CHINS

Gang Gang Goes Gangbusters

by Ruth O’Brien

[pics from left to right: warm weather outdoor space; Viktor Rufus; the Conway lads + dogs; Gang Gang signage; Gypsy jazz] Most people wouldn’t have thought that buying a cafe during COVID was, with respect, the smartest thing to do. But, when the opportunity was presented to Sam, Max, and Riley Conway (possibly known better as three quarter of the band, Slow Turismo, pictured above with dogs) these brothers said YES. With no prior intention to own a cafe business but, being so invested in the music industry, these three young guys (who live, play, and now own a venue together) recognised the chance to impact the local music scene for the better. “There were just so many great places for us to play when we were coming up, and the idea of being able to have a live music venue around the corner from our house? We were sold,” says Sam. As residents of Downer and already working at the cafe, Sam and bros knew that Gang Gang Cafe & Bar was still doing quite well despite lockdowns, social distancing, and restrictions. “The fact that we knew it could survive (the pandemic), that was all we needed to take the plunge.” If you’ve ever been to this cool little venue (you absolutely should), you’ll know how homely and welcoming it feels as soon as you arrive. It serves great food and coffee, the staff are really nice, and perhaps most enticingly for live music lovers, there are two-to-three gigs on a week! Sam said he and his brothers had a moment where they realised it was all coming together. “We were sitting out the back the other day at home; we all sighed and went: ‘It’s actually kind of going to plan!’” he says. The brothers have gigs booked at Gang Gang almost every night some weeks and are open to hosting any genre or style. One night they might have jazz. Another might be a series of singersongwriter performances. The idea of having classical music has also been thrown around.

During the warmer months, the Conway brothers made use of the beautiful summer evenings and outdoor space to create a fantastic and inviting community concert area. As the colder month roll in, I can see the venue becoming a warm and cosy haven - the Danish word hygge immediately springs to mind. AND, their place is also incredibly dog friendly; around 7am is “dog happy-hour”. “Some people just come to watch the dogs”, laughs Sam. “At 7:30am, we’ve got 20-25 dogs out there”. At the heart of their success are three very genuine men with a passion for live music in Canberra. While there’s definitely been a lot of hard work, good business decision making, mentoring and support, building Gang Gang’s reputation as a live music venue has undoubtedly brought in new customers. “Live music is good for business,” says Sam. “If you establish yourself as a good place to play, people want to come back and bring their fans and friends. If you have a wide variety of events, you get a wide variety of people.” So here’s to more Gang Gang-style cafes and live music venues scattered around the ‘berra burbs.

“I think there is an appetite for these kinds of community events”, agrees Sam. “The suburban local shops next to the oval? It’s very approachable.” Gang Gang Café and Bar is at Downer Shops, Frencham Place. Open 7am-5pm Monday to Sunday, and 5pm – late Friday and Saturday. For more info about upcoming gigs head to ganggangcafeandbar.com, or go to their Facebook page - Gang Gang Cafe.

