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ISSUE 534 NOV 30 - DEC 13

anna calvi

dB Magazine 30 November 2011

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debut EP launch

Jive Bar | Saturday 17th December | Doors open at 8pm | $10 entry with special guests Pimpin’ Horus & Seventeen Fifty-Seven

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dB Magazine 30 November 2011

PUFF & STUFF

dB CAST & CREW Publishing Editor Arna Eyers-White arna@dbmagazine.com.au Managing Editor Alex Wheaton alex@dbmagazine.com.au Music / DVD / Games Ryan Winter ryan@dbmagazine.com.au Advertising Executive Ashley Prigent ashley@dbmagazine.com.au ads@dbmagazine.com.au Layout Stanley Beaches Webmaster Declan Reck Printing Bridge Printing Office Contributors: Brett Allen-Bayes, Ryan Beer, Scott Berry, James Brazel, Jamie Bruce, Mal Byrne, Luke Carlino, Alistair Collins, Luke Collins, Layla Clarke, Polly Dance, Christie Eliezer, Aaron Farrant, Daniel Gaskin, Thomas Glaister, Alex Gordon-Smith, David Grybowski, Mark Grimshaw, Olga Grudinina, Emily Heylen, Joel Howland, Michael Hunter, Steve Jones, Patrick Lang, Monika Laskowski, Darren Leach, Mark Liebelt, Stan Mahoney, Walter Marsh, James McKenzie, Kerry Michaelski-Russell, Patrick Moore, Aaron Nash, Dunja Nedic, Will Oakeshott, David O’Brien, James O’Connor, Gemma Opie, Anthony Paxton, Ashley Prigent, Louis Rankin, Caz Rice, Ben Revi, Carl Robinson, Peter Strelan, Mateo Szlapek-Sewillo, Alex Tuffin, Leo Varona, Matt Vesley, Sam Vinall, Andrew Weaver, Bianca Weiler, Mercedes Whibley, Jason Whyte, Ryan Winter.

The logical point to begin Puff this week would be the ARIA Awards, which in spite of their diminishing profile produced some very worthy winners. Boy & Bear have completed their rapid ascension to the fore of Australian music, picking up five gongs on the night, while Gotye might have been a little hard done by with just the three to his name.

Kimbra won Best Female Artist, despite the fact she’s from NZ, but I guess if a US artist ever took up citizenship here and did the same, we wouldn’t get so worked up by semantics. Puff would like to give huge prop to The Audreys for their well deserved place on the winners podium. Also, Altiyan Childs won the Highest Selling Album Award for 2012. We think that sums up the state of our industry quite nicely at the moment.

They say there’s still money in touring… well, Aloe Blacc and Lil’ Wayne have rebelled against that by CANCELLING their upcoming shows in Adelaide due to “schedule issues” (read: poor ticket sales). Refunds are naturally available at point of sale.

In a titbit of commentary, Puff would like to point out that Adelaide only have ourselves to blame for these cancellations because we’re too lazy to follow up and buy tix to the shows which we demand in the first place… but of course, some knob will blame the promoter.

No doubt the following internationals will be edgy as make their way to Adelaide next year: New Kids On The Block and The Backstreet Boys have teamed to play at the Ent Centre on Mon 21 May, a day before Florence & The Machine perform at the same venue on Tue 22 May. Elbow and Bombay Bicycle Club have surprised many with a tour through the Thebby on Thu 22 Mar; while Jason Derulo is the first relevant pop band coming to Adelaide next year, playing the Ent Centre on Thu 3 May; and to finish, Brooklyn’s weed edge/hare Krishna hardcore/ art rap b-boys Das Racist will play at The Gov on Wed 1 Feb.

Also, States based band Thee Oh Sees are still due at Jive on Sat 21 Jan. Ska music fans were treated with some great news last fortnight. Firstly, Bad Manners announced they’d be coming to The Gov on Mon 2 Jan. Then we heard that The Specials would indeed be playing Bluesfest side shows, booking the Thebby on Tue 3 Apr. Support slots will be very sought after for these shows, no doubt!

Plenty of action during the last fortnight has happened locally, where FUSE have extended their application deadline for the conference and East and West showcases until Wed 16 Dec. It seems this will be the first year ever that FUSE will have to curate the showcases due to an exceedingly high number of applicants… from interstate. Adelaide bands need to pick up the slack. Head to fusefestival.com.au and apply. Keynote speakers in 2012 will be announced very shortly.

The Office For the Arts has sent out the call to all professional contemporary musicians, seeking applicants for funding in the next round of the Contemporary Music Touring Program. On this occasion, they’re particularly keen on artists who would be interested to tour through regional areas.

If this is you, then visit arts.gov.au/music. There’s nothing quite like government funding!

A few shows coming up this fortnight include Avenue and Southie at The Gov front bar on Thu 8 Dec; The BottleRockets and Ryan McLeod are playing the Cranker on Fri 2 Dec; Loaded Billy will be performing two sets alongside Thalassa at the Emu Hotel in Morphett Vale on Fri 2 Dec; Luna Magnet, Salon Kitty, The Clearances and Dogs Are Better Than Cats are performing a free show at Higher Ground on Fri 2 Dec; The Texetettes are launching their ‘All Through The Night’ album on Sun 4 Dec at the Jade Monkey (a lovely afternoon show for a change!); Ride Into The Sun are bringing friends Shaman Son from the East Coast to play at The Metro on Sat 3 Dec; and Brillig couldn’t let the year end without a Xmas show at the Grace Emily, where they’ll also launch the film clip to The Hearse Song with support from Self Preservation Society and a host of friends on Sun 4 Dec. With festival season about to begin this coming weekend at Stereosonic, there are still names being added to various line ups. Probably the big mover during the last fortnight was Summadayze, which added Snoop Dogg, Sneaky Sound System, Flying

Photographers: Tara Cannell, Matt Carty, Alastair Collins, Rodney Magazinovic, Sarah Maunder, Kate Murphy, Julie Richards, Alan Riley, Dan Scmidt, Ben Searcy, Andrew Stace, Peter Thurmer.

[Pic-DasRacist]

Deadlines Ad / Copy Friday 9 December (5.00pm) art@dbmagazine.com.au

Lotus, Busy P and Nervo to their already impressive line up featuring Justice, Moby, Pendulum, Bliss N Eso and Grandmaster Flash.

[Pic- Snoop]

WOMADelaide has also buffed up it’s line up, adding the phenomenal talents of disco pioneers Chic (USA), Gurrumul, Penguin Café (UK), Dobet Gnahoré (CIV), Kimmo Pohjonen (FIN) and DJ Krush (JPN) to join the likes of Bonobo (UK), First Aid Kit (SWE) and Johnny Clegg (RSA). Local additions include The Barons Of Tang, Jinja Safari, Melbourne Ska Orchestra and the Jay Hoad Band (who are also playing The Gov on Fri 20 Jan with Babylon Burning). Best use the Google to check out the full line up, because it’s pretty long!

A quick glace towards metal and punk tours finds The Getaway Plan have announced that Break Even and Gatherer will support their show at Fowlers on Fri 2 Dec; Thy Art Is Murder are bringing German friends War From A Harlots Mouth, The Bride and Make Them Suffer to Unibar on Fri 9 Dec, while Within My Hands earned the local support slot; I Exist will be back fro their first show since Bastardfest, playing an all ages show at Animal House on Fri 10 Feb; California’s All Shall Perish and Resist The Thought are to be joined by Far West Battlefront, A Dead Silence, Graveyards and Armed With Integrity at the Unibar on Sun 4 Dec; and La Dispute will tour on Fri 17 Feb to Folwers.

Also, well worth a mention is the upcoming Northlane show at Fowlers on Sat 3 Dec, in support of their debut album ‘Discoveries’. If you haven’t found that album yet, it’s one of the best Australian heavy albums of the year, something which the band will hopefully translate live.

[Pic-Northlane]

The Fridge Sunday 11 December (Noon) fridge@dbmagazine.com.au fax: 08 8231 4393

And a huge congratulations to AAAGH! COBRAS! for winning the KillRockStar competition to support Misfits at Fowler’s Live on Sun 4 Dec. Our good friend Will Oakeshott is peeing himself!

In keeping with the metal theme, Sever Hill is hosting a first anniversary show at the Cavern Club on Fri 2 Dec, with help from a huge list of names. It’s all ages, cheap entry and you can see Arcadia, The Killbot Factory, Exerthur, Chaos Burning and Sine For Fire in support.

Looking towards nationally touring acts now, we find Charles Jenkins making a rare trip to the Wheatsheaf on Sat 10 Dec to perform his 2010 album ‘Walk The Ocean’ for the first time; Brisbane band (and Sony Music signing) Holland are playing some ‘subdued indie’ at Jive on Sat 3 Dec; Bad Seeds founding member Hugo Race will perform solo at the Wheatsheaf on Fri 2 Dec; Melbourne’s Alpine are heading to the Ed Castle for their ‘Hands Across Australia’ tour on Fri 13 Jan; rock band The Deep End will launch their new EP ‘Your Shout’ at the Cavern Club on Sat 28 Jan; Georgia Fair will join the Howling Bells at Jive on Sun 4 Dec; Finding Giants will play their first ever Adelaide show on Fri 2 Dec at Enigma in support of When Colours Collide; micro-pop artist Kikuyu will be at the Grace Emily on Thu 8 Dec with Radio Spectacular and Zoe Behan; and Nigel Wearne (pictured) will be performing with Emily Davis at the Wheatsheaf on Sat 3 Dec.

Publishing Date Issue #535 Wednesday 14 December 2011 Contact Usual Phone: (08) 8231 4211 Unusual Phone: (08) 8231 4212 Faxin’ Things: (08) 8231 4393 ARTWORK: art@dbmagazine.com.au POST: PO Box 8260, Station Arcade, SA 5000 STREET: 179a Hindley St, Adelaide

[Pic-NigelWearne] After 40 years of touring, Jon English has a new production due for Adelaide in January next year.

‘The Rock Show’ is an exploration of classic rock music, with English’s trademark humour included.

The Kinks, Zepplin, Queen, Dylan, Cream, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd and Bowie all get a workout during the show, to be help at Her Majesty’s Theatre on Fri 20 Jan. One show only at this stage.

Back to the local scene now, where we find The Black Sorrows travelling from the Louisianna Tavern in Elizabeth on Thu 8 Dec, all the way to Victor Harbour and the McCraken Country Club on Fri 9 and Sat 10 Dec to launch their new album ‘Crooked Little Thoughts’.

dB MAGAZINE Pty Ltd is an independent publication, and whilst the publishers are terribly broad minded, we don’t happen to agree with everything that’s published herein. We do point out however, that all work is subject to copyright, and may not be reprinted in any way, shape or format without the publisher’s permission. That’s us.

Unsolicited contributions are welcome, but there is no guarantee of publication, so don’t be rude about it. It’s not personal. If you want your copy back, then enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope .

Published by dB Magazine Pty Ltd PO Box 8260 Station Arcade 5000 www.dbmagazine.com.au

dB Magazine 30 November 2011

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dB Magazine 30 November 2011

Also coming up, is The Honey Pies album launch at Jive on Fri 16 Dec. This has been a long time coming for the local favourites, with support on hand from The Salvadors, Choral Grief and Goldbloom. dB favourites Aphelion will be launching their debut album ‘Proximity’ (recorded at Mixmasters with Mick Wordley) at the Crown & Anchor on Sat 10 Dec, with help from Melbourne’s Alithia and local friends Mammoth.

Meanwhile, Sydney’s The Mission In Motion will back up their recent JJJ Next Crop anointment with a show at the Ed Castle on Fri 2 Dec with Mere Theory, Strangers (NSW) and All Year Round joining them; Melbourne’s Antiskeptic and Move To Strike have given plenty of warning about their show at Enigma on Sat 18 Feb and Gossling has her own headline show at the Wheatsheaf on Thu 8 Dec, before performing with Tim Freedman at The Gov on Fri 9 Dec. In a bit of news which filtered through, ten of S.A.’s best local folks acts are soon to come together to record a covers album of one another’s music, in a project they’ve dubbed PreLoved Folk. With the likes of Courtney Robb, Simon Peter, The Yearlings, The Timbers, Cal Williams Jr, Anthony D’Antonio, Kelly Menhennett, And & Marta and Mary Webb all involved, this is a really exciting project to see happening. In fact, you can help fund it on Pozible at the moment, which Puff thinks is a very worthwhile Xmas present…

Adelaide’s premier 60s night, DiG is back at Jive on Sat 3 Dec. This month, it’s their annual Beatles night, with plenty of puns to be enjoyed and, naturally, nostalgia abound. DJ Craig, who is behind Gosh! at the same venue is really driving this one, with his impeccable music taste on the line considering the sometimes politics involved in being a Beatles’ fan!

And rounding out Puff this fortnight is a quick mention that the Music SA tribute to The Rolling Stones at Trinity Sessions on Sun 4 Dec is almost sold out. Unfortunately Sun Theory have had to withdraw from the line up, but The Baker Suite, Billy Bob & The BBQ Boys, Snooks La Vie, Myles Mayo (pictured), Creole Cowboyz, Dough Ashdown and The Wogers are still all involved. If you were planning to get a ticket, you’d better jump onto dramatix.com.au quickly!

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CROSSWORD #534

Across 1. ARIA nominated Adelaide/Melbourne progressive band (6) 5. Troy Sanders fronts this Soundwave bound metal act from Georgia (8) 7. Sydney based independent record company, Australia’s largest (7) 10. Queensland based street-press (4) 11. German digital/hardcore band with debut album ‘Delete Yourself!’, ____ Teenage Riot (5) 14. Melbourne based online music magazine, ___ Deaf (4) 15. ‘Autumn Flow’ was the debut album for ___ in 2005 (4) 18. First name of Melbourne born singer/ songwriter Brous (5) 19. Kate Bush song from her 1982 album ‘The Dreaming’, Pull Out The ___ (3) 21. Total Eclipse Of The Heart lyric, “____ ____, bright eyes/ every now and then I fall apart” (4,5) 24. UK based post-britpop band set to tour Australia next year (5) 25. Now the sole organiser of Big Day Out, ___ West (3)

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1. The Room, Tommy Wiseau’s completely shit movie-come-cult-hit is back at the Palace Nova for a limited season. If you’ve never experienced this diabolical film, put it on your bucket list. We’ve got 2 double passes and 3 two-for-one passes on offer, depending on when you call.

2. Misfits tour prize pack? Yes. It includes a ‘Devil’s Rain’ CD and T-shirt, a Juicehead ‘How To Sail A Sinking Ship CD and T-shirt and a ‘Twilight Of The Dead 12”. We only have 1, so get on it quick!

