Issue 1451 by X-Press Magazine

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NEWSDESK

LOCAL NEWS

GLOBAL NEWS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SILENT HOUSE

SUMMERSET ARTS FESTIVAL 2015 The Summerset Arts Festival is back this summer filling the City of Stirling with tons of events ranging from comedy and circus, to music, theatre and visual art! The festival kicks off at Scarborough Beach on Saturday, January 17, 2015, as part of a Seaside Carnival and ends with a Finale Concert featuring none other than The Preatures and Kim Churchill. For program details visit summersetartsfestival.com.au. The Preatures

The Fringe Award-winning Hush series of concerts will return to stir hearts and ruffle emotions, showcasing the best of WA songwriting in intimate, quiet and decidedly un-pub-like environs. This year, an all-star lineup will expose their souls and songs within the historic surrounds of the St George’s College Dining Hall at UWA. Hush will get low (volume) on Friday, January 30, (with Abbe May, Mathas, Odette Mercy and Davey Craddock & The Spectacles) and Friday, February 6, (with San Cisco’s Jordi Davieson & Josh Biondillo, Felicity Groom, Timothy Nelson and The Wilds). Tickets available from Thursday, December 11, from facebook.com/ hushconcert. Davey Craddock in St George’s College Dining Hall, Hush

KINGSWOOD ONE

On their new national tour, low and smoky Oz rockers Kingswood will be racking up enough km on the odometer to make anyone’s FJ Holden seem new again. With their debut record, Microscopic Wars, storming the ARIA Top 10, there’s a lot to celebrate. From Thursday-Sunday, March 26-29, 2015, they’ll burn rubber right through the Prince of Wales in Bunbury, The Capitol in Perth, The Dunsborough Tavern and the Newport in Fremantle. Book tickets through oztix.com.au. Kingswood

PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW BRADLEY The irrepressibly tight Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires are set to round off the international line up for 2015’s West Coast Blues N’ Roots festival. The short-order cook cum soul man has become a regular crowdpleaser in Australia, and the Extraordinaires count members from the Dap-Tones, the Menham St Band and Budos Band. Together, they and the hardest-working living man in show business will bring the funk to Fremantle Park on Sunday, March 29, 2015. Bookings can be made at moshtix.com.au.

ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again will be performing for one night only at the El Caballo Resort NYE Concert in Perth’s Eastern Hills on Wednesday, December 31, alongside Perth showband, LA Gold. Guests can enjoy a picnic under the stars alongside a buffet dinner before catching the show, or be wined and dined like a VIP star at an exclusive cocktail party. For ticket information visit elcaball.com.au.

Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires

Bjorn Again

AN ABBA YEAR’S EVE

FRAN-TASTIC Austin based singer/songwriter Shakey Graves has announced the release of his Australian debut album And The War Came through Dualtone/Cooking Vinyl Australia on Friday, February 27. Graves will also be appearing in Australia as part of a national tour next year with a Sunday, March 8, date locked in for Perth at the Astor Theatre. For more information visit shakeygraves.com.

The Red Hill Auditorium will be hosting one of the parties of 2015, with Michael Franti & Spearhead, Blue King Brown and Tijuana Cartel set to touch down on Saturday, April 18, 2015. Blue King Brown will be showcasing songs from their new album recorded at Damien Marley’s studio in Jamaica, while Tijuana Cartel are heading over for their first WA show in 12 months. Tickets and information about shuttle buses, can be found at redhillauditorium.com.au or via 08 9325 8104.

Shakey Graves

Michael Franti

SHAKEY, NOT STIRRED

TINSEL TRUMPET Australia’s busiest DJ Timmy Trumpet will shaking the tree at Metropolis Fremantle for their annual Christmas party on Saturday, December 20. Having had a massive 2014 complete with mainstage festival appearances, a 40-date tour of the US and almost 200 live shows, the mastermind behind the ARIA-topping Freaks and three straight dance chart number ones will be ending the year with a selection of Australian dates. A limited allocation of first release tickets are available at www.oztix.com.au. Timmy Trumpet

MARCH YOU BLOODY CHOIR Fresh from releasing their critically acclaimed fifth album, Havens Dumb, Augie March will be returning to Perth for the first time in six years. Having rediscovered their passion for playing live, the band will be taking in their favorite venues across the country, from MONA to the Sydney Opera House, with a horn section in tow. On this side of the country, they’ll be taking to the Astor Theatre in Mt Lawley on Saturday, March 28, 2015. Find tickets at www.liveattheastor.com.au. Augie March WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU

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WIN

N E W S L E T T E R - S I G N U P AT F O R E XC L U S I V E C O M P S

CAMELOT OUTDOOR CINEMA Camelot Outdoor Cinema is returning for another summer season from Thursday, December 4. Luna Palace Cinemas are proud to announce the new programme featuring more advance screenings than ever before, welcoming Funk Club as the new edition to their music nights and Perth Jazz Society and Fairbridge Festival Tasters will be back by popular demand. To celebrate a great summer of cinema under the stars Luna Palace Cinemas are offering you the chance to win one of five double passes. Simply visit camelot.lunapalace.com.au and state which film you can’t wait to see!! Send your reply along with your name and postal address to win@xpressmag.com.au for your chance to win. Camelot Outdoor Cinema

FOLIES BERGERE The Art Of McCartney is a unique double album a celebration of the music of the one and only Sir Paul McCartney. It features 42 new studio recordings by world renowned artists including Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Brian Wilson, Heart, Barry Gibb, Jeff Lynne, Def Leppard, Roger Daltrey, Owl City, Corinne Bailey Rae, KISS and many more. We have five copies to give away, just download the X-Press App now to be in the running to win.

Brigitte and Xavier are cattle farmers living and working together in Normandy. Now that their two children have left complacency. One night, Brigitte, who has been invited to a party by a group of Parisians in the house next to their farm, lets herself be wooed by Stan, a witty and handsome young man. Some time later, giving a visit to a dermatologist as an excuse, she goes to Paris to meet him. But things do not go according to plan. We have 10 double passes to give away, just download the new X-Press App from the iTunes Store or Google Play for your chance to win.

The Art Of McCartney

Folies Bergere

THE ART OF MCCARTNEY

DEVIL’S KNOT

HOW TO ENTER Head online to www.xpressmag.com.au. Snail mail entries can be sent to Locked Bag 31, West Perth 6872. Entries close 4pm Monday. By entering you agree to X-Press Magazine’s Terms and Conditions, which can be found online. All competition entries will automatically enable you to become an X-Press subscriber! No details will be given to a third party.

FAT PIZZA VS HOUSOS

The savage murders of three young children sparks a controversial trial of three teenagers accused of killing the kids as part of a satanic ritual. Directed by Atom Egoyan, Devil’s Knot stars Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon and Alessandro Nivola. We have five copies of the DVD to give away, simply download the X-Press App from the iTunes Store or Google Play for your chance to win.

Cult classic Fat Pizza collides with the Logie-winning comedy, Housos, in - you guessed it - Fat Pizza Vs Housos. The all-stars from Fat Pizza, Swift & Shift Couriers and Housos unite in an epic battle of thongs, chainsaws, bikies and pizzas. Thanks to Transmission Films, we have 10 gift packs (each valued at $57) including a stubby holder, thong fly swat, bottle opener, tattoo and in-season pass. If you’d like to win one, enter via the X-Press App.

Devil’s Knot

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FLESH

NEWS - INTERVIEWS - REVIEWS - CONTENTS

LONDON GRAMMAR We See Red The Perth International Arts Festival presents London Grammar at Red Hill Auditorium on Thursday, March 5, 2015. BOB GORDON reports. Dan Rothman is in London, fielding some phonecalls from Australia. It’s rare moment at home given, well, 2014’s global demand for London Grammar, but the guitarist takes it in his stride. “It’s reasonably rare, yeah. It’s funny, I always seem to be at home when I’m doing Australian interviews on the phone. It’s rare inasmuch as I’ve not been home for this long a period. I’ve been home for about three weeks and this is the longest I’ve been home in about a year-and-a-half. Which is cool.” Do you spend half of that getting used to being home? “If anything you get used to not being at home,” he laughs. “It’s been a real whirlwind, kind of crazy year and obviously a great one. It was really, really enjoyable... but an experience, to say the least.” London Grammar were last in WA for a set in January down in Busselton at Southbound. It was memorable, in more ways than one “I got ridiculously sunburnt that day on the drive to the festival because I didn’t really fucking know that you could get sunburnt through a window in Australia, but you can,” Rothman declares. “You can get really fucking sunburnt and I didn’t have any sunscreen on. So I had the sun shining through this fucking window on my face for about two hours, then I walked into the festival and I walked in and MGMT literally laughed at me. That’s my main memory, though I think we had a fucking nightmare of a technical issue at the start of the show too, so it was an interesting one, to say the least (laughs).” That’s life, however, for London Grammar, who since the release of their debut album, If You Wait, in 2013, have spent their time arriving in new cities and dealing with what the land upon. “Well occasionally it can be bad if you get really sunburnt,” he laughs, warming to the theme, “but it’s normally okay. Unfortunately you don’t always get to see a lot of the places you travel to, but I did get to see a lot of Australia because I purposely went out there two weeks before to have a but of a holiday, which was a real highlight of what I’ve been able to do this year. So that was amazing. So it’s been great; I’ve been to lots of places. I’d never really travelled before so it’s been cool.” Given that 2012 into 2103 was a reflective time for the trio, spent in the studio, the last 12 months in comparison to the previous have been poles apart. “Well it’s been a long time since we’ve had any real time off” Rothman notes. “It’s nice to feel a

bit normal again and try to get back into the swing of things. We’ve had bits and bobs we’ve had to do since we’ve been back and we’ve working on music as well, which has been nice. So getting into that has been interesting. You need just as much time to adjust at home as you do when you are moving. You’re fucking schlepping around everywhere. You get used to that. Now it’s getting used to being stuck in one place, but that’s been good so far.” Most 20-somethings, however, schlep around in share houses. The three members of London Grammar have learnt much from each other through this. “Exactly,” he laughs. “I think you learn a lot about each other an you learn what kind of pisses each other off for a start and then what doesn’t. You also learn more deeply about how you feel in the band and what you’re capable of doing and not capable of doing. What you enjoy doing and what you don’t enjoy doing when it comes to work. That is really just something you have to figure out over time, because when shit happens as quickly as it has for us, you have no time to learn, you just get thrown into it. “Suddenly you’re not just in a band, you’re running a business - a tour, an entire operation that is moving around the world. It isn’t easy, especially if you’ve never done it before and obviously the gigs and the music is what drives it and that’s what comes naturally and is what we love so much. It’s the other stuff around it that takes more getting used to. Bt you learn and adapt. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to do and we’re very privileged to be able to do it. “We’ve stayed good friends and we love each other more now than we did when we started. That’s a nice place to be. We’ve learnt to love each other in a more positive way. That’s important.” In the midst of all this is the thought of a second album and the shape it will eventually take. “I think the sound of the record and the way in which we’ll develop the songs will be immediately very different because you just can’t make music at that level anymore without a different feeling about what you’re doing,” Rothman ponders. “Suddenly everything has a different mentality about it because you’re making a record for the second time and you don’t have the same amount of time to write and do it all. You’re writing it with expectation, which makes it more difficult - the expectation of what’s to come from other people.”

SARAH TOUT Let’s Go Sarah Tout unveils her new solo material this Sunday December 7, at Mojos, with help from Erasers and Childsaint. BOB GORDON checks in. You’ve played around Perth for around five years, but perhaps in a more high profile sense in the last 18 months as part of Simone & Girlfunkle. What’s that experience been like and how have you grown from it? It’s been an amazing time, I feel like in joining S&G I have not only been fortunate enough to play with really incredible musicians but I’ve found the most wonderful family. They are tremendous people. We’ve played big festivals and east coast tours, so it has really allowed me to find a home on stage and given me an opportunity to connect with a wide range of audiences. It’s been humbling and challenging and immense fun. I joined the band as a vocalist; the harmony singing has been a wonderful challenge and has kind of fired up new musical neural pathways. It’s made me a better singer, and at the same time inspired me to explore other musical styles. While S&G make beautiful folk/pop, I also love post rock and experimental music so that’s kind of the direction my solo work seems to be taking. Tell us about your upcoming single, Let Go? Let Go I wrote earlier this year and is one of the first songs I wrote on my Telecaster.

It’s darker and louder. It’s about launching yourself into something new so is perhaps quite a fitting way to kick off a release. It needed drums and bass so the uber talented Rob Stephens (Simone and Girlfunkle, Hyla, Fait) helped out there and the amazing Pete Guazzelli (Ghostdrums, Rachael Dease, Fall Electric) has added drums. It’s in the mix at the moment and should be ready for release in 2015. Is this to say there is other recorded work set to roll out? Is Let Go something of an entree? Yup. That’s the plan. I’ll see which songs the audience responds to at this gig on Sunday and work a select few into a short release with Let Go, and plan a few projects around those songs for the coming year. Pete Guazzelli’s performing with you this Sunday, what’s the instrumental dynamic like? Oh my gosh, Pete is such a great musician. Not only can he play drums like nobody’s business he has an innate sensibility for composition and how songs need to move and form. So together with my broody vocals and dark, rhythmic, simple song structures he fleshes out intricate decoration adding accents and beats in the percussion that completely lift the work and help to convey the ideas I’d like to communicate. It also makes it much more interesting I think to listen to and more entertaining. It’s loud but lovely. 2015 - how’s it look from here? It looks like a lot of writing, more recording, hopefully more shows and the natural next steps in the evolution of this project. Which is hopefully making a lot more music for people to enjoy.

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MOODY NOT-SO-BLUES Acclaimed Australian-born Canadian singersongwriter Ruth Moody is returning for her first visit Down Under since 2006. Best known as a member of the Wailing Jennys, the folksinger has two Juno Awards under her belt and an international reputation for her timeless songwriting. The Prairie Home Companion singer will be bringing a three-piece band for shows at Mojos on February 26 and the Nannup Folk Festival on February 28 and March 1. Tickets via oztix.com.au and nannupmusicfestival.org. Ruth Moody 10

ROARING BAC

THIS WEEK AT THE ELLINGTON

Riding high on the success of his Like A Version cover of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, socially conscious Australian rapper L-FRESH The LION is coming back to Perth, with Mirrah and MK-1 in tow. Kicking off at the Prince of Wales in Bunbury on the 15th of January, the posse will hit up Margaret River and the Fly By Night in Fremantle on the following nights, with Marksman LLoyd in support. Tickets are available from oztix.com.au.

The Ellington Jazz Club will host Queensland’s Stu Larsen on Thursday, December 4, as part of Larsen’s Australian/New Zealand tour in support of his debut album, Vagabond. Also this week, Fiona Lawe Davies will take the stage alongside Chris Foster, Nick Abbey and Michael Perkins on Friday, whilst Natalie Gillespie and Why Georgia will perform on Saturday night. For bookings visit ellingtonjazz.com.au.

L-Fresh The Lion

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Newsdesk Win Flesh Music Pierce Brothers, Dead Daisies, Obituary, Nahko & Medicine For The People Ne Obliviscaris, Matt Gresham TV On The Radio New Noise UB40 Culture Hub Cover: Fat Pizza vs. Housos Arts Listings Arts News, Lifestyle, Fashion Beautiful You, Perth Theatre Co. Fat Pizza vs. Housos, Zero Motivation, Serena, Maps To The Stars What’s ON ETC Scene Cover: George Ezra EDM News, SOHN Live: Nick Cave, Hoodoo Gurus, Pantha Du Prince, Stereosonic Local Scene: Benny Mayhem, Farugi X-Press Guide Social Pics Volume

Front Cover: The Perth International Arts Festival presents London Grammar at Red Hill Auditorium on Thursday, March 5, 2015. Scene Cover: George Ezra will make his way to Southbound on Saturday-Sunday, January 3-4, 2015, at Sir Stewart Bovell Park, Busselton.

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MUSIC

VIEWS

INTERVIEWS

STORIES

“We certainly are aiming for bigger stages, and if we can achieve that we’d be thrilled. But we’ll never stop busking because no matter where we tour in the world, we can just go out and find a pitch and start busking and see how you go.”

PIERCE BROTHERS From Dawn ‘Til Busk The Pierce Brothers’ Northern Lights national tour takes them to Settlers Tavern, Margaret River, on Friday, December 5, and the Indi Bar on Saturday, December 6. MATTHEW TOMICH reports. The Pierce Brothers use space as a weapon. Whether they’re on stage at the sold out Corner Hotel or serenading commuters on the Paris Metro, the twins – Jack and Pat – utilise every inch of air around them to put on a performance that’s as kinetic as it is musical. It was only two years ago when the duo started busking around Melbourne’s CBD after years of playing on stage together that their shows became an exercise in human acrobatics. Faced with an audience of the general public that hadn’t paid to see them, the pair were forced to do anything they could to catch the attention of the average passerby. “It’s not because people were standing around us,” says Jack. “It was because nobody knew who we were. So we said, ‘we’ve gotta get them to look at us on the street. This isn’t a stage so we’ve gotta make it act like a stage and work in our favour’. So we used to start jumping around, hitting stuff with sticks. Then I did a somersault one day and Pat said ‘do that again!’ So then I started doing a somersault during the set, and then running around and playing drums on the ground and

syncing that up with the music and then making it like a dance thing. And we’d just try to make it as enjoyable as possible for everyone, and before we knew it there were lots of people there so we started incorporating it into our live show, and so I’d move around the room and play different things around the room and the venue.” Evidently the busking paid off – before long the duo quit their part-time jobs and began busking permanently. On the odd weekend off between tours they’d hit up the streets of Melbourne’s CBD where, these days, they have little trouble finding an audience – a recent tweet from mid-November shows the brothers surrounded by a crowd of hundreds in the Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall. Eventually the rest of the world started taking notice, and in August the brothers were invited to the Lowlands Festival in Holland – on a bill that included Queens Of The Stone Age, Boy & Bear and The Cat Empire, amongst others. As a self-described attention seeker, Jack sought to put his acrobatic skills to the test, emulating the tendencies of his musical hero Eddie Vedder who spent much of the ‘90s ascending the rafters 20-plus feet above the stage. “We said, ‘can you put a microphone on one of those things?’ Because we had a sound check all morning we got to do that, so halfway through the festival set, I’d walk over to the side of stage and then start climbing up and then start drums playing on the metal pole. And it doesn’t take any skill whatsoever, but people just lost their shit. And I always found that interesting – because it’s something different and you haven’t seen it, that’s what people are more excited about. Because there’s no skill involved at all. They just enjoy somebody climbing something.” The Pierce Brothers are in the midst of their third Australian tour this year, and 2015 is looking to be even bigger as the twins gear up to release their debut album and tour the country again with Dan Sultan. But even with bigger stages and bigger crowds, the twins are happy being buskers on the same level as their audience. “We certainly are aiming for bigger stages, and if we can achieve that we’d be thrilled,” says Jack. “But we’ll never stop busking because no matter where we tour in the world, we can just go out and find a pitch and start busking and see how you go.”

“I’m at the point in my career where if I’m going to be involved with a project, a band, I really kind of make it very clear that I want to be involved in the writing,”

THE DEAD DAISIES Real Deal Jon Stevens-fronted supergroup The Dead Daisies, will perform at the Rosemount Hotel on Thursday, December 4. SHANE PINNEGAR chats with bass player, Marco Mendoza. A veteran of recording and touring with a host of big names from Blue Murder to Right Said Fred, Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan to Thin Lizzy and their spinoff incarnation Black Star Riders, Whitesnake and Ted Nugent to his own Latin jazz funk trio, Marco Mendoza positively bubbles down the phoneline with positive enthusiasm about his new band. Mendoza has toured here before, with Lynch Mob in 2008, and again with Thin Lizzy in support of KISS and Motley Crue in early 2013. “That was a great line-up - it just worked really well,” he reminisces. “We had a blast. As a matter of fact, that’s how I met the boys. That’s how I met (guitarist) David Lowy and Jon Stevens, and David Edwards, the manager. We’ve got him managing us now. “I do remember travelling forever and getting to Sydney, and then we had a two-to-threehour layover to Perth, and that was another five-hour flight. We got there, and they had all these interviews lined up for me, and I’m like, ‘wooh, baby, let’s go!’

“I do remember having a blast, and I definitely remember all the fans. They were just really cool, really real fans, and really passionate about the music and rock’n’roll and music in general. They were very happening. They were very well-educated and very up-to-date on what everybody was doing, so we had a blast. “The music was kicking,” he recalls about first hooking up with the rest of the Dead Daisies, “and one thing led to the other, and before you know it, I was in Australia. We’ve been around, all of us, from management to PR, everything - the band members, we’ve been around for a few years. We’ve experienced quite a lot. We kind of understand how to handle it.” Since then The Dead Daisies have had a killer run, with a lap of Eastern Australia, the Uproar Festival tour through America, and supporting the KISS & Def Leppard tour in the States as well as appearing on the KISS Kruise. “Yeah, you know, it helps when you have a line-up like we have,” Mendoza concurs, “and then also great management, and then we have the resources to put it in the right place on the business side. That’s so important. That’s just not happening in a lot of instances with a lot of new projects and new bands. I see a lot of new talent that don’t get a break, don’t make it through first base or second base, but I think a lot of the attention that we’re getting is the fact that we have a couple of guys from Guns n’ Roses. We have Brian Tichy (also ex-Whitesnake) on the drums, myself. David Lowy, of course, was heading this whole thing and supporting it whenever he can financially, and then Jon Stevens.” Mendoza says he’s been writing with the band as they’ve coalesced into a slightly more stable line-up than the rotating, amorphous thing it was to start with. “That was one of the understandings from the beginning. I’m at the point in my career where if I’m going to be involved with a project, a band, I really kind of make it very clear that I want to be involved in the writing,” he declares. “In my opinion, a real band is a real band, you know what I mean? Everybody puts their input in, and that’s what makes it so special, when you have four, five, six different cats putting their input in, and it was flawless for us.”

NAHKO & MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE M&Ms

PIC: ESTER SEGARRA

OBITUARY Red Ink Inked In Blood is the latest release from US death metal titans, Obituary, who are tipped to tour Australia in the near future. Drummer, Donald Tardy, chats with JESSICA WILLOUGHBY. Keen to become self-sufficient after 30 years in the industry, Obituary utilised crowdfunding for the making of their new album, Inked In Blood. “The main thing was, after 25 years on labels and with the technology we have in our studio, we didn’t want a typical record contract with anyone,” drummer, Donald Tardy, says of the band’s desire to become more independent. Obituary is a band that has nothing left to prove. Among the first to bring death metal to the masses, their formula of infectious grooves and blistering solos has helped paved the way for the genre over the past three decades. But, as the quintet has gotten older, their yearning to strip back their approach and become more self-reliant has become increasingly important. Setting up the renowned RedNeck Studio in Tampa, Florida, a few years back saw the outfit covering their creative space needs in-house. But they looked forward to breaking ties with overarching labels for good. This day came in 2009 with the release of their last full-length, Darkest Day, which signalled the end of Obituary’s contract with Candlelight Records. Along with that came the freedom that might scare many artists at this point in their career. But Obituary took the change as a sign of liberation, instead 12

looking to engineer their own future completely from that moment on. Turning towards crowdfunding to help finance their ninth offering, the release of Inked In Blood revealed more surprises than one. Not only did the band smash their goal amount by more than $50,000, which saw them take the album through from initial tracking to final product, but they also signed a distribution partnership with Relapse Records. Tardy even stepped up on full producing duties for the first time. So what does it feel like to finally be calling all the shots? “Fucking awesome,” Tardy laughs. “Like most people, about a year ago we had no idea what crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter were. We knew we had a huge following and our fans would walk off a cliff with us. We looked into the Kickstarter thing and it worked out really well for us because we were funded enough to not only get the songs recorded, but to get them mixed and mastered – and get the unbelievable album artwork too. “The more and more money that was made, that was down to what the fans were ordering. All we wanted at first was for everyone to pre-order the album from us – that would give us the money to just record. But then we gave them so many options, like getting drum sticks and drum skins and snare drums and cymbals that we gave away. It turned into a humungous project of packing and shipping. I think we spent a little over $8000 in postage alone. We were very clear with where the money went. Fans did a fantastic job backing us and we worked our arses off to make sure everyone was happy. We had a final product in our hands before we even had to step our foot outside the studio and ask a record label for help. “But relapse are super cool dudes. They said, ‘we saw what you did, you are so self-sufficient now – just use our engine and let us partner up with you’. And that’s exactly what we did. It does not feel like we’re a band signed to a record label. We signed a partnership with Relapse and I think they are just as excited as we are.”

