X-Press Magazine # 1244

Arrested Development

The Rapture

Billy Thorpe

CHUGG ENTERTAINMENT & BOMBSHELLZINE.COM PRESENT

ON SALE FRIDAY 1 7 DECEMB ER

MONDAY 11 APRIL

ASTOR THEATRE

(18+)

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cityandcolour.ca

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TRON LEGACY* Starts 16 December

THE TOURIST* Starts 26 December

GULLIVER’S TRAVELS* Starts 26 December

Available in $40, $55, $75, $100 and $150 cards LITTLE FOCKERS* Starts 26 December

3D Movie Gift Card - $50

MEGAMIND*

1445

Starts 9 December

4

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somethings somethings shaking shaking at at the the camel camel

29

$

9

$ 9each9

9

99

$ 99 each by 6 pack

Shaky Ground nz Sauvignon Blanc 2010 has just won a Blue-Gold Medal at the Sydney International Wine Show.

Shaky Ground Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from 100% Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc grapes. With a long and cool fermentation, and specialist Sauvignon Blanc yeasts added to enhance varietal character, it exhibits a true Marlborough nose and palate. This wine shows lifted tropical notes of quava balanced by blackcurrant bud and fresh thyme characters. The palate is full with sufficient weight and the underlying flinty minerality typical of the region. The finish is long, dry and crisp. At 13.0% ABV, this wine is exclusively offered in Thirsty Camel venues across the country. Its a steal at only $9.99, and will please everyone over the long hot summer months.

Smirnoff Vodka 700ml

3 for

$

Special end 27th December 2010. While stocks last.

AVELEY Ellenbrook Liquor 6296 6900 BALCATTA The Seven Mile Inn 9440 0099 BELDON Tavern 9401 1233 BELLEVUE Darling Range 9274 6990 BUTLER Cornerstone Liquor 9562 0310 CLAREMONT Hotel 9286 0155 DARCH Kingsway Tavern 9303 9144 GIRRAWHEEN New Park Tavern 9342 7200 HIGH WYCOMBE Liquor Barn 9352 8544 JOONDALUP Sovereign Arms Liquor 9300 1146 KINGSLEY Tavern 9409 6767 LEEDERVILLE Hotel 9202 8255 MINDARIE Whale + Ale 9408 5444 Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

MORLEY Ale House NEERABUP Ocean View Tavern NORTH BEACH Liquor Store NORTH PERTH Charles Hotel NORTH PERTH Rosemount Hotel SCARBOROUGH White Sands SWAN VIEW Pig & Whistle WEMBLEY Hotel WOODVALE Tavern

Country prices may vary. Pics for illustration purposes only.

9276 8733 9407 4101 9447 1157 9444 1051 9328 7062 9341 1119 9294 1922 9383 7488 9309 4288

SOUTHERN METRO: BALDIVIS Liquor Store Settlers Ave BIBRA LAKE Stock Rd. Market Tav BOUVARD Tavern

20

Magner’s Cider 568ml Bottles

Shaky Ground NZ Sauv Blanc

NORTHERN METRO:

Yellowglen Bella Sparkling

9523 1055 9418 6852 9582 1533

CANNING VALE CY O’Connor Village Pub 9397 1556 CARLISLE Hotel 9361 1544 EAST FREMANTLE Royal George 9339 2747 EAST VIC PARK Franklins Tavern 9472 1549 FALCON Cobblers Tavern 9534 2433 KARDINYA Tavern 9337 6999 LANGFORD Posters Tavern 9356 1981 MADDINGTON Liquor Store 9459 5594 MANDURAH Boat House Tavern 9535 1034 MEDINA Pace Road Tavern 9419 2133 PORT KENNEDY Tavern 9524 6416 RAVENSWOOD Hotel 9537 6054

RIVERVALE Hotel STH FREMANTLE South Beach Hotel SOUTH LAKES Fitzy’s Lakeside Tav WILLETTON Burrendah Tavern

9470 3778 9335 2088 9417 4811 9332 6966

COUNTRY : ALBANY Amity Tavern BOULDER The Broken Hill Hotel BUSSELTON Esplanade Hotel CARNARVON Tropicana Tavern DENMARK Tavern DONGARA Priory Hotel ESPERANCE Travellers Inn

9841 4141 9093 1459 9752 1078 9941 1431 9848 1084 9927 1090 9071 1677

EXMOUTH Graces Tavern GERALDTON Breakers Tavern JURIEN BAY Hotel KARRATHA International Hotel KUNUNURRA Hotel LANCELIN Beach Hotel MT BARKER Hotel NARROGIN Duke of York PRESTON BEACH Liquor TODYAY Tavern YORK Castle Hotel WAGIN Palace Hotel WAROONA Drakesbrook Hotel

9949 1000 9921 8924 9652 1022 9187 3333 9168 0400 9655 1005 9851 1477 9881 1008 9739 1444 9574 2250 9641 1007 9861 1003 9733 1566 5

PROGRAM

1

ME

Outdoor Movie Magic

ALL PROFITS DONATED TO CHILDREN’S CHARITIES

Gates Open 6:30pm – Films Start 8:00pm At Sunset FILMS SCREEN IN ORDER LISTED Check Online for Programme Updates Catered & Fully Licensed – Hire Rugs / Chairs / Bean Bag Lounges or BYO TICKETS: ADULTS $13 SENIORS/STUDENTS $9 CHILDREN 5-15 $6 FAMILY (2 adults + 2 children) $32 DISCOUNT MONDAY & TUESDAYS*: Adults $10 Others $6*Except 14 February WATERWISE LA GRASSIERE $85 (Double) -No Free Passes- = Complimentary Tickets Not Valid At These Screenings. (Rating CYC) = Censorship Rating Yet To Be Confirmed

Movies by Burswood - 2 December 2010 – 2 April 2011 DECEMBER Movies By Burswood is located in

THU 2 THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (MA15+) FRI 3 THE OTHER GUYS (M) SAT 4 DESPICABLE ME (PG) Off Great Eastern Burswood SUN 5 GOING THE Hwy DISTANCE (MA15+) (between The Causeway and the (PG) MON 6 THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE TUE 7 SALT (M) Casino) WED 8 THE BLUES BROTHERS (M) THU 9 EASY A (M) Movies At Stirling is located in TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN FRI 10 (M) -No Free PassesSAT 11 LIFE AS WE KNOW IT (M) Cedric Street - Carols by Candlelight Burswood Park SUN 12 - CLOSED MON 13 THE OTHER GUYS (M) All Phone Enquires TUE 14 DESPICABLE ME (PG) call 0403 560 684 DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS (M) WED 15 -No Free PassesWALL STREET 2: MONEY NEVER THU 16 SLEEPS (M) FRI 17 THE TOWN (MA15+) SAT 18 RED (M) SUN 19 THE SOCIAL NETWORK (M) MON 20 DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (PG) TUE 21 EAT, PRAY, LOVE (M) WED 22 LIFE AS WE KNOW IT (M) LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THU 23 THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE (PG) FRI 24 THE SOCIAL NETWORK (M) SAT 25 - Christmas Day - CLOSED Boxing Day Holiday Screening SUN 26 DESPICABLE ME (PG) Monday Holiday Screening MON 27 WILD TARGET (M) Tuesday Holiday Screening TUE28 EASY A (M) WED 29 THE TOWN (MA15+) THU 30 RED (M) - New Year’s Eve - CLOSED FRI 31

Burswood Parklands

Stirling Civic Gardens

JANUARY SAT 1 SUN 2 MON 3 TUE 4 WED 5 THU 6 FRI 7 SAT 8 SUN 9

New Year’s Day Holiday Screening LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE (PG) HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 (M) Monday Holiday Screening CATS & DOGS 2: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE (G) TOY STORY 3 (G) MADE IN DAGENHAM (M) -No Free PassesWILD TARGET (M) RED (M) HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1(M) EAT, PRAY, LOVE (M)

LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE - Private Screening MACHETE (MA15+) SKYLINE (M) THE SOCIAL NETWORK (M) DUE DATE (MA15+) FAIR GAME (M) DEVIL (M) HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 (M)

MON 10 TUE 11 WED 12 THU 13 FRI 14 SAT 15 SUN 16 MON 17 TUE 18 WED 19 THU 20

WILD TARGET (M) Stand-Up Comedy Kings & THE CASTLE (M) CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DREAM TREADER (Rating CYC) MEGAMIND (PG) -No Free PassesTHE AMERICAN (MA15+) SKYLINE (M) MEGAMIND (PG) -No Free PassesAustralia Day Holiday Screening Special Screening Time 9:00pm DUE DATE (MA15+) FAIR GAME (M) TRON LEGACY (Rating CYC) CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DREAM TREADER (PG) RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (M) THE LOST BOYS (M)

FRI 21 SAT 22 SUN 23 MON 24 TUE 25 WED 26 THU 27 FRI 28 SAT 29 SUN 30 MON 31

FEBRUARY TUE 1 WED 2 THU 3

DUE DATE (MA15+) THE AMERICAN (MA15+) MONSTERS (M) Chinese New Year Fireworks TRON LEGACY (Rating CYC) THE TOURIST (Rating CYC) MONTY PYTHON’S LIFE OF BRIAN (M) - Private Screening – CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DREAM TREADER (PG) TRON LEGACY (Rating CYC) MEET THE PARENTS: LITTLE FOCKERS (Rating CYC) -No Free PassesTANGLED (PG) Heath Ledger Tribute Night RED HILL (Rating CYC) St Valentine’s Day Special LOVE & OTHER DRUGS (Rating CYC) -No Free PassesTHE GOONIES (PG) GULLIVER’S TRAVELS (Rating CYC) THE TOURIST (Rating CYC) MEET THE PARENTS: LITTLE FOCKERS (Rating CYC) -No Free PassesSpecial Midnight Screening THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (M) MORNING GLORY (Rating CYC) -No Free Passes-

FRI 4 SAT 5 SUN 6 MON 7 TUE 8 WED 9 THU 10 FRI 11 SAT 12 SUN 13 MON 14 TUE 15 WED 16 THU 17 FRI 18 FRI 18 SAT 19

Movies at Stirling - 16 December 2010 – 12 March 2011 DECEMBER THU 16 FRI 17 SAT 18 SUN 19 MON 20 TUE 21 WED 22 THU 23 FRI 24 SAT 25 SUN 26 MON 27 TUE 28 WED 29 THU 30 FRI 31

INCEPTION (M) THE OTHER GUYS (M) TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN (M) -No Free PassesEASY A (M) THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE (PG) DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (PG) WALL STREET 2: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS (M) DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS (M) -No Free PassesLIFE AS WE KNOW IT (M) - Christmas Day – CLOSED Boxing Day Screening LIFE AS WE KNOW IT (M) Monday Holiday Screening DESPICABLE ME (PG) Tuesday Holiday Screening DESPICABLE ME (PG) EAT, PRAY, LOVE (M) THE TOWN (MA15+) - New Year’s Eve - CLOSED

JANUARY SAT 1 SUN 2 MON 3 TUE 4 WED 5 THU 6 FRI 7 SAT 8 SUN 9 MON 10 TUE 11 WED 12 THU 13 FRI 14 SAT 15 SUN 16 MON 17 TUE 18 WED 19 THU 20 FRI 21 SAT 22 SUN 23 MON 24 TUE 25

New Year’s Day Screening THE TOWN (MA15+) LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE (PG) Monday Holiday Screening LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE (PG) FURRY VENGEANCE (PG) THE LAST AIRBENDER (PG) -No Free PassesTHE SOCIAL NETWORK (M) THE SOCIAL NETWORK (M) RED (M) RED (M) RED (M) CATS & DOGS 2: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE (G) MADE IN DAGENHAM (M) -No Free PassesWILD TARGET (M) WILD TARGET (M) HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 (M) HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 (M) HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 (M) MACHETE (MA15+) THE SOCIAL NETWORK (M) DUE DATE (MA15+) DUE DATE (MA15+) CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DREAM TREADER (PG) CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DREAM TREADER (PG) CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DREAM TREADER (PG) THE AMERICAN (MA15+)

BOOK ONLINE

WED 26 THU 27 FRI 28 SAT 29 SUN 30 MON 31

Australia Day Holiday Screening – MEGAMIND (PG) -No Free PassesMEGAMIND (PG) -No Free PassesMEGAMIND (PG) -No Free PassesSKYLINE (M) SKYLINE (M) THE AMERICAN (MA15+)

FEBRUARY TUE 1 WED 2 THU 3 FRI 4 SAT 5 SUN 6 MON 7 TUE 8 WED 9 THU 10 FRI 11 SAT 12 SUN 13 MON 14 TUE 15 WED 16 THU 17 FRI 18 SAT 19 SUN 20 MON 21 TUE 22 WED 23 THU 24 FRI 25 SAT 26 SUN 27 MON 28

- Private Screening Closed – RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (M) FAIR GAME (M) FAIR GAME (M) TRON LEGACY (Rating CYC) TRON LEGACY (Rating CYC) TRON LEGACY (Rating CYC) MONSTERS (M) HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 (M) THE TOURIST (Rating CYC) THE TOURIST (Rating CYC) MEET THE PARENTS: LITTLE FOCKERS (Rating CYC) -No Free PassesMEET THE PARENTS: LITTLE FOCKERS (Rating CYC) -No Free PassesSt Valentine’s Day Special THE TOURIST (Rating CYC) -No Free Passes THE TOURIST (Rating CYC) RED HILL (MA15+) LOVE & OTHER DRUGS (Rating CYC) LOVE & OTHER DRUGS (Rating CYC) GULLIVER’S TRAVELS (Rating CYC) GULLIVER’S TRAVELS (Rating CYC) - Private Screening Closed – Youthcare Special Fundraiser YOGI BEAR (Rating CYC) YOGI BEAR (Rating CYC) MORNING GLORY (Rating CYC) -No Free PassesMORNING GLORY (Rating CYC) -No Free PassesTANGLED (PG) Youthcare Special Fundraiser TANGLED (PG) LOVE & OTHER DRUGS (Rating CYC)

MARCH TUE 1 WED 2 THU 3 FRI 4 SAT 5 SUN 6 MON 7 TUE 8 WED 9 THU 10 FRI 11 SAT 12

UNSTOPPABLE (M) UNSTOPPABLE (M) BURLESQUE (Rating CYC) BURLESQUE (Rating CYC) THE KING’S SPEECH (Rating CYC) -No Free PassesTHE GREEN HORNET (Rating CYC) Monday Holiday Screening THE GREEN HORNET (Rating CYC) THE NEXT THREE DAYS (Rating CYC) THE NEXT THREE DAYS (Rating CYC) THE DILEMMA (Rating CYC) THE DILEMMA (Rating CYC) HOW DO YOU KNOW (Rating CYC)

Only $85 for two people

www.moviesbyburswood.com or www.moviesatstirling.com

(available online only)

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Reactions/Comp’ Thing Flesh X-Press interview: Amanda Pelman Music: Chase And Status Music: The Rapture Music: Duffy Music: Arrested Development/ Kim Salmon Music: El Guincho/ Dimmu Borgir/ Kylesa Music: Grouplove/ Fitz & The Tantrums Music: Descendents New Noise

Tim Ferguson, coming to Wild West

WILD WEST

’The Pearl’, the centrepiece of Fringe World

Eye4 33 34 35 38 39 40 41 42

Eye4 Cover: An Orphan’s Christmas Eye4 News Eye4 Music Eye4 Movies: Tron Legacy/ Rare Exports/ L’Immortel Eye2Eye/ Movies: Unstoppable/ Blue Valentine Eye4 Arts Eye4 Arts List Eye4 Lifestyle

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Fringe World. After revealing plans to relaunch a fringe festival in WA earlier in the year, Artrage has now sealed the deal with what’s destined to become the fixture of the Perth summer – a Spiegeltent.

For those who have never had the pleasure, Spiegeltents – quite simply – rule. A relic of a bygone era of travelling entertainment, Spiegeltents are a demountable tent, decadently decked out inside with wood, mirrors, leaded glass, velvet and all the trimmings. Stepping into one is like stepping back 100 years in time, into a opulent land of cabaret and vaudeville – of old chansons and burlesque.

One of the final quality Spiegeltents left on the market, Artrage purchased the 1905 built ‘Pearl’ – as it’s known – from its custodians, the Klessens family in Belgium, who had toured it for five generations. And, with the help of Lotterywest, it’s now bound for Perth!

Fringe World, presented by X-Press, runs for three weeks from February 3 to 26 at the Perth Cultural Centre and – as all quality fringe festivals – is set to entertain and challenge with the best in (naughty and nice) cabaret, comedy, music, performance art and much more from across the globe. Complementing the long-established Perth International Arts Festival, Fringe World will offer a vibrant hub of affordable entertainment every February, with all Spiegeltent shows for the 2011 program priced at $25.

A taster of what will be the official Fringe World launch in 2012, the full 2011 Fringe World program will be announced on Thursday, January 6, right here in the pages of X-Press, plus online at fringeworld.com.au – where you can also snap up early release tickets.

Perth is about to get a whole lot more interesting! _JULIAN TOMPKIN

INTERCONTINENTAL LOVE SONG

Salt 45 46 48 49 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 71

Salt Cover: 2 Live Crew Salt News Salt Cover Story/ Salted Salt: Cuban Brothers/ Plump DJs Salt: Bliss N Eso/ A-Trak/ Kele Okereke Testpad Club Manual/ Scenery Pub Blurbs Pub Scene Pub Scene Live Rock X-Tras Tour Trails Gig Guide Volume

Stone Temple Pilots

It may have a taken a couple of decades, but influential US rockers Stone Temple Pilots are finally coming to Australia! After releasing a series of classic alternative albums in the ‘90s, the Scott Weiland-led quartet reunited in 2008 and released their sixth album earlier this year. With Australia’s own post-grunge heroes Grinspoon opening the show, they play Challenge Stadium on Wednesday, March 16. Tickets to this all ages show go on sale from Ticketmaster at 9am tomorrow, Friday, December 17.

In 2011 the Wild West Comedy Festival will return, boasting more comics and shows than you could poke a microphone stand at, including Tim Ferguson and Dave O’Neil – and presented by X-Press. The festival will kick off in style care of the Opening Night Gala on Friday, April 15; an epic evening of laughs packed full with acts from home, overseas and interstate at The Astor. The fun will then continue from May 18 to 29, and tickets go on-sale this Friday, December 17, from BOCS. Hit up wildwestcomedy.com.au for all the latest news, and stay tuned to X-Press.

Lloyd Cole

OLD KING COLE

The folks at the Perth International Arts Festival sure know how to put on an incredible season of performance. And as if their line-up for the 2011 festival wasn’t already amazing enough, they’ve just announced that Lloyd Cole’s Small Ensemble will also be gracing the stage of Beck’s Music Box in the coming year. Touring in support of his latest studio offering, Broken Record, Cole and his band will step into the spotlight at Beck’s Music Box on Thursday, February 17, promising an evening of song not to be missed. Beck’s Music Box shows often sell out early so if you want to get tickets, better hop on over to PerthFestival.com.au quick smart!

TRICKY IN TOWN

Trip hop electronica forerunner Tricky is returning to Australia for run of blinding shows; the first Australian shows he’ll be playing since he packed out venues in August 2008. Tricky has just released his ninth studio album, Mixed Race, and Q Magazine have given it a four star rating calling it “another smart and limber record… as menacingly sexy as his best work”. Mixed Race was recorded in Paris and is influenced by eclectic global sounds. The album features a number of special guests, including Bobby Gillespie, Terry Lynn and Franky Belmont. The Bristol born musician hits Perth with his full live band, including Franky Belmont, on Monday, February 14, at Capitol.

Tickets are on sale through ticketmaster. com.au now.

Cover: Chase And Status play Origin on Friday, December 31, at Belvoir Amphitheatre.

Salt Cover: 2 Live Crew play Breakfest on Sunday, December 26, at Belvoir Amphitheatre.

Tricky

6$785'$< '(&(0%(5 7+ 7+( %$.(5< Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

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The Audi A1.

The next big Audi.

When it comes to progressive form and function, concentrated luxury is the next big thing.

Introducing the sophisticated new Audi A1. The next big Audi.

Audi Centre Perth 337 Harborne Street, Osborne Park, WA, 6017 08 9231 5888 | sales@audicentreperth.com.au

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The Frontier Touring Co., Max and FasterLouder present

FIRST TIME EVER IN AUSTRALIA!

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

WEDNESDAY 16 MARCH CHALLENGE STADIUM ON SALE TOMORROW frontiertouring.com Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

NEW ALBUM IN STORES NOW stonetemplepilots.com 11

X-Press is...

Publisher/Manager

Got a Reaction? Email: editor@xpressmag.com.au

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Joe Cipriani

Editorial

shoppers this year, do all your shopping online via sites such as Oxfamunwrapped.com.au, and know that you’re helping make the world a better place.

Dear X-Press,

Sarah P I couldn’t help but notice that in many of your Via Email recent editions you’ve plugged a range of very materialistic gift ideas for Christmas and thought it may be time for me to butt in with RIP SHAUN O’CALLAGHAN some charitable alternatives. Christmas is a lovely time of year but as the holidays come to Dear X-Press, a close most of us will find ourselves drowning Last week a photo was published in this in unwanted gifts that Dear Aunt Beryl bought wonderful magazine (issue 1243) of the late us with the best intentions. sound engineer Shaun O’Callaghan. This At a time when many people the was taken at Studio Couch on November 16 of world over are suffering from poverty, we this year during a recording session for Perth should be thinking about giving gifts that cover band - REWIND. benefit more than just one lucky person. Last We have very fond memories of a great day with year at Christmas I was delighted to receive a great sound guy who will be surely missed a virtual Goat from my niece, who knew I’d by many. He has no doubt left a special legacy rather give my gift to someone who needs it within the music industry. Our condolences to more. Though I never got to meet said goat, his family and friends. Many thanks Shaun for a I can attest that he is a pretty cool kid who memorable day. helped out a lot of people in the village he was donated to.

REWIND Band Charitable organisations such as Via Email Oxfam have plenty of great gifts on offer, heck, you can even buy a community a Buffalo for $495 if you desire it! You can also buy fruit trees, guitar lessons and plenty of other presents that benefit way more than just your friend or loved one.

Instead of battling the pre-Christmas

9213 2888

Managing Editor Julian Tompkin

editor@xpressmag.com.au

Local Music Editor Matthew Hogan

localmusic@xpressmag.com.au

Dance Editor Annabel Maclean

danceeditor@xpressmag.com.au

Arts & Fashion Editor Emma Bergmeier

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Online Editor Matthew Hogan

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Special Projects Editor Bob Gordon

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Photography Michael Wylie, Lisa Businovski, Matt Jelonek, Amy Vinicombe, David Chong

Contributing Writers

SAY? EMAIL GOT SOMETHING TO m.au editor@xpressmag.co

Alfred Gorman, Chris Havercroft, Angus Paterson, Grant McCulloch, Drew Turney, Joshua Hayes, George Green, Tanya McNaughton, Kate Gilbertson, Chris Gibbs,Benjamin Strick,Glen Canning,Reuben Adams, Yasmin Sheriff, Ben Watson, Amy Vinicombe, Clint Morris, Eddie Gnanapragasam, Tilman Robinson, Laura Glitsos, Jenifer Peterson - Ward,Travis Johnson, Brendan Hulban, Danielle Marsland, Steven Pollock, David Hall, Jessica Willoughby, Liam Ducey

Advertising

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Sales and Marketing Manager Chris Coufos

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Music Services / Special Projects Jason Ogg

Entertainment Venues / Live Promoters Luke Andrioff

Salt / Movies / Agency / Education Send your name, address and daytime phone number to win@xpressmag.com.au with the name of the competition in the subject line or enter online at www.xpressmag.com.au. Snail mail entries can be sent to Locked Bag 31, West Perth 6872.

Entries close 4pm Monday. By entering you agree to X-Press Magazine’s Terms & Conditions which can be found online. All with Emma Brandon competition entries will automatically enable you to become an X-Press subscriber! No details will be given to a third party.

Anne Hathaway plays Maggie, an alluring free spirit who won’t let anyone – or anything – tie her down. But she meets her match in Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal), whose relentless and nearly infallible charm serves him well with the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Maggie and Jamie’s evolving relationship takes them both by surprise, as they find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love. Get your entries in now to win one of ten in-season passes!

VODAFONE GIFT PACKS

Vodafone’s limited edition Nokia C3 gift packs for both men and women are great stocking fillers.

The Ashes gift pack is the perfect and affordable Christmas gift for sports mad fans, comprising the Nokia C3 in stylish Graphite, along with a limited edition Vodafone Ashes sports cap. The pink Nokia C3 gift pack is a stylish summer gift and comes with a travel-sized BaByliss Pro hair straightener. X-Press has a few of these gift packs to giveaway, valued at $99 each; you better get your entries in quick!

Meet The Parents – Little Fockers

classifieds@xpressmag.com.au

Production

2 x Tickets to Roy Ayers (Saturday, February 12) 2 x Tickets to The Red Shoes (Wednesday, February 16) 2 x Tickets to The Be(A)st of Taylor Mac (Friday, February 18) 2 x Tickets to My Bicycle Loves You (Wednesday, February 23) 2 x Tickets to Aftermath (Friday, February 25) 2 x Tickets to Soundtrack to a Legend (Saturday, February 26) 2 x Tickets to Wildbirds & Peacedrums with Amiina (Thursday, March 3) 2 x Tickets to Music for Airports (Friday, March 4)

Carmen Townsend

We have five music packs to giveaway to our lucky readers which include Canadian indie folk singer Jason Collett’s new album Rat A Tat Tat, plus the Canadian band Zeus with their new album Say Us, and lastly to finish of this great prize pack a copy of Carmen Townsend’s new album Waitin & Seein.

Art Direction Design + Production

art@xpressmag.com.au Dwight O’Neil, Vaughn Hockey, Kara Smith

Printing Rural Press Printing Mandurah

Administration

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Receptionist Emma Brandon

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Accounts Lillian Buckley

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Distribution

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Distribution

distribution@xpressmag.com.au CAB AUDITED CIRCULATION: 38,004 COPIES; APRIL 2010 - SEPTEMBER 2010

Deadlines Heartbreaker

Alex and his sister run a business designed to break up relationships. They are hired by a rich man to break up the wedding of his daughter.

The only problem is that they only have one week to do so. Get your entries in to win one of ten doubles to this romantic comedy, that is a must see!

The test of wills between Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) and Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) escalates to new heights of comedy in the third instalment of the blockbuster series – Little Fockers. Laura Dern, Jessica Alba and Harvey Keitel join the returning all-star cast for a new chapter of the worldwide hit franchise. We have five double passes to giveaway, so get your entries in now!

Chantelle O’Connor production@xpressmag.com.au Steve Makse

HEARTBREAKER

To enter log on to xpressmag.com.au - Click on the Comp Thing Button - Select PIAF COMP - Enter in your details (Competition ID is PIAF COMP) Entries close Thursday, December 23

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Production Manager

MUSIC CD PACKS

TICKET PRIZE PACK INCLUDES

MEET THE PARENTS – LITTLE FOCKERS

Alia Bannani Emma Brandon

Win an exclusive Perth International Arts Festival Pack, thanks to X-Press Magazine and the Perth International Arts Festival.

LOVE & OTHER DRUGS

Arts / Fashion / Lifestyle / Employment Classifieds Linage / Entertainment Services Coordinator

INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL PACK

Love & Other Drugs

Chris Coufos

CHROMEO’S – BUSINESS CASUAL

Get your entries in to win one of five of Chromeo’s latest CD Business Casual. You can see Chromeo live at Summadayze Perth 2011.

Summadayze hits The Supreme Court Gardens & Esplanade January 8 featuring David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, N*E*R*D (live), Chromeo (live) and more! Get your tickets now from ticketmaster.com.au.

EDITORIAL General Arts Comp’ Thing Clubber’s Guide Rock X-tras Gig Guide

Friday 5pm Monday 10am Monday Noon Monday 5pm Monday Noon Monday 5pm

ADVERTISING Cancellations Monday 5pm Bookings / Copy Tuesday 12 Noon Classifieds Tuesday 4pm Published by: Columbia Press Pty.Ltd. A.C.N. 066 570 803 Registered by Australia Post. Publication No PP600110.00006 Suite 73/102 Railway Parade, 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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HERE’S TOMMY!

BAND AID

Stand up superstar Tommy Tiernan will bring the luck (and humour) of the Irish down under next year when he hits our shores for his Designer Wino tour. Renowned for his hilarious and often inappropriate sense of humour, Tiernan is a high energy performer who knows how to capture an audience’s attention and have them eating out of the palm of his hand (not literally of course). Perth comedy fans can catch Tiernan when he takes to the stage of the Burswood Theatre on Thursday, April 7. Bookings can be made through Ticketek.

A stellar line-up of locals have put their hands up for Banding Together – Concert For Xave Brown this Saturday, December 18, at the Fly By Night. Brown was recently injured in a traffic accident, which claimed the life of his girlfriend Alexa Davis and also injured his son, Jasper. Playing the night is Vikki Thorn (The Waifs), Felicity Groom, Mo Wilson & The Drivers, Ryan Webb, Stu Orchard, The Lonely Brothers, Dilip & The Davs, Prita, Sian Brown, Lee Sappho, Selk Hastings, Minky Gardner, Phoebe Corke, Lucy Peach, Isabel Quigley, Ellen Paynter, Caitlin Dethridge and others with all proceeds going to costs arising from the accident.

UP FOR THE CHALLENGE

Much like the Charlotte Hornets moved to New Orleans, following a change in production requirements for their tour, US pop punk heroes Good Charlotte have moved their Friday, April 15, show from Burswood Dome to Challenge Stadium. Channel V favourites Short Stack and Boston’s Boys Like Girls still support. If you purchased general admission tickets there’s nothing you need to do. If you purchased reserved seating, new tickets will be sent out to you by the end of January. Tickets are on sale now from Ticketmaster.

BOHEMIAN NIGHTS

Nick Barker

Don Walker

BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE

STRIKING COLD GOLD

Following on from their inaugural shows together last year, Australian songwriting legend Don Walker is heading back to WA for some shows with The Lucky Strikes as his backing band. Featuring Lucky Oceans, Dave Brewer and more, the band will join Walker on his sets which will be sure to include songs he wrote with Cold Chisel, Tex, Don & Charlie and throughout his solo career. They play at the Quindanning Hotel on Saturday, January 22, and at Fremantle Arts Centre’s Courtyard Series on Sunday, January 23.

Both shows are free entry.

GET SCORCHED

Kasey Chambers

BEAUTIFUL BIRD

Country songstress Kasey Chambers has come a long way since she first serenaded Australia with her breakout single Not Pretty Enough, accruing a huge legion of fans and plenty of awards and nominations in the years since. Reaffirming her place in the music industry spotlight, Chambers’ latest musical offerings Little Bird has been nominated for a whopping seven Golden Guitars at the Country Music Awards which will take place on Saturday, January 22, in Tamworth. Fresh from the Country Music Awards, next year Chambers will hit the road for a slew of dates across this sunny state of ours, kicking off on Saturday, February 19, at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. Chambers will then make her way to the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre for a show on Sunday, February 20; followed by shows at the Albany Entertainment Centre on Tuesday, February 22; the Esperance Civic Centre on Thursday, February 24; the Goldfields Arts Centre in Kalgoorlie on Friday, February 25; Elmars In The Valley on Saturday, February 26; and finally at Queens Park Theatre in Geraldton on Sunday, February 27. Head to kaseychambers.com.au for more info and ticket sales.

SCoRCHeR FeST is oh so soon everyone, hitting town on Sunday, December 26, at The Rosemount.

For those who aren’t sure what we’re talking about, think a big party of live music discovery, local talent and good value. This year, the festival has a third stage added which just means more juicy talent on show, a true credit to Perth’s expanding live music circuit and local scene. There is always international, touring and local talent performing to those willing to seek out the up and coming.

