Issue 1380

2

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

3

4

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

5

6

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

The Growl

GET A DOSE OF DOUSE

Continuing a spectacularly impressive recent run of successes, local rockers The Growl are tearing loose on a national tour to promote Douse The Lamps, the Muse third single of their ridiculously good debut album, What Would Christ Do? Your next chance to see them live is when the tour wraps up at Ellington Jazz Club The mighty Muse are on their way! Saturday, November 30, sees the British alt-rock legends play to what on Friday, September 6. will no doubt be a capacity crowd at Perth Arena, with support from our very own Birds Of Tokyo. It’s the Tickets are $17 plus booking fee from first date of their Australian tour, and it’s sure to be a corker! Tickets for The 2nd Law tour go on sale Monday, ellingtonjazzclub.com, $20 on the door. Keep your July 29, at noon through Ticketek. ears open for support announcements soon.

HOW A-MUSE-ING

Michael Buble

BOP ALONG WITH BUBLÉ

Canadian crooner Michael Bublé returns to our shores next year with a nationwide tour. Bublé, who can boast having had five number one albums down under and has sold more than two million albums here, will charm the crowd at the Perth Arena on Saturday, April 26. Tickets go on sale Monday, August 5, from 10am through Ticketek.

IN SOVIET RUSSIA, BALLET DANCES YOU

The world renowned Imperial Russian Ballet Company returns to Australia soon with a spectacular three act program that is sure to dazzle dance fans and newcomers to the art alike. This three-hour extravaganza has already wowed audiences around the world, and now it’s our turn. The show includes selections from The Nutcracker, Bolero, Giselle, Carmen, The Dying Swan, Le Corsaire and more. The troupe performs at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on Wednesday, September 4 (bookings through manpac.com.au) and The Regal Theatre from Thursday, September 5, until Sunday, September 8, (bookings through Ticketek).

Anton Franc

ANTON FRANC ANTICS

Folk electronica quartet Anton Franc are headlining at Claremont Hotel’s Antics this Saturday, July 27.

Since expanding into a full live act, Anton Franc have been busy supporting the likes of Jens Lekman, Chet Faker and Andy Bull. Support will come in the form of Fremantle’s Rainy Day Women and indie/pop tunes from the Antics DJs. Entry is free!

The Collective

COLLECTIVE SIGNING

Fans of The Collective can meet the guys at Westfield Carousel this Saturday, July 27. The boys will be performing at the Nando’s undercover carpark from noon, followed by a signing of their new single, Another Life.

The Imperial Russian Ballet Company

The Preatures

PREACHY TOUR

The Preatures are back with a new EP and an Australian wide tour that will see them performing two Perth gigs. Is This How You Feel? will be out Friday, August 9, featuring the irrepressible single of the same name and four brand new tracks. Get your tickets via Oztix outlets for their Friday, September 20, gig at Flyrite and their second show at Mojo’s on Saturday, September 21.

8 Reactions/Comp Thing 11 Flesh 12 Music: Ken Taylor 13 Music: FIDLAR 14 Music: Camera Obscura/ Belle Harvey/ Of Men And Mice 16 Music: Gyuto Monks/ Glass Towers 18 Music: Stoney Joe 19 New Noise 21 Eye4 Cover: Empire 22 E y e 4 : N e w s / O n l y G o d F o r g i v e s / The Wolverine 23 Eye4: To The Wonder/ Behind The Candelabra 24 Eye4: Ballet Revolución 25 Arts Listings 27 Salt Cover: Ta-ku 28 Salt: News/ Jehst/ Diger Rokwell 29 Salt: Onra/ Dizzy Brookes Brothers/ Jagwar Ma 31 Salt: Rewind: Death Disco Sixth Birthday 32 Scene: Live: Fourteen Nights At Sea/ Kirin J Callinan 35 Tour Trails 36 Gig Guide 38 Volume COVER: X-Press is presenting FIDLAR with Dune Rats at The Bakery next Saturday, August 3. More on page 13.

SALT COVER: Perth’s own Ta-ku is on the road to stardom. Flick to page 27 for more. www.xpressmag.com.au

Friend Or Faux, Cat Mosaic by Steven Makse

FAUX PAS

The first exhibition at Perth’s newest art space, La Petite Galerie, opens next Thursday, August 1. Former X-Press Magazine Art Director Steven Makse’s Friend Or Faux is a series of graphic images inspired by the now-ubiquitous QR codes. Normally Makse works in oils and canvas, but the works here are hand crafted glass tiles and screen prints that comment on modern modes of communication and the intersection of the virtual and the physical. Go to lapetitegallerie.com.au for more information.

7

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 and 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

9213 2888

Managing Editor Bob Gordon: editor@xpressmag.com.au Dance Music & Features Editor Jo Campbell: danceeditor@xpressmag.com.au Local Music & Arts Editor Travis Johnson: localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au Gig & Event Guides Co-ordinator guide@xpressmag.com.au Entertainment Services Co-ordinator / Competitions 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, Rezo Kezerashvili,Tara Lloyd, Adam Morris, Andrew Nelson, Chloe Papas, Ben Watson,Jessica Willoughby,Miki Mclay,Morgan Richards,James Manning, Joe Cassidy, Shane Pinnegar For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au

THE WOLVERINE

E DOWNLOAD TH P QR READER AP ING! AND GET WINN

THE WAY, WAY BACK

In cinemas next Thursday, August 1, The Way, Way Back is the funny and poignant coming-of-age story of 14-year-old Duncan’s (Liam James) summer vacation with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), her overbearing boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and his daughter Steph (Zoe Levin). Having a rough time in, the introverted Advertising 9213 2888 fitting Duncan finds and Sales and Marketing Manager unexpected friend in Keeley Warren-Langford - advertising@xpressmag.com.au gregarious Owen (Sam Online Marketing Rockwell), manager of Keeley Warren-Langford - advertising@xpressmag.com.au the Walter Wizz water Music Services / Musical Equipment / park. Through his funny, Bands / Record Labels clandestine friendship Dez Richardson - musicservices@xpressmag.com.au with Owen, Duncan slowly Entertainment Venues / Live and Dance Music Promoters opens up and begins to Tim Milroy - entertainment@xpressmag.com.au finally find his place in Lifestyle Development Manager the world - all during a Natasha Bederson - eye4@xpressmag.com.au summer he will never Agency / Movies / Education / Sponsorship forget. We’ve got five inKeeley Warren-Langford - advertising@xpressmag.com.au The Way, Way Back season doubles!

Classifieds Linage classifieds@xpressmag.com.au

Production Department

9213 2854

production@xpressmag.com.au

Art Director Dwight O’Neil

Design + Production Andy Quilty, Anthony Jackson, Kasia Mazurkiewicz

Printing Rural Press Printing Mandurah

Administration

9213 2888

Entertainment Services digiservices@xpressmag.com.au

Accounts Lillian Buckley

accounts@xpressmag.com.au

Distribution Distribution

9213 2853 distribution@xpressmag.com.au

CAB AUDITED CIRCULATION: 38,000 OCTOBER 2011 – MARCH 2012

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

Based on the celebrated comic book arc, Hugh Jackman starts in The Wolverine as Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed. From director James Mangold, The Wolverine in 3D, opens in cinemas this Thursday, July 25 and we’ve got five merchandise packs including a notebook, T-shirt, silicon watch and an in-season 3D double pass, packaged in a Wolverine bag.

Each pack is valued at $100.

The Wolverine

TO THE WONDER

Pacific Rim

Written and directed by Terrence Malick, To The Wonder is a romantic drama about men and women grappling with love and its many phases and seasons – passion, sympathy, obligation, sorrow and indecision — and the way these forces merge together and drift apart, transforming, destroying and reinventing the lives they touch. Malick has concocted a deeply moving visual language intermingling love, nature and spirit and we’ve got five doubles to give away.

PACIFIC RIM

From acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes the sci-fi action adventure Pacific Rim. Thanks to Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures we have one of five packs to giveaway including one double in season pass to Direct from Cuba, Ballet Revolución is what happens Pacific Rim, a Pan Pacific Defence Corps tee, iPad mini when some of the world’s most talented classical case, backpack with helmet pocket and water bottle. and contemporary dancers perform to the infectious Release your inner Jaeger. Total prize packs are valued rhythms of Latin-America and hits from Usher, at $200 each. Pacific Rim is in cinemas now!

Shakira, Beyonce, Enrique Iglesias, J-Lo, Prince and Chris Brown. We’ve got two seats on the off for the opening performance of Ballet Revolucion next We’ve got 10 doubles Tuesday, July 30 at Crown Theatre. to preview Frances Ha at Luna Leederville on Saturday, August 3 at 11am. Two of Hollywood’s hottest young actors, Greta Gerwig (Greenberg, To Rome With Love) and Adam Driver ( Girls) headline this fast, funny and flirty tale of a group Frances Ha of twenty-something New Yorkers trying to find bliss in the Big Apple. Co-writer Greta Gerwig stars as Frances, a dance company apprentice who throws herself headlong into her dreams, even as their possible reality dwindles. It opens at Luna Leederville and Luna SX on Thursday, August 15.

BALLET REVOLUCION

FRANCES HA

To The Wonder

REMI

We’ve got a double to see Remi perform this Thursday, July 25 at Mojo’s Bar. He’ll be supported by Melbourne’s Special J, Charlie Bucket, Archi and DJ Silence. Tickets a re j u s t $ 1 0 from 8pm.

Remi

EMPIRE

Ballet Revolucion

After unanimous rave reviews, sold-out performances and standing ovations in New York, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Spiegelworld’s all-new show Empire has pitched its opulent Spiegeltent at Crown Perth. Don’t miss your chance to experience the gravity defying, sanity defying show that smashes through the borders of comedy, circus and burlesque.

We’ve got five double A-reserve passes.

We have three double passes for the Tuesday, August 6 show and two doubles for the Wednesday, August 7 one. Just let us know which one you can attend.

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

WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY

Advertisers and/or their agents by lodging an advertisment shall indemnify the publisher, and its agents, against all liability claims or proceedings whatsoever arising from the publication. Advertisers and/or their representatives indemnify the publisher in relation to defamation, slander, breach of copyright, infringement of trademarks of name of publication titles, unfair competition or trade practices, royalties or violation of rights or privacy and warrant that the material complies with revelant laws and regulations and that its publication will not give rise to any rights against or liabilities in the publisher, its servants or agents. Any material supplied to X-Press is at the contributor’s risk.

8

HIT WWW.XPRESSMAG.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR LOADS OF EXCLUSIVE COMPS, NEWS & MORE!

Empire

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

9

10

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Dick Diver Jericco

JERICCO It’s Evolution

Jericco are set to jump in a plane to hit the West Coast for some show this week, but one thing at a time. Bassist/ oud player Roy Amar is calling X-Press during his lunchbreak. It’s the old rock’n’roll/daytime job dichotomy.

“It’s shocking,” he laughs. “As the band progresses, as the band gets bigger, the harder we work. It’s the fate of any up and coming band, that’s what we go through. I’ve got friends in amazing Australian and international bands that face the same conflict. That’s okay, you do it because you love it. It’s in you. It runs in your blood.”: Either way,. it’s busy time for Jericco. Who have just released their debut album, Beautiful In Danger, following two EPs and a live release.

“Beautiful In Danger... I’d just call it a labour,” Amar ponders. “It was a labour, not because we were struggling with writing music, not at all, we had a lot of songs. The thing was all about the evolution of the band; when we started we were in the right spot at the right time and we had a great booking agent back then and we were touring non-stop and doing incredible slots and festivals, playing with the biggest

bands in our genre and beyond. It was an amazing experience.

“We began as a progressive hard rock band with a bit of middle eastern, I can’t really describe what we wanted to do and as we progressed another guitarist joined and Brent came in on vocals. But we’re just a rock band.”

Amar is referring to (positive) reviews of the album (produced by Forrester Savell), remarking on a departure towards more accessible songs.

“We actually didn’t plan to become a slightly more commercial band,” he says. “It wasn’t part of the plan. Obviously you progress as a musician, you start to listen to different types of music.

“You can kind of grow out of what you play. A lot of really heavy bands progress, they sound a little more melodic, or a little more quiet. In Jericco, there wasn’t an intention of writing a really soft album, not at all. It was 11 tracks in a pool of many.

“The next album is mostly demoed and is heavy, probably heavier than anything we’ve ever done. And again, not intentionally either.”

So there’s a lot to be said for going with the flow?

“Definitely,” Amar affirms. “Absolutely.

At the end of the day it’s good music and it’s still Jericco.”

DICK DIVER Dianas

The Bird Saturday, July 20, 2013 Since their inception Dick Diver have been the toast of the Melbourne scene. It has taken year for them to make their first trip to Perth, so it was a very healthy crowd that braved the cold for the comforts of The Bird on Saturday night.

All female local trio Dianas are pretty busy at the moment as they pop up on gigs all over the place. There is no surprise that they are in demand with their mix of garage, surf and pop smarts. There is nothing too cerebral about what Dianas dish up, but they are a bunch of fun. All members of the band contributed vocals for this short set of warts and all melody.

As the members of Dick Diver set up their gear on stage they presented as the quintessential indie people on New Start with their array of dungarees, old jumpers, elbow patches and

wide brimmed hats. Not only did they look the part, but from the get go they proved why they are a much loved live act. Alice was all lazy vocals and laconic playing which showcased an uncanny knack of slacker melody before Al Montfort thanked the WA mining boom for allowing the band to make their latest record, Calendar Days.

With Montfort having a sore throat the usual between song banter was left to the others and despite their apologies didn’t suffer any. Clean guitars and shared vocals are where Dick Diver excel as they worked through tunes from all over their catalogue. Chapter Records label boss Guy Blackman sat in on keyboards as Steph Hughes left the drum stool to take on guitar and lead vocal duties on Standard Time. Hughes is the superstar drummer, but it is her unaffected vocals that give the band their point of difference.

Radio tune Water Damage aired late in the set as the band promised that they would return sometime soon. With no fuss and no encore Dick Diver bid adieu. They really are a fine outfit without the need for any histrionics. _ CHRIS HAVERCROFT

Jericco hit the Newport Hotel this Thursday July 25; the Civic Hotel on Friday, July 26, and the Prince Of Wales, Bunbury, on Saturday July 27. Serial Killer Smile support at all shows with various special guests.

GHOST OF A TIME

Grey Ghost

Jeremy Koren AKA Jermedy, made his name in Melbourne outfit, The Melodics. He’s now releasing music under the moniker, Grey Ghost, and his debut EP The Elixir is reviewed in our New Noise section this week.

Catch this acclaimed hip hop genre bender this Thursday, July 25, at the Prince Of Wales, Bunbury; Friday, July 26, at Residence (Metropolis Fremantle) and Saturday, July 27, at Amplifier.

HEAVY HITTING BLUES

Northern Blues N’ Roots WA are hosting another night of fine music at The Northshore Tavern, Hillarys.

Next Thursday, August 1, Paul Daly & The Heavy Hitters will be headlining with support from Freo duo, Dilip n The Drew and On The Level. Entry is $10 and tables can be booked for dinner via bookings@ thenorthshoretavern.com.au.

Thelma Plum, Aviary Rooftop Session this Sunday from 4pm, free entry

ROCKET TO MOJOS

THELMA PLUM

Having recently owned the East Coast, heavy soul outfit, Mojo Juju, are back in town to play at their namesake venue, Mojo’s Bar, this S a t u r d a y, J u l y 2 7 . R o c ke t To Memphis have been announced as support with more to be advised. Entry is $18 plus booking fee. Doors open at 8pm.

Hitting Six

Thelma Plum performs this Sunday, July 28, at the Aviary Rooftop Sessions with support from Amanda Merzdan, Sarah Pellicano and DJ Charlie Bucket.

Define your genre in five words or less?

Folky pop with bad words.

Mojo Juju www.xpressmag.com.au

What inspires or has influenced your music the most?

When I am on the road, it’s usually in cities I’ve never been to so it’s easy to get lost and inspired.

What do you love about making music?

I love the feeling I get when I am making What makes you happiest about what you’re music. It feels supernatural and therapeutic. doing?

Getting to travel while doing what I love If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and meeting new people. and why?

It would be Paul Kelly when he was And what makes you unhappiest about what my age so we could write music together and you’re doing?

Not getting to see my dogs. make out.

11

thing to the next level’. Nowadays we can also see your skill with brushes and traditional painting techniques. It’s enough to make most illustrators barf, quite frankly. Did you start out with traditional mediums before mastering digital techniques? And did your time working with digital illustration also improve your traditional work?

You are too kind! Yeah, to be honest computers scared the shit out of me for years. It was only when I finally got a day job as a children’s illustrator that I was pretty much forced into using Illustrator and after a bit of practice realised that it wasn’t so scary after all. That being said it was another 10 years before I would embrace it 100 per cent and do everything digitally. Nowadays, I rarely use paper at all except for very loose, early roughs. I love vector art because it is so easy to manipulate, I also love it because in its rawest form its very simple. That being said over the past few years in particular I have really started to try and paint more.

How long does it usually take for you to complete a poster and what is the basic process? Do you sketch up your composition on paper or using a computer?

It really depends, but I would say on average its 50 hours - some less and some double that. The basic process is a very loose sketch on paper.

Then a slightly tighter sketch in photoshop. I use a Wacom Cintiq tablet these days, so it’s basically like a big, giant sketch book. I then do a hyper detailed rough in Photoshop and then take that into Illustrator.

I don’t use any custom brushes or anything really fancy - I literally just draw the shapes out.

my typography. I try to do 80 per cent of handmade rather than just relying on fonts. I think it also played a part in the colour choices and the interior line work. Charles Burns’s work was the biggest influence on me in terms of black and white linework, though. Artists I love at the moment include Aaron Horsey, Martin Ansin, Rich Kelly, Tomer Hanuka, Jeff Soto... the list goes on there are literally hundreds

Is there a Ken Taylor book yet and if not when the hell is it coming out?

(Laughs) No, I doubt it. I tend to cringe at anything I did six months prior so to have a book that Ken Taylor catalogued four or five years of work would be hard It’s another cheese question, but I’m dying to for me to comprehend. I guess if I am lucky enough know, who are your favourite artists at the to still be doing this in 10 years’ time it would be cool to do. Maybe I would be okay with reflecting on moment and who helped inspire your style?

(Laughs) Well, as I said earlier, you were one everything by that time. of my biggest inspirations. Style-wise, I reckon it’s a mixture between graffiti and (US illustrator) Charles Ben Frichot is a Perth-based artist (Frichot Design Burns. I think the two of those combined helped me Factory/Knucklehead Shipping Co.) and musician (Day Of The Dead, Hot Rod Sinners, Storytime).

I have often felt that digital artists are not as well get the style I use now.

Graffiti definitely played a huge part in Check out designfactory.com.au. respected as those using paints or traditional The Anarchy, Rock & Ink exhibition runs techniques, but digital artists are a reflection of time and allow artists to bring their ideas into at the Fremantle Arts Centre from July our the world faster. As an artist who can do both, do 27-September 15, celebrating political, you think that digital art is as ‘valid’ or ‘legitimate’ artistic medium? rock and art printmaking, featuring as any other I totally agree. Some people that I have masterpieces from New York collective ultimate respect for are virtually 100 per cent digital and I think that’s because I know the amount Black Cat, WA’s own Rachel Salmon- artists of skill and hard work that goes into creating it. At Lomas and St Kilda design studio, the end of the day I can’t see how someone can an amazing digital artist if they couldn’t draw Beyond The Pale, featuring the work of become or paint really well in the first place, but the public’s Perth-born artist, Ken Taylor. Full details perception is definitely not the same.

I felt that I wanted to show more of that and full event lineup at fac.org.au. side of me so I have been trying to do a little more of it of late and I am currently working towards a It is quite an opportunity to ask one of the world’s solo show that will have a lot of both traditional art greatest poster artists how he works and what and silkscreened posters in it. Painting is still a real started his fire for illustration. challenge for me, but doing that and also doing graf I met Ken Taylor once when he was just are the two things that I love more than even doing starting out. He called me up and asked me, ‘how the posters. I find it relaxing and perplexing at the did you start doing posters for bands?’. ‘I have no same time but, most importantly, a lot of fun. idea’, I said, ‘I started doing them for my band and got addicted’.

