Forte #610

ISSUE #610 ball ar at | bell arine | Bendigo | ca stlemaine | geelong | surf coa st | warrnambool |

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MEG MAC “It feels like everyone’s a part of it and it feels like a little family. They’re the reason I do what I do.” pg.21

troy cassar-daley pg.31

lurch & chief

pg.22

jordie lane

pg.22

warped

pg.37

the mcclymonts

pg.44

ALSO FEATURING: You Me At Six, Saskwatch, Karnivool, 360 Allstars, Monkey Safari, Kite Machine and heaps more!

10 0 % l o c a l ly o w n e d & o p e r at e d

Plus all the latest local entertainment news, music and movie reviews and all your favourite Forte columns!

available from 850+ outlets every fortnight

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stjamesbar.com.au

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ed's note So Easter has been and gone and it feels like the year is f lying by. I hope there hasn’t been too much chocolate eating remorse from last weekend, if anything I think I’ve reached my bread limit for the year (I have eaten an obscene amount of hot cross buns).

This issue we welcome the lovely Meg Mac to our cover, seriously what a babe. She was even lovelier to talk

forte issue #610 thursday 16 APRIL 2015

to and oh so modest about where she’s got to in the past few years. Our writer Natalie Rogers also had a chat with You Me At Six, Emily Hirst talked to Jordie Lane and I visited another one of Geelong’s incredible cafes, 10sqM – my job is honestly the hardest.

You’ve probably noticed there is yet another change to this section, we really love mixing things up in the Forte office.

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We’re putting a bigger focus on our Instagram amongst many changes, and we’d like to share the lovely things you are saying about Forte Magazine.

Simply tag us in your picture about Forte and you could get a mention on this page.

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That’s all from me this issue, I hope you enjoy what this issue has to offer, and I’ll catch you on the f lip side.

DIRECTOR

Luke McNamara

luke@fortemag.com.au editor

Amanda Sherring

Amanda & the Forte Team

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abbey@fortemag.com.au @abb_king _ Art director

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Win a double pass to see Kasey Chambers play at Costa Hall on April 30!!

To enter email your name, number and the code word ‘KASEY’ to amanda@fortemag.com.au

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Anthony Morris, Adem Ali, Alastair McGibbon, Amanda Sherring, Andrew Pretorius, Cameron Brogden, Chris Cruz, Chris Lambie, Daniel Lock, Emily Hurst, Jessica Alves, Dr John Lamp, Kara Ready, Montana Agustin, Natalie Rogers, Paul S Taylor, Tex Miller, Wylie Caird, Xavier Fenell, Tony Montana printed by

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The

JERRY DEAN & MARTIN LEWIS Show

DIRECT FROM LAS VEGAS (USA)

TOM STEVENS AS DEAN MARTIN AND OUR VERY OWN

TONY LEWIS AS JERRY LEWIS

edy

ss, The Com ne ad M e h T , ic us M e h Celebrating T

D O O W Y LL O H O T S A FROM LAS VEG Tribute

R U O T T R E C N O C Y R A S 70 ANNIVER

^

th

VICTORIA WED 6 MAY 2015 - WYNDHAM CULTURAL CENTRE, WERIBEE, VIC - www.wyncc.com.au / (03) 8734 6000 THUR 7 MAY 2015 - WEST GIPPSLAND PAC, WARRAGUL, VIC - www.wgac.org.au / (03) 5624 2456 FRI 8 MAY 2015 - THE PALMS AT CROWN , MELBOURNE, VIC - www.ticketek.com.au / 132 849 SAT 9 MAY 2015 - LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE, WARRNAMBOOL, VIC - www.lighthousetheatre.com.au / (03) 5559 4999 SUN 10 MAY 2015 - GPAC DRAMA THEATRE, GEELONG, VIC - www.gpac.org.au / (03) 5225 1200 THUR 14 MAY 2015 - WANGARATTA PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE, WANGARATTA, VIC - www.wangarattapac.com.au / (03) 5722 8105 WED 13 MAY 2015 - THE CAPITAL, BENDIGO, VIC - www.thecapital.com.au / (03) 5434 6100 FRI 15 MAY 2015 - EASTBANK CENTRE, SHEPPARTON, VIC - www.riverlinksvenues.com.au / (03) 5832 9511

ACT / NSW

SAT 16 MAY 2015 - CANBERRA SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB, CANBERRA, ACT - www.cscc.com.au / (02) 6283 7200 SUN 17 MAY 2015 - PRINCE OF WALES OPERA HOUSE, GULGONG, NSW - www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au / (02) 6372 1020 TUE 19 MAY 2015 - GRIFFITH REGIONAL ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, GRIFFITH, NSW - www.grifямБth.nsw.gov.au / (02) 6962 8444 FRI 22 MAY 2015 - CRONULLA SHARKIES, CRONULLA, NSW - www.sharkies.com.au / (02) 9523 0222 SAT 23 MAY 2015 - CANTERBURY LEAGUES CLUB, CANTERBURY, NSW - www.canterbury.com.au / (02) 9704 7777 TUE 26 MAY 2015 - THE GLASSHOUSE THEATRE, PORT MACQUARRIE, NSW - www.glasshouse.org.au / (02) 6581 8888 WED 27 MAY 2015 - CAPITOL THEATRE, TAMWORTH, NSW - www.capitoltheatretamworth.com.au / (02) 6766 2028 WED 20 MAY 2015 - DUBBO RSL, DUBBO, NSW - www.dubborsl.com.au / (02) 6882 4411 THU 21 MAY 2015 - BATHURST RSL, BATHURST, NSW - www.bathurstrsl.com.au / (02) 6333 2999 THU 28 MAY 2015 - CESSNOCK PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE, CESSNOCK, NSW - www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/cpac / (02) 4990 7134 FRI 29 MAY 2015 - LAYCOCK STREET THEATRE, CENTRAL COAST, NSW - www.laycockstreettheatre.com / (02) 4323 3233 SAT 30 MAY 2015 - WENTY LEAGUES, WENTWORTHVILLE, NSW - www.wentyleagues.com.au / (02) 8868 9200

FIRST AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2015 12 forte

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in the

t h e l a t e s t n a t i o n a l & INTERNATIONAL music & enterta inment ne w s

Jay Z Streams Hard Jay Z has recently bought out the music streaming service Tidal for $56 million US, probably a months work for the musician. Though there’s tough competition in the streaming biz and with only 17,000 subscribers, compared to Spotify’s 60 million, Jay Z has enlisted the likes of Beyonce, Kanye, Daft Punk, Rihanna, Calvin Harris and others to help a brother out. With the service costing $11.99 AU a month and paying double the standard streaming royalties to its artists, Tidal looks to be an interesting change to the industry.

Alpine Are Far From Foolish It’s been a while since we’ve heard from dreamy indie pop band Alpine, but the wait is finally over as their new track ‘Foolish’ has come out, and on April Fools of all days. It follows on from the sound you’ve come to love from the band and the package is complete with a trippy futuristic clip with flamingos and lots of pink hair. ‘Foolish’ is the first release from their upcoming album Yuck to be released on June 12. The album is said to explore many of our “first world problems” from terrible dates to plastic vanity. [photo: Tracey Lee Haye]

The End of Future as We Know It The end of Future surely is a sign for the end of the world right? Or maybe just the end of the touring festival? Either way, Future Music Festival has officially announced that the event will discontinue due to

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declining ticket sales over the past two years. But fear not, there will be an “exciting new festival concept” to take its place.

Last Laughs The Melbourne International Comedy Festival have been

causing people to fall off their chairs laughing uncontrollably for the past few weeks but those days are numbered.

There’s just a few days left for you to get your endorphine fix, and with comedians like Adam Hills, Adam Richard and

Dave Thornton still left there’s plenty of reasons to get tickets. Visit www. comedyfestival.com.au to purchase.

Netflix’s House of Cards It’s been no secret that the writers of House of

Cards have been busy at work writing the fourth season before it was officially announced to be continuing. Clearly the writers are psychics as Netflix has confirmed the show will run for a fourth season, the date yet to be announced.

F.F.S

Montage of Kurt

Maybe you haven’t heard by now, but Franz Ferdinand have paired up with Sparks and just announced the release of their self-titled album to come out on June 5. The idea was made a reality when both Sparks and Franz played at Coachella in 2013, and thus a new friendship was born. The album is said to sound like neither band, but you can judge that for yourself as closing track ‘Piss Off ’ has just been released.

Let’s be honest, it seems everyone is a Nirvana fan whether they know their back catalogue in full or not, we won’t pass judgements here about that as we’re too excited at the exclusive clip that’s been released from the upcoming documentary Montage of Heck. The clip takes it right back to the beginning as Kurt decided what to name the band. We promise we won’t cry when we see it in full...

George R R Martin Takes on Sci Fi All you Game of Thrones fans may be anxiously awaiting the moment when George R.R. Martin completes the sixth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire saga, but he’s already got his mind on other things. The author has locked in a new series with HBO about a young sci fi writer who tells stories that no one else will dare to tell, we sense a bit of autobiographical content in this one...

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t h e l a t e s t n a t i o n a l & INTERNATIONAL music & enterta inment ne w s

Goodbye Hi Fi Dr Cornel West Hits Up Oz

Bad news Melbourne punters, the Hi Fi bars you’ve come to know and love are set to change.

The three venues across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane have been bought out by Max Watt’s Operating Pty Ltd and have quickly been renamed as Max Watt’s.

The venue is said to work from a new business structure and will have Melbourne based The Venue Collective to handle booking and marketing (they also book Northcote Social Club, Shebeen and 170 Russell, so we can only expect good things).

It’s not often someone with as much knowledge, talent and the willingness to teach visits our shores, and that’s why we’re pretty excited about Dr Cornel West coming to Australia. He’ll visit Melbourne on June 12 to talk on race, gender and class in today’s society. “I see comparisons between my country and Australia in terms of race, gender, class and culture and I believe a revolution in our priorities, a reevaluation of our values, a reinvigoration of our public life and a fundamental transformation of our way of thinking and living is needed to get our countries back on track,” Dr Cornel West says.

Sticky Fingers Take Down

Hunger Games Gets Theme Park-ified It’s possibly the greatest news for all Hunger Games fans, what other way can you enjoy a little bit of the thrill from the movies but still maintain all limbs and that fine complexion of yours? Theme park rides of course. The movie franchise is set to have some rides for the Lionsgate zone at a theme park in Dubai, though there will be one coming to Hollywood in October next year as well.

Bluesfest has been and gone, but it seems like we’ll be reliving the festival for a little longer, or at least a certain moment over the course of the weekend. Sticky Fingers are known for their crazy stage antics and by no unusual occurrence lead singer Dylan Frost stage-dived into the crowd, only to be taken down by security as he made his way back on stage.

Clearly there was a bit of confusion, but it can all been seen in a clip online. It’s an entertaining watch.

Hot Chip Needs You

Tame Currents

What better way to pump up the end of the week than with a Hot Chip release? They’ve just come out with a new track ‘Need You Now’ that will feature in their upcoming release Why Make Sense? Due out May 15.

It seems Tame Impala are pretty intent on holding the details to their forthcoming album close to their chest. So until the official date is set, all we can do is suck all the worth from the limited information we’ve been given. The album cover and title has been announced, Currents is what we’ll be waiting for and they’ve just released another single ‘Cause I’m A Man’. It’s a slow sombre number and not quite as lengthy or trippy as their previous single, but it certainly increases the excitement for their new release.

Hilary Duff, Is It a Banger?

The Duff is back and louder than ever. She’s just released a new single ‘Sparks’, with writing credits partially thanks to Tove Lo. It’s a new sound for Hilary, there’s lots of whistling but does it quite live up to the bangers out at the moment? Yeah, we may just have to say no on that one.

Jamie XX, Full Colour For a little while there Jamie XX seemed to slip into the unknown, but he’s blasted back into the spotlight with news of his debut album

In Colour to be released on May 29, a video for new track ‘Loud Places’ and also album opener ‘Gosh’ has been put online for your listening pleasure as well. Jamie XX sure knows how to please his fans...

Disney Loves The Action Yet another Disney classic is set to get a live action remake, and the next on the list seems to be Mulan.

With the popularity of past Disney remakes it seems they’re onto a good thing and surely we can expect the whole Disney catalogue to

make the transformation.

No details have been released as of yet for Mulan, but we just hope they stay true to the characters and culture surrounding the tale. Let’s not forget that awesome dragon.

Interact with Led Zeppelin Giving the chance for fans to experience something new, Led Zeppelin have

created an interactive clip for their track ‘Brandy & Coke’ – the rough mix of ‘Trampled Under Foot’.

The single appeared in last month’s deluxe reissue Physical Graffiti, and in the clip fans can peer into each window of the building featured on the original cover. There’s a kid singing along in his bedroom, a lady showering in her underwear and many more visions to waste some time on.

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OLD HEPBURN HOTEL (Hepburn Springs): Parmi night THE SPHINX HOTEL: Meals for $11

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BABUSHKA BAR (Ballarat): Karaoke THE BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Master of Dartness and Poker from 7pm BEAVS BAR: Open Mic, Karaoke BENDED: Second chance & pub quiz THE BLUESTONE: Stonecutters Frat Party ELEPHANT AND CASTLE: Trivia Night from 8pm.

GATEWAY PLAZA SHOPPING CENTRE (Warrnambool): Silvers Circus GEELONG (52 Garden St): No Lights No Lycra GEELONG RSL: Pot and Parmi Night $13 GOLD DIGGERS ARMS: Spinning Wheel and a lot of Parmi’s from $14.50 KAROVA LOUNGE (Ballarat): Thundamentals MAX HOTEL: Lukey’s Open Mic Night OLD HEPBURN HOTEL

(Hepburn Springs): Roast night PISTOL PETES: Food and Blues

THURSDAY 23RD APRIL BABUSHKA BAR (Ballarat): Paul & Kristine Allan BEAVS BAR: Andy Forster BIRD ROCK CAFE (Jan Juc): Live and Local, $13 Pizza night EDGE GEELONG: Live Music and DJ ELEPHANT & CASTLE: $20 Asahi Seafood & Chips Night EUREKA: Thirsty Thursday with local resident DJ’S GATEWAY PLAZA SHOPPING CENTRE (Warrnambool): Silvers Circus GPAC: A Few Good Men KAROVA LOUNGE (Ballarat): Local Resident Failure, Agent 37 LORD OF THE ISLES: Trivia in the courtyard MARTIANS CAFE: $25 International Night including drink ODYSSEYTAVERN AND BREWERY: 6pm Jazz n’ Blues OLD HEPBURN HOTEL (Hepburn Springs): Roast night THE SPHINX HOTEL: Schnitzel Night from $13 ST JAMES: Live DJs

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SUNDAY 26TH APRIL BIRD ROCK CAFÉ (Jan Juc): Steak and Parmi Night, Happy Hour 5-6pm CITY QUARTER: Perfect Sunday Sesh Live music and DJ from 4pm EDGE GEELONG: Live Music and DJ ELEPHANT & CASTLE: Live Jazz from 3-6pm and Parmi Night GATEWAY PLAZA SHOPPING CENTRE (Warrnambool): Silvers Circus GEELONG RSL: $13 Carvery lunch GPAC: A Few Good Men GROVEDALE HOTEL: Luke Biscan LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE (Warrnambool): Colin Hay LORD NELSON: Sunday Funday Live Music MARTIANS CAFE: Cooks Toolbox ODYSSEYTAVERN AND BREWERY: Live music OLD HEPBURN HOTEL: Harry Hookey ROYAL EXHIBITION BUILDING MELBOURNE: Rites of Passage Tattoo, Music & Art Festival SAINTS & SAILORS (Portarlington): Live Music THE SPHINX HOTEL: Carvery from $17

MONDAY 27TH APRIL BARWON CLUB: $10 Parmis BENDED: Steak night CHERRY BAR: Cherry Jam Monday’s ELEPHANT & CASTLE: $20 Steak & Drink night GATEWAY PLAZA SHOPPING CENTRE (Warrnambool): Silvers Circus GEELONG RSL: Members Draw, over $3000 in prizes to be won!

OLD HEPBURN HOTEL (Hepburn Springs): Parmi night THE SPHINX HOTEL: Meals for $11

TUESDAY 28TH APRIL BENDED: Parmi night ELEPHANT & CASTLE: $20 Steak & Drink night GATEWAY PLAZA SHOPPING CENTRE (Warrnambool): Silvers Circus GEELONG RSL: Steak Night $13 OLD HEPBURN HOTEL (Hepburn Springs: Parmi night ULUMBARRA THEATRE (Bendigo): 360 Allstars

WEDNESDAY 29TH APRIL BABUSHKA BAR (Ballarat): Karaoke THE BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Master of Dartness and Poker from 7pm BEAVS BAR: Open Mic, Karaoke BENDED: Second chance & pub quiz ELEPHANT AND CASTLE: Trivia Night from 8pm. Have fun win prizes book a table GATEWAY PLAZA SHOPPING CENTRE (Warrnambool): Silvers Circus GEELONG (52 Garden St): No Lights No Lycra GEELONG RSL: Pot and Parmi Night $13 GOLD DIGGERS ARMS: Spinning Wheel and a lot of Parmi’s from $14.50 MAX HOTEL: Lukey’s Open Mic Night OLD HEPBURN HOTEL (Hepburn Springs): Roast night PISTOL PETES: Food and Blues

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meg m ac FEATURE STORY Written by Amanda Sherring

As a kid Meg Mac was one of those children who was lugged into a van with her four brothers and sisters to take on the annual 12-hour family road trip.

“Every summer we would drive from Sydney to Queensland,” she says.

“Back then there was only cassette players, so my dad used to put movies on cassettes – the entire audio of a movie onto cassette – and he’d just play those for us and we’d have to imagine the movie in our heads.”

The past few weeks for Meg have been a bit of déjà vu, though this time around she’s traded the cassettes in for Wi-Fi and a TV as part of her tour of America: an experience that has been both a pleasure and an eye opener for the young musician.

“I was kind of interested to see if I’d be vocally tired, but I think I’m stronger now and it’s been a good test for working out my voice,” Meg says.

“I was really nervous at the start of SXSW. I did seven shows in one week and by the end I wasn’t even nervous anymore – so it was good practice to follow on with a tour.”

Playing SXSW is a huge achievement for an established musician let alone for someone so new to the industry, but for Meg Mac the moment she heard her song played on triple j she knew her career was possible.

“When I heard my song on the radio, it was when I realised that it’s not just me who’s a part of the world.

People in their cars are listening and it then becomes separate to you, and it really makes you go, ‘Oh, I’m on the radio and there are other people on the radio that I think are cool.’ It just becomes real,” Meg says.

From that moment Meg Mac was thrown into the spotlight, and all without an EP to put her name to.

Meg has since released her debut EP and says it to be her mark of her entrance into the music world. It’s raw, honest, and has set her up as a musician to build close ties with her fans.