3. If you miss out on that Misfits pack, don’t fret. We have 4 double passes thanks to George at Riot House to the show at Fowler’s Live on Sun 4 Dec. 4. The Mission In Motion are playing with Mere Theory at the Ed Castle on Fri 2 Dec, and we’ve got 2 double passes for you thanks to Fiona at Long Live PR. 5. And for those with Blu Ray player, we have 3 copies of A Musicians Tribute To Neil Young, featuring some pretty outstanding performances from Dave Matthews, Ben Harper, Sheryl Crow and Elvis Costello, to name a few.

Wolf & Cub The Audreys A confirmed slot for the showcase includes a Fuse conference pass whereby leading industry representa�ves discuss relevant music industry topics *Conference packages are available for the public and unsuccessful registered acts.

dB Magazine 30 November 2011

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1. Sydney punk-rock band fronted by Damien Lovelock, The ____ Rifles (8) 2. The Dropkick Murphys and My Chemical Romance both have songs names Hang ‘__ High (2) 3. Nigerian born French singer who performed at WOMAD 2011 (3) 4. Australian hip-hop label who represent the likes of the Funkoars, Briggs and Vents (6,3) 6. Lead single from The Offspring’s ‘Conspiracy Of One’ album, ____ Prankster (8) 8. Boutique music company based in Brisbane, ____ Finds (4) 9. Los Angeles based artist who performs with his band Haunted Grafitti (5,4) 12. Double this for the band who gave us Rosanna and Africa (2) 13. Jack Johnson’s second studio album was called ‘On ___ ___’ (3,2) 16. Initials, lead singer of Mott The Hoople.

(1,1) 17. Working class subgenre of Punk which originated in the UK in the late 70s (2) 19. Guitarist and songwriter for The Who, ____ Townshend (4) 20. UK band with self-titled debut album from early this year, coming for Laneway (4) 21. Music publicity company started by Stacey Piggott in 1998, ___ Fish Out of Water (3) 22. Moby song, featured on ‘Play’ which samples folk poem ‘God’s Gonna Cut You Down’, ___ On (3) 23. First name of Australian indigenous artist, Mr Sultan (3)

INTERVIEW

ANNA CALVI

BY ANDREW WEAVER “I've been intensely surprised by the reaction,” says Calvi, of the way that she has been received thus far.

Most artists who emerge these days tend to be very raw, with a wide-eyed innocence quickly giving way to the hard reality of life on the road. Calvi comes at her music from a slightly different angle – as opposed to gigging in a pub before breakout into the mainstream, her past musical history is strong, with a degree in music as well as experience in bands prior to that which now bears her name.

“I think that I've worked for many years to get to this position and worked with many musicians,” she agrees, “and I'm comfortable in my world now.”

Brian Eno is just one of the luminaries in the musical world who has become smitten with her, offering her early support.

“He’s such an amazing artist that it was just great to talk to him, and to have that encouragement.”

Anna Calvi has earned a plethora of comparisons with Polly Jean Harvey – like the Dorset devil in a black dress, Calvi has opted to have her band named after her, it’s a threepiece. She’s a raven-haired beauty with a big, big voice, and to craft her debut album she worked with Rob Ellis, who has collaborated with PJ Harvey for many years.

“The reason that I worked with him was mainly because I got on with him really well, and he likes a lot of the same classical music that I do, like Ravel and Debussy,” she says. “They’re my main influences so I felt comfortable working with him because I wasn’t having to explain what it was that I was trying to achieve. I found it a very rewarding process and I thought it was a great collaboration.”

The proof is always in the pudding, and the combination of the two working together certainly worked a charm on ‘Anna Calvi’.

With influences outside the pop and rock spectrum – she started playing violin at age 6, then guitar at age 8, all under the watchful eye of her Italian father –Calvi’s songwriting is not necessarily straight-down-the-line, and it’s in the way that she draws on the likes of Debussy as an influence that sets her songwriting apart.

“It informed some of the arrangements

S

ince the release of her debut self-titled album, Anna Calvi has toured the States a couple of times, been around Europe several more, and the Laneway Festival will see her sojourn continue onto Australia.

that I do,” she says, “and the melodies and the chord changes that I like. It’s subtle in the ways that it can affect my writing.”

One of the great quotes that launched Calvi into the public consciousness is that she views playing guitar as trying to imagine it as an orchestra – full of sound and explosive in approach.

“It’s about the texture of it,” she enthuses.

“Dynamically you want it to be a wide spectrum – it’s got to be extremely substantial and powerful, and just thinking about the guitar more as the energy of a string section or a piano. I find that it keeps me interested as a guitar player.”

When it came time to recording her debut album, Calvi worked with analogue equipment, which is both empowering and limiting – everything that was committed to tape was the final deal, rather being afforded the editing capabilities of a computer.

“It’s a personal taste,” she shrugs, “and I like the warm sound of analogue recording.”

Her decisions have certainly been vindicated by the success the album has had thus far – plaudits have flown thick and fast for it since its release in January, 2011, culminating in a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize, ultimately won by PJ Harvey’s imperious ‘Shake England Shake’.

“I haven’t listened to my album since I mastered it, and perhaps if I was to record it now I would do it differently. But I did the best job that I could at the time and obviously the songs are the ones that I now perform live, and I don’t really think about the album anymore. But I think that’s a healthy thing really.”

Anna Calvi’s debut self-titled album is out now through Domino, and she’ll perform at Laneway on Fri 10 Feb.

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dB Magazine 30 November 2011

INCUBUS

BY ALASTAIR COLLINS

I

ncubus are one of those bands who just always seem to be around, no matter what. Every now and then, they tour or release a record, such as this year’s ‘If Not Now, When?’, but it boggles the mind to think that the California natives have been a band for twenty years now.

So, understandably, across seven albums worth of material, there has been considerable development as songwriters, musicians, and even as people, with the lead-up to the latest release being characterised by guitarist Mike Einziger going off to Harvard to study music, singer Brandon Boyd going off to L.A. to study Visual Arts, and the other members, like drummer Jose Pasillas, spending some time just living away from the band for a while.

“With each (record) we challenged ourselves and pushed the envelope,” Pasillas remarks.“We create these pieces that are definitely different from the one previous. It’s just another step in our ever evolving career in music.‘If Not Now, When?’ was fun to make.”

Although, even with the time away from the band, Pasillas notes that the writing process was

not noticeably different for ‘If Not Now, When?,’ he does point out that the record is almost a snapshot of where the band was at that time.

“It’s more on the mellow side; we definitely brought it down tempo and energy wise,” he points out.“I think it was time for us to make this record, we had yet to make this kind of a record.”

“I get the feeling that the next record is going to be different,” Pasillas goes on to reveal, “I think it’ll be a little bit more aggressive, but it’s hard to tell, because we don’t really conceptualise.”

Throughout their impressively lengthy career, there have been numerous times when vocalist Brandon Boyd’s lyrics have certainly seemed to contain a heavy social or political commentary in them (which, for my money, has always made

INTERVIEW

Incubus will perform at the AEC Theatre on Mon 6 Feb. the widespread commercial success of ‘Drive’ a little funny). However, Passilas points out that, particularly in music, individual interpretation is key.“We’re not trying to put one over on anyone, or anything like that,” he muses,“the lyrics come from a very honest place, and they’re interpreted in many different ways.”

Looking to the future, as Pasillas reveals, there don’t seem to be many, if any, solid plans, but fans can rest assured that the music won’t be going away any time soon.“(We plan to)

CARUS THOMPSON

I

t’s been almost a year since Carus Thompson last came through Adelaide. On that occasion, it was a straight forward trip around the country promoting the Australian release of his latest album ‘Caravan’. It’s a far cry from the journey he’s just returned from, a four-month tour of Europe with his wife and newborn son relocating to the South West of France to be a part of the trip.

“When we left for the tour, he was 3 months old, and he’s already seen London, Paris, Switzerland and Edinburgh!” Carus jokes.“My wife actuallt joined me for the larger part of the tour, which was pretty intense. Heaps of shows

INTERVIEW

BY RYAN WINTER

the tour, earning BBC airplay in Scotland and the UK, while also performing a huge show in Cologne, Germany, to cap the tour off.

“Cologne is sort of the New York of Germany if you like,” he explains.“It’s where all the industry and media are based. It’s like a real prize gig to pull it off and we had 170 people come down to this show, and that’s amazing, because we’ve done it through our own channels. I’ve got a friend who manages me over there and we just book things ourselves.

We haven’t really pushed the industry much in Germany and that was the reason for doing this show in a main venue in a big town like Cologne.Then agents start to go,“well, who the hell is this guy playing to 170 people?”

Thompson points out that between Germany, France and the UK, the population is over ten times greater than the whole of Australia. While he’s obviously always thankful to the faithful fans he has earned nationally here over the course of his career, he concedes that at this point in time and where he is in his career, Europe make much more sense to focus upon.

“Well, what the publicist said to me, the one servicing ‘Caravan’ when it first came out, he said that Radio 6 has had a huge impact in the

just came in when we were there, and it ended up being a full on tour of around 40 gigs over the 4 months.”

And it would seem that Thompson attracted more than his fair share of attention during

UK and he was having a lot of success with it.

It’s the digital channel of the BBC I think digital radio is the way forward really, the way to get new options. I mean, if you’re over 30, it’s hard to listen to Triple J, let alone be played on the station.There are people that like it, but if you don’t fit the criteria for it then it’s difficult.

I mean, I fit the criteria of commercial radio better, but the problem is I’m not signed and the way things have gone, by the time X-Factor and Idol contestants have had their turn, space is eaten up by the major labels. Digital Radio is going to come forward in the future. More variety is the way to go, and I would like to see in the next couple of years another national broadcaster for independent music, with a good structured and specific shows. I would also like to hear Triple J play more stuff and be less predictable.”

Carus Thompson performs at Jive on Fri 9 Dec.

SPICKS AND SPECKS

After presenting a total of 277 shows culminating in 1.3 million regular weekly viewers, not forsaking several Logie nominations (including the much coveted Gold trophy for host Adam Hills), along with attaining possibly the greatest accolade of them all; that being the cover of Rolling Stone, cast members Hills, Alan Brough and Myf Warhurst have mutually decided to call it a day for Spicks & Specks.

Combining music, comedy and interesting annotations straight from the mouths of industry insiders, Spicks & Specks’ has left many indelible recollections for those who watched the show over its seven-year course. Now, instead of simply disappearing from our TV screens, as part of the show’s last hoorah and thank you, they’ve once again decided to hit the road in what they call, ‘Spicks & Speck-tacluar: The Finale’. Alan Brough

took a bit time away from rehearsals to explain what it’s all about, and why they all gave notice.

“This time around it’s going to be bigger, better, louder, brighter, faster,” he immediately enthuses, comparing against their 2007/08 stage show. “And it’s going to just by our way of saying goodbye. Right now we’re rehearsing the singing and dancing of what numbers we will be doing on stage, but here the contestants will be chosen from the audience. While they may not be known to people notoriety-wise, I’ve got to say that our experience throughout the first tour that we did the audience members that we got up were fantastic.

What we’ll be creating is a fully rounded evening of entertainment. It’s simply going to be the show with all the daggyness and aspects of what people love about it.

“The ABC didn’t pull the plug,” he quickly

BY STEVE JONES

states when asked why it’s coming to an end. “We decided to finish up because we were still enjoying the show and so were the viewers, so we wanted everyone to have really good memories of it and not overstay our welcome,” he reasons, adding: “so we’ve decided to leave a little bit early rather than stay that little bit late. We were still enjoying it and so were the audiences and it’s very rare that you get to finish things when you really want to on a high.”

Of course over the time being involved on the show, Brough got to meet and interact with many of his musical and pop culture heroes citing original Slits vocalist Ari Up, who was “just bonkers” as the most memorable, comedian Denise Scott as the funniest, with Lloyd Cole being his favourite. “I’d be meeting people whose work I’ve loved for many years so I’d just have

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continue playing music, have (our families), music, life, and love. All of that.”

An interesting thing to notice, however, is that the band is nearing the end of their current recording contract, which could open them up to the possibility of shifting label, or even starting their own.“We’re not sure what lies ahead, but it’s definitely something we’ve thought about,” Pasillas says.“It could be really cool for us to be completely independent, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

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to look, see that that they were really there and then go away and have a bit of a breath,” Brough recalls of his occasional lapse of composure.

“I’d have to collect myself before going back in, but I soon learnt to keep myself together in most circumstances. And in a situation like ‘Spicks & Specks’ it doesn’t help their performance if you’re losing your mind because of who they are; you want to be able to get to them and to who they really are, you know?”

‘Spicks & Speck-tacular’ is at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Fri 16 & Sat 17 Dec.

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METAL NEWS

BY WILL OAKESHOTT

imilar to how a broken clock tells the correct time twice a day, Byron Bay’s metalcore juggernaut, Parkway Drive, have returned to home soil for a fleeting visit. But it is without a heavy heart that the quintet continue their travels. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

“The next tour we are doing is in Central and South America which is just going to be amazing and the first time we have been there.

We have four shows in Mexico then Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica then we go to Brazil, Columbia, Argentina, Ecuador and Venezuela.

It’s going to be remarkable and hopefully wild,” drummer Ben Gordon enthuses. “I’m not sure how the shows are going to go, but we specifically asked for a longer run of dates down there. That’s why we love being in a band, because we want to go to new places and play to new people and just experience the world. Some bands won’t do this because they’ll only play for ‘X’ amount of money, but we’re happy to break even or even lose money to visit places.

“I think I can see us slowing down our global travel in the near future, but right now we are still having fun doing this so and kids are still enjoying our band somehow!” Gordon laughs.

“We are documenting it at the moment for the next DVD, which will include shows in Central America, South America, all of Asia and maybe India. I know Lamb Of God played Calcutta once, so we want to play a couple of shows over there. But unlike the first DVD, I don’t want show a snippet of countries we visit, I want to go into detail. On that first one I had to cover the band’s eight year history, which was a lot to deal with.”

Although discussing past, present and future travels is nothing short of engaging, what really excites Parkway Drive today is their inclusion into the 2012 Big Day Out line-up.

“We’ve only done the Gold Coast Big Day Out before, and that was about five years ago,”

As all those who rocked up for it would have been dismayed to discover, the Negura Bunget show that was to have taken place here at the Enigma Bar on Thu 17 Nov was cancelled. As it happened, the long-running Romanian folk/black metal outfit were unable to make it out to Australia at all due to their drummer, Negru, breaking his ankle.

Both the band and promoter have promised to reschedule the tour, which was to have included nearly every capital city in the country, culminating in an appearance of the group at Melbourne’s Sonic Forge Festival. At this stage, it seems likely that the tour will be happening at the same time next year.

Moving onto overseas news, the BIG story of the last few weeks is, of course, Black Sabbath’s getting back together with their original line up of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. While rumours of this reunion had been circulating for some months beforehand, it wasn’t until Fri 11 Nov that the band actually confirmed them, making the announcement at a special ceremony at Hollywood club Whisky A Go Go, the place where they’d made their Los Angeles debut exactly 41 years earlier.

