X-Press Magazine #1352

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MAC ATTACK

2012 was chock-a-block for Kid Mac, with the acclaimed artist releasing his debut album No Man’s Land, while also scoring two nominations at the AFI Awards for his film Fighting Fear!, and being filmed for a new reality show called The Crew, which will premiere of Foxtel on February 10. Riding high, Kid Mac will coast into town on Wednesday, January 16, for a show at the Indi Bar; followed by a set at Mojos Bar on Thursday, January 17; Settlers Tavern in Margaret River on Friday, January 18; Prince of Wales in Bunbury on Saturday, January 19; and last but not least, at Clancy’s in Dunsborough on Sunday, January 20. Tickets are on sale now from the venues.

Kid Mac

Anthony Hopkins, Hitchcock

CINEMA UNDER THE STARS

A look into the life of the charismatic Alfred Hitchcock, Sacha Gervasi’s Hitchcock stars Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren and Scarlett Johansson in a complex love story about the making of the director’s most legendary film. Catch Hitchcock under the stars at Camelot Outdoor Cinema tonight, Wednesday, January 9, with a special pre-screening celebration with music by Paul Gioia and delicious paella from Simply Paella. Tickets will be on sale on the door.

Hitchcock is reviewed in this week’s issue on page 20.

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Reactions/ Comp

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Flesh

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Music: Marduk/ Vengaboys/ Axewound/ Comeback Kid

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Emily Andersen, Love In The Key Of Britpop @ Fringeworld

WORLD CLASS WONDERS AT FRINGE

Now that Chrissie and New Year are done and dusted, and the relatives have all gone home (thank goodness for that!), the countdown is on to the 2013 Fringe World Festival, which is set to take over Perth and its surrounds from January 25 ’til February 24.

A month-long celebration of weird, wonderful and sometimes wacky entertainment, Fringe World will bring a bevy of amazing performers to our doorstep, including a slew of musical masterminds paying tribute to some of the industry’s biggest names.

A tribute to the one and only Liza Minnelli, Trevor Ashley presents Liza (On An E), a hilarious look at the life of this huge music personalit y ; while the always charismatic Catherine Alcorn will celebrate the brash, bawdy and bigger than Ben Hur life of Bette Midler and Stratosfunk will relive the music of Etta James in Tell Mama, a high energy show full of blues, Metro Fremantle madness rock and roll, soul and gospel. Lovers of the likes Photo: Michael Wylie of Blur, Oasis and their musical colleagues won’t want to miss out on Emily Andersen’s spoken word Fringe World show, which is all about a two Ain’t no party like a long weekend party, and this Australia Day, Metropolis Fremantle is set to go off – like a young lovers caught up in the world of Britpop. prawn in the sun. More Aussie than Barry Humphries in a frock, the Frat House Fridays Australia Day Beach Entitled Love In The Key Of Britpop, this unique Party will take over Metropolis Fremantle on Friday, January 25, for a huge day of patriotic entertainment and show examines music, relationship and feminist green and gold shenanigans. Things will cool off considerably the following day, when Metropolis gives Freo conundrums and contradictions.

Tickets and show info can be found online its first ever snow party; followed by a UV Party on Sunday, January 27. Weekend passes are available if you’re at fringeworld.com.au. game enough to attend all three shindigs, or individual show passes are on sale now from oztix.com.au.

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE

Hoodoo Gurus, set to rock Rottnest Photo: Denis Radacic

Music: Animal Collective/ Vampire Weekend

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New Noise

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Eye4 Cover: Barry Humphries

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Eye4 News/ Movies: Hitchcock/ Starbuck/

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Eye4 Movies: Sightseers/ Gangster Squad

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Eye4 Arts Stories/ Lifestyle

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Eye4 Arts List

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Salt Cover Story: The Presets

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Salt: Cover Story/ Rewind: Summadayze/

Ken Scott Interview

HOODOO YOU DO?

The historic Hotel Rottnest will play host to iconic musos The Hoodoo Gurus come March, promising a seaside show not to be missed. As the sea breeze wafts over the golden sands of Rottnest on Sunday, March 3, Hoodoo Gurus will take to the stage under the summer sun, celebrating 30 years in the biz with a retrospective show full of their greatest hits. Fresh from releasing a best-of album, Gold Watch, Hoodoo Gurus are champing at the bit to return to Rotto, and fans are counting down the days to this special island show. Don’t delay, get your tickets now from Heatseeker.com.au.

Feed Me/ Boys Noize 28

Salt: Club Guide/ Scenery/ In The Diary

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Scene: Pub Scene/ Live: Southbound

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Scene: Pub Blurbs

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Scene: Local

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Tour Trails

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Gig Guide

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Volume

Cover: Vampire Weekend play Big Day Out on Monday, January 28

Salt Cover: The Presets play Metro Freo on Thursday, January 31 6

ICMC Keynote speaker, Agostino Di Scipio

COMPUTER CAMP

For the first time in nearly 40 years, The International Computer Music Conference will be held in Perth, bringing with it the leading exponents of electronic and acoustic music from around the globe.

Presented by Tura New Music in association with The International Computer Music Association, Edith Cowan University and The Australasian Computer Music Association, The Conference will be based in the Perth Culture Centre, and the theme for this year’s festivities is IDEA - International Developments in ElectroAcoustics.

If you’re interested in getting involved hit up icmc2013.com.au for more info.

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with Casey Hayes... Send your name, address and daytime phone number to win@xpressmag.com.au with the name of the competition in the subject line or enter online at www.xpressmag.com.au. Snail mail entries can be sent to Locked Bag 31, West Perth 6872. Entries close 4pm Monday.

By entering you agree to X-Press Magazine’s Terms & Conditions which can be found online. All competition entries will automatically enable you to become an X-Press subscriber! No details will be given to a third party.

Print and Digital Editions Publisher/Manager Joe Cipriani Editorial

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Managing Editor Bob Gordon: editor@xpressmag.com.au Fashion Editor Emma Bergmeier: fashion@xpressmag.com.au Dance Music & Features Editor Annabel Maclean: danceeditor@xpressmag.com.au Local Music & Arts Editor Travis Johnson: localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au Gig & Event Guides Co-ordinator Casey Hayes - guide@xpressmag.com.au Entertainment Services Co-ordinator / Competitions Melissa Erpen - win@xpressmag.com.au Photography Callum Ponton, Stefan Caramia, Daniel Grant, Sammy Granville, Matt Jelonek, Denis Radacic, Emma Mackenzie, Guang-Hui Chuan, Max Fairclough Contributing Writers Henry Andersen, Ashleigh Whyte, Nina Bertok, Shaun Cowe, Derek Cromb,Chris Gibbs,Alfred Gorman,George Green,Alex Griffin,Chris Havercroft, Joshua Hayes, Brendan Holben, Coral Huckstep, Travis Johnson,Rezo Kezerashvili,Tara Lloyd,Adam Morris,Andrew Nelson, Chloe Papas,Tom Varian,Ben Watson,Jessica Willoughby,Miki Mclay, Morgan Richards, James Manning, Joe Cassidy, Shane Pinnegar For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au

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Movies By Burswood is Perth’s family-friendly affordable outdoor cinema donating all its profits to local charities. With a stack of popular films screening all season, we have a bunch of double passes to giveaway! Enter now to be in the running.

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Wolfgang Gartner

WOLFGANG GARTNER

There’s one name in electronic music that stands head and shoulders above his peers in dance music: Wolfgang Gartner. Prepare yourselves – he’s hitting Villa on Friday, February 1, as part of his big Australian tour showcasing his latest release Overdose.

To celebrate this killer tour, X-Press Magazine and Production 9213 2854 Boomtick are giving one lucky reader the chance to win a VIP prize pack consisting of VIP tickets to the Production Co-ordinator show, an exclusive meet and greet with Wolfgang Uli Mauersberg production@xpressmag.com.au Gartner, a personally signed block mount plus some Art Director sneaky drinks to get the party started. All you have Dwight O’Neil to do is write in and tell us what your ultimate gang Design + Production art@xpressmag.com.au name would be! (EG: Gorilla gang) You can do this Andy Quilty, Anthony Jackson, Kasia Mazurkiewicz via e-mail or our Facebook page! Get cracking as you Printing don’t want to miss this!

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Sonic Boom Box 2013

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SONIC BOOM BOX 2013

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Sonic Boom Box 2013 is mixed by two of the world’s hottest dance acts: Avicii and Feenixpawl. Featuring tracks and remixes from Calvin Harris, Florence + The Machine, Deadmau5 and more, this is an absolute must that every dance music and festival fan should have streaming out of their stereos all summer. Get your entries to win one of five copies we have up for grabs.

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Deadlines EDITORIAL General: Friday 5pm,, Eye4 Arts: Thursday 10am, Comp’ Thing: Monday Noon,, Salt Clubs: Monday 5pm , Local Scene: Monday Noon,, Gig Guide: Monday 5pm ADVERTISING Cancellations: Monday 5pm, Ads to be set: Monday Noon Supplied Bookings / Copy: Tuesday 12 Noon, Classifieds: Monday 4pm Published by: Columbia Press Pty.Ltd. A.C.N. 066 570 803 Registered by Australia Post. Publication No PP600110.00006 Suite 55/102 Railway Street, City West Business Centre, West Perth, WA 6005 Locked Bag 31, West Perth, WA 6872 Phone: (08) 9213 2888 Fax: (08) 9213 2882 Website: http://www.xpressmag.com.au

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We have three killer CD prize packs up for grabs consisting of Armin van Buuren’s Universal Religion Vol. 6, Sharam’s Night & Day and the newbie from Marcus Schulz, Scream. Enter now for your chance to win this incredible prize pack of electronic music.

Nervo play Future Music Festival

FUTURE MUSIC

From the crew that started iconic festivals S u m m a d a y z e a n d Fu t u r e M u s i c, Fu t u r e Entertainment have released a new compilation CD - Future Sounds Of Summer 2013. Remixed

by Australia’s #1 DJs the Stafford Brothers and trendsetting DJ sisters, Nervo, you won’t find a more banging soundtrack to your summer than this! Both acts will be in town for Future Music Festival on Sunday, March 3, and one lucky winner will score a double pass to Future Music as well as a copy of Future Sounds Of Summer 2013. Enter now for your chance to win this awesome prize.

Mumford & Sons: The Road To Red Rocks

MUMFORD & SONS: THE ROAD TO RED ROCKS

The Road To Red Rocks, a live concert film of Mumford & Sons amphitheatre shows in Colorado earlier this year, is out now. The film was shot by long term collaborators Fred & Nick and also includes footage taken on the Gentlemen Of The Road touring circuit in America this summer. We have two copies of this DVD up for grabs so enter now for your chance to win.

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BREATHE EASY

Hailing from Mandurah, ‘scum rockers’ The Lungs have been doing what they do best for nigh on 15 years, and in 2013, they want to get out of sunny WA for a trip to NSW to play at OI! Fest in NSW. Only problem is, the band’s coffers are dry, so The Lungs are hosting an epic fundraiser on Friday, January 11, at Metropolis Fremantle with support from their good mates Creature, The Reptilians, Lucille, Bob Gordons, Blazin’ Entrails and DJ Hate on the decks. Doors open 9pm.

M.I.A. live @ Summadayze - Photo: Brandon Davies

Emoh Instead

MUST BE EMOH

His fans include the likes of Tiga, Nero, Flosstradamus, Diplo and Baauer, so you know Chris Emerson, AKA Emoh Instead, must be doing something right.

Emerson has been keeping busy since his debut set in Perth 18 months ago, collabing with Flume and remixing tracks for Major Lazer, A-Trak and Kimbra.

Things aren’t set to slow down for the Sydney-based music maker any time soon, with an Emoh Instead tour set to touch down in Perth for a show at Ambar on Friday, February 1, with support from Philly Blunt, Mr Ed, Genga, Benny P and 4BY4. Doors open at 10pm and door sales are $15.

Pete Murphy

BAUHAUS IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR STREET

Goth rock legend Peter Murphy brings the shadows and the sounds to The Bakery tonight, Wednesday January 9. The dark duke will be playing a wide selection of hits from both his solo career and his tenure with Bauhaus. Local support comes from doom merchants Fear of Comedy (see interview in Local Scene on page 32. Tickets are available at the door.

SUMMADAYZE Paterson’s Stadium Sunday, January 6, 2013

Temperatures soared to a sizzling 38c on Sunday as a crop of international DJs descended on Subiaco’s Paterson’s Stadium for Summadayze 2013.

Sprawling across three outdoor stages, with the biggest on the football oval itself, colourful (and often shirtless) electro music fans were out in force, getting on down to the dance-heavy line-up.

International headliners The Chemical Brothers took to the main stage as the sun went down, delivering a bouncing hour of block-rockinbeats to a crowd armed with luminous foam batons. While the duo’s best known tracks were noticeably absent, no one could argue that Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands have still got it, even 20 years after they burst on to the dance scene.

Hotting up the afternoon was trance veteran Eddie Halliwell, who joined Summadayze as part of his international tour to drop a selection of solid remixes, helping the assembled oval crowd break a sweat. Fedde Le Grand, too, encouraged some spirited shape-throwing from a delighted crowd.

Other headliners included unexpected crowd pleaser M.I.A, whose energetic vocals, body popping and stage diving went down a treat. The epic performance came to its climax with the London based rapper inviting “bad

LICENSE TO SUCCEED

The Hives @ Southbound - Photo: Michael Wylie

SOUTHBOUND AS EVER

Southbound abounded in Busselton last weekend with stirring sets from The Hives, Flaming Lips, Best Coast, Hilltop Hoods and a glorious sunshiney vibe throughout. Turn to Live on page 30 for our thoughts and recollections of the weekend. A review, in other words.

Margaret River’s Settlers Tavern will play host to a panel of expert music industry peeps on Thursday, February 21, when WAM and the Emergence Creative Festival present Sync To Swim, a behind-the-scenes look into the world of music licensing.

Lifting the veil on the world of sync licensing and the opportunities it affords musicians, the panel will feature creative directors, publishers and representatives from the worlds of marketing, syncing, publishing, television and film.

Want to get along? WAM is inviting musicians to submit one recorded track they believe is ‘licensing ready’ and seven winners will receive return transfers to Margaret River, feedback from the expert panel and a paid invitation to perform after the panel discussion. Submissions close on Monday, January 14; find out all the deets at alturl.com/tbhxy

bitches” at the front to join her on stage (much to the dismay of event security.) All round magic.

Producer Mark Ronson was a surprise hit too, with his crop of danced-up pop remixes.

Who knew a remix of Adele’s Rolling In The Deep could inspire such enthusiasm? Kitted out with drums and saxophones, Sam And The Womp, meanwhile, provided some originality with their Balkan-electric toe-tappers; crowds were particularly pleased to hear the three piece’s hit, Bom Bom, and revellers came running from all directions on the tune’s first bar.

A definite favourite was newcomers, Disclosure. Fresh from supporting Hot Chip on their recent UK tour, Brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence are one to watch this year.

Aged just 17 and 20, the duo wowed the night time crowd with their crafty garagehouse style tunes and euphoric vocals.

Despite the stellar line-up, crowds seemed embarrassingly low in some places, with the legendary Erol Alkan gathering only a small crowd for the final slot at the Dancedayze stage. Forced to contend with Booka Shade on the neighbouring The Likes of You stage, the atmosphere was undeservedly low for Alkan and crossover noise pollution a problem.

Despite a chronic lack of shade it was a smashing day out. _ ARRAN MORTON

STRANGER WORSHIP

They’ve played at internationally acclaimed festivals such as All Tomorrows Parties and Primavera, have recorded and released two full-length albums and countless EPs, and in 2013, Brooklyn locals A Place To Bury Strangers will release their highly anticipated third album, Worship. Set to attract a sea of hardcore die-hards, A Place To Bury Strangers will hit up The Rosemount on Friday, January 18, with support from French Rockets. Tickets are on sale now from oztix.com.au

LET’S BE FRANK

Two acclaimed Australian singer/songwriter/ storytellers will join forces this March for what promises to be two truly captivating live shows.

David Bridie and Frank Yamma, each acclaimed artists in their own right, will take centre stage at the Fly By Night on Friday, March 1, followed by a set at the Nannup Music Festival soon after. Both artists have distinct musical voices and know how to weave truly beautiful musical magic, so their shows together are bound to be moving and memorable.

Tickets for the Fly By Night show are on sale now from the venue. The Nannup Music Festival runs from March 1-4, and tickets are on sale now from nannupmusicfestival.org.

A Place To Bury Strangers

WANNA BE ON TOP?

NO BEEF WITH REEF

Hailing from Philadelphia, emcee Reef The Lost Cauze is as fierce on stage as he is in rap battles, and come February 8, Perth hip hop fans will get to catch him live at the Civic Hotel. Since starting his music career at the tender age of 19, Reef has worked with the likes of Gym Class Heroes, Jedi Mind Tricks and Termanology, winning over fans and critics alike with his ferocious freestyling skills. 2013 is set to be a big year for Reef, kicking off with an Australian tour that no hip hop aficionado can afford to miss.

Hit up facebook.com/DownUnderGroundEvents for more deets. www.xpressmag.com.au

Lord

GOING DIGITAL

A metal force not to be messed with, Sydney-siders Lord are packing their bags and hitting the road in support of their new album Digital, bringing their full throttle live show to P-town in February. Touring with local metal heads Silent Knight, who are also launching a new album entitled Masterplan, Lord will roll into town for a show at Amplifier on Friday, February 15, with support from Death Dependant and Broken Silence. For more info hit up lord.net.au or silentknightband.com.

Have you ever dreamt of being plucked from obscurity and becoming Australia’s Next Top Model? Have you always wanted to travel the world visiting the most exotic locations? Wear designer clothing whilst being photographed for the most prestigious fashion magazines across the globe? Strut the catwalk in Milan, Paris or New York?

Following the success of 2011 Top Model winner Montana Cox - who, in a few short months, was transformed from unknown suburban Year 12 high school student into one of the most in demand models on the circuit - Australia’s Next Top Model is now looking for girls with the potential to win the next season of the hugely popular FOX8 series and launch themselves an international modelling career.

If you think you’ve got what it takes, open auditions are being held on Monday, January 14, at Forrest Place in the City - but don’t forget to first download an application form and check out the full details and terms and conditions from fox8.tv.

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COMEBACK KID

Comeback Kid

By Name And Nature Canadian hardcore kids Comeback Kid have decided to get all-nostalgic as they celebrate their 10th anniversary this year. With their fifth album in the works, vocalist Andrew Neufeld reveals some exciting news to JESSICA WILLOUGHBY ahead of their show tonight, Wednesday, January 9, at Amplifier and tomorrow, Thursday, January 10, at YMCA HQ (all-ages).

Comeback Kid founder and lead vocalist Scott Wade has rejoined their ranks after more than six years.

Although he only spent four years with the band, Wade’s contribution helped in those allimportant formulative stages. When long touring commitments became burden, he made the hard decision that it was time to go, with longstanding rhythm guitarist Andrew Neufeld left to fill his shoes.

Taking these Canadian hardcore kids into a new era, Neufeld injected more ‘punk rock’ into the outfit – with darker tones also making some headway.

But now, on the eve of their 10th anniversary, the boys want to celebrate the occasion by reigniting that original flame. Wade will be stepping behind the microphone once again for a slew of shows throughout 2013 on home soil and, reportedly, Europe to play the band’s first album, Turn It Around.

Although he won’t be making it down under, Neufeld says Wade’s involvement in this limited run of shows has brought a renewed energy to the old hits. “When Scott left, it was hard to imagine us going on without him,” Neufeld says. “I mean, he was the one who named us and helped to make us coherent in those early years. It was really hard for me to step up to the plate.

“But we’ve been friends with him forever and we understood why he had to go. We were

doing 10-month tours at the time and they were just conflicting too much with his life. He’s always said he felt like he was the ‘anchor’ holding us back, but that never was the case and I hope he knows that. We just seriously can’t wait to have him on-board again, even if it is only for a few shows.”

Currently writing the follow-up to 2010’s Symptoms + Cures, a more positive turn after their previous effort, Neufeld points to the band being in no rush to release.