Though what’s curious about Meg’s creative process is that she prefers to do it alone, with her thoughts her only company, as Meg tells me: “I hate it when people peek in, so even when my housemates are home I just do it really quietly or don’t do it at all and wait for them to leave. Otherwise I just can’t let it out, because I sing really loud as well. If I’m singing something that I haven’t sung before it can come out really bad and I just

freak out. But if I’m by myself then I’m the only one judging myself so that’s fine.”

Listen to Meg’s vocal range in tracks ‘Roll Up Your Sleeves’ and ‘Known Better’ and you can imagine it would be hard to resist the temptation to listen to her singing behind a closed door. To praise her, make comments and be involved in its creation in any way possible.

It’s a wise move from the young musician, much like the close bond that she maintains with her fans. For other musicians it may be a chore, but for Meg Mac it’s a completely organic manifestation and something she gains much pleasure from.

“Everyone’s really nice and it feels like all the people I interact with have been there from the beginning and I feel like they get the same pleasure out of the cool things that happen to me as I do. People are genuinely excited with me so it doesn’t feel like I’m by myself. It feels like everyone’s a part of it and it feels like a little family. They’re the reason I do what I do,” she says.

Though there’s no denying from Meg that being a musician is something she’s wanted her whole life, and is a dream that is finally coming to fruition. Part of the dream just so happens to be playing Groovin the Moo next month.

“I was already super excited before I knew I was coming to America and now that it’s been so long I just can’t wait to come home and then the next week is Groovin the Moo which will just be this amazing welcome home,” she beams.

“I’ve never been to Groovin the Moo but I’ve heard it’s just one of the best festivals, with the best vibe and I love that it’s in six cities so I get to travel with it and each show will be so different.”

As the interview draws to a close I can’t help fight the feeling that there’s something different that stands out about Meg, all I can put it down to is that she is truly doing what she was born to do.

A loose conversation on her vocal warm ups turns into her giving a demonstration over the phone, while she’s on what I can only assume is a busy street. She’s certainly a musician to watch, and she sums up those slight feelings I had in one perfect sentence: “I like singing on stage better than talking to people”.

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

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You Me at Six Written by Natalie Rogers

Last time they were here English rockers You Me at Six promised to come back for a round of headline shows. Not only have they kept their word, they’ve gone one better by signing on to be part of this year’s Groovin the Moo. “We couldn’t wait to come back ­– we can’t stay away,” admitted bassist Matt Barnes. “When these shows were suggested we said, ‘Do you even have to ask? Just book the bloody shows!’” he joked.

With arguably the best line up ever – Hilltop Hoods, Flight Facilities, DMA’s, Broods, and the list goes on – GTM 2015 will help ease post-summer festival depression and withdrawals, while placing a spotlight on some of the most idyllic scenery Australia has to offer. “Basically we’re seeing it as a mini adventure holiday. It won’t be the standard stay, you know – staying in the same hotel, getting pissed at the same bars. It’ll be a taste of wilderness and a chance to see what Australia is really all about.”

“We took an Aussie photographer out with us on our last tour of the US and he played Grinspoon the entire time,” Barnes continued. “He was like, ‘You’ve got to listen to this, man’ and we loved it. So we were stoked to hear Phil Jamieson will be playing and I think he’s hosting too.”

The Grinners aren’t the only home-grown talent on YMAS’s radar – the Apple Isle’s own Luca Brasi were hand-picked from a pile of hopeful local acts to open their Melbourne show. “They remind me of a cooler-

sounding Hot Water Music [Florida-based punk band], mixed with straight-up, proper oldschool pop punk. They’re so good, I can’t wait to meet the guys and watch them play.”

Barnes says that he and the guys love to support local, up and coming bands wherever they go and believe in grassroots music. “In the UK there’s an initiative called Independent Venue Week – essentially it’s a chance for music lovers across the UK to come together and support their local music venues that are threatened with closure,” Barnes explained. “In England at the moment the council are trying to shut down all these little clubs we grew up playing, back in the day. You know the deal – people have built flats next to them and now

When & Where: The Hi-fi, Melbourne – April 30 & Groovin’ the Moo, Bendigo Showgrounds – May 2

they’re complaining about the noise.”

“The argument is where will newer bands go to play, show their talent and gain an audience? Also where will young music fans go if these clubs no longer exist?”

Barnes says, not afraid to show his passion. “So we wanted to show our support for the scheme by playing our old local – the Guildford Boiler Room. It’s literally 15 minutes drive from all our houses when we were kids, and one of the first venues we ever played. So we loaded

up the van and drove down together with all our gear in the back – proper old-school,” he smiled.

YMAS recently celebrated their 10 year anniversary, so it was no surprise that Barnes was in a nostalgic mood. “It’s only natural, but we’re a little bit more serious these days. Back in the day we didn’t have a worry in the world – we all still lived at home with our parents and had part-time jobs. So we’d save up just a little bit of money so that we could just jump in a van,

go up to Scotland, play some shows (sometimes to 20 people) and get pissed. Now we’re a proper band, I swear!” he laughed.

You Me at Six’s fourth album Cavalier Youth is out now.

Jordie Lane Written by Emily Hirst

Folk music is all about telling a story through song, and it’s storytelling that Jordie Lane does best. Talking to him, I was struck by an excitement in his voice that had me hanging – even hearing about his morning coffee turned into a tale of him entering the shop and leaving as the next YouTube sensation (don’t ask).

Lane explains it was this aspect of folk music that initially drew him to the genre at an early age. As a child, he followed his parents’ performance troupe around the country and his “urge to entertain and get attention” was inspired and nurtured by an artistic upbringing.

“I think the seed was planted from my childhood.

Growing up I watched my mum turning boring stories into something that can take people on a big journey – that was a huge aspiration of mine to try and do that. While I listened to Bob Dylan and The Beatles, I realised that it wasn’t just about being a folk singer, it was more about wanting to be a storyteller on stage and opening up to the audience,” he says.

His ability to candidly “open up” on personal experiences is a treasure to his song making; his wonderfully nostalgic and affecting tunes, like ‘ War Rages On’ and ‘Feet Fall’ (two of Lane’s own recommendations), illustrating just this.

“Nearly all of my songs are based on my real life

experiences or someone in direct contact with me telling me a story. I usually can’t think up a narrative that’s completely fictitious because I can’t make it ring true. The funnest thing is building on the truth and trying to tell it in the most exciting way, so sometimes that involves bending the truth just a little,” Lane says.

Creating these moving tales from that of real life has always been a cathartic process for Lane, “Sometimes it does feel like I need to turn the tap off because you shouldn’t be sharing absolutely everything, but I’ve always felt a huge sense of relief when I let something out – even to complete strangers. I’m not trying to hide anything, or if I was, then letting it out is a process that feels like a bit of relief.”

“ ...it wasn’t just about being a folk singer, it was more about wanting to be a storyteller on stage and opening up to the audience.”

While Lane’s lyrics are undeniably stirring, his musicality alone cannot be ignored. His melodic croons are hypnotic, only elevated by the smooth rhythms of his sliding blues and roots instrumentals.

Luckily, Lane is back in Australia after an 18-month long stint away, and you’ll have the chance to hear some of this genius up-close.

This tour, Lane’s doing something a little different; pairing up with Clare Reynolds. The duo will give us some of the melting harmonies and soulful sounds as heard on Lane’s 2013 release, Not Built to Last. The pair first met in 2012, when starring in the theatre show Grievous Angel: The Legend of Gram Parsons, and since then their collaboration has grown to produce simply beautiful performances.

The intimate shows ahead are sure to showcase the duos utterly gorgeous take on American folk, Lane’s warming vocals and, of course, his ability to spin a tale or two.

When & Where: The Toff in Town, Melbourne – April 18 & 19, Ararat Live, Ararat – April 22 & Beav’s Bar, Geelong – April 23

Lurch & Chief Written by Amanda Sherring

Every now and then on a family trip, it’s natural for someone to get left behind. And it’s reassuring to see that even as a band on tour, this same factor can – and did – come into play when singer Lilibeth Hall was left behind.

“That was maybe a couple of years ago and we had a gig around Kings Cross and baby Lil got left behind, somehow the head count wasn’t quite accurate,” Lilibeth adds with a laugh.

“But they definitely heard about it for a while. We laugh about it now and it’s actually quite funny. There’s six of us so we always seem to leave someone behind, but we always get this feeling where – even if all of us are there – we go, ‘Is someone missing?’”

As proof of their functionality as a band, Lurch & Chief have just released a new EP Breathe that – aside from being a great listen – was written in the beautiful surrounds of the Grampians and showcases their development as musicians.

“It was really beautiful and I feel like wherever you’re writing your environment has a bit to do with how the songs turn out. There were these beautiful open spaces and you’d walk out and see a bloody emu in the back paddock and kangaroos and the mountains – so it was pretty gorgeous,” she says.

“At the same time we were in this run down shack with a lot of bugs and it gets really hot during the day so we’d kind of sweat it out during the day then freeze overnight. It was like 12 hour days of doing the set, then dedicating time to writing one song and then moving on and back to other 22 forte

things and it was a really cool process.”

The hard work more than paid off, and realising their success – and just looking for a good time – the band took to celebrating its completion with their producer.

“We had a night out with our producer, who’s notoriously anonymous, but Lindsay [Gravina] is great. We’re all very professional and we have a lot of respect for each other.

I think as long as you’ve got that then occupational drinking is okay,” Lilibeth says with a smile.

“But he’s a great guy and he’s been almost a mentor I guess and been a really big influence on us over our bands lifetime thus far.”

Clearly whether the bands relationships were created on a professional standing or something more friendly, there’s a

comfortableness that’s evident in all of them.

Even on-tour antics exhibited by Lilibeth with fellow band mates are signs of a well formed group that you’d want to share a few drinks with at the pub.

“I do reach a certain point on long car trips, I think it’s usually about an hour before we’re meant to get back to our accommodation, where I just lose it and I turn into a child and I just start annoying whoever is closest around me,” she

laughs.

“Like physically annoying, just poking, hysterically laughing and making absolutely low-brow ridiculous jokes – hellish.”

Whatever happens on the road you can be sure that the six-piece are more than up for a drink with fans, perhaps you’ll get your chance to cure the band’s feeling of always leaving someone behind and join as their seventh member.

When & Where: The Workers Club, Geelong – May 8, Howler, Melbourne – May 9, Karova Lounge, Ballarat – May 14 & The Loft, Warrnambool – May 16

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Time to Liberate Yourself As a little teaser to their upcoming tour, Divine Ascension have released a clip to their track ‘Liberator’ from their forthcoming album. The clip features a couple going through a rough time, until she finally leaves the guy and liberates herself. There’s a killer solo from the keyboardist and some equally incredible vocals, so it’s definitely worth checking it out. Though nothing beats seeing it in the flesh, and you’ll get the chance to when they have shows at the MusicMan Megastore in Bendigo, May 15 and at The Barwon Club in Geelong on May 30.

Dead but Not Forgotten Put a piece of string around your finger to remind yourself that The Dead Salesmen are set to launch their vinyl reissue of Amen at The Bridge, Castlemaine on April 24. The Dead Salesmen teamed up with local label Heart of the Rat Records for the release. Released in 1998, the album was the final for the band, completing a trilogy of albums which included Jealousy (1993) and Bluestoned (1995). While Amen will be the focal point, fans can expect to hear material from their first two albums as well. So far sales of the reissue have been going very well, so much so that the band hopes to reissue the others as well. Time will tell there, but now for enjoy a night out at The Bridge.

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Dan the Magic Man While it’s not the kind of magic trick you’d expect, Dan Parsons has just released a new single ‘I’ll Live and I’ll Die’ and announced he’s going to head around Australia with fellow troubadour Steve Grady. Parsons says of the release: “In a world where desire often leads to self-actualisation, ‘I’ll Live and I’ll Die’ finds the romance in ‘not going there’, even in the midst of an imaginary conversation. As a song, it ultimately accepts life as being more meaningful and more meaningless than human drama.” As part of the tour he’ll drop in to the Babushka Bar in Ballarat on May 22 to share his sounds, just him, his voice and guitar. Bliss.

We Have the Cure In 2010, when Ballarat darlings Epicure announced they would be parting ways, Rhythms Magazine asked frontman Juan Alban about his fourteen-year journey with the band. He replied: “… We’ve been lucky in that we’ve been able to release four albums exactly the way we’ve wanted them to be and we’ve been privileged to tour them around the country many times over.

And I’m really proud that the band got better as it went along. So, in that regard, I guess it was long enough for Epicure … most bands get far less.”

Well, it looks like there is a wee bit more to come.

You have probably heard that the band is set to perform some very special shows in support of The Goodbye Girl, which has been released on vinyl for the first time thanks to local label Heart of the Rat Records. Released in 2003 and produced

by Cameron McKenzie, three of the album’s tracks landed in triple j’s Hottest 100 – ‘Armies Against Me’, ‘Life Sentence’ and ‘Self Destruct in Five’.

The band remains one of Ballarat’s most successful imports with sales in excess of 30,000 albums.

It’s safe to say tickets won’t be hanging around for too long. The Karova, Ballarat – May 16.

Made His Wade So, there is this thing called YouTube. And on this thing called YouTube you find people sharing all sorts of things. And on this thing called YouTube where you find people sharing all sorts of things you will find Josh Wade. Wade first started creating online content when he was 13. Today, the jokester is listed in the Top 100 Australian YouTubers, amassing some 900,000 subscribers and 22 million hits across all platforms. He made his stand-up debut last year at the Melbourne 24 forte

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and Sydney comedy festivals, selling out a very impressive 33 shows.

Yahoo Bar, Shepparton – May 26; The Karova, Ballarat – May 27; Music Man, Bendigo – May 28; and The Workers Club, Geelong – May 29.

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The Right Price When you’re a part of the family band at the age of nine, you either form a deep connection with music or grow to hate your family.

For Rick Price, it’s certainly the former. As a solo artist, the songman began writing music in the late ’80s before releasing his debut single, ‘Not a Day Goes By’, in 1992. For someone who had grown up in Beaudesert, a small country town near Brisbane, things got very real, very quickly.

The song climbed to the number 5 spot on the national charts and would spend a good 20 weeks in the Top 40. His second single, ‘Heaven Knows’, would launch his international career. As his solo material continues to come (check out Tennessee Sky), Rick is taking a break in order to take a stroll down another season of Take Me Home Country Roads – The John Denver Story. The show, which enjoyed a successful run in 2011, shines the light on one of the great songmen of our time. The show includes over 20 tracks as Rick narrates the gripping story of the late singersongwriter. He will be joined by The Colorado Quartet.

GPAC – May 30.

Bombs Away It seems to be that you’re doing alright if your relationship lasts 10 years. TJ Allender and Paul Doery, they who make up The Exploders, have celebrated the tin/ aluminium mark and don’t look as though they will be contacting a divorce lawyer any time soon. Formed in 2004 out of Lake Bolac, the band released their self-titled debut in 2006. With their brand of electric country and psychedelic rock and roll the band has released a tidy three albums across their journey – the latest of which is titled Orche. Stratos. Pheric.

The album follows a narrative of the fatalistic life and ultimate death of a child prodigy named ‘Brave Achilles’. The Loft, Warrnambool – April 24.

One Cool Cat

Uptown Punk

Stepping out as a solo artist from a familiar and much-loved band is no easy thing, but Cat Canteri doesn’t appear to be showing too many signs of stress. The singer-songwriter and drummer of The Stillsons, Canteri waited for when the time felt right to put out her debut album When We Were Young. The album, which has a UK release next month, was released in the second half of 2014 and was produced by ARIAwinning Craig Pilkington. As well as performing drums, guitar and keyboards on the majority of the album, Cat also enlisted the services of Ben Franz (The Waifs, The Stillsons); Stevie Hesketh (The Drones, Jet) and Justin Bernasconi (The Stillsons). The Bridge, Castlemaine – April 17.

Just have a look at Luca Brasi’s promo shot on their website. You’ll see four handsome fellas with big, beaming smiles – but don’t let ’em fool you, for underneath those smiles and catalogue looks you’ll find punk rock at its finest. Bred in the badlands of Tasmania, Luca Brasi formed in 2009 and cut their teeth playing lounge room floors and dingy pubs.

They have released two albums – 2011’s Extended Family and last year’s By a Thread. By a Thread was mixed by Matt Bayles, whose credits include Pearl Jam, Murder City Devils and Isis. The lads will be supporting You Me at Six on their Aussie tour, but have thrown in some solo headlining gigs because, well, why the punk not?! The Barwon, Geelong – May 1.

Let’s Get Naked When the colour faded in Little Red, Quang Dinh continued his musical mission in Naked Bodies.

With influences including Leonard Cohen and Charles Bukowski, Quang formed the band in 2012, putting a greater focus on lyrics, musical dynamics and development of mood. Regarded as one of the country’s most electrifying acts, the band dropped their debut, Piranha, at the beginning of the month. Rolling Stone Australia: “Piranha is an unrestrained genre orgy, serving not only as an abrupt reaction to the formulaic functions of its director’s previous work, but a vigorous argument for the entertainment value earned from a wilful embracement of wild variation.” The Barwon Club, Geelong – June 7.

Game as Ned Kelly The new Australian play Kelly has been on tour since mid-March, and will take in some 39 venues across its 19-week run. Written by Queensland playwright Matthew Ryan, the production received critical praise when it made its debut as part of the Queensland Theatre Company’s Mainstage season in 2012. From the presser: “Ned Kelly sits in his prison cell. Tomorrow he is going to hang, a wounded beast in a cage, defiant ’til the end. A priest enters to give him his last rites and it is revealed to be Dan Kelly – Ned’s younger brother believed burnt to death at Glenrowan. Dan is desperate and needs one last thing from his older brother and Ned stands firmly against him.” GPAC, Geelong – April 15-18, Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo – April 24 & Frankston Arts Centre, Frankston – May 16

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Bendigo Queer Film Festival It’s festival number 12 for the Bendigo Queer Film Festival. Founded in 2004 by Chris Walters in collaboration with the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, the BQFF provides cultural and artistic opportunities to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people living in Central Victoria and is recognised as a significant event by the LGBTIQ community. It opens tomorrow night, Friday, April 17. Taking place at Eaglehawk’s Star Cinema, it’s all about the 1970s. Dress in your best ’70s threads and enjoy a glass of bubbly on arrival. Screening will be the German film I Feel Like Disco. April 17-19. Christine Nixon is 2015’s guest patron. Hit bendigoqueerfilmfestival. com.au for more.

Whatever May Come Towards the end of last year, Sons of May released their self-titled debut album.

Mixed and co-produced

by Shane O’Mara (Tim Rodgers, The Audreys, Lisa Miller), the release is full of flavour – indie-folk, country, roots-rock is all there, fuelled by bands ranging from RATM to Sublime. The Aireys Inlet Festival team summed up this country-bred, city living quartet as well as anyone: “Last night I was one of hundreds to experience the live version of Sons of May and they were irresistible. I won’t even try to pigeonhole their music because it’s unique … acoustic … raw and polished at the same time.

It is also clear that these guys are humble and love what they do.” The Loft, Warrnambool – May 1.

