FREE! US .au CHECK ag.com
bliss n eso
von stache
ballarat // bendigo // geelong // surfcoast // warrnambool // werribee
king of north
d
an
te
loc
1
LINE AT OUT ON
clubfeet
ly o w n e d
t n e c r 00 pe
OOD ARTS F C I S MU re business cultu
m forte
al
d oper
a
tane emia moore
issue 562 // 27 JUNE 2013 // next issue: 11 july
Party Clean, Party Again. Staff and Management of The BIG GROUP OF COMPANIES which incorporates Home House & Eureka Hotel, strongly believe that a night of good fun, good music and good drinks can be endless when we party clean and stay drug-free.
N0W RECRUITING. ARE Y0U A... PR0M0TER? DISC J0CKEY? PH0T0GRAPHER? DISC0 DANCER? BAR TENDER? EMAIL: HELL0@CHINESEWHISPERS.TV WWW.CHINESEWHISPERS.TV CNR SH0RTS PLACE, GEETR0IT 3220
6
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
One Louder Entertainment and Mobile Industries Present
I
WITH
A W A K E
SPECIAL
GUEST
FLETCHER
TUE 30 JULY EASTBANK CENTRE SHEPPARTON
WED 31 JULY THE CAPITAL BENDIGO
TICKETS: (03) 5832 9511 WWW.RIVERLINKSVENUES.COM.AU
TICKETS: (03) 5434 6100 WWW.THECAPITAL.COM.AU
THU 1 AUGUST WENDOUREE CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS BALLARAT
FRI 2 AUGUST LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE WARRNAMBOOL
TICKETS (03) 5338 0980 WWW.WCPA.COM.AU
TICKETS: (03) 5559 4999 WWW.LIGHTHOUSETHEATRE.COM.AU
TICKETS ON SALE NOW WWW.SARAHBLASKO.COM FACEBOOK.COM/SARAHBLASKOMUSIC
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
7
A WORD FROM THE TEAM
FORTE FREEBIES!
The entertainment industry has lost another much-loved member. James Gandolfini, bestknown for his portrayal of the enigmatic Mob Boss Tony Soprano in the TV series The Sopranos, died in of a suspected heart attack in Italy. Whilst he played hundreds of film roles, including a famous part in Get Shorty, and more recently Killing Them Softly, it was his role as ‘T’ that won the hearts of the public.
We have one very awesome mystery prize pack full of heaps of new release cds to giveaway to one lucky reader!
Never has a character in a TV series or movie been as influential, endearing and powerful as Tony Soprano. For those who have watched the series through – many of us several times – his character leaves an impression on you that cannot be compared to any other. By the end of the 7th season you feel as if Tony is part of your life; you feel as if you know him personally. That is the reason for the unprecedented outpouring of grief from Sopranos’ fans across the world and why tributes have been addressed to Tony, not James.
To enter all you have to do is email your name and contact number to luke@fortemag.com.au Good luck!!
PEACE!
THURSDAY 27TH JUNE
SATURDAY 6TH JULY
THE VELVETS
PALM SPRINGS
DICK DIVER
8:30PM $5
8:30PM $10
FRIDAY 28TH JUNE
THURSDAY 11TH JULY
LOW FLY INCLINE
NEIL WILKINSON (THE REDCOATS)
THE LOST HEART SIRENS
8:30PM $10
8:30PM $10
SATURDAY 29TH JUNE
FRIDAY 12TH JULY
FASSBENDER
JULITHA RYAN (SILVER RAY)
KING OF THE NORTH
THE SPOILS
8:30PM $10
8:30PM $10
SUNDAY 30TH JUNE
SATURDAY 13TH JULY
4PM FREE
FAT CHANCE
LOUISE ADAMS
THURSDAY 18TH JULY
THE EXIT CROWD STUART FINDLAY & MICHAEL STOWERS 8PM
THURSDAY 4TH JULY
KYLE TAYLOR
SARAH WILKINSON 8:30PM $10
FRIDAY 5TH JULY
MOJO JUJU LUKE LEGS 8:30PM $15
VANESSA CRAVEN 8:30PM $15
KESTRAL 8:30PM $5
FRIDAY 19TH JULY
THE HARLOTS
LUKE LEGS & THE MIDNIGHT SPECIALS 8:30PM $10
SATURDY 20TH JULY
THE WARDENS LEADFINGER 8:30PM
8
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
general..............................enquiries@fortemag.com.au EDITOR/SALES MANAGER....Luke McNamara
luke@fortemag.com.au
COVER DESIGN.....................James Dulce PRODUCTION........................James Dulce
David Di Cristoforo
SCENE PHOTOGRAPHER.......April Grenfell ADVERTISING ......................Anton Ballard
aballard@fortemag.com.au
Marc Wilkins
marc@thegeelongtimes.com.au
Anthony Morris, Adem Ali, Ben Schultz, Chris Cruz, Chris Lambie, Cyclone, Daniel Meagher, Lucas Skinner, Natalie Rogers, Nekita Roberts, Nina Bertok, Ophelia Symons, Paul S Taylor, Phil Hickey, Renee Abbott, Sam Eckhardt, Sam Fell, Stephanie Zevenbergen, Tex Miller, Wylie Caird, and Tony Montana PRINTED BY......................... RURAL PRESS PRINTING (VIC) BALLARAT 30-32 Grandlee Drive, Wendouree ADVERTISERS AND AGENTS ARE ADVISED THAT ALL ADVERTISING COPY IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY UNDER THE TRADE PRACTICES ACT. ADVERTISEMENTS ARE PUBLISHED IN GOOD FAITH AND ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CONTENT IS LEGITIMATE AND LAWFUL. ADVERTISERS AND OR AGENTS SUBMIT ADVERTISEMENTS AT THEIR OWN RISK. THE EDITOR AND CREATORS HOLD NO RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR THE CONTENT OF THE MAGAZINE IN THE CASE THAT IT MAY OFFEND. FORTE ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS. FORTE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO EDIT ALL ARTICLES AND LETTERS.
This issue is another bumper one. We have the wonderful A Conversation in the Key Of… on the front cover; the very popular music series that is going on at the Courthouse, along with a bunch of other cool interviews.
MY LEFT BOOT
PUBLISHER...........................Anton Ballard
CONTRIBUTORS...................
It was a sombre day around the offices at Forte and we felt having dedicated thousands of our pages to movies and TV over the last 23 years that James was deserved of a special mention from the team. R.I.P. ‘T’.
THE NAYSAYERS
FORTE mag is published by FORTE PUBLISHING p/l abn 64 054 589 641 pHONE: 03 5229 7969 fAX: 03 5229 0318 po box 1388 GEELONG VICTORIA 3220
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
9
10
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
11
the HIGHLIGHTS
THE LATEST ON international & national news & tours
songs, covers, requests, and even fielded questions through a Q&A session. It was a big success. When they return a little later down the track, the band will have their latest album to show off – Vital. Known as one of the most approachable bands doing the rounds, Anberlin plays The Palace on September 8.
together for a series of shows that sound too good to be true. But it is true. Australia has a soft spot for all bands. BMTZ’s new album Sempiternal debuted at #1 while Crossfaith immediately became adopted sons after Soundwave. We all know the love for Of Mice and Men. Festival Hall – October 9.
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
Ben Salter’s European Vacation
House Vs Hurricane Bow Out
Songman Ben Salter gets around: we’ve seen him flirt with The Wilson Pickers, cuddle up to Giants of Science and cop a feel of The Gin Club. Now, with a freshly inked deal with ABC Music, he is set to release new EP European Vacation next month. Like the travels that inspired the songwriting for the release (he spent some five months in Europe), the EP is a journey in itself. Workers Club – July 25.
It hasn’t always been the easiest road to walk for House Vs Hurricane, but their resilience to both life and music has made them a favourite. Unfortunately, another good thing is coming to an end with the band calling it a day. The band is just about to wrap up the East Coast Rampage tour and, fingers crossed fans, they may do some final shows later in the year before moving on. A full statement can be found through facebook.com/housevshurricane.
.........................................................................
Round Three for Deez Nuts Ghettocore pioneers Deez Nuts return to the local touring circuit next month with their third album Bout It. The band has been showing New Zealand, Europe and Asia the goods of late but is thrilled to be back on more familiar soil. The new album, the band’s third, features a stack of guests including Sam Carter (Architects), Freddie Madball, Lord Ezec, Jonathan Blake (On Broken Wings) and Sean Murphy (Verse). Workers Club – July 12.
Dreams of Lenka
Shadows is the recently released third album from songbird Lenka – and she has described it as “an album for dreaming”. If single ‘Heart to the Party’ is anything to go by, it’s a pretty fair description. Released on her own label Skipalong Records, the album is a collection of songs written while she was pregnant with her first child. To help with its funding, fans were able to contribute via the PledgeMusic platform. Workers Club – October 26.
The Highlights: Where you can dance if you want to. Coming up you have… .........................................................................
The Goblin Kings One of the more interesting bands to hit Australia is sure to be Italy’s purveyors of cinematic horror and progressive rock, Goblin. The band, whose initial run was from 1972 to 1982, is best-known for providing the soundtracks to the films of Italian director Dario Argento. Returning to Australia for two special shows, Goblin will perform the scores for Suspiria, Dawn of the Dead, Deep Red and Roller. Billboard – July 14.
Shine on Neda In another life she was a train driver, hauling 30,000 tonne trains across abandoned parts of WA, but these days Western Australia’s Tenielle Neda is a singersongwriter on the rise. She had a stint on Australian Idol in 2009 (she made the Top 24) but time since has only been kinder to her. Her debut EP is Daylight Disguise which she co-wrote with Red Riders’ Adrian Deutsch. ‘Moonshine’ is her new single. Grace Darling – July 13. .........................................................................
Good Guys Anberlin Last time they toured Australia, Florida’s Anberlin did something a little different. The band played acoustic
.........................................................................
Big Scary = Big Deal Melbourne’s Big Scary has signed with Barsuk Records, becoming the first Aussie act to sign with the US label. The duo of Tom Iansek and Jo Syme release their second album Not Art tomorrow (June 28), with the release to hit the States in September. The newie is the follow-up to their 2011 album Vacation. Nine months in the making, Not Art was recorded and produced by Iansek.
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
One Fine Yuksek
Mojo Juju Countdown
French producer, remixer and DJ Yuksek returns to our shores next month as part of his Partyfine tour. Born Pierre-Alexandre Busson, Yuksek started his music life as a pianist, playing the instrument for ten years at a conservatoire. He began making music under the moniker Yuksek in 2006, releasing his debut album Away from the Sea in 2009. He released his Partyfine EP #1 last month. Liberty Social – July 19.
When you’re hot, you’re hot. And one of the hottest names doing the rounds at the moment is Mojo Juju. Drawing inspiration from the Jazz age, early blues and Latin American ‘Pachuco’ culture of the 1930s and 1940s, Mojo and her musical cohorts create a sound as slick as it is sinful. Mojo Juju and her band are heading to Europe but have lined up a few shows before they go – their final local headliners for the year. The Curtin – July 6.
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
The Meanies Not So Mean
The Maths of Rolo Tomassi
All it can take is a simple question. When the folk from Leaps and Bounds festival approached The Meanies about doing a gig, the band was more than happy to appease their request. In fact, what they said would need to be edited in a publication such as this. (It rhymes with duck yeah!) For the gig the band will return to the scene of the crime ... the place where it all began 24 years ago ... The Tote. Lock in July 12.
Sheffield mathcore band, and all-round cool kids, Rolo Tomassi has announced a handful of shows a little later in the track. The band formed in 2005, releasing their debut album Hysterics in 2008. Two albums have following included last year’s Astraea. Reverence Hotel – September 27. Joining them will be ‘Magical Animal Hardcore’ band Totally Unicorn and Melbourne’s Stockades.
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
Three of the Best
Lo! Gives the Lowdown
Holy interplanetary yardstick Batman! Feast your eyes on this, my friends. Bring Me The Horizon, Of Mice and Men and Crossfaith have been brought
Sydney heavy’s quartet Lo! was conceived in 2006 by guitarist Carl Whitbread but it wasn’t until 2010 that they made their debut. It has been going alright
BLUES Trish Redman- The Gems Events trainer with 20 years of industry experience and genuine rock chick!
will get you where you want to go!
Day program Thursday, 27 June Night program Monday, 17 June Hands on, practical programs. Creative and innovative industry trainers.
Enrol now! Only $110.00* *Subject to eligibility
54 Corio street Geelong VIC 3220 (03) 5222 4358 www.lpcomm.com
12
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
CALL LUKE ON 0422 809 042 al
ly o w n e d
an
t
ercen
100 p
d ope
d
Diploma of Events
ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE!
te
Want to organise weddings, parties, festivals and events?
loc
BOOT CAMP
ra
for the sludge-inspired metallers since. The band recently toured Europe, playing a 25-date tour with Cult of Luna and The Ocean in support of their latest album, Monstrorum Historia. The Reverence – July 13. With buzz band High Tension and Jurassic Penguin.
Swift who spent several years as a solo muso before heading to Texas to record his debut album with Gabriel Gonzalez and Jim Ward. Upon his return The Rattlesnake choir was formed. Their debut EP is Up With the Anchor. Bendigo Hotel – June 29 & Fist2Face – June 30.
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
Skipping Across the Bardo Pond
Pludo Goes Haywire
Space-rock lovers rejoice for Bardo Pond has locked in an Australian tour. Formed at the beginning of the 1990s, the band has only performed in Australia once before – as part of Vivid in 2010. Despite their lack of showing on our soil, there is a fair bit of love for the band here. They have released a handful of albums including their latest, 2010’s self-titled effort. The Corner – August 3. With Pearls and Ride into the Sun.
Anthony Kupinic (ex-A Sound Mind) and Alex Cooper are the creative minds behind electronic-rock twopiece, Pludo. Following the split of A Sound Mind at the end of 2010, Anthony spent 16 months writing, recording and production music for Pludo. When he came across Alex busking on a drum set comprised of buckets, he knew he had to get him aboard the Pludo train. Their new track is ‘Haywire’. The Hi-Fi – July 12.
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
Grey Ghost Finds a Cure
Chasing The Amity Affliction
Musician, filmmaker and graphic artist Grey Ghost (real name Jeremy Koren) started his musical career in The Melodics where he went under the guise Jeremedy. Around a week ago Grey Ghost released The Elixir EP, the follow-up to his acclaimed 2012 self-titled release. Surfing a wave of experimental hip hop, Koren teamed up with producers Jan Skubiszewski, Matik and Styalz Fuego. The Evelyn – July 20.
One of Australia’s favourite post-hardcore bands, The Amity Affliction, will take to the road a little later in the year with a few mates. Ten years in they remain as popular as ever with their latest album, 2012’s Chasing Ghosts, debuting at the #1 spot on the Australian ARIA Chart. It is now certified gold. Joining them will be Chelsea Grin, Stick to Your Guns and In Hearts Wake. The Palace – October 22 (U18) & 23 (18+).
Yelawolf Headliner Michael Wayne Atha is the man behind Yelawolf, the rap superstar with a southern touch. The Alabama native has been under a watchful eye since the release of his 2009 release Trunk Musik. On the back of the hype, Atha signed to Eminem’s Shady Records. He released the Trunk Musik Returns earlier in the year, while later in the year sees the release of new album Love Story. The Corner – July 8.
.........................................................................
Kick a Goal with Presentation Night If you love your music and if you love your footy, you are going to love Presentation Night. Presented by ABC sports nut Francis Leach, and featuring Paul Kelly and Bob Murphy (Western Bulldogs champ and all-round good guy), Presentation Night is about two greats of their respective fields coming together to talk about how writing songs and kicking goals is good for the soul. The Corner – July 10.
Chrissy Amphlett Tribute Short notice, but a very special night has been put together in tribute of the late great Chrissy Amphlett who passed away recently following complications from her ongoing battle with cancer and multiple sclerosis. With Lucinda Cowden handling MC duties, Grace Knight, Jane Clifton, Fiona Lee Maynard & Her Holy Men, Rebecca Barnard, Kerri Simpson, Los Dominados, Neon & Venom and Pony Girl & The Outsiders will put on a top-notch night of tunes at The Yarraville Club this Saturday night, June 29. All money raised with go to MS Australia. A shining star of Australia’s music scene, Chrissy was ranked in the ‘Top 10 Greatest Australian Singers of All Time’ in a peer-voted poll. Hit yarravillelive.com for ticket information.
.........................................................................
Karnivool Break the Drought It has been four years since Karnivool released their acclaimed second album Sound Awake and the wait hasn’t been easy going for fans. Well, next month the band releases album number three, Asymmetry. Happy now?! The band bunkered down in a Byron Bay studio with Nick DiDia for the album and to help celebrate its release the band is hitting the road for a national tour. Melbourne Town Hall – August 1 & 2. .........................................................................
Rattlin’ Andrew Swift Melbourne’s Andrew Swift & The Rattlesnake Choir are four guys who play music that they hope will stay with you. The band is led (unsurprisingly) by Andrew
Lamb of God & Meshuggah
New Stuff for Polo Club
Soundwave Touring recently announced another monster show, this time the pairing of Lamb of God and Meshuggah. Even your aunt Mary knows about the recent troubles of Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe, so this tour promises to be something pretty special. Lamb of God also has a new album, Resolution, while Sweden’s Meshuggah released their seventh album, Koloss, last year. Festival Hall – September 22.
Melbourne genre-smashers Polo Club have made some decent mates over the years. They have supported hip hop heavyweights including Ghost Face Killah, Roots Manuva and Big Boi, while locally they have supported The Herd and Joelistics and performed at festivals including Parklife and Good Vibes. And at the beginning of next month the lads will release their new EP, Live for Tonight. Workers Club – July 19.
FRI 28 JUNE
Hey Charger REST
ENT AURA N TS – BARS – ENTER TA I N M
SAT 29 JUNE
Peta Evans FRI 5 JULY
Good Faces 4 Radio Friday night drink promos 5.30 til 6.30 and 9 til 10.30 Saturday night Bulmers and Carlton Dry promos
SAT 6 JULY
Good Faces Duo
GROVEDALE HOTEL 236-258 SURFCOAST HIGHWAY PHONE: (03) 5243 2814 | GROVEDALEHOTEL.COM.AU
FACEBOOK.COM/GROVEDALEHOTEL
TWITTER.COM/GROVEDALEHOTEL
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
13
THE
FORT-NIGHTLY CALENDAR & GIG GUIDE Saturday June 29th ELEPHANT & CASTLE: Live Bands 9:30Midnight - with Louise Clancey Band live THE GROVEDALE HOTEL: Peter Evans BARWON CLUB HOTEL: Von Stache, Pretty City and Chook $5 entry doors open 8pm THE BRIDGE HOTEL (CASTLEMAINE): King of the North w/ Fassbender BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Music in the Bak Bar
clubfeet
Thursday June 27th
Hunting
THE MAX HOTEL: $12 Parmi All Day All Night, Inquizitive Trivia from 7.30pm
EDGE GEELONG: Peter Chapman Duo plus DJ
ELEPHANT & CASTLE: $20 Asahi Seafood & Chips Night BAR PIZZA: Geelong Open Mic BRIDGE HOTEL (CASTEMAINE): The Naysayers w/ the Velvets THE MUSIC MEGA MAN STORE (Bendigo): Scaramouche BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Open Mic Night w/ Dave Dorman LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE (WARRNAMBOOL): Comedy Festival Roadshow BEAVS BAR: Dave Anderson main bar BLACK HATT: Tradies Night in the Bar from 5pm till 7pm, Open Mic from 8pm with acoustic, bands, solos & duets THE SPHINX HOTEL: Schnitzel Night from $13 EUREKA HOTEL: Theme parties and headline acts each week
Friday June 28th CITY QUARTER BAR: Friday Unwind from 5pm. Live with Tom & Tayla and DJ THE GROVEDALE HOTEL: Hey Charger The KOROVA LOUNGE: Good Will
14
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
SPHINX: Retro Ago-Go
THE MAX: Trojan BAR PIZZA: Dear Ivy THE CAPITAL (Bendigo): The Sam Bates Trio
GPAC: Once Upon a Mattress, Burning, Justine Clarke’s Pop Up Tour 29 Jun
Tuesday July 2nd
HOME HOUSE: Armin Van Buuren Album launch plus giveaways with resident DJs Steve Camp, Keith Evans and Simon-one
ELEPHANT & CASTLE: $20 Steak & Drink night
CHINESE WHISPERS: Joel Fletcher & Spacey Space - (Moustache Party) THE MAX: Frequency
BEAVS BAR: Butters
ELEPHANT & CASTLE: Thank Guinness It’s Friday LAMBY’S BAR & RESTAURANT: Live band & DJs Downstairs and Upstairs, open from 9pm AT THE HEADS: Live music from 5pm till 7pm (Barwon Heads)
ELEPHANT & CASTLE: $20 Steak & Drink night LORD NELSON HOTEL: Steak/Parmi & Pot for $15 on presentation of student I.D
BLACK HATT: Double Vision Free Entry from 9.30pm
BEAVS BAR: Steve Pianto
BARWON CLUB HOTEL: $10 Parmis
OLD HEPBURN HOTEL: Michelle Parsons , 60s-00s classic covers. 9pm, free before 9, ($5 after)
CITY QUARTER BAR: Andy Forster and DJ
BARKING DOG: 70s 80s Friday with live band Mr Hyde plus DJs from 5pm
Monday July 1st SPHINX HOTEL: 11 Meals for $11
GPAC: Once Upon a Mattress, Rachmaninov and Elgar, Burning
OLD HEPBURN HOTEL: Nat Allison, 70s00s acoustic rock covers, 9pm, free entry.
LAMBY’S BAR & RESTAURANT: Student & Industry Night (Free entry all night) w/ Live band & DJs Upstairs and DJ Downstairs
THEATRE ROYAL (CASTLEMAINE): Flap! live in concert 7pm (dinner) 8pm (show)
EDGE: Levi & Cody plus DJ Yas
BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Music in the Bak Bar
EDGE GEELONG: Matt and Justin plus DJ
THEATRE ROYAL (CASTLEMAINE): Song for Marion (PG) 2pm, 8pm, Therese Desqueyroux (M) 6pm
PIPING HOT CHICKEN SHOP: Mick Conway
BRIDGE HOTEL (CASTEMAINE): My Left Boot w/ Low Fly Incline
GEELONG RSL: Royal Garden Jazz Band
THE KOROVA LOUNGE: Yuko Nishiyama w/ Juan Alban, Brendan, Skinner, Freya Hollick
SPHINX: 2 Fat to Skate
July 6 at Eureka Hotel, Geelong
Radio with DJ Bodz
EUREKA: Strange Talk and Hey Geronimo
LAMBY’S BAR & RESTAURANT: Live band & DJs Upstairs and Downstairs DJ , open from 9pm
Sunday June 30th
GPAC: Splash!Dance Festival 2013 Bollywood Nights THE MAX: Swing Dance Classes from 7pm $10 Entry THE SPHINX HOTEL: 11 Meals for $11, Poker Night (free) GEELONG RSL: Steak Night $13
Wednesday July 3rd BEAVS BAR: Karoke with Dave Anderson BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Trivia Night from 7:30pm CITY QUARTER BAR: Industry Night
ELEPHANT & CASTLE: Live Andy Pobjoy Jazz
GPAC: A day at the Music Hall,
BLACK HATT: Grizzly Bros Free Entry from 6pm.
