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themusic 16TH OCTOBER 2013
#010
INSIDE FEATURED Peking Duk Dan Sultan Every Time I Die
review
PIC BY PETER SHARP
Mystery Road Dubmarine The Returned Cody Chesnutt Mickey Avalon The Cribs The Amity Affliction New Empire Stafford Brothers Best Coast
IT FELT LIKE WATCHING A FANBOY SAYING THANK YOU TO HIS INFLUENCES THAT RANGED FROM AMERICAN ALT-ROCKERS HÜSKER DÜ TO HOMEGROWN TALENT YOU AM I. HANNAH STORY REVIEWS PAUL DEMPSEY [P.56]
WEBCOMICS: TEN OF THE INTERNET’S MOST INSPIRED STRIPS THAT YOU SHOULD BE READING EACH WEEK.
ON THEMUSIC.COM.AU
SOMEONE’S GOTTA SPEAK FOR THE LOWLIEST OF THE LOW… THAT’S ME, A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS. MICKEY AVALON [P.26]
The Ape Yuck
REVIEWS
Album: Bodyjar Live: Andy Bull Arts: Graphic Games: Chainsaw Warrior …and more
THE GUIDE Cover: Sydney Rides Festival Local News Gig Guide Drink: Sydney Craft Beer Week Fashion: Jerseys
IN 2012, POLIÇA GAVE US … THE GHOST, A CHILLINGLY EFFECTIVE DEBUT. IN 2013, THEY’VE GIVEN US SOMETHING OF A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. CHRISTOPHER H JAMES REVIEWS POLIÇA [P.52]
stream JORDIE LANE’S BRAND NEW EP NOT BUILT TO LAST - HEAR IT BEFORE ANYONE ELSE! ON THEMUSIC.COM.AU
Culture: Dancehall
blogs 10 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
COURTNEY BARNETT AND THEM SWOOPS WRITE US TOUR DAIRIES FROM NEW YORK’S MASSIVE ‘MUSIC MARATHON’. ON THEMUSIC.COM.AU
@ Agincourt 871 George street, Sydney City, valvebar@gmail.com www.valvebar.com.au WED 16TH 7PM
THU 17TH 7PM BASEMENT FRI 18TH 7PM
CITY SLICKERS BAND COMPETITION EXCITING COMPETITION WITH GREAT PRIZES
“DELOREAN TIDE� ROCK SHOW WITH SUPPORT FROM: “LILLY ROUGE� , “LOWER CAST SKIES� , “PAINTBOX CITY�
LUKE JON SHEARER WITH SUPPORT FROM: “UNDERGROUND ARCHITECT� AND GUESTS
DEEP SPACE PRESENTS FIRST LEVEL FRI 18TH 9PM
SAT 19TH 3PM
SUN 20TH 12PM
SUN 20TH 5PM
THE ITCHY GLITCHY SPIDER FEAT: MR BILL, XSETRA, THIERRY DE, DRACHEMANN , DAYSNATCHA , LOZ NONSENSE , DJ BATZ, VERTICAL TRANSPORT
MODTOBERFEST FEAT: “THE SMART FOLK� , “BROKEN HANDS� , “THE FREDS� , “THE LANGLANGS� , “FIGHT MASTA� , “THE MAN FROM UNCLE� , “PUSS IN BOOTS� , “MONICA LUPPI� , “THE CIDER STRIDERS� , “PIERRE CHAT� , “SIOUX DENIM� AND MANY MORE
“FEICK’S DEVICE� ART ROCK SHOW WITH SUPPORT FROM: “THE BELLE HEAVENS� , “THE NICE FOLK�
“DUBIOUS COMPANY� ROCK SHOW WITH SUPPORT FROM: “RAW IDIOCY� , “ALEXI� , “D’LUNA�
COMING UP:
Wed 23 Oct: Alt/Jazz/Fusion Show with “Marosi Di Burianaâ€?, “Essituraâ€? , “Olajuwanâ€? ,â€?The Captains Of Industriesâ€? ; Thu 24 Oct: Electronic Rock Show ELECTROSHOCK feat: “Cybridianâ€? , “SNUFFâ€? , “Machinaâ€? , “Noveauxâ€? , “The Arbitrary Methodâ€? , “AR12â€? ; Fri 25 Oct: Basement: Metal Show with “Dead Dietiesâ€? , “Na Mazaâ€? , “Temtrisâ€? , “Unrestâ€? , “Vintage Vulvaâ€?; First Level: SKA Show with “Chris Duke & The Royalsâ€? , “Kujo Kingsâ€? , “EbolagoldďŹ shâ€? , “Handball Deathmatchâ€? , “Laura Palmerâ€? , “General Pants And The Privatesâ€?; Sat 26 Oct: 4pm Luskimze DJ’s and AF Clothing presents Spooks Halloween party feat: Deli, Manjazz, LSD5, Albert Hunt, C Money, Epique, Luskimze, Carcola, Dey La Funk, Kild-G, Cory Blake, Soddy and many more; Sun 27 Oct: 12pm: RockChick Ent presents: Metal Show feat: “Perplexusâ€? , “Tomorrow Never Comesâ€? , “Harmony Of Hateâ€? , “A Vengeanceâ€? , “Kunvukâ€? , “Facing Zeroâ€?; 6pm: Psychedelic Rock Show with “Psychic Sunâ€? and many special guests
For band bookings please email valvebar@gmail.com
Build Your Music Empire Today THE HIFI
1300 OM.AU THEHIFI.C
Info here: THIS WEEK
JUST ANNOUNCED
Kylesa (USA)
Waka Flocka Flame (USA)
COMING SOON Stratovarius (FIN)
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Dj Quik & Kurupt (USA)
Kid Ink (USA)
Spit Syndicate
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Hits & Pits 2.0 feat Black Flag (USA )
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Black Rebel Motor Cycle Club (USA)
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Melvins (USA) & Helmet (USA)
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Rotting Christ (GRE)
Dark Tranquillity (SWE)
The Brian Jonestown Massacre (USA)
(USA)
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THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 11
CREDITS PUBLISHER
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THIS WEEK THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK • 16 OCTOBER - 22 OCTOBER 2013
drink
All of the fancy schmancy beers at Sydney Craft Beer Week. Starting on Saturday, and running until 26 Oct, the celebration involves events such as Beer Mimics Food where chefs and brewers come together to invent some really strange beers, and, more importantly, drinking copious amounts of alcohol. Expect to wake up on Sunday morning with a pounding hangover.
sit
The Chairs in Squares project is back for the third year running in the City of Sydney until April next year. You can enjoy comfy deckchairs, free library books (aren’t library books always free?), café tables and umbrellas in Sydney Square, Wynyard Park, Sydney Living Museums and Paddington Reservoir Gardens.
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CONTACT US PO Box 2440 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 Level 1/142 Chalmers St Surry Hills NSW Phone (02) 9331 7077 info@themusic.com.au www.themusic.com.au
SYDNEY
Sydney Rides Festival started on Sunday and runs until 25 Oct. Billed as ‘Tour de Sydney’ the festival boasts a number of activities for the in-the-way cyclist in you. If you’re donning the lycra for the love of it, and not just for the health benefits, you’ll be keen to soak up the helmet-clogged atmosphere this Thursday and Friday at the Film Festival at Deny Opera Quays, with docos, shorts and features about the feeling of wind in your hair and cycling’s greats.
ride
buy
You can buy an official Queen Bey 2014 calendar. That’s right. Ring in every month of the year with a picture of the idol herself looking bootylicious. She’ll inspire you to do great things and be an empowered woman and/or man. It’s pretty much the first step to becoming more like Beyonce, and harks back to when you all bought boy band merchandise in your tweens. Don’t deny it. Fall in love with her every day by purchasing one for US$15 from her website.
watch
lol
sculpture
The latest YouTube sensation is Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise. It’s a social experiment that freaked out a lot of humble coffee lovers. God we love it when New York actors decide to use technology to make people believe that telekinesis is real. (Hint: it isn’t, they have remote controls and pulleys and shit). This actually turns out to not just be hilarious, but a really good example of viral marketing, and is just an ad for Carrie, out 28 Nov. We’re not so interested in Lady Gaga’s Artpop as we are the sculpture of the starlet that adorns the cover. Designed by American Jeff Koons, the piece is eerily striking and seems set to become an iconic piece of pop culture in years to come. Whether or not the music’s as interesting is still up for discussion.
#StarbucksDrakeHands. That’s all you need to know. A Starbucks barista in LA asks a girl for her phone number. She gives digits, he sends video, and inadvertently he starts one of the biggest internet virals of the year. Guys, girls, babies, animals, Larry King – everyone is on this. All you need is a) your sleaziest creep face; b) Drake’s Hold On, We’re Going Home playing in the background; c) hands. Record, hashtag and send to that poor special someone you want to make really uncomfortable. THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 13
national news news@themusic.com.au KYLESA
PULLED FROM THE PIT NINE INCH NAILS
FEEL GOOD HITS IN THE AUTUMN
In what’s shaping up to be one of the double bills of 2014, Queens of the Stone Age and Nine Inch Nails have both made good on their promising social media posts from a few weeks ago and announced a double headline tour, with top billing decided each night by the toss of a coin. The two Herculean rock bands have both showed their respective evergreen nature this year in the way of Like... Clockwork and Hesitation Marks, and with support kept in the family thanks to Aussie-American Brody Dalle these shows are going to electrifying right from the get-go. Dates are as follows: 6 Mar, Sydney Entertainment Centre; 8 Mar, Newcastle Entertainment Centre; 11 Mar, Perth Arena; 14 Mar, Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne; and 17 Mar, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, with tickets on sale 24 Oct.
THE DAPPER GENTLEMAN
Get set to sweat in that turtle neck (especially you ladies); the In Stranger Times EP is ready to land into our lives on 1 Nov, and the man behind it all, Jeremy Neale, wants to swing and shake with your sexy selves. The Brisbane songwriter has been on a hell of a run this year, and knowing his way around a hook far better than most, Neale has crafted an infectious record that’s pretty hard to turn your back on. He’ll launch the six-track on the following dates: 31 Oct, Goodgod Small Club, Sydney; 2 Nov, The Small Ballroom, Newcastle; 8 Nov, Northcote Social Club, Melbourne; 15 Nov, Solbar, Maroochydore; and 16 Nov, The Zoo, Brisbane. Supported by another great Brisvegas product in the way of Major Leagues, you can grab tickets for all shows now.
WHEN A FIRE STARTS TO BURN
There are few groups that can burn up the fret board quite as wildly as Guitar Wolf. The trio from Japan have earned a reputation for keeping things in the red – at all times – and with their amplifiers set to maximum volume they will return to Australian east coast venues, all but ready to roar into your life. Along with a range of supports including the likes of Batpiss, Mach Pelican and SixFtHick, the wolves in leather clothing will perform 28 Nov, The Espy, Melbourne; 29 Nov, The Square, Sydney; 30 Nov, The Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne; 1 Dec, The Tote, Melbourne; 4 Dec, The Basement, Canberra; and 6 Dec, Beetle Bar, Brisbane. For the full billing in your state check theMusic.com.au.
“YESTERDAY WAS A TOUGH DAY. TODAY IS A NEW DAY #KEEPBOXING” MARK WEBBER [@AUSSIEGRIT] TRANSLATION: ‘SPEWIN’ MY CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES’. 14 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
Birthed from the great south of the States, Kylesa play a formidable brand of experimental sludge metal that has seen them mentioned in the same breath as bands like Mastodon, Baroness and Black Tusk. Getting more versatile and unpredictable as they get older, the band are set to return to Australia for the first time since 2011’s Soundwave, with the American group playing 7 Dec, Rosemount Hotel, Perth; 8 Dec, Corner Hotel, Melbourne; 10 Dec, Howler, Melbourne; 11 Dec, ANU Bar, Canberra; 12 Dec, The Hi-Fi, Sydney; and 13 Dec, The Hi-Fi, Brisbane.
ROSIE O’DONNELL
NOTHING SACRED
Before A League Of Their Own, before she had her own daytime talk show, before she was a panellist on The View, Rosie O’Donnell was owning it on the stand-up stage. The American funny-woman has been making us laugh for over thirty years, and will be wheeling out a no-holds-barred set for us Aussies in 2014. O’Donnell will perform a string of all-ages shows at Perth Concert Hall, 4 Feb; QPAC, Brisbane, 7 Feb; The Plenary, Melbourne, 8 Feb; and The Star Event Centre, Sydney, 9 Feb. Tickets on sale 9am next Monday.
national news news@themusic.com.au FLUME
CLAIRY BROWNE & THE BANGIN’ RACKETTES
RHYTHMIC DESIRES
Another local lass who is doing great things Stateside is Clairy Browne and her Bangin’ Rackettes, the soulstress showing off her staggering live shows in the US for the third time this year. As well as doing tour dates, they’ll also be writing and recording new material in Nashville, Tennessee, which hopefully we’ll be getting a taste of, alongside our favourites of course, during the group’s December tour. After playing Meredith Music Festival, 13 Dec, Browne and the Rackettes will perform at the Rosemount Hotel, Perth, 14 Dec; The Hi-Fi, Brisbane, 19 Dec; Factory Theatre, Sydney, 20 Dec; and The Hi-Fi, Melbourne, 21 Dec. Support at those capital city dates comes from Miles & Simone.
FLUME DOMINATES INDIE AWARDS
Young Sydney beat bloke Flume has added to an already monumental year by walking away with four awards at last week’s Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards, winning Best Album (Flume), Best Artist, Best Dance Album and Best Dance Single (Holdin On). Vance Joy picked up a double off the back of his much-loved EP, God Loves You When You’re Dancing, while uncompromising garage lads King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard also received two nods, including the lucrative Carlton Dry Global Music Grant, worth $50,000. Other winners on the night included Paul Kelly, Seth Sentry and Catherine Britt.
COME AND TURN AROUND
Regular visitors to our country in the past, Gomez are currently on a break from band duties. However, one of the chief songwriters Ian Ball has still been at it, putting together a second solo album, Unfold Yourself, and will be bringing those songs, as well as some Gomez classics we’re sure, to our stages next month. Ball will play a host of shows, starting 18 Nov, Mojos Bar, Fremantle, before moving on 19 Nov, PICA Bar, Perth; 21 Nov, Barwon Club, Geelong; 23 Nov, Karova Lounge, Ballarat; 24 Nov, Northcote Social Club, Melbourne; 27 Nov, Brass Monkey, Sydney; 28 Nov, Annandale Hotel, Sydney; 30 Nov, Coogee Diggers, Sydney; and 1 Dec, Beetle Bar, Brisbane.
ELIZABETH ROSE
BLOSSOMING INTO SOMETHING SPECIAL
It swirls through your ears before bursting into a beat that you need. It’s The Good Life and its quickly shot Elizabeth Rose’s star into the stratosphere. And the Sydneysider is shaking things up globally too, heading over to New York to take part in the CMJ Music Marathon before officially launching the track around Oz. Joined by very special guest Charles Murdoch, you can catch Rose upon her return, 2 Nov, Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane; 8 Nov, Goodgod Small Club, Sydney; 9 Nov, Trinity Bar, Canberra; 15 Nov, Mojos Bar, Fremantle; 16 Nov, Amplifier Bar, Perth; and 23 Nov, The Workers Club, Melbourne.
“THERE IS NO BETTER WAY OF WOOING A WOMAN THAN RIDING A MECHANICAL BULL AND SENDING HER A VIDEO OF IT” WE HOPE [@TEEDINOSAURS] IS TALKING FROM EXPERIENCE.
BIGGER THAN TEXAS
He’s been touted as “the most impressive Kiwi cultural export since Flight Of The Conchords”, and we have to agree that ya’ll should be getting well and truly excited about the microphone style of David Dallas. Innovative, captivating and impossible to pin down, Dallas has just put together his third record, Falling Into Place, and invites you to share the experience in full colour when he takes to the stage this summer. Catch him 18 Dec, Causeway Bar, Perth; 19 Dec, Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane; 20 Dec, Beach Road Hotel, Sydney; and The Espy, Melbourne, 21 Dec.
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
Beat fans will be grinning with the news that Dutch trance titan Dash Berlin will return to Australia next year to play some massive venues as part of his #musicislife #deluxe world tour. Three exquisite vocalists – Emma Hewitt, Jonathan Mendelsohn and Christina Novelli – will join Dash on this journey, as well as MaRLo, who will bring some domestic flavour to the three tour dates. Catch Dash Berlin 7 Feb, Sydney Showground Exhibition Halls; 8 Feb, Hisense Arena, Melbourne; and 9 Feb, Brisbane Riverstage. Tickets available 24 Oct. THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 15
local news nsw.news@themusic.com.au BONOBO
JOHN MAYER
ACROSS BORDERS After an award-winning first year, the Deni Blues & Roots Festival is confirmed to return over the Easter Weekend of 2014, 19 and 20 Apr, in Deniliquin. The first artists to be announced for the 2014 festival are John Mayer (pictured), Dr John & The Nite Trippers, The Doobie Brothers, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Gary Clark Jr, Russell Morris, Jasmine Rae and Cash Savage.
After a completely sold out run in 2011, Bonobo returns to Australia off the back of his fifth and most successful album, The North Borders. Ninja Tune stalwart Simon Green makes his return to Australia with his pioneering brand of live band electronica – mixing the danceable, the downbeat and new mesmeric reworks. See him make his Sydney Opera House debut on 6 Jan.
KILLER KILIMANJARO
HERE FOR ETERNITY
DENI’S DELIGHT
Japan’s Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro are bringing their super heavyweight funk and third album Perfect Times down under to Falls Festival. These six super dapper gentlemen will also perform some sideshows at Gearin Hotel, Katoomba on 4 Jan; Kantara House, Central Coast on 5 Jan; The Basement on 10 and 11 Jan; and Heritage Hotel, Bulli on 12 Jan.
WHAT’S SPOOKING
Fresh from their fifth triumphant tour of the UK and Denmark, where they performed a mammoth 40 dates, The Spooky Men’s Chorale are back to unleash a new album, The Spooky Man In History. Inspired by the great Georgian male choirs, the Blue Mountains group have redefined men’s singing. Witness their left-field sounds and sly humour when they perform at the Camelot Lounge, Marrickville on 3 and 6 Nov.
EXIT STAGE SUNDAY
The Spice Cellar is excited to announce a new weekly Sunday night event: EXIT. Its aim is to pay homage to the queer underground music scene. For the launch on 3 Nov, EXIT welcomes Aérea Negrot. Her live performance is an explosion of performance, sex and singing. From shrill high notes to deep, dark tones, she relishes the entirety of her range and vocal reach. The result is a collage of classical music crossed with electronic beats: a kind of techno opera.
DANISH DRAMA
Following the 40th anniversary celebrations of Sydney Opera House, a series of cultural events will take place at the end of October with the participation of Danish and Australian artists, architects and designers. As part of this initiative, the cast members and creative powers behind the hugely successful TV series The Killing and Borgen will participate in a one-off in-conversation, hosted by Julia Zemiro. The event includes an audience Q&A and will be held at the Playhouse on 29 Oct.
GLASS TOWERS
ERR... AWESOME
Brisbane’s Hey Geronimo are poised to release their highly anticipated second EP Erring On The Side Of Awesome on 1 Nov, but not before a quick tour of India later this month. Featuring tongue-in-cheek fan favourite The Dan Kelly Song and the recent festival-style anthem Lazer Gun Show, Hey Geronimo’s new EP legitimises the band as an innovative and quirky presence in the Australian indie music scene. Catch them at Goodgod Small Club on 22 Nov.
“WATCHING PEOPLE DANCE TO PANTERA IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE” WALK TALL @DZDEATHRAYS! 16 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
Darlinghurst Theatre Company announce a program of contemporary and classic drama for its inaugural season at the Eternity Playhouse. It opens with Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. Then the 2014 season kicks off with Tony Award-winning musical Falsettos, continuing with the fiercely satirical The Gigli Concert, subversive comedy The Young Tycoons, new Australian play Every Second, Nick Payne’s West End hit Constellations, the return of the sell-out 2013 hit The Motherf**ker With The Hat and finally Nick Enright’s fast-paced comedy Daylight Saving. Visit darlinghursttheatre.com for details.
HANGING AT THE CRIBS
Surviving ten years as a band with a career that spans five album releases, extensive touring, major festival appearances, and a strong DIY aesthetic and approach to music, the UK’s The Cribs are celebrating this milestone with a return visit to Australia this October. They’ve just announced support acts for their shows. At The Small Ballroom, Newcastle on 23 Oct, it’ll be The Guppies and The Owls. Then at the Beresford Upstairs on 24 Oct, Glass Towers step up to the stage.
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 17
local news nsw.news@themusic.com.au FUTURE OF THE LEFT
SOLANGE
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE
They’re caustic, they’re irreverent, they rock like nobody’s business and they seem addicted to the Australian summer. Yep, Future Of The Left are coming back to our shores, playing at the Annandale Hotel on 3 Jan. They’re bring their upcoming fourth album, How To Stop Your Brain In An Accident.
SIREN CALLS
Perth’s roots-rock powerhouse The Siren Tower have announced the release of their new single, King River, and will be celebrating with a national tour that stops by The Great Northern, Newcastle on 31 Oct and The Beresford on 1 Nov. With their critically acclaimed 2012 debut, A History Of Houses, The Siren Tower reimagined Aussie rock in their own style.
BEATLES BACK2BACK
Two of the most iconic albums of rock’s golden age – Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road – will come to life this January in the hands of a 16-piece band and five of our most accomplished performers. Led by Musical Director Rex Goh and Vocal Director Lindsay Field, the band and vocalists Doug Parkinson, Russell Morris, Jack Jones, Jon Toogood and Tim Morrison will perform the albums in their entirety at the Sydney Opera House on 2, 3 and 4 Jan.
OUTFOXED
UK bright star Foxes (aka Louisa Rose Allen) will play her first Australian shows this November. Bursting into the blogosphere with her debut release Youth, she continued garnering fans with her EP Warrior and collaborations with Zedd, Rudimental and Fall Out Boy. Check out this artist to watch when she plays at the Oxford Art Factory on 14 Nov with support from Cosmo’s Midnight and Stoney Roads DJs.
A NEW CONCEPT
Concept is a new back-to-back club series featuring intimate multi-venue parties and one ticket weekender passes. Held at The Basement, Concept kicks off 15 Nov with the Australian debut of the Berlinbased, Modeselektor-endorsed Shed and Manchester’s master purveyour of dubinflected tech, Andy Stott. They’ll be backed by Detroit’s, Ghostly International-affiliated live instrumentalist Shigeto going headto-head with Matt Preston aka Phaeleh. 18 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
HAVIN’ A FIELD DAY
Field Day returns to The Domain on New Year’s Day, and here’s the newly announced lineup: Wiz Khalifa, A$AP Rocky, Ta-Ku, Hermitude, What So Not, Alison Wonderland, Flume, Solange, Flight Facilities (DJ set), Flux Pavilion, Kill The Noise, The Wombats, London Grammar, Chet Faker, Crystal Fighters, Panama, Elizabeth Rose, Julio Bashmore, Dusky, Shadow Child, Jacques Greene, Cosmo’s Midnight and more to come.
IT’S TIGHT
The next instalment of its Hold Tight! series features Jonwayne, ahead of the release of Reflection, his first full-length rap album. Joining him on the night will be Oisima, one of Australia’s most promising electronic producers, as well as some soon to be announced special guests. It all happens on 22 Nov at Oxford Art Factory.
SYDNEY SISTERS
Say hello to brand new live music venue, gallery space, bar and eatery, Jam Gallery in Bondi Junction. Free entertainment and live music runs from Wednesday through Saturday nights till the end of November. After November live music will step up to seven nights a week with ticketed shows for larger acts also being booked in. The official Jam Gallery Grand Opening Party takes place 15 Nov. Jam Gallery also shares its space with sister venue Spring Street Social, a newly transformed laboratory of live music, inventive cocktails, crafted brews and tasteful recipes.
“DON’T FORGET TO TAKE EVERYTHING I SAY PERSONALLY” AND IN @RICKYGERVAIS’ CASE, SARCASTICALLY. SECOND COMINGS
Following an overwhelming demand for tickets to see the legendary Leonard Cohen, a second performance in Sydney has been announced. After his 16 Nov performance at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, he will play at the venue again on 17 Nov. Also backing up for a second performance, Hunters & Collectors have announced a second Sydney show for the Enmore Theatre on 5 Apr.
ADDED TO THE MAYHEM Controversial Swedish untamed black metal wolves Watain have been added to Mayhem’s 30th Anniversary Australian tour for January 2014, making for the purist and bleakest black metal package of a lifetime for Australian metal audiences. It all goes down at the Factory Theatre on 11 Jan.
HEADING TO THE GYM
New York rap rock pop outfit Gym Class Heroes featuring Travie McCoy will take to the stage at The Star on 23 Oct for an exclusive live performance. They’re coming back Down Under for some other festival shows, including Fat As Butter 26 Oct.
ROMANTIC BALLET
Be swept away with fairies, witches and tutus with a double bill of ballet La Sylphide at the Sydney Opera House, featuring Erik Bruhn’s La Sylphide and Marius Petipa’s Paquita. La Sylphide opens at the Sydney Opera House from 7 to 25 for 20 performances. This will also be the last time Sydney audiences will be able to see Principal Artist Olivia Bell on stage; she announced her retirement in August and the final performance of her 18-year career will take place on 25 Nov.
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 19
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music
SITTING DUKS Words Cyclone. Photos Josh Groom.
Canberra’s very own Peking Duk, aka Reuben Styles and Adam Hyde, are riding the wave of internet success. They chat to Cyclone about their rapidly broadening repertoire.
C
anberran DJ/producers Peking Duk have concocted the perfect recipe for success, with big remixes, big tunes, high-profile festival slots, and, significantly, an internet-friendly handle. “When we heard deadmau5 did the ‘mau5’, making it easier for Google results, we were like, Oh, yeah, we’ll just take out the ‘c’,” Styles confesses. Peking Duk will hit Newcastle’s Fat As Butter this month – and fans should catch them while they can. The triple j faves could be the next dance act to join the Australian invasion of the US. As it happens, Peking Duk moved from the ACT to Sydney a few months ago. “There was nothing really making us do it,” Styles explains. “[But] every afternoon it was beers with our mates. We were like, Wait, we can be ten times more productive if we get to Sydney immediately.” They now find travelling for gigs easier. More importantly, Peking
number one remix on The Hype Machine. “We were like, ‘Oh my God, this is amazing!’” Although Peking Duk were apprehensive about hearing from Passion Pit’s lawyers. “We thought, any second they’re about to get on to us and pull it down or send us an email and say, ‘Just take that down right now!’ – but it never really happened, so we’re stoked with that.” Styles shudders. “We figured they must be pretty sweet dudes.” The buzz led to their receiving a legit offer from Island Records to remix, of all things, UK folkie Ben Howard’s 2011 Old Pine. “We didn’t think we’d be able to mix the style of folk with electro, but
You Are, which spent six weeks at the top of the ARIA Club Charts last summer and has even been heard on Britain’s Radio 1. Lately they aired Feels Like, recruiting Miami Horror’s Josh Moriarty for vocals. Next, Peking Duk will unleash a fierce collab with the ‘dirty’ Dutch houser Laidback Luke. “It has some rave, a bit of jungle vibes, some African vocals...,” Styles lists. The one thing the track lacks is a title. Styles is toying with Simba – after the cub in Disney’s The Lion King. (“Simba’s that dude that had a real rough upbringing,” he breaks down, blithely ignoring the fact that the protagonist is a cat.) Unlike many of their contemporaries, including the Stafford Brothers, Peking Duk are keen to cut an album. “We’ve actually been talking about it quite a bit recently,” Hyde reveals. “We’re gonna do a few more singles and then we’re gonna see where we’re at there... We gotta make sure that, when we do it, it’s the right time for us. We wouldn’t put an album out tomorrow – because an album is such a big piece of work and you’d really want it to get noticed properly. You wouldn’t want anything to get slept on.” What’s more, the two are still developing their sound – a hybridised electro-house with inflections of funky disco, Simba’s tribalism aside. “We don’t wanna pigeonhole ourselves into one sound,” Hyde claims. “We don’t have a super distinct sound at the moment – and
“SOME OF IT IS DOWN-TEMPO STUFF, SOME OF IT’S REALLY FAST, SOME OF IT’S REALLY LOUD AND BANGIN’ AND ENERGETIC, SOME OF IT’S REALLY CHILLED OUT AND SLOW AND SEXY.”
