Issue 1388

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PULLING OUT THE BIG GUNS

THREE FOR THE BOSS

Future Music Festival is now one of Australia’s biggest music festivals and they’ve just unleashed a mammoth first round of artists to appear at Arena Joondalup on Sunday, March 2.

Headlining the festivities is non-other than Canadian electronic wunderkind, Deadmau5; Thrift Shop hit kings, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and much-loved French indie outfit Phoenix. On top of that there’s Hardwell, Knife Party, Eric Prydz, Rudimental, Tinie Tempah, Chase & Status, Sub Focus, Netsky, 2 Chainz, Kaskade, Porter Robinson, Paul van Dyk, Markus Schulz and a ton of others we haven’t got room to name here.

Head to futuremusicfestival.com.au to check out the full line-up. Tickets are on sale from Tuesday, October 1.

Some more great news for WA Bruce Springsteen fans happened overnight with the news that The Boss will be playing a third show at Perth Arena on Wednesday, February 5. This is now the first show of Springsteen’s 2014 Australian tour.

Tickets for The Boss’ February 7-8 shows sold out in no time, so be sure to jump on this new opportunity. Pre-sale tickets will be available via frontiertouring. com/brucespringsteen from 2pm WST on Monday, September 23, to Tuesday 24 September. The general public on sale date is from Thursday, September 26.

2 Chainz

Bruce Springsteen

GET SOME SOUL

Phoenix

Deadmau5

RTRFM’s Soulsides gather together Friday, September 20, at Devilles Pad by way of celebrating their 15th anniversary. DJs Big Ear Chad, Foxman, Super-J, Microgroove, Spud Murphy, Claude Mono and Mama Cass will be joined by MC Jonny Hopper.

Presale tickets are $15 for subscribers and $20 for general admission via rtrfm.com.au.

RTRFM’s funk, soul and disco program, Soulsides runs every Friday night from 7-9pm.

OUR FAVOURITE JOHNSON

A big favourite in Australia since his debut LP, Brushfire Fairytales, in 2001, Jack Johnson is returning our way, touring in support of his new album, From Here To Now To You. Joined by Hawaiian buds Paula Fuga and John Cruz, Johnson hits Kings Park on Saturday, December 7.

T i c k e t s a re n ow o n s a l e t h ro u g h ticketmaster.com.au (136 100). As with all of his tours since 2008, Johnson will donate 100 per cent of his tour profits to charity. For more details head to jackjohnsonmusic.com.

Kora

KIWI GROOVES

DEATH AND DARKNESS

Swedish death metal pioneers, Dark Tranquillity are set to return to Australia, are kicking off their tour in Perth to perform tracks off their recent release, Construct plus a comprehensive selection of their back catalogue. Expect emotional and groove-laden sounds and an intense live experience when they hit the stage at Capitol on Monday, October 8, with support from Melbourne’s Orpheus Omega. Tickets on sale now via Oztix and Metal Massacre.

Dark Tranquillity Photo: Daniel Falk

The third instalment of the Natural NZ Music Festival takes place on Saturday, December 7, in the picturesque Red Hill Auditorium. It’s all about tasty Kiwi rock, reggae, hip hop, R&B and dubstep, selected by NZA Music who make it their mission to promote New Zealand acts in Australia.

Headlining is electronic roots five-piece Kora who’ll share the stage with a bunch of other acts including Shihad, Tiki Taane, Optimus Gryme, Australian Idol winner Stan Walker, reggae band 1814, DJ Sir-Vere, Tali and local Perth crew Box Party. Tickets on sale now from redhillgigs. com.au, Oztix and the usuals.

Jack Johnson

REDEFINING ‘AFTER-PARTY’

What’s a festival without an after-party? So Listen Out has planned a corker with some big special guests that are playing on the festival line-up. It’s still a mystery who’ll actually be playing and it won’t be revealed until the day of the actual event, which is Sunday, September 29. After the outdoor party on Ozone Reserve head to Boomtick’s new club, Parker on Aberdeen Street, Northbridge from 9pm. We hear that festival dress is okay, but no thongs!

OUTTA SITE 8 Reactions/Comp Thing 11 Flesh 12 Music: Melbourne Ska Orchestra/The Paper Kites/Kim Salmon 14 Music: Calexico/Devin Townsend/ Zebrahead/Lamb Of God 16 New Noise 19 Eye4 Cover: Storm Boy 20 Eye4: News/I’m So Exicted/Blue Jasmine 21 Eye4: Percy Jackson/Planes 22 Eye4: Fallout:Lanius 23 Arts Listings 25 Salt Cover: Hernan Catteneo 26 Salt: News/ Testpad/ Behind The Decks 27 Salt: Clasixx/Mantra 29 Salt: Rewind: Ghostpoet 30 Scene: Live: The Morning Night/Parkway Drive 31 Local Scene 32 Tour Trails 34 Gig Guide 36 Volume

So, X-Press Magazine might be gettin’ on for 28 yearsold, but who says we can’t have nice, shiny new things? Stepping further into our digital journey - we’re stealing that word back from The X-Factor we’d like to draw your attention to our new website, appropriately located at xpressmag.com.au.

There’s all the trademark interviews, reviews and scenic views, plus a new emphasis on entertainment news as it breaks. So while we’re still hittin’ the streets on Wednesdays, you can check in anytime online for updates and new ways to stay up late. Hit it up!

JUST LIKE HOLLIE WOULD

New Zealand musician Hollie Fullbrook, aka Tiny Ruins, heads to WA next week, previewing her new album, Brightly Painted One, due in November. Catch her on Friday, September 27, in support of Calexico (see page 14) at the Astor Theatre and the Wave Rock Weekender on Sunday, September 29. Fullbrook will also headline one show only at Mojo’s on Monday, September 30. Tickets are available through Ozitx.

COVER: The Melbourne Ska Orchestra hit the Fly By Night on Friday, September 27; the Astor Theatre on Saturday, September 28, and the Wave Rock Weekender (sold-out) on Sunday, September 29, presented by X-Press Magazine.

SALT COVER: Hernan Cattaneo heads up the Habitat Garden Party this Sunday,September 22,at The Court. www.xpressmag.com.au

Tiny Ruins Photo: Georgie Craw 7

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Managing Editor Bob Gordon: editor@xpressmag.com.au Dance Music & Features Editor Rachel Davison: 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

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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 Published by: Columbia Press Pty.Ltd. A.C.N. 066 570 803 Registered by Australia Post. Publication No PP600110.00006 Suite 55/102 Railway Street, City West Business Centre, West Perth, WA 6005 Locked Bag 31, West Perth, WA 6872 Phone: (08) 9213 2888 Fax: (08) 9213 2882 Website: http://www.xpressmag.com.au

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International stars Fabolous, Omarion and Chingy are dropping by Challenge Stadium next Thursday, September 26 as part of the Redline Music Tour. Headliner, Fabolous is a platinum selling rapper who’s had at least 10 hit singles and received a ton of awards over the past decade; R&B sensation and ladies man, Omarion is the former B2K lead singer who dropped a #1 Billboard Chart topping album; and let’s not forget about the St Louis rapper and actor, Chingy who’s been smashing out the hit singles. Tickets for the show are on sale through Ticketmaster, but to win yourself one of two double passes, let us know how you would ‘get Chingy with it’.

Chingy

I’m So Excited Percy Jackson

SPANISH COMEDY

Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar is back with a kitsch, camp and funny comedy set mostly on a Based on the best-selling series by Rick Riordan, plane. It’s called I’m So Excited and stars many of Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon, continues his Almodóvar’s greatest Spanish character actors such epic journey to fulfill his destiny in the film, Percy as Javier Cámara (Talk To Her) Cecilia Roth (All About Jackson: Sea Of Monsters. The plots sees him team My Mother), Lola Dueñas (Volver), Blanca Suárez (The with his demigod friends to retrieve the Golden Skin I Live In) and cameos from Penélope Cruz and Fleece, which has the power to save their home and Antonio Banderas. The season kicks off on September training ground, Camp Half-Blood. Catch the film in October means Oktoberfest In The Gardens and cinemas from September 19 or take your chances to 19 and you can enter now to win a double pass. it’s happening again on Saturday, October 12 at the win a double pass valid for the season.

Supreme Court Gardens. It’s Perth’s largest version of the German cultural festival and last year it sold out with 10,000 revellers enjoying the festivities. Expect two stages with a mix of German and local bands/ DJs, a big-top beer hall, street performers, sideshow alley and competitions such as Miss Oktoberfest and the stein holding challenge. Tickets on sale through Moshtix or enter now to win one of two double passes.

GODS AND MONSTERS

RAISE YOUR STEIN

TATTOO ARTIST BALL

SPIELBERG CLASSIC AT IMAX

The Raiders Of The Lost Ark is making a return to the big screen in Perth’s IMAX for a limited season from September 19 to 25 at 7pm and 9.20pm each day. Remastered for IMAX, this is the first time an Indiana Jones film has screened Indiana Jones in IMAX in Australia.

Tickets are on sale through hoyts.com.au or the Hoyts Carousel box office. But if you’re really lucky, we have ten double passes to giveaway. Make sure you let us know which session you would like to attend - date and time when you enter.

The 9th Annual Tattoo Artist Ball is happening tonight, September 18 at The Voodoo Lounge & Rocket Room, Northbridge. This year’s theme is Hillbilly Carnival, so dress to impress! There’ll be tattoo stalls, a shooting range and the tattooing of a pig. Buy tickets from thevoodoolounge.com.au or on the door tonight, or enter real quick smart to win yourself a double pass.

SHAKESPEARE LIVE

From Britain’s National Theatre catch three exceptional Shakespeare plays broadcast live to Luna Leederville and Luna on SX. On October 12 and 13 award-winning actor Adrian Lester (Henry V, BBC’s Hustle) takes the title role in Shakespeare’s tale of the destructive power of jealousy in Othello.

On November 2 and 3, Kenneth Branagh returns to the stage as Macbeth; and on February 22 and 23, experience Donmar Warehouse’s production of Coriolanus. We’ve got four double passes to giveaway to the screening of your choice. Get your entries in now.

Kenneth Branagh

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ARCTIC MONKEYS #1

Interviewed recently in X-Press, Arctic Monkeys’ fifth album AM has debuted at #1 on the ARIA Album Charts, the British outfit’s first Australian #1 since their classic 2006 debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. Also entering New Zealand’s Official Album Charts at number #1, AM is Arctic Monkeys’ first New Zealand #1 record and also debuted at #1 in Japan, Holland, Ireland and the UK. Now, when’s the tour?

Arctic Monkeys

THE DRONES Start The Moats Touring behind their new single, A Moat You Can Stand In, The Drones return to The Bakery this Saturday, September 21, with support from Harmony. LACHLAN KANONIUK reports.

Guitarist Dan Luscombe is sniffling down the line on a particularly frigid Melbourne morning.

“It’s fucking horrible,” he notes. Up until earlier this year, Luscombe was the ‘new guy’ in The Drones, having joined Gareth Liddiard, Fiona Kitschin and Mike Noga back in 2007. Now the distinction goes to organist, Steve Hesketh, who after making a few live appearances with the band over the years became a consolidated member with the release of I See Seaweed at the beginning of 2013.

“It took seven, nearly eight years,” Luscombe laughs over his belated induction. “I know how Ronnie Wood felt. He had to wait 30 or something years before that guy that nobody can remember joined the band to replace Bill Wyman.

Stevie’s been a huge contributor musically and personality-wise to the band. He’s hilarious. We used to live together, Stevie and I, in our mid-20s. I remember he once gaffa taped a telephone to my head when I was talking to my mum. And I think he pulled my pants down. That’s the kind of guy Stevie is. It’s good to have him in the band, and I’m looking forward to getting my revenge now I’ve remembered it.”

After briefly emerging in 2011 from what could be classified a hiatus to celebrate the launch of DVD compilation A Thousand Mistakes, The Drones are back this year with a reinvigorated focus – having released a long-awaited new album, curated the return of ATP to Australia, toured fairly extensively

The Drones

and appeared at Splendour In The Grass. However, the pace of their return is far more measured than previous touring cycles.

“It feels more relaxed than it’s ever felt for us. It feels like we’ve got through a very difficult adolescence or something, now we can relax and be adults. When I joined the band it was pretty much immediately on the road for four or five years, and we didn’t really stop a lot during that time. The fact that we didn’t literally murder each other is kind of a miracle.”

“With that behind us, knowing we can come through something like that, it just solidified our relationship as people. It also made us very instinctive live players. We would be doing over 100 shows a year… to play that amount of shows in Australia isn’t easy, unless you want to disappear into regional touring for the rest of your life, or head overseas and keep busy over there.

“It was a very itinerate life for a few years,” Luscombe continues. “The benefits of heavy touring mean you should become a good band, but the downside is that you don’t have much of a life for a while. That’s why we took a really long break between this album and the last. It became obvious to everyone in the band that we needed to step away for a while and get some semblance of a normal life – to put your name on a bond for a change.

“With all that behind us, then having a good time making this record, it was nice knowing the break served us well. It was also nice knowing that the worst of our behaviour was behind us. We’re not as volatile characters as we used to be, we don’t snap or argue with each other anymore. Just a bit more chilled out.”

With that renewed focus, Luscombe can’t envision a need for The Drones to take another elongated break anytime soon. “The thing that’s going to stop us these days is people losing interest, because we’re not going to lose interest anytime soon. We’re really enjoying the music that we’re making now.”

Pink & White Bridge

TAKE IT TO THE ‘BRIDGE

Limp Bizkit

RAPPING ROCK

US nu metal band Limp Bizkit is embarking on an Australian tour, which hits Perth on Thursday, October 31, at Metro City. It’s likely in prelude of their sixth studio album, Stampede Of The Disco Elephants, due for release in January - their first album to be released after DJ Lethal’s departure last year. Get your tickets quick for this one, on sale through Oztix this Friday, September 20.

Perth outfit Pink & White Bridge originally formed in 1994 as a three-piece by compromising Craig Pinkney, Paul White and Anthony Bridge (that’s their name right there!) and have since solidified their sound by becoming a five-piece. They’ve just released their sixth album, Home & Hosed, and will launch it with two special shows, kicking off this Sunday, September 22, at the Newport Hotel and on Sunday, October 6, at the Charles Hotel.

For more details, head to reverbnation. com/pinkandwhitebridge.

BODYBACK!

After eight years’ silence, seminal ‘90s Aus-punkers Bodyjar are back with a new album, Role Model, ready for release on Friday, October 18. They’re hitting the road, just like old times, and will head our way on Friday, November 15, at the Rosemount Hotel and Saturday, November 16, at the Prince Of Wales Hotel, Bunbury.

Bodyjar

The Bamboos

Brian Mannix

80S REUNION THE BAMBOOS FIND FEVER ULTIMATE What do you when you put Brian Mannix (Uncanny ON THE ROAD X-Men), Scott Carne (Kids In The Kitchen) and Dale Having reached new heights with their 2012 LP, Medicine Man, (and its hit single with Tim Rogers, I Got Burned) Australian soul-sayers The Bamboos are releasing a new album, Fever In The Road, and are set to hit the road on a national tour, which will bring them to Perth on Thursday, December 5, at Capitol.

Get your tickets at amplifiercapitol.com.au, it’s gonna be a blast.

Heath Franklin’s Chopper

AUSTRALIA’S MOST WANTED

Award winning Chopper alter ego, Heath Franklin and his Chopper Live show is heading to WA for a ton of shows, kicking off on Thursday, November 21, at the Saint George, Innaloo; Friday, November 22, at the Highway Hotel, Bunbury; Saturday, November 23, at the Dunsborough Tavern; Sunday, November 24, at the Leisure Inn, Rockingham; Monday, November 26, at the Hyde Park Hotel; Tuesday, November 27, at Carine Tavern; Wednesday, November 28, at the Wanneroo Tavern; Thursday, November 29, at the Kalamunda Hotel; Friday, November 30, at the Gosnells Hotel and Saturday, December 1, at the Balmoral.

Phew. Expect the trademark mo, sunnies and a guaranteed lack of political correctness. Tickets on sale via Heatseeker, Oztix and the usuals.

Foals

ALL FOALS DAY

With two top 10 albums already under their belt, Oxford five-piece Foals are returning once again to Perth as part of their Holy Fire Australian Tour.

After wowing crowds earlier this year at Big Day Out, fans have been eagerly awaiting their return, happening on Sunday, September 22, at Metro City.

But why wait until Sunday to see them? Catch the boys’ DJ set at Capitol, Perth with local favouritesDeath Disco, this Saturday, September 21.

It’s $15 before 11pm and $20 thereafter ($15 entry all night if you show your Foals ticket).

Ryder (Boom Crash Opera) altogether in the one room? Well, you get the Absolutely ‘80s Show, which without a doubt will be one hell of a reunion party with your feet firmly planted on the dance floor.

These ‘80s legends hit the Kalamunda Hotel on Friday, November 8, and the Carine Tavern on Saturday, November 9. Book tickets via Heatseeker, Oztix and the usuals.

PFF STUDENT RUNWAY SHOW

Hall, with the 2013 Student Runway parade.

Congratulations to WAAPA student, Melanie Nicholls, who took out both the overall title and the Ready To Wear - Womenswear category. Other winners were Cordelia Gibbs (Curtin) for Ready To Hackett Hall, WA Museum Wear - menswear, Jasmine Nash (Polytechnic West) Saturday, September 14, 2013 in the Costume Design category, Meg-Isabella It was all about the Perth Fashion Festival’s young Hewlett (ECU) for Eco Design and Emily Brewer guns last Saturday at the WA Museum’s Hackett (WAAPA) for Contemporary Evening Wear.