We had a coffee, talked about poster art “Some people that I have and then I heard he moved to Melbourne.

Years later, as I trawled the internet ultimate respect for are checking out posters and inspiration for a job, I kept seeing this mind-blowing poster art in a style so virtually 100 per cent digital distinct it was clearly created by the same artist. The work was incredibly detailed and whoever this guy artists and I think that’s was, he was doing work for some very serious bands. because I know the amount His style was instantly iconic. I assumed this freakish talent must be from New York or Paris of skill and hard work that AC/DC Queens Of The Stone Age or some place that breeds amazing artists.

In a moment of overwhelming geek goes into creating it. At the fandom, I sent an email, something like: ‘Hi, I’m an end of the day I can’t see illustrator from the most isolated city on earth, a town called Perth in Western Australia and I just wanted to how someone can become say your work is amazing!’

Then to my surprise came a response: an amazing digital artist if ‘thanks mate, I’m from there too’. It was the same Ken. they couldn’t draw or paint Ken Taylor.

KEN TAYLOR WA Ink

By BEN FRICHOT It’s a straight-forward question but it has to be asked. Were you always drawing as a kid? What inspired you to pursue illustration as a career?

Yeah, totally; ever since I can remember I was drawing. Any movie I saw as a child I would come home and draw the characters for days. I remember in Year 3, we had to keep little handwriting journals where we would have to write something, a paragraph or whatever. Mine were always very short, they were always about either The Fall Guy or Dukes Of Hazzard and they always came with 3/4 of the page being taken up by an illustration of a car or a truck jumping over a ramp. or whatever. A common comment from the teacher was, ‘more writing, less pictures... great drawing though’.

I was asked to be part of the special art course at Balcatta High so throughout my high school years I was exposed to tons of great art and had been given loads of opportunities to really get my teeth stuck in to a wide range of different techniques. It was an amazing time and it definitely made me 100 per cent positive that I would pursue art as a career.

I then went to the WA School Of Art And Design and after three years I had majored in Illustration. I was also super into graffiti from about ‘91 onwards and it was probably not until about ‘97-’98 when I moved into Leederville and started hanging out with a lot of friends who were musos that the whole art for music thing took off.

That’s where you fit in, Mr Frichot; I think it was a poster for the Kiss My WAMIs or something like that but it featured an awesome drawing of Frankenstein. I remember seeing that everywhere and that’s kind of when the penny dropped for me because I realised that doing rock posters had pretty much given you an open slather to do the most outlandish artwork, have it seen by loads of people and have it represent the music that I love.

That one poster that you did lead me to explore what was going on overseas. I guess the internet really exploded at the same time so I didn’t just rely on books to see what was out there and I just became immersed in the idea of doing this as a career. I still remember that conversation we had; I was so stoked to be able to chat with you about it all and it really inspired me to move to Melbourne, get stuck in and try and make it all happen.

really well in the first place, but the public’s perception is definitely not the same.”

The colour choice in your posters is revolutionary, and I’m always struck by the amazing depth you create using a limited colour palette. Was your technique influenced by the use of silk screen printing?

Thanks, yeah that has all boiled down to necessity, really. Screen prints are where I always wanted to take my work so even when I was only producing offset posters I wanted them to look like screen prints. And now that everything I do is screenprints I have to work with a limited colour palette - sometimes only three or four colours. So as a result of that the black line work has become super detailed and line work underneath in colour has become a real tool to help create depth. But yeah, it’s all about being frugal with colour in screen printing.

You’ve done posters for some of the greatest rock bands on earth. Do you work directly with the artists on concepts, or do they give you free range to create what you want?

It really depends. Nine times out of 10 you at least have to send roughs in but I find nine times out of 10 those roughs are approved without any real changes. Occasionally I work with the band direct on concepts, but that is pretty rare and only really on album art.

Work with movie studios is a completely different ballgame all together. That has a much greater approval process and sometimes something that I am super excited to work on and really proud of that has taken me ages ends up never seeing the light of day.

Who was your favourite band to work for?

Probably two bands, really. The Avett Brothers and Queens Of The Stone Age, purely based on the fact that I have done so much for both of them and they have been really easy to work for. The Avett Brothers, in particular, were the first to really start giving me my own posters to sell and I found that when that happened things really started to look up for me in terms of exposure. I was also really lucky You have such a unique style. I remember first that they also started to become a lot more popular seeing your posters appearing and thinking, at the time I started to work with them so that helps ‘someone is taking the whole vector illustration too. Their fanbase expects posters at each of their shows so it works really well for both of us.

12

Kings Of Leon

Bob Dylan

Avett Brothers X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

FIDLAR

FIDLAR

Cats And Dawgs LA skate-punks FIDLAR hit The Bakery on Saturday, August 3, presented by X-Press Magazine. BOB GORDON chats with vocalist/guitarist, Zac Carper.

Los Angeles skate punkers, FIDLAR, are by now famously devil may care. Their songs are about having a good time, all the time, even in the bad times.

However, on the road, there are lessons to be learnt, sometimes from unexpected quarters.

“The first tour we did was with The Hives,” vocalist/guitarist, Zac Carper recalls. “And after the tour Nick the guitar player came up to me and said, ‘This is the first tour you’ve ever done. What did you learn?’ I said straight away, ‘not to bring my skateboard ever again’ (laughs) because we’d play then just get wasted and go skating all night and wake up the next morning and go, ‘oh my god what the fuck did we do?’

13

That’s what The Hives guys had found too; after their first tour they never brought along their skateboards again.

“Actually, we still bring skateboards, but we don’t skate so heavily on tour. You can’t be waking up in the morning with a broken finger.”

It’s been pretty non-stop for FIDLAR in recent times. Their self-titled debut album has captured worldwide attention and they’ve been working hard in support of it.

“It’s been pretty crazy,” Carper says. “We’ve been pretty much on tour since June (2012). We’ve only had a couple weeks off, here and there.

“Our lives have completely changed in the past year. My friend, who is an older guy who has been in music forever, said, ‘you better put your seatbelt on now, ‘cause it’s gonna go fast’.”

What we have here is a bunch of friends doing what they like, pretty much entertaining themselves, with everyone else getting in on it. It’s like The Janoskians, but with (real) good songs and people who are actually kinda charming.

“Yeah, it’s funny because we thought we were the only people that had this kind of sense of humour,” Carper says. “Then we play shows and we meet all these people and it’s like, ‘oh my God, these are our people’ (laughs). They’re all like people we would hang out with at home, you know? It’s

crazy how everybody is responding to it. We are just cracking each other up, that’s the main thing.”

A recent website posting displays this nicely, utilising Daft Punk-styled imagery with the phrase, ‘Random Acid Memories’. It’s tour bus/toilet humour write large.

“Yeah, we use the internet a lot, you know?

Especially when we were first starting, our first videos were just other people’s YouTube clips collaged together into one YouTube clip. It’s done mostly just to crack each other up.”

It’s cracking up around the world by the looks, with FIDLAR coming out to Australia for Splendour In The Grass, adding to their growing list of major festival appearances.

“We did Reading and Leeds last year,” Carper notes; “we did Lollapalooza. Before we hit Australia we’re doing a whole European tour that is pretty much just only festivals for like, six weeks.

“We have like Coachella and festivals in California and the US, but it’s not like it is in the UK and Europe... and I’m guessing how it is in Australia.

The rest of the world, this festival thing is fucking insane (laughs).

“The way that I look at it is that if we’re playing a festival or playing our friend’s living room, we’re just gonna play the same way. Sometimes you do look out and see a mass amount of people and

you’re like, ‘okay. Alright. Don’t die. Don’t have a panic attack’, you know? But that all goes away when we start playing.”

Playing so much in recent times has had several good effects on the band.

“We’ve definitely got tighter,” Carper says.

“That’s for sure. We’ve just become more honest. As the band progresses, the more we get to know each other the more friends we’ve become. So now it’s just like, ‘woah, I don’t like that’. We don’t really beat around the bush over anything. Sometimes I’ll bring in a song and they’ll be like, ‘this song sucks, dude’. I have to go, ‘okay, it kind of does’, you know? So we’ve become more honest. We’ve played so many shows this past year that it’s become a lot tighter.”

The quartet are so close-knit by this time, that Harper couldn’t imagine a new member joining.

At the very least they’d have to induct themselves through years of in-jokes.

“That’s funny,” he notes, “I was just talking about this to my room mates. I was like, ‘I can’t see myself in this band without the four of us’. If one person quite it would be like, ‘oh well, this band is over. Let’s start something new’. We split everything four ways.

No matter who does what, everything is split four ways because this is a band and we want to be a band.

“It’s not like Zac & The FIDLARS, or Max & The FIDLARs. It’s FIDLAR and it’s the four of us.”

It’s been a couple years since Carper and co. were stealing studio time in the early hours of the morning to record their first demos. They may be world travelled by now, but their modest attitude remains the same.

“Those songs that we recorded were songs about us being in our 20s in Los Angeles and being broke,” Carper says. “It’s just what was going on.

“And now, well I don’t know how the next record will sound. We don’t really think about it, we just go in and do whatever we do. I bet a lot of the songs are gonna be about touring because we’ve been on tour forever.”

On FIDLAR’s online store there are skate decks emblazoned with the band’s name. Sounds like that could be a dream come true?

“Totally, man,” Harper enthuses. “Before FIDLAR was a band, it was a saying that we used (‘Fuck it dawg, life’s a risk’) when we all went skateboarding.

It was like, ‘oh my god, what if we started a skate company called FIDLAR?’ Everybody had these ideas about FIDLAR, about what to do with it, then we started the band and we were like, ‘let’s just name our band FIDLAR and maybe we can turn that into something too’. It’s just became like this thing and as time went on we went, ‘let’s make some skate decks, woo-hoo!’

“We were just doing whatever we wanted to do and now we have people that like us that will give us money to do whatever we want to do.”

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

half spent on the road, noting the positive reception given the generous portion of the setlist taken from the newly-released Desire Lines. “We’ve been blasting them pretty hard with new songs. We could almost go out and do ‘best-of’ sets at this point, but it’s a new album, and we’re proud of it. It’s important to play those songs and showcase them, I think.”

“We’ve been blasting them pretty hard with new songs.

We could almost go out and do ‘best-of’ sets at this point, but it’s a new album, and we’re proud of it. It’s important to play those songs and showcase them, I think.”

CAMERA OBSCURA Designing Desire

Life has thrown its up and downs at Scotland’s Camera Obscura, who have just released their fifth album, Desire Lines. BLAKE GALLAGHER speaks with keyboardist, Carey Lander.

It’s been a little while between drinks for Camera Obscura.

In early 2011, following extensive touring in support of acclaimed fourth album, My Maudlin Career, keyboardist Carey Lander was diagnosed with cancer, and the Scottish quintet were forced to put immediate plans – including the writing of record number five – on hold. In February this year, with

Camera Obscura Lander recovering, the band played their first show back in roughly two years, returning successfully with a sold-out performance at the Centre for Contemporary Arts in their hometown of Glasgow.

The next day, the band announced new album, Desire Lines, would be out come June.

“It was definitely a bit strange,” says Lander of reconnecting musically with her bandmates after the four year hiatus. “We were quite conscious of the time away. Saying that, once we’d done a few rehearsals and played a few shows back, it all sort of fell into place, it felt normal and good again”. Lander and co. have been on tour in Europe and the US for about six weeks now, having just wrapped up a string of dates with Oregon folk-pop duo, She & Him. “We’ve done a lot of touring so it makes it a bit easier, but we were still concerned about whether

OF MICE AND MEN

BELLE HARVEY Chambers Music

Let’s Play Curveball Belle Harvey

“For me it is all about travel and where it Belle Harvey teams with Bill takes you. Since I have been over east it has opened Chambers for a run of dates kicking up my eyes to the more possibilities. It is not just the off on Thursday, July 25, at the full on country, it is more the alternative country that is more my scene. You don’t set out to consciously write Transmission Lounge in Denmark; a country song or try to be a pop star. To me, song Friday, July White 26, at the White writing is about whatever comes out and I am just doing what I love. Country is a broad genre that can Star in Albany; Saturday, July 27, at be as wide as a festival in Tamworth or the pub down the Fly Trap (also with Ruby Boots) the road. It all fits into that field okay.”

Chambers and Harvey struck up a friendship and Sunday, July 28, at the Indi Bar after a chance meeting in Melbourne where they were (with China Doll’s Karen Page). CHRIS part of the same festival line-up. When Chambers walked of stage, he struck up a conversation with HAVERCROFT reports.

Harvey, they shared a photo opportunity and the idea While many West Australians are thinking of a sea change to the stunning coast of Albany, Belle Harvey went about things the other way by packing up her bags and moving to Perth.

Harvey had been playing in bands and had exhausted the limits of what she felt she could achieve at the same venues and had given the local band competitions a fair shake. The move to Perth was a chance for Harvey to explore new resources and opportunities.

“It was the right thing to do in regard to networking,” says Harvey of moving up to Perth. “It is a life building thing and not just about music. It is about the experiences along the way and the opportunity that comes with it. If I had stayed in Albany I may not have had the chance to tour with Ruby Boots and may never have met Bill Chambers.”

In Harvey’s case, she has moved to the city to play country music. It’s a fact that isn’t lost on the earthy singer, who claims there is more of an appreciation of country music when you are in the city as it is not taken for granted.

14

we’d remember our parts, or if anyone would still be interested in us, and all those sort of worries,” Lander explains from the New York hotel room where the band are currently lodged.

As far as the latter’s concerned, it’s a concern resoundingly quelled. Eager fans turned out en masse to see the group at their recent Bluesfest appearance in Ottawa – despite the Glaswegians inadvertently bringing the weather with them. “It was so sunny and humid all day and then just before we came on, the heavens opened and it began totally lashing with rain. Everyone got soaked. We weren’t really sure we should even have played, it felt quite dangerous using electricity in the middle of a rainstorm.”

Torrential acts of nature aside, Lander speaks with fondness about the past month-and-a-

And proud they should be. The album’s been garnering rave reviews from all corners, the band continuing to demonstrate their knack for writing soulful – often morose – pop gems.

Eschewing the Swedish studio where the band’s prior two full-lengths were captured, Desire Lines was recorded in Portland with producer Tucker Martine – best known for working with the likes of The Decemberists, Sufjan Stevens and My Morning Jacket.

Lander points out Desire Lines was a considered effort.

“We had a lot of time to think about how we wanted it to be before we started,” she says. “We wanted to record in a slightly less ‘live’ way so that there was time for everyone to really get their parts down and for the band to just sound good.”

Despite the praise Desire Lines has already received, Lander admits it’s a challenge to have confidence as the songs are coming together.“I guess I’m a bit of a pessimist,” she says with a wry laugh.

“It’s hard to believe things are going to turn out well when you’re in the studio – I worry a lot that things don’t sound good enough or no one will like it. The response has been good so I guess we must have done something right.”

Their relatively brief jaunts across Europe and the States almost complete, Camera Obscura are about to put touring plans on hold yet again, as guitarist/vocalist Tracyanne Campbell, now six months pregnant, prepares to give birth to her first child. While touring is back off the cards for now, Lander hopes 2014 will see the band head out on a more expansive level.

“Australia and New Zealand are places we’ve played a couple times. They’ve been great tours and it certainly seems like there’s an audience there, so we’re definitely keen to come back.”

of bringing him over to Perth was hatched.

“Whether it is him or anyone else, when you meet the right people with the right personality you know they are going to be a good person to work with and to have some laughs with,” Harvey says.

“It is good to be able to feel like you are working with a mate straight away. He is just coming over solo to do his own thing, but I will get up for some songs to accompany him on bass and some vocals.”

The shows are the key element of bringing Chambers over to WA, but Harvey is sure that the two songwriters will take the opportunity to pen a tune or two together. If all goes to plan they will complete a song and get the chance to jump into the studio on this trip. If not, there is bound to be other chances for the two to share ideas.

“We have been in contact back and forth in email so we could do something via that medium too.

Bill has put me on to some great YouTube footage that I haven’t seen before, so he has been opening my eyes up to some new music. We haven’t written together via email as I’d rather get in a room together first and go by how it feels.”

Taking their band name from John Steinbeck’s novel about adversity and the shattered American Dream might lead you to expect Of Mice And Men to be glass half-empty types. Instead, SHANE PINNEGAR finds drummer Tino Arteaga full of positivity and looking forward to playing Challenge Stadium on Saturday, October 12, with Bring Me The Horizon and Crossfaith.

Tino Arteaga says Of Mice and Men have toured with new touring buddies Bring Me The Horizon and Crossfaith before, and after reconnecting on the Soundwave Festival tour this year, jumped at the chance to head out with them again.

“We toured together with BMTH back in 2009,” he explains, “then we saw them again at Soundwave Festival. This will be our first time directly on tour with them, we’re definitely excited because we’ve been fans for a really long time and they’ve always been nothing but awesome dudes to us.”

Having taken Crossfaith out on a headlining tour of the UK last year, Arteaga says the language barrier was overcome with “music and positive vibes” and explains how they became surrogate big brothers to the Japanese band.

“Even if we couldn’t speak Japanese to talk to them - most of the dudes are able to speak enough English to understand the basics, but it was definitely the first time that we had been on tour with a band where English wasn’t their first

Of Mice And Men language. They’re an amazing live band and they’re just the most awesome dudes and we’re definitely excited to have them on the tour. They’re our Japanese homies for sure - we got pretty close to them on our tour, we took them under our wing and showed them how to do things.”

Describing the Soundwave 2013 tour as “the best experience ever, even from the first night before the festival even started,” Arteaga is eager to get back to Australia for some sightseeing.

“We’d love to explore Australia more, and not only from the air! Hopefully we’ll be seeing more of what the country has to offer. Every time we go it’s just a better experience than the last.”

Before the tour in October, however, there is the band’s third album to record.

“We’re getting all of our ideas together, trimming the fat so to say,” Arteaga explains.

“There’s a ton of material that’s been written, and we’re trying to find the songs that we feel really showcase our strengths and give the message that we really want to give. That should take us up until the time when we go to Australia.”

I can’t let Arteaga go without remarking that the band’s name seems a bit fatalistic, negative, even.

“If you look at the history of Of Mice & Men, getting to this point today has been filled with adversity, and filled with problems that needed to be overcome,” he explains. “That’s something that’s gonna continue - life is full of curve balls. The quote is, ‘The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry’, and these adversities aren’t just to the band itself, there’s been personal hurdles for each one of us to get over.

“There are things we have to overcome in order to achieve our dreams, and as we achieve one goal, a new beast emerges. So it always has to do with growing - nothing with meaning comes easy.”

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

15

the monks hope to make many new friends in other parts of the world.”

That doesn’t seem to be a problem, especially given the reaction to the Gyuto Monks at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

“A media scrum best describes it,” Fallon says. “So much interest from wallowing in mud, to interviews in and around the various venues and landmarks. The BBC chose the monks as one of six headline acts to make short films of and ITV, Channel 4, plus radio and a wide spread of print media all were keen to publicise the monks.

THE GYUTO MONKS OF TIBET Love And Light

monks this year signed to the Decca/Universal Music Group and released an album, Chants: The Spirit of Tibet, their first state-of-the-art recording.

“The project was thoroughly discussed Led by Gen Lama Thupten Phuntsok, by the administrators of the monastery - all senior and they agreed that it was an important the Gyuto Monks Of Tibet are back monksnew opportunity to spread awareness of Tibetan for a visit that culminates in the culture and the Tibetan cause,” explains Maureen Of Gyuto House Australia.

Echoes Of Enlightenment concert at Fallon, Director “The Gyuto Monks last visited the UK Fremantle Town Hall on Friday, July 40 years ago, thus it was seen to be an auspicious to return. The Decca recording team with 26, (tickets via heatseeker.com.au). moment music producer Youth visited the monastery in Dharamsala, India, and recorded in the temple with BOB GORDON reports. the support of the monks and respect and goodwill They travel the world, evoking enlightenment and was obvious on all sides thus giving everyone the demonstrating ancient cultural traditions, but it confidence to go forward.”

