mark Fitzgibbon Quartet Paris Cat Jazz Club Matt Dwyer Churchill Restaurant Melodics, Direct Influence, Jess Harlen, Saltwater, Rusty Esplanade Lounge Mezzanine, Count X Abode Mic Newman, Cosmo K, Lopan, Jem the Misfit Loop Milk, Boy Rides Monster, Daydream Pioneers, DJ Chowtown Public Bar

twitter.com/inpressmag

Morbid Angel, The Amenta, Ouroboros The Hi-Fi My Friend The Chocolate Cake Meeniyan Hall MZ Rizk Horse Bazaar Nikkos, Joe Sofo, Kitty Kat Co., Crown Orlando Party Edinburgh Castle Hotel Owl Eyes Miss Libertine Palomino The Sporting Club Pez, Maya Jupiter, 360 The Loft Pharmacy Brown Alley Pheasant Pluckers Lomond Hotel Phil Ross, Dean T, Chris Mac, DJ Atomik, Johnny M Fusion Nighclub Poprocks at the Toff, Dr Phil Smith The Toff In Town Post Percy, Thomas Pollard, Pingu, Simon TK New Guernica Sime Nugent & The Forefathers The Gem Streams of Whiskey The Vic Sunset Riot, Die Hard Dolls, The Deep End Barwon Club The Carnival: Circus Opera Red Bennies The Dandy Warhols The Palace Theatre The Dukes of Despair Burrinja Café The Frustrations, Ivy St, Matt Bailey The Tote The Holy Sea, Buried Horses, Chinook Builders Arms Hotel Traditional Irish Music Session, Dan Bourke & Friends The Drunken Poet Velvet DJs Seven Nightclub Wally Corkers Drunk Arsed Band, Cherrywood, The Jacks, Shaky Memorial Retreat Hotel WAYJO, Michelle Nicole Bennetts Lane WHO, Mr Moonshine, Snowie, Tahl, Muska Lounge Bar Xenograft, Moroccan Kings, Anna Salen, The Refunds Northcote Social Club

SAT 28

Allan Nonamaka, Problem Child, Freya, Fabels, Loki, Kyogen Loop Alumbra DJs Alumbra Alysia Manceau Edinburgh Castle, early show Andrew Reid, Royal Swazi Spa Dizzy’s Jazz Club Autumn Gray, Left Feels Right, Elephant Eyes Cornish Arms Hotel

Azari & III, Sunshine, Harris Robotis, Generik, Ando Prince Bandroom Bachelor Girl Forum Theatre Blunderbus, Guests Empress Hotel Boy & Bear, Jinja Safari, Emma Louise The Bended Elbow Brian Mannix, Scott Carne, Dale Ryder, David Sterry Commercial Hotel Burn November, Strange Love, Belle Havens, Super Fluid Esplanade Basement Col Elliot Ferntree Gully Hotel College Fall, She Hunter, Bryce Wastney, Chimneys Builders Arms Hotel Constant Mongrel, Mad Nanna, Valentiine, The Instincts, We Are Gamma, Little Foot The Tote Continental DJs Continental Hotel Corsairs, Tone Deaf DJ’s, Ransom, Nick Thayer, Paz, WHO, Mat Cant, Danielsan, Julien Love, Cosmic Tonic Veludo Cuba is Japan, Pow Pow Wow, I Dream In Transit, A Dead Forest Index, Orbits, Kins, Bachelor Kitchen DJs Workers Club Damn The Torpedoes, Piggy, LA Bastard The Vic Devolved, Widow the Sea, Trophy Knife, Untruth Esplanade Gershwin Room Emma Russack, Brendan Welch, Amy Galloway Empress Hotel, Arvo Show Engine 37, Branch Arterial, The Paradigm Shift, Riot in Toytown Evelyn Hotel Fearless Vampire Killers, Tessa & The Typecast, The House deFROST, Andee Frost The Toff In First Floor DJs First Floor Forgiven Rival, Of Whispers, The Aura Cura Bang Genevieve Chadwick, Fujiyama Lomond Hotel Geoff Lemon, Sean M Whelan, isnod, Elf Tranzporter, Izzy, Ezekiel Ox, Julez, Able Horse Bazaar Hello Sailor Vintage Fair, CRATE DIGGER RECORD FAIR, Brian Hooper Band, MJ Halloran & The Sinners, Spencer P Jones, Joe Kokomo Yah Yah’s Hot Step Bimbo Deluxe House of Rock The Palace Theatre House Party Eurotrashbar Ian Chaplin Trio Uptown Jazz Café Julie O’Hara Quintet Paris Cat Jazz Club

JVG Guitar Method, James McAnn, Russian Roulettes, Xander Retreat Hotel Kane Sole Elwood Lounge Kasey Chambers, Shane Nicholson, Bill Chambers, Ashleigh Dallas The Palms Kemp Barwon Club Kurtis Blow, Mu-Gen, Peril, Low Budget, Manchild, Phil Para Esplanade Lounge Leon Thomas, Helmsman Pete, Alexi Kaye, Juleiaah Bendigo Hotel Lights On at Heathrow, Sherrif John Curtin Hotel Little John, Buried Horses, Magic Mountain Band East Brunswick Club Lloyd Spiegel Martians Café Loonee Tunes, The Tabasco Junkies, Menage-a-ska Chandelier Room Luke McD, Nick Coleman, Darren Coburn Lounge Bar Lust, Mercy Kills, Dead City Ruins Cherry Bar Magic Bones, Mesa Cosa, Drifter, Fraser & the Grace Singers, River of Snakes, Grunge Betty Pony Malcolm Hill, Pearly Black Builders Arms, early show Matty G, Dean T Co., Crown Monique Brumby, Nick Batterham, Izzy Losi Northcote Social Club My Friend The Chocolate Cake The Arts Centre Polyfonik, Jamie Vlahos, Frazer Adnam, Scott McMahon, Mr Magoo, Ziggy Billboard Relax With Max The Night Cat Saturday Night Fish Fry The Gem Simmer Bar Open SINthetic, Lady J, SmuDJ, Syme Tollens Abode Special Event, Guerre, The Townhouses, Kharkov, Namine Loop Spoonful, Rebecca Barnard Threesome Union Hotel Brunswick Tate Strauss, Minx, Phil Ross, Nova, Johnny M Fusion Nighclub Teskey Brothers, Chicken House St Andrews Hotel The Bastard Children Great Britain Hotel The Dark Ale, Jeremy P Martin 303 The Dukes of Despair Riverstone Winery The Graveyard Train, Brothers Grim The Loft The Haunted The Hi-Fi

74 JOHNSTON ST FITZROY 9417 4155 WWW.THEOLDBAR.COM.AU OPEN EVERY NIGHT

WEDNESDAY 25TH MAY

Wed 25th May (Wine, Whiskey, Women) 8pm: Sarah Carroll 9pm: Zikora Thurs 26th May 8pm: Jason Lowe 9pm: Joshua Seymour Fri 27th May 6pm: Traditional Irish Music Session with Dan Bourke & Friends Sat 28th May 9pm: The Rechords Sun 29th May 4pm: Charles Jenkins 6.30pm: The Little Sisters Tues 31st May 8pm: Weekly Trivia

THOMY & THE TANKS WICKED CITY THE SPINNING ROOMS

THURSDAY 26TH MAY

12PM - 3AM 8.30PM FREE

12PM - 3AM

EAT NOISE PRESENTS:

NO ESCAPE FOR THE KING LOS DOMINADOS THE PANG

12PM - 3AM

JONI LIGHTNING ESSAY EDWARDS DJ FRONT PUNCH

8:30PM $12 12:30AM FREE

SATURDAY 28TH MAY

12PM - 3AM

JIMMY TAIT PLAGUE DOCTOR DJ DEL AMP

8:30PM $10 12:30AM FREE

BROTHERS GRIM & THE BLUE MURDERS

THE SPOILS SUNDAY 29TH MAY

CASH SAVAGE & THE LAST DRINKS HARMONY BURIED HORSES DJ SHAKY MEMORIAL

MONDAY 30TH MAY

HUF

OSCAR CROTCHETY KNITWITS KNITTING, SEWING, BOOZING. DJ SERIOUS JOE KOKOMO

All Shows Always Free!