“2013 will mainly just be us focusing on the anniversary shows I think,” he says. “But I’m not saying that we won’t release an album. We just like to do things in small pockets, you know? We’re hopefully looking to have a release by the end of this year, if everything goes to plan. And I have no idea where it is going to take us musically because we are still in the early stages. I haven’t even done lyrics yet but they are usually the hardest part for me.

“In all of our songs, we’re going to sing about what’s going on – whether it’s positive or negative. I’d definitely like to be better at writing positive lyrics that aren’t cheesy, so that’s kind of like a challenge. It’s always last in the songwriting process.

I come up with riffs no problem but arranging vocals, that’s definitely the great demand on me as a songwriter. So who knows what I am going to come up with at this stage.”

Marduk

MARDUK Within After almost six years, Swedish black metal tyrants Marduk will be back on Australian soil this week, kicking off with a show at Amplifier this Thursday, January 10. Founder Morgan ‘Evil’ Steinmeyer Håkansson tells JESSICA WILLOUGHBY why their music still teams of its chaotic origins.

“We were meant to do a tour in Belarus last year but - still under one of the last dictatorships in the world - we were banned by the Great Prosecutor there,” Marduk founder Morgan ‘Evil’ Steinmeyer Håkansson says of the band’s recent touring plights.

“I take that as a compliment.”

Audiences and their host countries have come a long way in the past 30 years. Instead of calling on their bible-bashing days when controversial acts come to town, many now opt to let the fans enjoy the music. But where is the myth? The ‘70s and ‘80s brought with it a time of great conflict as bands built their reputation not only from their instrumental concoctions, but also from their live affairs.

Swedish quartet Marduk are particularly diabolical. On roots seeded in the ‘90s, they were one of the last to really ride the first wave of black metal to its hilt. With lyrical content branching from Satanism to the Third Reich, the clash between those with fierce Christian beliefs was expected in the early years. But they tend to be a distant memory now, according to Evil.

“That was a long time ago, it happened a lot in the ’90s and it was kind of enjoyable to see them flee the place you know?”, he says. “But it also wasn’t great when you couldn’t play a show. We didn’t really think this kind of behaviour would still be going

on today. So we had to change the planned Belarus tour to pass through far-east Russia instead.

“The prosecutor said, ‘They (Marduk) are preaching Satanism and being offensive to all of our Christians in the country and they sing songs about death and the Third Reich and their music can only be described as destructive’.

“Of course this is correct. I can accept it, you know? But it’s stupid with the dictatorships forbidding music. I mean it’s 2013. But it was still flattering for us.”

The barring happened just weeks before the release of the band’s 12th offering, Serpent Sermon.

Aptly titled, in line with recent events, Evil pointed to the LP being straightforward in its message. “We definitely leaned towards the more religious on this album,” he says. “That is why we did the Iron Dawn EP the year prior, so we didn’t mix topics on this release.

And it is now our most diabolical piece yet.

“To be honest, our content hasn’t changed much over the years. We believe in what we do, so we just let the energy flow and see where it takes us. We’re not that kind of band that has to be experimental for the sake of just being different. I’d rather unleash what you feel is coming from within.

That’s more important than trying to develop a certain direction. We just do what we do and we’ll keep doing that.”

VENGABOYS Bus And Them

It’s been 15 years since the Vengaboys first steered the Vengabus into the world’s pop charts. They’re behind the wheel again, rolling into Metropolis Fremantle on Saturday, January 19.

CORAL HUCKSTEP speaks to Vengagirl, Kim Sasabone, ahead of their Bussing To The Beach Australian tour.

AXEWOUND Vulture Culture

AxeWound

British/Canadian heavy supergroup AxeWound have released their debut album, Vultures. SHANE PINNEGAR reports.

When Joe Copcutt parted ways with metal band Rise To Remain last January the bass player had no firm plans on what to do next, but as chance would have it, Bullet For My Valentine guitarist Matt Tuck and Cancer Bats vocalist, Liam Cormier, had a modern metal supergroup brewing, and quickly enlisted their former tour partner for the bassist role.

“Yeah, literally the week after I left Rise To Remain I got the call from Matt going, ‘Do you fancy jumping on board? It’s a bit last minute but…’ and I was like, ‘Hell yeah! This sounds great!’. So it all worked out really well!”

Copcutt is calling from his parent’s bungalow in Bath, in the South West of England, having just come off a mini tour with AxeWound and is “just chilling out for a few days in the middle of nowhere, really.”

AxeWound is rounded out by Pitchshifter’s Jason Bowld on drums and guitarist Mike Kingswood from Glamour Of The Kill on guitar, but it was Tuck and Bowld who got the ball rolling.“They were writing a lot earlier on,” Copcutt reflects,“before me and Mike even jumped on board.”

The end result, Vultures, is a masterpiece of modern metal, combining elements of all the members’ primary bands with strong influences of traditional metal such as Slayer, Venom and early Metallica.

“Yeah, there’s some straight up hardcore, with traditional metal elements in there as well,” Copcutt concurs. “Black metal, Slayer - it really feels like a mixture of what’s been on the scene for the past 20 12

years or so all rolled into one, which is awesome.”

As for down sides with a band where different members live in different countries. “It’s a bit of a challenge obviously with Cormier over in Canada and Tuck in Wales. It can get a bit hectic but luckily it has all worked out. Obviously balancing all the schedules is quite a tricky thing, but that’s what makes it cool, that it’s a side project, not a full blown thing.”

As the tongue-in-cheek band name implies, these guys are out for fun, first and foremost.

“Matt’s fiancé actually came up with the name, funnily enough, which is cool. It kind of goes with what we’re saying about the whole sound of the record and the fact that it is a collaboration and we’re having fun with it. If people want to call it a supergroup then that’s flattering to be honest but personally I just see it as buddies getting together and making a rad collaboration and having a great time, you know? We just love what we do, and we go out and have a really good time. I think the kids have seen that reaction and I think they quite like that - that we’re not taking things too seriously, it’s just a good laugh.”

Copcutt has another – as yet unnamed – project due for release in early 2013 and until then AxeWound will be scheduling dates around the various members’ main bands, but for now it seems he’s just happy chilling at the folks’ house.

Going straight from the mayhem of a heavy metal tour to quiet rest time with mum and dad must be a slight change of pace, perhaps?

“Yeah,” he says laughing, “just a little bit!

One extreme to the other.”

If the 1990s were a scrapbook, the Vengaboys would occupy a double page spread. They’d be indexed between 1997 and 1999 and dusted in glitter and sand, a technicolour reminder of the sun-soaked parties and global craziness that surrounded their origins.

While their rivals of the time have enjoyed brief reunions before slinking back into oblivion, the Vengaboys have mostly stayed together since their debut. While studio time may have been non-existent – their most recent single was Rocket To Uranus in 2010, and before that Forever As One in 2001 – but it was the constant demand for Vengatours across the globe that saw them through the noughties until now.

Frontwoman Kim Sasabone admits even the group were surprised by their longevity.

“People would say, ‘oh you guys are just one hit wonders’, and of course you don’t want to believe it but there’s going to be a voice in the back of your head that says ‘maybe we will be one hit wonders’.

So we tried to just enjoy every moment,” Sasabone says.

They’ve since sold 20 million singles and five million albums to date, with We Like To Party, Boom Boom Boom Boom, Shalala Lala, and We’re Going To Ibiza becoming instant hits in Australia.

They worked until 2004, re-shuffled their line-up, broke up, and resumed again in 2006. “Our fans are the reason we came back,” Sasabone says. “I think about the people who take the effort to buy tickets and come to our shows, and it gives me a boost of energy.”

Sasabone recalls relishing the ordinary things during the group’s hiatus. “I just did nothing,” she says. “I would call up friends and have coffee… you know, just the things that you can’t do when you’re on a tour bus all the time.”

Vengaboys But it didn’t hold. After being pursued by British fans, she realised there was still an insatiable demand for the Vengaboys.

“I thought I may just call my old buddies up and see what happens,” she says. Sasabone, Denise Post-Van Rijswijk, Robin Pors and Donny “Ma’Donny” Latupeirissa reformed before European audiences, then brought their act to Australia last year, inspiring other ‘90s groups such as Aqua, S Club, Eiffel 65 and N-Trance to follow suit. “We were the first band from the ‘90s who came back to Australia,” Sasabone says. “We were actually the pioneers!”

It seems Australia has made quite an impression on the group. “There aren’t any words to describe what a warm welcome we had last year.

Originally we started out doing five or six shows but it went so well that we ended up doing 10 concerts, which was just amazing,” Sasabone says.

And is it as easy for the fab four as it was 15 years ago?

“When my alarm goes off and it’s still early in the morning, it hurts,” Sasabone laughs.

Otherwise, they’re just how they left us; so expect cowboy hats, sailor caps, tassels, micro skirts and latex heels at their WA gig. And most of all, expect a party, ‘90s style.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

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VAMPIRE WEEKEND ANIMAL COLLECTIVE Centipede Sounds

There’s two particularly odd things about Animal Collective. The first is the band’s popularity. Their music may be pop at heart, but it’s riven with enough druggy surrealism and avant-garde experiment to make for a pretty gritty listen. Yet, they headline major international festivals the world over, and are signed to a subsidiary of the planet’s largest and most indomitable major label. KRISSI WEISS investigates ahead of the band’s Big Day Out appearance on Monday, January 28, at Claremont Showgrounds.

Contra Band

Vampire Weekend will appear at the Big Day Out on Monday, January 28, at Claremont Showgrounds. Multi-instrumentalist/co-songwriter, Rostam Batmanglij - who spent some of Vampire Weekend’s downtime working with recently defunct rap outfit, Das Racist - lets LACHLAN KANONIUK in on what’s in store for their upcoming album.

Vampire Weekend

Animal Collective The second curiosity is the name – ‘collective’ implies a sort of internal equality, and the music’s dense arrangements back this up, suggesting a communal approach that weighs ideas equally. But it often feels as though one voice in particular rings louder than the others.

Although Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear) and Josh Dibb (Deakin) have both contributed songs, the vast majority of each album is given to the fidgety avant-pop of David Portner (Avey Tare).

The fact that his snarling vocals seem the most prominent might not be enough to support this hypothesis. But given that Lennox went solo to fully nurture his extraordinary songs, and that Dibb’s first and sole contribution came only recently after a hiatus from the group, you do have to wonder.

If there is internal conflict in Animal Collective, then it certainly doesn’t get in the way of the music. Creatively resilient bands often have a current of social tension stoking their coals, and the bristling clutter of work like 2007’s meticulously gristly Strawberry Jam would not have been nearly as compelling if a single person had been pushing all the buttons. Their most recent offering, Centipede Hz, marks a return to the ‘band’ approach of earlier records. Over the past five years, their immersive arrangements have leant heavily on computers and samplers, but here, guitars and drums are the base materials. Still, most of the songs appear to have been penned by Portner. “ We knew that we wanted to do something more performance-based, or rooted in performance,” he says. “The room that we started writing the songs and practicing in was pretty small. We were packed in there pretty tight, with the drums and everything, I feel like the impulse was to kind of just crank it up, which lent a lot of the songs a way more driving and propulsive feel.”

This energy is plain to hear. The hooks on Centipede Hz are infectiously melodic, etching themselves into your memory after even a single listen. It’s also strangely great to hear Animal Collective actually riffing – Today’s Supernatural and Moonjock, in particular, have some surprisingly cathartic stadium-sized guitar rock moments.

Throughout, pieces are laced with snatches of faux-radio announcements and warped ad stings.

These almost feel like a nod to retro revivalists like Ariel Pink or Neon Indian, evoking fuzzy facsimiles of tinny AM-broadcasts from decades past.

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“It’s not so much ‘lost’ radio signals but my feeling that these everyday radio jingles and segments are like strange alien sound collages in themselves,” notes Portner. “I’m really into how, through art, we can disassociate things from their everyday meanings or uses.”

This comment points to one of the most refreshing things about Animal Collective: their willingness to fully inhabit the notion at the heart of psychedelia, to step away from your preconceptions and welcome the opportunity to perceive things differently. “ To me, a lot of modern music – especially popular music – doesn’t communicate anything but a notion to mingle in the realm of capitalism and is created for such a purpose,” says Portner. “I think a lot of American music has lost its

“I’m really into how, through art, we can disassociate things from their everyday meanings or uses” sense of mythology. Maybe this has something to do with capitalism. I think it’s more interesting to think of creating music in terms of mythology. To think about lost archetypes and ties to cultures of the past. It’s also interesting to think about creating new mythologies that young generations can relate to or make their own. Even if it’s just for fun.

“I think there’s a sense of discovery and freedom involved in our music or that is exhibited in our songs or in our live performances, and I think that somehow triggers feelings or notions of childhood within people,” says Portner. “For me, our music is very immediate and focused on the present and what is happening at any given moment. It really isn’t about looking back at childhood except for a few cases. But maybe it’s also true that children perceive the world in a very present, immediate sort of way. They aren’t as concerned with the past or future like adults are and so in that way we become like them while we are making music.”

It’s been relatively quiet on the Vampire Weekend front since the 2010 release of Contra, the band’s well-received follow-up to their breakthrough debut.

Anticipation has been steadily building for the outfit’s third album, with the first taste coming in the form of Unbelievers, which the band debuted on Jimmy Kimmel Live replete with skeletal Halloween makeup.

“I think we feel very good about it. There’s a spirit to it that we’re proud of. It feels like fresh ground for us. I think what’s defined us is this subtle complexity that’s always there,” Rostam Batmanglij states.

“We’ve always driven toward simplicity, but with that underlying complexity that never leaves. I think that’s important in all of our songs that they exhibit these things. We’re not afraid of simplicity. On a more emotional level, I can say that we are hard on ourselves and we weren’t going to settle for a song that was just ‘good’ on this record, we wanted to rise above ‘good’ to be ‘great’.”

Listening to the next crop of Australian artists rising through our airwaves, there’s a noticeable strain of Vampire Weekend’s influence shining through. It’s an effect that belies the groups relatively recent emergence. “Well it’s an honour,” Batmanglij says. “I wish any them well; I wish any band well in making music. I think music is the most rewarding thing you can try to do and it’s the hardest thing that you can try to do. It’s not something that always comes naturally, that’s why I love it. There’s depth to it because of that. I guess I feel lucky and I feel honoured, and it’s something that I work on every day of my life. Personally, I have not heard many Vampire Weekend soundalike bands, but I’d be curious to.”

Projecting a distinct, yet understated visual aesthetic since their inception, Vampire Weekend ran into some legal trouble with the album art for Contra, with the subject of a vintage Polaroid launching a lawsuit claiming the image was used without her permission. As for the artwork for album number three, Batmanglij isn’t taking any chances.

“Well we have an image that I really love, and I hope we get to use it and get clearance.

There’s some controversy in there. Well it’s not exactly controversy, but there are some hurdles in order to get the clearance. I do think it’s special and hopefully we’ll be able to get it.

“I’ll say that there is the aesthetic shift with the music, and it signifies that. There’s a shift in tone and personality and I think that it signifies that as well.”

Extracurricular to Vampire Weekend, Batmanglij produced a track for Das Racist, plus appeared in their Michael Jackson film clip. Did their recent break-up surprise him?

“Yes and no. I think that when you start a band in college, there are changes that you can undergo – you might grow closer, you might grow apart. You might need to grow apart in order to get closer. That’s something I can relate to. I don’t know if it’s the end for Das Racist and I don’t know what’s going to happen with them.”

Like Das Racist, Vampire Weekend had their genesis in college. But where Das Racist combusted, Rostam feels that Vampire Weekend have grown stronger.

“Me and Ezra (Koenig, vocals) have a songwriting partnership, one that over the course of the records has grown much stronger. In some ways, I feel like we’re leaning on each other more. The majority of the past records were the result of our songwriting partnership and on this new record I feel like so much of what was written was an intertwining of us, individually, as songwriters. I guess we have grown closer.”

As well as production work, Batmanglij has released solo material under the title Boys Like Us and also appeared on the collaboration with Kid Cudi and Best Coast on the 2010 hit, All Cummer. As he explains, these outlets provide a musical respite from his full-time group.

“Me and Ezra (Koenig, vocals) have a songwriting partnership, one that over the course of the records has grown much stronger. In some ways, I feel like we’re leaning on each other more.

The majority of the past records were the result of our songwriting partnership and on this new record I feel like so much of what was written was an intertwining of us, individually, as songwriters. I guess we have grown closer.”

“I think the purpose is being able to breathe. The result is that I get inspired to make more music, rather than getting drained. I think if you listen to the songs that I put out on my own, or the song I collaborated with Kid Cudi and Best Coast on, I think it becomes clear that they’re inhabiting distinct worlds, in the same ecosystem maybe, but they have their own worlds. I think sometimes if you have a dream you have to chase it down. I think I’m inspired to write more music and in the past year or so it’s been in the context of the band.”

We can expect Vampire Weekend to be performing new material when they arrive in Australia for the Big Day Out. Just how many new tracks we can expect to hear remains uncertain.

“I think we’ll be playing somewhere between a couple and a handful,” Batmanglij states.

Keep your ears peeled.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

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ANBERLIN Vital

SHELBY LYNNE Live At McCabe’s

Universal

Everso Records/Stem Music

Anberlin are undoubtedly one of modern rock’s hardest working bands, with Vital marking the sixth studio album in nine years from the Florida natives. This record sums up Anberlin’s entire catalogue in one record – extremely hit or miss.

After Blueprints For The Black Market and Never Take Friendship Personal, Anberlin lost many.

Obviously you don’t expect bands to release record after record of the same old stuff, but their last three records seemed to lack the elements that made Anberlin unique, and what’s disappointing is Vital comes so close to redemption, but there’s just too much fruity keyboards here that ruin what makes Anberlin, Anberlin.

Opener, Self-Starter gets things going with an up-tempo, driving beat and the trademark soaring vocals that put Anberlin on the map in the first place.

That’s where the cheese sets in. From here on, the tracks are layered with fruity keyboards that sound like they’re straight out of an ‘80s George Michael number, and it just destroys the essence of the songs. This combination doesn’t work, and just as you think a song is allowed to breathe on its own, they go and throw some moog or synth in there to cheapen it right up.

Vital is a record that struggles to find its own identity, with the positive being that there are some really good moments– it’s just a matter of whether Anberlin can deliver those moments on a consistent basis, minus the cheesy disco bits that really detract from what makes Anberlin so great in the first place.

For over half a centur y McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica has been serving musicians looking for a stringed companion. As well as this enterprise, they are also known to clear out the tiny back room and invite musicians in to ply their trade. On May 19, 2012, Shelby Lynne was one such musician who would step up to the microphone in the hallowed room.

An acoustic guitar, some banter where she shows off her broad southern drawl and no shortage of heartfelt tunes are enough for Lynne to hold the crowd silent in the iconic venue. Leavin’ eases from spoken word and staccato guitar into emphatically sung heartbreaker in no time. Your Lies is the other showstopper that captures Lynne’s soulful Grammywinning credentials.

Lynne plays many of her most recognisable tunes except the song that appeared in Bridget Jones Diary - the slick pop of Killin’ Kind. With her contralto voice sounding warm and inviting, it would have been interesting to hear how she would have handled such a bombastic number.

There was a time when Shelby Lynne was poised to be the pin up girl of roots music before her career focussed more on the tunes than the pretty pictures that could accompany them. She has remained a critics’ darling and Live At McCabe’s is proof that Lynne has something that you can’t fake.

_ CHRIS HAVERCROFT _GEORGE GREEN

MARC JOHNSON & ELIANE ELIAS Swept Away

MILK TEDDY Zingers Lost & Lonesome Recording Co

With members of an international punk-pop act all over the TV advertising the latest stomach churning KFC concoction, Victoria’s indie cutie-pies Milk Teddy have Zingers of their own. The debut full length from the five-piece has plenty of homespun charm as they hopped from studio to lounge room in Melbourne’s inner suburbs.

Zingers doesn’t waste any energy wading through ridiculous production tricks to find a song, as it captures these slices of underground guitar pop at its rawest and most pure. The title track tips its hat to postpunk in the vein of bands like Television Personalities but for the most part this is introspective jangle that harks back to the cardigan wearing pop sounds of the early to mid-’90s.