Youth was recently in Perth with Killing seems there is always a first to be experienced, Joke and has been an esteemed producer for the likes even for the Gyuto Monks Of Tibet.

While their harmonic chanting has been of Primal Scream, U2, Erasure, Depeche Mode and The performed, filmed and recorded the world over, the Verve. Fallon says he was well suited to the project.

“The monks remain completely and innocently unaware of their impact on people. They simply see the good in all of us and respond with gratitude and affection.

Their humility underwrites their charm, their humour keeps them grounded and their sense of contentment assumes and results in most other people exuding a kind of respectful peace.”

Gyuto Monks

“Youth is a legend in his field,” she says, “he has maintained a strong connection to Tibetan Buddhism for many years, so he was authentic in his interest. He loved the monastery and spent time with monks of all ages. He heard and saw things in a unique way to the rest of us and was positive in his responses. The Decca A&R execs knew his work and were instrumental in bringing all into the project.”

There’s various hopes for the album release, mainly to help spread awareness of the Monks and the Tibetan cause. It will also help tnem to facilitate the continuation of their work. “(We hope) to spread awareness of Tibetan culture by bringing this music to the attention of a much wider mainstream audience, to ensure Decca makes good on the time and resources devoted to the project and to sell enough albums to maintain and improve our first week in the charts (#1 on the Australian Classical Chart and #26 in the Pop Chart). It goes without saying that we hope the monastery will benefit practically from the exercise... and, finally,

Glass Towers Days is the next step in the band’s natural progression.

On the eve of the album’s release frontman, Ben Hannam, looks back at where it all started.

“I guess it kind of stems from when I was Touring in support of their debut 16 and I got really deeply into Jack Kerouac and album, Halcyon Days, Glass Houses his kind of style of writing,” he recalls. “I would go to house parties and I’d come home and basically hit WA for the first time next month, start writing every kind of detail; every character I’d kicking off on Friday, August 9, at the meet, every event that would happen and so that’s what formed the basis of each song on the album.

Prince Of Wales, Bunbury; Saturday, So I kinda wrote from experience; the whole album August 10, at Amplifier, and Sunday, is basically just like my experience of when I was 17, 18 growing up.”

August 11, at the Newport Hotel.

As well as novelists such as Kerouac, Hannam also had some early exposure to a number JAMES NICOLI reports. of musical acts who would go on to have a lasting Penned as a dedication to youth, indie rockers effect on him and the songs he would write for Glass Towers’ debut album, Halcyon Days, is a Halcyon Days. “When I was growing up I listened nostalgic look back at a specific time and place to a lot of my dad’s collection; stuff like Neil Diamond, Simon and Garfunkel, Roxy Music; those in their early lives.

Having already released a couple of bands people kind of laugh at these days,” he says highly acclaimed EPs as well as receiving a good jokingly. “But I think that kind of instilled a sense of dose of national airplay and some impressive melody in me. I’ve always been really interested in international support and festival slots, Halcyon writing really strong melodies, not so much catchy 16

Following the Fremantle Town Hall residence the Gyuto Monks will head to the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre from July 29-August 2. Head to manpac. com.au for full details about their workshops and closing performance. made it into a single friendly song.”

Having had this collection of songs with him for so long, the release of Halcyon Days will most certainly be a triumphant moment. “All of the songs on this record have been written for about five years,” says Hannam. “I wrote them when I was 16-17 so it’s really, really fucking exciting.”

GLASS TOWERS

At Seventeen

“From the monks’ perspective, they loved the fun of having their own tour bus - a luxurious rock star residence previously used by Elvis Costello and Madonna.”

Credited by the Dalai Lama for spreading awareness about Tibet in Western culture, the Gyuto Monks have a lovely, inspirational and calming effect on people wherever they visit. What this means to them, however, is another matter.

“The monks remain completely and innocently unaware of their impact on people,” Fallon explains. “They simply see the good in all of us and respond with gratitude and affection.

Their humility underwrites their charm, their humour keeps them grounded and their sense of contentment assumes and results in most other people exuding a kind of respectful peace.”

ones but just like really kind of emotional melodies.”

On first listen, Halcyon Days comes across as an album you would most likely attach to a band well into their career. The fact that the members of Glass Towers are all still in the early 20s only adds to the impressiveness of the record and its glistening, melodic indie pop. And when it came time to enter the studio, for a first album, the band had a very clear idea of how they wanted it to sound. “I wanted to make a really kind of layered, really deep record,” says Hannam. “Because I’ve always been interested in producers like Alan Moulder who’s my favourite mixer. Like really kind of lush records.”

Enlisting the services of local producer, Jean Paul Fung, the band bunkered down in the studio and with Fung’s guidance began to shape and refine the songs which would come to form the record. “We went up to his farm on the Central Coast and we did pre-production there,” recalls Hannam.

“So we basically did the songs live for him, in a live setting, and we recorded them and then he went back to us with things to change. For instance our latest single, Halcyon, that was originally six minutes long when we first wrote it so he shortened it and

“I guess it kind of stems from when I was 16 and I got really deeply into Jack Kerouac and his kind of style of writing. I would go to house parties and I’d come home and basically start writing every kind of detail; every character I’d meet, every event that would happen and so that’s what formed the basis of each song on the album. So I kinda wrote from experience; the whole album is basically just like my experience of when I was 17, 18 growing up.”

The next venture for Glass Towers will be a national album tour which will see them breaking new ground by taking in every major city around the country.

The band rightly can’t wait to hit the road and Hannam promises that they are going to do their best to make this run of shows their most memorable to date.

“We’re going to try and do something special for it because it’s our album. I don’t know what we’re going to do yet but we might try and do some crazy stage show thing; obviously not like dancers or anything, I mean like make it special,” he laughs.

“And we’re playing our last show in Byron so that’s going to be really special because the album was written in Byron Bay so we thought it would be cool to play our last show there as well.”

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

17

Stoney Joe launch their second it’s a by-product of learning a new style of guitar playing in that way. Also, I think any songwriter that album, Hot Jerky, this Friday, July wants to develop their craft, sooner or later has to 26, at PICA Bar, with special guests look at country music and decide how it fits with Railway Bell, Justin Walshe and The what they’re doing. In my case it was an unexpected revelation and I’m still learning.”

Seal Pups. BOB GORDON checks in An openness to learning is a great trait in with vocalist/guitarist, Roly Skender. any long-time musicians. One wonders, is Skender is

STONEY JOE

The Write Pair Of Chords

18

Stoney Joe Photo: Rob Frith

Roly Skender and his Stoney Joe mob came to country music via a route that was probably not the norm - indie, prog rock with a dash of electronica.

They formed the outfit in 2009, performing often and releasing the well-received Brown Bread And Rice LP in 2012. Once this music was a vision, now it’s their creative reality, but as Skender points out, the journey continues.

“I have an old ‘72 Maton Coolibah guitar I’ve owned since the ‘90s,” he says. “It’s such a great sounding instrument and one day I picked it up and decided I wanted to learn to play it properly... that is, finger-picking style with my bare hands the way nature intended.

“I figured there’s a good five-10 years of practice involved there and the country music began to flow naturally from that process. I guess

embracing different kinds of melodies than in the past, or can he apply a country feel to any melody?

“You can definitely apply the country thing to other songs and melody is really important there,” he notes, “but with Stoney Joe I think it’s more about discovering new melodies to song structures that are quite simple, often using just two or three chords. That’s the great challenge.

“Writing within any genre can be limiting but it makes you really think about what you’re trying to achieve. I think it can be more special to do something great within a genre than to have this unlimited, anything goes approach to composing, in a lot of ways. It took me a long time to work that out.”

Stoney Joe’s just released second LP, Hot Jerky, features quite a polished production, yet is very representative of how the band sounds live.

It’s an ideal combination, though rarely achieved, it seems.

“It’s nice to hear you think that because we recorded Hot Jerky entirely at home with a very ‘keep it simple’ philosophy,” Skender says. “I have only a few pieces of really good equipment microphones, preamps, etc - we used to achieve the sound. Once we’d finished all the main recordings we had a single session of us four guys standing around the stereo ribbon mic, putting in a lot of the shouts and exclamations which are normally part of the live show. We managed to milk a bit more live energy that way, even if most of the takes ended up in the bin.”

As ever, Skender’s songs find a lovely line between whimsy (Sparrow Song) and poignance (Lonesome Joe). The first song ponders ‘where birds go to die?’ One might also wonder, in this case, where they’re born?

“Sometimes the best situation is when words and melody come together without having to think about what it means,” he offers. “It’s like there was only ever one way the song was meant to be written. Those two songs were a bit like that. I think birds are born in their nests, but I still don’t know where they go to die.”

If you’ve seen the new Lone Ranger movie, possibly on Johnny Depp’s head. Mind you, Stoney Joe would have worked on that film’s soundtrack, which is possibly more western than country.

“Well I see the western side of the music as having that more cinematic, soundtrack tilt while the country is where things get more up-tempo and hoe down,” Skender considers. “We often say it’s also Western because of songs like Kalamunda Hills which is obviously Western Australian for people that know.”

Having said that, there’s a cinematic feel to Stoney Joe in any case.

“Yes that’s a pretty important part of the sound and might represent the slightly darker areas of inspiration in some ways. The cool thing about this music that came as a surprise to me was how sonic descriptions of nature and elemental forces act as metaphors for human emotion and day-today life. It’s a huge palette of subject matter when you think about it... you just gotta keep it to three chords right.”

The band gets asked to play all sorts of festivals these days - rock, folk, country and besides. The feedback from country purists has been gratifying.

“Surprisingly they seem to like it a lot and aren’t put off by the electronics or lack of a drummer,” Skender says. “Older audiences, especially, seem very complementary and often come up to say hi after shows. I think they see us as a refreshing change to some of the country rock that gets performed at festivals at the moment. You can’t ever please everybody, but we know what we’re about as a band and perform imperfectly with feeling, which is about as much as any purist can ask for isn’t it?”

Skender has played for years with his Stoney Joe compadres. Multi-instrumentalists Joe Scholz and Chris Horan played with him going back to the early ‘90s in Circus Murders and bassist Carl Jensen (Fondula, Rice) is another old musical friend.

The creative process is assured, yet friendly.

“It’s pretty fluid as we’ve all known each other for years, as you say. Again, being slightly limited by the genre is helpful because it’s pretty easy to discern if something doesn’t sound like Stoney Joe. In that case it’s out the door and nobody tends to cry about it. I don’t think we work a lot differently with each other to what we have in the past, only the music has changed.”

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

JAY Z Magna Carta Holy Grail ROC-A-FELLA/Universal

GREY GHOST The Elixir EP EMI Music

Melbourne based rapper Jeremedy continues to defy any sor t of genre pigeonholing, for the simple fact he manages to work all of his influences into one incredibly effective sound. Not quite hip-hop, not quite rock and not quite electronica, the Grey Ghost sound is nothing if not endearingly unique.

The follow up to last year’s self titled EP, The Elixir maintains in boisterous spades the same urgency that his debut had, but there is less space age dreaminess and a newfound maturity here.

Tracks such as Long Way Home have a warm, but reflective rawness – crisp percussion, stabs of electro dance elements and an irresistible chorus make for a killer stand out. The title track/lead single kicks everything off and while it rails against society’s obsession with youth and staying young, it keeps to the Grey Ghost ethos of keeping it catchy but suitably left of centre.

Perhaps what continues to set Jeremedy apart from the rest of the hip hop herd is his ability to switch between a dextrous rapping tongue and actually singing; it’s a point of difference that makes this all the more enjoyable to keep on repeat.

Elsewhere, Dynamite Love is an explosive closer. All the heartache and pain really swells around his mouth and is spat out with the conviction of a man whose heart has clearly gone through the meat grinder that love can muster; there are some insanely dizzying verses that are built and executed here and his command of words as a rapper is truly something to behold.

Hov’s in a new place – he’s got a president representing, he’s ‘a business, man’ and he’s arguably still Brooklyn’s finest. Magna Carta Holy Grail explores the tribulations of getting all the success you imagined and more. How can you complain when,‘Camera snapping, my eyes hurt / N****s dying back where I was birthed’? It’s classic Jay-Z – he can make you scoff and then stop and think with a simple turn of phrase.

Over the Timbaland beat of Picasso Baby Jay opines, ‘No sympathy for the king huh / N****s even talk about your baby crazy / Eventually the pendulum swings / Don’t forget America/ This is how you made me’, and it’s one lens through which to view the album.

It’s impossible to capture Hov’s flow in words but on the whole it is staggering and unmatchable. A couple of the tracks do fall flat, but the rest more than make up for it. Oceans has Pharrell’s fingerprints all over it, and if BBC sounds like a bunch of friends having a great time, that’s because it was, and the result is laidback fun. Jay-Z Blue is straight up astounding, and on Part II (On The Run) Beyoncé’s voice soars like an angelic apparition. Heaven and Nickels And Dimes are the most traditional hip hop tracks, with their spot-on samples stitching together Jay’s verses. _ NATALIE AMAT

EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros

HAILMARY Choice. Path.

Consequence. Solution.

Independent

Create/Control

Having escaped the ‘second album syndrome’ with ease, this 11-piece folk outfit is back with its self-titled third effort.

Rustic authenticity and Edward Sharpe go together like bread and butter. You could deprive them of their instruments and they would still make music.

Edward Sharpe’s frontman, Alex Ebert, has described the tracks on the new record as some of the, “rawest, most liberated, most rambunctious stuff,” they have yet done, and he’s not wrong.

Opener, Better Days, is an optimistic, feelgood track full of vocal harmonising and pounding percussion, while Let’s Get High, Two and Please! revisit the themes of life and love explored on their previous albums. Country Calling is a boisterous number, with a soundscape consisting of horns, trumpets and thumping percussion.

Every Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros album has one track that churns up your emotions, and on this album it’s This Life. It’s raw and powerful, showcasing Ebert’s vocals – the ragged pain in his voice works in harmony with the band’s gospel backing, giving it a stirring emotional potency.

Melodic folk arrangements, strong, distinct vocals and a strong communal sensibility make this record a cathartic experience. _ KIERA THANOS

Hailmary blaze forth with a debut album that emphatically underlines their position as one of the best independent acts in Australia.

Hailmary use an Alice In Chainsey grunge as the bedrock for their sound, building on that with brightly coruscating riffs and a pummelling backline, topped off with Kevin Curran’s vocals.

From the proto-metal of Yellow Light Of Death, through the glorious Reminiscence.

Two Wrongs and Weighing You Down wear their Seattle influence on their sleeve – but a brightness sets Hailmary apart from being mere copyists. Yesterday’s Friend burrows deep, its melody and driving jackhammer riff replaying in your head for days to come, while Monday Mundane is a tailor-made anthem for not wanting the weekend to end.

Choice. Path. Consequence. Solution. is a magnificent album, showcasing the leaps forward the band have taken as players as they’ve toured more and more over the last couple of years.

Mature, edgy songwriting and standout performances highlight that Hailmary are ready to take the prize, and CPCS just needs to be heard by the right people for the offers to start rolling in. _ SHANE PINNEGAR

_ MARISSA DEMETRIOU

SIGUR ROS Kveikur XL Recordings/Remote Control

The new Sigur Rós record is defined by difference – January this year marked the depar ture of multiinstrumentalist Kjar tan Sveinsson, leaving a now three-piece Sigur Rós.

Last year’s Valatari fully realised the ethereal, ambient murmurs that past works such as ( ) exemplify.

Kveikur is thus not a departure – it could be said it’s a realisation of other elements of the Sigur Rós sound.

If Valatari takes place in the clouds, Kveikur is situated down on earth, exploring violent terrains and the chaos of natural phenomena.

It begins with prickly white noise, disrupted by a giant thud. Drums and heavily distorted bass bring Kveikur into being with Brennisteinn (translation: ‘Brimstone’, fittingly evoking both elemental processes and a mythos of wrath). As the first notes come crashing down, we experience the emphatic sound that will drive the album. The next track, Hrafntinna (‘Obsidian’), is opened and driven by busy cymbals.

Jónsi’s voice is still as warm as ever, amongst a very prominent rhythm section. He steers the more upbeat Ísjaki (‘Iceberg’), with background vocals sounding like howling wolves. Stormur (‘Storm’), Rafstraumer (‘Electric Current’), and Bláþráður (‘Thin Thread’) continue at quick-tempo, each developing into tremendous peaks.

The title track Kveikur (‘Candlewick’) is matched only by Brennisteinn in heaviness, again with a thunderous rhythm section. The closing track Var (‘Shelter’), a piano wind-down, might be a final sanctuary, ending a pilgrimage through fierce landscapes. _ HARRIS MACKENZIE

JOSH PYKE The Beginning And The End Of Everything Ivy League

Put simply, The Beginning And The End Of Everything captures Josh Pyke’s signature gift for charming story telling.

Despite the ominous title of Pyke’s fourth album, the award-winning singer-songwriter and his musical output are showing no signs of stopping.

Leeward Side is reminiscent of Pyke’s older music with just the right amount of catchiness and chorus sing-along-ability to be expected from a single by one of Australia’s favourite folk musicians. This track in particular flaunts Pyke’s skill in the harmonious unearthing of simple melodies and lyrics. Thankfully, harmonicas don’t err on the side of cliché and actually prick up your ears to honest lyrics: ‘Cause I wanna be someone / Worthy of your conversation’. This musical yearning for acceptance also comes through in Feet Of Clay, another upbeat tune where Pyke articulates and then promptly stamps out any inklings of self-doubt.

The revealing use of idioms continues in All The Very Best Of Us, which sees a delicate collaboration with fellow Balmain local, Holly Throsby. Throsby’s delicately measured vocals are equal parts enchanting and calming, making it one of the more moving tracks on the album.

The Beginning And The End Of Everything feels like the soundtrack to a warm, whirring dream sequence, as consistently layered harmonies project Pyke’s innermost thoughts. _ KATIE DAVERN www.xpressmag.com.au

19

20

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

EMPIRE PRESENTS

INTENSE IN THE TENT

A short, sharp shock of spectacle, wonder, bawdy burlesque, Empire plays on the Grand Lawn at Crown until Sunday, August 18. We were lucky enough to speak to the troupe’s master of the balancing arts, Memet Bilgin Rigolo.

In the midst of the hyperkinetic sensual assault that is Empire, one figure stands somewhat aloof. With his shaven head, hawkish features and fabulous, multicoloured leather coat (designed by Oscar-winning Australian costumer and frequent Baz Luhrmann collaborator Angus Strathie), Meme Bilgin Rigolo is an enigmatic figure, and his act, where he creates shifting kinetic sculptures out of a pile of dried palm fronds, some metres long, is a study in precision and concentration. In amongst the contortionists, acrobats, clowns, and carnies that compose the troupe, it is his act lingers in the memory.

A former computer programmer, he came to the world of vperforamnce later than most. “Well,” he explains. “I always liked dance and I started doing dance actually when I was quite old - I was 19, which is old and then eventually I started doing circus full time. It started out as a hobby and then it became a profession.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Empire - Photo By Jarrad Seng

www.xpressmag.com.au

21

Abdul-Rahman Abdullah ‘Red Heifer’ 2011 Photo by David Collins

EMERGING INTO THE LIGHT

Artsource, through their Emerging Artists Program, recently divvied up some $30,000 between five young western Australian artists to help them get a foothold in often competitive, always precarious, contemporary art world. Drawn from more than 25 initial applicants, he recipients include AbdulRahman Abdullah, Kieron Broadhurst, Emma Buswell, Matthew McVeigh and Joanna Sulkowski. For more information, head to artsource.net.au

THE RULES OF ACQUISITION Empire

CONTINUED FROM COVER The act itself came together when he was performing with the Swiss troupe, Rigolo. “Essentially the way the number got created was this: this company, Rigolo, has been doing circus shows for practically 40 years now and they mount a new show every two years. In this particular show the props were 12 tonnes of sand inside a tent and palm fronds among other things and this just happened to be what came out. It was purely artistic creation and was complete chance.”

