ISSUE 0023 / March 19th - March 25th 2015
IT’S FREE - www.bsidemagazine.com.au
Jake Shimabukuro ALSO INSIDE: Bruce Kulick, Edwina Hayes, Squeaker Liam Gerner, The Clangers, The Dunes/Glass Skies Plus BOB’s BITS, TOUR GUIDE & LOCAL MUSIC NEWS
Menhennett. Free entry and the hotel is also a great dining experience. Boutique bar Nook Nosh, 111 Unley Rd, Unley, will be awash with the acoustic sounds of AP D’Antonio and Sunday 22 March and Red Willow on Sunday 29 March. Pop in for sips ‘n’ nibbles. Put your red dress on. Award winning blues band Benny C & The Associates have an album launch coming up for Red Dress which was mixed by Andrija Tokic (who works with Alabama Shakes) and it will take place at the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Saturday 11 April. Entry is a mere $5 and Charles & Joy Starling will be among the special guests. The Monikers, a quartet of locally-based indie rockers photographed here by Ryan Scrimshaw, are set to launch their Birds EP at Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Friday 21 March with special guests Emily Davis & The Rising Tides, Pink Noise Generator and Mackenzie. Book tickets at Moshtix. Returning home from yet another European jaunt, much-loved bearded Adelaide band The Beards play the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Saturday 28 March with crazy Melbourne duo The Stiffys as special guests. Tickets via OzTix or at the venue. Adelaide’s Squeaker, who have recently inked an American deal, will launch a new album, In Love/In Madness, on Saturday 21 March at Crown & Sceptre, 308 King William St, with guests acts Dirt Playground, Melbourne’s Alithia and The Serra. Fresh from cruising Port River, The Vinyls, a tribute band to The Divinyls, will play the main room of the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, on Thursday 19 March with Dusty Lee as special guest. Book via OzTix or at the venue. The Sloe Ruin have organised a free entry Rock Vs Country gig on Thursday 2 April at the Grace Emily, 232 Waymouth St and invited The Scarfs to play some rock. Also playing will be the appropriately named The Last Supper seeing as the following day marks the very beginnings of Easter. Rockabilly band East Texas are set to play a free entry gig from 9pm in the salubrious front bar of the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Saturday 21 March, while the hard rockin’ Wicked Empire will do likewise on Saturday 28 March. Rule Of Thirds, soon to set sail for the Americas, have announced that they will be launching some vinyl on Friday 20 March at Crown & Sceptre, 308 King William St. Joining them for the more than auspicious occasion will be Fair Maiden, Young Professionals and The Yabbies. Adelaide Roots & Blues Association (ABRA) is holding an information night about The Memphis Blues Challenge from 7pm at the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Thursday 19 March. Free finger food will be provided and then you can hang around for the regular Gumbo Room Blues Jam. Before heading off on an Australian tour, award winning local blues outfit Lazy Eye are set to launch their third album, Single Malt Blues, at The Promethean, 116 Grote St, on Saturday 18 April. Tickets are now available via OzTix and doors will swing open at 8pm.
Catch the whiz bang line-up of Home For The Def, Sonatine, Basty H, Totally DJs and MC Magic Johnson from 9pm on Friday 20 March at Hotel Metro, 46 Grote St. Weekend Warriors are hosting a free jam and orientation evening from 7-9pm at the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Tuesday 24 March at which John Swan and Zep Boys’ singer Vince Contarino will be special guest coaches. The event, sponsored by Holden Hill Music, is a fun, six-week program that concludes with a big afternoon concert at the venue on Sunday 3 May. The first PromSong, a free entry showcase of local singer songwriters, for 2015 will take place from 7pm on Wednesday 25 March at The Promethean, 116 Grote St. Tom Farnan, Mat Drogemuller, David Bowering (of The Cities Alight), Twig and Dan Drummond will be presenting their songs with a chance to win recording time at Fat Trax Studio. There is also a door prize so get along. Before heading off on tour to Sydney and Melbourne to promote new single, Visions, Battlehounds will be battling it out at a late afternoon show in the lovely beer garden of the Exeter Hotel, 246 Rundle St, on Saturday 28 March. Club5082 will have an interactive stall at Prospect Fair on Saturday 21 March from 10am until 4pm at St Helens Park to promote the venue and services the youthorientated organisation provides. The stall, which will have 30-minute performances throughout the day, will include a small PA for an open mic session and a large LCD screen to replay their recent batch of high quality YouTube videos. Check it out while prospecting at the family-friendly fair. The Dunes and Glass Skies will undertake a split single launch at Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on Saturday 21 March. Fondle will serve as special guests and there will also be Going Steady DJs as well as Wolf & Cub DJs with tickets available via Moshtix. Naomi Keyte has announced a free entry show with her band from 4pm on Sunday 22 March at The Wheatsheaf Hotel, 39 George St, Thebarton, and will be joined by Tom West and the newly formed Poly Low to make for a stellar afternoon of local music. The British Hotel, 13 North Pde, Port Adelaide, will soon be hosting a monthly Sunset Sessions. Held on the last Saturday of the month from 5-8pm, the first one will be held on Saturday 28 March and will boast Nancy Bates and Hannah Yates, while Saturday 25 April will feature Kelly
Scorcherfest is back with a brand new model that includes a live recording option for bands and 30 free tickets to acts that can see a dozen tickets online. The next event will happen on Sunday 12 April at Producers Hotel, 235 Grenfell St. Applications are now open at <scorechfest. com.au>. Applications are also open for Scorcherfest in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Big Daddy’s Discotheque, The Systemaddicts and Tom WayArmy are getting set to undertake a huge gig at Hotel Metro, 46 Grote St, on Friday 17 April. And it’s a free show from 9pm in the band room. Tom West, Olivers Army and Packwood are all launching new singles on the same day so why not to it all in the one spot. Catch them at relatively new live music venue Vinyl, 20 Gilbert Place, on Saturday 28 March with tickets now available via OzTix. The Clangers, formerly known as Grandma’s Favourite, will launch their Matt Hills-produced psychedelic EP at the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, on Friday 20 March with Slingshot Dragster, Invisible Mantra and Sasha March as special guests. It’s free entry from 9pm with a free EP also for all those in attendance. The Old Bush Inn, 51 High St, Willunga, will host an evening of ska and reggae beats when it presents Fistful Of Trojans and Reno & The Reggaenators from 8.30pm on Saturday 28 March. And it’ll be a deluxe evening of blues on Saturday 4 April when Blues Deluxe perform at the pub. Free entry too! One for the diary! Adelaide rock band The Motive have announced a free entry show from 9pm at the Grace Emily, 232 Waymouth St, on Friday 27 March with Dirty Frank as special guests. Adelaide singer songwriter Sasha March has scored a Monday evening residency from 7.30pm at Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, for the mad month of March at which she will have special guests each evening. Adelaide metal band Raven Black Night are excited to announce that, alongside Puritan, they have been chosen as opening act for the upcoming Adelaide concert by legendary UK progressive rock band Uriah Heep at the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Wednesday 25 March with tickets now on sale via OzTix or at the venue.
OUR PHILOSOPHY Created by veteran Adelaide music guru Rob Dunstan, BSide Magazine is a weekly magazine totally focussed on what’s going on in the Adelaide Music Community. Every week we will be bringing you the latest news and up-to-date information. Our goal with BSide Magazine is to help rebuild the Adelaide Music Community, to refocus the emphasis on local music and uniting the different tribes encouraging and further enhancing a prosperous live music industry for all. We want BSide Magazine to be like Gaffa Tape. The thing that will hold everything together.
IN THIS ISSUE Page 2 Around The Traps Our Philosophy Page 4 Heading To Town Page 5 BSide Tour Guide Page 6 Feature Article: Jake Shimabukuro Page 7 Bruce Kulick Squeaker Page 8 The Clothesline Page 9 The Dunes/Glass Skies Edwina Hayes Page 10 Music SA CD Reviews Page 11 Bob’s Bits Liam, Caitlin & Josh Page 12 A Throw Away Planet Sound & Vision Page 13 ThreeD 20+1 Chart The Clangers Page 14 BSide Gig Guide Page 15 The Bizzo
Advertising Enquiries Ph: (08) 8346 9899 sales@bsidemagazine.com.au
King Krill will be joined by Ben Gel & The Boneyard Saints along with Isolation Valve when they play The Jade Monkey, 160 Finders St, on Thursday March 19. It’s only $5 entry and the rock action commences at 9pm. Featherweight, Thrashboard, Faitheater and Race Machine will be playing Worldsend Hotel, 208 Hindley St, from 9pm on Friday 20 March. It’s free entry and will also mark one of Featherweight’s final gigs. Jump Daddies and The Satellites will be undertaking a bluesy rock’n’roll gig at the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Friday 27 March. Tickets will be a lucky $13 at the door. Presented by Ramblin’ Promotions, the rootsy Ramblin’ On The Riverbank will feature The Hushes, The Heggarties and The Cherry Pickers and will take place from 8pm on Saturday 25 April at The Adelaide Rowing Club (on the riverbank behind Adelaide Convention Centre). Tickets are now available via Moshtix.
