Beat Magazine #1316 by Furst Media

3 MONTHS FULL-TIME OR 1 YEAR PART-TIME OPEN NIGHT, FRIDAY 20 APRIL 6PM

Level 9, 55 Swanston St Melbourne (03) 9663 8444 shillingtoncollege.com.au facebook/shillington.fb twitter.com/shillington_ 39$.%9 s -%,"/52.% s "2)3"!.% ,/.$/. s -!.#(%34%2 s .%7 9/2+

World class design education neednâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take forever. It should be well planned, continually adapted to the times and presented by passionate professionals. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what happens at Shillington College and we have the record to prove it. Our students are taught by outstanding designers and are getting top design jobs. Starting with no prior experience they graduate with a professional portfolio and an in depth knowledge of the design programs. Enrolling now for June full-time intake.

The college will be open from 5.45 to 7pm on Friday 20 April with a 45 minute presentation starting at 6pm. Check out the facilities, meet the lecturers, chat to some graduates and get the low-down on the course. Bookings are not required to attend the Open Night.

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MASSIVE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

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DIR ECT FRO MT HE UK

THE BOOTLEG BEATLES Formed from the West End cast of the Broadway musical ‘Beatlemania’, The Bootleg Beatles career began in 1980 –almost 10 years to the day since Paul McCartney announced the original’s had split. It didn’t take long for The Bootleg Beatles international reputation to grow immensely, mainly due to the band’s many successful concert tours abroad. Having seen the Bootlegs at the 94 Glastonbury Festival, Noel and Liam Gallagher of Oasis asked them to be the support act for their record- breaking 1995 Earl Court shows-Culminating with both bands and sharing the stage for ‘I Am The Walrus’. Since becoming regulars on the festival circuit, The Bootleg Beatles have played Wembley with Rod Stewart and Elton John and shared the same bill with the Corrs, David Bowie and Iggy Pop. Don’t miss The Bootlegs along with their mini orchestral ensemble in their very first Australian Tour.

‘Mind-boggling accuracy’ - The Mail ‘Fastidiously Authentic’ - Daily Telegraph ‘I enjoyed their act enormously’ - George Martin, The Beatles’ Producer

WED 9TH MAY WANGARATTA PAC (03) 5722 8105 FRI 11TH MAY FRANKSTON PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (03) 9784 1060

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IN THIS ISSUE...

HOT TALK

TOURING

DZ DEATHRAYS

ARTS GUIDE, SYNCOPATION, GIVEAWAYS

ART OF THE CITY

MORE OR LESS CONCRETE

NORWEGIAN WOOD REVIEW, FREE SHIT

BITTER SWEET KICKS P. 56

HOWLIN’ STEAM TRAIN P. 58

COMEDY FESTIVAL COVERAGE

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE

INDUSTRIAL, IOWA

RECORD STORE DAY SPECIAL

BITTER SWEET KICKS

SAN CISCO

SINTHETIC BREED, HOWLIN’ STEAM TRAIN, LOKI, THE MERCURY THEATRE

HOODOO GURUS

BIG SCARY

CORE/CRUNCH

MUSIC NEWS

ALBUM OF THE WEEK, SINGLES, CHARTS

THIS WEEK IN 100%:

ORBITAL

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PUBLISHER: Furst Media Pty Ltd. MUSIC EDITOR: Taryn Stenvei ARTS EDITOR / ASSOCIATE MUSIC EDITOR: Tyson Wray EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Nick Taras SUB-EDITORS: Krystal Maynard, Michelle Aquilina, Penny Coulson, Jac Manuell GENERAL MANAGER: Patrick Carr SENIOR ADVERTISING/EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR: Ronnit Sternfein BEAT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Luke Benge GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Luke Benge, Matt Crute, Mike Cusack Rebecca Houlden, Gill Tucker COVER ART: Luke Benge ADVERTISING: Taryn Stenvei (Music: Bands/Tours/Record Labels) taryn@beat.com.au Ronnit Sternfein (100%/Beat/Arts/Education/Ad Agency) ronnit@beat.com.au Aleksei Plinte (Backstage/ Musical Equipment) mixdown@beat.com.au Adam Morgan (Hospitality/Bars) adam@beat.com.au Kris Furst (beat.com.au) kris@furstmedia.com.au 0431 243 808 Grace Arena (Indie Bands/Special Features) grace@furstmedia.com.au CLASSIFIEDS: classiﬁeds@beat.com.au GIG GUIDE SUBMISSIONS: now online at www.beat.com.au or bands email gigguide@beat.com.au ELECTRONIC EDITOR - BEAT ONLINE: Paddington Wray: tyson@beat.com.au

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Patrick Emery, Jesse Shrock. COLUMNISTS: Emily Kelly, Peter Hodgson. CONTRIBUTORS: Tyson Wray, Adam Baidawi, Helen Barradell, Matt Bendall, Cam Binger, Graham Blackley, Chris Bright, Rose Callaghan, Adam Camilleri, Paige Cho, Stefan Chrisp, Nick Clarke, Talitha Conway, Dave Dawson, John Donaldson, Justin Donnelly, Georgia Doyle, Cam Ewart, Paul Fischer, Lawson Fletcher, Jack Franklin, Chris Girdler, Sean Gleeson, Aleisha Hall, Louise Hardwick, Daniel Hedger, Nick Hilton, Lyndon Horsburgh, Briony Jones, Lachlan Kanoniuk, Cassandra Kiely, Greg King, Joshua Kloke, Stuart Lynch, Rhys McCrae, Ruth McIver, Adam McKenzie, Kylie McLaughlin, Nick Mason, Tyler Mathes, Krystal Maynard, Anna Megalogenis, Al Newstead, James Nicoli, John O’Rourke, Matt Panag, Jack Parsons, Liam Pieper, Steve Phillips, David Prescott-Steed, James Ridley, Gav Ross, Leigh Salter, Tim Scott, Denis Semchenko, Side Man, Matt Sutherland, Lin Tan, Steve Tauschke, Brigitte Trobbiani, Rene Schaefer, Melanie Sheridan, Jeremy Sheaﬀe, Kelly Theobald, Andrew Tijs, Alistair Wallis, Etienne Waring, Dan Watt, Rod Whitﬁeld, Katie Weiss, Tom Whitty, Cara Williams, Simon Williamson, Bronius Zumeris. © 2012 Furst Media Pty Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the consent of the copyright holder.

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HOT TALK

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

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FREE SHIT RITES OF PASSAGE FESTIVAL Rites of Passage Tattoo Convention and Arts Festival is a three day event, held from Friday April 27 to Sunday April 29, at the Royal Exhibition Building in the Carlton Gardens. The festival aims to take you on a journey to lands forgotten, and cultures undiscovered to re-explore the real reason why people get tattooed in both the modern and ancient world. Appearing at the festival will be over 200 tattoo artists from around the world, including Shige (Japan), Jeﬀ Gogue (USA), Nick Baxter (USA), and Victor Portugal (Poland), plus a bevvy of local Australian artists. We have two double passes to give away.

AUGUST BURNS RED Five-piece hardcore metal band August Burns Red are in the country to spread the love that is their fourth full-length album, Leveler. The ﬁve-piece from Lancaster Pennsylvania are set to show Melbourne their strengths as a band as they step outside traditional metalcore and show how they’ve grown from releasing numerous albums. Northlane and blessthefall join the bill for two shows at Billboard The Venue, Saturday April 21 and Sunday April 22. We are giving away two double passes to the show on Sunday April 22.

IOWA Melbourne trio Iowa are gearing up to release their debut album Never Saw It Coming. With two singles having been released and recording the album as raw as possible in a two-day period at Headgap Studios, the debut album promises the magic of a live show. This week brings exciting times for the band, launching the album with special guests Baptism Of Uzi and Tape/Oﬀ. We’re giving away double passes to two lucky people for the launch at Phoenix Public House, this Saturday April 21. The double passes also come with a copy of the album – bonus!

THE DARKNESS

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS

After causing a stir with the unveiling of an Australian tour a couple of weeks ago, British Glam band The Darkness have had to announce a second Melbourne show, after selling out their ﬁrst at the Palace. Following their disbanding in 2006, original front man Justin Hawkins was admitted to rehab after a lackluster response to their second album, however reformed with their full line up in 2011. The second show will also be at the Palace on Wednesday May 9, with special guests still to be announced.

As hinted earlier in the year, our favourite Kiwi comedy-folk-rap extraordinaires Flight Of The Conchords have announced a massive Australian tour. After making waves at at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival seven years ago, this will mark the ﬁrst time Bret and Jemaine will be hitting the road for a full-blown tour. The duo have enjoyed amazing success with their eponymous HBO TV series, and Bret has even gone on to win an Oscar for chrissake. And with Jemaine performing in the upcoming Men In Black III, he could follow suit by gaining attention from the Academy. Flight Of The Conchord perform at The Plenery on Saturday July 14.

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE

Q&A

MUSIC VICTORIA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE Why is it important that Music Victoria continues to flourish? Music Vic has achieved a lot in less than two years, from changing laws to accessing parking permits for musicians to cheaper excess baggage fees on airlines to publishing Melbourne Music City – Victoria’s first music guide – to increasing performance opportunities and undertaking vital research on work entitlements, access to Centrelink and underage gigs. We need to be given time to capitalise on our early gains. What sort of benefits do members receive? Members can access huge excess baggage discounts on both Virgin and QANTAS, receive ongoing discounts at our regular workshops and seminars, Face The Music and Big Sound, vote at our annual general meeting and run for the board, and receive access to regular freebies and discounts, information and resources.

Kate Miller-Heidke's latest effort Nightflight, is sounding just as immersive and beautiful as the rest of her back catalogue, and fans will be given the chance to see Kate perform tracks from her new album when she takes her full band around the country in August on the Nightflight tour with special support act, The Beards. The past three years have taken Heidke around the world from Asia, to the US and UK, playing at Coachella and Lilith Festivals and joining none other than Ben Folds on his worldwide tour, no doubt wowing audiences along the way with her mesmerising talent. Finally she's back home where she belongs, Kate Miller Heidke plays the Corner Hotel on Tuesday August 24. We also have a chat to her later on in this here magazine.

Visit beat.com.au/freeshit with your palms outstretched.

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT THE MOUNTAIN GOATS Demand for the upcoming Mountain Goats tour is understandably running high, with the announcement that the band have sold out their date at The Corner. But fear not, a second intimate show has been announced. The Mountain Goats have amassed a devout Australian following, especially after memorably warming hearts at the infamously soggy 2008 Meredith. Presenting a delightful mix of heartfelt lyrics, idiosyncratic vocal delivery and meticulous arrangements, The Mountain Goats put on a live show like no other. Special guest on both nights will be Catherine Tracios, while Starry Night will also perform at The Corner. The Mountain Goats hit The Toff In Town on Wednesday May 9 (tickets onsale now) The Corner on Thursday May 10 (sold-out).

Brisbane's The Butterfly Effect are pleased to announce a new Melbourne show at the Hi-Fi Bar on Friday June 8, as part of their Effected tour, after the band's May show at The Palace Theatre sold out this week. The Butterfly Effect have had a huge couple of months since announcing that singer Clint Boge will leave the band at the end of their next tour, ending this chapter of the band's history with an eighteen track retrospective album. The band's tour weaves its way around the country in April through till June, with special guests- Numbers Radio and Greenthief. Containing tracks from their debut self-titled EP right through to their 2007 gold selling Final Conversation of Kings, the set is sure to impress both long-term fans and those looking for an entry point into the band's canon of work. The Butterfly Effect are thanking fans with a free MP3 of their hit Gone- which was recorded acoustically, and features a brilliant understated vocal performance from Clint. Tickets are available now from thebutterflyeffect.com.au

CNR SPRINGVALE & WELLS RD, CHELSEA HEIGHTS PH 9773 4453 WWW.CHELSEAHEIGHTSHOTEL.COM.AU SAT 5TH MAY

THU 10TH MAY

Music Victoria are holding their first ever membership drive this April, urging everyone in Melbourne’s thriving music community to jump on the bandwagon. Those who do will have access to all the members benefits, and if you join during the drive you will be in the running for loads of prizes and be invited to the membership drive wrap party. Fun alert. We chatted with Patrick Donovan, CEO of Music Victoria about the currently active drive. What is Music Victoria’s role and how is it helping to change the landscape of the music industry? Music Vic is the conduit between the contemporary music industry and different levels of government, ensuring music is represented at council level, state, federal and bodies such as tourism Victoria, liquor licensing and the national film and sound archive. How is it unique? While there are peak bodies that represent sections of the Victorian contemporary music industry, Music Victoria is the umbrella organisation that brings all of their interests together. The heads of those peak bodies are represented on our Victorian Music Council advisory group.

Finally, in ten words or less, why should we jump on the bandwagon? To help make Victorian music even stronger. The Music Victoria Membership Drive 2012 runs from April 16 to April 30. All you gotta do is head to musicvictoria.com.au to do your part and help strengthen the Victorian music industry.

SAT 28TH APRIL

CHOCOLATE STARFISH TIX $30

PEZ TIX $27

SAT 26TH MAY

SAT 2ND JUNE

TIX $37

STEVENS, BRAITHWAITE & BARKER TIX $37 Beat Magazine Page 14

The annual subscription rates are really cheap – tell us how the benefits of joining outweigh the small cost of doing so. If you attend a couple of our workshops and Big Sound and Face The Music, and buy the Australian Music Industry Directory, you have already made your $66 back. That’s before you start saving on excess airline baggage costs.

SAT 21ST APRIL

BABY ANIMALS

KERSER TIX $17

Tell us about the prize you’d personally most like to win from those on offer. I think coffee and biscotti at Brunettis and a private audience with our own Jools Holland – Henry Wagons. He is the only guy I know who sweats more than me, so we might discuss headbands, among other hot topics.

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ABSOLUTELY 80’S MANNIX/CARNE/RYDER TIX $25

HOT TALK

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

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MASSY FERGUSON

PRINCE As expected, fans went crazy trying to pick up tickets to Prince's upcoming tour. In response to the demand a second and third show were announced. This will be the third time the iconic superstar has toured Australia, he last performed here in 2003 and did some kind of crazy secret Bennett's Lane gig that had something to do with Kate Cebrano, and that no doubt ﬁlled the room, smoke machine-style, with the pure sexual friction that this man trails behind him everywhere he goes. With a huge back catalogue of hits including Purple Rain, Little Red Corvette, When Doves Cry and a string of others, he's set to leave audiences enthralled with his amazing live performance. Prince is set to play Rod Laver Arena on Monday May 14 (sold out), Tuesday May 15 (sold out) and Wednesday May 30. Tickets via Ticketek. D to the I to the A to the M, and so on.

TRAIN Multi-platinum US rockers Train are thrilled to announce a series of Australian shows this June, kicking oﬀ their east coast tour at Sydney's iconic Opera House before heading onto Melbourne and Brisbane. Train recently released their latest album California 37, which features 11 tracks written over the course of the last three years, including the lead single Drive By. Formed in San Francisco in 1994, Train have made their mark over ﬁve albums and hit singles including the Grammy Award winning Drops Of Jupiter, which remained in the US Top 40 for nearly forty weeks. Don't miss the Train. Get along to the Palais Theatre on Saturday June 9. Tickets are on sale from 9am Monday April 23, with presale tickets available today through livenation.com.au.

Q&A

Seattle-based four-piece roots-rock band Massy Ferguson are embarking on their second visit to Australia. In 2009 the band travelled to Australia guerrilla-style, spurred by radio airplay on RRR and PBS Melbourne as well as support from independent DJ Colin Fielding (INR FM), who met the band at SXSW in Austin, TX and let them crash at his house in Kangaroo Ground during their tour. Massy Ferguson was a featured artist at Seattle’s 2011’s Bumbershoot festival, and landed a slot in the prestigious Iceland Airwaves Festival in Reykjavik after winning the Seattle Weekly’s 2010 REVERB festival Favorite Band poll. They regularly headline Seattle’s most prominent stages, such as the Tractor Tavern - the seat of Seattle’s roots-rock Americana scene and spawning ground for acts like the Fleet Foxes, Head and the Heart, and Brandi Carlisle. Catch them on their sophomore voyage to Australia at Cherry Bar on Saturday April 28.

60 SECONDS WITH ELECTRIC EMPIRE

CHERRY BAR IN EXILE The Cherry Bar in AC/DC Lane Melbourne, celebrates the exact 40th anniversary of the release of The Rolling Stones classic LP Exile On Main Street, with a tribute weekend on Saturday May 12 and Sunday May 13. The nights feature a one -oﬀ get together of some of Melbourne’s most revered local musicians performing Exile track-for-track on two intimate nights. The Cherry Exile band will feature Jack Howard, Carl Treasure, Bruce Haymes, Ryan Brown, Ben Curnow and Simon Aarons, with vocalists The Wolfgramm Sisters, Ash Naylor, Spencer P. Jones, Dave Larkin, Matt Sonic, Nick Barker and Special Guests. Tickets are $20, and are only available at cherryrock.com.au.

THE FLESHTONES Formed in 1976 in Queens, New York by vocalist Peter Zaremba and guitarist Keith Streng, The Fleshtones combine fuzzed guitar and Farfisa organ with '50s rockabilly and '60s R&B into a potent retro stew they called super-rock. Contemporaries of Suicide and the Cramps on the late '70s NY scene, the group became a huge influence on early ‘80s garage-rock revivalists Dream Syndicate, Plimsouls, Hoodoo Gurus as well as plenty of others. Early Fleshtones albums including Roman Gods and Hexbreaker are classics of their genre but the band have delivered in excess of 15 studio albums and countless compilations all packed full of garage-rock, or super-rock goodies, resulting in one super energy-charged show. Last here in 1993, The Fleshtones have been confirmed to return to Australia,iIt's been a long time coming - catch the Fleshtones at Yah Yah's on Friday April 27.

Define your genre in five words or less: A soul/roots sound with a raw feel. What do you love about making music? Like all original artists/bands, we love that when we discover a song, it’s ours. Playing some chords or singing a melody, when a song arises and it feels right, in that moment, there’s something special when you realise it’s yours. What can a punter expect from your live show? They can expect a good old fashioned live set. Expect to be entertained, surprised and uplifted by our show. Switching between three lead singers, all of whom play diﬀerent instruments, I think, is an exciting aspect of our show. A new song, a new lead vocal. One compliment we seem to get a lot from diﬀerent people is “I have fun cause you guys look like you’re having so much fun up there!” Describe the best gig you have ever played. Supporting Beverly Knight at The Royal Albert Hall in London. We couldn’t believe our luck, that we got to play in that historic venue with those acoustics. Everyone was there to listen. Although, for most people in the audience

that night, that was the first time they’d heard of us, though the response was a warm one. A night we’ll never forget. Tell us about the last song you wrote. The last song we wrote was a song called Changin. It’s more of a simple song compared to what we’ve written previously, however, we all felt we needed a song like this. We’re always evolving as a band and this song was definitely a step in the right direction. Where would you like to be in five years? In five years, I would like to be in a place of balance. Between music and enjoying life for what it has to offer. Over the past few years I’ve really started to see how important balance is in your lifestyle and how it plays a vital role in your personal happiness. Have something to work for and someone to live for. When’s the gig and with who? The next gig is our headline show at The Prince of Wales on Friday April 20. Our biggest headline show yet. Axolotl is supporting and we have our good mates Prequel and Edd Fisher as guest DJs.

CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 15

HOT TALK

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

For all the latest news check out beat.com.au

LOVE CONNECTION Love Connection have been making plenty of noise with the release of their sophomore album Euphoria and now they’re set to mark the release with a show at the Northcote Social Club on Friday May 25. The launch of the album will be one of the final Love Connection shows before they relocate to New York in July. Special guests on the night will be Montero and Angel Eyes. Tickets are available from Northcote Social Club.

THE OCEAN Berlin progressive metal rockers, The Ocean are making their long-awaited debut on our shores later next month. Since forming back in 2000 the band have gone through multiple changes in their lineup and more signiﬁcantly their overall sound. They push the boundaries of the metal genre weaving between hardcore, doom and even ambient experimentation. Don’t miss the cosmic metal mayhem of the band as they play Melbourne on Friday May 18, venue to be conﬁrmed soon.

SCOTT & CHARLENE’S WEDDING Legendary pop-narrators Scott & Charlene’s Wedding are rarely seen around the streets of Melbourne these days, after Craig Dermody took himself and his songs to New York a few years ago. Though originally from Adelaide, Melbourne is Dermody’s home outside of New York, making an annual visit to our shores to showcase his talents. This year’s visit is coming to an end with a good time send-oﬀ show at Phoenix Public House. Playing alongside will be slouch-bopping buddies Bitch Prefect, dream champs Full Ugly and Total Control DJs dropping gems 'til late. Get amongst all the festivities by hitting up the Phoenix Public House on Saturday April 28.

BUSBY MAROU

TIJUANA CARTEL

Busby Marou celebrate an amazing year since the release of their debut self-titled album with the I Still Don’t Believe tour. The tour comes oﬀ the back of their ﬁrst shows in the US and Canada and coincides with the deluxe re-package of the album. Tom Busby’s cheeky on stage presence and Jeremy Marou’s freakish musical ability combine to deliver a distinct way of sharing stories, full of cracking harmonies, breathtaking musicianship and a natural feel for each other’s guitars. Most of the music community were introduced to Busby Marou with their inclusion on the incredibly successful Finn tribute album He Will Have His Way, while their classic song-writing and live show has them making friends everywhere they play. Don't miss out Thursday June 28 at The Corner Hotel, with tickets $20+bf. Doors from 7.30pm.

Fresh off a well-earned break in New York, Gold Coast lads Tijuana Cartel are rejuvenated and ready to play some awesome live shows. On the back of their new single Offer Yourself, a sixties-flavoured eastern and western pastoral gem that’s sure to be a hit with crowds, the boys are set to rock the Northcote Social Club. 2011 was a huge year for the band with the success of breakthrough single, White Dove and follow-up, Letting It Go spawning a massive national tour to promote their third album, M1. Now with their current single doing the rounds, 2012 is going to be much of the same for the boys. Catch Tijuana Cartel while you can, they play the Northcote Social Club on Thursday May 24.

f r o n t s p a c e 2 1 2 a W h i t e h a l l S t Ya r r a v i l l e

FRIENDSHIP Gang members, comrades, companions and Italians, people are leaving town at an accelerating rate. What better excuse than to band together and celebrate with an eclectic night of uplifting/depressing music. Come ceremonialise in the antipodean union this Anzac day Wednesday April 25 at the Toﬀ in Town, featuring Wall Of Mirrors, Rohypnotise, Chela, and Team Harvey (Hot Little Hands). Raise hell! BEAT ARTIST PROFILE:

Q&A

ROYSTON VASIE

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w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / k i n d r e d s t u d i o s Beat Magazine Page 16

WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV

Define your genre in five words or less: Rock'n'roll. So, someone is walking past as you guys are playing, they then go get a beer and tell their friend about you... what do they say? “That bass player’s moustache is amazing.” If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it and why? Cher, for recording that horrible song in the '90s using auto-tune which is now used in most pop songs. If you can’t sing, don’t sing. What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? Playing live to great crowds who show they’re having as much fun as we do. There’s nothing better than noticing new faces coming to see us play and seeing them lose their shit to tunes that we love to play. Describe the best gig you have ever played. We recently toured with Ben Kweller up the east coast. Supporting Ben and his band was awesome fun. Each show brought in great crowds, a big sound and of course one hell of an after party! When are you playing live/releasing your album/EP/ single/etc? We’re launching the ﬁrst single You Want It Now from our debut album on Saturday April 28 at Northcote Social Club with the amazing Mesa Cosa, I told you I was Ill and Brainsworth (feat. Sean Ainsworth of The Fearless Vampire Killers), The album Tanahmerah will be out soon after!

HOT TALK For all the latest news check out beat.com.au

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

FLAP!

LADYHAWKE After breaking through with her stellar self-titled debut, Kiwi-born pop sensation Ladyhawke has announced details of her return to the stage. Showcasing her well-loved hits as well as new material, Ladyhawke made an impact at Meredith late last year, and is set to do the same this upcoming tour. This will be Ladyhawke's ﬁrst Australian tour since 2009, Ladyhawke performs at Billboard on Tuesday July 17.. Visit www.handsometours.com.

Anticipation is building for the release of Flap!’s new album, following the huge success of their latest single Rock In Space. The band’s unique up-tempo sound, blending inﬂuences of the old and new, has wowed the masses at Woodford, Apollo Bay and Port Fairy festivals, and now the charming ﬁve-piece are set to bring their brass, guts, words and skins to the Corner Hotel on Saturday May 5. Tickets available through the venue.

THE COUNT..WITH

THE SIDETRACKED FIASCO

Name/Band: John O’Donnell/The SideTracked Fiasco. Ten bands everyone should know about: In no particular order – Pine Gap Aerials, Wizards of Oz, XQuabed, Over-Reactor, Buttertime, Disorion, Feedback Scars, Dirty Sanchez, Gentle As A Lamb and The SideTracked Fiasco of course. Nine food items that you need to make a kickarse dinner party: You only need one, one is all you need… FIASCO JUICE! Distilled from the jock strap squeezins of the four members of STF, cold filtered through the ears of The Motivational Sasquatch and left to age for five years in polystyrene hamburger containers we collected on the Lincoln Hwy whilst doing community service for distributing weapons of mass funk-struction. Eight possessions that define you: One bass guitar, four strings, one lead, one amp and the funk! Seven favourite movies/TV shows that go on your mixtape: Glen or Glenda, Blue Velvet, Gummo, The Idiots, Way Of The Dragon, Bad Boy Bubby and Pink Flamingo’s. Six bad habits you can’t escape: I’m not sure if this counts but I’ve been told I get distracted easily. Number two would be… ha, that turnip looks just like a thingy, I didn’t realise it when I bought it. Wait I’ve gotta tweet about this. I think I’m hungry, I need some funky cheese. Mmmnnnn cheese. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah my all time favourite city would be Helsinki. Five people who inspire you: The Motivational Sasquatch, The Easter Bunny, The Bogey Man, Santa Clause and God. Four things that turn you on: Pain… only pain! Three goals for your music: To sell enough records so I can go from Home Brand two minute noodles to Maggi Noodles, to sell out for a huge amount of cash, to die chocking on my own vomit in a drunken, drug induced stupor in a Paris hotel. Two live gigs you’ll never forget and why: There was this old homeless guy who used to sit outside The Wesley Mission in Sydney and masturbate furiously to the rush hour pedestrians. Outsider performance art, ironic statement or just a horny old guy you be the judge. But it was a daily occurrence and one of the best live shows I’ve been to. We called him The Hanker! One day left before the apocalypse and you…: Wait patiently. When’s the gig / release? We’ll be playing at The Brunswick Hotel on Friday April 20. It’s a five band lineup with Mr Whoo, The Atlantic Fall, Grunt Bucket and EARL. It kicks off at 8pm and is free entry. Our new EP Enter the Motivational Sasquatch is available at all good record stores, iTunes & of course at STF shows.

INVITATIONAL

The PALACE THEATRE 9.30 - 11.00

3 VENUES 4 STAGES ANZAC DAY 1 til 11.00pm

HOODOO GURUS 8.15 - 9.00

THE SONiCS 7.00 - 7.45

DiED PRETTY 5.45 - 6.30

REDD KROSS 4.30 - 5.15

THE 5.6.7.8’s 3.15 - 4.00

THE FLESHTONES 2.00 - 2.45

HARD-ONS

THE ATTIC (PALACE)

SPLEEN BAR

PONY

7.25 - 8.10

7.30 - 8.00

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6.10 - 6.55

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6.20 - 6.55

4.55 - 5.40

5.15 - 5.45

5.10 - 5.40

3.40 - 4.25

4.00 - 4.30

3.45 - 4.30

2.25 - 3.10

Plus DJ’S MiKEY YOUNG (EDDY CURRENT) PER BYSTROM (GiMME SHELTER) and more!

ROYAL HEADACHE

DAVE O’NEiL

BEACHES

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Beat Magazine Page 17

TOURING

WHO'S ON TOUR, WHERE AND WHEN

PROUDLY PRESENTS:

For all the latest touring news check out beat.com.au

INTERNATIONAL LOU BARLOW Northcote Social Club April 18 HENRY ROLLINS The National Theatre April 18, 19, 20, 21 SUPAFEST TBA April 21 THE 5.6.7.8’S The Tote April 24 DIG IT UP! HOODOO GURUS INVITATIONAL The Palace April 25 MARK LANEGAN BAND Forum Theatre April 26 AN HORSE Corner Hotel April 27 RED KROSS Northcote Social Club April 27 SIX60 The Hi-Fi April 27 THE SONICS Caravan Music Club April 27 THE EXPLOITED Corner Hotel April 28 CHERRY ROCK Cherry Bar April 29 FU MANCHU The Tote April 30 CITY & COLOUR Palais Theatre May 2 ANDREW W.K. Corner Hotel May 4 ORBITAL Palace Theatre May 4 DEVILDRIVER, DARKEST HOUR Billboard The Venue May 6 THE DARKNESS Palace Theatre May 8, 9 WAVVES Corner Hotel May 9 FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS The Espy May 10 THE MOUNTAIN GOATS The Toﬀ In Town May 9, Corner Hotel May 10 dEUS Corner Hotel May 12 PRINCE Rod Laver Arena May 14, 15, 30 PUBLIC ENEMY The Palace March 15 KAISER CHIEFS Palace Theatre May 16 THE MACABEES The Hi-Fi May 16 MUTEMATH Corner Hotel May 15, 17 NICKI MINAJ Hisense Area May 18 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK/BACKSTREET BOYS Rod Laver Arena May 18, 19 BRIAN JONESTOWN MASACRE The Forum Theatre May 19 FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE Rod Laver Arena May 20 BARRY ADAMSON Corner Hotel May 23 S CLUB 7 The Palace May 23 VIVID LIVE Sydney May 25 - June 3

MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND Northcote Social Club May 28 YOUNG GUNS The Hi-Fi May 30 LIGHT ASYLUM Phoenix Public House June 1 SIMPLE PLAN Festival Hall June 2 ZOLA JESUS The Toﬀ In Town June 3 SISTER SLEDGE The Hi-Fi June 7 REEF Billboard June 8 TRAIN The Palais June 9 MARK KOZELEK The Toﬀ In Town June 9, Phoenix Public House June 11 FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS The Plenary July 14 THE BLACK SEEDS Corner Hotel June 15 LADY GAGA Rod Laver Arena June 27, 28, 30, July 1, 3 GOATWHORE Corner Hotel July 6 MELISSA ETHERIDGE The Plenary July 15 SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS Belongil Fields Byron Bay July 27 - 29 HANSON The Palace September 14 RADIOHEAD Rod Laver Arena November 16, 17

NATIONAL LAST DINOSAURS Northcote Social Club April 20, May 2 N’FA JONES Grace Darling April 19 HUSKY Corner Hotel April 19, May 6, Barwon Club April 20 KISSCHASY Inferno Traralgon April 20, Ferntree Gully Hotel April 24 THE MAPLE TRAIL Gasometer April 24 BLEEDING KNEES CLUB Northcote Social Club April 21 TIN SPARROW Grace Darling April 21, 22 CHET FAKER Toﬀ In Town April 19, 21, 22 POND Northcote Social Club April 22, 23 BIG SCARY The Corner Hotel April 24 KISSCHASY Ferntree Gully Hotel April 24 STONEFIELD Northcote Social Club April 24, 25 JOHN BUTLER The Hi-Fi April 24, 25 EMMY BRYCE, KATE VIGO Thornbury Theatre April 26 DZ DEATHRAYS The Tote April 27 SCOTT & CHARLENE’S WEDDING Phoenix Public House April 28 BLUEJUICE The Hi-Fi April 28

STONEFIELD Northcote Social Club, April 24, 25 SAN CISCO Corner Hotel May 1, 2 THE GETAWAY PLAN Corner Hotel May 3 DAPPLED CITIES Northcote Social Club May 4 GOSSLING Thornbury Theatre May 5 BEN WELLS& THE MIDDLE NAMES The Toﬀ In Town May 9 KIMBRA Palais Theatre May 9 SPLIT SECONDS Northcote Social Club May 10 CALLING ALL CARS The Hi-Fi May 11 JOSH PYKE The Forum May 11 MICK THOMAS The Regal Ballroom May 11 CATCALL Toﬀ In Town May 12 LEADER CHEETAH Northcote Social Club May 19 BOY & BEAR The Hi-Fi May 20 TIJUANA CARTEL Northcote Social Club May 24 LOVE CONNECTION Northcote Social Club May 25 TUMBLEWEED The Tote May 25, 26 LANIE LANE Corner Hotel May 26, 27, 28 TEMPER TRAP The Forum May 29, 30 TZU Corner Hotel June 1

GRAVEYARD TRAIN The Hi-Fi June 1, 2 THE JEZABELS Festival Hall June 1 THE MISSION IN MOTION The Tote June 2 MATT CORBY The Forum June 6 BONJAH Corner Hotel June 8 THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT The Hi-FI June 8 DEEP SEA ARCADE Phoenix Public House June 8 THE HARD-ONS The Tote June 9 360 The Hi-Fi June 15 BUSBY MAROU The Corner June 28 KARNIVOOL The Hi-Fi July 5, 6, 7 LADYHAWKE July 17 KATE MILLER-HEIDKE The Corner August 24

RUMOURS Holographic 2Pac. = New Announcements = Beat Proudly Presents

F E A T U R I N G

ELM STREET DEAD CITY RUINS DEATH BY SIX BURY THE FALLEN

SATURDAY APRIL 21 ESPLANADE HOTEL GERSHWIN ROOM T I C K E T S $ 1 3 P R E S A L E , $ 1 5 AT T H E D O O R 1 1 T H E E S P L A N A D E S T K I L D A WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/HEAVYMAG WWW WWW.FA W .FACEB CEBBOOK OKK.CO COM/H M EAV M/ AVVYMA Y GW WWW WWW.HEAVYMAG.COM.AU W .HE .HEAVY AVYYMAG AG.CO .COM.A M U M.A

Beat Magazine Page 18

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Beat Magazine Page 19

DZ DEATHRAYS BY JOSHUA KLOKE

Simon Ridley and Shane Parsons look uncomfortable, sitting in their record label’s office. They’re surrounded by CDs, touring posters and all manner of modern music memorabilia. Still, for the first few minutes of our conversation, the drummer and singer/guitarist of Brisbane duo DZ Deathrays are at once bored and fidgety. “It’s been a long day of interviews,” shrugs Ridley, passing me their exhausting schedule for the day. We talk briefly of doing the interview in a bar, which perks their interest, if only slightly. It’s only when we begin to share our experiences at festivals such as CMW and SXSW that the band truly becomes at ease. Soon, sheer excitement takes over. It’s evident through the giddy smiles the band adopts; DZ Deathrays is a band that long to be onstage. Asked to look back on the immense 2011 they had, the bombastic punk duo confess that amidst a great year, opening for Foo Fighters and Fucked Up at the 45,000 seat AAMI Park stands out. “There were quite a lot of highlights,” says Parsons. “Foo Fighters, that was pretty insane.” “We loved all the guys on that lineup. There was no rock’n’roll ego going around,” notes Ridley. “Usually you do tours with other bands, and the crews kind of look down on you. But this crew went out of their way to make us feel at home,” says Parsons. There’s an air of youngish enthusiasm in DZ Deathrays, evidenced in the appreciation they show towards those who’ve leant a hand along the road. No trace of vanity can be found in listening to the guitarist/singer and drummer, as they quickly follow-up on each other’s answers. “When we opened for Foo Fighters in the Gold Coast, we were just in amazement of how many people there were,” says Parsons. “When we finished, I literally had to take my guitar to the car, drive to the airport and we made our flight with just minutes to spare. We flew back to Melbourne and did a show at Northcote Social Club. It was just such a heavy feeling, walking offstage after playing to thousands of people and then sitting on a Tiger flight to play to an entirely different group of people. Everything was so rushed and last minute.” With the release of Bloodstreams, their debut fulllength, feeling rushed is something Ridley and Parsons may have to get used to. Still, they’ve managed to avoid tiring from the road for now. When asked if they’ve felt overwhelmed by their sudden fame, they pause, hum and look at each other before Ridley speaks up. “If anything, we’ve been very surprised at the amount of UK press that we’ve been getting. Only because we went there once and we already started getting heat,” says Ridley. “I went back to work after that tour and I was sitting at my desk and I read the article NME wrote on us. I just sat back, and thought ‘Holy shit,’” he says with a dropped jaw and widened eyes. “I wish I was back in England playing shows.” “Goddamn it,” says Parsons, quickly afterwards. “We should be back there. We’ve just got to keep that up though, and keep going back as much as possible.” Though Parsons was referencing the UK, he could have been speaking about any touring stop outside of Australia. In anticipation of the release of Bloodstreams, DZ Deathrays travelled back to the UK and also made stops in Canada and the USA, including a now mythologised gig at SXSW, where the band’s set was Beat Magazine Page 20

abruptly cut short because of noise violations. The day after our conversation, the band played an early day timeslot at Laneway Festival. Larger than expected crowds joined the band, and the duo responded with a concise but still hell-raising set. Regardless of timeslot or festival, DZ Deathrays is committed to playing every stage they can, in the hopes of making waves in a country that has not responded the way others have. “So many great bands in Australia get trapped,” says Parsons. “We didn’t want that to happen to us, so as soon as we could, we worked towards getting our money together and getting out as much as possible.”

“WE HAVEN’T ANTICIPATED ANYTHING TO THE EXTENT THAT HAS HAPPENED.” “The more you do play outside of your home country, the more your home country takes notice of you,” offers Ridley. “Our shows at Laneway meant a lot of people were checking us out for the first time, even though we’ve been down to Melbourne 45 or 50 times in the last three years.” And the frequency with which DZ Deathrays tour is only the beginning: these two are no flash in the pan duo. Their thrash pop sound, cultivated through a string of singles and an EP is remarkably mature. Sure, they’re a party band at heart, evidenced in the fallout from their often chaotic live shows. When the band is locked into a song onstage however, the intense amount of gigging they do shows up in spades. “We really like dance music as well, believe it or not,” says Ridley a good 30 minutes into the interview. As they discuss their craft, their shift in the office-room atmosphere is palpable. “But everything about dance music is really locked in, the way it goes from point to point. When we demo’d the record, we were all over the place. When it finally came time to record with [producer Richard Pike of PVT], we made an effort to always lock it in. He’s very aware of groove. He was pushing us to keep things tight. People like something that gets them moving a bit, and we’re aware of that.” It’s a notion that DZ Deathrays have long been aware of. On their recent EP No Sleep, the band showed signs of their ability to craft precise thrash pop. It’s the hope of both Ridley and Parsons that with the jump to the fulllength Bloodstreams, their vision will become realised and they’ll finally begin to garner the same amount of attention in their native Australia which they do abroad. “Over the years we’ve been trying to figure out what we want to do,” says Ridley. “Instead of trying to incorporate

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

a little bit of everything, we set out to make a solid punk record with attitude, but that’s fun as well.” “You see bands that’ve got three laptops set up and you can’t hear what sound is coming from where,” continues Parsons, showing an attitude that contains a healthy amount of punk ethos. “I just couldn’t even imagine setting up laptops or that kind of shit.” “When we play we use a laptop for our lighting. It kills me that people might think we’re using the laptop for our show,” says Ridley, looking defeated. With band chemistry and the drive to gig clearly not an issue for the band, Ridley’s comments were worth questioning. After receiving high praise from major media outlets, DZ Deathrays now find themselves in a favourable position that could soon turn detrimental. They’ve garnered enough hype, but with Bloodstreams, it’s high time for the boys to deliver. What many would perceive as a challenge, DZ Deathrays find an opportunity to do what they do best: take to the stage. “We always wanted to be known as a live band. We just needed the record as an excuse to tour and bring people to the shows,” says Parsons with a sense of affirmation. “On record, we try to capture that energy and translate it into the studio as best as we could. And you know, maybe it’ll be the only one we ever do. But at least then we can look back on it and feel proud that we went into it with the same enthusiasm that we put into our live show.” Parsons continues, echoing the general bewilderment and ultimate acceptance of the band’s fate. “We haven’t anticipated anything to the extent that has happened.” Though the band seem intent on purveying a carefree approach, as our hour-long conversation winds down, the subject of their reception in Australia cannot be avoided. “We’re a love and hate band anyways,” says Ridley. “There’s a lot of people that’ve written us off very easily anyway, because they think ‘Oh, they’re just a two-piece band that scream and shout.’ It might not be for everyone, but you also get some people that are into it. Maybe that was the thing about the UK: people just seemed to get it right away. There’s a very solid rock’n’roll scene in the UK that might’ve existed ten years ago in Australia.” As Ridley continues, both members take on a serious tone, dissecting some of the issues they have with the industry. “But now there’s a borderline hardcore sound which is really in favour now. In Australia, things are dictated by the radio.” DZ Deathrays has made a name for themselves as a band that lives to be onstage. Though the mood in the room ultimately turned light once again, if the band do get serious and accept their fate, they won’t remain unknown in Australia much longer. “It’s too folky sometimes too,” says Parsons. “Yeah” agrees Ridley, as both of them break out into laughter. “Folk and dubstep.” “We’ve been saying we should just start a folkstep band and take it to the next level and then hopefully we’ll get some serious press. Then maybe we’ll be the ones to kill it off and we can go back to doing what we want to do.” DZ DEATHRAYS play The National in Geelong on Wednesday April 25, Karova Lounge in Ballarat on Thursday April 26 and The Tote on Friday April 27. Bloodstreams is available now through I Oh You.

CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 21

THIS WEEK: ON SCREEN Talking Heads, Sean Penn portraying Robert Smith and Frances McDormand. Director Paolo Sorrentino really know how to hit the nail on the head and then hit a few more times until you bleed with the film This Must Be The Place currently showing at Palace theatres. The film follows Cheyenne’s (Penn) efforts to find his father’s tormentor, a Nazi war criminal living in the United States as a refugee. The film’s narrative is complimented with the music of David Byrne from Talking Heads who makes several cameos throughout the film. This Must Be The Place is currently showing at all Palace Cinemas.

ON STAGE The Cautionary Tale of Barry Von Peabody and the Scarlet St Theatre, currently showing at La Mama theatre portraying the classic tales of unrequited love, ambition and revenge. There are puppets, whales, escapees from Nazi Germany, a magician and love and death. Why wouldn’t you go and see this? Go and see this. Playing at La Mama theatre. Book online at lamama.com

ON DISPLAY

In five years, David Lozeau has showcased his brilliant work around the world, won several awards at fine art exhibitions, and has been rejected from more artist associations than he can count. He wears rejection letters like badges of honour. His character-driven painting style blends Day Of The Dead iconography, ‘50s cartoon cell animation, traditional tattoo imagery, and Southern Californian lowbrow, revealing his unique perspective on life, death, and all the gory stuff in between. The dude is just downright incredibly talented, so make sure you check out his solo exhibition at Kustom Lane Gallery opening on Friday April 20 for three days only.

BEAT’S PICK OF THE WEEK:

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival has come and (nearly) gone in the blink of an eye, again. With the festival’s closing date drawing closer every second there really is no reason good enough to not go. A forged letter from your mum won’t even suﬃce. Go and see Imaan Hadchiti, an itty-bitty man putting on a big show, Bigger Than Jesus, actually. Head to beat. com.au for playing times, artist information and special events.

Beat Magazine Page 22

SYNCOPATION BY BELLA ARNOTT-HOARE

With the jangled ‘one and-a two and-a’ rhythm of ragtime waltz, Emma Palmer led her partner around the room. If you’re not familiar with the conventions of dance, this isn’t a woman’s role. While she was a classically trained ballerina in a previous life and picked up ballroom dancing quickly, her partner often stumbled over the routines, all twoleft-feet. But the pupil was her co-star and as actors their performance had to convince people they were adept as Fred and Ginger. Rehearsing for a play can be a delicate dance, but when Justin Stewart Cotta was finally able to ‘take the lead’ on the opening night of Syncopation they knew they’d accomplished a mighty feat. “I was learning a new form,” said Palmer, “but learning the steps and the routines was easier because I’ve got that (dance) background. But the other actor in the play isn’t a dancer, so for him it was a real challenge; he had to basically learn an entirely new craft in order to play the role.” The play is set long before teen idol hysteria and insalubrious rap music, but the music with an off-kilter rhythm marked the beginnings of cultural change. The show evokes 1912 New York where expression was becoming more important and new jazz styles were invented. And to showcase the dance of the time, a crucial element to the story is of course, the dance. Emma Palmer plays Anna, a young Catholic seamstress. A girl, it goes, is drawn to the optimism of cultural change and responds to a want-ad “to dance with royalty”. As the second time Palmer’s toured the country in this role she’s well versed with its intricacies and the historical period it’s set in. “The whole thing’s set to the backdrop of the industrial revolution and New York was a really exciting place at the time because it was growing at a rapid pace. There was new music emerging from composers like Gershwin, and a new form of dance. The people who made it famous are Vernon and Irene Castle, and they are, I suppose, the two people that Henry and Anna base themselves on as they embark on this journey of discovery.” With musical styles like the Foxtrot, Tango, and Ragtime all ‘off the beat’, it sounded vastly different to what was around. As a title it’s a pretty good allegory for the characters trying to do something different in a slowly changing world. “They’re both kind of offbeat characters. The thing we have to keep reminding ourselves when we’re doing this play is it’s set in a period of time where behaviours were very different to the behaviours of people now and the conventions and expectations on you from society are so much more intense. They’re going against what’s socially acceptable. So the title has resonance on those levels as well because they’re not sticking to the beat, they’re definitely veering off the path.” And it may just be a journey for the play’s actors

themselves. Where most people would despair at learning steps with sometimes fumbling co-stars, Emma looks at it as a tune-up: “It’s just about patience and helping them out as much as you can.” Coming back to dancing has been an interesting experience for the now-actor. She was heavily involved in classical ballet until the age of 15, spending almost as much time at ballet school as she did in academic classes. “I’m so grateful for having that experience because it’s come in handy on a couple of occasions, and most noticeably in this play. I grew in all the wrong directions basically to become a classical dancer,” she laughs, “so I started acting more and more and then dancing less and less. But I think it’s something that’s a bit like riding a bike.” And it’s lucky, because there’s a lot of dancing in the performance. Playwright Allan Knee (Return To Wonderland) has integrated it so the narrative elements and the dance rely on one other. With only the two actors performing it’s a tough gig but eﬀective. “What he manages to achieve so brilliantly is his integrated dance into the story. And dance becomes another form of expressing their journey, so every time we dance during the play we tend to end up somewhere diﬀerent to where we began. It’s always important when

FREE SHIT GERMAN FILM FESTIVAL The very best in German Film is being brought to our shores this week thanks to Audi. (Thanks, Audi). The Audi Festival of German ﬁlm presents a selection of highly awarded ﬁlms in contemporary and classic German cinema. What better way to spend a cold autumn night than in a Palace cinema drinking a beer you probably can’t pronounce with someone to keep you warm. Daw. We have a few double passes to give away. Clickety-clack onto beat.com.au/freeshit for your chance to win.

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you’re integrating something like that, that it has to be really critical to the storytelling, and I think that’s what Allan managed to achieve quite wonderfully.” And the play’s also been backed by some formidable support from director Stephen Lloyd Helper. He directed Café Rebetika! which has been successful in Sydney and Melbourne, and on Broadway, Steve’s production of Fiddler On The Roof was nominated for the Best Revival Tony Award. Smokey Joe’s Cafe, the piece de resistance of his work if you will, is among the 30 longest running Broadway musicals of all time. “I won’t lie to you, I didn’t necessarily realise those things when I started working with Steve and then I slowly but surely came to the realisation that he’s achieved so much, but it was self evident when I started working with him just how much he knows about this particular form.” “He’s deﬁnitely an eccentric character but we’ve known each other now for 18 months and I’ve got a real soft spot for him, I love working with him,” she giggled. The cast seems to have adequately preserved a slice of 1912 Manhattan, dancing shoes and all. Syncopation plays at the Clocktower Centre on Friday April 20 and Saturday April 21. For bookings and more information visit clocktowercentre.com.au

JAN - JUN 2012

TIM DARBYSHIRE

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Beat Magazine Page 23

THE COMIC STRIP

With Tyson Wray. Got news, gossip, reviews, thoughts, tip-oﬀs, complaints, hate mail? Email tyson@beat.com.au or send by ESP before Friday.

KIRRA GALLERIES Fancy yourself a bit of an art lover, do ya? Well, Kirra Galleries has you covered. The art space is getting ready to host their latest exhibition featuring the works of George Aslanis and Crystal Stubbs. The exhibition will be opened by internationally recognised Art Historian, glass artist, senior lecturer, curator, writer and editor of The Encyclopaedia Project, Dr Bronwyn Hughes. Both George and Crystal will bring their unique and individual ideas to the surface, and allow us to delve deep into their mindsets. Head to Kirra Galleries from Thursday April 19 to check out what’s on oﬀer.

EMERGING WRITERS FESTIVAL The 2012 Emerging Writers’ Festival is set to be the biggest one yet, with outgoing director Lisa Dempster programming her third and ﬁnal festival. Sad news, indeed, but why wallow when you can celebrate? And the best way to do that is to have any budding writers or journalists need to take part – and there’s plenty for you to get involved in. In the lead up to its 10th year anniversary, punters can expect a whole lot of literary love, and a whole heap of learning. Best of all, our very own Tyson will be speaking at the event on Saturday May 26. If you genuinely think the pen is mightier than the sword, head to the Emerging Writers Festival as it takes over numerous Melbourne venues from May 24 – June 3. Details at emergingwritersfestival.org.au.

2012 METROPOLIS NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL Take a trip to the USA without the hefty price tag. For the rest of this month and next, the MSO and Melbourne Recital Centre will present an extensive and wide-ranging celebration of contemporary music during the Metropolis New Music Festival. From the stark beauty of the Alaskan wilderness to the pulsating energy of New York City, Metropolis will be an exhilarating road-trip across the land of the free, driven by contemporary music’s biggest band, eighth blackbird, and featuring a special guest performance by American composer, Steve Reich. The Metropolis New Music Festival will make its way to the Melbourne Recital Centre from April 27 – May 5.

ASTOR THEATRE Our good friends at the Astor always have the best to offer – and their brand new season calendar is proof of that. Commencing April 29, the cinema will treat its loyal to some of the greatest gems in cinema history, with everything from Raiders Of The Lost Ark and The Last Starfighter, to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Wayne’s World; even divulging in an immaculate music video double featuring The Chemical Brothers’ Don’t Think and Faithless’ Passing The Baton. There’s definitely something there for everyone – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. To see just what’s on hand, head to astortheatre.net.au.

CULLEN OPEN HOUSE Disclaimer: what you’re about to read has absolutely nothing to do with the Twilight series. The Cullen (nothing!) will kick oﬀ Carbon Festival 2012 as it presents Cullen Open House – a day of living fearlessly with street art. Showcasing the biggest mural in the Southern Hemisphere, a street art installation, interactive workshops and a chance to discover The Cullen’s very own Street Art Hotel Suites, The Cullen will educate and inspire guests bringing the spirit of Melbourne’s world famous street art into the hotel. Featuring works from three of the world’s greatest artists – D*Face, Swoon and Blek Le Rat, the event is sure to set creative juices alight. Cullen Open House will be held at The Cullen on Saturday April 21.

MAMI YAMANAKA

AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF ARTS Not too keen on your current path? Fancy a little bit of a change? It’s time to do what you love, people. The Australian College of the Arts has new and exciting degree courses that are sure to shake the fun up a bit. Amongst their current courses, the college is introducing Bachelor of Arts (Music) Contemporary Music Performance, Bachelor of Arts (Audio Production) and Bachelor of Arts (Creative Industries Management) Music Business. Prepare for an exciting career in the contemporary music industry at the dynamic institution. All you need to do is apply by Monday May 21. Head to collarts.edu. au for more information.

From the inﬂuences of Japan comes the work of Japanese born and Melbourne based artist, Mami Yamanaka, as she deals with patterns with the same sensitivity for which traditional Japanese design is best known. Drawing in circular motions and incorporating forms that symbolise her experience of migration, the intricate forms she produces reﬂect both the fragility of nature and the abundance of inner experience. Get a taste of Japanese culture and art as Mami Yamanaka displays her show, Silent Yesterday, at Flinders Lane Gallery from now until May 5.

LE CORSAIRE

2013 SELECTED WORKS PROGRAM A lot of you may argue that we’re not even half way through 2012 yet, so what are we even doing mentioning 2013? Well, time ﬂies when you’re having fun and we like to prepare you for what’s to come. Theatre Works is inviting independent artists from across Australia to submit proposals for their 2013 Selected Works Program. Theatre Works will support a number of these artists and companies present their work next year with venue hire, technical support, marketing support, a dedicated publicist, front of house staﬀ, creative and producing support, and a $3000 cash contribution. I’m sorry, did someone say “hooked up”? Applications are now open, so if this seems right up your alley, check out the information packs and application forms from theatreworks.org.au.

MODELS AND MUSES FROM MILAN Rod Dudley. Great name, great man. Having been a working artist for some 40+ years, this Australian born artist relocated to Milan in 1965 to study and practice life as an artist. Along with his wife, Christina, Ron has established himself in the cultural and commercial hub of Italy, but still – like any good Aussie should – staying true to his roots. With evident European inspirations on his work, be transported worldwide as Ron Dudley brings his latest exhibition, Models and Muses from Milan, to Smartartz Gallery from June 14 – June 27.

PASSENGERS SAFELY OFF

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is still going and Melbourne’s best underground comedy room is still celebrating like a boss. Tonight, expect more big-name drop-ins and Charlie’s favourite comics giving you a taste of shows they’ve poured their hearts and souls into. Line-ups are going to be a mixed bag of local, national and international comedians. All for Charlie’s mates rate of only $5. Not to mention cheap piss! 7.30 tonight at Eurotrash Bar 18 Corrs Lane, Melbourne. Get down early for a seat.

FELIX BAR COMEDY

FIELD Consider yourself a bit of an artist, eh? Then this might be just the thing for you. Field is inviting established and emerging artists of all mediums to explore the theme ‘Conversations on the cusp of change’, as well as to submit artworks for possible inclusion in the 2012 Rob McNamara Exhibition. It’s simple. Get the theme, think of an idea, use your skills, create like you’ve never created before, and voila! You’ve got a little bit of time to get those thinking caps on, but don’t procrastinate for too long. Entries for ﬁeld’s Conversations on the cusp of change close on Friday June 22. For more information, head to ﬁeld.org.au/exhibition.

Ever have those fear of missing out moments? Well, luckily for all those ballet lovers of you out there, Ballet: Captured Live In HD, has your backs. Coming direct from one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world, The Bolshoi Ballet of Russia’s production of Le Corsaire is being presented in cinemas Australia-wide this coming weekend. Inspired by Lord Byron’s 1814 poem, The Corsair, Le Corsaire is one of the ﬁrst from the 2012 season of Bolshoi Ballet to be performed in the newly restored 186-year-old Bolshoi Theatre. Experience the magic of the Bolshoi Ballet of Russia as their performance of Le Corsaire is brought to Cinema Nova, Village Rivoli Cinemas and Palace Dendy Brighton on Saturday April 21 & Sunday April 22.

CHECKPOINT CHARLIE COMEDY

PERSONA In a production that is bound to set the theatrical stage alight this year, Persona is about to hit Melbourne hard. Rising star of the Melbourne theatre scene, Adena Jacobs, will direct a bold interpretation of the classic ﬁlm starring two of Melbourne’s most talented actresses, Karen Sibbing and Meredith Penman. Described as a ‘nightmarish poem about identity, intimacy and the limits of the spoken word’, Persona will bring a touch of eerie to Theatre Works from May 18-27. For more information, head to theatreworks.org.au.

The comedy festival has started, which means we’ve got heaps of great names popping down to St Kilda to warm up for their shows! Some of the city’s ﬁnest, plus, some national and international names! All very secret! But we promise you, it’s gonna be great! You really never know what big names will drop in to try out something new. Felix Bar is the place to be on a Wednesday night in St Kilda! It’s all happening Wednesday, April 18 at 8.30pm for only $12, at 11 Fitzroy St, St Kilda.

COMMEDIA DELL PARTE Last week the George Lane Bar was packed! Come along this week for another great line up of comics from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival including, Neil Sinclair, Liam Ryan, Momo Smoljanic, Neel Kolhatkar, Sarah Ridgway, Timothy Clark, This Is Siberian Husky and more. Get in early to secure yourself a comfy couch and go into the draw for some great prizes from Punchline. The room runs on a ‘pay as you like’ basis, so come along and have a great laugh, then pay what you believe the show is worth on the way out. So if you enjoy the show chuck in a few sheckles and show your appreciation. Commedia Dell Parte runs every Thursday, 8.30pm, George Lane Bar, St Kilda.

SOFTBELLY COMEDY LATE NIGHT Come along to see massive names pop in after their shows for a beer and a scorching late night set in a packed room. It’s the biggest secret of the festival and the perfect show to see after expensive regular shows in the festival. It’s four or ﬁve big names for only $12! It’s gonna be huge! It all happens at Softbelly, 367 Little Bourke St, in the city, this Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21, at 11pm. It’s only $12!

COMEDY AT SPLEEN The comedy doesn’t ﬁnish when the festival does! The day after the festival, Comedy At Spleen is back up and att’em! With a healthy mix of big names and up and comers, it’s the hottest comedy night in town, and you have to be there seriously early to even get a seat! It’s the best thing you can do with a Monday night.. our hundreds of regulars can’t be wrong! It’s this Monday, April 23, 41 Bourke St, in the city, at 8.30pm.

Being a PSO stands for a lot. It gives you a special standing in your community. As a Protective Services Ofﬁcer, you help keep our train stations safe. And in helping others, you might even discover something more satisfying than a 9 to 5 job for yourself. Apply to become a PSO today. P.S. Your community needs you.

PROTECTIVE SERVICES OFFICERS Help keep our train stations safe. Become a PSO. Visit policecareer.vic.gov.au or SMS “proud” to 132 001. POL0097

Beat Magazine Page 24

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MORE OR LESS CONCRETE BY KATE MCCARTEN

Brisbane ex-pat Tim Darbyshire is introducing something different to the already diverse Melbourne performance scene. When pushed for an explanation of his new show More Or Less Concrete, Darbyshire describes it as “an experiment between human movement and sound”. Since the initial idea for More Or Less Concrete began hanging around in the back of his mind over five years ago, Darbyshire’s complex and intriguing vision has finally been brought to fruition. As he prepares for the premiere of his show, choreographer and performer Tim Darbyshire discusses the interesting relationship between movement and sound that has inspired his artistic direction. Darbyshire has had a strong fascination with sound in movement since his earliest days. Like a lot of kids, Tim grew up participating in running, swimming and other sports. However what intrigued him about these activities wasn’t the fun, or the technique, or even the winning. The young boy was taken by the sound his feet made as they hit the concrete and the splash he heard with every swimming stroke. When he was eight years old Tim began tap dancing and his interest in sound in movement was solidified. “[Through those activities] the idea of making music or making sound through movement appeared pretty early, and it seems to have stayed with me,” Darbyshire remembers. After graduating in dance from QUT, he spent time in different dance programs. While at a dance school in France in 2006, the idea of sound in movement began forming itself into a performance concept. “In France, these ideas about audible movement came into play again. I didn’t understand the French language and therefore most of the sounds that I was hearing in the village were abstract. So I was thinking a lot about sound scapes, and compositions brought about by sound, and sound movement that occurs in our daily lives.” That concept of ‘audible movement’ is something that Darbyshire has been experimenting with ever since, although More Or Less Concrete will be his first full length piece. Tim dubs it his most “significant work” so far. In a way, Tim reflects, everything he has worked on before now has been leading up to this project. “[This concept] has always been in the background [but] it takes a lot of planning and organising to get it realised on the level that I wanted to.” And it’s finally reached that level. More or Less Concrete has been more than five years in the making and Darbyshire can hardly believe that it’s finally here. “It’s been a long time coming, and it’s finally about to be born...so to speak,” he adds. Describing what to expect from More Or Less Concrete is an apprehensive task, because Darbyshire would prefer that people come in with no preconceptions or expectations at all. One thing he wants to make clear though is that it is not interpretive dance. “No, I wouldn’t call it that, because that’s a big joke,” Tim laughs. “I don’t know if I’d even call it dance because every title you give it, people have expectations, they wanna see certain things.” As the audience enters into the performance space, they will be handed their own set of headphones. The three performers will begin to move to Darbyshire’s aesthetically-fuelled choreography as the sounds they are making with their bodies – by interacting with their environment and each other – is being sent through to a sound designer, who will edit that sound and send it through to the audiences’ headphones. “Through that headphone use, we hope to be able to bring [the audience] very close to the sound,” Darbyshire explains. That sound going directly into the audience’s ears is created by the movement of the dance, as opposed to the movement being a result of the sound. Although More Or Less Concrete is very focused on sound and movement, the performance space attempts to be just as visually interesting as the performers themselves. The set is designed to emulate a tunnel which gives the space an architectural depth, and the set will be washed in blue. “We’re looking at this colour blue as something which is ephemeral and receding and quite vast. That’s contrasted by the physical aspects, and the physical property of the sound, and all of the objects and architectural elements that are right there in front of you,” Tim explains. “We had to dilute them somehow.” Darbyshire has not developed More Or Less Concrete through any production company. He is an independent choreographer and dancer who has recruited fellow dancers Sophie Cowan and Matthew Day, and independent sound designers Myles Mumford and Jem Savage to realise the vision in his head. Tim believes that the fact he is not tied to any company allows him to be more open. “It’s interesting to bring fresh collaborations to the work, or trying different approaches for each work that will bring you down a totally new avenue. I think you get that by keeping flexible and not getting locked into a particular way of doing things.” This is independent theatre in its truest form. Creativity is at the essence, and the only thing that will do a show like More Or Less Concrete justice is attending with an open mind and a curiosity for the experimental. Darbyshire wants to open up the imagination of his viewer so that they can construct their own meanings, and all you have to do is let him. More Or Less Concrete is on Wednesday 18 April – Sunday 22 April at Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall.

ARTS NEWS, REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS ONLINE – BEAT.COM.AU/ARTS

Beat Magazine Page 25

FILM REVIEW:

NORWEGIAN WOOD BY GREG KING

Taking its title from the classic Beatles song of the same name, Norwegian Wood is a visually beautiful, elegiac and haunting tale of love, longing, loss of innocence, guilt, sexuality and obsession from award winning French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung (Cyclo, The Scent Of The Green Papaya, etc). Based on the widely acclaimed best selling novel by Japanese author Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood is set in Japan in 1967, a turbulent time when student revolts were challenging the fabric of society. The rest of the world was undergoing change and the sexual revolution was in full swing. But Japan had a different moral code and attitude towards sex, which leads to tragedy here. Upon hearing the song Norwegian Wood, Toru Watanabe (Kenichi Matsuyama) reflects back on his friendship with his best friend Kizuki (Kengo Kora) and Naoko (Rinko Kikuchi, from Babel, etc). But after Kizuki committed suicide over his failed relationship with Naoko, the nature of their friendship changed. Several years later Toru meets Naoko at university. The psychologically damaged Naoko suffers from a deep depression and spends a lot of time in rehab. When she finally makes contact many months later, Toru visits her, but finds that her recovery is painfully slow. Toru’s roommate Nagasawa (Tetsuji Tamayama) attempts to cheer him up by dragging him to nightclubs to meet girls. He

meets the beautiful Midori (model Kiko Mizuhara, making her film debut), but his relationship with her is overshadowed by his feelings for Naoko. Unfolding in a series of extended flashbacks, Norwegian Wood is a melancholic and painful coming of age story that explore the complicated love triangle that develops between Toru, Naoko and Midori. The performances from the three leads are sublime and effective. Matsuyama manages to convey the introverted Toru’s inner turmoil effectively. Kikuchi is also very good as the emotionally fragile, troubled and unstable Naoko. The stunning visuals from Hong Kong cinematographer Mark Lee Bin Ping (In The Mood For Love, etc) are exquisite and lush, and perfectly match Hung’s sublime, poetic vision. The film has an aesthetic quality and a breathtaking surface beauty that is hard to ignore. Hung’s atmospheric and beautifully languid approach to the source material does its poetic and lyrical prose justice. Powerful emotions are expressed in silence, and there is a stillness that resonates throughout. The haunting score from Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead guitarist) offers a perfect complement to the film’s nostalgic tone. Norwegian Wood is out on DVD and Blu-Ray through Curious Films from Thursday April 19.

FREE SHIT NORWEGIAN WOOD One of the standout films from last year’s MIFF, Norwegian Wood showcases a multitude of Japanese talent on the rise. Adapted from the bestselling novel from Japanese author Haruki Murakami, the film has raked in worldwide critical acclaim. We have copies of the film on DVD, plus the excellent Johnny Greenwood-penned soundtrack, and if that’s not enough, we have copies of Murakami’s latest work 1Q84. For your chance to win, head along to beat.com.au/freeshit.

Beat Magazine Page 26

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COMEDY FESTIVAL COVERAGE CONTINUES MIKE WILMOT

Listening to Mike Wilmot talk about his family, wife Elaine and adult daughters Theresa and Shannon, his fondness for them is evident. “One lives across the street and the other one lives at the bottom of the street,” he says to illustrate how close they all are back at home in Toronto. “We all go on holiday together still,” he says, and Elaine accompanies the stand up comedian as he travels the world performing at various international festivals. But when he’s onstage talking about them, it’s another story “Oh! It’s the only time I can really hate them. I love them all day long, but for one hour, it’s a release to hate their guts for an hour. I hate Elaine for an hour, I hate the kids for an hour and I love what I do for an hour, and then it’s back to normal. It’s very, very therapeutic,” he says. Wilmot, who’s been a fairly regular visitor to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival since his first appearance here in 2003, where he collected the Barry Award for Most Outstanding Show, and another nomination for it in 2005, does a fine trade in filth. His material is often

sexually explicit but, as he will tell the audience more than once in any given show, he’s been with the same woman for 26 years now. When they ﬁrst met, Elaine was waiting tables at a comedy club where Wilmot was performing. “I was a young amateur comic working in a rhythm and blues club in the east end of Toronto on Saturday afternoons and one day she got pickled, put her arm around my neck and dragged me into her cave,” he says. Was he as dirty back then as he is now? “I don’t think I was as dir…” he stops mid-sentence, pulls the phone away from him and shouts ‘was I as dirty then?’ After a beat, he’s back. “She says yes. Maybe not as funny, maybe a bit graphic”. These days, his wife, who is discussed in great detail on stage at times, is his most valued comedy critic. “She comes to see the shows periodically and then tells me ‘well that’s a bit rude’, ‘that’s just rude for rudeness sake, that’s not funny’ that kind of thing. I judge her opinion more than I judge anybody else’s opinion, because she knows when it’s coming from the heart and when it’s just something stupid that I’ve fabricated,” he says. It’s not the only reason she doesn’t mind being talked about on stage. “Well you know, it’s all in perspective, as to whether or not it’s her, there’s a line that goes back and forth between

my real, proper Elaine and a myth. Sort of like Phyllis Diller had her husband ‘Fang’ – and some of it was based on her husband and some of it was just based on idiot men,” he says. His show for this festival also features a tale about him accidentally watching porn in front of his eldest daughter, Theresa. “She loves the fact that’s in the show. So we’re not a normal family,” he deadpans. Given the adult content of his shows, it’s only been later in their lives they have seen him on stage. “Believe it or not, over the years, they have become huge fans” he says. “And it was cute, because when they were little, of course, I barely told them what I did, I didn’t want them to hear what Dad says but as they got older, they snuck in to see me and both times they loved it,” he recalls. Theresa, he says, snuck in when she was 18. “I said to her, ‘god, I hope you know I’m not talking about mummy’ and she went ‘mum wouldn’t let you do that’ and just dismissed me completely. Just like her mum does,” he chuckles. Reviewers might say Mike Wilmot’s show is not a ‘family friendly’ one, but oﬀstage, it’s clear he loves being a family man. BY JOANNE BROOKFIELD

Mike Wilmot performs at Victoria Hotel until Sunday April 22 at 9.45pm (8.45pm Sundays). Tickets are $32 Saturdays, $32/$25 Fridays, $30/$25 Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, $25 for groups of eight or more, available from Ticketmaster online, 1300 660 013 and at the door.

PETER HELLIAR SNAZZY

Peter Helliar remembers only too well the ordeal that was making a phone call to a girl as a teenager. There was no disembodied instant messaging or texting or tweeting to test the waters with or hide behind. Just a landline telephone. “And we had a phone which had a cord and it wasn’t a long cord,” he recalls. “It wasn’t the Family Ties cord that Mallory could walk around the block talking to Nick on. I think technically that was the first mobile phone,” he says. Not only were eavesdropping family members lurking elsewhere to compound the difficultly, there was also the risk of those “awkward silences” that filled the young Helliar with dread. “I used to write a list of conversational topics before I would speak to a girl on the phone just to make sure I could fill in the silences. A set list!” he laughs at the memory. Helliar, who’s been performing stand up for close to two decades now, has made his name laughing at such memories. His stand up has often reminisced about the past and for those who enjoy his nostalgic trips back to times and places that are as cringeworthy as they are comic, they shouldn’t be disappointed with his latest show Snazzy. The poster image, to start with, is a classic. Decked out in ruffle fronted shirt with a baby blue suit and bow tie, Helliar grins inanely at the camera, like the best of any ‘worst’ highschool yearbook shots. “I’ve had very good feedback,” he says of the photo. “I think the background is the winner. That debutant background works well,” he says. The suit, however, is not one from his wardrobe. “It’s a Rose Chong special! I didn’t quite wear that to a deb ball or formal. I have the jacket backstage but I keep forgetting to put it on,” he says of his short run of shows he’s doing this year for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Helliar, who appears frequently on television, especially as his alter-ego football fan freakboy Strauchnie, has been busy working on multiple projects. His film, romantic comedy I Love You Too, which was released in 2010, has opened up many more screenwriting opportunities for him. He’s got another screenplay he’s working on for the same production company, plus one that he’s hoping will go into production shortly with a different company. There’s a scripted comedy series he’s working on for ABC and a short film he directed that’s just been completed. But in amongst all that, he’s found time to write brand new stand up show Snazzy as well, which he’s performing on weekends only. “I was pretty keen to give myself an umbrella title that could encompass anything but once I had that title and the poster image, I thought maybe I could look at childhood stuff and not just talking about my kids but stuff that happened to me and how that probably influences the way I parent my own kids,” the father of three boys says. It wasn’t until his eldest son was bullied at school when he was seven years old that it triggered several memories of his own experiences around that same age, which now form part of the show. “From being bullied, and bullying somebody at school , and how that’s shaped my views on bullying,” he says. Snazzy, says Helliar, will feature a set piece on that topic, plus six others. “This show is a bit more storytelling than previous ones I’ve done,” he says.

TAKE THE 21 CHALLENGE AND HELP CHANGE THE LIVES OF HOMELESS AND AT-RISK YOUTH. GO TO 21CHALLENGE.COM.AU

BY JOANNE BROOKFIELD

Peter Helliar performs Snazzy at The Hi-Fi from Friday March 30 until Sunday April 22 (Friday-Sunday only) at 7pm (6pm Sunday). Tickets $35 Fridays and Saturdays, $33/$30 Sundays, from Ticketmaster online, 1300 660 013 and at the door.

BEAT’S COMEDY FESTIVAL COVERAGE 2012 BROUGHT TO YOU BY OLD MOUT CIDER

COMEDY FESTIVAL COVERAGE CONTINUES THE PAJAMA MEN

RYAN WALKER MAN UP!

Ryan Walker’s show Man Up! deals with some pretty dark material. The show is predominantly about being bullied in high school. When Ryan is faced with his ten-year reunion, he has to man up and face his past. “Taking on something so dark is a difficult balance. If it’s not punchy enough it’s just a sad story. Because it is such a personal story and it’s brutally honest I think I can be a bit protective. I can struggle giving people permission to laugh at it” “The time and money I put into writing the show might have been best spent on getting professional help but it is really cathartic. The pathos of the show and having people laugh at it helps me to own the experience. I’m not one of those people who wants to run away from their past, I’d rather stay true to it.” Ryan described the experience of writing a show about being bullied as ‘cathartic’. Naturally revisiting the material was simultaneously difficult. “Writing the show was challenging because I had to go back and analyze it in detail and find the humour in it.” Ryan’s debut into comedy was when he was seven years old. “There was a talent competition and I could do a really good Kylie Mole impression. I trannied up and in typical young person fashion I didn’t know when enough was enough. It turned from rapturous laughter and applause to ‘ok we get it kid’.” Ryan wasn’t overtly aware he wanted to do comedy at this early stage. “Comedy has always been something that has interested me but I got into it quite late.” Being bullied in high school would be difficult. Comedy is generally a good coping mechanism, even if it is only subconsciously in play. Ryan admits: “I’ve always been a smart arse, I guess in a way that was how I dealt with bullying.” Ryan’s dad features prominently throughout the show. “Him getting me through those difficult times only made our bond stronger. It sounds a bit wanky but he still is my best friend.” Awww.

When he isn’t performing comedy, Ryan is a chef. Eventually he tired of the monotony of a full time job and decided to take a punt on comedy instead. The comedy junky explained: “you try it and you do well and that buzz is like heroin.” While he enjoys the feeling of performing, he has found success a hard feat. “I like the thrill of performing but I don’t necessarily know why I do it. I guess I’d like to see a career but it is Australia and it’s very hard to have a career in comedy.” He actually appreciates the learning experience of dying on stage. “You learn from the good gigs, but you learn a lot more from the bad gigs. Any gig I have done at the backpackers has been memorable for the wrong reasons.” Ryan is initially from a town just out of Byron Bay. While he loves the opportunities Melbourne has to oﬀer, he does miss aspects of living in a small town. “I miss the sense of community, that’s something that’s lacking in the city.” “When I moved to Melbourne I walked down the street and greeted everybody because that’s what I was used to. They all looked back at me like I was going to stab them.” While Ryan does joke about a killing spree, don’t be scared Melbourne. He uses a gun in his fantasy, not a knife. BY TESS WOODWARD

Ryan Walker performs Man Up! at Fad Gallery, 14 Coors Lane until Saturday April 21 at 7.30pm. Tickets $18/$15, $15 victims of bullying, from rywalker.tumblr.com and at the door.

SEAN CHOOLBURRA

TIM KEY MASTERSLUT

Tim Key is a master of casual, comic absurdity. He was last out here two years ago and that show was a highlight of the Festival, so lucky for us that he is back out here again, with a new but well tested show. “I treat Melbourne with the respect it deserves and get my show ready before bringing it here, rather than road testing it on you,’ he says. Describing his show is like dancing about architecture, you are just better off seeing the building or his comedy first hand. It is a struggle to nail it down and he agrees. “I will probably struggle a bit like a bastard,” he concedes of his hard to define aesthetic. “There is quite a bit going on. The building blocks are some poetry and some talking, this time there are some sub-aquatic short films too. I have a bit of clambering about as per usual, I wear a suit, I have some nice

Shenoah: Well, most of it is pretty undergraduate, let’s not kid ourselves. You know we call them “pyjamas” not “pajamas” in Australia, right? Mark: All too well. Many “jokes” are made by radio presenters or MC’s of gigs that go something like this: “they can’t spell, but we’ll forgive them for that,” etc. Is there a diﬀerence between your “stage pyjamas” and your “bedroom pyjamas”? Shenoah: We wear suits in bed. How do you deal with spending so much time together? Mark: We generally interact with each other as many diﬀerent characters. It really keeps us from going nuts, if I were ever to become a prison councilor (my other dream job) I’d suggest cellmates do the same. BY ROSE CALLAGHAN

The Pajama Men perform In The Middle Of No One at Princess Theatre from Tuesday April 17 – Saturday April 21 at 7.30pm. Tickets $25-$38.50.

MR SIMON TAYLOR 10 THINGS I KNOW ABOUT YOU

Come and hear about Sean Choolburra’s astounding life at Deadly Funny at Melbourne Town Hall on Saturday April 21 at 3pm. Tickets $22.50/$15 available from Ticketmaster online, 1300 660 013 and at the door.

Mr Simon Taylor is the modern day renaissance man. His performances are a showcase of his equally impressive talent in singing, music, improvisation, comedy, magic, songwriting, poetry and of course, dance. If you haven’t heard yet, Taylor’s current Melbourne International Comedy Festival show 10 Things I Know About You is getting rave reviews and they are very well deserved. Taylor is being touted as ‘One To Watch’ on the Melbourne comedy scene but says all he needs to do to live up to reviews and set himself apart is create a show worth watching, and slip on a slim fitting Hawaiian shirt. Taylor’s performance history can be chronicled in obsessive stages. It goes a little something like this; Dance from 5-15 years old, Drama from 15-18 years old, Music and Poetry from 18-21 years old, Magic (yep, MAGIC) from 20-23 years old and Stand Up from 22 years old to present. I wasn’t kidding this man is a singing, dancing, funny, magic MACHINE. Sometime amongst those years of artistic development, Taylor also found the time to get a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. At times, 10 Things I Know About You will feel like a university lecture- if your lecturer makes you laugh, busts myths and grooves like no man should be able to. The human mind is very interesting to Taylor, “Humans are capable of creating wonders of the world. We are able to design and build sky scrapers. We’ve made air travel a common part of life. We can communicate with people on the other side of the world. We’ve been into space. And most importantly, we love watching animals fart on YouTubeSuch brilliant minds.” Taylor’s comedy has been influenced by a variety of sources from Bill Cosby, Rod Quantock’s political comedy, to one of our favourite television princes. “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was the first comedy I was obsessed with. I like singing an acoustic cover of the theme song in my spare time.” 10 Things I Know About You is a mixed bag of all of Taylor’s talents: songs, dances, anecdotes and improvisation, delivered with a level of intelligence that is impressive. When asked how he keeps his intelligent comedy accessible to all he says it simply, “I do a lot of gigs in seedy pubs around

Soviet lounge music and a little bit of a bath. I have a bath in this one. So what can go wrong? They are the ingredients, the actual method I’m not so sure, just sort of stir it up.” The show is called Masterslut, nicely rounding out a trilogy of his shows containing slut in the title. “I am fairly resigned to the fact that is what my shows are called these days, Key admits. “I did a show in 2007 and it was in place called the Hut. I was doing these poems and things and I thought I would write a play. It was that sort of basic dog shit play that sometimes you put in an Edinburgh show and I thought I’d call it The Slut In The Hut, because it was about a depraved guy that lived in a hut. It made me laugh, so I thought I’d call the whole show that and no one really told me I shouldn’t so I did. I instantly regretted it but it had gone to print, so that became the show. After that, in for a penny, in for a pound! So, the second show was called The Slutcracker and now the third show is Masterslut, I guess it is now branding but in a very crass, disgraceful way, so I quite like it.” His shows are a mix of ramblings, observations and of course his poems, which this year are tastefully presented on assorted pornographic playing cards, some of the pictures were even

specially commissioned. The cards, well they were from Oxford Street but where do the poems come from? “Well there is not any thought that goes into them,” Key says sounds rather surprised. “When I get a second, I will get my pad and just write a poem, there couldn’t really be any less thought going into it. And that’s why I enjoy it. I do other writing stuff, with people on my back and deadlines, radio shows and TV and film scripts, so it is the antidote. With no adults telling you what you have to do and when you have to do it, it is the one element of my writing that is free and easy. Just sit in a pub with my notepad and write any old bit of crap. If I like it, if it makes me smile then I will perform it. It is usually thinking of anything that might possibly happen in the world and trying to make it as insignificant as possible. I say insignificant, a lot of people die in my poems, a lot fall in love – so there is some significance there – but also some people eat an owl, which is less significant in the scheme of things.” The show is an hour of manic, indescribable hilarity, “It is probably the only show here where there is a bath,” Key says in his absurdist way to promote the show. “So there is potential for a man to be inside a bath at some point. Also some nice poems. I think I am

DEADLY FUNNY

Sean Choolburra is absolutely bursting with talent. He can rap, sing, dance, act, and is a talented hip hop didgeredoo player. He is also rated by many as the best Indigenous comedian in Australia. Founder of the NGARU Dance company, dancing is where Sean’s deepest passion lies. “I’ve only been doing stand-up for about ten years so I still feel like I’ve got a lot to learn. With dancing I’ve done that for nearly 30 years. It’s one of my strengths so that’s where I’m the most comfortable. I weave it into the show, it’s a bit like Flight of the Conchords but with dance moves.” This year he will be hosting Deadly Funny for his ﬁfth year in a row. Derived from the Raw competition, Deadly Funny showcases the best of Indigenous stand-up comedians. “It showcases Indigenous Australians – or black fellas – who want to get into stand-up comedy.” Previously it has been closer to the Raw format and had a judging element. This year it is a straight showcase and it promises to interest a large audience. “It’s always completely sold out and it’s on during the day on a Saturday. Considering you are competing with the footy it is a bit of a tough time slot but we’ve always managed to have a really good crowd.” Sean’s stand up addresses issues of racial inequalities and prejudices. He agreed that it helps him deal with the darker side of the human psyche. “With comedy, it helps if you have a really healthy mind frame towards anything that is trying to get you down. I ﬁnd comedy therapeutic. By expressing it, talking about it, and having people laugh about it, it’s healthy, it’s perfect.” His grandfather has accused him of being ‘Americanized’, but for the large part the community is proud of what he does. “It is quite confrontational to do stand-up comedy. As a result you have things like Deadly Funny being born out of people like myself taking the initiative. You no longer just tell stories, you think well I’m going to get paid to tell these stories and turn it into a career.”