The act, at once mesmerising and audacious, has enabled him to travel the world, taking advantage of the recent resurgence in popularity in circus performance.“I think that the actual amount of performances in the domain hasn’t really increased or diminished in the past 20 - 30 years, I would say.

What I would say is that there is an increased interest in low production, as opposed to stadium or arena

The Art Gallery of Western Australia’s collection is constantly growing, thanks to purchases, donations and bequests, and it can be hard to keep track of what new and interesting works have made their way into our state repository of artistic wonders. To help with that enviable issue, Recent Acquisitions Your Collection will be on display until October 27. All the works on show have been acquired in the past two years, and all are on display for the first time, so this is an excellent opportunity to acquaint yourself with what’s new at AGWA. Go to artgallery.wa.gov.au for further details.

sized production There’s an increased interest in small production scales from the audiences perspective that’s my take on it. I think it has to do, possibly, with the economy of the world.

“In the ‘90s everything was big and boisterous,” he continues. “It was all about making shows bigger - shows like Madonna and circus shows were aspiring towards that direction as well. If you look at Cirque du Soleil productions, they’re all in that direction. This is my opinion, of course. Since the slow down, there’s been a reduction in the size of the productions. Our entire show fits in four or five containers and we can ship everyone anywhere in the Enkor, Perth’s newest streetwear label, is being world, practically, whereas a show like Cirque would unveiled at a special launch event at Ezra Pound on Monday, August 5. Those lucky enough to snatch up require much bigger logistics and stuff like that.” one of the extremely limited tickets will not only be F o r i n f o r m a t i o n a n d t i c k e t s , h e a d t o privy to a glimpse of Enkor’s rather exciting plans for the future, but will be serenaded by the likes of K-La empireaustralia.com. and Klean Kicks on the night. Doors open at 7pm, _ TRAVIS JOHNSON tickets are $60 for two over the bar at Ezra Pound.`

OUT ON THE STREET

Sleep - Judy Rogers

STILL THE ONE

Still, the new exhibition from Judy Rogers, is a reflection upon and celebration of the quiet, lowkey moments in life. This collection of portraits of Rogers’s family and friends is intimate, warm, lively, and honest. It runs at the Melody Smith Gallery from August 3 - 24. Go to melodysmithgallery.com for further information.

A SINGULAR VISION

Harry Hummerston’s Double Vision will be on display at Turner Galleries from August 2 - 31. Contiuning a fascination with pop culture that has infused his career for some three decades now, Hummerston appropriates imagery from a sweeping range of sources, including Japanese animation, Star Wars and other science fiction films, and juxtaposes, mirrors and staggers them to create new layers of meaning and angles of inquiry. This, his 17th solo exhibition, is a must-see for fans of contemporary culture, art aficionados, and everyone in between. Go to turnergalleries.com.au for more.

GIVE WITH STYLE

Perth’s finest hot ticket high fashion fundraising event, Styleaid, is almost upon us again., This year the Grand Ballroom at Crown plays host to this extravagant event, where our finest fashionistas will come together to raise money for the WA Aids Council. It all happens on Friday, August 9, from 7pm - head to styleaid.com.au for more information.

The Wolverine Only God Forgives

ONLY GOD FORGIVES Oedipus Rising

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn Starring Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm, Gordon Brown, Tom Burke Greek tragedy looms large over the characters of Only God Forgives, as does the ever-present threat of extreme violence and divine justice. Bringing his increasingly surreal and painterly aesthetic to the seedy underbelly of Bangkok, director, Nicolas Winding Refn, renders a gorgeously shot and arguably baffling portrait of a boy, his overbearing mother and their conflict with a local deity.

Julian (Gosling) runs a Thai boxing club with his older brother Billy (Burke) which is a front for a drug smuggling ring run by their monstrous mother (a terrifying Kristin Scott Thomas). When Billy rapes and murders a 16 year-old girl, police chief Chang (Pansringarm) takes it upon himself to exact a kind of divine justice upon him resulting in his death.

It falls on Julian to seek revenge for his brother, but it appears he may not be quite up to the task.

For those expecting another Drive, this new collaboration between Refn and Gosling will come as a surprise. Like their previous work there is Gosling’s trademark blank stare, lingering moments punctuated by sudden bursts of extremely graphic violence and a beautifully haunting score by Cliff Martinez. Gone is any semblance of a classic narrative 22

structure, with thematic overtones being the order of the day. Throughout this dark landscape of evocative and stunningly photographed tableaux (by the evertalented Larry Smith) only a sense can be gleaned of the overall story here; knowledge of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex will serve one well.

Avoiding narrative coalescence for a more surreal, and quite Lynchian, dynamic Refn places his film within the realm of a waking nightmare; the audience seems to be placed within Julian’s state of mind as he comes to terms with who he is and how he reconciles that with the expectations of his mother. This positions Julian as a passive character struggling against the desire to become aggressive, like his brother. This plays in contrast to the character of Chang, played to icy perfection by Pansringarm, who appears to have found calm within the same aggression, to the point where he transcends all morality to become somewhat of a divine arbiter, possibly even God Himself.

Only God Forgives is another powerhouse effort from Refn, who is without doubt one of cinema’s great stylists (the film’s dedication to Alejandro Jodorowsky speaks volumes) but his Scandinavian sensibilities promise that his films will always be an acquired taste. This film will be a challenge for some (possibly even for Refn fans) but that is what great cinema does; it challenges, it confronts and doesn’t let anyone off the hook easily, not its characters and especially not its audiences. This is uncompromising, visceral filmmaking at its finest. _ LIAM DUNN

THE WOLVERINE Blood Sport for All

Directed by James Mangold Starring Hugh Jackman, Rila Fukushima, Tao Okamoto, Famke Janssen, Will Yun Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada, Svetlana Khodchenkova Hugh Jackman’s last big outing as the clawed killing machine, Logan, in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, failed to impress anyone, but it’s clear that everyone involved was trying their hardest not to replicate the mistakes of the past this time around, with the result being a solid, occasionally inspired, piece of satisfying action cinema.

Following the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, our man Logan has gone mountain man up in the wilds of Canada, contending with territorial bears and the occasional repulsive hunter while being plagued by visions of the deceased Jean Grey (Famke Janssen). His primal pity party is interrupted by the arrival of the assassin Yukio (Rila Fukushima), who has come to fetch him off to Japan at the behest of the ancient and ailing Yashida, (Hal Yamanouchi), whom Logan saved back in WWII, and who ostensibly wants to repay the debt in a roundabout way. Things aren’t what they seem, of course, and it’s not long before Logan is defending Yashida’s delectable granddaughter, Mariko (Tao Okamoto) against armies of yakuza thugs and ninja.

So it’s a film noir, more or less, with Logan positioned as the outsider caught up in an internecine family feud and trying to figure out exactly whose hitlist both he and Mariko are on.

Compared to previous franchise outings, it’s low key, although that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in action.

Director, James Mangold, stages his fight sequences with clarity and energy, with the standout being an (admittedly largely unmotivated) exciting tussle on top of a speeding bullet train.

It’s a fairly stolid film, though, and one that takes itself very seriously for the most part.

Mangold’s direction is functional and largely without flair, and there are times when the plot moves along doggedly when it should be flying gracefully. The requisite comic book excesses, which this time around include everything from high-tech medical miracles to giant robotic samurai, are at odds with the essentially earthbound tone of the film, and some characters - particularly Svetlana Khodchenkova’s Viper, simply don’t work at all.

Having said that, Jackman is still a great Wolverine, gruff and tormented without coming across as asinine or solipsistic and, after, so many years of promises from the filmmakers, this is finally the film where we get to see the berserker unleashed - the body count, though largely bloodless, is impressive. Action fans should be well sated.

Some effort is made to tie the events into the larger X-Men framework, but The Wolverine functions quite well as a stand-alone adventure.

Although anticipation is running high for the upcoming X-Men: Days Of Future Past, a few more movies where Logan bombs around the world enacting old genre narrative forms would be more than welcome. Next stop Madripoor, perhaps? _ TRAVIS JOHNSON X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Behind The Candelabra xx

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA All That Glitters

Directed by Steven Soderbergh Starring Matt Damon, Michael Douglas, Scott Bakula, Rob Lowe, Dan Aykroyd, Debbie Reynolds It may have first seen the light of day on HBO in the US, ostensibly because, as director Steven Soderbergh (Oceans 11, Contagion) has stated, it was ‘too gay’ for American film studios to even consider mainstream theatrical distribution, but this lavish, affectionate, occasionally downright heartbreaking look at the final years of consummate showman Liberace (Michael Douglas in career-best form) is getting a big screen run here, which is something we should be grateful for.

Based on the eponymous memoir by Scott Thorsen, who was Liberace’s live-in lover and personal assistant for some five years in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, the film is a kind of debauched fairytale.

Thorsen (Matt Damon) is a 17 year-old orphan working as a dog trainer for the movies when a producer acquaintance (Scott Bakula) introduces him to the flamboyant Liberace. The two quickly become inseparable, and Thorsen is indoctrinated into the older entertainer’s luxurious life, but initial infatuation eventually turns to boredom, disillusionment and resentment.

The performances are excellent across the board, although it must be acknowledged that it is Douglas’s amazing transformation that will attract the most attention. At a time in life when many elder statesmen are content to stay within their established

range until mediocrity takes them (call it the Connery Clause), Douglas throws himself bodily and fearlessly into the role, encapsulating his subject’s comically camp, larger than life outer persona while still giving us ingress to his essential humanity and vulnerability.

Damon is also in fine form, skilfully delineating Thorsen’s downward arc from wide-eyed ingénue to bitter, bloated, drug-addled discard.

The film also functions as a scathing indictment of the mainstream sexual mores of the period; Liberace guarded the secret of his homosexuality fiercely, even litigiously, and in the film he confides to his lover that he fears being remembered more for his sexuality than his talent.

Hindsight being 20/20, it’s absurd and occasionally absolutely hilarious that the rhinestone-ringed piano man’s preferences were ever in any doubt, but it speaks to a time when the world was even less accepting than it is now, and the showman’s pain is palpable.

Yet so too is his capacity to inflict pain, and Soderbergh and his screenwriter, Richard LaGravenese, never shy away from depicting Liberace’s monstrous ego - at one point, a plastic surgeon (Rob Lowe) is drafted in to make Thorsen look more like his mentor/lover, which smacks of egomania bordering on the solipsistic. As a critique of life on the fame train, Behind The Candelabra is razor sharp and scathing.

Soderbergh has intimated that this will be his last film, and though that’s probably not exactly true (the man is only 50), it wouldn’t be a bad note to go out on. It’s a complex, funny, shocking and occasionally disturbing portrait of love, largesse, ego and excess, and it’s well worth checking out. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON

To The Wonder

TO THE WONDER

The God Of Small Things Directed by Terrence Malick Starring Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams, Javier Bardem, Tatiana Chiline, Romina Mondello, Charles Baker Formerly reclusive auteur - and we mean that in the purest sense - Terrence Malick continues his recent prolific run with this meditation on love, faith, time and other ephemera.

It’s an abstract piece, overwhelmingly more concerned with image and theme than coherent narrative, and what story there is must be pieced together by the evidence offered; once again, Malick, refuses to go easy on his audience, expecting them to rise to his level. The film is largely focussed on the relationship between the American Neil (Ben Affleck) and the Ukrainian Marina (Olga Kurylenko). After a whirlwind romance in Paris, Neil brings Marina and her 10 year old daughter, Tatiana (Tatiana Chiline) to live with him in semi-rural Oklahoma. Their relationship, initially steeped in passion and joy, begins to falter, and while Marina finds some solace in talking with Father Quintana (Javier Bardem), a priest going through a crisis of faith, Neil reconnects with Jane (Rachel McAdams), an old flame. And so it goes.

It’s a beautifully shot piece, as should be expected by this stage of the game. Malick has an eye like no one else in the business, and the images he presents, often contrasting manmade buildings and objects with gorgeous natural tableaux, are www.xpressmag.com.au

simply amazing, whether they be herds of bison or horses, medieval cathedrals, or the fluorescent lights of a supermarket somehow transfigured into a place of wonder.

Similarly, Malick elevates the very simple human emotions the film deals with - desire, passion, love, dissatisfaction, ennui, regret - to something grandiose, epic, almost transcendent.

Small moments are writ large, the slightest gestures and tics fill the frame, faces become landscapes, forms become theses.

It’s heady stuff and, to be absolutely clear, it’s not for everyone. Malick is still determined to push his chosen medium to breaking point, stretching his narrative tissue until it’s gossamer-thin, a mere skin stretched over the thematic core of the piece. Or, to put it another way, if you didn’t get much out of Tree of Life, don’t bother queuing up for this one.

If you do have the patience and formal curiosity that Malick demands, though, then this is a deeply provocative and challenging film. By interlacing the mundane and the mystical, the simple and the sacred, he is forcing us to consider how such metaphysical concepts can have significance in the workaday world, and to identify the miraculous - or at least the meaningful - in the profane. If nothing else, his conceptual ambition must be admired.

Clearly, To The Wonder is not the kind of film that is easily and lightly engaged with, so look elsewhere if you’re just after something to pass a couple of hours with. Those with the patience for this elliptical, often nearly impenetrable visual poem, though, will find themselves utterly transported. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON 23

Kiel Rogers, Lauren Fenlon, Lester, Mark Nara, Russell Winter, Ryan Smith and Tom Sweetman. It runs until July 28.

Timeless Paradise: Elements Art Gallery This collection of paintings by Perth artist Jeremy Holton runs until August 13. Visit elementsartgasllery. com.au for details.

VISUAL ARTS

Ballet Revolucion

BALLET REVOLUCIÓN Havana Nights

Ballet Revolución brings together classical ballet and contemporary dance with an urban edge and a distinct Cuban flavour. After wowing audiences across Europe, the show comes to the Crown Theatre in Burswood from July 30 August 3. Musical director and bass guitarist, OSMAR SALAZAR HERNANDEZ, talks about the show, and his passion for musical collaboration.

It was four years ago that the idea was first formed to create this renowned epic dance fusion ensemble and it was the challenge to blend different musical genres and dance styles from across the globe that drew Hernandez to the project.

“Ballet Revolución is an idea that was started in 2009,” he explains to us. “We were trying to bring some international music into Cuba, with classical ballet dancers and contemporary dancers.

It gave me the possibility of working with music, to bring my own point of view, to put my own flavour, my own rhythms inside this music and see how it all works together.”

As the musical director, Hernandez has found the project to be challenging but ultimately rewarding. “It has become a totally new experience because in this particular show we are playing live and we need to keep the groove for the dancers so they can do what they do best. But also we have to keep an eye on the dancers all of the time so if they change we have to follow them with our instruments. It is

something completely new and something I am really enjoying.”

It was his brother that inspired the young Hernandez to pick up the bass guitar. “I started when I was nine years old. I was inspired by my brother who was a bass player and since I was a little kid I studied at the School of Music in Cuba for fifteen years. So I started mainly because of my family but also it was my passion, it was around me all the time. “ This extensive training led to Hernandez being named Number 1 Mastery and Virtuous Bass Guitarist at The Jojazz Cuban Jazz Festival in Havana, Cuba. “It is a jazz festival they have in Havana and it’s a competition where everyone plays their own instrument, and obviously jazz. I had the opportunity to go to the festival and I won. It is one of my favourite moments of my life.”

Hernandez’s passion for music can be witnessed in his love of collaboration with artists from around the world, not just in the different approaches it affords but also the way in which music crosses all cultural barriers. “It’s amazing to collaborate with different artists especially if they play different styles of music because it puts more knowledge into yourself and it lets you be able to play all of these different styles. The opportunity to collaborate with so many great artists around the world makes you feel even more humble and to see how music can put together people from different countries; some of them speak Spanish some of them speak English, but we can play music together and that is unbelievable. It is the most amazing thing.” _LIAM DUNN

Umpire: Spectrum Project Space An exhibition of new paintings by Ben Waters, Torsten Knorr and Laurie Smith that tackles notions Here & Now 13: Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery of abstraction. It runs until July 28. Go to ecu.edu.au This annual exhibition of contemporary Western for more detials.

Australian artists includes works from Katrina Barber, Patrick Carter, Clive Collender, Aquinas Crowe, David Take 12: Fremantle Arts Centre Guhl, Tim Maley, Julian Poon, Jane Ryan, Robert An exhibition of video works by young people Turpin, Lisa Uhl and robin Warren. runs from July 26 inspired by contemporary pieces from the City of - September 28. Go to lwgallery.uwa.edu.au for more.

Fremantle Art Collection. It runs until August 18. Go to fac.org.au for more.

Beyond The Pale - Hits From Australia’s Top Rock Poster Studio: Fremantle Arts Centre Secrets of the Afterlife: The Western Australian This fascinating tour through the history of rock art Museum runs from July 27 - September 15. Go to fac.org.au This collection of over 100 Egyptian artefacts from for further info. the British Museum collection - including two mummies! - explores ancient attitudes to life after death. The exhibition runs until September 22. Go to Black Cat And Beyond... Diatribe Of The Squeegee: Fremantle Arts Centre museum.gov.au for more.

A collection of political posters crafted by Black Van Gogh, Dali and Beyond - The World Reimagined: Cat/Gato Negro, an anarchist collective formed in New York City in the late ‘70s. It runs from July 27 Art Gallery of WA The third exhibition in AGWA’s MoMA Series - September 15. Go to fac.org.au for further details. encompasses works from Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Richard Long, Frida Kahlo and more. The Riley (the cow): Fremantle Arts Centre exhibition runs until Dec 2. Go to artgallery.wa.gov. A look at the central character that has dominated the work of Perth artist Rachel Salmon-Loams for the au for further information. past 18-odd years. It runs from July 27 - September Little Paintings, Big Stories: Lawrence Wilson Art 15. Go to fac.org.au for more.

Gallery Sawdust Sex: Paper Mountain Runs until December 14.

This installation by artist and cultural theorist Tim Gregory lets audiences see the traces and debris left Hypotheticals Part II: Free Range Gallery An exploration of hypothetical and speculative by a sex act in a layer of sawdust. On display from scenarios curated by Emma Buswell and Oliver Hull, July 27 - August 11. Head to papermountain.org.au including works from Josh Hart, Joseph Buckley, Leah for more information.

Beeferman, David Attwood, Shannon Lyons, Ben Rodin, Reece York and Rachael Guinness. It runs until Strangers In My Palace: Heathcote Museum and Art Gallery July 28. Go to freerange.org.au for details.

This exhibition by Helen Seiver runs until August 17.

Head to melvillecity.com.au/heathcote for further alitura: Heathcote Museum and Art Gallery Nature and nurture are compared and contrasted in information. this exhibition from Jillian Ciemitis, Miriam Gardiner, Del Hemingway and Debbie Oakley. It runs until August 11. melvillecity.com.au/heathcote has more

THEATRE/DANCE/ PERFORMANCE

The Unbounded Line: Gallery Central A textile exhibition by Maggie Baxter that explores Other Desert Cities: The State Theatre Centre line, form and mark. It runs until July 27. Go to central. Continuing their excellent 2013 season, The Black Swan State Theatre Company presents Jon Robin wa.edu.au for details.

Baitz’s story of family, secrecy and emotional brinkmanship. The play runs until August 4. Go to Tomorrow - Where It Began: Common Ground Works from Aaron Bruce, Adam Cicchini, Garth Neale, bsstc.com.au for information and tickets.

See yourself? Tag yourself! Head to our Facebook

PICA SALON VERNISSAGE PICA Saturday, July 20, 2013 The fourth annual PICA Salon upheld its reputation as one the highlights of the Perth cultural calendar as the cities brightest and best rubbed designerclad shoulders while perusing a selection of works from 23 of the brightest lights in the contemporary arts scene.

Photos by Stefan Caramia

24

Dave and Andrea

Diana, Michelle, Tane and Kristina

Andrew and Dalle

Jo, Veronique and Kim X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

I’m Your Man: PICA Ballet Revolucion: Crown Theatre This performance piece from Roslyn Oades lifts the The acclaimed Cuban dance troupe appears from July lid on the world of boxing. The show runs until July 30 - August 4. Go to balletrevolucion.com.au for more.

