Beat Magazine #1336 by Furst Media

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

Beat Magazine Page 3

Beat Magazine Page 4

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

CAT POWER

THE NEW ALBUM

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Two high-wire art-pop all-starsâ&#x20AC;? STEREOGUM â&#x20AC;&#x153;A combination of the best of both artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; musicâ&#x20AC;Ś Big, big loveâ&#x20AC;? SPIN â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is really excitingâ&#x20AC;Ś A strange, wonderful pairing of two really amazing writersâ&#x20AC;? PAGES DIGITAL RELEASED 7 SEPTEMBER 2012

remotecontrolrecords.com

Beat Magazine Page 6

AVAILABLE AT 0/A3;3<B 27A1A Â&#x2019; 0:=190CAB3@ >=@B ;3:0=C@<3 Â&#x2019; 0@C<AE719 0=C<2 Â&#x2019; 5@3D7::3 @31=@2A :3/27<5 3253 1=:/1 316C1/ Â&#x2019; ;=8= ;CA71 Â&#x2019; >=:G3AB3@ 47BH@=G ;3:0=C@<3 17BG Â&#x2019; @3/27<5A 0==9A ;CA71 1/@:B=< 6/EB6=@< AB 97:2/ Â&#x2019; @32 6=B Â&#x2019; B7B:3 0@C<AE719 47BH@=G <=@B61=B3

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

John Butler Trio (NYE Midnight Set) Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings (usa-nye sEt) tHE bLacK sEedS (nz) fRiEndLY fIreS dj Set (uk-nye sEt) kRaFty kUtS Vs A.sKilLz (UK) tHE hERd (aus) Kaki King (USA) Blood red Shoes (UK) Unknown Mortal Orchestra (USA) Electric Wire Hustle (NZ) King Tide (AUS) mAt. mChUGh & THE SEPERATISTA SOUND SYSTEM (aus) 65DaysoFstatic (UK) Deep Sea Arcade (AUS) Gold Fields (AUS) Gossling (AUS) Will & The People (UK) Chapelier Fou (Fr) The Medics (AUS) NorthEast Party House (AUS) HatFitz and Cara (aus) Tuka (AUS) The Cairos (AUS) The PreaTUREs (AUS) Battleships (AUS) Lime Cordiale (AUS) Daily Meds (AUS) JONES Jnr (AUS) Tigertown (AUS) MicroWave Jenny (AUS) also featuring â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Return of The Dub Shack Plus many more artists to be announced...

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

Beat Magazine Page 7

The

140 Sydney Rd

BRUNSWICKHOTEL.NET

9387 6637 NO COVER CHARGE

Cornish Arms

80 Lygon St. Brunswick East Ph 9036 1456

THURS 6 SEPT

WEDNESDAY THE 5TH OF SEPTEMBER - FROM 8PM

CENTRE & THE SOUTH

WITH YOUR HOST BRODIE GET IN AND REGISTER FROM 7PM ONWARDS $10 JUGS OF BRUNSWICK BITTER

SLOWJAXX

THE BRUNSWICK HOTEL’S OPEN MIC THURSDAY THE 6TH OF SEPTEMBER - 8PM TILL MIDNIGHT $3 SCHOONERS OF CARLTON DRAUGHT $5 BASIC SPIRITS FROM 8PM

THE PROSTITUTE KILLERS TZOLKIN DECADENCE OF CAIN OLMEG

Kitchen Specials

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE

OPEN MIC NIGHT

+GUESTS

FRIDAY THE 7TH OF SEPTEMBER - FROM 9PM

FRITZ (TAS)

BLIND BEETROOTS MARK GARDENER BAND JAMIE LOCKHEART FROM 5PM

Friday Sept 7th JILL BIRT (THE TRIFFIDS)

- ALBUM LAUNCH -

KODO MOTIF

W/ THE MORNING NIGHT

LUCKY THE CORNERSHOP

LUCY PEACH

SUNDAY THE 9TH OF SEPTEMBER - FROM 6PM

THE BROOKLYN HOOKERS THE FUNKERBIRDS ADRIAN WHYTE

MONDAY THE 10TH OF SEPTEMBER - FROM 8PM

PASSIONATE TONGUES POETRY

HOSTED BY MICHAEL REYNOLDS OPEN STAGE READINGS AND SPOKEN WORD WELCOME WITH FEATURE PERFORMERS EVERY FORTNIGHT $10 JUGS OF CARLTON DRAUGHT

Saturday Sept 8th THE DRUNK MUMS W/ TOMB HANX

BAD PHARMER BEWARE WOLF

TUESDAY THE 11TH OF SEPTEMBER - FROM 9PM

BRUNSWICK DISCOVERY NIGHT GIVING CHANCES TO UP AND COMING LOCAL TALENT! THIS WEEK:

THE JESUIT JOKERS THE DAVE SEEDS CRESCENT

SAT 8 SEPT LEVITATING CHURCHES

DISTANT WRECK

SATURDAY THE 8TH OF SEPTEMBER - FROM 9PM

FRI 7 SEPT

Mon - $12 Burger and $12 Parma + Tues - Trivia Night Wed - $14 Porterhouse Steak

BEAR WITNESS OUR SOLACE FREE WORLD

SON OF MAY

CRUDE

NO.1 JONES

LIGHTNING LE QUESNE

SUN 9 SEPT JOSHUA SEYMOR & GEORGE HYDE

ALIX MCMILLAN

COMING UP SAT 15 SEPT LAMINE SONKO & THE AFRICAN INTELLIGENCE

EVERY TUESDAY

ROCK & POP TRIVIA

Melbourne’s best trivia night, Loads of alcohol & prizes!

Wanna play at THE B.EAST? Contact: info@theb-east.com FULL GIG GUIDE: theb-east.com

Monday nights Open Mic Function Room Available Kitchen Open Every Evening

SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER 5.00PM

FRI 7th Sept 9.30-11.30PM

THE NUDGELS SAT 8th Sept

NEIL MURRAY & BAND

NEIL MURRAY, SINGER/ SONGWRITER EXTRAORDINAIRE, “THE WHITEFELLA IN THE WARUMPI BAND” AND WRITER OF MY ISLAND HOME, PLAYS WITH HIS BAND FOR A ROCKIN’ ARVO SESSION.

10.15-12.15PM

THE DUB CAPTAINS SUN 9th Sept 5.00-7.00PM

JVG GUITAR METHOD OPENING HOURS

MON-THURS FROM 3PM - LATE FRI-SUN FROM 12PM - LATE NOW OPEN FOR LUNCH ON FRIDAY!!

THEN FROM 9.00PM

LEAH FLANAGAN & BAND (DAR) SHE’S BACK! THE BRILLIANT LEAH FLANAGAN RETURNS FROM DARWIN, PERFORMING HER BEAUTIFUL UKE-FUSED TUNES AND DISTINCTIVE TAKE ON FOLK, SOUL AND COUNTRY.

FOOD SPECIALS

MONDAY $12 PARMA TUESDAY ALL PIZZAS $6 WEDNESDAY $12 STEAK THURSDAY $12 BEEF OR HALLOUMI BURGER SUNDAY $12 ROAST ALL DAY 420 SYDNEY RD BRUNSWICK, 9380 8667

SUNDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER 5.00PM

REBECCA BARNARD BARNARD & BAND PERFORMS HER LYRICALLY RICH AND HEARTFELT TUNES.

FACEBOOK.COM/THEPENNYBLACK

Beat Magazine Page 8

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

Beat Magazine Page 9

Beat Magazine Page 10

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

ADRIAN BOH BOHM HM & JJUST UST FOR LAUGHS PRESENT THE STAR OF PARKS AND RECREATIONN

ENT SE ADRIAN BOHM & JUST FOR LAUGHS PRESENT

IN CONCERT “His wit won deafening cheers errs and AN feet stomping” THE GUARDIAN

MONDAY 22 OCTOBER ATHENAEUM THEATRE BOOK AT TICKETEK 132 849 TICKETEK.COM.AU

ONE SHOW ONLY! EDBYRNE.COM • ABPRESENTS.COM.AU ADRIAN BOHM PRESENTS

TUESDAY 9 OCTOBER HAMER HALL BOOK AT ARTS CENTRE BOX OFFICE 1300 182 183 ARTSCENTREMELBOURNE.COM.AU

TICKETS ON SALE NOW ABPRESENTS.COM.AU | AZIZANSARI.COM

AWESOME AUSTRALIAN TOUR, GREAT JOB!

3%04 s 4(% &/25BOOK AT TICKETMASTER 1300 111 011 TICKETMASTER.COM.AU TIMANDERIC.COM ABPRESENTS.COM.AU

3%#/.$ 3(/7 /. 3!,% ./7

On Arts Centre Melbourne presents

Big Notes 2012 Music inspiring change – change inspiring music Friday 7 September, 7.30pm Pulsating performance and insightful conversation with enigmatic host Candy Bowers and frontline artists: Kutcha Edwards Mantra with the MASSIVE Hip Hop Choir The Sunshine Sisters and The PutBacks house band

Book online or by phone 1300 182 183

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

Beat Magazine Page 11

DVDs and BLU RAY Available In Store and Online September 5th While stocks Last

Beat Magazine Page 12

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

On Arts Centre Melbourne presents

Scissor Sisters MAGIC HOUR Australian Tour

THE NEW YORK GLAM-QUEENS ARE BACK! 26 September

Arts Centre Melbourne Hamer Hall

ONE SHOW ONLY! Book online or call 1300 182 183 artscentremelbourne.com.au

IN THIS ISSUE...

HOT TALK

TOURING

THE XX

ARTS GUIDE BILL BAILEY

ART OF THE CITY

HAPPY ENDING THE KITCHEN SINK

THE SMART

INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH

EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS

THE GO-BETWEENS RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

BIG NOTES P.47

SECOND HAND HEART MY ECHO

KATCHAFIRE P. 47

THE GROVES 47

BIG NOTES PONY FACE KATCHAFIRE

CORE AND CRUNCH

ENTER SHIKARI

MUSIC NEWS

ALBUM OF THE WEEK, SINGLES, CHARTS

THIS WEEK IN 100%:

TIEFSCHWARZ

3 NEWTON STREET RICHMOND, VICTORIA 3121 Phone: (03) 9428 3600 Fax: (03) 9428 3611 email: info@beat.com.au www.beat.com.au BEAT MAGAZINE EMAIL ADDRESSES: (no large attachments please): Gig Guide: online at beat.com.au email gigguide@beat.com.au - it’s free! Club Listings: online at beat.com.au email clubguide@beat.com.au - it’s free! Music News Items: music@beat.com.au Artwork: art@beat.com.au Beat Classifieds 33c a word: classiﬁeds@beat.com.au

32,788 copies per week

ENTER SHIKARI P.49

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT P.45

PUBLISHER: Furst Media Pty Ltd. MUSIC EDITOR: Taryn Stenvei ARTS EDITOR / ASSOCIATE MUSIC EDITOR: Tyson Wray EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Bella Arnott-Hoare SUB-EDITORS: Michelle Aquilina, Alexandra Duguid, Scarlett Trewavis, Dylan McCarthy, Kelly Snyders GENERAL MANAGER: Patrick Carr SENIOR ADVERTISING/EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR: Ronnit Sternfein BEAT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Pat O’Neill GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Pat O’Neill, Rebecca Houlden, Mike Cusack, Baley Gaudin. COVER ART: Pat O’Neill 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 Jessica Riley (Indie Bands/Special Features) jessica@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: Tyson Wray: tyson@beat.com.au ACCOUNTANT: accountant@furstmedia.com.au ADMINISTRATION CO-ORDINATOR: Jessica Riley: jessica@furstmedia.com.au ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Luke Forester: admin@furstmedia.com.au RECEPTION: reception@furstmedia.com.au DISTRIBUTION: distribution@beat.com.au Free Every Wednesday to over 1,500 places including Convenience Stores, Newsagents, Ticket Outlets, Shopping Centres, Community Youth & Welfare Outlets, Clubs, Hotels, Venues, Record, Music and Video Shops, Boutiques, Retailers, Bars, Restaurants, Cafes, Bookstores, Hairdressers, Recording Studios, Cinemas, Theatres, Galleries, Universities and Colleges. Wanna get BEAT? Email distribution@beat.com.au DEADLINES Editorial Copy accepted no later than 5pm Thursday before publication for Club listings, Arts, Gig Guide etc. Advertising Copy accepted no later than 12pm Monday before publication. Print ready art by 2pm Monday. Deadlines are strictly adhered to. CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Mary Boukouvalas, Lauren Cass, Ben Clement, Ben Gunzburg, Andrew Gyopar, CC Hug, Tim Hyland, Anna Kanci, Ben Loveridge, Mathew Murphy, Charles Newbury, John O’Rourke, Chris Parkinson, Naomi Rahim, Richard Sharman, Leon Struk, Michelle Tomadin, Peter Tsipas, Amy Wallace, Woodrow Wilson

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

ALBUMS

GIG GUIDE

LIVE

SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR: Christie Eliezer SENIOR CONTRIBUTORS: Christine Lan, Simone Ubaldi, Patrick Emery, Jesse Shrock. COLUMNISTS: Emily Kelly, Peter Hodgson. CONTRIBUTORS: Mitch Alexander, Siobhan Argent, Bella Arnott-Hoare, Thomas Bailey, Graham Blackley, Chris Bright, Joanne Brookfield, Tegan Butler, Rose Callaghan, Kim Croxford, Dave Dawson, John Donaldson, Alexandra Duguid, Alasdair Duncan, Cam Ewart, Callum Fitzpatrick, Jack Franklin, Chris Girdler, Megan Hanson, Chris Harms, Andrew Hickey, Nick Hilton, Peter Hodgson, Lachlan Kanoniuk, Cassandra Kiely, Joshua Kloke, Nick Mason, Krystal Maynard, Miki McLay, Jeremy Millar, James Nicoli, Oliver Pelling, Matt Panag, Jack Parsons, Sasha Petrova, Liam Pieper, Steve Phillips, Zoe Radas, Adam Robertshaw, Leigh Salter, Side Man, Jeremy Sheaffe, Sisqo Taras, Kelly Theobald, Tamara Vogl, Dan Watt, Katie Weiss, Krissi Weiss, Rod Whitfield, Jen Wilson, Tyson Wray, Simone Ziada, Bronius Zumeris. © 2012 Furst Media Pty Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the consent of the copyright holder.

10-16 NOVEMBER 2012 FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND

There are few experiences that highlight the elegance of the universe like a TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, as the earth, sun, and moon converge to produce one of the most amazing displays of galactic precision and grace! As we barrel towards the later half of 2012, our earth and our solar system are approaching alignment with the centre of the galaxy for the first time in over 26,000 years. (Thanks for the heads up MAYANS!) While we may not know what lies ahead of us we have faith that we are entering a time of transformation, healing, and opportunity for a new awareness of ourselves, our community, and our place in the universe. We invite YOU to share this unique experience of Eclipse 2012, a global gathering of fellow eclipse chasers, for a few moments of reverence and several days of thunderous dance.

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE FESTIVAL FEATURING 7 DAYS OF MUSIC, ART AND HEALING

FULL MUSIC LINE-UP & LIFESTYLE PROGRAM @ WWW.ECLIPSE2012.COM

PRESENTED BY:

SUPPORTED BY:

HOT TALK

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

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

THE PRICE IS RIGHT THE SMART The Smart have a mental crazy 3D show for their Hands Of Shelter Tour at The Hi-Fi this Saturday September 8. To mark the occasion they are releasing a souvenir triple EP and we have three copies to give away. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE Animal Collective’s hotly anticipated new album Centipede Hz has hit the shelves. We are giving away three copies. EMPERORS Explosive four-piece band and triple j feature artists Emperors are certainly ones to worship. They are returning to Melbourne to play The Workers Club on Saturday September 15. We are giving away a double pass. KORN KORN:The Path of Totality is a new live DVD and Blu Ray, available today, and their most visionary project yet. We have ﬁve copies of the DVD version to give away. XAVIER RUDD Free-spirited troubadour Xavier Rudd bring his Spirit Bird Tour to The Palace Theatre on Thursday September 13 and we have a prize pack with a double pass and signed Spirit Bird album to gift to a lucky fan. All this, for the cheap price of nothing, at beat.com.au/ feeshit.

THE SUNNYBOYS Already announced as a feature act at this year’s Meredith Music Festival, Sunnyboys have announced a Melbourne sideshow. One of the most cherished of Australian bands responsible for the classics Happy Man, Tunnel of Love, I’m Shakin’, Alone With You, You Need A Friend, Show Me Some Discipline and many more, Sunnyboys reformed earlier this year under the alias Kids In Dust for Dig it Up! the Hoodoo Gurus Invitational. An inspired performance and an emotionally charged response lead to an invite from Meredith. Sunnyboys hit The Corner Hotel on Saturday December 8. Tickets on sale Friday September 7 from the Corner box oﬃce.

EAGLE AND THE WORM Fresh from an all-conquering European invasion, Melbourne’s Eagle And The Worm have ﬁnally landed home for what’s set to be a triumphant headline show. The red-hot eight-piece have been busy crafting an upcoming EP, due for release this October. Joining Eagle And The Worm on the night will be an all-star support roster including Fraser A Gorman, Courtney Barnett & The Courtney Barnetts and Sam Cooper & Band. Eagle And The Worm perform at Northcote Social Club on Friday September 28. Tickets onsale now.

THE PYRAMID ROCK FESTIVAL Following on from their giant ﬁrst round of acts, including 360, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Xavier Rudd, Pyramid have boosted the lineup for this year’s celebrations. The second and third announcements in alphabetical order include The Amity Aﬄication, The Brow Horn Orchestra, The Cribs, DJ Yoda, Gossling, Kate Miller-Heidke, Home Brew, Mat McHugh and The Seperatista Sound System, The Only, Pez, Pnau, The Red Coats, Saskwatch, Shockone, The Smith Street Band, Van She and Winter People. The Pyramid Rock Festival takes place on Phillip Island between Saturday December 29 and Tuesday January 1. Two day and three day passes on sale now from their website.

ERIC WAREHEIM AND DJ DOUGGPOUND

CONQUER CANCER BENEFIT The Conquer Cancer 2012 Beneﬁt will feature the rip snorting Howlin’ Steam Train, with support from The Last Five Minutes and One And The Same, in a matinee show at The Northcote Social Club on Sunday September 9. A special matinee show in support of The Ride to Conquer Cancer 2012 with all proceeds going to Peter Mac Cancer Foundation, Howlin’ Steam Train are four lads from Melbourne who have combined their love of swamp-rock, country, blues and boogie to engineer a distinct sound that resonates the thrill of their high-energy live show. With a new powerhouse EP tucked under their arm, the band has had a big year ripping up stages across the nation. Make no mistake; Howlin’ Steam Train will have you in a knee-slapping, toe-tapping frenzy and it’s all in the name of charity. Doors are from 1.30pm and tickets are $15.

THE CORSAIRS Melbourne garage/surf/rock band The Corsairs formed back at the start of 2011. After bursting onto the scene they quickly started to ﬁll dance ﬂoors with their captivating songs and energetic live performances. Balancing raw garage rock with layered surf harmonies, The Corsairs compel you to dance around in the front row, yet are melodic and soulful enough to be the soundtrack to that perfect summer night. This spring The Corsairs are going to be launching their brand new EP on Saturday September 15 at Ding Dong Lounge.

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

Ph 9687 0233 www.kindredstudios.com.au Sat & Sun 8th & 9th Sept 1 0 . 0 0 A M

1 1 . 0 0 P M

KINDRED SPIRIT FESTIVAL A C E L E B R AT I O N O F M U S I C , M O V E M E N T A N D M E D I TAT I O N WITH A GLOBAL VIEW FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY F E AT U R I N G M E L B O U R N E ’ S F I N E S T YOGA TEACHERS, NUMEROUS WORKSHOPS AND LECTURES, M E D I TAT I O N A N D S O U N D H E A L I N G M A S T E R S , MASSAGE AND HEALING PRACTITIONERS. TOPPING IT ALL OFF WITH DELICIOUS FOOD! EVERY KIND OF NOURISHMENT FOR YOUR MIND BODY AND SOUL. W W W. T R Y B O O K I N G . C O M / B S N S W W W. K I N D R E D S P I R I T F E S T. C O M / W W W. F A C E B O O K . C O M / K I N D R E D S P I R I T F E S T

Saturday 15th September 6 . 3 0 P M

DJEMBE EN VILLE F E AT U R I N G S P E C I A L G U E S T BASSIDI KONE AFRO DANCE BAND, DRUM & DANCE STUDENTS OF SIMON LEWIS & MITZI MCRAE, DJEMBE RAFFLE & BBQ T I C K E T S AT T H E D O O R $12 FULL $10 CONCESSION

Sunday 30th September 1 . 3 0 P M

5 . 0 0 P M

MILTON WITH RAY PEREIRA E X P E R I E N C E T H E S O U N D S O F R AY

PEREIRA AND HIS NEW BAND! TICKETS $8 FULL $5 CONCESSION

Beat Magazine Page 16

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

As you’re undoubtedly aware, the Tim And Eric Awesome Tour is coming to Melbourne this month. Keeping the party going a little while longer will be Eric Wareheim and tour support DJ Douggpound, who have just announced a very special DJ set. DJ Douggpound released the following statement: “Gross, did you belch? Nah, It’s just DJ Eric Wareheim and DJ Douggpound probing some sound pu$$ies during their DJ set. It’s the party of the Century, duh. Why wouldn’t you be there? Imagine a world where you are politely assaulted with wicked beats and interactive chant alongs. THAT’S what’s it’s like at a ERIC/DOUG DJ event. You will leave joyful, satisﬁed, and WET.” Alright then. The DJ set will be the afterparty for the second Melbourne show. DJ Eric Wareheim and DJ Douggpound bring their Dutch Boys DJ Experience to The Toﬀ In Town on Sunday September 30. Tickets onsale now through Moshtix and moving quickly.

HOT TALK

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

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

CHERRYFEST After six successful years of the Cherry Rock Festival held annually in April, Cherry Bar has announced it’s very ﬁrst CherryFest – an eclectic rock ‘n’ roll festival for the spring time featuring 14 diverse quality acts across two stages in AC/DC Lane and Cherry Bar. Headlining CherryFest in their ﬁrst ever trip to Australia will be Eyehategod from New Orleans, and the progressive psychedelic art rock fusion from the man behind the guitar sound of At The Drive-In and The Mars Volta, the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group. They’ll be joined by Dern Rutlidge, My Left Boot and Henry Wagons, plus a swag more to be announced. CherryFest takes place at AC/ DC Lane and Cherry Bar on Sunday November 25 from noon. Tickets from their website.

HENRY WAGONS While many other frontmen take gentle place in the calm of a shady palm tree and sing humble acoustic love songs on their solo debut, Henry Wagons has far more bombastic plans. With his ﬁrst solo oﬀering, Expecting Company? due for release on Friday September 28, he’ll be bringing together a bunch of hotshot vagabonds both old and new – the Unwelcome Company – enlisting the help of the much loved Wagons rhythm section, augmented by members of the soaring female vocal group The Nymphs, as he premieres this brand new round of songs where it takes two to tango. The band will perform all of the songs from Expecting Company? and also re-invent a few Wagons favourites, as well as pulling a couple of classic duet memories direct from the broken jukebox in the corner of your dad’s den. Henry Wagons plays The Thornbury Theatre on Cup Eve, Monday November 5. Tickets on sale Thursday September 6 via Oztix.

TINPAN ORANGE Folk darlings and triple j Unearthed winners Tinpan Orange have announced a national tour in support of their new album Over The Sun, due for release on Saturday September 15 through Vitamin Records. The highly ambitious album sees the group transplanted into the middle of some lost opera, third act, high drama all around, orchestra in ﬂight, the drums of war rumbling. It’s a departure from their folk beginnings, taking some courageous musical and sonic leaps. The tour brings them to the Caravan Music Club on Saturday September 22 and The Northcote Social Club on Wednesday November 7 and Thursday November 8. Tickets from the venue website.

BALL PARK MUSIC Not too long ago, the five Brisbanites known as Ball Park Music pulled off the hefty feat of selling out The Corner four times over. Now to celebrate the release of their second LP, the band have set their sights higher with a massive national tour. Support on the tour comes from local red-hot raggamuffins Loon Lake. As well as the album launch tour, Ball Park Music will gear up for their Falls appearance with an under-18s show at Ding Dong Lounge on Saturday December 29. Museum is out Friday October 5 through EMI. Ball Park Music perform at The Palace on Friday November 23. Tickets through Ticketek.

VELOCIRAPTOR Velociraptor are gearing up to simultaneously release an album and tour, a feat so bold it has many pundits questioning their sanity. It has been years between releases for Velociraptor and they are back with a special edition vinyl and digital release of their game changing mini-LP, The World Warriors. As a thanks for buying your ticket to The World Warriors tour, Velociraptor are giving you the opportunity to pre-order a digital copy of their new mini-LP for a special price when going through the ticket check out. The World Warriors is out on Friday September 7 via Create/Control and they will be playing in Melbourne on Friday October 19 at The Tote, tickets available from Oztix.

SUNN O))) Doom metal legends Sunn O))) have cancelled their Australian tour which was scheduled for next month. The news was delivered via founding member Stephen O’Malley’s website, stating: “We apologise to our great and loyal fans in Australia and New Zealand. We have had two amazing tours of Australia in the past and were looking forward to going back for a third....We will try to reschedule our Australian and NZ actions as soon as possible.” Problems with the promoter Heathen Skulls have been cited for the cancellation.

HUSKY After becoming the first ever Australian band to sign to esteemed US stable Sub Pop, Husky are currently enjoying the spoils of launching the very ace Forever So in the States and Europe. But the lauded outfit will return to their homeland this October, launching the blissfully harmonic single Tidal Wave in the process. With the word of Husky spreading across the globe, be sure to get in quick as tickets will be snapped up in a jiffy. Husky perform at The Corner on Thursday October 11. Tickets onsale now through the box office. CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 17

HOT TALK

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

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

MASSIVE MASSIVE is a group of young urban artists aged 18 to 25 years who identify as Tongan/Fijian, Cook Islander, Niuean, Samoan, Lebanese/Tongan, Caribbean/North African, Filipino, Comoros islander, Tanzanian, English/Spanish, and Indonesian. Having created a new genre of hip hop that combines original rap lyrics, fresh beats, lush three part harmonies, body percussion, traditional paciﬁc island dance and street choreography, MASSIVE is well into its second year and has been performing and recording their unique repertoire. The group are launching their debut album Neology – Neo Tunes For An Old World on September 21 at The Evelyn Hotel.

MINIBIKES On ﬁrst encountering Minibikes’ debut album For Woods Or Trail one could easily imagine that the up and coming ﬁve-piece would be better suited to climates far warmer than the cold, grey streets of Melbourne town. It is perhaps in protest to the eternal winter that plagues their city that Minibikes have released a musical document which positively evokes the spirit of summer. As far as debut albums go, it is a lofty ambition to expect every track will hit the mark; thankfully on Minibike’s For Woods Or Trail this suggestion is moot as each track threatens to outdo the next as its strongest. For lovers of pop, for lovers of rock, soul, and yes, even bossa nova, For Woods Or Trail is the soundtrack to the endless summer we all wish our lives could be. Minibikes will launch For Woods Or Trail on Saturday September 6 at The Northcote Social Club with Heavy Beach and Bayou.

SPRAY N WIPE To add to the already killer lineup of Northeast Party House, Strange Talk, Oscar + Martin, Dune Rats, Sures, Toucan, I’lls, Drunk Mums, The Corsairs, Bored Nothing, and The Upskirts, a bunch of DJs have been announced to keep party pumping at The Espy on Friday 21 September, including Alison Wonderland, I OH YOU DJs, Friends Of Dorothy, DJ Bossman and Gamegirls. Phew. Tickets are only $20+bf from Oztix and The Espy website.

FRANCOLIN, KIERAN RYAN Melbourne and Gotye-approved quintet Francolin have announced a co-headliner show with onehalf of Kid Sam, Kieran Ryan. This is Francolin’s ﬁrst headline tour since the release of their debut album Won’t Let You Down, however according to the band, they will be using this opportunity to be sharing some new material. This will also be an opportunity for Ryan to showcase his own new work and being accompanied by full band, it’s a warm up to his Melbourne Festival appearance in support of Thurston Moore. Francolin and Kieran Ryan will be playing the John Curtin Bandroom Friday September 14, supported by Speed Painters, with tickets available for purchase from the John Curtin website.

FRINGE MUSIC PROGRAM As well as an extensively awesome arts program, the Fringe Festival will again showcase the diversity and talent of musicians as a part of its 2012 oﬀerings. Shows include Now & Then – 1982 vs 2012, which sees music legends from each year performing each other’s songs, Sun Rising exploring the history of the birthplace of rock’n’roll, Sun Records, Up Late With Kate, a Kate Bush Tribute Night, plus all of the artists featured as a part of the Darebin Music Feast. All of the listings and information are at melbournefringe.com.au.

CHELSEA WOLFE California’s Chelsea Wolfe and her doom-laden electronic folk has proven to be quite popular with Melbourne audiences. A second show has been added due to popular demand. She will be performing at The Northcote Social Club on Friday November 9 (selling fast) and again on Monday November 12 (just announced). Tickets are from the venue website. Beat Magazine Page 18

Sydney quartet Tin Sparrow have announced details of a new single and a Melbourne show this October. After a two-month hiatus, band members Matt Amery, Mark Piccles, Dean McLeod and Sonja Van Hummel regrouped, armed with a selection of killer new tracks including their yetto-be-titled new single, which will make its ﬁrst public outing at their BigSound performance, to then eventually be on a new EP set for release early 2013. Tin Sparrow will be playing Melbourne at The Workers Club on Saturday October 27, with tickets on sale from the venue website.

THE RED PAINTINGS Orchestral art rockers The Red Paintings have announced an intimate run of Australian shows for September, before heading to the UK and Europe for the ﬁrst time in October. The Red Paintings combine performance art and music in a spectacular live show. Each show features unique visual projections along with human body and canvas painters who join them on stage to create artworks that reﬂect their music and energy. The band will showcase songs from their forthcoming album when they play Ding Dong Lounge on Thursday September 13.

JOHN WAITE

SONS OF LEE MARVIN Melbourne’s gonzo’n’roll masters Sons Of Lee Marvin have notched up their third album, Cutthroats And Conjurers, out now through Bridge Sounds. They launch it at The Retreat in Brunswick on Saturday September 15 with guests The Yard Apes.

