Forte #606

OSwpeeeciakl 2015

ISSUE #606

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all our exes live in texas “It’s pretty funny given the turn of events!” pg.25

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Yeah Boy In Another Paddock There have already been some announcements regarding Groovin the Moo sideshows, with Charli XCX, One Day and Carmada among those stretching out the good times. Charli (pictured) will take in The Corner on May 1, where she will be joined by Tkay Maidza.

Hip hop collective One Day hits The Prince on May 1, where they will be joined by MC Briggs and Jayteehazard.

And electronic duo Carmada hits up The Corner on May 23.

I Need to Sleep Progressive prog-rockers sleepmakeswaves have announced their biggest headlining run to date in support of Love of Cartography. Australia is not alone when it comes to the tour, with the Sydney outfit set to perform over 55 dates in 22 countries from March through June. Their latest album was nominated for ARIA, AIR and J Awards. The Hi-Fi – June 12. Bonus points: Cartography is the art of taking photographs from cars.

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Don’t forget that the B-Boy World Champion tour is coming to Australia for a very cool five-date run. In conjunction with the UK B-Boy Championships, the B-Boy World Champions tour is the first of its kind in Australia. The show will feature eight of the world’s best representing their countries in a series of group and head-tohead battles. The event kicks off at Melbourne’s Hi-Fi on April 29.

Shadow Electric Cinema Throughout its 2015 season, the Shadow Electric theatre will host over 60 sessions, including three ripping music features to see out their 2015 run.

Björk: Biophilia Live will screen on February 26; Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense will screen on March 1; and A Hard Day’s Night will screen on March 19. All screenings take place at Melbourne’s Abbotsford Convent.

Hit shadowelectric. com.au for more.

Nickelback Beefs Up Nickelback are winning one of the lamest

musical wars of all time, adding further dates to their tour. Bassist Mike Kroeger: “Australians have an insatiable musical appetite and are among the best fans in the world. I’ve played some of my favourite shows there and always look forward to making it back.” Melbourne gets a double dose, with the band hitting the Rod Laver Arena on May 16.

Dear John…

According to my dad’s brother, Robert, a sequel to John Wick is “in development right now”.

Co-directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch are currently in the process of coming up with ideas as to why audiences would like to spend a little more time with Dear John. Made for a reported budget of $20 million, the movie has quadrupled that figure in takings.

I just hope they call it John Wick II: In the Wick of Time.

I Offer These Musings Drones is the name of the forthcoming new Muse album, with the band recently revealing the latest titbit through Instagram. Matt Bellamy has previously spoken about the album, saying: “I have this

strong feeling that the next album should be something that really does strip away the additional things that we’ve experimented with on the last two albums, which is electronics, symphonics and orchestral work and all that kind of stuff.”

Might as Well Jump Van Halen and David Lee Roth go together like, well, Van Halen and David Lee Roth, and at the end of next month you’ll be able to get your sweaty little hands on the first Van Halen live album to feature Mr Air Splits. Tokyo Dome Live was recorded on June 21, 2013, during the band’s A Different Kind of Truth tour.

All the big songs are there, including ‘Jump’, ‘Runnin’ with the Devil’, ‘Panama’ and ‘Hot for Teacher’.

Who Likes Sports?

Stephen Cummings recently made the announcement that he is reforming The Sports. In a Facebook post, Cummings said that he will be joined by founding members Martin Armiger and Andrew Pendlebury for two very special shows at Memo, the new venue tucked behind the Caravan Club and Flying

Saucer Club, on May 8 and 9. James Black, Peter Luscombe and Mark Ferry will make up the rest of the band.

A Smidge of Midge Midge Ure has lined up a few Aussie dates this April. Following several musical endeavours, Ure, along with Brian Currie, decided to resurrect Currie’s former band, synthpop outfit Ultravox. Between 1980 and 86, the band secured seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK. He has also had a solo career stretching back to 1985. 2014’s Fragile is his latest.

Shoppingtown Hotel, Doncaster – April 11.

Downton Abbey Signs Off According to reports, popular British series Downton Abbey will finish up after its sixth season. The cast is apparently keen to try their hand in the US. Dan Stevens, who played Michael Crawley, has made his move, starring alongside Liam Neeson in A Walk Among the Tombstones. However, writer Julian Fellowes will jump straight into a new series called The Gilded Age, a series which takes a look at 19th century New York.

Astro Boy, Oh Boy According to The Hollywood Reporter, Astro Boy is getting the live-action treatment.

Australian production company Animal Logic Entertainment is teaming up with Japan’s Tezuka Production for the feature, which is still in very early stages at the moment. That is, producers are still on the hunt for writers and there is no director attached. What does that really mean anyway? The bigger question is: Is the world ready for a live-action Astro Boy?

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George R.R. Martin Strikes Again

A Peek at the Valley Silicon Valley has dropped the trailer for its highly-anticipated second season. While the first season was only eight episodes, it was more than enough to earn a substantial fan base – as well as four Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination. Season two premieres in April. Hopefully for local fans of the show it will be one of those ‘screened within hours of screening in the US’ deals.

Won’t You Be My Neighbour?

So, Neighbors 2 is happening – released as Bad Neighbours out this way – and Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne are returning for more crazy shenanigans. Others will return, too, including writers Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O’Brien.

Neighbors was the top-grossing comedy of 2014, making close to $270M worldwide. At this stage it looks like it is getting a 2016 release date.

In news that is in no way surprising at all, another George R.R. Martin work is heading our way. In the Lost Lands, published as part of female-centric short-story anthology Amazons II, will be directed by German helmer Constantin Werner, who also adapted the stories. At the time of writing it appears that Milla Jovovich will take the lead role. Jovovich is arguably best known for the Resident Evil franchise, though in my heart she will always be Leeloo.

Well Excuse Me, Princess It would seem that Netflix is behind a live action version of Zelda. Well, maybe, but then again maybe not. To make it as sweet as possible, Netflix is Link-ing (thank you) up with Nintendo. Whether or not this is just a big ol’ rumour that will inevitably crush the hearts of gamers is something we’ll have to wait and see. It probably doesn’t help that a Nintendo spokesperson said the company “doesn’t comment on rumours and speculation”. We’ll see.

Behold the Executioner The filming for the new Kurt Sutter vehicle, The

Bastard Executioner, will begin next month. There is a fair bit of excitement about his new show, especially since Sons of Anarchy has wrapped up.

Sons of Anarchy queen bee Katey Sagal will play a role. The Bastard Executioner will focus on a knight who leaves King Edward III’s army after the horrors of war become too much to bear.

Stand By Sam Smith Thing have been going pretty well for young, soulful singer Sam Smith – minus the whole Tom Petty thing, of course.

His debut, In the Lonely Hour, has been selling by the truckload, and now a second album is on the way. Speaking with The New York Times, he said: “This will be the most honest thing I’ve ever written in my entire life. It’s about my mom and dad splitting up, and it’s going to be even more honest and even more brutal.”

A New Death In 1971, brothers Bobby, David and Dannis Hackney formed the proto-punk power band Death. The band broke up in 1977 to move on to new ventures. Then, in 2009, Chicago-based label Drag City unearthed their 1976 album …For the Whole World to See. It’s

all captured in the doco A Band Called Death, should you choose to learn a little more. Anyway, in April the band will release N.E.W. – their first album since the 1970s.

Robotech Takes Shape Deadline Hollywood broke the news that the much talked about (but much-stalled) Robotech has finally been greenlit. The latest news is that Hollywood Gang producers Gianni Nunnari and Mark Canton (300 and 300: Rise of an Empire) are behind the project, while G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra screenwriter Michael Gordon is in the writer’s seat. Who’s your money on to star?

Rolls Bayce Rollin’ Along The lads that comprise Brisbane’s Rolls Bayce are discovering it’s a nice thing to be loved. NME and Rolling Stone have both thrown kisses their way, while triple j isn’t averse to give ’em a spin. They dropped their self-titled EP in November, with singles ‘Don’t Get Me Wrong’ and ‘On My Own’ receiving the most attention. With their debut long-player due for release in 2015, the band is hitting the road. The Curtin – April 16. [Photo: Jon Baginski]

Robot Darwinism It has been over a decade since BattleBots ended its run, but it is back.

ABC has picked up a sixepisode run, which will have a greater emphasis on the design and build of the robots, as well as the backstories of those who create them.

Separate weight classes have been eliminated to make things a little more interesting. For those unfamiliar, BattleBots pitted remote-controlled robots against each other in an arena combat elimination tournament.

Babaganouj Can’t Stop More Brisbane goodness is coming our way, with Babaganouj set to raise heartbeats with their catchy new single ‘Can’t Stop’. And there’s just about no stopping this band. They have enjoyed the Blurst of Times tri-city mini-fest and made an appearance at the inaugural Palms Invitational Mates Festival, while supporting the likes of The Coathangers, Veruca Salt and The Lemonheads along the way. Grace Darling Hotel – April 17. [Photo: Alex Bowler]

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All Our Exes Live in Texas FEATURE STORY Written By Amanda Sherring

While you might hate to admit it, there are times in life when your closest friends know what’s best for your life. In the case of the girls from All Our Exes Live in Texas, they can thank their friend for even existing.

“A friend of ours was putting on a gig and he just booked us and said, ‘I think you four should start a band’. So he booked us and we had to think of a name and start learning how to play our instruments,” Hannah says.

“Georgia had never played a mandolin before and she had to go and buy one. So we actually did it for that one gig, then had the best time and decided to keep on doing it.”

Beyond that even the connections within the group before they formed almost seemed as if the world was pushing for Hannah Crofts, Elana Stone, Katie Wighton and Georgia Mooney to form a band. “It’s pretty funny given the turn of events,” Hannah adds with a smile.

What Hannah hints to is her friendship with Georgia after studying together at university in Perth, then Elana being friends with Katie and also Hannah’s singing teacher.

“I used take the train out to Elana’s house and get lessons and I just fell in love with her,” she says.

Fair to say it was the friend in need covering an empty spot at a gig that started the band, but having Elana bring them all together in the first place certainly helped and there

surely wouldn’t have been too many signs left to tip them over the edge of starting a band together.

Since forming it seems the universe has been in their favour, with a successful – and extensive – tour completed last year in support of their new single ‘Tell Me’, with fans rocking up to places they could barely point out on a map.

“It was so surprising because it’s the longest tour we’d ever done as a band. I guess we just weren’t even expecting anyone to come because we’d never been to any of these places,” she says.

“We did lots of rural Australia and doing these gigs people were turning up and we were like, ‘Who are you all what are you doing here?’ But that was a really nice surprise, like Adelaide. I’d never been to Adelaide before but all these people showed up which was really exciting to me.”

Keeping with the good vibes of the bands creation and history, they’ve had many established musicians – whether

from past friendships or new connections – help them out in their career.

“Megan Washington just came down to one of our gigs, because she’s good friends with Elana, and from that asked us to do that tour with her,” Hannah says.

“So most of our stuff has just been people being like, of course we’ll help you come on tour with us or play at this show, which has been really nice.”

Look up their hit single ‘Tell Me’ on

YouTube and you’ll see a similar trend with Phil Jamieson (Grinspoon), Jake Stone (Bluejuice), Lawrence Leung (Offspring) and Jackson Gallagher (Home and Away) starring as the exboyfriends of the girls in the clip.

Still new to the music scene Hannah faced an internal challenge when meeting Phil Jamieson for the first time.

Being a big fan there were a few blunders and, while she may

have felt awkward looking him in the eyes again afterwards, she thoroughly enjoyed working with him and the rest of the group in the clip and was grateful for them even getting on board the idea.

“Lawrence is the most amazing one because none of us had met him before and I just sent him a cold email, out of the blue, and said ‘Hey do you want to be in our video clip as one of our ex boyfriends?’ and he just wrote back and said

‘Yeah, my brother lives in Sydney so I’m happy to pay for my flights and everything. You don’t have to worry about doing anything I’m just happy to be in it’. So he just flew up and did it,” she says.

Given they only formed a few years ago the list of musicians they’ve worked with is a highly impressive one, but is there anyone Hannah was wishing to add to the list?

“There’s this guy called Shakey Graves from the US, he’s coming over here

this year and I’ve been sending him fan mail for a couple of months. I’m a bit crazy and think we’ll get married if we meet,” Hannah adds before a burst of laughter.

“I’ve been very professionally sending him fan mail. But he is just my dream person to work with, and to marry and have children.”

Even if nothing eventuates from the

emails to Shakey, the band can distract themselves with an upcoming performance at Port Fairy Folk Festival over the long weekend in March.

With acts like Sinead O’Connor – who Hannah lists as someone she’ll be trying to see – Buffy Sainte-Marie and Marlon Williams there’s plenty of quality acts to get excited about.

When&Where: Port Fairy Folk Festival – March 7, 8 & 9

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San Cisco Written by Amanda Sherring

After releasing their debut in 2012 they played Groovin the Moo festival in the same year and now three years later will be releasing their sophomore with a performance at the festival to share their new tracks. It may seem like the band have come full circle, but there’s been a lot of growth in those few years and if anything, it’s a good comparison of how much the band have changed.

“I feel like our songs are more mature now and we play a lot tighter too,” bassist Josh Biondillo says.

“I think we’ve really moved forward as musicians and it just feels better playing live. I think with the new songs too it’s made it a lot more fun for us and we’re all a lot more interested now.”

In addition to the hit song ‘Awkward’ this year the band will bring with them 12 more new songs to play with, and the promise that the quality of each track supersedes all past releases.

Lead singer Jordi Davieson remarked in past interviews that they weren’t fully prepared for the recording process of the first album, but Josh assures me that this time around things were very different.

“I think this time we had a lot more time up our sleeves to really sit down and do things the way we wanted to do them. We kind of came off tour and there were no gigs coming up so we could really take the time to set up the studio and work at our own pace,” he says.

While Josh admits to loving the studio a little bit more than the stage, confessing a love for “sitting down and nutting things out”, he can’t deny that in front of the crowd is where the band really feels at home.

“That’s where we shine and where we get the most energy from what we do,” Josh says. “Obviously the reaction we get from people all across the world when we perform is quite refreshing.”

And they’ve certainly travelled around the world, as the past three years has seen them perform to crowds in America, Europe and the UK. Though they are yet to return to America where they can all appreciate the nightlife – legally and together.

With all the overseas

exposure and influence the band have had, it’s nice to see things brought a bit closer to home, as their new album cover for Gracetown features a painting of a friends beach house where they spent a lot of time refining their skills.

“It’s a place that we’ve spent a lot of time and had some fun times at,” he says. “The owner of that house has had a lot to do with our career, he’s always leant us instruments and helped us out. So it’s really good to pay it back.”

With acts like Ball Park Music, Charli XCX and The Preatures also on the bill, this years GTM seems to be just as good as 2012’s if not better, all that’s left is for the next ‘Awkward’ to slip from the new album to singa-long to at their set.

When & Where: Groovin’ the Moo, Bendigo Showgrounds – May 2

British India Written by Abbey King

Last year was a pretty big year for Melbourne band, British India. The guys put the finishing touches on their fifth album, played one of the biggest shows of their career to date opening for The Rolling Stones and released their debut single from upcoming album Wrong Direction, which landed number 83 spot in this year’s Hottest 100. I spoke with lead singer and guitarist Declan Melia about the upcoming release and the busy year ahead.

“We kind of dared ourselves to believe it would be okay, I think we wouldn’t have been surprised if it hadn’t worked out. So it was a nice start to the year, it kind of bodes well for what we’re trying to do this year,” he smiles.

“I don’t want to brag or anything but I added it up and it’s our seventh one in the Hottest 100.”

He is right, the guys have managed seven entries in seven years, having previously produced hits such as ‘Tie Up My Hands’, ‘I Said I’m Sorry’, ‘Vanilla’ and ‘I Can Make You Love Me’ to name just a few. The band released the second single from the upcoming album, ‘Suddenly’ a fortnight ago and Declan says so far the response has been quite positive.

“The response has been really good, it’s kind of hard to gauge. It’s like trying to read animal entrails and bird flight patterns with things like Twitter and Facebook and what people say on the radio about it

and what friends say about it. But it’s all been really positive - the real zest of the song will be when we get to start playing it live,” he says.

The new album, titled Nothing Touches Me is due for release on March 13 and was partly recorded in Berlin and partly in Melbourne and according to Declan, the change of scenery was vital to the success of the recording.

“We really loved it, someone pointed out that it really felt like, between the four of us, that we were exactly where we needed to be at the right time. In a way that kind of hadn’t happened since our first record in Sydney,” Declan says.

“It was just a really cool experience, I’d been to Berlin before but only really briefly. We were all

getting along, all locked in the same kind of headspace, it’s a really cool city and conducive to rock and roll!”

The band will be in Geelong for the annual Pako Festa after party for the Bannockburn Football and Netball Club’s fundraiser at Geelong West Town Hall on Pakington Street on Saturday February 28.

“We’ll be there from the start I think and playing towards the end, so we’ll be there hanging out and getting a feel for the place before we play, no doubt,” he says.

“It’s just going to be really well timed, because I think by then, ‘Suddenly’ would have sunk in a bit more and we will really be chomping at the bit to play a bunch of new songs, so it will be a really good showcase for the new record and there’s songs we never get tired of playing so they’ll be in as well. But as usual with any British India show, it’s not really about playing a showcase in perfect virtuosity, it’s about letting your hair down and having a party, getting sweaty and going crazy!”

It makes playing to audiences a little awkward at times, yet we encourage the nonbearded to come to our shows,” he says.

“If they can sit through an hour and a half of finely crafted beard related propaganda anthems, we’re convinced they will change their opinions by the end of the set. We present

compelling arguments throughout our songs. We set out to change people’s opinions about beards and all across the world now there is a beard revolution.”

Over the next two months (March-May) the band are set to tour around the country with their new album The Beard Album. Entitled the Strokin’ My Beard tour, this run of shows is quite possibly the biggest tour the band has done, taking parts in all states of the country and even with a show in Alice Springs.

“This is the first time that we are playing in Australia for 2015 having toured throughout Europe all last year and we are darn excited to be back again. You could be forgiven for thinking that after 10 years of singing about beards we have run

out of inspiration. You would be dead wrong though!

We have never been more serious about singing about beards and our beards are longer than ever before and we can’t wait to take the bearded message to the people.”

One of the bands most infamous gigs was playing at the world moustache and beard championships in Anchorage, Alaska. As Nathaniel relates, it was a bit of a pinch yourself moment. “It was great being there and in Alaska surrounded by the best beards. I didn’t like the moustache aspect too much though, I must admit. It was a little sad that they were lumping in beards and moustaches together.

Can’t they have their own world championships?”

Put away those trimmers Forte readers, the Beards are headed around the country and you better have your face fuzz in check!

When & Where: Geelong West Town Hall - February 28

Following the album release the band will kick off a big national tour in April, taking with them Adelaide rock outfit - who were recent Triple J feature album stars - The Grenadiers as well as Perth indierockers Tired Lion.

The Beards Written by Tex Miller

In 2005 in Adelaide, having a beard was shunned upon, yet a group of four guys took it upon themselves to turn that ideal around. Now 10 years down the track The Beards are about to celebrate a decade of spreading the good word about the beard to the world. 2015 is year of the beard and when I got the opportunity to speak to Nathaniel Beard recently, he was excited about what 2015 has in store.

“Mate! Let’s just get something straight right from the start of this interview. 2015 is year of the beard and this is a call out to all non-bearded men to rectify their ways. The best way to achieve growing a beard is doing nothing. If there is one message I’d like to get across with this interview, it is quit your job and grow a beard. If that’s not an option, just stay well clear of bearded men this year.

Just take a backseat role in society because it is no longer just about you anymore,” Nathaniel says.

If you have been to a show of The Beards you would have witnessed first hand the awkward situations that come up with clean-shaven men standing at the front of the room. Beard haters as Nathaniel relates are the worst.

“To put it plainly, if someone adamantly doesn’t like beards, then we adamantly don’t like them.

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When & Where: Karova Lounge, Ballarat – March 18, Spirit Bar & Lounge, Traralgon – March 19, Barwon Club, Geelong – March 20 & The Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne – March 21

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ANGUS & JULIA STONE “...the making of this record was really important for us – it changed the dynamic between Angus and myself forever.” pg.65

Sarah McLeod & Mick Skelton In May and June, The Superjesus and Baby Animals will perform a handful of shows under the banner She Who Rocks. It’s safe to say these shows are going to kill it. After all, Sarah McLeod and Suze DeMarchi can rock it with the best of them. There will no doubt be plenty of stories to come out of the tour, but one cool one is that The Superjesus frontwoman Sarah McLeod and Mick Skelton, the stickman for Baby Animals, are getting along pretty, pretty well.

Teaming up for some shows, fans can expect to hear a mix of songs from McLeod’s solo career as well as The Superjesus tunes, plus the odd cover for good measure. Come share the good times at Sutton’s House of Music, Ballarat on February 20.

Zeahorse, of Course Sydney noise-makers Zeahorse have been going about business since 2008, and while their name may not be familiar with some readers, they’ve certainly found a solid following within the underground music scene. The band recently enjoyed a stint in the US, which you can read about on their Facebook page. Here is a snippet: “Within a hundred metres from the motel we’d already encountered a pimp and his (white) ho, dealers slingin’ crack and Latino gangsters complete with authentic crip walk and mean-ass neck tatts.” Their debut album is Pools. The Bridge, Castlemaine – March 5; The Barwon, Geelong – March 6; and Music Man, Bendigo – March 7.

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Victoria Gets Some Sugar Northern Queensland native, Andy ‘Sugarcane Collins’ returns to Victoria with a heap of shows this month.

Sugarcane Collins has had the reputation of being one of our greatest solo-blues exports, having travelled all over America, Europe and Australia. With four albums under his belt Sugarcane brings his blues-heavy performance to Pistol Pete’s Food and Blues, be sure to book as places are limited.

A Bunch of Crooks Oooh, school, huh. Good God ya’ll, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing, say it again. School, whoa, Lord. What is it good for?

Okay, so admittedly it can be good for jamming with mates, which in turn can give us bands like Lepers and Crooks. The Sydney rock five-piece began as a teenage brotherhood, with a bunch of school mates jamming their way across the universe. In 2012, a couple of years after graduating high school, the Lepers and Crooks as we know took shape.

The band has been on the road since the beginning of the year, playing shows wherever people will have them. Warrnambool gets a run this month, with the band set to get cosy with The Loft on February 27.

One Winterbourne Every Minute The musical partnership of James Draper and Jordan Brady, collectively known as Winterbourne, is closing in on ten years.

Finally, in the first half of 2014, we received their debut EP, All But the Sun. Even better, the lads are heading out for their first national tour. Sounds of Oz: “… I instantly ran to my stereo and started the EP again. And again. It reminded me of when I got Sigh No More, that first Mumford & Sons album, and I couldn’t stop listening to it. I’d play it in my home, need to go out and take it to my car stereo, bring it back in with me and whack it on again. Something tells me this EP is going to be much the same.” Beav’s Bar, Geelong – March 12.