27. Go to pica.org.au for more.

Swan Lake: His Majesty’s Theatre Naught To Naughty Cabaret: Creatures Next Door The renowned St Petersburg Ballet Theatre presents Eight acts, including theatre, live music, circus, dance Tchaikovsky’s beautiful and moving ballet, Swan Lake. and comedy ,for one night only on July 26. For tickets The season runs from July 31 - August 8. Tickets are and further information, head to nicoleinred.com available from ticketek.com.au Empire: The Great Lawn, Crown Perth Hedda: The Blue Room Theatre Inside a beautiful, 700-seat Spiegeltent, broaden This bold interpretation of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler your horizons in this burlesque blitzkrieg of stars Norwegian actors Marthe Snorresdotter Rovik theatrical excess and cabaret camp. The show runs and Tone Skaardal and is directed by the brilliant until August 18. Head to empireaustralia.com for Renato Fabretti. The season runs from August 13 - 31. info and tickets. go to blueroom.org.au for session times and bookings.

Cavalia: The White Big Top This magnificent equestrian event combines spectacle and acrobatic skill reminiscent of Cirque Du Soleil with jaw-dropping displays of horsemanship and derring-do. From December 18 - 29. Head for cavalia.net for more.

The Snow Queen, The Russian Resurrection Film Festival 2013 Russian Resurrection Film Festival: Cinema Paradiso This pan-genre showcase of the best contemporary Russian cinema runs from August 1 - 11. Head to russianresurrection.com for information and lunapalace.com.au for tickets.

MUSIC Aurelio Voltaire: Devilles Pad One performance only on August 4. For tickets and info, head to oztix.com Tim Davies and WAYJO: State Theatre Centre Performance on August 9. HEad to wayjo.com for information and booking.

The Whitlams and the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra: Perth Concert Hall Performances August 30 - 31. Go to waso.com.au for information and bookings.

FESTIVALS

Cavalia

Perth Winter Arts Season: Various Locations Over 200 events are planned, encompassing film, comedy, cabaret, opera, literature, dance, music and fine arts. The season runs until August 31. Head to perthwinterarts.com.au for more information.

AICE Israeli Film Festival: Cinema Paradiso Opening with The Ballad of Weeping Spring, this celebration of Israeli cinema, which includes 19 feature films and documentaries, runs from August 21 - 28. Head to lunapalace.com.au for details.

CinefestOZ: Orana Cinemas, Busselton This regional celebration of Australian and French cinema runs from August 21 - 25. Go to cinfestoz. com for more Details.

Rottofest: Rottnest Island Our annual explosion of stand-up comedy, music and film runs from September 6 - 8. Head to rottofest.com. au for details and tickets.

The 2013 Perth Fashion Festival: Various Locations The biggest event on the calendars of WA’s fashionistas runs from September 11 - 16.

To have your performance, exhibition or cultural event listed, get in touch via

localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au Casting in Thailand was extremely complicated because actors there don’t really have theatrical training. They tend to be people who have decided to become actors while holding down another job. I was very lucky that during this open casting - itself a real challenge in a city of 12 million inhabitants - Vithaya miraculously appeared at the beginning. I met him a year-and-a-half before shooting and knew he was the one. I can’t tell you why exactly because his tests weren’t remarkable, but there was something in him – his kindness and his calm – yet I knew he would be unpredictable, which I always find interesting.

In all my films, the actors always play a large part in the creation of the characters, they really are part of their DNA, and Vithaya quickly understood that his character was judge, jury and executioner in one – a man with the ability to decide what is good or what is evil. He was able to bring to the character exactly what I was looking for, the ability to control a kind of karmic justice. For each bad thing you do, something bad will come to haunt you in return and he is the one who decides to haunt you or to forgive you.

NICOLAS WINDING REFN Forgiven, Not Forgotten

Only God Forgives sees Drive director, Nicolas Winding Refn, team once again with Ryan Gosling.

JIM DOWNEY speaks with the acclaimed auteur.

After the great success of Drive, why did you decide to make a medium budget film in Thailand?

Medium budget is an understatement. It’s more a very low budget film. It all started with my two-picture deal with Wild Bunch and Gaumont. Only God Forgives was going to be our first collaboration.

Then Drive came along, so I decided to make it and postpone Only God Forgives. But the film was so firmly rooted in me that I had to make it. So even while I was making Drive I was preparing Only God Forgives.

Having revisited the American crime picture you wanted to revisit the martial arts genre. Is this a www.xpressmag.com.au

Kristin Scott Thomas is totally transformed and extremely Machiavellian. How did you work that?

We are so used to seeing crime and violence as being the work of male characters that the very notion of seeing a woman embody absolute evil – and a mother to boot – it was great fun to write.

I had Kristin in mind for the part of Julian’s mother early on. We met in Paris and I thought it would Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn on the set of Only God Forgives be very interesting to do a combination of Lady into something else as the final showdown between Macbeth and Donatella Versace. And of course Kristin general love of genre movies? was delighted to be acting a part in which she could I’ve always loved martial arts films, but mother and son approaches. go all out playing the ultimate bitch. Yet it was very thought it would be extremely difficult to make one, particularly since I wanted the actors to learn Muay Only God Forgives marks the second time you’ve important that we made her character larger than life, she needed that to be able to play this domineering Thai and fight for real. It takes a lifetime to learn the worked with Ryan Gosling. Can you describe this and diabolical mother. art of Muay Thai and I wanted the actors to learn to new collaboration? How would you describe his fight in eight weeks. Just that was a challenge in itself. character?

What were your influences for this film?

Another actor was supposed to play Julian There were a lot of different influences You had many offers from major studios. Why did but pulled out close to shooting. Now I consider this a that led to different ideas. One of the main ones blessing because it allowed Ryan and me to continue was the work of Richard Kern and his obsession you turn them down?

I was indeed offered some financially very our collaboration. Oddly, I’d written the screenplay with violent images, in particular his short movie interesting propositions that I seriously looked into before I made Drive and Julian had been conceived The Evil Cameraman (1990). And there was also my but Only God Forgives had haunted me for too long. as a very silent character. When Ryan and I started obsessive desire to tangle with Greek mythology, I had to get it out before I could seriously consider to work on the script after Drive this language of with Bangkok as the backdrop. silence came naturally, which was very useful since other projects.

Julian is an extremely tortured character – he never How do you relate Only God Forgives to your Your film begins as a gangster movie then goes towards others but withdraws into himself. With other films? gradually turns into a strange revenge film. Can hindsight I can’t imagine another actor playing this Everything I do comes from the need to you tell us where this story – very reminiscent of role. But again, Ryan and I are practically one. challenge myself, every time. Of course there are connections with my other films and characters, but Greek tragedy – came from?

I’ve always wanted to make a film about a For the part of the strange policeman/avenger years ago I decided to stop trying to understand mother/son relationship and its conflicts. I wanted the you chose Vithaya Pansringarm. Can you talk why I do things so I could follow my instincts – what do I want to see when I go to the movies? film to begin in one genre and gradually transform about your collaboration?

25

26

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

DOING WHAT HE LOVES

Perth beat maker Reggie ‘Ta-ku’ Matthews is on the verge of big things, with international buzz, co-signs by the likes of Diplo and Baauer, and a full length debut on the horizon.

He chats with JOSHUA HAYES about his latest projects.

Released within days of each other, Matthews’ most recent efforts demonstrate his range as a producer. DoWhatYouLove, a collection of soulful instrumentals put out on vinyl by German label Jakarta Records captures the essence of Matthews’ J Dilla inspired beat making, while Re Wrk Vol.II finds him exploring trap, two-step and juke on a series of dancefloor-oriented remixes.

“They’re both different spectrums of what I produce. They both came out at the same time so it was a bit interesting to see what would happen, but both were really well received, so I’m happy about that,” Matthews says, noting that he had recently decided to rename his Re-Twerk series.“I’m actually not too comfortable with me naming it that anymore, so I’ll change it.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

www.xpressmag.com.au

27

Ta-ku The two records come halfway through a busy and productive year for Matthews. April saw the release of Bricks & Mortar, a record featuring one side produced by German beat maker Suff Daddy, and the other side produced by Matthews, which was supposed to be released in conjunction with a limited edition sneaker designed by Highs And Lows (although supplier issues meant that the shoe has been delayed until September). Matthews says the idea for the record came out of a chat he had with his friend Matt Thomas, co-owner of Highs And Lows, and email conversations with Suff Daddy, who produced his half while briefly living in Sydney.

Meanwhile, an older album with Raashan Ahmad, recorded during the Crown City Rockers MC’s 2009 Australian tour, has just been released by Jakarta Records as a free download and limited vinyl pressing, and Matthews’ next EP Songs To Break Up To, is due in the next month or so.

Despite his prodigious output, Matthews’ daily routine involves only an hour of making music – often right before he goes to sleep around one or two am. These nocturnal habits impact his sound. “Night time, for me, is a time when I’m at my most relaxed, I’m at my most reflective. Things are winding down. It’s not as stressful as during the day,” he says. “I used to be a student back in the day, and if you’re a student, you’re a night owl pretty much for the rest of your life.”

Growing up, Matthews listened to whatever hip hop was popular on the radio, but was gradually

introduced to acts like A Tribe Called Quest by friends.

Two songs ultimately inspired him to begin dabbling in production – J Dilla’s Fall-N-Love (from Slum Village’s Fantastic, Vol II) and Souls Of Mischief’s 93 Til Infinity.

“When I listened to [those tracks] when I was growing up, I was like ‘man, who produced this? Or how do you produce this? Where do you get these sounds? Is this a sample? If so, how do you sample?’, so, those [songs] really ignited my curiosity and got me going,” he says.

Since attending the 2008 Red Bull Music Academy in Barcelona, he has been building his name internationally with a series of acclaimed releases, including 24 for Californian record label and radio station Soulection, and his tributes to late artists that have inspired him, 50 Days For Dilla and 25 Nights For Nujabes. The accolades are piling up, with Diplo and Baauer including his music on their Endless Summer playlist and Rinse FM mix respectively, a production credit on Drapht’s recent single Tasty, and high profile remixes for Flume and Hermitude.

One thing Matthews hasn’t done yet, though, is release his official debut album. (He says that he considered his numerous digital releases and handful of vinyls to be ‘passion projects’.) However, it is in the works, and looks set for an early 2014 release.“It’s going to be different, but still similar to what I make. It’s got a few features on it, and I plan to do it really big,” Matthews says, before adding that he can’t really talk about the project. “It’s something I’m passionate about and it will be a culmination of all the styles I’ve done.”

Although a properly promoted debut album – one that an artist with Matthews’ worldwide buzz would be capable to receiving – has potential to do big things, he isn’t particularly interested in fame or touring.

“It’s something that I don’t really want to analyse too much,” he says.

“It sounds clichéd… but I just want to do it for the music, nothing else. I’m not a touring artist; I’m not someone that likes to be in the spotlight too much. I just want to make music and put it out. An artist can be that in this time. In the age we’re living in, you can just release music and there’s an audience there.

You don’t necessarily have to be out and about and meeting industry people all the time,” he adds. “I don’t particularly like the club scene, but I love listening to music and locking myself away. Even travelling and listening to music in my headphones. It’s a very personal relationship, music and I.”

» TA-KU » DOWHATYOULOVE OUT NOW THROUGH JAKARTA RECORDS » RE-WRK VOL 2 OUT NOW THROUGH BANDCAMP

tyDi

METRO CITY PRIMED

Metro City’s EDM Saturdays has been given the prime treatment with a once a month revamp that will see touring artists taking over the decks. EDM Prime will launch on Saturday, August 10 with trance DJ/ producer tyDi set to bring a festival vibe to the club.

Look out for more big names each month.

Chet Faker

TIME TO JOIN THE CIRCUS

Circó Festival is shaping up to be massive party of marvellous proportions. As if the promise of acrobats, candy floss carts, game booths and hypnotists wasn’t enough, the crews behind Metric and ICSSC have also conspired to bring one of the fattest lineups Perth has seen in a while. Acts include: Flight Facilities, Hermitude, Chet Faker, Ta-ku, Owl Eyes, Dune Rats, Willow Beats, Girl Unit, Giraffage, Jermone LOL, Mickey Pearce, Evian Christ, New York Transit Authority, Ground Is Lava, Wave Racer, Djemba Djemba, MrCarmac, Jonti, Wen and Wavy Grace. It’s on at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday, August 17 from 2-10pm.

Tix from ticketbooth.com.au.

Disco Fries

PARKER CAN’T LOSE

Formerly known as Black Betty’s, the venue at 133 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge is soon to be reborn as a new club destination named Parker. To be launched on Saturday, August 10, Parker will operate on Friday and Saturdays only with Friday set aside for touring DJs, while Saturday will focus on locals.

Get on the launch guest list for free by signing up at parkernightclub.com.au. Disco Fries will be the first international to play the room on Friday, August 16 - tix from Moshtix.

24/7 URBAN BROADCAST

Perth has a brand new urban focused, global orientated radio station. OzUrbanRadio.com’s mission statement is to deliver soul, R’n’B, hip hop and urban tunes around the clock, seven days a week with a mix of local and syndicated programs.

Stream online or on your smartphone using Tunein or Radionomy.

DIGER ROKWELL JOURNEY’S OPTIMIST

Jehst

JEHST

THE AUTHOR AND AUTEUR With UK and Australian hip hop bonding for the last decade or so, Jehst has become a stalwart in many a local record collection. He’s on his way to Australia for the second time.

NICK SWEEPAH catches up with him just before the journey begins.

While Jehst might not exactly be a household name, many hip hop heads will no doubt think of his name with a certain reverence and awe. Sliding into the consciousness in 2002 with his album The Return Of The Drifter, Jehst has maintained a hold on people’s Best Rapper lists ever since. Over the course of four albums and a handful of other releases, he’s demonstrated a unique combination of staying power, and adaptability.

To those that know a little bit about the UK hip hop scene, it will be of little surprise to find out what his initial influence was.

“A UK rapper called Blade was a big influence, especially in terms of being 100 percent independent and self-made,” he explains.“But I guess at a very young age it was that era of Run DMC and early Def Jam releases from artists like Public Enemy and The Beastie Boys that really got me hooked. Me and a friend managed to get my dad to take us to see Run DMC and Public Enemy perform when we were like ten years old.

That was pretty powerful.”

Growing up in Sussex and Huddersfield, the local scene also held a strong influence over Jehst while growing up, and is still an important aspect of the framework. “The scene in Sussex was and still is mainly 28

focused around Brighton and there is definitely a strong underground presence. Graffiti is pretty strong down there. And now you’ve got a mainstream rap act in the charts called Rizzle Kicks who are from Brighton.

“Huddersfield also had a small scene with a handful of rappers and deejays on pirate radio and putting on little local jams. Nowadays one of the UK’s dopest beat makers, my boy Apa-Tight aka Aye-Pee is from Huddersfield. But yeah, you had to really search hard and find that shit when I was growing up. Hip hop is way more embedded in the mainstream culture of the UK now compared to the nineties and early noughties.”

A lot of things have changed since then, but Jehst’s take on the current state of UK hip hop remains largely positive.“There’s some incredible talent out there but it’s still lacking the proper infrastructure for artists to really function outside of the mainstream.

Things are always evolving and changing though. I’m excited about the next couple of years and some of the artists I’m keeping an eye on.”

From the traditional but introspective lyrics of Return Of The Drifter, to the experimental flows of his second album Falling Down, to the catchy hook-driven tunes on his Nuke Proof Suit EP and latest album Dragon Of An Ordinary Family, Jehst’s delivery has constantly shifted and adjusted to the times.

On whether this is intentional or just evolution, he explains: “Probably a bit of both. I mean, it can be a natural evolution of thought and action that leads to a conscious decision to change, adapt, experiment.” The inspiration for all this, he says, is just: “Day-to-day life. Being able to navigate daily obstacles and deal with certain realities but still finding the time and space to question them. Then attempting to shape your reality or interpret it with art, which in itself requires imagination.”

» JEHST & M-PHAZES » THURSDAY, JULY 25 @ CIVIC HOTEL BACKROOM

Ashley Hosken is well-known for his down-tempo production under his Diger Rokwell guise. Five selfreleased concept albums on and he’s back with a deep house EP, now available via Bandcamp. JO CAMPBELL gets the low down on Innersense from the man in question.

You’re definitely a concepts man. What’s the significance of the number four as used throughout Innersense?

Well it’s four tracks all four minutes long in a 4/4 style. The number four has been a recurring number throughout my life: my mother was born on a 22 (2+2=4), I lived in a number four house for most of my life and in numerology, four is a number of danger. I went to Berlin last year and definitely caught the vibe of house and techno again so the 4/4 music with the re-emergence of house sounds in beat music was very inspiring. 4/4 music was a formulative part of my electronic music education as both my brother and sister were attending raves in the early ‘90s and I was listening to Full Frequency (on RTR) and was totally engrossed in the sound at age 10 or so.

Diger Rokwell brief attempt to salvage the break up that ended due to the inability to work and agree on things. Innersense is an optimist’s EP, a rebound album, haha. I realise that I am a positive and energetic person and I wanted to make upbeat music that reflects this change post-Build My. From now on, my music will be more positive and more reflective of my true nature.

You also have a side project with local muso Felicity Groom (Rokwell&Groom). Can you give us a sneak preview of the album you’re currently working on together?

I am pretty damn excited about this project.

It is a 10-track album of mostly experimental psychelectronic-folk-pop music. It is called New Parts and will be released in late October. Felicity is awesome to work with and so open to new ideas - she has taught me a lot about music. We are going to release two more singles before the album drops and have recently You’ve always been into using field been workshopping some new music ideas for our next recording samples in your work. Any interesting release as well. samples used in this one? Who provided the vocals?

You’ll be supported by a tight lineup for I played all the instruments on it: bass, the launch at The Bird this Saturday (Mei Saraswati, guitar, synth, keys and organ. There are some Ylem, Mathas and Rok Riley). What can we expect field recordings of organic sounds: tappings, rain from your set and of the night in general? Any and thunder etc. A lot of the drums and synth surprises? sounds were played on the iPad and I sampled Mei Whenever I release a project, it’s really a Saraswati on the track Grateful from her handmade celebration of the music that I’ve released. So it will be album she was dishing out a couple of years ago. I a showcase of the EP, then a live show of all my material also sampled psych folk legend Linda Perhacs on from all seven releases, plus my next movements on the track Rain and used Ableton very simply, so the releases with some psych hop and Digstanbul music making of it was a very organic process. injected in there too. Mei and Mathas will be playing earlier so get down there early, as it will sell out, I think.

You’ve produced a lot of down tempo tunes over your past five self-released LPs. What inspired you to make a house record this time? » DIGER ROKWELL I make music that reflects my journey as » INNERSENSE EP LAUNCH a person, Build My was a break up/make up album » SATURDAY, JULY 27 @ THE BIRD which turned out to be a living experience, with a X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

BROOKES BROTHERS

CARRY ME TO VIPER Known for their vocal-led, soulinfused drum ‘n’ bass, UK brothers Dan and Phil Brookes are mere days away from dropping the first single from their upcoming LP. JO CAMPBELL chats with Dan about the new single and returning to Viper Recordings.

A week into his solo antipodean tour, Dan Brookes is soaking up the ski-lodge panorama on offer at New Zealand’s Queenstown’s Red Bull House. “This place has some seriously next level views,” he exclaims.

“It’s normally reserved for Red Bull sponsored athletes, but they’ve kindly hooked us up as they’re sponsoring this half of the tour. It’s been a mad few days - three shows in four days and another tomorrow night; so I’m pretty buzzing.”

Due for release in Australia this week, Carry Me On is the first single from the duo’s second LP, earmarked to hit shelves next year. It’s an uplifting, horn-filled dancefloor banger featuring Chrom3 of Dizzee Rascal fame on vocals.

“The making of the song was like a fivestep process,” explains Brookes. “Chrom3 had written the initial vocal hook, so we started working around that, building up the harmonic skeleton of the track and then working that into a drop. We then headed to our good friend and super talented multiinstrumentalist, Lloyds, to write and record the guitar and horn parts.