If slightly insane sketch comedy is your bag then checking out The Pajama Men this Comedy Festival is just what the lol-doctor ordered. New Mexico’s favourite Barry award winning absurdist comedy duo met during High School and have been performing together under the guise of The Pajama Men since 2000. Mark Chavez and Shenoah Allen are performing a very limited run of their show In The Middle Of Noone at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival and took some time out of their busy schedules to answer a few of our questions. What’s your favourite thing about Melbourne and The Comedy Festival? Shenoah: You, you little crouton. Who have been your festival highlights thus far? Mark: Tim Vine. I would love to spend a month interning as a test audience for him. [Note: they chose an act that isn’t even performing at the festival.] How has your show changed from last year? What kind of themes are we talking? Mark: Our show hasn’t changed since last year. It’s the same show only more refined. So I think the theme here is “coasting”. How do you workshop ideas? Shenoah: Half in a studio (apartment) and half on stage in front of the audience. We need to perform to figure out what’s working. We do most of it on our feet. The story lines however are worked out in cafes. Romantic, no? Like Hemingway. Where do you find inspiration? Mark: From our friends, acquaintances, and strangers. Taking on the personalities and personality quirks of people we’ve met or interacted with usually gives us a free ticket for the bus to Funny Town. What is your favourite character to play? Shenoah: It changes, but finding characters we like is the main thing fo’ sho’. Most of our writing comes out of taking on characters and improvising and when you find a good one it can really do the work for you. Sketch comedy rarely escapes the ‘undergraduate’ tag - do you think that the form can be rehabilitated in the eyes of the general public, or will it still remain?

This is just one event of a string of amazing occurrences. “It’s easy to tell these stories because they’re all real life stories. It’s nothing I have to script or really rehearse, it’s just me telling a yarn.” It was lovely to hear how appreciative Sean felt for his interesting life. “I think I have the most incredible life, where I travel to, where I go to, the people I meet, the things I do, having crazy stalkers, having a crazy ex-girlfriend, things like that. Actually I should have my own reality TV show.” If only there was a public forum who could publish this idea in the hopes that a producer will pitch to Sean. If only… Sean explains he ﬁnds writing shows fairly easy. “I just write comedy about it if something is happening. When I had the stalker I developed her into a character who I called Megan because every time she would ring she would say it’s ‘me-again’.” Sean’s ex followed him to Scotland, entirely unbeknownst to Sean. He walked out on stage and she was there with a Garden Gnome. “She had it sitting in the seat next to her. All I could think was ‘security’, but I was also thinking there was only seven people in the audience and that was actually counting the gnome.” BY TESS WOODWARD

BEAT’S COMEDY FESTIVAL GUIDE 2012 BROUGHT TO YOU BY OLD MOUT CIDER

town to ensure I can make drunk people laugh. It’s an enriching life skill.” This show will make you question your reactions to World Vision ads, your use of language and you’ll add the best collective noun for bogans to your vocabulary. You might also find yourself questioning how you have your coffee as much of Taylor’s observations on mankind have come from his time behind a coffee machine. Twitter is a huge platform for comedy. Comedians young, old and non-existent use the social networking site to practice jokes and network. For an active tweeter such as Taylor, it’s a useful tool, “I write a lot of jokes on Twitter. Sometimes the ones with the best response make it into my stand-up set. It allows me to practice writing jokes more often than just at gigs. It’s like building comedy muscle I guess.” The young comedians of Melbourne stick together and Simon Taylor’s personal top five local performers are Khaled Khalafalla, Tegan Higginbotham, Beau Stegmann, Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall and Adam Knox, “Make out with them before they get famous.” Simon Taylor is the quintessential Melbourne arts man but how does he have his coffee? “I drink tea.” If you go see his show, that’ll make sense to you. BY TESS ARMSTRONG

Mr Simon Taylor is performing 10 Things I Know About You at Butterﬂy Club until Sunday April 22. More information at www.comedyfestival.com

the anthesis of the boy in the bath from La Clique, I don’t do any strength stuﬀ. I sort of ﬂop over it.” BY JACK FRANKLIN

Tim Key performs Masterslut at the Fairfax Studio, Art Centre Melbourne until Sunday April 22 at 9.30pm (8.30pm Sunday). Tickets are $25-$35 and are available from Ticketmaster 1300 660 013 and at the door.

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Beat Magazine Page 29

COMEDY FESTIVAL COVERAGE CONTINUES CLASS CLOWNS

Class Clowns is a competition run for high school students. It runs on a national level and it is now in its seventeenth year. Its professed aim is to provide opportunities for Australia’s budding comedians. Sammy J was the 2010 Class Clowns National Final Judge. Of the competitors, Sammy J has said “it’s sickening to see how far ahead these guys already are- they’ve already conquered ﬁrst gig nerves and they can’t even drive. I got to work with some of these students in the Queensland workshops and it was awesome to see how committed they are to their comedy.” Driven young people who know what they want to do already and are already talented are sickening, let’s be honest. Victorian ﬁnalist Blake Everett is undoubtedly committed to his comedy. At the ripe age of fourteen, Blake is only in year nine. He may be young, but he already knows exactly what he wants

to do with his life. “Comedy is what I love doing. I’ve been doing it since grade three. I used to do it with my mate for talent comps. We used to do something like the Umbilical brothers- mimes.” Quite refined taste for somebody who was probably still struggling with their times tables. Blake says he has no backup career plan. He knows what he wants to do and is going for it. Such direction for a fourteen year old is enviable. Especially being courageous enough to pursue something that causes fearful perspiration to many fully grown adults. Blake states calmly: “it’s a thrill when I get up on stage. It’s what I love doing.” Blake hasn’t had many opportunities to perform. This is the reason Blake likes Class Clowns so much. “It’s hard as a teenager because you can’t get into clubs to do stand-up so this gives me a chance.” “It’s been great fun, I did it last year as well. Last year I flopped and didn’t get passed the heat. I came runner up in both my heats this year, which put me through to the nationals. It’s been great, I’ve met a bunch of great comedians and got lots of tips.” The Class Clowns final is on at the Melbourne Town Hall. Blake said he isn’t nervous but did add a perilous “at the moment” to his current lack of nerves. His biggest gig so far has been to a hundred people at a Class Clowns heat. “The Town Hall seats 1400 so it’s quite a bit bigger.” 1400 people judging you at once would be intimidating to many

adults, let alone somebody so young. Blake is admirably conﬁdent though, his excitement seemed to trump his fear. Even when Blake spoke about his most embarrassing moment in performance, his voice never faltered. Cool as a cucumber- or maybe just an older person rather than a vegetable- Blake launched straight into the story. “Last year I was a bit more immature and I told a joke about Arnold Schwarzenegger taking a crap. It was just crickets.” Blake paused and reconsidered, correcting: “actually no even the crickets didn’t like the joke.” As Blake’s stand-up comedy includes musical parody, he looks up greatly to musical comedians like Flight Of The Conchords. “I play the guitar and sing. I mainly play rock but I also do comedy songs. For this competition I’m doing a parody of Time Of Your Life.” Blake had incredible direction, admirable dedication, and a very approachable personality. Blake is fourteen, fabulous and very funny. Class Clowns is a wonderful competition and one of the few opportunities for underage comedians to showcase their talent. Make sure you take a look at Australia’s ﬁnest youngsters as they battle it out at the Melbourne Town Hall. BY TESS WOODWARD

The national Class Clowns final will be on Friday April 20, 1pm at the Melbourne Town Hall. For details visit comedyfestival.com.au

SANDERSON JONES

THE WORKING HOLIDAY TOUR

Sanderson Jones’ approach to stand-up is unchartered terrain. The only way to attain a ticket to his show is to meet him at the town hall or ask him to deliver the ticket to you personally. “The idea came from me seeing somebody sell tickets at the town hall. I tried it in Edinburgh and I sold thirty tickets a day and suddenly I had an audience.” The show he is referring to seated six hundred so it is fair to say he worked hard. It also creates a warm and open environment ideal for stand-up comedy. When an audience is on edge, the jokes can be harder to execute. “I’ve always found it’s a really different atmosphere when you know people.” Sanderson’s approach makes people feel safe and this sense of impending danger is softened. The Melbourne edition of this show is at the National Theatre. He has currently sold 75 of 783 seats. “It’s OK though, it’s gathering pace. People are slowly discovering the show and telling their friends. I’m feeling good, I think it will sell out.” “Selling out Edinburgh was the hardest I’ve ever worked so it was great. I was really pleased that it went well. If you can’t do a show about being lazy then you really are.” If you aren’t yet intrigued enough it has “amazing Venn diagrams, hilarious pie charts.” “Oh and stand-up” he added after quite a long pause. So we can expect a little stand-up at a stand-up comedy show? This is good news. When he performed Taking Liberties at Edinburgh people were confronted with personal facts he had discovered about each audience member. “I was doing a show on civil liberties and I thought about somehow doing it on the information people left open on their Facebook, but I couldn’t think of how to execute it.” When he came up with the idea of selling the tickets by hand he realised that learning everybody’s names enabled his Internet research idea. “I just love data and social media so it just seemed to be a thing I was interested in. It’s a shame the cat’s out of the bag, but the first time I did it people were amazed.” Making the audience active rather than passive heightened the audience’s interest. Self-fascination is consistently guaranteed, and the audience’s response merely confirmed this. I wondered if this was a clever marketing ploy. He said he was never overtly aware that an audience’s collective ego might help them enjoy the show. “I didn’t plan it so much as discover it. There’s nobody who is more interesting than you, let’s not lie.” If you were at this point concerned there may not be quite enough public masturbation in the show, you way now eradicate that fear… “The new show includes comedy’s first ever live chat roulette. I invented a game called cock-hunter. I put a white sheet behind a pretty girl in the front row and have the camera pointing at the audience. Obviously you’d be ideal for this, you’d be great ‘cockbait’. We zoom in so it looks like it’s just the girl sitting at home alone. Then we simply wait until we find a dude wanking off, zoom out, drop the sheet, and everybody cheers. It is very funny.” While I was a tad taken aback at being labelled ideal ‘cockbait’, I was fairly sure this was intended as a compliment and the idea of ridiculing internet perverts was inspired. The internet makes some rather personal moments (wanking for example) and personal information easily accessible to the public and this has always been of interest to Sanderson. “Being able to control the settings isn’t done well. I don’t think that people are aware of it.” There is a more tender side to Taking Liberties. Sanderson realised it was unbalanced that he would know everybody in the audience, and they wouldn’t know each other. To rectify this issue he started organising pre-show meets. “The first time one lady came to a pre-show meet she confessed it was the first thing she had done on her own after she and her husband of sixteen years broke up. She got to know all the other people through it and now she gets to go out and see comedy.” We had to stop the interview at this point as a purchaser had been waiting for Sanderson at the town hall. BY TESS WOODWARD

Sanderson Jones performs The Working Holiday Tour at St Kilda’s National Theatre on Sunday April 22. For tickets email Sanderson@ComedySale.com or tweet @ComedySale.

BEAT’S COMEDY FESTIVAL COVERAGE 2012 BROUGHT TO YOU BY OLD MOUT CIDER

COMEDY FESTIVAL COVERAGE CONTINUES

STEPHEN K AMOS

HERE COME THE GIRLS

Erin Melville’s show Here Come The Girls features an assortment of female comedians performing in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The show celebrates fabulous funny females and has been a smash hit so far. Each night Erin selects five different females (herself included) and one male to do a set. It’s a chance to see a selection of what the Melbourne International Comedy Festival has to offer. Comedy can be a very male-dominated art form. Erin has tried to address this inequity, without overcompensating. She decided to have one male perform each night as well, as that was a more accurate correction of the gender imbalance. She explained that usually when she performs at a comedy night, there will be approximately eight males out of ten. Since this is her show, she has the opportunity to flip that and restore some balance. “I would call myself an equalist, I don’t consider myself a crazy feminist or anything like that. I think that everything should be equal and fair. As a woman going around to gigs where it’s a predominantly male lineup I would like to have more girls,” she muses. “I always have one guy in the show to do the ‘cock spot’. I would never want to run a show without a bit of cock in it because I like cock too much. Throughout the run of the show I’ve had a different cock every night.” My, that does sound like a show that is worthwhile seeing. “As a first time show booker it is interesting to see how nice some people have become.” Making the selections would be challenging when you have so many females competing for so few spots. Erin said it can be difficult but she has her methods. “Well if people are nice to me, they get a spot. If people are jerks then they don’t.” I admire this playful abuse of power greatly. But on a more serious note Erin explained: “I try to mix it up a bit in terms of the style of comedian I have on. I try to make it a nice eclectic mix of talent.” Her flyer states that females are better than males in comedy. When I quizzed her, Erin explained this wasn’t really what she thought. She was more trying to put something out there that was attention grabbing.

HTEYR LIASUGM

HERALD SUN APRIL 2012

MELBOURNE TOWN HALL 29 MAR – 22 APR (DATES & TIMES VARY - CHECK PROGRAM) FRANKSTON ARTS CENTRE THUR 12 APR 8PM TEL: 03 9784 1060 WWW.THEFAC.COM.AU

BY TESS WOODWARD

Erin Melville’s show Here Come The Girls runs until Sunday April 22 at Roxanne Parlour, 9pm (8pm Sundays). For more informational visit comedyfestival. com.au.

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XAVIER TOBY BINGE THINKING

Seven years ago Xavier Toby made the perilous decision to quit his steady engineering degree to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. He now performs most evenings, has his own solo show Binge Thinking, writes for online publication Lost At E Minor, and runs his own stand-up comedy nights. It may be a significant (read complete) pay reduction but Xavier seems very happy with his decision. “I see myself as a writer first and there are many different avenues for my writing. I think creative writing is what I really like doing. I get to write about films which I love and they seem like my really easy going style.” Xavier loves performing stand-up comedy. He feels very blessed to have the opportunities he has. “It’s actually quite a privilege if you think about how busy we all are and how many other things are competing for peoples’ attention.” Xavier’s show Binge Thinking has sporadic interjections of dramatic reenactments of a terrible dinner party he once attended. He was forced to dine with simpleton whose uneducated opinions were a regurgitation of ‘information’ they had gathered from various media outlets. Xavier was disenchanted with their lack of knowledge on things like climate change to say the least. He decided to encourage people to become a little more politically active, at the very least to not take the media’s claims as gospel. “The idea came from me seeing ideas dominating the news. Every time the interest rates go up, they go and interview somebody who is struggling to pay their mortgage repayments. They break it down to the lowest common denominator to make it sound worse.” The media’s accuracy and truth can indeed be fickle. Luckily there are certain free magazines that are nothing but correct. And awesome. “Newspapers used to exist to tell people what they needed to know and now they talk down to people and give them what they want instead of what they need. When you take a step back and look at it really simply, there are conclusions that you should stick to.” Xavier considers himself reasonably political. He recognizes that he could do more, but does what he can with his comedy. “If I’m telling a joke with an idea in it that gets me going a bit more. I know that even if people don’t laugh I am able to give them something they can think about.” More than anything, Xavier wishes people would at least get involved with political discourse. Things like climate change or marriage equality affect everybody. “Everyone should have opinions on these things. Maybe it’s sad that people are considered political just by having an opinion on something that affects everyone in society, that’s a bit silly.” Xavier is disillusioned with people’s decreasing interest in

AGENDA

“I don’t necessarily think that females are better than men. Some female performers are absolutely shit. But some male performers are crap too. I just think that at the end of the day we’re all out there giving it our best shot.” Such a statement is testament to Erin’s equalist and objective opinions. Erin doesn’t have any issues with being a female in comedy. She simply wants to promote a healthy ratio of females. She speaks very highly of the Melbourne comedy community. “I get along great with all the blokes on the circuit but I love it when there are other girls around. There’s a lovely feeling of sisterhood.” Erin speaks about comedy with quite noticeable adoration. “I love being able to give some of myself to an audience and talk about things that have happened to me, or the way that I see the world.” As if Here Comes The Girls was not supporting women enough already, it is also in support of white ribbon. “It’s a really worthy cause and I feel like by having one guy on every night, it’s a male supporting females in comedy and it’s a male supporting the cause that the girls and I support.” Erin is vivacious, approachable and very funny. Brace yourself because Here Come The Girls.

“Blisteringly funny Brit is at the top of his game”

JIMMY McGHIE +++++ +++

JOHN FOTHERGILL +++++ 29 MAR - 22 APR

JOE ROWNTREE +++++ ++

TUES, WED & THURS 7PM HI FI BAR FRI & SAT 7.45PM SUN 7PM CAPITOL THEATRE SWANSTON ST (OPP MELB TOWN HALL)

issues that actually mean something. Social media enables people to become really self obsessed. Rather than caring about politics, they now care about their own friends, or worse: celebrities. Stand-up isn’t all politics for Xavier, he does have a lot of fun making people laugh. Unfortunately it isn’t always a success. “You have gigs where no matter what you say you just get this overriding feeling that the audience just hates you. It doesn’t happen that much any more.” Xavier recalled one of his more embarrassing comedy moments. He was at casino gig a pissed middle-aged woman in the front row stood up in the middle of the show and said “you’re really handsome”. Xavier smiled and explained: “I was like ‘aw thank you’. She then replied ‘wait sorry I meant to say you look like Hanson’. Everyone pissed themselves and I realized I had just been outwitted by a really drunk old lady. I went bright red and everyone knew that I was just stuﬀed.” Binge Thinking also touches on how all his friends are settling down around him. Xavier says he doesn’t have an overly strong sense that he is missing out. He does sometimes yearn for what they have. “I’m looking to settle down for hours at a time,” Xavier quipped. He then looked a little more serious and corrected: “I always thought of myself as a relationship sort of guy.” Unfortunately comedy is generally intertwined with a serious lack of income. “You always have a fun couple of dates but then they realize that you live on baked beans. If you’re looking for someone to share a mortgage with it’s not me. Maybe a mortgage on a caravan, that’s about the best I can oﬀer.” Xavier has opinions and the knowledge to back it up. He is sharp, sassy, and very funny. His shows have received much critical acclamation and he had performed to countless soldout audiences. He’s a thinker, Xavier, and his show Binge Thinking is on for a few more days.

“blessed with a melliﬂuous voice and a gift for parody like no other.” ++++ HERALD SUN APRIL 2012

29 MAR–22 APR TUES-SAT 7PM, SUN 6PM

ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE, THE FAMOUS SPIEGELTENT

BY TESS WOODWARD

Xavier Toby performs Binge Thinking until Saturday April 21 (except Wednesdays). For full details visit comedyfestival.com.au.

BOOKINGS 1300 660 013 COMEDYFESTIVAL.COM.AU www.marytobinpresents.com.au

BEAT’S COMEDY FESTIVAL COVERAGE 2012 BROUGHT TO YOU BY OLD MOUT CIDER

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE BY PETER HODGSON

It’s almost hard to believe that Kate Miller-Heidke is only on her third album (fourth if you count side-project Fatty Gets A Stylist, which was released as a solo album outside Australia). Her latest, Nightflight, is atmospheric, engaging, colourful, emotional, revealing and enticing. The strong melodic sense of her best work is there, of course, as is the thoughtful orchestration. But the lyrical content is perhaps more personal, more intimate this time around. And tying it all together is that voice. At once strong and fragile, always controlled yet never clinical, Miller-Heidke’s intuition as a vocalist is one of her most valuable traits. It’s hard to imagine a Kate Miller-Heidke song coming from any other artist, so perfect is the marriage between material and performer. Nightflight is something of an international album in its creation. It was written between London and Toowoomba. Yet it was recorded right here in Melbourne. “We worked at home this time so I could exploit my stupidly talented circle of friends, and create that atmosphere of playing with people I go way back with, rather than being isolated in a strange town,” Miller-Heidke explains. She and producer/partner/guitarist Keir Nuttall wanted to try something different, having lived and worked previously in Los Angeles. “I actually love it. And living there for a short period of time was great,” Miller-Heidke says of La-La Land and its influence. “But this is a very different album to the last one. The storytelling aspect of it factors in. I come from a folk music background and I kind of learned songwriting at the Woodford Folk Festival, and I like story songs.” Sarah is a particularly moving example of this. It tells the true story of a pair of friends (“It didn’t happen to me. It happened to a close friend of mine”) who go to the Livid festival together in 1997. The pair get separated, one comes home and one doesn’t. Blame is passed around, and eventually the truth is revealed. It’s a chilling, gripping song which is accompanied by a moody, lyric video of lonely country roads in the dark. A few tracks later, Let Me Fade is another highlight, with its refrain of “I’m a stumbler, I’m a seeker, I’m a roller, just let me fade. I’m a drinker, I’m a wanderer, I’m a loner, let me fade.” The chorus lyrics almost recall classic blues standards, yet the delivery is even more sombre and blue. “That was a Fatty Gets A Stylist song. It’s one of those lucky songs when the chorus came to me in a dream, and thankfully I could remember it. It’s got an incredible string arrangement.” That would be John Metcalfe, who worked with Peter Gabriel on his 2010 Scratch My Back album. “It’s basically a song about wanting to disappear, about surrendering the idea of yourself and shrinking into nothing for a while, which I guess is kind of depressing!” But surely not every song comes to Miller-Heidke fully formed in a dream. So where do they come from? “I always find it really hard to answer stuff about songwriting, but Keir and I are always collaborating. One of us will have the germ of an idea or a hook or a verse or a chorus, and often the other will complete the song or make changes.” One distinction that fed the record’s creative process was its method of birth: “This album was very much written on real instruments, as opposed to Curiouser which was a bit of a laptop album. These new songs have so much more depth and they add a real complexity and texture to the live show. It’s great. The pacing of it is definitely influenced by the structure of a live set, and just taking people on a bit of a journey without jerking them around too much but also without boring them.”

“THESE NEW SONGS HAVE SO MUCH MORE DEPTH AND THEY ADD A REAL COMPLEXITY AND TEXTURE TO THE LIVE SHOW.”

WITH SPECIAL GUEST

PALAIS THEATRE

SATURDAY JUNE 9

ON SALE MONDAY APRIL 23

136 100 or ticketmaster.com.au livenation.com.au I trainline.com

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In store now!

Various songs from Nightflight have already been played live (there’s a particularly haunting take on Sarah available on YouTube) but the tour proper will begin in August, including a show at The Corner Hotel on Tuesday August 14. What can we expect from the live show? Any hints? A multimedia extravaganza? Inflatable devils and fireworks? MillerHeidke reminds coy. “There’s going to be a lot of voices,” she offers. “Lots of singing. It’s not going to be a multimedia extravaganza, no! We’re going to play a lot of dirty rock rooms, and just do it.” Dirty rock rooms are certainly the domain of Adelaide metal band Double Dragon, who MillerHeidke recently collaborated with, lending her operatic vocals to their recent album’s title track, Sons Of Asena. It’s a surprising partnership no matter which way you look at it: classically trained vocalist appearing on a metal album, or metal band employing the services of alternative pop iconoclast. In the end though, it’s just about the music. “It was just a bit of fun,” she shrugs. “We just did it at home. And it’s really cool! It’s actually good! It’s proper, good quality!” So how did this unlikely pairing come about? “They were just fans. They used to come every time we played in Adelaide. We got to know them because they stood out so much from everyone else in the audience!” KATE MILLER-HEIDKE’S album Nightflight is out now via Sony Music Entertainment Australia. She takes the album on the road this winter, playing The Corner Hotel on Tuesday August 14.

A guide to eating out in Melbourne

THE MOJITO: Taste A Drink With

More That 500 Years Of History. A Mojito (pronounced mo-HEE-toe), one of Cuba’s oldest cocktails, comes from the African word mojo, which means to place a little spell, although the exact origin is subject to debate. Some believe it derived from African slaves who worked in the cuban sugar fields, due to the presence of “guarapo”, the sugar cane juice originally used to prepare the drink, which was a popular beverage among them. The more established version of the origin of the mojito is that was invented in 1586 by the English pirate Sir Francis Drake when he was trying to sack Havana Cuba for its gold. According to the story, the drink was originally called “El Draque” (or “The Dragon”) made with aguardiente (a crude forerunner of rum), sugar, lime and mint. Early on, it was consumed for medicinal purposes. The mojito made its way to Cuba when these pirates landed there on treasure hunting expeditions through the Caribbean and Latin America. Around the mid-1800s, the recipe was altered and gained in popularity as the original Bacardi Company was established. Once rum replaced the aguardiente, the contemporary mojito was born. The mojito’s most widely acknowledged adept, was the American writer and Nobel-laureate Ernest Hemingway, who frequented the humble Bodeguita del Medio, in Havana during the 1940s. He made the drink famous by handwriting “my mojito in la Bodeguita…” on the wall of the bar. Mojitos have been sought after with fascination in Melbourne for quite some time, and Cruzao Arepa Bar has quickly established a reputation for concocting a killer version. Often referred to as “the best mojito I’ve ever had”, the Cruzao Mojito, prepared with fresh ingredients (come on a friday afternoon and you will see us hand picking fresh mint for the weekend!), is a slightly twisted approach, with a home made mint syrup instead of the traditional hand-crushed recipe, which has earned it comments of the like of: “Truly one of the best mojitos I’ve ever had” (James) “These mojitos rock the planet” (Damien) “Mojitos were the best we have ever drunk” (Tracey)

“Oh my god… the best mojitos ever!” (Alex) The choice of rum for preparing this spectacular cocktail is Flor de Caña 4YO Extra Dry White Rum, winner of 10 International Awards including the Platinum Award & Gold Medal at the International Rum Festival in 2003, and the 2009 Best in Class Award at the London International Wine and Spirits competition. Flor de Cana is the leading rum brand throughout Central America. Produced in Nicaragua, the world’s most volcanic country, the sugar it’s made from comes from the richest soil and therefore has a depth of flavour unlike any other. At four years of ageing, Flor de Caña White is also the world’s oldest available white rum. Crisp and flavourful, subtle and attractive, it’s character is rounded up with hints of coconut, dry sugar cane and toasty vanilla. Put these facts together, and you are guaranteed an unbeatable cocktail experience. So cut out the coupon and head down to Cruzao Arepa Bar, 365 Brunswick St. Fitzroy, where your mojito will be served to the beat of the fascinating musical repertoire of Latin America, along with a delicious arepa, in the vibrant atmosphere of Melbourne’s only 100% authentic Latin American spot! Live performances daily - for details visit cruzao.com.au.

Holgate Brewhouse Good times! Great beer, beautiful wines, and fun atmosphere - throw in some live music, and a Friday night at the bar at Holgate Brewhouse is the place to be. Holgate Brewhouse is an independent craft brewery run by a small team passionate about handcrafting fresh, full flavoured beers. Not only do they have some amazing beers, but every Friday from 8:00pm they will have a mixture of soloists doing classic and modern pop/rock covers, or bands pumping out a big sound. Friday April 20 - Hornets Blues Band Friday April 27 - Cam Burnside Friday May 4 - Taylor Sheridan Friday May 11 - Scott Graham Friday May 18 - Hornets Blues Band Friday May 25 - Cam Burnside 79 High Street, Woodend (03) 5427 2510

CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 49

INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP

with Christie Eliezer * Stuﬀ for this column to be emailed to <celiezer@netspace.net.au> by Friday 5pm ONE DIRECTION SUED OVER NAME Teen scream wonders One Direction who have a #1 album in the US may have to change their name there. A US band called One Direction who have been selling their album The Light on iTunes since Feb 2011 are suing Simon Cowell’s label Syco Entertainment, and Sony Music for $1 million and seeking to stop the Brits from releasing music in America. They say that when NBC’s Today Show did a story on One Direction UK, it accidentally used their single 2012. They say Cowell knew there was a name problem when he tried to register the name with the US Trademark Office but disregarded it.

MUSIC VICTORIA MEMBERSHIP PRIZES Those who join Music Victoria as part of its current Jump On The Bandwagon! membership drive go into the running to win prizes, including coffee with Henry Wagons, professional development advice from Jen Cloher, manager Michael Parisi and publicist Karen Conrad and Toff In Town membership. For other prizes, see musicvictoria.com.au

APRA SETS UP ATSI MUSIC OFFICE The Australian Performing Right Association (APRA|AMCOS) has set up the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Music Office. It will provide opportunities for ATSI songwriters and composers to develop their talents and build long-term sustainable careers. APRA partnered in this initiative with the Federal Government via its funding body the Australia Council. The ATSI Music Office will be run by APRA’s ATSI national rep Michael Hutchings.

POPFRENZY JOINS COOPERATIVE MUSIC Sydney indie label Popfrenzy has joined label group Cooperative Music, with its founder Chris Wu saying, “It represents an exciting array of new possibilities, both locally and internationally.” Set up in 2003, Popfrenzy released international acts Best Coast, Gossip, The Drums, Neon Indian and is home to local acts kyü, Seekae (jointly with Rice Is Nice) and Songs. Cooperative Music is a multi-territory independent label group and international marketing network. Cooperative Music Australia was set up as a stand alone entity in July last year by Tim Janes and Neil Robertson.

MENTORING AT SONG SUMMIT Young songwriters get the chance to be mentored with two new initiatives at next month’s Song Summit. In a team-up with triple j Unearthed, eight young songwriters from around Australia will have a masterclass with Gotye and Adalita. Register as an artist at triplejunearthed.com and upload your tracks by Sunday May 6. Artists already registered are automatically in the running. Backstage Pass, with the Australian Institute of Music, is for primary and secondary students. Ten mentors include Josh Pyke, Rai Thistlethwayte, Bluejuice’s Jake Stone, Tim Levinson (Urthboy) and Peter Northcote. It takes place at AIM in Surry Hills on Friday May 25, covering guitar, songwriting, drums, bass, percussion, audio engineering, music business, tour and festival management and hip-hop. The work created at Backstage Pass will be performed during Song Summit on Sunday May 27 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre. Registration for Backstage Pass is $30 – for full details see songsummit.com.au.

FRENCH BAND RECORDS IN MELBOURNE Members of French band Harmonic Generator, aged in their 20s, grew up in Marseille listening to their parents’ record collection – including AC/DC’s Powerage, Dirty Deeds and Let There Be Rock, INXS’s Live Baby Live and by Rose Tattoo and The Easybeats. So when Darrel Baird of Blue Tongue Management suggested they cut their next album with Mark Opitz (the gent behind most of these records) and his partner Colin Wynne of Thirty Mill Studio in Melbourne they leaped at the chance. More so when Opitz heard an MP3 of theirs and rang back five minutes later. Sessions have gone swimmingly, and they play Cherry Bar on May 6 before returning to France.

OSCILLATE LAUNCHES AS COLLECTIVE Damian Coward knows about the DIY ethic: he set up indie label Building Records in 1998 and toured Europe with a band

that was signed to a German label. “The problem with DIY is that you still need an effective support system around you, who can provide the most level of playing fields,” he says. Coward is GM of a new Melbourne musician collective called OSCL (as in Oscillate). It covers all aspects for a musician – a record label distributed by Fuse, distribution, management, merchandise, publicity, bookings & logistics, website hosting and design. The rest of the collective, all musicians, includes Laura Bradfield (assistant manager), Miles Brown (booking agent), Kathleen Perrone (general assistant), Brent Stegeman (multimedia manager), Michaela Travers (USA/ Canada publicity) and Trad Nathan (Australian publicist). The label signed A Dead Forest Index, Night Terrors, Heirs and Cocks Arquette. More info oscl.com.au or email damian@ oscl.com.au.

GRAETZ PROMOTED AT LIGHT FM

THINGS WE HEAR

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS

* If the Rolling Stones play a blues set at Bluesfest 2013, you have this column to thank. While congratulating Bluesfest head honcho Peter Noble on getting 80,000 people, we pondered that he could top this year’s fab bill with the heavily rumoured set by the Stones next year. Turned out Noble hadn’t heard this one but said, “Since you ask, I might put in a call (to their agent).” * Radio and TV syndication company MCM Media launched the Vevo music video and entertainment service in Australia this week. Vevo has 45,000 videos from 11,000 artists, from 85% of labels – although its critics say few songwriters and indie publishers have seen the money so far. * The urban juggernaut Supafest took off on the Gold Coast; not even a spit of rain spoiled the homies enthusiasm. In addition to the P.Diddy/Missy Elliott fiasco (which saved the promoters $1 million and ensured the fest returned next year), Rick Ross didn’t turn up either. He was to fly into the country at 6.20am. Stories circulated the site – medical condition? wanted to see a football game?– until his people posted that “payment arrangements did not meet contractual deadlines.” The night before the show, most of the bill ended up at Sin City nightclub, with Chris Brown bringing the place down by taking his shirt off. Next day Brown and galpal Karrueche Tran shopped at Culture Kings; the word spread and they were mobbed by screeching fans. * Flo Rida has been ordered by the NSW District Court to cough up $80,000 to the promoters of Newcastle’s Fat As Butter festival. Brent Lean from Mothership Music took action after Flo decided not to show up two hours before he was to go onstage before 13,000 punters last October, despite being paid $55,000 upfront in performance fee and limos being sent to pick him up from his Sydney hotel. Lean also demanded $25,000 in damages. If he does not pay, his assets in Australia will be frozen, Judge Judith Gibson warned. This year’s festival is about to unveil its lineup soon but Euro dance band Eiffel 65 have already blabbed they’re playing there as part of a tour. * Over 2,000 people applied for Channel [V]’s search for a new presenter. * Competition in breakfast TV-land can be brutal. Both Seven’s Sunrise and Nine’s Today had One Direction on. But Sunrise got 493,000 metropolitan viewers compared to Today’s 330,000. Sunrise got a bonus when the band’s Niall Horan took a bite of toast with vegemite and spat it out. Sunrise promptly put the toast on eBay. But the auction was yanked when it became difficult to work out which bids were real or others not. Highest bid: $100,000. All that screeching and headlines worked: their #1 album had a 17% increase in sales this week (16, 292 copies) while two singles are in the Top 10. * In the latest in the catfight between Courtney Love and Dave Grohl, she’s accused him of hitting on her 19-yearold daughter Frances Bean Cobain. Frances denied it and furiously said mum ought to stop twitting. * US festival Lollapalooza included The Temper Trap, The Jezabels and Tame Impala on its bill. * Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know, which topped the charts in 15 countries and 150,000 YouTube views, went to #2 in the U.S. It featured on Glee last week. His set at the weekend’s Coachella festival was streamed.

IOWA BY JAMES NICOLI

Slogging it out over the last few years in the underground of Melbourne’s thriving live circuit, Iowa have been increasingly turning heads and breaking eardrums with their wall of noise sound and are now on the verge of seeing the fruition of their labours pay off in the release of their debut album Never Saw It Coming. Just weeks out from its official release and album launch, vocalist and guitarist Dylan Stewart reflected on the hard work, toil and patience the three members of the Melbourne band have had to endure to finally have the record see the light of day. “We did 13 songs, we recorded in two days for the album and we didn’t have those songs like a few months before,” admits Stewart candidly. “I think about eight months before the recording we went ‘How are we going to do an album? We don’t even have any songs.’ Like its amazing when you set a goal for yourself and say I’m going to do an album. You write the songs, get it all together and I think that’s one of the main achievements that we’re really proud of.” Never Saw It Coming is awash with fuzzy guitars, brooding vocals and a pounding rhythm section. It’s heavy and it’s loud yet it still manages to retain just the right amount of melody and popiness. Recorded over a frenetic two days at Headgap Studios with producer Neil Thomason at the helm, Iowa went in with the intention of trying to replicate their live sound as close as they could. “We didn’t spend heaps of time recording the

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album,” admits Stewart. “We did it all in two days at Headgap. So it was fairly raw and live but we just rehearsed quite a bit before the recording so we really knew what we were doing.” Having such a short time frame to work in, preparation was the key and the fact that through cutting their teeth courtesy of a number of live shows, the band had already perfected the sound they wanted to commit to tape.“We used a lot of pedals,

Light FM station manager Jarrod Graetz is promoted to acting general manager, taking over from Graham Hasler who moved into another role.

KAY JOINS MIX Former community radio Joy 94.9 FM breakfast co-presenter Andy Kay is Mix 101.1’s new promotion coordinator for its breakfast show.

ANDY WELLS CELEBRATES 20 YEARS MCM Media audio producer Andy Wells last week celebrated his 20th year in the industry. He handles The Hub, My Generation and Nights With Alice Cooper. He began on radio 2GZ Orange and worked in four states.

Nominations are open for the National Indigenous Music Award held Saturday August 11, Darwin Amphitheatre. This year the public can also nominate acts alongside music execs, on nima.musicnt.com.au. Run by Northern Territory music association MusicNT, which made it national last year. Categories include the year’s best artist, album, song and new talent while NT artists are covered in school band, cover art, DVD/film clip, traditional and the G.R. Burarrawanga Memorial. Nominations close June 29.

MADONNA: GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS Madonna’s MDNA had the worst second-week sales slump in US chart history. It shot in at #1 after selling 359,000. The week after it dropped by 88% to 49,000 copies. This was due to sales artificially inflated by her promotional tactic of including album sales that were included in the sale of concert tickets. But on a happier note, her Girl Gone Wild is her 42nd #1 on the US dance charts. Janet Jackson has 19, Beyonce has 18 and Rhianna 17.

RAGE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

ABC-TV’s Rage celebrates its 25th anniversary with a Silver Jubilee special on Saturday at 10.20pm, ABC1. Tim Rogers will host, covering the best moments of its myriad guest programmers and their video choices, and Rage memories from musos. In the run-up Rage asked viewers to upload their own version of the Rage scream. On the night, viewers who hold their own ‘maintain the rage’ viewing parties can upload their pix and videos (facebook.com/rageabc) or twitter (@ rageabc) with the winner scoring the legendary Rage red couch!

THE FUTURE IS HERE! And now, a music video which allows you to buy the clothes and jewellery that rock stars wear as they perform. The interactive vid, claimed to be a world first, was debuted by Montreal-based online retailer, SSENSE. Called I Think She Ready it starred hip-hop duo FKi, US-based Australian rapper Iggy Azalea and Grammy-nominated producer Diplo. Meantime in Japan, scientists developed an interactive image of a Japanese girl who puckers up when you get close and whispers “I love you”. They expect rock and film stars to licence it to use for their fans: bedroom pinups that finally kiss back!