This year’s line-up includes Tahnee, an acoustic performer who currently lives in Dubai and has performed at the Rugby World Cup alongside South African singer Josie Fields. Joining her will be the energetic punk rock outfit Varial, The Darlings, creative theatrical rock group Cave Fire Cinema, the hip hop sounds of Tektonik and glam rock group Diamond Eye. Pre-sale tickets are $20 and $30 on door. Head to scorcherfest.com.au for tickets and TRUST THE OLD MAN That’s right folks, pop/folk/psychedelic master Old more info.

Man River is coming to Perth. He’s touring his new album Trust early next year and, low and behold, he’ll be performing two shows over here in the SATELLITE & EASY Set to launch their new single Heartbeat Fast west. Fresh from having toured the world with As A Rabbit from their self-titled debut album, his band, he is now returning to his roots and Melbourne’s Hello Satellites are heading to Perth. accompanying him will be Passenger, aka English The musical project of Eva Popov, has been born singer/songwriter Mike Rosenberg, who is cut compared to that of Sally Seltmann. See her and from the same mould as Van Morrison, Neil Young her band at the X-Wray Café on Sunday, January and John Prine. Special guest Daniel Lee Kendall 2; the Prince Of Wales with The Silent Minute on will also be joining the party. The shows are on Saturday, January 8; and The Bird with Goodnight Friday, March 4, at Amplifier and Saturday, March Tiger and Benedict Moleta on Sunday, January 9. 5, at Mojo’s. Tickets are available from Moshtix and Heatseeker.

Singer songwriter Nick Barker has taken a break from the spotlight in recent years, but in 2011 he’ll hit the road once more with a swag of fresh tunes and a brand spanking new band in tow. Touring in support of his seventh solo outing Black Water Blues, Nick Barker and his accomplished band will take to the stage of Settler’s Tavern in Margaret River on Friday, January 7, with support from Coby Grant, followed by shows at the Vintage Blues Festival in Albany on Saturday, January 8 and at Redcliffe On Murray in Pinjarra on Sunday, January 9.

Tickets for these shows are on-sale now from the venues.

If you like films and the outdoors, you’ll like this.

The Film And Television Institute is showcasing the works of some very talented and creative WA filmmakers at Bohemia, their outdoor film festival. Next year, FTI celebrates its 40th year as the state’s premier screen resource centre and to commemorate this, 40 years worth of the best shorts, docos and feature films will be coming to Fremantle. The screenings take place from Tuesday, February 8, through ‘til Sunday, February 20, at Princess May Park in Fremantle. For the full program, visit fti.asn.au. Bring your rugs, chairs and bean bags and picnic hamper!

REBORN

Why decimate your savings travelling to the US of A when the sounds of New Orleans will emanate from the Perth Concert Hall on Sunday, March 13?

Presented by New Orleans Live and the Ovation Channel, the uber talented Rebirth Brass Band will venture to Australia in March to get the party started in a way that only New Orleans locals know how! If you’re yet to hear the music of this incredible live band, hit up neworleanslive.com.au to have a listen and book your tickets.

Dallas Green

GREEN MACHINE Snoop Dogg, playing Supafest

SUPA DOOPER

The legendary hip hop master Snoop Dogg is returning to Australia for the biggest and best urban/pop event in the country; Supafest.

He’ll be supported by Grammy Award winning hip hop/pop icon Nelly who burst onto the scene with his massive worldwide hit Country Grammar and then went on to produce hit after hit with Hot In Herre, Dilemma and Over & Over.

Airwave smasher Taio Cruz will also be joining the line-up and no doubt will be delivering some dynamite. Young rapper Bow Wow will be bringing some puppy lovin’ beats too. And that’s only the first line-up announcement.

Supafest hits town on Sunday, April 10, at Arena Joondalup. Tickets are available from ticketmaster.com.au. Drop it like it’s hot.

Though you probably know him best as the frontman of hardcore Canadian act Alexisonfire, Dallas Green is also a talented solo artist, which he’ll prove to audiences when he ventures to the great land down under in April for his City And Colour tour. Promising beautiful melodies woven together with heartfelt lyrics, Green will kick off his tour in Sydney, slowly making his way around the country until he hits the Astor Theatre on Monday, April 11. Tickets for this 18+ show are on sale now from BOCS.

U2 AFTERPARTY

This just in everyone. The Official Afterparty for U2 and Jay Z’s arena spectacular shows this weekend is looking hot. Special guests include Jay Z and Kanye West and Memphis Bleek and DJ Young Guru will be rocking the beats. There’s no doubt you’ll want to be at this one early. Head down from 9pm this Sunday, December 19, to Eve Nightclub, Burswood. We need not say it but this will be massive.

WAY DOWN UNDER

Belle & Sebastian

MY BELLE

Belle & Sebastian fans rejoice because the band that brought us delightful ditties such as Dear Catastrophe Waitress and I Want The World To Stop are bidding the cold Scottish winter adieu in favour of the Australian summer – hoorah! Due to popular demand, the Belle & Sebastian crew will take to the stage at the beautiful Astor Theatre on Friday, March 18, for a show that promises to be nothing short of amazing. There’s little doubt that this show will sell out so be ready and waiting on Friday, December 17, when tickets go on sale via BOCS if you don’t want to miss out on the fun.

Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

Known as the Queen of Punk Cabaret, Amanda Palmer has just released Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under, and to celebrate she’ll be touring our beloved country. The album features a collection of live and studio tracks with an antipodean theme. It scolds a lover for his love of Vegemite and celebrates a lady ’s nether regions with the new single Map Of Tasmania.

Palmer says the record is “a love letter to Australia and New Zealand”.

Provocative, irreverent, controversial, entertaining and artistic, don’t miss her on Friday, February 4, at the Fly

By Night. Tickets are available from flybynight.org.

Amanda Palmer 15

AMANDA PELMAN Road To Tangier

Well, here we are, near-on four years after Billy’s death, talking about the record that could well have never seen the light of day, Tangier…

I have always thought it’s a shame I couldn’t put a disclaimer on it, because he always had a really hard and fast rule about hearing the record which was that you’ve got to listen to it from beginning to end, you’ve got to be in a dark room, you’ve got to have a joint in your hand and turn it up 11. But for some funny reason Sony wouldn’t let me write that on the record…

When Billy Thorpe died in February of 2007 Australia mourned the loss a man who dominated this country’s musical landscape through most of the ’60s and ’70s.

But it soon came to light Thorpie that Thorpie, as he was Perhaps it’s the unanswerable question, but do you think Billy would be happy with this affectionately known, was final version of Tangier? fucking Kylie Minogue and Kids In The Kitchen to On that note, Morocco had such an I hope so; I’ve spent three years this, you know? I wanted to put my mark on it for overwhelming affect on him. Did you get an hardly ready to settle on having sleepless nights about the answer to as much as for the Australian music industry insight into how and why it reinvigorated him past achievements. Indeed, that question to be honest, because when he Billy because I think it’s something the Australian so greatly? there was no question in my mind that the I don’t know. I have never ascribed to he’d quietly been working died music industry should be really proud of. duty of care was we had to finish it. And Michael this saying that artist reinvent themselves; the on a record whose mission [Chugg], as an honourable human, stumped up Madonnas and Kylies and such. I don’t know money to do that and it took me nearly a year “…HE MADE THIS was to re-establish him a the what that means. An artist is an artist. I think they to work out whether we had an album to release, can find new sounds or new paths, and I think CORRELATION ONCE THAT in terms of were the vocals good enough, as they contemporary artist. what happened with Bill was he started to really As a close friend of Billy Thorpe’s, Amanda Pelman was one of the few privy to the news that Thorpe was planning a comeback of sorts.

While the Long Way To The Top tour of 2002 had been a huge success and reinstated Thorpe the rock’n’roll king of the Baby Boomers, it hardly endeared him to younger generations of music fans who’d all but forgotten his rise from the clean cut pop protégé of Surf City to the ferocious rock monster of Sunbury.

Relocating to the US in 1976, Thorpe would go on to modest success there with his concept space-rock album Children Of The Sun, followed by soundtrack work for screen (including Star Trek and War Of The Worlds). But after 20 years in the US, he finally returned home to Australia in 1996 to coincide with the release of the first instalment of his autobiography, the best-selling Sex And Thugs And Rock’n’Roll.

As the co-producer of Long Way To The Top with Thorpe, Amanda Pelman would get to know the man better than most. Reinvigorated by the success of Long Way To The Top – but terrified of being relegated to the has-been heritage live circuit of wineries and picnic rugs - Thorpe began plotting his return to songwriting proper. And what began in earnest soon took a sharp upwards turn when Thorpe took his wife Lynn to Morocco for her 50th birthday in 2000. Overwhelmed by the sensual sounds of the orient – and inspired by its economical, acoustic approach – Thorpe returned to Australia with a fully-developed concept; and that concept was Tangier.

Largely recorded in 2006 with the Symphonic Orchestra of Morocco, Thorpe returned to Sydney to complete the album – reportedly becoming obsessive over creating what he by now considered his genuine magnum opus. But on February 28, 2007, Thorpe would leave this world – his masterwork incomplete.

Stepping in as executive producer with promoter and Thorpe’s manager Michael Chugg, Pelman oversaw three years of painstaking production work to make real Thorpe’s dream, aided by producer Daniel Denholm. Ten years after he first felt that pang of verve in Morocco, Thorpe’s work was now finally complete.

By JULIAN TOMPKIN

were only ever guide vocals? And was the guitar playing good enough, and all that stuff. And that’s why it’s literally taken this long to get those decision made and every step of the way, every mix, I’d be going ‘ah fuck, what would he think…’

But whether you have a spiritual bent or not, I very firmly believe – and certainly Michael does to – in some funny way he is still around us. It’s like having a parrot on my shoulder, ’cause I can sometimes hear this little voice saying ‘make it track three, make it track three’. And we were very close, like a brother and sister, and I really believe he is somewhere out there in the firmament.

TANGIER FOR HIM WAS GOING TO BE FOR HIM WHAT RIVERDANCE WAS FOR MICHAEL FLATLEY. AND I REMEMBER GOING ‘OH, THAT IS DISGUSTING – WHAT DO YOU MEAN… WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?’.

THE ANALOGY WAS SO REVOLTING TO ME, AND THEN IT WAS AFTER A WHILE THAT I REALISED WHAT HE MEANT – IT WAS ABOUT CREATING A PIECE OF WORK THAT ISN’T JUST ABOUT YOU PERFORMING IT EVERY NIGHT. IT’S ABOUT IT HAVING A LIFE OF ITS OWN…”

How was Billy as an operator – was he one to leave notes and instructions for himself?

No, no – it was an engineering shambles. He was a very singular worker. We were both very stubborn Aries, pig-headed people – so he certainly worked to his own methods, of which there was no rhyme. I knew in many ways what he wanted and what his visions were, because we’d discussed it ad nauseam in terms of the live production of the show, and what was that going to be and how would that music unveil itself.

The song structures I certainly could never have commented on, but thank god we found Daniel Denim who had this great sixth sense – I guess musicians have that with each other. I could never have fucked with it – I could never have got in the middle of that; that was a matter for Daniel too take all of those tapes and Pro Tools sessions that we had and make sense of it. I have got to Do you think Billy believed this would be his take my hat off to him; I think what he did was big reinvention as a contemporary artist? extraordinary.

Because in truth he’d been gone a very, very long time.

Was it purely your close friendship with Billy That’s right – and he was entirely aware that drove you to complete this album on his of that. He didn’t come back from America and behalf, of as a music industry professional did go ‘hey, I am still a rock star’. He was very aware you truly see this as his magnum opus? of that. There was a bunch of them thrown into I knew it was his magnum opus and I knew it was something that mattered to him, the same circumstances at the same time, my because he had a very reluctant image towards husband Brian Cadd being one of them. They’d being seen as a heritage artist. Ironically, with the all had their 20 years in America songwriting success of Long Way To The Top we had elevated and came back and went ‘Jeez, is anyone going all of these artists from the ’60s and ’70s back into to give a shit about us anymore’ and Long Way I a very healthy working environment and respect, think went a long way to putting them back on and he didn’t want that to be his last mantle. And stages with respect. But this sound, for him, was I genuinely always believed in the music – I had an entire happy accident. If he had taken his wife all of my years working in A&R at Mushroom and to the Gold Coast for her 50th birthday I don’t there’s a vast difference between working on think we’d have the record.

enjoy his own company and the idea of playing in a much more acoustic and organic way – for a guy who’d been on 11 his whole life he really was digging playing acoustically. So when he got to Morocco, where that’s what the music is like, it just resonated with him. Chuggi said that he was in the room next to him and he can remember hearing the first sounds coming out really soon after they arrived. You need to feel Morocco – you need to have a real tactile relationship with it, and I think as a musician that’s what struck him.

What strikes me – and perhaps is simply a result of the fact he never finished the record – is its sheer diversity. A song like Since You’ve Been Gone is such a tender moment; a completely new side to Mr “suck more piss” Billy Thorpe.

Yes, it is – and that was written sadly when he lost his mother. There was a very strong relationship between them and he wrote that when he lost her. It’s common knowledge it wasn’t intended to be on this record but I just felt, at the end of the day when we went through everything in the studio, that it would have been negligent not to include it – so again where Daniel stepped in was making it sound not out of place.

And as you were saying, the flipside to the success of Long Way To The Top was he never wanted to be considered a heritage artist – which is essentially what Long Way was about; celebrating our heritage. Do you think Tangier would have been the first of many more contemporary records for Billy?

Um, jeez – well, how long has anybody got? Would it have been the first of many… he made this correlation once that Tangier for him was going to be for him what Riverdance was for Michael Flatley. And I remember going ‘oh, that is disgusting – what do you mean… what are you talking about?’. The analogy was so revolting to me, and then it was after a while that I realised what he meant – it was about creating a piece of work that isn’t just about you performing it every night. It’s about it having a life of its own, and having a life of its own for a long time. So that’s my next job…

Billy was obviously a larger than life character, but also the most humble of blokes. It’s been suggested that he was virtually broke when he passed on but no one was to have a clue because he kept such hardships to himself. For you, what are your most resounding memories of Thorpie?

I don’t know about the near broke thing – 99 per cent of musicians in Australia are near broke all the time; there’s only one John Farnham. I think he lived life large – a lot of musicians make choices to either spend it while they’ve got it or horde it and invest it. And he was someone who chose to live life large, and good on him. My resounding memories of him… there are too many. My most passionate memory is when he came off stage after our first Long Way To The Top in Perth and we were all just so beat up, because it’d been such an arduous task to try and cut the show down to size over the three or four days of rehearsal, and he just grabbed me – and the pride he had in what we’d created was just palpable. That was my greatest memory.

Billy Thorpe in Morocco 16

We’ve already gone ways to answer this, but in closing is this album the perfect swan song for Billy Thorpe?

I think so, because it marries his incredible guitar work with a real musical vision.

It’s a deliberate reason why Marrakesh is the opening track on the record, because it’s just got such a huge fucking classic Thorpie guitar opening. And we had to open it that way: ‘fucking yeah, there’s Billy’. And hopefully we’re introducing a whole new audience as to who he was. www.xpressmag.com.au

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17

CHASE AND STATUS State of Origin After bringing their breathtaking live act to Perth back in February, the UK born duo has their sights fixed firmly on New Year’s Eve Origin extravaganza at Belvoir. GLEN CANNING managed to catch up with Saul Milton before he took to the stage in Birmingham.

In just six years Chase And Status have risen from relative obscurity to become two of the most sought after producers in the world.

Initially catching the eye of Snoop Dogg and Jay Z, they worked with Rihanna, helping produce her 2009 album Rated R – busting wide open the lucrative US market for the pair.

Their debut album More Than A Lot won Best Album at the 2009 Drum & Bass Awards in Birmingham, and their next album, No More Idols, is due for release in early 2011. Four tracks from the new album have already been released with both End Credits and Let You Go making it into the UK Top 40, which, as Milton explains, is a fantastic surprise.

“It’s not something that we thought about really but when it happens you’re really happy with it,” he begins. “Music today is a lot more open and the public are listening to more things; especially in England. And I think the whole scene is in a really good place right now.”

Let You Go ventures into previously uncharted territory with a totally new sound direction, whilst Hypest Hype goes back to the more recognisable sounds of Chase And Status.

It is this diversity and experimentation that is a central theme running through the new album.

“It’s going to be totally diverse; it’s got a lot of totally new stuff on there,” Milton expands. “It’s got hip hop on there, we’ve got loads of great features and it’s kind of an extension of where we’re at really. I think that’s something that we’ve done well all the time and that’s trying to sound different all the time and not trying to do the same thing otherwise it would get boring for us as producers.”

No More Idols i s m o r e t h a n a randomly chosen title, it also serves as an acknowledgement to music’s greatest contributors whom, as Milton relates, are becoming a rare commodity.

“These days there’s a lot of disposable music out there and there’s not many kind of David Bowies hanging about; Mick Jaggers…

The Rolling Stones kind of guys,” he says. “You know a while ago there was a lot of quality, a lot of brilliant music but these days there isn’t a lot of those kinds of people to look up to.”

Whilst on the subject of making impressions, Rihanna was recently quoted as saying that Chase And Status were the backbone of her album Rated R and, as Milton reveals, they would love to work with her again.

“Oh yeah definitely,” he exclaims.“She’s a really cool girl and she was great to work with,

“…INITIALLY I THINK ALL THE INTEREST WAS SPARKED

BY SNOOP DOGG JUMPING ON EASTERN JAM AND TURNING IT INTO SNOOP DOGG MILLIONAIRE, AND THAT’S WHAT REALLY OPENED UP THE AMERICAN DOOR AND PEOPLE WERE LIKE ‘WHO ARE THESE GUYS?’.”

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plate driver? Your demerit point limits have changed.

If you’re a Novice (L or P-Plate) Driver, you’ll need to take good care of your points, because from 1 December 2010, you’ll be allowed to gain fewer demerits before you lose your licence. You’ll lose your licence if you accrue 4 or more points in your first year or 8 points over the first two years of holding a licence. For the full details of the changes go online to www.transport.wa.gov.au/novice or to check your current demerit points phone 1300 720 111.

Chase And Status

and it was a real learning experience. And when she called us the backbone of her album it was really flattering and we were kind of speechless.”

Initially managing to get a toe in the door of the affluent American music industry, the flood gates have now well and truly opened.

But what was the spark that ignited all this interest in two underground producers from the UK? Milton tries to shed some light on their sudden rise to prominence in the States.

“We’ve had a lot of offers because of our work on Rated R and our new album No More Idols, and it’s created a lot of interest,” he explains. “But initially I think all the interest was sparked by Snoop Dogg jumping on Eastern Jam and turning it into Snoop Dogg Millionaire, and that’s what really opened up the American door and people were like ‘who are these guys?’.

So yeah, it’s opened up loads of doors and loads of opportunities – it’s been really amazing.”

With the accolades pouring in from all over the globe it’s hard to imagine that Chase And Status released their first track a mere six years ago. Milton offers his thoughts on the secret to their amazing success.

“I don’t know,” he chuckles, “we’ve played music with each other for such a long time and being diverse, really trying to be versatile and just not wanting the same thing over and over again.”

Producing such a plethora of unique and diverse sounds may not sound incredibly complicated for an outsider but to continually twist, distort and rearrange your sound is an impressive art form in itself yet one Chase And Status seem to have little trouble with. So one must ask the question: where do they draw their inspiration from when producing new tracks? As Milton explains, there’s no set formula.

“Every track is different really; I’ll have a sample which might inspire a track,” he explains.

“Other times I’ll be out and just hear the right kind of beat which will get me thinking, or Will could come up with an idea that will get me thinking for a new track – there’s so many things.

The real trick to being inspired is because we really love what we do.”

Headlining Origin’s New Year ’s celebrations, Chase And Status are returning with a DJ set to kick off 2011 in style. And an excited Milton can’t wait to start the party.

“We love playing in Perth; there’s always a great crowd,” he concludes. “We’ve got loads of tracks off the new album, we’ve got loads of dubstep and drum’n’bass, a smattering of some little bits here and there and just carnage man – yeah! Absolute mania; it’s going to be wild!”

Cole Bishop and Rossi Boots Present

Tuesday December XMAS7PARTY

PERTH BLUES CLUB with special guest CHARLES HOTEL MATT CAL W/ U BLUES & RICK STEEL

Friday 17 December

MOJOS BAR FREMANTLE Government of Western Australia Department of Transport

18

W/ MATT CAL & BLACK HEART SUN

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Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

19

THE RAPTURE Grace Under Pressure Through a slew of some of the naughties top releases, The Rapture remain one of the indie world’s most exciting bands and they return to WA for Southbound, which takes place from Saturday, January 1, ’til Monday, January 3. Multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Andruzzi tells MATTHEW HOGAN about their hotly anticipated follow-up to Pieces Of The People We Love. recommended Philippe who we’d actually talked to for the last record – we asked him about mixing and maybe even producing but nothing ever came of it – so it was a name that was familiar. So we just sent him the demos and talked to him on the phone and he really liked the demos we had done and he fell in love with the songs and he said he was really excited to do it.”

The Rapture

The last time New York dance punks The Rapture were in town they headlined one of the stages at Parklife ‘09 with a new look line-up, following the departure of co-frontman Matt Safer. A triumphant set that saw Luke Jenner flawlessly step into the spotlight, the band sounded better than ever with their renewed enthusiasm. Keyboardist, saxophonist, bassist, percussionist and vocalist Gabriel Andruzzi says the line-up change has garnered mixed results, but says he is happy with the transition.

“I think it made a little bit of a difference

20

for Luke to sing the songs that Mattie had sung, and to sing his lyrics which he didn’t necessarily identify with,” Andruzzi ponders. “But pretty quickly as soon as he decided to make the decision, he figured out how to have fun with it and make it his own. For me and Vito [Roccoforte, drums], it made no difference whatsoever. We’re not singing and Luke was doing a good job – he was really singing better than he ever has. In the past, there were real gifts from having two people who sung, and there were real drawbacks from having two people who wanted to be frontmen as well. It makes things a lot clearer to have one guy out front doing the majority of the singing and really being the spearhead of the show.”

Also, while on the Parklife tour, the band sorted out the man who’d help them with their forthcoming fourth record. Fresh from his triumphant turn producing Phoenix’s universally acclaimed Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix album, Cassius’ Philippe Zdar worked on the new record.

“When we were at Parklife we’d just finished writing the record and we’d made demo recordings,” Andruzzi explains. “We were asking other artists who are friends of ours and we kept asking Busy P from Ed Banger, who we’ve known for a while and has been all over the world and is resourceful and knows who we are. He’s

“IN THE PAST, THERE WERE REAL GIFTS FROM HAVING TWO PEOPLE WHO SUNG, AND THERE WERE REAL DRAWBACKS FROM HAVING TWO PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO BE FRONTMEN AS WELL. IT MAKES THINGS A LOT CLEARER TO HAVE ONE GUY OUT FRONT DOING THE MAJORITY OF THE SINGING AND REALLY BEING THE SPEARHEAD OF THE SHOW.” Despite the Atlantic Ocean separating the band from the producer in France, the arrangement worked. “After about a month of talking over the phone, he got on plane to New York and we tracked for about a week and then we went to Paris over the winter and spring and finished up there,” Andruzzi says. “It was really creative, a really fun experience. His approach to making records just really fit in with how we were writing our songs; how we were getting along as a band and how we wanted to continue to make music.”

Despite having worked with the likes of the DFA’s James Murphy and Tim Goldworthy on

one record and Danger Mouse and Paul Epworth on the next, Andruzzi says this is the first time they’ve ever worked with an established producer at the top of his game.

“With James and Tim at DFA, they hadn’t produced anything when they produced us,” he says of their much-lauded album Echoes.

“We were like the first band they really produced.

They mixed around the same time a Radio 4 record, and they got production credits but they didn’t really work on the record. We were friends with them for a really long time and they were like friends who had this vision: ‘we’re going to go make this music, we’re going to go make this label, and we’re going to go make this band’. So all this DFA stuff and what we did all just came out of these dreams that we shared. They didn’t have the label when we made that record with them.

They’d done this remix or two, but it was this dream that everyone was making.

“When we worked with Paul, he used to be our soundman,” Andruzzi continues of Pieces Of The People We Love. “We knew him before he produced records. He produced the Bloc Party record and then The Futureheads and those came around after we knew Paul as a friend. We thought of him at the time as very much a peer. And Danger Mouse was getting on top of his game when we worked with him, but he was just a nice guy that we hung out with randomly here and there.”

Andruzzi says working with Zdar has made them lifelong friends. “Honestly, every time for us, it’s been out of friendship – you know,” he states.“With Philippe less so, because we met him later on and we met him through a common friend.

Now that I know Philippe it’s like we’re going to be friends for the rest of our lives – we refer to each other as brothers, like we worked on something together.”

Desperately hoping to release a single before they head to Australia for various New Year’s festivals, it was tough to get any more information about this forthcoming record.“I don’t have a title yet,” he whispers.“I can tell you a title but it might change; but it’s still going to be a little while before the record’s out, so honestly I’m not sure what to say.

“The word ‘Grace’ will be in the title…”

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DUFFY Dusty Crossroads Changing tact, despite her winning moody formula – formed in part with Bernard Butler (Suede) – global pop smash Duffy has opted to rev up the energy and reference some ’70s disco/soul sounds as she moves forward with her sophomore album, Endlessly. SASHA PERERA reports.

“I think without struggle there’s no progress,” Duffy begins. “Without experimenting there’s no development, so I couldn’t rest on my laurels. I had to push myself. I wanted to make people dance – I wanted to make them move emotionally and physically. I wanted to be greedy; I wanted to experiment with what it would be like to dance through the hard times, as well as cry through them.”

Songs like the first single Well, Well, Well and Keeping My Baby (complete with swirling strings and chimes) noticeably travel new territory, whilst fans will be pleased to hear that echoes of her melancholic debut album are still at the forefront on the new album, with songs like Too Hurt To Dance and Don’t Forsake Me continuing to deliver the downhearted style that Duffy’s voice is most suited to.

Duffy’s debut album Rockferry was a gin-soaked, Dusty-styled soul/pop affair of misty-eyed love-lost, that referenced a sixties Motown-shimmer and a Bacharach style of musical-drama. The resulting stats for the album were impressive; the album sold 6.5 million copies, became the biggest selling UK album of 2008, and Duffy picked up three Brit Awards and a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album. As a result one would assume that everyone must have had an opinion on how album number two should take shape.

“Interestingly not,” the doe-eyed Duffy shrugs. “I alienated everyone – I made sure that nobody got too close, like before. It was all very simple before when I just worked with a couple of people, and I had the same theory this time around. I worked with Albert [Hammond, famed producer], an engineer that we trusted, and The Roots – it was a very small family once again. I’m not the sort of person who sends demos to their mum asking if she likes it. I don’t really search for approval with others,” she says with her typical straight-forwardness.

Duffy’s success ensured that she could’ve worked with just about anyone she wanted to on this new album, so it’s surprising

and intriguing she found a close primary collaborator in 66-year old Albert Hammond Snr (father of The Stroke’s Albert Hammond Jnr, and a prolific songwriter in the ’70s and ’80s, having worked with the likes of Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash). Whilst the result may not be as raw as her previous work, it is not necessarily any less emotive.

“It was a strange collaboration from the outset I guess, but nobody really said anything about it at the time,” Duffy says of the unusual cross-generational partnership.

“I think he was just charmed by my presence and my voice. He worked with Tina Turner and Diana Ross, and he made me feel important, and made me feel that maybe I too, one day, could be a star, like the real stars. I think he sees my star quality.”

Doesn’t everyone see her starquality? “Maybe I can’t, and so maybe that’s the problem,” she responds plaintively.

The arrival in 2008 of Duffy on the music scene was a brilliantly-crafted debut, thanks in a major way to manager Jeanette Lee from the well-respected indie-alternative Rough Trade management team. Lee was a former member of Public Image Limited (PiL) and currently co-owns the cutting-edge, underground UK-based Rough Trade record label and management, who look after the likes of Jarvis Cocker and Pulp.

Lee discovered Duffy and took her under her wing, spending four years working with her on her music and image before the pop explosion that followed. Duffy adored Lee. When I first met up with Duffy before the release of Rockferry in 2008 she talked excitedly about Lee’s influence on her own style of fashion and music; Lee was an influential motherly-figure for a young Welsh girl finding her way in the music industry, and living away from home.

However, all that has changed now.

Despite their close relationship, in the wake of

Duffy

“I WOULD LOVE TO BE 12 YEARS OLD AND WALKING ACROSS THE BEACH OF NORTH WALES FANTASISING ABOUT WHO I WOULD BECOME, BUT IT’S JUST NOT REALITY. I REALISE THAT I THOUGHT I HAD COMPANIONS, BUT THEN YOU REALLY HAVE TO TRAVEL THIS ROAD ALONE.” the success of Rockferry, artist and manager split. From the outside it seems like success unfortunately spoiled this once-close and inspired relationship.

“Rough Trade were completely kind to me and I’ll always stand by that,” Duffy says, slightly shielding the intricacies of what actually happened. “They were fantastic; they supported me and took me under their wing, gave me money when I didn’t have money, and allowed me to make the record I wanted to make with my first album. They were important role models and figureheads for me. But it would be too idyllic for me to assume that I

could always have those people around, or that I could drag them along on my journey.

“I suppose this one thing you have to put down to experience in life. I would love to have my childhood best friend still four minutes down the road from me; I would love to be 12 years old and walking across the beach of North Wales fantasising about who I would become, but it’s just not reality. I realise that I thought I had companions, but then you really have to travel this road alone.”

These days Duffy is managed internationally by Angela Becker (Madonna’s exmanager, and now also wife of super-producer Stuart Price). In a way it says a lot about how much has changed for Duffy in the last couple of years. No longer an indie-related artist, Duffy is a certified global star, and as a result a big-name international manager is on board to take her career to even greater heights.

“I think Angela is a wonderful person,” she says. “I admire her experiences and I think she has a lot to offer for my journey and my career, but most importantly I really like her. Good management is what I have to have, otherwise what is it – just me and Albert sitting in a room, drinking tea and writing songs. You need people like Angela to help make you three dimensional. If it were me I’d live in my own head for the rest of my life, and happily there I’d stay. You have to get others to bring you out of yourself and push you forward.”

And you might just get a Stuart Price dancefloor-remix thrown into the equation too?

“Yes, that too – watch this space!”

*DPH 2Q

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ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT In Remand They’ve sold millions of albums and have battled break-up rumours for years but, with a veritable rhythmic force of an album called Strong, Grammy award-winning ‘90s hip hop group Arrested Development are set to prove that they’re not going anywhere. Ahead of their performance at Cuban Club, Flying Squadron Yacht Club on New Year’s Day, JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD spoke to frontman Speech and found out about their socially-conscious hip hop style,why they’re bigger overseas than in the US and where they’re heading in the future.

“Just because we dress the way we do, spread positive messages and perform with a band doesn’t mean we’re not hip hop”, Speech, Arrested Development’s co-founder and lead rapper, begins. “Hip hop is who we are and we’re not about fronting. This isn’t about an image; this is about the music, whether it fits in the current scene or not.”

As the outspoken frontman attests, Arrested Development are keeping it real – with hip hop music influenced by soul, jazz and Latin rhythms and pumpin’ live shows that drive audiences to a frenzy.

Behind the music are three MCs: main mic man Speech, sultry soulstress Montsho Eshe and hypnotising One Love. Adding a four-piece band, one stunning back-up singer and a vision of uplifting the community with rhythmic vibes and brilliance, the creative army of musicians behind Arrested Development went on to become two-time Grammy-winners, scooped MTV awards, hold the esteemed honour of being labelled Rolling Stone Magazine’s 1993 Band Of The Year, and have been showered with critical acclaim from their inception in 1988.

