X-Press Magazine #1364

ISSUE 1364 | 3RD APRIL 2013 | FREE WEDNESDAY |

YOUR GUIDE TO EVERYTHING URBAN

38,000 OCTOBER 2011 - MARCH 2012 AUSTRALIA’S HIGHEST CIRCULATING STREET PRESS

BLU & EXILE

SONS OF RICO

KICKSTART FESTIVAL

ROGER HODGSON

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EVEN ETTA THAN THE REAL THING

Following acclaimed performances on the East Coast, Vika Bull, formerly of the Black Sorrows and one of Australia’s most respected soul singers, is set to tell the story of one of the greatest ever soul singers, Etta James.

Bull tells the story of James’ turbulent life through songs such as Tell Mama, Something’s Got a Hold of Me, Pushover, At Last and more, backed by the Essential R&B band.

At Last: The Etta James Story runs at the Regal Theatre from Tuesday, May 21, until Sunday, May 26. Tickets are available from ticketek.com.au and 132 849.

What’s with Smokescreen?

SMOKESCREEN MUSIC FESTIVAL

Vika Bull, At Last: The Etta James Story

EASTER WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S

Bernard Fanning in the studio, at Easter

It’s been a couple of years now since Powderfinger called it a day, but news emerged this week that singer, Bernard Fanning, is soon to emerge with a new single to be released on April 22, followed by an album on June 7. Fanning has been recording the album in Los Angeles with US producer, Joe Chiccarelli.

It’s the follow up to his hugely successful solo album, Tea & Sympathy, released in 2005. To keep up to date with the man himself, check out his blog at bernardfanning.com.

There’s been a lot of talk in the last week or so about the forthcoming Smokescreen Music Festival. Very little in the way of actual information has come to light, other than it’s been touted as ‘the most dangerous music festival on earth’. Promoter, Michael ‘Mike’ Michaels, is yet to shed more details other than Blake Williams and Bob Evans, stating he is bringing out “all the killer acts you’ve Mix 94.5’s The Scene been dying to see that will take your breath away.”

Confused? You will be. Check out the brief promo vid at youtube.com/watch?v=fqLXAZTU8v8 It’s always good to hear when a spot of room is made and keep an eye on smokescreenmusicfestival.com.au. on the airwaves for more Australian music, especially when that includes some Perth tune-age. And so it is that Mix 94.5 has launched a new Australian music show called The Scene, hosted by Perth musician, Blake Williams. Last week his special guests were Bob Evans and Rainy Day Women, tune in on Sundays from 6-8pm to see who rocks up for a chat and a tune.

SCENE AND HEARD

TRUE NORTH

Following a successful first edition last year in which the likes of The Hilltop Hoods, The Living End, Cat Empire, Regurgitator, Dead Letter Circus and San Cisco played to over 3,500 people, it has been announced this week that the Second Annual North West Festival will take place on Saturday, August 24, at the Port Hedland Turf Club.

No lineup has yet been announced, but camping will again be available and accommodation options can be accessed via accomodationporthedland.com. Tickets will go on sale in the next few weeks, in the meantime check in at northwestfestival.com.au to keep in the loop.

Hungry Kids Of Hungary

HUNGRY LIKE THE KIDS

Hungry Kids Of Hungary have had a smashing reception to the release of their second album, You’re A Shadow. Now comes the time to showcase it across the country and that’s what their doing on a jaunt that brings them to the West Coast this very week.

Catch Hungr y Kids Of Hungar y on Thursday, April 11, at the Newport Hotel, and Friday, April 12, at Capitol. The Preatures and Rainy Day Women provide support at both shows, tickets through oztix.com.au, 1300 762 545 and outlets.

The Black Angels

THE NEW BLACK

Hot on the heels of the release of their new album, Indigo Meadow, comes welcome news that The Black Angels are returning to Australia. This will mark the band’s first appearance in Perth, as the Texan psych rockers didn’t make it out West upon their first visit in 2011.

So then, you’d best head to the Handsome Tours website at handsometours.com, from 9am AWST this Thursday, April 4, to order your tickets for The Black Angels show at Capitol on Monday, June 17, at Capitol.

Fearsome! Psychedelic! Here!

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Reactions/Comp Thing Flesh Music: The Flaming Lips Music: Lord/ Icehouse/ Killswitch Engage/ Spit Syndicate Mus ic: Roger Hodgson/ Son of Rogues Gallery Music: Sons of Rico New Noise Eye4 Cover: Kickstart Eye4 Movies: Trance/ Jurassic Park 3D/ Sleepwalk With Me Eye 4: Thérèse Desqueyroux/ Henry 4 Feature: Urban Central Salt Cover: Blu & Exile Salt: News/ Yolanda Be Cool/ Mobin Master Salt: Bliss n Eso/ His Majesty Andre Salt: Club Manual Salt: Rewind: xxyyxx Scene: Live: PVT/ The xx Scene: Local Scene Tour Trails Gig Guide Volume

COVER: The Flaming Lips have just put out a new long player - The Terror is out now.

SALT COVER: West Coast rapper Blu will no longer be accompanied by DJ Exile this Thursday, April 4 at The Bakery due to health problems. Blu will instead play an extended solo set. www.xpressmag.com.au

Voltaire Vo olttai a re e Twins, Twinss, Residence Re esi s de dencce this t iss Friday th Frida day y in Freo Fre eo

RIGHT RESIDENCE

Last week we mentioned the new Residence night but in a pre-Easter chocolate meltdown managed to name the incorrect venue for it. Suffice to say, Residence takes up, er, residence every Friday from 9pm at 58.5 South Terrace, Fremantle (down the alleyway).

This Friday, April 5, sees the big launch night with triple j’s Lewi McKirdy and soon-to-be residents Eddie Electric and K.La being joined by the lively likes of Voltaire Twins and Bastian’s Happy Flight. Doors open at 9pm and entry is $10.

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with Casey Hayes... Send your name, address and daytime phone number to win@xpressmag.com.au with the name of the competition in the subject line or enter online at www.xpressmag.com.au. Snail mail entries can be sent to Locked Bag 31, West Perth 6872. Entries close 4pm Monday. By entering you agree to X-Press Magazine’s Terms and Conditions, which can be found online. All competition entries will automatically enable you to become an X-Press subscriber! No details will be given to a third party.

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Managing Editor Bob Gordon: editor@xpressmag.com.au Fashion Editor Emma Bergmeier: fashion@xpressmag.com.au Dance Music & Features Editor Jo Campbell: danceeditor@xpressmag.com.au Local Music & Arts Editor Travis Johnson: localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au Gig & Event Guides Co-ordinator Casey Hayes - guide@xpressmag.com.au Entertainment Services Co-ordinator / Competitions Casey Hayes - 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, Tom Varian, Ben Watson, Jessica Willoughby, Miki Mclay, Morgan Richards, James Manning, Joe Cassidy, Shane Pinnegar For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au

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SUNDOWN SESSIONS

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Julian Assange

The first ever Sundown Session is happening at the Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre next Friday, featuring the amazing Xavier Rudd, Tinpan Orange and Morgan Bain. The intensity is being turned way down in exchange for a feel good and chilled out concert vibe with the beautiful Indian Ocean as the perfect backdrop. Thanks to Offworld your experience can only get better if you win yourself one of the double passes we are giving away. Enter now to win!

FREE JULIAN ASSANGE

Julian Assange is one of the most significant figures of the twenty first century. But before he was famous, before WikiLeaks, before the internet even existed, he was a teenage computer hacker in Melbourne.

He was young, brilliant, and in the eyes of the US Government, a major threat to national security.

Smokescreen Festival Luna Leederville is proud to present the feature film version of the acclaimed hit Underground: The Julian Assange Story on Friday April 12. The films director Robert Connolly will attend the session and will host a question & answer panel following the Production 9213 2854 screening with special guests Christine Assange and Rumours about the Smokescreen Festival have been Production Co-ordinator actor Alex Williams. We have five double passes to circulating for the last couple of weeks, everyone Uli Mauersberg production@xpressmag.com.au giveaway to the screening. Enter now to win! wants to know, what’s it all about? Who’s playing?

When is it? The mystery continues! To find out more Art Director head to Facebook.com/Smokescreenmusicfestival and Dwight O’Neil join in the conversation and speculations. To help Design + Production art@xpressmag.com.au spread the word we have some merch packs to give Andy Quilty, Anthony Jackson, Kasia Mazurkiewicz away for you curious lot!

Printing

J-Trick

YEAH BABY I LIKE IT RAW

Addiktion presents the rig room house, dirty electro and breaks event, RAW featuring not one but two internationally renowned names, at the one and only Villa Nightclub. This rockin’ party is sure to blow the roof off with huge tracks from the ARIA chart breaker Mobin Master and the flagship producer J-Trick. As these two masters of the decks tear it up at Perth’s leading club, you can be certain that they’ll explode your senses with their skills as they’re supported by Perth’s highly reputable sensation Micah and the hard and dirty electro genius, Chris Moro. It’s all happening this Friday and we have two VIP double passes to giveaway! Get your entries in now!

THE MOST DANGEROUS FESTIVAL ON EARTH

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These road warriors of Aussie funk have been everywhere, captivating fans with their playful onstage antics, airtight groove and fluid musicality.

Touring abroad for most of 2012, they are bringing their ever evolving sound to WA this April. Catch them next Wednesday at Mojos Bar, Thursday at the Indi Bar and a string of dates in our Southwest. We have two doubles to the Perth gigs to giveaway. Let us know your choice of venue to win!

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

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Lewi McKirdy

Trance

RESIDENCE LAUNCH NIGHT TRANCE Residence is your new favourite night of the week!

It’s all about hearing great music with good people and drinking beer. Launching this Friday night with special guests Lewi McKirdy, Voltaire Twins and Bastians Happy Flight. Interested! If that’s not enough there will be free nachos, drink specials and sets by everybody’s favourite residents Eddie Electric and K.La, so get your dancing shoes on and come down! It’s all happening at C5 (Down the alleyway) on South Terrace, Fremantle. We have double passes to giveaway to our lovely readers! So enter now!

Trance is the latest offering from director Danny Boyle. Simon (James McAvoy), a fine art auctioneer, teams up with a criminal gang to steal a work of art worth millions of dollars, but after suffering a blow to the head during the heist he wakes to discover that he has no memory of where he has hidden the painting. When physical threats and torture fail to produce answers, the gang’s leader hires a hypnotherapist to delve into the darkest recesses of Simon’s psyche. Enter now to grab one of ten double in season passes.

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MORE SHOCK ON THE WAY

Jackie Onassis

Sincerely, Grizzly

YOURS, SINCERELY

Adelaide ‘lit rock’ outfit, Sincerely, Grizzly have had quite the run at the sun since the release of their debut EP, Doom And Gloom in last 2012. Thus far this year they’ve played the Big Day Out and Laneway festivals, as well as supporting the mighty likes of the Presidents Of The USA, Birds Of Tokyo and Bob Mould. They’re on their first national headline tour which brings them to WA very soon.

Sincerely, Grizzly head to Beat Nightclub on Friday, April 19; The Bird on Saturday, April 20, and Mojos on Sunday, April 21.

ShockOne is back in storming form, with his killer debut album, Universus. Karl Thomas released his first EP as ShockOne in 2009, which featured the smash hit Polygon and the experimental dubstep anthem Adachigahara’s Theme. Since then, he’s been behind a string of successful singles that have seen Beatport and iTunes number ones, YouTube hits by the millions, as well as support from influential industry tastemakers. The new LP is set for release on Viper Recordings at the end of April.

ShockOne

SPIT SUPPORT

In just a few short months, unsigned Sydney hip hop duo, Jackie Onassis, comprising of MC Kai and DJ/ Producer Raph, have evolved as one of the hottest Australian acts of 2013. From humble beginnings as rap-obsessed schoolmates, to coveted slots on UK festivals, plays on influential UK tastemaker Zane Lowes BBC Radio 1 show, and bidding wars from labels both here and internationally, there’s a lot of people talking about Jackie Onassis right now.

They’re now set to hit the road on a national tour run supporting Spit Syndicate. Check them at Amplifier on Saturday, April 20.

Royston Vasey

VASIE NIGHTS

Melbourne quartet, Royston Vasie are set to release their debut LP, Tanah Merah, later in the year. It’s been preceded by a new single, All The Little People, and a ‘round of touring which will bring them to Perth for the first time next month.

C a t c h t h e m o n Fr i d ay, M ay 3 , a t Amplifier (with Trigger Jackets, Mezzanine, F u r t h e r E a r t h a n d A p a c h e ) ; S a t u r d a y, May 4, at Beat Nightclub (with Kill Teen Angst, Puck, Stereoflower, Pat Chow and Room At The Reservoir) and Sunday, May 5, at the Newport (with The Deep River Collective and Dux N’ Downtown).

FLESHY METAL

Josh Groban

RIVERSIDE ECHOES

A late stage change of venue means that singer/ songwriter Josh Groban will not be playing at King’s Park when he hits town on Tuesday, April 16, as part of his All That Echoes tour. Instead, the acclaimed American singer/songwriter will pitch his tent at the Riverside Theatre. As a result, current ticketholders need to exchange their tickets for new passes to the Theatre.

Ticketek assure patrons that every effort will be made to ensure that punters are given comparable seats, and will shortly contact ticket holders by phone with further information.

On the back of their newly released album, Flesh Is Heir, The Amenta are heading to the Amplifier on Friday, April 26, for a one off audio and visual spectacular featuring local extreme music artist, Cain Cressal. Their Occasus album, released in 2004, was the band’s modern death metal album, fusing subtle electronics to grinding riffs and pummelling drums, while 2008’s n0n was their xtreme industrial album. Flesh Is Heir is an organic extreme metal album featuring real sounds recorded in real spaces, de-mixed and torn apart in real time. Door sales only, 8pm opening.

The Amenta

RedX

X JOES

RedX, originally from Perth and now based in Melbourne, includes core members of the now disbanded, WAMI award-winning outfit, The Joe Manhattan Transfer Kings. They are set to make a significant impact Australia-wide with the release of their debut EP and subsequent national tour in May 2013. Catch them at the Mustang Bar on Thursday, May 9; the Prince Of Wales, Bunbury, on Friday, May 10; Settlers Tavern, Legendary vocal four-piece, The Manhattan Transfer, Margaret River, on Saturday, May 11, and The Fly Trap are making a rare stopover at Subiaco’s Regal Theatre for one show only Sunday, September 1. With a career on Sunday, May 12. that spans four decades and encompasses such hits as Operator, Boys From New York City, Birdland and Twilight Zone, this is sure to be an unmissable performance for fans. Go to ticketek.com.au for information and bookings.

THE MANHATTAN PROJECT

LIVING THE RUDE LIFE

The Original Rudeboys’ debut album, This Life, has been certified gold in Ireland and is to be released in Australia this Friday, April 5. The Original Rudeboys have had an incredible story so far, breaking out of Dublin as a quartet of cool YouTube clips propelled them to cult status among young Irish music fans.

Viewing figures on their YouTube channel are now in excess of three million, truly remarkable for a band who didn’t release a record until November last year.

They’ll be touring with The Script, playing tonight, Wednesday April 3, at Perth Arena.

The Australian Bee Gees Show

GEE WHIZ!

GET AMPED!

The Amp It Up All-Ages Festival touches down on Armadale’s Orchard Ave on Sunday, April 14, from 11am, featuring live music, a youth activity area with BMX and scooter workshops, plus art and fashion markets. Live performances come from Splinta, We Stand As Heroes, Vida Cain, Codie Sundstrom and Selekt Few. youthresources.com.au has all the info. www.xpressmag.com.au

BLUE KING BROWN Eat To The Beat

The Original Rudeboys

Codie Sundstrom, Amp It Up

Natalie Pa’apa’a, Blue King Brown

The Australian Bee Gees Show returns in 2013 with The Trilogy Tour, a live act and multimedia experience that not only spans the length of the Gibbs Brothers’ career from its inception right up to the legendary One Night Only concert in Las Vegas, including all their hits, but also puts the Bee Gees story in its historical and cultural context. For fans, this spectacle is a must-see. The Australian Bee Gees Show is currently contracted to The Excalibur Hotel And Casino in Vegas, where they’ve racked up over 700 performances, but for a brief time only they’ll be touring Western Australia, hitting the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on Thursday, June 20; The Astor on Friday, June 21, and the Albany Entertainment Centre on Saturday, June 22. Hit up aaaentertainment.com.au for more info.

This Saturday, April 6, The City of Wanneroo and Act-BelongCommit present Global Beats And Eats at Liddell Park in Girrawheen, a free festival celebrating diversity, community and excellent international food head to wanneroo.wa.gov.au for details. With renowned roots act Blue King Brown are headlining, TRAVIS JOHNSON stole a few minutes from lead singer, Natalie Pa’apa’a, to talk about her twin passions for food and music.

The moment Natalie Pa’apa’a was approached about appearing at Global Beats And Eats, she knew she was onto a good thing.

“To be honest it sounds like a great idea!” she enthuses. “Global Beats And Eats - I mean, everyone loves music and everyone loves food, so what a great way to bring people together.

And with the global theme too - to celebrate multiculturalism in Australia with food and music. I think it’s something that is really positive and is well suited to a band like Blue King Brown, who draw our

influences from all parts of the world.”

That global influence extends beyond the musical and into the culinary; when quizzed about her own tastes in food, Pa’apa’a says, “I’m all about Mexican food, I will admit it. I’m part Mexican, so I have a natural sort of like for the food, but I also love a lot of the Asian cuisines and I love African and Ethiopian food. I don’t know, I like lots - I like food! In general, I mean - all foods.”

Pa’apa’a is also concerned with the way our dietary choices affect the world around us, both economically and ecologically, and though it’s not an overt concern of the festival, it remains a set of issues that she is passionate about on a personal level.

“Obviously, personally, I really know and promote the holistic picture of health,” she tells us. “I’m very passionate about where our food is sourced from. I’ve been a Fairtrade Ambassador for a good number of years. You know, sustainable eating is sustainable living and affects our world and out community, and we need to understand that connection between the consumer and the person making the food and not buy products that come at a cost of exploiting someone else. We need to buy in a fair and a just way.”

As for her musical endeavours, Pa’apa’a informs us that she and the rest of the band have been working hard on the follow up to 2010’s Worldwize Part 1. “We’ve been, for about the last six weeks, going really hard wrapping it up. We’ve got another week, so it’s all coming to this really exciting part. The songs are written and they’re getting mixed. It’s one step closer to being finished, so you can expect to hear some new material - perhaps a single - released from us in the next couple of months. So that’s exciting.”

And if you still need a final push to get out to Girrawheen, the opportunity to hear some fresh cuts from Blue King Brown should do the trick.“We’re previewing a couple of tracks that we’re going to be giving their first live interpretation.

They’ve kind of been alive in the studio realm, but it’s time to bring them to the stage and see how the people connect to it.”

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“The Terror doesn’t negate that we wouldn’t still believe and be and play a song like Do You Realise?

I think it just shows that we are not these savant optimists. We understand that life is probably more bleak than it is good.

That’s probably a truism, but I think that’s why we sing so much about lifting up the sun.”

I know! We would never think of the City of Perth or the place where that show was and go, ‘we don’t trust those people’. I mean, we never trusted Australians anyway! (Laughs) So what the hell!

The Terror was already in the can when you toured Australia in January. How are you these days about having new, soon-to-be-released music ready to go, but touring on older material?

When you’re younger you would use your new state of being, or new state of mind or the momentum of your dumb creations and think, ‘this is the way we are now! There’s no way we could play those old songs now that we have these new songs’ or whatever. But after you get more used to that you just don’t think like that.

I can’t tell you what a wonderful, great relief it is sometimes to know that you can play this huge repertoire of songs that people already know and like and you can show up any place in the world and have a certain amount of people know and love your music. That is just utterly amazing. That more sort of rational thinking about your spot in the world can sometimes give you a perspective on these recordings that you’ve done and that you really love… but it’s also great that you have this other thing.

And then sometimes, like the way we’re doing now, we think this is a good time and we want to do something new and different and radical – not saying that it will ever be as good as the old thing or any of that – but if we want to do it we should pursue it because we figure that’s what our audience would want us to do. We’ve never really struggled with that.