AUTHOR DONATES TO SUPPORT ACT LTD Eighteen months after David Johnston self-published history of ‘60s Australian music, The Music Goes Round My Head (roundmyhead.com), the tome got enough overseas sales to go into profit. Hence, all future royalties will be donated to musicians’ benevolent society Support Act Ltd. Earlier this month, he attended the music biz’s monthly lunch Debonairs at FOG in Prahran, and forked over a $1,000 cheque to SAL Melbourne chairman Michael Snelson. Last year, Johnston, who also plays with The Dukes of Despair, gave the same figure to the family of actor/singer Michele Fawdon (the original Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar) who died from cancer.

effects, different guitars and obviously messed around with different guitar sounds but they were all sounds we had set up already and we definitely knew what pedals we were going to use. So we were pretty well rehearsed before we went in.” Although the album was recorded in a short amount of time, it was more a conscious choice of the band in order to achieve the sound they were aiming for; to keep it as raw and live and as gritty as possible. “The records that I really enjoy, I guess over the years, have always been the records that have flaws in them,” says Stewart. “You hear the guitarist taking the lead out of his guitar and it adds a realness to a record. A lot of people spend so much time on making everything perfect and it takes the realness out of music I think.” “I guess with our band,” he continues, “we don’t try to follow any trends or anything. We play music that we really enjoy listening to, loud rock’n’roll music. It made it really nice and easy to come to the studio and not be too precious about everything, just bang it out and whatever turns out at the end that was us.” Following the release of two different coloured 7”s back in 2010, when it came to choosing the format for the album, according to Stewart, the band simply couldn’t go past releasing it on vinyl. “I really love coloured vinyl and limited edition things and thought it would be awesome to have like an actual album on different coloured vinyl as well. So the limited edition vinyl will be available on Record Store Day in all the stores and our actual launch is on Record Store Day so it coincides with that.” Fittingly, a day that celebrates independent record stores will be the day Iowa unleash Never Saw It Coming at the Phoenix Public House.“We’ve actually never played the Phoenix before as well so that’s new for us. I’ve seen a couple of shows there and it’s a great new venue and a really good feel and they just put on lots of publicity

WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES..... WWW.BEAT.COM.AU/TV

LIFELINES Expecting: country singer Melinda Schneider and Choirboys singer Mark Gable, their first, in September. Dating: Lana Del Rey has been sporting a Guns N’Roses T-shirt after internet rumours she’s hooked up with Axle Rose. Split: The Wanted’s Max George announced on US radio he’s no longer getting married to actress Michelle Keegan. Injured: Ian Moss’s cat bit him leaving his middle finger swollen and infected, leading Cold Chisel to reschedule a Melbourne show. Injured: Eddie Vedder has temporary nerve damage in his right arm, the result of a back injury sustained earlier this year. Charged: Lil’ Wayne and eight buddies of assaulting a photographer and beating his bike with a skateboard, after he took shots of them skateboarding outside a church under a “no skateboarding” sign. In Court: Leonard Cohen’s ex-manager Kelley Lynch (he fired her in 2004 accusing her of embezzling $5 million) was found guilty of harassing him and faces up to seven years in jail. Cohen testified she bombarded him with death threats, left up to 30 voicemails a day and emails that were 50 pages long. Sued: American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry by members of his previous band Absent Element demanding royalties for four hit songs he had with his band Daughtry that they say they had a hand in writing. Sued: BB King by film maker Michael Zanetis for trying to stop production of his autobiographical movie BB King And I about how King was his mentor. Died: “Banjo” Barney McKenna, the last original member of Irish folkies The Dubliners, 72, keeled over during a morning cup of tea with a mate. Died: Richard Teeter, 61, ex-drummer with The Dictators and Twisted Sister, from esophageal cancer, Died: London-born Jim Marshall, 88, founder of Marshall Amplification in 1962 and was a key innovator in the development of music equipment. Died: a 49-year-old attendee at Bluesfest Byron Bay went into cardiac arrest while awaiting John Fogerty’s set. She was not breathing when paramedics arrived. The Bluesfest crew were devastated: she attended each year.

ST KILDA YOUTH FESTIVAL NAMES ACTS As part of National Youth Week, St Kilda Youth Service, FReeZA and the City of Port Phillip hold the free all-ages St. Kilda Youth Festival at O’Donnell Gardens (outside Luna Park) on Sat April 21. Playing are RunForYourLife, The Cactus Channel, Dj Flagrant, N’fa with MC Deacon and Mantra.

CRAMPS THE THEME FOR COMMUNITY CUP ‘70s US garage band The Cramps are the theme for the bands at Reclink Community Cup (Elsternwick Park, June 24). The bands that play have to do a Cramps song but Blue Ruin will go all the way by reuniting for a full Cramps set after the game. Dan Sultan returns as captain of The Rockdogs (the musos) after Big Scary’s Jo Syme turned down the gig as he has to attend a wedding in Italy. Jon von Goes returns to head the Megagertz (the radio mob) after shamelessly switching sides to help Paul Kelly coach the Doggies.

NEW VENUE IN BENDIGO Preliminary work has started on the building of a new 1,000seat theatre in Bendigo’s old jail. The City of Greater Bendigo and Bendigo Senior Secondary College have lodged planning permits, with construction to start by November. The public entrance is through where the old gallows were. The $26 million venue will be used primarily by the college but open to touring shows.

NEW DEGREE COURSES Dream of being a musician, producer, sound engineer or promoter? The Australian College of the Arts (Collarts) has three new two-year degrees beginning May 21. They are the Bachelor of Arts (Music) Contemporary Music Performance; Bachelor of Arts (Audio Production); and Bachelor of Arts (Creative Industries Management) Music Business. All courses include “an Industry Internship, providing valuable access and insight to the industry,” Collarts dean Dr Raffaele Marcellino said. Head to collarts.edu.au/courses/apply.

making sure every show is really good.” As our conversation draws to a close, we again return to the sense of achievement felt by any band, especially an independent band, when releasing an album into the world. “We’re completely over the moon to finally get it out,” says Stewart. “Obviously a lot of work goes into when bands release albums and EPs and everything. We never thought we’d actually ever get around to doing an album.” It’s a good thing they did. IOWA launch their debut album Never Saw It Coming at the Phoenix Public House on Saturday April 21.

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Vintage Modern 100 w head, purple RRP $2,399 SALE $1,398

JVM 210 2 channel, 100 watt head RRP $2,499 SALE $1,669

15 w combo, 12â&#x20AC;? Celestion greenback RRP $999 SALE $749

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BAD CATS have been B A D ! You can make a killing with these prices on the ďŹ nest Class A Tube amps, handmade in the USA: BC-50 50 watt class A/B head = Loud! RRP $2,950 SALE $1,795

HOT CAT 30H 30 watt head, 2 channel, EL 34s RRP $4,580 SALE $3,148

BC-50 212 Matching 2 x 12 speaker cab RRP $1,375 SALE $959

CLASSIC CAT 20 watt, 1 x 12 combo RRP $2,650 SALE $1,987

BLACK CAT 30 watt combo with reverb RRP $5,505 SALE $3,849

PANTHER 2 x 12 combo, 2nd hand, 35w in excellent condition RRP $6,385 SALE $3,489

LIL 15HD 15 watt head, small, powerful with matching 1 x 12 cabinet RRP $2,650 SALE $1,917 WILD CAT 40 watt combo, reverb, 2 x 12 RRP $5,005 SALE $3,528 LIL 40 40 watt compact head, EL 34s RRP $3,380 SALE $2,439

LIL 15 15 watt compact combo, 1 x12 RRP $3,399 SALE $2,245 CUBX 11R 15 watt combo, reverb, EL 84s RRP $4,385 SALE $2,985 CUB 2 15 watt 1 x12 combo with 1/2 pwr RRP $3,145 SALE $2,358

<>A4 0<?B <0BB02A43 8= BC>A4 14 @D82: 0C C74B4 ?A824B BC>2:B 0A4 ;8<8C43 FFF 40BC60 FFF 40BC60C4<DB82 2>< " C4<DB82 2>< " " " " " $ F78C47>AB4 A3 10; $ F78C47>AB4 A3 10;FH= FH= TERMS AND CONDITIONS * These discounts apply to new stock only and no backorders or rainchecks are available at the advertised discount price. Images used in this document/advertisement are for illustration purposes only. All prices were correct at the time of printing and are subject to change without notice.

CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 51

Beat Magazine’s

Saturday April 21

RECORD STORE DAY SPECIAL 2012 INTRODUCTION BY TARYN STENVEI (MUSIC EDITOR)

THORNBURY RECORDS BY PATRICK EMERY

So much industry conversation nowadays is geared to the digitalisation of music and online sales. As comfortable and convenient as it is to have so many sounds at the click of your fingertips, it’s also an incredibly insular and limited way to consume music – alone, in your room, as you discover and learn the loops and crunches and BPM that make up your ideal life soundtrack. The joys of being into music involve real life experiences. It’s why we love live music venues, and why we camp out for days with thousands of strangers to see a band we like, and why sitting around in your backyard sinking tinnies and discussing the validity of Kanye West as an artist can end up being one of your favourite nights of the year. Discussing and engaging in the discourse of music in person, in a physical space, where other passionate people exist, is a pretty remarkable thing. Where better to receive this special brand of personal education than inside one of the various city-wide nooks of independent and specialist record stores. In Australia, the independent music scene of our city is unparalleled in both size and passion, and record stores play an integral part in the fabric of making Melbourne a great music city. They provide the joy of purchasing and unwrapping an album or record, then seeing and feeling all of the finishing touches that make you feel like you’ve moved from curious onlooker to certified fan. Or when it comes to limited and local releases, there’s the optimism of knowing that, despite everything, a

rarity can be looked for and sometimes found. While digital sales find their footing in terms of production and equity, physical music adapts. Vinyl is playing an important and interesting role in music retailing, with vinyl sales increasing exponentially in the last few years. In fact, around 70% of music bought by Australians is bought as a physical product, in others words a CD or a vinyl record. This is a day of celebration, not survival. The good bunch of folk involved in keeping this culture alive and breathing in Melbourne are celebrating this Saturday April 21 as part of Record Store Day. This weekend, the only place in the city to be is your local music store, and the conversations should be with the people behind the counter – they are a reserve of music knowledge. There’s tonnes of cool shit going on, so whether your obsession is with collecting, creating or just listening, by going out and engaging in Record Store Day this weekend, you’re supporting music. Period. Catch you CD-side this Saturday April 21. Sell some shit out. For full Record Store Day listings and events, head to recordstoreday.com.au.

RECORDS ETCETERA Located at 557 High St Northcote (near the Thornbury border), Records Etcetera specialises in second-hand and reissue vinyl, CDs, vintage hi-fi/lo-fi (turntables, amps, speakers), and other collectables. You can find lots of different musical genres stocked in store, including; jazz, funk, soul, reggae, dub, blues, hip hop, folk, lounge, and rock, and auditioning of records and hi-fi components is encouraged. They are open Wednesday to Saturday 12pm - 7pm; check out their website for more information recordsetc.com.au. PLEASE LEAVE A LINE BETWEEN THE MAIN TEXT, AND THE 20% OFF SPECIAL. To celebrate, Records Etcetera is offering a 20% discount on all vinyl and CDs on Record Store Day.

20 OFF VINYL Page 52

It took a year for Megan Sheehy and her partner Clayton to turn their dream of opening a record store into the physical reality that is now Thornbury Records. “We only opened the shop last February, and we’d been planning for a year before that,” Sheehy says. “We wanted to have a sustainable lifestyle, and we both love music, so opening a record store seemed an appropriate choice.” That the retail sector, including the humble record store shopfront, has been under sustained attack from online sales, was a confronting factor, but not enough to dissuade the pair. “It was a bit scary, especially with the indie stores closing down, but we went out of our to come up with a productive business model,” Sheehy says. Sheehy’s first experiences with record stores were as a teenager coming into the city to visit Au-Go Go Records and Missing Link. While Sheehy says she’s never been a genuine record store obsessive – “my obsession is more with live music,” she remarks – the memories of those legendary stores’ wall-towall alternative music still loom large. “I remember being pretty much overwhelmed by the amount of music that was there,” Sheehy says. “And without the Internet there to help you sort through it all, it could be pretty daunting – which is why the staff were so great.” When Sheehy and her partner sat down to draw up their business plan, they took into account a couple of salient trends in the record store retail market. “We made some observations before we put up our business model,” Sheehy says. “That included that stores that were dependent on CD sales are declining – that’s the main trend. We also recognised that the physical format, especially vinyl, is growing. There’s been a 500% increase in both production and sales of vinyl over the recent period,” she says. Like most businesses these days, Thornbury Records has an online presence, though Sheehy says it tends to augment, not supersede, the shop’s physical sales activity. “Clayton and I are not against digital music. We’ve got listening stations in the shop where people can listen to music, and we have everything in the shop available online as well,” Sheehy says. “And we try and encourage bands that are selling vinyl to also have a download code, because that’s where things are going at the moment.” While there are plenty of customers who take advantage of the shop’s internet site, Sheehy says it tends to operate more as a

useful catalogue for potential customers. “It’s really interesting,” Sheehy says. “The online shop trade isn’t huge, but it does allow people to check out the stock, and then to come into the store and buy what they want. Over Christmas we had a lot of people sending grandmas into the shop with a long list of stuff,” Sheehy laughs. Thornbury Records is located north of Separation Street, a few doors down from the notorious Croxton Park Hotel and surrounded by various music-related businesses. “I think our typical customer is probably between 30 and 40, and goes down to about 18,” Sheehy says. “A lot of our customers have young kids. They love music, and they’re now old enough to afford to buy vinyl. They’ll listen to stuff maybe online, and then come into the store and buy one record they absolutely love,” she says. “And the split between male and female is about 50/50, whereas I thought it’d be closer to 70/30. I think vinyl goes with the whole vintage revival.” Initially Thornbury Records focused on new independent and alternative releases, augmented with the increasingly common vinyl rerelease of classic records. “The main stuff we have is new release indie and alternative stuff, especially local stuff like King Gizzard And The Wizard Lizard, and Kids Of Zoo,” Sheehy says. Over time, the store’s stock has broadened to include jazz and world music to cater for customer demand. “We do a lot of special orders, and people don’t seem to mind that it usually takes two weeks for the stock to come in, as long as they get their record,” Sheehy says. Thornbury Records will be getting into the swing of things for this Saturday’s World Record Store Day, with a program of activity featuring local musicians playing their favourite records, a free barbeque and general good vibes. “It’s probably going to be insane, like it was last year,” Sheehy says. “We’ve been getting in some record store day exclusives, and we’d love to have live music as well, but we need to raise some money for soundproofing.” Sheehy muses that the ongoing attraction of the record store lies in the joy of discovery, and the presence of human beings to assist in the retail purchase. “There’s an environment of musical discovery that happens in a serendipitous manner that doesn’t happen online,” Sheehy says. “For me, it’s about the physical location of things. We also have zines and T-shirts, so it’s an all-round experience. “People can come in say ‘I saw this band at The Old Bar last week. I can’t remember its name, but I think it had ‘zoo’ in the title’, so we can then show them Kids Of Zoo,” Sheehy laughs. THORNBURY RECORDS is located at 591 High St, Thornbury. For Record Store Day, they’ve ordered in a truckload of awesome vinyl to trawl through as musicians spin their favourite tunes. Free BBQ and good times. It’s between 11am and 5pm

All though April, as part of our celebrations for Record Store Day Australia, Saturday 21 April. ( But do please note : discount not valid online or for special orders, lay-bys or with any other offer.)

Carlton Hawthorn St Kilda

GO TO YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE DAY THIS SATURDAY APRIL 16TH!!!

DIXONS RECYCLED RECORDS

HEARTLAND RECORDS Tell us a little bit about your record store. We have been here for 18 years, and mainly specialize in import vinyl, CD and DVD. We cover quite a few genres including alternative, metal, rock, pop, gothic, industrial, punk and have approximately 20,000 new items, plus a selection of second-hand. We are open seven days a week, located on Peel St opposite the Victoria Market.

What do you love about the music industry? The way it continues to provide a diverse range of styles across all areas of music. What do you hate about the music industry? The fact that it no longer nurtures artistic talent – it is more driven by the money. If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it and why? We cater to all musical tastes – one person’s trash is another’s treasure, and who are we to judge? What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? Getting to listen to music all day, and meeting people who care about music. What makes a good record, and why? Who really knows? Well-crafted songs, and music

that just hits the right spot at the right time. What differentiates your record store from the pack? We provide a more personal service – our staff know their stuff – and we are willing to help! We carry a great range of stock across all genres and are all great value. What are you doing/offering to celebrate Record Store Day? 15% off all stock (excludes laybys/gift vouchers), and live performances, check out dixons.com.au for more details. DIXONS Blackburn, Camberwell, Dandenong, and Fitzroy are all celebrating Record Store Day this Saturday April 21. Hit up their website, dixons. com.au, for more details, and opening hours.

QUALITY RECORDS...PLUS Tell us a little bit about your record store. Quality Records! Plus we sell new and used CDs, DVDs, records, books and now turntables. We carry many thousands of CDs and also one of the largest range of new release and audiophile records in Melbourne, if not the universe! What are you doing/offering to celebrate Record Store Day? As well as offering 10-20% off all stock, we will be holding our annual Birthday Sale, with discounts throughout the store with prices starting from $1, plus lots of special odds

What are you doing/offering to celebrate Record Store Day? We are having a one day sale with between 10% – 20% off across the store, and also hope to have a good selection of RSD releases plus some special mark-downs on the day. Due to space restrictions we don’t have any live music which is a shame, as I had hoped to get The Polyphonic Spree in for the day. What differentiates your record store from other stores? Is there anything that you specialize in? We are on Peel Street and are not and apart from specialising being in Peel Street (harder than you think), we are fairly boring and mundane with a hint of sarcasm. What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? I get to play whatever music I like without anyone yelling turn that shit down, or your dinner’s ready. What part of the record industry excites you the most? I love receiving boxes of stuff I hate, but having to then process it all.

What’s your favourite record, and why? I once went a whole day without beer. Why? The answer speaks for itself. What makes a good record? Side A and B are always integral, but the hole in the centre (both sides) is of utmost importance. Where do you see the record industry in ﬁve years? Wondering why oh why did we stop pressing vinyl in Australia, and will cassettes ever make a comeback? Anything else to add? 2+2=3 HEARTLAND RECORDS, 61 Peel St, West Melbourne. Ph: (03)9329 9636, heartlandrecords. com.au

and sods. We will also be playing host to rock legends Mike Rudd and Bill Putt from 2pm.

New releases and the way it’s changing to accommodate itself to the modern world.

What differentiates your record store from other stores? Is there anything that you specialise in? We specialise in new vinyl of all eras and genres, but in particular high quality pressings by such labels as Speakers Corner, Mobile Fidelity, Analogue Productions, Music On Vinyl and many more. We are also the official Australian distributors for Speakers Corner Records and Wittners Anti-Static cleaning cloths.

What’s your favourite record, and why? Too hard! If pressed, my favourite oldie is Tony Joe White’s Homemade Ice Cream and fave newbie is Feist’s Metal.

What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? Listening to the music.

What makes a good record? Vinyl. Where do you see the record industry in five years? A little smaller, and a little saner! QUALITY RECORDS, 269 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern, (03) 9500 9902, qualityrecords.com.au.

What part of the record industry excites you the most?

GOLDMINE RECORDS

SALE

SATURDAY 21ST APRIL ONLY 10% - 20% OFF SELECTED STOCK

SATURDAY 21ST APRIL ONLY 10% OFF ALL STOCK

;N9BKI?L; H;9EH: IJEH; :7O J#I>?HJI '& ;79>" ED; :7O EDBO

LOADS OF NEW STOCK JUST ARRIVED EXTENDED HOURS OPEN 9AM - 6PM OVER 15,000 ITEMS TO CHOOSE FROM

100’S OF RECORDS CD’S DVD’S ETC SPECIALLY MARKED DOWN LP’S - ONE DAY ONLY NEW STOCK PUT OUT ON SATURDAY

61 Peel Street West Melbourne – opp. Victoria Market 03 9329 9636 heartlandrecords@yahoo.com mmm$^[WhjbWdZh[YehZi$Yec$Wk (sale instore only)

369 Nicholson Street Carlton North (03) 9347 0882 Wednesday to Friday 11am - 5:30pm Saturday 11am - 5pm, Sunday 12pm - 4pm Cash paid for unwanted Vinyl, CDs and DVDs

RECORD STORE DAY SALE GO TO YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE DAY THIS SATURDAY APRIL 16TH!!!

Page 53

GREVILLE RECORDS

GOLDMINE RECORDS Tell us a little bit about your record store. Goldmine has been around for 20 years. We stock both new and used vinyl as well as a wide variety of CDs and DVDs at $5 each, and some even as low as $2 each. What are you doing/offering to celebrate Record Store Day? There is going to be 10% off everything in the shop, plus there will be certain other items reduced even further.

Tell us a little bit about your record store. Greville Records – we say they named the street after us. We’ve been here for over 35 years, inside our four walls, floor and roof we have two rather old but also rather nice guys selling all sorts of music, from the 1920s to 2020. We don’t scoff at any genre and we love that there’s gold in all decades and styles.

battle to survive ,but thankfully due to the large amount of Melburnians who scoff at the patheticness and outright lack of class in downloading and mp3s, we are still here and still crazy after all these years. 35 years later and I’d say the shop is in the best shape it’s ever been and has the best range of stock in its history. We have vinyl from door to ceiling right now.

What are you doing/offering to celebrate Record Store Day? We’re celebrating with a giant sale – 10% to 20% off everything in the store, plus putting on sale some of the 10,000 or so new and usede vinyl we have just received, including lots of mind-blowing LPs.

What’s your favourite record, and why? My favourite record changes by the day – even by the hour.

What differentiates your record store from other stores? Is there anything that you specialise in? These days we are more concentrating on the rather constant and very large vinyl collections we’ve stumbled across from both local collectors and overseas ones. We have had some incredible and very large second hand vinyl collections coming of late, and every couple of months we bring in vinyl from Japan and the USA too. What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? Well, we love what we do. It’s the perfect job for us. Without our record store, we would be unemployable. It goes without saying that working in an indie record store for so long has been a complete pleasure –.utter madness at times, utter chaos, but endless fun too. What part of the record industry excites you the most? We’d be lying if we said that there have been times when we’ve thought there wouldn’t be a rough

Page 54

What makes a good record? All that matters when regarding how good a record is, is whether or not it sounds good to you. Some records are cool because of their historical significance, and others are cool, well, just because they are. Where do you see the record industry in five years? Like all business, and like all people, one can’t stand still and expect everything to remain the same. Life changes fast and the world around us constantly changes too. To survive, you have to keep thinking about what you’re doing, how can you do it better, and be prepared to get out of your comfort zone and reinvent yourself. If the record business doesn’t do this, it’s doomed. But we think things are pretty bright and positive. It’s just different. Anything else to add? People will always rock’n’roll and the day when people stop loving rock’n’roll is the day it dies. GREVILLE RECORDS, 152 Greville St, Prahran, (03) 9510 3012.

What differentiates your record store from other stores? Is there anything that you specialise in? We stock many different styles of music (rock, pop, blues, jazz, country and world music to name but a few), but keeping our prices low is what we are especially good at here. What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? The 11am start. What part of the record industry excites you the most? I don’t know about “excites”, but the continuing growth in popularity of vinyl is quite satisfying.

What’s your favourite record, and why? Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division because it’s so cheery. What makes a good record? One that stands the test of time. Where do you see the record industry in five years? Probably in much the same place it is now, where the big companies are constantly complaining about how bad things are, while at the same time releasing shite that appeals to pre-pubescent teenagers and subsequently has a shelf life of about one week. GOLDMINE RECORDS, 369 Nicholson Street, North Carlton. Ph: (03) 9347 0882. goldminerecords@hotmail.com

THE BASEMENT DISCS Now in its fifth year, Basement Discs is very excited to once again celebrate their favourite ‘holiday’ INTERNATIONAL RECORD STORE DAY! Record Store Day was founded in 2007 as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding hundreds of independently owned record stores around the world, and they have been taking part ever since. A number of independent stores around Melbourne are participating, and every individual store has their own way of celebrating, with live in-store performances, guest DJs, offering discount specials, etc. Check each store’s websites for details or head to recordstoreday.com. Basement Discs will be presenting live performances all day long from some of Melbourne’s finest artists and their personal favourites including: Lisa Miller and Shane O’Mara, Chris Wilson, Jeff Lang, Charles Jenkins, Mikelangelo, Alison Ferrier, The Cartridge Family (Suzannah Espie, Sarah Carroll and Rusty Rich), Saint Jude (members of Little John & Downhills Home), The Spoils Duo, Davey Lane, Mikey Madden, and more. There will be a Music Quiz and MC duties being handled by Brian Nankervis (of Rockwiz Fame), Derek Guille

GO TO YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE DAY THIS SATURDAY APRIL 16TH!!!

(ABC Radio Legend), Mikelangelo and Rusty Rich (exScared Weird Little Guys), with lots of great prizes up for grabs. Also, there will be some very special limited Indie Record Store Day releases on CD and/or vinyl. Light refreshments, discounts... the list goes on! So put it in your diaries, calendars, and iPhones. This will be a huge day! They’re open at 10am, live music starts at around 11am, and there’s something for the whole family. For anyone who went last year, you’ll know how much fun it can be! And if you didn’t go last year, to quote Dave Graney: “Step away from the computer and goof off in a record shop. I command youse!” THE BASEMENT DISCS, 24 Block Place, Melbourne. (03)9654 1110, basementdiscs.com.au

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Beat Magazine Page 55

BITTER SWEET KICKS BY PATRICK EMERY Bitter Sweet Kicks vocalist Jack Davies has mixed feelings about the band’s St Kilda background. On one hand, St Kilda is arguably the most important suburb in Melbourne’s punk rock heritage, home to the Seaview Ballroom in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, and the Esplanade Hotel in the 1980s and 1990s. On the other hand, St Kilda of the modern era is a shadow of its former punk rock glory, its once-feral streets largely sanitised in the name of gentrification and ne’er a decent punk rock venue to be found. “St Kilda’s dead now – it died with The Greyhound,” Davies says. “But I’m definitely proud to be wearing that St Kilda badge. We’re trying to grasp whatever’s left.” Bitter Sweet Kicks formed about six years ago, the by-product of the usual motley assortment of teenage punk rock bands. “We all played in trashy punk bands when we were underage,” Davies says. “Eventually we all merged. It’s been a long time, and the music’s got a lot better since we started out.” Bitter Sweet Kicks played its first gig at the Esplanade Hotel basement in 2006, the first in many gigs “slogging it out” in a quest to generate some interest. “We all had the same interests when we started out – classic punk, mixed with some new school stuff, like Rancid,” Davies says. “And then we started delving into the more rock’n’roll side, away from the punk stuff we’d started out with.” Despite the dearth of venues south of the river, Bitter Sweet Kicks were lucky enough to find enough sympathetic patrons to champion the band’s blues-punk-rock sound. “If you go to the right place at the right time in St Kilda, it still has the right people, and the right vibe,” Davies says. “There’s places like the Lyrebird in Ripponlea – you can go there and hang out with good people, the old St Kilda rock dinosaurs that are still around.” It was on the other side of the river that Bitter Sweet Kicks encountered another long-time St Kilda resident, and soon to be strong supporter of Bitter Sweet Kicks, Spencer P. Jones. Bitter Sweet Kicks had long indulged the swamp-rock edge of the Beasts; serendipitously, Jones was an immediate convert to the Bitter Sweet Kicks cause. “We had a gig at the Spanish Club on Johnston Street, when they were still having gigs there,” Davies says. “We were there during soundcheck, just playing some blues stuff, and we thought there wasn’t anyone else in the room. Little did we know but Spencer was there having dinner in the corner with his wife at the time, and he came up to us and said he liked what he’d heard,” he says. Within a few months, Jones had hooked up Bitter Sweet Kicks for a tour, exposing the young band to a wider audience. “Spencer is such a big supporter of young bands, he’s always looking to help out, even when he doesn’t need to,” Davies says. “And we absolutely idolise the Beasts Of Bourbon – a lot of our songs sound just like them!” he laughs.

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“NONE OF US HAVE ANYTHING REALLY TO FALL BACK ON – WE ALL HAVE THROWAWAY JOBS. I CAN’T IMAGINE DOING ANYTHING ELSE.” As well as featuring on a number of the Day By The Green bills organised by fellow St Kilda band Cold Harbour, Bitter Sweet Kicks played its first Cherry Rock festival in 2010, on the same bill as the legendary Rose Tattoo. “I don’t remember too much about that festival, but I know we had fun,” Davies laughs. “There was such a great vibe, and everyone was really good to each other. I ran into Angry [Anderson] backstage, but I also spent time hanging out with Jesse Hughes, which was pretty cool.” Earlier this year Bitter Sweet Kicks were invited up to Andrew McGee’s Empty Room studio in Nagambie to record what will eventually become Bitter Sweet Kicks’ debut album. McGee, a co-founder of Shock Records and long-time benevolent patron of the Melbourne independent music scene had seen Bitter Sweet Kicks play in Melbourne and decided the band was worth a punt. “That place is the most laid back, perfect setting,” Davies says. “We’d only met him a couple of times, and he invited us up there. They fed us, gave us food and wine, there’s a pool there, a trampoline – it’s so relaxed. You’d wake up in the morning, have brekky and then go straight into the studio. You couldn’t ask for better preparation!” Davies gushes. The fruits of the band’s recording labour are due for release in about July, in time for the Bitter Sweet Kicks’ first European tour. Having made the acquaintance of Spanish garage band Los Chicos at last week’s Boogie Festival, Bitter Sweet Kicks has also managed to line up both gigs and accommodation in Madrid. “We just became supergreat friends with those guys – it was a really good connection to make,” Davies says. As for broader career aspirations, Davies isn’t setting his sights any higher than living in the moment. “This is it!” he laughs. “None of us have anything really to fall back on – we all have throwaway jobs. I can’t imagine doing anything else. We’ve all made this commitment, and we just want to give it a red hot go. can think of plenty of worse things to do with my life!” BITTER SWEET KICKS play the massive Cherry Rock 012 alongside Fu Manchu, Black Cobra, Matt Sonice And The High Times and heaps more on Sunday April 29 in AC/DC Lane. There are limited tickets left from trybooking.com.

SAN CISCO BY SIMONE ZIADA

Call them “awkward” as much as you like, but the simple truth is that San Cisco know how to work their magic – and they’ve proven that. Entering triple j’s Unearthed competition because “it’s just something that you do now”, the Fremantle foursome have gone from strength to strength since uploading their song on the program. Speaking to the band’s drummer, and only female member, Scarlett, it’s clear that everything’s just kind of fallen into place for them. “The boys were friends in high school...I went to a different high school, but I’d known Jordi since we were really little. Jordi and I were both playing in different bands throughout high school. Then I think we were about 16, and we decided to have a jam together, and I liked his songs. He’d won some recording time from doing solo shows...and then he just invited all of his friends to be part of the recording – and that was Nick and Josh, and then we all started jamming together.” What’s that saying again? Oh yeah, the rest is history. After uploading their ever popular track, Awkward, onto the program, triple j took it upon themselves to spread the track as far as they felt it could go. Inevitably, it went far, and for four jamming-buddies, their worlds as they knew them changed – all from a song that they, themselves, didn’t think would make the cut. “We didn’t expect it...not when we came up with it in the studio and were listening back to it after we’d recorded it. I didn’t think that it would be big, but – I don’t know, I guess people find something in it that they relate to, which is another thing that I find really weird because I didn’t relate to any of it when we first wrote it. I think that it’s just kind of nonsense. But yeah, I suppose that it just kind of clicked with people, and I guess triple j played it a lot, and timing was really good for us...I’ll admit, it’s just really catchy. I get it stuck in my head after rehearsing it. We just wanted to do a duet – Jordi and I...that sounds really corny,” Scarlett laughs. After a few little nudges from their producer urging Scarlett to use her charming feminine vocals on a track, as well as some song rearrangements, the band was good to go. “We were in the studio; we’d played our producer the song that we were originally planning to record, and he was like ‘Nah, I’m not really feeling it.’ And we [agreed with him] – we didn’t really like the song in the end, so we decided not to record it, and then he said that we should come up with something new. So then we just thought that we’d come up with a story that we could tell. Jordi had some lyrics – but nothing to do with the stalker, or even a relationship. He did have that one line which was the only one that related to the rest of the song. But yeah, we just thought that we’d make it about a toxic, unrequited love in a relationship. It might be the texting thing, actually. Maybe that’s why people can relate. But, apart from that, it’s just something kind of silly.”

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“RECORDING IS ALWAYS REALLY, REALLY GOOD FOR US. WE TEND TO GROW IN A REALLY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.” “I think it’s a given that, if you start a band and you have recordings, it’s like you just upload them on Unearthed to see what comes of it. There’s so much music on there, which is another really cool thing. But yeah, we didn’t really expect to win it or to be discovered from it, but I guess that’s how new music’s really uncovered these days from Unearthed. I think that triple j’s really at the forefront of that – they’re the real tastemakers in Australia. We were just lucky that they found us.” From their humbling beginnings, the band has gone from strength to strength, with their countless live performances and remarkable success over a track that, initially, they were even a tad apprehensive on. Incorporate into that story a successful tour with The Jungle Giants amongst their countless other performances and recording sessions, and it’s easy to see why San Cisco are one of the latest musical fads to take Australia by storm. “Recording is always really, really good for us. We tend to grow in a really short amount of time. With our producer, we’ll just explore so many new things and new sounds, and come up with cool little bits of songs that we hadn’t really thought of before. So yeah, creatively, they’re definitely the highlights.” “I think it gets easier when you know that you’re rehearsed and ready for the show. But every now and then, you’ll have things that...you know, there’ll be technical difficulties, or there’s just something beyond your control which can make the gig unpleasant. But, for the most part, I think that we’re definitely getting a bit more confident with our live show, and we haven’t had much trouble replicating the songs that we’ve recorded, which is definitely another good thing.” For a band still so young, with numerous varying vintage and modern musical influences, solid friendship and free spirits, it doesn’t take a genius to see why people around Australia have jumped on the San Cisco bandwagon.

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Beat Magazine Page 57

SYNTHETIC BREED

BY ROD WHITFIELD

Titanic Melbourne industrial/cyber metallers Synthetic Breed have had a very long and colourful history. They’ve been through many of the extreme highs and rock bottom lows that hard working bands go through, and have emerged all the stronger for it. 2012 really sees them hitting their straps and kicking on in a big way. Their lineup is solid and strong, after a period of instability, and the last 12 months has seen them sign to an American label, rerelease their first two albums Stateside and traverse our mighty nation several times. The way ahead now seems very clear, and the next 12 months looks to be even more hectic for this world-class Australian heavy act. Three of the band’s number joined us for a long, friendly and detailed chat recently in a cafe on High Street in Northcote. “Mostly we’re focusing on the EP we’re putting out in May,” the very chatty drummer Daniel Luttick informs us, “it’s called Zero Degrees Freedom. It’s gonna be five tracks, one new track previously unreleased, and four reworked of the previous songs....basically we’ve decided to do that because we didn’t have time to put a five-track EP out with all new songs in amongst everything else we’re doing at the moment. “The new song is pretty heavy,” he continues with a wink.

“One response to it was, from this person that’s heard it, is that we couldn’t get any heavier. It’s very intense. The song’s called Dimension Zero, and it’s at a ‘cool’ 232 BPM, so yeah it’s definitely up there!” he laughs, with heavy understatement, “I’ve definitely woken up in the middle of the night in cold sweats thinking about how the hell I’m going to play this song! But it’s a really cool track, I think a lot of people are going to take to it.” The new EP should tide fans over very nicely until the band releases their third album, which is in the works but probably still a ways away yet. Signing to the American label has apparently opened up a number of possibilities recording wise, for this band who have thus far been completely self produced. “The next album, we’re not sure what we’re gonna do yet,” Daniel speculates. “Thanks to our connections with our label Rogue Records America in the States, we basically have access to some really great facilities. One of which is the studio that

HOWLIN’ STEAM TRAIN

BY JOSHUA KLOKE

With a name like Howlin’ Steam Train, there shouldn’t be any confusing the Melbourne four-piece with a pretentious pastoral folk act, or perhaps a gang of moody krautrockers. These perennial live powerhouses flourish onstage, taking punters along with them as they let their boogie-heavy southern blues hit remarkable heights every night. It’s a sound that hasn’t necessarily been refined, but certainly well-worn after a few months of various residencies, including at the Retreat Hotel, the Espy and a recent stint at The Old Bar. “Playing these residences really helped us,” says Matthew “Boots” Stott, who mans the guitar/vocals and the odd go with the harmonica. “But even now,” he continues, “we’re trying to do something different. We’re trying to do things a little bigger.” “It can work though,” says guitarist/vocalist Teddy McLaughlin. “When you play a venue a couple of times, you get to know it a

little better. You can get the type of the venue down and play accordingly. Residencies taught us that; we learnt how to adapt to playing in different venues.” After the recent release of their self-titled EP, Howlin’ Steam Train did everything in their power to ensure that their live show was indeed on point. Through relentless gigging, the band began to look at the music they made not just as a weekend hobby, but more of a job. And in taking their sweaty blues rock seriously, the band came to terms with necessary elements of being in a gig-heavy band. “There was a period of time through December when we

Raymond Hererra from Fear Factory co-owns, in LA. It’s a long way off yet, but the talk of recording there hasn’t been completely dismissed yet. And having someone like Raymond step in as a producer or whatever, nothing has been decided or dismissed upon...yet. But at the end of the days it’s going to come down to finance and that sort of thing. “For the mastering of this EP...Mike Spreitzer from DevilDriver has taken it on, and that’s come through Rogue Records, so they do a lot of really good things for us. Mike’s come on board and said he’d do it for whatever price, as a favour to us and to the label.” The new EP is to be launched this weekend, alongside an awesome local heavy lineup. It’s a venue that suited them were gigging really hard,” says Stott. “And around that time, right before Christmas, that’s when everyone’s work gets real crazy. But we just learnt how to go to work and operate on four hours sleep in a somewhat decent way. It was tough work, but everyone knows when you go on tour you’re not going to get a good night’s sleep. It’s just another aspect of what we do. When we gig, we’re there to do a job.” “The way we work now, we’re a predominantly live band,” notes McLaughlin. “Most of our energy is spent focusing on a really exciting live show. It gets back to the basics of music: music is entertainment. We try to be entertainers when we walk onstage. We don’t get up onstage, just play the songs and try to fucking act cool. We’re there to do a job, and that job is to entertain all the punters. All these gigs we played, it was a little like practice in a way.” After a few solid months of residencies, one might apply the ‘practice makes perfect’ adage to Howlin’ Steam Train. Yet this is a band that doesn’t believe in an intimate sense of perfection onstage. Their sound is an authentic one, emulating their heroes, including Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead while infusing their own groove-heavy blues. Anyone familiar with these artists knows that being incredibly precise doesn’t always lead to a great gig. There’s nothing rigid about Howlin’ Steam Train. Instead, there’s a loose, relaxed formula. And it’s one that they’ll likely continue to work on as long as they can. “We don’t pride ourselves on being totally mental or anything,”

perfectly for this very important date in the band’s current schedule. However, there won’t be a full tour in support of the release, with the band working on a nationwide jaunt closer to the end of the year. “Great venue, great stage, great sound system,” Daniel enthuses, “when we came approach venues, it was perfect. It’s the right size venue for us, it’s a great size stage for us, plenty of room to move around. We like to move on stage.” SYNTHETIC BREED launch their new EP Zero Degrees Freedom on Saturday April 21 at the Prague, Thornbury, with Subjektive and Myridian lending very able-bodied support.

says McLaughlin after being asked their fearless live shows and their ability to go where the music takes them. “We let the music do its work. We’ve found that when the crowd isn’t enjoying the gig, we aren’t enjoying the gig. It helps when you can win over a crowd by going crazy. When we let the music take us to different places, I find it has the best effect. We got over that fear of not being able to let go, very early on in this band’s existence” HOWLIN’ STEAM TRAIN release their single Ramblin’ Man at The Tote on Saturday April 28.