Q&A

English singer/songwriter and famed frontman for super-groups The Babys and Bad English, John Waite heads to Australia for the ﬁrst time ever for his national Greatest-Hits Tour, performing a collection of his hits that span a career of almost four decades. The Lancaster (England) born singer is instantly recognisable and is cherished by a wide range of audiences. His unique and pristine voice is just as at home tearing through powerful rock-anthems, as it is eloquently and movingly delivering a ballad. He plays The Palace Theatre on Thursday November 1, tickets through Ticketmaster and Oztix.

NELLI SCARLET FROM THE SCARLETS

COMMUNION Communion is proud to present the third lineup for its new monthly residency in Melbourne. Having settled into home at The Toff In Town, the evening is set to welcome the spring air with another stellar showcase of incredible talent. Communion Melbourne features a different lineup each month offering a creative platform for emerging, developing and established artists to perform in an environment that embraces collaboration and mutual support. The schedule for Sunday September 23 features an exciting lineup including Battleships, Ainslie Wills, Packwood, Hayden Cakbub abd Grizzly Jim Lawrie.

TIN SPARROW

Define your genre in five words or less: Balls to the wall rock. What can a punter expect from your live show? Two tall, leggy, attractive Croatian show ponies trying to out-zazz each other while the rest of the band focus on rocking hard. And that’s just the males in the band. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? Our first two pressings of our last EP Bombshell have sold out, so for the first time in Australia, we will be selling our European-only album Dirty Devil Music, which contains our first two EPs and six exclusive live tracks taken from our headline show at The Hi-fi last year. If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it be and why? I was listening to Nova the other day, and for an hour I didn’t hear a single song that wasn’t saturated in autotune. Whoever’s fault that is, I will kill them to death.

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

What’s the strangest place you’ve ever played a gig, or made a recording? How about a sold out show at Etihad Stadium opening for Bon Jovi? Since then, we’ve spent the last 12 months touring Australia and Europe on some pretty big stages to some pretty massive crowds, but now we’re keen on booking some shows somewhere really intimate and inyour-face. Being 50 metres away from your audience is really isolating and you lose connection. I want to be able to get up in people’s faces. Why should everyone come and see your band? Because we put on a damn good show. Bruises, stitches and concussions are all part and parcel of a Scarlets gig. People come to our shows because they want to be entertained, and that’s what we do. We are entertainers, performers. We have no sense of self-consciousness or shame and are ﬁred up and crazy whether we are playing to 8 people or 80,000. When’s the gig and with who? The gig is our third birthday show at The Espy Basement on Friday September 7 with Dead Star Renegade, Los Amigos, and Kill Shot. We’re ditching our usual blingedout costumes and fancy lights. This will be a raw, stripped back, intimate and loud fucking show. We are doing it to celebrate the three years we have been doing things our way and working our ﬁngers to the bone, and it’s a free show as well so everyone can come down and spend their entry money on beer.

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

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

Seun Kuti

REFUSED After the massively exciting announcement last week of a Refused tour, the ﬁrst show on Thurday November 15 swiftly sold out. A second show has been announced for Friday November 16, also at The Palace. Tickets from Oztix and Ticketek.

DR. FEELGOOD SO FRENCHY SO CHIC Last January the grounds of Werribee Park Mansion were transformed into a private estate in Provence with the ﬁnest French food, wine and music ﬂowing all day. In fact the only local content was the beautiful summer weather and the 4,000 people who loved every minute. In January 2013 So Frenchy So Chic In The Park is set to return with another handcrafted festival of joie de vivre. Bring a picnic rug, pick up a gourmet hamper, stretch out under the shade of the trees and enjoy a glass of something sparkling. When the four musical acts put you in the mood, there are acres of rolling lawn for some barefoot dancing. Always a crowd favourite, Melanie Pain is the bewitching former singer of Nouvelle Vague who has toured Australia eight times before, twice as a solo artist. Next on the bill is the bouncy indie-pop and ‘60s inspired harmonies of Revolver, recently nominated best newcomers at the French Grammys. Keeping things jumping is Carmen Maria Vega – think Piaf goes punk. As dusk falls, the French-Aussie Paris-based Nadéah is set to tear up the stage with her unique style of eclectic pop, infused with the wildcat spirit of Brigitte Bardot. So Frenchy is family friendly, with kids under 12 welcome for free. So Frenchy So Chic happens on Sunday January 20 from noon, tickets go on sale on Monday September 10 and are $77 from ticketmaster or via cartellmusic.com.au.

Legendary British outﬁt Dr. Feelgood will be hitting Australia early next year. Known for their unique stomping, sweaty blend of high energy rock‘ n’ roll and bluesy R&B, Dr. Feelgood have cemented their place in history as one of the grimiest pub rock bands the world has ever seen. Forming in 1971, Dr. Feelgood stormed on to the UK gig circuit as trailblazers of the pub rock scene and quickly gained attention with hit singles, Roxette, Back In The Night, and the all-time classic, Milk And Alcohol. The band has held true to original lead singer, the late Lee Brilleaux’s philosophy of “You don’t have to be a musician to play rock‘n’roll. You’ve just got to love it and want to play it.” Helming the microphone now is the electric Robert Kane, with even previous band members agreeing the current lineup is the pure embodiment of Dr. Feelgood’s spirit and soul. Dr. Feelgood hit The Corner Hotel on Thursday February 21. Tickets through the Corner box oﬃce.

THE RED EYES It had seemed, for a while, like the juggernaut would just keep rolling forever. But after ten years, 38 members, 15 babies, five broken bones, three crashed vans, four releases and a million beers, Melbourne’s rock‘n’roll reggae institution The Red Eyes are calling it a day. To mark the end of an era, head along and celebrate with The Red Eyes for one huge final show on Saturday November 10 at The Corner Hotel. There will be no Farnsie style comebacks, so this is your one and only chance to see the band one last time. Tickets are on sale Wednesday September 5 for $22 from The Corner box office or $28 on the door.

AWME

Up-and-coming uniquely named band (pronounced ‘alt-J’) have announced their debut Australian tour. Named after the keystrokes required to make the symbol on a Mac computer, the symbol represents change in mathematical equations and suitably the name was sprouted at a turning point in the band members’ lives. Broadly classed as art rock but taking in the inﬂuences of everything from triphop, folk music, electronic and post-rock, alt-J ( ) have created a genre of music that is uniquely their own. alt-J ( )’s appropriately titled debut album An Awesome Wave takes listeners on a journey that ebbs and ﬂows through 13 hypnotic tracks. They play Ding Dong Lounge on Saturday October 20.

The Australasian Worldwide Music Expo (AMWE) have added some new acts to their already thriving lineup, sticking true to their mission to showcase the finest roots music from around the world. The award-winning songwriter Clare Bowditch, and pioneer of London’s new generation of dub Hollie Cook have been added to the mammoth lineup as well as Mandingobased bluesman Boubacar Traoré from Mal.. They will join previously announced acts like Nigeria’s afrobeat outfit Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, a gospel infused journey with Archie Roach’s Into The Bloodstream, original Jamaican roots vocal group The Abyssinians, Melbourne’s incendiary funksoul outfit The Bamboos and heaps more. AWME 2012 will take place from November 15-18 at the Arts Centre Melbourne, The Hi-Fi, The Toff, and Ding Dong Lounge. Tickets will be on sale through the venues. For all ticketing, lineup and venue information head to awme.com.au.

MATCHBOX TWENTY

DICK DIVER

It appears that Melburnians are Australia’s biggest Matchbox Twenty fans, with the demand for tickets so high that the band have added a second show. They play the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday October 20 and Sunday October 21. Tickets through the Live Nation website.

Melbourne four-piece Dick Diver, with their widescreen Australian sweep with a ‘70s New York punk edge, come out of the shadows again for an all-too-rare headline show, this time with Liquid Handcuﬀs and The Galaxy Folk. It’s happening at The John Curtin Hotel on Saturday September 22. Worth getting out of bed for.

ALT-J ( )

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

Beat Magazine Page 19

TOURING

WHO'S ON TOUR, WHERE AND WHEN

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

INTERNATIONAL AMERICA Hamer Hall September 6 SHIHAD The Hi-Fi September 6 THE BRAND NEW HEAVIES Trak Lounge Bar September 7, The Prince September 11 PATRICK WOLF Forum Theatre September 11 EARTH The Toﬀ In Town September 12, The Corner Hotel September 16 INGRID MICHAELSON The Corner Hotel September 13 JONATHAN WILSON The Corner Hotel September 14 HANSON The Palace September 14, 18 RUFUS WAINWRIGHT Hamer Hall September 15 NEWTON FAULKNER The Corner Hotel September 18 FUTURE ISLANDS Northcote Social Club September 19 WHEATUS The Corner Hotel September 19 YELLOWCARD The Hi-Fi September 20, 21 GOOD CHARLOTTE Festival Hall September 20 FAR EAST MOVEMENT Trak Lounge Bar September 21 NADA SURF The Corner Hotel September 21 MACY GRAY Hamer Hall September 23 MARIANAS TRENCH Corner Hotel September 24 LADY ANTEBELLUM September 25, 26 EL GRAN COMBO The Palace Theatre September 26 JAMES MORRISON Forum Theatre September 26 MYSTERY JETS The Corner September 26 SCISSOR SISTERS Hamer Hall September 26 GARY CLARK JR The Tote September 27 MARTIKA Trak Lounge September 28 FEAR FACTORY The Hi-Fi September 28 RUSSIAN CIRCLES, EAGLE TWIN The Corner Hotel September 28 TIM & ERIC The Forum September 29, 30 SNOW PATROL Regent Theatre September 30 KELLY CLARKSON Rod Laver Arena October 1 STEVE MALKMUS & THE JICKS The Corner Hotel October 3 CANNIBAL CORPSE Billboard October 5 JOE BATAAN & THE DEL BARRIO ORCHESTRA The Hi-Fi October 5 LITTLE HURRICANE Ding Dong Lounge October 5 PARKLIFE Sidney Myer Music Bowl October 6 STEEL PANTHER Festival Hall October 7 XIU XIU The Gasometer October 9 JOE BONAMASSA Palais Theatre October 11 MELBOURNE FESTIVAL Various Venues October 11 October 27 MAROON 5 Rod Laver Arena October 12 EVERCLEAR The Hi-Fi October 13 TORTOISE, GRAILS The Corner Hotel October 13 ALT-J (Δ) Ding Dong Lounge October 20 MATCHBOX TWENTY, INXS Rod Laver Arena

October 20, 21 GOMEZ The Corner Hotel October 21, 22 MUMFORD & SONS Rod Laver Arena October 25 SMASH MOUTH The Palace October 25 WEDNESDAY 13 The Espy October 27 THE BLACK KEYS Sidney Myer Music Bowl October 31, November 1 GREGORY PORTER The Toﬀ In Town November 3, Wangaratta Jazz Festival November 4 THE CHERRY POPPIN’ DADDIES The Corner Hotel November 5 TOUCHE AMORE The Reverence Hotel November 9, Phoenix Youth Centre November 10. BEN HARPER The Plenary November 10 HARVEST FESTIVAL Werribee Mansion November 10, 11 COLDPLAY Etihad Stadium November 13 REFUSED The Palace November 15, 16 AUSTRALASIAN WORLDWIDE MUSIC EXPO Various Venues November 15 - 18 RON POPE Chapel Oﬀ Chapel November 15 RADIOHEAD Rod Laver Arena November 16, 17 GEORGE MICHAEL Rod Laver Arena November 21 VILLAGE PEOPLE The Palais November 24 CHERRYFEST Cherry Bar November 25 NICKELBACK Rod Laver Arena November 27, 28 SIMPLE MINDS, DEVO Palais Theatre November 29, A Day On The Green - Rochford Wines December 1 RICK ASTLEY The Palace November 30, Chelsea Heights Hotel December 1 THE SELECTER The Corner Hotel November 30 NICKI MINAJ, TYGA Rod Laver Arena December 5 GRIMES The Corner Hotel December 5, 6 SPIRITUALIZED The Hi-Fi December 6 HOT SNAKES The Corner Hotel December 7 MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre December 7 - 9 PRIMAL SCREAM The Palace December 7 TURBONEGRO The Hi-Fi December 7 LAGWAGON Corner Hotel December 9 JLO Rod Laver Arena December 11 ALEXISONFIRE Festival Hall December 12 REGINA SPEKTOR The Plenary December 14 EVAN DANDO AND JULIANA HATFIELD Corner Hotel December 18 FALLS MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL Lorne December 28, Marion Bay December 29 PEATS RIDGE Glenworth Valley December 28 - January 1 65DAYDOFSTATIC Corner Hotel January 4 NIGHTWISH Palace Theatre January 14 WEEZER Sidney Myer Music Bowl January 16 SO FRENCHY SO CHIC Werribee Park January 20 BIG DAY OUT Flemington Racecourse January 26 DAVID HASSELHOFF The Corner Hotel February 14

ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES Westgate Entertainment Centre February 16, 17 DR. FEELGOOD Corner Hotel February 21 SOUNDWAVE Flemington Racecourse March 1 ED SHEERAN Festival Hall March 5, 6

PROUDLY PRESENTS:

NATIONAL JULIA STONE The Forum September 7 TIM HART The Workers Club September 7 BOY IN A BOX, KINGSWOOD Ding Dong Lounge September 7 CHET FAKER Revolt Artspace September 7, 8 ILLY The Corner Hotel September 7, 8 ALPINE The Corner Hotel September 8, 9 THE GANGSTERS’ BALL Forum Theatre September 8 THE SMART The Hi-Fi September 8 XAVIER RUDD The Palace September 13 TIM ROGERS The Regal Ballroom September 14 DONNY BENET The Workers Club September 14 THE MEDICS The Toﬀ In Town September 15 KIRIN J CALLINAN Northcote Social Club September 15 THE RUBENS The Forum Theatre September 15 DAREBIN MUSIC FEAST Various venues September 20 - October 7 THE ANGELS Corner Hotel September 20 KATCHAFIRE Ferntree Gully Hotel September 20, The Forum Theatre September 21 FEELINGS Workers Club September 22 MIA DYSON The Corner Hotel September 22 POND The Corner Hotel September 23 CHICKS WHO LOVE GUNS Workers Club September 27 EVERMORE The Toﬀ September 27 EAGLE AND THE WORM Northcote Social Club September 28 SIX60 The Forum September 28 SETH SENTRY The Corner September 29 THE AMITY AFFLICTION Palace Theatre October 4, 5 CHOPPED ROD & CUSTOM FESTIVAL Newstead Racecourse October 5 - 7 SASKWATCH Corner Hotel October 5 SOMETHING FOR KATE The Corner Hotel October 6 KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD The Tote October 6, 7 REGURGITATOR The Hi-Fi October 11, 12 HUSKY Corner Hotel October 11 DAPPLED CITIES Corner Hotel October 12 ROCKWIZ Festival Hall October 12, 13 BRITISH INDIA Corner Hotel October 19 VELOCIRAPTOR The Tote October 19 CREEPSHOW The Espy October 20 OH MERCY The Hi-Fi October 25 LAST DINOSAURS Ding Dong October 21 (U18), The Corner October 25, 26 JOSH PYKE The Palais Hepburn Spring October 24, Karova Lounge October 25, The Bended Elbow October 26 CLAIRE BOWDICH The Regal Ballroom October 26 KASEY CHAMBERS & SHANE NICHOLSON The Regent Theatre October 27

HENRY WAGONS Thornbury Theatre November 5 THE BEARDS The Hi-Fi November 3 HENRY WAGONS Thornbury Theatre November 5 TZU The Hi-Fi November 5 DEEP SEA ARCADE Corner Hotel November 9 MELBOURNE MUSIC WEEK Various Venues November 16 - 24 ANGUS STONE The Palace November 21 BALLPARK MUSIC The Palace November 23 QUEENSCLIFF MUSIC FESTIVAL Queenscliﬀ November 23-25 MISSY HIGGINS Palais Theatre December 4 GOTYE Sidney Myer Music Bowl December 8 SUNNYBOYS December 8 Corner Hotel THE LIVING END The Corner Hotel December 11 - 22 PARKWAY DRIVE Festival Hall December 22 PYRAMID ROCK FESTIVAL Phillip Island December 29 - January 1

RUMOURS Mariah Carey, Divine Fits, Bill Callahan, HEALTH, Lil B, plus Cat Power, Purity Ring and Yeasayer for Laneway. = New Announcements = Beat Proudly Presents

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE TOUR DIARY - BY MIKELANGELO -

After giving us the lowdown on the Edinburgh fringe Festival two weeks ago, Mikelangelo checks in with his tour diary to give us a wrap up. After one of the better Scottish summers in recent memory, the rain came hammering down, a deluge signalling the end of the Edinburgh Fringe. It’s always sad seeing the mass exodus from the city but no one can keep up the frenetic pace of shows, drinking and sleep deprivation for any longer. During the last week of the festival I had made a more concerted effort to get out and see more shows around town but I kept being drawn back to the honey pot that is the Famous Spiegeltent, and particularly to Melbourne bands. Well, one Melbourne band in particular – Saskwatch! During their two weeks in Edinburgh I caught them five times at the Spiegeltent. It seems almost perverse to see one group so many times when there are so many amazing acts to see at so many venues around the Festival, but I couldn’t help it. Saskwatch are just so damn good. And seeing a PBS sticker on their keyboard player’s organ gave me a strange send of pride here on the other side of the world. I caught up with Saskwatch key songwriter and multiinstrumentalist Liam McGorry and by all reports, the band are having a ball on their first international tour. Despite tales of semi-naked on stage antics and furious gig mayhem that had seen the band playing up to two or three shows a day, what I encountered was a very focussed, committed songwriter and musician. An added bonus was having most of the band do an impromptu set at the late night Club Spiegel and blowing away the audience. I joined them for a spontaneous garage stomp version of the Screamin’ Jay Hawkins classic Alligator Wine which blew the canvas roof right off the place. Beyond the tent I saw an amazing Brighton-based singer songwriter today called Kate Daisy Grant, who tore out my heart with her voice and her songs. She works with her husband, highly regarded UK composer and multi instrumentalist Nick Pynn, and between the two of them they had a small orchestra at their disposal – guitar, banjo, violin, cello, autoharp, glockenspiel, melodica, bells, theremin, wineglasses, toy piano, organ bass pedals and a loop pedal means the songs can build from fragile and stripped back, to undulating, multilayered arrangements. All this wouldn’t mean so much if the songs themselves Beat Magazine Page 20

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

Photo: Douglas Robertson

weren’t so damn good. Kate gazed out at the audience with a serene yet captivating stare, transfixing us all with the amazing purity of her voice. I must also mention a Scottish singer I saw called Christine Bovill, whose show of Edith Piaf songs was a triumph of beauty and tragedy. I usually run a mile from tribute shows, but this was something else entirely. Beholder of a golden, transcendental voice and accompanied by a brilliant piano player, Bovill brought her own emotive spirit to a collection of Piaf’s best songs, and told the story of the singers’ incredibly harsh and sad life, speaking in a thick Scottish accent between songs that brought a direct, humble and moving quality to the show. Piaf was the highest paid entertainer in the world in the ‘50s and her songs are some of the pillars of popular music, yet her life was a complete train wreck and she was dead by her late 40s. I have never been brought to tears so many times during a show. This was powerful, moving stuff. An added bonus was a guest appearance from 83-yearold Charles Dumond who wrote Piaf’s comeback tune and swansong, No Regrets in 1960, which went on to become a huge international hit. A humble and youthful fellow, he brought a great sense of joy to the stage, a fitting ending for a show about the life of a singer who had risen from the Paris slums to conquer adversity and the world. In terms of my own shows, I am happy to report that it was sell-out audiences, great reviews and plenty of fun times. I would have to say it was the best Edinburgh Fringe for me ever, and I’ve played the festival seven times since 2003. If you want to know more, I wrote a tour blog at mikelangelo.com.au.

WEEKEND DELEGATE PASSES NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

WEEKEND PASS ENABLES ACCESS TO ALL CONCERTS, FILM PROGRAM, WORKSHOPS & CONFERENCE SESSIONS

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK : www.facebook.com/AWMEOfямБcial TERRASPHERE P R OD U C T ION S

THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN ASSISTED BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE AUSTRALIA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS, ITS ARTS FUNDING AND ADVISORY BODY, AND THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT THROUGH ARTS VICTORIA.

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

Beat Magazine Page 21

THE XX BY LACHLAN KANONIUK

It’s a few hours until The xx take to the stage at The Forum and showcase tracks from Coexist, the band’s follow-up record to their all-conquering self-titled debut. We’re at the freshly relaunched Ding Dong Lounge (which is still undergoing sporadic bursts of renovation-associated noise), guitarist-vocalist Romy Madley Croft is setting up for a filmed interview on the sunshower-illuminated balcony, bassist-vocalist Oliver Sim is carrying his glass of cola over to the booth in which we’ll be speaking, and the label publicists are in a flurry requesting the tradies on site abstain from decibelgeneration for the next half hour or so. The remaining third of the UK trio, Jamie Smith, is apparently resting up after performing a set under his Jamie xx guise the night before. Even with the cacophony of heavy-drilling in the bandroom next door, Oliver exudes his impossibly gentle demeanour as he takes his seat. He’s no stranger to possessing such quietness in a frenzied environment. The xx recently wrapped up a run of top-billing at some of the biggest European festivals, at which the intimate track selection from their debut record were awash with the chants of thousands – a sensation experienced on a smaller scale at The Forum later this evening. Rationalising the debut album’s absurd longevity and exponential rise, Oliver looks back ahead of the release of its follow-up “The way it built felt nice and it felt natural, but it’s something that we can’t recreate with this album because a lot of people know now who we are. I’m hoping we can ease our way back in,” he reasons. “I think my greatest fear with what we do would be when a band or an artist is just shoved in your face and you feel like you’re being forced to listen to us.” The rise and rise of The xx belies their homeland’s tendency to dispose of artists almost as soon as hype is bestowed upon them. “There’s such a bad reputation for that in the UK – ﬁrst album, ‘This is the best band ever’, then second album, ‘I hate these people.’ It’s something that we’re aware of and it’s why we stopped when we did,” Oliver explains. “We could have kept going for quite a while longer and released more singles, but it didn’t feel right. We got to a place that was more than we ever dreamt of and we were content with that, we didn’t want to milk that.” In some ways, The xx that took to the studio for Coexist is a diﬀerent band that recorded the debut in 2008. The then-four-piece is now a three-piece since the departure of guitarist Baria Qureshi. Jamie Smith, the non-vocalist of the trio, gained tremendous exposure for his remix work as Jamie xx. “Baria [Qureshi] was a big part of the band, but she wasn’t a big part of the songwriting,” Oliver explains. “So it has always felt like the three of us when it came to the songwriting. More than ever now, Jamie is more involved in the

songwriting in the early stages. Which has been really good, because I think he’s a creative genius. But at the same time he has a very different mind to me and Romy, he’s very technical. He understands structure in a way that me and Romy don’t. I don’t know how to phrase it, but there’s a function to each element of the songs, which is really good to have. I think it’s brought a dynamic to the songs that we didn’t have before. I feel like we’ve gone about this a bit more like a band, like a unit,” he states. “Mine and Romy’s writing before, and still is on some of the songs, is very separate – I write from my home, she writes from her home, then we get together and collage. But this time we went into a room with nothing and built songs together, which was really new for us. It was good, it was very fast. Normally I would email Romy demos and she would email them back. So having her in front of me made the editing process so fast. We wrote three songs on the album in less than half an hour. We wrote four songs together in total. I definitely felt more like a proper band.” After emerging with an idiosyncratic aural palette, The xx still very much sound like The xx on Coexist. However, those defining characteristics weren’t rigorously pursued on the new record. “We didn’t really go into this with limitations on what we can’t do. Our sound wasn’t very preconsidered or planned out from the beginning – it was a tonne of happy accidents. Songs like VCR are so simple because I wasn’t very good at playing. I was just learning to play my instrument, I was 15, and we couldn’t have made it more complex even if we wanted to,” he smiles. “And me and Romy don’t have big voices so it didn’t make sense to make a big noise that we would have to compete with vocally. We were recording on a five-input multitracker when we were doing our early demos, which was two voices, two guitars and just drums. It was those kind of unplanned things that made the sound in the beginning. I think it’s just

“WE DIDN’T REALLY GO INTO THIS WITH LIMITATIONS ON WHAT WE CAN’T DO. OUR SOUND WASN’T VERY PRECONSIDERED OR PLANNED OUT FROM THE BEGINNING – IT WAS A TONNE OF HAPPY ACCIDENTS.”

Beat Magazine Page 22

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

a good reflection of who we are. If we were making loud, full-on aggressive music it would be pretty out of character.” Complementing their aural intimacy, The xx’s lyric sheets have an at-times devastatingly simple capability to resonate. “It’s always personal, but it’s come from a lot more experience this time than the first record – considering they were love songs and I was around 15, 16 years old,” Oliver recalls. “That wasn’t necessarily coming from a place of experience. It was still personal, it was still what I was feeling, but I was peering into a lot of other people’s relationships around me and gaining my own expectations from them. Now my turn has come, come and gone maybe, and I’ve done a lot of venting in my writing, it’s been pretty therapeutic. It’s a scary prospect putting that much out there. I’m just registering now these lyrics are going to be on a lyric sheet in a booklet and a lot of people are going to be hearing these songs, I’m sure.” The first taste of the new record came in the form of Angels, a sparse, Romy-led, track with the affecting chorus cry of “They would be as in love with you as I am.” Putting forth the track as the world’s introduction to Coexist was an interesting choice, a reaction to people’s initial expectations. “It is the most restrained and it probably isn’t the best representation of the album. It’s just a strong song that’s stayed with all three of us and always been very clear. Jamie said something early on in an interview that we’d been inspired by club music, and I think it was blown out of proportion a bit and people expected us to make a full-on club record, like David Guetta all the way, which we haven’t at all. [Club music] was an influence, but it was an influence among many. Just because it’s an influence doesn’t mean it’s going to represent itself in the way you hear it – like the concept of repetition in dance music inspired us. We just felt Angels was a strong song and it felt right.” With anticipation for the new record riding high, Oliver mediates on what he would see as the worstcase and best-case scenarios. “Worst case would be,” he pauses to contemplate. “I’m gonna freak myself out here. It would be going a bit like a supernova, being a short burst with the whole idea of people being sick of us. Like if the album was everywhere and people just got tired of it. Best case would be that we leave this record wanting to make a third.” Kicking off the album touring cycle with two decidedly undersized Australian shows, Oliver promises that the band will return in 2013 on a more appropriate, grander scale. “I’m trying to look at the calendar and it’s terrifying, like a year and a half of my life on a screen in front of me. We’re definitely coming back to Australia, but I think it will be next year though – which I’m looking forward to. It’s such a different experience playing new songs to people. We still need to work out a few of the songs. Playing songs that people don’t know is sort of like trying to win them over, so I’m definitely looking forward to coming back when people have had time to live with the album and they know the songs. But right now I’m focused on the day the record comes out, because this anticipation is the worst. I’ve been talking about it and living with these songs for a while now, and I want people to have them.” Coexist is out Friday September 7 through Young Turks/Remote Control.

Features

Sleep Alone & Sun.

n o c a e B

Instore and online now! CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 23

THIS WEEK: ON SCREEN Prepare to hold on tight as the 3rd Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA) graces Melbourne exclusively for the first time. In what will be four days of drama, comedy, action and more, KOFFIA will take Victorians on an intense ride of Korean cinema. Taking place at ACMI, KOFFIA will be more than just a film festival, featuring industry forums, musical performances and cultural acts. Presenting a showcase of the latest hits as well as a few classics, the Korean Film Festival offers a direct chance for people to satisfy their hunger for drama. The Korean Film Festival in Australia is organised by the Korean Cultural Office Australia and runs from Saturday September 8 - Wednesday September 12. For details about KOFFIA including session times and how to buy tickets, visit the website, koffia.com.au.

ON STAGE

Once there was a lonely man with lots of love to give. He wanted a child so much that he carved himself a beautiful little boy. But the boy wanted the world and the latest designer sneakers. He wanted fame, celebrity and to walk on the wild side. He was lured by temptation and the love of a blue girl. This woodenhead wanted more than his father could possibly give, and so he ran away to get it. Based on the classic tale by Carlo Collodi, Pinocchio is boldly retold as a witty, rocking, music theatre spectacular; a mix of old time theatre fun and a celebration of the ‘whatever’ generation. Pinocchio is on at the Malthouse Theatre until Friday September 28.

ON DISPLAY Psycho-o-tropica; Tales of the Deep North showcases the work of 20 artists, both established and emerging, who have called Cairns home. Despite the tyranny of distance from major capitals the artists are sustaining practices that have a symbiotic relationship with big cities and remote regions alike. This exhibition presents works with pop, urban, contemporary, subversive and subcultural edges untempered by capital city inﬂuences, demonstrating a diverse range of mediums and perspectives. Each artist brings to their work something inherently Far Northern Queensland, proving that Cairns isn’t so much a destination, it’s a point of departure. Psycho-otropica; Tales of the Deep North will be held at the Melbourne Art Rooms in Port Melbourne until Sunday September 30.

BEAT’S PICK OF THE WEEK: Marlene is out to celebrate her big promotion at work. And she’s earned it. It’s a just reward for years of dedicated service and hard work at the Top Girls Employment Agency. Nobody knows better than Marlene that today’s career woman has to be tough as nails to compete in the masculine corporate world. And if she’s had to make sacriﬁces along the way, then they’ve all been worth it. Caryl Churchill’s timeless masterpiece Top Girls asks all the diﬃcult questions about women, career and corporate culture, and sees Jenny Kemp returning to the Melbourne Theatre Company directing an all-female cast featuring Nikki Shiels and Anita Hegh. Top Girls shows at the Southbank Theatre until Saturday September 29.