Nahko & Medicine For The People kicked off their Australian tour at the Australasian Worldwide Music Expo in November, but have saved the West best ‘til last, hitting Settlers Tavern, Margaret River (with Trevor Hall) on Thursday, December 4, and the Fly By Night (with Dustin Thomas) on Saturday, December 6. AARON BRYANS has a chat.

You’ve played numerous shows in Australia over this year, have you come to feel almost at home here? Absolutely. There’s deep familiarity that runs in this land and it’s people. I have become very fond of this place! What does being able to convey emotion through music mean to you personally? It’s a huge relief. If I didn’t have this outlet I am not sure where my strength would come from. The gift of storytelling and its relationship to music and melody is marvelous and mysterious. It has helped me move through so much forgiveness, compassion, and grace. What do you feel is the most memorable part of your live performance? Really, it’s like this: we build a fire on stage and allow the audience to feed it. In which case, for me, it’s just amazing to witness the tribe come together and kindle the ceremony. Storytelling coming to life. Magic. How is the reception for Dark As Night going? Priceless. It is a blessing to see so many souls moved deeply, singing so passionately with us - it’s a story that everyone can find a piece to connect to. It amazes me when we show up to a new

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town and people are singing every word and telling us stories of how the songs have really shaped and moved them through hard times. What did you hope to achieve from the release? Nothing we haven’t already. Simply to help our global community embrace and move through a time of unrest, both spiritually and politically. Is there any more musical styles you’d like to incorporate into future releases? For sure. Hip hop, funk rock, world sound... so much. What does the Australasian Worldwide Music Expo mean to you? Well, it meant an opportunity to be myself and allow people from around the world experience our fire. If there was one message you’d like to spread to society what would that be? We are the seventh generation and it is our duty to serve and protect our mother earth and all living things. Learn grace and compassion - forgive but do not forget - and remember to seek the balance in the art of war.

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MUSIC

VIEWS

INTERVIEWS

STORIES

“Taking a break after my last debut with the X-Factor helped me to become grounded again and heal from something very dark.”

NE OBLIVISCARIS Good Clean Fund 2015 is going to be a huge year for Melbourne progressive metallers, Ne Obliviscaris. With a world tour on the cards and a new album under their belts, drummer Dan Presland talks to JESSICA WILLOUGHBY ahead of their show at Amplifier Bar on Saturday, December 6, supported by Canada’s Beyond Creation. When a band chooses to walk down the crowdfunding path, they tentatively prepare themselves for the results to be very hit-and-miss. But sometimes the sheer dedication of fans blows all expectations out of the water, as was the case for Melbourne outfit, Ne Obliviscaris. The progressive metallers set the ambitious goal of raising $40,000 to set out on their first world tour next year. Even though they knew their fans from foreign soil were desperate to experience them in the flesh, they never expected the surge of support that saw them collect more than $80,000 towards an international run-of-dates. “We thought from the start that our original quota of $40,000 was a very high goal,” drummer, Dan Presland, tells X-Press. “I was extremely nervous about it and unsure about how it was going to go. I never thought we’d get over $80,000 in our wildest dreams. All of us are still pinching ourselves because that’s an unbelievable amount of support from people we don’t even know. But it’s made us want to work even harder to achieve things we never thought were possible. “We’ve got some ideas in concrete for the tour and are talking to quite a lot of bookers and promoters overseas now. The only thing we’ve decided on that we are going to be hitting up Europe next year. It’s just about putting all the pieces together now. After that, we’re looking at North America and, hopefully, South America.”

So with the outfit raising almost double the amount needed, does that mean they’ll be doing twice the shows? “We’d love to have double the amount of shows,” Presland says. “With the result we got from that, which we totally didn’t expect, there is a certain amount of pressure to get to as many places and see as many faces as we can. That’s what we really want to do. Going forward and booking the world tour, we will definitely be looking to explore as many places as we can.” Set to align with the release of their sophomore full-length, Citadel, the six-piece is already on the road and bringing their new material to Australian crowds. Also joining the Soundwave bandwagon interstate in early 2015, Presland is interested to see how fans react to what he has described as a “very different” album live. “Some of the other guys were a little bit daunted when we first started writing Citadel because of the success we’d had with our debut,” he explains. “I was extremely excited to get right into it because we had been playing the Portal Of I (2012) stuff for some time. But once we got into the thick of things, the rest of the guys really got into a rhythm and ideas were just flying around – it was an exciting process. “I am much happier after the release of this album than I was with our first one. I just think our playing and songwriting has matured. We’re at the stage now where we are writing music we really, really enjoy.”

MATT GRESHAM | PIC: CRAIG HYDE

MATT GRESHAM Full Circle A period of reflection and world travel led to Matt Gresham’s new album, The Beautiful Emptiness, which is launched at the Quarry Amphitheatre on Friday, December 12. BOB GORDON listens.

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You’ve stated that this album is the art you’ve made that you’re most proud of. What’s it like, as a songwriter, to be able to say that out loud? It’s refreshing and also humbling because it is an honesty like I haven’t felt before in my music. You’ve been quite open that this is a post-break-up kind of album. Did writing it help you mend? Totally… taking a break after my last debut with the X-Factor helped me to become grounded again and heal from something very dark. What was it like travelling with a guitar, writing, being on your own, especially so shortly after the polar opposite - television experience? Amazing because I didn’t have the pressure of the mainstream trying to control my artistic direction. The TV stuff certainly helped in terms of profile, what difficulties have come with it though? Trying to work out who my friends are and those who are just near me for the wrong reasons. It really gives you a sense of who is real and who is just in it for the Instagram selfies. Is the new album something of a full circle, like coming back home for you? Completely, that is spot on! I have even moved back in with my mum. She is my support and strength to follow my dreams, which is what I am doing right now. I have been brought to the right people at the moment and it feels right. I believe your mother’s going to guest at the launch? Yes, she is going to be singing Eternal Unafraid with me. It’s the last song on The Beautiful Emptiness which we recorded together. She is such an amazing singer although she does get quite nervous, but I know that together we will rock it. With the album now out, what are your plans going into 2015? This year I made a decision to fully commit myself to music so I want to get out there and play. So the plan is an Australia tour, and then we hope to go to the US!

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MUSIC

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TV ON THE RADIO Big Things Grow TV On The Radio have just released their new album, Seeds. AUGUSTUS WELBY reports. Seeds, the newly released fifth album from TV On The Radio, comes three-and-a-half years after the band’s last effort, Nine Types Of Light. Close followers of the Brooklyn group will most likely be aware that bass player, Gerard Smith, succumbed to lung cancer just days after that album’s release. Smith’s death didn’t nullify the band’s immediate live commitments, but after the remaining four members wrapped up the Nine Types Of Light touring campaign, the likelihood of another TV On The Radio record was in doubt. A promising development came in mid2013, with the release of back-to-back singles, Mercy, and Million Miles. But hopes were quietened somewhat by an accompanying announcement, which explained these tracks weren’t attached to an LP. However, regrouping without having to face the imposing task of making a whole record was effective in reviving the band’s collaborative zeal. Hence, Seeds proceeded to develop almost immediately. The album has been in the hands of TV On The Radio’s many hungry adherents for a couple of weeks now, and frontman, Tunde Adebimpe, isn’t afraid to voice his excitement. “When we were making it and when it was finished, we knew that it impressed us,” he says. “It’s a nice thing to listen to a record and almost feel like you didn’t make it because you like listening to it so much.” TV On The Radio began as a project for Adebimpe and guitarist/producer Dave Sitek back in 2002. The band’s major breakthrough – creatively, critically and commercially – was its second LP, 2006’s Return To Cookie Mountain, which was also the first recording to feature the complete five-piece line-up. Since that time, there’s been no decided bandleader; multiple members receive songwriting credits on each album and the exact role of the separate individuals isn’t easily defined (for instance, drummer Jaleel Bunton is just as likely to contribute guitar to recordings as guitarists Sitek and Kyp Malone).

When trying to simplify what distinguishes Seeds from its predecessors, descriptors such as ‘immediate’, ‘streamlined’ and ‘aerated’ jump out. To be more specific, the record comprises tracks such as Could You, which features a jangly, Eastern-inflected guitar line and a positively infectious power-pop chorus. Speaking during a pre-release US tour, Adebimpe reported that the new songs were “going

over really well” live, causing audience members to “sing along to something they’d never heard before, which was an awesome feeling.” This immediate embrace is an indication of the melodically incisive character of several of the album’s tracks. As for whether the band felt nervous about satisfying external expectations with Seeds, that’s never a pressing concern. “It’s not that we don’t care what anyone

else thinks,” Adebimpe says, “but it doesn’t really have a bearing on what we think about what we’ve done. Just the fact that we can still do it and want to do it, we’re already miles ahead of any sort of expectations that might come from the outside. “That’s not to say I hope people don’t like it. I’m really excited to share this record and to play it live. I’m really excited for people to hear the whole record – we just like the entire thing.”

“When we were making it and when it was finished, we knew that it impressed us, It’s a nice thing to listen to a record and almost feel like you didn’t make it because you like listening to it so much.”

“That wouldn’t work, I don’t think,” Adebimpe explains. “I feel like whoever tries to be the leader of the band would find themselves alone very, very quickly. During the recording and writing process, everybody throws in what they can. Whatever sticks makes it in and whatever everyone decides, ‘That’s just not really working’, gets tossed away.” Stepping forward without one-fifth of their established personnel could’ve potentially upset TV On The Radio’s fruitful dynamic. But during the development of Seeds, the process of mutual contribution prevailed. “When you’re doing something for so long, you recognise dynamics within the band,” Adebimpe says. “Whenever I’m writing a demo, very rarely will I write a song that’s completely fleshed out and just say, ‘okay, you play this, you play that’. That’s not utilising our connection between each other. I’ll leave spaces that I know that Kyp’s going to put something there. I don’t know exactly what he’s going to put there, but that’s his zone and he’ll round that out. And Jaleel will do this and Dave will do that and everyone kind of knows that without me saying anything. “Collaborating with anybody on anything is going to have its moments,” he adds. “You’re not the same person. That’s the thing that makes it so great – you can bounce things off of each other and it ends up being this thing that’s representative of all of you, hopefully.” Looking through TV On The Radio’s back catalogue, on each record they’ve generated an unmistakable sonic presence, while continuing to uncover compositional variations. Something that’s been conducive to this achievement is the band members’ commitment to spurring each other on. “We always call each other out for not pushing stuff far enough,” Adebimpe says. “If somebody makes something and you know it can be better and they want to leave it the way it is, that’s when it gets a little like, ‘What are you doing?’ That’s when it gets a little big brother and little brother-ish, where you try to bully someone into being better than they’re letting themselves be.” WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU

NEW NOISE

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OUT OF 5

LUCINDA WILLIAMS

JAMES WILLIAMSON Re-Licked Leopard Lady Records

Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone Highway 20 Records

James Williamson and lggy Pop wrote the follow-up to The Stooges’ seminal Raw Power in ’73, honing many of the tracks in their drug-chaos-fuelled live shows, but they never got the chance to record them, with the band unable to find a record deal and imploding in February of ‘74. Williamson always harboured a desire to do the songs justice in a recording studio, rather than leave them existing solely on bootlegs of varying quality from Stooges shows of the era. With Iggy unwilling to relive the Williamson re-worked the songs with some of the modern-day Stooges and a few other friends, then invited 14 singers to lay their vocals onto the tracks. Featuring the talents of Jello Biafra, Carolyn Wonderland, Bobby Gillespie, Alison Mossheart, Lisa Kekaula, Mark Lanegan, Ron Young, Nicke Andersson, Gary Floyd and more, Re-Licked is a pure dose of raw power – and feels like a Rosetta Stone of rock’n’roll a historical document of sorts that combines the very foundations of modern rock with some of the most relevant of its more recent progenitors. Williamson has well and truly delivered the goods.

Lucinda Williams celebrates the first release on her new record label with her first ever double album, Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone. Although it’s been four years since her last record, Williams has been writing prolifically (a trend which started after her mother passed away in 2004). As well as the 20 songs here, there are already some in the can for the next record. Keeping the tributes to her family going, Williams turns a poem written by her father titled Compassion into the album’s opening song. The adding of a few extra sentences and some sparse acoustic guitar to Miller Williams’ prose offers some weight, when coupled with a voice that sounds like it has spent it fair share of time with cigarettes and whiskey. Williams shifted away from using her regular band and enlisted Elvis Costello’s rhythm section during Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone. This pays dividends as the weathered singer delves into her roots of the delta and deep south with country-soul tunes such as East Side Of The Town. Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone finds Williams digging deep into the well as she uses country music as the path to explore blues, folk and soul. Double albums can be a risky proposition, but in the usually frugal hands of Williams there isn’t any sense of indulgence or decadence.

SHANE PINNEGAR

CHRIS HAVERCROFT

OUT OF 5

DAN SULTAN

SUNBEAM SOUND MACHINE

Dirty Ground Liberation Dan Sultan’s latest EP, Dirty Ground, draws together a collection of demos and outtakes from his latest Blackbird record, all tracked in a single day. The six songs actually have a lot more in common with The Beatles’ song of the same name, because here Sultan moves away from his soulful rock’n’roll sound to focus on raw, stripped-back folk music. The title track is outstanding, an aching ballad co-written with Paul Kelly that manages to be both catchy and relatable. The same cannot be said for Mountaintop, which was co-written with Paul Dempsey. It sees Sultan’s beautiful, smoky voice pleading with the listener, but it also contains overly simplistic and repetitive lyrics delivered with a quiet hush, making it too sparse. The Same Man and the piano ballad Gullible Few originally appeared on Blackbird, but the former – written in Nashville – is offered here in an acoustic version. Both are solid inclusions to the collection. Dirty Ground sees Sultan produce some mature, emotional and honest songs that will charm fans who like it best when he plays the humble storyteller. NATALIE SALVO

Wonderer Dot Dash/Remote Control Melbourne musician, Nick Sowersby, sculpts a dizzying sound under the moniker Sunbeam Sound Machine. His debut album, Wonderer, paints an introspective sonic palette that succeeds by its own modest standards. Sowersby bleaches his work in a way that leaves a gauzy glow wrapped around everything, while at the same time injecting a deliberate sense of unease, with off-kilter instrumentals that ooze into the listener’s ear sockets like sad confetti. Shaped in his Collingwood garage, Wonderer is a hazy 13-track odyssey of light-textured pop hooks that lurk beneath breathy vocals and dollops of distortion. From start to finish, Sowersby serves up a pool of tracks which all manage the same trick – each song is drenched in reverb, with saturated guitar lines drowning the vocals away. Mid-paced tracks like Daibutsu, Zeds and Infinity + 1 contain viciously atmospheric hooks of mumbled bass, layered experimentation and drum beats that pack a fuller punch. Autumnal floats things to the outskirts with a smooth shimmer of synth, before an excellent record fades out to a blissful end in Sailing Away. KIERA THANOS

OUT OF 5

ANGELS & AIRWAVES The Dream Walker To The Stars

GARTH BROOKS Man Against Machine RCA /Sony Music

Having spent his earlier years singing about fucking dogs and inspiring a swathe of horrible bands, Blink182’s Tom DeLonge finally accepted maturity in 2005 with Angels & Airwaves. Dropping the safe rebellion of pop-punk, DeLonge has now immersed himself completely in alternative rock. For the most part, this album sounds like a middle-of-the-road amalgam of Radiohead and U2, with DeLonge’s bubblegum Californian vocals on top. Sore-thumb standouts like Paralyzed and The Wolfpack are the most fully-formed songs here, compounding well Radiohead’s electronic ambience with U2’s (and Blink’s) well-known expertise in producing catchy arena material. However, the songs on The Dream Walker seem to have been cut too closely from the same cloth. Considering DeLonge’s stated influences (he also mentions Pink Floyd), this album disappointingly doesn’t take any terribly interesting turns. Probably the most interesting thing about The Dream Walker is that it’s a full-on concept album, the spearhead of an artistic project featuring a novel, a comic book series and an animated short film. DeLonge deserves a pat on the back for self-funding this artistic vision, but his album doesn’t display the ambition to match.

Chunky singer Garth Brooks has been credited with bringing country music to the mainstream when he embraced pop and rock elements that made him a household name during the ‘90s. Whilst he may be much maligned in some circles, he is the highest selling solo artist in America behind Elvis Presley. Brooks entered semi-retirement in 2001 and has since only offered the sporadic single or two. After a residency at the Encore Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Brooks has rekindled his love for performance and returns to the public eye with a world tour and his ninth album (10th if you count the Chris Gaines experiment), Man Against Machine. Man Against Machine is not as mindless as much of his former efforts with the singer trying to have something to say on the title track, but Brooks’ appeal was in his larger than life, fun time attitude and somewhat daft delivery. Ten years older, and with his goatee, dark glasses and oversized hat, Brooks is a pastiche of himself - and not a very good one at that. It would be false to say that Garth Brooks’ return offers anything new of innovative (or even relevant) to country music, but Man Against Machine does give the lowest common denominator something that they can gift each other for Christmas.

NICHOLAS HARTMAN

CHRIS HAVERCROFT

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MUSIC

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ALI CAMPBELL, UB40 UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro & Mickey Virtue are joined by Blue King Brown and Special Brew this Friday, December 5, at Red Hill Auditorium. There seems to be two UB40’s on this planet at the moment. The legendary reggae has splintered in half but judging by the size of the crowds that Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue are playing in front of around the world, the gravitas is held by this version of the band, the one that is touring Australia at the moment. The three had previously left the band, unhappy with the direction and the way it was run. However with a new album, Silhouettes, they are back and performing new songs and, of course their iconic hits. By BOB GORDON How’s the tour been going so far, in terms of getting back with Mickey and Astro and seeing the audiences again? We’re in the middle of a world tour as we speak and it’s been fabulous. The reaction has been amazing, actually. Ever since Astro joined the fold back last December he played his first gig in six years, he played at the 02 in London. That atmosphere was brilliant. I ended up putting him on the album. Astros now on four-to-five tracks on the album. There’s a variety of originals and covers... Cooking Vinyl, the record company, they asked if we could have seven covers and seven originals and that’s what we did. In terms of getting back with Mickey and Astro, what was the vision in terms of song choice? I’d already finished the album, as it happens. When Astro came back and joined us live, the reaction was so brilliant and there was a feeling of conclusion after six years had passed and I think the fans all sighed a big sigh of relief UB40

“every single hit was a reggae hit. That is what kind of band we were. I am very proud of what I did with the band with all the CD sales and stuff but I’m more proud of the fact that we’re loved by many other reggae artists.”

and said, ‘ah hurray they’re all back together again’, not that we all are back together again but the two lead vocalists and me and Mickey being the rhythm section. Basically, what Astro did was what he does and put the little raps and taste on the end. One of the songs, Breaking Music, he did that all the way through. It was really lovely when we were asked what it was like, Mickey said it was like putting on a pair of old boots. And that’s what it’s like, it’s like we’ve never been apart now and the dynamic has definitely changed for the better and that’s why we’re having a ball. In terms of when you choose cover tunes what are the things that call out to you? What makes it a song that you do pick? Well I do try and make reggae covers of songs you wouldn’t expect to be covered, you know? I did it a couple of years ago with Fun Lovin’ Criminals. We did a cover of Prince’s Purple Rain which is now in the set and goes down fantastically and that was a very unlikely cover. Then I did the great big British songbook, that was rock classics – The Beatles, The Who. That was basically a project, with Purple Rain that was a million miles removed from reggae, and now it’s quite easy. I’ll take any song that I find attractive or I like the tune or the lyrics and I’ll make it into reggae. I don’t think there are many songs you can’t put into reggae and into a 4/4 beat. When you did great British songs you were unable to tour because you came down with E p p s t e i n - B a r v i r u s . D o e s t h at m a ke yo u appreciate connecting with audiences more given that fairly recently you were unable to? I love performing live you know, it’s what I do, its what I’ve been doing for 30 odd years now and basically if I’m not in a studio recording I’m on a tour promoting what I’ve recorded. That’s my life.

Time off was a drag, really. When I took time off I felt like I should be doing something and would get really restless. I love touring. I haven’t been back to Australia since I did a stint in New Zealand on NZ’s Got Talent. And we’re back as you know, soon. I mean Perth, I’ve seen Perth grow since 1981. The first time I went to Perth there wasn’t anything there, it was just like a big pub! And I’ve watched Australia grow. Some places have gotten worse, but most places have gotten better. I’m not so keen on Sydney anymore but I do love Melbourne. I think it’s one of the coolest cities in the world now.

think he said in the press, since Mickey and I had left it was like a rudderless ship, sort of a boat with no direction and that really came to light with the country album. It was like a slap in the face to fans really. For 30 years they’ve bought 70 million bloody albums! I mean we were the biggest selling reggae band in the world. For those guys to make a country album it showed a massive lack in direction and actually they showed contempt for their audience and for us and that’s why Astro came back because he couldn’t be on stage playing country music.

Over the years you were often on Countdown... Yeah with... what was his name?

The classical UB40 hits were always true to reggae roots. Well every single hit was a reggae hit. That is what kind of band we were. I am very proud of what I did with the band with all the CD sales and stuff but I’m more proud of the fact that we’re loved by many other reggae artists. And me, Astro Mickey and the band played with John Holt and Luciano and the London Philharmonic and to be part of things like that is what makes me really proud. And I love being with this band because they’re a very happy band and a more up band. They used to be seasoned session players but we’ve been playing for six years now so we’re a wicked band and I could say the hottest reggae band in the world at the moment. Yeah.