Duk are better able to network, says Hyde. “It’s so good collaborating with artists – a lot of artists are coming through this city, as opposed to Canberra.” However, Peking Duk are loyal to their old hometown. “We’re still Canberra people,” Styles asserts. Styles and Hyde bonded as teenagers. “I think we first met each other at a skate park,” the former recalls. “Then in year 11 we ended up at the same school and just became best mates.” Both were already involved in music. “I was doing a lot of hip hop stuff,” Hyde discloses. “I started rapping for a bit with two dudes in college. It was terrible, looking back on it, but we had a ball doing it at the time.” Meanwhile, Styles was in the indie outfit Rubicon, which won 2008’s National Campus Band Competition. Once the buddies turned 18, they discovered club culture. Remembers Hyde, “A good friend of ours gave us this mixtape with heaps of fidget house records on it and we listened to it – we were just like, ‘Whoa’.” Crucially, considering their divergent backgrounds, the pair shared “the exact same taste” in dance music. They acquired software for production, and old decks – and Peking Duk was born. “It all just came together really quickly and accidentally,” Styles says. Peking Duk generated heat online with a remix of Passion Pit’s Take A Walk that they uploaded on SoundCloud and sent to blogs. “We just did it on the sly,” admits Styles. The pals had nearly forgotten about their “bootleg” when they realised it was the 22 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
we gave it a crack and it worked out pretty well,” Styles says. Alas, Island never officially issued their Old Pine and so Peking Duk posted it as another free download. Since then Peking Duk have established themselves as producers, not mere remixers. They’d debuted in 2011 with Bingo Trippin’ on Vicious Bitch – an imprint of Melbourne’s Vicious Recordings. Apart from famously launching Madison Avenue, the label released Avicii’s early tunes. Later, that ex-trancer Tiësto supported Peking Duk’s hip house I Love To Rap, featuring Atlanta’s Panama Black. But this year Peking Duk savoured their biggest record yet in The Way
I mean, it is great for every artist to have their sound, so people recognise that artist – [and that’s something] which we’re hoping to develop over the years. But at the moment we’ve got so many beats, so many projects, on both our computers – the whole spectrum... Some of it is down-tempo stuff, some of it’s really fast, some of it’s really loud and bangin’ and energetic, some of it’s really chilled out and slow and sexy – and then there’s more aggressive electro stuff... We’re always working on stuff that’s very different. We definitely wanna release a song that is not similar to The Way You Are or Feels Like soon – so it’ll be something slow and a bit more sexy, I think.” Peking Duk’s DJing is going off as well. They placed at number five in 2013’s inthemix50. Earlier this year Peking Duk played their first US gigs during Miami’s Winter Music Conference. “We actually saw Busta Rhymes driving around in his car in Miami,” a starstruck Hyde boasts. They’ll return to the US early next year. Over the past months Peking Duk have likewise opened for EDM rapper Example. (“I can’t even explain the feeling of going on tour with Example,” Styles sighs.) Yet Peking Duk’s highlight of 2013 so far is Splendour In The Grass – where they not only premiered Feels Like, but also a visual show. The DJs cheekily invited punters to dance with them on stage – and were surprised by the rush. “Security were freaking out,” Hyde says deviously. One dancer snuck through barriers to cheers from the crowd. “She just went nuts and started,
like, krumping and twerking.” Come January Peking Duk will DJ at Big Day Out in the Boiler Room. For that, they intend to rope in guest vocalists – and their daggy mascot guy ‘Gareth’ might appear. Hyde mumbles that they’ll have a “big stage rig thing”. Though Peking Duk’s champion Tommy Trash, Bass Kleph and the Staffords have all transplanted to Los Angeles, capitalising on America’s EDM boom, Styles is unsure about following them. “It definitely feels like every Aussie has moved to LA, but we’ve only just moved to Sydney. We love it here. A lot of Aussies have stuck around in Sydney – like Yolanda Be Cool and Flume and [other] people who are touring lots overseas... So it’s something on the cards – but I love Sydney. I don’t think I ever want to leave.” Hyde is more determined. “We’re definitely gonna go to LA – it’s just a matter of when. We’re gonna work our arses off a bit more out here, [but] I’d say sometime within the next two years we’ll go over to the States and live there for a bit... Hopefully, we don’t miss the wagon.” Regardless, Peking Duk have retained the endearing naïvety of
newcomers. There is no talk of ‘branding’. Their priorities are to have “fun” and be “creative”. And the duo are looking forward to attending Fat As Butter as punters as much as DJs, earnestly studying the bill. Not that Peking Duk’s set will be
planned, says Styles. “We just sort of play it by ear and have good party jams and a bit of rock‘n’roll, a bit of hip hop, and then as much of our own music as possible.” Adds Hyde, “It’s gonna be wild – it’s gonna be a sweaty big party with lots of fun.” And twerking.
WHEN PEKING MET MICKEY Who are Peking Duk desperate to hang out with at Fat As Butter? It’s not US EDM upstart Porter Robinson or those feted German electro-housers Booka Shade, but raw Californian MC Mickey Avalon (aka Yeshe Perl). “That is the one person that I would die to meet,” laughs Reuben Styles of the Jane Fonda rapper. “He looks a lot like Adam, too!” Fortunately, Styles’ aforementioned cohort Adam Hyde, himself once an aspiring rapper, is okay with being described as Perl’s doppelgänger. “I get that quite a bit. I’ve got a few tattoos and stuff and I’m pretty skinny and, when I don’t wear a shirt and I’m a bit drunk and my hair’s all over the place, people can see the resemblance – but I personally can’t.” Perl has rapped about his appalling experiences with drug addiction and prostitution, but his hip hop is darkly funny. “We used to listen to a lot of his music ‘cause it’s hilarious and it’s good at the same time,” Hyde says. “A lot of people hate his music ‘cause they can’t take the joke side of it, but I think he’s great. Everything he stands for is hilarious. I can’t wait [for FAB] – hopefully I get to meet him ‘cause he’s a funny dude, so we’ll see what happens.”
WHEN & WHERE: 26 Oct, Fat As Butter, The Foreshore Newcastle; 26 Jan, Big Day Out, Sydney Showgrounds
Peking Duk could even tout Perl some beats, Hyde enthuses. “I’d love to work with him!” THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 23
film
THE HARD ROAD Anthony Carew speaks to director Ivan Sen about the ongoing tension between Indigenous and settler Australia, and how this was drawn upon in his latest film Mystery Road. e had a big premiere screening back out in Winton last week,” says Ivan Sen, of returning to the rural West Queensland town in which he shot his latest feature film, Mystery Road. The film is a policier set against a tenor of racial tensions, in which Aaron Pedersen’s Aboriginal detective investigates the murder of a local black girl, to the dismissive ire of the white powers-that-be and the resentment of the local community. It’s a murdermystery as sociological study – boasting a cast including Hugo Weaving, Jack Thompson, Ryan Kwanten, Damian Walshe-Howling and Tasma Walton – and that meant the screening in rural Queensland was a loaded event.
“W
For Aboriginal policemen in rural communities, it’s a really difficult occupation, [one] that often doesn’t last for long. The psychological pressures of performing a job where you’re eventually forced, at some point, to lock up your own family members, it’s too much for them, and they inevitably quit.”
“The screening brought together all the Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, the traditional owners of the land and the current land-owners,” explains Sen, 41. “As far as we could gather, it was the first time that this had actually happened in the long history of this town. To have so many people, and such a mix of people, all gathering in the one place, all gathering to watch this film meant that we were asking a lot of non-Indigenous people to experience a story through the Indigenous perspective, in an audience filled with Indigenous people. It was a pretty powerful screening in that way.”
The story is set against a savage landscape, rife with wild dogs – “I saw dogs as a metaphor for rural Australia: you’ve got the native dogs, and you’ve got the introduced species, [and] you run into a lot of problems with the integration of these two worlds” – and ruled by guns. The film ends with another genre element, the shoot-out, torn from its familiar range and staged over a vast distance.
Sen’s fourth narrative feature – following 2002’s Beneath Clouds and 2011’s Toomelah, two portraits of wayward Aboriginal youth, and 2010’s Dreamland, a bizarre film-experiment obsessed with America’s extra-terrestrial hotspot Area 51 – was inspired by the idea of the Aboriginal cop, and what that culturally means, and the treatment of Aboriginal women by rural police. Two of Sen’s documentary works, 2004’s Who Was Evelyn Orcher? and 2007’s A Sister’s Love have explored the plight of the ‘lost’ Indigenous woman: a topic that hits close-to-home for Sen. “I had a distant cousin who, a month after going missing, was found under the roadway outside the local town,” Sen explains, declining to give the specifics, of an event that shadow’s Mystery Road’s plot. “The police investigation seemed non-existent; they were very inactive about trying to find the killer. There’s many other examples of that around, and even another one from my family: another cousin, in Tamworth, was the victim of a murder up there, and very little seemed to be done about trying to find the killer. If it were just my own experiences, I probably wouldn’t be motivated to make a whole film out of it, but it’s a problem that runs throughout the whole country: crimes against Aboriginal women being borderline ignored by law-enforcement.” So, Sen set about making what he calls “a multilayered genre-piece, as seen through the Indigenous perspective”, enfolding thriller, procedural and Western elements. Pedersen’s character is, therein, a maligned and borderline powerless figure – treated with a turncoat’s contempt – Sen seeing him as being a modern echo of the historical figures of Aboriginal trackers, who aided white settlers in apprehending wanted natives. “Growing up, I could never identify as being either white or black, so I’ve always sympathised with these people caught between two worlds,” Sen explains. “It’s an incredibly complex emotional experience for these turncoats, who are trying to lift themselves up by doing something that is, in its way, destroying their own people. 24 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
“Out in the country, it’s the domain of the rifle,” Sen says. “Rifles are a part of culture. You use them to protect your stock from wild dogs, you use them to put your stock down, you use them for food, for hunting. That’s been my experience of using guns: you shoot, then there’s almost enough time for you to look at each other before you see the result of your shot.” Initially Sen hoped to make Mystery Road in an urban setting – “I felt like I’d done enough outback films” – but eventually ended up in Winton, which had been the location for John Hillcoat’s The Proposition. “I think The Proposition turned them all into film buffs,” Sen smiles. “They were very supportive – and very informed – of the whole filmmaking process.” But there were also three days shooting
“I HAVEN’T GOT MY HEAD UP IN THE CLOUDS ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK EVERY FILM CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLE WHO SEE IT.” in remote Moree, where the social problems Sen was dramatising – a stark divide between wealthy landowners and impoverished mission-dwellers, writ along racial lines – were manifest in reality. He went there to film amongst the housing-commission houses. The time in Moree was brief, and, logistically, fraught; there was, Sen says, an air of tension during the filming. But the filmmaker took it as a spur, that what he was doing with Mystery Road made it necessary. “I haven’t got my head up in the clouds about it, but I think every film can make a difference to the people who see it,” Sen says. “Whether it’s conscious or unconscious, whether it’s immediate or delayed, it will have some influence, and make some difference. We’re always conditioned by what we see and what we hear as human beings.”
WHAT: Mystery Road In cinemas 17 Oct
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THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 25
music
PARTY ROCKIN’
The first to admit he’s “not very smart”, Mickey Avalon somehow finds himself with a mortgage and a 16-yearold daughter. Simone Ubaldi discovers he still loves to party.
M
ickey Avalon once described himself as the opposite of Radiohead. “Some kind of music is like real smartypants, you know, like Radiohead or something – nothing against them, I never heard their stuff actually but I know that they’re real smart,” he told Music Fashion Magazine. “I’m not very smart, so I think the masses can deal with it… someone’s gotta speak for the lowliest of the low… that’s me, a voice for the voiceless.”
When Avalon emerged in 2006 he sounded more like a voice for the brainless. His breakthrough single, a slinking rap anthem called Jane Fonda, was an ode to the many arses that Avalon has admired, complete with incest, big breasts and at least two references to poultry. In Mr Right, the follow-up single, Avalon introduces himself to the world as, “That dude sleepin’ with ya girlfriend/That man in the black Sedan with two cheap hookers and a Mexican/Pumpin’ white lines, sippin’ warm Coors Light/Mickey Avalon, call me Mr Right”. His notoriety grew from there. If anyone doubted Avalon’s credentials as a legitimate king of underdog sleaze, they were probably convinced by the biographic details that spiced up his early press releases. The son of a marijuana dealer and a heroin addict, Avalon ended up prostituting himself in Portland to support his own drug addiction before returning to his native Los Angeles to wreak havoc on the music biz. Seven years later, Avalon’s reputation is still grimy as sin, but his reality is a fraction tidier. At 37, the most exciting event on the horizon for the perennially youthful-looking waif is a mortgage; he just bought his first home: “It’s a very positive thing. I’ve never owned anything, I’ve always rented, so I’m super excited. I just wish I could be more present to take it all in, but once we’re done I can get stuck into it.” Fear not fans, the author of Stroke Me (2007) and Tight Blue Jeans (2011) is still devoted to his role as a first-rate hedonist and entertainer. As part of his forthcoming Australian tour, Avalon will host a private party for one lucky admirer and 20 of their closest friends. Presented by Kill Rock Stars, The Music and 26 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
Store DJ, the ‘Project: Mickey’ competition is a first for Avalon: “I’m a little nervous!” he laughs. “I mean, it’ll be fun. Most people don’t look at partying as a responsibility or anything, but we’ve got so much stuff to do. I gotta make sure I don’t get stuck there, you know
go back to hotel rooms,” he explains. “Everything here is uptight and I’m scared of cops getting called. I don’t like being paranoid, either. If it’s too loud or you’re smoking in your room or whatever, the next thing you know someone’s knocking at the door. I don’t like things ending in handcuffs, you know, that’s never fun. [In Australia] things have to be a bit more drastic out there before they call the cops, right?” The favourable house party scene is just one of the things Avalon loves about our country. The heavily tattooed artist has an Australia flag etched on his right arm and his next visit will be the
“I DON’T LIKE THINGS ENDING IN HANDCUFFS, YOU KNOW, THAT’S NEVER FUN.” what I mean? Like a one-night party turns into a three-day party, you know, that’s my concern. But I also don’t want to be the guy who’s like, ‘Oh yeah, that was fun, now I gotta go!’” Avalon says he wouldn’t dream of attempting a private party in the States; that privilege is reserved for his followers Down Under.” I hang out with my fans [in the States] a little. I’ll do an hour meet-andgreet after the show or something, but I don’t
fifth in almost as many years. Avalon brought his 16-year-old daughter with him last time he was here and he plans to stick around after the shows and have a little vacation with his girlfriend. “I always used to say… people around the world suck, I mean, except for your friends and family. For the most part people are shitty, so just go where the weather is good. Australia is the first place I found where the weather is good and everyone’s super cool,” he enthuses. “If there was anywhere I’d live other than [the United States], it’s there. I mean, I’d probably live there rather than here, but getting visas and leaving all my family and stuff is tough. But if shit ever went down here and I had to leave, Australia is where I’d go.” WHEN & WHERE: 20 Oct, Metro Theatre; 26 Oct, Fat As Butter, The Foreshore
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 27
travel
PARKS & PRESERVATION Brendan Hitchens visits the historically rich city of Suzhou in China and finds plenty of things to keep him occupied that don’t involve using Facebook or Twitter.
F
ounded in 514 BC, Suzhou is China’s hidden heaven. In stark contrast to the modern metropolis of Shanghai and the swarming populus of Beijing, Suzhou seamlessly merges the past and the future, with a calm and personal touch. An ideal weekend trip when visiting China, Suzhou is an hour and a half drive from Shanghai or just 25 minutes on the fast train, which rarely reaches its maximum speed of 380 kilometres an hour before reaching its destination. Suzhou is a city world renowned for its varied attractions – most notably is its ancient gardens. Hidden from the shadows of skyscrapers and the buzz of passing traffic, the gardens of Suzhou are a picture of tranquillity. Like simultaneously stepping through a history book or a panoramic postcard, the sites, world heritagelisted by UNESCO, aren’t so much for tourists as they are for everybody. A combination of art and architecture, the classical gardens are a preservation of a nation’s storyline, steeped in history and tradition. Commonly referred to as the ‘Venice of The East’, Suzhou is also world famous for its river canals. Gliding through the mercy waters via a rickety boat makes you feel at one with the locals, as washing hangs from lines, chickens linger in backyards and children peep beneath curtained windows. Temples, gardens and arched bridges all pass by, but it’s the connection to the people that makes it so special. Being a water city, the majority of Suzhou’s signature dishes come in the form of seafood. The most popular local delicacy is the squirrel fish: a soft meat complemented with dried bamboo shoots and sweet 28 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
and sour sauce. Other common delicacies include shrimp, stir-fried eels and whitebait soup. Shopping in Suzhou varies between retail stores and local markets. Down the narrow side streets you’ll find cheap knock-offs of Fred Perry polos, Ray Ban sunglasses and Rolex watches, along with, of course, the more traditional fans, silks and tapestries. Bargaining with street vendors is a fast way to learn the local dialect, while fruit on sticks and fried breads are the perfect cure to a shoppinginduced appetite. The tourist precinct of Suzhou is Shantang Old Street, a 1,200-year-old street. Stone-lined paths run by the canals as couples pose for wedding photographs – the water and boats providing a picturesque backdrop. It’s at night that the street
truly comes to life as glowing lanterns hang from ceilings and reflect off the river, giving the street a newfound ambience that again, connects the past with the future. For a one-stop tourist destination that encompasses all the hallmarks of Suzhou, Panmen Gate is the spot. You can explore the 2,500-year-old landmark at your own leisurely pace, strolling past pagodas, classical gardens, canals and ponds filled with some of the largest goldfish you will ever see. For something completely different, you can dress up like an emperor, complete with chest guard, helmet and sword and pose on a frail toy horse, to relive the ancient history, ironically, all captured on digital photography. The Suzhou Industrial Park is reminiscent of Melbourne’s Docklands and Sydney’s Circular Quay. Heavily backed by Singaporean investors in the mid 1990s, it represents the modernisation of China. The ever-developing precinct boasts hotels, residencies and a university, with the Jinji Lake as its centrepiece. Misleading in title, the park’s abundance of grasslands and recreational activities, together with its postmodern statues scattering the pastures, make it a necessary asset to the city. Artistically, Suzhou is known for its unique brand of opera. Dating back over 400 years, the style merges art, music and literature and is led by a cast of just two or three. Performers are dressed in traditional gowns and full make-up and exchange dialogue through singing and movement. Significantly different to Western operas, performers sing in an octave rarely heard, and while hard to swallow at first, it becomes a distinguishing trait to the storytelling.
“GLIDING THROUGH THE MERCY WATERS VIA RICKETY BOAT MAKES YOU FEEL AT ONE WITH THE LOCALS, AS WASHING HANGS FROM LINES, CHICKENS LINGER IN BACKAYRDS AND CHILDREN PEEP BENEATH CURTAINED WINDOWS.” The people of Suzhou are warm and welcoming and willing to try their limited English on passing tourists, with a simple “hello” and beaming smile. It’s a simple metaphor for the city and how it embraces change. While the local government censors social mediums of Facebook and Twitter, all it takes is a visit to Suzhou, a glimpse into its long history and a passing interaction with its people, to realise the tranquillity of a life pre-internet. THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 29
music
A LIFE LESS ORDINARY
[time]; you can never have those conversations with people. My girlfriend works a shitty job and she talks about the same three people, and when I talk it’s like ‘transvestite Mexican wrestlers, fucking Flea’s around’; my life is a comic book, and it’s so weird to try and connect and talk about it because it doesn’t make sense.”
Every Time I Die are five self-proclaimed “shitheads” that still can’t believe people want to see them play. Andy Williams explains to Benny Doyle why it’s the coolest thing in the fucking world.
“L
iterally dick and fart jokes,” is the immediate response given by bearded behemoth Andy Williams when asked what’s kept the Every Time I Die fires burning for 16 years. It’s a joke obviously, but only to a degree, as it’s their ability to not take themselves – or any sort of scene – seriously that has allowed the Buffalo, New York quintet to continue standing strong in the world of metal. “A lot of people get caught up in that fucking head game, where it’s just like, ‘Oh my God, they love me,’” the softly-spoken axeman admits. “For us, it’s like, ‘Really? You like me? – I’m a fat, thirty-six-year-old guy with tattoos and no aspiration to do anything else in my life – I can’t believe you think I’m cool.’ And when kids come up to me and they’re like, ‘Hey man, you’re my favourite guitar player,’ I’m like, ‘Are you sure? Have you heard Eric Clapton or other great guitar players? Because I don’t sound anything like those guys.’ And I think that has a lot to do with it: one) not taking ourselves too seriously, and two) having an almost morbid, self-deprecating sense of humour.” The Southern ‘core wild men are making yet another trek Down Under behind their fantastic sixth record of last year, Ex Lives, and this headline tour will mark their second sojourn in less than 12 months following their (rather surprising but very welcome) inclusion on the Big Day Out bill in January. These dates will see Every Time I Die getting physical in their natural habitat of a cosy club, an environment that was a distant memory when they were thrust onto the main stage at one in the afternoon. “I almost died [that] first day,” Williams bluntly recalls. “It was 112 – I think you guys had like the hottest heat index in Sydney’s history the day we played – which is like, I don’t even know what the fuck it is in your weird temperature, but [that’s] so hot you could fry an egg on the ground. And we had the dumb fucking idea to wear black leather jackets. It was awful.” It’s about this stage that question time is pretty well put on hold. Williams is in the zone, telling hilarious anecdotes end-to-end, going on to discuss their squarepegs-in-a-round-hole status on the line-up. “I think we definitely stuck out a little bit on that tour, but that’s cool, y’know what I mean? We don’t play with bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and stuff like that, so for us
we were like little kids walking around, like ‘Oh my God, there’s Flea!’ I remember when OFF! showed up the first day I lost it because Mario Rubalcaba was there and he was one of my favourite skateboarders when I was a kid, he played drums in Hot Snakes – which is like my favourite band of all time – and now he’s in OFF! with Keith Morris from Black Flag and Circle Jerks, and it was just a trippy experience to see those dudes.” Williams says he would watch JEFF The Brotherhood and Death Grips every day, OFF! every other day and calls Gary Clark Jr the only artist he “found” that he didn’t know about. He also got friendly with some transvestites. “Well, it was weird because there was these transvestite Mexican wrestlers walking around the airports that we were in, and I got along with them really well; we were sharing hotels so I was hanging out with them. I’d be talking to my girlfriend at the end of the night and she’d be like, ‘Well, what did you do today?’ and I’d say I’ve been hanging out with the Mexican wrestling guys and blah blah blah. It was the weirdest
To back-up his admission of a comical existence, the guitarist recalls a Sydney show at Manning Bar where he kicked a fan down a staircase at said fan’s request. Williams then references the best-selling self-help book, The Secret, and although he admits “it’s a crock of shit”, he does concede the positive thinking voodoo might be slowly taking hold. “I will come up with this thing, like ‘Today I’m going to do this’, and next thing you know it happens. Like, I’m going to do the weirdest thing possible; I’m going to go to Chinatown and if there’s an open door I’m going to walk in. I don’t know what the fuck’s in there? There
“I’M A FAT, 36-YEAR-OLD GUY WITH TATTOOS AND NO ASPIRATION TO DO ANYTHING ELSE IN MY LIFE – I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU THINK I’M COOL.” might be a family just eating dinner. But I’m starting to make my own destiny is what I’m trying to say. To be hanging out with Mexican transvestite wrestlers, that’s something that I can check off my bucket list. Like, ‘Tonight I’m going to ride a horse’, and the next thing y’know I’m riding a horse. It’s fucking weird, man.” It is weird – when Williams puts it like that. But in reality it’s quite logical – and it works, for Every Time I Die. Their entire career has been a case of wanting to do something, then doing it. They have never compromised their recorded output, never given anything less than everything on stage. And why? Because they don’t want to let anyone down. Especially themselves. “I don’t ever want to be that guy that’s doing something mediocre and being happy with it,” he says, sounding disappointed at the mere thought. “There’s a lot of people that do the band thing because they just became so complacent in doing the same thing over and over again. With Every Time I Die, the minute it gets mediocre, the minute that happens is the minute we’re done. [If this] isn’t the best thing we can do then fuck it, we’re calling it a day.” WHEN & WHERE: 19 Oct, Manning Bar
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 31
music
BEST IN THE WEST
“Oh, maybe I am a good role model,” says Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino as she speaks to Hannah Story about feeling the pressure and crafting a second EP.
“I
know there are a lot of young girls that look up to me… and it’s a really amazing thing, and I don’t feel any pressure to not be the person that I am,” says Cosentino. However, she admits that it’s difficult not to feel pressure when you’re doing something so personal, and that she struggled with anxiety while making Best Coast’s second album The Only Place. For her latest EP Fade Away, she felt more comfortable. “I
music
know making the EP was definitely a very easy process for me where I didn’t feel any sort of anxiety or anything, I was just in the studio making the songs.” It’s important for the singer-songwriter from California-based surf pop band Best Coast to stay true to herself. She focuses her songs on love and relationships, because it’s the kind of subject matter that means the most to her. “I feel like I always write about what’s going on in my life or at least things that have gone on in my life… I feel like it’s what I know best; even though I’m completely confused about almost everything all the time,” she jokes.
“I just feel inspired by real life and things that happen to people and things that are relatable to almost everybody.” Cosentino started writing songs when she was 16 and was influenced by seminal pop punk artists like Green Day and Blink-182. She thinks her age played a factor in the kind of musician she is today: “Maybe it’s the fact that I started writing music as a teenager and that’s why my music still kind of sounds like a teenager has written it – because I’m basically just a teenager in a mid 20-something-year-old’s body.” The 20-something released the EP on her own label Jewel City and, while writing, was heavily influenced by the likes of Mazzy Star and My Bloody Valentine. “I kind of wanted to do something that was really poppy and kind of simple and catchy and straightforward. I took inspiration from both of those bands in the sense that I feel like there’s a little bit more like distortion and some higher guitar parts.” Cosentino enjoyed the chance to really take the creative reins, without the influence of her former record label Mexican Summer. “I’ve always wanted to start a record label and have the freedom to do what I want to do when I want to.” Best Coast are currently in the process of writing their third album and intend to tour the world once they’ve finished up in the studio. “I want to write a lot of songs to kind of pick and choose from, because on the last two records I wrote just a record. I wrote twelve songs and then we ended up using every song and so I feel like for this experience I’ve set a goal for myself to write about 25 songs so that we can sit in the studio and choose the best and have some options for ourselves.” WHAT: Fade Away ( Jewel City/Kobalt)
WRITING HISTORY Masked metal juggernaut Slipknot are “by no means going anywhere”, drummer Joey Jordison explains. In the meantime, he tells Brendan Crabb about broadening his musical scope via new project Scar The Martyr.
“I
guess if I didn’t form this band maybe I would have used one or two of them or something, but I think at the time when I was doing this project, I wasn’t thinking Slipknot at all,” Joey Jordison says of newly born Scar The Martyr. “They weren’t written with Slipknot in mind. I was just, ‘Slipknot’s got time off, and I want to form a new project’. That’s when I started working on, ‘What do I want to do? What kind of band do I want to form?’” One somewhat removed from previous qualifications on an already lengthy CV, seemingly. Aside from being drummer/co-songwriter for Slipknot and co-leader of glam-punkers Murderdolls, the Iowan native has also enjoyed stints with Korn, Satyricon, Ministry and Rob Zombie. As Scar The Martyr took shape ( Jordison plays guitars, bass and drums on their selftitled debut), contributions were sought from lead guitarists Jed Simon (Strapping Young Lad) and Kris Norris (ex-Darkest Hour), vocalist Henry Derek, keyboardist Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails) and mixing by Rhys Fulber (Fear Factory, Paradise Lost). The new disc infuses industrial and ‘90s alt-rock elements within its melodic metal structure. Exploring fresh territory must have been liberating: “I really wanted to construct great songs,” he tells, “each song had to stand 32 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
out on its own. It came together with me not listening to any specific thing; I really wasn’t listening to any music at the time of the inception of these songs. I didn’t want to be influenced by anything on the outside. If I was going to make a record, I wanted to do something that I hadn’t done yet.” Although enthused about touring his new outfit (“We’ll be down in Australia soon… Probably around like February”) and boasting the aforementioned collaborations, a name remains unchecked on his proverbial bucket list. “I’d really like to work with Mike
Patton. I have no clue what that would sound like; I guess that’s what’s intriguing about it.” While hopeful about making such a musical union a reality, there’s also Slipknot’s first studio album since the death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010. The man known as #1 is emphatic that a new LP will happen. “I demoed more than my writing’s share already for Slipknot. I’ve got so many damn songs. It’s just when everyone is ready to get together and do it. At the time I was doing all my demos other people weren’t necessarily ready, but I got material dude, I got a lot of it. “What I can say is there is material, there will be another Slipknot record, and then one after that. We are by no means going anywhere. You had the first record that did what it did and it blew doors open. Iowa, we went darker and heavier. On Vol. 3, working with Rick [Rubin] and stuff, we opened ourselves up for more melody. All Hope Is Gone, we polished up the sound a little bit. So the next record… I know it’s gonna probably be the most important record we’ve ever released. I’ll leave it at that.” WHAT: Scar The Martyr (Roadrunner/Warner)
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 33
tv
CHASING ZOMBIES Guy Davis chats to actor Pierre Perrier, star of Studio’s new apocalyptic TV series The Returned about the undead.
Z
ombies are traditionally uncomplicated. Sometimes they shamble, sometimes they run. Generally they want to devour your flesh, although sometimes they like to shake it up a little by feasting only on your brain. (They’re the gourmets of the zombie population.) Leave it to the French, though, to put a bit of an existential spin on the whole walking dead pop culture phenomenon by making a television series where the dearly departed return from the grave looking to pick up their lives where they left off, reconnect with loved ones or maybe begin indulging in some of the nasty habits - such as murder - in which they indulged before they shuffled off this mortal coil. In The Returned, premiering soon on pay-TV channel Studio, the residents of a small French town are shocked and stunned when several people believed dead for years simply...well, return. “We put the zombie theme back into some kind of reality,” says Pierre Perrier, who plays Simon, who comes back to find that Adele, the woman he was going to marry, has given birth to his daughter Chloe but has also found new love with another man, Thomas. “One of the biggest themes of the show is this fantastic scenario but it has a very real effect on the people. We managed to do something new with something fantastic like the undead, something very realistic about what would really happen if you opened your door in the morning and you saw your dead father or your dead mother or your dead little brother… we wanted to show a realistic reaction to that.” That’s not to say that The Returned is simply some moody kitchen-sink melodrama where a few of the major players happen to be zombies. While it would be unfair to reveal just what happens as the first season of The Returned progresses, let’s just say that some mysteries are unravelled while others deepen. (And fear not, a second season is currently in the works.) The show has proven a critical and commercial success in France and internationally (UK and US remakes are reportedly in development), and Perrier is quick to attribute the quality of The Returned to its producers and directors but primarily its screenwriters, especially series creator Fabrice Gobert. “Fabrice is great,” Perrier says. “He really created a close atmosphere between the writing team and all the actors, which is difficult because there are a lot of actors. He was continually rewriting the script, every day and every night, then in the mornings he’d come and say ‘I have a new idea’ or ‘What do you think of this?’ He has great humanity and he managed to keep it all very real. There was a lot of money and a lot of expectation involved, but he managed to keep his own very strong idea of the show intact. He fought a lot to keep some ideas in, and I think it was a great success.” “It was a long process writing the story, with five or six people working over maybe five or six years just to get it right. The subject of zombies and undead people are so overused in other movies and TV shows that now they’re almost a non-serious subject, and I think The Returned takes it somewhere very realistic in a French cinematic way, very ‘auteur’.” 34 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
The French film industry has embraced genres like horror and fantasy with gusto, but Perrier feels that The Returned breaks new ground in terms of the country’s small-screen produce. “I think the success is because it represents a new French identity,” he says. “France hasn’t been able until the last two or three years to make good TV shows that it can export abroad. We do this in cinema, but we don’t usually have the balls to do it on TV, we normally stay classic. But France is growing slowly, and this is hopefully our time.” As far as his character Simon is concerned, Perrier says he was initially described as “a classic romantic”. “All sad, always in black, big hair, looking desperately for his wife and child,” says Perrier. “Like some classic character out of literature but there is a twist: Fabrice told me at the beginning ‘Maybe he is not so innocent’.” Indeed, just as there is mystery surrounding the return of Simon, there is also mystery surrounding the circumstances of his death. Did he take his own life? Was there something more sinister involved? Or something more banal? “If he actually killed himself, then he was somebody depressed and sad,” muses Perrier. “Maybe he tried to get away on his wedding day because he was crazy, or he was a little bit sick, so he went from being this classical character to being some kind of pervert narcissist, playing with other people’s feelings.” Regardless, Simon’s return plays havoc with the life Adele
“WE MANAGED TO DO SOMETHING NEW WITH SOMETHING FANTASTIC LIKE THE UNDEAD, SOMETHING VERY REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT WOULD REALLY HAPPEN IF YOU OPENED YOUR DOOR IN THE MORNING AND YOU SAW YOUR DEAD FATHER OR YOUR DEAD MOTHER OR YOUR DEAD LITTLE BROTHER.” has created in the years since. To their daughter Chloe, she refers to Simon as “an angel”...but is he? “Well, who is entirely an angel and who is entirely a devil?” says Perrier. “It’s the same for all characters. I think every character in the series has their own questions and anger and joy. It’s almost impossible to imagine what it would be like to be this guy and come back. Can you imagine it? You find your wife with another man and your child already grown up. It’s just impossible. There was a lot of ambiguity about the character and I loved that about him. I mean, with Thomas - Adèle’s new husband Simon’s going to be a devil, and with his child, he’s going to be an angel. It’s just the character.”