Bring Home the Bacon Slow-dance country music is one way Pork Chop Party has been described; horny suicidal music is another. And Anto Macaroni and Pinky Blue are the ragged souls behind it all. Early last year the pair released their debut 7˝ The Suicidal Sounds of Pork Chop Party, a release that came with the unofficial warning: This album contains lethargic genius which may offend some people. They followed it up soon thereafter with Illuminations for Jumpers, Pokers and Chokers. The Castlemaine 30 forte

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duo is set to make local venue The Bridge their home throughout next month, gracing the stage for five super Sunday shows. March 1 kicks things off, while March 29 sees them out.

Hello, I’m Johnny Cash When it comes to music, few names are held in such high regard as Johnny Cash. Daniel Thompson has been doing a fine job of recreating the man’s legend through his show Johnny Cash: The Concert and now he is thrilled to welcome his new show, In Solitary.

Featuring songs spanning Cash’s entire career, In Solitary takes a look at the man he was, the man he became and the legend that has grown since his death in 2003.

Accompanied by longtime friend and collaborator Mike Carr, Daniel Thompson’s In Solitary will be on the road from March through June.

APAC, Ararat – April 30; CPAC, Colac – May 3; The Bridge, Castlemaine – May 15; and The Loft, Warrnambool – May 16.

Blues & Roots Showcase There’s no rest for the wicked. Following another outstanding outing in November 2014, Bendigo Blues & Roots Music Festival is already looking towards its next event.

Putting on a festival is no easy task, so throughout the year organisers run several showcase fundraisers to help with costs. You have an absolute beauty coming up at Bendigo’s Rifle Brigade Hotel on February 22, with Sons of May, Emilee South, Mojo Corner, Marta Pacek, Funk Junkies, Jamie Roberts and Brodie Young among those set to perform. In related news, applications are currently open for the Bendigo Blues & Roots Music Festival 2015. Applications close March 31, so hop to it.

In the Right Kind of Moody There are probably not a whole lot of Australianborn singer-songwriters who have a couple of Juno Awards on their shelf, but Ruth Moody has.

Largely known for her work with The Wailin’ Jennys, Ruth released her debut solo album, The Garden, in 2010. In 2013, she released These Wilder Things, featuring guest spots by Mark Knopfler, Jerry Douglas, Aoife O’Donovan, Mike McGoldrick and John McCusker. She has also been recognised by the USA Songwriting Competition and the International Songwriting Competition. The album features a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing in the Dark’. The Red Room, Ararat – February 25. * Ruth will also be appearing at the Port Fairy Folk Festival.

All Roads Lead to Inca How would you like to experience a festival with a few thousand hundred like-minded festival-lovin’ friends?

Inca Roads is the festival for you. Limiting sales to no more than 650 lucky people, this little festival is something special. However, while they may be little in size, they’re massive in sound. Lining up you have The Harpoons, The Cactus Channel, GL, Sex On Toast, Scotdrakula, Geoffrey O’Connor, Pikelet, Smile, The Pretty Littles, Sunbeam Sound Machine, Hollow Everdaze, Baptism of Uzi, Bel Air, Jonny Telafone, Terrible Truths, The Infants, Contrast, Leisure Suite, Habits, Totally Mild, Milk Teddy, Crepes, The Sand Dollars, Good Morning, Queen Magic, Huon Kind, Cool Drinks, Kalacoma, Dreamcoat, The Scrimshaw Four, Cabbages & Kings, Sleepy Dreamers, Arthur Penn & The Funky Ten, Glaciers, Papa G and The Starcats, XYZ Step, Joe Alexander (Bedroom Sucks DJ) and Joshua Wells (DJ). Would you like me to repeat that? It’s not going to happen, so just read it again. With some 650 enjoying the spoils, this is a festival that will give you bragging rights for a long time. Inca Roads is proudly not-for-profit. For them, it’s all about the fun. Greater Ballarat Region – March 20-22. Further information can be found through incaroads.com.au.

It’s My Party That’s all well and good for you, but I used to rock and roll all night and party every day. Then it was every other day. Now I’m lucky to find half an hour a week in which to get funky. I’ve got to get out of this rut and back into the groove. Don’t we all, Homer? Don’t we all?! In 2010, a bunch of dudes broke free from their rut to form Northeast Party House. Combining the exhilaration of dance music with pop hooks and rock backbone, the band struck gold with their track ‘Dusk’. Since then, fans have been hoping for something with a little more bulk. Produced by band members Sean Kenihan and Malcolm Besley (who has also put his touch on releases by Snakadaktal and The Holidays), Any Given Weekend is their debut. For the release, the band wanted to capture the thrill of their live show. Sean: “Everything has always revolved around our live show. Playing live has always been a very different experience to listening to our (recorded) music. And that’s always been the confusion with us.” The album is an ode to partying – the good, the bad and the ugly. The Workers Club, Geelong – March 21.

One Man Party Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke is heading our way for a solo tour, and in very cool news he is landing in ‘In the Loop’ territory. The tour supports his second album, Trick, released towards the end of last year. Recorded in London and New York the album, the follow-up to 2010’s The Boxer, saw Kele dive headfirst into electronic music, scoring a good chunk of warm press in the process. Speaking with online pop culture magazine PopMatters, Kele gave an insight into the albums new territory: “I started making the album in 2012 while still touring with Bloc Party for Four and having space to work on something so different to what I was doing everyday was a nice kind of counterbalance to me, sonically the opposite of what I was doing at the time …

Making this record gave me more confidence to sing in a lower register. With Bloc Party’s music being so high energy and high strung, my vocals reflected that, so singing in a lower register or a gentler, more masculine tone was something I’d not really done so much.” The majority of Trick’s songs were written at home on an electric piano. The Karova, Ballarat – March 19.

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The Inaugural Forte O Week Address Chances are if you’re reading this you got into your dream course (maybe the second or third on the list) or perhaps you just stumbled across this O Week guide while wasting time on your lunch break, either way, good on you.

Making the decision to further your studies is a big deal and will hugely affect your life, you might as well wave goodbye to another three or so years of your life as well as a nice little mountain full of cash, but with studying at university also comes some pretty great experiences. There’s the opportunity to pursue a career you’ve always dreamed of, knowing that the expected banality of working 9-5 will actually be something you enjoy, you get the chance to meet a whole new range of people with like-minded interests, maybe you’ll decide to travel the world, attend some memorable parties or there’s always the chance you’ll pursue studies beyond just the bachelor degree and get the famed and esteemed title of Dr – a choice here at Forte we thoroughly recommend.

There’s so much on offer at university, not like it’s baby sister high school, and the best experience to be had of university is to get out there and say ‘Yes’ to as many of those opportunities as possible. That’s where our friendly little Forte guide can help you out. We’ve pieced together some sage advice from previous uni-goers, events worth pencilling into your calendar, the pubs and clubs near campus that will see the best and worst of you and a small selection of some of the university clubs worth joining. There probably isn’t anything that can completely prepare you for the next few years but this little guide is one step closer to it becoming a much easier process.

Let’s not forget, going to university can be a daunting thing even if you’ve got a bucket load of friends there to support you and share in on that shitty last minute assignment addition. Someone said that change is as good as a holiday, but it can also be scary as hell.

It’s important to remember that if something doesn’t feel right then maybe it isn’t the best fit for you, though make sure you give time to wear it in. If you’re not enjoying your course then there are plenty on offer to swap between and perhaps something that piques your interest a little bit more. Getting into uni in the first place is the hardest part so making some slight tweaks here and there are well worth it, especially given you’ll have to endure the course for a number of years if you don’t. So make the change early.

But let’s stop talking about the doom and gloom, O Week is the funnest time of the whole year.

There’s free food, free pens, discounts on offer at different shops and it’s all just around the corner. So prepare your minds, and your stomachs, for the best week of your course and the beginning of the best decision of your life.

Here’s to change, even if it causes a few freak outs along the way.

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WELCOME IN SUMMER AT GEELONG’S NEWEST GARDEN BAR

Fine craft beers on tap

The heartiest comfort food

Stonking live music

Great times in the sun

GROVEDALEHOTEL

GROVEDALEHOTEL.COM.AU PHONE. 1300GROVEDALE (1300 476 833) WEB.

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Federation University, Ballarat

s t n e v E Guide!

Mt Helen:

SMB & Camp Street:

Monday, February 23 – Opening Night Music

Monday, February 23 – Opening Night Music

Tuesday, February 24 – Free Pancake Breakfast (outside

Tuesday, February 24 – Free Movie Night

Festival (Albert Coates Complex, 4:30 p.m. ‘til late); library, 9 a.m.), Market Stall Day (outside café, 1 p.m.), Free Movie Night (Regent Multiplex Cinemas, evening and late night screenings), Back to School Party (The Bluestone, 8 p.m. ’til late. Dress in school uniform); Wednesday, February 25 – The Main Event

(Mt Helen Campus, 4 p.m.), Tour of Tradition (refer to the website below for details), Café Crawl (begins at the Pancake Kitchen, 6:30 p.m.); Thursday, February 26 – International Student Leadership

Festival (Albert Coates Complex, 4:30 p.m. ‘til late); (Regent Multiplex Cinemas, evening and late night screenings), Back to School Party (The Bluestone, 8 p.m. ‘til late. Dress in school uniform); Wednesday, February 25 – The Main Event

(Mt Helen Campus, 4 p.m.), Tour of Tradition (refer to the website below for details), Café Crawl (begins at the Pancake Kitchen, 6:30 p.m.).

Further information: federation.edu.au

Luncheon (Albert Coates Bistro Room 1, 12-midday).

Other: Social Media Challenge. Take part to

share in over $2000 worth of prizes.

La Trobe, Bendigo Tuesday, February 24 – Market Day

Wednesday, February 25 –

The O-Week Events Guide is proudly presented by Pink Floyd’s Snack Shack.

You don’t need no education. You just need a Chiko Roll.

Further information: bsabendigo.com.au

Written by Alexander Lightfoot

Deakin University Warrnambool:

Geelong, Waterfront:

Geelong, Waurn Ponds:

Monday, March 2 – Clubs and

Monday, March 2 – DUSA

Monday, March 2 – DUSA Free Food

Tuesday, March 3 – Free Town

Tuesday, March 3 – DUSA

Societies Day (the quad, 12midday), Beach Party (Flying Horse Bar & Brewery, 9 p.m.); Tour & Pinky’s Pizza Lunch (the quad, 12-midday), Movie Night (the quad, 9 p.m.);

Wednesday, March 4 – Amazing

Race (the quad, 12-midday), Mystery Glow Party (departs 7:30 p.m. sharp at bus turning circle);

Thursday, March 5 – Free Sausage

Sizzle (the quad, 12-midday), Meet the Putters (on campus, 1 p.m.).

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Free Breakfast (SU Floor, 9 a.m.), Free Mexican Wraps (outside SU, 12-midday), Bogan Trivia Night (sports oval, 6-10:30 p.m.);

Thursday, February 26 – Free Breakfast

(sports oval, 12-midday), Progressive Dinner (bus leaves SU at 5:30 p.m.), O-Week Glow Party with Timmy Trumpet (sports oval, 6-10 p.m.);

Free Food ( John Hay Courtyard, 12-midday), Kickstart Party (Homehouse Nightclub, 8 p.m.); Free Food ( John Hay Courtyard, 12-midday), Jungle Party (Lambys Nightclub, 8 p.m.); Wednesday, March 4 – DUSA

Free Food ( John Hay Courtyard, 12midday), Clubs and Societies Market Day ( John Hay Courtyard, 11:30 p.m.); Thursday, March 5 – Mystery Bus

Tour (departs campus at 5 p.m. sharp).

(SU Floor, 9 a.m.), Free Baked Potatoes (outside SU, 12-midday), Games Night (bus leaves SU at 5:30 p.m.), Mystery Tour (sports oval, 5:30 p.m. ’til late).

(Union Green, 12-midday), Kickstart Party (Homehouse Nightclub, 8 p.m.);

Tuesday, March 3 – DUSA Free Food

(Union Green, 12-midday), Jungle Party (Lambys Nightclub, 8 p.m.); Wednesday, March 4 – DUSA

Free Food (Union Green, 12midday), Amazing Race & Movie Night (Union Green, 5 p.m.); Thursday, March 5 – DUSA Free Food

(Union Green, 12-midday), Mystery Bus Tour (departs campus at 5 p.m. sharp).

Further information: dusa.org.au

BETTER THAN ANYTHING ON CAMPUS.

SCHNITZ GEELONG SHOP 219 WESTFIELD GEELONG SCHNITZ.COM.AU / @SCHNITZAU

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Geelong! * Geelong is affectionately known by those who reside here as ‘G - Town’ or ‘Gee - troit’.

When you are feeling a bit down about your surroundings, ‘G - Hole” might be more suitable. * The Geelong Cats are what makes this town tick. Get used to it, it ain’t gonna change.

* The violence in the city is overstated. Dickheads attract dickhead behaviour. Just be smart...

Not a smart arse. And look after your mates. * Getting a taxi home from town after 3am is a nightmare, but the Magic Window makes the wait bearable.

* ‘Hipsters’ are few and far between in our area.

Generally, we are roughly a decade behind the 8 * Geelong is affordable, easy to get around, Ball of Cool - But when you’re a broke Uni student provides great venues for live music and is slowly expanding its appreciation of unit’s a good thing - you don’t want anyone walking around making you look bad in all their trendy shit. football related things - if you embrace the city / country lifestyle you will fall in love. * Geelong is half an hour drive from some of the nicest beaches this country has to offer. Make the most of them. * The inner city, the Waterfront, Pako Street and surrounding suburbs provide some amazing areas to eat, drink, play and shop. * If you're going to Melbourne, train it, 50 minutes up and 50 minutes back. Plus a lot of you will have Healthcare cards making it cheaper than chips. * Don’t go near the Breakwater Bridge after heavy rain.

Mix!

* When filling up at the bowser, pay in cash and always put 20.02 cents in. The .02 cents will be charged down, it might not seem like much at the time but do it 100 times in a year and that’s $2 you have saved.

* Turn the car off an roll down the hill to save fuel. * Dodge a round – happily take drinks during a drinking session, then once it gets to your round, pretend an unexpected emergency has to draw you away, thus skipping a shout and keeping your wallet healthy. * Hit up the local bakery at 4:52pm every day to find the cheap bread and pies they are getting rid of. They may be a little crusty around the edges but who doesn’t like a cheap pie? * Go to the Eureka on Thursdays. Not only is it an awesome venue, but they have some very affordable drink prices. * Enter competitions, enter as many comps a day as you can. Even if it’s just for a free snickers bar, over the course of the year your winnings may add up to $500 or so dollars. * Read Forte Magazine, every issue we have freebies and listings of deals on food and tickets, stay smart locally.

Check out page 12!

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* When you go out for dinner say ‘I’m not really hungry’, then when your friends don’t finish their meals, combine the left overs. You may get more than the size of the original meal you were going to order in the first place, and you’ll get a taste of several items off the menu. * Get used to the shitty brands. If you only eat and drink shitty brands, then your body will adjust and you’ll start thinking they’re top shit, plus they’re cheap * Grow your own veggies. No actually don’t.. it will just end up an overgrown weed patch after two months.

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Written by Kara Ready

If high school is a zoo where corridors and concession cards separate you from the big bad world, then university is one of those open safari type places that tricks you into thinking you’re finally out in the wild. There are many people – your parents mostly – who will keep reminding you that you’re now a ‘real adult’ capable of handling ‘responsibility’ and ‘showering daily’. But the truth is that you’re probably even less likely to tackle these things than before. O Week is an introduction to this wonderful, slightly terrifying world of university life, where you can meet equally as clueless people who are just as scared as you are. So get your best beer pong face on, because lord knows you’ll need a steely attitude and a stomach to match if you’re going to make it out alive.

In case you haven’t heard by now, O Week is nothing but drinking, dancing and

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regretting your decisions before shamelessly doing it all again the next night. It’s your first introduction to the people you’ll be spending the next few years of your life with, minus the ones who drop out or simply never come to class. For those of you going to the same uni as your friend from high school, the easiest mistake you could make during O Week is sticking too closely to them. Having a familiar face in the crowd is always nice, but make sure you get to know new people so that first week in class won’t be as lonely and awkward. Not to mention the fact that O Week is the easiest time to meet people from courses other than your own. Once you get into the thick of university life you tend to socialise by default with those who are in your classes. Such is the beauty of O Week: you can form life long bonds with future doctors and architects. Be strategic

though, everyone is going to need a lawyer at some point in their lives and it might help to know one who drunkenly told you his deepest secrets when he was 18.

On a much more practical level, you’re bound to be sick at some point during O Week if you’re partying every day. Whether that sickness is self-inflicted from the night before or merely the result of having no sleep and a lot of fast food for one week straight, you’re going to need supplies.

Stock up on Panadol, cold and flu tablets and – on those weird occasions when you don’t have a beer in your hand – drink water instead. If you want to avoid having an 18 year long sickness that walks and talks, buy some condoms too. There, I’m finished with sounding like your mum.

Alas, the biggest damage you will do during O Week is to your wallet. Even if

your wine is dirt cheap, your lift to parties an annoyed friend or your entry to the club discounted, you can still find yourself tight on cash. All those post-club Maccas runs will add up eventually, especially when the meter on the taxi is still running as you slur your order to the poor kid working drive thru. Not to mention all those bets you’re bound to make and the random items you’ll buy in your darkest, drunkest times (you didn’t really need that sombrero but it seemed like a good idea at the time, right?). There’s a real chance that you’ll end O Week feeling morally and financially bankrupt, but that’s kind of the point. In fact, this might be the real lesson of O Week, the one thing that truly prepares you for what lies ahead: you might not have a lot of money, but you’ll still have a lot of fun anyway. Welcome to the party, it starts now.

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e f i l t h g i N Eureka Hotel

Location: 191 Moorabool St, Geelong Wrap up: The Eureka quickly became the home of ‘Uni Night’, packing up with students on Thursdays after it underwent major renovations a few years ago. In past years it was all about Club4Play for students; now the Eureka holds the reins for reasonable drink prices and good music. Whispers runs in the upstairs space on Saturday nights and is a huge new drawcard for the building on weekends.

The Eureka Hotel also underwent a funky refurbishment as part of the Reborn Project. Using a combination of street art and recycled, vintage or pre-loved items, the venue is currently looking amazing.

Cloud 9 Bar

Location: 2/96 Pakington St, Geelong Wrap up: An intimate bar, Cloud 9 is the perfect place to catch up with a mate for a cocktail on a Friday night or a pre-drink location before you hit the town. Also perfect for an after-date drink with that new miss/mister you snagged on the Eureka dance floor during O week. Cloud 9 and the dedicated team also offer Geelong’s number one function service, so if you need to book a 21st look no further.

Lamby’s

Location: CNR Moorabool & Brougham St, Geelong Wrap up: Lamby’s’ Sunday Sessions is a phrase you will become quite familiar with. Sunday nights and Lamby’s have and will continue to go hand-in-hand for a long time. Tall people will develop both a love and loathing of the venue as the low ceilings make you feel like a little bit of a giant. Lamby’s is known for having a great atmosphere, a good crowd, a packed dance floor and some very fond but hazy memories.

Home House Nightclub

Location: 40-42 Moorabool St, Geelong Wrap up: The unshakeable, unmovable, irreplaceable nightclub of Geelong, Home House truly will become your home away from home this year. Whilst they have a “no dickhead” policy, they respect that uni kids love a good time, and security manages accordingly. It feels safe enough to call ‘home’, but you can get away with all that crazy shit that mum would never let you do inside. It is Geelong’s Michael Jordan of clubs.

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The Wool Exchange Entertainment Complex

Location: 44 Corio St, Geelong Wrap up: This historic venue used to be the pinnacle of the local live music scene back in the day and has recently been restored to its former glory. Reinvented to include a state of the art upstairs band room, it’ll be in this room you’ll witness performances from some of best touring artists in the country this year.

Barwon Club

Location: 509 Moorabool St Sth Geelong Wrap up: Another iconic live music venue, the BC is everything you love about a pub. The BC is without doubt Geelong’s most iconic and successful pub. The BC is infamous for pre/post Cats game day celebrations – make sure you are feeling courageous if you decide to rock up in another team’s guernsey. The BC is currently providing Geelong with its most consistent and worthwhile line-up of live music each week, under the watchful eye of Band Booker Al O’Neil. Also keep an eye out for their day parties – they are off the hook.

Beav’s Bar

Location: 77 Little Malop St, Geelong Wrap up: Great place to listen to some acoustic original singer-songwriters and chill out on the lounge having a drink with your mates. It’s quirky and it has personality, and that’s why we like it. And promise you will too. When at the bar make sure you look up, there you’ll find some handy tips on life...

Edge Bar

Location: 6-8 Eastern Beach Rd, Geelong Wrap up: For the nights when you’re feeling a little less drab and a touch more classy. Quite a sophisticated venue to hang out, it’s not really one for getting messy and rocking up in your trackies with a goon sack. Great for pre-drinks on a Friday night or celebrating a special occasion with your friends. A lot of pretty people hang out here, and the food is good.

City Quarter

Location: Cunningham Pier, 10 Western Beach Foreshore Rd, Geelong Wrap up: One of the best views of Geelong can be captured from this venue as you overlook Corio Bay. Love a great acoustic set on a Friday and Saturday night and is similar to Edge in terms of style and crowd. A very trendy bar to enjoy a drink at, especially throughout the warmer months. The CQ also plays host to the CQ Unplugged series which continues to grow in stature.

The Max Hotel

The Barking Dog

The Carlton Hotel

Gin & Co. Supper Club.

Location: 2 Gheringhap St, Geelong Wrap up: One of the best places in town to throw a party, the team at The Max go above and beyond for your special occasion – so keep that in mind when you begin planning your upcoming 21st. A great place to have a knock-off-from-class beer as it is just opposite the Deakin Waterfront campus, and their midweek meal specials are great for those nights you want to feel fancy enough to go out for a meal but don’t have much cash to back it up.

Location: 21 Malop St, Geelong Wrap up: Really cool art deco hotel right near the centre of town, the Carlton has always been known to attract a decent uni crowd for after class drinks, or a meal before continuing the night at one of the clubs.

They also have a great bunch of staff that make wining and dining there a pleasure.

The Sphinx

Location: 2 Thompson Rd, North Geelong Wrap up: The venue whose exterior wins the award for ‘Most Personality’, hands down The Sphinx Hotel is like nothing else in the region. All sorts of fun to be had here, and a great location to bond with your newly acquired uni mates ... Most of the time by shaming yourself through a less than inspiring karaoke performance.

The Grovedale Hotel

Location: 236–258 Torquay Rd, Geelong Wrap up: This is a pub with a real local feel.

You know when guys are like, ‘Hey mate, wanna pop down to the local for a pot?’ Well, they are probably referring to the Grovedale – or the Grovey as you’ll come to know it.

Great food, live music on the weekends and pokie machines for those of you who can spare a couple of bucks for a flutter. They’ve recently had a bit of work done, inside and out, and now boast a pretty trendy (did we just say trendy?) garden bar called The Juke, complete with street art, petrol tin stools and an American inspired bar food menu.

