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HELP WANTED FOR ALCOHOL RESEARCH Researchers from the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University are conducting a study of alcohol use amongst young people living in the City of Yarra.
Wednesday 23rd
“CoQ RoQ” Blaberunner, Agent 86
Thursday 24th
“Free Range Funk”
Please contact Mutsumi (0401-201-870) for further information or to see if you are eligible for the study.
2.
THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE
presented by NHJ & Guests Thursday 24th
“Tigerfunk (live)”
Dj Who, Lewis Cancut, Tiger Funk
Mr. Moonshine
Friday 25th
Friday 25th
“Panorama” Phato A Mano, Mr George, Matt Rad
Saturday 26th
“Textile” DOWNSTAIRS
Sam Mcewin, Pak Man, Samari UPSTAIRS
The study involves an interview that will take approximately 60 minutes to complete. Interviews are strictly confidential and anonymous. Participants will be reimbursed for their time and expenses.
Wednesday 23rd
“Cosmic Pizza”
“Juicy”
Ayna / Agent 86 / M Phazes / Flagrant Saturday 26th
“Hot Step”
Adam Askew, Luke Bowditch, Sam McEwin
D’fro, Mr Moonshine, Dj B-two
Sunday 27th Sunday 27th
“South Side Hustle” Adam Askew, Junji & Harry, Booshank
Monday 28th
“Struggle”
“The Sundae Shake” Phato Amano, Agent 86, Tigerfunk Monday 28th
“iBimbo”
Tiger Funk, Damon
Tuesday 29th
“Cosmic Pizzas” NHJ, VIVA L’AMOURs “House of Horror”
Tuesday 29th
“Curious Tales” Matt Radovich, Henry Who
THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE
3.
FOR MORE UP TO DATE NEWS GO TO BEAT.COM.AU
MAY
LEVON VINCENT [USA] Friday June 1, The Liberty Social DJ CRAZE [USA], CODES [USA] Friday June 1, Prince Bandroom DESYN MASIELLO [UK], TOM MORGAN [SCO] Friday June 1, Onesixone LIGHT ASYLUM [USA], NICKY DA B [USA] Friday June 1, Phoenix Public House ISOLEE [GER] Saturday June 2, The Liberty Social AMON TOBIN [BRA] Tuesday June 5, The Palace Theatre TOM TRAGO [NED], JACQUES RENAULT [USA] Friday June 8, The Mercat Basement DAVID DALLAS [NZ] Friday June 8, The Espy TONY TOUCH [USA] Friday June 8, The Espy GHOSTFACE KILLAH [USA], DOOM [USA], CHINO XL [USA] Saturday June 9, The Forum MEAT KATIE [UK] Saturday June 9, New Guernica GUY J [ISR] Sunday June 10, New Guernica CHRIS LIEBLING [GER] Sunday June 10, Brown Alley DEEPCHILD [GER] Sunday June 10, Revolver FRANCOIS K [USA] Sunday June 10, Pretty Please BLOKE4D [UK], PROLIX [UK], AEPH [UK] Sunday June 10, Prince Bandroom SWITCH [UK] Sunday June 10, Melbourne Hotel HYPE WILLIAMS [UK] Friday June 22, The Liberty Social GRAEME PARK [UK], TOM MIDDLETON [UK] Friday June 22, Onesixone ANGY KORE [ITA], PERFECT STRANGER [ISR], VIBE TRIBE [ISR], SESTO SENTO [ISR] Friday June 22, Royal Melbourne Hotel JEHST [UK] Friday June 29, Prince Bandroom HUXLEY [UK] Friday June 29, The Mercat Basement SURKIN [FRA] Saturday June 30, The Bottom End
UPCOMING
DANNY BROWN [USA], M.E.D [USA] Thursday May 24, Prince Bandroom LAPALUX [UK], oOoOO [USA] + MORE Friday May 25, Revolt Artspace TREE OF LIFE: DICK TREVOR [UK], GREEN NUNS OF THE REVOLUTION [UK], MINDWAVE [ISR] + MORE Friday May 25 – Sunday May 27, TBA SHOWTEK [NED] Friday May 25, Chasers Nightclub
JUNE
ONTOUR
DIRTYPHONICS [USA] Friday July 6, Brown Alley ENEI [RUS] Friday July 6, Brown Alley BROOKES BROTHERS [UK] Friday July 13, Brown Alley DR. OCTAGON [USA] Saturday July 14, The Espy LADYHAWKE [NZ] Tuesday July 17, Billboard CHEZ DAMIER [USA] Friday July 20, Brown Alley SVEN WEISEMANN [GER], BASIC SOUL UNIT [CAN] Friday July 20, The Liberty Social VAKULA [UKR] Friday July 27, The Mercat Basement MIIKE SNOW [SWE] Tuesday July 31, Palace Theatre ALVIN RISK [USA] Saturday August 4, Prince Bandroom RED RACK ‘EM [UK] Friday September 7, The Croft Institute
Surkin: Sure Thing
REAL TALK
Have you ever heard about the mythical fable of Tuggen Mukkles? No? It’s not often spoken about nowadays. Anyway, legend has it that the ghost of Tuggen, who died in a fish-gutting accident, inhabited Melbourne nightclubs in the ‘80s and haunted the DJs whenever they would play tunes that weren’t psytrance. Freaky, no? Well, after disappearing in the early ‘90s there has once again been some recent sightings over the past month - so keep an eye out. The Bigfoot of Melbourne clubbing, perhaps. Knife goes in, guts come out, that’s what Tuggen Mukkles is all about. Or something. Tyson Wray
Tom Showtime: Launching Off
Elizabeth Rose: In Bloom
At the youthful age of 21, Sydneysider Elizabeth Rose is particularly well-placed to take over the world of electronic pop, having found herself one of 2012’s most talked-about new artists already. Drawing favourable comparisons to the likes of genre-defining artists including Fever Ray and Bjork, her layering of out-of-this-world electronic textures, leftfield beats and compelling pop melodies on her selfproduced demos had her quickly picked up by the wellhoned ears at Sydney’s FBI Radio and Triple J Unearthed - quickly followed by work with Dr Don Don on one of his latest singles Never Fear, proving a massive success and scoring her invites to perform at festivals including Parklife, Harvest, and Field Day. Big things in store for this young charmer – she plays The Toff on Saturday May 26.
Tom Showtime’s many guises make him a beguiling figure to behold within the Melbourne music scene. Primarily known for his DJing skills, he’s also a producer, café owner, saxophonist and gramophone enthusiast with a fondness for everything from be-bop to breaks and everything in between, punters may recognise him as that dude who manages to juggle jamming out on a sax and spinning tunes all in one performance. Beginning to collect and spin records in London back in the early 2000s, his return to Melbourne was followed by the release of his first EP, The Showtime with the acclaimed EP3013 following it up in similar style. Characterised by a love for sampling old funk, Latin and jazz records and admired by fellow artists such as A.Skillz, The Nextmen, The Bamboos and Urthboy, the release of Tom’s debut album The Jam Thief has been a long time coming and is sure to be one of Melbourne’s finest releases this year. Is it a block party, laneway festival or album launch? No one really knows, but it’s guaranteed to be the most talked about event of the Queen’s Birthday Weekend. Performing with his new band (Zvi Belling on bass and Conrad Tracey on drums) for the first time, George Lane will be transformed into the perfect setting with a freshly painted RekaOne mural, bringing to life this unique combination of music and art. Featuring support from some of Melbourne’s best talent, Cajun food from gumbo kitchen and plug seven record stalls. Catch it all at the George Laneway Bar on Sunday June 10.
Tom Trago and Jacques Renault: Well-Renowned Sven Weisemann and Basic Soul Unit: Out Of Focus
A composer, musician, DJ and producer - Germany’s Sven Weisemann’s eclectic interests span not only his involvement with the music industry, but his interests in genre, too. With a background in classical and jazz compsition, Weisemann’s thoroughly melodic and carefully-crafted tracks are a result of a life-long love affair with music. Drawing inspiration from the legacies of Chicago and Detroit, his output spans downtempo deep house jams, bottom end heavy techno, and far beyond - retaining the flair and originality of his inspirations yet always managing to sound fresh and thoroughly modern. He’ll be joined by Basic Soul Unit - born in Hong Kong but based out of Canada and a favourite of many a label including Trax, DJ International, KMS, Nervous, Strictly Rhythm, & Nu Groove, his interest in club music began as a teenager in the eighties listening to college radio stations in Toronto, and working at Cosmos Records during the nineties - leading to a wide spectrum of interests that leads to a versatility as a DJ and producer that to this day remains his main strength. You can catch them both when they hit The Liberty Social on Friday July 20.
RESPONSIBLE: Managing Editor: Ronnit Sternfein ronnit@beat.com.au Editor: Tyson Wray tyson@beat.com.au Sub-editor: Nick Taras Listings: club/promoter submissions clubguide@beat.com.au - now online at beat.com.au - it’s free! Production: Pat O’Neill art@beat.com.au Typesetting: Gill Tucker Cover Design: Pat O’Neill Advertising Senior Sales: ronnit@beat.com.au (03) 8414 9710 Taryn Stenvei taryn@beat.com.au Fashion and Beverages: Tamara Perenic tamara@furstmedia.com.au Ph: 03 8414 9732 Deadlines: Editorial Friday 2PM – absolutely NO exceptions. Club photos Monday 9AM (email only clubpics@beat.com.au). Advertising artwork Monday 12PM. Photographers: Callum Linsell Contributors: Rezo Kezerashvili, Miki McLay, Shane Scott, Simon Traspier, Brian Rotide, The Knowledge, Ellen Devenney, Dan Watt, Aaron Ralston, Birdie, Liam Pieper, Simon Hampson, Chad-Michael Michaelson, Mikolai, Reuben Adams, David Edgley. Publisher: Furst Media, 3 Newton Street Richmond 3121 Ph 03 9428 3600 www.beat.com.au
EDITORIALDEADLINE - 2PM FRIDAYS NO EXCEPTIONS
4.