There is charming wide-eyed wonder as Thomas Mendelovits envisages an exotic journey on Going To Sri Lanka, a tune that shares a similar title and recording ethos to early Mountain Goats recordings but little else. There is a hint of surf twang on XTC and bookish appeal with Secret where vocals are pushed to the surface to bob their head above the chiming guitars.

Milk Teddy sound like they have just been dug up and rescued from a primary school child’s time capsule, from an era when plaintive vocals were all the rage and the guitar was the only songwriting weapon worth its salt.

ECM

The opening track on Swept Away is in a slow waltz time, light and with great taste; the improvisation by the bassist, Marc Johnson, is assured and alluring. This is followed by It’s Time, featuring the great saxopohonist, Joe Lovano, whose mellow sound and layback phrasing takes you to the edge but never tips you over. One Thousand and One Nights is a little underwhelming with the trio sitting on an extended chord with lots of energy but after eight minutes one is thankful when it finishes.

When the Sun Comes Up, written by Marc Johnson, is an intriguing little 4/4 journey with only drums, bass and tenor until the last minute or so. Very onomatopoeia; and on B Is For Butterly Eliane Elias transforms her joyous musical thoughts into sound with a plethora of clustered chords and her perfect choice of chordal colour, along with some beautiful light cymbal work by drummer, Joey Baron.

Midnight Blue has a 6/8 blues feel with Joe Lovano playing his tenor like an old despondent drunk, occasionally splitting the reed and deliberately creating an uneven vibrato to intensify the emotion. All the other members of the group went with it. Fantastic.

Moments is the antithesis of that track - virtuosic, warm and sophisticated.

As is the slightly sad and sentimental track, Inside Her Old Music Box, where the composers allows us to recall our own little cheap trinkets and the memories they bring to us. _CHRIS HAVERCROFT This is an outstanding recording filled with honesty, pathos and class.

FURTHER SEEMS FOREVER Penny Black

_ HELEN MATTHEWS

Rise Records

If you were big into your ‘posthardcore’ rock then you would be all too familiar with Further Seems Forever. If you’re not familiar with the band, they’re better known as the band that Chris Carrabba sang in before he started Dashboard Confessional and got extremely famous. The band released three full-length records in the 2000’s, all with different singers - Carrabba singing on their first, 2001’s The Moon Is Down.

Carrabba was always my least favourite singer of the three and after listening to the first song, So Cold, this opinion remained unchanged. The song is repetitive, and Carrabba’s vocals and lyrics are just downright annoying. It was a surprise, however, to find that he totally redeems himself on the rest of Penny Black which is excellent.

The songs sound as if Further Seems Forever never took an eight-year hiatus, and it’s surprising to find just how faultlessly ‘Further Seems Forever’ this record sounds. Rescue Trained and the title track are absolute crackers and besides a few of the slower numbers (System Of Symmetry in particular), this record is pretty darn good.

If you were into these guys at their prime then you’re going to love Penny Black. If you haven’t heard of them and are a fan of heavier, indie inspired rock with jangly guitar work and excellent structures, then this record is a great album to spend the summer with.

AIRILEKE Weapon Of Choice Wantok

Papua New Guinean and Australian producer ex traordinaire, Airilek e Ingram, has created an incredibly eclec tic and electrifying album that fuses traditional Melanesian sounds with an innovative selection of modern beats and samples.

The album features talented musicians such as the drumming group Paluai Sook Sook from Rock Island and vocals from artists such as Wanchef, Telek, The Rumwaropen Sisters and MC Dadiigii.

Highlights include the volcanic Death Metal Jungle which manages to incorporate an orchestral sample from Stravinsky’s The Rite Of Spring and a suitably apocalyptic sample of those mischievous eardrumannihilators Cannibal Corpse, the mysterious and deeply atmospheric Dolphin which features chants from the Chambri Lakes in Sepik province and Simbu Province and the pumping Jump Outa Babylon which is propelled by chunky, addictive rhythms and adrenalised by dexterous vocals.

As with all releases on the Wantok label, Weapon Of Choice is a top-notch album worthy of your immediate attention.

_ GRAHAM BLACKLEY

_GEORGE GREEN 16

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Farewell

to the Dame E P Eat Pray Laugh, L h B Barry Humphries H hi farewell tour runs at Crown Theatre from Friday, February 1, until Sunday, February 10. BOB GORDON reports.

Barry Humphries, all ‘round thespian and longtime manager of the inimitable Dame Edna Everage, has fond memories of coming to Perth.

It’s a place he has long and frequently visited.

“I’m very much looking forward to coming to Perth,” he says with a warm sincerity.

“My first visit there was in 1959. I went there on my way to England. I visited a record shop in Bay View Terrace (Claremont), which actually sold some of my early little recordings. I first came there with a show in 1963 and ever since then I have been visiting Perth with shows. I must say it’s such a shame that the old Playhouse has been pulled down.”

Humphries’ visit of course, is for the WA leg of his farewell tour, Eat Pray Laugh. Much has been made of alter ego Dame Edna’s exit from the stage, but it seems some clarification as to the nature of her retirement is required.

“Well she’s retired from touring,” Humphries says, “I must correct you there. She’s no longer going to be rushing around, staying in hotels. After Perth she’s going to England and doing a tour, playing in London and then in New York. So I don’t think her touring days are over quite yet, but this is the last time Perth will see her, I should think.”

Ever the entertainer and a buzzing theatrical diva, one wonders just how, when touring ceases, will Dame Edna fill her time?

“Well she does a lot of charitable works,” Humphries explains. “I think she’ll be doing special appearances and film and television... that kind of thing. She’s very active.”

And while many a rock’n’roll band have sworn they’ll never come out of retirement, only to tread the boards once again sooner-orlater, Humphries says that Dame Edna isn’t likely to mount a reunion tour in the future with Sir Les Patterson or Sandy Stone.

“No,” he states, “but the trouble with

rockk bands they start b d is i that th t th t t arguing i amongstt themselves. They have a lot of success very quickly and they get a little, dare I say it, too big for their boots.”

The show title itself, Eat Pray Laugh promises much in the way of comic potential, as well as being, essentially, Dame Edna’s guide to the spiritual life.

“It’s not so much a show as group therapy,” Humphries explains. “Because it’s been announced as her farewell, I think both The Dame and I, and all concerned, want to make it the best show ever. And so far, from the experiences in Sydney and Melbourne, the press have been generously agreeing with that.

“So I’m feeling it will be a very good opportunity for her old friends in Perth to say farewell and for a lot of new people to discover Dame Edna. After all, there is a generation or two that’s yet to experience Dame Edna’s particular brand of theatre.”

Humphries has himself been busy of late, featuring as The Goblin King in Peter Jackson’s recently released cinematic version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

“Yes I went to Wellington for the premiere,” Humphries enthuses. “I felt I was working with a man of genius in Pete Jackson.

I play a part that is grotesque in the extreme.

It was only when I saw it on the screen that I realised how grotesque!

“It was a wonderful experience and I think the movie is even more superior to The Lord Of The Rings. By the way, it’s probably the most technically advanced film you’ve ever seen.

It’s a major event.”

Given The Goblin King’s spectacular demise in The Hobbit, Humphries won’t be involved in the sequels, but no doubt he will be busy, even after wrapping up Dame Edna’s live stage career.

Meanwhile, he’s just looking forward to getting back to Perth.

“I hope we meet when I’m in Perth,” Humphries says rather kindly. “I always have a very good time there. I have a lot of old friends in Perth... and some of them are still alive.”

Dame Edna

www.xpressmag.com.au

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THE CAT IN THE HAT DRAWN AND QUARTERED

The University of Western Australia’s Cullity Gallery plays host to Draw’n Conjunction, an exhibition of life drawings from over a dozen local artists. Developed over a period of 18 months, the exhibition showcases a startling and diverse collection of human figure studies in pencil, charcoal, and ink. The show runs from January 11 to January 18. For more information, head to alva.uwa.edu.au

LAUGHING STOCK

YaYa’s continues to showcase the best and funniest comedians they can lay their hands on in their monthly HaHas at YaYa’s standup nights.

Tonight, Wednesday January 9, acclaimed South Australian comic Ben Darsow struts his stuff, with support from Manfred Yon, Josh Makinda, and Sean Conway. Doors open at 8pm, and tickets are available from trybooking.com/39845

From January 17, The Black Swan State Theatre Company presents The Motherfucker With the Hat, Stephen Adly Gurgis’s searing and profane play set in New York’s Puerto Rican community. Directed

by Adam Mitchell and starring Fayssal Bazzi, Austin Castiglione, Rhoda Lopez, Kenneth Ransom, and Alison van Reeken, this Tony-nominated Broadway smash is both comedic and confronting. Tickets available through Ticketek.

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

This fascinating collection comes directly from New York’s famed Museum of Modern Art. Over 150 photographs show every facet of the Big Apple, the greatest city in the world. Featuring work by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Lewis Hine, Helen Levitt, Cindy Sherman, Alfred Stieglitz, Weegee, and others, this insightful collection will be showcased at the Art Gallery of Western Australia from January 26. Tickets from the Art Gallery Box Office and from Ticketek.

Anthony Hopkins and Scarlett Johanssen star in Hitchcock

HITCHCOCK Alfred The Great

Directed by Sacha Gervasi Starring Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johanssen, Danny Huston, Toni Collette, Michael Wincott

Picturing New York

HARD TIME

Running at the Fremantle Prison until March 2013, From The Inside: Prisoner Art is an exhibition of works by current and former guests of Western Australia’s correctional system. By turns harrowing and heartbreaking, the show explores the history of prison art and the effect it has, psychologically and socially, on the inmates. The Exhibition is a joint project between The Department of Corrective Services and the Department of Finance (Fremantle Prison), entry is free.

Through the Eye

COP AN EYEFUL

A compelling exhibition of off-kilter urban landscapes, Dave Hutson’s Through the Eye runs at the Alcoa Mandurah Art Gallery from Thursday, January 17 until Sunday, February 10. Hutson’s experimental use of exposure, contrast and saturation to create images that are more real than real, revealing an urban fantasia lurking just below the skin of the ordinary Go to manpac.com.au for more details.

VIDEO VISIONS

As part of the Perth International Arts Festival, internationally acclaimed Italian video artist Grazia Toderi will be exhibiting her work at the John Curtin Gallery when it reopens after the seasonal break on February 5. Her installations have been described as “frescoes of light,” and this occasion marks the first time she has held a solo exhibition of her work in Australia. For more information, go to johncurtingallery.curtin.edu.au

Roadie-turned-filmmaker Sacha Gervasi (Anvil: The Story Of Anvil) chooses the filming of Psycho as the central dramatic scenario in his look at the life and relationships of famed auteur Alfred Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins).

The heart of the film is the relationship between Hitchcock and his wife, the steely Alma Reville (Helen Mirren). Sardonic, unflappable and the intellectual equal of the great director, it is she who grounds him and serves as his sounding board.

She also endures Hitchcock’s prodigious ego and wandering eye, and is herself tempted by a possible liaison with novelist Whitfield Cook (Danny Huston), even as Hitchcock lusts after his new starlet, Janet Leigh (Scarlett Johansson). Meanwhile, the pressures of production are taking their toll on Hitch, to the point where he imagines conversations with Ed Gein (Michael Wincott), the real-life killer on whom the cinematic Norman Bates is based.

It’s an uneven film, and one that doesn’t seem to know exactly what it wants to be: a factual account? A psychological inquiry? An affectionate parody? It’s as the latter that the film functions best; Hitchcock was so distinctive a figure that he is ripe for caricature and Hopkins’ hammy, droll

performance - abetted by an impressive amount of prosthetic makeup - captures all the tics, affectations and flourishes that made the filmmaker such a larger than life persona.

Unfortunately, when the film stretches for anything approaching real insight and pathos, it flounders. The screenplay, by John J. McLaughlin (Black Swan), lacks depth and though Gervasi is a competent enough filmmaker, he doesn’t have the directorial chops to really elevate the pulpy material - unlike his subject, who excelled at such challenges.

Luckily, the filmmakers had enough sense to pack their cast with talented performers, and even the smallest roles have been filled by recognisable faces. Toni Collette crops up as Hitchcock’s faithful assistant, Peggy Robertson; studio head Lew Wasserman is played by Michael Stuhlbarg, Jessica Biel essays former muse Vera Miles, Ralph Macchio is screenwriter Joseph Stefano and Kurtwood Smith turns up as MPAA censor, Geoffrey Shurlock. With such an array of talent on screen, the film is rarely less than entertaining, even when the undercooked script threatens to hamstring the cast.

Far from the definitive portrait its declarative title suggests, Hitchcock distracts rather than engages. It’s a superficial look at an endlessly fascinating subject, which is something of a missed opportunity. Still it’s frequently fun and, when it’s operating at the level of pastiche, often warm and oddly self-deprecating. Those expecting an in-depth look at one of film’s most celebrated creators will be disappointed, but if you can accept the film for the trifle it is, it’s quite an enjoyable little work. _TRAVIS JOHNSON

KEN SCOTT Starbuck

Starbuck

STARBUCK Fertility Follies

Directed by Ken Scott Starring Patrick Huard, Julie LeBreton, Antoine Bertrand, Igor Ovadis, Patrick Martin Perpetual loser David Wozniak (Patrick Huard) has enough on his plate already. He’s a 42 year-old meat delivery man; his brothers and father don’t respect him; his girlfriend, Valerie (Julie LeBreton), is pregnant and unsure if she wants him to stick around for the birth; and he’s $80,000 in debt to some loan sharks.

However, his troubles are compounded when he learns that, thanks to an enthusiastic period of sperm donation back in the ‘80s, he’s now the father of some 533 children, and 142 of them, keen to get to grips with their paternal ancestry, have clubbed together to sue the fertility clinic for his identity. His friend and lawyer, Paul (Antoine Bertrand), advises him to countersue, but David becomes curious about his progeny, and begins to quietly observe some of them, acting as a kind of anonymous guardian angel.

This amiable Quebecois comedy broke box office records in its native land, and it deserves to find an audience here. Huard makes for a likeable lead, imbuing David with a kind of hangdog charisma even while acknowledging that he is, at least initially, a bit of a douche. All that changes when he begins meeting his kids though - this is yet another film that deals with an emotionally immature manchild stepping up to plate - as the process of becoming a positive influence in their lives lends him the conviction to make some changes in his own. It’s a redemption film, essentially, as 20

we follow our protagonist while he learns to be a better human being, and there’s something ineffably appealing about that kind of narrative.

The film does suffer from a compromised structure, though. With so many characters to juggle - even when only focussing on a handful of David’s offspring, the number of speaking roles is unwieldy - the story does become very episodic, and director Ken Scott, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Martin Petit, relies far too much to montage sequences to shorthand David’s development and move the story forward. Seemingly important subplots, such as Valerie’s pregnancy and the menacing goons that David owes money to, are dropped and picked up seemingly at random, and seem to exist just to lend the proceedings some kind of forward momentum.

Still, it’s a warm and humanistic film, and that’s largely down to Huard’s winning performance.

For those who really can’t tackle subtitles, Scott is currently at work on an American remake with Vince Vaughn, but it’s doubtful that the original’s easy charm will survive the translation.

Starbuck isn’t the sort of movie that sets the world on fire. It’s a gently amusing character comedy that, despite its potentially controversial subject matter, skirts the hard issues in favour of easy solutions. For all that, it’s certainly not a waste of time, and anyone looking for an optimistic and somewhat uplifting time at the movies could do a lot worse than check this one out. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON Starbuck screens as part of the Lotterywest Festival Films season at Joondalup Pines until Sunday, January 13. For full details head to www.perthfestival.com.au.

French-Canadian director Ken Scott’s new film, Starbuck is an arch and affectionate look at the perils and permutations of modern fatherhood, as seen through the eyes of 40-something slacker (Patrick Huard) who discovers that, having sold his sperm to a fertility clinic in his youth, his children number in the hundreds.

“I have three kids,” Scott explains. “And my co-author has a few, and we thought we had a whole lot to say about fatherhood. We were also writing a project that wouldn’t have been the same project if we had written it ten or fifteen years ago. I have the impression that fatherhood in the last few years has evolved and changed, and so that was also exciting, to be writing about something that seems to be changing in society.”

Our hapless hero gets drawn into the lives of his numerous offspring when a group of them bring a class action suit against the clinic in order to learn the identity of their progenitor. Scott admits that juggling such a large cast was challenging.

“The way we went at it,” Scott says. “Since there are so many of these characters, is to make sure that the whole movie doesn’t feel like a simple succession of small anecdotes. We had to find something to tie it all together. So, the way we went about it was, the main character is in absolutely every scene. What structures the whole film is, all these kids that we meet, it becomes their story for a few scenes, but it’s always about how these meetings impact the main character.”

While lead player Patrick Huard is a very well known actor and comedian in his native Quebec, the rest of the cast are largely unknown or first-time actors. Scott enjoyed the casting immensely, saying “The exciting thing was all these kids - for me it was very exciting to go and discover all these young actors, to go through that process of finding and bringing them to the screen. Many of them were on a movie set for the very first time. For me, that was very, very exciting.”

Starbuck - the title comes from the name of a famous bull stud - was a huge commercial success in Canada, and that success did no go unnoticed by Hollywood. Scott is now in the middle of filming an American remake of the movie, titled The Deliveryman and starring Vince Vaughn.

“I had the chance to go with the film to a few festivals in the United States,” he recalls. “And I

Ken Scott realised that the story worked well with an American audience, so I guess that’s what created the interest in doing a remake to reach a wider audience - to try to get this story that I love to a wider audience, and knowing that the story works well. I try to make sure that the story is still there, that the balance between comedy and drama is still there, but the settings are American. The film takes place in New York, but it’s basically the same story.” _TRAVIS JOHNSON Starbuck screens as part of the Lotterywest Festival Films season at Joondalup Pines until January 13. For full details, head to perthfestival. com.au X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling star in Gangster Squad Sightseers

SIGHTSEERS

As Good As A Holiday Directed by Ben Wheatley Starring Alice Lowe, Steve Oram, Eileen Davies At a running time of just 88 minutes, British thriller, Sightseers, is slight enough to not outstay its welcome, yet while its outlandish premise promises a wickedly funny and witty dark comedy, the film’s uneven tone means that it eventually loses its steam as well as its bite.

Scripted by its leading actors Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, the film follows the journey of the sheltered, childlike Tina (Alice Lowe) and domineering old-fashioned Chris (Steve Oram), a new couple who leave cosy suburbia for a caravan tour around Northern England.

Chris is determined to show Tina his favourite tourist destinations - which include a bizarre recreated historic village and a kitsch Pencil Museum - however when the ‘general British public’ - including litterbugs, noisy teenagers, pompous middle-class law enforcers and arrogant yuppies (among other stereotypes) - interrupt his meticulously laid-out plans, his true nature as a psychopathic killer threatens to change their relationship forever.

What ensues is a dark comedy in the vein of A Film With Me In It and The League Of Gentlemen that starts out deviously funny and witty, but becomes less imaginative as the film progresses.

After the smatterings of violent

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happenstance, which occur with increasingly improbable ferocity in the first two-thirds of the film, the story falls apart because it runs out of ways to surprise us. This can be attributed to the film’s script, which lacks the consistent zaniness which could have taken the dark comedy to further heights and kept the laughs coming throughout while adding more bite to the dialogue. For example, a scene where a rowdy group of young women on a hen’s night coerce Chris to lock lips with the bride-to-be simply falls flat, and the subsequent consequences of this act of infidelity are utterly predicable.

Fortunately, the entire cast deliver engaging and believable (despite the extraordinary circumstances) performances. Particularly memorable is Eileen Davies’ portrayal of Tina’s bitter, repugnant mother; there’s something about her facial expressions and droll tone that make her scenes an absolute delight to watch.

As for the two leads, Oram and Lowe give deliciously deadpan and expectedly offbeat performances in what becomes an increasingly grotesque holiday, however for the characters to matter, they have to be credible and still capable of surprise, and that’s hard in a tall story such as this one.