Beat Magazine Page 24

BILL BAILEY BY CAITLIN WELSH

Interviewing Bill Bailey comes with a small caveat: he reads everything. So be nice, or you might end up in his show. One hapless journalist who referred to Bailey’s “egg-shaped head” and hair that “flows like a shower curtain down his back” ended up having their description mocked on stage every night in his show Part Troll. “People get very creative in their descriptions of my physical demeanour,” Bailey admits. “I don’t have a team of image consultants, much as you may find that surprising. It’s down to my own laziness, I suppose, it’s something that’s not really bothered me. I’m aware of it, because they say ‘Oh, you look like this, you look like that’, and every single review, ‘Oh, the wurzel-head, the bearded thing’, and I think, ‘Blimey, I hadn’t really paid it much attention.’” Bailey loves to talk. We go fifteen minutes overtime (“Yup, that’s him!” says his unfazed publicist blithely) and I don’t get to half of my questions. Far from seeing journalists as a necessary evil taking up his valuable time, though, the actor, musician and comic – whose inventive live shows incorporate all these talents – finds long stints of interviews useful to his process. “Very often, you’re in a writing mode; I’m writing the show, I’m immersed in the show, performing the show, making notes, recording the show, listening to the tapes, going back, making notes, meeting with lighting people, stage people, working with filmmakers – you get totally

wrapped up in the mechanics of the show,” he says, rapid-fire, “And then I sit down to talk to journalists and try to explain myself, and I very often realise in the midst of it I actually figure out what the show’s about.” In its present form not even Bailey knows what it will look like by the time it arrives on our shores in September. The new show Qualmpeddler has been heavily influenced by a trip to China Bailey took with his family in April this year, although he also promises a “reggae, Jamaican, dub version of Downton Abbey.” He explains that it’s been one of his long-held goals to travel there. “In 1989 I was touring around Japan with a

FREE SHIT

Bill Bailey’s Qualmpeddler shows at Hamer Hall Monday September 10, Tuesday September 11, Wednesday September 12 and Thursday September 13.

TRIPPING THE RIFT

EPIC! 100 YEARS OF FILM & THE BIBLE Quite possibly beginning with The Queen of Sheba in 1921, the Bible has been reinterpreted via the big screen through and through since cinema began. EPIC! 100 Years Of Film And The Bible explores the fascination filmmakers from all over the world have had with the doctrine. From Australia to Croatia, USA to Mexico, EPIC! showcases the unique and fascinating journey of the Hebrew Bible through film. Comprising mostly rare vintage movie posters, stretching as far back as 1921, the exhibition also features ephemera including movie stills, lobby cards, press books and costumes. This exhibition explores how filmmakers

theatre company, and at the end of the tour we were going to do some shows in Beijing,” Bailey explains. “And it was all planned, we were all ready to go, and then Tiananmen Square happened. So that was the end of that. And our flights were cancelled, and we couldn’t go, and we ended up going to Hong Kong instead. And I remember very vividly the signs that were up around the place, saying ‘Fax the Truth to China.’ Other modes of communication like phone, mail and Telex were all monitored. But faxes, for some reason, were getting through, and that was the only way that people in Hong Kong could get the information to China, and tell people in China what was happening.” China these days, Bailey says, is a fascinating place to visit. At one point, he bought a live owl that was offered to him in a restaurant and later released it into the wild. “I did not eat an owl,” he says. “I would not eat an owl. And the other thing is, there can’t be all that much meat on an owl, really. I know owls, and there’s not much to them.” He had better dining experiences later, in Yunan province, he says. “Pine needle salad was something I’d never had before, but it was strangely tasty. I actually really liked it. It’s like they had no idea what to do with the Christmas tree at the end. ‘No, no, don’t chuck it out! Put it in a bowl with some dressing on it!’” More than anything, though, he was struck by the strangeness of the oppressive political culture. “You have to get a guide to take you around,” he recalls. “And I was trying to talk to her about Mao, and Mao’s legacy, and she would almost look over her shoulder and say, ‘Yes, he was a great leader,’ and then lean in and whisper, ‘But he made a few mistakes.’ And you say, ‘Yeah, 70 million dead in peacetime, that could be a mistake.’ And they just laugh nervously and say, ‘Anyway, here are the tombs!’” The Qualmpeddler tour poster draws on Maoist propaganda artwork, with Bailey in a Mao-style jumpsuit towering over a phalanx of people with whom he has, one presumes, qualms: Kardashians, the Assads, Simon Cowell, Flash Gordon villain Emperor Ming. “It’s a pastiche of an actual early Mao propaganda poster. And that particular pose was a denunciation. And all of those people who are now celebrities and dictators were all factory workers, pointing at this individual grovelling on the factory floor. And then there was this giant, beneficent Mao, floating above them, pointing at all of them, denouncing them. And there was blossom, and all these people working in the fields. And it looks like this wonderful photo of harmony, but the reality is that it’s basically someone being hounded to death. And that’s the duality of the whole Mao era: beautiful art depicting scenes of cruelty and horror. It’s an extraordinary painting. “And this is the brilliant, delicious irony of the whole thing,” Bailey goes on, both a little horrified at himself and proud. “There is a service in China where people will hand-paint the poster. So I will get a genuine pastiche of a Mao-era propaganda poster made in China. So that seems very fitting.”

have been mining the Bible for drama, exoticism and eroticism, taking audacious and creative liberties to heighten the sex, theatricality and violence since the turn of last century. Thanks to the Jewish Museum of Australia we have several double passes to give away.

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

Commissioned by the Sci-Fi Channel, Tripping the Rift is an irreverent animated comedy series set in a distant future, and since its ﬁrst airing back in 2004, the cartoon-comedy quickly established a passionate fan base. Created by Chris Mueller (King of the Hill) and Chuck Austin, the second series continues the misadventures of Chode McBlob and his motley crew as they traipse the furthermost boundaries of the galaxy in their endless pursuit of the perfect get-rich-quick-scheme. Melding Adult Swim and everything from Star Wars, Tripping the Rift is geared towards fans of sci-ﬁ and animated comedy, and we have a few copies of the newly released Season 2 DVD to give away. Head to beat.com.au/freeshit for your chance to win.

( ) % Start your degree pathway at La Trobe Melbourne in October. La Trobe Melbourne is running diplomas in Business and IT this October, which means !" # $ % Our Diplomas will prepare you for university studies â&#x20AC;&#x201D; based in our college on La Trobe Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus, you will be studying towards the degree of your choice. With smaller classes and a more personalised teaching environment, we will give you the skills to succeed.

& $ ' latrobemelbourne.edu.au or call us on 03 9479 2417

& " " *Additional requirements for speciďŹ c courses may apply. LaTrobe Melbourne is part of the Navitas Group. CRICOS provider code: La Trobe Melbourne 00115M

LATMEL0061_0812_AW

grand opening Sunday 16 September 2012

design. art. boutique craft. ďŹ ne food. music

SUNDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2012 9.00 am > 2.00 pm 2

> Manningham City Square, Civic Plaza 687 Doncaster Road, Doncaster info@theďŹ nedesignmarket.com.au www.theďŹ nedesignmarket.com.au

Proudly supported by

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

Beat Magazine Page 25

THE COMIC STRIP CHECKPOINT CHARLIE COMEDY

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

AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 2013 SEASON After a successful year of music and performance, The Australian Chamber Orchestra unveil yet another program of thrilling music and artistry with their most decadent season ever. 2013 will feature an array of acclaimed composers, performers and artists, starting with a bang as electric violinist Richard Tognetti takes to the stage with his performance of Brett Dean’s Electric Preludes. Legend Barry Humphries will add to the season with a collection of 1930s Berlin music that inspired him into music, while praised pianist Jeremy Denk will perform in Australia for the ﬁrst time. For these and many more highlights of the ACO’s 2013 program head to aco.com.au for tickets, information and subscription.

THE WELL When you thought that every post-apocalyptic play had been done, think again. La Mama present The Well, a production centred on the aftermath of the earth's magnetic poles ﬂipping. Devised with Monash University Student Theatre, The Well is based upon the original text by Robert Reid. The Well depicts an earth that's fallen out of orbit and into another ice age. To add a twist, protagonists Gareth and Elliot lead strange lives – Gareth swears he's going blind while traveling backwards through time and Elliot’s turning into a giant ant. Thought that was weird enough? The audience participates in the production. Onlookers are encouraged to engage in the performance from all angles while trying to gauge where the story is going. The Well will run from Thursday September 13 - Sunday September 30 at the La Mama. Tickets are available at lamama.com.au.

COMEDY BITES DOG FUNDRAISER In a fundraiser for The Black Dog Institute, The Order of Melbourne is hosting a one-night-only comedy event entitled Comedy Bites Dog that will feature some of Melbourne’s most outrageously hilarious comedians. Organised by Bev Killick, Comedy Bites Dog will feature Dave Callan, the acclaimed Puppetry of the Penis, The Four Chairs, Shed Zeppelin, and many more. Consider it an aﬀordable night of comedy with all proceeds going to support Killick’s son, Abel, who will take The Peru Challenge 2012 for The Black Dog Institute. The organisation works in rural and metropolitan communities to educate, support and remove the stigma of mood disorders. Guaranteed to be a night of witticisms, innuendos, and the occasional bad word, Comedy Bites Dog will start at 7pm on Sunday September 9 at The Order of Melbourne.

LES BALLET TROCKADERO

U N

(F DE ul R lp ric 30 e $ $4 2 0) 5

Founded in New York in 1974 by a group of passionate ballerinas, Les Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo, or The Trocks, have been entertaining the world with their comical ballet performances for years and they’re ﬁnally back in Australia after a three year absence. Described by the Daily Telegraph as “a perfectly balanced combination of genuinely accomplished dancing and wonderfully comic cock-ups,” The Trocks are known for their blend of ballet that twists high camp and art together into a masterfully wicked delight of impeccable performance. Expect plenty of gay jokes, cross-dressing and arabesques that will leave you laughing in amazement. The Trocks will perform at The Palais Theatre on Saturday November 3 and Sunday November 4. Tickets can be purchased through ticketmaster.com.au.

EXPERIMENTA

COLOURFEST

Experimenta, an initiative focused on the collision of technology and creativity, returns with its 5th international biennial exhibition entitled Speak To Me. The exhibition includes various artists that specialise in an array of technological mediums including robotics, animation and digital video. Experimenta: Speak To Me is a lot more interactive than most, with an android, for example, that wants to play ‘What’s the time Mr. Wolf?’ and an artwork that has to be created by the audience. Experimenta: Speak To Me will be held at the RMIT Gallery from Friday September 14 – Wednesday November 17. More information about artists and coinciding events can be found at experimenta.org.

Considered a platform to release films that share stories of the changing identity of Australia, Colourfest returns for another year of short films that explore multiculturalism. Supported by the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, the film festival will feature a series of 14 short films that are screened over two sessions, coupled with a feature film written and produced by a Nigerian-Australian. Colourfest, as the name insinuates, is focused on representing the different ‘colours’ of cultures within Australia, ranging from Chinese stories to Turkish and Punjabi ones. Hosted at the Footscray Community Arts Centre, Colourfest will run from 2pm onwards on Saturday September 8. Tickets and more information can be found at colourfest.com.au.

ANAM QUARTETTHAUS Presented by the Australian National Academy of Music and Bluebottle, Quartetthaus returns for a two-week long special season of musical quartets this spring. Quartetthaus will feature an array of quartets, including ﬂock/rock band HOY, Tinalley String Quartet and Speak Percussion, who will pay tribute to Australians James Ledger, Don Banks, Paul Stanhope and Nigel Westlake. Each performance only oﬀers 52 seats, due to the small size of the venue, a vacant block at back of the Arts Centre, but each is guaranteed to be a winner. ANAM Quartetthaus will be held on the corner of City Road and Sturt Street, Southbank from Thursday September 13 – Sunday September 30. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at trybooking.com.

CAPTAIN MYSTERIOUS AND THE LEAGUE OF AWESOME The world is in danger, and only one man and his trusty allies can save us! Join Captain Mysterious and the League of Awesome as they ﬁght to protect our planet from the most evil and sinister creatures ever known to community TV. Three years in the making, this hilarious, ridiculous, amazing six-part series is sure to attract a cult following for the late night crowd and other losers with nothing better to do on a Saturday night. Captain Mysterious and the League of Awesome screens from 10.30pm from Saturday September 8 on C31. Visit captainmysterious.com for more information.

SCREEN IT COMPETITION ‘Belonging’ is the poignant theme for Screen It 2012, a national competition for school-aged ﬁlm and game makers. Run by ACMI, the competition is designed for students and teachers through a collaboration with government initiative, Bullying. No Way!, Judged by a panel of industry experts, winners will be announced in December. In addition to ACMI’s own awards, Bullying. No Way! will present awards and a $1000 bursary to the best primary and secondary students who handle the topic of bullying within the theme. Competition entries for Screen It 2012 close 5pm Friday September 14.

MONSTER FEST In a celebration of white-knuckle inducing cult cinema, Monster Fest comes to Melbourne for a tenday cinematic survey of horror and gore. Beginning on Halloween with a blood red carpet, the program includes horror, sci-fi, fantasy and cult cinema from around the world and locally, with special guests Larry Cohen, Laurene Landon and Mistress of the Dark Elvira. The festival closes with Canadian horror film American Mary, which premiered to rapturous reviews at the Film4 Fright Fest in London. Details of the opening night film, the Gorlesque Monster Ball and more will be revealed at Cinema Nova on September 13. Monster Fest runs from Wednesday October 31 Friday November 9 at Cinema Nova Carlton.

DROUGHT AND RAIN Drought and Rain is a contemporary performance of song and dance that explores the Vietnam War through the movement, music and gestures of 12 elderly Vietnamese women. Choreographed by Ea Sola, the compelling tale is a re-creation of Sola’s 1995 work of the same name. Drought and Rain has recently toured Europe and Asia to great success due to its collision of non-professional performers and virtuoso Vietnamese musicians in a heartfelt confession of experience. Held at the Playhouse Theatre, Drought and Rain (Re-creation 2011) will be shown from Thursday September 20 – Saturday September 22, with a Q&A session following the Friday performance. More information about the performance and tickets can be found at artscentremelbourne.com.au.

THE HABITAT It’s always a great thing when young and emerging artists gain recognition and the National Gallery of Victoria’s exhibition HABITAT is doing exactly just that. Boasting a selection of nine young emerging artists, the exhibition will see work produced by these artists in collaboration with an established mentor. Tony Ellwood, the NGV Director explains, “This is a unique opportunity for young artists to gain invaluable experience working alongside established artists.” HABITAT will see the works of mentors and mentees in a combination of skills, knowledge and mediums ranging from animation, multimedia to classical sculpture and painting. The exhibition is part of the Rudder Exchange Visual Arts Mentoring Partnerships (REVAMP). HABITAT will run from Saturday September 8 – Sunday September 30 at the NGV Studio. Entry is free.

SPECTACLE CITY In a special meet-the-author event, Nicola Themistes will read an excerpt from her novel and have an open discussion about literature, art and the Howard-era politics that influenced her. Set in 2005, Spectacle City: An Allegory illustrates the story of Alexander Smokescreen and his attempt to find “a place in the world where he can sit and drink continuously without being interrupted” as he unflinchingly analyses the social malaise of gambling and drug use within Melbourne. Spectacle City: An Allegory by Nicola Themistes will be held at the Collected Works Bookshop in Melbourne’s CBD from 6pm Wednesday September 12.

OLD BAR LIFE DRAWING CLASSES Old Bar becomes an unlikely hive of artistic activity for the next month when it hosts life-drawing classes. Held in the gallery space above the iconic dive, qualiﬁed art teacher Kristen will impart her wisdom to a maximum of eight students per course. Tuition, a model and equipment for the ﬁve sessions are included in the $100 price tag. The weekly classes begin on Thursday September 20, running from 7-9pm.

COMMEDIA DELL PARTE It’s spring time at Commedia Dell Parte in the newly renovated George Lane bar. This week we have Simon Keck as our special guest MC. Taking the mic this week will be Pete Sharkey, The Nelson Twins, Beau Stegmann, Spencer Hodges, Naim Ghanbari, Michael Connell, Adam Francis and Danny Stinson. Make sure you get in early to secure yourself a comfy couch, see some amazing comedy 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. Commedia Dell Parte runs every Thursday at 8.30pm at the George Lane Bar.

SUPER COMEDY CRAZY SHOW This Sunday gather everyone you’ve ever loved and bring them along to the Super Comedy Crazy Show, where mega host Matt Burton and super sound lord Silent Jay will transport you to another realm where stand up comedy meets something that must be seen to be understood. This weeks line up will feature the multi award-winning superstar Sammy J. This night will also include performances from the stunningly good Kate McLellan, Bart Freebairn and The Underlads. The greatness will begin at 7.30pm on Sunday September 9 at 303 on High St, Northcote and costs $10. Please be warned the Jam Hoop will return this show.

COMEDY AT SPLEEN Mondays at Spleen are always a full house and a great night! This Monday, our host is the red-hot future superstar, Tommy Little! Plus Karl Chandler, David Tulk, Trav Nash and heaps more. It’s this Monday September 10, 41 Bourke St at 8.30pm. It may be free, but we appreciate a good gold coin donation at the door!

THE VARIETY COLLECTIVE The Variety Collective is back this week with an all-new show, completely restored and remixed for a heightened variety entertainment experience. Catch new comers and favourites all in stunning HD and 5.1 surround sound, including Simon Coronel, an internationally award winning magician, Don Tran, master of one liners Josie Wardrope , an amazing performer bringing a new take on the world of circus and Liam Ryan, an oddball comedian and raconteur. All held together by your host with the most Mr. Michael Connell. Tickets are only $10. Get in early for a seat, earlier for a meal. Show starts 8pm tonight at The Brunswick Green, 313 Sydney Rd.

COMEDY COURT Comedy Court will soon be in session right here in Melbourne. On entry, each audience member is supplied with their own (unique) electronic voting pad. They then use this to vote for the comic they judge to be the best featured in the show. The comedians themselves gain feedback the voting public gives on their talent! This makes for a totally unique show. Held every ﬁrst Thursday of each month, starting Thursday September 6 at The Red Violin. Show starts at 8.30pm.

HAPPY ENDING by Melissa Reeves

Louise is generally content with her husband and her life in the suburbs. So why does she constantly ﬁnd herself at Northland Shopping Centre entertaining a desperate and passionate crush on her young Chinese masseur? Don’t miss this outrageously funny play by Melbourne’s own Melissa Reeves. MTC is a department of the University of Melbourne

Beat Magazine Page 26

Cheap piss and piss-cheap entry at the best damn comedy room in town. Tonight, Charlie again features Australia’s best comedians spitting funnies into the business end of a loud stick. We’ve even got a secret special guest. So come ﬁll yourself with $6 drinks and put your continence to the ultimate test from 8pm tonight at Eurotrash Bar - $5 entry. Get down early for a seat.

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

NOW PLAYING TO 22 SEPTEMBER BOOK NOW mtc.com.au

B E A T M A G A Z I N E ’ S N E W M O N T H LY S E C T I O N D E D I C A T E D T O A R T S S PA C E S AROUND MELBOURNE. FROM GALLERIES TO CAFES, FROM ALLEYWAY STREET A R T T O P H O T O G R A P H Y, F R O M C O U R S E S TO EXHIBITIONS - ARTSPACE HAS IT ALL. artSpace is Melbourne’s newest space to talk about your upcoming events & points of difference with artist profiles, qna’s, news, event announcements, exhibition listings, photos and interviews with the people that create, nurture and support our arts community. artSpace is offering special packages to help get you on board including; • FREE EDITORIALS • FREE ARTISTS PROFILES & INTERVIEWS • FREE PHOTOS • FREE ADVERTISING ARTWORK DESIGN (IF REQUIRED) • FREE PROMO GIVEAWAYS • INCLUSION IN OUR MONTHLY ARTSPACE LISTINGS • HEAVILY DISCOUNTED PACKAGE RATES • FREE ONLINE COVERAGE As an advertiser in artspace your package will appear in full colour both in print and online for the same cost. With our www.beat.com.au traffic now reaching 64,000+ ubs plus having over 34000 printed copies available from over 1800 distribution points around Melbourne. ARTSPACE’S REACH OUT TO OUR READERS WILL BE MASSIVE. contact Ronnit - ronnit@beat.com.au for more info.

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

Beat Magazine Page 27

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

Beat Magazine Page 27

HAPPY ENDING BY BELLA ARNOTT-HOARE

With a sly wink-and-nudge, the MTC’s new Lawler Studio play introduces itself with double entendre. But Melissa Reeves’ latest offering Happy Ending doesn’t deal in crudities, referencing instead the decidedly less-cheeky, more eternal implications of the adage as it follows a lovelorn woman with a crush in the most unconventional of settings – a massage parlour in Northland Shopping Centre. Reeves, an established local playwright known for works The Spook, Furious Mattress and Who’s Afraid of the Working Class? thinks back to its origins, removed in a sense from what the final performed product will be. “It actually didn’t start as a play, it started as a tiny piece of prose. I wrote a short piece about a woman who thinks the guy who is massaging her at the massage shop in the shopping centre – she thinks there’s a bit of frisson between them, so it’s sort of her examining that and thinking about it and describing it, and him talking a little bit about what he thinks about her.” In this little composition the romantic feelings were somewhat unrequited, with the relationship a fantasy the woman had conceived about a younger man. According to Reeves this story, and the play itself, touches on middle age sexuality and being a middle aged woman, “which, you know, I am,“ she says. “I think I know the terrain. I personally haven’t had a thing with a young masseur; it’s not autobiographical in that way, but being 50 years old and being a woman, you think about whether you have any agency in the world. Disappearing. And whether you’re still attractive. All of those issues are real and I have touched on some of that stuff. “ Another angle for the playwright is the intimate act of a massage itself – having a stranger’s hands wandering your body’s topography with supposed medicinal purpose. “I do go and have massages at a massage establishment and always find it such an interesting contract that’s going on. It is a very intimate thing and yet you don’t

know these people from Adam, and they’re touching you, and I found that an interesting thing to explore. Maybe it does feel quite special or unusual.” When she was approached by Aidan Fennessy, the theatre company’s associate director, he asked her to produce a script for the MTC and she offered that small idea. Gradually, this was developed into a fully-fledged production. “I thought about that little bit, maybe I could develop it into a play, and that’s how it started. It grew from there. But as I started writing it I did worry, is this too small a story for a play?” Growing the piece from a short story to a full-length production required some narrative invention on the writer’s behalf. “As I was writing it I didn’t know if it was quite enough of a story, so I brought in a few other things, like a thread with a friend that she talks to a lot, and also that she’s not sure how to get to know this young man. So she goes and talks to a friend of a friend of a relative, a businessman who works a lot in China. So it sort of touches on our business relationship with China in a lateral way.“ Bit by bit, she says, the other characters started to become more fleshed out, and as she added the character of the businessman and his lover it plumped out enough to be a play, albeit a rollicking one-act one. “Funnily enough it was a two-act play until about a week ago,” she says. “It’s a one-act play now which I think is right. The director Susie D, who is fabulous, felt like if it could go straight through then it would be great,

because it’s sort of like a fable in a way. We’ve made a few little cuts so it’ll be able to go straight through.” And of its production, Reeves says, “it’s been coming together well.” Progressing onto her second MTCcommissioned play, following on from Art and Soul a number of years ago, this play has taken on a slightly diﬀerent life. With previous works exploring typically dark matter, tragi-comedy Furious Mattress for example detailing the hazards of backyard exoricism, this mostly lighthearted piece strays from Reeve’s typical writerly oeuvre. “I think this is a little bit of a departure for me in terms of style, although maybe not as much as I ﬁrst thought,” she says. “It’s certainly more a personal little story, and I don’t think – I’ve gone for larger stories and not necessarily stories about people’s romantic life. And I’ve

gone for bleaker topics. This one’s pretty easy-going in a way, it’s sort of a social comedy in a way. But you still write it how you write it.” There’s always anxiety about how a play will be received by audiences but Reeves, after a ﬁt of booming laughter, attempts to answer the diﬃcult question. “I hope it resonates with the present day. There’s this middleaged woman who goes for this young masseur – she’s hopefully engaging and we like her, but is she crossing a boundary? And I guess that’s a bit what the play’s about as well.”

who they are,” she says. “The way that Yorkshire people speak is quite distinctive – it’s certainly a lot different from the way Australians speak, and it’s even quite a bit different from the way people speak in London. It’s very specific – there’s no emotion or pause in what they’re saying, all of it comes through the intonation and the accent. It really does inform what we’re doing as actors on stage. The accent can be really abrupt.” Perfecting the Yorkshire accent has given the cast the rare opportunity to work with a voice coach – an amazing and fun experience, Brew tells me. “There are so many different dialects in England, and the accent can change within three kilometres of where Withernsea is, so that makes it extra challenging,” she says. “The most important thing for us is just to be consistent with eachother. It’s all well and good to say that, for generational reasons, the young people would speak differently from how their parents do, but that’s not going to read well on stage, so we made a clear choice to do it how we’ve done it, because otherwise, it wouldn’t quite work.” Kristina Brew has long aspired to work with the Red

Stitch Actors Theatre, so for her, The Kitchen Sink is something of a dream come true. “I graduated from the VCA in 2008, and I auditioned for the Red Stitch’s graduate program, but the position went to a friend of mine instead. I’ve always gone along to their shows, and have maintained a lovely relationship with some of the ensemble members there, because I really admire the work they’re doing. I’d gone to see a Red Stitch show in Geelong, which was a remount of a show they did here last year called Stop Rewind, and was talking to them then, and the opportunity to audition for this show came up, so I auditioned and now here we are. I’ve really wanted to work with them for a long time – I’ve always been a fan of their determination to put new work on, and their willingness to seek out a broad network of diﬀerent people to cast.”

Happy Ending shows at the The MTC Theatre, Lawler Studio from Wednesday September 5 – Saturday September 22.

THE KITCHEN SINK BY ALASDAIR DUNCAN

The Red Stitch Actors Theatre is committed to bringing new works to local stages, and this month, they present the Australian premiere of The Kitchen Sink by British playwright Tom Wells. The play is a comedy about family life and perseverance during tough times – it’s all about heart, and this, says actress Kristina Brew, is what so attracted her to it. “It’s hilarious on the page, but once you get up on the floor, there’s just something about it,” she says. “The characters in it have such sadness and hope. It reads one way on the page, but there’s incredible depth to it as you start to get to know them and explore their relationships on the floor. That’s probably one of the main reasons I was attracted to the play – that, and the fact that it was an opportunity to work with Red Stitch, because I just think they’re a great company.” The Kitchen Sink is a story of a family living together in the seaside town of Withernsea, in Yorkshire. “They’re all kind of struggling to accept change and move forward,” Brew says, “and each of them, at some point in the play, has a chance to explode out of their comfort zone and do something crazy. My character, Sophie, is a girl who’s going for her black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, but for various reasons, ends up decking her Jiu-Jitsu examiner, so ends up having to reassess how to go about getting her black belt, and overcome some of her own fears. Her dad is struggling with how to maintain the family business, which he has been running for 20 years and which is losing money. Her brother Billy is off to art school but he’s quite frightened of going.” The play is about accepting change and breaking out of one’s comfort zone. “These people are all forced to step up,” Brew says, “and that’s where a lot of the drama comes from.” Stories about family also make for quite potent dramatic fare. “I think it’s quite easy to see a bit of yourself in these

characters,” Brew says, “and also emphasise with the ways that they react to eachother. My character Sophie can be quite hard and quite rude at times, but she’s struggling so much with her own identity and sense of self, it comes out in the way that she reacts to her family. You ﬁnd out a bit later in the play that she’s gone through quite a traumatic experience, and is trying to move forward from that and be a strong woman while she’s crumbling a little bit.” The Kitchen Sink is quite a funny play, but what makes it funny, Brew says, is the sadness at the other end of the scale. “There’s something really endearing about each of the characters,” she says. “They’re a family, and every family is diﬀerent, but also sort of the same.” Given the play’s English setting, director Terence O’Connell has opted to have the cast perform in Yorkshire accents – getting this right, Brew tells me, has been one of the biggest challenges in preparing for the play. “A character’s accent, and the way that they speak and enunciate can really tell you a lot about them and

The Kitchen Sink is currently playing until Saturday September 22 at The Red Stitch Actors Theatre.

Late Night Exhibition Opening

100 YEARS OF FILM & THE BIBLE Thursday 30 August Bar open from 5:30pm Galleries close at 9:00pm

FREE jewishmuseum.com.au | 26 Alma Road, St Kilda Beat Magazine Page 28

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

7%$ 3% 04

)335% -%,"/52.%²3 /.,9 $%$)#!4%$ #,5" -!'

(!6!.! "2/7.!53

*/(. ± ² &,%-).'5+

4/$$ 4%22953!