PREATURE FEATURE

The Preatures www.xpressmag.com.au

Recently announced as part of the Southbound line-up, The Preatures will first hit Perth for headline dates thsi week, touring in support of their new EP, Is This How You Feel? Catch them this Friday, September 20, at Flyrite and on Saturday, September 21, at Mojos.

Photography: Shaun Ferraloro 11

Melbourne Ska Orchestra Photo: Kane Hibberd

MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA Look Sharp Presented by X-Press Magazine, the Melbourne Ska Orchestra hit the Fly By Night on Friday, September 27; the Astor Theatre on Saturday, September 28, and the Wave Rock Weekender (sold out) on Sunday, September 29. BOB GORDON speaks with bandleader, Nicky Bomba.

THE PAPER KITES States And Dates With their debut album, States, out now, The Paper Kites hit the Fly By Night this Saturday, September 21, supported by Georgia Fair. KRISSI WEISS reports.

The indie folk scene in Australia, while rich in diversity and filled with an overwhelming breadth of talent, seems to be overflowing to the point of being unsustainable.

We all know the awesome bands that have risen to the top like cream for a whirlwind ride and then bubbled away by the next festival season, never to be heard of again, but Melbourne five-piece The Paper Kites have met this problem head on. They’ve gone viral on the internet (okay, so ‘viral’ gets tossed around a lot but nearly 6.5 million YouTube views indicates that’s no overstatement) and introduced themselves to Australia and the world simultaneously.

After signing with Wonderlick Recording and Sony Music in a joint venture domestically, and with Nettwerk in North America, The Paper Kites are launching their debut album, States, into the global market. Yet while frontman Sam Bentley agrees that the indie folk scene in Australia is bursting at the seams, he believes The Paper Kites’ approach to songwriting sets them apart.

“There are definitely a lot of people in the scene and that’s a problem,” he says. “It’s not that we’ve intentionally tried to avoid that but I do think that the industry, particularly in Australia, is very stuck in the idea of what’s hot and what’s not. We try to 12

The Paper Kites

write stuff that’s not really going to fit into those categories.

“I think there’s always going to be a place for the singer/songwriters doing their thing, though.

And if it’s stuff that people connect with then there’s always going to be a place for you, and I guess that’s what’s been the common factor for our music – people really get something out of it.”

Bentley admits that States’ recording process was certainly not a walk in the park. Yeah, people got mad – but they still love each other.

“It actually ended up being a pretty difficult record to make, I think. It was the first time we didn’t all agree on the styles. It was really unusual for us because we’re always on the same page so...

“There were a lot of heated discussions about the songs that ended up on there,” he says.

“Even now with the finished product, there are still songs that some [of the band] are not that stoked with being on there and other people would be upset [about] if they weren’t on there. It’s not that it’s a divided album, but I think what happened with this record was that – especially when you’re working with five opinionated people – everyone was in their own musical bubble and had different opinions on what they saw as great music. When you bring an idea into that that doesn’t sit well with their idea then it’s always going to be a recipe for a heated discussion.”

Produced by the experienced Wayne Connolly, States has taken the group into a new territory with regard to sonic diversity. Just how these sounds will come to life on the upcoming tour is another concern for Bentley.

“It’s going to be interesting because we’re dealing with sounds we never have before. It’s always a task to translate it live and we’re really going to be working on that. It’s a really exciting process as well.”

There’s something about ska music. It’s seductive yet friendly; it has a natural way with people whether they are familiar with it or not - if you’ve ever seen an unsuspecting crowd suddenly lose themselves to dance in front of a ska band at a music festival you’ll understand the sentiment.

Yet there’s also something of a duopoly about ska music, that it’s a niche music form. That it belongs to mods. That it’s not for everyone, when clearly, it is.

“That’s what I’m planning to change,” says Melbourne Ska Orchestra bandleader, Nicky Bomba.

“That’s the whole thing. I really believe it is one of the great universal forms of music. It’s very simple in its construction but when it comes together it’s a lot of different rhythms that make up the ska groove. You can actually dance and listen to it on a lot of different levels, without realising what rhythm you’re sticking to. It could be a half-time, it could be a double-time and some people, if their activity is more frenetic, they could be picking up on another thing as well.

“My idea is to actually take ska out of that niche thing and translate that to the masses, really. I really believe that I’ve seen it - I’ve seen grandparents and little children just bugging to it. It’s got a jump to it that’s a natural thing.”

And then there’s the threads.

“What I like about it is that it’s also associated with styling up,” Bomba notes. “Looking sharp. Actually making an effort to present yourself like it’s a bit of an occasion. I like that about ska. The whole Two-Tone thing, especially.”

Imagine, then, the 30-odd Melbourne Ska Orchestra members backstage before a show, all together, a suited-up army going into well-dressed battle, taking with them a headful of reggae, dancehall, rock steady, calypso and mento.

Ska. “It definitely has a sense of theatre about it,” Bomba agrees. “And the feeling of having a unified approach. The feeling backstage, beforehand, you can’t help it, it’s always a party. Just by having that many people there. It’s like a rent-a-crowd, immediately.

“And the spirit in the band is really up. It’s a really kind of positive group of people that understand the genre and the logistics of what it takes to put something like this together. Surprisingly, it flows quite nicely.”

Known for fronting his own band, Bomba, its calypso conclusion Bustamento and, until recently, as drummer in the John Butler Trio (he is also Butler’s brother-in-law so the connection still runs deep) the multi-instrumentalist first put together the Melbourne Ska Orchestra in 2003. It was a one-off performance at St Kilda’s Gershwin Room; a world record attempt at having the largest amount of horn players onstage at the same time. With a Melbourne scene that boasted the likes of Bomba, Area-7, Commissioner Gordon, Trojan Horns, Strange Tenants and more, there were plenty of players to draw on.

It’s unclear if the record was broken or not,

KIM SALMON

On With The Old, In With The New Kim Salmon

Kim Salmon performs at the Wave Rock Weekender in Hyden on Saturday September 28, and Mojos on Sunday September 29, (supported by The Chemist, The Floors and DJ Razor Jack). We asked the man himself to pen a few thoughts about a year that has brought forth things both new and nostalgic.

What kind of an idiot plans to record three separate musical projects in one year and release four separate recording projects the next?

Not this idiot that’s for sure!

I did three recordings last year and will have released four by the end of this year but I certainly did not plan it that way. How could I let this happen?

Well...

If you have a look at my Facebook page(s) you’ll find that a whole lot of what I do is tied up in my past. The Scientists, The Beasts of Bourbon, The Surrealists. This is great, but I still like to make new stuff. I’ve kept my sanity over the years by doing new stuff and waiting for it to become old enough to be revived. Crazy!

It’s worked though. The Surrealists had their first revival in Spain in 2006 for a ludicrously large amount of money and officially became ‘old’.

but the enthusiasm and interest in the gathering of the tribe was the main thing.

“What happened out of that was this commitment to continuing it,” Bomba recalls.

“Everyone was up for being in the band and getting together to perform, which in the first couple of years was only once or twice a year. I managed to get the band on Bluesfest one year and WOMAD and it was like, ‘well, let’s step up here’. I started writing songs for it and getting the show happening.

“My idea is to actually take ska out of that niche thing and translate that to the masses, really. I really believe that I’ve seen it - I’ve seen grandparents and little children just bugging to it. It’s got a jump to it that’s a natural thing.”

“After our second Bluesfest we were approached by a record company (Four|Four) to record an album. It was perfect timing. I’d been writing songs in the genre anyway, then went home and wrote a few more and recorded it and now we’re a fully-fledged activity and organisation. On paper it’s a bit of a nightmare, but it works.”

Bomba says that the Melbourne Ska Orchestra’s self-titled debut album was challenging to record and arrange but it certainly seems as though it was enjoyable all the way. After a decade as a live act only, the tide has turned in favour of the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, momentum has met opportunity in a way Bomba has not previously encountered in his own bands.

“It’s amazing,” he says.“I really feel like we’re sort of proper players in the scene now. We’ve played Golden Plains, Bluesfest and WOMAD, we’re doing the Queenscliff and Caloundra festivals and we hit home runs every time. People have been really getting on board with it.

“So it feels like it’s not just a side project or something, it’s a proper musical force. It’s something that we’ll be writing more for; the possibilities, with all the instrumentation, are endless. It’s just about writing good songs and getting it out there, really.”

With sold-out gigs around the country, overseas shows in the offing, TV synchs (the free-toair-TV ad features MSO’s take on The Best Things In Life Are Free) and more single releases, it would seem that Bomba’s mission to take ska to the people is succeeding.

The people are loving it.

“It’s quite unique,” he says, happily. “The whole thing’s a bubbling, viable, ramshackle circus.”

And that wasn’t even the original line-up.

Last year Spencer P. Jones and I played a residency in a Fitzroy venue called the Old Bar. It generated so much interest that it seemed like a good idea to record our collaboration. A studio was interested and went three ways in the project. The Runaways album is the result of that. Sort of a new take on an old combination.

Ron Peno and I had a similar experience and decided that the time was right to make another Darling Downs record.

I’d been playing Scientists repertoire with one-time Scientist drummer Leanne Cowie and it seemed like a good idea for us to record some fresh material. It all just happened last year. This year the original Beasts Of Bourbon were made a very good offer to reform. And then The Low Road line-up of the Beasts. Live recordings were made. Another album!

That’s how it all just happened. It’s all a kind of combination of old and new. Next year I’m only doing new stuff!

I’ve barely got time for all of the above, plus I’ve got a day job teaching music and a few other musical entities to be involved with. Some bright spark thought it would be a good idea for me to write 500 words about how it feels to have so much to do. The irony is I didn’t have the time for that but here is the piece anyway!

Often, along the frighteningly long line that constitutes the years of my music career, certain opportunities have arisen that have not been of my making.

They haven’t always been what I have been ready for at the time or even necessarily what I’ve wanted to do.

Before you, the reader, gets on your horse about artistic integrity or principals, let me say something. Some of the opportunities I have accepted, I have done so for less than noble reasons (i.e. fiscal reasons). The end products of these have been some of the very things that my patrons hold most dear.

Most of my noble peers from back in the day have their day jobs to keep their mortgages paid and their families fed. They have their memories from the day intact and the integrity remains untarnished.

I on the other hand, have on occasion, taken the dollar, or multiples thereof as my incentive.

Has it made my name a household one throughout the known universe?

NO, there are some Kims who are well ahead of me in those stakes. However, and a big, however, I have derived my income from music since 1976.

It has been a kind of evolution. I’ve had to learn to adapt. It is how I’ve survived on playing music.

This evolution has taken me to some terrible and wonderful places. Fortunately, the places are mostly wonderful. #youshouldreadxpress

CALEXICO Open And Honest Calexico perform at the Astor Theatre on Friday, September 27, (supported

by Tiny Ruins, Quarry Mountain Dead Rats and Depedro) and at the Wave Rock Weekender (sold-out) on Saturday, September 28. KRISSI WEISS reports.

Americana/Tex-Mex/folk luminaries Calexico are swaggering their way around the globe yet again.

Nearing their 20-year anniversary, Calexico are a blisteringly confident band whose passion for the music they create hasn’t once dwindled in their times together.

As frontman Joey Burns explains, being each other’s biggest fans has made their career so much easier.

“We’ve been playing together for such a long time that we really enjoy watching each other have a great time on stage,” Burns says.“We love playing with each other and playing with the crowd in equal measures.”

The confidence seems to come from a place of contentment. While Calexico have always pushed the boundaries of orchestration and instrumentation, there have been times when their experimentation has come at a cost. When you’re a thinking man’s band, it’s paramount to ensure the audience is never isolated – and the cure for any prospective inaccessibility is finding the right sound. “After years of trying to find that optimal sound – similar to what you try to do in the studio as well – when you try to find that sound in the live space, you get to feel that energy that transcends everything around you and you get to finally enjoy it completely.”

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Calexico Performing, playing a role or creating a character for the live environment is vital for some artists but Calexico’s music has always lent itself to vulnerability and open-palmed honesty. It’s the key to their success so far and its growth is a testament to their passion.

“Last year we were playing in Paris and it was one of those super-hot and sweaty clubs and we were like,‘Alright,let’s just try and do our best’, and once I got over that threshold of, ‘This is going to be so uncomfortable’, it felt so good to be in that environment,” Burns says.

“We were all together, all sweating, all feeling the same thing. I was seeing people up in the balconies fanning themselves and it made me feel like that is what it must’ve been 100 years ago when people played music. It opened me up and I was suddenly improvising a lot, which the band tell me they really enjoyed. Those are the moments where you lose yourself and those are the moments that make it all so special.”

Part of what it takes is substituting ego for servitude – so many bands fail to realise that it doesn’t matter how well you play your instrument or how many notes you can squeeze into a syncopated rhythm, if it doesn’t serve the song no-one will care.

“It’s incredible how much restraint these six or seven band members can show when we play live,” Burns says, “and when that’s needed. They might be playing just one or two things and just waiting until that moment when things build and that’s what makes our sound so special. It’s something I saw a lot playing in jazz groups in high school and classical groups in college; it was fun to be restrained and to serve the song as well as be able to listen to what is being created.

“The rising and falling of energy, that is what brings so much joy to people on both sides of a gig.”

Devin Townsend Project

DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT Art, Science, Alchemy And Good Times

Touring in support of his new album, Epicloud, Devin Townsend has blazed a fiercely individual trail for 20 years, constantly devising forward-thinking and unapologetically original music.

SHANE PINNEGAR checks in ahead of Townsend’s Tuesday, October 15, show at Metropolis Fremantle.

Through all of Devin Townsend’s musical career, he has followed his own vision.

An early job singing with Steve Vai ended with the unhappy singer pooping in his boss’s guitar case.

“My reason for fighting for all those years,” Calexico have created a 17-track Australia/NZ he says down the line from Vancouver, Canada,“was not exclusive tour record combining the 2012 Spiritoso some sort altruistic thing - it’s just because I want to be album and the Maybe On Monday EP. It’s available happy. I hate being miserable - it sucks! The goal is to only at shows for $15. work through it, and by working through it, you gotta

fight. Otherwise you’re gonna have people who are going to step on you, and tell you the way they want it.

You have to fight - it sucks, I don’t like fighting - but I will, because I’d rather fight than be unhappy.

“I encourage people to take control of their own contribution,” Townsend says, explaining the freedom he allows the members of his band in the studio or on stage.

“However it’s within the parameters of the vision. I might say that on this project we’re working on now, this is the vision. The parameters of it mean that it can’t extend past this example here on this side, and this example here on that side, however, your job is this area - in between these two points - and what you do in there is entirely up to you. However, the only thing I retain over it is veto power – ‘nope, you went too far, let’s pull it back a bit’.

Interesting.One wonders whether Townsend considers himself an artist, a scientist or perhaps even an alchemist, in this respect?

“I rarely consider myself an artist,” he counters. “I can see how the combining of elements to create something else can be viewed as some kind of alchemy - but it’s not with the intention of doing that, it just seems to be what happens.

“And in terms of science, I like to establish order in chaos, and I do like patterns - but I don’t like repeating patterns. So, to answer the question in a really roundabout way: I have an interest in all three of those things - art, science and alchemy. But I’m just having a good time, and that’s really what it comes down to.”

As for potential setlists for his Australian tour, Townsend says he’ll play material from most of his career.

“I don’t play any Strapping Young Lad,” he clarifies, “but I do delve back into some of the earlier records like Ocean Machine, Synchestra, Terria, things like this. But the band are able to represent a lot of what we do and give a cross section of emotional width that allows the show to be engaging. So it’s that - we’re utilising most of the back catalogue to give the show dynamics.”

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LAMB OF GOD The 10 Factor

Lamb Of God

Lamb Of God hit Metro City next Thursday, September 26, joined by extreme Swedes, Meshuggah. LACHLAN KANONIUK speaks with guitarist, Mark Morton.

Following on from the release of last year’s excellent Resolution, and a crushing run at the Soundwave festival, Virginian metal titans Lamb Of God endured what turned out to be the band’s most eventful year of existence.

The album’s touring cycle was fractured by the arrest of frontman Randy Blythe in the Czech Republic (the details of which have been covered to the point of exhaustion), but is now back in full swing following his subsequent acquittal. As such, Lamb Of God are returning to Australia this September along with contemporaries Meshuggah.

Long-serving guitarist Mark Morton runs us through the band’s upcoming filmic vision (named As The Palaces Burn, after the band’s 2003 album), Lamb Of God’s legacy, and the global resonance of metal in general.

“The film really just follows us along what wound up being a very, very eventful tour cycle for Resolution,” explains Morton. “It picks up with the idea that the band is going to some pretty exotic places in different parts of the world that not a lot of bands go to, and doing character studies on a series of people and the impact that heavy metal in general has on their lives. The film evolves into a more candid look into some of the things going on with the band.”

As well as featuring selections from the band’s canon, the documentary will showcase original score compositions from Morton. “There’s certainly some Lamb Of God music in there, because of the fact it shows us on tour. I would say I composed and performed most, not quite all, of the original music for the score. It was different, which is why it was such an exciting project for me.

You’re not writing a heavy metal song, you’re really setting the mood for a scene. It’s really a different approach than anything I’ve done before, which is why I got so much out of it.”

The film articulates how Lamb Of God’s music, and metal in general, has resonated with fans from all reaches of the globe. “There’s a scene in the film where they’re talking to fans outside and around the show in India. And you see parents with their children, young people in their late teens and early 20s, who have travelled 24 hours, 36 hours on trains to get to this show. I’ve watched it a couple of times and honestly tears well up in my eyes, because it’s just so incredibly overwhelming to think that someone so far away, that I would have never otherwise come into contact with, are such big fans and are so connected”.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the album, As The Palaces Burn. While the band is at the stage of the career where they can contextualise their body of work with such milestones, Morton doesn’t feel the need to dwell.

