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MELBOURNEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EPIC SATURDAY CLUB NIGHT

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THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE

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Fulfilling Fantasy: With Fantastic Mr Fox FOR MORE UP TO DATE NEWS GO TO BEAT.COM.AU

ONTOUR LUKE SLATER [UK] Friday December 28, Brown Alley

UPCOMING

DECEMBER/JANUARY

FALLS FESTIVAL: SBTRKT [UK], COOLIO [USA] + MORE

Saturday December 28 – Tuesday January 1, Lorne TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS [UK] Saturday December 29, Corner Hotel LET THEM EAT CAKE: KERRI CHANDLER [USA], THE GASLAMP KILLER [USA] + MORE Tuesday January 1, Werribee Park SUMMADAYZE: THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS [UK], M.I.A [UK], MARK RONSON [UK] + MORE Tuesday January 1, Sidney Myer Music Bowl MARCELLUS PITTMAN [USA], PSYCHEMAGIK [UK] Tuesday January 1, The Bridge KRAFTY KUTS [UK], A-SKILLZ [UK], CAMO & KROOKED [UK] + MORE Tuesday January 1, Brown Alley ASTRIX [ISR], ANGY KORE [ITA], MIN & MAL [ITA] Tuesday January 1, Royal Melbourne Hotel SBTRKT [UK] Wednesday January 2, Billboard DE LA SOUL [USA] Thursday January 3, The Espy RUSTIE [UK], ROSKA [UK], XXXY [UK] + MORE Friday January 4, Brown Alley CHAPELIER FOU [FRA] Saturday January 5, The Toff In Town HOT CHIP [UK] Wednesday January 9, The Palace PLEASUREKRAFT [USA] Sunday January 22, Revolver Upstairs CRYSTAL CASTLES [CAN] Tuesday January 22, Billboard THE BLOODY BEETROOTS [ITA] Thursday January 24, The Palace CLAUDE VONSTROKE [USA], JUSTIN MARTIN [USA] Friday January 25, Brown Alley SOUL CLAP [USA] Friday January 25, The Liberty Social RAINBOW SERPENT: GUY J [ISR], CHRISTIAN SMITH [SWE], PETER VAN HOESEN [BEL] Friday January 25 - Monday January 28, Lexton BIG DAY OUT: THE BLOODY BEETROOTS [ITA], KASKADE [USA], CRYSTAL CASTLES [CAN] + MORE Saturday January 26, Flemington Racecourse WOLFGANG GARTNER [USA], PROXY [RUS], HUORATRON [FIN] Saturday January 26, Royal Melbourne Hotel JESSIE WARE [UK] Wednesday January 30, Prince Bandroom SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA [SWE] Thursday January 31, Sidney Myer Music Bowl Friday February 1, Sidney Myer Music Bowl ABOVE & BEYOND [UK] Saturday February 2, Hisense Arena HOLY OTHER [UK] Tuesday February 5, Workers Club EL-P [USA] Wednesday February 6, Corner Hotel JACKMASTER [UK], SHLOHMO [USA] Friday February 8, The Liberty Social ULTRAMAGNETIC MCS [USA] Saturday February 9, The Espy BICEP [UK] Sunday February 10, Revolver Upstairs MACKLEMORE [USA], RYAN LEWIS [USA] Tuesday February 12, The Palace Saturday February 16, Corner Hotel BLAWAN [UK], MARCEL DETTMANN [GER] Friday February 15, Brown Alley LUNICE [CAN] Saturday February 16, Revolt Artspace DAMIAN LAZARUS [UK], SUBB-AN [UK], SHAUN REEVES [GER] + MORE Sunday February 17, TBA PICTUREPLANE [USA] Sunday February 17, The Liberty Social DIXON [GER], HUXLEY [UK] Friday February 22, Prince Bandroom MOODYMANN [USA] Friday March 8, Prince Bandroom FANTASTIC MR FOX [UK] Saturday March 9, The Liberty Social GOLDEN PLAINS: MOODYMANN [USA], JULIO BASHMORE [UK] + MORE Saturday March 9 - Monday March 11, Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL: THE PRODIGY [UK], DIZZEE RASCAL [UK], BOYS NOIZE [GER] + MORE Sunday March 10, Flemington Racecourse

REAL TALK

I am most likely totally drunk as you are reading this. Happy holidays, y’all. See you on the other side. Tyson Wray

Lunacy: With Lunice

Lunice Fermin Pierre II has taken over the asylum because his sound is crazy, his vibe is inconceivable, and his appeal boundless. In a little over a year, Lunice had managed to capture the attention of the world, with an eclectic sound and out-of-the ordinary production capability. He’ll be featured by The Operatives as part of Espionage at Revolt Artspace in Kensington on Saturday February 16. Joining him will be Dizz1 with a full love band, along with Cosmo, A13, NAM, JPS and more.

Summer Beats Soundsystem: Captain Hook

Just added to the extraordinary Summer Beats Soundsystem bill, for an epic finale set, is Israeli progressive trance star Captain Hook. From the people who brought you Earthcore, St Kilda Festival and Brunswick St Festival dance music stages, Solar Empires’ next summer spectacular lands New Year’s Day. Captain Hook will join country-mate Astrix, Italy’s Angy Kore’s and Min&Mal, local lads Suntribe, DJ Ozzy, Mishchief, Ben Evans, Tech Aid, Pakman, Killa, Lucca Tan, Robert Anthony, Punkz on Junk, Herc Kass, Chris Meehan, Ken Zo, Miss Behaviour, Jules Plees, Psydtrak and Adam Small! It’s on at Royal Melbourne Hotel on New Year’s Day. Check out solarempire.com.au for more information.

Combine three of Melbournes prolific dance party crews with three visionary international artists and you have a formula for a party that is unbeatable. Loud, Riot and Solar Empire to bring you one of the biggest names in electro, Wolfgang Gartner, hot on the heals of his latest album release alongside Russian heavyweight Proxy and Finish overlord Huoratron. Surrender yourself at RMH The Venue on Saturday January 26

Grouse: Pictureplane

Pictureplane has a compelling way of merging deep blend house, noise, synth pop, darkwave, psychedelia, world music and trippy new age space-time theories into emotionally compelling soundscapes. With music that is deeply emotive and with an unconventional punk rock-like approach, Pictureplane is bringing all of this to The Liberty Social. With local support from Romy whose ‘90s house flavoured music is a nostalgic delight and Roland Tings, a man renowned for an incredible live show the show is set to be an aural delight. It’s all happening at The Liberty Social on Sunday 17 February.

Managing Editor: Ronnit Sternfein ronnit@beat.com.au Editor: Tyson Wray tyson@beat.com.au 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: Rebecca Houlden Cover Design: Pat O’Neill Advertising Senior Sales: ronnit@beat.com.au (03) 8414 9710 Taryn Stenvei taryn@beat.com.au Fashion and Beverages: Tegan Butler tegan@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 UP TO DATE

To celebrate the fact that we are still on Earth and able to chow down on delicious bird seed and worms, two of the most talented and current electronic musicians in the world will be migrating south to our sunny shores: Marcel Dettmann and Blawan. Marcel played a fantastic sold out show just a year ago with his fellow European Deutscher buddy Ben Klock and the same can be said for Blawan with Pariah. Brown Alley will never be the same again. Support comes from Child, Darius Bassiray, Audixx, Jacob Malmo and more. It’s on at Brown Alley on Friday February 15.

Espionage: Spies, Lies and Highs

The team behind Espionage – The Operatives – have put together a belter of a lineup set to sneak into Liberty Social in February. LA’s Shlohmo has rocketed onto the industry’s radars in recent months with his lofi, psychedelic mix of abstract hip hop, bouncy synthfunk, breezy trip hop, and what sounds like lost Mo’ Wax gems from an alternate future. He’ll be joined by the very talented Jackmaster, Silent Jay, Able8 and more at Liberty Social on Friday February 8.

Heating Up: Boiler Room

Since its beginnings in March 2010, Boiler Room TV has hosted a long list of elite artists, revolutionising the way we listen and experience music. A household institution already, Boiler Room TV is a series of small invite-only DJ sets and live performances broadcast live onto the Internet. Hosting the biggest and most exclusive names in dance music including Jamie xx, Lone, Caribou, Jonti and James Blake, Boiler Room TV is finally making waves in Australia. Boiler Room TV will broadcast live for Sugar Mountain Festival on Saturday 19 December and at The Bottom End on Sunday 27 January.

DJ Profile: FLIP3000 (aka FLIP3k)

Tekstep: Gippsland Wonderland

The infamous Tekstep crew is back with a three-day celebration of beats and bass in the beautiful Victorian bush. Friends, good music, massive soundsystem, camping, fishing and bushwalking. Drum and bass, breaks, dubstep, reggae, dub and bass/breakbeat music from a huge selection of Melbourne’s finest and most passionate DJs and crews. What better way to spend a weekend? The beautiful, lush venue for this event is located two hours from Melbourne and features plenty of camping space, rivers, fishing, bushwalking tracks, toilets/showers and even cabins/beds for those who like their luxuries. Artists confirmed so far include Dub FX, MC Pab, Hans DC, Safire, Finna, Citizen.com, Matty Blades, Kodiak Kid, C:1, Roln, Beatski, SpinFX, Raider, Lickweed, Heartical Hi-Fi Outernational, Stryker D, CTOAFN, J Chau, (Twisted Audio National DJ competition winner), Lex, Frederick and more. It’s on from Friday February 9 Monday February 11 in Gippsland.