Group members: Madie Cook (vocals), James Rowntree (guitar), Ryder Boyle (guitar), Emily Leslie (drums), Jayden Alderman and Eric Medway (bass guitar). Band name and origins: Ryder: We’ve changed names many times, but CHINS came about just as we started songwriting. Jayden came to practice with an amazing bassline and none of us had lyrics, so he improvised with verse after verse of lyrics about chins. Jayden: The song lyrics didn’t end up staying for obvious reasons, but we decided to keep the name for our band to commemorate the occasion. Describe your sound: Eric: That’s a hard question because it’s not super consistent, but I’d definitely say modern alternative-rock. Ryder: Our sound is a very bizarre mix. We’ve written many originals and they vary greatly. Our double A-side single has two songs that are like chalk and cheese. But overall, we focus on a very upbeat, danceable alternative rock-type of music. Jayden: I would describe it as alternative rock or indie alternative rock. We tend to go for a heavier sound, generally using distortion on guitar, but often like to push out of our comfort zone when we can. Emily: Just imagine putting The Cure, Nirvana, and Surf Curse into a bowl, stirring it, putting it in a cake tin, and baking it for 60 minutes. Who/What are your influences, musical or otherwise? Ryder: We all have personal influences for the creation of vocal melodies, guitar riffs, basslines and drumbeats. A big influence has to be Nick Rattigan, an artist under the name Current Joys and one part of the twopiece band Surf Curse. We’ve only taken a small amount of influence from Current Joys’ music, but Surf Curse is a massive influence on our songs. Inspiration for our heavier songs comes from The Cure with an extra touch of Nirvana. We love the textures in those respective artists’ songs. Madie: You won’t really find any music of the same genre in any of my playlists and there’s rarely more than two songs by the same artist. I don’t think I’m influenced by any one particular artist or music type. I take bits and pieces from everywhere. Jayden: I’d say Joe Dart, the bass player from Vulfpeck, would be a big influence. I love his music. I’m not really sure what or who influences my playing style, because when I write baselines to songs I just tend to play what’s in key and then do the rest by ear. Emily: My musical influences are Taylor Swift, because she is simply the best lyricist in the business, and Jen Ledger (the drummer from Skillet) because she was the first female drummer I knew. I also love YUNGBLUD because his songs are so personal and relatable, and he tackles some really important topics. Eric: In terms of inspiring me musically, Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) would probably be the biggest. What are some memorable experiences you’ve had as a band? Jayden: Our recent double single promotion gig at Smith’s Alternative - when nearly all the audience got up and danced - was probably one of the most memorable for me. Another was when we played at The Basement for the first time alongside the awesome Box Dye! Ryder: One of them is being in the studio together. It is such a huge milestone for a band: sitting in a studio, taking turns recording your parts, and patching together a song you have spent hours on writing and improving. It’s something that every big band has done at one point, so it felt amazing on every level to be able to do it. Eric: Recording in the studio was memorable for sure. It was a lot of fun and one of the first big things I did with the band. It was also really cool when a bunch of people wanted to buy our merch after we were on stage at the WOMEN WHO ROCK for CHARITY event. It was a massive day, because we also volunteered to help during the other shows – we were there for over 12 hours straight! Madie: I agree, definitely our studio session. When we first arrived, I was nervous as all hell as I’d never done anything like it. But by the end I was amazed at how quickly everything had clicked perfectly into place. It was an incredible experience and I’ll remember it for a long time. Emily: Mine is when Ryder asked me to fill in for their January gig at The Basement. I had to learn an hour-long setlist in two weeks and the setlist kept changing! But I managed to pull it off, the gig was great, and I’m still here. What’d you love about the scene? Ryder: The whole thing about the indie alternative scene is that there are still so many differences with the music and the people. There are the slightly strange yet amazing upbeat songs that make you dance, or the weird, relaxed tracks that are the perfect chill out tunes. A lot of the time ‘alternative’ music can fit into other genres like rock and punk, so it’s pretty versatile which is great in terms of live line-ups. Eric: It’s not really specific to our scene, but I enjoy chatting with other musicians at gigs. There’s just something cool about watching a great performance and then being able to chat with the band (especially if they enjoyed your performance as well).

Madie: I have always loved singing and performing, so being able to do that in such fantastic environments is definitely my favourite part of the scene. Rock music always brings lively upbeat audiences, so it’s a wonderful atmosphere to be a part of. Tell us about one of your proudest moments: Jayden: Someone approached me after a gig to say their son had been having a rough time and our performance had given him the most fun in months. I was really proud that we were able to have that sort of positive effect on someone. Ryder: For me it was our recent single debut show at Smith’s Alternative. The audience were moshing in front of the stage, clapping and shouting. It was magical to see nearly the entire venue optionally leave their seats to dance to music we have written. Madie: That gig was incredible because we interacted so much more with the audience and it was completely different to anything we had done before. Another proud moment for me was when I first joined the band. I hadn’t really sung in front of that many people before, so it was a special personal achievement. Emily: Our last Smith’s Alternative gig is my proudest moment also. The crowd was having such a great time, we played well as a band, and no drumsticks were dropped – a definite highlight for me. I think it was the best gig we’ve played so far. Having everyone dancing lifted the energy so much and made the whole experience even more mindblowing for us. What are your plans for the future? Ryder: Keep pushing the boundaries of creativity. We’ve done radio interviews, gigs, and a studio recording but there is still so much more we can do. Emily: We are working towards releasing an EP which is exciting. We’ve had the chance to work with sound wizard Joel from Canberra Noise Floor at Infidel Studios. We are learning so much all the time and getting better as a band. Longer term, I’d love us to play shows outside Canberra and perform at some festivals. Also, completing university. Madie: I want to keep performing with the band, write some stories and songs along the way, and keep pursuing my passions. On a personal level, I’d love to travel all over the world and have a ridiculous number of pets. As a band, I want us to keep playing, improving, and meeting other bands and musicians. Eric: I am looking forward to releasing our new ‘dual single’ and video. What makes you laugh? Ryder: Each other, as the experiences we’ve had together have been very unique. The time after gigs is always so funny – I am sure “bird cows” would mean nothing to anyone but us! Jayden: Bad jokes and shirts that make people cringe. Eric: Really dumb, random stuff that probably isn’t funny at all. Madie: I laugh at pretty much anything - dumb jokes or witty puns. I do like word play quite a bit, and call me lame, but I watch a lot of vines - some of them are hilarious. Sorry, not sorry. Emily: Memes and epic fails, especially if it’s basketball related. What pisses you off? Ryder: People who don’t respect others who are in the same business. We’ve had gigs where we’ve been looked down on for being young. We’re all musicians and want to do what we love; there should be no reason for rivalries. We should all encourage and support each other for pursuing music. Also, bands who intentionally ignore set times are annoying. Madie: Shitty people piss me off more than anything. Just get out of my life and go find someone else to annoy. Eric: People who get away with doing things that hurt others. Jayden: The lack of chocolate in my mouth. What are your upcoming gigs? The Basement on Saturday, 3 April where we are supporting LaHi (and the Diks) from Sydney on their EP launch tour. Ambient Book Club and Monkey Knife Fight will also be on stage. We love playing The Basement! The Sideway Bar on Thursday, 22 April, and we also have some charity gigs lined up for Wear it Purple Day in August and National Bandana Day in October – I think they are both being held by Live @ The Polo. We also want to get back to Smith’s Alternative soon and have some other gigs in the pipeline – there are quite a few Canberra-based bands that we would love to share the stage with! Follow us on Instagram or Facebook (Chins. Band) if you would like to hear more about our gigs! Contact info: Milestone Entertainment Canberra (Facebook) handle the business side.