“A few years ago was the 10th anniversary of New American Gospel, and then we’ll have the 10th anniversary of Ashes Of The Wake. But we’re still making records, goddammit. It’s cool to recognise and acknowledge those records, but at the same time, I think our best record is Resolution.

And that just came out, what, a year-and-a-half ago? But I’m still proud of the work that we did 10 years ago. I’m proud that we continue to evolve and just get better as a band. How long can that go on? I dunno. Most of us are in our 40s now. I don’t know what the future holds for us.”

Zebrahead

ZEBRAHEAD Growin’ Up

Iranian-born vocalist, Ali Tabatabaee, tells SHANE PINNEGAR that getting a new guitarist on board led to Zebrahead’s new album Call Your Friends being their heaviest yet.

Zebrahead’s 10th album in 17 years, Call Your Friends, features new lead guitarist, Dan Palmer, replacing founder member Greg Bergdorf, and sounds like a non-stop frat party in spite of vocalist, Ali Tabatabaee, turning 40 earlier this year.

“You know what?” he says, a mock serious tone in his voice, “it’s just sad because if you were to hang out with us you would be so shocked to see how immature we are.”

Tabatabaee laughs before continuing,“it’s just kind of who we are, and I think hangin’ out together in this band for so long, we just try to make each other laugh and have a good time. Honestly dude, we’re just stoked to be able to play music for a living, and travel and see all these great places - and we don’t take that for granted.

“Fortunately we’re all brothers and we like to hang out together, so it’s a very cool thing we’ve got going, and I think that comes through in the music.”

The singer may have a life less ordinary, but he’s well aware of having to balance the business side of being in a successful band, not to mention newly entering his 40s.

“The thing is,” he says, “being in a band and touring, you’re around so many young people all the time that you do forget that you’re fuckin’ 40 years old!

Every once in a while I do have to remind myself that I am 40, but I guess you are as old as you feel and when you’re touring or playing music, I still feel like I’m in my 20s. It’s crazy man, I never thought I’d be doing it this long!”

Despite the humour of the band, Tabatabaee insists he’s still grounded by his connection to his Iranian family’s culture.

“I have a pretty big family,” he explains.“As far as the culture thing goes, we still celebrate the Persian New Year and other different occasions. I speak Farsi like my grandmother does, which is good. I’m Iranian, so it’s part of who I am, I don’t think that’s going to change.”

Tabatabaee’s family emigrated from Iran to La Habra, in Orange County, California, when the singer was six years old, and says he was lucky to have not been on the receiving end of much racial prejudice.

“There was just my sister and myself, so there were literally no Iranians there,” he recalls. “We moved onto a street where everyone knew each other, it was a really close community. I didn’t speak English at all for the first couple of years, but I remember one of my neighbours’ older kid, a really big dude - he was like, a football player - for some reason he kinda took a liking to my sister and I, and he introduced us to everybody and kinda looked out for us and made sure nobody really messed with us. Through him people became cool with us - so I think we moved into a really lucky situation.

“I haven’t personally had too much discrimination against me, so fortunately that hasn’t been something that I’ve experienced - but I’m sure there are places where that does happen.”

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SLIM DUSTY The Very Best Of Slim Dusty

SEBADOH Defend Yourself Domino

MARK LANEGAN Imitations Heavenly Recordings

EMI

Lou Barlow once sat in THE MIDNIGHT MULES Sydney’s Waterfront Records First World Problems and sung of the blessing of Independent his marriage. Some 25 years later it is the dissolution of In the three years since they that union which has prompted much of the material formed, Perth’s The Midnight that flows through the first Sebadoh full-length in 14 Mules have risen quickly to years, Defend Yourself. occupy a position pretty close Barlow appears to be quite adept at this to the top of the local live performance ziggurat, and fans have doubtless whole ‘getting the band back together’ thing with been keen to find out whether their strong onstage Dinosaur Jr being particularly fertile, and Sebadoh presence translates to the recorded medium. Now, with looking to follow suit. Defend Yourself finds the threepiece power trio delivering on the melodic tunes the release of this five track EP, we know: pretty well.

The raucousness of live performance is steeped in punk roots that made them forefathers of transformed into a clean, energetic sound here, both the lo-fi and indie-rock movements.

I Will kicks things off with a verse that positioned somewhere toward the heavier end of the popular spectrum: pop filtered through grunge sounds like the type of tunes that Barlow has been sensibilities, or perhaps it’s the other way ‘round. delivering on his solo records for some time before Lead single, Indiana, is a corker, with a jagged guitar the band kick in with considerable force and grime. hook, infectious melodies and a call and response Lowenstein adds his own tunes that are more angular that begs to be sung along too. The rest of the disc and angst ridden in the form of Beat and the rollicking is of a similar high quality - lord knows how they Inquiries. Barlow shows the band’s many flavours with picked one single, let alone a second one in the the delicate Let It Out and the barroom ramble of Can’t form of Hey. Drug paean, Medicine, doesn’t exactly Depend a high point.

Defend Yourself may not have that one drip with authenticity, but it’s a crunchy, driving tune killer blow that Sebadoh have landed in the past, yet nonetheless.

The Muleisha will be well chuffed. Everyone from start to finish it is one of the trio’s most solid and enjoyable efforts yet. Gimme indie rock! else should have listen, too.

The most famous Australian son of a cattle farmer, David Gordon K irk patrick has released more albums since his death than the majority of musicians that are still alive. When you take a stage name (Slim Dusty) at age 11 you are confident of achieving big things, and few could touch the legacy that Dusty has left behind.

His name has been put to over 100 albums with The Very Best Of Slim Dusty collecting tunes from 1927 all the way through to 2003. His songs of outback Australia have resonated with generations, and with September 19 commemorating the 10th anniversary of his passing The Very Best Of Slim Dusty is given some shiny new packaging and a chance to reach the shelves of the few households that don’t own any Slim Dusty records.

The songs of legend are all here from Looking Forward, Looking Back and A Pub With No Beer to Duncan and Lights On The Hill. Few have been able to capture the spirit of our harsh land and salt of the earth people like Dusty. From the tractor to the big rig and the field to the watering hole, he has a tale for all.

Slim Dusty may have been gone for a decade, but he is a long way from being forgotten. The works of Dusty still influence many a budding songwriter and The Very Best Of Slim Dusty shows just why. It would be un-Australian to not own at least one copy of this.

_ CHRIS HAVERCROFT

_ CHRIS HAVERCROFT

_ TRAVIS JOHNSON

For a singer most regularly associated with grunge act Screaming Trees and the desert rock of Queens of the Stone Age, Mark Lanegan’s solo recordings and collaborations of the last decade have seen him wandering all over the musical landscape, lending his unique voice to everything from electronica to folk.With Imitations, Lanegan again strides out into unfamiliar territory as he covers the ’60s and early ’70s pop of his parents’ record collection.

With a few relatively recent covers thrown in, Lanegan transforms songs from crooners such as Frank and Nancy Sinatra, Andy Williams and underground icon John Cale with his typically brooding vocals.

A handful of covers – especially Vern Gosdin’s She’s Gone and Williams’ Autumn Leaves – make for odd choices, as Lanegan’s vocals get buried by the orchestral nature of the songs. But these few are the exceptions as Lanegan wisely keeps things simple on most tracks, with the sparse instrumentals allowing plenty of space to showcase the depth and range of his voice.

Album opener, Chelsea Wolfe’s Flatlands, is a highlight; a haunting acoustic ballad in which Lanegan’s voice floats over a hazy string section.

His excellent rendition of Mack The Knife strips the song back to its bare bones, as his most gravelly vocal contribution of the album is supported only by an almost playful acoustic guitar. Nancy Sinatra’s You Only Live Twice is another highlight, proving that Lanegan can tackle just about anything and still have the capacity to surprise. _ KEIRON COSTELLO

DOM MARIANI AND THE MAJESTIC KELP Turn Up The Sun Head Records

Dom Mariani doesn’t look like a surfer, at least not superficially. There is no sun-drenched hair, no sunbronzed skin, no rugged bravado to be seen or heard. But if Dom Mariani doesn’t know his surf music, then everyone else should stop trying.

Turn Up the Sun is the Stems/DM3/ Domnicks lynchpin’s latest recording with his sometime instrumental recording outfit, The Majestic Kelp (co-conspirator Stu Loasby and numerous guest this time ‘round). It’s a journey through the wonder and beauty of the surf-rock world: Goin’ Back To Surf City is the stomping surf track, a nod to Dick Dale and all the good he brought to rock’n’roll; Turn Up The Sun is tranquil to the point of distraction. Silver Sea lies in the shallows of the crashing waves, and revels in the moment; Where In The World (A Song For The Summer) reminds us that summer is, arguably, the only season that matters.

Smoke Signals takes a stroll down to the Californian beach and finds the remnants of Stevie Wonder’s soul revolution, The Ghost Of Boobalooba Beach is dark, dangerous and mysterious and Gin And Tonic takes Link Wray and locates him squarely in a laconic spaghetti western setting. Meninas Do Sol takes a journey to fertile Iberian surf-western pastures and kicks back without a care in the world, and Bollywood And Western is the ideal marriage of eastern pop and western surf-rock.

Dom Mariani doesn’t have anything left to prove – but if he does, Turn Up The Sun confirms him as Australia’s king of surf music. _ PATRICK EMERY

SAMMY HAGAR Sammy Hagar & Friends Frontiers Records

Sammy Hagar’s 25th album kicks off with the dirty slide guitar of Windin’ Down - it’s the type of song The Red Rocker (with help here from Taj Mahal) does effortlessly and encapsulates much about the man and this album - it’s laid back, rough around the edges, carries a little bit of a message, but never lets that get in the way of the fun, which may be why his catalogue is so full of high quality records without boasting a bona fide classic. …& Friends continues that tradition - there’s an unlikely cover version of Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus, which works surprisingly well and features Neal Schon, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith; Knockdown Dragout turns the guitars up to 11 with help from Kid Rock and Joe Satriani; and Bad On Fords & Chevrolets continues the fun, Robbie Dunn stepping in to share the mic.

It doesn’t get any more laid back than Jimmy Buffet’s ‘77 classic Margaritaville, and Hagar’s version with Toby Keith is jamming-on-the-beach gold.

All We Need Is An Island takes the beachcomber vibe to the max with Heart’s Nancy Wilson, and the record closes with a searing live-in-the-studio first take of Going Down, again featuring Schon, Anthony & Smith.

Hagar has talked about wanting to get Van Halen or Metallica on board for a tune, either of which may have elevated Sammy Hagar & Friends a bit closer to a classic, but his outwardly devil-may-care presence is still irresistible enough to make this, like most of his records, pure enjoyment from start to finish. _ SHANE PINNEGAR 16

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STORM

BOY LIFE’S A BEACH

Storm Boy will be presented at the Heath Ledger Theatre from Saturday, September 21, until Saturday, October 5, (tickets are available now through Ticketek.com.au). BOB GORDON reports.

Colin Thiele’s iconic Australian story, Storm Boy, has touched the hearts of many Australians since it was first published 50 years ago.

The book has been required reading (syllabus or not) in that time and the 1976 film version remains a favourite of many.

Actor, Peter O’Brien, who plays Handsome Tom in the new Barking Gecko Theatre Company production, has another heartfelt connection. He grew up in Coorong, South Australia, where the story is set.

“I know the area very well,” he says. “It’s one of those places that’s isolated and also unique. These places are universal. There’s all these places around the world, where people go for various reasons: sometimes to get away, sometimes they go there to heal, sometimes they just go there for recreation.

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GROWING UP SIMON

Neil Simon’s funny and insightful - not to mention Pulitzer Prize-winning - coming of age stage play, Lost In Yonkers, runs at Wanneroo’s Limelight Theatre from September 26 - October 12. Directed by Alida Chainey, the semi-autobiographical piece charts the fortunes of a dysfunctional German-Jewish family in New York during World War II. For tickets and session times, go to limelighttheatre.com.

Lost In Yonkers

GET MONSTERED!

CONTINUED FROM COVER “It’s a great place; a wonderful place. It’s where the river Murray - Australia’s biggest river - meets Lake Alexandrina and it flows into the sea. So it’s this melting place. There’s a mixture of flora and fauna there that doesn’t exist elsewhere but where the ocean meets the river. It’s really interesting. Because I grew up there I related immediately in the story to that sense of isolation and remoteness, yet feeling like it was a big playground.”

For Storm Boy (the role alternates between newcomers Joshua Challenor and Rory Potter) it is indeed a playground that he explores to his heart’s content. While his father Tom is distant, he becomes friends with Fingerbone Bill (Trevor Jamieson) and a group of orphaned pelicans, notably Mr Percival.

Directed by John Sheedy the Barking Gecko/Sydney Theatre Company co-production has required astute staging and ingenious puppetry by Peter Wilson.

“It’s a great piece for the stage, but obviously they are some issues and you can see why no one’s done it, live birds and a remote beach setting.

You’ve got to work through some things. In many ways things like (Handspring Company’s puppetry tour de force) Warhorse has really changed the whole world’s perception not so much about puppetry, but how far you can go with it.

“We workshopped through it last year and

Home grown specialty horror film distributors Monster Pictures are giving you the chance to put your sickest, most twisted vision up there on the big screen!

In partnership with Open Channel, JMC Academy, Mnemonic Audio, Canadian film sales company Raven Banner and Pozible, they’re asking for entrants to submit a concept for a micro-budget feature film centred around the notion of cannibalism. The best Storm Boy applicants will get to pitch their ideas at Monster Fest the important point was made early that Percival and Melbourne, with the winner receiving the chance to the pelicans are the main characters in the show. The actually make their gory story! Entries close on Friday, moment that point was made everyone knew we October 11. For more, head to monsterpictures.com.au. were on the same page. You interact with them, you act off them and they act off you and they all have personalities. The moment that was said we knew that the show was do-able.”

O’Brien says he first encountered Storm Boy via the book, and only recently saw the film.

Interestingly writer Colin Thiele’s only stipulation to the producers at the time of filming was that the story not be turned into a sex comedy “I hadn’t read that!” O’Brien laughs. “The mind boggles as to where you would go to take that story into a sex romp.”

What Storm Boy is, though, is a comingof-age story that transcends time and attitudes and moves audiences of all ages.

“One thing about the story is that it covers Hannibal such a broad spectrum of age groups,” O’Brien notes.

“It really affects so many people, from little kids to adults, because you access the story through the eyes of a child, but you’re very quickly drawn into the sensibilities and emotions that affect people growing A sadly short encore season of The Upstart Theatre up into adults.

Company’s production of The Last Days Of Judas “So you have this playful notion as you Iscariot runs until September 28 at the PSAS get into it then the undercurrent changes and you Pakenham Street Art Space in Fremantle. This will be find yourself being moved as an adult. We’ve had your last chance to catch this acclaimed play by The kids from Year 2 to adults in their 80s who’ve been Motherfucker In The Hat author Stephen Aldy Guirgis, physically moved by it. It truly is an emotional story.” so secure your tickets at trybooking.com now.

SWEET JUDAS

BLUE JASMINE

Woman On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown Directed by Woody Allen Starring Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin, Bobby Cannavale, Andrew Dice Clay, Peter Sarsgaard, Louis C.K. It’s hardly original to say that this is veteran filmmaker Woody Allen’s riff on Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. It’s accurate though, as there can be no doubt that this examination of fallen New York socialite Jasmine Francis (Cate Blanchett) as she heads further down the spiral covers a lot of the same thematic ground.

We first meet Jasmine - who traded in her actual name, Jeanette, for something she felt was more elegant - as she arrives in San Francisco to stay with her adopted sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins).

Jasmine, self-absorbed and barely bothering to conceal her disdain for Ginger’s working class world, which includes both Ginger’s ex-husband, Augie (Andrew Dice Clay) and current paramour, Chili (Bobby Cannavale). She talks about making a new start, but what catastrophic sequence of events has led her here in the first place?

Blanchett is the linchpin here, and she delivers an incredible performance, one precisely calibrated to make Jasmine simultaneously abhorrent and sympathetic. Jasmine is a scathing, brittle creature of privilege, utterly bereft of self-awareness, convinced she is meant for a more rarefied existence 20

_ TRAVIS JOHNSON

Out In Perth and Connections present the Perth premiere of Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar’s I’m So Excited! This Thursday, September 19, at Cinema Paradiso. The dress code is ‘Sky High’ for this gala event, which will include a pre-screening function with complimentary refreshments and a show by Connections performers. The party continues after at Connies. For tickets, shoot over to lunapalace.com.au

THE HOUSE ON THE BORDERLANDS

The Perth Centre Of Photography presents two new solo exhibitions: Aaron Bradbrook’s Borderland and Katie Breckon’s Set This House In Order. 212 Undercover Award recipient Bradbrook’s first solo show purports to be a dark and disturbing investigation into the confines of an imaginary home, while New Zealand-born Breckon’s work deals with themes of memory and human memory through belongings. Both exhibitions open on September 26 and run until October 27. For more information, go to pcp.org.au.

SOUND AND VISION

The AGWA Nights program continues, giving artobsessed punters even more motivation to go and check out the absolutely stunning Van Gogh, Dali And Beyond: The World Reimagined exhibition at the Art Gallery Of Western Australia. This Friday, September 20, sees the renowned Johannes Luebbers Septet provide exhiliarating audio entertainemnt at the gallery, while the following week, on September 27, the enegetic antics of The Amani Consort will fill the hallowed halls with noise and joy. For more info, head to momaseries.com.au.