All their talent is laid out on recently released LP Strong; the endowed ensemble’s ninth studio album – a 12 song collection which turns positive words and phrase into refreshingly novel styles; styles that set them apart from their peers and leave them accessible to fans of music of all genres.

“You don’t have to be a part of the scene to understand what we’re talking about,” Speech asserts. “I know the hip hop world will be feelin’ it and so will fans of all types of music. I think that’s not only because of the live sound, but because our music crosses musical

“WE LIVE IN THIS VERY TABLOID-DRIVEN, MEDIAOBSESSED CULTURE WHERE A LOT IS MADE OF CELEBRITIES WHO DO CHARITABLE ACTS AND THAT’S JUST SO WRONG. boundaries as well as cultural boundaries.”

Continuing to break down barriers in the most literal of senses, Arrested Development have met consistent success in Japan and Indonesia, where many of their singles rank highly in the mainstream charts despite being performed in a language which differs from the mainstream dialect.

“I think that, because they don’t understand the language, it’s the beats and the melodies and the vibe that they get from what we create,” Speech explains. “We love melodies and it resonates with people. It just goes to show that rhythm is a universal language. You don’t need to understand what a singer is singing to be able to get swept away in the enjoyment of the music.”

In fact, with an overseas market so much more receptive to their work, the group have barely been present in the US in recent years as they continue to fill up their touring schedule with performances across the globe.

“There’s this total lack of balance going on in the hip hop scene in the United States

Arrested Development

today,” Speech surmises. “Now, I’m not saying that artists that sing about shakin’ their booties and flashin’ their bling and all of that have no place in the industry, but lack of balance doesn’t make sense for anybody. It just doesn’t make sense for the music industry, the artistic culture of our country, and it doesn’t make sense for the artists who are doing some extremely exciting, innovative stuff out here but don’t have as much access to exposure as we used to.

“People overseas are used to listening to different stuff and diverse messages and vibes – that’s why we prefer to play away from home a lot of the time.”

Spreading a cer tain amount of grace with them wherever they go, Arrested Development have made a point of giving back to the community, evident in the charities they choose to support while leading a busy schedule.

The first African-American group to donate money to Nelson Mandela and the ANC to help South Africans in their freedom,

the band are also well-known for their largescale donations to UNICEF and their selforganised charity drives supporting homeless organisations, less fortunate inner-city youth, and female prisoners throughout the world, as well as for donating half of the proceeds from smash-hit single Mr. Wendel to the US National coalition of the homeless.

However, apart from admitting to devoting “some time” to “a few good causes”, Speech remains tight-lipped about his socially conscious activities, taking a swipe those who use their charitable deeds to propel themselves into the spotlight.

“We live in this very tabloid-driven, media-obsessed culture where a lot is made of celebrities who do charitable acts and that’s just so wrong,” he concludes. “We don’t want to be praised for doing that. To be honest, it shouldn’t really be anyone’s business but the people we’re helping. We don’t want to be put on a pedestal; that’s not what we’re about.”

KIM SALMON Theory In Practice Kim Salmon returns to Perth for two shows this weekend, playing Norfolk Basement on Friday, December 17, and The Bakery on Saturday, December 18. BOB GORDON has a chat with him.

Since we last spoke to Kim Salmon some months ago upon the release of his most recent album, Grand Unifying Theory, it’s been a mix of the old and the new, both home and abroad.

The calls of times past took him to New York, where he and The Scientists performed the Blood Red River album for a Don’t Look Back show that also featured The Stooges performing Raw Power. The trip was also a chance for the singer/ songwriter to take his son Gene to the Big Apple (“he’d never been and he met a pen pal whom he’d never met”), though maybe it’s not quite what it once was. “ Well there’s cer tainly been a gentrification process happen over the last couple of decades, since I’ve been visiting the place” he reflects. “The East Village isn’t quite the same, it’s more of a business core now. But the same has happened to Melbourne and probably to Perth too. But we spent a couple weeks there and it was great, it was a real holiday. We got shown around and didn’t really think about it all too much (laughs). We hadn’t done that for years.” While Salmon and co. have been getting behind the new album, it’s a different process to the days of yore. In the old days of the ‘80s-‘90s, Salmon would have been criss-crossing the nation ad infinitum.

“It’s a very different these days, a much more drawn-out and protracted process. This line up of the Surrealists, with Phil Collings and Stu Thomas is still very valid, I’m just glad hey still think, ‘oh, this is cool’ (laughs), which wasn’t always the way with other line-ups, so we can relax and not

24

“I MEAN I UNDERSTAND NOSTALGIA; I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE LIKE THINGS FROM CERTAIN TIMES – THEY LIKE TO RE-LIVE THAT AND THAT’S WHAT THEY LIKE TO SEE. BUT YOU CAN’T JUST DWELL IN IT OTHERWISE THE SCIENTISTS WOULD FOREVER BE GOING BACK AND DOING BLOOD RED RIVER OR SOMETHING ELSE.” get caught up too much in nostalgia.

“I mean I understand nostalgia; I understand that people like things from certain times – they like to re-live that and that’s what they like to see. But you can’t just dwell in it otherwise The Scientists would forever be going back and doing Blood Red River or something else. I need to add more things to my own canon. Actually, say repertoire, canon sounds too pretentious (laughs).

“I need stuff out there to be in the equation for other people who think, ‘ah, I’d like to hear that’. So people want to hear things from now as much as the stuff from before. So think I’ve succeeded in that regard. In some ways I’m post that slogging it out stage.”

Salmon laughs that he’s been working gradually on a video for the track, Kneel Down At The Altar Of Pop, much of it completed on his work computer at his old job in the returns department of Shock Records. It’s a more humble process at times these days, but the love is still there.

“Yeah that’s what I was doing in between taking care of returned wrestling DVDs from JBs and K-Mart,” he jokes. “Getting this live footage

Kim Salmon

and cutting it into a video. It’ll be a little more of a push for it on Rage and YouTube I suppose, for next year.”

Grand Unifying Theory is an album of moods and angles, influenced in some ways by the creation of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew. It’s made for some creative fun for the stage.

“Well it’s interesting because they weren’t songs before hat and now they are,” he laughs. “They were ideas and jams within frameworks, so we’ve put some work into them and some have turned into songs and some have remained the way they are, extended works. I enjoy doing the Grand Unifying Theory, that one. It’s there to do just as Hit Me With The Surreal Feel or Intense

or any of those songs.”

While in Perth Salmon is staying at his fashion designer sister Megan’s house. The band is suitably local for this visit too.

“These days I’m just taking it as it comes and making the best of opportunities,” he says. “I can’t always afford to take the band around, so I’ve got the guys who backed me up last year, Pete Stone and Todd Pickett. They did a fantastic job last year so I thought, ‘well yeah, why not?’. We don’t even need a rehearsal, they can play everything!

“So we’ll be across the 30 years at the heavier end of the spectrum. A bit of everything, really.” www.xpressmag.com.au

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EL GUINCHO Tropic Thunder El Guincho it hitting WA and set to play The Bakery on Friday, December 17. DANIELLE MARSLAND checks in with the Spanish-native midway into his Australian tour.

“The Mediterranean lifestyle is very relaxed, you know? Especially in summer. It’s pretty nice. I wake up late, go for a walk, then come back and spend some time in my home studio.”

When hanging in his hometown of Barcelona, Spanish musician El Guincho, aka Pabo Díaz-Reixa, is at his most relaxed – however, since the release of his debut album Alegranza, in 2007, followed by this year’s Pop Negro, Díaz-Reixa has had to shelve his relaxed, Mediterranean lifestyle. He’s exchanged it for a frenzied live touring schedule that’s starting to take its toll – when we call to speak to him midway through his Australian tour, he asks to postpone the interview a few hours due to a sore throat.

El Guincho’s been on our ‘good music’ radar ever since we listened to 2008’s Alegranza – its dizzying mix of dub, synth-pop, psyche and Brazilian tropicalia (which Díaz-Reixa then described as “space age exotica”) was original in content and evoked an instant enthusiasm upon listening. Back in 2008, the kind of experimental chill wave that characterised Alegranza was a lot more pioneering than it is now; with perhaps Panda Bear’s Person Pitch aside, there weren’t a lot of indie artists experimenting with tropicália, before Vampire Weekend really kicked the musical terrainblurring adventurism into the semi-mainstream.

The uniqueness of Díaz-Reixa’s music is no doubt a product of his varied upbringing: born in the Canary Islands (off the West African Coast), he went to French school, did a year’s exchange in Paris, returned to finish high school in the Canary Islands, before travelling Europe to settle in Barcelona, where he’s been for the last seven years (bar a five-month stint last year living in Berlin and working on Pop Negro). The impressive passport is backed up by a family musical heritage, as Díaz-Reixa shares.

“My grandmother was an opera singer and a music teacher,” he explains. “So all the grandchildren, we all went to music school in the Canary Islands; it wasn’t questioned.”

As well as soaking up a lot of the traditional music of the Canary Islands (“a lot of really big

bands play traditional music on the Islands, playing songs to continue their heritage”), going to a French language school Díaz-Reixa was mad for ‘90s French rap as a teenager (IAM, MC Solaar) and the thirst to make the music of his idols led to Díaz-Reixa producing some of his first beats. Later, in Spain, Diaz-Reixa formed the band Coconot.

“We had a couple of records,” DíazReixa explains of Coconot, “one of them came out on Mistletone here in Australia. Once the El Guincho stuff picked up I didn’t have very much time to keep the excitement with Coconut going, so I dropped it.”

But Díaz-Reixa associates the wild and heady days of Coconut with his first few years partying in Barcelona. “We used to play all these small clubs in the city,” he recalls. “The music scene used to be really great in Barcelona – five or six years ago a lot of bands played; there was a lot of excitement in the city. Now, it’s a bit boring – there’s still a few really nice venues, like the Apollo. But maybe it’s because I’m getting old – I don’t go out that often, so I don’t know what’s happening! At the moment, I don’t feel like spending much time in the city.”

Such feelings led Díaz-Reixa to work on his latest album Pop Negro, in Berlin (where he later recorded with Jon Glass in Berlin’s Planet Roc studio – but not before a quick stint that saw Díaz-Reixa working as a windsurfing instructor in his native Canary Islands to gather some much-needed recording funds. Dedicated or what!).

“My girlfriend moved into my house in Barcelona, so I couldn’t write songs at home because I was bothering her – I also felt like I needed some fresh territory to think of new ideas,” Díaz-Reixa explains of the decision to spend half his year in Berlin. “In Barcelona it’s always hard to start new things, for me.

Because I live there, I’m used to everything that happens there. So I went to Berlin to see what I could find from the city, to learn from the city.”

Like Alegranza, Pop Negro is laden with energetic Spanish vocals and steel drums; but there’s also plenty of sample-based material,

KYLESA Chasing Shadows

El Guincho

“MY GRANDMOTHER WAS AN OPERA SINGER AND A MUSIC TEACHER. “SO ALL THE GRANDCHILDREN, WE ALL WENT TO MUSIC SCHOOL IN THE CANARY ISLANDS; IT WASN’T QUESTIONED.” rhythm machines, hand clapping and the odd saxophone. Clocking in at just under 30 minutes, listening to Pop Negro is like having a travelling street carnival whirling through your ears.

The album’s lead single, Bombay, is also accompanied by what’s got to number as one of the video clips of the year. Directed

by Nicholas Mendez, from Spanish production company Canada, the video begins with DíazReixa saying he is going to answer questions about the universe, then plays out kind of like an acid-trip into the cosmos; with hundreds of tiny clips being nonsensically collaged – everything from cracking eggs, guns in swimming pools, to naked girls and foot sucking!

Díaz-Reixa came across Mendez through Mendez’ video production partner Luis Lopez, as he shares. “Luis was a friend of mine

from Barcelona, and we’d talked about doing a video clip – but I didn’t have a band yet. So when I finished the second record I showed it to them. Luis wanted to do a clip for Novia but Nicko was really into Bombay. At the time I didn’t know Nicko, so we started hanging out, having these meetings every week. He’s the main guy behind the video – he’s a genius. We tried to find a common ground to use as a reference.

“During these meetings we realised we talked a lot about girls. That’s pretty much how he came up with the idea for the video.”

The video doubles as a trailer for director Nicholas Mendez’s upcoming movie, also called Bombay – which is a filmic adaptation of Alegranza. The Canada video team will also work on a video for Novia, the second single off Pop Negro.

The album’s also accompanied by a live show that Díaz-Reixa reckons is “more fun than any live show we’ve ever had, in terms of dynamic, sound and rhythm”. Indeed, those who crossed paths with Díaz-Reixa at the first Perth edition of the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival in 2009 might remember the awesome buzz of seeing El Guincho perform in the space behind PICA, where he had everyone hip-shaking, jumping and twirling to his terrific tropicalia.

It was a full-on fiesta, one that we’re looking forward to seeing replicated at the Bakery tomorrow night when El Guincho returns to Perth.

DIMMU BORGIR

Georgian psychedelic sludge metal masters Kylesa repeatedly Stabbing In The Dark work to open the listeners’ third eye on their fifth full-length, Spiral Shadow. Guitarist Laura Pleasants talks to JESSICA Abrahadabra, the recently released ninth studio album from WILLOUGHBY ahead of their Aussie debut on the Soundwave Norwegian symphonic blackened metal tyrants Dimmu Borgir, sees the outfit indulging in orchestration their back line-up on Monday, March 7. catalogue has only hinted at. JESSICA WILLOUGHBY talked to guitarist Sven Atle ‘Silenoz’ Kopperud ahead of their appearance at Soundwave on Monday, March 7.

Kylesa

“This was definitely a very cathar tic experience for us,” Kylesa guitarist Laura Pleasants says of their latest offering, Spiral Shadow. “I wanted us to start looking inside ourselves more and to focus on the introspective.”

Hailing from Savannah in Georgia, the four men and one lady that make up the sludge outfit Kylesa are at that auspicious point in their career where their path of musical reinvention has given them a curious ‘itch’. With four albums underneath their belts, 2010 signalled the year the five-piece would “trim the fat and flesh out their core”, as Pleasants explains.

“We wanted to cut our new material right down to the bone, so to speak,” she says.

“We wanted to lose bad habits of the past and take a less-is-more approach. This was a curious process for us, because we finally came to the point where we realised we couldn’t just cover up out faults by adding more flourish. We wanted to explore the groundings of having a solid foundation. And I think our fifth LP, Spiral Shadow, is us achieving that.”

Perfectly exemplified on Don’t Look Back, with vocalist Phillip Cope barking “keep moving… don’t look back…” repeatedly into the ether, Kylesa embrace a more positive and textured undertone on their latest 26

studio recording – a decision that Pleasant wholeheartedly acknowledges.

“The lyrical themes did drive the music on this release,” she confirms. “Phil and I both write the lyrics together and we were heavily influenced by our musical upbringings on this release. I also specifically set out to be less aggressive. I felt, after Static Tensions (2009), that those songs sounded too much of the same. Many of our newer songs now sound so different from one another. We gave each track its own vibe. This album is definitely a grower because there’s so much going on. You just have to listen to it all weekend to really determine what the album means to you.”

Written over the space of four months at the start of this year, unrelenting touring meant recording Spiral Shadow was difficult – with studio rendezvous often slotted into what little downtime they had.

“It was actually incredibly hectic,” Pleasant concludes. “We recorded between two studios at the Jam Room in Columbia. We used both to save time, but it was hard to keep track of exactly what stage we were at in the recording process, so we could stay on course.

But there was no point in stressing, we just kept our cool and were able to project that on the album.

Manic laughter. This was the exact reaction evoked when X-Press asked guitarist Sven Atle ‘Silenoz’ Kopperud, one of the founding members of Norway’s Dimmu Borgir, about why it has taken the six-piece more than 17 years to make their way to Australia.

Why? Because, according to Silenoz, the outfit has been shafted on every attempt to head down under.

“It’s all been dodgy promoters who have completely screwed us around,” he explains. “They promised us this and that, but then we would never hear from them again.

It sucks a bit like that. But it’s great to know it’s all ‘proper’ this time, especially as part of the Soundwave Festival. We are heading out to Australia next year and we’re super excited, as you can imagine. And it’s actually sort of surprising that we will finally be out there, after everything that’s happened.”

But this is not the only surprise the symphonic blackened metal have unleashed in the past few months. Their ninth studio offering, Abrahadabra, sees Dimmu Borgir venturing into even more epic territory – featuring contributions from more than 101 musicians, including the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, the Schola Cantorum Choir and Norwegian composer Gaute Storaas.

“A lot of people seem a bit confused by the direction we’ve head in,” Silenoz ponders. “It feels good to get a lot of positive feedback. Of course, you will always have the haters.”

And hate, or more suitably conflict, has been a trait that has lingered over Dimmu Borgir for some time – particularly within its own inner ranks. Last year, former bassist Simen ‘ICS Vortex’ Hestnaes and keyboardist Oyvind ‘Mustis’ Mustaparta announced their departure from the band, noting they felt “proper credit” had not been given towards their writing contributions. The pair have

Dimmu Borgir

since been replaced, in a touring sense, by Terje ‘Cyrus’ Andersen and Geir ‘Brat’ Bratland respectively.

“For touring, these guys are definitely our touring members,” Silenoz says. “At this stage, we don’t really trust anyone. We seem to have this curse with band members. So we are just going to be very cautious and keep it at the core three members for writing for a while.

We’ve just gotten used to the backstabbing now, in a very perverse way.” www.xpressmag.com.au

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FITZ & THE TANTRUMS Gonna Break

GROUP LOVE

Trafficking a highly polished retro-chic aesthetic which draws upon the twin-spirations of love and loss, the blues-drenched neo-soul of US four-piece Fitz & The Tantrums harks back to the best moments of Motown. Energized by the heartbreak and wrongs caused by love, frontman Besties Fitz caught up with JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD earlier this month and revealed his idea that there is “a kind of power” in the way he articulates his acquiescence to dangerous love.

In 1967 Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul, demanded a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T and provided encouragement to dejected women all over the world. In 2010, Fitz & The Tantrums are declaring heartbroken men have their say.

“What I like about all those old soul records is there tend to be a lot of songs sung by women that are demanding respect or saying, you know, ‘I don’t need you anymore!’, but it’s not from a male point of view and so I wanted to give men their mantra,” Fitz explains. “I thought that having a male perspective was kind of a more interesting thing that people hadn’t maybe heard too much of—but also I wanted to really create this crazy juxtaposition between these songs that sound very happy and up-tempo but when you actually listen to the lyrics they’re very dark, edgy and angry. I don’t think there’s a single happy lyric in my entire repertoire of songs.”

Borne of bitterness and loss, Fitz & The Tantrum’s debut LP Pickin’ Up The Pieces is a break-up album in the most traditional of senses and stands as an ode to the evil ex-girlfriend who started it all.

“When I first started dabbling in writing music for the album I was going through a long drawn-out break-up with this horrible ex-girlfriend and I felt like I was losing my mind,” he offers.“The whole music process started off as this method of healing from this one break-up but it just became an amalgamation of all my different relationship failures,” Fitz continues, shrugging off the inherent dangers in writing break-up songs specifically beleaguering one person.

“Much like our relationship, there’s a whole love-hate thing going on. The songs have been getting a lot of airplay on the radio in the US so I’m sure she’s not too happy about her friends and family hearing them, because they are quite obviously showing her in a very noncomplimentary way. But, at the same time, she’s an actor so deep down she loves the attention. I think that although she’ll moan and bitch, she’s actually quite pleased to have had this effect on me. And for it to have all been documented in song for the rest of time.”

The first to admit his tunes fare better when steeped heavily in the deeply felt pain of

break-up, Fitz promises he has enough tales of disappointment, desolation and disillusionment to inform a lifetime worth of music.

“I’m a bit of a pessimist and I take a long, long time to get over things,” Fitz laughs, concluding with an unsurprising confession. “I’ve never been lucky at love – I really do suck at it – and there’s a lot more heartbreak festering in me, so I think there’s plenty more gold to mine.”

Grouplove

Fitz & The Tantrums

Declarations of the simple pleasures of love and friendships are virtually the staples of indie-pop lyricism; but for LA based quartet Grouplove’s tales of camaraderie, fact has proved more inspirational than any imagined fiction. As guitarist Andrew Wessen explains to JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD, for the members of this new indie outfit‘bandmates’equals ‘soulmates’.

Once upon a time, a 24-year-old pro surfer from Los Angeles was invited to an art residency in Greece.

Roping his childhood best friend (who had forged himself quite an accomplished career as a music producer since their days of baseball and ice-cream) along for the ride, the two young men embarked on a summer holiday that would change their lives forever.

It was here, on the small remote island of Crete, that the surfer (Andrew Wessen) and the muso (Ryan Rabin) met the members of their future band, Grouplove, a year before the ensemble was officially formed.

Bonding with London-born songwriter Sean Gadd from their first day at the residency, the two friends also warmed to eccentric Brooklyn-based oil painter Hannah Hooper and her lover Christian Zucconi; the former frontman of an unsuccessful indie-rock band who had recently decided to try his luck as a solo performer.

“We would just sit in a little circle and jam through the night and we knew it was right,” Wessen recalls. “We were five strangers from different corners of the world drawn together and enamoured by each other’s talents; we knew there was a deeper connection at play.

But, like all good things, the summer and the residency came to an end…”

With Gadd in London, Zucconi and Hoope in Brooklyn and Rabin and Wessen in Los Angeles, Grouplove was faced with the challenge of what to do next.

“We all understood how rare it is for five random people to feel as close as family and create passionate music together,” Wessen continues. “We couldn’t just let the music we all made fade into a memory of that amazing, magical summer we had in Greece.”

Keeping in contact through daily emails (each signed-off with the eponymous salutation “group love”), the comrades organised to take a vacation to California together in the following months, culminating in a trip to Rabin’s studio in LA at the end.

“We were just recording in there for fun, but then Ryan put some of the songs up on his blog and suddenly there was all this interest that forced us to re-examine what we were doing,” Wessen enthuses. “We thought to ourselves ‘maybe this can take over our lives’ and we collectively decided that we were going to let it.”

Bonded together by an undeniably creative kinship, the five friends pooled their funds and returned to the studio once again to record their debut self-titled EP; a collection of tunes as diverse in influence and style as each individual member of the group.

“We were lead through this incredibly powerful journey together,” Wessen concludes.

“This record is just a little souvenir from what has been one hell of a trip.”

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THE DESCENDENTS High Cal-ibre The Descendents hardly need an introduction. One of the defining bands of the SoCal skate-punk explosion, there have been two constants within their varied career: drummer Bill Stevenson and, somewhat strangely, erstwhile singer Milo Aukerman.Aukerman’s career as a biochemist has caused more disruptions,break-ups and indefinite hiatus than you can poke a stick at.LIAM DUCEY spoke to drummer Bill Stevenson about touring around Milo’s schedule, and why getting a bloody great big tumour cut out of your head can be one of the best experiences of your life.

The Descendents have never toured Australia, and at the end of this current tour they will still be strangers to Perth.

Stevenson, who has been here plenty with ALL, says there’s no great mystery why they’re not coming, and if you had to guess the band member responsible for missing the Perth stop of No Sleep Til, well, the answer is the most obvious one.

“I don’t have a divine answer but I can give you a practical answer,” Stevenson says from his base at his legendary studio The Blasting Room. “Milo was only able to secure X amount of days off work, so that was just how it went.

“He’s been a biochemist since the late ’80s and it’s not the kind of job that allows for a flexible touring schedule. He’s committed to his research as well which, to paraphrase and hopefully not miscommunicate his task, is to develop a corn which would be nutritionally complete and be able to grow in colder than typical climates.”

Milo’s level of commitment runs across the board, with Stevenson equally committed to his role as owner and producer at The Blasting Room. Talking about how he expands his palette with new bands coming into The Blasting Room, the conversation takes a right turn when Stevenson mentions his recent neurosurgery.

“Since my neurosurgery, since then my brain has been extremely hungry for new music,” he offers. “That Perth band, The Decline, I did their record when I was really going

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“WE JUST ASSUME THAT EVERYONE THERE MIGHT LIKE EVERY ALBUM. OF COURSE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE FIRST ALBUM IS ALWAYS THE BEST ALBUM AND YOU GO DOWNHILL FROM THERE…” downhill so they were lucky they got a good record out of me.”

Unbeknownst to Stevenson at the time, he had a meningioma the size of a grapefruit growing in his brain. Non cancerous, but if you try and squeeze something that large into non-existent hole something’s gotta give.

“It was crowding my brain and I was beginning to lose ability, physically, mentally and psychologically,” he continues. “It increased exponentially over a three year period until six months ago, and we got it out of there but it... really, the word is ‘miracle’. I literally feel like I am 15 years old again. Somehow that neurosurgeon handed me back my life on a silver platter and made me young again and

The Descendents

excited again. I’m just thrilled to get up every morning. It’s the most amazing feeling in the world.”

He’s probably got Milo to thank for that feeling “He flew out when it was really starting to affect me and he said privately to my wife Stacey, ‘listen there’s something wrong with Bill, you’ve got to do something about it’. Eventually a neurologist found it; he found it in April and they cut that sucker out in June and I’m a new man. I can’t explain it; it is actually a miracle.”

With a career spanning as long as The Descendents, Stevenson describes the band as a hobby that turned into an unrelenting obsession – you’re not going to be able to please everyone, especially not on your first tour of a country. But

for Stevenson all they can do is try.

“We just assume that everyone there might like every album,” he says. “Of course everyone knows that the first album is always the best album and you go downhill from there; but we try and play a sample from everything.

This will be the first time that we’ve played stuff off Cool To Be You live, ’cause we haven’t played a show since that came out. I’d like to try and play Maddie, but it’s so complicated that I don’t know if I can pull it off. I was listening to a lot of jazz when we recorded it, so rhythmically and harmonically I don’t know... I don’t even know how I forced those harmonics into a pop song, but we’ll give it a shot.

“Hell, I’m not really worried about anything. I’m a new man – it’s going to be fun.”

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RIHANNA Loud

RYAN ADAMS & THE CARDINALS Cardinals III/IV

Def Jam Recordings / Universal Music

PAX AM

Loud is Rihanna’s fifth album release. Wait a second… five albums?

For a starlet of a mere 22 years of age, that is impressive. In fact, five albums is more than most artists make in their whole career.

Loud is a lesson in pop, steeped in everything that seems to make pop pop nowadays. There’s the housey club tracks (S&M and Only Girl In The World), the lovesick ballad (California King Bed), the upbeat radio track with the easy hook (What’s My Name?) and the bump ‘n’ grind club track (Raining Men).

What this album lacks in risk taking and pushing the envelope, it make up for with impeccably polished production.

You can’t imagine that Rihanna spent too much time in the studio recording this one; most of the musicality was injected postproduction.

If you’re a fan of Rihanna’s, expect more of the same. If you’re not, now might be the time to start. Any girl that says ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones/But chains and whips excite me’ is worth a chance.

In early 2007 alt-country icon/pariah Ryan Adams went in for a session at the Electric Lady recording studios in NYC intended to last two weeks. Six months and over 60 tracks later, he emerged with the album Easy Tiger – but it was only a glimpse into the vast amount of material that was recorded.

Pulling some gems from the vault, Cardinals III/IV is the fifth of his ‘official’ collaborative efforts with backup band The Cardinals, and showcases low-key numbers that draw on many of the influences that made Adams’ early solo work so strong, as beguiling melodies are layered over his elastic tenor, with loose, steel-twang guitar jams helping to put together a sonic landscape that feels tastefully, but not excessively, arranged.

While the 32-year old singer has had his fair share of battles with drink and drugs over his lengthy career, the clean Adams’ fresh perspective on songwriting here certainly makes for a more consistent final product, but it makes for a slightly less interesting one as well.

However, even though Cardinals III/IV suggests a giant leap outside his comfort zone may be required by Adams to craft an album as _TILMAN ROBINSON compelling as his dark debut, this lovely little record more than does it’s job as a revisit to form, if not a career-redefining masterpiece. _JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD

GUY SEBASTIAN Twenty Ten

ALL INDIA RADIO Silent Surf

Sony / BMG

405 / Stomp

The later series of Australian Idol became less popular than the R e s e r ve B a n k w h e n hoicking up interest rates, but at least the show can credit itself with a handful of success stories over its time. One of those is the winner of the inaugural competition Guy Sebastian.

While there have been a bunch of Idols to disappear as quickly as they invaded our TV screens, that has never looked like being an issue for Sebastian. With a swag of singles and albums behind him in a relatively short space of time, Sebastian revisits his career to date with the retrospective collection Twenty Ten – conveniently in time for Christmas!

There is the single that started it all and broke Australian sales records in Angels Brought Me Here and Climb Every Mountain is the song that the white suited Sebastian performed to bring the country to tears. He dabbles in throwaway pop with Elevator Love and shows off his Memphis chops with Hold On I’m Coming. It is the dancefloor where Sebastian does his most damage and when teaming up with rapper Eve for new single Who’s That Girl he shows his knack for targeting his audience.

Love him or loathe him, upon listening to Twenty Ten it’s hard to deny that Sebastian has quite the set of pipes on him.

Martin Kennedy and the term ‘prolificacy’ should automatically go in one sentence like Ricky Ponting and cricket.

Following last year’s outstanding A Low High and Steve Kilbey collaboration Unseen Music, Unheard Words comes Silent Surf, AIR’s album #8. Like the majority of Kennedy’s output so far, the music on offer carries an ambient, cosmic quality – it could indeed be the soundtrack to surfing on the Moon while brandishing a six-gun straight out of a spaghetti Western. Kennedy’s own minimalistic, Morriconeesque guitars are highly effective on standouts Purple Sky and Ratbags (nicely crossing over into the Marty Willson-Piper domain), but some of the record’s finest sounds come from Graham Lee’s instantly-recognisable pedal steel – none more so than on the haunting Shimmer.

And just like on the preceding LP, the synths carry a lo-fi, ‘70s feel that allows the subdued tunes to ‘breathe’ in measured manner like an astronaut would in his spacesuit. Less JMJ’s Oxygene, more Joe Meek’s I Hear A New World with a touch of Pink Floyd. Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in space... hang on, did someone else use that? _DENIS SEMCHENKO

_CHRIS HAVERCROFT

BIG SCARY The Big Scary Four Seasons

BLOODHOUND GANG Show Us Your Hits Universal

Independent

Melbourne boy/girl twopiece Big Scary have kept themselves busy this year by recording four EPs named after seasons and capturing the attention of the public.

The Big Scary Four Seasons is the result of a year’s hard work as it slaps all the EPs together in non-chronological order.

Their newer material opens the disc, with the plodding acoustic and piano two minutes that is Spring opening the album. Perhaps Big Scary’s finest moment to date is Autumn. With its pulsating beat and an upright piano, the song is reminiscent of The Middle East’s brand of ethereal new age pop.

The best tracks on the compilation belong to the Summer EP, in particular new single Tuesdays Is Rent Day and All That You’ve Got, which are slices of fuzzy rock’n’roll. Tuesdays hints that the band might be dressing in black, white and red soon as they seemingly edge closer to the sound of the band that made twopiece bands acceptable.

Big Scary traverse many sounds and styles on their compilation and with a debut album due out next, who knows what’s in store.

All up, this is a good introduction to a band that shows they’ve got the chance to be one of Triple J’s many flavours of the month in 2011.

Depending on your age, the name Bloodhound Gang will trigger memories of Fire Water Burn, The Bad Touch or Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo; the three kinda catchy, kinda funny, kinda rocky, kinda dancey songs that defined the career of a Pennsylvanian joke band.