Pistol Pete's

Location: 93A Little Malop St Geelong Wrap up: There's a lot of people doing pulled pork but no one does it quite as good as Pistol Pete's. Head down to this cozy little venue for some authentic American inspired dishes, great blues acts and quality service, all for a price that won't hurt the student budget.

Location: 126 Pakington St, Geelong West Wrap up: Located down Pakington Street in one of Geelong’s few “hot spots” is the Barking Dog. Mid-week it is an awesome place to study over a coffee or grab a delicious lunch; a drink there on a Wednesday night will get you that ‘Hump Day’ pick-me-up that you are looking for, but the best time to be there is Friday nights from 5 p.m. onwards. There’s a real ‘Thank F*** it’s Friday’ attitude that everybody loves.

Location: 30 Aberdeen St, Geelong Wrap up: Formerly Irish Murphy’s, this new bar is in a great location for those of you who aren’t too sure where the night is going to end up. Located halfway between Newtown and the centre of town, Gin & Co. is an elegant bar with an old fashioned speak-easy feel to it. With a laid back lounge area, cocktails to die for and their supper menu running ‘til late, this spot is a cosy and unique addition to Geelong’s nightlife.

The Elephant & Castle

Location: 158 McKillop St, Geelong Wrap up: Owned by Geelong’s infamous Darryn Lyons, the Paparazzi King’s trademark is all over this venue. If nothing else, you will enjoy sitting down over a drink and checking out all the amazing photographs of A-list celebs taken by the man himself. The food is incredible at the Elephant & Castle, and they have some good deals on Monday and Tuesday nights so even the student breed can afford to eat like a king every now and then.

The Torquay Hotel

Location: 36 Bell Street, Torquay Wrap Up: One thing you will learn very quickly whilst livng in the area is we have access to some of Victoria’s best coastal towns. Topping that list is Torquay, and laying at its heart is the Torquay Hotel.

It’s got everything from a great menu to live music. It is the perfect place to escape after class on a balmy evening.

Slate Pool Lounge

Location: 50 Little Ryrie Street, Geelong Wrap Up: Slate Pool Lounge is so much more than your average pool lounge.

At Slate you can relax with a beverage and shoot some pool with your mates.

The venue has become a mainstay. It is stylishly furnished over three levels, including a mezzanine level and an outdoor smoking area. It is the perfect place to meet before a night on the town.

The Basement 159

Cally Hotel

Opium Bar

Gallery Club/Onyx Bar

Location: 159 Moorabool St, Geelong Wrap up: Establishing itself as quite the trendy little hotspot, The Basement is underrated and understated. You don’t hear a lot about it, but they host some awesome DJs and draw a cool crowd.

It’s the type of venue you’ll have an unplanned but really fun night at.

Location: 15 James St, Geelong Wrap up: Really intimate little bar located in the busiest pocket of the city. The perfect spot for a small function, a celebration with some friends or an end of the week uni debrief. A delectable cocktail menu and an A-grade list of boutique beers available.

Barwon Heads Hotel

Location: 1 Bridge Rd, Barwon Heads Wrap up: Great place to escape with your newfound friends and discover some of the hidden gems the region has on offer. As live music lovers, the team at the Barwon Heads put on an array of live music with all kinds of genres, making it a trendy place to hang out, discover a new artist and enjoy a beer up the coast.

The Loft

Location: 6/58 Liebig St, Warrnambool Wrap up: Home of original live music in Warrnambool, The Loft enjoys a booking list of both local bands and international headliners. Awesome selection of beers and ciders on tap and a great affordable menu. For Warrnambool students it will be their home away from home this year.

Location: 112 Fairy St, Warrnambool Cally Hotel has a bit of everything.

Whether you want to drink, place a bet, play some pool or darts or order a pub meal, it’s all here. Sports fanatics will enjoy the screening of a range of matches and there are regular live music events featuring local musicians. Something for everyone.

Location: 214 Timor St, Warrnambool Wrap up: This place has four large bar and lounge areas, two big dance floors and a taxi rank directly across the road.

They also book a lot of Australia’s best DJs and basically steer the reins on the Warrnambool nightclub scene. Huge range of cocktails and tap beers, plus carry the reputation as one of Warrnambool’s best function venues. Keep that in mind for those of you wanting to throw a birthday party away from home this year.

Karova Lounge

Location: Cnr of Field St & Camp St, Ballarat Wrap up: One of the biggest icons for live music in Victoria, the Karova Lounge will host some of the best gigs you’ll see all year. It gave birth to the Yacht Club DJs and is a regular hangout for stars like Tim Rogers. It draws a pretty trendy crowd but is balanced out by the grungy live music pub-vibe. If you love live music your best nights in Ballarat will be had at The Karova. It has proven to be a mainstay in the fabric of live music in regional Victoria.

The Bluestone

Location: 101-103 Mair St, Ballarat Wrap up: The kind of venue you walk in to and go ‘Woah’, The Bluestone is huge. But not the sort of huge where you go ‘Man, it looks like no one is here’. It fills up super quick, especially on Wednesday nights (Ballarat uni night) and weekends. It also has a really cool, contemporary design so you can feel a little bit fancy, even if you’re not.

Haida

Location: 12 Camp St, Ballarat Smack bang in the middle of Ballarat’s entertainment district, Haida allows you to dance the night away to some of the best local and national DJ’s. With everything from bottled beers to seasonal cocktails, this place prides itself on its extensive drink selection and is sure to have something for everyone.

Miners Tavern / Element Nightclub

Location: 120 Lydiard St [North], Ballarat Located in a historic bulding, Miners Tavern not only offers students a cheap pub meal, but a new nightclub with regular events to schedule into your calendar. Their beer garden is the perfect place to have a few relaxing drinks and some food with some mates on a warm evening. And if you’re heading to Element Nightclub afterwards, you can count on those cheap drinks to keep you going all night.

Suttons House of Music

Location: 31 Sturt Street, Ballarat With its old-style lounge chairs and cheap gigs, Suttons House is the place for music lovers. With regular performances from local, national and international acts, it’s great for a relaxed drink with friends or a more social night of dancing to live music. Open seven days a week and with a large selection of food, wine, beer and cocktails, what more could you ask for?

St James

Address: 5 James Street, Geelong St James opens its doors to the public on Saturday 28th of March with DCUP (Sugar Mar) headlining the night. A brand spanking new venue, St James will have an un-pretentious feel and welcoming atmosphere. The venue will offer an alternative to your commercial sounds you hear week in week out around other venues in Geelong. It will be offering some of the best local, national and international acts playing a wide range including funk, disco, hip hop, trap and house music.

The Workers Club

90-92 Little Malop Street, Geelong The doors are yet to open on this brand spanking new live music venue but with acts, Northeast Party House, Jake Clemons and Steve Smythe already announced it's bound to be one of the go-to spots for quality music.

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In 2014, DUSA introduced PLUS 4, a four-week extension to the festivities and fun of O’Week. This monthlong event aims to make it easier for you to want to stick around. While O’Week tends to be a jam-packed, crazy-fun week, full of information, free stuff and the occasional party.

PLUS 4 takes a step back and places a different focus on each week, creating opportunities for you to form deeper and more genuine connections with the Deakin community.

week 1

Welcome Back Welcome back to the classroom!

Week one is your chance to see what happens on campus, sign up for sport, liaise with local services in the community, find a place to live, make friends with the faculties and learn how to get from “A to Deakin” across the public transport network.

week 2

Surviving Uni DUSA is excited to showcase the tools every Deakin Student needs to survive (and enjoy) the challenges of uni life. Week two focuses on getting you sorted. From learning to cook, how to budget, finding a job or making conversation – armed with the right tools, you can succeed.

week 3

Get Involved

This week we’re showcasing the marvellous spirit of Deakin and its neighbourhood. Clubs, societies, volunteers, the Deakin Dragons and more will be proudly displaying their wares during Week three of PLUS 4 alongside organisations from the local area. You’re invited to help us celebrate the colourful Deakin community.

week 4

Health and Wellbeing

Let DUSA help you unlock the ultimate healthy uni lifestyle.

A healthy mind, body and soul should mean a healthy grade something every Deakin student deserves. Come along and see how we can make this a reality. forte 45

Deakin University

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*Offer valid for first time members who are local residents or workers 18 years and older only (photo ID required) and who join for a minimum period of 12 months under the terms of a standard membership agreement. Not valid with any other offers. Not transferrable. Only valid at the specified club. Offer expires 30/04/15. Price of an individual 12 month membership contract is $687.40 plus $64.95 for access card and $0 joining fee (total cost $752.35). ^ Offer comprises a guest membership for the stated price and stated period (consecutive days) at the specified club (Grovedale). Offer valid for first time members who are local residents or workers 18 years and older (photo ID required) who agree to the Club’s temporary membership terms and who also may be required to complete pre-exercise screening satisfactorily. A refundable deposit is payable if an access card is issued for Club entry outside staffed hours. Not redeemable for cash and may not be on sold or transferred. Not valid with any other offer. Limit of one per customer. Further provisions may apply. See Club for details. Offer expires 30/04/15.

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Written by Amanda Sherring

101

Let’s face it, there is no scientifically confirmed cure for a hangover, as much as we wish scientists were spending their time on figuring one out it’ll probably be a long way off while there are more life-threatening diseases lurking around. But while there mightn’t be a cure as such, there are a few ways to lessen the blow the morning after and none of them involve sipping on ginger beer (though that would be the best solution of them all).

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DO go to the first tutes of the semester.

Even though nothing important ever happens in them and your sense of self preservation tells you to avoid those awkward ‘get to know me’ games, this is when everyone is most open to making new friends. You don’t want to be that person who rocks up on week two or three and finds that everyone has already formed special bonds over mutual boredom and eye rolling at the mature aged student who just won’t shut up.

DO put some thought into studying abroad. This might sound crazy considering you’ve only just started your course, but your first year of uni – with all its parties and your feigned sense of being a real adult – will pass by in an instant. Going somewhere like Copenhagen, London or California for a semester is the perfect way to avoid that inevitable second-year-slump and see the world while you’re at it.

DO take advantage of anything free. Let’s be real, you’re a student and there will probably come a time when you loiter around the café desperately trying to find something under $4 so your card won’t decline. Lo and behold, free sausage sizzles are the answer. If there’s a one-serve only rule, get your vego friend (everyone has one) to collect another for you.

Problem solved, and now you have an extra $4 in the bank, you high roller you.

DO join a student club. Don’t be fooled, these aren’t just for the over enthusiastic students who really, really love their course. Deakin, Federation and La Trobe have dozens of weird and wonderful groups where you can meet new people, gain new skills and have some fun. Who knows, you might have a raging talent for swing dancing or cheerleading.

What To Do, and Not Do, in First Year

DO take advantage of online lectures.

Whether you’ve got an awful timetable, need to pick up a shift at work or simply want to sleep in, online lectures have your back. Your bed is much more comfortable than those lecture theatres and you no longer have the obligation to laugh at any of your professors weird jokes.

Unfortunately, I do not have any tips on how not to get sidetracked watching video compilations of dogs reunited with their owners on YouTube. If you figure that one out, please let me know.

DO make friends with people who live on res. Yes, they are usually the ones who come to class in their pyjamas with last nights make up and a look of regret on their face, but that is exactly why you need them. They know all about the pub-crawls and parties and might even let you crash in their shoebox of a room if you’re lucky. And on that two minute walk/stumble to class you will finally understand the plight of the res students.

DO make friends with caffeine. “Do you want to get a coffee?” is an ancient proverb spoken by uni students around the world. Relationships are forged, mornings survived and classes made tolerable all because of coffee. You will eventually wish you had a caffeine drip running straight into your veins, but until then you’ll just have to settle for one of the places on campus that can enable your habit.

Written by Kara Ready

DON’T believe your professors when they say, “This isn’t an assignment you can do last minute.” You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life. University degrees are built on that ‘four-hours-tilsubmission’ anxiety rush. Have faith in that instinct and you will prosper.

DON’T fall into the trap of thinking you need to wear a super fashionable new outfit every single day. Eventually you will figure out the perfect formula for how to get as much sleep as possible while still having enough time to make yourself look mildly presentable.

Nobody is here to look like Miranda Kerr, we’re just trying our hardest not to look like that girl from The Ring.

DON’T be that person who starts every sentence with, “When I was overseas…” Everyone is already wishing they were anywhere but on campus, the last thing they want to hear about is your incredible trip to Europe over the summer while they were working at McDonalds. Yes, this partially comes from a place of moderate jealousy, but mostly it’s just really annoying how a minor comment about the weather can elicit a 10-minute spiel about the sky in Paris. We have a sky here in Australia too. Move on.

DON’T walk around campus without shoes on. Just don’t. Trust me, you’ll be surprised.

DON’T be that person who talks on their phone in the library. The library is a safe, quiet haven for those trying to memorise five weeks of content in one hour or marathoning a TV series in their break between tutes. Respect the sanctity of the library. Take your phone call outside.

DON’T buy all your textbooks brand new. There are plenty of students selling them for half or even a quarter of the price, many of which have highlighted and/or written notes in them already. It’s like you’re buying a textbook and cheat-sheet in one and sure as hell beats handing over $120 for a book that will spend most of its time on the floor of your car.

DON’T sweat the small stuff. I know, easier said than done right? There will be many times during your uni years where you’ll feel like the sky is falling because you’ve failed an assignment, missed too many classes or walked around campus all day wearing a top you didn’t realise was see-through.

The good news is that pretty much everyone feels this way at one point or another. This is the beauty of your uni years – everyone is trying to figure it out together. Life goes on. Just remember to wear a bra under that top next time.

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Written by Jessica Alves Instagram @jessicazalves

I began university fresh out of high school, all too aware that if I took a gap year, I’d probably procrastinate my way out of going all together. I’m not sure if I was naive, or if I was just totally unprepared for the changes I was about to go through, but I was not expecting uni to pan out quite the way it has.

Despite now being a relatively easy-going person to be around, I used to be painfully shy. Still harbouring some teenage angst from my high school days, I wore the same pair of jeans and the same shoes and the same kind of shirt but in different colours, every day. I hardly spoke to anyone and was obsessively and

very secretively infatuated with the brooding bad-boy in my creative writing class.

Two years on and I have well and truly left both the bad outfits and the bad-boy behind me, but it wasn’t without some seriously hard work, and a very hard look at myself and who I wanted to be.

Understandably, it’s a difficult process going from not having to think about looking presentable every day at school, and then being thrust into the big world of image and actually having to care about what you look like in public. There are many people who really do struggle with it… yes, I’m talking about the girl

who rocks up to class in her yoga pants, sports bra and brand new expensive runners, but with no intention of actually going to the gym after class. Or alternatively, the guy who thinks of university as a second home, and is therefore perfectly comfortable rocking up to a class in track pants and the same shirt that he slept in the night before.

Now as always, each to their own, but I would not be caught dead in my gym gear anywhere but at the gym, and I quite literally don’t own a pair of tracksuit pants. No, I was the girl who rocked up to class in a faux fur coat. Yes, really. I may have

started uni as a very shy girl, but after a few incidents involving some not so pleasant classmates, I soon realised that life was too short to care about what virtual strangers thought of my outfit, so I decided to be fabulous instead.

To say that I experimented with fashion would be a mild understatement. I did all the trends including denim on denim, faux fur and those horrible thick sandals that looked like the goth version of jelly shoes that all the kids had back in the ‘90s.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying all or even any of

it looked any good. What I’m suggesting is that you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with your sense of style. Although the denim on denim look might not have been the best look for me, it certainly was fun wearing something a bit risqué and getting out of my comfort zone. Really, isn’t university supposed to be about trying out new things and figuring out what does and doesn’t work for you?

Whether this is your first, or your last year of university, I implore you to try something different this year. Ditch the

trackies, the yoga pants and the bad-boy. Let go of that little voice in your head telling you not to wear those beautiful leather pants that have been sitting in the back of your wardrobe since you bought them on sale a year ago.

Dust off the stunning, but slightly outlandish pair of heels that you haven’t worn yet because you’ve ‘got nowhere to wear them’. Let go of your insecurities and take advantage of the fact that nobody knows you or your standard sense of fashion. Now is the time to experiment with your style and find your identity.

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...more than just a Simpsons episode.

What do you get when you cross the movie Van Wielder, starring Ryan Reynolds, with another classic movie of that era Old School, starring Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn?

Well apart from two legendary movies, you get an understanding of how the Fed Uni social society the ‘Stone Cutters’ came to be so popular and just what it means to be involved in their antics!

Forming all the way back in 2003 and named after a very iconic episode of the cartoon genius that is The Simpsons, the Stone Cutters quickly became the benchmark for not only Uni social events but almost all events in the town of Ballarat. It’s like being stuck in the movie Van Wielder, but better than the movie, this is real life and a membership is all you need to get involved.

The Stone Cutters are Fed Uni’s own ‘Party Liaisons’ with every one of their events likely to turn into an epic affair attracting thousands of students. To kick off 2015 they will be hosting some of the iconic O Week social events, including the largest University Pub Crawl in all of Australia as well as a music festival and crazy ‘Back to School’ theme night. They don’t even look like slowing down as term 1 kicks in either, as week three will play host to arguably their biggest event of the year, the now infamous ‘Beach Party’ (fully equipped with a 12 tonne real beach sand dance floor!).

And how proud are they of their giant pub crawl in O Week? We asked the 2015 president Kane Outtram who was more than happy to comment; “Every year this event just seems to be getting bigger. My first year it was heading north of two thousand students and last year’s event smashed those numbers out of the park. It’s not all fun and games for the organisers though, with safety plans and management meetings just dominating the lead up to this event now….. take me back to first year I say when I could get rowdy with my mates and didn’t have to worry about large groups of students getting safely to the next stop on the tour. In all honesty though, it is quite humbling being responsible for such a great event and we love that we can keep this event going for future students to enjoy.”

Ballarat’s pub crawl is in fact the largest University-based crawl in all of Australia, only missing a spot in the Aussie Guinness Book of World Records due to a criteria technicality concerning the number of hotels visited. This is the event that attracts not only current Fed Uni students but students from Geelong and Bendigo as well as past graduates back for a reunion tour.

The Stone Cutters will be out in force during O Week at Mt Helen, with a membership stall set up on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as well as week one and two. Check out some of the benefits listed in their below membership

flier. Basically if you plan to immerse yourself into the social scene this year at Fed Uni then a $15 investment into a 2015 Cutters Membership might be the best $15 you will ever spend.

If you’re not studying at Mt Helen or Federation Uni for that matter then no need to worry, the same $15 membership is also available to any university student, irrespective of town or campus. Memberships, along with tickets to all the Fed Uni O Week events will be available at both New Generation (Doveton St, Ballarat) and Cellarbrations (Mt Clear, near shopping center).

Stay connected with all the best social events happening at Fed Uni and save big time throughout the year with your 2015 Stone Cutters Membership.

Its always been about ‘Mates’, ‘Mischief’ & ‘Memories’ for us here at Cutters HQ, but also check out the value for money this year…..

Over $80 in savings throughout 2015. Savings throughout 2015 Include: Tour of Tradition – Save $5 Back to School – Save $5

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The Written by Kara Ready

On a Prayer 1. Livin’ - Bon Jovi By about day three you’ll want to be waking up to this classic as your alarm tone.

Trust me, you’ll understand.

Got Back 2. Baby – Sir Mix-A-Lot When you’re trying to serenade that special someone on the dance floor.

3.

Feelin’ Myself – Nicki Minaj ft. Beyoncé For all those moments when you are not in fact feelin’ yourself. Fake it ‘til you make it, you know?

4. Shots – LMFAO

It’s been done to death, but you won’t care when you’re drunk and taking shots of anything in sight when the chorus hits.

5. Girls Just

Want To Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper Because we do. We just really do.

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6.

Hey Ya – Outkast I’m not sure if anyone actually knows what this song is about, but everyone seems to know the words and it’s on any good party playlist.

7.

Hot In Here – Nelly Do I really need to explain this one?

8.

Ignition – R. Kelly Is there any line that gets you in the mood more than, “I’m about to take my key and stick it in your ignition”? Didn’t think so.

9.

Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice There’s always that one person at the party who knows all the words.

Aspire to be that person.

10.

Survivor – Destiny’s Child Sing it until you believe it.

11.

Hella Good – No Doubt This is the musical representation of when the party is at its peak.

Everyone is feeling hella good and they just want to keep on dancing.

12.

Started From The Bottom – Drake This is a good one because the uni student alternative to these lyrics would be something like, “Started from the bottom, now we still at the bottom probably for a while”. But that’s just a bit depressing so stick with the original.

13.

Mo Money, Mo Problems – Notorious B.I.G To make you feel better when you realise you’re broke. You don’t need money anyway, right?

Mix

14.

Summer – Calvin Harris For when you need to slow it down a bit.

15.

Thriller – Michael Jackson This one is for all the sober people. There’s nothing like watching your drunken companions trying to do the Thriller dance.

16.

17.

Paper Planes – MIA Considering your parents will probably be wiring you money at least once a month, this is the closest you’ll get to feeling like a baller å la MIA for a while.

Rather Be – Clean Bandit A new classic, this song was, and still is, the soundtrack to summer parties.

18.

Gold Digger – Kanye West It’s like an unwritten rule that in order for a party to be good they have to play this song.

19.

Yeah! – Usher The perfect song to get you in the mood as you’re getting ready.

20.

Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen When this song comes on, everyone seems to find themselves in the same room screaming the lyrics and jumping around. I think it might be our greatest chance at world peace.

Bon Jovi

Sir Mix-A-Lot

LMFAO

Campus Feeds

Being a student is hard enough and when you include trying to decide what to have for dinner it makes it seem almost impossible. We’ve all been there that one time where you scrounged up the last three items in the fridge and made the first thing that came to your head, most likely some sort of omelette if you were blessed with in date eggs. For the moments where money’s tight, you’re short on time due to a last minute assignment or you just can’t be bother making something that takes a high level of brain activity, we’ve got you covered. Welcome to the world of cheap, easy, we’d like to say healthy but let’s be honest here it’s not, and tasty food.

The Wish-You-Never-Discovered-It Chocolate Mug Brownie The only reason you won’t want to have discovered this chocolatty piece of heaven is it will very quickly become a staple in your diet and replace all the things you should be eating.

2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons warm water 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pinch of salt 4 tablespoons caster sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (or cacao powder if you’re feeling healthy) 4 tablespoons plain flour

1. Get yourself a decent sized mug, and one that you don’t care if it gets chocolate caked onto it, and melt the butter in the microwave. Add the water and vanilla extract and stir well.

2. Mix cocoa, sugar, salt and flour in a separate container and combine. Add gradually into mug while stirring consistently.

3. Microwave for 60 to 90 seconds depending on desired gooey to crunchy ratio, be sure not too overcook it though.

4. Enjoy the best thing to come into your life since Nutella, well maybe not that great but if you smear some of that onto the brownie it’ll come pretty close.

Third Grade Pizza’s

QUE-SAH-WHAT?

Packet of English Muffins (you know the kind) or Pita Bread

Cooking oil

So easy my 9-year-old niece could get five stars making these ones.

Tomato paste Shredded Ham Diced Bacon 1 Capsicum 2 Mushrooms Tin of sliced pineapple Packet of grated cheese Any other topping you desire.