DIGGERS ARMS HOTEL: Wednesday Night Wheel from 7pm, cash & prizes up for grabs!
BRIDGE HOTEL (CASTLEMAINE): : The Exit Crowd 4pm (free), Louise Adams 8pm. OLD HEPBURN HOTEL: Sarah Wilkinson, Laid back covers and originals
THE MAX: $10 Deakin lunches
ELEPHANT & CASTLE: Joel Selwood vs Luke Hodge
GPAC: One Man Lord of the rings
THE SPHINX HOTEL: Steak Night from $16, Poker Night ($10 buy in)
BARWON CLUB HOTEL: Good Faces For
GEELONG RSL: Parma & Pot Night $13
Thursday July 4th EUREKA HOTEL: Theme parties and headline acts each week ELEPHANT & CASTLE: $20 Asahi Seafood & Chips Night BRIDGE HOTEL (CASTLEMAINE) : Kyle Taylor W/ Sarah Wilkinson
Mammoth, Speed Demons plus Bruce. BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Music in the Bak Bar GPAC: Burning OLD HEPBURN HOTEL: Performance Night - Monthly Open Night
BEAVS BAR: Andy Forster main bar.
THEATRE ROYAL (CASTLEMAINE): Ben Ottewell (Gomez) live in concert 7pm (dinner) 8pm (show)
GPAC: Burning, A Day at the Music hall
THE MAX: 3 On The Tree
DIGGERS ARMS HOTEL: Bogan Bingo 8pm start. Its Bingo with Balls!
KOROVA LOUNGE: Clubfeet
BLACK HATT: Tradies Night in the Bar from 5pm till 7pm, Open Mic from 8pm with acoustic, bands, solos & duets
CITY QUARTER BAR: Friday Unwind with live music then DJ
BARWON CLUB HOTEL: Ben Ottewell (UK) plus Gomez THE SPHINX HOTEL: Schnitzel Night from $13 THE MAX HOTEL: Parmi All Day All Night $12, InnQUIZitive Trivia from 7.30pm till 10.30pm, amazing prizes, call to book your team’s spot
Friday July 5th
PIPING HOT CHICKEN: Soul Rectifiers
EDGE GEELONG: Live music plus DJ ELEPHANT & CASTLE: Thank Guinness It’s Friday BLACK HATT: Drink promos from 5pm till 7pm (free entry) Fistfull of Steel performing live free entry from 9.30pm LAMBY’S BAR & RESTAURANT: DJs Upstairs & Downstairs plus live band AT THE HEADS: Live music from 5pm till 7pm (Barwon Heads)
Saturday July 6th
BEAVS BAR: Jesse Reid BAR PIZZA: Finder Keeper Duo
SPHINX HOTEL: Thunder Struck ACDC, Regular Boys
THE GROVEDALE HOTEL: Good Faces For Radio
THE GROVEDALE HOTEL: Good Faces Duo
SPHINX: Retro Ago-Go
EUREKA: Club Feet plus Panama and I know The Chief
THE BARWON CLUB: Mammoth
BAR PIZZA: Match Girl GPAC: Burning MARTIANS CAFE: Marce Howard, Rose Bygrave & Band BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Music in the Bak Bar MARTIANS CAFE: Marce Howard, Rose Bygrave & Band CHINESE WHISPERS: Generik & James Fava - Sailor Hat Party HOME HOUSE: Upstairs:Nick Coleman (Suckmusic) ORGY (Lab22) VS Nick James (Lab 22) Downstairs: DJ Kay Z EDGE GEELONG: Live music and DJ OLD HEPBURN HOTEL: Matt Giri BEAVS BAR: Steve Pianto ELEPHANT & CASTLE: Live music with Rhythm Kitchen - 9.30 till midnight TORQUAY HOTEL: Live Music in the Sports Bar from 9.30pm THE MAX: Trojan DIGGERS HOTEL: Live music
BRIDGE HOTEL (CASTLEMAINE) : Mojo Juju w/ Luke Legs
THE BARKING DOG: 70s 80s Friday with live band Mr Hyde from 5pm
The kremlins. BRIDGE HOTEL (CASTLEMAINE) : Dick Diver w/ Palm Springs
CITY QUARTER BAR: live music and DJ LAMBY’S BAR & RESTAURANT: Live Band Downstairs & DJs Upstairs & Downstairs open from 9pm
Winter Sessions – Fraser A Gorman. Front bar Test Pilot Molly GPAC: Once Upon a Mattress OLD HEPBURN HOTEL: John McNamara (Blues standards and Originals) LAMBY’S BAR & RESTAURANT: Live band & DJs Downstairs & Upstairs open from 9pm GEELONG RSL: Bob Pattie’s Chicago 5 EDGE GEELONG: Live Music plus DJ
Monday July 8th BARWON CLUB HOTEL: $10 Parmis ELEPHANT & CASTLE: $20 Steak & Drink night GPAC: Once Upon a Mattress SPHINX HOTEL: 11 Meals for $11 LORD NELSON HOTEL: Steak/Parmi & Pot for $15 on presentation of student I.D
Tuesday July 9th BRIDGE HOTEL: Trivia Night hosted by Lifon Uranus from 7.30pm, free event (Castlemaine) ELEPHANT & CASTLE: $20 Steak & Drink night
Sunday July 7th
THE SPHINX HOTEL: 11 Meals for $11, Poker Night (free)
THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL: Glittergang
ELEPHANT & CASTLE: Des Cam Jazz Band
THE MAX: Swing Dance Classes from 7pm $10 Entry
THE KOROVA LOUNGE: Swhat w/ Dead,
BARWON CLUB HOTEL: Mountain Goat
GEELONG RSL: Steak Night $13
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
15
von stache june 29 at The Barwon Club, Geelong
Wednesday July 10th
VENUEGUIDE!
THE gateway HOTEL
DIGGERS ARMS HOTEL: Wednesday Night Wheel from 7pm, cash & prizes up for grabs!
THE BARKING DOG
....................................
ELEPHANT & CASTLE: Trivia Night from 8.30pm till 10.30pm THE KOROVA LOUNGE: Lewi McKirdy’s Art Art Tour (Triple J)
236-258 Surfcoast Highway
....................................
GROWLERS
137 Pakington St. Geelong
BARWON CLUB
509 Moorabool St. South Geelong
....................................
BARWON HEADS HOTEL
CITY QUARTER BAR: Industry Night
159 Moorabool St. Geelong
GPAC: Mid Summer Music (a Play with songs)
BEAVS BAR
GEELONG RSL: Parma & Pot Night $13
Thursday July 11th BRIDGE HOTEL (CASTLEMAINE): The Lost Heart Sirens w/ Neil Wilkenson (The Red Coats) BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Open Mic Night w/ Dave Dorman GPAC: Mid Summer Music (a Play with songs) EDGE GEELONG: Bogan Bingo Free Entry BLACK HATT: Tradies Night in the Bar from 5pm till 7pm, Open Mic from 8pm with acoustic, bands, solos & duets ELEPHANT & CASTLE: $20 Asahi Seafood & Chips Night
THE GROVEDALE HOTEL
bar pizza
1 Bridge Rd. Barwon Heads
THE SPHINX HOTEL: Steak Night from $16, Poker Night ($10 buy in)
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
....................................
BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Trivia Night from 7:30pm
BEAVS BAR: Karoke, Open Mic and Andy Forster
16
126 Pakington St. Geelong West
218-230 Princess Hwy. Corio
....................................
THE BASEMENT 159 ....................................
77 Little Malop St. Geelong ....................................
THE BENDED ELBOW GEELONG
69 Yarra St. Geelong
....................................
black hatt
54 Little Myers St. Geelong ....................................
THE BLUESTONE
103 Marr St. Ballarat
....................................
Bridge hotel castlemaine
21 Walker St. Castlemain
....................................
chinese whispers Cnr. Shorts Place. Geelong
....................................
23 The Esplanade. Torquay
....................................
HOME HOUSE
40-42 Moorabool St. Geelong
....................................
IRISH MURPHY'S
30 Aberdeen St. Geelong
....................................
JACK AND JILL 247 Moorabool St. Geelong
....................................
LAMBYS
Cnr of Moorabool & Brougham St. Geelong
....................................
THE MAX
2 Gheringhap St. Geelong
....................................
MR. HYDE
11 Malop St. Geelong
....................................
THE NATIONAL HOTEL 191 Moorabool St. Geelong
....................................
odyssey
611 Surfcoast Hwy. Mount Duneed
....................................
OPIUM BAR
....................................
15 James St. Geelong
CITY QUARTER
Peter Lalor Hotel
Cunningham Pier, Geelong
....................................
CLOUD 9
96 Pakington St. Geelong West
....................................
Club TITANIUM
99 Ryrie St, Geelong
....................................
eastern station 81 Humffray St Nth. Ballarat
....................................
THE EDGE
1/6-8 Eastern Beach Rd. Geelong
....................................
ELEPHANT AND CASTLE
158 McKillop St. Geelong
....................................
THE EUREKA
98 Little Malop St. Geelong
....................................
331 Mair St. Ballarat
....................................
RUMORS
5 James St. Geelong
....................................
SLATE Pool Lounge
50 Little Ryrie St. Geelong
....................................
THE SPHINX
2 Thompson Rd. North Geelong
....................................
TOAST
114 Moorabool St. Geelong ....................................
the wool exchange entertainment complex 44 Corio St. Geelong
....................................
the yarra hotel 120 Lydiard St (North). Ballarat
SECRET SERVICE & VILLAGE SOUNDS PRESENT
BERNARD FANNING DEPARTURES TOUR
SPECIAL GUESTS
BIG SCARY & VANCE JOY
SATURDAY 10 AUG GPAC–COSTA HALL GEELONG TIX FROM GPAC | 03 5225 1200 | GPAC.ORG.AU OR BERNARDFANNING.COM ALL AGES | LICENSED
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
NEW ALBUMMP3DEPARTURES OUT NOW | CD | VINYL | SUPER DELUXE FORTEMAG.COM.AU
17
A Conversation in the Key Of… written by wylie caird
The Conversationalists… Chris Wilson Chris Wilson has been in the game for close to thirty years and has a resume that boasts stints with Sole Twisters, Harum Scarum and Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls and appearances on recordings by James Reyne, Hunters and Collectors, Vika and Linda, Renee Geyer, Archie Roach, X and Deb Conway. The blues-rock player has a voice that will daze you with a left jab and harmonica chops that will knock you out with a right cross. Widely respected both locally and internationally, if you’re an aspiring bluesman you could learn a great deal from Wilson. Flying Fish is his latest. Date: July 14
Rebecca Barnard Rebecca Barnard was queen of the castle in Rebecca’s Empire but as a solo artist she continues to shine bright. Rebecca has a long music history that stretches back to the early 1980s but it was Rebecca’s Empire where Barnard found her true voice. When the band went their separate ways in 2000, motherhood took priority. In 2006 she released her debut album Fortified which featured the talents of Lisa Miller, Tim Rogers and Michael Barker. For her sophomore album, Everlasting, Barnard headed to Tony Bennett’s studio in New York. She is one of Melbourne’s favourite musical daughters.
guy pearce & tessa reid at A conversation in the key of... on May 12
Date: August 18
Stephen Cummings Stephen Cummings first tested the music waters alongside Joe Camilleri in the Pelaco Brothers. When the band disbanded, Cummings formed The Sports with fellow Pelaco, Ed Bates. The Sports would have a hit with ‘Who Listens to the Radio?’ before breaking up in 1981, after which time Cummings went solo. As a solo artist he released his debut album, Senso, in 1984. He now boasts over twenty albums including Lovetown which was included in the 2010 book 100 Best Australian Albums. In 2009 he released his memoir, Will It Be Funny Tomorrow, Billy?: Misadventures in Music. Date: September 1
Ross Hannaford
A good conversation, like a good song, has the ability to absorb you. It can make the unfamiliar feel familiar. And the chances are we will take something away from it. So what happens when music and conversation come together?
The Conversation… A Conversation in the Key Of… is a series of music, stories and improvisation that lets us cosy up with some of the country’s finest talents. Warmer than your average show, the distance between artist and audience is reduced, allowing for song and stories to flow as if between old friends. Ross Mueller from Courthouse ARTS fills us in as to how this getting to know you series was born. “In the summer of 2011, Tim Neal and I were preparing for New Years Revolution in 2012. We wanted an avenue to introduce young and emerging artists to a new audience; an environment where they could play their songs without competing with a bar or a restaurant in the background. We were also looking for ways to create real and tangible professional links with emerging artists and professional artists. “Together we hit upon the idea of a shared stage and
18
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
we developed the notion that Tim could accompany each artist. This would strip the songs down to the bone. We decided that there should not be an interviewer, or a facilitator, but the questions should come from Tim as the translator between generations of musicians. This way a conversation could take place between established and emerging artists – with Tim as the translator.” Tim Neal is a well-oiled music machine. Widely respected, Neal has shared the stage or studio with an incredible range of artists including Mavis Staples, Ricky Lee Jones, Dr. John, Ernest Ranglin, Joss Stone, Betty Harris, Bunny Ruggs, Duke Robillard, Jody Williams and Big Jay McNeely. As a host he shines. For those unfamiliar, the idea of the series is to pair an established act with an emerging talent. The first chapter began in 2012 with Shane Howard and Alister Turrill. The show, and the series, worked a treat. “It’s a gig, but not a gig,” Mueller explains about its success. The set list is not always confirmed and the audience know that this will not be repeated next week at some other pub up the road. It’s a real opportunity to meet somebody. To hear a real story about how a song was created, not just an introduction. It’s an intimate space
and Tim is a great host.” Following its successful inaugural series, A Conversation in the Key Of… has been slightly finetuned this year. “This year there are more shows and we are taking some questions from the audience. If you have a question you want to ask, come early and speak with one of the folks with a clipboard. You can give them a ‘conversation buster’ and it may be used in the show that night.” And herein lies the beauty of this series: it forces the artist to be brave. “The established artists need to be prepared to let go of the steering wheel. They are not always in control of the night and so it’s important that they are willing to share the spotlight with the emerging artists and sings some songs they may not normally sing. Usually they have a connection with Tim or myself, and so there is a trust before the show. But ultimately they are taking a big risk on stage. “Matching the emerging artists is not always about matching style. We presented Vika and Linda Bull this year and matched them with Dan and Hannah Acfield. We were interested in the connection of DNA – how do siblings generate such a unique sound? It was an awesome show with four-part harmonies on some gospel standards in the end. Magnificent stuff.”
Ross “Hanna” Hannaford has earned a reputation as being one of the country’s finest rock guitarists. Along with partner in crime Ross Wilson, Hannaford was part of The Pink Finks, the band that would pave the way for Daddy Cool. It’s funny how things work out. When the Daddy Cool gig came around, Hannaford was an aspiring artist studying his 4th year diploma at RMIT. He was a printmaker when Daddy Cool took off and was only going to take a month off. He would later co-design the sleeve for Daddy Cool’s second album, Sex, Dope, Rock‘n’Roll: Teenage Heaven. Date: September 8
Dave Graney Dave Graney grew up in Mt Gambier but relocated to Adelaide towards the end of the 70s. It was here where he met Clare Moore, his future wife and collaborative partner. After a brief run in a band called Sputnik, Graney and Moore formed The Moodists in 1980. The band had a solid run before disbanding. White Buffaloes and The Coral Snakes followed before The Dave Graney Show found life in the late 1990s. The band would change its name to Dave Graney & The mistLY last year. He has written a lyric book and composed for film (Bad Eggs). He is a seasoned pro who oozes style. Date: October 6
Bookings through courthouse.org.au.
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
19
Bliss N Eso By Cameron Brogden
Sydney MCs Bliss N Eso are back, along with DJ Izm, with their fifth studio album Circus in the Sky (out tomorrow on Illusive), and they’ll be touring Australia again for the first time in two years. I caught up with Max MacKinnon, better known as Eso, to talk about the new album.
see a hierarchy of levels. It’s good to see the boys get their music out there and get some recognition for it. I think that anyone that is talented needs to be out there for the masses,” Eso said. “We’re all close mates from back in the day as well, so it’s just good to see them get some love.”
With three years between albums, and two years since they toured our shores, I just had to ask what the boys have been up to. “We have been in the Batcave, we have been in the secret laboratory, the underground kitchen on fire, and if you can’t stand the heat, what do they do?,” Eso joked. “Bullshit aside, we’ve been working very hard. Obviously we’ve been doing a lot of touring, not only in Australia with Running On Air, but overseas. We had a chance last year to head over in Europe and London and stuff like that, and had a day in Paris. So it’s pretty crazy where the music has taken us; from writing simple rhymes in the back of your bloody A4 science or maths book in high school [to] all of a sudden people chanting those same words at a show in a different country,” he explained.
Where the album really shines is in the collaborations. “It’s crazy. We’ve got a couple of collaborations on there, which not only were they great and perfect for the album, it’s a real milestone for us to be able to hit. Me and the boys have obviously been major fans of hip hop since we were five or six years old, and one of the first artists we really loved and thought was the coolest cat in the gang was Nas from Queensbridge, New York. We have him featuring on the album, which was just an absolute blessing from the gods ... I really thought that he brought a real strong side of us out, and we definitely brought a strong side of him out.
But they’re back now, and Circus in the Sky is well on its way. “We’ve done a lot of touring, but we all knew it was time that not only did we want to present something fresh for the audience to hear at our shows, and for them to bang away to at their barbecues and in their headphones or whatever, but we needed something fresh as well. It was about time that we got working.”
“We’ve got like a Motown-sounding track called ‘Can’t Get Rid Of This Feeling’ with Daniel Merriweather, where literally every time he opens his mouth, golden light comes out; angels and doves and it’s just like, ‘Where the fuck did he get this voice?’ And then of course we’ve got this huge posse track on there that does have all of our boys, which is Drapht, Pez, Seth Sentry, 360, Bliss and myself. All on one track, to get those MCs, that’s another fucking milestone in my eyes.”
Running On Air put Bliss N Eso on top of Aussie hip hop. Will they be reclaiming that crown? “It’s absolutely not a competition in my mind, and I don’t
Circus in the Sky drops tomorrow. The boys will be playing Festival Hall in July with guests Yelawolf (USA) and Pez.
When&Where: Festival Hall – July 6
Clubfeet By Natalie Rogers
From Melbourne via Cape Town comes everybody’s favourite synth-pop band, Clubfeet. Sebastian (lead vocals/guitar) and co are poised to embark on their first regional tour of Australia on the back of their hugely popular sophomore album, Heirs and Graces. “We can’t wait to get out and play some places we haven’t been before,” Sebastian told us last week. “It’s the first time doing our own shows down Forte’s way!” I could hear the excitement in his voice as he spoke about the upcoming tour and the band’s latest release ‘Cape Town’, a homage to their homeland. “We had so much fun making the video – we shot in Cape Town. It has a certain vibe there and we wanted to capture it, and I think we did.” Thanks to previous releases ‘Heartbreak’ and ‘Everything You Wanted’, the guys have achieved a trifecta of hits with ‘Cape Town’ on Heirs and Graces. “Our first two releases were chosen because they’re the most organic to our sound, though the record starts with ‘My Shadow’, which is guitar-driven. Then it moves on from that and has a more electronic and dance feel towards the end. It’s a bit of a mixed bag,” Sebastian explained, “which is a reflection of what we were listening to at the time.” Since the release of their critically acclaimed debut album Gold on Gold, Clubfeet have come a long way; travelling the world and becoming more aware of what it takes to make it as a band. “It’s interesting to look back on Gold on Gold,” Sebastian begins.
Fear Factory By Natalie Rogers
Congratulations Australia! US monster metal band Fear Factory has listened and answered your calls – so this July they’ll be playing their groundbreaking gold album Demanufacture in its entirety in a run of special shows. I sat down with frontman Burton C. Bell to get the lowdown on the tour, and while we chatted I learnt about his love for all things Australian, including one Aussie band in particular. “We love being in Australia and travelling around – unfortunately we never have enough time to see everything, but we try to make the best of each town. I also love Australian music. My favourite band is Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and on my first record I thanked Nick Cave for inspiration. People may be surprised that I’m the lead in a metal band, but I’m not really a metal head. If you sat down and thought about it, it makes sense because my melodies come from a whole different place.” These differences in Fear Factory’s sound were first noticed on the world stage in 1995’s Demanufacture. “It came to light last time we were in Australia,” Burton explained. “It was about a year ago – we were here to support our Mechanise record. At a show one night we played a few tracks from Demanufacture and as a joke someone said: ‘Why don’t you just play the whole damn record!’ So we thought about it and we talked to the promoter and he was stoked!
20
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
When&Where: The Corner, Melbourne – July 4; The Karova, Ballarat – July 5; Eureka Hotel, Geelong – July 6 “We never knew we were making a record back then; we were just writing songs for the hell of it and loving it,” he laughed. “We put it out in a very relaxed fashion with no expectations, whereas with Heirs and Graces there was a definite plan, a strategy – there was a lot more thought put into that record as
a whole, and into the songs themselves. Now we’re hoping to get a release for Heir and Graces in the UK and the States and play some gigs there.” The future looks bright for these guys, and from what Sebastian tells me this is only the beginning: “We have lots of plans – we’re writing again and working
on new material, and that’s always exciting.” Joining Clubfeet for these gigs is Sydney’s electropoppers, Panama. “We’re a good fit, and I think we’ll have a lot of fun together,” Sebastian said. “I can tell you there will be a couple of surprises! So come check us out!”
“We realised a lot of bands are doing this now – touring their legacy record. Demanufacture was pretty big, and it was in Australia that we received our first gold record. So we figured Australia embraced Fear Factory completely, and we felt like we owed it to Australia to come and try it.” Fear Factory has always had an affinity with Australia. “Every city holds something really distinct about it – we have a set of friends in every city and we love to do something special in every town. Sydney we love, and Melbourne has a lot of great things about it. Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth – each place is very unique. I wanted to say to all our fans that Fear Factory is very anxious and very happy to get back down to Australia. We consider it a second home for us – we always have a great time and an awesome turn-out. The Aussie fans have been fantastic, so we look forward to presenting a fantastic show for them.” Fear Factory has become an icon of the industrial metal scene, touring extensively and recording albums since the early nineties. While we chatted Burton seemed in good spirits and content – though it’s hard to ignore the fact that there have been continual line-up changes fuelled by much publicised in-fighting, but this behaviour appears to be a thing of the past. “The vibe is really good within the band. Dino [Cazares, lead guitar] and I are really comfortable – we love being back together and we have a great camaraderie that has been re-ignited and it’s so much fun. We have Matt DeVries playing bass and Mike Heller on drums – they’re very efficient and fantastic musicians. We’re more precise as a band than we have been for a long time. So we’re good; we’re ready to rock on and we will for as long as we can!” Burton laughed down the line.
When&Where: The Palace, Melbourne – July 7 Photo: Stephanie Cabral
TALK OF THE
TOWN!
Keepin' it Regional!
atolls
BY POPULAR DEMAND
tane emia-moore
von stache
hepburn hotel
“ I was partying in Kings Cross after a show. We somehow ended up back in a hotel room with 4 or 5 Russian models and an angry drug lord.” - culzean
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
21
TALK OF THE TOWN! Talk of the Town: You spin us right round baby, right round. Coming up you have… .........................................................................