LOKI

BY JOSHUA KLOKE When Jonathon O’Neill, vocalist of Melbourne four-piece Loki answers the phone on a Friday night, he’s in the middle of reading a good book. While many through the city are gearing up to spend their hard-earned dollars on possible liver damage, O’Neill opts for My Heart Wanders by Pia Jane Bijkerk. “It’s about a lady who’s traveled around and made homes around the world. She’s trying to figure out her own sense of home.” It’s an honest answer from the soft-spoken O’Neill, though one wouldn’t expect any less. O’Neill and Loki, with their charming brand of winding electric folk are primed to release Disappear, one of the more cinematic and emotive tracks of 2012. For O’Neill and Loki, being able to write a track with such pensive pull is all about finding the right headspace. “We feel very free to be creative,” he says. “I guess the emotive side of things we really want to get out and impact the listener. For me, music plays a massive role in how you can connect with people. With the right chord combinations and the right lyrics you can make people feel certain ways, sometimes exactly how you want them to feel. I’d like to think that the songs just come out that way because we’re all just

passionate about what we do.” It’s not only the music which Loki are compelled to be passionate about. The friendship shared by the four-piece is particularly evident, as it’s mentioned in both the band’s bio and is also repeatedly referenced by O’Neill. He is quick to admit that the friendship shared between band members has also allowed them to realise their collective vision for the band with ease. “Because we were all friends, it allowed us to not get too precious with the music,” says O’Neill with purpose. “In my experience, with other bands, the music can become individual. People say things like, ‘I came up with this riff, and you guys don’t like it.’ Yet when we’re collectively friends, songs become songs together. If our bass player didn’t like what I was doing vocally, he could tell me to try something different and I really like that. We can operate a little more freely.”

THE MERCURY THEATRE

BY JOSH FERGUS

They’re set to release Immurare, a five-track EP featuring All I Am , the lead single which has been gathering speed on triple j’s Unearthed. Recorded with local gun engineer Matt Voigt (Powderfinger, Cat Power, Big Scary), The Mercury Theatre’s debut offering is sure to attract some attention. “Anyone would have high hopes,” says frontman Peter Garratt of their debut. But Garratt, not to be confused with our Federal Minister for School Education and former member of the Oils, is a realist. “We’re not expecting it to be make or break, but it’s been something we’ve been working towards for ages. It’s odd focusing on one thing for so long but we’re starting to think there’s life after the EP – life goes on.” Since forming in 2009, The Mercury Theatre have developed a distinct sound which the band describe as a blend of progressive and atmospheric rock with rich melodic overtones. One might imagine it may be hard to find your feet as a prog rock band in today’s scene, and one wonders how Garratt and his bandmates found their sound. “It’s more or less just what

Beat Magazine Page 58

happened. Our drummer and I have been playing together since high school, which is eight or nine years now. The bulk of the songs are written before they’re presented to the other guys. I really like it to sound complete, with just an acoustic guitar.” The band’s name is a reference to the theatre company founded by Orson Welles and producer John Houseman in 1937. The company went on to produce many critically acclaimed stage productions before venturing into the growing world of radio, and eventually producing the infamous radio play The War Of The Worlds. “Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre in particular are something which I and Riley our other guitarist share. We love

The result of their friendship, Disappear, is a track which bends and winds without constraint. It’s an approach to songwriting which works in favour of the band’s consistently honest aesthetic. For Loki, the songs are born out of a feeling and much less of a need simply to make music. “We come to practice with ideas and we take a long time to jam them out. We’re always hoping that these ideas will take us on a musical journey.” The members of Loki certainly aren’t in the band for personal fame. And in that sense, a song can only move forward within the band if they’re all intent on the idea. “If we’re all feeling the idea, it can stem into a song. From that perspective, the music comes first and it allows me to see where we’re going. I can fit the lyrics with the music.” In what many might perceive as a somewhat of a slow what they were able to do, and what it says about the power of the media,” says Garratt All I Am is the lead single from Immurare, and the song which has garnered The Mercury Theatre the most attention as a band to date, especially through triple j’s Unearthed. “It’s always a tough thing to pick one song that you think should represent your entire body of work,” says Garratt. The band struggled somewhat with making the tough choice of which song would best represent them. In the end though, All I Am has proven to be a good choice. “It was a no-brainer really. We all love the song, we love playing it. It’s got great emotion, great drive.” The EP’s engineer Matt Voigt has worked with Australian outfits such as Powderfinger and Cat Power to great effect in the past, and Garratt believes that snagging the chance to work with Voigt at Sing Sing Studios has greatly contributed to the final product that is Immurare. “To be honest we expected to be going through a lot more hell than we did when we were recording,” says Garratt. “Matt came with great recommendations and the studio thought he’d be perfect for our sound. We thought the process would be so much more stressful but Matt is just so professional and so slick.” Garratt is ready to show Melbourne what The Mercury Theatre is made of at the upcoming EP launch, but he’s main wish is just that people like what Immurare has to offer. “So much energy has gone into it. We hope that people like it and that it has some impact.”

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approach, Loki seem content ensuring that the music they make is a representation not only of their friendship, but of them as people. Far from the kids working way too hard to look like someone they’re not, O’Neill and Loki have set out with honesty not just as a policy, but as a priority. “We’re all country boys at heart. We all have that honest and earnest approach. We’re not interested in making ‘hipster’ music. I know that sounds a bit bold, but we’re not interested in making things which we’re not. Being genuine and being honest is something we hold dear to us as musicians.” LOKI launch their single Disappear at The Toff In Town on Monday April 23.

THE MERCURY THEATRE launch their debut EP Immurare at Revolver Upstairs, 229 Chapel Street, Prahran, on Friday April 20 with supports from local talent Dear Stalker William Blaxland and the circus skills of Aerial Manx. Tickets are available from themercurytheatre.net

HOODOO GURUS BY PATRICK EMERY

Brad Shepherd can vaguely remember the first gig he played with the Hoodoo Gurus, way back in 1982. “I think the first I gig I played with the Hoodoo Gurus was at the Leichhardt Hotel around October 1982,” Shepherd recalls. “At the time, the Gurus had something of a reputation, so it was pretty daunting coming into the band. We played a warm-up gig that night, and we called ourselves the Swarmies and we were truly awful!” Shepherd laughs. “But our next gig at the Gaelic Club was much better.”

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Shepherd had joined the Hoodoo Gurus after the departure of founding member, guitarist and Australian rock’n’roll enigma Roddy Radalj. One of three guitarists in the original Le Hoodoo Gurus lineup – and co-writer of the band’s debut single Leilani – Radalj had left the Gurus after the band’s other guitarist Kimble Rendall was replaced by bass player Clyde Bramley. Having cut his teeth in Brisbane punk band The Fun Things, Shepherd had moved to Sydney and joined The Hitmen, the post-Birdman band that featured both Bramley and future Hoodoo Gurus drummer Mark Kingsmill. “I was pretty nervous when I joined,” Shepherd concedes. “I’d come from The Hitmen, and I was still coming to grips with who I was.” Shepherd was fortunate enough to be in the Hoodoo Gurus at the time of the release of the band’s debut album, Stoneage Romeos. A live recording of the band at The Tote Hotel (then still known as The Ivanhoe) captures the second incarnation of the Gurus on the cusp of evolving from the band’s bubblegum pop origins into a fully-fledged rock’n’roll band. “I don’t specifically remember that show,” Shepherd says, “but I can remember the era in which we would have played. We used to do this thing when James Baker would come up the front to sing [The Troggs’] I Can’t Control Myself, and I’d play drums. That was pretty cool!” Shepherd laughs. After Baker was unceremoniously sacked from the band – a dismissal which, according to Australian inner-city rock’n’roll legend, led directly to Shepherd’s ousting from The Beasts Of Bourbon – Mark Kingsmill joined the Gurus for the recording of Mars Needs Guitars. Despite a succession of well-received albums and singles – including the inebriated party classic Like Wow, Wipeout – by the ‘90s the Hoodoo Gurus were feeling jaded. Bramley had left in 1988 to be replaced by former Divinyls bass player Rick Grossman; in 1997 Faulkner announced that the Gurus would be taking an extended break. Faulkner, Shepherd, Kingsmill and Grossman reconvened in the Persian Rugs in the late ‘90s, before reforming the Hoodoo Gurus permanently in 2003. It was a break that Shepherd believes was necessary to both prolong the band’s career, and to remind the members of the strength of the musical and platonic bond with the band itself. “We really needed that break to realise that there was a real magic in the band,” Shepherd says. “Even though we’d broken up, we were still hanging out together, possibly even more so than when we were playing in the Hoodoo Gurus. It was really an invaluable learning experience to realise that we had this unique set of relationships in the band,” he says. The release of the Hoodoo Gurus’ most recent record, Purity Of Essence – the band’s first release on Sony Records – affirmed both the band’s place in Australian musical royalty, and the ongoing songwriting brilliance of Dave Faulkner. The album was promoted with a succession of sell-out shows across Australia, including a sizeable compliment of outer-suburban shows. It was after the Purity Of Essence shows that the members of the Hoodoo Gurus started discussing the prospect of a 30th anniversary tour. Enter Sydney promoter and long-time friend of the band Tim Pittman, who had some of his own thoughts for a major event. The result is the Dig It Up! tour, featuring the Hoodoo Gurus – playing Stoneage Romeos in its entirety, followed by a selection of other hits – alongside legendary overseas bands The Sonics, The Fleshtones and Redd Kross, and a slew of local bands. “The idea can really be attributed to Tim Pittman,” Shepherd says. “I can speculate that he was going to do something like a local version of Southby-South-West, and that dovetailed with our idea of doing a 30th anniversary event.” The Hoodoo Gurus sat down with Pittman and came up with a wish-list of bands to perform at Dig It Up! First on the list was The Sonics, the ‘60s legendary garage punk band from Tacoma, Washington State, a band Shepherd had first come across in the late ‘70s via a compilation of Pacific North-West punk bands. “I’ve never seen them before, but I’ve spoken to people who’ve seen them since they’ve reformed, and they’ve all said they were phenomenal!” Shepherd says. “Gerry Rosalie’s scream can still strip paint!” The Fleshtones was another immediate target, partly due to that band’s association with the Hoodoo Gurus during the Gurus’ tours in the United States in the ‘80s. “Dave [Faulkner] had been to the UK and the US in the late ‘70s, and the bands that were most influential for him were The Cramps and The Fleshtones,” Shepherd says. “We first played with them in 1984, and we got along with them like a house on fire.” There were other names on the wish-list that came to a deadend – “We put Television on the list, but we couldn’t afford them,” Shepherd says – though the presence of Redd Kross, another band with which the Gurus has forged a bond over many years, was more than adequate compensation. “We had a great time playing with those guys,” Shepherd says. And is there any prospect of Roddy Radalj appearing on stage during the performance of Stoneage Romeos? “Rod got on stage with us in Perth a few years ago – in fact we couldn’t get him off the stage!” Shepherd laughs. The HOODOO GURUS host and perform at Dig It Up!, their invitational starring The Sonics, Died Pretty, Redd Kross and heaps more taking place across the Palace Theatre, Pony and Spleen Bar on Wednesday April 25. Info and tickets from feelpresents.com. Gold Watch is out now through Sony.

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BIG SCARY BY AL NEWSTEAD

It’s been a busy six months for Big Scary. Since the release of their debut album Vacation last October, it seems Melbourne’s best and brightest musical pair have become one of the nation’s favourite duos; they have winning adulation from critics, fans and one Richard Kingsmill (who named Vacation in his Top 10 albums of last year). With a critically acclaimed record under their belt, the opportunity to head internationally arose for the first time in the shape of a South By Southwest slot. Golden-voiced strummer Tom Iansek, still fresh from having only just arrived home a few days earlier, is still buzzing. “It was exhausting, but also really cool. Refreshing and reinvigorating in a way, to be over there and play new places with new faces. Also just seeing so many other amazing acts and seeing what they do.” Indeed, every year the prestigious SXSW festival transforms the city of Austin, Texas into a hulking mass of live music, “they shut down the city basically, and wherever there’s space to put a band – even sometimes when there’s not – there’s a venue there. The place is just packed.” SXSW’s exhaustive array of music is wellknown as an A&R scout’s paradise, offering the chance to catch many buzz bands still on the rise. The perfect environment for the music buff too, Iansek finding a few favourites of his own, “a band from LA called Papa, singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten, this nice little folk duo called Water Liars… I [even] won a ticket to see Bruce Springsteen… who put on a three hour set. That was special.” Though originally committed to dates solely for SXSW and Canadian Music Week, Iansek – along with musical partner-in-crime Jo Syme – soon found a handful of extra dates added as “very last minute additions.” Including, most importantly, a headline show at New York City’s Grasslands. How did Iansek find the fabled Big Apple? “I’m a city person, and New York, in a lot of ways is the ultimate city. From a music perspective, it’s mind-blowing. It’s almost like a SXSW every week. There’s that much happening.” Wasn’t the experience daunting at all? “I’d never been to the States but I’d always wanted to check out NY, so that was really great. Even just for the sake of being tourists, it was fun, let alone playing gigs there. Actually having people there too was pretty strange,” laughs Iansek, “but exciting.” As softly spoken and humble as ever, he remarks, “even if there weren’t people there we’d still be happy to play.” Though Big Scary’s profile has risen dramatically here at home, with sold out national tours and rotation on the airwaves; overseas, they remain a bit of an unknown quantity. Iansek however, relishes the thrill of proving themselves in a new setting, of conquering a whole new set of listeners, “and ten times as many ears!” he adds enthusiastically. “I kind of miss the idea of the first gig you do, just in a little venue, playing to friends. That’s the whole reason that spurs you into doing music professionally initially, I guess it brought those feelings back.”

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The chance to revisit the hunger of a young band couldn’t have come at a better time, having toured our fair nation several times over in the last few years, the fatigue of familiarity was beginning to creep in. “We sort of got into a weird spot last year,” he admits “just because we barely had a chance to hang out and jam together, we were so busy doing everything else, like touring and recording. We came to learn that without that, the live show just lost all its magic for us. But going overseas, and before that practising a lot, playing together. Going back to being the first on the bill, the opening act that doesn’t want to get in the way too much – that just wants to get on stage and do their thing. Going back to that was reinvigorating.” It’s worth reminding that Vacation, the record that has solidified Big Scary’s reputation as one of the country’s most impressive craftsman of subtle, searing moods and visceral rockers alike; was built on the themes and vagrancy of the touring lifestyle. Most poignantly in latest single Leaving Home, whose one-take video was just launching as the pair were boarding for America. “It’s funny, because I wrote that about me going overseas for the first time” recalls Iansek, “which was back in 2006. Having just got back… it’s strange how it’s still got relevance.” When quizzed if those thoughts still linger back into his head, writing or otherwise, Iansek remains circumspect. “In some ways, but that element was a new experience at the time of writing [the album], something that troubled me and I put a lot of thought into. But then it’s also something we’ve been learning from and dealing with, also overcoming. The overseas trip, just the excitement of travelling was enough to shake the blues, kill any negative thoughts of leaving friends behind.” Newly rejuvenated from their stateside adventures, Big Scary are about to embark on a national homecoming tour in April, followed by dates with Groovin’ The Moo the following month. When asked if he’s excited about the forthcoming dates, Iansek offers no ambivalence in his response, with naught but a simple, affirmative: “Absolutely.” BIG SCARY play The Corner Hotel on Tuesday April 24 (soldout) and Wednesday April 25. They also play Groovin’ The Moo in Bendigo on Saturday May 5 (soldout). Vacation is out on Pieater.

CORE

PUNK, SKA, HARDCORE NEWS, REVIEWS AND GOSSIP BY EMILY KELLY: EK1984@GMAIL.COM

Last weekend I stumbled upon a devastating ailment that threatens gig-goers nationwide. Every one of us is susceptible to it, and many of us can find it leaves us penniless and forlorn. Worse than the drunken text message, more menacing DESCENDENTS than the mashed ‘pash n dash’, slightly more crippling than the ‘underestimation-of-perpetual-state-of-poverty-whenshouting-strangers-rounds-of-jagers’…it’s the merch desk monster. i.e. being moderately inebriated and purchasing many articles of clothing, vinyl, totes and stickers. God knows this disease has struck me many times and left me with a t-shirt collection that is slowly but surely taking over my bedroom and will soon creep onto the streets in a Blob-like quest for global domination. My favourite t-shirts are the ones with sentimental value, like my Green Day ‘Dookie’ shirt which boasts the entire front cover of the album, (to the detriment of its appearance ‘cause its damn fugly) in fine detail, or my Raised Fist singlet that was so well loved in my teens that it’s turned a pale shade of mustard brown that even Napisan Oxywash cannot conquer. My Dropkick Murphys ‘Kiss Me I’m Shitfaced’ shirt still draws plenty of bemused looks and my Death By Stereo shirt is a good five sizes too small now and has all the comfort of a fucking girdle, but it looks tops and was given to me personally by the band so I cannot bear to part with it. Still, it’s the most effective and direct means to support great music, so the more the merrier I say. If you’re keen on a Sydney visit this year, I must highly recommend heading northwards this July for Resist Records’ annual Hardcore 2012 weekend. Saturday July 7 sees Terror, Mindsnare, Ceremony, Miles Away, Break Even and I Exist stomping the HiFi and Sunday July 8 will be an all ages affair featuring Terror, Ceremony, Break Even, Miles Away, Extoertion, Iron Mind, Warbrain, Vigilante, Survival, Civil War. Ticket are available now, so go suss some flights already!

CRUNCH! THE FECKERS COVER MAIDEN The Feckers have recorded an acoustic version of the Iron Maiden classic Wasted Years, featuring Irene Slade on lead vocals, Mathew Szkup on guitars, Chris Szkup on guitar and bass, and Dennis Leeﬂang on drums and mix. The track was mastered by Maor Applebaum and the artwork is by Dan Verkys. This is the second in the run of online singles that will be coming out in the the lead up to their debut album It’d Be Rude Not To later in the year. Grab a free download at the oﬃcial site thefeckers.net

LOUNGE DETECTIVES

The Lounge Detectives live recordings of Herding Cats, and Shall We Dance will be featured on Channel C31’s music show, Tone Control at 7.30pm on Monday April 30. The Lounge Detectives invite viewers to post any comments to Tone Control via their Facebook (facebook.com/tonecontrol.tv) or Twitter (@ ToneControlTV) accounts.

Local label Hobbledehoy Records have announced that they’ve signed Perth band Eleventh He Reaches London. The guys have been around for almost ten years and are now preparing to release their third album in early 2013. August Burns Red have announced the local supports for their upcoming tour with Blessthefall and Northlane that rolls into Melbourne this weekend. Saturday’s underage show at Billboard will be opened by Glorified! while the overage session on Sunday boasts Feed Her To The Sharks. Tickets are still available. UK punk band Basement have confirmed an Australian tour with Sydney’s Endless Heights this July. The two will play at Northcote Social Club on Saturday July 7 and Phoenix Youth Center (AA) on Sunday August 8. Getchyo tickets now! Melbourne boys Trial Kennedy have decided to call it quits. The band will wrap up their long tenure this June with a national tour to finish on June 23 at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel. The band have said, “For a number of reasons all of us in the band have chosen to close down the project that is Trial Kennedy”. Tickets are available from Friday.

METAL, HEAVY ROCK, CLASSIC ROCK LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL GOOD SHIT WITH PETER HODGSON: CRUNCHCOLUMN@GMAIL.COM

CHOCOLATE STARFISH

Scheduled performances by Chocolate Starfish in Melbourne and Geelong this month will go ahead as per the wishes of the band’s guitarist, Zoran Romic, who tragically passed away from cancer on March 31. Surviving members Adam Thompson (vocals), John “Stones” Nixon (bass), Norman Falvo (keyboards) and Darren Danielson (drums) will be joined by former Androids and Superjesus guitarist Tim Henwood. A special edition DVD of Zoran’s ﬁnal public performance, recorded at Trak Nightclub October 11, 2011, will be sold exclusively at the venues, with all proceeds for sales going to Zoran’s family. All shows are 18+. Friday April 20 – York on Lilydale Saturday April 21 – Chelsea Heights Hotel Friday April 27 – Mac’s Hotel, Melton Saturday April 28 – Commercial Hotel GIG ALERT: JIMMY BARNES Cold Chisel might be in full swing but that doesn’t mean Barnsey’s taking it easy on the solo front. He’s playing two shows at Trak Lounge Bar on Friday June 1 and Sunday June 3. Both shows are 18+.

PAUL GILBERT CLINIC TOUR Guitar god Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big, Racer X) will visit Oz for a clinic tour in October courtesy of Thump Music (the same folks who brought Steve Vai down last year). “Paul will be taking it up a level on anything he has ever done in Australia and will be teaching techniques and information he teaches at his exclusive camps in the USA,” Thump says. Seats will be limited and there will be massive giveaways and specials, and the chance to jam onstage with Pablo Gilberto himself! Gilbert’s a great teacher Santa very kindly gave me a private lesson with him a few years ago and it was as fun as it was educational. Dates for the October clinics will be announced soon!

GIG ALERT: GASOLINE INC

Gasoline Inc have booked a few Victorian shows for next month: May 10 at the Bended Elbow in Geelong and May 12 at the Torquay Hotel in Torquay. The band is promoting Shock, the second single taken from their ﬁve-track EP The Wanted One. Tickets are available from the venues.

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CORE GIG GUIDE Wednesday April 18: Palisades, The Hoodlum Shouts, The Smith Street Band at The Old Bar Thursday April 19: Henry Rollins at The National Theatre Bleeding Knees Club, Dune Rats at National Hotel, Geelong Electrik Dynamite, Ten Thousand, Darcee Fox, Death By Death Ray at Next Twisted Affection, The Spinset, Up & Atom, Fahrenheit 43, Second Chance Exit at The Bendigo Humans, Sheriff, The Sinking Teeth, Dan & Dan at The Gasometer State Of Integrity, Mianiaxe, Diprosus, Broozer at The Gaso Upstairs Friday April 20: Aitches, Between The Wars, Japan For, Mayweather, John McCullagh at Edinburgh Castle The Bennies, Lburn Trill, Foxtrot, The Operators, Lewis/ Carrots at The Bendigo Saturday April 21: August Burns Red, Blessthefall, Northlane, Glorified at Billboards Bellusira at The Laundry Cash No!, Between The Wars, Mayweather, Chk Chk Boom at Yah Yahs Resist The Thought, Boris The Blade, Brooklyn at Bang Kromsom, Useless Children, Debacle, Leprosy at The Bendigo Sunday April 22: August Burns Red, Blessthefall, Northlane, Feed Her To The Sharks at Billboard Ben David and The Banned, Dead Joe, Strathmore at The Gasometer Outright, Marathon, Palisades, Carbs at The Gasometer Tuesday April 24: Mid Youth Crisis, Rise Of The Rat, Camp David, The Hard Targets at The Bendigo 28 Days, Vultures, Hometown, Delawarewolves at Next The Bride, Masketta Fall, Hatchet Dawn, In Motions at Bang Rort, Debacle, Old Skin, Shit Weather at The Gasometer

COLD CHISEL LIVE FROM SPACE!

Cold Chisel recently released No Plans, their first album in 14 years, and are celebrating with an exclusive live concert event screening via satellite to cinema screens right around Australia, from the band’s Sydney show on Wednesday April 18. The show will be broadcast in high definition with Dolby 5.1 sound. “We’re really proud of this new album and want as many people to hear it as possible,” Barnsey says. “The idea of having this gig beamed out to cinemas seemed like a great way of getting people to hear a few of the new songs live as well as all the ones they know. We’ve played a lot of gigs around Australia over the last 35 years but this will be the first time we’ve played in over 100 places on the same night!” Tickets from cinemalive. com are $39.50 - including a copy of No Plans. Ticket-only purchases of $34.50 are available at all participating cinemas. By the way, Ian Moss has been given the all-clear after having to postpone a few shows due to a nasty cat bite.

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ELECTRIC MARY

ROCK N LOAD The mighty Electric Mary have just been announced to headline the inaugural Rock N Load festival at The Espy on Saturday May 26. This rounds out an impressive 32 band lineup of local and interstate rock acts sweating it out across the entire venue. Catch Electric Mary, Bugdust, The Stiﬀys, King Of The North, Ten Thousand, Heaven The Axe, I Am Duckeye, The Charge, Anna Salen, Hailmary (WA), Shadowgame, The Morrisons, Beggars Orchestra (NSW), Bottle Of Smoke, System Of Venus, Arcane Saints, Apache Medicine Man, Riot In Toytown and heaps more - all for a mere 21 bucks! Check out rocknloadfestival.com for full lineup and ticketing info.

MOROCCAN KINGS

DISCO BRAZIL

Moroccan Kings are releasing a new single from their forthcoming EP; the track is called Grizzly Bear. The band is putting together a very special and detailed show to release the song at Revolver Upstairs on Saturday April 28. The launch has two awesome support bands, two of Melbourne's favourites, Sheriﬀ and A Lonely Crowd. Tickets are $10+bf pre-sale, $12 on the door. Pre-sale tickets are available from Moshtix or the band themselves. Doors open 9pm.

Melbourne's most stylish exponent of the big disco sound Donnie Disco teams up with London's Patrick Whitaker (Bistro Erotica, Sound Gallery) to deliver a night of sizzlin' tropical boogie on Saturday April 21. Ably assisted by the funky soca sounds of Jaspora that pack the danceﬂoor everytime and the tropical cool of London's superspy of burlesque – Agent Lynch. Hear way out disco, soca and funky grooves with that afro Brazil carnival style that will have you shimmying all night long. Get to The Luwow from 8pm. $10 entry and come dressed in your tropical best.

THE INDIAN SKIES Come and have a psychedelic evening with The Indian Skies on Tuesday May 1, at The Toff In Town. They will be releasing their first spaced out single In The Sun, with support from the majestic Michael Shaun, who will be playing his latest single Treat Me, You Devil, plus you can grab a taste of the first offering from CentreAnd The South, with their freshly recorded song Something New Something True.

CASH SAVAGE Already revered in music haunts across Victoria, Cash \ spent 2011 grooming a tight-knit tour bus of local talent into an impeccably unpredictable blues country outﬁt. The result is a well-oiled assemblage of sizzling performers, capable of delivering the rousing live experience for which Cash is so widely acclaimed. A night with Cash Savage promises to be an encounter of passion, honesty and heartfelt musicianship. Now that the rest of Australia has had a taste, local punters need to get in line. Cash is no longer one of Melbourne’s best-kept secrets. Head to The Phoenix Public House on Friday April 20, with support from Eddie James and Hounds Hounds Hounds. Doors from 9pm, with tickets available from Moshtix and phoenixpublichouse.com, $12+bf or $15 on the door if they're not all swiped up.

SCOTDRAKULA If ScotDrakula were Jesus and Jesus was Madonna then some fancy blogger would write about their April night residency at The Evelyn. ScotDrakula and their amigos locos will be there, every Monday from 8pm, pants on hooks oﬀ ready to freak out. And check the supports- this Monday April 23 with Rayon Moon, Flyying Colours and DJ- The Wild Ripping Hail. They're better than a cucumber sandwich. Doors from 8pm.

THE ELECTRIQUE BIRDS There is a new band in town, described as Art Nouveau Rock Chic The Electrique Birds have landed. Consisting of four talented ladies they produce an international sound that will keep you moving to the beat. From Paris to Melbourne these birds are ﬂying high with some tunes to catch your attention. They are playing on Friday April 20 at The Penny Black Hotel, free entry.

THE KHYBER BELT All warmed up from their recent national tour with Evanescence, The Khyber Belt are ready to launch their self-titled debut EP at The Espy Gershwin on Saturday April 28. The band is somewhat of a local supergroup, featuring members of Rook, Bushido and Sleep Parade. Also playing this massive ﬁve band lineup will be Varliiba for their return show, Shadowgame (featuring members of Engine Three Seven), One and Kettlespider. Doors open 8pm. Tickets on sale from OzTix.com.au, The Espy and all OzTix outlets. Beat Magazine Page 62

THE BONNIWELLS Tonight, Bits Of Shit join the well dressed Bonniwells and nicely groomed Cuntz for an evening of sophistication and frivolity. This is the second of the Bonniwells residency at The Grace and they are all playing in the basement. Cold. Damp. Mysterious. $6 to get in. Bring a friend.

SLY GROG Every Saturday arvo in April, The Retreat Hotel will be featuring the boozy tunes of long ago. Real old time music by a genuine string band, Sly Grog. Between 4pm and 6pm, out in the beer garden, head along to enjoy the banjos, guitars, mandolins, ﬁddles, harmonicas, harmonies and all the rest.

THE CHARGE Are you ready to rumble? Get ready for The Rock Showdown – The Charge vs Freestate. The Charge and Freestate team up for a show at The Prague on Saturday April 14 with special guests Olmeg and Artilah. The Charge release their second single Together We Can Make a Diﬀerence from the Red Flags album this month. Single and album are available at rarerecords.com and iTunes. You can also catch The Charge playing Rock N Load at The Espy on May 26. Go to thecharge. com.au and freestate.com.au for more details.

BATTLE AXE HOWLERS Cold beer and rock'n'roll, sound enticing? Well then get down to The Espy for a night that includes a huge lineup of rock music including, The Underhanded, The Art of Later, System Of Venus and headliners Battle Axe Howlers. Did we mention cold beer? Check it all out at The Espy on Saturday April 21, bands kick oﬀ at 9pm.

WOLF VS. FIRE Following the success of their debut EP Diary Of An Arsonist, Wolf vs. Fire are hitting the stage once more on April 20th supporting Apollo Pathway and launching their newest single Relapse. Joined by In Your Hands and Cooper St at The Prague, tickets are $10 on the door, doors open at 8pm.

EATEN BY DOGS Work getting you down? Lost all your money at the casino? Your woman or man knocking boots with another woman or man? Life getting so difficult that jumping off a reasonably high bridge and swimming with actual sharks seems better than maintaining your existence with the actual scum you know? If this sounds like you then come see Eaten By Dogs. The greatest alternative country music that should and can be soundtrack to your impending death and/ or next summer road trip. Nothing but hits! Every Monday in April at The Old Bar. 8pm free.

MADRE MONTE

COURTNEY BARNETT

Hard hitting horns funkin’ up '50s style Cumbia, a tight rhythm section dissecting Afro-Colombian progressions, and a front man recreating the ancient mythological stories of Colombia all intertwine to create what is now Melbourne’s unique nine-piece Latin Reggae outfit Madre Monte. Madre Monte will be launching their EP Raza:Madre on Friday May 18 at the Northcote Social Club, and will be joined on the night by special guests expanding to a 13-piece explosion of Afro-Colombian and reggae grooves. The band will be supported by long-time friends Arakataka and Afro-Funk purveyors Papa Chango.

Courtney Barnett has just released her ﬁrst EP I've Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris. It was recorded in a lounge room one day with two Merri Creek Pickers and one Dandy Warhol. It has already taken Melbourne music lovers by storm, including us (check our album review this week). I've Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris will be launched Thursday April 19 at The Tote with her new killer band. The night will be opened by country duo The Lost Volvos; mega-super-duo Steph Hughes (Gold Coats, Dick Diver, Boomgates, Darren Hanlon) and Georgia Rose (UV Race, School of Radiant Living) and the cream in the middle of the nights pie will be the haunting growl of Ali E (Little Athletics, Damn Terran, Ferry Tails). EPs will be available on the night. $10 from 9pm.

MESSED UP Washed up onto the shores of Melbourne’s music scene, Messed Up are trashing out some lo-fi beachy garage tunes for free tonight. Thrown in the deep end, Messed Up have already supported Bob Log III, have drawn in many punters and have a tsunami of gigs throughout May – including a residency at The Tote – Tuesdays through May. Joining Messed Up for their residency will be Valleygirls, Mole House and more to be announced. Free entry from 8pm.

SKYCRAPER STAN AND COMMISSION FLATS

THE

Skyscraper Stan And The Commission Flats oozed onto the Melbourne music scene in early 2010. Born in the dusty recesses of a Collingwood warehouse the original four piece hit the ground running with a sound sitting somewhere between troubadour and dirty swamp blues. Then, after a string of successful shows around Melbourne Skyscraper Stan broke the band up and disappeared. When he returned, infected by the big bands of New Orleans and carrying a notebook of fresh songs he put the group back together to chase a far hornier sound. Now Skyscraper Stan And The Commission Flats are taking to The Old Bar stage every Sunday in April. Some weeks as a four-piece, others as a brass-fueled, nine member strong, hip-shaking wall of sound. With fresh supports every week, attendance should be compulsory. 8pm, $5, every Sunday in April.

HOMEMADE JAM Homemade Jam brings together the wonderfully diverse community and once again showcases the best in grass roots talent, creativity and art that our fine city of Melbourne has to offer. Hosted by Kiss FM's Bionic Boogie Radio Show (Eddie Mac and Cam), it is over ten hours of all 100% Melbourne music. Melbourne's amazing golden era hip hop crew The Psyde Projects will be launching their new 7-inch single Funk Pants. The Psyde Projects will be joined by one of Australia's premier bands and funk/soul sensations The Putbacks, and quality Melbourne hip hop/soul outfit Renovators Dream. There will be market stalls, live art for a silent auction, some fine BMX riders on display food thanks to Oskar doing his famous Jamaican jerk chicken rolls and a fully licensed bar too. A percentage of the door proceeds go to the charity partner Prahran Mission. It's happening on ANZAC Day, Wednesday April 25 at Twotwotwo Warehouse, at 222 Johnston St Abbortsford. Kicks off at 2pm, $15 entry.

BRAZILLIONAIRES Helen Cattanach and Leah Lombardo have teamed up to produce their first album, the self-titled brazillionaires. Launching on Saturday April 21, at The Empress Hotel with support from Sean Simmon's (The Spoils) new 2-piece project, HUMANS. From 4pm-7pm. Children welcome.

THE SMITH STREET BAND With a swag of new material ready to road test ahead of album number two, The Smith Street Band have announced a series of intimate shows every Wednesday in April at The Old Bar. They’ll be joined each week by a host of great local and interstate supports. Entry is free for the first three nights and a lazy $5 will get you in the door for the fourth and final Anzac Day spectacular on Wednesday April 25.

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THE VELVET ROOM The Thornbury Theatre is proud to announce the opening of their brand new Velvet Room. The venue now has two high quality and unique live music rooms for bands to choose from. The Velvet Room is a classy, comfortable and versatile space, which welcomes all genres of music. It features heavy velvet curtains surrounding the room from ceiling to ﬂoor and delivers a stunning acoustic environment for bands. There is a 400 plus standing capacity or 180 fully seated. Bookings are now being taken for the Velvet Room. Bands/ managers/ agents/ promoters should contact julian@thethornburytheatre.com

SAINT JUDE Saint Jude are a Melbourne based ﬁve-piece, playing gospel tinged country and garage blues with a rock'n'roll swagger. A culmination of three years of writing and rehearsing, the members of Saint Jude featuring Bill Deeble, Brooke Penrose, Ryan McCarthy, Bern McMahon and Mick Stylianou, cut their teeth in bands such as Little John, Dynamo and Downhills Home before bringing together their love for past masters such as The Faces, Little Feat and The Band, into their debut self-titled record. Saint Jude have conceived and executed a complete album of light and shade, similarly sparse and dense music to dance, sing, ﬁght and cry to. The Tote are hosting their album launch on Friday April 20, with support from Eaten By Dogs and Rich Davies And The Devil's Union. $10 entry, with doors from 8pm.

ZEVON Clear and rich in guitar and vocal tonality, Zevon has forged his own path. He is a member of both the Sure Shot Hunters and Paris Wells Band, whilst currently making his debut album. Catch Zevon for two Sunday sessions at Lucky Coq in Prahran, both on Sunday April 22 between 5pm and 7pm, and then again the following week.

RECORD STORE DAY AT THE TOTE Wooly Bully & Polyester Records present a truly sick Record Store Day Party - Saturday April 21st at The Tote. New War play their first headline gig of 2012 for their last show before their long awaited debut album. Legendary experimental post-punks Scattered Order make their first trip to Melbourne in over six months. Zond emerge from their secret laboratory (where they've been getting all alchemical on their forthcoming record ZOND 2) to play their first gig in 2012. Jusgo Mosh get in the van with S.O. and from what we hear, their Melbourne debut is gonna be a ripper! Expect some damaged krauty jazz cigarette experimental spliff holder action. This Saturday April 21 at The Tote.

THE DEATH RATTLES With great pleasure, The Death Rattles are proud to announce the release of their new 7" double a-side titled Born Wolf/In The Morning and will be launching it on Saturday April 21 at The Old Bar in Fitzroy. It is the band's first release since delivering the Tales Of Dogs And Men EP all the way back in 2010 and is the result of months of hard work and shows played all over Melbourne with many great bands. Supporting them on the night are two of their favourite artists and friends: Heel Toe Express and Brendan Welch. So to hear The Death Rattles on vinyl for the very first time, come down to The Old Bar on Saturday, enjoy the show, have a party and grab a record for just $10. All records bought come with a complimentary digital download and hug.

HARRY HOWARD & THE NDE Anzac Day eve is massive at The Old Bar. Harry Howard & The NDE play a show following up their fantastic debut album on Spooky records and it's one hell of a lineup that's on with them, the amazing High Tea will be main support and then A Mystic Eyes plays a show with Ollie Olsen in a very rare live performance. Opening the night will be the now transplanted ex-Ouch My Face bassist HUF, then New War DJs will be playing platters 'til the early hours. Tuesday April 24 at The Old Bar.

MICHAEL PLATER Currently enjoying signiﬁcant airplay for his latest double a-side single Rings of Smoke/My Final Cause, local indie/ art-rock singer/songwriter Michael Plater will be playing a special full-band set at The Retreat on Wednesday April 18. Playing songs from his forthcoming album Exit Keys alongside a few choice Dylan and Velvet Underground covers, he will be joined on the night by Pete Azzopardi (The Coves, The Happy Lonesome), playing a rare solo acoustic set. The show will kick oﬀ at 8.30pm and entry is free.

COLD RED MUTE Three-headed monster Cold Red Mute play a blistering blend of psychotropic punk, rock and metal combining the Monolithic, sand-devil riﬀage of Kyuss, the brutality of Motorhead, the drunken swagger of the sunset strip and the dark country madness of Tom Waits. Cold Red Mute's next performance is part of the Comedy Festival as the special guest musical act to close the 100% Nuts comedy gala events. The Noise Bar this Saturday April 21, will be featuring two hours of stand-up comedy followed by a raucous live set by Cold Red Mute. For the perfect blend of rock and comedy, head down to The Noise Bar, Saturday arvo, from 3pm 'til 6pm.

LAUGHING OUTLAW SHOWCASE Prolific Sydney independent label Laughing Outlaw records presents their first label showcase gig in Melbourne, with a great lineup headlined by local surf and western sensation Mikelangelo & The Tin Star. The band will be launching their official clip for a smoking instrumental album track No Sign Of A Pipeline. Other Laughing Outlaw acts featured on the bill are Perth psychedelic pop purveyors The Autumn Isles, Sydney's indie rock royalty Bambino Koresh (showcasing their new album) and local boys Wilder. From 8pm, Saturday May 5, at Northcote Social Club.

MIMI VELEVSKA Recorded at Sing Sing South Studios in Melbourne, Mimi Velevska’s maiden release Damn from her upcoming debut EP The Bona Fide Electric unveils an artist furnished with a rare vocal aptitude, and the ﬂair to match. Damn exudes a passionate combination of soulful rock and infectious melody. To celebrate the release of her debut single, Mimi Velevska and her band will launch Damn at The Workers Club on Saturday May 5, with support from Rock duo Slow Chase and Rock/Funk outﬁt The Charlies.