THE DROP

[THE WORD ON EDM/DANCE MUSIC] WITH NIAMH “IL VAMPIRO” MCCOOL

[NIAMH.DOLFI.MCCOOL@GMAIL.COM]

Anonymous Raver – Fashion in the Contemporary Canberra Rave Scene Historically, fashion and music have been referential to one another. Certain music scenes have their own unique styles and the Canberra rave scene is no different. It’s pretty difficult to talk accurately about the fashion/style of a place and/or scene; for one its not homogenised. For the sake of ease of writing, I’m going to make some broad statements, but in no way is this a definitive analysis on Canberra rave style, nor is it a rule book on how to dress.

Three things I’ve picked up on is the cold and how the weather effects how you dress; neon futurist styles; and irony.

So what is unique to the Canberra fashion scene? Well, the freezing weather definitely affects the way you dress. There are some brave souls (or soles, if we’re talking footwear) who try and ignore the cold for the sake of an outfit. I’ve done this. I don’t advise it.

When you embrace wrapping up, it can become a cool chance [LULZ - Bossman Sko] to play with interesting cold weather styles. Balaclavas, for example, I’ve seen popping up on chilly dance floors. They keep your head, ears and sides of your face warm while adding some extra texture and character to your look. It can either be cute and silly, or more serious. I advice open-face style because it’s warm but your face is uncovered. You can DIY a balaclava by wearing a beanie and wrapping a scarf around your head and neck. As mentioned before, music and fashion have always been in conversation with one another. A great example of this is the 1995 movie Hackers. Both the soundtrack and the costume design perfectly work together to convey the overall aesthetic of bright technological optimism and a sense of living in the “future”. The Hackers wardrobe would absolutely fit in at a rave right now. I’ve seen plenty of neon coloured “futuristic fabrics” like spandex, neonprint and 3m on the dancefloor. Bright, graphic make-up, sleek sunglasses, big chunky sneakers, reflective ‘metal’ like materials are common in dance music spaces. These styles are referential to the digitalisation of music. A staple of the rave fashion and contemporary fashion in general is irony. But the kind of 2021 irony of finding something both hilarious and the coolest thing ever at the same time. I think humour is something that doesn’t get acknowledged enough. Being able to

Anonymous Raver wearing a balaclava. Photo by Niamh Dolfi-McCool Hackers - a rave tailor in film form make someone laugh from your clothing choice is a particular skill; likewise with music. I think the trend to ironic and humours styles in fashion is reflected in the rise of more ‘silly’ and light hearted music, like UK Bounce, Donk and meme music. So now that you’ve thought about style a bit, where in Canberra can you show off your amazing outfits? At Sideway Bar on Saturday, 17 April there is It’s a London Thing 6.0 featuring Killjoy from the UK and Mincy from Sydney. Should be a fun grime-filled night. The following night at Sideway - Sunday, 18 April - is High Society, which is a free live hip hop event. At One22, Harvey Sutherland is DJing on the Easter Sunday, 4 April supported by SONDRIO, Amando, Izaak Bink and Mia Sorlie and Wally. You can expected a broad range of genres: disco, funk, electronic, and house. Over at Fiction there’s trance music with Australian artist MaRLo on the public holiday eve (again, Sunday, 4 April). And on Friday, 16 April there is FEEL featuring Sippy and Blackjack for your dubstep, trap, garage and drum ‘n’ bass kicks. That’s all for this month. Stay trendy!