Show Us Your Hits, a greatest hits package from that band, seemingly released for the fact that someone thought up an awesome title for it, has the previously mentioned cornerstones alongside 11 more tracks paying homage to bodies, bodily functions and the intertwinement of bodies.

Following the formula of active bands releasing greatest hits albums, Show Us Your Hits contains the unreleased Altogether Ooky; another amusing, but just short of funny, punky synth pop track that proves the running gag that is the Bloodhound Gang still has legs.

I f s e x s e l l s, t h e f a c t t h a t t h e Bloodhound Gang can release a greatest hits album is proof that sexual frustration is not without its own unique marketing opportunities.

Good on them for keeping at it… I guess. _TOM HERSEY

_MATTHEW HOGAN

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#;87 ;E %A;E7 3@6 $;EF>7FA@7 BD7E7@F SSA III

DISCOVER HEIDECKER & WOOD

Live Fast Die Drunk Records

heideckerandwood.com

If any band represents the nasty reality of Perth in 2010, it’s SSA. Many try to ignore it, but this is a band screaming from the underground: humour and fraternity calling unashamed in spite of the odds.

This EP sounds simultaneously celebratory and apocalyptically terrified—six tracks of fury and subversive emotion crying prophetically from a scorched, mined-out moonscape.

Vocalist Eddie Everywhere asks us ‘Is this the way it’s supposed to be / breaking our backs so the rich can be free?’. Indeed, Boom Town might rock for some, yet we have people living under bridges, unable to afford accommodation and struggling to make ends meet while politicians and businessmen get fat and the mainstream media point their fingers spuriously at the maligned.

To this end, SSA have been ahead of the pack for the best part of five years. We shudder to think what will happen when the boom finally busts like a house of cards, but you can bet your bottom dollar SSA will be ready.

It’s that time of year again where a simple trip to Woolworths for snacks can be ruined by an extended remix of Jingle Bells blaring through the crackled speakers, but thanks to this newly released track, not all Christmas songs are brainnumbing.

If you ever wanted to hear a prog rock take on the ‘silly season’ evoking sounds of The Moody Blues, Elton John and Queen, then Heidecker & Wood’s Christmas Suite is for you. It’s a very bizarre eight minute song that swings from organ heavy crooning one minute to over the top orchestrations the next. Plus it also carries an important message about how children are the real meaning of Christmas, so empty your pockets.

You might recognise Tim Heidecker’s name from his role in Tim And Eric Awesome Show, Great Job and Davin Wood is the composer on the show, so you can be sure this is a weird and wonderful recording.

Heidecker & Wood’s debut album Starting From Nowhere is due out next March with Christmas Suite available as a free download now.

_BEN WATSON

Key track: Christmas Suite _MATTHEW HOGAN

DUFFY Endlessly A&M / Polydor

While anyone who fell in love with Duffy’s Grammy Award-winning retro-pop debut Rockferry would be wise to check out the sophmore release from the Welsh chanteuse, unfortunately there’s not much here likely to woo virgin listeners.

From a musical standpoint, her two ‘60s-steeped albums are strikingly similar, however with a lack of an indelible standout single (ala Mercy), this much-anticipated follow-up is simply less appealing.

Though the supple grooves and sumptuous strings of Well Well Well and Keeping My Baby draw out her sly charisma, too many self-conscious ballads underline the difference between the albums, with the talented songstress seemingly hedging her bets to only partial success.

However, from a lyrical and vocal standpoint, she has few peers in her age group, so, in the end, what Endlessly winds up reinforcing is the fact that Duffy’s success (unlike name-yourcurrent-American-female-pop-vocalist) is based on pure talent rather than good producers or gimmicks.

Duffy has a hell of a voice, even when she imitates her favorite jazz vocalists – especially Dusty Springfield – much too closely. But despite her striking vocals Endlessly’s failure to mine any new territory leaves one wondering when this promising talent will finally produce an album of sufficient depth to match her voice.

BILLY B I PRESTON That’s The Way God Planned It www.applerecords.com

Texas born Billy Preston wasn’t responsible for making the sounds that you traditionally associate with the location. By the age of 10 he had starred in a film with Ella Fitzgerald and Nat ‘King’ Cole, and it wasn’t long before he was touring with Little Richard and recording with Ray Charles.

In 1969 The Beatles invited him to record an album for Apple Records. That’s The Way God Planned It was the result.

Lead single That’s The Way God Planned It (Parts 1 & 2) shows of Preston’s smooth soulful voice, his esteemed keyboard prowess and a hook big enough to captain a pirate ship. As well as funky originals like Everything’ Alright and the gospel of Let Us All Get Together Right Now, Preston reinvents Dylan’s She Belongs To Me to show a full bag of tricks.

Billy Preston appeared on some of the most recognisable records of all time, but That’s The Way God Planned It is proof that he was no slouch in his own right.

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_CHRIS HAVERCROFT

_JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD

VARIOUS ARTISTS Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Tribute To Loretta Lynn Columbia / Sony

Country music superstar Loretta Lynn is arguably the finest thing to come out of the state of Kentucky. She remains one of the most successful female vocalists of all time and appears to have had no difficulty in finding volunteers to pay homage to her works on the tribute Coal Miner’s Daughter.

Some of Nashville’s largest names throw their sizeable hats in the ring to take on some of Lynn’s better known moments.

Alan Jackson and Martina McBride do justice to Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man with no shortage of twang on offer and Carrie Underwood shows what a powerhouse she is with an impassioned You’re Looking At Country.

Th e W h i te S t r i p e s b r i n g t h e i r shambolic lo-fi approach and suck all of the brazen country out of Lynn’s tune about the hypocrisy of divorce Rated X. The queen of heartbreak Lucinda Williams puts in the finest performance Somebody Somewhere (Don’t Know What He’s Missing Tonight), but not even Kid Rock can stink up a Lynn tune too badly during I Know How. Lynn teams up with Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert to sing Coal Miner’s Daughter on her own tribute album. You have to be a pretty special lady to gatecrash your own party. _CHRIS HAVERCROFT

If it’s not the usual trappings like Walkman headphones, fluoro leg warmers and music you’d be using to Rickroll your friends once YouTube got invented, one thing moviegoers will remember fondly from the ‘80s are the mindless, story-light, testosterone-sozzled films of Arnie, Sly and their many contemporaries and copycats.

After a decade in the straight-to-DVD wilderness, Stallone successfully revived the Rocky and Rambo films, and when he was riding high again, he bought the spirit and mood of the films that made him a star back. But neither the story nor the script of The Expendables is its crowning glory. Not even the action and thrills are, despite nailing the aesthetic of excess perfectly.

What’s most amazing about it is the way he scooped up the new and old schools of Hollywood action cinema and gave them all a role as either the mercenaries-for-hire saving the day or the bad guys they have to kick, shoot, slash or blow up. Ignore the critics who panned it – they wanted story, character and theme when it was only ever going to be about explosions, excessive movement and the flexing of many a blokey muscle.

The Waiting City – Hopscotch The Expendables – Roadshow Splice – Madman The Goodies… At Last… Back For More… Again – BBC

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_DREW TURNEY Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

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WIN AN EXCLUSIVE PERTH INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL PACK Thanks to X-Press Magazine and Perth International Arts Festival TICKET PRIZE PACK INCLUDES The Manganiyar Seduction (Sun 13 Feb) Donka: A Letter to Chekhov (Tues 15 Feb)

JM EX FTU XPSME X DPNFEZ EBZT JO 1FSUI .BZ G FT U W BM World comedy IS BACK in Perth for 2011.

With a bigger and better line up than ever!

Swervedriver (Sun 20 Feb) Archie Roach: Journey (Tues 1 March) The Animals and Children Took to the Streets (Wed 2 March) Lotterywest Festival Films 12 pack

To enter log on to www.xpressmag.com.au - Click on the Comp Thing Button - Select PIAF COMP - Enter in your details (Competition ID is PIAF COMP 2) - Entries close December 30

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Festive frivolity at Lazy Susan’s Comedy Den on Friday, December 24

Th

e

ks Push c o R lifestyle

R

Exports e r a ovie m

BMW Perth Cup It’s Perth’s original New Year’s Day celebration.

Celebrate 2011 at th the BMW Perth Cu up with racing, fasshi h on, fun and non-stop entter e tainment.

General Admission tickets just $35

WH41949

For moree information contact c Perth Raci cing 9277 0777 orr visit asccotevents.com.au

Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

DECEMBER 22

DAVE CALLAN JIMMY JAMES EATON LAURA DAVIS plus guests

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The Grand Lane mural in progress

BMW Perth Cup? How will you celebrate the

ART TO ACTIVATE

The 99 metre long grey wall in Perth City’s Grand Lane is currently the subject of a very colourful makeover care of Scott Neoh and Hiroyasu Tsuri (known as Bonsai and Two-One in the street art world). Commissioned by the City Of Perth, the huge mural is designed to activate Grand Lane, creating a new point of interest for visitors to this fine city of ours. Running between Wellington Street and the Murray Street Mall, the mural is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

To get a glimpse of the artists in action head on down to Grand Lane pronto. Find out more about the project at perth.wa.gov.au/grandlanemural.

EAGER FOR EXOTIC

It’s Perth’s original New Year’s Day celebration!

Kim Salmon

Picnic@PerthCup

The beautiful Bakery will be packed to the brim with punters come Saturday, December 18, when You Are Exotic takes over the venue for a night of world class music and performance.

Boasting sets from Kim Salmon and his band, The Kill Devil Hills, Day Of The Dead, Cal Peck And The Tramps, Bible Bashers, Sugar Blue Burlesque, Jon Madd Magician and the Kurbist Gong Band, You Are Exotic will tickle just about anyone’s fancy. Tickets for this titillating spectacular are on sale now from nowbaking.com.au.

PONY PROJECT

Picnic trackside on the lawn under the shade of the sails.

Book a private reserved table for eight and BYO your picnic lunch, or order a gourmet picnic hamper for the entire table!

Now in its third year, The Clothespeg Project is a fantastic initiative driven by OneTrickPony, which sees a range of artists come together to exhibit creations that are free of theme but are exactly the same size. In previous years the exhibition has featured work by illustrators, photographers, graphic designers, tattoo artists and every kind of creative in between, making for a compellingly varied show.

The call has just been put out for works for the 2011 edition of The Clothespeg Project, which will be launched in February in sunny Singapore. Interested artists can get involved by submitting work to onetrickpony.com.au/Clothespeg. Submissions close on Friday, December 31, 2010, so you better hop to it!

The Stalls@PerthCup Take a step up and enjoy all the style of The Stalls! Each private trackside marquee caters for up to 20 guests, making this the perfect option for social groups.

The Clothespeg Projec t

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Marquee Style@PerthCup The all-new Marquee Style is the party precinct for the ultimate BMW Perth Cup experience. Revel in the exclusive race-day atmosphere with non-stop music, fashion and entertainment. You’ll also enjoy private bar facilities and gourmet cocktail food served all day.

Racing

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Since rising to comedy fame in 2009 when he took out the national final of the prestigious Raw Comedy competition, Michael Workman has been a busy chap indeed, gigging around the world winning hearts and minds with his witty observations and bashful disposition. Though he’s been away from Perth for the last few months pursuing a comedy career in the eastern states, Workman returns to his home town this month to debut his brand new show Humans Are Beautiful.

“I want Perth to see the show first because Perth is where I started out,” Humans Workman replies when asked about his Are Beautiful latest endeavour.

“Humans Are Beautiful is an anti war protest in a lot of ways that centres around a dog that I meet on the road. It’s very funny but it’s also very dark. My first show The Ogre was a mix of comedy and nostalgic autobiography, but this show is more of a fantasy, with a bit of social commentary thrown in. I’m very excited as to how people will react.”

Set to be performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Sydney Comedy Festival and way up north at the Edinburgh Festival, Humans Are Beautiful will get a test run in Perth at Lazy Susan’s Comedy Den (upstairs at the Brisbane Hotel) this Sunday, December 19, at 7pm. Entry is only $5 so don’t miss this chance to check out one of Australian comedy’s rising stars!

RAW APPEAL

If you’ve ever considered getting behind the mic for a spot of standup well now’s your chance, because heats for the 2011 edition of the Raw Comedy Competition have just been announced. Renowned for unearthing some of our nation’s brightest comedy stars, Raw is held in high regard within the industry, so it’s the perfect launching pad for wannabe comics looking to make it big. Whether you’re keen to have a go or you just want to sit back and observe the hilarity, be sure to head in to the Comedy Lounge at the Charles Hotel every Thursday during January and on Thursday, February 3, and 10, from 8pm onwards. To find out how to get involved, visit rawcomedy.com.au. www.xpressmag.com.au

NEIL MURRAY

Islands In The Stream Renowned for contributing some iconic songs to the Australian songbook, Neil Murray returns for one special show at Kulcha this Tuesday, December 21.

This year Neil Murray has seen his legendary song My Island Home become immortalised… in a children’s book. Joining the ranks of From Little Things by Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody, the One Day Hill publishing house approached the singersongwriter as they planned their next selection of inspirational books with lyrics from Australian songs with proceeds going to the Ian Thorpe Foundation for Youth.

“So they wanted to do more and they approached me about My Island Home and also Shane Howard for Solid Rock and Archie Roach for Took The Children Away,” Murray begins. “Last year I went into the outback sourcing artwork from kids out there that we could use in the book. That was all sorted and it was released in September and I’ve been promoting it for the last couple of months with Shane and Archie.

I believe we’re coming over to Perth to present that book at the Perth International Arts Festival.”

Murray still recalls when he found the inspiration to write the song for his friend George Burarrwanga. “I originally wrote for the lead singer of the Warumpi Band,” he recalls. “I basically wrote that song for him to sing because he was our lead singer. It was always hard for him to get his head around a song in English that he would want to sing, so I was pleased to get that one because I knew it would have a lot of meaning for him. I wrote it for him a few weeks after visiting him on his island in Arnhem Land. I spent an incredible four or five days with his family just living off the land and the sea. It was like paradise. Then I went down to Melbourne and Sydney in ’85 to promote the band and I had to catch a bus to Sydney overnight and in the middle of the night it came to me and the chorus just came to me in my head and once I had the chorus I thought I had to write this song for him to sing.

“I took it back to Alice Springs and played it for him on the car stereo,” he continues. “So he sang it and we released

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Neil Murray

in ’87 and it never cracked the mainstream, but it was a hit in Indigenous communities all over Australia. It wasn’t until the mid-‘90s when Christina Anu did her version of it and it got picked up by the mainstream.”

Murray’s time in the Warumpi Band

also saw him open the Big Day Out in 1999. “I just remember our lead singer being really angry about Marilyn Manson,” Murray says.

“He wanted to spear him! I kept saying that it’s just an act. He was pretty horrified by Marilyn’s look and show.”

More recently, Murray has released a new solo album Witness. It was recorded with his long term friend and founding Midnight Oil member Jim Moginie in Sydney.

“Jim’s been a great supporter of my music – we’ve known each other since about ’86,” the singer/songwriter says. “He’s played on a lot of my albums. He basically got the studio up and running and he said ‘Why don’t you come over here and do it?’ I said okay. I’ve always trusted his judgement, so I sent him some demos and told him to pick out what he wanted to do, so we just went for it. He’s got a few old instruments in there. We did it pretty quickly. It’s kinda organic and rootsy.”

Now he’s set to collaborate with a different musician for his show next week at Kulcha. “I’m actually doing the show with David Hyams, who’s going to accompany me,” Murray informs. “We’re going to work out a set of my songs that we can play together. It will be fairly intimate thing because it’s only going to be the two of us.

It will be semi-acoustic. I’ll doing a bunch of stuff from the latest record, but I’ll be doing a scattering of songs from my previous releases. And a couple of golden oldies too going back to the Warampi Band.”

To complete his year of being all over the media, Murray even contributed an opinion piece to the Fairfax group of newspapers and websites. Speaking of seeing his beloved Sydney Swans destroy the Eagles in the 2005 AFL Grand Final, he told X-Press of his time centre stage at Subiaco Oval (or Patersons Stadium, if you will) in 1999.

“My claim to fame is that one year I had the opportunity to flip the coin at a Dockers-Swans match,” says Murray. “It was organised through Deckchair Theatre. They were organising halftime entertainment and I was just thrilled to bits because Paul Kelly, the Swans captain, was my hero and he’s coming up looking like all muscle and I’m shaking with the coin. Then at the halftime break I had to mime My Island Home as part of the entertainment they had.

That was my thrill. Someone from the Swans did their knee in that day, but the Swans did win.” _MATTHEW HOGAN

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37

TRON LEGACY Style Over Substance

RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE Slay Ride

Tron Legacy

Directed by Joseph Kosinski TRON Legacy is fun, but it’s a different Starring Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia kind of fun, a different kind of experience. The Wilde, Michael Sheen, Bruce Boxleitner cast and crew of the new film were obviously so swamped trying to make the special effects and TRON Legacy is the Windows Vista of movies – it’s CGI the best it could be that they didn’t get time got a beautiful interface, some great bells and to do a final tune-up of the script or rehearse their whistles, but it does have a few unsightly bugs. performances. Don’t get me wrong, we’re not I probably don’t need to go into the talking Phantom Menace, it’s not ‘all effects’ and story so much - we’ve all seen the trailer right? nothing else, but it’s clear that the emphasis here Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the brainy ‘dude’ who is on style, rather than substance. created the TRON and Space Paranoids video Is that a bad thing? Well, for those who games, and consequently disappeared inside don’t have treasured memories of watching the one of his own creations, has been missing for 20 original TRON, yes, but for the oodles and oodles something years.

Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), Kevin’s of youngsters who’ve never even seen the film, or grown-up son, is living life like Bruce Wayne circa- have but don’t remember much about it, it won’t Batman Begins – on the edge. Anyway, one thing matter. They’re used to seeing this kind of film, leads to another and Kevin Flynn’s old bud Alan though this one is significantly better than what Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner) shows up, informing Sam they’re customarily put through.

If I hadn’t seen the original TRON, and that he’s been ‘paged’ by drum roll... someone at Flynn’s now closed video arcade. Is dear daddy didn’t have all these pre-conceived notions about the sequel or hopes for what it wanted to be, I trying to contact his boy?

Upon investigating the call at Flynn’s would’ve loved this film to bits because, quite Arcade, Sam is – of course – sucked inside the frankly, it is one heck of a great-looking, greatmachine. He’s now on the grid. Right away he’s sounding, great-time movie.

One of the things I enjoyed most about captured and forced to compete in those deadly disc ‘games’. And the guy that looks like a younger the film was the music. Wow! Daft Punk really version of Sam’s father? Oh, he’s just the nasty knocked it out of the park! The music really did program (Jeff Bridges) that’s taken over this take me back to the ‘80s. particular effect-sy world, leaving Kevin Flynn to I really, really enjoyed TRON Legacy, and live like a disgraced Jedi in the boondocks. can’t wait to see it again but I won’t be seeing Of course, Sam eventually tracks down it again for the emotional connection I felt with his father – with a little help from the lovely Cora the characters, because there wasn’t one, or the (Olivia Wilde, Alpha Dog) – and the two, following rather vanilla plot, no, I’ll be seeing it again for the their teary reunion, decide it’s time to place one amazing audio/video package. I wasn’t aware one particular program in the recycle bin. And then could climax from their eyes and ears. Now I am. there’s more disc throwing, light cycle chases, and more of that weird looking Jeff Bridges clone. _CLINT MORRIS

Rare Exports

Directed by Jalmari Helander horrific spin on the trappings of the season.

Starring Onni Tomila, Jorma Tomila, Peeter And yet, for all its charm, there’s Jakobi something about the film that just doesn’t quite carry through. Helander wears his influences on Well, Christmas is almost upon us, and should his sleeve - young Pietari is a protagonist right out you find yourself in need of a cultural corrective of early period Spielberg, and the whole darkly to offset the sickly-sweet silly season, you could comedic setup is reminiscent of Joe Dante - but do a lot worse than this Finnish oddity, which unlike the classic works of his cinematic heroes, eschews the usually sugary holiday offerings his debut feature betrays a lack of cohesion that to mine a darker vein. Rare Exports sees young prevents it from being the cult classic he so clearly Pietari (Onni Tormila), son of a Finnish reindeer longs for it to be. While individual scenes and shots farmer (Jorma Tormila) match wits against the are excellent, overall the story is just too thin, to real Santa Claus (Peeter Jakobi). Unfortunately, the point where the film, which doesn’t even get Santa, recently freed from an ancient burial close to the ninety minute mark, feels overly long. mound by a corporate-sponsored archaeological Ultimately, it’s a story that would have been more dig, is not the jolly old elf that the greeting effectively told as a television episode, rather than card industry would have us believe, but rather a feature film. a bloodthirsty demon whose remit is not to Despite this, there’s enough going reward the nice, but to punish the naughty. on here to make the film worth investigation.

It’s certainly an enticing premise. Helander has enough visual flair and technical There’s something in us that delights in the nous to not let his obviously limited budget subversion of Christmas tropes, be it in horror hamper him, and makes excellent use of his bleak, fare like Black Christmas, or black comedies such winter-locked small town location to heighten the as Bad Santa. Even action classics Lethal Weapon tension and the eerie atmosphere. Plus, any film and Die Hard lay their scenes in late December, that reveals Santa’s elves to be a pack of gaunt, the better to contrast their explosions against a bloody, cannibalistic child killers simply can’t be all background of mistletoe and candy canes. bad. If your tastes run more to Silent Night, Deadly Rare Exports has the good sense to try Night than Scrooge, Rare Exports might be just the and walk the line between horror and comedy, thing to get you through to New Year’s. with the filmmakers clearly realising that their central conceit is just too outlandish to be taken Rare Exports screens at Somerville Auditorium seriously. The notion of a murderous Saint Nick as part of PIAF’s Lotterywest Festival Films is almost too delicious for words, and writer/ season from Monday, December 20, Sunday, director Helander - expanding on his earlier December 26. For screening times head to low-budget short films that revolved around PerthFestival.com.au. _TRAVIS JOHNSON the same premise - takes great joy in putting a

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L’immortel

Admittedly, I get très excited about seeing French films. You just know there’ll be something beautiful to watch. Even amongst the violence and bloody bits, you’ll find stylised shots carefully arranged to seduce you. Richard Berry’s L’immortel is certainly no exception. If anything, it is very conscious of the chic-affect and revels in it.

Jean Reno is Charly Matteï, a Marseille mobster with an unusual sense of morality. After leading a Mafioso lifestyle, he decides to hang up his various guns and focus on the family.

Unfortunately for him, he’s got a few gangster pals who aren’t too happy about his turn, so they pulp him with 22 bullets. After surviving this (the lucky bastard), he embarks on a quest for brutal vengeance.

Here on the film straps into a fast paced thriller form, charged with car chases and sleek action sequences. Matteï continues dodging bullets, and while he appears to have nine lives plus, most others meet a quick and swift demise. His dual motivation of revenge and need to protect the future of his family seem to set him in good stead. Even cop Marie Goldman (Marina Foïs) obliges to help Matteï to satisfy her own need for justice. But the excessive killings seem to wear down the pathos of the film, and what appears to pay homage to The Godfather, doesn’t quite get there. Before you’ve had the time to consider whether that guy deserved it or what his relationship with Matteï was, somebody else has been shot in what you thought was

your down time.

What’s more, is our noble mobster is dealing out retribution whilst shouldering injuries from his first near-death experience, and is beating off his opponents with one hand. His is as much L’invincible as he is L’immortel. Sound unrealistic? Well, the film’s actually based on a true life account written by Alphonse Daudet.

Even so, there is cause to suspect they’ve taken artistic liberties with more than the story.

Just cite the film’s producer Luc Besson (The Transporter, Taken), for the exhilarating pace.

Undoubtedly, it would have benefited from greater character development. If the momentum was matched by the relationships, the insidious nature of these characters would have surfaced and made for more compelling viewing. The dynamic between Matteï and his childhood friend-turned-nemesis, Tony Zacchia (Kad Merad) is absorbing and perhaps the most credible amongst a slew of others in want of more. Merad’s Zacchia is a stuttering, pitiless rival that is divisively humorous and intimidating.

The dubious nature of his friendship with Reno’s Matteï, also well acted, is finely conceived. It provokes uncertainty and articulates the film’s pervading adage, ‘spilt blood never dries’.

You will find mobster clichés, but L’immortel pumps enough adrenaline to satiate the appetites of action junkies, and delivers with style. _EMMA D’ORAZIO www.xpressmag.com.au

BLUE VALENTINE Love’s War Starring Michelle Williams, Ryan Gosling Directed by Derek Cianfrance

Unstoppable

UNSTOPPABLE Loco Motion

Directed by Tony Scott Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee, Lew Temple, Kevin Corrigan Perhaps scratching an itch they picked up when they made The Taking Of Pelham 123 together last year, director Tony Scott (Top Gun, True Romance) and leading man Denzel Washington (Training Day, Malcolm X) have reteamed to give us another film about a train in peril, albeit this time not at the hands of John Travolta’s gleeful criminal mastermind, but rather those of Ethan Suplee’s bumbling rail yard worker. It’s his incompetence that sends a half-mile long train laden with toxic waste rocketing across the state of Pennsylvania without a driver, and only veteran train jockey Frank Barnes (Washington) and his rookie partner Will Colson (Pine, recently seen as Captain Kirk in the Star Trek reboot) have any chance of stopping it.

It’s a neat, simple setup, and Scott gets plenty of mileage out of it, as well he should; he’s been filming machines in motion since Top Gun in 1986, so this sort of thing should be second nature to him. Scott is a master of the modern action genre, but here he has, if anything, toned down the style somewhat. Whereas his recent films like Man On Fire and Domino have visual flourishes so extreme that they border on the incomprehensible, Unstoppable, while still bearing the hallmarks of Scott’s trademark MTV style, reigns it in just enough so that the viewer can actually get a sense of how

the action is playing out. It’s a refreshing change from the subjective shaky-cam that is prevalent these days. Coupled with the film’s use of physical stunts and effects rather than leaning on CGI, this makes for an oddly old fashioned action film, which is only fitting; although Scott honed his skills in the ’80s, this kind of disaster flick had its heyday in the ’70s, and there are plenty of little nods to its now-venerable forebears.

As is often the case in these films, the characters are only lightly outlined, but the easy charisma of the cast goes a long way to filling in the blanks. Washington and Pine are eminently watchable, even though their veteran-rookie character dynamic was hoary when the first edition King James bible was hot off the presses, and Dawson and Corrigan give good support as a control room operator and a safety inspector, respectively. But the ensemble breakout is easily Lew Temple’s embattled redneck welder, Ned, who finds himself caught up in the catastrophic events unfolding around him.

It’s a cliché, but they just don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Unstoppable is a classically structured suspense thriller, eminently suited to Scott’s restless, fast moving visual style and rapid-fire editing.

While their working relationship may be overshadowed by that of Scott’s big brother Ridley and Russell Crowe, the Tony-Denzel partnership, five films old now, has resulted in a solid run of action flicks, and this latest does nothing to sully their record. Unstoppable is a train worth catching. _TRAVIS JOHNSON

If you’re looking for a film that will reaffirm your Hollywood-generated idealism about l ove a n d h a p p i n e s s v i a a s i m p l e p l o t where the girl and the guy overcome some fabricated obstacles to end up in each others’ arms, you certainly won’t find it in Blue Valentine. This film may very well make you never want to date again, and it might shatter your belief in there being such a thing as a love that can conquer all.

Blue Valentine cuts back and forth, documentary-style, between the courtship and married life of universit y student Cindy (Michelle Williams) and housepainter Dean (Ryan Gosling), who share a young daughter. In the present, Cindy is resentful, tired-looking and dismissive of her husband, who tries to keep their marriage buoyed by suggesting to a reluctant Cindy that they take advantage of a night without their daughter (she’s at the grandparents so they can bury the family dog) by using a gift certificate for a cheesy sex motel a few hours away.

Blue Valentine

The two get drunk, and Cindy, who resents family life and wants to work on her medical career, questions Dean’s contentedness with just ‘being a good Dad’, and not striving for more. Both of them make some attempt at working to fix the relationship, but neither of them are particularly graceful. The night descends into a painful whir of rejected seduction, violence and vodka tears, and Dean takes the drinking a little too far. Their courtship, meanwhile, set against the backdrop of beautiful New York, is super rosey (they meet in an old person’s home and he serenades her with a ukelele and makes her mixtapes).

Past and present are differentiated by being shot differently (one in Super 16mm, the other on the RED, with claustrophobic, introspective close-ups) and, despite the editing being non-sequential, the transitions are seamless. The film is well paced and the writing is true, and unexpected. Williams and Gosling prove themselves excellently versatile actors, who’ve come a long way since Dawson’s Creek and The Notebook; both being able to play a couple falling in love as believably as a couple falling out of love; both physically and emotionally transform from whimsical to worn out; the tension between them in the love motel scenes is impeccable - these scenes are loaded with unspoken understandings, a credit to the director.

With plenty of buzz surrounding Blue Valentine before it opened (thanks to Grizzly Bear’s musical involvement and a misleadingly cute trailer), its premier at Sundance earlier this year saw it adored by indie journalists and industry, but facing an issue that stuck out like a sore thumb: how on Earth will such depressing fodder sell? Even though the film is, at its essence, the anatomy of a marriage break up, unlike a ‘realist love’ film such as 500 Days of Summer, Blue Valentine isn’t cute, delicate, or hopeful. The way it tells its story is tense and upsetting and its characters are at times, completely vulgar to each other. But that’s not to say it’s not a wonderful film. It’s intensely real and the final scenes and credit sequence, aided by the impeccable Grizzly Bear score, will break your heart. _DANIELLE MARSLAND

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AN ORPHAN’S CHRISTMAS Festive Frivolity

An Orphan’s Christmas is on for one night only on Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24, at 8pm at Lazy Susan’s Comedy Den. Tickets are available on the door or by calling 6161 2771.

Christmas is supposed to be a joyous time when families come together to celebrate the year that was, but in reality, the festive period isn’t always so jolly, as Perth comedians Werzel and John Robertson know all too well. Instead of stuffing stockings and wrapping last minute presents on Christmas Eve this year, Werzel and Robertson will be on stage at Lazy Susan’s Comedy Den for An Orphan’s Christmas, a show that promises to be funnier than the sight of Uncle Larry singing Silent Night after a few too many Sherries.

“I’m a Christmas grump – I adore Christmas but I’m one of those old men who says ‘I remember when it was done right!’ which isn’t true at all,” Werzel reveals when asked how he feels about the seasonal festivities. “Overall I think Christmas is a bit spooky and weird but there’s a good vibe at the heart of it, there’s something going on there, something about Santa dying on the cross and the good will to all men stuff.”

‘I’m a hugely Christmasey person,” Robertson declares. “I’ve had my tree up all year! I put my tree up on December 1st 2009 and then we put it in the study at the end of the Christmas period and we’ll just pull it out again on the day. We eat a lot of food and all go home sick and there’s custard and something to do with Jesus in there.

“I find now Christmas has become a right of masculinity because I have to go and bond with my lady’s father. He’s huge and Texan and spends Christmas morning making this ham for everybody and I’ve yet to turn up with my Nigella Lawson Coca-Cola Ham recipe, I’ve been told that would be a ‘dick move’.”

Luckily for the audience at An Orphan’s Christmas, Werzel and Robertson have a wealth of hilarious Christmas stories to draw from for their sets, including their experiences playing Santa at shopping centres.

“I used to play Santa Claus back in the day in shopping centers,” Werzel says. “I quit after a very near miss. It’s a long story but I found myself unconsciously in a state of heat

exhaustion and confusion, dropping the C word while there was a child on my lap.”