Those French dudes sure know how to lay down a fierce electro track, hey? The extensive list of club-friendly artists from the country includes Parisian Surkin. Marble co-founder along with Para One and Bobmo, half of High Powered Boys, and one third of Marble Players, Surkin first gained attention with releases on Institubes and continues to destroy dancefloors today. It’s been awhile since he was last seen in Australia, his last appearance being a seriously killer set at 2010’s Creamfields – his return is one we’re more than happy to see! Catch Surkin at The Bottom End on Monday June 30.
UP TO DATE
As a key figure in Amsterdam’s thriving house scene, Tom Trago has been at the forefront of electronic music over the past ten years. One of Rush Hour’s most prominent producers, last year’s debut LP Iris was a highlight for 2011, featuring collaborative efforts with industry heavyweights Romanthony and Tyree Cooper - not to mention a slew of other releases as both himself and under alias Alfabet. Joining him is Animals Dancing favourite Jacques Renault, whose last appearance in Melbourne a year ago at the Mercat was a resounding success. Since that last visit, he’s begun a steady release schedule on his new ‘Let’s Play House’ label, derived from his roving New York party. Along with running On The Prowl and OTP Party Breaks alongside Runaway production partner Marcos Cabral, Renault has also managed to maintain his reputation in the studio as a tastemaking remixer, editor and producer. Get ready to dance: Tom Trago and Jacques Renault play the Mercat on Friday June 8.
Red Rack ‘Em: Racking Up Points
Scottish-born and Berlin-based - the sounds that Danny Berman’s alias Red Rack’Em (who you may also know as Hot Coins) is notorious for putting out are as well-travelled as he is. Beginning to release a string of naughty pirate soul remixes and disco edits between 2004 and 2006, he’s now well-renowned for being an essential cross-genre fixture. A stellar production career to date has included releases on Autodiscotheque, Deep Freeze and more under a variety of aliases which have found him a favourite of DJs including Motor City Drum Ensemble, Move D, Kyle Hall and Four Tet. Launching his own label Bergerac in 2010 was a brave but successful venture, beginning with his own How I Program - a cross-genre hit supported by a wide range of DJs, followed up by recent slots at BBC Radio One’s Worldwide Awards, Snowbombing, Garden Festival, Glastonbury and The Big Chill all attest to his well-received output, as do remixes commissioned by Tricky, Jazzanova, Joubert Singers and more. As if that’s not enough, what little spare time he might have is spent running his Smugglers Inn radio show and podcast, regularly pulling in thousands of listeners around the globe with upfront selections and guest mixes which have included appearances from Andy Blake and Greg Wilson. An impressive musical resume, you’ll agree. Heading back to Australia soon, he’ll be appearing at The Croft Institute on Friday September 7.
Rap City: Killah
Rap City’s already shaping up to be one of the year’s highlights for fans of rap and beyond, with the likes of WuTang’s Ghostdace Killah, beloved masked lyricist Doom and Bronx favourite Chino XL already on board - am I right? Well, the fun doesn’t stop there, as we were pretty freaking’ excited to hear today. Looks like Killah Priest will be joining his old mate Ghostface Killah on stage for the national tour! A longstanding associate of the Wu-Tang Clan, his first recorded appearances on records were on Wu-Tang side projects and solo albums such as the Gravediggaz, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s Return to the 36 Chambers, and Genius/ GZA’s seminal Liquid Swords. Oh, yes. Also joining in on the Melbourne run are Ciecmate and Newsense mainstays of the local hip hop scene for over a decade. Responsible for Broken Tooth Entertainment, a label through which they have now put out 21 official releases, frontmen for legendary Hospice Crew and chief villains of the notorious Hired Goons they are known for bringing thought provoking lyrics to the forefront with stomping beats and an energetic and memorable live show. Bring it! Rap City hits The Forum on Saturday June 9.
The Swiss: Homecoming Queens
Signed to Australia’s home of shiny disco-tinged pop and electro, Modular Records, the three-piece act have been up to all sorts of late - an expansive worldwide tour, on their own and alongside New Zealand’s beloved Ladyhawke, the release of some seriously spectacular EPs, regular slots on the Modcast and many a spin on Triple J - it’s Melbourne’s turn to see how the self-proclaimed legit disco band light up the stage. Catch them at The Prince Bandroom on Saturday May 26.
Huxley: Brave New World
Author of seminal pieces of literature including Brave New World and Doors of Perception, Aldous Huxley is widely regarded as a visionary and preeminent intellectual - far ahead of his time. An advocate for the use of psychedelics as well as a keen humanist with an interest in spiritual subjects including parapsychology and philosophical mysticism, academics to this day are still fascinated with the singularly original body of work Huxley left behind. It’s interesting, then, that UK-based producer Huxley shares a name with him - with a similarly spectacular body of work to his name that runs back to his late teenage years, he’s been earning respect from his peers since a young age. First finding success in the underground as a brave and singular purveyor of garage-tinged jams, his sound has morphed into something deeper and more house-influenced since - releases spanning Tsuba, Morris Audio, Fear Of Flying, Hypercolour and 20:20 Vision, and always remaining true to his robust, bass-led strain of house music that reflects his formative interests in UK and US Garage, with critics, punters and peers frothing over each and every release and remix that he puts out. It’s a brave new world out there on the dancefloor – Huxley takes it over at the Mercat on Friday June 29.
DJ Profile: Dubfonik
What was the first ever tune you bought? Probably a Cradle of Filth album, as when I was 13 I was into extreme metal. What’s the most played tune in your box? Bisweed Catacombs, forthcoming on Paradise Lost. What do you dislike the most about DJing? Playing on badly tuned sound systems and dealing with terrible promoters. …and like the most? Dropping my own productions and seeing the crowd react. Favourite DJs/influences and why? Addison Groove (Headhunter). When I saw him here in Melbourne he blew my mind with his track selection and vibe throughout the whole set. Outside of music, street graffiti inspires me because of the relationship I see between doing a piece and producing a track. Which toy or game best describes you and why? Draw Something, because I’m always drawing on things. In your opinion, what is the worst dance track ever produced and why? Rogerseventytwo - You Take Me Higher. I heard that track on the radio many times and it seems like someone has just hit the loop button and let a song play for 6 minutes. I hope I never hear it in a club. Two years from now, where do you wanna be? In two years, I would love to have a balance between producing music, playing gigs, and travelling to different parts of the world. What’s your favourite saying? “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE
5.
GHOSTFACE KILLAH
“Everyone’s into the clubs and this and that, while I’m just into the raw music. I can’t be here just talkin’ ‘bout champagne all day, poppin’ bottles and this and that.”
SUPREME BEING: TIPPING THE SCALES Throughout the rich, two-decade long history of the Wu-Tang Clan and its many peripheral solo careers and offshoots, there have been none more consistent than that of Ghostface Killah. Armed with a mindblowing, seemingly bottomless arsenal of rapid-fire rhymes, Ghostface has established himself as one of the alltime great MCs while compounding the definitive Wu-
6.