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ISSUE #0023 March 19th March 25th, 2015
MON 16 MARCH
THURS 26 MARCH
COMA: ANNA BUTTERSS QTET + 8 HOURS, 17 MINUTES
SONGS OF THE DELTA BLUES : CHRIS FINNEN & CAL WILLIAMS JR
8PM/ $15/ 8 MEMBERS
8PM/ $18 ON THE DOOR
FRI 20 MARCH
FRI 27 MARCH
SAM BUCKINGHAM + EMMA DEAN + EMILY DAVIS
ROSCOE JAMES IRWIN + DELIA OBST
9PM/ $10 ON THE DOOR
SAT 21 MARCH 9PM/ FREE ENTRY
LARISSA TANDY & THE STRINE SINGERS + KELLY MENHENNETT
SUN 22 MARCH 4PM/ FREE ENTRY
NAOMI KEYTE + TOM WEST + POLY LOW
9PM/$10 + B.F @ OZTIX/ $15 ON THE DOOR
SAT 28 MARCH
9PM/ $23 + B.F @ OZTIX/ $30 ON THE DOOR
JORDIE LANE + CLARE REYNOLDS + ROWENA WISE
SUN 29 MARCH 4PM/ FREE ENTRY
THE SLOE RUIN + ADIE HAINES & EMILY A SMITH
TEL: 08 8443 4546. 39 GEORGE STREET, THEBARTON 5031 SA. WHEATSHEAFHOTEL.COM.AU GET THE WHEATY APP FOR iPHONE AND ANDROID
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cool summer breezes to the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Thursday 6 August. Book at OzTix or via the venue. Brisbane punk band Hits, who have won awards from The Melbourne Age and Sydney Herald Sun and who recently played Meredith Music Festival, are coming to town to play on their Disaster Relief tour with good mates Meatbeaters at Glanville’s Cumberland Hotel on Friday 20 March and also The Producers Hotel, 235 Grenfell St, on Saturday 21 March which will also feature The Toss alongside Juliette Seizure & The Tremor Dolls. Highly theatrical, Brisbane-based musical combo Emma & The Hungry Truth are heading to town and will drop some hungry truths at The Wheatsheaf Hotel, 39 George St, Thebarton, from 9pm on Friday 20 March. Megadeth’s bass player and founding member David Ellefson will greatly amuse fans and others with tales from the road and the recording studio as part of a spoken word tour that will bring him to the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Sunday 29 March. Tickets via OzTix or at the venue. Internationally acclaimed, award winning oud player Joseph Tawadros will perform a lunchtime concert at North Tce’s Elder Hall from 1pm on Friday 20 March with $10 tickets at the door, Joseph will then return with his quartet to play Nexus Arts Centre, 70 North Tce, on Friday 17 April. Country outlaw Justin Townes Earle will make a welcome return to the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, on Thursday 9 April and will have very special guest Sam Outlaw from the US with him. Tickets are available now via Moshtix. Melbourne’s Dave Graney & The mistLy will return for two big shows at the Wheatsheaf Hotel, 39 George St, Thebarton, from 9pm on Anzac Day and from 4pm on Sunday 26 April to promote a new album, Play mistLY For Me. Book via OzTix. Perth metal band Voyager are making a voyage around the country with French heavyweights Klone as special guests. Catch ’em at Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Thursday 21 May with tickets via Moshtix. Gold Coast native Bree De Rome, the 2011 grand finalist on Australia’s Got Talent, is SA bound for the very first time and will play the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, on Thursday 19 April with Tom West, undertake three sets at McLaren Vale’s Maxwell Wines on Friday 20 March and play Exeter Hotel, 246 Rundle St, on Saturday 21 March with Thom Lion. Sydney band Fenrir are coming to town to play an all-ages show at The Gaslight Tavern, 36 Chief St, Brompton, from 7.30pm on Saturday 18 April. The metal band, deeply rooted in Nordic folklore, will be joined by local combos Stoved, Sedulous Rouse and Isolation Valve all for an entry free of only $15. Lanky Melbourne person Stan Skyscraper is heading to town with his band, The Commission Flats, to launch their rootsy new album at the Grace Emily, 232 Waymouth St, on the evening of Saturday 4 April. Two of Melbourne’s most ferocious and acclaimed metal bands, Decimatus and Envenomed are joining forces to spread chaos and evil across the nation and will do so at Enigma Bar, 173 Hindley St, on Saturday 30 May. Legendary US soul singer Mavis Staples is making her way to the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, for a Bluesfest sideshow and you can catch her on Tuesday 31 March. Tickets on sale now via OzTix or at the venue. Melbourne-based hard rock band Tragic Earth will be playing The Bridgeway Hotel, Bridge Rd, Pooraka, on Saturday 9 May at a huge gig from 6pm that will also feature local bands Burn Collect, Letters To Amy, Mind Remover, Azzurra and Puritan. Fresh from a run of shows in the eastern states with The Eagles, award winning country singer Kasey Chambers will be
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playing Grote St’s Her Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday 21 March. Bookings can be made at BASS. Legendary UK progressive rock band Uriah Heep will play the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Wednesday 25 March with tickets now on sale via OzTix or at the venue. Adelaide bands Raven Black Night and Puritan will serve as special guests. The next A Day On The Green will feature Billy Idol, Cheap Trick, The Angels and The Choirboys and will take place at Leconfield Wines (McLaren Vale) on Sunday 22 March. Blues On The Parade at Norwood Hotel, Norwood, will take place from 4pm on Sunday 12 April with US act Donavon Frankenreiter as the super guest headliner with Dusty Lee’s Wasted Wanderers, Gab Hyde, Craig Atkins and China Doll also on the bill. Tickets via Moshtix or at the venue. Melbourne’s Larissa Tandy & The Strine Singers (Larissa’s brother, her best friend and her best friend’s brother) will undertake a free entry gig from 9pm on Saturday 21 March at The Wheatsheaf Hotel, 39 George St, Thebarton, with Kelly Menhennett as special guest. Much-respected Melbourne-based hip hop artist Seth Sentry will be making his way to the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, for an all-ages show on Saturday 21 March which is sold out but there is also another show on Sunday 22 March with tickets, unless sold out beforehand, available at the venue or via OzTix. Seth’s support acts will come in the form of ACT’s Citizen Kay and Perth’s Colin Banks. Jeff Martin, of Canada’s The Tea Party, has announced a show at Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Sunday 19 April. Book very, very quickly via Moshtix. Rockin’ Mildura duo Jackson Firebird are back into touring mode and will be heading to town to play Pirie & Co Social Club, 121 Pirie St, with Surviving Sharks and Inwoods on Saturday 20 March. This year’s Blenheim Music & Camping Festival will feature the huge international line-up of USA music legend Tony Joe White (US) the UK’s Z Star and Kiwi Marlon Williams as well as Timberwolf, Jay Hoad, The Shaolin Afronauts and so many, many more. It takes place at Blenheim (Clare Valley) on Good Friday (Friday 3 April) with tickets now available via <events. ticketbooth.com.au/event/3911458/ listing>. Californian hip hop legends Jurassic 5, with Cut Chemist back in the fold, are heading to Byron Bay’s Bluesfest at Easter but will also play a sideshow at HQ, cnr North and West Tces, on Thursday 2 April. Trinity Sessions, Church Of The Trinity, 318 Goodwood Rd, Clarence Pk, has Irish songstress Edwina Hayes performing on Sunday 22 March. Trinity Sessions also has a brand new website! Check it out at <trinitysessions.org> and then book via <dramatix>. Grungy Adelaide pop quartet Moonfaker, who formed in 2013, have invited Melbourne’s Destrends and locals Valkyries to play at their upcoming CD launch which is to be held at Pirie & Co Social Club on Friday 10 April. Tickets are now available via Moshtix. Sydney-based soul and funk outfit Stylus were the first Australian group to be signed to US label Motown back in the ’70s and are still a going concern. So much so that they are touring and will bring some
Best known as the singer with popular rock band Grinspoon, Phil Jamieson will embark on a string of solo shows in SA in March. Catch him in action at Ramsgate Hotel, 128 Henley Beach Rd, Henley Beach, with Sean Kemp, on Thursday 19 March, Wallaroo’s Coopers Alehouse on Friday 20 March and Royal Oak Hotel, 123 O’Connell St, North Adelaide, on Sunday 22 March. Tickets via Moshtix or at the venues. Tasmanian punk ruffians Luca Brasi have announced a national tour and will play Rocket Bar, 142 Hindley St, on Friday 20 March with special guests being the UK’s Gnarwolves as well as Perth’s Tired Lion and locals Grenadiers. KISS (now featuring Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer) will play Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Tuesday 6 October with Dead Daisies as special guests. Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick is set to play Bridgeway Hotel, Bridge Rd, Pooraka, on Saturday March 21 with Speedmachine and Sisters Doll as special guests. Tickets via the venue. The Kill Devil Hills are heading back to town to play Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on Friday 10 April. Supports are to be announced soon but BSide Magazine hears rumours of local country rockers The Sloe Ruin set to be one of them. Highly popular Melbourne-based rock band Kingswood have announced an extensive national tour for 2015 which will have them playing the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Friday 20 March with special guests Lurch & Chief, The Belligerents and My Echo. Book quickly via OzTix or the venue as Kingswood’s recentl shows have usually sold out quickly. Damian Cowell, formerly of TISM, is bringing his Disco Machine, which features vocal cameos from such people as Shaun Micallef, John Safran, Tim Rogers, Kate Miller Heidke, Tony Martin, Justin Heazlewood (The Bedroom Philosopher), Liz Stringer and more to The Jade Monkey, 160 Flinders St, on Friday 20 March. Five Mile Sniper, a Melbourne rock band made up of members of The Icecream Hands and Motor Ace, have launched a new single, Amazing, from their debut album, The Sound Of Trees, and will play Hotel Metro, 46 Grote St, on Friday 20 March. Melbourne band Greenthief have announced a tour that will cause them to be heading over the border to play Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on
Friday 20 March alongside Tork and Lost Cosmonaut. Don’t be so reckless and downhearted. James Reyne has announced a national greatest hits tour that will bring him to the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, for two shows on Friday 11 August and Saturday 12 August. Book via OzTix or at the venue. Aggressive Sydney punks Hellions have announced a national tour to coincide with the release of Indian Summer and they will play Enigma Bar, 173 Hindley St, on Friday 20 March. Melbourne tunesmith Andrew Swift has announced the release of a new single, Sound The Alarm, alongside a host of shows in Melbourne and also Adelaide. Catch him when he sounds the alarm at Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on Friday 20 March. Three of Australia’s Americana, folk and country musicians have joined forces to hit the road. See Josh Rennie-Hynes, Caitlin Harnett and Liam Gerner play Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Friday 27 March with tickets on sale now via Moshtix. The UK’s Dylan Moran, of television’s Black Books fame, is heading to town and will be performing at Thebarton Theatre, Henley Beach Rd, Torrensville, on Bastille Day (Tuesday 14 July). Tickets are on sale now via <ticketmaster.com.au> but be quick. May the fourth be with you and eternal rains will come. Sweden’s Opeth have announced a tour that will bring the much-respected progressive metal outfit to the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Monday 4 May. Book quickly via OzTix or at the venue. The Heartache State, a raggedy arsed rock’n’roll band from Melbourne featuring Nick Barker on guitar and vocals, Justin Garner on guitar, Venom on drums and Michael Hubbard on bass, are heading over the border to launch their self-titled debut CD at the Grace Emily, 232 Waymouth St, Adelaide, on Saturday 23 May. It will be a free entry show too! She who rocks! The Baby Animals and The Superjesus, who will be playing The Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, SA, on Friday 19 June, have now announced a second show on Saturday 20 June with tickets on sale now via OzTix or at the venue. The bands are also soon going to be announcing their opening act, so stay tuned.