Electric Owl: Blade Runnin’ with Marcel Dettmann and Blawan

Party Profile: No Frills NYE With Hands In The Air Man

Lockdown: Jail Rave

RESPONSIBLE:

Based in Manchester but originally from Wolverhampton, Fantastic Mr Fox has been producing since the age of 14, gradually taking elements from a variety of genres and adding them to his sound. Following releases on Hemlock and Black Acre Recordings, he was asked to support Mercury music prize winners The XX on their American tour, alongside Warpaint and Zola Jesus. Now, he’ll be rippin’ and tearin’ at Espionage in March, alongside Fugitive, Sean Deans and Edd Fisher. It’s on at Liberty Social on Saturday March 9. More information to be released soon.

Where’s the strangest place you’ve woken up? On top of a rooftop of a high rise apartment building in Hong Kong. Describe yourself using the title of a song. Club Therapy - Peace Division What was the weirdest thing you believed as a child? Cemeteries were always situated in the middle of town. Thanks dad. The most awkward moment you’ve had as a DJ? Having your equipment die mid set is not fun. Standing in front of a crowd trying to cool down the overheated amp by fanning it with my vinyl is up there. Rocking up to a gig and having forgot to pack your laptop – stupidest thing I’ve done recently. What would be the worst dance track in the world to be tortured with on repeat? Watch MTV for two minutes and pick a song at random - Anything Pitbull, LMFAO or Swedish House Mafia. What’s the most played record in your bag? Serato Control Record? This year has been a bit of a Justin Martin year – anything off Ghettos & Gardens. What question would you like to ask an omniscient, all-knowing being before you die? Can I watch a highlights reel of my life? If you hadn’t made it as a DJ, what job would you choose to work in instead? Anything where I’m not in front of a computer all day. A photographer, or maybe a real estate guy. Having a collection of dapper work suits would be nice. When and where is your next gig? What’s Doing?! at on Workshop Saturday December 29, Tribe NYD at Brown Alley on Tuesday January 1 and No Parlay Boat Party on Saturday January 19.

For those that don’t know, what exactly is No Frills NYE and how did it get started? No Frills NYE started four years ago, we got sick of these over charged parties over crowded venues and they are usually not as good as it sounds on paper. So we decided to do something about it. The first one was more of a party for our immediate friends, and over the year friends of friends, regulars and locals have made it their little tradition to spend NYE with us at Lucky Coq. We are opening our doors as per usual 11.30am and closing them at 3am, there will be no cover charge, free pool table, free BBQ (during the day) no inflated prices no super star DJs (just our favourite ones). You’re known now as the mascot for No Frills NYE, how does one become a mascot, are you appointed or did you dance your way into it? Funny you ask, I actually danced my way in, as a matter of fact this is how they’ve spotted me, I was standing in the crowd dancing like a fanatic, hands in the air. One of the staff came up to me and told me I was the representation of what one should be on NYE; happy, dancing, a little crazy and always a smile on. In the time you’ve been involved with Lucky Coq and No Frills NYE, are there any crazy moments that stick out? Every time I’m on the dance floor, it’s a memorable moment. You’re not a fan of overcrowded venues or expensive drinks, how does No Frills NYE counteract those concerns and help the cause? Lucky Coq is one of these joints, no pretention just good intentions; it’s one of the only venues on Chapel Street that’s not charging on the door at NYE. They are keeping their prices low so it doesn’t hurt your wallet! What do you think are the ingredients to the perfect NYE party? Good music, good people and make sure you’ve got a drink and a few girls around you for the count down! What kind of music can people expect and is there a genre that really gets you going on the dance floor? Hip hop, R&B, soul, funk and a heap of party tunes will be played upstairs from 7pm and electro, house, disco downstairs from 9pm. Are there any specific moves you like to break out or do you just go where the rhythm takes you? Always go with the rhythm and in the air shaking my dancing pants. Can people expect to see you at Bimbo Deluxe the next day, or are you leaving up to the last minute? Yes you will, it’s only a quick ride to the north side, I’ll probably swing home for a quick nap and then it’s party time on the roof top of Bimbo Deluxe! Free BBQ, DJs and sunshine, nothing wrong with this. And this year they have a massive surprise for us but I can’t say much more than he is a DJ and it’s going to be huge!

THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE

100% NEW YEAR’S GUIDE SUMMADAYZE

ORALE

MAD HATTER NEW YEAR

When is it? New Year’s Day Where is it? Sidney Myer Music Bowl Who’s playing? The Chemical Brothers, M.I.A, Knife Party, Maya Jane Coles, Fedde Le Grand and heaps more. What sort of shit will they be playing? The latest and greatest party tunes, from house to techno to dubstep to trance and a whole lot more. What’s the crowd going to be like? The usual Summadayze crowd of champions. What’s the wallet damage? $133.95 plus booking fees. Where can we get tickets from? Ticketmaster.

When is it? New Year’s Eve Where is it? Lounge Who’s playing? Moonshine, Matt Radovich and Mugen. What sort of shit will they be playing? Tasteful bounce strappin’ club music. What’s the crowd going to be like? Tastefully bounce strappin’. What will we remember in the AM? That sex usually takes place behind closed doors. What’s the wallet damage? $15. Where can we get tickets from? At the door! Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? Where else would you be?

When is it? New Year’s Eve Where is it? Plan B, 274 Bridge Rd, Richmond Who’s playing? DJ iLLpRintz What’s the crowd going to be like? Dressed up like Alice And Wonderland. What’s the wallet damage? Free. Where can we get tickets from? Plan B. Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? Come join us for an awesome time! $20 beer bucket and Sangria special all night long!

PLATFORM 28’S NEW YEAR’S EVE 1920S PARTY When is it? New Year’s Eve Where is it? Platform 28, 82 Village Street, Docklands Who’s playing? Jack Newman and Georgia Sinclair . What sort of shit will they be playing? Commercial house, top 40 and party favourites . What’s the crowd going to be like? Mid 20s-40s . What will we remember in the AM? Fabulous costumes, great drinks, awesome atmosphere. What’s the wallet damage? $140 – four hour drinks and nibbles package. Where can we get tickets from? Call 9670 9933. Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? Awesome atmosphere – the party others wish they went to!

NU-DISCO NU-YEAR’S EVE

NO FRILLS NYE

When is it? New Year’s Eve Where is it? Beer DeLuxe Federation Square. Who’s playing? Kasey Taylor, Dublin Aunts, Jason D’costa, Kultrun, Andrew Slattery, Mark Santa, Scotty D, Nathan Fuller and George Shakalakka. What sort of shit will they be playing? Celebrate New Year’s Eve by grooving all night long to wild disco beats from Melbourne’s best DJs playing nu-disco, deep house, classic and funky tech house beats. What will we remember in the AM? Your name. What’s the wallet damage? $30 or $120 with drinks package Where can we get tickets from? Phone Jason( 0450 997 126), Adam (0410 621 421) or email nye2012@beerdeluxe. com.au

When is it? All day and all night on New Year’s Eve. Where is it? Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel Street, Windsor, over two levels. Who’s playing? Your mum and some of our favourite DJs. What sort of shit will they be playing? Electro, house, disco (downstairs); hip hop, R&B, soul, funk (upstairs). What’s the crowd going to be like? Mix crowd of friends, local regulars and a bunch of broke people. What will we remember in the AM? Depends on what you’ve been “drinking”, taking pictures might be the way of reviving the memory in the early morning. What’s the wallet damage? None, free entry, no inflated prices. The damage will all depend on your ability to drink/ eat. Where can we get tickets from? No need for that. Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? Because we will be finishing 2012 in a massive kaboom!

LET THEM EAT CAKE

RIVERLAND’S NEW YEAR’S EVE

When is it? New Year’s Day Where is it? Werribee Park Who’s playing? Flying Lotus, Kerri Chandler, Theo Parrish, The Gaslamp Killer, Mathew Jonson, Pearson Sound and many more What sort of shit will they be playing? House, techno, hip hop, breaks, dubstep, glitch hop, and everything else that makes you move What’s the crowd going to be like? Totally up for it! What will we remember in the AM? That you were part of the first Let Them Eat Cake Festival experience. What’s the wallet damage? Final tickets are on sale check letthemeatcakenyd.com.au for up to date prices. Where can we get tickets? See above. Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? Let Them Eat Cake is a New Year’s Day offering a boutique electronic music festival. Dress for the

When is it? New Year’s Eve Where is it? Riverland Bar Who’s playing? Liz Millar and Anthony Pollard. What sort of shit will they be playing? Funky house with a splash of commercial dance and R&B. What’s the crowd going to be like? Relaxed, excited, friendly, up for a party. What will we remember in the AM? Watching the fireworks from our outdoor decks. What’s the wallet damage? $156 (or $146 for groups of 10+ in one transaction). Where can we get tickets from? riverlandbar.com Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? Drinks, food and dancing under the open sky at all at one of Melbourne’s most iconic venues, what more could you want?

garden party of your life as we roll out a cornucopia of the world’s finest DJs and live performers, art installations, food fit for a queen, and a royally decadent atmosphere. Journey far from the maddening crowds to a spectacular garden site full of sound systems, secret cocktail bars and a queens ransom of arty treats. Your new year is born in unimaginable pleasures. Let us eat cake.