When we’ve had new material we’ve always put it into the show if we wanted.

Even when we began to do the beginnings of the show that people saw in January; when we started to do that people thought it was radical and wondering why we were doing that. It’s like, ‘I don’t know why we’re doing it. We want to do it’ and so we would. So for us to do a new show because we have a new record, I don’t want people to think, ‘oh, this negates the other music’. No it doesn’t. We absolutely love the other music and are more than honoured to be able to play it in front of people. We feel like doing this as well.

The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne at Southbound 2013 Photo: Michael Wylie

THE FLAMING LIPS One Deep Minute

Last seen raising spirits at Southbound, The Flaming Lips have just released their 13th studio album, The Terror.

It was the scandal of Southbound 2013!

Or an interesting aside, at least. When The Flaming Lips closed out their set on the Saturday night - an electric church of balloons, confetti, streamers, miscellaneous inflatables, laughter and tears - it was realised that Laser Hands, a giant stage prop that shot light beams into a mirrorball and showered disco rain across band and audience, had gone missing. Word went quickly around the concert site and then via social media, as suspects were suspected and campsites scrutinised.

They were found, thankfully, but even as singer/songwriter Wayne Coyne and his happy co. were keeping updated on the search via Twitter, they were already on a plane back to the US in preparation for the next chapter of The Flaming Lips’ uniquely emotional career...

The imminent release of a sadder, darker album called The Terror.

By BOB GORDON

(Laughs) It made me so aware; nothing tells you how much you’re loved until something bad happens and ever yone comes to your rescue. It’s wasn’t that big of a deal. We’d been using them for five years now and part of us was almost thinking we were gonna stop using them anyway and then they got stolen. We wanted them, obviously, but we didn’t care that much, then everybody was like, ‘we’ll find them for you!

We’ll kill the people that took it!’ So we were like, ‘oh great’.

And we absolutely got them back. You can tell the people, even though they’ve seen the pictures of them and they look really beat up, they were already really beat up. They looked exactly the same as when we took them. And the people that took it… we forgive them. I mean, whatever the reason, I’m sure they were high on some drugs or having fun with some friends, but whatever it was if anything can be said about us, we’re not sore winners.

Now that we’ve got them back all is forgiven so let’s have fun.

As a citizen of the great state of Western Australia may I apologise for the theft of Laser Hands at The way the word went out around the festival Southbound and say how glad we are that they site and then on social media was both dynamic and impressive. were returned…

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I b e l i eve The Terror w a s c r e a t e d f a i r l y simultaneously with (2012 collaborative LP) Heady Fwends?

Yeah it was because of what I call the overwhelming last bits of the Heady Fwends record.

You have to remember that Heady Fwends came out close to the end of April; but these are records that have to be in the record stores and we had to press them and also the album covers, all to be in record stores in time so they could have the by the middle of April. So we had to finish all the production and the mastering of Heady Fwends by the end of February.

And a lot of the music we didn’t have started until the ‘til the end of January, and that would be collaborations with Chris Martin of Coldplay and Justin Byrne of Bon Iver, Ke$ha and Kevin of Tame Impala.

I mean, all of this happened in a really short period of time. We weren’t exhausted by it but it was a lot of stuff to do and I think being in that period, living and breathing so much intense music, I think we found that this retreat, or this other internal music, was really happening. It wasn’t as though we were intending to make any type of record, but we were somehow getting a little bit of a cathartic release from all this other music when we would re-seat and play this weirder music that ended up being The Terror. So yeah, there’s definitely some yin and yang going on there. I think that happens with a lot of artists in doing their music.

like a Ke$ha or a Chris Martin, you want them to sound like them. We weren’t trying to make Flaming Lips music and oh, by the way, we have Ke$ha with us; we tried to sound like her and us making music together. So I think when we were not doing that, we were making music that would only sound like the Flaming Lips. Which I think, kinda in the end, doesn’t even sound like the Flaming Lips – this was like our own internal trip.

Which, in the end, was kind of strange for me. We didn’t think we were going to collaborate with anybody on this other music and it ends up not sounding like us either. What a weird thing.

You’ve previously remarked that when people are sad they seem to want to listen to sad music.

That seems true - whether it’s to flavour their own sadness or to be reminded that someone else out there is perhaps even sadder...

(Laughs) Well, it’s about to be springtime up here and every year at this time in Oklahoma there are these pear trees that bloom. They’re beautiful to look at but that have fucking tons and tons of this weird pollen in them. Inevitably it gets freezing cold and the wind blows through and it affects everybody’s fucking allergies.

Two days ago I was remarking that I felt like shit. I couldn’t wake up, I wanted to stay asleep. I couldn’t get my bearings. So I went to the store to get some allergy medicine and they were completely out. There was a woman in the aisle with me who said, ‘I feel like shit. I can’t wake up’. And you know what? I felt good (laughs). I felt so good. I’m not dying and it’s not just me. All of Oklahoma City is feeling the same way.

It’s the same thing. You want to know that this thing that is disturbing you, this thing that is giving you anxiety, this thing that is making you sad, it makes other people sad. You want to feel at one with the universe. The worst thing that can happen to you is you feel something and nothing and no one else relates to it. No other being understands you.

That’s what we mean – when you’re sad you want to talk to other people who are sad. ‘What made you sad, how did you deal with it?’ That’s exactly it.

Were there tracks that were flagships for you?

Yeah, well the very first track that turned us on to this… colour palette if you want to use that term, would be the son called You Are Alone. It may be the bleakest song we’ve ever done. It does not turn the corner and say anything besides that. At the very end it asks some questions then the voice says, ‘I am not alone’ defiantly. Then a voice comes back and says, ‘You ARE alone’. And then after that we kind of accepted, for better or for worse - sometimes this is good and other times it’s horrible - that we all live in the isolation of our own minds. And we are alone, but I think we take great comfort in knowing that we’re all alone in the same way. And so you go to another level.

I think it drove us to not be purposely hopeful. I think there’s other aspects of the album that are very hopeful, but on the surface, there’s a coldness and a distance and an anxiety and a questioning of control and stuff like that.

What about presenting this new music in the context of a live show? The thing about a Flaming Lips show is that there isn’t a coldness or a distance, it’s very warm and inclusive and you go to great lengths to make people feel that way, as they smile and their eyes well up. The darker hues have been there before, but they are more distinct on this album. What are your thoughts on performing it from this point?

(The operator cuts in to say we have one minute remaining).

Well I’ll give you a deep answer in whatever time we have left (laughs). I think it’ll make it even better. You know, doing songs like The Terror doesn’t negate that we wouldn’t still believe and be and play a song like Do You Realise? I think it just shows that we are not these savant optimists. We understand that life is probably more bleak than it is good. That’s probably a truism, but I think that’s why we sing so much about lifting up the sun.

But, frankly, part of us says ‘we know that.

We already have that as part of our character’. I think we always sing about things, that we are starting to believe, are part of our character. We already know that that’s part of our character. If somebody walked up to me and said, ‘Wayne, life is ugly’ I would say, ‘yes it can be ugly, but it’s also very beautiful’ and that would be true. So I think this thing we’re speaking about on The Terror doesn’t negate that. And it doesn’t negate that we would show up and suddenly be cold and distant.

It’s in the same way we’re doing this interview right now; I can talk about that music without being some defensive, internal person. I can still be me and say this music is true to me and I think that’s more true, that makes something like Do You Realise? more powerful. That its makers have insecurities; we’re not on some higher lever where we don’t see the clouds. We see the same pains and the same dilemmas as everybody does. I think that makes Do You Realise? even more powerful. To me, anyway.

So yeah, I don’t think we ever thought of it like that. When we were younger we may have thought, ‘if you do this music, you can’t do that music’.

But as we’ve done it and done it and done it, it’s like, ‘you should do the music that you think is important and it’ll tell us’. It’ll tell us more about you that you could ever do by talking.

So in some respects it’s the antidote to Heady Fwends?

Well Heady Fwends isn’t really of one piece of music, either. It’s sprawling all over the place. So I don’t know if it was that, but it would definitely be the antidote to doing what I call Masturbation Music.

You know, you’re really just doing exactly what you want, which would be like the antidote to working That was a very deep minute indeed. Thank you. with… (pauses).

Well thank you and I mean that about the None of them were difficult; I don’t want to seem at any time as though any of them were City Of Perth. We absolutely love it and nothing that difficult, but when you’re working with someone has happened has diminished that one bit.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

ROGER HODGSON Breakfast In Australia

The voice of Supertramp, Roger Hodgson, performs at the Riverside Theatre this Sunday, April 7. BOB GORDON speaks with the iconic singer/songwriter.

After a taking break from music in the ‘90s to escape the industry treadmill and raise his children, Roger Hodgson returned to the stage and has now been back on the road on-and-off for some 10 years.

He answers the phone in Indianapolis, on a stop that is part of his first US tour in all that time.

In the US, as wherever he travels now, Hodgson sees up close what the songs he has written - such as The Logical Song, Breakfast In America, Give A Little Bit, Dreamer and It’s Raining Again - mean to those in the audience. He left the band in 1983, but the songs he sang remain his.

“It’s a very personal relationship that I’ve got with so many people around the world to tell you the truth,” he notes. “These songs that I’m singing are pieces of my heart and pieces of my life experience that I’ve shared, or expressed in my songs. And the songs went out and touched so many people who have been listening to them now for 30 plus years.

They have a very strong relationship with them and many of the songs speak to their beliefs and their emotions as well.

“I look out and see people smiling and crying. I see couples hugging each other. I see four generations, from 50 plus people to teenagers discovering the music for the first time. For me, as a human being, let alone a musician, to have something that I’ve done to share with people that gives so much in so many different ways is what inspires me to keep touring.”

Hodgson seems to enjoy performing more these days than in those of yore. “I have a lot more

Roger Hodgson confidence now than I did in the Supertramp days,” he says,“and a lot more to give onstage.” And while his highly philosophical songs from back in the day were the musings from a much younger man’s perspective, he is happy to note that they resonate in the modern day.

“I still have an incredible appreciation of them,” he says. “There are some lyrics that are very current and relevant like Give A Little Bit. The message of that song is even more relevant today than when I wrote it. The Logical Song the theme about finding out who were are - please tell me who I am - that message is also still current and relevant today.

“I’m very proud of the songs. I can relate to them all. I relate in terms of who I was back then, but I still feel fresh and relevant to a certain degree now.

As an artist I have a lot of appreciation for them and enjoy them.”

While Supertramp toured Australia in the ‘70s, Hodgson has not previously been to Perth. It’s good to know that there is always time for a first, whether it be for Hodgson coming here or for longtime fans to finally hear the songs sung live.

“The big thing there is that for people who never saw Supertramp this is the closest thing they are going to get to seeing a Supertramp show,” Hodgson says. “In its heyday there was a wonderful spirit that we, as Supertramp, had together. This is the closest that people will get to seeing that spirit.”

SON OF ROGUES GALLERY

To Hal And Back Son of Rogues Gallery, the follow up to Rogues Gallery, the 2006 collection of pirate songs and sea shanties presented by Pirates Of The Caribbean alumni, Johnny Depp and Gore Verbinski, is out now. TRAVIS JOHNSON catches up with producer Hal Willner to talk about making old music in a new way.

While actor Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski are arguably the most notable names associated with the Rogues Gallery project, you could make the case that they would never have gotten their odd little album - a collection of ballads and seas shanties sung by a host of hipper than hip music notables out of the blueprint stage were it not for the assistance of one Hal Willner.

The hugely respected producer, who has worked with Marianne Faithfull, Lou Reed, William S. Burroughs, Laurie Anderson and more - served as technical muscle to the pair’s conceptual brain, and now the three of them have teamed up again to create a second instalment, Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys.

“Honestly it was because, initially, the first three tracks that we planned to do for Volume One didn’t get done,” Willner, his voice slow and sonorous, answers when asked what prompted the follow up. “There were scheduling problems, so when we finished up Volume One, we went, ‘What ever happened to those three artists?’ So we decided to, after the first one did well enough - it did not lose money - go ahead.”

He does not tell us who the three singers dropped from the original sessions were, but the rollcall of those involved with the album is impressive nonetheless. www.xpressmag.com.au

Hal Willner “On one day, we had John C. Reilly and Loudon Wainwright and Lucinda Williams and Ricky Jay and Richard Thompson and Sting - all in the same day,” he says. Add to that the likes of Tom Waits, Keith Richards, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith and Shane McGowan of The Pogues, and it’s a stunning roster of talent in anyone’s books.

Willner, ever self-deprecating, downplays the extent of his involvement at first, but eventually admits that he was “... maybe a little more involved with this one. It was their idea, I was brought in, and on this one they’re actually on the record (on the track The Leaving of Liverpool, with Shane McGowan), and they brought in a few people. Johnny’s responsible for Patti and Iggy and Shane. Even though I knew them myself, I think his involvement guaranteed their presence, which is great.”

A project like this requires a certain amount of research. “Basically, I jump in full force over a matter of a few weeks, collecting every book I can find on the matter, going on eBay, libraries, old bookshops, internet stuff, and I listen to everything I can. Then I just whittle ‘em down to, like, 60 songs.

Then I try to plan a record, and then I start to invite artists in and try to figure out how to do it.”

Even so, Willner admits he maybe doesn’t do all the prep work he should.“I wish I could tell you I spent years plotting it, but usually I just dive into the situation and then we figure it out.”

13

LORD Extracting Digits Lord, one of Australia’s hardest working melodic metal bands, are back with their fourth offering, Digital Lies. Frontman ‘Lord’ Time Grose tells JESSICA WILLOUGHBY why a much-needed break put the album into perspective.

The ‘breather’, by definition, it is often used by musicians to inject more life into their projects by allowing them to step away for a time.

If used correctly, the perspective gained can do wonders for all those involved. But there is always a catch. The longer they stay away from their art, the harder it is to get back into the creative mindset. And so it was for longstanding Wollongong metal outfit, Lord.

Stepping away from the band for the first time in 2011, all four members spent a year pursuing other endeavours. Though when it came time to knuckle down again, the process of writing their fourth LP was far more difficult than they could ever imagine.

“When we knew we had to get back on the road and needed to get an album out, I don’t think I was ready to commit to that,” frontman ‘Lord’ Tim Grose says. “That was really hard. It was more difficult in some ways because I think we came into writing the album a little bit more quickly than I would have liked. The year off was actually wonderful. I spent a lot of time doing video clips for other bands and spent some time away from music itself for a while. But the

Killswitch Engage

Lord

songs came together really quickly, so that wasn’t that hard once we got back into the mindset of it.”

Digital Lies, released in February, took a toll on Grose in more ways than one. Although the album was recorded, engineered and produced by the vocalist/guitarist – akin to their previous releases – he also took on a the bulk of the songwriting.

“With my previous band, Dungeon, it all kind of gravitated towards me doing the bulk of the writing – it was just me,” he says. “But with Lord, I didn’t want to do that. I’m working with a great bunch of musicians and songwriters in the band, so we went into it definitely wanting a shared situation.

We did that on our previous effort, Set In Stone (2009).

But I think the fact that we didn’t really have too much contact in that year off, apart from do some video clips, there wasn’t as much interaction as far as writing goes. So when it came time to doing the album, it turned out the bulk of the it just turned out to be me this time – with a couple of songs by the other guitar player Mark (Furtner). It wasn’t really a conscious decision, but it just worked out that way.

“But I genuinely really didn’t enjoy recording this album. For me, I’m involved in every step of the way with the studio process. It was recorded, once again, in my own studio – so I recorded, engineered, produced and obviously performed on it. A lot of the times, it’s just me here with a remote control in my vocal booth doing 200 vocal layers. So, at the end of it, after all of the editing, I was exhausted and hating everything about it. But now, in hindsight, it’s actually a really good album.

I’m not too sure if it’s my favourite thing I’ve done with Lord, but the response has been great. So it’s definitely exceeded my expectations.”

Great Southern Man

With the return of founding vocalist Jesse Leach for their new album Disarm The Descent, Killswitch Engage have returned refreshed and reenergised. BRENDAN HOLBEN speaks with guitarist, Adam Dutiewic.

Last year Killswitch Engage’s vocalist, Howard Jones, left the band - for whom he had stepped in to replace Jesse Leach in 2002 - citing health issues and being burnt out from touring.

Leach returned to Killswitch Engage not long after and the band spent the year doing a 10th anniversary tour of their 2002 breakout album, Alive Or Just Breathing.

“We had some time off because we weren’t sure what was going on with Howard and wanted to make sure he pulled himself together, and we came to the conclusion it was a better option to part ways,” explains Dutiewic, during a recent break on the Soundwave festival. “We started doing tryouts and Jesse was on the tryout list and he did a great job, man, of course he had a leg up on the competition with the fact he’s got a bunch of material with us already.

Talking Shit

Icehouse perform at Perth Zoo this Friday, April 5, supported by Mark Seymour and further ahead on Sunday, June 2, at Cable Beach Amphitheatre in Broome. ALASDAIR DUNCAN speaks with Iva Davies.

14

With Teeth

SPIT SYNDICATE

ICEHOUSE

When Iva Davies began his music career in the late ’70s – with a band called Flowers, who would soon change their name to Icehouse – he felt like something of an outsider.

The Australian music landscape was dominated largely by pub rock bands, although UK-based New Wave and punk soon “opened everything up...

“Suddenly, you had bands like The Sex Pistols and The Clash and The Damned coming out of Britain,” says Davies. “We launched into a scene in Sydney and Melbourne that was loosely regarded as the punk movement – for all intents and purposes we looked like a punk band, but we had synthesisers, which did make us a strange phenomenon. We were always slightly outside the pack. There were lots of bands trading on the punk movement, and whilst we weren’t too far away, we remained slightly anomalous because of that synth element.”

Icehouse are best known for the track, Great Southern Land, the sweeping song that comes close to being a de facto Australian anthem – although Davies insists that the track came from very modest beginnings. “ The best way to describe the phenomenon of that song, for me, is to say that it’s a mystery,” he says. “I remember that we’d come back from our first international tour, and I was very focused on the job ahead of me, which was to write the 10 songs for the next album. Great Southern Land was the first one I wrote, and I took it to our managers and our record company, who immediately reacted in a way that I didn’t see coming. I was so focused on just producing those 10 songs that I handed over this one and was gobsmacked at the way people immediately reacted to it.”

To this day, Davies remains surprised by the popularity of the song. “Back in the ’90s, I felt like the career of the band was forever going to be

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE

“To be honest, I was looking at it like, ‘I don’t even know if this is going to work, I don’t know if we need to be looking for another singer or just calling it quits, but at least we can give it a try and see what happens’. It just felt so comfortable with Jesse I thought, ‘well maybe this will work’.”

Not long after Leach re-joined the band, writing began on Disarm The Descent, which Dutiewic says was a piece of cake.

“I think because of all the time off we were chomping at the bit to start getting the music together and record together, we were hungry for it,” he says.

“We actually wrote most of the material while Howard was still in the band so by the time Jesse was brought to the band we just gave him all the same stuff we gave Howard and he was ready to start writing lyrics right away. He came into a couple of dry spells and he actually got pretty sick for a while but apart from that everything was pretty easy.”

Dutiewic says the new album has a heavier, aggressive edge than their recent efforts. “We wrote some music that felt a bit more aggressive on this record and I kind of did that on purpose, as I thought the last record was slow at times and needed more teeth. A lot of the songs are about change or pulling yourself together through turmoils and tribulations but none of them refer to Howard or Jesse.

“Beyond The Flames was really fun for Jesse and I to put together, we were using each other back and forth, working a lot of ideas off each other. I just love that process when you get to the studio and be creative with someone who’s feeling passionate about the song.

“We’re excited to be making music again, we’re stoked to make this record. I hope the fans receive it well and hopefully come out and see us on tour and thank you to all the fans for standing by us during the time we were away for little bit.”

Breakout Australian hip hop duo, Spit Syndicate, are touring in support of their new album, Sunday Gentleman.

Catch them on Friday, April 19, at the Prince of Wales, Bunbury; Spit Syndicate Saturday, April 20, at Amplifier, and Sunday, April 21, at C5 in Fremantle.

“At the same time I have to admit that I don’t quite understand hip hop culture,” he continues.