1. Slice the English muffin in half and spread tomato paste over each layer, if you’ve got pita bread it’s worth using two for one pizza. Join the two pita breads with a layer of tomato paste in between and on top.

All you need to know is that quesadillas are mexican, easy and relatively healthy.

Handful of spring onion chopped finely or 1 medium onion 2 cloves of garlic

2. Sprinkle the ham and bacon onto the pizza as desired. Chop capsicum, mushroom and pineapple (and any other ingredients you may have) and spread evenly on the pizza.

½ tsp chilli powder – more if you’re feeling ballsy

3. Top with cheese and cook in the oven at 180C for about 15-20minutes or until golden on top.

½ can of chopped tomatoes

4. Enjoy your creation you pizza wizard.

1 tsp of chopped coriander

FEELING FANCY? Purchase a margarita frozen pizza from your supermarket and top with whatever you have in the fridge. A good mix is sliced black olives, rocket and sticky balsamic vinegar, but it’s really up to you.

1 tsp ground cumin

1 can of red kidney beans

A packet of tortillas or wraps (wholegrain if you want to up the healthy) Grated cheese ½ can of orn kernels

1. Heat some oil in a fry pan and add the onions and garlic, fry for a couple of minutes. Add chilli powder and ground cumin and stir into mixture.

2. Add the tomatoes to the fry pan and mash/break up as you stir through. Tip in the tin of beans and let cook for about 5-10 minutes once the liquid has all evaporated. Mash some of the beans, but not all, you’ve still got teeth after all.

3. Next step is the fun part – no really, it’s the last step between you and your dinner.

Either in a separate pan or a sandwich press add some oil and place the wrap/ tortilla onto the surface. Spread the desired amount of bean mixture over half the wrap, leaving a border for later. Top with cheese and fold the tortilla in half, flip as desired until the quesadilla is heated through.

Then find yourself a plate and I don’t think there needs to be a step for the rest!

Upstairs 58 Liebig Street, Warrnambool Phone: 5561 0995 • www.theloftbar.com.au The Loft is your home for original live music in the South West.

Boasting a stack of local, national and international acts from punk rockers like The Smith Street Band to country idol Lanie Lane to indie, from soul and funk bands such as The Rubens to Alpine and Saskwatch. The Loft always has something awe-inspiring on the stage.

The Loft has an extensive boutique beer and cider range over two bars, a huge cocktail menu and happy hours between 6 - 8pm Wednesday through to Sunday. Student Sundays are always a hit, with drink specials, free entry for uni students and of course, the infamous cocktail jugs. With live music five nights a week, if you are a musician, or aspiring to be one, you love good music and a friendly vibrant atmosphere, The Loft is your bar of choice.

Check out The Lofts website for upcoming gigs and ticket information: www.theloftbar.com.au

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FREEBIES!

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Win a double pass to Geelong’s own music festival, Motor City Music Festival for the Friday event!! (March 6 2015) To enter email your name and mobile number with ‘MOTOR CITY’ as the

email subject, to amanda@ fortemag.com.au.

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Great Australian Beer Festival

Originally starting out as Matt Walker’s touring band, Lost Ragas soon turned into a more collaborative affair. With members having played with some of the best in the country, the band will release their second album, Trans Atlantic Highway, in May. Dashvilled: “Hard sound to pin down – broken-hearted alt-country, then it flies off into this amazing duel slide guitar meets lapsteel – almost Television Tom Verlaine meets Ry Cooder moments all centred around Matt Walker’s beautifully dark voice, understated super tight bass and that crazy horse style minimal drumming.” The Eastern, Ballarat – February 20 & The Bridge, Castlemaine – February 21.

JVG Return For the fourth year running, the JVG Guitar Method are hitting up the surf coast’s Wolseley Winery and it’s bound to be a hell of a show.

If history tells us anything, it’s that locals just can’t get enough of these guys and their mindblowing performances. Whether you’re a fan of Jon Von Goes’ program on RRR or if you’re just looking for an awe-inspiring, high energy gig to energise your Sunday arvo, this is an experience you don’t want to miss.

JVG Guitar Method are playing Woseley’s Winery on Sunday February 22. Doors open at 3pm for a show time of 4pm. Tickets are $15 at the door.

The Blues Train The Blues Train has had an outstanding beginning to its year, with all remaining shows this month and next sold out.

However, April and May is looking pretty sweet at the moment.

The sun may not be shining as brightly, but the buzz of autumn is sure to provide a perfect day out. In case you’re unfamiliar with the Blues Train, it is a musical journey that starts and finishes in Queenscliff. There are four different themed carriages with different seating configurations.

On every show, a solo act, a duo, a trio and then a full band, each offering an intimate concert for just 50 people, performs. A meal at the historic Queenscliff Railway Station kicks things off. Bookings can be made through thebluestrain.com.au.

Oh My Sun God Replica In a world not too long ago, Lindsay McLennan (singer-songwriter and guitarist for the Bakelite Age, Meanies) and Lochie Cavigan (Bakelite Age) got a little noisy. Taking the best elements from the heavy rock of the ’60s and ’70s, and only the best elements, they set about making a heavy garage psyche band. But there was something missing, so they rounded up former Monochromes member Tim Pickering and their name became Sun God Replica. Last year saw the release of their second album, The Devil and the Deep.

Just how has it been described? A nugget of rockin’ and riffin’ gold, that’s how. And have you seen the price of gold?!

The Loft, Warrnambool – February 20.

How Do You Like This Heatwave?

Australia’s premier street rap battle league, Amped Up, delivers the goods to Warrnambool this weekend. Founded in mid-2012 by Codix, Amped Up Street Battles (AUSB) is the grassroots of battle rap in Australia.

Events are all-ages, drugs and alcohol free and completely free of charge to attend.

Although based out of Melbourne, the events have been touching down throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Running under the moniker Heatwave, AUSB presents Jack Scarey vs. Zak Schmidt (tattoo battle), Matthew Klein vs Avant Bard, Stannard vs Askel and Sturdy vs DK. There will also be an eightman, freestyle battle

tournament. Liebig Street, Warrnambool – February 21. 2 p.m.

Irish Soul, Australian Heart Blending traditional Irish folk music, South American flavours and country music with a contemporary twist, Áine Tyrrell is an Irishborn singer-songwriter with her heart in Australia. Like so many of her musical brothers and sisters, Áine took to crowdfunding to record her debut album, Gypsy Daughter, an album recorded outdoors under the stars and in abandoned mines in the Australian outback.

When asked about why she chose to record the album where she did, she replied: “I didn’t know where else to go, I needed to feel my pulse again.” The songbird procured the honour of the Queenscliff Music Festival’s ‘Emerging Talent 2014’. The Piping Hot Chicken Shop, Ocean Grove – February 20.

Bendigo Queer Film Festival The 12th Bendigo Queer Film Festival is set to take place in April. Running as part of proceedings is Queer Country, an exhibition that aims to demonstrate and celebrate the talent, vision and experiences of queer artists from Bendigo and rural Victoria. The festival is currently seeking expressions of interest: “Artists are asked to present their work ready to exhibit, framed or in a manner that can be hung on a suspended strap system.

There is floor space for freestanding works but artists are asked to provide any props or plinths required

exhibiting their work, or any instructions required for their display.” Applications close February 27.

Further information can be found through bendigoqueerfilmfestival. com.au.

The Desperation of Oblivians Tickets remain for Oblivians’ show at The Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong on March 9.

How could that be?!

Formed in 1993 by Greg Cartwright and Jack Yarber, then members of garage-rock outfit Compulsive Gamblers, and Eric Friedl, the band wrote the majority of their debut album over the first weekend following their decision to play together. After a few crazy years, the band parted ways in 1998 before deciding to regroup in 2012.

Desperation marks their return. The Guardian: “Back together, 16 years after releasing their last album, Oblivians prove age is no barrier to howling garage rock’s teenage cry of lust …

Fourteen songs in 31 minutes, and every moment a thrill.”

Jammin’ with Phil Wiggins Widely regarded as America’s foremost harmonica virtuoso, Phil Wiggins is on his way to Ocean Grove’s Piping Hot Chicken Shop for what is sure to be a major highlight of the venue’s time. Phil was born in Washington, D.C., after his parents had moved from Titusville, Alabama in 1941.

However, Titusville would remain a major part of Wiggins’ life. Many childhood summers would be spent there, while it also proved to be a major reason for developing his strong connection with the blues. From his website: “I would walk my grandmother around the corner to the church on Thursday evenings for prayer meeting. I would wait outside and hear the elder women of the church singing prayers and praises. The context was religious, but the sound was deep blues.”

The generosity of blues musicians from the Washington area was evident in his early years, with Flora Molten, Esther Mae Scott, Wilber “Chief ” Ellis, John Jackson, Archie Edwards and John Cephas being among the names Wiggins played with or learnt from. Perhaps no musical relationship was greater than that he shared with the late John Cephas, a 30-year partnership where they became America’s premier blues duo. The Piping Hot Chicken Shop, Ocean Grove – March 28. He’ll be joined by Dom Turner. together early next month for Voices for Peace – Rotary International Variety Concert. Raising awareness of the importance of peace to our community, as well as supporting the Rotary Peace Centre, the event enters its third year in 2015. Jane Thompson, James Rigby, Enda Kenny and Lindsay Martin, as well as the

Rotary Youth Choir and the Rotary Peace Choir, will perform. Enda Kenny is an Irish-born singer-songwriter based in Melbourne. He spent a decade balancing his music with working in public housing before returning to music full time in 2013. His most recent album is Heart Tattoo. Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool – March 5.

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On the Lost Ragas Highway

This weekend Geelong will raise a glass to the Great Australian Beer Festival, and there are some very special guests to go along with some 200 craft beers and ciders on offer. Professor Pilsner, aka Pete Mitcham, and three MasterChef finalists, including Emelia Jackson, will show off their skills. Beer author, critic and judge Pete Mitcham will discuss the art of tasting and appreciating a beer, while the 2014 MasterChef finalists will host master classes showing how beer can be used in a range of cooking styles. Another special feature is a cheese and beer matching seminar.

Add to this plenty of great grub and entertainment, and you have one great day out. February 21 is the date. Beer is your drink of choice.

Voices for Peace A selection of artists from the Port Fairy Folk Festival will come forte 59

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Sustainable Living Festival You’re a little spoilt for choice this weekend in Geelong, with the Sustainability Living Festival also taking place. From February 20 to February 22, a jam-packed weekend of activities will take place at GPAC. The Active Streets Campaign, interactive bike loop and “silent disco” through the streets of Central Geelong, Diversitat’s amazing “Around Again” upcycled art workshops, sustainable education showcase and future powered families energy saving workshops will also feature, as will many more fantastic activities. Hit gpac. org.au for more. This event is a partnership between Future Proofing Geelong, Geelong Sustainability, GPAC, Healthy Together Geelong and The Gordon.

Fun in the Sun Bendigo’s Music Man has found a great new way to help promote local talent, and it’s taking place on the final day of summer.

As well as tunes, the family-friendly day will feature jumping castles, an online auction and raff les. The all-ages part of the event kicks off at midday with Detention. Stacy - V, Necron 99, Path of Destruction and Sisters Doll will follow. An 18+ event will follow that, beginning with Neurotik Trendz at 5 p.m. R AWdemia, Audemia, Necron 99, Morth, Path of Destruction, Slydekrieg and Sisters Doll will follow. It all takes place on February 28. If you’re looking for a little more information, check in on livemusicscene.com. au. Is there a better combo than jumping castles and music?

Metal’s Name is Dreadnaught

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You have to be blessed with metal genes to be able to serve up quality metal for over 20 years.

Dreadnaught formed way back in 1992, a year which gave us Pitchshifter’s album Submit, Testament’s The Ritual and Paradise Lost’s Shades of God – three bands Dreadnaught would later support. The band released their debut album, Body.

Blood.Skin.Mind, in 1996. D->0 is their latest. Unsurprising for a band that has been in business this long, there have been line-up changes along the way. However, none of that has slowed them down one little bit. Music Man, Bendigo – February 27.

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The Nuremberg Code, Obscure, Chase the Ace and Evilution.

Theatre Royal’s Summer Revue Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal will give summer a swell little send-off with their Summer Revue. Proudly presented by The Forest, The Summer Revue welcomes the talents of Saint Jude, Luna Deville, Fierce Mild and The Exit Crowd, along with DJs Laser Font and Dysmorph. Luke Leonard is your Master of Ceremonies. From Melbourne, Saint Jude is reminiscent of Muscle Shoals and ShangriLa eras of rhythmdrenched country-soul rock’n’roll. You’ll be sure to dig their fivepiece gospel harmonies.

Tickets are currently available from the venue but will also be available on the night.

February 27 is the date.

7:30 p.m. is the time.

You know the venue.

Another Red Hot Summer The regional Red Hot Summer tour is back for another year, and let me tell you there is plenty to love about it.

Rounding up a bunch of classic Aussie acts, the travelling event welcomes Hoodoo Gurus, James Reyne (playing Australian Crawl), Daryl Braithwaite and Boom Crash Opera. Special guests will also feature at all shows, with The Angels and Diesel filling the shoes in Ballarat. Promoter Duane McDonald regarding the special guests: “This gives us a chance to make each concert an individual experience for music fans. We’re lucky to have this incredible line-up on the tour and some amazing special guests to make each concert special.”

North Gardens, Ballarat – March 14.

Brothers in Arms From starting out busking in Bourke Street Mall to performing sold-out shows in London and to 10,000 music lovers at Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands, life is going pretty well for the Pierce Brothers.

The duo of Jack and Pat Pierce was actually invited to play on 3FM Radio to officially open the Lowlands Festival, while also managing to become the second highestselling act at the festival’s merchandise tent. The lads currently have a limited edition CD/DVD titled Live at The Corner available. The release is a once-only pressing of 2000 signed copies, so hit up their website to get your hands on

I Would Walk Five Miles Singer-songwriter and producer John Baxter (Prettymess, Holocene and Alcotomic), Doug Robertson (Icecream Hands), Matt Balfe (Motor Ace), Geoff Barnes (P76) and Paul Inglis (Prettymess) are the hardened talents behind Melbourne outfit Five Mile Sniper. Baxter’s musical career spans over 25 years.

Following the demise of Prettymess in 2006, John boarded a flight to the US armed with little more than an acoustic guitar and harmonica. From there, a ’72 gold Caprice became his home as he travelled coast to coast, scrapping for whatever gig he could find to earn him enough to make it to his next gig. It was during this time he would also write many tunes which would eventuate on Five Mile Sniper’s debut. That debut is The Sound of Trees. From their website: “The sound of Tree is analogous to suffering in silence. In a world facing big issues such as population growth, diminishing global resources and the proliferation of suffering, greed and capitalism, The Sound of Trees is a euphemism for the decaying natural world we’ve inherited that has no voice – a cry for help that cannot be heard. It conveys moments of optimism with an undertone of loss.” The Barwon, Geelong – March 8. that one. Theatre Royal, Castlemaine – March 7 & Barwon Heads Hotel, Barwon Heads – April 3.

Deans Marsh Festival On March 22 the Deans Marsh Festival will once again celebrate the rich and diverse hinterland community of artists, craftspeople, local producers and musicians. At the time of writing the festival was still putting the final touches in place, but we do know there will be plenty of activities, including storytelling, bush poetry, snake handling, frog displays, working dogs and horses, the famous dog high jump, Jack Russell races, market stalls, pioneer games, great food and live music. The festival takes place across the Deans Marsh Oval, Community House and Community Hall.

Further information is available through deansmarshfestival. com.au. The Deans Marsh Festival is in its 19th year.

Guttermouth Sober Up I am not accusing Forte readers of being drunken scoundrels with the drinking habits of Winston Churchill on a Leaving Las Vegas-type bender, but there would no doubt be more than a few readers who have stories of drunken behaviour they would like to forget. Back in 2013, Guttermouth toured Australia for what was supposed to be their final f ling.

Pako Festa Remember, remember, that Pako Festa takes place February 28.

The largest celebration of cultural diversity in Australia, Pako Festa has been held every year since 1983. Some 100,000 people are expected to turn out for a day-long celebration of cultural food, traditional dancing, the enormous and famous Pako Parade, great workshops, art exhibitions and craft displays. Stars of Channel 7 also turn out, with stars of MKR and Home & Away your guests of honour. As always, there will be plenty for the kids as well, including the Mr. Peabody & Sherman dance workshop and dirtgirlworld & Bunnings seedling workshop. Be sure to have a good look at pakofesta.com.au for the full rundown.

Celebrations, it would seem, got a little out of hand, with the band playing a string of shows that were met with disappointment.

Manning up, the band has decided to give things another crack, this time promising to be “less drunk and more coherent” than their previous visit. Barwon Heads Hotel, Barwon Heads – April 5. I’ll have a coke, please.

A Hobbsy Hobby You just can’t stop the music. Ex-Smokin’ Joker bass slinger, Ben Hobbs, has returned with his new project, Hobbsy. The Geelong lad enjoy a decent time with Smokin’ Joker, twice touring the US, and supporting Deep Purple. In 2005,

Hobbs retired from music when frontman Cory Hargreaves relocated to Sydney.

However, as the days, weeks, months and years went on, the musical itch became too strong for Hobbs to ignore. So here he is, back in the saddle again – and Risen from the Dead is his debut. The album features collaborations and vocals from longtime friends Clint Johannes, Brett Rerekura and Alex Williams, plus lead guitars from ex-bandmate Andrew Cromwell.

Ooh Ah, a Little Bit More It’s triple your pleasure at The Loft, Warrnambool this Saturday night,

February 21, with The Harlots, King Evil and Red Eagle in the house.

Endearing bluegrass funsters The Pigs have a date with The Loft, Warrnambool on March 27. Lucie Thorne has a date with Bendigo’s Old Church on the Hill on February 28. Martians Café, Deans Marsh host Dog Gone South on February 20 and Buck Jr. on February 28. Kasey Chamber’s rescheduled tour hits Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal this Saturday, February 21.

Thundamentals have added Ballarat to their tour, hitting up The Karova on April 22.

Brisbane’s Babaganouj hit The Bridge, Castlemaine on April 16 at The Barwon, Geelong on April 18.

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What’s On In The Rat Written by Daniel Lock

Ah, Salaam and good evening to you worthy friends. Here’s what’s happening in the Ballarat area over the next fortnight that you Mmm-Boppers and Trip-Hoppers might be interested in.

Thursday February 19 The Babushka Bar begins this live music round with Jakobi Kai and Michael Gate playing some music to the Thursday night audience. Entry: $5.

Over at The Eastern the Open Mic night crowd will be lining up to put their names down and sing their souls out then await the onslaught of talent scouts scurrying to scrounge them up.

FREE ENTRY. Friday February 20 The Babushka Bar have Tom Bedlam playing tunes and guitar for a mere entry fee of: $5.

The Eastern will be hosting the Dead Salesmen (Duo) after their recently Vinyl rerelease of their album Amen. Accompanying them will be The Lost Ragas on their ‘Marijuana Mornings’ Single Release tour. Entry: $10 The Karova Lounge have Fiver night on with the dress up theme come as your favourite cartoon character; a $50 bar tab goes to the best dressed. Entry: $5.

Suttons House Of Music have a big one on this night.

Sarah Mcleod (The Superjesus) and Mick Skelton (Baby Animals) have teamed up and will be playing together.

Supported by Sean Miljoen tickets through S.H.O.M. or Oztix.

Saturday February 21 The Babushka Bar have Tom Bedlam back on for a 10.30am set then Dolphy’s Albatross in the evening. Entry: $5.

The Eastern will be hosting Melbourne’s DASH, a four-piece eclectic band. They’ll be supported by the infamous misc, also known as: unconfirmed acts, in shorter terms: supports TBC. Entry: $10.

S.H.O.M will be hosting The 3D’s.

FREE ENTRY. Wednesday February 25 The Babushka Bar have free karaoke night on.

Thursday February 26 The Babushka Bar have Peter and Kristine Allan playing to the audience. Back for an encore after their January gig at Babs, Peter and Kristine will be bringing their much loved music again to

the place. Entry: TBC. The Karova Lounge have electronic outfit Areas play.

FREE ENTRY. S.H.O.M. have Aine Tyrell playing her style of Irish/folk music. So for the love of Leprechauns get down and see her for a mere entry of $7.

Friday February 27 has The Babushka Bar see Ben Kelly hitting the stage. Entry: TBC. The Eastern will be hosting legends River of Snakes and local legends The Yard Apes.

The three-piece River Of Snakes combined hail from a myriad of different successful bands (Magic Dirt, Midnight Woolf, The Ape, Muffcake, The Loveless, Hotel Wrecking City Traders) the trio are set to share the night with our own boys The Yard Apes fresh after their ‘Night of the Living Dead’ vinyl single release. Entry: $10.

Meanwhile, back at The Karova Lounge, Horris Green are set to hit the stage in their rocking duo-like way.

Supporting them will be Destrends and The Black Alleys. Entry: $6.

S.H.O.M. will have the talented musical artists in the Ballarat Ska Union playing. Entry: $5.

Saturday February 28 The Babushka Lounge has Arkie T Williams & The Mudlarks playing.

A talented mix of musicians they’re always good for a laugh and a listen.

Entry: TBC. The Eastern will be hosting Tally Hose (Flying Nun Records tribute band) and new Ballarat punk rockers Lime Lagoons. Entry: $10.

The Karova Lounge have Agent 37, The Fckups, Dead Embassy and The Shorts playing this night. Entry: $6.

The Main Bar is finally putting in an appearance this year with Jimi Hocking to play a solo gig there. Entry: $15.

Thursday March 5 and last but not least for this issue is Maddison Wilson putting in an appearance at The Babushka Bar. Entry: TBC. Well that’s my gig guide to live music around the Rat. Remember to show your live music appreciation by rocking out with one sock out.

It’ll look weird, but one foot will dance cooler than the other.

Mr Harmony Written by Abbey King

When it comes to harmonicas, no one can really do it better than Kelvin Carlsson. Based in Sydney, Kelvin, better known as Mr Harmony, spreads his love of the blues all over Australia with the help of this tiny, yet mighty instrument.

“I travel around Australia running workshops, I teach prison inmates, I work with disabled people, but most of the time I run beginners workshops for people who’ve never played before or people who’ve dabbled a little bit but not got it together,” Kelvin says.

“So I teach the very basics of harmonica playing, how to hold it, how to make sounds, how to bend notes, within two hours I will be teaching them how to play along to a 12-bar blues backing track.”

Mr Harmony has been in the blues business for over 25 years, currently playing harmonica and sax in jump blues outfit, Matt Black and The Phat Cats,

regulars on the Sydney blues scene. His passion for blues and the harmonica is something he is eager to share with all walks of life.

“Interestingly enough the age group is quite diverse, I’ve had kids that are eight or nine years old and then I’ve had people in their early 70’s, you can’t really define it demographically, it’s for everybody,” he says.

Mr Harmony will be bringing his nationally famed workshop to Geelong West, at the Virginia Todd Hallon Saturday February 21. The tutorial will consist of a three hour workshop at a cost of just $110. Included in that price is your very own harmonica that you can take home after the event as well as course notes and emails containing the backing tracks. Kelvin encourages everyone to get along and learn this wonderful new skill.