KHOKOLAT BAR NYE

SOCIETY’S NEW YEAR’S EVE

TRIBE NYD

When is it? New Year’s Eve Where is it? Khokolat Bar, 43 Hardware Lane, Melbourne CBD Who’s playing? Damion De Silva, AK, K Dee, Durmy, Jay Sin, Lightning, Yaths, Halfcuts and Fallacy. Hosted by Estelle - Big Brother finalist 2012. What sort of shit will they be playing? R&B, old school, and commercial anthems What’s the crowd going to be like? Lovers of R&B and alcohol. Who else? What will we remember in the AM? Probably nothing after a long night of dancing, drinking, and listening to the best tunes What’s the wallet damage? $25 pre-sold tickets, $30 guestlist, $35 general admission at the door. Where can we get tickets from? Through restless.com. au via PayPal, or call 9426 0800 for credit card payments.

When is it? New Year’s Eve Where is it? Society Restaurant Who’s playing? Derek {K}, Jules Jay, Tony Crea, Todd Watson and Christina James. What sort of shit will they be playing? House music, party tunes and R&B. What will we remember in the AM? Great night with great music What’s the wallet damage? $130 per head standard package (includes canapes, selected spirits, imported beers, premium wine, champagne and unlimited cocktails). Where can we get tickets from? societyrestaurant. com or Mark on 0435 951 412.

When is it? New Year’s Day Where is it? Brown Alley Who’s playing? Krafty Kuts vs A-Skillz, High Contrast, S.P.Y, Logistics, Camo & Krooked, Pyramid, Specimen A, M-Phazes, Flagrant and many more! What sort of shit will they be playing? Lots of funky beats and big basslines! What will we remember in the AM? Dancing with your Tribe and the layout. What’s the wallet damage? $80-$90. Where can we get tickets from? Moshtix, Polyester Records, Alley Tunes and Brown Alley. Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? We are converting the venue into a massive three layer tribal themed playground featuring a unique interactive decor setup, cutting edge lighting displays and mind bending visuals.

SUMMER BEATS SOUNDSYSTEM When is it? New Year’s Day Where is it? RMH the Venue, 629 Bourke St, Melbourne. Who’s playing? Astrix, Min&Mal, Angy Kore, Suntribe, DJ Ozzy, Mish’Chief, Ben Evans, Tech Aid, Pakman, Killa, Lucca Tan, Robert Anthony, Herc Kass, Punkz on Junk, Chris Meehan, Ken Zo, Miss Behaviour, Jules Plees, Psydtrak and Adam Small. What sort of shit will they be playing? Absolutely killer techno and trance. What’s the crowd going to be like? Fun for the whole family, even your mum. What will we remember in the AM? What was I thinking again? What’s the wallet damage? Second round $55, final round $75 then more on the door Where can we get tickets from? solar-empire.com.au Give us one final reason why we should we start

FLASHBACK TO THE ‘80S When is it? New Year’s Eve Where is it? Botanical, 169 Domain Rd, South Yarra Who’s playing? Plastic Fantastic What sort of shit will they be playing? ‘80s. What’s the crowd going to be like? People ready to throw down some retro dance moves. What will we remember in the AM? 20% will remember how good I made their night and 80% per cent wouldn’t remember a thing as they will be passed out Where can we get tickets from? At the door or thebotanical.com.au Give us one reason why we should we start off 2013 here? If you want to dance, dance, dance and feel electric then you really should come along, as not only will you be hearing the hits you love but it will also entice you into an ‘80s web and pass onto you some tracks you either forgot or need to bond with.

10.

off 2013 here? Why?! Really, you need to ask why? Here’s why! At our NYD party you will find no spiritual enlightenment whatsoever, absolutely no true love and not a single ounce of cosmic awareness. What you will find however is a epic onslaught on all your senses, the destruction of all your New Year’s resolutions and a long, long repeated “I’m never going out again” inner speech that last well into the following week and beyond!

THE BOATBUILDERS YARD’S NEW YEAR’S EVE When is it? New Year’s Eve Where is it? The Boatbuilders Yard Who’s playing? DJ Mad Hatter. What sort of shit will they be playing? Funk, soul, reggae, afro beat, Latin, disco, culminating in modern electronic beats. What’s the crowd going to be like? 25-45. What will we remember in the AM? An epic night of fireworks, tall ships, slide shows, and dancing. What’s the wallet damage? $156 including booking fee. Where can we get tickets from? Online at theboatbuildersyard.com.au Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? Best view of Melbourne fireworks and no other party has a DJ on a historic ship!

COVER STORY

MELBOURNE CENTRAL LION TRAFFIC LIGHT PARTY When is it? New Year’s Eve, 9pm Where is it? On Level 3 Melbourne Central, 211 Latrobe St. Who’s playing? BOUNCE, DJ Jono Earle and DJ Johnny Gurr. What sort of shit will they be playing? House, top 40, some ‘90s and classics thrown in plus R&B in the back room What’s the crowd going to be like? Fun loving and ready for action! What will we remember in the AM? That foxy guy/gal dressed in green who shouted you a traffic light shot and danced the night away with you. What’s the wallet damage? $25 pre-sale. Where can we get tickets from? Tickets from the bar, or on the night at the door. Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? Heaps of fun. Live music and giveaways all night!

HEAVY INNIT + SPACEWALK’S NEW YEAR’S EVE RAVE

ROYAL DERBY HOTEL’S NEW YEAR’S EVE MASQUERADE BALL

When is it? New Year’s Eve. Where is it? Laundry Bar Who’s playing? 2Fuddha, A13, Able8, Affiks, Arctic, Baddums, Big Baby Justin, Boomba, Carmex, Chronic Sans, Elliot, Gingus Khan, Jelly Fish, Kodiak Kid, Lady Banton, Nam, Onetalk, Polat, Rachel Haircut, Sizzle and Spinfx. What sort of shit will they be playing? Dubstep, footwork, grime, drum and bass, trap, hip hop and dancehall. What’s the crowd going to be like? Non-muscular and shirt wearing. What will we remember in the AM? Hopefully how to get home. What’s the wallet damage? $10. Where can we get tickets from? On the door.

When is it? New Year’s Eve Where is it? Royal Derby Hotel, 446 Brunswick St, Fitzroy Who’s playing? Andy Pala. What sort of shit will they be playing? Retro house funk. What’s the crowd going to be like? If it’s anything like our locals, some seriously fun party-harders. Mainly 25 and older. What will we remember in the AM? The masks. The glitter. The glory What’s the wallet damage? $10 on the door after 9pm. Where can we get tickets from? You can email enquiries@royalderbyhotel.com.au or call 0411 099 908. Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? You will meet the love of your life (this is not a Mayan prediction)

NOIR 5 When is it? New Year’s Eve – 9pm until dawn. Where is it? Level 3 (Fusion and Co.) Who’s playing? Timomatic, Helena, Seany B, Brooke Evers, DJ Tuini, Ed Coleman. What sort of shit will they be playing? House, R&B, commercial dance, ‘90s mash ups and old school. What’s the crowd going to be like? Smart and sexy. What will we remember in the AM? The epic five places which you partied all night long at and the view of the Yarra River fireworks. What’s the wallet damage? $60. Where can we get tickets from? Ticketek. Give us one final reason why we should we start off 2013 here? Noir 5 will be the biggest New Year’s event in Melbourne. With five places to party, over 20 DJs and a view to die for from the Studio 3 deck overlooking the Yarra River fireworks, Noir 5 is not to be missed.

THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE

11.

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

WEDNESDAY26TH 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

MIDNIGHT SOUL ENSEMBLE Whether it’s a DJ on the one’s and two’s side by side with a drummer hitting the skins while jammin’ away into the night, or soul singers gracing our humble stage performing Erykah Badu tribute songs over wonky future beats, or hip hop DJs cuttin’ up Serato records, we got the mid-week party. You know you wanna. Free entry Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne

SOUL ARMY

MIDNIGHT SOUL ENSEMBLE

EDEN SATURDAYS Smashing it every week at Melbourne’s hottest looking venue! Top 40 dance, house and R&B 9-3am, then electro from 3am - 5am. DJ Ontime, DJ Ryza, Scotty Erdos and Azza M. $15/$20, free entry after 4am. Eden, 163 Russell St, Melbourne

LOUNGE-CLUB Dazzling disco lights? Check. Big dance floor? Check. Stage to dance on? Check. Music all night long? Check. We got Melbourne’s finest purveyors of music. You’ll get funk, boogie, disco, house, Latin, afro, techno and much more. LoungeClub happens every weekend from 10pm and it’s free entry. 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

HOT STEP

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

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

LAUNDRY WEDNESDAYS

SATURDAYS AT ONE TWENTY BAR

Deep, dark, minimal dubstep and drum and bass. Laundry Bar, 50 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

THURSDAY27TH 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

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

FUN HOUSE Celebrate Thursday night at Co. with club classics and dance floor anthems. Co., Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank

FRIDAY28TH GET LIT Get Lit every Friday night with Mugen & D’fro slicin’ n dicin’ over jiggy beats and underground anthems. Bounce to the ounce, and get yer “drank” on! And kids remember one thang, in the wise words of Lady: this pussy be yankin! YOLO. Free entry. From 10pm. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne

CQ FRIDAYS The weekend starts here! Get on down for after work drinks from 5pm with DJs Marcus Knight, Mark Pellegrini, Nick Van Wilder & DJ Anferny getting your weekend started right. 5pm til 3am. CQ, 113 Queen St, 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

FREEDOM PASS Friday’s at Freedom with 2 premier clubs, 5 huge rooms, 10+ local and international DJs blending their unique sets across countless styles of tunes – vocal house, smooth R&B, electro and commercial top 40. Throw in a few sexy podium dancers, a world-class lights show and drink specials, the Freedom Pass is your personal ticket to a night you won’t soon forget! Fusion, Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank

PANORAMA 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

SATURDAY29TH

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DJ CKass will take you on a musical journey to the retro sounds of the ‘70s and ‘80s, followed by Top 40. One Twenty Bar, 120 Johnston St, Fitzroy

SOUND EMPIRE Co. At Crown’s Saturday night party Sound Empire this week features mega sounds from resident DJs Tate Strauss, Miss Sarah, Nova, Johnny M, Matty G, Dean T, Joe Sofo, Marcus Knight, Dinesh, Chris Ostrom, B-Boogie and Sarah Roberts. Co., Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank

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

TEMPERANCE SATURDAYS DJ Marcus Knight & DJ Xander James drop sexy house, dance and drum and bass all night from 8pm. Free entry. Temperance Hotel, 426 Chapel St, South Yarra

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

Whether it’s a DJ on the one’s and two’s side by side with a drummer hitting the skins while jammin’ away into the night, or soul singers gracing our humble stage performing Erykah Badu tribute songs over wonky future beats, or hip hop DJs cuttin’ up Serato records, we got the mid-week party. You know you wanna. Free entry. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne

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

SUNDAY30TH 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

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 and 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

NEW YEAR’S EVE & NEW YEAR’S DAY Time to awwwwwn down. The biggest two partying days of the year are here and there are so many damn parties on that we can even begin to list them all. Not sure which to pick? Slide on back to page 10 and have a look at our round up of all of the parties that we think you should lose your shit at. Bonza!

WEDNESDAY2ND COQ ROQ Rocking Wednesdays at Lucky Coq are rotating DJs Lady Noir, Agent 86, Kiti, Mr Thom, Joybot and guests giving you

ESSENTIALS

SATURDAY5TH EDEN SATURDAYS Smashing it every week at Melbourne’s hottest looking venue! Top 40 dance, house and R&B 9-3am, then electro from 3am - 5am. DJ Ontime, DJ Ryza, Scotty Erdos and Azza M. $15/$20, free entry after 4am. Eden, 163 Russell St, Melbourne

LOUNGE-CLUB Dazzling disco lights? Check. Big dance floor? Check. Stage to dance on? Check. Music all night long? Check. We got Melbourne’s finest purveyors of music. You’ll get funk, boogie, disco, house, Latin, afro, techno and much more. LoungeClub happens every weekend from 10PM and it’s free entry. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne

FIRST FLOOR SATURDAYS

Deep, dark, minimal dubstep and drum and bass. Laundry Bar, 50 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

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

THURSDAY3RD 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

FUN HOUSE Celebrate Thursday night at Co. with club classics and dance floor anthems. Co., Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank

FRIDAY4TH GET LIT Get Lit every Friday night with Mugen & D’fro slicin’ n dicin’ over jiggy beats and underground anthems. Bounce to the ounce, and get yer “drank” on! And kids remember one thang, in the wise words of Lady: this pussy be yankin! YOLO. Free entry. From 10pm. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne

FORBIDDEN

SOUTH SIDE HUSTLE

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

LAUNDRY WEDNESDAYS

WEEKEND The brain child of the creative kids at 360 Agency and Seven Nightclub. The Weekend is here to put a smile on your dial every Saturday night. We want you to join the family. Dancing from 10pm weekly. Seven, 52 Albert Rd, South Melbourne

RETRO SEXUAL FRIDAY

Forbidden’s venue is going to wow all those that attend through its state of the art sound and lighting system, an amazing balcony overlooking Russell and Bourke Streets and is located in the heart of the city. Forbidden will feature some of the hottest DJs in Melbourne including Anyo, Rufio, Stefan C, Alex Da Kid, Galo, Timmy Edgell and Azza-M. Forbidden is the hottest place to be on a Friday night – the location has just changed. Free entry applies to everyone between 8pm – 9pm and happy hour will run for 3 hours! Eden, 163 Russell St, Melbourne

FRIDAY NIGHT LOFT PARTY Kitty Schmidt couldn’t find quality dance music in Fitzroy so she’s decided to open up her bedroom doors. Living above Melbourne’s stalwart lesbian/gay Libation Bar, she’s now throwing a monthly party in her boudoir. Come into her renovated upstairs loft, cocktail bar, dance floor and smoking terrace. With quirky house, deep disco and erotic electronica being spun by Marvin Roland, Mr. Pyz and Kitty Schmidt DJs. Libation, 302 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

HOT STEP 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

TEMPERANCE SATURDAYS DJ Marcus Knight & DJ Xander James drop sexy house, dance and drum and bass all night from 8pm. Free entry. Temperance Hotel, 426 Chapel St, South Yarra

SUNDAY6TH SOUTH SIDE HUSTLE 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

MONDAY7TH 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

TUESDAY8TH 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

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THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE

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EDDIE HALLIWELL BULLET: IN BANGKOK From his humble beginnings as a bedroom DJ in Lancashire, international trance kingpin Eddie Halliwell has come a long way. Named Mixmag’s DJ of the Year twice, hosting Fire It Up Radio, which reaches 13 million listeners worldwide and holding residencies in some of the UK’s top clubbing brands, including Goodgreef and Gatecrasher, Eddie Halliwell will soon be returning to Australia to play next year’s Summerdayze festival. 100% caught Halliwell back in the UK, fresh off the release of his new single Bullet In The Gun and a nightmare flight to Bangkok. Just back from playing the Superbeat Music Festival in Bangkok and straight into interviews, Halliwell explains the events behind his recent Twitter posts and why he nearly missed the gig due to flight delays. “I just got back [from Bangkok]. Had a nightmare with flights and scheduling. I was connecting through Finland… and the flight had been cancelled and it was all going to be rescheduled the following day at eight in the morning.” Luckily, a connecting flight to Bangkok and a prodigious amount of disgruntled Tweets saw Halliwell to the gig, days before the release of his single. With a hectic schedule since his Bangkok gig Halliwell has been gradually obtaining feedback from his remix of the classic Bullet In The Gun, released last Wednesday. Halliwell has been grateful to hear it first from fellow DJs. “I’ve not seen too much of it but [I’ve had feedback] on Twitter, messages from people enjoying it,” he says. “Most feedback I’ve been getting has been creeping and crawling out of the DJs. Getting some good feedback from the DJs that have been playing it.” Featured alongside Halliwell on the single is remixes from fellow DJs Gary Maguire and Refracture. Though Halliwell

had his track listed alongside theirs he admits that the process behind Bullet In The Gun was segregated, with Halliwell not having contact with the other artists. “Everyone was doing their own sort of thing. I mean I was just one of the people asked to do the remix.” Though Halliwell admits he believes the segregation allowed him to bring his own interpretation to the song. “I tried to just put the sound in of now and from the other productions that I’ve done… [I took] the sounds that people seemed to sort of enjoy in the sets that I play and bring it into that remix.” For Halliwell, road-testing a track is an essential part of finding what works and what doesn’t. “To date, I’ve been fortunate to have the time to road-test things. Which, to be honest, is very important for me,” he admits. “The more and more you get into production you get deadlines and might not have that opportunity to do it but I think by playing stuff out it gives you such a different feel from working on something in the studio.” Having a chance to road-test some new material at Summerdayze on New Year’s Day, Halliwell compares the advantages of the festival gigs to smaller, intimate gigs. “I like both… I like the intimate gigs because people can see what you’re doing. You’re very close to your audience,” he says. “But on the flipside to that, if you play a big track on a big stage the reaction can be phenomenal. So they’re two completely different gigs, but I like them both.” Shaun Cowe Eddie Halliwell [UK] plays Summadayze on New Year’s Day, Tuesday January 1, at Sidney Myer Music Bowl alongside M.I.A. [UK], Knife Party [AUS] and more.

ASTRIX SUMMER BEATS: ASTRAL AVI The year just gone has been an exciting one for Avi Shmailov. “I’ve been touring a lot and while in the studio, I started exploring different streams of psychedelic and progressive trance,” he says. “The result was that all my recent releases have been different from one another and the feedback and appreciation I got from fans and fellow producers has been so huge that I decided to keep this kind of ‘unpredictable’ music-making and just keep rolling with music as I go along!” Indeed, captivated by the sounds of psy and trance from an early age, the youngster felt it had the right dose of elements that appealed to him: “it was the power of the bass and the emotion of the uplifting melodies. I am a very emotional guy and I find techno a bit too cold for my personal nature. I do love to be influenced by it, but for me, trance is a story telling kind of music and that’s the kind of soundtrack that I prefer to produce at the studio for my fans. Trance music has evolved a lot since the early Goa days but in a way, I try to keep that spirit in all my tracks as it represents a soundscape that I never get tired of and would like to keep inside, all my music while enhancing my technical skills and production values all the time.”

