Issue 1462

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NEWSDESK

LOCAL NEWS

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GLOBAL NEWS

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

SPICKS AND SPECKS PROTECT YA SCALP 2013 Big Splash winners Scalphunter have melted faces and hearts in equal proportion with their ferocious metal stylings, and they’re now readying a new double A-sided single, as a taster for their debut album due later this year. You can catch them at Bunbury’s Prince of Wales with Blackwitch on Friday, March 6, and with PUCK, Rag N’ Bone and Shit Narnia at Jimmy’s Den in Perth on Friday, March 13. For more details, check facebook.com/scalphunterrock.

Scalphunter Pic: Rachael Barrett

Having been named ‘Country Group of the Year’ at the WA Country Music Awards, you’d forgive Davey Craddock & The Spectacles for being in a festive mood.

That doesn’t mean they’re resting on their laurels; they’re embarking on a national tour, taking them to the Fremantle Arts Centre on Sunday, March 8, and the Bunbury Entertainment Centre on Saturday, March 21. In between, Craddock will play Defectors Bar on Thursday, March 19, in solo mode. For more info, check daveycraddock.com.

ART + MUSIC =

Having welcomed guitarist Drew Krapjalnov (Stargazer, Ohayo) into the fold, nocturnal Perth folkies, The Regular Hunters, have set their crosshairs on a suite of local shows leading up to the launch of an EP in April.

This Sunday, February 22, will see them at Mojo’s for Art + Music, a special 4.30-10pm event headlined by The Morning Night and also featuring Maurice Flavel’s Intensive Care and The Shops, plus Louis Inglis (Jeff’s Davey Craddock, he’s a country member Dead, The Shops) Matt Cal (trio) Salv (The Morning night) and Xanthea in the Beer Garden. $10 entry.

Then it’s the Nannup Folk Festival on Friday, February 28, and the Astor Lounge on Saturday, March 7, for The Little Lord Street Band’s EP launch. For more details, head to leahmiche.com.

RAW POWER It’s going to be just like what it says it is on the tin.

Raw Power will be a night of punk attitude that sees some of Perth’s hardest, fastest and loudest bands perform in support of RTRFM. That’s Rubber Daddy, The Shakeys, Emu Xperts, Bläckwitch and Skullcave; with RTRFM’s Burn the Airwaves DJs and Friday Out to Lunch presenter, Sandy, on the decks. Get into it on Saturday, March 14, at Amplifier.

The Shakeys, Raw Power Pic: Daniel Grant

The Regular Hunters

NEW DAWN RISING Having made waves at big occasions including the West Coast Blues ‘N’ Roots festival, locals The Amani Consort have developed a fierce reputation for funk-inflected hip-hop soulfulness. Led by the dynamic Aysha Amani, the five-piece will launch their long-awaited debut fulllength LP, Dawn After Dark, on Saturday, March 14, at Mojo’s. In a special-one off, the band will be joined by the Ruby Horns and Natalie Mae on backing vocals. For more info, check, facebook.com/theamaniconsort.

TIMBERRRRRRR

ENTRY LEVEL DOCTOR HERE Whovians, rejoice! Matt Smith (the 11th Doctor), his consort Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) and Alex Kingston (River Song) will be appearing at a special fans-only Whoniverse event come Wednesday, May 13, at a venue TBA. The Time Lord and his associates will be on stage to chat candidly and answer questions, with autographs and photograph opportunities abounding, as well as auctions, raffles, trivia and rare collectibles. For tickets and more information visit thehubproductions.com.

Perth lo-fi songstress Laurel Fixation is issuing forth her debut EP, Small Discomforts, at Paper Mountain on Friday, February 20, through local label, Workplace Safety CDRs. It’s a heady, unsettling blend of songs about life lived on and off screen, and being caught somewhere in between. In support are Fabian Rojas (Pissed Colas), Rabbit Island and Xanthea, with Perth punks Shit Narnia behind the bar as Shit Barnia.

Entry on the door, with limited edition copies of the CD available.

Amani Consort

Hot on the momentum of last year’s breakout single It Burns - no pun intended - Oz folk artist Timberwolf is heading across the country to support his new track, Fallen Sun. He’ll be in WA on Friday, February 27, at the Odd Fellow in Freo, and Saturday, February 28, at the Nannup Folk Festival. Outside of those dates, Timberwolf will also be playing an intimate and secret backyard show somewhere in WA - check out facebook. com/timberwolfoffical for all the details.

Timberwolf

FOR THE BIRDS With their delicate twist on indie electronica, Sydney trio, Mansionair, have quickly become hot property, with their first single Hold Me Down amassing over 8 million views on YouTube. Riding high on the success of their debut EP, they’ll return for the first of The Aviary’s Rooftop Sessions for a free show on Sunday, March 1, supported by local indie producer Angus Dawson and the incandescent Tahlia Jaye. To RSVP, fly to the Aviary’s Facebook.

Laurel Fixation

Matt Smith, Whoniverse

Mansionair

CHIN UP

FERGALICIOUS

FOR MERCY SAKE

Internationally revered local power-pop treasures DM3 will be heading around Australia in April before making their first trip to Japan.

Led as ever, by the inimitable Dom Mariani (The Stems, Someloves, Majestic Kelp), the Monsters Of Jangle tour will take in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle, with the band’s only WA date at Mojos in Fremantle on Saturday, April 18, supported by The Stanleys and A Month of Sundays. For more information, head to dommariani.com.

Australian singer/songwriter Steve Smyth has bounced back from a broken jaw to to hit the ground running, picking up the second leg of his Exits tour after selling out shows on the East Coast. Deservedly holding down the Feature Album slot at Double J courtesy of singles such as Shake It and Written Or Spoken, he’ll take his band to Mojo’s on Wednesday, February 18; Four 5 Nine on Thursday, February 19; Settler’s Tavern, Margaret River, on Friday, February 20, and the Prince of Wales, Bunbury, on Saturday, February 21.

Though A$AP Rocky had to twist his arm to get him behind the mic, A$AP Ferg hasn’t looked back since his debut long-player, Trap Lord, soared into the Billboard Top 10 and into the hearts of critics like SPIN and BET. Though he dabbles in clothing lines and jewellery, Ferg saves his best for his frenetic live performances, making his one and only WA appearance at Villa in Northbridge on Tuesday, April 28. For tickets, head to livenation.com.au.

As time is running out for Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan and their execution in Indonesia seeming more likely, artists Ben Quilty and Matthew Sleeth are continuing to fight for mercy for their friends with Ampuni (meaning ‘mercy’) Vigils being held in Sydney, Melbourne and here in Perth on Wednesday, February 18, from 6-7pm at the Wesley Uniting Church, 97 William Street, Perth. Musical guests will be Abbe May, Donna Simpson and Eskimo Joe’s Kav Temperley, plus more to be announced. For more information, head to www.mercycampaign.org.

DM3, circa 1993

Steve Smyth

A$AP Ferg

Kav Temperley, Ampuni Vigil

ANNO DOMINI

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

DEREK SEASON 2 More interested in partying and flirting with young musicians than work, veteran rock journalist Ellie Klug (Toni Collette) has one last chance to prove her value to her magazine’s editor: a no-stone-unturned search to discover what really happened to Matthew Smith, who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend. Teaming up with an eccentric amateur documentary filmmaker (Thomas Haden Church), Ellie hits the road in search of answers. Lucky Them opens in Perth cinemas on Thursday, March 5. We have five double passes to give away via the X-Press App.

A year has gone by since we last visited Broad Hill Retirement Home and the old gang is back. Derek Noakes (Ricky Gervais) is still spreading kindness wherever he goes. Kev (David Earl) is still drunk.

Dougie (Karl Pilkington) is still grumpy. Hannah (Kerry Godliman) is still the salt of the earth.

Wayward youth Vicky (Holli Dempsey) is now working there full-time and providing the residents with ‘free’ slippers - no questions asked. And there are some new elderly tenants who’ve since joined the home. Derek’s dad moves in, but far from being the sweet old man, he’s got whisky in his back pocket and too much lead in his front one. We have five DVD copies of Derek Season 2 to give away through the X-Press App.

Lucky Them

Derek Season 2

LUCKY THEM

KIDNAPPING MR HEINEKEN In 1983, a group of childhood friends pulled off the crime of the century: kidnapping one of the richest men in the world, the heir of the Heineken beer empire (played by Anthony Hopkins). The shocking capture-by-gunpoint in broad daylight on the streets of Amsterdam resulted in the largest ransom ever paid for a kidnapped individual. It was the perfect crime… until they got away with it. Kidnapping Mr Heineken also stars Sam Worthington, Jim Sturgess and Ryan Kwanten and is in cinemas on Thursday, March 12. Enter via the X-Press App! Kidnapping Mr Heineken

PRINT AND DIGITAL EDITIONS PUBLISHER/MANAGER Joe Cipriani

EDITORIAL - 9213 2888 MANAGING EDITOR Bob Gordon: editor@xpressmag.com.au LOCAL MUSIC & ARTS EDITOR Travis Johnson: localmusicarts@xpressmag.com.au GIG & EVENT GUIDES CO-ORDINATOR guide@xpressmag.com.au COMPETITIONS win@xpressmag.com.au For band gigs and launches - plugyourgig@xpressmag.com.au

ADVERTISING - 9213 2888

RUTH MOODY These Wilder Things is the new album for Canadian folk singer/songwriter Ruth Moody, who builds further on the solid base of her debut solo album, The Garden.

The album features guest performances from the likes of Mark Knopfler playing guitar on Pockets, and her Wailin’ Jenny’s colleagues Nicky Mehta and Heather Masse join her on One And Only. The 10 tracks on the album include a memorable version of Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing In The Dark. You can check the film clip out above. Moody performs on Friday, February 27, at Mojos with Jordie Lane. We have a double pass to give away, download the X-Press App to enter.

Ruth Moody

LIFESTYLE STRATEGY MANAGER – AGENCY / DIRECT Tim Milroy - entertainment@xpressmag.com.au Jennifer Groves - advertising@xpressmag.com.au ENTERTAINMENT ACCOUNT MANAGER ENTERTAINMENT / VENUES / LIVE AND DANCE MUSIC PROMOTERS / RECORD LABLES Tim Milroy - entertainment@xpressmag.com.au CLASSIFIEDS LINAGE classifieds@xpressmag.com.au

PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT - 9213 2854 CONTENT COORDINATOR Anthony Jackson - production@xpressmag.com.au ART DIRECTOR Dwight O’Neil DESIGN + PRODUCTION Andy Quilty, Anthony Jackson, Rachel Del Borrello PRINTING Rural Press Printing Mandurah DISTRIBUTION - 9213 2853 - distribution@xpressmag.com.au ADMIN / ACCOUNTS - 9213 2888 Lillian Buckley accounts@xpressmag.com.au EDITORIAL DEADLINES General: Friday 5pm, Eye4 Arts: Thursday 10am, WIN: Friday 5pm, Salt Clubs: Monday 5pm , Local Scene: Monday Noon, Gig Guide: Monday 5pm ADVERTISING DEADLINES Cancellations: Monday 5pm, Ads to be set: Monday Noon Supplied Bookings / Copy: Tuesday 12 Noon, Classifieds: Monday 4pm

DOCTOR WHO COMPLETE EIGHTH SERIES Doctor Who Series 8 sees a brand new face at the controls of the Tardis as Peter Capaldi becomes the Twelfth Doctor steering the blue box on a series of amazing adventures. In a feature-length opener we see the new Doctor crash land in Victorian London. As Clara (Jenna Coleman) struggles to recognise the man she thought she knew so well, killers are stalking the capital. A slaughterhouse restaurant and a buried space ship lead the Doctor into a confrontation with a long forgotten foe… but how far is this new man ready to go to protect his friends? We have five DVD copies of Doctor Who: The Complete Eighth Series to give away via the App. Doctor Who: The Complete Eighth Series 6

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33,560 OCTOBER 2012 MARCH 2013 - AUSTRALIA’S HIGHEST CIRCULATING STREET PRESS

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FLESH

NEWS - INTERVIEWS - REVIEWS - CONTENTS

Simon came to us saying he really wanted to amp up this festival and that he had a new way of doing it, rather than constantly smashing on with the Government.”

Now all they needed was a venue that could handle a three-day festival and camping event.

“We wanted a festival site that could grow,” Peterffy says, “where we could put on a big festival. We looked at a few and identified the Bindoon site as being the best possible site of the kind that is being put on in the East Coast.”

Bindoon Rock was promoted as ‘three days of freedom’ back in the ‘80s-’90s. While Kinetic Dreaming is a very different beast to Bindoon Rock, the ideas of freedom and freedom from judgement have a similar ring.

“It was a multi-ARIA Award-winning site during the days of Bindoon Rock,” Croce says. “So we approached the landowners there and they were gracious enough to donate the land and help us develop this festival. My production house has come in, offering promotion, marketing and services at no cost because we believe in the cause.

All the proceeds will go back to activism to help the environment.

“I run a few nightclubs, and my preface is carnival. Life should be a carnival. And one thing

The Rosemary Beads circa 1994 (l-r) Cam Munachen, Gretta Little, Tim Underwood

THE ROSEMARY BEADS They’ve Come And They’re Good And Ready Seminal ‘90s Perth band, The Rosemary Beads, play a 20-year reunion gig at the Astor Lounge this Saturday, February 21. BOB GORDON walks down memory lane with vocalist/bassist, Gretta Little.

Simon Peterffy

KINETIC DREAMING FESTIVAL Environmental As Anything The Kinetic Dreaming Festival is set to roll on the Labor Day Long Weekend, Saturday, February 28, until Monday, March 2, at the famous Bindoon Rock festival site. BOB GORDON reports.

While we’ve all bemoaned the loss of various summer festivals in recent times, one has quietly emerged that is quite different from the rest.

Over several days the Kinetic Dreaming Festival, combines the notion of the bush doof with more modern festivals with full focus given to the environment.

“The spark was watching a whole lot of kids from WA flying over to the East Coast and going to all these electronic music, arts and lifestyle festivals,” says environmental activist, Simon Peterffy. So, a little over a year ago I went over to see what all the fuss was about at the Rainbow Serpent Festival, which is probably the premiere festival in Australia.

“I really got and idea of what all the fuss was all about; it’s totally a new type of festival, with not just an emphasis on music, but a huge emphasis on arts and particularly lifestyle. So whilst over there I spoke to the guy who owns the property of the Rainbow Serpent Festival, and he said ‘why isn’t there any lifestyle festivals in WA? They’re happening over here almost every weekend’. So the idea spawned from that moment to look at putting on that kind of festival over here.”

Ragdoll Pic: Elspeth Erickson we’re missing in the community today is that carnival vibe. There’s these same bands at these same festivals and there’s a caveat over festival properties or people around the festival properties say there’s too much noise. So we wanted to take it out of Perth into the last gazetted rock’n’roll festival site in Australia. There are zero noise restrictions. The Bindoon council have backed it 100 per cent. It’s a positive for them.”

And so it is that some 70 DJs plus 40 bands and around 150 market stalls - ranging from crystal beds to tarot card readers, massage therapists to spiritual chanters - with a total of 340 acts in three days on four stages will happen with all proceeds going back to environmental activism.

This features Electrypnose (Switz), Loose Connection (UK), Staunch, Eurythmy (UK), DocDat ‘Boots’ (UK), Witch Freak (Italy), Chronbro (Indo), Ryanosaurus, The Mollusk, Daisycutter, Positive Thought, Junkadelic, Shadow FX, Miss Behaviour, Phsiris, Daniel Sun, Dr Stem, King Owl, 20HZ, Red Can, Olin, The Power Monkey, Illusha, Al Star, Skeksi, Jackson Juice, Harlequin Chameleon, Tasty Gecko, The Shoesmith Quartet, Sarah Graham, Ragdoll, Nu Jazz Ensemble, Junkadelic and more to be announced.

“There is a heavy emphasis on this particular event,” Peterffy says. “It’s a festival for the environment. We looked at the music, arts

Junkadelic

The Shoesmith Quartet Excellent in theory, but Peterffy needed to get together with a team who could produce such a festival. Enter local promoter Tony Croce and his team, who already admired Peterffy who in 2012 was among a group that boarded Japanese whaling fleet security ship, Shonan Maru 2, to demand an end to that year’s hunt in the Antarctic.

“That’s Simon,” Croce smiles. “He does the tree lockdowns when they want to take down the old growth forests. He believes in his cause. So 8

and lifestyle events on the East Coast and tweaked it a little bit. So it’s a festival for lifestyle and the environment. When we Googled those words, no one anywhere else in the world had done a festival where there was such a huge emphasis on the environment.

“So there’ll be a massive amount of displays and stalls, as well as speakers and workshops, all with an environmental emphasis. It’s really a coming together of those who are passionate about the environment to learn more and celebrate it.”

It has a family emphasis too and while Peterrfy describes it as a “a feast for all senses” the Kinetic Dreaming Festival is resolutely not about getting wasted.

“It’s a down to earth festival for down to earth people,” he says. “We’re encouraging people to tune in, not tune out. We want to highlight how we can affect change, and how we can look at these environmental issues that are important to us and for our children, and really make some changes for the planet.”

Tickets the Kinetic Dreaming Festival are $100 at the gate or $75 online from kineticdreaming.com.au, where you can check the full line-up. All profits go to forest rescue environmental projects (see forestrescue.com.au).

Describe the origins of the Rosemary Beads. I recall Tim Underwood (vocals/guitar) had a vision during an overseas holiday that quickly became a reality upon his return?

Tim and I had played in a couple of bands before the Rosemary Beads, Charlotte’s Web and then The Northern Lights. The Beads were playing with a bass player, Dave Cohen, who left to go overseas and Tim asked me to play then. Cathi Smith played on viola at that time and Cam (Munachen) was the drummer when I rocked up. I’m not sure how long they’d been playing together when I joined, not long. I don’t think they’d done any gigs.

Did it evolve into something else upon embarking on the adventure?

I think after Cathi left, the band really started to get the sound that people associate with the Beads. Cam and I had heard a rumour that we were the worst rhythm section in Perth – which was possibly true. So we basically locked ourselves in a room for a month until we could play and it was after that we played our first gig as a three-piece. And it did evolve from there, I think the tension in the band pulled the music to places none of us intended it to go entirely. But that was good.

The songs always seem to mix the rights amounts of pop melody with a menacing undertow. Was it an easy or difficult balance to maintain?

It just seemed to happen. I think that was the natural chemistry of the band. Sort of the sum of more than all the parts. Sometimes it got a little too bitter and twisted for me. I felt a bit restrained by that at times – but then I did bitter and twisted just as well as the guys.

The single from your third and final EP, I’ll Come When I’m Good And Ready, had contentious title for the time. Worried About Fucking was a great, edgy pop song that was very catchy. In retrospect did calling it that kick the band in the shins a little when trying to get airplay or mentions in the larger, mainstream press?

I think we kind of had the attitude of ‘we’ll do it our way’, rather than doing stuff to be more commercial or playable. Sort of, ‘if you don’t like it tough because we do’. Tim wrote that song, but I’m not sure what you could’ve changed that word to … worried about making lurv doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

I think we would have been more successful, the band kind of had that sort of trajectory, but I wasn’t going to hang around that much longer to find out.