Robertson adds, “We were going to change the name of the show to An Orphan’s C Word but people thought that would be too harsh. A couple of years ago a notable business asked me to be their Santa and the beard started falling off so I had to sit with my neck craned up, so my Santa looked like he’d had a stroke. I discovered that after you get a crick in your neck you get quite angry and a kid goes ‘have you got anything for me Santa?’ and I said ‘yes young man, ho ho ho’ and reached into the sack and gave him something and he said ‘have you got anything good?’ and I leaned over and said ‘if you back-chat me son, I will break you’ (laughs). Santa says a lot of things out of mum’s earshot.”

Promising egg nog, “sexy Santa elves” and more jokes than you can poke a candy cane at, An Orphan’s Christmas will celebrate everything that’s wrong with the festive season, making for a compelling, side-splitting show for those who seek it out. Ho Ho Ho.

IMAGINOPOLIS Colour My World

Imaginopolis is on display at The Bakery’s Breadbox Gallery ’til Sunday, January 9.

If, as a child, you sat glued to the TV watching Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory on repeat in all its vibrant glory, rejoice, because this month Perth sculptor and installation artist Rose Skinner will create her own version of Willy Wonka’s wacky and wonderful world with Imaginopolis. An incredibly _EMMA BERGMEIER detailed installation set to take over the Breadbox Gallery, Imaginopolis is comprised of every random odd and end you can imagine, finished off with a sweet, sugary coat.

“The last three years have been building up to this moment,” Skinner says of Imaginopolis, her first solo outing. “It’s kind of grown over the year into this eclectic, sort of intense building of a whimsical, escapist sort of world. It’s just become more and more complex.”

Renowned for her huge sculptures that are often comprised of hundreds of toys assembled together to create one big form, Skinner’s creations often ignite the imaginations of young and old, and Imaginopolis is no different.

“It’s basically a sugar coated exhibition and I mean that in a literal sense – everything is made of sugar or coated with sugar,” she tells X-Press while putting the finishing touches on her creations. “There are sculptural forms made from found materials and body parts plastered together then coated in sugar.There’s a whole bunch of toys and lights and sound – it’s a real experience.”

An experience that has attracted more than one colony of ants to her studio it seems, “there have been some ants that have moved in but they generally only like liquid sugar, so I’m screwed for a few days while I’m creating it and then when it dries I’m fine.They turn their noses up Werzel and John to it.

Robertson star in An “This body of work was a bit of an Orphan’s Christmas experiment on new age philosophies like The

Rose Skinner’s Imaginopolis

Secret and creative visualisation, that whole idea of manifesting thought into reality. So it’s an exploration of that to see whether that’s true and whether we can make it happen. That’s the overarching concept.

“It’s kind of grown over the year into this eclectic, sort of intense building of a whimsical, escapist sort of world. It’s just become more and more complex. I take huge amount of inspiration from people like Tim Burton and Dr Seuss, so you can see elements of them that come into my work.

It gets warped and twisted in my mind and comes out as a big candy spew.”

When she’s not knee deep in toy parts at her Mount Lawley studio, Skinner conducts art classes for eight to 12 year olds, who will be present at the opening of their teacher’s very own exhibition.

“It’s amazing, the kids surprise me everyday. They’re so intelligent and creative and they don’t have inhibitions that adults have. [Since I started teaching] I’ve tried to make my work a little more child friendly and less confronting.”

So what do these young minds make of their tutor’s unusual artistic offerings?

“The poster image of the lady with all the boobs they love to giggle at. They find it extremely funny.” _EMMA BERGMEIER

WIN AN EXCLUSIVE PERTH INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL PACK

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To enter log on to www.xpressmag.com.au - Click on the Comp Thing Button - Select PIAF COMP - Enter in your details (Competition ID is PIAF COMP 2) - Entries close December 30

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Christmas Issue 1245

NYE Issue 1246

Published Thursday, December 23 • Editorial - 5pm Mon, Dec 13 • Ad bookings - 5pm Fri, Dec 17 • Ads to be set/ alterations 5pm Fri, Dec 17 • Supplied artwork - 12pm Tues, Dec 21

Published Thursday, December 30 • Editorial - 5pm Mon, Dec 13 • Ad bookings - 5pm Wed, Dec 22 • Ads to be set/ alterations 5pm Wed, Dec 22 • Supplied artwork - 12pm Fri, Dec 24 www.xpressmag.com.au

Human Interest Story, Heath Ledger Theatre, corner Roe and William Streets, Northbridge.

Moving between moments of wit and reverberating anxiety, Human Interest Story explores how we react (or fail to react) to events, both trivial and profound, as they enter our private lives through the news.

Presented as part of the Perth International Arts Festival, the work explores news-speak and our desire for authentic human experiences through choreography that ranges from forced monotony to the spontaneous movement of crowds in heightened situations, from riots to rock concerts. This is dance spawned from the collision of individuals and society, at once fraught with danger and blessed with beauty.

Season opens on Friday, February 11, and runs ’til Sunday, February 13. Bookings can be made via PerthFestival.com.au.

VISUAL ARTS Immix, Midland Junction Arts Centre, 276 Great Eastern Highway, Midland.

This diverse collection of works-in-progress and completed works will be presented over three spaces by a group of 11 postgraduate artists from ECU. Featuring the creative efforts of Colleen Matlapeng, Cynthia Harrison, Heather Shaw, Igor Mihajlovic, Jasna Karajcic, Malcolm Cunningham, Marisa Dyer, Nathan Peake, Stella Andrews, Steve Makse and Travis Cox, the artworks in this exhibition are as varied conceptually as they are in execution, as the artists continue to experiment with a range of mediums including sculpture, photography, painting and installations.

Exhibition runs ‘til December 20.

Life Works, Kurb Gallery, 310a William Street, Northbridge.

A joint exhibition by ECU alumni Ben Mitchell and Candice Goldsmith, Life Works explores different aspects of the body through photography and painting. Goldsmith photographed and painted her young child over a 30-day period and created some challenging and dramatic pictures of domesticity, while Mitchell’s paintings utilise expired, emulsified Polaroid film.

Exhibition opens on Thursday, December 16, at 6pm and runs ’til Friday, December 24.

MUSIC

Frozen In Time by Nathalie Daoust

Art To Heart, Elements Art Gallery, 131A Waratah Avenue, Dalkeith.

In Perth alone over 3,000 young people are without safe, secure or affordable housing, with many of these experiencing high levels of poverty and abuse. In a bid to support homeless youth, Elements Art Gallery has joined forces with Youth Futures WA for a fundraising exhibition featuring the work of 17 artists. Art To Heart is an opportunity to help build and nourish our community and take something unique and wonderful home at the same time.

Exhibition runs ’til Friday, December 24.

Home Open, Fremantle Arts Centre, 1 Finnerty Street, Fremantle.

Fremantle has always been a hive of creativity and inspiration. Western Australia’s historic Port city exudes an energy that only Port cities have, and artists of all generations have gathered here and made this city their home. They’ve created a place to live and work, which fuels their craft and surrounds their lives. Home Open is an exhibition which tells the story of Fremantle and the environments people make to sustain their lives. A sprawling meditation on the multiplicity of our creative minds, Home Open reflects the diversity and energy of our artists and their homes. Artists create environments that reflect who they are and what they make. With an eye for design and attention to detail, they collect furniture, art, objects and artifacts that continue to inspire and motivate.

Exhibition runs ’til Sunday, January 23.

Insider Art – Recent Work By WA Prisoners, Prison Gallery, Gatehouse of Fremantle Prison, Fremantle.

Featuring work by current WA inmates, Insider Art features contemporary artworks produced by prisoners from across the state, including Roebourne, Broome, Bunbury, Karnet, Hakea, Acacia and Casuarina and has a strong representation of Aboriginal art. The exhibition also features pieces created and crafted in the various prison industries workshops around the State.

Exhibition runs ’til Sunday, January 30.

Peggy Guggenheim: A Collection In Venice, Art Gallery Of WA, Perth Cultural Centre, Perth.

In Peggy Guggenheim: A Collection In Venice, art fans can gain a rare insight into Guggenheim’s love of art, in particular her strong affinity for two key artistic movements of 20th century modern art: Surrealism and Abstraction. Also on display will be personal photos and items which belonged to Peggy, such as a pair of her famous sunglasses. The exhibition will present the vitality created by the combination of European and American artists that transformed Modernist art throughout the world, and will feature works

by Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Piet Mondrian, Constantin Brancusi, Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock.

Exhibition runs ’til Monday, January 31.

Frozen In Time, Fremantle Arts Centre, 1 Finnerty Street, Fremantle.

Canadian artist Nathalie Daoust presents a series of delicately hand-coloured photographs from the picturesque Alps in her Perth International Arts Festival exhibition. Frozen in Time is a record of the artist’s response to the landscape during a six-month residency in Switzerland. Offset by the perfect whitewashed backdrops, luminescent figures appear in awkward and unexpected places, creating a landscape that drifts between dream and reality.

Exhibition opens on Saturday, January 29, and runs ’til Sunday, March 20.

Join Charlie, Elsa and Fay as they take you on a musical journey back to 1940s post-war Perth. Against a backdrop of curfews, and the fear of arrest for consorting, whites and blacks manage to form their own club. For a night they can experience rare happy times singing, dancing and with a little luck... find romance!

Forty years on, as the club faces demolition, our three characters stage a musical reunion in protest. The trio reflects upon loves lost and found, dark secrets are revealed and we discover that reconciliation is more than saying sorry. A teaming of two of Australia’s leading Indigenous theatre makers, David Milroy (Windmill Baby) and Wesley Enoch (The Sapphires), Waltzing The Wilarra is an original music theatre work featuring an all-star Indigenous cast.

Season opens on Thursday, February 3, and runs ’til Sunday, March 6. Bookings can be made at PerthFestival.com.au.

Donka: A Letter To Chekhov, His Majesty’s Theatre, Hay Street, Perth.

Step into a spellbinding, dreamy world inspired

by Anton Chekhov’s plays and diaries, told through the language of elegantly decadent clowns, jugglers and the magical world of acrobats. Donka: A Letter To Chekhov is a homage to Russia’s greatest playwright, the man who wrote The Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya and The Seagull. This irresistibly romantic, tender and humorous play enchants with imaginative costumes, elegant set design and magnificent music that ranges from symphonic to traditional Russian folksongs. Commissioned to open the prestigious Chekhov International Theatre Festival in 2010, it premiered to overwhelmingly popular and critical acclaim, including a thunderous 15-minute standing ovation.

Season opens on Saturday, February 12, and runs ’til Saturday, February 19. Bookings can be made via PerthFestival.com.au

S E H G U H E V DA E V LI

LE C! A S ON 20 DE MON

PERFORMANCE Waltzing The Wilarra, Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hammersley Road, Subiaco.

EXPLORE short courses

school holidays waapa.ecu.edu.au/explore Telephone: (08) 9370 6007 Email: explore.waapa@ecu.edu.au Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

The Red Shoes, Octagon Theatre, University Of WA, Nedlands.

How far would you go to stop dancing? A young girl tricks her blind stepmother into buying her a pair of risqué red shoes. After dancing, spinning and revelling wildly in the freedom of her sensual new prize, she is horrified to discover the shoes won’t come off... or stop dancing. Luckily one man has the chops to provide a solution. This dark, witty and highly original take on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic story presented as part of the Perth International Arts Festival sees a wonderfully warped cast dipping into music, mime, dance and devilishness to entertain while reminding us of life’s precariousness.

Season opens on Friday, February 11, and runs ’til Saturday, Februar y 19.

Bookings can be made at PerthFestival.com. au.

Imelda May, December 26 Howard Park Winery; bookings through BOCS. Marnie Kent Quintet, December 30 Ellington Jazz Club; bookings through EllingtonJazz.com.au.

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, January 13 Rosemount Hotel; bookings through BOCS. Kenny Rogers With WASO, January 29 Lake Karrinyup Country Club; bookings through waso.com.au.

Roy Ayers, February 12 Beck ’s Music Box; bookings through PerthFestival.com.au.

The Unthanks, February 13 Beck ’s Music Box; bookings through PerthFestival.com.au.

!

Y L N O S T Y H R G I A N U 2 2 FEBR TRE 11 & 1ASTOR THoErA9484 1133 THE keting.com.au ic bocst

week-long acting workshop for acting up! Intensive Yr 10, 11 & 12 students 17 - 21 Jan 2011 This exciting and informative school holiday program offers acting, improvisation, movement and voice studies taught by members of WAAPA’s acclaimed Acting staff.

The participants will also work with experienced industry professionals to create a self-devised performance piece. At the conclusion of the course, the students will present their performances on stage in front of family and friends in WAAPA’s Roundhouse Theatre. An information session run by WAAPA staff and students will answer questions about the WAAPA courses on offer and the realities of pursuing a career as an actor.

whether you’re a beginner or a professional there’s a WAAPA short course for you 41

FASHION NO PUSH OVER

You might think that residents of a land ‘gurt by sea’ would rate pretty highly in the swimwear stakes but unfortunately, one half of the Australian population just won’t seem to let go of their beloved budgie smugglers and board shorts. In a bid to get the men of Australia up to standard on the swimwear front, Sydneysider Kirsten Ainsworth has designed a range of beach shorts that are as comfortable as they are stylish.

Ainsworth’s label, The Rocks Push, caters to men who relish long days on the beach followed by late nights in the bar. Named after a gang of well dressed chaps who roamed the streets of Sydney in the late 19th century, The Rocks Push is Australia’s newest beachwear label.

“The Rocks Push is the name of a Sydney gang who ruled Sydney about 100 years ago from the area called The Rocks, which was the first trading port in Sydney underneath the Harbour Bridge,” Ainsworth says of her label’s namesake.

“Being a young colony Sydney was pretty lawless and this gang ruled the city for about 30 years and they were the best dressed guys in town. They wore top hats, stacked heels, cravats and they used to walk down the cobblestones and people would flee from them in terror. They were immediately recognisable because they were the smartest dressed guys in the streets and I just thought that was just fantastic.”

After returning home from living overseas for a few years, Ainsworth ventured onto the beach and discovered that Australian males were quite behind in the style stakes.

Taking inspiration from the stylish getups of The Rocks Push lads, she set about creating a label that was pleasing to the eye and comfortable on the skin, perfect for fussy men who find it hard to find the right swimming/lounging attire.

“I came back home to Sydney in the middle of last year and as summer rolled around I saw Aussie guys on the beach and they were really lagging behind on the style stakes compared to women. Women have the most amazing choices of Australian swimwear labels and designs and men were still wearing the same shorts they had been wearing since they were 12 – oversized, polyester, garish prints and overtly branded and all focused on a surf customer.

“I thought ‘maybe guys want something different’, so I got 100 guys together and asked

Shona Joy

PURE JOY The Rocks Push

them and a couple of market insights came out of that. One out of every two guys struggled to find a pair of shorts that he liked and I thought ‘maybe that’s enough for me to develop a range based around what they want and see if it works’.

I showed the buyers and they loved it and now it’s going great guns in stores.

“This is the first season and we pretty much sold out in eight weeks! It was really really

THE LEFT BANK

SUMMER STYLe 2010

surprising and fantastic. It’s great to see guys wearing something stylish. The idea behind the range is that guys can go from beach to bar.

With our spontaneous Aussie lifestyle we do go from beach to bar and guys live in their beach shorts all summer long. We call them beach shorts because they’re more about being on the beach than on a board.”

The Rocks Push collection can be viewed and purchased at therockspush.com.

Just in time to help you get kitted out for the summer music festival season, Australian label Shona Joy has launched its very own online store. Stocking casual frocks, party dresses, bright swimwear, bodysuits and just about anything else you might want to wear during the warmer months, the store is likely to become a fast favourite of those who relish dressing on-trend.

Head on over to shonajoy.com. au to see what all the fuss is about. Happy shopping!

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WEAR IT LIKE AN EGYPTIAN

Why bother walking like an Egyptian when you can dress like an Egyptian (and not put your neck out of joint) care of Problem Child’s Techno Pharaoh collection? No, I’m not talking about Cleopatra wigs and hieroglyphic prints, think exotic shapes with lashings of disco chic and glam rock that pay homage to the land of the Sphinx.

Created by Amanda Testa, the Problem Child label continues to innovate with every range, this time offering up bracelets, earrings, necklaces and bags that are likely to be on many women’s Christmas lists this festive season.

Channel a modern day pharaoh with scarab beetle pendants, bright bangles and necklaces inspired by ancient symbols. The full range is available online at problemchildthelabel.com.

Problem Child’s Techno Pharaoh collection

COUNTER CULTURE FELT UP

Until now the term ‘felt up’ has had some seriously seedy connotations attached to it but thanks to the opening of the brand spanking new B&M Store, getting felt up is starting to look (and sound) quite good. Situated at 49A High Street in Fremantle, the Store is the flagship boutique for local label B&M, who craft practical items using sumptuously soft felt.

Created by friends in felt Jayden and Jess, B&M offer up a range of products including iPhone sleeves, travel accessories, laptop cases, tote bags and tableware, which can now be found at their very own store. Jayden and Jess have also chosen a select range of covetable products to take pride of place beside their own designs, including the likes of MT Tape, Skinny Laminx home wares, Rifle Paper Co, Carboard Safari and Ink & Spindle.

Open seven days a week from 10am-6pm Mondays to Saturdays and from 12-6pm on Sundays, the B&M Store is well worth the visit. Check out bandmstore.com.au for more info.

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VARIOUS Ministry of Sound Chill-Out Sessions XIII Ministry of Sound The modern day inception of chill-out was around the late ‘80s when ambient house first appeared on the scene promoting Eno-inspired vibes for a post-club come down. The moniker was taken up by many, morphed and expanded, until we arrive

at titles such as Ministry’s Chill-Out series which at episode 13 now includes any laid back rock, folk or electronica, beach house and other head-nodding beats. In fact anything that just sounds ‘nice’. So does nice equate to good?

Well, the first CD is varied in quality and styles. Nestled amongst the indie gem that is The XX’s Islands and the exquisite uplifting folktronica of Bibio’s Lovers Carvings are the world-weary crooning of The National’s Runaway and Ernest Ellis’ Heading For The Cold which don’t really fit with the CD’s blueprint.

The second disc most definitely has its thongs and boardies on and is heading to beachhouse heaven. No wave sounds or melancholic introspective vocals here. The Nu-disco groove of Crazy P’s Never Going to Reach Me along with the Balearic beats and uplifting piano licks of tracks like

Britney Spears’ I’m A Slave 4 U, Justin Timberlake’s Justified album or Snoop Dogg’s Drop It Like It’s Hot. N*E*R*D is their side-project and with over a million album sales and this, their fourth studio album, you could say is a relatively successful one.

Each N*E*R*D album is a progression from the last and Nothing sounds completely different to what has come before it. Finding words to describe the vibe of this album is difficult. Where Seeing Sounds was full of party Nothing jams, Nothing is more stripped backed, rock Interscope Records/ Star Trak oriented and soulful. If it’s possible, the album is Universal Music reminiscent of The Beatles, Queen, Al Green and James Brown simultaneously.

Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are modern Standout tracks are Hypnotize U day renaissance men. Co-producing albums as (produced by Daft Punk), Victory and God Bless The Neptunes, you may have heard their work on

N*E*R*D

Aeroplane’s We Can’t Fly and an excellent remix of The Chemical Brother’s Swoon all point to an ‘easy on the ear’ summer album. Throw in the early ‘90s piano house of Chilly Gonzales and Tensnake’s Coma Cat (enjoy it now before you’re sick of it at the end of summer!) and you could rock many a pre-club bar in Ibiza.

A d m i t t e d l y i t ’s n o t t h e m o s t underground, upfront tune selection and you’re not going to be zoning out to it in a flotation tank, but an enjoyable jaunt non-the-less. So to answer Riddim Box the question. Yes, for this summer, nice will suffice! Soul Jazz Records ANDREW NELSON 3.5/5 A few years ago author and music critic Simon Reynolds coined the phrase the ‘Hardcore Continuum’ which describes a lineage of UK urban music from rave/hardcore through drum’n’bass, UK garage and grime to the current domineer dubstep, citing that they all share the same musical genes, influences and rituals.

Us All and each of these is completely different This latest release from Soul Jazz, attempts to to the others. Nelly Furtado also has a great document the next contender to be added to cameo on Hot-N-Fun, another highlight. the ‘Nuum’: UK Funky.

There’s no easy way to describe Right from the onset it’s obvious that Nothing. Whether you like it or not will depend this new(ish) sound (it’s actually been around on how closely you listen. Either way, you’ll have for a couple of years) is more upbeat than its to agree that it is in a league of its own. If you brooding older brother dubstep. The jacking are a fan, don’t miss N*E*R*D at Summadayze rhythms of Rass Out are aimed firmly at the this summer. dancefloor (though this tune fails to be more than album filler). This is closely followed by MJ Cole showing his garage genes with Volcano Riddim, teasing the listener with staccato strings, TILMAN ROBINSON 3.5/5 and CD highlight Tubby T’s Ready she Ready with its ‘bad bwoy’ lyrical stylings and infectious groove.

The second CD loses some of its bite.

Lil Silva’s Pulse Vs Flex and Natty by DVA begin to grate after a few minutes, though Kode 9 picks things up with some statically charged post dubstep electronica which sounds like he’s been holidaying with the Brainfeeder collective But to summarise, like the genre it attempts to cover, this compilation, whilst showing some promise and highlights is not defined enough to become big in its own right so it may be advisable to pick and choose some tracks to download rather than purchase the whole shebang. It seems as though the Continuum is still looking for its heir apparent.

VARIOUS ARTISTS

ANDREW NELSON 3.5/5

VARIOUS Godskitchen Trance Anthems 2011 EMI/New State The Godskitchen label has been making its presence felt around these shores for the past few years and this three disc collection follows closely behind their Godskitchen 3D compilation.

Curiously enough they have gone with the name Trance Anthems 2011 which appears to make very little sense.

The title seems even more strange when listening to the opening track One by Swedish House Mafia and despite being a great track, it is far from fitting into the trance genre. Fortunately the disc moves into some classic trance sounds with Cosmic Gate’s London Rain and Ferry Corsten’s Made Of Love.

Disc two also flirts in and out of trance, house and electro complete with a smattering of commercial cheese which isn’t so much a bad thing as there is something for everyone on here. From Tiesto’s Who Wants To Be Alone with Nelly Furtado to the brilliant Gareth Emery track Sanctuary and Sander Van Doorn’s unique dirge Hymn 2.0, there’s enough in here to spark more than a few presses of the repeat button.

With house once again resonating from the first few tracks, one could imagine a more suitable title could’ve been “Dance Floor Anthems 2011”. This aside, Jerome Isma-Ae’s epic Hold That Sucker Down reaches out and slaps you in the face and towards the back end of the CD trance fans are treated with Rank 1’s The Great Escape and arguably the best uplifting trance remix ever with Sean Tyas’ reworking of 4 Strings’ Daytime.

An intriguing compilation to say the least and don’t be fooled by the title because there is nothing 2011 about this release. Several of the tracks have been resurrected from the early days of trance but in a strange kind of way the fusion of the old with the new seems to work.

GLEN CANNING 3/5

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Hittin’ the town since 1985

Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

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CONTINUED FROM COVER

2 LIVE CREW STILL NASTY

BONEBREAKIN’ BEATS

Although it would be easy to write the group off as a raunchy novelty act, 2 Live Crew was instrumental in developing and popularising the Miami bass sound which Won describes as a combination of many different music genres.

“We took some of the stuff from the East Coast, because at that time we were heavy into Planet Rock (tune by Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force). There was a lot of up tempo music happening on the West Coast and so forth and the Miami flavour from the Caribbean,” Won says. “It’s a blend of music come together with a heavy 808 drop. When we mastered our records we used to crank the bass a little bit louder than everybody else’s.”

Won formed 2 Live Crew with DJ Mr Mixx and another rapper Amazing V while in the military when they were based in California. The success of one of their early singles led Miami promoter and rapper Luke (Luther Campbell) to draw the group to Florida, where they linked with rapper Brother Marquis. Luke later joined the group.

From the release of the debut album, 1986’s The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are (which included their hit single We Want Some Pussy), the group were a lightning rod for controversy, with a Florida record store owner being charged for selling the album to a 14 year old girl.

When As Nasty As They Wanna Be was released a few years later, the ultraconservative American Family Association lobbied Florida Governor Bob Martinez to deem it obscene, leading to the June 1990 District Court ruling that effectively banned the album. The ruling was overturned by the United States Court of Appeals two years later.

2 Live Crew named their next album, 1990’s Banned In The U.S.A. after the controversy and then released one more album, 1991’s Sports Weekend, before a series of breakups and lineup changes resulted in the group falling off the mainstream radar.

Won says that he and Brother Marquis began discussing a reunion in 2007. They also began working on a new album, Just Wanna Be Heard, which they’re hoping to release early next year. Produced by Mannie Fresh and Florida icon Funk Boogie, the album features collaborations with Californian hip hop legends E-40 and Too $hort, and judging by song titles such as Dance Like A Ho and Cougar, it will be as nasty as ever.“We’ve been away for a little while, and the music kinda changed on us a little bit, so we had to update our

BROOKLYN BOUNCE (DJ Bonebreaker) / Rousa / Simon Barwood / Uproar / Ravix Rise Friday, December 10, 2010

48

2 Live Crew sound,” Won says of the album.

“So instead of them just calling us ‘old school’, or ‘trying to make a comeback’ or whatever, basically, what we’re saying is ‘we never left’. We just had issues among the group and other labels, you know? So now is our time again and since we let y’all run with it for a little bit, we just wanna be heard.”

Won says local punters can expect an entertaining show from the group. “It’ll be a lot of old classics because that’s what everybody wants to hear,” he says.“We’ve never been to Australia so we’ll play a lot of the old classics and in between we’re gonna stick a new one here and there so they’ll hear some of the upcoming material.”

The group has no problem performing to younger crowds, even though 1989’s As Nasty As They Wanna Be was released before many festival goers were born. Won says the group’s notoriety has spread to younger generations.“A lot of them are very familiar with it because they heard it from either their parents, their old brothers, their uncles, their aunts, and so forth,” he says.

“It’s going to be an exciting time because for the young ones, we want to introduce them to the Miami bass and what the 2 Live Crew had to offer back in the days and show them where a lot of the stuff they’re hearing now came from.”

2 LIVE CREW BREAKFEST SUNDAY, DECEMBER 26 @ BELVOIR AMPHITHEATRE

With a line-up bristling with hardstyle talent from start to finish, last Friday night was always going to be a punishing lesson in the art of the ever increasing bpm. Multiple PDMA Best Trance DJ Simon Barwood hit the decks to crack off the evening and set about defining the tempo for the night, punching out some heaving hard dance anthems to a steadily building crowd.

The 2009 PDMA’s Best Hardcore DJ Rousa took over the reins at 11.30pm and kept the momentum hurtling along at breakneck speed. Having said that, Rousa often sacrifices a bit of speed for some brutal power which he blends seamlessly into his sets with great results. When it’s all about the dancefloor, this guy knows how to keep the crowd moving and grooving which he accomplished effortlessly.

Mixing in beefed up remixes of tracks like ACDC’s Thunderstruck and a blast from the electronic past with Guru Josh’s Infinity, Rousa was rolling with intent but he saved his best towards the end as he dropped a mind bending remix of the Bloody Beetroots’ hugely popular Warp 2.0 which resulted in screams of “one, two, woop woop” emanating from all corners of the dance floor.

By the time DJ Bonebreaker hit the decks at 1.00am there were a reasonable amount of patrons scattered throughout the venue and it was an intriguing mix of the very young bright poppy kids through to the more mature, accentuating the fact that interest in the old school hard dance is far from extinct and many had come out of clubbing semiretirement to witness one of the most iconic acts of the hard dance explosion in the early 2000s deliver gold.

W i t h t w o h o u r s t o l e t l o o s e, Bonebreaker utilised every second he had, beginning with his own Club Bizarre, Darude’s Sandstorm and a hard style remix of Swedish House Mafia’s tune of the month, One. Punishing the dancefloor with each track, Bonebreaker was unrelenting as he dropped club bombs in quick succession including a Ferr y Corsten Punk remix, Zombie Nation’s crowd pleaser Kernkraft 200 a n d o f c o u r s e t h e u n m i s t a k a b l e sounds of Brook lyn Bounce with Born

DJ Bonebreaker To B o u n c e a n d B a s s, B e a t s & M e l o d y.

Closing out with an intense remix of Metallica’s Enter Sandman which had some downright nasty guitars resonating through the speakers and then dropped into a pounding bass line that electrified the dance floor, there were still a couple of surprises in store for everyone.

Bonebreaker showed who was boss with an amusing and infectious tune that could only be recognised by its classy and repetitious lyrics “suck my dick” which caused some dance floor bouncing as the tune’s nasty rhythms pumped through the speakers.

Bonebreaker received a thunderous roar of approval as he made way for Uproar to keep the floor ablaze after his two hour set of fist pumping, bass thumping anarchy which thoroughly entertained the crowd.

As one has come to expect from the Rise, last Friday night was yet another night of high quality music for the masses and a brilliant display of the harder sounds of dance. Banging! _GLEN CANNING

www.xpressmag.com.au

THE CUBAN BROTHERS

PLUMP DJS

HAVANA CALLING

DANCE FLOOR INNOVATION

Mike Keat is one of the funniest musicians to have the pleasure to talk to. He is based in the UK and has a distinctive accent. But then ask him about his return to our shores and he’ll pull out all the shots, convincing you he is actually an Aussie. Then there’s his music- his other love and his band called The Cuban Brothers. Talking music, don’t be misled; he puts on another twang that comes straight from the laid back streets of downtown Havana. This guy has skills! RK talks to him about them.

It was perhaps a lack of foresight in interview scheduling times that saw GLEN CANNING getting Lee Rous, one half of the electronic dance music team, the Plump DJs, out of bed at 6am on a freezing English morning. Fortunately he was more than happy to talk ahead of the duo’s long overdue return to Australia for Breakfest.

“What’s cracka lackin”,chimes the decidedly upbeat man on the other end of the line before jumping straight into the year that has been. “It’s been an amazing year for us; we’ve just come back from the Formula 1 in Abu Dhabi and we were supporting Prince! That was sick!” Keat excitedly retells.

“It was at Skybar, which was dope! Firstly to be performing with Prince and then to be in this little environment, it was amazing. And then we did a bigger show for 30,000 - that was off the scale.

The whole Ferrari team was there. We watched the race with all those dudes so it was a nice way to end the year.”

The boys have been busy playing at festivals throughout the year but with an album due to be released in March next year, the making of the record has been a big priority for 2010. “I’m just waiting on some guest vocals from guys like Curtis Blow and Mike G from the Jungle Brothers,” Keat reveals.

“I’ve also got KT Tunstall, which is a strange one but she is an old jazz funker from back in the day. I met her 12 years ago doing a show at St Andrews University. Before she made it big she played jazz flute and is a multi instrumentalist so it’s great to be working with her.”

Keat goes on to suggest that the forthcoming tour will be about them- straight up and with a live band. Confused? A quick visit to their MySpace site and you begin to understand “Latin funk and soul with a twist of hip hop” – that’s the spirit. It is essentially black music that tries to capture themes and ideas over decades.“We’re all just b-boys dancing and break dancing, some of us for over 20 years,” Keat says.

“We grew up dancing on the street and that was our apprenticeship; and then it was hiphop that began to underpin us.

And then rave culture kicked in around 1987 and since we’ve incorporated a little bit of

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electronic music in there as well.”

And Keat admits, their shows are nothing more than an ad-hoc experiment; a chance for the guys to see who can out-perform the other. He sees it as a friendly competition where they battle to see who comes out on top.

“Man, we just want to entertain cats and have fun without putting too fine a point on it,” he says. “I don’t want to sound like a wanker but music did get a little bit too cool for school there for a while.

I watched electronic music go up its own arse in the 1990s. We’re about getting up off the wall and having fun.