The group said that they were also hoping to release a new album (their first with that line up since 1978), the writing for which is apparently already half-complete. Sabbath plan to embark upon a world tour, to happen sometime next year.

Sepultura have parted ways with drummer Jean Dolabella, who left the Brazilian outfit to concentrate on personal projects.

Replacing him is Eloy Casagrande, a ‘drum prodigy’ from São Paulo who’s only twenty years old. “I’m sure Eloy will do a great job with Sepultura,” said guitarist Andreas Kisser. “He’s already a musician who shows a lot of strength and technique, although he’s young. We did a rehearsal with him and it was fantastic; he played the old and new material as if he was in the band for a long time. Sepultura will show the world another Brazilian talent on the drums.”

His predecessor had been a member of the band since 2006, when he replaced founding drummer Igor Cavalera.

Iron Maiden front-man Bruce Dickinson’s already busy life looks set to become even more so with the recent unfortunate collapse

Gordon says. “At that time it was the biggest and best show we had ever played and we had only released ‘Killing With A Smile’. Ever since then we have wanted to do the whole tour and now we finally are.”

Having just returned from a largely successful tour of North America with UK friends Bring Me The Horizon and Architects, it’s a wonder that the PWD camp have maintained their creative energy amongst their heavy schedule.

“We have been writing pretty much since ‘Deep Blue’ came out. That’s kind of how we do it. Some bands won’t write at all and then cram twelve songs into a three month break, but we have to spread it out. We take our time because we are quite picky. We have written eight or nine songs and it’s sounding really good, so we’ll probably record early to mid next year.

“I think for our three albums now we have just evolved and gotten better and progressed quite naturally. Personally, it’s still going along the same lines, but the songs are a lot better by comparison in my opinion. There is no drastic change; just more dynamic, still heavy. It definitely will be more diverse.”

And according to Gordon, there may be a couple of new tracks previewed for Big Day Out punters.

Parkway Drive will perform at Big Day Out on Fri 3 Feb.

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of Astraeus Airlines, the British-based aviation company for which he’d been a pilot for a number of years. The airline company (which takes its name from that of the Ancient Greek God of the Dusk) was placed into administration and ordered to “cease operations with immediate effect” on the Mon 21 Nov. Its chief executive, Hugh Parry, attributed the airline’s failure to a downturn in business and “some extremely bad luck with a number of technical issues.” Dickinson (who, coincidentally, flew the airline’s last flight before the order to cease operations took effect) has vowed to resurrect his former employer, blaming its failure in part on a bad business model that was imposed upon it by its Icelandic owners, and which is now no longer in effect. He also revealed that he has a number of other aviation-related projects in the pipeline (among them the development of a flight-training school, and an unspecified project that he predicted could result in “the creation of as many as 1,500 jobs in aerospace in South Wales”), and promised fans that his band’s famous personal Boeing 757, ‘Ed Force One’ (the subject of the recent documentary movie Iron Maiden: Flight 666) would stay in the air.

On Sat 10 Dec, there’ll be a double CD launch happening at the Enigma Bar. Not only will locals Double Dragon be launching their long-awaited sophomore album, ‘Sons of Asena’, while Queensland-based Truth Inc. Records label mates Lynchmada will be launching their own second full-length offering, ‘To The Earth’. Also playing on the night will be Truth Corroded, Isaw and A Murder Of Crows. Doors open at 8pm.

Finally, to end this fortnight’s column with a charming little feel-good story. Israel’s Orphaned Land went above and beyond the call of duty when a recent show of theirs in Marseille, France, had to be cancelled due to “electricity power problems” in that city.

To ensure that the night wasn’t a total loss for those who’d come to see them, they took to the street in front of the show venue and put on a “rare acoustic performance” for the crowd. Definitely a way to score points with your existing fans, and probably a good way of getting some new ones as well!

James Brazel iranon@optusnet.com.au

dB Magazine 30 November 2011

INDUSTRY NEWS Indies Dominate At ARIAs The five wins by Boy & Bear and three by Goyte helped the overall tally by indie labels reach 18, compared to the 12 by major labels. Eleven A Music Company notched up five, followed by four for ABC Music, three for MGM, two each for Modular and Dew Process, and one each for Liberation, Alberts and Roadshow. Of the majors, both Universal and Sony had five wins, EMI and Warner one each.

However, Universal’s tally rises to 20 as Modular, Dew Process, Eleven, Modular, Liberation and ABC come under its umbrella.

Boy & Bear’s debut album ‘Moonfire’ (Island/ Universal) took album of the year, adult alternative album, breakthrough artist — album, as well as best group and breakthrough artist — single. (Singer Dave Hosking thanked "all of the people who let us sleep on their floors," while drummer Tim Hart reckoned Middle East should have taken out best album).

Goyte’s Somebody That I Used to Know (Samples 'n' Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company) took single, pop release and best male in addition to the producer, video and engineer categories announced last month (no wonder Perth MC Drapht, who won just one out of seven nominations thanked him for not making a hip hop album this year). In the public vote, Birds Of Tokyo were most popular Australian artist, Pink the international equivalent, and The Living End (who walked the red carpet with beers in hand) for Australian live artist. Kasey Chambers who beat husband Shane Nicholson for the country award laughingly hoped he’d beat her at the country music awards in January “or else there’ll be a divorce”.

Among those performing at Allphones Arena in Sydney were Kimbra who took a helicopter to Sydney after her set at the Queenscliff festival in Victoria to do the first TV performance with Goyte, Gurrumul with Missy Higgins, and a surprise appearance

by Delta Goodrem paying tribute to those in the Australian music community who died in the past 25 years with a rendition of Wendy Matthews’ The Day You Went Away. PM Julia Gillard and Molly Meldrum inducted a teary and reborn blonde Kylie Minogue into the Hall of Fame while actor David Wenham did the honours for The Wiggles.

New Stats On Community Radio New research from McNair Ingenuity unveiled at the CBAA (Community Broadcasting Association of Australia) Nov 19 conference on the Gold Coast provided a great insight into the community radio sector. The research firm’s Matt Balogh revealed that 19,323 people volunteer in 288 fully licenced stations.

Community radio is generating less revenue — $65.9 million in the 2009/10 financial year down from $69.8 million the previous year. But community radio provides 34,691 hours of local content and 14,254 hours of community service announcements. It plays an average of 37% Australian music, and. 65% of stations now stream their programs, the data showed.

Full report and audio of speeches and workshops at cbaa.org.au.

FEEL PRESENTS

Fuse Performance Deadline Just a reminder that the new deadline for applications for Fuse’s two nights of showcases is Fri 16 Dec. Fuse East (in venues in the east side of Adelaide) on Feb 22 and Fuse West on Feb 23, on both ends of the city and putting 80 acts before important industry eyes and ears. Register your interest at http://www.sonicbids.com/ FuseFestival2012.

SUNDAY 22ND APRIL HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE

Stereosonic Sydney Sets Record Stereosonic’s Sydney show on Sunday broke the record for most people at a single-day festival in Australia: a bit over 60,000. This year it upsized to the massive ANZ Stadium and sold out the night before the show.

Things We Hear • One estimate puts $8 million of lost sponsorship for Southern Cross Austereo after Kyle Sandilands’ vile on air rant. 23 companies pulled out.

• Will Cat Stevens’ musical ‘Moonshadow’ open in Melbourne in May? • The guitarist of a US Bon Jovi cover band got so sick of doing their songs that he smashed up his guitar onstage and stormed off.

• Aussie electronic producer Pogo blogged that due to a visa hassle, he was detained in the US, and now cannot return there for ten years. Pogo (Nick Bertke) blamed his two week stay in a US county jail and a further week in a federal detention centre on the Agency Group, promoter of his September tour. “I was unimpressed with these people to put it mildly,” he reported.

• Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson is about to lose his “other job” as pilot for Astraeus Airlines: it’s entering administration and grounded all flights.

• Richard Wilkins’ ‘Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green

ON SALE NOW TICKETS FROM WWW.BASS.NET.AU, PH: 131 246 OR IN PERSON AT ALL BASS OUTLETS

WWW.FEELPRESENTS.COM WWW.HENRYROLLINS.COM

dB Magazine 30 November 2011

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BY CHRISTIE ELIEZER

Rooms’ was declared a best seller by publisher New Holland, adding “best-selling author” to his CV. • Missy Elliott had to deny internet rumours she’d passed away; “It makes me work harder (to) make 'em mad!” she tweeted.

• 15,000 Chisel fans at Rod Laver Arena chanted for the band to do Khe Sanh — but they still didn’t do it!

• The Fremantle Dockers football team will keep its 16-year old theme song but want its composer Ken Walther to update it. Club members voted against new songs offered by Eskimo Joe (Freo, Freo) and Melbourne writer Rosco Elliott (The Mighty Roar Of Freo).

• The Roots, who are the house band of NBC-TV’s ‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon’, had to apologise to Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann for playing Fishbone’s ‘Lyin’ Ass Bitch’ as she came on the show!

Changes At 891 ABC Adelaide Journalist Michael Smyth joins 891 ABC Adelaide next year to host the drive shift. Sonya Feldhoff moves to afternoons, replacing Carole Whitelock who retires at the end of 2011.

Folkies Collective Seeking Funding Adelaide folk performers Cal Williams Jr, Emily Davis, The Yearlings, Courtney Robb, Anthony D’Antonio, Kelly Menhennett, Andy & Marta, Simon Peter, Mary Webb and The Timbers have teamed up for ‘Preloved Folk’. They’re recording an album covering each others songs. They’re asking for donations in their quest to raise $5,000 via the Pozible site.

‘Clip It!” Initiative Launches Its Videos ‘Clip It!’, the joint initiative by Media Resource Centre and Music SA to team eight SA acts with eight SA film makers, is launching the result on Fri 9 Dec at the Mercury Cinema on Morphett Street. The initiative was sponsored by Canon Australia whose Digital SLR (still image) camera range was used exclusively in the clips.

Wanna Play ‘Indie In The Park’?

Prospect Council is hosting a weekly music event for young people each Saturday afternoon at Prospect Memorial Gardens from 4pm. It’s looking at local indie acts whose members are aged under 19, hoping to stimulate Prospect’s indie scene. Two acts play at each session. Contact Brendan Lott on 8342 8057 to book your band. See prospect.sa.gov.a prospect.sa.gov.au.

Lifelines Born: son Wynton Bryce, to Stu Watters, managing director of Brisbane’s Morph TV (and onetime GM of AIR) and wife Andy.

Born: daughter to British singer Lily Allen and businessman husband Sam. Born: daughter Stella to Temper Trap’s Jonathon Aherne and his wife, last month in London.

Hospitalised: George Michael in Vienna from pneumonia, rescheduling Euro dates.

In Court: Former Melbourne-based tour manager John Raymond Zimmerman, 26, pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court to 87 charges including sex and child porn. The court heard that he met 55 girls between the ages of 13 to 17 on social media sites, and promised some free tickets to gigs and backstage access in return for sexual favors.

In Court: the feud between Noel and Liam Gallagher worsened with Noel filing court documents accusing Liam of abusive and “irresponsible” behavior prior to Oasis’ split in 2009.

In Court: Kenneth Davis, 37, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court for playing his violin on a train last December (a criminal offence) and physically threatening a transport officer who told him to stop.

The charges will be dropped in three months as Davis wrote a letter of apology and donated $50 to The Choir Of Hard Knocks.

TV Figures The grand finale of ‘The X Factor’ drew 1.99 million viewers, and was most watched show last Tuesday night … The finale of ‘Spicks & Specks’ reached 1.6 million with a total share of 28%, topping Wednesday night … And proving that radio people don’t always translate to TV, the first episode of ‘Kyle And Jacki O's Night With The Stars’ which started with 1.4 million viewers and dropped to 200,000 by the end, leading to Kyle’s documented meltdown.

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dB Magazine 30 November 2011

BILLIONS AUSTRALIA PRESENTS

NICK CAVE � WARREN ELLIS � MARTYN CASEY � JIM SCLAVUNOS

AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2011 THURSDAY 8 DECEMBER HQ, ADELAIDE 1 North Terrace. Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au and OzTix outlets . www.grinderman.com dB Magazine 30 November 2011

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dB Magazine 30 November 2011

INTERVIEW

I

SEEKER LOVER KEEPER

t may have started as a lark and a chance to have fun together, but the threeheaded folk-pop beast that is Seeker Lover Keeper has become something so much more than that.

Holly Throsby, Sarah Blasko and Sally Seltmann have never individually achieved the success that their joint project has achieved, debuting at third place in the ARIA charts in June this year, and since certified gold with over 35,000 sales.

The trio toured together around the time of the album’s release to sell-out shows, and now December will see them team together once more for a series of shows in churches around Australia. It’s not exactly rock ‘n roll, and no, alcohol is unlikely to be available.

“That’s the first question from every Australian,” Blasko muses.

“Will I be able to have a beer?” Throsby chimes in. “We don’t actually know the answer – do any of you know the answer?” she queries of her collaborators.

“There tends to be no alcohol in churches,” Blasko, who comes from a religious background, says, “so we were thinking about doing a communion as part of the set.”

“Maybe we could just do shots instead of the wine,” Seltmann deadpans in response.

The trio, on the dial from locations around the world (Blasko is currently based in England), answer in harmony a lot of the time, and laugh together as well. It’s a hypnotising effect, as is their combination of singing voices on the album – there’s something beautiful about it, but it’s also striking like a clarion call.

“We thought that we’d like to do another tour again,” explains Seltmann, “and we said yes to being the first band ever to do it for a

INTERVIEW

Hang on… Matlock? Wasn’t he a Sex Pistol? A member of The Professionals? The Rich Kids? And now in The Faces?

Correct.

The International Swingers is a side project, a fun band comprising some great mates – Clem Burke (Blondie etc.), James Stevenson (Generation X, Chelsea, The Cult etc.) and Gary Twinn (Speedtwinn, Supernaut etc.).

“James plays with me in my other band The Philistines, and I think Clem is one of the best drummers in the world; it’s an honour to play with him. Hopefully he’d say the same about me,” Matlock quips.

“It’s a big wide world out there, and I’d rather be out there touring and playing music than sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring.”

I

trio are known, more or less, as solo artists, but when Seeker Lover Keeper is released internationally it will to some extent be the first time that audiences might have heard of any of them, giving the album a different connotation to its local release. The next step is to follow it up with a second record, at lease so that each writer gets a chance to contribute a “Theme” song, as Blasko did on

INTERNATIONAL SWINGERS

“O

INTERVIEW

Seeker Lover Keeper play Fri 2 Dec at the Flinders St Baptist Church.

new touring company that’s setting it all up.”