Nana Mouskouri (Greece) and Alfredo Malabello (Sydney) at Festival Theatre (Adelaide Festival Centre) The Ocean (Germany) and Caligula’s Horse at Jive Marlon Williams & The Yarra Benders (Melbourne/NZ) at Grace Emily FRIDAY 17 APRIL Atilla (US) at Fowler’s Live Super Best Friends (Melbourne/ACT) at Crown & Anchor Joseph Tawadros Quartet (Sydney) at Nexus Arts Centre
THURSDAY 19 MARCH Bree D Rome (Gold Coast) and Tom West at Grace Emily Phil Jamieson (Lismore) and Sean Kemp at Ramsgate Hotel Edwina Hayes (Ireland) at South Coast Folk Centre FRIDAY 20 MARCH Joseph Tawadros (Sydney) at Elder Hall (from 1pm) Kingswood (Melbourne), Lurch & Chief, The Belligerents and My Echo (Melbourne) at Governor Hindmarsh Luca Brasi (Tasmania), Gnarwolves (UK) and Tired Lion (Perth) at Rocket Bar Hellions (Sydney) at Enigma Bar Phil Jamieson (Lismore) at Coopers Alehouse (Wallaroo) Andrew Swift (Melbourne), Greenthief (Melbourne), Tork and Lost Cosmonaut at Crown & Anchor Damian Cowell (Melbourne) at The Jade Monkey Five Mile Sniper (Melbourne) at Hotel Metro Jackson Firebird (Mildura), Inwoods and Surviving Sharks at Pirie & Co Social Club Emma & The Hungry Truth (Brisbane) at Wheatsheaf Hotel Hits (Brisbane) and Meatbeaters at Cumberland Hotel (Glanville) SATURDAY 21 MARCH Bruce Kulick (US), Sister Kills and Speedmachine at Bridgeway Hotel Vance Joy (Melbourne) at Thebarton Theatre Seth Sentry (Melbourne), Citizen Kay (ACT) and Colin Banks (Perth) at Governor Hindmarsh (Sold Out) Kasey Chambers (NSW) at Her Majesty’s Theatre Larissa Tandy & The Strine Singers (Melbourne) and Kelly Menhennett at Wheatsheaf Hotel Squeaker (CD launch), Dirt Playground, Alithia (Melbourne) and The Serra at Crown & Sceptre Bree D Rome (Gold Coast) and Thom Lion at Exeter Hotel Hits (Brisbane), Meatbeaters, The Toss and Juliet Siezure & The Tremors at Producer’s Hotel SUNDAY 22 MARCH Phil Jamieson (Lismore) at Royal Oak Seth Sentry (Melbourne), Citizen Kay (ACT) and Colin Banks (Perth) at Governor Hindmarsh Edwina Hayes (Ireland) at The Trinity Sessions A Day On The Green: Billy Idol (UK), Cheap Trick (US), The Angels and The Choirboys (Sydney) at Leconfield Wines (McLaren Vale) WEDNESDAY 25 MARCH Uriah Heep (UK), Raven Black Night and Puritan at Governor Hindmarsh FRIDAY 27 MARCH Josh Rennie-Hynes, Caitlin Harnett and Liam Gerner at Jive Augie March (Melbourne) at Her Majesty’s Theatre Xavier Rudd & The United Nations (Melbourne) at HQ Complex David Liebe Hart (US) at Crown & Anchor SATURDAY 28 MARCH Jordie Lane (Melbourne) at Wheatsheaf Hotel Steve Poltz (Canada/US) at Peterborough Football Club The McClymonts (Sydney) and Kristy Cox at Old Mill Hotel (Hanhdorf) The Beards and The Stiffys (Melbourne) at Governor Hindmarsh SUNDAY 29 MARCH Rod Stewart (UK) and James Reyne (Melbourne) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre David Ellefson (US) at Governor Hindmarsh
TUESDAY 31 MARCH Mavis Staples (US) at Governor Hindmarsh WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL Ed Sheeran (UK), Jamie Lawson and Conrad Sewell at Adelaide Entertainment Centre THURSDAY 2 APRIL Ed Sheeran (UK), Jamie Lawson and Conrad Sewell at Adelaide Entertainment Centre Jurassic 5 (US) at HQ Complex Darren Hanlon (Sydney) at Jive Winterbourne (Central Coast) at Wheatsheaf FRIDAY 3 APRIL Blenheim Music & Camping Festival: Tony Joe White (US), Z Star (UK), Marlon Williams (NZ), Timberwolf, Jay Hoad, The Shaolin Afronauts and so many, many more at Blenheim (Clare Valley) SATURDAY 4 APRIL Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats (Melbourne) at Grace Emily Captives (Melbourne), Release The Hounds, Mayweather and Young Offenders at Crown & Anchor SUNDAY 5 APRIL Counting Crows (US) at Thebarton Theatre Horrorshow (Sydney) and MC Tuka (Blue Mountains) at Governor Hindmarsh MONDAY 6 APRIL Jimmy Cliff (Jamaica) at Governor Hindmarsh TUESDAY 7 APRIL Mariachi El Bronx (US) at Governor Hindmarsh WEDNESDAY 8 APRIL Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls (UK) at Adelaide Uni Bar THURSDAY 9 APRIL Justin Townes Earle (US) and Sam Outlaw at Grace Emily Mobb Deep (US), DJ Skibeatz (New York), Delta, Dialect & Despair and more at HQ Complex FRIDAY 10 APRIL Jake Shimabukuro (Hawaii) at Governor Hindmarsh Architects (US), Stick To Your Guns (US), Being As An Ocean (US) and Stories at HQ Complex Moonfaker (CD launch), Destrends (Melbourne) at Valkyries at Pirie & Co Social Club The Kill Devil Hills (WA) and The Sloe Ruin at Crown & Anchor SATURDAY 11 APRIL Miss Quincy (Canada) at Governor Hindmarsh John Farnham (Melbourne) and Olivia Newton-John (Sydney) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre Gypsy Kings (US) at Thebarton Theatre Norma Jean (US), Louis Blanc, A Ghost Orchestra, Life Pilot and Disaster Path at Fowler’s Live SUNDAY 12 APRIL Blues On The Parade: Donavon Frankenreiter (US), Dusty Lee’s Wasted Wanderers, Gab Hyde, Craig Atkins and China Doll at Norwood Live Serena Ryder (Canada) and Matt Andersen (Canada) at Governor Hindmarsh TUESDAY 14 APRIL Taylor Henderson (Sydney) at Governor Hindmarsh
SATURDAY 18 APRIL The Rumjacks (Sydney) at Crown & Anchor Laura Jean (Melbourne) and Aldous Harding (New Zealand) at Wheatsheaf Hotel British India (Melbourne), Grenadiers and Tired Lion (Perth) at Governor Hindmarsh Fenrir (Sydney), Isolation Valve, Sedulous Rose and Stoved at Gaslight Tavern SUNDAY 19 APRIL Citizen (US) at Adelaide Uni Bar Short Stack (Sydney) at Governor Hindmarsh Jeff Martin (Canada) at Jive Benny Walker (Melbourne) at Wheatsheaf Uncle Jed (Sydney) at Grace Emily THRUSDAY 23 APRIL Funeral For A Friend (Wales) and Vices (Sydney) at Fowler’s Live SATURDAY 25 APRIL Mick Pealing’s Stars (Melbourne) at Governor Hindmarsh Groovin’ The Moo: A$AP Ferg, Ball Park Music, Broods (NZ), Carmada, Charli XCX (UK), The Delta Riggs, DMA’s, Flight Facilities, Hermitude, Hilltop Hoods, Hot Dub Time Machine, Meg Mac, Northlane, One Day, Peace (UK), Peaches (Canada), The Preatures, RL Grime (US), San Cisco, Saskwatch, Sticky Fingers, Tkay Maidza, Wolfmother and You Me At Six (UK) at Oakbank Racecourse Dave Graney & The mistLY (Melbourne) at Wheatsheaf SUNDAY 26 APRIL Dave Graney & The mistLY (Melbourne) at Wheatsheaf FRIDAY 1 MAY Sam Smith (UK) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre Thundamentals (Blue Mountains) at Fowler’s Live Courtney Barnett (Melbourne) & Teeth & Tongue at Governor Hindmarsh Baby et Lulu (Melbourne) at Trinity Sessions SATURDAY 2 MAY The Australian Doors Show (Sydney) at Governor Hindmarsh MONDAY 4 MAY Opeth (Sweden) at Governor Hindmarsh TUESDAY 5 MAY Ricky Martin at Adelaide Entertainment Centre Metalum Manifestatione MMXV: Suffocation (US) and Decapitation (Poland) at Governor Hindmarsh WEDNESDAY 6 MAY Ace Frehley (US) at Governor Hindmarsh THURSDAY 7 MAY Everclear (US) at Fowler’s Live FRIDAY 8 MAY Microwave Jenny (Sydney) at Wheatsheaf Hotel Anastacia (US) at Festival Theatre The Angels at Governor Hindmarsh Red Fang (US) and Beastwars (New Zealand) at Fowler’s Live SATURDAY 9 MAY Silverstein (Canada), Dream On Dreamer and Young Lions at Fowler’s Live The Angels at Governor Hindmarsh Tragic Earth (Melbourne), Burn Collect, Letters To Amy, Mind Remover, Azzurra and Puritan at Bridgeway SUNDAY 10 MAY The Spoils Duo (Melbourne) at Wheatsheaf MONDAY 11 MAY America (US) at Thebarton Theatre
THURSDAY 16 APRIL Andy Bull (Sydney) at Governor Hindmarsh The Black Keys (US) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre
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JAKE SHIMABUKURO
JAKE SHIMABUKURO By Robert Dunstan Hawaiian-born ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro, who became a YouTube sensation for his version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps, is heading back to Australia to once again perform at Byron Bay’s Bluesfest as well as undertake some selected sideshows. Although already well-known in Hawaii due to a stint with the group Pure Heart and an extensive solo career, it wasn’t until 2006 that Jake came to worldwide attention when his ukulele rendition of the George Harrison-penned Beatles song, While Your Guitar Gently Weeps, posted without his knowledge, became one of the first YouTube viral videos. Since then the fifth generation Japanese American has released over a dozen albums and collaborated with such artists as Jimmy Buffett, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Béla Fleck and Yo-Yo Ma.
“It actually came to Hawaii via the Portuguese immigrants who came here to work in the plantations in the 1800s,” Jake reveals. “They brought the machete with them which was basically a small fourstringed guitar originally from Portugal. And I guess the native people in Hawaii loved it and started learning how to play it and then started making their own instruments. “So the machete and the ukulele are very similar except, I believe, that the tuning is different,” he adds. “And, also, the machete has steel strings and the ukulele mostly has gut or nylon strings.” You’ve worked with Alan Parsons who produced your latest album and who engineered Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon before going on to form studio band The Alan Parsons Project. It’s a rather unlikely pairing. “Exactly,” Jake, who is currently working on a new studio album, laughs. “Who would have ever thought Alan Parsons would ever produce a ukulele record?
Jake has also collected numerous awards along the way and recorded his most recent album, Grand Ukulele, with noted English producer Alan Parsons (of The Alan Parsons Project) and a 29-piece orchestra.
“But it was truly an honour to work with him in his studio as he is one of my heroes,” he announces. “And I learnt such a lot.”
Jakes begins the phone interview from home in Hawaii by saying he’s excited about making a return to our shores.
“For this one I have been experimenting a lot more by using lots of different ukuleles,” Jake responds. “My main instrument is the tenor, which I have pretty much played my whole life, but I’ve been experimenting with the baritone which has a deeper sound.
“Oh, man, I can’t wait as I was so bummed out that I didn’t make it back last year because I’d enjoyed myself so much on that first Australian tour the year before in 2013. “So I’m just pumped and also so honoured that Bluesfest have invited me back for their festival and that I get to do some other shows as well,” he adds. “And I just fell in love with the vibe down in Australia and just can’t wait to get back down there.” Hawaii is not too far from our country. “Yeah,” Jake laughs, “it’s not such a bad flight. If I were living in New York it would take a lot more effort. But it’s unlikely I will ever move [from Hawaii] and I think I’ll be here for the rest of my life.” Jake never suspected that when his mother, an accomplished ukulele player herslef, was teaching him how to play the instrument as a child that later on in life it would take him around the world. “No, never,” the musician now admits with a laugh. “It never entered my head when I was a kid that I’d have all these wonderful opportunities in life. And I am now so grateful that my mom sat me down and showed me the instrument at such a young age.” In recent times the four-stringed ukulele – the name roughly means ‘jumping flea’ – has been associated with Hawaii, although Jake says its history goes back much further than that as it can be traced back to the lute.
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How is your new album progressing?