“We just want to give a modern twist to entertaining. It’s just impossible to explain how you’ve got some Scottish guys dressed up as Cubans – with the lead singer a b-boy – putting on his finest Rex Hunt accent. We’re just about dancing and having fun.”

This is the time to bring not only your party shoes out but your sense of humour- talk about value for money.

The Cuban Brothers THE CUBAN BROTHERS BREAKFEST SUNDAY, DECEMBER 26 @ BELVOIR AMPHITHEATRE

After taking out Best Remix for their spankingly good reworking of the Stanton Warriors’ Precinct in this year’s Breakspoll Awards, Rous remains humbly grateful. He says winning Breakspoll Awards played an important role for the duo by helping them realise the amount of support out there for their music amongst the breakbeat community. He does stress the point of not letting this support get to their heads and the importance of remaining focused on trying to produce interesting music.

Despite receiving some criticism from people regarding the all encompassing diversity of their new sound, it is this same innovation that has seen the Plump DJs continue to be hugely successful for over a decade now and as Rous discusses, this aversion to change is irrelevant to their focus. “We don’t really think about maintaining fans,” he says. “We just think about making innovative new music and coming out with fresh sounds and fresh ideas, staying interested and staying enthused and that’s always been our main forward movement really.”

In a previous interview earlier in the year with the other half of the duo, Andy Gardener stated “we’re not going to play breaks for the sake of it and there’s very few good breakbeat releases at the moment,” and as Rous now relates, very little has changed. “There’s still the odd track coming through but we haven’t noticed a massive resurgence or a sudden surge in breaks with the records that have come through, so we’re still picking and choosing from tunes from all sorts of different genres.”

It is these very labels that Rous sincerely loathes and is far from both their minds when

Plump DJs hitting the studio. “We’re not responsible for a genre of music,” muses Rous.

“We’re not responsible for the success of a particular genre, we make what we make and if there’s a scene that pops up or a scene that in some way we’re pulled into, made a part of or even announced that we’re pleased to be a part of it, it doesn’t make us responsible for it. We just try to get on and make interesting music.”

Whilst allocating responsibilities, Rous chuckles when the suggestion is made that they are responsible for the dance floor. “That’s what we’re responsible for, the dance floor that’s in front of us at the time,” he says.

“I think we have a responsibility to make innovative, good, new music that inspires people and we really enjoy finding new ways to make people dance and that’s our main mission.”

The Plump DJs return to Perth to join the impressive lineup for the ten year anniversary celebrations for Perth’s own award winning festival Breakfest and Rous couldn’t be more excited. “It’s been too long since we’ve been to Perth and I’m really missing being down there so it’s going to be awesome!

“It’s going to be one big party that’s for sure!”

PLUMP DJS BREAKFEST SUNDAY, DECEMBER 26 @ BELVOIR AMPHITHEATRE

49

BLISS N ESO SKY HIGH Sydney hip hop icons Bliss N Eso have continued their dream run this year, with their fourth album Running On Air debuting at #1 in August. JOSHUA HAYES speaks with rapper and producer Bliss, aka Jonathan Notley, as the boys prepare for their two upcoming festival dates.

Fresh from a 25 show American tour supporting the Kottonmouth Kings, Bliss N Eso are ready for the Aussie festival season, with Southbound and Big Day Out bringing them out our way next January and February respectively.

Although they toured the States last year, supporting the hard hitting Canadian act Swollen Members, Notley says it was the first time the group had fans rock up to their U.S. gigs, showing that their popularity had spread beyond Aussie borders.“At every show we had actual Bliss N Eso fans coming, which was wicked,” he says.

“I guess the whole American thing is a building process for us. We were just on the grind, planting seeds I guess. It’s kind of like returning to how it was when we first started in Australia, we’re grinding it out on the road, we were the first act on warming up for the bigger act, we had to convert people.”

The support slot came out of a close working relationship between Bliss N Eso’s label, Illusive, and the Kottonmouth Kings’ Suburban Noize imprint. “When the opportunity came, the Kings were touring, we just hit them up and said ‘hey, can we jump on this one too?’ and they were like ‘hell yeah’, so we just organised it and bang, it was as easy as that,” Notley says.

The group’s triumph overseas follows groundbreaking success on the home front.

Running On Air has been the group’s most eminent album to date, knocking Eminem’s comeback effort Recovery off the #1 position on the ARIA charts when it debuted. “The whole Eminem thing was pretty surreal, we did not expect that,” says Notley.

“I guess we were hoping for a top five debut; #1 was definitely not expected and when we heard about that it was pretty surreal, so we were stoked on the whole thing. I guess the main thing that feels good is the fans are out there supporting you.”

The album was also a critical success.

Although the sound and style of the group’s first two albums, 2004’s Flowers In The Pavement and 2006’s Day Of The Dog fluctuated, with Running On Air they built on their victorious third album, 2008’s Flying Colours.

“We went into recording Running On

Air thinking ‘okay, we’ve just done this album Flying Colours, we love it, we think we’re onto a good thing here, we’re onto a good direction, let’s continue this direction and let’s evolve off this’ and that’s basically the mind state we went in with Running On Air. I guess for us man, music is always evolving,” Notley explains.

Evidence of this evolution is their latest single, Reflections. Their previous singles, Down By The River and Addicted were high energy party starters whereas Reflections is a contemplative, guitar driven ballad. Notley says the group selected the song as their next single because it was by far the most listened to track on their YouTube stream, with the exception of the aforementioned singles, receiving over 100,000 hits.

The group performed a few songs from Running On Air on their Down By The River Tour earlier this year, which included a sell out show at Metro City closely coinciding with the album release, although their upcoming festival dates will draw much more heavily from the new album.

“The Down By The River Tour was more of a teaser of the new album and we highlighted a few tracks from there,” says Notley.“This is going to be a lot more involved with the new album, a lot more tracks.”

And there’s also good news for fans that can’t make the festivals. After their Big Day Out run, Bliss N Eso plan to announce their national Running On Air Tour, which will start around May next year.

But in the meantime, the group is already starting to think about their next release.

“We’re pretty hungry actually to dive into some new material. When we drop a record and it’s new to everyone else’s ears, obviously it’s something that myself and Eso in particular have worked on very closely for a long time, so it’s all material that we’ve heard a lot,” Notley says.

He adds that he’s going to work with Aussie super producer and regular collaborator M-Phazes on pre-production for the next album soon, although understandably isn’t comfortable giving a deadline for its release. “If I was going to be super general, I would say hopefully early 2012,” Notley says.

Bliss N Eso “We love dropping a record and seeing the reaction, but we’re ready to write new music quite quickly after that because we’ve been so close to that album for so long, it’s like ‘okay, give me some fresh shit, I’m ready for some new music’ you know what I mean? So, right now, we’re kind of getting the hunger pangs again.”

BLISS N ESO SATURDAY, JANUARY 1- MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 2011@ SOUTHBOUND, BUSSELTON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2011 @ BIG DAY OUT

A-TRAK WHOA

KELE OKEREKE WALKING TALL

For the past decade A-Trak, aka Alain Macklovitch, has played an insurmountable role in redefining the word “party”. From his humble beginnings in 1997 as the youngest ever winner of the Technics/DMC World Championships at 15 years of age, the Montreal based turntablist has taken the world by storm. TYSON WRAY talks to Macklovitch on the back of what has undoubtedly been his biggest year yet.

Frontman of British indie/alternative rock band Bloc Party, Kele Okereke, has been a busy man this year. With Bloc Party having been on a year’s hiatus, Okereke has released his debut solo album The Boxer and has just finished touring it for 2010. He isn’t exactly the most forthcoming about the year that has been, let alone the future of Bloc Party, telling ANNABEL MACLEAN “this isn’t an interview about anything to do with Bloc Party, this is an interview about me DJing in Perth on new year, I mean I just want to have a party.”

“It’s been a pretty crazy,” Macklovitch says. “Back in Spring I was working on a mixtape project called Dirty South 2, in February I began working on a project with Travis Barker of Blink-182 and then since March it was about six months of touring the world straight, playing shows all around the world at different clubs and festivals.

It’s been non-stop.”

In conjunction with Macklovitch’s recent achievements, his role with the New York City based disco-house revivalists Duck Sauce has seen him receive a gargantuan amount of commercial success. “Everything about Duck Sauce is about finding the best samples. It’s that simple,” Macklovitch says.

“It’s a quest for us to find the best loops that also have the same feeling that we’re trying to convey. It’s all about taking the feel good vibe and trying to make it sound the best we can. A big part of our job as producers is to be a scientist or an engineer with our music; creating something that sounds as good as possible, something that tickles your ears in the right way without you even noticing.”

As a solo ar tist, Macklovitch is undeniably the go-to man for indie, dance and hip hop remixes. “I always try to grow,” he explains. “Everything I produce is a bit of an experiment for me. I really try to learn every step of the way and make the best productions that I can. I don’t just take on any project and I put a lot of effort into everything that I put out and I think that’s reflective, I really chisel away until I believe that a track is the best that I can get it.”

In 2010, Macklovitch’s DJ performances have progressed from strength to strength.

Renowned worldwide for his seamless mixing and infusion of electro, house and hip hop, his shows encompass his vast musical knowledge and are reinforced by his skill and unbeatable technique behind the decks. “There are always certain parts of my set that are planned before where I already have instrumentals, acapellas and mixes that I know work well but then there’s always a big part that’s just simple ‘on-the-spot spur-of-the-moment type things’.

“I’ve always got a big playlist that I’ve 50

A-Trak organised in certain ways and then when I’m playing I put them together based on how the set is going and how the crowd is reacting, “he reveals.

“I’m looking forward to coming to Australia, I’ll be approaching the shows in the same way I’ve approached my sets all over the world this year. I’m never quite sure where my sets are going to go but I’ve only ever had great times in Australia. It’s always a party.”

A-TRAK SATURDAY, JANUARY 1- MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 2011 @ SOUTHBOUND, BUSSELTON

If you are a follower of Bloc Party, you would be well aware that the rising British dance/ rock/indie act have been on a break, the timing of this break seemingly odd from a public perspective given the band’s highly successful third studio record Intimacy released late 2009 and their growing popularity all over the world.

Okereke doesn’t want to talk Bloc Party in this interview (which is warranted given the amount of questions he must face on a daily basis regarding the band) but as for topics of conversation he does want to talk about, well, there’s not that much to say really.

Okereke sums up his year of touring The Boxer at the beginning of the interview by saying “It’s been really good, it’s been a real fun time having been out on the road. I’ve finished touring for the year. Yeah, I’m done now.” There’s no time wasting here, Okereke jumps straight into “do you have any questions about the DJ gig?”

Yes, what sort of music/tracks will you be bringing to play in Perth?

“Well I’m probably going to bring some good records so people can dance on New Year’s Eve, people can get wasted and have a good time,” Okereke explains. “I’m going to be bringing some electro music, some house music, some current music, to be honest, it’s New Year’s Eve, I want to dance and have a good time.”

He goes on to explain that he’ll be bringing some CDs and the computer program Traktor for his DJ set.“But I think I might just stick with CDs, I’ll be bringing lots of different things really, I’m quite excited about it.”

Sticking to happier topics like this upcoming DJ set, when asked what other DJs/ artists he might be looking forward to meeting and playing alongside with on the night, he responds with “no, I’m just doing a few DJ shows so I’m not really going to be checking out any live bands. I don’t know who else is playing.”

Okereke surprisingly does elaborate on how different this upcoming DJ set will

Kele Okereke be compared to his live set at Parklife earlier this year. “It’s interesting because people think they are quite different but I actually see more similarities than there are differences because consequently you are trying to entertain a room full of people, a room, or club or field full of people,” he says.

“It’s a performance and you want to feel the audience reacting. I’ve learnt now how to manage crowds and perform when I’m DJing.”

Okereke hasn’t been DJing much at all this year with the busy schedule of touring The Boxer taking up much of 2010. “I’m kind of thinking there won’t be that many differences, it’s going to be a room full of drunk people, people who want to have a good time so I imagine it’ll (the set) be pretty similar to last time I DJ’d.”

And as for other plans Okereke has for his upcoming trip here?

“Well I’m going to walk about for a bit, hopefully sunbake, drink a few beers and then I go to Sydney and then I go to Melbourne.”

KELE OKEREKE (DJ SET) NYEXCUSE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31 @ VILLA www.xpressmag.com.au

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51

VARIOUS Ministry of Sound Chill-Out Sessions XIII Ministry of Sound The modern day inception of chill-out was around the late ‘80s when ambient house first appeared on the scene promoting Eno-inspired vibes for a post-club come down. The moniker was taken up by many, morphed and expanded, until we arrive

at titles such as Ministry’s Chill-Out series which at episode 13 now includes any laid back rock, folk or electronica, beach house and other head-nodding beats. In fact anything that just sounds ‘nice’. So does nice equate to good?

Well, the first CD is varied in quality and styles. Nestled amongst the indie gem that is The XX’s Islands and the exquisite uplifting folktronica of Bibio’s Lovers Carvings are the world-weary crooning of The National’s Runaway and Ernest Ellis’ Heading For The Cold which don’t really fit with the CD’s blueprint.

The second disc most definitely has its thongs and boardies on and is heading to beachhouse heaven. No wave sounds or melancholic introspective vocals here. The Nu-disco groove of Crazy P’s Never Going to Reach Me along with the Balearic beats and uplifting piano licks of tracks like

Britney Spears’ I’m A Slave 4 U, Justin Timberlake’s Justified album or Snoop Dogg’s Drop It Like It’s Hot. N*E*R*D is their side-project and with over a million album sales and this, their fourth studio album, you could say is a relatively successful one.

Each N*E*R*D album is a progression from the last and Nothing sounds completely different to what has come before it. Finding words to describe the vibe of this album is difficult. Where Seeing Sounds was full of party Nothing jams, Nothing is more stripped backed, rock Interscope Records/ Star Trak oriented and soulful. If it’s possible, the album is Universal Music reminiscent of The Beatles, Queen, Al Green and James Brown simultaneously.

Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are modern Standout tracks are Hypnotize U day renaissance men. Co-producing albums as (produced by Daft Punk), Victory and God Bless The Neptunes, you may have heard their work on

N*E*R*D

Aeroplane’s We Can’t Fly and an excellent remix of The Chemical Brother’s Swoon all point to an ‘easy on the ear’ summer album. Throw in the early ‘90s piano house of Chilly Gonzales and Tensnake’s Coma Cat (enjoy it now before you’re sick of it at the end of summer!) and you could rock many a pre-club bar in Ibiza.

A d m i t t e d l y i t ’s n o t t h e m o s t underground, upfront tune selection and you’re not going to be zoning out to it in a flotation tank, but an enjoyable jaunt non-the-less. So to answer Riddim Box the question. Yes, for this summer, nice will suffice! Soul Jazz Records ANDREW NELSON 3.5/5 A few years ago author and music critic Simon Reynolds coined the phrase the ‘Hardcore Continuum’ which describes a lineage of UK urban music from rave/hardcore through drum’n’bass, UK garage and grime to the current domineer dubstep, citing that they all share the same musical genes, influences and rituals.

Us All and each of these is completely different This latest release from Soul Jazz, attempts to to the others. Nelly Furtado also has a great document the next contender to be added to cameo on Hot-N-Fun, another highlight. the ‘Nuum’: UK Funky.

There’s no easy way to describe Right from the onset it’s obvious that Nothing. Whether you like it or not will depend this new(ish) sound (it’s actually been around on how closely you listen. Either way, you’ll have for a couple of years) is more upbeat than its to agree that it is in a league of its own. If you brooding older brother dubstep. The jacking are a fan, don’t miss N*E*R*D at Summadayze rhythms of Rass Out are aimed firmly at the this summer. dancefloor (though this tune fails to be more than album filler). This is closely followed by MJ Cole showing his garage genes with Volcano Riddim, teasing the listener with staccato strings, TILMAN ROBINSON 3.5/5 and CD highlight Tubby T’s Ready she Ready with its ‘bad bwoy’ lyrical stylings and infectious groove.

The second CD loses some of its bite.

Lil Silva’s Pulse Vs Flex and Natty by DVA begin to grate after a few minutes, though Kode 9 picks things up with some statically charged post dubstep electronica which sounds like he’s been holidaying with the Brainfeeder collective But to summarise, like the genre it attempts to cover, this compilation, whilst showing some promise and highlights is not defined enough to become big in its own right so it may be advisable to pick and choose some tracks to download rather than purchase the whole shebang. It seems as though the Continuum is still looking for its heir apparent.

VARIOUS ARTISTS

ANDREW NELSON 3.5/5

VARIOUS Godskitchen Trance Anthems 2011 EMI/New State The Godskitchen label has been making its presence felt around these shores for the past few years and this three disc collection follows closely behind their Godskitchen 3D compilation.

Curiously enough they have gone with the name Trance Anthems 2011 which appears to make very little sense.

The title seems even more strange when listening to the opening track One by Swedish House Mafia and despite being a great track, it is far from fitting into the trance genre. Fortunately the disc moves into some classic trance sounds with Cosmic Gate’s London Rain and Ferry Corsten’s Made Of Love.

Disc two also flirts in and out of trance, house and electro complete with a smattering of commercial cheese which isn’t so much a bad thing as there is something for everyone on here. From Tiesto’s Who Wants To Be Alone with Nelly Furtado to the brilliant Gareth Emery track Sanctuary and Sander Van Doorn’s unique dirge Hymn 2.0, there’s enough in here to spark more than a few presses of the repeat button.

With house once again resonating from the first few tracks, one could imagine a more suitable title could’ve been “Dance Floor Anthems 2011”. This aside, Jerome Isma-Ae’s epic Hold That Sucker Down reaches out and slaps you in the face and towards the back end of the CD trance fans are treated with Rank 1’s The Great Escape and arguably the best uplifting trance remix ever with Sean Tyas’ reworking of 4 Strings’ Daytime.

An intriguing compilation to say the least and don’t be fooled by the title because there is nothing 2011 about this release. Several of the tracks have been resurrected from the early days of trance but in a strange kind of way the fusion of the old with the new seems to work.

GLEN CANNING 3/5

52

Hittin’ the town since 1985

Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

53

CAPITOL

RISE

THURSDAY 16/12 Bird - Gentlemen of Leisure feat. NFA /Diger Rokwell It is Thursday everyone, which just in case you didn’t know, means you should go to the Bird tonight. Gentlemen of Leisure are playing a lovely entertaining and chilled out evening that the Bird is putting on. It features the darling silky DJ skills and sweet beats of Charlie Bucket and the lyrical genius of NFA from 1200 Techniques. On display too will be the soulful horns of Jimmy “The Lips” Murphy from the Sunshine Brothers and Al MCcavoy from the Askari Afrobeat Orchestra. There will be something for everyone with hip hop, soul, funk, afrobeat, dancehall, disco and general weird happenings taking place.

Diger Rokwell will also be there to sweat out some live beats with his worldly tunes. Head down tonight. It’s $5 on the door. Amazing.

Broken Hill Hotel – Fixed Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Righteous Club Bayview – Hush- Sox Draw / Maxwell Club Marakesh – DJ Simon Cottesloe Hotel – DJ Shots / DJ Andy M Dolce – Maxwell/Damian John/ Hippo Club Eve – DJ Tony Allen Flying Scotsman ( DEFECTORS) – Cowboys / Indi Kids Flying Scotsman (Main Room) – Pasha’s Kitchen Leopold Hotel – DJ Riki / Roger Smart Liquid Nightclub – DJ Buda / Dj Nino Brown Mustang – DJ James MacArthur Newport – Mills DJs Niche Bar – Flaunt / Johnni P / Feminem Niche - Johnni P/ Rob Blandford Oxford Hotel – Johnny Taylor Paddy Hannans – Dr Bogus / Crazy Craig Swinging Pig – DJ Simon The Deen – DJ Flex/ DJ Nano/ DJ Surge/ DJ Don Migi The East End - DJ Midfield The Queens – Kapitol P

The Whistling Kite – DJ Gareth The Shed – DJ Andyy Toucan Club -Shut Up & Dance - DJ Matty J Wolfe Lane – Soul Purpose - DJ Jimmy Mac Woodvale Tavern – DJ Melvin

FRIDAY 17/12 Ambar – Xmas Party - Dead Easy & Oli /Prizzy & Tee El/ Micah & Ben Mac/ Wish & Philly Blunt/ Mono Lisa / Marty McFly That’s right everyone. Everyone should be well and truly in Christmas cheer mode now, with less than a week to go! Woopee!

If you are up for celebrating early, you need to get on down to join in the festivities that will be occurring at Perth’s home of the underground, Ambar, this coming Friday night. There will no turkey but there will be some juicy beats, those of Japan 4. There will be fun for all with local DJs causing an absolute trashing of the dance floor. PDMA award winning Micah will be hitting the decks alongside Ben Mac, Perth’s recently awarded Best Female DJ Mona Lisa and many more cracking beat makers to get your Christmas started off in style. This will be a huge celebration to top off a fantastic year at Ambar. Get down from 10pm. Tickets are $12 on door or $8 for loyalty. Get your turkey dancing on peeps!

Rise – Global Sound System – tyDi/ Jason Creek/ Joe Benger/ Travis Eddy/ JT YO!/ Simon Barwood Brisbane boy tyDi has had a busy year. He’s been quite the popular kid, wanted all around the year to perform his complex compilations of pure electro. He has had his own radio show, Global Soundsystem, which has been broadcasted in over 20 countries each week.

He has compiled a three disc collection of house, progressive, trance and chill out selections and is now touring both nationally and internationally

to showcase his works. He’s played over 100 shows across ever y continent and has definitely caught the attention of the industry. He took out the award for Best Breakthrough Artist at the IDMA’s in Miami.

He’s collaborated with BT and had several performances at Godskitchen festivals worldwide. tyDi will be joined by PDMA 2010 award winner for Best Trance DJ, Jason Creek, on the night. If you want to see who is rising to stardom on the dance music front, head down this Friday night to Rise from 10pm. Tickets on door only. Rise members $5 before 11pm, $10 thereafter, public peeps $10 before 11pm, $20 thereafter.

Do it.

Amplifier Jamie Mac /DJ Shannon Fox Bar Open- Boutique Fridays Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Nick Alexander Capitol – DJs All Night Carine Glades Tavern - DJ Abstar Clancy’s (Canning Bridge) - DJ Jimmy-Mac Como Hotel – DJ Gazz Deville’s – Harry Deluxe / Razor Jack / Rockin Rhys Double Lucky – Adam Kelly / Cee Eve – Collars and Cuffs party Flying Scotsman (Main Room) – Time Tunnel - DJ Rok Riley/ Joe 19 Flying Scotsman (Defectors) – Micah / Sharif Galal Funk Club – DJ Charlie Bucket High Wycombe – Fill In Da Gap Hipe Club – DJ E-Funk Liquid Nightclub – DJ Klar55 / DJ Jewel / DJ Stevie M Lakers Tavern – Fresh Fridays DJ Dooey Merriwa Tavern – DJ Real McCoy Mint – Club Retro – Chris McPhee Mustang – Swing DJ / DJ James MacArthur Newport – Millhouse NormaJeans – DJPhil Oxford Hotel – Recliners Paddy Hannans – Crazy Craig Paramount – Flyte /DJ Morgan/

DJ Jordan Principal Micro Brewery – DJ Simon Queens Tav – DJ Rueben Rocket Room –DJ Brett Rowe Rubix – Gene Bourne/ Kenny/ Riki Sail & Anchor – Balcony Beatz / DJ J-MAC. Sapphire Bar – SuperFly Shape – Borgore The Clink – DJ Jin The Deen – DJs Birdie / DJ Surge / DJ Nano The Eastern – DJ Midfield The Generous Squire - DJ anaru The Saint - DJ Jordan The Queens – DJ Rueben The Shed – DJ Glenn 20 Tiger Lils – Paul Malone / Joby / Alex K The Vic - DJ Durra We m b l ey H o t e l - D J Funk ybottoms / DJ Dean Charles Windsor – DJ Riki and Ray Woodvale Tavern – Dr Bogus Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin

SATURDAY 18/12 Flying Scotsman ( Velvet Lounge) - Eggchain / DYP/ Pils / Sidetrack/ seven7seven / Harvey Fresh / Oxygen/ Fusion Six / Vandan/ Yarkhob / Black Matter Hold up everyone. Pineapple Lounge is presenting a night of breaks, drum’n’bass, dubstep and electro to get you pumping ahead of this busy summer festival season. Not only can you pop in and out of the Velvet Lounge and head into the main room or upstairs, but you can get yourself some yummy pub treats as well to satisfy your hunger pangs from all the dancing that will be occurring.

Some of Perth’s most quirky DJs will be bringing you the high flying vibes and causing a pulsating vibration through your chest as the doof doof takes off. It’s a Saturday night, it’s dance and it’s free. There are no excuses. Get your dancing boots on and head down from 8pm.

Hyde Park - Seriously Sound System 2010 - The Empressions /Rooster Police / Zeke vs. Kit Pop / Assembly Line / Stoop Fish / Mace Francis Orchestra/ Micah /Ben Mac / Shockone / Rok Riley / Ben M/ Massiv Trav / Ben Taaffe/ Nic Elliot /El Ritmo Crew It is here again! That’s right people. The incredible summer extravaganza that is Seriously Sound System is happening oh so soon. A relatively small and non-bogan event, Seriously Sound System is RTRFM’s local music festival. You’ll be able to witness some amazing per formances by some of Perth’s best- everything from indie to dance, electro, hip hop, orchestral fun and even some reggae and fresh new talent.

If you want to be in the know about who’s who and what disgustingly great future talent we have here in Perth, you need to hit this baby up. It’s all happening at Hyde Park. Head to rtrfm.com.au for ticketing info and set times. Tickets are only $15/20! Cheap as chips and an awesome day, get on down.

Rise –Resonate ft ShockOne If there is something you do this Saturday night, let it be this. Perth’s very own ShockOne will be hitting the decks at Rise.

Having just recently taken out the Best Drum & Bass DJ award and one for Best Producer at last Sunday’s Perth Dance Music Awards 2010, this hot shot is one to watch out for.

Dubstep hero Johnny Quest and Resonate favourites D.Y.P and St_1 will be annihilating the dance floor too. Melbourne’s Tommy Dub will also be joining the crew along with Greg Packer and Xsessiv who bring fresh beats to the house. Drum’n’bass machine Xander will be tearing up some tunes too. This is a night devoted to broken beats and bass, showcasing the wide array of talent that our city has to offer. Get down from 10pm.

Door sales only. Tickets are free for Rise members before

11pm, $5 thereafter, $5 for general peeps before 11pm, $10 before 1am and $15 thereafter. Get your bass on.

Rosemount- Jungle Fever feat. Krust /Kenny Ken /Q-Bik / Seeka MC & Dair / MCs Bear/ Assassin / Rtilary DJ Krust, founder of Bristol’s full cycle crew and much noted for his role in the bass/jungle underground is in our town this weekend!

That’s right everyone, Krust will be bringing his techno, punk, jungle and hip hop to the Rosemount alongside household name in the world of drum’n’bass Kenny Ken. Kenny Ken started DJing back in 1989 and was influenced by the early warehouse parties he used to frequent where Grooverider, Frankie, Bones and Carl Cox used to DJ. Kenny is now DJing all over the world and spreading the jungle vibe.

Get down from 8pm. Tickets are $25 plus booking fee from Planet, Mills and the DJ factory.

Get your jungle on.

Ambar – Japan 4 – Buda/ Dead Easy/Saul Bliss/ Oli/Philly Blunt Amplifier – Eddie Electric Basement On Broadway – DJ Ricky Broken Hill Tavern – DJ Nick Alexander Capitol –Death Disco DJ’s Capitol (Upstairs) - DJ Ryan Captain Stirling - DJ Dano Clink- DJ Cheese Club Bay View – VIP Saturdays – DJ Ryan Deville’s – Johnny Nandez/ Mondo Inferno Double Lucky – DJS Saxon / Sardi Eurobar – Roger Smart/ DJ Raci Eve – DJ Migi / Eve DJs Flying Scotsman (Main Room) – Transmission – Andrei Mazz Flying Scotsman (Defectors) - Rohan Smith/ De Mech/ Cam Duff / Aarin F High Road Hotel – DJ Simon

PERTH’S BEST MID WEEK PARTY Every Wednesday night commencing from 8th Dec 2010

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METRO CITY

XZAKT - ROCKET ROOM

High Wycombe – DJ Matt Hipe Club - DJ E-Funk Leederville - DJ Loco Ren Liquid Nightclub - DJ Klar55 / DJ Stevie M Mint – Pop Life – Darren Briais Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ Danny Mustang – DJ Rockabilly / DJ James MacArthur Niche – Frankie Button / Cee / Jonny Zimber Norma Jeans – DJ Darren Onyx - DJ Kayper Oxford Hotel – DJ Sequeria Paramount –DJ Meezy / DJ Jordan Queens Tav - Gareth Richardson Rubix – Kenny L/ Delaney South St Ale House – DJ Jay Soverign – DJ Jinx Tiger Lil’s – Adam Kelly/ Charlie Bucket The Brighton (Upstairs) – Micah/ Kill Dyl/ eSQue The Deen – DJ Birdie/ DJ JJ/ DJ Tony Allen The Generous Squire –Late Night Sessions - WiG Music The Saint – DJ Anaru The Shed – DJ Glen 20 The Whistling Kite - DJ Craig The Vic – DJ Benny Chill Wembley – DJ Ben Victoria Park Hotel – DJ Melvin Windsor – DJ Ray Woodvale Tavern – DJ Real McCoy

SUNDAY 19/12 Bar Orient – DJ Dred Carine Tavern – Micah /Fiveo /G Martin Captain Stirling – DJ Jay Clink – DJ Tony Allen Club Bayview – DJ Pete Euro Bar – DJ Flex Eve – DJ Birdie Flying Scotsman (Main Room) – Nathan J / Chris Wright / The Nisbit Flying Scotsman (Defectors) DJs Gareth Richardson/ Ted Schlechte / Death Disco’s DJ Anton Mazz.

Mullaloo Beach Hotel – DJ Kenny L Mustang - DJ Rockin Rhys Paddo – DJ Riki Players Bar - DJ-Udas

Queens Tav – DJ Rhys Rubix – The Rotation – Krule/ Dazz K/ Untertone/ Lyndon The Cott – Cott Sessions The Saint – DJ Anaru The Shed – DJ Andyy / The Fix The Wembley – Deckeclectic DJs /FiveO/ Funkybottoms/ Boogie

MONDAY 20/12 Eastern Hotel – Adam Morris The Deen – Plastic Max / The Token Gesture The Paddo – DJ John Paul The Shed – DJ Andyy

TUESDAY 21/12 Bar Orient – DJ Lyndon Bird – Calypso Limbo Night Eastern Hotel – Jon Edwards High Road Hotel – DJ Matty J High Wycombe – DJ Ricky Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Mustang Bar – DJs The Cott (Upstairs) –Maxwell/ DJ Jus Haus/ Damian John Victoria Park Hotel - DJ Melvin

WEDNESDAY 22/12 Basement On Broadway – Damien John/Angry Buda/ Maxwell/Headayke Bird - Empty Cup/ Escape Artists Captain Stirling – WhiteLabel Clancy’s (Applecross) – Upbeat – DJ Andy Connections – DJs Joby / JJ / Rueben Dusk – Blackbelt/ Aswon Eurobar – Wild Wednesdays - DJ iPod/Ben Pettit Eve – DJ Don Migi / Skooby Gold – Slick/ Adroc Hipe Club – DJ Roger Smart Mint – Cracking Xmas Party -Darren Briais Mustang – DJ Giles Niche – DJ Frankie Button Paddo – Ben Merito Rise – Ourstyle The Clink – DJ Jinx The Deen – DJ Zelimer / DJ Viper & DJ Benny T– Zone 1 The Queens – Wriggle on

MINT

THIS WEEK tyDi Friday, December 17 @ Rise Jungle Fever feat Krust (UK) & Kenny Ken (UK) Saturday, December 18 @ The Rosemount Seriously Sound System 2010 Saturday, December 18 @ Hyde Park

COMING UP The Metric Christmas Party feat Jus Haus/Audageous/ Yon Jovi/Scott D/Mickey Juice/Time Travel Agent/ Dead Vents/Macbeth/ Meow/Tony Montana/ Dangerousandlyons + more Thursday, December 23 @ Villa Breakfest feat. Plump DJs/ Freestylers/Freq Nasty/Kid Kenobi/MC Shureshock/ R i c o Tu b b s / At o m i c Hooligan/Far Too Loud/ Soul Of Man + more Sunday, December 26 @ Belvoir Amphitheatre 4 Strings Wednesday, December 29 @ Rise Baked NYE feat. Flying Lotus/Hudson Mohawke/ Gaslamp Killer + More Friday, December 31 @ The Bakery NYExcuse feat Kele (Bloc Party) DJ set Friday, December 31 @ Villa Challenger Ready Friday, December 31 @ Ambar

Origin NYE 2010 feat.