Playing in a venue that’s not necessarily designed for plugged-in instrumentation will, undoubtedly, present certain challenges.

“It’s a little unknown I guess,” Throsby says, “but I think it’ll be really nice to play in those old buildings.”

“We’re going to have a really good crew who will make it sound amazing,” Blasko adds, before the three all burst into laughter once more. “I don’t why I said that,” she gets out mid-guffaw.

“You’ve gotta big-up the crew!” Seltmann chimes in. “They never get the credit for making us sound fantastic.”

There was no initial plan for this tour to ever happen so quickly after the first burst of performing live in the wake of the album’s release.

“I think the initial plan,” Seltmann explains, “was to make the album and have a really fun experience together and just do one tour.”

“We hadn’t really thought beyond that,” Throsby takes up. “We were really surprised and excited at how well the tour went – everyone really loved it and the response from the audience was so lovely that after that had finished we decided to do another one.”

With the album set to be released in the UK and Europe in early 2012 as well as in Japan and the United States, it’s reasonable to expect that Seeker Lover Keeper will be a continuing project. It will be interesting to see how it’s received – obviously in Australia the

n Saturday we fly to LA to rehearse, then on with the tour, so it’s good to get the band together,” says Glen Matlock of The International Swingers, sounding well chuffed with himself.

he still gets recognized in the street. “I was living in this flat, like with the bloke whose band opened for Bo Diddley, they came to pick him up. There’s knock on the door, I answer it, and there’s Bo Diddley standing there. He says ‘I need to use the can, can I come in?’. That’s my greatest claim to fame,” he relates with a snort.

“You’ve outlasted a few people…” I venture, and he snorts again. “That just proves I’m either thick skinned or I vacillate.

What I do I call ‘serious fun’. Like back in the days when there was pirate radio, a fantastic thing, that coincided with Kinks, The Stones, Yardbirds,” he rattles off.

“Anyone you like these days?,” I ask.

“Nah, I’m probably showing my age but no-one in particular. It’s more when someone

Recently, Matlock filled in playing in Primal Scream, taking over duties from the Stones Roses Mani at a benefit gig for the Japanese tsunami victims at Brixton Academy. You get the feeling he doesn’t really like to talk about Sex Pistols days, probably feeling that after 35 years, a film or two and a pair of autobiographies (one from him, one from Lydon, his was titled ‘I Was A Teenage Sex Pistol’) all that’s there to tell has been told.

Later when we discuss the International Swingers setlist he sniffs at the thought that he’ll be doing lead vocals on a ‘Pistols song or two, likely Pretty Vacant. “It won’t be like Rotten,” he assures me with a hint of scorn.

“Where you calling from?”, he jumps in, and when I tell ‘Adelaide’ and say he was here in 1996 on the Sex Pistols ‘Filthy Lucre’ Tour. His only comment is “that’s right” before recalling another occasion. “I was down there with Johnny Thunders a few days before the Grand Prix and the tour manager wanted to drive us around the grand prix track.”

Like a number of his stories, it doesn’t really go anywhere, it just stops.

Fame he feels, is a fleeting thing, but I bet

GUITAR WOLF

their debut.

“I think that’s why I called it that actually,” she says, “so that we all have to write Seeker Lover Keeper ‘Theme’ songs. I'm sure this will be something that we’ll all want to come back to again when we’ve got the time and we’re excited about it again. I don’t think we have a plan in mind.”

BY ALEX WHEATON like Earl (Slick, now in the New York Dolls) rings up and says ‘I’m in town, wanna come to the show?’. I went to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers the other night because my son wanted to see them. All right if you like that sort of thing,” he manages to sound magnanimous.

The International Swingers play the hits at The Gov on Wed 7 Dec

BY PATRICK LANG

’m not entirely sure which member of Japanese cult Jet Rock ‘n’ Roll trio Guitar Wolf I’m speaking to over the course of our interview, but it doesn’t really matter. The members have eschewed their names, merely going by Guitar Wolf, Bass Wolf and Drum Wolf, which is punk minimalism distilled to its finest. So, while I expect I’m probably talking to guitarist and singer Seiji, it’s safer to just assume I’m addressing the mighty Wolf as a singular, gestalt entity.

gambit too; on being asked what fans should expect from a Guitar Wolf show, I’m told, “You should come if you want to see the dream of the universe in rock. Don't forget a rabies shot to protect yourself from Wolf disease”.

Unsure of whether I’m having fun poked at me or merely witnessing an odd cultural disconnect, I change tactics and ask if there’s any new material being developed. After all, it’s been a good year since their last record, ‘Spacebattleshiplove’.

“I'm always open to receive the telepathy from the universe,” the collective Wolf replies.

“It happened to be from the Andromeda this time. They sent me the radio wave. The radio wave usually catches the cosmic storm, communication of dangerous spaceships and the aliens, too. I'm always trying to delete those noise but it is very difficult to do so. I myself is infected with cosmic illness. It may be the reason why I receive the telepathy from the universe all the time”.

Eventually, after a bit more prodding the band admits they have at least one new song.

“Recently my receptor has not working

The band is currently on tour in Europe before a return visit to Australia, where they’ll be bringing their own unique brand of rock to Adelaide. If you’ve never experienced Guitar Wolf before, imagine The Ramones on speed mixed with British ’77 punk attitude, a predilection for noise and lyrics written by someone with a general idea of the English language, rather than a specific grasp. I ask the trio if they’re looking forward to returning to Adelaide.

“Of course, yes. I will never forget the night with you in Adelaide. Both you and I were very intense and great,” comes the reply. I very quickly realise that this is going to be one of those interviews. It’s only the opening dB Magazine 30 November 2011

BY ANDREW WEAVER

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well,” the band (sort of) explains. “So I changed my receptor's angle to the fourth dimensional world. Then I started getting the radio waves from the world of the phantoms.

Annoying... but I couldn't stop it coming. A new song Phantom You has come out. Very annoying. Trouble, trouble”.

Despite their nonchalant attitude, the band has always seemed to take rock and roll quite seriously. I ask what rock and roll means to them? “It’s not that serious. I just want to hook up with the girls”.

And as for plans after the tour? “I would end up in the gossip scandal with an Australian actress”.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Guitar Wolf.

Note: While I corrected some minor spelling errors, I thought it best to leave the Wolf ’s “idiosyncratic” approach to grammar intact as it better confers their style.

Guitar Wolf will perform at Jive on Thu 8 Dec.

INTERVIEW

THE MISFITS

BY JAMES McKENZIE The band split in 1983 following Danzig’s somewhat acrimonious departure, but were reformed by Only in 1995, since which time he has been the only constant. On the line from his home in New Jersey, Only proves to be gregarious and passionate as he talks about the long genesis of their new album ‘The Devil’s Rain’, their first album of original material in twelve years. “We were searching for the right people to do the job for a long time. When I started working with Dez (Cadena, guitarist) back in 2001 for our twenty-fifth anniversary, I just knew there was something special there because we really enjoyed working together. Then it was just a matter of finding the right guy to play the drums. We were working with Eric (Arce, drummer) for years because Robo always had problems coming from Columbia and getting a visa into other countries. Eric was actually there the day that Murphy’s Law (Arce’s former band) was playing with The Misfits, the same night that Michael Graves and Chuck quit in the middle of a tour for ‘Famous Monsters’. That was really the day that Eric started playing with us. So this lineup of the band has been putting together the concept of the ‘Devil’s Rain’ album since 1999.”

The album cover is a striking piece of work by Arthur Suydam that encapsulates the intent and inspiration behind the music.

“The thing is it looks like a picture from the bible, you know those pictures of god coming down from heaven. Well, this is the other side! I actually think it’s the greatest album cover that anyone has ever had. And let me tell you, while it took ten or eleven years to put together, ‘Devil’s Rain’ is really significant because a lot of people stood against us and tried to pull us down. It’s about descending from heaven and destroying your enemies and this is really what this is about, and the band stands for that as well. Kids look at their life, the things that they do and the hardships they have to face whether its family problems or peer pressure at school. This is the kind of band that personifies survival and a relentless pursuit of something you believe in. I think

W

riting for this esteemed publication I have had the opportunity to speak to some amazing people, but talking to Jerry Only, one of the founders of the Misfits, is right up there. The Misfits were formed

by Only and Glenn Danzig back in 1977, playing their debut gig at CBGBs. Since then they have released classic albums such as ‘Famous Monsters’ and ‘American Psycho’, been feted by the likes of Metallica and Henry Rollins, and of course their iconic skull logo is embedded in popular culture and couture in much the same way as the logos of Motorhead and The Ramones.

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that we really put everything together in this package and I’m really proud of it.”

The Misfits return to Australia for a national tour in December. As Only explains in his typically fervent manner local fans can expect a mix of the old and the new when his band hits the stage. “We go out and play eighty per cent of the new album in the first twenty minutes! So you’re gonna hear it whether you like it or not! We come out and give it to you straight up. It’s one of the boldest moves we’ve done, but I think we earn a lot of respect that way for our passion to create new music. We do pay respect to where we came from and the effort made by the people before us, but we’re here to make new music. But we do play stuff from ‘Static Age’, and we do a lot of stuff from ‘Famous Monsters’ and ‘American Psycho’. The last nine songs of the set are all killers! We’ve got a hardcore drummer now, he’s got like a V12 engine! So we really take it up to you. We set you up all night to get you right in front of us and then we cut your heads off!”

Only is not a man to sit back and rest on his laurels. With a new album and renewed sense of purpose he is very much looking forward rather than to the past, he succinctly puts it when I ask what he thinks his band’s legacy will be. “Well, I’ll tell you what, we’re working on that! Our legacy is ahead of us and not behind us. You’ll know when I know!”

The Misfits play Fowlers Live on Sunday December 4.

‘The Devil’s Rain’ is out now on Misfits Records.

dB Magazine 30 November 2011

THE FRIDGE

Saturdays Hilton Hotel (Hilton) – ‘Retro Saturdays @ MyBar’: DJ V + MC Timmy Pine HQ – Stereosonic After Party w John Course Iso Bar – Sound Mechanics: r’n’b & urban with DJ Nick Ford & MC Paul Curran Jive Bar – Set Sail + Holland + Kuarna Cronin Kings Head – Smik Saturdays: Wade C, VIP & Madness Lakes Resort – Cherry Soda Duo; Reflections Bar: Coolmints Duo London Tavern – DJ Dynamic Mansions – Mansions Saturdays: DJ Michael Constant, DJ Steve Reece, MC Eggo Mars Bar – Main Room: DJs BeeJay & guests + Floorshow starring Rochelle, Fifi & cast; Kitchen Bar: DJ Fraser & guests Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Zkye High Band Mojo – Rotating DJs Norwood Hotel – DJs Sam & Glen Oriental – Dynasty Pier One Bar – DJ Skot Holder Quiet Waters – Belly Dancing with Shamira Ramsgate Hotel – Acoustic Sessions Red Square – ‘Red Square Saturdays’: Decker, DJ Brendan, DJ Femme, DJ Lazy B, DJ Ryley, Krispy, MC DV8, MC Jazz Salt – Funky Jazz & House by Sound Mechanics Savvy – Professor X, Wade C, VIP, Henry Hains Seacliff Beach Hotel – The Swedes Seaford Hotel – Seaford Live: S-Bar – Schoolies: MC Cosi & S-Bar Slaves Shotz – DJ Chris Pike Stamford Plaza – Swish: Summer Beach Party Weekend w DJ Dylan Manov + DJ Paul Curran Stockade Tavern – Fuel Bar: DJ Dynamic The Duck Inn – Enuf Said The Ed Castle – Plus One Saturdays with live bands and party DJs from 9pm The Goody Hotel – DJ Ahmeed The Stag – DJ Huddy Victoria Hotel (O’Halloran Hill) – DJ Spoonylove Village Tavern – Club XS DJs Warradale Hotel – KTC Duo Wheatsheaf Hotel – Nigel Wearne + Emily Davis Worldsend – ‘Moscow Sessions’: Antiks, Adam Lawrence, Keyser, Tommi

WED NOV 30 - TUE DEC 13

Wed 30 Nov Alma Tavern – Dfanny Green Fight Arkaba Hotel – Tavern: DJ Hugo Salcedo Top room: Salsa Dance Classes Avoca Hotel – Live Sessions & DJ DMH Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Bombay Bicycle Club – Sean Robertson Colonel Light Hotel – DJ Chombo Coopers Alehouse @ The Earl – Darren & Carmen Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Hear No Evil w DJs Nixon & Bunyip Cumberland Arms – d’n’b with DJs Swift and Stryke Daniel O’Connell Hotel – Open Mic Earth – Flashback & Perfect Match: MC/DJ Renard & Miss Suzie Ed Castle – DJ Antony Of The Future Electric Light Hotel – DJs AliX & Ocky Elysium Lounge – Chilled Beats Empire Pool Lounge – DJ Orbe Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – Big Al’s Krazy Karaoke Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Open Mic Night Grace Emily Hotel – TBC Grand Bar – Wasabi + DJ Marek Heaven – Dirty Harry HQ – ‘Flashdance’ Kings Head – DJ Driller Mars Bar – DJK Experience Seaford Hotel – Karaoke with Suzanne Ford S-Bar – Complete Trivia with Des Supermild – Corey, DJ EFTPOS & guests The Goody Hotel – DJ Mike, MC Paul Curran Worldsend – Free Acoustic Music

Thurs 1 Dec Alma Tavern – DJ Abe Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Bombay Bicycle Club – DJ Contact Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Aural Elixir w DJ Bos + live sax Cumberland Arms Hotel – RnB with DJ Well Earth – Thirsty Thursdays: Up And Coming DJs + Adrian V, Odyessy, Banshee, Miss Em & guests Ed Castle – DJ Mikey Edinburgh Hotel – DJs Ben James, Marty & Rashi Electric Light Hotel – Ill Street Blues: DJs Antdigger, Delta & guests Elysium Lounge – Guest DJs Empire Pool Lounge – DJ Orbe Finn MacCool’s – Open Mic Night Gaslight Tavern – Jam with The Gaslight House Band Gilbert Street Hotel – 8 Ball Aitken Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Sherpas Playground Grace Emily Hotel – Sarah McLeod Grand Bar – ‘OMG!’ w DJ Isaac Heaven – Shag! Thursdays Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt McLaughlin Higher Ground – (ArtBase) Character Jam Comedy’s XMAS Special w/ Granny Flaps, Carlo Cabana, Jogger Man and more Highlander Hotel – Hilife DJs Mars Bar – Naughty/Nice with DJ Astro Metropolitan Hotel – The Kremlings + Ricochet Pete + The Molting Vultures Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Disco Revival Night Mojo West – ATB, Professor X, Pranksta, Quantrum & guests Palais (Semaphore) – Sound Mechanics: Sax & DJ Duo PJ O’Briens – The O’Brien’s Portland Hotel (Pt Adelaide) – DJs Brendan & Dynamic: House & r’n’b Prince Albert Hotel – Dusty & Billy Bob Red Square – Roadhouse: DJ Mark C Royal Oak Hotel – Funk & Soul with DJ Ant Williams S-Bar – Ladies Night with MC Cosi Seacliff Beach Hotel – Sean Robertson Shotz – MiracleX DJs: House, Anthems, r’n’b + more Stirling Hotel – Resident NRG & Trance DJs Supermild – Helter Skelter: DJ Jesse and guests The Ed Castle – live bands from 9pm The Goody Hotel – Shine Village Taverner – Club Village DJs Worldsend – Free live Music

Fri 2 Dec Alma Tavern – ‘Rock Out With Your C*ck Out’ Point05 + DJ Hollywood + Cat Vas Archer Hotel – Downstairs: DJ Huddy; Upstairs: DJ Reelax Arkaba Hotel – Tavern: Jaya / DJ Troy Bar On Gouger – Random Hero Boho Bar – DJ Patty + Roving Magician Bushman Hotel – Rock Paper Scissors: DJ Brad Iversen Chichi – DJs Smooth Trax & GBH Cooper’s Alehouse @ The Earl – DJ Semtex Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Loungin’ Large!