!.$ -/2% 0,53 .%73 4/523 #,5" 0)#3

Function One: Sound Systematic FOR MORE UP TO DATE NEWS GO TO BEAT.COM.AU

UPCOMING

SEPTEMBER

ONTOUR PHOTEK [UK], DIGITAL PRIMATE [AUS] Thursday September 6, Lounge RED RACK ‘EM [UK] Friday September 7, The Croft Institute JOHN ‘00’ FLEMING [UK] Friday September 7, Brown Alley STEFFI [GER] Friday September 7, Liberty Social TIEFSCHWARZ [GER] Friday September 7, New Guernica SASSE [GER] Friday September 7, Mercat Basement TODD TERRY [USA] Saturday September 8, New Guernic ALEX BAU [GER] Sunday September 9, Lounge OCTAVE ONE [USA] Friday September 14, Mercat Basement SOLA ROSA [NZ] Friday September 14, Northcote Social Club LUKE FAIR [CAN] Friday September 14, Onesixone KENNY LARKIN [USA] Friday September 14, New Guernica ROGER SHAH [GER] Saturday September 15, Room680 ZOMBIE DISCO SQUAD [UK] Saturday September 15, Prince Bandroom KENJI TAKIMI [JPN] Saturday September 15, Mercat Basement EQUINOX: LOGIC BOMB [SWE], TERRANOISE [ISR], CHROMATONE [USA] + MORE Friday September 21 - Sunday September 23, Goulburn Valley River FERRY CORSTEN [NED] Friday September 21, Palace Theatre HERNAN CATTANEO [ARG], FRITZ KALKBRENNER [GER] Friday September 21, Brown Alley NARI AND MILANI [ITA] Friday September 21, Royal Melbourne Hotel ERIC CLOUTIER [USA] Friday September 21, Mercat Basement COMMIX [UK], FRICTION [UK] Friday September 21, Roxanne Parlour DOCTOR P [UK], COOKIE MONSTA [UK], FUNTCASE [UK] Saturday September 22, Roxanne Parlour OPTIV [SWE], BTK [BRA] Saturday September 22, The Night Owl SIS [GER] Sunday September 23, Onesixone SCISSOR SISTERS [USA] Wednesday September 26, Hamer Hall RICK WADE [USA] Friday September 28, The Croft Institute SHARAM [USA], DIBBY DOUGHERTY [IRE] Friday September 28, Billboard DAS EFX [USA] Friday September 28, Prince Bandroom NICK SENTIENCE [UK] Friday September 28, Room680 TONY TOUCH [USA] Friday September 28, The Espy GIGAMESH [USA] Saturday September 29, Seven FUNKAGENDA [UK] Saturday September 29, Pretty Please TOMMIE SUNSHINE [USA] Saturday September 29, Prince Bandroom PAUL OAKENFOLD [UK] Friday October 5, Festival Hall FELIX DICKINSON [UK] Friday October 5, Mercat Basement ANDRE LODEMANN [GER] Friday October 5, Onesixone PARKLIFE: JUSTICE [FRA], PASSION PIT [USA], PLAN B [UK] + MORE Saturday October 6, Sidney Myer Music Bowl PUNKS JUMP UP [UK] Saturday October 6, Prince Bandroom TOMMY FOUR SEVEN [GER] Friday October 12, Brown Alley RUDIMENTAL [UK], SLUGABED [UK], EMALKAY [UK], IKONIKA [UK] Friday October 12, Brown Alley AME [GER] Saturday October 13, Brown Alley MONKEY SAFARI [GER] Saturday October 13, Prince Bandroom STEVE AOKI [USA] Saturday October 13, Shed 4 BIG FREEDIA [USA], THEE SATISFACTION [USA] Thursday October 18, The Hi-Fi FUNK D’VOID [UK] Friday October 19, Brown Alley BIG FREEDIA [USA] Saturday October 20, The Tote STEVE RACHMAD [NED] Friday October 26, Brown Alley MACEO PLEX [USA], MATTHIAS TANZMANN [GER], MARGARET DYGAS [UK] Saturday November 4, Brown Alley ROBERT HOOD [USA] Friday November 9, TBA MOULLINEX [POR] Saturday November 10, New Guernica ECLIPSE: PERFECT STRANGER [ISR], OLIVER LIEB [GER], ADAM FREELAND [UK] + MORE Saturday November 12 – Friday November 16, TBA SMOKE DZA [USA] Saturday November 17, Laundry Bar SUBB-AN [UK], MIGUEL CAMPBELL [UK] Sunday November 18, TBA STRAWBERRY FIELDS: JAMES HOLDEN [UK], TYCHO [USA], PREFUSE 73 [USA] + MORE Friday November 23 – Sunday November 25, TBA STEREOSONIC: TIESTO [NED], AVICII [SWE], CALVIN HARRIS [UK] + MORE Saturday December 1, Melbourne Showgrounds NICK WARREN [UK] Friday December 7, Billboard TODD TERJE [NOR] Friday December 7, The Liberty Social MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL: FOUR TET [UK], DJ YAMANTAKA EYE [JAP] + MORE Friday December 7 - Sunday December 9, Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre TERRENCE PARKER [USA] Friday December 21, TBA FALLS FESTIVAL: SBTRKT [UK], COOLIO [USA] + MORE Saturday December 28 – Tuesday January 1, Lorne LET THEM EAT CAKE: KERRI CHANDLER [USA], THE GASLAMP KILLER [USA] + MORE Tuesday January 1, Werribee Park BIG DAY OUT: THE BLOODY BEETROOTS [ITA], KASKADE [USA], CRYSTAL CASTLES [CAN] + MORE Saturday January 26, Flemington Racecours

REAL TALK

The EP that Blawan dropped last week is quite possibly the scariest techno I’ve ever heard in my life. That said, beside it’s slight campness, it’s fucking quality. Looking forward to some dance floor freakouts in the near future when Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage? catches on. Hoooooooboy.

The Mercat have given themselves a sonic overhaul with the installation of a new sound system, a Funktion One sound system direct from Funktion One Australia. John O’Donnell, the company’s representative in Australia, has installed the heavy-duty equipment, reconfiguring the speaker positions with extra rear infills and the subs floor stacked. They have also added two new booth monitors hung from the ceiling. Get ready for good times with crisp sounds.

Sis: Daylight

Fluidlife’s Solar Day Rave, a forthcoming party series, will host Sis on the launch of their new daytime party brand. With the intention of “ripping summer a new arsehole,” the event will include new concepts such as the ‘recovery rooftop’ from 3pm and the ‘munted main room,’ along with the skillful German all-rounder spinning his signature brand of dance floor fillers. Fluidlife Solar will launch on Sunday September 23 at onesixone.

Tyson Wray

Sharam and Dibby Dougherty: Deep Underground Smoke DZA: Sipping Slow

Hip hop is just a hobby for some but for Smoke DZA it’s a way of life. Though his musical journey is not far removed from his early days in Harlem, DZA has recorded with the likes of Asher Roth, Big K.R.I.T., Devin The Dude and Curren$y to name a few. In the past two years he has released a steady stream of mixtapes to critical acclaim. DZA credits his longevity to creating laidback, honest music that people can vibe to and always staying true to the art of hip hop. With all of the disposable music threatening the culture of an art form he is trying to help preserve, Smoke DZA is a welcomed breath of fresh air that will make you grateful for the contact high. Smoke DZA will hit Laundry Bar on Saturday November 17.

Darkbeat have teamed up with new conceptspace The Billboard Basement to present awardwinning DJ and house producer Sharam alongside Irish favourite Dibby Dougherty. The Basement, a modified version of Billboard, will provide an improved experience with smaller capacity, new staging area, set up, front entry, and bars: a truly underground experience for those who like their techno intimate. Catch them on Friday September 28 at The Billboard Basement.

Eclipse 2012: Festival Of The Sun

Far North Queensland’s upcoming Eclipse 2012 party, a joint venture from organisers of the Rainbow Serpent Festival, Symbiosis Festival in the US, Mother in Japan and the UK’s hallowed Glade Festival, will run for seven days and host well over a hundred acts. Timed to catch the total eclipse of the sun that will occur over Northern Australia early in the morning of November 14, Eclipse has included even more acts on its lineup. The additions include Iration Steppas, Prince Fatty, Mugo’s HiFi, Johhny Clarke, Oka, Bobby Alu, Kingfisha, Mista Savona, Eskmo, Vibesquad, Beats Antique, Richard Devine and Govinda. Running from November 10-16, the selection spans trance, techno, broken beats, chill, roots, reggae and gypsy. Tickets are on sale now from eclipse2012.com.

Melbourne’s newest custom-built sound system, Rogue Magnetic Sound, will introduce itself in blaze of 10,000 watts when Sound Magnetic in collaboration with Uncomfortable Beats throws a launch party for the occasion. Featuring special guest Harmonic 313, aka Mark Pritchard and local supports DJ Kuya, ShiKung, Able8, Ghostsoul, Pauly Fatlace and more, expect to hear the sounds of hip hop, glitch, jungle and all things bass. The launch party will be held on Saturday September 8 at The Night Owl.

Let Them Eat Cake: New Year’s Antics

A host of Melbourne’s top promoters have banded together for Let Them Eat Cake, a boutique electronic music festival this New Year’s Day. Novel, City of Lost Children, The Operatives, Text Book, Stable Music and Mixed Messages will send you on a journey into musical decadence, garden party opulence and culinary excess as they roll out a cornucopia of the world’s finest DJs and live performers, art installations, food fit for a queen and a royally decadent atmosphere. The first round of artists include Kerri Chandler, The Gaslamp Killer, Mathew Jonson, DJ Marky & Stamina MC, Digital Mystikz, The Nextmen, Space Dimension Controller, Opiuo, Dub Phizix & MC Strategy and Slow Magic. Let Them Eat Cake takes place on Tuesday January 1 at Werribee Park.

Alex Bau: Bauhaus

German techno machine Alex Bau focuses on the deep, dark and gritty side of audio alchemy. Appearing at Lounge, his bass-heavy, hypnotic and brooding techno has seen him recognised with the true hallmarks of great cutting edge underground electronic music. Get down and hear some perfect dance floor and party music on Sunday September 9.

RESPONSIBLE: Managing Editor: Ronnit Sternfein ronnit@beat.com.au Editor: Tyson Wray tyson@beat.com.au Listings: club/promoter submissions clubguide@beat.com.au - now online at beat.com.au - it’s free! Production: Pat O’Neill art@beat.com.au Typesetting: Rebecca Houlden Cover Design: Pat O’Neill Advertising Senior Sales: ronnit@beat.com.au (03) 8414 9710 Taryn Stenvei taryn@beat.com.au Fashion and Beverages: Tamara Perenic tamara@furstmedia.com.au Ph: 03 8414 9732 Deadlines: Editorial Friday 2PM – absolutely NO exceptions. Club photos Monday 9AM (email only clubpics@beat.com.au). Advertising artwork Monday 12PM. Photographers: Callum Linsell Contributors: Rezo Kezerashvili, Miki McLay, Shane Scott, Simon Traspier, Brian Rotide, The Knowledge, Ellen Devenney, Dan Watt, Aaron Ralston, Birdie, Liam Pieper, Simon Hampson, Chad-Michael Michaelson, Mikolai, Reuben Adams, David Edgley. Publisher: Furst Media, 3 Newton Street Richmond 3121 Ph 03 9428 3600 www.beat.com.au

EDITORIALDEADLINE - 2PM FRIDAYS NO EXCEPTIONS UP TO DATE

Along with his compatriots Prins Thomas and HansPeter Lindstrom, Todd Terje was instrumental in the development of the unique Norwegian nudisco sound that materialised at the end of the last decade. Infamous for his remixes and edits, Terje brings a delicate and nuanced touch to anything he lays his hands on. Now with his latest EPs Ragysh and It’s The Arps, Terje has shown the world the might of his original productions. Tracks such as Snooze 4 Love and Inspector Norse have become staples in the current nu-disco scene. With an analog flair, he not only continues to keep Norway on the map as a disco epicentre, but proves that the nu-disco scene continues to evolve and thrive the world over. Todd Terje plays The Liberty Social on Friday December 7.

RMS Launch Party: High Voltage

Rick Ross: Rescheduling

Another Australian hip hop tour has bitten the dust, the second time around for Rick Ross. In a statement from the promoters Empire Enterprises, it was shared that: “Rick Ross’s Australian Rozay Raw tour previously announced for September 6th and 7th of this year has been postponed. All current Ticket Purchasers will be contacted regarding the rescheduled dates as soon as possible. Please hold on to your current tickets until all new details have been confirmed. The international supporting acts will be announced along with the details of the new show. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. But we guarantee the new show will be worth the wait.” Stay tuned to 100% for any word on refunds and/or rescheduled dates.

Todd Terje: Nu-Disco

Photek: Monkey Business

Photek has announced he’ll join Digital Primate for a night of Lounge debauchery this week. Regarded by many as one of the finest electronic music producers of his generation, his signature mutant breed of jungle and drum and bass garnered huge success in the ‘90s and into the new millennium. From his remix work for Mo’Wax to his releases on Metalheadz and his collaborations with Nine Inch Nails and Ray LaMontagne, Photek pushes the boundaries of sound with his blistering sets. Performing a 4x4 set for this special end of tour event, Photek will be joined by Digital Primate and his special guests live video animator John Power, live synthesiser Byron Scullinand and Ehsan Gelsi on keys and drum. Catch them Thursday September 6 at Lounge.

Equinox Festival: Bring On Spring

Equinox is a time of rebirth, and especially after winter’s hibernation, Equinox Outdoor Music, Culture, Arts and Healing Festival invites you to emerge from your winter coats into a springtime celebration of nature’s ebullience. Including a visual production, Equinox have announced their second round lineup featuring internationals Logic Bomb (Sweden), Terranoise (Israel) Chromatone (USA), Sensient’s last performance in Melbourne for a long time, as well as a whole host of local acts like Circuit Bent, Mr Bill. Slytrance, One Tasty Morsel and more. Running from September 21 – 23 at Goulburn Valley River, it includes market stalls filled with food, clothes, gifts and wellness, onsite camping and a free gift on entry. Sounds pretty joyous. Head to equinoxfestival. com.au for more.

THE BIG MAG FOR CLUB CULTURE

TIEFSCHWARZ

“We’re not producing like we have to touch a certain crowd or create this special moment. Music is way more than that.”

BROTHERS IN ARMS: DANCE PARTNERS Some brothers don’t get along, while some are best friends. Others have a more unique relationship entirely, based on different circumstances, like dance music for example. Through the ups and downs of over a decade in the music industry Alexander (Ali) and Sebastian (Basti) Schwarz have remained tight. Professionally known as Tiefschwarz, the musical brothers from Stuttgart, Germany have made an indelible mark on the deep house scene with their cavernous, melodic productions. Their natural chemistry, as siblings, in many ways may be a contributing factor to why everything they do sounds so assuredly effortless. Incorporating a heavier electro influence into the mix a few years back, the duo has always managed to stay on the cutting edge, taking a slew of fans along for the ride while gaining new followers. This progressive attitude has been with them since they first ventured out of their hometown, which is more known for orchestral music, and moved to that untamed EDM hotbed of Berlin. It was there that the brothers Schwarz really got onto the path of what they would dedicate their lives to. The affable Ali is just arriving at their newly acquired studio base and record label office in Berlin as we get him on the line. “We’re working on new tracks, remixes, we’re releasing a new single and working on a second single,” he says. A new Tiefschwarz album, following up from 2010’s Chocolate, is also in the works, the DJ-producer reveals. “We’re laying out a new album next year and collecting ideas.” In the meantime they’re gearing up for the 50th release on their jointly run Souvenir imprint. Essentially, Tiefschwarz are the musical equivalent of efficient German engineering. “The machine is running,” he tells us sardonically. The brothers are wrapping up a hectic summer touring schedule in Europe and South America as they prepare to return to our shores. “The last couple of weeks were insane but I’m really looking forward to coming to Australia.” After a two-year absence Tiefschwarz will headline the seventh installment of The Breakfast Club at New Guernica, rapidly becoming one of Melbourne’s prime nights. Ali and Basti are ready to

enjoy the sights and sounds and feed off the energy of the crowd. In their previous visits they have found the open-mindedness of Aussie audiences conducive to their live sets, which Ali believes goes deeper than just the music. “I think it’s almost a psychological thing when a DJ travels that far, to the other side of the world basically, it’s always something special. Obviously there’s tonnes of DJs coming but still I think people really appreciate it when someone makes the effort to come all the way to Australia.” He sums up their past visits to Oz succinctly, saying, “People are very enthusiastic, dancing their asses off, so it’s always lots of fun.” It is this same energy that drew the brothers to their adopted home of Berlin, where they have been based since the early 2000s. The decision to first move to what many consider the capital of EDM was an easy one for the pair, as the Tiefschwarz reputation developed and their presence on the live scene increased. “The scene in Stuttgart was a very small but intense scene and it had an international approach but by the end of the ‘90s we were already travelling a lot. We basically just had our beds in Stuttgart, the rest of the time was travelling. Berlin seemed like a logical place, especially after our record label at the time [Four Music] moved there. We thought ‘Oh well, maybe that’s the exact signal we were looking for,’ and of course the scene was way bigger than in Stuttgart.” Everything seemed to come together in hindsight, as Berlin continued its rise as an EDM Mecca. “It was also the beginning of the movement we are part of right now, that explosion that so many people are coming to be a part of. In the beginning of the 2000s it was already intense but the last 10 years blows that away.” Clearly as far as the scene and culture goes Berlin now is a whole other beast. “When it comes to clubs and electronic dance music it is the centre of the universe. There is such a magnetic impulse for young crowds, so many people come here from all over the world to enjoy the club scene. The whole vibe of the city is so open, it’s just a great enthusiastic vibe.” Ali has seen and experienced it all in his time in Berlin, COVER STORY

saying that you really need to pace yourself in such an environment. “6am is almost like the start of the night,” he laughs. “The normal way is to go 36 hours or something, that’s what most of the people do when they come here. They go out Friday night and come home Monday morning. I see all these crazy rave kids in front of my house going back home or arriving and it’s absurd in a way, it’s really funny.” Having been a club promoter for seven years Ali was the life of the party, describing himself as his own “best guest.” Now as a highly in-demand professional DJ, and someone who is no longer a crazy rave kid, those days are generally something of the past. “Once in a while you are part of it but most of the time you have to stay away because it’s quite difficult to party privately when you have to work as a DJ as well. You try to stay away from the temptation.” Both Ali and Basti have learned to maintain their professionalism. It is that discipline and commitment to the craft that has helped put Tiefschwarz on the map. “You have to handle everything in a professional way, at least to a certain extent. The whole process of being a professional DJ has so many side effects with it, the travelling, the organisation, the timing and scheduling, working in the studio, controlling the label.” Staying physically and mentally sound amidst all the chaos has been important to their longevity. “It’s quite a busy life, at the same time you have to keep your balance, so we have to be quite aware. Of course you can party and let go every once in a while but you also have to recover and be aware of what you’re doing to your body. It’s amazing to see the world and get paid to do what you love but it is a job and an energy sucker.” Even while the circumstances and their responsibilities have changed, the brothers still love what they do, calling it a “fun job.” Having established a strong reputation over the past decade throughout the global dance community, Tiefschwarz have rocked small and large venues, both of which play to the strengths of their sound. “I like a bit of both but when it comes to travelling I prefer a smaller venue because it’s more intimate and you have a stronger connection with

the crowd. You can be a bit more experimental and play a bit of everything. The energy of a big venue or a big festival ground is also amazing. You have this humongous crowd and they all have this faith in you and there is this connection or interaction between you and them.” Ali’s brother Basti has said in the past that they like to see music as a souvenir, “an impression you take from somewhere,” or “something intimate that you remember.” Ultimately their music is a tapestry of their experiences and creative energy. When it comes to recording these epics, which will play as the soundtrack to their live audience, there is no magic formula and you can’t go in with preconceived notions. “You go into the studio and you just follow your own personal taste. Of course you have experience and you may have a rough idea of where you want to go with your song but I think it’s not the right thing to produce with a certain aim or goal.” Ali and Basti believe that everything has to flow naturally and that all the elements need to come together to produce something truly special. “We’re not producing like we have to touch a certain crowd or create this special moment. Music is way more than that. There are producers that can just press a button and make it happen but that’s not really the creative flow we’re looking for.” The key for Ali and his creativity is feeling fresh, particularly after a hard weekend of gigging. “I like to have my personal freedom for a bit, where I’m not listening to any techno. You have to cleanse yourself, you have to recover and then you can go to the studio and start working again. It’s important to have a break and keep that balance. I couldn’t go straight to the studio after a long weekend, that wouldn’t work.” Andrew ‘Hazard’ Hickey Tiefschwarz [GER] play at New Guernica on Friday September 7.

SLOW HOUSE THURSDAYS

WEDNESDAY5TH

THURSDAY6TH

Slow House Thursdays is just what Brunswick has been missing. Get down to the latest Thursday spot at Noise Bar, find a space with your bros and get into the as DJs Same O, David Bass and James Hurt spin bass laced tunes ‘til the early hours of the morning. Noise Bar, 291 Albert Street, Brunswick

THE BLACK PANCAKE CLUB COQ ROQ

BIMBO THURSDAYS

Rocking Wednesdays at Lucky Coq are rotating DJs Lady Noir, Agent 86, Kiti, Mr Thom, Joybot and guests giving you nothing but the best new wave, punk, brit pop, bong rap and hair metal. Coq Roq takes place every Wednesday from 8pm with free pool downstairs from 9pm as well as drink specials. Roq out! Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor

Tigerfunk brings with him his full band of travelling gypsies, hipsters and middle class executives, all of whom are prepared to deliver the most excitement you can have this side of the weekend. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy

The Black Pancake Club is where disc-jockeys bring in their treasured record collections to share with yaw’ll. Expect undiscovered nuggets, lost gems, far out there covers, moog inspired themes, and a host of other eclectic delicacies and toppings for your black pancakes! Taste makers on rotation include Shags and Richie 1250. Free entry. From 10pm. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne

DIGITAL PRIMATE & PHOTEK

WONDERLUST

HUMPDAY ANIMALS Enter the middle of the week; for some it’s the beginning of the weekend, for others it’s a break from study, for those of us who are travelling, it probably has no real significance (unless you’re wanting to party with the hot European girls from the hostel, because any day is simply another day when you’re travelling). Your midweek stomping ground, featuring DJs Danny Silver, Manchild & Mu-Gen. Free entry. From 10pm. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne

SOUL ARMY With more flavour than a chocolate pizza, the Wednesday Soul Army throws down raw, uncut funk next to smooth soul grooves and rare blue jams. Bring that special lady because when the boys lay down the love it could be the difference between ‘we’re just friends’ to ‘let’s get it on’. PBS stalwarts Vince Peach and Miss Goldie accompany Prequel and Black Diamond Kicks weekly. Free. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy

WEDNESDAYS AT CO. Don’t have lectures tomorrow? Need a break from writing that last-minute assignment? Or simply just celebrating the end of hump day? Don’t miss Melbourne’s biggest mid-week party night – Wednesdays @ Co.! With free entry and discounted drinks for students all night long! Co., Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank

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

HUMPDAY ANIMALS From 10pm

SATURDAY 08

FRIDAY7TH BUHLOONE MINDSTATE

It’s Dubstep, it’s Eurotrash, it’s new, it’s the vibe, it’s Thursdays, it’s weekly and it’s free. So get down to Eurotrash and get your wobble on. Eurotrash Bar, 18 Corrs Lane, Off Chinatown, Melbourne CBD

“It might blow up but it won’t go pop” is the philosophy at Buhloone Mindstate and features Melbourne’s finest bands and DJs playing every Friday night, late. That’s just how we roll. We’re all about the late night boogie. Expect all things funk, hip-hop, soul, reggae, disco, boogie and house. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne

FREE RANGE FUNK

CQ FRIDAYS

DUBSTEP THURSDAYS

Funk up your Thursday nights with Free Range Funk at the Windsor favourite Lucky Coq. Grab a couch early and enjoy one (or more) of their famous $4 pizzas from 7-11pm. Meanwhile DJs Who, Agent 86, Lewis CanCut and special guests tempt you into the night with their eclectic bag of treats. Setting the mood early is delightful jazz, deep soul, and funk. Later it’s fruity disco, choice house, and hipster dance drops. Free entry every Thursday. Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor

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

WEDNESDAY 05

Fate, karma, the yin and the yang, the balance between chaos and order or divine intervention? A new spiritual high has emerged from the cosmic energies of the universe and it’s called Wonderlust! As luck would have it you can come and experience the effects of this strange new phenomena every Thursday night at The Carlton! Carlton Club, 193 Bourke Street, Melbourne

THURSDAY 06

FRIDAY 07

DIGITAL PRIMATE +1 PHOTEK ANDREW TILL From 10pm

BUHLOONE MINDSTATE Same DJs as always, erry Friday From 10pm

MONDAY 10

TUESDAY 11

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

FIRST FLOOR FRIDAYS A journey of international music from all over the world; past, present and future rhythms incorporating afro, soul, funk, world and deep house elements! First Floor, 393 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

FREEDOM PASS Friday’s at Freedom with 2 premier clubs, 5 huge rooms, 10+ local and international DJs blending their unique sets across countless styles of tunes – vocal house,

smooth R&B, electro and commercial top 40. Throw in a few sexy podium dancers, a world-class lights show and drink specials, the Freedom Pass is your personal ticket to a night you won’t soon forget! Fusion, Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank

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

JOHN ‘00’ FLEMING Last down in Australia for some seriously breakneck club sessions as part of J00F Editions, John 00 Fleming has never failed to impress as a producer and a club fixture. The trance producer has been in the game since the earless days of the genre, breaking into the mainstream with his deep and textured take on trance which stands in stark contrast to the disposable nature of much dance music, with his work featuring on labels including Ministry of Sound, Deconstruction Records, Logic Records as well as his own label, JOOF Recordings. No stranger to the stages of internationally-renowned music festivals including Exit Festival, Godskitchen and Global Gathering as well as his hugely successful monthly radio show, he’ll be making a return to Australia with J00F Editions in tow again – vibes! Friday September 7, Brown Alley, Cnr Lonsdale & King St, Melbourne

PANORAMA Start your weekend on a good note with Panorama Fridays at Lucky Coq. DJs Matt Rad, Mr George, Tom Meagher and Phato A Mano transform the upstairs area into one hell of a house party with Hip Hop, Funk, R&B, Disco and House. Meanwhile, downstairs gives you a secluded wind down atmosphere with cult films as background visuals and quality cocktails to sip on. Let the new coqtail list wash away a crappy week! Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor

RETRO SEXUAL FRIDAY DJ Grandmaster Vicious spins Fitzroy’s finest mix of ‘80s and ‘90s pop, rock, new wave, hip hop, disco classics and cheese to please plus dance floor anthems from then to now. One Twenty Bar, 120 Johnston St, Fitzroy

EY:EM Boogs Who Dave Pham From 10pm

ESSENTIALS

COSMIC PIZZA NHJ and friends host every Tuesday night upstairs at Lucky Coq. Playing uneasy listening, freaked out bass jams, romantic comedy disco, tropi-jazz, soundtracks and shit you won’t hear on the other nights. Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor

STEFFI

SOUND EMPIRE

Dabbling in music, art and generalised counterculture for years now, it’s safe to say that German purveyor of all things house, techno and beyond Steffi is a revolutionary in dance music. Her manifold successes in all manner of realms have established her as a true goddess of the dancefloor. A regular resident at Berlin-based Panorama Bar as well as its in-house label Ostgut Ton, her credentials as a producer couldn’t be more wellestablished, not to mention her role in running successful labels Klakson and Dolly and a long-time party promoter The Liberty Social, 279 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Get ready for the mega sounds at Sound Empire, Melbourne’s epic new Saturday club night with five places to party! Mega sounds from resident DJs Tate Strauss, Miss Sarah, Nova, Johnny M, M atty G, Dean T, Joe Sofo, Marcus Knight, Dinesh, Chris Ostrom, B-Boogie and Sarah Roberts. Co., Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank

TIEFSCHWARZ Tiefschwarz, or deep black in German, have consistently chugged out an array of housey rhythms for more than ten years. Along the way, the duo have hooked up with Hot Natured starlet Jamie Jones, party boys Seth Troxler and Eric D. Clark, as well as Berlin deep house purist Cassy. The pairing have also remixed a major league of pop music sluggers including Madonna, Missy Elliot and Depeche Mode. Tiefschwarz’s much-lauded mixes for European clubbing institutions Fabric and Watergate sought a flurry of recognition from DJs and producers as far-flung as Ivan Smagghe and Danny Howells, to Touché and Sascha. Revel in Tiefschwarz’s deep and dark take on techno, electro and house. New Guernica, 2/322 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

SATURDAY8TH CLUB SODA Taking place each and every Saturday night in Melbourne’s CBD on the corner of Lonsdale St and King St, Club Soda plays host to a fresh, new concept – local/national/international DJs weekly, un-paralleled entertainment, performances, and disco tomfoolery. Don’t let the bubbly name fool you, Club Soda is your weekend’s thirst quencher – changing people going out for convenience, whilst not leaving the sour taste of an empty wallet on Sunday morning. Our doors open for you every Saturday at 9.30pm, and stay open until you should go home. Brown Alley, Cnr King & Lonsdale St, CBD

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

EUROTRASH HOUSE PARTY Put your hands in the air with some of Melbourne’s best party DJs, including including Mu-Gen, Lace em’ Tight and more. Eurotrash Bar, 18 Corrs Lane, Off Chinatown, Melbourne CBD

EY:EM EY:EM at Lounge features residents Boogs & Who, who will host Melbourne’s top purveyors of club music, showcasing both local and international DJs playing the most upfront club music. With rotating DJs Dave Pham, Sleep D, Bryce Lawrence, Louis McCoy, Caine Sinclair, Glyn Hill & Toby Mackisack. Expect nothing but excellent house music all night long. And remember, clubbing happens in the EY:EM. $10 from 11pm. Lounge, 243 Swanston Street, Melbourne

FIRST FLOOR SATURDAYS It’s house, electro, dub, anthems, disco and funk with guest DJs Genetix, B-Two and Oohee rocking til the break of day. Doors open 10pm with $5 basics til midnight! First Floor, 393 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

HOMECOMING In the grand tradition of past Saturday nights at the Prince of Wales, it will regain it’s rightful place on the pantheon of Australian dance music playing host to the best and most exciting EDM locally, nationally and internationally. Local residents include Generik, Oskar, Swick, Tranter, M.A.F.I.A., Streetparty DJs and Clip Art, and scheduled guests The Aston Shuffle, Tonite Only, The Swiss, Luke Million, Parachute Youth, Louis La Roche, Alvin Risk and more. In addition, Homecoming has prepared a veritable roster of exciting drinks and cocktails to fuel the fun, including Fresh coconut cocktails, Dr. Pepper, Electric Lemonade, Tecate, Thaistyle Buckets and Bubble Cup cocktails. Prince Bandroom, 29 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

HOT STEP Google Hot Step and you’ll get a bunch of Vietnamese game reviews and Balkanese dances on YouTube. But that’s nothing like what you can expect to find within the confines of Bimbo on a Saturday night. Developing thick and heavy but altogether groovy, enjoy an eclectic mix of fairy floss funk, doom disco and monk movement minimal every week. Free. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy

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

STAR SATURDAYS Star Saturdays - smashing it every Saturday! Phil Ross, Scotty Erdos, DJ Ontime, LC, Nick James, Dane Gains, Ryan Hamill, Deja, Phil Isa, Nixon, Azza M, Scotty Nix, DJ Ryza, C Dubb, Alex-J, G-Funk, Dylisco, Achos, Az, Shaggz and guests. Star Bar, 160 Clarendon St, South Melbourne

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

TEXTILE Saturdays at Lucky Coq tick all the boxes so start your night early and stay til close! Famous $4 pizzas from 7-9pm (that’s dinner sorted) then from 9pm spread over two levels with DJs playing hip hop, funk, disco, house and electro. Rotating guests on both levels keep the tunes fresh. Free entry. Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor

TODD TERRY Brooklyn native and pioneering force in house music Todd Terry is canonical within dance music. Blending the sounds of classic disco, the Chicago sound, and elements of hip-hop, Terry’s singular legacy began in the eighties DJing parties in New York whilst releasing the first of his production work, setting the stage for what was to be a thriving and lively progressive and modern deep house scene. Also the owner of InHouse and SoundDesign Records and a favoured remixer by the likes of our own Kylie, Bjork, Everything But the Girl and plenty more, Terry is also one of few underground artists to achieve mainstream success with hits Something Goin’ On and Keep On Jumpin’ making appearances in the UK’s Top 10 Hits charts. New Guernica, 2/322 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