Relearning The Basics It has been three years since we have heard much from Melbourne trio The Basics – for understandable reasons, as we’ll get to shortly – and although we’ll have to wait just a wee bit longer, the light is at the end of the tunnel. Okay, so what’s been happening? Well, Kris Schroeder secured a position working with Red Cross in Kenya for twelve months and also released the solo album, Patience in the Face of Control. Tim Heath has spent time with his instrumental group Blood Red Bird as well as working on the film The Rise and Rise of Richard Latté. Then there is the third member, a little fella named Wally De Backer, aka Gotye, who, well, we all know what has been going on there. Says De Backer: “... Right now I’m looking forward to getting sweaty behind the drums and playing rock ‘n’ roll in these fab clubs with my brothers Kris and Tim.” Theatre Royal, Castlemaine – September 26. .........................................................................
Jazz @ Lamby’s Apologies for the last minute notice, but this one is definitely worth a look. A night of wonderful jazz has been put together at Lamby’s, Geelong tonight (June 27) featuring Sweethearts and Melbourne’s VCA Secondary School. Hailing from Geelong, Sweethearts is a 25-piece all-female soul review regarded as one of the most exciting young female groups in the world. ABC3 viewers may have seen them on the TV series Heart and Soul. A hit around the world, the gals have been working on a new CD. The Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School is an internationally recognised specialist training program of young talented dancers and musicians. Its thriving jazz program and students regularly fill Melbourne’s finest jazz venues. It’s going to be a smokin’ show. .........................................................................
Ararat Live Nothing beats live original music and Ararat Live prides itself on delivering some of the finest the country has to offer. If you have a pen and paper handy (or one of those iPhones I keep hearing so much about), take note of these dates: Hannah and Dan Acfield – July 5; David Bridie – July 19; Lucie Thorne – August 8; Van Walker & Gallie – August 23; Victoriana Gaye – September 5; Liam Gerner – September 27; Rory Faithfield & Laura Hill – October 31; Mia Dyson, Liz Stringer & Jen Cloher – November 13. The first guests to arrive: Hannah performed in Ararat a few years back, but returns this time around with brother, Dan. Expect some sibling harmonies and gorgeous songs. All performances take place in the Red Room at the Ararat Hotel. Music commences at 8pm. Meals available from 6.30pm. This is live music at its best. Keep up to date through facebook. com/AraratLive. .........................................................................
The Reinvention of M E Baird Many readers would know the name Lionel Lee’s Curse. Led by Matt E. Baird, LLC played folk/country/ blues songs that tugged at your heart and chokedup your throat. Well, M. E. Baird decided to drop the Lionel Lee moniker to focus on making music under his own name. Speaking about the decision on his website, Matt said: “There is so much more that I now want to explore with my songwriting and sonically with my music. This new album feels completely different, it is deeply personal and honest. Therefore, I felt, (others in publicity land may disagree) it time to lift the veil on my work and expose the real identity behind the songs.” M. E. Baird will take his new persona and songs to Torquay (venue unknown at time of writing) on July 27 & 28. The Weeping Willows and Joel Sims supports.
22
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
Phoenix FM Fundraiser Phoenix FM 106.7 is a genuine Community Access radio station run out of Bendigo. Run entirely by volunteers, Phoenix proudly runs under the banner ‘The Voice of Your Community’. As it is volunteerbased, finding the funds to maintain its operation is not always easy. So, next month, Phoenix FM will host a ripper fundraiser featuring a stack of local talent. Lining up you have Lowpoint, Path of Destruction, Rabid Zulu, Berlin Postmark, Evilution, Mannik, Made in China, Eater of the Sky and Chase the Ace. It all takes place at Bendigo’s Newmarket Hotel on July 21. Admission is $5 which ain’t too bad when you are getting such a strong line-up. Hit phoenixfm.org.au for further information.
ballarat / bendigo / geelong / surfcoast / warrnambool / werribee Hurtsville in 2001. The album reached the #4 on the Australian Independent Chart, putting them in good stead for their second album, 2005’s Goodnight Victoria. Their sophomore effort saw them hit the touring road hard; back-to-back performances at Queenscliff Music Festival (2006-2007) were backed up by tours of Europe and New Zealand. A third album, The Crook, The Cloak & The Maiden, was released in 2009. At the beginning of the year the band made all three albums available through their Bandcamp page. They have been described as “rock/gypsy/circus/cabaret style with lashings of folk/country.” The Bridge, Castlemaine – July 12. With Julitha Ryan.
.........................................................................
Geelong Production Company: Burning
Blues & Roots Showcase #4
The Geelong Production Company and Mad As Us will present a limited edition run of Verity Laughton’s award-winning play Burning at Courthouse ARTS before the production tours in 2014. Burning tells the story of a couple who inherit an old family home. Upon moving in they discover the skeleton of what turns out to be a former servant. Who she is and what she means to the couple then plays out. Directed by Chris Baldock, Burning stars TV Logie Award winner Libby Tanner (All Saints, Pacific Drive, Rescue: Special Ops, Fireflies, Headland), Stephen Macklin, Lauren O’Callaghan, Scott Middleton and Edie Van Vriends. As for Verity, her work spans several genres and audiences and has been produced in Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, the UK and the US. Five performances will take place from June 28 through July 6 with bookings through gpac.org.au.
With the third installment of the fantastic Bendigo Blues and Roots Music Festival arriving in Bendigo later in the year, the teasers keep on coming with Blues & Roots Showcase #4 hitting Goldmines Hotel, Bendigo on July 21. It is going to be another cracking afternoon of tunes featuring twelve bands including Shaun Kirk, Benny Walker, Bones Blackwood and Archer (& The Long Gone Daddies). Haydn Drew is the man behind Bones Blackwood. With distorted blues licks, his music is a foot stompin’, heart poundin’, bar rattlin’ good time. Good music is complemented by good food and drink, and there is plenty of that with Bendigo Beer bringing you the best craft beer and Festival of Lamb presenting a feast fit for kings and queens. Music kicks off at midday. Adults: $10, U18: $5, Under12s: Free.
.........................................................................
The Cordial Lime Cordiale The tale of how Sydney-based quartet (and rising stars) Lime Cordiale came to be is as simple as it is sweet: a mutual love of all things pop and a desire to create original music. The band consists of brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach, Brendan Champion and James Jennings. Drawing on their classically trained background, as well as experiences from their teenage years, the band strives to inject pop with a fresh sound. They not too long ago released ‘Bullshit Aside’, the first single from their forthcoming sophomore EP, Falling up the Stairs. The EP was recorded over a four-month period with Sydney producer Daniel Denholm (Washington, The Whitlams) and according to the press release is full of “quirky lyrics, pop hooks and big brass licks.” The Loft, Warrnambool – July 12. .........................................................................
Dan and Hannah Acfield The Acfield siblings (Dan and Hannah) were blessed with a great deal of musical talent; talent which has seen them perform around the country as both solo performers and now, to the joy of many, as a duo. Prior to teaming up, Dan and Hannah both moved from Rockhampton to Brisbane to explore bigger music possibilities. Throwing themselves headfirst into music, both earned major kudos (Hannah is a multiple MusicOz finalist while Dan found love on rage and triple j). Last year the Acfield siblings decided to team up, and what started out as a sideproject, has blossomed into EP Turning a Page and widespread musical acclaim. If you haven’t yet heard their colourful indie folk, now is the perfect time to get a little more familiar. The Loft, Warrnambool – July 4. .........................................................................
The Spoils of War Melbourne outfit The Spoils has been seen in many number formations over the years. Formerly called The Losing End, the band released their debut album
A Spring in Paul Kelly’s Step He may be an old dog but Paul Kelly certainly has more than a few tricks up his sleeve, including his latest album, Spring and Fall. Released last year, Kelly will perform the album in its entirety. It is also the first time he is touring the album locally. While touring the US, Kelly spoke of the album’s “song cycle”: “Spring and Fall is a song cycle which is just a fancy way of saying – if you listen to the songs in order they tell a story. Each song links to the next and the whole piece is a love story told from multiple points of view.” Paul be will joined by an impeccable band featuring Dan Kelly on guitar and vocals, J. Walker (who both co-produced and played on the album), Zoe Hauptmann on bass and Bree Van Reyk (Holly Throsby, Seeker Lover Keeper) on drums. Following a performance of the album Kelly and co will perform a generous number of favourites. It marks yet another busy year for the songman who has been working the country with Neil Finn. The Playhouse, Geelong – August 7 & The Regent, Ballarat – August 11. *Special note: Tim Levinson, aka Urthboy, will support Paul Kelly at this Ballarat show. The founding member of hip hop favourite The Herd released his debut solo album Distant Sense of Random Menace in 2004. Smokey’s Haunt (2012) is his latest.
Joe Camilleri Enters the Twilight A very cool new music venture kicks off next month called Roo Twilights. The new music series is presented by the Anglesea Golf Club and Eudoxus Arts, and opening proceedings will be music veteran Joe Camilleri. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who has not at least heard the name Camilleri. The singer, songwriter and saxophonist has been in the business since the mid-60s, recording both as a solo artist and as a member of bands including Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and The Black Sorrows. Australian music journalist Ian McFarlane calls him “one of the most genuinely talented figures in Australian music.” Anglesea Golf Club – July 20. Dinner and show: 6.30-7.30pm arrival. Show only: 8.30pm start. Coming to Roo Twilights: Dog Trumpet (August 18) and Brendan Gallagher (September 21). Further information can be found through eudoxus.com.
Leadfinger on the Pulse
A Midsummer Love Story
There is no wrong way to play rock ‘n’ roll; it’s just some can do it a little better than others. For many this band is Leadfinger. Formed in 2007, the four-piece play genuine rock and roll in the vein of Replacements, Big Star, The Rolling Stones, Wilco, Flamin’ Groovies and Tom Petty. The story goes that main man Stewart Cunningham was bestowed the nickname ‘Leadfinger’ many moons after his brother shot him with an air rifle. In was this incident that lead to his style of guitar playing. Cunningham would earn his chops in bands including Proton Energy Pills, Asteroid B-612, Brother Brick and Challenger-7 before starting Leadfinger as a solo project in 2007. He soon recruited some fellow bad-asses and in February the band released album #4, No Room at the Inn. The Bridge, Castlemaine – July 20.
GPAC continues to deliver some of the finest theatre and coming up next month you have Midsummer (A Play with Songs), a quirky love story from Scottish playwright David Greig and singer-songwriter Gordon McIntyre. Bob, a failing car salesman waiting to score some keys to a stolen car, and Helena, a divorce lawyer with an eye for other people’s husbands, meet at a wine bar. Sure, she is out of his league but something is in the air and the two have a one-night stand. This one-night stand just happens to be full of stolen money, car chases, wedding bust-ups, midnight trysts and even a little Japanese rope bondage. We’ve all been there, right? Born in Edinburgh, Greig grew up in Nigeria. He studied drama at Bristol University and had his first play produced in 1992. GPAC – July 10 through July 13.
.........................................................................
Step Inside The Bridge, Castlemaine We’ve already mentioned a couple of gigs taking place at The Bridge in Castlemaine, but the problem is that there is so much happening that if we were to list them all, we would have to change the name of this section to The Bridge. So instead, here are a couple more you are going to want to get your sweet butts to. King of the North hits town on June 29. The alternative cum hard-rock duo of Andrew Higgs and Danny Leo delivers a sound that will knock you off your barstool. Local wonders The Exit Crowd step up to the plate on June 30. The band has undergone a bit of a transition since their formation a few years back to deliver some “crazy-ass funk and ska”. Short notice, but if you are free tonight (June 27), The Naysayers give the perfect reason to get off the couch. It’s always good at The Bridge.
.........................................................................
The Barwon Club Triple Treat Bruce!, Mammoth Mammoth and Speed Demons are set for an almighty show at Geelong’s Barwon Club on July 5. Who is this band Bruce!? They are a fourpiece full of “loud blazing guitars, kick ass rhythm and growling bottom end with passionate driving vocals.” Sound like your cup of tea? It should. The Wollongong band was born out of the ashes of HyTest in 2012 and already has their red-hot debut for you. They’ve got their eyes on international waters later this year so they’re in fine form indeed. According to Mammoth Mammoth, they are “more awesome than God’s tits”, and who are we to argue? The band is finding a lot of love abroad and will head off for a European tour later in the year. This band defines rock. Strap yourself in for one hell of a ride. .........................................................................
.........................................................................
One Helluva Ape
Escape the Cold at Aireys Pub
Melbourne outfit APES kick off their Helluva tour tomorrow (June 28) in support of their debut EP of the same name. The band has been earning some major kudos since the release of their first single ‘Seven’ late last year, and their extensive tour will make sure everyone from Fremantle to Launceston has the chance to check them out. The EP is the latest bit of good news for the band following Big Day Out and Groovin’ the Moo appearances (not to mention many incredible support slots). The release takes the explosive energy of their live show, allowing folks at home the chance to crank the volume up to hear a band that combines the halcyon years of Aussie rock and roll with blasts of garage and punk. Handling production duties was Malcolm Besley (Northeast Party House, Millions, Snakadaktal). The Karova, Ballarat – August 2.
Aireys Pub has a couple of events coming up. First up, the Comedy Roadshow hits the venue on June 30. Yep, some of the funniest of the funny from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival will deliver the big laughs this coming Sunday. On July 13 the venue hosts the Aireys Pub Winter Cocktail Ball. Dress code is masquerade with a touch of glamour. The cost is $60 and includes a cocktail on arrival followed by a variety of gourmet canapés served throughout the night. Local cover band Driver will provide the tunes while a courtesy bus will be running on the night. Tickets are on sale until July 11 or until sold out. First opened in 1904, the venue closed its doors in 2011 but is back with a fresh look and attitude. Take a gander at aireyspub.com.au for more.
Sarah Blasko Goes Regional The ever-delightful Miss Sarah Blasko has announced a string of regional dates which kick off next month – just what the doctor ordered for the start of the new financial year. Sarah has been spending time in Paris recently, with the City of Love lapping up her 2012 release, I Awake. The extensive tour, which also takes in Splendour in the Grass, will be a chance for fans to soak up new single, ‘All of Me’. The accompanying video comes from frequent collaborator and Melbournebased photographer and filmmaker Wilk (Ella Hooper’s ‘Low High’, Jack Ladder’s ‘Dumb Love’) who said: “Sarah wanted something intimate, simple. The result is an unconventional single take video. The altered state of Sarah’s appearance and her apparent nudity is in purpose devoid of sexuality, replacing it with honesty, bravery and intimacy.” Blasko added that she wished to “blur the border between the natural and the unnatural” with the clip. A quick and easy YouTube search will bring it up for you. Eastbank Centre, Shepparton – July 30; The Capital, Bendigo – July 31; WCPA, Ballarat – August 1; Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool – August 2. Support comes from multi-instrumentalist (and one of Blasko’s band members) Fletcher whose debut album Upon Ayr was released in Australia and the UK earlier in the year.
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
23
TALK OF THE TOWN! Queenscliff Music Festival The Queenscliff Music Festival line-up has arrived and by jeebus it is a cracking one. Get a load of this: The Living End, John Butler Trio, The Grates, Spiderbait, Blue King Brown, Saskwatch, The Screaming Jets, Busby Marou, Thelma Plum, Chance Waters, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, The Basics, Underground Lovers, Russell Morris, Northeast Party House, Darren Percival, Eagle and the Worm, Jeff Lang, The Preatures, Jasmine Rae, The Trouble With Templeton, Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk, Mason Rack Band, The Brow Horn Orchestra, The Pigs, Papa Pilko and the Binrats, Stompy and the Heat, EMPRA, The Frowning Clouds, King of the North, Transvaal Diamond Syndicate and Patrick James. And there is still more to come. November 22 – 24. Hit qmfnet.au for more. .........................................................................
Queens of Noize Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to prepare for an aural assault. The guitars have been tuned, the drum skins have been tightened and the dirty jeans have been picked up from underneath the bed. Rock and roll is coming to The Newmarket this weekend and it is all about the fairer sex. That’s right everyone; anything men can do, women can do better. Including rock and god-damn roll! Coming at you is two nights of female-fueled rock. Friday, June 28 you have Rabid Zulu, Tequila Mockingbyrd, Smokin’ Mirrors, Pony Girl and The Outsiders; Saturday, June 29 you have Neurotik Trendz, Chase the Ace, System of Venus and Dear Stalker. Rabid Zulu take their cues from heavyweights including the mighty Led Zeppelin and Foo Fighters as well as home-grown talent including the Baby Animals, The Living End and AC/DC. Their gig calendar is chockers – everyone wants a piece of this band. Neurotic Trendz has been on-again offagain since 1993. Their recent reformation occurred last year. With a good ol’ grunge sound, this band has lost none of their magic. The Queens of Noize minifest: it’s going to be loud. It’s going to be sweaty. It’s going to be sweet. It’s going to be sexy. Check it out. The Newmarket, Bendigo – June 28 & 29. .........................................................................
Fresh Little Murders In the world of Australian power pop, Little Murders is one name you just can’t go past. Formed by Rob Griffiths in 1979, the band was named after the 1971 Alan Arkin black comedy. Griffiths, an English expat, brought a massive slice of English culture, fusing it into the sounds of Little Murders. The band released
24
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
their debut single ‘Things Will be Different’ / Take Me I’m Yours’ way back in 1979. With its danceable pop, the single sold out its 1,000 copy pressing. Today it remains a classic piece of Australian power pop, sitting alongside The Riptides’ ‘Sunset Strip’ and Young Modern’s ‘She’s Got the Money’. The band would break up in 1983 before Griffiths revived the name a couple of years later. The band is back in the game these days with new music and new musical love. The Barwon Club, Geelong – July 20. With Sons of Lee Marvin. .........................................................................
Berlin Postmark & Jon & Bel Melodic rock outfit Berlin Postmark was formed in late 2011 by Steve Saxton (lead vocals, guitar) and Paul Van Emmerik (bass) before rounding out its numbers with Mik Weir (drums, vocals) and Anthony Murphy (guitar, vocals) in 2012. The band members are old friends, having played together in various bands at a time when the university band scene was in its prime. In an interview with Bendigo Music News and Review site Suite, the band is close to releasing their second EP and suggests that it is going to be quite different to their previous effort. Jon and Bel is Jonathan and Anabel Marland. Both Jon and Bel are classically trained pianists, but both also found voice through other instruments: Bel through her voice, Jon through guitar. Music helped bring them together, love had them marry, and their music is an acoustic sound inspired by many genres. The Vine, Bendigo – July 19. .........................................................................
Lewi McKirdy, Renaissance Man Quick bite: Listeners of triple j would be familiar with Lewi McKirdy. He is the man that hosts Lunch, providing you with music sustenance as you tuck into your soggy sandwich. He has also been out and about on his Art Art tour where he DJ’s, MC’s and provides plenty of stimulating visuals. He also brings some mates along to the party. According to the presser, McKirdy’s hobbies include boats, cool moods, slam dunks and not being afraid ever. He also has a Yahtzee high score of 419. Top that. The Karova, Ballarat – July 10. .........................................................................
Anglesea Music Festival I am going to let the introduction to the 2013 Anglesea Music Festival go to the organisers: “AMF is a festival of merrymaking and feasting of the senses.
AMF’s new programs blend together AMF’s strong foundation where you will be taken on a journey into a creative space where art and music and though and dreams come together in a world of possibilities.” The festival is four years old in 2013 and in its short life can already boast an Australia Day 2013 Community Event of the Year award courtesy of the Surf Coast Shire. The best, however, is yet to come. After a little fine-tuning organisers have promised a bigger and better event this year including larger and more comfortable undercover venues. The ‘It’s Your Time’ busking competition should prove a real winner while creative workshops, market stalls and multicultural food stalls should make life a little sweeter. At the time of writing the full line-up had yet to be released but what we do know is that the wonderfully talented Sandi Thom, the ultra-cool and fiery Dallas Frasca (along with her equally talented players of Jeff Curran and Sam Lukeis) and Oz royalty Brian Cadd will be aperforming. October 18-20. The best way to keep up to speed is to bookmark angleseamusicfestival.com. au. It’s going to be an absolute ripper. .........................................................................
An Evening with Rose Bygrave Quick bite: Singer-songwriter Rose Bygrave will cosy up to the stage of Martians Café early next month for an evening of gorgeous song. Bygrave’s musical journey began in the late 1970s in The Salty Dog before being invited to join Goanna. In 1989 Rose released her debut solo single, ‘Maybe Midnight’, and began performing solo in 1991. In 1999 Rose finally released her debut solo album, White Bird. In 2011 she collaborated with fellow Goanna member Marcia Howard on the album Pearl. Martians Café, Deans Marsh – July 6. .........................................................................
The Sleepy Snakadaktal Quick bite: Snakadaktal is simply another Aussie band taking the UK by storm; but their UK run is just one of the good things happening with the band. The band is also lending support to alt-J at their Melbourne and Sydney shows next month. There is also their new single ‘Ghost’, a sweet little taste from their forthcoming debut album Sleep in the Water. The album drops August 2 but you can pre-order it through the band’s website if it pleases you. Wool Exchange, Geelong – August 23. .........................................................................
The Turnarounds Go Another Round Ballarat wonders The Turnarounds made their debut at local stomping ground the Bridge Mall Inn in 2000. A year later they were named Best New Band at the 2001 Bridgey Music Awards. As time rolled on the band the band supported Rye Catchers, Giants of Science, Rollerball, Magic Dirt and The Vines, signed with Ivy
Pier Underage Bash We mentioned The Pier Underage First Birthday Bash a couple of issues ago but we’re giving it another showing because it is going to be a ripper. It has been a big and successful 12 months for the team, but they have really outdone themselves here with Will Sparks, James Fava, Joel Fletcher, Will K, Marcus Santoro, Mitch Loughnan, Matt Black, Rojdar, Steve Toppa and Ayden Green all performing. Okay, time for a closer look at a couple of the performers. Will Sparks is one of Melbourne’s hottest DJs and producers, and looks certain to conquer the rest of the country. Names including David Guetta, Madeon, Dada Life, Chuckie and Lazy Rich have lent support to his tracks while festivals including Future Music and Summadayze have hosted his beats. Another Melbourne star, Joel Fletcher developed a reputation as being the prodigal son of Melbourne underground dance music scene. He began DJ-ing and the age of 14 and by the age of 16 was holding down his first club residency. The Pier, Geelong – July 8. 7pm-11pm. Entry will be refused to those who are suspected of having been drinking or taking illicit substances. This is strictly an U18 event. No pass outs. Organisers request that you comply with the rules. Enjoy.
League Records, and released a couple of EPs. Five years later, following a short but impressive music life, the band disbanded with members going on to various other projects, including Doom Town Intensive. More recently, Brett Dunbar has found his rockabilly soul in The Yard Apes while Aaron Matthews and Reece Howell formed punk duo SWhAT. For a dose of nostalgia, and a burst of Sonic Youth, Supersuckers and Rocket From the Crypt sounds, catch The Turnarounds at The Karova, Ballarat on July 6.
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
25
TALK OF THE TOWN! salon sojourn Over the last 5 years Salon Sojourn has grown beyond our expectations. Jamie and Teena are incredibly proud to introduce an amazing team of award winning hairdressers back into the Geelong arena. The fire though unfortunate allowed the team to regroup and refocus. While the Newtown salon was being refitted, Jamie and Teena where blown away by the amazing amount of love and support offered by the their collegues in the industry, local community and clients, but especially from their incredible staff. Salon Sojourn want to thank all who helped and supported and the team can’t wait to see you at Salon Sojourn Newtown.
vests! the essential winter ITEM Available in navy, black, khaki and charcoal, with or without hoods. The essential layering item for guys and girls. Prices stating from just $59.99. Available from Freestyle, Geelong
Mrs Hyde Cucina One12
Mrs Hyde’s own Mixologist Jack Krzywdzinski has made it through to the next stage of the “Suntory Cup” Victorian Cocktail Championships, due to be held in Melbourne on August the 5th. Jack’s own creation made it to the top 5 out of 140 cocktails submitted into the competition. Currently studying architecture at Deakin, Jack says mixing drinks is more than a hobby and is a real passion of his. And what can be said about his entry…not much…but he quotes “So my cocktail is a secret until the competition, but I can tell you that it’s roots come from Vienna, Austria and you can expect notes of chocolate and smoke” Natalie’s and her team from Mrs Hyde, are all excited to see their finest Jack “Hard Shake Krzywdzinski” competing for the victorian championship.
al
brooke's body and skin care Brooke’s welcomed Kristen to their team over 6 months ago and she is a young enthusiastic therapist who takes care in all her customers. She has over 18 months experience behind her and looks forward to many more years in the industry. Kristen welcomes new and old customers with some great specials over winter we have half price waxing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturdays. Also like Brooke’s Body and Skin Care on Facebook to keep up with more specials over winter.
ly o w n e d
nt
te
d
loc
rce e p 0 0 1
PURPLE COW ‘Chola’ is the new and exclusive denim brand to the fold at Purplecow. Our customers want a ‘High Waist Skinny’ in soft feel ready to wear fabric with high quality hardware in zips and buttons at the same value for money price they come to expect from us. This is was they got… try’m!
Cucina One12 is a family friendly, exciting and modern dining experience. Providing traditional Italian dishes, along with affordable prices. Located in the heart of Belmont, be sure to grab a bargain on Monday to Wednesday where they offer a two course meal deal for only $25! Their $10 lunches have been a proven success with a full restaurant almost daily. Weekend breakfast start from 8.30 am- 12 pm and provides a fresh and healthy way to kick off your weekend! They offer dinner daily from 6pm, but be sure to book so that you don’t miss out! Or if going out isn’t your thing, why not order take away or even get it delivered, with their popular pizza and pasta take away! Their private function room caters comfortably for 45 people, with no room hire necessary! Come in and see what everyone is talking about, call on 52430333.
AT E N I L N O OUT
u S U a . K C m E o H c C . g a an
d oper
a
m e t for
facebook.com/
26
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
BY POPULAR DEMAND you asked for it, we go it!
They may be new to the scene but members of CULZEAN have been around the block a few times. They claim to be kings of the stage and who are we to argue? They rock and roll like bad-asses so we thought it would be the perfect time to share a little Q&A with them… CULZEAN, you are a new local band from Geelong. Can you please introduce the band and each member for Forte readers? We are CULZEAN. We’re a four-piece punk rock outfit and we’re here to take over! We’ve got the infamous Stevie J on drums, Ash ‘The Life Of’ Pye on guitar, the closet Mexican Nick Ivka on the bass guitar and I’m Jake Epiphone, lead singer & guitarist. A few of you guys may be known for previous music endeavours. What else have you guys been involved in? Well, Nick our bass player use to be in a pretty big Melbourne band called ‘The Scarlets’. They supported Bon Jovi in front of over 20,000 people. Twice! They were also getting some epic commercial radio play on Triple M. Ash, Stevie and I were all in local Geelong band ‘The Shanghai Times’ up until about February, where the band called it quits in a Foo Fighters kind of ‘We’re not over, but we’re not doing anything for a while’ way. Can you take us through the band’s recent inception? How did it come about? Good movie Inception. Leo DiCaprio is a man who never ages and all of his movies intertwine ... Sorry, back on subject. I (Jake) have been playing and writing music since I was about 18 years old. I’ve been in heaps of bands and played tonnes of shows, but one day I kinda just said ... There needs to be more; play my own songs and do things the way I think they should be done, and not just follow someone else’s footsteps. There’s nothing more satisfying than getting up on stage knowing people are there to hear your songs and they’ve come to the show to experience what your band can do. So I got together with Stevie J and Ash and we had a few beers and thought, well, what are we going to do now? We kinda just clicked and went, ‘let’s not give up on live music, let’s smash it harder than ever!’ Ivka called me about a week after that and his exact words were: ‘You’re looking for a bass player. I’m looking for a band. Are you thinking what I’m thinking Pinky?’ And so, Ivka joined CULZEAN. The name is a very unique one. What’s behind it? Like every good story, it starts with a Russian model and an angry drug lord; a long time ago, in a city far far away … Sydney. I was partying in Kings Cross after a show. We somehow ended up back in a hotel room with 4 or 5 Russian models and an angry drug lord. Without going into details, we’ll just say the later it got the crazier things became. That night has forever been stuck in my mind not only as a ‘WTF, how did we end up here?’ moment, but also as a ‘Dude, we almost died!’ moment. Oh, and the hotel was called CULZEAN. There you go. First time I’ve told that story, haha. I normally like to avoid the genre question, but as you guys are a new band, here it goes – what style do you play? We’re your average knee-slapping, grab your cousin and kiss her hillbilly band. I kid, I kid. CULZEAN has been likened to Melbourne band The Living End; and sometimes The Offspring. Although, we don’t really like to say we’re the next anybody, but it’s great to be compared to our idols. In your face, melodic punk tracks with epic solos, foot-stomping riffs and a sound that not many bands these days have anymore. You guys have played four shows together so far. Where were they? And what was that like? Our debut show was at the almighty Cherry Bar in Melbourne with our good friends The Deep End. It was close to a sell-out by the end of the night. All the boys after the show agreed that it was one of the best shows that any of us had ever played. We headlined our second show at John Curtin Hotel, our third show was opening Rock N’ Load Festival at The Espy on June 1 and we packed out the Basement. It was mind blowing to get that kind of response from a crowd we
CULZEAN didn’t know – and at our third show. Number four: the first hometown show in Geelong at the BC. Got some crazy drunk kids on stage with us and pretty sure Ivka saved a girl’s life??? Details are hazy but yeah, that happened. You have just released your first EP. How did that come together? Sure did! It’s a self-titled five-track EP. This is something I’ve wanted to do ever since I can remember: release a CD. So I called up my best mates from MASSIVE to come help out and be the band; then we spent a week at Red Door Sounds in Melbourne recording. We picked up a distribution deal through 3RD Verse about a month after it was recorded, but about two weeks before our first show. So somewhere along the line it’s hit the right spots with the right people in the right places. What can the listener expect from the EP? Expect to have it stuck in your head for weeks! “There’s definitely something reminiscent of The Living End about their sound. Up-tempo rhythm section, driving guitar, direct and playful lyrics, and some very impressive guitar solos” was one review we got. If you’re a fan of Melbourne rock or old school Green Day then you’ll thoroughly enjoy our debut EP. Please don’t ask when the next record is out. You know how much these cost to make!?
The Sir Charles Darling By Dani Shaw
When husband and wife Leigh and Leah Gill first took over the Sir Charles Darling Hotel, the establishment - one of Geelong’s oldest and most renowned had seen better days. The couple approached the challenge by introducing a simple philosophy to their Bellarine street pub; bring affordable meals of exceptional value to Geelong, or as Leigh says, ‘bring the punters what they want’. By no means an innovative concept, this basic idea is employed by a number of businesses but it’s the couples dedication to their goal, their passion for the people and the industry, and as Leah believes, ‘a team of staff that are second to none’ behind the success of The Sir Charles Darling. The team of staff include three first year apprentices as well as three qualified chefs, and a number of bar-staff and waiters who Leah says are unlike any she’s worked with. “When we smash out 160 covers, there’s no complaining, there’s high fives! I couldn’t do it without my staff! They’re awesome!” But warm and friendly service in a great environment
would have taken the pub - with it’s intimate dining room, bistro with a full TAB, and beer garden that’s recently had heaters and a TAB installed only so far. It’s the food, particularly the specialty nights, that are earning the Sir Charles Darling praise. A recently crafted Winter menu includes Lamb Shanks braised in a rosemary and red wine gravy, served on a sweet potato mash and topped with wilted spinach for $22, as well as Beef and Guinness Pot Pie and a Beef Wellington. Monday and Tuesday nights are the pubs specialty steak nights where 300gram porterhouse steaks go for $12.50 and are of brilliant quality due to superior cuts and a great relationship between owners and supplier. Wednesday nights special is a chicken breast for $12.50, with a choice of five stuffings; the most popular being the bacon smoked cheese and onion, and Thursday night is Parmi Night, again for $12.50. With an all day dinner menu running from 11.30am until 8.30pm daily, as well as an affordable lunch menu designed for fast service, specialty nights Monday to Thursday and a $12.50 Sunday roast, there’s plenty of options at The Sir Charles Darling Hotel, which Leah feels is a friendly pub that caters to all of Geelong. With heaters now in the beer garden there are three warm spaces to enjoy throughout Winter, wether you’re in for the food, a punt, or an ice cold Carlton Draught on tap. Doors open from 11am monday to thursday as well as sunday, and 10am friday and saturday.
Being a band from Geelong, what is your take on local music in the area? How is life for a band in Geelong at the moment? Geelong’s music scene is thriving, despite what the media and people who never got out are saying. Alister Turrill, a solo acoustic artist, sold out Beav’s Bar a couple of weekends ago. That’s huge for a local! There are plenty of bands in Geelong, but it can be hard sometimes to get a gig. A lot of the negative rumours and tangents that are going around usually come from people who “support” – and don’t actually support the scene. The CULZEAN boys are out and about nearly every weekend seeing live bands and helping out fellow musos. Life is good (insert smiley face here). Do you have any live shows coming up? Only one at the moment, but definitely keep your eyes open for our name. No doubt we’ll pop up somewhere soon. July 19 at The Barwon Club with Human Electric and The Greeting Method’ – two epic local Geelong bands. But there have been talks of CULZEAN supporting a big name Aussie band on an east coast tour starting around October. So keep your eyes peeled and your ears open.
DANDO’S ICONS:
What can punters expect from a live show when you guys hit the stage? Imagine a stadium show, but in a pub! CULZEAN can guarantee a live show that you will not soon forget. Every second of the show you’ll be thinking: ‘Whoa, what are they going to do next?’ We’re not a shoe-gazing, hands in our pockets, stand there and be pitch perfect band. We’re a rock band who put on a show. Oh, and drum solos. Stevie J absolutely loves doing drum solos. Some of our moves are amp surfing, table breaking, beer skulling and our favourite: get the crowd on stage!
Geelong is filled with many talented musicians who are all doing our scene proud. However there’s one man in particular who is making just as much impact with his good heart as he is with his music. That man is Tim ‘Tonic’ Hulsman.
What are the plans for CULZEAN? The big bright lights or just a bit of fun? Fun comes first, but you gotta enjoy what you do otherwise it becomes tedious and you wake up saying: ‘I have to go to work’. We don’t want to ever think like that. Playing shows is what we do. We don’t want to be all famous and act like Led Zeppelin and destroy hotel rooms or anything. Playing shows to an audience and having people enjoy what we do is all we ask to be able to do. Anything more than that is a bonus. So future plans at the moment are just keep on rockin’. Anything else you would like to add? If you’re doing nothing on a weekend, I highly recommend getting out and checking out some local bands. Never know, you might find your new favourite band and meet your new best friend. May as well do the ol’ plug ‘n run. Check us out on facebook.com/CULZEANrock. Also find us on iTunes & Spotify. Thanks again for having us in this issue of Forte. Keep up the mega work guys.
Tim ‘Tonic’ Hulsman By Brendan Dando
Not only a carpenter by trade, Hulsman is also the only Geelong muso who can claim to be a volunteer firefighter. Though it brings him a great deal of satisfaction, it once almost cost Tim his life when he was caught on the back of a fire truck whilst a fire passed over. “The air that I had to breathe was searingly hot and full of smoke. My lungs were burning and I couldn’t see a thing,” he explains. “I remember thinking ‘shit ... this is it! I don’t think I can handle anymore of this!” Luckily the fire passed soon after, though the incident remains a clear indication of Hulsman’s strong character.
ways. As a musician it means that now I can’t just take off on the road for weeks without considering a lot of new logistics and prioritise his ultimate best interests over my own.” Although being a father has brought upon restrictions to his music career, he emphasises that they can’t compare to the many positives of parenthood. “Arlo has brought so much new joy and satisfaction into my life that is definitely penetrating into my song writing. I used to write for therapy mainly, but now I want to write music that makes him, and others, dance and laugh.” Tim was the mastermind behind the recent RED TRUCK BIG HEART benefit concert at The Barwon Club, which was designed to help the Grovedale CFA raise money to buy a much-needed support vehicle. Calling upon the efforts of many local musicians on the day, Tim was proud to know there were so many artists willing to help him out by donating their time for a good cause. “I believe in musicians supporting each other,” he reveals with a smile. “I personally love supporting up and coming musicians by providing mentorship and leadership to those who need it. A strong music scene is born of strong local kinship between musicians, managers, venues, promoters and punters.”
With a knack for writing memorable lyrics and catchy melodies, Tim has quickly become one of our region’s most acclaimed blues and roots artists. His new release, ‘Firestorm’, is now available for purchase on iTunes, with all proceeds being donated to the CFA. As he says: “It’s the least I can do for them. I mean, in the grand scheme of things it’s nothing compared to the risks these guys take to protect our safety.”
Like most musicians, the rest of Tim’s year is planned to be focused on writing new material for an upcoming release. “I don’t want to rush the process, just to have something out there. I have quite a long list of songs to choose from, but I also feel that I need to write probably ten to twenty more in order to hone the next album into something special.”
Moving to Geelong a couple of years back to establish their property development business, Hulsman and his wife Nina have since become the proud parents of their son, Arlo. “He’s changed my life in so many
New single ‘Firestorm’ available on iTunes. All proceeds donated to the CFA.
LIKE Tim ‘Tonic’ Hulsman on Facebook – www. facebook.com/timhulsmanoz
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
27
28
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
King Of The North By Tex Miller
Over the past decade the popularity of the two-piece band has soared due to bands like The White Stripes, The xx and The Kills to name just a few. Leading the assault in the Australian scene is Melbourne’s own King Of The North. With a gig at the Bridge Hotel in Castlemaine on the 29th, I recently caught up with Andrew Higgs (guitarist and vocalist for the band) to find out why they are one of the hottest bands around. For a band that has been together for the best part of three years, the opportunities that have presented themselves to the band are some that others can only dream about; having supported the likes of Gary Clark Jr, The Angels, Mia Dyson, Cold Chisel and The Datsuns to name just a few. Although it
may seem like it’s been an easy road to success, the reality is not quite the case. Through constant gigging, King Of The North has most recently supported rock royalty in Reverend Horton Heat. “Reverend Horton are legends of the rockabilly scene, and we are primarily a riff rock band; it’s not the first two bands that you would match to play a gig together in your mind, but it was terrific. The vibe that we got from the crowd was electric towards the end of the set. I think that people just respond to good rock and roll, and I think we work really well when you don’t know what to expect. When people get into the music and start responding in such a way, that’s when the real fun of gigging begins.” Originally from South Australia, the musical chemistry between Andy and Danny [Leo, drums/vocals] has been present since the very start. As a side-project, King Of The North came about through jamming in downtime from other musical projects. Since playing music together as kids, the idea of King Of The North just seemed to work. Following on from gigs at Rock N’ Load festival,
Cherry Rock and Cool Summer to name just a few, it wasn’t long before the band had a CD and soldout shows at both the Evelyn and Espy. Looking back now, the amount of success that has followed the band since they started is a little surprising. “It took a little bit of time to get the band together given that I was living in Melbourne and Danny in Adelaide. We started doing some shows in Melbourne and got some residencies straight off the bat, and that was January 2012. From then to selling out some of the most acclaimed venues in the scene was pretty unreal. We had been on the scene for six months and we sold out a 400 capacity room. It was a huge surprise but awesome none the less.” The live guitar sound of the band draws comparison to Jack White and Dan Auerbach. Having read interviews on the internet with Andy, the intricacies of his setup is still a well-kept secret, despite my strong attempts to get the exclusive. “I keep telling everyone it’s like the Colonel’s secret herbs and spices. I’ve always been a little bit cagy on letting people in on it because it’s definitely a recipe
that works and I don’t want someone with bigger connections and more fame stealing an idea that works for me. Since the start of the band, I’ve always had a way to make a two-piece band sound like a four or five-piece band. When we jammed together for the first time it was a rather fortuitous moment.” With an EP out featuring the hit track ‘Ruby’, which is featured on the next CD giveaway with Classic Rock magazine in the UK, breaking out into the international market is firmly on the horizon for the near future. For those that haven’t heard ‘Ruby’, it’s a three-minute hard-hitting bluesy affair that heavily showcases the influences of the band. “Our influences include a lot of sixties and seventies rock bands like Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. My main guitar influence I would have to say is Jimi Hendrix. The man is a complete master and ever since I first heard him I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I dig a lot of the Black Keys’ earlier work but anything with a good beat and is riff-driven, we like.” The band is playing in Castlemaine at the Bridge Hotel on the 29th of June and is set to go global within the next year or two. Catch them while you can.
When&Where: The Bridge, Castlemaine – June 29, The evelyn hotel - august 2, karova lounge, ballarat - august 8, the barwon club, geelong - august 9 and the loft, warrnambool - august 10 with guttermouth (USA)
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
29
down to business:
Old Hepburn Hotel Thanks for taking the time to talk about your business, the Old Hepburn Hotel, with Forte Mag. Can you start by giving us a brief history of the venue? Thanks Luke, great to talk to you. The Old Hepburn has been an integral part of the Hepburn Springs community since the days of the gold rush days of the 1850s. Although there has been a few buildings on the site, they have always been hotels. This building is 100 years old this year! We have owned the pub for 10 + years and have steadily built the trade into the hub of good food and live music it is today. Please give us a brief description of the building. If you are walking in, what would you see? It’s a miners cottage-style looking building, clad in weatherboards with an iron roof. Inside there are original polished floor boards, local Blackwood bar tops, lots of colour and memorabilia on the walls and friendly faces behind the bar. In what part of Hepburn Springs does the venue reside? The hotel is at 236 Main Rd, between nineteenth and twentieth streets, on the way to the lavender farm, and a drop punt from the footy ground. Forte is well-aware of the massive role you play when it comes to live music. Your dedication and active roster is fantastic. Tell us about The Old Hepburn and live music. When did it start? The pub has had live music for a long time
30
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
before we took over, but we started a regular music program soon after we bought the place. At the time The Palais was doing lots of original stuff on Fridays and Saturdays, so we put in place cover bands to give folks some choice on those nights, and did local original acts on Sunday arvos with the odd touring act or record launch thrown in for good measure. Does the venue only like to bring in locals to perform? Or is there a wide range of acts that play at the venue? There is a very diverse range of acts. We are fully aware that as a venue you can’t rely on the same crowd night in night out, week in week out, so we try to mix it up and provide something for everybody. Can you give us some examples of the stand-out performances over the years? What have been some highlights? Where to start..? Mia Dyson, Ash Grunwald, Graveyard Train, Liz Stringer, The Junes, Mick Thomas, Monique Brumby, Jimmy Hocking, Bill Chambers, Rory McLeod (UK), The White Top Mountaineers(USA), Jodie Lane; and regulars like, Michelle Parsons, Cyndi Boste and Chris Wilson always blow us away. And we’re really looking forward to Joe Camilleri on the 21/7. (Tix available at trybooking.com) Do you find maintaining the live music roster to be a huge undertaking? Or does it flow along nicely most of the time? It’s a bit of fun; probably the part of the job I enjoy most actually. While a lot of places are stopping live music, and complaining of poor attendance, you guys seem to be cruising along nicely. What do you think is the key to success for a venue that does live music? Being diverse, providing a safe friendly environment and making it viable by putting a cover charge on where needed. If it’s not viable, we are all wasting our time. Music lovers don’t mind paying to see a good act as long as they are not getting ripped off at the bar. And of course advertising in Forte. :)
You guys also do food. Tell us about the menu. What else is on offer outside of the wonderful live music? The menu is pub style, but far from average, with all produce sourced as locally and fresh as possible. Great steaks, homemade chicken kievs & parmas, fresh seafood, salads, inventive vegetarian options and winter comforts such as corned beef, bangers & mash, slow-roasted pork belly and braised beef ribs. There is also the lunch menu available 7 days with awesome burgers, wraps, salads and toasties.
What would be the dream act that you guys would love to have play? The Living End or Paul Kelly would be nice.
Is the Old Hepburn for everyone? Why should people stop in and say G’Day? I would say it’s for most people, especially those who are looking for
something different from the usual trappings of the area. There is nothing pretentious here; just good food, great music and friendly faces on both sides of the bar. It’s not a five star restaurant; it just has a charm and atmosphere that keeps people coming back. Most of our tourist trade is simply from word of mouth and I think that’s the best advertising you can get. Anything else? Midweek specials nights: Mon: $15 Parma night, 10+ varieties incl. vego. Tues: Tight arse Tuesdays – $15 specials board. Weds: $15 Roast night. Thurs: Wok Night, Asian delights eat in or take home. Full menu available 7 nights a week. Courtesy bus for dinner & group bookings.
Visnja Babushka
She’s friends with Garth, the publican of Babushka Lounge, and when she is in town she’ll usually perform there.
Lounge, Ballarat Saturday, June 15 By Daniel Lock There seems to be a chill in the wind that never shows itself in Ballarat on weekends; freezing, but still. But this night is a good night for avid music listeners as it happens because Visnja is playing at Babushka Lounge. Visnja is a world music artist who lives in the Yarra Valley region and travels to Ballarat regularly enough to maintain a small following of Ballaratians who enjoy eclectic tastes in music. She composes and plays her music on the harp, keyboard and ukulele, and also introduces a few songs with a tin whistle. At her shows you will often hear English, Armenian and Croatian music within the same set. Her vocals are astonishingly good, and she shows brilliant control of her vocal chords and throat muscles with songs such as the Croatian ‘Peace Chant’ where she has to intentionally stammer her throat while projecting to create the correct sound. Her music emulates varying traditional bases mixed in with modern themes. She’ll sing traditional Celtic songs (complete with Scottish words), folk songs, medleys in honour to her downtime as a mother (I think that may be an oxymoron), and also a few covers.
Friday, 14th of June the night before, she played for the students of Live Production at SMB along with Dan Waters, Mikelangelo and Saint Clare (duo) and Mikelangelo and The Tin Star. She’s supported the Live on Lydiard crew more than once, and gained many fans (myself included) through her performances in the Courthouse Theatre. Babushka Lounge is the perfect place for her performances. Moderately sized and intimately decorated, being in the audience is like being part of the show, especially the way Visnja draws you in. There’s something magical about the harp in the way it’s played (when played well), and the performance of the artist’s fingers dancing along almost transparent strings and producing the most delicate sounds, even when the harp itself is being difficult (as Visnja’s was on Saturday, detuning itself and loosening its own string clamps), brings with it an aura of serenity. Visnja played various songs from her four CDs, some personal highlights being ‘Castle’, ‘Dishes and Coffee’, ‘Mermaid’, and the previously mentioned ‘Peace Chant’. Key points in these songs really demonstrate the strength of her musical ability. She also sang music from her children’s books and a few covers, one of which was Nick Cave’s ‘Into My Arms’. Garth also knows her music quite well (if not back to front), because the addition and subtraction of little things (like reverb) from Garth’s mix were well placed and further emphasised, subtly, the strong points of her performance. Visnja is an exceptional artist with many highly admired accomplishments within the Australian music industry, and I highly recommend experiencing one of her performances wherever you might be able to. For more information on Visnja and demos of her music head to visnja.com.
al
ly o w n e d
nt
d
an
te
loc
erce 100 p d oper
a
FREE CLASSIFIEDS SEND YOUR INFO TO: editorial@fortemag.com.au or p.o. box 1388, geelong 3220 or fax 5229 0318 FOR INDIVIDUAL USE ONLY, NOT FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES. Looking for a rock singer between the age 17-19. Main Influences are Green Day, Foo Fighters and Led Zeppelin. Band with Management and Label. Email and info at melodicmusic.com Looking for a drummer, not afraid to experiment. Male/female. Age 35++ ono. All original. English/ Australian influences without the radio play. Original to the extent of punk/pop sensibility 1978 to the not-so-now style. Think of yourself as a patron of The Saints, Stiff Little Fingers, Radio Birdman, Buzzcocks, The Smiths, Psychedelic
Furs, Iggy & The Stooges, Wedding Present, Happy Mondays etc etc, then forget you have to be. The usual... car, equipment, attitude, mental state (in an OK kind of...) punctual, earplugs accepted. Be prepared to apply yourself. Let us know on 0409 567 043. Please leave your details and we will hear you - Confirmation code: AKA 1963 Geelong rock band looking for lead vocalist. We are a Geelong based original band looking for a lead vocalist, have a lot of experience and heaps of great original music waiting to be sung.
Influences: pearl jam, chili peppers, foo fighters, nirvana, led zep, sound garden. Contact Ben 0432049231. Experienced Lead Guitarist Wanted. Top 40 Coverband. 70s 80s 90s and current. Based in Geelong. Must have commitment. Please Call Mark on 0438836469 or email at pudge_ gypsy33@hotmail.com Singer wanted for acoustic covers duo. Must like 90’s British bands and not into songs your “normal” covers bands play. Think Oasis, Morrissey & The Smiths, Libertines, Pulp, Blur, Verve, and similar Aussie & American groups. Nothing serious to start with but possible gigging if we sound great! Age no barrier and male / female encouraged to contact. Contact Liam: britpopcovers@gmail. com or 0430904407 Band Members Wanted: Looking for band members between the ages of 16-19 years of age for pop group. Looking for bass guitar, electric guitar, vocals and synth player. If interested, please contact 0417575237. Hard Rock Covers Band with experienced, solid, bass player and drummer team requires guitarist with skill, awesome sound, and decent equipment. We have full rehearsal live room, pro gear, and all recording equipment. Project will involve gigging, recording, and working on original material as well as edgy covers. Age no barrier, but must be directable team player and have own transport. Carlos: 0409493521
Wanted: Male Vocalist, Two Guitarists Lead/ Rythm,Keyboard,Drummer to form an Original Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Band,Kevin Phone 0352757689, Email linnums@ optusnet.com.au Vocalist Wanted: Rock/alternative band, currently consisting of guitar, bass, drums. In search of a clean vocalist preferably with experience. Influences: Tool, A Perfect Circle, Karnivool, 12 stones, Godsmack, etc. Contact Dean 0431067758 Singer For Rock Covers Band Needed. New project that will incorporate some originals. We have large acoustically enhanced rehearsal room inc. P.A and all recording equipment. Project will involve live gigs/shows, recording, and working on orginal material. Age no barrier, but must be team player with own equip and transport. Covering rock/ pop/grunge/hair-band/ glam. You will be working with experienced team. Carlos: 0409 493521 Photographer Wanted for band photos. Semniprofessional ok. Call Josh 0430971319 Wanted, 40+ y.o. Muso’s to form a fun Rock Band. Bass, Drummer, Lead Guitar, Keyboards or other welcome. To play Classic Rock from the 70’s onwards. Call or Text Nick on 0408359821. Geelong Vocalist Looking for guitarist, bass and drummer to form contemporary blues/ rock band. Experienced players required.Ph: Craig 0404054045 or email transform_pt@ yahoo.com.au
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
31
Tane EmiaMoore By Tex Miller
Stranded at his accommodation in New Zealand due to extensive rain, Tane Emia-Moore is still positive when I have a chat to him following his win at the CQ Unplugged summer series earlier in the year. The winter tour Tane is currently on takes in dates all around New Zealand, and is going swimmingly despite a few hiccups. “I’m on the south island of New Zealand in Dunedin at the moment, and the shows have been great so far. It is absolutely bucketing down with rain at the moment and so all of the roads that lead out of town are flooded. The amount of talent playing alongside me is great and everyone that has come to a show has loved it so far.” If you haven’t heard of Tane thus far, he took out the title of the CQ Unplugged series 2013 at City Quarter on the Waterfront a couple of months ago. Armed simply with just his guitar and vocals, the stories that Tane tells throughout his stage show are reminiscent of his folky influences that include the likes of Damien Rice, and the father of mod himself, Paul Weller. Since learning the guitar at an early age, songwriting has always come naturally to Tane, who is originally from Tasmania. “Songwriting has always been a positive kind of therapy for me. Any time that I have been feeling down, I’ve turned to my guitar to express what I have been feeling. Through writing about what you’re going through, it allows the listener to connect with the song. How that translates into a live performance is a very important aspect of being a musician.” Elaborate song structures and emotive lyrics are all part of Tane’s musical being that can be heard on his self-titled EP. The majority of his live performances
32
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
Tane was the Winner of the Unplugged 2013 Summer Series To nominate for an act for the Winter Series, email events@thecityquarter.com.au Entries open now! are solo, yet for the recording of the EP, Tane enlisted the help of some of his friends to play on the tracks. Looking back retrospectively, to this day, the process is still as strange as ever. “It was a pretty weird experience for me because I am not used to recording on professional gear. With relation to the band, I wanted to make it as grassroots and minimalistic as possible. It was a huge learning curve to see the different elements that make up pre- and post-production.” With a whole bag of original tunes and a fresh and
unique set of covers, the debut album from this troubadour mustn’t be too far around the corner. In an effort to produce something that is more focused on his current musical direction, a full band EP is the next step, as I am quick to find out. “I am playing a lot more full band shows now and I am really happy with the arrangements that we have with my songs so a three-track EP is where I am at now.” Later in the year and in to 2014, upon his return from New Zealand, Tane is planning on a national tour that covers all states and territories, so if you
haven’t caught on yet, be sure to see him the next time around. It seems that Geelong is fastly becoming a home away from home and he will no doubt be playing around the traps again soon. “It’s fantastic that a regional town like Geelong has a great sense of community. The CQ Unplugged program gives a lot of musicians the opportunity [of] their first gig. I can’t wait to play in Geelong again and see the next wave of talent that is uncovered.”
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
33
Atolls By Xavier Fennell
Last year, Atolls’ single ‘Mumble’ was dubbed “slacker anthem of the year” and yet, despite the negative connotation often associated with slackers, Atolls have produced some of the most psychotically-rocking music I have heard in a long time. Following the release of their debut EP Hair Machine, Atolls moved their focus to the live performance aspect of band life. Now midway through their residency at The Worker’s Club, I spoke to frontman/physical embodiment of a hair machine, Lucas Skinner, about things to come. The Hair Machine EP is a taste of just about everything that is Atolls: fuzzy psyched-out 90’s-style rock. Recorded at Lucas’s home in Geelong, the EP was a chance for Atolls to bring the band together. Many of the songs were written for the purpose of solo performances by Lucas. “The way the songs were worked out for recording through jamming was pretty collaborative. The actual recording was already laid out, and we had to just get everything down. With overdubs there’s definitely room to collaborate and come up with ideas in that process.” Prior to the release of the EP Hair Machine and the ‘Mumble/Water’ single, Atolls event page was sadly lacking in dates. Recording and producing music can take a hefty toll on the time a band has to get to a live performance. However, Lucas seemed confident that Atolls were now ready to churn out some gigs for those eager fans like myself. “Leading up to the EP and the launch we weren’t really playing many shows, kind of because I wanted the focus to be on the
launch. The residency is a good process for the band. Like, we had a single before we had even played a show and I wasn’t really satisfied with our live set for the first few months as a band. But I think we’re heaps tighter now.” Something I’ve always loved is the sense of family and network amongst the Geelong/Melbourne garage scene; the fact that the bands are able to share members and still stay creative and independent of each other’s sound is truly awesome. Lucas had an interesting take on the scene that he and his bandmates are a part of. “We’ve done one show before at a Cheap Monday party that was King Gizzard, Murlocs and Atolls, and it was great and attracted a big crowd; but sometimes it’s good to get away from that association and give ourselves our own identity. There’s only a certain amount of times you can have the same line-up. It’s cool that everyone’s on the same label and there’s [a] little scene that’s cool for people to write about (touché, Lucas), [but] each of the bands likes to be identified as their own thing.” At the moment Lucas says that nothing is really set in stone for the near future. The possibility of a tour or album anytime soon seems unlikely as all members of the band are studying their little hearts out. “We’ve started recording some new stuff but I dunno where we’re gonna go with it just yet. Once Uni is done for the semester I’m gonna be writing more and recording, but I dunno if I have an album in me just yet because I take a bit longer to write. There’ll definitely be another release of some sort by the end of the year.”
Freedom Fighters By Natalie Rogers
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the legendary dance party, Earthcore. After a five year hiatus it’s back with a vengeance and to celebrate, direct from Tele Aviv, comes psytrance master Freedom Fighters. Forte caught up with the man behind the decks, Shahaf Efrat, last week to find out what’s in store for the lucky punters. “First and foremost, I’m the lucky one,” Shahaf began. “Going to Australia is always a special treat for me. You guys can expect a really diverse set as always – a mixture of progressive psytrance with techno, drum & bass and a whole lot more.” It’s undeniable that Israel is leading the pack when it comes to trance music. Sharing the bill with friends and fellow Israeli artists Captain Hook, Astrix and Ace Ventura, it seems like Earthcore will be like a big family reunion. “Well of course it will be!” he laughed. “Last time I was there I didn’t have the time to travel in your beautiful country, so this time I’m planning one hell of a vacation around Australia and maybe even New Zealand. Aussies have something really unique. I guess it’s a mixture of beautiful people, with a lot of understanding and knowledge when it comes to psychedelic music. The vibe is always about love, freedom and tons of happiness. If the vibe is right, you don’t really need anything else, except maybe good sound!”
Since bursting onto the scene in 2005, Shahaf has played some of the biggest and best festivals, while winning tens of thousands of fans across the globe – all this without ever releasing a full studio album. “I’ve always wanted to have my own debut album,” he revealed. “But to be honest I just can’t find the time to complete it. However, I did start a brand new series of unmixed CDs with my original tracks entitled The Essentials 001. The first one is already out (free of charge by the way) and I’ll be bringing it with me to your lovely festival – and maybe, just maybe, The Essentials 002.” So Shahaf, if I had a crystal ball, what would I see in Freedom Fighters’ future? “If it’s up to me, only good things! Trick n’ Treat – The Remixes will be out at the end of this month; ‘The Dictator’ was just released on Captain Hook’s new compilation; a remix with Pixel will be released as well; and whole lotta surprises. Can’t wait to see you guys down under! Australia has a special place in my heart, so bring your smiles with you!”
when&where: Earthcore: November 29 – December 1
Ace Ventura By Natalie Rogers
If you’re a fan of psychedelic or progressive trance, house, electro-house or techno, no doubt you’ll be familiar with the work of Yoni Oshrat and his awardwinning solo project, Ace Ventura. This spring Yoni is on his way here with a multitude of world-class acts for the 20th anniversary of Earthcore. This event is shaping up to be a monumental date on the dance festival calendar, so to get you amped up and ready to go, Forte caught up with the man himself. “Aussie’s are awesome and such party people! I’m really looking forward to being back down under. You can expect lots of new music from Ace Ventura and my other projects as well – Zentura and Easy Riders,” Yoni revealed. “The new Ace Ventura album has been in production for a while now, and though I can’t promise it’ll be out by then, there’ll surely be a lot of new tracks from the record dropped at the party. I would love to catch Bluetech [USA] and Antix [NZ]. Bluetech is one of my favourite artists, and I haven’t heard Antix spin for ages.” Earthcore has always attracted the top DJs from around the world, and this year’s line-up features artists from Japan, Germany, The Netherlands and Italy, just to name a few. But it’s hard to ignore the number of acts from Yoni’s home city of Tel Aviv, Israel. “Israeli trance has been up there from day one [Infected Mushroom, anyone?]. So many people love this genre in Israel – it’s consumed everywhere, and parties go off practically every day of the week, other than Sunday. Obviously a lot of peeps will have a go at producing it as well, and apparently a lot of them are good at it. If I had to find some reason behind it, I’d say that the never-
34
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
ending political situation in Israel and security pressures have always driven people to strong, fast music – namely Trance.” Yoni knew from a young age that he wanted to make music, to the dismay of his musician father. “My father has written and composed a lot of music over the years – some big Israeli hits, as well as songs for Eurovision, taking 1st place in 1977,” Yoni told me. “When I was younger and started producing trance, he wasn’t too supportive, as trance was in its early days and no-one knew it would go on to be a long-lasting movement. He preferred that I continue with my career as a post-production sound editor. But the bug was too strong; after a few years he admitted to his mistake and now he’s quite proud.” Would he ever lend his talents to producing a song for Eurovision? “Right now I’m totally invested in this – but you can’t say what the future holds. “On top of these projects I also have two kids at home, and between this and frequent flying, it ain’t easy,” he laughed. “That’s why it’s taken me so long to complete my second Ace Ventura album. But I’m in no hurry – I’m lucky to have good friends and colleagues who I enjoy working with. Honestly, the only thing I wish for is to keep doing what I do. I don’t take my work for granted, and I feel blessed that I’ve been able to do what I like for so many years. I just want it to go on for as long as possible and to stay healthy and happy with my family. Not much more you can ask for, is there?” when&where: Earthcore: November 29 – December 1
FUN MUSIC facts ! Prince played 27 different instruments on his debut album, For You. The Offspring’s first drummer, James Lilja, left the band and became a gynaecologist. Gothic rocker and general Hell Man, Alice Copper, has a golf handicap of 3, and is almost good enough to go pro. Dr Dre was once a member of his high school diving team; apparently he barley caused a splash, unlike his music career. Termites will eat wood two times faster when listening to heavy metal. When a band plays a song together, their brain waves fall perfectly into sync.
WHAT THE?? Musicians & Their Real Names: PT.1 Alice Cooper - Vincent Damon Furnier
Clash of the Titus – Kobe Bryant
Frog Playing Cell Phone Game
This clip sees 15-time All-star and NBA legend Kobe Bryant take on a 2-year-old at a shooting comp. The distance of the ring is set comparable to each contestant’s size and weight. Watch as the 2-year-old puts arguably the best basketballer in the world to shame.
This one involves a very tech savvy frog and a phone game. The frog breezes through the level of the game with ease. What happens next will give you a little shock. (I admit, I jumped in my chair.) Score: 8/10 Just Search: Frog Playing Cell Phone Game
Score: 7/10
The Evolution of the Basketball Video Game With the imminent release of the New XBOX and PLAYSTATION 4, this one is a timely reminder about how far we have come. This clip is a ripper. It takes you on a journey through basketball video games from 1977 to now, highlighting just how far the graphics have come.
Beck - Bek David Campbell Billie Holiday -Eleanora Fagan Cher - Cherilyn Sarkisian Coolio - Artis Leon Ivey Jr. Ice Cube - O’Shea Jackson
Score: 8/10
Just search: Clash of the Titus – Kobe Bryant
Alicia Keys - Alicia Augello Cook André 3000 - André Lauren Benjamin
Just search: Evolution of the Basketball Video Game
Slash - Saul Hudson
TOO HEAVY TO HUG PAUL S TAYLOR chris cruz
Compilation of Laughing Babies
Anchorman 2 Trailer
When babies laugh it makes you happy. When babies with weird and strange laughs laugh, it makes you laugh. This little compilation has some very funny moments; baby 2 is my personal favourite. This one cracks me up every time.
This needs no introduction. We have all been waiting for it, and it’s finally here. The clip is up on YouTube; check it out and get ready to laugh.
Score: 9/10
Just search: Anchorman 2 Trailer
Score: 10/10 (because it means the movie is nearly here)
Just Search: Compilation of Laughing Babies
Blank Thankless Air By BLAIR HALL
Work Diary: June 18th, 2013
Plans for future columns/ notes and errata • S truggle to think them up; then write a list about possibilities so that if I lose imagination (likely) I can just keep referring back to the list and rant half-heartedly on a topic listed. • S hort story about teletext typists attempting to outwit a machine created to replace them that ends in a fury of blood and dictation. • I nterview Masaya Nakahara via a game of Jap Ball when visiting Japan. • R eview The Jackal w/ Bruce Willis from the art cinema angle that it deserves. • C reate an online dating profile that lists my base desires and publish interviews with the types of people that actually respond. e.g. • S omeone to love me, being that I can’t love myself • S omeone to have in sickness • S omeone who won’t testify against me when I go completely off the till and satiate my thirst for human blood. • “ Ancient Cloning Proverbs” – An article pursuing my long-held belief that the movie Prometheus was meant to be excellent, but someone hired Damon Lindelof and it all went sideways of the non-Giamatti variety. • R oofied by a cup of coffee or: how I learned to stop worrying and love Geelong.
• B iblical epic sequel series in the vein of Jaws 2: The Revenge starring David and his offspring thereafter as they continually come face to face with the family of Goliath in the desert town of Amity Breach, Israel. • A regular column entitled “Outside Splinters” which looks into the philosophical ramifications of writing in an era in which no one has the patience to learn how to read. Is anyone reading this?. I’m not even sure if I want readers, yet I feel compelled to seek publishing. It must be Nakahara’s observation of the “ruthlessness carried by printed type” that makes me feel that I’d be changing something even if I had no audience. So maybe this is valuable because it doesn’t matter who reads it; I’ll answer to the ideas carried by it. What other options are there? Blogging? Blogging is rendered meaningless in a landscape of mindless self-publishing. Writing a journal is such loaded fare now that I’m paralysed and can do no more than write a few short lists or bursts of ideas before the fuel runs out and I feel sickened by the thought that I’m writing in a notebook because there is a history of expectation that a creator needs to keep in a creative diary. It’s impossible to take it seriously being that it is so fetishised and romanticised in modern culture; websites like Brain Pickings that fuss over the tiny details that makes an author their “genuine” selves and traps you less in your own creative self than in the archetypes of purported real creativity. Or there is the mighty format of the self-inquisitive column, like this thing. It’s solipsistic, narcissistic, egotistical and downright uninteresting, but well ... At least now I have ideas for a few more.
After 25 years of service as bass player in the Pixies, Kim Deal has announced her official departure from the band. Punk-A-Billy Touring presents this year’s Streetwise Weekender Bender PCYC fundraiser; State Of Silence, Strawberry Fist Cake, 4tress, The Murderballs, Hopes Abandoned, Shadow League and Cyclone Diablo head up the incredible homegrown 30 band bill. The three-day charity event takes place this 28th, 29th and 30th of June at the Barleycorn Hotel in Collingwood, just down from the Tote. Entry is by donation (but please don’t be a cheapskate); God will be watching and judging you. Superchunk are putting the finishing touches on their brand new album I Hate Music. A tour would be nice! The Flatliners have a new record on the way. Dead Language hits stores and iTunes this September. Everything’s coming out in September! Snuff, Bad Astronaut and The Ataris have been added to the upcoming Hits & Pits Festival, alongside an already impressive line-up that includes Jughead’s Revenge, Boysetsfire and No Fun At All. Surely by now you know if you’re going or not! Friday, November 22 is the date; The Palace Theatre on Bourke Street is the venue. Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre) and her newly reformed band The Julie Ruin have an album on the way! It’s called Run Fast,
and you can wrap your ears around it when it hits the streets on September 3. It’s the follow-up to their self-titled Kill Rock Stars release. It’ll be released through their own label this time around and distributed by Dischord Records. Retired Canadian hardcore heroes No Warning are reuniting to record and release a 7” single featuring one new original (‘Resurrection Of The Wolf’) and a yet to be confirmed cover tune on the b-side. Members of the outfit include current members of Yacht Club and Fucked Up. Recent Aussie tourists MXPX have just dropped a brand new 6-song EP. Grab your copy of Left Coast Punk now! Sebadoh have been streaming their brand new 5-song EP Secrets on their Bandcamp site in the lead up to the release of their first new album in 14 (yep, 14!) years, Defend Yourself. I guess some things just can’t be rushed. Did you know Fat Mike (NOFX) is playing bass on the new Against Me! record? He totally is. Atom Willard (drummer from Rocket From The Crypt) is also on board! I don’t think this is really going to sound like an Against Me! record, but oh well. Should still be an interesting listen! AFI continue to drop teaser promos online for their forthcoming yet to be titled album. September seems so far away! Heaps of news and reviews headed your way next issue, so stay tuned kids!
Over the past few months you may agree that I’ve become so cynical about the many marketing techniques modern music employ that I’ve turned into a crazy hobo, warning anyone who’ll listen about the apocalypse, or rather, the metalocalypse. Back in my day there was no Twitter, and record labels need to fix stuff before they all die off! But as I write this it’s like a Scandinavian summer; 1 degree outside, icy, dark and still – the perfect climate to reassess what to write about, because looking over my previous columns for this year, it seems I need to write a book about what’s wrong with the music industry these days, because if I don’t this column will just end up being full of piecemeal ideas. What’s also going on as I write this is the London Metal Hammer Golden God Awards. Let’s see who took out what. Grunge champs Alice in Chains took out the Icons award; Black Sabbath took out the Best UK Band and Best Album categories; Gojira took out the Best Live Band gong and Motorhead took out the ultimate prize of The Golden God. All in all that looks a lot more respectable on paper than the Revolver Golden God Awards that were held last month, except for the inclusion of, whaddya know, Slipkn..., sorry, Stone Sour taking out the Best International Band award. I said it last time and I’ll say it again: Metal needs an awards night where the nominations and awards are selected by peers. If you need further proof of this, then just look who took out the Breakthrough Artist award: Asking Alexandria. Oh, and Doro won the Legend
award. And Bleed From Within won Best New Band. The way things are going, and if things continue in this vein of Twitter-focused ballots for awards, we’ll end up with annual celebrations where awards are showered on flash in the pan one hit wonders who caught the short attention spans of kids. Then before we know, it it’ll all turn to shit like the triple j Hottest 100 awards and we won’t know who anyone is anymore and it’ll all be really weird and awkward. That’s not the sort of world I want to live in. Do you? In the ChaoticTwitterSphere: @dvntownsend: “Oh man... Ziltoid 2 and all its (sic) satellites is going to be OFF THE HOOK!!!” In Other News Get your arse down to Ballarat’s Karova Lounge tonight!! (Thursday, June 27) for a night of metal and support some local outfits like Terror Strike, Order Of Torment, Saprotroph and extreme metal masters A Greed Science. Fear Factory will play Demanufacture in its entirety at The Palace on Sunday, July 7. Lo! will play The Reverence on Saturday, July 13. Bring Me The Horizon, Of Mice & Men and Crossfaith will kick out the jams for all ages at Festival Hall on Wednesday, October 9. Every Time I Die will bring their unique brand of metalcore to the Corner Hotel on Sunday, October 20. Nile will play the Corner Hotel on Saturday, November 16. If you have any news about local metal bands, shows or albums, let THTH know by emailing to tooheavytohug@ hotmail.com or get in touch via Twitter at @ TooHeavyToHug
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
35
Von Stache By Xavier Fennell
It’s not often you find someone with a background in punk or metal that has moved into the world of electronic music. The only example that I can think of off the top of my head is Skrillex. Von Stache, a young party animal from Geelong, has made a transition in the past couple of years that some metal-heads would consider blasphemous. Nevertheless, here we are celebrating the release of her new EP Sandbox Love. With a sound that comprises of feel-good synth melodies and bouncy electronic drumbeats, Von Stache’s catchy lyrics and classic pop voice give the listener something to feel good about when the world seems grey. It seems that had fate been kinder to Von Stache we may have been seeing this EP released earlier. An unfortunate computer and backup crash left the young Geelong artist up the creek without a paddle. “I had all the songs made and then something happened and everything crashed including the backup, so I had to create everything again and it took about 9 months to do all again. In a way it was better that it happened because I took more time to go through everything again and make it much better than it would have been.” Von Stache’s background in punk and metal has allowed her to create songs that physically work; without a background of music knowledge her endeavours into electronic music may not have been so fruitful. An involvement in music and the music scene of Geelong from an early age has left Von Stache in good stead to create her first two EPs.
