dB Magazine Edition #533

BLUEJUICE

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ISSUE 533 NOV 16 - 29

dB Magazine 16 November 2011

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dB Magazine 16 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 Standy Warhol 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.

Ever wondered what a busy fortnight in music looks like? See below:

And did we forget to mention California’s All Shall Perish who will tour with Resist The Thought through the Unibar on Sun 4 Dec? And what about Romanian’s Negura Bunget, who will play their folk/black metal at Enigma on Thu 17 Nov with locals Art In Exile? How about New York Hardcore band Backtrack heading to Enigma on Wed 18 Jan. And then there’s Japan’s Guitar Wolf coming to completely destroy Jive’s speaker system on Thu 8 Dec for the ‘Spacebattleshiplove’ tour.

We begin with international touring news for a change, with the auspicious Ronan Keating and Sharon Corr (of The Corrs, of course) on their way to the Festival Theatre on Mon 13 Feb. It’s been a while since Amada Palmer resurrected The Dresden Dolls for a show, with The Gov booked on Wed 11 Jan for such an occasion.

Meanwhile, we should also note the other heavyweights such as Peter Hook & The Light, who will offer another celebration of Joy Division at HQ on Mon 16 Apr; the iconic Beth Orton will return to The Gov on Sat 21 Jan; Death Cab For Cutie follow their album ‘Codes & Keys’ with a national tour, stopping at HQ on Mon 20 Feb; Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather will perform together at the Festival Theatre on Tue 3 Apr; US guitarist Brian Setzer is bringing his Rockabilly Riot!’ tour to the Thebarton Theatre on Mon 26 Mar with Slim Jim Phantom in support; the Oscar and Grammy award-winning Melissa Etheridge has given plenty of warning that she’ll be at the AEC Theatre on Tue 17 Jul next year; and Seal is never going to survive his Australian tour unless he gets a little crazy at the Entertainment Centre on Thu 16 Feb.

[Pic- Guitarwolf]

Now that we’ve dealt with all that, we can address the whole Big Day Out thing.

Naturally, we were all very disappointed to hear about the downsizing of our beloved festival, and the timing couldn’t have been worse after all the hype surrounding their 20th Birthday year. Losing Kanye West, Mariachi El Bronx and The Living End was a kick in the pills, and so was the fact that we miss out on Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, Papa Vs Pretty, Amity Affliction and Stonefield, who will only be doing the Eastern states. However, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Nero, The Vaccines, Cavalera Conspiracy, Regurgitator, Abbe May, Drapht, Kimbra, Bluejuice, and our very own The Honey Pies have been added to the bill, which isn’t too bad at all. Organiser Ken West didn’t do a particularly great job at explaining himself on Triple J, while a lot of long term fans and music punters have been left incensed by the assumption that a waterslide and skate ramp are some sort of attraction to them. To be honest, the press release Puff received was entitled ‘Bigger, Better & Best Of…’ which was just a slap in the face considering the news it contained.

But this is the BDO, people, and voting with your feet is still the best way to show that Adelaide wants the festival here. If you don’t feel that way, you can always take them up on the full ticket refund.

[Pic-Seal]

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.

Deadlines Ad / Copy Friday 25 November (5.00pm) art@dbmagazine.com.au The Fridge Sunday 27 November (Noon) fridge@dbmagazine.com.au fax: 08 8231 4393 Publishing Date Issue #534 Wednesday 30 November 2011 Contact Usual Phone: (08) 8231 4211 Unusual Phone: (08) 8231 4212 Faxin’ Things: (08) 8231 4393

See what we did there?

Continuing our international touring news, UK band Slow Club shall grace the Ed Castle on Sat 3 Mar; emerging US act Neon Indian will perform at Rocket on Sat 25 Feb; New Zealand’s Nesian Mystik are headed for The Gov on Wed 7 Jan; Califonian sonic grim-reapers Death Grips are will prove their status as the world’s premiere avant-garde hip-hop collective at Fowlers Live on Sun 29 Jan; Lydia is not a person, but a feeling from the USA, which you can experience for yourself at Enigma on Fri 20 Jan; Glasgow’s Sons & Daughters shall play The Space Theatre of the Adelaide Festival Centre on Wed 11 Jan; and the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group will be joined by Le Butcherrete at a very special show destined for Fowlers on Thu 15 Feb

In other festival news, Bluefest has followed up the coup of presenting Bob Dylan this year with an equally impressive first announcement for 2012. Roger Daltry, Earth Wind & Fire The Pogues, John Butler and My Morning Jacket are the big names to front the next instalment, as well as a rare chance to see Steve Earle and his son Justin Townes Earle on the same bill. Should be very worthwhile.

Also on the festival front, DJ demi-god David Guetta has been announced to headline Creamfields in 2012. No word yet if he’ll make his way to Planet Cream in Adelaide.

ARTWORK: art@dbmagazine.com.au POST: PO Box 8260, Station Arcade, SA 5000 STREET: 179a Hindley St, Adelaide

[Pic-OmarRodriguezLopez]

Locally, Leader Cheetah are not only a part of the headlining crew at Lilkafest from Fri 25 to Sun 27 Nov, but they’ve also announced a very special stripped back performance of their latest album ‘Lotus Skies’. The Grace Emily will host the very special evening on Thu 15 Dec, with supports to be announced. New material will also be on offer, as well as a few favourites from ‘Sunspot Letters’ as well.

Looking to national tours now, a reminder of the Horsell Common tour coming to Unibar on Sat 3 Dec, with Secrets In Scale, Raider and Mayweather confirmed as supports (it’s also an all ages show). Tim Freedman’s wonderfully titled ‘Australian Idle’ album is out shortly, while the mam himself will be at The Gov on Fri 9 Dec. Parkway Drive have announced a regional tour to follow their 2012 BDO appearance, coming through Mt Gambier’s Shadwos Entertainment Complex on Wed 7 Mar. Also, The Clouds Reunion Tour begins next week, coming to Adelaide on Sun 4 Dec with 20th Century Graduates and Hawks Of Alba the local supports.

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 16 November 2011

Talk about under the radar: Jebediah will perform with Split Seconds at Fowlers on Fri 18 Nov. That’s this coming Friday!!

Rounding up the rest of what’s coming 4

from interstate: Melbourne’s I, A Man will be playing at Jive on Sat 19 Nov supporting The Salvadors and East End Villains; Sydney’s FBi radio show, Radiant Live, is curating a showcase featuring Collarbones (NSW/SA), Wintercoats (VIC),, Glisk and Hal Bird at the Crown & Anchor on Sat 19 Nov; Gay Paris, God God Dammit Dammit and Totally Unicorn have made an EP together which we’re calling the ‘Totally Gay Dammit’ EP, launching at Producers Bar on Sat 17 Dec; acclaimed singer/songwriter Hugo Race will perform his debut solo album ‘Fatalist’ at the Wheatsheaf on Sat 3 Dec; Roots artist Van Walker will launch his new album ‘Under The Radar’ at The Barossa Regional Gallery on Sat 4 Feb, and The Wheatty on Sun 5 Feb; Brisbane’s Adventure Land will be doing a free acoustic set at The Gov Front Bar on Sun 27 Nov; and The Red Paintings (pictured) will theatrically preview songs from their upcoming album ‘The Revolution Is Coming’ at Fowlers on Sat 14 Jan.

[Pic-RedPaintings]

Also, Sydney’s Kobra Kai are on their way to Rocket Bar on Fri 25 Nov as part of their ‘Mind On The Ceiling’ Tour

[Pic-KobraKai] And Spectrum have five shows coming up around Adelaide, so Puff will do our best to list them: Wed 16 Nov at Café Casalinga in Hahndorf; Thu 17 at the Brahma Lodge; Fri 18 at the Willunga Golf Club; Sat 19 at the Whitmore Hotel; and Sun 20 Nov at the Semaphore Workers Club.

The Adelaide Festival Centre look set to continue their push towards a progressive contemporary music program by presenting Sessions, a series of live shows to be held in the Space Theatre from Fri 6 – Sat 21 Jan. 18 national and internationally renown acts, with more than a nod towards last year’s WOMAD line up, will be featured including Hanggai (Chi) , the Dan Deacon Ensemble (USA), Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro (Jpn), Caliente Guitar Trio & The Baker Suite, Wendy Matthews, Casey Donovan, Asa (Fra), Fefe (Fra), Adam Page and ARIA nominated locals Shaolin Afronauts, are just some of the names billed. For full details, head to the Adelaide Festival Centre website.

Also coming to the Festival Centre shortly is an very special In Conversation With about the state of the music scene in Australia. Fenella Kernebone will present the discussion which will feature Zan Rowe (Triple J), Sophia Brous (Musician and Contemporary Music Curator of the Adelaide Festival), Colin Daniels (Managing Director, Inertia Music) and Daniel Randell (General Manager of Music SA) at the Space Theatre on Thu 24 Nov from 6.30pm. It’s a free session, but you need to register to be a part of it via the Festival Centre website.

Another ARIA nominated local act, Coerce, will celebrate the success which befell them in 2011 following ‘Ethereal Surrogate Savoir’, with their last show of the year at Fowlers Live on Fri 25 Nov with The Burning Sea, Hydromedusa and Sparkspitter supporting.

[Pic-Coerce] Looking to local shows now, and Låther are preparing another Frank Zappa tribute night for The Gov on Wed 4 Jan; Paul Kaiser and Glen Curnow will present ‘The Aussie Ausborn Show’ at The Gov on Sat 11 Feb; Raven Black Knight, Kremator and Devonera are offering a metal onslaught

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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 5

dB Magazine 16 November 2011

[Pic-TheStillsons]

Also, Sun 27 Nov is SCoRCHeRFeST at the Duke Of York with the 42-band line up now complete and available for perusal via www.scorcherfest.com.au And new to the local scene is the ‘Rockin’ Rocks!’ monthly rock club, beginning on Fri 6 Jan in Bar 3 at Enigma. It’s an initiative from the not-for-profit organisation Adelaide Rock Army, founded by Mayqueen’s Trevour Griffin. For more information email adelaiderockarmy@live.com.au or follow the group on Facebook.

Music SA have announced a partnership with the SA Motor Sport Board and Nova 919FM to present ‘Bands On Track’ – a

showcase of local music as part of the Clipsal 500 next March. The Beards and Tracer are the first two bands announced for the stage, with five bands still to be selected via a competition to be held at Fowlers in January next year. To apply head to bandsontrack. com.au.

technologically speaking, for music services in the coming few years at least. Didn’t The Australian publish an article last week about the impending death of the iPod? Just coming back quickly to EMI, the label as an individual entity is now no more, with Universal acquiring the iconic London based Music Company for $1.8 billion on Friday last week. EMI Publishing was also sold off to Sony for $2.2 billion in the same transaction, satisfying CitiGroup’s criteria after it foreclosed loan payments to Terra Firma, who has purchased both the label and publishing right back in 2007, borrowing significant amounts of money to do so. It seems all we have now is the “Big 3” labels, if you include Warner in that list.

Music SA have also announced two shows coming up shortly – the first a tribute to The Rolling Stones to be held at The Trinity Sessions on Sun 4 Dec. The Baker Suite, Billy Bob & The BBQ Boys, Snooks La Vie, Myles Mayo, Creole Cowboyz, Dough Ashdown, The Wogers and Stars Young & Sun Theory will perform with the bands all donating their time to support The Compassionate Friends. The second show is a show at the Reynella Enterprise & Youth Centre featuring Auxilla, These Wild Animals and Kick The Generator on Sat 26 Nov, which is a joint initiative between the City Of Onkaparinga and Music SA. Some good bands there…

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dbmagazine.com.au CROSSWORD #533

After a ten-date tour of Europe, The Swiss are returning to Adelaide to perform an exclusive show at the Masonic Hall on Sat 26 Nov. A new album is expected from the lads in 2012, so perhaps a few newbies will be a part of the set?

Blackberry (the phone) has joined the rush to add a cloud-based music network to it’s Australian mobile phone services.

Blackberry BBM has launched a free 30day trial from Sydney the other week, with a bunch of celebrities promoting the band.

For their part, Universal, Sony, Warner and EMI have contributed to the catalogue on offer, with Blackberry users able to check out the specifics online. Cloud based interface looks like it will be leading the charge,

[Pic-TheSwiss]

™ y z n e r F e z i Pr This fortnight’s prizes are assembled with love, courtesy of a strangely jubilant Frenzor , who is enjoying a change of Frenzor™ fortune after finding ten cents on the ground on Sunday. May his luck hold for the rest of the fortnight.

CALLING ALL INDEPENDENT ARTISTS Fuse Fes�val East & West Showcase

For your pick of the following, call 8231 0881 from 1pm (on the chime of the JJJ newstheme) on Fri 18 Nov:

22nd - 24th February 2012

1. LILKAFEST is SA’s original camping festival, held in the wonderful setting on Meningie from Fri 25- Sun 27 Nov. Headlined by Tim & Jean, Closure In Moscow, Leader Cheetah and Dangerous!, and featuring a host of Adelaide’s best local acts, it’s well worth the trip. Now, if you fancy a drive to Meningie to attend the event, we can furnish you with one of 2 double passes, thanks to organiser Helen Orr.