An Ear to the Ground Once upon a time, Daniel Unwin and Joe Gleeson started jamming on some tunes Daniel had been tinkering with. All was going swimmingly, until

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they felt like they needed something a little more and so they sought out the services of Callum Humphrys. The rough ideas turned into songs, and soon the little trio had a nice little collection of riff-heavy bluesy numbers.

Freshly available is Crossfire Hurricane’s debut, Ear to Ear. The lads recently launched the album over at The Karova in Ballarat and by all reports it was a ripper night. As for the EP, you can buy that for the cheap as chips price of $7 through their Bandcamp page. The Loft, Warrnambool – April 18.

LARPing with The Murlocs There ain’t no party like a mesmerising demented dance party. All one needs to do is check out The Murlocs for proof of that.

You may recall that the band lost three-quarters of the initial recordings of their debut after some poltroon stole their laptop.

Fortunately, the band is pretty awesome and their memory served them well enough to get through things. What we got was 2014’s Loopholes. So far, it would seem, things have been running a little smoother when it comes to their forthcoming second album, due for release in June. The fivepiece released a taste of the newie last month via single ‘Adolescence’. The clip features footage of a LARPing event. The Barwon, Geelong – April 24.

Where in the World is Darren Hanlon?

Hey ya folks, tickets still remain for Darren Hanlon’s show at The Barwon, Geelong this Saturday night, April 18.

The show supports his latest release, Where Did You Come From?, which was recorded across two continents and took in five recording studios and some 27 musical strangers.

Although the seeds of the album were sown in Broken Hill, the album was about as unplanned as you could

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get with this kind of thing.

Darren: “For lack of any real purpose I went on an exploratory adventure of the American southern states and the whole thing grew up around me like rogue lantana. I spent about 20 nights sleeping on different Amtrak trains with my jumper rolled up for a pillow.”

Hey Now, You’re an Allstar 360 Allstars has been described as a radical urban circus, a place where two world champion breakdancers, a basketball freestyler, a Roue Cyr artist and live music comes together. The production features celebrated international artists from UK, Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Australia and NZ in a theatrical performance that explores all forms of rotations. The first thing you should do is hit up YouTube to get a better idea of what 360 Allstars is all about. The second thing you should do is make a date. Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo – April 28; Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool – April 30; and Eastbank Centre, Shepparton – May 2. More can be found through onyxproductions.com.

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A New World Order The name Ross McLennan will, for many, be lovingly associated with Snout, the indie-pop band he formed in the early 1990s. These days you will find him leading Ross McLennan & The New World. He has released three albums to date, with a fourth that appears to be not too far away.

Last year he released new single ‘General Singh’ to a packed house in Melbourne and now he is set to make The Bridge in Castlemaine his home on April 18. This will be the first time he has played Castlemaine. From the presser: “A fictional character embodying the anxieties of our time, General Singh is someone isolated from their fellow humans as a result of trauma. ‘I wander lost in public space’, sings Ross McLennan, and we envisage General Singh sitting on a train in dissociative state, wearing clothes that someone has provided. General Singh is about to embark on a regimen of weekly therapy, and worries that a string of miscommunications may lead to disappearing completely … Crimes they have witnessed and in truth have themselves committed have led them to believe that happiness is not appropriate. The shit is really hitting the fan.” He will be joined on the night by Howl.

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A Bunch of Clowns How many clowns does it take to make a hardcore band? Four. Hailing from Melbourne’s Eastern Bayside, Clowns released their second album earlier in the year. It’s called Bad Blood, in case you didn’t know, and it received enough good press to fill up a clown car. Punknews. org wrote: “You could play Bad Blood to a teenager in a Backtrack hoodie or a grizzled mosh veteran with a Black Flag tattoo and both would find something to love about it. If there’s one band seriously screaming out for overseas recognition, it’s Clowns.” The Loft, Warrnambool – May 15; The Karova, Ballarat – June 13; Music Man, Bendigo – June 26; and The Barwon, Geelong – June 27.

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Nothing but a Good Time The Apia Good Times tour is stepping out again, this time with Brian Cadd, Joe Camilleri, Glenn Shorrock and Kate Ceberano. Now, these names will probably be familiar to many readers, but in case you’re lousy with names, let’s get to know them a little better. Brian Cadd is one of the country’s most prolific musicians. He has performed with The Groop and Axiom and has written hits for the likes of Little River Band, Joe Cocker and John Farnham.

Check out tracks ‘Ginger Man’ and ‘Making it on Your Own’. Joe Camilleri has been in the business for 50 years and has performed in bands including The Pelaco Brothers, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and The Black Sorrows. He has released over 40 albums. Check out tracks ‘Ruler of My Heart’ and ‘Harley and Rose’. Glenn Shorrock has a career spanning 40 years and was a founding member of The Twilights, Axiom and Little River Band. Check out tracks ‘Help is on Its Way’ and ‘Cool Change’. Kate Ceberano is an award-winning jazz and pop singer and was the first woman to be inducted into the Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Check out tracks ‘Pash’ and ‘Bedroom Eyes’. Regent Theatre, Ballarat – May 21 & GPAC, Geelong – May 23.

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Living in the Jordie Lane

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Jordie Lane is well underway on his first local tour in over a year. The well-travelled songman (touring with the likes of Billy Bragg, Mary Chaplin Carpenter and Neko Case is all in a day’s work) will be performing as part of a duo with Clare Reynolds, who has become a regular face alongside Lane over the last couple of years.

They first performed together as part of the theatre show Grievous Angel: The Legend of Gram Parker, with the songbird also appearing on Not Built to Last. At the time of writing tickets remained for his shows at Ararat Hotel, Ararat on April 22 and Beav’s Bar, Geelong on April 23.

Rowena Wise is his very special guest.

It’s a Mettaphor Intuition and trust in their music is as important as creating a soundtrack for Mettaphor. Angelika Heinrich and Kaeleen Hunter are behind this musical journey; two souls making a living in the age-old honest tradition of minstrels. Angelika plays alto and soprano saxophone, creating inventive phrasing and heartfelt improv inspired

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by the sounds of Candy Dulfer and Maceo Parker. Kaeleen provides guitars and beats. She is a self-admitted sonic studio geek inspired by Prince, Curtis Mayfield and Daniel Lanois, plus a myriad of unknown producers. This is sweet jazzy funk; nu jazz, with soul-infused groove.

Martians Café, Deans Marsh – April 24.

Kung Fu Kings Kung-Fu in Technicolour would like to take you on a magical journey to a place where the impossible and possible collide. They have been on this particular journey since 2009 when they were just a few guys jamming together. It took ’em some time, but they have managed to find the perfect balance between the extremely flamboyant guitar solos of psychedelic and the more relaxed, sombre tones of surf music. And they want to share this with you.

So, they’re heading The Workers Club in Geelong on April 18 to launch their EP. And because it is such an exciting time, the band has promised the possibility of stickers for those who rock up in technicolour themed clothing. Yay, stickers!

The Paris Underground Acts of magic, illusion, spectacular tap dancing, brilliant burlesque, breathtaking aerials, quirky circus and song combine for the dazzling Paris Underground production. Taking centre stage are magicians Richard Vegas and Julia Madotti. With over fifteen years’ experience, Vegas and Madotti have performed in Berlin, Japan, Hong Kong and New Zealand. Prior to setting up shop in Melbourne, Richard was a resident artist, performer and magician at Sydney’s Star Casino for over a decade. Julia also has a connection with the Casino, becoming the first female magician to work the premises, a residency she held for several years. From the presser: “Including the striking and rare magic of Julia Madotti; one of Australia’s few female magicians and illusionists, the vocal talents of professional stage and screen actor Nick Simpson-Deeks; the beauty and grace of circus artiste and aerial angel Hannah Trott; the dynamic punch and rare skill of tap king Eden Read; the in-demand charming chanteuse, MC and actor Aurora Kurth; the dynamic dancing and sultry smoulder of burlesque artist and showgirl Zelia Rose; the comedic, the kinky, the bizarre twisted sisters of neo-burlesque Betty Blood and Pippy Scream and the host of this cavalcade of talent, as MC maestro Monsieur Marveaux; actor, illusionist and magician extraordinaire, the devilishly handsome Richard Vegas!” Wow! Ararat Performing Arts Centre – May 1 & COPACC – May 2.

Darkc3ll Out to Destroy While comparisons to KISS have been made – even their followers are dubbed ‘Army of Darkness’ – industrial rockers Darkc3ll are their own breed of animal. The band was part of the 2014 Soundwave line-up, an opportunity that has paid off big time for the band. They’ve also clocked up 10k hits on Facebook. “Never did we image our page would reach a milestone like this. We just set out to make good music and share it with friends. You guys have helped the dark machine become so much more. The energy, enthusiasm and support ya’ll give back is so amazing and we cannot thank you enough,” was their response. Their new release, Devolve Destroy, dropped April 1. The Barwon, Geelong – April 25.[Photo: Farski Photography]

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I Know Art When I See It ‘Dead Inside’ is the new single from The Art, and they’re doing the thing bands do when they have something they want to share – they’re taking it out for a road test. The single, the first taste of their forthcoming new album, is due to drop April 25. Stevie Knight was on hand to help the band record the new track, who has worked with the band on previous occasions. From the presser: “Although in purgatory, musically THE ART are trying to offer some hope in this song. There is some kind of calm, in the whole storm. When the piano ends, the musical piece after the feedback of guitars, slowly melt away, there is almost a peace at the end of this chaos!” The Loft, Warrnambool – May 9.

Welcome to Australia While members of Offspring of Convicts hail from all parts of eastern Australia, Melbourne is where they connected. With its rich history of music, the city became the perfect home for a bunch of blokes who wanted to play rock music the way it should be played – hard, fast, loud … and with lots of jumping on the stage. They have only been together since the beginning of 2014 but have done a fine job in building a solid fan base, with venues including The Tote, The Espy and Revolver Upstairs already ticked off the checklist. Think the passion of Powderfinger mixed with the energy of Jet and the raw abandon of AC/DC. Music Man, Bendigo – April 18 & May 9.

Let’s Talk About ME They may be from Melbourne but ME could be forgiven for forgetting what their old stomping ground looks like given they have called Berlin home for the past few years. Good news for us is that they will be reacquainting themselves with our country in support of their new 7-inch vinyl release, ‘Temple/Angels’.

It is their second vinyl release for the year. The band sure knows how to keep busy. Over the last couple of years the band has played a bunch of shows, including festival dates alongside the likes of QOTSA, Smashing Pumpkins and Portishead. They also created and curated their own Berlin-based festival Satisfactory Factory, which they hope to bring to Australia next year. The Karova, Ballarat – May 1.

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Fridge & Window Fest Fundraiser Did you hear the story about how some liceriddled turd(s) blew up the main refrigerator at The Bridge in Castlemaine and also threw a pot plant through their front window? It sucks, but fortunately The Bridge is turning this unsavoury act into an awesome occasion dubbed The Bridge Fridge & Window Fest.

There is a mountain of bands playing, including D.D Dumbo, Whipper, Fist vs Fire, Pomme Fritz, Railroad Rex, Itchy Scabs, Ooga Boogas, The Yard Apes, Luna Deville, Cuntz and The Steinbecks. There will also be an all-day vegetarian BBQ, raffle prizes and clowns. Yep, clowns. The Bridge, Castlemaine – April 25. Refrigerator and window repairers will be welcomed with open arms.

Eddie Boyd & His Boys Eddie Boyd & the Phatapillars have been described as a lot of things, but the thing that tends to follow them around is “dirty”. Not in a cleanliness way, as more hygienic men you’re not likely to find, but in terms of their music – “dirty John Butler”, “dirty Jack Johnson” etc. The Blues Mountain-bred trio took out the Bluesfest Busking competition last year.

They have performed at festivals including Sydney Blues Festival and Corrimal Blues Stomp, while sharing bills with the likes of Wolf Mail, Chase the Sun, Claude Hay, Marshall Okell, Lloyd Spiegel and The Rumours. On April 1 the band released A Lover and a Fool. The Loft, Warrnambool – April 25.

Alex Bowen supports.

Careful There, Buddy He was born Bruno Brayovic but lives as Buddy Glass, at least he does on the odd occasion.

He is the frontman of Sydney’s Peabody who packed his bags and headed for France, wrote an album, and then returned to record it in Marrickville. He has a backing band he calls The Wise Childs, who have only played a couple of shows. He once said in an interview: “I play a folky type of indie-pop, or a poppy style of indiefolk… shit, I dunno, this is difficult. It has an edge, I think. Maybe I’m deluding myself and I’m actually Jack Johnson and I don’t even know it.” And that, my dear readers, is about all it should take to convince you to say hello to Buddy and co. at The Eastern, Ballarat on April 17.

The Battle to End All Battles We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, the Bell Rays and the Supersuckers are two bands making some of the dirtiest, heart breaking and soul shaking rock n’ roll in the world. With that kind of label, you’d never think they’d both be heading to Geelong in the same show right? That’s where you’re wrong. The two bands will be banging heads, or guitars, at the Barwon Club Hotel in Geelong on May 27 and the Karova Lounge in Ballarat on May 28. Seriously, don’t miss this one.

Bendigo Blues Tram

Once More with Feeling

The Bendigo Blues Tram will roll with a couple of dates next month. For those unfamiliar, the Tram combines a tour of Bendigo with a selection of Bendigo Blues and Roots Music Festival artists. Departing from the Central Deborah Gold Mine, all sessions run for approximately 2.5 hours and include pit-stops at the Tram Depot and the Joss House. Drinks and snacks are served along the way.

The May 2 event features Benjamin James Caldwell and Emilee South, while the May 30 event features Marisa Quigley and King Maxwell. A July 11 event features Tony J King and Alawishus Jones & the Outright Lies. Further information can be found through bendigotourism. com.

Ballarat’s Suttons House of Music has a couple of gigs coming up, including Aurora who will take in the venue on April 19. A campfire and an acoustic guitar is a winning combination.

Month of Sundays have used this favourite custom to write their music, crafting a sound that is both eclectic and refined. Catch them at Suttons House of Music on April 24. Kim Salmon, meanwhile, has a date with Ballarat’s Eastern Hotel on April 18. Extreme metallers Nemesium check in on Geelong’s Workers Club on April 18. May is the month of funk, with The Kite Machine set to launch their new EP at Geelong’s Workers Club on May 3. EP number two is called Lunatics, and if you thought their single of the same name was funky, you’re going to overdose on this.

Breathe in the Flumes

Get Your Celtic On

In mid-March, The Flumes packed up their belongings and embarked on a nice little tour of the east coast.

They decided to take the scenic route because, well, they’re not in any rush and you always see a little more.

So, what is the reason for their laid-back tour? That would be their new release, Sweet, Sweet Rain. The album was self-produced and recorded at Big Rock Studios in Coolum, though curiously the titular track was a last-minute recording. Not exactly the easiest of bands to pigeonhole, they have been described as an “eclectic blend of psychedelic folk laced with funk, blues, jazz, trip hop and a splash of reggae” – complete with a 36-string electric harp.

Babushka Bar, Ballarat – April 24.

There’s something so exciting and intriguing about the seven Celtic lands of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Galicia and Asturias.

The great thing is they’ll all be represented at this year’s annual National Celtic Festival in Portarlington on June 5-8. There’ll be the Gaelic choir concert, traditional dances, workshops and markets all set against the beautiful backdrop of the coast. The first line up announcement is out and it looks to be another incredible event with world renowned Irish singer-songwriter Brian Kennedy, Cherry Grove, The Duplets, Aine Tyrell and the Fiona Ross band just a few acts on the lineup. Be sure to slot this one in your diary as it’s an event you don’t want to miss, whether you’ve got Celtic blood running through your veins or not, this is sure to get you feeling something.

Record Store Day at the Sweet Little Hi-fi Purchasing music digitally just doesn’t have the same experience or sense of satisfaction as you get when holding the real deal in your hands. Fighting for the last copy of something, rather than being amongst thousands of downloaders, is something that you have to experience to understand. As part of national Record Store Day celebrations (April 18) the Sweet Little Hi-fi at the Mill Markets in Newcomb and in Warrnambool will both have a few events. We had a chat to owner Shane Godfrey on what records mean to him and what he has planned for the day.

Hi Shane, thanks for taking the time to chat to Forte Magazine, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?

Gearing up for Record Store Day, I have been organising orders, bands, scouring catalogues.

All the hard work is now done, but now I have to cross my fingers and hope the freight gods are kind and the special Record Store Day products arrive on time.

Can be pretty stressful as all that work depends on a guy in a van!

For those who haven’t visited before, can you tell us a little bit about the sort of music and records that the Sweet Little Hi-fi stock?

I’m a vinyl specialist, I have a few Australian CDs too. I try and stock

something for everyone.

It’s been a learning curve as I kind of fell into it.

I come from a punk/ metal/indie background.

So genres such as jazz, hip hop, electro and reggae were pretty foreign to me, so I have been educating myself on those fronts and discovered things I really like. I’ve always liked the blues especially the real old Juke Joint styles. Of course classic rock is a big seller for me too. Not a week goes by without selling Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin or The Beatles.

And how will you be celebrating Record Store Day coming up?

Across both Warrnambool and Geelong outlets we will have the special limited

vinyl releases At my Geelong outlet inside the Mill Markets we have a very special blues afternoon planned with Australian blues legend Chris Wilson on from 2pm. Then from 3pm all the way from Ballarat we have the amazing Mick Dog’s Bone Yard who put on a great show!

Specifically at my Warrnambool Outlet at the Traders Market we will have a good old fashioned record sale!

Is it something you look forward to each year?

I really do. There have been some really special releases put out the last few years. Being a collector myself there are always some good collectables. This year

When&Where: The Sweet Little Hi-fi, Mill Markets Newcomb & 180 Timor St, Warrnambool - April 18

is no exception with The White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan getting its first ever vinyl release. John Butler Trio 12”, some Australian Horror movie soundtracks and Metallica’s No Life Til’ Leather original demo tape from 1982! Plus much more.

How important do you think it is to be buying the physical forms of music?

It’s very important.

When you buy a record you are looking at

exactly what the artist intended. There is a ritual to putting a record on that demands that you listen to it, rather than it be just background noise. I never understood why music has to be so “convenient” for people.

Can you remember the first CD/Vinyl you ever bought? Do you still have it?

I certainly do, I bought two in fact.

I’d seen Geelong band Bored!’s clip for ‘Little Suzie’ on Rage and got

Capricorn Records in Warrnambool to order it in. When I picked it up I also got Nirvana’s Bleach LP, that was in 1988 as a pimply 14year-old. I still have the Bored! EP but I sold the Nirvana LP when I was broke a few years later, but I recently replaced it with new deluxe edition of the LP. What’s your favourite thing about running a music store?

Listening to music all day is a real joy and discovering something I

didn’t think I would like.

Drives my wife nuts at times though!

Out of all your products in the store, what are your top three items that you have for sale?

At the moment local lads The Wet Blankets is selling well, Courtney Barnett’s LP sold out and am waiting for more to arrive! Anything by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, The Smith Street Band, Clowns and King Parrot sells well too. I think

that comes down to the fact they are some of the hardest working bands around. They play lots of shows all over the place and keep releasing consistently great records.