“I write the songs on guitar, and then I put a beat down using the computer and use synths to put through the same basic notes. When I did my course (sound engineering), I thought ‘hey this is way easier than having to wait for people to turn up for a jam’.” Despite her transition in genres, Von Stache still reminisces of her early musical days in Geelong. “I got my first guitar in year 7. Back then we use to go see punk gigs with bands like Antiskeptic playing and I thought, ‘man I could do that’, so I joined some bands in high school.” Like many of Geelong’s home-grown musical intrepids, Von Stache remains loyal to her roots, choosing to launch her EP away from the big city in a sort of homage to the town that introduced her to the music she loves today. “I’ve been in Geelong my whole life. I was gonna try and do my launch in Melbourne, but then I thought screw it, I’ll do it in Geelong. I’m from Geelong so I’m having it at The Barwon Club. Al (O’Neill) used to give me gigs at The Nash, so when he moved to The Barwon Club I went with that.” The EP Launch itself sounds like it’s going to be a party of all sorts; local supports and local punters will be plentiful. Von Stache’s enthusiasm and positive attitude towards creating fun music for people to party to is a credit to her name and the music she creates. Sandbox Love looks set to be a release that could pave the way for more electronic fun in the future.
When&Where: The Barwon Club, Geelong – June 29.
Blues Boot Camp By Tex Miller
With a list of some of the greatest Australian musicians around, you’d be crazy to pass up the opportunity to play alongside them at Blues Boot Camp, which hits Courthouse ARTS on July 10-12. With the likes of Sandy Brady, Dave Steel, Sarah Carroll, Tim Neal and Chris Wilson, as a previous participant of the boot camp, I cannot recommend this program highly enough. Facilitated by local bluesman Wayne Jury, the boot camp allows for young musicians of any ability to get out of their bedroom and onto the stage performing in front of a crowd. Recently, I sat down with Wayne to find out about the beginning of the project, and where it will develop to into the future. As the former music director for the Echuca-Moama Winter Blues Festival, the idea to mentor and share his love of blues music with young people was always eventually going to develop to where it has today. Looking back at the hectic time, nonetheless Wayne reminisces fondly about the experience. “After programming the festival the first year, I approached Peter Williams who is the Mayor of Echuca with the idea of getting a younger demographic involved in the festival and playing music together. One of the most rewarding experiences of running the boot camp is seeing the musical partnerships that develop over the two days. A number of the participants have started bands and other projects outside of the boot camp, which is really all I can hope for.” Gaining support from the City of Greater Geelong, Wayne has run boot camps additionally at the Potato
Shed in Drysdale. Greeted with nothing but positive feedback and acclaim from these events, the boot camp is a 101 look at the music industry that covers all aspects from setting up a sound system, to preparing mentally and physically for the performance. There are no pre-requisites for the boot camp, which allows for beginners and advanced musicians to play together. “One of the main aspects about the boot camp is physically playing together and learning about where your musical parts fit into the song. We also cover music history and talk about how the blues music relates directly to popular and contemporary music. The tutors that I am privileged enough to work with are the A-team of musicians within Australia. They are friends that I have known for years both through my work in Geelong and Sydney and the knowledge that they bring to the table is invaluable.” Although it has only been running for a few years, Blues Boot Camp has helped foster the careers of some local musicians; both through the knowledge that is imparted within the sessions, as well as the connections that can be formed through fellow musicians and the tutors. One such example is The Larsen Effect who has over the past few years played gigs through the Geelong and Surf Coast region. Wayne has been a blues aficionado and teacher his whole life, helping and encouraging the musical careers of local musicians. Blues Boot Camp is sure to develop to bigger and better heights into the future, so experience it for yourself today.
Joe Camilleri By Natalie Rogers
Jo Jo Zep, Joey Vincent or Australia’s Maltese Falcon – whatever you call him Joe Camilleri is an exceptional singer/songwriter with an impressive back catalogue. With over 40 years of industry experience, the ARIA Hall of Famer shows no signs of slowing down. He has continued to record and tour, delighting fans of all ages with his unmistakable charisma and arsenal of hits. So when Joe was asked to help launch Roo Twilights: Music at Anglesea Golf Club, he jumped at the chance. “It will be small and intimate – I’ll love having the opportunity to chat with the audience between songs. It’ll be fun to play the songs stripped back, kind of how I wrote them so long ago in my living room, for all the people that remember me when I was a thin man and a fit, healthy and sexy guy; you know, not this old geezer!” he joked. “I don’t want to sound too wanky, but I’d like to take people on my musical journey.” And what a journey it’s been. Joe was born in Malta as one of ten children, before moving to Australia in 1950. Music soon became a huge part of Joe’s life – he even admits to stealing early Shadows records! “I never thought I’d be a musician. I just loved music.” It all began one fateful night when Joe was thrown on stage as part of a dare, and he’s never looked back, becoming one of Australia’s most prolific hit makers of his generation, both as frontman for Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons and The Black Sorrows, and as a solo artist. “I’m lucky I’ve got a really good back catalogue
36
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
of songs that people know. Everyone wants to hear Chained to the Wheel, Harley and Rose, Hit and Run, and the idea is not to disappoint people. There was a time l would cringe at hearing my older stuff! I can be very critical of myself – now I can see what people got from those songs and I understand that people grew up with them. “I also want to play new songs from my forthcoming album that I’m in the process of recording – I think it’s going to be called Man of Straw. I really enjoy my time in the studio because it’s all about the music these days – I’m not in it for chicks anymore. I’m 65, I’m writing songs and I still love doing it. I still get a kick out of hearing myself on the radio and there’s nothing like being out on tour. I still feel like I’m I6,” Joe laughed. “I’m very content and happy with life, and I’m blessed to have a twenty-monthold daughter. Music has been very generous to me over the years. I always have a really good time and I embrace the past, but look forward to the future – that’s what we’re on the planet for.” Joining Joe on the night are friends Claude Carranza and Mark Gray, two accomplished musicians in their own right. Together with good food, wine and company, this night will be an ideal start to the Roo Twilights Series. When&Where: Anglesea Golf Club – July 20
When&Where: Courthouse ARTS – July 10-12
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
37
The Dance, House & Club of the Anthems 1990s
tweet of the week
“ I feel like Kim Kardashian giving birth is taking away from Michael Douglas saying he got throat cancer from eating pussy..” US writer @JennyJohnsonHi5 has a point.
HIT OR SHIT!
Written by Adem with an E.
90’S DANCE CLASSICS 2 Unlimited.
It’s very simple. All you need to do is email a list of your 20 favourite dance tracks of the 90s; whether they be of a commercial dance variety, a funky house music blend or an anthemic rave/club banger, I want to see your Hits in a List. You can zip us an email by clickity-clacking away to insidesplinters@ gmail.com – and please, make sure to list them from #1– #20. (Number 1 being your absolute favourite dance track of the 90s and #20 being one of your favourites but obviously the least compared to the other 19.) Then, on the day when the Top 100 is announced, we’ll chuck everybody who voted name in a barrel (er, of sorts) and the winner will be gifted a selection of 1990’s dance-related CDs from my private collection – obviously the ones with no scratches (hem-hem).
38
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
David Morales.
90’s RAVE CLASSICS The Prodigy.
In no particular order: * 2 UNLIMITED * APHEX TWIN * ROLLO GOES MYSTIC * GLAM * LIL’ LOUIS * LA BOUCHE * MOBY * CULTURE BEAT * DJ DARREN BRIAS VS DJ PEEWEE FERRIS * DUKE * TECHNOHEAD * INTERACTIVE * ALEXIA * WHIGFIELD * OLIVER LIEB * BOO BOO & MACE * BINARY FINARY * CAPPELLA * MADISON AVENUE * WAYNE G * THE MOVEMENT * MOLELLA * GROOVE TERMINATOR * MADONNA * KYLIE MINOGUE * DANNII MINOGUE * FELIX
* * * * * * * *
USURA R.T.Z. TALEESA N ICK SKITZ THE PORN KINGS FOREAL PEOPLE DAVID MORALES F RANKIE KNUCKLES * OUR HOUSE * BOBBY BROWN * SNAP! * THE KLF * PAUL ZONE * ATLANTIC OCEAN *T HE REAL MCCOY * MR PRESIDENT *T OKYO GHETTO PUSSY * JX * VENGABOYS * SUB SUB * ROBERT MILES *T HE O.T. QUARTET * I TCH-E & SRATCH-E * DA HOOL * DJ PAUL ELSTAK * UTAH SAINTS * TIESTO * 666
* ULTRA SONIC * SCOOTER * DHS * LA STYLE *H OLY NOISE * HOCUS POCUS * APOTHEOSIS * JOEY BELTRAM * ROB GEE * THE PRODIGY *C RYSTAL METHOD *T HE CHEMICAL BROTHERS * PET SHOP BOYS * M PEOPLE * ORBITAL * UNDERWORLD * BBE * AGE OF LOVE * LUCE DRAYTON * DISCO CITIZENS * CHICANE *D J MISJAH VS DJ TIM * CJ BOLLAND *P APAU NEW GUINEA * LFO * BABY D * OCEANIC * THE SOURCE
* N JOI * RATPACK * JONNY L * DMS * MOTIV8 * GINA G * PLASTIKMAN * ACID JUNKIES * DROP BASS * LASSE STEEN * ZEKT * JEFF MILLS * DAVE CLARKE * FAITHLESS * STEPS * PATRICK PRINS * SISTER BLISS …to name but a few.
Get your votes in! Email us at insidesplinters@gmail.com and we’ll keep you posted on developments over the coming months.
JOEL MADDEN WITCH-HUNT You’d be smoking weed if you were working with Delta Goodrem every night too; God Bless her.
“TRASH MEDIA” Seal’s Twitter attack at the “Trash Media” was all kinds of gold after Joel’s hotel bust-up too. I bet poor Ricky Martin wishes he’d stayed at home by now, right?
THE “ARTPOP” DELAY Come ON Gaga, we are WAITING.
H PL UR EA RY SE U ! P
Which got me thinking; I could potentially put a list together of the 100 greatest dance, house and club anthems of the 1990s and add votes to the list from fellow readers, Twitter followers and The People of Facebook to create a defining list of an era that genre really excelled in, and to also preserve some of these infinite classics and, maybe, into the ears of younger generations.
If you’ve been, er, ‘touched’, by some of the side-effects clubbing in this era may have caused, or inspired to cause your brain later in life, perhaps a refresher – only a tip of the iceberg, really – of some artists you could be voting for in the Splinters Dance, House & Club Anthems of the 1990s Top 100 Countdown is what’s needed.
90’S HOUSE CLASSICS
SHIT!
But what kicked that off was an independent countdown run during triple j’s Hottest 100 at the start of the year that chronicled a 100 online vote of 1990’s classics. Naturally, none of the stuff a lot of my generation – children of the 80s with a few of us nearing, at, or only really just past our thirties thank you very much (to my knowledge at least) – really had much of a chance in what seemed to kinda be a rehash of triple j countdown’s past.
There are also plans to get this event “live streamed” on the crazy internets; hence this all being a big “Work In Progress” – which is why your votes are needed!
HIT
In the last fortnight, I’ve been trying to back up an onslaught of CDs onto my hard drives in an initial step to at least getting some of these buggers into storage. Because of my mood of late, I’ve been sticking to a real 1990-1999 protocol, with some exceptions for the early 2000s here and there. I’ve been digitally remastering the songs after I’ve ripped them direct from the disc, and in the process have found myself feeling the absence of this era’s kind of dance music from our current dance floors.
WHAT'S NEW!? Mr Little Jeans – Pocketknife
C
Remember that cover of Arcade Fire’s ‘The Suburbs’ that made it into the Hottest 100 a couple of years back? Well, Mr Little Jeans (Monica Birkenes) is back with her debut album, Pocketknife. Available July 19 on Sony. A
B
Castlecomer – Lone Survivor Sydney quintet Castlecomer is releasing their sophomore EP Lone Survivor next month. It was produced by Simon Todkill who has worked with Matt Corby and Nantes. Available July 12 on iTunes. D
Kate Ceberano – Magnet Your dad’s favourite pop star, Kate Ceberano, is back with her first original material in ten years. Taken from an upcoming album, ‘Magnet’ is the first glimpse at Ceberano’s ‘new sound’. Available now on Sony.
F
In case you missed my review a couple of weeks back, Shadows is “clean, pure, adult pop.” The album has dropped, and you should go buy it. Available now on Skipalong Records.
Kodaline – In a Perfect World Dublin alt-rock quartet Kodaline has released their debut album, In a Perfect World. You may know them as background music in a Google promotional video, background music on American Idol, or background music on a Modern Family trailer. Available now on Sony.
Lenka – Shadows
G
Melbourne’s own Midnight Juggernauts are back with their third full-length album. The album was recorded partially in the Loire Valley, France, and partially in Melbourne and Sydney. Available now on Siberia Records.
C
D
E
F
Empire of the Sun – Ice on the Dune Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore are back with the follow-up to Walking on a Dream. No doubt this one will be just as good. Available now on EMI.
H
Karnivool – Asymmetry
Midnight Juggernauts – Uncanny Valley
B
Melbourne metalcore band Dream On, Dreamer is back with their sophomore release, Loveless. Watch out for their new clean vocalist, Zach Britt. Available tomorrow on We Are Unified.
Jay-Z – Magna Carta Holy Grail Jay-Z announced this album just two weeks before the release date. Along with the announcement was a teaser video with guests such as Timbaland and Pharrell Williams. Available July 4 on Universal.
Karnivool are back with their third album. It’s been four years since we heard anything new from them, and the excitement from their fans is palpable. Available now for pre-order from Sic Squared Records. E
A
Dream On, Dreamer – Loveless
i
H
Illy – On & On The Frankston MC released this track online a few weeks ago, but now it’s up officially on iTunes. It’s taken from his upcoming fourth album, which doesn’t have a name as of yet. Available now on ONETWO.
G
I
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
39
You describe yourself as a ‘Gay guy with a disability’ and The Power of Love tackles some ethical questions surrounding this. Is The Power of Love designed to raise some questions about your situation? Firstly, I don’t have a situation. I have a disability. I want to make that clear because sometimes people refer to is as a problem when it shouldn’t be referred to in that way. I had an experience the other day when I was walking down the street in Geelong and a stranger called me a retard, so I’m hoping that this performance will speak to those people who judge other people on the basis of how they walk or talk. It’s about challenging other people’s perceptions about two issues which never gets spoken about, which should be a topic that is in the public domain so that people can be comfortable having conversations about. It’s designed to speak to people from all backgrounds so they can have the chance to be educated about what’s it actually like walking in another person’s shoes who may not share the same sexual orientation as they do. It’s a very important performance for so many different reasons. The Power of Love sounds as if it’s designed to be interactive with the audience, including the use of technology. Explain how it’s different to other theatrical performances? The integration of technology has always been a part of the development of the show. I have a slight speech impairment so it has been evident in the creative process that the use of technology is vital for the performance. This includes animation, texts, images, and communication equipment such as a Lightwriter, which is a device that has the ability to speak what I type, as well as a variety of other different platforms to communicate. It was important for us to incorporate the tools that my generation uses to communicate. So in the last showing at Lamama Theatre in 2012, there was even a picture of a mobile phone being projected onto the screen to demonstrate the use of text message.
Thomas Banks Thomas Banks is a writer. A passionate writer. A writer who loves to challenge people with his work. He is currently working on a production aimed at making us re-think the way we see life, love and others, so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to spend some time with the 2010 Golden Plains Shire Young Citizen of the Year. Thomas, thanks for taking the time to talk with Forte. Please introduce yourself and give us a brief background of your life so far? Hello, my name is Thomas Banks. I have a disability called cerebral palsy which affects my speech and movement. I grew up on a country farm in regional Victoria, but now I live in Geelong on my own. I work as an arts worker
so I have worked with arts organisations throughout Australia, but I also do a little bit of community-based training and presentation when my head is not fully engaged with the arts world. I stand tall and I have a good sense of who I am as a person. I’m very proud of who I am! Do you have much interaction with the arts community in Geelong? I have in the past, and I still try to have a little bit of interaction with the arts community in Geelong. I have worked with Back to Back Theatre from 2007 to 2009 as a participant in the Theatre of Speed program, but I have also been employed by Courthouse ARTS as a Publicist Assistant for two years. I have a strong history within the arts sector in Geelong, but I have branched out to theatre companies in Melbourne because there were more opportunities for me to develop a career as an artist. I wasn’t feeling like I was achieving anything in Geelong. You have been working on a production, Thomas Banks and the Power of Love. Can you tell us about this and where the production is currently at? I have been developing a one-man show with two people, which takes the audience on an unique story to not only understand what it’s like to live as a gay man with a disability, but it also takes them on a journey where they are supported throughout the performance with different methods of communication so they have the experience of tuning their ears in so they can understand every word by the end of the performance. The second actor plays a range of different characters as well as someone who often supports the audience to understand what I’m saying. So in essence, it’s really is a one-man performance. I was involved in a project with Platform Youth Theatre in 2010 called Provocateur, which was a skill exchange and mentoring program for young
emerging artists. I developed a short work called The Power of Love which was a 12-minute performance which was about growing up in regional Victoria and the challenges around finding love as a person with a disability, and longing to be in love with another guy. There were also strong themes of rejection and communication in the piece as well. We had so much positive feedback from the people who saw it, so we decided to continue to develop it further. The performance and the themes which the show touches on have developed over the past two years of creative development, exploration, small showings for audience feedback and my own personal experiences everyday living life as a gay guy with a disability. Now we are in the final year of development. I’m working with a group of creative associates to develop the final performance so that it will be ready to tour in 2014. I’m working with Gaylene Carbis who is an experienced playwright to develop the script further. I’m working with the team to develop the integration of technology into the performance. There’s also a core team of creative associates who have been with the project from the beginning. The production has not yet hit the stage – you are still in the planning phase. What are you eventual hopes for the production? I’m a part of the Next Wave Kickstart program, which is a program that is run by the Next Wave Festival in Melbourne which supports young artists to develop their artistic careers. I’m hoping that Thomas Banks and The Power of Love will premiere in the Next Wave Festival, but I’m working with the core creative team of associates to ensure the project is ready for the festival. We have had a lot of other theatre companies and people from all over the world who have showed an interest in this work so we know that there’s a market for this work in the future.
What is your aim with this production? The aim of this production is to educate, empower, challenge and provoke audience to think differently about people with disabilities. This work has never been about “Oh look, poor me”, but it’s been about promoting diversity in all different environments. Tell us about your work with Platform Youth Theatre in Melbourne? I have been developing this performance through Platform Youth Theatre, which is the company who is auspicing this work. They are the company which works with young people aged 16 to 26 who wants to be involved in theatre and have a story to share. They work with young people to make theatre, which means that young people are involved in all stages of the process, not just as the audience. If you would like to check out their work, you can visit their website at pyt.org.au. What are some of the difficulties you have faced in putting together your production? The biggest difficulty for the core creative team is trying to find what the story is that I want to tell and how to tell that story so it comes across to the audience as my voice. The other big challenge for the team is how to integrate the use of technology into the performance to support the audience to be able to understand me. What are the actual hopes for the production? As I have mentioned earlier, we have had interest from people and theatre companies who are interested in having this work on their stages or in their communities. I have always had a strong desire to perform it in Geelong where I know that there is a strong supportive community who will support this performance, so my hope is to perform it at Courthouse ARTS sometime in the future. We hope to start touring across Australia from 2014, but the project is still in its development phase so I’m focusing on the final development. Anything you would like to add? If anyone would like to have a further conversation about this performance, please feel free to contact me directly at author.thomas.banks@gmail.com.
Diversitat Training Music, Media & Sound Upcoming Courses
FUNDING AVAILABLE *CALL US TO CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY
Diversitat Training Music, Media and Sound provides accredited media training courses in sound production, television and radio broadcasting, media and music. The Pulse Training Facility, 68-70 Little Ryrie Street, Geelong features state-of-the-art training rooms, a fully equipped television studio with cameras and lighting, and a commercial sound recording studio. The centre is the only media training facility of its kind in Geelong. Our experienced trainers are out there working in the industry, not just talking about it. Payment plans are available. Enrol now for:
JULY 2013 COURSES: CUF20107 Certificate II in Creative Industries (Media) CUF40107 Certificate IV in Screen and Media CUS40209 Certificate IV in Sound Production CUS50109 Diploma of Music
FEBRUARY 2014 COURSES:
CUF30107 Certificate III in Media CUF50107 Diploma of Screen and Media CUS30209 Certificate III in Technical Production CUS50209 Diploma of Sound Production CUS40109 Certificate IV in Music
Start your new career today by calling us on 5224 2329 Geelong Ethnic Communities Council Inc. trading as Diversitat, RTO 5819. Training at Diversitat is delivered with Victorian & Commonwealth Government funding.
40
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
www.diversitat.org.au/training
arts news from around town – and beyond!
BETHANY’S ARTHOUSE FILM FESTIVAL – GPAC The Giants Duration 84 Mins Belgian (French) with English subtitles. Rating M Winner – Best Film, Directors’ Fortnight - 2011 Cannes Film Festival
THE WEDDING SINGER - GPAC It’s 1985 and rock star wannabe Robbie Hart is New Jersey’s favourite wedding singer. With a brand new score that pays loving homage to the pop songs of the 1980s, The Wedding Singer takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer might just be the coolest guy in the room. Produced by CentreStage Geelong - the company with sold out seasons of Singin’ In The Rain, 13 The Musical, and A Chorus Line.