Molly Meldrum. Yeah that’s right, last time I was there, he was holed up because he’d fallen off a ladder or something. One of your first Australian television appearances was in 1981 (daytime talk show) The Mike Walsh Show performing One In 10. That says something for how different Australia was then. Do you have any other memories of those early tours? Yeah, I’ve got absolutely wonderful memories of staying up on Coogee Bay above the pub we were playing at and we stayed at Bondi Beach and we had a lot of fun in Sydney when it was a completely different Sydney to what it is now. We used to be around Kings Cross having a laugh. We really had the best times the first few times we were there. It was always sunny, as opposed to now... it always seems to be raining. I’m playing the State Theatre again in Sydney, and I really love that, it’s a really beautiful place. I’ve got nothing but good memories of Australia and I can’t wait to be there again In getting back with Astro and Mickey was it because you wanted and were able to, or were there some hurdles to jump in regards to legalities because of the business side? No, no, Mickey left when I did about six years ago and we’ve been touring around the world since. I mean, I started UB40 30 years ago and the reason I started UB40 was to promote reggae music and then when the old UB40 started making country songs, they did a country album, that’s when Astro decided he’d had enough. And Astro wasn’t really happy there then anyway, I

W h at a b o u t p l ay i n g w i t h t h e Lo n d o n P h i l h a r m o n i c . I t a s t h o u g h t h e re ’s m o re opportunities up for grabs the longer you play... (Laughs) Yeah, I think there’s another way of putting it. The more tenacious you are and the more you refuse to go away, the more they have to find different things for you to do! But I just love working with Jamaican artists because it’s a dream come true for me to be on stage with John Holt. He’s a legend in my life, and Luciano too, both of those artists, when I lived in Jamaica they were a part of everyday life for me in Jamaica and when I was living there I had my own studio too and I worked with more legendary Jamaican artists than there is. You’re a pioneer yourself, but is it a case that you never stop learning? Absolutely never stop learning. I mean doing that thing with the London Philharmonic and with John Holt. I mean the guy’s in his 70’s but he’s like child when he sings, he’s amazingly so brilliant. And Luciano is the same way and I just

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feel honoured to be working with these guys and not too many months ago I was with Jimmy Cliff singing, The Harder They Come. Things like that make it all worthwhile. Like I did I Got You Babe with George Penn who did No, No, No and I did Silhouette with Sly & Robbie and I finished up the night with Jimmy cliff. I was pinching myself to be on stage with Jimmy Cliff. And the fact that UB40 was fronted by white boys. We only ever had problems from white press. The black Jamaicans always knew where we were coming from. And I met Beenie Man the other morning and he was saying ‘thanks for the music’ and I was saying ‘no, no, no, thank you for the music’ and it’s just lovely. It’s a good life and career when you don’t stop pinching yourself, I suppose? Absolutely. I mean I’m back on the radio again with Silhouettes. I mean I’m 54 years old and I’m still in the charts and that keeps me rocking. I’m really pleased with the album, it’s like a production journey for me, making albums, and this is my 30th or 31st album I think and I’m finally get the balance between the bass drum and the bass guitar lines. Do you look at the next 12 months as working the album and touring for it? This sort of tour will be promoting Silhouettes and will take us all around the world, literally. We’ll be in South America and the South Pacific and back to Africa and India. We are literally all over the world. So far this year we’ve been to Papua New Guinea and Kuala Lumpur. We were rained off in the deserts in Dubai. That was an unusual experience actually it was hail, we had hailstones, first time in 35 years, in the middle of the desert. Reggae continues to be universal... It’s the most influential it’s ever been actually. People ask me what’s the state of reggae? What do you think? If you look around, I travel around the world and it on the streets of Kenya, in Mozambique, Angola, Luanda, the music of the streets. The production techniques on all of the dance records are dub techniques. Reggae gave us dub and everything that you hear is a dub production. From Swedish House Mafia to everybody and d’n’b techniques is all about what you leave out and not what you put in. So going from a production technique to a genre, it’s just gotten stronger and stronger since the ‘80s. I’m part of this evolution and I’m proud of that... part of this evolutionary journey with reggae. 21

X-MAS $AVER

DECEMBER OFFERS & HIGHLIGHTS MINIATURE MADNESS

STOCKING FILLERS Stuck on ideas for the yearly stocking filler? Why not try these neat ideas for the lads, ladies, and everyone in between.

If your inner child can’t quite let go of his/her lego blocks, why not opt for a more ‘sophisticated’ form – the nano block. Not suitable for the stubby thumbed or those lacking in patience. Nano blocks, available from Myer and various stores. YOU SLINKY FOX, YOU

UNDER THE PALM TREE Enjoy cool drinks in style with his n o v e l t y c o o l e r, which will transport you from your backyard to a tropical island. Fill its base with ice and your favourite drinks, ready for your own personal poolside oasis. Palm tree cooler, $39.95, Typo.

Whether you watched it move back and forth in its arch-like state between your hands, or found the perfect set of stairs for it to slink down, the slinky has endless ways to amaze and delight (well, until it gets tangled and ends up in the trash). Keep the springs going and the legacy alive. Various shops.

Lark Mobile Chargers

SMALL PACKAGE, LARGE SURPRISE

POWER PLAY

Call it impersonal, call it lazy but hey, who doesn’t love a gift card? And in this day and age, money speaks louder than any crappy jewellery box or yearly deodorant set awaiting you under that tree. Our picks – JB Hifi, Coles Myer, and, for the DIY savvy, good old Bunnings.

Always running out of mobile juice? Never fear, the portable mobile charger is here! Grab one of these compact chargers and keep it in your bag so you never get caught out. Available in bright pink and gold, or cute little hearts, and includes a USB charging cable to recharge the back-up. $54.95, Lark Store.

(PALM TREE ONLY!)

HATCHING STRAWBERRIES Get Shit Done notebook, $5, Kate & Abel

GET ASSERTIVE It’s that time of the year where things need to get done, and nothing says it more than this notebook from Kate & Abel. Get it for that friend who needs a little motivational push. TAMING THE FUZZ Maintaining that mo is a hell of a lot easier when you have a specialised moustache kit, complete with wax, scissors, and a handmade moustache comb. Moustache grooming kit, $35, Pigeonhole. BOTTLE COMBING Goodbye bottle opener keyring, hello metal comb bottle opener. Fashion savvy males who also love a beer or two will be chuffed with this multipurpose tool. Metal comb with bottle opener, $29.95, Myer.

Green thumbs are covered with this nifty desktop planter. Crack the egg, water it, and watch it grow into a strawberry, mint or herb plant. Eggling, $24.95. Myer, Pigeonhole and selected stores. ON THE MOVE Going on a backpacking trip and have everything packed minus a cup? Resembling a small grinder, this item unfolds into a small cup – just take off the lid and extend it and it’s ready for liquid duties. Stainless steel collapsible travel cup, $29.95, Pigeonhole.

Dads are the original hipsters, $21.95, Corner Store, cornerstore.net.au

ON THE HIP

WOULD THE REAL HIPSTER PLEASE STAND UP?

Ah, the trusty flask... where would we be without you? A fifty down no doubt. For those that love a sneaky tipple – be it barside, poolside, or, for the AA inclined, workside. We love the moustache hipflask $29.95, from Pigeonhole, or the circular hipflasks on offer at Myer.

Topshop Seal Socks

ANIMAL FEET For the RSPCA lovers who have an animal ark at home, warm their feet and their hearts with animal print socks. We give Topshop’s digitally printed seal socks the ‘seal’ of approval.

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The original hipsters, dads, are celebrated in this book that pokes fun at the dag that’s now become fashion. Filled with vintage photographs of dads in their former heydays – think sexy short shorts, tight tees and the mo – it’s perfect for the once hip daddo, or those that love to tease them.

X-MAS $AVER

DECEMBER OFFERS & HIGHLIGHTS

XMAS SAVERS Looking to ease your pickets a little this festive season? Here’s a few offers that might make things a bit more reasonable for you amongst all your yuletiding. Merry Christmas!

Toshiba Sat L10W-B

Thirsty Camel Christmas Voucher Book

PORTACOM PRICEBUSTER

Knife Party like it’s the Future!

Portacom have an amazing ultralight notebook/tablet deal for $999. It’s a Toshiba W10-250 – features include a screen that flips over to turn the notebook into a tablet; 11.6” Touch screen; Quad core Intel CPU; 4 GB RAM; 250GB SSD Drive (unheard of for a unit under $1000 anywhere in Australia - SSD drives are up to 10x faster than a HDD and have no moving parts for ultimate reliability. You get a bonus Windows 8.1 Phone too!

THANKS TO THE FUTURE Tidings of comfort and joy! Future Music Festival 2015 are offering a limited sale thanks to General Pants, reducing ticket purchases back to their original, first release prices of $145 from Wednesday, December 3, until Sunday, December 7. Tickets can be purchased through General Pants stores or through generalpants.com/future.

THIRSTY CAMEL CHRISTMAS VOUCHERS ARE HERE AGAIN PANTS FOR PEACE Thirsty Camel outlets in Western Australia are giving away a Christmas Coupon Booklet (valid until Wednesday, December 24, 2014) with 30 different product offers, for a total of 88 vouchers in all. As part of the promotion they will also be giving away a major prize of $15,000 cash and three consolation prize packs of one of every product in the Booklet. Booklets are available from all Thirsty Camel stores, through The West Australian on Saturday, December 6, for metropolitan customers and distributed locally in country areas. Purchase a product from the catalogue using the voucher and enter the draw to win the $15,000 Cash or one of the three consolation packs of each product featured in the Booklet. Increase your chances of winning by visiting Thirsty Camel’s Facebook page. Take a selfie with your Christmas Booklet at a local Thirsty Camel store then post it on their timeline. Entries close midnight Wednesday, December 24. The winner will be drawn and notified by phone on Monday, January 5, 2015. This is only valid in Western Australia to persons 18 and over.

Boost Mobile View 5.0 by Alcatel OneTouch

XMAS BOOST Boost Mobile have an amazing deal on the View 5.0 by Alcatel OneTouch. With an impressively huge 5” display, everything looks better on the Boost Mobile, which also features a 1.3GHz Quad Core Processor; Android™ OS; 5 Megapixel Camera capable of capturing stills and video, and featuring digital zoom. This is all for only $99 and includes a $10 starter kit!

General Pants Co. #GIVEPEACE

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General Pants Co. storefronts and online have announced a renaming to General Peace Co., with all branding reflecting the change as the youth retailer aims to spread a message of peace to the world during this Christmas season. General Pants Co.’s brands have created a #GIVEPEACE t-shirt range to be sold in stores across Australia (and internationally) feature designs from renowned brands Stussy, Ksubi, Santa Cruz, Neuw, Zanerobe, Vans, Insight, Candidate and RVCA. 100 per cent of proceeds from the $39.95 range will be donated to Save the Children Australia and Oasis Youth Support Network – two important charities that make a difference. It’s estimated that one #GIVEPEACE t-shirt could immunise 55 children from around the world against a life threatening disease, or feed and house one young person for a day at Oasis Crisis Accommodation. In addition, consumers who share a #GIVEPEACE message on their social media will receive 15% off their purchases.

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L I F E S T Y L E & C U LT U R E

the guy responsible prod....well, you get it, he’s r, sta r, ite wr or, ect dir r, tness and what creato he thinks of political correc ek, X-Press catches up with at we wh s t, thi ou as ab em me cin ca in s ies ive ser o of his successful TV As Fat Pizza Vs Housos arr how this combination of tw t ou d fin We . ech Fen ul for the lot - Pa ’t w...” Fenech pauses, “I don camera. e show. It was a good cre masochistic, it’s never easy. stag a and rs yea 12 it’s like for him behind the last TV in the , it’s always as well, I couldn’t drop so many fans of Housos er. I was listening to all but za, Piz Fat re mo “So many fans asking forI couldn’t decide, so I just put them both togeth a threesome, there’s one to do the other one. ted something for both of them. It’s a bit like e people accuse us the people out there. I wan we all had to get together,” Fenech jokes. “ Som people in our show is three interested parties andreotypes we portray. Well, actually, most of the not looking down on ste ia, the tral on Aus n of dow ple g peo of lookin ters. I guess we’re with the e a lot of people that pretty close to the characne. I don’t think we are mainstream, but we hav ryo eve h wit ’re them. We humour. ” it mate. It’s attacking our like it from all walks of life. politically correct, “I hate . It’s the number one best quality term d ade dre t tha for As se of humour t to make it difficult has in it’s culture is its sen The best thing Australia te to each other. These stooges from above wan y want us to be is... the rela all ians like as it is how Austral to be an individual. It’s TV and buy stuff. I fight it, just lf, rse you be to just around and watch just to have a joke, lly boring people that sit I dunno... a bunch of rea it.” energy on his various e mate, I fight it. I just hat Fenech has invested a great deal of time and , I’ve made about 110 rs, Over the yea “This is my fourth film and behind the camera. projects. Both in front of,

film hours of it... whenever you make a y the idiots are going know how I’m going to saya beach drinking pina coladas, or making a film, onlI always seem to get ic, on But I’m a masochist If you can choose lying it’s hard. It’s always hard. to pick making a film, ‘cos.” time and on budget. some pleasure in the pain d to the madness, as Fenech tries to get things onvive, we’re never too sur we way There is a metho one t’s ney to make our stuff. Tha e money you have to “We don’t get a lot of moin edgy kind of material. Whenever you don’t havone shot. That would for put rs of d hou kin six k We too ive. y the expens on the set of Babe 2 and rd something like that. We give a structure be smart. I remember I was to ad , so we couldn’t affo day ole wh our of a lot of room for the actors t cen be 75 per chaos. We certainly leave the h wit es com t tha ters es out.” to the charac film in the works, it t’s where the magic com lib, and go a little wild, thaan Hunters due out next year and another comedy Bog re mo With around for a while. seems like Fenech will be DAV ID O’CON NEL L

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FROYO Frozen Summer Frozen Yoghurt, or Froyo (didn’t you know?) is a soft-serve style yoghurt treat that’s a little healthier than ice cream, and 100 per cent as tasty. Check out our top picks fuelling her froyo addiction this summer.

FALLING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN

SIREN SONG

Paper Mountain is an artist-run initiative that operates a gallery, work space and studios on William Street right in the heart of Northbridge. Since 2011 they have aided a ridiculous number of artists with work and exhibition space, but such activities are not cheap or easy to maintain - hence Magic In The Mountain, the fundraiser they’re throwing next Sunday, December 14. For donation entry you can catch musical performances from Mei Saraswati, Furchick, Rabbit Island, Ermine Coat, Leaving, Tourist Kid and Sacred Flower Union from 2.30pm, and support the arts at the same time. Good deal.

Sirens, a solo exhibition by Christina Curran, is on at Tall Poppy Framers and Gallery in Safety Bay until Friday, December 12. Known for her intimate, landscape-like portraits of the human body, Curran’s newest work is sure to delight and intrigue viewers as she explores the lone between attraction and repulsion. For more details, go to tallpoppy.net.au

Ermine Coat - Photo by Geneva

Free Range Gallery’s collaborative, experimental project, Love Hotel, is coming to close. Working in pairs or threesomes, a number of artists took turns to occupy the space for two days, responding to the work and instructions left there by the previous occupants. It all culminates this Saturday, December 6, when the final expression will be revealed. Featuring the efforts of Snapcat; Alina Tang, Karys McEwan and Samantha Riegl; James Cooper and Mariaan Pugh; Kieron Broadhurst and Joanne Richardson; and Sarah Douglas, Sarah E. Yukich and Tanya Schultz. Go to freerange.org.au for more details.

BY DEGREES Curtin University’s School Of Design And Art Degree Show kicks off this Friday, December 5, at the Curtin University Bentley Campus Department Of Art. Easily one of the biggest grad shows in the state, over 89 Undergraduate and Honours students will be showcasing their work in painting, print media, sculpture, digital and interdisciplinary forms. The exhibition opens at 6pm and continues until Wednesday, December 10.

Sirens

CLOSING TIME AT THE LOVE HOTEL

Red Spoon Red Spoon is the perfect example of how simplicity rules over creativity. Choose from four different flavours like panacotta, mixed berries, lemon cheesecake and good ol’ natural, or buy a tub of your favourite from behind the counter. We’re eating: Sometimes the original is the best – the creaminess of Red Spoon’s Natural frozen yoghurt combines perfectly with a crunchy choc nut sauce. Yum! Berryme Come for the yoghurt and stay for the egg chairs and quirky interior. Berryme, located next to the Karawara shops opposite Curtin University, boasts a funky layout of astro turf, giant hanging egg chairs and bright pink stools. The froyo comes with a funky pink spoon and take-away lids are available. It’s perfect for an after exam treat, or post-study hang out. We’re eating: A tub of the New York cheesecake or hazelnut, or try a combo of natural and strawberry, topped up with lychee popping balls that burst in your mouth. Tutti Frutti The world-dominating Tutti Frutti franchise has almost every corner of Perth covered, with stores in Leederville, Mount Lawley, Victoria Park and a gigantic offering in Freo. Their endless array of flavours are categorised into Cream, Sorbet and Soy, and cover everything from fruit and peanut butter, to cake and salted caramel. Dress up in your PJs on selected nights, and you might just get a cup for free.

We’re eating: For a refreshingly tangy hit you can’t go past Tutti Frutti’s passion this summer, or if you’re feeling a little more tropical, try their coconut flavour. Need something more indulgent? It’s hard to resist the store’s salted caramel. Whisk Creamery Run by two handsome Italians that’ll charm the pants off your girlfriend and give your boyfriend a run for his money, Whisk presents a mix of creamy gelatos and frozen yoghurt, along with some naughty and nice toppings. The boys make the gelato and froyo fresh to order, exactly the way Nona’s Nona used to make it. We’re eating: For a healthy option –well, kind of – you can’t go wrong with the plain frozen yogurt topped with crunchy cacao nibs, and for a foodgasm of extraordinary proportions, try the creamy hazelnut. 3 Jars Full Tucked away in the Freo Markets is a delectable little froyo shop with its own homemade granola and tasty dessert jars. Three Jars Full uses a froyo base and add 100 per cent fresh fruit into the mix. The flavours are changed every now and then, but you’re almost guaranteed to be impressed with each fruity serving. Also on offer are gluten and dairy free banana and blueberry loafs, breakfast chia pots and organic Karma Cola drinks. We’re eating: We love their strawberry flavour, which tastes incredible with fresh strawberries piled on top. PENNY LANE

JEFF LANG Fremantle Arts Centre Sunday, November 31, 2014 A relaxed crowd gathered to catch master slide guitarist Jeff Lang do his thing at the latest Sunday Music event by Fremantle Arts Centre. Photos By Rachael Barrett

DIABOLIK BOOKS AND RECORDS Cult Copy A new addition to the commercial strip along Scarborough Beach Road in Mount Hawthorne, Diabolik is a cool as hell repository of the cult, the cool and, occasionally, the kitsch. We caught up with the proprietor, Scott Jones. What’s the Diabolik story? Diabolik Books And Records is a new retail venture created by a team of managers and buyers with a love of books, music and pop culture. We were previously a part of another retail business but we have struck out on our own to create our ideal space. The retail sector has had its ups and downs over the last few years, but we see that people still enjoy the experience of browsing and we want to present the best of books and music to our customers. Diabolik is a bit of a cult reference. Does that reflect your range/focus? Diabolik is an Italian pop-culture icon that originated in comic form in the early sixties. He is subversive, rebellious, and embodies the stylishly cool 60s Euro-chic. The 1968 film Danger: Diabolik was referenced in the Beastie Boys video for Body Movin, so we’ve always thought he was a cool figure. My wife, Monica, who is also a member of the Diabolik team, is Italian so that seemed to bring it all home. The Diabolik logo, which we call Book Ninja was design by Tee Ken Ng, an installation artist and graphic designer who is a net-legend for his hugely popular vines. Diabolik represents our love for counterculture, which reflects the contrasts in our shop range. We take pride in our tattoo, graffiti and science fiction as much as arts, architecture and general literature. Our vinyl collection is a dynamic and evolving mix of classics and new releases. 26

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What else do you carry? The children’s book section is one of the first things you see when you step into the store. It sits beneath our large Hayao Miyazaki murals which is our favourite store feature. We also stock video game art, graphic novels, contemporary illustration and modern art, as well as fiction, non-fiction, travel, cooking and biographies. It’s as important to us to be the safe and welcoming bookshop on the street as it is to be a shop of wicked and alternative discoveries. You can find a chair or stool near the back and just indulge in the books you expect from a good bookshop. We also sell gifts, stationery, cushions, plush toys, tote bags and t-shirts. Who’s the ideal Diabolik customer? We don’t really think of ourselves as having a target demographic, we prefer to think of ourselves as ready for anything. We have a broad knowledge base after years in the industry so we are ready for any enquiry that crosses the counter. We relish the challenge of a hard-to-find vinyl or book! In general we cater to customers who are after the latest releases and the popular reads and listens, as well as those who are looking for something a bit different, or want to explore new genres. This is the place to discover the works of Hunter S. Thompson outside of Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, to find bootleg live recordings on vinyl, and to find that very inappropriate birthday card for your elderly relatives. Anything else to add? None of this would be possible or even worthwhile without the enthusiastic support of culture loving community in Perth who are our customers. They don’t just embolden us to express our love of culture, weird and wonderful, but they teach us how to keep improving through knowledge and enthusiasm.

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MEET THE MEAT

NOODLE FORUM Slippery Business It’s been one year since Perth’s very own handmade noodle bar, Noodle Forum, opened its doors in the city – and judging by the endless line of noodle-eating lovers streaming out of the store, there’s no sign its doors will be closing any time soon. Two men, one bamboo stick, and a whole lotta jumping: welcome to Noodle Forum, your one-stop-shop for hand made, authentic Hong Kong noodles. The restaurant, located within the Equus Retail Arcade that runs between Murray and Hay Streets, boasts freshly made noodles that are bamboo-kneaded everyday by head chef Erich Wong and co-owner Ian Chin. “We discovered that there are less than 10 people doing noodles this way in the world,” says Ian. “We’re the only one in Australia, and there’s only two noodle masters in Hong Kong left that are still doing it like this, which is where it originated from. The reason for it, sadly, is because it is physically demanding, and it takes a longer time to create noodles this way.” The technique in question begins with Ian or Erich sitting on top of a large bamboo stick placed just above the noodle dough. They then jump up and down on the stick, from left to right and back again, several times until the dough changes consistency. “I was told with the body weight and how we knead the noodles using the bamboo, every single motion is more than 250 kilos, so it’s like three or four

times your body weight,” says Ian. “You can’t really do it by hand. We knead it and fold it repeatedly for about 10 or 12 times so it goes from a really soft, pliable pasta dough to becoming this almost eraserlike texture where it’s really, really tough. That high intensity powerful kneading somehow brings out the protein in the noodles, so it creates this strong elasticity, which is the signature bite of that noodle.” The method sounds easier to perform than it is. “Erich has been doing it for 40 years, so when you see him doing it it’s easy,” Ian says. “I really wanted to learn, and then I tried it. I tell you what, the first five minutes… I just thought that this is impossible. It’s very physically demanding and it hurts your butt, a lot, especially the next day. But I quickly realised after a couple of weeks that there’s a little bit of kung fu involved – you use how you control your body weight and the rhythm and the momentum to your advantage.” Ian says Erich, who does the majority of the noodle making, can spend on average four to five hours a day bouncing on bamboo. “He’s been doing this with his dad since he was 11 years old, so more than 40 years,” he says. “We got talking two years ago about combining the traditional way of making noodles –that’s more than centuries old – with a focus on local produce, and doing away with all the MSG, colouring, and things that are not so natural. For us, we really wanted to create something special, noodles made with passion, and it’s really, really rare.” PENNY LANE

Ever fancied strapping on the skates and having a lash ‘round the track for yourself? Perth Roller Derby are having their first ever Basic Skills And Info Night at the Morley Rollerdrome this Thursday, December 4, from 6pm. Get the lowdown on the basic skills needed to become a boss roller derby player in a supportive and inclusive environment. Cost is $5, including skate hire, and comfortable, gym-ready clothes are a must. For any enquiries, flick an email to freshmeat@ perthrollerderby.com.au.

It’s December already! You need to start planning your New Year’s Eve now! Our friends at Bob’s Bar are planning a rager, with Mexican street food, DJs and margaritas for all. Tickets are $65 - email info@ printhall.com.au or call 08 6282 0000 to book now!