Despite its failings, Sightseers is still a very watchable black comedy, and its decidedly British edge is sure to appeal to fans of Black Books, Peep Show and Snuff Box. Yet while the film does provide a few giggles, the film has such obvious limits (mainly in terms of story) that it often feels like a television episode gone on too long. _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD

GANGSTER SQUAD The Cats In The Hats

Directed by Ruben Fleischer Starring Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Anthony Mackie, Giovanni Ribisi, Robert Patrick, Nick Nolte Honest cops clash with craven crooks in this hyperviolent but sincerely entertaining crime potboiler from Ruben Fleischer, the director of Zombieland.

In late 1940s Los Angeles, mobster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) is a rising star in the underworld - so much so that Police Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) decides to put together a special squad of incorruptible cops with the dismantling of Cohen’s operation as their sole remit.

Hardnosed Irish detective John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) is put in charge of the operation, and he soon recruits a number of tough nuts to his cause, including soft-spoken ladykiller Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), old school gunfighter Max Kennard (Robert Patrick, who almost steals the film), and streetwise black cop Rocky Washington (Anthony Mackie). It’s not long before the Tommy guns are chattering and the bodies are piling up.

It’s a blast, mainly because no one’s taking things too seriously. Gangster Squad isn’t supposed to go toe to toe with the likes of L.A. Confidential or Chinatown - although both are referenced, along with a raft of other gangster and noir films. It’s a romp, a mash-up of a several dozen old tropes that are as hoary as they are beloved, and the cast

seem to be having a ball with the sharp suits, heavy artillery and tough guy dialogue. Brolin does most of his acting with his jaw and Penn, who perhaps more than anyone else involved seems to have a handle on the type of movie he’s in, plays Cohen like a Dick Tracy villain.

It’s also stunningly violent; perhaps the most bloody mainstream film to come along in recent memory. Fleischer delights in putting big, messy holes in his cast of spear carriers, and barely 10 minutes goes by without some hapless fool getting shot, stabbed, dismembered, strangled, or in one memorable scene - drilled to death. The film gets a lot of mileage out of contrasting the grisly violence with the flashy, super-saturated period setting, with savage gunfights set against swathes of neon and perfectly recreated, iconic L.A. locations.

Sure, it’s not the most original offering, and anyone wanting a serious look at the seedy underbelly of the City of Angels will go away wanting (James Ellroy fans will either be appalled or enthralled, depending on how seriously they take themselves). Historical fidelity is cheerfully jettisoned whenever it gets in the way of the mayhem, and some of the dialogue is incredibly on the nose, but so what? This is old-fashioned fun that never lets such highbrow concepts as realism and plausibility get in the way of a good time.

Gangster Squad is not a film that will linger long in the memory, but while it’s happening, it’s a hell of a lot of fun. Slick, polished and entirely willing to wink at the audience, it’s pretty much a perfect dose of fire-and-forget entertainment. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON

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Rings are on sale at Behind The Monkey

SUMMER SALES Bargains Abound Aaron McCann and Stefan Radanovich “It was always a portal,” McCann says. “It ANYTHING’S POZIBLE was always a portal to hell, and then we were like, what if it comes out of a cow’s arse?”

Film funding in Australia finally stepped into the modern era with the inception of 3 to 1, a collaboration between government funding body, ScreenWest and crowdsourcing gateway, Pozible.

Essentially, under the programme, ScreenWest will match every dollar raised through Pozible with three of their own, an incentive designed to energize the Western Australian film community.

It was a prospect that certainly appealed to local filmmakers, Stefan Radanovich and Aaron McCann. Their previous collaboration, the short zombie film Perished, had received tremendous acclaim at the prestigious SxSW Festival, and they were casting about for a new project. “ We went over to the states with treatments and ideas for three films,” McCann explains.“One was a very low budget horror that we could do in Australia, there was a mid-budget one that we actually ended up writing, and there was a high budget one, which was Derek’s Farm, which was originally called Derek Vs The End Of The World.”

“I spent most of the year in the edit suite with Hunter,” Radanovich chimes in, referring to the documentary about the late DJ Hunter.

“And Aaron spent most of the year writing. We were both very hungry to get back on set, so it was a means to an end.”

To that end, the two reworked the story of a farmer who must battle the forces of evil when a gate to hell is opened on his outback farm into a low-budget short. There is a twist, though.

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Yes, Dereks’ Farm may be the first film in history to feature a hole to hell located beneath a bovine’s tail. It’s a brazen and bawdy notion, and one that that regular government funding would be unavailable.

“I mean, could you imagine applying for government funding for a movie about a portal to hell in a cow’s arse?” Radanovich asks rhetorically.

“We wanted to go classic, old school, comedy horror, because it’s not really done any more.”

Unfortunately for the pair, the available funding dried up remarkably quickly, with ScreenWest’s $250 000 money pool being allocated in the first 23 hours of the 3 to 1 project going live.

“It was the first to the finish line,” McCann explains.“No one at ScreenWest or Pozible expected that, only 23 hours later, the whole pool would be gone. But that proves, in one respect, the success of the experiment.”

“Look at us, for instance.” Radanovich says. “If 3 to 1 wasn’t there, we wouldn’t have gotten off our arses and written the short so quickly. We probably wouldn’t have done the short until the end of next year.”

The two have resolved to follow their project to completion, sourcing their budget from other avenues. They also remain resolute in their admiration of 3 to 1, despite not having benefited from it financially. As McCann says, “It gave us incentive to get out there, to go for the big guns, and to aim high, and it got us off our arses.” _TRAVIS JOHNSON

There’s nothing quite like a spot of retail therapy to ease one’s nerves after a manic, family-filled silly season, and with post-Christmas sales still in full swing, there’s no time like the present to give yourself (and your wardrobe or living space) some TLC. In store and online, retailers are cutting prices left, right and centre, and whether you’re stocking up for yourself or on presents for the year to come, January is the month to go for gold.

William Street in Northbridge has plenty to offer savvy shoppers on the lookout for cut price curios, with quirky independent retailer Tu serving up 20 to 70 per cent off store wide. Head down to 218A William Street to get your hands on discounted frocks, tote bags, jewellery, home wares and giftware, or jump online to tu.com.au, to shop Tu’s wonderful wares from the comfort of your couch.

Just around the corner at Red Stripe Clothing a huge range of offbeat fashions are also on sale, with up to 50 per cent off menswear, womenswear and a massive range of shoes (creepers and pumps and flats, oh my!). While you’re there be sure to check out the lush range of Lime Crime cosmetics; the Velvetines waterproof matte liquid lipsticks are to die for and at $21 they don’t have to be on sale to make the purchase worth your while!

Over in Mt Lawley and Behind The Monkey is ringing in the New Year with up to 40 per cent off finger bling and other jewels, plus discounts on design jewellery, gifts and novelties.

Head on up Beaufort Street to complete the look at Billie & Rose where the everything in store is on sale, and it’s all priced under $200. You’ll find Behind The Monkey at 479 Beaufort Street or online at shop.behindthemonkey.com and Billie & Rose at 672 Beaufort Street in Mt Lawley.

Alessa James Jacket ($308 down to $205) and Alessa Mercer Pants ($297 down to $195) from ZaraBryson.com.au

Karen Walker is on sale at {em} Clothing

Down in Claremont and Zara Bryson is offering stylish ladies the chance to score up to 70 per cent off current season stock. If you prefer to shop online when it’s hot and humid outside (and who doesn’t love receiving a big parcel on their doorstep?), then hop on over to ZaraBryson.com.au lickety split to make the most of a special online-only offer: spend over $200 and you can get $50 off your order just by entering ‘happy2013’ at the checkout. Happy 2013 indeed!

Around the corner in Subiaco and {em} Clothing is satisfying sartorial appetites with a sensational summer sale, with 40 per cent off the entire Karen Walker Sea Monsters collection; 40 to 75 per cent off all Nicola Finetti, and up to 50 per cent off Talulah. Be sure to check this sale out if you’re in need of a new party frock (or five) to see you through the warmer months. You’ll find {em} at Shop 2, Forrest Walk in Subiaco.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

works from around the globe as part of the 20th anniversary of Ballet At The Quarry. Showcasing two world premieres, Yes, I’ll Move For You from Cass Mortimer Eipper and Jubilaté from Daniel Roberts, and by the great Glen Tetley the West Australian premiere of a modern Everest, Voluntaries, this special season includes the music of Poulenc, Mozart and the American band, Beirut. Runs Feb 8-Mar 2. Bookings via perthfestival.com.au.

VISUAL ARTS We Don’t Need A Map: Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle This remarkable exhibition includes the work of more than 30 artists and is an exploration of the Martu people - the traditional owners of a vast area of WA’s Western Desert - their way of life, the way they care for country and belong to it. The exhibition features stunning paintings, cuttingedge new media collaborations, finely wrought objects, aerial desert photography and much more. Runs ‘til Jan 20.

Deserts And Rivers: FORM Gallery, Perth Explores country through the eyes of Aboriginal artists from the Great Sandy, Little Sandy and Gibson deserts and the country around Turkey Creek, Sturt Creek and the Fitzroy River in the east and central Kimberley. Runs ’til Jan 26.

Luminous World: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge An exhibition from Wesfarmer’s significant corporate art collection, featuring more than 60 paintings, photographs and sculptures by 50 contemporary artists, including Susan Norrie, Rosemary Laing, Howard Taylor, Dale Frank, Bill Henson, Brian Blanchflower, Brook Andrew, Timothy Cook and Barrupu Yunupingu. Runs ’til Feb 11.

Picturing New York: Photographs From The Museum Of Modern Art: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge Depicting the iconic New York that captivates the world’s imagination and the idiosyncratic details that define New Yorkers’ sense of home, this exhibition from MoMA’s extraordinary photography collection celebrates the city in all its vitality, ambition and beauty. Made by approximately 90 artists responding to the city as well as professionals on assignment, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Lewis Hine, Helen Levitt, Cindy Sherman, Alfred Stieglitz, and Weegee, over 150 works reveal the deeply symbiotic relationship between photography and the ‘city that never sleeps’ – New York. Both an exploration of the life of the city and a documentation of photography’s evolution throughout the 20th century, Picturing New York celebrates the great and continuing tradition of capturing the grit and glamour of one of the world’s greatest urban centres. Runs ‘til May 12.

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Traversing Antarctica Traversing Antarctica: Western Australian Maritime Museum, Fremantle A rare collection of artefacts from the 1911-1914 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, famously led

by Sir Douglas Mawson. Runs ’til Feb 23.

Made To Remember: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge Made To Remember is a beautifully considered display of significant Indigenous objects from the State Art Collection. With a diverse selection of works including glass and ceramic objects, textiles and clothing, as well as examples of traditional sculpture, Made to Remember encourages dialogue about the place of an object not only in Indigenous art and culture, but in the broader Australian context. Runs ‘til Jun 30.

THEATRE/DANCE PERFORMANCE

The Motherf**ker With The Hat: Studio Underground, State Theatre Centre Of WA, Perth In a bold introduction to their 2013 season, Black Swan State Theatre Company presents the hysterical, irreverent, foul-mouthed Tony Awardnominated The Motherf**ker With The Hat. Set amongst New York’s Puerto Rican community the play charts the trials and tribulations of Jackie, a petty drug dealer fresh out of prison, and the users, boozers and losers who complicate his life. Runs Jan 17-Feb 3. Bookings via ticketek.com.au.

David Lynch Presents Chrysta Bell: Chevron Festival Gardens, Perth Performance Feb 14. Bookings via Ticketek.

Soft Soft Loud: The Antihero Suite: Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle Performance Feb 14. Bookings via fac.org.au.

Celtic Thunder: Perth Arena, Perth Performance Feb 16. Bookings via Ticketek.

Cliff Richards: Sandalford Estate, Swan Valley Performance Feb 23. Bookings via sandalford.com.

Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet: Perth Concert Hall, Perth Performance Feb 27. Bookings via Ticketek.

FESTIVALS

MUSIC

Summer Nights: Blue Room Theatre, Perth Over the last four years The Blue Room Theatre’s Summer Nights has developed as a significant program of eclectic performance, creative development of Australian Chamber Orchestra: Perth Concert new work and contemporary theatre experiences.

In 2013 Summer Nights will progress once more Hall, Perth and feature the premium theatre and performance Performance Feb 6. Bookings via aco.com.au. offerings of the Fringe World, spread across The Blue Elvis Costello & The Imposters: Kings Park Botanic Room Theatre and PICA performance spaces. Run Jan 25-Feb 24. Bookings through blueroom.org.au.

Gardens, Perth Performance Feb 6. Bookings via Ticketmaster.

Perth Festival: numerous locations across Perth Bringing together the best in visual arts, theatre, Maceo Parker: Chevron Festival Gardens, Perth dance, classic and contemporary music, films, opera Performance Feb 7. Bookings via Ticketek. and more, the Perth Festival is an all encompassing celebration of art. Runs Feb7-Mar 2.

James Reyne: Nannup Amphitheatre, Nannup Performance Jan 26. Bookings via nannup.crc.net.au.

Fringe World Festival: numerous locations across Perth and surrounding suburbs Perth’s Fringe World Festival is set to massively entertain in 2013. Expanding on the success of the first full Fringe Festival in 2012, Perth will be brought to life over four jam-packed weeks with more than 300 events taking place in more than 50 traditional and nontraditional venues throughout the City of Perth and beyond. Runs Jan 25-Feb 24. Bookings through fringeworld.com.au.

Shakespeare In The Park: Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth Shakespeare WA will give local lovers of the Bard something to laugh about this summer with the 2013 season featuring comedy of errors Much Ado About Nothing. This production will feature a local twist with the production set locally in Western Australia, at the end of the Second World War. Billed as “Shakespeare-meets-Dad’s Army”, this hilarious war of the sexes will delight audiences with its mixture of star-lit romance, scheming rogues, and the silliness of the home-guard. Runs Jan 4-Feb 2.

Bookings via shakespearewa.com.

Ballet At The Quarry: Quarry Amphitheatre, Floreat Bring a picnic, relax under a starry sky and be immersed in three superbly choreographed

Archie Roach: Chevron Festival Gardens, Perth Performance Feb 10. Bookings via Ticketek.

Yanni Yanni: Perth Arena, Perth Performance Jan 27. Bookings via Ticketek.

Summerset Arts Festival: City Of Stirling Now in its fifth year the City of Stirling’s premier cultural celebration the Summerset Arts Festival returns for three weeks in February 2013. Jam packed with over 22 free or low cost events, the community can look forward to a mix of art exhibitions, live comedy, kids events, theatrical shows and live music. Runs Feb 6-23.

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Diving Into The Pacific Sydney electro maestros The Presets are kicking off 2013 with their first headline tour in roughly four years with their third record Pacifica. Fans were able to witness a slice of their third record live at Parklife last year but Julian Hamilton tells ANNABEL MACLEAN “I can’t ruin the surprise but it’ll be pretty big and wild and if anyone saw the Apocalypso tour three years ago, it’ll be like that but even better.”

Julian Hamilton is as busy as ever. Partner-in-crime Kim Moyes and Hamilton are preparing for their first headline national tour in over three years and the lads are honoured to have a few extra shows added to the tour too. “I’m looking forward to it,” Hamilton says down the line from his hometown of Sydney. “It is an honour that people haven’t forgotten about us and that they still want to come along and have a dance to The Presets (laughs).”

It’s been four years between The Presets’ second record Apocalypso and their fresh, third record Pacifica and, in that time, both Moyes and Hamilton became fathers, had a break and began working on Pacifica. “It’s funny because it was four years between albums but the first half of that was touring around with Apocalypso,” Hamilton exclaims.“We kind of felt like we still had our ‘Presets hats’ on for a lot of that time and then we had a bit of a break and had a bit of a holiday, we both went a way and took some time off for the first time in probably a decade and then we had kids and did all that kind of family stuff and then we just started working slowly on a record.

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The Presets “It was nice. It was a first chance we’d had to work slowly again because Apocalypso we made so quickly and it was such a rush and we were so young and hungry and ready to rock and it was nice to have a bit of time up our sleeve to create something special.”

The lads are always ready to rock though, having smashed out the Parklife tour last year and then heading off to the States for a few shows before buckling down to prepare for their forthcoming national tour.“We love touring the States, we’ve been there - probably - I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve been there, probably 10 or 11 times,” he says.

“Every time we go back, the crowds get better and better and it gets bigger and bigger and there’s more people singing along. We really like touring over there.”

Touring does take its toll and Hamilton says the album title Pacifica came from the Pacific ocean - memories of home. “I guess when we tour the world so much, we do miss home,” he says. “One of the big things we miss so much is being so close to the ocean here and living in Sydney and being able to dive into the ocean and it seems like a fun thing that people do on a weekend, it’s strange the things you miss when you’re in the middle of Europe somewhere. Usually one of the first things I do when I come home is dive into the ocean and wash the tour off.”

SWEATY DAYZE SUMMADAYZE ft The Chemical Brothers/ M.I.A/ Mark Ronson/ Fedde Le Grand and more Paterson Stadium Sunday, January 6, 2013 Given the baking hot day that was last Sunday, it was a blessing in disguise that crowd numbers weren’t huge at Summadayze as the last thing a sweaty body needed was rubbing up against another sweaty body.

It also meant the chances of dehydration were kept to a minimum as bar queues... well, they didn’t really exist.

It took a while to understand the layout of the festival given the movement of the event from Claremont Showground to Paterson Stadium in Subiaco and there was a sense of organised chaos as party revellers shuffled about inside the stadium trying to make sense of where each stage was located. The main stage, located on the stadium ground itself, drew the biggest crowd all day.

Kimbra graced the stage in her usual outlandish way - wearing a work of art; a beautiful bodice joined together with what looked like a blue, purple and green confetti-like skirt. She belted out wellknown tunes from her debut record Vows, including Cameo Lover and Settle Down. Her grand stage presence, booty-shaking and fun-inducing dance moves made her set one of the most enjoyable of the day.

Meanwhile, drum-machine maestro AraabMuzik was busting out a bass-throbbing set at the Dancedance stage. It was a shame his set was seen by about 12 people though. He is one of the kings of rapid beat-making and it appeared the early set time and heat had whittled down the lucky punters who witnessed him bring his A-game. The Likes Of You stage appeared to be going off all day with all techno and trance fans indulging in some serious rave moves for Ukrainian producer Omnia and English producer John 00 Fleming. Swedish lad Adrian Lux appeared to be the ‘out-of-place’ lad on the Likes Of You stage’s lineup.

Mark Ronson pulled a big crowd later in the afternoon as the numbers seemed to grow, kicking off with Plan B’s track Ill Manors. It was bumpin’ and grindin’ in the mosh as Ronson smashed out a DJ set predominantly consisting of hip hop, trap and a smattering of indie-electro.

Fedde Le Grand then took to the main stage, delivering a solid set of house. Aside from the technical issues with the sound dropping in and out for much of the day on the main stage, Fedde still managed to get punters moving for his smash hit Put Your Hands Up For Detroit.

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Hamilton is modest about his swimming capabilities but he’s happy to talk about the ocean for as long as one permits. “I’m not like an Olympic swimmer or anything but it never really feels like summer until you’ve been tossed around and had your nose grazed a little bit by being thrown off the sand bar,” he says. “It’s a rite of passage every year.”

Going to the beach with his little girl is, well, pretty much a ritual now too.“Yeah, god, every weekend,” he says of father-daughter trips to the beach.“We go over there and we jump in the water and she licks the salt off my shoulders because she thinks it tastes nice. It’s awesome. She’s a real water baby.”

Moyes and Hamilton also have Jonathan Zawada to thank for helping the title Pacifica rise to the surface. “Often they [designers] add things to the story; our artwork for instance - we didn’t have an album title for our album for a long time and then when Jonathan sent us the cover that he designed, it had the ocean in it and that’s what gave us the idea for Pacifica,” he says. “If he’d given us another cover like a jungle or something - chances are it wouldn’t be called Pacifica. It’s quite an important part of the process.”