WHAT: The Returned WHEN: Premieres 16 Oct, Studio
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 35
music
BUSINESS TIME Dan Sultan talks Samson McDougall through some of the benefits of satisfying your creative urges and the dangers of excessive barbecuing before admitting it’s gonna be good to “say g’day to The Boss”.
F
our years since his last album, Get Out While You Can, Dan Sultan is finally laying down some new material and he’s got good reason to be enthused. Packing a few dozen songs he’d already penned and accompanied by his long-time rhythm section of Peter Marin and Josh Jones, Sultan, presented with the opportunity of working with producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Norah Jones, Modest Mouse etc) at the legendary Blackbird Studio, jetted to Nashville to start tracking. Three dozen songs written over four years may sound like a fair output for a songwriter, but Sultan reckons it’s only really the culmination of the last year. Coming out of a bit of a creative dry patch, this burst of writing has come at an opportune time, with several career planets aligning and some incredible opportunities presenting themselves. Thirty-something songs is a hefty start-point, and although they’ll need to be whittled down to around 12 or so numbers for the record, he seems ready to jump into this next phase of his songwriting journey. “I hadn’t written anything in about three years,” says Sultan of the years following Get Out While You Can. “I was in a real rut and then I changed the situation I was in, took a bit more control over my career and over my life in general. I think some would probably call it growing up, you know, making the shift. “I think it’s important to be creative; being active like that and just working your brain and your spirit, y’know – in a creative way. Particularly being a creative person, and to not write anything and to not feel confident about anything for so long and [then] to just come out and do it, y’know, it was a good feeling.” Of the songs that didn’t make the final cut, Sultan says there’s no regrets. Since the wheels started turning he’s been happy to roll with whatever needs to happen to make it work. “There was a bit of apprehension about that kind of stuff,” he allows, “but at the end of the day we’re trying to [get] something down that we’re all proud of, and not just me as a songwriter but the people in my band and the people that we’re making the record with. We’re all invested in this, our time and our energy, and you’ve gotta get down to business.” For the country soul of Dan Sultan, Nashville’s a no-brainer (“There’s guitars in glass cases at the airport”). In working with the best, he’s essentially measuring his own playing, his band and his songs up against the best. It was a chance to step up and test the depth of his rekindled creativity. “It’s a music city, they take a lot of pride in that and the people that come out of Nashville, the people who are considered the best in Nashville, are the best in the world, really,” he continues. “You need a mandolin player? You can get one of the best on the planet. Or if you need a pedal steel player, or an acoustic guitar player, or a keys player, or anything, really... “It’s definitely got a special vibe about it. You go downtown and, y’know, it’s a bit of a touristy area but you can literally walk three metres down the street and there’s another place that’s got music playing at 11 o’clock in the morning.” There’s also the famous 36 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
Tennessee Barbecue, which he says is “not a sustainable situation”. And the waistline? “I’m maintaining, it’s good,” he claims. “Up and down a little bit. In America, man, you get whatever you want; you can eat like shit as much as you want or you can eat well as much as you want... it’s holding up okay.” Taking your wares halfway around the world to the veritable beating heart of the country music (and barbecue) industry doesn’t come without its fair share of trepidation, though. Sultan admits nerves played a part but is hopeful some of this energy will be captured in the record. “I wouldn’t say ‘intimidating’ but it was very exciting,” he says. “I did get nervous but it’s a good feeling to be able to hear some results. Even after the first day of tracking, it’s such an amazing place... If you’re kinda holding it together it’s inspiring, encouraging. But absolutely, we were very nervous and I still am, but I think it’s good to be nervous, good to be excited, especially when you’re trying to be creative. If there’s a little bit of fear there then that’s a positive thing...” Last year, Sultan broke with his usual band format and tested a bunch of new material in Melbourne venue The Toff In Town. There were cries of disappointment from around the country that the stripped-back shows didn’t reach further than that. The first mission he’s
“IF THERE’S A LITTLE BIT OF FEAR THERE THEN THAT’S A POSITIVE THING.” set himself upon returning from the US is to rectify this with a national ‘Back To Basics’ solo tour. This low-key return will be followed up by two performances of a very different nature – Sultan, with band, will be opening for Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band at AAMI Park in Melbourne and Hope Estate Winery in the Hunter Valley. “It’s going to be good,” he understates of the Springsteen shows. “It’s a good reason to get a killer band together, you know. I’ve got a lot of players that I’ve played with for a long time and I’m looking forward to getting a lot of those people back on... It’s going to be good to get some crew together and get some new faces as well and some new instruments and go and say g’day to The Boss.” WHEN & WHERE: 23 Oct, Lizotte’s, Newcastle; 24 Oct, The Basement; 25 Oct, Heritage Hotel, Bulli; 26 Oct, The Abbey, Canberra; 22 Feb, Hope Estate, Hunter Valley
www.thebasement.com.au
BVS 6][S ]T :WdS ;caWQ AW\QS '%! T EVERY TUESDAY
JU ANNOUST NCED
SWING TUESDAYS (NZ/LATE SHOW) JOIN US FOR SWING DANCE CLASSES FROM 7PM AND THEN STICK AROUND AND PUT YOUR MOVES TO THE TEST AS OUR VERY OWN 15 PIECE DANCE ORCHESTRA THE BASEMENT BIG BAND PLAY 2 SETS FROM 8.30PM. ENTRY $8.
NEWS FROM THE BASEMENT
COMING SOON… FRI 25 OCT
CAITLIN ROSE & BAND (USA) SAT 9 NOV
HOME BREW (NZ/LATE SHOW) FRI 15 NOV
SARAH MCLEOD FOLLOW US: ON FACEBOOK @ THE BASEMENT & ON TWITTER @ #BASEMENTSYD RESTUARANT OPENS AT 11AM, SERVING FOOD ALL DAY
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(WORLD MUSIC WEDNESDAYS)
WED 16 OCT
SKETCH THE RHYME
THU 17 OCT
WOLF MAIL
FRI 18 OCT
TRUE VIBENATION O + BULLHORN (BRIS)
SAT 19 OCT
MEN OF LETTERS
SUN 20 OCT
SWING TUESDAYS WITH THE BASEMENT BIG BAND
TUES 22 OCT
WATUSSI SSI (WORLD MUSIC WEDNESDAYS)
WED 23 OCT
(CAN)
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 37
culture
POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY THE AVENGERS
As Marvel Comics throws its hat into the televised arena with its eagerly awaited Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., now airing on Seven, Mitch Knox takes a look at the cinematic rivalry between graphic fiction’s big two, and why DC Comics is at risk of being left in a cloud of gamma-irradiated dust.
I
f you aren’t a fan of comic books, you could pretty easily be forgiven for thinking that DC Comics only has two major characters. At least, that’s what their cinematic strategy over the past eight years has felt like. Since Batman Begins in 2005, DC has coughed up a further two Batman films, two wildly disparate Superman films, and a series of one-offs both barely passable (Watchmen) and abysmal (Jonah Hex, Green Lantern). In fact, of the 24 live-action films in total that DC has produced since 1951, 19 of them have revolved around Batman, Superman, or their extended heroic families. And film #25, the upcoming Man Of Steel sequel, will feature both icons in all their longshadowed glory. In comparison, Marvel will have released 33 films by the end of this year, having started in 1944 (then as Timely Comics) with Captain America. Another four films are slated for release in 2014, three apiece for 2015 and 2016, and loose plans are laid for one each in 2017-18 – so far.
38 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
It’s not hard to spot the difference. Obviously, Marvel has had a far wider spectrum of success with their films than DC, mostly as a result of the sheer volume of cinematic capers the House of Ideas has pumped out over the past 13 years. Early contemporary attempts, especially those developed via third parties such as the Fantastic Four and Punisher films, were largely godawful – a result DC is not unfamiliar with – but nothing in DC’s catalogue has matched the risk, scope, ingenuity and ultimate reward of Marvel’s “phase” strategy for its cinematic plans, laying narrative groundwork in its first phase (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America) before properly
commencing phase two – its shared universe – with The Avengers and the next wave of individual sequels, and moving into phase three after Avengers 2. It was bold, untested and unprecedented, but Marvel did it anyway. The key point is that Marvel did not attempt to build their universe off the back of one of their more popular characters – they took a B-list drunk (who, honestly, not many people cared about) and gave him his own film. Aided by the undeniable charm of Robert Downey Jr doing his best impression of Robert Downey Jr, 2008’s Iron Man was the first brick in the first wall of Marvel’s grand design. In the years since, they’ve built an impenetrable tower of power, the walls of which DC has been left to furiously attempt to scale. True, they’d have an easier time of it if they were operating at peak efficiency, because, as you may be aware, DC is based not around a ‘big two’ but a holy trinity, and a key member of that three-way partnership has been painfully absent from DC’s plans for the past decade: Wonder Woman. DC would have you believe that Wonder Woman is “too tricky” a character to pin down for an accurate representation on-screen. But, between Linda Carter’s unforgettable portrayal and 2009’s underrated, under-acknowledged animated Wonder Woman feature, Diana of Themiscyra has proven that she, as a character, more than has the strength to shoulder a live-action feature. And as much as Bruce Wayne is the yin to Clark Kent’s yang, Diana is the extra X to both of their Ys, and her importance in holding up the foundations of the DC universe cannot be overstated. But DC took one
IRON MAN
THE DARK KNIGHT
MAN OF STEEL
look at David E Kelley’s failed attempt at a Wonder Woman TV show pilot, declared it all too hard and went back to focusing on the Bat and Big Blue.
“DC HAS ITS WORK CUT OUT FOR IT IF IT EVER PLANS TO TOPPLE MARVEL FROM THE MOUNTAIN.”
To be totally fair, their reasoning – or, at least, their public reasoning – has to do with the age and complexity of Wonder Woman’s origin story, and the (somewhat self-inflicted) pressure on whatever creative team gets the green light to make sure that they damn well nail the character. Those more familiar with how DC’s suits think are of the opinion that a character such as Wonder Woman just isn’t seen to be “interesting” or “marketable” to their core demographic: namely, straight, white males. Of course, we all know that very much isn’t the only demographic for comic-book readers, but try telling that to a company that recently forbade one of its major characters (Batwoman) from being married on account of all the lesbianism, and eradicated several popular female characters – to vocal opposition – last year during a label-wide relaunch. Meanwhile, Marvel looked at Guardians Of The Galaxy, a comic that pretty much nobody read before six months ago, and said, “Hell yeah we’re gonna make a film about a talking tree and a well-armed raccoon and bald Amy Pond!” and just fucking went for it. The one arena, so far, where DC has matched Marvel is on TV. Marvel has only just joined the party with Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. – which wasted no time in aligning itself with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with appearances from both Cobie Smulders’ Agent Maria Hill and Clark Gregg’s Agent Phil Coulson, as well as references to the Extremis serum featured in Iron Man 3 – but DC’s Arrow has already completed
its first season and done a decent enough job of reinventing Green Arrow for the small screen that the soon-to-air season two will not only see the arrival of characters such as The Flash and Black Canary, but will potentially tie in to the world introduced to us in Man Of Steel. How this will be achieved remains to be seen, but it’s an exciting prospect nonetheless for fans of DC’s characters. Still, with an opponent so willing to take risks and to speak to an audience outside the “traditional” readership and yet another Batrelated property in the pipeline (their proposed Gotham TV series), DC has its work cut out for it if it ever plans to topple Marvel from the mountain – and no Wonder. THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 39
music
DYSTOPIAN PIZZA
Prince Rama spun dough on a record player, and Taraka Lawson tells Callum Twigger you can turn different songs into great pizza if you use your imagination.
P
rince Rama are Taraka and Nimai Lawson, two Brooklynite sisters who put cosmology, tantric nudity and glitter onto almost everything they get their hands on. They make electronic music with such garish pop sensibility it’d actually be popular as hell if they didn’t mix it in with a heap of nonconsumer-friendly content like ziggurats, utopia/ dystopia theory, academic analysis and performance art. But duh, that’s what makes them the fucking greatest. In August, Taraka was bitten by a rabid raccoon in New York City’s Central Park. She described the raccoon to
the Gothamist as “having no centre of gravity”, a description you could describe as Rama-esque, but it seemed in really bad taste to ask how it felt to be bitten by a rabid raccoon and what pre-frenzy rabidity and rabies antiviral treatment collectively felt like, so we talked about her weekend instead. “I’m chilling here with my cat, I just got back from a trip upstate,” Taraka confirms. “I was gone for the weekend apple picking. It’s the first weekend of fall here, so what we do when it reaches fall is go out apple picking. Do apples even grow in Australia?” Dude, apples grow in Australia. Prince
music
Rama recently posted on their Facebook about a pizza party, with heaps of pictures of trendy people. “We did this pizza DJ set, where we got basically twenty songs that kind of have something to do with fun topical pizzas toppings – it had to be pretty concrete, like Mean Mr. Mustard or something – so then you go okay, ‘I can visualise a mustard pizza,’ or something a little more abstract, like November Rain by Guns N’ Roses, which you know, I think about November Rain being a really sadlooking Thanksgiving dinner on top of a pizza. “We gathered twenty songs of this nature, and we got these metal plates, and a friend of ours got a record cutter to cut the sounds into the plates, basically making a mould of the record. Instead of pressing lacquer into the record player, we started pressing pizza dough. And we’re like, ‘We’re gonna do a pizza DJ set where we’re just DJing records made out of pizza.’ It sounded totally insane, like we’d just cracked open a pizza fossil record. We did that last week; we kind of built installation stuff too, round at a gallery in New York. We created this whole pizza universe.” As for her plans for the more immediate future? “I’ve got another manifesto about pop music and the apocalypse. You can’t put everything into music. I know people ask, like, ‘How do you do the art? You do writing, you do cooking, you do relationship advice columns… what’s up with you guys?’ But for us it’s like none of it is really separate from the music. For us, writing is visual music.” And her goal for this Australia tour? “I just want to learn to be the best bogan I can be.” WHEN & WHERE: 25 Oct, Red Rattler
BATHING IN THE AFTERGLOW
After frontman Daniel Blumberg left Yuck, it seemed to sound the death knell for the British band. Max Bloom tells Brendan Telford that their legacy is far from over.
G
low And Behold may be Yuck’s second album, yet in many ways it plays like a new beginning. After the massive success of their eponymous debut which led to riotous adulation on festival stages and abroad, what seemed like a band in control was completely undermined when leading contributor Daniel Blumberg left to pursue his solo career under the guise of Hebronix. The remaining trio – Max Bloom, Mariko Doi and Jonny Rogoff – never once considered downing tools, though. “I don’t really know if it was personal [when Blumberg left] but he had always wanted to focus on his solo show,” Bloom iterates. “It was something that he had figured out, that obviously was driving him, so he left. However, I had a clear vision of what I wanted from the band before he left, and had most of that written; I didn’t want to write another Yuck. So this album is completely different stylistically, because I’ve moved on since recording that first album. It wasn’t a conscious decision to change in light of what happened – we had just changed as people.” Contrary to popular belief, the differences between the last album and Glow And Behold come from Bloom’s willingness to push beyond the boundaries of the Yuck 40 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
of old and were already in effect since 2012. “I’m not the kind of person who gets satisfied by what they’ve done, regardless of [if ] it’s done well or not. There was never a sense of looking back to try and make Yuck better; we aren’t better, we are just different to what we were before. I really liked [the first album], and it works for what it is: a collection of songs that are excitable and almost naïve. But I wanted to make a record that was a little more in sync, more of a whole piece that you could listen to from start to finish. That was my starting point, to focus on a general
vibe or atmosphere that would cover the entire album, and then arranging the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle.” Glow And Behold is a marked shift sonically, which had some influence by introducing Chris Coady (Beach House, Grizzly Bear) into the studio, an experience that Bloom found daunting and enlightening. “I always approached this as being something we could sequence rather than it be a set of songs that we had written, so I already had a particular idea of what it should sound like,” Bloom explains. “It was never my idea to have someone to come in, so it was difficult at first. I didn’t need anyone to come in and change the music, but then that wasn’t Chris’ role. He essentially became a member of the band. The reason the album sounds the way it does is because the first one was recorded in my bedroom at my parents’ house, and we suffered very rigid limitations. Going into the studio allowed us to experiment with things, to get out of my comfort zone a little bit.” WHAT: Glow And Behold (Caroline)
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THE MUSIC â&#x20AC;¢ 16TH OCTOBER 2013 â&#x20AC;¢ 41
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NO PLACE LIKE HOME The Jarman brothers have been making music as The Cribs for ten years now, pretty much their entire adult lives. Frontman Ryan Jarman tells Steve Bell that no matter where he is or what he’s doing his heart pretty much belongs to his perverse band and his perverse band alone.
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ven though hard-working English indie outfit The Cribs are literally and figuratively a band of brothers, the ties that bind them haven’t been quite as tight of late. The trio of Jarman siblings grew up (and discovered music) in the relatively miniscule city of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, but have in recent times spread to the wind, with oldest twins Ryan (guitar/ vocals) and Gary (bass/vocals) having decamped to America, leaving only younger brother Ross (drums) to mind the fort at home. And while for Ryan having a place of his own is a novelty after a decade of living out of a suitcase on the road with his band, he recently discovered that home isn’t always where the heart is. “Yeah, Gary’s been living [in America] since about 2006, and I just moved out there last year,” he offers from the road while touring Europe. “I mean I didn’t live anywhere – since the band started, for the last ten years, I just haven’t lived anywhere. I’ve just been on the road so constantly that I just haven’t had a home, so then last year I moved to New York because I met friends and stuff out there. That’s been good – it was good to finally find somewhere that I actually want to live. “It’s [good laying down roots], apart from the fact that since I’ve been out here on tour, I was living in this place in New York and the guy who lived in one of the other rooms has stolen everything that I own and gone missing. That’s been really stressful – you think that you’ve set roots down and you think that everything’s good, and then you realise that you’ve moved in with a complete fucking wildlife.”
tapes, but thinking about what songs to put on there was difficult just because there was so many – we’d written and recorded over a hundred songs, so even thinking of the tracklisting was difficult. But it was really satisfying because it wasn’t just like a record company thing, we all got involved and went back and found the old master tapes and did remasters.
While The Cribs are obviously a group not prone to examining their overall place in the annals of music, receiving the Outstanding Contribution To Music gong at the annual NME Awards earlier this year must have been a tad surreal. “I know, we grew up being big Queen fans, and that’s the kind of award that you’d give to someone like Queen or something,” Jarman laughs. “We found it really funny at the time and really weird. It is interesting to get it when you’re really young, but I figure that we’ve written over a
“YOU THINK THAT EVERYTHING’S GOOD AND THEN YOU REALISE YOU’VE MOVED IN WITH WILDLIFE.”
Earlier this year The Cribs released Payola, a career retrospective celebrating a decade as a band, the milestone which is also bringing them back to Australia so abruptly (they were last here at the very start of the year). Did putting together the compilation offer a chance to reflect on everything they’d achieved in the last decade?
Gary has a box where he saves everything from flyers to wristbands – everything from the whole band history, stuff that we hadn’t seen in ten years – and we scanned it all and put it in the artwork, so it was sort of satisfying putting it all together as just one package.
“A little bit, I suppose,” Jarman considers. “We’re not really that big into that, you know? We don’t want it to be some self-congratulatory wank back-slapping session. It was interesting going back and getting all of the old
“But at the same time me and Gary are really prone to getting super nostalgic about things – I always
42 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
miss the days when I was at school or at college, it speaks to me and it’s so easy to get wrapped up in nostalgia – but at the same time I never do with the band, because I’m always concerned with what’s happening next.”
hundred songs, which is kind of rare. I think that in the last ten years we’ve really packed a lot into it, and written a lot and toured relentlessly – so we’ve packed quite an intensive career into ten years already. But you can feel with awards like that that they’re almost putting you out to pasture; it’s like, ‘Alright you need some milk now, you can chill out for a bit’. But it was cool. The thing I like about this band is how perverse it is, and getting an award like that feels like a perverse, strange occurrence. We were happy to get it, but at the same time we’re only like thirty-odd, I think there’s still life in us yet.” WHEN & WHERE: 23 Oct, The Small Ballroom, Newcastle; 24 Oct, Upstairs Beresford
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 43
music
WHAT’S THE RUSH? Why did we have to wait ten years to get Cody Chesnutt’s second album? Because he had to wait ten years to get it. He chats with Benny Doyle about learning, growing and reconnecting.
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hen he was standing on the edge of stardom, Cody Chesnutt decided to step away from it all. Outside looking in, Chesnutt had it all: a voice from the heavens, virtuoso guitar chops, unflappable style and friends in all the right places. The Roots spin on his original, The Seed, catapulted him onto TV screens and allowed him to be heard by a new generation. Then just as mainstream crossover success beckoned he disappeared from the scene for the better part of a decade. “It was interesting,” he ponders. “I remember trying to be as present as possible in the process so I could take it all in because it was happening fast. Thank god I had enough time before it all hit to really get an understanding of how grounded you should be and what to look out for, because before The Seed came out with The Roots I’d already been playing The Headphone Masterpiece underground for [almost a] year, and then MTV and all the coverage began to happen so I just tried to really focus on what is real and just take my time with it and take it all in so it was never completely overwhelming. I think I kept myself pretty focused on what really mattered.” What mattered was family, not fame - because success wasn’t striven for and recognition seemed a chore. What the now 45-year-old simply wanted was to write the next song. In his mind there was no need to pander to the scene and repeat; he just wanted to create the best art he could, whenever it felt right. That meant clearing his head and letting life become another thing for him. Chesnutt became a father. He says it was the perfect time to welcome a new heart into the world as it allowed him to “focus on something else rather than my own desires.” And for many years that’s what it was all about – the quiet life – one which has now taken him from California to Florida with his family. Once his head was clear, he started to sense the themes that would line the music of his second release, 2012’s Landing On A Hundred. “I had lots of time to think and listen and to really concentrate on the tone of my lyric and the effectiveness of the lyric – I didn’t want to waste any words. I really wanted to say everything that I felt; to find a way to
get to the point and be accessible at the same time y’know. I really wanted to grow and learn and understand how to make complex issues accessible to everybody – that was one of the greatest things I learnt in that
Landing On A Hundred is still allowing Chesnutt to discover new feelings and emotions on stage: “That’s all I’m ever trying to discover – the deepest emotion, the most genuine emotion – that’s the only thing that really makes it worthwhile for me, and that’s what makes it worth sharing. If I find something that’s really moving me then I’m inspired at that point in time to go out and communicate and share that with other people. Other than that there’s no reason to do it, for me. “If I’m not connecting with the songs, then why go on tour? That’s where my head is [right now]. There’s so much superficial music and content in the air and the media; I want something that really moves the soul of the person. That’s my aim, to have something like that to share. And if I’m not moved, then I’m not interested in sharing it with anybody.” According to the main man, the players he’s bringing out for his first Australian dates since 2006 – a collection of multi-instrumentalists ready and willing to bend with the unique feelings of his music – lock in tight with that energy. “They do, they do,” Chesnutt
“THAT’S ALL I’M EVER TRYING TO DISCOVER – THE DEEPEST EMOTION, THE MOST GENUINE EMOTION” process. I remember seeing an interview with Hendrix, and he was lying on the bed talking to somebody, and he was saying that he was trying to trim it all down, cut the words down and get to the point. That really impacted me as a writer. Just say what you need to say, and not go around the world trying to make it too difficult, too heady – just put it there.” Although this continuation on his rhythm and blues journey picked up again almost a year ago, the guitar-driven soul of
confirms in a leisurely drawl. “They understand my position, which is play for the song – the song tells us all what needs to happen. The song is the boss, the song is the leader, so let’s all really support and find out what the song means, and they’re very open and understanding with that and try their very best to connect with it and share the song.” And sure, you may have forgotten about Cody Chesnutt once, but don’t make the same mistake over. An incredible musician, a special human being; his style of life is one worth breathing in, even after all this time. “I had to live in a way that informed me enough that I could mature as a writer and a listener to communicate. I felt I needed to basically clear my head and my spirit, and grow as a man. And it just happened to take ten years. It wasn’t planned; I didn’t know if it was going to be six years or eight or four. But it felt timely; it felt like the right time when [this] music came.” WHEN & WHERE: 19 Oct, Metro Theatre
VIRAL EMPIRE
Breath, and new single, Say It Like You Mean It – the four lads from Cronulla spent a fortnight on the Vans Warped tour playing to 15-20,000 people a show and then toured with a couple of other US bands for another fortnight before returning to Sydney to work on the new album.
From Olympic theme-makers to Vans Warped debuts, the past couple of years have seen New Empire go international. Michael Smith talks to drummer Kale Kneale.
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evin Lyman, the founder of the Vans Warped Tour, looked down at New Empire drummer Kale Kneale, sitting in the band’s tour van in the carpark in his boxers one morning before a show, and said, “Hey guys. First of all, congratulations on the song being on the Olympics ad, and secondly, you’re gonna have to move your car.” That song was One Heart/Million Voices, selected as the official theme song for the 2012 Summer Olympics
on Australian TV. “We had no idea that we’d been put forward for it,” Kneale admits, “and we only found out through a mate who was working at Channel 9 at the time and walked past an editing room where the song was being cut to the ad. Then he texted our guitarist and told him what was going on and a week later we found it had been approved and was going to hit the TV screens.” Still a completely independent band at the time – they’re about a fortnight away from announcing some big deals currently in negotiation for the release of their third album, In A
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“That tour,” Kneale continues, “we were exposed to a lot of bands and music different to us, which was a good thing ‘cause it really challenged us to recognise our own sound amongst everything we were hearing. A lot of the bands on Vans Warped were, I guess, that pop/punk/hardcore sound, so you do feel like what you have as a sound is really yours because everything else you’re hearing is different. “So I think it had a positive effect on this album, because we were able to see, I guess, what’s out there, what’s gaining attention, what’s not gaining attention and it probably helped us focus on sticking to what we do best. “I think with this album we’ve achieved the sound we’ve always wanted to achieve, and that’s not so polished. Like, our previous stuff has been quite polished, and I guess perfect. With each album, from the start, we’ve kind of gone away from having it sound perfect and really digital. We wanted to sort of get some raw sounds in there... We wanted to make it sound as live as possible.” WHAT: Say It Like Your Mean It (Independent) WHEN & WHERE: 17 Oct, The Small Ballroom, Newcastle; 18 Oct, Oxford Art Factory; 19 Oct, ANU Bar, Canberra
LIVING LARGE
music
Keeping up with the Kardashians is one thing, but rolling with the Stafford Brothers, Australia’s first reality show DJ stars, is another. Chris Stafford welcomes Cyclone to the entourage.
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ast year Matt and Chris Stafford transplanted from the Gold Coast to Los Angeles, determined to conquer the US. They have already signed to the urban Cash Money Records and aired Hello, featuring Christina Milian and Lil Wayne, a track that went double platinum here. But this December the Staffords will return home for Stereosonic, and with such a behemoth line-up they could ironically get lost. The Staffords, originally from New Zealand, have been active as DJ/producers since at least the mid2000s. Early, they covered Boston’s hoary More Than A Feeling. They’d disseminate music through labels as varied as Toolroom, Defected and Armada. In 2011 the Staffords were voted Australia’s number one DJs at the annual inthemix Awards – and they won for the third consecutive time this year.
The brothers tapped into a whole new audience with two seasons of The Stafford Brothers on Fox8 – and, Chris says freely, their involvement was always more about strategy than any lofty ambition of educating the masses about DJ culture. “It definitely opened us up to other markets because, if we’re in the airport or something, parents were coming up to us; a lot of the time they wouldn’t be in the clubs because they’ve got little kids. But I found that
we got a lot more kids who can’t actually go out clubbing hitting us on Facebook and Twitter. So I think it’s great.” Signing to Cash Money was a coup. Bryan ‘Birdman’ Williams’ label is home to hip hop superstars Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj (via Weezy’s Young Money imprint). Milian, who was Ashanti’s rival at Def Jam and enjoyed a hit in 2004’s Dip It Low, is recording a comeback album for them. Cash Money has also taken on Limp Bizkit. But what the label was missing was an EDM act. “They’ve got a huge reach and that sort of pop/hip hop market
and, just as a label, they’re a huge influence in the scene in America,” Chris extols. “We’re planning an EP at the moment. We’re looking at two new singles, both with features from Cash Money,” Chris continues. The duo have stopped prepping a long canvassed ‘artist’ album, now in favour of releasing tracks that can be “bundled” into an LP later. “Dance music moves so quickly, you’ve got to be ahead of the game, so singles and EPs are the way to go at the moment.” Dance music has never been bigger Stateside. Some worry that the bubble may burst, but not the Staffords. “It’s just the start in America. We’re playing in Milwaukee and Cincinnati and all these different places, so it’s definitely spreading in America.” WHEN & WHERE: 19 Oct, Marquee; 1 Dec, Stereosonic, Sydney Showground; 8 Mar, Future Music Festival, Royal Randwick Racecourse THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 45
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ROAD WARRIORS
“I’m a bit jaded on the whole music industry but I do think that a lot of bands could take a lot away from older bands like Parkway and us as well, not to the same extent, but there’s a lot to be learnt from the touring ethics of older bands. Look at Mindsnare, they’ve been doing that shit for twenty years; they’re just passionate about hardcore, no bullshit. I think that would help if people strip away the bullshit and get back to the roots of it all.”