I guess lastly, why should people head down to your store to celebrate Record Store Day? To reconnect with music, be it the music of their youth or something new. And if you are visiting The Mill Markets seeing some cracking live music!

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Café Culture

1 0 s q M At first glance you mightn’t notice just how much detail went into creating 10sqM. But take a closer look and you’ll see that the copper detail in the artworks by local artist Little Quarters match the Duckfat pendants hanging above, the mandala painted by Natalia Berlizova has real coffee colouring part of the artwork and a mural in the laneway by street artist Glummo was specially made for the cafe.

Owner Greg Hall-Burns has paid just as much attention to the selection of his coffee, choosing Sensory Lab as the supplier. The house blend is a steadfast blend which is a 50/50 mix of Brazilian and Columbian beans giving an earthy, chocolaty flavour with lingering sweetness to each coffee.

Aside from having a great supplier, with Australian Barista Championship winner Matt Perger in their ranks, Greg works from a formula, weighing each bean intake for every coffee to ensure perfection in each and every one. Factor in that each coffee is made from Demeter’s unhomogenised bio-dynamic milk and the quality is without question.

“Consistency for me is a big big thing. There are a lot of places in Geelong where you can get a good coffee but you can also once a week maybe get a bad one,” he says.

“For me as a customer, I want that first cup on a Monday morning to be as good as the one on a Friday afternoon and for every one in between to be the same.”

There’s a definite passion for what he does as Greg talks of their house blends and his favourites, though with a 10-year history working in the industry it’s hardly surprising he loves his job.

What’s refreshing about Greg is witnessing his interaction with customers. As we talk at the table (crafted by Rustic by Design) we’re interrupted every so often by friendly waves and hello’s of passers by and regular customers. As Greg tells me, he loves nothing more than when a customer wants to chat through the cafe window.

“There’s a community of people that will come in here. An elderly gentleman will come and get a coffee then another gentleman will get one and the two will strike up a conversation about the weather or the coffee and they leave here friends and it’s fantastic,” he says.

“Three or four days into the business, David (who used to work here) and I had this 10 o ‘clock rush and two groups came in. There was a couple of two and family of three and they all just sat around and talked about their weekend. Dave just nudged me and said, ‘You built this’. It was really emotional and it was really great just seeing all these people in a little hub of business and friendship – it was just great.”

A Jack of all trades, Greg also works the kitchen and has created a smart menu with simple meals done right. On top of some tasty takeaways, there are a few bite sized snacks from local suppliers Bearded Bros and Born & Bread Bakehouse.

While 10sqM is a smaller space, it’s one that you’ll easily want to spend some time at, if not for the great coffee for the chance to make new friends.

Where: Unit 2, 124 Ryrie St, Geelong (in the laneway) When: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm Written & photographed by Amanda Sherring

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Troy Cassar-Daley LOCAL FEATURE STORY Written by Tex Miller

Troy Cassar-Daley is Australian music royalty and he has just released his new album Freedom Ride. On this eleventh release, the country troubadour has teamed up with some of the best in the business and showcases some of the best songs of his career. It’s been a long way from growing up in Surrey Hills to recording an album in Nashville and on Freedom Ride, and the album features more than just Troy’s stories, as he relates.

“The thing that I want to make clear right from the beginning is that there are so many other people’s stories on this record. It was such a thrill to sit down and be a listener for once rather than a talker. It was great to come at this record from a different perspective because it gives the songs a different meaning and viewpoint, and I really like that about Freedom Ride.”

You may remember a couple of years ago, when Daft Punk released their latest album Random Access Memories? Now you may be thinking, what does Daft Punk have to do with Troy Cassar-Daley? However the ARIA charts got the weekly count wrong and The Great Australian Songbook, a collaborative album that CassarDaley did with Adam Harvey, went to the top of the ARIA charts. It was a minor glitch in the system, but it was on that tour where the basic concept for Freedom Ride was devised.

“We were on tour with The Great Australian Songbook and I got a chance to talk to so many people while we were playing in that show. We were on the road for about 18 months and it felt really great to not be under any

pressure to put a record out. There seems to be this pressure nowadays where you have to put something out every two years or so,” he says.

“I was sitting in Western Australia talking to this miner and he inspired ‘Two Weeks On, Two Weeks Off ’ with Jimmy Barnes. Having the opportunity when I was a kid to do the Freedom Ride and then go down to Paul Kelly’s house and write with him. It was just nice to be able to collect these stories over a couple of years and piece it together bit by bit.”

The finished product is a stunning collection of songs that falls under Cassar-Daley’s philosophy of making records. If you are put under pressure by record labels or fans to release new music so quickly after an album then of course your output is going to be quite substandard. “You’ve got to trust in your heart that when you’re ready with a record and you feel the songs are strong enough, only then should you be stepping into the studio.”

The title track to this record was written with Australian rock royalty Paul Kelly, an opportunity that any aspiring musician would froth over. Speaking about working

alongside Kelly, Cassar-Daley reveals that they have been friends for a very long time. “Paul was about my third phone call actually. My first was to Colin Buchanan because I knew that Paul Kelly was touring around with Neil Finn so I wasn’t going to go around getting in his way. I let him go until he was free to organise a writing session with me.

Colin Buchanan and Pete Denahy were both people that I wanted to write with. I got them up to my farm and it was just great,” Cassar-Daley says.

“These songs that I am injecting into the live shows throughout Victoria, I hope people will be able to look at them like a mirror and see a bit of themselves in them, because they are written about so many other people rather than just myself.”

The writing trip with Denahy spawned three songs for the record and was quite a productive time in developing this latest album. Cassar-Daley remembers sitting in his EH at the airport waiting for Denahy. “He got into my car with a vomit bag and he had all these ideas for songs written down on it. It was like someone being told they have to arrive with biscuits to someone’s house. It was great, it gave us something to work with and it was a very organic process for us, from the very first cup of tea we were ready to go.”

Over the next couple of months, Cassar-Daley is taking the Freedom Ride album out on the road, however there are two sets of shows that you can experience this time around. In addition to the normal country rock set up that Cassar-Daley has become famous for over the years, he is also headed out with an orchestra for something a little

different for the shows at Crown Casino.

“Only some places are going to be getting the big band experience because we can’t afford to drag the Melbourne Youth Orchestra all throughout Victoria. We want to give people the scope of this record plus the other nine that I have done. It’s going to be building the show around some older songs and with Pete Denahy, there are certain to be some laughs. I think people will see and hear something really special with these shows and I am excited to get out and play them. It’s revisiting some classic songs from Sinatra to Nat King Cole,” he says.

Having cut his teeth touring around with Brian Young for seven months in the late ‘80s, Troy Cassar-Daley has since developed into one of the country’s greatest performers and singers, however, Golden guitars and all the accolades that have come since didn’t cross Troy’s mind on that first tour back in the day. “I thought I would get back from that tour and just struggle along. I never thought that I would achieve what I have today. That was known as big noting yourself. The music industry also helped me meet my wife, I am thankful for every opportunity that has come my way. I can’t wait to see what the future holds and where the next album is coming from!”

When&Where: The Capital, Bendigo – May 7, Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool – May 8 & The Palms (Crown), Melbourne – May 9

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FROC K IT Mastering Chunky & Oversized Outerwear

Written by Katherine Reynolds www.katthewanderer.com | facebook/katthewanderer | @katthewanderer

Written by Jessica Alves | @jessicazalves

I love the colder months because I get to layer up on my clothes. When it comes to coats and jackets this autumn, bigger is definitely better. The chunky, menswear-inspired outerwear look has been in the last few years for autumn and winter, however the trend can be a tricky one to get right.

It’s essential that you can identify the fine line between oversized and too-big, and yes, there is definitely such a thing.

The word ‘oversized’ suggests that a garment, any garment, is just a touch bit bigger than the size one would normally wear, without it being so big that it engulfs the person wearing it.

If the garment hasn’t been designed to be oversized, there is a good chance that it might not work as an oversized piece.

The best way to figure that out, is simply by trying it on.

A coat should be loose, but not too loose, and the sleeves shouldn’t reach longer than the middle of your palm when your arms are resting at the sides of your body.

Investing in a coat or jacket can be kind of a big deal, as the good ones can get kind of pricey. That’s why you want to know that you’re spending your hard earned cash in the right place, on the right product.

Personally, I prefer a coat to be made out of something that I know is going to last.

Usually wool or a wool blend fabric is what I’d prefer to be

purchasing, as I know it’s going to be warm and last me though the years.

In addition, if I know that I’m spending a lot of money on a piece of clothing, I want it to be as versatile as realistically possible. That’s why I – like with all of my other clothing – will usually choose a neutral colour. This assures that no matter what kind of outfit I decide to put together, nine out of 10 times, my coat will go.

How you style an oversized coat definitely makes or breaks an outfit.

Obviously a coat isn’t something that is going to be worn all of the time, rather too and from the car, or if you’re outside for longer than a few minutes. This, however, does not diminish the importance of good outfit coordination.

If I’m wearing an oversized coat, I usually choose to go quite streamlined and reasonably fitted underneath. This minimises the chances of my outfit looking too clunky or bulky. If you do want to wear a chunky jumper underneath, I suggest balancing it with skinny jeans on the bottom. In the same way, if you want to wear boyfriend jeans, balance the outfit with a fitted top.

On the other hand, if I want to wear a coat, but it’s not quite cold enough to actually wear one, I like to drape mine over my shoulders. It’s the perfect transitional solution, and then if the cold does pick up, you’ve already got your coat with you.

Regardless of whether or not you’re planing on giving the oversized outerwear trend a try, rug up, keep warm and stay dry! Winter is well and truly on its way.

Australia’s Music Community Says

Violence Against Women is #notON

TAKING A GAP YEAR YES OR NO?

Ah, yes, the old ‘Should I take a gap year?’ question.

It’s a good one. It’s a popular one. A gap year, or sabbatical, is technically a 12 month break taken after someone finishes high school and before they start university, but I believe it can be taken at any point in someone’s life, and it could be for less than a year or more!

Doing this may not be for everyone, and may not be at the top of everyone’s priorities, and that’s totally fine. But I think it’s important that we take breaks and have some time for ourselves.

I personally took a gap year back in 2012, which has continued for me up until now and will continue in the future!

Why did I embark on a gap

year, you ask? I found myself very, very stuck, hitting a huge slump in my life and needed a drastic change. I didn’t go to university, and felt a little overwhelmed at the thought of signing myself up for something my heart wasn’t set on. So instead, I bought a one-way ticket to London! Not everyone has to do what I did, and it hasn’t necessarily helped me decide what I want to do with my life, but I’ve got no regrets! So I’m always going to tell someone yes if they ask me whether or not they should take a gap year, and here’s why..

YES

Taking time out from education or work will allow you to see the world with fresh eyes and realise what it is that you really want in life. However, taking a gap year

doesn’t have to mean that you gallivant across the globe on an epic, exotic round the world trip.

It could simply be a year taken off after you finish high school to get a job and save up money, or a career break.

You could volunteer, work abroad, study abroad, teach, adventure travel, do an internship or even a ski season. You can learn a new language, meet like-minded people, explore (whether it be your home town or a famous city), master a new skill, take a short course, buy yourself some time or just take a break. You’ll increase your confidence by taking yourself out of your comfort zone and have new experiences for when you’re ready to get back to reality. Take a step back from the life you know and come back to it feeling refreshed and ready to begin something new.

NO

I’ll admit, there are a few cons when it comes to taking a gap year. Having time away from your studies might affect your productivity when you return.

You might lose momentum, and interest and might generally be stuck in a rut. It’s also freakin’ expensive! Funding yourself for a gap year or period of time where you won’t be working is a demanding task, so you need to be able to afford it, and have the right mindset about it all.

There’s so much to think about before embarking on a gap year, but I’ll let you in on a little secret – I think it’s worth it!

Record Store Day Ambassador:

Amber Lawrence Written by Kara Ready

Pictured: Halfway, Tim Steward, Violent Soho (Photo by Stephen Booth)

What started as a grassroots idea from an Australian music community has since grown with hundreds of Australian musicians pledging their support for an awareness campaign against violence against women.

The initiative has been supported by White Ribbon Australia and all the industry workers, merchandise companies and the artists have kindly donated their time to the campaign. Though when you look at the figures, it’s only fair that such an initiative was born as: • On average one woman is killed every week as a

result of partner violence • Domestic and family violence is the main cause of homelessness for women and children • V iolence against women is estimated to cost $14.4 billion to the Australian economy per annum • Intimate partner violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and ill health in Australian women aged 15-44 • One in five women experience harassment within the workplace Motivated by the figures to make change, musicians such as The Grates, Courtney Barnett, Airling, Urthboy, Boy & Bear, Reece Mastin, Troy Cassar-Daley, Pete Murray, Violent Soho, Katie Noonan, The Choirboys 32 forte

and more have all signed on to offer up their support.

“As an industry with a huge fan base of young males, we are in a unique position to be able to start conversations about what is a real epidemic in our society,” said Pete Murray.

“This isn’t a disease that’s hard to find a cure for— it’s simply about increasing awareness and saying that we refuse to live in a society that tolerates the kind of statistics that Australians have been horrified by over the last few months.”

The musicians will be using their platform in the public eye to share the word by wearing the t-shirts supporting the campaign at their gigs throughout April. The first step to changing the figures is to break the silence around the violence against women, something the campaign is achieving.

“We are excited to have the support of the music industry via this creative initiative. It is so important to break the silence that surrounds men’s violence against women. Hearing musicians lend their voices to the campaign helps to expand the reach of our prevention work aimed at changing the attitudes and behaviours that lead to such violence,” Libby Davies, CEO of White Ribbon Australia says.

Amber Lawrence may be establishing herself as one of Australia’s most successful country artists, but that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten what – or who – helped get her there. Hot on the heels of becoming the first female in history to win both the Golden Guitar and CMC ‘Female Artist of the year’ award in the same year, Amber is now an ambassador for Record Store Day Australia.

Record Store Day joins forces with music labels and artists such as Amber to put on concerts, hold competitions and release limited edition tracks to remind people of how important local record stores are to Australia’s music community.

Amber herself points to good old fashioned record stores as the reason why her music has been able to reach so many people. “Record stores have been really important in getting my music into the hands of people who never would have listened to the music before,” Amber says.

“You can have your music on all the digital sites and all of that, but the recommendation from the guy or girl behind the counter can really mean a lot, so that’s why record stores are important.”

As part of Record Store Day on April 18, Amber is doing a gig in Sydney – just one of many concerts happening all across the country that day in support of the project. Speaking of her performance style, Amber says that although her music has been known to make some people shed a tear or two, she always hopes to leave them happier than when they came in.

“I’m still trying to be the life of the party on stage... I finish on a high, that’s how I like to end the show. To have people walking away having enjoyed themselves,” she says.

While Amber’s bubbly and fun-loving nature comes through in much of her music, it’s the more personal songs that truly set her apart from others in her category.

Having co-written all but one song on her new album Superheroes, Amber says the song writing process is a chance for her to connect with her fans through her own experiences that others may relate to.

“The album needs to have real stories, it needs to connect. I co-wrote most of the songs with great writers to help tease out the stories to make them more universal,” she says.

This penchant for taking deeply personal experiences and turning them into relatable songs is particularly evident in Amber’s most recent single ‘The Lifesaver’, a tear-jerking look into her parents love story which recently hit number one on the Country Music Channel.

Amber says that although the song is a very private glimpse into the life of her family, her fans have been able to connect with it on a personal level.

“I love the fact that I’m able to tell my mum and dad’s story and put it down in history... I think people relate songs to themselves, so even if they are really personal people take them on as their own,” she says.

For this accountant-gone-country-star, music is the risk that certainly paid off. “I’m lucky that I was able to have the guts to chase my dream,” she says, And those guts of hers are certainly the reason why we’ll be hearing Amber on our country music charts for years to come.

Visit www.recordstoreday.com.au to find out on events happening around your area or a bit more about the day itself.

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Stonecutters Frat Party Q&A

You know those moments when you’re watching a movie and the college students are all in a Frat and throw these outrageously amazing parties? It’s natural to want to have that experience, and clearly someone who shares that thought is Kane the co-president of Stonecutters, the group that are responsible for throwing a movie-worthy Frat party. We had a chat to him on what to expect on the night and his party tips.

Hi Kane, how have the Stonecutters social events been going going this year?

So far Stonecutters events have gone great! During O’ Week, our two events Back to School night and the Tour of Tradition were once again fantastic nights. During semester one, our much loved Beach Party was also a massive hit. It’s been a highly successful start to the year, and with many more events left to come, it’s going to be a great year.

How are preparations for this year’s event coming along?

Preparations are coming along nicely for this year’s event. A lot of time and effort has gone into the creation of the decorations that are spread throughout the venue, especially the front stage, which is always a hit. The Stonecutters committee are a group of hard working people and we are all very keen to create an event that everyone in attendance will love and not forget in a hurry.

For those Deakin students

who are ‘Ballarat-virgins’ so to speak, what can they expect from the venue, the folk and most importantly the party?

Any newcomers to the Frat Party can expect three floors of entertainment, a sea of cheerleaders, NBA jerseys and red cups. A sticky introduction to jelly wrestling can also be expected to anyone who may find themselves close to the stage.

How has the clashing of the Cutters and Juggers gone in the past?

For many years now the clashing of Cutters and Juggers has been a great success, with the annual Clash of the Titans trip being one of the biggest events on the social calendar. Over the last couple of years it’s been great to see a steady increase of Juggers members make the trip down to Ballarat. We are really excited once again for a record breaking number of Juggers members to make the trip down and party with us.

What activities will be on offer this round?

When&Where: The Bluestone, Ballarat – April 22

Once again, the annual ‘Dash for Cash’ jelly wrestling competition will be on show, with Stonecutters members getting a chance to win a share of $1000. Red cups a plenty with massive drink specials for you to enjoy in your traditional ‘Frat’ cup.

Can you give us your top 5 Frat Party tips?

My top 5 tips for Frat Party this year would be: 1. Dressing up is a must!

2. Get creative with your outfit.

3. Bring a spoon for the jelly.

4. Make sure you’re up the

front for the jelly wrestling to get the best view.

5. Leave your blow up dolls at home, we’ve got plenty.

Tickets are $10 for members and $20 for non-members, so what are you waiting for Deakin students and Ballarat students, time to party like Americans!

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22nd LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ON THREE FLOORS!

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36 forte

Warped Written by Amanda Sherring

Starting in their early teens, Warped soon became an institution at live music venues in Geelong and Melbourne: they just had to be seen. While things have slowed down for the four-piece – with a couple years break in their 20-odd year existence – they’re back with a few more shows under their belts, one being the Cherry Rock festival at Cherry Bar early next month.

“James Young has asked us a few times in a row but because of other work or whatever there’s never been the time to actually do it. This time we’re all free and we can do it, so we’re definitely stoked about that. Playing with Red Fang will be pretty awesome as well,” vocalist and guitarist Ben Watkins says.