My memory is that there always seemed to be a tension in and around the group; however, do you think this benefitted the band creatively?

There were a few tensions in and around the band, personally and musically. And yes I think that manifested in the music in a good way. We all liked slightly different music and so pulled each other in different directions. I think even who was writing or singing created a slightly competitive edge that spurred us all on.

But we all wanted to be good, we all shared that – we enjoyed being good at what we played as well as good as a band.

The end of the band in 1995 was complex you left; there was a new line-up... then Cam tragically passed away from an overdose. Did you ever really think the day would come when another Rosemary Beads show would occur?

I never thought Tim and I would do a gig together again. We ended up in very different places after the band and we hadn’t been in touch for years until Tim suggested a gig a few years ago. So no, I didn’t think it was a possibility.

My children were little when he first asked and the thought of playing the bass every day was not an attractive prospect, so I’m glad he asked again last year. And as it turns out, 20 years seems a fitting time for a reunion show. And it will be 20 years

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nearly to the day we last played as a three-piece at the Harbourside.

Cam’s funeral sticks in my mind as one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen. So many friends in the prime of their lives utterly devastated that he was gone. To me it seems a show like this pays tribute to good times and memories and a bit of a salute to someone who’s been missed and fondly remembered for a long time. Is this the feeling for you?

There’s no way of getting around the sadness. At the same time, the lovely thing about the gig is remembering Cam. We’ve been discussing his drumming on different songs. Waz (sit-in drummer, Warren Hall) has come up with a few things I’d forgotten that Cam did from listening to the songs.

And we’ve been sharing stories about him – he was funny, he made us laugh and he was a great friend.

His family are really lovely and it’s been very special to be in touch with them again, sad and special. I’m really pleased they’re coming to the gig.

We’ve created an audio visual tribute we’ll show just before we play.

The CD that’s been pressed with the three EPs put together in album form really stands the test of time. Light/shade/darkness that the likes of REM and My Bloody Valentine were renowned and celebrated for. It must feel good to know that time has not wearied those songs...

I’m glad you still like the songs. I still like them and I’m surprised how much I’ve enjoyed playing and singing them. I thought some of the more angst ridden ones would be a bit hard to relate to – but they’re fun, full of emotion and fun to do.

Is there anything you’d like to let Rosemary Beads fans and friends know?

Thanks to the people who liked the Beads, it was great to play for people who enjoyed the music. I’ve been enjoying the Facebook page as well – people sharing their enthusiasm for the band. There’s lots of great memories in that.

CONTENTS 4 6 8-9 10

Newsdesk Win Flesh Music Drake, Marilyn Manson Shane Howard, Nickelback New Noise

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Culture Hub Cover: Joe Abercrombie Lifestyle, Hitlist Jupiter Ascending, The Interview, Rose Water , ‘71 Live: Perfume Genius Arts Listings Feature: ETC Education & Training

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Scene Cover: Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks WAM Song Of The Year Nominations G-Ezy, Slates Local Scene: Toby Live: Castaway, Spoon, Jeff Martin, Peter Hook

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X-Press Guide Social Pics/Volume

Front Cover: Drake headlines Future Music Festival on Sunday, March 1, at HBF Arena, Joondalup, and performs at Perth Arena on Monday, March 2, supported by 2Chainz.

Scene Cover: Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks head to the Chevron Festival Gardens this Sunday, February 22.

FLESH

NEWS - INTERVIEWS - REVIEWS - CONTENTS

MOGWAI Bring The Noise Masters of volume and primarily instrumental outfit Mogwai hit the Chevron Festival Gardens for a two night residency supported by fellow brother of loud, J Mascis, on Monday-Tuesday, ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER DOOR CLOSES...

February 23-24. CHRIS HAVERCROFT Deville’s Pad last week joined a growing number of live music venues that are closing reports. or have closed in Perth over the last six months. Local promoter, Dave Cutbush (Life Is Noise) immediately started a Facebook page, ‘Perth Needs More Music And Arts Mogwai have found themselves on a couple of All Tomorrow’s Parties Festivals at the same time as Venues’, as the first step in a process to stir up improved support from Government, J Mascis, but this is the first event that they have shared the billing. corporates and audiences. BOB GORDON chats to him about the conundrum.

Deville’s Pad

PERTH LIVE MUSIC VENUES

You created the Facebook page ‘Perth Needs More Music And Arts Venues’ last week and it’s over 2,000 likes already. That’s great, but do people need to vote more with their feet than with their mouse?

This is all about voting with the feet, Bob. Undoubtedly, part of the problem is attendances at ticketed shows in Perth. Whether this be tours or local events we need more people getting involved, and supporting music and art. Without this nothing can survive. However, with the closing of two significant venues in a short period of time, I think we need to become active as a community, we need to lobby government for support and help business owners to provide venues. And wouldn’t it be great for governments to provide some venue options when they are needed.

Things like PIAF, Fringe and even the likes of Perth Arena get big bucks poured into them.

And hey, they are totally great. But at the other end of town we are really missing venue options.

There needs to be a coordinated approach by government to facilitate the opening of small to medium sized venues for local and touring artists.

The page is the first step in a process to apply pressure on the State Govt to get behind a venue/ offer venues support. What are the best ways to go about this?

At this stage the group and the page is only in its infancy. This is a reaction to The Bakery and Devilles closing down. We are looking to have a meeting of interested persons within the next week or so and then we will start forming plans. This is very much a grass roots thing at the moment. We see a problem and we want to fix it. Watch this space.

Ideally, what support would you like the Govt to offer?

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if local and state governments stopped putting hurdles in front of potential new venues? The small bar licensing of recent years has been great for Perth but has done very little for the live music and arts scene. The Bird is the only venue that I can think of that is an exception to this. We would also like the authorities to help local venues that support culture instead of hindering them. How good would it be to see government subsidies for those places supporting local artists. I know it is a pie in the sky idea but how good would it be if the government subsidised or even developed a local music precinct or a multipurpose arts space?

In Europe there are lots of state owned venues and arts spaces of this nature. In WA we often focus on the big projects EQ, Perth Link, Burswood Stadium, Perth Area etc, at the detriment of the smaller and medium-sized projects. This would be relatively inexpensive but would make a real impact. Over recent years we have seen a State Theatre built and money put into PIAF and Fringe but what about local music? Where is the local music venue? In order to help foster local artists and be inspired by touring artists we need spaces where they can play. It is not all about the big ticket stuff. We need multiple venues of differing sizes and a state government that wants to make a coordinated difference on a micro and macro level.

As a promoter, how dismaying is it to see venues closing like this?

I tour medium-sized international bands in Australia. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide have better small-to-medium-sized venue options than Perth. For my business it is unfortunately going to be the case that we are going to stop bringing some acts here. This is for two major reasons.

Firstly, there has been a decline in attendances of the last 12 months and secondly, there are not enough venue options. As a Perth-based promoter I want to bring these acts to my home city.

Identify the typical pressures venue owners/ management face in running regular shows?

I think it is probably best to speak to them about this. But my guess would be the normal red tape and expenses running a local music venue or business. It is not an easy thing to do.

It always happens over time, but the last 6-12 months have been particularly harsh with venue closures, why do you think this has been such an unfortunate period?

Bob we have all been through this before.

Venues come and go and we all remember places like The Grosvenor and the Hyde Park Hotel stopping their support of live music. We need to protect our cultural landscape at every turn. The Melbourne music community is a great example of this. Every time a venue is threatened there are online and on street protests. They value their culture. I think Perth people do too, but we need to have a more focused approach to saving our venues and helping foster new ones.

The ‘Oh well’ approach does not work. Our apathy will not make things better. We need to organise, lobby and attend if we want things to improve.

How much does the run of festival-related entertainment in Perth/Freo during January/ February/March impact on the regular flow of things?

It undoubtedly impacts on venues. Look, Fringe and PIAF are awesome. At both ends of the market they provide Perth with something that punters want. I think we need to take that kind of funding and inspiration and spread it out for 12 months of the year. We need to support existing venues and help new ones get off the ground. And why can’t we help fund a new live music venue? This money is after all, ours.

What can we all do to get things rolling effectively for the whole 12 months of the year?

Great question and this is one we are yet to find out. I think we need to meet, talk, get active and don’t lose the passion. We will be planning a meeting very soon. We want to get people inspired.

This is something worth fighting for. I suppose we should take the Sea Shepherd approach about this and get involved. It is all well and good to sit around and chat about this problem but let’s get out and take some action and save our artists and those who inspire them.

Keyboardist/guitarist, Barry Burns, is looking forward to standing at the side of the stage and let the laconic rocker help him to kick his jet lag.

While Mascis will be exercising his broad American drawl, Mogwai will be very light on the vocals during their set.

“If I am being very honest we don’t write songs to have lyrics in them,” suggests Burns. “If the song doesn’t sound finished then we will try and find a sample to fit in there, or if that doesn’t work we try a vocoder, and as a last resort we have to write some elementary school lyrics and then sing them.

We don’t let the other band members in the studio when we sing them because we are embarrassed and we don’t like to do it.”

When the five-piece do find themselves with a song needing someone to sing, they often bury the voice deep in the mix or they tend to cover it with effects that make it difficult to decode. Things didn’t go quite to plan for Burns on their first trip to Australia.

“We usually sing through a vocoder and it is unintelligible and you can’t hear what I am singing, but the first time we played Australia - I think it was in Melbourne - and the dry vocal came through and I was just saying things about the audience and it

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came out loud and clear through the PA. I’m sure I was lucky to get out alive” Latest album, Rave Tapes, is another epic from the band in terms of texture with there being a heavier reliance of electronic sounds. That is not to say that there isn’t the odd abrasive guitar or two, its just that the palate is a lot broader these days. In spite of the title of the record though, don’t be afraid that Mogwai will be turning up with a reliance on fluro and whistles.

“When we are live, we are probably playing louder than we ever have. It kind of changes when we leave the studio and we all of sudden become loud again. We don’t focus on the guitar noise songs in the studio as often anymore. That is not to say that it won’t happen again, its just that for the moment we feel we have done that and we are focussing on something else.”

Mogwai have always had a knack for cracking song titles - probably as a result of not having to tie their songs down to a set of accompanying lyrics. Titles such as You’re Lionel Ritchie, I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead, Stop Coming to My House and I Love You, I’m Going to Blow Up Your School show clear signs of a band that are having fun. Clearly the band try to outdo each other in terms of the best title.

“Martin (Bulloch) the drummer is good when everyone is drunk, as he has an app on his iPhone and he will record the dumb stuff that people say that we could use as song and album titles. It is not always the members of the band that are saying the stuff either, it can be friends of ours or people in our family. Most of the time you think you have a really good one when you are drunk, but when you look at it the next day it isn’t funny and it’s rubbish.”

Mogwai are one of those bands that tend to remain at the same level of popularity where if a fan drops away, a new one jumps on just around the corner. Their reputation for ear-splitting live shows appears to attract more people than it repels.

“You notice it at the shows that the people that come to see us is a complete mix. I remember it used to be only guys and you would see a girlfriend there who had obviously been dragged out because its his birthday or something and I’d feel sorry for her, but these days it is pretty split down the middle.”

FREE PARKING

Rambunctious old-timey janglemakers Little Bastard are bringing their distinctive banjo-addled nonsense to WA in support of their new single and video, Desert Roller. With a reputation for boozy, blustering sets, they’re set to cause a commotion on Thursday, March 5, at Bunbury’s Prince of Wales; Friday, March 6, at Settlers Tavern in Margaret River, and Saturday, March 7, at Mojos, with support here and there from Silver Hills and Childsaint. Check the venues for ticket information.

To celebrate Parks Week 2015, Yanchep National Park is throwing the gates open on Saturday, March 7, for the ever-popular Retro Rewind. Featuring diverse tuneage from The High Learys, The Last Fair Deal and Darling Buds Of May to vintage hot rods, this free, family friendly event also offers the opportunity to explore the stunning natural landscape of the park, with koala talks, walking trails and cave tours on offer.

For more info, check wanneroo.wa.gov.au.

Little Bastard

The High Learys | Pic: Rachael Barrett

A Perth Venue Action Meeting is being held at The Bakery on Monday, February 23, from 6pm. Head to the ‘Perth Needs More Music And Arts Venues’ Facebook page for more details.

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RUNNING UP THAT HILL WA’s gremlins of grit the Kill Devil Hills are hitting the Rosemount Hotel for their second Thursday date on February 19 to premiere new material for an upcoming LP - their first since 2009’s incredible Man You Should Explode. Todd Pickett’s new project Flooded Palace and the gargantuan earth-soul ensemble the Mei Saraswati band provide support.

Entry on the door.

Kill Devil Hills | Pic: Rachael Barrett 9

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US TV station BET (Black Entertainment Television).

His 2009 mixtape, So Far Gone, was released on Drake’s blog site and saw 2000 downloads in just two hours. This response led to the mixtape being reworked and released as an EP featuring the first of many international hit singles Best I Ever Had and Successful.

His follow up release, Thank Me Later, was delayed several times but went on to garner critical acclaim, particularly due to the rapper’s ballsy move to sing on Find Your Love. The single still remains the most successful from the album and paved the way for more singing from Drake. The final release

“Drake’s use of ‘YOLO’ in The Motto popularised the phrase making it prominent in everyday conversations and splashed across clothing around the world.

Drake has since apologised for unleashing this word on the masses in a recent appearance on Saturday Night Live.

DRAKE Memes Are Made Of This Drake, one of the most critically acclaimed rap artists of this century, headlines Future Music Festival on Sunday, March 1, at HBF Arena and performs at Perth Arena on Monday, March 2, supported by 2Chainz.What is it about the Toronto rapper that has led him to be dubbed ‘the leader of the new skool?’ DEMELZA LEONARD uncovers the secret to Drake’s popularity.

It’s hard to imagine that one of today’s most influential MCs got his start playing a wheelchair bound student on a spin-off of Degrassi High; but this is the case for Drake, the Jewish rapper hailing from Toronto, Canada.

Since his introduction to the rap game in 2006, Drake consistently sees himself the topic of conversation. He hasn’t grown up on the East or West Coast of the US yet he has participated in a number rap/artist beefs (Chris Brown, Kendrick Lamar and most recently Tyga) and is featured regularly with the likes of Lil Wayne and members of the Young Money Cash Money crew. Yet in most cases he comes across as a sensitive new age guy that you could take home to the parents after the first date. It’s this difficulty of placing him in a ‘rap’ stereotype that makes Drake so intriguing and sees him continue to have the masses eating out of the palm of his hand.

From his debut, Drake was breaking records and stereotypes. His first mixtape, Room for Improvement, saw him become the first unsigned Canadian rapper to have his music video featured on

from the album, Fancy, whilst not as popular as its predecessors, still earned him his first Grammy nomination.

By this point, Drake was showing he was more than capable of pushing boundaries, singing and rapping about love, wealth and fame. But it wasn’t until the release of Grammy Award-winning album, Take Care, that his influence on Gen Y was truly defined. Whilst the phrase ‘You Only Live Once’ has been around for over a century, Drake’s use of ‘YOLO’ in The Motto popularised the phrase, making it prominent in everyday conversations and splashed across clothing around the world. Drake has since apologised for unleashing this word on the masses in a recent appearance on Saturday Night Live.

As ‘YOLO’ became just as popular as the term ‘selfie’, the release of Drake’s third studio album, Nothing Was The Same, led to the rapper being named the most influential person on social media in 2013 ahead of Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Kanye West and even Kim Kardashian. It is reported that Drake was the subject of over 46 million social media conversations and it’s obvious why.

After wearing a Dada short suit during the filming of deaf groupie who his bandmates and he urinated all over, covered in pig’s feet and fucked, or his inclination to dig up dead bodies in graveyards and pick out bones “like strawberries” so he could smoke them like methamphetamine, or his torso that reflects a hashtag of scars following years of self-mutilation on stage.

“A lot of people don’t realise, but with the amount of stories out there about me, there’s still so much shit that I’ve done that they don’t know about which is a lot worse. Mainly because of a lot of it is illegal and shouldn’t be told,” he laughs wryly.

Manson is speaking calmly but with an energised undertone. An hour before our call, he was on stage at the 5000-capacity Fillmore Auditorium in Denver.

“I don’t think that I lead a completely unreasonable life. I like repetition to a certain degree, while being chaotic and spontaneous at times. I don’t seek out trouble specifically, but it does seem to find me. I’m a magnet for broken women, bad people and crazy relationships.

Some people think it’s because it’s of drugs.

Sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s just my own stupidity. It’s just how my brain works.”

Last month, for his 46th birthday, Manson’s father gave him a report card that he had kept from his early school years. It read that ‘Brian shows an enthusiasm for the Bible and is very considerate of his fellow classmates’. It also noted that he was ‘a very courteous, sensitive and serious young man’. What the hell happened?

“I’m a magnet for broken women, bad people and crazy relationships. Some people think it’s because it’s of drugs.

Sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s just my own stupidity.”

Marilyn Manson Pic: Jiro Schneider

MARILYN MANSON Chords Of Evil Marilyn Manson has released his ninth studio album, The Pale Emperor. TYSON WRAY reports. marilyn manson /mar-eh-lin man-sun/ noun 1. A psychotic human being, the self proclaimed ‘God of Fuck’ and ‘Antichrist’. synonyms: disturbed, unbalanced, demented.

Indeed, Marilyn Manson (birth name Brian Warner) is the textbook definition of a deranged specimen.

Case in point: three of his most 10

cherished household possessions: a canister of Zyklon B (the gas used to exterminate the Jews by Hitler during The Holocaust), an eerie painting of a clown by serial killer and child rapist John Wayne Gacy Jr., and an old abortionist’s chair (covered in a beaver rug which was given to him by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt). He once told Rolling Stone it was a place “where I had sex with certain individuals that may or may not have resulted in my divorce.” Then there are his fabled ‘eccentric’ antics, such as the story of the

“I began changing in 1984 when the world didn’t come to an end as I was being told at my Christian school. That’s when I realised it was all bullshit,” he details. “I wanted to find more answers. The Bible is basically a horror film, really. If you look at it carefully you’ll see it’s got pretty much every horror film ever within it from top to bottom. You’ve got the devil, you got god, you’ve got demons, angels, ghosts, killing giants, etc. It’s all in there.”

It may come to a shock to many that Manson has always a maintained a very loving and stable relationship with his father, which is

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DJ Khaled’s No New Friends music video, Drake was photoshopped by thousands and was turned into one of the biggest memes of that year. The album’s second release Hold On, We’re Going Home featuring OVO (October’s Very Own) sound artist, Majid Jordan, was also used in the viral Starbucks Drake Hands craze and landed him mainstream radio spins around Australia.

But while fans have fun with the rapper’s image, Drake’s shown that he isn’t opposed to taking the mickey out of himself either, further adding to his appeal and shying away from what is expected from your stereotypical rapper. As a global ambassador for the Toronto Raptors, the MC was seen to be lint rolling his pants at courtside during a basketball game.