TUESDAY 31ST MAY

ADRIAN WHYTE JIMMY CHRYSTAL ISABELLA HORSLEY

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

8:30PM $7

FRIDAY 27TH MAY

5PM - 3AM

8PM $5 12AM FREE

5PM - 3AM 8PM FREE 6PM FREE 10PM FREE

5PM - 3AM 8PM FREE

BANDBOOKINGS@THEOLDBAR.COM.AU

twitter.com/inpressmag

The Jaded Cats Old Colonial Hotel The ReChords The Drunken Poet The South Side Show, Mike Gurrieri, Doc Mustard, Knave Knixx Red Bennies The Spoils, Jimmy Tait, Plague Doctor, DJ Del Amp The Old Bar The Sweet Somethings, Vincent Stanley The Bender Bar The Tearaways, Lilly’s Radio, Cyclone Diablo, Foxtrot, Bad at Knitting, City Walls Autumn Falls, Musquito Brunswick Hotel The Tiger & Me The Sporting Club The Weathermen, Rosie Burgess Trio, Little Wise Wesley Anne Volytion, Red Sky Divide, Qualia Edinburgh Castle Hotel WAYJO, Michelle Nicole Bennetts Lane White Summer, The Feel Goods, Guests Of Ghosts Public Bar Winter Street, The Pretty Littles, The Red Lights, Mohair Slim, Emma Peel, Buddy Love Grace Darling Hotel Witch Grinder, Pretty Suicide, Octanic, As the Palaces Burn, Venomartyr The Prague

SUN 29

Afrodescia Alumbra Alexis Nicole The Sporting Club Bluehouse Northcote Social Club Boogs, Spacey Space, Radiator, T-Rek Revolver Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Harmony, Buried Horses, Shaky Memorial The Old Bar

Charles Jenkins, The Little Sisters The Drunken Poet Dave Steel, Tiffany Eckhardt, Woodward & Rough Lomond Hotel Dean & Curruthers Mentone Hotel DOS4GW, Aoi, Able, Yes/No/Maybe, Digital Assassin, Warpaint, Ruffles Bar Open Duck Musique Edinburgh Castle, early show Emma Donovan, Lady Lash, Candice Monique, Vida Sunshine, Andyblack, Haggis The Toff In Town Fats Wah Wah St Andrews Hotel Freddie White East Brunswick Club Go Go Sapien, Plague Doctor, Aitches Yah Yah’s Gunn Music Competition Esplanade Gershwin Room Headspace, Dale Ryder Band, Bad Boys Batucada Esplanade Lounge Hey Gringo Mordialloc Sporting Club Jacam Manricks Quartet Bennetts Lane Jeremy Woolhouse Trio Open Studio Kitty K & the Jager Bombs Cherry Bar Lionel Lee Elwood Lounge Lloyd Bosch, Burlesque Wesley Anne Louis King & The Liars Klub Great Britain Hotel Matthew Fagen, Laura Uhe Montsalvat Gallery Michelle Meehan, Carissa Stoneham, Ella, Jess Hieser, Damien Van De Geer, Good Suns, Opa 303 Nic Tate, Leah and Paul, Kings and Theives The Grandview Hotel Open Decks The Bender Bar

Orulas Crew The Night Cat Reviver, Emmy Bryce, Fat Gold Chain, Knight Discoteque Veludo Roller One The Post Office Hotel Seagull, Sleep Sound Builders Arms Hotel Seedy Jeezus, Friendly Yen, Scaramouche Grace Darling Hotel Shackelton Westernport Hotel Sheldon King, Tim Scanlan, Rowan Blackmore The Vic Simon Windley, James Mackay, Frankie Andrew, Isles, Sam Cole, Alie Picken, Azazeal Brunswick Hotel Spectrum trio Peacock Inn Stetson Family, The Light Rail, Den Hanrahan, Mick Daley Retreat Hotel Steve Magnusson/ Sergio Beresovsky Duo Uptown Jazz Café Sundae Shake, Phato A Mano, Agent 86, Tiger Funk Bimbo Deluxe Sunday Soul Sessions Bendigo Hotel Telecom, The Cheats Marquis Of Lorne Hotel The April Tree, Peter Bodin Chandelier Room The Garden of Eida, Alexis Nicole and the Missing Pieces, Geary, Jakks Azimuth The Prague The Gun Runners, Mindset, Crowned King, The Hawaiian Islands, Charging North, Strickland, Cavalcade, Declaration Evelyn Hotel The Jelly Tub Rollers, Kelli Ann Doll Red Bennies The Lights, Charlie Lim, Phia, Hazel Boot Workers Club The Patron Saints The Standard Hotel

The ReChords The Gem The Word Rubys Lounge Tracey McNeil The Carringbush Hotel Trivia Empress Hotel Winterun, Sons Of The Ionian Sea, Molten Duke Ranch, Catfish Voodoo The Tote

MON 30

8 Bit Love, Indigo Kids Evelyn Hotel Adam Hopkins, Bad Coriolis 303 Browne, Smeathers, Tinkler, Pankhurst Bennetts Lane Cherrywood Great Britain Hotel Chico Flash, Ark Naut Empress Hotel Embers, Actual Holes, Dead Northcote Social Club Huf, Oscar, DJ Serious Joe Kokomo, ‘Crotchety Knitwits’ The Old Bar iBimbo Bimbo Deluxe James Kane & Friends New Guernica Lizzie Veludo Mexican Mondays Retreat Hotel Open Mic Bertha Brown Screen Sect Bar Open Storytellers Night Brunswick Hotel The Pretty Littles Workers Club Zoophyte Esplanade Lounge

TUE 31

Best of Open Mic Night Veludo BluGuru, Andrew Clermont, Mal Webb 303 Chaplin/Rex/Barker Trio Uptown Jazz Café Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes, Jess Harlen The Toff In Town Dumplings DJs Eurotrashbar Ed Vine, Phil Ross, Cauc-Asian DJs, Mitch Kutz, Mau2dice, Jack Ebert Room 680 Gianni Marinucci Quartet Dizzy’s Jazz Club Irish Session Lomond Hotel Make it Up Club Bar Open Mariocart Championship Workers Club Matt Radovich, Andras Fox, Henry Who Bimbo Deluxe Melbourne Fresh Industry Showcase, Never Cheer Before You Know Whos Winning Revolver Open Mic Rubys Lounge Open Mic Wesley Anne Open Mic Night Empress Hotel Post Percy New Guernica Preston Perche, College Fall, Since We Kissed, Eric Parker Esplanade Lounge Rosie & George, Sambrose Automobile, The Call Up Evelyn Hotel Snag, Carl Pannuzzo Northcote Social Club Stomp Dog Retreat Hotel The Brunswick Discovery, Saving Cleopatra Brunswick Hotel Weekly Trivia The Drunken Poet