“I think there should be enough interest down in Geelong. There is a big following of blues, you’ve got the Blues Train down in Queenscliff, so it should be a good one,” Kelvin says.

When&Where: Saturday 21st FebruaryVirginia Todd Hall, Geelong West

Kilmore Country Music Festival Written by Abbey King

Country music, utes, good grub and affordable drinks, if this sounds like your kind of good time, then Kilmore Country Music Festival is definitely worth your time.

The festival are putting on one of its biggest events yet with an even better line up, I caught up with organiser Helen Stewart about what can be expected this year.

The 2015 head liners, Jetty Road, returned to Australia from Canada just before Christmas where they had been recording their latest album, they then headed off to Tamworth to celebrate their 10th anniversary with a sold out show.

“Jetty Road have been going for 10 years now and are still very popular, they have won numerous awards and have their new album out very shortly as well, so we are very happy to have them along,” she says.

Roo Arcus from NSW is also having great success with his new album Cowboy and Sunsets. The album is in the ARIA Top 20 Australian Artist Country Albums Chart, this week coming in at #11 and hopefully will continue to climb.

Melbourne band Ruckus picked up eight awards for their new album at the Canberra Country Music Festival Awards in November and their latest single release ‘Love This Country ‘ is currently at #26 in the Country Top 40. Sandra Humphries from MT Gambier won Best Country Music Artist in South Australia and will make her second appearance at the festival – last time was in 2010 at Wandong.

Kilmore local Tim Farren is a crowd favourite and is always in demand for autographs and photos. He has won most popular vocalist at the Country Music Guild of Australasia for the past three years. Kaitlyn Thomas will open the festival and at just 14 years old is a must see.

When&Where: JJ Clancy Reserve, Kilmore – March 1 (Pictured: Jetty Road)

Pete Denahy will provide a bit of comedy relief and bluegrass in his set, and may look familiar to some as he was a contestant on Australia’s Got Talent and had the judges in fits of laughter with his original ‘The Teenage Song’. Pete has also played fiddle with James Blundell, toured with Slim Dusty, Sarah Storer, Lee Kernaghan and Troy Cassar-Daley and worked with comedians Akmal Saleh, Elliot Goblet and Flacco.

Lachlan Bryan and the Wildes won a Golden Guitar in Tamworth in 2014 for Best Alternate Country Album and finally, The Mason Boys will finish the day off with an energetic set.

While the music is great the festival will also host its infamous ute competition, “It’s very popular because people enjoy looking at all the utes, but we also have an award that is People’s Choice – so everyone is able to vote for their favourite. There’s 10 categories that can be won so long as they meet that criteria,” Helen says.

The event is strictly no BYO, but market stalls and food and drink vendors will also be available for a great selection of food and drink.

“Kilmore Football Club will run a bar, Little Athletics will have their canteen open and Wallan Scouts will be cooking the BBQ. Wandong Primary School will have cupcakes for sale and face painting. It is great to have so many different groups able to participate in the day and raise funds for their clubs,” she says.

Punters can save money on tickets by booking online before the festival.

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T H E NIG H T V IBE Written by Tex Miller / thenightvibe.com.au

The Right Bag For You

Are phones entirely necessary at gigs?

Written by Jessica Alves

My mum always told me to invest in a good quality bag – rather than spend money on trendy throw away pieces.

The reason being that once you have the right bag, it can dress up any outfit. Taking the time to make sure you choose the right bag is important, considering it can be one of the biggest investments in your wardrobe. There are five aspects that you need to take into consideration when looking for your perfect bag; style, size, colour, hardware and price.

There are a bunch of styles going around at the moment, but the real question is whether or not you need a shoulder strap. If you need to carry a bag a lot and also need both hands to be available for other purposes, a cross body bag may be the option for you. If a cross body bag is too small, a shoulder bag with a removable longer strap could be a better option. However, if you’re not travelling a large distance then your standard shoulder bag should be fine.

The size of the bag you choose should be centred around what you need to carry. If you’re carrying around the bare necessities of life, i.e. phone, wallet and keys, then go for a smaller bag. The upside to having a smaller bag is that you minimise the risk of over-

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packing and don’t end up with, what I like to call, bermuda-bag.

It’s when you’ve got a bag way too big for your needs, and everything kind of just disappears into it.

However, if you’re a student or if you have to carry around a laptop, a big bag is often a necessity. I find that keeping a little makeup bag inside my giant bag is a great way of organising things and to avoid the bermuda-bag phenomenon happening. I also prefer a bag that has compartments included in the bags lining.

I will always, always opt for a black bag. The reason being that it will undoubtedly always go with everything. If you’ve already got a black bag, go for some other neutral colour, such as tan, camel or even grey. Hardware is also something that I feel is far too often overlooked. A look just isn’t cohesive if the hardware is clashing. Which is why, no matter what, all of my hardware in my wardrobe is the same.

The price is without a doubt the most important aspect of your purchase. Always buy within what you can afford, but it’s so important to keep in mind that your investment bag should be one that you can give to your children one day. Not to mention that it should be something you use for at least two years, so that you get your moneys worth, so it should be timeless and good quality.

Above all, take your time, do your research and don’t jump at whichever bag looks the flashiest,

but rather the one with the least bells and whistles.

The one that will last you a lifetime, rather than a season.

Instagram @jessicazalves youtube.com/msbonvivants

If you are a regular Night Vibe column reader, you will remember a few months ago I alerted you to the extensive rise of ticket costs around Australia. From Rod Laver to the Corner, tickets are getting more and more expensive as the economy fluctuates. Now my beef this week isn’t with the ticket prices themselves, it is with people going to concerts and pulling out their phones to film sections of the performance. Now this isn’t a dig at the people that just film say 15 or 30 seconds of a particular song, but having gone to a few concerts over January, particularly James Bay and George Ezra, the amount of smartphones being produced at gigs is definitely on the rise.

In 2015, yes it is inevitable that people will bring out their smartphones to record their favourite performers.

It’s a part of every day life and the immediacy in which we want news. Whether our Facebook or Instagram apps are opened in the background, we want our friends to know what we are doing and when we are doing it. Now in big venues such as Rod Laver or Falls Festival in large open spaces, filming things on your phone isn’t that bad. Furthermore, the purpose of this column isn’t to say that filming is a

bad thing, yet why would you spend all your precious coins on tickets to your favourite bands to just stand up the front and record every single waking moment of the performance on your phone?

Sure, if you upload it to Facebook for friends overseas to see or whatever, then that’s cool, but I guarantee you that 100% of the things that I have filmed on my phone haven’t been viewed later.

In the moment we all want to capture things on our phones, but more often than not it just becomes lost in the aftermath.

When I went to see George Ezra at the Corner, it was quite a special moment, first tour of Australia out here for Falls Festival and a few sideshows, great.

Tremendous voice and can play the guitar a hell of a lot. His most famous song for those out of the loop is ‘Budapest’. After the release of his album Wanted on Voyage, and leading up to his few shows in our country, commercial radio started to play his track. Now for all of those aware and have read my past articles, there isn’t too much variety on those commercial networks. In all reality, it’s great for him to be earning a few bucks from having his awesome song played all over the place.

However, when he launched into it at the Corner at least ¾ of the room all pulled out

their smartphones to film the whole performance of it.

I didn’t pull out my phone, nor will I ever at a venue of that size, because it is about the raw emotion of the performance and the intimacy of being at one with the artist. The other side of the coin is that bands can no longer be premiering new material on forthcoming albums because it will be on Youtube the next day. Talking to Aussie blues legend Jimi Hocking the other day, when he was performing with the Screaming Jets, they debuted a new song and sure enough next day, it was online. The problem that arises from that is sometimes these songs aren’t 100% fully finished and may be changed when they head into the studio to record the next album. No longer is there any privacy to what a band will be releasing, which is a really sad aspect to the music industry in 2015.

Jack White, as revolutionary as he is, has previously asked patrons to deposit their phones in a plastic tub before entering the venue to combat this.

Obviously they can’t do this at every venue, yet when you are out with mates watching a band, maybe just all join in a circle and live in the moment a bit. Remember with your eyes what you are experiencing, rather than being like all the rest.

Inca Roads Festival with Daniel Camilleri Written by Amanda Sherring

It’s not often that a camping trip between friends turns into a threeday festival, but that’s exactly how Inca Roads started and it seems the humble beginnings were the best possible way for it to be created.

“It started as a one day festival, then turned into a two day festival and a three day festival all within a couple of weeks,” Daniel says.

The festivals rapid

growth and popularity may have been stunted in 2014 – when the event took a year off – but 2015 brings with it a whole new venue and drive to see Inca Roads succeed.

“I’m really excited about it being back because it’s been a really good six months or so where we’ve been working on the line up and we’ve moved to a new location in

Morrisons,” he says.

“It really is a whole new start, so we’ve just been getting organised for that, getting the line up curated together and since then it’s been full steam ahead.”

And they’ve done a mighty fine job of curating over 30 acts for the Ballarat-based festival with The Harpoons, The Cactus Channel, Scotdrakula and Sex On Toast just a few of the

acts gracing the line up.

With the new venue it allows for the opportunity of growth, with Daniel referencing Meredith Music Festival as the ultimate festival to aspire to. Though Inca Roads is different as its appeal lies within the intimacy of the festival, something that they don’t plan on losing any time soon.

“With something that started off smaller you don’t want to make it too big too quick,” Daniel says.

“Meredith Music Festival stuck to those independent ideals and that’s basically the best fundamentals for a successful festival.”

At present, with tickets now on sale, the venue is looking to host a comfy 650 punters and something that Tone Deaf has labelled one of the 25 boutique Australian festivals you need to attend.

“That was a real humbling thing and I guess honour, and it just goes to show that we’re doing some cool things and people are appreciating it, so as long as that keeps happening we’ll keep on having fun doing it,” he says.

With all the hype and accolades, it really makes you wonder just what is the atmosphere like at Inca Roads, when faced with the question Daniel

found it quite tricky to put it into words, after a long pause he answered in the best way he could.

“Any words I’ll use will instantly make it sound like not what it actually is,” before Daniel adds, “Everyone’s just having fun together and smiling and I really don’t know how to capture that in words.”

Look at the pictures from past festivals and at the smiling faces and Daniel’s description seems to be a pretty accurate one. One of the greatest moments for him is after the months and months leading up to the event being able to actually take the time out to enjoy it. It’s something he hasn’t had the privilege of doing every year but for 2015, he’s going to make sure he gets at least one night off. While Daniel has the possibility of work holding him back, you’ve got no excuses.

Tickets are on sale now and available at events. ticketbooth.com.au/ event/IncaRoads, more information can also be found on the website.

When&Where: Morrisons, Ballarat – March 20, 21 & 22

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ANGUS & JULIA STONE LOCAL FEATURE STORY Written by Natalie Rogers photo by dan boud

Julia Stone sips coffee in a Melbourne café on her way to plan a game of tennis with a mate. “Not a bad way to spend the day,” she says with a smile. Not to be mistaken for a lady of leisure, we caught up with Julia on the eve of their Summer Tour 2015.

Julia and her much loved little brother Angus, will play the Costa Hall on Thursday February 26 and they’re bringing along a few friends – alt rockers Cloud Control and Brisbane boy Jarryd James. “We played with Jarryd at a show in Canberra and he was just stunning. We watched his set and were so mesmerised by his music that when it came to choosing an extra support, Jarryd was the one we wanted,” she says.

“It was the same with Cloud Control – we’re fans of Cloud Control and have been for many years. They were one of the first bands we put to our booking agent that we wanted to support us. Angus and I have wanted to tour with them for a long time. So when they said ‘yes’ it was a pretty exciting moment. We’ve been hanging out with them this weekend up on Angus’ farm, just jamming on songs. We’d love to get them

in the set and share a moment with them on stage.”

Julia says their self-titled third album was all about capturing life’s precious moments, and with the help of renowned American producer and founder of Def Jam Records, Rick Rubin, they created what is arguably their finest work yet. “When Rick suggested Angus and I work with him on a new record, I’ll admit at first we took some convincing. At the time we were both pretty adamant about being solo artists and very happy with what we were doing.

Don’t get me wrong, Rick is not the kind of guy that would ever put pressure on a situation – he just isn’t that type of person. Once he planted the seed, Rick just let time do its thing,” Julia explained.

“We soon realised that this would be an incredible opportunity to explore a new way of working together. Previously Angus had always done things apart, writing separately and on separate days in the studio. During this experience we both found that we actually enjoyed jamming and the process of writing music side by side – who knew!?” Julia laughed.

“It was certainly a game changing experience for me,” Julia continued. “I’m of the ilk that if a song

doesn’t come out quickly and all at one time, I’ll move onto something else. I wrote ‘Death Defying Acts’ just staring into space!” she grinned. It’s a blessing and a curse to be able to write in that way.

Angus is more of a craftsman – he will work on a song and develop it. ‘My word For It’, for example, evolved over time. Angus and I never actually said this to each other but I know the making of this record was really important for us – it changed the dynamic between Angus and myself forever.”

Angus and Julia Stone began playing the pub circuit back in 2006 at the tender ages of 20 and 22 respectively. They’ve grown up on stage and become closer than ever. “Things happen and people change. We’ve both grown up a lot and I think you can hear that on this record – we definitely sound more self-confident. I can only speak for myself, but I believe that going on my own solo journey has helped me feel more grounded in who I am. I wasn’t as frightened making this record as I have been with others. I felt more comfortable in the situation and that gave me a lot of confidence as well.

Having Rick around for support wasn’t bad either!

“We both really love being around him – he’s a great guy and he is such a believer in our music and what Angus and I do together, we couldn’t help but feel a sense of, ‘Yes, this is where I’m meant to be’. I can hear that in this record – there’s a kind of relaxed element to it that perhaps wasn’t there in the past. This album definitely feels the most like Angus and me.”

Julia revealed that she and Angus are planning to start work on their next album as soon as they wrap up this summer tour. “We both worked so hard last year playing back to back shows, so this year we wanted to give ourselves a bit of space between shows, not totally burn out and leave time to write music. Angus and I feel re-inspired by everything that has happened in the last two years. I’m so proud of what we have created in the past and the journey that we’re on together – it’s been wild!”

When&Where: Costa Hall, Geelong – February 26 & Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne – February 27

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W I T H S T UDI O H O S T S P HIL J A MIE S ON , Z A N RO W E & T HE DA N C IN G A C C O UN TA N T

SUNDAY

3 MAY

Rites of Passage: Nikko Hurtado Nikko Hurtado was born in the San Fernado Valley in 1981. Son of a Mexican welder and a Hispanic homemaker, Nikko grew up in the high desert drawing cartoons and characters for fun. His love for art transformed when at the age of 16 his longtime friend, Mike DeMasi, got a car. He and Mike then had the means and ways to take classes at the Art Center of Pasadena where Nikko took classes for several years but decided to give up on art to do construction.

In 2002, after three years of hard labor, Nikko stopped into Art Junkies Tattoo Studio in Hesperia to see how Mike was doing. Mike had been tattooing for a while and offered Nikko an apprenticeship. The only experience Nikko had with tattoos was the gang or prison tattoos he had seen on friends and family. He didn’t even have

a tattoo himself. Regardless, the next day Nikko picked up a machine and started tattooing soon after.

After just a year of tattooing Nikko did a tattoo that would change his career forever – a Batman colour portrait. This was his first color portrait that he ever attempted and when it was complete the client entered it

into the Pomona Tattoo Portrait Contest and took home first place. It would be one of many awards he would collect over the years, but that portrait put him on the map. The image went viral in the tattoo community before there was even Facebook, Instagram, and social media. He was now known as the go-to artist for colour portraits.

Nikko started being featured on numerous TV shows such as LA Ink, Tattoo Wars, Tori & Dean, and Spike TV’s Ink Master. His TV appearances drew attention from celebrities and allowed him to tattoo musicians Drake, The Game, Fred Durst, Wes Borland, Brandon Boyd, Jose Pasillas, Wale, Andrew WK, and Cheryl Cole; athletes Carlos Boozer and Chris Cole; actors Guillermo Diaz and Jenna Jameson and celebrities Jeffree Star, Jesse James, and Kat Von D. Right in the middle of his career boom, Nikko started the Black Anchor Collective tattoo studio in 2009. “I noticed that many of my clients were flying in from all over the World to get tattooed,” he says. “I want my clients to feel special and to know that I appreciate them. I just wanted to give them more of myself.”

And he did give more of himself by implementing the anchor as the centerpiece for the studio and his brand. The anchor is a very personal symbol for Nikko, not only does it pay homage to classic tattooing iconography, but it also represents friendship, family, and love. It reminds him to stay grounded and focused on what is important.

In 2013 Nikko hit an important milestone in his career with his first solo art show Renati.

Working primarily in oils, Nikko debuted a series of paintings

at the Corpro Gallery in Santa Monica, CA to acclaimed reviews.

When he looks at everything it took to get to that point he realizes he wouldn’t be where he is now without the dedicated help of his wife Joanne, “Everything I have done was only possible because of her help.”

Today Nikko is extremely humbled by the love and support of his fans, friends, and family. He also now has a tattoo collection of his very own and continues to learn by only getting tattooed by people he can learn from.

He spends his life dedicated to tattooing at Black Anchor Collective, travelling the World and spending time with his family.

You can see Nikko and his work at the Rites of Passage Tattoo, Music and Arts Festival in Melbourne. For tickets and more information visit their website ritesofpassagefestival.com.

When&Where: Royal Exhibition Building, Melb - April 24, 25 & 26

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Christie Lamb Written by Tex Miller

Christie Lamb is one of the biggest names in Australian country music and on the back of her debut album, All She Wrote, Lamb has been touring around the country. Having launched the disc at Tamworth this year, she is set to make her mark on Geelong as part of the country line up at Motor City Music Festival over the Labour Day weekend.

Speaking ahead of her performance alongside JR Reyne, McAlister Kemp, James Blundell and Amber Lawrence, to name but just a few, she is excited.

The Tamworth music festival draws thousands of people each year and for Lamb to play for the first time with her debut record out was quite an experience as she relates. “This was the first year that we got to take the whole band up the whole time and play all band shows. Previously we’ve down little acoustic spots, but to launch as a band this time around was great. The album is quite country rock so to play it as it is on the record and not stripped back at all was fantastic. To see people up singing the songs, not even a year after we’d released it, was something really special. It was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to get back up there next year.”

Trying to get the album out to as many people as possible, Lamb is set to tour throughout the next few months. The majority of All She Wrote was written

on a trip to Nashville (country music capital of the world) and has been winning hearts and accolades all over the world. The success of the record, is something that you can’t pre-empt as Lamb explains. “You never know what is going to happen. I put out an EP before this, and they did well on radio but you can never expect what is going to happen.

The first single went to #1, the whole album went to #2 on the ARIA charts behind Troy and Adam, which was quite an honour. It’s been a whirlwind time so far and having released the fifth single just recently, we are starting to think about the next release.”

Usually writing when inspiration occurs, the song writing spark ignited when Lamb went

“ It’s going to be awesome to get up on stage in Geelong!” to Nashville. “When I was in Nashville, to be honest, there was some doubt as to what would happen if I didn’t get inspired. The city and the people you meet are very inspiring. Song writing is a professional trade over there and it’s a 9-5 profession. They are so tuned in with what they do and I want to get back there as soon as possible.”

Recorded in Brisbane, the album is a stunning set of country tunes. The decision to record in Oz lead to a more organic process due to there not being time constraints as opposed to recording in the US. With more writing trips planned for later this year, the follow up to All She Wrote may still be a little while away, but it’s definitely worth waiting for.

As previously mentioned, Lamb is part of the country line up of Motor City Music Festival and can’t wait to take to the stage over the Labour Day Weekend. “It’s going to be awesome to get up on stage in Geelong. There is such a high calibre of country artists playing and to be amongst that is fantastic. See you there!”

When & Where: Motor City Music Festival, Geelong – March 6,7 & 8

C.W. Stoneking Written by Tex Miller

C.W. Stoneking has over the past 20 years become an Australian icon in the blues and roots scene. From his time playing on the Blues Train and busking in Melbourne, he has with each album release had incredible success throughout the world. Last year, he released his third album Gon’ Boogaloo, which received extensive airplay. He’s playing a few final shows in regional Victoria to wrap up the Australian tour before heading back to Europe and the US.

Although it took six years in the making, the final product of his third album is simply stunning. Recorded in just two days, with two microphones covering the whole band, the simplistic recording process – which pays homage to the old school recording methods of the ‘50s and ‘60s – gives the album a raw and honest feeling.

“I think that this album took so long because of writer’s block and being busy with other pursuits.

The method that I take to writing songs is that I need a concentrated period to do it in which is becoming harder and harder to come by with my family and touring commitments,” he says.

Talking about the success of the record, when spending time at home, Stoneking doesn’t really see how big this album has become until he heads out on the road. “Unless I’m out talking to people, I don’t really see how big it is. I’ve seen a few of the reviews coming in

and they have been good.

It’s not really unless I am out on the road that I feel the true sense of how the album is going. It’s really nice that radio and media have got onside this time though.”

Recorded in regional Victoria in a recently new studio, the quick recording process with no overdubs or edits was always the intended idea.

In turn, leading back to how the songs were written. “I never intended to produce this one as much. With Jungle Blues I was messing around with all these sounds and this time around I wanted to make a more straight up band record.

We ended up doing it a lot more simply than I thought, yet it worked really well. For the time frame that the other musicians had, I think

When & Where: The Substation, Newport – February 27, Theatre Royal, Castlemaine – February 28 & Memo, Healesville – March 1

we came across with a really good sounding record.”

‘Get On The Floor’, the main single, is a simple rock and roll song that answers back to some of the criticism that is easily uploaded to the Internet these days. If you have heard the song, you will know that it is a simplistic upbeat tune that is easy to groove along to.

Throughout each of C.W.’s albums, the process to writing and recording has changed significantly. King

Hokum, his debut record released in the mid 2000s, took a year to record due to financial limitations and calendar schedules of producers. Looking forward to the next record, Stoneking feels that he will be following on the process taken with Gon’ Boogaloo. Having started to write the new album already, under six months after the release, it might be a little bit of time before we hear new material.

“It might be a while yet before I bring out another album. I started writing the other day and am headed overseas again for some time.

Come out to the show in Castlemaine and see the band in full flight whilst you can.”

Dan Sultan Written by Andrew Pretorius

After interviewing Dan Sultan, if I had to describe him using only one word I’d have to go with authentic. He comes across as grounded and comfortable in his own skin, even as he references his own insecurity. And when one of my questions isn’t conducive to an easy answer, instead of manufacturing a polished, publicity-friendly reply, he struggles to find his own unique truth and comfortably embraces the ambiguity that emerges.

The question I’m referring to relates to how much of an influence Sultan’s Indigenous roots have on his music. “Uh, I don’t know, that’s a hard question,” Sultan tells me. “As far as my work is concerned and being a musician and being a performer I don’t know how anything affects anything. I just kind of take it in my stride I guess.”