For the lad, a move from Georgia in the former USSR to Israel was a family decision made when he was very young. But all for good reason, because he suggests that at the moment, the local trance scene in Israel is booming. “There are some of the best party vibes I have ever experienced here – even when comparing to other hot spots around the world,” he describes. “There is a new generation of partygoers and crowd here which is very pure, and when they return the love to you while playing, it’s elevating and overwhelming. I am very happy that our home base of Israel has been growing in such a fine manner, as it is the source of our power!” In the studio too, Avi has remixed some tracks for Juno Reactor, Sub6, Easy Riders & Symbolic; he has also collaborated with other local legends Infected Mushroom – the track titled Astrix on Mushrooms will be out on their upcoming Infected Mushroom & Friends EP in January 2013. “I also released the opening track on Ace Ventura & Rocky (aka Easy Riders) compilation New Order 3 as well as two digital EPs and a few free download mixes of my Trance for Nations sessions. Also in the oven is a special two-track project together with the mighty D-Nox!” Keeping busy in

DJ ILLPRINTZ ILL SKILLS: BANGKOK BEATS From his formative days on the competition circuit through to residencies at venues such as The Lounge and Republika and his years living in Thailand, DJ iLLpRintz has been forming quite the résumé. The seasoned Melbourne native, real name Luke Ryley, emerged in 2004, a time when the sound of breakbeats still wafted through local venues, before the large scale proliferation of EDM and clubbing brands. “There were a lot of smaller parties being thrown by amateur promoters and/or DJs, and warehouse parties were really popular,” explains the congenial Ryley. A music lover and “failed guitarist”, he gravitated towards DJing thanks to his love for hip hop and was further inspired to get behind the decks by the instant gratification that comes with it. “As I started to play gigs it became more about the enjoyment and challenge of making people dance.” It was at this time he first learned about the challenges of being a DJ and the skills needed to truly keep a crowd moving. “As most DJs will tell you, getting the floor going and keeping it that way can be a lot harder than it seems.” Evolving his style over time, iLLpRintz has brought in more electronic vibes into his live sets and can now be heard blending hip hop with electronic sounds. These party-rocking skills will be in full effect as he takes over the decks at Plan B in Richmond this New Year’s Eve, performing an expansive nine-hour set. “I get the opportunity to really dig deep into the collection and not only play what’s hot right now, but also get through a lot of the classics from a few different genres,” Ryley enthuses. Always looking to ride positive waves, the veteran DJ has played NYE gigs at numerous venues since getting started. “I’ve been really lucky over the years playing every year for as long as I can remember. I’m looking forward to playing at Plan B this NYE, it’s one of the best

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venues in Richmond.” One of the ingredients that makes Ryley such a unique and complete DJ entity is the three years he spent living and performing in the party centric Thailand. Navigating his way around his new surroundings, he became an established promoter and performer. “Bangkok has an amazing nightlife once you scratch the surface and find the hot spots.” In his time there he linked up with many fellow DJs and industry types, and more importantly met his future wife. Thanks to Thailand’s notoriously humid climate, Ryley also became strongly acquainted with the phenomenon of the rooftop party. “The parties we organised were thrown on some of the lushest rooftops Bangkok has to offer.” As lovers of music and dance, it wasn’t difficult to attract locals (and tourists) to his events, drawing 300-plus people through Facebook promoting alone. “The great thing about organising a party over there was if you invited people, they would come.” When not on the rooftop, he experienced another uniquely Thai phenomenon, the full moon party. Ryley rocked Koh Tao, an island near the full moon party central of Koh Phangan. “Playing New Year’s Eve on the beach there, with people out on the sand as far as the eye could see was a highlight.” Ryley manages to sandwich studio production work in between the gigs and a day job. The owner of the Digital Labs imprint, he’s currently looking to finish off a couple of half-done projects. “It’s near impossible to find time. If I’m not at work I’m preparing for a DJ gig. I’m on holidays now so hopefully it’s a chance for me to get back into the studio.” Andrew ‘Hazard’ Hickey DJ iLLpRintz [AUS] plays at Plan B in Richmond on New Year’s Eve, Monday December 31. FEATURES

the studio it seems is all part of the arrangement. Finally, he describes how he is returning to Australia for what will be his fifth visit. “It’s a magical country Australia! I do love coming over there and experiencing that ‘other side of the world’ vibe; it’s really far from Israel and I always develop expectations along the long journey there but I am happy to report that so far each visit has been rewarding and fulfilling and my gut feeling tells me this coming New Year’s Day party will be a gig to remember, so I would like to thank Spiro and Peter for their ongoing support and professional vision. Keep it real!” And expect with that, the man’s set will be built entirely from his own edits, productions and remixes. “My sets are 100 per cent my own music,” he professes with pride. “That includes remixes and collaborations as well as can be expected. I start more progressive and build up to fullon mania, depending on the length of my set. I am very happy with the journey that I present but I wouldn’t say that I mix too many genres as I feel that it’s all about trance in events where I play, from deep and progressive to full on and psychedelic; but you wouldn’t catch me playing a commercial club anthem or a monotonic techno prison – trance music is the soundtrack of my life!” RK Astrix [ISR] plays Summer Beats Soundsystem at Royal Melbourne Hotel on New Year’s Day, Tuesday January 1, alongside Captain Hook [ISR],Angy Kore [ITA] Min&Mal [ITA],DJ Hal [UK],Suntribe [IND] and more.

A.SKILLZ TRICKATECHNOLOGY: TRIBAL WARFARE A.Skillz, aka Adam Mills, recently got his two sons’ names tattooed onto his forearms. The UK DJ and producer is well known in the breaks world, having started out smashing out sets at FabricLive, Spectrum, Chew The Fat, Supercharged and more. 100% chats with the ever-so-friendly gent about James Bond, his friendship with Krafty Kuts and returning Down Under. Adam Mills is legendary in the breaks scene. The UK DJ and producer is known for his unique mixing and scratching, fierce productions skills and ability to fuse funk, hip hop and breaks into his party-rocking, reputable sets. Now, punters will get another opportunity to see Mills smash out another epic set alongside UK DJ and producer and long time collaborator Krafty Kuts at Tribe NYD. “I’m so happy I get to come back again because I was not expecting to, it’s only the fact that we’re [Krafty Kuts and A.Skillz] doing it together that it sort of gave me the opportunity to come back. It’s a real privilege to be invited back,” Mills says down the line from the UK, having just got up for the day. Mills is in the midst of putting together a DJ mix with Krafty Kuts in the studio and preparing edits for their forthcoming tour Down Under. However, punters shouldn’t expect to hear a strictly TrickaTechnology set when the lads play Tribe. “We got booked for this gig last year and someone decided to put on the flyer that it was a TrickaTechnology show; we didn’t decide to start touring it [TrickaTechnology], we just did a gig together and went about playing it at the same time and then other people saw the way they presented that name and they just started using it and then people started calling it the ‘TrickaTechnology sound-system’ or whatever. “So it’s not like we’ve been working on an album together or anything like that. We’ve put together a few tracks together for an EP which hopefully we’re going to drop before we come out to Australia. We actually just remixed TrickaTechnology – just a track – we thought it’d be a thing worth doing so we’re just finishing that up at the moment.” Krafty Kuts and Mills recently made a 50 Years Of Bond mini mix and Mills says there may even be some Bond edits running through their set at Tribe. But first, Mills needs to actually see Skyfall to maintain credibility. “It’s unbelievable that I haven’t actually seen it [Skyfall] which is so bad because I feel like I put all of that work into that Bond mix!” he says, chuckling. “And the crazy thing is, I live right opposite the cinema and it’s on ever single night. It just seems to me that I don’t quite get around to doing it. When something’s on your doorstep, you always go ‘I’ll go next week’... maybe if I’m lucky I’ll get to see it on the flight over to Australia. I’m actually desperate to see it. I know Krafty has seen it and he loved it. To be honest, I do like the more recent ones, I like them all but I think Daniel Craig is the absolute man; I think Casino Royale is a brilliant film. We’ve been starting our shows with a couple of little Bond things actually. We’re working on our intro today and what exactly we’re going to do but there will be a few little Bond moments in there.”

“We got booked for this gig last year and someone decided to put on the flyer that it was a TrickaTechnology show; we didn’t decide to start touring it [TrickaTechnology], we just did a gig together and went about playing it at the same time and then other people saw the way they presented that name and they just started using it and then people started calling it the ‘TrickaTechnology soundsystem’ or whatever.” But, even if Mills doesn’t get to see Skyfall on the flight over to Australia, it won’t be able to dent his tour experience Down Under; after all, Australia is one of his favourite places to tour. “Honestly, I think some of my most fondest memories – and I’m not just saying this – are actually in Australia when we [Krafty Kuts and A.Skillz] first came over together the first time,” he says. “That, for me, was a massive jump from not doing loads of gigs to my first [big] show. It probably would’ve been Breakfest actually back sort of ten years ago and that was probably one of first times coming out doing a really big show with Krafty together. That was actually one of the most bizarre shows because it’s so hot and there were bugs everywhere and they were going crazy all over the decks. I’ve never seen anything like it and it was like 40 degrees. I know it’s totally normal for you guys but for us, it was bizarre and you know, the first time there at the amphitheatre and it was absolutely insane.” Aside from Tribe, Mills is currently working on an EP to be released early next year and is hoping to really get his label Jam City off the ground too. “I’ve been working with a few people to put out an EP – not really big names – much more people that I’ve found through my travels and I have got another track coming out with Nick Thayer which is going to be on the label that he’s signed to, OWSLA, as part of his EP on that. Because I’ve got Jam City, I’m probably going to put my own EP out on that,” he says before chatter about a forthcoming Canadian tour and several remixes which are on the agenda. “It’s just prioritising what’s important.” Annabel Maclean A.Skillz [UK] plays Tribe at Brown Alley on New Year’s Day, Tuesday January 1, alongside Krafty Kuts [UK] and more.