Tang sound. Making a true breakthrough as a guest star on fellow Clan member Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, Ghostface has since gone on to forge a stellar back catalogue of certified solo classics, beginning with 1996’s Ironman and continuing with a sequel to 2000’s Supreme Clientele early next year. Ghostface’s impending visit to Australia comes in
COVER STORY
the form of a co-headline tour with DOOM (formerly known as MF Doom). Before speaking about the nearmythological status of the full-length GhostDOOM/ DoomStarks collaboration tentatively titled Swift & Changeable, Ghostface looks back on when the two first met. “I was on tour with Linkin Park, Korn and Snoop, and someone gave me this CD with ‘Metal Fingers’ written on it, with no number on it. I played it, and it was right up my alley,” he recalls. “So when we got off tour I called up my manager and said, ‘Yo find this dude right here called Metal Fingers’. He searched and searched and searched, then finally found him. I didn’t know it was DOOM – I’d heard of DOOM, but didn’t know it was him. Then one day he came to the studio, played me some beats. He just had a bunch of cool beats, just things that I like. It was crazy, he just gave me them for FishScale. One thing led to another, we wanted to records together and he wanted to make some songs together to make an album. I made a lot of songs for him, but he never released it.” Rumoured for release back in 2007, the full-length joint effort has since entered a state of purgatory, with no release foreseeable in the near future. But as Ghostface explains, there is still hope. “I saw DOOM in London and we spoke about it, we switched numbers and said,‘We should really put that out, the fans want it, it’s gonna be real big.’ He was feelin’ me, really feelin’ me, but that was the last time we really spoke about it. He got the majority of the music, but he just wanna do a few more other joints just to make sure we got it right. And that was it,” Ghostface explains. Switch & Changeable aside, there is still plenty of new Ghostface material to look forward to in the next year, most notably a sequel to one of the most critically acclaimed rap albums in recent memory, Supreme Clientele. “That would be sometime near February,” he says of the sequel. “I want to get it out sometime this year, but I got this Wu-Block thing coming in maybe like three months, so I’m saving my thing until February, just at the top of the year and go into it like that,” Ghostface reveals. With Raekwon following up his classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... with a worthy sequel 14 years after the original, Ghostface isn’t feeling encumbered by any overwhelming pressure. “The only thing hard about it is that you gotta find the right beats that fit it. Hopefully you’re in the right frame of mind while writing it. You could write a rhyme, and yeah you wrote it, but it’s not really, really hot when you hear it back. I don’t rush rhymes, I don’t rush my music,” he asserts. “If you got the right beats, if you got the right frame of mind and you know what fits over that beat, it’s good. I could do whatever – Ironman 2, FishScale Number 2, but there’s never the pressure. You just listen to how the first one felt and that’s it. The only thing that’s wrong is that these days the guys ain’t really making the beats that you heard when the first Supreme Clientele came out. The music really went somewhere else, so you gotta really dig and dig and dig to find somebody out there that’s holding something, but you just gotta find it, you feel me?” Though a full-scale follow-up to Wu-Tang Clan’s 2008 release 8 Diagrams was hotly rumoured for release this year, Ghostface is quick to dispel such a notion. “There’s no Wu-Tang album coming out this year,” he states bluntly. “Me, Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, Styles P, Raekwon and Cappadonna, plus it’s Wu-Block so I gotta have the Clan on it. That’s about it, it’s not a Wu-
Tang album that’s comin’.” After nearly two decades in the game and a witnessing a rapidly evolving musical landscape, just how does Ghostface Killah uphold such consistency? “Just good music man, just listenin’ thinking ‘I can rhyme off that’. That’s what’s interests me. Other than that, the music changed. Everyone’s into the clubs and this and that, while I’m just into the raw music. I can’t be here just talkin’ ‘bout champagne all day, poppin’ bottles and this and that. I gotta tell my story, what comes to me. That’s what separates me from a lot of the new artists that’s out now, because they just in the club with it, where I’m on the street with it. I’m anywhere else a lot of the times, unless I have to make a record which says ‘you gotta be in the club with this one’ or a radio single, or stuff like that. Other than that, I gotta do me. I don’t get caught up in it, I just gotta find what beats I like and then I’m gonna take it and do what I do – just talk my shit over it,” he muses. Despite conquering all terrains within the realm of rap, don’t expect Ghostface to be giving up on the game any time soon. “I love to do it. When you love to do something, you just do it. It’s like you telling me ‘why you wanna keep fuckin’ your woman?’, know what I mean? Or ‘why you keep getting pussy, nigger?’ It’s like if you love it, you continue to do it. You got these 70, 80 year old men that are still fuckin’,” he laughs. “It’s the same thing with music. You love what you do? Then keep doin’ it.” When the Wu-Tang Clan first emerged from Staten Island in the early-‘90s, not only was there moltenhot competition within the local scene, the East-West dichotomy was at an all-time high. These days, as Ghostface explains, things are different. “I don’t have no competition man. The competition for me is like who’s on the most videos right now, or who’s doing this and that. But as far as me writin’, or me being a lyricist, there’s no competition for me. I know my power, I know that I’m my worst critic and I can hurt myself. But in terms of competition, it depends on how you wanna go. Like I said, the game’s changed – it’s more about being in the club and stuff like that. So all I gotta do is do what I do, but just get more presence out on the streets and on video and radio. And that’s it. I don’t got a problem with that. So that’s why when you hear Wu-Block coming, that’s just me planting the seed for what’s gonna happen for February. Then from February on, you gonna see a lot more of Ghostface then what you’ve probably seen in your life. That’s my plan,” he declares. Whether it be with Wu-Tang or in solo mode, Ghostface has maintained a near-annual pilgrimage to Australia in the past few years. “When you was in school, you talked about Australia and all them places like that. So for people to recognise my music and even the Wu-Tang, it’s a blessing, yo. It’s a big, big blessing,” he states with humility. “Seeing people over their with Wu-Tang Ws and tattoos and stuff like that, you think ‘damn, we on the other side of the world, like 22 hours on a plane!’ It’s shocking sometimes. But you can be shocked but things are just real at the same time.” Lachlan Kanoniuk Rap City brings Ghostface Killah [USA], DOOM [USA], Chino XL [USA], Killah Priest [USA] plus Ciecmate [AUS] and Newsense [AUS] to The Forum on Saturday June 9.
PAPPARAZZI
WEDNESDAY23RD COQ ROQ Rocking Wednesdays at Lucky Coq are rotating DJs Lady Noir, Agent 86, Kiti, Mr Thom, Joybot and guests giving you nothing but the best new wave, punk, brit pop, bong rap and hair metal. Coq Roq takes place every Wednesday from 8pm with free pool downstairs from 9pm as well as drink specials. Roq out! Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor
SOUL ARMY With more flavour than a chocolate pizza, the Wednesday Soul Army throws down raw, uncut funk next to smooth soul grooves and rare blue jams. Bring that special lady because when the boys lay down the love it could be the difference between ‘we’re just friends’ to ‘let’s get it on’. PBS stalwarts Vince Peach and Miss Goldie accompany Prequel and Black Diamond Kicks weekly. Free. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy
WEDNESDAYS AT CO. Don’t miss Melbourne’s biggest mid-week party night Wednesdays at Co.! Featuring Premier DJ Petar Tolich and Scotty E spinning all your favourite 90’s to current party anthems! Co., Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank
WEDNESDAYS AT LOUNGE Enter the middle of the week; for some it’s the beginning of the weekend, for others it’s a break from study, for those of us who are travelling, it probably has no real significance (unless you’re wanting to party with the hot European girls from the hostel...because any day is simply another day when you’re travelling). Your midweek stomping ground, featuring DJs Danny Silver, Manchild & Mu-Gen. Free entry. From 10pm. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne
WEDNESDAYS AT THE ORDER Deep, dark, minimal dubstep and drum and bass. The Order of Melbourne, 2/401 Swanston Street, Melbourne
THURSDAY24TH BIMBO THURSDAYS Tigerfunk brings with him his full band of travelling gypsies, hipsters and middle class executives, all of whom are prepared to deliver the most excitement you can have this side of the weekend. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy
Paparazzi Fridays present DJs Nikkos, Joe Sofo and Kitty Kat bringing you the biggest anthems and club classics all night long. Co., Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank
DUBSTEP THURSDAYS It’s Dubstep, it’s Eurotrash, it’s new, it’s the vibe, it’s Thursdays, it’s weekly and it’s free. So get down to Eurotrash and get your wobble on. Eurotrash Bar, 18 Corrs Lane, Off Chinatown, Melbourne CBD
FREE RANGE FUNK Funk up your Thursday nights with Free Range Funk at the Windsor favourite Lucky Coq. Grab a couch early and enjoy one (or more) of their famous $4 pizzas from 7-11pm. Meanwhile DJs Who, Agent 86, Lewis CanCut and special guests tempt you into the night with their eclectic bag of treats. Setting the mood early is delightful jazz, deep soul, and funk. Later it’s fruity disco, choice house, and hipster dance drops. Free entry every Thursday. Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor
JONATHON BOULET, KINDNESS AND TOM VEK One of the many highlights on Sydney’s massive Vivid LIVE lineup will be hitting Melbourne, with the Modularcurated triple bill of Jonathan Boulet, Kindness and Tom Vek making the trip south at later this month. The Melbourne show will mark the Australian debut for two of the UK’s hottest acts - Tom Vek and Kindness will be making their maiden journey across the pond for the tour. Joining the shit-hot Brits on the night will be Sydney’s buzz-magnet Jonathan Boulet, who will be showcasing material from his much-anticipated record We Keep The Beat, Found The Sound, See The Need, Start The Heart. The Hi-Fi, 125 Swanston Street, Melbourne
LIVE ON THE LANES After a killer launch in 2008, the combination of bowling and beats in a single evening has proved an irresistible one - and Live on the Lanes, presented by Strike Bowling is back for another session on the lanes. This time around, it’ll be Melbourne’s favourite party-starter Ajax who’ll be representing the Australian contingent on one side with his trademarked brand of irreverent and hyperactive approach to electro and mash-ups, earning himself accolades including titles such as inthemix’s #1 Australian DJ, Busy P’s Best DJ of 2007 (XLR8R), Digitalism’s favourite from 2007 (Bigshot) and Justice’s One to Watch in 2008 (DJ Magazine). Talk about popular, huh! Going back to back with Ajax will be New Zealand’s P-Money. Kicking off his career in DJ competitions and student radio, over the years P-Money has become a well-respected hip-hop producer and DJ with plenty of big-time collaboration to his name, and a few killer albums to boot. Free ten-pin bowling and the best in electro and hip hop? Count us in. Strike QV, 245-247 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
THURSDAYS AT LOUNGE
Google Hot Step and you’ll get a bunch of Vietnamese game reviews and Balkanese dances on YouTube. But that’s nothing like what you can expect to find within the confines of Bimbo on a Saturday night. Developing thick and heavy but altogether groovy, enjoy an eclectic mix of fairy floss funk, doom disco and monk movement minimal every week. Free. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy
WONDERLUST
DJ AMADEUS
Fate, karma, the yin and the yang, the balance between chaos and order or divine intervention? A new spiritual high has emerged from the cosmic energies of the universe and it’s called Wonderlust! As luck would have it you can come and experience the effects of this strange new phenomena every Thursday night at The Carlton! Carlton Club, 193 Bourke Street, Melbourne
FRIDAY25TH DARKBEAT LOCAL WITH DAVE PHAM
Celebrate this Saturday night at Fusion with DJ Amadeus, one of the fastest growing names on the international DJ and production circuit. It is through a combination of hard work, perseverance, skill and the adulation of his fans that Amadeus is creating the classic American tale andstorming up the world DJ chart. Plus resident DJs Tate Strauss, Miss Sarah, DJ nova, Johnny M. Fusion, Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank
SATURDAYS AT ONE TWENTY BAR SESSIONS
Both residents and benchmark DJs as well as some of Melbourne’s finest in up-and-coming talent are getting ready for the next few months, and old favourite Dave Pham is set to take on the next one. After befriending a local DJ who lent Pham his decks way back in the early nineties, Pham he began his mixing expedition and never looked back. Over 10 years have passed, and since these humble beginnings Dave Pham has become on of Australia’s most sought after electronica artists with his love for the heavier end of techno - a specialty that has remained uniquely his to this day. With support from Darkbeat’s finest including Phil K, Gavin Keitel, Rollin Connection, Dave Juric, Walter Jaun and Jason D’Costa. New Guernica, 2/318-322 Little Collins Street. Melbourne