INFORMATION NIGHTS For those who already are, or who want to get involved in local theatre or music theatre productions, Information Nights are your introduction to the many and varied performance groups, and their upcoming productions around the Geelong region. They are a chance to pop along and hear what the production is all about, what you need to do for your audition and a great chance to meet up with old friends and make new ones. Geelong is full to bursting with productions any time of the year and there’s bound to be something to interest you and fire up your creative juices! Here’s one, guaranteed to involve
you in a cunning plan… BLACKADDER Written by Ben Elton and Richard Curtis Directed by Christine Davey Show dates: Nov 22 – Dec 7 This will be a production by Geelong Repertory Theatre Company, based at the Woodbin Theatre, Coronation Street, Geelong West, and the Information Night is Monday July 8 at 7pm at this address. Turn up, listen to what the play’s all about, meet potential cast and get an idea of what is required for your audition. The auditions are scheduled for Sunday July 14 from 6.30pm and Tuesday July 16 from 6pm. Rehearsals will begin mid-late September. Chookas!
Where: GPAC. Playhouse Theatre. 50 Little Malop St, Geelong. When: July 26-Aug 3. Phone: 5225 1200. INFO: www.gpac.org.au
SPLASH! Dance Festival and National Choreographic Competition. Dance masterclasses for all age groups and the National Choreographic Competition, featuring exciting and emerging talent. Commences at 5pm on the Saturday with guest judges. The weekend concludes with an exciting showcase from local dance schools. Excellent winter school holiday fun! Includes: Bollywood Nights, Follow Your Dreams Masterclass with
Kelley Abbey and Dean Nuku and “Triple Threat” Audition Intensive. Where: GPAC. 50 Little Malop Street Geelong VIC 3220. When: Daily, July 4-July 7. Phone: 5225 1200. INFO: www.gpac.org.au EmaiL: info@ geelongdancenetwork. com.au
YOUR LIBRARY Libraries are a fantastic resource. There’s plenty to interest all ages, so use them or lose them! This winter, your local library will take you on a journey of discovery with the theme, Food for the Mind. Learn how to make a healthier lifestyle your priority or how to grow your own food by connecting with your local community. You can get crafty making a mini sculpture paper bowl or designing your own recipe book. Get hands on with an iPad and experience foodie
apps just for fun. Catch a movie as part of Movie Mania or feed your children’s imagination by bringing them along to Children’s Book Week, a special event which brings to life on stage the story, Herman and Rosie. Budding authors can find inspiration with Reading Matters on the Road and Writing Workshop events. To help you make the most of technology there is an ever-increasing number of eKnow How sessions.
It’s summertime. Brothers Seth (16) and Zac (“13 and three quarters”) have again been left to fend for themselves by their neglectful single mother at the family’s cottage in the verdant and isolated Luxembourg countryside. Just like every holiday before, they’ve resigned themselves to another mundane summer, but things shift dramatically after they strike up a friendship with local kid
Danny, and the most perilous – and greatest – journey of their lives begins. Together, as the boys scavenge for food, steal their grandfather’s car and pursue harebrained schemes to make money, they find their bravado repeatedly punctured by the rigours of an adult world they cannot comprehend. Lushly shot with an almost Malick-esque appreciation for the magic of nature, and filled with bittersweet humour and a feel for the rhythms of working class life, The Giants is an extraordinary ode to the idleness, adventures and fears of youth. Where: GPAC. Playhouse Theatre. 50 Little Malop St, Geelong. When: July 16 at 8pm. Phone: 5225 1200. INFO: www.gpac.org.au IM]PRESS[IVE: Printmakers from the Geelong Region: Keren Zorn Man One
INFO: www.grlc.vic.gov.au
Beth Nott Patrick & Patricia
IM]PRESS[IVE and Life] [Still Life – Metropolis Gallery
HAIRSPRAY! THE CAPITAL – BENDIGO Presented by Bendigo Theatre Co Inc. It’s 1962, the ‘50s are out and change is in the air. Baltimore’s Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, has only one passion - to dance. She wins a spot on the local TV dance programme, ‘The Corny Collins Show’ and, overnight, is transformed from outsider to irrepressible teen
celebrity. But can a trendsetter in dance and fashion vanquish the programme’s reigning princess, win the heart of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a television show without denting her ‘do? Only in Hairspray! Welcome to the 1960s! Where: The Capital Theatre, 50 View Street, Bendigo, 3550. When: July 5-14. Phone: 5434 6100. EMAIL: thecapital@ bendigo.vic.gov.au
SPACIAL AFFECTS – Quirk Gallery Geelong’s newest space for art, Quirk Collective Design & Space, will celebrate its first major exhibition with the opening of a group show by three Geelong-based art photographers, Spatial Affects, on Friday 7 June until Sunday 4 August. The exhibition features works by Phil King, Jordan Bollen and Beth Nott. All three originate from the Geelong region, but they are all also art
photography graduates of the highly acclaimed Photography Studies College in Melbourne. All three artists have been awarded by the College and/or the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers for their achievements. That they have earned that recognition is evident in both the conceptual development and quality of this body of work, which captures the emotional affects aroused by the spaces they work in: natural and rural landscapes, commercial estates and
industrial wharves. They each approach the topic in very different but equally engaging ways, creating a group output which appeals to a wide range of viewers. Quirk’s gallery director, Róża Marciniak, is enthusiastic about the new exhibition: “From conception Quirk has been developed with an ethos of supporting and promoting local creative talent. We have built the retail store with that focus, and I am pleased to be able to now carry that through to the gallery
space. These three artists are outstanding examples of the wealth of talent and creativity in Geelong, and I am excited to be able to showcase their work at Quirk”. Where: Quirk Collective Design & Space, 85 Pakington Street, Geelong West. When: June 7August 4. Phone: 5229 9930. Info: Open Monday, Wednesday to Friday 10-5, and Saturday 9-5. www.quirkgallery. com.au EMAIL: info@ quirkgallery.com.au
In the front gallery, IM]PRESS[IVE: Printmakers from the Geelong Region presents an impressive lineup of local artists who have an established printmaking practice: John McClumpha, Sue Ernst, Alex Game, Janet Goldman, Anita Iacovella, Debra Jackson, Rhondda Millen, J. Gaye Nieuwenhof, Laura Osborne, Robyn Sandford and Keren Zorn. Artists’ edition prints have always been an exciting and popular medium of expression for artists and widely collected by an appreciative public for their inherent qualities coupled with affordability. In the back gallery, Life][Still Life: Linda Robertson & Raja Norzlipah brings a classical approach to drawing and painting. Linda Robertson has worked with the figure in pastel and charcoal for many years. Her drawings have an influence of the Italian Renaissance, Edgar Degas and workshops she has taken with contemporary Australian artist Godwin Bradbeer. Raja Norzlipah’s contemporary realist, still life paintings are inspired by artists like Caravaggio and Rembrandt, based on a traditional style of oil painting using the rich and dramatic ‘chiaroscuro’ (light-and-shade) approach to create powerful and moving paintings with balance and harmony: simple objects based on culture, memories, and life experience contrast in form and space, bringing warmth, comfort and intimacy to these everyday corners of life. “My aim is to present the audience with an emotional experience when viewing each of my paintings”. Where: Metropolis Gallery, 64 Ryrie Street, Geelong, 3220. When: July 5-July 20. Open 9-5.30 Mon-Fri; 10-4 Sat. Phone: 5221 6505. INFO: All works can also be viewed online at www.metropolisgallery.com.au EmaiL: robert@metropolisgallery.com.au
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
41
BURNING By Tex Miller
ART – By Yasmina Reza HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE, BALLARAT …a remarkably wise, witty and intelligent comedy... ‘Art’ has touched a universal nerve. The Times Friends. You love them but sometimes you just can’t understand them. Especially when they do something completely unexpected ... something that makes you wonder how they ever became your friends in the first place. Serge has bought a modern painting for a huge sum of money. His best friend, Marc, hates it. Marc can’t believe that any friend of his could possibly want such a thing. Enter Yvan – the mutual friend, the gobetween, the meat in the sandwich. The question is: Are you who you think you are? Or are you who your friends think you are? A hit in the West End, Broadway and all around the world. Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre,17 Lydiard Street South, Ballarat, 3350. When: July 5 at 8pm Phone: 5333 5888. INFO: www.hermaj.com
42
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
QDOS ARTS MASTER CLASS Series 3 day painting course with Rimona Kedem Tapping the creative well. The leap from expression to inspiration This exciting exploration into paint and mind, offers ten lucky students the opportunity to focus on developing new directions. Day 1: The anatomy of creation: mind and emotion Rimona shows how limitation and the inability to deal with reality can be used as a springboard into the imaginative realm. She discusses how our prohibited thoughts and the disowned aspects of self that are stored in the subconscious block our creativity but also inform its release. Drawing on animation she shows how images can be dressed and undressed as they morph from one form into another. We end by looking at the psychological response to creativity - how it helps us take the leap towards freedom and gives us the courage to step out of the box. Day 2: The artist in context: society, culture and economy On the second day we look at the profound impact that society and culture have on the artist both in the development of the self and its expression. In particular, Rimona addresses the problem
of the modern approach to the ‘idea of the absolute’. Starting with the earliest known Paleolithic paintings in the Altamira caves of Spain through to modern-day artists, we will examine the impact of convention on the development of artistic styles. Day 3: The leap to inspiration: dreams and other tools The final day of the workshop considers the many tools we can use to stimulate the creative juices and make the leap to inspired self-expression. Rimona examines the importance of dreams for influencing the direction of our lives. Drawing on the works of filmmakers such as Burton and Bellini, Rimona shows how by allowing ourselves artistic license we can break through the limits of conditioning and use the material of our daily lives as art. Where: Qdos Arts. 35 Allenvale Road, Lorne, 3232. When: July 2, 3, & 4. Times: 9.30-4. Phone: 5289 1989. INFO: All materials are to be supplied by the participant. Cost: $600 for three days including a gourmet lunch with the artist each day, free morning and afternoon tea or coffee. For Treehouse Accommodation specials at Qdos, see Packages & Specials. For booking please call 52891989 to reserve your place. Bookings require a 50% deposit. www.qdosarts.com
Burning, the latest production for local theatre company Mad As Us, opens at Courthouse ARTS on Friday. Having been thrust into the role of June Matthews, an ex-dancer, when I got the opportunity to speak with Libby Tanner she is both excited and nervous as she talks about one of the hardest theatre roles in her career to date. With three kids and opening night around the corner, time is of the essence as I chat to Libby. “I’ve thrown myself into this play, and I’m just trying to feel her and find a way into her. It’s quite a complex piece that’s beautifully woven. It’s such an interesting language that Verity has used and we keep finding more meaning behind it as rehearsals continue. This production is based on grief, and what I primarily like about it is that whoever is watching the play or listening to the dialogue can relate to the story of June. It’s a moving story, but it’s very challenging at the same time.” Written around ten years ago, Burning has since become a highly acclaimed and awarded production, winning the 2001 Griffin Playwriting Award. The play tackles some challenging themes both physically and mentally throughout the duration, which leads to Libby laughing joyfully and speaking animatedly at the idea of meeting Verity Laughton as we discuss the inspiration of the play’s central themes. “I would love to meet Verity and for her to come and see the play. I haven’t spoken to her, but I’m pretty sure she lost a baby. It’s quite autobiographical because she has written this play for herself – it’s not a mainstream bells and whistles musical and won’t appeal to that demographic. The more you look at it and the more you read it, it can become appealing as you take your own meaning away from it. The inspiration is very personal for her and she needed to write it to stay sane and come out the other end. That pain of losing a child is something that I have never experienced and never want to,” Libby said. Directed by Chris Baldock, who won Best Independent Production at the Green Room Awards for The Laramie Project, Burning is all about the individual’s interpretation and what they take away from it. As the new kid on the block in the theatre world, locally owned and run company Mad As Us are following on from the success of The Elephant Man with Burning. With national and international runs planned for the future, be sure to check this out whilst you can. As a two-time Logie award winner, over the past
decade Libby Tanner has appeared in some memorable television shows including All Saints, Headland and Rescue Special Ops to name but a few. In 2013 theatre seems to be a big part of her life due to the co-ownership of Mad As Us with Stephen Macklin; yet how does she define the success of her career thus far? “Success is different for everything, but I think that it means that I have backed myself enough to still be chipping away at this profession all these years on. I think that is the main advice I’d give to anyone starting out in the industry, to believe in your strengths and what you have to offer regardless of the medium or the profession. Be what you are and don’t compare yourself to anybody else.” When&Where: Courthouse ARTS Theatre – June 28 through July 6
arts news from around town – and beyond!
Diversitat Training
Kasper Raglus This fortnight’s Arts Profile spotlight is on young artist Kasper Raglus. Growing up on Mambo art, Raglus took a trip to California in 2011 which would change the way he saw art forever. Read on to discover a young artist with big dreams and the strong work ethic that will help him realise them. Please introduce yourself to Forte readers and tell us a bit about your background? Hey, I’m Kasper Raglus. I am a young artist from the coast. I dig music, art, cars and wine. Where is it you reside? How has living in that area shaped the art you have come to produce? Currently I live in Aireys Inlet. For me it’s great because there are not too many distractions so I can get a lot of work done, unless the surf is good. I do feel like living on the coast has influenced my style of art because in a way it’s a simple life down here, and I have always loved art that has a direct, simple, yet original feeling or look to it.
always felt like I could draw from an early age but it’s only been in the last couple of years that I have really found my own style and have been prolific with my painting. I find I’m inspired by people that work hard at what they do. For example Keith Haring (the famous New York-based artist); he painted so much and none of his success I believe was a fluke or undeserved. That makes me want to work hard at what I do. If you were listening to someone describe your work, how would you like it to be described? Original, emotional and stimulating. Have you taken part in many exhibitions, displays, shows etc? I think the first time I had a piece in a show was at a group show in Byron Bay with a whole lot of different artists. A few random pieces in group shows since then. Now I have a solo exhibition on at Boom Gallery. What has been your greatest achievement as an artist to date? Definitely my show at Boom Gallery: The fact I had a deadline to have a strong body of work and it all worked, and now I know I can have a solo show and sell my work. It was a big step for me.
What is it you do? Are you a painter, sculptor, photographer etc? I am a painter; mostly paintings, but recently murals and sign painting. Some graphic artwork here and there, but it’s still hand-drawn work as well.
What is it you look to gain from your work? Is it a hobby or are you looking for widespread exposure? I’m looking for a career for sure. But right now I am just focusing on painting. Every day I have new ideas for work so I will just see where it takes me rather than stressing over the future too much.
How did you get into this art form? What has been your inspiration to continue to pursue this art form? Probably because my dad is an artist I grew up with that kind of thing around me all the time. It
Anything you would like to add? Support your local artists!
Where can people go to check out your stuff? My Instagram (@kasperraglus).
Music, Media and Sound If you are interested in pursuing a career in music, media or sound production then look no further than Diversitat Training. Diversitat is enrolling now! Some of Geelong’s finest young performers teach in the music department, including bass player Zac Barter, along with the amazing young jazz pianist Kym Dillon and sax player extraordinaire Ben Anderson. The music curriculum is tapping into the deep reserves of knowledge; like how to solo over chords, using modes, altered scales and odd time signatures. There’s a focus on improvisation using the blues scale. You can get in by having an audition. You don’t need to know too much theory, as we want to teach it to you! Alex Lau, who operates a successful recording studio in Melbourne, trains sound production. Blair Hall, who is another member of our fantastic training team, is also a great musician and live sound expert. Herbert Corona (cameraman, editor and producer) who, along with Bruce Walshe (graphic artist and TV producer), train screen and media courses where you will master software such as Final Cut, Photoshop, Illustrator and After Effects; experience the world of photography, video, editing and motion graphics; work along with models and actors applying special effects and using the green screen in our unique TV Studio, and even producing your own web TV show.
Add them all in to the mix and you get a brilliant team who create an atmosphere that’s always buzzing! In the building we have radio station 94.7 The Pulse broadcasting 24 hours/day, and our studios are always filled with people shooting videos with the green screen, or recording in our 32-track Pro Tools studio, or just editing in our Mac labs. Students can gain a great deal from rubbing shoulders with so many different disciplines and also being exposed to real world situations which we offer. All of our trainers are out there “doing it” in the industry, not just talking about it. Diversitat Training Music Media and Sound is situated at The Pulse Training Facility, 68-70 Little Ryrie Street, Geelong. Enrol now for July 2013 courses: CUF20107 Certificate II in Creative Industries (Media) CUF40107 Certificate IV in Screen and Media CUS40209 Certificate IV in Sound Production CUS50109 Diploma of Music Enrol for February 2014 courses: CUF30107 Certificate III in Media CUF50107 Diploma of Screen and Media CUS30209 Certificate III in Technical Production CUS50209 Diploma in Sound Production Phone (03) 5224 2329 or email training@diversitat. org.au diversitat.org.au/training Geelong Ethnic Communities Council Inc. Trading as Diversitat, RTO 5819.
DRIVER WANTED!
BALLARAT AND CASTLEMAINE AREAS Are you a uni student wanting a regular income? Interested in delivering Forte Mag around the Warrnambool and/or Castlemaine area? Must be fit, reliable and have own car. Email Anton for more details at aballard@fortemag.com.au
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
43
edge
elephant and castle
black hatt
elephant and castle
black hatt
edge
elephant and castle
black hatt
grovedale hotel
grovedale hotel
grovedale hotel
SALES REP REQUIRED AT FORTE MAG. Must have previous sales experience. Email your cover letter and resume to aballard@fortemag.com.au today!
44
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
chinese whispers
the barwon club
chinese whispers
the barwon club
chinese whispers
chinese whispers
beav's bar
cq
the barwon club
cq
the barwon club
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
45
slate pool lounge
the max hotel
slate pool lounge
the max hotel
the max hotel
lambys
geelong rsl
lambys
geelong rsl
46
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
eureka
eureka
eureka
home house
eureka
home house
home house
lambys
lambys
sphinx
sphinx
sphinx
sphinx
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
47
FILM REVIEWS
by anthony morris
The Look of Love Director Michael Winterbottom and actor Steve Coogan have become quite the team since 24 Hour Party People, and their latest film together seems on the surface to be a perfect fit for the both of them: a biopic looking at the life of Paul Raymond, Soho’s king of sin in the 1960s and 70s. But what promises to be a look at the seedy underbelly of Swinging London, with Coogan seemingly perfectly cast as a creepy letch, turns out to be something milder and more tender. Raymond was constantly pushing the boundaries when it came to the naked female form, and while it often got him into trouble with the law, it also made him extremely wealthy. Surprisingly, for this kind of story he spent his money wisely, buying up most of Soho rather than blowing it on drugs and crazy schemes. The film paints him as a ladies’ man who ignored some of his children while doting on his daughter Debbie (Imogen Poots), whom he hoped would follow him into the world of entertainment. But while he was having fun bed-hopping (his wives understood, right up until they didn’t), putting out porn magazines and discovering cocaine, Debbie always seems a little lost, going from unimpressive singer (her dad built a revue show around her that flopped) to producer to drug sponge while her dad hovered over her but did little to help. It’s a surprisingly thin story though, and while it’s perfectly watchable and Coogan’s performance is great, there never really seems to be much depth to either its take on Raymond or what it has to say about the world he moved in. Raymond died the richest man in the United Kingdom, but this film leaves you feeling like this story could have been told about any family man who liked a bit on the side, who favoured some of his kids over others and liked a bit of a night out. But if your grandfather isn’t handy, it might be worth a look.
World War Z Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt), former UN worker turned Philadelphia house husband, goes for a drive with his family only to discover that things are going to hell in a handbasket. That’s right: zombies. And not the shuffling kind either – these guys are fast, and they just infect you with a bite rather than take the time to tear you apart. Scene after scene of escalating mass panic – Gerry actually times how long it takes to turn into a zombie once bit (it’s twelve seconds) – as fleeing crowds are attacked by speeding zombies swiftly builds into a chilling picture of a collapsing society. Those who’ve read the Max Brooks novel this film is based on are most likely scratching their heads at this point. Brooks’ novel was basically a collection of snapshots from a worldwide zombie epidemic, where the page-turning came not from some central character’s struggle to find a cure – yes, once rescued Gerry is sent on an around-the-globe mission to try and find a cure before everyone dies – but from the numerous interesting angles Brooks took on for the idea of a global war against zombies. Traces of this approach remain, most obviously in the idea that Israel would be the only nation on Earth to actually take zombies seriously enough to prepare for them by building giant walls (North Korea seems to have taken a different approach: mass dentistry). But the middle stretch of the film only really has one trick to offer: whether on a military base, in Israel, or aboard an airliner, people think they’re going to be okay – and then the zombies attack. The scenes are still effective enough (the airliner sequence is especially good), but the sense of escalating doom that made the first part of the film so gripping is gone. What’s left is more of the same zombie attacks (though the one on the plane is pretty decent), before a third act that feels like a stealth level in a video game. Actually (and this isn’t exactly an original observation), the whole thing feels very video gamey, which is fine when it works but leaves the film with nothing to fall back on when it doesn’t. It’s a gorefree big budget action movie with zombies; nothing more, nothing less.
Despicable Me 2 One-time super-villain Gru (the voice of Steve Carell) is now a devoted dad to the three little girls he adopted as part of his evil scheme in the first film, and his army of goggle-wearing, packingpeanut shaped minions are happily helping out. So when Gru is tazed by secret agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) and driven off to the submarine base (her car is one of those convertible spy cars, obviously) of the Anti-Villain League, he’s not happy about it. They want him to help them track down the mysterious super-villain who’s stolen a secret formula that turns cute animals into savage purple killers. He says no, but using his super-villain lair to make jam (with jelly a later option) seems a waste of his talents, so soon Gru and Lucy are undercover at the local mall trying to find out which one of the store owners has the formula. Animation-wise this isn’t up there with Pixar on their best day, but the character designs are a good mix of the caricatured (the adults) and the semi-realistic (the kids) and there’s some decent moments of physical character comedy alongside the more standard action sequences. There’s a reason why all the posters for this film ignore the main cast in favour of Gru’s minions. Those bungling, easily amused, not-quite-gibberish speaking little guys pretty much stole the first film, and their background antics are a constant highlight of this one. And this is one of the rare 3D films in recent years to say “hey, forget all that boring subtle 3D stuff with the floating flecks to give the illusion of depth – let’s have things flying out at the audience!” If having a minion blow a party whistle so it unfurls right at you isn’t your idea of a good time at the cinema, you’re dead inside.
After Earth
Monsters University Sadly, it’s time to face a harsh truth: the days when Pixar was Hollywood’s most reliable hit factory are over. Not that there’s anything monstrously wrong with Monsters University, but coming from a studio that once made The Incredibles, Wall-E and Up, this lightweight prequel to the not-all-that-heavy-in-the-first-place Monsters Inc feels like a cash grab. Before they worked at Monsters Inc generating scream energy to power monster civilisation, walking green eyeball Mike (Billy Crystal) and blue hairy hulk Sulley (John Goodman) went to Monsters University to learn how to scare screams out of little human kids. Yes, this is a prequel, and knowing how things are going to end doesn’t exactly improve this film’s generic story. Basically, when Mike and Sulley cross the Dean (Helen Mirren) and get kicked out of scare class, these two – who aren’t exactly the best of friends yet, though you know that’ll change – are forced to team up with a fraternity of losers to try and win the one competition that could put them back on top. Yes, it’s a frathouse comedy, a genre we haven’t seen since The Internship two weeks ago. With a concept wearing thin and a message-heavy script, this really could have used at least twice as many jokes as it has, and it wouldn’t have hurt to make the jokes it does have a whole lot funnier. It has its moments – some nice animation and the growing bond between Mike and Sulley does add a little heart – but this is one sequel that’s far from the original’s equal.