Adrian Whyte, Jimmy Chrystal, Isabella Horsley The Old Bar

twitter.com/inpressmag

ON THE STEREO Seeker Lover Keeper SEEKER LOVER KEEPER Meditations On The Sun MELODIE NELSON Oi! A Nova Musica Brasileira VARIOUS ARTISTS gigguide@inpress.com.au Note To Self JAMES CRUIKSHANK Everything’s Getting Older BILL WELLS & AIDAN MOFFAT Burning Bush Supper Club BEAR HANDS Belmar Sessions THE PEARLY SHELLS Those Shocking, Shaking Days VARIOUS ARTISTS Goodbye Gread TY SEGALL You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks SEASICK STEVE

3RRR SOUNDSCAPE Bachelorette BACHELORETTE Research MOUNTAIN STATIC Voyager JOELISTICS Rome DANGER MOUSE & DANIELE LUPPI Savage Kings BARRENCE WHITFIELD AND THE SAVAGES Moment Bends ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI Circuital MY MORNING JACKET Stone Rollin’ RAPHAEL SAADIQ Life Fantastic MAN MAN Keep Calm Carry The Monkey SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR

TRIPLE J HIT LIST Seeker Lover Keeper SEEKER LOVER KEEPER Calgary BON IVER Up Up Up GIVERS On A Train YUKSEK Booty City BLACK JOE LEWIS & THE HONEYBEARS All You Gotta Do SPLIT SECONDS Not One Of You DANGEROUS! What Am I Supposed To Do SIETTA The New You CONVAIRE Riverside AGNES OBEL

SYN TOP 10 Put Your Hands On Me LITTLE JOHN Where The River Flows MRS BISHOP Raiders OWL EYES Light All My Lights SEEKER LOVER KEEPER Polluted Sea THE BON SCOTTS Little Notes TINY RUINS Rollin’ Balls VENTS Women Run Tings VIDA-SUNSHYNE Calgary BON IVER True Love FRIENDLY FIRES

PBS TIPSHEET Kristin Berardi Meets The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra KRISTIN BERARDI & THE JAZZGROOVE MOTHERSHIP ORCHESTRA Of The Days GREY REVEREND There Is JONO MCCLEARY Numb3rs In Action WIL3Y I Am Very Far OKKERVIL RIVER Goblin TYLER, THE CREATOR EP CHARLIE LIM Agadez BOMBINO Creative Dreams TOKIMONSTA Rome DANGER MOUSE & DANIELE LUPPI

140 Sydney Rd

BRUNSWICKHOTEL.NET

9387 6637

NO COVER CHARGE

WEDNESDAY MAY 25TH - 8PM

THE BRUNSWICK HOTEL OPEN MIC $10 JUGS

THURSDAY MAY 26TH - 8PM

THE BUFTIE BOYS KING LEGHORN, BITS OF SHIT, THE RED TWENTIES

FRIDAY MAY 27TH - 9PM

180 PROOF MEDUSA, ELM STREET, THE SUPERGUNS

SATURDAY MAY 28TH -5PM

BAD AT KNITTING

CITY WALLS AUTUMN FALLS, MUSQUITO

9PM

THE TEARAWAYS LILLY’S RADIO, CYCLONE DIABLO, FOXTROT

SUNDAY MAY 29TH - 5PM

SIMON WINDLEY

JAMES MACKAY, FRANKIE ANDREW, ISLES, SAM COLE, ALIE PICKEN, AZAZEAL, RED HERRING, CARLY FERN AND KELLY BRUCE

MONDAY MAY 30TH - 8PM

ROUND AND ROUND STORYTELLERS NIGHT $10 JUGS HOSTED BY ROGER

TUESDAY MAY 31ST - 9PM

TUESDAY NIGHT BRUNSWICK DISCOVERY THIS WEEK: SAVING CLEOPATRA

163A Sydney Road, Brunswick 3058 Bookings/Enquiries thecornish@bigpond.com www.cornisharms.com.au

FRI 27TH

SIME NUGENT & THE FOREFATHERS

Kitchen Specials Mon - $12 burger & pot Tues - $6 pizza Wed - $14 porterhouse Fri - $6 pizza Thu - Great Pub Quiz Challenge

SAT 28TH

SATURDAY NIGHT FISH FRY

LIVE MUSIC & EVENTS

FRIDAY MAY 27

Sun 29TH

Bareknuckle Burlesque

the rechords

Casket Radio Free

SATURDAY MAY 28

Autumn Grey Left Feels Right Elephant Eyes

gembookings@gmail.com

Free

COMING UP

Timbre Terrorists, Monkeys Pirate, I, a Man, Blackchords, Damn Terran, Dark Shadows, Grouse Party and heaps more!

289 WELLINGTON ST COLLINGWOOD 94195170

Function Room Available Kitchen Open Every Evening

KITCHEN OPEN 6 NIGHTS twitter.com/inpressmag

gigguide@inpress.com.au

BANG Saturday Forgiven Rival, Of Whispers, The Aura Cura

BAR OPEN Wednesday Where Were You At Lunch, Sarah Mary Chadwick, Chris Smith, A Wallace Thursday Wilderbeast, Dani Marie, Joe McGuigan Friday Deep St Soul Saturday Simmer Sunday DOS4GW, Aoi, Able, Yes/No/Maybe, Digital Assassin, Warpaint, Ruffles Monday Screen Sect Tuesday Make it Up Club

BENDIGO HOTEL Wednesday Anna’s Go Go Academy Thursday Bent Cabaret, Miss Deviant, Trixie Venom, Kitty Rock, Miss Juliet, Mad Dame Friday Frankie Alibi & the Fugitives, Abbie Cardwell & Her Leading Men, Mr Doo Wop Saturday Leon Thomas, Helmsman Pete, Alexi Kaye, Juleiaah Sunday Sunday Soul Sessions

BILLBOARD Thursday Matty Grant, Matt Dean, Phil Ross Friday Boogs, Chardy, T-Rek, Adam Bartas, Stevie Mink, Dean Paps, Heath Renata, Kizzam, Mike Metro Saturday Polyfonik, Jamie Vlahos, Frazer Adnam, Scott McMahon, Mr Magoo, Ziggy

BIMBO DELUXE Wednesday Wednesday Soul Army, Vince Peach, Miss Goldie, Prequel, Black Diamond Kicks Thursday Tiger Funk Friday Blackout Saturday Hot Step Sunday Sundae Shake, Phato A Mano, Agent 86, Tiger Funk Monday iBimbo

Tuesday Matt Radovich, Andras Fox, Henry Who

Saturday Autumn Gray, Left Feels Right, Elephant Eyes

BRUNSWICK HOTEL

EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB

Wednesday Open Mic Thursday The Bufty Boys, King Leghorn, Bits of Shit, The Red Twenties Friday 180 Proof, Medusa, Elm Street, The Superguns Saturday The Tearaways, Lilly’s Radio, Cyclone Diablo, Foxtrot, Bad at Knitting, City Walls Autumn Falls, Musquito Sunday Simon Windley, James Mackay, Frankie Andrew, Isles, Sam Cole, Alie Picken, Azazeal Monday Storytellers Night Tuesday The Brunswick Discovery, Saving Cleopatra

Friday Eskimo Joe, Myles Mayo, Felicity Groom Saturday Little John, Buried Horses, Magic Mountain Band Sunday Freddie White

EDINBURGH CASTLE HOTEL Wednesday Alexis Nicole and the Missing Pieces Thursday Ainslie Wills, Major Chord Friday Orlando Party Saturday Volytion, Red Sky Divide, Qualia