Ar�sts and bands selected to showcase have access to na�onal music industry networking as well as the opportunity to perform alongside some of Australia’s top unearthed acts.

Register your interest now as limited places remain www.fusefes�val.com

2. Guitar Wolf are undoubtedly Japan’s answer to the Ramones, just a lot louder.

Their crazy antics are online for all to see, but to experience them live you’ll have to win one of our 2 double passes to their show at Jive on Thu 8 Dec.

Past Fuse Fes�val acts have included Hilltop Hoods The Shiny Brights Wolf & Cub The Audreys

3. This is not our usual giveaway fair, but someone sent in 4 copies of Seasons 1 & 2 of Khloe & Kourtney Take Miami on DVD. Yes, that’s the Kardashian sisters. No, you probably won’t get brain cancer from watching them.

A confirmed slot for the showcase includes a Fuse conference pass whereby leading industry representa�ves discuss relevant music industry topics.

4. In contrast the our other offering, The Story Of Maths is a riveting work of grandeur on DVD. This British television series has been placed on DVD, and now we have 5 copies to give to you.

*Conference packages are available for the public and unsuccessful registered acts

5. Booker T. Jones name is synonymous with funk and soul, and his new album ‘The Road From Memphis’ features guest collaborations with The Roots, Sharon Jones, Lou Reed and Matt Berninger from The National. 3 copies are available, with thanks to Epitaph.

Who’s keen?

6. Last frenzy, we offered 5 double passes to see The Funkoars at The Thebby on Sat 26 Nov. We’ll we can now offer the same again, with a huge thanks to their management for their generosity!

dB Magazine 16 November 2011

And we finish Puff with one final bit of news: Henry Rollins will be at Her Majesty’s Theatre on Sun 22 Apr next year.

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Across 1. Best known for their albums ‘Problems’ and ‘Head Of The Hawk’ (8) 7. DJ best known for his use of retro computer game sounds, DJ ___ (4) 8. Roy Orbison classic, ___ ___ Lonely (4,3) 9. Grammatically correct Brisbane duo, __ Horse (2) 10. Her debut album ‘To The Horses’ has cracked the ARIA charts (5,4) 15. Andy Duncan left this Chicago band in 2005, just after they released second album ‘Oh No’ (2,2) 16. The first single released by The Black Eyed Peas to feature Fergie, ____ Is The Love? (5) 17. Mick Jagger’s official title (3) 18. Lifehouse single from 2005, very 19. Silverchair song ___ Much Of Not Enough was featured on the album ‘Diorama’ (3) 20. San Diego band Sprung Monkey has a rare hit with single ___ Cal Loco (2) 21. Swedish band featuring Jose Gonzalez (5) 22. Initials, US guitarist responsible for Cat Scratch Fever and hunting animals with a bow and arrow (1,1) 23. Ryan Adams lyric, “When I close my eyes, I feel like __ ___, with a crossed out name” (1,4) 24. ‘Radiosurgery’ is the new album from New Found ___ (5) 28. Zooey Deschanel performs in She ___ Him (3)

Down 2. Melbourne band with debut EP ‘Not Just Friends’ (4,4) 3. Iconic UK band originally named Warsaw, ___ Division (3) 4. US singer __ Lo Green (3) 5. Adelaide ska band, Give __ Take (2) 6. Technology company responsible for the current wave of portable music devices (5) 7. Cyndi Lauper single from ‘She’s So Unusual’ album, ___ After ___ (4) 11. The third track from 2003 album ‘Thirteenth Step’

by A Perfect Circle, The ____ (5) 12. Anthemic Foo Fighters single from ‘The Colour & The Shape’ album (8) 13. UK electronic band ___ ___ Pony Club (3,5) 14. Radiohead’s debut single, which didn’t chart upon original release (5) 18. The third track on 1997 release ‘Ixnay On The Hombre’ from The Offspring (4) 19. Performing name of Montreal DJ performing at Summadayze, born James Sontag (4) 20. Eminem and Dido collaborated on this single back in 2002 (4) 25. Tracii Guns original band, before Guns N’ Roses, was called __ Guns (2) 26. Ben Harper’s ‘Lifeline’ album featured the song Put It __ Me (2) 27. Initials, lead singer of The Who (1,1)

Solution #532

at Sat 10 Dec at the Squatters Arms; the XOExes are playing with this month’s residents, Hills & Trains, at The Grace on Fri 18 Nov; TAFE Noarlunga’s song-writing students will perform their originals with lecturer Robyn Habel at Higher Ground on Thu 8 Dec; and The Stillsons will be performing songs from their new album ‘Earnest’ at The Wheatsheaf on Sat 19 Nov and the Grace Emily on Sun 20 Nov.

INTERVIEW

BLUEJUICE

BY ANDREW WEAVER arrangements were right.

“Basically,” Stone explains, “it was better to do it that way because we wanted to make an album that you could listen to at home that had a variety of sounds on it. The process of doing it that way was much better, because we were able to get polished production on to it. We’re at a time in our lives now where we need to be doing something polished and good.

It’s a personal thing – we weren’t happy with what we’d done before, and wanted to push it forward.”

Bluejuice’s ‘Company’ is out now through Dew Process.

B

luejuice’s film clip for Act Yr Age – the first single lifted from their third album, ‘Company’ – has attracted a wealth of commentary online, with member Jake Stone engaging in a passionate lip-lock with someone old enough to be his grandmother.

The things done for rock ‘n roll, hey kids?

Contrary to popular belief, however, the potential of an illicit affair with a cougar had nothing to do with Bluejuice postponing their tour around the release of their album until after the summer festival season in 2012.

“The record was still being made,” Stone explains, “and if we were touring in October it means we wouldn’t have been able to tour in January, February because of festivals and we wouldn’t have been able to do our own tour, if you know what I mean.”

What he’s specifically referring to is the exclusive clause that a lot of festivals make local acts sign before they commit to playing at the likes of Big Day Out et al – the sum of which is that you can’t play in the same metro area within a certain time frame of playing a festival date in the same city. It is beyond belief that it exists in this day and age, when festivals such as the BDO regularly sell out in many cities before a complete line-up has even been announced, and where the potential centres to tour in Australia are so small in number.

“We can’t start the tour without the record out,” he believes, with ‘Company’ only becoming available for one and all in November.

The original plan was that Bluejuice would make the album in the small time frame of only three weeks – something which Stone himself cheerfully agrees was a case of insanity.

“We had to allocate a little more time as it went from being a very ‘live’ sounding record that we were working on quickly to a very studio-orientated record which then became the very best thing that we could do.

“It was fortuitous that it happened,” he says, “but it meant we had to reschedule things and push things backs so that the album was actually finished by the time we were going to be ready to tour it.”

Going from one initial idea of sound to another is quite an extreme step to take, especially if the songs were effectively already in place for one guise before they were changed to another. The original pre-production demos were thus markedly different to the finished songs that can now be heard on ‘Company’.

“We tracked elements of rhythm tracks live and maybe some keys, but mostly we recorded it by planning each stage and getting exactly the right sounds – really planning and doing lots and lots of overdubbing and lots and lots of postproduction work, cutting and looping and making sure that the elements of the

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SHORTS He was so much more accepting of ideas and thoughts where before he was much harder to convince of anything. With ‘Lucille’ we spent a year just rehearsing it, which was a total mindfuck. Looking back it wasn’t the most enjoyable experience, whereas the fact that we all still like the new album is a good thing.”

“With ‘Lucille’ we’d spend six hours on the bridge of a song trying to figure out whether kick drum needed to go on the third or the fourth, and all of that sort of stuff,” Ted recalls. “We’d spend hours and hours on every single section.

Whereas with this one we’d come through and we’d rehearse the song maybe four or five times and then go off and play cricket or pool for a little while and then come back and play it a little bit more, you know? We were more relaxed and there was a lot more enjoyment.

And the results speak for themselves. ‘The Vasco Era’ is by far the band’s most definitive album to date.

MASE & MATTIC Luke Carlino

The bar has been set high for hip-hop acts in Adelaide. We have produced some of Australia's finest, and young up-and-comers Mase and Mattic are hoping to join this list. Their debut album has been picked up by Obese Records distribution and they are set to open for The Funkoars on their upcoming tour for ‘The Quickening.

"Having the Obese tag on our record has helped a lot, people really take more notice," says one third of the group, MC Mase. The attention is something the group will have to get used, with the release of their debut album 'Sound The Horns' which features production by Trials (Funkoars), Debate (Hilltop Hoods), DJ Adfu and Hacksaw amongst others. What better way to handle it than jumping in the deep end?

The Funkoars tour will see the group tackle some of the biggest stages of their careers so far, especially in their home town of Adelaide, "Thebarton Theatre will be the first time our families have seen us perform, we have them all coming along," Mase explains. Mase and Mattic have adjusted their show to work with the bigger performance space, and are very aware that opportunities such as this do not come along everyday, "We are really grateful to the Funkoars for taking us out on the road, as well as their manager, Nate Flagrant, who has helped us out a whole bunch with more things than just the tour."

The MC says that they are extremely happy with the way the record sounds and that the feedback they have received, from both the media and fans, has been very positive. This has shifted a huge load from their shoulders and has allowed the group to focus on the next album, which they plan to release next year in amongst as much touring and promoting as possible. Only time will tell if Mase & Mattic can live up to our city’s hip-hop expectations, but they seem to be in the right company to be able to do just that.

NEW FOUND GLORY

By Will Oakeshott

Amongst the vile embarrassment of what is deemed music by commercial radio, there are saviours out there who still craft songs of meaning, intelligence, and that are actually fun to hear. Count Florida’s New Found Glory in that league. The long serving icons of poppunk released their seventh album (ninth if you include the cover albums), ‘Radiosurgery’, earlier this year. My conclusion from the title was that NFG were, in hindsight, waving the rebellious flag against radio-friendly pop music. But in fact the implication of the title is so much more.

“It’s definitely a title with a lot more meaning than that,” guitarist Chad Gilbert explains. “It’s funny, because a lot of people have interpreted the title that way and it could be another one of the reasons why we picked ‘Radiosurgery’ as the title. But what happened was I was looking through the lyrics for the record before we had even written the song Radiosurgery. The ten songs that we had at that point were originally what the album was going to be. Anyways, all the lyrics seemed to tell this story of what happens when you go through a break-up. I mean you go through the sadness, then anger, then regret, then insanity where you don’t care and you go out and do something stupid which you end up regretting again. But you still miss dB Magazine 16 November 2011

The Vasco Era will perform with Papa Vs Pretty at The Unibar on Sat 26 Nov. ‘The Vasco Era’ is out now through Era Recordings/Inetria.

THE VASCO ERA

By Steve Jones

Former Victorian coast dwellers The Vasco Era have dealt with some pretty weighty issues on their two previous outings. From their aurally stark yet fully encrypted debut, ‘Oh We Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside’ (2007), to their brilliant, if not overtly ambitious 2010 follow up, ‘Lucille’, vocalist Sid O’Neil has managed to deftly tread that fine line between astute observation and passionate empathy without ever allowing too many others in on what’s actually troubling him personally. Until possibly now, and only to those who stop long enough to show concern.

Much like their reputation as a live band, Sid O’Neil has been long known for taking that high energy rock and roll lifestyle to excessive levels; but now it seems with record number three it was finally time to face his demons. “I think Sid’s in a pretty good state at the moment compared to the last couple of albums,” assures older brother and band’s bassist, Ted. “A lot of his humour and the way that he interacts is very self deprecating, so he writes a whole lot of one liners and makes them all fit together, and that’s become a lot of the lyrical content of this album. I think the fact that Sid’s talking about everything on record is good. Most of this record was written when he’d had a mental breakdown and he left the band, and he didn’t know what he wanted to do or where his life was heading and all that sort of stuff.”

It was during this time that Sid and Ted became temporarily estranged, with Sid moving to Brisbane. “Everything on this record has come from that period and the lyrics are a hangover from that time. Two years ago he was just shot, and we thought that he’d burnt himself out completely. With ‘Lucille’ he tried to produce the perfect album, you know? He wanted to make a Bruce Springsteen type of thing and he just became obsessed about everything, and that nearly killed him creatively.”

Drummer, Michael Fitzgerald agrees. “If anything I think Sid’s mind is very stable right now. I mean, he was more open to discussion than he ever was with the previous two albums. the person, so basically the outcome of this all is that when you love someone you never forget them, whether you hate them or not. So the only way you can get someone out of your brain would be to cut them out, so what happened next is I was researching brain surgery, and I found ‘Radio Surgery’, which inspired me to write that song. That’s where it all eventuated and it made sense; radio surgery is a type of procedure which removes cysts and other things from your brain using radiowaves, radiation and stuff like that. But what we did in the album and its packaging is we made a fake definition, rewrote the clinical definition to fit our record, and made it basically what you do when you can’t get someone out of your head. It’s pretty in depth, and it’s very thematic, but it’s something we haven’t really tried before.”