The video once again went viral, and the following week all those attending the Toronto Raptors home game received a special game day lint roller. Even as a host on Saturday Night Live and the ESPYS indicates Drake doesn’t take himself too seriously, adding to his growing mass appeal.

With every release Drake seems to know how to get the masses talking. Just last week, Drake sent cyberspace into a frenzy with a 15-minute video titled Jungle followed 12 hours later by the release of a 17-track mixtape, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.

Again, this saw the creation of a number of memes which led to the rapper trending across social media.

The surprise release also had many talking about whether the mixtape signifies the end of his contract with Young Money Entertainment.

So what is it that makes Drake so damn likeable? Is it because he writes, sings, produces and raps lyrics that are poignant? Is it because he rolls with one of the biggest crews in rap music today? Is it because he is always featured across social media?

Or could it be that he understands that sometimes life can’t be taken too seriously? It’s all of the above and more. He’s different. He’s an artist that has the (dare I say it) X-factor. He can write, rap, sing, produce, act and host. But he does it, and does it well. His lyrics continue to connect with rap fans around the world and have done so since day one, plus he portrays himself as half-thug, half-sensitive ladies’ man.

And it’s this that has seen Drake cemented into pop culture in a way that has never been done before. With his label OVO Sound signing several up-and-coming artists (Majid Jordan, PartyNextDoor, ILoveMakonnen), his OVO Fest building momentum in the northern hemisphere and a full album, Views from The 6, expected to be released in the future, it is looking more likely that Drake will be around for quite a while longer. And as he spawned ‘YOLO’, his career continues to show that although you only have one life, he is making the very most of his. somewhat ironic considering the amount parents have blamed him for causing their children’s rebellion.

“My father recently told me that he was once going to become a priest, which I didn’t know. But then instead he went to Vietnam and shot a lot of people,” he laughs. “I’ve learnt a lot about my father recently after my mother passing last year. He’s currently on tour with me, which is something that’s never happened before. I actually brought him out on stage the other night. We’ve bonded a lot more this year. I think he’s currently feeling a lot like me, like a kid again. Maybe that’s why he gave me my report card.”

Manson began 2015 with release of his ninth studio album, The Pale Emperor, of which the title refers to Constantius Chlorus, the first Roman ruler to deny god. A departure from his signature industrial and electronically-influenced heavy metal, the record draws influence from blues and spare hard-rock. However, lyrically, the record highlights Manson’s malevolence in career-best form, with his sinful depictions of religion, violence and mortality painting his most macabre record since 1998’s Mechanical Animals.

“Music has always had evil in it. There was evil when Mozart came up with the tri-tone,” he notes, referring to the infamous augmented fourth (or diminished fifth) known as the ‘chord of evil’ that was banned in Renaissance church music. “There has to be something in music that stops us from thinking stupid things, like there’s a god who created us which puts us in an eternal loop of foolishness, like a fucking snake eating its own tail.”

This month Manson returns to Australian shores (though not to Perth) on his Hell Not Hallelujah world tour, which will see him at the 2015 incarnation of Soundwave alongside a run of headline shows.

“I’m really bad at parties, and I’m really bad around people that I don’t know,” he laughs.

“It’s an utter phenomenon that I’m able to go on stage in front of thousands of strangers and do what I do. I guess it’s a trade off. A gift, a curse? I don’t know. People ask me, ‘What’s the difference between you on stage and offstage?’ It’s really easy to explain. Offstage, I’m around people I know, on stage I’m in front of people I’ve never met.

“Oh shit!” he exclaims just before I end our call. “I’ve got something really important to tell you. Please make sure your readers know that the newly single Marilyn Manson will be coming to Australia.”

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SHANE HOWARD | PIC: FERNE MILLEN

SHANE HOWARD Spirit Of The South

NICKELBACK Say Hi To Your Mates

Shane Howard has just released his 13th solo album, Deeper South, an LP informed by his birthplace on Victoria’s Southern Coast, as he explains to SHANE PINNEGAR. As lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of Goanna, and more recently a globally recognised solo artist, Shane Howard has been one of this country’s finest musical

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storytellers since Goanna released the Spirit Of Place album in 1982.

That year’s single, Solid Rock, remains an enduring Aussie anthem, as well as a resolute call for justice for our indigenous people. He admits, however, that it took him a while to not be threatened by living in the shadow of that huge hit.

“I know there was a time, probably in the years after Goanna finished particularly, where everyone wanted to talk about Goanna, and I just wanted to be me,” he laughs, “and I felt like I was dragging a huge bag of predetermined ideas around behind me. But Solid Rock, it broke me and it made me, and the same with Goanna. It took me a long time I suppose to get easy with that and to realise that this far down the track, Solid Rock - I live with it very easily, I’m proud of it... but look, there are 200 other songs there in the catalogue, and for me as the writer they’re all valid.”

Howard says his birthplace, a small town called Dennington on the coast of the Great Southern Ocean, provided the spark within for his new album, Deeper South.

“Well, this is wild country here,” he explains.

“When they settled back 150 years ago or more, 160 years ago, and cleared the old bush, they turned it into farmland. This part of the world is very different from the rest of Australia. It’s not deserts and windmills. It owes more to its Celtic heritage.

“So the only sense of the wild was the ocean in many ways, and it’s the edge of the world here, too.

So you’re totally at the mercy of the sea in this part of

the world. The wind blows in off the sea, it comes from Antarctica. It makes you obedient. The Southern Ocean is untameable, and as any fisherman will tell you, every time you go out to sea you take your life in your own hands. No-one can rule the sea here. It’s beyond that.”

A strong believer in the indigenous concept of songlines – telling a connected story through a piece of work rather than putting random songs together to make an album – Howard draws comparisons to Deeper South being informed about world issues, and feeling like we’re being tossed about a raging sea in a small boat.

“Ours is a rapidly changing world, and I think it’s a world in crisis. I don’t want to draw too long a bow, but I think it’s a time of really rapid change and a digital age where the old ways of doing things are really seriously under challenge, and the old guard is holding onto that, but I think that the world of the billionaires running the world is really also under serious scrutiny and serious challenge.

“In terms of the challenges of climate change and competing ideologies, it feels like the end of an era, and the abiding imagery for this they call it is a lone person, a little boat out in the middle of a pretty wild and unforgiving sea, and I suppose that’s a metaphor for this record, and what is there to hold onto in that reality?

“I think Leonard Cohen says love’s the only engine of survival, and I think love is one of the things that really underpins this record in all its forms. Spiritual, whether that’s divine or whether it’s the love of the other; the love of a woman, the love of the land, the love of music, or love gone wrong.”

Canadian rock band Nickelback are heading back this way for a show at Perth Arena on Tuesday, May 26.

SHANE PINNEGAR speaks to bass player, Mike Kroeger, and finds a downto-earth, regular sounding guy looking forward to the tour.

Despite having sold over 50 million records worldwide in their 20 year career to date, Nickelback remain the brunt of almost every music joke and hateful sentiment from one end of the internet to the other.

Bass player, Mike Kroeger, is philosophical about the negativity levelled at his band.

“Well, no-one likes to see a winner,” he sighs, “and that’s okay. Programming people is a very real thing. There was a guy who said once that if you repeat a lie enough times, it becomes true and people will believe it.

“We’ve become a meme of sorts, that’s just what people say. Frankly, I’m sure a lot of those people are buying tickets for the shows and the albums too, so who cares?”

“People can be easily programmed to get kinda like Pavlov’s Dog on something. It’s like, ‘say the first word that comes to mind: Nickelback - sucks.’

Okay, Pavlov’s Dog, done. We’ve become a meme of sorts, that’s just what people say. Frankly, I’m sure a lot of those people are buying tickets for the shows and the albums too, so who cares? People just say things and I really just have a hard time with that vitriol and I think it’s all just these kinds of people saying what they think everybody else wants to hear.

“No-one wants to get challenged. The people that are left-wing politically, they go to the media that skew to the left. The people that are rightwing politically, they skew to the right-wing media.

So they’re not going there to get challenged or to get any new information. They’re going someplace where everybody’s going to say things that they already agree with.

“Everybody wants to go somewhere where everybody’s saying the shit they already agree with. This is a very similar thing, it’s like the twisty moustache crowd say all the same things because that’s what they all believe and that’s cool too. It’s just normal, it’s just people. People don’t want to get challenged.”

According to Kroeger, this will be the band’s “fourth or fifth visit” to our shores, and he thinks he’s played some of his best shows ever in Australia.

“I feel Australia has got to be the most laid-back country,” he enthuses. “Everything just feels relaxed to me. I think that’s why I feel like we’ve had some of our best shows because we’re relaxed. I don’t know, we just like it.

“Everybody is cool. You use words that in Canada or in America we don’t use very much.

There’s one word in particular that I really like that you guys use...”

What follows is a surreal exchange in which a member of one of the world’s biggest bands laughs loudly at our perceived use of a word too naughty to print in this esteemed publication.

“That’s what you call your best friend!! You call them a c***! You call all your best friends, ****s!!” he laughs excitedly, “When somebody calls you ‘mate’ and you don’t know them, then there’s a really good chance you might be in a fight. It’s really hard to explain to people that have never been to Australia how your best friends are all c***s and your mates are the guys that you might punch in the face. It’s difficult for people to understand!”

I might just go and give those Nickelback albums another go.

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NEW NOISE

For more album reviews head to xpressmag.com.au

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OUT OF 5

BLACK STAR RIDERS

NATALIE PRASS

The Killer Instinct Nuclear Blast Let’s get formalities out of the way up front: you Natalie Prass spent her younger years near the water should already know that Black Star Riders was the in a rough-around-the-edges resort in her hometown. original incarnation of the last Thin Lizzy line-up, led Attending intensive music and art classes (with a pet by classic-era-veteran Scott Gorham and singer Ricky bird perched on her shoulder) before a brief stint Warwick of biker metal band The Almighty who also studying at Berklee in Boston, Prass eventually located has a couple of solo albums under his belt.

With Nick Raskulinecz twiddling the dials in Nashville where she spent a decade honing her craft, (Foo Fighters, Mastodon, Alice In Chains, Rush), and before presenting her self-titled debut.

Prass recorded the album two years ago in guitarist and co-songwriter with Warwick, Damon Spacebomb - the studio that is building a reputation as Johnston and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso returning the go-to venue for string and horn arrangements. In the from the first BSR album, all that remained was to meantime, she filled in time as a back up singer in the find a bass player who could replace effervescent star Jenny Lewis touring band, but this accomplished debut Marco Mendoza, who left to pursue his work with his suggests she will be building a touring band of her own. own band and The Dead Daisies. Enter ex-Ratt, Vince Heartbreak is a well travelled path for Neil and Lynch Mob rumbler, Robbie Crane.

You can hear the band members’ collective songwriters, yet Prass is armed with some fertile material here. Many of the songs were written with her experience on The Killer Instinct, as well as the results now ex-partner who was also the protagonist in many of their relentless gigging over the past couple of of the tales. My Baby Don’t Understand Me is littered years – these cats are tight, man.

Running the gamut from denim and with horns and strings on the chorus with Prass’ crisp vocals stating repeatedly that ‘our love is a long goodbye’. leather rockers (The Killer Instinct, Bullet Blues, You Country and soul are melded together during Your Fool Little Liar) to Celtic-tinged stompers (Turn In Your which is a fair reflection of where Prass is at her finest. Arms, Soldierstown) and even a slow-burning epic There is a timeless quality to Natalie Prass. (Blindsided), The Killer Instinct showcases great The singer isn’t setting trends of breaking new ground performances from all involved.

More importantly, it proves these old with her first collection, but she does draw on all this is good about Muscle Shoals and drags it effortlessly into dogs still have teeth to take a bite out of it, and the promise of more music – and more evolution – from her own bust ups. them is exciting indeed.

Natalie Prass Caroline

CHRIS HAVERCROFT

SHANE PINNEGAR

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OUT OF 5

IBEYI

BOB DYLAN

Ibeyi XL/Remote Control

Shadows In The Night Columbia/Sony

As Ibeyi (“ee-bey-ee”), 19-year-old French-Cuban twins Naomi and Lisa-Kainde Diaz were responsible for one of 2014’s most arresting singles, River. Set against a hypnotising, stripped-back beat, the duo deliver the refrain of ‘Come to your river /wash my soul’ before ending in an old prayer, sung in Yoruba, a language that was taken to Cuba by West African slaves in the 18th century.

The sisters sing in both English and Yoruba on this album, connecting themselves with their cultural history and adding another layer of emotional depth.

The poignant chant at the end of Behind The Curtin – all fragile whispers of death and grief – lifts the song to ethereal heights.

Ibeyi effortlessly juxtapose the old with the new: gospel chants and glitch elements, elegant piano lines and minimal beats. The result is striking and acutely affecting – 13 tracks of minimal soul, framing the Diaz sisters’ beautiful, clear voices. Ibeyi is reminiscent of the skewed R&B of Seattle duo Theesatisfaction, with both acts sharing a focus on dual vocals, minimal beats, and favouring the lower keys on the piano. Highlights here include the smooth Stranger/Lover and the slow Weatherman, with its crackly backbone and wobbly synth.

While recording an album of songs from ‘The Great American Songbook’ might seem like an unusual tangent even for the unpredictable Bob Dylan, he has apparently wanted to do it since first hearing Willie Nelson’s Stardust in the late ‘70s.

There is a touching warmth to all of the songs on Shadows In The Night. Aside from three tracks featuring horns (I’m A Fool To Want You, The Night We Called It A Day, That Lucky Old Sun - all rendered world-wearily and quite beautifully) it’s Dylan’s five-piece touring band covering all bases, and if you saw them perform in the intimate climes of the Riverside Theatre last August, it’s not hard to imagine that unit revelling in the light, the shade and the quiet of these standards.

Dylan’s grating whisper entirely suits these songs, too. When he opines, ‘Once you have found her never let her go’ on Rodgers And Hammerstein’s Some Enchanted Evening it really sounds like it’s coming from someone who knows it for a fact. When the album reaches it close with That Lucky Old Sun Dylan has taken you on a journey through the journeys of others, finding new paths along the way.

BOB GORDON

CHIARRA GRASSIA

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OUT OF 5

DANKO JONES Fire Music New Damage/Cooking Vinyl

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JESSICA PRATT On Your Own Love Again Spunk

Over six studio albums Danko Jones have bullishly created an instantly recognisable sound of their own, combining the best of AC/DC-Thin Lizzy-style hard rock, old school metal and acerbic punk.

Opener, Wild Woman, is relentless, detailing a lady who is beyond Danko’s control, and the band capture every ounce of their irrepressible live energy onto tape, complete with a large dose of punkish aggression.

New drummer, Rich Knox, p roves a powerhouse on his kit, pounding out metal rhythms, and he vamps up a storm on the cowbellfunk groove of Do You Wanna Rock. Jones plays the motormouth frontman to the hilt here, giving the album a little midway light relief, as does the follow-on Getting Into Drugs, a very tongue-in-cheek observation of the druggy culture of rock’n’roll.

The Motorhead-like Watch You Slide, Piranha and She Ain’t Coming Home bring us full circle back to the break-up theme. If based on real events, it’s primal scream therapy for the singer/guitarist.

Danko Jones has never been backwards in coming forwards, and their full-force-in-yer-face approach on Fire Music might make this the album that propels them into the wider public awareness.

Jessica Pratt picked up her brothers discarded Stratocaster when she was 15 and schooled herself on the instrument by listening to T-Rex songs. It was her relocation to San Francisco that immersed her into the world of folk music where she became friends with members of White Fence and often got compared to the ‘freak-folk’ artists of recent years.

On Your Own Love Again is predominantly Pratt’s ethereal voice and precisely plucked guitar. There is a sense of being caught in a time warp as the easy comparison is to pigeonhole Pratt as a mimic of Joni Mitchell or Joan Baez, but On Your Own Love Again is much more than a regurgitation of folk history.

Pratt slows down the tape during the recording of Jacquelyn In The Background making the music melt into itself. For The Game That I Play she adds her own harmonies to add more voices to the room without sacrificing any intimacy. Back, Baby is up tempo by Pratt’s usual glacier pace, and delivers one of her finest lines in ‘your love is just a myth I devised’, during the well travelled territory of a break up song.

On Your Own Love Again is so raw that you would envisage it was recorded with Pratt in the middle of a mushroom circle with a swarm of fairies to keep her company. On Your Own Love Again is simple, but glorious at the same time.

SHANE PINNEGAR

CHRIS HAVERCROFT

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

Known for his exceedingly dark and drily humorous fantasy tomes, particularly The First Law series, British novelist Joe Abercrombie recently turned his sights on capturing a younger audience with his latest trilogy, The Shattered Sea. TRAVIS JOHNSON talks with him on the eve of his appearance at the Perth Writers Festival.

Violence. Sex. Deception. Betrayal. Moral ambiguity. Hard choices.

More violence. these are the key ingredients of the works of Joe Abercrombie, the British author who took it upon himself to turn the pastoral fantasies of Tolkien and his ilk on their ear with the publication of his first novel, The Blade Itself, in 2006.

He’s not the sort of prose stylist you’d expect to be angling for a teen audience, but that’s exactly what he’s doing with The Shattered Sea series. Currently comprising two volumes, Half A King and Half The World, the books trace the adventures of young Yarvi who, born with a deformed hand, finds himself thrust into a

treacherous and dangerous world when he unexpectedly inherits the crown to his barbaric homeland.

Funnily enough, didn’t find writing for a younger audience amde much difference to his process or style. “Not a huge difference in a way. I suppose the sort of books I was reading at 12 to 16 were pretty similar to the ones I read as an adult. A lot of them were the very same books. This wasn’t intended necessarily to fit into any category, it was just intended to be the sort of book I would have liked at that age. And really for me, that meant certainly a lighter touch on the sex and violence, a lighter touch on the swearing but, generally speaking, much the same sort of content that I have in my adult ones.

“Mostly it meant a younger protagonist,” he continues.

“The protagonists I’ve had in the past tend to be quite used up, world-weary people who’ve been around the block a few times. And also, it was really about the length and the focus, the complexity. I was trying to write something that was shorter, tighter and really had a sort of driving narrative to. Something exciting on every page, with any luck.”

Abercrombie was also mindful of not alienating his core fanbase, who became enamoured of his work because of his dark and dour aesthetic. “I know there are some who prefer the grittier

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end of things and for them this isn’t as gritty as they like, but I still wanted to write something that would work for the majority of them. And I don’t think there’s any conflict there, necessarily. I think people in that age range don’t want to be treated like kids, they don’t want to be talked down to - they’re kind of experiencing adult life for the first time and they want to read stuff that speaks to those things.”

Abercrombie is in town for the Perth Writers Festival, where he will speak on, among other things, The Hero’s Journey.

The irony is not lost on him.