“We layered a section of 16 horns one by one, which took a day. After that we got Chrom3 back round to write and record the second vocal hook and the rap section. That was pretty much it, aside from the engineering and production details.”

While their seminal funk-infused hit of 2008, Tear You Down, and their first LP was signed to DJ Fresh’ Breakbeat Kaos imprint, Brookes Brothers are now returning to Futurebound’s label, Viper Recordings. Having only released on Viper in the label’s infancy in 2006, Brookes sees the new LP,

Brookes Brothers signed once more to Viper, as a homecoming of sorts.

“It’s nice to be back with a label that’s growing from strength to strength, and allowing us the creative freedom to do what we want. We’re always open to criticism, especially from someone as experienced as Brendan (Futurebound) but ultimately we need creative control, which Viper allows us. That was a hugely important factor to us in picking the right label. Certain big D’n’B labels tend to meddle and tinker a lot with their artists output and that’s not something we are willing to accept.”

Carry Me On has already received love from backers in the UK, including BBC Radio 1’s Zane Lowe, who labelled it as the ‘hottest record in the world.’

With that in mind, Brookes Brothers are smart to be planning to fashion the yet as unfinished LP in a similar liquid vein to the first single.

“Yeah, it will focus more on the soulful side of our sound,” Brookes says of the LP. “It’s gonna be slightly more eclectic and multi-genre than the last LP and have a few more features as well. We’re still in the process of conceiving and shaping it but we’ve got about seven tracks so far and it’s definitely exciting.

We’re about half way there, so quite a bit of work still to do when I get back home.

“We’d like to think the best is yet to come though and we’re working really hard towards finishing the LP at the moment. It’s got some really exciting features on there, as well as more collabs with Danny Byrd and others.”

» BROOKES BROTHERS » SATURDAY, JULY 27 @ VILLA

Jagwar Ma

JAGWAR MA HOWLIN

Sydney outfit Jagwar Ma have made their mark on the global electronic dance scene with their widely embraced catchy beats. SARA MATTSSON chats to Jono Ma ahead of the duo’s headline tour on the back of their debut album, Howlin.

Just having ticked off one of many artist’s dreams – playing Glastonbury – Jono Ma, Gabriel Winterfield and Jack Freeman, collectively known as Jagwar Ma, performed three shows across two days of the iconic gig.

“It was probably one of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced,”Ma says of their first Glastonbury gig. “When we were playing the last song and it was sort of quite clear that we’d done a good job.”

On stage, the boys perform as a threepiece, however in the studio it’s just Winterfield and Ma. Their journey has been rather spectacular thus far, and the Sydney-siders seem to be on everyone’s lips at the moment. Why? “That’s a tough question without sounding self righteous (Ma laughs). I think if I put an objective hat on and assess all the things that people are saying, I think it’s just this really simple dichotomy of Gab, who’s such a great vocalist, such a great singer, and I think that there’s really strong melodies in the songs but then there’s just more interesting and deeper approach to the production of what essentially could www.xpressmag.com.au

be straight up pop music. It’s sort of darker dance element and approach to essentially really catchy songs.”

We rewind back to 2011, which was the year Jagwar Ma’s career started to take shape in Europe.“The reason Europe was first is because the first track that we did, Come Save Me, was released by two people from (UK label) XL Records, so it naturally had more of an UKcentric kind of reach,” Ma explains. “On top of that we ended up recording the record (Howlin) in France.

“Then these two gig offers came in, one in the Netherlands and one in the south of France, in Midi.

I kind of felt like it would be a good exercise to sort of half way through the record actually play some shows because you can then, I guess, road-test the material,” Ma elaborates.

The final product, Howlin, was released in Australia this June, via Marathon Artists. The long-player showcases the pair’s diverse backgrounds – Ma was in a punk-disco band, Lost Valentinos, while Winterfield was part of the alternative indie quartet, Ghostwood. When asked if they had a greater vision for Howlin, Ma believes that’s something they’ve applied retrospectively.

“It’s romantic to say that it was this greater vision and a narrative, but I think in reality, if there is that sort of thing it’s subconscious, and sometimes it’s also something that is ambiguous and you apply later on, which I think we sort of did with this record. We kind of just wrote a whole bunch of songs, and worked on the music. I mean there’s cohesion, definitely, but it’s a crazy record,” Ma laughs.

Jagwar Ma touch down in Perth this Thursday, July 25 as part of a national jaunt that will see them perform a string of five shows as well as Splendour In The Grass.

» JAGWAR MA » THURSDAY, JULY 25 @ THE BAKERY 29

Deadline Monday 5pm. The Club Manual is a service to advertisers listing all DJs & Dance Music.

All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press. Email guide@xpressmag.com.au

FRAT ANIMAL HOUSE

METRO CITY

I LOVE 80’S & 90’S

WEDNESDAY 24/07 Amplifier/ Capitol - Harlem Wednesdays Gengas Birthday Bonanza ft. Pussymittens/ Benny P/ DNGRFLD/ Philly BLunt Bar One Twenty - DJ Bliss/ DJ Vi son The Bird - Birthday Doogs ft. French Rockets/ Bamodi/ Yarhkob/ DJ Ben Taffe Captain Stirling - Lokie Shaw The Causeway - The Hop: Keep It Simple ft.Remi/ Knoe/ Empty/ Bax Davis Civic Hotel Backroom - Jehst & M-Phazes Club Red Sea - Cheek: Cute Animals Gold Bar - Famous Hump Day Beats ft.Ben Renna/ DJ Munch The Good Shepherd - The ArtGames Round 2 ft. DJ Erick Namorato The Grand Central - ANG3L Groove Bar (Crown) - 5 Shots Leederville Hotel (upstairs) - Kreem ft. DJ Karl Blue and MishTee The Llama Bar - Club Akuna ft.

Akouo Mustang Bar - DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel - RnB Heaven with Mr Phat ft. DJs Tom Drummond & Angry Budda Sovereign Arms - Five-o The Village Bar - Village People Wednesdays ft. Ruby May

M-Phazes

THURSDAY 25/07 The Avenue - Jon Ee The Bakery - Jagwar Ma The Beat (downstairs) - Fantasy Thursdays The Beat (upstairs) - Columbian & Peruvian Independance Day Fiesta The Causeway - Xport Thursdays ft.

Tilly Wylde The Civic Hotel - The New Home of Hip Hop II ft II ft.Jehst/ M-Phazes Connections - Bingay Club Bay View - Dj-Vi Son The Craftsman - Five-o Eve Nightclub - Retro Thursdays ft.

DJ Crazy Craig The Good Shepherd - Playground The Grand Central - DJ Roger Smart Hula Bula Tiki Bar - Chicken Shack Closing Party ft. Razor Leisure Inn - DJ Peta Kalamunda Hotel - Merqury Mojo’s Bar - SAGGIN ft. Remi/ Special J/Charlie Bucket/ Archi Mustang Bar - DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel - Tiki Bar Open Mic Night Rosemount Hotel - Dizzy Wright, Jarren Benton with DJ Hoppa

FRIDAY 26/07

Grey Ghost

30

Ambar - Fresh Produce ft.

Pussymittens/ BMB/ Miss Demeanour/ Alex Tong/ Stone Amplifier - Fridays Are Back ft. DJ Edward Norton The Avenue - DJ Lokie Shaw The Aviary (Birdcage) - Tomás Ford

Dizzy Wright The Aviary (Rooftop) - NDORSE/ Paradise Paul The Bakery - TOTALLY UNOFFICIAL James Blake After Party Bar Orient - The Reggae Club DJ Battle ft. DJ Calvin and DJ Ed The Bird - Rhythmatism The Beat (downstairs) - PLAY The Brass Monkey - Almost Famous ft. Jewel, James Ess & Jon Ee C5 - Grey Ghost then Bass Attic @ Residence ft. Bass Attic DJs Capitol - Capitol Fridays ft. DJ Roger Smart/ The Great RV Capitol (upstairs) - I Love 80’s & 90’s ft. Darren Tucker The Carine - Az-T The Causeway – Deadbeats Vol 2 ft.

Nate Whiskey & DJ Standard Club BayView - X-Mas in July ft. Dj Vi-Son/ Lokie Shaw Club Red Sea - Velvet’s 1st birthday ft. DJs Angry Budda/ Ben Renna/ K-SL The Como - Funadelic Fridays ft.

Philly Blunt The Craftsman - Jay MacKay The Deen - Student Night Eve Nighclub - DJ Don Migi Flawless - Monarch Fridays Flyrite - Self Help Geisha - Back2backbeat ft. Miggy/ Tha Beatslappaz/ Philly/ Incey/ Oli Ginger Nightclub - Mondos “Feel Good” Dance Party The Good Shepherd - Throwback ft. DJs Lil Yayzer/ Goodfellas/ Klean Kicks The Grand Central - Jinx Project Groove Bar (Crown) - DJ Crazy Craig The Hyde Park - DJ Hages Lakers Tavern - Grizzly & friends Library - Dorcia Metro Freo - Frat House Fridays ft.

Death Disco DJs Mullaloo Beach Hotel - Flaunt

CAPITOL

SATURDAYS

MUSTANG BAR

Mustang Bar - Swing DJ/ Cheeky Monkeys/ DJ James MacArthur My Place - Karaoke Newport - Karaoke Classic with Steve Parkin Paramount Nightclub - DJ John Jordan The Queens - Five-o Rocket Room - Howlers ft DJ Frank N Bean The Saint - Mikeee Sovereign Arms - ANG3L Shape - The Switch Tiger Lil’s - Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly/ Alex Koresis The Vic - Friday Funktion ft. Jix Project Villa - Speakeasy ft. City Calm Down, Sun City, Pluto Jonze YaYa’s - ACE ft DJ Pup The Library - DJ Victor / DJ Riki Lost Society - Chalk (indie/ hiphop) Metro Freo – Xmas In July ft. Darren Tucker/ Dr Wazz/Ben Carter/ Shane Hewson Ambar - Japan 4 ft. Tone/ Philly Newport – Karaoke Classic with Blunt/ Bezwun/ DNGFLD/ Micah Steve Parkin Amplifier - Grey Ghost then Pure Paramount Nightclub - DJ John Pop ft. Eddie Electric Jordan The Avenue - Jon Ee The Queens - Kenny L The Aviary - Samuel Spencer/ The Saint - Az-T Paradise Paul Sovereign Arms - The Jinx Project Bar 120 - Little Nicky Tiger Lil’s - DJ Bojan/ Benjamin The Balmoral - Back To The 80’s Beat Nightclub (Upstairs) - CANVAS Sebastian/ Alex Koresis Beat Nightclub (Downstairs) - Big Villa - Brookes Brothers with Trei + Tali Kidz Onesie Party The Bird - Diger Rokwell Innersense The Wembley - DJ Lokie Shaw with YLEM/ Mathas/ Mei Saraswati/ YaYa’s - Arcadia ft. DJ Cookie Rok Riley The Brass Monkey - DJ Peta & Jewel C5 - I Love 80s + 90s ft. Darren Tucker + Dr Wazz Capitol - Death Disco ft. Death Disco The Aviary (Rooftop) - Aviary DJs Rooftop Sessions ft. Thelma Plum/ Capitol (Upstairs) - Cream of the 80’s Amanda Merdzan/ Sarah Pellicano/ ft. The Great RV DJ Charlie Bucket Challenge Stadium - ALT-J/ The Causeway - House party ft: France China The Cornerstone - DJ Spinback East End Bar - Home Empire Bar - DJ James Shipstone/ Miggy Eve Nighclub - Traffic Light Party Flyrite - Splendorous FΔMILY Geisha - Random Soul with Lee Wilson/ James A/ Marko La Kulcha The Generous Squire - Tastes Like Chicken The Good Shepherd - Chocolate Jesus The Grand Central - Jay Mackay Groove Bar (Crown) - DJ Dan Leederville Hotel - Xmas In July: Saturdays Under The Arena

SATURDAY 27/07

SUNDAY 28/07

Jagwar Ma Empire Bar - DJ Victor/ DJ Riki Eve Nighclub – DJ Slick Groove Bar (Crown) - DJ Crazy Craig Mustang Bar - DJ Rockin’ Rhys Newport - DJ Tom Drummond Rosemount Hotel - soundz like sundayz The Saint - DJ Jon EE/ Az-T

MONDAY 29/07 Mustang Bar - Triple Shots The Rosemount Hotel - Bada Bingo!

TUESDAY 30/07 Mustang Bar - Danza Loca Salsa Night

ALT-J

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

See yourself? Tag yourself! Head to faceboåok.com/XPressMagazine

WEDNESDAYS

NEWPORT

THE CAUSEWAY

THE COURT

IN THE THIS WEEK EMi Wednesday, July 24 @ The Causeway Thursday, July 25 @ Mojo’s Bar Jehst(UK) & M-Phazes Thursday, July 25 @ Civic Hotel Backroom Dizzy Wright, Jarren Benton with DJ Hoppa Thursday, July 25 @ Rosemount Hotel

Jagwar Ma Thursday, July 25 @ The Bakery

ALT-J Saturday, July 27 @ Challenge Stadium

Shapeshifter Saturday, August 17@ Metro City

Grey Ghost Thursday, July 25 @ Prince Of Wales, Bunbury Friday, July 26 @ C5 Metro Freo Saturday, July 27 @ Amplifier

Aviary Rooftop Sessions ft. Thelma Plum/Amanda Merdzan/Sarah Pelicano/ DJ Charlie Bucket Sunday, July 28 @ Aviary

The Substance Friday, August 23 @ Villa

Brookes Brothers with Trei + Tali Saturday, July 27 @ Villa

James Blake

COMING UP

FIERCE 2013 Australian DMC DJ Friday, September 6 @ Championships WA Heats Geisha Bar Friday, August 2 @ Rosemount Hotel Midnight Juggernauts Saturday, September 7 @ Ministry Of Sound Capitol Sessions 10 ft Timmy Trumpet & SCNDL Ghost Poet Friday, August 2 @ Villa Thursday, September 12 @ James Pants The Bakery Friday, August 2 @ The Bird Laurel Halo & Objekt The Last Laneway Saturday, September 27 @ Party Friday, August 2 @ Ambar Bakery Passion Pit Sunday, August 4 @ Villa

Illy: On & On Tour Saturday, September 28 @ Villa

Concord Dawn ft.VLTRN/ Network/ Inflex Wednesday, August 7 @ Geisha

Listen Out Sunday, September 29 @ Ozone Reserve

Dialectrix Saturday, August 10 @ YaYa’s EDM Saturdays Launch Party ft. TyDi Saturday, August 10 @ Metro City

JAMES BLAKE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, JULY 25 AND 26 @ THE ASTOR

www.xpressmag.com.au

HILINE ft. Big Chocolate Saturday, August 24 @ Villa

Horrorshow Thursday, October 3 Prince Of Wales Bunbury Friday, October 4 Amplifier Saturday, October 5 Mojos Bar

Porter Robinson Saturday, October 26 @ Bro Safari & Crizzly Saturday. August 10 @ Villa Villa The Disco Fries Friday, August 16 @ 133 Aberdeen

Chet Faker Thursday, October 31 @ ARTBAR

CIRCO ft Flight Facilities/ Hermitude/ Chet Faker Saturday, August 17 @ Ascot Racecourse

Stereosonic Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1 @ Claremont Showgrounds

DEATH DISCO 6TH BIRTHDAY PARTY Ampilfer/ Capitol Complex Saturday, July 20, 2013 Brothers and household names in the Perth club scene, Andrei and Anton Maz, rung in their sixth year of Death Disco at Capitol on Saturday night. They celebrated in fine form by curating a huge mix of talent across the four floors of Amplifier/Capitol in what was a hectic night of top quality tunes and mixes, with a packed house of dancefloor loyals trying to get between competing set times.

Bass Attic DJs welcomed people to the party (at least through the Amps entrance) with some cosy bassy/hip hop/dub step mixes to keep the crowds warm out the back (at one stage it was eight degrees outside and the classic/ amusing clash of crowds that is Capitol/Amps displayed itself with chicks in beanies, scarfs and flats contrasted with those rocking hot pants and heels). Just around the corner entertaining the night’s early arrivals was K LA and synthy, Futurama inspired duo Grrl Pal. Then, what could be claimed for some as a stand out for the evening, Willow Beats took a hold of the room and mesmerised and energised the crowd in quick succession. Narayana’s vocals were just incredibly smooth and her control was comparable to one Florence Welch (with appropriately entertaining, slightly fruit-loopy dance moves to match). Such dance moves were appreciated by an audience who at times were a little stunned and needed some instruction on how to move to their ethereal beats. They featured their popular track From the Underground, a Snakadaktal remix as well as some of their heavier tunes, with Kalyani Ellis emphasising the drops from behind his Cousin It head of hair.

EGO featured some of his visual work with videos on two huge screens colouring the Capitol dancefloor, getting people boogying while there was still room to bust moves before it got too packed out. Perth’s own Philly Blunt then took over and dominated with a classic set, taking it all the way to the other local, Phetsta who was primed to celebrate his 30th birthday at the event.

Maz Brothers Photo by Adam Mazar Meanwhile, over at Amps base camp, looking like seasoned professionals, RUFUS charmed the pants off people with their indie/ dance, atmospheric sounds and quality vocals. It was during their set that the room really started to fill out and get pumping as the Sydneysiders eased people slowly into the deep, darker side of the night. Little Linda Marigliano, who fools you into thinking she’s an innocent creature, was solely responsible for creating a spiral into dirty, delightful dub step before handing over to acclaimed, Geraldton bred DJ Zeke who took care of the then full house.

Closing honours were appropriately given to the birthday boys, Andrei and Anton Maz, as Anton’s halo of glowing, frizzy hair reappeared on the Capitol stage. Just as they’d promised, they made sure to keep the mix contradictory and various, blending dance, indie and pop, even mixing in Chilli Pepper with Lil’ John and Eastside Boyz. It capped off a night worthy of the tradition it was celebrating, that of the Death Disco, born in the UK and originally intended as a kind of garage rock, alternative indie disco that has escalated and inspired club nights all over the world. And Perth is certainly lucky to have this talented duo as residences in the city’s biggest venues, so we hope they felt the love as hundreds turned up to pay respects. » HAYLEY DAVIS

31

KIRIN J CALLINAN

Mudlark/Usurper Of Modern Medicine The Bakery Friday, July 19, 2013

FOURTEEN NIGHTS AT SEA Eleventh He Reaches London/ Mt Mountain The Rosemount Hotel Saturday, July 20, 2013 The Rosemount was abuzz with anticipation when, in classic Perth style, punters crowded in early to support the locals and one of Melbourne’s top postrock instrumental troupes, Fourteen Nights at Sea. Opening act Mt Mountain, made up of an unassuming mix of characters, were a pleasant and welcome surprise. Beginning with a quiet, steady melody and deliciously smooth vocals, then leading into moments of rocking out, with the guitars opening up and a consistently punchy bass line. As the set continued, the vocals became stronger and more powerful with a slight gravel, while always complimenting the music rather than taking over.

The addition of tambourine and soulful harmonica in parts, as well as a few sporadic moments of almost psychedelic ‘60s rock guitar, added to the intrigue of this local ensemble. By the final song, the band had managed to introduce a hint of grunge with the drawly vocals and loud, rocky punctuations followed by droning guitars. Each song was thoroughly enjoyable on its own merit, but the set lacked in keeping the crowd’s attention, which could have been avoided by a few more tempo changes. Regardless, this will certainly be a group to keep an eye on.

Eleventh He Reaches London drew an eager crowd, with their reputation preceding them.

Fourteen Nights At Sea Photo by Mike Wylie

However, with a more stripped back and basic feel, as well as loudly mixed and overpowering clean vocals, they unfortunately seemed to fall short. The crowd willed them on and towards the second half of the set they came back around to a fuller sound. The hardcore screams took over as the tempo quickened and the band let loose with more layered and less introspective music, at this point even they seemed to be enjoying it more. A rocky start from the well-loved group, but they were back in form by the end.