I’m So Excited

Blue Jasmine but utterly mystified as to how to achieve that goal now that her ex-husband, Hal (Alec Baldwin) is out of the picture.

Allen teases out the mystery of Jasmine’s plummet from Manhattan socialite to downtrodden dental receptionist carefully, gradually revealing... well, that would be telling. Suffice to say that Jasmine’s entrenched sense of injustice is at odds with her actual complicity in her own fate, leading to an climax that, while perhaps not as narratively satisfying as it could have been, packs an incredible emotional punch.

The rest of the ensemble cast is great, which is pretty much to be expected from an Allen project. Cannavale is a standout as the dim but sensitive Chili, while Hawkins invests Ginger with the kind of sweetness and vulnerability that made her performance in Happy-Go-Lucky a few years back such a standout. Even the smaller roles are filled by huge talents; Louis C.K. isn’t really given much to do, but he does it well, and Andrew Dice Clay - yes, Ford Fairlane himself - is actually quite brilliant.

Still, they’re just the setting for the jewel that is Blanchett’s turn, a performance that keeps the film anchored no matter how often it meanders across the comedy/drama median strip - and rest assured there’s plenty of both here.

Blue Jasmine is easily one of the best of Allen’s recent works, the at times searing dissection of class and privilege demonstrating that he’s still capable of taking to the pompous and oblivious with a keen blade. Yet it is also warmly, sometimes achingly, human.

GET EXCITED!

I’M SO EXCITED Flying High

Directed by Pedro Almodovar Starring Javier Camara, Raul Arevalo, Carlos Areces, Antonio De La Torre, Hugo Silva, Lola Duenas, Cecilia Roth After the sombre but brilliant Broken Embraces and The Skin I Live In, Spanish auteur, Pedro Almodovar, must have felt the need to loosen up a little. The result is this gossamer-light and bubblegum bright sex comedy, set almost entirely in the confines of a passenger plane.

After a bickering ground crew (including Almodovar regulars Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz in blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em cameos) skimp on a pre-flight safety check, the landing gear on a commercial flight from Spain to Mexico is damaged and the plane is left circling aimlessly, waiting for a runway to free up so that an emergency landing can be attempted. All the passengers bar those in Business Class are drugged unconscious - for reasons that remain murky, it must be said - and so a trio of delightfully camp flight attendants (Javier Camara, Raul Arevalo and Carlos Areces) are left with only a handful of eccentric characters to keep calm through the emergency. Their tactics? Tequila, drugs and showtunes, for the most part.

Plotwise, it’s as loose and woolly as you could imagine, with the premise serving as an excuse for Almodovar to put a collection of typically Almodovarian characters in a confined

space and let them bounce off each other to largely entertaining effect. Our three sexy stews aside, there are the two bisexual pilots, Benito and Alex (Hugo Silva and Antonio de la Torre); the ageing actor, Ricardo (Guillermo Toledo), who needs to get in touch with his mentally ill girlfriend on the ground (Paz Vega, another micro-cameo); a dodgy banker (Jose Luis Torrijo) skipping town ahead of a financial scandal; Norma (Almodovar muse Cecilia Roth), a high-priced dominatrix convinced that the plane’s mechanical problems are evidence of a hit on her at the behest of one of her powerful clients and more.

It’s all entertaining enough, if only on the most superficial levels. At a stretch, you could maybe pull out some subtext about class and wealth, but the film is having too much fun being fabulous to be bothered with all that. A couple of serio-comic moments aside, this is essentially a steadily escalating succession of risqué jokes and innuendos, peaking with the flight attendants’ show-stopping - and we mean that quite literally; the movie screeches to a halt - performance of the eponymous disco hit made famous by The Pointer Sisters.

If you’re on board with that, you’ll have a good time of it. This is a bouncy, upbeat trifle of a film, vibrant and uncomplicated, which is the sort of thing any cinematic diet needs an occasional dose of. Those who were expecting more of the murky moral mediations of The Skin I Live In will doubtlessly be disappointed, but even they must admit it’s fun seeing Pedro have a laugh once again. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON #youshouldreadxpress

Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters

PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS A Half-Blood Prince

Directed by Thor Freudenthal Starring Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Anthony Head, Stanley Tucci, Nathan Fillion Any foray into the Young Adult fantasy genre is going to fall under the long shadow thrown by a certain bespectacled boy wizard. This was certainly true of Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief, as it told the tale of a boy drawn into a world of magic to fulfil his destiny, the difference being he is the offspring of a Greek God rather than a mage. Sea of Monsters continues his saga, but still struggles to break free of comparisons.

This second adaptation of the popular series by Rick Riordan begins with Percy feeling like a ‘one quest wonder’. As the safety of Camp HalfBlood is threatened he embarks on a quest with his companions to retrieve the legendary Golden Fleece from its resting place in the Sea Of Monsters.

Percy is serviceably played by Logan Lerman, but the character seems flawed by a lack of agency, rarely actually achieving much throughout the adventure that bears his name. The other returning cast also fare poorly, with both Alexandra Daddario and Brandon T. Jackson getting little to work with in terms of character development. Fortunately, the two newcomers to the franchise, Douglas Smith as Percy’s Cyclopean half brother and Leven Rambin

as the daughter of Ares and Percy’s more successful rival, make the most of the screentime they are given and provide more engaging performances than the leads.

The older cast members fare better.

Anthony Head, replacing Pierce Brosnan, treads familiar ground in the mentor role, albeit on four hooves, as the centaur Chiron. Stanley Tucci’s per formance almost steals the show as the wonderfully slap-dash Mr D, a wine obsessed deity cruelly cursed by Zeus. However, he is given a run for his drachmas by geek god, Nathan Fillion, who gives a remarkably confident and charismatic performance as Hermes.

Although somewhat engaging as a romp, this film’s flaws ultimately prove to be its Achilles’ heel.

Percy’s aforementioned lack of agency is central to many of the issues. True, this touches on the theme of his self doubt, and it may play better in the overall hero’s journey of the saga. However in a standalone piece he rarely seems to achieve anything without either being forced into it or being saved by another.

As such, Percy seems a puppet of fate no matter how much he proclaims mastery of his own destiny, and just meanders from one set piece to the next. Sure he victoriously overcomes adversity, but the threat never seems more convincing than an end of level boss in a computer game.

More an occasionally entertaining tall tale than a heroic epic, Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters never quiet breaks free of the walls of Hogwarts to become its own beast. _ DAVID O’CONNELL

Planes

PLANES

Learning To Fly Directed by Klay Hall Starring Dane Cook, Stacey Keach, Carlos Alazraqui Pixar has been the gold standard of animation since 1995’s excellent Toy Story, so taking on any of its intellectual property - even the runt of the litter, Cars - is a big ask. Stepping up to the mark and inviting such comparison, is Disney Toon Studios in their first theatrical release, Planes.

Drawing from the world of Cars, Planes tells the story of Dusty Crophopper (Dane Cook), a young crop duster dreaming to be something more - a racing plane. It is a typical David and Goliath sporting tale, following the journey of a young, small town, blue collar hero who, through integrity and determination, competes in the big leagues.

Overcoming ridicule from the arrogant champion, Ripslinger (Roger Craig Smith), his own chronic fear of heights, he revitalises his cynical and curmudgeonly coach, Skipper (Stacey Keach), along the way. It is a very familiar flight plan.

Characterisation also suffers from this sense of the familiar. Both the grumpy mentor, Skipper, and the loyal but dim-witted best friend, Chug, feel like re-skins of Doc and Mater, respectively, from the previous Cars movies. Worse still is the presentation of racial diversity in the Wings Around The World competitors that comes dangerously close to racial stereotyping. This is especially evident in www.xpressmag.com.au

Carlos Alazraqui’s El Chupacabra, the Mexican lucha libre/Latin lothario, but it would be just as easy to point to the very British Bulldog, voiced by John Cleese, or Priyanka Chopra’s exotic Ishani.

Yet despite its overly familiar plot and characters, there is a certain something here. Like a racing plane itself, being stripped of weight means Planes is capable of making a clean run to the finishing line, never seeming long, drawn out, or overstaying its welcome. It may lack the emotional resonance or subtle maturity of the better Pixar films, but it is not without its charms.

There is an almost mystical joy to flight that this movie manages to capture. Part of this is through the numerous aeronautical references scattered throughout, such as the two F/A-18s voiced by Val Kilmer and Anthony Edwards (Top Gun), or the use made of the F4U Corsair’s folding wings to help Skipper emote. Partly it is through the visceral detail of its flight animation, and its portrayal of barrel rolls and high-gee turns. This is not saying it will pick up any little golden statues come Oscar night, but the quality of animation is crisp and clear, the character designs are colourful and cheerful, and the various flight sequences convey the physics in such a way as to make the audience feel the gee force from the comfort of their cinema seats.

So, neither soaring into the stratosphere, nor in a flat spin heading out to sea, Planes maintains a comfortable cruising height. It will be coming in for landing in time for the school holidays. _ DAVID O’CONNELL 21

Wade K. Savage (second from left) on the set of Fallout: Lanius

FALLOUT: LANIUS Wade K. Savage

The internet, or at least the geekier corners of it, have been ablaze since the blood-soaked and brutal fan film Fallout: Lanius hit YouTube. We spoke with writer and director, Wade K. Savage, about the phenomenon.

We can’t refer to Wade K. Savage as an emerging filmmaker; he’s emerged. Recently, the Perth-based director achieved both critical and cult acclaim; the former when The Owl, which he made with Peter Gurbiel, won Best Short Film at the 2013 Western Australian Screen Awards; the latter, when his post-apocalyptic action drama, Fallout: Lanius, got the seal of approval from the gaming community.

Set in the world of the smash hit Fallout video game series, Lanius traces the acension of a brutal tribal warrior (Johnny Domino) as he fights his way up the ranks of The Legion, a fascist post-nuclear military power. For Savage, making the film allowed him to combine his two biggest passions.

“I’d say I’m a pretty huge avid gamer,” he tells us. “And I’d say it makes up a lot of my creative DNA. It plays a huge part of everything that I like, everything that I’m into. Gaming is as important to me as filmmaking, really.”

Lanius draws on elements from Fallout: New Vegas, the sixth in the increasingly popular game franchise.“The film is heavily inspired by Honest Hearts, which is a DLC for Fallout: New Vegas and I thought that, considering it dealt with the Legion characters primarily, the Legion guys, whilst kinda funny looking, aren’t really funny guys and as the make-up of their civilisation is primarily slavery based

and how awfully they treat women and children and everybody, I thought it would be kind of stupid to do something comedic about a character that gets absorbed by this society.”

As such, the tone of the piece was something Savage considered carefully. Although the game series can switch from the hilarious to the horrifying at the drop of a hat, he knew a film - particularly a short film - would have a hard time pulling off the same trick. “We went for a heavy, sombre tone, kind of action/drama as opposed to comedy. And the comedy’s played out, too. The Nuka Break guys did it and I wanted to do something a bit more dramatic effect.”

For funding, Savage tuned to existing fans of the Fallout universe. “The film was crowd-funded through Indiegogo and we raised 19 grand. That was primarily through support from Fallout fans and the gaming press. It’s a hell of a lot of work but it’s a good way to go if you want to work hard, because even though the product’s finished, you still need to give people their rewards. People are not giving you money for nothing. They’re expecting you to give them a product at the end. It’s a good process but a lot of work.”

The work paid off, with the film getting rave reviews from gamers film fans alike, and both industries paying attention to Savage and his collaborators. “It’s pretty exciting to have the kind of numbers we have and the kind of response. It put us on the map, it made people talk about Perth, which is kind of cool, and made people talk about Perth filmmakers making something that people really wanted to see and now they’re really excited to see what we do next.” _ TRAVIS JOHNSON

See yourself? Tag yourself! Head to our Facebook

THE TURNING Luna Leederville Monday, September 16, 2013 The first public screening of the frankly quite astounding The Turning sold out completely, but luckily such luminaries as producer Robert Connolly and author Tim Winton managed to squeeze into the packed auditorium to watch what is already being described as one of the most ambitious and inspiring Australian films of all time.

Photos by Stefan Caramia

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Broken Colour: The Blue Room Theatre Nina Pearce’s award-winning examination of the line between sanity and madness runs until October 5. Head to blueroom.org.au for details.

Nosferatu - Symphony Of Horror: Perth Cultural Centre A Halloween screening of F.W. Murnau’s seminal vampire film, with live musical accompaniment by MotET (Music Of The Electronic Times). Film begins at 8pm, entry is free.

Storm Boy: The State Theatre Centre Barking Gecko Theatre Company presents this adaptation of Colin Thiele’s immortal Australian children’s classic, which runs from September 19 - October 5. Barkinggecko.com.au has further information. Tickets available through Ticketek.

Lavazza Italian Film Festival: Cinema Paradiso, Luna On SX Tales From Outer Suburbia: Spare Parts Puppet From October 10 - 23, experience the finest cinema Theatre Italy has to offer. Go to italianfilmfestival.com.au or Inspired by Oscar-winning author Shaun Tan’s lunapalace.com.au for films and session times. brilliant children’s book. It runs from September 28 - October 12. Go to sppt.asn.au for further Proximity Festival: PICA information.

12 intimate performances created for an audience of one. One artist and one audience member alone in a Cavalia: The White Big Top This magnificent equestrian event combines space together. Runs from October 23 - November 2. spectacle and acrobatic skill reminiscent of For details, head to proximityfestival.com Cirque Du Soleil with jaw-dropping displays of horsemanship and derring-do. From December Hola Mexican Film Festival: Cinema Paradiso This celebration of south of the border cinema runs 4 - 29. Head to cavalia.net for more. from November 14 - 24. Go to holamexicoff.com for more.

FESTIVALS

Brilliant Cut Diamond by Darren Smith, from A Thousand Facets A Thousand Facets: Kurb Gallery An exhibition of audio soundscapes and contemporary photography from Leah Blankedaal and Darren Smith that examines the relationship between light and sound. Runs from September 21 - 27.

MUSIC

WAYJO 30 Year Gala: The Astor Theatre An all-star alumni guest lineup, including Troy Roberts, Mat Jodrell, Bec Sanderson and Chris Grieve, perform with the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra on September 20. Bookings through Show Ticketing.

The Beaufort Street Festival: Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley On Saturday, November 16, Beaufort Street is transformed into a Mecca of music, art, culture, shopping and food in a celebration of the inner city spirit. Go to beaufortstreetfestival.com.au for details.

Perspicacious - Winners And Losers by Lisa Axiotis, from The Black Swan Art Prize Exhibition Black Swan Prize Exhibition: Linton & Kay Galleries This year 45 of Western Australia’s finest artists vie for a piece of the $78,000 prize pool.Works are on display from September 20 - 30. Go to blackswanprize.com. au for details.

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

localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au

VISUAL ARTS Secrets of the Afterlife: The Western Australian Museum This collection of over 100 Egyptian artefacts from the British Museum collection - including two mummies!

- explores ancient attitudes to life after death. The exhibition runs until September 22. Go to museum.gov. au for more.

Recent Acquisitions Your Collection: Art Gallery of WA Many of the more recent additions to the gallery’s extensive collection are on display until October 27. Go to artgallery.wa.gov.au for more.

Van Gogh, Dali and Beyond - The World Reimagined: Art Gallery of WA The third exhibition in AGWA’s MoMA Series encompasses works from Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Richard Long, Frida Kahlo and more. The exhibition runs until December 2. Go to artgallery. wa.gov.au for further information.

Little Paintings, Big Stories: Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery Runs until December 14.

Here & Now 13: Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery This annual exhibition of contemporary Western Australian artists includes works from Katrina Barber, Patrick Carter, Clive Collender, Aquinas Crowe, David Guhl, Tim Maley, Julian Poon, Jane Ryan, Robert Turpin, Lisa Uhl and Robin Warren. Runs until September 28. Go to lwgallery.uwa.edu.au for more.

New World Order: Venn Gallery A group exhibition from artists Tom Muller, Yarra Vega and Augustyn Schwarzwald that takes a look at globalisation and the shifting liminal lines between fiction and reality through print, sculpture, installation and video. It runs until October 4, and venn.net has further details.

Eclectica: Emerge Art Space A group exhibition from Angela McHarrie, Pierre Capponi, Lindsay Harris, Gigi Hesterman and Kathryn Haug. Runs until September 18. Go to emerge-art.com. au for more.

Face Up: Wanneroo Library and Cultural Centre An exhibition of large scale portraiture by Adelaideborn artist Daniel Connell. It runs until October 13. Go to wanneroo.wa.gov.au for further information.

Brief Moments Of Sanity: Blend(er) Gallery A joint exhibition by Harry Davies and Renata Wright. It runs until September 28.

Bright Lights, Small City: Buratti Fine Art A showcase of new works from nascent Perth creators curated by Karys McEwen, this exhibition runs from September 19 - October 12, with artist talks scheduled for September 21 and October 5. More info is available at buratti.com.au Lab Partners Showcase: Outré Gallery Original paintings and prints by San Francisco-based husband and wife team, Lab Partners. From November 1 - 30. Go to outregallery.com for more.

THEATRE/DANCE/ PERFORMANCE The Boat Goes Over The Mountain: The Blue Room Theatre If you could take a medicine that would cure you, but ripped your insides out and made you look at all the dark spaces, would you drink it? Runs until September 28. Go to blueroom.org.au for more. www.xpressmag.com.au

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feel that groove was just a kid, kicking around his native Buenos said at the time.“You feel it or you don’t, and that makes Argentina-born Hernan Cattaneo He Aires, when a friend brought back a collection of 12” the difference between tracks. When I first heard the began his love affair with records from Chicago. The sounds took hold in his Chicago house sound, I got locked into that rhythm, and house music in the late ’80s. imagination, and it wasn’t long before the young never looked into anything else.”