“And I have also been using the concert ukulele as well as the standard ukulele which, in a way, creates a kind of ukulele quartet. I’ve also been trying to write for this record – I’ve come up with some interesting ideas – but I still love covering my favourite songs so there will be three or four on the new album. “I’m doing a cover of The Jackson Five’s I’ll Be There and also a cover of War’s Low Rider,” he continues. “And that’s a fun song to cover on the ukulele because the instrument that plays the recognisable line on that record is the harmonica.” Jake has often played with Jimmy Buffett’s group, The Coral Reefer Band. “I don’t get to tour too much with Jimmy these days,” the ukulele player says of the Florida-born, top selling author and singer songwriter responsible for such songs as Come Monday, Margaritaville, A Pirate Looks At Forty and Why Don’t We Get Drunk? and whose fans are known as ‘Parrotheads’. “But every once in a while we’ll get together and do a one-off show,” Jake then announces. “And when I first started touring, Jimmy was one of the guys who first took me under his wing so I got to go to all kinds of great places. “And touring with Jimmy is always such a lot of fun,” he continues. “He is the same easy-going person off stage as he is on stage
and he just loves life and keeping busy. He’s now a multi, multi-millionaire but he’s so laid back and down to earth you wouldn’t know it. “And his band is made up of such extraordinary musicians,” he says of players such as keyboardist Mike Utley, guitarist Mac McAnally, drummer Roger Guh and pedal steel player Doyle Grisham. “So getting to collaborate with those guys is always such a great thrill. I certainly learn a lot.” Jakes pauses when I ask if there are any musicians he would especially like to work with in the future. “There are so many,” he says after some consideration. “But, y’know, I love singers and love collaborating with them. So on a dream list would be someone like Bob Dylan. It would be just fantastic to do something with Dylan. “And I’d love to do something with Eric Clapton one day because he was the one who played the guitar solo on The Beatles’ While My Guitar Gently Weeps, “ Jakes says before quickly adding that, “and I’d love to work with [English guitarist] Jeff Beck one day as well. “And I’ve always had such a good time whenever I’ve collaborated,” he continues. “Yo-Yo Ma was fantastic to work with and I also really enjoyed working with Tommy Emmanuel. “Tommy is also one of my many heroes,” Jake then says of the Australian guitar player. “That guy is just amazing.” When I had recently spoken to Richard Tonkin who co-ordinates the activities of the Adelaide Ukulele Appreciation society who meet weekly at the Governor Hindmarsh on Tuesday evenings, he had suggested that the instrument’s affordable price and ease of learning was the reason the ukulele had become so popular. “Oh, absolutely,” Jake readily agrees. “It’s a very simple instrument to play and people don’t feel at all intimidated by it. They feel straight away that it’s something they could quickly learn to play. “And it doesn’t take a lot of effort to start playing because it’s not like you have to go to weeks and weeks of lessons before you can play it. You can learn a song in under five minutes. “And it’s also not as if you then have to practice five or six hours a day,” he adds with a laugh. Or you could practice all day and become a ukulele master. “Ha, ha,” Jake laughs. “It’s a bit like making a grilled cheese sandwich though. You can spend time and learn to master the grilled cheese sandwich or you can just go ahead and make a perfectly acceptable grilled cheese sandwich.
“I started learning ukulele at a young age and began by playing traditional Hawaiian ukulele tunes,” he then continues. “And I loved it so much that I was constantly challenging myself by learning different techniques and always searching for new things. “And something I learnt very early on is that there are no shortage of challenges as far as the ukulele is concerned,” Jake laughs. “Music is so complex that you will never learn everything there is to know. “So I have now reached a point, from playing the ukulele for so many years, that I am still only at the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more music to be created with the instrument, so every day I am continually exploring new ground. “And because the ukulele has become so popular, there are now musicians from all kinds of genres experimenting with different ways of playing it,” Jake adds. “You now have classical guitar players picking up the ukulele or someone like Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder adding their take to it. “And I find that all so very inspiring and am looking forward to what the future holds for the instrument,” he enthusiastically concludes. Jake Shimabukuro plays the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, on Friday 10 April with tickets available now via OzTix or the venue.
BRUCE KULICK
BRUCE KULICK By Libby Parker This weekend, Bruce Kulick, former guitarist from legendary American rock band KISS, will be playing The Bridgeway Hotel. Bruce’s music career began in 1975 and he first gained notoriety as a guitarist by playing on Meat Loaf’s Bat Out Of Hell tour. Shortly after that, he played in Blackjack with Michael Bolton, went on to join The Good Rats who opened for Ozzy Osborne before being asked to join KISS in 1984 where he remained for 12 years. Since then, he’s had many other musical collaborations and has now released his third solo album, BK3. Speaking to BSide Magazine from Los Angeles, Bruce says he’s looking forward to getting back to Adelaide after many years. “I have a lot of friends in Australia and I haven’t been to Adelaide very often even though I’m very aware you’re kind of that pocket of Australia that’s kind of like Texas, you know, country-like. I look at Sydney as New York and Melbourne as LA and I look at Brisbane as Florida,” he says. “These are very loose comparisons and I don’t mean to stereotype in any way but that’s how I immerse myself in each one of the cities. I’ve always felt very comfortable in Australia. I haven’t been to Adelaide in quite a few years so I’m looking forward to getting back.” The catalyst for the upcoming tour was a Kiss convention but it didn’t take much for Bruce to want to come over and share his music with us here in SA. “One of the guys I’ll be performing with, Paul [Drennan], is from Adelaide and he’s been in the industry many years now and he’s been a part of my band every time I’ve performed there. Every year we talk about how I can get over there but what really kicked it off was that another guy I know who’s a huge Kiss fan and part of the extended Kiss family, who lives out of Melbourne, wanted to do a KISS convention so that was the start of bringing me over,” he says. “Then I spoke with my manager; I had a window of opportunity. Grand Funk Railroad was not busy because our drummer Don Brewer is on the road with Bob Seger so there was a lot more liberty to make an international trip. Adelaide came up very quickly wanting a gig, so here I come!” Grand Funk Railroad are a band who were hugely popular in the 1970s, and were a band who were highly influential on Bruce Kulick as a young musician. In 2000, he was invited to join the band and has played with them ever since. Grand Funk Railroad tour around 40 shows per year, so we are fortunate Bruce has time in his schedule to bring some of his solo music and a lot of KISS material to The Bridgeway/ “The fans that will be there are fans of Kiss so I have a nice set of a lot of material,” he says. “I’ll probably focus on a lot of stuff that came from Alive 3 which was released around the first time I came to play in Australia with Kiss. That was 1995, almost to the month 20 years ago, so I’m looking at playing a lot of stuff from that album with a few other things thrown in, so it’s going to be a fun night.” And Bruce reckons it will be a good time to introduce young people to the music of
SQUEAKER
Kiss and celebrate the classics with long established fans. “Kiss is such a unique band, so for this generation, some people might be curious and want to come and see me play because they didn’t’ have an opportunity before. They may not have necessarily been a fan yet or they weren’t old enough. It’s remarkable that it’s a band who seem to pass it down through generations,” he says. Despite being a solo artist now and playing in Grand Funk Railroad, Bruce still has a high regard for KISS and is still close with the band. “Kiss is one of the bands that continues to make an impact. I’m very tight with the guys; they came to my wedding a year ago and I love the fact that they’re touring right now. It’s great they keep it alive like this and at a very high level. “My era is a unique time of KISS because it was the majority of the non-makeup years but it was still KISS and I love that people still discover my era. There are people I meet that are clueless and think that the band only wore makeup so I’ve got to slap them around a little bit. “I never wore the makeup but I was in the band for 12 years,” he laughs. “The one thing in the music industry that hasn’t suffered completely is live gigs. Getting the word out when you could be entertained all night on your phone is hard, but I’m hoping that with me making a really long journey that people will make the relatively short journey to come hear some live music,” he says. “And I hear really good things about The Bridgeway [in Adelaide] and the promoters are very excited about expanding and getting some rock and roll in the Adelaide area so if I can be a notch in the belt for them, that’s all good to me.” Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick is set to play Bridgeway Hotel, Bridge Rd, Pooraka, on Saturday March 21 with Speedmachine and Sisters Doll as special guests. Tickets via the venue.
SQUEAKER By Libby Parker This Saturday, Adelaide band Squeaker will launch their brand new album In Love/In Madness at the Crown & Sceptre. This is the first full-length recording from the four-piece, fronted by Georgii, accompanied by Rodge (guitar), Steve (drums and programming) and OG (bass), since six-track EP Fly Baby Fly in 2011. Drummer Steve, who produced the majority of the album, says this record has been quite cathartic for him as it is inspired by some dark times in his life. “We wrote the contents of this album over a five year period, much of which has been part of our live set for a while, with a few new, unheard tracks. It was really necessary to get some closure on these songs and record them to be able to get them out to the world. It’s taken a while because we’ve never really stopped all other activities to focus on getting it done in a short timeframe,” he says. “Apart from the drums being recorded at Fat Trax and Chapel Lane, all other elements were recorded, mixed and produced by myself. “As for the inspiration, the title In Love/In Madness is really it. It was inspired by the darkest parts of my life and the best parts of my life that helped me push through it all. I’m so grateful to my bandmates for being a part of this expression.” Fans of Squeaker’s debut EP, Fly Baby Fly, will enjoy the band’s signature guitar-driven grooves and industrial, synthesised texture on In Love/In Madness but with lyrics that are perhaps more candid than previous recordings. “I think it’s lyrically far more honest and sonically broader. After Fly Baby Fly Georgii encouraged me to open up more in my lyrics. She’d read my new material and felt that people would identify with it,” Steve says. “With the help of Rodge and OG’s creative minds, I think our songs have more variety in both the sound palette and in style. So I think In Love/In Madness has a good amount of dynamics and variety.” And the honesty and dynamics have paid off with first single Circles receiving a positive reaction, as well as the band recently being signed with US management.
Joined by local bands The Serra and Dirt Playground to celebrate the launch, Squeaker will also be supported by Alithia from Victoria. “Alithia – Astral Space Core! One of the members approached me about joining the bill in exchange for a Melbourne show. I knew him as the promoter of a tour when we supported Austrian band Mother’s Cake in Adelaide. I had a listen and really liked Alithia’s music. “It’s atmospheric with interesting composition and time signatures. I think the audience will really like what they’ll bring to the night,” Steve says. With a great line-up on the night and an exciting future ahead of them beyond the launch, Squeaker are set to make some noise in the music industry. In Love/In Madness showcases a band with skill and passion with a range of great tracks, including a seven-minute epic called Embers, which Steve says is his favourite on the album. “It’s a song I wrote about depression and the unexplainable feeling of loneliness that accompanies it; it’s something I got help for and still deal with from time to time. I wrote the music and the chorus but couldn’t find the words to complete it,” he says. “Rodge co-wrote it with me and found the words for the verses to express what I couldn’t for whatever reason. I think it’s a song written from a place of 100% understanding and doesn’t offer a band aid solution or sympathy. Given that it’s over seven minutes long I’m not sure how much airplay it will ever get, but I do hope its sentiment gets heard the most.” As well as co-writing Embers, Rodge created the strikingly poignant album artwork. “He’s one of the most creative minds I know,” Steve says. “When we were discussing the artwork concept we agreed that there had to be polarized elements – Love/Sadness, Safety/Danger, you know. “So two lovers in an embrace under a raging sea is what he came up with, Steve concludes. “We love it.” Adelaide’s Squeaker, who have recently inked an American deal, will launch a new album, In Love/In Madness, on Saturday 21 March at Crown & Sceptre, 308 King William St, with guests acts Dirt Playground, Melbourne’s Alithia and The Serra. Tickets are $10 via Moshtix.
“The reaction so far has been great – people have responded really positively to our first single Circles. That song also got us signed with US management and licensing, and to Adelaide’s own JL Music Publishing. That’s a cracking start in my mind,” Steve says. “You write music partly as a personal, creative need and partly to share it and be heard. I’m looking forward to [the new album] being heard by a wide range of people and countries and seeing if people feel the way I do about things. We love to feel that we have some common ground with our audience.” The band, who have been together since 2002, with OG joining in 2011, have chosen the Crown & Sceptre to launch In Love/In Madness, which Steve loves for its ambience. “Before Crown & Sceptre closed for a while, we had a show booked there; the week before it closed, actually. When I heard that it had reopened, I wanted to finish the unfinished business! I always loved it for its size and atmosphere. I really like the new owner too, he’s doing great things,” he says.
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Blow The Bloody Doors Off! Adelaide Town Hall, Thursday 12 March This showcase of music from four Michael Caine films features pieces made famous by Sonny Rollins (Alfie), Quincy Jones (The Italian Job), John Barry (The Ipcress File) and Roy Budd (Get Carter). Musical Director Terry Edwards and his musicians are capturing the “London swagger” of the original soundtrack recording of Alfie, explains narrator Trevor Nichols. There’s a big screen introduction; Caine speaks directly to the audience. Alfie only gets a brief airing however, and soon it is on to the pick of the first half of the show The Ipcress File. The haunting main theme, driven by hammered dulcimer, folds its way through the pieces. The flutes, percussion, the Zephyr Quartet and Edwards’ muted trumpet add to the impressive soundscape. The Italian Job closes the first half and, like the film, is a much less-serious adventure. There’s more narration, more big-screen footage, and some quirky selections. Darren Percival sings lead on On Days Like These while Tracie Hunter and Maggie Ronson lead the band in a pleasantly chaotic version of The Self Preservation Society. Permission to show footage from Get Carter has been denied, so Nichols reads from the screenplay and novel between pieces. While the visuals from the earlier films added an extra dimension, they were a little lengthy, and didn’t add much context. This way of linking the pieces is ultimately preferable. There’s more dulcimer used in the fabulous main theme, along with some great bass. A ‘60s gospel theme prevails in Looking For Someone, and a masterly Hammond Organ piece (courtesy of Seamus Beaghen) is accompanied by some big rock drumming; elsewhere there’s some fascinating guitar, delightful tabla and even crazy kazoo. At the conclusion of the evening, Edwards and his band receive lengthy and warm applause. It’s been a good evening, and the audience has enjoyed the coolest music on offer in Adelaide tonight. Star Rating: 4.1 David Robinson
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Danny Elfman Music From The Films Of Tim Burton Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Saturday 14 March An augmented Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Mauceri, played to a packed Adelaide Entertainment Centre crowd in what was billed an extravaganza festival event. Yes, the voices of the Adelaide Festival Chorus and numerous additional symphony players did create a full, impressive sound but a massive budget doesn’t always produce inspired creativity, and for the first half I found myself disappointingly underwhelmed. Original storyboard sketches and snippets from each film projected above seemed randomly and carelessly selected with little regard for the orchestration, only to abruptly cease and be replaced with swirly patterns displaying for the remainder of each piece. Perhaps my expectations were spoilt with the superb presentation of the Symphony’s recent Pixar In Concert. Fortunately the content and pace of the second half redeemed the failings of the first. The energy shifted with music from Dark Shadows, culminating in a menacing climax as the animated child on the screen drops from a cliff to her death on the rocks below. The intensity shifted again for Edward Scissorhands with an extraordinary violin feature by Sandy Cameron, who powerfully commanded the stage like a predatory rock star. Her skin tight black cat-woman-esque costume surely must have been more than a little distracting for the musicians! Bertie Blackman made a brief appearance for The Nightmare Before Christmas, looking uncertain and nervous, and was an odd inclusion in the program. Special mention must be made of the standout performance by 9-year-old Charlie Wells whose family, seated behind me, were thrilled to bits and über proud of their cousin. Everyone of course was waiting for the appearance of Danny Elfman, and he did not disappoint! Having a ball with character voices and hamming it up with Mauceri, Elfman gave a stellar performance and brought life to animated characters… the quintessential Oogie Boogie Man! Star Rating: 4.5 Jenna Bonavita
Fela! The Concert Festival Theatre, Thursday 12 March
The Cardinals Flinders St Baptist Church, Wednesday 11 March
The eager Festival Theatre audience was treated tonight to the world premiere of the concert version of Fela! This exclusive Australian premiere of the Broadway musical based on the life of musical legend Fela Kuti includes selected original cast from that production.
The Cardinals compresses 2,000 years of human history down to less than two hours, and tightly focuses this narrative within a puppet stage a few square metres in size.
The full-length Broadway musical version of Fela!, which won three Tony Awards in 2010, revealed the life of an influential Nigerian musician and forefather of Afrobeat as well as a powerful human rights activist. Fela Kuti did not simply have a massive influence with his music and activism in Nigeria, but his influence spread through Africa and the rest of the world. The concert version tonight is stripped back to let the amazing music, passionate singing and energetic dance shine. There were glimpses of the Fela Kuti’s story through projections of old newspaper clippings and video footage. There was enough to carry the themes for those that already know some of the basic narrative of Fela Kuti’s life. Adesola Osakalumi brought so much excitement to the performance as well as great vocals in the title role of Fela. He got the Festival Theatre audience on their feet dancing and singing. Supporting Osakalumi onstage were eight absolutely phenomenal dancers and singers. They brought so much skill and an intense amount of energy lifting the already colossal atmosphere from the music to another level. The 10-piece Afrobeat band led by musical director and drummer Greg Gonzale sounded fantastic. They were an absolute pleasure to listen to with huge punches of powerful horns and electric percussion. The projections and lighting were slight negatives, which could be improved if future concert productions are attempted. Overall, this concert version gives a fantastic, entertaining sample of the music and passion of Fela Kuti. Rating: 4 stars Bobby Goudie
Mostly drawing on significant events of biblical history, beginning with the Garden of Eden, a few post bible events are added to bring us to the present day, and persuasively make the case that the current Muslim versus the West conflict is just one more chapter in a story that is centuries old. A fascinating sideshow to this main tale is the often frantic scurrying of the support crew as they gather the bits and pieces neeed for the next 30 second vignette in the puppet frame. This all happens in full view of the audience. Occasionally they squabble silently about what comes next, or who should do what – like Greek gods controlling their puppet mortals for their entertainment. Assembling the hundreds of props on cue and in the right order is a staggering feat in itself. In addition each member of the four person cast takes multiple roles as puppet characters in an endless display of rich imagery, and frequent irony. A crucial scene at the end of the Crucifixion is thrown into confusion when the Muslim stage hand retires for prayers! It’s a compelling performance on many levels. A musical soundtrack is tightly woven into each scene and included hymns and examples of plainsong. A live beat box like accompaniment to a Crusade battle was a nice touch, and a ridiculously inappropriate modern nunber for the fall of Jericho struck a humorous jarring note. The busy-ness backstage seemed almost absurd and slapstick at times, but every prop was available in place and on time every time. As good as it was The Cardinals could be a little shorter, but quite a remarkable show nevertheless. Clever, witty and poignant. Star Rating: 4.2 Michael Coghlan
THE DUNES/GLASS SKIES
THE DUNES AND GLASS SKIES By Robert Dunstan
EDWINA HAYES
Likeminded Adelaide psych rock bands The Dunes and Glass Skies have teamed up for a split single release which they will launch this weekend.
The Dunes and Glass Skies recently performed at Sydney Psych Fest and Adam says that four members of The Dunes – himself, Stacie, drummer Dan Fernie-Harper and keyboard player Jess Honeychurch – are heading to the eighth annual Austin Psych Fest in Texas in May of this year leaving guitarist Matt Reiner at home.
“We are just hoping our track is done in time,” Glass Skies’ Josh Van Looy, who plays in the band alongside Azz Shaw, John Russo and Danny Varrichio, says over a refreshing glass of cider.
“It’s going to be great because The 13th Floor Elevators are headlining Austin Psych Fest,” Adam says of the legendary pysch rockers from Austin who split in 1969 and who have never played since.
“Last time I heard Danny was cutting and pasting some high-hat cymbals in and he’s not used to doing that,” he adds. “He’s more used to doing things a little bit more electronically so he’s still tampering with it.”
When they return from the great state of Texas, The Dunes will undertake a monthlong Friday evening residency at the Grace Emily in June.
“Well at least he’s learning a new skill,” The Dunes’ vocalist, Stacie Reeves, quickly offers. “And even though we are in the last stages of mixing and mastering, we actually have another song ready to go anyway,” Josh adds. And what was the idea behind doing a split single? “Well, why not?” The Dunes’ bass player, Adam Vanderwerf, reasons. “We’ve played a lot of shows with Glass Skies and like them. “Yeah, yeah,” Josh readily agrees after another sip of cider. “We like each other’s music and if we are not playing together, we are going to each other’s gigs. “So we thought that if we teamed up and did a split launch, it would make it more of an event,” he continues. “We can sometimes struggle to get people along to our shows because there are only so many people in Adelaide who like the kind of music we do. So why not make it one big party? “And we’ve also got Fondle coming down from Mildura as well which is Brenny’s new band,” Josh says. “Brendan [Shaw] used to be the singer in Lady Strangelove, the band Azz and I had before Glass Skies. “So it’ll only be Fondle’s second or third show but I’ve heard good reports,” he adds. “I think there will be some Black Sabbath riffery in there.” Also keeping the party going will be Joel Byrne of Wolf & Cub who will be a guest DJ, so I ask if his band is still a going concern. “We’d like to think so,” Adam cautiously offers. “We hope so anyway.” “Yeah, Wolf & Cub’s last album, I Need More, was really, really good,” Josh says, “and I’ve heard they’ve been doing stuff with that Jonathan Boulet guy.” “But I think Wade [Keighran who joined the Wolf & Cub den in 2011] is very much into recording and producing up in Sydney,” Adam suggests.
“And because we are heading over to the US in May, we don’t have too many shows lined up before that,” Stacie says. “So that residency at the Grace will help us knock some new songs together before we record them. “And I think by going over to Austin for the festival, we’ll come home really inspired,” she continues. “There are bands playing from all over the world. You get to see some great music at that kind of festival and it just regenerates you as a band and you just want to get better and better and what you do. “I’ve been to Austin Psych Festival before,” the Dallas-born singer then says, “and it’s just the best festival in the world. They have hammocks swinging from the trees, tee-pees and it’s on this beautiful river, The Colorado, which runs through Austin. It’s just so very relaxing.” Some thought had also been given to putting out the split release on seven-inch vinyl. “If only we could have afforded to do that,” Josh sighs. “But one day, one day, one day.” Talk then turns to vinyl and due to the cider I was drinking at the time, I make mention of a Monty Python album, 1975’s Matching Tie & Handkerchief, that has two separate grooves on one side. “And when I was over in the US the last time, I bought a Night Beats album on vinyl and, while I don’t know if it is intentional or not, when it gets to the end of a side, it loops endlessly on a perfect beat,” Adam says. “So you walk back into the room after 20 minutes and think, ‘Is this still the end of the last song?’ But it’s not, it’s just the end of the record.” Glass Skies and The Dunes will launch their split single release at Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, on Saturday 21 March with special guests Fondle as well as Wolf & Cub DJs and Going Steady DJs with tickets available via Moshtix.
EDWINA HAYES By Robert Dunstan Songstress Edwina Hayes, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, but now resides in Yorkshire, UK, is currently on her first tour of Australia, although she has been to this country twice in the past. “Yes, when my dad split up with my mum he moved to Australia,” Edwina says over the phone from Beechworth the morning after a gig. “So in 1993 I went to Melbourne to visit him because he had another family here. So I came here to meet my half-brother when I was 19. “And then I came back in 2010 because my cousin, Jimmy, had moved from England to Sydney,” she adds. “So he got married on the beach and I did a song for them which was very lovely “But by then my dad had moved on to another wife,” Edwina announces. “As you may gather, my dad was a bit of a rouge so my song Pour Me A Drink is all about him,” she then adds with a laugh. “Yes, he was a very nice man, but a bit of a rouge was my father.” Pour Me A Drink, the title of Edwina’s 2008 album, features her version of Richard Thompson’s haunting Waltzing’s For Dreamers. As both artists recently performed at Port Fairy Folk Festival, I had to ask if they had caught up. “I did,” Edwina says. “I got to meet him and was very excited. I even got a photograph with him and bought his new CD. I’d had to ask permission from him to record Waltzing’s For Dreamers which I’d done when I first met Richard at Cropredy Festival in England and he’d said yes. “So I told him that at Port Fairy and he just smiled,” she adds. “So I still don’t know if he’s ever heard my version.” Edwina began he music career in 1993. “My mum had just retired from working in the civil service in England and bought a fish and chip shop in a little town called Witchington in Norwich,” she says. “And down the road from the chippie I saw a poster for a little folk club in Bridgington saying that they were after some singers for an open mic night. “So that was the first time I’d even sung in front of people,” Edwina reveals. “But I’ve been going ever since so I’ve now been doing it for over 20 years. Everything came from doing those songs at Bridgington. “And now, whenever people ask for a tip, I tell them to play as many open mic nights as they can,” she then suggests. “I think by doing that you meet so many people who become friends, you get over your nervousness about performing on stage and it really helps knock your songs into shape.
“And y’know when you accidentally bump into somebody and immediately say, ‘Oh, sorry’, and then look up, well I bumped into Van that way. “So we chatted away and he was very friendly,” she says. “I thanked him for having me and he told me I was very welcome. And then he gave me a big hug and a kiss. It was very nice.” We hear reports that Van can be a grumpy old man. “Well that’s it and that’s what I was told,” Edwina laughs. “And at the other gig I did with Van there were complaints that he’d ordered a special kind of cheese that they had to race all around town to find and then he didn’t bother to eat it. “But, y’know, I think that kind of thing comes from his management,” she considers. “I don’t really think Van himself would want people running around getting him a particular cheese if he wasn’t actually going to eat it.” Edwina suggests her next recording will come from a live session she cut at Abbey Road Studios in London. “I’d been invited to do a live album there which I could just not say no to,” she says. “So I did that with a recording team called Live Here Now who’d just been recording Robbie Williams’ world tour. “So they brought all their stuff down to Abbey Road and recorded me which was all very exciting,” she continues. “But what I need to do now is take out all the chatting between songs. I tend to talk a lot, so I need to edit all that out. “And that will get done when I get back home after this Australian tour,” she continues. “So that will be my next album and then I am going to record another studio one. “And lots of lovely, lovely people, including Chris Leslie and Dave Pegg from Fairport Convention, have offered to help with that, so it would be silly of me not to take up those offers,” Edwina concludes. “So that’s also something to look forward to.” Edwina Hayes plays Pt Noarlunga’s South Coast Folk Club on Thursday 19 March, Willunga’s Wirra Creek Music on Saturday 20 March and Trinity Sessions, 318 Goodwood Rd, Clarence Pk, on Sunday 22 March.
“That’s always my top tip,” Edwina laughs.
“We played a lot towards the end of last year,” Stacie says, “and also went to Sydney and Melbourne. So we haven’t had much time to write any new material.
Edwina, who can count television’s Michael Parkinson as a fan, has toured with such notables as Jools Holland, Nanci Griffith (who has since recorded Edwina’s Pour Me A Drink) and Loudon Wainwright III, while her version of Randy Newman’s Feels Like Home was featured in the Nick Cassavetes movie My Sister’s Keeper.
“So I think we are all wanting to get some new songs together and then get a new set together,” she adds.
The singer says, however, one of the many highlights of her career has been opening for Van Morrison.
The Dunes plan on some new recordings later in the year.
“I played two shows with Van and he was just lovely,” Edwina says. “Everyone said, ‘Don’t try and talk to Van because he doesn’t like to be bothered’, and I just thought, ‘Ah, okay’, but after I’d done my opening spot I was wandering about backstage in the catering area.
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CD REVIEWS
CRAIG ATKINS Fall or Fly Reviewer: Tristan Newsome 4/5 Appropriately as my pet Galah squawks madly in the backyard (‘Mr Cash’ for those playing at home), Craig Atkins’ new release Fall or Fly features a lone feather on the album cover, very striking and appropriate for the title. Opening track ‘Open Road’ is a well suited number to start things with - a dark and droning sound with a great burst of energy half way through that immediately showcases Craig’s superb musical ability. With the exception of a couple of guests, all instruments on this recording are played by Craig; along with vocals he plays …take a deep breath…. guitar, steel body resonator, lap slide, fretless bass ukulele, didgeridoo, stomp, cajon, djembe, doumbek, tongue drum, tone drum, foot tambo, cymbals and shakers. Probably pretty proficient on a triangle, too, I’d imagine. ‘Blessed are the Dead’ had me at hello with title alone, but the song itself is great. Full of slide and almost giving it a sitar feel, the song is spoken word, a tricky thing to pull off especially with the heavy subject matter. Very impressively done. ‘Whiskey River Blues’ opens up with some real classic sounding resonator guitar and as the song gradually has life blown into the honky tonk piano kicks it off to be suitable for any dusty country bar. But wait there’s more! From there it develops into a full blow stomp fest with some awesome distorted vocals yelped over the top. Easily my favourite track on the album; very well constructed and catchy, too. A great release from Mr Atkins and well worth checking out on CD and a live show soon – the multi instrumental work is even more impressive in the flesh!!
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LOST WOODS Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant Reviewer: Kyle Opie 4/5 Five piece indie rock outfit, Lost Woods, burst onto the scene last year and have just produced their first release, the single, ‘Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant’. Amongst the group are some well trained musicians with backgrounds in other genres, and their experience shows, as they have already signed with a record label and toured Australia on the back of this release. As soon as the track marches in, the guitar timbres and the way the bass cuts through the mix present a recognisable flavour, perhaps, reminiscent of a ‘90s/early ‘00s guitar central alt. rock sound. A suitably grainy distorted guitar tone plays a repeated melodic phrase before falling away to make space for the ensuing vocals. A controlled vocal sound with a full tone and wide range is heard and cleverly built into the harmonic mould being established by the other instruments. The overall nature of the tune is one that capitalises on the dynamic possibilities created by a feeling of drone that is established by the open ring of the guitars. In particular, this stands out in the choruses where the vocals barrage the listener, in contrast to the verses where they sit comfortably within the sound palette, waiting to pounce. To top it off there is an impressive, but concise guitar solo thrown in for good measure that breaks up the otherwise invariable repeated structure of the tune. I really enjoyed this tune and would like to hear more of what this group can offer.
Music SA and BSide Magazine proudly bring you reviews of new releases by South Australian artists. If you’re a local act and have a new single, EP or LP, visit musicsa.com.au for details on how to submit it. Reviewers Wanted! We’re looking for talented writers with a passion for SA music. Interested? Email info@musicsa.com. au with your contact details and a sample of your writing.
PURITAN Self Titled EP Reviewer: Tom Gaffney 3/5
SQUEAKER Circles Reviewer: Phil Catley 5/5
Being compared to rock legends Guns ‘N’ Roses is no easy feat, but Adelaide old fashioned rock ‘n’ rollers Puritan seem to fit the vibe extremely well. The four piece have recently released their debut self-titled EP, and it’s as rich with pleasurably high vocals and Slash-styled riffs as you could imagine.
It’s a few years since I reviewed Squeaker’s “Fly Baby Fly” album, but I remember enjoying the week or so it spent on rotation in the car CD.
And while it’s still quite of an ‘in the box’ release, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes previous legends of a genre have produced such masterpieces that paying respect to them through incorporating a heavy influence – while adding in your own little spin to individualize the sound – is perfectly reasonable. Despite all this, there are some outliers in this release – mostly the relaxed acoustic track ‘High Noon’ - that do their part in illustrating the band’s diversity. The song is quite conveniently placed in the middle of the EP to break up the pure rock elements you may grow tired hearing of by the end of a full play through. Overall, it’s an undoubtedly solid release that showcases talent and true artistry between four musicians. If Puritan decide to take their musical career further, it’d pay to see a couple more dollars spent on higher quality production in order to really impress newcomers and attract a higher range of fans. A little more diversity in the songwriting – potentially more interesting compositions on the whole – wouldn’t be a bad idea either. Make sure to check these guys out if you think real rock ‘n’ roll needs a bit of a local revival, or if you’re just in the mood for some bedroom head-banging.
When their new single “Circles” came up for review I was keen to hear how the band had progressed over the years, and I wasn’t disappointed. Capturing the essence of the bands live sound, “Circles” is a mature rock song showcasing a band that is clearly at-ease with itself. Vocalist Georgii continues to deliver silky smooth vocals over the simple guitar/bass/ drum backing that employs just enough additional effects and production without being over-engineered. This is an infectious and enjoyable song about relationships that creeps up and grabs your attention, without resorting to obvious catchy hooks or repetitive riffs.
LIAM, CAITLIN
LIAM GERNER, CAITLIN HARNETT AND JOSH RENNIE-HYNES By Robert Dunstan Josh Rennie-Hynes, Caitlin Harnett and Liam Gerner, three of Australia’s Americana, folk and country musicians, have joined forces and have hit the road for a national tour which bring them to Adelaide for a city show and one down in Willunga. So we cornered the trio as they were about to head up the road to the Gold Coast for what was to be the fourth of their performances together. “Yeah, we’ve got the Gold Coast tonight, Sydney next week and then a whole load of other places before we come down to Adelaide,” Liam says Liam, originally from Adelaide where he played in such bands as Space Junk before heading overseas and then moving back to Australia, didn’t know Josh until they undertook a tour of New Zealand together. “Yeah, Josh and I did a great tour of New Zealand and that really cemented our new relationship,” Liam says. “We didn’t know each other at all until that tour but became really, really good friends. But Josh already knew Caitlin as they’d done a whole bunch of house concerts together.” “And I actually first met Caitlin in Adelaide,” Josh then announces. “I’d been doing a Monday evening, month-long residency at the Exeter Hotel and Caitlin happened to drop in. And she ended up playing some songs with me. And then we went around Australia together doing some house concerts. “Yeah, I’d been in Adelaide doing some work with a friend of mine, Myles Mayo [of Adelaide’s Special Patrol], on a little side project he has going,’ Caitlin says. “And I ended up playing a show at The Singing Gallery while I was there.” Josh kinda fondly remembers his Monday evening residency at The Exeter last year. “Yeah, it was the first time I’d ever been to Adelaide and on the first night a drunken guy tried singing along with me even though he didn’t know any of the words. “And then another guy threw a chair through the front window and I think he was asked to leave,” Josh then adds. “So I was thinking, ‘Hmm, so this is Adelaide on a quiet Monday night’.” “Not officially, although I’m always writing and thinking about it,” Caitlin, who has just been announced as a semi-finalist in The International Songwriting Competition, then says when asked about her next album. “So I don’t think it will be until the other side of this year as I’m trying not to think about it too much. I don’t like putting pressure on myself.’ “I’m sort of in the same boat as Caitlin,” Josh then says when asked about his next offering. “I’ve been writing quite a lot – just demos really – and I’m going down the path of trying to find a producer.
AND JOSH
“Err, Land Of No Roads came out about a year ago now,” Liam corrects. “So it’s time to do another one. “So I might do that tomorrow,” he then jokes. “No, no,” Liam says. “But I am pleased with how that last album came up. It was so cool to record in the US because even though I’d been living over there for a couple of years, it was really special to have people like Gary Louris and especially Robbie Fulks play on it as well as Lucky Oceans.” Over the years, Lucky, a former member of Texan country swing band Asleep At The Wheel and now an Australian radio presenter on Radio National and regular announcer at WOMADeliade, has served as a mentor to Liam. “He has,” Liam readily agrees, “because we first played together when I was just 19. That was at WOMAD, but I’d been listening to Lucky’s music for about nine years before that. And I then started listening to his radio show. “It’s just a pity that Lucky lives over in Fremantle so there’s not that much opportunity to play together,” he adds. Caitlin’s debut, The Rivers Run North, was recorded in Canada.
It’s a funny old throw away planet. I have a visual artist friend Damon Pearson – whom I first me while at high school in the ’60s – who, over the last four of five years, has been painting thousands of hundreds of planets and then freely giving them away. Known as ‘A Throw Away Planet’, the message within them is that we have become a throw away planet. Thus, anything broken gets thrown away rather than being mended as it’s actually often cheaper to do that and buy a new item than get the old one fixed. I know this from my vast experience as my heart once got broken. Ha, only joking. It just got rather badly bent that time when… So Damon freely hands the individually numbered painted planets out to people around the place as well as at the various protest marches rallies he attends including March In March which, being March, again comes up again this Sunday from 11am in Tarndanyangga (Victoria Sq) and at which Damon will be there freely handing out throw away planets. Anyway, Damon had asked if I could hand out some of his individually numbered painted planets to people I came across in my travels.
“Basically, that was all thanks to Kathleen Edwards,” Caitlin says of the Canadian singer who briefly stepped out with Justin Vernon of Bon Ivor. “I was a big fan of Kathleen from when I was much younger so I started to look at her records to see who produced them,” she continues. “And that was Dave Draves so I got in contact with him and we had a couple of Skype sessions and then, suddenly, I’m off to Canada to record an album. “So Dave produced it and Kathleen sings and plays on it as well,” Caitlin adds. The three musicians conclude by explaining how the trio concerts work. “It’s actually pretty loose and we are just figuring it out as we go,” Josh suggests. “No, no, no,” Caitlin quickly interjects. “We play a set each but we all jump up and sing with each other.” And how do you decide who takes to the stage last each night? “We argue about it all day,” Liam says, “but Caitlin always seems to win. But the good thing about this tour is that rather than it being three losers travelling around the country on their own, it’s three losers travelling around together.”
renowned award winning oud player Joseph Tawadros. Joseph, whom I had first met when he had performed alongside Slava and Leonard Grigoryan at WOMADelaide many years ago, was making contact via cyber-space to inform me of a concert he had coming up in Adelaide. As the news was good news to my ears, I duly responded and Joseph then informed me that apart from undertaking a lunchtime concert at Elder Hall from 1pm on Friday 20 March, he would also be returning to launch a new album, Truth Seekers, which he recorded with his percussive brother James, Scottish accordion player James Crabb, trombonist James Greening (of the catholics) and pianist Matt McMahon. That Truth Seekers launch is set to take place at Nexus Arts Centre in mid-April so while Joseph is here for the Elder Hall concert we’ll catch up for an interview and I can duly ask what it’s like having three people called James in his band and why are they not called The James Gang. I shall look forward to a catch-up with Joseph as he is a very funny man and some would even say he is a tad cheeky. His Facebook posts and photos on his personal page are continually amusing, such as when he posts images of how well he has once again squeezed his medium-sized car into a tiny little parking space. Joseph is also prone to post amusing photos of how some venues have managed to misspell his surname, so it was with some irony that when he was presented with his first ARIA award in 2012, his name was misspelt on the pointy trophy.
So I duly handed one to visiting American recording artist and cigar smokin’ author Kinky Friedman when he performed at the Governor Hindmarsh some time last year and duly snapped a photo to show that I was, at least, doing as requested.
The always immaculately dressed Egyptianborn musician made light of it, however, before famously remarking that, “After 10 years and nine ARIA nominations, I think it’s great the music industry is finally trusting an Arab with a sharp object. It’s not like an Egyptian needs another pyramid.”
Grab A Throw Away Planet from Damon from 11.30am in Tarndanyangga (Victoria Sq) at the March In March on Sunday 22 March. It’s always nice to receive a personal message from someone but that correspondence is made even more nicer and a tad bit exciting when it’s from someone who is a bit famous. And such it was to be when I received a message the other day from internationally
Joseph Tawadros will perform a lunchtime concert at North Tce’s Elder Hall from 1pm on Friday 20 March with $10 tickets at the door, Joseph will then return with his quartet to play Nexus Arts Centre, 70 North Tce, on Friday 17 April.
Josh Rennie-Hynes, Caitlin Harnett and Liam Gerner play Jive, 181 Hindley St, on Friday 27 March with tickets on sale now via Moshtix. The trio also play McLaren Vale’s The Singing Gallery, 133 Main Rd, on Saturday 28 March with tickets via the venue.
“So I’d say that it won’t be until the back end of this year, probably around September, that I’ll get back into the studio,” he adds. Liam has only recently put out a new album, Land Of No Roads, which he recorded in the US at Rick Rubin’s studio over three days and which features guests such as Gary Louris of The Jayhawks, Robbie Fulks and legendary Cajun accordionist Steve Riley as well as Lucky Oceans.
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A THROW AWAY PLANET
A THROW AWAY PLANET By Robert Dunstan
save a symbolic thing,” he adds. “Hopefully that will trigger something in that person’s mind.”
South Australian visual artist Damon Pearson has been painting thousands of individually numbered planet earths over the last few years and has then been giving them away.
The artist, who exhibited at Adelaide Fringe in 2011 and has also had exhibitions interstate, has also sent paintings to Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
The hand-crafted paintings, about twice the size of a smart phone, came into being about four years ago. “It was around the time of the 2010 Federal Election and I noticed that there was very little talk about environmental issues,” Damon says. The paintings, which has a Facebook page under the name A Throw Away Planet, are a statement about how we’ve become, ‘A Throw Away Planet’. “It’s my response to how we now throw everything away,” Damon says. “It’s about how we now throw something away because it’s cheaper to buy a new item than get the broken one fixed. “And I remember when Wingfield Dump was a small mound but it’s grown into a mountain,” he sighs. “And it’s all stuff that’s been thrown away. “So it means that if I throw away a planet to someone, the person receiving it gets to
“And neither of them have sent them back so I guess they must like them,” Damon suggests. Damon, who will be throwing away more planets at this weekend’s March In March, says people have been quite accepting when he has thrown them a planet. “Generally, yes,” he says. “There’s an almost instantaneous response from people because they seem to immediately understand what it’s all about. There is, however, the occasional person who rejects it completely, but from the two or three thousand I’ve given away, I could count on one hand the number of people who’ve done that. “And I’ve had just one person immediately put it in a bin,” he adds with a laugh. “As an artist, that can get to you, but it also works on another level of throw away, so it’s okay.” Grab A Throw Away Planet from Damon from 11.30am in Tarndanyangga (Victoria Sq) at the March In March on Sunday 22 March.
SOUND & VISION
SOUND & VISION By Robert Dunstan
one-offs which makes it different than making 20 copies of this print or 20 of that one available.”
Sound & Vision is an exhibition of live music photography by Kristy Delaine and Andreas Heur who helm AK Photography.
The photographer envisions there will be some 35 framed photos on exhibit, but wasn’t going to say exactly which artists would be involved.
Kristy and Andreas have been involved in taking live music shots for various print and online magazines over the last seven years. “So we now have thousands of photos sitting on our computer hard drives doing nothing.” Andreas says when asked about the pair’s first photography exhibition. “And it seemed such a shame that some of them weren’t out there. “And we realised that the Governor Hindmarsh has a nice little exhibition space and it has the demographic we were aiming for. “So it’s been nice getting some of the better photos off the hard drive and printing them up in physical form,” he continues. “And some of them look really stunning when they are printed up, framed and hanging on a wall.” Andreas goes on to say that each photo will be individually framed and sold as a one-off. “We thought it best to do that,” he says. “There are different ways of looking at all that but we thought they should be special
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“Over the years, Kristy and I have taken photos of young, up and coming Adelaide bands through to many of the major international touring artists,” Andreas says. “So there will be a huge variety although, due to the better lighting at the bigger gigs, the exhibition will tend to focus on the toptier artists. “And it was a hard choice picking out the final photos,” Andreas then continues, “because you are always going to want to have your favourite band or artist exhibited. “So there might be a photo of one or two of our favourite bands included in the exhibition, although we have tended to look much more at the quality of the photo more so than if we like the actual artist,” he concludes. Sound & Vision, opens at the Governor Hindmarsh, 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, in the dining room from 6pm on Thursday 26 March and continues for several weeks. AK Photography can be found at <akphotography.com.au>.
THE CLANGERS
THE CLANGERS By Robert Dunstan Adelaide five-piece The Clangers are all set to launch their Matt Hills-produced, four-song debut EP, so we caught up with guitarist Luke Willis, formerly drummer and guitarist of Diesel Witch, to have a chat. “We’ve done four or five gigs,” he begins, “but that was under the name Grandma’s Favourite. And I wasn’t really sure of what people were going to make of it since everything I’ve done before The Clangers has been pretty heavy. “So this is the first thing I’ve done that has some harmonies and sounds a bit ‘nice’ for want of a better word,” Luke adds. “And it’s been interesting hearing what people who know me from before say about it because The Clangers are quite different.” Noted local producer Matt Hills, who has recently sold his Hillside recording studio and plans to relocate to Tasmania later in the year, produced The Clangers’ EP. “I’d wanted to do stuff with Matt for ages,” Luke reveals, “because I’d heard he’s great to work with as a producer. And when he was recording us he came up with all these great ideas that we would have never thought of. “I had a rough idea of how we wanted it to sound – lots of reverb on the guitars and organ – but other than that, we just had the songs really,” he continues. “And in the studio I’ve always kind of taken and back seat and just do what I’m told. “So it’s really useful to be working with someone like Matt who can come up with some good ideas,” Luke adds. “It’s like I say to the band, ‘If you guys have some ideas about the songs, let me know’. I write the songs but I always think that four heads are much better than one when it comes to recording them.” The CD, which has individual cardboard packaging, will be given away at the launch. “Yeah, we’ll just be handing them out at the gig,” Luke confirms. “We thought it was better to just give it away so as many people got to hear it as possible. And when we eventually put the songs up on the internet, they will be free as well.” Many have thought that the band’s name is a tribute to Greg ‘Clanger’ Kleynjans, the original owner of the Grace Emily Hotel. “No, I never even met him,” Luke admits. “And when people have seen the launch poster on the wall at the Grace, they’ve all asked, ‘Oh, are you named after Clanger?’. And even when I dropped the EP off at Music SA for review, someone there asked the same question.