BENJAMIN COOPER reports.

Iva Davies, Icehouse tied to Electric Blue, which was the highest-charting song we’d ever produced,” he says. “I felt that was our signature track, but then Great Southern Land was chosen as the piece that would be played in the lead-up to the millennium countdown, and suddenly, it re-emerged as something of far greater stature than it had once enjoyed.”

For Davies, though, the song has more important, intimate associations.

“Every now and then over the summer, I’ll have the TV on and I’ll be wandering in and out to check on the cricket score,” he says. “Sometimes, I’ll hear them play Great Southern Land in the stadium as the Australian team enter and that’s the moment that freezes me.”

Decades on from Icehouse’s early success, there are too many successful Aussie synth bands to count – from old hands like Miami Horror and Van She, through to the likes of Strange Talk. Davies is wary to claim any credit for influencing the current wave.

“Generally speaking, I’d say that the ’80s in general have had more of an influence than I would have seen coming. I wouldn’t say that influence is specific to my catalogue in any way, but the technology and sound of the era seems to be back in favour. I wouldn’t take credit for being a large part of that, just a part of it.”

“Australian music is incredibly healthy at the moment. And I’m saying that as a fan: don’t let anyone tell ya different.”

Nick Lupi is feeling good about the future. The Sydneysider is one half of hip hop duo, Spit Syndicate, who are about to release their third album. Sunday Gentlemen follows two criticallylauded albums on Obese Records and three separate mixtapes. They’ve steadily built their following through festival touring, as well as club shows and supports for internationals including Cypress Hill, Atmosphere and Brother Ali. Yet for Lupi and bandmate Jimmy Nice, it’s always been about the back alley, rather than the green room.

“There’s this excitement from the fans that just doesn’t quit,” Lupi says. “That spirit, that liveliness is what keeps things focused, especially when it’s coming from those younger kids. We might refer to it as ‘talking shit’, but having a chat about things constantly keeps us all plugged in. I’ve said for a while that hip hop fans are generally more passionate. They really live it, you know?”

A significant aspect of Lupi’s interaction with Spit Syndicate fans comes through online forums.

“That passion is most obvious through social media,” he says. “The cultural literacy of some of these 14 or 15-year-old kids is incredible. The ease with which they’re able to describe the things around them – whether that’s art or anything else – blows me away.”

Lupi is quick to point out that, while he’s impressed by the younger fans, the duo are definitely not passive about their roles in the scene.

“We’ve built this thing from the very ground up, and that means we stay focussed on making an effort all the time.

“I love it, and I love being a part of it, and I think that maybe not understanding it completely, or overthinking what we do, is what keeps it fresh. Hip hop keeps on changing anyway, so the best we can do is watch and listen and hope to change over time.”

Spit Syndicate’s past is dotted with significant milestones - they were signed to Obese at the tender age of 21 and nominated for an ARIA for their debut album, Towards The Light, in 2008.

Their future beyond those projects currently in the pipeline looks rosy too, due in large part to their active involvement in the One Day crew. Many of its members attended Fort Street High School in Sydney’s inner west, and their history involves more than just a passion for beats.

“Our friendships go back a long way, probably to the days when used to be involved in the graf scene,” explains Lupi. “We’ve got people like Horrorshow, Joyride and Jackie Onassis involved, and having friends that are part of a group just pushes us harder and harder. It’s creative and inspiring in a unique way; someone might come up with a verse that’s killer and you get forced to try something completely different with your next chorus.”

The Sunday Gentlemen tour will see Spit Syndicate’s stock rise even further, with triple j favourites Jackie Onassis supporting their big brothers on a national tour. DJ Joyride will perform alongside Spit Syndicate live, and Lupi‘s excitement is palpable.

“It’s insane to be all heading out together, at last. We’ve got this hugely talented crew, but everyone is really strong and confident in their own pursuits too. The group mentality means that whatever comes we’re able to take it in our stride and just roll with it. It also means that there are a few more antics,” he laughs.

“Plus there’s more talking shit, and you can’t underestimate the importance of that.”

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

www.xpressmag.com.au

15

Sons Of Rico

SONS OF RICO

Glacially Charged Local rock rebels Sons of Rico launch their new album, In Rico Glaciers, this Friday, April 5, at Amplifier and Saturday, April 6, at Settlers Tavern in Margaret River, before embarking on a nationwide tour. TRAVIS JOHNSON has a word with singer/guitarist, Alex MacRae. “We sound like your dad’s record collection. The whole lot. All at once.”

That’s Alex MacRae’s quick, capsule summation of the kind of noise he and his fellow members of Sons Of Rico make when they get together. It’s evocative, certainly, but does you no favours if you were going to, for example, try and shelve their new album, In Rico Glaciers, according to genre.

Luckily, MacRae acquiesces to giving us a little more detail on his own influences.

“I remember hearing David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust when I was 15 and thinking, ‘Wow, you’re allowed to sing like that?’ Not only did he have an out of this world voice, he’s a fantastic songwriter, and the fact he writes a lot himself really resonated with the nerdy muso in me. Radiohead taught me how to colour songs with modern effects to create an interesting soundscape, and artists like Small Faces and The Zombies demonstrated that so long as you have a good melody at the core of a song it’ll still sound good coming out of my crappy broken ghetto blaster.”

That gives you a better idea, but you also have to take into account the contributions of other members, such as drummer Adam Weston, also a Bird of Tokyo in good standing, who is a core member of the crew. “Adam and I have been kicking around for years as mates and musical collaborators,” MacRae explains. “Towards the completion of our first album, Reactions, is when the live line-up came together. They’re all mates that have played in some of my favourite Perth bands so it’s rad that we’ve all banded together.”

Together with the 2007 EP Orange Skies aside, for a good three years Reactions comprised the sum total of Son of Rico’s recorded output, but all that is changing now with the release of the long-awaited follow-up. MacRae ascribes the long gestation period to the simple vicissitudes of the muso lifestyle.

“When we completed Reactions we hit the road in various parts of the country over a good 12 months,” he recalls. “So the sole focus during that period was on performance and getting our name and songs out there. A year later it was time to work on the next instalment. So our drummer, Adam, and I moved east and set up camp on the outskirts of Brisbane to pen the new album over a six month period. People often ask me ‘Why Brisbane? I always thought you’d go to Melbourne’ - which is a fair question! In fact new-made friends in Brisbane ask me the same thing! I made a conscious decision to knuckle down and work solidly on new songs with 16

as little distractions as possible. Melbourne would probably mean I’d be out of pocket and drunk within six hours of getting there!”

In Rico Glaciers was recorded and mixed in a former church in rural Queensland under the supervision of producer Magoo, aka Lachlan Goold, whose work includes collaborations with Regurgitator, Midnight Oil, Custard, Kate MillerHeidke and Operator Please. MacRae is effusive in his praise of Magoo.

“The decision to work with Magoo was kind of made for us based on the fact we had found ourselves in Brisbane and realised the guy who did some of our favourite Australian albums worked in an old converted church just out of Brisbane. The guy is an absolute gun in the studio - his attention to every detail is second only to my OCD-ness.

Recording the album was a pretty linear process.

Six months worth of demoing prior to laying it all down definitely made it a painless process. Waking up practically in the country was pretty cool too!”

“I remember hearing David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust when I was 15 and thinking, ‘Wow, you’re allowed to sing like that?’ Not only did he have an out of this world voice, he’s a fantastic songwriter, and the fact he writes a lot himself really resonated with the nerdy muso in me.”

MacRae approached the writing process on this one with some definite goals in mind. “I wanted to maintain a sonic momentum throughout this album. While I like slower, quieter ballads - there are a couple on Reactions - I wanted every track to be bombastic even if the tempo was down a bit.

It’s mostly a fun, upbeat album with the occasional surprise that keeps you on your toes.”

He also admits to being the band’s primary songwriter, but for reasons of practicality rather than ego. “We have a number of bands associated with Sons Of Rico, so every member has ongoing projects - which is great because it keeps everyone’s musical athleticism right up. But with writing, it is more of a solo effort on my part. Just My Type, however was composed by Brett (Murray, keyboardist) which showcases his deep love of Motown, soul and R&B something I enjoyed ruining with a screaming guitar solo! It’s okay, it was a Brett Murray-approved guitar solo in the end.”

As for the foreseeable future, it’s largely going to concern flying the flag for In Rico Glaciers, although there’s an inkling of some more long term plans starting to stir.

“The new album just came out over the Easter weekend, so for the rest of the year we just want to be getting it into as many ear holes as we can, which will undoubtedly involve more shows locally and around the country. Since the beginning of the year I’ve been drafting a few new song ideas, so we’ve also got a plan for recording again in the future. Gotta keep movin’!”

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

WAVVES Afraid Of Heights POD/Inertia

BOB EVANS Familiar Stranger EMI

It must be said that Kevin Mitchell has the best of both worlds. When he feels like turning up the volume he has his band Jebediah to scratch his itch, and when he’s not feeling that way inclined he can fall back on his ARIA crowned alter ego, Bob Evans. Evans has finished his ‘suburban trilogy’ and is now looking at the world through a broader lens on his fourth full-length, Familiar Stranger.

Instead of returning to Nashville to record, Evans stays closer to home at Melbourne’s Sing Sing Studios to construct his tales full of a broader world view. The urban country approach is put to the side for an album that appeals to a far broader palate. Footscray Park is a more layered affair than Evans has given in the past with the singer putting in a solemn performance with delicate multiple tracked vocals.

Birth, death and love are at the fore of Familiar Stranger with mortality rearing its melodic head during Sitting In The Waiting Room. There are shiny pop moments here too with Bruises being an irrepressible gem that is as immediate as anything Evans has contributed in the past.

Bob Evans has made a record that sees him relocate sonically from his humble Bullcreek roots.

Aptly titled, this one takes a few more listens to unveil all of its charms. Familiar Stranger is a purely lovely evolution of the Kevin Mitchell craft.

_ CHRIS HAVERCROFT

Nathan Williams’ lyrical outlook hasn’t brightened in the three years since Wavves’ last LP, King Of The Beach. Song titles on Afraid Of Heights include Paranoid, Beat Me Up, Everything Is My Fault and Gimme A Knife, and two tracks in we’ve already heard him sing, ‘we’re probably just dumb … the truth is that it hurts / and what’s it really worth?’

But if the loping angst and isolation that was dotted through the earlier album has here crystallised into something truly depressed, it’s countered by an equally developed sense of melody, and music that sounds hugely alive. The result is a set of instantlyenergising rock’n’roll powered by some truly epic nihilism.

As on King Of The Beach, we are treated to thunderous effected snares, guitars that are fuzzy, jangly and furiously pop-punk all at once, moments of beautiful lushness, and everything so awash in reverb that the drier moments seem almost harrowingly intimate. Vocals in a couple of songs are so effected as to be intentionally indecipherable, as if Williams doesn’t even care if people hear his desperation. The album is so solipsistic that the occasional acknowledgement of others (as on Cop) is like a ray of sunshine.

Deep melancholy can lurk beneath even the most upbeat pop – see The Beach Boys – but here it’s relentless and exposed (the refrain of the title track is ‘I’ll always be on my own’ and, later, ‘nothing to do, nothing to prove’). Williams doesn’t often engage with the reasons for his angst, making much of the negativity frustratingly inarticulate, but it’s undeniably lived-in and honest. Both anthemic and deadening, this is some pretty big ‘low’ music.

THE BESNARD LAKES Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO

_ LAURENCE ROSIER STAINES

Jagjaguwar/Inertia

In an age when everything is instantaneous, and few albums are able to stay ‘relevant’ for longer than a week, it’s a tremendous spiritual boost to have The Besnard Lakes. This is a band for whom epochs pass in the strum of a guitar; who write six, seven, eightminute songs that are over far too soon; who combine intimate, hushed vocals with soundscapes so epic it sometimes feels like staring into the soul of the universe.

UFO is classic Besnard Lakes, like My Bloody Valentine if MBV weren’t constantly trying to crush your skull with noise. There’s a mesmeric quality to these songs languidly swirling about you, grounded by one voice singing quietly amidst white guitar noise, drums rolling and crashing like a storm in the distance.

But then, from out of nowhere, a guitar solo will slice through the fog and consume you, overwhelming the puny earthling mind lulled into near-REM by the preceding haze.

You would think that formula would become boring and predictable after four minutes, let alone four albums, but it never does. That mesmeric quality never lets up, each song moving inexorably forward with rolling drums and hypnotic riffs. At Midnight is a perfect example, with layers and layers of guitars cascading over each other like a waterfall.

There might be too little variation – earlier albums have a couple of songs that break up the tempo a little bit, that add a little more urgency to all this dreaminess. But that only becomes apparent when you go back to the old albums. While you are listening to UFO, it’s almost impossible to think of anything else.

DAUGHTER If You Leave 4AD / Remote Control

Daughter is a London-based trio made up of Elena Tonra (vocals, guitar), Igor Haefeli (guitar) and Remi Aguilella (percussion). Listening to the debut record that is If You Leave, you could say that in another way, Daughter is Tonra, and Tonra alone.

It’s not that Haefeli and Aguilella’s instrumentation doesn’t ably swell up and crash down to provide a desolate canvas for these 10 aching songs. It’s just that Tonra’s haunting sigh of a voice, delivering starkly depressed lyrics in songs that she wrote and coarranged, relegates everything else to the shadows.

Individually, most of these songs work as effective, cathartic releases, although on Tomorrow Tonra’s lyrics (‘By tomorrow we’ll be lost amongst the leaves / In a wind that chills the skeletons of trees’) veer away from the influence of The xx or Everything But The Girl and more towards Jewel.

However, taken as a whole, the monotony weighs the entire record down. There’s nothing wrong with a good heartbreak record, but the songs here flatly mourn everything – relationships, death, depression, numbness – and for an album so invested in the state of the heart, it offers a glimpse of neither hope nor vengeance. Anger, grief, confusion, acceptance – any of these moods would be a welcome addition to the norm of forlorn that Tonra inhabits, as her beautiful vocals are used time and time again to wallow in self-examination, without offering us enough insight to ensure we care as much as she does.

_ HUGH ROBERTSON

THE TONGUE Surrender To Victory

_ SIMON TOPPER

Elefant Traks

It’s almost a relief to listen to the third LP from outspoken wordsmith, The Tongue. A relief because here is a record that would change the mind of any naysayer of the Australian hip hop scene; equal parts thoughtful musing and raise-your-glass party anthems filled with some of the freshest beats you’ll come across in 2013. Never mind the guest roster that features some of the biggest talent in Aussie hip hop, including Thundamentals, Suffa of Hilltop Hoods, Sky’High, Spit Syndicate and Jimblah.

It’s easy to come across too earnest, too preachy or just plain narcissistic when it comes to penning hip hop verses, and The Tongue touches on a broad range of subject matter; there are references to kush (most of the album), partying (Die Tonight) and relationships (So Profound, featuring the criminally underrated Ellesquire) but there are plenty of tracks offering food for thought (Champion Sound, featuring Suffa) to balance things out.

Although it’s the clever, multi-layered wordplay – unexpected namechecks of Kurt Cobain and The Presets, songs that dream of a world with ‘laws against Nickelback strictly enforced’ – that sets this record apart from its contemporaries, there is more positivity, pragmatism and hope on Surrender To Victory than there is hand-wringing, ranting and raving.

You’ll need this if you want your hip hop honest, funny, fresh and with that little extra acid on its tongue.

_ MARISSA DEMETRIOU www.xpressmag.com.au

THE STROKES Comedown Machine RCA/Sony

When The Strok es first arrived on the scene their rise was about as meteoric as humanly possible. A debut album that was untouchable at the time was augmented with a live show that brimming with energy and vibe. Things changed almost as quickly for the five lads from New York who found themselves lambasted for their lacklustre live shows and lack of songwriting breadth.

The introduction to Tap Out comes across as a futuristic version of Wanna Be Starting Something and continues in a similar dance floor filling theme throughout. The single, All The Time, is a far more standard guitar rock affair that has been the staple of The Strokes back catalogue, but it just comes across here as being stale.

The laconic vocal style of Julian Casablancas has been thrown on its ear with the band’s relatively new found penchant for new wave. Synth lines are the dominant force throughout the album with the raw and earthy ballad of 80’s Comedown Machine sounding more like Yo La Tengo than the Strokes’ usual post punk influences.

For the most part, Comedown Machine doesn’t sound like an album by The Strokes. This is a massive positive for a band who were bordering very close to the boundaries of their best before date.

_ CHRIS HAVERCROFT 17

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

A part of National Youth Week and presented

by Propel Youth Arts WA, KickstART celebrates its third year with a range of events and activities designed to get young people to engage with the creative arts. It runs from Friday, April 5 until Friday, May 31. Head to kickstartfestival.com.au for details and events.

This Friday, April 5, sees the inauguration of this year’s KickstART Festival with the opening of the KickstART Hub at 192 William St in Northbridge. The Hub will serve as the nerve centre for the entire festival, a relaxed and safe environment that functions as a forum for workshops, classes, exhibitions and activities. The Hub will remain open for the length of the festival.

Then on Saturday, April 6, the annual KickstART Market Day takes over the Perth Cultural Centre from 12pn until 9pm. Always a highlight of the festival, the Market features a plethora of local artists selling original and vintage creations, live music, and a range of performances and workshops.

Of course, the key aim of the festival is educate and engage the public, particularly the youth demographic, on the subject of art, initiating them into the creative world. To that end, a whole range of seminars, workshops and lectures will take place throughout the festival. On the practical end of the spectrum, topics include everything from urban and skateboard deck art, to circus skills, light photography, fashion illustration presented by acclaimed Perth illustrator, Pippa McManus - and crochet. Additionally, entries into the first Cropped Short Film Project will be screened in the Cultural Centre and the Hub throughout the event.

KickstART also has a mandate to promote and discuss issues affecting Australian Youth. Thus, the programme also includes forums on sexual health, political engagement, mental health, and issues specific to Indigenous youth.

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19

SCULPTURES HERE TO STAY EGAD, IT’S ERADS

The exceptional women of eRADS (‘Exponential Radness’) are holding a free public forum at the Northbridge Piazza as part of the City of Perth Innovation Month. A support network for female entrepreneurs in the creative arts, their motto is ‘There’s a Wonder Woman in all of us.’ The forum’s stated goal is to motivate women to pursue their goals, both personal and professional, and to develop support networks that enable them to do so. Speakers include Kat Black of VJ Zoo; Zoe O’Neill of Retro Rocket Events, the Beehives Gogo Troupe and The Powder Room; and Stella Hui of Lady Velvet Cabaret and the WA Performance School. Head to showmeperth.com.au for details.

In the aftermath of Sculpture By The Sea, the town of Cottesloe has acquired two of the exhibited works. Michael Grau’s Liquorice Allsorts and Manuel Ferreiro Badia’s Kinetic Interference will soon take their places in their new home at North Cottesloe Primary School. This b r i n g s the total number of sculptures purchased from Sculpture by the Sea by Cottesloe to a round ten.

Manuel Ferreiro Badia Kinetic Interference Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe 2013 Photo by Clyde Yee

MEAT AND BONE Skulls and Hearts, a new exhibition by popular American lowbrow artist Bethany Marchman, opens at Elements Art Gallery in Dalkeith on Friday, April 5. Marchman’s work is at once dark and delightful, combining humour and horror in a way that’s sure to appeal to the black-clad and moody amongst us. Head to elementsartgallery. com.au for details.

Trance

Michael Grau Iiquorice Allsorts Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe 2013 Photo by Clyde Yee

BIN THERE, DONE THAT

TRANCE

Sense Memory Directed by Danny Boyle Starring James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Vincent Cassell

The winners of the City of Vincent’s inaugural Bincent Awards were announced by Mayor Alannah McTiernan last Tuesday, March 26. An initiative designed to bring colour and life to the streets of Vincent, 15 residents received plaudits for turning their humble wheelie bins into works of art. First prize winners included Jessica Holker, Kimberley Mann, William Perera, Marie Smith, and Dianna Kelly.

After offering up much-lauded award magnets in the form of Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours, British auteur, Danny Boyle, returns to the grimier, Br’er Rabbit by Bethany Marchman sexier territory he explored in Shallow Grave and Trainspotting with this pop remix of noir tropes.