Perth Roller Derby - photo by Ishtar Photographics

Bob’s Bar

SEE IN THE NEW YEAR WITH BOB

POP GOES THE CULTURE

CUT TO THE CHASE

RahCon takes over the Mandurah Convention Centre next Saturday, December 13, promising a whole day jam-packed with comics, anime, sci-fi and gaming goodness. Let your geek flag fly and take in the Anime Lab Screening Room, the Cosplay Competition, the Traders Hall and more, all presided over by your host, Tomas Ford! Tickets are available now via cosmic-comics.com.au.

Experience a piece of New York deli-style dining with The Cutting Board. This licensed eatery incorporates a gourmet sandwich bar with a rotating hot food selection that includes peri peri chicken , pulled pork, meatballs and more. With cold beer on tap and a selection of excellent cocktails, its sure to become a destination venue for anyone who appreciates the finer things in life, like mat and ethanol.

Tomas Ford

The Cutting Board

CROP TOPS How Not To Look Like An ‘80s Throwback Fashion’s blessing slash bane, the crop top, is back on the scene (I’m typing this from the floor in between stomach crunches), and not just for fancy dress parties, as a friend of mine in the US recently discovered. The theme was Clueless and one of the group wanted to go to as Tai. Asking at a popular fashion chain store if they had a red crop top in stock, the salesgirl replied, “Upstairs, in the red crop top section”. Yes, you read that correctly; she said section. It’s official. They’re back… Crop tops can induce a mixed emotional response, like a slightly rabid pet. At first, sunshine and smiles. A good crop top can make you feel like the star of a music video (even if you’re only going to Coles or Woolies). Until that crop suddenly turns on you. One misstep (ie a bad pairing with ill-fitting jeans, or the wrong bra underneath), and fashion police are taping off the scene of a merciless style crime. Despite the pitfalls, truth is there’s a reason this item of clothing pops up on the fashion radar at least once a decade: The crop can be so hot. Google a screen goddess (Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Lauren), and somewhere in the image mix will be a crop top shot. Not to mention the crop top’s natural habitat – chart topping music videos (any era). Right now, for current crop top inspiration, your best celebrity bets are Jennifer Lawrence, and Rihanna. J-Law’s red carpet crops are stylishly on point. Accessorising is kept to a minimum, and she opts for skirt (occasionally a tailored pant) with crop combos focusing on the silhouette. For Rhi Rhi (these nicknames are ridiculous, is it so hard to type Rihanna?), midriff-baring fashion borders on a signature style. Her crop top pairings are a little edgier sometimes (remember the men’s boxer shorts?), and she doesn’t shy from shoulder pads or bling, but she’s also been rocking the crop-top-withskirt (or tailored pant) glamour vibe for a while now. The latest email newsletter for retail chain Sportsgirl showcased soft skirts paired with crop tops (they’re loving the black and white stripes), so while many of us would automatically pair jeans with a crop top, consider switching to a skirt or tailored pant this season. Generics Accessories suggests pairing mesh crops with colourful taffeta fifties skirts (as showcased at the recent Bayside Festival). Brand director Lisa Chau describes the style as luxe beach club. “It’s a summery, flirtatious cocktail look,” she says. “Beach club, with a dash of class.” Stylist Ivanna Fontana recommends

Jennifer Lawrence

wearing your crop top with a pair of high waisted culottes, or tailored trousers with side pockets. “Very chic and on trend.” She says the crop top can be worn to most occasions, if done the right way. “Keep it simple and classy, and the acceptable mid-length for the occasion.” Still determined to play it old school and channel eighties flair (a party period where the crop went wild and had flings with flouro, prints, lace, and numerous accessories)? Try not to get carried away. Yes, long before Sarah Jessica Parker had sex in New York, she was rockin’ the crop. A midriff flashing pink and white one to be exact, worn with suspenders, while performing a dance routine, no less - and she still owned it. But maybe rethink the look a little for Spring/Summer 2014/15... Fontana says, “If you want to channel the eighties crop top, keep it modern with a structured silhouette shape on the bottom, and pair it with a cool pair of boyfriend jeans.” GILLIAN O’MEAGHER WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU

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The Visitors

VISUAL ARTS Karajini: Linton And Kay Galleries Brendon Darby’s landscape paintings of the Karijini Eco Retreat are on display at Linton & Kay’s Perth gallery until Tuesday, December 9. go to lintonandkay.com.au for full details. Brood - Contemporary Fashion Graduate Exhibition: Spectrum Project Space The work of 15 Contemporary Fashion graduates will be modeled at the opening night of the exhibition pm Friday, December 12, from 7pm. Tickets are $20 from stickytickets.com. The exhibition is then free to the public until Thursday, December 18. True Self - David Rosetzky Selected Works: PICA Curated by Naomi Cass and Kyla McFarlane, is the first major survey of one of Australia’s most highly regarded video artists and draws on 15 years of work. It runs until December 21. Go to pica.org.au for more info. Factory 718: Buratti Fine Arts Australian esoteric artists Barry William Hale and Robert Buratti take their inspiration from the visual elements of Taoist thought and faith in this unique collaboration. Taking its name from the hub of Beijing’s art scene, the exhibition showcases a variety of works and forms, including calligraphy, automatic drawing, paper cut, painting and sculpture. It runs from Friday, December 5, until Wednesday, December 31. Go to buratti.com.au for more info.

J. Mascis, performing at the Perth International Arts Festival 2015

The Visitors: John Curtin Gallery Celebrated Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson presents his ambitious nine channel music video installation to Perth as part of the Perth International Arts Festival. It runs from Thursday, February 12, until Sunday, May 16. Go to johncurtingallery.curtin.edu. au for more information.

Heaven Adores You, screening at the Gimme Some Truth Music Documentary Festival

THEATRE/DANCE/ PERFORMANCE His Infinite Variety: Mattie Furphy House In celebration of William Shakespeare’s 450th birthday, The Fellowship Of Australian Writers WA and acting group, Well Versed, have come together for an afternoon of readings from across the length and breadth of the Bard’s work. It takes place on Sunday, December 7, from 3pm with a cost of $15 - $10 for FAWWA members and students. For more information, go to fawwa.org. Venus In Fur: State Theatre Centre A New York playwright and an actress get caught up in a fiery and destructive relationship that explores notions of domination and power in this work from writer David Ives and director Lawrie Cullen-Tait. Presented by Black Swan State Theatre Company and Fringe World, it runs from Thursday, January 15, to Saturday, February 8.

FESTIVALS

True Self

Gimme Some Truth Music Documentary Festival Running at Luna Leederville and Luna Outdoor f ro m Fr i d ay, D e ce m b e r 5 , u n t i l T h u r s d ay, December 11, this second iteration of RTRFM’s

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music movie extravaganza features eight films, including three Australian premieres and two world premieres, plus a bunch of WA-made shorts to boot. For info, tickets and session times, go to lunapalace.com.au. The 2014 Light Up Leederville Carnival The City of Vincent and Leederville Connect are lighting up Leederville for another year of entertainment and attractions. Wander along Oxford Street adorned in lights offering a vast array of food, music, bars, fashion, art and children’s entertainment. This free family friendly event will take place on Sunday December 7 from 12- 8pm. Visit leedervillecarnival.com.au for more information. Fringe World 2015 From Friday, January 23, until Saturday, February 22, Perth comes alive with the best and most outrageous comedy, burlesque, circus, dance, theatre and more! The new program has yet be revealed, so keep an eye on fringeworld.com.au Perth International Arts Festival 2015 Perth’s premiere celebration of art of all genres and forms runs across multiple venues from Friday, February 13, until Saturday, March 7. Highlights this year include The Giants, the excellent range of films at the Lotterywest Festival Films Season and musical performances from Sinead O’Connor, Rufus Wainwright, J Mascis, Mogwai and more. Go to perthfestival.com.au for more information. To have your performance, exhibition or cultural event listed, get in touch via

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BEAUTIFUL YOU Chuck Palahniuk There are only ever a handful of writers who one can legitimately claim to be a ‘voice for their generation’, but one could make a strong argument that Chuck Palahniuk is a contender - particularly for men of a certain age. In his latest novel, Beautiful You, Palahniuk’s eye turns from male identity issues to the arena of female pleasure -- or does it? On the surface, Beautiful You follows the story of Penny Harrigan, a lowly associate of a law firm, who gets whisked away by powerful billionaire C. Linus Maxwell. Far from your usual girl-gets-mysterious billionaire storyline, Harrigan gets turned into a guinea pig for Maxwell’s incredibly potent line of sex toys, which ultimately end up doing some severe damage to society.

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It’s a book that has been getting some severely mixed reviews; Palahniuk’s storytelling has always been confronting but, by and large, it seems that many people have missed the point: Beautiful You is a satire, and a vicious one at that, taking on self-help dogma, arousal addiction and the increasingly narrow versions of freedom and power our society promotes. “History shows that my novels are never digested in a single reading,” Palahniuk says. “People who misinterpret them are skimming along the surface; what they come away with is proof of their own shallowness.” Ouch. “Anyone who expects this book to be sexy does miss the point,” he says. “I call it ‘Gonzo Erotica’ because the novel constantly forfeits sexual tension for a laugh. Whenever the reader might tremble on the verge of arousal, I intentionally use the wrong word or reference to resolve that response with humour. “Nonetheless, countless people have told me the novel did give them hot pants. Go figure.” Beautiful You introduces the topic of arousal addiction in a paragraph that glibly states that it had been a problem largely ignored by society because it generally only affected young men addicted to porn and video games. This throwaway line indicates the actual premise of the book. “Bingo,” Palahniuk says. “My goal was to write a novel about a problem the general public isn’t ready to recognise and address. In The Stepford Wives Ira Levin gave us a symbol for the male backlash against feminism. In Beautiful You I wanted to present sex toys as a similar metaphor that would ease people into a conversation about arousal addiction caused by pornography, video games, sugary food, drugs, etcetera. “All of my novels are about power. Most are about people reaching the full extent of a previous power: education, beauty, youth, obedience... and trying to transition to a new form of power. Penny has gotten what the culture tells her is important, but becoming a lawyer was never her own goal. She’s been trained to use her mind and ignore her body, but it’s in her body that her real power lies. Knowledge about her own body will allow her power over the bodies of others.” Of course, aficionados know better than to expect that Palahniuk’s version of self-empowerment is going to be a good thing. “My joke is that solipsism is the highest state of emotional life and spirituality. So much of the past three decades of self-esteem training and self-empowerment language is salted throughout Beautiful You for a point. We’re meant to recognize that Penny is lost to her own self-actualized devices. May we all avoid the same lonely fate.” SABIAN WILDE

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PERTH THEATRE COMPANY Mel Cantwell

Photo by Matt Sav

Perth Theatre Company has launched its 2015 season, and we had a chat with PTC Artistic Director Mel Cantwell to gain some further insight into what she calls a “creative, big, exciting program.” FROM THE RUBBLE Opening the 2015 season is From The Rubble, based on the stories of journalist Sophie McNeill. It will be an audio-visually immersive new work, directed by Cantwell and created with Joe Lui, Mei Saraswati, Tina Torabi and Mikala Westall. Cantwell describes McNeill as “a remarkable, brave incredible young Western Australian woman.” She goes on to say, “There’s a lot of imagery and elements of Sophie’s work that really stayed with me or that I felt compelled to explore. A lot of them involved young women in some form and what they wanted to be in this world, what their dreams were, and how they navigate around them, and all the things we take for granted sometimes. That’s the territory we’re exploring at the moment.” THE CONFIDENCE MAN Next will be The Confidence Man, a piece co-written and directed by Zoe Pepper which first premiered in Melbourne in 2013. Cantwell says, “This is really fun. It’s a heist story that involves a bag of money and some guns, you know?” But that’s just the beginning. What makes this show a truly unusual and immersive experience is that the characters are eight audience

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members who have chosen to participate, and they all wear big masks. “They’re given an audio feed and instructions throughout the piece and they have to act it out. Then the remaining audience who don’t want to be a part of it sit on the perimeter and observe; they have the same audio feed and can choose between character channels. You sit and watch this world come to life.” THE SONG WAS WRONG Cantwell herself writes and directs The Song Was Wrong about a relationship between a pianist and his muse. She says, “It is exciting for me. It’s a return to what brought me into the theatre in the first place, being a writer/director.” The piece is a bit of a departure for Cantwell, who confesses, “It’s been really joyous to explore love in the rehearsal room. I guess a lot of the work I’ve been doing has been challenging across ethics or moral dilemmas, but I’ve always kept my ear to the ground for that contemporary love story that we can get swept away in. It’s something that we all understand, either that we’re in love, or that we’re looking for love, or lamenting lost love...there’s something about it that’s really beautiful to explore on stage.” YOUR SEVEN Once again offering immersive theatre for audiences, PTC will be presenting a work conceived by James Berlyn called Yourseven. This will take place in the State Theatre Centre Courtyard and audiences will be guided through the space in a one-on-one performance that Cantwell describes as a “beautiful gentle experience.” Of one-onone theatre, Cantwell says, “It can be quite intimidating, but after participating in this piece in a development setting, I came away from it looking at the world a little differently, through brighter eyes. It’s the kind of experience I felt needed to be shared. It’s really lovely.” OF MICE AND MEN PTC’s big finale will be John Steinbeck’s seminal work Of Mice And Men and will star Australian film, television and theatre actor Jai Courtney, along with Luke Hewitt and Steve Turner. Cantwell says, “Jai and I have discussed it for a long time; it’s a role that he felt really drawn to and it’s a work that he and I both felt had a resonance and a timeliness. I feel like in WA we can relate to that idea of the transient workforce, and the friendships we need to fall back on. It’ll be really lovely to see him on stage again, he’s an extraordinary stage actor, not just in terms of presence but in skill.” The performance will also incorporate live music from Perth band Stoney Joe, fronted by Roly Skender. Cicely Binford

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A R T S & C U LT U R E

FILM

NEWS

EVENTS

FA S H I O N

FILM

FAT PIZZA VS HOUSOS Flat Bread And Media Circuses Directed by Paul Fenech Starring Paul Fenech, John Boxer, Elle Dawe There is little denying the popularity of Paul Fenech’s brand of comedy. Both Fat Pizza and Housos ran for multiple seasons (five in the case of Pizza) and garnered their own big screen outing. All this is not even touching on his other shows such as Swift And Shift or the reality TV of Bogan Hunters (which both briefly appear in the film). It’s safe to say that Fenech has seen a niche and capitalised on it, giving us a dose of larrikinism. Fat Pizza Vs Housos is like a Best Of album, combining all those things that have worked before and frantically throwing them at the screen again. If you are a fan this should have you jumping for joy, if not, it will make you wish for a convenient pizza oven to crawl into. After 15 years in prison for a disagreement with a health inspector (involving a chainsaw), Bobo Gigliotti (John Boxer) is out and looking to make pizza again. With the aid of his beloved Mama, he sets up shop in the less than ideal location of Sunnyvale. The

question is can the new Fat Pizza survive the junkies, bogans, bikies, and brewing gang war of this suburb? Fat Pizza Vs Housos is every bit as frenetic and loud as its small screen counterpart. In fact it is exactly the same thing, just longer. There is little in the way of story development or even a consistent flow. It is just a series of skits loosely hung together, on the barest framework, never afraid of heading off on some pointless tangent in search of a laugh or two. Editing, camera angles, and music are all as rough and ready and as over the top as the characters - all of whom return, for a cavalcade of fan favourites. Despite all the racism, sexism, and ableism, there is a genuine sense of satire here. It is evenhanded in the way it dishes it out, and everyone gets a good serving. At times it even makes a good point, cutting close to the political bone in saying something absolutely untoward but entirely correct, the way only comedy can. Sure, it isn’t subtle in this; Fat Pizza Vs Housos achieves this by casting a wide net and then hammering away in an almost maniacal fashion, but it does land a few pertinent points at times. The question is if this trade-off is worth it, for the majority of the times those jokes don’t land, only appealing in the most base way possible. So basically tits, violence and making fun of some minority - all in as deliberately offensive a fashion as it can muster. For fans this is the half and half that had to happen. That morning after pizza that you forgot you had, but needed to tide you over, a slice of the good life. For the rest of us it is that 2am dodgy reheated pizza that has been sitting under the servo warmer for at least a day. Tastes like regret. DAVID O’CONNELL

FILM

SERENA Mountain Madness Directed by Susanne Bier Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Rhys Ifans, Toby Jones, David Dencik The last time Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper were on screen together, it resulted in Oscars all ‘round. We’re probably not going to see the same result off the back of this spineless adaptation of Ron Rash’s 2008 “Appalachian Gothic” novel. Cooper is George Pemberton, a young entrepreneur struggling to spin money from a timber claim in 1930s North Carolina. When he returns from consulting with his city creditors, he brings with him his new bride, the mysterious Serena (Jennifer Lawrence). While Pemberton’s partner, Buchanan (David Dencik) and his hard-bitten lumberjacks doubt Serean will take to life in their rough and tumble camp, she soon demonstrates steely determination and canny business acumen in addition to her already obvious charm. However, Serena’s determination soon gives way to insanity when she learns she can’t bear children after a miscarriage, and her envy of the bastard Pemberton fathered on a local girl turns murderous. The broad strokes of the plot sound great, if overblown, and we could have had a nice little histrionic potboiler here if anyone involved had enough conviction to play to the genre’s strengths. 32

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Unfortunately, Christopher Kyle’s script jettisons much of what was interesting about Rash’s novel, leaving a fairly insipid drama bereft of strong themes or characters. What frustrates is that the better film that this could have been is clearly echoed in what we actually get on screen. As a character, Serena is kind of a half-assed Lady Macbeth, although the filmmakers refrain from having her do anything truly unforgivable until the third act - perhaps the idea of Jennifer Lawrence, the world’s BFF, scheming and murdering to hold onto a woodcutting enterprise was deemed improper. Ironically, the film would have been much more engaging if she - and Cooper, come to think of it - had been allowed to go full tilt Machiavellian. About the only actor who seems to understand the pulpy nature of the material is Rhys Ifans, who plays Serena’s loyal-unto-death one-handed henchman, Galloway. His intermittent presence brings much needed life to a limp film. It’s a very nice looking limp film, though. Both Lawrence and Cooper possess some of that old school Hollywood charisma and they’re watchable even when they’re given little to work with. The period production design is as good as you’d expect, while the gorgeous location work - the Czech Republic stands in for the Smoky Mountains - is evocative of a mood that the rest of the film largely fails to support. If you’re in a particularly forgiving mood you might get something out of it, but ultimately Serena is underdone when it should have been overcooked. TRAVIS JOHNSON

A R T S & C U LT U R E

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NEWS

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FILM

ZERO MOTIVATION Office Wars Directed by Talya Lavie Starring Dana Igvy, Nelly Tagar, Shani Klien To quote a famous war movie, ‘Somebody once said hell is the impossibility of reason.’ (Hot Shots: Part Deux). Zero Motivation adds paperwork to this equation, to give us an intriguing insight into a remote Israeli Defence Force combat base... administrative section. Daffi and Zohar are best friends, serving in the administration office on a military base in the south of Israel. Their days are swamped with boring paperwork, punctuated by competitive games of minesweeper and office gossip. Paper & Shredding NCO Daffi (Nelly Tagar) hates the dessert air (it plays hell on her hair and skin) and seeks to escape to urban splendour of Tel Aviv. Kibbutz raised Zohar (Dana Igvy), has a more basic issue, hoping to keep her insubordination in line long enough to concentrate on the important task of losing her virginity. Both these friends must survive the various hurdles the army keeps throwing in their way to achieve their goals. From commanding officers that wish them to be enthused about their work, pop singer office workers, attractive comrades in arms, to the worst of all - promotion. Zero Motivation comes over like a mix of Private Benjamin, M*A*S*H* and Office Space, but still maintains its uniquely Israeli sensibilities. There seems a

doubling up of both tedium and Byzantine bureaucracy in this combination of army and administration. It is through this mind-numbing boredom and seemingly pointless busywork that the girls navigate their lives. Yet there are also some extremely tense moments, as a number of darker issues that plague the military also raise their head here, including suicide, rape, and the toll on mental health. Zero Motivation clearly demonstrates this line between monotony and stress, revelling in the ridiculousness of it and punctuating it with an equally absurdist ending, complete with a cathartic climax and a denouement where competency is punished and failure is rewarded. It all has a certain twisted logic in this strange Kafkaesque microcosm. It may also signal the first ever appearance of Chekhov’s Staple Gun in a film. Talya Lavine’s directorial debut is a satisfying piece, signifying a talent to keep an eye on. She shows us a claustrophobic world of people trapped in their work. The office space itself is an ever cramped environment, awash in drab but earthy colours. In this the environment is brought to life by a number of enjoyable performances. Dana Igvy is very good as the constantly insolent Zohar, Nelly Tagar gets great comedic mileage out of the constantly crying Daffi, and Shani Klein provides the ideal straight (wo)man as the long suffering CO. Funny, thought provoking and absurdist, this is a non traditional look at soldiers in general and the Israeli military specifically. DAVID O’CONNELL

Zero Motivation screens at Joondalup Pines from Tuesday, December 9, until Sunday, December 14, as part of Lotterywest Festival films. Go to perthfestival.com.au for more information.

FILM

MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN Social Media Directed by Jason Reitman Starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Garner, Ansel Elgort, Katlin Dever As Voyager travels past the edge of the solar system, the technology that launched it into space has progressed over the years. The information age has seen technology connected into every aspect of our life, particularly our social lives. Men, Women And Children looks at how this has affected a group of people in a small American town and how their lives are intermeshed, not only with each other but with the electronic media they are reliant on. Like the wall of sound that audiences are originally assaulted with (representing a sampling of Voyager’s famous golden record), Men, Women And Children is ambitious, multi-layered, at times uncomfortable and eventually fades to white noise. It is a grab bag of issues and storylines , threaded together with an aspect of the new electronic world we are navigating. Popularity, fidelity, depression, body image, suicide, sexuality, parenthood, teen

pregnancy, control, fetishism, 9/11, desires, love - all get thrown together with as diverse a cyber terrain as MMOs, facebook, tumblr, webdating, internet pornography, cyber security, YouTube, sms, sexting, and lo-jacking. The result is initially intriguing, but soon swamped by the weight of issues and the heavy handedness of the messages. With so much going on, it really becomes difficult to care about any of it and many of the character arcs seem to get short shift in this regard, leading to unsatisfactory conclusions. All of which is a bit of a shame as there is an undeniable interest here. Jason Reitman’s initial sequences demonstrating a world awash in electronic media are exceptionally well handled, and give the audience a stunning realisation of how pervasive it is. True it is nothing we haven’t seen before, with text graphics appearing on screen, it is merely the scale of such things taken to everyone in a high school hallway or shopping mall, that is somewhat revelatory. Still, despite this and the many strong performances (such as the low key Adam Sandler, or Dean Morris’ heartbroken father) interest in the film quickly flags as it outstays its welcome. From the 15 year old boy who is only aroused by the smuttiest fetish porn imaginable, to his girlfriend who sells bikini shots on the web, it feels like a constant barrage of the worst excesses of the cyber-age all sandwiched together, till the audience is inured. Hammering its message home in such a consistent and constant fashion this adaptation of Chad Kulten’s novel looses much of its impact. Instead it begins to feels like lurid clickbait, rather than a morality play expounding the virtues of IRL. DAVID O’CONNELL

FILM

MAPS TO THE STARS Hollywood Babylon Directed by David Cronenberg Starring Mia Wasikowska, Julianne Moore, Robert Pattinson, John Cusack, Evan Bird, Olivia Williams While he’s still best known for his body horror masterpieces, Canadian director David Cronenberg has always been more interested in psychological maladies than physical ones. His recent works have abandoned using the body as a metaphorical stand in for the mind and have been all the more interesting for it, a trend that continues with Maps To The Stars. Coming across as a darker twist on Robert Altman’s The Player, Maps To The Stars examines, with a cynicism that sometimes borders on the misanthropic, the lives of a group of seemingly unconnected people who are on the verge of being used up by the film industry. Agatha (Mia Wasikowska), a young woman with burn scars, travels to Los Angeles by bus, quickly forming a relationship with Jerome (Robert Pattinson), a struggling actor and screenwriter who works as a limousine driver. Agatha lands a job as a personal assistant to Havana, an ageing former child star who is struggling with memories of abuse at the hands of her mother, a legendary starlet. Meanwhile, a young Bieber-esque actor, Benjie (Evan Bird) is trying to stage a comeback after going through rehab and must struggle not only with his ambitious and distant parents (John Cusack and Olivia Williams) but the notion that, only in his

late teens, he may already be washed up. That’s actually the key theme of the film. Each character is grappling in their own way with missed opportunities and past primes, desperate to get their hands on what they once had or think they want. With wry, blacker than black humour, Cronenberg and screenwriter Bruce Wagner examine a culture enslaved to ambition, demonstrating an inherent understanding that every peak of success is built on a mountain of failures. The characters portrayed herein are part of the mountain, whether they know it or not. The cast give it their all, with Julianne Moore standing out as the vain and delusional Havana, still living in the shadow of her yearsdead mother to such an extent that she thinks appearing in a remake of one of her films will give her... release? Salvation? Absolution? Peace? No one here can put a name to their need; they only know they’re hungry. Film fans and gossip followers will catch plenty of in jokes and arch quips, but the story is rooted in real emotional pain, which makes it come across as powerful rather than snide. It’d be easy to chide the film for essentially - and inarguably - being about the problems of rich white people, but Maps To The Stars manages to bring out the humanity in its cast of emotional grotesques, even as it ruthlessly lampoons them for their short-sightedness. TRAVIS JOHNSON

Maps To The Stars screens at Somerville from Monday, December 8, until Saturday, December 14, and Joondalup Pines from Tuesday, December 16, until Sunday, December 21, as part of Lotterywest Festival films. Go to perthfestival.com.au for more information. WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU

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WHAT’S ON IN DECEMBER

PERTH WATER SLIDE! The 315m water slide known as Slidestreet will premiere in Perth on Sunday, December 14, on St Georges Terrace. In conjunction with the City of Perth the event will feature food trucks, DJs and a pop-up bar. Door sale tickets start from $20 for a single slider with a multi-slider ticket costing $65. For more information visit slidestreet.com.au.