After Earth starts off with a spaceship crash, which is a great way to start a story like this. And then we get a whole bunch of back story that adds almost nothing to the film: in the future everyone left Earth for this other planet, only some aliens the film isn’t interested in didn’t like that so they created these animals called Ursas that can “smell fear” to hunt down humans. The good news is that Ranger General Cypher Raige (Will Smith) overcame both a silly name and his personal emotions to defeat the Ursa via the fear-suppressing method known as “ghosting”. The bad news is that all his fear-suppressing and war-fighting has come at the cost of his relationship with his son Kitai (Jaden Smith). Are we at the spaceship crash? Not yet. It seems Cypher decided to take his Ranger school flunk-out son on a military tour in a clumsy attempt to bond, only their spaceship ran into a meteor shower then made a wrong-way warp jump and crashed on Earth, which is now basically a Death World full of creatures that have evolved to kill humans. After all that we finally get back to the crash, where Cypher’s legs are broken, everyone else is dead, and the only rescue beacon is in the tail of the ship, which broke off in the crash and is a hundred kilometres of thick jungle away. Looks like Kitai’s got a walk ahead of him. This film’s flaws aren’t exactly easy to overlook; for one, this is a film where a chunk of the plot involves someone climbing a mountain trying to get a cell phone signal. Neither of the leads is particularly likable, and though that’s clearly intentional, it’s still a choice that doesn’t exactly help the film. But once it gets going, there’s a surprising amount here that works. Director M. Night Shyamalan – working from a story by Will Smith, so no twist endings – gets the action sequences right and adds some lyrical touches to the occasional moments when Kitai gets to stop running. It still has big problems, but it’s hardly the wreck it’s been made out to be by some.
FILM WRAP Man of Steel Superman’s back, only this time he’s a bit less fun and a bit more angsty in this slightly darker look at the last son of Krypton – well, until General Zod turns up and it’s time for a massive punch-up. The Internship Eight years since Wedding Crashers, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are finally back
48
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
together as two guys who talk a lot of crap. This time they’re battling against people half their age for an internship at Google. (Corporate sponsorship is not subtle here.) Fast & Furious 6 This takes a while to get started, but one the insanity kicks into high gear, this tale of rival gangs of international car-loving
criminals who aren’t afraid to take it out on each other on the endless highways of Europe is about as fun as action movies currently get. The Hangover III Our three heroes (plus the one who always vanishes ten minutes in) are back, and they’re heading back to Las Vegas. Whoo. Rarely has a film title
been more evocative of the feeling it’ll leave you with than this one. Still Mine James Cromwell and Genevieve Bujold are a couple who’ve been married for six decades; she’s getting frail, he wants to build a new house they’ll both be able to live in, the local council doesn’t like the idea, and this is one of
those stories that really could go either way depending on the exact point they decide to wrap things up. Iron Man 3 Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) has issues after all the action in The Avengers, so having to deal with super-terrorist The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) and a sleaze (Guy Pearce) hitting on his girl
(Gwyneth Paltrow) makes for a pretty full schedule. Oh yeah, there’s a bunch of explosions and he flies around a lot in a robot suit. The Croods CGI cavemen have wacky adventures as their world crumbles around them. Kinda like Ice Age, but on land. And with cavemen.
MUSIC REVIEWS
POrPe!
Atolls Hair Machine
cultu By An th on
Gaga Digi A follow-up to their single release ‘Mumble/Water’, Atolls’ Hair Machine EP displays an obvious strengthening of sound. The EP features both tracks from the single, as well as previously ‘solo only’ tracks recorded by Lucas, now backed by a full band with a full pleasing 90’s psych sound. Three new tracks; ‘Worn’, ‘Darkness’ and ‘Words’ give the feeling that Atolls have more confidence in their sound, with a much heavier output sound than “slacker anthem” ‘Mumble’. The raw and psychotic guitar sounds that come through with the new songs, as well as the strength of the rhythm section backing the older ‘solo’ songs, shows a clear transition from the single to EP. The imagery on tracks like ‘Old Rosie’ is particularly strong; when you’re listening to the track you feel as if you’re sitting in front of grandma’s warm fire on a cold winter’s night. Lucas’s echoing vocals are soft and eerie, yet comforting. Something about a delicate voice over such a raw guitar sound is really pleasing to hear. My only criticism of this EP is the amount of overdubbing. This is based purely on personal preference, but something I really love about Atolls is their live shows and the heavy sound they achieve live. Occasionally some of the overdubbed sounds (e.g. acoustic-sounding guitar just before the breakout in words and small synth melody in ‘Old Rosie’) sound a little ‘pop’ for my liking. But who am I to say this isn’t exactly what Atolls were going for. By Xavier Fennell
y M or ri s
It’s a pet peeve of this column, but there’s no better time to bring it up than right now: whatever happened to Australian television comedy? It’s currently school holidays, which is usually a dead period for television ratings, but for the last few weeks before that, there has been a grand total of zero first-run local comedy programs on Australian television – unless you count Adam Hills’s tonight show, which is a tonight show, and the celebrity news panel show Dirty Laundry, which is a panel show. No sketch shows, no news parodies, no sitcoms, no live stand-up specials. Nothing. There are shows to come, of course, even on the commercial networks with the next round of Hamish & Andy’s world adventures, but right here and now? Nothing. Australian comedy’s never been as successful as Australian drama, obviously – largely because a crap drama is still a drama people will watch, while an unfunny comedy is something people will give up on – but while drama is currently going through something of a golden age on our screens, comedy has basically vanished. It could be that in the current television climate comedy and drama now both fall under the heading of “Australian content”, where a dollar spent on one means a dollar less for the other; and if drama can be sold overseas while comedy can’t, well, why waste your money on getting laughs? Shaun Micallef’s made over a decade’s worth of A-grade comedy in this country, but it’s his limp crime series Mr & Mrs Murder that’s been racking up the overseas sales – so much so that it looks like it might be returning for a second season despite not overly impressive ratings here. More likely it’s just that local comedy isn’t exactly going gangbusters ratings-wise. A recent article in the
News Ltd papers listed the twelve biggest ratings duds of 2013, with comedy efforts Tractor Monkeys (which is coming back later this year), The Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knife Fighting, Ten’s panel show Can of Worms and Seven’s Kath & Kim Kountdown all figuring highly. Much as we’ve seen with local drama over the years, a string of duds soon creates a vicious cycle where audiences come to expect local comedy is going to be rubbish, so they either don’t bother tuning in or sit there with their arms folded for a few minutes before dismissing it forever. Hopefully some of the shows coming our way in the second half of the year, when The Chaser and Chris Lilley, as well as the aforementioned Hamish & Andy are due to return, will go some way towards breaking this cycle. But even they can’t last forever (and Lilley’s last show was pretty much a dud), and unless we start to see some bright sparks on the comedy horizon soon, we could be left with, well, the situation we currently have, where shows like Offspring are the closest thing we have to comedy on in prime time. And no offence, but if Offspring is the best we can do for people looking for comedy, then Australian culture is in serious trouble.
Cameron: You ever like something so much you buy it three times? I certainly have. Alan Wake is a supernatural thriller which feels like a Stephen King novel or an episode of the Twilight Zone where they do a crossover with Twin Peaks. It’s exciting, action-packed, funny and most of all, creepy.
In case you’re still wondering what I think about this game, let me remind you that I bought it three times. The first time was for the Xbox, and I loved it. Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly) that Xbox died, and I was so desperate for a replay I bought it on Steam and loved it even more. A few weeks ago it was released in a Humble Bundle along with a bunch of bonus material, and I bought it again so the money could go towards charity – and convincing them to make a sequel. They better make a goddamn sequel. Alastair: So, at risk of alienating our readers (all six of you), I have a confession to make: for the most part, I’m not a fan of the X-Men. There are a few exceptions, of course; I don’t mind Gambit and always-entertaining Deadpool has his roots in the X-Men universe. When the opportunity presented
The Wool Exchange, Geelong Sunday, June 9 On a Sunday night, in front of a meagre Wool Exchange crowd, for just one night, it was 2003 again. And it was good. Following their “oneoff” reunion show last year in their hometown of Adelaide, The Superjesus decided that it would be silly to relearn all of their songs for just one show. And thus the Resurrection Tour was born. Sarah McLeod was the ultimate rock frontwoman, outdoing anyone who had ever set foot on that stage. A ten-year hiatus was nothing to these seasoned rockers, with Ruddy, Henners and Berryman all doing exactly what they do best. From the huge opener ‘Dead Ended’, right through
to the set-closer Shut My Eyes’, the band was on fire. It was like I was fifteen again, watching rage. Absolutely nothing was lost by the band. The encore featured moving performances of fan favourites ‘Second Sun’ and ‘Down Again’; the big hits drew the biggest response, ‘Gravity’ and ‘Secret Agent Man’ being the obvious choices, but again, ‘Second Sun’ was another crowd-pleaser. The support acts, locals Audemia and Jackson Firebird, were both fantastic. I’d especially love to hear more from Audemia in the future. In summation, any number of current Australian acts should get out and see how it’s done, and the fans should get out and see what they’re missing out on. Hopefully this turns into a full-on comeback for the Adelaide band, and one of the great, underrated acts of the late nineties. By Cameron Brogden
James Cotton Cotton Mouth Man If you want to learn the history of the Blues, don’t bother with a library or search engine. Just hit ‘Play’ on this disc and hear it first-hand. One of the last remaining legends of the Sun Records era, Cotton (as he’s known to friends) lived and learnt his craft with Sonny Boy Williamson, going on to play with Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and every blues icon you care to name. He continues to blow up a storm on his favoured Seydel instruments. Producer/drummer Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi) approached Cotton to make this album, recounting his amazing life from cotton fields to world stages. A stellar cast of guests play with the master. Wailing harmonica launches the opening title track, with Joe Bonamassa on guitar; Gregg Allman’s distinctive vocals adorn ‘Midnight Train’. Further along the tracks you might find yourself shouting ‘Have Mercy!’, with vocals courtesy of Ruthie Foster (singing her heart out), Delbert McClinton, Keb Mo and Warren Haynes. Among others along for the ride, Chuck Leavell (Allman Bros Band, Rolling Stones) mans keys from bar room boogie to Hammond-hearted soul. The James Cotton Blues Band is ably fronted by vocalist Darrell Nulisch, guitarist Tom Holland, drummer Jerry Porter and Noel Neal on bass. There are slices of Chicago blues, Delta blues and the evolving threads that gave birth to rock‘n’roll. On ‘He Was There’, Nulisch sings, ‘It’s all true. I ain’t blowin’ hot air / You can’t make this stuff up. James Cotton was there’. The closer, ‘Bonnie Blue’, takes us back to the very beginning: to the plantation Cotton grew up on and back to the very birth of the music itself – down home country ramblings; the ‘meat and potatoes’ sound of two men on a porch. With Colin Linden on Resonator, Cotton blows his harp and tells his tale. Although post-throat surgery stops him singing, he was the only man for the job here, speaking the lyrics with the gentle authority of one who’s been there, done that and relishes it more than ever. “If I don’t feel it, I can’t play it” he declares on the liner notes. Amen to that! By Chris Lambie
>>>>>> By Cameron Urquhart & Alastair McGibbon
One standout feature of this game is its episodic structure. Each chapter of the game opens with a recap of what happened in the last chapter and ends with a song playing over its title card (usually provided by Poets of the Fall, who are super kickass as well).
The Superjesus
Alligator
PULP. This game has all the right ingredients: a small town, an author with writer’s block, a missing wife, creepy townsfolk, and a dark presence looking to work its way into our world. Alan Wake really is one of the finest games I’ve ever played. Not that I’m shocked; it comes from Remedy who are the same company that brought us those fine pieces of hard boiled action-noir Max Payne 1 & 2. I seriously believe Remedy time travelled, saw the brief for Pulp, then went back and made games specifically for me to talk about and love forever.
l i e r e vi ew
l i e r e vi ew itself, I didn’t exactly jump at the chance to read a trade devoted to everyone’s favourite mutton-chopped mutant, Wolverine. Wolverine by Greg Rucka Ultimate Collection is a hefty tome that collects issues 1-19 of Rucka’s 2003 run, and features some impressive artwork from Leandro Fernández (Stormwatch, Punisher MAX) and Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan, The Boys). I knew very little about Wolverine before reading this trade, and apart from knowing who the character was and a vague idea of his powers, I was more or less in the dark. Sure, I’d seen Hugh Jackman’s take on the character, but I never take comic book movies as completely true to their roots. In this case, I’d say Jackman was pretty damn good as Wolverine, if a bit subdued. But I digress. In this storyline, Wolverine witnesses the brutal murder of a young waitress and follows the trail across the country, encountering gun runners, a cult, and a persistent Federal Agent along the way. Is it worthy of the title “Ultimate Collection”? Probably not, but it’s still a damn good yarn. Rucka does a great job, and the artwork gels with the story in a compelling way. It’ll probably be received better by X-Men fans, but I still found it to be an interesting read.
Mikelangelo & The Tin Star (Feat. St Clare). W/ Dan Waters Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine Sat, June 16th Fresh from a gig in The ‘Rat on Friday, Melbourne Muso of the Mighty Quiff, Mikelangelo and band tore it up in the cosy Bridge band room in The ‘Maine. The crowd took time to gather and warm, but once the vibe was clinched, they wouldn’t let the purveyors of ‘Surf n’ Western’ go. In fact, we eked an extra 30+ minutes out of ‘em. Dan Waters – he of the fine Americana-style country, and wit as dry as a dead dingo’s dentures – opened proceedings. His story-songs are ‘fer listnin’, with real world lyrics; characters you can see and oddball twists in the tale, among them ‘The Pawn Shop’, ‘Sally’ and ‘Please Break Up With Me’. He later joined the headliners on stage for a couple of tunes. Mikelangelo himself prepared for the evening like a Renaissance Man of Action. Seated at a small table in the empty band room, he dipped pen in inkwell to write out the set lists. Next, he was
standing on a chair to artistically write up the merch info on the dining room blackboard. When show time arrived, the quartet led with their distinctive Spaghetti Western-inspired holler of ‘Ho! Ha! Ho!’ The twanging guitars of Fiete Geronimo Geier and frontman were matched in forthright fashion by Gareth Hill’s bass (and benign, bemused smile) and Pete Olsen on drums. The latter began the set in suit and tie; his rapid-fire delivery was barely contained beneath the deceptively respectable appearance. Sultry songstress St. Clare popped in and out for duets with Mikelangelo, her partner in life and lounge. Highlights included ‘Into the Valley’, Lee Hazlewood’s ‘Lightning’, ‘Balkan Beach Party’ and a cover or two such as ‘Folsom Prison Blues’, which got punters onto the dance floor. It was a tasty mix of instrumental and otherwise, with Mikelangelo trying out lyrics on one that had not been so attempted before. There was tremolo, twang, tight pounding rhythms and romance. The musos were riffing and shredding. The audience was thawing and cheering. The sound was solid. A ginger cat strolled among the lot in relaxed manner. What more could you want on a wintry night in the sticks? They promised to return. By Chris Lambie
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
49
grogwatch You don’t need me to tell you that these are difficult times for the serious drinkers amongst us, but if I don’t tell you we’re going to have an awful lot of blank space on this page so forgive me if I waffle on for a bit here. For a long, long time now, having a drink was a lot like having a smoke, or having a bet, or slapping around your bratty kids: a natural part of life. People didn’t really talk about it because they didn’t need to talk about it – pretty much everyone did it, and if you didn’t, no-one really cared because it wasn’t like you were being forced to do it or anything. It was just an option that was available to you as an adult member of society. But these days having a drink remains exactly like having a smoke, or having a bet, or slapping around your kids – now it’s everyone else’s business and they don’t like you doing it one little bit. Which, they’d argue, is fair enough: if your actions have an effect on others, then it’s only fair that others have the right to express their opinions about your actions. And it’s not like we haven’t come up with new stupid things to do to replace smoking and drinking and gambling. Watching MasterChef is just as pointless, only noone gets hurt until you try to cook the crap they’re making in your own home. Only problem with that argument is that I happen to like drinking vodka and gin, while I find watching MasterChef to be a painful and boring experience ... which means it’s more like drinking red wine. Of course, the real problem with our increased social awareness of the problems of drinking is ... actually … let me back up here a second… I’ve been assuming that you, dear reader, by virtue of the fact that you’re reading this, also occasionally check out the various newspapers published in this part of the world. Why I’d assume that I don’t really know; I guess the thinking is that if you’re reading this you’ll pretty much read anything. But just in case you haven’t been reading anything but Forte, here’s a quick
summary of what you’ve been missing: dozens of stories banging on about how dreadful alcohol is. If it’s not drunk thugs bashing people, it’s calls by doctors to raise the drinking age to 21, or shock over lax liquor licensing laws allowing “beer barns” to open, or medical reports saying no dosage of alcohol is safe, or calls to double the price of booze to force people to cut back, or studies revealing that teenagers are wrecking their brains by hitting the piss early or, ... well, you get the idea. And this has been going on for a few years now; week after week of news making alcohol sound like Hitler’s toxic ball juice squirted into the innocent heart of our otherwise perfect society. And why? My theory is that the health industry that started up when cigarettes turned out to be deadly is looking around for something easier to tackle now that there’s no soft targets left in the battle against secondhand smoke (once you’re banning people from smoking inside their own cars, that war’s pretty much been won), but it’s just a theory. The facts remain obvious: for whatever the reason, we’re currently seeing an awful lot of negative press being aimed at the humble bottle of booze. All together now: Awww. It’s not like the people sternly warning us against the evils of drink don’t have their own agendas, by the way. Take the police. Sure, they’re the people on the front lines when it comes to tackling drunks, but guess what? That’s their job. If the National Organisation of Dentists held a press conference to say: “hey guys, lay off the sugar, it’s putting holes in your teeth”, there’s a very good chance you’d never hear about it on the news – even though they have a perfectly valid point. Why? Because a) it’s not news, and b) people like sugar. Yet when some top cop comes out with “our streets are full of drunks on Saturday night”, that gets on the news? Guess what?! a) it’s not news, and b) people like booze. More importantly, dealing with drunks might be crappy and horrible, but that’s part of the job of being a police officer. I’d love to be able to go on the news and say: “c’mon guys, part of my job is boring and horrible, stop being dicks so I don’t have to do it”, but I have enough trouble
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
Thing is, these days – thanks no doubt in part to the success the anti-smoking movement has had with using passive smoke as a way to get smoking out of public life (if smoking only harmed the smoker, it’d be difficult to make laws against it past making sure smokers knew what they were in for, but once it’s a risk to others you can ban it from pretty much everywhere – anti-drinking advocates such as the previously mentioned police are talking up not only the personal risks of drinking, but the risks that come from just being around drunk people. You can’t walk the streets at night because drunks are spoiling for a fight, night clubs are
Tony “finally found those bottles of Absolut 100 I was after last issue, so big thanks to Aaron” Montana
Who is your favourite sports team?
VOX
50
So what have we learned so far? Society has double standards? OMFG, say it ain’t so! Birthday parties, office parties, family gettogethers – they’re the few occasions these days where drinking is still seen to be kinda sorta okay to get up to, and why? Because they’re socially acceptable reasons to be drinking. Again, way to duh up a subject. Of course they’re socially acceptable, that was covered in the “seen to be kinda sorta okay” bit of the sentence before – way to underline; you get paid by the word you lush. But the reason why they’re currently socially acceptable is because they’re SOCIAL: you’re together with other people, so of course you need a drink because how else could you be expected to stand to be around other people? Yeah, stick with me, I’m going somewhere with this, cause we’re back to double standards time. Traditionally, drinking alone is seen as a sign of a problem drinker, because if you were drinking alone then, well, you had a drinking problem. Seriously, I’ve never understood this logic; you can get just as drunk with mates as you can solo, and if you really want to get blind all the time it’s not hard to find people to do it with. But traditionally solo drinking has been seen as “bad” drinking, so let’s just go with that. Crazy tho it is.
death traps, and so on. So what we’re going to start to see – again, if smoking is any guide – is a gradual shift in the way drinking in groups is seen. If drinking is bad because of the harm it could do to you, well, you’re an adult, it’s your choice; but if drinking becomes “bad” because of the harm you could do to others, then drinking around others starts to become bad in itself. The drunken work party isn’t exactly universal these days anyway, and they’re working hard to make New Year’s Eve is a safe family-fun evening rather than an interesting booze-fuelled grown-up event. You don’t have to look too closely to see there’s already a hint of disapproval in the way those Spring Carnival drunks are covered in the media too. Give it a few years and the daylight exemption currently enjoyed by the races will be gone; the calls to stamp out the drunken behaviour of racegoers will reach fever pitch, and much like drinking at the footy or cricket, drinking at the races will become a thing of the past. As will drinking in any kind of group at all really, as a grim future descends where taking a drink of any kind of alcohol in the presence of another human being becomes seen as exactly the same as blowing cigarette smoke directly into their face. Drinkers will become isolated; shifty figures much like smokers are today, scurrying home with their booze and only drinking indoors where their filthy habit is marginally tolerated simply because there they’re not going to lunge out of a doorway and Bundybash a pensioner. So how can we avoid this horrible nightmare? Buggered if I know. I do pretty much all my drinking by myself anyway so it’s not like it’s going to be a problem for me. Probably be a good thing really; those pissed bogans at the races give me the shits.
QUESTION:
THE FORTE
POP
with workplace bullying as it is. “But what about drunken violence, Tony”, you say in a stern voice. We already have that covered – it falls under “regular violence”. If you’re violent, being drunk isn’t an excuse in 2013: you’re still violent. So why bring booze into it? Put another way, why should the loads and loads of people who can handle their booze be made to suffer because there’s a handful of violent idiots out there who can’t? There are a handful of idiots who drive too fast and crash their cars; the police seem perfectly okay with telling people not to speed rather than flat out saying regular non-speeding folks shouldn’t be allowed to drive.
Sean Mackin
Tom Burlinson
Eso
Tane
Andrew Higgins
(Yellowcard)
(Singer)
(1/2 of Bliss N’ Eso)
(Solo Singer)
(King of the North)
The Denver Broncos
Collingwood Magpies
LA Lakers
Essendon Bombers
Port Adelaide
SIDE SHOWS
ON SALE
NOW!
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
MON 29 JUL THE CORNER FIDLARMUSIC.COM
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
BLEEDING KNEES CLUB
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
MON 29 JULY. NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB.
THU 25 JULY PALACE THEATRE
palmaviolets.co.uk
DEBUT ALBUM FIDLAR OUT NOW
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS CLUBFEET
FRI 26 JUL THE CORNER WITH SPECIAL GUESTS DELTA RIGGS
WITH JEREMY NEALE AND THE HARLOTS
SAT 27 JUL THE TOTE
WED 24 JUL THE CORNER
Presented by Secret Sounds by arrangement with WME
SURFER BLOOD’S NEW ALBUM PYTHONS OUT NOW surferblood.com
everything-everything.co.uk
deapvally.com | secret-sounds.com.au
FOR TICKETING INFO VISIT SECRET-SOUNDS.COM.AU
FORTEMAG.COM.AU
51
52
FORTEMAG.COM.AU