Queensland world-beaters The Amity Affliction have been gripped to the road all year, and as Joel Birch tells Benny Doyle, it’s the only way the band know how to exist.
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side from a few stiff crowds in mainland Europe (we’re looking at you Belgium!), The Amity Affliction have just enjoyed another successful OS tour, ripping into the continent of culture last month with British crew Landscapes and Aussie up-and-comers In Hearts Wake. Now, 12 months on from the release of their ARIA chart topping third record Chasing Ghosts, Gympie’s biggest metal export will headline the largest local dates of their career, and affable growler Joel Birch is excited to attack stages as road hardened as they’ve ever been. “This is the first [Australian] tour we’ve really done where we’ve come off solid touring before it,” Birch admits. “We’re feeling much better this time than we were, even for the album tour; I felt like we hit our stride about halfway through that. So it’s good, we’re fully in tour mode [right now] so it should be a beauty.” It’s been a wild year of highs and lows for the band – with now-sorted label woes briefly mentioned but not expanded on by Birch – and he smiles when talking about seeing more of the world and performing as part of Soundwave, Groovin’ The Moo and Warped Tour in the States. But grinding out tours end-toend is nothing new for The Amity Affliction; it’s how they’ve built their career and honed their skills. The band don’t know any other way, and Birch finds it funny that some young acts think they do. “I see [bands] who are touring hard, [then] I see bands forming with a band manager, a tour manager and a fucking press agent, a record label, and they’re like, ‘EP coming soon’. It’s like, ‘What do you mean, man?’” he laughs quizzically. “We toured for fucking six years before we had a manager. You don’t need that shit, just hit the road, and then hit it again and again and again. It’s almost like they think that shit just happens overnight; they just need to watch those Parkway DVDs and they can get a lesson in what happens. Just fucking tour, it’s a simple formula. If you’ve got something that’s going to become successful, like if you have that ability and you keep touring, it will come into fruition.”
The frontman says instantaneous recognition and the visual one-upmanship found on social media has a big part to play in the problem. “There’ll always be those people out there that want to be in a band so they can fuck, or want to be in a band because
Much like these tips espoused by Birch for young bands, Chasing Ghosts offers a clear message for fans of The Amity Affliction: life is there for living. It’s a direct and at times arresting album, but it’s also undeniably uplifting because the charismatic vocalist purged the challenging emotions he was feeling into something positive. “It’s still a constant thing, it’s not something that you just wake up in the morning and get rid of like a hangover,” he says regarding his depression. “You’re stuck with it for many, many years, so I work through it, stay positive and that’s the best you can do. I still have my bad days, like everyone does, but just head down, get through it and move forwards.”
“JUST FUCKING TOUR, IT’S A SIMPLE FORMULA.” it’s a mark of coolness or something. I know I speak for all of us in Amity; we wanted to be in a band to play music – that was it. It was something that we felt we had to do and we did it and it worked. But nowadays you say you’re in a band on the internet and you’re in a band – so what? You get one song on SoundCloud and who knows what can happen?” he jokes sarcastically.
Birch still fights his battles, but right now he’s happy to concentrate on the summer ahead; epic shows with his best mates, time with his girlfriend at home on the Sunshine Coast, getting waves and doing pre-production on The Amity Affliction’s fourth full-length, which the band are already deep into. “The guys have six songs demoed, I just sung on the first one yesterday and Ahren [Stringer – bass/clean vocals] has done choruses on four of them, so we’re well and truly into writing mode,” he reveals. “We’re recording in January/ February so new album around the corner.”
WHEN & WHERE: 19 Oct, Panthers, Newcastle (all ages); 20 Oct, Big Top Luna Park (all ages)
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THE MUSIC â&#x20AC;˘ 16TH OCTOBER 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ 47
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SUMMONING THE DANCE Dancer, vocalist and all-round top bloke D-Kazman of Dubmarine takes Tyler McLoughlan on a journey to discover what drives the eclectic octet.
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ack in the ‘90s, Dubmarine frontman D-Kazman was a youngster from Cairns who followed the beat to Brisbane to have a crack at a larger music scene with his band Hot Rubber Glove. As some members dispersed back to north Queensland, Kazman went in search of an outfit to act as a vehicle for his inimitable lyricism that speaks of spirituality, social issues, Indigenous culture and the joy of music. “I just said to myself, ‘Man, I need a new band – I need a new dance band that’s gonna go crazy and gonna be the wickedest thing in the world’,” says the frontman of
chancing upon four future Dubmarine journeymen jamming at a house party soon after. “I had a song in my head that I’d written prior to that moment and I just sort of let the lyrics flow into what they were doin’ and it seemed absolutely natural. We turned around and everyone’s just on tables, dancing and jumping and going crazy.” Across Laser Sound Beam, their latest album, much heavier topics are explored. Bullyman looks at Indigenous deaths in custody and in particular the 2004 Palm Island incident in which police officer Chris Hurley was accused of the manslaughter of Indigenous man Mr
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Doomadge. In the days before Hurley’s 2007 acquittal, Powderfinger were pressured to change their song Black Tears because of a concern the topical lyrics could prejudice the jury. After doing workshops on Palm Island, Kazman was particularly moved by these events, and particularly outraged by the attempt at censorship. “It was three things that happened all in that one day when [the song] happened. It was number one, the acquittal,” asserts Kazman of Bullyman. “Number two, that [Powderfinger] song, and number three, we were there – me and my band were there and we were coming up with that groove, the music itself. As soon as those three things came together these lyrics just came out of the universe… “I was lucky enough maybe a year later to get invited with Dubmarine to go play on Palm Island and sing that song, and I actually sang it to the mother of the gentleman that got murdered. She asked me to recite the lyrics to her after the show… To me it was a song that had power and lyrics and a message that’s so true to today and has been for fifty years or more, you know all the way back; generally everyone is aware of deaths in custody and the fact that it still happens. There’s an injustice there and this song is about that. But at the same time, it’s a call out to my Indigenous brothers and sisters; don’t give up on life.” WHAT: Laser Sound Beam (Sugar Rush) WHEN & WHERE: 18 Oct, The Standard; 19 Oct, Heritage Hotel, Bulli; 20 Oct, Brass Monkey; 23 Nov, Mullum Music Festival, Mullumbimby
MONKEY BUSINESS
For a man like Tex Perkins to call The Ape “the best thing he’s ever done”, you’ve got to believe the band is special. Benny Doyle calls in to find out more.
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merging out of the wilderness but arriving fully formed is The Ape, another feather in the well worn cap of Tex Perkins, and one which might be the most colourful yet. It’s gritty rock’n’roll, loaded with blues, swagger, blood and piss. Perkins’ howls seem naturally at home leading these songs, and the energy that the entire self-titled debut holds makes most young bands sound like they’re not even trying. Perkins had these songs sitting in demo form for about six years. The core ideas were there; it was a just a matter of finding the time, and as he rather incredibly puts it, “having the courage [to] bite the bullet and do this”. It’s a staggering statement from one of Australia’s most ferocious frontmen, and requires some expanding. “When I wrote the riffs for these songs it was a little writing exercise – I do these things sometimes when I write music, I just play some stuff, obviously not for any band that I’m in, but just because I’m a musician, I play music,” he explains. “[So] I might make a little electro album on my laptop; this is one of those things. I went around to James Cruikshank’s [The Cruel Sea] place and he had some hip hop loops, so I said, ‘Just play that over and over again’, and I started riffing. And the concept developed for these recordings. I had no vision for these songs; it was purely just [fun]. And so the idea was trashy sorta ‘60s, almost Kinks-style riffs over hip 48 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
hop beats, and it was like, ‘Wow, that’s interesting’. But it had no home. “They were almost going to be on a Tex Perkins solo album many years ago, then I thought they might be Cruel Sea songs, but none of those things happened. But the band I finally put around these songs had a lot of respect for [them]. They were perfectly cast so it really came together. Perkins has known Magic Dirt guitarist Raul Sanchez for years: “I used to go over to his place and get stoned and just do stuff on his 4-track,” he recalls. Gus Agars from The Dark Horses; he obviously fit. And when Pat Bourke of Dallas
Crane locked in, the connection was obvious for Perkins, “and the music was very thankful”. “That’s another aspect about The Ape – there’s no drama. [These guys are] very cool and they’re good company, which is great. But when we’re together we tend to sit around for a long time enjoying each other’s company. We get drunk, is what I’m trying to say,” he laughs. “And my Ape hangovers have been far worse than any of my other bands; generally I’ll have a few drinks and then go home. But The Ape, they’re just too good company.” WHAT: The Ape (Independent) WHEN & WHERE: 17 Oct, Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle; 18 Oct, Coogee Diggers Club; 19 Oct, Factory Theatre
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 49
2 • THE MUSIC • 9TH OCTOBER 2013
reviews
This week: If you love football, you’ll love FIFA 14, feel the sense of foreboding lingering in Fruitvale Station and could The Avett Brothers’ grip be slipping in their quest for mainstream acceptance?
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
BODYJAR Role Model UNFD Punk rock doesn’t need leather. It doesn’t need eyeliner. It doesn’t need breakdowns or double-kick, guttural screams or any sort of ‘core affixation. Vocal hooks, constant speed and singing guitar work is all that’s required to produce cracking punk, and Bodyjar have delivered that here – as they always do – in abundance.
★★★½
TRACK LISTING
The Melbourne quartet’s first record in eight years is a little slow on introductions with Petty Problems and Role Model letting you feel your way back. But nostalgia is brushed aside by the time the chunky chords of Stranglehold introduce you to a blast of uplifting glory. Cam Baines knows his way around a melody, and it’s his tone that really takes these songs into fist-pumping, pogo pitting, singalong territory. His lyrics don’t need great analysis; there are no hidden agendas. They’re humble, honest, relatable and they perfectly complement the no-nonsense playing that you get on the double-time jolt of Hope Was Leaving and Natural Selection, which cuts through more sections than a pro surfer. Together Alone kicks late and is probably the most perfect ‘Bodyjar’ song found here, complete with stuttering tempo changes, guitar soloing and a stirring chorus to latch on to, while Light is short, whimsical and ties the whole record up nicely.
1. Petty Problems
7. Hope Was Leaving
2. Role Model
8. Break This Feeling
3. My Mistakes
9. Natural Selection
4. Stranglehold
10. If This Is It
5. Fairytales
11. Together Alone
Role Model is impossibly fun, and what could’ve been nothing more than a run around the park for old times’ sake instead stands as one of Bodyjar’s best albums. Now, to dust off the skateboard.
6. Vessel
12. Light
Benny Doyle THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 51
album reviews
BEST COAST
POLIÇA
Jewel City/Kobalt
Pod/Inertia
Best Coast are a band that seem to be constantly evolving; they’re light-years away from their lo-fi debut Crazy For You, and for Fade Away have paired high production values with the freedom of recording the EP/ mini-album on their own label. This is a tight indie pop release with few surprises, which feels comfortable, like snuggling into your favourite pillow.
“I was trying to build myself up and get strong and be assertive. It’s a little bit rawer; I’m a little bit angrier and a little less victim,” claims Poliça’s Channy Leaneagh of her approach to her band’s second album, Shulamith. If only the results matched the intention. The icy, spacious sound of last year’s Give You The Ghost has been embellished with surplus electronic padding, softening the impact of Leaneagh’s angsty musings. More disco-y it may be, but with less bite, as can be heard on Very Cruel, with its squelchy bass that obviously aims to menace but falls flat, much like a badly judged Halloween costume.
Fade Away
Singer-songwriter Bethany Cosentino is beginning to grow into her own skin; this release seems to have a far more upbeat and far less morose feel than last year’s The Only Place. But with Best Coast you have to expect the tried-and-true formula of a mixture of love and lovelorn songs. I Wanna Know has the surf pop sound we’re so used to, with a few opportunities for Cosentino to show off a little more of her vocal range. She sings like a teenager who is desperately in love. There’s a definite catchy pop track about
Shulamith
★★★½ halfway through in Fear Of My Identity, with repeated one-liners and the refrain, “You taught me that my heart would grow old” to get your hips shaking. Her existential crisis kicks in by Baby I’m Crying where the rumbling bassline really steals your attention, and closer I Don’t Know How is sparse, with bittersweet harmonies to fill the space. The influence of the likes of Mazzy Star and My Bloody Valentine seem obvious on later listens, with a more garage sound underlying catchy pop riffs. It’s an assured album that tries to experiment a little with different sonic elements, but ultimately is very Best Coast. Hannah Story
SEABELLIES Shock
Yet Fever Belle is an inspired listen when the band delves into gossamer orchestration, dialling down the plaintive pop machinations for more delicate 52 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
failed relationships – and is a great single. Tiff too is well written, featuring guest vocals from mega-fan Justin Vernon of Bon Iver (Poliça are the “best band” he’s ever heard apparently; way to blag yourself a guest slot Justin), but a better approach might’ve been that found on Drake producer Doc McKinney’s non-album remix, which illuminated Leaneagh’s delivery with sparse yet imposing beats. In 2012, Poliça gave us ...The Ghost, a chillingly effective debut. In 2013, they’ve given us something of a missed opportunity. Christopher H James
THE AVETT BROTHERS
Fever Belle
Newcastle five-piece Seabellies have spread their wings on their second record, both figuratively and sonically, and in the process have crafted an assured album of ethereal ebullience that nevertheless starts to wear thin over its 53-minute running time. Produced by Berkfinger (Philadelphia Grand Jury) and Tim Whitten (The Go-Betweens, Augie March), the album opens innocuously enough with the title track, an indie gem that nevertheless doesn’t set the band apart from many of their contemporaries. There is a marked shift however with ASCE, the intricacies underpinning Trent Grenell’s elevated vocals. Atlantis floats along at a lysergic pace, slowly coalescing on a bedrock of strings into a choral crescendo.
There’s still evidence of good songwriting here. Check Chain My Name. It’s a superficially positive banger – I say superficially as it bounces the listener all around the room with its solid bass and bells, but is packed with Leaneagh’s usual themes of conflict and
★★★
Magpie And The Dandelion American/Caroline
★★★ straits, thus making the soaring outros all the more impressive. Aerialite bubbles away, a gentle wraith floating on the slipstream, while Bodies is an insidious spiral into early Sigur Ros territory, a true highlight. The ‘80s new wave influence on Paper Tiger opens up into an overblown strings concerto; Context condenses into a mixture of Conor Oberst’s entire oeuvre; but by the time Dark Echoes closes out the album it feels like a retread – Foals at their most esoteric. The band’s instrumentation is precise and energising, but Fever Belle remains an ambitious, if somewhat over-familiar attempt at expanding horizons. Brendan Telford
North Carolinian string band The Avett Brothers forged their reputation releasing incredible albums on shoestring budgets, but these days they’re operating on a whole new plane. Their eighth studio album Magpie And The Dandelion is their third in a row with renowned producer Rick Rubin, and sometimes when studio flourishes kick in you have to wonder whether such polish could actually be detrimental (like when Guided By Voices went major label). As with GBV, however, the songwriting strengths of the actual Avett brothers – Seth (vocals/guitar/ piano) and Scott (vocals/banjo/ guitar) – save the day, their complementary styles shining through the sheen like a beacon. Magpie... was written and recorded during the same sessions as its predecessor The Carpenter (2012), and purportedly carries
★★★½ a theme of “youthful wonder”, explaining the airy feel of tracks such as Never Been Alive and Bring Your Love To Me. Catchy single Another Is Waiting and upbeat opener Open Ended Life both favour an expansive band sound, but the tempo drops as the album meanders into its second half. Their soulful intimacy and potent familial harmonies remain, but this run of solemn ballads badly misses the grit of yore. The Avett Brothers are steadfastly clinging to what made albums like 2007’s Emotionalism so special, but you get the feeling that their grip may be slowly slipping. Steve Bell
album reviews
★★★½
AMOS LEE Mountains Of Sorrow, Rivers Of Song Blue Note/Universal Bookending itself with two reflective, pretty songs (Johnson Blvd and Burden) might give the impression that country superstar Amos Lee’s follow-up to his US chart-topping 2011’s Mission Bell is a one-trick pony. But as soon as the banjo introduces Stranger, it’s clear Lee has a few strings to his bow. Channelling contemporaries Zac Brown Band and Ray LaMontagne on his fifth record, Lee confirms himself as a diverse, impressive songwriter, and with his band of some of Philadelphia’s finest musicians – not to mention guest spots by Alison Krauss and Patty Griffin – Mountains Of Sorrow, Rivers Of Song is a rollicking ride. Dylan Stewart
★★½
★★★
★★★½
CFCF
CHASE & STATUS
DAY RAVIES
Outside
Brand New Machine
Tussle
Dummy/[PIAS] Australia
EMI
Popfrenzy
For Montreal-based Mike Silver (aka CFCF), his second album is a personal project that explores the landscapes – both aural and visual – of his own life, delivered in stereo to a mostly captive audience. Outside follows the repetitive, dark nature of Fuck Buttons, but at times Silver juxtaposes this with his own voice, prompting comparisons to Justin Vernon or even Arcade Fire’s more experimental moments.
Drum’n’bass, dub, garage, trap; Chase & Status’ third album is everywhere, but because of that it sometimes floats nowhere. Guests appear throughout but they too are hit and miss. Moko is class on uplifting synth-led number Count On Me; however, the likes of Pusha T (Machine Gun) and Elli Ingram (Heaven Knows) sound like they sent through a one-take vocal line and simply cashed the cheque.
Individual songs – the ethereal Strange Form Of Life for example – are very strong, showing immense promise. Overall, though, Outside is better enjoyed as a collection of songs, rather than an album in full.
Although they’re arena-worthy performance wise, Chase & Status still seem to be finding the full-length format elusive. The final track, Alive, is incredibly affirming stuff, however. More of that please.
Tussle, as a debut album, is an impressive statement indeed. This is a slice of dreamy, fuzzy, Galaxie 500-cumDrop Nineteens shoegazing pop from a group who know exactly what they’re doing. Obvious and boppy lead single Double Act and Pinky give a one-two punch that shows the band are as comfortable with pop melodies as they are with harder edged fuzzy droning. Tussle is leaps ahead of the group’s confident self-titled EP from last year and never feels derivative, despite how passionately the group wear their influential touchstones. This is modern music, just with an eye to 1991.
Dylan Stewart
Benny Doyle
Andrew McDonald
★★★
★★★★
★★★★½
★★★★½
GEORGIA FAIR
THE ANCIENTS
OMAR SOULEYMAN
Trapped Flame
Night Bus
Wenu Wenu
Sony
Chapter Music
Domino/EMI
Napalm/Rocket
Georgia Fair are a couple of strikingly good-looking 20-something Melburnians who produced a sun-glazed debut LP of cohesive indie-folk in 2010. They seem to have lost themselves in Trapped Flame amid overly produced tracks, meritless choruses and the seductive allure of commercial pop. Underlying the record is a sense the boys are trying to describe some profound existential ‘discoveries’ they’ve made, with washy pop tunes and lyrical enigmas such as “I am love, I am free, I am me”. In the end it’s stripped back tracks Old Friend and Wrong Side that feel more like they have something to say.
The third album from Melbourne’s The Ancients is a record that hurtles, ambles and breezes by with equal amounts of intricate musicality and simple skewed-pop broad strokes. There is a wistful ‘60s folk tinge to songs like House Of Cards, the lighter contrast to their more layered and dense psych excursions such as the shoegaze haze of Hamster and the epic Molokai that manages to sound like Boo Radleys, High Llamas and Ariel Pink all at the same time. Ultimately this is a gorgeous, wideranging melancholic pop album that embraces sonic friction, frayed edges and melodic beauty with equal aplomb.
Syrian wedding singer Omar Souleyman is a non-stop party machine. Impassive behind his aviator shades and traditional kufiya headwear, he prowls the stage, earnestly proclaiming his declarations of love and revving up the crowd over banging Syrian techno. His first studio recording, after 500 cassette releases in Syria and a series of compilations in the West, going into a Brooklyn studio with Four Tet, he’s made what’s essentially a live album, with synth god Rizan crafting remarkable snaking Middle Eastern melodies over the kind of relentless electronic hand percussion that’ll remind you you’re still alive.
Last Patrol is a record that has the riffs, the boogie and that supersonically bombastic production of stoner outfit Monster Magnet’s best work. Played through a decent set of headphones (the best way to enjoy them), the kaleidoscope of sounds on Three Kingfishers and Paradise will strike you like a mind expander, while the overthe-top boogie of Hallelujah can swing dick with anything on their seminal 1998 Powertrip record. So put on a good pair of headphones, chill out and let Last Patrol take you on an epic trip through outer space.
Ash Goldberg
Chris Familton
Bob Baker Fish
MONSTER MAGNET Last Patrol
Tom Hersey
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 53
albums/singles
★★★★
★★★
★★★★
CASS MCCOMBS
ELIZA DOOLITTLE
JIMBLAH
Big Wheel And Others
In Your Hands
Phoenix
I’m Sorry Darlin’
Domino/EMI
Parlophone/Warner
Elefant Traks/Inertia
Independent
There’s never been a better time to get acquainted with the quietly spoken McCombs than now. known as he is for his poetic, bohemian existence and dark alt-Americana. Not only is the volume of his releases impressive, but the consistent quality is something few solo artists achieve, and Big Wheels And Others follows suit, yet digresses somewhat from its predecessors to float along as one of those gems in a sea of releases, influenced somewhat by ‘90s shoegaze and worth the price of admission for the intro alone and the doublealbum quantity of songs.
Eliza Doolittle has a way of making heartbreak and pain sound joyous and sweet without even trying. This is evident again on her second album, In Your Hands. There are hints of R&B on opener Waste Of Time, anthem Team Player, and the playfully dismissive Make Up Sex. Hush is the perfect pop gem, while it’s easy to see why Big When I Was Little was the first single – it’s delightful. The songstress powers through these tracks effortlessly and she knows her strengths. But the album also sounds like something we’ve already heard. Easy listening for summer.
When white audiences celebrate Aboriginal culture there’s often an insecure, nervous undercurrent. This has led to many overgenerous reviews of Aboriginal artists over the years. A white Australian’s desire for musical meritocracy doesn’t mesh easily with his or her earnest desire for reconciliation with a horrific past. Incredibly, Jimblah’s excellence puts the tension to bed almost single-handedly. Phoenix is an unqualified triumph. Our host’s voice is visceral, almost physical. Singing or rapping, he evokes hope and anger simultaneously. March is a high point, though Star Dust and Fireproof put up spirited fights. Majestic stuff.
Adam Wilding
Sally-Anne Hurley
James d’Apice
DALLAS CRANE The Crane were nothing more or less than a tightas rock ’n’ roll band much suited to soundtracking your drinking. Come-back single suggests they still are.
THE EVERSONS Marriage L’il Chief Fine New Zealand exponents of indie pop of the geektowards-slacker model. This speaks of ‘growing up’, but like Jonathan Richman, may they never do so.
QUASI Nostalgia Kills Domino/EMI The sum of its two parts has regular credits with the likes of Sleater-Kinney and Malkmus’ Jicks among others. Result? Suitably scruffy keyboardand-drums racket. You enjoy being yelled at, yeah?
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
SARAH MCLEOD
JORDIE LANE
LOOSE CHANGE
96% Love Songbook
Not Built To Last
Listening Party
Cassette Entertainment
Vitamin
Big Village
Pop Kills
Not of Superjesus style, and certainly not fitting with her dancey work, an EP of love (and lust) tunes with touches of bluesiness and a bunch of doo-wop and girl-group harmonies, of all things.
Soulful Sydney hip hop trio Loose Change have managed to mix superb classic beats from P Major with quirky, intelligent rhymes and home-grown hooks from Big Village head honcho Rapaport and the particularly comedic Ellesquire. Yes Or No ft Meklit and Morning Song are perfect examples of the predominant summer-drenched production. Check Mess or Do To Me (ft Laneous) to sample the elegance and attitude the lyricists have down-pat or Study Up for a bit more fire.
Laughing Outlaw
Likely to be rage-lauded and triple j fodder, mostly for being Of Monsters And Mumford model, with the added ‘novelty’ of female vocals and some apparent social conscience. All templates covered.
Maybe Jordie Lane just had to get out of his homeland and comfort zone to find the perspective he needed. For this, recorded in Nashville under producer Skylar Wilson ( Justin Townes Earle) is the music of weight you hoped was in him. It’s gimmick-free, warm and sincere craftsman’s work. He observes what’s going on – the slowing train dark inevitability of Here She Comes – and what’s inside himself, as in the furrymouthed awakening and knowing he’s Lost In You. It’s what you want altcountry to be before it got diluted. Nigh-on great.
Loose Change have an album of appeal and enjoyment on their hands with special attention paid to the near-perfect production.
Piers Twomey is one of those annoying chaps who can turn his hand to many styles, so while you may recognise his name from anything from his own often folk-flavoured work to the spacious instrumentals of Grun, the title of this is truth in advertising. The ‘pop’ in question is that of Teenage Fanclub and the new wave of the decade before that. Then there’s some Someloves in the opening 23 Seconds, and it’s a brave man who takes on Smog’s magnificently clenched Cold Blooded Old Times. So he is, because he does.
Ross Clelland
Ross Clelland
Lorin Reid
Ross Clelland
LANTERNS ON THE LAKE Until The Colours Run Bella Union
54 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
PIERS TWOMEY & THE ADVISORS
live reviews
ANDY BULL, MTNS, BEC SANDRIDGE
Oxford Art Factory 12 Oct On Saturday night three outrageously underrated homegrown acts hit the stage at Oxford Art Factory. Bec Sandridge’s first live performance was with Andy Bull two years ago. Tonight they share the bill again ahead of the 24 Oct launch of Sandridge’s EP, Wild Heart. It’s just her, a half-size guitar and a beautiful voice that wanders between tremulous and strong on a solid set of warm folk pop, with lyrics as unpretentious and personal as her chatter between songs.
on which a talented songwriter quietly emerged, and the upbeat indie pop of his 2010 EP Phantom Pains, this year revealing a flair for electronic production with addictive singles Keep On Running and Baby I Am Nobody Now. It’s almost symbolic that he’s chopped the long locks in favour of a gelled ‘do’ as slick as his new tunes. He opens with one of the latter in a flurry of synths, stuttering snares and keyboard slides, showing off a mindblowing vocal range that verges on operatic as he sings, “Maybe I’m so good that I could die.”
crowd that’s audibly ecstatic. Whether he still craves it or not, Andy Bull found himself swimming in approval tonight.
He has plenty of reason to be confident. After crowd pleasers including Phantom Pains and his hit with Lisa Mitchell, Dog, Bull delivers a brilliant rendition of Nobody Now. It’s packed with emotional energy, marking the contrast between the track’s jaunty drum beat and bitter
Although unknown to many, Melburnians Toehider signalled themselves as a progressive band in perhaps the truest sense of the term: showing reverence for the past while remaining proudly forward-thinking. Ambitiously meshing aggressive musicianship with striking pop sensibilities
DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, METRO THEATRE. PIC: JOSH GROOM
Meanwhile, Brisbane band MTNS (pronounced Mountains; losing your vowels is a thing these days) are champions of chillwave – atmospheric electronica soaked with a heavy ‘80s vibe thanks to Robbie Hellberg’s ethereal synths and a cracking electric drumkit manned by Joseph Thiang, tinged with a triumph courtesy of Tom Eggert’s powerful vocals. Current dreamy single I Lost Track Of Time and a spaced-out cover of Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs demonstrate a sound much bigger than the sum of three.
Eliza Goetze
DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, TOEHIDER Metro Theatre 11 Oct
DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, METRO THEATRE. PIC: JOSH GROOM
lyrics, completed by gospel-style backup vocals that define the second half of the song, provided by the bass and lead guitarists.
The mostly highly anticipated voice (excuse the pun) could be somewhere between these two sounds. A small but enthusiastic crowd has grown exponentially, and when Andy Bull and his band begin the OAF is packed.
“You’ll have to allow me a Brian Ferry moment,” he says afterwards as his bandmates clear the stage, leaving him to melt the room crooning My Street on his own, with gently echoing keys. He gives Last Waltz the same tender treatment, prefacing it with a sarcastically funny address about that highpitched voice and seguing into a musing on masculinity. Clever and thoughtful, world weary yet positive, Bull completes the set with several more surging new tracks, a fitting cover of Tears for Fears’ Rule The World and lastly, the anxiously selfaware Keep On Running.