When a high-end art auction house is robbed, auctioneer Simon (James McAvoy) takes a Rapid fire rapier wit Chris Tucker, after returning to hard knock to the head from the butt of Franck’s the big screen in The Silver Linings Playbook after a six (Vincent Cassell) shotgun, leaving him with severe year absence, is bringing his standup act to Australia.

The hugely successful comedian, known for such The good people at Cabernet & Canvas are once physical trauma and massive gaps in his memory. films as Jackie Brown, The Fifth Element and the Rush more allowing game punters to try their hand at This is a serious problem for Simon, as we quickly Hour series, will be bringing the funny to Challenge art while their other clutches a wine glass. This learn that not only is he Franck’s inside man, but he apparently decided to doublecross him and his Stadium for one night only on Friday, June 21. Tickets Friday, April 5, artist gang, keeping the purloined painting - Francisco from ticketmaster.com.au Ella Dent will guide Goya’s Witches in the Air, by the way - for himself. patrons through the Simon claims he can’t remember where he put it, and creation of their own when torture can’t make him change his story, Franck version of Picasso’s decides to enlist the assistance of a hypnotherapist, Girl Before A Mirror, a Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson), to try and crack open work from his cubist Simon’s reticent memory. As is the way of such things, period. Explore your alliances shift, shady deals are made and dark secrets own artistic potential are revealed. while indulging in the This is noir filtered through the realityfine bar selection at shifting sensibilities of such films as Videodrome and Rydges Perth. Head to Girl Before a Mirror, Inception, although taking place in a more grounded cabernetandcanvas.

Picasso - Cabernet & milieu. The plot itself is twisty enough, but Boyle Chris Tucker com.au for more details.

Canvas also takes great pleasure in almost never giving the

ALL TUCKERED OUT

PAINTING AND PINOT NOIR

Jurassic Park 3D

JURASSIC PARK 3D We Have A T-Rex

Directed by Steven Spielberg Starring Sam Neil, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Samuel L. Jackson, Bob Peck, Wayne Knight.

In the interest of full disclosure I would like to make the following statement: Jurassic Park was the movie that made me fall in love with movies. I was 11 years old when I first saw it and to see dinosaurs and humans believably running around together, it blew my young mind something fierce. So just to let you all know, this may be a somewhat biased review.

We all know the story by now right? The film has been imitated and parodied so many times in the 20 years (yep!) since its release I think we all get the gist. Suffice to say, there are dinosaurs!

Jurassic Park is still an incredible piece of action cinema from one of the great masters of the genre. It is amazing how well this film still holds up; the ground breaking special effects, the performances, the suspenseful direction, all of it stills works better now than some of the current crop of ‘blockbusters’ (I’m looking at YOU Die Hard 5).

I have probably seen this almost a hundred times but it was seeing it in the cinema again which made me finally appreciate it from a pure filmmaking point of view. Taking a cue from his strategy with Jaws, Spielberg’s key strength is to deny the audience.

The film opens with a velociraptor attacking a handler and we never see the dinosaur apart from 20

one reptilian eye, but we hear it and see the fear it inspires. Then we get scene after scene of exposition, as Spielberg expertly sets up his house of cards that we all know he can’t wait to knock over. Slowly and methodically, he shows us the dinosaurs, placating our desire for spectacle. But he shows us the benign, friendly dinosaurs; a brachiosaurus here, a triceratops there. Everyone is awestruck and delighted. Then the power goes out and the T-Rex escapes.

For that scene alone this film deserves to be remembered as a classic. The simultaneous action and the cause and effect of the T-Rex scene is terrific; from the initial attack to the car in the tree sequence, this is energetic, gleeful filmmaking that can sit side by side with any scene from Raiders Of The Lost Ark. But I cannot mention this scene without pointing out the design of the T-Rex herself. She is a monument to the way CGI and robotics can be used in conjunction to suspend disbelief, and create such a memorable anti-hero (yes, it’s true).

The only aspect of this film that is disappointing is the 3D. It adds nothing and in fact detracts from the film. All it achieves is a darker image with very little depth of field. A simple 20th Anniversary re-release would have been enough but in this age of ‘event cinema’ that wasn’t going to happen.

Despite the 3D, go see Jurassic Park in the cinema. Even if you’ve seen it dozens of times, it becomes new again as the film still has the power to scare and to entertain. The years have been kind to this gem. _ LIAM DUNN

audience enough information to be sure if they’re standing on firm narrative ground. The film deals with all sorts of mental ephemera - amnesia, suppressed memories, post-hypnotic suggestions, fugue states and when that’s coupled with a host of duplicitous characters who tend to play their cards close to their chest, parsing what’s actually transpiring on screen takes some concentration.

Happily, Boyle’s strong cast and stylish direction mean that the film is never less than arresting. McAvoy lends Simon some much needed nuance and shading, while Dawson balances compassion and cool opacity in the role of Elizabeth.

Meanwhile, Cassell manages to bring humanity and vulnerability to a role that could have been just a by-the-numbers villain.

For his part, Boyle has never refrained from employing every stylistic flourish he can think of, and this latest work is no exception. On reflection, it’s a fairly contained film, limited to a handful of locations and a small cast, but Boyle fills almost every frame with neon, polished steel and glass, not to mention the occasional shock of gore and some genuinely unexpected nudity. This is Boyle in relaxed mode, having some fun in between bigger projects, and there’s a sense of playfulness that comes through in even the darkest moments.

In the end, this is a lesser effort from Boyle, although deliberately so. It’s never less than engaging, and there are moments of visual panache and conceptual daring that are simply jaw-dropping, but overall the circumspect scale means that it’s really just a distraction, albeit a very enjoyable one. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON

Sleepwalk With Me

SLEEPWALK WITH ME Right Through The Night

Directed by Mike Birbiglia and Seth Barrish Starring Mike Birbiglia, Lauren Ambrose, James Rebhorn, Carol Kane, Cristin Milioti The team behind the award-winning and hugely popular public radio show, This American Life, turn their hands to the big screen with this amiably honest comedy, based on the stage play and subsequent book by star and co-writer, Mike Birbiglia.

Drawing on his own experiences, Birbiglia plays Matt, an aspiring stand up comedian who has had little luck in his chosen field of endeavour.

After his sister Janet’s (Cristin Milioti) wedding, Matt’s parents (James Rebhorn and Carol Kane) want to know when he’ll be popping the question to his long term girlfriend, Abby (Lauren Ambrose) - something she’s a bit curious about herself. When he finally gets a chance to take his act on the road the success he finds after opening up onstage about his relationship fears, combined with the temptations of easy sex, make him question his situation even more. Matt’s issues are further complicated by the fact that he suffers from sleepwalking, which sees him act out his anxieties with amusing and occasionally dangerous results.

One of the only reasons such an ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ approach to narrative works is if it’s based on real events - at least then, the rambling pace and hanging threads add some verisimilitude.

Here, it’s pretty clear that, even if Birbiglia and his

collaborators stray from the actual occurrences here and there, there’s enough truth, both emotional and actual, to make that forgivable.

Birbiglia is an engaging screen presence, warm and self-deprecating, and brave enough to expose his foibles in the service of honesty. He also manages to embody the notion of the manchild without seeming like a carbon copy of every other commitment-shy comedy protagonist we’ve seen over the last several years. The rest of the cast is pretty great, too, and frankly it’s good to see Carol Kane on the screen again in anything.

It is a bit shapeless, though, and with the focus so firmly on Matt we don’t really get enough of the other characters in his circle, particularly Abby; we’re just told how great she is, and the rest of her personality is up to Lauren Ambrose to craft. There’s no real sense of escalating stakes or resolution, and though there can be no doubt that the events as told had a pretty profound effect on Birbiglia himself, to the casual viewer it can come across as something of a shaggy dog story.

It’s a very enjoyable one, however, and for all the film’s willingness to offer up Matt’s - and, by extension, Birbiglia’s - shortcomings for scrutiny, there’s no real meanness in it. Rather, there’s a warm, messy kind of humanity, a kind of hipster-Zen acceptance of the weird travails of life. Birbigilia also has enough sense not to overstay his welcome; the film clocks in at not much more than 80 minutes enough time to tell the story, but not so much that you’ll be checking your watch. _ TRAVIS JOHNSON X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Matildia Ridgway (right) in Bell Shakespeare’s Henry 4

Thérèse Desqueyroux

THÉRÈSE DESQUEYROUX A Difficult Woman

Directed by Claude Miller Starring Audrey Tatou, Gilles Lellouche, Anaïs Demoustier, Stanley Weber, Catherine Arditi The fallout that occurs when high expectations meet cold reality is at the core of Thérèse Desqueyroux, Claude Miller’s final film prior to his death in 2012.

The socially repressed upper class society of France in the 1920s serves as an appropriate backdrop for an exploration into the destructive nature of family politics and a young woman’s journey into her own heart of darkness.

The titular Thérèse (Tatou) is raised alongside the opulent Desqueyroux family, particularly Anne (Demoustier) and her brother Bernard (Lellouche) to whom Thérèse is betrothed.

This is both a political move and a way to secure the swathes of pine trees that are their fortune. Thérèse is a well-read free spirit, excited at the prospect of marrying Bernard, but after the wedding day the reality of her situation sets in, along with a growing ennui that becomes malignant to the point of almost utter despair. Her behaviour causes the family to circle the wagons in a desperate attempt to save face.

The film is a slow moving, quiet affair, with the majority of scenes taking place in opulent mansions and chateaus by the seaside, to juxtapose

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the glittering façade of the well-to-do against the rotting heart beneath. It is a fascinating look at the machinations of French society in the 1920s, where the reputation of the family is paramount and any individual who strays from the path is to be placed out of sight and out of mind to preserve appearances.

Audrey Tatou is fine as Thérèse, essaying a young woman who’s behaviour is borderline sociopathic at times, and an interesting choice for a protagonist, but the film is unclear as to whether this is brought on by her situation or if this has occurred naturally - that she never really fit in the world at all. Despite her performance though, her casting is problematic. By the time frame set in the film, Thérèse should be in her early 20s, whereas the actress is in her late 30s. This causes her to appear out of place, which could very well have been the director’s intent, but it doesn’t quite work here.

Gilles Lellouche, a comedic supporting actor given his first lead dramatic role, is good as her dull eversuffering husband, a man whose devotion to his family ensures that he will never be truly happy.

Thérèse Desqueyroux is a well-made film, if a small one. It never reaches too far to hit its narrative beats, dark and troubling as they may be.

The film is content to linger; on landscapes, quiet stuffy rooms, and still faces that barely contain the boiling emotion underneath. While the languid pace and quiet dialogue may turn some people off (yes, this is that kind of French film), there are some interesting themes at play here, even if by the end things are left a little too ambiguous. _ LIAM DUNN

HENRY 4

The Thing With The King Combining youth with age and experience, has always been one of the strengths of John Bell and his Bell Shakespeare Company. In the company’s production of Henry 4, a unique combination of the Bard’s Henry IV Part One and Part Two. Young actress Matilda Ridgway may be last on the cast list, but she gets to play three roles: Lady Percy, a part which has been edited down; Wart, a soldier - a part which is little more than a walk on one; and Doll Tearsheet, a part in which she gets to be chatted-up by a drunken Falstaff played

by John Bell.

Asked if the part of Doll was as the Shakespeare wrote it, Ridgway replies, “Pretty much as Shakespeare wrote it, it’s an amazing role, you get some of the best insults in the play – she’s a pretty hard living young woman.”

Matilda Ridgway graduated from Australia’s oldest acting school, Sydney’s Ensemble Acting Studios, in 2008, the year before it closed. A prestigious school, it boasts an alumnus of actors that includes such luminaries as Jack Thompson, Lorraine Bayly, Max Cullen and Reg Livermore. After graduating, Ridgway went overseas to train with the Atlantic Acting School and the SITI Company in New York.

Joining the Bell Shakespeare Company, she’s a member of their Players group, and played Juliet in Romeo and Juliet in one of their productions for schools. With a bounty of stage, film and television credits to her name, this year is proving to be a

successful and very exciting one for her. apart from the Henry 4 tour, in February she won The Trust Company’s Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship for Acting.

So what’s next after the Henry 4 tour ends?

“I’ll head off over to Chicago and Paris,” she explains.

“The scholarship’s about $20,000 per year, and I was lucky enough to be the winner this year for the acting category. It’s all about getting training opportunities you might not get in Australia, that you can do overseas.”

Young actors often have to take non-acting jobs to keep paying the bills and putting food on the table, and Ridgway is no exception. “I’ve worked as an office temp, I’ve worked in a pub, I’ve run a box office, but for the last two years I’ve been pretty lucky getting acting jobs.”

Given her family’s deep roots in the arts, it seems that Ridgway’s acting career was predestined.

“Well, my sister is a poet and my brother is in a band,” she tells us. “And my Grandma used to dance for the Tivolis, and we do come from Ridgway Circus that used to tour Australia and New Zealand. So we are carnie folk, so maybe that’s where I get it. My Dad runs an insurance company and my Mum is the C.E.O. of a financial services company.”

But her initial inspiration to pursue an acting career came when she got her fist taste of the stage as a child. “I went to a live show at the [Sydney University’s] Footbridge theatre, and they had audience participation, and I was desperate to get up on stage, so when I was chosen, I just wouldn’t get down off the stage.” _MICHAEL PERROT

21

contained bushland site at Fairbridge Village. Three days of the best folk music that Australia and the world has to offer, including Kristina Olsen, Tinpan WASO: Tchaikovsky and Brahms Performance April 12 at the Government House Orange, and Pugsley Buzzard. It runs Apr 26 - Apr 28.

Ballroom and April 14 at the Fremantle Town Hall. Bookings through folkworldfestival.com.au Tickets via waso.com.au Perth International Comedy Festival: numerous Flippin’ Pictures: A Symphonic Jazz Oddyssey, locations across Perth The Astor Encompassing over 50 acts and 150 performances Performance April 21. Tickets via showticketing.com.au over 19 days, the 2013 Perth International Comedy Festival brings together the world’s top comic talent for a concentrated blast off laughs. Guests this year include 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan, Margaret Cho, Jim Jefferies, Stephen K. Amos, and The Wayans Brothers.

FolkWorld Fairbridge Festival: Fairbridge Village A friendly celebration of folk, roots, blues, acoustic, It runs May 1 - May 19. Head to perthcomedyfest.

Celtic, a capella and world music in a traffic-free, self- com.au for details

MUSIC VISUAL ARTS Picturing New York: Photographs From The Museum Of Modern Art: Art Gallery Of WA, Northbridge Depicting the iconic New York that captivates the world’s imagination and the idiosyncratic details that define New Yorkers’ sense of home, this exhibition from MoMA’s extraordinary photography collection celebrates the city in all its vitality, ambition and beauty. Made by approximately 90 artists responding to the city as well as professionals on assignment, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Lewis Hine, Helen Levitt, Cindy Sherman, Alfred Stieglitz, and Weegee. Runs until May 12.

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

Wendy Sharpe - Artist and Model: Buratti Fine Arts, Fremantle A selection of works by the Australian painter Wendy Sharpe. Runs until Apr 18 The City of Melville Sculpture Walk: Deep Water Point, Mt Pleasant Now in it’s 10th year, the Sculpture Walk presents 26 new sculptures and installations set against a picturesque backdrop. It runs until April 7, and entry is free.

FESTIVALS

The Agony, The Ecstasy and i: The Blue Room Theatre This debut offering from fresh-faced dance theatre outfit Toyi-Toyi Theatre inaugurates The Blue Room Theatre’s new performance season. This provocative piece by Laura Hopwood and Tarryn Runkle, partly inspired by Mike Daisey’s now largely debunked monologue, The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs, examines our relationship with technology, consumerism and ethics. The season runs from April 16 May for. Go to blueroom.org.au for session times and tickets.

Girl and Boy on Log by David Bromley David Bromley - Every Day A Sunday: Jahroc Galleries, Margaret River An exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist David Bromley which includes works across a variety of media, including paper, canvas, textile, bronze and surfboards. This is a rare opportunity to view a collection by an artist whose efforts have been lauded on the world stage. It runs until April 27.

THEATRE/DANCE/ Year 12 Perspectives: Art Gallery of WA, Northbridge PERFORMANCE An exhibition of works from the best, brightest, and most creative graduating high school artists in the Bell Shakespeare’s Henry 4: The Heath Ledger Centre state. Runs until June 30 John Bell directs, adapts, and essays the iconic role of Falstaff in this new production of William Drawn From Sound: Spectrum Project Space Shakespeare’s rousing tale of court intrigue, adventure, A collection of artworks drawn from musical notation, rebellion and familial conflict. Bell aims to recapture curated by Cat Hope. It runs until April 12. the bawdy, dramatic atmosphere of Elizabethan theatre for a modern audience. It runs from April 5 From War to Remembrance - A Living History of the April 13. Go to statetheatrecentrewa.com.au for more.

RSL: The State Library of WA An exhibition on the history, goals and activities Freefall - Gravity and Other Myths: The Mandurah of the RSL in Western Australia, encompassing art Performing Arts Centre installations, interactive displays, archival photographs South Australia’s leading circus and physical theatre and objects, film screenings and guest speakers. It company performs for two shows only on April 13. runs from April 20 - June 30.

Go to manpac.com.au for info and tickets.

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The Agony, The Ecstasy and i

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

THE X-PRESS GUIDE TO EVERYTHING URBAN to ADVERTISE: EYE4@XPRESSMAG.COM.AU

FACE VALUE

La Paleta icy poles and dress by No 9 Bridal Couture, photographed by Jason Tey

BRIDES INSPIRED If you’re about to tie the knot or know somebody who is, then you won’t want to miss out on Wedding Upmarket, a bespoke event that’s set to take over the University of Western Australia’s Winthrop Hall Undercroft for one day only this Sunday, April 6. Now in its third year, Wedding Upmarket caters to couples searching for inspiration for their big day, offering up an array of independent stall holders that can give your nuptials a unique, personalised touch.

Wedding Upmarket organiser Justine Barsley explains the concept behind the wildly popular event: “it’s a free, market environment showcasing the best of the state’s wedding wares all under the one roof, giving brides-to-be the opportunity to put their own stamp on their special event. Not only will customers be able to come and buy or order from our hand-picked, best of the best designers, they will also be able to gain inspiration, purchase DIY kits and source unique touches for the all important day.”

Step into the Undercroft between 10am and 3pm this Sunday to discover invitations, decorations, designers, stylists, florists, photographers and everything else you could possibly need to ensure your big day goes off without a hitch! Entry is free for brides, grooms and any other important decision makers in tow; to find out more visit perthupmarket.com.au.

Costumes from Sex And The City will be on show at Linney’s Subiaco

STYLE AND THE CITY Devotees of cult TV series Sex And The City will flock to Linney’s in Subiaco next week to wrap their peepers around some of the most iconic garments from the show, worn by the likes of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), Samantha (Kim Cattrall) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). In Perth as part of celebrations for diamond month at Linney’s, the pieces on display were sourced by costume designer and renowned stylist Patricia Field, who set global fashion trends with the outfits she crafted for SATC. Visitors to Linney’s between Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 13, will be able to admire Carrie’s incredible Vivienne Westwood wedding dress, Itay Malkin black diamond wedding ring and a pair of heart-stoppingly beautiful electric blue Manolo Blahnik heels, and can also go into the draw to win a unique handcrafted black diamond ring. For opening hours visit linneys.com.

HEAD OFFICE SALON

The hunt is on for the new faces of enex100, and competition is set to be fierce. A mecca for style in the heart of Perth’s City, the team at enex100 is currently in the throes of unearthing a pair of ambassadors who will become the inaugural Ms. en and Mr. ex, and will feature in the centre’s new campaign. The lucky winners will also receive a $1000 enex100 wardrobe, which will see them through autumn and winter in style.

Model, presenter and former Miss Universe Australia 2010 Jesinta Campbell will fly over to Perth to host the event, and the 21 year old beauty says she can’t wait to return to sunny WA for the festivities.

“I am really excited to come across to Perth. It’s a really beautiful city and I love the vibe, great food and great people. I really wish I got to visit more often.”