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

SUNDAY9TH

UPCOMING KENNY LARKIN Melbourne has been lucky enough to experience the renaissance in Detroit’s techno movement, with recent visitors such as Rick Wade and Chez Damier dropping by to show the city who’s who in the history of techno’s emergence throughout the eighties and nineties - and to most aficionados of electronic music, fellow Detroit attire Kenny Larkin will need no introduction. Born and raised in the Motor City but missing out on the early years of techno due to serving in the military, Larkin’s return to the USA saw his production career begin, influenced by Juan Atkins and Derrick May, as well as the Chicago house music scene. When Richie Hawtin launched his soon-to-be wildly successful label Plus 8 with a Kenny Larkin single as its first release, then working with other imprints including the likes of Warp and Buzz. Taking a break from music to pursue his dream of being a stand-up comedian into the 2000s, he’s made his way back to dance music and if one thing is clear, it’s that Larkin’s sound still continues to stand the test of time. Friday September 14, New Guernica, 2/322 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

LUKE FAIR Another Bedrock favourite, Canadian house stalwart Luke Fair is slated for a string of dates across Australia soon. A singular blend of groovy house and techno vibes with funky progressive and electro sensibilities, Luke Fair is a DJ and producer to suit anybody - from his roots playing System Sound bar in Toronto in his early days and catching the ear of John Digweed, Deep Dish and Steve Lawler which landed him front room duties, as well as a very special place on the Bedrock roster. Equally notorious for his mixing prowess as well as his skills in the studio, his is a name synonymous with the likes of institutions including Tushitoshi, SAW, System Recordings, Balance, EQ, and plenty more. Friday September 14, Onesixone, 161 High Street Prahran

The perfect Sunday soundtrack with DJs Askew, Peter Baker, Booshank, Paz, Miss Butt, Junji, Disco Harry and guests. They will be laying down disco, afro beat and deep house til 3am. For lovers of good music - South Side Hustle. Lucky Coq, 179 Chapel St, Windsor

STAR BAR SUNDAYS The original and still the best Sunday in Melbourne. Star Bar, 160 Clarendon St, South Melbourne

SUNDAE SHAKE Our Signature serve. Each and every Sunday we play host to a self professed vinyl junkie caught between the golden years and boogie wonderland. A mouthful? Perhaps. Phato Amano perfectly sets the mood for an audio-adventure that redefines the dance floor weekly. Our Sunday aficionados Agent 86 and Tigerfunk stir up a full cream shake to the flavour of your liking. Forget everything you thought you knew about losing yourself to the grooves. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy

MONDAY10TH IBIMBO Have you always wanted to be a DJ but been cruelly cursed with tone deafness and a general inability to version excursion? Well Bimbo Deluxe saves the day once again.. All you need is an iPhone and you’re set. Just download the free ‘remote’ application from the app store, log into the Bimbo DJ wireless network and you choose which song plays next. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy

TUESDAY11TH BIMBO TUESDAYS Bimbo Tuesday’s have long been the discerning DJs midweek breath of fresh air. An opportunity to indulge in, and to each parade their individual takes on music. A night where by the weird and wonderful is not frowned upon but rather celebrated. Resident selectors Matt Radovich, Andras Fox and Henry Who draw from a colorful array of sounds that warm your midweek blues. From 8pm, free. Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St (Cnr Rose St), Fitzroy

ESSENTIALS

CIRCUS RECORDS SHOWCASE Circus Records is, as the name would suggest, home to a particularly distinctive brand of irreverent and insane dancefloor fodder - the brainchild of dubstep superstars Doctor P, Flux Pavillion, DJ Swan-E and Earl Falconer (of UB40 fame), the label was started three years ago intended as a home for Flux and Doctor P’s productions - who were approached by a number of labels, but decided to join forces instead to form a movement of their own making, leading the label into exciting new territory as one of the leading labels when it comes to eardrum-rupturing bassdriven sounds. With sights set firmly on Australia, the dubstep destroyers are ready and raring for a good time on the dancefloor - join Circus Records with Doctor P and labelmates Cookie Monsta, Funtcase and Slum Dogz. Saturday September 22, Roxanne Parlour, 2 Coverlid Place, Melbourne

TOMMIE SUNSHINE Ah, just what Melbourne needed so desperately – a good, healthy dose of sunshine. Winter’s sticking around for a little while longer, quite tragically, but on the bright side, mid-west rave legend and Brooklyn, NY resident Tommie Sunshine is heading down to brighten up the Melbourne club scene. Inspired in equal parts by Kraftwerk, AC/DC, and Farley Jackmaster Funk, Tommie Sunshine’s musical palette is one coloured by a myriad of influences, and his jackin’ party tunes are already spreading their way across the world in anticipation of his debut release this year. Saturday September 29, Prince Bandroom, 29 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

DJ Profile: Zanna

ZOMBIE DISCO SQUAD We told you. The zombie apocalypse is for real. Don’t you dare whinge when you find yourself with a subhuman creature gnawing on your arm at 4am one morning and your house burnt to the ground, you ungrateful chumps. Starting out as DJs, the Zombie Disco Squad crew threw notorious parties across East and West London, which quickly became legendary, before blowing up with residencies in London’s hottest clubs. The online release of free debut single Straight Boy blew up, clocking over 10,000 downloads, and Zombie Disco Squad soon found themselves touring the world bringing haunted house vibes to the masses. Nat Self is now a solo zombie, playing a patchwork of classic house, ghetto tech, disco and hip hop, and he’s been picked up by Jesse Rose’ Made To Play, Dirty Bird and Sound Pellegrino. Saturday September 15, Prince Bandroom, 29 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

KENJI TAMAKI SOUTH SIDE HUSTLE

Cambridge drum and bass project Commix were dropping by for an early spring tour. In light of the recent release of Dusted and the news that a second album was on the way, Roxanne Parlour is set to get even more crowded with the addition of revered Brighton-raised DJ Friction to the lineup. He’s a veritable powerhouse utilising three decks on a regular basis, who’s equally at home ripping up the BBC Radio 1 airwaves as he is playing clubs and festivals the world over. Alongside running one of the genre’s most successful imprints Shogun Audio, there’s nobody better suited to matching Commix’s equally fearsome talents. Friday September 21, Roxanne Parlour, 2 Coverlid Place, Melbourne

Japan is home to one of the most leftfield and thriving dance music scenes in the world, and one of the figures who most embodies the country’s creative spirit is producer and DJ Kenji Tamaki - a pioneer in leftfield disco and the dude behind cult label Crue-L. Since its inception in ‘91, Crue-L has played host to a stunning array of releases, including groundbreaking output from Cornelius and Buffalo Audger alongside his own eclectic and much-praised work, seeing him requested by the likes of Cut Copy, Dimitri from Paris and Sebastien Tellier for his magic remixing touch. He shows no signs of slowing down, with Tim Sweeney declaring his Beats in Space set as the show’s mix of 2010, and despite a successful career spanning 23 years, this will be his first trip out to Australia - finally! Saturday September 15, Mercat Basement, 456 Queen St, Melbourne Ferry Corsten One of the core acts that revolutionised trance, superstar Ferry Corsten, is many things to many people. To provide a bio for the man would take days, given his role as a producer, DJ, innovator, visionary, and whose fingerprints can be found all over the genre and all across the world. With a career that continues to go from highlight to highlight, with this year’s full-length effort WKND eagerly snapped up by thousands of believers and fans across the globe, there appears to be no stopping the legend. Fans of the man have been desperate to see the legendary Full On Ferry experience down under, with sneak peeks on YouTube looking mindblowing. Finally Australians will have the chance to catch it in action this year. Friday September 21, The Palace Theatre, 20-30 Bourke Street, Melbourne

ERIC CLOUTIER Quick to establish a name for himself in the competitive and thriving world of Detroit’s dance music scene, Cloutier’s past includes residencies at The Necto and prominent after-hours spot The Works. That led him to a job booking talent for clubs, bringing in the likes of Richie Hawtin, Luciano and Michael Mayer to town, as well as handing out residencies to local legends 3 Chairs and Stacey Pullen. Equally talented at picking the best of dance music’s talent as he is making it himself, he effortlessly threads together deeper shades of house and dub-infused techno as a DJ and a budding producer. We are most definitely honoured to have Cloutier take some time out to grace Melbourne’s clubs with his highbrow approach to the art of dance music. Friday September 21, Mercat Basement, 456 Queen St, Melbourne

FRICTION AND COMMIX Those of you with a penchant for drum and bass with a melodic and emotive sensibility as well as a killer instinct for rattling dancefloors would have been pleased to hear that

What was the first ever tune you bought? I do remember buying the cassette of Michael Jackson’s Bad when I was like six with my pocket money, but it was probably some old op-shop Sesame Street thing. Would have been much cooler if it was Clear by Cybotron What’s the most played tune in your box? Flash (Channel X Remix) - Green Velvet. Which toy or game best describes you and why? The DJ Zanna action figure, available at all good toy stores! What do you dislike the most about DJing? Nothing. And like the most? Open minded people who enjoy music they have never heard. Favourite DJs/influences and why? So many! Derrick May, Mix Master Mike, Jeff Mills, Green Velvet, DJ Shadow, Claude Young, Derrick Carter, Richie Hawtin, Stacey Pullen and many more. In your opinion, what is the worst dance track ever produced and why? Probably that song starring that mentally unstable amphibian. Two years from now, where do you wanna be? Making, playing and enjoying good music as much as possible. What’s your favourite saying? “All time spent not loving is a waste of time!”

DJ Profile: Courtney Mills

Where’s the strangest place you’ve woken up? Weirdest place I’ve ever woken up was my friend’s front lawn. And her house wasn’t where the party was, it was another friend’s. Describe yourself using the title of a song. Let Me See You Bounce - Reece Low. What was the weirdest thing you believed as a child? When I was kid, I used to believe that my grandparents grew up in ‘black and white’ times, like the old movies. No idea where I picked that up from. The most awkward moment you’ve had as a DJ? Being mistaken for Havana Brown on quite a few occasions. What would be the worst dance track in the world to be tortured with on repeat? Barbie Girl – Aqua. What’s the most played record in your bag? Sassafras – Timmy Trumpet and Chardy. What question would you like to ask an omniscient, all-knowing being before you die? What’s the meaning of life? If you hadn’t made it as a DJ, what job would you choose to work in instead? Either personal training or the production side of tracks so I would still be surrounded by music. When and where is your next gig? This Saturday night at Green Apple, Prince and Pretty Please.

HAVANA BROWN SKIN DEEP: AUSSIE PRIDE On the surface it would seem Havana Brown is set when it comes to success in the music industry. She has the statuesque superstar looks, a major label deal and powerful industry friends. But there’s more to her than meets the eye. DJ Havana Brown is no overnight success story. And while it may appear that way to some, it has taken years for the young, striking lass hailing from Melbourne to emerge on the grand stage. Her driven approach and dedication have taken her to the States where she’s been on a whirlwind tour with superstar Pitbull. “It’s been pretty full on but that’s how I like it anyway,” she says from the set of her latest video shoot for You’ll Be Mine, in LA. “I’ve been on tour with Pitbull for the last three weeks, so literally we’ve had no time to do proper rehearsal for the video clip and I was pretty adamant because I wanted choreography for the video.” Eschewing the typical diva mentality that some may expect, Brown considers every aspect of her work from all angles. “I’m absolutely hands-on with everything I do, from the production down to the vocals to the writing,” she says. “For the video I have worked with the director on the concept.” It’s this approach that has seen her make such strides despite some folk questioning her credentials. “If you wanna get what you want then you’re pretty much going to have to do it yourself,” she says. “People think I just stand there and look pretty.” While aesthetic is important and no doubt has played a significant part in her ascension as a pop star, Brown doesn’t want it to overshadow her work. “Obviously every girl wants to look the best way they can possibly look but looking pretty doesn’t mean necessarily that you are not talented or that you don’t have your own mind,” she says. “I actually know what I want and I like shocking people like that. I

actually have a vision for myself.” Even with her determination, Brown didn’t foresee the runaway success her first single We Run The Night would have. “I never would’ve expected my first single to be the one that hits it internationally,” she says. “I’ve seen a lot of Aussie acts have tried to crack it in the States and international [acts] and it’s not easy.” As dance music continues to make a major impact on the US charts, it’s the perfect opportunity for a fresh face like Havana Brown to take centre stage. “Everyone’s ready for a new sound, they’re ready to hear that more electronic sound that’s not necessarily hip hop or R&B,” she says. “It’s something that’s fresh to them and that’s definitely opened the door for me.” Living proof that it can happen, We Run The Night is currently sitting at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. With that success under her belt the globetrotting star is returning home to take a break from her Pitbull Planet Pit World Tour 2012 to smash out sets in Melbourne. “I cannot wait to get back,” she says, with noticeable excitement in her voice. “I haven’t been back in Australia since March; I’ve been touring like crazy. I’m just excited to get back to the Aussie clubs that I’ve toured. I miss Aussie culture and Aussie people.” She has clearly enjoyed her time on the road with tourmate Pitbull so far and has picked up some inspiration from the American rapper and producer. “I like the way he handles things, he is a business man and he knows his music,” she says. Aside from behind the scenes, Brown has also been inspired by Pitbull’s stage presentation. “His shows are so much fun,” she says. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to a concert where the hands of the audience are up the whole entire time. It’s like a big massive party.” The atmosphere and enthusiasm Pitbull brings has helped

JOHN ‘00’ FLEMING LICENSE TO THRILL: RETURNING UNDERGROUND The ‘00’ sobriquet that UK trance legend John Fleming has carried amidst his moniker for the past 20 years doesn’t mean he can terminate enemy spies at will or that he’s working on a secret assignment for Her Majesty’s government, but with his upcoming J00F Editions club tour, he does have a mission of his own and with it, some high profile DJs firmly within his sights. “We can’t hide the fact that the scene has gone super commercial and my roots emerged from the underground,” John Fleming begins. A veteran and pioneer of the trance scene, he’s chatting about J00F editions, his touring club night that aims to shift the DJ into the background, remove all gimmicks and promote the music back to its rightful place as the focal point and raison d’être. Immediately affable and friendly, it’s obvious that music is his passion in life and the motive for everything he does career wise. “When you’re playing at these big festivals with these commercial guys around you just can’t do what you want to do musically cause you’ve got a big crowd and they’re there to see the commercial guys and I just don’t play the big hits all in a row like they do,” he continues. “So going back to the ethos of the good old days of clubbing, it’s small underground intimate clubs, the people are there to see me and I get a free reign to do what I want to do musically. It’s allowing me to do the job of a DJ again.” It’s a job that Fleming has been doing for over two decades now. He’s been there through it all, from the early ‘90s neon

of the Goa trance scene, through the huge peaks of the Superclub regimes such as Gatecrasher and Godskitchen, to the trickier times of late when the credibility bubble has well and truly burst. He’s always been passionate and takes his job very seriously but the explosion of commerciality, particularly within the trance world, has led to frustration at the dilution of the art. “I was losing that job as a DJ to analyse and work the crowd, to experiment and explore new music and test it out on the dance floor. The way the scene went, it was super commercial, you were just a human jukebox going on autopilot playing the big hits the crowd want. I’m not that type of DJ. Good luck to those guys if they’re enjoying it. I’m more of a traditional DJ, I want to work the crowd, I spend all week, day in, day out, researching and finding new music and I can’t wait to test it out on the dancefloor. Whereas the other guys, they’re kind of marketing machines, they’re mini-concerts where they’re just playing their own tracks. What they do, they’ve got no need to research as people are just there to see them.” So what about those ‘other guys’, the ones who want to be at the centre of attention? Has there been any reaction against his opinions? “To be honest I’m mates with a lot of them,” he says. “I think they’re aware of what they’re doing, hence why there’s no backlash. I don’t want to mention any names, but when I speak to them you can tell there’s just a bit of uncomfortable embarrassment, almost saying ‘I’m

Brown develop her own stage show. “Even for me, as the support act, they’re out there dancing with their hands up, they’re so much fun.” Well on her own way, Brown’s latest single You’ll Be Mine is taking off on charts around the globe. The evolution of Havana Brown as a performer is a reality and she has graduated from playing someone else’s songs to now performing her own and producing original tracks. “I would say I care about it a lot more now because it’s personal,” she says of her musical journey so far. It has been a journey that started out years ago, setting out the goals she wanted to achieve. “There were a lot of things I had set out and step by step I got there,” she says. “It wasn’t fast, it wasn’t overnight, every day I did one thing, if not 10 things, towards the next goal.” As someone who likes to take action rather than talk about what she is going to do, the singer and performer hasn’t been so open about her goals in public. “I never really sorry for how I’m crushing your specialist scene,’ but those words are never spoken.” But these aren’t the rantings of a bitter has-been desperate for fame and money. He has sold over 10 million CDs, including the staggeringly successful Euphoria series (the Progressive edition of which sold 70,000 copies in its first couple of weeks), has remixed the likes of Muse, Energy 52 and Junior Vasquez and for years was riding high in the DJ Mag top 100 DJ charts, in prime position to milk the commercial trance cash cow for all it was worth. But he actively backed away from all of this for musically altruistic reasons. “When I was in the poll years ago my gigs were worse, people were just booking a number and not a DJ that they knew or cared about,” he expounds. “I remember one year I looked at my gigs and half of them were terrible. They were the wrong crowds, the wrong people – that’s when I made a decision. I said to everyone ‘please don’t vote for me,’ and the following year the gigs were fantastic, it had just completely changed.” It may seem a cliché but this man is genuinely in it for the love of the music. “I’m just in the happiest place ever in my career,” he explains, “because I’m friends with some superstars, I see how unhappy they are, they’ve had that love stripped away from them and if I entered the business the way that they’re doing it I would lose all that lot. Yes, they’ve got a bucket load of money, but I think that shows that money doesn’t make you happy. Every morning when I wake up I’m super happy. Finding a new track I feel like a kid when I first started, ‘wow I can’t wait to play this!’ No matter what amount of money you could offer me I would not take it to lose that.” He never plays his own tracks at gigs and he shies away from as much press as possible. He’s on a mission to go back underground and reclaim trance from the popular masses. It’s time to sit back and let Agent Fleming finish his assignment.

talked about it because I feel like I’m constantly having to prove myself; I don’t want to feel like I have to do any of that,” she says. “I know where my mind’s at, I know what I’m doing and I know where I wanna go. All I need to do is prove it for myself.” Ready to seize the opportunities she has ahead of her, Brown is working on her debut studio album. While she is “almost there” with regards to the completion of the record, she wants to make a good impression. “I want to be a well-rounded artist rather than just a DJ that released a song,” she says. “I want people to know I’m very serious about my music too.” Andrew ‘Hazard’ Hickey Havana Brown [AUS] plays at CQ on Friday September 7 and Co. at Crown on Saturday September 15.

Andrew Nelson John ‘00’ Fleming [UK] plays at Brown Alley on Friday September 7.

TODD TERRY MASTER AT WORK: PLANET ROCKER Todd Terry’s musical career began in the melting pot that was ‘80s New York. One of his most distinct memories of the time is of hearing Afrika Bambaata’s classic track Planet Rock and realising the possibilities that electronic music had to offer. “We were listening to a lot of freestyle records back in the day, but that was the first electronic track that really stood out to me,” he says. “I was at Club 1018 in New York and saw Jazzy J play it, and it was interesting to me how the drums were so tight.” He began producing his own records soon after, and this track was the blueprint. “When I did Alright Alright I definitely had the Planet Rock thing in my mind. I just wanted to make a jam like that! That’s always been one of my things, to keep up with what’s out there and to have something like what they have.” From here on, Terry quickly rose to the status of superstar DJ, whose productions would define house music for generations to come. For many, his signature hit is his remix of Everything But The Girl’s Missing, a radical reworking that turned the acoustic track into a majestic club anthem. That track is just the beginning though – in fact, Terry has produced so many remixes over the years that he struggles to even remember them all. “Just the other day, I was looking through my old work and there are certain things I have no recollection of,” he laughs. It was a prolific period after all, and things were moving by very fast. “The remix game was there,” he says, “so I took control of it as much as I could. There are some I did that I thought could have been bigger, as big as Missing, but it doesn’t always work out that way.” Over the last two decades, there have been a lot of changes

in technology available to music producers, but in Terry’s view the biggest has been the shift from analogue to digital. “I mean, that’s just made a giant world of difference,” he says. “It used to take me all day to time-stretch a record, now it takes five minutes. I feel like I’m making more records now just to keep up with the market. Everyone can make a record now, so there’s a lot of competition. Back in the day, it was me and seven other record labels; now it’s me and 7000.” As prolific as ever, Terry has many releases due out in the immediate future. “I have a single coming out called Symphony and a collaboration with J Paul Getto, as well as some new, different artists. I like to have as many different things on the table as possible. I feel as though that’s my freedom, if I can do something different every now and then.” If you’ve been paying attention to Terry’s recent output, you may well have noticed that his reworking of The 2 Bears’ Ghosts & Zombies has a much harder sound than his typical productions. As to whether this signals a new direction for him, though, he is unsure. “I don’t ever see that I’ll mellow out. I’m happy for things to keep getting harder, but ultimately, every record’s different. I’ll be doing ten records and do a different thing on each one.” When it comes to remixes, catering to an artist’s individual sound is of foremost importance to Terry, although this can sometimes make remixing a hit-or-miss job. “You have time pressure on you because you have to get it done and get it out there,” he says, “and sometimes you get it right, sometimes you don’t. For the next record I’m doing with

The 2 Bears, we’re going to work on a production together – and you’ll hear the difference right away.” In years gone by, Terry was adamant in his insistence that production is his true work, and that DJ gigs are just something on the side to pay the bills. In recent times, though, his attitude has softened a bit. “DJing is definitely a way of life for me now,” he says. “Before, I’d be able to make half the money in productions and half in DJing, but these days, I make it all in DJing and give the productions away. I release a hundred records a year and I can get 40 DJ gigs – it’s just keeping the flow going, keeping it out there. I get kids coming into my fanbase who are new fans – they’re kids who never heard of me from back in the day, but who heard a production of mine on Beatport. It’s all about keeping up with the sound that’s out there, doing a lot of collaborations, because that’s what keeps me strong and creates new fans.” FEATURES

Terry’s early tracks were some of the first to mix house beats and hip hop, and before letting him go, I have to ask if he sees his legacy reflected on the charts today. “I love all the Usher and Chris Brown and Ne-Yo records,” he says. “They’re not house records, though – they’re pop-driven records. They’re using the ideas I had back in the day but taking them somewhere else. They’re good songs, good party tracks, but I don’t see what I was doing reflected in them.” Alasdair Duncan Todd Terry [USA] plays New Guernica on Saturday September 8.

PURPLEEMERALD EDEN

LUCKYCOQ

EUROTRASH

STRIKE

ONETWENTYBAR

WORKSHOP

BIMBOS FIRSTFLOOR

100% CLUB PICS

Qualia Q u a l i a Enter E n t e r tainment tainment PRESENT

O u t d o or M u s i c C u lt u r e A rts a n d H e a l i n g C e l e b r ati o n

LOGIC BOMB TERRANOISE Sensient CHROMATONE CIRCUIT BENT PSPIRALIFE

MR BILL

SLYTRANCE

ONE TASTY MORSEL

AUDIO UNIT

FAREBI JALEBI TRIPPY TECHNOLOGY STAUNCH TARUN CHMCL HARRY POSITIVE BEN EVANS MSSNGR THOUGHT BEN E VANS CHMCL M SSNGR HARRY BLOTTER BLOT TER POSITIVE T HOUGHT++ MORE MORE

EQUINOXFESTIVAL.COM.AU I TIX : OZTIX.COM.AU

LIGHTATREDLOVE BE.ATCO.

FAKTORYATKHOKOLATBAR

RHYTHMALISMATFUSION

KHOKOLATKOATED FASHIONLOUNGE

10.

100% URBAN PICS

THURSDAY6TH MOTOWN THURSDAYS Kick start your weekend with Melbourne’s newest Thursday night! Motown Thursdays caters to all true music lovers. Join us on an eclectic musical journey of soul, funk and disco through to early R&B. A live Soul Band features some of Melbourne’s most talented musicians; Carmen Hendricks, Laurent Soupe, Duncan Kinell and Aaron Mendoza just to name a few. DJs keep the records spinning into the early hours; residents are Reg-e, Lee Davies, Kalepe, Dinesh, Suga, Rubz and Alwin Rafferty. Join us around a big, shiny disco ball or two, for free entry, soulful tunes, drink specials all night and a dance floor full of friends! Fashion Lounge, 121 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

RHYTHM-AL-ISM Start the weekend early with Fusion’s Resident DJs. Music for your funkin’ soul. Special guests every week! Fusion, Crown Entertainment Complex, Lvl 3, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank

FRIDAY7TH FAKTORY This is it. Faktory Fridays are open for business at Melbourne’s home of R&B, Khokolat Bar. Where else? Damion De Silva, Ken Walker, Durmy, K Dee, Simon Sez, Yaths and Jacqui Dusk spinning all night long. Khokolat Bar, Basement, 43 Hardware La, Melbourne

SETH SENTRY BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY

THE NICE UP Tom Showtime presents The Nice Up. All flavours of hip hop, ghetto funk and reggae niceness provided. Sailor Jerry nice up the cocktails, Dos Blockos nice up the $5 beers. Fridays done proper. George Lane Bar, 1 George Lane, St Kilda

Grammy Award winning hip hop legends Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are returning to their “second home” Australia, having already sold out over 20 Australian performances in the past. Having reformed for a upcoming performance at Rock The Bells in August this year, the group have created their fair share of interest regarding the possibilities of a new album, and have been introduced to a new generation of hip hop fans thanks to the likes of Drake and Wiz Khalifa expressing their admiration. Thursday September 20, The Espy, 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda

Those of you with an eye on the Australian hip hop scene will certainly have heard of Seth Sentry by now. First bursting onto the scene in 2003 after a series of genre-bendingly exciting shows with local hip hop/ drum and bass outfit D.S.O.L, he’s worked with fellow Aussie favourites 360 and Pez, made his way onto Triple J rotation with singles The Waitress Song and Simple Game, and is now set to release his debut album This Was Tomorrow through his own label High Score. To celebrate, an extensive national tour has been announced, and Melbourne can get a taste of his groundbreaking new beats. Saturday September 29, The Corner Hotel, 57 Swan Street, Richmond

SATURDAY8TH KHOKOLAT KOATED All new experience, same great location with a fresh koat of Khokolat. Restless Entertainment reloads your favourite Saturday night party. Damion De Silva, K Dee, Jay Sin and weekly guests playing R&B & ol’ skool sounds strictly for the urban elite. Khokolat Bar, Basement, 43 Hardware La, Melbourne

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

SHAKA SATURDAY The newest R&B Superclub Shaka Saturdays grand opening is set to hit Melbourne over two massive weeks. The northern suburbs newest, freshest club playing all of your favourite R&B, hip hop, old skool and reggae. Shaka Saturdays is showcasing Australias newest and favourite R&B DJs, including DJ C-RAM bringing video mixing to Melbourne and special guest hip hop band Yellow Cake. Set at one of the most amazing venues Melbourne has to offer with two levels, good music, great ‘Shaka’ atmosphere and cheap drinks, we are hoping to pack it out and create a night for people to remember. Level 2 The Club, 2 Arthurton Rd, Northcote

TONY TOUCH Tony Touch broke a lot of hearts when his most recent show at the Espy was cancelled a couple of months back – but the news you’ve all been waiting on with bated breath is finally here and a rescheduled date has been confirmed. The original b-boy has been kicking out jams since the early eighties, inspired by a love of artists like the Rock Steady Crew, Grandmaster Flash and Red Alert. His diverse range of titles also includes hip hop break dancer, rapper, DJ, producer and actor - a seriously multitalented approach to art that’s reflected in his impressive discography. Highlights include his legendary mixtapes, hugely successful record releases on labels like Tommy Boy, works with fellow kingpins Wu Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, and yet another upcoming release titled The Piece Maker 3. Count us excited. Friday September 28, The Espy, 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda

BIG FREEDIA Bounce-rap Queen Big Freedia will bring her orgiastic troupe of rear-wriggling Divas to Australia this October with a club show alongside her Melbourne Festival performance. The towering transvestite announced New Orleans sissy-bounce to the world, where it’s been part of the city’s cultural fabric since the ‘80s. Responsible for its acceptance into the mainstream she’s now been received all over as an ambassador for the ‘sissy bounce’ genre. The provider of dance floor anthems Azz Everywhere and Excuse will have you infected with motion. Saturday October 20, The Tote, 67-71 Johnston Street, Collingwood

ILLY Laying relatively low since absolutely smashing it last year with his sophomore LP The Chase, Illy has announced his return to the stage in preparation for his third LP. As well as showcasing his massive hits, none moreso than the ubiquitous It Can Wait, the tour will be the first chance for fans to hear material from the upcoming album. The first taste of the new record comes in the form of Heard It All, a single which is already gaining traction on national radio. The Corner Hotel, 57 Swan Street, Richmond

UPCOMING

LIKE FRIDAYS Like Fridays at La Di Da serves up R&B and electro house across two rooms giving you a fun filled end to your week. DJs Dinesh, Dir-X, Sef, NYD, Shaun D, Shaggz, Broz and more. La Di Da, 577 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

LIGHT The buzz is Light at RedLove every Friday. Hitting out that R&B flavour of old, new and everything in between! RedLove Resident DJs Stel, Harvey Yeah, TMC and Ripz on the wheels of steel from 6.30pm. If you don’t know, now you know! Check it! Red Love, Level 1, 401 Swanston Street, Melbourne

THE LOOSE GOOSE The Loose Goose is focused on providing a wonderful array of cocktails and offers a great CBD location to lounge and relax in while overlooking busy Flinders Lane. A small plates menu is available to graze on whilst trying our delicious cocktails from the classics to contemporary, beer on tap and a wide range of beers, wines and spirits. Every Friday evening DJ Jumps of The Cat Empire will take to the decks at the bar spinning his rare afro Latin funk vinyl collected from around the world from 6.30pm until late. Papa Goose Cocktail Bar, 91-93 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

SWEET NOTHING FRIDAYS DJ Marcus Knight and DJ Xander James spin hip hop, R&B and house tunes all night from 8pm. Free entry and early drink specials. Temperance Hotel, 426 Chapel St, South Yarra

DAS EFX Both originating from the super-real streets of Brooklyn in New York, Andre “Drayz” Weston and Willie “Skoob” Hines are the two minds behind hardcore rap outfit Das EFX was the result of a chance meeting in college, cemented into place by taking out the top spot in a talent contest judged by EPMD resulting in them being signed to the well-respected label and their career making a stratospheric launch into the higher echelons of rap fame after their first album went platinum and was released to much critical acclaim. With more than 20 years, five albums and an endless number of singles to their names, we’re pretty pleased to announce the next Das EFX tour down under. Friday September 28, The Prince Bandroom, 29 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

URBAN

11.