Gilbert finished with a quick update on when Australian audiences may be able to see ‘Radiosurgery’ live. “Early next year is what we are aiming for, around March. We came last year for Soundwave, but we want to come back on our own tour and play a longer set and bring some bands along too. We are working on it with AJ from Soundwave Touring, so hopefully it all gets booked real soon.”

‘Radiosurgery’ is out now through Epitaph/Warner.

EMMA LOUISE

By Ryan Winter

Cairns-come-Brisbane singer/songwriter Emma Louise was perhaps naïve when she uploaded her track Jungle to Triple J Unearthed last year. She could never have foreseen what has

THESE WILD ANIMALS

By Ryan Winter

There is purpose to everything that These Wild Animals do. In less than two years together the trio, under the guiding watch of manager Daniel Bills, know where they’re going and where they want to be. You don’t usually associate a clear artistic vision with a band still emerging, but it would be fair to say that it’s certainly brought them along in leaps and bounds to the point where they are now; still yet to tour nationally but with pockets of notice coming from around the country (as well as the odd piece of criticism).

Triple J Unearthed has been a key part of the feedback process for the band, with all three tracks from their home-recorded demo having made it into the top 10 of the ‘Rock’ charts at some stage.

“Usually when you get in the top 5 you get a bit of attention,” explains vocalist and guitarist Josh Bills.

“Once Power went to number 1, the plays went up by about 2000. That’s the main thing it’s there for, to get it out there for people to listen,” drummer Beau Heffernen adds.

Words of encouragement have prompted the band to embark upon the risky venture to tour 8

since transpired.

“It was just something that you did,” Louise says of putting her song online; an eloquent statement of simplicity, if ever there was one.

“I wasn’t very aware of how it worked, I hadn’t really known about Triple J and I don’t really listen to the radio that much.”

And yet she would soon find herself with three Queensland Music Awards (including one for Song Of The Year) and an AIR Independent Music Award for Breakthrough Independent Artist. Certainly, attention from the youth broadcaster has helped take her career forward quickly, but after speaking to Louise you get the feeling that she would have made an impact across the country in her own time, regardless of the attention.

“In an interview the other day, someone asked me what I do outside of music. And I honestly couldn’t answer the question. If I wasn’t going on tour and being busy with interviews, I’d still be writing and recording, people just wouldn’t really be hearing it.”

It seems that the machine of the industry has swallowed up this sincere young songwriter, who at the time of our chat was sitting at home playing with her pet budgie. Jungle, after all, is just one song and Louise has still only released one EP so far. Yet the attention thrown towards her is a reflection of the industry as it stands today; attempting to draw whatever energy they can from new talent to attract an audience.

Whilst truly thankful for the opportunities afforded to her, Louise is savvy enough to not really worry about whether there’s any permanence in what she’s experienced during the last year.

“I think with things like Triple J, there’s a scene and while you’re getting airplay you’re a part of it, but it’s temporary. I think it’s very important that you’re writing for yourself and about your emotions. That’s the most important thing, and if people like it then it’s a bonus. If you try to write for a certain scene, when that scene fades away what have you got?”

Which is why Louise seems more inclined to tour on her lonesome, and also, when possible, with on Josh Pyke; a man who has been a tremendous influence upon her music and something of a mentor since she began finding her feet nationally. And who would be performing at this month’s Gorgeous Festival in McLaren Vale with Ms Louise? Take a guess.

“Josh Pyke has been a massive influence on me since high school, and it was amazing to support him and also perform with him as well.

That was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had,” Louise gushes.

And for those uninitiated, before you go looking for Jungle online, you can find Louise on Youtube and watch her performing demos of new songs. It’s a small window into the sort of artist this still fledgling performer will likely be.

Emma Louise will perform as part of the Gorgeous Festival at McLaren Vale on Sat 26 Nov, with Iva Davies, Josh Pyke and Busby Marou.

WA at the beginning of next year. It will be their first major tour of the country, per se, but through careful planning will be just another part of their development.

Josh explains that the band see interstate travel as the key to breaking up their routine here in Adelaide.

“Initially we did have to play a lot more gigs just to get our there live and to experience difference venues, but recently we’ve been taking gaps between shows so that we can attract bigger audiences to them. And fill in the gaps with interstate travel.”

Coming up shortly for the lads is Scorcherfest, an event which the band have returned to after a successful debut last year. The idea of performing at events as opposed to gigs has a huge appeal to the lads, where punters are able to get more than just a pub or venue atmosphere from the performance. It’s also a big part of exposing the band to a new audience, utilizing shows where a large section of punters are unlikely to have seen or heard These Wild Animals before.

These Wild Animals will perform at Scorcherfest on Sun 27 Nov at the Duke Of York Hotel. To read the full interview head to dbmagazine.com.au

METAL

FAITH IN DECAY

T

BY RYAN WINTER

here’s more than meets the eye here.

It’s a tired cliché, but quite literal when talking about Reynella based destructive act Faith In Decay. Certainly, the band replicate the theatrical image many would associate with Marilyn Manson, however, whilst this may represent their roots, Decay offer far more than a cursory glance can surmise. Their music is constructed around a broad range of hard-rock influences, but as Phil Buchanan explains, experimentation is a big part of the ethos of their music.

“There’s definitely more than just the Manson influences. Though we were certainly all inspired by him, the sound comes together like a decoupage of our influences. There are a couple of songs that weren’t on our demo that take a different direction; more of a swing sound if you will. Though the other members might not agree with me, there is a bit of Gary Glitter, and perhaps to stretch further, some Twisted Sister in the rhythm of our music.

There’s hard rock, similar to Concrete Blonde in their song Bloodletting, which has a sort of New Orleans feel to it, things are hidden.

There’s a tendency towards heavy melodies, but there are also a couple of ballads which get pumped out; though they’re not so much ballads as they are mood pieces.”

These complexities are an integral part to Faith In Decay. Buchanan believes that while some audience members may be turned off, for the large part their diversity is appreciated.

The group is by no means focused towards any mainstream attention, which has aided their development of a cultist core following.

Of course, their image and music intends to provoke responses, though even the band have

been surprised with some of the reactions they’ve been met by.

“Recently at a show,” Buchanan recalls, “we weren’t trying to provoke anything it’s just that we got upset on stage. The tension was high and I think it was a hot day and somebody took a swing and someone else, and I spat on another person and it got received really well.

More so than we would have thought. I guess if we’re going to perform, you need to walk the walk as much as talk the talk.”

And having embraced the ethos of Scorcherfest for their upcoming performance, selling well over their quota of tickets, they’re sure to confront and intrigue a few punters amongst the diverse range of fans on the day.

Faith In Decay will perform at Scorcherfest on Sun 27 Nov at The Duke Of York.

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METAL NEWS

On Thu 17 Nov, Negur� Bunget, a black/folk metal outfit from Romania who have been around since 1995, will be doing a show at the Enigma Bar. Support comes from locals Art in Exile. Doors open at 8pm for the 18+ show.

On Sat 19 Nov, local rock/metal outfit The Loving Tongue will be doing a gig at the Cavern Club with Generation Swine, Bad Blood And Broken Bones, and Pistenbroke. Doors open at 7pm for the 18+ show.

San Francisco Bay Area thrashers Forbidden have announced that they’ve finally found a replacement for drummer Mark Hernandez, who was compelled by “family obligations” to leave the group at very short notice in mid-August (less than a fortnight after they played here, in fact). Filling his spot is former November’s Doom drummer Sasha Horn, who beat eight other serious contenders for the coveted position (among them, a guy from Brisbane called Todd Hansen). In the end, the competition came down to a battle between him and an individual by the name of Eli Lucas, who despite being a relative unknown was described by the band as an incredible drummer who would “go far in this business”. Horn, however, managed to impress them even more, convincing them that he was the person they were looking for after apparently performing only two songs.

Los Angeles-based glam metal outfit Black Veil Brides were forced to cut short a recent European tour after front-man Andy Biersack broke his nose while goofing off on stage at a show in Luxembourg. Biersack had gotten down on his knees to do a mock prayer during a song called Legacy, before rolling backwards and standing back up.

Unfortunately, however, he didn’t realise that he was directly under the “four-foot drum riser” when he did so, and ended up smashing “the bone dead centre on (his) skull”. Although he vowed to soldier on for the fans, the band were forced to pull out of the tour after his performance at their next show – one in London – exacerbated his injuries and caused him excruciating pain. It’s not the first time he’s suffered for his art, the singer breaking a number of ribs

at another show only a few months earlier after stupidly attempting to jump onto the stage from a balcony about four-and-a-half metres above it. In that instance, he also managed to push past the pain and finish the show.

Former Gorgoroth front man, Gaahl, has become the latest metal musician to try his hand at acting. The singer, whose real name is Kristian Espedal, is set to appear in a film called ‘Flukt’ (‘Escape’ in English). Set in the artist’s native Norway, the film takes place in the year 1363, after the Black Death has ravaged the country and killed half its population. While details about the picture and Gaahl’s role in it remain sketchy, it would appear to revolve around a gang of outlaws who live in the country’s mountains. Described as “an epic rollercoaster ride of a thriller” by its director, Roar Uthaug, it’s due for release next September.

American theatrical metal outfit Gwar have been left reeling by the shock death of long time guitarist Cory Smoot, who passed away suddenly at the age of only 34 while the group were on an extensive North American tour. While it’s not yet known what caused Smoot’s death, the musician appears to have died in his sleep while the band were on their way to their next show.

Out of respect to him, they’ve officially retired the onstage character he’d played, Flattus Maximus. While he was far from the first person to have played that character, no-one else had done so for as long as he had, the artist having been a member of the band since 2002. Somewhat controversially, his band mates have decided to press on with the tour (something the group were only about a third of the way through when the deceased passed away), saying that he wouldn’t have wanted them to stop, and that continuing with the tour would help them deal with their grief better than returning home would.

James Brazel iranon@optusnet.com.au

dB Magazine 16 November 2011

INDUSTRY NEWS Universal To Buy EMI Records, Sony-ATV Gets Publishing Universal Music Group agreed last Friday to buy the recording division of EMI for £1.2 billion (A$1.8 billion). Sony/ATV in the meantime has bought the publishing division for US$2.2 billion (A$2.16 billion). In 2007, EMI was bought by investment company Terra Firma for £4.2 billion but couldn’t keep up with repayments. UMG chairman & CEO Lucian Grainge said that by combining the two music companies “We will be better positioned to fully capitalize on the many new and exciting opportunities in the current marketplace, and also able to better serve our artists, songwriters and business partners, while offering fans even more choice."

Bowie To Quit EMI? Speculation in the financial media is that David Bowie is the next superstar to take a walk after 15 years when his contract is up in January. ‘The Financial Times’ said Bowie’s deal with EMI guaranteed him more than 25% of royalties from wholesale in the US and he used the deal as collateral for investors who had bought into his 10-year “Bowie bonds”, which gave him a massive upfront payment in return for future royalties. Bowie is not making music (his last album was in 2003) but his back catalogue of 25 albums between 1969 and 1990 including ‘Ziggy Stardust’ and ‘Let’s Dance’ remain strong sellers — and Sony and Universal are bidding for these.

Mess Hall’s Kurzel Wins Top Screen Music Award The film score for ‘Snowtown’ — composed by The Mess Hall’s Jed Kurzel — took out the 2011 Screen Music Awards held in Sydney this Monday. It was the first score by Kurzel, who worked closely on the music with the film director, his brother Justin, on the film based on Australian serial killer John Bunting. Another first time win was for Custard frontman, David McCormack, whose collaboration with Michael Lira and Antony Partos took out Best Music Music For A TV Series/Serial for ABC series ‘Rake’. Full list of winners at the websites of APRA and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers.

‘In Conversation’ Returns The next session of arts and culture discussion ‘In Conversation’ series at the Adelaide Festival Centre’a Space Theatre is held on Thurs 24 Nov. Hosted by national arts presenter Fenella Kernebone, the topic is ‘Trends, Venues, Habits: The evolution of the music experience’. Discussing will be Zan Rowe (Triple J), Colin Daniels (Managing Director, Inertia Music) Sophia Brous (contemporary music curator, Adelaide Festival) and Daniel Randell (GM, MusicSA).

Bands On Track Music SA teamed with the SA Motor Sport Board, and Nova 91.9FM to present Bands On Track - a showcase of SA music over four days and nights as part of the Adelaide Casino Live Large Concert Series at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide in March 2012.

Daniel Randell, GM of Music SA announced, “Six race-ready bands will qualify for a starting lineup on the Adelaide Casino Concert Oval Stage Thurs 1 March. The first two bands on the grid are The Beards, and Tracer.

Adelaide Video Maker Wins Silver Adelaide filmmaker Nima Nabili Rad won a Silver 'Best Cinematography' award in WA and SA from the Australian Cinematographers Society for the video for alt-folkers Brillig’s The Old Captain. It was one of his three wins. Rad, who passed with honours in Creative Arts/ Screen Studies from Flinders University, helmed videos for Adelaide acts as hip hoppers Dialect & Despair and Delta, psychedelic band Lady Strangelove, and indie pop act She Said You. His vid for Funkoars hit 11,000 views in a week on YouTube.