“I like my heroes not very heroic, generally speaking. I read a lot of very shiny, very heroic, very optimistic, very morally simple stuff in the ‘80s and ‘90s. That tended to be what a lot of commercial fantasy was about. One of the things I wanted was to have darker characters, a bit of a noir sensibility going on. I’m much more interested in anti-heroes than heroes, I think, generally speaking. I wanted to have characters who were willing to do quite dark things, or perhaps forced to do quite dark things in the circumstances in which they find themselves. I always find those people a little more interesting. So, for me, the hero’s journey is as much about discovering the inner villain as the inner hero.”

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REMEDY Melanie Clark A wander through these stores is both a soothing, and reinvigorating, retail experience.

If you’re a lover of objects that fuse elements of the beautiful and the practical, there’s a good chance you’re already a regular at Remedy in Leederville and Fremantle. “Freo is my home town,” explains co-owner Melanie Clark, when asked why those two locations.

“We lived there and knew the locals appreciated handmade quality and generally ‘got it’. It was where we kick-started with a small budget and the amazing support of the local crowd.

“From there we wanted to be on another shopping strip, which are very limited in Perth, and so we managed to lease a store in Leederville. We had looked at other areas but we just liked its grit; it was as close to a Melbourne feel (outside of Freo) at that time, and there is a whole new crew of people living all through those surrounding suburbs that we felt would like what we offer.”

She says the goal was to make retail a better experience with an alternate option–give a conscience, and support Australian designers and handcrafters. “We couldn’t think of a name to emanate that. While in the car talking about it, The Black Crowes came on the radio singing, ‘All I need is a remedy...’ There it was.”

A sense of creativity permeates Remedy’s offerings, and about three quarters of what Remedy stocks are Australian designed and/or genuinely

Australian made. “Aesop skincare, all our jewellery ranges, Armadillo&Co floor rugs, Nancybird bags, wallets and clothing, Mokosh soaps, Kip & Co bedding, Otto and Spike picnic rugs, beanies and scarves, Queen B beeswax candles, uimi wool and cotton blankets, Once a Tree wooden cutting boards, most of our card ranges.”

As for the retail experience itself, “Most people inhale when they walk in,” notes Clark, crediting that to the mix of Aesop, and Mokosh soaps. She points out Remedy still has quite a few customers from its first days in Wray Avenue, Fremantle, who they’ve enjoyed friendships with for over a decade now.

The stores embody the ethos of the slow shopping movement, with sustainability a key element.

(There is also a gift registry service.) At Remedy, attention is paid to the details. “Our wrapping paper is

by WA graphic designer Kylie Thévenau, our web store

by Melbourne artist Karla Pringle, and soon we will have stunning gift vouchers printed on a hand fed, treadleoperated press by The Little Press (Leederville locals who also make cards for us).”

According to Clark, Remedy is featuring more West Australian makers at the moment than they ever have. “Keep an eye out for tassel garlands and amazing diamond-shaped piñata by another West Australian maker called Paper Paper.” Clark is also excited to now be stocking the jewelry of Jessica Jubb. “She is a great talent from Gidgegannup.” In fact, the range is one of Remedy’s current bestsellers. “Jess Jubb’s small Dot earrings sold out in Fremantle the first day they were on the shelves! We’ve never had that happen before.”

GILLIAN O’MEAGHER

TUSA Dive - Great Barrier Reef

THE GREAT BARRIER REEF Down Where It’s Wetter The Great Barrier Reef is the oldest coral reef system in the world and is actually made up of 2,900 individual reefs spanning over 2,300 kilometres. It is located in the Coral Sea stretching from Torres Strait in the North to between Lady Elliot and Fraser Island in the south of Queensland.

The reef has been named one of the seven natural wonders of the world and is a world heritage listed site.

The best months to experience the Great Barrier Reef are between May – October when the weather is mild and visibility in the reef is good.

Parts of the reef when snorkelling are so close you can touch it, however it is not allowed because it damages the reef and takes years to grow back.

Departing Cairns from the Marlin Wharf, many dive companies are available to take you out to the reef, most tend to have a series of different reefs they will alternate between visiting. TUSA Dive was recommended to me by a friend and I couldn’t fault them. Unlike many of the other companies, TUSA Dive limit their capacity to 60 people to ensure you have added comfort and a more personal experience.

TUSA Dive • • •

Snorkeling tours - $195 Introductory Dive - $265 (one dive only, additional dives cost extra) Certified Dive – From $245 (for three dives)

Photos are taken on board and on the reef by staff. A marine presentation is also provided daily which is quite educational. I learnt a couple of interesting facts; The Great Barrier Reef prevents large waves forming in North Queensland and therefore is not an ideal surfing location.

A school of clown fish always have a hierarchy with a female at the top. When that female dies, a male will change sex to take its place.

A full lunch is provided on board along with a fruit break.

TUSA have access to 16 reefs and alternate between these for each tour depending on the conditions.

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef was a major bucket list item for me and one which I was lucky enough to have recently ticked off. I cannot even describe how amazing it was, it truly is a different world down there, one that I encourage everyone to explore once in their lifetime!

JESSICA PASCO

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Every week we bring you the best in fashion, food, shopping and lifestyle.

Rose Bass Rose Bass is one of just four West Australian finalists in the 2015 Fonterra Proud To Be A Chef mentorship program – an all-expense paid, three day masterclass in Melbourne. Rose, along with 32 other Australian contestants, will get to dine at award-winning Melbourne restaurants, learn from some of Australia’s best chefs, and get the chance to network with people in the industry. At the end of the threeday mentorship, Rose will get the chance to cook up an original foodie creation. If she impresses the judges, she could score herself the grand prize of $7500, to spend on an international culinary placement.

We speak to Rose about how she got selected, and what she’s looking forward to the most.

Where are you working at the moment?

Fraser’s Restaurant in Kings Park.

How did you get selected for the program?

A friend of mine mentioned the program to me so I looked into the application process – it involved submitting a recipe which could be produced in two hours, as well as answering an array of questions including why we started working in kitchens and where we see ourselves in the future within the hospitality industry.

Where do you see yourself in the future?

I’m hoping to work overseas as much as possible, especially within the UK/Europe, starting with London in July this year. Following my qualification as a chef, I’m also hoping to commence a Bachelors degree in Commerce

Rose Bass

at UWA in 2016, and in the future an MBA at Melbourne Business School – I want to work within restaurants from a dynamic, yet still kitchen focused point of view. Realistically I hope to eventually make money whilst operating restaurants that are seasonal, well looked after, and forever adapting to today’s hungry and well informed customers.

EAT AT: MIX

Presenting a fusion of Korean and Mexican food, this Hay Street eatery is sure to intrigue even the most What are you expecting from the Fonterra Proud to jaded palate. be a Chef program?

From the itinerary we’ve been sent it sounds like the three days we spend in the kitchen more or less are going to be intense! I hope to walk away with a bunch of new pieces of information and knowledge to expand on, and most of all I’m hoping to come home feeling more motivated than ever.

What are you most looking forward to?

To eat at Saint Crispin, Spice Temple and Rockpool! I’m kidding –they are definitely up there as things to look forward to, but probably above that, I would be getting to participate in the master classes, as well as to meet and talk to the other apprentices about what they want in their careers and also experience a bit of Melbourne’s food scene as a group.

Is there a standout chef that you are excited to work with?

Definitely Joe Grbac - it would be really cool to talk to him about his experience working in The Square in London, as it would be my dream to work there one day!

DRINK AT: THE STANLEY

PENNY LANE

Located on Cambridge Street, Wembley, this watering hole proves you don’t need to venture into the CBD for chic small bar ambience.

AN INTERNAL DIFFICULTY Andrew Nicholls Untitled Study, Andrew Nicholls & Travis Kelleher, 2013 Framed photographic print, 180 x 120cm. Image c/o the artists with thanks to the Freud Museum London

Running at PICA from Thursday, February 19, until Sunday, April 12, as part of the Perth International Arts Festivaal, An Internal Difficulty: Australian Artists At The Freud Museum London is an exhibition inspired by a residency that the artists undertook at Sigmund Freud’s London townhouse. TRAVIS JOHNSON chats to curator and artist, Andrew Nicholls.

What was the genesis of An Internal Difficulty?

An important part of my practice is organizing research residencies for myself and other artists at historical and museum sites. In 2011 I became aware that a number of local artists – some of whom I’d worked with before, and some of whom I admired and had wanted to work with for some time – were beginning to reference Freud in their artworks. I’d also been planning to develop a series of works about one of Freud’s most famous patients, Sergei Pankejeff, who Freud dubbed ‘the Wolf Man’.

While I was thinking about all this - and purely by chance - I saw a documentary about the Freud Museum London while I was on holiday in London. Prior to that, I didn’t know that the Museum existed. It looked like a fascinating place, so I approached the artists if they would be interested in travelling to London to visit the Museum.

I then approached the Museum curators, who were a bit cautious as they’re quite a small Museum with very limited space and resources. However, they agreed to let us invade them, and I received funding from the state and national governments and we all went to London in January 2013.

What insights did you glean from your residency?

Working at the Freud Museum London was probably the best experience of my professional life. It was so invigorating to be there with a group of like-minded creative people, researching and planning works. In particular, we were given access to Freud’s study, which is maintained just as it was when he worked there, with his desk and the iconic psychoanalytical couch. Sadly, you’re not

allowed to lie on the couch – and yes, we did ask!

Freud collected antiquities and artifacts from ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece and Mesopotamia, tribal art from across Oceania and the Americas, and rugs and textiles from the Middle East. His study is filled with them, covering practically every surface…so as well as researching one of the most important men of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, we also had access to over 2000 incredibly valuable, fascinating objects from the past four thousand years of human civilisation.

What are you hoping that audiences take away from the exhibition?

I hope they’ll have fun with it – a Freudthemed show is a good excuse to make some fairly outrageous works, and I worked closely with the curatorial team at PICA to design the exhibition as maze for the audience to explore, encountering the artworks along the way… so the show is a bit of a journey into the unconscious.

I also hope that visitors may end up thinking a bit differently about Freud after seeing the show. He has – completely understandably – received a lot of criticism since he died, as medicine and society have progressed.

Many of his theories are (quite rightly) considered to be outdated or misogynistic now, yet he was so important so visionary. Really, the way most of us now think about ourselves and our identity is almost entirely based on Freud’s vision of the human mind. Ideas that we take completely for granted now – that our dreams have meanings; that there are parts of our brain that are unknown to us, but that make us behave in particular ways; that events from our early childhood effect us in later life - all come from Freud.

SHOP AT: 50STATES AMERICAN FOODMART Eat like you’re in a sitcom after a visit to this repository of delicious US comestibles. Luck Charms, anyone?

Dr Pepper?

50States American Foodmart

GO TO: THE MOON GARAGE SALE Our friends at the Moon need to clear out some room, so this Sunday, February 22, sees them selling all kinds of old stuff from 10am. And yes, the brunch menu will be available.

The Moon Cafe

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JUPITER ASCENDING What’s Space Opera, Doc? Directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski Starring Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean If we graded just for effort and enthusiasm, then this latest offering from the team who are still best known for the groundbreaking Matrix Trilogy would get straight As: it’s a big, ambitious, universe-spanning adventure steeped in gorgeous production design and possessed of a truly impressive sense of scale. Sadly, we also have to consider execution, which is... well, it certainly looks very nice.

Riffing on Dune, Flash Gordon, and every big, dumb, sprawling space epic in between, Jupiter Ascending sees Mila Kunis’ titular downtrodden RussianAmerican cleaning lady, Jupiter Jones, get caught up in the power struggles of a corrupt galactic family when she turns out to be genetically identical to their deceased matriarch. With only a faithful human/wolf hybrid (Channing Tatum) to protect her, Jupiter must navigate a strange and exotic universe where planets like Earth are merely resources to be used by the ultraprivileged to extend their lifespans for millennia.

That all sounds pretty good, and Jupiter Ascending is packed with the sort of ephemera that makes space opera so appealing as a genre: big ideas; strange, alien characters and locations; weird technology and weapons; plus the sensation

that we’re seeing just a small part of a larger, more complex and fascinating world.

Unfortunately, the Wachowskis seem to have also doubled down on the more problematic elements of the genre as well: episodic, disconnected storytelling; leaden, exposition-heavy dialogue and thin characterisation. Worse, there’s the feeling that a lot of the cast are faintly embarrassed by what they’ve gotten involved with, a total buzzkill in a film where the villain’s chief dragon is literally a dragon, Sean Bean plays a guy who’s half-bee, and the proceedings stop dead at to do an extended homage Terry Gilliam’s Brazil. Only Eddie Redmayne as the moustache-twirling villain, Balem Abrasax, seems to have the faintest idea of how campy the film is, and pitches his performance accordingly.

Indeed, an appreciation of camp is key here, and if you keep that in mind its hard to dislike Jupiter Ascending no matter how glaring its faults. It’s just that it’s far more Barbarella than Star Wars, so audiences expecting a film that takes itself seriously are in for disappointment. It also makes the classic Wachowski error of forefronting its subtext over its actual narrative, which means that the fairly obvious one per center parallels get sledgehammered home while Jupiter, our nominal protagonist, is left almost bereft of agency for the entire run of the film - things happen to her and around her, not because of her.

That’s the film’s most damning mistake - an audience will forgive almost any contrivance or silliness of they have characters to care about. If Jupiter Jones and her entourage of ambulatory genetic mixtapes were people we could empathise with, then perhaps Jupiter Ascending could be viewed as a flawed success. As it stands, it’s an ambitious failure.

TRAVIS JOHNSON

FILM

ROSEWATER Every Rose Has Its Thorn Directed by John Stewart Starring Gael García Bernal, Kim Bodnia At first glance They Came For Me, the memoirs of Iranian Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, seems like an odd choice for John Stewart’s directorial debut. A tale involving the detention and torture of a journalist by a repressive regime seems far away from the comical take on politics provided by the long term host of The Daily Show, but they do mesh well together. Partly this is due to Stewart’s own political savvy that has often made The Daily Show more pertinent and cutting than many traditional forums, and partly this is due to an interview with show itself being the cited reason for Bahari’s detention.

In 2009, while covering the fallout from the controversial Iranian elections, Newsweek journalist Maziar Bahari (Gael García Bernal) finds himself arrested by the Iranian government. The reason for this incarceration is the absurd accusation of espionage, arising from a satirical interview where a comedian interviewing him pretends to be a spy.

With the flimsiest of pretexts, Bahari must endure 118 days of confinement and the attentions of his rosewater-scented interrogator (Kim Bodnia).

There is much here that you would expect from such a film. That classic battle of wits between

prisoner and interrogator, the trial of body and mind, and endurance of spirit. What is unexpected is that Rosewater is actually uplifting. Not just in that triumphing-against-the-odds, power-of-thehuman-spirit sort of way. No, it is genuinely funny, managing to find humour even in these dark recesses of humanity. It turns the tables on the captors, demonstrating their own fears and insecurities and exposing them as ludicrous.

It is a cathartic process and demonstrates the use of humour in helping us re-evaluate a situation. Little surprise given Stewart’s day job, and he uses comedy in a similar fashion here; attacking the self-righteous through parody, making the political palatable, and giving inspiration. All this is done in a way that still manages to convey the horror of the situation without making light of the plight. For his part, Gael Garcia Bernal (The Motorcycle Diaries) manages to make the most of this unusual mix, handling the humour and the dramatic with equal aplomb.

This by no means makes Rosewater a flawless film. A few directorial choices ring a bit trite (such as the ghostly apparition of a father and sister that were jailed under previous Iranian regimes), and perhaps the threat of physical torture is underplayed in comparison to the biographical account. However, the result is an equally uplifting account of survival, that may be easier to digest for an average audience.

Ultimately the final message is one of hope and solidarity, still maintaining a bite, but nowhere near as harrowing an experience as it could be.

DAVID O’CONNELL

PERTH INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL LAUNCH Chevron Festival Gardens Thursday, February 12, 2015 The troops gathered at the Festival Gardens behind the Museum in the Perth Cultural Centre to inaugurate this year’s fantastic-looking Perth International Arts Festival, before being serenaded by legendary Austin band Spoon.

Photos by Rachael Barrett

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Ellie, Rebecca

Alice, Clare

Katrina, Suzie

Jess, Tim

Phil, Renee

Kyle, Scott, Tim, Al

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‘71 Street Fighting Years Directed by Yann Demange Starring Jack O’Connell, Sam Reid, Shaun Harris It is 1971 and The Troubles are raging in Northern Ireland. On his first day on the streets of Belfast, Private Hook (Jack O’Connell) finds himself separated from his squad during a riot. Deep in Catholic territory and on the run from IRA gunmen, Hook struggles for survival.

Unsure who to trust the young solider stumbles through an intricate mesh of unexpected alliances and double dealing, as he attempts to limp his way back to barracks.

Using the historical setting of the political and religion-fuelled turmoil in Northern Ireland, Yann Demange creates a tense action thriller. He lends a claustrophobic edge to this urban environment, with its maze of alleyways and the Brutalist concrete architecture of the tenement buildings, with lots of hand-held camera work kept in tight. The end result often feels cramped and nightmarish, perfectly capturing Hook’s plight.

In fact ‘71 puts a lot of attention on ratcheting up the sense of disquiet felt by the audience and maintaining that tension. David Holmes’ minimal sound track is excellent in this regard, melding with clever use of the diagetic sound to build this tension, especially in some of the set pieces. For example, as Hooks first mission starts to go wrong, the constant clang of garbage cans (a warning signal used in the streets of Belfast) acts as a percussive background to

the flaring temperaments of the mob. An intermittent blare of a horn from the score periodically undercuts this, grating at the nerves till the whole scene reaches a climax. It is an effective layering of the multiple elements, adding to the close-in camera work of the press, building a sense of confusion and volatility.

It is that sense of volatility that this film mines for all it is worth. There is a constant threat expressed throughout it, as Hook is plunged into a situation he little understands. Jack O’Connell (Unbroken) gives a taciturn performance as a man out of his depth and struggling to survive. When violence comes it is sudden, often unexpected, and usually fatal. Consequently there is a feeling of genuine stakes here, and Hook is not some Bourne or Bauer, able to shrug off bullets and walk away from explosions. He is constantly vulnerable, and is often reliant on flight more than fight. Add to this that differing factions are pushing personal agendas, on both the Orange and Green side, and it really does become a tense thriller as he is also forced to navigate a web of intrigue.

At the end, ‘71 really is the sum of its parts.

The in-close camera work, the nightmarish urban environment, the minimal soundtrack, O’Connell’s intense performance, the intricate script – all build on each other to produce a tight and solid thriller.

DAVID O’CONNELL

‘71 screens at Somerville, UWA from Monday, February 23, until Sunday, March 1, and ECU Joondalup Pines from Tuesday, March 3, until Sunday, March 8, as part of Lotterywest Festival Films. For tickets and session times, go to perthfestival.com.au.

FILM

THE INTERVIEW Bad Bromance Directed by Seth Rogan, Evan Goldberg Starring Seth Rogan, James Franco, Randall Park, Lizzy Caplan Who would have thought when James Franco and Seth Rogan started palling around on the set of Freaks And Geeks all those years ago that their friendship would culminate corporate espionage, cyber-terrorism and diplomatic brinksmanship? But it did, it really, honest-to-God, did, all because of this film, which is finally getting a theatrical release hereabouts. Given that it quite literally almost started World War III, it better be pretty goddamn funny...