The lighting designer is also an important part of the process of creating a live show and the lighting for the lads’ forthcoming tour has been designed by Martin Phillips (Daft Punk, Kanye West, Lady Gaga). “We actually met him after we saw the Daft Punk show after we supported Daft Punk and it turns out he’s a big fan of what we do and really likes our music and was keen to work with us and we were very, very happy to work with him so we’ve been working together ever since and he’s been building shows for us ever since,” he says.“He’s a really cool guy.”

As for the upcoming tour, Hamilton says fans can expect to hear new versions of older tunes and fresh beats from Pacifica. “I just want to try and keep things fresh for the shows and also, anyone can listen to the album at home but we like to make [it different] so that you can only really hear it at the shows,” he says. “So there’s a few special versions that people will get to check out for the first time.”

And, as for post-tour plans, it’s busy as always for the electro duo. “There will be a whole bunch of touring and overseas as well and then Kim and I will want to get back in the studio at some point and start making more music and there will be heaps of time where we’ll want to just keep busy,” he concludes.

» THE PRESETS » THURSDAY, JANUARY 31 @ METRO FREO

Swedish electro-pop duo Icona Pop saw an abundance of fans flock to the Dancedayze stage where the ladies put on a grand show for their debut tour down under, managing to cope with the sun burning down on their equipment which was making it difficult for them to smash through the set. M.I.A took to the main stage at the appropriately cooled-down time after 6pm. Joined by her crew; it was all about the bootyshaking, tribal, pop.There were even a couple of tents on stage to add to the tribal and jungle atmosphere. M.I.A even got a bunch of girls on stage half way through her set before getting the crowd to join in a communal sing-a-long for her hit tune Paper Planes before finishing with her popular track Bad Girls.

Then, as the sun suddenly set, the stage lights and smoke machine were switched on and the level of excitement grew for the festival’s headliners The Chemical Brothers. Suddenly, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons appeared on stage hidden ever so slightly behind the smoke, before belting out a big DJ set which included a bunch of their classics. Whether Southbound being the same weekend or it being a Sunday night had prevented punters from turning out to watch one of the world’s legendary electronic acts, it was clear that the reception the lads received wasn’t the best.

Summadayze showcased a grand roster of artists, it’s just a shame not many took the opportunity to witness it all.

TRIPLE THE FUN TIMES

Metro Freo are getting set for a big Australia Day weekend. They’re going to be hosting three huge nights across the long weekend. Get your weekend started off quick smart with the Frat House Fridays Beach Party. Get your bathers and boardies on and get psyched for a huge student party. Death Disco DJs will be battling it out against the Purple Sneakers DJs on the night. Then, get ready for a big Snow Party on Saturday, January 26, before a UV Party on Sunday, January 27. You can even grab a weekend pass instead of getting tickets to each event. Weekend passes are $65 plus booking fee and are available from Oztix now. Get on it!

Action Bronson

BUSTIN’ OUT TO BRONSON

If you’re a massive hip hop head, this is for you.

New York based Albanian bearded rhyme animal Action Bronson is coming to town.The former chef turned wordsmith started rapping in 2009 at the urging of his close friend and fellow MC Meyhem Lauren. After garnering support from hip hop elite worldwide, Bronson tours regularly across the States and Europe and will now be showcasing his super show at The Bakery on Thursday, January 17.

Snatch up tickets from nowbaking.com.au at once.

INNA CIRCLE BEATS

Kid Mac

DeadWeight! are starting a new night called Inna Circle aimed at showcasing the best sounds from across the whole spectrum of bass music by some of the international scene’s finest producers, performers and selectors. Kicking off the night’s debut will be one of Japan’s finest electronic producers - Goth-Trad. Joining him will be New York Transit Authority who recently smashed out a set at Origin NYE. Baltimore beat-maker Joe Nice, grime-bass-garage maestro DeVille and Ghost Mutt will also be joining for the celebrations. It’s all happening on Saturday, January 19, at Gilkisons.

Tickets are $40 and are available now from ticketbooth.com.au.

MAC ATTACK

That crazy Sydney lad Kid Mac is returning to WA for a few shows to showcase his second single Lunatic off his debut record No Man’s Land. Mac has spent much of the past few years in the studio writing and working alongside Melbourne-based producers Twice As Nice. He’s all about electro and indie-rock and will be bringing just that to the Indi Bar on Wednesday, January 16, and Mojo’s on Thursday, January 17. There are even a couple of gigs down in Margaret River, Bunbury and Dunsborough if you’re keen to head down there. Head to kidmacmusic.com for all the deets!

PIECE OF THE PROXY

Guess who’s taking over the home of underground super soon? It’s Russian electro maestro The Proxy.

Hailing from just outside of Moscow, his passion for music started in 1997 when he saw The Prodigy in Red Square. A decade later, he was remixing The Prodigy and opening for them on a massive tour in Russia. He is a big dude. If you’re into beats, bass and other blends, get on down to Ambar on Wednesday, January 23, from 9pm. Hit up boomtick.com.au for tickets and more deets. Yeow!

Kimbra

M.I.A.

» ANNABEL MACLEAN

Fedde Le Grand

The Chemical Brothers (Photos by Brandon Davies) X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

FEED ME WITH TEETH

Feed Me, aka UK DJ and producer Jonathan Gooch, is returning down under for Future Music Festival. This time, he’s bringing his new live show Feed Me With Teeth. The live set up contains a huge teeth-like structure with visuals synced up to the music, weighing in at three tonnes. “It was probably the biggest thing I’ve ever done, it still is. I’ve had so much fun doing it,” Gooch tells ANNABEL MACLEAN. Jonathan Gooch is known as the talented producer behind Feed Me and drum’n’bass, dubstep and electrohouse moniker Spor. Gooch spent last year on the road touring America, Europe and throughout the UK with his new live show Feed Me With Teeth. An absolutely phenomenal project, Gooch’s new live show is - put lightly - out of this world. It’s a huge set of teeth with lights, visuals all synced up with what’s happening behind the decks and more. “I’ve spent a lot of years DJing constantly and I’ve played around the world several times doing just straight DJ sets. But, for me, I’ve always been a visual artist as well,” Gooch says down the line from his studio back home, speaking of how Feed Me With Teeth came about.

“It always seems a more exciting prospect to do a bigger, interactive digital show as well as bringing the music which I’ve been doing anyway. For me, it was a way of furthering creativity and just expanding. For me, it was probably the biggest thing I’ve ever done, it still is. I’ve had so much fun doing it. It’s a lot more rewarding from my point of view to be able to do the show.”

Gooch has received “amazing” feedback about the new live show, having spent a great deal of last year on tour with the new set up. “Apart from learning the technical aspects of touring the show and battling electronics, we’ve done a tour bus all over America and we’ve been to Europe doing big festivals and we’ve done some fantastic festivals across the UK. I’m so pleased with how it looked from the very first

sculpture of it to the final thing, it’s pretty much exactly how we wanted it and we’re still adding to it now.We’ve just added more lights and it’s kind of growing in all dimensions.”

One would think that it’d be a mission to move such a gigantic piece of equipment from venue to venue across boarders and oceans but, Gooch says it’s his crew who are to thank for making the ‘mission’ like magic. “It weighs just over three tonnes and it’s 20 feet wide by 10 feet high [apart from] external stuff - lights and tubes,” he says. “Despite it being as lightweight as possible, you don’t want it to fall on you.

We have a really good crew of people, they’re so good at taking it up and down - it vanishes after the show so quickly, it packs down very small. So that’s also part of the fun of seeing it being built - realising that it wasn’t just a sculpture you can just wheel on stage, it has to be a touring object that you can live with and other people need to understand it in case it needs repairs and things like that.”

“It always seems a more exciting prospect to do a bigger, interactive digital show as well as bringing the music which I’ve been doing anyway. For me, it was a way of furthering creativity and just expanding. For me, it was probably the biggest thing I’ve ever done, it still is.”

As for being on the road, Gooch has had a few grand shows with the new live set up over the last year. “We did some great ones when we did the bus tour in North America - I did a fantastic one in Chicago, that’s always a really good crowd and some great shows across Europe and in the UK - Reading and Leeds festivals - they were probably the largest crowds I’ve ever seen in my life, couldn’t believe it, it was complete chaos,” he says.“Coming out this month in London - I’m doing my first London headline show, I’m really looking forward to that.”

Gooch is pumped to be bringing the Feed Me With Teeth live show down under for the first time for Future Music Festival in March. “It’ll be great to see The Stone Roses,” he says. “My stage is pretty much

Feed Me lots of people I know and obviously headlined by the Prodigy who have always been one of my big influences probably since the first piece of electronic music I ever heard. Kill The Noise - Jake [Stanczak] - he’s one of my best friends. I’ve toured Australia twice with him before so this will be an even bigger version of the same antics I’d imagine. I’m bringing the Teeth show so I’ll have my crew with me and stuff. Last time I toured Australia, I had one of the best back to back tours of dance festivals, it was a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to it.”

As for upcoming originals, collabs and remixes, Gooch is hard at work trying to finish off an album. “I have something like 25 tracks at the moment which people have never heard and so it’s a case of whittling it down and working with some singers and getting some vocals and things and finishing them off one at a time,” he says. “Because I’m not doing any remixes or anything, I’m solely focusing on this. I’ve also got a track on Example’s new album as well called Perfect Replacement.”

And, as for Spor, well there’s a lot of unreleased music yet to be put out too. “I’ve got a lot of unreleased music that I’ve finished previously and that I’m finishing off now. Again,” he says, chuckling.

“We decided off the cuff last week to put out two of the tracks and they weren’t really two of the tracks that people probably would’ve anticipated and then I guess we might do more in the studio depending on when we have time in my schedule. But, as far as DJing goes, I’m actually doing one show in London and it’s a bit of reunion... but I don’t have any plans to tour at the moment. We’ll see.”

» FEED ME » FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL » SUNDAY, MARCH 3 @ARENA JOONDALUP

BOYS NOIZE OUT OF THE BLACK

German producer DJ Alex Ridha, aka Boys Noize, is heading our way for Future Music Festival. DAN WATT chats with the young lad about collaborating with Snoop Dogg, or Snoop Lion as he’s now known, his record Out Of The Black and his live show.

Alex Ridha found himself blocked from writing a third record after releasing his second album Power due to the calibre and amount of remix requests coming his way. After Power came out in 2009, I was just so busy making music for other people but after two years I was ready to make my own stuff again,” explains the softly spoken German.“So I basically locked myself in the studio for a few months and just, you know.” In 2007, Boys Noize released Oi Oi Oi when Ridha was only 25 but the album reeked of a maturity and a sophistication which showed many that he’s been DJing in clubs in Berlin and Hamburg since he was 15 years old.

“In 2011, there was a moment when I released a CD of all my remixes and it was the first time I realised that after so much time that I still love everything that I’ve done,” he says of his journey so far.“So I started listening to my first album again. That helped me a lot to focus on what I was doing in the studio because I wanted to make another album again that I would listen to in five or six years and still be amazed by it.”

His latest record Out Of The Black, that came out of the aforementioned studio time, is his most stylistically varied album to date with this variation keynoted by guest vocalist Snoop Dogg who raps on the track Got It. “I grew up with his music so I knew him but he didn’t know me [until] I did an official remix for him in 2009 but it was an obvious situation where the big record label asks you,” explains Ridha, implying that even though he had remixed a Snoop track, Snoop probably had no idea who Ridha was. This was until Ridha joined Twitter.“When I discovered Twitter, the first thing I did was I wrote to him directly and said ‘hey man, did you www.xpressmag.com.au

Boys Noize ever check out the remix I did for you?’ and he replied straight away saying that he ‘loved it and I should send more beats and stuff’.”

Ridha even flew to LA to record with Snoop and is more than happy to talk about it. “I’ve only seen his apartment in LA; I think he’s got a big mansion outside the city somewhere,” he says. “His apartment was cool; it reminded me a little bit of his old apartment as a 16-17 year old where like all my homies hung out. It had that vibe which made it easy for me, I was expecting all this bling bling champagne kinda scene but it was basic and I thought that was really cool and attractive, a really comfortable environment for me.”

Ridha’s forthcoming appearance at Future Music Festival is not only the first time Australia will see him play tracks from Out Of The Black but it will also be the premier of Ridha’s live set. “It’s basically me playing my own music the way a band plays live - how it plays in the studio,” he says of the live show.

“I have a lot of things to control inside this cube and there’s even another level to my live show with me controlling the visuals as well, they’re very minimal and very to the point.”

» BOYS NOIZE » FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL » SUNDAY, MARCH 3 @ ARENA JOONDALUP 27

BREAKFEST

BELVOIR

WEDNESDAY 09/01 Blvd Tavern – Wub Wub Brass Monkey - DJ Jewel (upstairs) Captain Stirling – Fiveo Clancy’s (Applecross) – Upbeat – DJ Andy Connections – DJs Joby /JJ /Rueben Eurobar – Wild Wednesdays - DJ iPod/ Ben Pettit Eve Nightclub - DJ Crazy Craig Flying Scotsman – UniQue DJs/ DJ Bones/ DJ Moflow Gold Bar–DJ Adroc Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Leederville Hotel – We Love Wednesdays ft DJ Slick Llama Bar – Jo 19 Matches Bar – Pussymittens Mustang – DJ Giles Sovereign Arms – Lockie Shaw The Deen - DJ Zelimer/ DJ Viper/ DJ Benny/ T– Zone 1 The Grand Central - DJ ANG3L The Queens – Wriggle on YaYa’s – DJ Paul Burgess

THURSDAY 10/01 Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Wrighteous Claremont Hotel- Institution Thursdays ft DJs Bryn Jones/ James Thorne Club Marakesh – DJ Simon Cottesloe Hotel – DJ Shots/ DJ Andy M Empire Bar – Halo/ DJ Bojan/ DJ Ben Sebastian Eve Nightclub – DJ Tony Allen Flying Scotsman – Cowboys & Indie Kids DJs Leopold Hotel – DJ Riki/ Roger Smart Library - Dorcia

NEWPORT

Llama Bar – Danni Boi/ Charlie Bucket Mint Nightclub – DJ Simon Barwood Mt Henry Tavern - DJ Matty J Mullaloo Beach Hotel - DJ John Paul/ DJ Slick Mustang – DJ James MacArthur Paramount – DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan Players Bar – MASH South St – DJ Castasia/ Dpad Swinging Pig – DJ Simon The Avenue – Jon Ee The Carine Tavern – Punchy & Juicy/ Little Nicky The Causeway – Jaymie Franchina The Craftsman – Roger Smart The Deen – DJ Flex/ DJ Nano/ DJ Surge/ DJ Don Migi The East End Bar - The Prestige ft Az-T The Grand Central – Roger Smart The Queens – Kapitol The Whale & Ale – Josh Tilley The Whistling Kite - DJ Gareth Tiger Lils – Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly Woodvale Tavern – DJ Melvin

FRIDAY 11/01 Admiral Hotel – DJ Rustyk Amplifier –DJ Jamie Mac Bar 459 - DJ Smurf Bar Orient – The Reggae Club Blvd Tavern – DJ Andy Boheme Bar - DJ Majiika Boulevard Tavern – DJ Andyy Brass Monkey - DJ Victor (downstairs)/ DJ James Ess (upstairs) Broken Hill Hotel – DJ Nick Alexander

Kerser

28

Brooklands Tavern - DJ Misschief Mel Capitol – Miller’s City Sessions Present: DJ Gusto Capitol (Upstairs) – I Love ‘90s Carine Tavern – Greg Packer/ MC Assassin Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Boogie Claremont Hotel – DJ Tea King Club Bayview – Amnesia ft Fendi/ Axon/ Fellis Como Hotel – DJ Gazz Eastern Hotel – DJ Munch Empire Bar – Fiveo Eve Nightclub – DJ Don Migi Flawless – DJ Ryan Flying Scotsman – DJs Jo19/ Rok Riley/ Armee Geisha - Shimon Ginger Nightclub – Rondevoo Fridayz Gosnells Club – DJ Now Hipe Club - DJ E-Funk Honey Lounge – DJ Curlee/ Drew Green Lakers Tavern – Fresh Fridays - DJ Dooey Left Bank – DJ Frankie Button Library – DJ Sneaky Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Llama Bar – Jim Pearson/ Jehan/ Ben Edit/ DJ Cee Matches Bar – Fredrick Anderson Merriwa Tavern – DJ Real McCoy Metro City (Solace Bar) – DJ Slick Metro Freo – End Of The World Zombie Crawl: Death Disco DJs Mint Nightclub – Club Retro ft Chris McPhee Mullaloo Beach Hotel - DJ John Paul Mustang – Swing DJ/ DJ James MacArthur Norma Jean’s –DJ Waz Paddy Hannans – Crazy Craig Paramount - DJ Johnny Boi/ DJ Jordan Queens Tav – DJ Reuben Rocket Room – Extreme Aggression ft DJ Cain Sail & Anchor - Balcony Beatz/ DJ J-MAC Sovereign Arms – ANG3L The Avenue – Little Nicky The Brown Fox – Jon Ee The Carine – Az-T The Causeway – Jus Haus?

The East End Bar – Az-T The Generous Squire - DJ Anaru The Shed - Krank/ DJ Glenn 20 The Queens – DJ Reuben The Shed – DJ Glenn 20 The Whale & Ale – DJ Spinback

THE PADDO

Tiger Lils – Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly The Vic - DJ Giles The Wembley Hotel – Abstar Windsor – DJ Riki and Ray Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Giles Villa - Kerser Ya-Ya’s – Hero DJs ft Pup

SATURDAY 12/01 Admiral Hotel – DJ Rustyk Amplifier – Pure Pop ft Eddie Electric Basement On Broadway – DJ Ricky Boab Tavern - Mark Storie Boheme Bar – Carte Blanche DJs Brass Monkey - DJ Peta (downstairs)/ DJ Jewel (upstairs) Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Roger Smart/ Matt Richards/ Ben Dallin Capitol (Upstairs) – Cream Of The ‘80s ft DJ Ryan Capitol – Death Disco Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Dood Claremont Hotel – Fiveo/ J.V.R Club Bay View – Fiveo Eastern Hotel – DJ Munch Empire Bar – DJ James Ess Eurobar – Roger Smart/ DJ Raci Flying Scotsman - Under The Influence DJs Flying Scotsman (Defectors) - Fore DJs High Road Hotel – DJ Simon High Wycombe – DJ Matt Hipe Club – DJ E-Funk Honey Lounge – DJ Saxon/ Sardi Library – MKT ft DJ Riki/ DJ Vicktor and more Little Creatures Loft – Marine Beats Liquid Nightclub - DJ Klar55/ DJ Stevie M Llama Bar – DJ Reuben/ DJ Melvin Malt Super Club – Fiveo Matches Bar – Jstokes/ Valerio Metro City (Climax) - DJ Francesco/ DJ Don Migi/ DJ Slick Metro City (R&B Lounge) - DJ Soso/ DJ Ruthless/ DJ Brett Costello Metro Freo – Roger Smart/ DJ Wazz/ Ben Carter Metro Freo – I Love 80’s 90’s DJ DTuck Mint Nightclub – Pop Life ft DJ Aaron/ AJ Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ Danny Mustang – Rockabilly DJ/ DJ James MacArthur Niche – Frankie Button/ Cee/ Jonny Zimber Norma Jeans – DJ Phat Daz Oxford Hotel – DJ Sequeria Paramount- DJ Cornflake / DJ Jordan/ DJ Johnny Boi

Chali 2na Queens Tav - Gareth Richardson Rocket Room – DJ Perry South St Ale House – DJ Jay Sovereign Arms – Rockwell The Avenue – Jon Ee The Boheme – DJ Sneakee The Brighton (Upstairs) – Micah/ Kill Dyl/ eSQue The Causeway – Rhys Johnson The Clink –Az-T The Cornerstone – Millie Bro The Craftsman – Michael Brittliff The Deen - DJ Birdie/ DJ JJ/ DJ Tony Allen The East End Bar - Fiveo The Generous Squire – On Tap ft DJ James Nutley The Grand Central - Dale Varson The Saint – DJ Anaru The Shed –DJ Andyy/ Huge The Wembley – Lokie Shaw The Whistling Kite – Gavyn Mytchel The Vic – DJ Kristian Tiger Lils – DJ Bojan/ DJ Ben Sebastian Toucan – DJ Hages Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin Villa - Jungle Fever ft Aphrodite Windsor – DJ Ray Woodvale Tavern – DJ Real McCoy