By his own estimation, Cattaneo spends spinning records around the city.

ALASDAIR DUNCAN talks to Cattaneo was A lot has changed since then. These days roughly half of every year on the road, playing his the progressive DJ/producer Cattaneo travels the world and despite countless shows signature brand of progressive house everywhere from his belt, he hasn’t grown blasé about house Tokyo to Tel Aviv. That means a lot of time spent driving who continues to draw crowds under music and still loves the groove above all.The first time I to and from hotels and sitting in airport departure of thousands. interviewed him, years ago, he made his feelings on the lounges – but it’s all worth it, he says, for the rush he subject plain. “It’s always been the groove for me,” he still feels at the beginning of every set. “That’s the best

www.xpressmag.com.au

part, no doubt,” he said in that earlier interview.

“I love arriving at the club or festival, feeling the anticipation, thinking what you are going to play and then delivering the music, watching the faces, the reactions.” He doesn’t just show up at venues and start playing – such is his level of dedication that he spends weeks meticulously planning his sets, thinking about exactly which tracks will work in each venue and country. It’s all in the service of the groove.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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Hernan Cattaneo His passions remain the same today. As someone who has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best – Paul Oakenfold was an early mentor, and he has played alongside the likes of Sasha and Digweed – does Cattaneo reckon he has accumulated a great deal of DJ wisdom along the way? “I would say a lot of experience,” he replies simply,“as I’ve been around for long and I’ve travelled the world nonstop... That’s an immense privilege, and I could never be thankful enough for it. In many ways things have changed a lot since I started, but the fact that you are in front of a crowd trying to give them a good time by playing the music you like is the same as back then.”

Indeed, the role of the DJ has changed a lot over the span of Cattaneo’s career. DJs have gone from relatively anonymous record spinners to superstars in their own right – many are now celebrated figures who command huge appearance fees and have loyal followings. Cattaneo is one of them. “I’m not going to complain about popularity as that was never my goal,” he says. “My passion has always been about sharing the music I like with other

people so I have definitely been really lucky. I went from playing for my sisters and their friends at home to massive amounts of people and that was a huge change, but of course [nothing] happened overnight.

It took me a long time from playing in my room to the big stages.”

Last year Cattaneo mixed a compilation in the ongoing Renaissance Masters series. In the digital age, when any music fan can mix and sequence their own compilation, does Cattaneo worry about the changing marketplace for mix albums? “Not really,” he says. “The biggest difference now is the digital world as it makes your album heard by ten times more people than what selling CDs exposed you to.

You must do something that is interesting to your followers and, if possible, that still will sound good in ten years’ time. My first Masters compilation is almost a decade old and still sounds just right, so I feel I did a good job.”

Cattaneo’s most recent Masters mix featured quite a number of his own original tracks.

“The electronic music world is more hands-on than ever before,” Cattaneo explains. “You can still be playing other people’s tracks and that’s fine, but technology really gives you the tools to do a lot more – firstly, remixing and editing, and then producing your own stuff. That of course also gives me a good starting point to make a full-on artist album at some point. That’s not next on the cards for me but hopefully soon.”

Turning to the live setting, Cattaneo casts his mind back to recent shows. Is there one in particular that sticks out as the craziest or most memorable? “I just came from Burning Man… it was absolutely incredible,” he says.“I’ve been there before, a long time ago, but this one was definitely the most interesting event I’ve been at for ages.”

Cattaneo is no stranger to this part of the world, having played Australia many times over the years. It may not quite be up there with Burning Man, but he’s still happy to be coming back. “I love Australia!” he exclaims. “I could live there as it’s a perfectly balanced place... Australian DJs are very good and play quality music so the result is that when you play there you find crowds that are really well educated and open-minded, so you can go play six hours and the club is full from the beginning till the end.”

» HABITAT GARDEN PARTY FEAT. » HERNAN CATTANEO » SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 @ THE COURT

The Bloody Beetroots Ben Sims

TECHNOBERFEST

What do you get when you cross Oktoberfest with bangin’ techno? Well you get Technoberfest of course.

Techno and house fans are not going to want to miss this mini-festival being hosted by Throw The Hammer across two rooms at The Court on Sunday, October 27. As you enjoy the beer and bratwurst in the sunny garden you can also enjoy the tunes being spun by leading UK techno DJ, Ben Sims and the self-proclaimed ‘dancer’s DJ’ - Qu - out of New Jersey. There’s a stellar cast of locals too including Allstate, Ben Mac, Clunk, Craig Hollywood, Dngrfld, Milanov, Mono Lisa and Zel. This party runs from 3pm until 10 with tickets on sale through Oztix.

A$AP FERG

Mr. Grevis only released his first album, The Sampler, around a year ago, creating quite an impact on the scene. Demonstrating the hunger and passion he possesses, My Escape is the furthest thing imaginable from the dreaded sophomore slump. While the first album (as the title suggests) was a bit of an introduction to the man behind the mic, this one is an intricate and thoughtfully constructed release.

With beats provided largely by Dazastah (Downsyde) the influence of the Syllabolix crew, to which Dazastah and Grevis are members, is evident throughout. Somehow though, he’s created his own identity, while confidently acknowledging where these influences come from.

The playful humour interspersed with some personal reflection might remind you of Hunter (R.I.P) while his often melodic vocal delivery is reminiscent of Optamus or even Drapht. Never mind the fact, that basically the entire crew makes an appearance on the tracklist somewhere.

The production in general is custom made for live shows, punctuated with heavy synths and cracking drum patterns, a nice balance of the old and new. Highlights include the sequential tracks Living The Dream and Curse Of The Kennedys - which discuss the concepts of chasing your dreams and reflecting on some bad decisions in the past. The contrast is testament to Grevis’ own description of himself as a ‘reformed bad guy’, although he does find time to explore some bad guy ideas in tracks like Sex With A Demon and Schizo.

As the second rapper to emerge from the Harlem hip hop collective A$AP Mob, A$AP Ferg’s debut album Trap Lord reveals a promising if not fully-formed artist.

Just as breakout star A$AP Rocky’s style is heavily influenced by sounds from well beyond New York’s borders, notably Houston hip hop legends like UGK and DJ Screw, Ferg has his own regional inspirations, with a melodic flow that owes a debt to Cleveland’s Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

The artists differ in notable ways though, with Ferg lacking Rocky’s flash, style and pop sensibilities. At the same time, he has a menacing intensity that Rocky can’t match, making Trap Lord a dark but enjoyable album. Hood Pope is the standout song, as Ferg offsets a threatening, low-end heavy beat and grim street-tale lyrics with a choir-like singsong delivery.

Ferg pays tribute to acts that clearly influenced him during his formative years with guest spots – Bone Thugs turn up on Lord, while Onyx and Cypress Hill’s B-Real appear on the hard-hitting Fuck Out My Face. It’s not a coincidence that these songs are also two of Trap Lord’s strongest, as the guests make the most of the high profile slots to deliver verses that are on-par with their early-to-mid ‘90s heydays.

Trap Lord isn’t quite the arrival announcement that A$AP Rocky’s 2012 debut Long.

Live.A$AP was, although it establishes that Rocky isn’t the only member of the A$AP Mob worth keeping an eye on.

» NICK SWEEPAH

» JOSHUA HAYES

MY ESCAPE OBESE RECORDS

DEEP AND JUICY

Local party-makers, Habitat are bringing German deep house duo, Adana Twins to Perth in just a few weeks time. The boys, who are from Hamburg, have been kicking goals in every dance chart over the past year, topping the polls of both Beatport and Resident Advisor. Last year their smooth groove track, Juicy Fruit got massive support from DJs of all genres. Catch them at Geisha on Saturday, September 28 and keep an eye out for their upcoming EP on the label, Exploited.

BEST LOCAL ELECTRONICA

Both emerging and established dance and electronica artists entered the WAM Song Of The Year competition and the finalists in the electronic category as judged by selected industry folk include: Diger Rokwell’s Innersense, Sid Pattni’s Mr. Alpha, Nourishment by Mathas featuring Abbe May, Kucka’s track, Phantasy and Wandering Strangers by Black & Blunt. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony on Wednesday, October 9 at the Fly By Night, which will include a live performance from Ylem & Dease amongst lots of others. Get yourself a ticket from flybynight.org

BEHIND THE DECKS

TRAP LORD RCA

Manimal

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH MANIMAL Best track to open and end a set with?

Obey City - Down & Up (House Refix) What’s your favourite new track?

Green Velvet - Bigger Than Prince

DJ NDORSE AVIARY ROOFTOP SESSIONS: Every Sunday featuring DJs and live acts.

Ethos: The perfect Sunday Session - sun, turf, a bucket of Corona and city views.

Expect to hear: Laid back disco beats and funk.

Next lineup: NDORSE, Ben Sebastian, Philly Blunt.

Cool stuff: The last Sunday of every month the party steps up with Australia’s biggest names on the decks. There may even be a national live band or two thrown in.

» AVIARY ROOFTOP SESSIONS » @ THE AVIARY, PERTH » SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, FROM 4PM 26

Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo aka The Bloody Beetroots is at it once again. In true superstar form he has collaborated with Paul McCartney on latest single, Out of Sight, which doesn’t disappoint if you’re looking for some classic rock mixed with bass beats. The track is included on his new album, Hide, out this Friday on Hussle Recordings and which follows on from his massive debut, Romborama. Other guests on the record include Tommy Lee, Peter Frampton, Chromeo’s P-Thugg and Sam Sparro. Catch The Bloody Beetroots live at Stereosonic on November 30 and December 1 at Claremont Showgrounds. Tickets on sale from Ticketmaster.

Kucka Adana Twins

SALT NIGHTS OUT

MR. GREVIS

ITALIANS DO IT BETTER

Best track to clean the house to?

Nothing in particular, my sister can listen to whatever she wants while she cleans.

Favourite track to make out to?

20 Fingers - Short Dick Man What’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened to you whilst DJing?

A girl got me to sign her tits... with a ballpoint pen.

Your most exciting moment behind the decks?

Opening for Feadz and Kito back in January, that was a blast.

Raddest DJ trick?

Taking the needle off the wrong record.

» MANIMAL » GET WEIRD 1ST BIRTHDAY » FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 @ SHAPE #youshouldreadxpress

Classixx

CLASSIXX KEEPIN’ IT REAL

Back in the day, two producer/ DJs Michael David and Tyler Blake couldn’t catch a break.They resorted to throwing parties outside a basement in Echo Park, Los Angeles.

Lines extended around the corner.

Blake was evicted. And Classixx was born. HAYLEY DAVIS finds out how David is feeling before their upcoming trip down under.

It might be said that the endurance of Classixx and their musical production comes down to their relationship.

“We’d probably be making this music anyway even if people weren’t interested,” David says. “Our friendship is very much based on our musical sensibilities, so for people to enjoy the music we’re making, is pretty cool.”

Now the duo are a respected dance music act with their own hit tracks, I’ll Get You, Dominoes and Hanging Gardens as well as epic remixes for the likes of Groove Armada, Yacht, Major Lazer and Phoenix.

They are heading to Aus for the inaugural Listen Out parties across the country, which kicks off later this month.“I find Australian audiences go crazy and are very expressive,” David states.

The boys are excited to be a part of Listen Out, which organisers say is designed to fill a gap in the festival market for an intelligent, Australian dance music event. “We’re just really happy and feel

lucky to be a part of it,” David shares,“We’re definitely privileged.”

It will also be the Australian debut of their long awaited first album, Hanging Gardens.

“It’s been pretty positive,” David says of the reaction to the album.“We didn’t have very many expectations, so positive responses have been very flattering for us. I think that people who liked our previous work have been responding to us – that’s not been very surprising. But we’ve also picked up some new fans that are more prone to listening to albums.”

They’re stripping back their live performances, focusing on the fundamentals. “For the most part it’s just Tyler and I on stage,” he explains.

“We’re trying to pull back some of the peripheral elements, keep it sort of raw; we’re playing keyboard, guitars and sequencing. The main takeaway is that we’re trying to make the live experience an authentic one.”

David and Blake met in middle school, with David heavily into Guns N’ Roses and New Age guitars while Blake was deep into west coast funk.

They went their separate ways for awhile, Blake to the Berklee College Of Music and David on the road as a keyboardist with a band. They always stayed in touch, sharing music online, before coming together again in Los Angeles and unleashing their unique, synthdisco sounds on their own tracks and those of others.

In terms of touring together, knowing each other since they were kids means few lines have been left uncrossed. “We know each other very well, probably about as well as two friends can; it’s almost like touring with family,’ David says. “We kind of can be completely ourselves, sometimes selfish and sometimes concerned for the other person.”

» CLASSIXX » SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 @ LISTEN OUT, » OZONE RESERVE

MANTRA

BREAKING TRADITION Melbourne hip hop lyricist Mantra facilitated an on-stage marriage proposal when he was last in Perth.

Whilst his third studio album Telling Scenes is no mushy affair, it certainly is of a quality that will be long lasting. JO CAMPBELL has more.

Mantra aka Rob Tremlett is chilling on a deck overlooking Byron Bay when we catch up on the phone. He’s just finishing off a 20-date national tour with his mates in hip hop arms, Seth Sentry and Grey Ghost. He’s relaxed and enthusiastic as we discuss the second single from the new LP, the darker follow up to first single Loudmouth, entitled Break Tradition.

It’s a narrative-based track dealing with the cycle of violence inspired by Tremlett’s work as a music/youth mentor. The heavy nature of the lyrics is off-set by some soulful vocals provided by Cisco Tavares, who also collaborated with Tremlett on his first LP and was a member in their band, Illzilla.

“I didn’t want it to be ‘the world is fucked, the world is doomed’,” says Tremlett of Break Tradition.

“I wanted it to be kind of hopeful because as much as that pattern of repetitious behaviour is often instilled and perpetuated, I have seen it be broken.

“The pattern of violence that’s kind of engrained and social acceptance of violent behaviour is something that I’ve always been disturbed by, but also been very aware of for a long time,” he explains.

“The young people that I work with are often in really messed up situations and I see that on a weekly basis, that kind of behaviour that gets passed down from generation to generation, that comes from the parents or the family and gets instilled in the young person who perpetuates the same bullshit and lives out the exact same things that made them so hardened, aggressive and angry.”

In terms of the LP at large, Tremlett says it hadn’t been a conscious decision to collab on the beats with multiple producers. “That was borne out of necessity, just because there were a bunch of producers I was working with and I liked their sound, plus I was never in a situation where I could lock down one producer and say, ‘right let’s make an album’.”

Telling Scenes is more tightly packaged than his previous LP’s, less adlib with Tremlett taking the director’s role more seriously such as on vocal www.xpressmag.com.au

Mantra collaborations, which includes his work with Kylie Auldist on Baby Girl.

“The vocal thing was cool this time because it was a bit more deliberate. I had written a lot of the songs, in the case of Break Tradition and a few others, where I pretty much knew what I wanted the guest vocalist to do and then could just go holler at vocalists that I liked listening to, and who I thought suited the song.

“I’m always open to people coming with their ideas but I think on this album, I was more aware of what I wanted.”

» MANTRA » TELLING SCENES OUT NOW THROUGH TEN TO » TWO RECORDS » THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 @ FLYRITE » FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 @ MOJOS 27

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

AMPLIFIER/CAPITOL

WEDNESDAY 18/09 Amplifier/ Capitol - Harlem Nights 2 The Bird – TW!ST ft. John Safari The Brass Monkey – Victor The Brown Fox – Wednesday Night Salsa @ The Latin Lounge Captain Stirling – Lokie Shaw Club Red Sea – Cheek Gold Bar - Famous Wednesdays ft.

DJ Brett Costello The Grand Central – ANG3L Groove Bar (Crown) – DJ Crazy Craig Leederville Hotel (upstairs) Kreem Leederville Hotel (downstairs) Arena Party The Llama Bar – Akuna Club Mustang Bar - DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel – Newport Wednesdays Sweet Student Party Players Bar - Why Wait Wednesday? ft. DJ Ambadextrus Sovereign Arms – Fiveo

THE MUSTANG

The Varsity Bar – LEGOLAND ft.Wastv UWA & Varsity The Village Bar - Village People Wednesdays Voodoo Lounge - Tattoo Artists Ball 2013

THURSDAY 19/09

FRIDAY 20/09

The Avenue – Jon Ee The Beat (downstairs) - Fantasy Thursdays The Bird - Leure/ Leon Osborn/ Mei Saraswati The Causeway - Xport Thursdays Club Bayview - Dj-Vi Son The Craftsman – Fiveo Eve Nightclub - Retro Thursdays ft. DJ Crazy Craig Flyrite – Mantra & Grey Ghost The Grand Central - DJ Roger Smart Kalamunda - Grizzly Leisure Inn - DJ Molotov

Illy

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Malt - The Collective ft. Eyan/ Parakord/ Colour/ Makitan/ Grub Movers Mustang Bar - DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel - Tiki Bar Open Mic Night

Air Nightclub - VIP Platinum Fridays Ambar - Nick Thayer / Bezwun/ Micah/ DNGRFLD Amplifier - Fridays Are Back The Avenue - DJ Lokie Shaw The Aviary - Paradise Paul/ NDROSE/ Tomas Ford The Bakery – JAM CITY Bar Orient - The Reggae Club The Beat (downstairs) – PLAY The Bird – Bastian’s Happy Flight C5 – Residence ft. Bass Attic Capitol - Capitol Fridays Capitol (upstairs) - I Love 80’s & 90’s The Carine - Az-T The Causeway – Acoustic Sundowner The Como - Funadelic Fridays ft.