Franco is Dave Skylark, a shallow-as-spit entertainment reporter, while Franco is his longsuffering producer, Aaron Rapoport. They’re wildly successful in their milieu but Aaron longs for the respect of his colleagues, so when they learn that the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, is a huge fan and is willing to be interviewed by Dave, they jump at the chance. The CIA also like the idea, dispatching Agent Lacey (Lizzy Caplan) to convince the pair to assassinate the despot. Hijinks inevitably ensue.

In their last film, This Is The End, Rogen and his co-director, Evan Goldberg, dealt with

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fictional and metaphysical horrors to good comedic effect, but dicing with the realities of life in North Korea is a much more loaded prospect than the biblical apocalypse, and it’s hard to shake the awareness that, when you’re laughing at Dave and Aaron’s exploits, you’re in a way laughing at the plight of real people in real, horrible circumstances.

Of course, there’s form for ripping strips off of unspeakable people through cinematic satire, but this is not The Great Dictator.

It’s not half bad, though. You already pretty much know if you’re down with the Rogen/ Franco schtick, and anyone who got a kick out of Pineapple Express is going to have some fun here.

Franco’s relentless mugging does grate from time to time, but Rogen’s reliable everyman act grounds the proceedings. Interestingly, the MVP here is Randall Park, who plays Kim as a kind of friendship-starved manchild - a guy who would be kind of fun to have around, if he wasn’t the murderous despot of an evil regime built on the broken backs of thousands.

After all the hoo-ha it’s somewhat disappointing to report that The Interview is, well, okay - not a brilliant and searing satirical hand grenade, not a lowbrow farce, but, like most of Franco and Rogen’s films, somewhere in between.

You’ll probably have a good time watching it.

That’s faint praise for a movie that almost plunged the world into chaos, though.

TRAVIS JOHNSON

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Gemma Bovery, playing as part of the Alliance Francais French Film Festival 2015

VISUAL ARTS Treasures Of The Jewish Ghetto Of Venice: The Art Gallery Of Western Australia A selection of incredible works that were hidden from Nazi forces during World War 2 are now on display at AGWA courtesy of Venetian Heritage. Marking the 500th anniversary of Venice’s’ Jewish Ghetto, this exhibition has been displayed in Vienna, New York, Houston and Venice, and now comes to Perth.

It includes numerous silver and bronze artifacts used for Jewish worship and ritual purposes. The exhibition runs until March 16. Go to artgallery. wa.gov.au for more information.

Rebirth: The Art Gallery Of Western Australia Japanese artist Mariko Mori has created Rebirth, an immersive experience comprised of installations, LED sculptures, photographs, drawings and videos.

It’s on display until June 29. For more information, go to artgallery.wa.gov.au 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 until Sunday, May 16. Go to johncurtingallery.curtin.edu.au for more information.

Kaleidoscope: Perth Institute Of Contemporary Arts Contemporary artist Tracey Moffatt’s first major solo exhibition in Perth since 2004 features her new video work, Art Calls, plus an installation of works taken from her Spirit Landscapes series. It runs from Wednesday, February 18 , until Sunday, April 12. Head to pica.org.au for more information.

Peel, Fondle, Ogle: Spectrum Project Space An exhibition by Kimberley Pace incorporating garment, video, sound, sculpture and performance, Peel, Fondle, Ogle explores the interstitial space where the internal and external bodies transition, laying open the often blurred boundary between attraction and repulsion. It runs from Tuesday, February 24, to Friday, March 6.

THEATRE/DANCE/ PERFORMANCE Summer Nights: The Blue Room Theatre Presented as part of Fringe World, this short season of idiosyncratic stage performances brings you a smorgasbord of edgy theatre until February 21. For tickets and information, go to blueroom.org.au.

An Evening with Noel Fielding: Perth Convention And Exhibition Centre Rock star comedian Noel Fielding of The Mighty Boosh fame comes to Perth for one night only on Friday, April 24. Book via Ticketek.

Cosentino - Twisted Reality Tour: Regal Theatre Known as Australia’s greatest magician, Cosentino brings his unique brand of large-scale illusion to Perth for two shows only on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2. Tickets are available via livenation.com.au.

FESTIVALS Fringe World 2015 Until Saturday, February 22, Perth comes alive with the best and most outrageous comedy, burlesque, circus, dance, theatre and more! For the full program go to fringeworld.com.au

Noel Fielding Kiss Me: Linton & Kay Galleries, Perth Gillie and Marc Schattner’s newest exhibition is all about the kiss - to the point where it will include a Free Kissing Zone, where visitors will be invited to kiss one of the sculptures on display, a friend, a partner, even a total stranger. It’s on from until Tuesday, March 3. Go to lintonandkay.com.au for further information.

An Internal Difficulty: Perth Institute Of Contemporary Arts Curated by Andrew Nichols, this group exhibition sees seven prominent Western Australian artists Thea Constantino, Susan Flavell, Tarryn Gill, Travis Kelleher, Pilar Mata Dupont, Nalda Searles and Nichols himself - reconsider the figure of seminal psychiatric researcher Sigmund Freud in a domestic context. It runs from Wednesday, February 18, until Sunday, April 12. Go to pica.org.au for full details.

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Perth International Arts Festival 2015 Perth’s premiere celebration of art of all genres and forms runs across multiple venues 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.

Alliance Francais French Film Festival 2015 Once again, Luna Palace Cinemas plays host to the best and freshest films that France has to offer, featuring new works from the likes of Benoit Jacquot, Francois Ozon, Mathieu Amalric, and Anne Fontaine. It runs from Thursday, March 19, to Tuesday, April 7. for information and tickets, go to lunapalace.com.au. offBeat Festival Over three days from Friday, March 20, until Sunday, March 22, celebrate percussion and rhythm-centered music with performances from WAAPA’s percussion ensemble, Defying Gravity, playing John Luther Adams’ Inuksuit; Mathas, Rokwell & Groom, Joni In The Moon and Catlips playing with percussion group The Wheel Turns; and the Daniel Susnjar Afro-Peruvian Jazz Group.

Go to fac.org.au for more details.

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

The City of Perth International Student Festival

PERTH INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FESTIVAL Study Party The City of Perth International Student Festival happens on Saturday, March 14, from 11am-3pm at the Perth Cultural Centre (James St Amphitheatre & Central Square) and is entry is free. We spoke to Charlene Ellison from StudyPerth about the event.

What is the thinking/ethos behind the Perth International Student Festival?

The City of Perth International Student Festival 2015 is a free non-profit event that brings together newly arrived and established international students studying at university, college and school in Perth. Beyond this, local students and community members are invited along in what is a recognition and celebration of harmony, and the contribution of international students to the cultural diversity of Perth.

The festival sets out to be a major calendar event, presenting an opportunity for international students to meet others, be acknowledged by the city, through the Rt Honourable Lisa Scaffidi, Lord Mayor of the City of Perth, enjoy a day of entertainment, good food and fun in a festival atmosphere, and to receive information on Perth’s lifestyle and attractions.

In previous years what have been the big highlights of the festival?

Great local bands and dance troupes, setting up the City Challenge and having strong support from our major festival sponsors and international student volunteers to make the day a great success.

Also having the Lord Mayor as VIP for the past three years makes the festival a standout event for the City of Perth and our unis, colleges and schools.

The entertainment looks to have been programmed to reflect the diversity of contemporary student life in Perth...

We try and recruit bands and dance troupes for the festival to reflect on the cultural diversity of international students and families in Perth. It’s a taste of home for some and also a great way to introduce the Perth community to cultures and styles of art and performances that they may not have experienced before.

This year, we have a Reunion Island dance group, Bollywood, Brazilian/African samba as well as local favourites Boom Bap Pow, Odette Mercy & Her Soul Atomics and The Brow to attract ‘Perth-ites’.

Some people believe it’s only the international students who gain something from coming here, but of course there’s many benefits for the institutions and their fellow (local) students. It’s certainly a twoway street isn’t it?

While the festival is aimed at celebrating international students here in Perth, it is definitely a fun free day out for everyone!

Over the past few years we have noticed many Perth families from all walks of life join in the festival. The festival is held in the Perth Cultural Centre, a hub for many families on the weekends who visit the Art Gallery, Museum and Library and use the Perth Train Station.

We estimate more than 5,000 people will attend the festival.

What do you hope that students and other attendees of the Perth International Student Festival take from the experience?

We hold the festival to celebrate the cultural diversity international students bring to Perth, so for us we really want attendees to have fun and recognise the significance of international students and the importance of multiculturalism in Perth.

We also hope our volunteers and city challenge participants learn more about Perth on the day, get to meet other international students and Australians, as well as receive info from our exhibitors on the day about Perth’s lifestyle and attractions.

PERTH CITY CHALLENGE Forming the first part of the day’s activities, will be the Perth City Challenge. This exciting and educative city adventure, invites teams of students to search the streets of the Perth CBD to solve clues and take photos of their findings, while in the process developing an intimate knowledge about different facets of local life. The teams who collect the most points and receive the highest scores will win one of the many exciting prizes on offer. There is also a ‘Best Dressed’ category to the Challenge, which will add a multitude of colour and vibrancy to the day.

International students interested in the scavenger hunt are able to register online through the Perth Education City website (studyperth. com.au). Registrations must be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday, March 11. Participants in the City Challenge are required to be international students and aged 16 and above on the day of the festival.

Some great prizes on offer this year include a trip for two to Exmouth, Perth Glory season passes, surfing lessons, cruises to Penguin Island, daytrip to the Pinnacles and more. Prizes are sourced that promote the Perth lifestyle and activities international students can enjoy during their time In Perth.

Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi with international students

GLOBAL FEASTIVAL FOOD MARKET The Perth Cultural Centre precinct is set to tempt and tantalise tastebuds with the return of the popular Global Feastival Food Market. A wide range of specially selected food vendors will present a diverse international selection of cuisines open to the public for the duration of the festival including: • • • • • • • • • • •

Top Rice BBQ: Filipino BBQ Ragin Cajun: Louisiana Style ribs Hummingbird Pantry: Mexican Snacks/drinks The Juicist - drinks truck: Fresh pressed juice and coffee Baguette Me Not: Vietnamese Food Bangkok Jump Street: Thai Food 3 Little Pigs: Pork rolls/sliders Las Empanadas: Baked Empanadas and alfajores Delish Ice: Hand made icy poles Sweetly Baked: Cup Cakes Tapasman: Spanish tapas platters

INFORMATION STALLS/ EXHIBITORS Exhibitors at the festival include; City of Perth, Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, The University of Western Australia, Aussie Wanderer, Department of Health, Perth Heat, WA Police, Student Uni Travel, the DESI Student Society, Perth Glory and Surfing WA. Each of these exhibitors will have loads of giveaways and activities on the day. There’s also an Aussie animal petting zoo, so international students and families can meet a dingo, koalas and native reptiles.

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Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks head to the Chevron Festival Gardens this Sunday, February 22. AUGUSTUS WELBY reports.

Pavement fans rarely have just a casual interest in the band. Rather, the fervour of the group’s fan base verges on religious devotion. But it’s interesting to note that Pavement’s music can just as easily incite shrugs of indifference from certain listeners.

The ’90s indie poster boys (a poster pulled from a limited edition zine, of course) made five LPs before calling it a day in 1999. It’s a damn fine catalogue, but their output can hardly be described as sensational.

What made Pavement so compelling was that, for a bunch of total oddballs, they sounded completely self-assured. The kernel of the band’s charm was frontman and chief songwriter Stephen Malkmus, who’s full of witticisms but shows no desire to put his intellect towards anything that mothers of the world would deem sensible. In the 15 years since Pavement split up, Malkmus has never stopped

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making music. Following the release of an eponymous LP in 2001, he teamed up with The Jicks, with whom he’s now put out five albums. These days, Malkmus is a father of two in his 40s, but his worldview remains as crooked as ever.

“The most ‘dad’ songs I made were like Major Leagues, with Pavement,” he says. “That was fine though, it was what it was. But my heart is in the weird and I can’t do those kind of lyrics with a straight face, so it always comes out this way.”

Malkmus and The Jicks’ latest release, Wig Out At Jagbags, celebrated its first birthday last month. The 12-song album finds Malkmus in fine form, chortling amusing refrains such as, ‘I’ve been tripping my face off since breakfast / Taking in this windswept afternoon/ Onward ye Christian sailors / You smooth-talking jack-off jailers’, atop beds of unhurried instrumentation. Wig Out At Jagbags and its predecessor, Mirror Traffic, feature the most contained compositions Malkmus has delivered in over a decade. However, there’s a bit more going on than meets the eye, as Malkmus explains.

Continued on page 22.

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Continued from cover

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

“Those songs have untraditional song structures, but I try to make it so you don’t notice. It’s kind of secretly weird. I just try to make it flow smoothly, to make it seem sort of effortless, and the band is great at that. I’m worried – I like those two albums a lot, but sometimes they’re smooth or they just glide past you.”

Given that he’s a lifelong weirdo, it makes sense for Malkmus to be concerned about slipping into convention. Even if his recent output is relatively relaxed, however, he’s still seeking ways to fuck with the form.

“At this point, there’s certain kinds of rock songs or moves that are a little tired-feeling to me, even if they’re loud and they rock,” he says. “I mean, sometimes I’ll want to hit that feeling because some of those things, they’re not necessarily tired, they’re universal. I’m just trying to think, ‘How can I still hold a guitar and not feel like it’s kind of quaint?’ So I try to make my way around it and mix it up with the balance of the instruments and voices.”

Since the release of 2003’s Pig Lib, the Jicks line-up has undergone a couple of alterations. Despite this, it’s not a revolving door situation. Malkmus is certainly the creative leader, but he values his relationship with the band.

“I think that’s better for me, to work with people,” he says. “It’s too alone to be by yourself, and it’s not that fun. Everyone’s collaborating, even when they’re solo. Like Panda Bear released a cool new record, but he’s got Sonic Boom on it and whoever

“It’s too alone to be by yourself, and it’s not that fun. Everyone’s collaborating, even when they’re solo.”

engineered it. It’s probably basically a band, in a certain way.”

Everything Malkmus has done since Pavement carries forward the distinct strain of artistry he gave birth to in the early ’90s. The first trio of Jicks records – Pig Lib, Face The Truth and Real Emotional Trash – feature some meandering and occasionally explosive instrumentation, but his curious perspective still conducts the action. This continuous thread suggests Malkmus dictates how The Jicks behave.

However, that’s not quite true.

“My band, and most bands, they want to get loud and tear the roof off things,” he says.

“Sometimes I’m a little more restrained. It’s good for me to play it to them and see if it’s too restrained or to see, ‘Am I like an old man or something? Is this dad music? Is it weird enough? It might be interesting if we switched our instruments around a couple of times.’ I could see that happening – ‘Why I don’t I drum on this one? You play bass’. But that can also be a bad idea. Some people can probably do it, like Jonny Greenwood, he can do everything. But there’s very few of those people that can actually do that. Stevie Wonder and Jonny Greenwood. I’d pay to see that.”

KUČKA, topping the leaderboard with five nominations. Pic: Rob Simeon

WAM SONG OF THE YEAR Envelopes Please The WAM Song Of The Year Awards Party will be held at B-Shed in Fremantle on Saturday, March 21. Here’s the nominees...

Aldous Harding Chevron Festival Gardens Friday, February 13, 2015 In stark contrast to the flamboyance that would be on display later in the evening, Aldous Harding quietly arrived on stage, perched on a stool and sat behind her acoustic guitar. The composed New Zealander addressed the crowd with songs from her self titled debut. Harding has the voice of a folk singer from a bygone era with a rich tone and earthiness that makes you think she was raised in a forest.

The music of Harding was calming and peaceful, whilst her banter was frank. Before playing her song The Hunter, Harding confided that her exboyfriend was in the video looking handsome, whilst lamenting he is an ‘asshole’ that introduced her to meth and that she has got ugly tattoos on her feet to prove it. Small Bones Of Courage highlighted her strong folky warble before Harding turned up the heat with an a capella take on Edith Piaf.

Perfume Genius has grown from the solo outlet of Mike Hadreas into a full band exercise. With three albums under his belt, the flamboyant Hadreas strode to the stage in heals, fishnet stockings and an oversized black t-shirt and declared himself with the almost gothic My Body. Exaggerated gyrating dance 22

OUTSTANDING REGIONAL Katie J White Gypsie Codee-Lee Ain’t Got Time For That Harry Jakamarra The Captain Goes Down Shenfield Vagabond Junior Bowles World I Owe

COUNTRY Ruby Boots Wrap Me In A Fever Codee-Lee Ain’t Got Time For That Davey Craddock & The Spectacles Better Alone Jason Norris/The Stirling Rangers If I Should Be Gone In The Morning Ruby Boots Ruby Blue

POP Methyl Ethel Rogues Felicity Groom Better Days The Revelationship Rocket Boy KUČKA Unconditional The Autumn Isles Waking Dreams

ELECTRONIC KUČKA Unconditional Lower Spectrum Khlever KUČKA Honey Gravy Murphy Mumps KUČKA Divinity

Perfume Genius

PERFUME GENIUS

BLUES/ROOTS Morgan Bain Hold On Mister and Sunbird 7 Years Bad Luck Jordan McRobbie A World to See Katie J White Gypsie Matt Gresham Whiskey

moves were winning the crowd over as they drew closer to the stage when Take Me Home finished as abruptly as it began. Hadreas changed pace by sitting behind a keyboard and leading the band through Dark Parts and Look Out, Look Out that brought an introspective feel to this Valentines eve.

Hadreas performed better vocally with each song, having a voice that is equal parts Antony Hegarty, Boy George and Conor Oberst. Not many have the chops to take on a Mary Margaret O’Hara tune, but Body In Trouble was putty in Perfume Genius’ capable hands. The quieter moments behind the keyboard was when Hadreas voice was most able to shine with Learning and Rusty Chains being highlights, but the lipsticked singer wasn’t shy of turning it up a notch during the bands best known moment Queen.

Following on from what has become the bands anthem wouldn’t be an easy task, but instead of trying to outdo their biggest number, Perfume Genius reigned it in for the encore. Revisiting the debut for Mr Peterson before the full band were invited back to the stage for All Along where they offered the most impressive harmonies of the night.

As if that wasn’t enough, Hadreas evoked thoughts of bunny rabbits with a delicate run through Art Garfunkel’s Bright Eyes. Perfume Genius may not have been the biggest draw card when the Festival schedule was announced, but by the end of the night it had secured itself in what would be one of the Festival Gardens better shows for the season.