WEEKENDER INDIE REUNION From Smashing to The Ninth Ward, it's time to reconnect and relive all those indie club highlights. If you're vintage indie or new to the crew, you'll love dancing to music from the golden eras of indie clubbing, from '80s stalwarts The Smiths, The Cure and New Order to Manchester heroes Stone Roses, Charlatans and Happy Mondays to Brit Pop classics from Blur, Pulp and Suede to the thrilling start to the '00s with Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Interpol and The Strokes and a great list of classic indie club bands. A massive night not to be missed, the Weekender indie reunion with DJs Steve, Kieran, Gregory and Dave, in the cool new venue on the block The Liberty Social in the hip surrounds of Degraves/Flinders Lane.

DESERTERS Deserters play their ﬁrst show for 2012 at the wonderful surrounds of The Retreat Hotel this coming Friday April 20, with very special guest Ashley Naylor. The past few months have seen them putting the ﬁnal touches to their second album, set to be released mid-year, they will also be performing new tracks from it. Their most recent AA-side EP Lemon Kicks/Stars Burn among other releases will be available at the show. Entry is free!

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THE BOWERS The Bowers have had a stellar six months since the release of their second LP Odds or Evens. Receiving support slots for YOU AM I, Urge Overkill, Even, Tex Perkins, Dan Sultan and Spain's Los Chicos as well as top reviews in Mess And Noise and mainstream broadsheet papers nationwide. In May, The Bowers head to the UK to showcase at Liverpool Sound City Music Conference, followed by a seventeen date tour which includes club shows in London, Paris, Madrid and Barcelona. Before they head oﬀ, catch them play a free show on Anzac Day Eve, Wednesday April 24, at The Retreat, Sydney Rd Brunswick, with support from The Harlots.

SCATTERED ORDER Since their formation in 1979, Scattered Order have been confounding listeners with their non-stick, genre bending ideas of noise and tune. During this time they have released material on the M Squared, Volition, Ink (UK), Vinyl On Demand (Germany), Klanggalerie (Austria) and their own Rather Be Vinyl label. With their assembled collection of eccentric sound tools, Scattered Order have fermented another set of dangerous sonic gases- sometimes absurdly pleasant, sometimes scarily abrasive, but always multi-layered and certainly hurtling towards a blissful destination. Witness a sonic assault of loops, samples, synths and guitars in the suitably eerie Below Deck in The Grace Darling Hotel this Sunday April 22. Joining them on the night will be special guests Matthew Brown and Monolith. $8 entry.

CHERRY ROCK 2012 Californian stoner rock giants Fu Manchu have been announced as the headliners of the sixth annual Cherry Rock. Also adding to the festivities are Black Cobra, Matt Sonic & The High Times, Bitter Sweet Kicks, Vice Grip Pussies, My Dynamite, The Ramshackle Army and Valentiine with more soon to be announced. The sixth Cherry Rock takes place at Cherry Bar and in AC/DC Lane on Sunday April 29. Tickets on sale now and there's only a few left, so hurry.

GOOFYFOOTER Who or what the @#$% is Goofyfooter? Inspired by the coastline, the outback, long drives, and many surf/ instrumental performances over the ages, Goofyfooter write and play about Australian places and themes. This ain't no stretch-Hummer-dark-window-leather-seat-ridinin-the-back-bag-of-snow type of rock music. It's whiteknuckle-EH-Holden-station-wagon-dusty-road-one-arm-onthe-window-sill-one-arm-swatting-ﬂies. Need we say more? Playing this Sunday April 22 at Noise Bar, Brunswick. Doors at 6pm. $5 entry.

100% NUTS COMEDY Noise Bar in Brunswick provides a bundle of laughs this weekend. Kicking oﬀ at 2pm on Saturday April 21, is Cold Red Mute, featuring a comedy/rock show. To back it up, on Sunday April 22 at 1pm sharp catch Aurora and Lachlan Cross to keep the laughs coming. Both shows are $16 on the door.

LOKI

CENTRE & THE SOUTH

Melbourne five piece Loki are delighted to announce the Autumn release of their single Disappear. The song, along with three previously unreleased accompanying tunes, demonstrates Loki’s evocative and somewhat cinematic take on folk music. The release has an undeniable personal touch, from its recording roots in the singers lounge room right down to hand sewn and printed CD sleeves. With the help of Red Jezabels' Dave Parkin, this release announces Loki’s presence on the Melbourne stage, after a seriously drawn out hibernation phase due to the demands of their self-recording ways. To mark the release, Loki will be playing at The Toff in Town on Monday April 23. Joining them will be fellow Melbournian folksters Language Of The Birds, and Hiding With Bears. $10 on the door. Doors from 7.30pm.

Centre & The South are launching their EP Something New, Something True, with special guests- Kashmere Club, SlowJaxx and his Flying Bong Brothers, and The Mind Flowers, this Saturday April 21 at Noise Bar (291 Albert St Brunswick). Doors open at 8.30pm, with a lazy $5 entry, and $15 EPs. Headliners and reggae roots dreadlock force Centre & The South will fill the air with the message of peace and love but with a lot more punch than one might expect from the phrase, through what will be predominantly a high energy reggae style set. Forming in early 2010, Centre & The South are distinguished for their diverse incorporation of instruments in their music and their amazing live persona of spirit and freedom.

LA BASTARD

LA BASTARD Wooooo. La Bastard return to The Retreat this Saturday April 21, following their triumphant debut album launch in February, which saw a line stretching from The Retreat down to Glenlyon Rd. This will be La Bastard's last gig before they return to the studio to record their new album at the beginning of May, so come and help make this a huge one. Joining them will be the absolutely fabulous Mesa Cosa, also fresh from the release of their debut 10" Infernal Cakewalk. It's bound to be a night of absolute mayhem, chaos, and dancing, so get down for crazy times. The night is set for a 10pm start, with free entry.

IOWA Don’t say you haven’t been warned. The men that are single handedly redeﬁning the genre of guitar band are ready to strike. The amps are up, the pedals are on, the foundations have been reinforced. Iowa’s debut album Never Saw It Coming is being launched at Phoenix Public House on Saturday April 21. Fast gaining the reputation as the leaders of the new generation of sonic terrorists, Iowa have delivered the masterpiece that their live shows have promised. All the staples of seeing them live are here- the swathes of swirling, fuzzed-out guitars, the room shaking bass and phenomenally intense drums. Ticket presales are $10, available from Moshtix and phoenixpublichouse. com. Doors from 9pm, with support from Baptism Of Uzi and Queensland's Tape/Oﬀ.

ANDREW BURKE If you like original blues-influenced tunes from a very experienced and generally well-received performer, in an eclectic/groovy small cafe close to town, then popdown to Dexter's Bar for a beverage or two, and maybe some food. Sunday April 29, from 5pm.

OFFICER PARROT Officer Parrot are a young band from Melbourne’s north eastern suburbs, who play original compositions inspired by multiple genres including folk, Latin, indie, pop, jazz and world music. Their music is influenced by an equally broad array of artists including Beirut, The Cat Empire, The Shins and Sufjan Stevens. With many years of playing at folk and world music festivals under their belt, the high-energy live performances of Officer Parrot are an experience not to be missed. Catch them this Saturday April 21 at Noise Bar, Brunswick, doors at 8pm. Special guests include The Quolls and David Knight. $6 entry.

DOCTOR SLOTH Doctor Sloth is a ﬁve-piece band that sounds like at least a seven. Fusing sounds of '60s Jamaica, '80s electro clash and a lively South American spirit, whist bringing an earthy in your face Australian sense of humor and justice in one powerful hard hitting mix. Check out Doctor Sloth play at Noise Bar on Sunday April 22. Get down early to see some of Melbourne's comedians take part in the Melbourne Comedy Festival. A huge afternoon, starting at 2pm and ending past midnight. What a way to drink away your Sunday. $5 entry on the door.

ARGENTINA Brisbane-based producer/musician Argentina has announced he will be touring the country on the back of his debut single Chalk Outlines. His sexy synth-laced tunes have gained plenty of acclaim from triple j and he's supported huge bands to boot as well, including Neon Indian and San Cisco. Catch Argentina as he plays with a full band The Workers Club on Saturday April 21, tickets available through Moshtix.

DAVID BASS Get along to Noise Bar on Thursday April 19, to witness the great David Bass and experience a soul/funk/dub-step ﬁlled evening. With supports from Same O, James Hurt and The Amazing Leonard, the night is set to be a ripper. Doors from 8pm, with $5 entry. CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 63

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DECIMATUS

WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU

Rising from the ashes of Melbourne’s dormant metal scene, Decimatus formed with one intention- to make the music they love that no one else is playing. In early 2010, mixing killer groove riﬀs with brutal fast pace drums, Decimatus did just that. Now they’re returning to Pony for a night of brutal fun with Orpheus, Sewercide and Brisbane’s State Of Integrity, who play a blend of thrash, groove and melodic death metal. After several Australian and New Zealand tours, they’ve supported some of the world’s top international metal bands, such as The Black Dahlia Murder, Unearth, All Shall Perish, Testament, Obituary and Job For A Cowboy, to name a few. They’ve also got a new album Did We Choose To Suﬀer, which sees the band stepping it up to a new level. So get down to Pony on Friday April 20, for a big night of metal. Doors from 9.30pm.

We’ve Been Expecting You is a new progressive event held monthly at Pony and is presenting its third event of the year on Thursday April 19. They say three’s a charm, and this will definitely be the case this month. Lands, sounding like The Shins, will set the scene for the night. They’ll be followed by Lift Off, who have similarities to Coach Bombay (another project of Lift Off's front man). Headlining the night is indie pop sensation Her? Comparable to The Klaxons and Vampire Weekend, Her? will end the night with you chanting for an encore. Special guests Nooceans, travelling from Adelaide, will pacify you between acts, while you refresh your drink and catch your breath from dancing. Drink specials include $4 wines and champagne, and $12 jugs. Look out. Doors from 9pm.

SUPERJUICE

THE WILD COMFORTS The Wild Comforts are a dirty country band ready to make you wish your wife left you, your dog was dead and your Ute was broken so you could write country songs too. They are playing an intimate set at The Great Britain Hotel Thursday April 18 without their drummer as he is lost somewhere in Mexico but hopefully returning soon. Melbourne troubadour Kinch Kinski will open the night, serenading you with his whiskey soaked poetic tales straight out of Thornbury, 8pm kick oﬀ.

Superjuice was established early 2010. From that point on, they’ve been jamming every week. They’ve gone through about fifteen different members, which left them with a very nice selection of skilled musicians that love what they are doing. It is a nice thick reggae sound from a female lead singer/lyricist with a six piece band behind her, perfect for a 2am show. Come down to Pony for a late night Saturday April 21 show.

WINTERPLAN Step in from the starry sprawl and meet the mercurial Winterplan, as they play Pony's late-night slot on Thursday April 19. Buoyed by recent shedding of a super-elusive skin, the electronic band are on incendiary form and eager to showcase their talent for mixing electro soundscapes with synth beats, stark melodies and a shoegazing charm. Come along and catch Winterplan play an extended set including new tracks from their upcoming EP. With equal measure of lugubrious experimentation and heady pop to keep things lively, they will scintillate and delight fans, friends and even the staunchest of electro-refuseniks. Free entry for the 1am late show, with Geek Pie supplying tunes from 2am for you to kick on into the night.

POISON FISH Grunge/noise band Poison Fish are set to launch their debut EP Hide Your Shame With Noise, on Saturday April 21 at Pony Bar. Poison Fish have been throwing themselves around stages, upping the ante and making noise for the past year and a half. Through all their distortion, feedback and heart thumping beats is a muﬄed scream that has a hint of a pop melody. Only on the odd occasion can the words be made out, but none of it matters because once it’s all blended together it makes you want to throw caution to the wind and just rock out. Also playing on the night are two hard rocking bands, Damn That River and Push To Twist. Copies of the Hide Your Shame With Noise EP will be available on the night for a special price of only $7 each. Doors from 9.30pm.

JOEL MORRISON Local idiot and bar prop Joel Morrison is having another exhibition at The Old Bar all throughout April. Come witness sights that will make you mock all artists as retarded monkeys with wet sponges for brains. The gallery is upstairs and it's open all day, every day.

BEAT ARTIST PROFILE

MARS ATTACKS

Define your genre in five words or less: Rockabilly. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? Our debut CD/LP ...Run For Your Life!, our second album Snatch It & Grab It, our third album Dirty Tricks, the concept album Circle of Love, our 2008 release FOLLOW ME!, and our latest release RECAPTURED!, which is a 26 track CD of new re-recordings of the sold out releases from 1999-2003. When’s the gig and with who? Friday April 27, at the St. Kilda Bowls Club, with support from Warren Earl, and his Atomic Rockers, plus The Rechords. How long have you been gigging and writing? The band was formed in 1998. What inspires or has influenced your music the most? Sun Records.

Beat Magazine Page 64

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GREENTHIEF The hard-hitting sounds of Brisbane rock outfit Greenthief will reverberate around Pony in the wee hours on Friday night as part of an East Coast tour supporting their anticipated upcoming single Epidemic. The tour hardened three-piece have spent the majority of the last eighteen months on the road, establishing a stalwart following in both regional and capital cities across the nation. Their expressive new material, paired with a refined and explosive live show, sees Greenthief prepare to take their strongest foot forward in 2012 with their Epidemic tour. With a swag of tour and release plans lined-up for the year, now is the time to become acquainted with one of Australia’s most engaging alt-rock bands. Epidemic will be released digitally later this month. Free entry, with Greenthief kicking off at 2am for the late show on Friday April 20 (really Saturday morning). 3am tunes will be supplied by White Rabbit to keep you dancing on your toes. Greenthief also play Shake Some Action at 161 Nightclub on Thursday April 19.

CHERRY BAR Tonight at Cherry Bar ends their April Residency – Matt Sonic & the High Times. They were the only band in the world invited to play on the Big Day Out, Boogie, and Meredith last year. And it’s only getting better for the sexy psych rockers. This week’s support is Dave Wright and The Midnight Electric, with special 11pm headline show from Rocket Queen. Followed by DJ Jack (Bitter Sweet Kicks) Davies 'til 3am. With free entry, what's not to love? This Thursday April 19 witness the hit of Gloden Plains and the hit soul act in Australia Saskwatch, with DJs Vince Peach and Pierre Baroni. Doors from 5pm, with $10 entry between 8pm 'til 5am. Friday April 20 hosts The Magic Bones, The Murlocs and Fraser A Gorman and full band (featuring members of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard), with DJ Max Crawdaddy to keep the tunes rolling into the night. Saturday April 21 features The Modern Age, The Latonas and The Peeks, alongside DJ Billy Walsh. For both nights doors open from 5pm, with a $13 charge from 8pm 'til 11.30pm, then $10 'til 5am. Finish oﬀ your week with a free entry night on Sunday April 22 with Dead, Jail or Rock N Roll with DJ Xander Allan and Kitty K. Doors open from 8pm 'til 3am.

HOWLIN' STEAM TRAIN Howlin' Steam Train will be celebrating the release of their long awaited ﬁrst single Ramblin' Man with a huge show at The Tote Saturday April 28. With massive supports from the likes of Jackson Firebird and the Ben Wright-Smith Band, the Steam Train lads are set to unleash a tornado of boogie like nothing else. The party will continue at The Old Bar with a DJ set by Howlin' Steam Train. Pre-sale tickets are available from oztix.com or $15 on the door.

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RADIO VERTIGO No more pipes and slippers on Sunday arvo, Radio Vertigo need all Vertigo people down to rock The Evelyn on Sunday April 22. Previewing brand new tunes and old favourites. Support on the day is from Sam and F. No excuses. The afternoon is set to kick oﬀ at 2pm.

UNDERCOLOURS Reaching for timeless songs and sounds is Melbourne band Undercolours. Moving from explosive rock songs and emotive story telling story far beyond their years, their music is showing a boldness to put song craft before trend. Their ﬁrst single Spirit The Ghost has received an impressive response both locally and internationally being featured in NME and on numerous high proﬁle blogs such as Neon Gold. Having recently supported The Naked And Famous and scoring a spot on the Parklife bill, Undercolours are quickly emerging as a new force in the Australian rock scene. They play four Sundays in April at The Evelyn, this week with support from Hot English and special guests.

SONS OF LEE MARVIN Fresh from putting the ﬁnal touches to their third album, Sons Of Lee Marvin – featuring special guest The Jimmy C on drums – mosey into The Gem for two sets of gonzo country garage’n’roll on Friday April 20, for one humdinger of a night. Kick-oﬀ is 9pm, entry is free and the beer is cold.

SUNNY THE MAGOSOPHER Friday April 20, sees an amazing lineup for The Old Bar. Come along and catch the quirky band Eagle & The Worm, alongside Animaux and Sunny The Magosopher. $10 entry will buy you a fantastic night, with doors from 8.30pm. If you are still reeling for more you can stay for DJ Indra's kicking tunes.

ENNIS TOLA Following their recent film clip launch, Ennis Tola are celebrating the official release of Fog, from their forthcoming second album release What The Waters Hide. After a massive 2011, and their recent mammoth show at Rock The Bay in February this year, Ennis Tola have been working steadily on their next album, pulling out all the stops, with recording sessions from Abbey Road, orchestral arrangements, several guest musicians and producing from Forrester Savell and Daniel Rejmer. So get along to The Evelyn to witness this single and film clip launch on Thursday April 19. Doors open at 8.30pm.

MISSFIRE Rockin' Melbourne three-piece, Missﬁre, with their blend of raw, dynamic, alternative hard rock will be pumping out tunes oﬀ their new album, Snakes And Ladders at The Evelyn Hotel on Friday April 20. Local hip-hop artist, Drama J and his band Dot1two7 are set to see everyone's head bouncing with some soulful grooves and fat beats. Midnight Drive are coming along for the ride with their ultra-catchy choruses and energetic live show. With Matthew Cardile opening the show with his amazing voice and earthy soothing guitar. Doors open from 9pm.

AGILITY Launching the single from their debut EP Foreign Land, Melbourne band- Agility are setting themselves for a big one at The Evelyn hotel. On Saturday April 21, be prepared for a night of rock'n'roll bliss when Agility bring their blend of psychedelic grunge pop to The Evelyn. Along with famed Melbourne rockers The Pretty Littles, who are fresh from the St. Kilda Festival, it is sure to be an absolute ripper. Also playing are the amazing Wandering Spirit and Field Trip. Get along for an awesome night of Melbourne's ﬁnest. Doors from 9pm.

THE RETREAT HOTEL The Retreat Hotel is hosting some ripper upcoming shows over this coming week. Tonight sees the front bar hosting both the talented Peter Azzopardi and also Michael Plater, with the night kicking oﬀ at 8.30pm. To back it up tomorrow night- Thursday April 19, you can witness Stompbox from 9pm, followed by King of The North. Friday April 20 sees more great live music, with the Jed Rowe Band from 10pm, followed by Marshall O'Kell, and if that's not enough DJ Shaky Memorial will carry you with tunes into the night. CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 65

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LITTLE MURDERS Legendary Melbourne power pop band Little Murders will playing rocking tunes at the equally legendary Townie this Saturday April 21. Channeling the ghosts of The Jam, The Kinks and The Clash, whilst also playing songs from their first single Things Will Be Different (released in 1979), right up till their latest release Dig For Plenty, the group still has enough energy to power a small town. So come on down, it's free. Kickoff is at 10pm.

VAN SHE Van She are back. And indeed back with a cosmic-tropo bang, as they invite you to enjoy their sophomore record Idea Of Happiness, which is out this July on Modular Recordings. So uplifting it’s practically levitational, Idea Of Happiness is Van She’s most focused, joyous musical excursion to date. They may have walked a slow, deliberate path to releasing album number two, but the result is all the better for it. Don't miss this show at The Toﬀ In Town on Tuesday April 24. Tickets are $12+bf and are on sale from Moshtix.

KIM BOEKBINDER The Impossible Girl is writing her new space-themed album here in Melbourne. She'll be debuting the new songs with her hot Australian band during her Wednesday night residency at The Evelyn during the month of April. Synthesisers, guitars, fat beats, and unexpected sounds to abound. Special guest Brendan Maclean is supporting this Wednesday April 25, with doors from 8.30pm.

H.M.A.S. VENDETTA On Anzac Day, Wednesday April 25, H.M.A.S. Vendetta will debut their Operatic Rock Epic entitled The Anzac Spirit Australians in the Great War in a matinee performance at The Evelyn Hotel. The show will be in two parts- Gallipoli and The Western Front. H.M.A.S. Vendetta have a unique sound with electric violin, cello, piano, organ and semi-operatic vocals, added to the driving rock rhythm section of bass guitar and drums. Complete with visuals, costumes and theatrics this unique rock show will take the audience back to relive a crucial time in history and meet the heroes of their age, the Anzacs. Doors will open at 2pm. Entry $12. Support will be provided by Citrus Jam. Part of proceeds will be donated to Legacy. Lest We Forget.

TAPE/OFF From their first gig at Brisbane’s iconic Hangar (which was one of the top five shows of the year according to Scene magazine) Tape/Off have become a staple of the Brisbane music scene over the last year as they smash out a collision of lo-fi racket and guitar riffs. They're heading south for their first Melbourne tour and kick it off on Friday April 20 at The Victoria Hotel in Brunswick with Tasmanians Ivy St. This show is free.

NICKY DEL REY & THE SLOWTOWN SOCIAL CLUB Nicky Del Rey can be found touring around the country with Intoxica, The Moonee Valley Drifters, The Sideshow Brides and on Saturday April 21 brings his own band The Slowtown Social Club to The Victoria Hotel in Brunswick for a free show from 9pm. Along for the ride are Lonesome who combine elements of Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and the Gram Parsons and has a rich pedigree in Australian music, including The Rumours, Paul Kelly and the Dots, Dave Graney's Coral Snakes among many others.

THE MURDERCHORD New Zealand's The Murderchord will end their Melbourne tour by playing their two piece piano and drums stomp rock at a beer garden session at The Victoria Hotel in Brunswick on Sunday April 22 from 5pm. Lindsey Bush from Australian Kingswood Factory plays a solo set as well, and it's $10 beer jugs all day.

FRASER A. GORMAN & SAM COOPER Fraser has the guitar, writing book and the lungs, Coops does most of the tricky stuﬀ with the better lungs and better pickin', Sophia slings her ﬁddle like a wand casting lighting with her bow, the rest will unfold before your very eyes. Check out all the magic at The Standard Hotel tonight.

THEE WILD OSCARS Feeling jumpy, hungry, and generally rowdy? Get down to The Great Britain in Richmond on Saturday April 21 for Thee Wylde Oscars and get a generous dose of all three. Authentic vintage ’60s-style rock, Thee Wylde Oscars sports a pedigree line up including members from The Shindiggers, The Trebles and The Breadmakers. Enthusiastically volatile, catch it. 9pm, free entry. Beat Magazine Page 66

DAN DINNEN 2009 MBAS Blues Performer Of The Year Dan Dinnen plays ﬁnger-picking acoustic guitar, tasty blues harp and sings up a storm with his rich, soulful vocals. Playing originals and blues standards, from smoking ballads to juke joint stomps, Dan draws on a wide range of blues inﬂuences, especially the deep well of old time, prewar and country blues styles. Get a taste at the Great Britain Hotel in Richmond, Sunday April 22. 8pm, Free entry.

L-BURN TRILL To celebrate this coming Friday April 20, international smoke chronic day "420", The Bennies are throwing a hazed-out blazed and confused party. It's $10 entry. Helping them box-out the Bentigo Hotel are Melbourne's most infamous chron-dog whack of doobies that ever greened-out. L-Burn Trill (Mr. Dna and krew), 420 is more than Jerim's birthdays and Christmases packed together in a tight little cone. Foxtrot, it's incredible these dudes are able to keep up with their own beats chronsidering how high they are. The Operators, '60s inﬂuenced reggae, which doesn't even need a pot reference- let the music smoke for itself. Lewis/ Carrots equals pot music. Sorry – pop music.

DAMN THAT RIVER After piss-farting around for the past two years or so, Damn That River has finally got their shit together, and are about to release what they hope to be their first EP, but definitely not their last. The EP entitled Tumbleweed has been recorded, mixed, mastered and re-mastered at Itchy Brother Studios over the past few months. In celebration the boys are going to drink at Spencers Live (Spencer St) on Friday April 27 with friends Audemia, Poison Fish, Push To Twist and Wally, and, possibly even play some songs.

TWISTED AFFECTION Twisted Aﬀection are the newest sensation to come out of the Perth pop punk scene and with the release of their debut self titled album, they are heading across the country in support of their release this April. Bringing high energy shows, killer melodies and throwbacks to catchy old school punk riﬀs, their debut single That's What She Said has already made waves around the country's alternative radio. With a great local support crew going by; The Spinset, Up And Atom, Fahrenheit 43 and Second Chance Exit. Any fans of the genre should come to The Bendigo on Thursday April 19 and check it out.

ONE INCH PUNCH/MID YOUTH CRISIS One Inch Punch/Mid Youth Crisis formed in 1993 by Heath McAnally. Heath lost a long and very brave battle with addiction in April of 2011. Their upcoming show at The Bendigo Hotel Tuesday April 24 (Anzac Day Eve), is to commemorate Heath's passing and to celebrate his life and contribution to the Melbourne music landscape. All proceeds go to Windana Drug and Alcohol Recovery Centre in St Kilda. With awesome supports from ex H Block 101 dudes Rise Of The Rat, and Camp David ex-Identity Theft/Day I Die/Blow Waves and another debutant, The Hard Targets, featuring members of Mindsnare, Bulldog spirit and The Terrace. Limited number of tickets are still available, $15 at The Bendigo Hotel

THE GO SET The Go Set are currently on the road launching their new self-titled album. The new album is the band's fifth studio effort and was recorded with producer Paul McKercher. Likened to everything from early Midnight Oil, The Pogues and the Clash, The Go Set combine the traditional sounds of bagpipes, accordian and fiddle with punk rock guitars, for a mind blowing live show. The band are set to launch the album at The Espy on Friday May 4, with Handsome Young Strangers and Blazin Enfields in support.

So the world is going to end, and you’re locked in a room with Vince Neil and Peter Criss. After bludgeoning them to death with a bowling ball and a bag of crisps, what album would you listen to? Dave: Daddy Who? by Daddy Cool, because there isn't an inappropriate time for that album. Jake: Kenny Rogers The Gambler, because it always takes me back to my ﬁrst murder. Luke: Hey Man by Mr.Big, because Billy Sheehan’s bass on that album is so good it would probably prevent the apocalypse. Parmy: Anything by 2pac, because it always gets me going. Favorite Ninja Turtle and Movie? Dave: Parmy being the leader of the band is Leonardo, Luke being the angry prick he is makes him Raphael. Jake, for reasons we can’t mention, is Michelangelo, and I reside in the fact that there is only one turtle left, making me the best of the four turtles, Donatello. You recorded with Steve & Steve at Itchy Brothers Studios, which is relatively new, how did you find the experience? Luke: Good Parmy: It was a mad experience; we felt at home recording with them. In the past we’ve had engineers that have tried to make us sound like something they want. Steve & Steve really gave us heaps of creative control, and took all our input in, and afterwards we had Pete Cross come in to add some ﬁnishing touches. We are really happy with the results.

If you were crowned Miss Universe, how would you change the world? Parmy: I’d ban The Lost Boys Part 2. The whole film was a train wreck. I’d also campaign hard for a world wide release of the greatest story ever told- Legend of the Broomfighters. Dave: I’d bring down the illuminati, and release all the U.S Classified documents on UFOs. Luke: Drop the legal drinking age to 12, and legalize pot. Jake: Make mac and cheese a compulsory meal every day, for every person in the world. A night with Kerri Anne Kennerley or David Bowie? Parmy: Kerri Anne. Luke: Kerri Anne. Jake: I’d marry Kerri Anne. Dave: Bowie all the way. He pulls off a woman way better than Kerri Anne Why should people come to your EP launch at Spencers Live on Friday April 27? Dave: The bands that are opening for us are awesome, and they’re all playing acoustic sets, so its pretty unique. We are all really pumped about this gig, so it should be a fun showcase of our stuff. Luke: Jake’s going to get naked. Jake: It’s true. Parmy: Feel free to bring meat, we will try and find you a BBQ.

UNCOMFORTABLE BEATS

ROLLER ONE

Uncomfy Beats this time around boasts new super group Carte Blanche comprised of the creamiest Melbourne has to oﬀer. Candice Monique, Motley, RuCL, and Dizz1 on the decks for their debut performance, in support will be local 5 piece band Allganiks, who play really soulful hip hop that’s bound to set your head to nod.. On top of that wellrespected residents Able8, ShiKung and Ghostsoul will be testing their latest wares and oﬀering up the freshest of the beats world. On Wednesday April 18 Uncomfortable Beats returns once again to Bar Open to showcase the latest and greatest in Australian beat music. Entry is free as always.

Yet another night of cracking tunes at Bar Open on Thursday April 19 with the bare baritone stylings and sparse imagery of Roller One and the expansive instrumental cloudscapes of The Television headlining the proceedings. That's not all, with the dark, dissonant and dramatic piano and vocal compositions of Scarlett Cook also joining in for all the fun. Doors are at 9pm, and of course, it's free entry.

JUDGE PINO & THE RULING MOTIONS Judge Pino And The Ruling Motions are a living tribute to the greats of 1970's Jamaican reggae. Whilst versioning and covering classic 1970's lover's rock, early dancehall and rockers reggae tunes in their own genuine style, they create a retro-phonic space ﬁlled with rhythm and sound that will move everybody into a dance. For all the action get down to Bar Open, free entry, Friday April 20.

NEW DUB CITY New Dub City bring their high energy reggae-meets-hiphop show back to Bar Open on Saturday April 21. Hard hitting beats, heavy bass lines, live dubs and African drumming combine with a passionate vocal delivery reminiscent of Joe Strummer to create a vibrant show that celebrates the power of performance. New Dub City will be joined by Ugandan reggae singer and dancer Sk Simeon and special guest Ghanian drummer Shabba Koﬁ. Entry is free.

SAN SALVADOR 2011 was a huge year for the San Salvador lads, who worked hard on a collection of ﬁne tracks, and released their long awaited debut album Rugged Are The Mountains in October. Including singles Spark the Fire and Distraction, the new record explores new sonic territory for the band, yet keeps heavy grooves at the heart of every track. San Salvador bring their ﬂoor stirring brand of reggae and funk to The John Curtin Hotel this Friday April 20, with support from The Dub Captains and Echo Drama.

THE UV RACE The UV Race are joining their good friends the Woollen Kits for a night of fun at The Grace Darling on Friday April 20. They play punk party songs about bad dreams lost love and chaos and have six members who know how to party on stage. You might even see the lead singer's jocks. The Woollen Kits have two Toms and a not Tom in their band. They play sick songs about putting makeup on, loving you, failing and most importantly, feeding ducks. The chief vocalist is tall and handsome and has a very low and smooth voice like Jonathan Richmond. When he sings you will think you're dancing alone in a lesbian bar. A special band will join in on this party gig Hamhock. $10 entry.

WILD DOG CREEK

KROMOSOM

Wild Dog Creek take their hairy soul man jungledom down to Bar Open on Sunday April 22 for a free show with Jusgo Mosh and These Patterns. Fresh off an east coast tour and a string of shows culminating in a hair-raising gig at Northcote Social Club with High Tea and Duck Duck Chop, the new incarnation of Wild Dog Creek (which has the Spacetodd of cosmological Yolke on drums) are in the process of recording a fresh set of tracks, capturing their raw blend of tree carved drones and dusty rhythmic psych-experimentalism. Jusgo Mosh, who are in town with Scattered Order for a cluster of shows in Melbourne, will be bringing their menacing, krauty grooves to the floor. Dark and textured post-punk three piece These Patterns will be exercising their eclectic mix of sonics to minimalist devices. Free entry for a free-for-all freak-out family affair.

Kromosom presents Chaos Night 02. One night of chaos with Kromosom and friends. They have the haunting and crushing unit Useless Children, crust onslaught by Debacle and Raw HC punk Leprosy. So if noise/punk/hardcore/ crust/chaos/tinnitus is your thing, come have a loud night with us. Make Party. This Saturday April 21 at The Bendigo.

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LUNARS Catch the twisted pop stars Lunars, playing one of their last shows, before they lock themselves away to record their debut EP this month. Joining them on Friday April 20 at The Empress will be noise addicts Grand Prismatic, and Psalm Beach, guaranteeing one hell of a crazed night. Doors open at 9pm.

MASTER GUNFIGHTERS

PLANET LOVE SOUND

On Sunday April 22, Master Gunfighters will be bringing their brand of Alt-Countrified Pop-Rock to The Retreat Hotel in Brunswick for a free entry show. Joining them will be folk psych troubadour Jacky Winter (of Bowers and Dynamo). Master Gunfighters (featuring members of The Thod, The Polites and Mass Cult to name a few) have been kicking around for roughly a year. Formed out of a joint love of American blues/country music, their sound is bittersweet and melancholy at times, rompy and chugging like a steam train at others, but still with a very Melbourne sound driving it at heart. Doors from 6.30pm.

Ex-Dukes Of Windsor members Joe Franklin and Oscar Dawson, have teamed up with lead vocalist Tina Stefanou, to create Planet Love Sound. Having spent much of the past two years living in their adopted second home of Berlin, Germany, and busy self-producing two EPs, amongst supporting many international acts like Warpaint, Karen Elson and Holy F#@k, Planet Love Sound have returned home to Australia for the oﬃcial release of their EP Part 1. Now launching the second single My Shadow oﬀ the Part 1 EP, catch divine Melbourne-based psychedelic/ experimental pop act playing The John Curtin Bandroom on Friday April 27, with special guest Timothy Carroll and others.

THE F-100S The twangin' sound of the F100s is catching on fast with fans of roadhouse honky tonk, boogie and rockabilly. Over the past couple of years the F100s have been burning dance floors and establishing themselves as a fine live act. Influenced by the styling's of Buck Owens, George Jones and Merle Haggard, the F100s also have a sack full of original toe tappers spread through their repertoire. Performing an exclusive show on Saturday April 21 at The Retreat Hotel front bar (prime F100s real estate friends) at 7.30pm, make it a date.

HOLLIAVA Hollava will be bringing a diverse lineup to the Noise Bar on Friday April 20. Indie rockers Waverley, local masters Giants Under The Sun and trip hop ﬁve piece Dear Plastic, will join Holliava for a night of eclectic songs and sounds. Currently promoting their debut album Stay Where We Lay, Holliava will be bringing all the fan favorites to the stage while also unveiling their new arsenal of hits. This will be a killer night in Brunswick at the Noise Bar. Make sure you don't miss it. Doors at 8pm, $8 entry.

N'FA JONES N'fa Jones- front man of genre bending band 1200 Techniques, is launching his anticipated EP Babylondon featuring Wayooy (ft Roots Manuva & M-phazes) this Thursday April 19 at The Grace Darling. The new single will be released a with stop motion video March On. 7 Seconds (ft Tyson McVey- the daughter of Neneh Cherry) and Deeper Love, along with songs from the critically acclaimed album Cause An Eﬀect, and unreleased material. The show will consist of DJ/sax player Tom Showtime, Live Drums, and N'fa on the mic, with supports from upcoming unearthed featured artist Remi Kolawole, and also Tom Showtime. $10 tickets from Moshtix, or $10 on the door if still available.

MUSIC NEWS

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE

For all the latest news check out beat.com.au CRYSTAL THOMAS

TIN SPARROW Tin Sparrow fans are in for a treat this Saturday April 21 at The Grace Darling, as the Sydney four-piece has announced they will be embarking on an intimate run of East Coast tour dates to support the release of their highly anticipated second EP. A follow up to the well-received debut From The Sun. Tickets are $12 presale, and will be available at the door on the night if still available. Support will be from the lovely Buckley Ward and Jack McCloskey.

CRYSTAL THOMAS

THE MAPLE TRAIL

Through unhinged guitar lines and intense brooding vocals, Crystal Thomas' A Chance In Hell, is being launched and released on Saturday April 21, at the St Kilda Bowls Club. The album was written, recorded, and co-produced with Spencer P Jones and Matt Walker, and captures Crystal’s Australian-gothic, confessional lyrics over a dark disco pulse and rock n roll swagger, raw against the lush production of the previous offering. Music starts at 8.30pm sharp, with tunes from Australian musician Harry Howard And The NDE, followed by Penny Ikinger and The Evolution. Get along early for a BBQ and pre-launch happy hour in the band room, with $4 cans from 7pm 'til 8pm.

With The Maple Trail's new album Cable Mount Warning, a calamitous chorus of layered, epic, bright and summery folk songs is emitted. The Maple Trail will take you down a dark winding path and then throw you into the light. His third solo album, Cable Mount Warning is a change of scenery and method. The album is an exercise in writing over eighteen months, spanning across New Zealand, at home in the Blue Mountains, and recorded amongst the clutter and kipple of his new urban home studio in Stanmore, Sydney. The album was mixed with Liam Judson- long time collaborator and co-songwriter in Belles- Will Ring. The result is the most concise and buoyant exhibition of The Maple Trail’s sound to date. Witness the launch of this new album at The Gasometer on Tuesday April 24 (Anzac Day Eve).

TRACY McNEIL Tracy McNeil moved to Melbourne in 2007 with only her suitcase and her acclaimed debut album Room Where She Lives. Recorded in Toronto, the album proved a classic debut, brimming with authentic country and roots songs born of a nation that has a long and distinguished history of producing such talented artists. Melbourne was something of a risk, but it paid oﬀ almost immediately. Tracy worked hard, playing solo shows all across the formidable musical city of Melbourne, gaining the respect of her peers and critics alike, along with an ever growing fan base. She quickly became an integral part of the Melbourne music scene. She will be playing two sets in the front bar of The Retreat Hotel on Anzac Day, Wednesday April 25. Free entry, with Tracy from 4pm till 6pm.

PRESENTS

CHRIS WILSON Chris Wilson has been an essential part of blues and rock music in Australia, since taking the stage with the Sole Twisters 20 years ago. Stints with Harum Scarum, Paul Kelly and The Coloured Girls followed, and the end of the '80s saw Wilson as one of our finest vocalists, harmonica players and songwriter- fronting the superb Crown Of Thorns. Chris has appeared at every major Australian festival and his performances, filled as they are with his own brand of sensuality and the dynamic power that leaves his audiences so satisfied, are always a highlight. Chris' stage presence, voice and talent are all as big as the country he lives in. Chris is a master of his craft. Chris Wilson & Band perform at The Retreat Hotel on Anzac Day, Wednesday April 25 from 7pm. Free entry.

THE ROYAL JELLY DIXIELAND BAND Former Hot Little Hands member Raphael Hammond leads this new rabble through a sepia-toned homage, to the polyphonic sounds of an era when jazz was king. Drawing on the styles of Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, C.W. Stoneking, and Tom Waits, this ﬁve-track EP gives the old world sounds a good spit n polish, reinventing them for right now – a rambling, drunken, beatnik funeral dirge, a rambunctious toe-tapping jive, a down-and-out lovers' blues, an upbeat, tongue-in-cheek Dixie ham, and a perky dreamboat tango. Their self-titled debut EP is due for release on Friday May 4. Celebrate the spectacular unveiling at The Workers Club, with Pugsley Buzzard and DJ Greasy Chicken (RRR's Hellzapoppin').

SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING TRUE EP LAUNCH WITH W ITT H SPECIAL FRIE FRIENDS ENDS

SERI VIDA

& HIS H ISS FFLYING LY INN G LY RS BONG BROTHERS

This Friday April 20, Seri Vida will play two solo sets at Dexter Bar/Cafe in Clifton Hill. In an evening not to be missed the charming little back room at Dexter will be enveloped in the sultry sounds of Seri Vida's confessional and intimate musical stylings. First set starts at 8pm and entry is free.

THE MERCURY THEATRE Hailing from the bohemian Dandenong Ranges, The Mercury Theatre is named after the Orson Welles radio productions from the '30s, known for enveloping entertainment for the masses. Fittingly, The Mercury Theatre's music can be described as incorporating progressive and atmospheric rock, with melodic overtones and a rich source of dissidence. The band is launching their self-produced debut EP Immurare, on Friday April 20 at Revolver, with supports from Dear Stalker and William Blaxland, as well as the special antics of circus performer Aerial Manx. Tickets are available from their website themercurytheatre.net.