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FEATURES

FLYING LOTUS LET THEM EAT: LAYER CAKE It’s four o’clock in the morning, and I’m about to call Steven Ellison — better known as Flying Lotus. I’m aware of two things: a) it’s far too early to be awake, and b) if I weren’t so tired I probably would be quite nervous. Ellison picks up. After some confusing introductory chitchat in which I accidentally introduce myself as writing for Beat Radio, Ellison says abruptly, “You sound like you’re stoned.” After a long pause, I awkwardly try to explain it’s really because it’s four in the morning and I’ve only just woken up and might be a bit out of it and it’s all due to the fact that the interview slot was originally planned for Australian time but I’m actually in France at the moment and... “Four in the morning? What the hell are you doing calling me at four in the morning? You could’ve called any time today and you waited until four in the morning to call. You’re crazy.” Ellison is laughing and then we’re both laughing. I’m crazy. Well, at least the ice is broken, sort of. I assure Ellison that I haven’t been smoking marijuana prior to our interview, and neatly segue into my next question. Does Ellison have any plans to move state, after the recent successful ballots in Washington and Colorado? “No. I mean, it’s just weed, man. I don’t need to move to Washington to get high. In fact, I feel like it’s gonna take off in California. It’s only a matter of time. It pretty much feels legal here anyway for the most part.” So what’s Ellison up to right now? “I’m just kinda in the lab at the moment. Just playing around with ideas. I know I’m happy.” For a notorious perfectionist like Ellison, being “in the lab” is just the start of a long and meticulously albumwriting process. As well as each track being honed to the point of excellence in its own right, a lot of the work lies in making sure the album fits together and flows in a certain way. “I spend so much time on that. Because a lot of the things I make here, they’re just drafts until it’s time... like, I really like this, it’s time to develop it. So I sit on a lot of drafts. And when I believe it, then it becomes something. “The place I always pull from is my childlike innocence, or enthusiasm, really, more than innocence; my enthusiasm for the arts and being a fan of art of music. I really love to play with that. I’ll never forget what it’s like to be a fan of stuff. When I get into something I really go in, like, it becomes my world for whatever length of time I’m into it. I get obsessive about shit. “Right now, I’m obsessed with manga. I’ve been reading a lot of manga like a fucking 14-year-old American boy. I’m reading manga like it just came out. It’s awesome. I’m really into it at the moment.” With that in mind, it’s more than likely Ellison will have a few manga comics in his carry-on when he flies over later this month for a brief Australian tour. He’ll be debuting his brand-new live show, Layer 3, for the Let Them Eat Cake festival on New Year’s Day. If I were running the festival, I’d probably jestingly refer to it as his “Layer Cake” show. But I’m not, so I’ll be quiet. Ellison reveals that the concept of the show is something he’s been mulling over for a while — it’s just taken a while to make it happen. “It’s funny, because this is a show that I imagined happening maybe like two or three years ago. To me, it always seemed very simple. But a lot of the people around me were like, I don’t know if that could work, it seems really difficult. And there were a few people around who tried to make it way more grandiose than it needed to be. Once we just simplified it the way it was meant to be, it came together really quickly. The show was kinda developed within two months of working on it. After having this idea for so long, it was like, ‘how the fuck did we wait so long to build this thing?’ “The way it works is there are two projections that are happening, and I’m in between the projections. There’s a rear-projected screen and a front-projected screen and with the imagery that we have on them, it gives the appearance that there’s a 3D show happening in front of you.” It all sounds pretty complex, especially given that both screens are actually programmed on-the-fly. Ellison explains that ... “Yeah, well it is. I’m really lucky with the show because some of my really good friends are working on it. It really helps things because they know my style and my sensibilities and they know the things that I like. We all talk about the same visual references so it makes the communication really easy. They even know the way I dance around on stage and they know certain things that I do and they can play off of it. Ellison cites inspiration from 2001: A Space Odyssey and “a lot of really cool visual shows”, mentioning fellow electronic trailblazers Nosaj Thing and Amon Tobin. Anyone who’s witnessed Tobin’s ISAM show can testify to its sheer magnitude of scale. But the tradeoff is that it doesn’t feel much like live performance. For most of the show, Tobin is hidden from view, and when you can see him, it’s like watching a wizard weaving magic spells in a huge, distant castle — albeit a brilliantly-luminated psychedelic castle. With Ellison, however, the up-close-and-personal aspect of his show wasn’t something he wanted to neglect. He admits, “[Layer 3] definitely is more of a separation. But I still come out and show my face and stuff. I think people like to watch me, so I wanted to give them something to look at.” I look at my watch: our interview time is up. I find myself asking that oh-so-clichéd last question, “Where would you be if you weren’t making music?” “Oh God,” laughs Ellison. “I’d probably be depressed, wherever I was. I’m already depressed, so I’d be really depressed. You know what, man, here’s the thing. I am depressed because I know I can be doing more. That’s a fucking depressing feeling, knowing that I’m only doing the bare minimum. I feel like there’s so much I can tap into, so much I can do, and that is depressing as fuck to me.” For a few moments, I’m lost for words. Here is Flying Lotus — a true prodigy of electronic music, who has collaborated with scores of talented artists and musicians and a few months ago realised his fourth studio album to near-unanimous approval, as well as keeping up a hectic touring schedule and pioneering a ridiculously cool new live show — here is Flying Lotus telling me he isn’t doing enough and is depressed. It’s a bit surreal. I tentatively suggest to Ellison that perhaps it’s a good thing that he isn’t doing more, lest he actually cause his listeners’ heads to explode. Maybe it’s a good idea to be gentle with us. “But just like… what if I could do MORE!?”, Ellison almost shouts back at me, and then laughs. “Fuck that. I’ll be gentle when I’m dead, bro. I got work to do.” Morgan Richards Flying Lotus [USA] plays Let Them Eat Cake at Werribee Park on New Year’s Day, Tuesday January 1, alongside Kerri Chandler [USA], The Gaslamp Killer [USA] and more. FEATURES

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LET THEM EAT CAKE

SLOW MAGIC IMMORTAL TRIANGLES: ASTRAL SOUNDS Slow Magic resides in complete anonymity – no first or last names, and no clues as to his whereabouts. (“I wish I could tell you where I am right now, but it’s a bit of a secret,” he says. “Somewhere in America…”) It’s hard to fault his decision to remain shrouded in mystery; the obscurity manages to strip away any audience’s association with the person behind the decks, while simultaneously emphasising the esoteric beauty of his productions. It’s complex and beautiful, dreamy synth and sample music; sequencing that runs on choppy half beats, which bustle and flow through a heady brew of R&B via instrumental wash. It’s no surprise that Slow Magic’s sound is so in demand that its maker barely sleeps. When we speak, he’s just stepped off a plane from a European tour – his third this year. “I have gotten very, very good at sleeping on airplanes,” he laughs softly, “but

nothing beats getting home and really resting. I think I probably slept for more than 14 hours last night, and that’s great because I’ve got a lot of ideas and half-started songs that I needed to work on… There’s something very solid and reassuring about getting home, and seeing all my equipment ready to go.” Those half-started songs will form the basis of a soon-to-bereleased second album, due in early 2013. His debut album, Triangles Will Never Die, was released earlier this year via LebensStrasse Records (Love Echo, Violetness) and is only available online all the physical copies of the vinyl and CD have been snaffled up by keen listeners the world over. It’s a glorious mélange of drugged-out synths and wavey vocals that beg at the edge of the ear. “You like the vocals?” the artist asks, sounding slightly surprised. “I always worry about it, because often they’ll be

PEARSON SOUND REBIRTH OF AN ARTIST: PIERCING SOUND Pearson Sound – it’s the kind of vague artistic name that leaves everything open to interpretation and David Kennedy says he likes it that way. “It could be three old German dudes making techno,” he says with a laugh. The last time Kennedy was in Australia was 2010. At that time he was still transitioning from being known as Ramadanman to his new name, Pearson Sound. “I haven’t worked as Ramadanman for over two years; time has moved on,” he says. Kennedy’s original name was a project very much associated with his roots in the dubstep scene. “I never tried to move away from dubstep,” he reflects. “I think what I like about Pearson Sound is that it is quite a vague name. It’s a more abstract name and I think it’s a more serious name. I have definitely preferred having that ambiguity with what I’m making now.” It’s a fitting change for an artist who has never been tied down by genres or trends. Kennedy plays everything from house to techno, footwork to dubstep and his productions have been played by DJs across the spectrum of styles. This year has been a great time for Kennedy to take stock of things and shift gears, coming off the back of constant touring in 2010 and 2011. Part of that activity was promoting his installment in the wellrespected Fabric mix series. “There was a lot of touring and press around that. I’ve had quite a bit of time off this year. I’ve been taking it quite easy and not taking on too many shows.