CHRIS HAVERCROFT

EXPERIMENTAL Intenso Band Earthquake Tobacco Rat Caged Plant Parnell March New Science KUČKA Recovery Josten Myburgh Treant / First Place FOLK Winter’s Mile Tell My Lover Rachel Gorman To Have & To Hold Curtis McEntee I Was Made For Loving You Mister and Sunbird My Baby Must Be Blind The Justin Walshe Folk Machine Willshire HEAVY/METAL Chaos Divine Soldiers Ragdoll Here Today Let’s Kill Uncle Memento Beyond Never One Thousand Years All This Filth Programmed To Suffer JAZZ Trisk Charon Mace Francis Orchestra Corio Landscape Lofty Heights Ja Boyia Luke Minness The Wright Influence Trisk Commodity OUTSTANDING INDIGENOUS The Merindas Ready To Love Bryron Pickett Beautiful Memories Kimberley Carlson Waiting Yolande Yarran Little Old Quairading Town Kimberley Carlson Coming Home

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PUNK/HARDCORE Rag n’ Bone Wood & Wire The Caballeros Another Day The Decline Cool Kids Can’t Die Scalphunter There Will Be Change The Bob Gordons Too Drunk ROCK Tired Lion I Don’t Think You Like Me The Disappointed I Disagree With Myself Husband Caught Rag n’ Bone Wood & Wire The Disappointed Weird Peace SCHOOLS 14 & UNDER Charlotte Viney Hurricane Ruth Burke Hiding Claudia Tero I’m Afraid Identify Just Don’t Say It Charlotte Viney Only Thing I Need SCHOOLS 15 - 17 Mike Waller Seasons Sydnee Carter Life Raft Stella Kelly Skin Evanda and Luchii This Is Life Teischa Trick Of The Light URBAN/HIP HOP Coin Banks Someone Sid Pattni Go Back Home FT. Meg Mac Coin Banks Highs And Lows Sarah Pellicano Playing With Fire (feat. Roc Walla) Marksman Lloyd You Won’t Be The One (feat. Whisky Winter) WORLD Grace Barbé Fatige Tara Tiba A Persian Dream Alon Shimon Shai-Kaspi Megilat Hefker (No Man’s Scroll) Ensemble Formidable Swing Swang Swung Grace Barbé Zis Nou De

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Happening Thing American rapper, G-Eazy, is headed to the Chevron Festival Gardens on Wednesday, February 18, fresh off the release of his second album, These Things Happen.

AARON BRYANS reports.

Hard-worker, approachable, clever, respectable; all words that G-Eazy has epitomised during his tenure as a rapper, building himself up from the bottom and continuing to push ahead until his dream was accomplished. Now after six mixtapes and two physical albums, G-Eazy has broken into the commercial scene with his recent release, These Things Happen, topping the Billboard Hip Hop/R&B chart. With hip hop ever on the rise, Eazy believes his and others success has come from determination and a positive attitude.

“I think it’s in a crazy space right now, the playing field has been levelled,” Eazy explains. “Good music can really find its way to people because it’s more about the music itself than the industry itself. You don’t

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“I walk on stage with the same kind of

SLATES

energy whether there’s 50 people in the

Hanging Out At Steve’s

crowd or 3000. I have a good time on

Alberta punks, Slates, are playing in Australia for the first time after selfbooking their tour – DIY-style. JESSICA WILLOUGHBY talks to guitarist, James Stewart, ahead of their shows at 459 Bar and 208 in Maylands this Saturday, February 21, and Sunday, February 22, respectively.

stage; I bring my energy and have fun.”

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need a record deal to be on the radio all day long and make music and gain an audience you just need to be dope.

“It’s good to start out doing music and spend years developing your craft and take the time to develop your sound. I think a lot of people are so eager for instant gratification these days, they expect it all to happen instantly, as soon as they’ve made a dozen songs they expect a sold out tour and a record deal. It really all comes back to the music, just like anything else it’s going to take years to master your instrument and get a job, just because you’ve recorded 12 songs it doesn’t mean you’ve figured out who you are, maybe you have to record 200 and then you’ve finally figured it all out to the point that you’re making music that people are talking about.”

G-Eazy began his career just like every other musician; young, hopeful and full of aspirations. Patience, however, came in handy as he developed his craft.

“I knew I wanted to do it as soon as I started music at 14,” Eazy reveals. “It didn’t make sense to anybody else but me. It made sense that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, it was the only thing I was completely in love with.”

“The fact of the matter is, I was eager just like anybody else but when it didn’t happen for me for the first 10 years, making music and investing everything I had into it, I didn’t quit. I was still pushing my music. I think These Things Happen was a turning point for me; my sound finally evolved and I had a following, I’d been touring for a couple of years, there was a foundation so that if I spent enough time on the album and did it right it’d have the effect that I wanted.”

Leaving the US behind, Eazy is on his way to perform at the Chevron Festival Gardens and will be bringing his unbridled enthusiasm with him.

“I walk on stage with the same kind of energy whether there’s 50 people in the crowd or 3000. I have a good time on stage; I bring my energy and have fun.

Energy is contagious; as a performer if you’re giving out as much energy as you can then the crowd can catch that and connect with it. If you don’t have any life on stage then why should any body in the crowd care?

If ever you feel tired or worn down, I try to remind myself that you’re blessed that music is a vehicle that is taking me around the world and if anyone that far away from home cares about you, you have to put on a show for them.”

Environment plays a big part in how art is shaped.

Whether it be social conditions or a physical location, the influence felt often impacts deeply on creative outcomes.

Slates are a band born from this idea.

Hailing from Edmonton, Alberta – a cold, industrial city in Canada where wealth dominates over artistic endeavours – these are a bunch of punks that felt like they needed to exist in response to their surroundings.

But this notion of ‘environment’ played out differently for the four-piece when it came to their latest effort, Taiga (2014). The opportunity to record with legendary jack-of-all-trades, Steve Albini, at his Electrical Audio studio in Chicago served as inspiration for taking a different approach to writing their third full length. But it was a little literary advice from Talking Head’s mastermind David Byrne that got them in the right headspace. “I can’t remember which David Byrne book it was, as we had a few we were passing around the band,” guitarist James Stewart tells X-Press. “But there was a part in there where he mentions writing music for an environment. He is known for that huge room drum sound. That’s something that Dallas (Thompson, drums) especially took to heart – leaving a lot of space so he could have that dynamic.

“When we got to the studio, we recorded in Studio B. It used to be a pinball factory, I think.

It’s just this massive room. The ceilings are so high and he (Albini) was taping microphones to the floor – he had stuff all over the room. So as soon as you hit that snare drum, it was this massive crack all throughout the room. By keeping that in mind when writing, and streamlining everything, you can really make the music breathe. We were inspired by this studio, but it was also the music we wanted to make as well.

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“The way Steve Albini conducts himself is pretty amazing. He’s dedicated his life to working with his peers, with people that are quite well known and also bands that are up-and-coming.”

So what was it about Albini’s involvement that struck a chord with Slates? “It’s been something we’ve been thinking about for a long time,” Stewarts explains. “It started as a pie-in-the-sky idea. But the way he conducts himself is pretty amazing. He’s dedicated his life to working with his peers, with people that are quite well known and also bands that are up-and-coming. He obviously needs to be working, but these are the bands he wants to work with and finds interesting. The whole thing came together pretty quickly. There are so many albums that he’s done that we love. Like Times Of Grace

by Neurosis, which is just one of the most crushing albums I’ve ever heard. They recorded in Studio B too.”

There was also a changing of the guard during the writing of this album, with a guitarist swap over due to unusual circumstances. “The biggest change was that we had was Eric, our guitarist, left because he primarily wanted to focus on Kung Fu,” Stewart says. “I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. He had the opportunity to go study in China or to come on tour to Europe. He was going to come to Europe, but then he decided he had to go. And that’s basically the coolest excuse anyone can have for leaving a band. So we had a friend S.D. come in, who used to be a bassist instead. When we made that switch, everything came together really quickly. We were all on the same page and think the album is a reflection of that.”

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DELICIOUS The Rocket Room Saturday, February 14, 2015 All the single ladies came to the Rocket Room’s girls-only night on Valentine’s Day this year.

Photos by Sit Stay Photography

BE A SOLO MAN REPENT, HARLEQUIN Yes, it’s very sad that the Fly By Night Musician’s Club is going the way of all things - at lest in its current form. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make hay while the sun shines, metaphorically speaking, such as by going to check out indie exponents Harlequin League at the venerable venue this Wednesday, February 18, with support from Dead End Brawler, Living Dying and Moral And Hardy. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $15.

The Moon Cafe’s Wednesday night Going Solo offerings continue to impress, with this week seeing the iconic mess hall being graced by the presence of Amanda Merdzan and Beau Jones. The music starts at 8.30pm and entry is free, but it’s considered polite to order something to eat. At least a coffee or something. Don’t be cheap.

Amanda Merdzan

Harlequin League

SAY IT WITH FLOWERS Flower Drums introduce their recently released single, Don’t Wait, to the live milieu at The Bird this Friday, February 20, with help from Dianas and Eteana.

Doors open at 8pm.

LAUREL EXAMINATION Awesome art space Paper Mountain plays host to some music this Friday, February 20, when Laurel Fixation launches her Small Discomforts EP, with help from Fabian Rojas, Rabbit Island, Mei Saraswati and Ermine Coat vs The Fruity Whites. CDs will be available customised by local artists for $10 and plain vanilla for $5, and suggested entry is $10. Doors at 7.30pm.

CHILLIN’ WITH VILLAIN Saturday, February 21, sees indie-pop quarter Villain storm the Four5Nine stage alongside Little Skye, The Limbs and Tell The Shaman. Entry is $10 from 8pm.

Villain

ETHELATED SPIRITS The magnificent Methyl Ethel will be doing the thing at The Budgie Smuggler in The Bakery this Friday, February 20, with help from Mt. Mountain, Erasers, Damian Crosbie and DJ Chris Wheeldon. That’s a lot of bang for your buck - or $10 plus booking fee via nowbaking.com.au, as the case may be. Tickets are $15 on the door, subject to availability, from 8pm.

Methyl Ethel

TOUGH BREAK FOR ROUGH LOVE The Rough Love Sessions event was due to happen this Saturday at the Oxford Street Laneway, but difficulties with Vincent council and local businesses have shut it down. BOB GORDON chats with coorganiser, Brandon D’Silva.

How’s it looking for the Rough Love Sessions on Saturday?

Unfortunately not good. I’ve spoken to the mayor and the event is definitely no longer approved to go ahead in the laneway. Apparently one of the council members did not attend last Tuesday night due to having Ross River Virus. We were not notified that there was potential for it to be cancelled after the council had already approved it last week, otherwise we wouldn’t have announced the event.

Sadly, we’ll have to cancel the event as Rough Love Sessions was always meant to be a free event concept in and around Perth’s under-utilised spaces, where we’d at least break even from bar sales to cover our expenses until we could get a sponsor on board. This event was meant to be the trial to show potential sponsors a physical example of it.

Finding a licensed venue goes against what it’s about, as we’d need to do a cover charge to cover the event’s expenses and addition of a venue hire fee, and it just won’t have the same feeling compared to doing it outdoors.

What’s more disheartening is that we spent the last three months in negotiations, planning and just general energy and labour poured into the event. To have the laneway taken away from us on the week of the event after it went to council and got approved, is a heavy financial hit, and unfair for our patrons and our business’ reputation.

When you planned this event did you ever entertain the idea that it would be deemed ‘controversial’?

Not at all. Who would have thought trying to activate a laneway event with free entry and a 200 capacity would create such a political storm! It’s just putting a generator, some toilets a custom LED bar and DJ booth in a nicely decorated laneway and transforming it into a space for like-minded people to vibe out. Mayor John Carey who was in support of our event said it best, ‘we’re urban, not suburban’. But I guess house music is the devil to some.

What are your thoughts on the grievances aired by some of the councillors and nearby retailers?

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The owner of Sienna’s and Greens N Co are strongly against the event, among half the City of Vincent Council, despite us being prepared to adhere to all the noise and council regulations for the event, having a minimal impact on surrounding businesses.

We were also asked to pay a $10,000 bond after we had already announced the event and it was approved by council, along with our approved liquor license. We were willing to pay it just so we didn’t have to cancel the event and let the people down who were looking forward to the event.

However they said they made a mistake with how the voting should be calculated for the event, and it needs to have all of them in favour, as opposed to 4 in favour, 4 against and the Mayor making the final in-favour decision. It really sounds like there’s a bigger political reasoning behind this.

It makes you wonder why they spent money developing that laneway by putting lights and seating fixtures throughout it, and a majority aren’t in favour of utilising it. I guess some people just don’t understand what music’s about, and I feel deeply sorry for them.

In an article from Perth Voice, Andrew Parrissis, the owner of Sienna’s, really made it sound like it was all about money. Sure, we may take a couple of his walk-ins, but I don’t think mentioning that he pays taxes and rates, and that he and his family live in the city, and labelling me a ‘promoter from nowhere’ is necessary. I’m born in WA, been living in Perth since I was 4, in the entertainment industry since I was 15, and now currently running two businesses that solely focus on vitalising Perth toward a more cultured lifestyle, by the way. Whether you’re a restaurant or a bar, there’s more to running a business than filling your own pockets with cash, but I guess everyone’s intentions and priorities are different.

At The Space Jam - Photo by Rachael Barrett

Do you find it ironic that a huff is being made about this over the same weekend that two Giants walked a $5 million dollar trail through the middle of the city?

Highly. You can block roads in a majority of the city blasting music but you can’t close a laneway for a night to come together and interact with other people collectively, right? Sure it was something different, and it brought a mass amount of people to the city, but I do wonder if people left the viewing and said, ‘man that was awesome, it felt so good, I can’t wait for them to come back so I can stand there and watch them again!’

I live in the city, the music for The Giants played for a while but I didn’t care. If I did I wouldn’t complain though, I just wouldn’t live around the area. It’s sort of like a giant metaphor about taking a piss on our city, if you catch my drift.

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20/02

FLOWER DRUMS Don’t Wait Single Launch @ The Bird

21/02

TOBY Nobody Told Me Album Launch @ Fremantle Arts Centre

28/02

AT THE SPACE JAM The Shore Shark Redemption EP Launch @ The Rosemount

28/02

DREAM RIMMY EP Launch @ Mojos

28/02

SHIMMERGLOOM Frequencies Collide Album Launch @ The Velvet Lounge

06/03

RAG N’ BONE A Woman Under The Influence EP Launch @ The Bakery

07/03

LEGS ELECTRIC Wanna Riot Single Launch @ The Rosemount

13/03

THE IMPS Muddy Banks EP Launch @ Four5Nine

13/03

PEYTON New York Era Single Launch @ The Velvet Lounge

13/03

SCALPHUNTER Double A Side Single Launch @ Jimmy’s Den

14/03

THE AMANI CONSORT Dawn After Dark

14/03

FLOODED PALACE EP Launch @ Fremantle Arts Centre

14/03

OUR MAN IN BERLIN Moliere Single Launch @ Jimmy’s Den

In the meantime I also went over to Seattle twice to record the new album, plus some shows in the USA. In November last year my beautiful little son Angus was born and, well, the last three months have been a mixture of baby spew, baby poo, getting peed on often and trying to get some sleep in between it all - plus a bunch of WA shows thrown in.

How does performing in Europe contrast with Australia?

I love performing to Euro audiences. They get what I do. They listen to every word and every chord. We become more theatrical on stage. They even laugh at my shitty jokes. We tend to play to real music lovers. People who go out of their way to be a part of what you do- to meet you, to try and look after you, to show you a good time. The Aussie crowds are great - generally a little more drunk but a lot of fun. Our Aussie gigs tend to be way more rocky.

It really depends on the venue and the audience as to how the show goes.

TOBY Nobody’s Business Perth singer/songwriter Toby launches her new album, Nobody Told Me, at the Fremantle Arts Centre this Saturday, February 21, with support from Maera Paki, Morgan Bain and Winters Mile, not to mention a 10 piece backing band.

TRAVIS JOHNSON checks in.

You seem to have kept busy since last we spoke.

My world has kinda turned upside down in the best ways possible. Its been a huge year or so. I got married at the end of 2013 to the love of my life, Amy. She then got pregnant through a local fertility clinic and we then set off on a four month tour of Europe. It was huge and pretty amazing.

You recorded in Seattle with Ryan Hadlock. What prompted that decision?

I really wanted a different sound for this new album. I wanted to strip this album back and create a sound more like our actual stage show. I wanted that live and raw feel. I was loving the sound of The Lumineers, so I checked out their producer, Ryan Hadlock. I shot through an email, really not expecting to hear back from him, but a few days later he invited me over to Seattle. It was incredible. I went over twice and recorded at Bear Creek Studio.

It was great to work with Ryan - to hand over some control for the first time ever and to trust a little more. Plus working and sleeping and eating in the one spot really worked well - the album and the music was the only focus. This was new to me and I loved the way it worked and flowed.

Tell us about the album.

Nobody Told Me is different to my last album. It flows more, I believe. It has a bit of a country twang in there. It’s more fun. The songs are more happy. There’s some stories that don’t belong to me.

It was a new approach to writing. I have been more stable and happier place in my life for the last few years and I believe this shows in the music and lyrics.

What’s the rest of year hold in store for you?

It’s a big year ahead. We have three tours of Europe, a bunch of festivals world-wide, a three week Canadian tour, some shows in the USA and a bunch of touring around Australia. Hopefully I will find some time between touring and changing dirty nappies to finally write some new tunes. I think 2015 is going to be my best year so far. Fingers crossed.

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PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT The Astor Saturday, February 14, 2015 Following up his successful 2010 tour playing Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures, Peter Hook was back with his band, tackling two classic New Order albums, 1985’s Low-Life and 1986’s Brotherhood that defined the sound of a generation and paved the way for many acts that followed.

Much has been said of the ongoing spat between Hook and his ex-bandmates who continue to tour under the New Order name, but while the latter tend to play it safe with Greatest Hits-type setlists, it is Hook that has given diehard fans something special by going back to the band’s roots and seminal early material.

The band kicked off with a half-hour set of Joy Division classics, starting with the sombre Atmosphere, which Hook dedicated to recentlydeparted ‘80s New Romantic icon Steve Strange of Visage. The thrashier sounds of Dead Souls followed.

With a double bass guitar attack, the band has a heavy bottom end. Hook plays a more a ‘lead’ role, while his son Jack Bates backs up on a matching red bass.

Completing the lineup were members of Hook’s ‘90s band Monaco - Andy Poole on keyboards, Paul Kehoe on drums and David Potts on guitar and vocals.

After winning the crowd over with a blistering version of Digital, the brilliant Disorder, She’s Lost Control and fan favourite Shadowplay, the band left the stage.

Returning to kick off the gig proper, they lifted the vibe with the distinctive, upbeat, melodic sound of New Order. Starting with a few rare early tracks, Hook dedicated the beautiful 1984 B-side Lonesome Tonight to all the Valentine’s lovers in the room before following with its better-known A-side, Thieves Like Us. The joyous synth strains and lyrics had rapt couples swaying arm in arm. The crowd returned the love with an impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday for Hook, who turned 59 the day before.

Then it was time for Brotherhood, Hook striking his classic pose - legs apart, guitar angled upwards, with that distinct, trademark, high-end, chorus-drenched bass tone for Paradise. Bizarre Love Triangle got a huge reaction from the crowd, and they finished this set with Every Little Counts.