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CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 67

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

AIRIT NOW

JACK WHITE

1. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Gone GRAVEYARD TRAIN 2. Do You Hear? CUB SCOUTS 3. Synchronous Bloom THRUPENCE 4. Remnants UNDERLIGHTS 5. Love Is A Mountain, Truth In Her Fountain, TEHACHAPI 6. You Me Bullets Love (Radio Edit) THE BOMBAY ROYALE 7. Baby Thigs MAX CRUMBS 8. My Shadow PLANET LOVE SOUND 9. Dollar Chills DZ DEATHRAYS 10. Raisin Heart MOSMAN ALDER

Blunderbuss (Sony)

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People liked The White Stripes because people like rules. From the outset, the world-conquering Detroit duo aligned themselves to an intangible manifesto. Some aspects were upheld rigorously â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the tri-colour aesthetic, the ruse of siblingry, the admonishment of setlists â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and some were bent or broken. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to draw the analogy between Whiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trajectory and that of his favourite ďŹ lmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s protagonist. Jacky White seems to fancy himself as a bit of a modern day Charles Foster Kane â&#x20AC;&#x201C; skirting far closer to benevolence, of course (though his Third Man empire is presumably raking it in, you couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t label it nefarious in the slightest). Where Kane had his â&#x20AC;&#x153;declaration of principlesâ&#x20AC;?, White has his declaration of pretensions. Like Kane, White ďŹ guratively destroys his respective manifesto with his latest outing. Blunderbuss is Jack White unleashed. The notion of a solo project suggests something reductionist in technique. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s far from the case here, with the instrumentation reaching above and beyond that of The Dead Weather and The Raconteurs, let alone The White Stripesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; later eďŹ&#x20AC;orts. Having said that, the album is very much deďŹ ned by Whiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sonic idiosyncrasies. The monumentally simplistic riďŹ&#x20AC;s are all there, as are the frenetic bursts of patented searing solos. While White invariably cuts loose in the live setting, his studioborn solos are frustratingly truncated. Freedom At 21 builds and builds with an uncharacteristic drum loop, but the wildish impulses are kept in check despite a brief, albeit blistering, guitar solo. A penchant for heavily compressed guitar was ďŹ rst displayed on Get Behind Me Satan cut Blue Orchid, and carried over into The White Stripeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ nal record. Here, it reaches a logical climax with Sixteen Saltines. The riďŹ&#x20AC; that makes up the songâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s central nervous system contains an immeasurable density of guitar overdubs, resulting in the most dangerous-sounding work White has ever produced. The dynamics of the record are kept in check, with each sonic blast balanced out with a down-tempo bawler â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a style in which White is equally proďŹ cient. The title track mixes an incredibly goofy lyric sheet with heartfelt sincerity, and Trash Tongue Talker oozes with barroom swagger. Just as White is armed with an arsenal of immediately distinguishable sonic elements, his lyricisms are just as steadfast in their subject matter. The character of Jack White presented on record is one perpetually mistreated by a gallery of women. The theme evolves into something far more explicit than what were previously conservative subtexts. Whiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carcass is mutilated beyond repair many times over â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in Freedom At 21 the femme fatale â&#x20AC;&#x153;cut the bottoms oďŹ&#x20AC; my feet, made me walk on saltâ&#x20AC;?, and album-opener Missing

LIARS

No. 1 Against the Rush (Mute/EMI) Brooklyn electro rock stalwarts Liars have a sixth album in the post. The ďŹ rst single is rich and moody, warm ricochets of glitch ďŹ lling out the gaps in a dark, evocative vocal melody that sways between Joy Division and The National. Beautiful.

SAM SPARRO

I Wish I Never Met You (EMI) I quite like the melodic disco pulse of I Wish I Never Met You but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all that good. I just like Sam Sparro now. I saw the video for Happiness recently and realised I had missed the thing that makes this kid a bona ďŹ de pop star: he dances! Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more to it than that, mind you. His tidy moustache, enormous teeth and tiny wing-like ears make him look like a Bugsy Malone character, albeit taller. He has a strong look, as my friend Andy would say. A strong look, some tidy dance moves and a whole lot of disco rocking charisma.

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Speaking of disco rocking charisma, the Scissor Sisters are back with the ďŹ rst release from the forthcoming Magic Hour (out May 25). Actually, the biggest problem with this Calvin Harris-produced single is a noticeable lack of disco rocking charisma; Only The Horses is a glassy dance track without the high camp and swinging hooks of their previous hits. The song comes from a good place though: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wrote it for one of my best friends,â&#x20AC;? singer Jake Shears explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had so many amazing adventures this past year, travelling the world. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about being friends with someone youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so happy to know.â&#x20AC;? Aw.

Only The Horses (Universal)

KELLY CLARKSON Dark Side (Sony)

Pieces tells a Kafka-esque tale of ladyfolk gradually tearing his physical self apart piece by piece â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all the while, White remains complacent. Sexually, the pseudo-incestual undertones and necrophilialike lust for long-dead starlets that peppered The White Stripesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; body of work evolves into something more visceral on Blunderbuss. The ďŹ lthy riďŹ&#x20AC;s on Sixteen Saltines are complemented by sordid yelps of â&#x20AC;&#x153;sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got a pink mailbox that she puts out frontâ&#x20AC;?, along with a rare Jack White drug allusion (â&#x20AC;&#x153;force fed forced meds â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;til I drop deadâ&#x20AC;?). Hypocritical Kiss drips with as much disdain and vitriol as Dylansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Idiot Wind, the question of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Who the hellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impressed by you?â&#x20AC;? could well be a self-eďŹ&#x20AC;acing introspective in the vein of Lennonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nowhere Man. Could it be a rare peek behind the curtain at the real Jack White (if there is such a thing)? The White Stripes never really made any great albums (they were consistently good, but never great). Instead, they presented an enthralling array of concepts and an impeccable canon of generation-deďŹ ning tracks. Stripped of mystique self-made mythology (the biggest tell is the jettison of Whiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long-standing suďŹ&#x192;x of â&#x20AC;&#x153;IIIâ&#x20AC;? from his title), the new chapter of Jack White is surprisingly levelled. The aura of infallibility is well-deserved, and if he can get away with collaborating with Insane Clown Posse, this Charles Foster Kane is a long way from his demise. LACHLAN KANONIUK Best Track: Sixteen Saltines If You Like These, Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Like This: Physical GraďŹ&#x192;ti LED ZEPPELIN, Icky Thump THE WHITE STRIPES In A Word: (Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) TerriďŹ c!

NKOTBSB

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Turn Out the Lights (Sony) New Kids On The Block join forces with the Backstreet Boys. All is good in the universe. You have not laughed until youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen a bunch of 40-year-old men performing boy band choreography and straining fruitlessly towards the high notes. Personal side note: my ďŹ rst sexual dream was about Jordan Knight. It involved a beach and a wet pirate shirt. And the crazy thing is, I was in love with Joey McIntyre, not Jordan. So like, thanks a lot, pre-pubescent brain.

LIGHTS

Banners (Shock) The third single from Siberia, the second album by Canadian electro artist Lights (aka Valerie Anne Poxleitner), strikes an epic chord somewhere between Kanye-style stadium pop and arch synth rock. This tune is steady and simple as a tsunami. Lights supports The Jezabels at Festival Hall on 1 June.

NED COLLETTE & WIREWALKER

Il Futuro Fantastico (Dot Dash/Remote Control) A preview of the second album by Ned Collette & Wirewalker, called 2. The single is a heady mix of squirreling electric guitar played in an acoustic Spanish style, deadpan vocal delivery and muted drums; a collection of sounds all struggling mightily to seem blasĂŠ, the energy dampened by Nedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now-customary hipster gothic style. I dunno. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incredibly interesting but also kind of tedious and unlistenable.

KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZZARD WIZARD Bloody Ripper (Independent)

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;All I wanna do is sink my teeth in you. You already told me to, you said that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alright.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Powerful, powerful words from the 48-member garage punk collective that has lit a ďŹ re in the heart of many a Melbourne music fan. Bloody Ripper is short and sweet and noisey, a decent little tune, but it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite illuminate the glory that is King Gizzard And The Lizzard Wizard. You gotta see them live.

I like Kelly Clarkson, or at least I did until I read the press notes for this tedious new single, in which she describes Stronger as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cardio kind of albumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. This is essentially a confession that her music is made to promote jogging.

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

ANGUS STONE

Taken from their forthcoming sophomore album, Gun Has No Trigger sees the Dirty Projectors folding an crooning soul rock melody â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something Simply Red might have toyed with, back in the day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; into an increasingly strident harmony by the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idiosyncratic female vocalists. Such a strange brew I had to hear it a few times before I realised it was genius.

Bird On The BuďŹ&#x20AC;alo (EMI) A second single from the soon-to-be-released solo album. Bird On The BuďŹ&#x20AC;alo is a West Coast desert rambler, a hazy, peyote cowboy shuďŹ&#x201E;e under endless blood orange skies. The rhythm slaps, the electric guitar spirals and Angus sings like Dylan, relaxed and reborn. Beat Magazine Page 68

PBS TIPSHEET

SINGLES BY SIMONE Could be worse. Could be getting reviewed by the Dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Den. I mean seriously, what a bunch of chin stroking dream rapists. (For the record, I would not object to a dream raping by Duncan Bannatyne.)

TOP TENS

DIRTY PROJECTORS

Gun Has No Trigger (Domino/EMI)

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SYN SWEET 16 1. Silk TRUST 2. History DUCK FIGHT GOOSE 3. Bad Thing KING TUFF 4. Wiped Out OFF! 5. Song Of The Year EMPERORS 6. Some Things WEEKS 7. Tidal Wave THE LAURELS 8. Sail AWOLNATION 9. Getaway Tonight OPOSSUM 10. Day In Lieu BLACK FOX 3RRR SOUNSCAPE 1. Maidenhair MAX CRUMBS 2. Dross Glop BATTLES 3. EFUNK SOUL CLAP 4. Saint Jude SAINT JUDE 5. The OF Tape Vol. 2 ODD FUTURE 6. Bloodstreams DZ DEATHRAYS 7. Never Saw It Coming IOWA 8. So Pretend BUCKLEY WARD 9. Skyline YANN TIERSEN 10. Folila AMADOU & MIRIAM

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OFF THE HIP 1. A Chance In Hell CD CRYSTAL THOMAS 2. S/T LP SAINT JUDE 3. In Their Prime LP GAYTIME 4. Debut 7â&#x20AC;? CHOOK RACE 5. Womens Golf 7â&#x20AC;? UNITY FLOORS 6. Nonlocal Motives CD THE NO REAL NEED 7. Concrete Heart 7â&#x20AC;? HIGH FANGS 8. S/T LP/CD/CASS BRAT FARRAR 9. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Go Eat The Factory LP GBV 10. Clear Bags Dave 12â&#x20AC;? & 7â&#x20AC;?, SWEET MATE!!

WOOLY BULLY 1. Split LP PEAK TWINS/SCOTT & CHARLENEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WEDDING 2. Para Vista Social Club SCOTT & CHARLENEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WEDDING 3. Today Is Friday LP FEEDTIME 4. Cry A Little Harder 7â&#x20AC;? LEVITATING CHURCHES 5. New Brigade LP ICEAGE 6. Medicine 7â&#x20AC;? CHOOK RACE 7. S/T SAINT JUDE 8. Goinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Out 7â&#x20AC;? STAG 9. New Trends 7â&#x20AC;? YOUNG IDENTITIES 10. Nutsack 7â&#x20AC;? AXEMEN

THORNBURY RECORDS 1. Delta Spirit LP DELTA SPIRIT 2. Radiant Door EP CRYSTAL STILTS 3. Wrecking Ball LP BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 4. Saint Jude LP SAINT JUDE 5. Nothingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now LP JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE 6. Between the Times and the Tides LP LEE RANALDO 7. Blues Funeral LP MARK LANEGAN 8. Port of Morrow LP THE SHINS 9. Taedium Vitae LP LINDSAY PHILLIPS 10. Christmass LP FRANK BLACK

BEATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TOP TEN SONGS ABOUT BLOOD 1. Raining Blood SLAYER 2. Bloodbuzz Ohio THE NATIONAL 3. You Are The Blood SUFJAN STEVENS 4. Blood Rainbow TIM HECKER 5. Blood Bank BON IVER 6. Lovely Blood Flow BATHS 7. One Blood Under W WU-TANG CLAN 8. Spread Your Bloody Wings SMOG 9. Blood Test HARRY HOWARD & THE NDE 10. Blood On Our Hands DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979

ALBUMS

SHERRIFF

Sherriﬀ (Independent) FOR MORE REVIEWS GO TO

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BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE Aufheben (A Records)

Perish the thought that Anton Newcombe – a man for whom psychological turmoil is the natural muse for artistic creativity – could be in the midst of a period of inner contentment. But listening to the latest Brian Jonesstown Massacre record, Aufheben – a German term that apparently may variously be translated as ‘to lift up’, ‘abolish’ or even ‘transcend’ – and there’s a sense that Newcombe has moved into a new phase of his notoriously tumultuous personal and musical existence. The opening track, Panic In Babylon is drenched in the eastern raga sounds Brian Jonestown Massacre dabbled in last time around; this time, however, it’s a journey with purpose and direction, held together with a beat as hypnotic as the prevailing musical aesthetic is enlightening. On Viholliseni Maala we’re transported to a coastal road of unbridled beauty; Gaz Hilarant is dark around the edges, and as spiritually enlivening in the centre as a night lost in the company of Spaceman 3. And what to say about the elegance of Illuminomi, surely one of the most beautiful sonicscapes ever constructed by Newcombe and his travelling psychedelic cast? When Face Down On The Moon appears – replete with Dungen-esque rural folk styling, the moment is lush, and saturated with child-like wonder (later on, Waking Up To Hand Grenades takes further steps in the same direction). On Stairway To The Best Party, Newcombe leads the band back into the Rolling Stones’ darkest psychedelic territory; Seven Kinds Of Wonderful exhibits shades of Ofra Haza in its quest for contentment. And then there’s the concluding electro-iconoclasm of Blue Order New Monday, with all its pun-ﬁlled brilliance. Some years ago, observing the Brian Jonestown Massacre was to witness a train barely on the rails, hurtling around corners with deranged abandon. These days, Newcombe’s train is gliding through scenic sonic landscapes only the truly talented understand. Long may it travel safely. Best Track: Illuminomi If You Like These, You’ll Like This: SPACEMAN 3, NEU! and the PATRICK EMERY never ending journey of the BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE In A Word: Spiritual

CLARK

Iradelphic (Warp) After prolifically turning out albums in his own quasi-retro style, Chris Clark returns with what appears to be his most accessible album in Iradelphic. Recorded over three years in six countries, Clark treads explores sounds which we’ve not come to expect from him, namely pastoral, down-tempo pop. With this new flavour, Clark entwines flourishes of texture, Kraut-rock and scarred ambience. Opener Henderson Wrench and Tooth Moves recall the loping pace of The Declining Winter; being acoustic, warm and subdued. Open, which features Martina Topley-Bird, has aesthetic parallels to both; Topley-Bird’s breathy vocal loop effectively the tea stain on Clark’s construct. Secret is more buoyant and sounds a little like classic Bristol-era trip-hop. All playful, it goes down like a good breakfast. Tracks Com Touch and Skyward Bruise/Descent recall Clark’s staple electro-noodlings of years past, where The Pining parts 1 to 3, which inhabit the latter half of the album, encapsulate Clark’s diversity on Iradelphic: swinging seamlessly from vibrant, Mice Parade-esque rhythms to soulful, nuanced moments, and segueing into the beautiful Broken Kite Footage which recalls anything from Juliana Barwick’s The Magic Place. Iradelphic is a grower, and once it blooms in your soul, Best Track: Broken Kite Footage you’ll keep returning to it again and again. If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Outside Closer HOOD, Totems Flare CLARK, Copia ELUVIUM STEVE PHILLIPS In A Word: Autumnal

JACK’S MANNEQUIN

People And Things (Warner Music Australia) Jack’s Mannequin and frontman Andrew McMahon and are back with their third studio album People And Things, released alongside the band’s performances at Soundwave this year. Their ﬁrst record to be released since McMahon’s recovery from leukaemia, the album debuted in the United States at number one on the Billboard alternative rock albums chart, with a top ten showing on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. Since the release Jack’s Mannequin have toured with Dashboard Confessional around parts of Australia, performing live to hoards of fans in Melbourne and Sydney. McMahon considers People And Things “a relationship record”. He’s on the record stating that his intention was to cut through the sentimentality surrounding a new love in one’s life, and evidently as McMahon approaches 30 and settles down he has been reassessing how he views the world. “Everybody wants to say it’s all sunshine and roses, but when you start living with someone and you get married there’s a whole growing pains stage, at least there was in my world, and I think a lot of this record was about that period of time.” McMahon’s approach has somewhat lessened the emotional connection which some of the tracks make. The lead single from the album, My Racing Thoughts, is a key casualty of this strategy. In general the more stripped back songs on People and Things work best. Tracks such as Amy, I and Hey Hey Hey are really enjoyable, and unlike the alternative version of the wall of sound approach used elsewhere on the album the lyrics are accessible and McMahon’s Best Track: Amy, I If You Like These, You’ll Like This: SOMETHING stories begin to come alive, and Amelia Jean is a ﬁne example of storytelling in alternative rock. CORPORATE, DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL In A Word: Enjoyable JOSH FERGEUS

JOHNNY GIBSON

Endless Search For Gold (Tripper’s Advocate Records) Every now and then a drummer steps out from beyond the cloak of their drum kit and reveals themselves as both songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Johnny Gibson, drummer for a host of Melbourne staples; including The Currency, Streams Of Whiskey and Swedish Magazines has done just that, presenting to the world his first solo album, Endless Search For Gold. Opener Back Roads is unfortunately on the unremarkable side but for the most part is not indicative of things to come. Without Me follows on; a rollicking Australiana/folkrock number lead by a pleasing piano line and featuring anthemic back ups recalling the likes of Jimmy Barnes. Title track Endless Search for Gold shines sweetly with it’s earthy banjo plucking and earnest lyrical content while Old Photos country rock flavor boasts well-worn melodies. Drew Her A Rose gives the album a necessary boost in tempo with its’ bluegrass stomp and Black Coat, Black Hat peaks your curiosity with it’s formidable story telling. It becomes noticeable on the album that Gibsons’ vocals maintain themselves at one constant and somewhat monotone pitch, but the honest and vulnerable quality of his voice enables him to render the fact superfluous. The songs on Endless Search For Gold paint a pretty picture of dusty roads, forgotten memories and sweethearts from long ago, and while the stories envelope you, as the album meanders on you quickly become lost. The tracks blend into each other unable to assert themselves as stand alone songs. The wandering journey that the album takes you on is enjoyable, pleasant and entertaining but the sights you see along the way are forgettable. And while individually irrelevant the songs on Endless Search For Gold are Best Track: Black Coat, Black Hat intricately woven into a tapestry that results in an If You Like This, You’ll Like These: PAUL KELLY, STEVE album that is ultimately gratifying. EARLE, LYLE LOVETT In A Word: Rambling KRYSTAL MAYNARD

If you’re looking for slick production, atmospheric soundscapes or catchy pop hooks, you best look elsewhere. If you dig fat, bawdy grooves, lots of exuberant hollering and music that’s generally free of spit and polish, then Sherriff are your bag. This is the Melbourne three-piece’s debut EP, and it’s a raw and beer-soaked as it is fun. This band’s music sounds like it’s the product of many, extremely boozy late nights spent in a filthy garage or rehearsal room, jamming the fuck out of ‘70s influenced, psychedelia tinged rock and roll riffs and grooves. It’s a raw and rockin’ power three-piece in the true sense of the word, and the recording itself sounds as if it was recorded in the most old-school manner possible these days. That is, set up the band in a recording studio, whack some mics on the amps and drums, and press record, then go straight to tape – none of this pro-tools digital rubbish! Whether or not they actually did it like that, I’m not sure, but if not, they’ve certainly made an excellent fist of making this sound like it was recorded in 1973. The tunes are ultra basic, but delivered with spirit and swashbuckling charm. They’re about four decades off re-inventing any kind of wheel, but that’s hardly the point. In this case, it’s all about the raunch, the groove and the beers. Banging. Best Track: Gunshot Rodeo If You Like These, You’ll Like This: LED ZEPELLIN, THE BLACK KEYS, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL In A Word: Rock

ROD WHITFIELD

TANGLED THOUGHTS OF LEAVING Deaden The Fields (Independent)

Recipients of a Western Australian government grant, recorded locally but mastered in Sweden, allows the band to develop a contrary sound and engage the listener in sounds oblique enough to capture the imagination. With tracks rambling along to over ten minutes and sometimes 15 minutes in length, it is an achievement in this present age of digital quick fire play-delete almost ADD syndrome affliction. In the vein of Australian post-rock luminaries Because Of Ghosts and This Is Your Captain Speaking, Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving favour instrumental light and shade, loud and quiet tangents and advance their witches brew of genre skipping sounds which has led to support slots for unlikely bands such as Karnivool and doom merchants, Nadja. With six tracks breaking the hour mark confirms they like to squeeze every remaining drop from an idea. For example, the Dungeons & Dragons titular They Found My Skull In The Nest Of A Bird conjures warlocks, dragons and noisemeisters like Mogwai. Neatly sectioned off from usual reference points, Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving can just as easily be the aggressor with blood on its hands or the peace seeking dove attempting to protect its young from attack. But wildly oscillating between genres does not always grant the favours their wide eyed vision hopes, but by and large and mercifully, they manage to avoid irrelevance. Occasionally you can imagine that the band has devolved into some ludicrous folly before they return to the realisation of what this record is about and come across as eager to please. Although you cannot accuse Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving as leaving you catatonic with boredom. In a nutshell, Deaden The Fields is not for everybody. The songs are long the frustrations are many, but if you are in a certain sort of mood, there may little in the world that will get your rocks off quite so satisfyingly. Best Track: Landmarks If You Like These, You’ll Like This: MOGWAI, MILES BRONIUS ZUMERIS DAVIS, HAWKWIND In A Word: Abstract

THE WOOHOO REVUE Moreland’s Ball (Independent)

There is a magical and mythical place called Bourbon And Branch hidden behind a discreet door in a seedy, run-down part of San Francisco. The entrance is obscure and deliberately hard-to-find while entry to this plush hedonistic lair requires a secret password. When the thirsty reveler enters this elusive and enigmatic place they feel as if they are stepping into a different dimension of reality. Suddenly the drab ordinariness of the outside world is replaced with the heady sensation of having slipped into some decadent Prohibition-era speakeasy. Listening to The Woohoo Revue has a similarly transporting effect. There is nothing mundane, conservative or everyday about this wildly attired and sonically arresting swinging sextet. Their buoyant and jazzy gypsy-infused instrumental tunes would fit perfectly in the darkly romantic atmosphere of a bar like Bourbon And Branch as both bar and band share a refreshingly bohemian edginess. There is something decidedly lusty and nocturnal about this band’s music that seems sure to unleash the sweetest and most reckless passions. There is also something very ‘Johnny Depp’ about The Woohoo Revue: the glint in the eye; the swashbuckling irreverence; the wicked yet knowing smile; the zesty circus-tent glamour; and that rare and precious ability to be both irrevocably left-field and fabulously popular at the same time. Exploding with the joyous sounds of horns, strings and drums this vital spark of an 11-track album will transform even the humblest lounge room into a jiving ballroom, a sawdust-encrusted big top or, if you are very lucky, a secret, hidden place positively crackling with mystery and celebration. Best Track: The Goose, The Moose & The Boose If You Like These, You’ll Like This: So Many Nights GRAHAM BLACKLEY THE CAT EMPIRE In A Word: Magical

COURTNEY BARNETT

I’ve Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris (Milk! Records) Courtney Barnett probably has a lot of friends. As well as the obvious namesake of this EP, there’s also Brent DeBover (of The Dandy Warhols and Immigrant Union), plus Pete Convery and Alex Hamilton (of Merri Creek Pickers). Courtney and this particular group of mates gathered in a lounge room recently to record the eight tracks that make up this honest, easy and notable debut. With catchy melodies and sparse production, she creates a unique brand of slacker-folk, advanced primarily by her lyrical frankness and a deadpan sense of humour. It’s both real and refreshing, awash with jangly guitars, vice-heavy lyricism and pop harmonies. From the double-back-worthy opening line, “I masturbated to the songs you wrote,” on Lance Jr. to the poppy, pleading, beautifully-paced closing number Ode To Odessa, the eight tracks ramble and roll through a personal and authentic version of life as a 20-something-year-old, basking in the carelessness of not having your shit together and not having a fuck to give. This theme is most apparent in Are You Looking After Yourself, a seven minute track (five minute song and two minute reprise) that canters along, containing something relatable for those living in the shadows of their parents’ ‘shoulds’ – get married, have babies, save money and watch the evening news, each ambition delivered in a passive and desireless tone over the twangy near-country pop music. Scotty Says is a toe-tapping address to an absent ex, while Porcelain is a slow, sleepy and sorrowful swagger of a song with haunting vocals and a jittery piano solo. I’ve Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris is probably life as you know it – it’s avoiding opening any mail with an official government logo on it, it’s drunkenly rambling about your friend’s band to disinterested parties, and it’s questioning if this is the weekend that you will finally prioritise reworking your CV and saving some coin over chasing fun. She’s there in the boat with you. It’s a casual and cool-as-fuck recount of everyday Melbourne life as Barnett knows it. You’ll probably want to be her friend too. Best Track: Are You Looking After Yourself If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Twerps TWERPS, New TARYN STENVEI Start Again DICK DIVER, Is Growing Faith WHITE FENCE In A Word: Frank

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Beat Magazine Page 69

GIG GUIDE WEDNESDAY 18 APR ROCK/POP BATTLE OF THE BANDS - FEAT: OF STOLEN MOMENTS + BLACK MAYDAY + ORANGE + PARENTHIA + STATE OF SILENCE + THE SMOKING ACES Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. DEAD ALBATROSS + THE ASTHMATICS + THE TALL STORIES Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. GOODBYE MOTEL + FENIAN + KICKING BEYOND MATTER + THE WELLS Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm. HENRY ROLLINS (THE LONG MARCH TOUR) National Theatre, St Kilda. 8:00pm. HUSKY (THE WOODS TOUR) + THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. $18. KIM BOEKBIDER + MATT KELLY Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. LOST & FOUND - FEAT: DANGEROUS! + CAVALCADE + DAMN TERRAN + THE LATONAS Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:00pm. $10. LOU BARLOW + LAURA MACFARLANE Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:00pm. $36. MATT SONIC & THE HIGH TIMES + DAVE WRIGHT & THE MIDNIGHT ELECTRIC + ROCKET QUEEN Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. MESSED UP Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. SMITH STREET BAND + HOODLUM SHOUTS + PALISADES Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. THE BONNIWELLS + BITS OF SHIT + CUNTZ Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $6. WINSTON + FLYING SAUCER TERROR + MILD SPARROW + THE MIGRATIONS Horse Bazaar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $5.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK CHARLES JENKINS Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5. ERAN JAMES + RUTH KATERELOS Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. FRASER A GORMAN + SAM COOPER Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. GUSTAVO MORENO Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 7:00pm.

Beat Magazine Page 70

DIXONS

MICHAEL PLATTER + PETER AZZOPARDI Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm. MIGUEL & ASH Bebida, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. OPEN MIC Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC Thornbury Local, Thornbury. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC Dancing Dog, Footscray. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC & JAM NIGHT Grind N Groove, Healesville. 8:00pm. TULLY SUMNER Kent St Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. WINE WHISKEY WOMEN - FEAT: NAT ALLISON + MARILLA HOLMES Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC ADRIAN CUNNINGHAM Brunswick Green, Brunswick. 10:00pm. BOPSTRETCH Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. DAVE HAVEA BAND Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 9:30pm. DIZZY’S BIG BAND Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. FOUR IN ONE Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. JAMES HART Cruzao Arepa Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. JULIEN WILSON QUARTET + BEN CARR TRIO 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $5. NOEMI LIBA Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15. UNCOMFORTABLE BEATS - FEAT: CARTEL BLANCHE + ABLE8 + ALLGANIKS + GHOSTSOUL + SHIKUNG Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

THURSDAY 19 APR ROCK/POP 1AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: WINTERPLAN Pony, Melbourne. 1:00am. ACOUSTIC NIGHT! - FEAT: TIM BRAUN 29th Apartment, St Kilda. 9:00pm. ALLY OOP & THE HOOPSTERS + ANA NICOLE + JANE DUST Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8. ATOMIC BLISS + THE DESERTERS + THE LATONAS + THE WELLS Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. CHET FAKER (THINKING IN TEXTURES TOUR) +

RECORD STORE DAY

Hoorah! Throw your caution to the wind! It’s here! Record Store Day rolls around once a year, and I know you’ve all been penny pinching in the lead up. There’s way too much good shit on to list, but just get to your local record store this Saturday April 21 and don’t be surprised to find a bunch of juicy sales, or your favourite musician performing an intimate set, or a free BBQ, or a plethora of other favourable things. Head to recordstoreday.com.au for all of the gold at the end of the rainbow. I’LLS Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. COLD CHISEL Festival Hall, West Melbourne. 7:00pm. $110. COURTNEY BARNETT (EP LAUNCH) + ALI E + THE LOST VOLVOS Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $12. CREATE 2012 - FEAT: TEHACHAPI + HIGH SOCIETY + WILDCAT GENERAL STRIKE Red Bennies, South Yarra. 9:00pm. $15. DAKARA DIRT The Prague, Thornbury. 8:00pm. DANNY HOTEP + CLAUDETTE JUSTICE-ALLEN + DAN TRAKELL + LA NOUVELLE Idgaﬀ Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. GRANSTON DISPLAY + BLOOD ORANGE + EATER OF THE SKY + WIDE OF THE MARK Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. HENRY ROLLINS (THE LONG MARCH TOUR) National Theatre, St Kilda. 8:00pm. HUSKY (THE WOODS TOUR) + THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON + TIMOTHY CARROLL Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. JIMMY & THE MIRRORS + THE GIVE + THE PRETTY LITTLES Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. KING OF THE NORTH + STOMPBOX Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. N’FA JONES (EP LAUNCH) + REMI KOLAWOLE +

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TOM SHOWTIME Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $10. NO ART (EP LAUNCH) Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. PENNIES - FEAT: THE NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUTH + NUMBER STATION: SINGLE LAUNCH + THE RUN RUN + WE THE PEOPLE Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $5. PENNIES - FEAT: ALICE D + METTALLIC + REFLEX REX + THE SUN SLEEPERS + WINTER YORK Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $6. ROBOT CHILD + CLOCK TOWER + SAVING CLEOPATRA Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:30pm. $10. RUBY’S SHOWCASE Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave. 7:00pm. THE ANTI-FALL MOVEMENT (ALBUM LAUNCH) + STEVE CLIFFORD + WHITAKER Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $15. THE FEELERS (SINGLE LAUNCH) + GASOLINE INC + THE GIV Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. TWISTED AFFECTION + FAHRENHEIT 43 + SECOND CHANCE EXIT + THE SPINSET + UP & ATOM Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10. WE’VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU - FEAT: HER? + LANDS + LIFT OFF + NOCEANS Pony, Melbourne. 9:00pm.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ANNA PADDICK Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. DAVID COSMA + SIMON COMBER Bar Nancy, Northcote. 8:00pm. ENNIS TOLA Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $12. FAY BLAISE + BRON & MARTA + FREYA HANLY + ROSIE BURGESS TRIO + THE APRIL MAZE Transit, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. JESS MAY - FEAT: JEFF MAY + ALEX LASHLIE Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm. JOSHUA SEYMOUR Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. MATT GLASS Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 7:00pm. MELODY MOON Bebida, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. MICK HAZELMAN + ELEPHANT EYES Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 7:30pm. OPEN MIC Acoustic Cafe, Collingwood. 6:30pm. OPEN MIC Arcadia Hotel, South Yarra. 7:00pm. ROLLER ONE + SCARLETT COOK + TELEVISION SKY Bar Open, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. SAMMY OWEN BLUES BAND Horse Bazaar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $5. SONGWRITERS COLLECTIVE - FEAT: JESS HIESER + JACK GRIFFIN & RACHEL BY THE STREAM Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. THE WILD COMFORTS + KINCH KINSKI Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. TOM RICHARDSON & BENNY WALKER Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:30pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC ADRIAN CUNNINGHAM (ALBUM LAUNCH) Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $20. BLUESTONE UNDERGROUND JAZZ - FEAT: CYCLONE WARNING Bluestone Downstairs, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. DANIEL GASSIN SEXTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. DAVID BASS + JAMES HURT + SAME O + THE AMAZING LEONARD Noise Bar, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $5. JAYNE LANE Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 9:30pm. JOHN PERRISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; INCREDIBLE JAZZ QUARTET Musicland, Fawkner. 8:30pm. $10. NICOLE THORNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S B3 MADNESS 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10. ROGER CLARK QUARTET Dizzyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. SAM MCAULLIFE QUARTET Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. SASKWATCH Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10. SIMMER Bertha Brown, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. TANGO RUBINO Cruzao Arepa Bar, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. THE PUTBACKS Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

FRIDAY 20 APR ROCK/POP 2AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: GREENTHIEF Pony, Melbourne. 2:00am. BAD ACHES + DEEP HEAT + THE STEVENS + WHITE WALLS Cornish Arms, Brunswick. 8:00pm. BJ MORRISZONKLE Tago Mago, Thornbury. 9:00pm. BREAKDOWN - FEAT: BELLE HAVEN + GLORIFIED + IN MOTIONS Musicland, Fawkner. 7:00pm. $12. CELADORE Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $12. CENTRE & SOUTH (EP LAUNCH) + SOPHIE OFFICER + THE SONS OF MAY Scarlett Lounge, Richmond. 8:30pm. CLOWNS (SINGLE LAUNCH) + BIG FACE & THE BOOGIE WOOGIE BOOGIE BOARD BOYS + INEDIA + THE DIPROSIS Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. DECIMATUS + ORPHEUS + SEWERCIDE + STATE OGF INTEGRITY Pony, Melbourne. 9:30pm. DELAWARE WOLVES + HARD REIN + TERM FOUR + THE EVERCOLD Idgaï¬&#x20AC; Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. EAGLE & THE WORM + ANIMAUX + SUNNY LEUNIG Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. GRAND PRISMATIC + LUNARS + PSLAM BEACH Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:30pm. HENRY ROLLINS (THE LONG MARCH TOUR) National Theatre, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $50. HOLLIAVA + DEAR PLASTIC + GIANTS UNDER THE SUN + WAVERLY Noise Bar, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $8. JUDGE PINO & THE RULING MOTIONS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. LAST DINOSAURS (IN A MILLION YEARS TOUR) + GUNG HO + MILLIONS Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $15. MISSFIRE + MATTHEW CARDILE + MIDNIGHT DRIVE Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $10. MY SECRET CIRCUS + FREAKS OF THE DEEP + STARS OF ADDICTION + TREAD Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. PASSENGER (ALBUM LAUNCH) + DANIEL LEE KENDALL + LAKYNN HEPERI Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. RED ROCKETS OF BORNEO + CHARM + LET THEM EAT CAKE + LITTLE FOOT + LUNAIRE Rubyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. $10. TAPE/OFF + IVY ST Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:30pm. TAPE/OFF + IVY ST Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. THE BENNIES + FOXTROT + LBURN TRILL + LEWIS/ CARROTS + THE OPERATORS Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10.

DAMN TERRAN

LOST & FOUND

South-siders, great news this week, Revolver is relaunching their new, improved, fun, sexy, rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll party night called Lost & Found. Every Wednesday Revolver Upstairs brings you the coolest rock bands in the band room, free rocknâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll DJs all night in the back bar and Colonel Tanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will be running Lost & Found giveaways every week. Tonight itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dangerous!, Damn Terran, Cavalcade and The Latonas. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just $10 on the door. North-siders, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great news for you too â&#x20AC;&#x201C; youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll just have a little bit further to go on the light rail. Well worth it, we reckon. THE DIRT FARMERS (CD LAUNCH) + DAN DAVEY + THE MESSENGERS + THEM SWOOPS Yah Yahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. THE ESCAPADES + DOM DOMMYS + THE PLAINS + THE SLEEPDREAMERS Idgaï¬&#x20AC; Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. THE FAUX FIGHTERS Pier Live, Frankston. 8:00pm. THE MAGIC BONES + FRASER A GORMAN BAND + THE MURLOCS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $13. THE MERCURY THEATRE (EP LAUNCH) + DEAR STALKER + DJ AERIAL MINX + WILLIAM BLAXLAND Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:30pm. $10. THE MURDERCHORD + DIGANI GACIGA + PRESTON SKATE MASSIVE 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $5. THE SAVAGES + DJ RICHIE 1250 + THE DEMONS Luwow, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $5. THE SIDETRACKED FIASCO + EARL + GRUNT BUCKET + MR WHOO + THE ATLANTIC FALL Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. VICTOR PENDER Cape Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. WOOLLEN KITS + HAMHOCK + THE UV RACE Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $10.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ALEX & MICHAEL Bar Betty, Fitzroy. 9:30pm. BETWEEN THE WARS Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 8:30pm. BOOF Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm. CASH SAVAGE & THE LAST DRINKS + EDDIE JAMES & THE PROWL + HOUNDS HOUNDS HOUNDS Phoenix Public House, Brunswick. 9:00pm. $12. DEADLY ARE THE NAKED + CALADONIA ROBOT + MUGABE Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5. JIMI HOCKING Mount Dandenong Hotel, Olinda. 8:30pm. JOHN BACON BLUES Scarab Bar, Belgrave. 8:00pm. MAJOR CHORD + DAN WATERS Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. MARSHALL Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;KELL + DJ SHAKY MEMORIAL + JED ROWE BAND Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. MASKS Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 6:00pm. SAINT JUDE (LP LAUNCH) + EATEN BY DOGS + RICH DAVIES & THE DEVILâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S UNION Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10. SONS OF LEE MARVIN Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. THE ELECTRIQUE BIRDS + THE EMMA WALL BAND Penny Black, Brunswick. 8:00pm.

ICE CUBE

THE ORBWEAVERS + SAILOR DAYS Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $15. THE SIMPSON THREE Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm. $7. TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSIONS - FEAT: DAN BOURKE Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC ELECTRIC EMPIRE Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 9:00pm. $20. FATS WAH WAH Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. FEM BELLING & THE ROGER CLARK QUARTET Dizzyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20. JUAN LUIS GUERRA (A SON DE GUERRA TOUR) Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, South Wharf. 7:00pm. $100. NICHAUD FITZGIBBON QUARTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $20. REFLEJOS Cruzao Arepa Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. SAN SALVADOR + ECHO DRAMA + THE DUB CAPTAINS John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. THE REBECCA MENDOZA QUARTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $25. THE ROGER MANINS QUARTET Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

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Massive. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no more appropriate word to describe the shenanigans that follow Supafestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrival in Melbourne, bringing with them Kelly Rowland, Ice Cube, Lupe Fiasco, Chris Brown, T-Pain and plenty more. Seriously, when was the last time Australia saw a hip-hop and urban music lineup this freaking comprehensive? Damn right. Seriously supersized â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Supafest. It all goes down at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday April 21.Â

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SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 71

Q&A MELODY BLACK So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? Melody Black and I’m the bassist.

and why? Just last week I showed myself a new song I wrote. Ha. Probably 1973 and show Sweet how much they influenced me.

Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like? Like Shout At The Devil era Mötley Crüe crashing headlong into Motörhead.

If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it be and why? Boybands? Nickel...er,Shit...how much ammo could I get?

What do you love about making music? The creative process, seeing it take shape and how it affects audiences.

What can a punter expect from your live show? 100% real live playing and singing-delivered at maximum impact.

What do you hate about the music industry? Ha! The fact that it hasn’t made us filthy rich...yet.

What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? Our debut album Love Your Demons.