Philly Blunt/ Jay Lee Lloyd The Court – Traffic Light Party: Pink Sofa The Craftsman – Michael Brittliff The Deen - Student Night Eve Nighclub - DJ Don Migi Flawless - Monarch Fridays Flyrite- The Preatures/ Chela/ Gunns Ginger Nightclub - Mondos “Feel Good” Dance Party Gold Bar – Fresh Fridays The Good Shepherd – Throwback ft. Nicky Santoro The Grand Central – Jay Mackay Groove Bar (Crown) - DJ Crazy Craig The Hyde Park - DJ Hages Lakers Tavern – Grizzly/ Merqury Library - Dorcia Metro City - Handpicked 002 ft.

Friction, Calyx & Teebee Mojos Bar – Mantra & Grey Ghost Mustang Bar - Swing DJ/ Cheeky Monkeys/ DJ James MacArthur My Place - Karaoke

BIG APE

SHAPE

Newport - Karaoke Classic with Steve Parkin with DJ Tahli Jade/ Angry Buda/ Sardi/ Mr Phat Parker – Timmy Trumpet The Queens - Reuben Rocket Room - Howlers ft DJ Frank N Bean Shape Bar – Get Weird 1st Birthday Sovereign Arms - ANG3L Tiger Lil’s - Paul Malone/ Adam Kelly/ Alex Koresis Velvet Lounge - The Boudica Sessions The Vic - Friday Funktion ft Armee YaYa’s - ACE ft DJ Pup

SATURDAY 21/09 Ambar - Japan 4 ft. Tonic/ Dead Easy/ Tee El/ Philly Blunt/ Marko Paulo Amplifier - Pure Pop The Avenue - Jon Ee The Aviary – NDORSE/ Paradise Paul/ Micah The Balmoral - Back To The 80’s Bar 120 – Little Nicky/ Jordan Scott Beat Nightclub (Upstairs) CANVAS Beat Nightclub (Downstairs) Runaways The Bird – Afreakah 2 ft.Charlie Bucket/ Raaghe/ Jack Doepel Brass Monkey – DJ Peta & Jewel The Brighton – Grizzly C5 Metro Freo - I Love 80s & 90s Capitol - Death Disco ft. Death Disco DJs Capitol (Upstairs) - Cream of the 80’s The Causeway - House party Club Red Sea – Fresh Saturdays The Como – Jay Lee East End Bar – Home Flyrite - FΔMILY Flawless – Cube The Good Shepherd - Chocolate Jesus The Grand Central – DJ Armee Groove Bar (Crown) - DJ Dan Leederville Hotel (downstairs) – Under The Arena Party The Library - DJ Victor / DJ Riki Lost Society - Chalk (indie/ hip-hop) Metro City – EDM Saturdays Metro Freo – Metropolis Saturdays

Omarion Newport – Karaoke Classic with Steve Parkin Parker - Parker Saturdays ft.

Mind Electric Paramount Nightclub – Felix with DJ John Jordan Players Bar - LUXES First Birthday ft. Angry Budda The Queens - Kenny L Rosemount Hotel – RA The Rugged Man Tiger Lil’s - DJ Bojan/ Benjamin Sebastian/ Alex Koresis The Wembley – Lokie Shaw YaYa’s – Arcadia All Nighter

SUNDAY 22/09 The Aviary (Rooftop) - Aviary Rooftop Sessions ft. NDORSE/ Ben Sebastian/ Philly Blunt 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 The Queens – Kenny L Rosemount Hotel – The Get Down The Saint - DJ Jon EE/ Mikeee

MONDAY 23/09 Mustang Bar - Triple Shots The Rosemount Hotel - Bada Bingo!

TUESDAY 24/09 Mustang Bar - Danza Loca Salsa Night

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THE BAKERY

GHOSTPOET

METRO FREO

MALT

THE COLLECTIVE

IN THE THIS WEEK Handpicked 002 ft Friction, Calyx and Teebee Friday, September 20 @ Metro City Parker Saturdays ft Paul Scott Saturday, September 21 @ Parker Nick Thayer Friday, September 20 @ Ambar

RA The Rugged Man Friday, September 21 @ Rosemount Hotel

Laurel Halo & Objekt Friday, September 27 @ The Bakery

Crookers Saturday, October 5 @ Villa

Rufus Cake ft. Fake Forward & Thursday, October 10 @ Katie Valentine Mojos Bar Friday, September 27 @ Friday, October 11 @ Villa Fabolous, Omarian & Villa Chingy Oktoberfest In The Thursday, September 26 @ Illy: On & On Tour Gardens Challenge Stadium Saturday, September 28 Saturday, October 12 @ Supreme Court Gardens @ Villa Ministry Of Sound: Clubber Guide To Spring Booka Shade + Adana Twins Friday, September 27 @ Saturday, September 28 Digitalism Villa Friday, October 25 @ Villa @ Geisha

COMING UP

King and Queen of the Porter Robinson Decks ft. DJs Ruby Rose/ Saturday, October 26 & 27 @ Villa Nino Brown Saturday, September 29 @ Technoberfest ft. Ben The Court Hotel Sims/DJ Qu Sunday, October 27 @ The The Aviary Rooftop Court Sessions ft. Ngaiire/ Morgan Bain/ Lucy Chet Faker Peach Sunday, September 29 @ Thursday, October 31 @ ARTBAR The Aviary Stereosonic Listen Out Saturday, November 30 Sunday, September 29 @ and Sunday, December 1 @ Ozone Reserve Claremont Showgrounds Sander van Doorn, Salt On The Beach ft. De Feenixpawl & M4SONIC La Soul Thursday, October 3 @ Tuesday, December 31 @ Metro City North Fremantle

Chet Friction Faker

HANDPICKED 002

FT FRICTION, CALYX AND TEEBEE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 @ METRO CITY

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Rogerseventytwo Origin ft. Wiz Khalifa/ Friday, October 4 @ Parker A$AP Rocky Tuesday, December 31 @ Rap City 2013 ft. Talib Ozone Reserve Kweli/ Homeboy Sandman Cuban Club ft. De La Soul/ Saturday, October 4 @ DJ Yoda Villa Wednesday, January 1 @ The Flying Squadron Yacht Horrorshow Club Thursday, October 3 Prince Of Wales Bunbury Future Music ft.

Friday, October 4 Deadmau5/ Macklemore Amplifier & Ryan Lewis/ Phoenix/ Saturday, October 5 Mojos Hardwell Bar Sunday, March 2 @ Arena Joondalup

Ghostpoet. Photo by Daniel Craig

GHOSTPOET BEAT POETRY

Oscar Key Sung/GHOSTPOET @ The Bakery Thursday, September 12, 2013 When UK rapper and producer Ghostpoet played The Bakery a couple years ago after the release of his Mercury Award nominated debut album, it was a memorable set from an emerging talent with a natural stage presence. Fast forward a couple of years and Ghostpoet has plenty of international touring under his belt and now fronts a tight, polished live band.

Touring on the back of his recent LP, which follows on closely from the first, albeit with (dare we say it) a more upbeat, positive vibe; the dark suburban beat poet seems to be having some fun.

Ghostpoet brought along a special guest, Melbourne’s Oscar Key Sung, who played an intriguing opening set - a mishmash of styles, garage, house and R&B with live vocals. The man possesses a great voice and his concoction of backing beats at times align gloriously, but at others, the wheels seem to fall off with the syncopated beats clashing.

Taking the stage around 10 backed by a live drummer, keyboardist and bass/keys player, Obaro Ejimiwe aka Ghostpoet took his position front of stage behind his vocal mixing station. Starting off with the easy skankin’ jam, Gaaasp, off his debut Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam; it immediately

lifted the atmosphere in the room with the intensity of the performance.

Meltdown was a highlight with the gorgeous female vocal part delivered by Ghostpoet’s current keyboard player, the stunning Clare Uchima.

Dial Tones also featured a nice vocal part originally performed by Lucy Rose that was given a faithful rendition by Uchima.

Another one of his earlier classics Survive It has really evolved and sounded great with the band.

Though probably still his finest moment, the brilliant Cash And Carry Me Home received a rousing reaction with its thumping two step beat, shuffling along underneath his musings of excess, existentialism and alcoholism.

‘Who’s here to party?!’ he shouted. ‘I didn’t come all the way here to watch people stand around.

I can do that at the bus stop back home!’ There were indeed a few people who had come out to party on this school night, one young lady in particular appeared to be having the best (or drunkest) night of her life. Screaming like a school girl at every song and comment Ghostpoet made, to the point where he laughed ‘I feel like I’m a One Direction-er’.

The lazy keyboards on Comatose built to a bleepy digital cacophony, a rising crescendo for a finale, as the band left the stage to rapturous applause. They returned fairly soon for a couple more, finishing on the beautiful, inspiring strains of Us Against Whatever. An impressive performance from a unique and fully formed artist who has come into his own.

» ALFRED GORMAN

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soon flooded by harmonious reverb and a relaxed atmosphere.

Starting fashionably late, opening act Silver Hills set the mood of the night with soft tones and a dreamy chain of effects bringing the house to attention. A fantastic range of tempos was touched, beginning with a slow, deliberate and notably retro sound, the kind that makes you want to grab your best girl and hit the soda fountain. As the set progressed we were treated to what the band described as their ‘crunk party music’ which, while probably not a suitable term, did signal continued exploration into gentle and comforting compositions.

Honourable mention goes to their 2012 track Sunset On The West Coast, the vocals of which were heavy with emotional content and shiver inducing harmony.

A solid offering from Silver Hills which at its best inspired a Tears For Fears type euphoria.

The boys from Runner hit the ground like their name sake with a driving four to the floor beat paired with evolving, pristine licks. Present was the genre-indicative wall of reverb and twinkling melodies but the addition of a few heavy drum breaks added a much welcome danceability. This is an element which can easily be lost in the haze of thoughtfulness or dense moodiness which this style of music generally evokes, but Runner are clearly not a band afraid of exploring the spectrum.

The Morning Night came equipped with vast musical experience, studio time with Brian Jonestown Massacre guitarist Ricky Maymi and a well honed pop sensibility. At this point the house was solidly packed with a variety of beverage sodden transients and diehard local music fans. The Morning Night posses a clean and friendly sound, and any expressions of darkness were a part of a well executed transition between emotions. While lead The Morning Mo singer Adrian Hoffmann took the time to express how beautiful the crowd looked, the band themselves were certainly pleasant to the eye as well as the ear which is always important. Vocalist and keyboardist Isaura Campbell was something of a show stealer, her powerful yet husky voice penetrating through the mix to provide a unique texture to this band’s sound.

Proficient in their own right, The Morning PICA Bar Night put on a solid show, perhaps let down only by Friday, September 13, 2013 the fact that all three acts produced a rather similar The PICA bar was a comfortable escape from the sound which became a little dull by the time the grizzly streets as the denizens of Perth were treated final note rang out. Having said this, free music of to some of the finest indie rock talent the state has such a high quality is somewhat rare in Perth, and to offer, headlined by the crisp and professional The the combined passion of the musicians created Morning Night who were celebrating the release of a magnetic hearth with a mellow and refreshing their new single Valentine off their yet to be released atmosphere. album amberola. Office workers and musical entities a like were crammed into the cosy space which was _ JAMES HANLON

THE MORNING NIGHT SINGLE LAUNCH

Runner/Silver Hills

PARKWAY DRIVE Thy Art Is Murder/Make Them Suffer Amplifier Capitol Sunday, September 15, 2013 The line into Capitol stretched all the way around to the doors of the Amplifier Bar in anticipation of the hardcore powerhouse that is the Australianbased band Parkway Drive. Celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the band’s inception, fans that were acquired at every step of the journey turned out to cut loose to the opus of heaviness.

First up to vibrate the foundations were Perth locals Make Them Suffer. Signed to megalithic label Roadrunner Records, Make Them Suffer exploded onto the stage with violent, mechanical tightness offset by orchestral samples and emotional keys. Self described as symphonic death metal, their rise to success and international recognition comes as no surprise considering their professionalism and obvious dedication to providing a powerful live experience. It was also uplifting to see such an early turnout in support of these steadily rising local stars.

Thy Art Is Murder stepped up with a notably different approach. At any given moment, the full spectrum of sound was penetrated from all angles by the unrelenting musicians. Driven by a majestic madness, embodied by the machine-like blasts of a hugely talented drummer, the only thing to punctuate the thick mix of brutal vocals and low

Parkway Drive - Photo by Rachael Barrett

rhythm section was a precise and powerful lead guitar. With a genre title like a dangerous sport, these exponents of ‘extreme metal’ also made use of one of the best call and response routines in the business, ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie!’ with the correct reply being a solid, repeated utterance of the hard C word.

The house now wall to wall with wild eyed hardcore-heads, Parkway Drive entered the stage to roaring applause and roaring fans. Theirs is a heaviness forged in the heat of countless gigs and tempered by outrageous ability and passion.

Between a wagging demon tongue and a voice like Zeus, lead singer Winston McCall’s face was cut by a charismatic smile. This seemed to be the result of a huge amount of love between this group and the surging fans before them. Parkway Drive displayed a lot of versatility within their set, the constant barrage of double kicks occasionally giving way to heavy drum breaks and syncopated snares.

Tickets sold out to this event in almost no time at all and it’s no surprise considering the legendary compositions and the obviously legitimate pleasure that Parkway gain from their profession. This is real metal, pure and unrestrained; an expression of raw masculinity and power. Even the punk roots of hardcore were well represented and die hard fans stage dove and two stepped themselves into a frenzy.

Parkway Drive managed to orchestrate one of those rare moments when from chaos emerges something extraordinary and unifying; a sea of glowing faces transfixed and in awe. _ JAMES HANLON

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PICA BAR

On Friday, September 20, come on down to soak up the acousto-punk stylings of Ben David (SA) and Daniel Cribb as they embark upon their joint national tour. On Sunday, Resound kicks off outside in the Perth Cultural Centre! Eight amazing bands, including The Novocaines, and the whole thing will be recorded and sent around the country to community radio stations. Free entry all day and everything kicks off from midday!

INDI BAR

Morgan Bain has been building a reputation for killer live performances and quality songs. Following up on his August residency which was packed to the rafters each week, this Sunday, September 22, he is joined by local up and comers Wanderlust. Get down for a good quality night of music.

THE YARD GOURMET HOTDOGS Mojos Friday, September 13, 2013 Anyone checking out Freo’s most beloved live music venue would have noticed by now that there’s been an addition to the street furniture in the form of The Yard Gourmet Hotdog Van. As these smiling faces demonstrate, it’s a welcome one.

Photos by Matt Jelonek

MOJOS

Thursday, September 19, see Saritah. After a summer of touring Europe and the USA, Saritah brings her musical upliftment to the place she grew up. Support on the night is a special guest. Tickets are available at the door from 8pm.

Friday, September 20, Mantra and Grey Ghost make for the double header of the year, for those keeping an ear on uprising Aussie hip hop.

Supports are Bitter Belief plus Sarah Pellicano Featuring Creed Birch. Presale tickets are $16 plus or $22 at the door on the night from 8pm.

Saturday, September 21, it’s The Preatures.

Very limited tix will be avail on the night. Supports on the night include Melbourne’s Chela and WA’s own Gunns.

Morgan Bain

YAYA’S

The Morning Night are showcasing Valentine, the first single off their new album amberola, in a very special Friday night performance, with support from Atlas Mountains, Custom Royal and The Asylums. If indie pop isn’t your thing then come on down from 2pm on Saturday, September 22, as Perth City Battles returns, serving up the fiercest rap battles in the southern hemisphere. If that wasn’t enough then desert rockers Room At The Reservoir are ready to blow your mind on Saturday night.

Nic

Ryan

Tiago, Carla

Tiajana, Jade-James

ROSEMOUNT HOTEL The Preatures

RAILWAY HOTEL

This Saturday at the Railway catch a new reggae night called Teachings In Dub featuring the KBI Sound System. Entry is free! Sunday it’s the monthly Gignition new band showcase, this edition featuring Parker Avenue, Abandon Earth, Gone By Morning, At The Space Jam and The Right Way Up. Doors open 4-8pm and entry is $8.

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This Wednesday catch Midnight Mules, Lip Service, These Winter Nights and China Doll (doors 8pm), and Thursday Julius Lutero launches his new video clip with special guests, doors open 7pm. Friday night it’s the WA final of the National Campus Band Competition, with doors opening at 7pm. Saturday night New York hip hop legend RA The Rugged Man hits the stage, doors open 8pm. Head to rosemounthotel.com.au for ticket info.

SWALLOW BAR

This Thursday, September 19, DJ Safari brings tropical and reggae beats, before Sunday afternoon brings The Limelights Jazz Trio’s brand of traditional swing jazz.

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

Wh at m a d e Hollow a n d Cloud Step s t a n d o u t a s potential singles?

I wrote Hollow a while back actually and have sort of kept it dear for the next album or EP and Cloud Step just happened! I have more songs I would love to release but that will have to wait until I’m back.

Where did you record?

I r e c o r d w i t h my s e l f. L i v e, I u s e a N a t i v e Instruments machine interface so I produce beats on that, then record vocals through Pro Tools and edit with Ableton.

I have so much to learn still - total amateur. Though I have been recording for a number of years now, so I guess by teaching myself I’ve picked up some tricks that work specifically to my sound.

LEURE

Tell us about your writing process.