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Peking Duk - Photo by Jack Lawrence

CASTAWAY

Peter Hook - Photo by Jessica Eva

After another break they returned to play Low-Life - the earlier seminal record that saw New Order make the transition from post-punk to their genre-defining dance-rock sound. Hooky whipped out the melodica for the familiar intro to Love Vigilantes.

The Perfect Kiss sounded better than ever with more cowbell and Potts helped recreate the original sound with his Sumner-like harmonies. ‘That’s how you play The Perfect Kiss!’ shouted a triumphant Hook, having a bit of a stab at his old band.

The beautiful, instrumental waltz Elegia, a tribute to Ian Curtis, saw Hook take a seat to play the more intricate bassline. Hook’s lower register was less suited to some tracks, with Potts taking over lead vocals on Sooner Than You Think, sounding a lot like (and arguably better than) Sumner. After an epic finale of Face Up, the band returned with a threesong encore of Ceremony, True Faith and a blinding version of Temptation. It was great to see the mostly 40+ crowd lose themselves in the music, reliving their youth and dancing with reckless abandon - the ecstatic smiles plastered on their faces more than proving the worth of Hook’s retrospective endeavour.

ALFRED GORMAN

Thomson Bay, Rottest Island Sunday, February 15, 2015 The stage riser was spilling all the way into the water, lounging resplendent on the gleaming white Rottnest sand, when the first act kicked off.

With heat waves and summer storms marring the weeks leading up, everyone was joyed to find the most perfect, clear, pleasant summer day that had come out to greet the Castaway Festival.

Pilerats DJs eased the day in with some bright and euphoric electro house, as patrons filtered in and began arranging themselves in the frame. Transitioning into some more adventurous trancy hip hop numbers, Pilerats’ set became beset by some key matching issues, and the audience groove became halted by a tight, pregnant pause as the new track slid in after each dissonant crash.

Tina Says brought the party right back in gear with big heavy minimal house, giving the heat needed to start up the dance floor. Perfect track selection was offset by classic ‘90s hip hop vocal stabs and clean, solid kicks, and perfect manual beat and key matching. People abandoned their recently purchased $9 Dixie cups of beer to

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rush to the front and get in on some great bass filth, as it transitioned into 2013 breakbeats with R&B themes.

First live band of the afternoon was Yeo, manned by one keytar, one percussionist, and one backing track. Pretty funky downtempo electro that definitely would make the instore playlist at Cotton On. Some really intricate, wailing keytar work with a nice, cheesy ‘80s synth patch was just what the doctor ordered. This was chased down by some gorgeous, droning base with minimalist breakbeat drums and some tasty mid lead vocals.

DJ Benson kicked off his set by asking the audience if they were “sick cunts,” which really set the tone for the next hour of tasteless riddim dubstep and house. At minute 10 he stopped the music and instructed the audience to imagine their parents, mid-coitus. I have absolutely no idea how this jackhammer of jack-assery got booked.

Stardust almost got it right, “Music sounds better without Benson.”

Safia was exactly the kind of DJ change up this party needed. Less audience abuse and much more killer underground dark house and trap. Three tracks in and the floor was alive with enigmatic brain scattering bass and the pulsating biomass of a few hundred mostly naked Havaianas enthusiasts.

As the sun was setting, and everyone needed a moment of respite to begin the evening chill, Carmada came to the rescue. Their breathy, joyous, soulful vocals filled the grounds, as the harp like guitar chimed out across the harbour.

After fugueing to a peak, the 4:4 kick launched itself into the mix, surging the crowd into a pulsating miasma of stomping joy. Carmada was by far the best act of the evening.

I would say that Peking Duk valued their image more than their music but for that to happen they would have to look good. They spent more time telling the crowd to make some noise than they did pretending to tweak knobs on the DJ mixer. Proudly proclaiming out loud, without irony, “We are the greatest DJs in the world!” I found myself hoping the back legs of the stage would give way and wash these two hairy wankstains out to sea. Never finishing a song, they chose instead to reference 15 second segments of famous club tunes and ‘90s pop staples. How it could be that these human Yakbak’s were the headliner instead of Carmada, I’ll never understand.

TULLY JAGOE

NEWS

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Spoon - Photo by Rachael Barrett

SPOON Chevron Festival Gardens Thursday February 12, 2015 The Premier had opened the Festival Gardens earlier in the evening, so who better to cleanse the palate than the band who played a big part in saving Merge Records and therefore independent music in general. Spoon have grown in popularity on each tour of Australia and in their fifth visit to Perth they had no trouble in filling the Chevron Festival Gardens to the brim.

Taking no time at all to hit their straps, Spoon launched into Rent I Pay with gusto and kept the same energy and quality throughout. The Austin outfit have a sizeable catalogue to draw from and are a seriously gig hardened unit that are so tight they could stop on a dime. Britt Daniel leads the troops as an accomplished showman who points his guitar to the crowd and drop to his knees for guitar solos when he isn’t commanding the microphone.

The band that were labeled the ‘Artist Of The Decade’ by Metacritic have grown to a five piece with the release of their latest album, and were predominately dressed in black. Clearly founding member and drummer Jim Eno didn’t get the memo as he bucked the trend with his white shirt but as always was rock solid with his hard hitting style. The

sharp riffs were still ever present but the synths have been pushed to the fore with The Ghost Of You Lingers and The Beast And The Dragon, Adored.

Daniel was in fine voice with just the right amount of rasp to give the tunes the bite that they need. Do You has a hook that doesn’t abate and The Way We Get By kept the high energy set chugging along nicely. Eric Harvey was busy jumping from guitar, keys, vocals and percussion appearing to immerse himself deeper with each tune as he convulsed and contorted to give his all with some of the most unbridled rock moves going around.

The song that found its way into episodes of Veronica Mars and signified Spoons steady rise, I Turn My Camera On was given a lengthy intro that led to no complaints as punters savoured Rob Pope’s loping baseline. If there is any criticism of Spoon it would be that their dogged clinging to their signature sound may lead to some of the songs sounding the same. So, when Daniel grabbed his acoustic guitar for Black Like Me, not only was it a point of difference, but the joyous backing vocals make it a striking moment in the set.

Tipping their hat to locals Eddy Current Suppression Ring with Memory Lane was a nice touch for a band to tend to leave no stone unturned, before saying their farewells with a spirited version of The Underdog to put a end to another faultless night at the hands of Spoon.

CHRIS HAVERCROFT

Jeff Martin - Photo by Rachael Barrett

JEFF MARTIN The Astor Lounge Sunday, February 15, 2015 Sunday night at the Astor Lounge with the great Jeff Martin was an intimate performance showcasing his unique blend of blues, rock and eastern influences in the most rawest of acoustic guitar settings. The evening began in fine Martin form, with him walking to the stage amidst the quaint lounge crowd, chuckling to himself before sharing with the crowd, “Kenny is Moses tonight, because he will be parting the Red Sea each time a guitar comes out.” The crowd eagerly laughed, in anticipation to set their ears upon his well-known plethora of tracks of the last 20 years through his solo ventures and the forever loved The Tea Party.

For those that don’t know who Jeff Martin is, shame on you! He is a man with an amazing voice, which carries incredible depth and passion with every note and lyric oozing through his charismatic charm.

This was the benchmark throughout his performance last night, hypnotising the crowd. It was very easy to lose yourself with the moment. Occasionally, with a chuckle, he would prompt the crowd to clap along to the beat, eventually saying “Really? I have to ask you?” in fine Martin comical banter.

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The night boasted an incredible amount of tracks from Martin’s vault of amazing works, including Requiem in tribute for a brother, Line In The Sand, Water’s On Fire and, for the romance of the Valentine’s Day weekend, I Love You, with Martin insisting on all men writing these lyrics down for their loved ones, especially the chorus. “You don’t have to sing it, just say it… Do it!”

The night came to an end with the track Release, but with the crowd’s devotion, floor stomping and insane applause for Martin, he returned to the stage, telling the crowd to “Go on, no I really mean continue…” for a eastern-flavoured encore of Sister Awake. The entire evening you were hooked, continually being drawn into every inch of Martin’s passion and eclectic musical journey.

The night’s performance was, without a doubt, incredible, the intimate setting was perfect for a one-on-one with the master himself. The performance was one of the last of his intimate shows before he embarks on a national tour to promote his upcoming solo EP, Stars In The Sand. If you are a musician you must educate yourself and go see a Martin gig, and if you’re not a musician do it anyway, it will open up your mind.

Seeing Jeff Martin is an experience.

KRISTINA SIMICH

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THE EAGLES. FEBRUARY 18 & 19

TINASHE, FEBRUARY 19

TOURS THIS WEEK ALED JONES 18 Astor Theatre THE EAGLES 18 & 19 Perth Arena ABBE MAY 19 Prince of Wales 20 Mojos 21 Rosemount Hotel TINASHE 19 Chevron Festival Gardens CHET FAKER 20 & 21 Chevron Gardens 22 Fremantle Arts Centre ONE DIRECTION 20 Patersons Stadium INFECTED MUSHROOM 20 Metro City PAUL SIMON & STING 21 & 22 Sir James Mitchell Park THE ROSEMARY BEADS 21 Astor Lounge MENTAL AS ANYTHING 21 Riverton Leisureplex PEKING DUK 21 Koombana Beach, Bunbury STANTON WARRIORS with KILL PARIS 21 Villa STEPHEN MALKMUS & THE JICKS 22 Chevron Gardens LINDSEY STIRLING 23 Astor Theatre FEBRUARY 2015 ERIC BOGLE 25 Albany Town Hall 27 Fly By Night 28 Nannup Music Festival NENEH CHERRY 26 Chevron Gardens CIARA 27 Metropolis Fremantle THE DARLING DOWNS 27 Astor Lounge RUTH MOODY 27 Mojos Bar 28 & 1 Nannup Folk Festival DAN SULTAN 27 Queens Park Theatre 28 Fremantle Arts Centre THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS 27 Northshore Tavern 28 Fly By Night GUY SEBASTIAN 28 Perth Arena MEGAN WASHINGTON 28 The Bakery KINETIC DREAMING – 3 DAYS OF FREEDOM ft. ELECTRYPNOSE, LOOSE 28

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CONNECTIONS, STAUNCH, EURYTHMY, THE MOLLUSK & MANY MORE 28 Bindoon Rock NANNUP MUSIC FESTIVAL ft.

DAN SULTAN, DARREN HANLON, HUSBAND, RUTH MOODY & MORE! 28 & 1 Nannup MARCH 2015 NENEH CHERRY 1 Chevron Gardens THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS 1 Dunsborough Tavern DAN SULTAN 1 Nannup Music Festival FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL ft.

DRAKE, AVICII, THE PRODIGY, KNIFE PARTY, AFROJACK, EXAMPLE, MARTIN GARRIX, SIGMA, 2 CHAINZ and many more!

1 HBF Arena DELTRON 3030 1 The Bakery KINETIC DREAMING – 3 DAYS OF FREEDOM ft. ELECTRYPNOSE, LOOSE CONNECTIONS, STAUNCH, EURYTHMY, THE MOLLUSK & MANY MORE 1 & 2 Bindoon Rock ERIC BOGLE 1 Nannup Music Festival 5 Narrogin Town Hall 6 The Music Shack, Donnybrook 8 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre GOOD LIFE FESTIVAL 2015 ft.

AVICII, AFROJACK, MARTIN GARRIX, WILL SPARKS, TIMMY TRUMPET, JOEL FLETCHER, BLISS N ESO, HAVANA BROWN and many more!

2 HBF Arena DRAKE with 2 CHAINZ 3 Perth Arena LITTLE BASTARD 5 Prince of Wales 6 Settlers Tavern 7 Mojos LONDON GRAMMAR 5 Red Hill Auditorium FROM THE JAM 5 Capitol YOUNG LIONS 5 Amplifier 6 YMCA HQ 7 Babushka BAYSIDE BEATS WITH JIMMY BARNES 6 Bunbury Turf Club

FOO FIGHTERS 7 NIB Stadium NICK WATERHOUSE 7 Chevron Festival Gardens SHAKEY GRAVES AND SHOVELS & ROPE 8 Astor Theatre MACY GRAY 8 Perth Concert Hall SANDRA BERNHARD 10 Regal Theatre TECH N9NE 13 The Bakery 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 THE BEST OF BRITISH FESTIVAL 14 HBF Arena JESUS JONES 15 Rosemount Hotel FROM THE JAM 15 Capitol TONY JOE WHITE 15 Astor Theatre RUSSELL PETERS 19 Perth Arena VANCE JOY 20 Astor Theatre JESSIE J 20 Crown Theatre CHAOS DIVINE 20 Amplifier OFFBEAT FESTIVAL 20 – 22 Fremantle Arts Centre ROD STEWART 21 Perth Arena SETS ON THE BEACH – END OF SUMMER PARTY 22 Port Beach THE WATERBOYS 25 Astor Theatre BEN HOWARD 26 Fremantle Arts Centre KINGSWOOD 26 Prince of Wales 27 Capitol 28 Dunsborough Tavern 29 Newport Hotel DAVID LIEBE HART (TIM & ERIC) 27 Mojos AUGIE MARCH 28 Astor Theatre WEST COAST BLUES & ROOTS 2015 ft. JOHN BUTLER TRIO, PAOLO NUTINI, DAVID GRAY, JURASSIC 5, RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, XAVIER RUDD & THE UNITED NATIONS and more!

29 Fremantle Park HYPERFEST 2015 ft. ILLY, SLUMBERJACK, MAKE THEM SUFFER, JAPANESE WALLPAPER, THE BENNIES, COIN

CHET FAKER , FEBRUARY 20 & 21

BACKS & ECCA VANDAL 29 Midland Oval SWITCHFOOT with LIKE A THIEF 30 The Lakes Theatre APRIL 2015 ED SHEERAN 4 & 5 Perth Arena JOHN FARNHAM & OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN 4 Sandalford Winery OPHIDIAN 5 Swan River COUNTING CROWS 7 Perth Concert Hall PINK FLOYD EXPERIENCE 7 Crown Theatre ARCHITECTS 9 Capitol ROBIN INCE: HAPPINESS THROUGH SCIENCE 8 Astor Theatre FAIRBRIDGE FESTIVAL 10 – 12 Fairbridge Village, Pinjarra THE GIPSY KINGS 13 Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre THE BLACK KEYS 14 Red Hill Auditorium NANA MOUSKOURI 19 Perth Concert Hall DEMI LOVATO 21 HBF Stadium THE SCRIPT with LABRINTH 24 Perth Arena GUTTERMOUTH 25 Rosemount Hotel JERICCO 26 Rosemount Hotel SPYGLASS GYPSIES 26 Ellington Jazz Club GROOVIN THE MOO 26 Hay Park, Bunbury HUMAN NATURE 28 Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre 360 29 Rosemount Hotel 30 Prince of Wales

Ravenswood AMERICA with SHARON CORR 9 Red Hill Auditorium JOE AVATI 9 Fremantle Town Hall ANASTACIA 10 Perth Concert Hall ALT-J 15 HBF Stadium BACKSTREET BOYS 15 Perth Arena THE ANGELS 16 Charles Hotel PALOMA FAITH 16 Perth Concert Hall SPANDAU BALLET 22 Perth Arena BABY ANIMALS & THE SUPERJESUS 22 Charles Hotel COLIN HAY 23 Regal Theatre 24 Colonial Brewery, Margaret River NICKELBACK 26 Perth Arena DEFEATER 28 YMCA HQ 29 Rosemount Hotel PANOS KIAMOS 29 HBF Stadium JUNE 2015 JOYCE MANOR 4 Rosemount Hotel 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: MAY 2015 THE CAT STEVENS COSENTINO STORY 1 & 2 Regal Theatre 21 Astor Theatre 360 22 Albany 1 Players Bar Entertainment 2 Dunsborough Centre Tavern THE BEATLES COURTNEY FOREVER BARNETT 27 Albany 2 The Bakery Entertainment SAM SMITH Centre 4 HBF Stadium ELVIS MEETS THE RICKY MARTIN BEATLES 8 Perth Arena 28 HBF Stadium MICHAEL SPIBY & THE BADLOVES SEPTEMBER 2015 8 Centurion Hotel JULIA MORRIS 9 Charles Hotel 11 Regal Theatre 10 The

FOR ALL WEEKLY EVENTS DOWNLOAD OUR FREE MAGAZINE APP AVAILABLE FROM DOWNLOAD OUR FREE EVENTS GUIDE APP 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

ONE DIRECTION, FEBRUARY 20

INFECTED MUSHROOM FEBRUARY 20

WEEKLY WEDS 18/02 AMPLIFIER Harlem Wednesdays ASTOR THEATRE Aled Jones THE BIRD Leftover Lovers ft.

The Spunloves The Wheelers of Oz Darling Rangers THE CARINE Open Mic Night ft.

Shaun Street CLANCYS CANNING BRIDGE Songwriters Night ft.

Rob Walker Ewan Buckley ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB The Jazz Standard of Living Smash Bros. Present: Nintendo Live!

FLYRITE Northbridge Nightly Now FLY TRAP Harlequin League Dead End Brawler Living Dying Moral & Hardly GOLD BAR Famous GROOVE BAR 5 Shots HERDSMAN Playoff Band Comp: Heat #3 ft.

Lost For Reason Sam Wylde St. James Sirens The Milkmen Villain HULA BULA BAR Island Nite THE INGLEWOOD Quiz Night LANEWAY LOUNGE Adam Hall & The Velvet Playboys THE LUCKY SHAG Howie Morgan MALT SUPPER CLUB Margeaux Wednesdays THE MANOR J Rocc (USA) Charlie Bucket Henry Sims METROPOLIS FREMANTLE Next Gen MOJOS Steve Smyth Jeff’s Dead Slums THE MOON CAFÉ Going Solo ft.

Amanda Merdzan Beau Jones MUSTANG BAR Kickstart NEWPORT HOTEL Newport Wednesdays Future Music Warm Up Party ft.

Bulimiatron Mikael Wills Boston Switch NICHE BAR Karma Wednesday NORTHBRIDGE SOCIAL CLUB

Street Wednesdays Weekly Launch ft.

Command Q Philly Blunt Angry Buda JS Willco THE ODD FELLOW SEXTET DUKES Fundraiser PERTH ARENA The Eagles PURL BAR Jelly Wednesdays 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Velveteen Alex Brittan Huckleberrie ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Lionizer Tommyhawks ROSEMOUNT HOTEL (BEER GARDEN) Student Night ft.

DJ Anton Maz THE SAINT Courtney Murphy SETTLERS TAVERN Open Mic Night ft.

Claire Warnock SWINGING PIG Jump For Joy Karaoke

THURS 19/02 AMPLIFIER Last Night – O Week Party ft.