PUNK & DISORDERLY

[THE WORD ON PUNK] WITH ALICE WORLEY Hey y’all! I’m pretty much just going to talk about one event this month because it was thrilling, and reminded me of all the things I love about the DIY scene that used to be so prevalent here in the capital, that perhaps we will see again. So, my noteworthy Canberra punk experience for this month was without a doubt a house show I went to (and played at) on Petterd Street in Page. It’s been years since I went to a house show that was like the good old days of Lacklustre and Crossroads. Those gig houses seemed to be a truly euphoric pocket in time for Canberra music, but this gig had that same magic and we were all completely drenched in it (along with a hefty quantity of sweat). Have to say, this was hosted fantastically. You were greeted by a table out the front with hand sanitiser and a giant bowl of ear plugs, and on the living room wall was a poster of a young Henry Rollins, shirtless, glistening; a perfect foreshadow of the evening we all had in store. With the organisers/residents welcoming us all in so warmly, this show did not take long to swing into gear.

HYMMNN‘s a great band to kick off with; they always bring the energy with a touch of insanity. If there’s a band that’s built for an intimate, in-your-face environment, they’re it. Frontman Leighton was bouncing off anyone nearby, swallowing the mic, then swinging it above his head like a cowboy’s lasso, then dropping to the floor and crawling into the crowd to grab the nearest sets of legs. Always that perfect recipe of enthralling, confronting, and a little bit terrifying. Well done, lovelies.

The Narcissists pulled us out of the prior fever dream and brought the crowd back to a more familiar mosh setting. The band’s always a draw; they know how to assemble a set to keep you engaged. They usually have a great cover to shove in the mix and that evening’s choice of Carol by The Peep Tempels was such a winner. By this point the living room was quite a sauna, so after a breather outside and a couple of cool down beers it was onto me and my goofballs, Box Dye. Calling all girls to the front, we had an absolute ball playing off the highly enthusiastic and probably quite intoxicated crowd. Thanks again to the guys that organised this show cos this was one of the most enjoyable gigs we’ve ever played. The sweat was real, every person looked like they’d just been through a hurricane, but despite the lack of oxygen there was nothing but joy beaming from every person there. Enfants finished the night off, sending wave after wave of explosive riffs and screams into an almost entirely shirtless and shiny crowd while we all braced ourselves for the at-least-halfa-dozen crowd surfs that were to come during their high octane set. By the time they finished up, there was nothing left to do but pick up your drenched clothes, stumble into the yard and just collapse onto the wet grass while you smiled at your mates. All those good feelings. I am so hopeful that this will be the start of a resurgence of these kinds of shows; they’re so much fun and just aren’t comparable to a venue setting. Well done to the Petterd Street Bash organisers; you did an absolutely fantastic job and I hope the clean up wasn’t too awful the next day. Also, I’m super stoked to see Enfants being put onto an increasing number of line-ups. You’re all great entertainers and just an absolutely lovely group of people. Before I leave you, I have a gig I want to plug. In the last issue, I mentioned Highland Light as a band I was keeping my eye on. Well, they’ve got a single on the way, their third one to be precise, and subsequently a single launch to get your butts to. Absolute will be unleashed by the trio at The Basement on Thursday, 8 April and supporting them will be Box Dye, Parrots With Piercings, and THYME, so it’ll be a pretty high energy gig to say the least. Since The Basement has been allowed standing shows again, the good times are there for the taking. So come on down and try not to spill your drink.

Hmmm... It’s HYMMNN

The Narcissists - each prettier than the last The crowd help a fellow punter outside for a breather(Pic by Claire Warren)

by Alice Worley

Let me set the scene here.