The music scene has changed quite considerably since they first started, most notably the accessibility of younger bands. “Back in the ‘90s the all ages thing was really big, so it was kind of easy to get gigs. We seemed to be able to just play and support bands to the likes of Tumbleweed,” he says.

“We were lucky too because, music wise with the whole Nirvana thing, we tapped into something that ended up blowing up. We were already there doing it and playing in a band that was making that sort of music.”

And while things have changed, they still pay attention to the younger bands emerging in today’s

industry, after all it’s a place that their career is hugely credit to.

“When we played in Geelong recently with HITS we saw the band The Living Eyes play. We had seen them when they were younger and when they first started out, but they’re obviously a bit older now and they totally blew me away – I was really impressed with those guys,” Ben says.

There’s no denying that things have changed around the band, and with every change of their environment it’s also influenced their music. As Ben assures me there are plans to release some new music and we can expect something similar to the Warped sound we’ve come to love, but with a slightly different edge.

Saskwatch

When & Where: Cherry Rock at Cherry Bar & AC/DC Lane, Melbourne – May 10 (from noon)

“We’ll have to start writing some new tunes and getting them out I guess, because we can’t keep playing the same old things. I don’t know when that’s going to happen but we’re working on it for sure,” Ben adds with a laugh.

‘We’ve put down some pretty cool riffs so I’m definitely excited about that. It’s kind of similar to

our sound, but as time goes on you can’t help but write things slightly different, because different things happen to you and you listen to different types of music.”

Counting down to a new Warped release might be a bit of a stretch as there are no dates set in, so counting down to Cherry Rock seems like the most

reasonable choice. In a few weeks you’ll get the chance to see the band play alongside Red Fang, Shrine, Beastwars, Clowns, The Ugly Kings and more.

When & Where: Groovin the Moo, Bendigo Showgrounds – May 2 & the Hi-fi, Melbourne – May 8

Written by Natalie Rogers, Photo by Jamie Wdziekonski

There have been a few sightings of them lately – however rare. Rumour has it they spent the North American winter hibernating in a warehouse in Philadelphia. Now back on home soil, that funky bunch, charged with breathing new life into the Melbourne soul scene, are pleased to announce the release of their third studio album Sorry I Let It Come Between Us, out June 12.

That’s not the only news generating out of the Saskwatch camp. They’ve said ‘so long’ to Will, Sam, Nic and Ed (horn section and drums), only to return as a fortified six-piece. With the welcome addition of Sam ‘Storm’ Raines on drums, they’re bursting at the seams to show us their new flavour. “This is a new chapter for Saskwatch,” smiled Liam McGorry, the band’s trumpet playing, all round nice guy.

“There have been some big changes within the band – a new line up and a new approach. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t daunting, but it’s a really exciting time for us.”

Stepping out of their comfort zone in more ways than one for their follow-up to 2014’s Nose Dive, the band braved the blistering conditions of a Pennsylvanian coldsnap to work with one of Liam’s musical idols. “Scott [McMicken] from Dr Dog produced the record and his friend Nathan Sabatino [Flaming Lips, Dr Dog] worked as the engineer,” he explained. “It was so much fun – I’ve been a fan of Dr Dog for what seems like forever, so it was a pretty surreal situation.”

Of their time spent in the US, Liam joked that contrary to popular belief, it (isn’t) always sunny in Philadelphia. “It got dark at about 12pm every day, so the sun was fairly short-lived,” he smiled.

“Unfortunately we were stuck on the outskirts of town at Mt Slippery, in a big old warehouse for three weeks, 24/7.”

From all accounts the change of scenery was just what they needed. “Scott and Nick were so positive, and we came up with some really interesting ideas for songs and new sounds. They brought something completely different and we needed their fresh opinions on our music. You can hear that we’ve taken a different direction on this record.”

Sorry I Let It Come Between Us is soulful,

bluesy, even a little melancholy at times. This album reflects the musical maturity that all the members have acquired through years of gigging around Melbourne pubs and clubs before receiving national attention.

“It’s the full band – all nine of us play on these tracks,” Liam clarified. “It was a bitter sweet album to make.

Things happened between then [the recording sessions] and now. It’s always very tough to have ‘that talk’ amongst friends – we’ve been through so much together.

All the guys are doing their own thing, so there’s no ill feelings there and it’s going to be pretty interesting to see how we can re-create the sound live!”

Like a funky-sounding shape-shifter, Saskwatch continue to evolve. So to be one of the first to see them in all of their newfound glory, catch their one-off show at the Hi-fi in Melbourne on May 8. Or for those lucky enough to have snapped up a ticket to Groovin the Moo this year, you’ll get a chance to see them in action – you

may even catch them in the wild: “I’ve been out of the loop lately, there are lots of bands in the line up that I haven’t heard of, so I’m looking forward to heading out into the crowd and listening to some new tunes.”

Karnivool Written by Amanda Sherring, Photo by Kane Hibberd

“We were completely in love with what we were doing. We found it so fascinating and exciting that we wanted as many people as we could to hear this thing. I can’t remember ever thinking, ‘Fuck if this doesn’t do well then how do we feel about it or what does this mean as a band?’

At the time who gave a fuck because no one knew the band then anyway,” singer Ian Kenny speaks of the moment Themata was released.

It’s been a decade since the album that started it all for Karnivool was released and naturally the band are feeling a bit sentimental and as a result are taking Themata on another tour.

“Week by week – as it’s leading up to the tour – it’s really sinking into the band that it’s been 10 years since we released this record and really had an effect on people. That record lead us on to our second and third record, and now we’re here and looking back what we see behind us is something quite special,” he says.

“Basically the first tour of Themata – which really kicked things off for the record and the band – was a national tour with COGG. I’m pretty sure every member of the band remembers every show of that tour and it was a long time ago. Our eyes opened with getting to tour with a band like COGG, releasing a record like Themata and to be that band for the first time – it was fucking incredible, it was the sickest time. We really cut our teeth and got the chance to potentially see what our future would

When & Where: Corner Hotel, Melbourne – May 12, 13 & 14, Kay Street, Traralgon – May 15 & Wool Exchange, Geelong – May 16

look like – it was nuts.”

Albums following Themata have been far and few between, though Ian assures me that it’s of no lazyness on their behalf, simply a means to get things as perfect as the band can.

“I think that’s a

big part of it and I think that’s a big part of the albums successes. It’s not a deliberate thing, we don’t plan to take that long. To be honest we don’t enjoy taking that long, we’re like ‘Fuck, how come we can’t get what we want quicker?’ We would love to do that but for many reasons it takes a lot longer to do that,” Ian says.

There is an new album in the works – with no date set – though with an album like Themata that can still sell out shows 10 years later, there really shouldn’t be any rushing when it comes to the creative process.

“We’re writing bits and pieces at the moment and there are songs that are shaping up but we’re no where near a record yet. We try and go in with the freshest and most different approach each time, we’re aware of the core element of what Karnivool is and we try and acknowledge that as best we can each time around but it’s definitely a different process each time,” he says.

With no release date, it’s the perfect chance to look to the past and marvel at what one of Australia’s greatest bands have created.

“Themata was such an important record and now this far into our career we realise it was for so many other people and that’s fucking great.

We get to go out and play this thing again in its entirety and go for this again it’s fucking incredible – I’m really looking forward to it,” Ian beams. forte 37

Forte Columns

PULP

LOL!

Written by Alastair McGibbon

too heavy to hug Written by Paul S Taylor

Welcome to THTH, Forte’s premier source of all things heavy, hard, fast and metal.

Gojira have confirmed via their Facebook page they are currently in the studio working on their new album.

In a recent TV interview Behemoth’s Nergal hinted that the band will be taking some time off.

He has also hinted that the acclaimed The Satanist might be the band’s last album. But these are just hints during an interview and he did go on to say the band were going to take their time.

Quite possibly the most amazing news recently is that Lamb Of God drummer Chris Adler will be doing drums on the new Megadeth album.

Megadeth have gone through more than 22 members in their career since 1983, and mathematically that’s, what, a new member every 16 months for the past 32 years.

Granted, a couple of members have been session musos, like Adler, or road only musos, but a majority have been fully fledged Megadeth members in the studio and on the road. Megadeth have released 14 albums over their career, which again, mathematically is what, an album every 2.3 years? In that time between albums the band has nearly gone through two members. You may be wondering why I’m wasting my time on this sort of rant but the bottom line here is this: Megadeth aren’t that good, the two main stays of the band Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson, have been banging their heads against God knows what for so long now trying to keep their band going, their band’s fans only listen to the couple of good albums from back in the day, to this very day to still try to convince us all they’re a good band.

Hey, Dave and David, you guys have been peddling that same sound for more than 30 years, you can’t keep members, maybe it’s time Megadeth called it quits. And if you didn’t read my last column be sure I’m not just pointing at you, your Metallica Corporation brothers need to give it a rest too (except they just need to stop recording, they can tour until they’re like the Rolling Stones).

In other news The Ocean will play The Evelyn Hotel on Saturday April 18.

Dawn Of Azazel will release their new album The Tides Of Damocles on Monday April 27.

Silverstein will be at 170 Russell on Friday May 8.

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

Motley Crue will play their final tour Melbourne show at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday May 12 and another show on Wednesday May 13 with special guest Alice Cooper.

King Parrott will release their new album Dead Set on Friday May 15.

Karnivool will play The Wool Exchange on Saturday May 16.

Voyager will play the Evelyn on Friday May 29.

Decimatus and Envenomed will play the Barwon Club on Friday June 5.

The Black Dahlia Murder will play three shows at the Northcote Social Club, one on Saturday June 20, an all ages show on the arvo of Sunday June 21 and an 18+ evening show on Sunday June 21.

Machine Head will play 170 Russell on Tuesday June 23.

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

For me, there are musicians, performers and troupers. Musicians are great – their recordings highly polished but they’re hopeless in front of a crowd.

I vividly remember a couple having a domestic on stage when they were mid-gig. Great music, but they lost the audience.

Performers are something else, great musicians, but they can take the audience with them on a ride. Some spin a tale, some let the music do the talking. The late, great Lou Reed was one who let the music talk – I remember a concert where he walked out, plugged in, then turned to the audience and said, “I feel good tonight.” Then he played straight for the whole gig, no breaks – an astounding performance.

At Bluestone this year Sammy Owen reminded us what a trouper is. He’s all of that and more. He wasn’t booked that night, he was there for the show, but when there was a hitch in the program he grabbed his guitar and jumped in for an impromptu set with Greg Dodd and the Hoodoo Men. Not so much “the show must go on,” but rather, “nothing’s going to stop this vibe.” It was a wonderful thing. He’s coming down here in April, and you must hear him.

The Sammy Owen Blues Band was first formed late 2011 as a rotating line up of musicians from Fitzroy’s Brunswick Street and performed weekly at some of the streets most frequented venues.

The line up has stabilised now around Sammy Owen, lead guitarist and vocalist, with Mark Aird on drums, Matt Robb on guitar, Simon Haeusler on bass and Liam Kealy on a Hammond B3 organ.

The band received great response and reviews at Echuca Winter Blues Festival, Blues at the Briars as well as two consecutive years at the renowned Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival.

Sammy Owen focuses on writing original songs with the band who create their own contemporary, funky, energetic blues sound.

The band is mainly influenced by ‘90s and modern blues with influences like Tommy Castro, The Boneshakers, Little Jimmy King, Buddy Guy and Michael Burks.

The band’s live shows have received rave reviews from media, blues fans and non blues fans alike.

He’s a trouper so don’t miss it!

Sammy and the band will be playing at Sleepy Hollow Blues Club on April 26.

Now just to finish on something a little different, Stephen Cummings is coming down for a chat.

He was first noticed in the Pelaco Brothers, but you will probably know him from The Sports with the ‘70s classic Who Listens to the Radio? Stephen has now released 23 albums. A New Kind of Blue, won an ARIA award for “best adult contemporary album” and Falling Swinger, was included in Rolling Stone’s list of “100 essential Australian albums”.

He’s also had three novels published, Wonderboy, Stay Away From Lightning Girl and Will it Be Funny Tomorrow.

I’ll be having a chat with him at the Waurn Ponds Library, 6:30pm on April 30. Come along, it should be different.

By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth!

Look out kids, we’re going all Marvel again. Despite having seen him pop up in various crossover events sporting an absolutely ridiculous collar and shouting about hordes or hosts or...something, I’d never actually gotten around to reading a Doctor Strange solo comic. I knew he was relatively important in the Marvel Universe – after all, you don’t end up as a member of the Illuminati by accident – but besides said popped collar and magic-related shouting, I wasn’t really sure what his deal was. I generally prefer my magicians to be of the John Constantine persuasion (read: gritty, conniving bastards), but while Stephen Strange doesn’t quite fit that mould, he’s still appealing – mostly because he’s an arrogant sod, at least at first.

I picked up a copy of Doctor Strange: Season One a while back, but never actually got around to reading it until recently due to a number of factors, predominately preoccupation with watching every comic book-based TV show I could get my hands on and salivating over every titbit of information I could find regarding the soon-to-be-released Daredevil Netflix series. Written by Greg Pak (Batman/Superman, World War Hulk) and brought to life by the fantastic artwork of Emma Rios (Pretty Deadly), it’s a compelling read that’s basically Indiana Jones meets Dungeons and Dragons.

Season One is essentially Marvel’s equivalent of DC’s Earth One series – a chance to reboot some of their characters and bring their origin stories up to date and in line with the current continuity. There are 11 different volumes in the Season One series, and they cover the more popular characters in Marvel’s roster – Spider-man, Thor and Iron Man all get a volume – as well as some of the lesser-known

characters like Ant-Man and the aforementioned Doc Strange.

Doctor Strange: Season One retells the origin story for the magical doc in grand fashion.

Following a horrific car accident that cripples his hands, high-flying surgeon Stephen Strange is left with a dwindling fortune, is out of a job and is looking for answers.

At the end of his rope, he travels to the Himalayas to consult the Ancient One and attempt to fix his mangled hands. Despite his hubris, the Ancient One spies a glimmer of goodness in Strange, and agrees to train him as an apprentice.

Strange clashes with Wong (the man destined to be his greatest friend and companion), a hot-headed martial artist, and faces off against Mordo, the Ancient One’s former student and a formidable dark magician. Sent to retrieve magical artefacts from around the globe, Wong and Strange eventually grow to understand each other and make plenty of Lord of the Rings jokes along the way.

Considering that the Sorcerer Supreme is getting his own movie next year starring Benedect Cucumberwumblepants, Season One is the perfect jumping-on point for those looking to do a bit of background research before heading off to the cinemas. It’s a weird, weird world in the magical corner of the Marvel universe, but it’s also a really compelling one. Strange’s transition from arrogant wanker to selfless magical powerhouse is endearing and often really funny. Much like the mystical world of Immortal Iron Fist, there is a very heavy Eastern influence in the book’s mythos, and while it’s a little hard to wrap your head around just how each deity relates to another, it makes for a fantastic story. Reboots are generally over-done and bland, but this is a reboot that actually adds something substantial to a character’s backstory. That’s gotta be a first.

PUNK!

bass solo? Really? They also refused to play the biggest hits of their career: ‘The Flame’ and their cover of Elvis’ ‘Don’t Be Cruel’. Hmmmm.

No wonder the venue was only 20% full when they began their set, and about 65% by the time they finished.

Apart from some die-hards down the front, the audience was there for one reason and one reason only: the godfather of punk rock, Billy Idol. And how was he? Ah. Mazing.

The energy, the showmanship, the simple-yet-effective stage setup and lighting, the song choices (‘Rebel Yell’, ‘Flesh For Fantasy’ and ‘White Wedding ‘sounded as vital as ever)... Incredible. If you missed out, make sure you see him next time – and there better be one!

Werribee spunkrats Take Your Own have broken up, although hopefully not for good. Their show at the Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood with Guttermouth was their last. Sniff.

Erm, as if people didn’t hate Kanye West enough, some dude has gone and released a BIBLE (I know, right) where the name Jesus and the word God are replaced with, you guessed it (probably), Kanye! I’m at a complete loss!

Target has jumped on board the ‘We Sell Band Merch’ express (like Big W, Kmart and Best & Less weren’t enough) and now sells band shirts. But only if those bands are The Ramones (who I’m starting to suspect have sold more shirts than actual records!), Guns N’ Roses and Run DMC. I think I saw a Bob Marley shirt in there, too. Oy. And on THAT depressing note, I am OUTTA here for another issue. See ya next time, kids!

Written by Christopher Cruz

If you haven’t seen the line up for this years’ Punk Rock Bowling, you need to head on over to their Facebook page and take a gander.

No WONDER so many people I know have booked flights to Las Vegas all of a sudden! Bastards.

BGB, Rancid, TSOL, AntiFlag, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Bombshell Rocks... Crazy!

One of the tours I most hotly anticipated this year was, without a doubt, the Billy Idol/Cheap Trick trek across the country, which included a stop at Melbourne’s newest big-time venue, Margaret Court Arena. Turning up on the night, I was a little surprised at how normal everybody filing into the venue looked. And by normal, I mean that it felt like we were being ushered into a live taping of Australian Idol or The Footy Show.

Where were the punks and glam rockers and goths? Cheap Trick kicked the night off and were, in a word, woeful. Frontman Robin Zander wore a leather outfit and cap that was reminiscent of the leather man from the Village People. He also would not address the audience or interact with the crowd, leaving ALL the between song banter to guitarist Rick Nielsen. Who was hopeless at it. Despite only playing a one hour set, they took a break halfway through (I know, right?!) during which we were treated to...a

pop culture

THE NIGHT VIBE

Written by Anthony Morris

Written by Tex Miller thenightvibe.com.au

Here’s what we know about Charlie Pickering’s new news satire show for the ABC, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering: not much. Which is a little odd, as it’s now less than a week away, taking over the Mad as Hell timeslot of 8.30pm Wednesdays on ABC1. Yes, the ABC have been running promos for it, including one where Pickering wanders around the storage areas of the ABC expressing the hope that The Weekly will become “the Facebook of news”, and that does put it markedly ahead of shows like The Checkout and The Agony of Bodies, both of which returned recently with next to no fanfare (and basically none whatsoever as far as Agony is concerned, which makes sense really as there’s next to nothing to celebrate when it comes to the return of that no-budget gap-filler).

It’s probably unfair to say that we know “nothing” about the show, because going from the promos – which are about as close to a total rip-off of the promos for John Oliver’s US news satire show Last Week Tonight as it’s possible to get without a lawsuit – it’s probably going to be trying to be a lot like Last Week Tonight. Plus it’s also got Kitty Flanagan and Tom Gleeson in the mix somewhere, so any comparisons to The Project seem also a decent stab in the dark. But for an idea of just how closely under wraps the ABC is keeping things, here’s the most recent press release: “A brand new half-hour comedy show that shoves a broom handle into the spinning wheel of the news cycle, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering shines a light on the bits of the week’s news that you didn’t notice, as well as some bits you were noticing when you didn’t notice the other stuff. Backed up by heavy-weight comedians Tom Gleeson & Kitty Flanagan, who both object to that description, The Weekly will expose the humorous, the absurd and the downright hypocritical, 24/7, once a week. The Weekly: the news you need, a few days after you need it.” And that tells us… what exactly? It’s going to be like Mad as Hell only not as good? The thing is, this is a show that’s already been booked in for 20 weeks. On the one hand, if it starts out poorly that gives it plenty of time to find its feet. On the other hand, if it starts out poorly it’s almost certainly dead in the water because these days once audiences tune out they’re gone for good. And with 20 weeks to run, that’s a lot of time for it to hang around stinking up the place if they get it wrong.