Things We Hear • When this column exclusively broke the news of the split between Big Day Out’s Ken West and Vivian Lees, West told us one of the problems the festival faced was that due to getting into bidding wars for artists with other festivals, it had become too expensive and that he would be renegotiating deals with some acts. Last week Kanye West (who was originally paid a reported $6 million for all six shows) was dropped from Perth, Adelaide and Auckland.

• Flea confirms Red Hot Chili Peppers will be dB Magazine 16 November 2011

10

BY CHRISTIE ELIEZER

in Australia some time in 2012. Meantime, the original Black Sabbath have reformed for a “massive world tour”, as will Van Halen with David Lee Roth.

• Yes that was Ladyhawke playing drums for Neil and Sharon Finn's Pajama Club performed ‘Daylight’ on Britain’s Later With Jools Holland TV show.

• The funeral of a 39-year old English nurse reflected her love for Glastonbury festival: the hearse was a VW Kombi van and all well-wishers had to wear gumboots and sing Travis’ ‘Why Does it Always Rain on Me’.

• Latest internet hoax: Simply Red's Mick Hucknall died in a jet-ski accident.

• Susan Boyle’s third album ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ went platinum in Australia in its first week (helped by her promo trip and TV appearances), debuting at #1. Boyle is the only Scottish act to achieve two #1 albums in this country: Simple Minds and Snow Patrol had one each.

7digital Heading Here London-based digital music provider 7digital will enter the Australian market as part of an expansion into Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand. It has 16 million tracks, and serves 1 million subscribers through mobile devices.

Radio: Scrap Quotas Commercial Radio Australia has called for the government to scrap music quotas for Australian talent, in its submission to the Government's media convergence review. It claimed the quotas were "unsustainable and inequitable" because the rules did not apply to internet radio stations.

Blues Award Winners Winners of the 2011 Derringers Music Adelaide Blues Awards were announced late last month as part of the Backwater Blues & Roots Festival. They were Signs by The Streamliners (best blues recording 2010/11), Stobie Sounds (outstanding service to blues by an association) and Roger Smith (outstanding service to blues by an individual for RSL Blues Jam).

Derringers Music held the awards in association with South Australian Roots and Blues, Mojo Inc, Stobie Sounds and The Semaphore Workers Club.

Mr V Music Closes A Store Mr V Music closed its city store on York Street after three years and transferred its CD and DVD operations to its Semaphore store at 69a Semaphore Rd.

Lifelines Injured: AC/DC’s Brian Johnson has to scrap a US solo tour behind his memoirs as he needs surgery on his wrist in February.

Injured: Avril Lavigne ended up with a black eye and bruises after getting into a fight with a female patron outside the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel after a night out with boyfriend, reality TV name Brody Jenner.

Charged: Photographer Amy Harris filed assault charges against Left Brain of LA hip hop collective Odd Future. During the Voodoo Experience in New Orleans he jumped into the photographer’s pit and (he hates photographers) and, says Harris, assaulted her. He claims he only hit cameras.

In Court: Adam Lambert and music label Colwel Platinum Entertainment from his pre-Idol Idol days are battling over a five year old album that he made, and which Lambert was surprised to see hit the stores.

He managed to get the CD yanked. But Colwel is claiming that Lambert should never have been allowed to go on Idol as he already had a record deal at the time.

Died: Heavy D, former leader of Heavy D and The Boyz, 44, after suffering a heart attack outside his house in Los Angeles.

2UE’S Blooper It was one of those days for Sydney rightwing yakyak station 2UE’s general manager Tim McDermott.

He sent a memo to staff advising them to take holidays. An attachment was to illustrate who owed holidays. Alas, someone made a boo-boo, and the attachment actually featured what their presenters got paid! Brekkie Jason Morrison got $440,000, afternoon’s Paul Murray is on $250,000, morning’s David Oldfield on $200,000 and presenters got $110,000. What was more embarrassing: the leak, or the fact that 2UE’s rival 2GB pays Alan Jones $4 million and Ray Hadley $2 million.

“THESE JIVE TURKEYS HAVE CRACKED THE RHYTHMIC CODE TO YOUR ARSE AND BUILT A FUNK-POP WALL OF SOUND AROUND IT.” ROLLING STONE “BURSTING WITH PIANO-LED HIGH ENERGY RECALLING THE LIKES OF STEVE WINWOOD, STEVIE WONDER OR THE SCISSOR SISTERS.” THE WEST AUSTRALIAN

11

dB Magazine 16 November 2011

INTERVIEW

GYROSCOPE

BY DARREN LEACH A down to earth and honest Rob Nassif spoke on the eve of their “Choose Your Own Adventure” tour.

The band has been on a four month hiatus with Nassif recently returning from a well deserved European backpacking holiday. Setting out for one last tour before writing starts for album number five. But this tour the band is trying something different – fans vote via Facebook on the set list. They can vote for that rare b-side or cover or album track they don’t often hear.

Nassif explains.

“There are ten obvious tracks people will choose.

There’s your Doctor Doctor, Snakeskin, Safe Forever, Baby I’m Getting Better Better, they’ll all in there. I do think Doctor Doctor is the highest at the moment. Safe Forever is second, with Snakeskin up there as well. We normally play about 16 to 17 songs a show, so for the next 6 or 7 tracks there’s a group of about 10 to 12 songs vying for these spots. There’s some we have never played before, tracks like Sexxxy, Tunnel Vision and Working With Wood, so there’s a bunch we haven’t played. I think Wood our fans are getting a bit savvy about voting for songs we haven’t played before. Maybe they will pick an unreleased track? Our fans can be slightly obsessive.”

In 2010, a week after ‘Cohesion’ hit the shelves; their former label Warner released a ‘Best-of ’ album much to the bands dislike. In fact, Warner didn’t even tell the band they were releasing it. There was a big

I

t’s hard to believe but Perth foursome Gyroscope has been around since 1997. When you rewind 14 years you can understand why they wanted to be in a band. Blink 182’s break through album ‘Dude Ranch’ and Foo Fighters ‘The Colour & The Shape’ were two of the years’ biggest releases and clearly influenced the band. You could easily throw in fellow West Australians Jebediah’s ‘Slightly Odway’. Later, the band would support Blink 182 in 2004 and Foo Fighters producer Gil Norton turned some knobs on their ‘Cohesion’ album from 2010.

INTERVIEW

backlash against Warner and not long after it was removed from the shops and taken down from Itunes.

“We literally found out a week before it came out.

What they had done internally is kept it a secret and they knew we would be upset about it. We had just signed a new deal with Island which is Universal Records, which is their competitor and they probably felt burnt by that. If they had come to us and getting us on board and releasing at a more appropriate time, then we would have open to this. But when had purposely gone about this in an underhanded manner, we’re going to come out and tell people not to buy it.

As a young band, would you want to sign to a label that does this? We got over it pretty quickly. Warner is now run by a completely different hierarchy of people.

There’s more integrity from the top down.”

Gyroscope will perform at The Gov on Thu 17 Nov. To read the full interview, head to dbmagazine.com.au

TIM & JEAN

BY DANIELA FRANGOS

L

ilkafest returns to the intimate setting of Meningie this month for two days and nights of some of the best live music filtering out of Adelaide.

After getting booted from the Soundwave line-up, Melbourne’s Closure in Moscow have been added to the bill alongside Perth natives and festival headliners, Tim and Jean.

The youthful and exuberant synth-pop duo of Tim Ayre and Jean-Christophe Capotorto have performed at festivals all over the country since their rapid rise to fore of the national scene, but fronting a festival is a first for the pair. “Festivals are always enjoyable to play, no matter where we are in the line up, but knowing we’re headlining is a really good feeling,” says chuffed vocalist and keyboardist Ayre.

Hailing from the small coastal town of Mandurah in WA, the boys were first thrust into the spotlight when Jean was 15 and Tim 18, after winning a Triple J Unearthed spot on the Parklife bill. With only one song to their name, the radio-friendly and highly rotated summer track Come Around Around, the boys got busy writing eventually culminating in the 2011 release of their debut album ‘Like What’. “We’d been sitting on the tracks for a while, so it felt good to release the

record and get it out there and see what everyone else thought of it,” Ayre says. “It’s refreshing to know if people like the music or not, so we want to just keep writing and trying to make our next record better.

We’re writing now and feeling good about it, so it’s the same thing – we just want to get it out and see what people think.”

Tim and Jean’s synth-heavy music is steeped in 80s pop influences and borrows a healthy amount of fuzzy electronics from US contemporaries Passion Pit, but Ayre says the new songs will expand their repertoire. “For this next record we’re using different sounds and doing things we didn’t do on the last one.

The tracks on the debut were all done very quickly, but this time around we have had a lot more time – there’s no rush, there’s no stress, we’re just writing, and we’re in an environment that is a lot more chilled.

Hopefully the new tracks come out better because of it,” Ayre muses. “It is probably a lot more mature in terms of what we’re writing about as well – most of our previous songs were about girls and relationships, but I think we’re getting way from that whole thing.

We haven’t intentionally decided to change direction or anything. I think change just comes naturally through time and evolving and experiencing new things – those things always help in terms of songwriting.”

After their turn fronting Lilkafest, the boys have their sights set on the international scene. “We’re

INTERVIEW THE CRUEL SEA

“N

ot at all.”

This is keyboardist/ guitarist James Cruickshank’s response when I ask him exactly how active The Cruel Sea has been in recent times. Since the band called it quits almost ten years ago, Cruickshank has been pursuing a solo career in between stints with Tex (Perkins) and The Dark Horses, as well as occasionally featuring on the organ for his local congregation. Until 2008, The Cruel Sea was completely dormant, when a few festival performances brought them back together for a short while. This time, however, it was a decidedly more low-key event that prompted a reunion.

“We played at Ken’s (Gormly, bassist) 50th birthday

a couple of months ago,” reflects Cruickshank on the spark that stoked the fires again. “We did an instrumental set first, which was kinda fun. It was a tiny little stage with a crappy PA – you know, like a bar band. Then we ploughed into the next set and made an absolute fucking schmozzle of it.”

Cruickshank follows this last sentence with a hearty full-blooded laugh, emblematic of the impulsive attitude that characterised this gig as much as it does their entire career. “It was just really fun to fall on your ass and make the girls dance a bit.”

The Cruel Sea are determined to preserve this sort of spontaneity and to keep their music special – not only for their legion of fans but also for themselves, having booked only five gigs for the time being.

“Nobody is keen to get in a Tarago and play shit-

BY AARON NASH

holes for eight weeks around the countryside,” says Cruickshank, summing it up with his characteristic blunt honesty. “I’m a bit suspicious of bands who get back together to play every song for some crappy old bunch of Baby Boomers when there’s only one original member left.”

Cruickshank promises an eclectic mix of wellknown hits, obscure B-sides, deep cuts and a few new instrumentals for fans on this tour. “You need to have a bit of fear when you play,” he explains, “like, ‘Ah fuck, I don’t remember the words to that,’ or ‘Ah fuck, how does this bit go?’ That’s where you feel like you’re really playing music as opposed to just being some sort of performing monkey.”

Despite his cantankerous rants, Cruickshank speaks generously – and at length – and it is clear how

TICKETS FROM

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$

playing some more festivals and we’ll keep writing for the next album – we’re hoping to have a single out for next year, that’s the plan. We also want to get overseas early next year, around March and start to build a following over there.”

Tim & Jean will headline Lilkafest held in Meningie on Fri 25 to Sun 27 Nov. deeply he cares about his band’s music. “I think we’re playing better than we ever have,” he admits. “We don’t have anything to prove and there’s a wonderful kind of relaxedness about what we’re doing. It’s just a great privilege to be a part of something that’s not a big nostalgia fest.” He speaks about his friends who have dedicated their lives to music and surviving it all, despite the poverty and the grind of it all. “To have this opportunity to play with my old friends and play this music that actually belongs to everyone now is just…” Cruickshank trails away at the end of that sentence, lost for words. “Is there a better thing to do?

I don’t know.”

The Cruel Sea will perform at The Gov on Fri 25 Nov.

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“TOOMELAH IS GENTLY SPELLBINDING.” Stephanie Bunbury, Sydney Morning Herald

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dB Magazine 16 November 2011

THE FRIDGE

WED NOV 16 - TUE NOV 29

Wed 16 Nov 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 Cargo Club – DJs Minx & GTB Colonel Light Hotel – DJ Chombo Coopers Alehouse @ The Earl – Darren & Carmen Crown & Anchor Hotel – Geek w DJ Tr!p Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Hear No Evil with 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 Fowlers Live – Drum Clinic featuring NILE drummer Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Open Mic Night Grace Emily Hotel – Jonathan Crouch Heaven – Dirty Harry Holdfast Hotel – Nonstop Dance Party w DJs Mike Wills + VIP HQ – ‘Flashdance’ Kings Head – DJ Driller La Boheme – Jazz Group ‘The New Cabal’ from 9pm Marion Hotel – Stand Up Comedy Feat David Smeidt Mars Bar – DJK Experience Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Celtic Connection Rhino Room – Live Stand Up Comedy 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 The Gov – F/Bar: Open Mic Night Worldsend – Free Acoustic Music

Thurs 17 Nov Alma Tavern – DJ Abe Arkaba – Flaming Sambucas Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Bombay Bicycle Club – DJ Contact Crown & Anchor Hotel – Two Way Radio, Stone’s Throw + DJs Sally Kitten and Mississippi Fox Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Aural Elixir with DJ Bos + live sax Cumberland Arms Hotel – RnB with DJ Well Deep Blue Café – Rob McDade solo instrumental guitar 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 Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – ‘Lubricated’ Improv poetry slam with prizes!