With a thunderous crashing of keyboard and guitar sounds creating an enticing storm of noise, the aptly named Melbourne five piece Fourteen Nights at Sea sent the willing crowd straight out into the murky depths. Moments later, a move into softer, more tranquil sounds, with a steady tom drum heavy foundation, lulled their flock of followers into a false sense of serenity. It seemed we had reached the eye of the storm. The drums began to quicken and the bass build, creating an exciting and electric feeling that something wonderful was coming. A torrential down pouring of noise was unleashed, like the crashing of a tidal wave. These consistent crescendos continued to ebb and flow, presumably in order to make the listener feel they were in fact adrift on an unforgiving and perilous ocean. The lack of vocals allowed listeners to interpret the songs in their own way, lone captains navigating their way through this dark and ominous sea of sounds. Fourteen Nights at Sea commanded the stage like true professionals, captivating the crowd and steering the ship straight into the deep abyss. _ LIANA KELLY

Despite how freezing the Northbridge evening was, it was depressing to see the Bakery near empty.

After all, Kirin J Callinan has become far more than the dude in a dress at Mercy Arms shows; with Embracism, he’s announced himself as one of Australia’s most unsettling songwriters, and with a live reputation that precedes him, it was strange to see how few people took the bait.

Mudlark didn’t seem fazed by the blank floor though, suturing together post- and math-rock with a slack kind of charm. Marrying the squall and drift of how people play guitar when they mean to be ‘atmospheric’ in a world after Mogwai to a procession impossibly dextrous rhythms, they pick and swoop from idea to idea like they’re trying to fish coins out of a still-running high speed frontloader washing machine. The drumming, in terms of raw physicality/ rhythmic invention/proactivity is almost hands down the best going around in Perth, but through all the rapid-fire passage shifting there feels like there’s something unfulfilled. It all feels like the point just before a jam transcends into something independent of the jamming that preceded it.

Usurpers of Modern Medicine were reliably excellent, but the room lifted when Kirin J Callinan took to the stage in a pair of jodhpurs and a black regal overcoat in which you could easily hide a fridge. Flanked by a drummer and a bass/ synth player, the trio tore into Halo, which swaggered immaculately, all glitter and muscle. If on record he sounds a bit scattershot, his presence is impossible to miss live; wailing and scraping on his guitar like a pure extension of his body, he was in his element, and that sense of enjoyment translated to the crowd pretty easily.

Callinan has had a few incarnations as a performer, but this one was all about repping the songs on Embracism, sounding mostly like Depeche Mode spoiling for a fight. Despite how in command they felt when they were on (and they were really on) there were problems with synching samples as they attempted to replicate the complex, immense

Kirin J. Callinan - Photo by Matt Jelonek studio versions of the songs which let the material down at points. Yet, when Callinan cut it back down, like during the keening, unaccompanied cover of the Go-Betweens gem Apology Accepted, the astonishing control he has over his voice– half Scott Walker, half TISM – was laid bare. Embracism is an album that’s all about interrogating masculinity, so there wasn’t much surprise when he took his shirt, but that was about as confrontational as he got. His set closed on one of his go-to noise collages, and it felt like running into the first barrier on a steeplechase over and over again. For an encore, Callinan crouched on the stage, demurring on performing another number as his bandmates turned their back on the audience.

There aren’t many around in Australia who can be as spellbinding as him even when they play it straight; let’s hope more people find out next time around. _ ALEX GRIFFIN

See yourself? Tag yourself! Head to our Facebook

MOJO’S

Friday, July 26, Warning Birds launch their single, I’ll Tell the Water of You, taken from the band’s 2013 debut EP, Battle Plans, supported by Eloise Ashton, Leure and Riley Pearce. Entry is $10 from 8pm.

Saturday, July 27, Mojo JuJu play their namesake venue! Having owned the East Coast, Mojo Juju is about to gather more followers of the heavy soul sound. Rocket To Memphis support along with Harry Deluxe. Entry is $18 plus booking fee thru Oztix.com.au or $25 from 8pm.

ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

This weekend it’s a punk double-header! Friday, July 26, catch The Punk 4-Way which has The Decline, Scalphunter, The Bob Gordons and Silver Lizard launching their split 7” vinyl release.

Saturday local punk institution SSA play their final ever show with support from The Lungs, The Shakeys, Rat King, Plastic Bags and Black Swan.

Doors open 8pm and entry is $10 each night.

GUITAR SWAP MEET AND MUSICIANS’ MARKET Mojo’s Sunday, July 21, 2013 Plenty of punters got down on a windy Fremantle Sunday to try and pick up a bargain or sell off some pre-loved gear, and we were on hand to snap a few pics as they dug through the piles of bargains to be had.

Photos by Matt Jelonek

BEAT

Local lads Emberville are playing this Friday night, showing us their new tunes and their stylish new merch, as part of their Hi, I’m Lost Australian Tour.

Support comes from Afraid of Heights, Vice Versa, Here Come The Cavalry and Hearts For Stones, so this night is bound to be rock and roll mayhem.

Scalphunter Saturday, hear Mezzanine bust out a powerhouse set including their brand new single, Mannequin Man, on the back of their national tour. Support from Dead Owls and Race To Your Face. Doors open 8pm.

This weekend goes full throttle, starting off with the return of Jakob and The Rudeboys as they take over YaYa’s this Friday for a massive night of reggae/funk inspired classics and covers. Then shift into overdrive with Them SHARKS leading a killer line-up of local punk rock on Saturday. Don’t forget to stick around after the gigs for ACE and ARCADIA, with some of Perth’s best DJs spinning all your favourite party starters all night!

YAYA’S

RAILWAY HOTEL Emberville

INDI BAR

This Sunday Bill Chambers, Belle Harvey and Karin Page (China Doll), play a one off showcase of what travelling and music is all about! Not to be missed! $10 on the door.

Hajji, Chris, Timothy

Chris, Kirsty, Carolyn

This Friday catch some great local tunes courtesy of In The Dead Hours, Heed Vex, The Killer Hipsters and Turin Robinson. Doors open 8pm and entry is $7. Saturday it’s the third edition of Asylum Of Grind, this one featuring Maximum Perversion, Facegrinder, Amidst the Broken and Got Sharks?

Doors 8pm, $10 entry. Sunday it’s the July special of the Gignition new band showcase, this time starring MattyTWall, Ascending Fall, Wiked Fury and Echostone. Doors open 4-8pm, $8 entry.

SWALLOW BAR

This Thursday, July 25, catch DJ T King, the Master of Soul, from 7pm, while Sunday sees Limelights Jazz Trio playing old school swing. Featuring the honking baritone sax sounds of Damian Drac Denyer, Fremantle’s infamous Jeff Harrold on double bass and the Rolls Royce of swinging drums, Norm Burroughs.

From 5pm.

32

In The Dead Hours

Angus, Brittany

Gerard, Madison, Claudia X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Edited by T RAV I S JO H N S O N

What was your experience with the NCBC before entering?

For four out of five of us we’d hardly considered the competition, but Cameron Stewart, our bassist, had the privilege of being a part of it in 2005 with The Preytells and recommended we give it a crack.

RUNNER

How did you like your chances?

We were really still a new band and figuring out what we wanted to sound like so every win right from the heats seemed like a complete gift.

I know that sounds pretty clichéd but we were just pretty damn glad to be there.

With the 2013 National Campus Band Competition now calling out for entries, we thought it was high time we had a quick chat with one of the boys from Runner, who took home the big prize in 2011. Guitarist and vocalist Jason Pang drew the short straw.

What effect do you think the win had on your career?

It definitely caused a number of extra people to take notice and it gave us a bit of credibility with industry people that would’ve needed a bit more convincing to give us a show.

CONSUMER ADVICE

DROPPING BEATS IN THE DMZ

Hardcore heroes Worst Possible Outcome launch their debut EP, Consume. Be Silent. Die, this Friday, July 26 at The Rosemount Hotel’s 459 Bar. On hand to help will be Idle Eyes, El Capitan, Break, Warthreat and local legends The New Husseins in their only show of 2013! Doors open at 7:30pm, tickets are $10 on the door.

What advice would you give to any band considering entering?

Invite your friends, your family, your dog, that deranged cousin you keep in the attic. Everyone you can get down to support you makes a world of difference.

Exciting news for electronic duo Mulder who, along with Ssnoob, have been invited to play at South Korea’s Boryeong Mud Festival this Saturday, July 27. Roughly two million people will be getting a does of WA musical greatness, which is a hell of an achievement in anyone’s books.

Worst Possible Outcome

SUNDAY, SUNDAY

Regular as the tide comes Fi & Co’s Monthly Sunday, which goes down on July 28 with Andrew Meredith, Kate Gilbertson, Shannon Lethbridge and Simon Sierdadzki serving up acoustic goodness from 3:45 pm. Entry is free.

TAKE YOU MEDICINE

The new single from WA faves The Novocaines, Freedom Please/’Til Death, is being released as a sexy 7” slice of vinyl on August 1, but it’s available to pre-order as of today, Wednesday July 24.

Head to the boys’ bandcamp page, or else go old school and actually haul yourself down to Fat Shan Records to reserve your copy.

Mulder

WATERFOWL

This Friday, July 26, Mojo’s is the place to be to catch the release of I’ll Tell The Water Of You, the new single by Warning Birds from their Battle Plans EP. Eloise Ashton supports. Doors open at 8pm.

SPLASH FOR CASH

Tonight, Wednesday July 24, hit The Rosemount Hotel for heat three of round two of the number one band competition, The Big Splash. Blackbirds, Ensemble Formidable, Amani Consort and Our Man In Berlin pit their skills, power and passion against each other from 8pm, and entry is $5 on the door.

WORTHY OF THE HYPE

The Novocaines

I, Said The Sparrow will be tearing it up at the Hyper Vision Closing Party this Saturday, July 27, at the Midland Junction Art Centre. Fellow Perth pundits Death And A Cure, Roger Roger, Life In A Glass House and Katt Nelson will also be gracing the stage. Doors open at 2pm, entry is $5 on the door.

S.S.A. CALL IT A DAY

It’s the last trump for veteran Perth punks S.S.A., aka Surprise Sex Attack, who’ll be taking to the stage for the last time at the Rosemount Hotel this Saturday, July 27. A killer line up of local luminaries will be there to send them off with all due pomp and circumstance, including The Lungs, The Painkillers, The Shakeys, Plastic Bags and Black Swan. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $10.

26/07/2013 26/07/2013 26/07/2013 26/07/2013 27/07/2013 27/07/2013 01/08/2013 03/08/2013 09/08/2013 09/08/2013 09/08/2013 16/08/2013 16/08/2013 24/08/2013 24/08/2013 06/09/2013 19/10/2013

I, Said The Sparrow

The Decline/Scalphunter/The Bob Gordons/ Silver Lizard The WA Punk 4 Way 7” Vinyl Launch @ The Rosemount Stoney Joe Hot Jerky Album Launch @ PICA Bar Warning Birds I’ll Tell The Water Of You Single Launch @ Mojos Worst Possible Outcome Consume. Be Silent. Die EP Launch @ 459 Bar Diger Rokwell Innersense EP Launch @ The Bird Mezzanine Mannequin Man Single Launch @ Beat Nightclub One of None To Hell With Honour EP Launch @ The Rosemount Fear Of Comedy Delapsus Resurgam Album Launch @ Mojo’s The High Learys Here Come The High Learys LP Launch @ Devilles Pad Ragdoll All I Want Is Everything EP Launch @ The Rosemount Water Graves Self Titled EP Launch @ The Bird Tracey Barnett Blooming EP Launch @ The Bakery Dan Cribb The Memories Last EP Launch @ The Rosemount Leure Holland Sky LP Launch @ The Bird Tempest Rising Dominion That Falls Single Launch @ The Civic Timothy Nelson & The Infidels Born In The ‘90s Single Launch @ The Amplifier Sirgin One Love EP Launch @ The Rosemount

Bands Enrol now www.aaca.net.au www.xpressmag.com.au

33

34

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

James Blake, July 25 - 26

Cold War Kids, August 2

6 Fly By Night GLASS TOWERS 9 Newport 7 The Astor Theatre 10 Amplifier SNAKADAKTAL SARAH BLASKO 5 Newport Hotel 12 Margaret River 6 Capitol Cultural Centre 7 Settler’s Tavern, CARTEL Margaret River 14 Amplifier THE CAT EMPIRE ANNIHILATE MUSIC 7 Red Hill 10TH BIRTHDAY: Auditorium MINDSNARE/50 MIDNIGHT LIONS/ JUGGERNAUTS BATTLETRUK/ 6 Prince Of Wales, OUTSIDERS CODE Bunbury 16 Prince Of Wales, 7 Capitol Bunbury REZUME 17 Amplifier 7 Civic Hotel 18 YMCA HQ AMANDA PALMER RADIOTHON PARTY & THE GRAND 2013 THEFT ORCHESTRA 17 The Bird, The Beat, 8 Astor Theatre The Bakery, Yayas, CONVERSATIONS PICA Bar WITH GHOSTS DARRYL 8 Perth Concert Hall BRAITHWAITE JAMES REYNE 18 Newport Hotel 8 Newport Hotel DON MCLEAN ANBERLIN 19 Perth Concert Hall 11 Metro Freo PAUL KELLY FOR THE FALLEN 22 Regal Theatre DREAMS ANDREW 11 YMCA HQ STRONG: THE 12 Amplifier COMMITMENTS THE GETAWAY 22 Metro Freo PLAN THE SMITH STREET 12 Prince of Wales, BAND Bunbury JULY 22 Rosemount Hotel 13 Players Bar, BABYSHAMBLES 23 Prince Of Wales, Mandurah 31 Metro City Bunbury 14 Rosemount Hotel (CANCELLED) VANCE JOY 15 YMCA HQ 23 Fly By Night Leederville GRINSPOON AUGUST RUDIMENTAL 23 Astor Theatre ESKIMO JOE 13 Metro City (sold GEORGE BENSON 1 Prince Of Wales, out) 24 Riverside Theatre 14 Metro City Bunbury NORTHWEST 2 Settler’s Tavern, PARKWAY DRIVE FESTIVAL Margaret River 14 Metro Freo 3 Studio 146, Albany 24 Port Hedland Turf 15 & 16 Capitol Club 4 Players Bar, RED DIRT ft JIMMY Mandurah BERNARD FANNING BARNES BRITISH INDIA 25 Astor Theatre 19 Kalgoorlie 2 & 3 Amplifier JAPANDROIDS Boulder Race Club COLD WAR KIDS 26 Rosemount Hotel DEAD LETTER 2 Capitol ASH CIRCUS VILLAGERS 27 Rosemount Hotel 19 Prince Of Wales, 2 Fly By Night THE WHITLAMS/ Bunbury DEEZ NUTZ WASO 20 Metro Freo 2 Prince Of Wales, 30 Perth Concert Hall THE PAPER KITES Bunbury CLAIRE BOWDITCH 21 Fly By Night 3 YMCA HQ 30 Fly By Night THE DRONES 3 Rosemount Hotel CLOUD CONTROL 21 The Bakery 4 Newport Hotel 31 Capitol FOALS FIDLAR 22 Metro City 3 The Bakery RIHANNA SEPTEMBER BARDO POND 24 Perth Arena 4 Rosemount Hotel MANHATTAN LAMB OF GOD & TRANSFER PASSION PIT MESHUGGAH 1 Regal Theatre 4 Villa 26 Metro City HIT THE LIGHTS/ BJORN AGAIN 5 & 6 Regal Theatre HEROES FOR HIRE/ CALEXICO 27 Astor Theatre STATE CHAMPS ALESANA TWELVE FOOT 5 Amplifier 7 Amplifier NINJA FAT FREDDY’S BARN OWL 26 Prince Of Wales, DROP 9 The Bakery Bunbury 5 Astor Theatre SENSES FAIL 27 Rosemount Hotel JOSH PYKE 9 Amplifier THE CULT 5 Prince Of Wales, KARNIVOOL 28 Metro City 11 Metro City Bunbury

THIS WEEK

BILL CHAMBERS AND BELLE HARVEY 25 The White Star, Albany 26 The Butter Factory, Denmark 27 Fly By Night Club JERICCO 25 Newport 26 The Civic Hotel 27 Prince Of Wales ESKIMO JOE 26 Divers Tavern, Broome 27 Walkabout Hotel, Port Hedland 28 The Newman Club, Newman JAMES BLAKE 25 & 26 The Astor Theatre BRUCE MATHISKE 26 July Fly By Night GREY GHOST 26 Metro Freo 27 Amplifier ALT-J 27 Challenge Stadium BLEEDING THROUGH 28 Amplifier

www.xpressmag.com.au

The Smith Street Band, August 22

ONE DIRECTION 28 & 29 Perth Arena XAVIER RUDD/ DONAVON FRANKENREITER/ NAHKO & MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE 28 3 Oceans Winery, Margaret River 29 Fremantle Arts Centre LISTEN OUT FESTIVAL 29 Ozone Reserve

ENSLAVED 31 Rosemount Hotel YELLOWCARD 31 Capitol

NOVEMBER

BABY ANIMALS 2 Astor Theatre BEYONCE 8 Perth Arena SCOTT KELLY AND THE ROAD HOME 10 Rosemount Hotel BEAUFORT STREET FESTIVAL 16 Beaufort Street OCTOBER JILL SCOTT SWERVEDRIVER 3 Rosemount Hotel 17 Riverside Theatre HORRORSHOW AN EVENING ON 3 Prince Of Wales THE GREEN 4 Amplifier 17 Kings Park JINJA SAFARI BOY & BEAR 4 Prince Of Wales, 22 Metro Freo Bunbury FLEETWOOD MAC 5 Astor Theatre 22 & 23 Perth Arena SOILWORK HITS & PITS 2.0 6 Rosemount Hotel Black Flag, HARRISON CRAIG Boysetsfire, Bad 11 Regal Theatre Astronaut, Snuff, BRING ME THE No Fun At All, HORIZON Good For You, Off 12 Challenge With Their Heads, Stadium WELCOME TO THE Jugheads Revenge 24 Amplifier & VALLEY Capitol 12 Belvoir EROS RAMAZZOTTI Amphitheatre 23 Challenge RICKY MARTIN Stadium 12 Perth Arena THE ATARIS THE DAVID LIEBE 29 Amplifier Bar HART BAND 13 Amplifier STEREOSONIC DEVIN TOWNSEND 30 Claremont PROJECT Showgrounds 15 Metro Freo MUSE AMORPHIS 30 Perth Arena 16 Capitol REGURGITATOR DECEMBER 16 Indi Bar CITY AND COLOUR 17 The Prince Of 7 Belvoir Wales, Bunbury Amphitheatre 18 Metro Freo 19 Rosemount Hotel AIR SUPPLY SPIT SYNDICATE 8 Perth Concert Hall 17 Newport Hotel JUSTIN BIEBER 18 Amplifier 8 Perth Arena DIESEL TAYLOR SWIFT 18 Fly By Night 11 Perth NIB 19 Charles Hotel Stadium 20 Ravenswood BON JOVI Hotel 12 Perth Arena MICKY AVALON 19 Amplifier FEBRUARY EVERY TIME I DIE 24 Capitol BIG DAY OUT SLEEP 2 TBA 28 Rosemount Hotel BRUNO MARS ANDRE RIEU 28 Perth Arena 29 Perth Arena TONY HADLEY MARCH 30 The Astor 30 SECONDS TO CHET FAKER MARS 31 ARTBAR 25 Challenge THE BREEDERS 31 The Astor Stadium

35

The Crooked Cats, Thursday at Mustang Bar

WEDNESDAY 24.07 BAR 120 Felix THE BIRD French Rockets Bamodi Yarhkob DJ Ben Taffe BRASS MONKEY Sugar Blue Burlesque CARINE Open Mic Night Chris O’Brien CLAREMONT HOTEL Acoustica GREENWOOD Bernardine ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB WAAPA Musical Theatre 3rd Year Students Review Night Cap Sessions GROOVE BAR (CROWN) 5 Shots INDI BAR Trav and Jay Steve Hensby Sarah Pellicano Jay Grafton LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MATCHES SMALL BAR Tim Gordon Ella Holme Bee Anchor LIttle Skye Cameron Murphy Flowermouth Benson Thomas Josiah Bloor Father Johnson MOJOS BAR Fremantle Blues and Roots Club Jordan McRobbie Riley Pearce MOON CAFÉ Ben Witt Mind Canary Mai Barnes MUSTANG BAR Almost Famous DJ James MacArthur THE PADDO Dove

Tim Montgomery Oliver Halvorsen ROSEMOUNT The Big Splash Round 2 Heat 3 Blackbirds Ensemble Formidable Amani Consort Our Man In Berlin UNIVERSAL Retrofit VILLAGE BAR Village People - Open Mic YAYA’S The Irrationals Gloria Ironbox Dan Cribb and the Isolated Mario McClean

THURSDAY 25.07 THE ASTOR James Blake BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) Fantasy Thursdays BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Jean Proude THE BIRD The Chemist Gunns David Craft THE BOAT Jen De Ness BRASS MONKEY Rhythm Bound Karaoke BRIGHTON Open Mic Night Rob Walker BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke BUFFALO CLUB Hidden Treaures Blue Lucy Huge Magnet THE CAUSEWAY BAR Xport Thursdays Joe Simich Tilly Wylde Flat Stan France China CIVIC HOTEL BACKROOM Jehst M-Phazes DEVILLES PAD Rock & Roll Karaoke

French Rockets

FRENCH ROCKETS BAMODI YARHKOB DJ BEN TAFFE THE BIRD WEDNESDAY, JULY 24

36

Voltaire Twins, Friday at Amplifier DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Kris Buckle ELEPHANT AND WHEELBARROW Karaoke ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Prita with Lucy Peach Night Cap Sessions THE GATE Greg Carter GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Dr Bogus INDI BAR Bex’s Open Mic Night LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MARKET CITY TAVERN Robby James Erin Hanrahan Jenia Gladziejewski Jesmin Morton Reuben De Melo Aaron and Sean Kimberley Heberley MERENDA GALLERY Hidden Treaures Mister and Sunbird MOJOS BAR Remi Special J Charlie Bucket Archi MUSTANG BAR The Crooked Cats Sexy Robot Sickly Sweet DJ James MacArthur NAVY CLUB Hidden Treaures Sugarpuss Datura NEWPORT HOTEL Jericco Serial Killer Smile This Other Eden ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Dizzy Wright Jarren Benton DJ Hoppa SETTLERS TAVERN Acoustic Open Mic Night THE SHED Mike Naygar UNIVERSAL Off The Record WANNEROO TAVERN Rodney Rude THE WHITE STAR (ALBANY) Bill Chambers & Belle Harvey Ruby Boots (Solo) WORKERS CLUB Hidden Treaures Childsaint Book of Funk YA YA’S Jazz at YaYa’s Blake Phillips Laura Corney Holli Scott

FRIDAY 26.07 THE ALBION Carbon Taxi AMPLIFIER Voltaire Twins

Tangled Thoughts of Leaving, Saturday at The Bakery

Boys Boys Boys!