I don’t detect the slightest trace of arrogance in Sultan. If he was a different kind of person though, someone for whom an increase in success equates to an inflation of ego, he’d have plenty of reasons to justify it. He’s won several major ARIAs; he’s currently on the road with Paul Kelly; and his tight touring schedule over the next couple of months shows how in-demand he is all over the country. Yet when I ask him if he ever expected to achieve all that he has, he says, “I think humility is a good thing. I feel very flattered a lot of

the time, and I certainly don’t take any of this for granted. When I was growing up I certainly hoped that things would work out, but at the same time if they didn’t they didn’t. I’d still be doing it anyway.”

In light of all that Sultan has achieved, it would be natural to assume he would have developed a passion for music when he was quite young, perhaps starting out casually and starting to take it more seriously later on. But his connection to his music is much deeper than that, and goes back much further. “I don’t think I ever really knew, like it wasn’t a light bulb moment, it was just something that was always there, it was always a part of me. I never really woke up one

“ when it’s done properly, when it’s done right, you can really have that connection on a big scale.” morning and thought no this is what I’m going to do.

It was just something that I always knew that I was – for better or worse. Whether I ever made records or not, whether I ever played any concerts or not or anything…(my music was) something that was always a part of me. And I felt a part of it,” Sultan says.

When we speak, Sultan is in Darwin resting his voice in between concerts. And with 19 dates booked throughout February and March for his Dirty Ground tour, his love for live shows is evident. But what exactly is it about playing live that is so juicy for him? “I enjoy having a connection, just in life…and I think playing live, when it’s done properly, when it’s done right, you can really have that connection on a big scale,” he says.

As for the kind of response he likes to see in an audience, there is no hesitation in his answer: “Yelling and clapping and cheering…I think all performers have a certain amount of insecurity, and to get that gratification and validation from an audience is very nice.”

When & Where: Theatre Royal, Castlemaine – March 7 & National Theatre, St Kilda – March 21

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Forte Columns

PULP Written by Alastair McGibbon

too heavy to hug

pop culture

Written by Paul S Taylor

Written by Anthony Morris

The very first issue from the very first volume of Metal Music Studies is available now. The website states “Metal Music Studies is the journal for the International Society for Metal Music Studies”. When capitals begin almost every word in a sentence you know you’re looking at something important. Ultimately, the journal wants to provide an “intellectual hub” while promoting the International Society for Metal Music Studies, it wants to be the focus for research and theory in metal music studies and it wants to publish articles from across the scene.

There’s about 10 chapters in the first issue of Metal Music Studies, I haven’t read any yet except for the first page of the introduction where it was mentioned there’s a metal music conference happening in Finland this year during their summer. I’m confused because one of the most un-metal things to do is go to any conference ever because everyone knows conferences are giant circle-wank exercises.

Some of the articles sound pretty good like the Amalgamated Anecdotes: Perspectives on the history of metal music and culture studies, because there’s nothing better than a bunch of short stories about getting drunk at gigs you went to decades ago in places you don’t live.

There’s also an article entitled Dark Epistemology: An assessment of philosophical trends in the black metal music on Mayhem, which seemed kinda appealing at first but after seeing that it’s 14 pages long, I’m not sure what more could possibly be said about them apart from the bleeding obvious.

Don’t be drawn into the article Lyrical stresses of heavy metal and rap, again I haven’t read any of these yet, but flicking through the article, it appears to be an article by some feminist whinging about misogyny and rap.

In other news It’s finally here, the 2015 Melbourne Soundwave festival will be held at Flemington Racecourse this Saturday and Sunday.

Lamb Of God and Killer Be Killed will be at 170 Russell on Tuesday February 24.

Soundgarden will play Festival Hall on Tuesday February 24.

All That Remains will release their new album The Order Of Things on Friday February 27.

Psycroptic will release their sixth album, Echoes To Come in March.

Nile drummer George Kollias will be holding a full day drumming workshop at Northcote’s Drumtek on Sunday March 8. He’ll also be there playing classic Nile tracks on Monday March 9 and he’ll still be there playing new solo stuff on Tuesday March 10. All tickets through Oztix.

Cancer Bats will release their fifth studio album Zero on Friday March 13.

Psycroptic with special guests Goatwhore will play The Hi-Fi on Friday March 13, Ballarat’s Karova Lounge on Sunday March 15, The Barwon Club on Friday March 20 and Melbourne’s Wrangler Studios on Saturday March 21.

Mastodon will play Festival Hall on Friday March 27.

Gallows will release Desolation Sounds on Friday April 10.

The Ocean will play The Evelyn Hotel on Saturday April 18.

Suffocation and Decapitated will play the Corner Hotel on Saturday May 9.

The big problem Australian television comedy faces at the moment – and no, this isn’t going to turn out to be a review of House of Hancock – is that there’s a very big gap between the tried and tested performers and everyone else. Take Charlie Pickering’s upcoming new show for the ABC The Weekly – described as “a news comedy show, tonight show and chat show all in one,” by the ABC, they say Pickering will “return to his comedy roots while being a general nuisance to news makers, politicians and other charlatans.”

So, reading between the lines there, it’s going to basically be The Daily Show but not quite as good.

The trouble is that they recently announced a couple of cast members, and they’re Kitty Flanagan and Tom Gleeson.

Obviously Flanagan is a good get: she’s been a clear highlight on the otherwise firmly mediocre Project, and she’s got the kind of comedy persona that works well with news and current affairs. On the other hand, after five years on The Project we’re all pretty familiar with her work – shouldn’t she really get her own show? And considering she first turned up on Full Frontal close to 20 years ago, it’s hardly as if she’s a new face on the scene.

Gleeson on the other hand has a career that stretches back almost as far as Flanagan’s, only a decade or more of slogging it out in the trenches has both honed his skills and turned him into a performer that it’s hard to get excited about.

He’s come a long way from being “the ginger ninja” and playing The Australian Fast Bowler on Skithouse, but lengthy runs on duds like Good News World and This Week Live have made him the kind of guy you expect to see on an Australian comedy show but can’t get excited about – he’s not a headliner, he’s just a solid team player. Which is fine (and more power to him for making a living in Australian comedy), but once you start seeing names like that crop up in the cast list for a new show it suddenly becomes a lot harder to work up enthusiasm about what’s to come. It’s not that they’re not funny, but what we’re being offered is a chance to see them do more of what they’ve been doing for the past decade or so, and no-one was that excited about what they’re doing when it was fresh and new otherwise they’d have had their own show by now.

Because the Australian comedy market is so small, solid performers like Flanagan and Gleeson don’t ever get the chance to move onto something different: they’re both more than competent performers who – given the chance – could stir some actual interest out there if they were doing something outside the confines of the topical comedy chat circuit. But those opportunities to break out of the box simply don’t exist for 99% of television comedians.

Still, it’s a steady gig for them, and if host Pickering – who is part of the 1% who has been judged suitable to headline their own show – crashes and burns, at least his supporting cast can walk away and do the exact same thing on the next topical comedy chat show that comes along.

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So, I’ve got a question for you all. Who’s heard of Ghost Rider? Yeah, about what I expected.

Marvel hasn’t exactly paid a lot of attention to Ghost Rider over the years, and ol’ flamehead has been relegated to C or D-grade hero status more often than not. It probably doesn’t help that the most prominent thing Marvel has done with Ghost Rider in recent years was to make two incredibly sub-par movies... both starring Nicolas Cage. Yes, he of “not the bees!” fame played a Marvel superhero. I can honestly say I have no idea what the hell (pardon the pun) they were thinking.

Despite the lack of prominence, Marvel has decided to take a risk with some of their fringe properties (encouraged by the success of Guardians of the Galaxy, most likely) and has rebooted a few series as part of their Marvel NOW imprint. Yup, Ghost Rider’s got the reboot treatment, and in all honesty – has never looked better.

Now, if you’re still wondering just what the hell Ghost Rider is all about, here’s the lowdown: every Ghost Rider (there’s been more than one – the current GR is #3) is a human that bonds with a Spirit of Vengeance, and brings divine retribution by making those who hurt others feel the pain they have dished out. With a flaming skull head, badass chains and a sweet ride, Ghost Riders bring offenders to justice and scare the crap out of them in the process. The original GR, Johnny Blaze – the character Nic Cage played – is probably the most famous, and rode around on a motorcycle with flaming wheels. Yup, you read that right – and it’s totally awesome.

The current Ghost Rider series, written by Felipe Smith (Peepo Choo), takes things a little differently, away from the flaming-biker-ofjustice schtick. Volume 1 of the series, Engines of Vengeance, follows Latino teenager Robbie Reyes, who lives in

PUNK! Written by Christopher Cruz

Anybody escaping our winter this year to check out the massive European music festivals (it’s their summer, doi!)? Could do a lot worse than heading to the Pro Vinssi Rock Festival in Finland, running from June 24-27 with an eclectic lineup that includes everybody from prog rock heroes Muse to Faith No More (who seem to be EVERYWHERE these days). Punk favourites Refused and Raised Fist, nu metal types Hollywood Undead and Australia’s own Parkway Drive. Be warned though – there’s also a whole bunch of crap acts on the bill: Sam Smith (who I prefer to refer to as a secondrate Boy George), The Cardigans and loads of average DJ types. I suppose this means that there really is something for everyone on offer, and if you happen to be travelling with mates with dubious (questionable?!) tastes in music, you’ll still be able to go together. Bless.

Guttermouth are heading back our way – despite the fact that their LAST Australian tour was billed as, well, their last Australian tour – on Sunday April 5 at Barwon Heads Hotel. That’s also Easter Sunday, I think, so head on down and burn off some of those Cadbury creme eggs and hot cross buns. Then make up for it by sinking a bunch of beers!

The guys (and girl) of Hopes Abandoned aren’t doing a very good job of staying broken up. They’ll be playing the Brunswick Hotel

blues news Written by John (Dr John) Lamp Proudly pesented by The Sleepy Hollow Blues Club

an East Los Angeles neighbourhood that is rife with gang violence and drug trafficking. Robbie has his hands full – between school, work and looking after his developmentally disabled brother, Gabe, he struggles to get by. He works as a mechanic, and while working on a suped-up muscle car (think a Dodge Charger), he decides to enter a street race to earn some more cash on the side.

Unbeknownst to Robbie, the car’s trunk is filled with pills belonging to Dr. Calvin Zabo, aka the villain Mr Hyde. Zabo’s mercenaries hunt down and brutally murder Robbie during the race. However, Robbie is revived as the new Ghost Rider, and begins to hunt down the mercenaries in the now supernaturally-charged car.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to like Ghost Rider at all, but I was pleasantly surprised. Smith does an excellent job of crafting a different, likeable character who perfectly meets the requirements for hero status. While the change from motorcycle to muscle car is a little strange, it works, and for the most part that’s due to the artistic talents of Tradd Moore (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode). Moore absolutely shines – the art is detailed, fantastically stylized and looks freaking awesome. If you’re looking for a hero that’s a little different to your regular superhero fare – or you just like cars and flaming stuff – you’re definitely going to want to check out Ghost Rider as soon as possible. on the afternoon of Sunday March 8 for Mik from Strawberry Fist Cake, who is about to have surgery on his left ear and possibly losing his hearing on that side. Full list of other bands taking part next issue!

The Download Festival in the UK has added yet ANOTHER round of bands to the already humongous lineup: In Flames, L7, Andrew WK, Testament, Ace Frehely and Gnarwolves, amongst lesser others, will be joining the likes of KISS, Slipknot, Mötley Crüe, Muse, Billy Idol, Judas Priest, Eagles of Death Metal and many, many more. Crazy! Can’t help wondering if Ace Frehely and the current members of KISS will cross paths!

Have you all checked out Ballarat Ramonescore champs Agent 37 yet? They have shows coming up at the Karova Lounge alongside such luminaries as Clowns and The Bennies!

Speaking of Mötley Crüe, they’ll be out here soon, for the last time EVER, with special guest Alice Cooper. Unless they pull a KISS on us and just SAY they’re breaking up.

I guess all we can do is wait and see!

Don’t forget, ‘80s punk-rock-pop superstar Billy Idol will be rocking Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on Tuesday March 24 with super special guests Cheap Trick. It’s gonna be a killer show, don’t miss it!

So another Grammy Awards ceremony has come and gone without so much as a single performance by a heavy music act – other than AC/ DC, who sadly had all the energy of a dehydrated garden snail.

Enjoy Soundwave, if you’re going. Full report next issue!

Why does that low throaty vibe from a sax add just that little extra to a song? Safari Motel, from that town just up the road, has an amazing sound and can hold their own anywhere – but for me it’s Nick’s sax that really ties up the package.

OK, so I’m going to catch hell for concentrating on the sax player instead of the glamorous vocalist or stylish lead guitarist, but I’m writing this. Nick’s pedigree is unsurpassed with experience at the top of the game in jazz, blues, funk and soul having played with some of the biggest acts around.

Have a listen to ‘Nick Goes Sick’ (http://youtu.be/UK3kCSTHHss) and you’ll understand.

Don’t think that this is a jazz influenced session, there definitely is a bit of that flavour, but it’s also rock influenced and mainstream blues. Safari Motel have performed at the 2014 MBAS Blues Challenge, and are well known in Melbourne for their blues repertoire.

Aside from Nick, Nicole has a great bluesy voice and really belts them out. Bass player Jason has a background in funk, soul, grunge, metal and hip hop and more than provides a background beat – he locks in perfectly with the drums and weaves in and out in a way that makes people forget that it’s “just the bass”.

Saif has a long history in funk and soul which he puts to work on the Tele, and is actually an internationally known guitarist.

Well, he comes from Bangladesh and they know him over there!

Once again, I have left the drummer to last, (no jokes please!) but Neil holds the back together with some very cool rhythm. I’m really looking forward to this one.

Now, I can’t finish off without mentioning that this edition is coming out in Mardi Gras week.

That’s right Fat Tuesday is getting a workout in Geelong thanks to Pistol Pete’s Food and Blues.

You’ve missed the openers, Spiderjazz, but are in time for Andy Pobjob tonight and the “N’awlins Who Dat?” band on Friday and Gator Queen on Saturday.

New Orleans was established in 1718 by Bienville and by the 1730’s Mardi Gras was celebrated openly in New Orleans, but not with the parades we know today.

In the early 1740’s Louisiana’s governor, the Marquis de Vaudreuil, established elegant society balls which became the model for the New Orleans Mardi Gras balls of today.

The earliest reference to Mardi Gras “Carnival” appears in a 1781 report to the Spanish colonial governing body. By the late 1830’s, New Orleans held street processions with carriages and horseback riders to celebrate Mardi Gras.

Now the procession is best known for the krewes which provide amazing floats.

Most Mardi Gras krewes developed from private social clubs with restrictive membership policies.

All of these parade organisations are completely funded by their members.

We are a while away from having that sort of event, but maybe we could take over Gala Day, but until that happens Pistol Pete’s is where it is.

le monde entier Written by Madelin Baldwin lemondeentier.net

Heading to England any time soon? No doubt you’ll have been crying into your socks about the exchange rate, because frankly it’s horrid.

We’re basically halving our money, and how are we seriously supposed to afford all of the Guinness and steak and ale pies with that amount of money!? (Hint- head north, it’s so much cheaper than London!). When you’re travelling abroad it can be one of the last things you think about organising, after the flights and things you’re going to do, so I’m here to give you the low down.

how I take money with me abroad Easy, the same way I always have actually, and it’s using the Cash Passport Multi Currency Card. When I first started travelling, they had a different card for different currencies but have now combined them all onto one card which is awesome. So if you’re travelling around the word, you can load pounds, euros and dollars onto one card all in one go.

Not only do you get the rate of the day (so make sure to follow the exchange rate and choose a good time to load on), but it stays as this loaded rate even if the currency falls the next day.

Another benefit is there are no charges to use the card as an eftpos card when you’re out or at an ATM. The only ATM charges you’ll receive are the ones that come from the particular ATM itself, which basically means you’ll always have some small charge but the difference in using this to your normal bank card is you’re only being charged the one fee and not from your bank as well.

tips of the trade · Try loading a big sum at once – you get charged around a 1 per cent loading fee so the more transactions you do, the more you’ll end up paying. You’ll also probably pay your travel agent a small commission if you load with them every time as well, so try to eliminate that. · Follow the exchange rate. You can use websites like Travelex to track them and receive email updates. · Don’t take out a lot of small sums at ATMs and get charged every time.

Take our larger sums, but obviously keep your money safe, whether it be in a safe in your hotel room or in a money wallet on your body.

where can I get one of these currency cards?

Any travel agent should be able to supply you with one, but you can also buy them online and have it posted out.

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Refining the Palette

RAW Comedy Heats

BOOM – Education Space Boom Gallery will be opening a new education space in early 2015 - offering art classes and workshops taught by established local artists and makers. More information on the program over the coming weeks, so watch this space.

Written by Amanda Sherring

Stepping on stage with the bright lights glaring back at you, the crowd eagerly awaiting a hilarious five-minute comedy routine might be the scariest possible idea to you. Taking the first step to becoming a comedian – aka entering in the RAW Comedy Heats – may be the best decision of your life, as Geelong born and bred Jonathan Schuster knows all too well about.

“I didn’t really plan on pursuing comedy until I entered it and I never even thought being a comedian was a possibility. Then I did well and I’ve been doing it ever since,” he says.

The alternative for Jonathan could have been much more dismal, as before he pursued comedy he worked for an infringement agency.

“I was there for three years but went travelling in between and it was very easy to fall back into that job because I’d already worked there, so I made sure I got fired so I could never go back to work there,” Jonathan says.

“It was almost like a survival thing, which is going alright so far aside from being super broke. But the scary thing was I would just go in every day and work this horrible job. I could have done that for the rest of my life.”

The dream is to find a job you want to be in for the rest of your life, something that you don’t agonisingly get ready for in the morning, already counting the hours for when it will be over. The first step to getting there is to try, and if comedy is your thing you may want to look over that application.

It’s not necessarily going to work out the first go either, as Jonathan applied once before his win in 2007 but wasn’t the greatest at filling out forms. Even his five-minute act wasn’t as smooth sailing as you’d think for where he is now.

“I’ve forgotten exactly what happened but I remember Corinne Grant was hosting and on stage and the guy backstage said, ‘Yeah go on now’ – even though she was still talking,” he says.

“So I kind of walked out on stage while she was still performing and it was really awkward. Then people started laughing and she turned around and said, ‘What are you doing?’ and that really started to get some laughs. I think it was lucky in a way that there was a mistake because when I did come out I’d already had some laughs and people were really supportive and really enjoyed it.”

His career mightn’t have had the smoothest start but since getting on board with RAW Comedy it’s helped him set up his comedy career and in turn gain skits on ABC with his group the Fancy Boys.

Jonathan will be coming back to Geelong alongside two other comedy experts, to judge the heats of the RAW Comedy competition. While he can’t give away exact pointers on what will make you a winner, he gives some sage advice on being honest.

“I feel like honesty is a big thing with comedy. If people can see that you’re being genuine – that it comes from a place of truth – they can relate to that,” he says.

To enter, purchase tickets and for more information visit comedyfestival.com.au/raw.

Heats: Geelong Performing Arts Centre - Feb 28

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WHERE:

BOOM Gallery. 11 Rutland Street, Newtown.

WHEN:

Soon!

INFO:

boomgallery. com.au

SUSTAINABLE LIVING FESTIVAL A jam-packed weekend of activities at GPAC, there will be something for everyone: wood working for kids, the Active Streets campaign, interactive bike loop and “silent disco” through the streets of Central Geelong, Diversitat’s amazing “Around Again” upcycled art workshops, sustainable education showcase, future powered families energy saving workshops, permaculture, permablitzing, healthy

POLYGLOTS2015 – Geelong Writers Inc. homes, climate reality, eco-challenge at home, living off the grid, rain gardens, fermentation, bottling and pickling, natural interiors and great workshops by Eco-Master and so much more.

WHERE: GPAC Foyer.

50 Little Malop Street, Geelong.

This continues the tradition of a literary event being presented as part of PakoFesta.

This year’s special guest is Earl Livings, Melbournebased poet and lecturer, and the theme is Many Voices from Many Lands.

Audience members are invited to wear national costume.

WHERE: Geelong West

Library. 153A Pakington Steet, Geelong West.

WHEN: Weds 25 Feb.

6.30-8pm.

INFO: grlc.vic.gov.au

WHEN: 20 Feb. INFO: gpac.org.au

LEGALLY BLONDE – The Musical Based on the hit movie and set to a contemporary popinspired score, Legally Blonde is a story about following your dreams and the realisation that What You Want may not be what you thought it was.

CHILLOUT FESTIVAL

WHERE: Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat.

ChillOut Festival is dedicated to celebrating gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer pride within a unique environment of regional Victoria, Australia. Blending gay and lesbians arts and culture with sporting and other events, ChillOut engages the local community and business operators to welcome visitors from, local, metro, regional, national and the world to help celebrate a weekend of diversity.

WHEN: 20 February – 8 March.

WHERE: Victoria Park, Vincent Street, Daylesford.

TIX: 5333 5888.

WHEN: 6-9 March.

ONLINE BOOKING: www.hermaj.com

INFO: chilloutfestival.com.au

Elle Woods, socialite and sorority president, gets dumped by her boyfriend. Certain he is ‘the one’, she follows him to Harvard Law School – one of the most exclusive Ivy League schools – only to discover he is not who she thought he was, and neither is she.

Refining the Palette

Pictured: Leon Radojkovic

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY In 2015 this event will be held on Friday 27 February, before the official International Women’s Day on 8 March. Come and listen to guest speaker Catherine Deveny, enjoy a complimentary drink and finger food, lolly bar, live music and a silent auction. Funds raised will be donated to ‘on the ground’ women’s programs in Geelong. Men and women are encouraged to attend this special event.

WHERE: Royal Geelong Yacht Club. 25 Eastern Beach

Road, Geelong.

WHEN: 27 Feb. 5.30-10.30pm.

INFO: facebook.com/womenincommunitylife

WOMEN OF EMPIRE 1914-1918 The First World War was a transformative experience for many women. Opportunities to take on new roles and learn new skills saw women become ambulance drivers, doctors, farmers and fundraisers.

They travelled the world, from Cairo to the Western Front, from Samoa to Serbia; or they remained at home, ‘doing their bit’ to keep businesses, farms and households afloat while their men served King and country in far away lands.

Women of Empire 19141918 is unique exhibition of women of Australia and New Zealand whose

lives were transformed by their experiences in the First World War. Women of Empire fleshes out their stories in original costume of the era from spectacular gowns to the day-to-day working clothes worn by the majority of women who were doing their bit also for King and Country.The poppies made as part of the 1914+ Poppies campaign will be featured as part of this exhibition.

WHERE: National

Wool Museum. 26-32 Moorabool Street, Geelong.

WHEN: 23 Feb – 17 May. INFO: geelongaustralia.

com.au/nwm

Live, Live Cinema: Dementia 13 Written by Amanda Sherring

Think back to the best horror movie you’ve seen. There would have been blood, and lots of it, rusty weapons, creaking doors and a masked figure lurking in doorways, but did it all unfold created right in front of your eyes on stage like in Live, Live Cinema?

Leon Radojkovic and his team are the people behind bringing older horror films to life, and

they’re bringing one such show to Geelong in March.