Gaslight Tavern – Jam with The Gaslight House Band Gilbert St Hotel – Sav and Mick G Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Gyroscope w City Riots + Closure in Moscow Grace Emily Hotel – Shelley and Missingcat Grand Bar – ‘OMG!’ w DJ Little Jimmy Heaven – Shag! Thursdays Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt McLaughlin Higher Ground – TAFE On Song w Robyn Habel Highlander Hotel – Hilife DJs Holdfast Hotel – Open Mic Night from 7pm Hotel Wright St – Dr Mark and the Good Medicine Jive Bar – Passenger w Stu Larson La Boheme – French Connection: DJ Zooma from 9pm Mars Bar – Naughty/Nice with DJ Astro Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Disco Revival Night 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 Rhino Room – Adelaide Comedy w Tahir 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 The Gov – F/Bar: Paleface Village Taverner – Club Village DJs Worldsend – Free live Music

Fri 18 Nov Alma Tavern – ‘Rock Out With Your C*ck Out’ w The Usual Suspects, DJ

Hollywood + Cat Vas Archer Hotel – Downstairs: DJ Huddy; Upstairs: DJ Reelax Arkaba Hotel – Chunky Custard, Johnny G (soloist) + Planet Square Bacchus Bar – Plush Bar On Gouger – Random Hero Boho Bar – DJ Patty + Roving Magician Bushman Hotel – DJ Brad Iversen Cargo – Sexy r’n’b DJs Cavern Club – To Bury or Burn w Depth of Deception + Torn Is The Veil + Her Name Was Grace + Hally Chichi – DJs Smooth Trax & GBH Cooper’s Alehouse @ The Earl – DJ Semtex Crown & Anchor Hotel – Ivory, Lumerian, Voxangelica Crown & Sceptre Hotel – BellePhonics w DJs Soulshine + Medhi + Stephen King 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 – Tonight Alive, Skyway, Raider, Sometime Soon, Keen Must Die Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – Ska’d for Life 3.

Fingercuff’s, Give or Take, Sleepy City Upstarts, God God Dammit Dammit Fowlers Live - Jebediah Garage – DJs Filthy Rich & Matt Pearce Grace Emily Hotel – Hills and Trains w The XO Exes Grand Bar – ‘Flashback Fridays’ w DJ Matty B + Nova’s Jarrod Walsh Hahndorf Inn – DJ Dynamic Heaven – Funk’d Fridays surreal lounge w DJs Krispy, Souli, Well, Sok, NRG Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt Higher Ground – Max_Mo Hilton Hotel (MyBar) – Boogie Nights: DJ Capital D, MC DV8 Holdfast Hotel – Jaya Hyatt Regency Adelaide – Waves Nightclub: Miami Nights Intercontinental (Atrium Bar) – Denis Ferraro from 9pm Iso Bar – Sound Mechanics: r’n’b & urban with DJ Krisp, DJ Sok & Jo Castell Jive Bar – Goldfields w Millions + Glisk Kings Head – In House: DJs Lachlan Pender, D-Lux & VIP La Boheme – DJ Curtis ‘Smooth Groove’ from 9pm 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 Marion Hotel – Ryan Aberle, Fizzy Pop Metro Hotel – Harmony album launch, Bronze Chariot, The Shakes Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Killkenny Duo Oriental – DJ Audio Porn Pier One Bar – DJ Skot Holder Producers Bar – Miami Nights Ramsgate Hotel – Live Bands Red Square – Bollocks DJs, Decker, DJ Brendon, MC Dave Eason Rhino Room – Adelaide Comedy Fair w Tahir, Itchycoo Park + Live Bands: Lite Werks + The Temples Rob Roy Hotel – Sweet Baby James & Rob Eyers Robin Hood Hotel – ‘Friday Night’s The Pianoman’: with Denis Ferraro at the piano Rocket Bar – Grifters Inc, The BottleRockets (live), A Devil Amongst the Tailors Royal Oak Hotel – Groovy Lounge with DJ Derek Lang & friends Savvy – Groovy DJs Seaford Hotel – DIY DJs from the crowd!: DJ Marek + MC Jazz Semaphore Workers Club – The Roy Beatle Band Shores Complex – Boogaloo Latino Lounge: DJ el Papi & Chico Southern Hotel Gawler – Club S: DJ Deelite & Sandra Stamford Plaza – Swish: ‘Nothing But 90s’ w MC Timmy Pine, DJ V Stockade Hotel – Fuel: DJ Nathan Sunnyside Hotel Motel – Idle Saints Supermild – DJ Gumshoe & guests Swish @ Stamford Plaza – Nothing But 90s: 90s Dance Night w DJ Rmac, DJ V, MC Timmy Pine The Ed Castle – live bands and DJs in the front bar from 9pm The Goody Hotel – 100% Hits Fridays: DJ Isaac The Gov - Saloon Bar: Irish Sessions The Norwood Hotel – Rick Brewster’s Angels feat Dave Gleeson The Promethean – The Bearded Empress Tour: The Bearded Gypsy Band, Echo and The Empress The Stockade – Foxxy G Tonsley Hotel – Johnny, Boris Loves To Boogie Topaz Bar (Findon Hotel) – DJ Demize Victoria Hotel – DJ Kontrol, DJ Nick Ford, MC Mischief Warradale Hotel – Stone's Throw Watermark Hotel – E'nuf Said Wheatsheaf Hotel - The Lonely Cosmonauts Winstons Bar (Pirie St) – Professor X, DJ Jamie, ATB, Stevie & Michael Fraser Worldsend Hotel – ‘Girls Girls Girls’: TomBoy, Doddsy

Sat 19 Nov Alma Tavern – ‘MetroRetro’ w DJ Isaac, MC Craig Egan Apothecary – Deep House with Bensun & Bundi Archer Hotel – DJs David James & Jaki J

dB Magazine 16 November 2011

Arkaba Hotel – Timewarp Too Reunion, Johnny G (solist) + Unknown To Man Bacchus Bar – Can’t Kick The Habit 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 Cargo Club – DJs Audioporn & GTB Cavern Club – Pistenbroke w Generation Swine + Bad Blood & Broken Bones + The Loving Tonge Chichi – DJs Smooth Trax & GBH Club 199 – House, Retro Dance Crown & Anchor Hotel – Smells Like September, Delusions of Grandma, The Mercy Beat (QLD), Gunter and the Safeword Crown & Sceptre Hotel – The Wholias & Phat Panda + DJ The Continental 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 – Fetish Burlesque, Death In Venice Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – King Parrot, Double Dragon, Death Cult Jock, Katabasis, Gangreenis Penis. BISTRO: Half Pints CD Launch (VIC), The Scabs, Slappy Granny, Exploding Cactusm, Dopecake Fowlers Live – The New Dead: 9.5 hours of pure Metal w Se Bon Kira + Arcadia + Truth Corroded and many more Garage – DJ Luke Lombe German Arms – DJ Semtex Gilbert St Hotel – DJ Mark Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – The Angels w Almost Human Grace Emily Hotel – The Toss w The Molting Vultures Grand Bar – ‘Destination Saturdays’ w DJ Trix, MC Jazz Grays Inn (Mt Barker) – DJ Dynamic & DJ Biz Griffin's Head – DJs Grosvenor Hotel – Riley Solo Acoustic Hahndorf Inn – DJ Abe & MC Craig Egan Heaven – Clubland and Beyonce CD Launch! Who Runs The World?

Free cocktails for ladies before 11pm Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt McLaughlin Highlander Hotel – Highlander Saturdays Hilton Hotel (MyBar) – ‘Retro Saturdays’ w DJ V, MC Timmy Pine Holdfast Hotel – Ex-Men Intercontinental (Atrium Bar) – Denis Ferraro from 9pm Iso Bar – Sound Mechanics: r’n’b & urban with DJ Nick Ford & MC Paul Curran Jive Bar – The Salvadors w I, a Man + East End Villians Kings Head – Smik Saturdays: Wade C, VIP & Madness La Boheme – DJ Tr!p + DJ Zooma Lakes Resort – Cherry Soda Duo; Reflections Bar: Coolmints Duo London Tavern – DJ Dynamic Mansions – Mansions Saturdays: DJ Michael Constant, DJ Steve Reece, MC Eggo Marion Hotel – Franky, The Party Cats Mars Bar – Main Room: DJs BeeJay & guests + Floorshow starring Rochelle, Fifi & cast; Kitchen Bar: DJ Fraser & guests Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – Harvest 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 Rhino Room – Four Words feat.

Archie 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: ‘Shuffle’ Mexican Snow Party! w DJ Dylan Manov, DJ Little Jimmy, MC Paul Curran Stockade Tavern – Fuel Bar: DJ Dynamic Swish @ Stamford Plaza – DJ Little Jimmy, DJ Matty B 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 Gov – Tim Rogers (You Am I) w Shane O’Mara, Leena, F/Bar: Dead Lucky The Stag – DJ Huddy Tonsley Hotel – Johnny, The Highlites Victoria Hotel (O’Halloran Hill) – DJ Spoonylove Village Tavern – Club XS DJs Warradale Hotel – KTC Duo Wheatsheaf Hotel – The Stillsons ‘Earnest’ CD Launch Worldsend – ‘Moscow Sessions’: Antiks, Adam Lawrence, Keyser, Tommi

Sun 20 Nov Alma Tavern – ‘Sunday School’:

UFC 138 w The Idle Saints + Loose Marjon DJs Bacchus Bar – Smokin Croc’s Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Boho Bar – General Gist Crown & Anchor Hotel – Shanae Burnett-Raby, Esther Lamb, Ange Panousakis, Juno Juno Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Sweet Baby James Solo Duck Inn – Nat Pike Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – Recovery Position open mic Gilbert St Hotel – The Airbenders Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – A Hero’s Legacy w Francis Edwards + Eric Bogle and band + Siobhan Owens + Teri St Neil Grace Emily Hotel – The Stillsons Grand Bar – ‘Grand Bar Sundays’ Guest DJ Brendon w DJ Matty B, DJ Michael Constant, Little Miss DJ, MC Kris + Craig James Henley Sandbar – DJ Mark McLaughlan Hilton Hotel – @‘MyBar’: Reid Jones Sax/Percussion Historic Auburn Courthouse, Clare Valley – Whitetop Mountaineers Holdfast Hotel – Jaya HQ – ‘Garden Grooves’ w Jazzy James, Professor X, Damage Lakes Resort – KTC Duo Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – E’nuf Said 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 – Spectrum The Duck Inn – Shannon The Ed Castle – acoustic Sundays in the beer garden from 2-6pm, free entry The Goody Hotel – ‘Sunday Sessions’ w Special K’s The Oxford Hotel – Miles and Paul West Thebarton Hotel – Karaoke Wheatsheaf Hotel – Max Savage & The False Idols + Star’s Young Whitmore Hotel – Sweet Baby James & Rob Eyers

Hotel – Big Al’s Krazy Karaoke Grace Emily Hotel – Daniel Cameron w Harmless Hunter Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Front Bar: Open Mic Night Heaven – Dirty Harry Higher Ground – Open Mic Comedy Holdfast Hotel – Nonstop Dance Party w DJs Mike Wills + VIP HQ – ‘Flashdance’: Kings Head – DJ Driller La Boheme – Jazz Group ‘The New Cabal’ from 9pm Mars Bar – DJK Experience Mick O‘Shea’s Irish Pub – Celtic Connection Rhino Room – Live Stand Up Comedy 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 The Gov – F/Bar: Open Mic Night Worldsend – Free Acoustic Music

Thurs 24 Nov 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: 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 Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – The Kennedy Escape Plan with open Rock jam!

Gaslight Tavern – Jam with The Gaslight House Band Gilbert St Hotel – Nikko & Snooks Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Front Bar: Les Gitans Blancs – Gypsy Swing Grace Emily Hotel – The Bakers Digest Grand Bar – ‘OMG!’: DJ Rupheo Heaven – Shag! Thursdays Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt McLaughlin Highlander Hotel – Hilife DJs

Mon 21 Nov Archer Hotel – DJ Ocky Arkaba – Tavern: Terrific Trivia Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Boho Bar – Fortune Teller Broadway Hotel – Riley Solo Acoustic Crown & Anchor Hotel – Self Preservation Society Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Free pool, Cheaps jugs of Coopers, cool tunes Grace Emily Hotel – Billy Bob's BBQ Grand Bar – Industrie Night with DJ Rupheo Rat & Parrott – Karaoke with Annie & Shaggy Red Square – Chill: DJ Semler Rhino Room – One Mic Stand: Open Mic Comedy hosted by Georgie Carroll Sugar – driLLer, Stephen King The Gov – The Unforgettable Music Festival w Imran Khan (Holland) + DJ Shadow (Dubai) Worldsend – S-Fools I-Puddle

Tues 22 Nov Arkaba – Stand Up Comedy Feat.