Bull has transformed in the last few years, moving beyond the ‘70s piano sensibility of his 2009 debut album We’re Too Young,
“I’ll swim in a sea of approval, I will/For a panacea that’s already my insecurity, calling for more than a thrill,” he sings to a
and classic prog tendencies, in addition to whimsical patter and Zappa-esque quirkiness to which the headliner would have nodded his approval, they quickly ingratiated themselves to an already largely full room. Whatever Makes You Feel Superior was equal parts off-the-wall and infectious. Run-throughs of themes from Count Duckula, Darkwing Duck and DuckTales added another amusing touch. These folks are ones to watch. On the topic of wacky humour, prior to Devin Townsend Project hitting the stage, the audience was treated to a series of bizarrely sequenced images, ranging from dancing cattle to hilariously horrible martial arts demonstrations. Which would appear unusual in most gig-going contexts, but for a Canadian whose musical terrain has spanned ambient/
new age, off-the-rails extreme metal, a concept piece detailing an extra-terrestrial’s search for the perfect cup of coffee and singing for Steve Vai, well, it’s pretty much par for the course. The idiosyncratic, rubber-faced frontman’s early tongue-incheek promise of a night filled with “heavy metal rhetoric” only reinforced this sentiment. An efficient, seasoned band; flashy, hypnotic light show; further laughs (“Are you sufficiently stoned yet? Your mother would be so upset”) and more unorthodox hijinks, including a “guitar duel” between Townsend and projected alien creation Ziltoid, put the exclamation point on a wide-reaching, fanboy-pleasing 100-minute set. Attempting to satiate such a rabid following would surely be a tad daunting, but the
JUNGLE GIANTS, THE METRO THEATRE. PIC: CLARE HAWLEY
selections covered considerable ground from across his prolific solo catalogue. Although leaning heavily on latest effort, Epicloud (backing tracks and crowd often substituting for Anneke van Giersbergen’s angelic vocal lines), there were plenty of other stand-outs. Majestic Regulator, bouncy pop a la Addicted!, the large-scale prog-hard rock of Storm, Juular’s demented brutality, quality selections from the oft-overlooked Infinity LP (most notably Christeen) and introspective closer, Deep Peace, were scattered throughout a display that left precious few bases untouched. Just shy of exactly a decade since this reviewer caught the mercurial songwriter live at the same venue (then fronting madcap metallers Strapping Young Lad), despite “HevyDevy” existing in a vastly different headspace both in life THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 55
live reviews and music nowadays, judging by the sheer fervour greeting this performance the hero-worship amongst Sydney audiences shows zero signs of abating. Brendan Crabb
MATT CORBY, BEARS DEN
Hordern Pavilion 11 Oct You’d be forgiven for thinking that the British indie folk outfit Bears Den were in fact the headliners at the Hordern Pavilion when they took to the stage last Friday night. Their slightly awkward yet humble attitude and warm folk sound captured the crowd’s attention from the get-go and had them cheering and
the aforementioned frenzied reaction from the crowd. Covering new ground from his latest EP Resolution, as well as some older crowd favourites, Corby’s powerful voice filled the dark, cavernous venue with ease. The ARIA hit Brother had the crowd chanting along to the lyrics and saw the dim space immediately illuminated by the lights of iPhones capturing the moment on film. Song after song his innocent, gentle manner was completely transformed by an incredible, unrestrained release of energy and aggression towards the end of each track. Resolution was a predictable crowd favourite, while his rendition of Big Eyes with Bree Tranter had the audience at a complete standstill during a silent moment that almost
JUNGLE GIANTS, THE METRO THEATRE. PIC: CLARE HAWLEY
clapping for more. Pompeii and Agape stood out as the gems of their 40-minute set, which was easily strong enough to be the main act. However, this crowd couldn’t be satisfied. Not until the 16-year-old girls and 30-year-old women, who were brought together in a moment of screaming hysteria, caught a glimpse of the wonderboy that is Matt Corby. As soon as Corby stepped out from the shadows on stage, the venue was filled with squeals and proclamations of love from adoring females and males alike – one teenage boy confided in his friend that he “loves Matty, not in the gay way but just ‘cause he’s mad”. The 22-yearold artist was his usual quiet and charming self, although it was immediately apparent he needed only to murmur into the microphone to receive 56 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
Barkley. Barkley performed as a foil to Dempsey, focusing on electric guitar-based songs, complete with sparse layered vocals and sampling. She pulled out the keys every now and again, playing a set where each song flowed easily into the next. Clad in a turquoise jumpsuit, Barkley failed to really engage with the audience, letting her moody distorted songs speak for themselves. Paul Dempsey is in a word, a charmer. A charmer with Hugh Grant-style floppy hair. He’s one of Australia’s most lauded singer-songwriters, having been a fixture in the Australian musical landscape since the late-‘90s. The tour was in support of his latest effort Shotgun Karaoke: a homage to some of his favourite bands, and, also from the cover, Hunter S. Thompson. He took
MATT CORBY, HORDERN PAVILION. PIC: JODIE MATHEWS
seemed spiritual. Corby even gave the crowd a taste of his beat-boxing and scatting skills during Trick of the Light, just to prove that he really is a musical genius. His mesmerising voice captivated the crowd for an entire 90 minutes – a spell that was broken by a climatic performance of My False at the conclusion of the set. The only thing that punters could possibly have left the Hordern Pavilion unsatisfied by was the fact that they were not dating Matt Corby. Milly Mead
PAUL DEMPSEY, OLYMPIA Factory Theatre 12 Oct There’s a lot to like about Melbourne’s Olympia, aka Olivia
the opportunity to “play the songs I wished I wrote”. He played them on an acoustic guitar, under a single spotlight, and he played them exactly as they were written. It felt like watching a fanboy saying thank you to his influences that ranged from American alt-rockers Hüsker Dü to homegrown talent You Am I. Dempsey is a seasoned performer who knows exactly how to woo a crowd. Although he would not be convinced to take his shirt off, he did constantly compliment the audience, we were “beautiful with beautiful souls” and great singers. The audience weren’t there for the covers record; they were there to catch sight of Dempsey. He opened the set with Hüsker Dü’s Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely, then followed on with stripped back versions
of his own songs starting with Fast Friends, and those of his heroes. He played a new song and Impossible by Something For Kate, and throughout showed off his vocal range: polished but at times just a little bit gritty. At quieter moments you could hear the crowd softly singing along. At the end of the set he was joined on stage by Olympia who provided back-up vocals for INXS’s Never Tear Us Apart and then Bowie’s Space Oddity. The encore was You Am I’s Berlin Chair, followed by his own Bats and Theme From Nice Guy. Three singalong tunes that had the crowd captivated. It seems like Dempsey knows that he has made a mark on Australian indie music, and is now content to play songs that made a mark on him. Hannah Story
MATT CORBY, HORDERN PAVILION. PIC: JODIE MATHEWS
SAMPOLOGY, KILTER, DJ BUTCHER, LDRU The Standard 11 Oct Sampology’s set is as hot as a summer in an Australia that no longer needs science. Starting with an unusual local reference (“Hello Sydney, last time I was here I was told people actually had sex during the show”), it didn’t take long to understand how that actually may have happened. He sets up the kit so that we can see it on the big screen – all the decky, pad-y, knob-y things look scary, but can be played with enough confidence for our man to still dance, sing and get your general love-ofit on. Also on the big screen are animated hand claps and scrolling text – proof you won’t forget the name anytime soon.
live reviews What brings it all together, however, are the most awesome visuals to go with those sounds. Did you know that sorta animated Duck Porn was a thing in the ‘80s? Neither did I till I saw it on Sampology’s screen. There was even a little ‘twerking’ added for currency – there’s your next video, Miley. Asking us next if we were “ready to get sexy?” the next tune, Breach’s Let’s Jack, was accompanied by a sea of images of Hollywood’s greatest. Nicolson’s face pumped, throbbed and was generally awesome over lyrics “I want your body… let’s Jack” – totally inspired. While it’s tempting to just list the audio/ visual mashups that followed, a list doesn’t do them the justice Sampology’s gorgeous syncs do. So let’s just say Hitchcock also featured masterfully during a new ‘Bird’-inspired tune, and Prince’s Purple Rain looked classic, but
stage to warm up an energetic young crowd on Saturday night at the Metro Theatre. The boys from Melbourne treated the sizeable audience to a taste of their surprisingly original brand of alternative dance rock that had all the eager young punters getting rowdy down in the mosh from start to finish. Their energy on stage quickly established a buzzing atmosphere within the crowd, which kept everyone happy as they milled about during the long 40-minute wait between sets. When The Jungle Giants finally emerged on stage, the venue floor was already carpeted by a thick sea of bodies. Vocalist Sam Hales seemed more than stoked by the turn out, managing “Hey Sydney, holy shit...,” as his opening line. The guys launched straight into material off their recently released debut album,
PAUL DEMPSEY, FACTORY THEATRE. PIC: PETER SHARP
the new sound made him almost even cooler than he already was. Also, there were Fritz the Cat and Ryan Gosling pieces, for no real reason, which was reason enough. The whole night was tight (props to openers LDRU, DJ Butcher and Kilter), but Sampology owned not just the evening, but the week. So much painstaking work, no doubt, but bloody hell it was worth it. Liz Giuffre
THE JUNGLE GIANTS, NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE Metro Theatre 12 Oct Northeast Party House caused a ruckus when they jumped on
was refreshing to see the guys could deliver a killer show and not take themselves too seriously. The night was capped off with a performance of crowd favourite She’s A Riot, an appropriate ending to the riot that was The Jungle Giants in concert.
Milly Mead
VILLAGE PEOPLE, GLENN LEONARD’S TEMPTATIONS, FORMER LADIES OF THE SUPREMES Enmore Theatre 12 Oct
PAUL DEMPSEY, FACTORY THEATRE. PIC: PETER SHARP
Learn To Exist, opening with Come And Be Alone With Me, which showcased the infectious energy that The Jungle Giant’s shows have become known for. It was only ten minutes into the set that bass guitarist Andrew Dooris jumped on top of the blanket of people in the mosh and required security to fish him out. Things got crazy pretty quickly. Despite this, Hales held some control over the crowd as they clapped on his command and even jumped as though the floor had been replaced by a trampoline. The ground was literally moving during an explosive performance of Skin To Bone and the Metro Theatre felt more like a thumping garage at a mate’s house party. There were some technical issues during the set that called for more crowd-surfing to keep the audience on their toes while the problems were resolved – it
There were cowboys, Indians and butt-less leather chaps galore as ‘80s phenomenon Village People kicked off their Australian tour at the Enmore Theatre over the weekend. The night showcased a smorgasbord of smash hits from the Swinging ‘60s to ‘80s disco, and the atmosphere in the theatre was electric. The entire crowd were dancing along to the oh so familiar choreography, bumping, grinding and singing along from start to finish. First to take the stage were the Former Ladies Of The Supremes, consisting of Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence, two genuine latter-day former members of America’s most successful vocal group, The Supremes, joined by Joyce Vincent. Playing a collection of Supremes greatest hits including Baby Love, Where
Did Our Love Go and You Can’t Hurry Love, the lovely ladies of Motown had the crowd singing along to every lyric. Next up were Glenn Leonard’s Temptations. Leonard is a former member of the Motown super group, joining them in 1975, in time to record the hit Shaky Ground, and is the 2013 inductee into the R&B music hall of fame. Leonard opened by saying, “I want you to fasten your seatbelts and assume your positions because we are about to take off ”, before leading into renditions of Get Ready and Proud Mary, before the biggest crowd pleaser, 1965 classic My Girl. But it wasn’t until a cop, a Native American Indian, a biker, a cowboy, a construction worker and a soldier all walked out on to the stage that the crowd really
SAMPOLOGY, THE STANDARD. PIC: THOMAS GRAHAM
went wild. There was not a single person that wasn’t up, out of their seats and dancing along as the iconic Village People (featuring two of the original band members – the Native American Indian and the soldier) played all of their most famous hits such as In The Navy, San Francisco, In Hollywood, Go West and Can’t Stop the Music, classic songs that took this reviewer back to memories of primary school discos. The guys ended with a bang, saving YMCA until the set’s end. We were all given a tutorial on the correct technique for doing the YMCA and were left gagging for more as they finally left the stage. Village People proved that, even after three decades, they still have all the right moves, and this reviewer would highly recommend checking them out in concert if you get the chance. Deborah Jackson THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 57
arts reviews
FRUITVALE STATION Film
In cinemas 7 Nov Just from the initial few scenes of writer and director Ryan Coogler’s first feature film, inspired by the true story of a police shooting at an Oakland train station in 2009, you can already see what’s going to be laid out ahead of you. You know that Coogler sets out to get you invested in the character of Oscar Grant (Michael B Jordan) – portraying his journey from ex-con to young man trying to get his life on track and do good by his daughter (Ariana Neal), girlfriend (Melonie Diaz), mother (Octavia Spencer) and himself. And you can feel that sense of foreboding lingering over everything from the outset, slowly elevating through the course of the film. You see it all coming and you’re still not prepared for how much it’s going to destroy you when it all culminates in the film’s final quarter.
FRUITVALE STATION
Despite this emotion-baiting storytelling device – or perhaps because of it – the film and its brilliant actors excel at what they aim to do: highlight the injustice of the real-life events Fruitvale Station is based on and pay tribute to Oscar Grant. It’s also coincidentally timely, arriving in the wake of the Trayvon Martin case. While the film itself stands on its own legs as a poignant story, in a wider context it also serves as an important reminder that we remember these tragedies and keep discussion around race-based violence and discrimination going, as it still occurs far too often. Stephanie Liew 58 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER Film
In cinemas Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer isn’t a great piece of documentary filmmaking; but, in some ways, it doesn’t need to be. All Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin need to do is point their cameras at the titular Russian performance artists, who – speaking behind a glass shield in court; the treasonous prisoners in a televised spectacle eerily reminiscent of the Stalinist show-trials of the late 1930s – are eloquent, thoughtful and unwavering in their conviction that Putin’s Russia is a corrupt and oppressive regime. The three members of the Moscow-based “oppositional activists” were famously arrested in March of 2012 for performing a ‘punk prayer’, provocatively titled Mother Of God, Drive Putin Away, inside
a cause, the Dixie Chicks were grist in the great mediamachine, a figure-of-debate who weren’t actually out to rustle feathers; that movie’s ‘drama’ watching a corporate country band try and minimise the cross-promotional damage with their sponsors. Given how swiftly Pussy Riot became indie music’s great cause célèbre, it’s easy to be suspicious that these Le Tigre-loving lasses had been turned into iconic figures out of convenience, as yet another unseemly chapter in the media’s ongoing white women syndrome (the injustice of Tolokonnikova’s imprisonment infinitely amplified by the fact that she’s incredibly beautiful). Yet, the moment they open their mouths, Tolokonnikova, Samutsevich and Alyokhina show themselves to be the real deal; the definitive article; the righteous dissidents that the media dreamed. Even if A Punk Prayer only gets to speak briefly to its key subjects, it, most importantly, gets to show them having their day in court. And, in the face of their imminent
PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER
Christ The Saviour Cathedral. Lerner and Pozdorovkin seek to add depth to a story that generated endless headlines and infinite tedious opinion pieces, yet was often rendered without any complexity. And, most of all, they seek to turn these demonised women Nadia Tolokonnikova, Katya Samutsevich, and Masha Alyokhina - into human beings.
sentencing, each delivers a final statement that stands as poetic, defiant rebukes of Russia, its leaders, its media, its court, their own trial and the very notion of ‘justice’ in a totalitarian regime.
Barbara Kopple’s mediocre 2006 documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up And Sing tried, unsuccessfully, to turn those accidental rebels band into righteous dissidents. Rather than coming off as rebels with
Theatre
Anthony Carew
THE FLOATING WORLD SBW Stables to 16 Nov For former WWII POW Les (Peter Kowitz), marriage is a lot like military service – a duty. Like many marriages of that
era, questions arise some two decades into his union with Irene (Valerie Bader); what keeps these bickering two together? For Irene, a cruise to Japan is just thing to reignite their flame (designer Stephen Curtis has clad all aboard aptly) – Bader plays her delightful ignorance and softened boganism beautifully. Unfortunately, Les is too distantly preoccupied to think about marriage and the presence of a fellow ex-serviceman, onceVice Admiral of the British Navy Herbert Robinson (Tony Llewellyn-Jones in a superbly and subtly sad supporting role) and an Asian deckhand (Shingo Usami) only further muddy the waters of his privately troubled mind. Before we have found our sea legs the motions of this story become more unstable; the pace quickens in a manner that is as unsettling for the audience as it is for Les. Soon the world of reality and that of Les’ mind descend into a dizzying series of schisms and collisions. The juxtaposition of the camp – hosted with the smarm and unsettling charm
THE FLOATING WORLD
of Justin Smith’s comic – and the chaos, deftly balanced in opposition by Sam Strong’s direction, heightens the hysteria. The words of the past script the present as memories resurface. Eventually the collision of these worlds must be witnessed by someone other than Les and the consequences prove devastating. Dark and a touch absurd, Strong has presented an incredibly troubling replication of Les’ experience, both Kowitz and a very versatile Justin Stewart Cotta shine in a strong performance by the entire cast. Dave Drayton
games players precise control of the ball. Although enjoyable to use, defending against it is a misery. This has been counterbalanced by the more realistic player acceleration new to FIFA 14. Upon receiving the ball, players will slow down as they gain control. This emphasises the importance of playing balls into space, showcasing EA’s dedication to hyperrealism, Sega Soccer Slam this is not.
animating actual zombies. I mean, fuck, translating the abstraction of mathematics into simulation is like the entire point of computer games. DUH.
CHAINSAW WARRIOR
★★
Auroch Games PC/Mac
Okay, so Auroch Games took their mandate of turning a boardgame into a video game way too fucking literally. A licensed adaptation of Games Workshop’s ‘80s boardgame, Chainsaw Warrior gives you a board and a set of cards and sixsided cyber-dice you actually have to cyber-roll. It’s baffling why the effort that went into animating dice rolls that represent conceptual zombies didn’t just go into
★★★
SOUNDODGER StudioBean PC/Mac
Soundodger+ is one of the best “music” games to come out in a while. It easily has the best soundtrack to any game I’ve played this year, and has a really polished and minimalist art style to boot. The game is simple – you control a circle inside a much larger circle and you have to dodge a whole
Anyways, the game is a singleplayer turn-based RPG: you’re a cyborg fighting a demonic incursion in a dystopian New York city block in the grim darkness of, like, 15 years from now (stick to your 40,000 year projections, GW), and you have 60 minutes (translated into 180 turns) to stop ultimate darkness fucking everything up. You get a randomly generated often unbalanced statline (you sometimes don’t even spawn with the eponymous goddamn chainsaw) and encounters are determined by similarly fickle card draws – expect to die a lot from pulling up a boss card ten draws in. I guess Chainsaw Warrior is challenging in the same way getting a flat tyre or being hit by a car during a bike race is challenging. Still, it’s entertaining to give the game half-a-dozen run-throughs, and there is something noble in an Oedipal struggle against fate. Just buy the boardgame on eBay instead. Callum Twigger bunch of arrows and other shapes that shoot inwards from the outer circle. The arrows always come in waves, which are perfectly choreographed to the song for that level; one of the drum’n’bass tracks becomes insanely difficult at the drop, for example. This makes the relevance and involvement of the music much more obvious and satisfying – many games that play on the “use your own music” theme often fail in this regard. Although Soundodger+ has a game mode where it can generate levels from your own music, the generated levels cannot approach the choreographed awesomeness. Soundodger+ also comes with its own level editor, which is fairly intuitive. This allows you to choreograph your own levels as well as share them with the community. As fantastic as the game is, it isn’t very deep in terms of gameplay. I mean, all you do is dodge shapes. It’s technically very solid, but I found myself wanting more from the game. In any case, it’s worth it for the music.
FIFA 14
★★★★
EA
Xbox360/PS3/XboxOne/ PS4/Vita/PC/Mac FIFA’s back. Again. Ok, so it’s no big surprise, but is this iteration worth an upgrade? In short, yes, FIFA14 is a remarkable football sim with fluid gameplay and multitudes of sweet fan-service. Sporting a definitive catalogue of who’s who in world football, EA’s attention to detail is superb. Your favourite club is there with players that look and feel like they do IRL. Suaraz wriggles between tightly packed defenders and Özil is masterful with the longball; FIFA just feels right. Graphically, FIFA 14 is a minor improvement over last year’s effort. Pitches are radiant on sunny days with long shadows falling over the pitch. Unfortunately, the other weather variants are ugly as hell. Rain doesn’t even look like it exists in the game world; rather, your TV screen is covered with diagonal lines that don’t even strike the pitch. These flaws amount to sheer laziness by the developer and are disappointing to see in a game with such a colossal budget. The football itself is familiar and enjoyable. Dribble mechanics have been enhanced to give
FIFA finds ways to challenge you off the field. After splurging $10 mil on Spanish superstar Xabi Alonso, the newspapers criticised my rash decision to spend so much on a 31-year-old. I soon found my star signing getting prematurely tired and constantly injured. These niggles saw him relegated to the bench, a poor result for a huge investment. Combine this with players constantly whining about their salaries makes for a realistic managerial experience, although maintaining contracts felt more like a chore then anything. If you love your football, you’ll love FIFA 14. The gameplay is deep and competitive, catering well to the robust online play. The multitude of game modes gives FIFA 14 extensive legs, lasting well up ‘til FIFA 15’s inevitable inception. The developers are obvious fans of the sport, with so much detail and nuance packed onto the disc, FIFA 14 is a love letter to the world game. Admittedly, I did tire of the FIFA 14 after extensive playtime. I binged too hard and couldn’t even look at the game anymore. This is a warning to those non-footy fanatics: despite all the game’s modes and settings, it really is just soccer on repeat. Andrew Sutton
Lachlan Petersen THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 59
muso
NEWS
IN THE STUDIO Producer: Derek Trucks & Jim Scott Engineer: Jim Scott & Bobby Tis Studio: Swamp Raga Studio, Jacksonville, Florida Mixing Engineers: Jim Scott & Bobby Tis Mastering: Bob Ludwig @ Gateway Mastering Studios, Portland, Maine Artwork: Josh Cheuse
60 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
A LITTLE SOUTHERN GRIT Southern blues rockers Tedeschi Trucks Band are determined to make albums the old school way as much as possible, as Susan Tedeschi explains to Michael Smith.
W
hen husband and wife team, guitarists Derek Trucks and his wife Susan Tedeschi, decided to combine forces and put together their “dream” band, it ended up being an 11-piece, with two drummers, three horn players and two backing singers as well as a bass player and keyboards player. So while the couple may have a room big enough to accommodate the full band when they rehearse, they did break things down a bit when it came time to cut their third album, Made Up Mind, in their home recording facility, Swamp Raga Studio in Jacksonville, Florida, which features a Neve 8068 console, as Tedeschi explains.
know what I mean? You’re dealing with digital figures, and for me it’s basically science – it’s physics – parts of a spectrum of something that you’re trying to capture. When it goes to tape and it saturates the tape, it’s warmer and it just sounds so milky and beautiful – there’s no comparison. It just sounds better. “So we recorded with both, and if something was recorded on ProTools, they’d feed it through the tape machine, so we’d have a mix, and then when they mix it, they’ll mix it to tape.” The “they” of the piece are Trucks and coproducer Jim Scott, who also worked on Tedeschi Trucks Band’s 2011 debut album, Revelator, and has engineered records by artists as diverse as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sting, Wilco and The Dixie Chicks.
“WHEN IT GOES TO TAPE AND IT SATURATES THE TAPE, IT’S WARMER AND IT JUST SOUNDS SO MILKY AND BEAUTIFUL.”
“When we’re tracking, we’ll have the core band, which is the two drummers, bass player, keyboards, Derek and I, and then we’ll add the singers and the horn players later. We have lots of beautiful microphones and compressors – we’ve got everything from API Lunchboxes to a beautiful huge plate reverb from, I think it was CBS Studios in California – Elvis Presley and Bing Crosby used to sing on it – it takes up half the room almost.
“He’s actually quite a producer,” Tedeschi declares proudly. “People don’t realise, he can do it all! He tries to look at, first the songs – let’s get the songs. They have to stand up on their own, just on acoustic guitars, he and I. Then from there, we add the core band, when we’re tracking the basics for a record, and I’ll usually sing a scratch vocal, either to do a demo or to try and get the basic tracks.
“And we now have a Studer 2” tape machine, but when we made the record we had a half-inch, so we actually put it on half-inch as well as putting it on ProTools because we really wanted to get that analogue sound that you get when you record to tape. It really saturates the tape where with zeros and ones you can only get so much of the real sound, you
For all the great gear the couple have in their studio, Trucks himself prefers to keep his sound as pure as possible, avoiding processing his guitar signal or running it through a plethora of effects, modifying his tone again old school, just with the controls on his guitar. He essentially plays a 1961 Reissue Gibson SG and a Washburn E300, running them through a 1965 Fender Reverb amp (he’s got a 1968 Fender Super Reverb back-up amp) or a PRS Original Sewell amp head prototype running through a Marshall cab.
“One of the great things that Derek knows is when to stop adding, and also, when something is great, to just say, ‘Hey, we got it. Let’s move on’. He also knows how to pull greatness out of everybody in the band. He always has really good ideas, he’s an excellent listener – he’s got amazing ears – and he’s very patient.”
Made Up Mind, by Tedeschi Trucks Band, is out now through Sony Music.
MADCDs cos Cos we g ive a sh it
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 61
muso
ANTELOPE AUDIO ZODIAC GOLD/VOLTIKUS CONVERTER
The Antelope Zodiac Gold is a hefty AD converter with a separate power supply. There are enough connections on this to connect almost any piece of audio equipment via RCA, AES, SPDIF, Toslink, USB and BNC wordclock inputs. With up to 384 KHz sampling rate, this is a true audiophile’s dream, catering for media server inputs
with a great PC/Mac software interface that’s really easy to use. The digital outputs have the benefit of 64 BIT acoustically focused clocking, meaning less jitter and enhanced sound. This is a true high-end DAC with great performance. Start saving, though – this will set you back almost six grand. Barry Gilmour
MICROTECH GEFELL M990 ART MICROPHONE
Okay, so now we take leap into the next level. The Microtech Gefell M990 is a little classier than the Avantone, but the design is a little simpler. You don’t get that ‘60s retro, and it seems a little more utilitarian, but this is a true performer, a mic that recording engineers will love. The tube is an EF86 with stabilised heater voltage, making for a warm 62 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
and embracing sound. This is a large capsule design with max SPL of 118 db and sensitivity of 1 KHz at 30mV/Pa. The finish is a dark bronze and doesn’t really make any big statements until you plug it in. A great all-rounder and well suited to orchestral recordings. This baby will set you back $4,133, so dig deep. Barry Gilmour
AVANTONE BV-12 MICROPHONE
I thought we’d do a comparison of two tube mics this week. The first is the Avantone BV-12, a rugged retro-looking brass affair with a baked buttercream finish and polished nickel trim. By no means pricey, for $1249 you get a mic that will perform in a league above its peers and feels pretty solid in the hand. The tube is a Russian-built 6072A and it has military
grade pad and roll-off switches. There’s a separate power supply, which is where you access the Omni, Cardioid and Figure 8 patterns and six other “in-between” parameters. This is a true condenser mic and as such is well suited to acoustic instruments and warm vocals. Max SPL 136db or 146 with pad engaged. Sensitivity: 38db. Barry Gilmour
FOCAL SPIRIT HEADPHONES
Amazing. Focal really don’t do much wrong and there’s no exception here. These headphones are aimed at the pro and home recording studios and the level of transparency is perfect for bringing out the nuances of recordings. The bass response on these is fantastic and for
those who need to mix in an environment where levels are an issue, these are going to be what you’re looking for. You’ll really be able to pick out all those little mistakes, enhance the subtleties and keep a true balance with these. A great product for around $399. Barry Gilmour
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64 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
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MUSICIANS AVAILABLE
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DRUMMER EXPERIENCED MALE DRUMMER Seeks working blues rock band or fill in work Looking for easy going people with a positive outlook AGE Group 30 Plus No Drugs please PHONE Mark 0422 173 728 after 5pm
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TUITION
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GRAPHIC DESIGN
Keyboard/ synth player needed for a metal based group who jam in Troy horse in Sydney. Influences Melvins, fantomas, sunn, sleep, Merzbow, boredoms etc, and film composers like sakamoto, takemitsu, glass etc. Visit here for a sample track: https://soundcloud.com/anomie321
AUDIO PRODUCTION COURSE, $660
Run over 6 weekends this is a course for people who want to know how to use their home recording setup or how to use our mix rooms to mix their band’s recording once they have put down the tracks. The course is software neutral; we teach the concepts of recording and the students then apply this knowledge to the software of their choice. 02 9550 3977 iFlogID: 22285
LIVE SOUND COURSE, 2 DAYS
BAND POSTERS
iFlogID: 23093
Full colour posters done same day. Visit www. blackstar.com.au and check out our prices.
BASS PLAYER
iFlogID: 22661
BASS PLAYER AND DRUMMER Required for soon to be working Country Rock Band for local and touring gigs. Must have professional attitude and pro equipment. No Time wasters please. Contact James on mob. 0422 758 138 iFlogID: 23077
L O O KHT
OEOF >E?9; 9
Full Colour Posters 100 A4 Gloss only = $40 100 A3 / SRA3 Gloss only = $80 250 SRA3 Gloss only = $150 100 A3 Matt only = $50 MANY more options www.blackstar.com. au call 9264 4776 BLACKSTAR DESIGN 104 Bathurst Street Sydney
A comprehensive 2 day course that covers basic audio principles, the progression of technology, common audio components, terninology, signal flow, soldering 101, microphone and speaker placement, EQing and more. Handty reference booklet supplied. Optional third days training at a live music venue available. www. zenstudios.com.au 02-9950-3977 iFlogID: 22279
iFlogID: 22522
TUITION BASS, GUITAR, DRUMS
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The School of Rock offers tuition in singing, bass guitar, electric guitar, drums and song writing techniques. Our instructors have years of experience showing young musicians how to play and take that talent onto the stage. For more information visit our website at www. schoolofrockinnerwest.com.au or www.zenstudios.com.au. Ph: 9550 3977 iFlogID: 22281
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info@rewiredmusicgroup.com (02) 8810-9504 www.rewiredmusicgroup.com 46 Macquarie St, Parramatta, NSW, 2150 Get the unbeatable Rewired Single recording deal! Get your track recorded, edited and mixed for $350 extra $50 for mastering! That’s only $400 for a completely mastered track! Mind Blown! If you find a cheaper deal we will be happy to match it!
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 65
the guide drink
fashion
culture
opinion
SYDNEY RIDES FESTIVAL ILLUSTRATION SOPHIE BLACKHALL-CAIN
fitness
SETTLE, PEDAL
Doug Wright of Fishing is proud of his lycra tanline but reckons a “dickhead is a dickhead” whether they are on a bike or not. Illustrations Sophie Blackhall-Cain.
I
was meant to eat before I went out, and then I was meant to eat again after the movie, but the bar was closer, the food was expensive, the beers were delicious, the mates were a top notch bunch, and everything felt great. But now with alarmingly precise choreography the beers and stomach growls hit together; I am drunk and I am hungry. Drungry. My desire to trawl the streets of Newtown for the closest 7-Eleven and consume the questionable contents of the bain-marie down to the last flaccid spinach and ricotta roll is elevated way beyond my normal level. Sorry mates, there’s just no time for the regular extended goodbyes, ‘see you next time’s, ‘great to catch up with you’s. Let’s be serious. I am on the huss for a midnight toastie session of gargantuan proportions. The only thing between me and my steaming mountain of cheese and tomato bliss is the train back home to the Cross. I walk-run from Earl’s to the station. It’s not the balmy spring night and slight exercise that is giving me this moist brow – it’s got to be the hunger sweats setting in for good. My mouth is watering as I buy my ticket. I peep over the railway overpass and get a shock ruder than Rodney. The 11.09pm city-bound edges along the rails below, creeping out of the station slower than a troublesome bowel movement. Of course, it doesn’t give two hoots about leaving me on the platform, cold and cramping. But everything’s cool, right? The next service should trundle in any second, ready to scoop me up, wring me through the digestive tract of Sydney’s public transport system, and plop me down in Toastie Town. Right?
WRONG. I check Tripview. With a 30-minute wait for the next train, another ten minutes at the connecting platform, and a walk home at the opposite end, it’s cheaper and easier to just walk the 5km slog. Only an hour ago, Cheese Everest was so clearly within reach. Cityrail just stepped in and pushed my salty, crispy dreams one step further into fantasy. I am left with one thought: this wouldn’t have happened if I had ridden my bike. For me, walking distances greater than 100 metres feels a bit strange. My lycra tanline is off the hook. I pack shell jackets made of confusing technical fabrics and scoff at drizzle. I am so often in the saddle that I take the efficiency and ease of bike travel around Sydney for granted. It’s far more than a great toastie-to-mouth delivery system.
The benefits have become folklore. Bikes are cheaper, greener and healthier for riders than cars and public transport, and a growing number of riders could alleviate traffic congestion and parking problems in the city centre. Plus, riding and walking are great ways to enjoy the time spent getting place to place. Pedalling through leafy backstreets with a friendly peloton dominates a sweaty bus ride hunching over an iPhone game. You know the feeling of a clammy bum peeling off a plastic state transit seat? That sucks. Last month, the NSW Government announced a City Centre Access Strategy, with planned changes for all forms of transport in and around the CBD. This means plans for a more integrated network of separated bike lanes, starting with the expensive and contentious proposition of moving the current College Street cycleway to Castlereagh St. It’s a win for bike commuters who are currently faced with a mix of on-road and separated routes in the city. Sharing lanes with large, high-speed steel objects that have a sobering potential to crush you and your brand spankin’ new Bianchi isn’t everybody’s vibe. So cool, we’re getting some new bike lanes and this is undoubtedly a win, especially for new or less confident riders who may have been discouraged from commuting due to on-road traffic. But while the separated bike lane seems comforting, it’s not always the friendly green strip of safety that it appears to be. One example is the Bourke Street cycleway extending from Woolloomooloo to Redfern, where a peppering of cross-street danger zones can quite often necessitate a few gnarly stops if drivers fail to give way when traversing the bike lane. It’s great that new infrastructure is being planned for well integrated bike routes and a more cyclecentric city. Linking up cycleways in Sydney and its suburbs is going to make bike travel even easier and encourage new riders to hit the streets. But there isn’t always going to be separated lanes, or a bike-friendly alleyway running parallel to the main road, especially for those riding in suburbs outside the city itself. It’s a long shot, but the aim should be for all riders and drivers to feel comfortable and safe sharing roads. A dickhead is a dickhead, whether they’re on a bike running a red light, or in a 4WD honking and sitting right up your clacker as you’re pedalling down a back lane. The solution to transport in Sydney is simple maths. Be nice on your bike or in your car, share the road in a chill fashion and the dickhead to rad dude ratio will be more in our favour. Despite what might be reported in certain papers, this should be seen as an issue that is deeper than a couple of new lanes, and with more numbers on two wheelers we may see a swing towards a respectful on road attitude. Cycling in Sydney could be not just for cyclists, but for anyone that can ride a bike.
68 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
MON - FRI · 7AM - 6PM SAT · 8AM - 4PM
156 ABERCROMBIE ST. REDFERN TOWNBIKEPITSTOP.COM.AU TEL. 02 9699 0096
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 69
fitness SYDNEY RIDES FESTIVAL PICKS FILM FESTIVAL
Bikes on the big screen. There are four sessions at Dendy Opera Quays that cater to various wheels: 17 Oct, Session 1: Road. If you want to wear your lycra, your peers probably won’t judge. 17 Oct, Session 2: BMX. Throwin’ it back. 18 Oct, Session 3: MTB. Catch those airs. 18 Oct, Session 4: Cross Continental. Long rides and big vistas.
NATIONAL RIDE2WORK DAY
Register yourself and a buddy at bicyclenetwork,com.au/ rtw, then ride to Union Square in 16 Oct between 6.30-9am or Hollis Park between 7-9am and get a free coffee and a bite to eat while a mechanic gives your bike a little tuning.
GLOBAL RHYTHMS WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL
Presented by Eastside Radio, this event will feature exciting, contemporary world music sounds, from Afro Nomad’s West African Soukos to Abuka Trio’s Brazilian funk. Try2Wheels will be there for expert advice and a free tune-up and bike valet parking. 19 Oct, Prince Alfred Park, Chalmers St, Surry Hills, 1-8pm.
WOMEN ONLY: CYCLING IN THE CITY COURSE
This course not only showcases fantastic route options some might not be familiar with, but also aims to help women develop confidence in inner city areas. A female instructor will lead a female-only group through some riding drills and tips. 19 Oct, Sydney Park Cycling Centre, 9am-1.30pm.
PIRRAMA PARK FAMILY FUN BIKE DAY
Big, small, old and young: everyone’s invited to the beautiful Pirrama Park to celebrate all things bicycles. Features live music, market stalls, a jumping castle, arts and craft tents, bike maintenance workshops and more. 20 Oct, 9am-2pm.
REID CYCLES
STALLION BIKES
What was your f irst experience with a bike? Most of my childhood involved getting around on a pushy with the dog in tow.
What was your f irst experience with a bike? My brothers, the local kids and I would build jumps in the bush and ride them on our BMXs until sundown.
DAVID HANNAY
What was your ultimate bike as a child? Which bike do you have now? All I wanted was a Mongoose BMX with tuffs! Probably because some bigger kid had one. As for now, I have a few bikes in the shed that all have something going for them. The one that gets the most miles in though is my Reid Falco Elite road bike. I cover a bit of distance on my commute and I like to get along at a fair clip. What will the expanded bike infrastructure in Sydney mean to you? Anything that makes it safer to ride will get more people riding which will show that there is actually a demand for expanding cycling infrastructure further. Cultural change is all about momentum. Bikes and cars sharing the roads, how will it work in the Sydney Metro area? Around the world cyclists are on the winning team. Big Western cities that we look to for planning inspiration are recognising cycling as a pillar of their future transport systems and investing accordingly. Cycling is becoming a normal thing for regular people to do. What makes your bike business unique? Our structure is about making it possible to buy from an Australian retailer and still get great value. We run a lean, vertically integrated operation that enables us to charge half the price and provide bikes that people want. With 12 months’ free servicing and a lifetime warranty on frames and forks, we are all about making it easy to get on a bike. 70 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
SARAH LANGDON, OWNER
What was your ultimate bike as a child? Which bike do you have now? I loved my BMX. I can’t remember the brand; it was probably something like an old ‘80s Raleigh. Now I have a few different bikes for different occasions: 1980s Gold frame Apollo V with original Shimano 600 groupset; 1970s Schwinn Lowrider; my polo bike; 2013 Scott Scale 650 dual suspension mountain bike; Stallion 3-speed Sturmey Archer commuter; Soma Double Cross tourer. What will the expanded bike infrastructure in Sydney mean to you? It will mean a safe commuting route to and from work and just generally tripping around. By expanding infrastructure we’re encouraging new cyclists, which then promotes healthy lifestyles and reduces pollution. Bikes and cars sharing the roads, how will it work in the Sydney metro area? Sydney is a very stressful city to navigate; it doesn’t matter what form of transport you take. I think if commuters can find their inner peace, give a little and not be so aggressive, not only will it benefit other road users but imagine how it could benefit themselves. What makes your bike business unique? We specialise in restored bicycles, so we use second hand frames and build them to order with new parts. We also restore customers’ bicycles. We also build bicycles to order using a few frame manufacturers Soma, Surly and Pake.
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 71
drink
SO GOOD YOU COULD BOTTLE IT
Whether you’re a craft beer expert, novice, or even new to beer in general, Sydney Craft Beer Week has something for everyone (above the age of 18). Danielle O’Donohue walks us through some options.
D
rinking beer may be considered a national sport but there’s a big difference between picking up a couple of slabs at the local bottlo to chug at a mate’s barbie and the very thoughtful and considered consumption of the latest craft beers that have come out of some of the smaller breweries dotted across the land. Craft beer opens up a world of possibilities for the average beer lover; the flavours and variations seem endless and a real connection can build between drinkers and their favourite brewer. Sydney Craft Beer Week gives beer drinkers at all levels a chance to get to know their beer and brewers at a range of events in some of Sydney’s dedicated craft beer pubs. And don’t worry if you don’t know your Thunderbolt Strong Ale from your Moo Brew Hefeweizen. There’s plenty of events for the novice craft beer drinker as well as the aficionado. Not sure how to plan your Sydney Craft Beer Week? Maybe we can help.
Vic) will discuss their way into the industry, while each will match two of their brews with tasty treats. And you don’t even have to be a woman to attend. Feral Game Of Thrones Lunch If the intrigue on your average episode of Wonderland isn’t quite up to the conniving of Cersei Lannister, or you’re waiting for dragons to fly over the Beauty And The Geek set, this lunch may just get you through until the new season of Game Of Thrones starts. Drink and eat like a Lannister about to go into battle. Two WA breweries, Feral Brewing Company and Nail Brewing are supplying the beer that will accompany this medieval banquet at the Royal Albert Hotel on 22 Oct. Over the course of the week there’s plenty of food matching events so you should be able to find one to suit your taste buds. The Brewers Bowl Off
Regardless of your level of expertise about craft beer, Meet The Brewer gives you a chance to quiz the makers themselves about what makes their beer stand out from the crowd. There’ll be 19 brewers from all over the country in attendance – each bringing one of their brewery’s latest supply – including Tassie’s Moo Brew, Victoria’s Two Birds and Byron Bay’s Stone and Wood. Held at Hart’s Pub in the Rocks on 25 Oct, there’ll also be pizza and the evening will set you back $90, but don’t forget there are 19 beers to taste.
Polish the shoes and gel the quiff. Manhattan Super Bowl in Mascot is hosting a bowling tournament with a difference on 24 Oct. First you’ll get the chance to knock over some pins, then the brewers themselves will challenge each other for the Brewers Bowl Off Trophy. You’ll also get the chance to enjoy some quiet brews in the lanes and after the bowling everyone will be heading to the Newmarket Hotel next door. If bowling seems a little too athletic, there’s also A Viking & An Elf… bingo at the Welcome Hotel featuring beer from The Little Brewing Co (NSW) and Ekim Brewing Co (NSW) or Stone & Wood’s Beer Trivia (NSW) at the Union.
Women Of Beer
Beer Mimics Food
While much of the advertising and conversation around beer in this country is directed at the blokes, there’s plenty of women who also enjoy a glass or two. Craft beer has also given women a chance to get involved in the brewing process. Several prominent craft beer labels have women at the helm. At Flat Rock Brew Cafe on 21 Oct Danielle Allen (Two Birds, Vic), Karen Golding (Red Hill, Vic) and Beth Williams (Hargreaves Hill,
One of the joys of craft beer is the sheer variety of flavours that brewers come up with. This event teams brewers up with foodies such as Ben O’Donoghue and Poh Ling Yeow to produce beers that tastes like some of your favourite dishes. The Welcome Hotel is even building a beer laboratory and producing speciality snacks for the occasion. Beer Mimics Food takes place on 20 Oct.
Meet The Brewer
72 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
BEER IN POP CULTURE
FILM
The IMDB synopsis for 2006 American comedy Beerfest reads: “Two brothers travel to Germany for Oktoberfest, only to stumble upon secret, centuriesold competition described as a “Fight Club” with beer games.” Rated 6 on IMDB and 41% on Rotten Tomatoes.
TV
“Duff beer for me/ Duff beer for you/I’ll have a Duff/You have one too.” So the Duff beer jingle goes on The Simpsons. Homer’s favourite beverage is not just fiction though, with real Duff beer available in selected stores in selected countries (without consent or permission from Matt Groening).
ART
Google “beer art” and you’ll find pics a plenty of impressive sculptures made entirely of beer cans. One example is New York-based Greek artist Nikos Floros’ piece for an exhibition in Athens – opera costumes made from aluminium strips using 20,000 beer and soft drink cans.
FASHION
Well... there’s a Pinterest: pinterest.com/ vermontbrewers/ beer-fashion-whoknew. And as well as beer goggles, you can actually buy cartoony beer-shaped novelty spectacles. Let’s just leave it at that.
drink
SYDNEY CRAFT BEER WEEK The year y is windingg down, down, the weather heating up up, and you find yourself thinking, ‘If only there were some kind of event that brought together the best of October and beer’. There is, and Dave Drayton guides you through it.
T
he Germans had a similar thought two centuries ago and decided that the appropriate course of action would be to organise beer-soaked festivities that ran for 16 days. Oktoberfest – or “die Wies’n” to the locals – first took place in 1810, and in the years since, many a beer drinker has made the pub pilgrimage to Munich to take part in the festival, which runs through September and early Octo ber. Some six years earlier in a colony still overrun by convicts, a whippersnapper named James Squire was the first to cultivate hops in Australia and a burgeoning beer culture began. Given the late start, it’s perhaps understandable that when much of the world think Australian beer, they think Foster’s. But this all too watery anti-icon isn’t all that’s being brewed down under, and the Germans aren’t the only ones with a festival dedicated to showing off their beers any longer. An endless slew of VB ads have given beer in Australia a glorified image as a grubby drink, but in the same way there’s a cheeseburger from McDonald’s and then there’s a cheeseburger from Rockpool, a growing craft beer culture has resulted in some mind-blowing brews being made down under. This is your chance to explore what lies beyond the daft drafts, with more than 60 events across eight days and the entire city. Assembled below are some top picks from the week. FREE (THE ENTRY, NOT THE BEER)… Launch Party: Vic On The Park changed pub beer gardens forever when they put a basketball hoop in theirs and started keeping balls behind the bar. It’ll be out of action on Saturday night, but with good reason: 15 stalls representing some of Australia’s finest craft brewers pouring rare and unique beers.
The Growler: Kick off the week in slightly more athletic style with one of the shining stars of this city’s craft beer crew, Young Henry’s. They’ve teamed up local lycra-clads The Spokes People for a bar crawl/ cycle and treasure hunt through Newtown that culminates in an exclusive ‘After Claw Party’. Bring your growler and your bike (and a helmet!) and get to Victoria Park at 5pm. IT’LL COST YOU A SLAB… Homebrew Master Class and Beer Tasting: Why limit your craft beer consumption to just one week? Sure, you could track down most of these beers on any other day, but why would you when the brewers behind them will show you how to make them at home? On 20 Oct from 1pm at the Toxteth Hotel you can learn about the brewing process from craft beer professionals and how to replicate at home. You can also wash down this knowledge with the included comprehensive beer tasting session and gourmet BBQ.
Craft Beer Fight Club All In Brawl: Surry Hills’ Dove & Olive plays host to five breweries doing battle with beers. They’re fixing up a boxing ring out of kegs and beer lines on 23 Oct for the battle to end all battles. $35 gets you a schooner of each beer and a say in who’s crowned the winner. IT’LL COST YOU A REALLY SPIFFY CARTON OF BANANA BEER HANDBREWED BY CHASTE MONKS… Beer & Brewer Awards Presentation Dinner: What do the Emmys, Pulitzer and Brownlow have in common? That’s right, they’re awards ceremonies. And if we know one thing about awards ceremonies it’s that people get boozed there in either celebration or commiseration. Problem is they’re giving out awards that have nothing to do with beer. At the Sebel Hotel on 24 Oct the awards are going to the people who are making the drink you’ll be consuming (assuming you’ve got decent taste). A two-course meal, unlimited beverages, a very limited bottle of Saint Birbeck Belgian Spiced IPA and the Beer Buyers Guide are all included in the $99 price. 4 Pines Brewery Tour & Lunch – Ultimate Beer Experience: You cannot beat 4 Pines’ bang for buck. The Manly-based brewery is offering a guided tour, a lap of the taps, lunch and a sixpack to take home for $65. I recommend the stout – Irish-style and black as night, it’s also pegged to be the first beer in space. Seriously. It happens this Saturday, from 12.30pm. WHAT: Sydney Craft Beer Week WHERE & WHEN: Sydney-wide (see sydneycraftbeerweek.com for full venue map), Saturday 19 to Saturday 26 Oct THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 73
fashion
TOP 5
JUMP BALL
SELLING NBA JERSEYS 1.
Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks The defending NBA scoring champ, Melo stands as one of the most pure scorers of the last decade.
More fashion statement than fandom NBA jerseys are becoming fandom, the summer singlet of choice at Australian festivals. Benny Doyle enters the game to find out why.
2.
LeBron James, Miami Heat The greatest player currently walking the planet, the guy is a beast and does everything on the court.
P
erhaps it’s the fact that the game is played with a round ball that’s bigger than one’s fist – that does tend to make Australians a bit nervous. Maybe it’s the reality that no, we, a predominantly white country, can’t jump. Whatever it is, basketball has never gained a strong foothold in a sporting nation dominated by three codes of rugby and the baggy green. With this in mind, the increase of NBA jerseys throughout youth culture is rather astounding. More than ever before – even in the halcyon days of the early-‘90s when basketball cards were a religion and people actually watched NBL games – guys and girls are turning to the iconic sporting strips from the other side of the Pacific, the resurgence driven by men called LeBron and Carmello. “The ‘90s are back in, that’s what it is,” says Ty Joyner, store manager of Culture Kings urban wear store on Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall. “It was a ‘90s type of thing and it’s certainly come back to play. Jordan’s legacy will stay there forever; it’s kinda been what you’d call a staple type of singlet.” Mesh meat and potatoes if you will, this “staple” significance means that even if you don’t know your Kobe from your KG, you’re still going to be familiar, obviously not with flavours and textures, but with the colours, designs, logos and names. NBA singlets are now a standard sight at summer music festivals, and it’s not uncommon to see a roaming pack of youths adorned in ballin’ apparel, each repping their team of choice in a setting about as far removed from the parquet floor as possible. “I would have said a couple of years ago that it was more your basketball fans,” remarks Joyner when asked if there’s a typical type of customer purchasing strips anymore. Now, it seems, there’s no specific demographic whatsoever. “These days I think it’s just the fashion; it’s become more of a fashion [thing] than taking something away from the game itself.” So if it’s not the freak athleticism, the gravity defying slams or the incredible tenacity and speed of one of the world’s most exciting sports, then what’s 74 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
pulling people towards the purchase of an NBA jersey? Musicians themselves. Joyner relates: “You see Snoop dropping an LA Lakers top and then everyone wants an LA Lakers top; you get Jay Z taking over Brooklyn [Nets], so hip hop and Jay Z fans are going to go out and buy a Brooklyn jersey.” Los Angeles and New York tie up the worlds of east and west coast rap quite nicely. Venture to a hardcore show, however, and it’s a completely different scene, with Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls apparel preferred among the circle pit dwellers. Kim ‘Chewy’ Choo from Melbourne metalcore heavyweights Feed Her To The Sharks has seen the greens and reds spin and swing from the stage, and says that the NBA’s popularity now drives merch ideas for acts of their ilk. “I know a lot of bands from the last few years that have made jerseys up for their merch ‘cause they look pretty cool,” the guitarist says. “Even if someone doesn’t like basketball they’re happy to wear Bulls [gear]; it’s pretty fashionable I guess.” Ironically, Chewy supports the Nets, but he assures us he’s been with them long before Hova threw his weight behind the franchise and removed them from the cracked roads of New Jersey. For guys like him, though – real fans – what’s to make of all this: positive proliferation or bastardisation? “I’ve got some mates that are hardcore NBA fans and they kinda get annoyed when they see a kid wearing a jersey that doesn’t really follow the sport. But that’s just personal opinion,” he finishes democratically. The flipside to this is that the spike in jersey sightings is simply being dictated by music festivals in general. Bands used to be the only thing that mattered; now they’re part of an encompassing experience that can see you launching skywards in a bungee rocket one moment, dancing with masked men on stilts the next. Festivals are now designed to liven up the senses, and NBA singlets offer punters many shades of colour to help paint the party palette. And really, who wants to be part of the crowd? It’s about dunking on top of them.
3.
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder It takes a special player to put Oklahoma on the map; Durant is that and so much more.
4.
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers Going into his 18th season, the ‘Black Mamba’ still encompasses the glitz and glam of LA.
5.
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls Arguably the best Bull since Jordan, Rose has put the Windy City back on the basketball map.
culture
WHERE TO GET DOWN
SWEATIN’ IT OUT
MELBOURNE
Monday and Tuesday Booty Camp Workout, Next Level studio, 325 Victoria St, Brunswick. 7.15-8am. Tuesday and Thursday Beginners Class, Fusion dance studio, 478 Smith St, Fitzroy. 7.30-8.30pm.
From hypersexuality yp y to homophobia, homophobia p , Giuliano Ferlaa talks Jamaican dancehall dancehall.
Tuesday Open Class, Fusion dance studio, 478 Smith St, Fitzroy. 8.30-9.30pm.
BRISBANE
Wednesday Elements Collective, 17 McLachlan St, Fortitude Valley. 7.30-8.30pm.
SYDNEY
Thursday Dance Central, Level 1 – 268 Cleveland St, Surry Hills. 5.30-6.30pm.
PERTH
Wednesday Rita’s Dancehall Class, 357-365 Murray St, Perth. Grooves 5pm, choreography 6pm, collab class 7pm.
I
t’s last Thursday night and my friend Hanna and I are going to Fusion Studio in Fitzroy to learn how to dance dancehall. I’d done my research. I’d seen the YouTube videos of hypersexual women, shaking themselves all over so that they wobble and wiggle provocatively. I’d watched barely clothed and jiggly Jamaican women grinding up against sweaty, athletic Jamaican men. I had looked surreptitiously over my shoulder to make sure no one was watching me watch these videos, because they’re pretty much porn and it’s all pretty arousing. Anyway, I asked Hanna to come along to the class, mainly because I knew there would be a majority of, if not all, girls there. I thought that if I brought along a girl then that would add some kind of legitimacy to me being there. Like, maybe if I brought a girl I would present as a non-threatening male who was there to dance and not to perve on girls. If I’m going to be honest though, I brought Han along for one more reason. You know, the dancers are so sexually aggressive and like a lot of guys, I am both turned on by women who are sexually aggressive, and intimidated by them. I brought Han along because I was a bit scared. So we got there and I adopted my most journalistic and indifferent air and approached the reception desk at Fusion.
MC. They have a mic, and they play the instrumental B-side of a pop single, then start improvising lyrics over the top of it. The quality of the DJ is decided by how many ‘forwards’ – cheers or shows of hands – they get from the crowd. This still happens today, and as a result the pace of its evolution is fast. New rhythms and dances are constantly being created and producers will release new songs every week for the DJs. I called up Cat and KD Pwiti from Jungle City Projects, who put on the dancehall classes. They were good enough to give me an impromptu interview. I asked them about the hypersexuality of it. Cat said, “I think a Western person might listen to the lyrics and be really shocked or disgusted by it, but I think you have to put it into context and realise what that country has gone through, what their culture is, and what they relate to. When it comes to the sexual side of things they are a lot more liberated than we are.” Well, kind of. It’s the sexual aspect that gives rise to one of the dancehall culture’s most glaring contradictions – one that Cat and KD acknowledge as a problem. Dancehall is hugely sexually liberated in respect to heterosexuality, but completely repressed and phobic in respect to homosexuality, as in much of Jamaica.
Goddamn. What to do now?
In terms of hypersexuality, it canbe pretty affronting to an Australian. Cat explained: “The most notorious dance is called ‘daggering’ and it’s basically having sex with your clothes on. In Jamaica the chicks get right into it; it’s something that they do and don’t feel uncomfortable about. But in Australia and other Western countries that side of it is a bit intense and they find it off-putting. If that were to happen here you wouldn’t have anybody coming to classes,” she laughed.
First, a bit of history. Dancehall, which evolved from reggae, began in Jamaica in the late ‘70s. It came out of the ghetto culture and got its name because dancehalls were the only place you could see it. It all began with the DJs. See, in Jamaica a DJ doesn’t just play records to people (that’s what a selector does), a DJ is more like an
Jungle City Projects do classes every Tuesday and Thursday at Fusion Dance Studio in Fitzroy, as well as a two-hour jam session at Next Level Studios in Brunswick plus more – check their website for the full timetable. I’m going to get along to a jam session, and not just to perve, I promise.
Me: Hey, so, like, um… I’m writing an article for The Music. I’m here to do the dancehall class, or whatever. Girl: The dancehall class? Me: Yeah. Or whatever. Girl: The dancehall class has been cancelled.
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FRONTLASH
TOURING THIS WEEK
BILL SHORTEN
While we must admit we had a soft spot for Albo (but so did most of us plebs it seems), Shorten got over the line as Labor leader. Good, now can everyone just channel their energies into defeating Tony Abbott? Ta.
THE DUFFIN Look, we’re not interested in the legal matters as to whether Starbucks stole the idea of the doughnut/muffin cross, but could someone bring a variation here to Australia? Yet again Zumbo, we’re looking at you.
JON BON JOVI Walks an Australian fan down the aisle in a Vegas chapel wedding. Knock his music all you want, but gotta love him doing something like this. Did he sing at the reception though?
IGGY AZALEA
BACKLASH MILEY CYRUS
Knocks Lorde from the #1 album position, yet again proving hype outweighs talent at times.
PENIS BEAKER How have we gotten through our sexual lives without this apparently vital postcoital clean up item?
IGGY AZALEA Shows are on, then off. then one is apparently on again. Can everyone just make up their mind as to what’s happening please?
76 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES… BEST COAST Fade Away Kobalt/Jewel City KID MAC Head Noise MGM SEABELLIES Fever Belle Shock THE AVETT BROTHERS Magpie & The Dandelion Caroline
BOOT SCOOTIN’
STICKY SITUATION
Folk pop old soul Gordi has a soon-to-be-released debut EP, but before the long-awaited launch, Gordi will be supporting The Boots and Imogen Clark at Brighton Up Bar on Thursday.
Sticky Fingers have narrowly avoided the firm hand of law recently, and are able to continue their debauched behaviour on the Sydney leg of the Freddy Crabs tour this Friday at Manning Bar with Lyall Moloney and Bootleg Rascal.
AROUND THE WORLD
YOUNG GUNS
Off the back of a recent sold out performance as part of Sydney Fringe Festival, dynamic modern flamenco Nuevo ensemble Pêna Flamenca will return to The Basement on Wednesday for this week’s instalment of World Music Wednesdays.
This Saturday evening at the Bondi Pavilion, BLYMP will be celebrating young local music in an under 18’s event. Amongst the many fresh-faced bands performing at BLYMP will be Gone Electric, The Citizens, Go Mason Go and The Dawsons.
SOMETHING NEW
MAKE OR BREAK
The freshly released album from Melbourne’s Adalita sees her treading unfamiliar territory. She’ll be backed by a full band this Friday at the Annandale and again on Saturday at the Great Northern in Newcastle.
Surf-rockers The Breaks were set to tour after the second album, buta portion of the tour was unable to commence. As such, the band will be embarking on round two of the tour this Saturday at the Standard.
BROTHERS ON TOUR
HART OF MICK
The Amity Affliction, will be touring alongside Chelsea Grin, Stick To Your Guns and In Hearts Wake in the aptly titled Brothers In Arms tour. The tour heads to Panthers in Newcastle on Saturday and Luna Park’s Big Top on Sunday.
Australian singer-songwriter Mick Hart is on the mend. Coincidentally, his recovery and consequent return to the live scene has roughly coincided with the release of his latest album, which he’ll be celebrating this Friday at the Brewhouse.
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ALBUM FOCUS
THE GRAND RAPIDS Answered by: Sasha L Smith Album title: Great Shakes Where did the title of your new album come from? Great Shakes is the name of the title track from our debut album which is being released on Melbourne label Psyche Ward on 18 Oct. How long did it take to write/record? Written across a period of two years. The tracking and overdubs were pretty quick but the mixing was quite drawn out, so it’s nearly three years from tracking to release. Hopeless lot, we are! Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? Playing, writing and recording with talented, cool dudes and recording in an awesome studio (Sing Sing) with a great engineer, Callum Barter. Was a very drawn out process but wholly enjoyable. What’s your favourite song on it? Great Shakes: reverse guitar intro, drone-fest, then a one-chord wig-out to blow a hole in the sky. Will you do anything differently next time? Much faster, much cheaper, more impulsive, more sitar, less parking fines, more pedals, more space, no space disco, more drone outs, less kebabs, more paisley and more tambourines and maracas. When and where is your launch/next gig? Friday 18 Oct, Brighton Up Bar with a rad as line-up: Burn Antares, and Dead Radio Website link for more info? facebook.com/ thegrandrapids
78 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
TOURING THIS WEEK
EP FOCUS
EVAN & THE BRAVE Answered by: Daniel Mifsud EP title: Island How many releases do you have now? This is our first official release! Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? The concept of being really direct both musically and lyrically was important. We had Blur, Springsteen, The Smiths and Elbow all in our head when recording the EP. What’s your favourite song on it? Stay This Way. I like how manic/desperate the lyric is. Plus the pretty sounds and chords in the background.
COMING HOME
SPINNING AROUND
Having recently returned home from a tour in Europe and the US with the Bad Seeds, Ed Kuepper will be enthusiastically celebrating his homecoming with three consecutive solo shows lined up over Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Vanguard.
Not too long ago, Melbourne outfit The Spinning Rooms released their second album. As such, the four-piece have planned their first ever East Coast Tour, which sees them perform alongside The Peep Tempel at Black Wire Records this Friday.
FAKE EMPIRE
MICKEY MOUSE
Following the release of album number three, Cronulla natives New Empire are heading to Oxford Art Factory on Friday with friends Ash Gale and Bears With Guns to show off their indie rock chops o their new expanded audience.
The one and only Mickey Avalon takes over the Metro on Sunday with his high-octane brand of smut, raucous rudeness, and a smattering of swears. He taught us all how to do the Jande Fonda. He’s the whitest rapper, but also a favourite.
LOSING SLEEP
ISLAND & WINE
Hard-working pub rock ‘n’ roll quintet The Deep End are back at it again in the No Time To Rest tour. Thursday, they perform at Frankie’s Pizza, on Friday they’re at Spectrum, and Saturday they’ll be performing at the Square.
Brendan Gallagher has just added another achievement to his 30-year-long music career with the release of the new double album Wine Island. He’ll be performing at the Brass Monkey on Thursday, then at Lizotte’s Dee Why a day later.