I’m both lucky and impatient in a sense, because if a song doesn’t come together within a couple of hours I move on. I might benefit from waiting it out and see what Leure, also known as Ash Hendriks of Wolves At The happens. Usually I write a beat, lay vocals down then fill Door, doubles our pleasure by launching not one but the spaces out.

two singles at The Bird this Thursday, September 19. What are your plans for the future?

I want to release another album when I’m happy Helping bring Hollow and Cloud Step into the world with a collection of songs. I want the next album to show will be Leon Osborn and Mei Saraswati.

I have grown as a musician and to challenge myself. So much incredible music is coming out through Australia, it’s What have you been up to lately? an incredible opportunity to travel overseas and see what’s I’ve been writing a fair bit and exploring new sounds but mostly out there and represent what we have going on. I’m playing just getting ready to go overseas. I would love to have the luxury of spending a festival in Vienna called Waves. Its a showcase/conference all my time writing music, however bills and reality kinda slows that dream a type deal so I’m just going to try meet as many people as little.

I can and make the most of the opportunity!

A RESOUNDING SUCCESS

Spend a cruisy Sunday afternoon in Northbridge’s James St Mall at Resound, a free all day event that features the likes of The Novocaines, who’ll be setting their latest cut, Don’t Wait, free; The Floors, FAIM, The Weapon Is Sound, Pat Chow, Turin Robinson and Nevada Pilot.

RED DESERT

A killer lineup of fresh talent descends on YaYa’s on Tuesday, September 24, with Perth four-piece Red Mexico leading the charge, along with Sprawl, Villain and the folk-fusion melodies of Joni & Tara. Doors open at 7.30pm, entry is $5.

Red Mexico

The Novocaines

TUNE IN TO TROJAN-JOHN

Top notch loop artist Trojan-John lights up Indi Bar tonight, combining loops with guitar, vocals and beat-boxing to build up a unique, mesmerising soundscape. Catch him along with Robert Hinton from 8pm. Entry is $5.

IT’S A BEAT UP

The Beat Nightclub continues its tireless support of local talent this Friday with Live And Local II. Melodic hardcore outfit This Existence carry their first headline show with support from Short Of Daybreak, The Moment We Fall and When Autumn Falls. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $10.

de Grussa Band

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE

Who will represent WA in the 2013 National Campus Bands Competition? Find out this Friday, when The Aunts, de Grussa Band, Edie Green, Golden String, Late Night Hysterics, Lunar Inverse and Mister Wolf go head to head for both a jaw-droppingly good prize pack and the honour and glory of going on to kick some heads at the national level. Doors open at 7pm, tickets are $10, $5 for students.

WHASSUP, PLAYER?

The Lungs will be making the locals nervous down Mandurah way this Friday, September 20, when they shake up Players Bar with able assistance from Scalphunter, The Choke and Yob Mob.

19/09/2013 Julius Lutero Hazy Day Video Launch @ The Rosemount 19/09/2013 Leure Hollow/Cloud Step Double Single Launch @ The Bird 21/09/2013 Minute 36 EP Launch @ PICA Bar 22/09/2013 The Novocaines Don’t Wait Single Launch @ James St Mall 22/09/2013 Pink & White Bridge Home & Hosed LP Launch @ The Newport 25/09/2013 The Gemma Farrell Group/Say What?! Vicissitude/Get It Together Double Album Launch @ The Ellington 28/09/2013 Digital Order Self Titled EP Launch @ The Bakery 28/09/2013 Reilly Craig Two Hearts Album Launch @ Wolf Lane 29/09/2013 Big hART Murru Album Launch @ Fly By Night 04/10/2013 Bedouin Sea Self Titled EP Launch @ The Rosemount 05/10/2013 Eleventh He Reaches London Bānhūs Album Launch @ The Bakery 05/10/2013 The Ghost Hotel Hell To Pay Single Launch @ PICA Bar 05/10/2013 The Lucky Numbers For The Win Album Launch @ The Fly Trap 06/10/2013 Pink & White Bridge Home & Hosed LP Launch @ The Charles 19/10/2013 Sirgin One Love EP Launch @ The Civic 07/11/2013 Scalphunter 10” Vinyl EP Launch @ C5 08/11/2013 Scalphunter 10” Vinyl EP Launch @ Amplifier

The Lungs www.xpressmag.com.au

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Foals, September 22

THIS WEEK

OCTOBER

SWERVEDRIVER 3 Rosemount Hotel CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: HORRORSHOW MICHAEL JACKSON 3 Prince Of Wales, IMMORTAL Bunbury 18 – 22 Perth Arena 4 Amplifier CARUS THOMPSON RED DIRT ft JIMMY 4 Clancy’s Fremantle BARNES BRIANA COWLISHAW 19 Kalgoorlie Boulder 4 Ellington Jazz Club CHOCOLATE STARFISH Race Club 4 Charles Hotel KVELERTAK EMMA LOUISE 19 Amplifier 4 Astor Theatre JINJA SAFARI DEAD LETTER 4 Settler’s Tavern, CIRCUS Margaret River 19 Prince Of Wales, 5 Astor Theatre Bunbury 6 Prince Of Wales, 20 Metro Freo Bunbury THE BLACK SORROWS MANTRA & GREY 3 Friends Restaurant GHOST 4 Ravenswood Hotel 19 Flyrite 5 Charles Hotel 20 Mojos 6 Newport Hotel KATE CEBERANO THE PREATURES 5 Regal Theatre 20 Flyrite SOILWORK 21 Mojos 6 Rosemount Hotel THE PAPER KITES & DEEP SEA ARCADE 6 Amplifier GEORGIA FAIR KATCHAFIRE 21 Fly By Night 10 Prince Of Wales, THE DRONES Bunbury 11 Metro Freo 21 The Bakery 12 Rosemount Hotel FOALS HARRISON CRAIG 22 Metro City 11 Regal Theatre ME FIRST & THE RIHANNA GIMME GIMMES 24 Perth Arena 11 Amplifier 12 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury SEPTEMBER BRING ME THE ROLO TOMASSI HORIZON 25 Amplifier 12 Challenge Stadium LAMB OF GOD & WELCOME TO THE MESHUGGAH VALLEY 26 Metro City 12 Belvoir Amphitheatre CALEXICO RICKY MARTIN 27 Astor Theatre 12 Perth Arena TWELVE FOOT NINJA THE DAVID LIEBE 26 Prince Of Wales, HART BAND Bunbury 13 Amplifier 27 Rosemount Hotel DEVIN TOWNSEND MELBOURNE SKA PROJECT ORCHESTRA 15 Metro Freo 27 Fly By Night LLOYD SPIEGEL 28 Astor Theatre 15 Perth Blues Club 29 Wave Rock 16 Mojos Weekender 17 Indi Bar WAVE ROCK AMORPHIS WEEKENDER 16 Capitol 28 - 30 Wave Rock REGURGITATOR Caravan Park 16 Indi Bar THE CULT 17 Prince Of Wales, 28 Metro City Bunbury ILLY 18 Metro Freo 28 Villa 19 Rosemount Hotel 29 Prince Of Wales, MARINA PRIOR Bunbury 18 Astor Theatre KIM SALMON JUNGLE GIANTS 29 Mojos 17 Newport Hotel ONE DIRECTION 18 Capitol 28 & 29 Perth Arena COLD GROUND XAVIER RUDD/ 18 Beat Nightclub DONAVON LOONLAKE FRANKENREITER/ 17 Flyrite NAHKO & MEDICINE SPIT SYNDICATE FOR THE PEOPLE 17 Newport Hotel 28 3 Oceans Winery, 18 Amplifier Margaret River DIESEL 29 Fremantle Arts 18 Fly By Night Centre 19 Charles Hotel LISTEN OUT FESTIVAL 20 Ravenswood Hotel 29 Ozone Reserve ELECTRIC VINES NGAIRE 19 Oakover Winery 29 Aviary Rooftop MICKY AVALON Sessions 19 Amplifier TINY RUINS KIM WILDE 20 Astor Theatre 30 Mojos

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Swervedriver, October 3

Bring Me The Horizon, October 12

PAUL DEMPSEY 20 Fly By Night EVERY TIME I DIE 24 Amplifier BEHEMOTH 24 Capitol WOLF & CUB 26 Amplifier THE AMITY AFFLICTION 26 Metro City 27 Metro Freo MATT CORBY 27 Fremantle Arts Centre TELEVISION 28 Fly By Night SLEEP 28 Rosemount Hotel THE CRIBS 29 Rosemount Hotel ANDRE RIEU 29 Perth Arena TONY HADLEY 30 Astor Theatre 5IVE 30 Metro Freo CHET FAKER 31 ARTBAR THE BREEDERS 31 Astor Theatre ENSLAVED 31 Rosemount Hotel YELLOWCARD 31 Capitol VIOLENT SOHO 31 Mojos Bar LIMP BIZKIT 31 Metro City

AN EVENING ON THE ARCHIE ROACH GREEN 12 Fremantle Arts Hoodoo Gurus, You Am Centre Courtyard I, The Whitlams, Dave POND Graney & The Mistly, 12 Metro Freo Rainy Day Women BON JOVI 16 Kings Park & Botanic 12 Perth Arena Garden THE NERVE AN EVENING ON THE 19 Mojos GREEN HUMAN NATURE Bernard Fanning, 20 Perth Zoo The Cruel Sea, Sarah DE LA SOUL Blasko, Bob Evans 17 Kings Park & Botanic 31 Salt On The Beach Garden NILE JANUARY 17 Amplifier DE LA SOUL/DJ YODA SARAH BLASKO 18 Fremantle Arts 1 Cuban Club (Flying Centre Courtyard Squadron Yacht Club, TEX PERKINS The Esplanade, Dalkeith) 19 Fremantle Arts SOUTHBOUND Centre Courtyard !!!, Bonobo, Crystal BELINDA CARLISE & Fighters, Grizzly 1927 Bear, Horrorshow, 20 Astor Theatre Johnny Marr, London THE BELLRAYS Grammar, MGMT, 21 Fly By Night Neil Finn, The Roots, BOY & BEAR 22 Metro Freo Vampire Weekend and 23 Astor Theatre more!

FLEETWOOD MAC 3-4 Sir Stewart Bovell 22 & 23 Perth Arena Park, Busselton, WA HITS & PITS 2.0 PARAMORE Black Flag, Boysetsfire, Bad Astronaut, Snuff, 16 Perth Arena CELTIC WOMAN No Fun At All, Good 24 Riverside Theatre For You, Off With Their Heads, Jugheads Revenge FEBRUARY 24 Amplifier & Capitol BIG DAY OUT MOONSORROW Pearl Jam, Arcade Fire, 24 Rosemount Hotel NOVEMBER EROS RAMAZZOTTI Blur, Snoop Lion, Major VIOLENT SOHO 23 Challenge Stadium Lazor, Tame Impala, 1 Amplifier I KILLED THE PROM Flume & more!

YACHT ROCK BALL QUEEN 2 Claremont 1 Fremantle Town Hall 28 Prince Of Wales, Showgrounds BABY ANIMALS Bunbury BRUCE STRINGSTEEN & 2 Astor Theatre 29 YMCA HQ THE E STREET BAND JESSICA MAUBOY 30 Amplifier 2 Perth Arena 5,7,8 Perth Arena 1 Newport Hotel THE SEEKERS LANEWAY FESTIVAL THE ATARIS 2 & 3 Riverside Theatre 29 Amplifier 8 Fremantle PITBULL & KEI$HA STEREOSONIC THE NATIONAL 5 Perth Arena 30 Claremont 14 Belvoir Amphitheatre BEYONCE Showgrounds BRUNO MARS 8 & 9 Perth Arena MUSE 28 Perth Arena USELESS ID 30 Perth Arena 8 Prince Of Wales SCREAMING JETS 9 Rosemount Hotel 30 Astor Theatre MARCH LISA MITCHELL/ JOSH FUTURE MUSIC PYKE Deadmau5, DECEMBER 9 Wanneroo MARTHA DAVIS & THE Macklemore & Ryan Showgrounds Lewis, Phoenix, DREAM ON DREAMER MOTELS 4 Astor Theatre 10 Amplifier Hardwell, Knife Party, ALICIA KEYS 11 YMCA HQ Eric Prydz, Rudimental, SCOTT KELLY AND THE 5 Perth Arena Tinie Tempah, Chase THE MELVINS & ROAD HOME & Status HELMET 10 Rosemount Hotel 2 Arena Joondalup 6 Metro Freo LEONARD COHEN SOUNDWAVE JACK JOHNSON 13 Perth Arena Green Day, Stone 7 Kings Park DANCE GAVIN DANCE CITY AND COLOUR Temple Pilots, Alice In 13 Amplifier 7 Belvoir Amphitheatre Chains, Rob Zombie, KID MAC SLANTED AND Megadeth, Placebo 13 Mojos ENCHANTED and more!

14 Prince Of Wales, 7 Astor Theatre/The Bunbury 3 Claremont Bakery 15 YaYa’s Showgrounds AIR SUPPLY 16 Settlers Tavern, BILLY BRAGG 8 Perth Concert Hall Margaret River 8 Perth Concert Hall JUSTIN BIEBER 17 Indi Bar 8 Perth Arena DARK TRANQUILLITY THE MEMBERS CHIC & NILE RODGERS & ORPHEUS OMEGA 16 Rosemount Hotel 8 Astor Theatre 25 Captiol BEAUFORT STREET KATAKLYSM 30 SECONDS TO MARS FESTIVAL 8 Rosemount Hotel 25 Challenge Stadium 16 Beaufort Street THE BRIAN DAN SULTAN JONESTOWN 16 Fly By Night MASSACRE APRIL 17 Ellington Jazz Club 10 Astor Theatre MICHAEL BUBLÉ JILL SCOTT TAYLOR SWIFT 17 Riverside Theatre 11 Perth NIB Stadium 26 & 27 Perth Arena

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Clint Bracknell, Wednesday at X-Wray Cafe

WEDNESDAY 18.09 AMPLIFIER The Academy Vainty Palm Forstora Dyatlov BAR 120 Felix THE BIRD TW!ST John Safari BRASS MONKEY Sugar Blue Burlesque CARINE Open Mic Night Chris O’Brien CLAREMONT HOTEL Acoustica GREENWOOD Bernardine ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB The Dilworths Night Cap Sessions GROOVE BAR (CROWN) 5 Shots INDI BAR Trojan-John Danni Stefanetti Robert Hinton LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MOJOS BAR The Shops Thee Gold Blooms Rich King Matthews Bryan Rice Dalton MOON CAFÉ Going Solo Leigh Craft Andrew Craft Nat Pav MUSTANG BAR Easy Tigers DJ James MacArthur PADDO Benjamin Wolf The Date The Red Embers ROSEMOUNT Midnight Mules Lip Service These Winter Nights China Doll UNIVERSAL Retrofit

Chilling Winston, Thursday at The Velvet Lounge

VELVET LOUNGE STICKYtapes Launch VILLAGE BAR Village People - Open Mic X-WRAY CAFE Clint Bracknell Andrew Newman YAYA’S Jazz at YaYa’s Gavin Shoesmith Gabriel Fatin Brett Smith

THE GATE Greg Carter GRAND CENTRAL Karin Page GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Decoy INDI BAR Bex’s Open Mic Night LANEWAY LOUNGE Howie Morgan Duo LUCKY SHAG Adrian Wilson MARKET CITY THURSDAY 19.09 TAVERN Jennifer Odebrecht THE ALBION Anthony Smith Mama Red & Co Tali Kau AMPLIFIER Nattalino Kvelertak Lara V BEAT NIGHTCLUB Matt Cal Trio (DOWNSTAIRS) Headflood Fantasy Thursdays Erin Hanrahan THE BIRD MOJOS BAR Leure Saritah Leon Osborn MUSTANG BAR Mei Saraswati Vida Cain THE BOAT The Corner Jen de Ness Joppy BRASS MONKEY DJ James MacArthur Rhythm Bound OXFORD HOTEL Karaoke The Suntones BRIGHTON Paul D McDowell Open Mic Night John McNair Rob Walker Keith Anthonisz Duet BROOKLANDS NORTH FREMANTLE TAVERN BOWLS CLUB Celebrations Karaoke The String Beans THE CAUSEWAY BAR PRINCE OF WALES Xport Thursdays BUNBURY LOBBY LOUNGE Dead Letter Circus (CROWN ) ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Monarchy Julius Lutero DEVILLES PAD Public Son Rock & Roll Karaoke Kat Wilson DUNSBOROUGH The Apprentice TAVERN SETTLERS TAVERN Paige Trantham Acoustic Open Mic ELEPHANT AND Night WHEELBARROW Claire Warnock Distant Sun SWALLOW BAR ELLINGTON JAZZ DJ Safari CLUB UNIVERSAL Danny Susnjar & Carl Off The Record Mackey VELVET LOUNGE Night Cap Sessions Chilling Winston FLYRITE Kodiak Throat Mantra Latch Key Kids Grey Ghost Priority One Bitter Belief THE VIC Sarah Pellicano Voudou Zazou X-WRAY CAFÉ Jack Doepel Jazz Quartet YAYA’S Rock Scholars Showcase YMCA HQ Palm Vanity Agitated EnforcE Vultures Protest Never Settle

ENFORCE

MAXIMUM PERVERSION DARKENIUM RED DESCENDING

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 THE CIVIC HOTEL

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FRIDAY 20.09 AMPLIFIER Claim The Throne BAILEY BAR & BISTRO Hi-NRG THE BAKERY Jam City