Crown & Anchor Hotel - The Bottlerockets + Ryan Mcleod Cumberland Arms Hotel – Funky Lounge with DJ Boss Duke Of York Hotel – DJs Tom, Roasty & friends Electric Light Hotel – Syke Night Elysium Lounge – Soul & Funk: Kubrik, DJs Hemilove & deNorthwode Enigma Bar – Bar 2: The Weight, Flightless, Ill Vision, Risk & Reason, Satellite Sleep; Bar 3: Days To Come, When Colours Collide, Fortune For Tragedy, Finding Giants Fowlers Live – The Getaway Plan

dB Magazine 30 November 2011

Garage – DJs Filthy Rich & Matt Pearce Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Let It Be Beatles – XMAS Show; Front Bar: Cal Williams Jnr + Friends Blues Night Grace Emily Hotel – Van Cleef + The Sunnys + Go Go Sapien Grand Bar – ‘Grand Bar Fridays’ Summer Beach Party w DJ Matty B + Nova’s Jarrodf Walsh Hahndorf Inn – DJ Dynamic Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt Higher Ground – Luna Magnet + Salonkitty + The Clearances + Dogs Are Better Than Cats Highlander Hotel – Hijinks: Hilton Hotel (Hilton) – ‘Boogie Nights in MyBar’: DJ Capital D, MC DV8 Holdfast Hotel – Wasabi HQ – Jedi Mind Tricks Hyatt Regency Adelaide – Waves Nightclub: Miami Nights Iso Bar – Sound Mechanics: r’n’b & urban with DJ Krisp, DJ Sok & Jo Castell Jive Bar – Guineafowl + Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! + Hawks Of Alba Kings Head – In House: DJs Lachlan Pender, D-Lux & VIP Largs Pier – Sound Mechanics: Funky, Motown & Old School Lockleys Hotel – DJ Toopie Mars Bar – Main Room: DJs BeeJay & guests + Floorshow starring Rochelle, Fifi & cast; Kitchen Bar: DJ Fusion & guests Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Ain’t Misbehavin Oriental – DJ Audio Porn Pier One Bar – DJ Skot Holder Producers Bar – Miami Nights Queens Arms – Live Acoustics Ramsgate Hotel – Live Bands Red Square – ‘Gloss Fridays’: Decker, Def Starr, DJ Brendon, Junior, MC Jazz, Stoop Kid Rob Roy Hotel – Robin George Robin Hood Hotel – ‘Friday Night’s The Pianoman’: with Denis Ferraro at the piano Royal Oak Hotel – Groovy Lounge with DJ Derek Lang & friends Savvy – Groovy DJs Seaford Hotel – DJ Marek + MC Jazz Semaphore Workers Club – Matt Taylor + Chain Shores Complex – Boogaloo Latino Lounge: DJ el Papi & Chico Southern Hotel Gawler – Club S: DJ Deelite & Sandra Squatters Arms – The Kremlings + Guttertrash + Kamikaze Stamford Plaza – Swish: Summer Beach Party Weekend w DJ V + MC Timmy Pine Stockade Hotel – Fuel: DJ Nathan Sunnyside Hotel Motel – Idle Saints Supermild – DJ Gumshoe & guests The Ed Castle – live bands and DJs in the front bar from 9pm The Goody Hotel – 100% Hits Fridays: DJ Isaac The Stockade – Foxxy G Warradale Hotel – Stone's Throw Watermark Hotel – E'nuf Said Topaz Bar (Findon Hotel) – DJ Demize Victoria Hotel – DJ Kontrol, DJ Nick Ford, MC Mischief Wheatsheaf Hotel – Hugo Race (The Bad Seeds) Winstons Bar (Pirie St) – Professor X, DJ Jamie, ATB, Stevie & Michael Fraser Worldsend Hotel – ‘Girls Girls Girls’: TomBoy, Doddsy

Sun 4 Dec Alma Tavern – Sunday School: Movember Party w The Idle Saints +

Sat 3 Dec Alma Tavern – ‘MetroRetro’: DJ Issac + DJ Matty B Angas Plains Winery – Mick Kidd Apothecary – Deep House with Bensun & Bundi Archer Hotel – DJs David James & Jaki J Arkaba Hotel – Tavern: Pop Suey; Top room: Mr Buzzy Bar On Gouger – Random Hero Bedford Hotel (Woodville) - Generator Bentley’s Clare – DJ Ben Boho Bar – DJ Pauly + Flavella the Snake Dancer Bushman Hotel – ‘I Love Retro!’ w DJ V Cavern Club – Rocking Stones Tribute Chichi – DJs Smooth Trax & GBH Club 199 – House, Retro Dance Cumberland Arms Hotel – Dance with DJ Harlz Daniel O’Connell Hotel – Fig Jam Duck Inn – Shine Earth – Karma: DJs Gagootz, Re, Josh, Damage, Banshee, H-Bomb + guests Electric Circus – DJs Paul Glenn & D Lux Electric Light Hotel – DJs Hank & Osk, DJ Suckerpunch, DJ Hixxwa, deNorthwode Elysium Lounge – House with DJs Kaelee, Seamless, Sven, Juddo Empire Pool Lounge – Matt Decker, Orb & Tonez Enigma Bar – OFF! + Stolen Youth + Blood Sucking Freaks Format - Gold Bloom, Glisk, Swimming, DJs til late.

Fowlers Live - Northlane Garage – DJ Luke Lombe German Arms – DJ Semtex Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – The Bald Eagles – XMAS Show Grace Emily Hotel – Four Kings Loud Grand Bar – ‘Grand Bar Saturdays’: Summer Beach Party w DJ Dylan Manox + DJ Matty B + DJ Michael Constant + MC Paul Curran + Remedy Duo Grays Inn (Mt Barker) – DJ Dynamic & DJ Biz Griffin's Head – DJs Grosvenor Hotel – Riley Solo Acoustic Hahndorf Inn – DJ Abe & MC Craig Egan Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt McLaughlin Highlander Hotel – Highlander

16

DJ Riley + Loose Marjon DJs Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Boho Bar – General Gist Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Wash w DJ Jason Lee Duck Inn – Russell Stuart Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – Movie Massacre Fowlers Live – The Misfits Gilbert Street Hotel – The Fiddle Chicks Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – The Clouds + Hawks of Alba + 20th Century Graduates Grace Emily Hotel – Brillig – The Hearse Song (Video Clip Launch) Grand Bar – ‘Grand Bar Sundays’: Summer Beach Party w DJ Dylan Manov + DJ Matty B + DJ Michael Constant + MC Paul Curran + Remedy Duo Henley Sandbar – DJ Mark McLaughlan Hilton Hotel – @‘MyBar’: Reid Jones Sax/Percussion Historic Auburn Courthouse, Clare Valley – Whitetop Mountaineers HQ – ‘Garden Grooves’ w Jazzy James, Professor X, Damage Jive Bar – Howling Bells + Gold Bloom + Steve Smyth Lakes Resort – KTC Duo Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Acoustically Raw Pier One Bar – DJs Jayse & Scott Ramada Pier Hotel – DJs Justice, Capital D + more Salt – Funky Jazz & House by Sound Mechanics 4pm Savvy – Sunset: Henry Hains & Sanjii Semaphore Workers Club – 8 Ball Aitken The Duck Inn – Shannon The Ed Castle – acoustic Sundays in the beer garden from 2-6pm, free entry The Goody Hotel – Justin Parker The Oxford Hotel – Miles and Paul West Thebarton Hotel – Karaoke Wheatsheaf Hotel – The Yearlings

Mon 5 Dec Archer Hotel – DJ Ocky Arkaba – Tavern: Terrific Trivia Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Boho Bar – Fortune Teller Broadway Hotel – Riley Solo Acoustic Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Free Pool, Cheap Jugs & Cool Tunes by the Bar Staff Enigma Bar – “Foo Fighters’ After Concert Party Grace Emily Hotel – Billy Bob's BBQ Jam Grand Bar – Industrie Night with DJ Rupheo Rat & Parrott – Karaoke with Annie & Shaggy

Red Square – Chill: DJ Semler Sugar – driLLer, Stephen King Worldsend – S-Fools I-Puddle

Tues 6 Dec Arkaba – Top Room: Gavin Baskerville Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Coopers Ale House – Crikey! An Aussie Night Out Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Eclectric w DJ Tr!p Daniel O'Connell Hotel – Irish Sessions Duke Of York Hotel – Pub Flicks Edinburgh Hotel – DJs Ben, James, Marty + Rashi Electric Light Hotel – Indie Ipod Elephant British Pub – The Jam Night with Core Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – MusicWorks – Christmas Special Grace Emily Hotel – Improv Cabaret Oxford Hotel – E’Nuf Said Royal Oak Hotel – Lucifer’s Lounge S-Bar – Bingo & Funky House with Ben James The Oxford Hotel – Lucifers Lounge The Tonsley – Drive: DJs DMH & Adam Daze Worldsend – Free Live Music

Wed 7 Dec Arkaba Hotel – Tavern: DJ Hugo Salcedo; Top Room: Salsa Dance Classes Avoca Hotel – Live Sessions & DJ DMH Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Boho Bar – Lucifer’s Lounge Bombay Bicycle Club – Sean Robertson Colonel Light Hotel – DJ Chombo Coopers Alehouse @ The Earl – Darren & Carmen Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Hear No Evil w DJs Nixon & Bunyip Cumberland Arms – d’n’b with DJs Swift and Stryke Daniel O’Connell Hotel – Open Mic Earth – Flashback & Perfect Match: MC/DJ Renard & Miss Suzie Ed Castle – DJ Antony Of The Future Electric Light Hotel – DJs AliX & Ocky Elysium Lounge – Chilled Beats Empire Pool Lounge – DJ Orbe Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – Big Al’s Krazy Karaoke Grace Emily Hotel – Yellow Blue Bus Grand Bar – Wasabi + DJ Marek Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Front Bar: Open Mic Night Heaven – Dirty Harry HQ – ‘Flashdance’: Fairytales Kings Head – DJ Driller Mars Bar – DJK Experience

Mick O‘Shea’s Irish Pub – Celtic Connection Seaford Hotel – Karaoke with Suzanne Ford S-Bar – Complete Trivia with Des Supermild – Corey, DJ EFTPOS & guests The Goody Hotel – DJ Mike, MC Paul Curran Worldsend – Free Acoustic Music

Thurs 8 Dec Alma Tavern – DJ Abe Arkaba Hotel – Tavern: Flaming Sambucas Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Boho Bar – DJ Paulie Bombay Bicycle Club – DJ Contact Broadway Hotel – Riley Solo Acoustic Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Aural Elixir w DJ Bos + live sax Cumberland Arms Hotel – RnB with DJ Well Daniel O’Connell Hotel – Trivia night Earth – Thirsty Thursdays: Up And Coming DJs + Adrian V, Odyessy, Banshee, Miss Em & guests Ed Castle – DJ Mikey Edinburgh Hotel – DJs Ben James, Marty & Rashi Electric Light Hotel – Ill Street Blues: DJs Ant Digger, Delta & guests Elysium Lounge – Guest DJs Empire Pool Lounge – DJ Orbe Finn MacCool’s – Open Mic Night Gaslight Tavern – Jam with The Gaslight House Band Gilbert Street Hotel – Brenton Manser Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Front Bar: Avenue Grace Emily Hotel – Kikuyu + Radio Spectacular + Zoe Behan Grand Bar – ‘OMG!’ w DJ Isaac Heaven – Shag! Thursdays Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt McLaughlin Highlander Hotel – Hilife DJs HQ – Grinderman Jive Bar – Guitarwolf + Shit Magnet + The Amcats Mars Bar – Naughty/Nice: DJ Astro Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Disco Revival Night Mojo West – ATB, Professor X, Pranksta, Quantrum & guests Oriental – Dynasty: DJ Ryley Palais (Semaphore) – Sound Mechanics: Sax & DJ Duo PJ O’Briens – The O’Brien's Portland Hotel (Pt Adelaide) – DJs Brendan & Dynamic: House & r’n’b Prince Albert Hotel – Dusty & Billy Bob Red Square – Roadhouse: DJ Mark C Royal Oak Hotel – Funk & Soul with DJ Ant Williams

S-Bar – Ladies Night with MC Cosi Shotz – MiracleX DJs: House, Anthems, r’n’b + more Stirling Hotel – Resident NRG & Trance DJs Supermild – Helter Skelter: DJ Jesse & guests The Ed Castle – live bands from 9pm The Goody Hotel – Shine Village Taverner – Club Village DJs Worldsend – Free Live Music

Fri 9 Dec Alma Tavern – ‘Rock Out With Your C*ck Out’ w Full Circle + DJ Strawbs + Nat Pike Archer Hotel – Downstairs: DJ Huddy; Upstairs: DJ Reelax Arkaba Hotel – Unitopia Bar On Gouger – Random Hero Boho Bar – DJ Paulie & Guests Bushman Hotel – DJ Nathan Harrison Chichi – DJs Smooth Trax & GBH Cooper’s Alehouse @ The Earl – DJ Semtex Crown & Sceptre Hotel – The Good Lucks (live) + DJs Soulshine, Medhi, Stephen King Cumberland Arms Hotel – Funky Lounge with DJ Boss Duke Of York Hotel – DJs Tom, Roasty & friends Earth Club – Altitude: DJs Banshee, AdrianV, CheekyB, Odyessy Electric Light Hotel – Syke Night Elysium Lounge – Soul and Funk: Kubrik, DJs Hemilove & deNorthwode Enigma Bar – Bar 2: My Catalyst, Mara Jade, At Fates Mercy, Visions, Rising From Ruins; Bar 3: Existential