If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be

When’s the gig and with who? Saturday April 21 at Revolver Upstairs with two

SATURDAY 21 APR ROCK/POP

2AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: SUPERJUICE Pony, Melbourne. 2:00am. ADDICTION - FEAT: HIDING WITH BEARS + RORY DWYER + STATE OF SILENCE + Y4 Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. $10. ADMIT ONE + CRUELTOBEKIND + MEET ME IN COGNITO + TWISTED AFFECTION John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. AGILITY (SINGLE LAUNCH) + FIELD TRIP + THE PRETTY LITTLES + WANDERING SPIRIT Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $7. AUGUST BURNS RED (U18) + BLESSTHEFALL + NORTHLANE Billboard, Melbourne Cbd. 4:00pm. $42. BANG - FEAT: RESSIT THE THOUGHT + BORIS THE BLADE Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. BATTLE AXE HOWLERS + SYSTEM OF VENUS + THE ART OF LATER + THE UNDERHANDED Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. BLEEDING KNEES CLUB (ALBUM LAUNCH) + DRUNK MUMS + DUNE RATS Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $12. CHET FAKER (THINKING IN TEXTURES TOUR) + I’LLS Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

CLAMPDOWN Rochester Castle Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. COLD RED MUTE Noise Bar, Brunswick. 2:00pm. $16. CORAL LEE & THE SILVER SCREAM Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. CRYSTAL THOMAS (ALBUM LAUNCH) + HARRY HOWARD & THE NDE + PENNY IKINGER & THE EVOLUTION St Kilda Bowling Club, St Kilda. 7:00pm. $10. DISCO BRAZIL - FEAT: JASPORA + DJ DONNY DISCO Luwow, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $5. HEAVY MAG LAUNCH - FEAT: SEGRESSION + DEATH BY SIX + ELM STREET Espy, St Kilda. 7:30pm. $13. HENRY ROLLINS (THE LONG MARCH TOUR) National Theatre, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $50. HOUSE OF ROCK Palace Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $15. INSOMNIA + CHEV RISE + HOT AIR BABOON Idgaﬀ Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 4:00pm. IOWA (ALBUM LAUNCH) + BAPTISM OF UZI + TAPE / OFF Phoenix Public House, Brunswick. 9:00pm. $10. KROMOSOM + DEBACLE + LEPROSY + USELESS CHILDREN Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10. LA BASTARD + DJ XANDER + MESA COSA Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 10:00pm. LITTLE MURDERS Town Hall Hotel, North Melbourne. 10:00pm. LONESOME - FEAT: LONESOME & NICKY DEL REY

CHET FAKER

of Melbourne’s finest –The Mercy Kills, who are launching a new EP on the night, and Hatchet Dawn who have a new CD out. Both awesome bands Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:16pm. LONESOME + NICKY DEL REY + THE SLOWTOWN SOCIAL CLUB Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. MAYWEATHER + BETWEEN THE WARS + CASH NO! + CHK CHK BOOM Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. MELODY BLACK (ALBUM LAUNCH) + HATCHET DAWN + THE MERCY KILKLS Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 9:00pm. $12. NEW WAR + JUSGO MOSH + SCATTERED ORDER + ZOND Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. OFFICER PARROT + DAVID KNIGHT + THE QUOLLS Noise Bar, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $6. POISON FISH + DAMN THAT RIVER + PUSH TO TWIST Pony, Melbourne. 9:30pm. SHIPS PIANO + PAGEANTS Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 5:00pm. SLACQUER + BORN SECRET Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 6:00pm. SON OF RUT + JOHNNY GIBSON & THE HANGOVERS Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. STRAY LOVE (ALBUM LAUNCH) Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm. SYNTHETIC BREED The Prague, Thornbury. 8:00pm. THE DEATH RATTLES (ALBUM LAUNCH) + BRENDAN WELCH + HEEL TOE EXPRESS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. THE HELLRIDERS - FEAT: BRITISH STEEL + IRON MADNESS + PEGAZUS Musicland, Fawkner. 8:00pm. $20. THE HERD + SKY HIGH + THUNDAMENTALS Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $27. THE MODERN AGE + THE LATONAS + THE PEEKS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $13. THE MURDERCHORD + BEN DAVID & THE BANNED + THE BENNIES + THE TEARAWAYS Cornish Arms, Brunswick. 8:00pm. TIN SPARROW (EP LAUNCH) Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. TIN SPARROW (EP LAUNCH) + BUCKLEY WARD + JACK MCCLOSKEY Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. VICTOR PENDER Cape Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. WILDERBEAST + BULLETS IN BERLIN + DARK GLOBES + THE BATTERY KIDS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ACOUSTIC REVIEW - FEAT: NOWRA + EMMA KELLY + SUSAN LILY Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 8:00pm. $10. ACOUSTIC REVUE - FEAT: EMMA KELLY + NOWRA + SUSAN LILY Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 8:00pm. $10. BRAZILLIONAIRS Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 4:00pm. CASH SAVAGE & THE LAST DRINKS + THE NYMPHS Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $18. CELIA CHURCH Bebida, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. CENTRE & SOUTH (EP LAUNCH) + KASHMERE CLUB + SLOWJAXX & HIS FLYING BONG BROTHERS + THE MIND FLOWERS + THE SONS OF MAY Noise Bar, Brunswick. 8:30pm. $5. FLY SOUTH + THE WEEPING WILLOWS Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 8:30pm. $8. GYPSY PUNK - FEAT: THE BARONS OF TANG + THE CROOKED FIDDLE BAND The Famous Spiegel Tent, Melbourne. 2:00pm. $15. JESSE & HIS HUCKLEBUCKERS Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 9:00pm. MARSHALL O’KELL Baha Tacos & Tapas Bar, Rye. 8:00pm. $10. MATT DOLL + CAROLYN BRYERS Bar Betty, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. NATALIE CAROLAN Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 5:00pm. RECORD STORE DAY - FEAT: CHARLES JENKINS + CHRIS WILSON + JEFF LANG + LISA MILLER & SHANE O’MARA + ALISON FERRIER + DAVEY LANE + MIKELANGELO + MIKEY MADDEN + SAINT JUDE + THE CARTRIDGE FAMILY + THE SPOLILS Basement Discs, Melbourne Cbd. 12:00pm. SLY GROG Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 4:00pm. THE F100S Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm. Beat Magazine Page 72

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Official hype machine has kicked into overdrive, but who can blame it when it’s done so for the super deserving, sexy and soulful Chet Faker, who is launching his extremely excellent EP Thinking In Textures this week, with three sold out shows at The Toff In Town. Next step: The Rod Laver Arena. He plays The Toff on Thursday April 19, Saturday April 21 and Sunday April 22. It was a hot ticket and it’s gone. All sold out. THE PHEASANT PLUCKERS Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. THEE WYLDE OSCARS Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 9:00pm. TIM GUY Palais, Hepburn Springs. 8:30pm. $15. YOLANDA & MUSIC FOR LOVERS Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC BEM BRAZIL Tago Mago, Thornbury. 9:00pm. JACKET OFF Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 9:30pm. $5. JAZZLAND 303, Northcote. 3:30pm. $10. JULIE O’HARA & ULTRAFOX Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $25. LEIGH BARKER & THE NEW SHEIKS Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $20. LETICIA MAHER Union Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. NEW DUB CITY + SHABBA KOFI + SK SIMEON Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. SANTIAGO SON Cruzao Arepa Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. THE DANIEL GASSIN SEXTET Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE FUNKADELIC SIDE Tony Starr’s Kitten Club, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $5. THE VIBRAPHONIC ORKESTRA + WIRE BYRD Horse Bazaar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $5. TONY PANTANO + THAT SOUL BAND 8:30pm. TRACY BARTRAM Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20. WENDY RULE 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $15.

SUNDAY 22 APR ROCK/POP AUGUST BURNS RED & BLESSTHEFALL + AUGUST BURNS RED + BLESSTHEFALL + FEED HER TO THE SHARKS + NOTHLANE Billboard, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $42. CHET FAKER (THINKING IN TEXTURES TOUR) + I’LLS Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. DAN PARSONS + JAMES O’BRIEN + ZAC RUSH Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. DOCTOR SLOTH + DJ MONKEY BALLS + GOOFYFOOTER + PICK UP D PIECES Noise Bar, Brunswick. 6:00pm. $5. HALF MOON + ESSAY EDWARDS Town Hall Hotel, North Melbourne. 9:00pm.

STONEFIELD

Growing up in a family where all your siblings are female is an experience and a half — seriously, put more than one hormonal teenage girl in a room with each other, and things are bound to get a little dicey — but in the best way possible, as Stonefield would attest to. Four sisters who grew up in rural Victoria and started their band in the family shed, you can catch them at Sounds Loud Festival on Sunday April 15, or at the Northcote Social Club on Tuesday April 24 or Wednesday April 25.

60 SECONDS WITH…

OSCAR + MARTIN

SAN SALVADOR HAND GAMES LAUNCH

Hand Games is a new creative agency born from Sydney who love to party and do fun stuff. Like this weekend, for example, they are hosting a party this Friday April 20 at The Liberty Social with kickarse Melbourne dudes Oscar + Martin, who will be joined by City Calm Down, Sydney boy Nakagin and local beat maker Wooshie. Dancers and visual displayes are included. MANTIS & THE PRAYER + THIS WHITE LINE 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. POND (BEARD WIVES DENIM TOUR) + THE LAURELS Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $12. RADIO VERTIGO + SAM & F Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 2:00pm. $10. SCATTERED ORDER + MATTHEW BROWN + MONOLITH Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $8. SKYSCRAPER STAN & THE COMMISSION FLATS + BEN WRIGHT SMITH + LONESOME Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5. SLEEPY DREAMERS + DANIELLE & JULIA Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. SNAKEFACE + EASTER OF THE SKY Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. THE DALE RYDER BAND + BAD BOYS BATUCADA + PHIL CEBERANO Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. THE LONGYARD BAND Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. THE MURDERCHORD - FEAT: THE MURDERCHORD & LINDSAY BUSH Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. THE MURDERCHORD + LINDSAY BUSH Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. TIN SPARROW (EP LAUNCH) + BUCKLEY WARD Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 7:30pm. $12. UNDERCOLOURS + HOT ENGLISH Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8. VICTOR STRANGES Grocery Bar, St Kilda. 3:00pm. WILD DOG CREEK + JUSGO MOSH + THESE PATTERNS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 7:30pm.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK AURORA + LACHLAN CROSS Noise Bar, Brunswick. 1:00pm. $16. BOHEMIAN NIGHTS Sofitel, Melbourne. 12:00pm. CHERRYWOOD Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. CHOTTO MATTE + VODNIK + WE’RE ALL FRANKIES Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. $5. CHRIS WILSON - FEAT: CHRIS WILSON & JASON LUISSON + CHRIS WILSON & JASON LUISSON Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. CHRIS WILSON Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. DAN DINNEN Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. DAN ROLLS + AIMEE V + SUMMON THE BIRDS Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. DAVEY LANE + WAZ E JAMES BAND Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 4:00pm. DAVY SIMONY Bar Nancy, Northcote. 6:00pm. HAYDEN CALNIN Workers Club, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. $10. HOGBELLY MORTON’S COUNTRY REVUE Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. HONKYTONK’S BOOGIE BAND Mitcham Rsl, Mitcham. 7:00pm. IAN BLAND & LAMINGTON DRIVE ORCHESTRA + MARTY KELLY & AUBURY MAHER Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm. JAM NIGHT Musicland, Fawkner. 8:00pm. JIMI HOCKING Bay Hotel, Mornington. 3:00pm.

Deﬁne your genre in ﬁve words or less: reggae/dub/funk Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like? They’d say “Oh this band is pretty funky.. Kinda sound like The Black Seeds crossed with UB40, or something.” What do you love about making music? It comes as a natural expression of creativity. When you do things all day and all week that seem normal and sometimes mundane, writing and creating a song gives you a unique feeling of achievment. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? Our latest record Rugged Are The Mountains and it’s prerelease single Spark The Fire. What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? Playing these kind of tunes with these kind of guys to our sort of crowd is a pure joy! Nothing can get you down when your jammin’.

for a while and the groove finds its feet. You feel like you could play it for hours! Describe the best gig you have ever played. We just came from a festival in Toowoomba, and we played a Sunday night slot in a packed out tent venue. Our lineup was the biggest it’s ever been with nine on stage. Real good fun. Describe the worst gig you have ever played. However, the same set was dude to run 40 minutes, but we got cut three songs short, to the point that we had to finish mid song. That sucked! What makes a good musician? Someone who is genuine about the art they create and is doing it for a good reason, not just for self-glorification or cool status. Someone who you know would still play their tunes even if no-one was listening. When are you doing your thing next? Friday April 20 at The John Curtin Hotel with The Dub Captains and Echo Drama.

What part of making music excites you the most? When you write a song and bring it to the band, jam on it

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 73

Q&A ROYSTON VASIE

Define your genre in five words or less: Rock’n’roll So, someone is walking past as you guys are playing, they then go get a beer and tell their friend about you... what do they say? “That bass player’s moustache is amazing.” If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it and why? Cher, for recording that horrible song in the ‘90s using auto-tune which is now used in most pop songs. If you can’t sing, don’t sing. What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? Playing live to great crowds who show they’re having as much fun as we do. There’s nothing better than noticing new faces coming to see us play and seeing them lose their shit to tunes that we love to play. Describe the best gig you have ever played. We recently toured with Ben Kweller up the east coast. Supporting Ben and his band was awesome fun. Each show brought in great crowds, a big sound and of course one hell of an after party! When are you playing live/releasing your album/EP/single/ etc? We’re launching the first single You Want It Now from our debut album on Saturday April 28 at Northcote Social Club with the amazing Mesa Cosa, I Told You I Was Ill and Brainsworth (feat. Sean Ainsworth of The Fearless Vampire Killers), The album Tanahmerah will be out soon after!

MADDY SERONG Carringbush Hotel, Abbotsford. 4:00pm. MANDY CONNELL Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 5:00pm. MARISSA QUIGLEY The Bay, Mordialloc. 4:00pm. MASTER GUNFIGHTER + JACKY WINTER Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:00pm. MIKE PIPES Idgaﬀ Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. MJ HALLORAN & THE SINNERS + JAMES MCCANN & HELEN BUCKLEY DUO Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy. 6:30pm. OPEN MIC Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 4:30pm. OPEN MIC Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 4:30pm. OPEN MIC Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 5:30pm. SHAUN FEELEY & LUKE SINCLAIR Bar Nancy, Northcote. 8:00pm. SIMON WRIGHT TRIO Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 7:30pm. SINGER SONGWRITER SESSIONS - FEAT: ANTHONY YOUNG + MARY WEBB Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 4:00pm. SINGER SONGWRITER SHOWCASE - FEAT: ANTHONY YOUNG + MARY WEBB Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 4:00pm. STEVE PURCELL’S PEARLY SHELLS Mentone Hotel, Mentone. 3:00pm. THE DUKES OF DESPAIR Penny Black, Brunswick. 5:00pm. THE PERCH CREEK FAMILY JUGBAND Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. THE PHOEBE LINDER TRIO + MALIA & MATT Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. THE RECHORDS Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC JOSE NIETO Cruzao Arepa Bar, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. MANGO STRAITS 303, Northcote. 3:30pm. TEMPUS Tago Mago, Thornbury. 4:00pm. WELCOME STRANGER Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15.

CLASSIFIEDS

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MUSICIANS WANTED ACOUSTIC ACTS WANTED for Bar Betty in Smith Street, Fitzroy. Paid Gig. Please phone Sandra or Michelle on 9417 3937. Bar Betty - 129 Smith Street, Fitzroy. BANDS & PROMOTERS WANTED. Any style for Collingwood venue. First gigs welcome, live CD recording available. Contact Jane after 12pm on 0425 796 828. LEAD GUITARIST WANTED for one day recording session at Newmarket Studios in North Melbourne. Will pay cash. Must have pro gear. The style of music is melodic Rock. 0434 300 959. SINGER LOOKING FOR A GUITARIST OR KEYBOARDIST to rehearse covers and busk on Saturday nights. Contact: alphadog35@y7mail.com.

Beat Magazine Page 74

MONDAY 23 APR ROCK/POP

AINSLIE WILLS + EATEN BY DOGS Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. ANIMAUX + PRIVATE LIFE Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $8. EATEN BY DOGS + THE TAYLOR PROJECT Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. POND (BEARD WIVES DENIM TOUR) Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. SCOTDRAKULA + FLYYING COLOURS + RAYON MOON Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK CLAUDY KNIGHT + KATHRYN KELLY Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 8:30pm. LOKI (SINGLE LAUNCH) + HIDING BEARS + LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $10. THE MONDAY DRFIT Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC PRINCE ALBERT + THE JOKERS 303, Northcote. 9:00pm. THE ALAN BROWNE SEXTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. VCA CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PERFORMANCE Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 7:30pm. $8.

TUESDAY 24 APR ROCK/POP 5.6.7.8’S + THE EXOTICS. THE BLUEBOTTLES Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. BIG SCARY (ALBUM LAUNCH) + GEOFFREY

TUITION DRUM LESSONS. Learn exciting beats and awesome ﬁlls. No over-the-top boring theory. First lesson half price.Phone Matt on 0433 955 221. PAUL HENDER DRUM SCHOOL. students. Phn: Paul 8786 3421.

Positions available for

SERVICES MAN WITH A VAN. Best value movers in Melbourne. Now with trucks!!!! Equip with 1 or 2 experienced men, trolleys and removal blankets. Available 7 days. Check out www.manwithavan.com.au or call us on 9417 3443.

O’CONNOR + MOSMAN ALDER Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. COLD HIKER + THE VILLAS Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $12. HARRY HOWARD & THE NDE + HIGH TEA + HUF + MYSTIC EYES + OLLIE OLSEN Old Bar, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $10. JVG GUITAR METHOD Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm. KISSCHASY + ANCHORS AWAY + JEKHYL & PINWHEEL + STRANGELY ATTRAKTIVE Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully. 7:00pm. $30. MID YOUTH CRISIS + CAMP DAVID + RISE OF THE RAT + THE HARD TARGETS Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $15. PATRON SAINTS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. PETER EWING Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. RAISE THE ROOF 4 - FEAT: THE FUNKOARS + BRIGGS + DEATH STAR + DEF WISH CAST + LOWRIDER + MASE & MATTIC + PURPOSE + VENTS Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $23. THE BOWERS + DJ SEAN SIMMONS + THE HARLOTS Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 10:00pm. THE TWOKS + DOM COOLEY & THE REVENANT + MIKE ELRINGTON Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm. THE VAGRANTS + DIANA’S BOW + THE PASS OUTS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. VAN SHE (IDEA OF HAPPINESS TOUR) Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $12.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK JOHN BUTLER The Hi-ﬁ, Melbourne. 7:30pm. $50. MASSY FERGUSON Palais, Hepburn Springs. 8:30pm. $15. MELBOURNE IMPROVISORS COLLECTIVE PRESENTS - FEAT: THE PHOEBIE LINDER TRIO + BRUNSWICK SKIFFLE + THE AARON MCCOULLOUGH QUARTET Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $6. OPEN MIC Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 6:30pm. OPEN MIC Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 7:30pm. SAL KIMBER & THE ROLLIN’ WHEEL + JACK ON FIRE + THE EASTERN John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. $14. STONEFIELD + DELTA RIGGS + KINGSWOOD Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. YVETTE JOHANSSON (LADY SINGS THE BLUES) Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $35.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC THE DAVE ADES QUARTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. THE PAT FARRELL GROUP Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14.

SOUNDPARK RECORDING/REHEARSALS. Large 5 room recording studio, loads of vintage gear/instruments. Hire without engineer $450 day, or with $650. Rehearsals from $50. Phone Andrew 0425 706 382.

ACCESS ALL AGES With Ruth Mihelcic It’s a great time to be apart of FReeZA at the moment. We have a an exclusive offer for FReeZA committee members for the upcoming Blue Juice under 18s show at the Melbourne HiFi next Saturday with guests Loon Lake and The Cairos. Email us for the details! National Youth Week officially kicked off last Friday and will be running until this Saturday. The theme this year is ‘Imagine. Create. Inspire’. And that is exactly what young people around the country will be doing with a week jam-packed with celebrations. Take your pick of free festivals and shows this week, including a FReeZA hip hop and art expo in Maryborough on Thursday, and youth festivals in Coburg and Wangaratta on Friday. And catch Mantra, Gossling, N’Fa Jones, Cactus Channel, DJ Flagrant, Runforyourlife, and DJ Deacon Rose for FREE at the St Kilda Youth Festival this Saturday. There will also DJ workshops, skate ramps, live music, and a free BBQ! Send your all ages news to whatson@thepush.com.au.

ALL AGES TIMETABLE WEDNESDAY APRIL 18

Boy & Bear, The Forum, Corner Russell and Flinders Streets, Melbourne, 7pm, $47.45, ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100, AA Bacchus Marsh College FReeZA show, Bacchus Marsh College, Grant St, Bacchus Marsh, 12pm – 4pm, Free, Rikki-Lee Farrer on 5366 7100, U18

THURSDAY APRIL 19 National Youth Week FReeZA Youth Expo w/ Indigenous hip hop workshops, Kate DeAraugo, art exhibition by BRIT, and photo exhibition by Maryborough Parkour Group, Maryborough Town Hall, Neill Street, Maryborough, 10:30am – 1pm for U18, 4pm – 5.30pm for AA, Penny Wilson on (03) 5461 0614, AA

FRIDAY APRIL 20 National Youth Week Comes To Coburg w/ Ladyﬁngers DJ Collective, Triple8Funk Dance Crew, Pascoe Vale Flash Mob, Coburg Senior High Midsummer Crew, Westside Circus (workshop & performance), and soloist Trace Samuel, Victoria Street Mall, Coburg, 4pm – 7pm, Free, Sal Kimber on 0422 373 542, AA Wangaratta Youth Festival w/ live bands, pizza making, BBQ, jumping castle, chalk art workshop, volleyball game, and art competition, King George V Gardens, Wangaratta, 4pm – 7pm, Free, Katy Hawkins on 5722 0819 or 0438 362 984, AA Remix Dance Party w/ Esandas, Reejay, PJ’s, Meltdown DJs, D Pack and Just Kingz Breakers, The Castle, Hemmings Park, Princes Hwy, Dandenong, 7pm – 11pm, $5 presale, $7 door, Nick Karlas on (03) 9793 2155, AA Underage Rage DJ Dance Party w/ DJ Statiq and DJ Tom Clayton, St. Ambrose Hall, Woodend, 7pm – 10pm, $5, U18

SATURDAY APRIL 21 Supafest 2012 w/ P Diddy, Chris Brown, Missy Elliot, Naughty by Nature, Ice Cube, Lupe Fiasco, Trey Songz, Kelly Rowland + more, Melbourne Showgrounds, 12pm – 11:30pm, $139, supafest.com.au, AA

August Burns Red w/ Blessthefall and Northlane, Billboard The Venue, 170 Russell St, Melbourne, 4pm – 8pm, Billboard The Venue on (03) 9639 4000, AA

EMPLOYMENT

LOOKING FOR AMATEUR COMEDIANS to perform at Bar Betty - 129 Smith Street, Fitzroy Ph: 9417 3937

whatson@thepush.com.au

St Kilda Youth Festival w/ Mantra, Gossling, N’Fa Jones, Cactus Channel, DJ Flagrant, Runforyourlife, and DJ Deacon Rose (triple j), Lower Esplanade, O’Donnell Gardens (next to Luna Park), St Kilda, 1pm, Free, Martin Goﬃn on (03) 9209 6167, AA

THINK MOVING SUCKS? Call Little Red Trucks! Moving Melbourne everyday. Call 9380 6444 or head to www. littleredtrucks.com.au

FLAUNT IT. Internationally acclaimed producer of profeminist erotica looking for conﬁdent, adult women to smash the stereotypes and earn good money ($500 and up). Don’t overlook this til you’ve found out more about it. Rebecca 9495 6555 or www.feck.com.

+ BEAT PRESENT...

THE 5.6.7.8’S

Gonna make you mine, now get in line, five six seven eight! I’m sorry, but as awful as it was, the reference was begging to be included. That’s not to say that Japanese garage-rock three-piece outfit The 5.6.7.8’s haven’t got the power to kick your arses into line with their fierce, fun-packed live show, because they undoubtedly will. Get into line, the 5.6.7.8’s play the Tote on Tuesday April 24.

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

ApriliZer w/ DJ Milney, Tommy Lie, Blackwood Jack, and Amy Meredith, Port Fairy Basketball Stadium, Campbell Street, Port Fairy, 6:30pm – 10:30pm, $20 presale, $25 door, Geraldine Edar Ralph on 0427 827 475, AA Hop Hop Workshop w/ Phazemekanikis and Krisdafari, Mechanics Institute, Ballan, 12pm – 5pm, Free, Rikki-Lee Farrer on 5366 7100, AA

GS T GI TS A L AL VEN GB ! E E & THE FRE E AR

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8pm: Marilla Holmes 9pm: Nat Allison Thurs. Apr. 19th:

8pm: Alex Lashlie 9pm: Jeff May Fri. Apr. 20th:

6-8pm: Trad Irish music session with Dan Bourke & friends

Sat. Apr. 21st:

9pm: Jesse & His Hucklebuckers Sun. Apr. 22nd:

4pm: Waz E James Band 6:30pm: Davey Lane Tues. Apr. 17th:

8pm: Weekly Trivia

“All Shows Always Free” The Drunken Poet, 65 Peel Street (directly opposite Queen Vic Market), Phone: 03 9348 9797. www.thedrunkenpoet.com.au

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TOWN HALL HOTEL 33 ERROL STREET, NORTH MELBOURNE (03) 9328 1983 FOR BAND BOOKINGS PLEASE CONTACT MILES: TOWNIEBANDS@GMAIL.COM SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 75

BACKSTAGE

STORE PROFILE

EASTGATE MUSIC

THE PLACE FOR MUSICIANS

for more information or ad bookings call Aleksei on 9428 3600

CASHPOINT SECONDHAND DEALERS & PAWNBROKERS

WE BUY SELL & LOAN GUITARS, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ELECTRONIC GOODS JEWELLERY & MOST ITEMS OF VALUE

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Location(Address): 313-315 Whitehorse Rd. Balwyn, 3103. Hours Of Operation: Mon-Thursday 9.30-6.00pm Friday 9.30-7.00pm Saturday 9.30-5.00pm Main brands and products you specialise in: Electric and Acoustic guitars, Tube Amps, FX pedals, Bass gear, P.A Systems, Home and Live mixing and recording equipment, Drums, Keyboards, Violins and Cellos. Brands Include Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Gretsch, Epiphone, Yamaha, Marshall, Vox, Badcat, Fryette, Fuchs, Voodoo Labs, Home Brew Electronics, Lehle, Maxon, AMT, Plush, Guyatone, AKG, Shure, Tascam, Martin, Taylor, Maton, National Reso-Phonic and many more. Services offered: Repairs, setups and restorations to all instruments and amplifiers. Our in-house service techs are players who understand the subtleties of tone and

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THIS SPACE COULD BE YOURS! FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL ALEKSEI ON 9428 3600 Beat Magazine Page 76

BACKSTAGE: BEAT’S ONE STOP SHOP FOR MUSICIANS

the requirements of working musicians. Fast, friendly and affordable service. Your point of difference: Eastgate Music is a full line independent music retailer specializing in all types of guitars, amps, FX pedals and music gear. It stocks a huge range of accessories, music books and guitar and amp parts including vacuum tubes and pickups. Eastgate also sells second hand and vintage instruments and amplifiers, offering cash and/or trade ins for quality used music gear. Limited edition custom shop electrics and acoustics. If “searching for tone” is important to you, this is the place to shop. Any upcoming sales: Our “Amplifier Massacre Sale” is on now. Genuine discounts (up to 50%) on Marshall, Vox and Bad Cat with further savings for cash. Prices have been slashed for a limited time only. Phone: (03) 9888 6899 Website: www.eastgatemusic.com

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CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH Palais Theatre, Friday March 30

LIVE JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE Prince Bandroom, Thursday April 12 When Earle was last here in March 2011 playing brilliant shows across the country, there was talk that he was still on the sauce. Fiery and spouting misogynist rants, he littered his sets of lovelorn ballads with a dangerous and almost criminal edge. Following this tour he’s reportedly cleaned up his act (he says, ‘to stay out of prison’), and tracked new album Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now live and in four days. Early into his show at Prince Bandroom he reported a migraine, to the disappointment of some in the crowd. “Don’t worry, that ain’t gonna stop me,” he responded devilishly. It’s interesting to see that now he’s clean, the misogynist streak was not a product of substance abuse. Besides his mama, he doesn’t appear to like women much. Curiously though, each of the last four album covers contain images of Earle next to a hot lady, and of course most of his songs are about loving women. From bona-ﬁde blues to the aforementioned ballads, its remarkable the sort of reverence in which he’s held, particularly amongst the female members of the audience. Sure, some songs have a grittiness to them that

MY MORNING JACKET

wouldn’t be out of place on a Southern chain-gang, but the sappy stuﬀ veers often into jazz-lite territory, in no ways ﬁtting for a guy with a hell-raising reputation and who probably still worries about dropping the soap. He covered songs from across his career in solo guise, and later with an upright bassist and extra guitarist. He apologetically made mention of not having a full band with him this tour, but surely he’d be able to source a local drummer who knows 4/4 and a couple of brass players who can play the three necessary notes? Nevertheless, he is a magnetic presence, exquisite dresser and powerful performer that belies his 30 years. NICK HILTON LOVED: His specs, '80s tie and checked blazer (with buttons made of bones) gave him the look of a snappy encyclopaedia salesman. HATED: No drummer? No way. DRANK: The usual overpriced malted varieties.

The Palace, Wednesday April 4

At the 2008 Bonnaroo Music Festival My Morning Jacket performed what could well be defined as one of the most legendary festival sets of all time. The four-hour long starstudded jam was the culmination of the Kentucky outfit’s slow-burning reputation as one of the greatest live bands in the world. Australian audiences have since fantasised about experiencing such a performance – with the band’s 2009 Big Day Out appearance shunted to an earlyafternoon, minor stage timeslot (they still ruled, though). With the band booked for Byron Bay Bluesfest, tonight’s indoors performance provided a satisfying consolation. Engaging in any banter in regards to Dawes’ homophonous title would be selling them short. The Californian outfit turned out to be the long-overdue answer to Mumford & Sons’ faux-Americana drivel, providing a more than satisfying surprise for the uninitiated. Very much worshipping at the alter of CSN&Y and Simon & Garfunkel, without verging on overly derivative territory. Their musical adeptness made for the perfect complement to the night’s headliners. Gracing the stage with what appeared to be a Darth Vader-like chest apparatus, Jim James opened the set in accordance with the band’s most recent album Circuital – leading with LP opener Victory Dance into the title track. Each element to the music was spring-loaded with purpose – every single percussion strike resonated

beyond reproach. Evil Urge standout I’m Amazed was the evening’s first non-Circuital track, and proceeded to be performed with an effortless aplomb. Such breezy proficiency forms into a double-edged blade, sometimes failing to translate into intimacy while the audience digests such a ostensibly flawless display. Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2 was a triumph, its palpable groove emanating throughout the multi-tiered Palace, verging on an all-out dance jam. Despite a lack of spontaneity and fun found in their elongated festival slots, Jim James and co. managed to pull off a flawless display of live rock 'n' roll in all its glory – doing little to diminish their reputation as one of the world’s greatest live acts. LACHLAN KANONIUK

LOVED: Jim’s (or is it still Yim?) heavenly voice. HATED: It being indoors and on a hump day. DRANK: In moderation

60 SECONDS WITH N’FA JONES

Even at the height of his crack cocaine addiction in the '80s, David Crosby never missed a gig. So it wasn’t altogether surprising that, despite being unable to sing even a note due to what appeared to be a bad case of the flu, Crosby chose to take what Graham Nash described as “enough prescription medicine to knock out an elephant” and at least take to the stage to play guitar at tonight’s Crosby, Stills and Nash gig. Nash kindly offered the crowd the opportunity to seek a refund on account of Crosby’s restricted duties; if anyone took up the offer, it made negligible difference to the venue’s sold-out status. Crosby’s absence on vocals caused the occasional amendment to the set-list – Almost Cut Your Hair and Guinevere were noticeable absences, while Suite: Judy Blue Eyes couldn’t be attempted without a full threepart harmony – yet, in the end, Nash and Stephen Stills and the backing band (which included Crosby’s son James Raymond on keyboards) pulled off a remarkably consistent and satisfying gig. Nash remains the notional figurehead of the band, the platonic glue who’s managed to hold the periodically warring egos of Stills and Crosby together over the years. Nash has lost little of his political attitude over the last 40 years, with his attention shifting from Vietnam (Military Madness), environmental degradation and socio-economic disequilibrium to modern day tabloid causes including Bradley Manning (the alleged US army source of much of the Wikileaks material) and religious tolerance (In Your Name). Notwithstanding the brilliant For What It’s Worth

(featured tonight, along with another Buffalo Springfield track, Bluebird), Stephen Stills has always taken a more conservative political path, eschewing the headline political approach of his bandmates. Stills’ voice was a cut above the trio’s last Australian tour in 2007; his guitar playing is as razor sharp as ever, pulling out classic West Coast solos with almost as much power as the infamous CSN stadium tour of 1974. With his vocal duties limited to a rasping apology midway through the first set, David Crosby loitered on the side of the stage, the weathered grandfather of the folk rock scene. The disappointment of not hearing Crosby taking the lead in Long Time Gone was made up by the irony of Stills paying tribute to his long time sparring partner, no doubt with tongue just inside the cheek. Nash and Stills turned three-part harmonies of Marrakesh Express into an admirable two-part effort; special treats such as a cover of Bob Dylan’s Girl From The North Country and Stills’ Love The One You’re With made the night even more worthwhile. It would have been better with Crosby in full voice, but this was still a great night from a bunch of old folkies. PATRICK EMERY

LOVED: Stills’ vocals. HATED: The ﬂu relegating Crosby to the sidelines. DRANK: Nothing.

G3: JOE SATRIANI, STEVE VAI, STEVE LUKATHER Saturday March 31, The Palais Thanks to being supplied with a bunk show schedule, I arrive quite late in Lukather’s set, surprised to find a couple dozen punters still loitering indifferently in the foyer. It’s amazing how many people have let Lukather’s association with Toto (who are, admittedly, the epitome of ‘soft rock’) keep them from appreciating one of the most respected guitarists in the industry. Lukather’s broad session resume has earned him a reputation for versatility, and from what I saw he ably met these expectations, balancing the soaring instrumental Truth with the harder groove and lyrical cynicism of TMZ. Watching Steve Vai perform is almost always a completely transcendental experience; Not merely for his astonishing instrumental dexterity, but for the palpable intention behind it all – where every note rings of an aching hunger for truth, beauty and enlightenment. So when the enigmatic guitarist fills a limited set time with his most emotionally and spiritually intense pieces – Tender Surrender, Whispering A Prayer, For The Love Of God etc – even a mere 40 minutes is enough to leave you slumped breathless in your seat, feeling like you’ve had your third eye wrenched open. While he has been well surpassed by Vai, his former student, as a musical innovator (and the audience reactions seemed to reflect this) Joe Satriani is still at the top of his game as a guitarist. His feel is as impeccable and, at 55, his fingers just as fast as ever. Sadly, his setlist is equally consistent, and watching Joe perform songs like Satch Boogie and Ice 9 has lost its lustre over the years. Considering the long-term loyalty of his fanbase, and the lack of ‘hit singles’ he need feel obliged to play, Joe should really consider shaking things up a bit. That said, at least one classic that Satch is always

reinventing is Always With Me Always With You, and this evening’s rendition was the most mesmerising, delicately crafted version I have yet seen. There were also a couple surprises in the form of often-overlooked gem A Secret Prayer ,and the burningly intense newie God Is Crying. It wasn’t until the famous ‘G3 Jam’ that things got disappointing. This was firstly due to the song selection, which offered nothing new over previous G3 tours. Given Satch and Vai’s long-running relationship, and the fact they had jammed on the songs in question – Hendrix’s Little Wing, Zappa’s My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama – a million times before, you couldn’t blame Lukather for feeling (and, occasionally, looking) like a third wheel. At least when John Petrucci joined Satch and Vai in Australia for G3 ‘06, there was evidence of a few cannily prearranged three-part harmonies, which not only kept things egalitarian, but also added some much-needed finesse to the chaotic (though brilliant) improvisation. Not so this year. And even if there had been, it would have been nearly impossible to appreciate due to the sound, which was mediocre throughout the show, but became god-awful during the jam. Of course, any show with musicians of this calibre can only fall so far. But I’ll still be holding on to memories of the 2006 tour as my definitive G3 experience. JESSE SHROCK

LOVED: Vai, Vai, Vai. HATED: The sound. DRANK: Nothing.

GRANDMASTER FLASH Trak Lounge, Sunday March 18 So then, what’s the band name and what do you ‘do’ in the band? The band name is my name – N’fa Jones.. I’m the songwriter, and MC What do you reckon people will say you sound like? Hopefully “good, heavvvy, doooope”.. What do you love about making music? The fact that its invisible, and doesn’t exist in physical form.. you vibe, clap hands, sing, record an idea that you either just thought of, or have been carrying a while, and magically a song appears – and hopefully other people can enjoy it also. What do you hate about the music industry? I guess the business side of it, turning art into income. There’s almost always a compromise to make that hurts somehow. If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? Guru from Gangster. I met him briefly in a venue in Sydney a few years back, and we had a chat. His vibe was really cool, and positive. He was talking about wanting to connect with people like myself around the world and create. I wish I had had the guts to say, ‘Yeah, check this out, I think you’ll dig it.” I guess I figured there would be another chance in the future. Beat Magazine Page 78

If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it and why? Simon Fuller. The guy is a genius, but he uses his super powers for evil instead of good. People like him are the reason that the music industry is all about dollars, and turning out new pop stars like battery hens, and leaving a lot of very good artists unheard ‘cause they don’t ﬁt his criteria. What can a punter expect from your live show? Energy, good vibes, good memories. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? On this tour I have my new EP Babylondon featuring the singles Wayooy – with Roots Manuva & M-Phazes – and the new single March On. I also have some pretty cool t-shirts I made, so you can pick one of them up also. I’m pretty sure you can still get your hands on Cause An Eﬀect and the 1200 Techniques albums too. When’s the gig and with who? Thursday April 19 at The Grace Darling Hotel with Tom Showtime and Remi Kolawole. Doors from 9pm. Anything else to add? Just hope ya having a good one. Oh, and check out nfajones.com. Peace!

A legendary turntablist, Grandmaster Flash is one of the pioneers of hip hop DJing, cutting and mixing. His induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 along with the Furious Five made them the ﬁrst hip hop/rap artists to be recipients of the honour. It was during his teenage years that he developed and mastered three innovations that are still considered standard DJing techniques today including the backspin, scratching and punch phrasing. I was glad to see that there were people indulging in the old school style. And by indulge I am referring speciﬁcally to matching velour tracksuits, squeaky-clean sneakers and beret hats. Much like the KRS-One show, it seems DJ Peril is the old school DJ of choice, and with good reason. His mixes set the scene with a lively blend beginning with ‘70s disco, moving through to the early '90s music, with bass heavy tracks. All the while he incorporated the classic hip hop chimes and funky bass lines. It was when he played James Brown’s The Funky Drummer (aka the most famous breakbeat of all time) that he segued neatly into Grandmaster Flash’s set. When Grandmaster entered the stage he did not speak to the audience, but immediately began his set with BBD classic Poison. After some expert scratching he layered soulful horns over the beat,

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then stripped it back down again. It was awesome to see him manipulating the records with freakish precision and with natural ease. Soon the Another One Bites The Dust beat began to pound through Trak. I was expecting him to add a classic rap line over the top, so I was surprised, but happy to hear Freddie Mercury’s smooth vocals sing the song. Each track after the next was a classic and the crowd was soaking it up. Most people were on the danceﬂoor, so it was an unconventional show in that the focus wasn’t so much on watching Grandmaster Flash as it was enjoying the vibe and soaking up the music. You had some crazy dancers too. Crazy good and just crazy, but it was refreshing to see people lose their inhibitions and enjoy themselves. The only time he spoke to the audience was to thank us for coming, and then he played Blackstreet’s No Diggity, calling it a day. TAMARA VOGL LOVED: ‘70s disco music (Anita Ward’s Ring My Bell. No? Come on!) HATED: Nearly getting knocked the fuck out by some super excited dancer who was ﬂailing her arms about like an electricuted meth-head. DRANK: Water.