“But a couple of people in the band still think The Clangers is a pretty stupid one for a group,” he adds with a chuckle. “And we had actually thought about calling ourselves The Weevils because I thought it was a funny play on The Beatles until we found a Melbourne garage rock band called The Bo Weevils while we were searching around on the internet. “So, The Clangers it is,” Luke says without any remorse. The Clangers have arranged a strong line-up for their launch with Sasha March, Invisible Mantra and Slingshot Dragster also on the bill. “So Sasha will kick things off around 9pm,” Luke says. “She was originally going to be doing it with her band but some of them were unavailable. “And it’s cool because Pete from Slingshot Dragster has said we could use all their gear and I think he owns pretty much every vintage amp under the sun,” he then states. “We’ll easily be able to get that vintage ’60s sound happening to make it more interesting. “We used Pete’s gear at a party recently but we were only two songs into our set when the police came,” Luke sighs. “So we had to play the rest of the set at very low volume. I think I set my amp to 0.5 which is pretty funny when you think about it. “And we’d originally invited The Dunes to play at our launch and they said, ‘Yes’, until they realised they were doing their split singe launch the next night with Glass Skies. “But then Adam from The Dunes said, ‘Don’t worry as I have this other band called Invisible Mantra who can do it,” he says. “So they are now on the bill.” Luke plans to relocate to Sydney before the end of this year. “But I don’t think that will hurt the band in any way,” he considers. “I’ll still come back some weekends to play gigs. And it didn’t hurt Molting Vultures when Nick Birdman moved to Melbourne. In fact I think it helped them because he was able to make lots of contacts over there. “And it’s not as if you need to play every week in Adelaide,” he concludes. “People would get a bit sick of it if you did that.” The Clangers will launch their debut EP from 9pm on Friday 20 March at the Grace Emily Hotel, 232 Waymouth St, with help from Sasha March, Slingshot Dragster and Invisible Mantra. It’s free entry and all those in attendance will receive a CD copy of the EP.
“It was just that we didn’t like the name Grandma’s Favourite – we just thought it was a pretty weird and stupid name for a band – so we thought we’d change the name. “Clangers is actually an English television show for kids,” Luke then says of the animated BBC series that was broadcast from 1969 until 1972 and might also be from where UK band The Soup Dragons took their name due to the fact one of the characters in the delightful show is called The Soup Dragon.
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MARCH 19TH - MARCH 25TH THURSDAY 19 MARCH Bridgeway Hotel – Northern Exposure (allages rock event) Crown & Sceptre – The Pugs, Slick Arnold and Sons Of ZOKU Gaslight Tavern – The Groove Factory Jam hosted by Stefan Hauk, Theo Pangaris and Jayce Crago Gilbert Hotel – Doctor Desoto (from 7pm) Governor Hindmarsh – Front Bar: Gumbo Room Blues Jam with host Billy Bob Grace Emily – Bree D Rome (Gold Coast) and Tom West Hotel Metro – Throwing Flowers, The Luke Louie Trio and Amy McDonald Ramsgate Hotel – Phil Jamieson (Sydney) and Sean Kemp South Coast Folk Club – Edwina Hayes (UK) THE PUBLISHERS 110 FRANKLIN STREET LADY VOODOO & THE RITUALS (8pm) ROOTS/RHYTHM & BLUES Vinyl – The James Muller Quartet Whitmore – Rainbow Jam FRIDAY 20 MARCH Arkaba Hotel – Sean Robertson (Lounge Bar) British Hotel – Ben D Coopers Alehouse (Wallaroo) – Phil Jamieson (Sydney) Crown & Anchor – Andrew Swift (Melbourne), Greenthief (Melbourne), Tork and Lost Cosmonaut Crown & Sceptre – Rule Of Thirds (CD launch), Fair Maiden, Young Professionals and The Yabbies Cumberland Hotel (Glanville) – Hits (Brisbane) and Meatbeaters Governor Hindmarsh – Main Room: Kingswood (Melbourne), Lurch & Chief, The Belligerents and My Echo (Melbourne) and Saloon Bar: Irish Sessions Front Bar: Appalachian Sessions AUDIO BOX (Classic Rock Hits) CLASSIC ROCK 70’S TO NOW GASLIGHT TAVERN 36 CHIEF STREET BROMPTON Grace Emily Hotel – The Clangers (CD launch), Slingshot Dragster, Invisible Mantra and Sasha March from 9pm and free Hotel Metro – Home For The Def, Sonatine, Basty H, Totally DJs and MC Magic Johnson from 9pm Marion Hotel – Graham Lawrence (Bart’s Bar) Railway Hotel (Pt Adelaide) – Dave Robinson (5pm) Rex Hotel – Bulls On Parade and Fuse Rocket Bar – Luca Brasi (Tasmania), Gnarwolves (UK) and Tired Lion (Perth) Semaphore Workers Club – live blues with The Dirty Roots Band from 8pm Tonsley Hotel – Sonic Divas (Tavern Bar), Jonny Lee (5pm), Platinum Plus (9.30pm) (Chrysler Bar) Wheatsheaf – Emma & The Hungry Truth (Brisbane), Emily Davis and Sam Buckingham SATURDAY 21 MARCH Arkaba Hotel – Mr Buzzy (Sportys Bar) Brewboys – Lily & The Drum Bridgeway Hotel – Bruce Kulick (US), Sister Kills and Speedmachine Crown & Sceptre – Squeaker (CD launch), Dirty Playground, Alithia (Melbourne) and The Serra AFTER FRINGE LAUGH IN FABIEN CLARK & FRETS PATRICK + FABULOUS JUGGERNAUTS (8pm) COMEDY GASLIGHT TAVERN 36 CHIEF ST BROMPTON
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Governor Hindmarsh – Main Room: Seth Sentry (Melbourne), Citizen Kay (ACT) and Colin Banks (Perth) (Sold Out) and Front Bar: East Texas (free) Grace Emily – Four Kings Loud and The Bastard Sons Of Ruination Hotel Metro – Summerflake, Wireheads, Emu and Vintage Violence from 9pm JIVE – The Monikers (CD Launch), Pink Noise Generator, Emily Davis & The Rising Tides, McKenzie Marion Hotel – Franky F (5:30pm), Two Hard Basket (8:30pm) (Bart’s Bar) Pretoria Hotel (Mannum) – Agent 99 Producers Hotel – Hits (Brisbane), Meatbeaters, The Toss and Juliet Siezure & The Tremors Semaphore Port Adelaide RSL – Platinum Plus Tonsley Hotel – One Planet (Tavern Bar) Wheatsheaf Hotel – Larissa Tandy & The Strine Singers (Melbourne) and Kelly Menhennett SUNDAY 22 MARCH Arkaba Hotel – Vogue Duo (Lounge Bar) Crown & Anchor – Sunday Rubdown Crown & Sceptre – DJ Samnation from 3pm Franklin Hotel – Sav & Micky G from 3pm Fowler’s Live – DJ Yella (NWA), Tha Alkaholics, Spice-1, Curtis Young, Eazy-E3 THE JAZZ HANDS (6pm) TRAD/FUSION/JAZZ GASLIGHT TAVERN 36 CHIEF ST BROMPTON Hotel Metro – DJ Prison Bars from 4pm Leconfield Wines (McLaren Vale) – A Day On The Green: Billy Idol (UK), Cheap Trick (US), The Angels and The Choirboys (Sydney) Nook Nosh – AP D’Antonio Pretoria Hotel (Mannum) – James Abberley (1:30pm) Railway Hotel (Pt Adelaide) – Gypsy Junkies (4pm) Royal Oak – Phil Jamieson (Sydney) Semaphore Workers Club – live blues from 4pm Tonsley Hotel – Andrew Crowell (Chrysler Bar) Wheatsheaf – Naomi Keyte, Tom West and Poly Low from 4pm and free entry Whitmore Hotel – Ragged But Right MONDAY 23 MARCH Crown & Anchor – Sasha March and guests from 7pm and free entry Grace Emily Hotel – Billy Bob’s BBQ Jam The Lion Hotel – Brian Ruiz and friends Wheatsheaf – COMA Sessions (jazz) TUESDAY 24 MARCH Exeter – Bitches Of Zeus DJs Gaslight Tavern – Blues Lounge Blues Jam with special guests Gilbert St Hotel – The Airbenders Governor Hindmarsh – Adelaide Ukulele Appreciation Society Hotel Metro – Acoustic Club Tuesday The Lion Hotel – Zkye & Damo WEDNESDAY 25 MARCH Brecknock Hotel – Open Mic Night Crown & Anchor – DJ Tr!p Crown & Sceptre – Future Music Presents Side Chain Exeter – DJ Oisima Gaslight Tavern – SCALA’s Midweek Melt Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Main Room: Uriah Heep (UK), Raven Black Night and Puritan Front Bar: Open Mic Night Kensington Hotel – Uke & Play @ The Kensi The Lion Hotel – Proton Pill
THE BIZZO
MUSIC MARKETING CHECKLIST #1 - YOUR ONLINE WEB PRESENCE By Corey Stewart As mentioned in last week’s Bizzo article, I created a checklist of a basic online/offline music marketing strategy. The checklist revolved around the following points: - Web Presence - Social Media - Stationary - Product/Merchandise - Miscellaneous (Whatever is left over from the above points) As promised, I’ll be expanding on the points made in a series of five articles with this being the first. So in light of all this, let’s talk about your online web presence. Just to clarify, your web presence is different to your social media presence (which will be covered in next week’s issue). Although both exist online only one is derived from your own website which I hope you have at your disposal. If you don’t then either email us on or give us a call and we can get you started. Okay, your online web presence should consist of the following:
of interest about you, your band, your songs… Anything at all that may interest your fan base goes into the blog. The constantly changing nature of your blog will keep people coming back to your website on the hunt for new information and will keep Google happy which means your website will be found online much more easily. Personally my suggestion for a website building platform is Wordpress which provides a blog component as part of the package. Electronic Press Kit This is normally a PDF version of your offline bio/onesheet. Make sure it has the following elements included: - Elevator Pitch - Bio - Photos - Music Links (Facebook, SoundCloud) - Video Links (YouTube) - Other Social Media Links (if any) - Gig Dates Make sure you can download it from your website and that the download link is easily accessible. The last thing you want to be doing is making your website visitors jump through hoops to get their information from you. Email/Mailing List You can either create your own Email list manually using Outlook for instance or, you can use a third party emailing service such as MailChimp. Generally these services cost money but MailChimp’s free account is very generous when it comes to how many emails you can send your message to (up to 2,000 emails).
Your Website This is your most important online asset and something that needs to be constantly looked at and updated as your music career grows.
Along with your website, your email list is your most important online asset. Like your website, you have complete control over what information you send and how it is presented.
I can’t stress enough the importance of making sure that you have your own website under your own domain name (www.yourbandname.com) and your own web hosting rather than using a free service.
A regular newsletter is a great way to keep your fans up-to-date on everything that is going on with you and your music. It’s also a great way to notify them about upcoming gigs and how to purchase your quality products/merchandise.
The main reason why your online music marketing needs to centre around your website rather than say your Facebook page is that with your website you maintain control of how you present your information at all times. With social media you are always at the behest of whoever owns the social media site (try getting some consistency with Facebook).
Of course every act/band is different and what I have mentioned in this article is not set in concrete however, this is the basic checklist for your online web presence. If you need any help getting started or need some general guidance along the way feel free to email info@bsidemagazine.com.au or call us on 8346 9899 and we’ll be able to help you out.
Your Blog As part of your website, your blog is the very thing that maintains the interactivity component of your website. The blog is where you put your gig dates, your articles
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