One day, I’m listening to this playlist of Canberra singles on Spotify. A track comes on that makes me walk over to my phone to answer my internal query; “Who the f**k is THIS?!?”. I checked, got onto the socials, searching Facebook and Instagram to see how long I’ve been in the dark, and I discover this band hasn’t actually been around for that long. But they’re polished, with a clear sound and striking band identity. I check; no past gigs. Where on earth did these guys come from? For everyone else that went through this same circuit of confusion, I’d like to properly introduce you to st.sinner. To sate my curiosity, I got in touch with st.sinner frontman, Rory Maclean. It seems the start of Australia’s battle with COVID-19 was also the start of Rory’s new musical endeavour. “I remember, at the time, at work and I can see this virus has affected someone in Canberra, and that was the day I went to Nick’s house for our first practice,” he reveals. Nick Dennis, that is, who you might remember from such bands as Salad Bomb and Ginger Nuts. Rory, however, you probably would recognise from his previously most successful project, Fvceless. Reflecting on his prior band experiences, Rory feels he wasn’t being fulfilled.

“I felt like I was not being genuine in any of them,” he admits. “I wasn’t being myself. This time, I’m doing it properly.” The whole band seems pretty tight and well put together, so I wanted to know if the other members were also experienced musicians. “I “leased” Caleb, the drummer, from Flash Anthem. I had a few demos written. I showed them to Patrick, who was away finding himself in the UK. He came back to Australia for me, not because of COVID or anything,” he laughs. “Patrick was also from Ginger Nuts, he was the bassist. And this is Josh’s first band.”

The criteria for being a part of st.sinner seemed to be summed up as the following: “These people are unapologetically themselves.” We had a chat about how the punk scene in Canberra had been dwindling in recent years (hence my hiatus from the Punk and Disorderly column). Rory expressed his thoughts on the matter. “Punk music is about having something to say and being prolific. I was angry at the scene, I felt like there wasn’t any meaning to it, any sustenance. But this is where our parliament is, shouldn’t this be where punk thrives? I felt contempt that none of these bands were saying anything; just settling. They could all be so good, but it’s like they’re not being pushed.” So what are st.sinner planning to do differently? “...make sure I’m doing this in the most professional and streamlined way but still staying gritty. It’s important to have your say and be uninterrupted, and that’s what’s great about music. You can say your piece before someone can say something back.” So, let’s have a look at these gritty tracks. Mr Prime Minister, the first release. The track’s content is evident, but it specifically references ScoMo’s handling (or handshaking) of the early 2020 bushfires; his inability to connect with and assist those affected, and his disconnection to the Australian people as a whole.

The corruption is so outlandish and in-your-face. It was an amalgamation of not being represented, and I’m mad about it. This is what punk music is all about it, that emotion. It was just a lot of screaming in most of the practices. I wanted to get my anger out… I had to be reigned in at times.” After that single accumulated a pleasing number of streams, Dead For The Weekend was added to the mix; a track not as brazen but still packed with energy. “Dead For The Weekend came from the same place, but a different topic. I’ve had substance issues in the past, and there’s this culture about not looking after yourself; to be self destructive and make it other people’s problem. I was able to see that I needed to start looking after myself.” But Rory didn’t want his revelation to be kept to himself, he wanted to share it. Hence DFTW was created; a track with a high-energy party sound that is, essentially, about rejecting the party lifestyle. “I wanted to do this in a way that people can hear it and say, ‘That’s groovy, I wanna look after myself too’. It’s completely okay to go out and get shitfaced, but you can’t do that all the time. It’s the most raucous song about self care you’ll ever hear.” Now to the question that’s been on my mind for months: When can we SEE this band? They have two singles, two music videos, a show on YouTube... but no gigs. No classic getting your band started and playing your first shows in backyards or at a local booze merchant here. It’s an unconventional, and intriguing, way of building a following, especially in Canberra. So when’s the first st.sinner show? “We’re doing a third single that will be coupled with news of a debut show. It’s so different to what we’ve released so far and will show a new side of us. It’s poppier, but with attitude; pure attitude.” Alright, so it’s happening, but as for when exactly? That’s still shrouded in mystery for now. As I pressured Rory to spill the beans, you could tell the excitement was there to do just that. But st.sinner’s calendar is still firmly under wraps. “I can’t tell you much, but when we do one, you will definitely know, it’s gonna happen. I know people want it. The boys were all on me about a show, and I had to tell them to trust me because I didn’t wanna waste a debut show on something seated. But don’t worry, you’ll hear all about it. Probably. No you will. Definitely.” Okay, well I’m pretty satisfied with the info I got out of this interview. My curiosity about the beginnings of these guys has been put to bed, but not my curiosity about their future. I know what these guys have to offer as a recording band, now I want to see what their live selves can do. So if you’re also curious, keep an eye on those socials. This “I was angry,” Rory explains. “Just before band has proven they’re not shy the bushfires the man fucked off to about advertising Hawaii. He’s an embodiment of the 1% the shit out of their that don’t care. That’s not governance. releases, so expect facebook.com/bmamagazine the same for their first event.