So expect there to be news of a “hiatus” around the 10 week mark if the actual show shows all the lack of promise that the promos have displayed – if this turns out to be a stinker, taking a few weeks off might be the only way to salvage it.

After all, you have to go away before you can come back.

As a 23-year-old living in Queenscliff, some people – in fact most of my friends – find that I am a bit weird because I love blues music. There’s no hiding it that being a journalist for Forte Magazine over the past five years has opened my musical ears to many awesome bands and albums, however, I have quite a passion for blues music. Growing up in a household with a mum that loved Crosby Stills and Nash and a dad that was playing Backsliders records as well as the classics such as Muddy Waters, Son House and Leadbelly, I must admit to you that it was quite an awesome musical upbringing.

When you start to think about it, I got both sides of the musical coin to immerse myself in and that shows in my musicianship and song writing of 2015.

From listening to contemporaries such as James Taylor, Carole King and Joni Mitchell, my lyrical ability and song writing chops were enhanced by listening to Déjà Vu and Tapestry, to name but just a few classics albums of yesteryear.

The thing that I love about blues music is that there is this raw emotion and passion that you just don’t seem to get in modern pop music. Those that truly know me, know that I love The Wombats as much as the next person, however the lyrical content and melodies don’t tell the story of a man’s life.

If you take Sonhouse’s ‘Death Letter Blues’ that was covered by The White Stripes in the mid 2000s, that song is one that is the perfect example of how to tell a story through the medium of song. ‘Got a letter this morning/How you reckon’ it read/ It said hurry hurry/ the girl you love is dead’.

Pop music just doesn’t relate to me like that.

This isn’t a preaching Nightvibe article to convince you to chuck on a Muddy Waters record, however it is a column that hopes to reveal to Blues lovers and musical aficionados, that what will happen to blues revolutionaries when they happen to (god forbid) pass on? Over the past 20 years or so, Peter Noble the director of Bluesfest, has created quite possibly the greatest music festival in Australia and has put himself on the world map by bringing out some of the greatest blues artists of all time. From Buddy Guy to Dr John, B.B. King to John Mayall, he has provided Australia with an opportunity to see some amazing talent.

When you think about it though, would we have got the opportunity to see such high class blues legends, if Peter Noble hadn’t had the ability to bring them out? It’s no state secret that Australia is a segregated musical community. Yes alright, we have heaps of music happening, however only the big touring acts come every once in a while and that’s cause we are so damn far away.

The other night I went to see John Mayall, who is for those that don’t know, a visionary in the English blues revolutionary of the ‘60s. Not to be confused with John Mayer! He was the starting point for a little British guitarist Eric Clapton’s career.

To see the man in the flesh on the stage at the age of 81, he was ripping it up with the best of them. Hats off to him that he was still up on stage for an hour and a half with one of the most electrifying and energetic bands I have seen in quite a while.

For those that are wanting to check out some John Mayall, his crowning point is ‘Room To Move’ off the classic 1969 album The Turning Point, which holds the record as the first ever live album without drums. Although Mayall didn’t play ‘Room To Move’ at the concert, I think it is possibly one track that will keep his legacy burning strong long after he is gone.

Will we remember these blues legends after they are gone? I definitely hope so, because when you think about it blues is the starting point for modern music.

Yes hipsters on your pushbikes with your beards, your indie music is influenced by the likes of Muddy Waters. Long live the blues.

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Refining the Palette

Photo by Alena Velikova

Amelia Anderson Photography at Ballyhoo We all like to think we can take a pretty good picture, then people like Amelia Anderson come along and prove to us just how wrong we truly are. With a focus on nature photography and a number of years spent travelling enabling her to capture these moments, all of her images show the immense detail of our fellow furry and feathered friends. Her images can be picked up, or just marvelled at, at Ballyhoo Arts on 90 Ryrie St, Geelong.

360 ALLSTARS The 360 ALLSTARS promises to be a show unlike any other. With a collection of top-class performers from around the world the show will be appearing at the Lighthouse Theatre in Warrnambool and Ulumbarra Theatre in Bendigo at the end of this month. We caught up with the director and producer of the show, who also happens to be a performer and internationally renowned drummer, Gene Peterson.

Hi Gene, thanks so much for taking the time to chat to Forte, where abouts are you at the moment and what are you up to?

Currently I’m in Sydney. We’re in the middle of our national tour of 360 ALLSTARS, which is the first leg of our World Tour.

Could you please tell us a little bit about how your show varies from traditional circuses and performing arts?

Well the concept of the show is that we are replacing stereotype traditional circus art forms with urban performance styles.

So instead of acrobats we have breakdancers, and instead of a juggler we have a basketball freestyler, and instead

of a unicyclist we have a BMX flatlander, and so on. So essentially it’s more of an urban physical theatre piece based on the theme of reinventing a conventional circus.

And you’ll be performing as well, what’s your act and what does it involve?

My role in the show is making the live music. I play drums and keys and together with Sam Perry, who is an incredible vocalist, we use a loop station to record layer upon layer of music live and build the soundtrack for the show. There’s no limit on how many layers of music we can record, and through the use of effect pedals and synthesizers we are both able to manipulate

the sounds we are creating to emulate all sorts of instruments and ensembles, and this allows us to produce quite an eclectic mix of music over the course of the performance.

How many years experience do you have drumming and what have been some of your career highlights?

I’ve been drumming for about 15 years now, and have been lucky enough to tour the world with a number of different productions and companies. A highlight would have to be performing on Broadway late last year with 360 ALLSTARS. We played 24 shows at the New Victory Theater which is the oldest operating theatre in New

York and is right on Times Square, so it was very special to be there in such a majestic venue with so much history.

Your cast mates and yourself are all multi award winning and world renowned in your respective fields, could you tell us a bit about who is on board and where everyone is originally from?

Yeah the show really does boast a stellar international cast: Peter Sore is our BMX Flatlander and is the two-time World Champion from Hungary; Bboy Kareem is a World Champion breakdancer from San Francisco; Bboy Leerok is another World Champion breakdancer from New Zealand; Rashaun Daniels, AKA Basketballman, is one of the world’s greatest basketball freestylers, and he comes from New York; Rhys Miller is a phenomenally talented roue cyr artist from Brisbane; Sam Perry is an incredible live looping vocalist and beatboxer, hailing from the UK, and I’m the drummer!

We’re certainly very

lucky to have such phenomenally talented artists who are also such awesome guys and a pleasure to tour with.

How and when did you all come together to form 360 ALLSTARS? The show was created at the beginning of 2013 and everyone was hand-picked for the production, regardless of where they all hailed from. It made for a pretty exciting creative development period, with seven guys each at the top of their given fields, and from all corners of the globe with varying cultural backgrounds, all meeting each other for the first time with the common goal of putting together a killer show. It was amazing to see it all come to fruition so quickly, and especially to have the luxury of working with such extremely talented individuals, each of whom brought something new and exciting to the table.

When&WherE:

Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo – April 28 & Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool – April 30

18th VIGEX International photography salon Until May 3 Geelong Gallery will play host to the 18th VIGEX International Photography Salon, an exhibition that features 71 images by 55 photographers from 10 countries, including five photographers from the Geelong region. VIGEX is essentially a biennial competition established in 1980 that receives thousands of entries every year.

The Grand Guignol Automaton The Old Castlemaine Gaol is more than just a place for housing spooky stories, it’s also a great setting for an even creepier theatre show. The Laudanum Project will be bringing to life the story of Sandrine Moreaux, a tormented young woman with a terrifying past and an unspeakable future. Set in Paris in 1920 this one act play explores the obsessions, phobias and waking nightmares of a young woman whose inverse perceptions of beauty and love lead her all the way from her sleepy village of Coulon and onto the neon smeared boulevards of Pigalle. The show will run on April 16 & 17 at 8pm at the Old Castlemaine Gaol (36-42 Bodwen St). Visittrybooking.com/GYPD to book your tickets.

GPAC’s 2015 Deakin University Theatre Season presents

Rotunda

Thursday 21st - 22nd May, 8:00pm Saturday 23rd May, 1:00pm The Playhouse

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Refining the Palette

The Little Things Design Written by Amanda Sherring

Lisa Kearney is a keen observer of the things around her.

With colours playing such an important role in her pieces it’s only natural for her to always be on the lookout for new and interesting combinations, even taking colour inspiration from dresses and photographs.

As innocently and unpredictable as her inspirations are, her start into The Little Things Design started much the same. “The painting was just something I started as soon as I got back from America, I was just working at Bean Squeeze not working a whole heap so I had a lot of spare time. And at school I’d always sort of done more abstract stuff with my art,” she says.

“Even blending backgrounds in other artworks they tended to turn out like that and then I often didn’t want to do anything else, but I knew that that maybe wouldn’t be enough for an art project at school, so I started doing abstract at home just for fun.”

The hobby has since turned into a side career and passion, as once Lisa started posting her artworks on Instagram the attention and demand for her work grew.

She has since stocked her pieces at Ballyhoo Art (90 Ryrie St, Geelong), Ampersand (1/138 Pakington St, Geelong West) as well as a pop up shop at King of the Castle cafe which she will return to later next month after a successful first stint.

“King of the Castle just has such a good vibe down there, because there’s a lot of people that are my age and even

younger and older, it doesn’t matter. It’s just a good place especially on a Saturday, everyone is just really chilled,” Lisa says.

While Lisa started with making paintings, which are painted with acrylics and finished with resin, she also makes potplant pouches and prints – made easier with her skills as a graphic designer. She hopes to one day expand her homewares collection and create bedding and cushion covers.

“I am always thinking of what else I can do but at the same time I don’t want to get too far from the painting and just end up with all this other stuff. Because at the end of the day the paintings are the foundation of it all so I don’t want to stray too far from that,” she says.

Seeing the happy customer snaps of where they’ve placed their paintings is a favourite thing for Lisa in the whole artist experience, and is proof that her paintings really are at the heart of what she does.

If you’d like to purchase some of her pieces you can see her work in the flesh at King of the Castle on May 23, follow her on Instagram (@ thelittlethings_design) or visit her website (www. thelittlethingsdesign. com).

Lunch with Creatives Sometimes when you see a great painting all you want to do is pick the artists brain on the how, why and what of the artwork. Lucky for you the owners behind Boom Gallery have a similar idea and they’ve given you the perfect chance with their artist lunch. At the lunch not only will you feast on delicious treats you’ll also hear Mark Cuthbertson, Anna Reynolds and Scott Andrews talk on their art practice and work in the exhibition. The lunch will take place on April 24 between 11.30am-2pm with the incredible opportunity setting you back $70. To book email info@boomgallery. com.au or head into the gallery itself.

Diversitat Macrame Plant Hanging Workshop

Have you got a house full of potted friends you’d like to display a bit more creatively? Well the Macrame Plant Hanging workshop by Diversitat is the perfect solution to your very common problem. On April 18 Nothing Sour between 1-3pm the class About This Website will take you back to the ‘70s and run through the Maybe you’ve seen their simple yet basics of macrame. It’ll stylish logo on Facebook or someone put you back a mere $20 has shared a brilliant health retreat or but the cost of prettying beauty secret with you, but chances are it just may have come from the new beauty website Lime with Roses created up your house is surely priceless. To attend the from Geelong born Allcy McManus and Blake Stevens. class please register and The website features content related to skin, hair, health, pay at Wholefoods in fitness, food and escapes. Check them out on Instagram (@limewithroses) or direct on the website limewithroses.com. Geelong.

Geelong After Dark Remember that night in Geelong last year where the city seemed alive? That night was Geelong After Dark and it’s back again on May 8 between 6-10pm. Last year saw 6,000 Geelong locals enjoy in the free events across the city ranging from pop up performances, art installations and various happenings. If this sounds like something you’d enjoy be sure to save the date and check up on their Facebook for further details (facebook.com/ geelongafterdark).

www.courthouse.org.au

What’s on this month at CHYA

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE!

COURTHOUSE ARTHOUSE II: REAR WINDOW Playing one of Hitchcock’s classics

CALL ABBEY ON 0431 898 745

Friday 24th April 7pm P: 5224 2815

Tix $10 at the door

#LUMOS Interactive Art installation in the gallery, as part of Geelong After Dark

Friday 8th May 6pm – 10pm

FREE

E: reception@courthouse.org.au

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The Fructose Friendly Chef

Photo by Kayla Sutherland

Written by Amanda Sherring

Cooking is as a way to bring family and friends together, to enjoy in something you’ve created and while that process may get trickier when you factor in dietary requirements and allergies, it doesn’t have to be. With this in mind Melissa Sutherland has created The Fructose Friendly Chef, a blog helping those with certain dietary requirements create delicious meals.

After being diagnosed with fructose malabsorption, Melissa had to make some serious changes to her diet, and adopted the low FODMAP diet.

The diet was created by Dr Sue Shepherd and is proven to help those with symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The diet essentially cuts out fructose as well as various other foods such as onion, garlic, yoghurt and others.

At this stage fructose malabsorption isn’t a common diagnosis, and as a result it took Melissa quite a long time before she was on the road to normality.

“It took me probably two years of testing where they tried everything on me. I went and saw a naturopath, I saw a couple of different doctors, because some of them thought it was a thing that would pass. So it took me quite a while to find someone to help me to figure it out,” she says.

With the diagnosis out of the way, Melissa

welcomed the challenge of creating meals that would suit her diet. Using her knowledge working previously as a chef to make it possible, her love for cooking and wanting to help those with similar requirements resulted in the creation of The Fructose Friendly Chef.

“I just love cooking and I definitely didn’t want to give up on cooking just because I had a food intolerance. So I was cooking those things every night and thought I’d start posting those on Instagram and see if that would help people with some ideas and recipes.

I’d imagine if you weren’t a big foodie and didn’t love cooking it would be so much harder to get the motivation to even try and cook things. Buying products everything has onion or garlic in it which you can’t have – so it can be hard,” Melissa says.

Once her Instagram attention grew, the website was created

by Nerida Hippisley at Flying Pig Design,

photographs taken by her sister Kayla Sutherland and recipes going up once or twice a week – often tested by her boyfriend and friends.

“I used to love apple crumble but I can’t eat it anymore, so I thought I’d give pumpkin crumble a go,” she says.

“I actually had my boyfriend and one of his friends stay the night – which just happened to be the night I was making it.

I thought, ‘Oh I won’t tell them what’s in it, they can just try it and see what they think’. They figured it out anyway but they quite liked it.”

For Melissa, there have been few meals she hasn’t managed to transform to meet the FODMAP requirements.

She’s even managed to create her version of a lasagne (recipe on the blog), something that is packed with onion, garlic

and other ingredients that would set off her allergies. And while there mightn’t be many places to eat out at with specific FODMAP friendly items, she recommends Bear & Bean Cafe (Geelong) and Scorched (Torquay) for places with dietary sensitive meals.

If there’s anything she misses pre-diet, it’s the ability to snack on an apple or pear, something she hasn’t been able to do for several years.

Aside from that, Melissa has fully embraced the diet and will continue her passion of cooking and sharing her allergy friendly recipes on her blog.

Visit the website fructosefriendlychef. com.au or check her out on Instagram (@ thefriendlyfructosechef ) or Facebook (facebook.com/ fructosefriendlychef ).

STOP MOTION ANIMATION COURSE Delivered by 25 year animation film director Glen Hunwick Starts Tuesday 28 April (8 evening classes)

Places limited book today!

For course information and general enquiries, contact 1300 556 548 or visit thegordon.edu.au/shortcourses

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The McClymonts Written by Tex Miller

The McClymonts are back out on tour once again in support of their fourth studio album Here’s To You and I. This time out on the road though, things are different as Brooke is looking after her first child Tiggy. Although Tiggy is holding interview proceedings up a little bit as we chat about the band, a smile adorns Brooke’s face as she chats about this upcoming run of dates.

“We have been on tour since July last year actually, so this is the end run of shows for us. It’s really exciting that we are going to be taking a bit of a hiatus from being on the road, but to be completely honest with you, the process is never ending. I think that we get three weeks off for the whole year. In a matter of speaking it is pretty much The McClymonts travelling circus. The three of us get bored if we take too much time off and I love coming down to Melbourne,” Brooke says in a singsong voice, it’s easy to hear how excited she is to hit the stage.

The fourth studio album from the band is a landmark release in terms of the way that the band now works logistically in 2015. On previous occasions, the band have travelled to America to write and record and have also worked with some of the biggest names in country music including Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift), Eric Silver (Dixie Chicks) and Monty Powell (Keith Urban).

This time around though, the band stayed at home which led to a more tranquil process. “We love recording in America but I think that it was a lot less stressful this

way because we could take our time and we didn’t have to rush things. For me, It was a lot easier because in between recording and going to Sydney, I was staying home. I could be around my daughter a lot more. I loved it this way,” she says.

Touring in 2015 for the band is a lot different to when they first started out with their debut album Chaos and Bright Lights back in 2007. For one, the band isn’t playing five nights a week and the stripped back two shows a week is ‘awesome’ and provides each member with downtime in between each show. “We play Friday and Saturday now and then travel home on the Sunday – it’s great. It gives us the full week to do what we need to do and recharge the batteries so that we can get back out on the stage and be ready to rock once again.”

The success that has followed the band since their beginning back in 2007 is quite impressive. With nine golden guitars and two ARIAs to their name, Brooke is graceful about the success of the band. Being straight up with Brooke and relating that I will probably never win one, she filled me in on what it’s like to receive country music’s biggest honour. “They are so hard to get. To just be nominated is an honour in itself. We absolutely love it and I don’t take them for granted I can tell you. It’s nice to know what we are doing is right. If there was one thing I have to say to the Forte readers it is what I don’t know when we will be back down that way so come out and see us this time around!”

When & Where: Gateway Hotel, Corio – April 18

Monkey Safari Q&A

Much like their name suggests, Monkey Safari and heading over to Geelong to give us one helluva time. Also owners of a club themselves, they sure know a thing or two about how to create the perfect club atmosphere. We had a chat to Lars on what to expect from the night and their experience in the club scene.

Hi Monkey Safari, thanks for taking the time to chat to Forte Magazine, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?

Thanks, we’re fine. We are currently in our hometown in Germany, taking a little break from working in the studio and all those shows over the past weeks, before we’re headed to Australia.

We saw that you’ve been jetsetting across the world touring, most recently Cairo, how was the gig there?

Cairo was amazing. The scene in Egypt is not very huge but it’s really powerful. We had a really good time there and hopefully we’ll get invited again!