KILLAH NIGHT He’s one of the most iconic hip-hop artists of our time, whether with the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, or on his own, and he’s returning to Australia for shows next month. Ghostface Killlah, joined by special guest, Pharoahe Monch, will hit Metro City on Sunday, December 21. Tickets are on sale now from metroconcertclub.com.

Slidestreet

Ghostface Killlah

LIGHT UP LEEDERVILLE 2014 The third annual Light Up Leederville Carnival has been announced with this years event happening on Sunday, December 7, featuring an inaugural The West Australian local music stage. Featuring Cosmic Drama, The Brow, Shameem, Ensemble Formidable, The Amani Consort, Ladywood, Pimps Of Sound, Diger Rokwell, Kid Tsunami, Wisdom2th, DJ Silence and Charlie Bucket, plus many other acts and attractions this free carnival will again be a hit. For more information visit leedervillecarnival.com.au. Diger Rokwell, Light Up Leederville

THE 1ST ANNUAL XMAS CRACKER This year The Saint launches Perth’s biggest Christmas festival with The 1st Annual Xmas Cracker on Wednesday, December 24. Featuring five rooms, five bars, five stages, 30 subwoofers and over 20 DJs from all corners of the globe and the country including some of Australia’s biggest names such as: Tonite Only (Sam La More & Groove Terminator), Tenzin, Rob Pix, Señor Roar and Hydraulix. Added to this is a massive list of the cream of Perth’s DJ crop to make sure this Christmas really is a cracker! Tickets on sale from oztix.com.au.

Felicity Groom recently released her second album, Hungry Sky, to an enraptured response. Full details have now emerged of her album launch for Friday, December 5, at the Rosemount Hotel with a suitably impressive support line-up of Dianas, Mei Saraswati, Hamjam and Good Doogs DJs. Presale tickets are $10 (plus booking fee) via rosemounthotel.oztix.com.au. Door sales will be $15 (if available) on the night from 8pm.

It’s gonna be a cracker

Felicity Groom | Pic: Michael Wylie

HERE COMES THE GROOM

DEVILLES Devilles Pad proudly present their end of year Oceanic Spectacular on Saturday, December 20. Headline act Some Like It Yacht will rock your boat as they pay tribute to the music of Phil Collins, Hall and Oates and other such classics. It’s smooth sailing all night long as DJs Melnkel, Rinnaz and Jo 19 transport you to dancefloor paradise. Your host on this magical journey through the seas of sound MC Tyranny! Come dressed as your favourite nautical character (think Robinson Cruise-O, Castaway Wilson, Admiral Tightpants, Sailor Simon and Spongebob).This will be Devilles; last night of weekend trading until January 9, 2015, so be ready to party! Doors open 6pm; $10 entry from 8pm.

SOUTH WEST BAND SLAM Clancy’s Fish Pub Dunsborough is holding a huge band competition for punters in the South West region, with a host of great industry related prizes to assist your band in making headway in the WA music scene. Bands must be local to the South West and unsigned. Send a short bio, photo and any links to music and footage to bandslam@clancysfishpub. com.au. South West Band Slam

Some Like It Yacht | Pic: Fields & Skies Photography

LIZ WIZ BIZ King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have just released their fifth LP (in only two-and-a-half years) entitled I’m In Your Mind Fuzz. Following on from two months of overseas touring, the band are embarking on a national album tour that will wind its way to the Rosemount Hotel on Saturday, December 13, and Mojos on Sunday, December14. Their Flightless label mates, The Babe Rainbow, will accompany. Tickets via oztix.com.au. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

NYE TOGA FRAT PARTY

FEED BOX MARKET

Are you ready to bring in the New Year with the biggest party on Beaufort Street? Well, rip off your bed sheet and tie it around your body... you guessed it, it’s The Court’s NYE Toga Frat Party! There’s four massive zones we have on offer. Bust out some sexy moves in the Front Bar with your sexy Court cheerleaders! Get hot hot hot in the jock locker room Cocktail Bar. Like the ones you see in all the movies with DJ Angry Budu bringing you dirty R&B all night long. Chill out in the Beer Garden whilst playing some old time favourite Frat Party games. In The Overflow it’s the biggest dance party of the year. DJs Timbee, Wasteland, Sir Clancelot and P Lilly smashing out the tunes! Shows by Hannah Conda and the girls. If toga isn’t your thing come dressed as a burly footballer or sexy cheerleader. Better start hunting for that sexy costume now so you can lock in that first kiss of 2015! Tickets available through Eventbrite. $25 presale, $30 on the door if not sold out

The Feed Box Market happen every Saturday over summer and Autumn at the Esplanade Scarborough, 8am– 1pm. This market is designed to nourish community, feed souls, feed families, feed our desire to learn, feed our creative side and our sense of belonging. More details at feedboxmarket.com. au. Feed Box Market

Toga! 34

CARNEVALE Imagine a previously undiscovered island of world class beats, craft beer and gourmet eats. An oasis of good vibes right on the doorstep to the city centre, but in lush green surrounds. Imagine no more... on Sunday, December 28 a new electronic music festival, The Carnevale Open Air, will bring it to you at The Urban Orchard. The Carnevale will play host to a cream of local and international artists, amplifying the atmosphere while you lose the plot on the dancefloor or kick back in our outdoor lounge setting. Get set for Oliver Koletzki, Oliver Schories (Live), Maxxi Soundsystem, Niko Schwind, Murat Kilic, City Kid, Parakord, Eyan, Zel, Luke P, Jay Vincente, Nando Cesar and Erick Namorato. Tickets available from moshtix.com.au. Oliver Koletzki, Carnevale

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YO U R G U I D E TO W H AT ’ S O N T H I S A U G U S T

KING CACTUS Cactus In Wonderland AARON BRYANS catches up with Joshua Garner ahead of King Cactus’ appearance at Wonderland on Saturday, December 20. How did you guys form? Pretty much exactly a year ago I met Edo (Ekic) at a friend’s house in Leederville and he was playing guitar in the kitchen. I didn’t really introduce myself I just grabbed another acoustic and we went at it for four hours. How would you describe your sound to newbies? Cactus music. The sound is coming out in heaps of different ways. It’s definitely got a Western, Australian, blues feel to it and then it’s got that psychedelic cactus vibe. We like to keep a bit of integrity behind the music and I think the blues has the most. How has the year been? It’s been a good year. It’s been quite busy, I travel quite a bit and everyone in the band is quite busy. Speaking on behalf of everyone it’s been a very eventful year. What were your initial goals as a band? We kind of gave ourselves a year to put out a release but we also wanted to find the band and get all of the music down. We knew the music was flowing out from both of us and now it’s at that stage where that’s happening one year from then exactly. Do you guys write the predominant layers? Yeah pretty much. We script most of it but there’s freedom for our bass player and drummer to take reign on most parts and give it their touch. Me

“The sound is coming out in heaps of different ways. It’s definitely got a Western, Australian, blues feel to it and then it’s got that psychedelic cactus vibe. We like to keep a bit of integrity behind the music and I think the blues has the most.” and Edo will sit down with a song in mind and a vibe or an idea behind the music and then the melodies come with the writing process. A lot of it is storytelling. What’s your craziest live show memory? The house parties. They create a very interesting environment for everyone. We’ve done three so far. It’s more of an intimate scenario. Everyone’s dancing on the stage. Will you guys have any releases coming up soon? February 21 is when we’re planning our first release. Meanwhile we’re loving the live element so far. We’re finding our sound through that and I think pumping out an album will be easy. Anything to add about Wonderland? Come and taste the cactus sweat because we’re going to be grooving hard. best urban act in the WAMIs, which was awesome but in the last month it’s just been about playing some of the new tunes off the new EP. The new tunes seemed to go down well at the Angove and Beaufort Street festivals, so it’s been a fantastic year for us but it’s all been bit of a blur, really.

The Amani Consort | Pic: Stephen Lobo

THE AMANI CONSORT A Very Good Year The Amani Consort appear on The West Australian local music stage at the Light Up Leederville Carnival this Sunday, December 7, along with Cosmic Drama, The Brow, Shameem, Ensemble Formidable, Ladywood, Pimps Of Sound, Diger Rokwell, Kid Tsunami, Wisdom2th, DJ Silence and Charlie Bucket. BOB GORDON chats to Aysha Amani. The Amani Consort have been at this for a while, but it seems as though in 2014 you’ve been able to up your profile and extend your audience. How would you describe this year? Yeah we’ve done some really cool stuff this year and it’s gone by so quick. We started the year with a South West tour where we supported soul legend, Lee Fields. Then we played a bunch of festivals including West Coast Blues N’ Roots, which was a blast and next thing we knew we were off to Singapore for Beer Fest Asia where we got rave reviews. When we came home we jumped straight back into the studio to record our next release. Recently we were nominated for 36

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Tell us about the single you’ve just released... So to celebrate our WAMI nomination we thought we would leak out our first single on triple j Unearthed and give people a free download. It’s a bit more in the hip hop vibe than our previous stuff. The song’s called Getting By and it’s about doing just that. As anyone pushing in the arts biz knows it can be a tough gig and making ends meet as a creative person in a world that can sometimes undervalue, that can be tough. The lyrics are a reflection of that frustration, I guess. Its a rhyme I’ve had kicking around for a while so it’s been great to finally put down on a track and get it out of my head. The response so far has been brilliant! Is an EP or album in the offing and if so how’s it looking stylistically? Well we went in to put down five tracks and came out with eight so its still and EP but its a bit of a mini album. Stylistically we are still bringing our own blend of hip hop urban neo-soul vibes but this time we have tried to find some more space in these tracks and across the record there is some real light and shade. From neo soul ballads to the wall of sound that people have come to expect from The Amani Consort. We recorded at Loop Studios so that has allowed us to make use of some of the vintage pre-amps so we are really happy with the sound we have been able to pull. The addition of some guests has just helped take the whole thing to the next level, What are your other hopes/plans for 2015? Well we have a big launch for the new EP on March 14 at Mojo’s so that will be awesome! Hopefully we will do some more touring at the end of next year but if 2014 is anything to go by it’s onwards and upwards for The Amani Consort. Are you looking forward to Light Up Leederville? It’s always been a good place for some funk and jazz... Yeah we seem to be in the age of awesome boutique festivals in Perth at the moment and we are exited to be part of debut of the new West Australian music stage at this year’s Light Up Leederville Carnival. I think the carnival is going to be bigger and better than ever before by the looks of things and there is a definite focus on soul groove and funk bands which is great ‘cause we have some amazing talent in this genre in Perth. We are on at 4pm and the band and I can’t wait. For more information visit leedervillecarnival.com.au.

A preview of everything happening in the perth scene this November! advertise: advertising@xpressmag.com.au

The Elliot Smith documentary Heavens Adores You opens RTRFM’s Gimme Some Truth film festival

GIMME SOME TRUTH Documents RTRFM’S Gimme Some Truth documentary film festival runs at Luna Leederville from Friday, December 5, until Thursday, December 11. BOB GORDON finds out all about it from Station Manager, Jason Cleary. The Gimme Some Truth doco festival successfully debuted last year, in returning what did you want to bring forth to the populace? Once again this festival is about showcasing, underground, independent and little heard music in the same way RTRFM provides that through all our other avenues. I think this year builds on last year’s festival with a stronger selection of films that all have very strong narratives and engaging storylines. I always want a selection of films that really showcase the diverse landscape that music is. We have also bought in a WA shorts selection that showcases some of the great WA work being done in film. Is it difficult getting the various rights and permissions to screen music docos of this nature? It is actually not that different to getting hold of music, it seems a very fragmented industry with most films being produced independently, the hardest but most enjoyable part is unearthing some gems from around the world, so a lot of backward and forward emailing to see what will line up and is available at that time. I think it is quite difficult for many documentaries to get the opportunity to screen at a cinema, so often they are really keen to get their film into the selection but we only have the resources to do quite a small size festival at the moment - but the plans are always for expansion. Heaven Adores You, the Elliot Smith film, looks set to be fascinating. A long-time RTR fave whose music has not diminished one bit since his passing... His music, as you say, has not diminished one bit, if anything it has grown in stature since his passing. Not to give too much away but the film really is a celebration of his life and the person he was. The artists and friends that are bought together on this film, really show that he was so influential to so many and really looked up to by his peers and various bandmates at the time. It is a very sad film in parts and does not shy away from his mental health issues, but you get a real feeling from the film that he was just such a wonderful human being and really seemed to leave a lasting effect on everyone associated to him. I think the party after the film will be a great chance to celebrate an RTRFM favourite and a legacy of music, and a time, pretty close to the heart of the station as Elliot Smith was an artist that was championed from his very early days and still gets plenty of airtime. What are the other highlights for you? Everything! I keep getting asked this question and am not sure what to answer. Come Worry With Us is an amazingly personal film about artists really living on the breadline and as a massive soul music film Deep City is a fascinating document; something like Beautiful Noise is just a great film about some of the most influential music of the late ‘80s early ‘90s. Any WA content is really important to me and I love being able to showcase it. Kenta McGrath’s film, No Encore, is quite confronting and very much a film in line with the experimental musical style of Decibel.

“(Heaven Adores You) really is a celebration of (Elliot Smith’s) life and the person he was. The artists and friends that are bought together on this film, really show that he was so influential to so many and really looked up to by his peers and various bandmates at the time.”

I really ensure I curate films that are showcase interesting and exciting stories that delve as deep as possible into their subjects so I can absolutely recommend any of the films at the festival. Tell us about the WA films that are being screened? I have already mentioned No Encore as the WA feature and is a beautifully shot almost road movie style of film. The WA shorts came about because I just found so many strong short music documentaries being made in WA. Brian Kruger AKA Empty has travelled to New York and made a real fly on the wall documentary searching for those freestyle rap artists that still proffer the art of improvised freestyle rap, an art form that has gone almost completely underground. The Big Splash has become a large part of the local music calendar and we have a great behind the scenes documentary from the 2014 Big Splash series. Local filmmaker Gavin Bond could be called a Todd Rundgren tragic but that would probably not be taking it far enough as he looks at the life and mostly underappreciated music of an artist many people see as a genius (Todd Who?). Lastly we will take you back to our 2014 Radiothon as Silver Squid Productions roamed the streets of Perth and the studios of RTRFM to put together this celebration of what makes a great community radio station. Make sure you arrive a little early to other feature screenings as we have some other shorts and our new live film series showing during the week. What do you hope people will take away from Gimme Some Truth this year? I hope people just enjoy the films and take out more knowledge about the artist or music scene that they are watching. In a film like Keep On Keeping On you get an amazing insight into the personality and love of life and jazz that Clark Terry has, some of the biggest names in jazz talking about his influence on them whilst he still champions a young jazz prodigy while struggling with his own ailing health. This is the kind of story that music documentaries should bring out, it goes past the music and is about giving you more about the subject than you could otherwise find. Tickets to all films are still available at gimmesometruth.com.au WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU

YO U R G U I D E TO W H AT ’ S O N T H I S O C TO B E R

TO MARKET! Tis’ the season to be jolly, so head down to one of these summer markets for your dose of merriment.

STARLIGHT PURPLE HAZE POP-UP CHRISTMAS MARKET The purple haze has come together with the Starlight Children’s Foundation to help raise money for seriously ill and hospitalised children and their families, sponsoring this festive Sunday market. Join the Dockers in a handball competition then make your way through market stalls and food vendors. Kings Square, Fremantle, December 7.

JOONDALUP TWILIGHT MARKETS For those closer to Joondalup, head to Central Walk on any one of the next few Fridays before Christmas. Wonder through food, clothing, arts and crafts and gift-ware stalls as live music gets you in the mood for the silly season. Central Walk, Joondalup, every Friday until Christmas.

Fremantle Arts Centre Bazaar

BAZAAR This annual Christmas shopping extravaganza takes place in the picturesque courtyard at Fremantle Arts Centre. Expect a collection of stalls brimming with goodies made by local artists, designers and makers, with anything and everything from fashion and jewellery, to textiles and homewares on display. It’s shopping the Freo way – laid back, with a hint of quirkiness thrown in for good measure. Fremantle Arts Centre, December 5-7.

CITY OF PERTH TWILIGHT HAWKERS MARKET You’ll be saying TGIF a lot more this summer with these twilight hawkers markets. Get city bound after work for dinner under the stars, and pick between Indonesian satay, Malaysian curries, Moroccan tagines, Colombian empanadas, Japanese Delights, and more, then top it all off with artisan ice cream and a little late night shopping. Forrest Place, Perth, Fridays until April.

Bathers Beach Sunset Market

BATHERS BEACH SUNSET MARKET

CHRISTMAS POP UPMARKET SHOP

What could be better than watching the sunset at the beach on a warm summer night? How about enjoying it alongside live music and dance performances, then grabbing a bite to eat from a selection of delicious food stalls? This market is inspired by the Mindil Beach Sunset Market in Darwin and is set to be a big hit this summer, and you can bring your bathers! Bathers Beach, Fremantle, until January 24.

Held over 16 days, this Upmarket in the heart of Subi sees local designers showcasing their West Australian designed and made products. The event is broken up into five different blocks of three to four days, with each block presenting 16 different designers every time.

PERTH HOME GROWN Foodies rejoice! Perth Home Grown is back with the best in local produce, products and ingredients. You’ll be salivating at the sights and smells of homebaked goods like cupcakes, cookies and cakes, not to mention tasty chutneys, pickles and delicious brunch options. There’s also fresh flowers, plants, and some hand-crafted products on offer, so why not kill two birds with one stone and get your food and Christmas shopping done? Forrest Place, Perth, every Sunday until December 28.

ONWILLIAM SUMMER MARKETS Thanks to growing demand, this popular Northbridge night market will be held over two nights instead of one. So if you’re after a casual weekend full of live music, delicious local food, more than 70 stalls and a number of cool pop up bars (for a sneaky tipple or two), get down to the Perth Cultural Centre and watch the precinct bustle with life. Perth Cultural Centre, December 12-13

City Of Perth Twilight Hawkers Market

Perth Home Grown Market

Block 1- Friday 5th- Sunday 7th December 2014. Featuring Jet + Ruby, Purity Organics, A Bird In The Hair lock 2- Monday 8th- Thursday 11th December 2014 – Featuring Truffles By Trish, Fleur Envy, Paper Crab Block 3- Friday 12th- Sunday 14th December 2014 – Featuring Blue Lawn Designs, Moteef, Petra Vanessie Block 4- Monday 15th – Thursday 18th December 2014 – Featuring Convict Bags and Accessories, Jacinta Lepoutre, Biscuit & Cookie Block 5- Friday 19th- Sunday 21st December 2014 – Featuring SELF Organics, Puretots, Sarah-May Ceramics. Corner Rokeby Road and Bagot Road, Subiaco, December 5-21. Head to perthupmarket.com.au for more details.

TELSTRA PERTH FASHION FESTIVAL Swim + Resort Series The Telstra Perth Fashion Festival’s Swim + Resort Series kicks off on Sunday, December 14, at the Royal Perth Yacht Club. PENNY LANE talks to some of the West Australian designers showcasing their new summer designs at the event, and finds out what we can expect to see lining our coastlines this season. basics, using clean cuts and tailored silhouettes that exude a cool confidence and elegance that has is distinguished through simplicity. You can expect sport-luxe inspired designs, monochrome palettes, strong lines and classic designs with fine detailing. What colours/patterns can we expect to grace our beaches this summer? I think you will again see a large variety of swimwear this year. There is a bikini for every event and every mood! Bright colours and prints always make a statement but I also think you will see a lot of cut-out bikinis, teeny Brazilian bikinis, and fashion inspired bikinis that can be worn from beach to bar.

ZINGIBER SWIMWEAR OWNER AND DESIGNER, NICOLA SPICER Zingibi Ruby Tuesday Hooded swimsuit

PALM SWIMWEAR’S KAT FUREY What influenced you to create Palm? The brand was founded by myself and my partner, Ben, when we were both living in Bali together. The beach, travel, and the ‘feeling of summer’ was the main influence of the brand for us, as well as our love for simple, classic design and high quality staple pieces. You only founded the label earlier this year. How has it been received? When we first started the brand we really didn’t know what to expect. We just tried to stay true to our design aesthetics, which was for simple, clean cut, yet bold designs that are timeless and long lasting. Our swimwear easily found it’s own place in the market – it occupies a unique spot through its understated approach to iconic designs and carefully chosen, high quality raw materials. What can we expect from your SS14/15 range? Our SS15/14 is our Back to Basics collection. Our main focus was on redefining the 38

How did you come up with your label’s name? A bit of a word flow, which goes like this: My name is Nicola Spicer... Spice is my nickname... Ginger is a spice... Zingiber is the Latin word for Ginger. Why Perth

have you decided to stay in to design this lovely brand? I have lived in Sydney, Gold Coast and Melbourne I absolutely love Perth! Plus I used to work FIFO, so that is why I was here in the first place. What’s your SS14/15 range all about? Unique edgy sophisticated vibes. You’ve got some impressive achievements under your belt. We recently just won Best Up and Coming Swimwear Designer 2014 and our designs have been worn by Sydney Fashion Blogger and Micah Gianneli. What are people going to be wearing this summer? Mexican prints, Italian Lycra, mesh styles, navy colours and our unique hooded swimsuit is setting its own trend. What’s your favourite item from your new range? I love our St Louis gun print bikini, Ruby Rose just requested this one!