Deception, Dan Raw, Ben David, Cyclosa, Gorelapse Fowlers Live – Got Beef “War Of The Worlds 3” Garage – DJs Filthy Rich & Matt Pearce Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Tim Freedman & The Idle + Gossling Grace Emily Hotel – Van Cleef + Tuscerado + Surviving Sharks Grand Bar – ‘Flashback Fridays’ w DJ Matty B + Nova’s Jarrod Walsh Hahndorf Inn – DJ Dynamic Hampshire Hotel – DJ Fusion, DJ Josh Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt Highlander Hotel – Hijinks: Hilton Hotel (Hilton) – ‘Boogie Nights in MyBar’ w DJ Capital D + MC DV8 Hyatt Regency Adelaide – Waves Nightclub: Miami Nights Iso Bar – Sound Mechanics: r’n’b & urban with DJ Krisp, DJ Sok & Jo Castell Jive Bar – Carus Thompson Kings Head – In House: DJs Lachlan Pender, D-Lux & VIP Largs Pier – Sound Mechanics: Funky, Motown & Old School Lockleys Hotel – DJ Toopie Mannum Hotel – Mick Kidd Mansions – ‘Mansions Friday’: DJ K2 Mars Bar – Main Room: DJs BeeJay & guests + Floorshow starring Rochelle, Fifi & cast; Kitchen Bar: DJ Fusion & guests Oriental – DJ Audio Porn Pier One Bar – DJ Skot Holder Producers Bar – Miami Nights Queens Arms – Live Acoustics Ramsgate Hotel – Live Bands Red Square – ‘Gloss Fridays’: Red

Square Reverse Decker, DJ Brendon, Junior, MC Jazz, Stoop Kid Rob Roy – Boehoffer Robin Hood Hotel – ‘Friday Night’s The Pianoman’: Denis Ferraro at the piano Royal Oak Hotel – Groovy Lounge with DJ Derek Lang & friends Savvy – Groovy DJs Seaford Hotel – DJ Marek + MC Dave Eason Semaphore Workers Club – Torinos Shores Complex – Boogaloo Latino Lounge: DJ el Papi & Chico Southern Hotel Gawler – Club S: DJ Deelite & Sandra Stamford Plaza – Swish: 90s Dance Night w DJ RMAC + DJ V + MC Timmy Pine Stockade Hotel – Fuel: DJ Nathan Supermild – DJ Gumshoe & guests Tea Tree Gully Hotel – DJ Michael Constant, MC Kris The Ed Castle – live bands and DJs in the front bar from 9pm The Goody Hotel – 100% Hits Fridays w DJ Isaac The Stockade – Foxxy G Topaz Bar (Findon Hotel) – DJ Demize Victoria Hotel – DJ Kontrol + DJ Nick Ford + MC Mischief Wheatsheaf Hotel – Flap!

Winstons Bar (Pirie St) – Professor X, DJ Jamie, ATB, Stevie & Michael Fraser Worldsend Hotel – ‘Girls Girls Girls’: TomBoy, Doddsy

Sat 10 Dec Alma Tavern – ‘MetroRetro’ w DJ

Isaac + MC Craig Egan Apothecary – Deep House with Bensun & Bundi Archer Hotel – DJs David James & Jaki J Arkaba Hotel – Brit Night: Let It Be Beatles, The Police Synchronicity Bar On Gouger – Random Hero Bentley’s Clare – DJ Ben Boho Bar – DJ Paulie & Guests Bushman Hotel – ‘I Love Retro!’: DJ Silver Cavern Club – Glam Rock Night Chichi – DJs Smooth Trax & GBH Club 199 – House, Retro Dance Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Random Soul (live) plus DJs Eez-G, Juddo, Elliot Ness, Jason Lee, Bos Cumberland Arms Hotel – Dance with DJ Harlz Daniel O’Connell Hotel – Panic Duck Inn – Cry Wolf Earth – Karma: DJs Gagootz, Re, Josh, Damage, Banshee, H-Bomb + guests Electric Circus – DJs Paul Glenn & D Lux Electric Light Hotel – DJs Hank & Osk, DJ Suckerpunch, DJ Hixxwa, deNorthwode Elysium Lounge – House with DJs Kaelee, Seamless, Sven, Juddo Enigma Bar – Double Dragon, Lynchmada, Truth Corroded, ISAW, A Murder Of Crows Empire Pool Lounge – Matt Decker, Orb & Tonez Garage – DJ Luke Lombe German Arms – DJ Semtex Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Soul Sistas Revuew – XMAS Show Grand Bar – ‘Grand Bar Saturdays’ w DJ Trim + DJ Trix

Grace Emily Hotel – Diesel Witch (Album Launch) Grays Inn (Mt Barker) – DJ Dynamic & DJ Biz Griffin's Head – DJs Hahndorf Inn – DJ Abe & MC Craig Egan Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt McLaughlin Highlander Hotel – Highlander Saturdays: Hilton Hotel (Hilton) – ‘Retro Saturdays @ MyBar’: w DJ V + MC Timmy Pine HQ – The Only Iso Bar – Sound Mechanics: r’n’b & urban with DJ Krisp, DJ Sok & Jo Castell Jive Bar – The Beards XMAS Show + The Stiffys + The Timbers Kings Head – Smik Saturdays: Wade C, VIP & Madness London Tavern – DJ Dynamic Mansions – ‘Mansions Saturdays’: DJ Michael Constant, DJ Steve Reece, MC Eggo Mars Bar – Main Room: DJs BeeJay & guests + Floorshow starring Rochelle, Fifi & cast; Kitchen Bar: DJ Fraser & guests Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Chill Mojo – Rotating DJs Norwood Hotel – DJs Sam & Glen Oakbank Hotel – Mick Kidd Old Spot Hotel – BON 'N' ALL (CLASSIC AC/DC SHOW) Oriental – Dynasty Pier One Bar – DJ Skot Holder Quiet Waters – Belly Dancing with Shamira Ramsgate Hotel – Acoustic Sessions Red Square – ‘Red Square Saturdays’: Decker, DJ Femme, DJ

Lazy B, DJ Ryley, Krispy, MC Jazz, MC DV8 Salt – Funky Jazz & House by Sound Mechanics Savvy – Professor X, Wade C, VIP, Henry Hains Seaford Hotel – Seaford Live S-Bar – Schoolies: MC Cosi & S-Bar Slaves Shotz – DJ Chris Pike Stamford Plaza – ‘Swish Saturdays’ w DJ Dylan Manov + DJ Little Jimmy + MC Paul Curran Stockade Tavern – Fuel Bar: DJ Dynamic Tea Tree Gully Hotel – DJ V The Ed Castle – Plus One Saturdays with live bands and party DJs from 9pm The Goody Hotel – DJ Ahmeed The Stag – DJ Huddy Victoria Hotel (O’Halloran Hill) – DJ Spoonylove Village Tavern – Club XS DJs Wheatsheaf Hotel – 12-3PM: XMAS Ceramic & Glass Sale; 9PM: Charles Jenkins Worldsend – ‘Moscow Sessions’: Antiks, Adam Lawrence, Keyser, Tommi

Sun 11 Dec Alma Tavern – Sunday School w The Old Fella! + DJ Ryley + Loose Marjon DJS + House Arrest Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Boho Bar – Groove Elation Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Sunday Love w DJs Eez-G + Juddo, Elliot Ness, Jason Lee, Bos Forresters and Squatters Arms

Hotel – Movie Massacre Gilbert Street Hotel – Tara Carragher Duo Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Jazz SA: Superbands + Hawks of Alba + 20th Century Graduates Grace Emily Hotel – Felicity Groom Grand Bar – ‘Grand Bar Sundays’ Full Moon Party w Bollocks DJs + DJ Dylan Manov + DJ Matty B + DJ Michael Constant + MC Paul Curran + Shannon Lloyd Hilton Hotel MyBar – Tim Bos DJ & Sax Henley Sandbar – DJ Mark McLaughlan HQ – ‘Garden Grooves’: Jazzy James, Professor X, Damage Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Jambo Pier One Bar – DJs Jayse & Scott Ramada Pier Hotel – DJs Justice, Capital D + more Salt – Funky Jazz & House by Sound Mechanics 4pm Savvy – Sunset: Henry Hains & Sanjii Semaphore Workers Club – Blind Dog Taylor + One More Mile The Ed Castle – acoustic Sundays in the beer garden from 2-6pm, free entry The Goody Hotel – ‘Sunday Sessions’ w Zac Kingston West Thebarton Hotel – Karaoke Woodside Hotel – Mick Kidd

Mon 12 Dec Archer Hotel – DJ Ocky Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Free Pool, Cheap Jugs of Coopers & Tunes spun by the Bar Staff

Grace Emily Hotel – Billy Bob's BBQ Jam Grand Bar – Industrie Night: DJ Rupheo Rat & Parrot – Karaoke with Annie & Shaggy Red Square – Chill: DJ Semler Sugar – driLLer, Stephen King Wheatsheaf Hotel – The Elite Accordion Ensemble Worldsend – S-Fools I-Puddle

Tues 13 Dec Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Coopers Ale House – Crikey! An Aussie Night Out Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Eclectric wi DJ Tr!p Daniel O'Connell Hotel – Irish Sessions Duke Of York Hotel – Pub Flicks Edinburgh Hotel – DJs Ben, James, Marty + Rashi Electric Light Hotel – Indie Ipod Elephant British Pub – The Jam Night with Core Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Front Bar: Uke Night Grace Emily Hotel – “Half Circle” Songwriter Sessions Oxford Hotel – E’Nuf Said Royal Oak Hotel – Lucifer’s Lounge S-Bar – Bingo & Funky House with Ben James The Oxford Hotel – Lucifers Lounge Worldsend – Free Live Music

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17

dB Magazine 30 November 2011

ALBUM REVIEWS white, often through a hazy, blurred lens, the cinematography matches and captures the mood of the music perfectly. There is footage of the band off stage, doing radio interviews or on the tour bus, some of which is even taken from the group’s early days, however, it never really gives too much away. Considering this concert was filmed and edited during the band’s hiatus it offers absolutely nothing towards an explanation on their current state, leaving the question of whether ‘Inni’ is a sign that the band is full steam ahead or more of a reflective piece.

Regardless of what the underlying message is, this release will be enjoyed by Sigur Ros fans and fans of music in general. Simply watch the performance of Svefn-g-englar to see the magic that this band can create and pray that they chose to continue doing it for a little while longer.

WE LIKED IT

AND YOU WILL TOO

Luke Carlino

Lo! Look And Behold Pelagic Records Sometimes it takes the experience and intelligence of a few pioneers in the Australian music landscape to craft a release as exceptional as 'Look And Behold', the debut album from Sydney's Lo!. Originating five years ago after the demise of guitarist Carl Whitbread's original outfit Omerata, Adrian Shapiro (Bass), Jamie-Leigh Smith (Vocals) and Adrian Griffin (Drums) have thankfully climbed on board and helped pilot what can only be described as the best Australian PostMetal release of 2011.

It's of no surprise that this quartet were snared up by Germany's Pelagic Records, home to Germany's greatest progressive metal outfit The Ocean, because what 'Look And Behold' captures within it's ten tracks would definitely have Mastodon taking notice and banging their heads in appreciation. And believe me when I say that other purveyors of this varying sound such as Doomriders, Russian Circles, Baroness, Rosetta, Cult Of Luna and Neurosis would be taken aback by what this Sydney four-piece have assembled. Yes, this is just that good.

Although the record does attain a practically embarrassing level of flawless perfection, the true highlight is in the dead centre of the album with the track Hued Tarantula. It’s a nearly eight minute long adventure which feels like a narrative story for a Tyrannosaurus Rex and his predatory abilities. This track which wouldn’t be out if place on Cult Of Luna's "Best Of" compilation. More genius lies in the track Moira Kindle which has pop/jazz sensibilities amongst it's chaos of heavy, sludgy metal/hardcore. If it weren't for Smith's brilliant vocal assault, this might have made Tool's next album seem very overdue album.

There isn't a big following for this kind of music in Australia, but Sydney's Lo! may just be able to change this. As growled by Smith "My sweetheart you've never looked so grey inside out." There is no doubt that more Australians should know 'Look And Behold' inside out. It's remarkable in intellect and musicianship. Please Lo!, tour Australia more before you vanish to Europe.

Will Oakeshott

Gold Fields

Gold Fields (EP) Capitol With a name like Gold Fields, you’d expect that a musical act from Ballarat would follow in line with their fellow Triple J Unearthed pedigree like Boy & Bear by appropriating elements of Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, My Morning Jacket et al. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Instead, Gold Fields is a very different proposition – the group were snapped up by a major label quickly after coming to attention via Unearthed, and the single Treehouse is the perfect encapsulation of why they’re so hot-tipped. The four-piece craft electro pop in the vein of Hot Chip, strong on melody and instant hooks that bury themselves within the brain.

It’s not exactly revolutionising the genre, but Gold Fields clearly have something interesting going on with their sound, with strong rhythmic propulsion pushing things forward. In truth the music that they make isn’t geared towards mainstream popularity but will, like so many other Australian artists, seemingly require international recognition in order to really ‘break out’ locally. It could certainly happen if their debut album, due in 2012, continues to show as strong song writing as this debut EP exhibits.

Andrew Weaver

Sigur Ros Inni EMI Sigur Ros have always been different, so when the time came for them to release a live album, fans knew to expect something special. What originally began as a short film clip on the band’s website, which revealed nothing more than something was coming; ‘Inni’ was eventually explained as a double live album with an accompanying film.

Recorded in 2008 at London's Alexandra Palace, ‘Inni’ shows many different sides to Sigur Ros, and in some ways is the most personal insight to the group ever released.

Musically the set list offers songs from across all of the band’s albums. From the crushing rock songs to atmospheric beauties, the group are flawless, in particular frontman Jonsi, whose vocal performance is simply stunning. Whilst the audio discs are recorded so well you will often forget that you are listening to live versions of the songs, the real gem is the film. Recorded in black and dB Magazine 30 November 2011

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Machine Head Unto The Locust Roadrunner Upon its release in 2007, Machine Head’s ‘The Blackening’ was rightly regarded as the highpoint of the ferocious Bay Area metallers’ long career. The album seamlessly blended Machine Head’s trademark aggression and groove with great lyrical depth, and more musical light and shade across noticeably longer songs that enabled the band to really stretch out. Four years on and the obvious question is whether new

ALBUM REVIEWS album ‘Unto The Locust’ can match or surpass ‘The Blackening’?

Any doubts are dispelled pretty much immediately with the extraordinary opener I Am Hell (Sonata in C#) which opens in almost blackened death metal style, then morphs into a blazing epic of rabid intensity, even by Machine Head standards, before receding into repeated, doom-laden riffs. Be Still And Know then blasts forth in typically relentless fashion, complete with defiant lyrics and fists in the air chorus. This is followed by the title track, another epic of literally almost biblical proportions. While unmistakably Machine Head, the song is complex, layered and edging towards progressive metal territory.