ASTON KUTCHER
BOOZY BREWS
EMI’s new electro-indie darlings The Aston Shuffle are just about to finish off their second album, and to celebrate are DJing around the country. They take down Marco Polo at The Ivy on Sunday, leaving gyrating bodies in their wake.
In the lead-up to Craft Beer Week on Saturday, Young Henrys are launching Big Village Brew with the help of hip hoppers Suburban Dark on Friday at Factory Floor. Also features Reverse Polarities, Tenth Dan and Grub.
We’ll like this EP if we like... The Shins, Fleet Foxes, Elbow, Bruce Springsteen, New Kids On The Block and Michael Jordan. When and where is your launch/next gig? NSW The Small Ballroom, Newcastle, 17 Oct; The Junkyard, Maitland, 18 Oct; Brighton Up Bar, 19 Oct. Website link for more info? facebook.com/evanandthebrave
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LAUNCHING THIS WEEK
NO SLEEP TEAL
HAVE/HARBOURER
Teal have just completed a successful headline tour and – following the appropriately timed released of their debut EP Hearth – will be supporting The Butterfly Effect and Sleep Parade this Saturday at the Annandale.
Melbourne indie punks Have/ Hold have put out a double A-Side and are now in the midst of taking it on the road. This Saturday sees them joined by Harbourer, Summer Policy and Zzzounds at Black Wire Records.
IN ROUGE
GREAT RAPIDS
After spending a large part of 2013 in the studio, Queenslandbased Lilly Rouge have now emerged with a completed fivetrack EP. This Thursday, they’ll be launching the EP at Valve Bar at the Agincourt Hotel.
Melbourne paisley troubadours The Grand Rapids are gearing up for yet another series of celebratory shows on account of the release of their debut full-length album. They’ll be launching Great Shakes this Friday at Brighton Up Bar.
MAKING HISTORY
TWIN TOOTS
Sydney’s Made In Japan are now back home after having spent some time over in the UK. Upon their return, they have a new single History. The single will be launched at FBi Social on Saturday night.
With both a new name and a new single, Melbourne quintet Twin Beasts (formerly The Toot Toot Toots) will launch Badlove this Thursday at the Manly Steyne and at the Polish Club in Canberra on Friday.
BE BRAVE
A SMASHING YEAR
Indie dream-poppers Evan & The Brave have gained themselves a new member and a new EP (their first): two apt reasons for the Sydneysiders to head out on the road again. This Friday, they’ll be launching Islands at Brighton Up Bar.
In keeping with the eventful nature of the nearly exhausted year, Melbourne’s Vaudeville Smash – having just returned home from Japan – will be launching a new single this Saturday at the Beresford.
HAVE YOU BEEN TO
WORLD MUSIC WEDNESDAY
JAM GALLERY Answered by: Peter Wright Address: Underground 195 Oxford St, Bondi Junction What’s the capacity? 550 Why should punters visit you? Brand new and vibrant bar/ live music venue and eatery. A colourful, ever changing, friendly, social and addictive experience. What’s the best thing about the venue? Our focus on creativity in all artistic genres. Fostering the local and international music scene, up and coming talent and regular resident musicians. Live music four nights a week, theatrical beverage and innovative eats. What’s the history of the venue? Brand new purpose-built, live music performance space, opened October 2013. Awesome P.A. installed by Sydney audio legend Luke Everingham. Innovative ‘farm to table’ food and a gun beverage offering: craft beer and spectacular cocktails. What is your venue doing to help the local music scene? Our preference is local talent. Free entry to most gigs to help foster emerging artists. Website link for more info? jamgallery.com.au
WATUSSI Answered by: Oscar Jimenez What the best venue you’ve played? The Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo was something amazing. The locals went wild and we were playing in the middle of an amazing natural reserve. What part of the world has had the most influence on you, musically? South American is my heritage, however, I’m now listening to a lot of Aboriginal sounds from different parts of the world. Where have you experienced music really impacting and influencing a culture? Music has impacted the whole world. When it comes to your band – is more always better? It depends what’s your gold. For a carnival sound, more is best. What’s one instrument you wish you could master? Love congas and any percussion. It’s like the flavour on top of everything. Do you have any pre-gig rituals? A nice shot of tequila for everybody! What’s your favourite food dish? Arepas from Colombia and Venezuela! Can you recommend us a drink at the bar? A fresh coconut with a splash of Caribbean Rum. Website link for more info? watussi.com.au
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EP FOCUS
LAUNCHING THIS WEEK
SINGLE FOCUS
OWL EYES VAUDEVILLE SMASH Answered by: Marc Lucchesi EP title: V-Grade Horror How many releases do you have now? Four: an album and three EPs. This is our second release this year. Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? The B-grade horror movies that used to scare the shit out of us as kids, disco, and wacky video games on the Super Nintendo. It’s a concept album we’ve been wanting to make for a while now. What’s your favourite song on it? Become The Night. The full version goes for about six minutes – the synth solo is epic. A journey! We’ll like this EP if we like... MJ’s Thriller; Earth, Wind & Fire’s In The Stone; Devo’s Girl U Want; LucasArt’s Zombies Ate My Neighbours...
Answered by: Brooke Addamo
ALL THAT JAZZ
FIRE IN CAIRO
Single title: Hurricane
A piano-less jazz quartet with a reggae and Afrobeat twist, The Vampires have just dropped their fourth album Tiro, which they’ll be launching in a performance at the Rhythm Hut this Thursday where they’ll also be running a series of workshops.
The debut album from Brisbanite four-piece The Cairos is inching closer and closer. In anticipation, the first (apparently vegan/ vegetarian unfriendly) single Obsession will be launched this Friday at FBi Social with the support of Tales In Space.
PLANET OF THE APES
OWLS HAVE EYES
Tex Perkins’ The Ape have just released their debut full-length album. The self-titled album will be launched at the Cambridge Hotel in Newcastle on Thursday, Coogee Diggers on Friday and the Factory Floor Room in Marrickville on Saturday.
Melbournian dream pop artist Owl Eyes’ embarks on yet another East Coast tour to support Nightswim’s fourth single. This Saturday, with the support of The Kite String Tangle and Willow Beats, she performs at Oxford Art Factory.
TANKED
HERE COMES THE SUN
It’s been two years since Sydney glitch-pop musician Oliver Tank released his debut EP. This Friday, the master of suspense will be rewarding our patience as he launches the new single from his upcoming EP at the Metro.
Perth-based tropical dance duo Sun City has been putting together a collection of remixes amidst a handful of original material. They launch their new single at the Beach Road Hotel on Saturday.
DUBMARINE SOUND BEAM
SEEING RED
The most recent addition to Dubmarine’s discography, Laser Sound Beam, sees them taking inspiration from their hypnotic live performances. This Friday, they’ll be launching the album at the Standard, then again a day later at the Heritage in Bulli.
Sydney’s Red Remedy are currently sitting at a rather comfortable #2 on the Triple J Unearthed charts. The punk/ metal four-piece will be releasing their second EP. The EP, The Waste, will be launched at the Square on Friday.
What’s the song about? Hurricane is kind of a rebellion against pressures I felt at the beginning of my album process. How long did it take to write/ record? The actual lyrics and beat of the song didn’t take long at all but getting the mix right probably took the longest out of all the songs on the album. Is this track from a forthcoming release/existing release? Hurricane is the third single on my debut album Nightswim. What was inspiring you during the song’s writing and recording? Throughout all the songs on this album my main inspiration was really just trying to keep my writing style simple and honest to myself and how I was feeling. We’ll like this song if we like... Moody pop music. Do you play it differently live? I’ve kept the form of the song the same but used a few different sounds and samples.
When and where is your launch/next gig? Upstairs Beresford, 19 October. With Bec and Ben, Camden and Kristy Lee. BIG GIG!
When and where is your launch/next gig? Oxford Art Factory, 19 Oct; Wollongong Uni Bar, 24 Oct; ANU Bar, Canberra, 25 Oct; Fat As Butter Festival, Newcastle, 26 Oct.
Website link for more info? vaudevillesmash.com
Website link for more info? facebook.com/thisisowleyes
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opinion
OG FLAVAS
THE HEAVY SHIT
WAKE THE DEAD
URBAN AND R’N’B NEWS BY CYCLONE
METAL AND HARD ROCK WITH CHRIS MARIC
PUNK AND HARDCORE WITH SARAH PETCHELL
Canada’s Aubrey Drake Graham has journeyed far from his days portraying basketballer Jimmy Brooks in Degrassi: The Next Generation. The rapper/singer is now promoting his third album on Lil Wayne’s Young Money, Nothing Was The Same – a US charttopper. Drizzy’s debut, Thank Me Later, and particularly 2011’s Take Care changed the timbre of hip hop, the MC not so much chronicling his lifestyle as revealing his psyche. Graham was dubbed ‘an emo rapper’ but, like his hero Kanye West, his music is inherently meta. He’s introduced fresh avant-garde sounds into urban, being inspired by Marvin Gaye, Aaliyah and James Blake. Nothing Was The Same led by the murky bass music of Started From The Bottom, completes a dysphoric trilogy. Graham consolidates and refines his musical ideas and consolidates themes. If anything, this album sees a slight shift in focus from examining the singular experience of fame to sustaining relationships. On the intricate opener, Tuscan Leather, Drizzy channels Yeezy at his flossiest (and uses chipmunk samples) – and references Australian actor Guy Pearce in Memento. The production is handled by Graham’s brilliant ally Noah “40” Shebib and their OVO Sound crew (which includes Boi-1da). Alas, there’s no further collaboration with The xx’s Jamie Smith, but Graham taps into post-dubstep with the Blake-y Worst Behavior. Still, most surprising is the ‘80s groove, Hold On, We’re Going Home – a deserved hit. ogflavas@themusic.com.au
DRAKE
The ongoing court case between A Day To Remember and Victory Records appears to have reached a climax with a US judge giving the band permission to release their new album, Common Courtesy, on their own, with no attachment to the Victory name. And that’s precisely what they did on 8 October. METALLICA THROUGH THE NEVER
Last week I went and saw an advance screening of the Metallica Through The Never movie at Sony’s swish private theatre in the city. There were rumours for about a year that the band were making a movie and I guess that left people scratching their heads as to whether it would be Some Kind Of Monster Part II or a fullyacted film with the guys playing characters. Then word came down it would be 3D, which only created more questions. A couple of months ago an awesome trailer came out that gave a better idea as to what to expect – live performances and a storyline involving a ‘chosen’ roadie and a mission only he can accomplish. So, what’s it all about? Well it’s Metallica, live and in 3D. The concert footage looks amazing and was shot in Canada last year on their World Magnetic tour. The vision is so crisp you can see every hair in James’ greying goatee and just how bald Lars is these days; Kirk’s guitars gleam and glitter and Rob looks like a ten-foot-tall monster crab. It’s up close and in your face. The sweat pours off the screen and did I mention it’s crystal clear? Australia didn’t get the full Magnetic stage show that other places got so it was awesome to see the actual stage convert into a swimming pool-size screen with rivers of blood (Creeping Death), lightning (um, that song), people buried alive, maggots and other mini graphics and movies to complement each song. The fact sheet says the stage is actually 144 individual video screens. There’s even full-on, working Tesla coils around the electric chair!
Dorothy makes an appearance and comes crashing down during Justice… and a field of life-size crosses emerge from the floor during an epic rendition of One, which had a brilliant extended battle zone intro. Having seen them struggle in the last few years, it was great to see such a solid performance. James sounds spot-on vocally and they’re super tight. Even Lars pulls it together, leaving most of the sloppy, weird ‘fills that are definitely not on the record’ and halfarsed double kicks at the door. For a movie called Through The Never, it’s weird that the song itself is nowhere to be heard and at around 90 minutes there’s a lot that’s not played too, but the stuff that is is all classic. So to the narrative. Between and during the band’s set it cuts away to their roadie, Trip, played by Leo DeCaprio lookalike Dane DeHaan, off rescuing an item the band desperately need that’s in a broken-down Metallitruck across town. He sets out, pissed off he has to miss the show and ends up in a Resident Evil/Batman/Max Max kind of adventure. Zombies, riots, cops, bizarre mass hangings and a solo horseman – he braves them all and completes his task – but it begs more questions than it answers and remains unresolved, leaving everyone in the theatre asking what the point of it was? It looked fantastic and would make a great movie on its own, but what relevance did it have to a Metallica show? Side note: I watched the 1989 Seattle show from the Binge And Purge box set two days later and it’s like a completely different band. I miss Jason.
So what exactly happened? ADTR originally sued Victory saying they had not received the proper royalties and that they had met the five-album requirement of the three-page “deal memo” that was essentially their contract with the label. Tony Brummel (CEO of Victory) stated in a separate declaration that the band had only delivered three albums. The question is, are the band still on contract to Victory? You can read the “deal memo” online and decide for yourself where you stand, but the definition of “album” in this contract reads as being vague to me, with even the judge that denied Victory’s injunction against the release of Common Courtesy describing it as such. But I think this case holds a few lessons for bands, no matter how big or small, and how they deal with labels. In my opinion, I think contracts are necessary as they should protect everyone’s interests. That said, do not sign anything if you do not know exactly what you’re getting into. To a lot of young bands, getting signed to a label is a huge deal, but if something doesn’t make sense, ask. If you don’t agree with something, make a point of arguing it. It comes down to one small phrase: know your shit. wakethedead@themusic.com.au
A DAY TO REMEMBER THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 81
opinion
YOUNG & RESTLESS ALL AGES WITH DAVE DRAYTON
LORDE
As hordes of armchair pop culture analysts, psychiatrists, and gender studies professionals continue to tell Miley what’s best for her, Miley has opted most recently for the Michael Jackson defence: I spent my whole childhood behaving like an adult, so I’ll spend my adulthood behaving like a child. It’s not an uncommon effect of child stardom, and sadly, seems more prevalent among female performers – Britney too, comes to mind. But is it inevitable that the combination of fame/ success and youth spell disaster? A more optimistic option revealed itself to me via the verse of 16-year-old Kiwi Lorde’s Team, where, droll and tired, she sings “I’m kind of over getting told to throw my hands up in the air, so there,” with the kind of lazy bravado that makes you want to do just that; it’s the best tongue-in-cheek “fuck you” since MC Lars’ Signing Emo. It’s a laconically scathing survey of the industry of entertainment – and better still – it’s the kind of song that takes that industry by storm (as recent performances at Splendour, on a week’s notice, no less, prove). Which isn’t to say that the answer to all these missing childhoods is an admirable bratty irony – hardly. Though it is inspiring, empowering even, to see someone so young owning their music and their self, and using both to critique and refuse to be victimised by an industry that clearly can cause detriment to those who enter the fold early. Good, Lorde. Good. allages@themusic.com.au 82 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
MODERATELY HIGHBROW
GET IT TOGETHER
VISUAL ART WANK AND THEATRE FOYERS WITH DAVE DRAYTON
HIP HOP WITH JAMES D’APICE
I’ve been thinking quite a bit about death lately, but it’s not all as morbid as it seems. Part of the reason is the anticipation I hold for Oedipus Schmoedipus, the latest work from Sydney theatre collective Post. Coming to Belvoir as part of the Sydney Festival early next year Oedipus Schmoedipus is a large-scale collaborative theatre work that repurposes famous death scenes from the dramatic canon. Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet, Macbeth and Titus Andronicus, Euripides’ Medea and Wilde’s The Importance Of Being Ernest have all been revealed as being included. Already that’s a whole lot of dying – a deluge of death. Intrigued by this dark desire to explore the ultimate leveller, I found myself looking into the International Necronautical Society. Launched in 1999 by co-founders author Tom McCarthy and philosopher Simon Critchley, the intentions of the INS were to investigate the role of death in literature, art and culture. Inspired by early 20th century avant-garde movements such as the Futurists and Dada, the INS operate with ludicrously bureaucratic structure and procedure – countless committees and subcommittees, manifestos, and declarations. In fact, in their first manifesto, the First Committee of the International Necronautical Society make some declarations that seem ample inspiration for Post’s post-mortem adventure. They proclaim:
1.That death is a type of space, which we intend to map, enter, colonise and, eventually, inhabit. 2. That there is no beauty without death, its immanence. We shall sing death’s beauty – that is, beauty. Mapping death, as proposed by the International Necronautical Society, seems like an impossible task. Post’s own investigation seems as though it will take the form of a mapping of other representations of death; but Levé’s approach, to map the route before following it, seems as close as one could come to documenting the topography of the other side from this one. The delivery of the novel, the act of taking his own life so soon after, the obsession with the mystery of death, and more specifically, that which is self-inflicted, the book and its author – it becomes impossible to untangle these threads of death, to seem the arranged as Levé may have. But, if we pick at strands, find a lose one and tug, something of interest may unravel, like Levé’s thoughts on suicide as performance, eerily resonant with this examination of death – all death – on stage: “Your suicide has become the foundational act… Your final second changed your life in the eyes of others. You are like the actor who, at the end of the play, with a final word, reveals that he is a different character than the one he appeared to be playing.”
OEDIPUS SCHMOEDIPUS
GIRL TALK
The news that RZA is working on an album with Interpol’s Paul Banks might just throw you into a nostalgic, mid-noughties mood. So it should. Both artists are rare talents and it’s been a little while since we’ve seen them at their best. But true midnoughties nostalgics will be more likely to be frothing at the mouth for the forthcoming collaboration between Girl Talk and Freeway. Girl Talk is best known for taking the mash-up genre to its logical end point in 2006 with Nightripper. The album was a copyright lawyer’s nightmare: lots and lots of big, top 40 hits chopped together to make something new and exciting. Follow-ups Feed The Animals and All Day were less than excellent versions of the same thing. Freeway is in a similar rut. He can lay claim to creating a compelling style all of his own a decade ago, but we haven’t heard from him since last year’s underwhelming Diamond In The Ruff. The duo will release an EP called Broken Ankles. The potential chemistry feels right. Freeway has the range to duck and weave as Girl Talk switches beats mid-song. Girl Talk has the flexibility and power to meet the challenge of setting a backdrop for Freeway’s forceful vocals. While the two are some years from has-been status, this mid-career direction shift has ignited more than a few imaginations. Broken Ankles may well be the first time Girl Talk has lit up a dancefloor with something genuinely new since 2006. And that’s something worth celebrating, whether you’re feeling nostalgic or not. getittogether@themusic.com.au
opinion
CULTURAL CRINGE A LOOK AT THE FINER THINGS WITH JAMELLE WELLS Aussie home loans founder John Symond has replaced Kim Williams as chairman of the Sydney Opera House Trust. Williams stepped down three months before his term was up and has also resigned as CEO of Newscorp. The Opera House is this month celebrating its 40th anniversary. Police have found valuable artwork stolen three years ago in a house in Sydney’s west. The 18 paintings and sketches by the likes of Pro Hart, Arthur Streeton, John Perceval and Norman Lindsay were stolen from Darling Point in the eastern suburbs in 2010. Officers found the art and some stolen luxury cars when raiding a house at Wiley Park. The Australian Ballet is trying to attract younger audiences with its Bodytorque program about to open in Sydney. The ninth instalment will feature costumes by fashion designer Toni Maticevski and music from
Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, Australian band CODA, composers Vivaldi and Stravinsky and various original compositions live for the first time. Designed to push the art form further into the 21st century, this year’s show explores the theme of technique and how it can be used to give new life to classical ballet. Each work will feature a maximum of five dancers and is up to 15 minutes long. Artistic Director David McAllister describes it as ‘bite-sized ballet’ with fashion and music you’d hear at a big night out concert. The Australian Directors Guild and Screen Australia have made Matthew Moore the third recipient of the Director’s Attachment Scheme, a program for emerging feature film directors to develop their craft. Moore will be attached to Robert Connolly on his feature film, Paper Planes, which is in production in Western Australia and Japan this month.
THE LOOKING GLASS A JOURNEY THROUGH ARTS WITH HELEN STRINGER When previous generations looked to the Marty McFly future we now live in they no doubt asked questions like, will 3D really still be cool? With all this excitement they failed to predict the great changes. Breakthroughs, for instance, like the internet, those little robot vacuum cleaners and, most importantly, being able to order drugs over the internet and have them posted to the door. What an oversight. From what I’ve gleaned the internet
black market has been up and running for a while, users just avoided talking about it in public lest the authorities cottoned on to this highly illegal threat to society. Now they have, thank God. Not a moment too soon. We law-abiding citizens can sleep a little better knowing the streets are one step closer to being free of the scourge of drugs. The mastermind behind online black market, Silk Road, has been apprehended. Twenty-
SILK ROAD
BODYTORQUE
Lateral Events and BBC Worldwide are bringing popular BBC presenter and historian Neil Oliver to the Australian stage for Neil Oliver – History In The Making to coincide with the broadcast of his new series, Coast Australia, on Foxtel in December. He’s promising to shed light into the turbulent Dark Ages when King Arthur was rumoured to have held court and the Saxons and Vikings invaded. Glen Street Theatre’s 2014 season won’t start until May due to theatre renovations, but includes Go Your Own Way – The Story Of Christine McVie.
nine year old Ross William Ulbricht, until now known as Dread Pirate Roberts, has been identified as Silk Road’s founder and is going to be charged with a veritable shitload of crimes. Think what you want of Ulbricht, personally I find it hard not to like the overseer of a black market whose alias is a reference to The Princess Bride. Endearing moniker aside we should all celebrate that, apart from porn, credit card scams, the illegal sex trade and the 12 other online black markets vying for supremacy, the internet is once again safe for our children. Never mind that no other online black market subscribes to the same ‘don’t sell children or weapons’ ethos of Silk Road; there are no degrees of bad when it comes to drugs, there’s just bad. Now the brave officers of law enforcement have triumphed over evil we can expect the drug trade to crumble. Because Silk Road is kaput, everybody will stop buying drugs. This will, in fact, have a profound effect on the drug trade and absolutely no one will go back to buying
Written by Diana Simmonds, it covers four decades in the tumultuous life of the Fleetwood Mac member played by Catherine Alcorn. There’s also Dust Of Uruzgan, by singer-songwriter and Australian diplomat Fred Smith, who has worked for two years in the province of Uruzgan, Afghanistan, where Australian troops have been based during the past decade or so of conflict and civil unrest. The assets of Leichhardt’s Italian Forum Cultural Centre are being sold off after the forum went into voluntary administration. It includes an auditorium that can seat 350 and an art gallery.