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Just trying to write some music basically. I just needed a bit of time out and some space to get back into writing music so it’s been a good year actually. I have written a lot so it has been productive too.” So does that mean we’re going to get an album from Pearson Sound in 2013? “I don’t have any plans to,” says Kennedy. “I would just like to get some music out there I think.” Part of his challenge has been to keep his productions fresh. “I was trying to find a new sound to work with because I had become known for one particular sound and style. So I wanted to switch things up a bit this year. I think that’s important.” It’s another advantage of the ambiguity that Pearson Sound offers him. “I think it means that if you get known for one particular style of music or whatever then there can be a lot of people who assume your stuff sounds one way or another. If you come with something fresh then people can maybe be a bit more open-minded and then when they find out you have done other music then they’re like, ‘Ok, cool. I’ll go and check that out as well’.” There is still a sense of artistic continuity between Ramadanman and Pearson Sound though. Kennedy’s attention to detail, percussive switch-ups and often minimal, stripped back approach are all there. “I guess it’s just the way I make music,” he says, “and it’s still me making the tracks. I haven’t radically

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done a capella... but I do think that sometimes limitations can push you that little bit more. “Because I’m touring so much right now, I’m just embracing all of those limitations,” he continues. “I start most of my songs on the road, do a lot of remixing, and there’s even these iPhone apps that I’ve been using which make for more of a fun challenge. It’s actually a lot of fun to create remixes, because there’s already something solid there for me to work with on my laptop. Remixing on a pair of headphones in an airport is less than ideal, but I do get to visit some of the same changed how I do it so there will be those similarities between my older stuff and my newer stuff.” That approach involves a highly critical attitude about composing his own tracks. “I’m very much a believer that if it’s not adding anything then just get rid of it. Having fewer elements means it’s sort of decluttering your tune and giving space for elements, either frequency wise or rhythmically. If you have fewer sounds in the track then it will be easier to get it sounding good so I’ve always been interested in stripping it back. “I mean, sometimes you will start a track and an hour later you will start with none of the original elements you started with which is quite fun sometimes. You’ll wonder – how did I get to this point?” Kennedy agrees that all the touring has been a positive experience though. “Yeah definitely. I think maybe a few years ago if I was having technical problems or whatever then I think I would have reacted a lot worse to it than I would now. Whereas now, having played in so many conceivable situations – the decks not working for example – that if anything does go wrong I just deal with it a lot better. I still manage to concentrate and not let it affect me. “I think, when you’re just starting out and you’re playing in front of hundreds of people you have a bit of a meltdown and you can’t play. Whereas now you just have to take a step back, take a deep breath and say, ‘Look, there’s nothing I can do about this. Let’s just try and enjoy the show still’. “You have got to remember that it’s about the music you are playing and if in a worst case scenario you couldn’t mix between two tunes you can still put on a record. People can still have a good time. You just have to remember that. I can be my own harshest critic sometimes but a lot of people just want to hear the music.” Simon Hampson

cities more than once, and then I can meet up with people I’ve met before and see what ideas they have,” he says. “It seems like every time I tour, the quality of the people I meet and experiences I have just increases.” Benjamin Cooper Slow Magic [USA] plays Let Them Eat Cake at Werribee Park on New Year’s Day, Tuesday January 1 alongside Flying Lotus [USA], Kerri Chandler [USA] and more.

Pearson Sound [UK] plays Let Them Eat Cake at Werribee Park on New Year’s Day, Tuesday January 1, alongside Flying Lotus [USA], Theo Parrish [USA] and more.

THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE

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MAYA JANE COLES BIG THINGS: MAYAN PROPHECY Twenty-five year-old English producer and DJ Maya Jane Coles tells 100% that her tour to Australia is set to round out her biggest year yet. “I’ve had fans wanting me to come over for a long time now,” she explains. “So I’m really glad I get to take in so many places across the country on this run.” After her profile exploded in 2010 with the track What They Say, Coles has spent the last two years playing at some of the biggest clubs and festivals around the world. Her productions range from deep house to techno, through to dupstep and chillout – all with a skilful use of heavy bass – and it means that no one knows quite what to expect next. “I listen to a lot of music from all genres,” she explains. “I always try to put my own slant on things. I never want to limit myself by putting down boundaries before I start a track. Usually I’ll just go for it and not have a genre or specific style planned out, and cliche as it sounds, it’s more about where my emotions naturally take me.” Coles has just released her first EP in 12 months, Easier To Hide – the inaugural release on her own label, I Am Me. The title track is taken from her debut album which is scheduled for release in the first half of 2013. All four of the tracks were written, produced, engineered and mixed by her own hand. On top of all those things she also designed the artwork for the EP! “I always produce, engineer, play and mix all my own productions and the artwork I enjoy doing too. There’s definitely less time to spare but I will always want my music to really be my music so I will always find the time.”

Just don’t single her out solely for being a woman in a male dominated industry. “I think it should definitely just be about the music,” she reflects. “I don’t want to be good for a girl at production. I just want to be judged as a producer on my music and that alone. I just hope as more women start producing and DJing it becomes less of a novelty and so the ‘woman DJ’ thing fades away.” Coles was surrounded by music when she was growing up and her father even did the artwork for a Killing Joke album. That rich experience and her family’s encouragement has supported her chosen career. “I think they saw how determined I was to make it and how much time I spent working on production. I’m lucky to have super openminded parents, and they totally understand what I do.” The wide variety of genres and styles that Coles plays in her DJ sets have been one factor in her popularity. “I’m really happy that so many people seem to like my music. My influences are very diverse and I like making lots of different types of music and playing out tracks that don’t just come from one place. “So I guess that in itself gives more entry points into my music than if I just made one niche sound. My sound will definitely always evolve, I never want to just stay in one place.” That evolution will be encapsulated in Coles’ biggest statement yet. “My album lands in March time and that will be the biggest reflection of my work so 2013 is going to be a really special time for me. I’m really happy with it so it’ll be great to have it finally out there and see what everyone else thinks about it.”

Coles’ other projects have seen her work across a range of genres. Nocturnal Sunshine, her other solo name, is focused more on dubstep. “I’ve been focusing on my album recently but there will be more Nocturnal Sunshine releases in the future for sure and then eventually an album for that too.” Her duo with Lena Cullen, She Is Danger, has been quiet due to her other commitments. “Lena and I haven’t been in the studio for some time as we’re both focusing on solo projects.” Apparently that one hasn’t been put to bed yet though. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” she says mischievously. “I toured quite a lot in 2012 and it took me out of the studio more than I would have wanted.

helped though. “I bought a few new synths and some new monitors for Roska 2. I wanted to get all the tracks sounding as clear as possible. Listening to people like Geeneus, Zinc and Pinch as well from Tectonic and getting feedback from those guys on the project definitely helped it progress much more.” However, new gear can lead to new distractions. “I had the Moog Slim Fatty for about a year and I only used it on two tracks. Every time I went to use it I just found myself messing and messing, finding new sounds though! I wasn’t actually getting anything out of the product itself so I just got rid of it in the end. “I bought a MicroKORG in summer and I have been using that constantly on a few tracks. I did a remix for Example a few months ago and that was the first track that I used it on. I try to use stuff that sounds right straight away. If I start messing about then I get too carried away and then I won’t make anything. “It’s all a learning curve and it’s all trial and error,” reflects Goodlitt. “As time has gone on I have learnt new things and picked up new things. Working more and more with vocalists over the last few years has helped me a lot too. All these little things are a big learning curve but if you’re willing to learn it goes really well. Roska 2 was definitely

my favourite for looking in-depth at a track and making it sound really good.” Roska tunes – often identified by his signature ‘Roska’ vocal motif – have their own style but there is this pressure in dance music to continually come up with new sounds. “It’s difficult,” confesses Goodlitt. “There are people that have a certain, signature sound but then you have people who want to evolve as well. So it’s a difficult one. Then you have trends with sounds. Like, what was called UK Funky at one stage was half none existent but it’s still existent because of specific producers that are still there. So it’s not a theme but individual.” Working on different labels has helped Goodlitt represent different sounds. “You have someone like myself who has like a signature sound but if I make anything in a different genre you can tell it’s my tune. Like when I do stuff on Tectonic you can still tell it’s me but there’s a different vibe. I think it varies from producer to producer though.” He believes that it’s good to have an identifiable sound. “A lot of people do go through trends where they make a specific sound and then they have to move away from it. I find that you don’t have a home when you do that and you end up moving from house to house. Each to their own to be honest and it’s good to evolve but you should have some edge where you have your roots embedded in that project or the projects.” Goodlitt’s record label, Roska Kicks & Snares, has had a huge year in 2012. “We have done quite a lot this year so I think we’re going to go quiet for a little bit – until the second half of next year basically. Then we’re going to kick things off again. We’re going to chill out for now. It give me a chance to breathe for a bit and sort out my own music!” It also gives Goodlitt the time to work on his new album for Rinse. “It’s quiet in January which is cool because I have to finish some stuff off. I’m writing for my third album already