Dave Williams and Greg Fleet Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Coopers Ale House – Crikey! An Aussie Night Out Crown & Anchor Hotel – Cranka Comedy hosted by Bowley + Industry Night w DJ Stevie and Duncan + free 8ball Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Eclectric: 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 Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – Boozy Bluesy Tuesday: Swampdaddies and Rob Scott Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Front Bar: Uke Night Grace Emily Hotel – Baldclanger 2011 Heaven – Roots and Reggae: International band, Planet Reggae Oxford Hotel – E’Nuf Said Royal Oak Hotel – Lucifer’s Lounge S-Bar – Bingo & Funky House with Ben James The Gov – Musicworks, F/Bar: Uke Night The Oxford Hotel – Lucifers Lounge The Tonsley – Drive: DJs DMH & Adam Daze Worldsend – Free Live Music

Wed 23 Nov Arkaba Hotel – Salsa Classes, DJ Hugo Avoca Hotel – Live Sessions & DJ DMH Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Boho Bar – Lucifer’s Lounge Bombay Bicycle Club – Sean Robertson Cargo Club – DJs Minx & GTB Colonel Light Hotel – DJ Chombo Coopers Alehouse @ The Earl – Darren & Carmen Crown & Anchor Hotel – DJ Tr!p Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Hear No Evil: 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

16

Holdfast Hotel – Matt Stillert Jive – Papa vs Pretty, Red Coats La Boheme – French Connection: DJ Zooma from 9pm Mars Bar – Naughty/Nice: DJ Astro Old Bush Inn (Willunga) – Billy February 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 Rhino Room – Adelaide Comedy w Tom Murphy 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 The Gov – F/Bar: The Strangers Village Taverner – Club Village DJs Worldsend – Free Live Music

Fri 25 Nov Alma Tavern – ‘Rock Out With Your C*ck Out’ w Full Circle, DJ Hollywood Archer Hotel – Downstairs: DJ Huddy; Upstairs: DJ Reelax Arkaba Hotel – Hi-Topps Bacchus Bar – Jay Hoad Bar On Gouger – Random Hero Boho Bar – DJ Paulie & Guests Bushman Hotel – Double Black Party Cavern Club – Loaded Leopard w Molloy + Pump + Spunk Money Chichi – DJs Smooth Trax & GBH Cooper’s Alehouse @ The Earl – DJ Semtex Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Household of 3 w 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 – Ulcerate, Beyond Terror Beyond Grace, Tzun Tzu, Altars Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – New Age Riot, Sunset Driveby, The Second Hand Squad Fowlers Live – Coerce + guests

Garage – DJs Filthy Rich & Matt Pearce Gilbert St Hotel – DJ Mark Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Tex Perkins and The Cruel Sea w Cabins Grace Emily Hotel – Hills and Trains w Traveler and Fortune Grand Bar – ‘Flashback Fridays’ w DJ Matty B, Nova’s Jarrod Walsh Hahndorf Inn – DJ Dynamic Hampshire Hotel – DJ Fusion, DJ Josh Heaven – Rising Stars & Funk’s Fridays: Are You Adelaide’s Next Rising Star? DJs Krispy, Souli, Well, Sok, NRG Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt Hilton Hotel (MyBar) – ‘Boogie Nights’ w DJ Capital D, MC DV8 Holdfast Hotel – Coastal Chill Hyatt Regency Adelaide – Waves Nightclub: Miami Nights Intercontinental (Atrium Bar) – Denis Ferraro from 9pm Iso Bar – Sound Mechanics: r’n’b & urban with DJ Krisp, DJ Sok & Jo Castell Jive Bar – The Transatlantics Kings Head – In House: DJs Lachlan Pender, D-Lux & VIP

La Boheme – DJ Curtis ‘Smooth Groove’ from 9pm Largs Pier – Sound Mechanics: Funky, Motown & Old School Lockleys Hotel – DJ Toopie Mansions – ‘Mansions Friday’: DJ K2 Marion Hotel – Tro Harrison, Flaming Sambucas 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 Ramsgate Hotel – Live Bands Red Square – ‘Gloss Fridays’ Bollocks DJs, Decker, DJ Brendon, DJ Dylan Manov Rhino Room – Adelaide Comedy w Golden Phung + Ok, Soda Feat Es Ist Super 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 – Pirate Party! w DJ

Michael Constant, MC Andy M Semaphore Workers Club – Lost Romaldo Groove Shores Complex – Boogaloo Latino Lounge: DJ el Papi & Chico Southern Hotel Gawler – Club S: DJ Deelite & Sandra Stamford Plaza – Swish: ‘Nothing But 90s’ 90s Singstar Night! W 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 – DJ Gex The Gov – Miami Horror + Gold Fields, F/Bar: Babylon Burning Presents: Reggae Night, Saloon Bar: Irish Sessions The Promethean – Spine, The Card Houses The Stockade – Foxxy G Tonsley Hotel – Franky, Luv2Luv, DJ Troy in Chrysler Bar Topaz Bar (Findon Hotel) – DJ Demize Victoria Hotel – DJ Kontrol, DJ Nick Ford, MC Mischief Wheatsheaf Hotel – The Satellites Wheatsheaf Hotel (Port Lincoln) – Billy February Winstons Bar (Pirie St) – Professor X, DJ Jamie, ATB, Stevie & Michael Fraser Woodcroft Tavern – Bon ‘n’ All (Classic AC/DC show) Worldsend Hotel – ‘Girls Girls Girls’: TomBoy, Doddsy

Sat 26 Nov Alma Tavern – ‘MetroRetro’ w DJ Isaac, MC Craig Egan Apothecary – Deep House with Bensun & Bundi Archer Hotel – DJs David James & Jaki J Arkaba Hotel – Usual Suspects Bacchus Bar – The Cats Pyjamas Bar On Gouger – Random Hero Bentley’s Clare – DJ Ben Boho Bar – DJ Paulie & Guests Bushman Hotel – ‘I Love Retro!’: DJ Silver Cargo Club – DJs Audioporn & GTB Cavern Club – Glam Rock Night Chichi – DJs Smooth Trax & GBH Clare Castle Hotel (Kapunda) – Bon ‘n’ All (classic AC/DC show) Club 199 – House, Retro Dance Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Selah & The Lite Werks w DJ Bunyip 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

17

Kaelee, Seamless, Sven, Juddo Enigma Bar – Grenadiers, Day On Fire, The Statics, Aaagh Cobras (Bar 2), “RVM Dark-Industrial” (Bar 3) Empire Pool Lounge – Matt Decker, Orb & Tonez Forresters & Squatters Arms Hotel – Art In Exile, Raven Black Night, Manifesto, Apocalyptic City with DJ Deathstrike Garage – DJ Luke Lombe German Arms – DJ Semtex Gossip: MBC Bar Embassy North Tce – DJ Skot Holder Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Directions In Groove w Special Guests Grand Bar – ‘Destination Saturdays’ You Could win a Hummer Ride! W DJ Trix, DJ Trim, MC Andy M Grace Emily Hotel – Burn In Hell w Bastard Sons of Ruination Grays Inn (Mt Barker) – DJ Dynamic & DJ Biz Griffin's Head – DJs Hahndorf Inn – DJ Abe & MC Craig Egan Heaven – Clubland, Sam & Renae from The Amazing Race Australia Henley Sandbar – DJ Matt McLaughlin Highlander Hotel – Highlander Saturdays: Hilton Hotel (MyBar) – ‘Retro Saturdays’ w DJ V, MC Timmy Pine Holdfast Hotel – Agent 99 Intercontinental (Atrium Bar) – Denis Ferraro from 9pm Iso Bar – Sound Mechanics: r’n’b & urban with DJ Krisp, DJ Sok & Jo Castell Jive – Alpine, City Riots Kings Head – Smik Saturdays: Wade C, VIP & Madness La Boheme – DJ Tr!p + DJ Zooma London Tavern – DJ Dynamic Mansions – ‘Mansions Saturdays’: DJ Michael Constant, DJ Steve Reece, MC Eggo Marion Hotel – Johnny, Rohan and Polly Mars Bar – Main Room: DJs BeeJay & guests + Floorshow starring Rochelle, Fifi & cast; Kitchen Bar: DJ Fraser & guests Mick O’Shea’s Irish Pub – ChillNorwood 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 Reynella Enterprise and Youth Centre – Auxilla w These Wild Animals + Kick The Generator Rhino Room - SquareOne 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: Tax Bonus 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 Gov – La Bomba Presents: South America Fest + Front Bar: Rob McDade The Stag – DJ Huddy Tonsley Hotel – Franky, Two Hard Basket Victoria Hotel (O’Halloran Hill) – DJ Spoonylove Village Tavern – Club XS DJs Wheatsheaf Hotel – Snooks La Vie ‘Another Place In Time’ CD Launch + The Reprise + Naomi Keyte Worldsend – ‘Moscow Sessions’: Antiks, Adam Lawrence, Keyser, Tommi

Sun 27 Nov Alma Tavern – ‘Sunday School’ w The Idle Saints, DJ Ryley, DJ V Bacchus Bar – Release The Hounds Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Boho Bar – Groove Elation Crown & Anchor Hotel – Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Sunday Love w DJs Eez-G + Juddo, Elliot Ness, Jason Lee & Bos Duke Of York Hotel – 42 Bands Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – Movie Massacre Gilbert St Hotel – Brenton Manser Duo Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Miss Pinup Australia 2011 w Luck 7 Swing Grace Emily Hotel – Cesare w Sea Urchin & Allies + Dear Sputnik Grand Bar – ‘Grand Bar Sundays’ Naughty Schoolgirl Party w DJ Dylan Manov, DJ Michael Constant, DJ Shogun, MC Paul Curran, Craig James Hilton Hotel MyBar – Tim Bos DJ & Sax Henley Sandbar – DJ Mark McLaughlan Holdfast Hotel – Matt O’Brien 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 – The Streamliners The Ed Castle – acoustic Sundays in the beer garden from 2-6pm,

free entry The Goody Hotel – ‘Sunday Sessions’ w Nick Deggan The Gov – Clare Bowditch + Lanie Lane Front The Promethean – Debra Gibson & The Rising Lotus debut album launch Travelers Rest – Billy February West Thebarton Hotel – Karaoke Wheatsheaf Hotel – Emily Davis & The Open Road + Jess Ribiero

Mon 28 Nov Archer Hotel – DJ Ocky Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Grace Emily Hotel – Billy Bob's BBQ Grand Bar – Industrie Night: DJ Rupheo Rat & Parrot – Karaoke with Annie & Shaggy Red Square – Chill: DJ Semler Rhino Room – One Mic Stand: Open Mic Comedy hosted by Phill Cowie Sugar – driLLer, Stephen King Wheatsheaf Hotel – C.O.M.A. Quiz Night Fundraiser Worldsend – S-Fools I-Puddle

Tues 29 Nov Arkaba – Stand Up Comedy Feat Andrew McClelland Bar On Gouger – Lounge Night Coopers Ale House – Crikey! An Aussie Night Out Crown & Anchor Hotel – Mixed Tape: DJ’s Duncan & Stevie Crown & Sceptre Hotel – Eclectric with 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 Forresters and Squatters Arms Hotel – Boozy Bluesy Tuesday: Swampdaddies and Rob Scott Governor Hindmarsh Hotel – Front Bar: Uke Night Grace Emily Hotel – Pub Cinema Oxford Hotel – E’Nuf Said Royal Oak Hotel – Lucifer’s Lounge S-Bar – Bingo & Funky House with Ben James The Gov – F/Bar: Uke Night The Oxford Hotel – Lucifers Lounge Worldsend – Free Live Music

dB Magazine 16 November 2011

ALBUM REVIEWS Whales may find a use for it? The sounds may be quite romantic if you are a whale; like the Barry Manilow of whale sounds, this EP is perfect whale baby making music.

The standouts are the complete songs as opposed to the various vocal samples which make up other tracks, such as On And Ever Onward or the closer, All We Are. As Bjork’s voice take up the majority of the space, the moments when Longstreth takes over the vocal duties come as refreshing breaks and suit the backing sounds extremely well. The actual production of the EP is simple yet effective and the mood creates a nice watery flow from start to finish, pun semi-intended.

This EP is far from Bjork’s finest moments but as mentioned before, serves it purpose, and is above all for an extremely worthwhile cause.

WE LIKED IT

AND YOU WILL TOO

Luke Carlino

Quiet Child Thumper Independent It’s like a Spartan version of Laura, with not quite so much of a bottom end. At least, that applies for opening epic The Cold Halls, clocking at an impressive nineand-a-half minutes. The shifting tempo acts like a map to the song, which ends in a flurry of thrash-esque riffs after Peter Spiker’s vocals finally give way.