Grrl Pal Jack Stirling THE ASTOR James Blake BAILEY BAR Hi-NRG BALMORAL Mike Naygar BAKERY Totally Unofficial James Blake After Party BAR ORIENT The Reggae Club BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) Emberville Afraid of Heights Vice Versa Here Comes the Cavalry Hearts for Stones The Black Fridays BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) PLAY BELMONT TAVERN Matt Angel BEST DROP TAVERN Pretty Fly THE BIRD Rhythmatism THE BOAT Ben Merito THE BUTTER FACTORY (DENMARK) Bill Chambers & Belle Harvey Ruby Boots (Solo) BRASS MONKEY Chris Gibbs THE BROKEN HILL Trevor Jalla C5 METRO FREO Residence Grey Ghost UPNUP Mathas THE CARINE Velvet CHASE BAR & BISTRO James Wilson CITRO BAR Dove CIVIC HOTEL BACKROOM Jericco Serial Killer Smile Hailmary Nevsky Prospekt DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Matt Williams EAST 150 BAR Adam James ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB James Flynn and Chelsea Gibson The Spread ft Sam Nafie EMPIRE BAR Howie Morgan Matt Riley THE FLY BY NIGHT Bruce Mathiske GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Tod Johnson & Peace Love GREENWOOD Greg Carter

HYDE PARK HOTEL Ricky Green INDI BAR Vdelli KALAMUNDA HOTEL Astrobat M ON THE POINT Nathan Gaunt MAHOGANNY INN Dean Anderson MOJOS BAR Warning Birds Eloise Ashton band Leure Riley Pearce MUSTANG OZ Big Band Swing DJ Cheeky Monekys DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Karaoke Classic Steve Parkin PADDO Easy Tigers PADDY MCGUIRES Frenzy PARAMOUNT NIGHTCLUB Flyte PEEL ALE HOUSE Almost Famous PICA BAR Hot Jerky Ralway Bell Justin Walshe The Seal Pups PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Dirty Scoundrels THE PRINCIPAL Shawne & Luc RAILWAY HOTEL In The Dead Hours Heed Vex The Killer Hipsters Turin Robinson ROCKET ROOM Big Guns ROSE & CROWN Tod Woodward ROSEMOUNT The Decline Scalphunter The Bob Gordons Silver Lizard SAIL AND ANCHOR Howie Morgan Duo SAIL AND ANCHOR (UPSTAIRS) NightShift SCARBOROUGH SPORTSMANS CLUB It’s My Party SOUTH ST ALEHOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN Die Hard Karaoke SWINGING PIG Vendetta Greg Carter THORNLIE BOWLING CLUB Mustangs TRADEWINDS HOTEL Bernardine UNIVERSAL Nightmoves X-RAY CAFÉ Tyto Kings Golden String Todd Pickett YA YA’S

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Deadline Monday 5pm. The Gig-Guide is a service to advertisers listing all LIVE MUSIC. All inclusions are at the discretion of X-Press. Email guide@xpressmag.com.au

Mezzanine, Saturday at Beat Nightclub Jacob and the Rudeboys DJ Degraff Madison Vellios Sam Gibson

SATURDAY 27.07 AMPLIFIER Grey Ghost UPNUP Mathas THE ASTOR Buddy n’ Roy BALMORAL Retriofit THE BAKERY Tangled Thoughts of Leaving Fall Electric Lanark BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) CANVAS BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) Mezzanine Dead Owls Race to Your Face BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Mike Naygar THE BIRD Diger Rokwell YLEM Mathas Mei Saraswati Rok Riley BOAB TAVERN James Wilson THE BROOK Dirty Scoundrels CIVIC HOTEL BACKROOM Elfrid Ex – Yu Rock Muzika I Grupa Zemlja CHALLENGE STADIUM Alt-J THE CLAREMONT HOTEL ANTICS Rainy Day Women Anton Franc Lukas Wimmler EL CABALLO RESORT Nett and The Repeaters ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB James Flynn and Chelsea Gibson Dd Soul Ft Chelsea Cullen THE FLY BY NIGHT Bill Chambers & Belle Harvey Ruby Boots (Solo) Karin Page (China Doll) THE GATE Greg Carter GOSNELLS HOTEL Astrobat GREENWOOD Pretty Fly GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Hi-NRG HYDE PARK HOTEL Easy Tigers INDIAN OCEAN

BREW CO Shawne & Luc INDI BAR Blue Shaddy JOONDALUP RESORT Gary Fowlie LAKERS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MERRIWA TAVERN One Trick Ponies MIDLAND JUNCTION ART CENTRE I, said the sparrow Death and a Cure Roger Roger Life in a Glass House Katt Nelson M ON THE POINT Rhythm 22 MOJOS BAR Mojo JuJu Rocket To Memphis Harry Deluxe MUSTANG The Rusty Pinto Combo Rockabilly DJ Milhouse DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Karaoke with Steve Parkin Gravity NORTH FREMANTLE BOWLING CLUB Rachel And Henry Climb a Hill Saint Ravine The Morning Night The Lazy Shavers TBone The Clayfish PADDO Cheeky Monkeys PARAMOUNT NIGHTCLUB Felix PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Kate Gilbertson QUARIE BAR & BISTRO Blackbirds RAILWAY HOTEL Asylum Of Grind III Maximum Perversion Facegrinder Amidst the Broken Got Sharks?

ROCKET ROOM Kickstart ROSEMOUNT S.S.A. The Painkillers The Lungs The Shakeys Plastic Bags Black Swan SAIL & ANCHOR Better Days SAIL & ANCHOR (UPSTAIRS) Childs Play THE SHED Huge SWAN BASEMENT Lionizer The Itch Little Skye Codie Sundstrom

www.xpressmag.com.au

Friday Friday TravisWe Caudle The Moment Fall, Travis Caudle Fly ByNight Night Saturday at YMCA HQ Fly By

Buzz Kill Vamps, Sunday at North Fremantle Bowling Club

GROOVE BAR MOJOS BAR Grace Woodroofe (CROWN) Dianas Howie Morgan Duo Leur MOJO’S BAR MUSTANG BAR Wide Open Mic Pete Busher and the MUSTANG BAR Lone Rangers Triple Shots DJ Rockin’ Rhys YA YA’S NEWPORT HOTEL Big Tommo’s Open Mic Ian Moss Night Tim Nelson DJ Tom Drummond NORTH FREMANTLE TUESDAY 30.07 BOWLING CLUB THE BIRD Buzz Kill Vamps Hyte The Big Splash Round Robots In The Sun 3 Heat 4 Blindfold Leure DJ LoFo Scalphunter Emerald Mamba Lanark SUNDAY 28.07 THE PADDO Golden String AMPLIFIER Travis Caudle Bleeding Through BRASS MONKEY PADDY MALONE’S Make Them Suffer Open Mic Night Gary Fowlie Still Water Claims Chris O’Brien QUARIE BAR & Exanimis BISTRO THE CARINE THE AVIARY Better Days Rodney Rude Thelma Plum QUEENS TAVERN THE CRAGIE TAVERN Amanda Merdzan Velvet Open Mic Night Sarah Pellicano RAILWAY HOTEL GROOVE BAR BALMORAL Gignition (CROWN) Andrew Winton MattyTWall BEAUMARIS SPORTS Ascending Fall Ruby’s Groove CLUB ELLINGTON JAZZ Wiked Fury Shawne & Luc Echostone CLUB BELMONT TAVERN THE SAINT A Saucy Little Secret Dove Howie Morgan Project KALAMUNDA HOTEL BOAB TAVERN SWALLOW BAR Open Mic Chriss Gibbs Duo Limelights Jazz Trio Anthony Kay BRIGHTON SWINGING PIG LUCKY SHAG Alicia Risk Matt Angell Ben Merito BROKEN HILL HOTEL Pat Nicholson Nathan Gaunt MERRIWA TAVERN UNIVERSAL BROOKLANDS Celebrations Karaoke Retrofit TAVERN WANNEROO TAVERN MUSTANG BAR Gerry Azor Adam James Danza Loca Salsa THE CAUSEWAY YAYA’S Night Accoustic Sunday The Junkadelic Brass MOJOS BAR CHASE BAR Band Hunting Huxley Chasing Calee YMCA HQ Misty Mountain CIVIC HOTEL Statues Spacemanantics Mike Naygar A Ghost Orchestra COMO HOTEL Silver Hills Acrimony Sophie Jane & The Lucidity Chilly Bin Boys YA YA’S MONDAY 29.07 ELLINGTON JAZZ Ermine Coat BRASS MONKEY CLUB Lost/Tuneless Wire Birds A Saucy Little Secret Single Girl ELLINGTON JAZZ THE FLY TRAP (FLY The Monicans CLUB

BY NIGHT) AJ Wigwams Chamber Jam Bossquito & Special Guests THE GATE Greg Carter GOSNELLS HOTEL Conny The Clown GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Peace Love Rachel And Henry Climb A Hill INDI BAR Bill Chambers & Belle Harvey RACHEL AND HENRY CLIMB Karin Page A HILL Ruby Boots (solo) SAINT RAVINE INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO THE MORNING NIGHT Retriofit THE LAZY SHAVERS KALAMUNDA HOTEL TBONE Bernardine THE CLAYFISH LAKERS TAVERN NORTH FREMANTLE Wesley Goodlet BOWLING CLUB Jamboree Scouts M ON THE POINT SATURDAY, JULY 27 Chill Divine SWINGING PIG Greg Crater Big Steve Spouse Band UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation YAYA’S Them Sharks The Bob Gordons Blindspot Alex The Kid YMCA HQ The Moment We Fall To Catch A Fox Finders Pending The Silence Vultures Hollow Ground

37

MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY FOR SALE HEADPHONES all brands & styles. 23 Harrogate Street, West Leederville. Contact Headphonic 08 93886333 headphones.com.au INTERNET SERVICES OZURBAN RADIO Soul, RnB, Hip Hop, Urban Tunes, Real music, Real presenters. Internet Radio 24/7 www.OzUrbanRadio.com MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS INSTRUMENT REPAIRS Guitars, violins, clarinet, Saxaphone, Servicing and repairs. Phone: 9403 3212 MUSOS WANTED ACCOUSTIC GUITARIST/VOCALIST WANTED to complete professional working rock accoustic duo. Must be professional, reliable, exp, 25-35 yrs. Quality gear. 1-2 gigs per week. Rock pub covers/weddings. Calll Scott for auditions 0438 911 898 BOYUP BROOK COUNTRY MUSIC BOOT CAMP Sep 27-29, 20 spots available. Contact countrymusicwa@westnet.com.au or 9765 1657 KEYBOARD PLAYER REQUIRED to complete exp. Rock/pop cover band “INSIDEOUT”. Must be committed and have a positive attitude.

0439 408 909 NCBC CALL OUT FOR ENTRIES Enter now at aaca.net.au for a chance at our huge prize pool!

OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Just call Bex on 0404 917 632.

OPEN MIC NIGHT @ THE CRAIGIE TAVERN Tuesdays from 8pm. Solos, Duos, Trios, Originals and Covers. Contact Paula or Ceelay 0420375670 or openmiccraigie@hotmail.com PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY Promo p h o t o g r a p h y, s t u d i o, l i v e , l o c a t i o n .

Mike Wylie 0417 975 964 www.projec tphotography.com When its time to ice the cakeÖ PRODUCTION SERVICES * L I G H T I N G * AU D I O * S TA G I N G * w w w. n i g h t s t a r l i g h t i n g a u d i o . c o m . a u w w w. n i g h t s t a r l i g h t i n g a u d i o . c o m . a u www.instandt.com.au www.instandt.com.au 9381 2363/ 9444 6651 CD & DVD MANUFACTURE Check out our latest CD & DVD specials online at www.procopy.com. au 9375 3902 DISK BANK Per th’s premier CD & DVD manufacturer, with options for all budgets.

(08) 9388 0800. www.diskbank.com.au/specials.

MATRIX PRODUCTIONS AUSTRALIA Lighting, staging, sound systems, smoke machines, night club FX, intelligent lighting, strobes & mirror balls, crowd barriers, video projectors. 9371 1551 RECORDING STUDIOS ALAN DAWSON’s WITZEND RECORDING STUDIO Prof quality albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering..Alan 0407 989 128 or Jeremy 0430638178 www.witzendstudios.com

38

Edited by T R AV I S J O H N S O N

ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer. No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178 BANDS! - UNLOCK YOUR SONGS’ POTENTIAL +FREE APPRAISALS. UK Producer, 40,000+ hours studio experience. 20 yrs in London with bands and songwriters. Kicking arrangements, great studio and the ability to really listen will give your material the edge you need. Call Jerry on 0405 653 338 or visit www.jerichomusic.com.au GOLDDUST Production Mixing, recording and composition. Leederville $70 p/h. 0408 097 407 POONS HEAD MASTERING Analog mastering at its best. Clients include Mink Mussel Creek, Jeff Martin, The Panics, Pond + The Floors.

World class facility. World class results. www. poonshead.com 9339 47 91 RECORDING MIXING MASTERING PRODUCING Fremantle location. Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 REVOLVER SOUND STUDIO Ph 9272 7505. www.revolverstudio.com.au S AT E L L I T E R E C O R D I N G S T U D I O www.satelliterecording.com 0419 908 766 ProTools..17 Years exp TONE CITY RECORDING STUDIO Professional recording & mixing. Clients include Abbe May, Pond, Felicity Groom & The Silentís. Ph: 0409 297 362.

REHEARSAL STUDIOS AAA VHS REHEARSAL ROOMS Great facilities, great vibe & great price!!! Unit 5 /16 Peel Road, O’Connor. Phone 9418 5815 or 0413 732 885 BIGBEAT SOUND STUDIO Clean rooms, all new PA systems, air-con and good parking . Willetton Ph: 0425 698 117.

PLATINUM SOUND ROOMS Professional rehearsal rooms, airconditioned, quality PAs mob 0418 944 722 STREAM STUDIO’S 89 Stirling St, Perth. Mobile: 0403 152 009 info@streamrehearsal.com.au VISION REHEARSAL Perth’s premier rehearsal facilities. Visit www.visionstudios.com.au for all info. East Vic Park. Email rehearsal@ visionstudios.com.au or call 0432 034 122 TUITION ***GUITAR LESSONS*** Perth’s ultimate guitar studio. Beg-adv, all styles and levels including bass. Cliff Lynton Guitar Institute. Mt Lawley 9342 3484 / www.clifflynton.com BASS LESSONS Rock, funk & jazz. Tony Gibbs 9470 6131 GUITAR & KEYBOARD TUITION (BeginnersProfessional) One on One lessons. Free guitar trial lesson. Burswood Ph 6460 6921/ 0415 238 729 www.gvkschoolofmusic.com.au GUITAR TUITION Teacher, performer with 30 yrs experience., No reading req. All ages, beg to adv. Ph Ian Wilson 9403 3212 To advertise in Classified call 9213 2888 or email musicservices@xpressmag.com.au

Send your Volume News to musicservices@xpressmag.com.au

Carter & Carter

COUNTRY MUSIC BOOT CAMP

From Friday, September 27 until Sunday, September 29, Boyup Brook plays host to an intensive, three day training course hosted by Golden Guitar winning artists David and Merylin Carter. It’s a rare opportunity for this who toil in the country idiom to hone their skills, meet likeminded folk, and learn the ins and outs of this perennially popular sector of the music industry.

We sat down with David Carter to get the inside track.

How did you become involved with the CMBC? Carter & Carter have been performing at the Boyup Brook Country Music Festival for many years now as well as doing house concerts and other shows in the area, and over the course of time we have become colleagues and friends with the Boyup Brook Country Music Club who share our passion for helping other artists achieve their goals and dreams in music. David and I have also been involved for nearly 10 years in the Camerata and College of Country Music which is now known as the Academy of Country Music both as tutors, and Merelyn as Assistant Director. We have also held training sessions, workshops and done a lot of mentoring over our careers so far which has allowed us to pass on some of the knowledge and skills we have learned over the past 20 years as independent musicians and artists in the music industry. This is of course of value to the CMBC and as such they invited us to be part of it.

Will veterans or neophytes benefit more from the experience?

This boot camp will be of great value to those just starting as well as the more experienced. Over recent years many things have changed and are continually changing in the music industry and we will help all participants at the stage they are currently at in their careers.

We have the experience so we can tailor to the individual needs as well as the group needs.

In all cases, as artists we need to constantly re evaluate where we are, what our goals and dreams are, what our business plan is, and other big questions. We must ask the questions and get the answers, no matter where we are in our careers at the time. Life and music is about growing and developing and networking and achieving new goals and dreaming bigger dreams.

Would those who are not strictly country musicians benefit?

The topics covered at the camp will be relevant for musicians of all genres. We will have a focus on country music of course, but these lessons will be relevant to musicians and artists no matter what their choice or choices of music style are.

Country music doesn’t have exclusive rules, it’s just a matter of style choice and many country musicians and artists also know and play other genres, so this camp is for everyone interested in music. They will learn about the country music industry in particular, and the music industry in general and learn many skills for songwriting, performing and following their musical dreams - and that’s got to interest everyone interested in music.

What lessons and topics will be covered?

Topics covered include: Dreaming Big and Setting Goals, Songwriting, Creating Your Unique Image, All About Recording, Doing It Independently, For more information, pricing and booking, go to countrymusicwa.com.au Performance Workshops, and Business Planning.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

39

40

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays