On the street every second Wednesday
Free Edition #69
28/05/08 -10/06/08 Made in Tasmania
New music needs a place to grow ...so we are building a greenhouse.
HOBART
21 salamanca place 6223 1119 www.irishmurphys.com.au
NEWS #69 - 28th May to 10th June
MESHUGGAH TO TOUR AUSTRALIA
Contents 2 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
News Spit Syndicate Shadows Drapht / Foreign Beggars / Motley + DJ Samrai Mihirangi Whitley Gig Reviews Cog CD Reviews / Rose Turtle Ertler Gig Guide Chimp Militia / Bobby Flynn Tin Alley Liv / Will.co / Anfcore / Buffstar D-Lux Dimitri The Scientists Of Modern Music Junior Sanchez / Pnau Review / Meat The Beat Arts Review / Graf / Music Video Feature Heath Franklin’s Chopper / Struth Be Told Street Fashion Surfing / Travel
Contact:
Phone: Advertising: Editorial: Editor: Email: Sub -Editor: Email: Graphic Design: Email: Accounts: Email:
03 6331 0701 advertising@sauce.net.au editorial@sauce.net.au David Williams david@sauce.net.au Tom Wilson twilson@sauce.net.au Simon Hancock simon@sauce.net.au Lisa-Marie Rushton accounts@sauce.net.au
Opinions expressed in Sauce are not necessarily those of the Editor or staff. Sauce Publishing accepts no liability for the accuracy of advertisements.
Contributors
WHO IS SAL KIMBER?
“The site will be linked through integrated programming and be visually engaging with the use of creative street banners, lighting and structures. In addition to music based stage performances and street theatre, the 2008/2009 Festival is looking to present food theatre, community performances, a resident DJ program, site specific installations, ephemeral art, local provenance food tours and workshops.”
One of the most inventive, important and crushingly heavy bands in modern music, Swedish tech-metal masterminds Meshuggah will be touring the mainland this October on the back of their stunning new LP obZen. We’ll let you know more details as we have them. Rock! www.myspace.com/meshuggah
PROTEST AGAINST MELBOURNE LOCKOUT On Friday the 30th of May at 5pm, protesters will be donning white shirts and converging on the steps of Parliament House steps to rally against the harmful 2am lockout policy. They are calling on public and media scrutiny of the proposed ¼ year trial and demanding a postponement of the trial pending a full investigation by an independent committee. The lockout is a declaration that says that nobody may enter licensed premises after 2am even if they have already been inside that venue. Exemptions including pokie and keno-littered RSLs, the Crown Casino, and bottle shops.
BLOCK PARTY 5 – CHANGE OF HOBART VENUE Due to unforeseen circumstances, the venue hosting the Obese Block Party has changed from the Hobart Uni Bar to the Royal Hobart Showgrounds. It will still be on the 30th of May, it will still feature the likes of Pegz, Muph & Plutonic, Hyjak N Torcha, Spit Syndicate, Drapht and mduzu&dameza, and it will still kick arse.
DRAGON AND RUSSELL MORRIS TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE ARIA HALL OF FAME
For more information on this protest, go to www.facebook. com/group.php?gid=16611626158, or www.melbournelockedout.com.
THE TASTE FESTIVAL – HOBART’S WATERFRONT CELEBRATION
Patrick Duke, Ian Murtagh, David Walker, Nufe, Lisa Howell, Clara Murray, Adam Ferguson, Felix Blackler, Carole Whitehead, Anna Wallace, Jimmy McMacken, Dave Venter, Justin Heazlewood, Andrez Bergen, Maeve MacGregor, Joel Imber, Jason Morey.
Calling all artists, musicians, chefs, cooks, performers, producers, growers – everyone is invited to participate in the celebrations of the 20th year of the Taste of Tasmania, an anniversary that will offer a fresh new look and exciting ideas as it merges with the Hobart Summer Festival to become The Taste Festival – Hobart’s Waterfront Celebration.
Next Edition
The Taste Festival is looking for entertainment and cultural activities and there is an opportunity for everyone to get involved. The Lord Mayor of Hobart, Alderman Rob Valentine gave a glimpse of what’s in store. Event programming will be consolidated around the waterfront, utilising the wharf,
Sauce #70 (11th June - 24th June) Deadline: Friday 6th June
marina, Parliament House Lawns and the Derwent River creating a dynamic festival experience. For eight days and nights the aromas, sounds, sights and celebrations of the Festival will welcome hundreds of thousands of people to engage in a community celebration.
Russell Morris ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) has announced the first two of five iconic Australasian music artists who will be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame on Tuesday, July 1st in Melbourne – Dragon and Russell Morris. On hearing of his induction, Russell said, “When I first began the music path on which I eventually embarked – and walked the full distance – I thought it would be all over at the age of twenty-five, and by thirty I would be back doing accounting! So to be here right now and receiving this wonderful award is not only amazing but a beautiful surprise”. This annual music industry event, now in its fourth year, will take place at Melbourne Town Hall and will be broadcast exclusively on VH1 on Saturday, July 5th at 9PM.
Sal and Buffy’s live shows are charismatic and engaging, regaling you with tales of ghost towns, rebels and romance. Hailing from country Victoria – Tallangatta (the town that moved) – they have had a busy and exciting year so far. Playing both as a duo and with their five-piece country rock outfit The Good Ole Boys, they have supported the likes of Mick Thomas and are currently on the road touring nationally to support the release of Sal’s debut album Sounds Like Thunder, which is out now, distributed by Vitamin Records. Sal has picked up a few awards over the years, and the title track to this album won first prize in Melbourne’s Darebin APRA Songwriting Awards. Sal Kimber plays The Alley Cat Bar in Hobart on the 13th of June. www.myspace.com/salkimber
Business Development Executive SAUCE is a fast-growing company producing the most credible and read entertainment publication in Tasmania. As well as growing our street press business we also have two other media outlets in development stages, SAUCE FM (87.6) and www.sauce.net.au.
STUDIO DIARY By Dave Venter – www.myspace.com/fatlipstudios 12th May Breath Of Life – live sound and video recording – For the bands who performed at the Breath Of Life concert back in March, you will be happy to know that TasMusic and I are producing a DVD of the event. About ten local bands will be featured, each with a live film clip. I helped out by recording a multitrack of the event. The audio is in the process of being synchronised with the video. Thanks to Dave Blanche and his team for filming the event. Stay tuned ... 19th May Mad Intentions – Triple J Unearthed – Mad Intentions from Burnie are currently sitting at number two with the song Give it All in the Triple J Unearthed charts. I was like “what the...!?!” It was only back in April when I recorded these guys. I’m amazed how quickly all this has happened. At ages of only fifteen and sixteen, these guys are very talented. They are definitely going places. Well done fellas! You can vote for them at www.triplejunearthed.com, or check ‘em out at www. myspace.com/madintentions. 24th May Cruel Like That - CD launch – The boys will release their debut album Run at the Deloraine Theatre, with local support “The Dirty Love” (AKA Dirty Harry & The Rockets). It’s going to be a good night. I have worked with Cruel Like That for about three years now. Last time I checked their Myspace they were at almost 20,000 profile views. They have a very strong fan following throughout Deloraine, Launceston and Devonport. I will be recording the event live. Feel free to check out the new album at www.myspace.com/cruellikethat. 2
SAUCE #69
TASMANIAN MUSIC Original Radio. 24/7. Tassie Rock. Tassie Hip-Hop. Tassie Metal. Tassie Dance. Tassie Pop. Tassie Electronica. Tassie Blues & Roots. Tassie Folk. Tassie Music. Broadcasting to Launceston on 87.6 FM And streaming from the SAUCE web site, www.sauce.net.au TAKING TASMANIAN MUSIC TO THE WORLD
CHECK IT OUT! New Music and Presenters Needed Contact: saucefm@sauce.net.au
We have an opportunity for a highly motivated individual with keen business acumen and entrepreneurial flair, to be based in our new Hobart office. Reporting to and working closely with the Director your overall mandate will be to increase advertising revenue by effectively managing existing accounts and winning new business. You will also be involved in shaping internal business development with a view to maximising end-product marketability. To be a success in such a pivotal role, in the development of this expanding media organization, you will possess: b A proven track record in meeting sales targets b A passion for the business and achieving results b The ability to effortlessly build relationships with our existing clients and attract new business b Individuality, self-confidence & strong presentation skills b The capacity to work as part of a team to co-ordinate sales and advertising production for the most efficient results With potential to be involved in: b The organisation, marketing and promotion of events related to the magazine, radio station and website b Building, training and leading a successful team around you b The development of business systems and profitability b The management of budgets, accounts, circulation and distribution It would be advantageous, but not necessary, for you to possess: b A degree in Business or Marketing b Experience in advertising sales b Experience in business development Remuneration A highly competitive package will be offered to the right candidate, including base salary, vehicle allowance, mobile phone and an incentive structure that will only be limited by your ability to achieve. For more information, contact David Williams. 0400 940 699. Send applications with a current CV and references to: Business Development Executive PO Box 5094, Launceston TAS 7250 Applications close Wednesday, 11th of June at 5pm.
SAUCE #69
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HIP-HOP - SYDNEY // SPIT SYNDICATE
Pushing the boundaries of hip-hop
By Tom Wilson
For one of the newest signings to Obese Records, the buzz and anticipation surrounding Sydney’s Spit Syndicate is huge. With their single Here Today, Gone Tomorrow currently making waves, you’d be hard pressed to find an Oz hip-hop fan who isn’t very well aware of who these guys are … and even harder pressed to find one who’s actually heard any of their forthcoming debut album. So will the buzz be worth it? Nick Lupi took SAUCE Towards The Light … I just had a listen earlier to a little track by some guys; you may have heard of them, they’re called Spit Syndicate, and a little track called Here Today, Gone Tomorrow … And what did you reckon of it, Tom? Well, I automatically started moonwalking, which makes it good. [Laughs] [Laughs] Well mate, we’ve got some good responses before, but we’ve never made anyone moonwalk before, so I’m glad it touched you in that way – that it made you start getting your MJ on.
“…The buzz is only a means to getting what we want …”
The album is coming out in June – is this your first fulllength? First full-length man, yeah – we started working on it about … I think it would be close to two years ago, once it comes out next month. Yeah, we’d f*cked around a bit before that; we’d done a mixtape … we’re only young, so we hadn’t really done anything before that, so this album’s our first crack at actually writing proper songs and putting it together in one whole complete piece of music. There’s quite a bit of buzz … well, “quite a bit” – there’s f*cking shitloads of it surrounding you guys … What do you think it is about what you guys do, and the way you guys do it, that has brought you this current level of anticipation or this buzz? Feel free to let your ego just go crazy with this question … [Laughs] I’m not quite sure. I think it just comes down to the fact that a lot of people in this country, in the way that they make music … there’s a couple of different ways that it gets done, but there’s not too many ways beyond that. I mean, the way that we sort of make our music, we’re not reinventing the wheel, you know? It’s still Australian hip-hop, and we’re probably not pushing the boundaries as much as we like to think we are, but our approach … even just writing lyrics, and the way that we put songs together, I think it’s a bit different to what’s out there at the moment. I think also the fact that we’re young, and we got picked up by Obese, it adds to it, you know? I think people hear, “Oh, Spit Syndicate – they’ve got signed to Obese,” and they’ve never really heard our music before. So there’s this anticipation – like, “Who are these guys?” I just hope that when people actually hear the music they enjoy it. I mean, the buzz is cool, but the buzz is only a means to getting what we want, which is for people to enjoy the music. I don’t know – I hope people find that we’re doing something a bit different, but we’ll have to wait and see.
How long have you been on Obese, dude? We started to talk with them in November of last year. The way we sort of went about this album is we recorded it all on our own, before we were signed … We had a bit of interest from, like, some local labels and stuff, but we just decided that we wanted to do the album ourselves. We just funded it from the money we were getting from shows and stuff like that – we just put it straight back into, you know, buying beats and studio time and stuff like that. And we approached all these labels towards the end of October last year … Myself and Jimmy, the guy I rap with, we both went overseas in November; I went away for three months, and
he went away for a month. We sort of had an idea before we left that we wanted to roll with Obese, because they’re probably the strongest independent label, in terms of Australian hip-hop. We spoke to a few majors, but we didn’t really want to roll that way. So yeah, we actually signed on the dotted line in February, so it’s been, like, three months officially on the roster. I understand you guys supported the likes of Xzibit and Ice Cube. What kind of guys were they? What were they like? Well, you couldn’t get within ten meters of Ice Cube; Ice
Cube more than Xzibit. We saw Xzibit after the show in his little backstage area, but he just sort of said “hey” and then went back to these girls that he was hollering at. But with Ice Cube, man … you couldn’t go anywhere – you couldn’t get too close to him. He just had these huge minders that wouldn’t leave his side. I was like a meter, two meters away from him when he was actually walking to go up on stage, and I was even getting these filthy looks. Spit Syndicate plays the Obese Block Party at the Uni Bar in Hobart on the 30th of May. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au
PLEASE NOTE: CHANGE OF VENUE! HOBART: MAY 30TH: ROYAL HOBART SHOWGROUNDS
PEGZ 6 MUPH & PLUTONIC 6 HYJAK N TORCHA SPIT SYNDICATE 6 DRAPHT 6 mdusu&dameza TIX: ($35 + BOOKING FEE) AVAILABLE FROM WWW.MOSHTIX.COM.AU, 1300 GET TIX (438 849), ALL MOSHTIX OUTLETS AND RUFFCUT RECORDS
FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK OUT:
WWW.OBESEBLOCKPARTY.COM
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SAUCE #69
HIP-HOP - ADELAIDE // SHADOWS
Stepping into the light
By Tom Wilson
“… It’s been a bit of a tough journey for me, personally …”
You only have to look at the beginnings of Tupac Shakur to see that some of the best hip-hop is bred from poverty and struggle, and for Adelaide crew Shadows, that couldn’t be more true. With each of them growing up in the face of racism, hardship and loss, they have endured more than anyone should have to, and have made some damn good music along the way … namely their debut LP Reflections. SAUCE spoke to Caper … “Shadows” stands for “Soldiers Hungry Approaching Difficult Obstacles Wanting Survival” – in what ways has this been true of the journey Shadows has taken so far? What are some of the struggles and obstacles that have stood in the way? Basically, we took that meaning for the name [because it] reflected our childhoods, of us growing up as kids, and not only us, [but] friends around us … personal struggles, poverty situations, drug and alcohol abuse … domestic violence, racism … and, you know, losing loved ones. Basically, the meaning is from our own experiences, so it’s real. You mentioned racism – what were some of the instances of this that affected you personally? I guess, growing up in a country town, you’re faced with a lot of racism. I’m not sure how it is today, but back in our school days, [it was] at school, as well as sports, through football as well. It’s something that we’d always been faced with as kids growing up in small country towns – there’re just a lot of those issues that are there … yeah, it’s just the way it is. Apologies for diving into the heavy stuff straight away,
but I was cruising through your album [Reflections] and the booklet, and you’ve dedicated this album to, amongst others, your mother and your brother, both of whom are no longer with us … What kind of influence did they have on you, do you think? Influences … I guess, growing up myself, my mother was a single parent … the main influence that she had on me was raising three kids by herself – just me observing that as a kid, and observing that she was a strong black female; to actually raise kids by herself, and [earning] just enough to get by … That sort of taught me, in a way, to be really independent – that you can do those kind of things by yourself and actually get through it if you’re a strong person. How old were you when she passed away, if you don’t mind me asking? That’s OK, man. My mother passed away when I was fifteen, and my brother passed away when I was twenty-two, and yeah, I actually grew up without a normal father as well, so it’s been a bit of a tough journey for me, personally. But going through that has made me grow up quicker as a person, and has taught me a lot of things in life. Through my jour-
ney I’ve faced a lot of obstacles, and they were really tough times, and somehow I’ve managed to get through those. How did dealing with this kind of loss affect your outlook on life – your attitude towards everyday life, and achieving goals? I guess my attitude in life is to take nothing for granted, and that we’re not promised tomorrow, so every opportunity that I get, I try to grab hold of it with both hands and not let it slip, you know? Just coming to terms with my brother and my mother passing away at such a young age; my brother was twenty-three when he passed away, and my mother was thirty-six, and they both passed away of hereditary heart disease … it’s a family, hereditary thing. Because of its hereditary nature, is that something that you’re very apprehensive of? Yeah, I’m really paranoid … [Laughs] … I guess, in terms of that, I just try to look after myself, [and keep] in good physical shape … try to eat as healthy as I can, exercise regularly … being checked up to see if I have that. The doctors have given me the OK, but you just never know when these types
of things are going to turn up in certain periods of your life … Yeah, I just try and make the most of each day, because, you know, of the history of my family background. So it’d be fair to say you wouldn’t be living the Funkoars-style hip-hop lifestyle of excess? [Laughs] No way! No … I’d say we’re [living] very different types of lifestyle compared to the Funkoars and probably a lot of other hip-hop groups that are out there at the moment. I mean, and that’s our whole attitude with our music, you know? We put a lot of our life experiences [into it], and hopefully the messages that we put through in our music, a lot of people can identify with the stories that we tell … there might be somebody else that’s going through the same situation, and can identify with a certain song, and actually take something away from it. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au www.myspace.com/shadowssoldiers
Wednesday 28th of May Wide Angle Film Night 7.30pm Free
Friday 30th of May Mihirangi
(NZ)
Supp. Hayley Couper 9pm $10
Alley Cat
The Alley Cat Bar 381 Elizabeth Street North Hobart 03 6231 2299 Wednesday Night Special 6pm - 9.30pm
Saturday y 7th of June Foreign g Beggars gg
( (UK) supp. Oratoric & Paddles plus guest DJs 9pm $15 + BF
$10 Beaut Beer & Bonza Burger Night. Your choice of beef, chicken or vege Alley Cat Burger with chips and a 10oz. of Cascade Draught or Pale Ale.
Thursday 29th of May Nick Carson (Melb) Peter Escott The Keds of Ray Brower 9pm $5 Friday 30th of May Mihirangi (NZ) Supp. Hayley Couper 9pm $10 Saturday 31st of May Pinwheel (Melb) Anthony Rochester EC4 9pm $5 Sunday 1st June DJ Chill Sessions 7pm Free
Thursday 5th of June Uma the french maid presents a night of sensual, sensational spectacle starring Mr Cecil Brown , Ms Nicole Parums, Ms Meredith Cole, Ms Flicka Jane, Mr Jeff Michel and Ms Alison Farrow 8.30pm. Friday 6th of June Joanies Plastic Sunday Betamax Samuel Cole 9pm $5 Saturday 7th of June Foreign Beggars (UK) supp. Oratoric & Paddles plus guest DJs 9pm $15 + BF Sunday 8th June DJ Chill Sessions 7pm Free
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REPUBLIC BAR & CAFE
New Website. Tix Available Online www.republicbar.com THURSDAY 5TH JUNE
299 Elizabeth St North Hobart Ph. 6234 6954 MAY
SATURDAY 7TH JUNE
Wednesday 28th Thursday 29 Friday 30 May Saturday 31 May
JUNE
Sunday 1st Monday 2nd Tuesday 3rd Wednesday 4th Thursday 5th Friday 6th Saturday 7th
BOBBY FLYNN
$2 2 pr e $2 5 do or 9p m
DIRECT INFLUENCE
$8 pr e $1 0 do or 10 pm
Sunday 8th Monday 9 Jun Tuesday 10th Wednesday 11th
17 HERTZ (ALBUM LAUNCH) + LAKODA + MELODIC CANDY $2 9pm THE GALVATRONS PLUS MELODIC CANDY SUGARTRAIN $4 WHITLEY W HOWIE DAY (USA) & SEAGULL NEW RETRO CLUB 9PM CARL RUSH 8:30PM TRUMPS 9PM TRAIN WRECK 9PM BOBBY FLYNN $22 PRESALE / $25 DOOR 9PM SIMON RUSSELL GUILTY AS CHARGED $3 10PM DIRECT INFLUENCE + THE FLYING ATOMS $8 PRESALE / $10 DOOR 10PM CAKE WALKING BABIES 9PM QUIZ NIGHT G.B. BALDING 9PM MERCHANTS IN GROOVE 9PM
THE NEW ALBUM OUT NOW! Featuring production from:
TRIALS, M-PHAZES, PLUTONIC LAB & SIMPLEX Featuring guest appearances by:
DAZASTAH, CIECMATE, TRIALS & PORSAH LAINE! “The rise and fall of his flow is absolutely hypnotic.” BEAT MAGAZINE
WWW.OBESERECORDS.COM WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DRAPHT
> THURSDAY MAY 29 TH Jazz Club '08. 7:30. $7 Viktor Zappner Swingtet, featuring Kelly Ottaway from Hobart on vibraphone. > FRIDAY MAY 30 TH Encore Performing Arts Studio Concert. 8:00pm. $15. > SATURDAY MAY 31 ST Encore Performing Arts Studio Concert. 1:00pm. $5/$2. Mihirangi. 8:00pm. $20/$10. > SUNDAY JUNE 1 ST Encore Performing Arts Studio Concert. 1:00pm. $5/$2
254 Mount St Upper Burnie 7320
> THURSDAY JUNE 5 TH Jazz Club '08. 7:30 Viktor Zappner Swingtet, featuring Fred Bradshaw from Hobart on alto saxophone. > FRIDAY JUNE 6 TH Katy Pakinga. 8:00pm. > SATURDAY JUNE 7 TH Celebration! Gaye Clarke Returns. 7:30pm. 6
SAUCE #69
SATURDAY MAY 31st. 8:00pm. $20/$10
MIHIRANGI www.mihirangi.com
“SEE YOU AT THE DOOR AT SOME STAGE” stagedoor@keypoint.com.au
HIP-HOP - PERTH // DRAPHT
Welcome this western wind to our block
By Tom Wilson
“Now it’s done, finally! … Don’t want to listen to it ever again, though …”
It’s been two years in the making, but Brothers Grimm – the new LP from Perth MC Drapht – has finally arrived; a collaboration with the Funkoars’ Trials that promises to be a stellar piece of work … even if the man himself is sick of hearing it. He caught up with SAUCE before hitching a ride to Tassie with the Obese Block Party … You’re about to drop your new album. What can you tell me about this? How long have you been working on it? It’s called Brothers Grimm – it’s myself on the mic and Trials from Funkoars on production. I would say it’s a mix between both Pale Rider and Who Am I – it’s got a lot of subject matter and a lot of big, banging production. I found I was really over writing the same old flow-y battle rap lyrics, and wanted to concentrate on writing about the things that meant the most to me, plus that your average Joe could relate to, and would be killer performed live. We’ve been working on it for a good two years now; Trials would send me beats over the net, and I would just marry the ideas I had to the beats and write the song. When all the writing was complete I flew to Adelaide and stayed on his couch for two weeks so we could put everything together. Now it’s done, finally! Actually, at the moment I’m just waiting on a phone call – supposed to be getting the mastered copy back today! Don’t want to listen to it ever again, though – really happy with it, but just heard it f*ckin’ way too many times over the last six months. What’s the story behind your name, “Drapht”? Was it picked simply because it sounded good, or is there
some deeper meaning behind it? I was about fifteen; at the time my dad was playing the drums/percussion in a jazz band in a few different pubs around Perth. He would come home with some promo merchandise from the shows he played, and one night I was given a Swan Draught watch. A few months later I had just started getting into the graf scene and was looking for a word to write, looked down at my watch, changed a few of the letters around and started writing “Drapht.” When I was getting involved in the hip-hop side of things everyone already knew me as Drapht, so it just ended up sticking. When it comes to songwriting, what do you think makes you unique? The voice, definitely – you either hate it or love it. Also, coming from a musical background, growing up unknowingly listening to my dad play his records and going to see him play live, I think, gave me a good sense of rhythm, tone and structure. I spend a lot of time writing; I have to be one-hundred-percent happy with every line I write. I think there’re too many people in the scene that want to become an MC, but they don’t want to put the time into being a good MC. What about the songwriting process challenges you, and why? Probably just listening to the same loop over and over again
while writing. It gets real repetitive, writing to a beat for two to three weeks on end and then having to record it and capture the same amount of emphasis and passion is bloody hard. I end up hating the beat by the end of it all – you just need to shut off and not think about it … How would you describe the Perth hip-hop scene, compared to elsewhere in the country? Is it particularly strong? It’s hard for us, just because we’re so far away from everywhere else in the country, and air fares are ridiculous from Perth. It’s just as cheap for us to get to Bali then it is to Brisbane, if not cheaper! We have a good scene though, and one of the strongest, most loyal crews in Australia. Everyone here has a different style, but can still appreciate the next MC’s music – it’s dope. All the shows get good crowds, with a lot of local support minus the egos and the haters faking the funk. You’re heading to Tassie as part of the Obese Block Party, alongside the likes of Pegz, Muph & Plutonic, Hyjak N Torcha and Spit Syndicate, as well as locals Mdusu&Dameza. How do you see each of these acts complimenting and balancing each other out on the bill?
Can’t wait! I’ve never been to Tassie before, and everyone that comes back from playing there have nothing but good things to say about the place, so yeah, real keen to get out there ... I think it’s a real diverse line-up; you’ve got your MC’s MC, the radio-friendly known stuff, and your party MCs all in one night, so you know it’s a night for all. It’s gonna be a big party! As far as complimenting each other, I don’t know – I think it’s a pretty competitive scene, and everyone wants to be as tight as they can. You either bring your A-game or get eaten up. Ultimately, what would you like to have accomplished by the end of this year? I would really like to get some touring done on the back of this new album, and some bigger festival shows under my belt. We’ve just started putting a SBX album together – hopefully have that nearly done by then – and on top of that, I want to get straight back into writing and be at least halfway through a new solo release with Trials. Drapht plays the Obese Block Party at the Uni Bar in Hobart on the 30th of May. www.myspace.com/drapht SAUCE #69
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ROCK – NEW ZEALAND / MELBOURNE // MIHIRANGI
Starting a war on deceit
By Tom Wilson
It’s one thing to shoot a music video out in the wilderness, but it’s another thing entirely to hitch a ride with those righteous pirates of the Sea Shepherd to the vast whiteness of Antarctica, and do a clip while sticking it to illegal whalers in the process. Maori princess of soul Mihirangi opened up to SAUCE about the nature of war … I had a squiz at the clip for No War this morning … [Laughs] Oh, seriously … If anything, I don’t even want to talk about it! What? Really? It was that bad? Oh, no, just because … I don’t know if you noticed that the lip syncing was out, because they frigging time-stretched it when they stuck it on … [Laughs] It was so embarrassing! What was the actual experience like? It must have been an odyssey. It was pretty intense; you’re on a ship with forty-three-plus people who are very, very, very passionate activists, and all very opinionated … It was an absolute privilege to be on the crew with such intelligent people … all to support the cause … So it was a pretty amazing experience, because everyone is very knowledgeable as well, in their own fields. It’s pretty much like going on an education trip! [Laughs] And of course, you know, the long-term crew have been there for thirty-something years – just amazing people, you know?
“… We managed to save over half of the Japanese [whaling] quota …”
Yeah, you’re not lying about the passion side of it; I’ve actually interviewed Paul Watson, the captain of the Sea Shepherd, and bloody hell – the stories that guy had to tell … Was it just a standard trip down to Antarctica, like a whale-watching thing? Or did you guys get to ram any illegal [whaling] vessels? Well, no – the whole intention of going down there was, obviously, stop the Japanese from doing their whaling, and what ends up happening was … the Japanese quota this year was one-thousand-plus whales, and we found out from the International Whaling Commission, the IWC, that Japan didn’t meet even half their quota; they managed to only get, like, four-hundred-and-eighty-seven whales. So we managed to save over half of the Japanese quota, which is fantastic – it’s one of the best campaigns to exist. So it was a really positive campaign … there was some good and some negative media about it, but nevertheless there was lots of media about it, which raised the awareness of the issue as well, and put Australia’s hearts behind it too, because Australians really don’t like whaling, you know? But unfortunately at that time, the government – who were still in – weren’t doing anything about it. The title of the song, No War … I’d like to talk about the idea of protest in general, and what it achieved. Around the world, millions of people protested the war in Afghanistan, and that happened anyway. Same thing with the war in Iraq – millions of people, but it happened anyway. Does it ultimately matter what the public think? Does this kind of protest, realistically, achieve anything? Yeah, I think it does. There’re a couple of things about that
that are perfect examples of where it does, and that is the new government that we have. This is the thing; one of the reasons why we can go to war, and why we do go to war, is because of deceit. Governments deceive the mass population – the mass population isn’t educated on the reasons as to why they’re at war. They’ll make up excuses – whether it’s because of religious warfare or terrorism or what have you – and at the end of the day, which is what No War is about, is that it’s over resources, and it’s over another country’s re-
sources. The fact that once the awareness was raised … like, quite a few of those movies that came out … the documentaries and things that were coming out, and people were able to watch them … there was information on the internet … there was information coming through in non-commercial media, where people were fanning in awareness, and there was enough public outcry against the “War on Terror”, for example, where people went, “Oh my god – this is a crock of shit! We’ve been fed bullshit!” So basically what they’ve
done is they’ve voted that government out, and that’s what we’ve done, you know? It’s the perfect example of yes, it does make a difference. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au Mihirangi plays Launceston’s Royal Oak on the 29th of May, Hobart’s Alley Cat Bar on the 30th, and Stage Door The Café in Burnie on the 31st.
Sal Kimber After their sold out album launch at the Northcote Social Club in Melbourne, and a swag of regional mainland gigs this month, Sal Kimber and her sister Buffy are catching the boat over to play their one and only Tassie gig at the 'The Alley Cat' on Friday the 13th of June. Hop on down on this auspicious date to rock out with the Kimber sisters, and their unique sound of old time inspired banjo, electric and acoustic guitars, xylophone, and accordian. Supported by 'Billy Whims'. 8
SAUCE #69
Republic Bar - Thursday 5th June Tickets $22 + bf www.moshtix.com or Ruffcut Records Elizabeth St. Hobart
Album "Out Front" available now through
ROCK - VICTORIA // WHITLEY
Sit down and mosh!
By Tom Wilson
The Victorian folk maestro whose music owes plenty to the late, great “gateway drug” Jeff Buckley – just look at his cover of Mojo Pin – Whitley is heading to our shores onboard his debut full-length, The Submarine. SAUCE peered through the periscope … I understand that South By South-West (US Music Conference/Festival) was a pretty hectic time for you. What can you tell me about that experience? In what ways was it challenging? There was just so much input and output for me. An average day would start with breakfast radio and meet-and-greet things. Then I’d usually play a lunchtime show followed by a TV appearance. After all that was done, there would be a late night show. What do you think you’ve gained from it? A lower life expectancy, mental scarring and liver damage! Just kidding – I think things went really well. It got the U.S. off to a really good start for me. What were the high and low points of your recent U.S. tour? What went well? And what went horribly wrong? The low points were dealing with homesickness on the west coast. I love home, and I really missed my friends and family, but something happened when we got down south and my sadness went. There seemed to be such a richness there – real musical history, like the RCA Studio B that I visited. The people seemed really nice there. Oh, and in Minneapolis too.
“[Jeff ] Buckley is like cigarettes – he’s a gateway drug.” I’ve read that a show you played at the Port Fairy Festival resulted in “the world’s first sit-down mosh pit.” Exactly how would you describe this? How does one mosh while sitting down? The Port Fairy kids and I just had some fun and started a sit-down mosh pit. It went out of control though, and they all stood up and started going off. It was hilarious. There is a great Polaroid snap my bass player took. The Submarine features a cover of the Jeff Buckley track Mojo Pin. Why did you decide to do this? And what kind of mark do you think Buckley left on the music world? Where can we see his influences these days? Buckley was one of many influences that I really like. Nick just picked up the banjo when I was messing around with the cover one day; we just set up a few microphones and gave it a shot. I didn’t feel too strongly about covering Jeff Buckley, but Nick’s banjo line was just too amazing to leave out. I think Buckley really opened a lot of people up to some amazing music. Buckley is like cigarettes – he’s a gateway drug. What are your plans for after this tour? After this tour I’ll be having a few days rest and then getting back in the tour bus. I’m heading out on a national Australian tour which covers a few regional shows as well. After that, Powderfinger are taking me on their national tour for a month or so, and then I’m pretty sure I’m heading back overseas for some more touring for a few months. I will be rocking the studio after that and working on my second album. I imagine that I will be taking some time on that one and going around art galleries to score free cask wine. Whitley plays Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 31st of May. www.myspace.com/whitleymusic SAUCE #69
9
GIG REVIEWS
This War + The Black Market + Stay Down + The Trolls
Resin Dogs
Dirty F’king Dancing + Tackyland
REPUBLIC BAR – 16/5/08
SYRUP – 17/5/08
With the line-up of Dexter and N’Fa – the former 1200 Techniques frontman – and The Resin Dogs, I was stoked for an evening of funk, hip-hop and break beats. Folks flocked to the door only to be turned away, as the event was a sellout. It was wicked to note that just before the commencement of the show, the Dogs and N’Fa were chilling out with the crowd and getting a feel for what mood the punters were in
The lure of Tackyland conjured up by DJs Rolly and Sterlo is a powerful thing; with dance classics from the 70s, 80s and 90s, and a pole for the more adventurous mover and shaker, it’s a great place to get down and tacky. Later on, upstairs opens, and the “Tackies” are given a change of environment, with house and electro breaks coming at you from the resident DJs Gillie, Adam Turner and Corney, bringing a nice transition of music and environments. They are all experienced and skilled DJs, and the popularity of Tackyland is a reflection on them, and their focus on giving the crowd a great night out. Syrup gives you a choice of what to listen to and where to listen to it. And I lapped up the options on this night. The venue is perfectly suited to provide for individual choice - a multi-leveled club is a great way to do to this and keep people happy. With the price of petrol hitting the roof, and inflation following, for many young clubbers it’s a tossup between deciding between the quality of the venue and entertainment and saving money for drinks, but with Syrup at least you get what you paid for. I look forward to seeing the place pumping, again, with the Ministry of Sound Mashed tour and the Aston Shuffle on the 31st.
I was getting a bit edgy when Dexter hit the decks without much fanfare, but it wasn’t long before his superfluous beats and tantalising drum ‘n’ bass got the crowd surging. His set was awesome, mixing world music into stretching electrifying tones – much more exciting than his efforts at MS Fest earlier this year, where he appeared a little distant. The Resin Dogs and special guest N’Fa landed on stage to a bulging room with a commanding presence. Having not seen them live before, I was surprised and excited about what was to come. They cranked out some wicked hip-hop and breaks to a crowd that was left wanting more. N’Fa was a great addition to the Dogs lineup – his crowd participation was interactive and amusing. Bouncing was the order of the night, and the Dogs really fed off the crowd’s energy – the more noise they made, the more rhymes they got. N’Fa made Hobart part of his massive, and to finish up, a tribute to Midnight Oil made for a wicked night. I’m glad I had no expectations for this act, though if I did, they probably would have been exceeded anyway, and I will definitely be buying their latest album.
BRISBANE HOTEL – 17/5/08
CARL ROSS
First up was Stay Down, a trio from the north coast of Tasmania. They played an energetic set of quality, fast and authentic punk rock, with song lengths very suitable for people with short attention spans! Next up were The Trolls, who took the funk to a whole new level with their unique jazz/ reggae/funk rock fusion. For the majority of their set, the four-piece was accompanied by a trumpet and saxophone, which added another dimension to their performance and sound. Queensland’s The Black Market were next to take the stage, celebrating the release of their latest work, The Mohammad Smith EP. The Black Market are a talented trio who play a combination of ska and 80s classic punk rock that has an element of dance rock, and a hint of reggae also. Lyrically, it was passionate and patriotic punk all the way. The final band to play on this all-ages afternoon was This War from Melbourne, as part of their tour to promote the release of their EP Ocean-Deep. They played an amazing live set that had everyone enthralled. Their sound is reminiscent of some earlier Against Me and the Clash. This War is one of those rare bands who not only sound just as good in a live setting as they do on a recording, they do it better. Nice work! HANNAH KEEN
Nathan Wheldon & The Two Timers EARL ARTS CENTRE – 13/5/08 From the outset, it was a beautiful event. I’ve always thought the Earl Arts Centre would be an ideal location for a band night, or a CD launch, and I was so impressed to hear that this band was using this space. And they used the space perfectly, using lamps on stage as well as subtle lighting from the desk, and covering the floors with Persian rugs – the end result was an intimate reflection of the music that was to come from Nathan Wheldon and the Two Timers. The band was obviously comfortable – they oozed bliss and ethereal rapture. I was grinning like a schoolboy for the entire performance, astounded by the subtle beauty of their presence. Kudos to Hamish Clark, who did an amazing job with their sound. The Earl Arts Centre is a perfectly sonically neutral arena that enabled the speakers to do their job properly, allowing for excellent sound separation and giving proper focus to Nathan’s flowing melodies. The overall feeling I had, compared to other performances that I’d seen of this band, was that they were very confident and at ease, and this flowed over into the overall ambience, the overall atmosphere. For those of who haven’t heard this band before, Nathan’s writing style could be described as Australian folk-rock, and this style was enhanced by the environment and the other players in the group, who supported each other in this harmonious endeavour. In other words, this was a great gig from a band that is kicking arse at the moment.
GEORGINA FREEMAN
CARL FIDLER
Bluejuice + The Paper Scissors
Ejecter Unplugged ALLEY CAT BAR – 22/5/08 We started the night’s entertainment with Frankie – very easy listening. What a beautiful voice! These were sad songs, and her folk rock sound is perfect for a laid-back, pleasant listening experience. This young lady is reminiscent of other sweet acoustic/ambient chicks – Sarah Blasko springs to mind – but at the same time Frankie has a sound unique to her. She is a talented songwriter, singer and musician, and I look forward to catching her again. The main event was to be Ejecter ‘unplugged’ – however, it turned out to be Ejecter ‘unaccompanied’; by their bass player and lead guitarist, that is. This didn’t seem to faze Jonno Coleman and Drew Castles, who gave a solid show regardless. Jonno sings with a very real depth of passion, which is touching, particularly given that he has a first-class voice with a good range and a subtle, smoky edge. His Pearl Jam influence is apparent – in a good way! Great acoustic guitar, and very competent drumming worked well for me – I was rapt. When Ejecter guitarist Matt Rasmussen eventually joined the guys, the music continued smooth and solid. I was delighted at the end of the evening, when I was given a free CD, Broken Smiles. It won’t be gathering dust on my shelf – in fact, I might have to buy a couple of copies for some friends. Ejecter have another fan! LALANI HYATT
Mike Elrington
JAMES HOTEL – 24/5/08
ROYAL OAK – 24/5/08
How cool is The James these days, since the new owners took over? Very cool. The coolest. It’s sweet! I arrived at about 10:30pm and had my ID scanned by a couple of friendly door-babes – they were actually nice, so I can’t call them door-bitches. Yes, the ID scanner is there, still, and is there to stay, I’m told – but it’s only to keep out the jerks, to stop them slipping through when security personnel on the front door changes from night to night. And talking of security, when the head of Launceston’s biggest venue security firm, Mal Scott of EPS, is working the door, you know the job will be done in the most professional, relaxed way. And it was.
Mike Elrington opened with a slow, steady blues song – finger-pickin’, sweet croonin’ storytelling segueing into raucous, raw, nerve-shaking vocals; a nice mix-up of styles and tempo. I was surprised and impressed with his vocal range – the big man can hit those high notes well, and hold them until you feel them, not just hear them. Next was a swaggering number – it felt like I was walking down a New Orleans street. Like the first, these blues involved, lyrically, losing a lover and maybe more.
Inside, one of the best bands in Australia, The Paper Scissors, were already into their set, and the room was filling up, early. The Paper Scissors are a very talented bunch, reminding me of a new-millennium, Oz-style, Talking Heads. In the crowd were the boys from Bluejuice, having a bit of fun, occasionally dancing the robot in unison. The Paper Scissors finished their set, with the dance-floor filling up mainly with girls for their last song. And then, in the blink of an eye, Bluejuice were on, and the party really started. The club and the dancefloor were full, but still comfy, and the crowd partied like it was 2099. Bluejuice were brilliant, and the night hit a peak with the song Vitriol, which everyone knows came in at number eleven in Triple J’s Hottest 100. The crowd sang along, danced, and threw their hands in the air. Inside the club, the whole look and feel has changed. The walls are bathed with colour, and the whole place looks and feels more open, with a happy vibe. It was my first time at The James for a long time, but I’m really glad I went, and it won’t be so long ‘til the next time. I hear the Bang Gang DJs are coming – see you there.
He was starting to really warm up now, letting himself go, and throwing his soul – and his macho – into the songs, and unleashing some f*cking amazing guitar work with his massive, strong, nimble and skilled hands. A solo reminded me of Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir and had me thinking of the last time I’d seen Jeff Lang, which was a truly spiritual experience. The next few of these long songs trod a Beatles-esque route; one a beautiful soundscape that, in my mind, had me walking in a field of flowers until his voice wailed, and I felt like I’d then come across a burnt forest, with dead animals scorched and lying in the ashes … but it was just the emotion of another song of loss, sung with intense feeling. It evoked Tom Waits with his voice, and Robert Plant with his guitarwork; so emotional that as the last note of a song lingered in the air, the audience was waiting in the air with it – such was the impact and tension. This was powerful, even angry, distraught blues, sung over beautiful guitar sounds. The contrast was wonderful. I loved how Elrington took chances – with his voice, with the complexity of his guitar playing, with rhythm and pace – baring his soul, and skills, for all to see and hear.
DAVE WILLIAMS
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SAUCE #69
HALO – 23/05/08 I arrived early on in the night – around midnight – to find a tight-knit group of drum ‘n’ bass aficionados enjoying the mellifluous rollers of Halo stalwart and Tasmanian export Model T (Tim Tillack from Brisbane); the music reverberating through one of the Hobart dance scene’s best sound systems, and the local crew grinding away to a range of fresh liquid tunes, with the added bonus of an extra lighting rig and laser show. Greg Packer (WA) came on with some fanfare at 1:30, and proceeded to put on a kick-arse four-hour set. It was a joy to see true drum ‘n’ bass fans reveling in the broken beats of Australia’s premier drum ‘n’ bass DJ and producer. The tunes were fresh (most were unreleased dub plates and remixes of classics) and the vibe was strong. Why else would Packer deliver a four-hour sermon? Packer’s grooves were sensational, sometimes tech-y, mostly liquid and always upbeat and funky. By the way he was swinging around behind the decks, he was certainly feeling something. The sound was great, the lighting show first class (a word on the laser boys; more smoke would be appreciated, as it was slightly intense). It was great to see a new face (Miles Jordan, Broken Panda) enter the potentially fraught world of DnB party production, and there were many new faces – audience members and aspiring DJs – at the gig, which augurs well both for future Broken Panda escapades and the dance scene in general. HEATH KINGSTON
DAVE WILLIAMS
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ROCK - BONDI // COG
Sharing a space, but not a vision
By David Williams
“…I was disappointed at the lack of input towards the end of the project …” Photo by Kane Skennar
One of the most dynamic trios in the Australian music scene, Bondi’s Cog have never been ones to do things by halves, but it hasn’t come easily. The task of bettering 2005’s The New Normal was always going to be challenging, but they could never have expected it to be as long and hard as it was when working with producer Sylvia Massy … and Sharing Space is something they probably won’t be doing with her again anytime soon. Bassist Luke Gower spoke to us ahead of Cog’s Tassie tour … Talking about Sharing Space, things didn’t really go to plan in the recording process, did they? Nah, not this time around … nothing goes to plan, you know? [Laughs] There are always some changes you’ve got to make – that’s life, I suppose – but this time around, yeah, we ran into a few problems, or a few issues that we’ve had to deal with along the way, which made the end part of the recording quite hard, but … we ended up with a great album, and something that we’re very proud of, and can’t wait to get out there on the road and tour it. How surprised were you personally when Silvia [Massy, producer] kind of walked away from the process? I don’t think I was very surprised; I think I was more “disappointed”, I suppose the word would be – you’ve kind of come so far, and you’ve invested so much time and money collectively, as the band and producer, in some-
thing, and you don’t want it to be all for nothing, you know? [The album] is very important to us … we love it, and it’s our little thing, and that’s just what we do for a crust, so we don’t want to put something out there that’s [ just] alright, or we think is “pretty good” – we want to go hard, and I just think I was disappointed at the lack of input towards the end of the project, you know? At the start, things were good, and we were making some ground there, I thought … but yeah, at the end of the day, she kind of comes from a new-school way of producing from what I can tell by my experiences, where it’s a minimal [amount of] time spent in there while the tracking’s being done – it’s more of a “pop your head in, and turn up that, turn down that, let’s try this there and that there and that’s it.” I suppose that bands who didn’t really know much about producing would just be thinking “what the f*ck’s going on here? I thought we paid to have a producer; I thought that meant coming in and hanging out and working through it all together.” It’s just not the case – not with her, anyway. But that’s not taking away anything from
COG
her repertoire of what she’s achieved and what she’s done, because she obviously is a good producer, and we all think she is as well … it was just a shame that it kind of ended on that note, you know? You kind of would have known what to expect, wouldn’t you? Or was it a very different Sylvia Massy process from the last time? Nah, it wasn’t like that at all, mate! Last time, we went there with twelve songs, and we recorded twelve songs. This time, we went there with twelve songs, but we wanted to write more songs over there, and Sylvia wanted us to write there as well, so she provided us with a space where we could set up our gear in a room and pretty much go for it every day. That was good, and it was working. We were working together – she’d come over for an hour or an hour-and-a-half each day and give us some kind of a direction that she thought, and some input here and there. It was going well, but … what was meant to be six weeks of writing turned into three-and-
a-half months of writing … [Silvia] sort of spat it because you wouldn’t put out The New Normal on her label, didn’t she? Spat the dummy? Well, we’d agreed to invest in the label, and when we got there, the label was nothing much more than a few people trying to do jobs that they’d never done before, you know? I suppose that was a bit of a worry for us, so we decided that we weren’t going to release it, and that was that, you know? That happened about three months in, down at South By Southwest, and that was the kind of [linchpin] that started the collapse, you know? Cog play Hobart’s Wrest Point Showroom on the 5th of June, Sirocco’s in Burnie on the 6th, and licensed and all-ages shows at Launceston’s Batman Fawkner on the 7th and 8th. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au
KASEY
the
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SAUCE #69
11
CD REVIEWS ASHES DIVIDE Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright
It’s been too long since we’ve heard anything from phenomenal alt-rock band A Perfect Circle, but never fear, as the guitarist and songwriter Billy Howerdel has released his first solo album, which will keep fans of APC immersed until their next release. The unpredictable yet identifiable and brilliant guitar sound of Howerdel continues from the APC days, but more noticeably, as the vocalist has clearly given Howerdel the attention that he deserves. Howerdel did most of the production and instruments that are played throughout the album, with drums done by John Freese of APC and Devo Keenan on cello. The album’s first single, The Stone, is one of the most outstanding tracks, exploring the concept of self-belief and rejection, which gives a lyrical basis to the majority of the songs. From my first impressions, this album only had three standouts – Stripped Away, Sword, and The Stone, as they bear the closest resemblance to APC. Being a strong APC fan, I wanted more of the dark, moody, heavy guitar tracks, but after several spins of this album more great tracks emerged, such as the deep sorrowful numbers Too Late and Forever Can Be – ballads with a depressing edge. This being Howerdel’s first attempt at lead vocals, his work here does lose your interest in places, but he does have his unmistakably mesmerising moments. Howerdel is an inspiring guitarist who should be acknowledged more, and his vocals will only get better over time – either way, I’m looking forward to both the next AD and APC release. DAVID WALKER
GENGHIS TRON Board Up the House
DIVINITY Allegory
DOMINICI
Two years in the making, the production of Tue Madsen – whose credits include some of metal’s elite, such as The Haunted, Mnemic and Dark Tranquility – has brought the full potential out of this Calgary quintet’s debut release. If you combine the melodic thrash sensibilities of Soilwork with the complexity of Meshuggah and the madness of Strapping Young Lad – and blend up the vocal styles of all three – you have a complex amalgam of melodic, progressive death/ thrash metal.
Charlie Dominici, former lead vocalist of progressive metal troupe Dream Theater, backed by Italian progressive metal band Solid Vision, has produced the third and final installment of a trilogy released over a four-year period. Part One of the trilogy, released in 2005, had Dominici solo on acoustic guitar, telling the story of a boy taken from his family and taught terrorist tactics from an early age, but cannot fulfill his duty as his new life now belongs in America. Part Two, released in 2007, introduced a full band line-up and continued the storyline from Part Three, and this current release is bringing the story to a close.
Every one of Allegory’s ten tracks are combinations of multiple genres filled with unexpected moments – in one instance clean vocals segueing into full-on thrash instrumentation, before leading into melodic metal jamming session. Divinity put on an impressive display of speed, skill and musicianship. The only argument I have with Allegory is the lack of any one real standout track – ultimately, the sound of the album is a little too consistent. There are, however, some great moments. Madsen mixing and recording of the album gives it a strong melodic Swedish metal sound, but not enough to push it into mainstream territory. Nuclear Blast Records have some sensational bands on their roster, and newcomers Divinity prove to be no exception. Allegory becomes more accessible with each listen, and I’m looking forward to seeing what installments this well-crafted band have to offer in the future; they’re guaranteed to put you through a full-body workout of spastic moshing.
It looks as if the band members have taken all their musical influences – from industrial, rock, metal, techno and pop – and mashed it all together to make one album. Vocalist Mookie Singerman’s vocals vary from vomit-like screaming to soaring, clean melodies, all of which are difficult to understand as they’re buried in the complexity of the music. Keyboardist Michael Sochynsky blends the synthesized sound of a Scandinavian death metal band with a dance club DJ/techno sensibility with confusing results – should we be headbanging or dancing? Guitarist Hamilton Jordan brings a blend of rock and thrash metal riffs to the mix, giving the tracks a heavier tone. But this music is something that agitates the brain because of the direction it takes both lyrically and musically, along with its unexpected and disturbing twists. Unless you enjoy having seizures, I’d suggest boarding up the house to keep out the sound of this dreadful album. DAVID WALKER
Lyrically, Part Three solves many of the mysteries that have run through the storyline up to this point. There are signs of the melodic Dream Theatre sound, but this band manages to create their own niche in the progressive metal world. Only one acoustic track features on the album, but I feel that So Help Me God throws the album off its heavy rock trajectory. The other concern I have with this album is Dominici’s work; though he’s a good singer, his style does, at times, jar with some of the songs – it feels too power metal for my liking. Dominici is fifty-six and the other band members are more than twenty years younger than him – that shouldn’t matter, but it does, as it just doesn’t fit right together. Still, for those who enjoy Dream Theater, you can do a lot worse than check this album out. DAVID WALKER
Between the fourteen live tracks on this album, there is not a single moment that comes close to the same quality as their studio albums. No one expects pitch-perfect vocals in a live setting, and the occasional fudged guitar chord is to be expected, but Live In Phoenix sounds like a fledgling band embarking on their first tour, not a major label act with multiple albums under their belt and (presumably) state-of-the-art recording equipment. The best track of the album is their studio version of Michael Jackson’s Beat It – the punchy guitars give the song a more driving rhythm than the original, and John Mayer contributes an impressive guitar solo that rounds out the cover as a well-above average tribute to a song that has certainly seen its share of bad interpretations. Like any live show, the bassist takes center stage, and Live In Phoenix is no exception. Yep, bassist extraordinaire Pete Wentz makes sure to throw in a few entirely useless comments between every song, only to be almost instantly drowned out by the screams of the audience. Additionally, he adds significantly more trademark grunts and yells than he does in studio recordings – if nothing else, it makes the listener temporarily appreciate Patrick Stump’s vocals that much more. I had wondered why it took Fall Out Boy so long to release a live album – it was surprising that it took them three full-lengths and two EPs to get this baby out. A cursory listen explains why – while a couple tracks are worthwhile for Fall Out Boy fans, the majority of this live album is a lackluster disappointment. LEANN KACZMARSKI
DAVID WALKER
SEPARATIST The Motionless Apocalypse
With the growing popularity of experimental bands that combine two or more genre styles, it seems, evidently, to be the only way to create a unique style and set yourself apart these days, and Genghis Tron is no exception to this rule. Given the absence of a bass player or drummer, the Philadelphia trio does have an overwhelmingly immense sound. This experimental band fuses the intenseness of grindcore/metal with electronics and programming, and has now introduced vocals – something absent in earlier releases.
FALL OUT BOY Live In Phoenix
O3: A Trilogy, Part Three
When I first saw Separatist play in Hobart some time ago, their performance came across as, to quote Dr. Evil, “the diet coke of evil” – some good ideas hampered by poor stage presence and other symptoms of a band yet to find their feet. Fast-forward to now, however, and Separatist have, as their album artwork might suggest, spread their wings, and truly taken flight into the realms of brutally precise death metal. As with Zero Degrees Freedom’s The Calm ... Before The Silence, this represents, to me, a new and exciting era in Tasmanian metal, where ambitious, innovative music is being realised at a major-league production standard. Behold The Motionless Apocalypse ... Starting proceedings is an ambient intro of the type that seems almost prerequisite for metal albums – don’t you sometimes wish they’d get to the point? In this instance, however, it is an undeniably creepy-calm before this storm of an album rips into gear. Put bluntly, this is heavy as absolute f*ck; a relentless volley of cataclysmic riffage, jackhammer drumming and truly demonic vocals – Sam Dishington’s roars are so low they’re almost subterranean. While it does have its moments of diversity, The Motionless Apocalypse is still, principally, a death metal album, and as a result Separatist have had their work cut out for them to sound truly unique in this genre. This is something they only partly achieve – many songs sound too similar, particularly in their beginnings – but The Motionless Apocalypse is still a truly impressive piece of work.
MOONSORROW Tulimyrsky EP
PERIAH Conversations
Moonsorrow, a band known for producing epic, long songs, has once again produced a full five-track EP of Finnish heathen folk-metal lasting sixtyeight minutes. Title track Tulimyrsky (Firestorm) is the only new track offered on this release, clocking in at nearly thirty minutes, the first four of which are spoken word until vocalist/bassist Ville Sorvali’s primal scream unleashes and kick-starts the band into full throttle mayhem.
Hailing from the Blue Mountains, rising fourpiece band Periah have unleashed their blend of alternative rock to the masses with their first EP release. Having extensively toured the Sydney live scene and gathered media attention from airplay and interviews through the likes of Triple M, Blunt Magazine, Drum Media and local press, Periah have pulled together a strong crowd following, and they clearly want more.
Elsewhere, Moonsorrow have attempted two covers – one of Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls and Back to the North by Swedish death metallers Merciless. Also featured are two previously released tracks Taistelu Pohjolasta, and Hvergelmir, which are re-mastered. If you’ve survived through the first track of unbearable suffering, you’ll come across an admittedly interesting take on the Metallica track, bringing a pagan groove, featuring keyboard effects and group choir chants.
Forming in 2004, their strong work ethic has finally landed the band a recording contract with Amp Head Music records. Recorded by Dave Petrovic (Tyler’s Riot, Cog) and mastered by Rick O’Neil (U2, Aerosmith, Silverchair) together with Periah, this is a solid-sounding EP destined to open up opportunities for the band in the very near future. The infectious first song, Counterfeit Tragedy is featured on Triple J’s Unearthed, which hit number one after only three days in the charts, and held the spot for three weeks. The band’s melodic, heavy, powerful sound backs up lyrics exploring relationship strain, jealousy and past memories, and the outcomes of them all. There’re evident influences from 10 Years and Karnivool, particularly in the vocal style of singer/guitarist Dux.
The lyrical themes are based on Finnish and Scandinavian traditions, legends and poetry, but I can’t make sense of what they are singing as it’s in Finnish, with only the two cover songs in English. If you like the sounds of this band then I suggest checking out their grindcore sideproject, Lakupaavi, particularly their album Homosika! – another release to damage yourself with in 2008. Overall, if you enjoy the feeling of dying a slow and torturous death, then this is the album for you, as it’s tragically dismal and blatantly shit.
All that said, only time will tell if Periah have the determination to match their already solid reputation within the constantly challenging Australian music scene. DAVID WALKER
DAVID WALKER
TOM WILSON
FOLK/EXPERIMENTAL - AUSTRALIA // ROSE TURTLE ERTLER
Proving that size doesn’t matter By Tom Wilson
You’ve just glanced at the photo, seen the instrument in this woman’s hands, and you’ve got a first impression running through your head – no doubt the word “novelty” is in there somewhere. Right? Wrong. Just ask Rose Turtle Ertler, who’s currently in our state to bring you both the unique sounds of the ukulele and the knowledge you need to play it yourself … Firstly, why the ukulele? What is it about this instrument that you love so much? In the year 2000, I suddenly found a ukulele in my arms. From that moment, I was completely mesmerised by my new sweet-sounding friend. The ukulele has an endearing tone and is much more versatile than most people think. I recently played at the New York Ukulele Festival where I heard folk, jazz, country, punk, classical, bluegrass, tin pan alley as well as traditional Hawaiian music. Apart from the sound that I instantly fell in love with, the portability of the ukulele is an excellent feature – I can ride my bike to gigs and can carry it as hand luggage on a plane! How did you first start to play this instrument? My keyboard got stolen and I gave my guitar to my sister when I went overseas once, and when I came back the only instrument I owned was a ukulele I’d had lying around and hadn’t taken much notice of. I had the idea to plug it into a multi-effects guitar pedal with distortion, pitch shift, reverb and delay. I was expecting feedback and a muffled sound, but was pleasantly surprised by the clarity and sudden versatility of such a small instrument. I started writing songs on it and also programmed drum machine tracks and that was the beginning of my solo “Electric Ukulele Lady” act. Initially, I had no knowledge of traditional islander playing and really just played it as a small guitar. Gradually I learnt more strumming styles particular to the uke, and bought a vintage American Gretsch from the 12
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1940s. These days I usually play concerts with a combination of acoustic songs and some using effects pedals. What can you tell me about the workshops you’ll be doing down here? What will you be teaching? And what skills can people take away from them? During this two month stay in Hobart I’ve been teaching a seven-week ukulele course through the Hobart Council’s 50s & Better Centre. Once a week, I teach twenty-five enthusiastic beginners some chords and different strumming patterns and we sing lots of songs. Hopefully, by the end of it, they’ll be able to look at a song and work out how to play the chords and the rhythm themselves. That’s the aim. It’s pretty exciting to see people who have never played an instrument before take control of a ukulele in their arms. I also taught a beginners workshop at the Moonah Arts Centre. The class was so keen that I had to organise a follow up workshop a month later. In my workshops I always try to demonstrate the versatility of the instrument. It’s not just for playing renditions of Tiny Tim and George Formby songs. I’m really not that interested in that style. You can also play Deep Purple and Wham! on the ukulele, no problem. Rose Turtle Ertler plays Brookfield Vineyard on the 8th of June. www.myspace.com/roseturtleertler
“…I always try to demonstrate the versatility of the instrument. It’s not just for playing renditions of Tiny Tim …”
GIG GUIDE 28th May - 10th June WEDNESDAY 28TH HOBART Alley Cat Bar Wide Angle Film Night Brisbane Hotel Viva Computer (CD launch) + Vodnik (Melb) + All Fires The Fire + Special Students Irish Murphy’s Red Rival + Whose Is Bloody Whose? Republic Bar & Café 17 Hertz (Album Launch) + Lakoda + Melodic Candy @ 9PM Syrup Rewind @ 9PM
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Sarah Jane + Summer + Mark Edmunds + Saratonin James Hotel DJ Joycie Royal Oak Open Mic Night
THURSDAY 29TH BURNIE Stage Door the Café Viktor Zappner Swingtet + Kelly Ottaway @ 7:30PM
HOBART Brookfield Vineyard. 1640 Channel Highway. Margate. 7054. Ph 6267 2880
Licensed cafe open 7 days & late for all events
UPCOMING SHOWS Sunday 8th June
Rose Turtle Ertler Friday 13th June
Daedo and the Blue Mosquitos Friday 20th June
Folk Night with John Friday 27th June
Couta Blues www.brookfieldvineyard.com info@brookfieldvineyard.com
"Tasmania's own"
REDLINE Coach Services
DISCOUNTED STUDENT FARES University Student Semester Special $12.50 per sector * Hobart to Launceston $55.60 (Return) * Devonport to Launceston $39.10 (Return) *Conditions Apply
Reservations/Credit Card Payments 1300 360 000
Alley Cat Bar Nick Carson (Melb) + Peter Escott + The Keds of Ray Brower Brisbane Hotel Anvil Vengeance + Random Order Irish Murphy’s Martin O’Brien + Atalana Heale + The Overview Republic Bar & Café The Galvatrons + Melodic Candy Syrup Adam Turner + Guests @ 9PM
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Brief Illusion Royal Oak Mihirangi + Frankie
FRIDAY 30TH BURNIE
Syrup Aston Shuffle + Adam Turner + Gillie + Kir Downstairs – Naughts + Rolly + Billy Bob @ 9PM Youth Arc Fluoro Party – DJ Mez + DJ Tom – ALL-AGES @ 7PM
LAUNCESTON James Hotel PD + Little Cam + Joycie + Randall + Buffstar D-Lux Royal Oak Ciaran Van Den Berg The Hub The Muddy Turds + The Superkunts + MC Buglefrock
SUNDAY 1ST BURNIE Stage Door the Café Encore Performing Arts Studio Concert @ 1PM
HOBART Alley Cat Bar DJs - Chilled Sessions Hotel Soho Guitar Hero 3 with Christian & John Irish Murphy’s Mickey & Pete Peacock Theatre Whimsical Tricycle @ 3PM Raincheck Lounge Live Acoustic Music @ 4PM Republic Bar & Café New Retro Club @ 9PM
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Kristy Tucker + Nathan Wheldon + Buff Star Deluxe
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Nathan Wheldon
TUESDAY 3RD Republic Bar & Café Trumps @ 9PM Irish Murphy’s Ben Castles
Brisbane Hotel The Ghost And The Storm Outside + Stand Defiant + On Your Feet Soldier + Traitor @ 9PM
The Hub Open Mic Night
Hotel Soho Aviators + New Retro @ 6PM
Brisbane Hotel Alex Masso + Peter Farrar (Melb) + Soundtracks Will Dissolve + Greg Kingston
Syrup Pickle vs. Pitch Black: Battle Royale – Shad + Afcore + G-Tek + Will.Co + Liv Downstairs – Nick C @ 10PM
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s The Gary Gary’s James Hotel PD + Little Cam + Joycie + Randall + Buffstar D-Lux Royal Oak The Titz The Hub Fox Hunters Return + Foreign Films & Friends
SATURDAY 31ST
WEDNESDAY 4TH HOBART
Irish Murphy’s Lance Cooper Trio + Support Republic Bar & Café Train Wreck @ 9PM Syrup Rewind @ 9PM
LAUNCESTON
COLLECTOR’S CORNER CDs and DVDs
New + Second Hand 37 Wilson St Burnie ph: 03 6431 6616
HOBART Alley Cat Bar Pinwheel (Melb) + Anthony Rochester + EC4 Brisbane Hotel Nosce Teipsum + Abacinate + Vulgar + Solar Thorn + Death of a Martyr – AA Kill Whitey (Melb) + The Scandal + Linc Le Fevre + Betamax – +18 Irish Murphy’s Jeremy Matcham + Damage Control Republic Bar & Café Whitley + Howie Day + Seagull
Brisbane Hotel The Scientists Of Modern Music + Special Guests
Republic Bar & Café Simon Russell Guilty As Charged @ 10PM Syrup Adam Turner Downstairs – Nick C @ 10PM James Hotel PD + Little Cam + Joycie + Randall + Buffstar D-Lux Royal Oak Andy & Julz
Stage Door the Café Viktor Zappner Swingtet + Fred Bradshaw @ 7:30PM
HOBART Alley Cat Bar Alley Cat Cabaret – Mr. Cecil Brown + Ms. Nicole Parums + Ms. Meredith Cole + Ms. Flicka Jane + Mr. Jeff Michel + Ms. Alison Farrow @ 8:30PM Brisbane Hotel Highbrake + Powerchild + Hyperdonia Irish Murphy’s Samuel Page + Crystal Campbell + Joanie’s Plastic Sunday
Ciaran Van Den Berg Wednesday 4 June
Dave Adams & the Spankers
JUNE
Sam Cole
BURNIE Stage Door the Café Gaye Clarke @ 7:30PM
HOBART Alley Cat Bar Foreign Beggars (UK) + Oratoric & Paddles
Republic Bar & Café Direct Influence + The Flying Atoms @ 10PM Syrup Adam Turner + Gillie + Corney Downstairs – Naughts + Rolly + Billy Bob @ 9PM
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Victor Charlie Charlie James Hotel PD + Little Cam + Joycie + Randall + Buffstar D-Lux Royal Oak S&M The Hub The Titz + Guests
SUNDAY 8TH HOBART Alley Cat Bar DJs - Chilled Sessions Brookfield Vineyard Rose Turtle Ertler
Raincheck Lounge Live Acoustic Music @ 4PM Republic Bar & Café Cake Walking Babies @ 9PM
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Ben Castles + Brief Illusion James Hotel Sojourn
MONDAY 9TH HOBART Hotel Soho Smashers @ 10PM
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Robbie Elliot
TUESDAY 10TH
Syrup Adam Turner + Guests @ 9PM
LAUNCESTON
Royal Oak Sam Cole
Saturday 31 May
Thursday 5 June
HOBART
Irish Murphy’s Sara & Hamish
The Titz
SATURDAY 7TH
Republic Bar & Café Bobby Flynn @ 9PM
LAUNCESTON
Friday 30 May
The Hub Ben Wells + Guests
Irish Murphy’s Michael Clennet + Running With Scissors
BURNIE
Open Mic Night
LAUNCESTON
James Hotel DJ Joycie
THURSDAY 5TH
Wednesday 28 May
Irish Murphy’s Ejecter + Tin Alley (Melb)
Hotel Soho Guitar Hero 3 with Christian & John
Royal Oak Dave Adams + The Spankers
IN THE BAR
Hotel Soho Manhattan + Tom & Nick @ 6PM
Irish Murphy’s No Foto + Chimp Militia
BURNIE Stage Door the Café Encore Performing Arts Studio Concert @ 1PM Mihirangi @ 8PM
Alley Cat Bar Joanie’s Plastic Sunday + Betamax + Samuel Cole
Irish Murphy’s Loco + Dreadlock
LAUNCESTON
Royal Hobart Showgrounds Obese Block Party 5 – Pegz + Muph & Plutonic + Hyjak N Torcha + Spit Syndicate + Drapht + mduzu&dameza
HOBART
Republic Bar & Café Carl Rush @ 8:30PM
HOBART
HOBART
Republic Bar & Café Sugartrain
Stage Door the Café Katy Pakinga @ 8PM
Hotel Soho Smashers @ 10PM
MONDAY 2ND
HOBART
Irish Murphy’s Tim Davies + Dr. Fink
BURNIE
Brisbane Hotel Space Raven + Vulgar + Projection of Aggression + Your Damn Neighbors – ALL-AGES @ 3PM Space Raven + Vulgar + Projection of Aggression + Your Damn Neighbors – 18+ @ 9PM
Stage Door the Café Encore Performing Arts Studio Concert @ 8PM Alley Cat Bar Mihirangi (NZ)
FRIDAY 6TH
Republic Bar & Café G.B. Balding @ 9PM Irish Murphy’s Brief Illusion The Hub Open Mic Night
Friday 6 June
Andy & Julz Saturday 7 June
S&M IN THE BOATSHED
Thursday 29 May - $10
Mihirangi supp. Frankie GREAT FOOD
OPEN 7 DAYS
OPEN MIC NIGHT
THE LAST WEDNESDAY
OF EVERY MONTH
14 Brisbane Street, Launceston 6331 5346
Venue Guide BURNIE Stage Door The Cafe 254 Mount St Upper Burnie 64322600 HOBART Brookfield Vineyard 1640 Channel Highway Margate 6267 2880 Irish Murphy’s 21 Salamanca Place 6223 1119 www.irishmurphys.com.au Syrup 1st Floor 39 Salamanca Place 6224 8249 Raincheck Lounge 392 -394 Elizabeth St. North Hobart 03 6234 5975 Republic Bar 299 Elizabeth St 6234 6954 www.republicbar.com The Brisbane Hotel 3 Brisbane St 6234 4920 thebrisbanehotelhobart@gmail.com The Alley Cat Bar 381 Elizabeth St 6231 2299 Wrest Point 410 Sandy Bay Road Sandy Bay 6225 0112 www.wrestpoint.com.au YouthArc 44 Collins Street 6231 5150 LAUNCESTON Batman Fawkner Inn 35 Cameron St 6331 7222 Country Club Country Club Ave Prospect 6335 5777 www.countryclubtasmania.com.au Irish Murphy’s 211 Brisbane St 6331 4440 www.irishmurphys.com.au James Hotel 122 York Street 6334 7231 The Newstead Hotel 160 Elphin Rd 6331 1344 The Royal Oak 14 Brisbane St 6331 5346 www.myspace.com/leapinlimpout SAUCE #69
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ROCK - HOBART // CHIMP MILITIA
Witness the monkey business
By Tom Wilson
“Dave had recently learned that he could do a standing back-flip …”
You might already like Chimp Militia, or you might not, but you should be there when they take the stage in Launceston this month regardless. Why? Because it’s impossible not to like a band who have been known for spicing up their live performances with the singer/guitarist doing standing back-flips. Enough said? We thought so. Dave Welch and Stuart Churton spoke to SAUCE … You guys first started in 2006 as a cover band. What prompted the shift to creating original music? Stuart: Before Sam (original bass player) left the band, we had been toying with the idea of doing originals. Dave and I both had plenty of original riffs coming out our arses. It was good experience to start as a cover band though, because we got a feel for the structure of songs and got those first few nervous gigs out of the way. We recruited a new bass player and drummer and started jamming out in the bedroom. And who wants to play other people’s shit all the time anyway? Dave: Yeah, it was good to start making our own stuff. We had heaps of ideas – all I had to do was pull my finger out and make up some words! I was pretty nervous about it all, but feeling all good now the songs have taken shape. Of all the shows you guys have played thus far, what stands out as the best one, and what made it special? Stuart: On my birthday this year we played at the Doctor Syntax with No Foto and absolutely packed the place out … I proceeded to get absolutely blind drunk and when the bar-
tender shut off the bar (too early), I abused the shit out of her and turned the whole bar against her. It was piss funny. Dave: Yeah, that place got rowdy, but the best gig for me was at Irish in Launceston. All our old mates were there, keen to hear us and then have a few beers afterwards! And what’s been the worst? When was the last time something went tits-up at a gig? Stuart: At our first gig at the Republic we were supporting The No No’s, and I had had a recent bad run with breaking strings during gigs; I think this was the third gig in a row where I had broken a string. Anyway, I broke the string, and the other boys had to keep the crowd entertained while I restrung. Dave had recently learned that he could do a standing back-flip, so he revved the crowd up and got down in the middle of them and pulled out a few flips! Dave: Something had to be done – the mob was getting restless. I understand you guys are working on your debut al
Dave: We have been working on it for the last couple of weeks. It’s still in the early stages of production, but it’s looking like it will turn out pretty bloody good! Stuart: We have had a couple of days in the studio trying to get all our drum and bass tracks down, but there is still a fair bit of work to be done
Stuart: Have you ever seen the documentary Planet Earth by Dave Attenborough? One night we were baked and watching that and there is this section where a big group of chimps (more than fifty) gather together to go and fight another group for territory, and big Dave mutters “As the chimp militia form to go to battle …” Dave: It is a must-watch doco.
Dave: It should be finished and released within the next six weeks, so keep your ears open for the album launch In the field of Australian rock acts, what do you think sets Chimp Militia apart? Stuart: I think that we have generated a good driving, powerful, versatile sound that will appeal to heaps of people. The fact that Dave doesn’t try and sound as if he is from New York City sets us apart from most bands already. Dave: Yeah, Aussies and proud. Stuart: Also he has a beautiful voice that makes girls foam. It has to be asked – what’s the story behind the band’s name?
Lastly, just for fun, what would Chimp Militia do with a million dollars, and why? Stuart: Actually Tom, I am glad you asked that. Initially I would invest 50% in blue chip shares over a long term and 40% in low-risk bond, as they are offering good returns at the moment. The other 10% I would get f*cked-up on for a long time, then reap the benefits of investments in later life. Chimp Militia play Irish Murphy’s in Launceston on the 4th of June.
ROCK - MELBOURNE // BOBBY FLYNN
Bubby transforms Bobby
By Tom Wilson
Fans of Bobby Flynn and the Omega Three better make the most out of his upcoming Hobart show, because he’s not going to be back here for quite a while. No, it’s not because he doesn’t like you; it’s because a little something’s come up that’s about to make touring his album Out Front quite difficult. What kind of little something? The best kind, as he told SAUCE recently … You released Out Front in February. What kind of production process did it have? What would you say was the most challenging part of putting that album together? The most challenging part was probably the mix-down process. We had tracked the whole album in Byron Bay … We did a lot of touring last year, and we raised enough money to get all our gear, so we got a bit of recording gear. We put it in a shack in Byron Bay, and then we did all the tracking there, and then took it to Sydney, [to] a studio down there called Level 7. We were at that stage, and at that point we were looking to release in December, and we just had to get a mixer in and someone to be able to mix the record, basically. We were just kind of sitting there, and in walked Guy Gray, who’s a mixer, and he’s done amazing [work] … He’s been doing it for thirty years; he’s done bands like The Church, he’s worked on David Bowie, one of his records … just stuff like that, so he’s got a lot of experience. And he just kind of walked into the room where we were at [in] Level 7 … We were just like, “Hey! Would you been keen on mixing this record?” And he was like, “Yeah, I’d love to. I’ve got a couple of weeks off.” So he just ran with it.
“…She brings up this swizzle stick, and it was blue … She’s like, “This says I’m pregnant.” …” In terms of the lyrics, what kinds of themes and subject matter do you delve into on this album? The songs on the record have kind of been over the space of quite a few years … three or four years … A lot of it’s about the human experience, and I suppose the emotional kind of nature of that experience. For example, there’s a song on there called Human, which is basically … just reminding ourselves that we’re just human organisms; we’ve got cells that need maintenance and all this kind of stuff. So yeah, definitely about the human experience. It’s not too much about relationships or anything like that. It’s fairly personal. 14
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What, to you, is the most personal, or the most closeto-the-bone song on it, and why? There’s a song on there called Fire Me Away, and I kind of wrote it after the whole Idol experience. I was coming home, and I would up at a place called Evil Falls … It was just this song that really “happened”, and the lyrics kind of speak [about] how I was feeling at the time, and really just emerged in that way. The big news for you, of course, is that you’re expecting your first child in August … Yeah! I mean, that’s huge. I kind of found out in December … You know, we hadn’t been planning a child … this is my partner Jade, who actually did the album artwork … she’s kind of an artist and stuff. And yeah, we kind of knew what we were getting into, but anyway, she was like, “Ah … I think I’m pregnant.” This is December … so we got just one of these over-the-counter tests … it was her birthday, actually … She brings up this swizzle stick, and it was blue – it had this blue cross on it. She’s like, “This says I’m pregnant.” I’m like, “Nah, nah, nah – look, we’ll try one more in a couple of days.” You read the back of the box, and it’s like, “These things are seventy percent accurate.” And anyway, in the next couple of days, it comes out [positive] again, and we’re just going “Wow!” So we were kind of just jumping up and down. It’s a very exciting thing. Yeah – it’s an amazing experience – and the shift in ideology, and your priorities … things just kind of chill out a whole lot more; little things that, in the past, have probably been a big deal … you just go “Whatever!” I can kind of imagine how that conversation would have been – “Ah, honey? You know that national tour you were planning for your album? Ah …” [Laughs] Exactly! Exactly, man! Bobby Flynn plays Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 5th of June. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au
ROCK - MELBOURNE // TIN ALLEY
Breaking the ice … and the collarbone
By Tom Wilson
Bass players may “do it with rhythm,” but that’s not to say they’ve always got good game when it comes to picking up girls in clubs – case in point, Paul of rock troupe Tin Alley. As it turns out, though, being shot down that one night in a Melbourne nightspot was a very good thing … as it inspired the band’s latest single, Polar Bear – a story Paul’s brother Jim shared with us ahead of their set at Irish Murphy’s in Hobart … I understand you guys had a bit of a setback earlier this year … what happened? Well, our drummer Peter was riding home one night with his girlfriend on the back of his motorbike, and as he turned off the freeway a kangaroo jumped in front of his motorbike and hit it head-on at eighty kilometers an hour, and he came flying off, suffered a shattered collarbone, and his girlfriend had a snapped wrist. He now doesn’t have a real collarbone – he’s got a piece of titanium there, holding it all together. But he made a really speedy recovery, and he was back on the drum kit within two months.
“… A kangaroo jumped in front of his motorbike and hit it head-on at eighty kilometers an hour …” On the bright side, if he keeps having accidents, you could eventually replace his whole body with titanium, and he could become like a rock ‘n’ roll Terminator. Definitely, yeah! That’s it! [Laughs] I understand you guys recently shot a video for Polar Bear. What can you tell me about the video? Well, we haven’t uploaded it on YouTube yet – I’m getting the final copy in the next couple of days, so it will be up there very shortly, but there is a link to the pre-production version. We’ve had a friend of ours – he makes short clips and short films … He’s in New York at the moment, and he filmed our film clip for the last single we released, In Your Hands. He’s since moved to New York, and we decided to do a longdistance collaboration and get the film clip done from here to there and there to here! [Laughs] We kind of worked back and forward, throwing ideas to each other, and yeah, he found some nice locations to do some shooting, and the film clip has come together using MSN Chat and email and Vimeo, which is an online sort of video upload website, a bit like YouTube. So he was doing stuff, editing it, and we were previewing it and saying “Yeah, we like that,” “Don’t like that” and so on, and that’s how it kind of all came together. Where did you guys shoot it? We aren’t actually in the film clip – it’s all being shot in New York. I heard something about an armoury or something … That’s right, yeah. It’s filmed at an old armoury – it’s actually pretty huge, that was decked out for an event, and Max got in there and did some filming, and it all looks very artistic and quite abstract. Do you handle the lyrical front? Not for this song – my brother Paul, who’s the bass player, actually wrote the music and the lyrics for this one. From your point-of-view, what is the song itself about? Well, it’s pretty straightforward! [Laughs] There’re no hidden meanings to this one, fortunately! Paul was out one night at a club in Melbourne … there was this girl next to him, and he asked his friend, “What’s a good ice-breaker?” And she happened to hear what he asked his friend, and she turned around and said, “Polar bears. Polar bears break ice.” Everyone found it quite amusing, and yeah, she walked off, he went home and wrote a song called Polar Bear about the situation! [Laughs] So it’s like, “Yeah, he didn’t pick her up, but he got a single out of it” … I’m trying to think of which one’s preferable. [Laughs] [Laughs] I don’t know! It might have been the more fortunate thing that happened, hey?
124 DAVEY STREET HOBART Aviators 6-9pm New Retro 10-1am Wear your retro clothes & win prizes
Guitar Hero 3 with Christian & John
around the clock jugs from 5pm $5 yager bombs from 10pm - 12pm $5 basic spirits all nights bands from 10pm show your industry card for futher discounts
APL poker with cash prizes around the clock jugs from 5pm
Smashers from 10pm tour the fridge with nothing over $4.00 from 8pm including RTD Manhattan 6-9pm Tom & Nick (One for the Road) 9:30pm - 1am
Guitar Hero 3 with Christian & John
Smashers from 10pm
let us do the work WITH FRIDAY KNOCK OFFS now with around the clock jugs ladies buy 1 champagne & receive the secound free from 5 till 10pm live music from 6pm
open mic cash prizes from JB HIFI & Bacardi around the clock jugs from 5pm $20 spirit jugs
This is the second single lifted off your debut album from last year. Looking back on the album, and the process of making it, what are some things you definitely think you’ll be doing differently the next time around? What were some mistakes you made or lessons that you learned? I think … well, we’re going in to record in July at the end of our tour, in Brisbane. One of the reasons we’re doing the recording in Brisbane is because we want to change the surroundings and actually get out of our comfort zone and see how we can create in just a totally different setting. We’re working with a producer called Stuart Stuart, who’s worked with The Veronicas and The Small Mercies before … I guess we’re trying a totally different process, with different people, and even our songwriting process has changed heaps – we’re collaborating a lot more as a band right now, rather than individuals presenting a song and the rest of us learning it, which is pretty much what has happened in the past. Of course, we’ll all put our own spin on what we do, but now there’s a lot more collaboration between all members at the writing stage … So there are a few things that we’re changing moving forward, yeah. Tin Alley play Irish Murphy’s in Hobart on the 6th of June. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au SAUCE #69
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DJ PROFILE – WILL.CO So, what’s your name then? Ben Wilkinson, AKA Will.Co. What’ve you been up to lately? Working my backside off, and I went to watch Tiesto play in Sydney the other week, both Saturday and Sunday night. How long have you been DJing? Seven years now – seven to eight years. I worked in hospitality up in Sydney when I was nineteen, twenty, and worked in a few clubs in King’s Cross and Oxford Street and things like that, and had some influences up there; people who just taught me. Then I just bought turntables and had a love for it, and just got into it – just loved the music, and just wanted to know how they did it. What styles do you dabble in, and why? Trance – I love my trance – a bit of hard tech, electro … basically because it’s just what makes me feel good and what pricks up my ears, and what I enjoy playing, because I just prefer a bit more up-tempo stuff; I prefer things a little harder and faster. What do you like best about it? Being able to make people happy and make them dance, and if you play a good set, just the enjoyment of people telling you that they enjoy it, and it made them happy, and made them smile.
DJ PROFILE – LIV So, what’s your name then? Rameses Niblick III. Actually, no ... funnily enough, it’s Liv. What’ve you been up to lately? Well, other than playing at Pitch Black Electric last Saturday, it’s all been a bit routine – work, hanging with friends, that sort of stuff. Daydreaming about a Queensland holiday ... How long have you been DJing? Someone asked me this the other night actually, and I realised it’s been a scarily long time! Depending on when you count from, it’s either ten years or about eight years. What styles do you dabble in, and why? Tech-trance, hard trance, uplifting trance ... yeah, trance basically. Why? Because it’s good! What do you like best about it? Well, the stuff I like to play has either a kick-arse rhythm or a decent melody – preferably both. In a lot of ways trance is like classical music, in which I have a background; you have themes that get explored, a recognisable structure and phrases, just like a symphony or a sonata has. It’s often very happy or emotional music, or it’s got a lot of
What sometimes pisses you off about it? The late mornings, I suppose. Sometimes that’s hard with work, but it doesn’t really piss me off. I enjoy playing wherever and whenever I can. Nothing really shits me, I suppose.
attitude. My favourite tunes are those with “auto-booty” (which is when you discover that you’ve been swinging your hips in time with the music without thinking). What sometimes pisses you off about it? Some of it is so f*cking cheesy you could make fondue. I’m not much of a fan of most vocal trance because more than ninety percent of it is just laughably clichéd – lots of women with Eastern European accents warbling on and on about flying with angels and all that crap. Eddie Halliwell says it best – “More thwap, less noodle!”
What makes you downright awesome? The fact that I play for the people, and not just for myself; I try and play tunes that people like. I don’t necessarily have to have the newest or the best tracks; I just try and do what makes people happy. Who’re some DJ heroes of yours, and why? Tiesto is number one, that’s for sure, Ferry Corsten … Yoji Biomechanica – they’d be the top three. Tiesto’s always just been a huge one – I’ve been a fan for years.
What makes you downright awesome? Oh, c’mon now, you’ll give me a big head. I dunno – just ask the three hundred people I had going spastic on the dance floor last Saturday night.
So, when and where can we catch you next? At Pickle [at Syrup] next weekend, and at any Pitch Black event coming up. Keep your eye out for the Pitch Black events – the promoter, Shad, is doing a wonderful job of promoting a lot of the new, young talent, and he’s going to be a big up-and-comer, and if he keeps going the way he is, he’s going to do a really good job. He’s got a really good outlook, and he digs in hard.
Who’re some DJ heroes of yours, and why? Eddie Halliwell, Bexta, Armin van Buuren, 4 Strings, Marcel Woods, Sean Tyas, Christopher Lawrence ... as for why, either because I think they’re really talented or they play music I like, or both. So, when and where can we catch you next? Friday 30th May, Pickle vs. Pitch Black “Battle Royale” at Syrup.
DJ PROFILE – BUFF STAR DLUX So, what’s your name then? Craig, Buff Star Dlux or “The Vinyl Terminator” to some. What’ve you been up to lately? Writing reports – I’m a college teacher, and it’s such a fun job. But musically, some friends (Jeano and DJ from Well Strung) and I are in the creative stages of starting a new group. It’s going to be a funky, dance/reggae fusion thing with the decks, guitars, percussion and maybe saxophone. How long have you been DJing? I started just over five years ago, but for the first year I was a lounge room DJ only. I finally got the nerve up and played a gig at the James on a Sunday night and I haven’t looked back. What styles do you dabble in, and why? Like most DJs I dabble in lots of different genres, but play mostly electro, breaks, progressive and house when out. You need to be versatile, especially in a small town where you only get a chance to play some genres in a club once or twice a year, but also I really enjoy the diverse range of sounds and beats that different styles of music give you. What do you like best about it? When you know you’re kicking it, you’re playing well, the
DJ PROFILE – ANFCORE
say what an awesome set you played. It’s the best feeling ever.
So, what’s your name then? My name is Anthony, or people seem to call me “Anf” – that’s how I got “Anfcore.” Now a lot of people seem to say “Anfcore Hardcore” round the place.
What sometimes pisses you off about it? Nothing really seems to piss me off about DJing – I have too much love for the music that nothing else seems to matter.
What’ve you been up to lately? I have been working during the days lots and partying during the weekend – seems to be the same-oldsame-old. How long have you been DJing? I started back in 2004 in Sydney where I started to play out in the rave scene there. So far, 2008 seems to be pretty productive here for me in Hobart. What styles do you dabble in, and why? I play a variety of styles, but my two main styles are hard trance and UK hardcore; I love these styles for their epic breakdowns and massive basslines that just seem to keep the crowd jumping. What do you like best about it? I love to be able to watch the crowd dancing away to the tunes I play; nothing is better than when finishing a set and people come up to you and 16
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What makes you downright awesome? Having the ability to pull a crowd to the venue that just seems to take off. Who’re some DJ heroes of yours, and why? DJ Weaver (Sydney), who has made a massive name for himself by putting out a track on virtually every single UK hardcore label there is, and putting Australia on the map. Steve Hill (Sydney) – this guy is the king of hard dance in Australia, always paving the way with fresh new banging tunes. These two guys are the main reason I have gotten into DJing. So, when and where can we catch you next? Catch me on Friday the 30th at Syrup for Pickle vs. Pitch Black. Also, you can check out my Myspace with updated blogs on parties I will be playing at next. www.myspace.com/anfcore
dance floor is full, everyone’s going off their head – it’s just an amazing feeling. What sometimes pisses you off about it? Not really being able to play as hard as you really want to, the repetitive request you get from the punters, and drunken people with no idea. What makes you downright awesome? My friends, and not giving a rat’s arse what people think. As for my playing, I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’m awesome, just a guy having fun behind the wheels of steel. Who’re some DJ heroes of yours, and why? Jesse AKA Kid Kenobi; I was introduced to him one night back when I first started playing and he was a really nice, down-to-earth guy, and he gave me some tips. Six months down the track, we meet again, he remembered my name, asked me how my playing was going etc. It was just cool. Amber Savage – she’s a great DJ and I love the harder, darker side of music that she plays, and Niki Belucci out of Budapest, just because she wears no top when she plays. So, when and where can we catch you next? I’m a resident at the James, (and) Irish Murphy’s ... and can be caught at one of these venues every week, so I’ll see you with your dancing shoes on, and remember – without music, life would be a mistake.
“Hugh Hefner offered up the iconic Playboy Mansion to mark the album’s release …”
DANCE - PARIS // DIMITRI
Cutting it up, Playboy-style
By Carlisle Rogers
Too few tales from the Playboy Mansion make mention of the dimmer switches. When Dimitri from Paris played in the famous LA estate, he paid more attention to the wall fittings than he did to the girls. “The whole décor of the place, the furniture, the light switches,” he recalls, “it was amazing.” Dimitri, who is renowned for his chic disco and house sets, first visited the place in 2000, to launch his seminal mix CD, A Night at the Playboy Mansion. He had hooked up with the magazine empire some months before, playing at a dance music industry event, The Winter Music Conference, in Miami. Playboy executives were so impressed that they asked Dimitri whether he could capture the vibe of the night on a CD, pairing his DJing skills up with the magazine empire’s heritage. Packaging was to be quite unlike the stylised, airbrushed imagery of contemporary men’s publishing, and would, instead, hark back to the title’s youth. Dimitri’s tunes weren’t the most obvious records either; he selected a bunch of vintage dance cuts and some newer house and hip-hop records. Hugh Hefner offered up the iconic Playboy Mansion to mark the album’s release, and Dimitri’s guests included Daft Punk and Kylie Minogue. Later, some of Hefner’s own crowd arrived, including Farrah Fawcett and Scott Baio. Playmates were in attendance and everyone went for a swim in the infamous cave-like pool, The Grotto.
For Dimitri though, the real attraction lay in the Mansion furnishings; “It was something out of James Bond,” he says. “What I remember liking in Playboy magazine, after the girls of course, was all the swanky stuff: crazy beds that had loads of gadgets in them, or super hi-fis. Being in the Mansion was like being in those vintage magazines.” You see, Dimitri’s penchant for design classics began almost as early as his love of music. Born in Istanbul in 1963, yet raised in the French capital, he developed his sense of style during those first years in his adoptive city. “My mother took me to the movies from when I was eight until I was twelve,” he says, “sometimes she would make me skip school.” The kid soon acquired a liking for Alfred Hitchcock and Rat Pack movies. “Men were extremely elegant,” he remembers, “They were wearing beautifully tailored suits.” A precocious collector, Dimitri began buying classic tailoring as well as soul and disco records in his early teens. During the early 80s he began to send tapes to radio stations, placed an ad in a trade paper, and soon established himself as one of Paris’ foremost jocks, both in the clubs and on the airwaves. In 1996 he released his debut artist album, Sacrebleu; a collection of runway soundtracks to accompany
fashion shows by the likes of Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Hermès and Yves Saint-Laurent. The disc became an international hit, launching his career abroad. Dimitri’s style, a beguiling mix of retro flourishes and carefully selected modern classics, has remained with him throughout his adult life, and reflects his deeply-held respect for the disco era. “People took the time to record,” he says, “it cost much more to cut a disco record back then. These days kids can bang out a track in a couple of hours using downloaded software and make a worldwide hit.” While fellow DJs have altered their styles to stay abreast of newer trends, Dimitri prefers to stay true to his roots. “I’ve been DJing for over twenty-five years, and my sound is basically the same as it was twenty years ago,” he believes, “yet I’m getting booked more than ever before.” His CDs remain popular too. The first Playboy mix has sold just under 400,000 copies, and morphed into a series, the latest inclusion being Dimitri From Paris Return To The Playboy Mansion. The first disc in this new mix pairs break-incase-of-emergency floor fillers like Jamiroquai Cosmic Girl alongside obscure eighties tunes like Musique’s Love Mas-
sage and recent jazz-pop oddities like Mario Biondi’s This Is What You Are. Meanwhile, the second CD is for lovers featuring sophisticated love songs like Marvin Gaye’s I Want You and Teddy Pendergrass’ Close the Door. Brand new and retro, modern and classic, good in the ballroom and the bedroom, with over a quarter century of experience, DJ Dimitri is unrivalled when it comes to evoking the sophisticated, Playboy life. “It is good to remember that I have been in the business over twenty-five years. We have this saying in France,” he explains, “‘in the old pots you make the better soup’. I do an old fashioned, heart-warming soup. It goes down well; I like it and I want other people to taste it.” Indeed, Dimitri; people are lapping it up. Dimitri From Paris Return To The Playboy Mansion is out now. www.myspace.com/djdimitrifromparis
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DANCE - HOBART // THE SCIENTISTS OF MODERN MUSIC
Spoiling you all over again
By Tom Wilson
“we see each other all the time now” Ah, that warm and fuzzy feeling … that feeling of being proud of our local music scene … We feel it, and we hope you feel it to, because with the rapid rise-and-rise of Hobart electro rockers The Scientists of Modern Music, it’s becoming harder and harder for the mainland to ignore the fierce talent our island state has to offer. With the expanded re-release of their EP Electronic Sunset, Cal Young spoke to SAUCE about the breathless pace of their ascent to stardom …
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You guys started off way back when as two friends making music together when you were still in college. In the time since then, with all the things that have happened, how has your friendship with Simon changed, in light of the success that the Scientists have had? Do you guys still hang out as much as you used to? Well … it’s kind of more like a partnership. I mean, we started off as friends making music, obviously. I think, now, we spend more time together touring – it’s like a partnership–making thing. We still hang out and stuff like that, but it’s mainly because we see each other all the time now. Every now and then we’ll annoy each other and stuff like that, because we see each other’s faces pretty much every day for two months. It gets a little hectic sometimes, but still, we’re best friends … just still hang out whenever possible, and do the stuff that we enjoy, which is making music.
Honestly, mate, I’m not real sure. We just started making music that we liked and that we’d never really heard before … It was completely different to what everyone in Tassie had heard before, because there wasn’t an electronic band like us in Hobart. There weren’t any electro bands, really … there was Little Bird, I remember, but that’s about it. I don’t know, I think everyone in Tasmania is really keen to hear new music, because it’s very community-based, and you see the same faces wherever you go to venues and stuff, and I think there was just a real support for bands.
I’ve never seen a Tassie act have such a rapid ascent in popularity as you guys have … What would you attribute this to? Do you think, in some part, a lot of punters were kind of getting a bit over rock music?
I’ve also never seen [before] some of the crazy shit that has gone down at Scientists shows. I’m sure you know the main instance I’m talking about; the infamous Saloon gigs featuring naked streakers and pseudo-
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So people were just really interested, and were willing to help us out. I think that contributed to our rapid (sort of) rise to popularity and stuff like that … but honestly, other than that, I’m not really sure! [Laughs] I just think we did something a bit different, and Tassie needed a bit of a change in a way, in its music scene. That’s all I could think of! [Laughs]
lesbian kissing on stage and all sorts of strange stuff. Have there been any other really surreal moments or incidents in gigs since? Not really … I mean, we caused a car accident once … [Laughs] What the f*ck happened there? Well, that was ages ago, but we were playing at Republic, and someone was apparently listening to the music outside the venue in their car, but just sort of slowly drifting … driving, but not concentrating, and yeah, crashed into another car … The security guards afterwards were like, “Oh man, you just totally missed out on something brilliant!” That was pretty funny. But we didn’t know that was happening at the time … Not really [since] – we’ve just been playing shows, and people just get excited and come up on stage all the time now. We don’t mind that. We played a festival recently in Melbourne, and we were really unhappy with the sound, because it was really quiet up the front. So we jumped down onto the audience area, and I just ran around and said, “Oh, come up on the stage!” There was this massive, like, podium which went out from the stage, so everyone just started jumping on and started dancing … it was like one big dance party, and then we got told off by security. So that was pret-
ty cool! [Laughs] Why have you decided to re-release Electronic Sunset? Well, it was kind of a necessity – we just wanted to get more … EMI had just finished up the presses; we went through about two or three pressings of Electronic Sunset … I think we just wanted to get it spread around Australia a little bit more, so we decided to make it an album-length one, because album-lengths just tend to get more noticed. In fact, Sony and HMV and Virgin and stuff apparently don’t re-stock EPs anymore, so they didn’t sell it. So we had to do a bit of a business plan and re-release it like that. But we thought we could put some extra tracks on and some remixes and some live tracks, and just make it extra cool, and market it that way instead. Yeah, it’s pretty much like an album … [laughs] … except I wouldn’t really call it our “debut album” – it’s just an EP, but it’s album-length. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au The Scientists of Modern Music tear the roof off the Brisbane Hotel in Hobart on the 6th of June.
DANCE – UNITED STATES // JUNIOR SANCHEZ
Keeping it underground
BROKEN PANDA PRESENTS MEAT THE BEAT V.2 – 10 DJS, 2 ROOMS, 1 PANDA By Stuart Evans
For a guy who has just touched down in Perth (WA) after a long flight from the USA, Junior Sanchez is unexpectedly cheerful. “The jetlag hasn’t really kicked in yet. I’m gearing myself up for it though,” he laughs. This is Sanchez’s second visit to Australia within a year. “Australia’s such an amazing place that they can’t keep me away. Any opportunity to come back and play I’ll easily take. Melbourne’s such a dope city. It’s vibrant, cool and it has everything going on. I love it.”
This will be a showcase of the latest in fat beats, wide breaks and obese drum ‘n’ bass, for only $7. Check out DJs Milestone, Adam Turner, Scott Woodhouse, Risky, Kyle, R-Bent, Waz, Outlaw, Camo, Keith, BSide and one or two extras from 10:30pm on Friday June 13th at Halo.
Back in Sanchez’s homeland of USA, house music is far from vibrant. Sanchez reckons that the USA house music scene is underground for a reason. “It remains underground because we keep it there,” he says.
SET LIST
“Our music’s pretty rad and there are people who’re capitalising on what we do. There are guys like Timbaland who are influenced by electronic music and who take it and do what they do with parts of it. However, all us DJs still stay in little cubby holes, trying to understand what the hell we’re doing.” Based in New Jersey, Sanchez has always been one to air an opinion, regardless of who may be listening. He says he spins music he likes and that he avoids being classified. He laments the me-too approach that many DJs have adopted and the commercial path that many continue to follow. “They [other DJs and producers] want to make money and they want to become household names. They want to be Sasha or Digweed. They want to be Tiesto. So that’s what they do. I’m sure that they all started for the love of music but after a point the love is gone and it’s other reasons like vanity, gluttony or whatever,” he says.
Whether you’re still pumped from the last Meat the Beat, amped from Greg Packer (on May 23rd), or warming up for ShockOne (on June 20th), join in on the fun whilst Broken Panda puts Hobart’s vast DJ collection on rotation with a new lights and laser show and a jungle theme!
“Sanchez was politely asked to depart the turntables in an infamous incident at Ibiza superclub Pacha.”
Time 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00
Bar Camo (breaks) Keith (breaks) Milestone (DnB) B-Side (DnB) + Scott (DnB) Risky (DnB) + Waz (DnB) Open Decks + R-Bent (breaks)
Time 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00
Main Room Milestone (dub-step + breaks) Outlaw (DnB) Kyle (breaks + DnB) Adam (breaks) Scott (DnB) Waz (DnB) R-Bent (breaks)
Inevitably it’s all about money. The more money there is to be made, the more DJs and producers follow the green. “It does happen. The more competition there is, the more greed there is. You see it more and more as you see people going from one style to another, jumping around. It doesn’t matter if someone plays a multi-style of music as long as you’ve always had that certain characteristic or if you’ve always had that type of motive. To go from playing trance to ghetto music – I don’t think so,” he says. Sanchez is a stubborn character. He continues to enjoy a career that attracts the good and bad – good in terms of reputation and bad in terms of what comes out in the music media. “The media can criticise me all they want. I do what I do for the love of it. It’s better that the media criticise me when I’m being creative and not when things are shit. You know, I’m not out there to make a quick buck and I’m not doing it to be a household name. If I was trying to make money I would have followed a different path,” he says. Sanchez’s previous visits to Australia have attracted their fair share of criticism. His performances Down Under have ranged from inspired to insipid. But it’s not just unique to Australia. Sanchez was politely asked to depart the turntables in an infamous incident at Ibiza superclub Pacha. “I’ve never changed my style. I’ve always done what I’ve done and stuck to my guns. That’s why I am who I am. Sometimes I get gigs and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I’m misunderstood and sometimes I’m not. I’ve seen a lot of things change. People that have dissed me have turned around and started to do exactly what I’ve been doing,” he says. His latest project is a closely guarded secret. Or is it? “Well, now is as good as time as any to talk about it,” he says candidly. He admits that he’s finishing his artist album, the title of which, until now, had been kept hush-hush. “The album’s called Junior High and it features an ecliptic mix of people, including Good Charlotte. The record is basically being back at high school where you have different cliques and genres of music. Junior High is a school with no cliques, where everybody hangs out with each other. It’s like the Breakfast Club movie where everybody is forced to become friends,” he says. www.myspace.com/juniorsanchez
Pnau
UTAS – 19/4/08 Sold out for weeks in advance, this was always going to be a big event in the Hobart social schedule. The energy of the live Pnau is, ironically, much more aggressive and suggestive than their synthetic, glam-rock, recorded-cleverness. On stage, the main singer Nick Littlemore has a bit of a soft Jim Morrison, deadly-sexy-thing going on, and I mean that in a falsely, dark, pseudo-masochistic Gary Glitter way. It doesn’t work for me. Nor does the live guitar and drum, which seemed to be attempting to bring in the masculine, rock-god edge to balance the puppy-ness of these boys. They had tea with Elton. Elton used to wear sequins. Probably still does. Pnau sing about “when you come, it’s all over”. At least I think that’s what I heard. This music is simply assisting teenagers to tap into their sexual urges and rebellious tendencies. At times I felt as if Pnau were taking the piss, because they seem to know exactly what they’re doing. “no more violence, no more silence”, like an army training-chant, like “just another brick in the wall”, as I get smacked on the head again by another audience member who’s dancing like a freak. Pnau live is the wolf in the recorded sheep’s clothing. Lock up your daughters, but remember they’ll grow out of it. MARTINA FALLOWS
coming up [sunday 8th june] sojourn [saturday 28th june] bang gang djs featuring jamie doom [saturday 26th july] sam la more (as featured on ministry clubber’s guide [coming soon] dj bass kleph + hook n sling
2008 )
club features [wednesday] dj joycie in the front bar [thursday] uni night [friday & saturday] resident djs pd, little cam, joycie, randall, buff star d-lux james hotel 122 york st launceston 6334 7231 SAUCE #69
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TIM ROGERS ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY BLESSINGTON Ah Rogers, can’t he give it a rest?
OUTSIDE INSIDE: BARK AND HOLLOW LOGS FROM KALAHARI, EASTERN ARNHEM LAND
The lad confided in me that the year was to be spent writing his memoirs and composing a stage musical purely for the litany of schools he had attended, whilst obtaining a well deserved paunch – “givin’ up and getting fat,” essentially. I caught wind of the Luxury Of Hysteria project when frequenting a charming house of ill repute in the back streets of Fitzroy. The talk in the … err … waiting room was abuzz with the rumours of Rogers’ return from his tropical retreat, armed to his chipped teeth with a catalogue of new songs written whilst barred up in his bungalow attempting a fresh haircut. Telexes and carrier pigeons were sent to his rabble of charming thugs The Temperance Union, and a potential new partner/foe in the form of Melanie Robinson, of Western Australian origins, administering a deft hand at further instrumental arrangements on Rogers’ typically dog-eared documentation. The talk shifted, uncomfortably at first, yet with a rabid curiosity, as to the nature of said tunes. Would the boy’s love of unpolished, barely cultured vignettes win out over a perceived new voracity for the outer fringes of musical culture and sense? Upon a cursory listen at a bunker deep in the hinterland, to quote a dear friend, “The boy’s finally got it.” The Dickensian, roguish charm of past releases has given way to a more considered approach, barely concealing the recurring themes of misanthropy, open mouthed wonder, disease, deep admiration, loss and desperate joy. I once heard the boy say that even when he’s being dragged to Hades that it will be wearing interesting shoes (if not appropriate). Who was that chap who wrote of the gutter and the stars? Barely had we finished the packing of our essentials ready to track the lad down when we heard of the rapid decision to release The Luxury Of Hysteria on his own Ruby Q Records (distributed by Inertia) and was to be released in September, followed by a national theatre tour with many of the musicians featured on the release, responding to what I’ve heard is an almost feverish desire of our Rogers to bring this uncut diamond of a recording to you … yes, you – the people. I worry for the boy. He fluctuates between a vibrant presence to a ghost in between the trees too quickly for my liking. But I’m completely charmed by this work of his. He’s finally got it, and he’s done it. Tim Rogers plays Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 12th of June, and Stage Door The Café in Burnie on the 14th.
LOCAL MUSIC VIDEOS GET PLAYED ON RAGE Locally produced music videos from the north and the south of the state have been played on Rage in the last two weeks. From Launceston, the video for Eat My Bits, an up-tempo dance track by Hicksville, was given national exposure for the first time on Friday the 23rd of May, when it appeared on the playlist rubbing shoulders with the likes of Moby and The Winnie Coopers. The independently produced clip was a strictly DIY affair, according to Hicksville co-founder and TasMusic representative Carl Fidler, and the process – from creating the song itself to getting it played on Rage – was remarkably simple. Eat My Bits was created in just one afternoon in GarageBand. The clip was shot and made entirely on a laptop, using only the pinhole-sized camera built into the screen, and iMovie, the basic video editing program for the Mac. Carl then spent two weeks in editing to create the epileptic visual effects of this unique video. Once complete, he went to the Rage website (www.abc.net.au/rage) for instructions on how to submit the clip to the program. Rage requires all submissions to be in Betacam format, and so it took only a quick trip to a local digital converter and $75 before the clip was ready to be sent. Rage doesn’t notify the sender if they choose to play it – they have to check the playlist on the website … which, unfortunately, Carl only did the day after it was played. Bummer! From the south, Hobart electro-rock monsters The Scientists of Modern Music made their Rage debut with Easy, off their stellar – and recently re-released – EP, Electronic Sunset. With a visual style influenced by the vector-based graphics of 80s computer games and Tron, it’s the perfect reflection on the sound of the song … and, unsurprisingly, completely obscures Simon and Cal’s faces. “We talked to a couple of people in Hobart who made the film clip Clockwork Beehive,” Cal explains. “They just had a few suggestions of vector-based animation, like old 80s computer games and stuff, because they had all these visions in their heads from listening to Easy twenty million times.” While radically different in both their style, budget and production process, they both illustrate the same point; whether you choose to spend some money or make it on a shoestring, and whether you work with specialists or just do it yourself, as long as you make the effort, you can put your work out before a national viewership. Cool, huh? This isn’t the only way to go, however. To get your video featured on the front page of the SAUCE website, send it on CD to: SAUCE, PO Box 5094 Launceston TAS 7250. So get cracking, people! 20
SAUCE #69
The Bett Gallery exists far away from Hobart’s visual arts “precinct” at Salamanca. Nestled in the heart of a part of Hobart known more for its restaurants than its art, the Bett Gallery seems a slightly lonely figure in its Elizabeth Street location. But perhaps that is the biggest drawcard of this small, yet innovative exhibition space – it is set apart from the Salamanca crowd, and thus it is free to, as it were, “do its own thing.” That is certainly what the Bett Gallery is doing with its latest exhibition, Outside Inside: Bark and Hollow Logs from Kalahari, Eastern Arnhem Land. Following on from the edgy postmodernism of the recently closed Sprung: Home Grown girls in London exhibition, a show saturated with lurid colour, cutting-edge techniques and themes relying heavily on pop and rave culture aesthetics, recent Order of Australia recipient, Dick Bett, has reverted to an artistic style close to his heart for the current exhibition at his namesake gallery. Dick, the director and heart of the Bett Gallery, is an accredited appraiser of Indigenous art, and the Bett Gallery has long prided itself on being one of Hobart’s homes of topquality work by Aboriginal artists. Working with exhibitions manager Emma Bett, Dick has carved a niche for his large, simply designed gallery as a truly exciting showcase of established and up-and-coming Indigenous art practitioners. The current exhibition has been established in conjunction with the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Art Centre in the Northern Territory, and features works from some of its most skilled and compelling artists, including Naminapu MaymuruWhite, a versatile artist who works in many media, including painting, carving, screen-printing, weaving, lino-cuts and batik work. She has exhibited in galleries all over Australia, and, more recently, in the United States. Her pieces use natural pigments on bark and wood, and present an ethereal evocation of the outback sky – an open expanse of stars and blackness where the Dreamtime is still very much alive, and it is easy to dream of a life far away from city pressures and concerns. Balatj Mununggurr also works with natural ochres on bark, yet her work is much more grounded in the everyday realities of life in the outback. Utilising the rich browns and vivid yellows of desert Australia, she evokes in her art the traditional indigenous life of hunting and fishing. Her work is deeply concerned with the detailed minutiae of the life of the Aboriginal people, and the animal world with which they co-exist. Reminiscent of the work of Mumeka artist, John Mawurndjul, it is a celebration of the harmony between nature and people that the Aboriginal people are dedicated to. Indeed, each work exhibited in this latest show at the Bett gallery is a celebration. It is an exhibition overflowing with colour, life, and a dedication to an evocation of the natural landscape and of traditional culture. Other artists featured include Maluminy Marawili, whose featured pieces are a nod to the exceptional minimalist designs of famed Atnangkere artist, Kathleen Petyarre, and Malaluba Gumana, whose whimsical work Garrimala is a joyous fusion of traditional colours and techniques, and a Chagall-esque, dream-like aesthetic. The exhibition is a perfect follow-on to Winterbottom’s highly contemporary exhibition, and it has compelled many restaurant-goers to pause on the way to their meal of Indian, Thai or Mexican to ponder on a little piece of their own country amid the multicultural melting pot of the North Hobart restaurant strip. It is not difficult to see why Bett, who describes the burgeoning art scene in Tasmania as “as good as anything on the Australian mainland”, decided upon this dynamic location for his gallery. Though it may be lonely in terms of fine art companions, it is rich in cultural counterparts, and its latest exhibition is definitely an asset to what is already a diverse ad vibrant part of Hobart. While the southernmost capital is not famous (yet) for showcasing top-notch indigenous art, this exhibition and the work of its gallery director, may make North Hobart known as a home to Aboriginal art as well as the place to be for a superb gourmet experience. Vive le difference! KATE GORDON
COMEDY - SYDNEY // HEATH FRANKLIN
Harden the f**k up, Tassie!
By Dave Williams
It’s eerie how different Heath Franklin sounds on the phone when compared to his famed alter-ego – the caricature of Australia’s underworld celebrity Mark “Chopper” Read, which he is taking on the road once again for the “Make Deadshits History” tour – and it raises a question; when you spend so much time playing a character, how long will it be before you start to become him? Franklin spoke to SAUCE … So what was it about Chopper that inspired you as a comedian? I think, for the most part, it was kind of his … I don’t know … it’s this weird “extreme violence with a really good sense of humour” kind of thing that I thought was pretty funny. It entirely came from me watching the film too many times, and seeing Eric Bana just doing an amazing job of it … Because he was very polite in some places, and extremely violent in others, it means that, as a comedian, you can work with everything in the playing [of the role]. Do you ever get mixed up with your own identity? Do you ever find yourself in normal life either saying things or having the attitude that perhaps Chopper might have, or your Chopper has? I’ve found that I swear a lot more after shows – like, directly after shows … Actually, there was a time when I was doing two or three shows a day down in Melbourne about a month ago, and I actually had a dream as Chopper, which was just bizarre. Do you remember the dream? No – I just remember being horrified by the fact that I was walking around in a dream going [in Chopper voice] “Hello! What the f*ck is this about!” Has Chopper himself seen the show? No, he hasn’t seen the show, and I haven’t seen his show. We seem to be doing different shows in different places constantly, so I’ve never had a chance to go and check out his act. What about any feedback from him about your character, either on TV, or you imitating him? Oh, he said, a couple of years ago when I was doing The Ronnie Johns Half-Hour that impersonation is the highest form of flattery, so that’s not too bad. It also said that if I wanted to do a proper job I’d have to cut my ears off, but I’m not quite that dedicated to it. What’s this tour Make Deadshits History about? How did that concept come about? Last year, when it came time to do a show, I just had the shits with soft people – people who took the easy way out – and this year, when it came time to write the show and put it on, I just had the shits with stupid people – people who can think, but choose not to. Yeah, just those people you have to deal with who are just so frustrating and moronic.
“… If I wanted to do a proper job I’d have to cut my ears off, but I’m not quite that dedicated …”
Can you give me an example of some of the things that these people have done or haven’t done that have brought about this [opinion] in you? It’s kind of hard … When that woman found Heath Ledger in his hotel room, and she called Mary-Kate Olsen four times before she called an ambulance … that’s just phenomenal stupidity – it kind of makes your brain hurt when you think about it, you know what I mean? You did your last show, Harden The F*ck Up Australia; on a scale of one to ten, how hard do you reckon you are? I reckon I’m about a seven, but still trying … Can you give me an example of something hard that you’ve done to illustrate how you deserve a rating of seven? Something I’ve done that’s hard … that’s tough … I don’t know if there is one specific thing; just generally trying to cut back on the whinging basically. That’s what I’ve been trying to do. Heath Franklin makes deadshits history at Hobart’s Theatre Royal on the 8th of June. See it, or he’ll punch you in the face! To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au
STRUTH BE TOLD It was late Sunday night and I needed a drink. I’d just completed the joyless task of shopping for Nelly Furtado for my cousin’s birthday. I’d been scuttle-booting past the deranged neon and shadows for fifteen minutes, but everything looked shut. An icy breeze cruised in, attacking my jacket and upsetting a flutter of papers. One of them stuck – a fluoro yellow flyer. It was a grainy picture of a 1950s family sitting down to dinner. Above in huge bold type was written “TENSION – Indie Night Sundays.” I brushed it off and it somersaulted down an alley behind me. Past the bins and graffiti was the faint outline of a doorway. I strolled over. I could hear the thump of a drum beat inside. On the ground I noticed a metal chisel glinting dimly in the lamp light. I picked it up and jammed it in the door. With a hard yank it prised open. A nicotine and sweatfuelled sauna wafted out. The relentless rhythm now met jangling guitar, looming bass and a static male vocal. “London calling upon the zombies of death.” I walked up the derelict stairwell, stained with dead stickers and home-made band posters. As I neared the top the song finished, trailed by gloomy silence. The familiar riff of The Pixies Here Comes Your Man rang out as I entered the musty space. The dance floor was empty, and above it, a black mirror ball hung still. At the far end was a long, dimly lit bar with empty fridges. I took a couple of nervous steps forward. At first I didn’t see them. It wasn’t until they moved their heads in unison to face me that I noticed their fringes swishing like wiper blades. Lined up along the walls on either side of me were a fleet of identically dressed young men and women. They all had tight black jeans, studded belts, band t-shirts and earphones snaking down into shoulder satchels. My heart shuddered with self-consciousness. I got out my phone and
pretended to text – my eyes darting in the peripheries. The line-up seemed to be getting closer, but their legs weren’t moving. “Here comes your ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma …” The song was skipping. My head was pounding. The black fleet was advancing on me. I squinted up at the tallest of them. His eyes were all white and his hair had globs of gel and blood through it. His skin was acidic and peeling. He opened his black-rimmed mouth. “Bands!” The rest of them followed in monotone. “Bands!” They were biting their nails so fiercely their fingers were bloody. “Coldplay?” I stuttered. “No!” they screamed. “Indie bands!” I racked my brain – trying to think of the most obscure one I could. “Vampire Weekend!” I yelled. The throng were frothing at the mouth with excitement. They stunk of rotting leather. “More bands!” they screamed. Now they were all around me, poking me and whipping me with their earphones. I struggled. “The Billets? Cuttlefish? Wendy’s Pudding?” They could tell I was making them up. They were angry and started in on me. Their pointy boots stabbed like blunt knives and their stubble tore at my skin. Gagging for breath, I wrestled open my backpack and clutched my fingers around the Nelly Furtado CD. I wrenched up a t-shirt and plunged the disc into the pale, papery skin. No blood came. There was rock star screaming and writhing, as the group lifted off me as one. Gasping, I rolled on my side and watched as they clunked open a heavy wooden trapdoor, and one by one slithered into the underground. JUSTIN HEAZLEWOOD
SAUCE #69
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Street Fashion
Photos by Jason Morey
Emma 18
Raelene 24
Favourite band? Interpol.
Favourite band? Killswitch Engage.
Favourite band? Radiohead.
Favourite TV show? Alias.
Favourite TV show? Desperate Housewives.
Favourite TV show? Flight Of The Conchords.
How often do you buy the newspaper? Never.
How often do you buy the newspaper? Never.
How often do you buy the newspaper? Every day.
What radio station do you listen to? None.
What radio station do you listen to? Sea FM.
What radio station do you listen to? Triple J.
What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen? Computer.
What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen? Computer.
What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen? Computer.
Where do you mostly go on the internet? Hotmail.
Where do you mostly go on the internet? Stock photography websites.
Where do you mostly go on the internet? Facebook.
What’s your favourite item of clothing? Arm warmers.
What’s your favourite item of clothing? My blue play suit.
What’s your favourite item of clothing? My Kookai Cardi.
What does your outfit say about you? “Don’t mess with me!”
What does your outfit say about you? Fashion conscious, but an individual.
What does your outfit say about you? I’m at work.
What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous? Country Road bags.
What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous? Crocs and ugg boots!
What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous? Bogan flannies!
Launceston Studio www.myspace.com/fatlipstudios
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SAUCE #69
Live music Woodfired pizzas Extensive bottleshop ph: 03 6331 1344 fax: 03 6331 2191 e: thenewsteadhotel@hotmail.com
SURF SPOT - TASMANIA // L.U.S.T.
Lusting after the perfect wave
It’s technically one of the seven deadly sins, but don’t worry – for Tassie uni students, there won’t be any harsh consequences for enjoying a bit of L.U.S.T. … though you will get wet. SAUCE spoke to Hamish Wilkinson … For those who don’t know, what is “L.U.S.T”? It stands for the Launceston University Surf Team, and is a club for anyone who is studying at the University of Tasmania or Australian Maritime College and loves to surf. How did it begin, and what prompted it? Students from all around Australia travel to Tasmania to live and undertake their studies at the University of Tasmania and/or the Australian Maritime College, and there seems to be a large number of students who like to surf. All surfers like to get together and go for a surf, then go to the pub and have a few cold ones to discuss who got the best wave. It seemed like a natural progression to join together and get a club up and running. Going for a surf is a really good way for students to get their “down time” from their studies and experience Tasmania’s great surf and wilderness.
Why surfing? Why this particular activity? Launceston isn’t renowned for its world class surf breaks, but since the discovery of Shipstern’s Bluff in the early naughties (one of the world’s gnarliest waves), surfers have become more interested in Tasmania as a surfing destination. Launceston is a great base for students, as it is easy to access all of Tasmania’s coastlines from here. So with that in mind, if you have a group of mates to split the petrol money, a flexible timetable at university and some weather map-reading skills, you can pretty much find good surf every day. What can you tell me about the Chocolate Barrels Challenge? Are there prizes? When will this be held? And what’s the story behind the name? The Chocolate Barrels Challenge is a multi-faceted surf
ADVENTURE - HOLIDAY IN VIETNAM
By Tom Wilson
James McKean
Photo by Andrew Chizza
competition open to anyone who is currently enrolled at University. Surfers compete in Open Men’s Surfboard, Open Women’s Surfboard, Open Longboard and Open Bodyboard. There are also prizes for the male and female surfer who catches the best wave. We have a great prize pool on offer for the Chocolate Barrels Challenge. Red Herring Surf, Global Surf Industries, Creatures of Leisure, Otis Eyewear, Quiksilver, 4Play Bodyboards, Australian Maritime College and the University of Tasmania have all provided some good support. The best prizes are the trophies – gold, silver and bronze cassette tapes on some bling necklaces.
We decided to come up with a name that was going to catch people’s attention. When we came up with the name L.U.S.T, we decided to theme every event, including competitions, in line with this idea. When Tama ‘O’ Shanter breaks, due to the nature of the break, the water colour turns a chocolaty brown colour, so that’s where the name came from. Chocolate is also an aphrodisiac, which ties in nicely with the theme of lust. We have another two competitions coming up later in the year and they are titled “The Salty Oyster East Coast Challenge” and “Mappa Tassie Tour”. Both of these names tie into the theme of lust, but you can use your imagination for that last name.
It will be held at Tam ‘O’ Shanter Bay on the North Coast of Tasmania on either a Saturday or Sunday before the 8th of June 2008.
Anyone interested can jump on L.U.S.T’s website, www.lustutas.blogspot.com, or email L.U.S.T at lust. utas@gmail.com
BY ANNA WALLACE element – winding up a never-ending mountain. It was such a change from the Vietnam in the city and on the coast – lush greenery, steep mountain towns, and the humidity and temperature dropped greatly. I was of the opinion that if you lived in this region then you may attempt to head to the south or to the coast about twice a year – given the road – however I was amazed to find out that this agricultural area is the main supplier for all of South Vietnam in fresh food produce, so trucks ride the same road numerous times a day.
After a very cruise-y bus ride and border crossing from Cambodia, I arrive with my partner in crime Eric to Ho Chi Minh City (AKA Saigon). We head to our good friend’s place straight away – DJ Jase, who used to be based in Sydney (part of drum-n-bass crew Foreigndub) is Vietnamese, and back over here. Staying at his pad is very luxurious compared to our other dwellings, so we are living in style. Another mate from Australia, Jana, joins the crew in Saigon. We are set for a great trip around Vietnam. First thing is, of course, a drum-n-bass party organised by Jase. It is in a great bar in the center of the city that is populated with mainly tourists. The night is huge, with jugs of cocktails flowing for four dollars! It is hot as hell. Needless to say, we all got very smashed and danced the night away. An amazing amount of expats were there – I guess you don’t get much DNB, reggae, hip-hop and dance hall from your average Vietnamese DJs ... After our huge weekend in Saigon, Eric, Jana and myself head for the coast. We arrive at a place called Mui Ne – I won’t go into it much ... the weather was terrible and the town sucked. We got out of there the very next day, and headed for the mountains. The bus ride to Dalat was an experience; it almost matched the potholes of Cambodia, no tar at all. It also had an extra
It is amazing how we think everyone in the world lives on our standards, but you soon realise that our standards are that of spoilt little rich kids ... we are very lucky, to say the least. So, visiting the local area of Dalat, we see flowers, vegetables, coffee (did you know Vietnam is the second-largest exporter of coffee beans, only beaten by Brazil?), silk and rice farms, along with huge waterfalls and my favourite, the Laughing Buddha. This statue is huge, and boy is he laughing. Just to let you know, my favourite pastime is laughing – you cannot usually shut me up! After Dalat we made for our second attempt of a Vietnam beach in Nha Trang – thankfully we had a blast. Spending our first day on a boat cruise, it was hilarious – the crew of eight men, on a boat similar to a fishing trawler, were our hosts, cooks and entertainment for a day of cruising around the islands; snorkeling (where I got stung three times by stingers – ouch!), jumping off the boat for a seafood lunch … and the band ... The band was the crew, singing terrible covers of English songs ... the classics. The best bit was Mr. Miyaki with his Yamaha/saucepan drum kit, smashing and singing away … Oh, and of course the floating bar – sitting in a float, drinking some kind of potent pineapple cocktail. All of this was for just seven dollars. Nha Trang also had some cool bars, so the drinking continued into the night. On the walk back to the hotel at 3AM, I felt like the traditional Aussie kebab on the way home ... instead we had “Pho” (beef noodle soup). We have been sticking to a bowl a day of Pho – it is brilliant and cheap, and you can get it anywhere, anytime. The locals even eat it for breakfast. From Nha Trang, we caught a night bus to Hoi An – let’s just say that I don’t think the Vietnamese are anywhere near as tall as most westerners. The reclining seats, which were boxed off, did not fit the length of my body, let alone Eric’s (who is 196cms), so in our little boxes it was yet another bus ride from hell. This is Vietnam – I love it. SAUCE #69
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