Normal transmission is restored with the all-out assault of This Is The End End, before Darkness Within changes tack again with deeply introspective lyrics and a more melodic approach, including some sublime solos from Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn, that doesn’t temper it’s intensity. Flynn spits out lyrics of undisguised contempt over a barrage of discordant riffs in Pearls Before Swine, before the stirring and defiant This Is Who We Are brings the album to a fitting close.

‘Unto The Locust’ is every bit as good as its predecessor and is pretty much the complete package. Its combination of musicianship, hooks, original arrangements, intelligent song-writing and righteous rage cements Machine Head’s reputation as one of the finest pure metal bands of the last two decades.

James McKenzie

Laine Lane To The Horses Ivy League Ms. Lane is pretty hot property at the moment. ‘To The Horses’ recently hit the upper parts of the ARIA chart – yes some people actually bought the album instead of illegally downloading it. She’s playing a heap of upcoming festivals. Tim Rogers helped out on the recording. Triple J has nominated her for the Best Unearthed Artist of 2011.

And the biggie, she’s recorded with some guy called Jack White in Nashville.

Why does this album work? She’s got a strong and sexy voice, it’s catchy, and she’s got a look – winged eyeliner, girly tats. Even though this isn’t reinventing the wheel noone is doing this alt. country/rockabilly/jazz sound at the moment. Ticks all the boxes.

2011 has been a rather rubbish year for music. Big statement but let me explain.

There have been too many mediocre releases from established acts and new acts seem to be producing yawn worthy music. Laine Lane has got out on a massive tangent and produced a toe tapping, head bopping, cow dipping, and moonshine drinking (and many other clichés) album. After several listens I’m transported back in time and feel compelled to buy a hotrod, slicking my hair back and hanging out a diner. It’s the 1950s man!

Bang Bang is a little silly but shows her humorous side, and the double bass is shit hot. While the title track shows she’s got

a serious side where Lane pours her heart out. Like Me Meaner shows off her strong and sexy voice, and throws in some sass for good measure. Yes, the hype is there and this album proves she deserves it.

The only problem I see with Laine Lane is that it’s a fad, but I hope it isn’t. Our music consumption these days is to love something and by the time the next album comes out we’ve move on to something else. Hope she proves me wrong.

obvious that the members of Coldplay have moved on from their past, and quite frankly, so should we.

Dunja Nedic

Darren Leach

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Universal As Oasis spiralled towards oblivion, main songwriter Noel Gallagher’s autocracy started to crumble. He actually started letting those other muppets pen tunes, with mostly disastrous results. But, while those “other” songs were inarguable blemishes, Noel himself really started to get his groove back on the last couple of Oasis records – especially 2008’s genuinely rad ‘Dig Out Your Soul.’ There’s a sense of freedom you can hear across his first solo

Coldplay Mylo Xyloto EMI I don’t get the Coldplay backlash. I mean, intellectually, I get it: people are annoyed that a band whose sweet, stripped back tunes they used to so love is now more reminiscent of U2 than Travis. They’ve gone in a very different musical direction, apparently fallen in love with Brian Eno, and don’t seem to have any outward intention to go back to the music they became famous for. I get all that.

But here’s the thing: no one listens to the kind of music that Coldplay used to play anymore. The time for that has been and gone, while U2 is still selling out stadium tours. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the path that we have similarly found Coldplay on now.

This isn’t the crisis that we all think it is, though. All things considered, Coldplay are doing a really good job of being a stadium pop band, and nowhere is this more apparent than on their latest album, ‘Mylo Xyloto’. Unlike many musical outfits who suffer the curse of the second album/third album/whichever number album sucks after the first album, Coldplay have simply gone with the flow and are indeed writing songs to be played on massive stages to massive audiences. This is the most obvious aspect of ‘Mylo Xyloto’; it has a “big-ness” to it that simply doesn’t translate through a car’s CD player. The chorus of latest single, Paradise, is essentially just echoes of “Para-para-paradise”, which, at home, just sounds like the track was halfheartedly produced by Timbaland. But if you try to imagine the sound in an arena, its grandiosity (and possibly even brilliance, but let’s not get carried away) quickly becomes apparent.

There are some hints of more retro Coldplay, such as Charlie Brown, with its beautiful and aurally pleasing lyrics, and gentle but definitive hooks (though we’re more talking ‘X & Y’ than ‘Parachutes’), while Us Against The World shows remarkable restraint in using only an acoustic guitar throughout most of the song.

There is far more diversity between the songs, swinging from those aforementioned stadium pleasers to the more languid love songs, than has been present on their last few albums, which I think is a good thing. It’s been described by the band as a concept album, and I’m sure there are many writers far more eloquent than I who will write about this in depth, but the main difference this makes to your average listener is that the album is divided up by three little instrumental pieces, of less than a minute long each. Oh, and Rihanna features on the last track. It’s very

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outing, and it’s the absence of a democracy or the eventually humourless snarl of his younger brother Liam that leads ‘High Flying Birds’ to be the finest Gallagher album since Britpop’s heyday.

Don’t expect surprises – this is basically an Oasis album. But it’s a good one, and while it doesn’t hit the surprising highs of ‘Dig Out Your Soul’, it makes up for it in sheer consistency. Every track here is a worthy addition – solidly written, expertly arranged with smatterings of horns and strings, and well delivered by what I would argue was always the better voice in Oasis. It’s most reminiscent of the former band’s brilliant b-sides collection, ‘The Masterplan’ – which was a more open, warm and soaring sort of disc. Opener Everybody’s On The Run is a big ballad delivered with guts, (I Wanna Live In A Dream) In My Record Machine is like a new version of Going Nowhere, while closer Stop The Clocks was indeed originally recorded in 2004 for Oasis.

There are points, however, where surprises creep in, and they’re brilliant – the rocking outro of Stop The Clocks is the best 60 seconds on the whole album, while If I Had A Gun… starts out as a standard ballad before flying on the back of some modern indie-rock. The highlight is single AKA… What A Life!, which at first listen sounds like a misstep with its strange dance-beat, before revealing itself to be the bold, natural successor to ‘Dig Out Your Soul’s highpoint, Falling Down.

Those moments are few, of course – ‘Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ isn’t going to change anybody’s life anytime soon. But, it’s a solid, rewarding outing from Gallagher, and one that certainly gives credence to the decision to ditch his feckless brother.

Matt Vesely

dB Magazine 30 November 2011

THEATRE

A CHORUS LINE

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ow tantalising it is, talking with an artist about a famous musical production which rehearsal hasn’t started for yet. Pulitzer Prize winning musical ‘A Chorus Line’ (1975) opens at The Festival Theatre in December. As you read this, ex-Adelaide girl Debora Krizak’s readying to start rehearsal in Melbourne on December 1. She has the role of street wise Sheila Bryant, one of 17 dancers battling it out for only eight places in the line.

121 Early Worx in theatre and art Higher Ground Wed 23 Nov Season closed What do you get when you combine oversexed youths with the greatest poet in the history of the English language? ‘121’ is emerging Adelaide theatre company Early Worx’s answer to their own theatrical riddle.

It is one of those answers which makes you wish nobody had bothered to ask the question in the first place.

Ostensibly, ‘121’ is the story of two rival poets (Jordan Fraser-Trumble and Tom St Jack) and their various romantic trysts with ‘dark lady’ Kate (Brittany Plummer) and ‘fair

Eddie Izzard Stripped 2011 Adelaide Festival Centre Wed 23 Nov Season closed It is surely a testament to the comic genius of British comedian Eddie Izzard that he can get up on stage, talk more or less utter bollocks for nearly two hours, and yet have the audience in nigh-on constant hysterics throughout that time. This was certainly what happened at his recent, sell out show here, his first comedy gig in Adelaide since 2003’s ‘Sexie’ show. As had been the case at that

Careful What You Wish For David Strassman Dunstan Playhouse Season closed The true edge of danger in the bizarre puppetronic world of David Strassman tentatively bares itself for the first time in Australia in his latest show, ‘Careful What You Wish For’.

It’s been something waiting to happen for some time. Strassman plays it across a number of levels over a two act production displaying production values totally outdoing previous shows seen here.

Key to the show, of course, are the savage, dB Magazine 30 November 2011

friend’ Henry (Phillip Harker-Smith). The dialogue (with the exception of a handful of incongruous four letter words) is drawn from William Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets, most notably the 121st of the play’s title. Much of this dialogue is incomprehensible, sabotaged either by the actors’ lack of projection or the often punishingly loud sound design by Chris Donoghue. The young performers, mostly Adelaide College of the Arts graduates, provide scant insight into Shakespeare’s sonnets, and the sonnets do similarly little to ameliorate the play’s paper-thin plot and flabby dramaturgy.

The aesthetic is that of a contemporary r&b music video and, although the play runs to only sixty minutes, there are long lapses in dialogue which allow for extended, noisily-soundtracked moments which don’t further the narrative but seem designed, rather, to titillate or – at a greater stretch – to

earlier show, things got off to a rousing start, the artist’s appearance on stage preceded by a dazzling light show and some suitably loud music to get the audience pumped. A little disappointingly, given that he’s just as famous for his transvestism as he is his comedy, he did not perform in women’s clothing or makeup this time around (indeed, he was sporting a decidedly manly-looking beard), nor did the subject of cross-dressing seem to come up, at all, during his entire routine. In all other respects, however, his show was just what I (and no doubt everyone else there) had been anticipating: lots of absurd (and decidedly British) humour, much of it seemingly composed off the cuff.

One theme that ran through the show was that of world history, with Izzard promising

artful mind games played out between Strassman and that favourite little demon character, Chuck E Wood. In this instance, those games have far out consequences when it comes to what dimension of reality Strassman and Co inhabit.

The great ongoing joy of a Strassman gig is playing with the audiences’ sense of who knows what’s real, that isn’t real as it were. Chuck and Strassman engage in just such a hysterically funny philosophical debate arising from Chuck’s none to happy realisation Strassman is thinking of retiring and hence, this means he and his fellow puppets will cease to exist. Not happening.

The stand off between Chuck sitting at one end of a lounge, while Strassman sits on a chair opposite, is genuinely chilling as it is

\‘A Chorus Line’ in essence, is the raw, heart felt, gut wrenching process of self discovery, success and failure every artist deals with trying to get that next gig.

Musing over the long history of the work, Krizak and I chat about the experience she had seeing it 1985. Sheila Bryant’s character stayed with her. “Sheila Bryant struck a chord with me, and I always found her to be an interesting character with a lot of depth.”

During the audition process, where the cast really learnt their parts, Krizak noted, “there’s a very fine line between playing her as somebody who is very cynical and can come across as a little bit abrupt and not very likeable. Finding the real, vulnerable, likeable element of her has been the new process for me. She’s gotta be likeable from the word go.

Even though she has all those one-liners, can come across as a bit of a smart arse. She’s been around Broadway for a long time and she’s auditioning for role in the chorus. I really want people in their seats, to feel for her too.”

The essence of vulnerable is the key to this work in so many ways, meaning truly allowing the vulnerable, real Debora Krizak into the piece. It’s here Krizak offers a fascinating insight into what it meant to go through getting this role as it was, let alone that which is demanded. “I remember being told in the audition, ‘There has to be an element of who you are as a person, that’s part of that character. We want to see the real you, we want to see the light-hearted funny Deb you are as a person’. That’s integrated into the show. It’s totally intimidating.”

Buttressing her point, Krizak continues,”

they brought out a documentary a few years ago, on the audition process for ‘A Chorus Line Revival’. Those people were filmed and cast from that, those that did get it, those that didn’t. It was kind of a reflection of the musical again, but a real life reflection of what goes on. Rejection is part of our career.

There’s a lot of truth in it for us. That’s what we’ve gotta do, be game enough to go there and expose the realness of it.”

Even if people have not much idea of what a performer’s life is like, Krizak reckons in today’s age of reality TV “people have got an idea of the brutality that’s involved when you put yourself out there on the line, and go through this gruelling process of an audition.”

But it’s for a purpose audiences will get, which Krizak sums up through one of the songs. “I was talking about it at The Melbourne Cup lunch yesterday. One of the songs is What I Did for Love. It’s actually not about a love relationship as such, but a love she (the character Diana) has for her art, her passion for what she does. We’ve all got parts of our life where we’ve had to sacrifice something in order to do something we really love. If they don’t know a lot about the industry, they’ll remember a time when they had to make a choice. I think audiences will see all of that.”

shock. Director Charles Sanders uses the word ‘romantic’ in his programme notes and most people asked to describe Shakespeare’s sequence of sonnets in one word would, I imagine, use the same word. It is odd, then, that ‘121’ seems almost proudly unromantic in its conception, more a quick, unsatisfying fuck in a pub toilet than a home-cooked meal for two. What makes this dearth of sentiment stranger still is the fact that the four actors speak Shakespeare’s words with the kind of pouty reverence which inexperienced performers always seem to think canonical texts require but, invariably, proves theatrically lethal.

In fairness to Early Worx, it is difficult to imagine how Shakespeare’s sonnets could be comfortably shoehorned into a dramatic narrative, in much the same way ‘jukebox’ musicals never quite succeed in bundling in all the required hit songs without stretching

everybody’s credulousness to breaking point.

The company seem to instinctively know this and their response is to crowd out the flaccidness of the play by filling ‘121’ with as much youthful excess as they can think of: binge drinking, drug overdoses, bizarrely uncontextualised violence and reams of gratuitous (and very unsexy) sex. By the time hundreds of pieces of paper were cascading onto the stage from the ceiling as red lights flashed in time to a rock song played at a volume which would have pleased Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnel, I felt utterly besieged and about as far away from the litheness and lyricism of Shakespeare’s sonnets as it seems possible to be. To this end, Early Worx’ production is merely ‘full of sound and fury’, as the Bard put it elsewhere, ‘signifying nothing’.

to talk about absolutely everything that had ever happened in the history of the human race, albeit “with gaps” (needless to say, his take on the various historical periods and events he talked about proved decidedly “novel”, to put it mildly). Chaotic a performer as he is, however, he deviated frequently from this theme, other things that he made jokes about including computer software and the ridiculously long lists of terms and conditions one is expected to read before installing it; God and his reasons for not believing in Him (chiefly that if He really did exist, He would have flicked Hitler’s head off); and the origins of our city’s name. For the most part, his jokes succeeded in eliciting a great deal of laughter from the audience, and even when the odd one didn’t, he managed to salvage the

funny. Game on! Given we discover early on the female character ANGEL (Autonomous Neuron Generating Experimental Lifeform) is also capable of granting wishes, loose wishseeking lips catapult Chuck and fellows into parallel universe. Strassman must manage to enter it and somehow, bring everything back to normal.