In terms of what she and the judges will be looking for, Jesinta reveals that she’s keen to find a guy and a girl who are friendly, approachable and well presented.

“I think being confident and genuinely excited and passionate about the brand you are working for is essential. You must have good people skills and be willing to put yourself out there. I am really looking forward to meeting all of the contestants and seeing what they have to offer and why they have entered the competition. It’s a great platform to kick start a career so I am looking for someone who is passionate, driven and has a sense of fun about them!”

When it comes to advice for contestants, Campbell encourages everyone to make the most of the opportunity and enjoy the ride. “Smile, have fun and enjoy every moment. It will be an awesome experience and you need to make sure you make the most of it.”

Entries have now closed for the competition but voting goes live this week, head to facebook.com/enex100 to find out more. _EMMA BERGMEIER

Jesinta Campbell will host the search for the new faces of enex100

Advertorial

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Escape the hustle and bustle of the CBD at Head Office with beauty therapies including manicures, pedicures, waxing, tinting, tanning and body exfoliation, along

with luxurious spa treatments such as facials and massages that will relax and rejuvenate you. If you work in the city and need to escape the daily grind, retreat to Head Office for a 45 Corporate Mini Radiance or Rebalance facial which cleanses, exfoliates and stimulates the skin.

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CONTACT: 976 Hay Street, Perth, WA 6000, (08) 9321 9330, admin@headofficesalon.com.au PRODUCTS: Revlon, Sebastian, Kevin Murphy, Great Lengths, Behave Keratin, Show Pony Extensions www.xpressmag.com.au

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THE X-PRESS GUIDE TO EVERYTHING URBAN to ADVERTISE: EYE4@XPRESSMAG.COM.AU

SWEAT IT OUT Yoga is a form of exercise based on the belief that the body and breath are intimately connected with the mind. By controlling the breath and holding the body in steady asanas (poses) yoga creates harmony. So, if you’re into trying something new, there are two great North Perth venues offering similar introductory offers, so you can get a taste of the practice, before making a commitment.

Bikram Yoga Asana WHAT: Bikram Yoga Perth Introductory Pass HOW MUCH: $20 for ten consecutive days of continuous use WHERE: 158a Vincent Street, North Perth FOR: New students only

WHAT: Yoga Om Introductory Pass HOW MUCH: $25 for ten consecutive days of continuous use WHERE: 315 Fitzgerald Street, North Perth FOR: New students only

Bikram Yoga covers 26 postures and two breathing exercises. This 90 minute program is not for the faint of heart as it’s held in a room airconditioned to 38 degrees. Each posture stretches and strengthens specific muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints needed for the next posture and stimulates the organs, glands, and nerves moving fresh oxygenated blood to 100 per cent of the body. The room is heated to warm your muscles preventing injury and allowing for a deeper workout.

Yoga Om offers Ashtanga Yoga, which Is a system of yoga that involves synchronising the breath with that of a progressive series of postures. It produces intense internal heat as well as a profuse and purifying sweat that helps with detoxification of the muscles and organs of the body. It combines a series of flowing postures with rhythmic breathing for an intense body-mind workout through a prescribed set of asanas.

Three good reasons to try Bikram Yoga:

Three good reasons to try Yoga Om:

Warm muscles burn fat more effectively while a warmer temperature produces a fluid like stretch that allows for greater range of motion in the joints.

Heart rate becomes elevated which improves the cardiovascular system (heart and lungs).

Blood becomes thinner which clears the circulatory system and sweating assists the detoxification process using the body’s largest organ (the skin).

Breathing and moving together while performing asanas makes the blood hot, producing internal cleansing.

Thinner (heated) blood circulates more freely, so it’s better able to remove pain, impurities and disease.

The sweat generated by Ashtanga practice is also beneficial, because it removes the toxins brought out by the boiling blood.

Ashtanga Yoga Asana 24

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Ezra Pound

POUNDING THE PAVEMENT One of the pioneers of the current small bar surge in Perth, Northbridge’s Ezra Pound has become an iconic presence within Perth’s cultural landscape. Now, with the cafe Love Thy Neighbour sitting adjacent, there’s even more reason to make your way to one of Perth’s top niche bars. We talk to co-owner Talmage ‘TJ’ Andersen. TRAVIS JOHNSON reports.

It’s not quite a secret, but it doesn’t exactly advertise its presence, either. Tucked away in a quiet back alley off William St in Northbridge is one the best - and certainly one of the most relaxed - watering holes in Perth. Founded in 2009 by partners Talmage Andersen and Jan Kulski, it’s become a much-loved venue for those who are looking for a decent drink and enjoyable company, but don’t want to deal with the travails associated with the local beer barns.

A little less than a year ago the Ezra Pound empire expanded further when an adjacent shopfront became available, an opportunity Andersen says “...came up almost out of the blue.” This led to the opening of Love Thy Neighbour, a cafe that owes its existence to Andersen’s desire to propagate the Ezra Pound philosophy further, namely:“To sell quality product at affordable prices in a friendly atmosphere with great service from knowledgeable staff.”

For Andersen, opening an eatery was something he had wanted to do a for a long time, and something he sees as complimentary to his bar experience. “I enjoy the hospitality industry as a whole,” he tells us. “From spirits, wines and beers to coffees and teas from all over world to almost every cuisine in the world. I also enjoy the challenge of putting different types of venues together. So for me making a decision to get into the food side of things was a natural one.”

Asked to describe the appeal of the twin venues, he says, “The vibe I pick up is generally easy going and casual; a place for all ages and cultures, a place that’s easy to be yourself, a place you can meet Ezra Pound all kinds interesting people and make new friends. It’s the awesome people and customers that make these “ The concept of the Pound draws places so easy to hang out in.” influence from the speakeasies in America,” And when pressed for his own favourite Andersen - TJ to his friends - explains. “Where menu items, he says, “For me right now? Nothing venues were forced to sneakily provide libations beats grabbing an American hotdog from Love Thy without alerting authorities. This translates for us a Neighbour and sitting at the Pound and drinking an small low key venue that aimed to remain hidden ice cold Feral Hop Hog IPA.” from the populace and reward those who venture Photos By Carlo Dalziel into the ‘bridge’ to find us.”

Opening their own place seemed like the next logical step for the pair, both of whom had put in the hard yards, honing their craft in a number of different venues. “Between myself and Jan we have over 20 years experience in hospitality, from fine dining restaurants, to grungy dive bars and everything in between, from Perth to St Kilda to Fitzroy and San Francisco. It was a natural progression for us to share our experiences with the masses and open up here in Perth.”

Of course, it’s worth remembering that their decision to open came before the groundswell of Perth’s small bar culture. While a large number of places have opened up in Ezra Pound’s wake, when Andersen and Kulski were first dipping their toes in the water, the odds of success were difficult to gauge. Andersen chalks up a lot of their appeal to their distinctive address. “The location was chosen after extensive bicycle rides through all the nooks and crannies of Perth city and Northbridge. I think it was the charm of the laneway the drew us into its location and we are so happy it did as we had no idea the kind of leaps and bounds Northbridge Ezra Pound would make over the following years.”

Love Thy Neighbour www.xpressmag.com.au

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

BLU AND EXILE

Blu and Exile have been stalwarts of the LA hip hop scene for years, working as a duo and as separate entities. Their upcoming trip to Australia will see them performing here together for the first time - a belated celebration of their two collaborative albums, widely considered as underground classics.

NICK SWEEPAH caught up with emcee Blu ahead of his impending Perth show.

After a string of releases with other artists, over several years Blu and Exile were introduced to each other by another of Exile’s collaborators.“Aloe Blacc heard of me coming up and up, and when we met his first thought was that I had to meet Exile.” Aloe Blacc, a man whose critically acclaimed album Good Things included the track Need A Dollar, which in turn smashed charts across Europe and Australia throughout 2011, had clearly made another great choice by pairing these two up.

After a string of releases on their own, Blu and Exile collaboratively released Below The Heavens in 2007 - an album now widely regarded as an underground classic. It seems like a pairing that may have been inevitable without Blacc’s involvement, with both artists being based in Los Angeles - a place where there seems to be no end to talented emcee’s, DJ’s and producers strolling about. Blu explains it’s not exactly like that:“Naw, they all have their own kingdoms that follow them everywhere they go. We always see each other, but it’s nothing compared to New York.” On whether a community like this is a good or bad thing to be involved in, he advises “the ego is the negative part, the positive part is the collaboration, and running into those you admire. The stairway to the stars is right up the block,” before throwing in “I just met Kurupt yesterday.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

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Blu, as a solo artist, is known for his raw, street level raps, mixed with a little psychedelic meandering and introspection. On top of his copious releases as an emcee, he’s also been working on his production, having done beats for albums by Sene and ANTHM, and his own instrumental releases.

Although they’re touring Australia together, both Blu and Exile have extensive back catalogues as separate entities. They did release Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them in 2012, their second collaborative album, but there’s a heavy demand for both as individuals. Given this demand, it’d be hard to imagine there being much time for them to work on material together.“We always jam rock, but we got so much shit individually that as a group we don’t tour as much as an Atmosphere or Murs. But we get in,” Blu says, going on to explain that there’s “a more classic, well woven approach to how we create. It has been honed well, starting from a colourful yet unique platform.”

Expanding on this unique platform, Blu explains their separate creative processes, “Exile creates more from the heart, I create from the brain.

Exile’s output is more complex and scientifically crafted… my output is more down to earth and relatable.” The process of each of their two albums has varied also. On Below The Heavens there were “many different methods. Almost every song was created differently, whereas the second one was created one way. Exile gave me a bunch of beats he had created and I matched them with a bunch of lyrics I had already written.” Nevertheless, Give Me My Flowers… has gone on to be incredibly highly sought after amongst hip hop heads.

It’s not that Blu has left people waiting though. Between 2009 and 2013, he dropped seven EP’s and five albums, in various formats - from official label releases to things that were digital only. His only explanation for this prolific output is “man… love, bro.

My artistry is straight up the middle. I’m not complex, nor am I watered down.” Having said this though, he has mentioned (in previous interviews) the intention to retire from rapping at the age of 30. Given that this pivotal date arrives only 11 days after their Perth show, will this be the last tour we see from him? Blu’s answer is in keeping with the offhanded humour of his lyrics: “I will keep rapping but I’m gonna retire to sell more records, like Jay-Z.” Noting that he’d like to break into film making when he quits rap, it has to be asked exactly what kind of films he’d want to make.

The answer is simple, yet intriguing, “modern black cinema.”

Citing his current favourites as “Saul Williams, Gilberto Gil, Toro Y Moi, Roc Marciano and Sun Ra,” one wonders what might have kicked off the whole

The Brow Horn Orchestra

FUNKY SHOWCASE

The Funk Club has amassed a huge lineup of live bands, DJs, producers and performers for its Shake It Showcase, on Anzac Day, Thursday, April 25. To be held across two stages at Salt on The Beach, up to 40 artists will take over two stages under a big top, including The Brow Horn Orchestra, Mathas, Weapon Is Blu & Exile Sound, The Pimps Of Sound, Charlie Bucket, Diger idea that rapping is something worth pursuing in the Rokwell, Micah and Zeke. They’ll be joined by gogo first place.“Hip hop was my first big bobbie as a teen,” dancers Beehives A Gogo, Carnies With Candy, and he says, “As a kid it was Marvel Comics which heavily circus performers Danger Russ. Tickets are $25+bf influenced my writing, and Saul Williams was more from heatseeker.com.au and the usual outlets. important than any of my teachers in high school.”

Despite his prolific work in recent years, and his admission of his intents after the age of 30, Blu has a lot of things in the works at the moment.

He mentions he’s been working on projects with “Alchemist, Pete Rock, Madlib, Du Rag Dynasty, and a new album with Bombay.” Hardly the stuff of a man considering retirement. When asked whether the live show with Exile contains solo aspects, or is an entirely collaborative affair, he replies in typically obsurdist fashion saying that Australian audiences can expect the pair to “sit it down and bring out Bob Dylan and T.I. Astrud Gilberto.” Expanding on that, the only thing he says they’re keen on seeing in Australia is “girls gone wild.”

If you’d read this, and didn’t know anything Get Ready for Supafest 4, Thursday, April 25. The about Blu and Exile, that line would probably seem legendary T.I. will be performing in Australia for the like something from a typical commercial rapper. If first time along with hip-hop legend 50 Cent. Once you check out their music first, you’ll get the irony, and dubbed the Jay-Z of the South by Pharrell Williams, T.I. the only going wild will be done by the enthusiastic gradually came into his own and established himself following of fans the duo have built up over the years, as one of rap’s most successful emcees during the based on the sheer quality and consistency of their early 2000s. Curtis James Jackson III, better known by his stage name 50 Cent, rose to fame with the music. release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003) and The Massacre (2005). Joining them will be R&B icon Ne-Yo, Akon J. Cole, Young Jeezy, Waka Flocka, DJ » BLU (see Salt News for update) Unk, Mindless Behaviour and Kevin McCall. Tickets » THURSDAY, APRIL 4 @ THE BAKERY from Ticketek.com.au.

‘SUP FEST

DJ Rashad

GHETTO FEET

Chicago’s footwork and ghetto house legend, DJ Rashad and the genre’s youngest-in-charge, DJ Manny are heading to Perth on Sunday, June 2 to weird-out The Bakery’s dancefloor. The footwork subculture began in Chicago – growing out of hip-hop influenced juke of the ‘90s and ghetto house of the ‘80s. DJ Rashad is recognised as one of its originators and is still at the forefront of this movement. Expect speedy and sparse raw beats averaging 160bpms. Early bird $20 + bf tickets are on sale from lifeisnoise.com, Oztix and nowbaking.com.au from this Friday, April 5.

Blu

NO FLY EXILE

DJ Exile has had to bail on his upcoming Australia/ NZ tour with West Coast rapper Blu due to an unexpected operation. The pair would have been descending on The Bakery this Thursday, April 4 but as Exile explains via Youtube: “What’s up New Zealand, what’s up Australia. Can’t make it out to the tour, I had a small operation. You can’t fly after small operations, cos you can get a blood clot and, I don’t want no blood clot.” Blu will continue to hold down the beats on the tour solo, performing an extended set instead. He’ll be joined by House Shoes with local support from Mathas, Speekeasy, Up&Up, Kit Pop and Soma.

MOBIN MASTER SHOWING SOME LOVE

YOLANDA BE COOL

SO COOL THEY’RE HOT

Party starter Mobin Master is on his way to Villa for a large evening of big room house, dirty Electro and Yolanda Be Cool breaks. His house anthem Show Me HADOUKEN! Love spent a record 52 weeks in the We No Speak Americano was obviously massive.

EVERY WEEKEND Can you tell me about the fake recall you staged Australian charts and remains the SURFACE NOISE last year? longest charting single in ARIA club Fake? It was fo’ real. If you need further info, The latest offering from London quintet Hadouken! chart history while his label Safari we can put you in touch with Gerhardt, our lawyer, comes at a time when their genre is facing challenges Music continues to bust out the as he has instructed us not to comment further on to stay relevant.

Despite the rise and now decline of latest in EDM dancefloor fillers. He’ll what is a dangerous area. Please be brief though, he’s dubstep and the emergence of new bass style trap expensive. stealing the limelight of late, Hadouken! are resiliently be joined by J Trick and locals Micah championing the live band/drum and bass sound. and Chris Moro.

Since the smash hit that was 2010’s After the success of WNSA you set up your own Their third album Every Weekend is about simply that: capturing what goes on in the UK club What are your musical influences/ inspirations?

We No Speak Americano, Sydney- label. What plans do you have for Sweat It Out? scene every weekend. Unfortunately the same Anything latest and cutting edge. I hear a Well, we wanted an outlet for stuff that didn’t excitement they were generating, in the vein of acts new sound and love to progress it! based duo Yolanda Be Cool are well on the way to building their own have the same pressure as big singles so, with Ajax, like Pendulum, is no longer at the level it may have How did you get into making tunes?

I was in a band, then moved to EDM and of our label, Club Sweat was born. We are only one been every weekend a few years back. empire. Club Sweat, formed with out This record typifies their tried and tested became a DJ because my music was irrelevant without release deep at the moment, but it was by our good the recently departed DJ Ajax, who buddies Playmode and absolutely killed it. It got love musical approach, with a strong focus on producing the DJ background! hard-hitting noise. Their aggressive tones and Your first gig? sadly died in a traffic accident, has from Pete Tong to Loco Dice and everyone in between, big, heavy bass are designed to get crowds going, with A 21st for an ex-girlfriend who hired Technics quite the Sydney following and so we were very excited about the start. The next d’n’b track Parasite and graphic dubstep number Spill for me. I played disco and’70s funk. Weird? I know. they have big plans for their newly release is from Berlin outfit Acme, who have done some Your Guts targeting that inner rage that fans of the Favourite artists you’ve collaborated with and why?

Laidback Luke, Kaz James and Nari and things individually, but as Acme, this will be their genre just want to let go. established label. JO CAMPBELL huge Frontman James Smith uses variations of Milani. I learnt new tricks and was able to progress with first release, so we are pumped for this too. It’s wikkid. finds out more and asks about their Then we have a few of our own to come, and another style and tempo throughout tracks to allow both the the sessions we had together. and softer sides of the band to come out What’s the latest with Safari Music? new album, Ladies and Mentalmen. awesome release from new comer Ever In Lo, which we hardcore through his lyrics.

Coming up next is a new monster jumphave been playing in every set. A definite winner.

You guys hide your faces a lot in press photos. I’m just wondering why?!

Can you tell me about the production process We are not very attractive. involved in making Ladies and Mentalmen?

It was a long and drawn out process for You’ve played Ibiza three years running, which is a pretty key indicator of your success. How do sure, but basically, when we decided we wanted you feel about the (sort of) sudden fame you guys to write an album, we sat down with our manager received after WNSA? and talked about the albums we loved and we kept We were stoked to say the least. We never referring back to artists like Moby, Groove Armada expected it, so it was a very nice surprise. As for Ibiza, it’s the home of electronic music so we absolutely and Basement Jaxx, artists that write club bangers, love going over there. As soon as you land at the but also aren’t afraid to throw in a hip joint or even a airport, you know you are in a place where dance ballad, which is what we wanted to do. Then we drew culture lives. We love it. up a wish list of vocalists and went from there.

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The album features the production input of big names Noisia and Loadstar, along with a collaboration on the tune Daylight with Drumsound and Bassline Smith, earning a tip of the cap from old school-style bass purists young and old.

Every Weekend may not reach the heights of their previous work that got them on the map, but it stays true to who they are as a band and the music they love.

style number by Mobin Master and Tate Strauss vs Rave Radio called Let’s Go and soon we are about to start Safari Sound System parties.

Apparently you play a keytar as part of your live show?

Yep. I pull out the ‘80s looking axe and smash out classic riffs, which I then drop into slammers.

Three words to describe your set?

Energy, interaction and a few surprises!

» TOM KITSON » MOBIN MASTER & J-TRICK » RAW » FRIDAY APRIL 5 @ VILLA X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

HIS MAJESTY ANDRE NO ITALIAN JOB

He may be from Milan, but Andre Baietti aka His Majesty Andre is flying the flag for funky French house. JO CAMPBELL chats with him about pretending to hail from London, fast mixing and how it all went Pete Tong.

If you had to isolate two obvious influences within His Majesty Andre’s sound it would have to be ‘70s disco and the legendary Daft Punk. “I used to sample a lot from that period and I’m a huge fan of Daft Punk,” agrees Baietti. “Through using samples from that period, they (Daft Punk) were able to make something really powerful, and I try to do the same.”

Known for sampling heavily from his parent’s old record collection, Baietti is currently toying with different production methods with fellow Italian, Bot, who is one half of futuristic techno outfit, Crookers, with three collabs expected out soon.

“It’s quite different (his work with Bot) because it’s a mashup upon mashup and it will be very different from the sampled stuff. I’m trying to upgrade my sound.”

Having been released on CheapThrills, Dim Mak, Fool’s Gold and Southern Fried and having collaborated with the likes of EDM juggernauts The Bloody Beetroots and Crookers, Baietti is perhaps most well known in Australia for his house hit Hymn, which received much airplay on triple j last year.

But he actually came to the fore around 2009 with the success of his Peep Thong tune, a lighthearted reference to the UK dance music legend, Pete Tong.