Live, Live Cinema – which involves a small musical ensemble, actors and Foley artist providing the sound for a pre-existing (generally silent) film – isn’t a concept that people will be familiar with, so how did Leon first come across the idea?

“I’ve always been into cinema in a pretty big way and I got quite

fascinated with film scores and sound design.

Particularly just the way that sound is such an important element in cinema, perhaps at times an overlooked element, but it really has a huge effect on how you interpret the images you’re watching,” he says.

“I got quite into that idea and how you can really change the way an audience can connect or interpret a film depending on how you frame it with sound. You can really play around with that quite dramatically so I guess this was the original idea behind it, just seeing well what can we do, what would happen to these films if we gave them a new audio treatment? What

can we change and what can we push and pull in different ways can we create a satisfying cinematic experience?”

The best thing about the concept is that it’s giving a new lease of life to old B-grade films that have gotten lost in the public domain.

Dementia 13 (1963), a film by Francis Ford Coppola, starts with Louise Haloran in a peaceful row along the river her husband when he has a heart attack and dies, and she throws him overboard.

Worried that she can only inherit part of the family fortune if her husband is alive, Louise must then deal with his strange family who are still grieving over the death of their youngest daughter. Throw in an

axe wielding murderer and you have yourself a horror.

Watching these older films at home mightn’t elicit the same response as horror movies of today, but attend a Live, Live Cinema screening and you’ll still get some scares.

“Because of the live environment and what we do with the music and sound, inevitably we have people spilling drinks on their dates, flinging their popcorn in the air and shreaking and all those sorts of things,” he says.

While it’s guaranteed to get a scare, the real wonder is in what the team have created. Every aspect of sound, down to the footsteps of the actors and wind blowing through the trees,

is recreated right in front of you. It sounds like a lot of work but surprisingly, the group managed to get it all under wraps in a number of months.

Ultimately all that’s left is to come and see the talent of the team first hand, and as Leon assures me, it’s bound to be something everyone will enjoy.

“I think it covers all bases – if you like cinema you’ll like it, if you like music you’ll like it, if you’re geeky and like the technical aspects of films I think you’ll enjoy it too. I think it’s got a broad appeal and most people can find something rewarding about the show,” Leon says.

WHEN&WHERE:

GPAC – March 18

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Bloom College Written by Amanda Sherring

Even at a young age, Yvette Timmins knew that she wanted to be a florist. Often taking the time to pick things from the garden and make arrangements for her family home. “I was always wanting to pick things out of the garden and often getting in trouble for it,” Yvette says.

“I remember my uncle had his wedding at our house in our garden and nobody had thought of flowers. I was quite horrified and demanding of my parents to take me to the local florists so I could arrange some flowers in vases to have as decoration for the wedding. I couldn’t imagine not having a wedding without flowers.”

Yvette then went on to study an apprenticeship straight out of high school which led to a series of jobs in Melbourne, including her own business, a stint teaching at the Gordon and the creation of Bloom College two years ago. While Yvette’s career in floristry has always had a clear path, for others the decision to become a florist isn’t quite as easy, and that’s one of the reasons behind creating Bloom College.

“For those who don’t know about it and are

looking for a career change or looking for something a bit different or perhaps an add on to their current profile, then we have the ‘Career Change Course’ available to them,” she says.

There’s also a ‘Flower Basics Course’ where attendees can learn the basics of working with flowers, get an insight into the industry and learn how to make great arrangements for your home or presents for friends.

Attending these workshops stems much further than just creating something pretty to take home with you, there are actually many therapeutic benefits of flower arrangement.

Realising this and not

wanting to limit the rewards to those who can afford the class, Yvette offers a few places up for those who really need it through organisations such as Barwon Health.

“We understand the importance of beautiful things for those suffering depression, so it helps if they can immerse themselves in beauty.

They’re also doing something creative with their hands and that has had a huge impact too,” Yvette says.

Bloom College seems to stem from caring foundations, as the company also donates to charity, ensures they try to purchase flowers from local florists and have an app and dvd for

those in rural locations who can’t access their classes (which are based in Geelong, Port Melbourne and Collingwood).

“The contribution part for me is a really important part of the business, so this enables us to do that and in a way that really affects peoples lives in a positive way,” she says.

Though one of Yvette’s greatest joys is watching the benefits attendees get from doing one of her workshops. Whether that be the beginnings of a career witnessed on social media, the friendships made in class or the gifts that are created for friends.

“I love the idea of sharing the skills and knowledge that were once shared to me,”

Yvette beams.

“There’s a wide and different variety of skills that we can all learn and it doesn’t take one particular type of person. If we’ve all got the will and the want to try something knew then we can learn that.”

With Alice Shepherd of She’s A Wildflower also on board teaching workshops, there’s really no better place to further your knowledge of floristry.

“It’s a beautiful, fantastic and therapeutic hobby that’s an enjoyable thing to come and do and we’ve tried to create a space in there that’s welcoming,” Yvette says.

“There’s no pretences or judgement of any kind and everyone’s arrangements are equal because it’s been created by them.

One of my teachers explains it as kinder for adults, because in our Port Melbourne classroom we’ve got pigeon-holes for them to put their bags, hooks for their aprons and little mats to sit on. We just tried to make it as comfortable as possible.”

Classes are available year round, for more information visit bloomcollege.com.au.

Where: The Bloom College Creative Outlet, 33 Little Ryrie St, Geelong.

Cirque du Soleil: TOTEM Flemington Racecourse Wednesday 11 february 2015

While the evolution of mankind might not interest all of you, chances are when it’s depicted via acrobatics, girls on unicycles, clown acts and more, that will most likely change your mind. The new Cirque du Soleil show TOTEM does just that and more, offering a fresh set of acts when their stuff was already pretty fresh.

Entering the tent a large object fills the room, immediately drawing your attention but suspiciously blocking the stage. Animal noises echo throughout and already whispers of what the show will be like have started. The lights go down and a performer in a glimmering body suit twirls down to the stage from the ceiling.

The object on the stage is revealed, and underneath is a skeleton and a family of energetic “frogs”. They wrap themselves around

the bones and twirl and flip in a mesmerising way on the bars and the trampoline. The Carapace is the ideal way to start the show, there is no looking anywhere else during this performance.

Soon follows a hoop performance, the muscular rings trio and the ladies on unicycles. The latter was a definite highlight, even with the few minor mistakes that happened.

Seeing the girls kick the metal bowls to each other and catch them on their heads all while peddling away on their unicycles was something to behold.

Another highlight was the impressive strength of “strong woman” Alevtyna Titarenko. Every move she made was without a single sign of exertion, all her tricks were incredibly fluid and amazing to see, though I shouldn’t say tricks as each and every

one was of her pure and undeniable ability. In between the awe-inspiring acts there were comedic breaks from characters Valentino and Clown Misha.

Given it was a show on evolution there was an appearance from Charles Darwin, who did a little show of his own.

Being my first time at a Cirque du Soleil show I can easily say they live up to the hype, and there’s no surprise that the group have been around since the early ‘80s. If there’s anything I’d fault, it would be the Greaseesque closing dance, while it’s great to see all the performers on stage some of the choreographed moves were a bit tacky and the performers looked uncomfortable doing the moves, lord knows I felt uncomfortable watching it. But nonetheless, the show was an incredible experience that will forever have me wishing I had a little bit better flexibility, strength and hand-eye coordination.

The show is running at Flemington Raceourse in Melbourne and has been extended until March 29.

By Amanda Sherring

regional victoria's #1 music and entertainment magazine and online service!

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Dan the Automator of deltron 3030 Written by Natalie Rogers, Photo by Michael Donovan

Discover a brave new world and prepare to have your mind blown when uber hip hop producer Dan M. Nakamura, aka Dan the Automator, and the DELTRON 3030 crew crash-land in the country later this month. Join Dan, MC Del the Funkee Homosapien and the turntable wunderkind Kid Koala on a journey through time and space. “We plan to pull out all the stops – it should be pretty new to the crowd in the sense that they probably haven’t seen a show like this before.”

For more than a decade the underground super group have enthralled listeners with their futuristic funk and beats, intelligent lyrics and sheer musical ability. Each member brings something unique to the table: Dan is a classically trained violinist but started DJing as a teenager. Best known for his work in Handsome Boy Modelling School, Dan was handpicked by the Gorillaz to produce their debut album and is a current member of Mike Patton’s band Crudo.

Adding to his ever-expanding list of side projects, Dan is one half of a duo with Scott Pilgrim’s Ramona Flowers. “I’m also in Got a Girl, with Mary Elizabeth Winstead. It’s our take on French influenced pop and we just collaborated with EO to create our own fragrance,” Dan smiled. “I like the chance to collaborate with people, not just in music, but in art, food, fragrance and other things. With Del and Kid Koala there’s a

sense of ease and comfort between us. We’re happy playing together and I think that shows.”

Teren Delvon Jones, better known as Del the Funkee Homosapien, started his career writing lyrics for his cousin, rapper Ice Cube, and has worked with just about every hip hop artist worth their salt. His music features heavily on video game soundtracks, skateboarding and snowboarding documentaries, as well as lending his vocals to bands like the Gorillaz, Dirty Heads and Unwritten Law, just to name a few.

“Kid Koala is bringing his full turntable,” Dan revealed. “I can’t wait for the crowd to witness his skills live on stage.”

Kid Koala, or Eric San to his family back in

home in Canada, is a DJ, musician and author of graphic novels. He is also currently a member of The Slew, a multi-national electronic music project with former Wolfmother band mates Chris Ross and Myles Heskett.

“Deltron 3030 is the combination of all our experience and special talents. We plan on having a full band – keyboards and drum machines, turntable and computer board. We have Juan Alderete from The Mars Volta playing bass and a special guest playing drums, so It’s going to be a pretty rocking show!” Dan says excitedly.

“Each gig will be half and half. Half of the tracks from our debut self-titled album [2000] and half from Event 2 [2013]. But since it’s our first time playing as Deltron 3030 in Australia, I think we will feel out the crowd and see how it goes. Also, I can tell you there’s a new Deltron record in the works and I’ve been working on a top secret project . . .”

Don’t miss the show of the decade and your chance to witness three masterminds at work as they warp space, bend time and transcend genre at Melbourne’s HIFI for one night only.

When & Where: The Hi Fi, Melbourne – February 27

John Butler Trio Written by Natalie Rogers

“I’m not one of those guys who can sing like a bird and play like a mofo. I’m not taking the piss here, what I mean to say is I’m not a virtuoso. I can do what I do well, but it takes me about 120 thousand percent effort just to play decently!” John laughed. As humble as pie, no wonder John Butler and the talented twosome that make up his trio are loved all over the world. In the first half of 2015 alone, the John Butler Trio will tour Australia, North America, Europe and the United Kingdom.

“I’d be very partial to smoking and ‘other things’ if I could, but I can’t when I’m on the road simply because it wrecks my voice – I can’t play under the influence of anything!”

“Don’t get me wrong, I like to party,” John added.

“That’s why I picked musicians like Byron Luiters [bass] and Grant Gerathy [drums and percussion] – they’re amazing at their craft. With them it doesn’t need to be all work and no play,” John smiled. “However I’m very aware you need to be on your game at all times.

Having grown up playing roots and folk festivals surrounded by the world’s best, putting in only 50 percent during a show is not in my best interest.”

With a career spanning almost two decades, the John Butler Trio can be found somewhere on the bill at every major Australian festival of the last 20 years. It’s not

surprising however, that our very own Port Fairy Folk Festival holds a special place in his heart.

“The main difference between Port Fairy and others I’ve played is the calibre of artists – their song writing and musicianship is always second to none. This will be my third time there and I can’t wait.

You know you’re going to see world-class acts.

People who are masters in their field – if you can call anyone a master! . . .

“Port Fairy is a little town that has its own thing going on. The folk festival has stood the test of time, not by following any kind of fad or hype, just by offering the best possible experience. The organisers have created a vibe and a certain kind of culture,” he explained.

“People love to be a part

When & Where: Port Fairy Folk Festival – March 6, 7 & 9

of something that’s established, to feel like – not only are they entering an idea – but a whole new world.”

John says he’s excited to see Sinead O’Connor and Buffy Sainte-Marie but also to share the spotlight with the mother of his children and wife, DanielleCaruana aka Mama Kin. “My partner Dan will be at Port Fairy too,” he says proudly. “She is part of We Two Thieves with Tin Pan Orange’s lead singer Emily Lubitz. It’s simply three voices

and three musicians playing their instruments around a couple of mics, which is something I really like. They’re really old-school folk and it’s just gorgeous. I’ll definitely enjoy checking them out.”

The trio’s eclectic musical influences can be heard in their latest LP, the ARIA award-winning ‘Flesh and Blood’ (2014), although to my surprise John’s taste is more hard-core than you might expect. “I’m all over the joint when it comes to what I like to listen to. Tool, Black

Sabbath and Soundgarden are in my collection for sure.

Unfortunately I’ll be on the road when Soundgarden tour this month, but maybe next time . . . I do get out and about from time to time!” he chuckled.

ROCK ON JOHN!

King of the North Written by Tex Miller

Without a doubt one of the hardest working Australian rock acts at the moment is King of the North. If you have been following their pursuits on social media, you will know that they have been playing a lot of gigs in regional Victoria and down the Surfcoast over summer.

Over the long weekend in March, the duo is set to return for a rocking set at the Torquay Hotel. As expected Andrew, or Higgsy as he is better known, is full of excitement to get back down to the coastal town.

“To be honest it reminds me a lot of where I grew up. I grew up in Adelaide and my mates and I were all skaters and surfers and I spent a lot of time as a kid on the beaches of Adelaide,” he says.

“We used to travel down the south coast to go surfing and come across to Falls Festival over New Years and hang out on the Vic surf coast – I’ve always loved it down there. There’s a big laid back surf-y culture to Torquay, which I really like and it’s great. I’ve made so many friends down there and so to a point, it’s almost a second home. I can’t wait to jump up on stage once again.”

A few weeks before I got the opportunity to talk to Higgsy, the band had just signed a deal in Europe for the release of their no holds barred rockin’ debut release, Sound the Underground. After touring 76 forte

constantly for the past couple of years, being able to hit the ground running on a new continent and play to some new audiences is something that KOTN are very excited about.

“It feels really good man to finally have broken the seal on Europe. A lot of the American bands and European bands that we have toured with have said that we would really benefit from going to Europe. The label is Bad Reputation and they are based in Paris and are responsible for breaking Electric Mary in Europe.

Those guys are massive over there and so if we could do the same then, that’d be awesome,” Higgsy says.

If you have been holding out for the follow up to Sound The

When & Where: Torquay Hotel, Torquay – March 6 & Northcote Social Club, Melbourne – March 13

Underground, you might have to wait a little longer due to the unexpected circumstances whilst the band was on tour last November touring around with The Mark of Cain.

“I actually had a whole bunch of things stolen out of my hotel room one night and that was pretty much the base of the whole second album. My laptop, phone, wallet was stolen and as a result, we’re touring

Europe this year and Australia will have to wait for the follow up. You can blame the guy that stole my gear for that one,” he says.

If you haven’t seen this dynamic duo at work, I highly recommend that you get on seeing their show at the Torquay Hotel on March 6. They are about to hit the ground running in Europe and it may be sometime before they are back playing regional shows in Australia.

“We are going to wait around for the opportunity to play in Europe. We’re going to get over there as soon as possible and see what happens. Come out and boogie Torquay!”

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Inside Splinters

Written by Adem Ali

splinters presents: T h e Fa n tasy Pl ay l ist A D E M ’ S D EL U X E E D ITI O N o f

REBEL HEART Madonna’s new album is, mostly, very good.

M A D O N N A' S

EUROVISION: AUSTRALIA

REBEL HEART Well folks, it’s happened for a third time this era; Madonna has, once again, suffered from the ongoing nightmare that is the Internet Tradition of an album leak. Almost two months before the scheduled release of the March expected Rebel Heart, all 25 (!) of the tracks taken from the Super Deluxe Edition leaked all over the Interwebs like a sprouting faucet, no doubt causing Her Madgesty the same level of headaches she experienced twice in December when over 30 demos from the album sessions also leaked.

With the album due for release any minute now, Splinters have given an advanced copy of ‘Rebel Heart’ more than a few hundred listens and, although it suffers often from dated production and way too many songs,, it’s evident that this is the most passionate Midge has been about an album since 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor which, depending on who you ask, is mostly heralded as Madonna’s second imperial phase.

Madonna has often spoken about the fact that she wanted to initially make Rebel Heart a two disc album, splitting the songs into two different themes.

The idea of that makes a lot more sense than a hard-to-get-through and terribly sequenced album of 25 songs, as amazing as many of these songs may be it is still a task even for this megafan.

So what I’ve done – and what Madonna’s management clearly should have also done – is split the album into two themes,

Hot off the Press – Australia will now compete in the Eurovision Song Contest meaning WE CAN ALSO (FINALLY) CONTRIBUTE TO THE VOTING PROCESS!!

McBUSTED IN AUSTRALIA I am seeing them this week at the Palace – it’s sure to be a hoot!

or

possibly the way Mo herself would have done had her original idea been followed through.

Also, in some instances, I have replaced the final album versions of certain songs with a superior, previously leaked demo version (which are pretty easy to find if you’re looking).

Perhaps you prefer it as the 25 track monster that it is. But for those struggling to connect with such a long process, maybe the following SPLIT I have worked a little too hard on will help you understand it a bit more.

track sounds. What you want is the Avicii Demo Version, which turns the song into a violin-happy disco remake of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Everywhere’.

CD ONE: This is a straight-

CD TWO: This is more

up pop affair; pure pop, ballads, dance and disco all reign supreme on this introduction to ‘Rebel Heart’.

ADDICTED – GHOSTTOWN – LIVING FOR LOVE – DEVIL PRAY – HEARTBREAKCITY – GRAFFITI HEART (DEMO VERSION) – HOLD TIGHT (DEMO VERSION) – BORROWED TIME (DEMO VERSION) – REBEL HEART (AVICII DEMO VERSION) – REVOLUTION (NOT ON ALBUM, DEMO) – JOAN OF ARC – QUEEN – MESSIAH – WASH ALL OVER ME Some notes: ‘Addicted’ features one of the best Madonna choruses of this entire era and was criminally pushed aside as a ‘bonus track’ on the final album, however it makes the perfect album opener and seems like a wasted opportunity as a ‘bonus track’. I also cannot stress enough how disappointing the final, folksy version of the title

WHEN DEMO VERSIONS ARE BETTER THAN THE FINAL ALBUM VERSIONS Keep reading.

urban; trap, RnB, drum and bass, the dreaded dumpstep – it’s all here and, surprisingly, when sequenced as such, sounds like a slick remake of the Erotica album.

INSIDE OUT – NEVER LET YOU GO (NOT ON ALBUM, DEMO) – HOLD TIGHT – HOLY WATER – S.E.X. (DEMO VERSION) – ICONIC (DEMO #2) – BEST NIGHT – BODY SHOP – BEAUTIFUL SCARS (DEMO VERSION) – VENI VIDI VICI – UNAPOLOGETIC BITCH – BITCH I’M MADONNA – ILLUMINATI – AUTOTUNE BABY Some notes: ‘Never Let You Go’ may be the very best song from the Rebel Heart sessions so, of course, it wasn’t included on the final product! This dreamy urban pop song holds a very sweet and charming sentiment and plays perfectly in between ‘Inside Out’ and the album

version of ‘Hold Tight’, which is very different indeed to the CD-1 featured Demo Version. Also, the ‘Demo #2’ of ‘Iconic’ is the most definitive cut of this song; even venturing into breaks and drum and bass during its final innings.

BONUS CD – UNRELEASED & UNUSED: Here are all of

the album versions I didn’t use over the two disc format, as well as some of the demo tracks and versions which were bettered in their final format.

BORROWED TIME (ALBUM VERSION) – REBEL HEART (ALBUM VERSION) – DEVIL PRAY (DEMO) – LIVING FOR LOVE (DEMO) – BACK THAT UP (NOT ON ALBUM, DEMO) – S.E.X. (ALBUM VERSION) – ICONIC (FEAT. CHANCE THE RAPPER & MIKE TYSON – ALBUM VERSION) – GRAFFITI HEART (ALBUM VERSION) – WASH ALL OVER ME (AVICII DEMO) – BEAUTIFUL SCARS (ALBUM VERSION) – VENI VIDI VICI (FEAT. NAS - ALBUM VERSION) – NOTHING LASTS FOREVER (NOT ON ALBUM, DEMO)

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– TRAGIC GIRL (NOT ON ALBUM, DEMO) Some notes: Seven of the 25 final album versions end up here on this ‘bonus’ third disc. They are here for a reason, believe you me. It’s not that they’re terrible, it’s just that the demos were so obviously the definitive versions but the leaks may have scared Madonna off – I believe a lot of these songs were changed at the last minute due to the leaks and it shows.. Rough production with some rookie mistakes (particularly on the Nas feature ‘Veni Vidi Vici’ which cuts out halfway through him shouting “MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE” over Madonna’s singing).

FINAL VERDICT Look, obviously I love it otherwise I wouldn’t have spent so much time crafting it into three very enjoyable playlists, but there are some diabolical decisions that have been made and those very decisions are all found on the bonus disc playlist.

Overall though, this album demonstrates a woman who seems to be enjoying making music again, something we’ve waited almost a decade for.

THE PETITION TO GET TISM TO REFORM FOR EUROVISION Look I loved them as much as anybody, but this is a competition for the likes of QUEENA ARENA and previous entrant OLIVIA NETWON JOHN, many thanks though to all of you for trying.

"MURIEL’S WEDDING IS THE BEST AUSSIE FILM EVER MADE #IMSTICKINGWITHTONI" @TheNTNews blow minds with the only #ImStickingWithTony tweet worth retweeting last week.

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presented by

the barwon club

the barwon club

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the max hotel

home house

home house

odyssey tavern

odyssey tavern

the max hotel

slate pool lounge

grovedale hotel

lord nelson

grovedale hotel

lord nelson

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presented by

geelong rsl

beav's bar

eureka

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Film Reviews

Films reviewed by Anthony Morris

t h e wrap Kingsman: The Secret Service A crude, brash, yet very entertaining (so long as you don’t think about it) Bond knock-off. This is a lot of fun yet somehow less edgy than it likes to think it is. So perfect for teenage boys of all ages.

Still Alice

Rosewater

Fifty Shades of Grey Well, it was never going to be as bad as many people expected. The worst thing about the notoriously bad novel was the clunky prose – the one thing that (extensive use of voice-over aside) was never going to be in the film version – and the lurid sex was never going to make it past America’s puritanical ratings board. What was left is pretty much what we get here: a relationship drama with a few sex scenes that are no more confronting or arousing (both parties are frequently topless, butt shots are common, don’t hold your breath for much else) than anything you’d find in a late ‘80s-era “erotic thriller”.

When 27-year-old Seattle billionaire Christian Grey ( Jamie Dornan) gives a brief interview

to university English Lit major Anastasia Steel (Dakota Johnson), it’s the start of a relationship that, well, you already know the details because the first third of the film is full of in-jokes about Grey buying cable ties and gaffer tape at a hardware store and how he enjoys a wide range of “physical pursuits”.