FELLA Mad Max one piece

ROSIE IFFLA, CO-FOUNDER OF F E L L A What makes F E L L A special? F E L L A was created by two Perth born girls who have a love of travel and wanted to create something unique in the market. Our swimwear is made with Italian fabrics, is digitally printed in Sydney and manufactured in my business partners private factory in Bali and then distributed all over the globe to our stockists.

Amore & Sorvete’s bikini bottoms

21 I decided to chase my dreams and start designing my own pieces, which turned out to be a success. Sum up Amore & Sorvete’s style. What are you guys all about? Amore & Sorvete is an Australian swimwear brand influenced by Brazil, hence the name Amore & Sorvete (meaning ‘love and ice-cream’ in Portuguese). With our signature Brazilian cut bottoms and feminine prints, this is what represents my brand. I think most girls who know A&S would be able to spot our bikinis from a mile away.

What’s your must-have piece this summer? The Mad Max one-piece: It’s sexy without What can we expect from your SS14/15 range? The collection Bon Voyage is influenced being too revealing, great on a range of figures, and feminine with a bit of edge with the mesh detailing and low by the 1960s – it has a very sweetheart feel about it, incorporating gingham prints and heart-shaped cut-outs. back with high neckline. It’s very feminine and cute and we’ve already had such a great response, selling out of our most popular styles. What’s the Perth swimwear scene like? It’s great – very creative and dynamic. People often say to me, ‘why did you choose swimwear, it’s so What’s your favourite item from your new range? competitive?’. The way I look at it is that every market is I personally live in my basic triangle and seamless Brazilian competitive in some way, especially in the clothing trade, bottom because that’s what I feel most comfortable in, but you can either see that as a negative or positive. I but one of our top sellers would have to be our Miami have several friends who have swimwear brands as well as bottom, which is Brazilian cut but with a ruffle around the clothing labels and I love what they do. We just focus on our bottom with cute trimmings, super cute and super sexy. business and produce things we love and don’t really think about competition. More details at telstraperthfashionfestival.com.au/ swim-resort-series/ Where has your swimwear travelled? We have been lucky enough to secure international stockists in Mexico, Indonesia, USA, Europe, Israel and Lebanon in our first season.

AMORE & SORVETE’S BRIDGETTE GALE What influenced you to create this swimwear label? From a very young age I started collecting swimwear. I don’t know if that was because I spent all my time at the beach or because beautiful prints and fabrics caught my eye, but swimwear was always on the top of my birthday and Christmas lists every year and I was always saving up to buy my next pair. So when I turned Zingibi St Louis Bikini

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E D U C AT I O N , T R A I N I N G & C A R E E R S

compulsory fieldwork component for students majoring in PR. This unit allows students to gain real-world experience in a format that fosters personal and professional growth, and equipped me with some of my most valuable lessons. How’s it been this year doing your Honours? Undertaking Honours is a highly challenging, yet extremely rewarding experience. The nature of Curtin’s Honours program allows students to work autonomously on a research project that they are passionate about with the guidance of an experienced mentor. I truly believe that the skills I have developed over the past year have equipped me with the advanced knowledge and confidence that I need to excel in my field, and I would strongly recommend this program to any driven student wanting to further their studies.

BACHELOR OF COMMERCE (BCOM) The Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) is Curtin Business School’s principal course and an internationally recognised undergraduate business qualification. It offers a large and comprehensive range of business specialisations. • The degree aims to give you transferable skills and knowledge such as: • verbal and interpersonal communication skills • critical thinking and problem solving skills • negotiating skills • effective collaboration and time management skills.

Marli Stork at the PRIA Awards Night

MARLI STORK WW Mitchell Student Of The Year Marli Stork completed her Bachelor of Commerce at Curtin in 2013, majoring in Public Relations and Marketing and has been completing her Honours year. She was recently named the 2014 WW Mitchell Student of the Year at the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) WA State Awards for Excellence. Congratulations on your award! Describe the experience of fronting the panel and putting what you’ve learnt into practice in a situation like that? Thank you very much! To be honest, while I would normally be quite anxious about the idea of presenting my own strategies to a panel of industry professionals, this was such a great opportunity to showcase the skills and knowledge that I gained during my degree that I was ready and raring to go. When you began as an undergraduate, what appealed to you about the course Curtin offered?

For anyone looking to study at university, it is difficult to choose between the highly competitive universities WA has to offer. After comprehensively evaluating the attributes of each university, it became clear that Curtin offered the ideal balance between theory and practice that I was looking for. What aspects of the undergraduate course do you remember most? A clear highlight for me is the final year unit, Public Relations Internship, which is a

GEORGE CLINTON Bring The Funk Soul legend George Clinton and his immortal band, Parliament-Funkadelic, will be gracing the West Coast Blues And Roots Festival on Sunday, March 29, 2015 in Fremantle Park. DAVID JAMES YOUNG checks in.

It is designed to help you gain the theory and practical skills you need to be confident and ready for the job market. You will be taught by experienced staff and will have opportunities to interact with businesses and learn in real workplace scenarios. You will graduate with a Bachelor of Commerce degree regardless of which areas you choose to specialise in. Graduates go on to a diverse range of careers, for example as accountants, advertising executives or financial analysts. What the course involves: The Bachelor of Commerce comprises eight common core units; seven of these are completed in your first year of study. You complete the eighth common core unit, Business Capstone, in your final year of study, which gives you the opportunity to take part in a competition to run the most successful virtual company.

“I keep my eye on any music that parents or older musicians are saying ain’t real music,” he says. “When I hear ’em say that, that’s when I start watching. Usually, that’s gonna be the next music. The music that gets on people’s nerves… it’s usually gonna be the next thing that’s happening, so you best be down as quick as you can, otherwise you gonna be old and out of step.”

“Funk!” It’s more or less the first word out of George Clinton’s mouth, and it’s probably a word that hasn’t been left unsaid on any day for practically all of the 73 years he has been alive. It should be stressed, however, that Clinton’s not just shouting the word at random. Not yet, at least. It’s in response to the question of exactly what’s kept the Parliament-Funkadelic collective going strong after so many years – especially when they’ve shared bills so often with bands that have come and gone. Funk is the answer. “Funk is in all of the music that supposedly came after Parliament and Funkadelic,” says Clinton. “It’s in hip hop, it’s in electronic music – it’s in everything. As long as there’s some funk in something, we’re gonna be a viable force to deal with. We love doing what we do. We ain’t going nowhere. To us, it’s always a party. There’s always a reason to keep funky.” Of course, what’s even more impressive about the lasting power of the Parliament-Funkadelic clan is how crowded the musical climate has become around it. Dozens upon dozens of artists will share the stage with Clinton and co. for the upcoming edition of Blues And Roots, many of whom were not even alive at the peak of their success. It begs the question as to whether Clinton still keeps his ear to the ground in the realm of contemporary music. “I keep my eye on any music that parents or older musicians are saying ain’t real music,” he says. “When I hear ’em say that, that’s when I start watching. Usually, that’s gonna be the next music. The music that gets on people’s nerves… it’s usually gonna be the next thing that’s happening, so you best be down as quick as you can, otherwise you gonna be old and out of step.” It’s now been about six years since we heard from Clinton in a recorded sense – his last studio album was a selection of covers and collaborations, entitled George Clinton And His Gangsters Of Love, which dropped in 2008. It won’t 40

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What skills do you feel you need to succeed in PR and in what ways does Curtin refine and improve those? To really succeed in PR, there are a few skills that are particularly salient; you must be able to write well, you should exhibit exceptional attention to detail, you should ideally have the confidence to network, and finally you must be proactive. Whilst studying PR at Curtin, students learn how to plan and develop communication strategies, are invited to regular networking events as part of the Public Relations Student Chapter, and are offered valuable assistance when looking for work placements. What are your plans from here? In the short term I hope to work for one of WA’s leading PR consultancies, gaining as much industry experience as possible. Beyond that, I will work towards my ultimate goal of directing my own consultancy. Common core units taken in the first year are: • Accounting • Business Law • Economics • Business Information Systems • Management • Marketing • Communication in Business In your second and third years, you may choose one or two majors to specialise in. You can focus on a single area of specialisation (a single major) or two separate areas of specialisation (a double major). A single major allows you to take elective units, to give you a broader perspective of that business area. A double major gives you an in-depth perspective of two business areas. Throughout the course you can participate in class presentations, group work, computer lab sessions, case studies, workplace assignments and examinations. You may gain work experience through work placement, vacation placements and internships. Many units include interaction with local businesses. Most units are presented within a lecture and tutorial format. For full-time students most classes are scheduled during the day, but evening attendance may be necessary for some units. Part-time students usually attend evening classes, but may attend day classes if it is convenient. Full details of all courses available at curtin.edu.au be long, however, before we’re inundated with what Clinton calls “the doo-doo.” “That’s what we call the new shit!” he cackles. Not only will you be hearing from Clinton very soon in this regard, you’ll also be reading about him, too. “I just did a book of my life,” he announces. “It’s got an album to go with it. The title of the book is Brothas Be, Yo, George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard On You? That’s one of the songs on the album. I been working on this project for 20 years. The album’s got 33 songs on it, and a lot of songs have come together in the last few years; songs that I been real fond of. I been working on fighting these court cases, and now with the book coming out, I feel I get a chance to explain my side of all of that stuff. I feel vindicated already.” Not much is known about the new material so far, except a) there’s a lot of it; and b) there’s a chance you’ve probably heard some of the tracks if you’ve seen Parliament-Funkadelic in action in recent times. What we’re set to discover, also, is that the collaborative spirit of Gangsters Of Love will continue into this material. Clinton elaborates on one particularly special guest that we’ll be seeing in the not-too-distant future. “I just did a song with Kendrick Lamar,” he says. “Talking to him, I found out his grandparents were both into P-Funk. It was passed on to his parents, and now down to him. To hear somebody that young know so much about it – y’know, I feel blessed. Kids hate their parents’ music! For some reason, funk survived through the generations.” Talk turns to Clinton’s upcoming visit to Australia. He’s played here several times over the years, but he recalls one fascinating moment from his very first visit. “I remember coming, but I don’t remember what year it was. I went to a party with the Prince of Bali after the show. He gave me a ring that I still have. He was killed in a coup a few months later. I’m looking at the ring right now.” We move toward a more recent memory – comparatively, at least – of when ParliamentFunkadelic performed a now-legendary set at Bluesfest for what some say went for up to five hours, before the power was eventually shut off on the stage. “Oh yeah!” The memory is instant in Clinton’s mind, before he heads off on a different tangent entirely. “That’s something we used to do quite often, where we would play until they pulled the plug. In New Orleans, they let us play for seven hours. It was daybreak, and they were serving whisky on the street. The place was packed, so they opened the doors and let us play out into the street.” So, exactly how does one last through a seven-hour show, George? “Two can leave, three can leave, go get a drink, get back in there,” he says. “It’s always shifting in and out. Back then, there was 26 of us.” And just so we’re clear, how many are ParliamentFunkadelic touring with these days? “22!”

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Touring in support of his debut album, Wanted On Voyage, George Ezra will make his way to Southbound on Saturday-Sunday, January 3-4, 2105, at Sir Stewart Bovell Park, Busselton. AUGUSTUS WELBY reports. Looks can be deceiving. At least that’s the case with UK songwriter, George Ezra, whose unassuming and boyish looks belie his brawny vocal capacity. However, this incongruity hasn’t been off-putting for listeners around the world. In the last 12 months, Ezra’s gone from being a relative unknown to having a top 10 single in 11 countries and subsequently marking a trail of sold-out shows across the globe. While Ezra’s auspicious career beginnings might read like an overnight success story, lengthy preparations preceded his public launch. “I’m aware that in the public eye this has happened really quickly for me,” he says, “but there was three years’ worth of work that went into it between me and my manager. I’m actually probably gigging as much as I have been for years, but it’s just that there’s actually people at the gigs now.” Ezra’s first EP, Did You Hear The Rain?, came out just over a year ago. It was this set’s second single, Budapest, that had a breakthrough impact across the globe, reaching double platinum sales in Australia. Then, in June this year, he delivered his debut full-length album, Wanted On Voyage. Even after Ezra spent those three years honing his craft prior to releasing the album, Wanted On Voyage, isn’t a compilation of tracks written throughout that entire period. Rather, the record was developed in two key stints. The first of these involved a solitary songwriting escapade.

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“An album isn’t just 12 songs that go together,” Ezra says. “They have to have come from the same place. I went travelling around Europe and the best thing about that is that all the songs came from the same place. I was writing down everything I saw, the people I met. I spent a month by myself and I don’t think people actually get the opportunity to spend a month by themselves. It was amazing. I was massively inspired.” Armed with a travelogue full of fresh song ideas, Ezra returned to the UK to get down to the nitty gritty. The album itself was written alongside prominent songwriter and Athlete frontman, Joel Pott. “I was introduced to him in a pub and he said, ‘We should write a bit together’,” Ezra explains. “We found this little barn in Wales and you had to have the fire on for hot water and there was no phone signal and you couldn’t see another house. We’d go up there for a week at a time. We’d get there late Sunday night, go to our own rooms and swap our little notebooks. Then the next day, come out and go, ‘This was interesting, this was cool’. Then we’d drink some red wine and see what happened. Normally we’d finish with about five songs in a week, which was great. “It wasn’t like we were necking two bottles each and just sitting around,” he adds. “It was more like a lubricant. We used it wisely, I think (laughs).” It might come as a surprise to learn Ezra fashioned the record with help from a co-writer. However, he highlights the value of the collaborative scenario. “Some people try to pretend like they don’t write with other people and I think they’re scared that people are going to go, ‘Well, you didn’t write the album’. That doesn’t bother me. I love the fact that I learnt to write with other people.” Continued on page 44.

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FUTURE MUSIC LIMITED OFFER

Metric Promotions have announced an essential 18+ beach dance party known as Castaway that will take place on WA’s own Rottnest Island on Sunday, January 25, 2015. With a huge line-up consisting of Peking Duk, Carmada, Bag Raiders, Benson and Yeo, tickets include ferry transport to and from the island with bar, food and activities available upon arrival. Tickets are now available on Thursday, December 4, through Ticketmaster. For more information, visit castawayfestival.com.

Future Music Festival 2015 are offering a limited sale thanks to General Pants, reducing ticket purchases back to their original, first release prices of $145 from Wednesday, December 3, until Sunday, December 7. Tickets can be purchased through General Pants stores or through generalpants.com/future.

Peking Duk

Future looks good with The Prodigy

Continued from cover.

LEGENDARY VENUE CHANGE

Chicago house icon Derrick Carter is returning to Australia for a quickfire five-date tour in January. Widely acknowledged as one of the best DJs in the world, house legend Carter has tour internationally near non-stop for the better part of two decades. Derrick Carter will perform in Perth on Sunday, December 28, at Stables Bar. Tickets are available from eventbrite.com.au.

John Legend’s highly anticipated All Of Me Australian tour date in Perth on Tuesday, December 16, (supported by Dani Im) has been moved from outdoors at Kings Park & Botanic Garden to indoors at the PCEC Riverside Theatre. The show date remains unchanged. ‘Following a review of the production requirements it has become apparent that the concert would benefit from the more intimate ambience of an indoor venue, enhancing the audience’s enjoyment of the performance’ the promoters said in a statement last Friday. Current ticket holders are required to exchange their tickets for new tickets to the Riverside Theatre. Patrons will be contacted by Ticketek with further details.

Derrick Carter

John Legend

MR CARTER

Welcoming others to augment his compositions wasn’t always Ezra’s preferred method of working. “I studied music for a year in Bristol,” he says, “and the lecturers were always saying, ‘The best way to work is to write with each other’. Of course, at 18 years-old my songs were the most precious things to me and the idea of working with anyone on them was just a joke.” In addition to fronting Athlete, Pott has recently teamed up with several other UK alt-pop artists, including London Grammar and Chlöe Howl. His influence is evident in the way that Wanted On Voyage not only emphasises Ezra’s robust vocals and eye for curious narrative detail, but also harnesses audience-pleasing immediacy. Ezra explains a key lesson he took away from his collaboration with Pott. “He taught me to put songs down. Even if all you have is one verse and one chorus, put it down and go onto the next thing. With time away from it, the next time you come back to it, it will make so much sense. It takes pretending the songs aren’t there to write them.” After wrapping up a sold-out run of European dates, Ezra will make his debut Australian appearance over the New Year’s period, playing the

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“I’m aware that in the public eye this has happened really quickly for me, but there was three years’ worth of work that went into it between me and my manager. I’m actually probably gigging as much as I have been for years, but it’s just that there’s actually people at the gigs now.”

Falls Festivals, Southbound and a couple of sideshows. He’s barely had a chance to take a breath since releasing Wanted On Voyage, so a follow-up release isn’t in the pipeline just yet. He’s in no rush to churn one out either. “This came along without me really planning it, so I don’t really plan much about the future,” he says. “This is a pretty good thing to have not have planned. I’ve done pretty well here. Album two, it’s going to have to happen of course, but I’m not stressing myself about it. I’m not just going to release an album. It has to have come from something.”

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“Being alone definitely was important in the making of the album. One of the bad things about working alone is you can get too obsessed with things which actually don’t matter at all. Basically I want to loosen up a bit creatively. When making the next album I want to have more of a turnover of people coming in and out.”

SOHN Alone, Naturally Vienna-based beats and falsetto maestro SOHN will appear at the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival at Esplanade Reserve & West End, Fremantle, on Sunday, February 8, 2015. AUGUSTUS WELBY checks in. Two years ago, the then-unknown SOHN emerged with an EP called The Wheel. Before long, the EP’s title track was making the rounds of the blog circuit, which led to radio play and praise from media outlets the world over. But the question loomed, who was behind this release of soul-dappled electronic pop? A bit of detective work revealed the mysterious moniker belonged to British tunemaker Christopher Taylor, who’d previously gone by the name Trouble Over Tokyo.

The strength of The Wheel nabbed Taylor a release deal with UK indie luminaries 4AD (home to likes of Bon Iver, Grimes and Ariel Pink). A few more singles followed, which boosted anticipation for SOHN’s debut long player. Titled Tremors, when the record landed in April, it debuted at #31 on the UK Albums Chart. Taylor recorded Tremors while living in Vienna. In order to completely submerge himself in the process, he operated entirely alone. “I can work and not even think about eating for 24 hours,” he

says. “I close every blind and every window. It’s night at all times when I work, basically.” Making music can be an effective way to escape from everyday stresses. When working in intimate solitude, creative exploration is also likely to provide insight into one’s own strengths and weaknesses. Thanks to some useful discoveries made during the recording of Tremors, Taylor’s uncertain about persisting with the solitary studio approach in future. “Being alone definitely was important in the making of the album,” he says. “One of the bad things about working alone is you can get too obsessed with things which actually don’t matter at all. Basically I want to loosen up a bit creatively. When making the next album I want to have more of a turnover of people coming in and out.” Tremors isn’t over-stuffed with production details, but it’s certainly an intricately constructed work. The crafty layering and mutating of voices, synths and percussion indicates that Taylor’s instudio seclusion leads to relentless tinkering. But perhaps he’s not as pedantic as you’d think. “I’m quite good at making sure that I let go early,” he says. “I’m really focused on what I’m doing and then every now and then I have a little wake up call and think, ‘No one gives a shit if that snare drum needs to be one dB louder or not’. “I am actually at heart quite a meticulous perfectionist,” he admits, “and I don’t like that about myself, particularly. So I quite often try to stop myself from doing that.” Taylor’s spent the majority of 2014 on the road – including a mini Australian tour in June, as well as stacks of US and European festivals. There’s a ‘round-the-clock social imperative tied up with being a touring musician, which means Taylor’s lifestyle underwent some major changes. This inevitably took some getting used to.

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“I’m still loving getting to go to new places and I’m still loving discovering music and making music,” he says. “The one thing which is really gruelling is the fact that you don’t really have a home. I try to keep slapping myself out of those thoughts,” he adds. “Every now and then when I think, ‘I’m so exhausted, but I don’t have a home…’ I’ll slap myself in the face and say, ‘come on get on with it’.” Taylor’s acute self-awareness, and ability to curb his own pessimism, is reflected in the emotional range of Tremors. On the one hand, the record rumbles with downcast tones, accentuated by emotive vocal wailing, but it’s also dressed with several relatively sprightly moments. Given several songs on Tremors are steeped in honest feeling, a successful live performance rests on Taylor’s ability to communicate these emotions with an audience. “In many ways, it’s the same thing as putting on a play or something,” he says. “Of course, you can’t just switch on this same feeling that you got when you were alone and quite vulnerable. But what you can do – in the same way that an actor does – is get your head into the space where the words that you’re singing mean the meaning to you in that exact moment.” Along with establishing this method for delivering songs convincingly, Taylor’s relentless touring schedule has brought home an insight that will assist with his creative decision-making going forward. “The tour has revealed which songs definitely are the strongest,” he says. “The ones which every single time will get some sort of reaction, and it’s not based on people knowing the songs. It’s based on the energy of the songs themselves when you play them. It’s normally quite heartening because it’s normally my favourite ones and I think, ‘That’s good because that means I’m going in the right direction,’ in terms of when I’m trusting myself and letting myself do whatever comes into my mind.” Following up on his brief mid-year visit, Taylor heads back our way for next year’s Laneway festival. Nestling into his own home might still be a distant prospect for the thoughtful Brit, but sometimes that’s not such a bad thing. “All of the other bands that I know who’ve been already, they get kind of glazed over, sugary eyes when they say, ‘Oh Laneway, I wish I was going back there,’” he says. “I loved the last time I came out to Australia, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

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Hoodoo Gurus - Photo by JF Foto

Nick Cave - Photo by Rachael Barrett

NICK CAVE Fremantle Arts Centre Thursday, November 27, 2014 There were food trucks and a bar with a very long line and a lot of people brought picnic blankets. You could have been forgiven for thinking that this was an MOR old folks concert, wherein the rapidly greying brigade pay too much to see an old band that used to pack out pubs and worry the establishment incessantly. And while Nick Cave has certainly transitioned, somewhat unsteadily, from cage-rattling iconoclast to national treasure, he still inspires fervour rather than languor - the crowd surged forward when the man and his band mounted the stage, blankets forgotten. The opening salvo bookended old favourites The Weeping Song and The Ship Song between newer fare We Real Cool and Higgs Boson Blues. It’s tempting to assert that Cave was in a playful mood but, then again, he almost always is; at any rate, some of his fans have a tendency to take him a lot more seriously than he takes himself. There’s always been humour in Cave’s work, even if it tends to be dark as all hell, and the man himself was in fine form, referring to bandmate/muse Warren Ellis as “Wozza,” bantering back and forth with the first few rows and pausing every once in a

while to good-naturedly rip a few strips off of Paul Kelly for no discernible reason. The band - Cave, Ellis, Martyn P. Casey, Barry Adamson and Thomas Wydler on drums were a little rusty on this first show of the tour, but had a lot of fun with it, joking (or were they?) about forgotten lyrics and missed cues. The opening four song set was pretty indicative of what we were in for - a mix of old standards - Red Right Hand, Love Letter, Into My Arms, The Mercy Seat - and recent works, with the album (but not, oddly, the song) Push The Sky Away getting a good look in. We also got treated to a couple of deeper cuts in the form of Up Jumped The Devil and Lay Me Low. One thing we didn’t get, though, was the band’s take on Stagger Lee, Cave refusing to play the song, despite many pleas from the audience, on the grounds that they’d played the damn thing at every show for the past 20 years, and being at the one show where they didn’t’ would give us all something to tell our grandchildren about. A four song encore -a perfunctory custom, really - ended with the one-two punch of a cover of Leonard Cohen’s Avalanche and live staple Jack The Ripper and that was our lot. It would be difficult to say it was one of Cave’s best shows, but when you’re comparing his performances the grain is fine. Certainly it was an awesome night by mortal standards, and a pretty decent one by Cave’s. TRAVIS JOHNSON

HOODOO GURUS British India/Jebediah/Ratcat Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre, Sunday, November 30, 2014

My Scene and Like Wow, Wipeout! Rick Grossman then joins the stage to replace Bramlett, and this is the 1988 line-up that has remained constant ever since. From here the chronological aspect of the show goes out the window as they run through Come Anytime, 1000 Miles Away, The Right Time and Miss Freelove ’69. Some shorts-and-tee-shirts punters exited early as the biting evening cold wind took its toll, but those who persevered enjoyed a great set of Hoodoos classics and, indeed, an entire afternoon of fantastic Australian music. Earlier, to help the late-Spring sun warm up the crowd, British India flew the flag for modernity, though it only took a few songs to hear that they were very much schooled in the same musical vein as the older bands on show. With the Indian Ocean shimmering enticingly a few meters behind the stage, Jebediah bounced excitedly onto the stage like the teenagers they were when we first fell in love with their irrepressible tunes. Kevin Mitchell has such a natural, easy going rapport with the crowd that even a few early electric shocks to the lips through his microphone couldn’t dim his enthusiasm, nor that of effervescent bassist Vanessa Thornton, who literally doesn’t stop still for the entire set. Animal, Harpoon and Please Leave all garner enthusiastic approval from the ever-growing home-town crowd, before ending on a high with Leaving Home and Teflon. On their last trip to the west coast around 20 years ago, Ratcat played to the Perth Concert Hall full of screaming girls. Those girls are older now but a fair few of them were still screaming for the fuzzed out perfect pop of favourites That Ain’t Bad, Go Go, Tingles, Blind and the dark space epic Getting Away From This World, sung by Kevin Mitchell, who declares Ratcat “the best fucking Australian band, EVER!” Simon Day – sliver thin and wearing a broad grin – evokes rocket engine grunge, before they wrap up with the sun sinking and a chilly wind picking up, playing Don’t Go In The Water – with Mitchell on guitar – and the unbeatable Don’t Go Now as a particularly appropriate climax to a fantastic set. Let’s hope it’s not another 20 years before they return. It wasn’t over yet though – all present and former Gurus members took to the stage as The Supergurus for an encore run through – of course – their debut single Leilani, complete with enthusiastic UMGAWAs, before finishing up with their version of Bo Diddley’s Who Do You Love, renamed Hoodoo You Love for an early b-side. You can’t beat that – cold wind or not.