METALISE

[THE WORD ON METAL] WITH JOSH NIXON

A year is a long time when the increments are so painfully stopstart and broken up by complex rules and regulations. Yes, we need to keep safe. Yes, they are necessities that we have. And no, we are not a tourism hub like North Queensland that relies on dollars from overseas.

Like I said last issue, though, the glass is half full and the coming month is looking like it might be the start of something if the government can actually deliver on its vaccination roll out and keep up the positive momentum. First in discussion for April is a fond farewell to a bit of a Canberra institution. Tonk are made up of some bloody lovely blokes, and while it’s sad to see them go at their farewell show at The Basement on Saturday, 10 April, the fact it’s sold out with the increased cap (195 or so) is deserving. So long boys. Fellow longstanding favourites Night Train and Johnny Roadkill will help see the lads out in style.

Farewell sweet Tonk, and thanks for the blistering years of gig memories. We’ll always have the music

Metal For The Grave is an interesting show, at The Basement once again, on Thursday, 15 April. Matty “Skitz” Sanders has blastbeaten his way through the Australian metal scene since the early ’90s with Damaged, Sadistik Exekution, Terrorust and many more. The night is focused on his musical journey, but the band includes former members of other founding metal fathers including Hobbs’ Angel of Death, Manticore, and Misery. This will be a good one for the old schoolers out there and fresh from the studio, Wretch will be there to blast some newer material also. Presented by Your Mate Bookings, tickets through Oztix. Flaming Wrekage have a new album out called Cathedral of Bones and have embarked on a brazen journey across the land of big modern sounding melodic down-tuned twin guitar riffs. The guys have two singles out for the record, including The Voiceless. The tour smashes into Canberra at The Basement on Friday, 30 April with support from Clarity of Chaos, Queensland’s Diskust, and Arkanae. Tickets through Oztix, presented by Young Henrys. Pilots of Baalbek will be setting the departure lounge up in The Basement on Friday, 28 May for a blistering set of ’70s hard rockin’ grooves from their fantastic debut from last year. The guys Flaming Wrekage welcome you to their Cathedral of Bones

have special guests The Dunhill Blues in tow, as well as Canberra band BC. Should be a a big night and – yoooooou’ve guessed it! – tickets from Oztix.

The line-up for Dark Mofo is to be released in the coming weeks and there is always something for the heavy music fan. Regardless, the festival is a good excuse to go down and check out Tasmania and the amazing Mona Art Gallery that coordinates the event. Sunburn festival had big plans in 2020 with New Zealand, with touring the festival around the country on the cards. Well, the house won that hand and here we are. New Zealand’s loss however, is Canberra’s gain with Sunburn Lite coming to The Basement on Saturday, 22 May. Pod People, Potion, Lucifungus, Burn the Hostages, Astrodeath, and Master Leonard are all on the menu for the stoner doom psych fest. Presented by Black Farm Records you will be able to pick up tickets through The Basement’s Oztix site.

There are a tonne of shows, a lot of them international, booked for Q3 this year. With the USA well ahead of its vaccination schedule but Europe entering a 3rd wave, who knows what that will mean. It might be overly optimistic, but it feels that, with capacity increasing and gig-goers now being able to stand instead of being confined to tables, we have turned a corner. Nebula, Hirax, D.R.I., and a whole bunch more are on the cards still; let’s see if the house or the players can take the pot. Til next time.