FIRST FLOOR FRIDAYS A journey of international music from all over the world; past, present and future rhythms incorporating afro, soul, funk, world and deep house elements! First Floor, 393 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
DJ CKass will take you on a musical journey to the retro sounds of the 70s and 80s, followed by Top 40s. One Twenty Bar, 120 Johnston St, Fitzroy
STAR SATURDAYS Star Saturdays - smashing it every Saturday! Phil Ross, Scotty Erdos, DJ Ontime, LC, Nick James, Dane Gains, Ryan Hamill, Deja, Phil Isa, Nixon, Azza M, Scotty Nix, DJ Ryza, C Dubb, Alex-J, G-Funk, Dylisco, Achos, Az, Shaggz and guests. Star Bar, 160 Clarendon St, South Melbourne
TEXTILE Saturdays at Lucky Coq tick all the boxes so start your night early and stay til close! Famous $4 pizzas from 7-9pm (that’s dinner sorted) then from 9pm spread over two levels with DJs playing hip hop, funk, disco, house and electro. Rotating guests on both levels keep the tunes fresh. Free entry. Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor
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FRIDAYS AT LOUNGE
SOUTH SIDE HUSTLE
Super funky party with Melbourne radio’s finest! Including RRR’s Ennio Styles (Stylin’), PBS’s Manchild (Breakdown) & Zack Rampage (Rampage) and Guy Geezey (Wax Museums). Rekerdz, jams and dope times! Leave your attitude at the door! $10 from Midnight. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne
The perfect Sunday soundtrack with DJs Askew, Peter Baker, Booshank, Paz, Miss Butt, Junji, Disco Harry and guests. They will be laying down disco, afro beat and deep house til 3am. For lovers of good music - South Side Hustle. Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor
Start your weekend on a good note with Panorama Fridays at Lucky Coq. DJs Matt Rad, Mr George, Tom Meagher and Phato A Mano transform the upstairs area into one hell of a house party with Hip Hop, Funk, R&B, Disco and House. Meanwhile, downstairs gives you a secluded wind down atmosphere with cult films as background visuals and quality cocktails to sip on. Let the new coqtail list wash away a crappy week! Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor
RETRO SEXUAL FRIDAY DJ Grandmaster Vicious spins Fitzroy’s finest mix of ‘80s and ‘90s pop, rock, new wave, hip hop, disco classics and cheese to please plus dance floor anthems from then to now. One Twenty Bar, 120 Johnston St, Fitzroy
SATURDAY26TH ENVY Head to Co. this Saturday night for nonstop dance music that will electrify the dance floor, with resident DJs Matty G, Dean T and Joe Sofo, with Marcus Knight and his old skool beats in the side room. Arrive, be seen and be talked about for the rest of the week. Envy much? Co., Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank
EUROTRASH HOUSE PARTY Put your hands in the air with some of Melbourne’s best party DJs, including including Mu-Gen, Lace em’ Tight and more. Eurotrash Bar, 18 Corrs Lane, Off Chinatown, Melbourne CBD
EY:EM EY:EM at Lounge features residents Boogs & Who, and will host Melbourne’s top purveyors of club music, showcasing both local and international DJs playing the most upfront club music. And remember, clubbing happens in the EYEM. $10 from 12pm. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne
FIRST FLOOR SATURDAYS It’s house, electro, dub, anthems, disco and funk with guest DJs Genetix, B-Two and Oohee rocking til the break of day. Doors open 10pm with $5 basics til midnight! First Floor, 393 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
HOMECOMING In the grand tradition of past Saturday nights at the Prince of Wales, it will regain it’s rightful place on the pantheon of Australian dance music playing host to the best and most exciting EDM locally, nationally and internationally. Local residents include Generik, Oskar, Swick, Tranter, M.A.F.I.A., Streetparty DJs and Clip Art, and scheduled guests The Aston Shuffle, Tonite Only, The Swiss, Luke Million, Parachute Youth, Louis La ESSENTIALS
HOT STEP
The Black Pancake Club is where disc-jockeys bring in their treasured record collections to share with yaw’ll. Expect undiscovered nuggets, lost gems, far out there covers, moog inspired themes, and a host of other eclectic delicacies and toppings for your black pancakes! Free entry. From 10pm. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne
PANORAMA
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Roche, Alvin Risk and more. In addition, Homecoming has prepared a veritable roster of exciting drinks and cocktails to fuel the fun, including Fresh coconut cocktails, Dr. Pepper, Electric Lemonade, Tecate, Thaistyle Buckets and Bubble Cup cocktails. Prince Bandroom, 29 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
STAR BAR SUNDAYS The original and still the best Sunday in Melbourne. Star Bar, 160 Clarendon St, South Melbourne
SUNDAE SHAKE Our Signature serve. Each and every Sunday we play host to a self professed vinyl junkie caught between the golden years & boogie wonderland. A mouthful? Perhaps. Phato Amano perfectly sets the mood for an audio-adventure that redefines the dance floor weekly. Our Sunday aficionados Agent 86 and Tigerfunk stir up a full cream shake to the flavour of your liking. Forget everything you thought you knew about losing yourself to the grooves. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy
MONDAY28TH IBIMBO Have you always wanted to be a DJ but been cruelly cursed with tone deafness and a general inability to version excursion? Well Bimbo Deluxe saves the day once again.. All you need is an iPhone and you’re set. Just download the free ‘remote’ application from the app store, log into the Bimbo DJ wireless network and you choose which song plays next. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy
TUESDAY29TH BIMBO TUESDAYS Bimbo Tuesday’s have long been the discerning DJs midweek breath of fresh air. An opportunity to indulge in, and to each parade their individual takes on music. A night where by the weird and wonderful is not frowned upon but rather celebrated. Resident selectors Matt Radovich, Andras Fox and Henry Who draw from a colorful array of sounds that warm your midweek blues. From 8pm, free. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy
COSMIC PIZZA NHJ and friends host every Tuesday night upstairs at Lucky Coq. Playing uneasy listening, freaked out bass jams, romantic comedy disco, tropi-jazz, soundtracks and shit you won’t hear on the other nights. Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor
THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE
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HYPOGEO SMOKIN’: THE TREE OF LIFE In The Birth of Tragedy, Frederick Nietzsche writes: “... Millions sink to the dust, shivering in awe...Man now expresses himself through song and dance as the member of a higher community; he has forgotten how to walk, how to speak, and is on the brink of taking wing as he dances. Each of his gestures betokens enchantment; through him sounds a supernatural power...He feels himself to be godlike and strides with the same elation and ecstasy as the gods he has seen in his dreams.” When I read this, I assumed that Nietzsche was writing about his first time going to a bush doof. As it turns out, he was talking about the Ancient Greeks and their massive woodland festivals in honour of Dionysus, the god of wine, orgies and general partying. More than two thousand years on, the Dionysian tradition is still as strong as ever, but the dithyrambic rhythms of Greek lyre-players have been replaced by pounding kick drums, squelchy synths and bizarre alien mating calls. Yes...I’m talking about psytrance. If Nietzsche were alive today, he would surely hear the Dionysian influence in the dark, hypnotic sounds of Italian psytrance producer Hypogeo. I caught up with this sonic sorcerer of all things dark and dastardly for a chat about his new album and his upcoming tour of Australia. It’s 8am when I hop on Skype for the interview. Hypogeo, aka Nicola Grigatti, is sitting in a dimly-lit room smoking cigarettes when he answers the call. We make small talk for a while as my morning coffee begins to kick in. It’s late over in Italy, and Grigatti is up past his bedtime. He lives in a small town called Comacchio, on the Adriatic Coast. “It’s nice,” he says, “good food, close to the beach. It’s quiet and relaxed.” I look it up on Google as he speaks -- yes, I’m a skilled multi-tasker. Looking through pictures of beautiful, Venice-style canals and old, crumbling buildings, I muse aloud that Comacchio conjures up the operas of Verdi and Pavarotti, rather than the dark, nightmarish sounds of progressive darkpsy. Indeed, the music scene in Italy is rather stagnant at the moment. Caught in Europe’s economic slump, venues are closing and people aren’t going out as much. “It’s dead, completely dead. It’s such a shame,” says Grigatti. “Italy is not the best place to live right now. It’s very hard just to make a living, and the mood of people is pretty bad.” Grigatti himself is lucky to be employed – he works fulltime in a tobacco shop, he explains as he lights another cigarette. I make a lame joke about smoking away his profits. But he’s deadpan; evidently work is not something Italians joke about at the moment. “I work eight or nine hours every day,” he says, “and when I get home, I switch on my computer and make some music.” Offering me a tour of his studio, Grigatti holds up various bits of tech to the webcam: a Maschine, some Korg fx units and various other bits and bobs. “I make my beats
on Cubase,” he continues, “and use Ableton Live when I’m playing a show. I’m also just starting to use Lemur on my iPad, it will be good when I can work that in.” Unlike most producers, who begin by playing as DJs and wind up making their own tunes, Grigatti’s background is in... wait for it... death metal. “I used to play guitar for this group called Entropic Engine,” he elaborates. “It was just a group of friends who liked to play death metal. We did have some electronic parts to the music and I guess it started from there. “But I never played as a DJ. I started out of a pure passion to make my own music. Now, I do some DJ sets for fun, but just for friends, never at festivals or big parties. That’s when I play my own live set.” Grigatti cites industrial musical as a major influence: Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy and Ministry in particular. Outside of music, surrealistic art is a major influence, especially the works of Salvador Dalì and H.R. Geiger (set designer of Alien). “A couple of years ago, I visited Dalì’s museum in Figueros, Spain,” recounts Grigatti. “It was incredible... one of the most psychedelic experiences I’ve ever had. A real trip. And then, Geiger...what can you say? He is the father of biomechanics. He has been a big influence for me.” So saying, he raises his right arm; it’s tattooed all over, covered with a thick mesh of intricate tendrils and other creepy-crawly alien bits. In 2009, Grigatti signed to Australian label Zenon. Renowned for its dark, minimalistic take on psytrance, Zenon boasts a stable of DJs and producers in every corner of the globe, including Brazil, Russia, India and Mexico, as well as Australian and NZ producers such as Grouch, Merkaba, Shadow FX and label founder Tim Larner’s alias Sensient. Grigatti added Italy to Zenon’s list of internationals when he released his EP as Hypogeo, Wars, Worms and Whores. And now he’s followed that up with his first full-length effort, Tree of Lies. With six tracks weighing in at just under an hour, it’s a brutal yet hypnotic journey of thundering basslines and spooky atmospheres. The frigid ambience and frosted mechanical whirrings of Walking on a Frozen Lake bring to mind Predator awakening in an icy tomb, while on Plyomatik, twisted synths give way to a pulsing, staccato bassline and proggy woodblocks. Grigatti’s remix of label-mate Sensient’s Clusterfuck is another highlight, with its haunted-house wails and lurching pitch drop midway through. It’s a thoroughly dark album: you can clearly hear the gothic and industrial influences in the eerie pads and atmospheres, and the cruel, unrelenting basslines echo Grigatti’s death metal past. To celebrate the release of Tree of Lies, Grigatti is making with his first-ever appearance in Australia, playing at a festival called (awkwardly enough) Tree of Life. He assures
me that the resemblance in names is nothing but a strange coincidence. “It is not me making fun of the festival! Really. I was talking with the organiser, and we had a joke about it. He said, ‘It’s OK, you can still play here!’ But it’s a nice play with words, no?” Tree of Life, held in the last weekend of May, is in fact a launch event for a larger psytrance festival held in Izmir, Turkey. It’s a much-welcome addition to the Australian psytrance calendar, usually quite sparse over the winter months. The lineup is small but solid, featuring overseas talent such as Israel’s Mindwave, Symbolic and DJ Osho, UK contingent Dick Trevor and Green Nuns of the Revolution, as well as locals Ben Evans and Anomyst, among others. Held in an as-yet unnamed location somewhere in Victoria, it’s a good chance to get out of the city and get your
FEATURES
Morgan Richards Hypogeo [ITA] plays Tree of Life Australian Launch Event alongside Dick Trevor [UK], Green Nuns of the Revolution [UK], Mindwave [ISR] and more at a yet to be announced venue in the great outdoors of Victoria which takes place from Friday May 25 until Sunday May 27.