Hoodoo Gurus have cleverly value-added their tours over the past few years, and this special one-off Be My Guru outing on the sandy shores of Scarborough Beach was unique in that every past and present member of the band would be playing. They start the night with their earliest Les Hoodoo Gurus incarnation of Dave Faulkner, guitarists Roddy Radalj and Kimble Rendall, and drummer James Baker, playing supercharged country riffs through Arthur, Dig It Up and a couple of unreleased numbers – Voodoo You and Too Bad, She’s Bad - that were never recorded until brand new EP Gravy Train. The Stoneage Romeos line-up is next, with bassist Clyde Bramlett and guitarist Brad Shepherd joining Faulkner and Baker for some of their debut album classics, including My Girl, Tojo and I Was A Kamikaze Pilot, before Baker swaps out with Richard Kingsmill to run through tracks from Mars Needs Guitars including Bittersweet, What’s SHANE PINNEGAR

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PANTHA DU PRINCE

Stereosonic - Photo by Benjamin Riches

Pantha Du Prince - Photo by Matt Jelonek

Lower Spectrum/Wilus Bixler/Craig Hollywood The Bakery Thursday, November 27, 2014 German electronic musician Pantha Du Prince is making his way around Australia and played The Bakery on Thursday night along with support from Perth local Lower Spectrum. The night was supposed to begin at 8pm, but Bakery staff turned us away twice, citing technical difficulties due to a two hour delay of some equipment. This was only a minor inconvenience as we were happy to take in the lovely sights, smells and textures of Northbridge on a Thursday night, though certainly we would have preferred to throw our money at The Bakery while sitting patiently inside their courtyard instead. Once we finally gained entry about 45 minutes later, a smallish crowd of young weedy folks had gathered, and DJ Wilus Bixler was on the tables for a few minutes before Lower Spectrum took the stage. Lower Spectrum is the pseudonym for Ned Beckley’s musical exploits, and by all accounts he looks to be not only prolific and active around the country, but is also quite eclectic, if his Thursday night set was anything to go by. Weaving in tracks across a spectrum of electronic styles, a hint of dub here, a dollop of trance there, as well as some samples from traditional music, his set had distinct movements in the classical sense of the word. There were often sharp turns in between

tracks, but rather than jarring or ruining the flow, these were like opening an unmarked door to another chamber of intricately constructed sounds and beats. After Lower Spectrum wrapped up, we had a short DJ set from Craig Hollywood before the man of the evening, Hendrik Weber, AKA Pantha Du Prince, arrived on scene. He took the stage cloaked in a massive metallic parka, providing a visual clue into his sonic world of Alpine echoes, snow-capped mountains, and cold nights under unobstructed moon and starlight. He opened with a wave of sound that soon grew into a massive wall, the kind that stops you awed in your tracks, the sound waves reverberating in your core. He held us there in its grip before opening out to material from his latest solo work, Black Noise, which are characterised by subtle house beats and haunting bell and steel drum pings. This middle level of crystalline chimes and found sounds was lost somewhat in the live rendering of the mix, being slightly overpowered by the beat and bass, as well as having a mass of murmuring bodies to contend with. We can’t expect pristine headphone-quality mixes in a live setting, but later in the set this seems to have been somewhat remedied. Weber delved back into quite a bit of his earlier material as well, which is designed to be somewhat dancier, but which worked to get the crowd doing the electronic two-step shuffle. Ending with single-track encore, Weber left listeners wanting more, but given the late start to the night, we were lucky he gave us a full set. CICELY BINFORD

STEREOSONIC The Claremont Showground Saturday, November 30, and Sunday November 31, 2014 Day one saw the heat being turned up by no other than Australian loved DJ Nina Las Vegas. Even after her recent run overseas she still brought that punch and energy home by pulling off some pretty trap-y tunes paired with some pretty impressive pyrotechnic work Dutch teenager Oliver Helden delivered a set of deep pulsing house. Really though, everyone was there for the grand finale, Gecko, where he took everyone’s hearts into overdrive and had us dancing the happy kind of way. Emerging from the darkness and into the air saw a rush over to Peking Duk. Expectations were blown out of the water when they started off with some seriously chilled reggaeton that really put a spin on what was meant to come from these boys. They did get their high in there but it was remixed with something that gave it more depth and grimy-ness. They provided a great show both aesthetically with their onstage energy and audibly by being able to pull off Take Me Over with perfect pitch. Surprise in the mix was drum n bass genius Wilkinson calling all the vix masters and bucket hat cookers far and wide for a pavilion wide rinse off. His up-tempo beats were everything that everyone needed by 5pm to get the real kick going. By the end, Afterglow had everyone singing along on shoulders in the face of the Co2 jet cannons. Calvin Harris’s early tongue-in-cheek efforts were nowhere in sight - far from I Created

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Disco (or even Kelis colab Bounce), he’s cemented his reputation as a purveyor of sincere, hearts-on-sleeves EDM. Summer was the opener and closer for his set, accompanied by Saturday evening pyrotechnics, Blame, Outside, Close To You, and a whole swag of relatively unedited electrohouse weepers. Diplo rounded off Saturday night at the Hard stage (an intimate but increasingly stuffy agricultural shed cum warehouse party). As R. L. Grime left the stage, Diplo wove hip hop anthems (The Next Episode) and pop monsters (Anaconda) into a frenetic series of thorough-going trap breaks and Major Lazer reworks. Sunday began to peak in the same way the first one did with another female DJ bringing in the masses: Alison Wonderland did us wonders with her time. Back at the main stage - Showtek. If there was more than two original songs in that set I would have been surprised. It was a sheer waste of confetti cannons and streamer. Crookers, now one man down, delivered a playful outdoor set at the OWSLA stage, mixing Megan Trainor, Pete Tosh and Tiga into his gritty, grungy approach to electro. Detouring into dub and DnB, it all culminated in a double-bordering-ontriple time cut of Kid Cudi feature Day N Nite. Zhu’s rejigged his audiovisual set since Listen Out, dropping the Roswell/space love theme but keeping his moody, Tao Lin detatchment. A typical Zhu track isn’t so much a rework as a complete rework: he rerecords vocals, inverts the colours and turns the saturation right down. The whole Zhu experience is beautiful and effective, but with such a tight A/V set up and a screen always in front of him, it’s difficult to feel any sense of audience interaction - which is probably how he likes it. Porter Robinson, whose Flicker has been all over Triple J, draws on the same J-pop sources as Perth’s Sable - even his repitched vocals sound eerily like Sable’s Kanto EP. Robinson’s got a very earnest schtick - there’s a magical realist thread stringing together a very impressive audio visual set. an underused drum kit. Stereosonic is very much a DJ’s dance festival - the only other live act was too-cool Berliners Booka Shade, whose sparse acoustic cymbal work was barely perceptible. This year’s Recess marked an interesting shift in Skrillex’s work - but even amongst tempo shifts and Chance The Rapper features and the deliciously glitchy Doompy Poomp, his lead track was an unasahamed homage to Brostep. His set was one of the most satisfying, high-energy performances at the festival. ZOE KILBOURNE AND MIA CAMPBELL-FOULKES

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BAR POP Urban Orchard Saturday, November 29, 2014 The intermittent outdoor watering hole that occasionally takes over the Urban Orchard popped into existence again over the weekend, and many cheerful punters were all too happy to take advantage of the fact. Photos by Matt Jelonek

Jack, Nick, Callum

SCHOLARLY PURSUITS Rock Scholars Festivus 2014 is upon us, a celebration of the dedication, tenacity and creative passion possessed by the Rock Scholars crew. Get down to the Fly By Night Musicians Club on Sunday, December 7, to catch Timothy Nelson And The Infidels, Turtle Island, Figurehead, Los Gambinos, Citadel, Unknown Soldiers, Cloning The Mammoth and Uncle Jeffrey. Doors open at noon, tickets are $33.50 via flybynight.org, $38.50 on the door if available.

Ashley, Laura, Morgan, Sean, Jordy

Turtle Island

Jacky, Ollie

Carlo, Claudia

CRAFTY CUTS Dylan, Tegan

John, Leo, Tawsif, Michael

A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR

David Craft and his band are playing their very last show of 2014 at The Bird this Saturday, December 6. Yes, it’s your last chance to catch the man who took home Best Folk Act at the WAMis this year, alongside such luminaries as Joni In The Moon, Golden String and Ermine Coat. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $10.

We like horses, we like charity events, so a charity event involving horses was a bit of a no-brainer for us. Get along to Horsepaluza at The Velvet Lounge on Friday, September 7, to support the Claremont Therapeutic Riding Centre, an organisation which provides riding opportunities for disabled people. Catch Los Musicarios, Mudlark, Doctopus, Rayza, Sounduh, Walla C and MC Tomas Ford from 7pm.

David Craft

Mudlark

CHRISTMAS IS A SHAN It’s been a big year for Josh Johnstone, what with his blowout EP launch back in September, and it’s only getting bigger with the incipient arrival of his massive birthday gig at The Astor Lounge this Friday, December 5. Joining him for the night are Bears And Dolls, True Science, Hawley, plus DJs Aarom Wilson and Craig Hollywood. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $11.20 via showticketing.com.au.

...a Fat Shan, that is. Yes, it’s Fat Shan’s Christmas Party at The Bird this Thursday, December 4, presented by, well, us - X-Press Magazine. A killer line up of local talent have come together to bust out some seasonal shenanigans, including FOAM, Tired Lion, The Limbs - debuting their EP - and Skullcave. Plus the walls will be adorned with a fantastic exhibition of local art, featuring work by Dominique Rae, Stuart Thompson, Peta Roebuck, Rachael Barrett, Mitchell Conti and Alistair Walks. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $10.

Josh Johnstone

The Limbs

YOU MUST BE JOSHING

04/12

THE LIMBS Self Titled EP Launch @ The Bird

05/12

FELICITY GROOM Hungry Sky Album Launch @ The Rosemount

06/12

UNCLE JEFFREY Shades Of Green Single Launch @ YMCA HQ

07/12

BENNY MAYHEM Mindless Greg The Media Consumer Single Launch @ The North Perth Bowling Club

12/12

DIRTY MCQUEEN Self Titled Album Launch @ The Civic

12/12

DUX & DOWNTOWN Self Titled EP Launch @ Four5Nine

12/12

MOANA Echo Video Launch @ Babushka

14/12

EMILY GRANT Turning Around EP Launch @ The Ellington

17/12

THE TEMPERAMENT Self Titled EP Launch @ The Rosemount

27/12

STONE LOTUS Self Titled EP Launch @ Four5Nine

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solve problems. They trust each other - they have to - and they have to be able to tell, on a dime, whether the bloke offering them a lift is genuine or not. What matters is survival, adventure, and achievement in face of improbable and terrifying odds.

BENNY MAYHEM Media Savvy Back in town for a bit of a break from travelling the world as a roving busker, Perth-spawned agit-folk troubadour Benny Mayhem launches his latest single, Mindless Greg The Media Consumer, at the North Perth Bowls Club this Sunday, December 7, with support from Black Swan, Hayley Beth, Todd Pickett, Turin Robinson, Caroline J. Dale, Ben Elliot, Mark Neal, Wheels McKenzie and MC Jake England. TRAVIS JOHNSON has a word. You’re a travelling man now! How’s that been treating you? Incredibly well, thanks. I feel like I’ve finally cottoned on to something that I should have known all along. I come from a long line of seafarers and wanderers, I suppose, plus it’s part of the Australian condition, too. How did us Whitefellas end up out here, so far from our ancestral homes? But there’s more to it than that. Travellers, more than any group of people, just ‘get it’. You can meet a person you barely know, spend one night together in London or Paris or Brussels, and become firm friends for life. Travellers transcend time and distance. They talk about places, experiences and adventures. They

How does one go about surviving as a professional troubadour? Tenacity, hard work, and an unbridled almost foolish - commitment to lifestyle and craft. There is a peculiar self-deprecating realism among those who have spent their lives on the road in Europe - die Strasse, as they say. Most troubadours don’t see themselves as ever becoming famous, necessarily. Don Partridge was the exception, not the rule. Instead they are compelled by a sense of duty, and a dogged determination to make their money playing music, no matter what the cost. Tell us about this new single. What was the inspiration? Well, it was just a catchy tune that came to me before I left Perth in 2012. It’s hard to write songs on the road, because of the closeness of accommodation and all that. Even if you manage to wing a hotel room - well, I started playing very, very quietly one night at a Hotel Ibis in Leeds - well posh - only to have a knock on my door by some fucking nerd with a gigantic boom mic noise detector, who said “Is someone here playing a musical instrument?” Jesus, it was 8:30pm on a Saturday night! So I worked on the song slowly, and I applied it to this concept I had had, for quite some time, about Mindless Greg The Media Consumer - who could be any of us, really - but in the Rupert Murdoch environment he takes on a particularly damaging form. Part innocent and misled, part insecure and afraid, Mindless Greg reads the papers, watches the news, and suffers a peculiar kind of demented psychosis. It comforts him, somehow. These are the people who elected Tony Abbott: incapable of recognising that they were duped, cajoled and lied to by the very rich white men who would rip away their social wage, health care and who would deny their children an education. Mindless Greg is the ultimate death knell for Australian democracy. Yet he is legally obliged to vote. That’s quite a lineup for the launch. How easily did that come together? Actually, remarkably easy once we were at the stage where we could ask people to play. The hard part was getting the venue, and the date, and of course we’ve had to think outside the square in order to even do the show at all - as many people are having to do now in Perth. That’s a real shame, but I am really lucky to have Stefan at Teledex on board to run the show. Lovely guy who doesn’t give up. I think we’ve nailed it.

“It’s an open world of like-minded artists and fans. It’s about finding your tribe, sharing the things you love and supporting the continual growth of those artists. It starts here in Perth too, on the ground floor. I like the idea of new social music revolution starting in Perth.”

FARUGI Tribe-finding Perth-based social music platform, Farugi, launched recently. MATTHEW TOMICH reports. When Anthony-Manning Franklin saw New Zealand authorities arrest file-sharing giant MegaUpload’s founder Kim Dotcom in January, 2012, he decided there must be more that the music industry can do. Here was someone making hundreds of millions of dollars from online advertising via the distribution of artist’s content, and yet the artists were seeing none of it. A recording engineer and producer at Midas Touch Studios by trade, ManningFranklin realised there was a gap between fans and artists that wasn’t being filled. “I thought, if this kind of stuff is happening and Kim Dotcom managed to make some amount of money off it, there has to be more that the music industry can do,” he says. “There are clearly other business models, different monetisation methods, new revenue streams that people haven’t thought up yet. And if we build a platform that kind of brings all this stuff together, then those sorts of opportunities and possibilities will open up.” So Manning-Franklin sold off his recording equipment and went to work setting up Farugi, a Perth-based social music platform that aims to bridge the gap between digital music sales, social media and subscription streaming services and allow artists to connect with fans in a way they can’t anywhere else. He taught himself how to code, got involved in the Perth startup community and brought on Melissa McGreevey to run Farugi’s digital marketing and Laith Tierney to act as publicist and evangelist. Farugi works as a kind of aggregator, bringing a band’s recorded output, YouTube channel and personal recommendations onto the same page

and allowing them to engage with their audience in a way Facebook doesn’t. Manning-Franklin likens it to an old school MySpace where the user experience continues beyond a purchase or the play-through of a single song. Instead, Farugi markets itself as a way to stay engaged, checking out artist’s recommendations, formulating playlists to share and engaging with other fans, allowing for the opportunity to naturally discover music you might not otherwise come across, as well as building a relationship between artist and fan. Tierney – who’s had a hand in just about every musical pie in Perth, from booking the Hydey to managing bands under the banner of Tyrannocorp to fronting Fear Of Comedy, The Bible Bashers and his latest project LYTS – sees Farugi as the next evolution in strengthening the relationship between artist and audience. “For as long as I can remember, all I have wanted to do was make music my life and to encourage and support the others who share that dream,” he says. Farugi fosters that connection. It’s an open world of like-minded artists and fans. It’s about finding your tribe, sharing the things you love and supporting the continual growth of those artists. It starts here in Perth too, on the ground floor. I like the idea of new social music revolution starting in Perth. For Manning-Franklin, Farugi represents a new paradigm through which people interact with the music industry. “I think the fundamental driver of the music industry hasn’t really been about selling access to music… you buy a disc and you bought some music. But that’s not really what people are doing when they’re engaging with artists or buying music. They’ve been buying music because they connect with artists because they identify with them.” Tierney takes a similar bent, seeing Farugi as a connector on all levels. “As an artist, I’m thinking of ways we can make this about growth of scenes and styles. It means I might find other bands to play with, collaborate with and be inspired by. Anthony is creating the tech to encourage that mindset and that’s why I support his vision.” To know more, head to farugi.com. WWW. XP RE SS MAG.COM. AU

X- P R E S S G U I D E ALEX WILLIAMSON 20 Astor Theatre GHOSTFACE TY SEGALL JOAN KILLAH ARMATRADING 11 The Bakery 4 Astor Theatre THE DATSUNS ft. 21 Metro City THE RED THE DEAD THE VOLCANICS JUMPSUIT DAISIES 11 Leisure Inn, APPARATUS 4 Rosemount Rockingham Hotel 12 Prince of Wales, 21 Amplifier 22 Cockburn HUSKY Bunbury Youth Centre 4 Dunsborough 13 Astor Lounge BREAKFEST 2014 Hotel 14 Railway Hotel 26 Belvoir 5 The Bakery DEAD LETTER Amphitheatre 6 Prince Of Wales, CIRCUS DERRICK CARTER Bunbury 12 Capitol 28 Stables Bar NAHKO & 13 Prince of Wales, FUNK CLUB’S NYE MEDICINE FOR Bunbury COUNTDOWN – THE PEOPLE MATT GRESHAM 2015 EDITION 4 Settlers Tavern ON THE ROCKS 31 Salt On The 6 Fly By Night 12 Quarry Beach, North YACHT CLUB DJS Amphitheatre Fremantle 5 Amplifier Bar FACTORY FLOOR BJORN AGAIN UB40 & BLUE 13 The Bakery 31 El Caballo KING BROWN THE WAIFS Resort 5 Red Hill 13 Fremantle Arts Auditorium Centre HILLTOP HOODS JANUARY 2015 THINGS OF 5 Bovell Park, SOUTHBOUND STONE & WOOD Busselton 3 & 4 Sir Stewart 13 The Charles 6 Red Hill Bovell Park, Hotel Auditorium Busselton 14 Dunsborough DRUNK MUMS 2CELLOS Hotel 5 Devilles Pad 6 Perth Concert KING GIZZARD 6 Mojos Bar Hall & THE LIZARD MICK THOMAS MARDUK & WIZARD 5 Indi Bar INQUISITION 13 Rosemount 6 Clancy’s 12 Amplifier Bar Hotel Fremantle EVERY TIME I DIE 14 Mojos 7 Oxford Hotel 14 Amplifier Bar PIERCE BROTHERS ROTTO LIVE FT. CROOKED 5 Settlers Tavern THE RUBENS & COLOURS 6 Indi Bar THE PANICS 16 Bunbury THE BLACK 14 Hotel Rottnest Regional SORROWS JOHN LEGEND Entertainment 5 Charles Hotel with DAMI IM Centre 7 Ravenswood 16 Perth THE KOOKS Hotel Convention & 17 Belvoir NE OBLIVISCARIS Exhibition Centre Amphitheatre 6 Amplifier Bar Riverside Theatre SHAMEEM THE PREATURES THY ART IS 17 Subiaco Arts 6 Metropolis Centre MURDER Fremantle NELLY, LUPE 17 YMCA HQ RIBONGIA FIASCO & B.O.B 18 Capitol 6 Father @ Flyrite KARNIVOOL 17 HBF Stadium CYPRESS HILL ft. 18 & 19 ODESZA DJ JAZZY JEFF Rosemount Hotel 18 Sets On 6 Metro City 20 Prince of Wales The Beach, SLEEP Scarborough WATSKY 8 The Bakery 18 Prince of Wales Amphitheatre FAT FREDDY’S 19 Leisure Inn DROP DECEMBER 20 Amplifier Bar 24 Fremantle Arts GYROSCOPE LULUC Centre 20 Rosemount 10 Four5Nine Bar OZ ROCK Hotel 11 Mojos BUSSELTON ft. ICEHOUSE, ABSOLUTELY FEATURED GIG ‘80S, WENDY MATTHEWS, ROSS WILSON, DIESEL, JAMES REYNE 24 Barnard Park, Busselton SUMMER OF MUSIC ft. PETE MURRAY, YOU AM THE PREATURES I, THE WHITLAMS, DARYL THE PREATURES BRAITHWAITE, METROPOLIS FREMANTLE MENTAL AS ANYTHING SATURDAY, 24 Bendigo Bank DECEMBER 6, 2014 Stadium