EMPRESS HOTEL

Wednesday Rapala, Brittany Green, Matthew Blair Thursday Wiggle Pidgeon, Lashes to Lashes, Alex Rowe Friday The Holy Sea, Buried Horses, Chinook Saturday College Fall, She Hunter, Bryce Wastney, Chimneys Sunday Seagull, Sleep Sound

Wednesday The Reigate Squire, Cameron & Co., The Pears Thursday Scissor Grinder, The Borte Friday Emma Dean, The Tiger & Me, Fronz Arp Saturday Blunderbus, Guests Sunday Trivia Monday Chico Flash, Ark Naut Tuesday Open Mic Night

BUILDERS ARMS, EARLY SHOW

EMPRESS HOTEL, ARVO SHOW

Friday Little Sisters Saturday Malcolm Hill, Pearly Black

Saturday Emma Russack, Brendan Welch, Amy Galloway

BUILDERS ARMS HOTEL

CORNER HOTEL Wednesday Boy & Bear, Jinja Safari, Emma Louise Thursday Boy & Bear, Jinja Safari, Emma Louise Friday Boy & Bear, Jinja Safari, Emma Louise

CORNISH ARMS HOTEL Thursday The Great Pub Quiz Challenge Friday Bareknuckle Burlesque, Casket Radio

ESPLANADE BASEMENT Thursday Clowns, Cold Hiker, Humans Friday Destroy She Said, Free To Run, China Vagina Saturday Burn November, Strange Love, Belle Havens, Super Fluid

ESPLANADE GERSHWIN ROOM Thursday Screenings Friday About The Noise, Every Second Friday, Aricochet, Fierce Mild, Honeymoon Ghost

Saturday Devolved, Widow the Sea, Trophy Knife, Untruth Sunday Gunn Music Competition

ESPLANADE LOUNGE Wednesday Jenny Biddle, Club Crain, Burning Violet Bridges, The Hidden Venture Friday Melodics, Direct Influence, Jess Harlen, Saltwater, Rusty Saturday Kurtis Blow, Mu-Gen, Peril, Low Budget, Manchild, Phil Para Sunday Headspace, Dale Ryder Band, Bad Boys Batucada Monday Zoophyte Tuesday Preston Perche, College Fall, Since We Kissed, Eric Parker

EVELYN HOTEL Wednesday The Red Jane Show, HMAS Vendetta, Rusty (Electric Mary), Delsinki Jane Thursday The Philistines, Drunk Mums, The Chaos Kids, The Pretty Littles, Merry Go Rounds Friday dustedORANGE, Twenty Two Hundred, Rock City Riff Raff, The Advocates Saturday Engine 37, Branch Arterial, The Paradigm Shift, Riot in Toytown Sunday The Gun Runners, Mindset, Crowned King, The Hawaiian Islands, Charging North, Strickland, Cavalcade, Declaration Monday 8 Bit Love, Indigo Kids Tuesday Rosie & George, Sambrose Automobile, The Call Up

GRACE DARLING HOTEL Wednesday The Ovals, Tehachapi, The Sunblindness Thursday Deja, Richard Lipp, Yuko Nishiyama Friday Ciao-A-Bunga, The Bonniwells, Le Foxx

Saturday Winter Street, The Pretty Littles, The Red Lights, Mohair Slim, Emma Peel, Buddy Love Sunday Seedy Jeezus, Friendly Yen, Scaramouche

LOOP Thursday Mood, Johan Elg, Photography Night Walks Friday Mic Newman, Cosmo K, Lopan, Jem the Misfit Saturday Special Event, Guerre, The Townhouses, Kharkov, Namine Saturday Allan Nonamaka, Problem Child, Freya, Fabels, Loki, Kyogen

NEXT Thursday The Wonder Years, Miss May I, Strickland, The Playbook

NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB Wednesday The Pigram Brothers, Alex Lloyd, Jack Carty Thursday Ma Petite, Georgia Fields, Elk & Whale, Tim Woods Friday Xenograft, Moroccan Kings, Anna Salen, The Refunds Saturday Monique Brumby, Nick Batterham, Izzy Losi Sunday Bluehouse Monday Embers, Actual Holes, Dead Tuesday Snag, Carl Pannuzzo

PONY Thursday Charging North, Foxtrot, Calvacade, Love/Hate Friday Half Mast, Mindset, Declaration, Bateman, Re:enactment, Charlie Cooper Saturday Magic Bones, Mesa Cosa, Drifter, Fraser & the Grace Singers, River of Snakes, Grunge Betty

PRINCE BANDROOM Friday Afreakya 2011, The Melodics, San Fran Disco, Scarlet City, The New Eileens Saturday Azari & III, Sunshine, Harris Robotis, Generik, Ando

twitter.com/inpressmag

PUBLIC BAR Friday Milk, Boy Rides Monster, Daydream Pioneers, DJ Chowtown Saturday White Summer, The Feel Goods, Guests Of Ghosts

THE DRUNKEN POET Wednesday Wine, Whiskey, Women, Sarah Carroll, Zikora Thursday Jason Lowe, Joshua Seymour Friday Traditional Irish Music Session, Dan Bourke & Friends Saturday The ReChords Sunday Charles Jenkins, The Little Sisters Tuesday Weekly Trivia

THE GEM Friday Sime Nugent & The Forefathers Saturday Saturday Night Fish Fry Sunday The ReChords

THE GRANDVIEW HOTEL Thursday Open Mic, The Big Fish & You Sunday Nic Tate, Leah and Paul, Kings and Theives

THE HI-FI Thursday Architecture In Helsinki, Zowie, Oscar & Martin Friday Morbid Angel, The Amenta, Ouroboros Saturday The Haunted

THE OLD BAR Wednesday Thomy & The Tanks, Wicked City, The Spinning Rooms Thursday No Escape For the King, Los Dominados, The Pang Friday Brothers Grim & the Blue Murders, Joni Lightning, Essay Edwards, DJ Front Punch Saturday The Spoils, Jimmy Tait, Plague Doctor, DJ Del Amp

Sunday Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Harmony, Buried Horses, Shaky Memorial Monday Huf, Oscar, DJ Serious Joe Kokomo, ‘Crotchety Knitwits’ Tuesday Adrian Whyte, Jimmy Chrystal, Isabella Horsley

THE STANDARD HOTEL Wednesday Das Musik Mann Sunday The Patron Saints

THE TOFF IN TOWN Wednesday Sleep Decade, Leagues, Frames Thursday Rosco James Irwin, The Magic Mountain Band, Tranter, Sleeves, Megawuoti, Supremes, TDAH Friday Poprocks at the Toff, Dr Phil Smith Saturday Fearless Vampire Killers, Tessa & The Typecast, The House deFROST, Andee Frost Sunday Emma Donovan, Lady Lash, Candice Monique, Vida Sunshine, Andyblack, Haggis Tuesday Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes, Jess Harlen

THE TOTE Wednesday White Walls, Borders, The Stevens, Jumpin Jack Thursday Are You Armed?, 23rd of Elvis, Blind Pilots Friday The Frustrations, Ivy St, Matt Bailey Saturday Constant Mongrel, Mad Nanna, Valentiine, The Instincts, We Are Gamma, Little Foot Sunday Winterun, Sons Of The Ionian Sea, Molten Duke Ranch, Catfish Voodoo

THE VIC Friday Streams of Whiskey Saturday Damn The Torpedoes, Piggy, LA Bastard Sunday Sheldon King, Tim Scanlan, Rowan Blackmore