BY ALLAN SKO

Australian guitarist-songwriter-vocalist-producer and roots-oriented rock merchant Jeff Lang is a true journeyman, releasing some 30 albums across 30 years of touring. He can boast, not that the humble man would, of myriad awards - Best Blues and Roots Music Album in 2002 (with Bob Brozman) and again in 2012 for Carried In Mind - as well as a multitude of worldwide collaborations with the likes of aforementioned roving guitar anthropologist Bob Brozman, American blues-rocker Chris Whitley, India’s desert-dwellers Maru Tarang, and world music virtuosos Bobby Singh and Mamadou Diabate. You’d imagine our man Lang would have a tale or two to tell after such a span. And you’d imagine correctly. Some Memories Never Die is Jeff Lang’s first book, a memoir of three decades on the road, brimming with recollections of gigs where the tour progress was by the grace of an oily rag; the road’s many turns can be elevated, or devastated, by the presence of fellow travellers. And it all comes bundled with a 22-track album of Jeff Lang classics explicitly re-recorded for the book’s release, and an accompanying tour, landing at The Street Theatre this month. “I didn’t want to write a traditional biography laid out in chronological order,” the affable Lang tells us. “I guess I took a leaf out [Bob Dylan’s] Chronicles where he just seemed to write about what he felt like. “So I started by recalling anecdotes from the past. Then other related things would emerge and link, and eventually a chapter would form with an overarching theme, such as tales about hunting for old pieces of gear on tour, or a link about driving, or about a particular place such Ireland or Tasmania. There’s also a chapter about working with Chris Whitley.” Lang’s purpose for the book is not simply a merry waltz down memory lane. “I’m hoping to give those who don’t do this for a living a taste of what it’s really like, rather than a romantic portrayal; putting you there inside it from various different permutations. “I take the music part seriously, but taking yourself too seriously with this could kill you,” Lang continues. “A lot of ritual humiliation is involved; it’s all a bit of a cosmic joke, and you’re the bottom of it. So I took that. There are serious things in there, but a large chunk of the book are things I found funny upon reflection; the absurdity of the touring and music experience. I figured if there’s enough laughs, and the bulk are at my own expense, that’s fair game.” The EP of the same name is a sampling of the recordings that come with the book. The chapters are each linked, in some way, to a song Lang has written, with each one in the book followed by the lyrics from that song. All of which lends to a compelling and engaging night of both music and story. “The larger portion of the evening is performing songs, followed by some reading from the book,” Lang explains. “I’ve just done one weekend of the tour so far down in Tasmania and it went well.”

With such a treasure chest of both song and story, one would expect the ‘life editing’ process for stage to be arduous. Instead, Lang approaches each live show as a DJ does at a dance party… listening to what feels right in the moment, then playing. “You don’t want to try people’s patience!” Lang chirps. “In different places I might be reading from different things as well. You’ve got to pick an extract that will work as a standalone reading. With Tasmania, I had a few choices with me, and I get a gist of which song feels like the right one to do. Because I don’t usually use a setlist when I’m playing, especially when I’m playing solo. I’ll just have a feel for it. It’s not a case of, ‘what’s the audience want? Well, I’ll give them more of that.’ It’s what feels like the right thing to play right now, after that last song. Same with the reading. I’ll have a few choices, get to a spot in the night, go to a different part of the stage, and make a decision on what to read.” With his lengthy career encompassing turbulent changes in both life and the music scene in particular, did Lang have any particular observations to impart? “I mean, I’m part of it, so it’s hard to get an overall read on it,” Lang ponders. “I only see people play if I’m on the same bill with them, or at a festival. I speak to people, of course, and it does seem like it’s gotten more difficult. I wonder how a young band makes inroads these days. It’s never been the most lucrative thing in the world. You used to sell merch [CDs] to help fund the thing, and there’s less of that nowadays. But I’m wary of getting too much into ‘things were better in my day’... That’s really boring!” Despite the many changes, there’s one thing for Lang that rings true throughout time. “To ‘make it’ involves a lot of compulsive, irrational choices; important choices. When I started, I certainly didn’t weigh it all up and go, ‘I can do this and I’ll be able to make it work by doing that’. I lived life through my 20s such that if I’d made enough money for petrol to get to the next town to play, that was all good. I had a van to sleep in, so who cares if there’s no accommodation at the venue? That’s the way I was living. “I imagine for young bands starting out, you would have the same kind of headstrong, willful irrationality that I had. So maybe, in that way, things don’t particularly change at all. Sure, it might be tough. Is it tougher? I don’t know. But I do know that people still bother to do it. And there’s still great bands getting around and great artists writing songs. I don’t think it’s something that just happens to you; you fall in love with sound before you get intoxicated by being involved with a discord, jumping in to the big river of sound that you fell in love with and splashing around. And, you know, it pulls you in.” And you can be pulled in when Jeff Lang brings his Some Memories Never Die book, EP and tour all of the same name to The Street Theatre on Saturday, 24 April at 7:30pm. Tickets are $39/$35 from thestreet.org.au