WHERE TO NEXT?

Gypsy Bar 334 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 0548

Retreat Hotel 226 Nicholson St, Abbotsford, 9417 2693

HiFi 125 Swanston St, Melb, 1300 843 4434

The Retreat Hotel 280 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9380 4090

Highlander 11a Highlander Lane, Melb, 9620 2227

Revolt Elizabeth St, Kensington, 03 9376 2115

Hoo Haa 105 Chapel St, Windsor, 9529 6900

Revolver Upstairs 229 Chapel St, Prahran, 9521 5985

Horse Bazaar 397 Little Lonsdale St, Melb, 9670 2329 Iddy Biddy 47 Blessington St, St Kilda, 9534 4484

Rochester Castle Hotel 202 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9415 7555 Rooftop Cider Bar, Cnr Swanston & Flinders St, Melbourne, 9650 3884

Jett Black 177 Greville St, Prahran

Room 680 Level 1, 680 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, 9818 0680

John Curtin Hotel 29 Lygon St, Melb, 9663 6350

Roxanne Parlour Lvl 3, 2 Coverlid Pl, Melb

Khokolat Bar 43 Hardware Lane, Melbourne, 039642 1142

Royal Derby 446 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 2321

La Di Da 577 Lt Bourke St, Melb, 9670 7680

Roal Melbourne Hotel 629 Bourke St, 9629 2400

Labour In Vain 197A Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 5955

Ruby’s Lounge 1648 Burwood Hwy, Belgrave, 9754 7445

Level 2 The Club 2 Arthurton Rd, Northcote, 9482 3241

Saint Hotel 54 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9593 8333

Lomond Hotel 225 Nicholson St, East Brunswick

Sandbelt Live Cnr South & Bignell Rd, Moorabbin, 9555 6899

Longroom 162 Collins St, Melbourne, 9663 9226

Scarlett Lounge 174 Burnley St, Richmond, 9428 0230

Loop 23 Meyers Pl, Melb, 9654 0500

Seven Nightclub 52 Albert Rd, South Melb, 9690 7877

Lounge 243 Swanston St, Melb, 9663 2916

Some Velvet Morning 123 Queen’s Parade, Clifton Hill, 9486 5192

29th Apartment 29 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9078 8922

Cookie Lvl 1, 252 Swanston St, Melb, 9663 7660

The Lounge Pit 386-388 Brunswick St, Fitzroy 9415 6142

Spensers Live 419 Spencer St, West Melb, 03 9329 8821

303 303 High Street, Northcote

Corner Hotel 57 Swan St, Richmond, 9427 9198

Love Machine Cnr Lt Chapel & Malvern Rd, Prahran, 9533 8837

Spot 133 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9388 0222

Abode 374 St.Kilda Rd, St.Kilda

Cornish Arms 163 Sydney Rd, Brunswick

Lucky Coq 179 Chapel St, Windsor, 9525 1288

Standard Hotel 293 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy, 9419 4793

Albert Park Hotel Cnr Montague & Dundas Pl, Albert Park, 9690 5459

CQ 113 Queen St, Melb, 8601 2738

The LuWOW 62-70 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9417 5447

Star Bar 160 Clarendon St, South Melb, 9810 0054

Alia Lvl 1, 83-87 Smith St, Fitzroy, 9486 0999

Croft Institute 21 Croft Alley, Melb, 9671 4399

Mercat Cross Lvl 1, 456 Queen St, Melb, 9348 9998

Station 59 59 Church St, Richmond, 9427 8797

Alumbra Shed 9, Central Pier, 161 Harbour Espl, Docklands, 8623 9666

Cruzao Arepa Bar 365 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 7871

Mink 2 Acland St, St Kilda, 9536 1199

Stolberg Beer Café 197 Plenty Rd, Preston, 9495 1444

Back Bar 67 Green St, Windsor, 9529 7899

Cushion 99 Fitzroy St, St.Kilda, 9534 7575

Miss Libertine 34 Franklin St, Melb, 9663 6855

Sub Lounge & Restaurant 168 Elizabeth St Melb, 0411 800 198

Bar Oussou 653 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9384 3040

Damask 1/347 Burnswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 4578

Misty 3-5 Hosier Ln, Melb, 9663 9202

Sugar Bar (Hotel Urban) 35 Fitztroy St, St Kilda, 8530 8888

Bar Open 317 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9415 9601

The Drunken Poet 65 Peel Street, West Melbourne, 9348 9797

Mockingbird Bar 129 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9534 0000

Temperance Hotel 426 Chapel St, South Yarra, 9827 7401

Baroq House 9-13 Drewery Ln, Melb, 8080 5680

Der Raum 438 Church St, Richmond, 9428 0055

Musicland 1359A Sydney Rd, Fawkner, 9359 0006

Thornbury Theatre 859 High St, Thornbury, 9484 9813

Bendigo Hotel 125 Johnston St, Collingwood 9417 3415

Ding Dong Lounge Lvl 1, 18 Market Ln, Melb, 9662 1020

Tiki Lounge 327 Swan St, Richmond, 9428 4336

Bennetts Jazz Club 25 Bennetts Ln, Melb, 9663 2856

Dizzy’s Jazz Club 381 Burnley St, Richmond, 9428 1233

Neverland 32-48 Johnson St, South Melb, 9646 5544 New Guernica Lvl 2, Hub Arcade, 318-322 Lt Collins St, Melb, 9650 4464

Bertha Brown 562 Flinders Street, 9629 1207

Double Happiness 21 Liverpool St, Melb, 9650 4488

Night Cat 141 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9417 0090

Tony Starr’s Kitten Club 267 Lt Collins St, Melb, 9650 2448

Big Mouth 168 Acland St, St.Kilda, 9534 4611

E:55 55 Elizabeth St, Melb, 9620 3899

Night Cat 279 Flinders Ln, Melb, 9654 0444

The Tote Hotel 67 Johnson St, Collingwood, 9419 5320

Billboard 170 Russell St, Melb, 9639 4000

East Brunswick Club 280 Lygon St, East Brunswick, 9388 2777

Noise Bar 291 Albert St, Brunswick, 9380 1493

Town Hall Hotel 33 Errol St, North Melbourne, 9328 1983

Bimbo Deluxe 376 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 8600

Edinburgh Castle 681 Sydney Rd, Brunswick

Northcote Social Club 301 High St, Northcote, 9489 3917

Trak Lounge 445 Toorak Rd, Toorak, 9826 9000

Birmingham Hotel Cnr Smith & Johnston St, Fitzroy

Electric Ladyland Lvl 1, 265 Chapel St, Prahran, 9521 5757

Old Bar 74 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9417 4155

Tramp 20 King St, Melb

Black Cat 252 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 6230

Elwood Lounge 49-51 Glenhuntly Rd, Elwood, 9525 6788

One Twenty Bar 120 Johnston St, Fitzroy

Transport Hotel Federation Square, Melb, 9654 8808

Blue Bar 330 Chapel St, Prahran, 9529 6499

Empress 714 Nicholson St, Nth Fitzroy, 9489 8605

Onesixone 161 High St, Prahran, 9533 8433

Trunk 275 Exhibition St, Melbourne, 9663 7994

Blue Tile Lounge 95 Smith St, Fitzroy

Espy 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda, 9534 0211

Order Of Melbourne level 2, 401 Swanston St, Melb, 9663 6707

Tyranny Of Distance 147 Union St, Windsor, 9525 1005

Boutique 134 Greville St, Prahran, 9525 2322

Eurotrash 18 Corrs Ln, Melb, 9654 4411

Palace Hotel 893 Burke Rd, Camberwell

Two of Hearts 149 Commercial Road, Prahran

Brown Alley King Street, Melb,9670 8599

Eve 334 City Rd, Southbank, 9696 7388

Palace Theatre 20-30 Bourke St, Melb, 9650 0180

Union Hotel Brunswick 109 Union St, Brunswick, 9388 2235

Brunswick Hotel 140 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9387 6637

Evelyn 351 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 5500

Palais 111 Main Rd, Hepburn Springs, 5348 4849

Veludo 175 Acland St, St Kilda, 9534 4456

Builders Arms 211 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

Ferntree Gully Hotel 1130 Burwood Hwy, Ferntree Gully, 9758 6544

Palais Theatre Lower Esplanade, St Kilda, 9525 3240

Victoria Hotel 380 Victoria St, Brunswick, 9388 0830

Cabinet Bar 11 Rainbow Alley, Melbourne, 9654 0915

Festival Hall 300 Dudley St, West Melbourne, 9329 9699

Papa Goose 91 Flinders Ln, Melbourne, 9663 2800

Wah Wah Lounge Lvl 1, 185 Lonsdale St, Melb

Caravan Music Club 95 Drummond St, Oakleigh

First Floor 393 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 6380

Penny Black 420 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9380 8667

Wesley Anne 250 High St, Northcote, 9482 1333

Caseys Nightclub 660A Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, 9810 0030

Forum Theatre 154 Flinders St, Melb, 9299 9800

Pier Live Hotel 508 Nepean Hwy, Frankston, 9783 9800

Westernport Hotel 161 Marine Pde, San Remo, 5678 5205

Caz Reitops Dirty Secrets 80 Smith St, Collingwood, 9415 8876

The Fox Hotel 351 Wellington Street, Collingwood, 9416 4957

Pony 68-70 Lt Collins St, Melb, 9662 1026

Willow Bar 222 High Street, Northcote, 9481 1222

CBD Club 12-14 McKillop St, Melb, 9670 3638

Fusion Lvl 3, Crown Complex, Southbank, 9292 5750

Portland Hotel Cnr Lt Collins & Russell St, Melb, 9810 0064

Windsor Castle 89 Albert St, Windsor, 9525 0239

Chaise Lounge Basement, 105 Queen St, Melb, 9670 6120

The Gallery Room 1/510 Flinders St, Melbourne, 9629 1350

The Prague Hotel, 911 High St, Northcote, 9495 0000

Workers Club 51 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9415 8889

Chandelier Room 91 Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin, 9532 2288

Gem Bar & Dining 289 Wellingston St, Collingwood, 9419 5170

Pretty Please 61c Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9534 4484

Workshop Lvl 1, 413 Elizabeth St, Melb, 9326 4365

Chelsea Heights Hotel Cnr Springvale & Wells Rd,

George Basement, 127 Fitzroy St, 9534 8822

Prince Bandroom 29 Fitztory St, St Kilda, 9536 1168

Yah Yah’s 99 Smith St, Fitzroy, 9419 4920

Chelsea Heights, 9773 4453

Gertrude’s Brown Couch 30 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, 9417 6420

Prince Of Wales 29 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9536 1168

The Vine 59 Wellington St, Collingwood, 9417 2434

Cherry Bar AC/DC Ln, Melb, 9639 8122

Grace Darling Hotel 114 Smith St, Collingwood, 9416 0055

Public Bar 238 Victoria St, North Melb, 9329 6522

Chi Lounge 195 Lt Bourke St, Melbourne, 9662 2688

Grandview Hotel Cnr Heidelberg Rd & Station St, Fairfield, 9489 8061

Purple Emerald Lounge Bar 349 High St, Northcote, 9482 7007

Co. Lvl 3, Crown Complex, 9292 5750 Colonial Hotel (Brown Alley) Cnr King & Lonsdale St, Melb, 9670 8599

Great Britain Hotel 447 Church St, Richmond, 9429 5066

Railway Hotel 280 Ferrars St, South Melb, 9690 5092

Grind N Groove 274 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville

Red Bennies 371 Chapel St, South Yarra, 9826 2689

Commercial Club Hotel 344 Nicholson St, Fitzroy, 9419 1522

Grumpy’s Green 125 Smith St, Collingwood, 9416 1944

RedLove Lvl 1, 401 Swanston St, Melb, 9639 3722

Toff In Town Lvl 2, 252 Swanston St, Melb, 9639 8770

FOR MORE VENUES, VISIT:

BEAT.COM.AU/VENUES

.com.au

new and improved

everything Melbourne - online & mobile

12.

VENUE DIRECTORY

THE SMART BY CHRISTIE ELIEZER

The Smart are a trio of mavericks that aren’t content to just shape memorable tunes from uncompromising angles. They come on stage in zany clothes. They throw their instruments into the crowd for them to play. They leap into the audience and lead them in a conga line while playing. The idea is to see what happens when you disorient a crowd. That some of The Smart’s ideas work and some don’t is irrelevant: at least they’re shaking the tree. On the weekend, they played at The Hi-Fi Bar in their hometown Brisbane. It’s thought to be one of Australia’s first live Silent rock shows, an expansion on the concept of Silent Discos. The 600-strong audience were given their own headphones and used the volume control to decide their personal atmospherics. This weekend The Smart play at The Hi-Fi in Melbourne for a 3D show incorporating upcoming visual theatre artists. They did the show in Brisbane last year: the audience was given green and red 3D glasses while the band performed below 3D visuals. “3D is such an awesome concept,” admits Johny Leighton, who plays keytar, a cross between keyboard and guitar. “The first time I saw 3D was in Avatar. It was such a cool experience that the three of us, and some friends from the trade, started working out how to apply it to the live situation.” Audiences these days, he adds, want to be entertained. So it’s up to the bands, regardless of the size of their budgets, to think outside the box and shift people out of the safety of their lounge room DVD players. “People who see The Smart for the first time invariably go ‘what the?’ You get these crazy guys coming out in crazy gear, and their immediate reaction is ‘what a bunch of wankers!’ But once they hear the music, it makes sense to them. What’s more, they have a really good time. With The Smart Silent Show, we did something different to their senses, along with the visual effects and the light show. All these pictures came together.” Who are some other acts that he thinks provide a great live experience? “In terms of rock, Muse stick out. You go to their shows expecting the music to be good. But in the end, you just go ‘Wow!’ Lady Gaga is another. You’re shocked but it’s a good shock, because you don’t know what’s going to happen next.” Leighton, singer Jeremy Peter Allen and bassist Paul Wright met while playing in a band at their local church. They used to jam together, and out of this came The Smart. “Even before we became a band, there was already a connection between the three of us,” Leighton recalls. “As soon as we got together, we started writing songs. [Title track of their first EP] Midnight Goodnight was the first one we wrote, it came together in half an hour. Then about five or six other songs came quickly.” All three have different tastes. Allen is partial to the quirky folk of Jeff Buckley, Wright is into Rage Against The Machine, and Leighton, who also moonlights as

““PEOPLE WHO SEE THE SMART FOR THE FIRST TIME INVARIABLY GO ‘WHAT THE?’ YOU GET THESE CRAZY GUYS COMING OUT IN CRAZY GEAR, AND THEIR IMMEDIATE REACTION IS ‘WHAT A BUNCH OF WANKERS!’ BUT ONCE THEY HEAR THE MUSIC, IT MAKES SENSE TO THEM” a club DJ, is into electronica as well as the theatrical rock of Muse, Queen and Korn. They were all classically trained and their singles City Lights, Electrical and Cold Dark Room were championed by triple j and quickly crossed over to Nova and Triple M after they won commercial radio’s New Artists To Radio competition. This airplay on major networks in turn led to The Smart snaring the Bon Jovi support, testing out their stadiumrock inclinations before a crowd of 30,000. The epic element of Smart music comes out in their new single Hands Of Shelter. It was inspired by the work of a Cambodian charity called The She Rescue Home, which rescues girls, some as young as six, from prostitution and slavery. It takes them out of harm’s way, and ensures they get a good education as the road to a good life. The lyrics are a dialogue between two people. One is a little girl about to be sold, “The love you never could deny/ Has fallen flat before my broken life.” The other is an adult, “There is a darkness in your eyes/ Not gonna take the time to ask you why/ Time to take this photograph/ Time to tell the world about.” This second character can be, depending on your spiritual bent, either the one who spreads the message or brings salvation. “We’re not about preaching,” Leighton emphasises. “If [the song] inspires people into action, that’s fine. If they just like the song, that’s fine too. Musically it came together quickly, in about 20 minutes. We had the concept, we jammed one night, and we worked around the piano riff.” From the first time they added it to their live set, the song has been a show-stopper. “A lot of people dance to our music at the shows. But when we play Hands Of Shelter everyone stops and listens, there’s pin drop silence.” THE SMART play their 3D show at The Hi-Fi on Saturday September 8. Supports are Sounds Of Troy, Inc3do, Pludo and Pretty Dulcie. DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

Beat Magazine Page 41

LIFELINES

INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP

with Christie Eliezer * Stuﬀ for this column to be emailed to <celiezer@netspace.net.au> by Friday 5pm Metallica’s Lars Ulrich at #5 with $175m. Behind them are the Stones’ Charlie Watts, U2’s Larry Mullen, Queen’s Roger Taylor, Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer and Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith at $90m.

JACOB BUTLER WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARD

KAZ HANGS WITH GUETTA Aussie DJ Kaz James is opening for David Guetta’s world tour. He’s here with David and Cathy Guetta after playing together at Pacha in Ibiza.

$300,000 WORTH OF GRANTS FOR VICTORIA’S MUSIC The Victorian state government announced $300,000 worth of grants through its Contemporary and Live Music Development program. The biggest recipient was the fifth Australasian Worldwide Music Expo (AWME) which received $175,000 to stage in November. Others to develop the industry were $9,948 for Jen Cloher’s I Manage My Music workshops to help musicians to develop the skills to manage their own careers, $9,923 for 3MBS’s online initiative Recitals on Demand, $5,000 for the Anglesea Music Festival‘s Kick Starter program which offers workshops and training for students to work in a festival environment, $5000 for SheppSounds to help Shepparton musicians, $4,395 for ReMastered Myths on Air that provides support for refugee musicians, and $4,369 towards The Australian Art Orchestra’s video streaming of its Indigenous and jazz music project Crossing Roper Bar. The Contemporary and Live Music Development program offers grants to acts to record, promote and tour their work. These ranged from the more well known Eagle and the Worm, Jen Cloher, Dave Graney, Kutcha Edwards, Antiskeptic, Xylouris Ensemble, East Brunswick All Girls Choir and Kim Salmon to the emerging The Vaudeville Smash, Prudence ReesLee and a capella trio Aluka. “Victoria has a proud history as a breeding ground for talent and the Contemporary and Live Music Development program aims to build on this,” said premier and minister for the arts Ted Baillieu. He added that the grants come in the wake of the establishment of a live music industry roundtable to solve venue problems. See premier.vic.gov.au.

ARIA AWARDS EXPANDS TO WEEKLONG CELEBRATIONS ARIA this week announced some changes for the ARIA awards. It is moved from its Sunday night slot to Thursday November 29, and to the Sydney Entertainment Centre from Allphones Arena. But the big move is that rather than for just one night, ARIA is making it a week-long celebration. There will be showcases and gigs around Sydney, as well as workshops, forums and discussions on a range of industry issues. The awards will be broadcast on Nine’s digital channel Go. Voting began by the music industry this week, with the public also voting for Single Of The Year, Best Video, Best Australian Live Act and Best International Artist. The ﬁnalists will be announced on Wednesday October 3.

COOPERS JOINS THE AMP Australian brewer Coopers struck a three year naming rights deal with the Australian Music Prize. AMP founder Scott B. Murphy said a naming rights sponsor had been on his mind since launching the AMP in 2004. “It took us eight years because the ﬁt had to be perfect – the brand we were partnering with had to be as prestigious as our own and the partnership terms needed to be right for us.” Over 100 Australians albums from 2012 have applied so far.

GI & SANICKI LAWYERS BRISBANE OFFICE

OPEN

Boutique entertainment legal practice GI & Sanicki Lawyers opens a second oﬃce in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley on Monday September 10. It is at 6 Prospect Street, and the phone number is 07 3333 1844. With clients including Yusef Islam/Cat Stevens, Matt Corby, Owl Eyes and Karise Eden, founder and muso Darren Sanicki who opened its Melbourne oﬃce in 2009, says “We are not just lawyers, but musicians and music lovers ourselves.” Their Melbourne number is 03 9824 2244.

DRE HIGHEST PAID MUSIC CELEB… Producer and rapper Dr Dre is the highest paid music celebrity: his fortune of US$110 million placed him #4 in the Forbes 20 Highest Paid Celebrities list. The list was topped by Oprah Winfrey ($165m) followed by ﬁlm makers Michael Bay ($160m), Steven Spielberg ($130m) and Jerry Bruckheimer ($115m). Of other music types on the list, radio presenter Howard Stern was #7 with $95m, Simon Cowell #9 with $90m, Elton John #11 with $80m, and Britney Spears who tied with Tiger Woods at #20 with $58m.

…WHILE DRUMMERS ROLL IN THE DOSH Ringo Starr is the richest drummer in the world, according to Celebritynetworth.com. The Beatles skinbasher is worth $300 million. He is followed by Phil Collins ($250m), Dave Grohl ($225m), The Eagles’ Don Henley ($200m) and Beat Magazine Page 42

Melbourne singer songwriter Jacob Butler’s latest international achievement is topping the Adult Album Alternative category in global songwriting comp Unsigned Only with his song Mind Waltz. In other Melbourne wins, Kate Vigo was #2 in Adult Contemporary. Honorable Mentions went to Skipping Girl Vinegar (AAA) and Hunting Grounds (rock). The contest, run by the Nashville-based ISC, drew 7,500 entrants from 80 countries. Judges included The Cure’s Robert Smith, Kelly Clarkson, and producer Steve Lillywhite.

SEXIER NEW AIR SITE Indies association AIR has updated its air.org.au site. It’s combined its old industry-focused site (AIR members news, sign-up, royalty info and other non-sexy things) with their charts/awards site (blogs, feature artists, interviews, sexy things). Publicists, journalists, labels and managers are invited to send news to Nick O’Byrne (nick@air.org.au) or Joanna Cameron (joanna@air.org.au). They also revamped facebook.com/australianindies.

POP GETTING MORE DEPRESSING?

Alana Markulis of Billboard club fame has also taken over management of psych-rock band Planet Love Sound. For media or booking enquiries email her alana.markulis@gmail. com. They launch their Part 2 EP on Friday September 7 at a secret warehouse location in Prahran. Tickets are available from their website.

Just months after scientists proved pop music is louder and more boring than 50 years ago, a new study published in the Psychology Of Aesthetics, Creativity, And The Arts journal suggests songs have become sadder and more melancholy. The AV Club study, by Glenn Schellenberg and Christian von Scheve, analysed the tempo and mode of the 40 most popular songs in each year between 1965 and 2009. Happy songs are fast in tempo and in major mode. Sad ones are slower and use minor modes. The minor-mode ones almost doubled over 50 years while the amount of “happy” dropped. Their reasons: tracks are longer, the increasing amount of female artists (wot, females are more depressing?), consumers want more choice and see melancholy songs as more sophisticated and uptempo ones as “juvenile.”

ONYA SOAPBOX TAKE ON RHYS CRIMMIN & THE TOMS

TAKING OFF WITH QANTAS

MARKULIS MANAGING PLANET LOVE SOUND

Onya Soapbox has taken on management of Victorian band Rhys Crimmin & The Toms. Terang-hailed Crimmin works as a one-man show with guitars, didgeridoos, harmonicas, kazoos and foot percussion, as well as fronting The Toms, so called for the obvious reason all the members are named Tom.

Sydney-based Caitlin Park is the music winner of the Qantas Spirit Of Youth Awards. She will work with producer Lee Groves and Daniel Johns, attend CMJ in New York, receive $5,000 and 12 months of mentorship. The two runnersup were from Melbourne: Hayden Calnin and Courtney Barnett.

THINGS WE HEAR

WILD@heART EVENTS

* New gay icon and Voice winner Karise Eden has scotched rumours she’s a lesbian by telling Who she is dating a musician, “a lovely lovely man.” * Aussie music film The Sapphires, which has pulled $8.1 million in Oz, will be released in NZ on Oct 4, the UK on November 2 and the US next year. * Rammstein are being blamed for inspiring the Maryland school shooting in the US. Media trawled through the social media profile of Bobby Gladden, 15, who’s up for attempted murder after firing on a 17-year-old schoolmate, and found he was obsessed with the band. * Melbourne’s Francolin experienced a surge in social media interest after Gotye twittered, “Been enjoying this debut by new Melbourne band a lot.” * 3,000 people turned up at a rally for Sydney live music venue The Sando, which might be sold after its bank foreclosed on its $3 million+ debt. * The ACT government is considering a scheme where Canberra venues will share information on troublemakers, and ban them from all venues. * Guy Sebastian’s Battle Scars has gone gold and created waves because of Lupe Fiasco’s involvement in the track, while Justice Crew’s Boom Boom has been certified double platinum. * Both Foo Fighters and Florence + The Machine announced at their sets at UK’s Reading Festival they are taking lengthy breaks. But Dave Grohl later said he meant the Foos would not be appearing in the UK for a long time. * Two members of Pussy Riot, being pursued by Russian cops, have fled the country. * After last year’s Meat Loaf fiasco, is the Australian Football League going for just local acts for its Grand Final? The Temper Trap are touted as one. * Blues rocker Dallas Frasca was spotted hanging with Slash. * AC/DC’s Brian Johnson launched his own radio show on the BBC talking about music which inspired him (Led Zep, ZZ Top, Alex Harvey etc). * After the collapse of Allans + Billy Hyde, local guitar makers Maton and Cole Clark told The Age they’ll focus on export and independent retailers.

EVENTFINDER EXPANDING Australia’s fastest growing entertainment event listing and ticketing website Eventfinder is expanding. It teamed with Yahoo!7 to tap into its 2 million entertainment, lifestyle and travel audience. This is to build on the 350,000 event-goers who log on every month; it’s listed 30,000 events since launching in January and its ticketing platform processed over 300,000 tickets in Australia and NZ, including this year’s Big Day Out. Eventfinder is the biggest events and ticketing website in NZ and was launched recently in the USA. It is managed under licence in Australia by publisher Peer Group Media. Its CEO Adam Zammit says Eventfinder allows fans to hunt down local events and gives promoters and venues “a national platform to market and ticket their events.”

NEW SIGNINGS Mercury Records Australia signed Sydney’s The Preatures … Sydney-based urban act Chance Waters (the artist previously known as Phatchance) was signed by Shock imprint Permanent Records … Halfcut, another new Shock label, signed Sydney extreme metal band Thy Art Is Murder.

COMMUNITY

ARTS

Community arts WildheART have two Music Network events coming up. These support creative and professional development for artists who identify with mental illness. Strumarama! at the Espy on Wed Sept 12 from 7pm, with Chris Wilson, Heidi Everett and folks from the Music Network Songwriter’s Collective. Wilson will also run a songwriting workshop at St Kilda Bowls Club on Wed Sept 9, 1pm - 4pm, $5 entry. All songwriters who experience mental illness are invited to attend this session.

FESTIVALS #1: MEREDITH SELLS OUT IN 20 MINUTES Meredith Music Festival sold out all its tickets last Friday in 20 minutes – faster than ever – for the 20th time in her 22 year history. Some folks arrived at 5pm the day before and stayed up overnight.

FESTIVALS #2: WANNA PLAY KYNETON MUSIC 2013? Kyneton Music Festival (March 2013) is inviting acts from Macedon Ranges, Mount Alexander and Hepburn to play. Deadline is October 31, see kynetonmusicfestival.com.au.

Expecting: Wes Carr (who launched his new project Buffalo) and actress wife Charlotte Gregg, their first. Dating: Russell Brand and Spice Girlie Geri Halliwell after meeting at the Olympics closing ceremony rehearsals. Married: Adele has already secretly married boyfriend Simon Konecki, Brit reports say. She has denied them. Marrying: Patience Hodgson and John Patterson of The Grates revealed they’ve been an item for seven years, and are marrying at the end of the year. Split: after a few months, John Mayer has dumped a devastated Katy Perry. Hospitalised: Eddie Van Halen, for emergency surgery for a severe bout of Diverticulitis, He’s out of action for six months, pushing back plans for Van Halen to tour Australia in our spring. Injured: Cheryl Cole and Will.i.am ended up with bloody noses and faces after a car driven by the Peas member crashed into a parked car. Cole hit her head on the dashboard, while a safety airbag injured Will.i.am. Ill: Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix faces surgery for a nodule on a vocal cord. Ill: Duran Duran had to cancel the final dates of their US tour because Nick Rhodes continues to battle a lingering viral infection. In Court: the sentencing of British reggae singer Finley Quaye’s racially motivated attack on a woman two years ago has been delayed because his lawyer pulled out saying he hasn’t been paid. In Court: Kanye West won a lawsuit against Vincent Peters who accused him of stealing the words of his song Stronger from his own song, also titled Stronger which he’d given West’s manager. West said that both songs had been borrowed from 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche who came up with the maxim “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Died: 50 Cent’s manager Chris Lighty, 44, suicide, while going through a turbulent divorce and allegedly owing US$4.7 million to the tax office. A high profile hip hop manager, former clients included P Diddy and Mariah Carey. Died: Hal David, 91, from complications following a stroke. He and Burt Bacharach were one of the greatest songwriting teams of all time, writing 700 songs like I Say A Little Prayer, Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head, Do You Know The Way You San Jose, Close To You and Alfie.

KISS FM UP FOR INTERNATIONAL AWARD Melbourne dance station Kiss FM is up for an International Radio Award as part of the International Radio Festival in Zurich, Switzerland from September 12 to 16. Timmy Byrne’s The Beautiful Drive (Tuesday – Friday, 4-6pm) is nominated for Best International Radio Show. He will broadcast from the conference’s castle venue to Boston, Detroit and Philadelphia and Melbourne (6-8pm EST) on Sunday September 16. “It’s a great honour being the ﬁrst Australian radio show to be nominated for International Radio Awards,” he says.