UNION HOTEL BRUNSWICK Thursday Sweet Jean Saturday Spoonful, Rebecca Barnard Threesome

WESLEY ANNE Wednesday Simon Astley, Ben Smith Thursday Matt Glass, Shag Marry Kill, Kylina Friday Glory B, The Promises, Yanto Shortis & Band Saturday The Weathermen, Rosie Burgess Trio, Little Wise Sunday Lloyd Bosch, Burlesque Tuesday Open Mic

WORKERS CLUB Wednesday Restream, Mountain Static, Aoi, DJ Because Goodbye Friday Buckley Ward, Chimneys, Brainsworth, DJ Issac Saturday Cuba is Japan, Pow Pow Wow, I Dream In Transit, A Dead Forest Index, Orbits, Kins, Bachelor Kitchen DJs Sunday The Lights, Charlie Lim, Phia, Hazel Boot Monday The Pretty Littles Tuesday Mariocart Championship

YAH YAH’S Thursday The Cordyceps, Sea Cats, Massivists, The Old Faithfuls, Emily Sherbrook Friday Electric Sea Spider, White Minus Red, Guerre, The Townhouses, Andrew Young Saturday Hello Sailor Vintage Fair, CRATE DIGGER RECORD FAIR, Brian Hooper Band, MJ Halloran & The Sinners, Spencer P Jones, Joe Kokomo Sunday*Go Go Sapien, Plague Doctor, Aitches

MUSIC NEWS. INDUSTRY REPORTS. POP CULTURE UPDATES. CURRENT AFFAIRS THAT MATTER. ‘CLIFF NOTES’ SUMMARY OF THE DAY’S BIG STORIES. AND, OTHER SHIT THAT CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION. SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR DAILY SPA NEWSLETTER AT

DELIVERED TO YOU INBOX EVERY WEEKDAY AFTERNOON. PLUS, IT’S SFW.*

THEMUSIC.COM.AU AND YOURDAILY SPA POWERED BY STREET PRESS AUSTRALIA

*MOST OF THE TIME…

twitter.com/inpressmag

BEHIND THE LINES WORKING WITH SCHREIFELS

Pennsylvanian punk band Title Fight released their debut album, Shed, a couple of weeks ago and Inpress took the opportunity to ask the band’s drummer, Ben Russin, what it was like to record with hardcore producer Walter Schreifels (Gorilla Biscuits, Rival Schools, Quicksand), at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, in their home state. “We’ve never worked with a producer before, and we’ve also never been in the studio for more than four days, so this process was a pretty big learning experience for us. Walter taught us that vibe is most important when recording, and that the human element is also a necessity for a natural, honest record. We initially tracked every song live, and if the song just felt good when we played, we kept it. It didn’t matter if there were slight mistakes or nuances, because we clicked together when we played it as a band and that was what mattered. It was an honour to get to work with Walter, someone we all look up to, and are really happy that his influence on Shed helped us create a record we are really proud of.” Engineer on the session was Will Yip, and the album is out on Side One Dummy Records, distributed here through Shock.

OMEGA TO GARAGE BAND

The Lexicon Omega, a hand-sized desktop recording studio with Cubase LE 4 and Lexicon Pantheon Reverb Plug-In, is now able to be used in conjunction with your iPad to simultaneously record up to four tracks to the GarageBand application from Apple. The Lexicon Omega streams 24-bit audio at a 44.1KHz sample rate to an iPad over USB, utilising the Apple Camera connection kit to provide high quality audio for recording and playback. Part of the American Harman group of companies, which also manufactures JBL, Lexicon products are distributed in Australia by Jands.

SOUND BYTES

Arctic Monkeys took themselves off to Los Angeles to record their fourth album, Suck It And See, with fellow Briton producer James Ford, who’s done all their albums as well as Klaxons’ Myths Of The Near Future, and The Last Shadow Puppets album, at Sound City Studios, with James Brown engineering and Craig Silvey mixing the album. Orlando, Florida four-piece There For Tomorrow recorded their second album, The Verge, due beginning of July, with producer Michael Elvis Baskette (Incubus, Chevelle, Alter Bridge). Due out in July, the new George Thorogood & The Destroyers album, 2120 South Michigan Avenue, named after the original address of the legendary Chess Records, was produced by Tom Hambridge, who produced Buddy Guy’s Living Proof album, which won the 2010 Grammy winner for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Adelaide four-piece Dangerous! recorded their debut album, Teenage Rampage, in Los Angeles with producer Ulrich Wild (Deftones, Pantera). It was mixed by Marc McClusky (Weezer). Sydney five-piece Boy & Bear spent April locked away in a studio in Nashville with producer Joe Chiccarelli (The Strokes, White Stripes, The Shins) recording their as-yet-untitled next album. Now signed to Cotillion, distributed by Warner, Custom Kings co-singer, co-songwriter and multiinstrumentalist Jarrad Brown began recording what became the debut album, Good Times, for his side project Eagle & The Worm a couple of summers ago on hard-drives and four-track machines before finally cutting it over four days in a room in North Fitzroy, Melbourne, with Steven Schram (The Cat Empire, Little Red, Little Birdy) at the mixing desk. They say patience is a virtue – local musician Marcus Teague, formerly of Deloris, recorded, produced and mixed his debut album, which he’s releasing as Single Twin, though he’s called it Marcus Teague, over six years in his home using only GarageBand and a Rode NT-1000 microphone. Sydney band 46 Clicks went into Main Street Studios in Wollongong recently to record their debut EP, produced by Ian Hulme (The Choirboys). Also checking into Main Street recently was Over-Reactor, working with producer Adam Jordan over a 14-hour session during which they wrote and recorded a song in collaboration with a variety of Wollongong musicians from, among others, Free Agent Crew, Mind At Large and Equal Elements, the track being released on the Over-Reactor and Main Street Studios Facebook pages. Simon Holmes has been producing a few more tracks for Aerial Maps at Damien Gerard Sound Studios in Balmain, with Russell Pilling engineering. Having built their own studio over in Perth, The Panda Band got down to recording their new album, Charisma Weapon, then called in Magoo (Regurgitator, Kate Miller-Heidke, Midnight Oil) to mix it before sending it off to Steve Fallone to master at Sterling Sounds in New York City.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

SOUND ADVICE GEAR REVIEWS WITH RYAN MORTIMER tube amplifier, it will make an excellent substitute for demos, practicing and possibly even for onstage use as a solo artist.

IK Multimedia – Amplitube For iOS If there is anything that modern popular culture has taught us, it’s that anything that carries a lowercase ‘i’ in front of it will be either fantastic or utterly wretched – especially considering that most of these productions have nothing to do with Apple! Available on iPod, iPhone and iPad comes IK Multimedia’s iOS version of Amplitube. For your $23.99 (not including iRig connection), you will find five distinct amplifier models, five speaker cabinet models, two different kinds of microphones and 11 different individual stomp-boxes (only three can be run simultaneously) including an envelope filter, chorus, flanger, etc. With extra features like a speed-trainer, metronome, tuner, multi-track recorder with re-amping capabilities, the ability to apply effects to those record tracks and exporting and importing, you will find that the iRig version of Amplitube brings a lot more to the table than the limited challengers it topples. IK Multimedia has both managed to succeed in the world of iSomethings and guitar processing software. Straight out of the box you have what appears to be an extremely versatile tool that you would consider making the attempt to jam your big-rig stack in the garbage compactor. If you find yourself completely bored and unamused with the sounds, there’s an ever-expanding inventory inside of the ‘Gear Shop’ which currently is filled with outboard gear and Fender amps and pedals. While iRig is a product that won’t definitely replace a hefty

If you do wish to venture down the very uncertain avenue of using this live, you will be happy to know that IK Multimedia sells a reliable and fast-mounting bracket that can be used in both landscape and portrait orientations… It starts with an ‘i’ too; it’s called the iKlip – who possibly could have guessed that one, right? In (personal) conclusion, the iOS adapted version of Amplitube is worth every single cent, especially considering the iRig adapter can be used for a wide range of apps. Supplied by Mortstar; available from sound-music.com. ET Guitars – Tomahawk FX7 ET Guitars’ Tomahawk FX7 is as a simplified, bloodthirsty brutal weapon of mass destruction. The savageness inside of us all comes alive with the combination of a Sapelle mahogany body, threepiece maple neck, high output Alnico pickups and an ebony fretboard fitted with 24 Dunlop ‘6105’ frets that make this guitar more of a chainsaw loaded with dynamite rather than your traditional axe.

If you thought for one second that this guitar was a one trick pony, you couldn’t have been more wrong. While the FX7 has what appears to be a master volume knob, it is actually a push/pull-styled knob that also allows you to ‘coil-tap’, or in simpler terms, use your humbuckers as single coil pickups, allowing for six completely d different, switchable tones via the three-way t toggle switch – it should be noted that it’s beyond interesting to play a guitar that is capable of d death metal and disco at the same time. A with everything else that involves this As guitar, the clean tones are unflawed and perfectly rounded. There isn’t any other b brand that could rival the FX7, especially i terms of the craftsmanship involved, in let alone the matching price tag. Considering this guitar is less than $1,000 I w wouldn’t be surprised if they start popping u with a lot of popular musicians, even if up it’s for pure studio usage, keeping in mind that $1,000 is fairly cheap considering most people would s their souls to have one. sell A the end of the day this guitar will At never look out of place and most i importantly it will never sound out o place… You can be certain of t the Tomahawk FX7 will leave that m of an impact on you and your more f than a thermobaric weapon fans g going off right in your face!

This guitar is a very smooth, comfortable way to attack a heavier style of music. The neck’s C shape profiling makes it incredibly comfortable and easy to glide around even when standing, which is a great insurance that you will be shredding away to raise the dead in absolutely no time at all.

Supplied by ET Guitars; available from ETGuitars.com

FLOWERS IN BLOOM ICEHOUSE frontman IVA DAVIES takes BRYGET CHRISFIELD back to a time when being “crash-tackled by a couple of girls” onstage was commonplace and songs were often composed while exploring new gadgets.

t’s 30 years since Flowers changed their name to Icehouse, which they did to avoid confusion before touring internationally – a Scottish band called The Flowers were active at the time. Since the Sydney band’s debut album was called Icehouse, a decision was made to switch title and band name. A threedisc, 30th anniversary edition of Flowers’ Icehouse album – which includes a remastered version of the studio album, 19 live tracks originally recorded for radio and a 50-minute DVD – has just been released to mark the occasion and sounds remarkably current. This release is also the first from Icehouse’s catalogue to be made available in digital download format. On collating material for the live CD, Icehouse frontman Iva Davies reflects, “Keith [Welsh, bass] and I went though a lot of stuff. And then I had a lot of stuff in the lock-up, which I hadn’t looked at for 30 years, and, to be honest with you, I thought it was quite amazing that these tapes could be restored, because they weren’t stored in an optimum situation at all… It was way before DAT, so we’re talking quarter-inch, analogue, oxide tapes. Some of them were in the archives of the ABC – Double J live to air concerts – and some of them [were] from RRR. They were sourced from all sorts of places; some of them were in the national archive.” Although Davies says these original recordings were “pretty rough”, he praises the mastering engineer for “making it all work as one CD”. Of the live tracks that made the final cut, Davies acknowledges, “They are a very good historical document… One of my favourite moments is in a version of a song, which was a B-side from one of the singles on that first album, called Send Somebody. It was one of the earliest songs and then in the live recording you can hear there’s a place in the song where I stop singing. And Keith and I were listening to it going, ‘Huh? What’s going on there?’ And then of course I came back to the microphone laughing and what had happened was I was crash-tackled by a couple of girls – some stage invaders. The line when I got back to the microphone was, ‘They do what they can’, ha ha… In the end, that version of Send Somebody was the most satisfying musically, even though it was flawed. So I thought, ‘No, we should keep that moment, those sorts of things that happen.’” From Icehouse’s raw beginnings (“we started off as a covers band and we just gradually learned how to do it and added our own songs one at a time”), Davies recalls being distracted by sampling technology. “At a certain point I got diverted into the technologies,” he says of when he deviated from the guitar. “I was one of the first three to own a Fairlight [synthesiser], which was the very first sampler, for example.” Does Davies remember who the other two proud owners were? “I think Peter Gabriel and Stevie Wonder,” he speculates. “The

or whatever and just sat down in the corner and went, ‘Oh my god! How do you make that stuff fly around? I’ve gotta get into a recording studio and do stuff like that’.”

sampler changed the world, of course, and I firmly believe that great slabs of dance music and electronic music and hip hop and whatever just wouldn’t have existed without the sampler. And it was an Australian invention, which very few people know. But I got diverted from my original agenda and the original agenda, now that I’m viewing all this stuff in the Flowers period, was that I was besotted by the guitar to the point where I had a Marshall stack in my bedroom. And when I now see the film footage that’s included in the DVD, the live songs from New Zealand – it was a big, outdoor concert – I see myself playing that Les Paul with the Marshall and [recall], ‘I just used to live and breathe this guitar’.” Davies identifies his “absolute idol” when he first strapped on an electric guitar as Mick Ronson from The Spiders From Mars: “That was the sound that I was trying to get on the Flowers album. And that remained my benchmark for many years.” When asked what he had on high rotation while composing the Flowers material, Davies shares: “When my older friends got Dark Side Of The Moon on import, before it was famous, that album kinda blew my head off. I just remember walking into their share house – they were having a housewarming party, their first share house – and not even getting to the kitchen out the back where everybody was hanging because I walked through the lounge room, which was dark, and heard the helicopter or the heartbeat 10% DISCOUNT WITH THIS AD! EXPIRES 30/6/11

Blending organic and electronic elements came to define Icehouse’s sound “really quite by accident”. “I remember writing the song Icehouse,” Davies offers, “and I had a tape recorder in my flat which you could layer stuff on. For example, I recorded the drumbeat using cardboard boxes and bits of paper on the floor as snare drums and made this loop up. But we’d just bought this new string synthesiser called Solina String Ensemble, which are legendary now but it was a brand new thing and it had four different sounds. You could push buttons – it had four buttons on it. And I stayed up all night playing and developing the parts to the song Icehouse and changing the buttons every now and again. So a verse would be with ‘that’ button and a chorus would be with ‘that’ button and so on and so forth. And the entire development of that song was just this new gadget, exploring this new gadget, and by the morning I’d written lyrics to go with it and I sang the vocal on it.” Davies has since come full circle and finds himself drawn to his beloved Stratocaster once more. “I’m kind of revisiting my youth to the extent that I now have a rig set up – not in my bedroom, but in my home studio – and Fender have built a custom guitar for me,” he observes. “I’ve played Stratocasters for years and the electronics of it are quite particular, and I’ve designed it with them. So this is my thing again. I’m now getting back to that Marshall-ampin-my-bedroom mentality except now I’m using Fender amps. But the whole process of actually exploring the potential of a guitar – it’s the first time I’ve done it for 20 years, probably… So that’s where I am now is actually getting back to that situation where I’m really interested in getting the optimum result out of this instrument.” Icehouse-Flowers 30th anniversary edition is out now on UMA.