BY BELINDA HEALY & ALLAN SKO

If your Great-Grandfather was an exceptional musician and composer who also fled Vienna during the time of Hitler’s rule, it would be a fitting tribute to honour this story through a musical performance. Which is exactly what Matt Keegan has done with his latest show, entitled Vienna Dreaming. “I have many fond memories of him as an old man in his 80s,” says Keegan of his Great-Grandfather Heini Portnoj. “He died when I was about 10 years old. Unfortunately, I do not recall hearing him performing any music, however, I do have vague recollections of him showing me a few things on the piano. “All the specific details of Heini’s story came through my Aunt Julia who is the family historian on the maternal side of my family,” Keegan continues. “She provided me with a very detailed account of his life. I’ve been told that he never spoke to anyone about his former life in Vienna, but I believe he must of thought about it from time to time.” Soon, Keegan was pouring his creative energies and efforts into this very personal piece. “Vienna Dreaming is a suite of music I composed in honour of my Great-Grandfather, Heini Portnoj (1895-1984). Heini was a composer and pianist and Austrian Jew who fled the Nazi movement in Europe in 1940 and ended up a refugee in Australia. The composition is my interpretation of what I considered the crucial moments associated with his life story.” And how does one go about creating such a weighty piece? “The music is all instrumental and draws influence from styles including: Viennese salon music, pop, jazz and classical influences,” Keegan reveals. “I felt strongly about keeping the soundscape in an ethereal realm in order to evoke general feelings and imagery rather than trying to recreate specific sounds of the past. “I chose to use a combination of acoustic and electronic instruments to evoke an other-worldly, dream-like atmosphere. I decided to write in the programmatic style in order to imbue the songs, without words, with the feeling of his story as it moved through time.” With the style firmly in place, the narrative arrived naturally. “We begin with my Great-Grandfather as an old man sitting by a window on a rainy afternoon daydreaming about his past life in Vienna. From here we go on a musical journey that takes us through his memories including: his first job as a band leader in Vienna, meeting his wife Annie, fleeing his homeland, and eventually arriving in Australia.”

And music is not the only way Heini’s story is brought to life. “To enhance the experience, artist Monica Higgins has animated the story, incorporating a collage of old film footage from Vienna and Australia with digital design and family photos to create beautiful visuals that accompany the music.” Whilst it seems family is an obvious influence for Keegan’s immersion in music, he didn’t realise it at first. “By the time I started high school I knew I wanted to be a musician, but at the time I did not recognise the significance of having musical influences on both sides of my family,” Keegan reveals. “In retrospect it seems obvious.

“Now I am a father myself, I have come to understand and appreciate how much the environment you grow up in affects who you are. Having my own kids has also highlighted how lucky I was to have a supportive family who could afford to finance both music lessons and the purchase of instruments. Music is an expensive, time consuming, and noisy undertaking.” As well as a commemoration of his Great-Grandfather’s life, Vienna Dreaming is also a celebration of being able to perform once again. “Like most people, I think the hardest thing to manage was the initial shock of being totally stopped in your tracks and losing important career opportunities that had taken years of hard work to put in place,” Keegan says of Covid. “It has taken patience, consideration, and energy to re-establish focus and start realigning and rebuilding career momentum.

“Having said that, having a break from the pressure was a relief of sorts. I had other projects: recording, live streams, composing and arranging commitments, producing duties and writing the dissertation for my PhD. I also have three sons in primary school, so that full term of homeschooling was intense.” After discussions on being a music teacher - “I have been teaching music professionally since I was in high school but still feel I have a lot to learn” - and how it has enriched his art - “Sharing information is a very important part of being a musician and often you have to present it in different ways, depending on the student” - talk turns to the myriad collaborations, bands, and groups he is a part of. “Variety is very important to me,” he states. “I love immersing myself in different styles of music and have worked professionally as a jazz, blues, funk, pop, rock, reggae, folk, third stream, and intercultural collaborative musician.

“I enjoy playing in ensembles where I feel like I can make a valid artistic contribution. I am lucky enough to get to play with some incredible musicians and have found the best place to enjoy their music is to stand with them on stage while they do it. I have found the insights taken from my experience as a band leader has made me a much more supportive band member.” With all that said, the excitement of the performance awaits. “I would like to thank [CIMF Artistic Director] Roland Peelman for his time, support and musical input,” Keegan says in closing. “I am grateful for the opportunity to present the work in such a great space and have assembled a fantastic band to help me realise the music featuring the wonderful soloists, Veronique Serret on violin and Ben Hauptmann on guitar.” The Street Theatre, Canberra International Music Festival and SIMA present Matt Keegan - Vienna Dreaming on Saturday, 17 April at 8pm at The Street Theatre. Tickets range from $40 - $25 and can be booked from thestreet.org.au