Iconoclast ASTOR LOUNGE Jacob & The Rudeboys THE BIRD Spacemanantics (Video Launch) Kitchen People MUGWUMP BROOK BAR & BISTRO Chris Gibbs Summer Songs BROOKLANDS TAV Celebrations Karaoke CAPITOL Clique City hosted by TINASHE THE CAUSEWAY Open Mic Variety Night CHEVRON GARDENS Tinashe Coin Banks CIVIC HOTEL Steve’s Karaoke DEVILLES PAD Rock n Roll Karaoke ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB The Jazz Standard of Living Bringing Back Bacharach FLY BY NIGHT The Littlest Fox – Folk Tales with the Littlest Fox and Rachel Dillon THE GATE Greg Carter GRAND CENTRAL PARK Ben Merito GREENWOOD

FEATURED GIG

KILL DEVIL HILLS THE ROSEMOUNT THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19

HOTEL Jump For Joy Karaoke GROOVE BAR Dr Bogus INDI BAR Open Mic LANEWAY LOUNGE Saffron Sharp Trio LUCKY SHAG James Wilson MOJOS Rodney P MUSTANG BAR Thumpin’ Thursdays ft.

Deluxe NORTHSHORE TAV Nathan Gaunt THE ODD FELLOW LOWBROW Thursdays ft.

Childs Play Ham jam Jack Doepel PEEL ALE HOUSE Open Mic ft.

Danny Bau PERTH ARENA The Eagles PRINCE OF WALES Abbe May PURL BAR Reilly Craig 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Steve Smyth ROSEMOUNT HOTEL The Kill Devil Hills Mei Saraswati band The Wilds RUBIX BAR Blake Skinner SETTLERS TAV Simon Phillips ST. ANDREWS TAVERN Open Mic Night UNIVERSAL BAR Off The Record THE WINDSOR Mike Nayar

FRI 20/02 AMBAR Force Majeure ft.

TWRK (USA) ASTOR LOUNGE Soul Nation THE BAKERY Methyl Ethel (single launch) Mt. Mountain Erasers Damien Crosbie THE BALMORAL Howie Morgan Duo BEAT NIGHTCLUB (DOWNSTAIRS) PLAY BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Mike Nayar THE BELMONT Troy Nababan BEST DROP TAV Sophie Jane Duo THE BIRD Flower Drums (Single Launch) Dianas Eteana BRASS MONKEY Acoustic Aly BROKEN HILL HOTEL Trent Jean CAPITOL Nesian Mystik DT Cera Kymarni DJ Antikz DJ Jtok CAPITOL (UPSTAIRS) I Love ‘80s & ‘90s THE CARINE Kayla Jaye Trio CENTURIA HOTEL 4 Horsemen CHASE BAR & BISTRO Choppa CHEVRON GARDENS Chet Faker CIVIC HOTEL Freebird CLANCYS CANNING BRIDGE

PEKING DUK, FEBRUARY 21

DJ Boogie CLANCY’S CITY BEACH Café Sundowner Sessions ft.

The Limelights Jazz CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Dynomite DJ Jiminy Kickit & Friends Princess May Night Market Stage ft.

Dom Mariani & The Majestic Kelp COMO HOTEL Nathan Gaunt THE CORNERSTONE Adam James Band COTTESLOE BEACH HOTEL Beach Beats DUNSBOROUGH TAVERN Patient Little Sister EAST 150 Adrian Wilson EDZ SPORTZ BAR Siren & Assassin ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Bringing Back Bacharach Charlie-Moon Meader – High Energy EMPIRE BAR Howie Morgan EVE NIGHTCLUB Candy Fridays FAIRLANES AMPHITHEATRE Ben Merito FLAWLESS Miss Business Babe 2015 Catwalk Competition FLY BY NIGHT Motown & Soul FORREST PLACE Twilight Hawkers Market THE GATE Mike Nayar GEISHA BAR Worthy Darren J Tom Love Flex GINGER NIGHTCLUB Mondo Fridays GLOUCESTER PARK Robert West THE GOOD SHEPHERD Throwback GOSNELLS HOTEL Steve Hepple GREENWOOD Jeanie Proude GROOVE BAR Tod Johnson & Peace Love DJ Crazy Craig HERDSMAN LAKE TAVERN Valdaway Amberdown One Tiger Down Falloway HULA BULA Friday Frendzee HYDE PARK HOTEL Justin Cortorillo INDI BAR Vdelli INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO. Ben Merito KALAMUNDA HOTEL Light Street Kizzy LANEWAY LOUNGE Katey Gabel Duo Soothe LIBRARY Dorcia MAHOGANY INN Blake Skinner MANDOON ESTATE Travis Caudle METRO CITY Infected Mushroom MINT Club Retro MOJOS BAR Abbe May Moana

PAUL SIMON & STING, FEBRUARY 21 & 22

Joni In The Moon MOONDYNE JOE’S Ewan Buckley & special guests MULLALOO BEACH HOTEL Frenzy MUSTANG BAR The Oz Big Band Flash Nat & The Action Men NEWPORT HOTEL Friday Fiesta NICHE BAR Funk’N Soul Fridays NORTHSHORE TAVERN Kim Thair NORTH FREMANTLE BOWLING CLUB Treestump Almighty The Shops Paul McCarthy Black River Ransom The Painkillers THE OBH James Wilson OCEAN VIEW TAV Jonny Dempsey THE ODD FELLOW FASTLVE THE PADDO Superseeds PARKER Club MTV Presents: SCNDL Krit Jackness Lukas Wimmler Fauxy & Mynx PATERSONS STADIUM One Direction McBusted PEEL ALE HOUSE Siren Song Enterprises PORT KENNEDY TAVERN 2 Tenors RAILWAY HOTEL DAWN ft.

Eella Kenfi Kitahara Donald Tate Black To The Fuchsia Ghost Black Cat The Andalas Rhiannon LaRosa Homeless RENDEZVOUS HOTEL (LOBBY BAR) Kelly Read ROLEYSTONE COUNTRY CLUB Alex Canion ROSE & CROWN HOTEL Little Bird 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Burgers of Beef Thee Gold Blooms Adem K. ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Hideous Sun Demon Hamjam Doctopus The Wheelerz of Oz Apollo’s Son SAIL & ANCHOR Acoustic Royale SETTLERS TAVERN

Steve Smyth SHAPE Deep End Collective ft.

Skeptical Gran Calavera Gracie & Sistym THE SHED Monty Cotton SWINGING PIG Greg Carter Parker Avenue THREE ANCHORS Courtney Murphy UNIVERSAL BAR Nightmoves VERNON ARMS TAVERN Greg Carter VILLA Father Villa Takeover III ft.

Hydraulix Oski WANNEROO VILLA TAV Rock Star Karaoke WONGAN HILLS HOTEL Timothy Nelson & The Infidels Helen Shanahan YMCA HQ I Exalt Iconoclast This Existence Daybreak Impaler Full Effect

SAT 21/02 AMBAR Japan 4 AMPLIFIER I’d Rather Be Giggin’ 2015 ft.

Break Even Hopeless Endless Heights Postblue ASTOR LOUNGE The Rosemary Beads BABUSHKA I Exalt Iconoclast Sanzu Novarchy Impaler THE BAKERY ENDLESS SUMMER ft.

Some Like It Yacht Sea of Tunes MC Famous Sharron THE BALMORAL The Wire Birds BEAT NIGHTCLUB (UPSTAIRS) CANVAS BELGIAN BEER CAFÉ Roger Roger THE BIRD GL Kucka Savoir THE BOAT Little Bird BROOK BAR & BISTRO Tandem BROOKLANDS TAVERN Organ Grinders CAPITOL (UPSTAIRS)

FEATURED GIG

ABBE MAY

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STANTON WARRIORS , FEBRUARY 21

Cream Of The ‘80s THE CARINE Jeanie Proude THE CAUSEWAY Showtime Saturdays CHASE BAR & BISTRO Easy Tigers CHEVRON GARDENS Chet Faker CIVIC HOTEL Beaufort Street Bash ft.

The Silent Deeds Brufield One Tiger Down The Transnational Crash CLANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Ian Campbell CLANCY’S CITY BEACH The Russell Holmes Trio COTTESLOE BEACH HOTEL Beach Beats THE CRAFTSMAN Rock Candy Duo DUNSBOROUGH TAV Jonny Taylor EAST END BAR & LOUNGE Temptation ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Bringing Back Bacharach Charlie-Moon Meader – High Energy FLAWLESS Lovers & Friends FLY BY NIGHT ‘Big Fling’ Reunion Show FLYRITE Father FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE Toby (Album Launch) GEISHA BAR MATT.JOE Rob Sharp Luke P Shaddow Brothers David Robinson GOLD BAR Pure Gold THE GOOD SHEPHERD Chocolate Jesus GOSNELLS HOTEL Frankie G GRASS VALLEY TAVERN Timothy Nelson & The Infidels Helen Shanahan GROOVE BAR (CROWN) Decoy Hero DJs THE HERDSMAN Dry Dry River & guests HYDE PARK HOTEL Third Gear INDI BAR Dilip ‘n the Davs KALAMUNDA HOTEL Celebrations Karaoke KOOMBANA BEACH, BUNBURY Peking Duk LAKERS TAV Adam James LANEWAY LOUNGE Alcatraz Talia Hart Duo LIGHTNING PARK BAYSWATER Hazardus Michael Jackson Tribute LITTLE WING CORNER GALLERY Black Stone From The Sun FOAM Aborted Tortoise Skullcave LLAMA BAR Laundry

LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Flava Dee M ON THE POINT Rhythm 22 METRO CITY KUSH Lounge METRO FREO C5 I Love ‘80s & ‘90s METROPOLIS FREMANTLE Metropolis Saturdays MINT Pop Life MOJOS BAR The Love Junkies King Cactus MUSTANG BAR Bang Bang Betty & The H-Bombs DJ Holly Doll Milhouse NICHE BAR Surrender Saturdays NORTHSHORE TAVERN Howie Morgan Project THE ODD FELLOW Freqshow Late Night Hysterics DJ Samantics PARAMOUNT Felix PARKER Menagerie Nights The Future of Future DJ Comp 2015 PEEL ALE HOUSE James Wilson PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Monty Cotton RAILWAY HOTEL The Smith Street Band Pup Great Cynics Apart From This RENDEZVOUS HOTEL (LOBBY BAR) Domenic Zurzolo RIVERTON LEISUREPLEX Mental As Anything 459 ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Villain Little Skye Tell The Shaman The Limbs ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Abbe May Tired Lion Silver Hills Mei Saraswati Dianas Turin Robinson ROSIE O’GRADY’S FREMANTLE Flava SAIL AND ANCHOR One Trick Phonies SETTLERS TAVERN Tom Fisher & The Layabouts SHAPE BAR HUSH THE SHED HUGE SIR JAMES MITCHELL PARK Paul Simon Sting SWINGING PIG Rock It UNIVERSAL BAR Soul Corporation VILLA Stanton Warriors Kill Paris

SUN 22/02 THE BALMORAL Organ Grinders BAYSWATER HOTEL Stu McKay THE BELMONT Chris Gibbs BENTLEY HOTEL Acoustic Aly THE BIRD 365 Days of Grey Book Launch

LINDSEY STIRLING, FEBRUARY 23

BOAB TAVERN Little Ebony Rob Hinton THE BRIGHTON Travis Caudle BROKEN HILL HOTEL Nathan Gaunt THE BROOK Jeanie Proude BROOKLANDS TAVERN Kizzy Duo THE CARINE Adam James CHEVRON GARDENS Stephen Malkmus The Jicks CHIPPYS JINDALEE Sophie Jane Duo CIVIC HOTEL Troy Nababan CLANCY’S CITY BEACH Salt Shaker Sundays ft.

DJ Boogie Salt Shaker Selectors CLANCY’S FREMANTLE Decks on the Decks ft.

DJ Jiminy Kickit Old Blood ‘Bloody Sunday’ CLAREMONT HOTEL Sunset Terrace Summer Sundays COMO HOTEL Light Street ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Cleon’s Three 2015 album tour FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE Chet Faker Dom Mariani & the Majestic Kelp FREMANTLE SAILING CLUB Howie Morgan Project THE GATE Jonny Dempsey THE GREENWOOD Christian Thompson GROOVE BAR Peace Love INDI BAR Ensemble Formidable INDIAN OCEAN BREW CO. Retrofit IRIS BAR & RESTAURANT Trent Jean KALAMUNDA HOTEL Threeplay LAKERS TAVERN Wesley Goodlet Jamboree Scouts LAST DROP TAV Domenic Zurzolo LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Thierryno M ON THE POINT Kim Thair Duo MANDOON ESTATE Adrian Wilson MOJOS BAR The Morning Night Leah Miche and the Regular Hunters Maurice Flavel’s Intensive Care The Shops Louis Inglis (Jeff’s Dead) Matt Cal trio Salv (The Morning Night) Xanthea NORTH FREMANTLE BOWLING CLUB Open Mic Night OCEAN VIEW TAV Arthur King PEEL ALE HOUSE Ricky & Sabrina PERTH FOLK AND ROOTS CLUB The Kiss List Helen Townsend Duet Keith Anthonisz

PORT KENNEDY TAVERN Greg Carter THE ROSE & CROWN HOTEL Siren & Assassin ROSEMOUNT HOTEL (BEER GARDEN) One Day Sundays ft.

Aslan Klean Kicks Pawel Good Company DJs Sleepyhead Beni Chill Jo Letternmaier Tim King Sunday Brunch THE SAINT The Wire Birds SETTLERS TAVERN Chief Monkey SHED Ben Merito SIR JAMES MITCHELL PARK Paul Simon Sting SWINGING PIG Acoustic Royale UNIVERSAL BAR Retrofit WANNEROO TAV Steve Hepple WHISTLING KITE James Wilson YE OLDE NARROGIN INNE Frankie G

MON 23/02 ASTOR THEATRE Lindsay Stirling BRASS MONKEY Monday Madness Student & Industry Night CLANCY’S CANNING BRIDGE Scotty’s Quiz Night ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB Chamber Jam ft.

Fado Bica Ryan Davies & Tara John Four on Six FLY BY NIGHT Voicebox GROOVE BAR Justin & Mike LOBBY LOUNGE (CROWN) Hans Fiance MOJOS BAR Wide Open Mic PARKER Manic Mondays ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Comedy Trivia

TUES 24/02 BRASS MONKEY Open Mic Night ft.

Shaun Street ELLINGTON JAZZ CLUB The Catz Meow GROOVE BAR Flava Dee LANEWAY LOUNGE Open Mic Night ft.

Josh Terlick LLAMA BAR Ruby Tuesdays THE LUCKY SHAG Ben Merito MERRIWA TAVERN Celebrations Karaoke MOJOS BAR Collections THE ODD FELLOW Gringo Bingo THE PADDO Quiz Meisters PERTH BLUES CLUB Power Train Simon Cox Band Tom Richardson ROSEMOUNT HOTEL Bex & Turin’s Open Mic Night 29

NEWS

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INTERVIEWS

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REVIEWS

| B E AT S

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LIVE

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EVENTS

LAST NIGHT @ AMPLIFIER BAR

THE COURT

CAPITOL

METROPOLIS FREMANTLE

THE SHED

AKUNA CLUB

MUSIC GEAR & TECHNOLOGY

Gear and tech reviews by Chris Gibbs

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CLASSIFIEDS

TOKAI SURFTONE TE STYLE ELECTRIC GUITAR

After seven years in development, New Zealand effects company Red Witch released the Seven Sisters series of effects in 2011. In a world first, this series of effects are fully re-chargeable, running on a Lithium Ion cell similar to those found in a mobile phone or digital camera and internal charging circuitry. The pedals are connected to a regular power supply and charged initially for 12 hours upon purchase (four hours on subsequent charges) to deliver a whopping 120 hours of use between charges. The Scarlett is Red Witch’s overdrive offering in this alluring series of effects.

There are two LED lights on the unit, one to indicate that the pedal has power, the other to indicate that the pedal is engaged. Beyond that, it’s a very simple setup: Volume and Gain. In the most successful overdrive pedals, the simplest controls often prove the most successful in sonic results. At 50% gain setting, the Scarlett provides a realistic and warm amp break-up tone. At around 75% lead lines start to sing while chords commence crunching, and at 100% gain the overdrive is creamy yet aggressive

enough for a blues, rock or country howl. Diminutive in size (Red Witch claim that this series of pedal has in fact the world’s smallest pedalboard ‘footprint’) but big on tone with the added innovation in regards to power, the Scarlett is a worthy overdrive solution at just $159.95.

Japanese guitar company Tokai originally gained popularity throughout the 20th century with their interesting copies of popular guitars. Now manufactured in China, the brand has been making a comeback of sorts in recent years. Exclusive to Australia, Tokai’s Surftone series of guitars recall the look and sound of the 60s. Finished in eye-catching surf green, the Tele-style model aims to capture the imaginations of more flamboyant blues and country rockers.

The guitar features the standard single-coil pickup in the bridge position coupled with a humbucker in the neck position, controlled by a standard threeway toggle switch. Tonally, this guitar doesn’t quite have the ‘spank’ one might expect from a Tele-style in the bridge position. The basic sound is there, but not quite as immediate as similar guitars in the same price range. The neck position is an entirely different story: twang and plenty of it. Although hotter than a single coil pickup, the neck humbucker is by no means over the top or too dirty here, just warmer. The tones here are balanced and robust; the type of sound that simply invites more playing. The middle position possesses a surprising tonality that really sells this guitar: not quite traditional, not quite modern, yet something pleasingly in between that really opened up both on clean settings and in conjunction with overdrive.

MUSOS WANTED 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 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 R E CO R D I N G M I X I N G M A S T E R I N G PRODUCING Fremantle location. Call Pete Kitchen Cooked Records. Ph 0407 363 764 / 9336 3764 REVOLVER SOUND STUDIO Ph 9272 7505. www.revolverstudio.com.au

REHEARSAL STUDIOS BIBRA LAKE REHEARSAL STUDIO Air Conditioned Room. Great Facilities. Superior sound to hear yourself and your band. 10 mins from Freo. Phone Nick: 0410 485 588.

INSOMNIA STUDIOS Premium new rooms & PA systems. Airconditioned. Regular Booking gets you regular discounts. TXT or call 0474 971 830 PLATINUM SOUND ROOMS Professional rehearsal rooms, airconditioned, quality PAs mob 0418 944 722 TUITION * * * G U I TA R L E S S O N S * * * N ew Ye a r enrolments. Online bookings. Children & adults. Beg to adv. AMEB and WAAPA accreditation. 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 GUITAR TUITION Learn guitar at the speed of light in a state of the art music studio. fretlightaustralia.com. Ph: 0433042503

RED WITCH SCARLETT OVERDRIVE

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Red Witch Scarlett Overdrive

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In terms of finish, there may be an issue regarding the frets. On the model reviewed, the frets had not been buffed back quite enough to sit flush with the fretboard on both the top and bottom of the neck, producing a coarse, uncomfortable feeling when sliding the playing hand into different neck positions. This is nothing that a quick trip to your favourite luthier won’t fix, but even at this price point that seems a little rough.

Nevertheless, for many players, the aesthetics and tone of this 60s throwback will provide a nifty Tele-style guitar without breaking the bank.

The Tokai Surf Tone TE Style guitar retails for $649 with gig bag.

Tokai Surftone TE Style Electric Guitar Reviewed at Collins Music, Bunbury.

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