LMC GUITAR

TUITION - PERFORMANCE - SALES - REPAIR 330C SOUTH RD. HAMPTON EAST 3188 PH 9553 7262 WWW.LMCGUITAR.COM.AU

Tony “Jack The Bear” Mantz Proud RRR 0419 234and 100PBS

subscriber discounters

www.jackthebear.com.au

twitter.com/inpressmag

BAYSIDES PREMIER GUITAR SCHOOL

8dbegZ]Zch^kZ E6 hnhiZbh YZa^kZgZY! hZi je VcY

deZgViZY l^i] XgZl#

8dbeVXi! ZVhn id jhZ hdjcY hnhiZbh ndj XVc e^X`je

VcY VhhZbWaZ ndjghZa[#

8dbedcZcih hjX] Vh b^Xgde]dcZh! heZV`Zgh VcY Z[[ZXih

VgZ Vahd VkV^aVWaZ hZeVgViZan# E]dcZ BVg` 7Vggn %( .--. &... dg %)&. ..( .++ lll#WhhdjcY#Xdb#Vj WhhdjcY5W^\edcY#Xdb

FREE RECORDING DAY SPECIAL

OFFER AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME

(conditions apply) WORKSHOP NEW SONGS? LAY DOWN A DEMO? PRE-PRODUCTION FOR YOUR NEXT RELEASE? TRACKS FOR MYSPACE?

Engineer credits include: 2 X ARIA AWARD WINING “Gurrumul”

Studio (in the relaxed bush between Ballarat and Geelong) AND mobile multitrack recording. Servicing all western district areas Professional equipment, experienced engineer.

CALL or EMAIL: jeremy@leftofelephantsound.com.au M: 0421 836 876 WEBSITE: www.leftofelephantsound.com.au www.myspace.com/leftofelephantsound

$30 $55 $50 $50

$40 $65 $60 $60 $15 $20

$80

RECORDING PROJECT ROOM FROM $100

EMPLOYMENT ADMINISTRATION BRUNSWICK DRUMMER AVAILABLE. Versatile, Reliable, Friendly. Good gear. Live/ Studio. Keen to work with singer/songwriters. Ben 0404229750. Email benlindsaydrummer@gmail.com. myspace.com/ benlindsaydrummer iFlogID: 13139 Drummer who has performed with Lionel Richie, Rhianna, Vernon Ried (Living Colour) now taking limited number of students. call 0417164063 iFlogID: 13280

PROMOTER DAVIDOTTOMUSIC.COM is looking for 2 bright fun loving models to join our team in Brisbane. Promoting & playing in the band - NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED! Email Kittie with recent photokittielee@davidottomusic.com iFlogID: 13166

SALES & MARKETING People needed to send eMails offering a new music Book for sale. Must have own computer - payment by commission via Paypal. Contact Bill on (02) 9807-3137 or eMail: nadipa1@yahoo.com.au iFlogID: 13289

FOR SALE AMPS VASE ‘TRENDSETTER 60’ GUITAR TUBE AMP original 1960’s.2 2/12 matched cabs. HUGE sound.perfect condition.Aussie made.$1200 ono. Ph.0428744963. Cooroy. iFlogID: 13025

LANEY GH120 GUITAR HEAD 120 watt.2 channel.f/switchable.reverb. direct out.very punchy.great tone.UK made.VGC.$400.Ph.0428744963.Cooroy iFlogID: 13021

PEAVEY BANDIT 80WATT 12” GUITAR COMBO 2 channel.footswitchable.great fat tone.reverb/saturation etc.USA made. VGC.$350. Ph.0428744963. Cooroy iFlogID: 13019

PEAVEY WINDSOR SERIES 400WATT 4/12 SLANT CAB. supreme XL speakers.HUGE bottom end grunt.AS NEW cond.$500.. iFlogID: 13023

BASS

CD / DVD Attention Musicians, Record Collectors, Universities, Libraries - new Book (print/ cdROM/direct download) compiling 100 years of popular music. GO TO www. plattersaurus.com web-site on how to buy. Enquiries: (02) 9807-3137 eMail: nadipa1@yahoo.com.au iFlogID: 13287 Suicidal Tendencies S/T & Join the Army CDs Signed by Mike Muir. $29each ono Ph:0449713338 iFlogID: 13314

COMPUTERS Toshiba Satellite U400 GREAT DESIGN 13inch Windows7 4Gig 250HDD like new. $600 ono Call Dean on 0433 095 822 Pick up or delivery can be organised. See pics on iflog iFlogID: 13273

DRUMS TAMA Drums Shirt signed by John Tempesta (White Zombie, Rob Zombie, The Cult, Testament, Exodus, Helmet), Black, XL, New. $30 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13457 WANTED VINTAGE DRUM KIT, old Ludwig, Gretsch etc. Also want vintage snare drums etc. Sydney based but will pay top $ and arrange courier. Ph 0419760940 iFlogID: 13234

GUITARS FENDER PINK PAISLEY STRAT. genuine 1980’s.all original.in case.great tone/action/condition.very rare.$2500 ono.Ph.0428744963.Cooroy iFlogID: 13027 GODIN MIDI GUITAR ACS SA Nylon string semi-solid body with piezo and 13-pin MIDI output plus the Terratec Axon AX100 Synth controller & AX101 MIDI pickup. $2,400 including delivery. THE001Music@hotmail.com iFlogID: 13086

KEYBOARDS KORG TRITON Extreme88 synthesizer in new condition with keyboard stand and damper pedal. Worth over $7,000 sell for $4,295 including delivery. Currently in Perth. Phone 0439301165 Email: THE001Music@hotmail.com iFlogID: 13084

CRADLE OF FILTH Godspeed and the Devil’s Thunder Gatefold 2 x Vinyl LP. Sleeve and Record are brand new Sealed! $25 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13340 CYPRESS HILL 2004 Australian Tour Shirt. Brand New, Black, Medium. Til Death Do Us Part image on front and tour dates on back. $20 Ph.0449713338 iFlogID: 13445 DIMMU BORGIR In Sorte Diaboli Gatefold Vinyl LP + bonus 7”. Limited Edition No. 1424 of 2000. Sleeves and Records are brand new - Sealed. $35 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13334 GHOSTFACE KILLAH The Big Doe Rehab 2 x LP Vinyl. Sleeves and Records are brand new. $20 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13328 KING CRIMSON Beat Vinyl LP Signed by Adrian Belew (guitars on Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, Tori Amos albums). Sleeve and Record in excellent condition. $30 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13320 NINE INCH NAILS Closer 12” Vinyl: further away (part one of a two record set), 1994. SEALED!!! VERY RARE! $90 ono Ph:0449713338 iFlogID: 13344 NINE INCH NAILS Year Zero Triple Gatefold 2 x Vinyl LP. Special Edition Heavy Etched Vinyl w/16 page book! Sealed! $60 Ph:0449713338 iFlogID: 13346 PETE ROCK NY’s Finest 2 X Vinyl LP. Sleeves and Records are brand new. $25 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13332 SHELLAC 1000 Hurts Vinyl LP + CD. Steve Albini’s band! Record, Sleeve and CD in Excellent Condition. Outer box in good condition. $25 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13342 SUICIDAL TENDENCIES #13 Basketball Jersey signed by Mike Muir - blue, Medium, As New. $45 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13455 THE TEA PARTY Long Sleeve 2004/05 Tour Shirt, Black, XL, As New. Serpent/