“Yes, he heard that! He played it a few times on BBC Radio 1,” says Baietti of the track. “The name came when I was hanging out with my brother and it came up as a joke and we thought it would be a great name for a song.”

Baietti’s five minute minimix for Annie Mac’s show in the same year included a massive 150 plus samples, an amazing feat of dexterity that begs

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Bliss n Eso

BLISS N ESO ON THE MAP

Moving forward in leaps and bounds, Australian hip hop names like Bliss n Eso have legitimised our scene and His Majesty Andre made us count. RK caught up with the question of whether he always prefers to fast mix. the duo ahead of their appearance “It depends. I like to fast mix when I can but it depends. If its house or techno, I mix them with hip hop royalty, Nas, at the end quickly and if it’s something new or unexpected, like of the month. drum music or a slower tempo, I prefer a quick mix to keep the power of the track, then switch.”

In terms of where the Milan native resides, for a while there, it seemed as though he was from the UK, a subterfuge he says was created to appear more mysterious to his fans while dodging being branded as being part of the Italian scene.

“With the explosion of the Italian wave of house, I didn’t want to be seen as one of the Italian guys.

“I’ve always loved London and their scene and have a couple of friends there. So I decided to pretend that I was an English guy, but it didn’t work for so long, probably because of my accent! Some of my Italian friends who live in other cities thought I’d moved there. It was nice joke.”

» HIS MAJESTY ANDRE » GET WEIRD » FRIDAY, APRIL 5 @ AMBAR

Social consciousness is high on the list of priorities for the Bliss n Eso crew. So much so, that it’s formulated their entire outlook via the profoundness of a trip to Africa some years ago.

Basically we’re always about broadening out the landscape of what our work should feel like. We’re dropping the conscious shit and keeping our lyrics fresh; we’ve been digging in the crates and producing music,” they say.

Indeed, the boys preach this profound notion that by ‘creating your own path’ as it were, you reach a destination never found by following directions.

“We wanted to allow our minds to venture out of our own neighbourhood. Years ago, we spent some time in Portland Oregon and in Whistler Canada. We hooked up with this crew who reminded us of the old Wu-Tang.

They call themselves the Sandcastle Crew; they live in a basement they call the sandpit! It’s an entire mindset.

That’s what we’re striving for.”

Their Flying Colours LP of 2008 – which cemented the crew in all their glory - was a triumph in the Australian hip hop scene. It spent forever in the

ARIA charts – which gives you some idea of the reach it had across Australia. “We decided that our motto was going to be like if you give, then you get back!

We went on a trip to Af rica and lived in mud huts and worked with people far worse off than ourselves.

It changed our perspective and helped pull the wool back from over our eyes. We’re not conspiracy theory freaks, but when we realised that radio and TV wasn’t telling us what we needed to know, we went to find out.

“The saddest thing about walking away from there was that it was very intense. We all had our moments where we’d just sit in the car and sob.

It makes you want to try and stand up to things like that.”

A year later, the Running On Air album, while taking them in a slightly different direction, still moved fans and critics alike. But none of this matters to the boys, who are still about putting us on the map in the most profound way possible. “We might get in trouble for this, but really from the beginning, Australian hip hop needed to be called hip hop - just to allow the kids to step up and grab that microphone with courage.

“Because we’re not American we’re not going to be talking about the same stuff that they are talking about. We needed people to get up and be proud to be Australian and talk about Australia. And cats are getting up and being proud of being Aussie.

Now the music is straight up hip hop – we’ve earnt it with stomping shows from Adelaide to Darwin. It’s on a world scale and we’re doing hip hop music – not Australian hip hop.”

» BLISS N ESO » MOVEMENT FESTIVAL » TUESDAY, APRIL 30 @ RED HILL AUDITORIUM

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FRESH

CLUB RED SEA

WEDNESDAY 03/04 Bar Orient – DJ Ben Renna Beat Nightclub (Downstairs) – SWAG Boulevard Tavern – Wub Wub Wednesday Capitol – Harlem Wednesdays ft Genga/Benny P Captain Stirling – Fiveo Club Red Sea – Cheek Flying Scotsman – DJ Armee Llama Bar – Akuna Club ft Jagwar Ma Mustang Bar – DJ Giles Niche Bar – Juicy ft Frankie Button Newport Hotel – Tom Drummond/Angry Buda/Mr Phat/Wot Evs Rosemount Hotel – DJ Anton Maz Sovereign Arms – Lokie Shaw The Court – Wicked Wednesday The Grand Central – DJ ANG3L

THURSDAY 04/04 Boulevard Tavern – 151 Thursdays Old Skool R&B Capitol - Retro Mash Capitol (Upstairs) – I Love ‘90s Devilles Pad – Rock N Roll Karaoke

STANTON WARRIORS

Eve Nightclub – Retro Thursdays DJ Tony Allen Flying Scotsman –Gidget Duck/Muldoon Wing Leisure Inn – DJ Peta Lost Society – Burger Malt Supper Club – Kabaret Thursdays Mullaloo Beach Hotel - DJ John Paul/ DJ Slick Mustang Bar – DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel – Rubadub/ Mills Djs Paramount –DJ Jordan Rosemount Hotel – Freqshow ft Throwing Shapes/DJ Illusiv/ MC Webbz The Avenue – Jon Ee The Bakery - Blu, Exile & Houseshoes ft Mathas/ Speekeasy/Up&Up/Soma The Craftsman – Fiveo The Deen – Chase The Sun ft DJ Flex/ DJ Nano/ DJ Surge/ DJ Don Migi The Dusk Lounge - Jason Lema The Grand Central – Roger Smart The Queens – DJ Riki Toucan – Midsummer Nights Dream

Freqshow

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VILLA

THE COURT

FRIDAY 05/04

SATURDAY 06/04

Ambar – Get Weird ft His Majesty Andre/Cassian/Shazam/ Manimal/Amnesia Effect/ Molochi/Massive Toys/Jack Doepel/Willy Slade Art Gallery Of WA - AGWA Nights ft Charlie Bucket Beat Nightclub (Downstairs) – PLAY Boulevard Tavern – 151 Thursdays Old Skool R&B Capitol - Retro Mash C5 Freo – Residence Launch ft Lewi McKirdy/Voltaire Twins/ Bastians Happy Flight/Eddie Electric/K.La Capitol (Upstairs) – I Love ‘90s Connections –POPtastic! ft Tim Bee Eve Nightclub –DJ Don Migi/DJ Dannyboi Flying Scotsman –Gidget Duck/ Muldoon Wing Ginger Nightclub – Mondo Fridays Leisure Inn – DJ Peta Lost Society – Burger Malt Supper Club – Kabaret Thursdays Mojos Bar – Fisherman Style #82 ft Earthlink Sound/Future Soundz/DJ Sorted Mullaloo Beach Hotel - Miller City Sessions ft Warren Peace Mustang Bar – Swing DJ/DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel – Sardi/Wot Evs/ Tom Drummond/Tahli Jade Paramount –DJ Jordan The Avenue – Jon Ee The Craftsman – Fiveo The Deen – Chase The Sun ft DJ Flex/ DJ Nano/ DJ Surge/ DJ Don Migi The Grand Central – Roger Smart The Queens – DJ Riki Villa - RAW ft Mobin Master/JTrick/Micah/Chris Moro

Admiral Hotel – Insane Dwaine Ambar – Japan 4 Amplifier – Pure Pop ft Eddie Electric Bar One Twenty – Little Nicky Bar Orient – DJ Troy Beat Nightclub (Upstairs) Canvas Boheme Bar – JMC Brass Monkey - DJ Peta (downstairs)/ DJ Jewel (upstairs) Brighton Hotel - Misschief Capitol – Death Disco Capitol (Upstairs) – Cream Of The ‘80s ft DJ Ryan Claremont Hotel - Safari Club Bay View – DJ Roger Smart Connections – Giddyup!

Empire Bar –James Shipstone Eurobar – DJ Fat Albert/DJ Zoom Flying Scotsman – Andrei Maz Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – The Court – DJ Flex/DJ TimBee Future Wives Club The Craftsman – DJ Shortz Library – DJ Victor/DJ Riki The Generous Squire – On Tap Liquid Nightclub - DJ Klar55/ ft DJ James Nutley DJ Stevie M The Grand Central – Armee Llama Bar – DJ Reuben The Queens – Kenny L Malt Supper Club – Scotty J The Saint – DJ ANG3L Metro Freo –Roger Smart/DJ The Shed –DJ Andyy Wazz/Ben Carter The Wembley – Lokie Shaw Metro Freo (Upstairs) – I Love Tiger Lil’s – DJ Bojan/Benjamin 80s 90s DJ DTuck Mint Nightclub – Pop Life ft DJ Sebastian Toucan – WHIP Aaron/ AJ Villa - White Trance Party ft Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ GeRmAn/Illuminor/Flare/JT Danny Ya Ya’s (Day) – Perth City Battles Mustang Bar – Rockabilly DJ/ Ya Ya’s (Night) – DJ Pup DJ James MacArthur Newport Hotel –Tahli Jade/Tom Drummond/Steve Parkin SUNDAY 07/04 Paramount- DJ John/DJ Jordan Claremont Hotel – James Players Bar – LUXE ft DJ Thorne/Dan Delstra Francesco Club Bay View - Fiveo Sail & Anchor – Catch The Empire Bar –DJ Riki/ DJ Victor Child’s Play DJs Eve Nightclub –DJ Slick Sovereign Arms – The Jinx Flying Scotsman –Nathan J/ Project Nizbet/ Pasha/ Chris The Avenue – Jon Ee The Boheme – Amanda Power Ginger Nightclub – DJ Rudebean The Causeway – Luke Miguel/ Mustang Bar – DJ Rockin’ Rhys Clint Turner Minq Bar – DJ Don Migi/ The Cornerstone – Michael Dannyboi/Skooby Brittliff

Warren Peace Newport Hotel – DJ Laith Tyranny/ Tom Drummond/Razor Jack The Avenue – Az-T The East End Bar –DJ Gold Finger/AZ-T The Queens – Samuel Spencer The Saint – Jon Ee/JMC The Shed – James Wilson and more

MONDAY 08/04 Eve Nightclub - DJ Don Migi Llama Bar – Jo 19 Malt Supper Club – Industry Night The Deen – DJ Birdie

TUESDAY 09/04 Bar Orient - DJ Lyndon High Road Hotel – DJ Matty J Llama Bar – Charlie Bucket Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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THE MUSTANG

THE NEWPORT

80’S 90’S

METRO FREO

IN THE THIS WEEK

COMING UP

Blu, Exile & Houseshoes ft Yacht Club DJs Mathas/Speekeasy/Up&Up/ Friday, April 12 @ Amplifier Soma Thursday, April 4 @ The Bakery The Loops Of Fury ft Mr.Ed/Qwerk/ Freqshow ft Throwing STRANGERTHANDIGITAL Shapes/DJ Illusiv/MC Webbz Friday, April 12 @ Ambar Thursday, April 4 @ Rosemount AGWA Nights ft Holly Doll Friday, April 12 @ Art Gallery Jason Lema Of WA Thursday, April 4 @ The Dusk Lounge Miller City Sessions ft Jason Lema Get Weird ft His Majesty Friday, April 12 @ The Dusk Andre/Cassian/Shazam/ Lounge Manimal/Amnesia Effect/ Molochi/Massive Toys/Jack Dialectrix & Chasm Doepel/Willy Slade Friday, April 12 @ Mojos Bar Friday, April 5 @ Ambar Miller City Sessions ft Warren Peace Friday, April 5 @ Mullaloo Beach Hotel Residence Launch ft Lewi McKirdy/Voltaire Twins/Bastians Happy Flight/Eddie Electric/K.La Friday, April 5 @ C5 Freo AGWA Nights ft Charlie Bucket Friday, April 5 @ Art Gallery Of WA RAW ft Mobin Master/JTrick/Micah/Chris Moro Friday, April 5 @ Villa White Trance Party ft GeRmAn/Illuminor/Flare/JT Saturday, April 6 @ Villa

Blu

BLU & EXILE THURSDAY, APRIL 4 @ THE BAKERY

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SUPAFEST ft T.I./50 Cent/ Waka Flocka/Akon/Ne-Yo/ Young Jeezy/Mindless Behaviour/DJ Unk/Kevin McCall/DJ Nino Brown/ Dizzy Doolan/Phinesse Thursday, April 25 @ Perth Arena Otto Knows Saturday, April 25 @ Villa Rufus Saturday, April 25 @ Newport Hotel Monday, April 26 @ Amplifier

Example ft Sun City Friday, May 10 @ Metro City Yacht Friday, May 10 @ The Bakery Seth Sentry Friday, May 10 @ Villa Sunday, May 12 @ Newport Hotel Flight Facilities ft Elizabeth Rose Saturday, May 11 @ The Bakery

The Potbelleez Friday, April 26 @ Capitol

Groovin The Moo Festival ft Alison Wonderland/DZ Fresh Produce ft BMB/ Deathrays/Example/Flume/ Chasm Crystaleyez/Ben Vital/ Midnight Juggernaughts/ Saturday, April 13 @ Ya Ya’s Stone/Polyxo Pez/Seth Sentry/Shockone/ Friday, April 26 @ Ambar Plump DJs ft Black & Blunt/ Tuka w/ Ellesquire/ Marko Paulo/Tonic Urthboy/DJ Woody’s AGWA Nights ft Craig Friday, April 19 @ Villa Hollywood Big Phat Mixtape/Yacht/ Friday, April 26 @ Art Gallery Yolanda Be Cool Torro Torro ft Kill Dyl/ Of WA Saturday, May 11 @ Hay Park Tapeheads/Micah Friday, April 19 @ Ambar Heavy Industrial Concern Bunbury ft Motet/D-Jeong/ Ourobonic Plauge/Sub Ordnance/Furchick/ Sonic Smut/DJ Asciimov/ The Golden Quadrangle/ Strunkdts Spit Syndicate ft Jacki Saturday, April 27 @ The Onassis Saturday, April 20 @ Amplifier Perth Artifactory, Osborne Park Sunday, April 21 @ Metro Freo Movement Festival ft The Aston Shuffle (DJ Set) Nas/2 Chainz/Chiddy ft Mo’Fly/Dngrfld/Black & Bang/Joey Badda$$/ Angel Haze/Spit Blunt Syndicate Wednesday, April 24 @ Tuesday, April 30 @ Red Hill Ambar Auditorium Handpicked ft ShockOne/ Blokhe4d Baauer/ Eats Everything/ Friday, May 3 @ Geisha Bar Mosca Wednesday, April 24 @ Metro AGWA Nights ft Chris City and The Bakery Wheeldon & Craig Hollywood Throw The Hammer ft Friday, May 3 @ Art Gallery Derrick MayBen Klock/ Of WA Clunk/Allstate/Ben Taffe/ Everyteen/Milanov Bombs Away Wednesday, April 24 @ Saturday, May 4 @ Villa Capitol AGWA Nights ft Paul Lindsay Friday, April 19 @ Art Gallery Of WA

Flume ft Chet Faker Sunday, May 12 @ Metro City DJ Afrika Bambaataa Saturday, May 18 @ The Bakery Delta Heavy ft Fred V/ Grafix/Killafoe/Illusiv & Dvise/Gracie/Systym Saturday, May 18 @ Villa Atari Teenage Riot Sunday, May 19 @ The Bakery Dash Berlin ft Marlo Sunday, June 2 @ Metro City A$AP Rocky Sunday, June 30 @ Metro City ALT-J Saturday, July 27 @ Challenge Stadium

XXYYXX

WEIRD NAME, TWISTED TUNES SLEEPYHEAD/ MODO/ WATER GRAVES/ LONGBEAR/ xxyyxx/ ZEHNMEE GILKISONS SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013 If you’ve ever imagined the sound of almost every dance music genre delicately intertwined to create a mind bending yet beautiful contortion, you would have lapped up xxyyxx’s show at Gilkison’s last weekend. The at-capacity crowd was as loose as the local lineup was diverse, openly reveling in the extra recovery time allowed by the Easter long weekend.

The dancefloor was in healthy condition from the get go as Sleepyhead opened with an upbeat, tight bass set that traversed UK garage to techno and uplifting house. Modo then took things on a slightly more down tempo direction, starting with bass and trap and then house. Apart from a couple of awkward mixes, his set was cleverly versatile, punctuated with an interesting contrast of driving, dark heavy bass with an uplifting twist. Both DJs showed a deft touch for bringing together the divergent elements of current bass music.

Dreamy, ambient, hip pop band Water Graves were an interesting choice for this billing.

With three guys on sampler/keyboards, lead guitar and bass, their lo-fi, synth driven sound didn’t result in much dancefloor action but received much love from the crowd. They delivered some impressive vocal harmonies and 100 per cent succeeded at creating a chilled out wonderland. Not bad for an outfit that only just recently performed their first gig.

Longbear took the decks and the dancefloor recovered as the bpms increased. He ramped things up with a masterful set that started down tempo with a hip hop inspired vibe and a hint of trap, then generally turned to twisted bass sounds with a techno, ‘90s feel at times. He completely smashed the idea of being genre specific.

Party goers were well into it as xxyyxx took over. The Florida producer/DJ’s set continued on from the preceding journey into experimental bass, offering nothing less than a kaleidoscopic landscape of pure genius. Punters filled the dancefloor in particularly rabid fashion with a few overly enthusiastic members of the crowd getting up

xxyyxx - Photo: Daniel Craig on the DJ stage, tripping wires, resulting in the sound dropping out a few times.

Setting the bar for seamlessly merging disparate sounds, xxyyxx blended garage sounds with up tempo techno to down tempo, twisted bass, dropping many of the tunes from last year’s self titled LP. Banging tribal beats were also mixed into down tempo bass as the crowd tried to make sense of the contorted vocals.

Zehnmee continued with the messed up xxyyxx vibe, playing tracks featuring nonsensical lyrics, channeling a dark, spacey atmosphere that took in the more trippy realms of bass and house.

» JO CAMPBELL

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The xx - Photo by Nicole Norelli

THE XX Jagwar Ma

Metro City Monday, April 1, 2013 It seems inappropriate to call The xx a popular band, but the shy, dark, brooding, indie three-piece from London have quietly been taking over the world in the last couple years.

The last time they played Perth was Laneway 2010, just as their fame was skyrocketing on the back of their critically acclaimed debut. While they played a couple intimate shows over east last year, the news of their return for their biggest tour yet was greeted with much excitement and anticipation – so much so that they quickly had to add extra shows all around the country, with the initial dates selling out fast.

Support for the night was provided by Jagwar Ma, who capably opened proceedings with their fusion of psychedelic electronics and retro rock sounds, lead by the strong presence and vocals of frontman Gabriel Winterfield.

Dressed in black, The xx took to the stage around 9pm and kicked off with the gentle Try, a gorgeous song that showcases everything great about their unique sound. Sparse, minimal instrumentation, with the trademark softly sung, haunting harmonies of Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft. The stage set was also dark and minimal, with only a few beams of white light cutting through the smoky darkness.

Surprisingly early in their set were two of the biggest songs from their debut, Islands and

Crystalised, which drew a big response from the crowd - the latter of the two being slowed down and reworked slightly.

A haunting rendition of Chained was captivating, lifted by Jamie Smith’s live drum machine work – his glitchy beats juxtaposing the soft, subtle bass and vocals. On Reunion he played live steel drum - it is only when you see them perform that it becomes evident just what an integral part of the band Smith is. Surrounded at the back of the stage with equipment, he moves between real and synthetic instruments - drums, keyboards, samplers conjuring up layers of deep, atmospheric rhythms.

Fiction saw Sim down his bass, grab his mic, and stalk the front of stage while delivering his vocals. While they don’t speak much, the group emanate a definite presence, warmth and genuine passion. Friends since childhood, Sim and Croft have a certain chemistry on stage, an unspoken connection, often standing close to one another, feeding off their energy.

While many acts these days obsess over blowing you away with their bombastic stage show, The xx prefer to let the stark, melancholic beauty, contrasts and space in their songs create the impact.

Night Time really lifted the energy levels, and a remixed version of Shelter was a highlight. After a short break, they returned to the stage to play Intro, with Romy quietly and sincerely thanking the crowd for making the first show of their tour so special.