DJ AMADEUS INFECTIOUS: EDM
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a prolific and influential composer, no doubt. And the modern incarnation of the namesake feels his DJ name was appropriate given the fact that the younger Mozart was a significant influence on his life – especially when he was a youngster and training as a classical pianist. So it would be a bit of a culture shock, the whole moving from a communist colony in Ukraine to the land of the free and the home of the brave – and the best city in it. And Amadeus agrees. “Life in New York City is fantastic! I get to live, work and produce music in one of the most amazing cities in the world! And the weather has been great recently - very warm, sunny and clear skies.” Damn straight. And right now, plenty is going on in his backyard. “There is lots happening,” chimes Amadeus from his New York base. “I released my new vocal track Burn which is getting insane reactions worldwide and is receiving support from the likes of Paul Oakenfold and Fedde Le Grand. I’ve also played some great gigs recently: I performed at Circus in Canada and then Petergof Hall in Chicago and numerous venues in New York City. I also had the pleasure of co-headlining recent events with Bob Sinclar, Sharam and Behrouz. I really have a lot going on at the moment and I’m trying to stay focused on releasing and producing more tracks and to tour more globally.” Which is a challenge in itself – but then you’ve got to be relevant as well. “I always experiment and try to stay current but at the moment my favourite style is progressive house and electro. I’m always about energy; I enjoy seeing the crowd go crazy when nasty dirty synths come in or big bass lines hit after a big break down – and I always love melody, as I am a pianist. Crews like Swedish House Mafia, Avicii, Tiesto, Afrojack, Laidback Luke and Starkillers have influenced me a lot in the last year or so to point me in that progressive, electro direction. However, I have also love house and techno and I can be found spinning sets like this at afterhours spots.” Studio wise, he’s just finished a few tracks including another vocal piece titled Berlin featuring vocals by Mario Sebastian, as well as a further three ‘progressive bangers’ as he terms them. “Being able to share my music with other producers,
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doof on. I’ll leave you with some final inspiring words from our boy Nietzsche: “All nature’s power reveals itself here, amidst shivers of intoxication, to the highest, most blissful satisfaction of the primordial unity. I fucking love psytrance.”
DJs and especially fans and seeing them react and dance to what I have created is what certainly drives me!” he chimes. And barely catching his breath, he finishes with this: “as for the future – well, music production is always on top of my list. I am always trying to deliver new club stompers and to perform as much as I possibly can to build up my name and my sound.” Glad too, that the scene in the US has bounced back, Amadeus isn’t surprised with the amount of collaboration going on in the industry right now. “David Guetta is just one example of an artist who has collaborated with hip hop artists for example. Now the EDM scene is in high demand and stronger than ever. I see many clubs and festivals crossbooking genres on the same bill. So in my opinion, the EDM scene is as strong it has ever been. I can’t wait to see what the future will bring. It’s also great to have seen people becoming more educated and familiar with EDM when it comes to actual names of tracks and artists. I’ve also seen a lot of new fans emerge, meaning people who were only about hip hop or rock music are suddenly in the EDM scene. I think it’s great how wonderful and infectious this scene has become”. Finally, in relation to the tour, he’s all pent up and can’t wait to get down here. “I would describe my peak time sets as ‘big room’ sound oriented with high energy,” he says. “Most of the tracks I play are a combination of my original tracks, mash ups and those from artists who influence me. You can expect to hear original music that will move you and have you asking for more! My live show aspect is still being developed; but I feel safe to say that if I could have, it would have been visually stunning and interactive. I would have the live performances from the vocalists that are featured on my tracks and much more!” Until then, it’s the DJ Amadeus train that’s leaving the station. All aboard! RK DJ Amadeus [USA] plays at Fusion at Crown on Saturday May 26.
TOM VEK LACONIC SWAGGER: THAT CAN BE ARRANGED Tom Vek’s music exists in a place that is hard to put a finger on. Musically, it is driven by an obsession with production but Vek’s vocal overlay is drenched in a lurid laziness that attaches a cajoling sardonic humour to everything he sings about. “If certain ambiguous lyrics are delivered in that almost rhetorical way it seems as though they have this importance to them that you can’t quite decode,” expands the London based artist on his vocal styling. Back in 2005, when a 24-year-old Vek – born Thomas VernonKell – released his debut album We Have Sound, he was the toast of Shoreditch as he managed to straddle the trendy electro crossover scene as well as capture something almost literary with his music. “I think a big influence, the main influence on me, when I was growing up, was grunge,” explains the beautifully spoken Vek. He adds, “But also you had Beck’s records around then and another ‘90s band I’m particualry fond of called Soul Coughing, who I think were one of the biggest influences on particularly my vocal delivery.” On Vek’s songs like Nothing But Green Lights from his 2005 debut and the song A Chore from his most recent record, last year’s Leisure Sound, there is a languid laziness and hidden power in his voice that seems to makes his lyrics sound as though they are delivered by Al Pacino in one of his great speeches from The Godfather. Vek talks about this profound touch. “Beck and Soul Coughing were all dealing with this moody kind of atmospheric noir, this filmic element to it, slacker noir. I found it really really compelling so I think that I developed that atonal, almost spoken delivery. But you can pitch your voice when you talk so you are hitting notes, making it musical
without people noticing it.” When We Have Sound was released it hit a chord with the scene known as electro-crossover, or its more popular title nurave, that saw Vek slotted in with the likes of Hot Chip, The Bravery, Klaxons and also Calvin Harris. The Londoner talks about what it was like to be part of a ‘movement’. “There were quite a few London bands involved in that sound but we weren’t immediately connected. I mean The Testicles were friends of mine and I think they really summed up that sound really well and I think when Klaxon’s debut record came out a little bit after mine they also seemed to really chime with a younger audience with it developing into something quite exciting,” says a measured Vek. The six year break between We Have Sound and Leisure Sound, however, was not part of the aforementioned ‘slacker noir’ or the capitulation of ‘nu rave’. It was actually due to Vek suffering from a bit of OCD in the studio. “Looking back on it I was just waiting for just some more spontaneous music to come along because when I first sat down to write my second album I had all this time to think about it and I wasn’t making the music that I wanted. So there was a lot of tip toeing around and getting used to this new way of working and then just waiting for new music to come out that I liked.” As Vek talks about how two years turned into six he is believable, it seems legitimate that the long break was due to sonic obsession, not laziness or partying. He goes on, getting into more detail on what exactly caught all his attention. “It was just an extreme focus really as I’m into my technology and when you’re building a studio or music environment I think there were elements of kind of
‘mania’ that made it become somewhat of an obsessive yet distracted process because I was getting obsessed by all this new equipment.” Leisure Sound was preceded by single The Chore – a song with its title alone potentially being a broader allegory for the elongated period between Vek’s records. A cheeky Vek explains that he wanted people to read into the meaning of the title. “Look, the actual meaning behind the title is not quite as literal as it may seem, but I kind of liked just putting it out there and hearing all the discussions about what it might mean.” The workload that went into Leisure Sound was also hinted at visually in the album’s artwork. “If you look at the inlay cover of Leisure Sound there’s a picture
of my mixing desk that became an almost totemistic example of the neurosis that went into thinking that I was working on my album when in fact I was obsessing and tweaking equipment.” Finally Vek spruiks another London band, Kindness, who will be playing with him this Thursday at The Hi-Fi. “We have mutual friends, the Kindness and I, so I just saw them perform in London and they were amazing so you are in for a treat.” Dan Watt Tom Vek [UK] plays with Kindness [UK] and Jonathan Boulet [AUS] at The Hi-Fi on Thursday May 24.