Have you had much of a chance to stop and take a look around at each place you’ve visited?

Unfortunately we have not. We have a tough tour schedule and most of the time we’re not able to stay longer at a place than the show and some sleep at the hotel.

It seems with each place you’ve visited there’s been a cute graphic uploaded on Facebook, who’s the graphics whiz behind those images?

Paul Arne Meyer is the guy behind the graphics. He is

a friend of us since many years now and creates all of our graphics and artworks. We think it’s nice to have something like a digital postcard for each place we play and most of the clubs and promoters are really happy about the graphical support.

You’ll be heading to Geelong too for an upcoming show, have you ever been to that part of Australia before? Looking forward to it?

Yes, of course. We played in Geelong twice before and every show was really great for us. It’s a really small place but with a very special atmosphere and we love this kind of club. You get the better vibes and a better connection with the crowd. It’s not easy for smaller cities to build up a good scene, especially when they are close to larger cities like Melbourne, because people often go to the bigger clubs.

However, we’re really looking forward to play in Geelong again!

How long is the selection process for what you decide to play on the night? Have you already picked things out for your Australian performance?

We never pre-select any tracks we’re playing, since every night and every crowd is different. It depends on the night which tracks we pick. Sven and I normally play something like a back 2 back set, he plays a track and I play the next one. I never know what songs he is playing, so I have to decide what track to play while the current track is already running!

I understand you guys actually own a club of your own, Charles Bronson, what do you think makes a club a great one?

When & Where: St James Bar & Nightclub, Geelong - April 18

A perfect sound system. Everything else is a bonus! When you have proper sound the DJ’s will love it and the crowd will thank you for not getting ear bleeding. It’s important for electronic music to transport that

special feeling and in order to do so a good sound system is essential!

Given that you play late night gigs, do you both still enjoy going out after and enjoying in the nightlife?

Usually we don’t have much time to go out. Our flights are leaving early and we don’t have much time to sleep already. But sometimes it happens of course...

Thanks again for taking the time to chat with us, is there anything you’d like to add before we finish up?

Thank you too, hopefully we will see you in Geelong at the bar and have some drinks together... And check out our latest release Cranes, including great remixes by Kölsch and Wolf + Lamb, which will be rereleased in Australia through Sweat it Out very soon!

The Kite Machine Q&A

Local is better as they always say and we’d have to agree, especially when it comes to legends The Kite Machine. They’ve been tearing up a storm alongside rockers Kingswood and have just set the date for their EP launch. We had a chat to guitarist and vocalist Levi Anderson on what they’ve been up to.

Hi Levi, thanks so much for taking the time to chat to us, what are you up to at the moment?

Well we’ve been hitting the rehearsal rooms heaps lately, chipping away at some riff ideas that we’ve had for ages and turning them into songs. Aside from that we’ve been playing flat stick, just last weekend playing our first show in SA at Blenheim Fest, and supporting Kingwood in San Remo the following night.

Your latest EP, Lunatics, is ready for launch, where abouts did you record this one and are you looking forward to getting it out?

We recorded it with Cam Trewin (Kingswood) at Colour-sound studios in Altona. Perfect studio for us, was close to us, so that’s a bonus, but also we were recording through this rare kick-ass mixing console that gave everything a really smoky vintage sound. Cam was all over it – best bloke – and knew exactly what we meant when we were trying to poorly explain weird sounds and things we wanted to track. We’ve been holding onto it for a while so we’re definitely keen to get it out there.

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It was mastered by the infamous Brian Lucey (Black Keys, Chet Faker) how did it feel to be in those hands?

Didn’t know he was “infamous” haha. It was awesome! It was a bit weird not to be sitting in the room with someone you’ve never met working on your songs. But then we got it back and were like, “Ohh… so that’s why all these famous cats go to him”.

Your last EP, The Crook and the Skank was a great success, especially with singles such as ‘Makeshifter’, and featured plenty of funky riffs and groovy bass lines, what can fans expect from this release?

We feel as musicians we’ve grown a lot since the first EP. This one is definitely more of an electric feel, but also it’s a

When & Where: The Workers Club, Geelong – May 3

whole new level of The Kite Machine in our opinion.

Your hometown launch is going to be held at The Workers Club, are you excited to play at such a new venue?

Absolutely, it’s good to have a new venue in Geelong dedicated to original music. We’ve seen a few snippets of shows there already, and this place is going off.

What can everyone expect from the night?

The complete unadulterated Kite Machine experience. The best show we can manage… with lasers.

Have you any future tour plans with the EP at all?

What else have you got in the works for the rest of the year?

We’re doing a support show for Caravãna Sun at the Northcote Social club on May 31, which we are calling our Melbourne Launch – so head to that. We’re definitely keen to get up the east coast at some point having already locked in a spot at “Surfers Paradise LIVE” with Sneaky Sound System. Maybe even a little Tasmania stint, we’ve heard the music scene is great

down there.

Anything else you’d like to share with us?

Tickets for the EP Launch are available from Spinning Half ’s Oztix page, or from the Workers Club. Best get them soon, we can’t guarantee you won’t miss out.

forte 45

Forte Columns

ROHAN HERBSTREIT Exclusive interview with

TOM & KIAM TOLERATE MUSIC

7 THINGS YOU COULD’VE GOOGLED ABOUT BREAKING BAD: 1. The co-ordinates on Walter

White’s lottery ticket don’t lead to his hidden money, they actually lead to ABQ Studios where the show was filmed.

2. The actors who portrayed the

Salamanca cousins are brothers in real life.

3. Speaking of them, the brothers

are actually from a real-life gang, with one having ‘F*ck You’ tattooed on his eyelids. Pretty bad arse.

4. After the last scene was filmed,

Bryan Cranston got a tattoo of the shows logo on the inside of his finger.

5. Jesse Pinkman was originally

meant to be killed off during the first season.

6. Several teachers have been

SEAN’S CUT UNDER YOUR NOSE

7. Realistically, Walter White’s meth

I think the public library deserves some kind of brief love letter.

If you’re not already taking advantage of their assets and resources, then you need to rectify this immediately. On average, I visit a library at least 2-3 times per week, and as of next week, I’ll be moving right next door to one.

So why shower them with all this praise? I guess the easiest reason is, well, it’s all free!

Look, there’s FREE internet, FREE books, FREE CD’s, FREE magazines, FREE comics and graphic novels, FREE DVD’s and Blu-Ray’s, and in some cases FREE video games. Just about any entertainment medium is covered. See what I’m getting at?

Sure, the internet has its share of power, but books still have enough skills and knowledge just sitting there, ready to acquire. Plus let’s be honest, there’s nothing like holding the item physically. Case in point, I recently read Stephen King’s first novel Carrie and it was a first edition, released in 1975. I really felt like I was experiencing a part of history.

arrested for cooking and selling meth since the show began airing. would actually be clear or a faint yellow, not the blue we’ve come to know and love.

THE TOP 10 SUPER MARIO CHARACTERS OF ALL TIME Each week, Michael & Dando get together to discuss their own ‘Top 5’ of a particular topic, combining them to make the Torrent This Top Ten list: Michael’s Top 5:

Dando’s Top 5:

5. Princess Daisy 4. Dry Bones 3. Donkey Kong 2. Bowser 1. Wario

5. Mario 4. Bullet Bill 3. Luigi 2. Donkey Kong 1. Koopa Troopa

Do you agree? Tell us what YOU think! NEW episodes of ‘The Torrent This Top Ten’ air every Wednesday night at youtube.com/torrentthistv SUBSCRIBE NOW!

COLLECTIBLE CORNER Official Space Jam cinema cup

This was available from cinemas in 1996 to coincide with the films release. It came complete with a Space Jam themed mini-game as its topper. Very hard to find nowadays, making it one of Dando’s favourites.

NOTE: All of our collectibles are on display in the Torrent This studio, getting the recognition they deserve on a daily basis. For NEW photos of collectibles every day, follow us on Instagram - @torrentthis or Facebook - /torrentthis

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Hey Tom, did you hear about the musician who’s decided to change his name?

No, who is it?

Well his new name is William Corgan...

Is it because he’s too old to be called Billy? Please tell me that’s why!

NEW episodes of ‘Tom & Kiam Tolerate Music’ air weeknights at youtube.com/torrentthistv SUBSCRIBE NOW!

DO YOU WANT TO BE A TV PRESENTER? Do you have a passion for music? Want to interview your favourite musicians?

Good news! We are currently taking applications for a fresh crop of aspiring interviewers/presenters to be a part of a new series. Extra points if you’re a fan of Mario Kart. To find out why, email us at torrentthis@live.com.au for more information on how to get involved.

Some call him the ‘Vince McMahon’ of Australian wrestling, and now that he works for the WWE, it seems Rohan Herbstreit may very well be just that. So what’s it like working in the local wrestling scene? We caught up with Rohan to discuss:

What was your first experience with pro wrestling?

I attended AWP at the Icka Club in 1998. Think suburban Melbourne complete with a 1970s bar, along with ‘70s bar prices. It was their Christmas show, and it was really something!

What started your passion for wrestling?

Just watching it in the ‘80s really, I caught it on Channel 10 one day and was hooked instantly.

Have you ever taken a stiff bump (move) yourself?

Since the library has finally woken up and invested heavily in comics and graphic novels, life has never been the same. Besides what I collect already collect each month, it has saved me SO much money and I’m able to catch up on decades worth of storylines from Marvel, DC, etc.

As for DVD’s and Blu-Ray’s, if you’re on a bit of a budget, sometimes the video store is just a bit out of your range.

Downloading isn’t always a viable (or legal) option either. Almost every time I walk into the library, I end up leaving with 5-10 new movies to watch. How can you not resist all of this stuff available to grab? For God’s sake, it’s FREE!!!

Sean Watts writes a weekly column for Torrent This, for more articles visit torrentthis.tv/articles

Yeah, three bumps actually, and they were all stiff ! I used to be the commissioner and got bumped around a bit, so I went out to George Julio’s wrestling gym/school and trained for a year so I wouldn’t hurt myself.

I was then chopped by Steve Frost at WrestleRock, so it didn’t really help me much at all, apart from not landing on my head all the time.

What’s your best memories as a booker?

Having ‘Road Dogg’ and ‘Stevie Ray’ attend one of the shows, and kinda just winging it with them during the show as they wanted to get involved while the show was in progress. It was a fun night and really stood out as the first major show I ever ran.

Why do you think local wrestling hasn’t quite taken off in Australia?

It used to be a talent issue and

not having a good enough in-ring product, now it’s not having the exposure. It’s really just a marketing problem, and having enough business sense.

Is it a tough business to work in?

Absolutely, I think one of the challenges is keeping people motivated. It’s like a band really, everyone needs to contribute and help in some capacity. When it’s a flooded market there is really no reason why someone would go above and beyond to help the promotion.

What are some of the key struggles?

Obviously promotion and getting media, I think that’s the main issue, along with understanding the business and the audience. 80% of local shows aren’t really watchable without alcohol consumption and that’s a problem. No, really!

Could an Australian-produced wrestling show ever work on commercial television?

Technically yes, look at ‘Lucha Underground’ as an example.

With the right talent and enough money ,it is technically possible.

In your opinion, who should we be keeping our eyes on in 2015?

Not sure there is anyone better in Australia than Damian Slater at the moment. I guess I judge it on people I would pay to see work. Adam Brooks has improved again and Mikey Broderick is pretty much the total package. There’s three, but there are also plenty of good rookies coming through in most states, so it’s a good time to be a fan.

For more exclusive interviews, visit torrentthis.tv/articles

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Film Reviews

Films reviewed by Anthony Morris

Fast & Furious 7 It’s been a long road for the Fast & Furious franchise, but for our heroes – now whittled down to the core cast of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej Parker (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), with Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) and Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) getting a handful of scenes – their days of illegal street racing are well behind them.

Remember when this series was all about drag racing? Now it’s not even about high-stakes heists: these guys have all the money and cars and babies and people talking about the importance of family (so much family talk!) they need – now it’s time to settle down. Unfortunately, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), has just murdered an entire hospital so he can tell his brother (the bad guy from Fast & Furious 6) that his hospitalisation won’t go un-avenged.

It’s one of the all-time great villain introductions, establishing him right from the start as a bad guy that isn’t messing about; it’s kind of a shame then that most of what he does in the actual movie is turn up towards the end of other action sequences to throw a spanner in the works. That’s

The Age of Adaline

because despite a lot of hanging around graveyards early on, this film’s real story doesn’t kick in until superspy Mr Nobody (Kurt Russell) pops up to make Toretto a deal: find a hacker named Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) and rescue her from a terrorist warlord (Djimon Hounsou) and he’ll give them free use of the “God’s Eye” tracking software Ramsey will lead them to. With that they can find Shaw before he finds them, problem solved – time to drive a bunch of cars out the back of a still-airborne cargo plane and get this show on the road.

What the Fast & Furious movies do best is provide big crazy action

sequences with as little down time between them as possible – well, that and talk about family a lot – and while new director James Wan isn’t quite as slick and polished at it as Justin Lin was, this is still a massively over-the-top action machine that manages the difficult balancing act of being amazingly dumb in just the right way that even smart people can get in on the joke. Even the somewhat mawkish tribute to Paul Walker at the end fits in with the general tone of the movie: it’s like a big tough guy who’s just drunk enough to want to give everyone a hug after he tears down half the house.

When a freak car accident leaves Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) forever frozen at 29 years old, her life eventually becomes little more than a series of chores. Unable to form any long-term relationships or settle down in any one place for too long – she has to start all over again every decade or so – she’s become happy with merely existing. Until one New Year’s Eve, with only a few weeks left before she moves away to start over yet again, she meets Ellis (Michiel Huisman), a young man who stirs feelings in her she’s done her best to avoid, and has a link to a past she thought she’d put behind her.

This isn’t really interested in exploring what it’d be like to be forever young, and most of the past is dealt with via brief flashbacks and (for once, well-handled) voice-over. Instead, Adaline’s immortality is used largely as an obstacle to romance – she has a dark secret that means she can’t be her real self around anyone – which turns out to work perfectly well in this low key romantic drama. The stronger casting for the older characters (Harrison Ford, Ellen Burstyn) gives the impression this is probably aimed at older viewers despite the youthful leads, especially as Huisman comes across more as the kind of guy who’d be the runner-up for the girl in a better film. Lively works well with her character’s self-imposed distance and sense of melancholy (the warmer scenes, not so much), which helps this otherwise featherweight film achieve an occasional sombre note. There’s so little to this film it wouldn’t take much to render it utterly forgettable; decent work from Lively and Ford enable this to linger at least as long as the walk back to the car.

The latest romantic saga from the pen of Nicolas Sparks involves (once again) two separate generations of lovers struggling against the usual problems – disapproving parents for the present day kids, getting shot up in the war for the oldies.

Big Eyes Director Tim Burton puts away his usual bag of quirky tricks for this relatively straightforward look at ‘60s kitsch artist Margaret Keane (Amy Adams) and the con man husband (Christoph Waltz) who claimed all the fame as a fortune rolled in.

Cinderella

Get Hard

X+Y

Driver) shows up in Josh’s class and praises him to the sky then asks him out to dinner, it’s rapidly the start of a beautiful friendship.

Jamie also makes doco’s, though of a much looser kind; Jamie’s wife Darby (Amanda Seyfried) makes artisanal ice cream (what they do for actual money remains kind of vague). They watch VHS on standard definition television, get around on bicycles, type on typewriters and play board games: it’s a whole new world for Josh and Cornelia, and – for a while – they’re happy to fall into it. This middle stretch relies a little heavily on some

cheap gags (white people “hip-hop” dancing?), but all four characters are well-enough defined to make the jokes about them as individuals rather than “young people” or “old people” as a whole. It’s when things start to fall apart that this really picks up, as this turns out to be less about the divide between young and old as it is the gap between people who get things done and people who just wish they could. It’s maybe not as smart as it thinks it is, but it’s still funny and insightful into the minds of creative types – and some of those jokes about hat-wearing hipsters really hit home.

It Follows

distinctly dark turn, she’s become the target of this unstoppable creature, and while she can pass on the curse to someone else by sleeping with them, if the creature then kills them it’ll shift focus back to her. Mitchell’s terror tale is full of teen characters with more rough edges than the usual, but the horror of the central concept is so strong it’s pretty much impossible not to sympathise with them. And even if you don’t, the creature’s ability to look like anyone means that even close friends and family can’t always be trusted. There are a few angles you could quibble with – the actual nature of the creature isn’t so much vague as ill-defined, leading to a resolution that feels a little convenient – but taken as a relentless experience where constant unease is relieved only by moments of pure terror, this is a hard act to follow.

How’s this for high concept horror: there’s a creature out there – supernatural in a way, yet all-toophysical – that comes towards you slowly but inexorably until it reaches you. It can look like anyone, but only you can see it, and nothing can stop it. You can run away, or even drive off – it never moves faster than walking pace – but it never ever stops, so any time you do (say, to fall asleep) it keeps coming closer. There’s not a lot more to this film, but there doesn’t have to be: director David Robert Mitchell constantly goes for wide shots to give viewers plenty of time to scan the background for characters that might be steadily making their way towards Jay (Maika Monroe).

After a one night stand that takes a

Since the death of his loving father in a car crash, Nathan (Asa Butterfield) has devoted his life to being good enough at maths to get a spot on the British squad for the International Mathematics Olympiad. For his acerbic, MSafflicted teacher (Rafe Spall), Nathan’s single-minded obsession (he’s diagnosed early on as being on the autistic spectrum) is something that brings them together; for his devoted mother (an often devastating performance from Sally Hawkins), it’s just one more barrier between them.

It’s no spoiler to reveal he achieves his dream, but with a place on the team comes a trip to math camp in Taipei, and with these strange new

The Duff High school senior Bianca (Mae Whitman) has it all – well, she has a couple of really great best friends who always have her back, and isn’t that what really counts. But then she discovers that to everyone else she’s the DUFF – designated ugly fat friend – of the group: the less attractive one everyone else uses as a way to get close to the people they really want to meet.

Kicking her puzzled friends to the curb, she turns to her blunt (but kind of ok) jock next door neighbour Wesley (Robbie Amell) to help her reinvent herself as someone who can stand alone. Which, like a lot of these kind of movies, is all just backdrop for a fairly standard rom-com – no prizes whatsoever for guessing that she doesn’t end up with her hair-flicking, guitar-playing crush Toby (Nick Eversman), by the way. Whitman goes a long way

CITIZENFOUR Apr 17 – 6.30pm *ALL TIX $15 WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY Apr 19 – 6pm ELSA & FRED Apr 23 – 6.30pm THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY (HIM) Apr 19 – 2pm / Apr 22 – 7pm / Apr 25 – 9pm / Apr 26 – 6pm

surrounds come strange new friends, especially Zhang Mei (Jo Yang). But as Nathan slowly opens up to new experiences, will the pressures of the big competition ahead set him back or set him free? This story holds few surprises, though a refusal to sugar-coat the tougher issues raised – especially via another, less charming autistic student (Jake Davies) – gives this a bleaker edge than you might expect. Well, bleaker if you ignore the fact that the barely social Nathan has not one but two girls chasing after him, but his sullen teen act is the kind of thing that traditionally drives the girls wild (in movies at least), The performances here are all so strong that the story’s weak notes barely register; the only drawback is that the film can’t give equal time to everybody. towards making this work, bringing real down-to-earth charm to her character and getting laughs out of a lot of material that could have easily gone either way (she even makes her character being a horror fan seem almost believable). There’s good chemistry with Amell too, and their friendship comes off as surprisingly plausible for this kind of film – he’s the annoying guy friend who cares about her but doesn’t care about sparing her feelings.