MANNINGHAM COMMUNITY CALLING ALL MUSOS

JAM:

Musos of all ages, styles and instruments are invited to join the Manningham Community Jam on Sunday September 16. It’s a large scale massed event where local groups, families, kids, adults and students come together for an hour to

60 SECONDS WITH ...

JAMES CARTER QUARTET Define your genre in five words or less: Reflective and thought provoking goodness. What inspires or has influenced your music the most? It sounds obvious and maybe even a bit clichéd, but life experiences have influenced my music more than anything. Music doesn’t make sense unless the person playing it has lived, and it wasn’t until I actually experienced some things that my music and my playing started to have meaning. Legendary saxophonist Art Pepper led an incredibly troubled life full of rejection, drugs, violence and incarceration, and yet he was one of the most beautiful musicians to ever play. I doubt he would have sounded any good if he hadn’t have gone through that! When, and why did you start writing music? I started when I was about 16 – I never wrote anything down, I just wanted to write music that sounded the way I felt at the time. That’s still how I write music, but I write things down now! I think it’s the most organic approach, and the one that allows people to relate more closely to what they’re hearing. There’s a lot to be said for simplicity, particularly in Jazz or any style of music that is based in improvisation. What makes a good musician? In my experience, good musicians are always intelligent, articulate, interesting, humble people, who have the emotional and intellectual capacity to reflect on their

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

own experiences and understand what they mean to them. Basically, the characteristics that make a good person also make a good musician. What’s your favourite song, and why? Case Of You by Joni Mitchell, for all the reasons I’ve described above. When’s the gig and with who? We’ve just launched our debut album After All at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club and now have some upcoming gigs, ﬁrstly on Monday September 24 at Café 303 in Northcote as part of the Darebin Music Festival, and then on Wednesday October 31 and Wednesday November 7 at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club. My quartet is made up of myself on saxophone, along with three really beautiful musicians who I met whilst studying music at Monash University: Dan Sheehan on piano, Christian Meyer on guitar and James Gilligan on electric bass.

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

Beat Magazine Page 43

EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS BY JACK FRANKLIN

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros’ second album Here is one of the better releases to come along this year. Open and spacey, listening to it is like sitting in a very large living room watching a dust mote float around in a beam of sunlight that has snuck through the window, late on a hungover Sunday afternoon. Welcoming and comforting like the sturdy hug of a chubby, intoxicated friend, it invites the listener to join a campfire sing-along. “I am glad you got that feeling,” Alex Ebert, founder and frontman of Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros says when I tell him that. “That sounds about right. That’s what we were after. Having played so much together we wanted to express that “all together” feeling. We did record so much of it all together. We wrote about 30 songs, so a whole other album is going to be coming out soon. I think that album feels a bit different, it is much more rambunctious than this one, so there isn’t as much space. All that space in Here allows the songs to speak instead of overwhelming the ear with information. I just want to help the world to be honest, I just want to help you know what I mean? I want to express myself and try and work through some of my own questions about the life at the same time.” If this sounds a bit like the ramblings of a new-age nutter, I should warn you Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros look like a cult. I don’t mean cult as in great but underappreciated, like Arrested Development, I mean more like “police have surrounded the compound,” kind of thing. Ebert has the long flowing hair and beard of a Jesus wannabe, to round out the musical Manson family picture. To make matters worse, the band name is taken from a book he tried to write about a Jesus-type figure sent to earth to save mankind but gets sidetracked by girls. “Magnetic Zeros was a mathematical concept,” he says. “In this novel I was trying to write, called The Rise And Fall Of Edward Sharpe, I got really into string theory, because the main character, Edward Sharpe, was able to manipulate matter with strings – they would all make noises – it was sort of like music. Then I got really into physics and magnetic zeroes was this gravitational addition, like a pendulum, it doesn’t make sense but I could draw it out – I thought that was a cool name.” So to paraphrase Ghostbusters, there is no Edward, only Alex, and he is an interesting dude. His first musical idol was Pavarotti and as a child, he thought he had a statue of Pavarotti that he kept up on the mantle, only it was Buddha. He was into Vangelis and his mother enrolled him into Suzuki Piano school, but part of their teaching method is that you have to bow to the piano. A young Alex was not a fan of this edict so that was the end of that. Having grown up and sobered up he disbanded his pop band Ima Robot and felt in need of

“I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, I THINK AUSTRALIANS WERE ALWAYS ON BOARD WITH WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, WHICH IS COOL.” a change. “I was in a place where I felt I had lost my instincts, I had ignored them for so long,” he says of his desire to push off in a new direction. “I tried to write a song deliberately without a chorus, because I was so engrained with the idea of writing something that the A&Rs (artists and repertoire) would appreciate, so I wrote something they wouldn’t. It took a lot of force, but that got me back into the joy of just writing songs. I thought back to the stuff I was into when I was a kid, and started writing what I viewed as sing-a-long children’s music, which turned into the demos for [first EP] Here Comes and carried on, all these sing-a-longs. So I made the album and slowly compiled the band. I had known Christian since I was three, Jadie I had met and we would hang out, we wrote Home together. I needed to record the album, so my manager introduced me to a couple of dudes who ended up being in the band. It just sort of spun out from there. The songs were written to be played by about 12 people. There are strings, horns, piano, synths, all these extra instruments, so they were designed for a large group of people to play, which is another reason the band formed in the way that it did.” The band is doing the rounds of Australia in October, but strangely they are not the headliners. “We don’t particularly like opening for people,” Alex confesses. “But because we like Mumford [& Sons] so much, we became so close we just can’t help ourselves, you know? I am looking forward to it, I think Australians were always on board with what we are trying to do, which is cool. It’s not always the case, like in the UK and whatnot. The live shows, well for me they are transcendent and electric and ecstatic and rambunctious and emotional and dark and light and all that shit.” EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS will be opening for Mumford & Sons at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday October 25. Here is out via Shock. Beat Magazine Page 44

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

THE GO-BETWEENS BY MICHAEL HARTT

It’s just over six years since Robert Forster called time on The Go-Betweens, following the death of his friend and long-time creative foil Grant McLennan. McLennan’s passing put an abrupt end to one of the most unique and influential Australian bands of the last 30 years. To celebrate their work, a new compilation is being released: Quiet Heart: The Best Of The Go-Betweens. The album is the first anthology of the Brisbane band in over a decade and, for the first time, includes material from the three albums that were released following the re-activation of The Go-Betweens’ name in 2000, along with songs from the band’s original career, between 1977 and 1989. Lindy Morrison, the group’s drummer in their first incarnation and one of the longest serving members, was one of the four Go-Betweens – along with Forster, multiinstrumentalist Amanda Brown and bassist Robert Vickers – charged with the task of selecting tracks for this new release. “The four remaining members were on email all the time, and it was really hard,” she says. “Everybody disagreed about tracks. I really wanted Twin Layers Of Lightning on it. I love that track, but there just wasn’t room. There’s too many good tracks. Emails would be going, ‘Four people want this track’, ‘Three people want this one’ – it was like that. It was hard but it was fun.” Morrison says that working towards a common goal with her former bandmates gave them an opportunity to rekindle some of the collective drive of their halcyon days, as well as reacquaint them with each other’s personalities. “During the ‘80s, they were the most wonderful, creative times. We were so young and so brave. I guess in some ways we could lead such irresponsible lives because we had no commitments or family. We just had one goal and that was to play music, to play The Go-Betweens’ music. It was the maelstrom of band life. Now we’re all settled and mature and responsible, but everybody’s exactly the same. The same quirks and flaws and qualities of people all showed up in the emails. Nothing had really changed in the dynamic of the relationships.” With the surviving members of what many consider to

be the “classic” lineup of The Go-Betweens working on a project together, one of the inevitable notions is of them playing again, even in McLennan’s absence. Morrison tells me that while the band was compiling The Best Of..., the possibility of shows did come up. “We discussed it, but Robert [Forster] feels that he has worked with bands for the last 30 years and he wants time to work solo, and I completely understand that. I have no problem with that at all,” she says. “Why would he open that door again? It’s a big door to open. And I’m sorry, but then again I go, ‘Am I sorry?’ People’s memories of me as The Go-Betweens’ drummer will always be when I was young and lovely,” she laughs, “so it’s an either/or for me.” While stadium-sized success never came their way, the inﬂuence of The Go-Betweens’ music continues to be heard in generations of indie guitar bands that have followed, both in Australia and abroad. Morrison puts the band’s ongoing legacy down to their individualism. “Despite the best wishes of the producers who produced our albums, they could never ever sanitise the music. They could never mainstream the music. It was impossible to do so. We were too idiosyncratic. We were too authentic. The lack of skills of some of the musicians in the band meant that we played in a certain way that was simple but very eﬀective. It supported the songs. The songs were always the main component to the band. The instruments never took over; I think that’s very, very important… We never

made the music busy. We were completely indiﬀerent to that kind of idea. We always talked about the spaces, we wanted space. I was happy just to do backbeats. I didn’t want to ﬁll it a lot.” “There’s an Australian sound and we’ve got it. Robert and Grant, the way they played their guitars and sang in unison, not harmonies. Their guitar strum, even the sound of the guitars – it was all very Australian,” Morrison continues. “Both men are very good songwriters and their songs told a story about The Go-Betweens. I think a lot of people are into that. They are into the fact that the songs are about what’s happening in the band. They’re incredibly insightful about people forming relationships, and people identify with those lyrics.” Morrison is still heavily involved in the music industry, serving as an Artist Representative on the board of the PPCA and as the National Welfare Coordinator for music

industry charity Support Act, amongst other roles. She says she finds the band’s continued impact incredibly gratifying. “I find nothing more satisfying than having people tell me they’ve listened to the music and that they love the music, or when I get stopped in the street or at a gig and someone tells me how much they love the music. I really hope that [new] people are introduced to it because it was ten years of my life, and ten years of creating really great music,” she continues. “I knew it was great music. I just knew that what we were doing was extraordinarily different to anything else. I want people to hear that and I want them to hear the story, and I want them to think that everybody’s capable of producing great creative work by just sticking at it and doing it.”

own fabulous life too to tend to.” One of the least predictable headlines of the last few years was when it was announced that Wainwright had fathered a child with Leonard Cohen daughter – Lorna Cohen. It was announced on his website that Viva Katherine Wainwright Cohen was born on February 2, 2011. “I know that it came out of the blue when it occurred but it has been miraculous and completely fulﬁlling,” says papa Wainwright. “I am still in shock over how amazing it all is. The other thing that I have to say too is that Martha and I are still on the heels of our mother’s death, and I can only deal with one huge life thing at a time. Although I am having a great time with my daughter I am only now putting my mother’s death in a position in my life, so more will be revealed. She is only a year-and-a-half now so I would be foolish to be making any solid statements now about what it is to be a father. I am still a baby myself anyways.” The outspoken singer had said that he wasn’t previously a huge supporter of gay marriage, stating he loves the whole “old-school promiscuous Oscar Wilde freak show of what being gay once was”, but that has all changed since he met his current partner Jörn Weisbrodt. The pair recently became engaged. “I would say that I am getting married and I am

deeply in love with my fiancé and we are together whenever we can be,” he offers. “There is a rich history of homosexual shenanigans and I don’t think that gay marriage is the same as straight marriage. I don’t know what gay marriage is quite yet because it is all new and it is all being defined. To say that we are going to put it into the same category of what straight people have been doing for the last 2,000 years I think that might be a bit naive as well. I do think that it is important to move forward and to discover what it is to become. We still need to create it in a lot of ways. “I am exciting about my wedding and making the commitment to cherish and love someone and support each other for the rest of our lives. To me that is what the marriage thing is about. It’s about saying that I want to be with you for the rest of my life. And that is something that has never been available for gay people to do that publically and to do that spiritually and to celebrate that. I don’t think that straight people really realise how lacking that is in the gay world and how that affects people.”

Most of my idols are still around, so fingers crossed I will get to meet some of them. Ross Hanaford is one of my heroes and he is on my record, so that is a solid start. That being said, I’d love to know what Frank Zappa thought of my music. What can a punter expect from your live show? A house party at a venue, good musicians, good singers, good sound, a man in a space suit. What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? I will be giving away 100 copies of the single (with a bonus B-side) at the gig. This will be the one and only pressing of the single, I will then give these two tunes away online. The album is finished and will come out soon. When’s the gig and with who? The gig is Thursday September 6 at The Workers Club. Support from The Genie, BJ Morriszonkle and DJ Richie 1250. Special guest vocalist is Kylie Auldist How long have you been gigging and writing? This is the first ever show with this band. I have working on this album for at least four years. What inspires or has influenced your music the most? Tough question! Greatest hits of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? Work hard and be yourself, people can spot a fake. Describe the best gig you have ever played. Any gig I did with Buttered Loaf back in the day, and playing with Ross Hanaford was always fun. What’s the strangest place you’ve ever played a gig, or made a recording? I broke into an abandoned warehouse with a couple of friends and did a recording in there in the middle of the night, the space had an amazing sound. Tell us about the last song you wrote. It’s called Double Denim. It’s about a guy that get his heart broken by a girl that wears only double denim. If someone made a movie about your life, who would play you? The Mars Rover Curiosity – that thing has charisma! What makes a good musician? I certainly don’t think I am any sort of authority on the subject, but it seems to be something like: 1% talent, 50% hard work, 49% alcoholism. How do you stop your pre-gig jitters? Booze.

Quiet Heart: The Best Of The Go-Betweens is out now through EMI.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT BY CHRIS HAVERCROFT

Rufus Wainwright has a history of lavish theatrical live shows with previous visits to Australia finding him on stage in lederhosen, dressed as Judy Garland or insisting that there were no applause from the audience while he performed songs from his album All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu. Wainwright suggests that things will be a little less theatrical this time around and he focusses on his latest array of baroque pop tunes. “This one is a little more streamlined,” insists Wainwright of the current tour. “I wanted to focus more on the band sound and a tougher attitude that this record (Out Of The Game) toys with. Of course Rufus Wainwright saying tough is a pretty far from tough. We are not going for that very, very lavish baroque thing, but it is still me. “I really did want to focus on the tightness of the music and the variety of the material because I do songs from the new album and I do a little bit of Judy [Garland] and some of my mother’s material as well and my dad’s stuff,” he continues. “We also have great other artists in the band like Krystal Warren and Teddy Thompson, so I want it to be really about the music. But we seem to be edging into a theatrical sphere as well because people tend to like that, but I just wanted to get the music down first. There should be some fun stuff to see.” Out Of The Game is a return to the pop medium for Wainwright. Over recent years he has tackled projects that have seen him reinterpret Judy Garland songs, address his mother’s death on a solo piano record, and the writing of the opera Prima Donna. It was ultimately this experience that pushed the artist back to his melodic roots. “When I was writing the opera and doing the solo piano album, I was really entrenched in the classical world on a substantial level,” he says. “On one hand it was a fantastic experience and I learned a lot, but on the other hand it was a very tragic

experience because some of the preconceived notions like the castles in the air that I had constructed over the years about classical music about how wonderful and free and accepting it was were shattered. I now have a more realistic approach to that territory. In time it did make me re-evaluate pop music and learn to love it again. Having that freedom of expression and youth and excitement is pretty grand.” With a return to the pop medium, Wainwright engaged heavy hitting producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Christina Aguilera) to work on the record. There was some consideration that Ronson may push Wainwright more into the mainstream, but the biggest change for Out Of The Game was that Wainwright handed over the reins to the producer and musicians for the ﬁrst time in his career. This was as much to do with Wainwright letting go of his dictatorial ways as well as the trust he had in Ronson. “He knows his recording history and he knows how to play an instrument and he knows how to work a soundboard, so he has the chops,” Wainwright praises. “But then there is this other wave of glamour that he rides in on with both his life, the way he looks and how charming he is. It is pretty formidable when he is in your life working with you because you are completely whisked away into this ‘Ronsonian’ parallel universe and it is very exciting and fun but luckily brief. We only worked together for a month and it was great that it wasn’t longer than that because you don’t want to get too carried away with the beautiful people. And I don’t think that Mark is like that, deep down he is an amazing man and a good friend but we come from diﬀerent worlds. I have my

Q&A MAJOR ROCK HARD ABS Define your genre in five words or less: Intergalactic party pop. Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like? Each track on the album has a very different influence or style, almost more like a collection of singles in various styles, rather than an album. I have had other people comment and say particular songs remind them of music from other artists. People have mentioned: Pheonix, Daft Punk, John Lennon, Beck. While I am very flattered by these comparisons, I am not sure it really sounds like any of these artists What do you love about making music? Those moments when the music feels like it is coming from somewhere else, like you’re not even really there making the music. Also the fact that sometimes music can have real power and make people think – Free Pussy Riot!! If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why?

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT plays Hamer Hall at The Arts Centre on Saturday September 15 with special guest Krystle Warren.

Beat Magazine Page 45

MY ECHO

BY KRISSI WEISS

Rock-punk newbies My Echo have been frollicking around the country playing the support role to an impressive number of genre-predecessors. Opening for Bodyjar and King Cannons as well as touring as part of Trial Kennedy’s Final Shows Tour has enabled the band to reach audiences far and wide with their energetic live show as well as honing their skills under the bright lights. The New Approach, My Echo’s debut EP, sold out both their first run pressing and the launch show, proving that the band are able to garner attention both on stage and within the studio – although for them a studio is a fairly DIY affair. Guitarist and vocalist Darcy Carter begins by explaining why there are three people in the press shot for the apparently four-piece band. “Originally, the band was a four-piece,” Carter explains. “We had a member leave a while back. He now plays with the great Jonesez. The photo mentioned was taken while we were looking for a new member.” With the aforementioned tours providing My Echo with a wealth of live experience, the excitement of playing with some of the country’s punk rock stalwarts was punctuated by the emotional fragility of life in general. “Our year has been a ride,” he says. “That is for sure. As mentioned, we lost a member who was with us from the start. He is also one of the best humans around. It was little bit of a shock to the system, so we took a little time off to regroup. We played a couple of great shows as a three-piece supporting the great King Cannons and the legends

that make up Bodyjar with myself picking up the bass. “Long story short, I sucked on bass, and luckily Tommy put his hand up to have a go. Everything came together so quickly, we were blown away. His ﬁrst show was supporting Kisschasy and he was a complete professional. Since then, we went on tour with our friends in Trial Kennedy on their Final Shows Tour which was such an experience and privilege for us. They are simply the greatest people and the shows were just incredible.” How did the band land a place on these tours to begin with? “We’ve been really lucky with some of the supports we have had,” he admits. “Some were just through general friendships, others by rocking up to shows of bands we admired and passing on our material. We have played some truly great shows in

the last six months, being lucky enough to be part of sold out rooms at some great venues around the country. Support for our band has been incredible.” With My Echo’s social media pages humming at the thought of a debut album, Carter explains that the band will be putting all of their energy into that after their forthcoming shows. “We are now focusing on our debut full length which we are really excited about,” he says. “There are deﬁnitely songs written. At this stage we have around eight completed and skeletons for others. We are really excited about what’s coming together. In regards to the recording and producing side of things, we try to do as much ourselves as possible. “We’ll once again be working with our good friends at Face Studios who worked with us on our EP. Great people and an absolute pleasure to work with…Friendships have played a massive part in the success of this band and it’s something we really see as important. Building relationships and networking

within your local scene can be beneﬁcial in so many ways. With the support of existing friends our band has been able to build a really great following over the last year - and for that, we thank them all constantly.” While it’s impossible to know what the future will hold as the individual plays an important part in what will come to fruition, My Echo seem keen to take things as far as possible. In their minds, this is more than a well-paid hobby. “There might be something cooking,” he says with regard to label support. “Of course we would love to take this band as far as possible. We have little goals that have been set. Some which are yet to be achieved and we’ll do our best to make them happen. First thing’s ﬁrst, we are going to get this record out.”

time, creating music together from their adolescence, so it makes sense that they would lead the band’s trek into new territories. “Lily and I have been jamming together since we were 15,” she says of the band’s beginnings. “Lily did a course with our guitarist John [Waller] and then after moving to Melbourne the rest of the band came together. We are all friends and I think that’s why we’ve been able to do it for so long. We had a bit of a break for a while, with going to uni and schedules and stuﬀ, and in that time we were able to develop musically and in other areas. I was working a lot on the music industry so I think that we’ve passed any point where there could be any discomfort.” Songwriting appears to be such a personal pursuit but once a song enters the consciousness of the audience, questions are asked. Similarly, as an artist raises their proﬁle the audience wants to know more about the person behind the songs. Carroll acknowledges that although a song may come from a personal place, constructing a solid piece of music often means that the song takes on a completely new meaning. “I think that lyrics are such an important part of songwriting and making music and sometimes it’s like piecing a

puzzle together,” she says. “I’ve found that once a song enters the band it becomes separate and even if a song was motivated by a really tough time I find that I can then speak about it like it wasn’t me. Also, writing has become a more collaborative process with Lily and I working together. It used be that we would bring in songs separately and finish them as a band whereas we’re now creating them together, which changes the mood.” With the band a little tired from playing on an almost weekly basis, an EP and a break seem to be in order. “The release of the EP will be early next year,” she says. “We’re going to be releasing a couple of other songs, a few more singles, towards the end of this year. We’ll probably take a little time off, maybe just release a song, but not necessarily play around Melbourne to support it.”

a heavy rain is about to fall on hot earth. “[Michael] is really clued in with that kind of stuff, he does multimedia design. He does all the website design, all the layout, all the art direction, and he designed [the] drum head which was actually a 21st present for our drummer. We figured we’d get him something that we had a use for as well,” he laughs. With the art angle covered, MacDonald also mentions he and Reid both study journalism so press releases aren’t something they have to outsource either. The cherry on top is Ricciardi’s recent graduation from Box Hill TAFE’s audio engineering course, and so the EP was recorded in the vocalist’s home studio with the aid of good friend Stevie Mayo. “All we had to pay for was the printing of the EP which was cheap as shit, so we thought we’d give it away for free on the night. We figured all our mates have been coming along to these gigs for the last, what, four years? And haven’t got shit for it.” Very thoughtful of you, guys. “It was really cool being able to contain the whole process within the band, and not really feel pressured for time or anything like that,” MacDonald elucidates, although conceding, “It’s also been a problem

as well. We can’t really set ourselves deadlines. This EP should have been done a year ago.” Aside from being a talented studio engineer, Ricciardi’s voice really takes this band’s cred up a notch. Sometimes a bit Daniel Johns and sometimes a bit Bernard Fanning, he’s got that exceptional ability to reach high notes whilst still sounding utterly rock ‘n’ raw, kind of like a harmonica. The EP launch is going to be a balls-out affair at Revolver Upstairs, which MacDonald says as a venue has never given them anything but great gigs. After that, check the band’s Facebook page for upcoming shows, of which there will be several before the year’s end. It’s the kind of stuff you can’t not jolt around to with your hair all in your face, and it’s pretty much guaranteed to go off live.

MY ECHO will play the Evelyn Hotel on Friday September 7 with Strickland, Foxtrot and The Escape.

SECOND HAND HEART BY KRISSI WEISS When a band is in its early stages, comparisons are a necessary evil when attempting to explain a group’s sound. Second Hand Heart’s music draws from the likes of Sarah Blasko and Big Scary while maintaining a uniquely emotive rock overlay. As the band introduces itself to its growing audience, support slots have played a pivotal role in Second Hand Heart making themselves known. Coupled with that has been a host of positive reviews from both local media and blogs in the US and UK. “It’s been really great as all the gigs we’ve been playing have been really good supports so every gig has been to a new audience,” vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Jess Carroll says. “But at the same time, for us, it’s been weekly and it’d be nice to have a few weeks oﬀ and have a holiday.” Carroll also takes on most of the managerial and publicity-related duties for the band and although DIY is the order of the day for indie bands, selling yourself is still a strange role. “It was about having conﬁdence in what I was doing,” she says. “In the past year and a half it has become easier. Because we spend so much time as a band discussing what we want to do and what direction we want to take it’s all very collaborative. It’s good to have those skills and as you move up hopefully you get more outside help involved but at this stage it’s good to not be in the dark about these things.” The path to media attention in Australia is a welltrodden and familiar one but getting encouraging

endorsements from the UK and USA seems out of reach for most bands. “I spend a lot of time researching and reading other blogs overseas ‘cause I find it really interesting,” she says. “I just contacted a few and we’ve had others find out about us and contact us. With the latest song, Trouble, it just sort of took off a little bit overseas. We’ve had people run it without us approaching them. You start contacting blogs and stuff, so many people contact them, and with the sheer amount of emails people get, to get stuff up in the beginning is hard. Once you can break through that, it slowly becomes a bit easier.” Has this overseas attention paved the way for Second Hand Heart to do some touring further afield? “Lily [Parker] and I are planning to go over to Europe next year just to suss out interest,” she says. “After speaking to a few people about it they all seem to say to just go. We’re hoping that in 2014 we’ll leave Australia for a while as a band.” Parker and Carroll have known each other for a long

SECOND HAND HEART will be launching the ﬁlm clip for Trouble at The Empress Hotel on Saturday September 8 with Esther Holt and Lucy Peach.

THE GROVES

BY ZOË RADAS

The boreal Easter family holiday: a tradition for many Melbourne families. For mine it was at Wye River with the Gibsons, where we played Canasta and tried to avoid using the drop toilet. For The Groves’ Leigh MacDonald, it was Walkerville in Gippsland and one very special year it bore unexpected fruit, when MacDonald invited his guitar-toting schoolmate Michael Lo Bianco. “I’d never really done much music but I was doing a bit of writing at the time,” says MacDonald, bassist with the four-piece. “I sort of wrote some lyrics but couldn’t sing for shit so when we got back to Melbourne we got a mate of ours – who we knew could sing – on board.” MacDonald had made friends with Antoni Ricciardi through their high school’s music and theatre program, and after that it only took drummer Nick Reid to join to complete the outﬁt. The boys are about to launch their debut EP and have pooled their various bases of knowledge to create an impressive sound and aesthetic, which is more rockin’ blues than the folkin’ rock they began with on that day in Walkerville. “At the time, we were writing music that was supposed to get played, but after a year and a half it became increasingly apparent that that wasn’t going to work,” MacDonald explains about the band’s infancy. “So we started making music that we enjoyed. Our tastes matured. We went through this period where we were all listening to old Robert Johnson recordings.” MacDonald also credits fellow Emergenza competition participants and blues princes Ten Cent Pistols with expanding The Groves’ sonic appreciation. By Beat Magazine Page 46

February 2010 when MacDonald and his bandmates were rehearsing in a sweltering studio in Rowville, the creeping passion for that raw sound finally came through into their own music. “Our guitarist had this 13-bar blues progression and we wrote this song in about 15 minutes flat. It was the first song that we really enjoyed writing, and it came really naturally. That first song is on the EP and it’s about two and a half years old. [It] was a turning point,” he says. “There’s something about blues. When it’s such a set structure you can jam on it over and over again. [There’s] a lot of room to create.” The self-titled EP, which the band is giving away for nothing at the launch, features artwork with some beautifully dark, sparse landscape shots that look like

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

THE GROVES launch their self-titled EP at Revolver Upstairs on Saturday September 8. Presale tickets for $8 can be purchased through the band’s Facebook page, Moshtix, or for $10 at the door.

BIG NOTES 2012 BY KRISSI WEISS

Musical performance and Q&A session Big Notes is back, featuring some of Melbourne’s most cutting edge artists talking about their provoking lyrics and artistic inspiration. In its third year and facilitated by Arts Centre Melbourne, Big Notes attempts to break down the fourth wall between established artists, emerging artists, and the misconceptions that arise from politically and socially-charged lyricism. Kutcha Edwards has often written about his own experience as a member of the Stolen Generation and life as an Indigenous artist in Australia. With a dark period plaguing his creative expression, he found that entering the studio to record his latest album Blak & Blu reminded him of the joy that his art can give him when it’s taken away from the industry as a whole. “I found myself giggling in sessions and enjoying myself in sessions and music is supposed to do that, I guess,” Edwards explains. “It is meant to give you all of these different aspects of life itself and of emotions. The industry that we’re in paints this beautiful picture but in reality, I don’t wanna be disrespectful, but it’s even more difficult for an Indigenous performer. The audience, which is society itself, doesn’t want to listen to Aboriginal people singing about the plight of the Aborigine and so they don’t align to Indigenous music. “When it’s autobiographical writing that’s what we’re singing about. It’s about the plight and the struggle, which is a completely different ballgame. It’s even a different ballgame with myself and Archie [Roach] compared to young Dan [Sultan]. Dan, and I’m not being disrespectful to Dan at all, but he’s come out and said ‘I don’t need to write about the political life of me being an Aborigine, I can write love songs,’ and that’s true. Whereas I write about my life and my

community’s life and that struggle.” With a glaring awareness of the struggles that all musicians face within this tough industry, particularly Indigenous artists, Edwards might be inclined to tell aspiring artists to run in the opposite direction to save themselves the heartache. But with each artist breaking through the great racial divide, the path for future generations gets easier and further to that, society as a whole is hopefully on a path to greater awareness and education. “I’ve been doing not only music for a long time but I’ve also grown up within the Indigenous community – but then again I was denied that as a kid, my connection to community,” he explains. “What I’m doing is educating the uneducated. Last week I was up at LaTrobe Uni talking to third year teachers. These people are going to be the educators of our children, and the children that they teach will learn to spell ‘cat’ and ‘dog’ and to count up to 20 by two, but will they

know the truth about what it is to be an Aboriginal person in this country?” Edwards’ personal motivation and Big Notes as a whole are trying to open up dialogue and to get people thinking. Revolution is a big ask, so it seems obvious to start with a simple conversation. “All I’m wanting to do is drop the pebble in the pond,” he says. “That’s what I say to anyone who is willing to sit and listen. Life is about opportunity, today you had the opportunity to sit and listen to an Aboriginal person whereas a lot of non-indigenous people will sit and watch Rabbit-Proof Fence and think they know what it’s about. For all the students who come and listen to three songs that Kutcha Edwards performs, it’s about them interpreting the lyric, whatever it is. I know where the genesis of the song comes from but for them to listen to those songs it’s about their interpretation of what I sing. Hopefully they go away and think, ‘I went and saw Kutcha Edwards today.’ They might Google me or listen to the lyrics intently and then they’ll get the gist of what I’m on about. Also, they might sit in dialogue with me after the show or not be afraid to tap me on the shoulder when I’m walking down the street.”