Chase & Status/Subfocus/ High Contrast/Nero/ Spor/16Bit/Breakage/Evol Intent + more Friday, December 31 @ Belvoir Amphitheatre

Netsky Saturday, January 15 @ Villa

Cuban Club 2011 feat.

Arrested Development / Bag Raiders Saturday, January 1 @ The Flying Squadron Yacht Club, Nedlands

Andy C / MC GQ / Blockhead / MC Cowqui Tuesday, January 25 @ Metro City

Club Paradiso feat.

Digitalism/Sebastian Leger + more Saturday, January 1 @ Salt On The Beach Baked New Year’s Day ft. Flying Lotus/Hudson Mohawke/Gaslamp Killer + More Saturday, January 1 @ The Bakery Southbound 2011 feat.

Public Enemy/Bliss n Eso/ Peaches (DJ set)/Yacht Club DJs/A-Trak + more S a t u r d ay, J a n u a r y 1 – Monday, January 3, 2011 @ Busselton, venue TBA Summadayze 2011 feat.

Erol Alkan/Chromeo/ Armin Van Buuren/David Guetta/N.E.R.D/Wolfgang Gartner/Rivastarr/Miami Horror/Yuksek/Aeroplane + more S a t u rd ay, J a n u a r y 8 @ Supreme Court Gardens

Mos Def Saturday, January 15 @ Metro City

Stanton Warriors Tuesday, January 25 @ Villa Raggamuffin 2011 ( Mary J Blige, Jimmy Cliff, Maxi Priest, Sean Paul, The Original Wailers, The Black Seeds, Ky-Mani Marley , The Red Eyes + More Wednesday, January 26 @ Perth Fremantle Oval

Good Vibrations 2011 feat.

Faithless /Phoenix/ Sasha/ Nas/ Damian Marley/ Cee Lo Green/ Kelis/ Ludacris/ Erykah Badu/ Friendly Fires/ Miike Snow/ Fake B l o o d / R u s ko / S i d n ey Samson/ Janelle Monae/ Mike Posner/ Yolanda Be Cool + more Sunday, Februar y 20 @ Claremont Showgrounds Future Music Festival feat.

The Chemical Brothers/ MGMT/Mark Ronson/ Pendulum/Dizzee Rascal/ Leftfield + more Sunday, March 6 @ Arena Joondalup MF Doom/Layla/Dazastan/ King Leondias/Armee/ Charlie Bucket Friday, March 25 @ Metro City

show of the week

SERIOUSLY

SOUND SYSTEM SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18 @ HYDE PARK

Juicy Music Tour feat Willie Morales/David Solano/ Tony Puccio/ Sebastian Morxx.

Friday, January 14 @ Metro City Stoop Fresh

ve, E s a ristm ing Day h C g n Includi s Day, Box

e v E s r eaore information Y w e and Nb.com.au for m

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POW @ THE PADDO

Don’t miss the weekly line-up of local bands playing each Wednesday at The Paddo. On Wednesday, December 22, come see Ultra Detectives, Shock Octopus, Noisypoppy and Paul Hill. Acts start at 8pm and as always, it’s free entry!

JB O’REILLY’S Felicity Groom

INDI BAR

Felicity Groom plays the Indi Bar this Friday, December 17, as Friday’s take on a new lease of life hosting an array of top notch local music, Ms Groom sets prime example she is joined by Goodnight Tiger and Sean O’Neil.

Wednesday, December 22, sees The Stu Thomas Paradox continue the Escape From Algebra CD Launch Tour 2010, which has seen him play in five states across Australia. Stu will rock it solo with a baritone guitar. What’s that, you ask? Why don’t you come and see one in the flesh!

JB’s will be open from 11am this Saturday, December 18, and Sunday, December 19, with our car park marquee to get you all in the mood for the U2 concert at Subi Oval.

RAILWAY HOTEL

COTTESLOE BEACH HOTEL

Following sold out NYE events on the east coast in 2009, Hed Kandi is heading to Perth with the Circus Ilumina show for a very special New Year’s Eve at the Cottesloe Beach Hotel. Hed Kandi is the most stylish name in music and together with the Circus Ilumina production NYE at the Cott is set to be sensational! A first time in Perth for Circus Ilumina, the evening also boasts an exceptional line-up with Frankie Romano, Jem Quinn, Perth’s Chiari, Terry Waites, Sirius B, J-Boy and Keefy B.Tickets are $80 plus BF on sale now from all Moshtix outlets and the Cottesloe Beach Hotel.

Metal is the order of the night at the Railway Hotel this Friday, December 17, when Devil White, Kimura, Devour The Martyr and Gates MOJO’S Of Perdition join forces to raise the roof. Doors Friday, December 17, Blue Shaddy play Mojo’s supported by Mat Cal. Entry is $20 from 8pm. open 8pm, and entry is $5.

Saturday, December 18, The Chevelles celebrate Christmas with fans, family and friends at Mojo’s Bar. Having been at Little Steven’s Wicked Cool Record Company USA and touring the world during 2010, this ought to be a big special party.

Tracksuit will support – so get down. Entry is $10 from 8pm.

MANHATTAN’S BAR

LLAMA BAR

A night of decadent fun awaits at The Fabulous Llama Bar NYE 2010. Dance your ass off to Boom!Bap!Pow! live, DJs Maxwell and Reuben plus sequined go-go girls and cabaret shows by Sugar Blue Burlesque. And did we mention $12 cocktails all night? Tickets $45 from Heatseeker, Llama Bar, Mills and Planet Video.

ROSEMOUNT HOTEL The Rosemount Hotel’s New Years Eve Fiesta returns again this year to ring in 2011! Friday, December 31, sees one of Perth’s premier venues host a killer line-up of Perth’s biggest and best for the ultimate NYE party for live music fans, that won’t hurt the wallet much, either! The night features Red Jezebel, Will Stoker &The Embers,Sons Of Rico,Emperors, Split Seconds and Simone & Girlfunkle. All this plus a special late performance from Tomas Ford, DJ Shannon Fox in the Beer Garden and some very special surprise guests. Doors open 6pm until late, tickets are only $20 plus BF on sale now from Planet Video, Mills Records, Star Perth and Heatseeker.You can also buy tickets just for beer garden entry from the same outlets.

Sneaky Weasel Gang

MUSTANG BAR

Come down and check out the Sneaky Weasel Gang for two shows only, Thursday, December 16, and Thursday, December 23, along with DJ James MacArthur. These three young guys explode into action and start working on grooves that take the crowd from an island beach party, to a smoky, funky blues dance and beyond. They’ve been around the ropes a few times now having played over 300 shows, including several independent tours and festival billings including West and East Coast Blues ‘N’ Roots festivals, Rollercoaster, Island Vibes and Wave Rock Weekender among many others. SWG enjoy music from many places but choose play any combination of blues/ funk/reggae and rock whilst still holding a root in all four. For an independent, West Australian band of mates, these guys really have something.

Friday, December 17, Tracksuit play Manhattan’s supported by The Wilderness and Trav & Jay. Entry to this show is $10 from 8pm. Sunday, December 19, is a super gig starring Hunting Huxley, Sugarpuss, Tokes Muhammad, Sonpsilo Circus and The Weapon Is Sound. This show kicks off at 5pm and has a $6 cover charge.

ROCKET ROOM

Kim Salmon

THE BAKERY

Tickets are selling fast for Saturday, December 18, You Are Exotic at The Bakery featuring Kim Salmon and his band, The Kill Devil Hills, Day Of The Dead, Cal Peck & The Tramps, Bible Bashers plus Sugar Blue Burlesque, magician Jon Madd, The Kurbist Gong Band plus MC Justin Walshe and a night for two at a Wanneroo Caravan Park as the door prize. You are exotic – don’t look elsewhere – it’s all in your backyard!

Tickets for this titillating monster of a show are $20 from nowbaking.com.au or Heatseeker.

Limited door sales will be available at $25 a pop.

FLY BY NIGHT

This Friday, December 17, South West Souls resident DJs play original vinyl that will have you dancing your socks off all night with an across the board mix of Motown, northern soul and modern soul. Then on Saturday, December 18, a stellar line-up of West Australian musicians are banding together to put on a benefit evening for Xave Brown featuring Vikki Thorn (The Waifs), Felicity Groom, Mo Wilson & The Drivers, Ryan Webb, Stu Orchard, The Lonely Brothers, Dilip & The Davs, Prita, Sian Brown, Lee Sappho, Selk Hastings, Minky Gardner, Phoebe Corke, Lucy Peach, Isabel Quigley, Ellen Paynter, Caitlin Dethridge and others.

This Saturday, December 18, Rocket Room will host Stillwater Claims, Cameo Thieves, Devastator and The Exit Line bringing a new breed of hard rock and metal to the scene. Patrons who want to keep the night going will be entertained by resident rockers Kickstart along with a bunch of giveaways including a voucher to get you started with Bust A Move Party bus hire. Doors open at OCEAN BEACH HOTEL 8pm and entry is $10.

Summertime is definitely the party season and with a climate like ours what better way to celebrate New Years Eve than at one of Perth’s THE COURT HOTEL For something a little different this year get down great beach side venues. Themed around Alice In to The Court for an old fashioned College Toga Wonderland there will be skilled DJs, live bands Party! With the biggest inner city outdoor dance and a thousand friends both new and old to party party, frat house games in the beer garden and a the night away. Complimentary food served until cheerleader change room inside The Court is the midnight or upgrade to the gold ticket for VIP place to be this NYE. Tickets on sale now at The entry and a fantastic three course themed dinner in our beach front restaurant.

Court. Because life’s too short to play it straight!

HAVE YOU BEEN

OR NICE?

-RLQ XV LQ FHOHEUDWLQJ WKH)HVWLYH6VHDVRQ CHRISTMAS EVE 24TH DEC

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SOLID STUFF The Ellington Thursday, December 9, 2010 Fans of Indigenous music headed in droves to the beautiful Ellington Jazz Club last week to witness the launch of the TOO SOLID program.

As guests found out about all the coming year’s many TOO SOLID events, John Bennett took to the stage for an acoustic performance, serenading the packed venue.

To get the full rundown on all things TOO SOLID head to toosolid.com.au.

Photographs by David Chong

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SOCIAL FEAST AT THE EAST East End Bar& Lounge Saturday, December 11, 2010 Decked out in an opulent 1920s style, the East End Bar and Lounge goes off every Saturday as Perth’s social butterflies hit the venue for a night of good times and great vibes. As Djs get behind the decks the dancefloor gets pumping, making it the perfect place to kick back with friends.

With some of the best mixologists and hospitality professionals on board, the staff at the East End are dedicated to providing a comfortable environment in which to sample and enjoy an extensive range of champagnes, modern cocktails, wines and spirits from across the globe, with an emphasis on quality rather than price or quantity.

Alex, Georgia

Photographs by Julius Pang

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NEW YEAR’S EVE No cover charge - $7 Smirnoff Mules Open till 2am - Resident DJ Anaru playing all night.

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Dec 19

SUNDAY

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Dec 18

Cheeky Monkeys live from 9pm

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Dec 20

MONDY

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Greg Carter live 5 – 8pm.

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SLEEPWALKING NO SLEEP TIL Arena Joondalup Sunday, December 12, 2010 For the last three or four years, Soundwave has effectively monopolised the punk / rock / metal festival market. They brought a slice of American touring life akin to Vans Warped Tour down under, and it has taken until now for someone to go up against them, but as with any major festival, it’s best to let the music do all the talking. Swede’s Katatonia were a bit of an obscure choice for so early in the day, not drawing the expected numbers. Masses of beautifully-coiffed locks swirled in unison from the duo of guitarists Anders “Blakkheim” Nystrom and Per “Sodomizer” Eriksson, with the almost ethereal vocals stylings of frontman Jonas Renkse creating a stark contrast with the harsher flavours of prior acts. Pure adrenalin?

Canadian traditional metal tyrants, 3 Inches Of Blood, were defined by it. Gracing Australia for the first time in their 10-year career, these Vancouver greats certainly made up for time lost – balls to the floor, guitars aimed high and

TANGO IN THE NIGHT GOTAN PROJECT Perth Concert Hall Sunday, December 12, 2010 There was a feeling of expectation in the room as the Concert Hall filled last Sunday with, seemingly, a unique knowingness that those expectations would be fulfilled. Argentine/ Parisian electro-tango protagonists the Gotan Project were in the house.

Appropriately, vibesetter extraordinaire DJ Charlie Bucket provided opening tuneage for this event, an understandable honour.

pummelling into oblivion.

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes’ punk covers of influential pop classics used to provide the perfect soundtrack to summer, but on this sweltering day their live performance was lackluster. Whether it be because their songs are always going to garner intrigue more than interest, or because the band aren’t playing songs that they themselves wrote, there was something about them that just didn’t suit the festival bill. It’s been a few years since Frenzal Rhomb last hit our neck of the woods. But the boys were definitely back in town, Lindsay “The Doctor” McDougall dressed in a fetching schoolboy outfit – resembling the likes of AC/DC’s Angus Young. Older assaults like Punch In The Face were welcomed with Forever Malcolm Young – mass sing-alongs a plenty with many pimping their incredibly poor taste “Fritzl Rhomb” shirts in a toast to the men who helped define their youth.

Moving into the sweat-box, or the indoor green stage as it was more commonly known, ‘br00t4l’ hipsters Suicide Silence were tearing the young and impressionable crowd a schoolers certainly thought they were. It’s new one. That’s not to say that they were any not that Suicide Silence don’t have the chops, good, but the crowd of predominantly high because they do, but they sound exactly like every other band playing this over-hyped death-core rubbish.

A newly-shaved Al Barr prowled the barrier, signalling the start for Irish American Celtic hardcore giants Dropkick Murphys.

Proving the perfect ingredient for a particularly raucous evening, the ‘live’ factor of this sevenpiece always blows the mind. NOFX have been kings of the punk festivals for years, with the Warped Tour being their home away from home in the States. Whether you’re a fan of NOFX or not, you cannot deny that Fat Mike is one of the most entertaining frontmen going around, and the rest of his band do well to not only compliment his humour, but to simply tolerate his incredible harshness. His rudeness, arrogance and utter obnoxiousness made for a more than enjoyable set.

Headless mutants, armless droogies, blood, gore and oversized phalluses spewing goo heralded GWAR – one of the absolute highlights of the No Sleep Til soiree. It may have taken them 25 years, but earth’s only openly extraterrestrial outfit finally made it down under, sparing no expense on a very R-rated stage show that featured sodomy, decapitation and the death of their pet T-Rex Gor Gor at the hands of frontman Oderus Urungus. Celebrating their latest effort, Bloody Pit Of Horror, classics like Saddam A Go Go were Megadeth (photos: Denis Radacic) not forgotten– with a spear and a SaddamSuddenly, though, the house lights arced up, then down as five lit bass drums at the front of the stage spelled out T-A-N-G-O rather promisingly. Gotan Project members descended through thin chain curtains for the traditional tango of Cuesta Abajo, to open proceedings, evolving rather briskly into the classic, Epoca. Perhaps becoming better known (rather more blandly) these days as the music behind the Finish dishwashing liquid ad, Gotan stole it back the moment sensual vocalist, Claudia Pannone, stepped to the microphone. It was the first of many arousing moments for the evening, from the sublime to the ridiculously good.

While accordionist Facundo Torres caressed his instrument over his knee as his hair fell about his cheekbones, founding members Philippe Cohen Solal (DJ/composer/multiinstrumentalist), Eduardo Makaroff (guitar) and computers maestro Christoph Muller rocked three-piece suits with homburg hats,

SHOOTING BLANKS

Korn (photo: Matthew Hogan)

crowd which graced the booze-soaked tarmac of Kwinana Raceway last weekend. They seemed to enjoy every minute of the twoand-half hour big arena extravaganza. But Perth Motorplex this was exactly the ego-tote, or wallet-stroke, Saturday, December 11, 2010 the ‘Axl Rose band’ was pegging for. Even if the iconic frontman himself was completely Guns N’ Roses… what an absolute joke. This outshone by his support acts. review could pretty much stop here. But what After more than seven years, Shihad justice would that do to the 10,000-strong have finally regained the confidence to stand

GUNS N’ ROSES / Korn / Shihad

62

Gwar

esque character engaged in some very lewd behaviour…as one can only imagine.

It is hard to believe it has been two decades since the seminal release of Megadeth’s Rust In Peace. The fourth studio album from one of the big four of American thrash, and considered among one of the most influential heavy metal albums of all time, it seemed only fitting that this occasion received its due reverence from both band and fan alike.

“We’re doing pretty good” iconic frontman Dave Mustaine said, with a smirk, a taste of the only in-between song talk – with skeletal mascot Vic Rattlehead making an appearance before Dawn Patrol. Ending off on a high with the requisite additions of Symphony Of Destruction and Peace Sells, the sea of horns a seal of honour for a band that has changed the lives of so many.

No Sleep Til festival marks the first attempt at someone sticking it to the big guys, and as soon as the line-up and horrible poster artwork for No Sleep Til was released, it was clear that Soundwave still had no serious competition. Sure, No Sleep Til offered a variety of the punk, rock and metal genres, but they weren’t able to offer the quality of acts, the size of the spectacle or the value for money that Soundwave is known for. As far as punk festivals go, No Sleep Til was the Donny of the Wahlberg family. _GEORGE GREEN & JESSICA WILLOUGHBY

looking not unlike be-hatted Leonard Cohens, or friendly gangster ghouls. The video screen opened up with the first of many obtuse yet strangely warm arthouse visuals by multimedia artist, Prisca Lobjoy, for Rayuela. A song in tribute to Argentine composer, Julio Cortazar, it was awash with the sampled chant of a children’s choir and ended with a musical and lighting crescendo, largely due to what appeared to be Muller’s iPad. A moving,more traditional tango piece, Erase Una Vez (Once Upon A Time) was described as a story about a young married couple who move to Argentina, poor, but it’s no matter as they are full of love. The lush instrumentation and electro beats that punctuated it were somehow matched by Cohen Solal’s whistling, strangely inherent to the storytelling as he gesticulated with a pointed, poignant finger.

Such simplicities seemed as key to Gotan’s dynamic as the primary tango attraction – be it the whistling, pianist Lalo Zanetti thumping the

top of his piano, Malakoff lilting his guitar to the heavens, a little melodramatic flirting between Pannone and the gentlemen onstage, or Muller thumping beats with what appeared to be Wii remotes. Every movement had a meaning, both subtle and sensual. It was song noir in action.

When Pannone emerged onstage having slipped into a slinky cocktail dress, feather in hair, all bets were off. The outfit surged into Panamericana, a song journey from top-totoe of South America, the song a concert in itself.

Folks emerged from their seats to dance, a few flocking in front to tango.

After a few moments offstage Cohen Solal emerged to rearrange the letters on the bass drums to G-O-T-A-N, prior to the festive conclusion, Immigrante. It was a simple, yet powerful gesture, reminding an adoring audience of what they already knew and had long fallen for.

strong and tall under their original band name. Even if their newer material in Ignite (2010) does not have the ‘ballsy’ factor as their earlier recordings. But memorable frontman Jon Toogood and company were born to play stadium rock, and this auspicious opening slot was just case proven. Driven by the simplistic bass tones of Karl Kippenberger, older festival favourites General Electric and Comfort Me were slotted in amongst newer lowlights of Lead Or Follow. Ending off with the expected aggression of 1999’s My Mind’s Sedate, the testosterone was literally pumping from the drag strip.

Korn emerged to the more subdued sounds of 4 U, from 1999’s Issues, the dreaded trio of frontman Jonathan Davis – still in one of his many assorted Adidas tracksuit ensembles, James “Munky” Shaffer looking quite Adam Ant-esque and bassist Reg “Fieldy” Arivzu still at its core. Newer tracks Did My Time were spliced between classics like Falling Away From Me, Coming Undone – complete with the We Will Rock You interlude and Freak On A Leash. “Are you ready for more?” Davis posed to the pulsating crowd below, leading into Clown and Blind before treading into Pink Floyd origins with a rendition of Another Brick In The Wall. Coming fully equipped with bagpipes in-tow, the seamless transition to Shoots And Ladders had a chorus of voices join from the pit – with Got The Life a fitting conclusion to a set that far bypassed the calibre of the

headliners.

For those expecting to catch a glimpse of what Guns N’ Roses ‘were’, in any sense, would have been completely devastated. With vocalist Rose the only original member of the once-great outfit still at the helm, he fronted a brigade of talented musicians-for-hire who were left to pick up the slack for the pitfalls of his ageing vocals.

The main soiree did not kick off until 9.20pm, only an hour late – relatively good by Rose’s standard, with the chugging title track off his latest Chinese Democracy.

An understandable choice, the song was met with much of the same crowd unease that filtered from every new pick throughout the two-and-a-half out set. But at least Rose recognised this, with hits like Welcome To The Jungle, Rocket Queen, November Rain and Sweet Child O’ Mine always ready to follow.

Bursting with all the classic rock clichés, from the pyrotechnics and huge projection screens with cheesy imagery of semi-naked ladies and cars to multiple costume changes, Rose left the showmanship to his musical ensemble – with lead guitarist DJ Ashba taking up the role of Slash in true form. With Paradise City left for the raucous encore, it was hard not to feel like you were watching the death of a legend – right in front of your eyes.

_BOB GORDON

_JESSICA WILLOUGHBY www.xpressmag.com.au

HARD LEARNED LESSON

ALPHAMALE PAUL KELLY Astor Theatre Friday, December 10, 2010

SHARON JONES & THE DAPKINGS / Victor Valdes Trio Fremantle Arts Centre Sunday, December 12, 2010 Soul fans of all stripes were spread across the Fremantle Arts Centre’s grounds on Sunday to celebrate the launch of Sharon Jones’ most successful album to date, I Learned The Hard Way, with a mix of trendy twentysomethings, young families and older aficionados lazing on picnic blankets and enjoying quiet drinks as the weekend wound down.

Local turntablist and RTR host DJ Paul Gamblin kicked off proceedings, followed by a set of mariachi music from acclaimed Mexican musician Victor Valdes, a Sydneysider for the last decade. As the sun began to set, Melbourne’s DJ Miss Goldie took to the decks and kept the atmosphere laidback with an hour-long mix of breezy – and obscure – soul 45s.

New York soul and funk icons The Dap-Kings took the stage just before 8.30pm, with guitarist and bandleader Binky Griptite welcoming punters to the “Daptone Super Soul Revue” before launching into The Reason, the sole instrumental track from I Learned The Hard Way. The eight piece band immediately impressed with their incredibly tight musicianship. This also set the tone for the evening, with the group’s performance drawing heavily from their latest release.

Sharon Jones didn’t waste any time in hitting the stage, joined by two backup singers. Despite being backed by one of music’s tightest bands, her incredible voice and dynamic stage presence ensured that every set of eyes was soon on her as she started singing If You Call.

Midway through the uptempo When I Come Home, she impressed the audience by showing off various dances from the 60’s, including the Boogaloo, the Funky Chicken and the Tighten Up. As she

Sharon Jones (photo: Sammy Granville)

performed How Do I Let A Good Man Down? from 2005’s Naturally, she introduced a number of kids onstage to dance with her, much to the security’s dismay (towards the end of the song, as guards tried to usher the interlopers offstage, Jones – a former Rikers prison guard before finding success as a musician – told the kids ‘don’t be scared of security’ to laughs from the crowd).

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings left the stage after performing 100 Days, 100 Nights. Many punters shouted for an encore, but not loudly enough, judging by a clearly unimpressed Binky Griptite returning to the stage and asking “do you expect this to happen, or are you trying to make this happen?” The audience eventually made enough noise to bring the group back for a high energy sign off, wrapping up a fantastic night of funk and soul. _JOSHUA HAYES

Paul Kelly’s A-Z shows have become almost as iconic as the man himself. It seems a gesture of almost arrogant confidence on behalf of an artist to stage multi-night shows trailing through the alphabet by way of plumbing the impressive depths of their catalogue, but such is the calm assurance of the man that we all know why we’re here.

We’re here for L-S. On this occasion, anyway, as Night #3 in the journey kicked in. Now it must be said that L-S does not seem to be the hit-laden portion of the alphabet for Kelly, though such things do not matter when the quality clings like pearls on a string. Love Never Runs On Time was a familiar, friendly opener, followed by he impressive Dan Kelly walking onstage to accompany his uncle astutely on Lion And The Lamb. The biblical Meet Me In The Middle Of The Air rose to gospel heights, and showcased the fact that while his vocals are proffered in an understated style, Paul Kelly really does have a uniquely reflective quality in is voice.

He is the master storyteller after all, as songs such as Maralinga, Nukkanya and Oldest Story In The Book detailed so well. His gentle, wry humour came to play as he forgetfully fumbled with the alphabet board during the second act, from Other People’s Houses to Please Leave Your Light On. He admitted fudging The Ballad Of Queenie And The Rover for ‘Q’, only to find that particular letter was missing from the bard (it was swiftly retrieved by guitar tech, Andy Lawson, a prominent local producer). Rally Round The Drum brought boxing tent woes to the art deco theatre, but a lighter edge was around the corner with Saturday Night Sunday Morning. We were on the wrong night to hear Bradman but were entertained with the whimsical Shane Warne, the subject of the song himself most likely copping a face-full of Liz Hurley somewhere as we listened.

As the man and young Dan brought the evening to a close with Somewhere In The City, you could only ponder the great

Paul Kelly (photo: Mike Wylie)

depths of this songwriter who has become as important as any of the Australians he has chosen to sing about. Meanwhile the four-nighter patrons immediately began pondering T-Z.

THIS WEEK

COMING SOON: THURS 23 DEC

THURS 16 DEC

CIVIC STYLE

Open Mic Night Contact Nick - 0438 451 215. 7.30pm. Free Entry

Open Mic Night

FRI 17 DEC

Stand & Deliver NYE in The Den- 2 stager feat. The Reptilians + The Creeps + Husseins + Lucille + Bloody Hollys + Blazin Entrails + SSA + Scalphunter + The Lungs.

FRI 31 DEC

Grand Suns + Oishii + Heytesburg + Shamans.

8pm. $10

SAT 18 DEC

Calectasia + Eddie and The Medicine Machine + Delusions of Grandeur & Mayor Darby. 8pm. $5

FRI 14 JAN

Kill Teen Angst + Benedict Moleta Band + Sean O’Neill & Bill Darby. 8pm. $10

THIS WEEK

COMING SOON:

FRI 17 DEC

SAT 19 FEB

CREATIONS (NSW) + Turning Tides + In League + Afraid of Heights + Mom, Dad & The Kids + Adrift.

8pm. $15

SAT 18 DEC

The Sluts of The Underground, Wormhole, Eye Spy, The S.K.A.M, Starcleaner, DJ Screech & U-Wish. 8pm. $10

Tickets $25each with casino chips Purchase 10 tickets & receive VIP table

_BOB GORDON

FRI 31 DEC

Civic Hotel NYE Party Monte Carlo meets Moulin Rouge… Roulette & Black Jack Tables, Showgirls, Elvis Impersonator & more…. 8.30pm til 2am $25 (includes casino chips) Plus prizes.

THE

BAND ROOM

Book of Lilith Caprycon, Beltane Fire & Speed of Eternity.

8pm. $10

SAT 26 FEB

BATTLEFEST Metal Festival feat. Grotesque, Vespers Descent, Gallows for Grace, Claim the Throne, Prisoners of Faith, Shrapnel, Thirty3 Victims, Ill Vision, Devastator & Rising Tide….

12pm til Midnight $20

8:30pm til 2am Complete with Black Jack & Roulette Tables, Show Girls & Elvis Impersonator Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

civichotel.manager@spirithotels.com.au 63

RESORT

Getting Familia Consisting primarily of long-standing friends David Spencer, Anna Wallwork and Sarah Beltran, electro pop outfit Resort are one of the local acts that define summer in Perth.

With soulful summer beats and a breezy mix of grooves, keys, bass, violin and more, their debut album, Familia, comes out just in time for your summer holidays.

“Around four years ago at a mutual friend’s party, Dave and Anna performed the track Grace Me, and I approached them to add keys and backing vocals and the rest is history,” exclaims Beltran as to their beginnings. “ We’d been rolling for the last few years as a three piece, but this year the Resort sound has developed through more live instrumentation especially now with the inclusion of Nick Blackaby creating incredibly smooth bass guitar lines, Alex Koresis with exotic

Resort

and soulful conga, bongo and live percussive beats, and special guest appearances by David Willis on trumpet and flugel horn.”

Nearly two years in the making, Familia was recorded locally at Cornucopia Productions in Medina with Dami Summers. “We had a couple of guests on the album: Ben Caddy on violin, Anna Pokorny on cello, David Willis on trumpet and flugel horn, and Dami Summers on guitar, bass guitar, mandolin and some vocals too,” informs Beltran. “Familia is the name of one of the tracks in the album, and it translates to the word ‘family’. We liked how that felt as the

defining word to the album, it represents the culmination of the friendship, creativity, emotion and time that we’ve shared together through making this album... we’re pretty much family to each other!”

2010 certainly helped the members of Resort become more familiar with each other as in addition to completing their album, they also played more shows than ever before. “We were gigging throughout the whole recording process so we could somewhat ease our back pockets to fund the completion of the album,” Beltran continues. “Also performing our music for others to enjoy provided a good balance from the weekly trek to the studio. It kept our momentum going and sanity levels at bay!”

“Southbound and Groovin’ The Moo was an amazing experience and opportunity for us,” she continues. “Performing on such a grand stage at events with all the bells and whistles compared to the smaller pub stages that we’ve performed on, was a real treat. And of course playing our music to a greater audience

is always a thrill, especially in getting punters coming up to us and saying they enjoyed our music! We’re hoping it’s a sign of more to come!”

It looks like 2011 will be another big year for the outfit with plenty of plans already in place. “We’ve got a few new tracks up our sleeve or waiting to be worked on as a five piece band, and we’ve got the wheels in motion on a music video with Richard Berney and Holly Kemp,” Bertram offers. “But who knows what this launch will bring? I suppose if we bring it back to basics, all of us enjoy our friendship, writing and playing music together, so if we take one step at a time and continue to grow our sound, we’ll be happy to take it as it comes, so long as there is a laugh to be had and beer in the hand!”

Resort launch Familia at Fremantle Arts Centre this Sunday, December 19. Support comes from Mister & Sunbird, W Deluxe & the Emperor’s Lovers, DJ Missile and David Cain. _MATTHEW HOGAN

TANGLED WEBB

Having just taken out the grand prize at the UK’s annual Festival4StarsLive songwriting contest for his track Midnight Drive, local singer/songwriter Ryan Webb is gearing up for a European tour in early 2011. In what will be his final appearance before he heads overseas, you can catch him this Tuesday, December 21, at the Llama Bar. He also appears at the Xave Brown benefit show at the Fly By Night this Saturday, December 18.