Claim The throne, Friday at Amplifier

BALMORAL Mike Nayar BAR ORIENT The Reggae Club BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) Live And Local 2 This Existence Short of Daybreak The Moment We Fall When Autumn Falls The Black Fridays BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) PLAY BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Dean Anderson BELMONT TAVERN Acoustic Aly BEST DROP TAVERN Pretty Fly THE BIRD Bastian’s Happy Flight Leon & Cam Capelas THE BOAT Ben Merito THE BOAB TAVERN Frenzy BRASS MONKEY Adrian Wilson BROOKLANDS TAVERN Rockit THE CARINE Velvet CHASE BAR & BISTRO B.O.B. CITRO BAR Jeane Proude CORNERSTONE ALEHOUSE Easy Operator DEVILLES PAD Soulsides 15th Anniversary Party Big Ear Chad Foxman Super-J Microgroove Spud Murphy Claude Mono Mama Cass Jonny Hopper DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Northern Muse EAST 150 BAR Jamie Powers ELEPHANT AND WHEELBARROW Darren Reid & The Soul City Groove ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Gian Slater & Jamie Oehlers The Spread ft Shayna Gordon-Hall EMPIRE BAR Howie Morgan FLY BY NIGHT Hami Swings By The Fly THE GATE Dirty Scoundrels THE GREENWOOD Greg Carter GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Bohemian Rhapsody HYDE PARK HOTEL Steve Parkin

INDI BAR Vdelli KALAMUNDA HOTEL Almost Famous LANEWAY LOUNGE Karin Page Midnight Sun M ON THE POINT Retriofit MAHOGANY INN Kizzy METRO FREO Dead Letter Circus Closure In Moscow The Sleep Parade MOJOS BAR Mantra & Grey Ghost Bitter Belief Sarah Pellicano Creed Birch MUSTANG Adam Hall & The Velvet Playboys Swing DJ Cheeky Monkeys DJ James MacArthur NEWPORT HOTEL Karaoke Classic PADDO Easy Tigers PEEL ALE HOUSE Back2Back PICA BAR Ben David Dan Cribb Yiannos McStavros Little Skye PLAYERS BAR The Lungs Yobmob The Choke Scalphunter PORT KENNEDY TAVERN One Trick Phonies THE PRINCIPAL Jonny Dempsey ROSEMOUNT Campus Band Comp final feat The Aunts De Grussa Band Edie Green Golden String Late Night Hysterics Lunar Inverse Mister Wolf ROSIE O’GRADYS FREMANTLE GrooVe SAIL AND ANCHOR Howie Morgan Duo SAIL AND ANCHOR (UPSTAIRS) NightShift SETTLERS TAVERN Dilip n’ The Davs SOUTH ST ALEHOUSE Robbie King Karaoke SPRINGS TAVERN Die Hard Karaoke SWINGING PIG Tandem Greg Carter UNIVERSAL Nightmoves WHITE STAR ALBANY Saritah X-RAY CAFÉ Jane Azzopardi Mitch Mcdonald James Lawson Treacy

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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

Bastian’s Happy Flight, Friday at The Bird

Slow Dancer, Sunday at Mojos

INDIAN OCEAN BREWING CO Shawne & Luc KULCHA Pilbara Samba Band LAKERS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke LANEWAY LOUNGE Nicola Milan Duo Jessie Gordon Trio LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Georgia?

SATURDAY 21.09 Why METRO CITY AMPLIFIER Handpicked 002 Stillwater Giants METRO FREO BALMORAL Stereosonic Launch Retriofit Party THE BAKERY M ON THE POINT The Drones Rhythm 22 BEAT NIGHTCLUB MOJOS BAR (UPSTAIRS) The Preatures CANVAS Chela BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Gunns Mike Nayar MUSTANG THE BIRD Shot Down From Afreakah 2 SugarTown Charlie Bucket Rockabilly DJ Raaghe Milhouse Jack Doepel DJ James MacArthur BOAB TAVERN NEWPORT HOTEL Chill Divine Karaoke with Steve THE BROOK Parkin Blackbirds PADDO THE BROOKLANDS Cheeky Monkeys TAVERN PADDY MAGUIRES Tandem Madam Montage THE CIVIC HOTEL Frenzy BACKROOM PARAMOUNT EnforcE NIGHTCLUB Maximum Perversion Felix Darkenium PEEL ALE HOUSE Red Descending Velvet & Stone THE CLAREMONT PORT KENNEDY HOTEL TAVERN ANTICS Kevin Curran Bastian’s Happy Flight QUARIE BAR & CORNERSTONE BISTRO ALEHOUSE One Trick Ponies Kisstake RAILWAY HOTEL CRAFTSMAN The KBI Sound GrooVe System DEVILLES PAD ROSIE O’GRADYS Johnny Nandez FREMANTLE Hammond Explosion Flava Les Sataniques ROCKET ROOM DUNSBOROUGH RA The Rugged Man TAVERN Layla & Dazastah Sophie Jane Leonidas ELEPHANT AND Sever WHEELBARROW SAIL & ANCHOR Blue Hornet Better Days ELLINGTON JAZZ SAIL & ANCHOR CLUB (UPSTAIRS) Gian Slater and Jamie Childs Play Oehlers SEAVIEW TAVERN LNG presents Ladies Dirty Scoundrels Who Lead SETTLERS TAVERN FLY BY NIGHT Saritah The Paper Kites THE SHED THE GATE Huge Greg Carter SOUTH ST ALE GOSNELLS HOTEL HOUSE Astrobat Robbie King Karaoke GREENWOOD SPRINGS TAVERN The Reals Die Hard Karaoke GROOVE BAR SWAN LOUNGE (CROWN) Who’s Your Daddy HI-NRG The Killer Hipsters HYDE PARK HOTEL The Coloured Chain Easy Tigers The RareBreeds The Polka Dots SWINGING PIG INDI BAR Greg Crater Ben Merito Almost Famous YAYA’S The Morning Night The Atlas Mountains Custom Royal The Asylums YMCA HQ Emberville Afraid of Heights Exanimis Ascension Adora Heights

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Pink And White Bridge, Sunday at The Newport Hotel

GROOVE BAR MOJOS BAR Slow Dancer (CROWN) Runner Justin & Mike Depth Boys MOJOS BAR Golden String Wide Open Mic MUSTANG MUSTANG BAR Tailgate Sundays Triple Shots Deep Fried Southern YAYA’S Grit Big Tommo’s Open Mic NEWPORT HOTEL Night Pink and White SUNDAY 22.09 Bridge BALMORAL Timothy Nelson TUESDAY 24.09 Andrew Winton PADDY MALONES BRASS MONKEY BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Gary Fowlie Open Mic Night Belleville Quartet QUARIE BAR & Josh Terlick BELMONT TAVERN BISTRO CHARLES HOTEL Dove Better Days Perth Blues Club BRIGHTON RAILWAY HOTEL Dr Velvet Ali Hill Gignition Hilltones BROOKLANDS Parker Avenue THE COURT TAVERN AbandonEarth Open Mic Night Gone By Morning Gerry Azor THE CRAGIE TAVERN At The Space Jam C5 METRO FREO Open Mic Night The Right Way Up Tigertown GROOVE BAR ROSEMOUNT THE CARINE (CROWN) The Get Down Acoustic Aly Jack & Jill THE SAINT THE CAUSEWAY Howie Morgan ELLINGTON JAZZ Accoustic Sunday Project CLUB CHASE BAR SETTLERS TAVERN The Music of Sting Chasing Calee Dave Mann Joe Southwell & CIVIC HOTEL SOUTH ST Friends Mike Nayar ALEHOUSE KALAMUNDA CLANCYS Anthony Nieves HOTEL DUNSBOROUGH SWAN LOUNGE Open Mic Saritah The Chinos Anthony Kay DUNSBOROUGH SWALLOW BAR LOBBY LOUNGE TAVERN The Limelights Jazz (CROWN) Kris Buckle Trio Hans Fiance ELEPHANT AND Traditional Swing MERIDIAN ROOM WHEELBARROW Jazz (CROWN) Darren Reid & The SWINGING PIG Howie Morgan Soul City Groove Pat Nicholson MERRIWA TAVERN ELLINGTON JAZZ Matt Angell Celebrations Karaoke CLUB UNIVERSAL Hills Big Band MOJOS BAR Retrofit Charmaine Jones & WANNEROO Collections TAVERN Mike Bevan Silver Hills Jonny Dempsey ELMARS IN THE Moana WHISTLING KITE VALLEY Yeti Resort James Wilson Chris Gibbs Segue Safari THE FLY TRAP (FLY MUSTANG BAR

BY NIGHT) MONDAY 23.09 Danza Loca Salsa Stage Fright Open Mic BRASS MONKEY Night GROOVE BAR YAYA’S Wire Birds (CROWN) Red Mexico ELLINGTON JAZZ Peace Love Sprawl CLUB HYDE PARK HOTEL Song Lounge Joni & Tara Adam James INDI BAR Morgan Bain Wanderlust INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO Retriofit KALAMUNDA HOTEL Alitia Martin LAKERS TAVERN Room At The Reservoir Wesley Goodlet Jamboree Scouts LAST DROP TAVERN Alan Stewart LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN ) Jack & Jill METRO CITY Foals M ON THE POINT Nathan Gaunt UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation WHALE & ALE Sweet Surrender YAYA’S Room At The Reservoir Harlequin League Little Skye

ROOM AT THE RESERVOIR

HARLEQUIN LEAGUE LITTLE SKYE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 YAYA’S

35

RATING THE RETAILERS Perth’s live music scene is as vibrant as ever, and it’s serviced by some fine music shops around the traps, but which is the best? A highly subjective topic, to be sure, but one worth discussing. We wanted a spread of opinions, so we sent three X-Press writers out on a bit of an undercover mission to some of Perth’s most high profile music vendors, each with a different cover story, to see how they found the experience.

Veteran muso Chris Gibbs (Kisstake, Graphic Fiction Heroes) carried himself as, well, a veteran muso; Charlie Lewis (Limpin’ Dave Foley And The Straight Legged Freaks) purported to be in the market for his first guitar; while Ellie Hutchison told the vendors she was after a guitar as a present for her boyfriend. All went shopping for an acoustic guitar.

So, how did the stores stack up?

36

GUITAR WORLD

KOSMIC SOUND

CONCEPT MUSIC

THE ROCK INN

1240 Albany Highway, Cannington

94 Hector Street, Osborne Park

244/246 Cambridge Street, Wembley

762 Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley

Friendliness

Friendliness

Friendliness

Friendliness

CHRIS

17/20

17/20

16/20

18/20

ELLIE

18/20

18/20

16/20

17/20

CHARLIE

18/20

-

19/20

18/20

Knowledge

Knowledge

Knowledge

Knowledge

CHRIS

15/20

18/20

17/20

18/20

ELLIE

18/20

18/20

20/20

19/20

CHARLIE

17/20

-

20/20

16/20

Salesmanship

Salesmanship

Salesmanship

Salesmanship

CHRIS

14/20

18/20

18/20

19/20

ELLIE

19/20

16/20

16/20

17/20

CHARLIE

19/20

-

18/20

19/20

Product

Product

Product

Product

CHRIS

16/20

17/20

18/20

18/20

ELLIE

20/20

19/20

18/20

15/20

CHARLIE

18/20

-

19/20

17/20

Je Ne Sais Qua

Je Ne Sais Qua

Je Ne Sais Qua

Je Ne Sais Qua

CHRIS

17/20

17/20

16/20

8/20

ELLIE

11/20

17/20

17/20

17/20

CHARLIE

16/20

-

14/20

215/20

TOTALS

TOTALS

TOTALS

TOTALS

CHRIS

79/100

87/100

85/100

92/100

ELLIE

86/100

88/100

87/100

91/100

CHARLIE

85/100

-

90/100

85/100

TOTAL AVG 85/100

TOTAL AVG 88/100

TOTAL AVG 87/100

TOTAL AVG 89/100

Chris: Staff members are always keen to assist or even just have a chat and making a call or looking up details on particular products is never a hassle. Ellie: I rocked up to find Guitar World prematurely closing, but the gentleman there was very gracious in keeping the doors open for me. He possessed an impressive knowledge of the store’s products and prices. Charlie: Very knowledgeable and easy going, really good middle to high end ange and I suspect quite good value.

Chris: Solid product knowledge across a range of brands. the staff on this occasion were, upbeat, helpful and on the money.

Kosmic is a store that offers a one-stop solution for many musical requirements.

Ellie: After fighting my way through customers in search of assistance, I was none too impressed. Thankfully, the salesman I eventually nabbed was great – attentive and informative, but without being pushy or condescending. Charlie: After 15 minutes in the guitar section waiting to be approached, a man bustled out of the ‘staff only’ area. I made eye contact, smiled and began to ask a question. He didn’t stop. At that point, I did what I would have done had I legitimately been an inexperienced, not particularly confident young guitar buyer, and decided to go elsewhere.

Chris: It is a comfortable store to shop in and most products are easy to locate.

Sometimes the staff at this store can seem a little stand-offish, but when engaged help is always only a question away. Ellie: Aesthetically, this was my favorite place - they’ve decked it out since my last visit, with multiple TV sets and purple light fixtures lending a funky vibe to the store. While their prices were decidedly out of my (imaginary) budget, the sales assistant was very helpful - he knew it all. Charlie: A warm and relaxed store, displaying many of its striking and colourful instruments against its dark interior palette. Interestingly, they put the really high-end acoustics in an entirely separate room.

Chris: Always a store that has run its own race, The Rock Inn has successfully positioned itself in the marketplace, shying away from many tried and true brands in favour of brands that the staff members truly believe in. Ellie: After pointing out a couple of models, the sales assistant said while ‘any other guitar place’ would try to sell me something, he wouldn’t personally recommend buying a guitar as a gift. He suggested that I instead return with my boyfriend and let him pick. I truly appreciated it. Charlie:The tone of the store was friendly and relaxed – everyone said hello or smiled, but they waited a minute or two before approaching me.

Probably the best range of acoustic guitars of any store I visited.

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37

MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY DANCE CLASSES BELLYDANCECENTRAL.COM.AU DANCE CLASS Join us at our harem style dance studio for lots of hip shaking fun. Free classes on Fri 11/10. Term starts on Mon 14/10. For more info & free class invite contact dance@ bellydancecentral.com.au EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING Do you know what a roadie is? Have you got any background in AUDIO, LIGHTING or BACKLINE? Are you looking for CASUAL work in the entertainment industry? If that sounds like you contact Events Personnel Aust. On 08 9361 5005.

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 MUSOS WANTED M U S O S WA N T E D W i c k e d Fu r y (www.wikedfury.com) is looking for a bass player & guitarist Please email: management @wickedfury.com with your name,number, & experience. Call Luan 0404554439 for details 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 POP-ROCK DRUMMER WANTED Must e n j oy Fo o Fi g h te r s. O w n t ra n s p o r t req’d. Must be innovative & serious w/interest for touring. Call/text 0433 056 548 WANTED GIRL/WOMAN to Perform as Scary Spice for Spice Girls Tribute act. Please contact Jessica at Focus Promotions Mon - Fri 9am 5pm 92724144 PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT PHOTOGR APHY Pr o m o photography, studio, live, location.Mike Wylie 0417 975 964 www.projectphotography.com When its time to ice the cake.PRODUCTION * L I G H T I N G * AU D I O * S TAG 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 . au www.nightstarlightingaudio.com.au 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 Perth’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

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

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STEP ON IT This month the Volume crew were debating the popularity of the many brands of effects pedals now available in local music stores. The range of products on offer appears to be at an all-time high, so we paid a visit to several stores to find out first hand what the popular effects pedal choices are.

Guitar World Cannington is a store that is set up to cater primarily for rock and metal guitarists. In terms of multi-effects units, the Line 6 HD-300 has been very popular. Guitar World is a store that also does very well with Boss effects. Not surprisingly, the triedand-true DS-1 Distortion and NS-2 Noise Suppressor continue to sell. The store staff members are also very pleased with the popularity of the Electro Harmonix range, particularly old favourites like the Big Muff distortion and Holy Grail reverb.

TC Electronic Mojo Mojo Kosmic Sound Osborne Park also reported good business with multi-effects units, particularly the Boss ME-70. The staff members there feel that the ME-70’s simple controls have assisted in making it their most popular multi-effects unit. Kosmic is also a big seller of Boss, with the TU-2 Chromatic Tuner at the top of the popularity list. Finally, the pedal that keeps walking out the door consistently is the TC Electronic Mojo Mojo, which is reportedly winning in-store comparisons against many of its rivals.

Electro Harmonix Holy Grail The team at Concept Music in Leederville are very proud of the store’s commitment to boutique and boutique-styled effects pedals. As a result there isn’t a huge focus on multi-effects, but nevertheless Concept has been doing well with the Boss GT-100.

The two big sellers in effects pedals are the Exotic EP booster and the Fulltone OCD. Staff at Concept cited the smaller physical size of many boutique pedals as a big advantage in the market, with many guitarists trying to fit more and more effects onto less pedal board real estate.

Strymon El Capistan

Fulltone OCD

Mt. Lawley’s The Rock Inn are also geared specifically towards boutique effects pedals. Of the two models of multi-effects pedals the store supports, the Vox Tonelab EX has been the more popular. The staff have been kicking the majority of their effects goals with Strymon pedals, in particular the El Capistan tape echo, the Blue Sky reverb, the Mobius modulation and the Timeline delay.

So there you have it. Across four of Perth’s most popular stores there is a quite a variance in popularity including both well-known and emerging brands. It would appear that many of our local stores have found the part of the market their customers are most comfortable with and have enthusiastically provided a point of difference to cater to those particular tastes. It was truly impressive to see so many different brands on offer across just four stores and one thing is certain: when it comes down to effects variety and choice, Perth guitarists are enjoying more than ever before. _ CHRIS GIBBS

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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