DAVE PHAM CROWD READER: GENRE TERMINATOR Having a little bit of European blood in him can’t hurt; in fact, being born in Belgium might have a bit to do with the fact that Dave Pham is well attuned to a style of electronic music that deserves to be celebrated. Regardless of genre, he is particularly adept at reading a crowd and suitably delivering an experience without peer. He is considered one of Melbourne’s favourite sons for a reason – he is a wicked selector. And rocking a crowd is something that comes naturally to him. “Music has always been about freedom,” explains Dave. “It gives you the freedom to build something and to explore different sounds, do different things. It might involve music that people like to play or listen to – or it might not. But when you do it right, it can have impact.” Indeed, Dave has been invited to play a local show that turns the traditional party format on its head. “It’s about creating a space where locals can get a decent set time to play through a few different genres and have fun doing it. Some of the best parties I’ve been to have been where locals have played and upstaged internationals. This gig came about as a result of Dan’s desire – and it really is his baby. He really wanted to do a party where the emphasis was on local DJs. In the last four or five years there have been so many events with international acts – which is great for exposure, great for the scene and great for the music of course – but we sometimes forget about some of the great local talent that we have in Melbourne. So this concept was all about putting some of the attention back onto
the locals. It can be hard to be creative for one hour sometimes so giving people a little longer allows them to kind of take the dance floor onto a bit of a journey.” No less, the ninja skill in your building reckons he’s fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to express a lot of different ideas musically, over the years. “Sometimes it hasn’t been all rosy and stuff though,” he admits. “There were times when people thought they were going to hear something from me and then heard something else, so there was a bit of negative feedback sometimes. But that’s always going to happen – it’s all a part of the game. Other times, there were people in the crowd whose ears pricked up and they said, ‘Where can we hear that sound again?’ So in that regard it’s really positive; there’s two sides to every story I guess.” “And that’s how I see it. There are two ways to look at it – one is you get lucky and one is to say you make your own luck. I think I’ve been in both situations – I’ve definitely been lucky but in some ways I’ve created my own luck too. I’ve been asked to get involved in parties and have had the chance to support some great names; I hope that’s because I’ve been seen to be bringing something fresh to the table. I’m not necessarily trying to be original, but when I get involved in something, I get involved in it to a full extent.” Certainly then, his commitment hasn’t swayed. He is still as equally committed to pushing the boundaries as he’s ever been. “For me it’s about embracing this originality. I guess it’s about
being a part of something and keeping a finger on the pulse. Over the years, I’ve progressed my music style but I’ve always had one motivation and that has been to keep my music accessible. I think people can relate to that, honestly. In the last few years, I’ve stepped away from the more experimental or techno sound into a deeper and more melodic house sound because you can play it in a lot of different places. It can be a bar, a club, a restaurant or whatever. It can still be dark and deep, but I’ve always had a love of stripped back music so that part of me is still there.” A lot of this evolution, too, happened at a time when house, techno and electro were getting mashed up as a hybrid of different sounds. Yet the chin-strokers and purists complained that there was a disturbance in the force. They were wrong.
Having seen Pham play sets in the most diverse, obscure and sometimes rather challenging environments, I can attest to this: there are few better at being the DJ for the right time and place. Whatever that may be. An innate ability to read the crowd, coupled with an exceptional taste in music – regardless of genre – and one of the most warm and humble demeanours in the business make Pham one of the greats. To be sure, he has all the hallmarks of a superstar, without the attitude. Bring it, I say. RK Dave Pham [AUS] plays at New Guernica on Friday May 25.
LIGHT ASYLUM NEW YORK: NIGHT LIGHT First impressions are tricky. On first listen to Light Asylum, one could be forgiven for giving up on the Brooklynbased duo rather easily. Their dark and methodical electro requires a certain frame of mind and necessary amounts of patience to indulge in. Yet peel away the layers of their self-titled debut full length, and you’ll hear a band that has a keen ear for pop sensibilities – a band that is as concerned with how their music is seen as much as it’s heard. Which is why, when my interview with Light Asylum commenced, I was able to chalk up their childish demeanour to nerves. Shannon Funchess (vocals/percussion) and Bruno Coviello (synths/drum machine) have been subject to a barrage of press as Light Asylum, their debut full length, has been making the rounds. TV On The Radio and Yacht have taken notice, recently asking the band to open for them on handfuls of dates throughout the US. The band will be in Australia soon for the first time to perform at select cities, and their expectations are rather simple. “Only that we will wow them,” says Coviello, reached on the phone from the band’s Brooklyn practice space. This comment is followed by a round of snickering. “Hopefully they’ll like hearing the music live as much as they have listening to it recorded.” Coviello and Funchess are firm believers that the hooks within Light Asylum are prevalent enough and they will indeed woo their consistently growing fanbase. When pressed on the demanding nature of the music, both Coviello and Funchess immediately get their backs against the wall. Yet when it’s put to them that Light Asylum is so much more than simple background noise, they take their compliments in earnest and describe just how demanding it was to write and record the album.
And they insist Light Asylum is only the beginning. “We gave it our full attention,” says Funchess. “And we always try to be conscious of how much energy we put into it. This is only the introduction to the Light Asylum sound though. There’s much more to come.” The duo are in agreement that their sound is only in its embryonic stages, and that further growth and evolution is not out of the question. Still, the band has fortified a good base to work with. “Songs usually begin with a beat or a rhythm,” says Coviello of the song-writing process. “And that usually becomes the core of the energy. And from there we try to go from there. As far as pop sensibilities, we play a lot off each other and always try to just listen to stuff that sounds good. We try to go with that.” Funchess is quick to chime in, expanding on the question. For her, the move to Light Asylum, from In Tension, their debut EP, was a natural step for the band and it allowed them to continue on the path they sound incredibly focused upon. “We’ve always wanted to feature the sound, and really try to incorporate all the feelings that are an important part of this band,” she says, finally sounding sincere. “We wanted to set our sights higher and continue the evolution of the sound. The full length was the introduction to our sound, whereas the EP was more of an introduction to the band. Evidently, Light Asylum were keen to get the first impressions out of the way and move on rather quickly. The impression which the band is intent on leaving is as much a visual as it is an aural one. Light Asylum is rich in texture, which may owe in part to both Coviello and Funchess’s upbringing in art schools in New York. The balance between aural and visual is an important part of the band, Funchess insists. And it’s one she’d like to develop further.
“I wish we could incorporate more live visuals into our shows,” she says. “Hopefully as our fanbase grows, we’ll be able to support different artists of different mediums into our live show. As far as the imagery goes, I think it’s very important that we consider everything. It’s important for us to consider how to bring our songs to life.” “We’re into all mediums of art, we’re open to it. We’re artists as well. Bruno’s a renaissance man and I like surrealist painters,” she chuckles. There’s a biting sarcasm to the way she speaks, yet it’s not one that should beguile the band’s attempts to create an artistic platform that is ultimately engaging. After all, when Funchess is asked about the headspace the band has to get into to write their music, she’s content to flip the question and detail how much of their music is about surviving as it is creating. “It’s more about getting out of a headspace. We’re always trying to share what’s on our mind, be it exercising demons or maintaining a flow as far as our creative outlets are concerned. FEATURES
Sometimes we’re just trying to survive while living in New York, you know? When we signed with a record label, it was our intentions to reach a much bigger audience than the one we had, which was primarily just our friends in New York.” Light Asylum certainly owe a debt of gratitude to New York City for their sound. There’s a palpable frantic energy within their tracks, one which represents not only the pulsing nightlife of New York City, but also the art it ultimately creates. “In creating Light Asylum,” Funchess says, “we needed to have a balance between the light and the heavy.” Joshua Kloke Light Asylum [USA] hit up the Phoenix Public House with Nicky Da B [USA] on Friday June 1 and The Toff In Town on Saturday June 2 with Zola Jesus [USA] and Forces [AUS]. They also play Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday May 31.