SUNDAY 13/01 Captain Stirling – DJ Jay Claremont Hotel – DJ Double Dee Clink – DJ Tony Allen Empire Bar – CB3/ DJ Riki/ DJ Vicktor Euro Bar – DJ Flex Eve Nightclub – DJ Slick Flying Scotsman – Nathan J/ Nizbet/ Pasha/ Chris

Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – Eclectic Picnic Mint - Chris McPhee Mustang – DJ Rockin Rhys Paramount – Glo/ DJ Slick/ DJ Benny C/ DJ Matty S Players Bar – Lucky Charm Rocket Room – Coyote Ugly Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre - Sets On The Beach ft Chali 2na/ Felix & Al (Hot Chip)/ Bag Raiders/ All Good Funk Alliance & Thinktank Sovereign Arms – Dylan Hammond The Avenue – Az-T The Causeway – Lukas Wimmler The Cott – Cott Sessions The Kiosk – DJ Cinder The Saint - DJ Anaru The Shed – James Wilson and more

MONDAY 14/01 Bar Orient - DJ White Label Broken Hill Tavern - DJ Mario Tavelli Eve Nightclub - DJ Don Migi Paddo – DJ John Paul The Shed – DJ Andyy

TUESDAY 15/01 Bar Orient - DJ Lyndon Eastern Hotel – Jon Edwards High Road Hotel – DJ Matty J High Wycombe – DJ Ricky Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Players Bar (Norma Jeans Bar) – Stevie M Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

AMPLIFIER/CAPITOL

BIG APE

SHAPE

FRAT HOUSE FRIDAY

METRO FREO

IN THE THIS WEEK Kerser Friday, January 11 @ Villa DJ Gusto Friday, January 11 @ Capitol

Kid Mac Friday, January 18 @ Settlers Tavern DJ Gusto Friday, January 18 @ Mullaloo Beach Hotel Kid Mac Saturday, January 19 @ Prince of Wales

Lights/ Nicky Romero/ Morgan Page/ Sampology and more Monday, January 28 @ Claremont Showground

Huxley Saturday, February 23 @ Shape Slaughterhouse Saturday, March 2 @ Metro City

The Presets Thursday, January 31 @ Future Music Festival ft The Prodigy/ The Metro Freo Stone Roses/ PSY/ Inna Circle ft Goth- Pete Griffiths Dizzee Rascal/ Bloc Mark Storie Trad/ Joe Nice/ New Friday, February 1 @ Party/ Azealia Banks/ Saturday, January 12 @ York Transit Authority/ The Newport Rita Ora/ Boys Noize Boab Tavern Ghost Mutt/ Deville (live)/ Hardwell/ The Saturday, January 19 @ Above & Beyond Temper Trap/ Fun./ Jungle Fever ft Gilkisons Dance Studio Friday, February 1 @ Aphrodite Madeon/ Rudimental/ Metro City Saturday, January 12 @ Ellie Goulding/ Steve Kid Mac Villa Aoki/ Alesso/ Gypsy Sunday, January 20 @ Wolfgang Gartner Clancy’s Dunsborough Friday, February 1 @ & The Cat/ A-Trak Sets On The Beach (live)/ Feed Me (live)/ Villa ft Chali 2na/ Felix & ESG Zeds Dead/ Kill The Al (Hot Chip)/ Bag Sunday, January 20 @ Force Majeure ft Noise/ DJ Fresh Raiders/ All Good Funk The Bakery Emoh Instead (live)/ Nervo/ Zane Alliance & Thinktank Friday, February 1 @ Sunday, January 13 @ Lowe/ Borgore/ Sven Heavyweight Soundz ft Ambar Scarborough Beach Vath/ Richie Hawtin/ Andy C & MC GQ Amphitheatre Ricardo Villalobos/ Friday, January 25 @ Felix Cartel Metro City Sunday, February 10 @ Seth Troxler/ Magda/ Cosmic Gate ft Emma The Court COMING UP Old Skool Boat Parties Hewitt/ W&W/ tyDi/ Kid Mac ft Miggy and more Andy Moor/ Super8 Future Classic Wednesday, January 16 Friday, January 25 @ Showcase ft Scenic/ & Tab/ Ben Gold/ The @ Indi Bar Barrack St Jetty Panama/ Flight Stafford Brothers/ Facilities/ Mitzi Timmy Trumpet/ Kid Mac DJ Gusto Saturday, February 16 Tenzin/ Bombs Away Thursday, January 17 @ Friday, January 25 @ @ The Chevron Festival Sunday, March 3 @ Mojos Bar Capitol Gardens Arena Joondalup Action Bronson DJ Sasha Flosstradamus Thursday, January 17 @ Friday, January 25 @ Villa Saturday, February 16 Smokey’s Tour ft The Bakery Urthboy @ Shape Riva Starr Friday, March 8 @ Mojos Saturday, January 26 @ Marcell Salt On The Beach Dettmann Smokey’s Tour ft Dirtybird Records Tour Sunday, February 17 @ Urthboy ft Claude VonStroke/ Venue TBC Saturday, March 9 @ Justin Martin/ J Phlip Amplifier Bag Raiders Sunday, January 27 @ Blawan Saturday, February 23 Sets On The Beach ft SETS ON THE BEACH Ambar @ Shape lineup TBC SUNDAY, JANUARY Big Day Out ft The Sunday, March 17 @ Mac Miller 13 @ SCARBOROUGH Bloody Beetroots/ Saturday, February 23 Scarborough Beach Castles/ BEACH AMPHITHEATRE Crystal Amphitheatre @ Metro Freo Kaskade/ Pretty Shimon Friday, January 11 @ Geisha

www.xpressmag.com.au

LIVING UP TO THE HYPE BREAKFEST ft Krafty Kuts/ A.Skillz/ Camo & Krooked/ Lady Waks and more Belvoir Amphitheatre Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Rolling smoothly into its 12th year, Breakfest once again took over the Belvoir Amphitheatre for what has become a tradition for many – an annual pilgrimage to the Swan Valley that many anticipate more than that popular guy’s birthday on the day that proceeds it. And again, it was a scorcher.

Whilst always welcoming to lovers of all forms of breakbeat, this year’s festival had a cherry (and custard) on top for drum’n’bass fans with the inclusion of the Hospitality stage, which was banging it out hard and fast at the top of the pit all day, with a non-stop onslaught featuring the cream of the local scene, alongside top shelf names from the Hospital Records roster.

Their new star, Brazilian S.P.Y, now exclusively signed to the label, had a huge year with the release of his debut LP, and dropped a massive set in his unique style, living up to the hype - a highlight for many. Certified legend, High Contrast, doesn’t need any hype, he just delivers. It’s always great to have the Welshman in town.

While many elected to wait ‘til a bit later in the arvo to brave it - the ever reliable Charlie Bucket ably assisted by N’fa provided some festive beats and rhymes for the dedicated disciples before the combined forces of local legends Black & Blunt took things to the next level as the pit started to fill.

Dropping bomb after bomb, they took the chance to feature some of their own world class productions, their killer Janette Slack remix and the PDMA winning Moving Music to finish the set.

Then came The Nextmen. Always a good party starter, the unlikely looking duo laid

down a selection of big tunes and remixes, funk, soul, reggae and dub. Julio Bashmore’s Battle For Middle You went down particularly well, before Stumpy and the Boomtick crew stormed the stage to make damn sure everyone got into party mode, armed with super soakers and unleashing a flurry of giant beach balls onto the crowd.

Marten Hørger was up next. It’s not too common you see a German breaks DJ but this star on the rise immediately set about impressing the crowd.

The Challenger Ready stage provided another den of delights headlined by Specimen A and Pyramid. Local boys BAA provided an arvo highlight with a barnstorming set.

The talented veteran DJ Yoda never fails to impress with his trademark AV mashup set. Videos were scratched and cut up in sync with the beat.

Bob Marley clashed with The Cure, viral videos were sampled, Black Sabbath rubbed shoulders with Busta Rhymes. Old school Bond footage was mixed with dubstep – the man can pull off anything.

Lady Waks had a tough act to follow but Russia’s first lady of breaks handled it with class and precision, maintaining the level by launching straight into a bass heavy, breaks assault. A ball of energy behind the decks, her enthusiasm was as infectious as were her quality selection of tunes. Set of the day.

Camo & Krooked smashed out a hard and twisted set of drum’n’bass up top, while Breakfest veterans A.Skillz and Krafty Kuts teamed up this year for a massive back to back set to close. The amphitheatre bathed in colour, never fails to take the breath away. And Stumpy returned with his big white balls, explosions of confetti and dancers to help send the night off in style before the boys wound it up with the sounds of DJ Fresh’s big track Gold Dust.

» ALFRED GORMAN

A.Skillz & Krafty Kuts (Photo by Brandon Davies)

29

SOUTHBOUND Sir Stewart Bovell Park, Busselton Friday-Saturday, January 4-5, 2013 How the time flies. Here we were, back in Busselton for Southbound, with an estimated 12,500 people, many of them campers. It’s still a fine way to close up the festive season madness while bringing in the real new year.

It’s difficult not to warm to Melbourne outfit Loon Lake, whose chipper disposition (according to their Triple J Unearthed bio they play music simply because they “find it fun”) and upbeat tunes - with titles like In The Summer and Cherry Lips - seemed perfectly pitched at the festival crowd. Yet while the proficient quintet throw the shapes of rock very proficiently, they lack the sense of abandon that would elevate their music beyond so much pleasant, retro-now guitarpop. Perhaps that is why their cover of The Darkness’ I Believe In A Thing Called Love seemed devoid of any of the pompous fun of the original, and saw punters abandon the undercover Share Stage in droves when the warbling falsetto of Matt Corby’s Brother crept in under the big top.

Keeping the bulk of the crowd at the Sunny Stage, London-via-Edinburgh quartet Django Django impressed with a groove-centered sound which showcased their tight guitar work and killer riffs. While in the live setting it was easily to identify just how eerily similar some of their tunes sound - particularly Default, WOR and Storm - the band’s ability to entice even the most placid of punters to bop, hop and boogie down was undeniable.

Comparatively, Brooklyn-based songstress Sharon Van Etten drew a considerably smaller group of music lovers to the Share Stage, yet her performance - which boasted road-toughened guitars and truly superb vocals - was one of the early highlights of the two-day festival. Backed by a three-piece band (who shared duties on bass, drums, tambourine, backing vocals and keys), the salty lyrics of Serpents, Leonard and Give Out poured out from Etten as she probed the faults of modern relationships with a head-turning eloquence.

Catering to punters who had just about had enough of the blazing afternoon sun came the option to sit under the cool alcove of the Share Stage during a 45-minute comedy set headlined by Spicks & Specks alumni Felicity Ward and also featuring shorter stand-up sets courtesy of Raw Comedy winner Luke Heggie and Melbourne International Comedy Festival ‘Best Newcomer’ Matt Okine. While Okine’s banter was infectious, hilarious, comedy gold (reminiscent of the stylings of Parks And Recreation’s Aziz Ansari), unfortunately Ward’s reliance on audience interaction meant her set was over before she’d really even begun to whip out her trademark witticisms. In comparison, however, Heggie was by far the under-performer of the three. Listing unfunny anecdote after unfunny anecdote, his shtick came off mean, dumb and sexist in the worst way possible.

Coercing punters back up on to their feet was much-loved young local four-piece San Cisco.

Theirs is a polished and uncomplicated brand of indie pop - placed squarely in the corner occupied by the likes of Phoenix and Vampire Weekend - but one that feels considerably more fun than it has any right to be. Occupying the stage as if they were a band with a decade of festival experience behind them, they were welcomed readily into the fold by an audience who knew every line of Golden Revolver, Wild Things and (of course) Awkward. Any notion of them being rock stars, however, was quelled when drummer Scarlett Stevens, unsure of how may songs were left in the set, yelled out to manager Phil Stevens, ‘Dad, are there two or three songs left?’ They are a truly unaffected bunch.

Almost a year after appearing early at the 2012 Big Day Out festival, London rockers The Vaccines were back with an acclaimed new album - Come Of Age - under their belts and a subsequent much higher billing on the festival line-up. Strutting out tune after tune - with highlights including Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra), No Hope, Post Break-Up Sex and Teenage Icon - their noholds-barred set was pure rock’n’roll goodness.

With their perfect fusion of quirky electro-

The Vaccines pop and dance, cult British favourites Hot Chip delivered a set which was buckets of fun. While recent hits Don’t Deny Your Heart and Night & Day (plucked from their 2012 LP In Our Heads) whipped the crowd into the expected frenzy, well-worn floor fillers Over And Over and And I Was a Boy From School both throbbed along unrecognisably until the vocals kicked in, at which point the crowd promptly piped up, inciting singa-longs of (almost) epic proportions. Over at the Share Stage Coolio was getting his ‘90s on and the crowd were loving it. As Gangsta’s Paradise filled the tent, it seemed everyone knew the full rap and as a wall of people sat atop the shoulders of friends, the crowd in front of Coolio began to look like an igloo.

The feverish anticipation for The Hives was totally warranted. As drummer, Chris Dangerous, took to his kit, grand piano style, and the rest of the band raced to the stage in top-hats-and-tails, the game was on.

Launching into the infectious one-word opener, Come On!, Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist grabbed the audience by the collective balls and high-kicked, high-humped and hi-jinxed his way through a blasting set that included new songs from the Lex Hives album such as Take Back The Toys and My Time Is Coming, and now-classics such as Walk Idiot Walk and Hate To Say I Told You So. Go Right Ahead still sounds like ELO’s Don’t Bring Me Down, but it’s a whipsmart song live; the audience - whom Almqvist soon had seated momentarily en masse on the grass - certainly thought so. By the time Tick Tick Boom closed out the set, the battle was won and Almqvist had awarded The Hives a review score of ‘365 out of 5’.

Deserved!

While The Hives came to conquer, The Flaming Lips came for a big hug. As the band opened with Black Sabbath’s Sweet Leaf, main man Wayne Coyne emerged in a huge bubble, surfing over the audience as he smiled right into their eyes (with a camera on his mic, he continued the close-up love for the whole set). Back to the riser for Worm Mountain, Coyne grabbed a megaphone as the stage lit up with a blaze of lights, confetti, dancers and all kinds of props.

The Wizard Of Oz had come to Kansas and the upfront crowd was ecstatic, but when Coyne greeted the crowd by describing Busselton as ‘Where The Fuck, WA’ some disappointment set in. Soon the set began to ebb with more minimal musical passages, but it rose again once Coyne donned his bloody big gloves for Lazer Hands.

Said laser hands, infamously, were later stolen and then discovered in a paddock, this only months following the Mumford & Sons theft at Belvoir. (Note to potential festival thieves: pull your fucking heads in). Ending with the uplifting Do You Realise? it was the stuff of dreams to take back to tents.

Saturday was a Sunday kind of Saturday. Day 2 of Southbound witnessed a laidback crowd, perhaps exhausted from the previous day’s festivities, and reeling from a far hotter day. The line-up also added to the chilled out atmosphere (though not temperature) of this glorious day. First Aid Kit certainly did. All swingable, agreeable, folky pop on four legs, they were easy and assured in delivery and most refreshing as the sun beat on down.

Oh Mercy played quite a laidback set in the Sunny Stage tent, certainly compared to the response of acts such San Cisco on the same stage the day prior.

Songs from the band’s 2011 album, Great Barrier Grief, seemed to wash over, but tunes from the newer LP, Deep

The Flaming Lips, on the ball

Coolio Heat, hit the sweeter spots, not surprising any given their high Triple J treatment since mid-last year. Alex Gow invited pals Millions on stage for the last song, Labour Of Love. A pleasant end to a pleasant set.

Over on the mainstage Maximo Park were way more lively. They seemed more suited to nighttime really, but plowed on in any case for what was a hioctane set. Singer, Paul Smith, still insists on his bowler hat. He just doesn’t own it like Slash (or The Hives, for that matter) owns the topper.

Best Coast were all indie rock royalty under the bigtop. It was beachball bingo au-go-go as Bethany Cosentino sung songs about California with a friendly amiable intensity arising in the tent. Coming across like a cool version of Katrina & The Waves, by set’s end Best Coast’s Californication of Busselton was complete.

Australia’s other sweetheart (there’s a few), Lisa Mitchell took to the Sunny Stage in what could be called the Missy Higgins slot. It may have resonated more in the bigtop tent, but to the adoring horde upfront she had them at ‘Hello Southbound’.

Rodrigo Y Gabriella tend to go on a bit for mine (BG), but are always a festival fave. Their flamenco dexterity brought joy to the sunkissed, but Bertie Blackman brought dark washes to a full tent over at the Share Stage. It looked like she was in the midst of an old Countdown clip on the stage, as her dark and dynamic tunes met with rousing response.

Rodrigo Y Gabriella

San Cisco www.xpressmag.com.au

Bertie Blackman Baltimore dream poppers Beach House were ephemeral on the mainstage, but vocalist Victoria Legrand seemed entrenched towards the back of stage behind keyboards, leaving all the audience interaction up to the screen, in a sense. It all washed over nicely however.

Hilltops Hoods just did what they do. And they did it to as big a response as any act all weekend, suddenly transcending the chilled Saturday vibe. No mean feat, actually. Over at the Share Stage Parachute Youth were busy being dreadful. Yuck.

Two Door Cinema Club proved very worthy of the last slot on the main stage, despite concerns.

Performed live, their songs are even more vibrant, and were just the late evening tonic. Triple J-endorsed hits, This Is The Life and Sun were like a last drop of ecstasy (the emotion, people!) for a weekend that possibly wasn’t as musically dynamic as previous Southbounds, but quite possibly even more enjoyable. _ JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD & BOB GORDON

Two Door Cinema Club

The Hives (Photography by Michael Wylie) 30

THE BEAT Friday night, Perth’s own rock & rollers The Volcanics will be hitting the stage with support from Dirty South & Custom Royale from 8pm.

Make sure you don’t miss out as it’s sure to be a knock out!

YA YA’S

Welcome to a new year at Ya Ya’s. This week we have loads of local live music for you to get the new year started. Join us firstly for some laughs tonight as we welcome back Ha Ha’s at Ya Ya’s with headline Ben Darsow (SA). Friday night is a great line-up headlined by The Atlas Mountains, and supports from Nevada Pilot, Tim Gordon and Kenneth Rogers.

THE RAILWAY

This Saturday at the Railway Hotel catch The Community Chest, Mezzanine, The Sensitive Drunks and The Jayco Brothers in the Beer Garden. Doors 8pm, $8 entry. The following Saturday, January 19 it’s “Ride The Rail”, a rock and roll feast featuring Buzz Kill Vamps, In The Now, Adverse Reaction and Wicked Wench.

MUSTANG BAR

Support original music, every Thursday night at The Mustang Bar. This week we welcome The Love Junkies, hailing from the foothills of Perth, Western Australia, The Love Junkies were founded by singer/songwriter Mitch McDonald and drummer Lewis Walsh at the end of 2009.

The duo met many moons prior in high school, jamming out the beginnings of what would become The Love Junkies. Supported by 44th Sunset & Mitch McDonald with DJ James MacArthur.

MOJOS BAR

Saturday, January 12, Ngati’s first gig of the year at Mojos is going to be off the chain! We have invited a few past members to come and join us and this makes for a mean night of entertainment. We have players from Dilip n the Davs, Jahmoko and a few other special guests.

Support your live music venues. Fremantle the home of live music! Doors 8pm & $15 entry.

www.xpressmag.com.au

Malachi Wehipeihana

INDI BAR

Head down to Indi Bar to catch Malachi Wehipeihana on Wednesday, Januar y 9.

Combining an inimitable blend of talent, his music and song writing skills take the typical sounds of NZ and then spins them around and stamps them with his own unique personality.

Don’t miss his soulful sounds and intriguing grooves.

THE ROSEMOUNT

This Thursday at the Rosemount Hotel it’s the second Space Ship News Band Of The Month special. Catch some of Perth’s best new talent in the form of Lionizer, Bears and Dolls, The Georgians and Burst and Bloom. Doors open 8pm and entry is $8. To win a double pass to this show email win@rosemounthotel.com.au with ‘Win’ in the subject line.