Tree of LIfe front w/Seven Circles image/ tour info on back & sleeve print. $60 ono Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13447 TOOL Concert Poster - Big Day Out, Auckland MT Smart Stadium 21Jan2011. Adam Jones Artwork - Ltd Edition of 100. Mint Condition. 60 x 45cm on Heavy Card. $70 Ph0449713338. iFlogID: 13479 TOOL Concert Poster - Big Day Out, Gold Coast Parlands 23Jan2011. Adam Jones Artwork - Ltd Edition. Mint Condition. 60 x 45cm on Heavy Card. $90 Ph0449713338. iFlogID: 13473 TOOL Concert Poster - Brisbane Entertainment Centre 24Jan2011. Adam Jones Artwork - Ltd # Edition of 50. Mint Condition. 60 x 45cm on Heavy Card. $90 Ph0449713338. iFlogID: 13471 TOOL Concert Poster - Melbourne Myer Music Bowl 02Feb2011. Adam Jones Artwork - Ltd Edition # of 100. Mint Condition. 60 x 45cm on Heavy Card. $90 Ph0449713338. iFlogID: 13477 TORI AMOS Dew Drop Inn 1996 Tour Shirt, White, XL, Excellent Condition. 3 Boys for Pele images on front and Caught a Light Sneeze image on back. $30 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13451 TORI AMOS Original Sinsuality Tour Shirt, White, Medium, Excellent condition/worn only 3 times. Tori/apple front image w/tour dates & snake on back. $35 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13453 TYPE O NEGATIVE Dead Again Gatefold 2 x Green Vinyl LP. Sleeves and Records are brand new - Sealed. $25 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13336

MUSIC SERVICES DUPLICATION/ MASTERING CD MANUFACTURING:Acme is Australias

best price CD manufacturer. 500 CD package = $765.05: 1000 CD package = $1320.00 Short run also available. www.AcmeMusic.com.au KevinW@ AcmeMusic.com.au iFlogID: 13117

Vox Music Academy, a well established vocal and instrumental tuition provider now has Guitar Lessons available at our Dandenong, Bayswater and Brunswick studios. For Info and Bookings: 1300 183732 info@voxmusic.com.au iFlogID: 13531

RECORDING STUDIOS

VIDEO / PRODUCTION

Do you want to hear your song fully produced before you hit the recording studio? Any Instrument. Any Genre! First song is free!! For more information: 0435556985 llewellynstudios@live.com. au www.youtube.com/llewellynstudios iFlogID: 13120

REPAIRS ROCKIN REPAIRS - GUITAR TECH RESTRINGS-SETUPS-UPGRADES-REPAIRS Do you live to play? Whether you’ve bought a new guitar or a favourite is feeling faded, we’ll rejuvenate it! We work hard to give you the feel/sound you want! 0405253417 tara@rockinrepairs.com www.rockinrepairs.com iFlogID: 9352

TUITION ox Music Academy, a well established vocal and instrumental tuition provider now has Keyboard Lessons available at our Dandenong, Bayswater and Brunswick studios. For Info and Bookings: 1300 183732 info@voxmusic.com.au iFlogID: 13533 Vox Music Academy, a well established vocal and instrumental tuition provider now has Bass Lessons available at our Dandenong, Bayswater and Brunswick studios. For Info and Bookings: 1300 183732 info@voxmusic.com.au iFlogID: 13537 Vox Music Academy, a well established vocal and instrumental tuition provider now has Drum Lessons available at our Dandenong, Bayswater and Brunswick studios. For Info and Bookings: 1300 183732 info@voxmusic.com.au iFlogID: 13529

D7 STUDIO MUSIC VID FROM $250 music vid $250. Live gig edits, multiple angles, from $150 or 1 live track from $80. All shot in full HD. d7studio@iinet. net.au ph:0404716770 iFlogID: 13368

MUSICIANS AVAILABLE DRUMMER A1 PRO DRUMMER AVAILABLE for freelance gigs, tours etc. Extensive touring experience, gret time/tempo/groove, great drum gear and pro attitude. Sydney based but will travel. More info, ph 0419760940. www.mikehague.com iFlogID: 13230

MUSICIANS WANTED BASS PLAYER Indie/rock covers band looking for bass player to join gig-ready trio in Surry Hills to play David Bowie, Killers, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, Dandy Warhols etc. iFlogID: 13177

KEYBOARD Aussie boy and mates and solo required fun female keyboard backup vocalist to join us mypsace/aussieboynmates.com northernbeaches have gigs gear and cd released mix of covers and originals russ@musicforcause.com 0433237004 iFlogID: 13387

OTHER Up & coming bands wanted for gigs-get yourself some exposure in front of small/med size crowd-send band details & contacts to soundbar@bigpond.com iFlogID: 13071

SINGER GOSPEL SINGERS WANTED for nondenominational music ministry to record triple-CD in Perth. World-class, passionate and devotional vocalists sought. View www.THE001Music.com for details. Jesus is KIng! Reverend Eslam. God Bless You! iFlogID: 13088 Rock/Hard Rock band from the Inner West seeking vocalist. Preferably in their 20’s, originals and covers, must have transport and a good attitude. Call Michael @ 0420371624 iFlogID: 13417

SERVICES OTHER RISE HIGH COMMUNICATIONS - Resumes - Your Resume is your first impression We insure that your first impression is your best! We assist you to put your best foot forward and to secure that interview leading to the job of your dreams. Using our exclusive process we tailor your resume focusing on the future and what you have to offer your next employer. We will get the best from you to create your professionally written unique resume. We will then prepare your resume and deliver it to your home within 5 working days. Your resume will be professionally printed and ready to be sent to prospective employers or taken to your next interview. Take that next step today and call 043 800 4444 or email us at www.risehighcommunications.com.au www.risehighcommunicatrions.com iFlogID: 13583

WANTED OTHER play more chinese music - love, tenzenmen. www.tenzenmen.com iFlogID: 13077

GUITARIST 18 year old guitar player looking for another guitar player. Influences: GN’R, Aerosmith, Zeppelin, New York Dolls. Preferrably someone in the south (Shire). Call Tom on 0401722767 iFlogID: 13407 NOEL GALLAGHER required for SYDNEY based OASIS cover band. Must have good gear, transport and band experience. Lead ability not essential. Good vocals. Call karl 0415 877 918 iFlogID: 13432

OTHER BEASTIE BOYS Paul’s Boutique Gatefold Vinyl LP. Sleeves and Records are brand new. $25 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13330

GIBSON EPIPHONE SG BASS GUITAR.

cLOUDDEAD Self Titled, 3 x Vinyl, Triple LP. Sleeves and Records in excellent condition. $35 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13324

solid mahogany.great fat tone.VGC.$450. Ph.0428744963.Cooroy. iFlogID: 13029

COLDCUT Sound Mirrors 2 x LP Vinyl. $30 Ph0449713338 iFlogID: 13326

LIVE SOUND EQUIPMENT, STUDIO NEEDS, PA SPEAKERS, MIXING CONSOLES, MICROPHONES, SIGNAL PROCESSING, CABLES, MULTICORES, STANDS ROAD CASE SPECIALISTS – READY TO GO AND CUSTOM MADE

E-STORE : WWW.GIGGEAR.COM.AU SALES@GIGGEAR.COM.AU CALL : 1300 289 997 FACTORY 18 / 21 BARRY STREET, BAYSWATER, 3153 SHOWROOM HOURS MON – FRI : 9.00AM-6.00PM;