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WEDNESDAY23RD COMPRESSION SESSION Reggae at E55 every Wednesday night. Resident selectors play stricly vinyl. Free entry. 8pm. E55, 55 Elizabeth St, Melbourne CBD
THURSDAY24TH DANNY BROWN AND M.E.D Bubbling up for years before last year’s XXX, Danny Brown caught much of the hip hop world’s attention with his LP The Hybrid but had previously appeared on records with as diverse a bunch of characters as fellow Motor City bad man Guilty Simpson and G Unit’s Tony Yayo. M.E.D triumphantly returned in 2011 with his second LP Classic, flanked by the single Where I’m From with Aloe Blacc. An emcee adored by producers like Just Blaze, J Dilla and Madlib, M.E.D has appeared alongside the aforementioned as well as Oh No, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Odd Future member Hodgy Beats, Kurupt, Karriem Riggins, Talib Kweli and many many more. Prince Bandroom, 29 Fitzroy St, St Kilda
RHYTHM-AL-ISM Start the weekend early with Fusion’s Resident DJs. Music for your funkin’ soul. Special guests every week! Fusion, Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank
FRIDAY25TH FAKTORY This is it. Faktory Fridays are open for business at Melbourne’s home of R&B, Khokolat Bar. Where else? Damion De Silva, Ken Walker, Durmy, K Dee, Simon Sez, Yaths and Jacqui Dusk spinning all night long. Khokolat Bar, Basement, 43 Hardware La, Melbourne
LIKE FRIDAYS Like Fridays at La Di Da serves up R&B and electro house across two rooms giving you a fun filled end to your week. DJs Dinesh, Dir-X, Sef, NYD, Shaun D, Shaggz, Broz and more. La Di Da, 577 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
SWEET NOTHING FRIDAYS DJ Marcus Knight and DJ Xander James spin hip hop, R&B and house tunes all night from 8pm. Free entry and early drink specials. Temperance Hotel, 426 Chapel St, South Yarra
THE NICE UP Tom Showtime presents The Nice Up. All flavours of hip hop, ghetto funk and reggae niceness provided. Sailor Jerry nice up the cocktails, Dos Blockos nice up the $5 beers. Fridays done proper. George Lane Bar, 1 George Lane, St Kilda
SATURDAY26TH KHOKOLAT KOATED All new experience, same great location with a fresh koat of Khokolat. Restless Entertainment reloads your favourite Saturday night party. Damion De Silva, K Dee, Jay Sin and weekly guests playing R&B & ol’ skool sounds strictly for the urban elite. Khokolat Bar, Basement, 43 Hardware La, Melbourne
UPCOMING DAVID DALLAS One of New Zealand’s most gifted wordsmiths, David Dallas’s notoriety in the world of hip-hop is welldeserved. Now one of the most valued lyricist on the Dirty Records roster, it was early on in his days as a rapper that now-labelmate P-Money was quick to spot the prodigious talents of the new kid comin’ up - recognition that led to Dave’s searing verse on
Not Many – The Remix, and promptly kicking off his career. The song heralded the arrival of an untapped rap talent that New Zealand hip hop scene was quick to make room for - Dallas is now armed and ready to take on Australia with a solo debut album that’s soon to be released. Simply and accurately titled Something Awesome, it’s set to have other artists within the scene reassess their own rap blueprints. Friday June 8, The Espy, 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda
TONY TOUCH
A.Skillz, The Nextmen, The Bamboos and Urthboy, the release of Tom’s debut album The Jam Thief has been a long time coming and is sure to be one of Melbourne’s finest releases this year. Is it a block party, laneway festival or album launch? No one really knows, but it’s guaranteed to be the most talked about event of the Queen’s Birthday Weekend. Performing with his new band (Zvi Belling on bass and Conrad Tracey on drums) for the first time, George Lane will be transformed into the perfect setting with a freshly painted RekaOne mural, bringing to life this unique combination of music and art. Featuring support from some of Melbourne’s best talent, Cajun food from gumbo kitchen and plug seven record stalls. Sunday June 10, George Lane Bar, 1 George Lane, St Kilda
Hip hop icon Tony Touch is a true innovator - having sold over a million records worldwide and has revolutionised the DJ game over and over. Beginning as a B-Boy during the rap music renaissance era of the early ‘80s, Tony was heavily influenced by pioneers such as the Rock Steady Crew, Grandmaster Flash, Red Alert,’Little’ Louie Vega, and Jam Master Jay, finding himself drawn to the potential that rested with the turntables. Nowadays, Tony is known for his legendary mix tapes and record releases, demonstrating a keen understanding of how to make a dancefloor move. The C.E.O, artist and producer has recently turned his attention to a seventh commercial release titled The Piece Maker 3: Return of the 50 MCs, and is expected to make history once again. Friday June 8, The Espy, 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda
DJ Profile: DJ Grandmaster Vicious
RAP CITY Launching in 2010, Rap City brought DJ Premier, The Beatnuts, Masta Ace and Edo G to Melbourne, and it’s returning in 2012 bigger than ever! Jesus Christ, talk about a comeback. Featuring an all-class lineup of rap royalty, this year’s headline slots have been claimed by none other than Wu-Tang’s Ghostface Killah, alongside East Coast hip hop king DOOM, Bronx native Chino XL and Killah Priest. Clear your motherfucking diaries. Saturday June 9, The Forum, Melbourne
TOM SHOWTIME LAUNCH
ALBUM
Tom Showtime’s many guises make him a beguiling figure to behold within the Melbourne music scene. Primarily known for his DJing skills, he’s also a producer, café owner, saxophonist and gramophone enthusiast with a fondness for everything from be-bop to breaks and everything in between, punters may recognise him as that dude who manages to juggle jamming out on a sax and spinning tunes all in one performance. Beginning to collect and spin records in London back in the early 2000s, his return to Melbourne was followed by the release of his first EP, The Showtime with the acclaimed EP3013 following it up in similar style. Characterised by a love for sampling old funk, Latin and jazz records and admired by fellow artists such as
What was the first ever tune you bought? I bought four albums the first time: Sex Pistols Nevermind the Bollocks, Gun’s N Roses - Appetite For Destruction, N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton and The Clash - London Calling. What’s the most played tune in your box? DJ Kool - Let Me Clear My Throat Which toy or game best describes you and why? A sex toy cos’ I’m only doing my job if your happy in the pants. What do you dislike the most about DJing? Being treated like a jukebox especially when people request a song that makes no sense. …and like the most? Seeing a sea of smiling faces and dancing bodies from the Dj box. Warm fuzzy feelings all round. Favourite DJs/influences and why? DJ Z-Trip, 2manyDJs and Grandmaster Flash because these guys rock parties bigger than anyone. In your opinion, what is the worst dance track ever produced and why? That Crazy Frog track - that was fucking awful. Two years from now, where do you wanna be? Still rocking like i have since 1997. What’s your favourite saying? “Fuck you and yours!”
M.E.D CLASSIC: CALI Oxnard MC M.E.D (aka Medaphoar) took his time putting out his second LP, 2011’s Classic, but the delay between it and 2005’s Push Comes To Shove wasn’t spent in idle repose. In the meantime he featured widely in collaborations with Hodgy Beats, Kurupt, Just Blaze and Madlib, to name only a few. When the time did come to record Classic, M.E.D called upon artists he knew well to help out. “The project was put together by me and a lot of my personal close homeboys like Madlib and Alchemist. It’s a real homegrown project you know, so everybody I deal with is who I actually do deals with.” He tells me there was no real pressure to release the album, which means he could relish the simpler aspects of recording music. “One thing about making music is it’s just good to put your thoughts on paper and going to the studio and hearing the final product man, and it when it moves people it’s real special.” This feeling carried on to the final product. “It’s just heartfelt music man, it’s stuff that I wanted to get off my chest when I wrote the album, so I hope people enjoy it.” There’s more work to be done, and M.E.D isn’t sitting back now that his LP has been released. Getting Classic heard is his top priority. “Right now I’m still focused on getting the album out to a lot of people. I think a lot of people actually missed the project…” he laments. “With the overload of music on the blogs and the radio not spreading good music, they just play what they get paid to play. I’m just still working this project right now, I mean, it’s the main thing. I want everybody to catch on, I don’t want anybody to miss this, I’m going to give it a real big push right now.”
Asking M.E.D if he has lived in California his whole life brings out a genuine display of pride and enthusiasm. “Yeah I’m a Cali-baby,” he laughs. “I’m a universal artist though, I’m not strictly like a West Coast rapper, I mean I grew up on N.W.A. like everybody else out here. “I used to listen to a lot of jazz when I was younger,” he continues, “so just because I grew up in Cali, didn’t close me in or anything but I definitely know that it was the biggest influence on myself because I’m a child of the Californian streets.” M.E.D will join Fools Gold artist Danny Brown on their first Australian tour, playing select cities before hitting Vivid Live in Sydney. Brown isn’t one of M.E.D’s usual homeboy’s though, as he openly explains: “I haven’t even had the chance to meet the cat yet. We are connected through a lot of homeboys in Detroit though and they all know each other.” The thought of coming to Australia is a mixed one for M.E.D, primarily due to the fearsome reputation of our border security. He wryly admits, “I’m very, very excited about this. I mean, I heard it’s real strict, I don’t know how strict it is though, but I don’t mind getting through customs.” Claire Rosenberg
ALBUM LAUNCH WORKERS CLUB WITH ANDRAS FOX SUN JUNE 10 & THE TOWNHOUSES (QUEENS’ B’DAY EVE)
M.E.D [USA] plays alongside Danny Brown [USA] at Prince Bandroom on Thursday May 24. They also both place at the Sydney Opera House studio as part of Vivid LIVE on Friday May 25.
URBAN
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WHERE TO NEXT?