ROCKET ROOM

The New Year brings you a new awesome Friday Night at the Rocket Room, now the ultimate start to your weekend! From 8pm this week be a part of the official re-launch of Coyote Ugly, then afterwards Kickstart are playing all your favourite rock classics from midnight. Friday night is “Dancers on the Bar then Legends on Guitar”.

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BROKEN ROYALE Love The Sinner

really quite different from the beginning, when Electro-rock duo Broken Royale are are Germaine was doing electronic stuff with her MCing, launching their new single, Sin City, and I was doing more rock stuff. We kind of blend that to get something different, and it works.” this Saturday, January 12, with support stuff together Locally, the band’s penchant for recruiting from FOAM, The Order Of The Black a rotating roster of guest musicians - Robinson plays of the instruments on their recordings, but bows Werewolf, and R.I.S.E. TRAVIS JOHNSON most to the need to work with collaborators onstage - has talks to Lance Robinson. brought them into contact with an equally eclectic Back in 2011, multi-instrumentalist Lance Robinson was cheerfully carving his way through the rock idiom when a chance encounter with electronic artist Germaine Jones led him to purse musical avenues he had not previously considered.

“Well, we met through friends,” Robinson recalls. “We were just having a jam with a few friends, and on the first night I met her we were just jamming on a riff, and it all worked pretty well. By the end of the night we had a song, and that song was Wrong Way. By the end of the night, we had the whole thing pretty much mixed and finished and tracked, and it all went really well. From there, we just started working together and writing together.”

The partnership has been a fruitful one, with the pair beavering away in their cramped garage studio to produce an idiosyncratic mix of electronic beats and dirty, guitar-centric rock. Robinson opines that their unique sound is due to the two of them having a diverse range of influences. “At the moment, we’re listening to quite a bit of The Kills,” he tells us.

“Art Vs Science has been a big influence as well. Also, we like older stuff like The Divinyls. Our influences

range of talent. “We’re good friends with the BOOM! BAP! POW! crew - we’ve done shows with them. Lots of bands, really. FOAM we haven’t played with yet, but we’re looking forward to that. We like playing with The Love Junkies - they’re great, we’ve done shows with them. Where do you start? There’s heaps of good bands going around in Perth right now.”

Still, recording the new single took Robinson to the east coast, where he worked with Adam Weston (B.O.T., Sons of Rico).

“I went over to Airlock Studios in Brisbane,” he explains. “I went there because Adam Weston, one of my good friends, was on drums. We wanted a nice solid vibe for the recording of the drums. While I was there I did the bass and the guitar, and the vocals and the keys were done in our studio back at our house.”

Following the single release, which Robinson says will eventually be accompanied by a music video, the two plan on taking the next logical step.“We’ve got enough songs for an album, and we’ve got a lot of new songs that we want to incorporate into it. So the plan is to release an album and hopefully do some shows over east and play as much as we can that’s definitely the key.”

Custom Royal

CELLAR DWELLERS

THE PROUD HIGHWAY

When the weather turns this savage, one of the only sane responses is to hole up in an air-conditioned pub until the whole thing blows over. Enthusiastic rock and roll aficionados Custom Royal will be doing that very thing this Saturday, January 12, along with their running mates Red Engine Caves and Slums, at The Norfolk Basement. You can catch a dose of the Freo Doctor and a dose of catchy rock for a measly eight bucks.

Blind Highway are launching their debut EP at The Rosemount Hotel this Friday, January 11, ably assisted by a staggering support line-up including The Nervous Wrecks, Slick Rick and The Rhythm Cats, Silver Grenade, and Something Humble.

Entry is absolutely free, and free copies of the selftitled EP will be available too.

SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN

The Moon Cafe continues their strong tradition of supporting Perth talent with their ongoing series of Going Solo At The Moon shows. This Wednesday, January 9, sees Grace Woodroofe, Craig McElhinney, and Jonothan Brain taking the stage from 8:30pm. Then, on Friday, January 11, Zealous Chang are on from 8pm, with special guests in support. Entry, as always, is free, but try to order some food.

This Sunday, January 13, The Rosemount Hotel kicks off their Soundz Like Sunday season, A lowkey acoustic session designed to please those who are a little shaky in the mornings, it features Turin Robinson plus special guests. Food specials all day and free entry make it a top way to ease out of the weekend and back into the working groove.

COUGH TO GET OFF

On Friday, January 11, in a fit of suicidal bravery, C5 Bar at Metros Freo will play host to legendary West Aussie punk rockers, The Lungs, as they attempt to raise the cash to get across to Sydney’s annual Oi! Festival. Entitled Cough Up!, It’s a worthy cause, and one the Perth punk community is keen to support. Hence, The Lungs will be joined on stage by Creature, The Reptilians, Lucille, Bob Gordons, and Blazin’ Entrails, with between set noise courtesy of DJ Hate. It’s sure to be furious and frenetic night.

ATLAS SHRUGGED

This Friday, January 11, The Atlas Mountains inaugurate the new year with a show at YaYa’s.

Joining them on the night will be Nevada Pilot, Tim Gordon, and Kenneth Rogers. Doors open at 8pm, tickets are $10.

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Blind Highway

FLY ME TO THE MOON

FAR EAST

A new venue is always a good thing, and the Eastern is no exception. Located on the Great Eastern Highway in Midland, it’s said to be one of the best band rooms in the entire city, and is certainly one of the few live venues that far our of the city. Go and investigate this Saturday, January 12, when The Monicans, Crooked Cats, Tell the Shaman, and Kylie Storm will be putting the joint through its paces. Entry is $8 from 8pm.

FLOWER POWER

After a long, quiet period in writing and recording mode, avant-garde folk pop outfit The Flower Drums will launch a couple of tunes off of their upcoming album this Thursday, January 10, at Mojo’s Bar in Fremantle. Joining them in making oddly nostalgic noise will be Victorian outfit The Shabbabb, Fall Electric, and Slums. Entry’s a fiver, from 8pm.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

FEAR OF COMEDY Rising From the Ashes

“I think it’s important to develop the Between their supporting slot with band’s sound,” Tierney muses. “I think you’ve Goth legend Peter Murphy at The gotta grow as an artist; I can’t imagine starting and just doing the same genre or style Bakery tonight, Wednesday January aorband something like that. You grow as people, you 9, and their upcoming album, local grow as musicians, and you grow together as a You try and do things, and experimentation alt-rockers Fear of Comedy are busier band. has gotta be there, it’s gotta happen - otherwise now than they’ve been for a long time. you’re just settling for mediocrity and you’re being TRAVIS JOHNSON has a word with complacent.”

The notion of complacency is anathema to the band, an attitude that is reflected in the title frontman Laith Tierney.

It’s been a long time between releases for darkinflected Perth rockers Fear Of Comedy, but singer Laith Tierney assures us that the drought is about to be broken.

“The past 12 months has seen us in the recording studio,” he says. “We’ve been working with Ron Pollard, who you might know from Tangled Thoughts Of leaving - he’s the keyboardist. He runs a studio out in North Dandenup called Sleepwalker’s Dread. Over the Easter period - the 7th, 8th, and 9th of April - we went down there and recorded. We’ve got the single, From Ashes, which is due to come out next month, and that’ll be followed by the full length album release, which will be in March.”

But even long-term fans of the bad might have trouble recognising them these days. From their beginnings as a post-punk four piece back in 2005, they’ve changed and developed into something stranger, more challenging, almost operatic. They boast six members now, and their stock in trade is brooding, cinematic soundscapes that owe more to Morricone than to Manson.

of their upcoming full-length release. “We’ve got the working title of Delapsus Resurgam, which translates roughly to, ‘If or when I fall, I will rise.’ We related to that, because their were a lot of personal changes and developments in our lives over the past few years, and the band itself has gone through various ebbs and flows, rises and falls, and changes. We like to put a bit of emphasis on that as a quality - change being a good thing, and positive disintegration being a very big part of that.”

Before their latest work sees the light of day, though, Fear Of Comedy will get the chance to reintroduce themselves to the Perth dark alternative scene when they support Peter Murphy, formerly of the seminal Goth outfit Bauhaus, at The Bakery tonight. For Tierney, it’s something of a dream come true.

“It was obviously pretty amazing news when we heard that we’d got it. I’ve been a Bauhaus and Pete Murphy fan since I was 13 years old, so it’s a bit of a crowning achievement for the band.

When you get a big support gig like this, it’s very motivating and encouraging. It’s an honour, really.”

Fear Of Comedy

THE GOD PARTICLE

Electronic extemporisers The Bosons light the fuse on their new album, What Can I Do To You?, this Friday, January 11, at The Bird. Joining the duo will be Mmhmmm and TAN, as well as visual artist FEYEK. Entry is a bank-breaking zero dollars, and The Bosons’ latest single, Almost Like You, will be available on vinyl on the night - along with copies of the new album, naturally.

Fools Of April

APRIL FOOLS

Pop rock pundits Fools Of April mount the stage for the last time in a while at the Rosemount Hotel this Saturday, January 12. With support from Hailmary, The Black Penny Project, and Moana, it promises to be a bang-up night. Tickets on the door.

GRRR, AARGH

Shontay Snow

TWELVE INCHES OF SNOW

Fey songstress Shontay Snow launches the video for her new single, Mon Amour, at Amplifier this Friday, January 11, with support from Bears And Dolls, Morgan Bain, and Three Hands One Hoof. Although she’s only just 20 years old, Snow has been performing live for over five years now, building a reputation as a talent of no little power and imagination. It should prove to be a night of folk-inflected, ethereal magic. Tickets are a paltry $15 on the door. www.xpressmag.com.au

Local loud lads The Growl will soon be stepping onto a plane bound for the US, where they will peddle their distinctive brand of fuzzy garage rock while supporting Tame Impala on tour.

Before that, though, they’re gonna raise the roof at Mojos on Sunday, January 13, along with Gum and Doctopus. Ears will start bleeding at 6pm.

Tickets are available at the venue.

A MOMENT IN THE SUN

Musical melange The Sun Orchestra (aka Lee Jones and whoever’s handy at the time) continue to peddle their unique mix of indie, blues and country. Influenced by the likes of the legendary Gram Parsons and Neil Young, they’ll take to the stage this Saturday, January 12, at YaYa’s, along with Rachael & Henry Climb a Hill, Amanda Merdzan, and Tyto Kings. Entry is $10 on the door from 8pm.

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Nick Cave March 6, Red Hill Auditorium

Nightwish January 20, Metropolis Fremantle

2013 (The Prodigy, & ROOTS FESTIVAL The Stone Roses, PSY, (Sensational Space Dizzee Rascal, Bloc Party, Shifters, Iggy & The Azealia Banks, Rita Ora, Stooges, Chris Isaak, Boys Noize, Hardwell, Staus Quo, Tedeschi The Temper Trap, FUN, Trucks Band, Fred Wesley Madeon, Rudimental, & The New JB’s, Newton Ellie Goulding, Steve Faukner, Kitty, Daisy Aoki, Alesso, Gypsy & & Lewis, Grace Potter, 9 Amplifier FORCE MAJEURE The Cat, A-Trak, Feed Gardens Mama Kin & Blue Shady) 10 YMCA HQ 1 Ambar IAN DATE AND GEORGE Me, Zeds Dead, Kill The 23 Fremantle Park THE SMITH STREET BAND WASHINMACHINE Noise, DJ Fresh, Nervo, DEBORAH CONWAY 2 The Rosemount SANDI THOM Zane Lowe, Borgore, 19 The Ellington 23 The Ellington THE WATERBOYS 10 Fly By Night HOW TO DRESS WELL & Cocoon Heroes ft Sven WEST COAST BLUES & 2 Perth Concert Hall Väth, Richie Hawtin, AXOLOTL ROOTS FESTIVAL (Ben ELVIS COSTELLO & Ricardo Villalobos, Seth Harper, Santana, Paul MARDUK 20 Chevron Festival THE IMPOSTERS/ Troxler, Magda, Wake 10 Amplifier Gardens Simon, Steve Miller Band, SUNNYBOYS/JO JO Your Mind ft Cosmic Gate Wilco, Bonnie Raitt, RINGO STARR ZEP &THE FALCONS/ & Emma Hewitt, W&W, Jimmy Cliff, Michael 21 Challenge Stadium STEPHEN CUMMINGS SETS ON THE tyDi, Andy Moor, Super8 Kiwanuka, Ash Grunwald JOSE JAMES/ HOATUS BEACH VOLUME 6 Kings Park Botanic & Tab, Ben Gold, The KAIYOTE Gardens & Benjamin Francis 9 (Chali 2na, Stafford Brothers, Timmy Leftwich) AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER 21 Chevron Festival Felix & Al, Bag Trumpet, Tenzin, Bombs 24 Fremantle Park ORCHESTRA Gardens Raiders, All Good 6 Perth Concert Hall Away & More TBA) JULIA STONE GUY SEBASTIAN 3 Arena Joondalup MACEO PARKER Funk Alliance, 22 St Joseph’s Church 30 Crown Theatre 7 Chevron Festival Gardens THE RAAH PROJECT SOUNDWAVE 2013 Thinktank) NORMAN BLAKE & (Metallica, Linkin Park, 22 Chevron Festival 13 Scarborough Beach JOE PERNICE/ DIRTY Blink-182, A Perfect APRIL Amphitheatre Gardens BEACHES Circle, The Offspring, MAC MILLER HITS & PITS 2013 (Mad 8 Chevron Festival Gardens 23 Metropolis Fremantle Paramore, Garbage, Caddies, Good Riddance, GRACE WINTERFOLD Slayer, Cypress Hill, Bullet A Wilhelm Scream, ED SHEERAN/ WOODROOFE 8 C5Fremantle For My Valentine, and Voodoo Glow Skulls, The PASSENGER 15 & 16 The Ellington 9 The Camel Bar more) Flatliners, Diesel Boy, 23 Challenge Stadium ST. JEROME’S LANEWAY 4 Claremont Showgrounds One Dollar Short, Jamie CLIFF RICHARDS FESTIVAL 2013 (Alpine, Hay, Jen Buxton, Totally JANUARY RUSSELL PETERS Alt-J, Bat For Lashes, Chet 23 Sandalford Estate Unicorn & Paper Arms) 5 Perth Arena KID MAC Faker, Cloud Nothings, TIM ROGERS/ THE 1 Metropolis Fremantle NICK CAVE & THE BAD 16 Indi Bar Divine Fits, El-P, Flume, BAMBOOS LUKA BLOOM SEEDS 17 Mojos Bar 23 Chevron Festival Henry Wagons & The 2 Fly By Night 6 Red Hill Auditorium 18 Settlers Tavern Unwelcome Company, Gardens DEEP PURPLE/JOURNEY THE SCRIPT 19 Prince of Wales High Highs, Holy Other, CLUBFEET 3 Perth Arena 7 Perth Arena 20 Clancy’s Dunsborough Japandroids, Jessie 23 Villa BIRDY GEORGE CLINTON KIM CHURCHILL PHRONESIS Ware, Julia Holter, 6 Riverside Theatre & PARLIAMENT 18 Clancy’s Fremantle Kings Of Convenience, 24 Chevron Festival ROGER HODGSON FUNKADELIC 19 Settlers Tavern The Men, Ms Mr, The Gardens 7 Riverside Theatre 7 Metropolis Fremantle 20 Indi Bar Neighbourhood, GLENN FREY EXTREME/RICHIE RACHEL CLAUDIO Nicolas Jaar, Nite Jewel, 24 Kings Park & Botanical BOB SEDERGREEN KOTZEN 7 The Ellington Of Monsters & Men, 18 & 19 The Ellington Garden 16 Metro City Perfume Genius, Polica, NORAH JONES BIRDS OF TOKYO NIGHTWISH ZUCCHERO 7 Prince Of Wales 20 Metropolis Fremantle Pond, Real Estate, The 24 Riverside Theatre 17 Regal Theatre Rubens, Shlohmo, 8 Fremantle Arts Centre ESG SOUL REBELS STU LARSEN Snakadaktal, Twerps, GARY PUCKETT & THE 20 The Bakery 25 Chevron Festival 17 The Ellington Yeasayer ) UNION GAP MOUNT EERIE Gardens DAVE JACKSON 9 Venue TBC 9 The Astor 23 The Bakery CAT POWER 24 The Ellington GIN BLOSSOMS WEEZER 26 & 27 Chevron Festival CAT EMPIRE MARILYN KELLER 10 Capitol 10 Fremantle Arts Centre 26 The Ellington 23 Perth Arena Gardens ARCHIE ROACH DINOSAUR JR/ THE WOODS LAURIE ANDERSON & FAIRBRIDGE FESTIVAL 10 Chevron Festival JON SPENCER BLUES 23 The Bakery KRONOS QUARTET (TINPAN ORANGE/ Gardens EXPLOSION/ MOON DUO ANDY C/ MC GQ 27 Perth Concert Hall BUSTAMENTO/ FRANK ARAVENA-KEEVERS12 The Astor 25 Metro City KISS/ MOTLEY CRUE/ YAMMA/ KRISTINA OLSEN) WALLACE TRIO RONAN KEATING/ BRIAN 26-28 Fairbridge PUGSLEY BUZZARD THIN LIZZY 10 The Ellington MCFADDEN 25 The Ellington MIDGE URE GODSPEED YOU! BLACK 28 Perth Arena FRESH PRODUCE: CHICKS EMPEROR 27 Charles Hotel JAMES CARTER ORGAN 12 Crown Theatre THE JACKSONS IN KICKS EDITION TRIO 11 Chevron Festival 14 Perth Arena 25 Ambar Gardens 28 Chevron Festival MAY PAUL KELLY/ NEIL FINN/ JAMES REYNE COVERGE / OLD MAN Gardens BLACK SABBATH LISA MITCHELL 26 Nannup Amphitheatre GLOOM JACK CARTY AND THE 4 Perth Arena 14 & 15 Kings Park JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD 12 Amplifier FALLS GROOVIN THE MOO (lineBotanical Gardens 27 Mojos DEER TICK & TWO 28 The Ellington up TBA) YANNI GLENN SHORROCK/ GALLANTS DEERHOOF 11 Hay Park, Bunbury 12 Chevron Festival 27 Perth Arena WENDY MATTHEWS/ 28 The Rosemount CHRISTINE ANU REWIND BIG DAY OUT (Red Gardens DOUG PARKINSON – THE ARETHA FRANKLIN Hot Chili Peppers, The STARS 14 & 15 Quarry SONGBOOK Killers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, 13 Chevron Festival MARCH Amphitheatre 17 & 18 The Ellington Vampire Weekend, Band Gardens DAMIEN DEMPSEY THE TALLEST MAN ON DEFTONES Of Horses, Kaskade, CHRYSTA BELL 15 The Bakery EARTH 21 Metropolis Fremantle Animal Collective, 14 Chevron Festival 1 Chevron Festival Gardens BOB MOULD Against Me!, 360, Foals, Gardens THE SEEKERS 16 The Rosemount DAVID BRIDIE AND B.O.B, Sleigh Bells, Jeff FATHER JOHN MISTY 30 Riverside Theatre PRESIDENTS OF FRANK YAMMA The Brotherhood, Off!, 15 Chevron Festival THE UNITED STATES 1 Fly By Night JUNE Grinspoon, Jagwar Ma, Gardens 1 Nannup Music Festival OF AMERICA / HEY PINK Delta Spirit, Everytime I LORD / SILENT NIGHT GERONIMO NEIL YOUNG 25, 26 & 28 Perth Arena Die, House Vs Hurricane, 15 Amplifier 16 Metro Freo 2 Perth Arena Alabama Shakes, and 16 Eliot St. Blues Club THE MARK OF CAIN ANTIBALAS more) Bunbury 2 Chevron Festival Gardens 17 Capitol SEPTEMBER 28 Claremont CELTIC THUNDER MUTEMATH PETE MURRAY AMANDA PALMER & Showgrounds 16 Perth Arena 19 The Astor 2 Capitol THE GRAND THEFT SPENCE – MACDONALD FUTURE CLASSIC WILLIAM ELLIOT ORCHESTRA 3 Fremantle Arts Centre DUO 16 Chevron Festival WHITMORE 26 Astor Theatre HOODOO GURUS 29 The Ellington Gardens 23 Mojos Bar ONE DIRECTION 3 Hotel Rottnest RICHARD HAWLEY DAVID HASSLEHOFF WEST COAST BLUES 28 & 29 Perth Arena 17 Capitol FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL 31 Rosemount Hotel