The high school stuff is standard – being a DUFF is basically the same thing as being a sidekick, making this roughly as up-to-date as Ferris Buller’s Day Off – but there’s enough life there to keep things interesting, and having Bianca’s mum develop an entire self-help career based on a joke from The Simpsons is almost worth the ticket price alone. It’s been a fair while since the last high school comedy; The Duff is just about worth the wait.

Tickets: $10 concession $12 adult Licensed Candy Bar

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY (HER) Apr 19 – 4pm / Apr 22 – 9pm / Apr 25 – 7pm / Apr 26 – 8pm X+Y Apr 17 – 8.45pm / Apr 18 – 7pm / Apr 20 – 7.30pm / Apr 24 – 12.30pm / Apr 29 – 7.30pm SPONGEBOB: SPONGE OUT OF WATER Apr 16 – 6.30pm / Apr 18 – 5pm Apr / 19 – 12pm / Apr 24 – 5pm LEVIATHAN Apr 16 – 8.30pm / Apr 18 – 9.15pm / Apr 19 – 8pm / Apr 24 – 9pm / Apr 25 – 2pm / Apr 28 – 7.30pm LOVE IS STRANGE Apr 23 – 8.30pm / Apr 24 – 7pm / Apr 27 – 7.30pm SHAUN THE SHEEP Apr 24 – 3pm / Apr 25 – 5pm / Apr 26 – 4pm

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The Longest Ride

Disney have remade the classic with one eye on future sales, so there’s no fast-dating comedy or overly wonky CGI that’ll make this perfectly entertaining but hardly special film seem out of style in a decades time.

While We’re Young Any film that talks about the generation gap – or even considers pitting young people against old – is treading on some pretty dodgy territory. People are pretty much people whatever their age: once you start making sweeping generalisations, you stop saying things that make much sense. Fortunately writer/director Noah Baumbach (Frances Ha, Greenberg) is too smart to fall into any of those obvious traps, though for a while there the story of Josh (Ben Stiller) and Cornelia (Naomi Watts), two mid-40s New Yorkers, occasionally leans pretty hard on some fairly obvious angles.

Josh is a documentary film-maker who’s been working on his second film for over a decade with no end in sight; she’s a producer (her father is a famous documentary maker; she met Josh when he was working for him) who Josh doesn’t want to work with. All their friends are having babies, and their decision not to (partly down to lifestyle, partly down to biology) is starting to isolate them. So when Jamie (Adam

t h e w ra p

More movie times and info available online pivotcinema.com.au The Ukranian Community Hall, 57 Pakington St, Geelong West

Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart are a pretty good double act, so while the idea here is pretty lame – Ferrell is a clueless white millionaire who hires Hart to toughen him up when he’s sentenced to prison for a crime he didn’t commit – there’s enough laughs here to make this a tolerable experience.

Run all Night Liam Neeson’s latest thriller is him doing what he does best – growling and scowling as he kills bad guys – only this time the bad guys used to be his friends and he’s doing it to keep his son alive.

Chappie It’s a mix between Robocopand a coming-ofage movie and despite some uneven storytelling it all kind of works… unless you happen to take a dislike to Chappie himself, in which case much of this movie is close to unbearable.

Focus Will Smith and Margot Robbie are both very good looking people, so a movie in which they just hang around each other flirting in glamorous locations is pretty much a sure thing.

Home Aliens conquer Earth (don’t worry, they’re nice aliens), but one little girl is still on the loose, and when she teams up with the only alien who actually likes socialising (and who may have accidentally let the alien’s arch-enemy know where they’re hiding out) there’s a whole lot of havoc to be wreaked.

Insurgent This isn’t quite as impressive as Divergent, but this slowly builds to become an engaging YA drama as the aura of unreality around the divided society (which initially feels like clumsy scriptwriting, and may well be) is revealed to actually be relevant to the characters struggle for freedom. Put another way, there’s a reason why all this takes place in what feels like a generic YA setting.

Music Reviews

Lurch & Chief

San Cisco

BREATHE

GRACETOWN

Illusive

MGM

Hands down, Lurch & Chief are one of Australia’s best bands that you need to keep an eye on. They’ve just released their second EP and boy is it a stunner – kind of like that blonde haired babe you spotted on the beach the other day. It starts strong with ‘Echo’, a fast paced song that features the spotless vocals from Lilibeth Hall and Hayden Somerville.

There’s lots of layering, guitar riffs, yelling lyrics and it achieves just the right level of noise to fill the room.

Breathe seems a lot darker than their past releases, the band have clearly taken things up a level. ‘Breathe Out’ is a great track as it has this dark, broody quality to it. It’d be the perfect track to feature on a ‘90s movie, something like The Craft would be spot on. It’s a highlight for me and I hope to hear it gain regular airplay on triple j.

‘Reasonable Man’ is a bit of a so-so track on first listen, but

Can I just say how glad I am San Cisco came out with another release. There was only so much more I could squeeze out from ‘Awkward’.

It’s a bit of a full on start, but ‘Run’ is just the catchy number you’ve all been waiting for. The repetitiveness of the lyrics make it the perfect thing to sing along and don’t even try to lie about not tapping your feet along to this one – I’m pretty sure it’s impossible not to.

‘Too Much Time Together’ ticks off the jangly guitar and cutesy vocals/lyrics required in all San Cisco releases. This ones for those who want to get all mushy and sing in harmony with each other. While Gracetown covers what San Cisco is known for, they’ve actually mixed it up quite a bit in this album.

‘Magic’ is a highlight, it’s hard to explain exactly but it starts off with Scarlett creating the beat, but in a different way

play it a few more times and you’ll warm up to it. Though when it’s surrounded by such high quality tracks it’s only natural that there’s one that slips slightly behind, but it’s only due to its seemingly steady pace and lyrics that just don’t reach out to the listener. The minor lapse is more than made up in

closing track ‘Made Me Use’ which continues the broody theme right to the very last second of the EP. This is definitely an EP you need to pick up right now, like this very instant, what are you doing still reading this?

Written by Amanda Sherring

Long openers are quite possibly my favourite thing in this kind of genre as they often do it so well, and in ‘Stronger’ that is certainly the case. This time around the vocals match up to the music and it stands as a pretty stellar track.

It’s a bit of a slower number but there’s

so much strength behind Jennifer Borg’s singing and the instrumental layout of the track.

‘My Contender Lies’, ‘Crystal Tears’ and ‘The Final Stand’ are also tracks that you should check out, there are a few more long instrumental intros in there for those who, like me, are a bit of a fan. Liberator certainly checks all the boxes for the genre it sits in a comes out with some pretty great compositions, I’ve really got to mention the killer keyboard talents of David Van Pelt, he is insane.

There are a few moments where there seems to be a bit too much going on, but these moments are fleeting and overall it’s a pretty good release.

Written by Alexander Lightfoot

Nantes

by modern studio recording and techniques. It’s certainly a little less rough around the edges than their previous debut album, and as a result is much more enjoyable.

Circa Waves specialise in thudding bass lines and fast-paced drumming, and

when paired with a bright, melodic guitar sound and Kieran Shudall’s laid back vocals, you’re presented with an album that’s a hell of a lot of fun to listen to. The second track, ‘T-Shirt Weather’, quickly builds into the perfect summer roadtrip anthem, and while that’s not a sentence I ever thought I’d write for a review, it’s completely true. It’s hard to describe Circa Waves’ songs without falling back on the same adjectives, but the album as a whole is energetic, easy to listen to and comes across as really grounded. All in all, Circa Waves have done a great job; Young Chasers is a really solid indie affair; jangly guitars, a solid rhythm section and some seriously good tunes abound.

Written by Alastair McGibbon

Closer

school ‘80s vibe is introduced with ‘Games For Girls’ and it sounds like something French pop singer Yelle would produce if she were asked for a club track.

Though the real impressive tracks are found in the emotive, slow

burners like ‘Julian’, where the girls can harmonise and croon along to simple beats.

The tracks tell a story, and the way they are delivered allows you to fully take it in. ‘Angels’ brings up sex and love, two things that are covered quite frequently across all genres but the lyrics are actually quite a refreshing take on the topics.

Highlights, and polar opposites, of the album would have to be ‘Peppermint’ and ‘Hard For a Man’, though there are a handful of others that you’ll have to discover and quickly upload to your iPod. Written by Amanda Sherring

Divine Ascension LIBERATOR ViciSolum Productions

Classical musical elements?

Check. Helluva lot of noise thanks to some serious drumming and guitar riffs?

Check. The opening track ‘Dawn Brings No Mercy’ seems to meet all the criteria for a progressive metal release, but in this track there’s a slight disjoint between the vocals and the instrumental. They seemed to be created separately and remained that way even when they were put together in a track.

Circa Waves YOUNG CHASERS Dew Process

Despite being relatively new on the music scene – they formed in 2013 – Circa Waves certainly know how to make an entrance. Their debut album has just been released, and boy is it a doozy.

The Liverpudlian quartet are at their best when they’re churning out light, upbeat indie rock tunes, and Young Chasers certainly delivers. It’s 13 tracks of toe-tapping indie fun, much like the sort of stuff that Arctic Monkeys were putting out in their early days, albeit enhanced

Say Lou Lou LUCID DREAMING Cosmos

Look at the cover of Lucid Dreaming and it pretty much sums up the album. With each song you feel close to the sister duo of Miranda Anna and Elektra June Kilbey-Jansson, it’s intimate, soft but with the right amount of pop to bring you in and lift things up.

‘Everything We Touch’ is a track you would have heard on the radio by now, but it’s the perfect track to open the album and pique your interest. A bit of the old

from anything they’ve done before.

‘Super Slow’ is probably my absolute favourite on the album, it’s a smooth track with a very creative vocal arrangement; think of a call and answer type set up. ‘Bitter Winter’, ‘Jealousy’ (give this one a listen) and ‘Mistakes’ are also quite experimental for the

band, and apparently the change is partially thanks to producer and long-term collaborator Steven Schram, regardless of who was responsible for what, I love it and can’t wait to see how it translates to a live setting like Groovin the Moo. Written by Amanda Sherring

it seems a little downhearted and emotional with the lyrics, it’s catchy and impressive to see how far Walker has come as a musician.

One of the highlights on this album is definitely ‘Will There Be A Light?’ which sounds like it has

been lifted directly off a Donavon Frankenreiter record. There are brilliant bluesy electric guitar fills and although it is a bit of a slow burner, I no doubt think that seeing this track performed live on stage would be nothing short of brilliant. song writing on this album is simply outstanding, the lyrics and the arrangement and instrumentation are perfectly spot on and this release is definitely worth checking out. With many elements of light and shade and both slow and up-tempo moments, it is a strong contender for blues album of the year. Well done Benny Walker, hats off to you on a cracker third release.

Written by Tex Miller

‘Adaptor’ is a bit more upperty than the previous track and has a bit of an ‘80s pop influence with the slightly warped vocals and instruments. As the song goes on it really mellows out, and it seems to be a bit of a pattern for this release that often the openings of each song trick you

into being something completely different.

Again introducing another kind of sound to the EP is ‘Stay the Same’ a slightly garage-rock sound (emphasis on the slightly) where you can’t help but be mesmerised by the vocals in the track – unsurprisingly these factors have made it my favourite on the EP. I’m not sure if Nantes consciously went out to create a varied release filled with different genres, but that’s certainly the result in Limbo. Some would say it’s a bit of a messy release, but I think it works in that kind of ‘chaos is beautiful’ kind of way. You get a sense that the band can achieve a variety of sounds and it’s by no means a boring listen from start to finish.

Written by Amanda Sherring

could offer one piece of advice about listening to this EP it is use good headphones. The ambient sounds and water droplets at the four minute mark really are done better justice through a big sound system. It’s a large sonic landscape that Liam Daly

creates and cheap headphones are not the correct listening tool for the job.

Following on from ‘Heartache’ is the title track ‘Lifted’ and although I wasn’t very surprised by the first listen, the fourth or fifth time that you put it on, there are new sounds and landscapes that you can discover. You are able to download the new tunes from Closer’s bandcamp page and if you are looking for the perfect relaxation tool or ambient sleep music, then this is it. I’m unsure whether Closer is playing any shows coming up, but hit this guy up. Sweet ambient electronica at it’s best.

Written by Tex Miller

Benny Walker THROUGH THE FOREST Independent/Black Murphy Records

Benny Walker is back with his new album Through The Forest. Following on from his sophomore release Sinners and Saints, this album starts out a lot more broodier and darker than his previous releases. Opening with the title track, there is a lot more of a punchier sound to this album. Moody electric guitar wisps and thundering acoustic guitar punches into my headphones, although

LIMBO EP Independent

30 seconds into the opener track and you’re trying to predict exactly where this Nantes release will go. One moment it seems to be a slower classic instrumental style piece, but then the guitar and drums kick in and you can’t help but have a smile across your face.

Already with the opening track ‘7’ this EP has the promise to be a great one. Vocals don’t start until almost halfway into the track, and they are deep, haunting and with a hint of anger underlying each word.

LIFTED EP Independent

Heartache/Lifted is the new EP from Closer, Melbourne and regional Victoria’s new electro king.

Combining dark electro melodies this is a follow up to June 2014’s Descent and January 2014’s In Search of Life. Although there are just two tracks on this new release, it’s dark electronica at its best. I started listening to this new EP through my iPhone headphones due to the fact that I had no idea of the good time I was in for. If I

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Music Reviews

Tony Joe White Barwon Club, Geelong – April 2 Support: Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk

Without a doubt one of the coolest gigs in Geelong this year is the one the only Swamp Fox, Mr. Tony Joe White himself.

Playing at the Barwon Club, it was an evening that I will never forget. Partially, because who knows when the swamp fox will ever be coming back to Geelong. Starting out the night was Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk. Combining drums, guitar and vocals, this simplistic combination of a two-piece, similar to that of The White Stripes and The Kills, was simply electric.

Together with the at times risqué lyrics, this duo metaphorically tore the roof off the Barwon Club. Previewing songs off their upcoming third album, the follow up to Shakedown, I can guarantee that the new release will be nothing short of a good time. With witty banter and his high energy charisma, Chris Russell was the perfect support act for TJW. Finally, the moment came for TJW to take to the stage, with some moody backing music blasting over the P.A., Tony took to the stage (at first solo) to play one massive set of tunes.

Including all your favourite classic tracks such as ‘Rainy Night in Georgia’ and ‘Undercover Agent For the Blues’. The moment that I will remember forever is when in the encore, TJW launched into his 1969 masterpiece ‘Polk Salad Annie’.

Sitting front row for the whole show, to see this living legend in his prime in my hometown – it doesn’t get any better. Come back again on the next tour Tony, because you definitely will be able to sell out more than one Barwon Club show. Five stars.

Written by Tex Miller

Last Words

grog watch Tony “party people, where’s the party at” Montana

One of the big benefits of being massively antisocial is that it really takes the pressure off when it comes to drink driving. Given the choice between having a drink and having a drive, a drink is going to win hands down – especially when you have no reason to drive anywhere. Which is why I was in a bit of a bind a week or so back when I – for the first time in living memory, which these days is something like three weeks – had a party to go to. And not just any party: this was a party in a licensed venue, which meant that I had to bust out the hip flasks to make sure I wasn’t going to have to pay bar prices for the litre or so of vodka I was planning to drink that night.

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But the real problem was getting there, as said pub was halfway across town and I could either afford a taxi or a steady stream of icy cokes that I would then sneakily pour the contents of my hip flask into because drinking vodka warmed by my arse was not something I was looking forward to. So I figured I’d walk, because turning up to a party all sweaty is what all the cool kids are doing this year and none of the other people I knew who were going to be there were crazy enough to give me a lift. Of course, it only took five minutes of staggering down my street before I realised that having a drink, or three, on the way there was definitely a good idea. So I promptly walked 10 minutes out of my way to find a milk bar still open to get some coke to pour my booze into – and then the milk bar was closed. At least the servo 10 minutes past that was open.

My next problem was far more

pressing: just how much booze should I drink before arriving at the party? On the one hand, walking at night was boring as hell so I really needed to get sloshed to make it bearable. On the other hand, the more booze I drank on the way, the less booze I’d have to drink at the actual party, where there was a good chance I’d be expected to at least look like I wanted to talk to people and therefore a state of maximum drunkenness was optimal.

Plus, I had a worrying feeling that the physical exertion of walking would force my body to burn through any alcohol I drank faster than usual, thus meaning that it was theoretically possible for me to drink all the booze I had on me and still arrive at the party sober.

Well, obviously that wasn’t actually going to be a problem because I had three hip flasks on me and they added up to roughly a full 700ml bottles worth of vodka, but it was

still a worry. Then again, walking down a bunch of dark suburban streets was really boring, so I had to at least have a couple of drinks to get me through the drudgery. And if my path started to drift towards a drive through bottle shop I was fairly certain was still open, well, it was only another twenty minutes or so out of my way and it couldn’t hurt to have a top-up option on the table. Drink driving is illegal but drive through bottle shops are still a thing. That’s kind of strange when you think about it.

Anyway, the drive through bottle shop was still open and the guy there didn’t exactly laugh at me for being walk-through traffic, but it turned out that they didn’t have any of the small pocket sized bottles and it wasn’t as if I could walk into the party clutching a bottle considering the party was at a pub. I could just about afford a bottle of their cheapest thinly

disguised lighter fluid, and after a few minutes swaying back and forth I figured it was better to be safe than sorry and I could simply stash the bottle somewhere outside the pub once I got there. Of course, after another 10 minutes or so walking I realised this was a crazy idea: what if someone found the bottle while I was inside? Clearly I’d have to drink all the booze in my hipflasks before I got to the party, then empty the vodka I’d just bought into them to top them up. So I started to take big swigs directly from the flasks while trying to pick up my walking pace so I’d burn through the vodka in my system and not arrive at the party totally smashed, but it was really hard to drink out of a hip flask with one hand while holding a bottle of vodka in the other and then I realised that I didn’t actually need to drain the hip flasks – I could just drink the bottle of vodka on the way and keep the booze in the flasks for

later. Which was a massive relief, so I switched over to drinking directly out of the bottle even though two of the flasks were now completely empty. I did a pretty good job of emptying it too, which was lucky because at one stage I walked into a tree and the bottle smashed and then stuff happened and when I woke up the next morning a dog was licking the vodka off my pants.

At least, I’m pretty sure it had been vodka at some stage of the evening.

forte 55

56 forte