Y P A S
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T U R I
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T. 1 9 8 9
TM
Call 1300 304 614 (landline only)
or 03 9614 3441 Application forms available at Police Stations
29th Apartment 29 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9078 8922
Love Machine Cnr Lt Chapel & Malvern Rd, Prahran, 9533 8837
303 303 High Street, Northcote
Lucky Coq 179 Chapel St, Windsor, 9525 1288
Abode 374 St.Kilda Rd, St.Kilda
The LuWOW 62-70 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9417 5447
Albert Park Hotel Cnr Montague & Dundas Pl, Albert Park, 9690 5459
Mercat Cross Lvl 1, 456 Queen St, Melb, 9348 9998
Alia Lvl 1, 83-87 Smith St, Fitzroy, 9486 0999
Mink 2 Acland St, St Kilda, 9536 1199
Alumbra Shed 9, Central Pier, 161 Harbour Espl, Docklands, 8623 9666
Miss Libertine 34 Franklin St, Melb, 9663 6855
Back Bar 67 Green St, Windsor, 9529 7899
Misty 3-5 Hosier Ln, Melb, 9663 9202
Bar Open 317 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9415 9601
Mockingbird Bar 129 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9534 0000
Baroq House 9-13 Drewery Ln, Melb, 8080 5680
Musicland 1359A Sydney Rd, Fawkner, 9359 0006
Bendigo Hotel 125 Johnston St, Collingwood 9417 3415
Neverland 32-48 Johnson St, South Melb, 9646 5544
Bennetts Jazz Club 25 Bennetts Ln, Melb, 9663 2856
New Guernica Lvl 2, Hub Arcade, 318-322 Lt Collins St, Melb, 9650 4464
Bertha Brown 562 Flinders Street, 9629 1207
Night Cat 141 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9417 0090
Big Mouth 168 Acland St, St.Kilda, 9534 4611
Night Cat 279 Flinders Ln, Melb, 9654 0444
Billboard 170 Russell St, Melb, 9639 4000
Noise Bar 291 Albert St, Brunswick, 9380 1493
Bimbo Deluxe 376 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 8600
Northcote Social Club 301 High St, Northcote, 9489 3917
Birmingham Hotel Cnr Smith & Johnston St, Fitzroy
Old Bar 74 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9417 4155
Black Cat 252 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 6230
One Twenty Bar 120 Johnston St, Fitzroy
Blue Bar 330 Chapel St, Prahran, 9529 6499
Onesixone 161 High St, Prahran, 9533 8433
Blue Tile Lounge 95 Smith St, Fitzroy
Order Of Melbourne level 2, 401 Swanston St, Melb, 9663 6707
Boutique 134 Greville St, Prahran, 9525 2322
Palace Hotel 893 Burke Rd, Camberwell
Brown Alley King Street, Melb,9670 8599
Palace Theatre 20-30 Bourke St, Melb, 9650 0180
Brunswick Hotel 140 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9387 6637
Palais 111 Main Rd, Hepburn Springs, 5348 4849
Builders Arms 211 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
Palais Theatre Lower Esplanade, St Kilda, 9525 3240
Cabinet Bar 11 Rainbow Alley, Melbourne, 9654 0915
Papa Goose 91 Flinders Ln, Melbourne, 9663 2800
Caravan Music Club 95 Drummond St, Oakleigh
Penny Black 420 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9380 8667
Caseys Nightclub 660A Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, 9810 0030
Pier Live Hotel 508 Nepean Hwy, Frankston, 9783 9800
Caz Reitops Dirty Secrets 80 Smith St, Collingwood, 9415 8876
Pony 68-70 Lt Collins St, Melb, 9662 1026
CBD Club 12-14 McKillop St, Melb, 9670 3638
Portland Hotel Cnr Lt Collins & Russell St, Melb, 9810 0064
Chaise Lounge Basement, 105 Queen St, Melb, 9670 6120
The Prague Hotel, 911 High St, Northcote, 9495 0000
Chandelier Room 91 Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin, 9532 2288
Pretty Please 61c Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9534 4484
Chelsea Heights Hotel Cnr Springvale & Wells Rd,
Prince Bandroom 29 Fitztory St, St Kilda, 9536 1168
Chelsea Heights, 9773 4453
Prince Of Wales 29 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9536 1168
Cherry Bar AC/DC Ln, Melb, 9639 8122
Public Bar 238 Victoria St, North Melb, 9329 6522
Chi Lounge 195 Lt Bourke St, Melbourne, 9662 2688
Purple Emerald Lounge Bar 349 High St, Northcote, 9482 7007
Co. Lvl 3, Crown Complex, 9292 5750
Railway Hotel 280 Ferrars St, South Melb, 9690 5092
Colonial Hotel (Brown Alley) Cnr King & Lonsdale St, Melb, 9670 8599
Red Bennies 371 Chapel St, South Yarra, 9826 2689
Commercial Club Hotel 344 Nicholson St, Fitzroy, 9419 1522
RedLove Lvl 1, 401 Swanston St, Melb, 9639 3722
Cookie Lvl 1, 252 Swanston St, Melb, 9663 7660
Retreat Hotel 226 Nicholson St, Abbotsford, 9417 2693
Corner Hotel 57 Swan St, Richmond, 9427 9198
The Retreat Hotel 280 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9380 4090
Cornish Arms 163 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
Revolt Elizabeth St, Kensington, 03 9376 2115
CQ 113 Queen St, Melb, 8601 2738
Revolver Upstairs 229 Chapel St, Prahran, 9521 5985
Croft Institute 21 Croft Alley, Melb, 9671 4399
Rochester Castle Hotel 202 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9415 7555
Cruzao Arepa Bar 365 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 7871
Rooftop Cider Bar, Cnr Swanston & Flinders St, Melbourne, 9650 3884
Cushion 99 Fitzroy St, St.Kilda, 9534 7575
Room 680 Level 1, 680 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, 9818 0680
Damask 1/347 Burnswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 4578
Roxanne Parlour Lvl 3, 2 Coverlid Pl, Melb
The Drunken Poet 65 Peel Street, West Melbourne, 9348 9797
Royal Derby 446 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 2321
Der Raum 438 Church St, Richmond, 9428 0055
Roal Melbourne Hotel 629 Bourke St, 9629 2400
Ding Dong Lounge Lvl 1, 18 Market Ln, Melb, 9662 1020
Ruby’s Lounge 1648 Burwood Hwy, Belgrave, 9754 7445
Dizzy’s Jazz Club 381 Burnley St, Richmond, 9428 1233
Saint Hotel 54 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9593 8333
Double Happiness 21 Liverpool St, Melb, 9650 4488
Sandbelt Live Cnr South & Bignell Rd, Moorabbin, 9555 6899
E:55 55 Elizabeth St, Melb, 9620 3899
Scarlett Lounge 174 Burnley St, Richmond, 9428 0230
East Brunswick Club 280 Lygon St, East Brunswick, 9388 2777
Seven Nightclub 52 Albert Rd, South Melb, 9690 7877
Edinburgh Castle 681 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
Spensers Live 419 Spencer St, West Melb, 03 9329 8821
Electric Ladyland Lvl 1, 265 Chapel St, Prahran, 9521 5757
Spot 133 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9388 0222
Elwood Lounge 49-51 Glenhuntly Rd, Elwood, 9525 6788
Standard Hotel 293 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy, 9419 4793
Empress 714 Nicholson St, Nth Fitzroy, 9489 8605
Star Bar 160 Clarendon St, South Melb, 9810 0054
Espy 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda, 9534 0211
Station 59 59 Church St, Richmond, 9427 8797
Eurotrash 18 Corrs Ln, Melb, 9654 4411
Stolberg Beer Café 197 Plenty Rd, Preston, 9495 1444
Eve 334 City Rd, Southbank, 9696 7388
Sub Lounge & Restaurant 168 Elizabeth St Melb, 0411 800 198
Evelyn 351 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 5500
Sugar Bar (Hotel Urban) 35 Fitztroy St, St Kilda, 8530 8888
Ferntree Gully Hotel 1130 Burwood Hwy, Ferntree Gully, 9758 6544
Temperance Hotel 426 Chapel St, South Yarra, 9827 7401
Festival Hall 300 Dudley St, West Melbourne, 9329 9699
Thornbury Theatre 859 High St, Thornbury, 9484 9813
First Floor 393 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 6380
Tiki Lounge 327 Swan St, Richmond, 9428 4336
Forum Theatre 154 Flinders St, Melb, 9299 9800
Toff In Town Lvl 2, 252 Swanston St, Melb, 9639 8770
The Fox Hotel 351 Wellington Street, Collingwood, 9416 4957
Tony Starr’s Kitten Club 267 Lt Collins St, Melb, 9650 2448
Fusion Lvl 3, Crown Complex, Southbank, 9292 5750
The Tote Hotel 67 Johnson St, Collingwood, 9419 5320
The Gallery Room 1/510 Flinders St, Melbourne, 9629 1350
Town Hall Hotel 33 Errol St, North Melbourne, 9328 1983
Gem Bar & Dining 289 Wellingston St, Collingwood, 9419 5170
Trak Lounge 445 Toorak Rd, Toorak, 9826 9000
George Basement, 127 Fitzroy St, 9534 8822
Tramp 20 King St, Melb
Gertrude’s Brown Couch 30 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, 9417 6420
Transport Hotel Federation Square, Melb, 9654 8808
Grace Darling Hotel 114 Smith St, Collingwood, 9416 0055
Trunk 275 Exhibition St, Melbourne, 9663 7994
Grandview Hotel Cnr Heidelberg Rd & Station St, Fairfield, 9489 8061
Tyranny Of Distance 147 Union St, Windsor, 9525 1005
Great Britain Hotel 447 Church St, Richmond, 9429 5066
Two of Hearts 149 Commercial Road, Prahran
Grind N Groove 274 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville
Union Hotel Brunswick 109 Union St, Brunswick, 9388 2235
Grumpy’s Green 125 Smith St, Collingwood, 9416 1944
Veludo 175 Acland St, St Kilda, 9534 4456
Gypsy Bar 334 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 0548
Victoria Hotel 380 Victoria St, Brunswick, 9388 0830
HiFi 125 Swanston St, Melb, 1300 843 4434
Wah Wah Lounge Lvl 1, 185 Lonsdale St, Melb
Highlander 11a Highlander Lane, Melb, 9620 2227
Wesley Anne 250 High St, Northcote, 9482 1333
Hoo Haa 105 Chapel St, Windsor, 9529 6900
Westernport Hotel 161 Marine Pde, San Remo, 5678 5205
Horse Bazaar 397 Little Lonsdale St, Melb, 9670 2329
Willow Bar 222 High Street, Northcote, 9481 1222
Iddy Biddy 47 Blessington St, St Kilda, 9534 4484
Windsor Castle 89 Albert St, Windsor, 9525 0239
Jett Black 177 Greville St, Prahran
Workers Club 51 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9415 8889
John Curtin Hotel 29 Lygon St, Melb, 9663 6350
Workshop Lvl 1, 413 Elizabeth St, Melb, 9326 4365
Khokolat Bar 43 Hardware Lane, Melbourne, 039642 1142
Yah Yah’s 99 Smith St, Fitzroy, 9419 4920
La Di Da 577 Lt Bourke St, Melb, 9670 7680
The Vine 59 Wellington St, Collingwood, 9417 2434
Labour In Vain 197A Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 5955 Lomond Hotel 225 Nicholson St, East Brunswick
www.keypass.com.au
Longroom 162 Collins St, Melbourne, 9663 9226 Loop 23 Meyers Pl, Melb, 9654 0500 Lounge 243 Swanston St, Melb, 9663 2916 The Lounge Pit 386-388 Brunswick St, Fitzroy 9415 6142
16.
VENUE DIRECTORY
FOR MORE VENUES, VISIT:
BEAT.COM.AU/VENUES