THIS WEEK

THE JAM 31 Capitol

Weezer January 23, Perth Arena MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS

BOYS OF THE PRESETS 17 Chevron Festival SUMMER/ DEEZ 31 Metropolis Fremantle Gardens NUTS/ COMEBACK THE SMITH STREET BAND JENS LEKMAN 31 Prince Of Wales 18 Chevron Festival KID/ FOR THE Gardens FALLEN DREAMS/ SLEEPY SUN HAND OF MERCY FEBRUARY 19 Chevron Festival

www.xpressmag.com.au

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Volcanics, Friday at Beat Nightclub

WEDNESDAY 09.01 AMPLIFIER Boys Of Summer BAR 120 J Babies Felix BRASS MONKEY Sugar Blue Burlesque ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Carl Morgan GREENWOOD Bernardine GROOVE BAR (CROWN CASINO) 5 Shots HALE ROAD TAVERN Fenton Wilde INDI BAR Malaci Wehiteihana LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MOJOS BAR Fremantle Blues And Roots Club Man The Clouds Empire Blues Dux N Downtown MUSTANG Blue Gene PADDO Jon Madd Lauren O’Hara Wheels Mckenzie ROSEMOUNT The Monicans Black Stone From The Sun Lillium Stargazer The Mighty Pirate DJ Anton Maz ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) David Fyffe THE BROWN FOX Courtney Murphy THE MOON Jacob Diamond Grace Woodroofe Mei Saraswati UNIVERSAL Strutt YAYA’S Ha Ha’s At Ya Ya’s Ben Darsow Corey White Manfred Yon

Custom Royal, Saturday at Norfolk Basement

Josh Makinda Sean Conway

THURSDAY 10.01 ADMIRAL Greg Carter Karaoke AMPLIFIER Marduk BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Howie Morgan BRIGHTON Open Mic Night BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke COMO HOTEL Courtney Murphy DEVILLES PAD Rock ‘N’ Roll Karaoke DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Open Mic Night ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW 5 Shots ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Trent White GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Decoy INDI BAR Bex’s Open Mic Night LEEDERVILLE HOTEL Leederville Loungeroom LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MOJOS BAR Flower Drums The Shababb Fall Electric Slums MUSTANG BAR The Love Junkies 44th Sunset Mitch McDonald DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL BOOM! BAP! POW! Rachel & Henry Climb A Hill OXFORD HOTEL Johnny Taylor PADDY HANNAN’S Dr Bogus

Fools of April

FOOLS OF APRIL

HAIL MARY THE BLACK PENNY PROJECT MOANA

SATURDAY 12TH ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

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ROSEMOUNT Lionizer Bears And Dolls The Georgians Burst And Bloom Sons Of Rico DJs ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Clayton Bolger ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Bill Chidgzey SOVEREIGN ARMS Fenton Wilde THE BOAT Jen De Ness THE BROOK Open Mic Night THE GATE Greg Carter THE SHED The Mystery Men UNIVERSAL Off The Record WOODVALE Two Plus One YA YA’S Creature

Blind Highway, Friday at The Rosemount Hotel

CRAFTSMAN 5th Avenue DEVILLES PAD Rocket To Memphis White Pointers Les Sataniques DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Vida Cain Pat Nicholson EDZ SPORTZ BAR Cornerstone ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Darren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Marnie Kent Quintet GrooVe EMPIRE Howie Morgan FLY BY NIGHT Motown & Soul Night GLOUCESTER PARK Courtney Murphy GREENWOOD Greg Carter HERDSMAN Ali Towers Duo HIGH ROAD HOTEL FRIDAY 11.01 Glen Davies 7th AVENUE Envy Deuce HIGH WYCOMBE AMPLIFIER HOTEL Shontay Snow Dr Bogus Morgan Bain HIGHWAY HOTEL Bears And Dolls Three Hands One Hoof The Reals HOTEL ROTTNEST BAILEY BAR Hundred Acre Wood Blue Gene Tip Top Sound DJ Bren HYDE PARK HOTEL Ricky Green BALLYS BAR INDI BAR Bernardine Vdelli BALMORAL INDIAN OCEAN BREW Mike Nayar Ben Merito BAR ORIENT LAKERS The Reggae Club DJ Grizzly BEAT NIGHTCLUB Slickenside The Volcanics Melee Dirty South LEFTBANK Custom Royal Groove Acoustics BELMONT TAVERN LEGENDS BAR One Trick Phonies The Organ Grinders BENTLEY HOTEL M ON THE POINT Dean Anderson James Wilson BLACK BETTYS MOJOS BAR Everlong Hussle Hussle BRASS MONKEY The Empty Cup Adrian Wilson Beatitude BREAKERS Up And Up Ragdoll Arms In Motion BROKEN HILL HOTEL Daniel Craig Matt Milford MOON & SIXPENCE BROOKLANDS Soul Corporation TAVERN MUSTANG BAR The Bluebottles Adam Hall CARINE The Velvet Playboys Pop Candy Swing DJ CARLISLE HOTEL Cheeky Monkeys Reload DJ James MacArthur CHASE BAR NEWPORT HOTEL Chasing Calee Party Rockers CIVIC HOTEL NORFOLK BASEMENT Forstora Eightoeight V Got Sharks?

Progress Inn Borc Sven Pending The Silence Fluro COMO HOTEL PADDO Trevor Jalla Stu Harcourt CORNERSTONE PADDY MALONE’S Masterplan Gary Malone’s

PARAMOUNT Flyte PEEL ALEHOUSE Baby Piranhas PINK DUCK LOUNGE Jonathan Dempsey PRINCESS ROAD TAVERN Midnight Rambler ROSE & CROWN Tod Woodward ROSEMOUNT Blind Highway Something Humble Silver Grenade Slick Rick And The Rhythm Cats The Nervous Wrecks ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Wesley Goodlet Jamboree Scouts ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Billy & The Broken Lines SAIL & ANCHOR Howie Morgan Duo SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN Greg Carter Karaoke SWAN BASEMENT Let The Evil Go East Gone By Morning Idle Eyes SWINGING PIG Greg Carter Rockit THE BOAT J Man & Rosie THE BROOK Christian Thompson THE GATE Dirty Scoundrels THE PRINCIPAL Switchback THE SAINT Almost Famous THE SHED Krank THE VIC Jen De Ness TIGER LILS Paul Malone Adam Kelly Alex Koresis UNIVERSAL Nightmoves VICTORIA PARK HOTEL Ivan Ribic WOODVALE TAVERN The Damien Cripps Band YA YA’S The Atlas Mountains Nevada Pilot Tim Gordon Kenneth Rogers

SATURDAY 12.01 AMPLIFIER Broken Royale BAILEY BAR Dr Bogus Tip Top Sound – DJ Bren BALLYS BAR Dove

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Listing deadline is Monday 5pm. GO TO www.xpressmag.com.au /PLUG YOUR GIG and plug away!

The X-Press Guide is a Perth metropolitan service for advertisers listing tours, live, dance and arts events.

All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press Magazine. The one entry system will update our print edition, website and App

Jon Madd, Wednesday at the Paddo BALMORAL Pop Candy BAR 120 Flyte BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Mike Nayar BLACK BETTY’S J Babies BLVD TAVERN JOONDALUP Krank BREAKERS Ragdoll BROOKLANDS Chasing Calee CIVIC HOTEL 1974 AD Jangi Nishan Sensimillia COMO HOTEL Ricky Green DEVILLES PAD Johnny Nandez Hammond Explosion Les Sataniques ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Timeout ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Matilda Abraham Dd Soul featuring Chelsea Cullen GOSNELLS HOTEL Sugarfield GROOVE BAR (CROWN CASINO) Switch HIGH ROAD HOTEL Renegade HOTEL ROTTNEST Hundred Acre Wood INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Blackbirds INDI BAR Matt Gresham LAKERS Celebrations Karaoke LANGFORD ALEHOUSE Die Hard Karaoke LEOPOLD HOTEL Steve Hepple LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN CASINO) John & Shaun Sandosham M ON THE POINT Rhythm 22 MERRIWA TAVERN Nasty Dogz MOJOS BAR Ngati’s Dilip N The Davs Jahmoko MOON & SIXPENCE The Damien Cripps Band MUSTANG The Rusty Pinto Combo Rockabilly DJ Milhouse DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Kizzy Gravity PADDY HANNANS Decoy PADDY MAGUIRES 43 Cambridge PARAMOUNT Everlong

PEEL ALEHOUSE Chris Gibbs Duo PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Sean Scott QUARIE BAR Double Take RAILWAY HOTEL The Community Chest Mezzanine The Sensitive Drunks The Jayco Brothers ROCKET ROOM Kickstart ROSEMOUNT Fools Of April Hailmary The Black Penny Project Moana ROSIE O’GRADY’S (FREMANTLE) Flash Nat & The Action Men ROSIE O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Blue Gene SAIL & ANCHOR Better Days Childs Play SEAVIEW HOTEL Open Mic Night STEVES BAR Sue Johnson SWAN BASEMENT Darren Guthrie The Irrationals Rob Hinton Tyson Cherrie SWAN LOUNGE Neon Panther Aaron Gwynaire Sweet Blues Stephanie Robson SWINGING PIG Greg Carter The Bluebottles THE BOAT The Organ Grinders THE BROOK Shawne & Luc THE EASTERN The Monicans Crooked Cats Tell The Shaman Kylie Storm THE GATE Dirty Scoundrels THE SHED Huge THE SHIP James Wilson THE VIC Greg Carter Karaoke UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation WANNEROO TAVERN Christian Thompson WHALE AND ALE Krakatinni Brothers WHITE STAR HOTEL ALBANY The Volcanics Second Winter WOODVALE TAVERN Chris Murphy & The Holy Rollers YAYA’S Rachel & Henry Climb A Hill Amanda Merdzan Tyto Kings Sun Orchestra

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Friday Friday Love Junkies, Thursday at Travis Caudle Travis Caudle Mustang FlyBy ByNight Night Fly

SUNDAY 13.01 7TH AVENUE Good Karma ADMIRAL James Wilson BALMORAL Blackbirds BELMONT TAVERN Acoustic Aly BREAKERS BAR Chris Gibbs BROKEN HILL HOTEL Nathan Gaunt BROOKLANDS TAVERN Mike Nayar CAPTAIN STIRLING Jamie Powers CARINE The Bluebottles CHASE BAR Chasing Calee CIVIC HOTEL Anderson CLAREMONT HOTEL Sunday Driver COMO HOTEL Brad Wintle ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Daren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Marcio and Ben’s Duo Sau Paulo EMPIRE CB3 GOSNELLS HOTEL Conny The Clown HIGH WYCOMBE HOTEL Chris Murphy HIGH ROAD HOTEL Nat Ripepi INDI BAR Eddie Green Jay Grafton Luke Robins INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Retriofit Dove KALAMUNDA HOTEL Christian Thompson M ON THE POINT Sophie Jane Chilly Bin Boys MERIDIAN ROOM (CROWN PERTH) Local Heroes MOJOS BAR (ARVO) Stu Orchard MOJOS BAR (EVE) The Growl Gum & Doctopus MUSTANG BAR Peter Busher & The Lone Rangers NEWPORT HOTEL Tim Nelson DSB DJs OCEAN VIEW TAVERN Fenton Wilde PADDY MALONE’S Gary Fowlie PEEL ALEHOUSE Kelly McMahen PINK DUCK LOUNGE

Rocket to Memphis, Friday at Deville’s Pad

BAR Kevin Conway PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Shawne & Luc PORTOFINO’S RESTAURANT Matt Milford PRINCIPAL Adrian Wilson QUARIE BAR & BISTRO Better Days QUEENS TAVERN The Crux ROSEY O’GRADY’S (NORTHBRIDGE) Neil Colliss David Fyffe SAIL & ANCHOR Mike Nayar SOUTH ST ALE HOUSE Blackhart & Strangelove SPRINGS TAVERN Leighton Keepa STIRLING ARMS Dean Anderson SWAN BASEMENT Lionizer SWINGING PIG Stu Harcourt Pat Nicholson THE DEEN Plastic Max & The Token Gesture THE GATE Greg Carter THE LAST DROP John Unitt THE SAINT Howie Morgan Project THE SHED James Wilson The Healy’s Renogade UNIVERSAL Retriofit WANNEROO TAVERN Adam James WOODVALE TAVERN Damien Cripps Duo XWRAY CAFÉ The Charisma Brothers

YAYA’S Electric Toad Puck Catbrush Mudlark

MONDAY 14.01 BRASS MONKEY James Wilson GROOVE BAR (CROWN CASINO) Chris Murphy & Courtney Murphy MOJOS BAR Wide Open Mic Night MUSTANG BAR Marco & The Alley Cats THE DEEN Plastic Max & The Token Gesture YA YA’S Big Tommo’s Open Mic Variety Night

TUESDAY 15.01 ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Grace Woodroofe GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Ruby’s Groove LUCKY SHAG Ben Merito MERIDIAN ROOM (CROWN) Courtney Murphy MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MOJOS BAR Mojos Monthly Comedy MUSTANG BAR Danza Loca PADDO Stu Harcourt PRINCE OF WALES Open Mic Night SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night TWO ROCKS TAVERN Jump For Joy Karaoke YA YA’S Pippa Lester Amanda Merdzan Nat Ripepi Patient Little Sister

Shontay Snow

SHONTAY SNOW MORGAN BAIN BEARS AND DOLLS THREE HANDS ONE HOOF

FRIDAY 11TH AMPLIFIER BAR

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MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

CD & DVD MANUFACTURE Check GOLDDUSTCONSTRUCTION.COM BIGBEAT SOUND STUDIO Clean MUSOS WANTED mixing, recording and rooms, all new PA systems, airBASSIST WANTED Enthusiastic out our latest CD & DVD specials Production, composition for your music. Unique & dedicated bassist for working online at www.procopy.com.au award winning skills to take songs con and good parking . Willetton metal band, Gates Of Perdition. 9375 3902 from ideas to finished mixes or to Ph: 0425 698 117.

Ph 0438 908 311.

MATRIX PRODUCTIONS AUSTRALIA fulfill the potential in existing ones. P L AT I N U M S O U N D R O O M S OPEN MIC NIGHT Every Thursday Lighting, staging, sound systems, Located in Subiaco. $70 p/h. Andrew Professional rehearsal rooms, 8.30-12 at Moondyne Joes. Grand smoke machines, night club FX, 0408 097 407 airconditioned, quality PAs mob piano, good sound & friendly intelligent lighting, strobes & mirror POONS HEAD MASTERING Analog 0418 944 722 mastering at its best. Clients include atmosphere. Call Mark 0409 137 850. balls, crowd barriers, video projectors. Mink Mussel Creek, Jeff Martin, The TUITION OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday Panics, Pond + The Floors. World ***GUITAR LESSONS*** The Guitar 9371 1551 night at Indi Bar. Just call Bex on class facility. World class results.

Specialist. New year enrolments.

RECORDING STUDIOS www.poonshead.com 9339 47 91 0404 917 632.

OPEN MIC NIGHT Every Tuesday A L A N D AW S O N ’s W I T Z E N D RECORDING MIXING MASTERING Beg-adv, all st yles and levels night at the Craigie Tavern 8-11pm. RECORDING STUDIO Prof quality PRODUCING Fremantle location. including bass. Cliff Lynton Guitar Call Corey for bookings 0431 448 235 albums or demos, large live room, Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Institute. Mt Lawley 9342 3484 / Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 VOCALIST WANTED For established experienced engineer, analog to R E V O LV E R S O U N D S T U D I O www.clifflynton.com Blues/Rock band. Been together 7 digital transfers, mastering..Alan P h 9 2 7 2 7 5 0 5 . BASS LESSONS Rock, funk & jazz.

Tony Gibbs 9470 6131 plus years. No time wasters please! Ph 0407 989 128 or Jeremy 0430638178 www.revolverstudio.com.au 0410 088 596 or 0423 252 970.

SONGWRITERS! - UNLOCK YOUR DJ LESSONS AT FREMANTLE www.witzendstudios.com SONGS’ POTENTIAL +FREE BAND PHOTOGRAPHY ANDY’S STUDIO International multi APPRAISALS. UK Producer, 40,000+ PRISION Death row cell 33. Scratching, PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY Promo award winning songwriter / producer. hours studio experience. 20 yrs in cutting & mixing. Come casually or for photography, studio, live, location. No band required. Broadcast quality. London with bands and songwriters. a term. 0412 334 510.

Mike Wylie 0417 975 964 Kicking arrangements, great studio A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178 and the ability to really listen will DRUM LESSONS All styles, all ages. www.projec tphotography.com WAAPA prep. Modern techniques & AVALON STUDIOS BIBRA LAKE One give your material the edge you need.

When its time to ice the cake...

Call Jerry on 0405 653 338 or visit rudiments, Beginner to advanced. of Perths best equipped studio.

Record PRODUCTION SERVICES Ph Pascal: 0413 172 817. to analog tape or digital, Avalon pre www.jerichomusic.com.au * LIGHTING * AUDIO* STAGING * GUITAR & KEYBOARD TUITION REHEARSAL STUDIOS www.nightstarlightingaudio.com.au amps, Neumann mics, the latest and (Beginners- Professional) One www.nightstarlightingaudiocom.au best universal audio,plug in’s for digital AAA VHS REHEARSAL ROOMS Great o n O n e l e s s o n s . B u r s w o o d w w w . i n s t a n d t . c o m . a u recordings. All styles of music, $55 per facilities, great vibe & great price!!! P h 6 4 6 0 6 9 2 1 / 0 4 1 5 8 8 9 6 4 5 . w w w . i n s t a n d t . c o m . a u hour call Tony 0411 118304 email - Unit 5 /16 Peel Road, O’Connor. Phone www.gvkschoolofmusic.com.au 9418 5815 or 0413 732 885 9381 2363/ 9444 6651 avalonstudios@bigpond.com

Songline DreamArt

SONGLINE Storing your guitar is an issue that starts out as DREAMART merely annoying but soon grows to be a major RACK YOUR AXE

hassle as your collection inevitably grows. Luckily, the new Galactic Guitar Gear 7 Guitar Rack Stand is here to solve all your problems. Affordable, collapsible, and suitable for use both at home and stageside, it holds up to seven guitars and is available from Kosmic Sound.

Make your mark visually as well as sonically with one of these bright and beautiful acoustic guitars.

Covered in psychedelic, tattoo-inspired imagery and available in garish shades of red, blue, and green, the Songline DreamArt series is guaranteed to make any player stand out from the crowd.

SHE BANGS THE DRUM

Gibson

GO GIBSON A legendary guitar manufacturer for well over a century now, Gibson have been creating finely honed instruments since before your grandparents were born. If you’ve ever had a hankering to hold a piece of music history in your hands, Kosmic Sound have received a new shipment of Gibson guitars, including the 2012 Les Paul Standard available in a range of colours and finishes.

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Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the modern drummer is trying to practice at home without driving the neighbours to homicide. Rehearsal space can be expensive, and running a full kit at home can lead to serious domestic issues. An electronic kit, however, can make such issues history. The D-Tronic Q2p Electronic Drum Kit is a perfect solution.

Mounted on a pre-assembled rack, it features an 8” snare pad, three 8” tom pads, two 10’ cymbals, a 10” hi-hat, and the all-important headphone jack.

MIDI MAGIC The Inspired Instruments YouRockGuitar isn’t actually a guitar, per se; it’s a guitar-shaped MIDI controller.

Compatible with a wide range of music software, including Pro Tools, GarageBand, and Cubase, it might be just the thing to blow out the creative cobwebs and allow one to stretch the limits of what’s possible with the humble axe. Failing that, it can also function as a controller for Rock Band and Guitar Hero.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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