You can’t hear the ridiculously catchy Gaps without thinking of Queens Of The Stone Age. ‘Thumper’s variation continues to reveal itself with the dark piano introduction on the gothic Clockwork, while Oceans Of Silhouettes is another lengthy track, punctuated by a riff which sounds straight out of the Doom games and some wonderfully deep bass lines. Title track Thumper balances it’s lyrical content exquisitely with a hard-hitting central riff, complimented by an urgent, yet understated, piano.

Walking Ghost is the sort of masterpiece that The Cranberries might have written while Delores enjoyed one of her more somber moments. On this track, and the subsequent How Could We Ask, Spiker is the centerpiece, and I wish the band had sent info on who was playing the piano, because it’s utterly captivating and deserving of praise.

Darwin returns the band to heavier territory, holding a powerful beat throughout the constant verbal attack. Elements of stoner-metal, groove and slight shades of psych make this an enthralling ride.

Everything finishes on Good Company, which features a cracking solo that any 80s metal fan would completely lose their shit over. There’s even a bit of glam to it, which is surprisingly befitting the chugging riff which drives the song throughout.

It’s as if these songs have all been cherry-picked together to form the album and as a whole body of work, it takes a few listens to get used to. But that’s not a criticism, more of a challenge for the listener to meet. Spiker’s precise and anxious vocals tie this album together, while musically, ‘Thumper’ explores quite literally the full emotional range that prog-rock can elicit. I can’t heap enough praise on Quiet Child for what they’ve produced here; it’s almost perfect.

Ryan Winter

Dirty Projectors & Bjork

The Trouble With Templeton Bleeders MGM It really shouldn’t matter that Thomas Calder, aka The Trouble With Templeton, is only twenty-one years old. The voice he appropriates on debut album ‘Bleeders’ is very much his own, at this point in time in his career, when everything lies before him.

His lyrics are thoughtfully compiled, with more than a nod to Lady Of The Sunshine on the title track and Someday Soon.

This is a flawless work of folk; just enough blues, just enough twee, just enough gospel and plenty of earnestness, backed by a delicately used acoustic guitar. Opener When Will has a sense of urgency, but also of a knowing resolution, which helps to steer him away from the angst you get with Damien Rice. He’s doesn’t have the chocolate vocals of William Fitzsimmons, but the music certainly shares a similar sense of ease at times, especially on Home. And Tired isn’t exactly King Creosote, but jeez he get’s the melancholy spot on.

The quaintest song on the record would be 30 Something; a horribly scything commentary upon getting to “that age” and, in Calder’s own words “living a life that I never wanted/ I’ll never think twice about how I got here/ And I’m happy being crappy.” I guess this is where I contradict my earlier statement about his age, because the fact that he’s written this without living it in some ways discredits him, but at the same time is a wonderfully executed exercise in foresight.

At nine tracks, it’s easy listening. A repeat listen is almost necessary after first play, after which this album remains really pleasant to come back to each time.

Ryan Winter

Mount Wittenberg Orca Domino Records Dirty Projectors' collaboration with Björk was originally released as a digital download in an effort to raise funds for various marine life charities. The seven track EP was inspired by the sighting of whales in Point Reyes, California, which is why the instrumental elements of the songs are nothing more than various pulses or droning sounds, imitating the sound of whales. The remainder of the music is produced with various backing vocal arrangements from Bjork and Projectors members with the main vocal lines being handled by Bjork again, and main Projectors songwriter, David Longstreth.

Now whilst this is an interesting musical experience, it really only needs to be heard once, as these are not the type of songs that you would decide to hear again later on, say, at a party, or in the car. Bjork mimicking a whale is not the right mood music for either of these two activities, and few others. dB Magazine 16 November 2011

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Ryan Adams Ashes & Fire Columbia/Sony

ALBUM REVIEWS At the start of this year Amos Lee’s ‘Mission Bell’ reached #1 on the US Billboard charts. Now, why the hell this hasn’t ever happened to Ryan Adams is beyond me. Lee, in many ways, was filling a gap that Adams had left during his time with The Cardinals. Not that the music he made during that time was necessarily of a lesser standard, but the proof was already in the pudding; Adams is most effective when he switches his electric for an acoustic guitar and let’s his alt-country sensibilities drive the songs. It worked on ‘Gold’ and on ‘Heartbreaker’, and it works on ‘Ashes & Fire’.

Some credit for this album has to be given to Laura Marling’s ‘I Speak Because I Can’, as Adams discarded 80% of his original material intended for this album upon hearing it. Reinvigorated, he’s returned to making lyrics sound equally effortless and thoughtful. Norah Jones channels Emmy Lou Harris on Oh My Sweet Carolina throughout; her vocal contributions are delicate yet always complimentary, and her piano adds volumes to tracks like Chains Of Love and Dirty Rain.

Do I Wait is perhaps the peach of this album, easily rivaling Adams’ most heart aching work. What’s different about the track, however, is how the musical mood created around the simple lyrics drives the song, as opposed to the lyrics alone. It creates an intense, swirling feeling on anxiety and longing, and Adams’ understated vocals break through at the right times.

‘Ashes & Fire’ doesn’t sound like an attempt, which is how I’d surmise many of his songs with The Cardinals. When Adams’ isn’t on the money, he sounds insincere.

Songs like Kindness and I Love You But I Don’t Know What To Say would simply not have been palatable if this was the case. But they are very enjoyable, and with a twang of 70s inspired country adding to the intrigue, thank god Adams’ is back to his best. He probably sounds better than Lee did on ‘Mission Bell’.

Ryan Winter

album highlights, Birfday, which sounds like it came straight from the writing sessions of the debut album.

Mark Ronson pops by to lend his brilliant production skills to #1 Hit, which when coupled with Spank Rock's abilities make for a winning combination. The vocals have taken much more of a focus this time around compared to the musically driven debut, especially on tracks like the club banger Turn It Off and the electronic heavy Cool Shit.

The record ends with the single Energy; an interesting choice considering the sound of the opening tracks, but possibly chosen due to being the most lyrically tame.

It was always going to be hard for Spank Rock to top his debut, and whilst he hasn’t really done that on ‘Everything…’, he is still paving the way for a sound which is uniquely his own.

Spank Rock

Luke Carlino

Everything Is Boring & Everyone Is A Fucking Liar Bad Blood Records Spank Rock's debut record 'YoYoYoYoYo' was impressive to say the least. It did, after all make Thom Yorke's personal top ten the year it was released. The follow up has been widely anticipated for a while now, nearly five years to be exact, so big things will be expected from the second album, 'Everything Is Boring & Everyone Is A Fucking Liar.'

The title, whilst awesome, also sums up Spank Rock's musical attitude: rude, easily distracted with an all round air of not caring about itself.

The opening tracks of the album suggest that Spank Rock may be refining his sound and attempting to make songs with normal structures and radio appeal. Opener Ta Da, features a stripped back beat and verse leading into the bass heavy of Nasty, featuring a guest appearance from Big Freeda. The songs may sound more radio friendly, but the lyrical content has become even dirtier than before, which will probably undo all of Spank Rock’s hard radio work. Santogold makes a fairly uninspired appearance on the shuffle step Car Song, which is followed by one of the

New Found Glory

(holy shit, seven?) album proudly declares.

If ‘Radiosurgery’s solid set of 11 tunes is anything to go by, it would appear the statement holds water – but, at the same time, NFG aren’t exactly bursting with vitality either.

If, like me, you were about 15 years old a decade ago, pop-punk was bread-and-butter stuff. While Blink-182 were the most widely recognised exponent, and Swedish rockers Millencolin were definitely the coolest, New Found Glory were probably the best.

They just wrote the catchiest hooks, had the crunchiest riffs, the most irrepressible energy.

After the last few years have seen them awkwardly try to mature (2006’s ‘Coming Home’) and revert to no-frills throwbacks (2009’s ‘Not Without A Fight’), 2011 sees them pretty settled. They know exactly who they are, and they sure as shit ain’t going to mess with it. ‘Radiosurgery’ is pretty close to being the same album as ‘Sticks & Stones’ – super glossy, radio-friendly tidbits about summer and girls and sticking by your mates.

It’s all tight stuff – the title track is a real winner, fervent I’m Not The One is completely infectious, and even the sugary Summer Fling, Don’t Mean A Thing is hard not to like, even if the words “when you need a boy around you just for the summer” are coming out of the mouth of a 32-year-old man.

‘Radiosurgery’ continues a faultless legacy for the band, and will completely please fans.

But you gotta wonder – when are these guys gonna get sick of writing the same song over and over? ‘Not Without A Fight’ was pretty by-the-numbers too, but it at least carried an impressive DIY punk aesthetic that made it truly endearing. I like ‘Radiosurgery’, but it does tend to sound like a lazy band resting on their laurels. Where to from here?

Matt Vesely

Radiosurgery Epitaph / Warner “POP PUNK’S NOT DEAD” – or so the inside sleeve of New Found Glory’s seventh

This American Life is broadcast on ABC Radio National each Sunday at 7pm abc.net.au/rn/thisamericanlife www.thisamericanlife.org

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dB Magazine 16 November 2011

THEATRE The Cemetery Club Director: Loriel Smart Therry Dramatic Society The Arts Theatre Fri 3 Nov Until Sat 12 Nov

up and swathed in furs, is the keenest, flirtatious to the point of desperation in a bid, perhaps, to overcome the painful memory of her adulterous husband. Ida is altogether more cautious, sensible and self-protective although, unlike the browbeaten Doris, open to new romance. Ida’s opportunity comes in the form of Sam Katz (John Greene), a butcher who visits the same Queens cemetery as the Club in order to pay his respects to his deceased wife.

The play itself, though witty and adroitly plotted, lacks surprises and its success is largely dependent on the chemistry between its three female leads. It is here that ‘The Cemetery Club’ delivers: Quick, O’Grady and Hamilton-Smith convince utterly as long-time friends, their easy banter and carelesslytraded barbs suitably brisk and free-flowing. Their comic timing is consistently good, as are their New York-Jewish accents. Less successful is Greene who works hard to evince Katz’s likeability but struggles with the accent. Julia Whittle impresses in the minor role of Mildred, Katz’s one-time date, but the play belongs to its three leads and also, it must be said, to a fourth woman, Loriel Smart, whose direction throughout is excellent. Her touches shine through mostly in the performances (unsurprising

Ivan Menchell’s breezy American-Jewish comedy ‘The Cemetery Club’ is perhaps best known in its 1993 film incarnation which starred Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Dukakis and Dianne Ladd. Stepping into the shoes of these venerable Hollywood dames in Therry’s production of Menchell’s play are Julie Quick, Pam O’Grady and Penni Hamilton-Smith. All three turn in fine performances as the widowed New Yorkers who make up the titular club: Quick as the levelheaded Ida, O’Grady as the glamorous Lucille and Hamilton-Smith as the burdened Doris. Each month, the charismatic trio visit their husbands’ graves as they attempt to readjust to life as single women, with varying degrees of enthusiasm for a return to ‘playing the field’. Lucille, caked in make-

John Waters This Filthy World Her Majesty’s Theatre Thurs 27 Oct Season closed

Ben Brooker

‘prawns in the curtains’ school of revenge.)

‘Snowman’: letting someone come on your face and then running outside into freezing conditions to get that new facial you always wanted.

‘Blossom’: This one is too gross to outline. Feel free to do the research if you must.

Greeted like a naughty Uncle by an audience that resembled central casting from his movies, Waters lauded his childhood heroes, British director and showman William Castle who made midnight horror films that he always sold with a gimmick and Kroger Babb, who showed a live birth as a movie legally so the raincoat crowd at least got a look at a vagina. Stories about Divine were prominent and rightly so. There were reflections on bears having to come out twice, ghosts with menstrual smells, pig porn, Justin Bieber and a longing for the good old days when people had pubic hair and crabs in the eyelashes were still possible. My favourite line, “spaghetti is always straight until you heat it up a bit”.

However, Uncle John had done his homework and the show had a sprinkle of Australiana. We learned how Waters acquired Patrick White’s garbage can, that he is a Christina Stead fan, and that he knows that he’s not the only John Waters touring the country. Having seen the DVD, I was particularly impressed by how he had virtually rewritten the entire show for Australian audiences.

The monologue was followed by a generous 30 minute Q and A. I laughed so hard that I was coughing by show’s end. Stephen Fry, eat your heart out!

John Waters the filmmaker is a consummate raconteur, unashamedly trashy, but with a dry observant wit. The ‘Pope of Trash’ or “filth elder” as he described himself, has no pretensions, but there is an underlying serious message in his art and chatter about the evils of censorship and discrimination. Waters’ ninety minute monologue covered his directorial history, but also touched on contemporary culture. As with his films (‘Female Trouble’, ‘Polyester’, ‘Hairspray’, ‘A Dirty Shame’), no subject was too gross. Indeed, I emerged like Patrick Dennis after his first night at his flamboyant Auntie Mame’s house with a pad full of new adult words that I had just learned.

Here’s just a sample: ‘Bore Hole’: drilling into your brain to manually stimulate that area that provides the euphoria of a trip.