They finished with Angels, three spotlights illuminating each member in the darkness as the crowd sang along. A truly beautiful way to end a very special evening and long weekend. _ ALFRED GORMAN

PVT - Photo by Matt Jelonek

PVT

Collarbones / kučka The Bakery Saturday, March 30, 2013 Three bands conjuring electro-fuelled emotions took to The Bakery’s stage on Saturday night. kučka and Collarbones delivered good performances but they were outshone by main act PVT whose perplexing set occupied a different mind zone altogether.

Just after 9pm bubbling sounds were heard in The Bakery’s courtyard, signalling kučka’s beginning onstage. A small crowd didn’t seem offputting for the four, who were enveloped in their own performance. kučka presents melodramatic electropop that is both airy and deliberate. Frontwoman Laura Lowther’s vocals are distinctive but not overbearing, ensuring all of the delicate touches are heard, from rattling and industrial noises to ethereal and sweet tinkles. Their latest single Phantasy was played live for the first time and was a wondrously surrealist number.

Collarbones were immediately likeable.

Their set started with a siren and people ran in from the courtyard. Collarbones create a comforting electronic world built from smooth R&B vocals and waves of dreamy and spacey instrumentals incorporating pockets of pop culture oddities. Missing was livelier than their recorded version while the title track from their latest album, Die Young, was blissful.

Cook and Whale are sarcastic and serious at once and between songs there were snippets of discussions on

sleep-deprivation, divas, and temporary tattoos for one’s collarbone.

“It’s always better when we do less banter, we’ll release an album of just banter,” they uttered mid-set before urging the audience to dance and ending it with a siren.

The audience pressed as close to the stage as possible before PVT arrived. Richard Pike stepped out with a guitar but it was clear despite the addition of strings this would be an hour of pure electronica.

It was a tumultuous set, structured and neat but also forceful and draining. You get the impression with PVT that expression overcomes all. While it’s easy to get lost in the moment in the dark venue, seeing only puffs of smoke over heads and feeling the collective swaying of the crowd, PVT’s music is thoughtprovoking and feels so complex that you want to concentrate on what’s happening. You spend half the time trying to understand their music’s intricate layers, and the other half feeling mildly epileptic from the flashing lights and sounds. The band was enshrined in a blue and red haze for the set’s entirety, which began with Shiver. The vocals on this one were surprisingly less robotic than the album version, rendering it appropriately chilling. This set the precedent for the performance because although drenched in echo, Pike’s vocals were emotive, lending a passion to their performance, which is sometimes missing on their recorded material. There were only brief interludes between songs so they ran onto each other with each song they picking up new layers.

Notably, Evolution upped the pace and Electric was darker and dirtier still. Overall, it was a successful Homosapien debut for Perth. _ CORAL HUCKSTEP

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LIVING IT UP LIKE RILEY Drapht Rosemount Hotel, Saturday, March 30, 2013 Local hip hop god, Drapht, rocked the Rosemount last Saturday. Keep an eye out for The Rosemount’s refurbished beer garden next time you stop by.

Photos by Matt Jelonek

Sarah, Tonisha

THE ROSEMOUNT

This Friday, April 5, Dead Letter Circus is dropping into the Rosemount as part of their national tour, with special guest Breaking Orbit. Doors at 8pm, tickets are available online at rosemounthotel.com.au. Then Saturday, April 6, The Volcanics, Chainsaw Hookers, Cal Peck And The Tramps and Strychnine Cowboys take the stage from 8pm, $12 at the door.

MOJOS BAR

This Saturday, April 6, Timothy Nelson & The Infidels launch their new single Mary Lou. Get a bit disco, a bit falsetto and come and help us celebrate. Bedouin Sea, Dave and Amanda Merdzan support. $15 entry at the door from 8pm. To win a double pass to the show, email mojos@coolperthnights.com with ‘Timothy Nelson’ in the subject line.

YA YA’S

This Friday, April 5, three-piece garage rock band FOAM are headlining with supports from Ya Ya’s regulars, Nevada Pilot and We Move Walls. $5 Entry from 8pm. Then Tuesday, April 9, is a big one; Needles Douglas hits the stage for the second time in over six months with some great support from Living Dying, Gloria Ironbox and Room At The Reservoir. $5 Entry from 8pm.

THE EASTERN

Every Saturday catch the best live and local music at the Eastern! This week, April 6, catch Dirtwater Bloom, I’m A Spaceship, Black Swan and The Bonekickers. $8 from 8pm.

INDI BAR

This Friday, April 5, Vdelli are stepping back into their Friday residency, fresh from touring internationally! Their album has hit number one on Amazon.com in Europe, so head down and hear their new tunes! Sunday, April 7, Morgan Bain kicks off his April residency. This acoustic roots player is on the rise, and joining him this week is Boston & Chevy. Tickets are $5 on the door.

Mark, Rachel, Tex

Apollo, Cindy, Rhino

Yurie, Vinny

Rory, Liz

RAILWAY HOTEL

Starting on Friday, April 5, Black Stone From The Sun, The Monicans and Between Your Ex And The Next play from 8pm, $6 entry. Keep the ball rolling on Saturday, April 6, with Gloria Ironbox, Lionizer, Vincent Romeo, The Irrationals and Arc Of Iris, 8pm with entry by donation. Then it’s a Sunday arvo in the beer garden from 3-9pm with The Aunts, Valiant, The New Beast, Simon Marks, The Galloping Foxleys, Bryan Rice Dalton and DJ Cookie. Entry is $10 including a free curry!

BEAT NIGHTCLUB

Perth Alt-rockers Mantl are rumbling the earth once more, this week at The Beat in Northbridge.

Friday April 5, they will unveil their brand new single alongside fellow rockers This Other Eden, Red Sky and Something Off Kilter. Why not lock you and your mates in for a night of rock ‘n’ roll mayhem?! Doors open 8pm. See you there!

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Mantl

Josh, Stacie

Paula, Christina X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

EPIGNOSIS

Epignosis

Industrial death dealers Epignosis launch their new video, VSNDL, at The Charles Hotel this Saturday, April 6, with support from One of None and Empires Laid Waste. Doors open at 8pm and entry is $10.

We caught up with guitarist Trent Darcey..

How did Epignosis form?

Myself and Hans (Fanderlinden, vocals) started jamming in high school purely to make songs about a common enemy we had in one of our teachers. We started taking our music a little more seriously when Lisa (Darcey, vocals) started jamming cover songs with us and years later we formed a metal band called Archaic. After a few lineup shuffles current Epignosis drummer Gareth Morris joined Archaic. When Archaic had run it’s course, we wanted to use this new beginning as a chance to create a sound which we could truly call our own and experiment with some different sounds. Hans had met Tim Sezer (bass) some years ago at a bit of a social jam and when our hunt for a bassist began, his name was first on the list.

songs and we all ad our own unique style to the part our instrument plays in the song. We usually start with a small idea conceived at rehearsal, Hans will put together a draft using the drum and guitar patches on his synthesizer then we all listen to that for about a week and head into jam pretty familiar with the song and ready to smash it out!

FORGET ABOUT IT, IT’S CHINA DOLL

HIGH INFIDELITY

What was shooting the video like?

We were very fortunate to come across an ad on facebook by an SAE student by the name of Stuart from Pentacle Films who was looking for a band to shoot a filmclip with him and some other students for an assignment, so we booked a date and made it happen. Filming was such great fun. The crew were very professional and we made some great new friends in the crew and all the extras that rocked up How would you describe your sound?

All of us in Epignosis are metalheads to the core. I suppose what we and rocked out during the film clip. I think everyone who was there have ended up creating can be best described as ‘Industrial Death truly exorcised their own demons when we destroyed 20-something Dance.’ We play extreme metal laced with a mix of dance loops, TVs at the end of the clip. haunting synthesizers and melodic female vocals. We are influenced musically by many different styles, and bands that have had direct What does the future hold? influenced on our approach to music would be Strapping Young Lad, We share the same goals as most bands: touring, studio albums and to gain a loyal following. In the meantime we just want to keep Eluveitie, Ancient Rites, Megadeth and Rammstein to name a few. making music we can call our own, keep pushing the boundaries with different sounds and crossing genres and hopefully other people will What’s your writing process like?

Our front man Hans comes up with most of the blueprints for the dig it and get on board.

China Doll, the band formerly known as Spoonful of Sugar, launch their new EP, She Don’t Need To Know, this Saturday, April 6, at The Fly By Night Club. Support comes from Patient Little Sister and David Craft of The Big Old Bears. Doors open at 8pm, and tickets are $20, including booking fee, through seatadvisor.com

Local legends Timothy Nelson & the Infidels are all set to unleash their new single, Mary Lou, an occasion so momentous it couldn’t be contained within a single night. Thus, you can catch on Friday, April 5, at PICA Bar, along with Rachel and Henry Climb A Hill, Edie Green and Riley Pearce; or you can head down to Mojo’s on Sunday, April 6, to see them alongside Bedouin Sea, Dave and Amanda Merzdan; or you can hit both. Each show starts at 8pm, and tickets are $15 on the door.

Timothy Nelson & The Infidels

HONKYTONK MAN China Doll

LIGHT MY FIRE

Electro-op outfit The Arsonist heat up The Rosemount Hotel this Wednesday, April 3! Channelling the timeless pop rhythms that have dominated the airwaves since time immemorial, they’ll get some help from Helen Shanahan, Archer & Light and The Loved Dead. Doors open at 8pm.

Indie rockers Louis & The Honkytonk release their debut single, Hand On Her Pride, this Saturday, April 6, at 464 Smart Space. It promises to be a night of awesome piano-driven good times, and 6s and 7s, Indiana, Childsaint and more will be on hand to insure the nice noise never stops. Doors open at 7pm, and entry is $15.

Louis & The Honkytonk

UNDER THE VOLCANO

The mighty Volcanics tear it up this Saturday, April 6, at The Rosemount Hotel! Proponents of straight up no fuss rock ‘n’ roll, The Volcanics always know how to have a good time. So do their stagemates, horror hounds Chainsaw Hookers, the gunslinging Strychnine Cowboys, and the always entertaining Cal Peck & The Tramps. Doors open at 8pm.

DESERT ROSE The Arsonist www.xpressmag.com.au

The Eastern Hotel plays host to a stellar lineup of local talent this Saturday, April 6. Dirtwater Bloom take the lead, with I’m A Spaceship, Black Swan and The Bonekickers also offering up some awesome noise to make Saturday a night worth leaving the house for.

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

Counting Crows, April 3

COUNTING CROWS 3 Perth Concert Hall

THE SCRIPT 3 Perth Arena FRANK TURNER 4 Amplifier

DEAD LETTER CIRCUS 4 Prince Of Wales 5 The Rosemount

ICEHOUSE/MARK SEYMOUR 5 Perth Zoo

GRINSPOON 5 Prince of Wales 6 Amplifier

SONS OF RICO 5 Amplifier 6 Settlers Tavern

BIRDY 6 Riverside Theatre

ROGER HODGSON 7 Riverside Theatre

APRIL HUNGRY KIDS OF HUNGARY 11 Newport Hotel 12 Capitol THE GROWL 12 The Bakery SUNDOWN SESSIONS (Xavier Rudd, Tinpan Orange & Morgan Bain) 12 Scarborough Beach JAGWAR MA 12 Metro Freo 13 Amplifier YACHT CLUB DJS 12 Amplifier 13 Prince Of Wales SETS ON THE BEACH VOLUME 11 (Yacht Club DJs, Owl Eyes LIVE, D-Cup, Mitzi LIVE, Jagwar Ma, Dr Dondon & Slicker Cities) 14 Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre ROTTEN SOUND 14 Amplifier JOSH GROBAN 16 Riverside Theatre ZUCCHERO 17 Regal Theatre STU LARSEN 17 The Ellington BUZZCOCKS 18 The Rosemount BIG SCARY 18 Mojos Bar 19 Amplifier

The Black Seeds, April 24

Tame Impala, May 18

N Eso, 2 Chainz, The Temper Trap/ 28 DAYS JUNE They Might Be Chiddy Bang, 19 Capitol SAN CISCO Giants/Tuka With THE DRONES/KING JOEY BADA$$, 1 The Astor Ellesquire/Urthboy/ CABLE SOUNDS GIZZARD AND THE Angel Haze, Spit DJ Woody’s Big (Icehouse, The Syndicate) LIZARD WIZARD Phat 90’s Mixtape/ Stephen Pigram 30 Red Hill 19 The Astor Yacht/Yolanda Be Quartet & Desert SINCERELY, GRIZZLY Auditorium Cool) Child) 19 Beat Nightclub 11 Hay Park, Bunbury 2 Cable Beach 20 The Bird MAY THE KOOKS Amphitheatre 21 Mojos Bar THE RUBENS 11 Hay Park, Bunbury KATE MILLERSPIT SYNDICATE/ 12 Fremantle Arts 2 Prince Of Wales HEIDKE JACKIE ONASSIS 5 St Joseph’s Church Centre 3 Capitol 19 Prince Of Wales FLUME/CHET FAKER 6 Mundurah 4 Settlers Tavern 20 Amplifier Performing Arts 12 Metro City BOB EVANS Centre 21 Metro Freo DARYL 2 Settlers Tavern 7 Albany BRAITHWAYE/ SILVERSTEIN 3 The Bakery Entertainment Centre JOE CAMILLERI/ 22 Amplifier 4 Prince Of Wales JAMES REYNE/ROSS 8 Margaret River TRUCKFIGHTERS DYING FETUS Cultural Centre WILSON 3 The Rosemount 23 Amplifier 12 Perth Concert Hall THE BEARDS BLACK SABBATH EPICA 7 Amplifier CRADLE OF FILTH 4 Perth Arena 23 Capitol 8 Prince Of Wales 12 Metropolis ROYSTON VASIE THE BLACK SEEDS KILLING JOKE Fremantle 3 Amplifier 24 Metro Freo 9 The Rosemount TENACIOUS D 4 Beat Nightclub DAVE JACKSON 15 Riverside Theatre ENSLAVED 5 The Newport 24 The Ellington 13 The Rosemount EVERMORE BETH ORTON EMMA LOUISE HANDPICKED 6 St Joseph’s Church 16 Newport Hotel 13 Prince Of Wales (Shockone, Eats HAPPY MONDAYS/ 17 Players Bar 14 Fly By Night Everything, Baauer, PETER HOOK 18 The Charles 15 Amplifier Mosca and more) CHRISTINE ANU 8 Capitol GOLD FIELDS 24 Metro City REWIND – THE NORMA JEAN ARETHA FRANKLIN 21 Metro Freo SUPAFEST (T.I, 50 8 Amplifier 22 Amplifier SONGBOOK Cent, Waka Flocka, UNIDA WASTE 17 & 18 The Ellington MUNICIPAL Akon, Ne-Yo, Young 9 The Rosemount 21 The Rosemount DJ AFRIKA Jeezy, Mindless TEGAN AND SARA THE SUPERJESUS BAMBAATAA Behaviour, DJ Unk, 9 Metro City 22 Amplifier 18 The Bakery Kevin McCall, DJ 11 Hay Park, Bunbury PINK TAME IMPALA 25, 26 & 28 Perth Nino Brown, Dizzy EXAMPLE 18 Belvoir Arena Doolan & Phinesse) 10 Metro City Amphitheatre A$AP Rocky PEZ 25 Perth Arena FUNERAL FOR A 30 Metro City 10 Amplifier RUFUS FRIEND 12 Indi Bar 25 Newport Hotel 18 Prince Of Wales ALISON 26 Prince Of Wales JULY Bunbury WONDERLAND 27Amplifier LA DISPUTE 19 Amplifier 10 Metro Freo 6 Amplifier BRITISH INDIA THE GASLIGHT THE BRONX/DZ 7 YMCA HQ 25 Prince Of Wales ANTHEM DEATHRAYS BALL PARK MUSIC/ 19 Metro City 26 Settlers Tavern 10 Capitol EAGLE & THE DEFTONES 27 Capitol 11 Hay Park, Bunbury 21 Metropolis WORM 28 Indi Bar THEY MIGHT BE 12 Metro Freo Fremantle MARILYN KELLER ALT-J GIANTS JULIE ANDREWS 26 The Ellington 27 Challenge 10 The Rosemount 21 Riverside Theatre THE POTBELLEEZ 11 Hay Park, Bunbury THE GHOST INSIDE Stadium 26 Capitol FLIGHT FACILITIES 23 Amplifier FAIRBRIDGE 11 The Bakery OWL EYES AUGUST FESTIVAL OM 24 Amplifier (Tinpan Orange/ 11 The Rosemount JINJA SAFARI ANDREW STRONG: SETH SENTRY Bustamento/ Frank 25 Amplifier THE COMMITMENTS 10 Villa Yamma/ Kristina AIRNORTH 22 Metro Freo 12 Newport Hotel Olsen) KIMBERELEY MOON THE WHITLAMS/ GROOVIN THE 26-28 Fairbridge EXPERIENCE (Guy WASO MOO (Alison Sebastian, Mark Village 30 Perth Concert Hall Wonderland/ Seymour, James MIDGE URE Alpine/The Reyne, Gurrumul 27 Charles Hotel SEPTEMBER Amity Affliction/ Yunupingu) SIX60 MANHATTAN The Bronx/DZ 25 Jim Hughes 27 Metro City TRANSFER Deathrays/Example/ Amphitheatre THE GRISWOLDS 1 Regal Theatre Flume/Frightened Kununurra 28 Newport Hotel AMANDA PALMER Rabbit/Hungry THE REVEREND DIG IT UP (Hoodoo Kids Of Hungary/ & THE GRAND HORTON HEAT Gurus, Flamin’ The Kooks/Last 28 The Rosemount THEFT ORCHESTRA Groovies, Blue Dinosaurs/Matt BOOMTOWN RATS 8 Astor Theatre Oyster Cult, FOALS And Kim/Midnight 28 Challenge Buzzcocks, Peter 22 Metro City Juggernauts/Pez/ Stadium Case, The Stems) RIHANNA Regurgitator/Seth THE SEEKERS 28 The Astor Sentry/Shockone/ 30 Riverside Theatre 24 Perth Arena MOVEMENT DRAGON ONE DIRECTION Tame Impala/ 31 The Astor Theatre 28 & 29 Perth Arena FESTIVAL (NAS, Bliss Tegan And Sara/

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Felicity Groom, Wednesday at Ya Ya’s