TOURS

RED HILL AUSTRALIA DAY EVE CONCERT ft. ICEHOUSE, JAMES REYNE, DIESEL 25 Red Hill Auditorium CASTAWAY FESTIVAL 25 Rottnest Island SOUNDS IN THE VALLEY ft. LEE KERNAGHAN, ADAM BRAND, THE WOLFE BROTHERS & MAGNIFICENT 7 BILL BURR 27 Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre SUZI QUATRO 28, 29 & 31 Regal Theatre JOHNNY MARR 29 Astor Theatre EYEHATEGOD 29 Rosemount Hotel AMITY AFFLICTION 29 Metropolis Fremantle 30 Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre 31 Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre THE VAMPS with SHORT STACK 30 HBF Stadium DOCTOR WHO SYMPHONIC SPECTACULAR 31 Perth Arena THE SEARCHERS 31 Albany Entertainment Centre

THE ANGELS & CHEAP TRICK 8 Kings Park & Botanic Garden LANEWAY FESTIVAL 8 Esplanade Reserve, Fremantle KENNY ROGERS 8 Sandalford Estate SARAH MCLACHLAN 11 Astor Theatre THE VERONICAS 12 Perth Concert Hall YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN 12 Astor Theatre ROXETTE 14 Perth Arena PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT 14 Astor Theatre THIRD DAY with NEED TO BREATHE & LEVI MCGRATH 16 HBF Stadium THE BUDOS BAND 16 Chevron Gardens ALED JONES 18 Astor Theatre THE EAGLES 18 & 19 Perth Arena CHET FAKER 20 & 21 Chevron Gardens 22 Fremantle Arts Centre ONE DIRECTION 20 Patersons Stadium PAUL SIMON & STING 21 & 22 Sir James Mitchell Park STEPHEN FEBRUARY 2015 MALKMUS & THE JICKS SUZI QUATRO 22 Chevron 1 Regal Theatre Gardens BELLE & ERIC BOGLE SEBASTIAN 25 Albany Town 3 Astor Theatre Hall ANGUS & JULIA 27 Fly By Night STONE 28 Nannup Music 4 Kings Park & Festival Botanic Garden NENEH CHERRY CHIODOS 26 Chevron 4 Amplifier Bar Gardens EDDIE IZZARD RUTH MOODY 4 Riverside 27 Mojos Theatre DAN SULTAN KASEY 27 Queens Park CHAMBERS Theatre 5 Mandurah 28 Fremantle Arts Performing Arts Centre Centre THE BEAUTIFUL 6 Bunbury GIRLS Entertainment 28 Fly By Night Centre GUY SEBASTIAN 7 Quindanning 28 Perth Arena Inne MEGAN 8 Sandalford WASHINGTON Estate 28 The Bakery LAMB 6 Astor Theatre MARCH 2015 PASSENGER NENEH CHERRY 7 Red Hill 1 Chevron Gardens Auditorium

DAN SULTAN 1 Nannup Music Festival FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL 1 HBF Arena DELTRON 3030 1 The Bakery ERIC BOGLE 1 Nannup Music Festival 5 Narrogin Town Hall 6 The Music Shack, Donnybrook 8 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre GOOD LIFE FESTIVAL 2015 2 HBF Arena DRAKE with 2 CHAINZ 3 Perth Arena LITTLE BASTARD 5 Prince of Wales FROM THE JAM 5 Capitol FOO FIGHTERS 7 NIB Stadium SHAKEY GRAVES 8 Astor Theatre MACY GRAY 8 Perth Concert Hall SANDRA BERNHARD 10 Regal Theatre BILLY CONNOLLY 10 & 11 Perth Arena KYLIE MINOGUE 14 Perth Arena INGRID MICHAELSON 14 Rosemount Hotel ROXETTE 14 Perth Arena DJ SHADOW 14 Rosemount Hotel BILLY IDOL 14 Kings Park & Botanic Garden JESUS JONES 15 Rosemount Hotel FROM THE JAM 15 Capitol VANCE JOY 20 Astor Theatre ROD STEWART 21 Perth Arena KINGSWOOD 27 Capitol AUGIE MARCH 28 Astor Theatre APRIL 2015 ED SHEERAN 4 & 5 Perth Arena ARCHITECTS 9 Capitol FAIRBRIDGE FESTIVAL 10 – 12 Fairbridge Village, Pinjarra THE BLACK KEYS 14 Red Hill Auditorium

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NANA MOUSKOURI 19 Perth Concert Hall THE SCRIPT with LABRINTH 24 Perth Arena HUMAN NATURE 28 Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre MAY 2015 SAM SMITH 4 HBF Stadium RICKY MARTIN 8 Perth Arena AMERICA with SHARON CORR 9 Red Hill Auditorium ANASTACIA 10 Perth Concert Hall ALT-J 15 HBF Stadium PALOMA FAITH 16 Perth Concert Hall SPANDEAU BALLET 22 Perth Arena NICKELBACK 26 Perth Arena JUNE 2015 KARISE EDEN 10 Albany Entertainment Centre THE GETAWAY PLAN 12 Rosemount Hotel 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER 29 Perth Arena JULY 2015 YELLOWCARD 4 Metro City ADAM HARVEY 22 Albany Entertainment Centre AUGUST 2015 THE AUSTRALIAN BEE GEES SHOW 15 Regal Theatre 16 Albany Entertainment Centre PEACE TRAIN: THE CAT STEVENS STORY 21 Astor Theatre 22 Albany Entertainment Centre THE BEATLES FOREVER 27 Albany Entertainment Centre

DEC 3 - DEC 23 SONGWRITER WEDNESDAYS JOSH JOHNSTONE 3 Clancy’s Canning Bridge SOMETHING HUMBLE YAMOS THE FRUITY WHITES ZYKLUS LAUREL FIXATION TIME OF HEX 3 Four5Nine Rosemount CAPE COLLECTIVE SQUID 3 Mojos GOING SOLO HINDLEY ALEX GRIFFIN 3 Moon Café TARP ON THE SHED FLOOR HUNT FOR DALLAS THE CROSSBARS LOST FOR REASON 3 Rosemount Hotel

NINO BROWN

NINO BROWN 5 METROPOLIS FREMANTLE DRUNK MUMS ABORTED TORTOISE NEW INVINCIBLES DJ RAZOR JACK TYRANNY 5 Devilles Pad THE REGULAR HUNTERS BUFFALO CLUB A.J. WIGGAMS TASHI 5 Four5Nine Rosemount MICK THOMAS 5 Indi Bar DUBARRAY PIMPS OF SOUND THE BROW 5 Railway Hotel

DOCTOPUS

DOCTOPUS MAURICE FLAVEL’S INTENSIVE CARE KITCHEN PEOPLE THE HOUNDS HOKRA LAUREL FIXATION 4 MOJOS DECADENCE LAUNCH 4 The Causeway

SILENT DEEDS ONE TIGER DOWN DARK OR THE DAY THE TRANSNATIONAL CRASH 5 Swan Basement THE FLYING EMBERS MONGOLION CLUSTER FUCK WHEN AUTUMN FALLS SOCIAL MADNESS BAD CHINA 5 Swan Lounge SASHA GREY 5 Villa

DEAD DAISIES AXE GIRL 4 Rosemount Hotel YACHT CLUB DJS FINAL SHOW 5 Amplifier LEGACY OF SUPREMACY EP LAUNCH 5 The Causeway

FELICITY GROOM

HUSKY

HUSKY CHILDSAINT 5 THE BAKERY

FELICITY GROOM DIANAS MEI SARASWATI HAM JAM GOOD DOOGS DJS 5 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

FOR ALL WEEKLY EVENTS DOWNLOAD OUR FREE MAGAZINE APP AVAILABLE FROM SARAH TOUT CHILDSAINT ERASERS 7 Mojos GOLDEN STRING PIPPIE LEMON 7 Moon Café DILIP ‘N THE DAVS LATCH KEY KIDS AT THE SPACE JAM THE MOONWHORES BEN ELLIOT 7 Railway Hotel

PIERCE BROTHERS

PIERCE BROTHERS 6 INDI BAR NE OBLIVISCARIS 6 Amplifier DAVID CRAFT BAND JONI IN THE MOON GOLDEN STRING ERMINE COAT 6 The Bird THE CAUSEWAY’S 3RD BIRTHDAY PACES BLOODS ATTICUS BEATS BRAVES DALLAS ROYAL UNPLUGGED RICKY GREEN SEAN ANTHONY SUN CITY DJ SET 6 The Causeway JAY HOWIE 6 Clancy’s Canning Bridge MICK THOMAS & THE ROVING COMMISSION 6 Clancy’s Fremantle IN EXCESS DRAGS OF DAMNATION JO19 BRETTRO KATO 6 Devilles Pad ELEMENTS 2 CYPRESS HILL DJ JAZZY JEFF 6 Metro City

THE GET DOWN SLEEPYHEAD BENI CHILL JO LETTENMAIER TIM KING ASLAN KLEAN KICKS PAWEL GOOD COMPANY DJS 7 Rosemount Hotel TH

44 SUNSET DUO PAT CHOW SILVER HILLS RAKSHA THE KITCHEN PEOPLE LATE NIGHT HYSTERICS ASLAN 7 YMCA HQ SLEEP MT. MOUNTAIN PUCK 8 The Bakery

LULUC DAVID CRAFT 11 Mojos ENEMY MINDS 11 Rosemount Hotel DIME BAG DARRELL TRIBUTE SHOW 12 Amplifier DJ PAYPAL DIE HIGH DJS 12 The Bakery DEAD LETTER CIRCUS 12 Capitol FREEQSHOW SAM PERRY 12 The Causeway OLD BLOOD SUGARTOWN TWO DJ HOLLY DOLL TYRANNY 12 Devilles Pad DUX & DOWNTOWN EP LAUNCH UNION CAVALIER 12 Four5Nine Rosemount SLACKJAW BOWSER 12 Mojos

SONGWRITER WEDNESDAYS ANDREW BOND & RHYS WATSON 10 Clancy’s Canning Bridge LULUC BENEDICT MOLETTA 10 Four5Nine Rosemount WATERSHIP 10 Mojos GOING SOLO TURIN ROBINSON ROBERT HINTON 10 Moon Café THE WITCHES TRACKSUIT SETVICE WORLD-A-FUZZY 10 Rosemount Hotel

DRUNK MUMS KITCHEN PEOPLE ABORTED TORTOISE 6 Mojos TIMOTHY NELSON & THE INFIDELS DAVEY CRADDOCK & THE SPECTACLES THE BELLE ENDS 6 The Odd Fellow OATS SUPPLY KENNY AUSTIN MUSIC PRIVATE EYES 6 Railway Hotel TY SEGALL

TY SEGALL DOCTOPUS HAMJAM 11 THE BAKERY

THE WAIFS

KARNIVOOL

JOHNNY NANDEZ HAMMOND EXPLOSION JO19 MISS GAIL FORCE TYRANNY 13 Devilles Pad

AMBERDOWN THE CROSSBARS FURNITURE & BLAKE SKINNER LUKE CLELAND 17 Mojos

ABORTED TORTOISE SECRET BUTTONS DARLING RANGERS EMU XPERTS DIRTWATER BLOOM DON RAT 13 Four5Nine Rosemount

GOING SOLO LUKE DUX TODD PICKETT 17 Moon Café

ANNA O VELVETEEN FUTURE ENTITY 13 Amplifier FACTORY FLOOR KUCKA SACRED FLOWER UNION 13 The Bakery

SO SEUSS ME BANNGR BENNY P BEZWUN BUTCHERSKANK DAVID JAMES DEAD EASY DNGRFLD EASY P & MORE! 19 Ambar CUSTOM ROYAL 19 Amplifier

GUNNS & HAMJAM 7” LAUNCH 13 Mojos

THE BOB GORDONS EP LAUNCH 19 The Causeway

KINGS GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD THE BABE RAINBOW 13 Rosemount Hotel

SPECIAL BREW DJ RAZOR JACK LADY CARLA 19 Devilles Pad

TANTRUM DESIRE FOURWARD ZOMBIE CATS 13 Villa

HAVOC DROPBEARS NOVARCHY GOT SHARKS? DAWNBREAKER 19 Four5Nine Rosemount

AMBERDOWN

THE FLOORS

KARNIVOOL PUCK 18 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

THE WAIFS 13 FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE

CLAY ADAMS WALLAC WISODM2TH DJ-SILENCE NODES 14 Four5Nine Rosemount

A NOT SO SILENT NIGHT THE FLOORS SCALPHUNTER LEGS ELECTRIC SKULLCAVE BLACK STONE FROM THE SUN HYLA KING CACTUS & KING ZOG AND ODLAW SHARON MOSSY FOGG 12 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

THE PREATURES 6 Metropolis Fremantle

ZOMBIE CATS PEGASUS GRAN CALABVERA DEVO, KENT & BLEND ELAYCHE & FEESHA CASUAL CONNECTION DR PACKER 6 Rosemount Hotel

MAKE THEM SUFFER 11 Amplifier

BLUE SHADDY 14 Fremantle Arts Centre KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD THE BABE RAINBOW 14 Mojos LUKE DUX TODD PICKETT LEAH MICHE 14 Swanbrook Winery

THE TEMPERAMENT TELL THE SHAMAN AMBERDOWN LOWLIGHT 17 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL CHRISTMAS GOSPEL EXTRAVAGANZA 18 Ellington Jazz Club SARITAH SIMON KELLY 18 Mojos

MT. MOUNTAIN SINGLE LAUNCH METHYL ETHEK ANTELOPE THE SPUNLOVES 19 Mojos A VERY LOWBROW XMAS HAM JAM CATLIPS HIDEOUS SUN DEMON CHILDS PLAY HENRY KISSINGER 19 The Odd Fellow

PRITA 20 Clancy’s Fremantle LOVE BOAT FROM HELL SOME LIKE IT YACHT 20 Devilles Pad TIMMY TRUMPET 20 Metropolis Fremantle FAIT RUNNER MOANA 20 Mojos GYROSCOPE THE LOVE JUNKIES GRAPHIC CHARACTERS 20 Rosemount Hotel MINISTRY OF SOUND: THE ANNUAL 2015 20 Villa RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS 21 Amplifier ABBE MAY DIANAS METHYL ETHEL 21 The Bird ODETTE MERCY & HER SOUL ATOMICS 21 Fremantle Arts Centre GHOSTFACE KILLAH PHAROAHE MONCH 21 Metro City

SONGWRITER WEDNESDAYS LUXE DUX 24 Clancy’s Canning Bridge

SONGWRITER WEDNESDAYS SHANNY CORRY 17 Clancy’s Canning Bridge

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WATSKY 20 Amplifier

JACOB DIAMOND 21 Moon Café

DARREN HANLON RABBIT ISLAND 15 Mojos

PILERATS X ICSSC XMAS PARTY LIDO SOPHIE SABLE NADUS QT 17 Gilkison Dance Studio

KARNIVOOL TANGLED THOUGHTS OF LEAVING 19 Rosemount Hotel

A VERY ANDROID XMAS 24 Devilles Pad

THE VERONICAS THY ART IS MURDER

THY ART IS MURDER 18 CAPITOL

THE VERONICAS 19 METROPOLIS FREMANTLE

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

SOCIAL PICS

AMPLIFIER CAPITOL

METRO FREMANTLE

DELICIOUS @ ROCKET ROOM

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MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY

CLASSIFIEDS

GEARBOX ROCKING STOCKING FILLERS As Christmas fast approaches, you might be thinking that the musician in your life already has all of the gear that they could ever need (that never happens), or that maybe it’s hard to choose a gift not knowing exactly what’s hidden away in the music room in all of those cases and bags. With that in mind, here is a selection of reasonable priced, slightly unconventional (and mostly compact) gifts which your favourite musician will love, and will not necessary think of getting for themselves, making them a fairly safe Christmas gift bet.

MOOER COMPACT EFFECTS PEDALS This nifty line of compact pedals offers decent sounds and retro, boutique aesthetics at very affordable prices. There are dozens of models in the Mooer collection, including some really interesting and practical inclusions such as A/B/Y switches, DI boxes, power supplies, and boost pedals. There’s plenty of fun stuff too, with multiple model choices for every guitarist’s taste including overdrives, distortions, delays, choruses, and reverbs. The Mooer effects pedals series vary slightly in price in the region of $89. CHRIS GIBBS All products were reviewed at Mega Music Wangara

VOX PATHFINDER 10 BASS AMP

IBANEZ GUITARIST THRONE

A relatively inexpensive gift for bassists is the Pathfinder 10 Bass amp by Vox. Featuring diamond grille cloth and basket-weave vinyl leather as well as vintage chicken-head knobs, the Pathfinder Bass looks every bit as classy as it’s larger counterparts. Treble, bass, brightness and drive controls allow a wide range of sound-shaping options. The amp delivers 10 watts of power into a pair of 5” VOX bulldog speakers. A headphone/line output jack is also provided for silent practice and recording. The Vox Pathfinder 10 Bass amp retails for $89.

An extremely handy accessory for gigging musicians or teachers who travel to lessons, Ibanez’ Guitarist Throne combines a comfortable stool with a guitar stand in a design that conveniently packs down flat for easy transport. The innovative design means that players who sit down for their performances will never be short of an appropriate stool regardless of the venue or location, and players who take their own stools for comfort now have the option of this handy combination, meaning less gear to load in and out. The Ibanez Guitarist Throne retails for $75.

Vox Pathfinder 10 Bass Amp

Ibanez Guitar Throne

D’ADDARIO/PLANET WAVES NS CAPO TUNER

The Vox amPlug Series of headphone guitar amps make it easy to enjoy great guitar sounds with a minimum of fuss. Each amp fits in the palm of a hand and is easily stored in the accessory section of any guitar bag or case. There are several models to choose from including Vox’s famous AC30 and Night Train models. There are even some more recent signature editions including a Joe Satriani model. The amps plug directly into a guitar jack, and then a set of headphones is required to hear the tones. An auxiliary ‘in’ jack is included to allow jamming along with mp3 files from an iPod or similar, and a miniature speaker box is also available for players wanting to turn their amPlug into a tiny stack. The Vox amPlug series retails for around $70 per model.

The NS Capo Tuner combines Planet Waves’ NS Dual Action Capo with a Planet Waves precision chromatic tuner. Innovative and the first of it’s kind, the NS Capo Tuner provides accurate tuning at any fret or when clipped on the headstock of your acoustic or electric guitar. The compound action mechanism reduces the force required to open and close the capo. In addition to making the capo easy to use, the capo applies direct pressure to the fretboard without pulling the strings side to side like some other models of capo do. Coupled with the spring tension adjustment, this allows players to set their capo in such a way that it virtually eliminates the need to retune as place and remove the capo or move it up and down the fretboard. The capo tuner is designed for acoustic and electric guitars with radiused fretboards. The D’addario / Planet Waves NS Capo Tuner retails for $79-95.

The Guitar Dock by D’Addario/Planet Waves allows guitarists to turn any surface with a flat edge into a secure instrument stand. When a conventional stand is unavailable or inconvenient, the Guitar Dock will protect an instrument from falls by clamping to most tables, chairs, work desks, consoles, amps, and other surfaces. Lightweight, compact, and portable, the guitar dock is easy to use and features an adjustable clamp and ergonomic knob. A durable over-mould protects both the neck of the instrument and the clamping surface, while a 360-degree rotation enables clamping and mounting at any angle. The clamp will store in most instrument cases and gig bags. The D’addario/Planet Waves Guitar Dock retails for $30.

Vox amPlug Guitar Headphone Amps

D’Adarrio/Plant Waves NS Capo Tuner

D’Addario/Planet Waves Guitar Dock

VOX AMPLUG GUITAR HEADPHONE AMPS

GENERAL EXPRESSIONS PARKERVILLE AMPHITHEATRE 1966-2001. Help to finish documentary. www.parkerville-amphitheatre. com. Ph: 0425 866 894

MUSOS WANTED FEMALE ACCOUSTIC GUITAR PLAYER and vocalist to join our Acoustic Duo “Castaway”. Must be able to perform at an acceptable level and commit to rehearsal and regular gigs. Pref age 30-50. Call Kris: 0411 430 286 LEAD GUITARIST & DRUMMER wanted for Megadeth cover band. Must be dedicated fan. Looking to play live asap. Call Lee on 0414 063 600 OPEN MIC NIGHT every Thursday night at Indi Bar. Email Trojan_johnmusic@yahoo.com.au for spot. Laneway Lounge Open Mic every Tuesday night. If you’re keen for a spot text Josh on 0430313577 OPEN MIC NIGHT/ARVO South St Alehouse, Hilton. Original songs, solo/duo, sorry no bands. Come on down for a play on a Sunday to round off the weekend..TEXT..Gus 0409 101 688 SINGER REQUIRED Newly formed covers band playing classic punk. Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash etc. Contact 0433 812 545.

PRODUCTION SERVICES CD & DVD MANUFACTURE Check out our latest CD & DVD specials online at www.procopy.com.au 9375 3902 MATRIX PRODUCTIONS AUSTRALIA Lighting, staging, sound systems, smoke machines, night club FX, intelligent lighting, strobes & mirror balls, crowd barriers, video projectors. 9371 1551

RECORDING STUDIOS ALAN DAWSON’S WITZEND RECORDING STUDIO Prof quality albums or demos, large live room, experienced engineer, analog to digital transfers, mastering. Alan 0407 989 128 www.witzendstudios.com ANALOG MASTERING VINTAGE TAPE, TUBES & TRANSFORMERS with the latest state of the art digital converters. Clients include: Melody’s Echo Chamber, Pond, Gossling, Knife Party, Felicity Groom, The Floors, Jeff Martin & The Panics. World class facility, World class results. Www.poonshead.com. 9339 4791 ANDY’S STUDIO International multi award winning songwriter / producer. No band required. Broadcast quality. A songwriter’s paradise. Ph 9364 3178 GOLDDUST Production Mixing, recording and composition. Leederville $80 p/h. 0408 097 407 RECORDING MIXING MASTERING PRODUCING 54

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D’ADDARIO/PLANET WAVES GUITAR DOCK

Fremantle location. Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 R E VO LV E R S OU N D ST U D I O P h 9 2 7 2 7 5 0 5 . www.revolverstudio.com.au S AT E L L I T E R ECO R D I N G ST U D I O WA’s o n l y genuine mechanically de-coupled purpose built recording room, Avalon, Neve, API, Pro Tools, HDX. Dec/Jan/Feb specials: Record drums for $80hr. Satellite Recording Studio. Ph 0419 908 766, satelliterecording.com

REHEARSAL STUDIOS BIBRA LAKE REHEARSAL STUDIO 10 mins from Freo. Superior accoustics to hear yourself and your band.Phone Nick: 0410 485 588. BIGBEAT SOUND STUDIO Clean rooms, all new PA systems, air-con and good parking . Willetton Ph: 0425 698 117. INSOMNIA STUDIOS Premium new rooms & PA systems. Airconditioned. Regular Booking gets you regular discounts. TXT or call 0474 971 830 P L AT I N U M S O U N D R O O M S P r o f e s s i o n a l rehearsal rooms, airconditioned, quality PAs mob 0418 944 722

TUITION ***GUITAR LESSONS*** Christmas vouchers avail. Online bookings. Beg to prof, all styles. Tutors WWC clearance. Cliff Lynton Guitar Institute. Mt Lawley 9342 3484/ www.clifflynton.com BASS GUITAR LESSONS AVAILABLE by WAAPA tutor. A practicle approach to learning. .All styles.Years of experience. Tony Gibbs 9470 6131 SINGING TECHNIQUE AND VOCAL HEALTH 0414 374 701. Heaps of detail at www.mixmargaret.com