their narcotic of choice the oldfashioned way: from outlawed bikie gang-affiliated dealers and cracked-out middle-aged men. I think we can all agree the war on drugs has finally been won. Who would have thought that all it would take was to shut down a marketplace supplying small quantities of illegal substances and run by a selfprofessed libertarian? Mexican drug barons with a horrifying propensity for beheading be damned, a nerd with a vision was the lynchpin of the drug trade. Levity aside, most drugs really are bad and people should be incarcerated for selling them. But the drug trade doesn’t exist because people make drugs; it exists because people want drugs. Governments slapping each other on the back for briefly pausing trade on the black market seems a little ridiculous. That said, other than those that make you laugh, eat and fall asleep, most drugs really are bad. It’s unjustifiable to go within a ten-metre radius of a needle filled with narcotics unless that needle is being held by a medical professional. THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 83
the guide nsw.gigguide@themusic.com.au Christie Lamb: Campbelltown Catholic Club (Caf Samba), Campbelltown
THE MUSIC PRESENTS
Musos Club Jam Night: Carousel Inn, Rooty Hill Jo Vill: Club Windang, Windang Nathan Cole: Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee Jamie Lindsay: Dee Why Hotel, Dee Why
GIG OF THE WEEK KATCHAFIRE: 16 OCT PENRITH PANTHERS; 18 BIG TOP LUNA PARK
WED 16
Converge Festival: 505, Surry Hills
The Smith: Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly Songs On Stage feat. Greg Sita + Jester + Lilliputian + Chantal & Cesar + Guests: Avalon Beach RSL, Avalon Beach
EL VEZ World Music Wednesdays ft Peña Flamenca: Oct 16 The Basement
Patrick James: Nov 7 Yours & Owls Wollongong; 9 Oxford Art Factory
Katchafire: Oct 16 Penrith Panthers; 18 Big Top Luna Park
Newtown Festival: Nov 10 Camperdown Memorial Rest Park
New Empire: Oct 17 Small Ballroom, Newcastle; 18 Oxford Art Factory; 19 ANU Bar Canberra
World Music Wednesdays ft The Hi Tops Brass Band: Nov 13 The Basement
Nancy Vandal: Oct 18 Cambridge Hotel; 19 Dicey Rileys Wollongong, 16 Nov The Lair World Music Wednesdays ft Watussi: Oct 23 The Basement The Cribs: Oct 23 Small Ballroom Newcastle; 24 Upstairs Beresford Dan Sultan: Oct 23 Lizotte’s Newcastle; 24 The Basement; 25 Heritage Hotel Bulli The Barons Of Tang: Oct 24 Hotel Steyne Manly; 25 Yours & Owls Wollongong; 26 Factory Theatre Boy & Bear: Oct 24 ANU Bar Canberra; 25 Enmore Theatre; Nov 15 Waves Wollongong The Crooked Fiddle Band: Oct 25 The Small Ballroom; Nov 14 Hotel Steyne Manly; 15 City Diggers Wollongong; 22 Baroque Katoomba; 23 The Standard; Dec 14 Entrance Leagues Bateau Bay Fat As Butter: Oct 26 The Foreshore Newcastle El Vez: Oct 26 Factory Theatre The Breeders: Oct 28 Enmore Theatre World Music Wednesdays ft Kriola Collective: Oct 30 The Basement World Music Wednesdays ft Dereb The Ambassador: Nov 6 The Basement Bonjah: Nov 7 Beach Road Hotel
Musos Club Jam Night: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt Hobophonics + Bernie Dingo: Beach Road Hotel (Valley), Bondi Beach
The Wildbloods + Colour Therapy + Maurice Jones + Raw Idiocy: Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Jordie Lane: Nov 13 Street Theatre Canberra; 14 Yours & Owls Wollongong; 15 Clarendon Guesthouse Katoomba; 16 The Basement; 17 Grand Junction, Maitland; 18 Music Lounge, Manly; 20 Lizotte’s Central Coast; 21 – Lizotte’s Newcastle
Songs On Stage feat. Angelene Harris + Liam McClary + Guests: Collector Hotel, Parramatta
The Drones: Nov 22 Cambridge Hotel World Music Wednesdays ft Bobby Alu: Nov 27 The Basement Homebake: Dec 6 – 8 Sydney Opera House Forecourt Festival Of The Sun: Dec 13 – 14 Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park, Port Macquarie Pond: Dec 20 Metro Theatre Solange: Jan 8 Metro Theatre Half Moon Run: Jan 9 The Small Ballroom Newcastle; 10 The Heritage Hotel Bulli; 11 The Standard; 14 The Brass Monkey Cronulla Future Music Festival: Mar 8 Randwick Racecourse Billy Bragg: Mar 16 Sydney Opera House Bluesfest: April 17 – 21 Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm Byron Bay
Los Gringos: Foundry 616, Ultimo
The Petting Zoo: The Little Guy, Glebe
The Deep End: Frankies Pizza, Sydney
Songs On Stage feat. Helmut Uhlmann + Ben Hardie + Guests: The Loft, UTS, Broadway
Josh McIvor: Hillside Hotel, Castle Hill
The Timbers: The Newsagency, Marrickville Andromeda + Lily Rouge + Exit For Freedom: The Small Ballroom, Newcastle Panti: The Vanguard, Newtown
Rodney Rude: Hornsby RSL, Hornsby Twin Beasts: Hotel Steyne (Moonshine Bar), Manly The Folk Informal feat. Lily So & The Bellows: Kings Cross Hotel, Kings Cross
Lepers & Crooks + Vanadium + Tail + Lion Calamity: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst
Victoria Avenue: Hillside Hotel, Castle Hill Aaron Michael Band: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville
NANCY VANDAL: 18 OCT CAMBRIDGE HOTEL; 19 DICEY RILEYS WOLLONGONG
Live & Local feat. Cait Mac + Larissa Pearce + more: Lizottes Central Coast, Kincumber
Embrace with Kristen Fletcher Trio: Tokio Hotel, Darling Harbour
Live & Local feat. Steely Divas: Lizottes Newcastle, New Lambton
City Slickers Band Competition+Various: Valve @ Agincourt, Sydney
Eric Bogle: Lizottes Sydney, Dee Why Andy Mammers Duo: Maloneys Hotel, Sydney
THU 17
Josh McIvor: Mean Fiddler Hotel (Sub Bar), Rouse Hill
Arbori + Ryan Collings: 505, Surry Hills
Leon Fallon: Observer Hotel, The Rocks
David Moss + Reece Low + Steven Bourke + Dosstruction: Australian Hotel & Brewery (Cool Room), Rouse Hill
Mark Travers: Orient Hotel, Sydney
All The Kings Men: Tribute to Albert, Earl, Freddie and B.B: Lizottes Central Coast, Kincumber Wolf Mail: Lizottes Newcastle, New Lambton Dave White Duo: Maloneys Hotel, Sydney Rachel Laing: Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale Zoltan: Marrickville Ritz Hotel, Marrickville Lorde + Oliver Tank: Metro Theatre, Sydney Riz: Newport Arms Hotel, Newport
Katchafire + Common Kings: Penrith Panthers, Penrith
Nantes + Louis London + The Owls: Beach Road Hotel (Rex Room), Bondi Beach
Duo Down Under: Revesby Workers (Infinity Lounge), Revesby
Brendan Gallagher + Annabelle Kay: Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Redlight Ruby: O’Malleys Hotel, Kings Cross
Gordi + The Boots + Imogen Clark: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst
Sarah Paton: Observer Hotel, The Rocks
The Ape: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West
Katchafire + Common Kings: Rock Lily, Pyrmont
Eric Bogle: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
Songs On Stage feat. Andrew Denniston + Jeff Tooth + Abbey Gardner + Guests: Ruby L’Otel, Rozelle
Rodney Rude: Revesby Workers (Whitlam Theatre), Revesby Songs On Stage feat. Peach Montgomery + Megan Barnes + Guests: Sackville Hotel, Rozelle Chris Stretton: Stamford Grand North Ryde, North Ryde David Agius: Summer Hill Hotel, Summer Hill
Salsa Jam with Malo Malo: Camelot Lounge (Django Bar), Marrickville
1000S OF GIGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU 84 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
Songs On Stage feat. Peach Montgomery + Bradley Primmer + Guests: Forest Lodge Hotel, Forest Lodge
The Swiss + Luke Million + Tropical Zombie + Devola: Beach Road Hotel (Rex Room), Bondi Beach
The John Steel Singers: Nov 13 Beach Road Hotel; 14 City Diggers Wollongong; 15 The Small Ballroom; 16 Oxford Art Factory
Mullum Music Festival: Nov 21 – 24 Mullumbimby
World Music Wednesday feat. Pena Flamenca + DJ Huwston + Friends: The Basement, Circular Quay
March Of The Real Fly + Yard Duty + Hannah Band + Oh Wells: Factory Theatre, Marrickville
Open Mic Night with Greg Agar: Northies, Cronulla
Watsup: Orient Hotel, Sydney
Elevate: Scruffy Murphy’s, Sydney
JD LOVE BAND with special guest
ANNALIESSE MONARO Thursday 24 October 8pm -Petersham Bowling Club 77 Brighton St Petersham
$10 JD Love LP ‘Two Days’ available at RedEye listen at http://www.reverbnation.com/jdlove335
THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 85
the guide nsw.gigguide@themusic.com.au Ed Kuepper: Street Theatre, Canberra
Adam Katz Duo: Mean Fiddler Hotel, Rouse Hill
Sketch The Rhyme: The Basement, Circular Quay
The Break: Milton Theatre, Milton
Haze Trio: The Exchange Hotel, Hamilton
Daniel Lawrence + Greg Agar: Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale
Sierra Fin : The Green Room, Enmore
Cover To Cover + Andy & The Cruisers: Nelson Bay Diggers Club, Nelson Bay
Angelene + Ackers + Arthur Campbell: The King Street Brewhouse, Sydney
JJ Duo: North Sydney Leagues, Cammeray
Shake the Shackles: The Little Guy, Glebe
Michael Votano: Northies, Cronulla
The Timbers: The Phoenix, Civic
THE CAIROS: 18 OCT FBI SOCIAL
The Vampires: The Rhythm Hut, Gosford Evan & The Brave + New Empire: The Small Ballroom, Newcastle The Cellar Jazz Jam with Phil Stack + Guests: The Spice Cellar, Sydney Twin Lakes + Shady Lane + Gnome + Village Echoes: The Standard, Surry Hills Panti: The Vanguard, Newtown The Nox + DJ Pee Wee Ferris: Tokio Hotel, Darling Harbour Adalita + Laura Jean: Transit Bar, Canberra Delorean Tide + Lilly Rouge + Lower Cast Skies + Paintbox City: Valve @ Agincourt, Sydney
FRI 18
The Australian Guns n Roses Show: Bull & Bush, Baulkham Hills Nancy Vandal + Beef Week + In Hydes Shadow: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West Bump City: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville DJ Tom Annetts: Campbelltown Catholic Club (Club Lounge), Campbelltown Bjorn Again: Canberra Theatre, Canberra Braumeisters German Polka Band: Captain Cook Hotel, Botany Joe Echo: Castle Hill RSL, Castle Hill D’Lish: Cessnock Supporters Club, Cessnock
Wildcatz: 3 Wise Monkeys, Sydney
Daniel Arvidson: Charlestown Bowling Club, Charlestown
Perry Carter: 5 Sawyers, Newcastle
Steve Crocker: Chatswood RSL, Chatswood
Beaten Bodies: 505, Surry Hills
Rene Lavice + Mind Vortex + Doctor Werewolf + more: Chinese Laundry, Sydney
Ricky Martin: Allphones Arena, Sydney Olympic Park Panorama Duo: Ambervale Tavern, Ambervale James Fox Higgins Trio: Australian Hotel & Brewery, Rouse Hill
8 Ball: Club Windang, Windang 2 Way Split: Cock’n Bull, Bondi Junction Ben Francis: Coffs Harbour Hotel, Coffs Harbour
Rivershack Blues Band: Avoca Beach Hotel, Avoca Beach
Craig Thommo: Commercial Hotel, Parramatta
Beth Gleeson: Bar Petite, Newcastle
The Ape + Bitter Sweet Kicks: Coogee Diggers (The Bunker), Coogee
Heath Burdell: Bavarian Bier Cafe, Parramatta Fresh Friday feat. The Havknotz + DJ Secrt Wepn: Beach Road Hotel (Rex Room), Bondi Beach Rave On: Belmont 16’s, Belmont Greg Bryce & The Bad Bad Things: Belmore Hotel, Maitland Katchafire + Common Kings: Big Top Sydney, North Sydney The Spinning Rooms + The Peep Tempel: Black Wire Records, Annandale The Midnight Drifters: Blacktown RSL (Celebrity Room), Blacktown Baby Et Lulu: Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Hand Picked: Courthouse Hotel, Darlinghurst Zoltan: Cronulla RSL, Cronulla Macka: Crown Hotel, Sydney Tony Williams + Gary Johns: Crows Nest Hotel, Crows Nest Sammy Baker: Customs House Bar, Circular Quay James Fox Higgins Trio: Dee Why Hotel, Dee Why Taberah + Metreya + Temtris: Dicey Riley’s Hotel, Wollongong Dream Tambourine feat. Mark Wells: Duke of Wellington Hotel, New Lambton Ultimate Pink Show: Edgeworth Bowling Club, Edgeworth
Justine Reynolds Duo: Briars Inn, Bowral The Grand Rapids + Burn Antares + Dead Radio: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst Twist & Shout: 60s Dance Party+Twist & Shout DJs: Brighton Up Bar (Late), Darlinghurst
Rock Dogs: Engadine Tavern, Engadine Imagine Dragons + 44th Sunset: Enmore Theatre, Enmore Surburban Dark + Reverse Polarities + Tenth Dan + more: Factory Theatre, Marrickville
Harbour Master: Figtree Hotel, Wollongong Jodie Michael: Foundry 616, Ultimo Chris Turner: Gary Owen Hotel, Rozelle Krishna Jones: General Gordon Hotel, Sydenham Mitchell Fowler + Gary Bennet: Goldfish, Kings Cross Brent Murphy: Gosford Sailing Club, Gosford Geoff Rana: Grand Hotel, Rockdale Evan & The Brave: Grand Junction Hotel (The Junkyard), Maitland Tim Colon: Greystanes Inn, Greystanes Fiona Leigh Jones Duo: Harbord Beach Hotel, Freshwater Luke & Ben Duo: Hillside Hotel, Castle Hill Fallon Brothers: Horse & Jockey Hotel, Homebush Terry Batu: Horsley Park Tavern, Horsley Park Scratch: Hotel Jesmond, Jesmond DJ S: Huskisson Hotel, Huskisson KLD Duo: Jewells Tavern, Jewells Chalkie White: Kiama Leagues Club, Kiama FBi Social feat. The Cairos + Tales In Space: Kings Cross Hotel, Kings Cross Andy Mammers: Kirribilli Hotel, Milsons Point Pete Gelzinnis: Lakeside Village Tavern, Raymond Terrace Brian Cadd: Lizottes Central Coast, Kincumber All The Kings Men: Tribute to Albert, Earl, Freddie and B.B+Various: Lizottes Newcastle, New Lambton Brendan Gallagher + Annabelle Kay: Lizottes Sydney, Dee Why Ange + Stefan: Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale Songs On Stage feat. Carolyn Woodorth + New Tricks + Chantal & Cesar + Ben Osmo: Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale Sticky Fingers + Lyall Maloney + Bootleg Rascal: Manning Bar, Camperdown The Cataracs: Marquee, Pyrmont Bruer’s Brew + Charmaine Jones: Marrickville Golf Club, Marrickville Cambo: Massey Park Golf Club, Concord
Brendan Murphy: Northumberland Hotel, Lambton Melody Rhymes: Novotel Darling Harbour, Pyrmont Jellybean Jam: O’Donoghues, Emu Plains Brendan Deehan: O’Malleys Hotel, Kings Cross Phil Simmons: Oasis on Beamish Hotel, Campsie Mashed Fridays: Oatley Hotel, Oatley Gemma + Brad Johns: Observer Hotel, The Rocks Matt Gaudry: Ocean Beach Hotel, Shellharbour Reckless + Jonathon Jones: Orient Hotel, Sydney New Empire + Ash Gale + Bears With Guns: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst Klay: Padstow RSL, Padstow Double Jeopardy Duo: Parramatta Leagues, Parramatta Raoul Graf: Parramatta Leagues (Trophy’s Bar & Grill) Parramatta Angelo Pash: Parramatta RSL, Parramatta Time Machine: Penrith Gaels, Kingswood Eric Bogle: Penrith Panthers (Evan Theatre), Penrith Darkness Reigns + Dead Life + Until Darkness Falls + Mayfall + Blackened Beneath: Penshurst RSL, Penshurst The Milkmaids + Black Island + Ramps + Kaleidoscope: Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham Original Sin - INXS Show: Pioneer Tavern, Kingswood Castlecomer Duo: PJ Gallaghers, Leichhardt Twin Beasts: Polish White Eagle Club, Turner Mario Brothers Duo: Ramsgate RSL, Sans Souci Mesa Groove: Revesby Workers (Infinity Lounge), Revesby The Killer Queen Show: Revesby Workers (Whitlam Theatre), Revesby Rodney Rude: Riverstone Memorial Club, Riverstone Black Diamond Hearts + The Duelling Pianos Show: Rock Lily, Pyrmont Endless Summer Beach Party: Rooty Hill RSL, Rooty Hill Cherokee Rose: Roxbury Hotel, Glebe Songs On Stage feat. HiddenAce + Carl Stewart Band + The Kava Kings: Ruby L’Otel, Rozelle
1000S OF GIGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU 86 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
the guide nsw.gigguide@themusic.com.au VIP: Scruffy Murphy’s, Sydney DJ Brown Sugar: Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga SIMA feat. Lily Dior: Seymour Centre (Sound Lounge), Chippendale The Deep End + The Lazys + The Hungry Mile + All The Wise: Spectrum, Darlinghurst
Craig Thommo: Dicks Hotel, Balmain
Cody ChesnuTT + Guests: Metro Theatre, Sydney
Hayden Johns: Duke of Wellington Hotel, New Lambton
Sticky Fingers + Bootleg Rascal: Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale
Triple Grip: Eastern Suburbs Legion Club, Waverley
Ben Finn Trio: Moorebank Sports Club, Hammondville
Nathan Cole Duo: Engadine Tavern, Engadine
The Shuffle + DJ Markie Mark: Mounties (Terrace Bar), Mt Pritchard
Kim Wilde + Nik Kershaw: Enmore Theatre, Enmore
Max Power: St George Leagues, Kogarah
One Hit Wonders: Ettamogah Hotel, Kellyville Ridge
Kathy Griffin: Sydney Opera House (Concert Hall), Sydney Armchair Travellers Duo: Tattersalls Hotel, Penrith
The Ape + Bittersweet Kicks: Factory Theatre (Factory Floor.), Marrickville
Adalita + Laura Jean: The Annandale, Annandale
Sandy Evans Quartet: Foundry 616, Ultimo Chad Michaels: Gay Bar, Darlinghurst
Wolf Mail + Eddie Boyd: The Basement, Circular Quay Bound For Ruin: The Basement, Belconnen
LORDE: 17 OCT METRO THEATRE; 19 ZIERHOLZ @ UC CANBERRA
The Timbers: The Commons, Hamilton Grand Theft Audio: The Exchange Hotel, Hamilton Spyglass Gypsies: The Green Room, Enmore Rufus: The Hi-Fi, Moore Park The Mick Hart Experience: The King Street Brewhouse, Sydney Aussie Made Radio: The Mark Hotel, Lambton Jamie Lindsay: The Ranch Hotel, Eastwood Red Remedy: The Square, Haymarket Dubmarine + King Tide + Caravana Sun: The Standard, Surry Hills Solo & By Request with Ed Kuepper: The Vanguard, Newtown Blaming Vegas: The Vineyard Hotel, Vineyard Ross Ward: The White Horse Hotel, Surry Hills Black Bird Blue: The Windsor Castle Hotel, Newcastle Jimmy Bear: Time & Tide Hotel (Beer Garden), Dee Why Radio City Cats + DJ Pee Wee Ferris: Tokio Hotel, Darling Harbour The League of Extraordinary Monsters + The Pharaohs of The Far Out + The Wrong Keys: Town & Country Hotel, St Peters Calling Mayday + Joint Venture + Normal Day: Town Hall Hotel, Newtown Colour Coding + Second Hand Heart + Jeremy Hunter + DJ Bernie Dingo: Upstairs Beresford, Surry Hills Luke Jon Shearer + Guests: Valve @ Agincourt (Basement / 7pm), Sydney The Itchy Glitchy Spider feat. Mr Bill + Xsetra + Thierry De + Drachemann + Daysnatcha + more: Valve @ Agincourt (First Level / 9pm), Sydney
SAT 19
DJ Patsan: 5 Sawyers, Newcastle Lily Dior: 505, Surry Hills Mandy Sharmin: Abbotts Hotel, Waterloo Dynamite: Absolute Thai, Charlestown New Empire: ANU Bar, Acton Jack Derwin: Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly James Englund: Australian Hotel & Brewery, Rouse Hill Ash Wednesday + Johnny Devilseed: Avoca Beach Hotel, Avoca Beach Metal Evilution 10th Anniversary feat. Darker Half + Taberah + Metal + Metreya: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt Me: Bar Petite, Newcastle Pickin’ Keys: Bay Hotel, Bonnells Bay Sun City + The Khanz: Beach Road Hotel (Rex Room), Bondi Beach
BLYMP feat. Gone Electric + The Citizens + Go Mason Go + The Dawsons: Bondi Pavilion Theatre (7pm), Bondi Beach Professor Groove & The Booty Affair: Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Women Of Soul - Tribute to Soul Divas feat.Deni Hines + Casey Donovan + Angel Tupai + Mindy Kwanten + Evie J Willie: North Sydney Leagues, Cammeray
Red Remedy: Hamilton Station Hotel, Hamilton
Wildcatz: Campbelltown Catholic Club (Club Lounge), Campbelltown
Andy Mammers: Harbord Beach Hotel, Freshwater
Tour De Force - Tribute Show: Canterbury Leagues Club, Belmore
Cambo + Rob Henry + Antoine + Carl Fidler: Observer Hotel, The Rocks
Fatt Lipp: Carousel Inn, Rooty Hill
Turbobelco + Bruce! + Hostile Objects + Nursing Home Stalkers + One Take... Earthquake! + Turbojugend DJs: Hermanns Bar, Darlington
Matt Jones: Castle Hill RSL (Terrace Bar), Castle Hill
Steve Tonge Duo: Hillside Hotel, Castle Hill
Spank: Castle Hill RSL (Cocktail Lounge), Castle Hill
Overload: Hotel Jesmond, Jesmond
Let There Be Bon - ACDC Show: Orana Hotel, Blacksmiths
Ember + A-Tonez + Ocean + more: Chinese Laundry, Sydney
Folklore: Humph Hall, Alambie Heights
L.i.D: Overlander Hotel, Cambridge Gardens
Iguana: Iron Horse Inn, Cardiff
Owl Eyes + Willow Beats + The Kite String Tangle: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst
Wolf Mail + Eddie Boyd: Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba Heath Burdell: Clovelly Hotel, Clovelly Michael Peter: Club Tuggerah, Tuggerah A Different Beautiful: Club Windang, Windang
DJ Nights Aglow: Coffs Harbour Hotel (Ye Olde Bottle Shop), Coffs Harbour
Have/Hold + Harbourer + Summer Policy + Zzzounds: Blackwire Records, Annandale
Lachlan Bryan: No 5 Church Street, Bellingen
Waiting for Guinness: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
Kirsty Larkin: Beauford Hotel, Mayfield
The Supreme Motown Show: Blacktown RSL (Celebrity Room), Blacktown
Riz: Newport Arms Hotel, Newport
Daniel Lawrence: Greystanes Inn, Greystanes
Damion Towner Duo: Coffs Harbour Hotel, Coffs Harbour
Secret Society: Belmore Hotel, Maitland
Adalita + Laura Jean: Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle
The Amity Affliction + Chelsea Grin + Stick to your Guns + In Hearts Wake: Newcastle Panthers, Newcastle West
Seattle Sound: Bull & Bush, Baulkham Hills
DJ Andy Benke: Beach Road Hotel (Public Bar), Bondi Beach
The Cruisers: Belmont 16’s, Belmont
Scott Floyd: General Gordon Hotel, Sydenham
The Rockin Eddie Band + Dr Zoom Duo: Nelson Bay Diggers Club, Nelson Bay
Mad Season MB20 Show: Colyton Hotel, Colyton Benn Gunn: Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee Under The Covers: Coogee Diggers (The Bunker), Coogee Ryan Thomas: Cookies Lounge Bar, North Strathfield Marty’s Place: Courthouse Hotel, Darlinghurst Happy Hippies: Crossroads Hotel, Casula Hand Picked: Crown Hotel, Sydney
Nicky Kurta: Brewhouse, Kings Park
Black Diamond Hearts + Renae Stone: Crows Nest Hotel, Crows Nest
The Rumours: Warners at the Bay, Warners Bay
Sons Of Sun: Bridge Hotel, Rozelle
Tori Darke: Dee Why Hotel, Dee Why
Lionel Robinson. + DJ Marty: Wentworthville Leagues Club, Wentworthville
Evan The Brave + Dr Gollard + Jeremy Hunter: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst
Nancy Vandal + Topnovil + The Heapsgoods: Dicey Riley’s Hotel, Wollongong
Dubmarine: Heritage Hotel, Bulli
Jukebox Hooligan - The Music of Bruno Mars: Kiama Leagues Club, Kiama Hands Up! : Kings Cross Hotel (Late), Kings Cross FBi Social feat. Made In Japan + Guests: Kings Cross Hotel, Kings Cross Michael Votano: Kirribilli Hotel, Milsons Point Aussie Made Radio: Lakeside Village Tavern, Raymond Terrace Jacob Pearson: Lizottes Central Coast, Kincumber Steve Clisby: Lizottes Newcastle, New Lambton Brian Cadd: Lizottes Sydney, Dee Why Soundproofed: Macarthur Tavern (Main Room), Campbelltown Soul Deep Duo + John Hill: Manly Leagues Club, Brookvale Every Time I Die + I Exist + Hellions: Manning Bar, Camperdown Stafford Brothers: Marquee, Pyrmont Christie Lamb: Mean Fiddler Hotel (Courtyard), Rouse Hill Fallon Brothers: Mean Fiddler Hotel (Fiddler Bar), Rouse Hill
Macson: North Sydney Leagues, Cammeray David Agius Duo: Northies (Sports Bar), Cronulla Hits & Pieces: Oatley Hotel, Oatley
The Ultimate Pink Show: Ocean Beach Hotel, Shellharbour
2 Fold + Jimmy Bear: Orient Hotel, Sydney
Rock Solid Duo: Parramatta Leagues, Parramatta Armchair Travellers Duo: Parramatta RSL, Parramatta Thunderstruck AC/DC Show + Shadowboxer - The Angels Show: Penrith Hotel, Penrith Funkstar: Penrith RSL (Castle Lounge), Penrith Jazz Express: Penrith RSL (Castle Lounge / 2pm), Penrith Joe Echo: PJ Gallaghers, Moore Park Cara Kavanagh Duo: PJ Gallaghers, Leichhardt Paul Watters: Quay West Magenta Shores, Magenta Hitseekers: R.G McGees, Richmond Matchbox Band: Ramsgate RSL, Sans Souci Eric Bogle: Revesby Workers (Whitlam Theatre), Revesby Salsa Kings: Revesby Workers (Infinity Lounge), Revesby Ben Goldstein + Nick Kingswell + Rob Edwards: Rock Lily, Pyrmont
Pop Fiction: Mean Fiddler Hotel (Woolshed), Rouse Hill
Signs & Symbols + Mattersphere + Gravel Rash: Roxbury Hotel, Glebe
Two Minds + The Lonely Boys: Mercantile Hotel, The Rocks
Black Bird Blue: Royal Federal Hotel, Branxton
1000S OF GIGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 87
the guide nsw.gigguide@themusic.com.au Stormcellar + Friends: Royal Hotel, Bondi Vanity: Scruffy Murphy’s, Sydney Pat Tierney + Drillwood Allies: Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga JJ Duo: Seven Hills/ Toongabbie RSL, Seven Hills The Music of Monk, Lacy & Nichols+Various: Seymour Centre (Sound Lounge), Chippendale Tim Conlon: Sir Joseph Banks Hotel, Botany
Am 2 Pm + DJ Marty: Wentworthville Leagues Club, Wentworthville Colour Party feat. The Potbelleez + Alex Taylor + Matty Grant + more: White Bay Cruise Terminal, Balmain Triple Grip: Windsor Leagues Club, South Windsor Manlow & Sedaka: Windsor RSL, South Windsor
Altitude: South Hurstville RSL, South Hurstville
Rattle & Hum-U2 Show + The Coldplay Show: Young Services Club, Young
Greg Lines: St Johns Park Bowling Club, St Johns Park
Lorde + Oliver Tank: Zierholz @ UC, Canberra
Rodney Rude: Sutherland Leagues Club, Woolooware Next Best Thing: Sutherland United Services Club, Sutherland Just For Laughs feat. Rob Schneider: Sydney Opera House, Sydney Bozzy Duo: Tattersalls Hotel, Penrith The Butterfly Effect + Sleep Parade + Teal: The Annandale, Annandale Deprivation + Lilly Rouge + Time & Weight + The Khalasar: The Basement, Belconnen True Vibenation + Bullhorn: The Basement, Circular Quay Ange: The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney Flying Mare: The Exchange Hotel, Hamilton
The Break: The Standard, Surry Hills The Spinning Rooms + The Peep Tempel: The Terrace Bar, Newcastle Solo & By Request with Ed Kuepper: The Vanguard, Newtown
Cass Eager: Greenwell Point Hotel, Greenwell Point Gold Cadillac: Gwandalan Bowling Club (Afternoon), Gwandalan
Hornet: The Mark Hotel, Lambton Solo & By Request with Ed Kuepper: The Vanguard, Newtown
Benjalu: Hotel Steyne (Moonshine Bar), Manly
Sudden Comfort: Abbotts Hotel, Waterloo
Pete Hibbert: Jewells Tavern, Jewells
Feick’s Device + The Belle Havens + The Nice Folk: Valve @ Agincourt (12pm), Sydney
Ange: Ambervale Tavern, Ambervale
Jo Vill & Maria: Kiama Leagues Club, Kiama
Dubious Company + Raw Idiocy + Alexi + D’Luna: Valve @ Agincourt (5pm), Sydney
Blues Sunday feat. Mark Hopper: Artichoke Gallery Cafe, Manly
Afro Moses : Lass O’Gowrie, Wickham
Raoul Graf: Waverley Bowling & Recreation Club, Waverley
The Vampires + Dave Ades + Greg Sheehan: Bangalow Bowling Club (4pm), Bangalow
Brassholes: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville
Marty Stewart: Western Suburbs Leagues Club, Leumeah
Shane Nicholson + Ashleigh Dallas: Lizottes Central Coast, Kincumber
The Drifters: Windsor RSL, South Windsor
HP Duo: Bar Petite, Newcastle DJ Andy Benke + Bernie Dingo: Beach Road Hotel (Public Bar / 3pm), Bondi Beach
Franky & Johnny: Belmont 16’s, Belmont The Amity Affliction + Chelsea Grin + Stick to your Guns + In Hearts Wake: Big Top Sydney, North Sydney Mangrove Boogie Kings + 50 Million Beers: Botany View Hotel, Newtown Dubmarine + Tyran Hall: Brass Monkey, Cronulla Peter Northcote + Greg Agar: Bridge Hotel, Rozelle Alphamama + The Trips + Guests: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst
Steve Clisby: Lizottes Newcastle, New Lambton All The Kings Men: Tribute to Albert, Earl, Freddie and B.B+Various: Lizottes Sydney, Dee Why Hunter & Suzy Owens Band: Marrickville Bowling Club, Marrickville Larger Than Lions + The Cleanskins + Gang Of Brothers + The Protestors + Nova and the Experience + Righteous Voodoo: Marrickville Festival, Marrickville
Heath Burdell Duo: Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel, Woolloomooloo Have/Hold + Harbourer + Mowgli + Sundial: Yours & Owls, Wollongong
Mickey Avalon + Kid Mac: Metro Theatre, Sydney Evie Dean: Mill Hill Hotel, Bondi Junction Jake Rattle & Roll + Zane Penn: Nelson Bay Diggers Club, Nelson Bay Reckless Duo: Northies (Sports Bar), Cronulla
C Major + DJ John Young: Tokio Hotel, Darling Harbour
Atma Blu: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
Acoustic Sets with+Kickstar: Oatley Hotel (2pm), Oatley
Bastard Squad + Rust + DWA + Stanley Knife + The Corps + more: Town & Country Hotel (12pm), St Peters
Big Rich: Campbelltown Catholic Club (Club Lounge / 6pm), Campbelltown
DJ Alter Ego: Oatley Hotel, Oatley
Brian King: Campbelltown RSL (Caf Samba / 1pm), Campbelltown
Akoostik Music Festival feat. Wendy Matthews + Jenny Morris + Bill Chambers + Caravana Sun + Dave Tice & Mark Evans + more: Wingham Showground, Wingham
Sam & The Bird: Mean Fiddler Hotel (Courtyard), Rouse Hill
Matt Gaudry: The Windsor Castle Hotel, Newcastle
Vaudeville Smash + Bec & Ben + Camden + DJ Kristy Lee: Upstairs Beresford, Surry Hills
Little Sundays+Various: The Little Guy, Glebe
DJ Tone: 5 Sawyers, Newcastle
The Book Of Vilah + Van Louis: Camelot Lounge (Django Bar), Marrickville
My Fiction: Transit Bar, Canberra
Marco Polo feat. The Aston Shuffle (DJ Set): The Ivy, Sydney
Sunday Sinners: Town & Country Hotel (2.30pm), St Peters
The Regulators: 3 Wise Monkeys, Sydney
Wolf Mail + Eddie Boyd: Beaches Hotel, Thirroul
The Deep End + Calling Mayday: The Square, Haymarket
Mick Fetch: Gosford Sailing Club (2pm), Gosford
Men of Letters: The Basement, Circular Quay
David Agius: Horse & Jockey Hotel, Homebush
SUN 20
The Vinyl Schminyl! with DJ Nic Dalton: The Green Room, Enmore
Dave Carter: The Mark Hotel, Lambton
Turner & Simmons: Gladstone Hotel, Dulwich Hill
Pat Tierney: Sawtell SLSC, Sawtell
Mary Jane Guniey + DJ Venuto: Tokio Hotel (5pm), Darling Harbour
DJ Ross Ashman + Friends: Beach Road Hotel (Valley), Bondi Beach
Pacha feat. Swanky Tunes + SCNDL + Baby Gee + John Glover + more: The Ivy, Sydney
Songs On Stage feat. Carolyn Woodorth + Bradley Primmer + Guests: Gary Owen Hotel, Rozelle
Stormcellar + Friends: Royal Hotel (6.30pm), Bondi
Nicky Kurta: Harbord Beach Hotel, Freshwater
Alex Gibson: The Front Cafe & Gallery, Lyneham
DJ Quik + Kurrupt: The Hi-Fi, Moore Park
Doc Holliday Takes The Shotgun + The Darkened Seas + The Strange + The Ivory Drips: Frankies Pizza, Sydney
Antoine: O’Malleys Hotel, Kings Cross
Rob Henry + Three Wise Men: Observer Hotel, The Rocks Ryan Daley: Ocean Beach Hotel, Shellharbour
Alex Roussos: Collingwood Hotel (4pm), Liverpool
Modtoberfest feat. The Smart Folk + Broken Hands + The Freds + The LangLangs + Fight Masta + The Man From UNCLE + more: Valve @ Agincourt (3pm), Sydney
Souled Out + Mojo: Orient Hotel, Sydney
Porter Robinson + The M Machine + Tigerlily + more: Enmore Theatre, Enmore
Nata: Overlander Hotel, Cambridge Gardens
Mark Travers: Ettamogah Hotel, Kellyville Ridge
Jonny V’s 57 Heaven: Penrith RSL (Castle Lounge / 2pm), Penrith
V.I.P.: Warners at the Bay, Warners Bay
The Hot Teas: Fitzroy Hotel (1pm), Windsor
Am 2 Pm: Petersham RSL, Petersham
1000S OF GIGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU 88 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013
MON 21
Brackets & Jam: 505, Surry Hills DinkiDiAcoustic feat. Emma Swift + Jason Walker + Ben Liddicoat + Graham Healy: Camelia Grove Hotel, Alexandria Songs On Stage feat. Helmut Uhlmann + Chris Brookes + Massimo Presti + Guests: Kellys on King, Newtown Matt Jones: Orient Hotel, Sydney Big Swing Band: Tattersalls Hotel, Penrith
TUE 22
Old School Funk & Groove Night: 505, Surry Hills Open Mic: Avoca Beach Hotel, Avoca Beach Rodney Rude: Burwood RSL, Burwood Open Mic Night with Champagne Jam: Dundas Sports Club, Dundas Enmore Comedy Club feat. Nick Cody: Enmore Theatre, Enmore Songs On Stage feat. Samantha Johnson + Guests: George IV Hotel, Picton Songs On Stage feat. Angelene Harris + Guests: Hampshire Hotel, Camperdown Danny McGinlay + James Colley + Sean Woodland: Harold Park Hotel, Glebe Rob Henry: Observer Hotel, The Rocks Nick Kingswell: Orient Hotel, Sydney Plug and Play (Open Mic): The Little Guy, Glebe
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22 The Promenade, King Street Wharf, Sydney NSW THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013 • 89
the end
EARLY XMAS DECORATIONS THE BAUBLE USAGE
It seems they are meant to replicate the apples that were originally used to decorate Xmas trees.
PROS Handy to have around if you run out of table tennis balls.
CONS Oops… not so handy if you have the glass ones.
TOO SOON? If these appear before Halloween, be careful when bobbing for apples.
THE ANGEL USAGE
Something to do with the baby Jesus?
PROS Can keep the kids occupied for hours trying to get this on top of the tree.
CONS An arseache to get on top of the tree if you have no kids.
TOO SOON? Seriously, these can wait to Xmas Eve.
CRACKERS USAGE
Covering awkward silences at Xmas dinner.
PROS See above.
CONS Dad jokes.
TOO SOON? Xmas Day is even too soon for these.
90 • THE MUSIC • 16TH OCTOBER 2013