ROSKA RECONNAISANCE: KICKS & SNARES Watching the growth of an artist is a fascinating journey. Wayne Goodlitt, better known to his fans as Roska, tells 100% that the last year has been the culmination of learning from his debut album and the triumphant release of his follow-up, Roska 2. “The first album was a landmark for me in saying, ‘I’m here’, but definitely I think, doing all the pre and post production, I have done my favourite work on Roska 2,” he says. Goodlitt was previously lumped in with the ‘UK Funky’ label. However, wIth Roska 2 there is a sense that Goodlitt has balanced pleasing his audience with representing himself as an artist. “I know what you mean,” he agrees. “When you play out so much you realise the different styles that you can pull off and what people are into. You start to read people a bit more. You find yourself experimenting as well and bringing new things in there. With Roska 2 I just had that vibe of experimenting a little bit more.” With that diversity came the challenge of deciding what to include on the album. “I think the most challenging thing was probably when I was trying to put it all together. With Roska 1 and Roska 2 they’re both like, in a weird way to explain, they’re both colourful. There are so many different styles involved in Roska 2 that I think it was kind of hard to narrow it down.” The purchase of new gear and some friendly advice

Production is my first love so I will never get enough of it. It has been tough trying to keep a steady balance to both. Sometimes I wish there was two of me!” For now, she is excited about touring Australia. “I’ve heard that the crowds give a lot back to the DJ and that of course that always helps to raise your game when you’re playing!” Simon Hampson Maya Jane Coles [UK] plays Summadayze at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on New Year’s Day, Tuesday January 1, alongside M.I.A. [UK], Eddie Halliwell [UK] and more.

and I have finished my first single so it’s probably going to be an EP with Rinse and then in the summer an album should be out basically.” It leaves us waiting to hear the next Roska dance floor hit and thirsty for his Australian shows. Simon Hampson Roska [UK] plays Espionage at Brown Alley on Friday January 4 alongside Rustie [UK], Doc Daneeka [UK] and more.

FAKE BLOOD RED HOT: BLOOD CELLS One-time electronic music man of mystery, UK producer Theo Keating aka Fake Blood doesn’t just take pride in throwing his audience curveballs – he believes it’s his duty. He achieved this with his recently released Fake Blood debut, the at-times dark and menacing Cells, and is set to do it during his upcoming Summadayze set. “I’ve been really happy with [the response to Cells]. And I’ve also quite enjoyed that some tunes have thrown a few people,” Keating says. “There’s definitely head scratching moments, which is part of the fun, I think; you’ve always got to be pushing people in weird directions to make it more interesting,” he says. Keating has been wilfully defying expectations since he first emerged almost 20 years ago as a member of hip hop and electronic music duo The Wiseguys. After also releasing music as DJ Touché and The Black Ghosts (a collaboration with former Simian vocalist Simon Lord), Keating’s Fake Blood alter ego first emerged in 2007 for what was supposed to be a one-off remix of one of his own tracks – The Black Ghosts’ Any Way You Choose to Give It. However, requests for Fake Blood remixes soon followed, and buzz around the project grew. When Keating released Fake Blood’s first original song in late 2008, Mars, it became one of the year’s biggest club anthems – and led to much speculation about Fake Blood’s identity. This wasn’t a stunt on Keating’s part, though; he simply wanted people to focus on the music. In early 2009, he revealed to Mixmag that he was the man behind Fake Blood. “All of that stuff, none of that was engineered; there was no PR, no management – that was just me doing nothing,” Keating says. “It was a good laugh but I had to stop it at a point where, I didn’t want it to become the defining thing, like a gimmick. It was just, ‘Okay, enough of that now’. I had to make it more about the tunes.”

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A number of EPs, singles and remixes followed over the next few years, leading to the release of Cells in November. “I think it just felt like the right time, because I’ve done three EPs and a bunch of remixes, and people were familiar with me and my sound,” Keating says. “As I was doing that, I kind of had these other ideas for tracks and things that, I think, it felt I needed an album to show these slightly darker ideas… I think at this point it was like, ‘Well, people kind of know me, or think they know me, so now it’s time to mess with that a little bit’.” Although singles like Yes / No and All In The Blink are up-tempo dance floor pleasers, Cells is a menacing album at times, with Keating’s darker ideas manifested on sinister synth-heavy songs like London and Phantom Power. Listening to the album, it’s not surprising that one of the projects he was working on at the same time was an alternate soundtrack for cult horror film Suspiria. Keating’s no stranger to horror – his godfather, Alan Gibson, directed episodes of the legendary Hammer Studio’s House of Horror television show, and he was exposed from a young age. “I remember as a kid, one of his things was on TV and I wanted to watch it, so my mum and dad said, ‘Yeah, you can watch it’, but they were a bit uncertain whether it was appropriate, because I was only eight,” Keating says. “It terrified the crap out of me, and I’ve never forgotten it. I guess it also sparked that initial interest.” This interest enabled him to branch out on Cells. “I think with an album, the whole point is you don’t just play it safe. You don’t just do ten songs that follow a formula that you know is time-tested or you know is going to work. The whole point of an album is you have this space there to try other things out and to experiment or to try ideas and take a few risks,” he says. “Why not have fun and experiment or do some other stuff, show other sides of what you’re into? I think that’s part of the fun, and in doing FEATURES

that, sometimes you can throw people, but it’s up to you.” After he finished Cells in October, Keating took a short break, but quickly returned to the studio to work on what he describes as the “seeds of what could be Black Ghost tracks”, as well as a few remixes and a song for his next EP. “I can’t take breaks for very long because I start going a bit crazy,” he says. “You never stop, you just take your foot slightly off the gas, and then you want to get back into it.” Keating’s open-minded approach to his work in the studio also extends to his DJ sets. He says that he believes DJs have a responsibility to use their platform to expose audiences to new music – rather than just the hits they can hear in any given club on any given weekend. “I just want to play the best music, and play music that you might not know. I wanna play those tracks that you

think ‘where the hell is he getting this music?’ The tracks that you’ll hear tomorrow,” he says. “Each set I play is completely different to the one before… I decide what I’m going to play when I’m standing there, looking at the people in front of me. It’s very much a spontaneous DJ set, as it should be – responding to the crowd and having fun and taking risks.” Joshua Hayes

Fake Blood [UK] is playing Summadayze at Sidney Myer Music Bowl on New Year’s Day, Tuesday January 1, alongside The Chemical Brothers [UK], Knife Party [AUS], M.I.A. [UK] and more.

All day and night Mon 31 Dec NYE

THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE

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LUCKYCOQ

BARONETWENTY

PURPLEEMERALD

BIMBOS

STRIKE

HOOHAA WORKSHOP

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100% CLUB PICS

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THURSDAY27TH

FACTORYATKHOKOLATBAR

RHYTHM-AL-ISM

DE LA SOUL

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

After the huge success of their 20th anniversary tour in 2009, venerable hip hop legends De La Soul have announced their return to Australia. Still going stronger than ever, De La Soul bring to their live shows one of the most respected canons in rap history, featuring the landmark debut 3 Feet High And Rising and De La Soul Is Dead. Don’t miss your chance to catch the iconic trio in the live setting. The Espy, 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda

FRIDAY28TH

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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

LIGHT

KHOKOLATKOATEDATKHOKOLATBAR

We celebrate everything that has made Light at Red Love, kicking off with our after work drinks session from 4pm. Our DJ lineup includes each and every one of the Daddy Mack’s who have helped lead Light into our 5th running year of old school R&B. Harvey Yeah, Ripz, TMC and Stel Kar locking down that Old School Flava with guest appearances by G.A.K. & The Seminar of Funk and Nick K. It’s all happening this Friday as we celebrate 5 years of doing our do and bringing that Red Love! Red Love, Level 1, 401 Swanston Street, 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

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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

SATURDAY29TH 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

REDLOVE SATURDAYS

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RedLove Saturdays is all about solid classics from the ‘80s, ‘90s and into the ‘00s! Dropping beats of retro pop, disco classics, old school funk, and certainly some of that old school R&B and house to kick! RedLove Resident DJs Phil, HB Bear and Da Gato bringing down the house every Saturday night. If you’re looking for quality service, music to rock, sumptuous drinks and just a cold hard good time; look no further! Red Love, Level 1, 401 Swanston Street, Melbourne

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

FRIDAY4TH 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

LIGHT We celebrate everything that has made Light at Red Love, kicking off with our after work drinks session from 4pm. Our DJ lineup includes each and every one of the Daddy Mack’s who have helped lead Light into our 5th running year of old school R&B. Harvey Yeah, Ripz, TMC and Stel Kar locking down that Old School Flava with guest appearances by G.A.K. & The Seminar of Funk and Nick K. It’s all happening this Friday as we celebrate 5 years of doing our do and bringing that Red Love! Red Love, Level 1, 401 Swanston Street, 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

SATURDAY5TH 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

REDLOVE SATURDAYS

NEW YEAR’S EVE & NEW YEAR’S DAY No idea which of the gazillion parties to attend this New Year? Never you fuss! Flick on back to page 10 and have a squiz at the biggest and best parties going down. Stay safe!

URBAN

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NYE RIVERLAND BAR

TICKETS $156 / $146 for GROUPS OF 10+ EVENT RUNS FROM 8PM - 1AM INCLUDES FINGER FOOD AND 5 HOUR DRINKS PACKAGE | BEER, CIDER, WINE AND SPARKLING

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ALL NIGHT DJ’S UNIQUE FIReWORKS VIEW FOR INFORMATION AND TICKET PURCHASES VISIT WWW.RIVERLANDBAR.COM

THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE

PHONE: 9662 1771 EMAIL: ENQUIRY@RIVERLANDBAR.COM VAULTS 1-9 FEDERATION WHARF