Homebrewe

STRANGE BREWE

With frontman Kohen Grogan recently returning home from the USA, where he gathered some interest for the band’s debut My Own Nemesis, Homebrewe are set to launch the video clip to the single Miss You at the Rosemount this Friday, December 17, with support from The Order Of The Black Werewolf, Blackwater Station and Stillwater Giants. Homebrewe will be jetting to the US next year for a five week tour and to lay down some new tracks.

GOOD KARMA

Hard rocking new kids on the scene, Karma FX, are launching their first single Friendly Stranger this Friday, December 17, at the Rocket Room. The night will also see Thursdays Page, Aztech Suns and Eddy Lovejoy hit the stage.

MODERN SCIENTISTS

You Are Exotic celebrates the past and present of Perth music this Saturday, December 18, at The Bakery. Headlined by Scientists main man Kim Salmon and his band, the show also features The Kill Devil Hills, Day Of The Dead, Cal Peck & The Tramps, Bible Bashers, Sugar Blue Burlesque, magician Jon Madd, MC Justin Walshe and the Kurbist Gong Band. Plus a night for two at a fabulous Wanneroo caravan park is also up for grabs!

STOCKING FILLERS

There’s no place more fitting to launch a record than a record shop and several of Perth’s finest experimental acts are teaming up to do just that. Dada Records’ Christmas gig takes place this Saturday, December 18, Royal Vomit launching his split tape with Newcastle savant Cock Safari, Erasers and The Ghost Of 29 Megacycles launch their split tape Mixed Seasons and Seams drop their Christmas CD Seams In Your Stocking. Usurper Of Modern Medicine and Electric Gooch also play. Free from 3pm.

PAINT THE TOWN BROWN

Experimental noise sextet Brown are farewelling their clarinet player Katherine Brown this Saturday, December 18, at The Bird. She’s heading to Cambodia to partake in some voluntary and social work through This Life Cambodia. The show this weekend will raise funds to help extend her time there and The Long Strides, Hurricane Fighter Plane, Mercy Mercy & The Success Of Saturn and Adam Burges also play.

CHILDREN GET OLDER

For an alternative Christmas party head to the Newport for I Know What You Did Last Christmas tonight, Thursday, December 17. See The Creptter Children’s final Perth show along with Matty Trash & The Horrorbles, Buzz Kill Vamps, Duchess Silk and burlesque performances. Best outfit wins a gift voucher to Red Stripe clothing.

THURSDAY

Sneaky Weasel Gang

SATURDAY

with DJ James MacArthur

SUNDAY

and Special Guests

Marco & The Rhythm Kings with Rockabilly DJ The Damien Cripps Band & DJ James MacArthur

Pete Busher & The Lone Ranger with DJ Rockin Rhys

FRIDAY

Adam Hall & The Velvet Playboys with Swing DJ

MONDAY

Marco & The Rhythm Kings

Cheeky Monkeys with DJ James MacArthur

TUESDAY

Danza Loca Salsa night

DJ and live percussionists 64

WEDNESDAY

Milhouse with DJ Giles

STUDENT & BACKPACKER NIGHT

$5 BBQ & drink deal from 6pm www.xpressmag.com.au

Edited by Matthew Hogan Email your news and pics by 12 noon, Monday to: localmusic@xpressmag.com.au

Wormhole

EYE HOLE

Stuff some rock in your stocking this Saturday, December 18, with Wormhole and Eye Spy finishing up their Magical Christmas Tour at the Civic Hotel. They’ll be joined by The S.K.A.M, Starcleaner and The Sluts Of The Underground from 8pm.

GOOD MORNING Electromen

ELECTROCLASH

Launching their debut album tonight, Thursday, December 16, at Manhattan’s is those there psychedelic hillbillies, the Electromen. With a sound that traverses spacey surf, barbed wire guitar pop and fried out rockabilly, they’re keeping it eclectic with Rocket To Memphis and the Moondog Blues Band supporting from the weeknight-friendly time of 7pm. The headliners hit the stage at 9pm.

SHAUN CELEBRATION

WA recording engineer Shaun O’Callaghan was laid to rest in Albany last weekend and this Tuesday, December 21, people in Perth can pay their respects at the Norfolk Basement from 7pm. Featuring special guests speaking, performing and celebrating the man that had such an influence on many, the night’s entry fee will be put toward paying the rent of his studio space to assist those finalising his unfinished work.

The Brow Horn Orchestra Electromen Reapers Riddle Sins Of The Father Karma FX Ultra Sound

Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

Come celebrate Christmas this Friday, December 17, at The Bird with The Morning Night stepping up to the plate for their final show of the year.

With their debut album due out next year, The Morning Night will be joined by Simone & Girlfunkle and One Tiger Down. Entry is free.

TEGAN & SARITAH

Fresh from four months of globe-trotting, songstress Saritah is back home in Freo for one show only. She’s taken the stage in festivals in California and Canada and played headline shows in the UK, Seoul and Hong Kong, as well as honed her skills in Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa and South Korea. Hear some travel stories when Saritah plays solo this Friday, December 17, at the X-Wray Café.

A GRAND DON’T COME FOR FREE

This Friday, December 17, local psych blues fourpiece Grand Suns close out their year in style at The Den. The band has an even bigger 2011 planned as they plan on dropping their debut EP. See them along with Oishii, Heytesburg and Shamans for $10 from 8pm.

16 Dec Llama Bar 16 Dec Manhattan’s 7 Jan Amplifier 14 Jan Amplifier 14 Jan Rosemount 19 Feb Rocket Room

HOLIDAY ROAD

If you’re a high schooler, then you know holidays are here leading to six weeks of pure unadulterated awesomeness. Celebrate the break in style today, Thursday, December 16, at Boorogoon’s The Vault from 3pm. With arcade games, pinball, fairy floss, snow cones and more, Art In Algebra and Zaardvark will play live.

MASTERCHEV

Topping off the year that saw them tour the world to celebrate their 20th anniversary, The Chevelles are hosting a special Christmas party show at Mojo’s this Saturday, December 18. Joining them is Tracksuit and Evin Rude & The Outboards. Be sure to catch the lads as 2011 is set to be another busy year for ‘em.

DISQUIT

Local three-piece punk rock group Disquiet are calling it a day after seven years and various band names. With drummer Marcus heading to India to do aid work, the band has decided they can’t go one without him. Joining the band at their farewell shindig is Zeks, Ten Points For Glenroy, From Deep Within and Silver Lizard. It hits up the Swan Basement this Sunday, December 19.

JULES’ JEWELS

After spending the last few months refining his solo show, Julius Lutero has now changed format to a trio and now his melodic brand of reggae has gotten even funkier. Having sold over 1100 CDs, he plays at the Leederville Hotel’s Funk Club this Friday, December 17.

DOMNICKIAN REPUBLIC

Halfway through recording their second record, The DomNicks are coming out to play this Saturday, December 18, at Clancy’s Freo. The lads are currently recording at Kingdom Studios and are looking to release the final product in April.

THE KUILLOTINES The Shakes Gasoline Scorpio Records

The Kuillotines have been k ick ing along for many years now, and the latest line-up is their best yet. The addition of Graeme Duffy on drums and Nick Vasey on guitar has given them a rhythmic solidity and lead guitar shred that previously eluded the band.

A nice little chunk of Scandinavianinfluenced punk rock’n’roll; this three track CD shows plenty of potential. The songs are well constructed; indeed, lead man Jesse French has been in the game for the best part of 20 years and has always had an effortless knack for hooks.

All that ’s needed is the right producer and this band could easily take on the world. _BEN WATSON

HUMUNGOUS D Humungous D Heavy Metal Merchant

Just when you thought Dave Evans was turfed out of AC/DC in 1974, Humungous D rolled straight outta Hillarys.

Featuring a stupendously silly name and an all-star cast of dudes from bands like Black Steel and The Siren Tower, this EP is an earnest and reasonably kickarse slab of Aussie pub rock; one that’s likely to go down like a genius in pretty much any hotel front room or barbeque anywhere.

The guitars, after all, sound sensational and the vocals are super-honest and well-delivered. If you are looking for flat-out rock’n’roll then look no further.

Hipsters be warned: you have heard this EP before. The rest of you, get on it! _BEN WATSON

65

N*E*R*D, January 8, Summadayze

Health, January 14, The Bakery

THIS WEEK

JANUARY

DECEMBER 16–22

CUBAN CLUB (Arrested Development, Bag Raiders and more) 1 Flying Squadron Yacht Club

EL GUINCHO 17 The Bakery

KIM SALMON 17 Norfolk Basement 18 The Bakery

U2, JAY Z 18 & 19 Patersons Stadium (Subiaco Oval)

MUSE, BIFFY CLYRO

CLUB PARADISO (Digitalism, Sebastian Leger and more) 1 Salt On The Beach THE 3RD ANNUAL NEW YEARS DAY CONCERT (Xavier Rudd and more) 1 Fremantle Arts Centre

Primal Scream, February 6, Big Day Out

CARUS THOMPSON 2 Fremantle Arts Centre HELLO SATELLITES 2 X-Wray Café 8 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury 9 The Bird BUILT TO SPILL 4 Rosemount Hotel DARYL BRAITHWAITE, COTTON KEAYS & MORRIS 7 Mundaring Weir Hotel

NICK BARKER & BAND SOUTHBOUND (Interpol, 7 Settlers Tavern 8 Wignall Winery, Albany Klaxons, The National, TOMMY & PHIL The Rapture, Joan Jett & 9 Redcliffe On The Murray EMMANUEL The Blackhearts, Public THEE OH SEES 20 Burswood Theatre Enemy, The Living End, 8 Amplifier Eskimo Joe, Angus & SUMMADAYZE (David Julia Stone, Birds of Guetta, Armin Van Tokyo, Ladyhawke, Bliss Buuren, N*E*R*D, BREAKFEST (2 Live N Eso, Tame Impala, Chromeo, Boys Noize, Hot Hot Heat, Cold Crew, Cuban Brothers, Erol Alkan, Art Vs War Kids, Sleigh Bells, Plump DJs, Freq Nasty, Science, Miami Horror, Peaches DJ set, Paul Kid Kenobi & MC Claude Von Stroke, Tinie Kelly, Children Collide, Shureshock and more) Tempah, PVT, Breakbot, 25 Belvoir Amphitheatre Ash Grunwald, The Soft Yuksek, Aeroplane, Riva Pack, The Beautiful Girls, Starr, Zombie Disco The Morning Benders, ARRESTED Squad, Nervo, Stafford The Cool Kids, Junip, Brothers and more) DEVELOPMENT Kitty Daisy & Lewis, 8 Esplanade & Supreme 31 Salt On The Beach Marina & The Diamonds, Court Gardens Muscles, Dan Sultan, ORIGIN (Chase & The Middle East, Cloud DARKEST HOUR Status, Sub Focus, High Control, Yacht Club 9 Amplifier Contrast, Nero, Spor, Erol DJs, Washington, Boy Intent and more) & Bear, Sally Seltmann, JON SPENCER BLUES 31 Belvoir Ampitheatre Jonathan Boulet, The EXPLOSION Bamboos, Tijuana Cartel, 13 Rosemount AMPLIFIER NYE PARTY A-Trak, Tim & Jean, Edan 2011 (Grafton Primary, the Dee-Jay, Chris Baio HEALTH Sugar Army and more) (Vampire Weekend DJ 14 The Bakery 31 Amplifier set), Beardyman, and more) KINGS OF THE BLUES NICK BARKER & BAND 1-3 Sir Stewart Bovell Park, (Dave Hole and more) 31 Divers Tavern, Broome Busselton 15 Cunderdin Oval 19 Steel Blue Oval

DECEMBER

66

EMMURE 16 Cockburn Youth Centre (early) / Amplifier (late) OWEN PALLETT 22 Fly By Night STING 22 Sandalford Winery DON WALKER & THE LUCKY STRIKES 22 Quindanning Tavern 23 Fremantle Arts Centre CAT POWER 24 Live At The Quarry, Amphitheatre WIRE 25 The Bakery RAGGAMUFFIN 2011 (Mary J Blige, Jimmy Cliff, Maxi Priest, Sean Paul, The Original Wailers, The Black Seeds, Ky-Mani Marley and more) 26 Fremantle Oval THE NECKS 26 & 27 The Bakery MARK SEYMOUR & JAMES REYNE 27 – 30 Live At The Quarry, Amphitheatre PAUL DEMPSEY 28 Fly By Night KENNY ROGERS 29 Lake Karrinyup Golf Course

FEBRUARY (HED)P.E 2 Amplifier A DAY ON THE GREEN (INXS, Train, Baby Animals) 3 Kings Park

www.xpressmag.com.au

1(: <($56 (9( The Getaway Plan, February 9, Capitol

Mount Kimbie, March 4, The Bakery

Mavis Staples, April 17, West Coast Blues ‘N’ Roots Festival

SOUNDWAVE (Iron Maiden, Queens Of The Stone Age, Slayer, Primus, Slash, Rob Zombie, Stonesour, Sevendust, Avenged Sevenfold, One Day As Alion, Bullet For My Valentine, Social Distortion, Millencolin and more) 7 Venue TBC

SUFJAN STEVENS 3 & 4 Regal Theatre

LLOYD COLE 17 Beck’s Music Box

AMANDA PALMER 4 Fly By Night

DAVID HELFGOTT 19 Mundaring Weir Hotel

GLENN SHORROCK/ WENDY MATTHEWS 5 Mundaring Weir Hotel

KASEY CHAMBERS 19 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre 20 Bunbury Entertainment Centre 22 Albany Entertainment Centre 24 Esperance Civic Centre KESHA 26 Elmars In The Valley 7 Challenge Stadium 27 Queens Park Theatre, Geraldton GANG OF FOUR 8 The Bakery ROXY MUSIC, MONDO ROCK GERRY & THE 19 & 20 Leeuwin Estate PACEMAKERS Winery 10 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre AN EVENING ON THE 11 Mundaring Weir Hotel GREEN (Joe Cocker, George Thorogood, WAVVES, BLEEDING Diesel, The Dingoes) 19 Sir James Mitchell Park KNEES CLUB 11 The Bakery South Perth

BIG DAY OUT (Tool, Rammstein, Bloody Beetroots DC77, Iggy & The Stooges,Wolfmother, John Butler Trio, Deftones, MIA, Pnau, LCD Soundsystem, Bliss N Eso, Lupe Fiasco, Grinderman, Operator Please, Primal Scream, Birds Of Tokyo, Plan B, Jim Jones Revue, Booka Shade, Children Collide, Angus & Julia Stone, Die Antwoord, Gyroscope, The Black Keys, Kid Kenobi & MC Shureshock, Dead Letter Circus, Little Red, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Gypsy & The Cat, The Naked & Famous, Vitalic, Sampology, Lowrider, Andrew WK and more) 6 Claremont Showgrounds

GOOD VIBRATIONS (Faithless, Phoenix, Sasha, Nas & Damien Marley, Kelis, Yolanda Be Cool and more) 20 Claremont Showgrounds KOOL & THE GANG / DJ NORMAN JAY 20 Perth Zoo

IAN MOSS 12 Mundaring Weir Hotel RIHANNA 12 Burswood Dome NEW ORLEANS 13 Perth Concert Hall USHER,TREY SONGZ 15 Burswood Dome

RATATAT 7 Capitol

DOVES 21 Metro Freo

DON MCLEAN 9 Burswood Dome

MARTHA WAINWRIGHT 21 Beck’s Music Box

RETURN TO FOREVER 9 Riverside Theatre

DAME KIRI TE KANAWA & WASO 25 Kings Park

JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE 16 & 17 Mojo’s

THE GETAWAY PLAN 9 Capitol

THE BLACK SORROWS, VIKA & LINDA BULL 26 Mundaring Weir Hotel

BJ THOMAS 16 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre 18 Regal Theatre

ST JEROMES LANEWAY FESTIVAL (!!!, The Antlers, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Beach MOUNT KIMBIE House, Blonde Redhead 4 Bakery and more) TIM MINCHIN 12 Perth Cultural Centre 4 & 5 Kings Park DE LA SOUL OLD MAN RIVER, 12 Metro City PASSENGER 4 Amplifier ROY AYERS 5 Mojo’s 12 Beck’s Music Box MICHAEL BUBLE, THE UNTHANKS NATURALLY 7 13 Beck’s Music Box 4 & 5 Sandleford Winery, Swan Valley 6 Sandleford Winery, TRICKY Margaret River 14 Capitol

MARCH

GWILYM SIMCOCK TRIO 15 Beck’s Music Box

THE PLATTERS WITH MONROE POWELL 5 Mundaring Weir Hotel

THE BOOKS 16 Beck’s Music Box

FUTURE MUSIC (Chemical Brothers, MGMT, Pendulum, Dizzee Rascal, Mark Ronson and more) 6 Arena Joondalup

MAYER HAWTHORNE & THE COUNTRY 16 The Bakery

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CHRIS ISAAK 16 Kings Park STONE TEMPLE PILOTS 16 Challenge Stadium

APRIL THE SCRIPT 2 Challenge Stadium LIONEL RICHIE / GUY SEBASTIAN 6 NIB Stadium JIMMY EAT WORLD 5 Metro City LUKA BLOOM 7 Fly By Night SUPAFEST (Snoop Dogg, Taio Cruz, Nelly, Bow Wow, plu more) 10 Joondalup Arena CITY & COLOUR 11 Astor Theatre GOOD CHARLOTTE, SHORT STACK, BOYS LIKE GIRLS 15 Challenge Stadium SPARKADIA / OPERATOR PLEASE / ALPINE 16 Capitol BARRY MANILOW 16 Sandleford Estate WEST COAST BLUES ‘N’ ROOTS (Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, The Cat Empire, Rodrigo Y Gabriella, Gurrumul, Michaelo Franti & Spearhead, Blind Boys Of Alabama with Aaron Neville, Rockwiz Live, Mavis Staples, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Toots & The Maytals, Washington, Ruthie Foster, Grace Jones and more) 17 Fremantle Park

SWEET 17 Regal Theatre 18 Bunbury Entertainment Centre

DISTURBED, TRIVIUM, AS I LAY DYING 20 Burswood Dome

BELLE & SEBASTIAN 18 Astor Theatre

INDIGO GIRLS 21 Perth Concert Hall

KATE CEBERANO 19 Mundaring Weir Hotel

MAY

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC 21 Burswood Theatre KINGS OF LEON 21 NIB Stadium DOOBIE BROTHERS 22 Burswood Dome

+DZLDQ 7KHPH /RFDO 'MoV 'ULQN 6SHFLDOV )UHH (QWU\ CNR WILLIAM AND JAMES ST NORTHBRIDGE 9227 9596 WWW.THEBRASSMONKEY.COM.AU

MAROON 5 1 Burswood Dome

THURSDAY

BEX’S OPEN MIC NIGHT

JUSTIN BEIBER 7 Burswood Dome KYUSS LIVES 11 Capitol

MF DOOM 25 Metro City

JOE BONAMASSA 23 Perth Concert Hall

DAVE HOLE 26 Mundaring Weir Hotel

JAMES BLUNT 23 Riverside Theatre

NEIL DIAMOND 29 NIB Stadium

BEN FOLDS 24 Riverside Drive

FRIDAY

FELICITY GROOM AND THE BLACK BLACK SMOKE

BUILT TO SPILL

SATURDAY

Built To Spill are one of the most enduring bands in the world of indie rock. With classic contributions to the ‘90s with Perfect From Now On and Keep It Like A Secret, Doug Martsch and his boys have continued their good run through to last year’s epic There Is No Enemy.

They play their first ever headlining show in Perth at the Rosemount Hotel on Tuesday, January 4 with tickets from Heatseeker. Listen to their latest release, The Electronic Anthology Project to hear what Built To Spill would sound like if they were an electro band.

TOBY SUNDAY

MO WILSON AND THE DRIVERS WEDNESDAY

STU THOMAS

Public Enemy

SOUTHBOUND

There is simply no more rocking way to start the year than with the biggest Southbound yet. With some of the biggest bands of recent times heading up the event in Interpol, Klaxons, The Rapture and The National, along with classic acts like Public Enemy, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Paul Kelly plus about 50 more acts, this is the ultimate camping festival. Taking place from Saturday, January 1, til Monday, January 3, at Busselton’s Sir Stewart Bovell Park, there are still some tickets available through Moshtix, so get in quick!

Australia’s highest circulating Street Press

COMING SOON

7TH JAN NEW YEAR’S EVE BOXING DAY THE SCOTCH OF MATT GRESHAM THE SUNSHINE BROS SAINT JAMES Built To Spill

WWW.INDIANOCEANHOTEL.COM 67

Charles Hotel

509 Charles Street, North Perth, WA 6006 Ph: 9444 1051 Email: enquiries@charleshotel.com.au

WINNER OF AHA BEST LIVE ENTERTAINMENT VENUE OF 2009 THURSDAY 16TH DECEMBER

Julias Lutero, Friday at Leederville upstairs

THURSDAY 16.12

THE COMEDY LOUNGE PERTH’S NO 1 STANDUP COMEDY COME IN FOR DINNER BEFORE OR DURING THE SHOW

FRIDAY 17TH DECEMBER

THE HOTTEST SALSA NIGHT IN TOWN! DJ SERGIE FROM CALI COLOMBIA

THE ORIGINAL RUMBA LATINA DOORS OPEN AT 8PM EVERY FRIDAY. FREE ENTRY. MONDAY 20TH DECEMBER

PERTH JAZZ SOCIETY

LADIES OF JAZZ

FEATURING JUNE SMITH, BIRDLAND, SHAHEEM TAHERILEE, PENNY KING, BRONWYN SPROGOWKI, HELEN MATTHEWS DINNER AVAILABLE FROM 6PM. DOORS OPEN 7PM MUSIC STARTS 8PM

TUESDAY 21ST DECEMBER

XMAS PARTY WITH PBC SANTA BAND COLLARDS, GREEN & GRAVY DOORS OPEN 8PM. RESTAURANT OPEN FROM 6PM WEDNESDAYS

FUNKY BUNCH TRIVIA WITH $12 CHICKEN PARMIGIANA BEFORE 7PM

COMING SOON

BAR ORIENT Simon’s Open Mic BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Ben Pettit BENNY’S Adrian Wilson BOTANICA Bluebottles BROOKLANDS TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke COMO HOTEL Christian Parkinson CONTACIO Karin Page DEVILLES PAD John Madd’s Karaoke DOUBLE LUCKY Xmas Drinks Special Night CIVIC HOTEL (The Den) Open Mic Night ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Gun Shy Romeos ELLINGTON JAZZ Manteca FENIANS Pearce Ward FUSE BAR Nathan Gaunt HARRY’S BAR Camacho INDI BAR Bex’s Open Mic Night JB O’REILLY’S Rhys Wood KINGSLEY TAVERN Chris Murphy LEGENDS Steve Hepple LLAMA BAR The Brow Horn Orchestra Boom! Bap! Pow! LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MANHATTAN’S The Electromen Rocket To Memphis Moondog Blues Band MARKET CITY TAVERN Ben Court Weapons Of Mass Satisfaction MARRI PARK TAVERN Open Mic Night MERRIWA TAVERN Good Karma MOON & SIXPENCE Bob & Clem MOJO’S Mat Gresham MUSTANG Sneaky Weasel Gang OCEAN BEACH HOTEL Carra & Band PADDO Ben Merito PADDY HANNANS Dr Bogus Crazy Craig PADDY MAGUIRES Limerick Lads PRINCE OF WALES (Bunbury) Thursday’s Page The F.A.I.M! Project ROCKET ROOM Rocket Room Xmas Party U-Tube Sea Of Tunes BudWeezer ROSEMOUNT Higgs Bosen StillFire Sounds Like Bears The Branson Tramps ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Northbridge) Bill Chidgzey

ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Fremantle) Clayton Bolger SETTLERS TAVERN Steve Andrews SOVEREIGN ARMS David Fyffe STEVES BAR Stella Donnelly THE GATE Better Days UNIVERSAL BAR Off The Record WANNEROO TAVERN Keith McDonald

FRIDAY 17.12 AMPLIFIER Lacey Wolves Art In Algebra Midnight Mules BAKERY El Guincho Carbuncle Naik BALLY’S BAR Copy Cat BALMORAL Kate Gilbertson BAR ORIENT Easy Tigers BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Shameem Taheri-Lee Trio BELMONT TAVERN Good Karma BENNY’S Faces BENTLEY HOTEL Bernadine Grigson BIRD The Morning Night Simone & Girlfunkle One Tiger Down BLACK BETTYS J Babies BURRENDAH TAVERN Keith McDonald COMO Tip Top Sound CAPTAIN STIRLING Blue Bottles CARLISE HOTEL Blaze CIVIC HOTEL (The Den) Grand Suns Oishii Heytesburg Shamans CIVIC HOTEL (Backroom) Creations Turning Tides In League Afraid Of Heights Mom, Dad & The Kids Adrift COTTESLOE BEACH HOTEL Open Mic CRAIGIE TAVERN 11:11 DEVILLES PAD Harry Deluxe DUSK RedStar ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Blue Hornet Daren Reid ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB James Flynn & The Fly Big Band Detour ESS BAR Krackatinni Brothers ENEX 100 PODIUM LEVEL (Perth City) Maera Paki FENIANS Tom Haron & The Clan

Ryan Webb, Saturday at Fly By Night FUSE BAR Groove Karaoke FLY BY NIGHT Northern Soul FUNK CLUB Jules Lutero Groove In The Move FORRESTFIELD TAVERN Big Boss & The Axeman GLENGARRY TAVERN The Mustangs GREENWOOD HOTEL In The Groove HIGH ROAD HOTEL Entourage INDI BAR Felicity Groom Goodnight Tiger Sean O’Neil JB O’REILLYS The Healys KINGSWAY TAVERN Jon Sandosham Pretty Fly LAST DROP TAVERN Neil Adams LEGENDS Fenton Wilde LEFT BANK Bumpy Johnson LEOPOLD HOTEL Better Days MARKET CITY TAVERN Mike Anderson Ben O’Connor Murray Melville MANHATTAN’S Tracksuit The Wilderness Trav & Jay MERRIWA TAVERN Blaze MOON & SIXPENCE Up Front MOONDYNE JOES The Happy Cannibals MOJO’S Blue Shaddy Mat Cal MOUNT HENRY TAVERN Full Circle MUSTANG Adam Hall & The Velvet Playboys Cheeky Monkeys NEWPORT Milhouse NORFOLK BASEMENT Kim Salmon Abbe May NOVOTEL VINES RESORT Acoustic Nights OLD BAILEY TAVERN Zenburger PADDO Felix PADDY HANNAN’S Blue Gene Crazy Craig PADDY MAGUIRE’S Diablo PARAMOUNT NIGHTCLUB Flyte PLAYERS BAR (Mandurah) Damien Cripps Band PRINCIPAL MICRO BREWERY Acoustic Inc RAVENSWOOD HOTEL John Buckley RAILWAY HOTEL Devil White Kimura Devour The Martyr Gates Of Perdition ROCKET ROOM Karma FX Thursdays Page Aztech Suns Eddy Lovejoy SideFX (Late)

The Long Strides, Saturday at The Bird

ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Northbridge) Dublin Rogues ROSIE O’GRADY’S (Freo) Spice ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Homebrewe Order Of The Black Werewolf Blackwater Station Stillwater Giants SAIL & ANCHOR Switch Back SETTLERS TAVERN Revelationship SEVENTH AVE BAR Undercover Acoustic SUBIACO HOTEL Empire Groove SOUTH BEACH HOTEL Freo Grasshoppers SOUTH ST ALEHOUSE Robbie King Karaoke STAMFORD ARMS Gun Shy Romeos STEVES BAR Jamie Powers SWAN BASEMENT Goose Blaxon Heart Polly Medlen Born With Rain SWAN LOUNGE The Dreggs The Branson Tramps Legacy Of Supremacy Dr Iron Beard SWINGING PIG Neil Colliss XWRAY CAFÉ Saritah THE BALMORAL Shawne & Luc THE BOAT Mod Squad THE DEEN Nat Ripepi THE EASTERN MIDLAND The Damien Cripps Band THE GATE Mike Nayar THE SAINT Threeplay THE SHED Kickstart UNIVERSAL Soul Corporation VELVET LOUNGE The Stu Thomas Paradox The Wishers VIC PARK HOTEL Ivan Ribic WOODVALE TAVERN Slim Jim & The Phatts

SATURDAY 18.12 AMPLIFIER Dyscord Make Them Suffer The Mighty Scrape Sensroy Amusia BAKERY Kim Salmon The Kill Devil Hills Day Of The Dead Cal Peck & The Tramps Bible Bashers Sugar Blue Burlesque Jon Madd Magician Kurbist Gong Band BALMORAL The Recliners BALLYS BAR Copy Cat BAR ORIENT Better Days BAR 120 Flyte BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Chris Murphy

BIRD The Long Strides Hurricane Fighter Plane Mercy Mercy & The Success Of Saturn BLACK BETTY’S Red Star BROKEN HILL HOTEL The Other Guys BURSWOOD CASINO Courtney Murphy & Murphy’s Lore CIVIC HOTEL (The Den) Calectasia Eddie & The Medicine Machine Delusions Of Grandeur Mayor Darby CIVIC HOTEL (The Backroom) The Sluts Of The Underground Wormhole Eye Spy The S.K.A.M Starcleaner DJ Screech U-Wish COMMERCIAL TAVERN Robert Rodoreda COMO HOTEL Tip Top Sound DEVILLES PAD Johnny Nandez Hammond Explosion ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB James Flynn &The Fly Big Band Tara Del Borrello ELEPHANT & WHEELBARROW Timeout ESS BAR Phil Clair FENIANS Shanks Pony FLY BY NIGHT Vikki Thorn Felicity Groom Mo Wilson & The Drivers Ryan Webb Stu Orchard The Lonely Brothers Dilip & The Davs Prita Sian Brown Lee Sappho Selk Hastings Minky G Phoebe Corke Lucy Peach Isabel Quigley Ellen Paynter Caitlin Dethridge GREENWOOD HOTEL Riddum Shak HIGH ROAD HOTEL Fit Swimmers INDI BAR Toby INDIAN OCEAN BREWING COMPANY Rhyme & Reason KARDINYA TAVERN Hot Suga KINGSLEY TAVERN Kevin MacDonald KINGSWAY TAVERN Good Karma LEFT BANK Raggi Man Mantra LEOPOLD HOTEL Greg Carter MANHATTAN’S Order Of The Black Werewolf MiteyKo Discordians Paulo Gonzales

HEATS BEGIN HERE JANUARY 6TH THRU TO MARCH 19TH TUESDAY 28TH DECEMBER

BLUES LEGENDS

MATT TAYLOR & CHAIN DOORS OPEN 8PM DINNER AVAILABLE FROM 6PM

www.charleshotel.com.au 68

17th DEC

The legendary Kim Salmon + Band with very special guest Abbe May. Doors 8pm. Be early.

18th DEC

Big triple header: The Kuillotines, The Accelerators and The Reptilians. Doors 8pm. Be early!

19th DEC

Old school Sunday Session with Il Fiasco, Venetians and Le Mezz Club. 6 - 10pm… Be early.

KWUQVO [WWV" HUGE NEW YEARS EVE PARTY starring San Cisco (King George), Resort, Bastions Happy Flight, Deep River Collective, Scenic, with DJs Az, Grubby Gorilla, Buda, Cooker, Sparklehaus, Perthquake, Fkn Midas, Chad, Joe Macc & more… Tix on sale now! www.xpressmag.com.au