The glory of this production is the totally bent new takes Strassman offers of his characters. Their essence is the same, but their outer beings are not and this is outrageously funny, confronting even, in ways few shows can be. Sexuality changes. Ethnicity changes.

Even fauna type changes. It’s really weird, in a blind siding way you just don’t see coming and frankly, leave you gasping with surprise, as is the biting material these new made 20

BY DAVID O'BRIEN

A Chorus Line plays at the Festival Theatre from New Years Eve

Ben Brooker

situation by pretending to take notes such as “The people of Adelaide didn’t like that one”.

Commenting to the friend who was my “+1” for the night that it was actually quite curious how well his material worked, given how silly much of it was, I had her opine that a lot of it was no doubt due to the great stage presence he has. Certainly, he’s an energetic and engaging performer, not to mention someone who makes stand-up comedy look a lot easier than it no doubt is. Unfortunately, he seems to have been moving away from comedy a bit in recent years, preferring to focus instead on acting, so who knows when we’ll be fortunate to see him here again?

James Brazel

expressions of long lived characters come out with.

Having said that, things stretch a little too long over two acts. An air of hesitancy to go the punch harder and a sense of unease at letting cut loose in some of the writing detracts from the real edginess inherent in this work. The production values, while being fantastic and intrinsic to setting the scene, tend to overshadow the power play of Strassman versus his characters, something that marks him out as one of the most outstanding performers you could hope to see.

David O’Brien

PUFFIO The 2011 University of South Australia’s ‘Art, Architecture and Design Graduate Exhibitions’ are taking place throughout December, showcasing the work of over 300 graduates. Launching on Wed 7 Dec at SASA Gallery & Kaurna Building, the Visual Arts Graduate Exhibition opening night will feature a guest appearance from Lisa Slade of the Art Gallery of SA and is open to the public from 5pm. The Uni SA City West Campus also plays host to exhibitions in Sustainable Design, Industrial Design and Architecture and looms as a great opportunity to sample the work of some of South Australia’s finest young artists.

While certain unnamed International acts have cancelled or postponed visits to our seaside city of late, ‘Motherhood: The Musical’ has announced an extended stay in Adelaide with three additional performances on 8, 9 and 10 of December at The Festival Centre’s Space Theatre. Written by acclaimed singer/songwriter Sue Fabisch, ‘Motherhood’ explores the lives and relationships of four different mums and their contrasting approaches to motherhood. With the season now running until Saturday December 10, there are ample opportunities for Adelaide theatre-goers to catch another great show.

Urban Cow Studio will play host to ‘Where The Pavement Meets the Sand’ all through December, showcasing the latest work from local artist Steve O’Connor. Having been born in Victoria and later moved to Clare, SA as a teenager, O’Connor explores the landscapes of both states and the natural wonders

CINEMA

between. ‘Where The Pavement Meets the Sand’ is on display from Wed 30 Nov until the end of December and will feature a series of acrylic paintings as well as sculptural work, paying homage to the gorgeous coastal landscape of Southern Australia.

More than 5000 sea-lovers are expected to head along to Australia’s leg of the world’s largest boating event - ‘Sea Ray Aquapalooza’ - held at the Marina Hindmarsh Island on Fri 30 Dec. The free event is heading into its third year and gaining momentum as Australia’s largest on-water event. ‘Aquapalooza’ is sure to provide an insight into the beauty of the Marina Hindmarsh Island and the endless opportunities for boating, fishing, canoeing and cycling. Some of Adelaide’s most acclaimed DJs will also feature along with live entertainment, games, giveaways and of course, plenty of boats.

Puffio – Steve OConnor

An enthralling new exhibition is launching at the South Australian Museum in December. ‘Journey to the Abyss’ is the SA Museum’s own exposition of the mysterious and encapsulating deep sea and visitors will have the opportunity to explore this piece of the world that is widely unknown. Given more explorers have been to space than those who have visited the bottom of the ocean, ‘Journey to the Abyss’ promises to an in-depth look the vastly unexplored deep sea. The exhibition features over 90 real specimens as well as information sessions, hands-on investigation stations and a full-size interactive submarine! This extraordinary exhibition launches on Sat 17 Dec and will run from 10am – 5pm daily. The deep sea has never been this close up.

‘Gazing Heroes’, an exuberant offering from local artist Lisa King has launched at Magazine Gallery on Clubhouse Lane (just off Hindley St), exploring the world of playfulness, innocence and escapism through works of wooden-sculpted longboards, skateboard decks and paintings. Running until mid-December, the exhibition is King’s first Solo offering and is sure to be a very special event.

Puffio-LisaKing

2012 registrations for the ‘Class Clown Competition’ have recently opened and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is searching the country for our best young

THE INBETWEENERS

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comedians. If you’re a comedic performer and currently attending years 9-12, this is a fantastic opportunity to refine your craft and learn more about the art of comedy. There is plenty of time until the South Australian heat, held at The Forge, Marryatville High School on Thurs 8 March 2012, which offers a 2-hour workshop with a professional comedian as well as a chance to perform your 5 minute routine in front of a panel of judges. The brightest performers will be picked for the State Finals and eventually the National Grand Final held at Melbourne’s Comedy Festival in April. For a chance to win $1000 for yourself and another $1000 for your school, don’t forget to register at: comedyfestival.com.au/2012/classclowns.

Adelaide-based freelance photographer and photojournalist Ben Searcy will launch an exciting new exhibition ‘Open Mic USA’ from Mon 12 Dec at Suzie Wong’s Room, Port Rd, Hindmarsh. What is ‘Open Mic USA’, you ask? Well it’s a photographic, video and performance exhibition driven

by Searcy and detailing his recent journey across the USA, from one open mic venue to another, exploring the culture, concepts and complexities of Open Mic in the USA and Searcy’s journey throughout. The opening night will also feature a 20-minute set from 7pm, highlighting the skills Ben has picked up on his travels. Head along to Suzie Wong’s Room to take in an extraordinary exhibition and the great venue playing host.

BY NATHAN JOLLY

hen I sit down with actors Joe Thomas and Simon Bird, they’re in the middle of a whirlwind of press junkets and premieres for ‘The Inbetweeners’, and the usual fare that goes along with such promotion (including a seven-course meal later that night). The two are in high spirits, chatting excitedly about the film, which represents the big screen continuation of the hit UK coming-of-age sitcom of the same name.

Joe and Simon’s deep love of the world they helped create, and the characters that inhabit it, is blindingly obvious; they refer to themselves as fans of the show on more than one occasion, and talk about their characters’ antics as if they are incredulous onlookers, one step removed from these hapless teens.

In bringing these characters to the big screen, they manage to lose none of the naive charm that makes the series so endearing.

“We tried not to change too much,” Thomas explains of the jump from small to big screen. “We wanted to preserve the dynamic of the four boys and that banter-y style, and also to ensure the fans of the show would see what they liked about the series, in this film.”

It seems like a pretty obvious strategy – but the history of UK television is littered with disastrous movie spin-offs that have foregone the original appeal of their series to either broaden the content in order to scoop up a larger (read: American) audience, or to attempt to match the newly-increased screensize with an appropriately epic tale.

For the uninitiated: ‘The Inbetweeners’ follows four teenagers as their navigate their ways through a world of raging hormones, outrageously misplaced confidence, and embarrassing attempts to attract their much more mature female classmates. The film transports this scenario to Greece (where the four go on a post-high-school-graduation holiday) but the core elements remain. It’s both shockingly offensive and innocent, and it’s a credit to both the writing and the acting

that the four protagonists can say the most horrendously un-PC things, while remaining likeable and sweet.

“None of these things are deliberate, and this is all in retrospect, but we looked back on the third [and final] series and saw it was a bit more ‘gross out’ and a bit less of what made the show what it was in the first two series, which were based around the naivety and the innocence of the characters,” explains Bird of walking that stylistic tightrope. “I think the writers deliberately tried to redress that balance for the film. And I think they did that very well, it was important because a) it’s suppose to be realistic and b) the grossout aspect doesn’t work unless you like these characters and find them sweet and charming.”

Writer Iain Morris (who created and wrote the series and film alongside Damon Beesley) later tells me, “We felt we needed more scale in everything: higher emotional peaks, bigger troughs, and bigger events. We never try to be 'sweet' as such, it was more that the way of achieving more scale [in the film] was by getting more emotional depth than we would normally go for. We don't tend to go for that because my memory of being that age wasn't that every week you had some deep epiphany, so we didn't see why it should happen every week in the show.”

In achieving this a lot of the funniest material actually ended up on the cutting room floor. “Although those scenes were funny, they were delaying the next important point in the story,” explains Thomas. “I think

it was also important for these boys to have a crisis on this holiday that they think is going to be so epic, but is actually just a bit shit, and then they fall out and have to try to bond a bit and come back together.

“The film was always something we'd had in our heads,” explains Morris. “We wanted to write a teen comedy about a lads’ holiday abroad, and then as the show became more successful and we enjoyed working with the boys more and more, and saw how talented and rare they were, it made sense to make ‘The Inbetweeners’ movie.”

The slow reveal of the boys’ various talents makes sense when Bird explains how they were cast in the series. Morris and Beesley met Thomas and Bird after a show and hired them to write sketches for a radio show the pair were producing: “While we were writing these sketches, over the period of a year or so, they were talking about this sitcom they were trying to cast and how badly it was all going.”

“They were like, do you know anyone?” laughs Thomas. “We said, we could come and audition,” continues Bird. “They said ‘oh no, you’re totally wrong for it’, then they rang up a week before filming started and said, essentially, ‘we’ve ran out of time. Do you want to come in and read for it?’”

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In fact Blake Harrison, who plays lanky simpleton Neil, was the only cast-member to come out of an audition process that encompassed thousands and thousands of hopeful teens.

“They did a pilot with a different cast years before they made the series, and James [Buckley – the crude and happily deluded Jay], was a hangover from that,” says Bird.

“So one hangover, two last resorts and one genuinely good actor,” laughs Thomas. “They were holding out for better things,” adds Bird.

“So let that be a lesson, settle for what you’ve got.”

‘The Inbetweeners’ is now screening nationally. See the Prize Frenzy™ to win a double pass.

dB Magazine 30 November 2011

CINEMA

Immortals Director: Tarsem Singh Dhandwar Rated: M15+ Now screening Our last outing with the Gods of Greek mythology was last years woeful ‘Clash Of The Titans,’ which may have been enough to put people of the genre for good. ‘Immortals’ looks to redeem the God’s honor and when compared with ‘Titans’ it does a pretty good job. The film is based around the myth of Theseus, a young man who has unknowingly been trained in battle his whole life by the God Zeus, who is disguised as an old man. Theseus is called on to use his skills after the King of Crete, Hyperion, played brilliantly by Mickey Rourke, declares war on the Gods of Olympus after the death of his family. Hyperion’s plan is to release the titans from Mount Tartas, using a magical weapon known as the Epirus Bow, and use them to help destroy the Gods. Theseus is joined on his quest by a rough gang of thieves and scavengers and a beautiful

Oracle named Phaedra. Whilst all of this is happening, Zeus’ children, including Athena and Poseidon, are watching events unfold helplessly as they have been banned from any interaction by Zeus.

The storyline is really quite simple, focusing on a very small part of Theseus’ timeline, however this may work to the film’s advantage as the plotlines of Greek mythologies can often become confusing and tiresome. Granted you can switch off a little in ‘Immortals’ and just enjoy the intense violence and special effects but that is what makes it all the more fun.

As mentioned, Rourke steals the show as the unforgiving and simply brutal King Hyperion, and is supported well by Luke Evans as Zeus and Stephen Dorf (who is apparently still around) in his small role as the thief Starvos. Henry Cavill could have brought a little more to the main role of Theseus, and pales as an actor when compared to someone like Rourke, plus you can’t help but feel Cavill was hired more for his body than his acting talents. Australia’s own Isabel Lucas makes an appearance as Athena, and once again, offers little.

The real highlight of ‘Immortals’ can be found in its cinematography, director Tarsem Dhandwar, whilst not having many feature films under his belt, is really developing his own style, which combines the use of real footage and CGI to create a highly polished new world, that suits the time of the Gods extremely well. As per usual the 3D is more of annoyance than a spectacle but that aside, ‘Immortals’ is a gory, action filled film that is entertaining and doesn’t overstay its welcome, exactly how films such as this should be.

to terms with the bloody Mau Mau rebellion (between 1950 and 1956) that was the precursor to the end of British rule. The Mau Mau came exclusively from the Kikuyu tribe, but there is debate about whether the Kikuyu were pure nationalists or tribalists who wanted a return to dominance.

The conflict was violent and both sides committed atrocities. It also pitted native Kenyans against each other as much as it did Kenya and Britain and it is a sensitive topic in modern Kenya where Islamic and Christian fundamentalism battle for supremacy.

Recently, veterans of the troubles have sought compensation from the British government which has released archived Foreign Office documents confirming that the British occupying force tortured and murdered many Mau Mau members. Barak Obama’s grandfather was one of these victims and he recently returned a bust of Winston Churchill from the White House to Britain in what some saw as a protest against the atrocities. ‘The First Grader’ is a British production that examines Kenya past and present through the eyes of an 84 year old veteran who wants to learn to read and write.

In 2004 Maruge (Oliver Litondo) lives on his small farm in a remote Kenyan village in the foothills. When he sees a government advertisement promising free education for all, he goes to his local primary school to enroll. Head teacher Jane Obinchu (Naomi Harris) is initially forced to turn him away as it’s a breach of regulations, but when Maruge persists, she is touched by his determination and relents. The parents of pupils are outraged as is the Education Board, but when the press gets hold of the story, Maruge becomes a celebrity.

Based on a true story, ‘The First Grader’ wears its heart on its sleeve, but never becomes too sentimental or saccharine.

The sight of an 84 year old man sitting in a classroom and playground with hordes of primary school children is ripe for light comedy and screenwriter Ann Peacock and director Chadwick (‘The Other Boleyn Girl’) oblige. However, the film is first and

Luke Carlino

The First Grader Director: Justin Chadwick Rated: M Palace Nova Now screening Even though Kenya gained its independence in 1963, it has never come

foremost an advertisement for the virtue of education, no matter what age, and that a nation’s most valuable resource is its children. While the film touches on the split between those who resisted and those who complied during the rebellion, the debate is kept at a superficial level. The flashbacks reveal the extent of Maruge’s sacrifice and the film elevates the Mau Mau to heroic status. Hence, we see British atrocities, but the violence of the Mau Mau is sidestepped.

Litondo and Harris are charming as are the children, but the star of the film for me was the Kenyan landscape, the acacia trees, deltas, mountains and even the toughest of tough towns, Nairobi (“Nairobbery”). ‘The First Grader’ is manipulative filmmaking, but I was happy to play along.

Mal Byrne

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