‘Splosher’: someone who enjoys sex with food a la ‘American Pie’.

‘Balloonies’: people who get off watching other people inflate balloons, including coming when it bursts.

‘Upper Decker’: dropping a turd in the cistern instead of the bowl. (I guess it’s a variation on the

Mal Byrne

PUFFIO

and siestas. Among a collection of award-winning films, HMFF will screen Alvaro Curiel’s debut comedy Acorazado, Luis Estrada’s acclaimed trilogy of Hell, A Wonderful World and Herod’s Law and Saving Private Perez – the #1 film at the Mexican box office this year. HOLA Mexico runs from 18-27 Nov at The Mercury Cinema, Morphett Street, City.

The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this month with a series of Gala Concerts lead by ASO Music Director Arvo Vulmer. Exploring some of the greatest orchestral compositions by the likes of Mozart, Strauss, Haydn and Berlioz as well as special performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No 5, Dvorak’s Symphony No 9, Shostakovich’s Symphony No 9 and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 5, the celebrations are sure to be an historic journey through some of the ASO’s greatest orchestral highlights. Lovers of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra can celebrate this momentous event on Fri 25 Nov and Sat 26 Nov from 8pm at the Adelaide Festival Theatre.

A great opportunity for aspiring local artists presents itself in the 25th Port Adelaide Rotary Art Show, running from Sun 25 Dec – Mon 2 Jan at the Port Life Church, Newport. In its 25th year, the exhibition offers an opportunity for both aspiring and established artists to display their work to the public, with over $8000 in prize money on offer. Artists can enter a maximum of 5 pieces and with three youth categories – under 18, under 15 and under 10 years – as well as a competition for established artists, this provides a great opportunity for artists to display and check out a wide collection of local artwork. Entries close on Fri 25 Nov so get submitting!

‘Rough Draft’, an inaugural event curated for artists and by artists, is being presented by the Australian Dance Theatre this month. An honest and uncensored look into the early development of some fantastic Cabaret style performances will provide an insight into the creative processes of performers. ADT members Amber Haines, Kyle Page and Tara Soha will display the early development of their works on the night as well as performances by JUMP mentor and dancer Scott Ewen, choreographer Daniel Jaber and Poet Ian Gibbons. The Australian Dance Theatre, Belair Rd, Hawthorn will host this intimate event on Fri 25 Nov from 7pm.

Adelaide Festival Centre’s ‘In Conversation With’ runs it’s final session of the year on Thurs 24 Nov. Hosted by Fenella Kernebone and featuring a panel of industry heads including Zan Rowe, Sophia Brous, Colin Daniels and Daniel Randall, the fifth and final forum of this successful series promises an enlightening evening discussing the trends, venues, habits and unique culture of the Australian music industry. 2011’s final ‘In Conversation With’ takes place at Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre on Thurs 24 Nov from 6:30pm and it is free to attend.

It’s that time of year again, around midNovember, when Summer festivals are announced, pondered over and eventually relished in by local punters seeking a well-earned taste of art and culture ever-inspired by the Summer sun. Mercury Cinema’s HOLA Mexico Film Festival is that auspicious date on the festival calendar where one can immerse themself in the height of Mexican identity and culture: film, music, cuisine, sombreros, hombres, gringos dB Magazine 16 November 2011

perhaps, considering her acting roots) but also, equally strikingly, in her ability to balance the play’s undemanding humour with its occasional but resonant darker turns. The first act is overlong but Smart’s direction and the confidence of Quick, O’Grady and Hamilton-Smith ensure that the pace is always brisk; a necessary thing in a comedy which, like its protagonists, is starting to show its age. The multi-level stage design, by Patsy Thomas and Stanley Tuck, is impressive and the transitions from the living room in Ida’s house to the cemetery, although sometimes a little sluggish, are effective.

‘The Cemetery Club’ received a rapturous reception from its opening night audience and its light charms will no doubt be warmly received by Therry’s mature fan base throughout the season.

It’s a fun and focused production and Menchell’s script, with its classically self-effacing AmericanJewish witticisms and Neil Simon-ish one-liners, succeeds in making death light without making light of death. In the end, the play counsels us all to learn to let the past go and to make the most of what lies in front, and not behind, us. Enough, as Ida might say, already.

‘The Dead Ones’, a one-woman show performed by Sydney’s Margie Fischer, takes place all through this month at Higher Ground exploring her life as an Austrian Jew escaping the Holocaust, fleeing to China and eventually achieving refugee status in Australia. Margie’s performance explores themes of loss, death, family, memory and an engrained sense of 20

solidarity that inspired her to capture and retell her unique story. The Dead Ones runs from 1626 Nov at Higher Ground, Light Square and promises a touching experience capturing the life and memories of Margie Fischer.

Light Square Gallery plays host to a large-scale group exhibition this month, ‘I Was Here’ which features work from 36 emerging visual artists from TAFE SA Adelaide College of the Arts. The endof-year showcase runs from Wed 16 Nov to Thurs 1 Dec and will explore disciplines of photography, painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics and jewellery. Graduating students have the opportunity to present their best work on the public stage in this: their final exhibition, at Light Square Gallery, Light Square, City.

ABC Classic FM, in conjunction with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, will present ‘The Classic 100 Twentieth Century Countdown’ this month. From Sat 26 Nov ABC Classic will countdown our favourite music composed since 1900, as voted by the public. The event will culminate on Sat 3 Dec when the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra performs the top 5 works in a concert broadcast live on ABC Classic FM. For those seeking a visual experience in accompaniment, the concert is open to the public on Sat 3 Dec from 7:30pm at Adelaide Festival Theatre.

An exciting new exhibition ‘Beneath The Winds: Masterpieces Of Southeast Asian Art’ begins this week at the Art Gallery of SA. Presenting a unique selection of works outlining the heritage of Southeast Asia, the exhibition features 120 works of art highlighting the incredibly rich history of the area. ‘Beneath The Winds’ runs from Fri 18 Nov until Sun 29 Jan at the Art Gallery of South Australia, North Terrace, City and is free to attend with guided tours also available.

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dB Magazine 16 November 2011

CINEMA

Moneyball Director: Bennett Miller Rated: M Now Screening I must confess to being a sucker for a good sports tale. Hell, give me a half-time victory montage and I get all shivery with inspiration and whatnot. So, despite my complete ignorance/disinterest when it comes to America’s Pastime, I still got swept up by the baseball sequences in this classic underdog story. Sports-haters need not apply, however; there isn’t a lot going on in ‘Moneyball’ that doesn’t involve a great deal of sports.

Well, there’s Brad Pitt, I guess. Pitt plays real-life General Manager of the Oakland Athletics, Billy

Beane. Beane, in an attempt to build a competitive side out of a miniscule budget, brings on shy young statistician Peter Brand (Jonah Hill). Armed with a barrage of mathematics, Brand helps Beane to assemble a winning team of Major League Baseball’s rejects on the cheap. It’s a maverick manoeuvre, allowing stats to determine how to draft and trade players, and one that doesn’t sit well with existing scouts, the media, and the team’s hardnosed coach (underused Philip Seymour Hoffman). It is also a manoeuvre that has predictable, but still fairly inspirational, results.

What results for the audience is a solid, enjoyable film, but not one that approaches the revolutionary initiative of Beane’s approach to running a baseball team. It’s a film we’ve seen before – many times – and while attempts to humanise Beane via his relationship with his daughter are extremely well handled, the whole thing is fairly one-note.

And that note, my friends, is baseball. Director Bennett Miller (‘Capote’) pilots well, but fails to elevate his seemingly banal, mathematical subject matter into thrilling territory as, say, David Fincher did on ‘The Social Network’. Miller’s pace is, much like the sport, languid and wandering, and while the film is handsomely shot by Chris Nolan-regular Wally Pfister, it’s not exactly a bundle of cinematic wonder. Even Aaron Sorkin’s rewrite on the script lacks his usual verve, again giving further credence to Fincher’s influence on the Facebook-pic.

What makes the film sing is the chemistry between Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. There is a warmth and humour to their relationship that really brings the film to life – indeed, it’s only at Hill’s first appearance twenty minutes in that I really started to engage. The performances are rock solid and the characters wonderfully likeable, which is a remarkable achievement in many ways – after all, the film is about celebrating a cold, calculated approach to what is traditionally a game played from the heart. They’re underdogs, sure, but they succeed by reducing people to numbers. How do you sell a movie like that?

Well, there’s Brad Pitt, I guess – and it’s he and his co-star that lift an otherwise simply well-crafted movie into something that any sports fan will get swept up by.

Matt Vesely

The Debt Director: John Madden Rated: MA15+ Palace Nova Now screening Ethically, I loathe the world of spies and espionage. While I’m not endorsing Wikileaks, I accept the argument that the world would be a safer place if countries had no secrets. However,

I’m also a sucker for the espionage thriller. I have read almost every Le Carre novel and I’m looking forward to ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ next year.

‘The Debt’ is a well crafted throwback to some of the fine British spy films and television series of the sixties, but set in two eras and with a clever twist that links the past with the present.

In 1997, retired Mossad agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stefan (Tom Wilkinson) are honored at a reception for their daughter’s novel that chronicles their heroism and that of their colleague David (Ciaran Hinds) on a mission in 1966 where the trio found and killed the ‘butcher of Birkenau’ Vogel (Jesper Christensen) in East Berlin. However, when David commits suicide and Rachel leaves suddenly, doubt emerges about what actually happened on the mission. The film then flashes back to the mission where Rachel (Jessica Chastain) arrives in Berlin and moves into the same flat with David and Stefan (Sam Worthington and Martin Csokas). The trio lives like hermits, train constantly, and wait for the green light from their commanders. The sexual tension is palpable.

Suspense is the key element to an espionage thriller like ‘The Debt’ and director John Madden delivers. There is a scene in a train station compound that is as white knuckle as the best Hitchcock thrillers. Unfortunately, the film is a little uneven. The 1966 scenes are more compelling than 1997. Once the 1966 sequences end about three quarters of the way through the film, the pace lags and predictability sets in.

Director Madden of ‘Shakespeare In Love’ fame is not the first director you would associate with this, but he acquits himself well with a modest budget that rules out the gadgetry and flash of a Bond film. He is well served by a solid screenplay from Matthew Vaughan, Jane Goldman and Peter Straughan. Australian studs Worthington and Csokas are excellent; Mirren is solid but Hinds and Wilkinson’s characters are underdeveloped compared with their younger equivalents.

Christensen is fruitily wicked and manipulative as the Nazi war criminal and reminded me of Laurence Olivier in ‘Marathon Man’.

The fact that the story is nearly fifteen years old and that Hollywood is recycling the best of Ian Fleming and Le Carre might be a sign that the politics of contemporary espionage might be too delicate to tackle at this juncture. Nothing is black and white about Afghanistan, Pakistan or the Middle East and we might have to wait fifteen or twenty years before those films get made.

Mal Byrne

The Three Musketeers Director: Paul WS Anderson Rated: PG Now screening

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dB Magazine 16 November 2011

Those expecting a serious and reverential adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ seminal novel will probably be disappointed with The Three Musketeers. The umpteenth version in as many years, its director Paul WS Anderson is hardly known for his subtlety. Having helmed the ‘Resident Evil’ zombie flicks, his over the top style sees the Musketeers saving Paris with swords and guns blazing. A silly load of old nonsense it’s entertaining despite this even if fans may gasp at the liberties taken with Dumas’ work.

Young D’Artagnan (Login Lerman) dreams of becoming a Musketeer for the French King.

Meeting three seasoned Musketeers who take him under their wing, they become involved in a plot by the wicked Cardinal Richelieu (Christoph Waltz) to start a war with Britain. Fighting with fine skill against the Cardinal and the dastardly duo Milady de Winter (Milla Jovovich) and the Duke Of Buckingham (Orlando Bloom) they have their work cut out in saving France from unending peril.

There have been so many incarnations of The Three Musketeers it seems each succeeding version has tried to out-do the last. Anderson’s take surely must be the most outrageous as it throws the characters into one swash-buckling dilemma into another. Wildly deviating from Dumas’ story it doesn’t seem to care for realism and goes full hilt into fantasy territory. Filled with plenty of derringdo, the action is well staged and effectively uses every penny of its mega-budget.

No one will win any acting awards but it is nice seeing stars like Bloom play against type and enjoying themselves. The greatest aspect is the cinematography which lovingly reveals the amazing French locations in all its glory. These add a touch of class despite the increasingly frantic carry-on proving scenery can add much to a slice of outrageous hokum.

‘The Three Musketeers’ is diverting fluff if one doesn’t take it too seriously. It sets out to be a grand folly and succeeds. It probably won’t add much to Anderson’s credibility although one thinks he wouldn’t care as long as the dollars roll in.

Patrick Moore 22

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After 7 Years and 277 Shows Adam, Alan and Myf are saying goodbye...

Live on stage

THE FINALE

! st fa g in ll se – w o n k o o B Y R R HU 16 & 17 december adelaide Convention Centre ticketek.com.au or 132 849 thefinale.com.au