That’s one of a range of pleasant surprises here; in the early, flirtatious stages of their story the film is pretty flirtatious itself, with a winning sense of humour and a willingness to, if not make fun of it’s characters, at least show them as being aware that they’re just a little ridiculous.

Another nice surprise is that their relationship is slightly more plausible than just ‘billionaire dominates shy schoolgirl’. Steel might be attracted to Grey but she isn’t going to take his demands

lying down, and while the sex contract he wants her to sign is pretty silly stuff it does work as a metaphor for the way pretty much all relationships involve a level of negotiation as the parties get to know each others wants and needs.

Fifty Shades started out as Twilight fan fiction and if you squint you can still see the faint outlines of that saga, especially once Grey’s family show up (briefly), but while this isn’t exactly deep or complex material it’s rare enough to see a (western) film that’s just about a relationship that even when things turn serious (not a good sign) it never becomes fatally dull. It’s competent enough that the already announced sequels will almost certainly happen: now is as good a time as any to mount this ride.

The Interview So, we nearly had some terrifying flood of terrorist attacks sweeping the globe because of this? Ok, so more than a few experts think the cyber-attack on Sony that lead to them pulling this film from American cinemas may not have come from North Korea after all, but everyone’s a winner anyway.

It did huge business online, the bad guys got to scare Sony, and now we here in Australia get to see this film the way it was meant to be seen: in a near-empty cinema because everyone else has already downloaded it. And that’s probably the best way to see this film, because this latest pairing of Seth Rogen and James Franco brings pretty much nothing new to the table: Franco is Dave Skylark, a popular yet lightweight talkshow host, Rogen is Aaron Rapoport his long-term producer who’s started to dream of being taken seriously, and Kim Jong-un (Randall Park)

is the Supreme Leader of North Korea – and a big Skylark fan.

Rapoport manages to score an interview on the basis of that fandom, the CIA (in the form of Lizzy Caplan) ask them to assassinate Kim while they’re there, wacky hijinks ensue. Only the hijinks aren’t all that wacky: there are definitely laughs to be had here, but the whole thing feels like a handful of decent jokes

stretched out with a whole lot of riffing – mostly from Franco, who goes all out as a manic airhead who almost certainly couldn’t exist in real life – to create something movie length. Park is the best thing about this film, mostly because he manages to create an actual plausible character: it’s not exactly a good sign for Rogen and Franco when you wish there was less of them in their own movie.

Selma Often films about the struggle of the oppressed against the oppressor indulge in a fantasy where somehow merely the act of pushing back is enough to make the bad guys see the light. One of the many, many things that Civil Rights drama Selma gets right is the way it shows that often pushing back is merely part of a wider political struggle – that is, causing a disturbance on the street increases political pressure on the people who get things done to do the right thing. That was the thinking behind the decision

by Martin Luther King jr (David Oyelowo) to focus the next stage of his Civil Rights campaign in the small Alabama town of Selma.

With segregation officially over (in theory of not practice), King wanted to put pressure on President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to remove the bureaucratic obstacles preventing African-Americans from voting in the south; Johnson, who 84 forte

If you’re heading to Rosewater because it’s written and directed by comedy legend and Daily Show host John Stewart, you’re right: he does write and direct here. But the John Stewart behind the camera for his first feature film is the Stewart that wants to educate the West about the facts behind the news, not the Stewart who actually makes fun of the news, and so this adaptation of Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari book is a lot lighter on the laughs than you might expect.

On the eve of the 2009 Iranian elections Bahari (Gael García Bernal) left his pregnant UK girlfriend to return to his homeland to cover what was generally assumed to be the forthcoming win by moderates. Instead, hardliners were returned to power in what was

The Gambler When we meet Jim Bennett (Wahlberg), he’s at a dying man’s bedside. A lesser film would suggest that Bennett’s erratic antics throughout the rest of this film are because of his grief, but no: he later gives one long-winded speech about how in this world you either have everything or you have nothing so why not throw it all away? Oh right, because if you owe criminals loads of money, they’ll kill you.

The drama here is that Bennett is a man hell-bent on destruction and every time he slips up he staggers closer to the edge. Trouble is, every single character in this film wants to protect him from himself: how can you get in trouble when the whole world is looking out for you? For example, we’re told that lethal loan shark Neville Baraka (Michael K Williams) wanted to kill Bennett the moment they met because Bennett made fun of his hat, so borrowing $50,000 from Baraka has ensured his demise. But next time Bennett meets Baraka, Baraka gives him more money. In fact, all the loan sharks in this movie (even John Goodman) keep giving him money. His mother (Jessica Lange), who presumably knows him better than most, abuses him for his crazy antics… and then she gives him money.

Seventh Son

had a whole country to run, wanted to focus on other issues. Selma had a strong grass-roots network, plus a local sherrif who heavy-handed and firmly racist: King new if they riled things up there Johnson would eventually have to act in the face of images the nation – and the world – couldn’t ignore.

The mix of individual struggle and the big political picture help create a compelling behind-the-scenes look

at history in the making. It’s a subtle portrait of the man who shaped history too: King’s political skill (and his personal flaws) are brought to life in an amazing performance by Oyelowo, while Johnson’s antagonist role might worry some but it’s largely born out by the facts. And the facts of what went on in Selma are often ghastly: this is a powerful, moving film that deserves to be seen as widely as possible.

generally seemed to be a rigged election, Bahari’s coverage of the protest marches brought evidence of violence to the attention of the West. Then the security forces came for him and he spent the next 118 days in prison being tortured and abused. It’s a grim tale, but Stewart’s matter-of-fact retelling rarely cranks up the emotions – the torture and abuse rapidly becomes matter-offact, Bahari’s coerced confession meaningless.

It’s far from a humourless film – Bahari records a comedy interview with The Daily Show that’s later used as evidence against him by his humourless captors, while his relationship with his hard done-by torturer (Haluk Bilginer) eventually drifts from sinister to just another job. It’s certainly an interesting story worthy of wider attention; it’s just not one that makes for an especially memorable piece of film-making.

Bad news, everybody, shapechanging witch Mother Malkin ( Julianne Moore) has escaped her medieval mountaintop prison, thanks to a once-in-a-century “blood moon” (don’t ask, it’s never explained) that super-charges her evil powers.

As she once again gathers her dark forces in preparation to… well, that’s never really explained either, Master Gregory ( Jeff Bridges), the aging “spook” who imprisoned her, needs to find a seventh son of a seventh son to become his new apprentice. Tom Ward (Ben Barnes) fits the bill (he even gets bonus visions of the future), but will there be enough time to train him before Malkin lays waste to the land?

Originally set for an early 2013

Julianne Moore plays a professor who has early onset Alzheimer’s. So bring loads of tissues and be prepared to spend the next week doing every memory test you can find.

What We Did On Our Holiday From the makers of the hilarious UK sitcom Outnumbered, this shares that show’s fondness for kids who say the strangest (yet most authentically kidlike) things, spicing up this otherwise fairly standard comedy about a family holiday (featuring separated parents pretending to still be together, played by David Tennant and Rosamund Pike).

American Sniper Bradley Cooper is a good ol’ boy who just wants to defend his country by shooting Iraqis in a biopic from director Clint Eastwood that delivers war movie thrills with a bit of nuance… if you look closely enough.

Wild Reese Witherspoon walks a lot in this gritty adaptation of Cheryl Strayed memoir of her trek across America from south to north trying to find herself (and not fall off a mountain).

Bennett is an English Lit professor when he’s not worshipping Gamblor, and he is the worst teacher in the history of humanity. First he insults his entire class by calling everyone present talentless losers who should give up now, then he says the only “real” writer in the lot of them is – surprise - the hottest girl in class (Brie Larson). Director Rupert Wyatt certainly puts together a good looking film, and while William Monahan’s reworking of James Toback’s 1974 screenplay is way too wordy, at least some of those words are fun to listen to.

But every single scene of this film features a man treating everyone around him like dirt while pissing their money up against a wall and acting like the world owes him a living. Avoid.

Birdman

release but bumped back due to money issues (and not because it’s not all that great, obviously), this mix of supernatural hokum and 3D effects would feel old-fashioned even without the faux-medieval setting. Barnes is as wooden as the stakes used to dispose of witches, but Moore has fun as an evil witch (don’t worry, there are good witches too – it’s more of a genetic inheritance than a skill set), while a marble-mouthed Bridges is too busy mumbling to chew too much of the scenery. The disjointed story hints at editorial meddling, but a fast pace and moderately effective action sequences keep things at least passably entertaining, even if nothing makes all that much sense.

But when you’ve got bad guys that can turn into monsters, what more do you need?

The Imitation Game

Despite what the trailers would have you believe, this isn’t a superhero movie: rather, Michael Keaton is an actor (who rose to fame playing a superhero) trying to revive his career via a Broadway play. Much backstage hijinks (some funny, some thoughtful) result.

Unbroken A bleak biopic based on an Olympic athlete’s suffering at the hands of the Japanese during World War II, this extensive catalogue of ordeals is admirable for it’s commitment to his story while never really becoming more than the sum of its parts.

It’s British biopic time (and in World War 2 no less), but while this look at the life and code-breaking work of proto-computer scientist Alan Turning has it’s moments, the overall impression is one of an interesting life forced into the usual pattern.

The Water Diviner Russell Crowe directs and stars in this telemovie level look at a father’s determination to retrieve his dead sons from the beaches of Gallipoli. The plot twists are predictable, though the film’s focus on Turkey and its post WWI upheaval isn’t.

Music Reviews

Jakubi So Frenchy So Chic Werribee Park January 11

Oh la la, So Frenchy So Chic was everything a self confessed all-things-Frenchlover could have asked for.

The weather forecast looked to be absolutely horrendous and it seemed that the heavens had set out to rain on our little French parade, but in some kind of strange turn of events, aka we were in Melbourne, it turned out to be sunny with a lovely breeze, you couldn’t have hoped for better festival weather really.

As soon as you walked into the gates of Werribee Park Mansion you were met with some seriously good vibes. Festival goers wore subtly French items, a beret here, some suspenders there and stripes, lots of stripes! Champagne flowed, macaroons were devoured and cheese, oh-so much cheese. I’m a girl that loves her cheese, so when I found out you could buy a little box of cheese and crackers, with a French stick to boot, to nibble on whilst listening to some Frenchy tunes and sipping on champagne, I was one happy So Frenchy So Chic-er.

The set up was brilliant, set on the grounds of the Werribee Park Mansion, just a stones throw away from the lions, elephants and hippos of Werribee Zoo. The stage, stalls and bars were in close proximity, which made for a really intimate event, however, you never felt overwhelmed by the crowd either.You could get in amongst it and have a dance if that’s what your mood called for, or you could sneak away near the little lake for a bit of a nap, or maybe even a French kiss with your lovely.

Oh, and the music, well the music was sublimely perfect. Emilie Simon was hypnotising to watch and listen to, her voice is as unique as it is beautiful. The Dø, an avant-pop duo, were sending out good vibes from up on stage across the entire festival, you just couldn’t help but have a little boogie.

The stand out for me, however, would have to be La Femme, if surf rock and French pop had a love child, this was it. La Femme were so engaging and had such a fun and cool presence on stage, they had us all moving and shaking!

Besides the amazing venue, the out of this world food and suave tunes, one of the best things about this particular festival; there wasn’t a fluro pair of shorts or terrible orange tan in sight!

Thank the lord, a festival for the cultured and sophisticated.

By Montana Agustin

HOLIDAY EP Create/Control

Listening to Jakubi’s EP Holiday is like getting a much needed injection of summer straight into the blood stream. Opening number, and also title track, ‘Holiday’ has a bit of a John Butler Trio vibe to it and was one of the tracks to reach #1 on the HypeMachine charts, a pretty great achievement for such a new band. There’s a little bit of electronica thrown into the mix, making it that all-rounder perfect for a summer party.

The smooth vocals continue in ‘Couch Potato’ and you can’t help but bob along to their unique brand of soul infused indie-rock that they’ve become so well known for. Jerome Farah has one of those mesmerising voices that could really convince you to do just about anything.

‘Couch Potato’ is another track that has recieved an abundance of praise, even from the likes of Perez Hilton who praised their laid back and positive vibes.

While the opening two tracks might be a bit better known, ‘Can’t Afford It All’ really deserves its time in the spotlight as well, and I’d say before ‘Holiday’ and ‘Couch Potato’. Starting with a jangly summeresque guitar riff and warped vocals, it quickly works its way into a hip hop beat. Lets face it, the lyrics are super cheesy but pretty cute, “I can’t afford it all, she’s so adorable”, so cute it should be on a Hallmark card.

As ‘Feels Like’ closes the EP you really get a sense of the unique sound that the band have developed and the essence of summer that they’ve managed to capture all within a fourtrack release. If you need a lift, want to dance or are just feeling damn happy, this ones worth slipping into your CD player.

By Amanda Sherring

DASH The Day The Rain Comes Down Independent

The Day The Rain Comes Down, the latest release for DASH is a spine-tingling affair.

Opening with ‘Secrets’, I can hear elements of Missy Higgins, Sarah Blasko and Sally Seltmann in the vocals. Piano and eerie guitar and string sections make this an impressive debut track to listen to.

It’s quite a slow burner of a track, but has some edgy electronic and jangly guitar lines building towards its four minute climax.

Recorded in Gisborne, in regional Victoria, this is an impressive listen, if singer songwriter, broody piano and infectious grooves and lyrics are your thing, then this is for you.

Having played at St Kilda Festival earlier this month, the band are touring around at the moment on their Cautiously Tour. The more and more that you listen to the EP, the more infectious

the music becomes.

A wide acoustic folk pop landscape, this is blissful local talent that you should definitely be supporting. From Melbourne and having worked alongside Colin Ledbetter, who has produced the likes of Whitley and Sarah Blasko, this is simplistic pop music with worldly inspiration and attitudes.

I urge you to go online and listen to The Day The Rain Comes Down, don’t skip a track either.

This is a great listen from start to finish.

By Tex Miller

Rainbow Serpent Festival Lexton, Victoria January 23-26

They say that if you can remember Woodstock, you weren’t there. The same could be said of Rainbow Serpent.

The End. JUST KIDDING. But seriously, the four-day festival so often becomes one big beautiful blur, a haze of red dust, sunshine, glitter, smiles, doof sticks, the smell of burning DMT, those bloody delicious pies from the nondescript vendor next to the pirate place (you’re welcome), and of course, the deliriously good tunes, that it’s hard to sum it up in words.

Allow me the next 400 to have a crack.

For 18 years now Beaufort, and more recently Lexton, has played host to the finest bush doof in the country, and by all reports one of the best in the world.

The 2015 event sold out weeks in advance -- a first -- and little wonder with a lineup of this calibre. Your intrepid reporter is now too old for a four-day shindig, and so arrived on Saturday afternoon just in time for Thugfucker on the Market Stage (I was told Desert Dwellers rocked it Friday night though). To these surprised ears, both Thugfucker and his highness Lee Burridge were outdone by local boy Uone Saturday afternoon. His guns-blazing, adrenalising set was the sound of a man with a Monday closing slot in his sights.

Keep that up and and you just might get there, son.

Fellow Melbournite Tornado Wallace followed up last year’s blistering set with another mix of unexpected delights that included everything from cackling kookaburras to curveball closer Discopolis, by Lifelike.

Damon Walsh was also excellent, after which point this

old bag retired, only to be told by her horrible friends, repeatedly, that the rest of Saturday night was full of THE BEST TUNES WE’VE EVER HEARD AT RAINBOW!!!!

It’s the perennial line of the forsaken stayerupperer and/or consumer of excellent drugs, but in this case they were so persistent and vehement it might just be true, dammit. Jamie Stevens, Egbert and Steve Ward, take a bow.

On Sunday afternoon Boogs demonstrated why he’s ruled Revolver for the past million years, and Market Stage continued to spoil us with Super Flu, Petar Dundov and Marcel Dettman in succession. Dang.

After making the mistake of going home before Mad Monday the first time I went to Rainbow, I’ll never do it again. It’s the craziest, loosest, funnest day -- when prevalence and outrageousness of costumes goes up by 1000 per cent (French man with baguette accessory, best on ground, sir), and when, after three days of partying, faces start to melt at the same rate as any remaining inhibition.

This year’s was no exception, with Son Kite, Pole Folder, and Dutch closers 16 bit lolitas all turning in wonderful sets. The latter in particular are to be commended

for their crowd-pleasing romp. If some of the tracks were a little obvious and/or overplayed (Primitive People, Blue Monday) they were always unimpeachably danceable, turning Market Stage into a heaving mass of unchecked reverie that had to be seen to be believed.

I could talk about the psytrance so good it made a convert of this non-believer, the rejuvenating arts and lifestyle aspect of the festival, the hilltop sunsets, the renegade afterparties that dotted around the grounds and the brilliance of the Lexton Community BBQ, but alas, I’ve hit my word limit. Suffice it to say that Rainbow Serpent remains the most colourful, unique, spirit-nourishing festival on the Australian party calendar.

By Annabel Ross, Photo by Spinferno

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Music Reviews

St Jerome’s Laneway Festival Footscray February 7

A sign of a good festival is one that you’re willing to attend more than once, for me, Laneway is one such festival and to date it hasn’t let me down. It’s hard to really when you’ve got such a killer line up that features the likes of FKA Twigs, Banks, Flight Facilities, Dune Rats and a handful of impressive international and national acts.

The heat may have slightly numbed the vibe of the audience, but there were still plenty of indie croptopped, bindi wearers gyrating against the barricade, though really, that’s part of why we all come to Laneway. The entertainment and fun doesn’t stop at the edge of the stage or between sets, it’s all around you.

Facing an early spot as an artist can prove to be a bit of a challenge, but for HIGHASAKITE it didn’t seem to even appear on their radar.

Granted, they were playing in the early afternoon, but we all know many festival goers don’t rock up until at least around that time. Seeing Ingrid Helene Håvik flaunt her vocal ability, and bright blue hair, was easily a highlight of the day.

Drawing a completely different crowd were Brisbane stoner rockers the Dune Rats, who in between calling the cops sick c*nts and dedicating a song to women who masturbate, were entertaining as f*ck. So maybe the vocals weren’t as spot on as in their recordings, but you really don’t come along to a Dune Rats show for perfection, at least not of that sort.

Props also go to Royal Blood and Little Dragon for a great live set but most of you are probably waiting to hear how the social media famed acts of FKA Twigs and Banks went. Well let’s just say that FKA Twigs proved to be a mesmerising dancing goddess and Banks maybe shouldn’t dance, or at least just extend the dancing beyond just her arms. Aside from that, both singers proved that their fame is merited with vocal performances hard to separate from their albums. A surprise came when Banks slipped ‘Goddess’ in halfway through her set, an interesting decision especially when there were so many clashes and punters already stretching their time between musicians.

So Laneway 2015, it’s been bliss. Keep the fresh coconuts, the laid back vibes and killer line up and I’ll be back for another year. Maybe I should invest in a bindi for 2016...

Photos and review by Amanda Sherring

Last Words

grog watch Written by Tony Montana

I’ve been thinking a lot – well, not exactly “a lot”, because thinking isn’t what I really do best, so while it’s fair to say that by my standards I have in fact been thinking “a lot”, what I mean by that is while I was waiting at the bus stop for a bus to take me to the bottle shop I briefly stopped repeating my shopping list in my head and let another thought have a bit of a wander around the top paddock – about the idea of ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’ lately.

The fact that I’ve even been thinking about it is a pretty good indicator that thinking is not my forte, as it were, because it’s such a dumb idea pretty much everyone who isn’t an Australian who’s fled overseas to avoid it thinks it’s about as real as a Yowie, but recently someone who I now hate directed my attention to a

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podcast. An American podcast titled Scriptnotes (it’s episode #182), on which Rebel Wilson discussed the evils of Tall Poppy Syndrome. And right from the start I knew actually listening to this thing was going to be a mistake, because it hardly seemed likely that they were going to have her on to say, “Oh no, that’s not a real thing”, and yet if there’s anyone even more poorly qualified to talk about Tall Poppy Syndrome than myself, it’s her. Didn’t her crappy US sitcom get a run over here while dozens of actually good shows missed out? Isn’t she all over the place promoting one of those new streaming services despite having zero to do with the actual shows being streamed? Don’t we say enough nice things about her in the papers already?

And yet here she was talking away happily about how Tall Poppy Syndrome is where “you get too good or too successful in Australia… people want to cut you down.” Really?

The star of The Wedge and Bogan

Pride was “too good” for Australia?

Please, tell me more. “That’s what happened to me in Australia, I was on all these different television shows and people were like, ‘She’s had her go, let someone else have a go!’. I’m now really experienced, I’m now ready to go the next step, to make my own movies, but the Australian system is like, ‘You think you’re so good now, why don’t you go be unemployed’, and I’m like ‘No!’ It’s a thing that I really hope younger Australians stop doing, because I like the American culture more where you can’t be successful enough, you people love the successful people.” Well yeah, that is the kind of thing you’d expect a successful person to say, isn’t it? She’s not going to say “I really like spending time in a culture where successful movie stars are treated like shit”. Also, forgive me if I’m wrong here, but I don’t really remember the “Australian System” putting out an edict announcing that from this day forth, Rebel Wilson

would be unemployed all across the land – wasn’t it more like that she was in a string of high-profile flops (The Wedge, Bogan Pride, that crap reality “comedy” Monster House, etc) and people generally got just a little bit sick of her “inappropriately sexy” comedy persona? It wasn’t that she was supersuccessful so some kind of sinister fascist mob rose up to tear down everything she’d worked so hard for – it was more like she had her moment in the sun and then she was done.

Only, of course, she didn’t feel she was done so she went to the US, made a name for herself as a jolly fat comedian, and now spends her spare time slagging off Australia for not treating her right – uh, I mean “Tall Poppy Syndrome”. Isn’t that, in this case at least, more like she had her big shot at stardom here and couldn’t quite cut it? How did “people want to cut [her] down” anyway? She was on a bunch of television shows, so clearly the television executives were

happy to put her out there, and it’s not like any of the shows she made here are considered some kind of overlooked classic (well, maybe Pizza, but she was hardly the star there). I haven’t really thought about this all that much, but it seems to be that Tall Poppy Syndrome here means “I was famous, then I stopped being famous, but that clearly wasn’t my fault.” And if you’re meant to be some kind of creative figure (Wilson wrote both Bogan Pride and parts of her US sitcom), isn’t it kind of a bad thing if you can’t see when your work has stopped appealing to your audience? If your job is to entertain people and suddenly people are drifting away because they’re no longer being entertained (let’s not forget that Wilson’s much-hyped solo US sitcom lasted all of one season – all her successes have come playing supporting roles in movies written and directed by other people), shouldn’t you think, “Bugger, how

can I win them back?” rather than, “It’s just Tall Poppy Syndrome, now that I’m successful they all want me to fail”? The first approach is the kind of thing you’d think if you were actually doing your job: the second seems more like something you’d think if every time something goes wrong it’s everyone’s fault but yours. And that is the kind of person people might want to see fail.

Tony “and here I was thinking that Tall Poppy Syndrome was some kind of growth spurt junkies had” Montana

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