Dethlahem, Friday at The Civic

Black Stone From The Sun, Friday at the Railway Hotel

DUNSBOROUGH AMPLIFIER LAST DROP SWINGING PIG WEDNESDAY03.04 PERTH ARENA TAVERN The Script TAVERN Sons Of Rico Frenzy BAR 120 Neil Adams BALLYS BAR Original Rude Boys Open Mic Night Greg Carter Felix LUCKY SHAG ELLINGTON JAZZ Bernardine THE BIRD BEAT NIGHTCLUB Sinead Burgess BALMORAL James Wilson PERTH CONCERT CLUB Grace Woodroofe (DOWNSTAIRS) Mike Nyar MAHOGANNY HALL Yitzhak Yedid Wesley Goldtouch SWAG BEAT NIGHTCLUB INN INDI BAR Dave BRASS MONKEY The Counting (DOWNSTAIRS) Stella Donnelly Crows Bex’s Open Mic THE BOAT Sugar Blue PLAY MARKET CITY Jackson McLaren Night Jen De Ness Burlesque BELMONT TAVERN ROSEMOUNT LUCKY SHAG THE BROOK CAPITOL TAVERN Reilly Craig The Arsonist Acoustic Aly Chris Gibbs Harlem Electrophobia Brad Wintle The Loved Dead MALT SUPPER THE GATE Wednesdays BENTLEY HOTEL MOJOS BAR Archer And Light CLUB Dirty Scoundrels CARINE Dean Anderson Fisherman Style #82 Helen Shanahan Kaberet Thursdays THE PRINCIPAL Open Mic BRASS MONKEY Earthlink Sound DJ Anton Maz MARKET CITY B.O.B CARLISLE Dove Future Soundz ROSIE O’GRADY’S TAVERN THE SHED Neil Adams BROOKLANDS DJ Sorted (NORTHBRIDGE) Jessica Nyanda Krank CLAREMONT TAVERN MUSTANG BAR David Fyffe Half Kidding THE VIC HOTEL Celebrations Adam Hall & The Jen De Ness THE BIRD Emily J Acoustica Karaoke Velvet Playboys UNIVERSAL Nathan Mayers ELLINGTON JAZZ Velvet Elbow CARINE Swing DJ Retriofit Lily Rossen Lorri and Stuey CLUB Velvet Cheeky Monkeys WOODVALE Jimmy Rockets The Collaboratory Mudlark CHASE BAR & DJ James Two Plus One THE BROWN FOX MOJOS BAR BISTRO Glyn McDonald MacArthur YA YA’S Courtney Murphy Matt Gresham James Wilson Matt Styles NORFOLK FOAM UNIVERSAL The Evergreen CIVIC HOTEL GREENWOOD BASEMENT Nevada Pilot Strutt MT HENRY Dethlahem Bernardine Kate Gibertson We Move Walls Ses Sayer TAVERN Beyond Never GROOVE BAR Bryan Rice Dalton Neil Adams Wicked Wench (CROWN CASINO) VILLAGE BAR Elouise Ashton Village People MUSTANG BAR Wizard Sleeve 5 Shots SATURDAY 06.04 PADDO Open Mic The Cold Acre COMO HOTEL HALE ROAD ADMIRAL Easy Tigers YAYA’S DJ James Aidan Hargreaves TAVERN Insane Dwaine Stu Harcourt Jay Watson MacArthur DEVILLES PAD Fenton Wilde PEEL ALE HOUSE AMPLIFIER Felicity Groom Duo NEWPORT HOTEL Johnny Nandez INDI BAR I, Said The Sparrow Acoustic Licence Rabbit Island Rubadub Hammond Ladies Night Further Earth PERTH ZOO PRINCE OF WALES Explosion Ruby Boots Solo Make Believe Me Icehouse Dead Letter Circus Les Sataniques Vice Versa Mark Seymour Tash Shanks THURSDAY 04.04 Breaking Orbit DUNSBOROUGH BAILEYS BAR PLAIN ST BAR Little City Dream ADMIRAL Opia TAVERN Dr Bogus Kizzy Sarah Pelicano Karaoke With Kamikaze Pilots ROSEMOUNT Tip Top Sound DJ PRINCE OF WALES LUCKY SHAG Robbie King EAST 150 BAR Freqshow Bren Grinspoon Howie Morgan AMPLIFIER Throwing Shapes Jamie Powers BALLYS BAR Emperors MOJOS BAR Frank Turner EDZ SPORTS BAR MC Webbz RAILWAY HOTEL Dove Fremantle Blues BELGIAN BEER Sugarfield DJ Illusiv Black Stone From BALMORAL And Roots Club CAFÉ ELEPHANT & THE BOAT Pop Candy Jordan McRobbie Howie Morgan WHEELBARROW The Sun Jen De Ness BEAT NIGHTCLUB The Monicans Minky Mr & BRASS MONKEY THE GATE 5 Shots Sunbird Rhythm Bound ELLINGTON JAZZ Between Your Ex (DOWNSTAIRS) Greg Carter Runaways And The Next Tombstone Revival Karaoke CLUB THE SHED BEAT NIGHTCLUB ROSEMOUNT MOON CAFÉ BRIGHTON Marnie Kent Mike Nyar Dead Letter Circus (UPSTAIRS) Leigh Craft Open Mic Night Quintet YA YA’S CANVAS Breaking Orbit Bill Darby BROOKLANDS Andy Fisenden Wise Oaks BELGIAN BEER Opia Jake Webb TAVERN And The Shontay Snow CAFÉ ROSEMOUNT 459 MUSTANG BAR Celebrations Patient Little Sister Dynamites Mike Nayar BAR Easy Tigers EMPIRE BAR Karaoke CAPITOL Feel Lucky Punk Howie Morgan DJ Giles COMO HOTEL Grinspoon SSA FRIDAY 05.04 FLY BY NIGHT PADDO Courtney Murphy Emperors Evergone Colin Buchanan Doves DEVILLES PAD ADMIRAL Kingswood The DeNiros FLYING The Suntones Rock’N’Roll Karaoke With The Insinnerators CIVIC HOTEL SCOTSMAN Karaoke Robbie King Dean Amato Social Madness Gidget Duck & The Ex-Craw Foreign Aids Aments Muldoon Wing SAIL AND Andy Smith GREENWOOD CLANCY’S Anthony Buttaccio ANCHOR Howie Morgan FREMANTLE GROOVE BAR Nightshift Dave Mann (CROWN) SOUTH ST COMO HOTEL HI-NRG ALEHOUSE Acoustic Aly HERDSMAN Robbie King CYRIL JACKSON Astrobat REC CENTRE HIGHWAY HOTEL Karaoke Big Steve Spouse SOVEREIGN ARMS Mustangs Ruby Boots David Fyffe DEVILLES PAD Band SPRINGS TAVERN Royale With HYDE PARK Greg Carter Cheese HOTEL Karaoke The Go Devils Steve Parkin STEVES BAR Rocket To INDIAN OCEAN TASH SHANKS Dove Memphis BREW LITTLE CITY DREAM SWAN BASEMENT Mr Blonde Ben Merito Shaun Corlson Mr White INDI BAR SARAH PELICANO Solo Les Sataniques Vdelli Robbie Jalapeno & ELEPHANT & KALAMUNDA His Fabulous Band WHEELBARROW HOTEL Of Bureaucrats Timeout Almost Famous

RUBY BOOTS SOLO WEDNESDAY 3RD INDI BAR

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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

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

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

I, Said the Sparrow, Saturday at Amplifier

Friday Friday Travis Caudle Ensemble Formidable, Travis Caudle FlyBy ByatNight Night Sunday Mojo’s Fly

Elk Bell, Sunday at the Swan Lounge

MOJOS BAR ELLINGTON JAZZ PARAMOUNT SUNDAY 07.04 HIGH WYCOMBE The Galloping Wide Open Mic CLUB Felix Foxleys HOTEL 7TH AVENUE Victoria Newton PEEL ALE HOUSE Reckless Kelly The Organ Bryan Rice Dalton Night Quintet Spritzer Grinders DJ Cookie MUSTANG BAR ADMIRAL Melody Whittle PORT KENNEDY Sugarfield HIGH ROAD RIVERSIDE Tripple Shots Howie Morgan TAVERN THEATRA HOTEL James Wilson THE DEEN ELMARS IN THE Sean Scott Roger Hodgson Christian ALEXANDER BAR Plastic Max & The VALLEY QUARIE BAR ROSE & CROWN Thompson Neil Adams Token Gesture Adrian Wilson B.O.B Kate Gilbertson INDI BAR ANGOVE ST FREMANTLE RAILWAY HOTEL Angove St Festival Morgan Bain SAIL & ANCHOR YA YA’S WORKERS CLUB Gloria Ironbox Big Tommo’s Open Mike Nayar Boston & Chevy Emperors Frankie Davidson Lionizer SOUTH ST ALE Mic Night INDIAN OCEAN Boom Bap Pow Replay The Band Vicent Romeo HOUSE The Flower Drums BREW CO FLY BY NIGHT The Irrationals Blackhart & Swing Revue Band Retriofit China Doll TUESDAY 09.04 Arc Of Iris Strangelove Shawne & Luc & Dancers Patient Little Sister RIVERSIDE BRASS MONKEY SWALLOW BAR INGLEWOOD Ladywood David Craft THEATRE DJ Tim King Open Mic Night Patient Little Sister HOTEL FLYING Birdy SWAN BASEMENT ELLINGTON JAZZ Aires Linares James Wilson SCOTSMAN Lewis Watson Gone By Morning CLUB Three Hands One KALAMUNDA Under The Influence Lakyn Herperi Living Dying Hoof HOTEL Andrei Maz Rick Webster ROSEMOUNT A Nameless Fear David Marcuson Alitia Martin FORRESTFIELD FLY BY NIGHT The Volcanics Falloway Jess Morhall LAKERS TAVERN TAVERN Luka Bloom Chainsaw Hookers SWAN LOUNGE BAILEY BAR & Wesley Goodlet Christian GROOVE BAR Cal Peck And The BISTRO Jamboree Scouts Elk Bell Thompson (CROWN) Broken Bones Gary Fowlie LAST DROP GOSNELLS HOTEL Tramps Strychnine SWINGING PIG BALMORAL Ruby’s Groove Sugarfield TAVERN Cowboys Kris Buckle Andrew Winton GREENWOOD Kristen Kingwell LUCKY SHAG ROYAL PALMS BELMONT Pretty Fly M ON THE POINT Stu Harcourt Ben Merito RESORT THE DEEN TAVERN GROOVE BAR Third Gear MERRIWA TAVERN Plastic Max & The Dove (CROWN CASINO) Kris Buckle MOJOS BAR Celebrations SAIL & ANCHOR BLVD TAVERN Token Gesture HI-NRG (ARVO) Karaoke Better Days THE GATE JOONDALUP HIGH ROAD Rock Scholars Childs Play MOJOS BAR HOTEL Open Mic Night MOJOS BAR (EVE) Greg Carter SETTLERS TAVERN BREAKERS BAR THE SAINT Flame Ylem Ensemble Sons Of Rico HOTEL ROTTNEST Howie Morgan Chris Gibbs Mei Saraswati Formidable STEVES BAR Adrian Wilson Project BRIGHTON UpnUp Odette Mercy & Stu Harcourt HYDE PARK Kelly McMahen Her Soul Atomics THE SHED Capt’n K SWAN BASEMENT BROKEN HILL HOTEL Astrobat Trojan John MUSTANG BAR Lizzy Lambie Band HOTEL Velvet UNIVERSAL MUSTANG BAR Danza Loca Salsa Fingers Become INDI BAR Retriofit Nathan Gaunt The Roadmasters Night Zarm Thumbs BROOKLANDS WANNEROO DJ Rockin Rhys INDIAN OCEAN Black Stone From TAVERN SETTLERS TAVERN TAVERN NEWPORT HOTEL BREW The Sun Mike Nayar Frank Gemmiti Open Mic Night The DomNicks Little Ebony Shimmergloom CAPTAIN WHISTLING KITE THE COURT Tim Nelson LAKERS SWAN LOUNGE STIRLING Open Mic & BBQ PORT KENNEDY Nathan Gaunt Celebrations Cesky Christian TAVERN Night Karaoke Agamous Betty Thompson Jack & Jill MONDAY 08.04 TWO ROCKS M ON THE POINT Rachel Dillon CARINE QUARIE BAR & BRASS MONKEY TAVERN Rhythm 22 Tracey Barnett Chris Gibbs BISTRO Nathan Gaunt MERRIWA TAVERN The Itch Jump For Joy CHASE BAR Better Days Greg Carter ELLINGTON JAZZ Karaoke SWINGING PIG Chasing Calee QUEENS TAVERN Karaoke CLUB Almost Famous CIVIC HOTEL YA YA’S MOJOS BAR Velvet Jamie Oehlers THE EASTERN Simon Kelly Needles Douglas Timothy Nelson & Dirtwater Bloom RAILWAY HOTEL Quartet CLAREMONT Living Dying The Infidels The Aunts GROOVE BAR I’m A Spaceship HOTEL Bedouin Sea Valiant (CROWN CASINO) Gloria Ironbox Black Swan Sunday Driver Dave & Amanda The New Beast Chris Murphy & Room At The The Bonekickers DJ Dan Merdzan Courtney Murphy Reservoir Simon Marks THE GATE COMO HOTEL MOON & Dirty Scoundrels Adrian Wilson SIXPENCE THE SHED ELEPHANT & The Damien Cripps Huge WHEELBARROW Band UNIVERSAL Daren Reid & The MUSTANG The Continentals Soul Corporation Soul City Groove WANNEROO ELLINGTON JAZZ Rockabilly DJ TAVERN CLUB Milhouse Chris Gibbs Ayodele DJ James WHALE AND ALE Sam Nafie MacAurthur th ELMARS IN THE NEWPORT HOTEL 5 Avenue WOODVALE VALLEY Kizzy TAVERN Chris Gibbs Gravity Grace Woodroofe Flash Nat & The EMPIRE BAR NORFOLK Action Men CB3 BASEMENT YAYA’S (DAY) FLY BY NIGHT Axe Girl Perth City Battles Stage Fright Open Loose Lips WESLEY GOLDTOUCH YAYA’S (NIGHT) Mic Valiant Tim Gordon GOSNELLS HOTEL OSBORNE PARK DAVE These Winter Conny The Clown HOTEL Nights GROOVE BAR Plastic Max Little Skye & Bee (CROWN CASINO) PADDO Cheeky Monkeys Anchor HI-NRG

GRACE WOODROOFE FRIDAY 5TH THE BIRD

www.xpressmag.com.au

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Send us your Volume news MUSICSERVICES@XPRESSMAG.COM.AU

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS BETTA GUITARS & REPAIRS Hand crafted steel string, classical and electric guitars and repairs.

New bone nuts, saddles, set ups, fret dress, refrets, pickups and more. Call Ray on 0449 878 438. www.perthguitarmaker.com or check out Betta guitars on Facebook.

MUSOS WANTED BASS PLAYER NEEDED For established original band. Also seeking Sax/Trumpet/Violins/Backup Singers Contact 0448 436 491 BASS PLAYER NEEDED To complete Hard Rock/Jazz trio. Must be enthusiastic, reliable and above all, in the pocket. An hour set of originals and film clip produced already. From 18 to 25 years old. Call Kyle - 0433 386 330 METAL DRUMMER WANTED In Joondalup area. Double kick & blast beats a must. Call Ryan 0415 744 648 OPEN MIC AT MOONDYNE JOE’S Every Thursday night 8-12. Grand Piano, good sound and friendly atmosphere. Call Mark 0409 137 850 OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Just call Bex on 0404 917 632.

OPEN MIC NIGHT Every Tuesday night at the Craigie Tavern 8-11pm.Call Corey for bookings 0431 448 235 VOCALIST NEEDED Perth prog rock band, must have vocal & lyrical power and creativity. Call Brendon on 0435 508 833 VOCALIST WANTED For original project with view to record/tour within the year. Influences include Muse, Queen, Radiohead.Please contact Nick at nicks_wes@hotmail.com for details and demos.

WANTED MUSICIANS Vocals, Trumpet and Trombone players. For more info contact 0451 458 533 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 SERVICES * 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. co m . a u w w w. n i g h t s t a r l i g h t i n g a u d i o. co m . a u w w w . i n s t a n d t . c o m . a u w w w . i n s t a n d t . c o m . a u 9381 2363/ 9444 6651 CD & DVD MANUFACTURE Check out our latest CD & DVD specials online at www.procopy.com.au 9375 3902 MATRIX PRODUCTIONS AUSTRALIA Lighting, staging, sound systems, smoke machines, night club FX, intelligent lighting, strobes & mirror balls, crowd barriers, video projectors.9371 1551 RECORDING STUDIOS ALAN DAWSON’s WITZEND RECORDING STUDIO Prof quality albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering..Alan 0407 989 128 or Jeremy 0430638178 www.witzendstudios.com

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ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer. No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178 AVALON STUDIOS BIBRA LAKE One of Perths best equipped studio. Record to analog tape or digital, Avalon pre amps, Neumann mics, the latest and best universal audio, plug in’s for digital recordings. All styles of music, $55 per hour call Tony 0411 118 304 email avalonstudios@bigpond.com BANDS! - UNLOCK YOUR SONGS’POTENTIAL +FREE APPRAISALS.UK Producer,40,000+ hours studio experience. 20 yrs in London with bands and songwriters. Kicking arrangements, great studio and the ability to really listen will give your material the edge you need. Call Jerry on 0405 653 338 or visit www.jerichomusic.com.au GOLDDUSTCONSTRUCTION.COM Pr o d u c t i o n , m i x i n g, r e c o r d i n g a n d composition for your music. Unique award winning skills to take songs from ideas to finished mixes or to fulfill the potential in existing ones. Located in Subiaco. $70 p/h.

Andrew 0408 097 407 POONS HEAD MASTERING Analog mastering at its best. Clients include Mink Mussel Creek, Jeff Martin, The Panics, Pond + The Floors. World class facility. World class results. www.poonshead.com 9339 47 91 R E CO R D I N G M I X I N G M A S T E R I N G PRODUCING Fremantle location. Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 REVOLVER SOUND STUDIO Ph 9272 7505. www.revolverstudio.com.au S AT E L L I T E R E C O R D I N G S T U D I O www.satelliterecording.com 0419 908 766 ProTools..17 Years exp REHEARSAL STUDIOS AAA VHS REHEARSAL ROOMS Great facilities, great vibe & great price!!! Unit 5 /16 Peel Road, O’Connor. Phone 9418 5815 or 0413 732 885 BIGBEAT SOUND STUDIO Clean rooms, all new PA systems, air-con and good parking . Willetton Ph: 0425 698 117.

PLATINUM SOUND ROOMS Professional rehearsal rooms, airconditioned, quality PAs mob 0418 944 722 TUITION ***GUITAR LESSONS*** Perth’s ultimate guitar studio. Beg-adv, all styles and levels including bass. Cliff Lynton Guitar Institute.

Mt Lawley 9342 3484 / www.clifflynton.com BASS LESSONS Rock, funk & jazz. Tony Gibbs 9470 6131 CUBAN MUSIC COURSE 10 wks $440. Starts in April. Testimonals..www.tresmambo.com Txt 0415 272 158 I’ll call back.

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Burswood Ph 6460 6921/ 0415889645. www.gvkschoolofmusic.com.au

INSTRUMENTAL INTERLUDE ROLAND THE HEADLESS KEYBOARD PLAYER

For professional live keyboard players, or even the home enthusiast looking for a little extra out of their setup, the Roland V-Combo VR-09 Live Performance Keyboard is well worth taking a gander at. It’s an allin-one music machine equipped with dedicated piano, synth and organ sound engines, an intuitive control panel that features nine sliders, an onboard looper. It’s travel ready and can run on AC or battery power, and there’s even a free Editor app available for the iPad to really up the versatility. Head to rolandconnect.com for more info.

Roland V-Combo VR-09

OLD SCHOOL

Just to get away from the usual guitar, drum and synth roundabout, right now Australasian Music Supplies have a sale on Bryden banjos and mandolins. Yes, banjos and mandolins - if it’s good enough for Steve Martin, it’s good enough for you.

With prices ranging from $169 - $399, the option to expand your string-plucking repertoire has never been cheaper. Cruise over to austmusic.com. au for more.

Bryden Banjo

REALLY OLD SCHOOL

Zildjian

Having just racked up their 390th anniversary, Zildjian stand as the oldest continuously running musical instrument manufacturer in the world not bad for an outfit founded by an alchemist who was trying to transmute common metals into gold. The venerable cymbal slingers wowed the pros at NAMM this year with the debut of the latest iteration of their A Zildjian series.

Retaining the classic Zildjian sound, the Turkish tunesmiths have made slight adjustments to the weight and curvature ratios to provide an enhanced crash that compliments modern musical styles. The result is classic quality that’s tailored for today’s musicians. Check out zildjian.com for more.

KEEPING AN I ON THE FUTURE

The Behringer iSTUDIO iPad Docking Station marries the intuitive interface of the modern tablet with the renowned performance and recording quality of Behringer studio gear. With this, you can perform, create, record, and edit music virtually anywhere. Featuring a complete Music Studio App suitable for any device in Apple’s iPad family, and an array of connection and interface points that allow for a staggering variety of devices to be connected, this versatile device is also ruggedised to help it stand up to the rigours of touring. Head to behringer.com for more details.

Behringer iSTUDIO iPad Docking Station

BILLY’S BACK

If, like many, you’ve lamented the demise of Allan’s Billy Hyde Music in Western Australia, the good news is that their new online store will be launching soon. Renowned as the place to go for the muso on a budget, and particularly beloved of percussionists once they melded with North Perth’s iconic Drum Shop, recent financial woes have hit the chain pretty hard, but a change in management, coupled with the decision to shift to an online sales model bodes well for their future. Go to gallinsmps.com.au for more info.

X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays

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X-Press – First on the street, Wednesdays