But success and entering into an audience’s consciousness has its own problems. The greater impact Edwards has on his audience could lessen their confidence in approaching him. When an artist reaches into someone’s soul, then the person places them within an ‘untouchable’ category. Edwards, however, wants to be approached and in Big Notes and in life, he wants to be the catalyst for discourse. “When people actually do come up to me I tell them that I appreciate that they’ve done that,” he says. “The stupidest question is the one not asked, don’t be afraid to ask the question; don’t be afraid to tap me on the shoulder. Hopefully these kids will go home and, at the kitchen table, say they heard Kutcha Edwards today and he spoke about Stolen Gen stuff and maybe ask their parents’ opinion on it all. This starts debate in a house where it’s never been spoken about. That’s the key and that’s the pay-off for me.”

to Rice’s experience and skill in committing the songs to recorded form. “For this record we don’t take any credit for the production – that was all Casey,” Bailey says. “But the songs didn’t really evolve that much in the studio – I suppose they grew a little bit, but it wasn’t like the songs were just skeletons when we went into the studio.” Pony Face and Rice put down the “nuts and bolts” of Hypnotised at Head Gap Studios, with subsequent elements of the album recorded at a church in Yarraville and Ladyland. “We did the vocals at the church because it was a quiet location,” Bailey says. “But the rest of it was mainly done at Head Gap.” For one of the ‘hypnosis’ songs, Ciccadas, Pony Face enlisted the assistance of former Models bass player, and current Rockwiz orchestra member, Mark Ferrie. Ferrie’s contribution included reading text from a 1970s dream interpretation text. “I met Mark when I was helping out with the Rockwiz schools tour,” Bailey says. “We had this Spiritualized-type track, and I thought it’d be good to have Mark contribute to the track by reading from this book of dream interpretations, this ‘70s hippie stuﬀ,” he says. While Bailey was on good terms with Ferrie, he wasn’t sure Ferrie would agree to lending his melliﬂuous tones to the song. “Just talking to him while we were doing Rockwiz I noticed how good his voice is,” Bailey says. “But I didn’t think he’d accept

when we asked him to help with the song, but thankfully he did.” With its predilection for rich, kaleidoscopic soundscapes, Bailey agrees that Pony Face falls within the broad church of psychedelia. “I suppose it’s psychedelic, but not in that traditional, ‘70s sense,” he says. “Maybe it’s more modern-day psych rock. It’s a pretty common term but it’s deﬁnitely more descriptive than just indie rock,” Bailey laughs. Consistent with modus operandi of psychedelic bands, Pony Face does avail itself of the opportunity to explore and expand its music in a live setting. “There were a couple of songs on the last album, and on this album, that we don’t really know where they’re going to go,” Bailey says. “Kris can really go out there, and we’ve just got to keep up with him!” While its immediate focus is on launching and promoting Hypnotised, Bailey says the members of Pony Face are keen to commence work on the band’s next record as soon as practicable. “We write constantly, and we’re already excited about doing the next record,” Bailey says. “We really want to make the perfect album.”

get to see – any chance and we’ll take them.” On The Road Again is barely a year old but the band knows that it’s important to keep the wheels turning and pushing towards a new album. With Katchafire averaging two to three years between their releases in the past, they’re moving forward quickly this time, aligning with the insatiability for new material that today’s audiences possess. Despite an almost unending touring schedule, Bell says that the band will keep writing on the road. “Just before we came out to the States for the second time this year we were in the studio,” he says. “We laid down six tracks, so we’ve got the wheels turning on some new material and we’re gonna treat it the same way as the last album. Because we’re all so busy we’re gonna try and find time on the road to finish that up. We’re trying to aim for midway next year to get that out. Times have changed and ‘cause there’s so much happening now it’s all about trying to keep that public presence and the lifecycle of an album has come down to a year or year and a half. That’s really good, in a way, for the musicians ‘cause it breaks the monotony and keeps it fresh for the audience as well. Over the years we tend to refine

things and keeping that lifecycle to a minimum means you’re pumping out fresh stuﬀ. We’re working on some of those new songs appearing when we play out there as well.” The thematic drive of their last album was a personal experience, spiritual connection and tribute to their heritage. Maori cultures permeates the very essence of so much of what Katchaﬁre create and Bell muses on the possible explanation for why he feels so many New Zealanders manage to keep a positive view in the face of adversity. “For us we’re always writing about our experiences and a lot happen to be positive, as well as missing home and some more testing things,” he says. “I guess we’re a happy bunch of people – there’s something in the water over here,” he continues and then laughs. “Oh actually there’s something in the grass, the magic grass. Even if you’re down, well, most Kiwis have a hundred problems but we keep on smiling.”

BIG NOTES 2012 is on at Fairfax Studio, Friday September 7 with Kutcha Edwards, Mantra with The Massive Hip Hop Choir, The Sunshine Sisters and hosted by Candy Bowers.

PONY FACE BY PATRICK EMERY

It’s 4pm on Saturday afternoon, and the sun is shining brightly for what seems like the first time in an eternity. Driven stir crazy by the recent bout of wet weather, we’ve headed to a local park to take advantage of the beautiful weather. While my son completes lap after lap of the spacious public park on his bike, I discuss with Pony Face’s vocalist and guitarist Simon Bailey the sense of space that pervades Pony Face’s new album, Hypnotised. “It’s not really deliberate,” Bailey muses. “I think it’s just our natural tempo. With a three-piece, there’s always room for vocals, and more guitar lines. I suppose we appreciate [the sense of space], but it’s not deliberate.” Pony Face formed in 2008 when Bailey and drummer Kris Emond took time off their other musical projects to explore some roughly defined musical ideas. “We just got together in a rehearsal space and started jamming,” Bailey says. Within six months Pony Face had added some level of structure – and bass player Anth Dymke – to Bailey and Emond’s fledgling band concept. “We started off playing really droney rock,” Bailey says, “but we sounded like a terrible garage band.” Utilising the room that a three-piece band structure can afford, Pony Face proceeded on its artistic journey, releasing its debut album Stars Are Bright a couple of years ago. Almost immediately after launching Stars Are Bright, Pony Face commenced preparations for the band’s second album. “As soon as we finished the first album we started writing this album,” Bailey says. “We had some offcuts from the first record, and some ideas for the second album.” While Bailey makes it clear that Hypnotised isn’t a concept album, he does admit that there is a theme running through

the record. “We were playing with the hypnotist theme,” Bailey says. “We saw it as cool to parallel that theme with a droney, psych, Kraut sort of sound.” Consciously or subconsciously, the band had found itself attracted to songs that explored diﬀerent facets of hypnosis. “We had a couple of songs in the bunch that seemed connected, so we played on that.” Bailey says the notion of hypnosis is a critical aspect of his own approach to music. “I really like the idea of getting lost in the music,” he says. “That’s what I like about seeing live music.” When it came to recording Hypnotised, Pony Face set out to secure the services of Casey Rice, the highly sought-after producer responsible for realising the complex, spacious sounds of the Dirty Three. “We knew that Casey was a really great producer,” Bailey says. “And anyone that captures the Dirty Three on record like he’s done on those records must be pretty talented.” While Pony Face had a sense of the sound it wanted for the record, the band deferred

PONY FACE will launch Hypnotised at The Northcote Social Club on Friday September 7 and at The Bridge Hotel in Castlemaine on Thursday September 13.

KATCHAFIRE BY KRISSI WEISS

Katchafire began life as a Bob Marley tribute band in the late ‘90s and have steadily grown into troubadours of the Pacific Rim, with a touring schedule that seems almost overwhelming. With Australia’s long-standing love affair with New Zealand roots and reggae, they are no strangers to our shores and are arriving once again, this time armed with a host of new songs from their latest album On The Road Again and a few tracks that are barely cooked. Three years in the making, On The Road Again has already gone gold in New Zealand on its way to certain platinum status and the band have enjoyed a short break after another mammoth American tour. The title of their latest album sums up life in Katchafire, with the band spending far more time on the road than what they ever do at home – and loving every minute of it. “We just came off a five-week tour in the States which was really good,” guitarist, vocalist and all-round sweetheart Logan Bell says. “We’ve lost count now with how often we’ve been. We’ve been going about twice a year for a while now.” America is often a challenging territory for Antipodean bands to break into but Bell explains that it is the band’s connection with Hawaii that has made their transition to the mainland easier. “We’ve been pretty blessed,” he says. “We’re coming through the back door so to speak, we’ve been lucky to be popular right throughout the Pacific all the way up to Hawaii. The Hawaiians have jumped on board, really helping us to break into mainland USA. A lot of the students go there for schooling and get off the islands for more opportunity so they tend to take their culture and lifestyle with them. They’ve helped perpetuate Katchafire’s message.” With Aotearoan reggae and Katchafire’s cultural history being such a prominent part of the band’s lyrical and spiritual focus, Bell explains why traditionally the connection between Hawaii and Maori culture is so strong. “We’re all part of the

Polynesian umbrella coming through our ancestral migration,” he explains. “Even though we’re Maori, the migration saw us go right through the Pacific and even South America; there’s definitely a big connection. The Hawaiians seem to really look up to our culture and what we’ve retained here being the original people of the land.” With four albums, a host of collaborations and countless singles on the Katchafire shelf, it’s their prolific touring that drives the band more than anything else does. Barely at home, Bell explains that it’s their loyalty and their connection as an extended family that enables the life that they love so much. “It’s been really good on the international travel front; we’re really grateful,” he says genuinely. “Behind any successful group is a strong family backbone and that’s a really important ingredient for Katchafire. We’re lucky to have good strong families that understand our dream and want to help us achieve that dream. They’re holding down the fort, paying the bills and changing the nappies, and we get to fool around. Sometimes we get to take them and they get to see what we

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

KATCHAFIRE will play The Forum on Friday September 21. On The Road Again is out now through Lion House Records.

Beat Magazine Page 47

CORE

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

Another local promoter cancelled an Australian tour this weekend, further weakening our DESCENDENTS collective faith in local tours in general. Is it just me or are tours being cancelled at the drop of a hat at the moment. It feels like no performance big or small is truly guaranteed until the artist appears before you. Heathen Skulls have unexpectedly canned the upcoming Sunn 0)) tour, admitting that it had only recently occurred to them that the “high costs and complicated nature of presenting Sunn, in the way they like to be best represented…was too diﬃcult.” Though this kind of transparency is most welcome – we’re too often pitched a pathetic party line that sheds no light on the actual reason behind cancellations – one can’t help but wonder how this realisation hadn’t occurred to anyone prior to announcing the tour. Once again, this is not to say that tour promotion is a cinch – god knows it’s an organisational, ﬁnancial and logistical fucking nightmare. I feel like the instability these constant cancellations have caused is going to lead to even lower pre-show ticket sales. On several occasions I’ve neglected to buy tickets early out of suspicion that the tour will not eventuate and on more than one occasion I’ve been right. I now prefer to wait and buy tickets on the door in preference of having to go through the refund process. It’s a shame that my intended attendance isn’t registered with promoters, thus leading them to lose faith in the tour, but this is the awkward and unfortunate vicious cycle that has been set in motion.

CRUNCH!

EDDIE VAN HALEN RECOVERING FROM SURGERY Edward Van Halen is recuperating from emergency surgery and Van Halen’s Japanese tour plans are on hold for now. In a statement on their official website, the band said: “Eddie Van Halen underwent an emergency surgery for a severe bout of Diverticulitis. No further surgeries are needed and a full recovery is expected within 4-6 months. Van Halen’s scheduled November 2012 tour of Japan is currently being rescheduled and the band looks forward to seeing and playing for their fans in 2013.” It’s not the first time Eddie has had health woes. He successfully battled cancer and quite literally bounced back after hip replacement surgery too. Eddie’s a fighter and I’m sure he’ll be back onstage sooner or later. As a huge Van Halen fan it’s been really fun to see how A Different Kind Of Truth continues to resonate with fans. Folks who blasted it repeatedly when it was released earlier this year are returning to it now after a few months away from the album and finding themselves still really into it. And at this point it’s creeping up on half a million copies sold. Sweet. Get well soon, Ed!

60 SECONDS WITH...

LEVITATING CHURCHES Define your genre in five words or less: Nuclear psychedelic doom garage rock. Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like? A train running on track through the beginning and end of time. What do you love about making music? I thought this question was about love-making music... haha glad I did a re-read. Music is like electricity, it jolts around the body, turns your lights on, floats in the air and messes your hair. Beat Magazine Page 48

CORE GIG GUIDE

PUNK, SKA, HARDCORE

Parkway Drive have gone and reached platinum sales for their most recent release, tour/travel DVD Home Is For The Heartless. ‘Killing it’ doesn’t quite cut it does it? Make sure you get your hands on the DVD and don’t forget the guys are headed for Festy Hall for a pre-Christmas romp on Saturday December 22. Tickets available now.

Hooly Dooly! Refused went and sold out their Melbourne show at The Palace in just four minutes. Shit got hectic last Friday morning as tickets disappeared in brutal time. Soundwave acted promptly by scheduling a second Melbourne show on Friday November 16. Tickets are available now. You might wanna hurry though. Big D And The Kids Table have tried to get here a couple of times with no luck. Now Troubadour Music is bringing the Boston ska punx to our shores this November. See them play with The Resignators at The Barwon on Wednesday November 28 (with The Bennies) and then Ding Dong with Kujo Kings on Thursday November 29. Tickets are up for grabs now. Melbourne’s newest local label Hook Turn Records introduced themselves last week by announcing a fantastic ﬁrst release. Strickland and Cavalcade will release a Split EP on the label shortly and the release is now available for preorder at hookturnrecords.com.

Local label Halfcut has announced the signing of Sydney band Thy Art Is Murder. They’ll be releasing their new album (recorded in New Jersey with Wil Putney) in the next couple of months. Coerce and Totally Unicorn are teaming up to tour together this October. Check them out when they arrive at the Curtin Bandroom on Saturday October 13. Tickets are available now if you wish (which you should!) Perth dudes The Decline have announced their third Aussie tour for the year. In support of their newest album they’ll take oﬀ on the Abbott Proof Fence tour at the end of the month, hitting Melbourne’s Bendigo Hotel on Friday October 5 with Anchors, Apart From This and Join The Amish.. Tickets are on sale now for the Between The Buried And Me and Animals As Leaders tour. Lock in Friday November 16 (yep, same night as Refused!) to see these guys at The Corner Hotel. Will be brutal.

Thursday September 6:As A Rival, Damn The Torpedoes, Falconio at The Reverence Warbrain, Ill Vision, Fractures at Next Impending Doom, Prepared Like A Bride at Karova Lounge, Ballarat Dream On Dreamer, Like Moths To Flames, Hand Of Mercy, In Hearts Wake at Corner Hotel Shihad, The Snowdroppers, Money For Rope at The HiFi Bar Japan For, All We Need, Too Soon!, Question at The Bendigo Friday September 7: Front End Loader at The Tote Children Collide, Dune Rats, Bad Dreems at Yahoo Bar, Shepparton Dream On Dreamer, Like Moths To Flames, Hand Mercy, In Hearts Wake at Ringwood Community Centre Kill The Matador, Army Of Champions, Firearms, Ride The Tiger at The Place, Preston My Echo, Strickland, Foxtrot, The Escape at The Evelyn Hotel Sydonia at Newmarket Hotel, Bendigo Saturday September 8: The Union Paciﬁc, Firearms, Rise Of The Rat, The Sinking Teeth at John Curtin Band Room Impending Doom, Boris The Blade, Event Horizon at Bang Daybreak, Army Of Champions, Easy Company, Ride The Tiger, Foxtrot at The Gasometer Jericco, Ne oblivscaris, The Red Painting, Circles and more at The Espy Frankenbok, Dreadnaught, Truth Corroded, Wilderones, Mason at The Bendigo

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

ETERNAL REST SIGN TO DEEPSEND RECORDS

TATE UNVEILS NEW QUEENSRYCHE LINE-UP

EX-MEGADETH BASSIST BECOMES REALITY TV STAR

Brisbane death metallers Eternal Rest have been signed to Deepsend Records, who will release the band’s debut album Prophetic in early 2013. The album was recorded and mixed by Joe Haley (Psycroptic). Guitarist Jake Kaiser says “It has been a long journey since the start of our album recording, finding/auditioning new members, recording in many different locations and rehearsing constantly, but we’re pleased to say that our debut album Prophetic is finally finished. The material on this album is a big step up from anything we have previously recorded, with the addition of new members adding their skills and working with an amazing engineer we could not be any more excited to get this album out for you all to hear.”

The latest in the ongoing Queensryche saga: Geoff Tate has announced that he will continue to record and tour under the Queensryche name with a new lineup, while his three former bandmates Michael Wilton, Scott Rockenfield and Eddie Jackson are also doing the same with guitarist Parker Lundgren and Todd La Torre. Tate has just named his all-star Queensryche line-up, and it includes some pretty impressive names: guitarists Glen Drover (Megadeth, King Diamond, Testament) and Kelly Gray (Queensryche’s Q2K album), bass player Rudy Sarzo (Dio, Whitesnake, Animetal USA, Ozzy Osbourne), drummer Bobby Blotzer (Ratt) and keyboard player Randy Gane (studio player for Queensryche, Candlebox). “With this new project, with these new people, it’s a whole new scene,” Tate says. “There are new ideas, different musical backgrounds and a whole new set of parameters. Everyone has ideas you haven’t heard before, and everyone is throwing them against the wall and suddenly … the music has a whole new life.”

James LoMenzo has done pretty much everything in rock. He’s played with White Lion, Pride And Glory, Black Label Society, Slash’s Snakepit, Lynch Mob, David Lee Roth - heck, he even held down the low end in Megadeth for about four years - and he owned the nickname “JLo” long before Jennifer Lopez did. But his latest gig really takes the cake: LoMenzo has joined the cast of the US version of reality show The Amazing Race. LoMenzo and his entertainment lawyer friend Mark ‘Abba’ Abbattista will team up to travel across the world and complete a variety of challenges on the show’s 21st season, which kicks oﬀ on Sunday September 30. Other contestants include double-amputee professional snowboarder Amy Purdy, goat farmers The Fabulous Beekman Boys and a pair of Chippendales stars.

GIG ALERT: PROGFEST Progfest returns to The Espy on Saturday September 8. Last year’s event drew nearly a thousand people (with so many prog fans in Melbourne, how come the new Rush album didn’t even make the Australian top 100? Huh? HUH?). The lineup includes Jericco (launching their new single), Ne Obliviscaris, The Red Paintings (QLD), Circles, Branch Arterial, Chaos Divine (WA), Mushroom Giant, Quiet Child (SA), Glass Empire, A Lonely Crowd, This Is Your Captain Speaking, Okera, One, Teramaze, Toehider, Rainbird, Alithia, Jarek, Kettlespider, Bear The Mammoth, Glasfrosch and Harlequin. Presented by Welkin Entertainment and Pony Music. Doors open at 3pm. Tickets are $22 plus booking fee and are on sale from oztix.com.au, The Espy, Polyster Records (City & Fitzroy), Greville Records, Fist2Face or directly from the bands. What do you hate about the music industry? Don’t hate the player, hate the game. Actually it pays to hate the player who is a slave to the game. If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? If I could travel back in time my first trip would be to see the dinosaurs, then I might travel to the point where man meets monkey and teach them how to play rock. Then I would come back to now and see how things changed. If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it and why? I’ve never been a fan of Ben Harpoon. I would go on a hypothetical killing spree, truth be told. What can a punter expect from your live show? A trip to a land filled with lots of noise, spilled beer, organs, guitars, drums, tequila shots, skeletons, headstones and motorcycles.

SOILWORK HIT THE STUDIO Swedish melodic death metallers Soilwork have entered the studio to begin recording the followup to 2010’s The Panic Broadcast. The new album, to be called The Living Inﬁnite, is being produced by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Amon Amarth, Bloodbath). It marks the recording debut of longtime touring guitarist David Andersson (Night Flight Orchestra).

What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? We’ve got records out everywhere. If you can’t ﬁnd it ask the shopkeeper to get their shit sorted out. When’s the gig and with who? We are playing at The B.East on Lygon St with

DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

AMORPHIS RECORDING ALBUM #11 Finland’s melancholic dark metal overlords Amorphis will hit the studio this month to begin recording their as-yet-untitled eleventh album, the follow-up to last year’s The Beginning Of Times, a behemoth of an album which hit #1 on the Finnish charts and #16 in Germany. Production and mixing will be handled by Hypocrisy and Pain mastermind Peter Tägtgren, who has also worked with Children Of Bodom, Celtic Frost, Immortal and Dimmu Borgir.

Lightening Le Quesne and Number One Jones Crude. The gig is free and The B.East do killer burgers, so drop in and help us help us raise the dead. Saturday September 8 from 9pm. Free.

ENTER SHIKARI BY KRISSI WEISS

‘Genre-defying’ is a term thrashed about often with little in the way of meaning and accuracy, but Britain’s Enter Shikari are as close to the essence of this concept as possible. In fact, they don’t just defy genre labelling, they completely obliterate the notion. Combining post-hardcore, metal and punk with electronic breakdowns, trance and dubstep could be a recipe for disaster but frontman Rou Reynolds and the group have amassed an overwhelming following during the decade they’ve been together. Although the band accumulated a dedicated niche following in their early years, their latest release, A Flash Flood Of Colour, catapulted their brand into a whole new arena of eminence. Fiercely independent in their approach to music and business (a dirty word for many artists), Enter Shikari formed Ambush Reality, a record label collective designed purely as a platform for Enter Shikari’s music. Realising that in order to get released in the US they would need some semblance of major label support, Ambush Reality joined the Interscope Records imprint Tiny Evil and established a distribution deal with Warner Music. While these may seem to be mere business obligations, it signifies the determination Enter Shikari have with regard to creative and economic independence. On top of preparing for their run of European and UK summer festivals and a world tour, Reynolds has just launched clothing line Step Up Clothing. “The whole premise of the company is about the resource and the moral side of the business so it’s all fair trade, organic and with minimal impact on the environment,” Reynolds says as he walks home from a meeting through the streets of London. “The t-shirts have a 90% reduced carbon emission rate. All of the shirts are designed by friends of mine and represent different causes and charities.” Reynolds has, in the past, insisted that he and Enter Shikari are not political in any way but the lyrical content of the band’s music as well as projects like his clothing line seem to contradict that position. The truth is that Reynolds likes to differentiate between the political and the social. He seems to prefer to consider himself concerned with the world as a whole, and politics as simply a construct society must function within. “I think the main reason I’ve said that is the second you mention the ‘p-word’ I guarantee about 50% of the people either watching, reading or listening will just switch off,” he says. “They think it’s gonna be boring. When I think of politics, I think of old men bickering about budgets.” But what about demonstrations of youth solidarity or even just a good old-fashioned riot? “Obviously that’s more exciting,” he laughs. “But I think we try and encourage people to just think about the things going on around them. Nature doesn’t respect any borders whatsoever and when you think about it, countries are just gangs on a larger scale. It’s a very immature and blinkered way of structuring society and all of the psychological shit it brings – patriotism and negativity – creates so many problems in this world.” By album number three audience expectation starts to become a weighty issue but Enter Shikari have never made music just to please the masses and they seem to distance themselves from any external demands on their creativity. A Flash Flood Of Colour reached number four on the UK charts in its first week of release and while this is normally

“THE WHOLE REASON YOU GET INTO MUSIC IS SO YOU HAVE THAT CREATIVE FREEDOM AND YOU’RE NOT STUCK AT A DESK OR SOMETHING DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. YOU DO IT FOR FREEDOM AND THAT IS HOW WE APPROACH THINGS.” something to celebrate, some die-hard Enter Shikari fans have fallen back on the lazy adage of ‘sell-outs.’ Nowhere is success more condemned than within music and particularly within the genres of hardcore, punk and their close cousins. “It’s the whole ﬁrst album thing,” he says. “If we’d just stayed making the same music over and over a fair few people would’ve been really pleased but most people would’ve been really bored, particularly us. The whole reason you get into music is so you have that creative freedom and you’re not stuck at a desk or something doing the same thing over and over again. You do it for freedom and that is how we approach things.” Despite any criticisms thrown at the band, it’s the case of pointed words coming from a place of love. When a band starts out in the underground, fans often have a hard time handing them over to the masses. They want to keep them as their own little secret, a musical haven within which they can purge their own emotion. If everyone likes them, it is no longer special. “The music that we make is quite scientiﬁc, but it’s so simple as well,” he says. “You just absorb the experiences and feelings you have every day and you churn them up inside you until they come out of this blender that turns out to be an amalgamation of sounds. We don’t think, ‘Oh we need some hardcore or drum and bass or punk,’ nor do we think ‘Screw you guys, we’re not playing this song or that song’ if we know people will want to hear it. But creatively the songs just come out via whatever tools we have on hand. It’s what we did for this album and what we’ll continue to do.” ENTER SHIKARI play Billboard on Saturday September 22 and an under 18 show on Sunday September 23. A Flash Flood Of Colour is out now through PIAS. DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

Beat Magazine Page 49

MUSIC NEWS

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE

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

MAJOR ROCK HARD ABS

THE TOWELHEADS

Inspired by the KLF instructional manual How To Have A Hit Record The Easy Way and an intense, Pink-Flamingo fuelled conversation at Meredith Music Festival, the concept of an album containing this collection of “ancient, alien hit records from the future” was born. Major Rock Hard Abs' ﬁrst single, I’m At All The Coolest Parties featuring Kylie Auldist (Bamboos) is a house party, dance ﬂoor thumper which sets the mood for what’s to come. He launches the single at The Workers Club on Thursday September 6 with guests The Genie, BJ Morriszonkle and DJ Richie 1250.

More famous for their ball-tearing live shows than their militancy, The Exotics have ﬁnally turned. Pledging allegiance to whichever political agenda has the best costumes, they have joined forces with those Jihadists from Ji-Long, The Towelheads. Declaring a war on lame-arsed music everywhere, these groups are laying down the fundamentalist laws of rock’n’roll. Twangin’ guitars rule, primitive drums must be worshipped. No squares allowed. Disobey, and the Towelheads’ henchmen may get a bit twitchy. You are strongly urged to join them and demonstrate your faith in live music by engaging in extreme drinking and dancing. It all happens on Saturday September 8 at The Grace Darling Hotel.

VHS CLUB

THE REBELLES Melbourne’s own 15-piece girlgroup The Rebelles are bringing their wild rockin’ and rollin’ show to the St Kilda Bowls Club on Saturday September 8. It’s The Rebelles’ ﬁrst gig south of the Yarra since last year’s Community Cup triumph, so have no doubt: with spring in the air they’ll be looking for nothin’ but a good time! Joining The Rebelles on the hunt for unwary backpackers and degenerate ex-Queenslanders will be the raucous Rickenbacker shreddin’ of Thee Wylde Oscars and way-oﬀ-strip Vegas supremos Pelvis. Three of Melbourne’s best and all for just ten bucks! Doors at 8.30pm.

INTO THE GENRE BLENDER

THE MORNING NIGHT

Into The Genre Blender brings together three vastly diﬀerent live electronic bands to take you on a sonic journey through strange genres and musical landscapes. What these three bands all share is a love of utilising the latest technology to shape sounds and create a truly modern live show. First up is electronic duo LazyboyProactive, who combine progressive tech and pop sensibilities with live vocals, guitars, synths and stunning visuals. Following this will be a performance by Men Imitating Machines, who take live drums and bass and turn them on their ear. They produce a 100% live set built with the foundations of dubstep, glitch-hop and junglistic rhythms. This coupled with a custom light and projection show by Tommy Gunn, wild stage antics, crowd heckling and a dislike of shoes makes them a unique high-energy act. Then electro-glam space rockers Vultures Of Venus take to the stage armed with an arsenal of fresh dance ﬂoor destroying tracks to bring the party home. Their set will feature burlesque performances by Wolf Eye Dragon of The Venus Man Traps and new visual projections by Sci-Fi. It all goes down at First Floor, Fitzroy, on Saturday September 8, and the really great news is it’s completely free!

Despite being one of Perth’s hottest bands, The Morning Night can’t get enough of Melbourne. Even though they lose at least $1000 on every trip they take over here to play, they reckon it’s worth it. And judging by audience reactions, they won’t be making losses much longer. Following their nine-gigs-in-fourdays Kamikaze Tour of Melbourne in July (which almost killed them), they’re coming back here this Saturday September 8 to headline a one-off show at The Toff In Town. With massive community radio support on RRR and PBS for their debut album Otis, which was produced by Ricky Maymi of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, and an increasing number of fans turning up for their electrifying live shows, they’re fast becoming honorary Melbournians. Inspired by the great Australian songbook of The Church, The Triffids, The Stems and other classics such as Television and The Stone Roses, they’re teaming up with recent tour mate Davey Lane of You Am I fame to help him debut brand new songs from his forthcoming solo album The Good Borne Of Bad Tymes. Adding to the lineup will be a secret guest act which all fans of The Triffids should not miss, while legendary troubadour and international man of mystery Jimmy Hawk will open up with a set of his Fleetwood Mac meets Roy Orbison Californian dream-pop. Tickets $8 on the door, which opens at 7pm.

APES After a busy two months of successful shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Ballarat, Apes will bring their brand of anthemic garage/blues rock to The Toﬀ In Town tonight, Wednesday September 5. Apes are about to release their debut single this October and have been building a dedicated following throughout the country since their inception only 12 months ago. Joining forces with them on the night will be the much-anticipated Whipped Cream Chargers as well as Crepes from Ballarat. This show will be their last headline show before the launch next month and promises to be one hell of a night. Tickets are only $6, doors at 8pm.

KELLY BREUER A few weeks ago the plans for Kelly Breuer’s debut EP Smile, It’s Free tour were revealed, where she will be heading out on the road to intimate music loving venues along the East Coast. Another Melbourne show has been added in October, so Breuer will now be returning to Melbourne to play The Great Britain Hotel on Thursday October 4 with Annie and Higgsy.

Beat Magazine Page 50

THE MIGRATIONS Melbourne’s own ‘doo-rockers’ The Migrations will be joined by harmonic folkstress Jessica Moussi and the Songbird Orchestra, along with lyrical mountain boys Black Cockatoo, at Thornbury Theatre on Thursday September 6, from 8pm. The Migrations are six friends with sonic beneﬁts. Their intelligent tunes harken back to a bygone era with a fusion of original ‘60s rock and old delta blues. Jessica Moussi and her vocal army The Songbird Orchestra take you on a dreamy journey from Melbourne’s intimate laneway bars to dusty Middle Eastern streets and back again. The night will begin with Black Cockatoo, a bush ballad duo from a small thicket of Australian bush nestled between the Yarra Valley and Kinglake. Get ready to be taken to the wild country in the conﬁnes of Thornbury Theatre’s Velvet Room. All you need to get there is a coin of gold! Gold coin donation on entry. All proceeds go to the Banjo show.

Barﬂy Trevor Block wanted to recreate an archetypal ‘80s shelf of VHS tapes. He’s been sharing his collection at a casual, weekly VHS night at Fitzroy’s Old Bar. There’ll be cult classics like Mad Max, fan favourite sequels like Beneath The Planet Of The Apes, and deﬁantly obscure movies like Syngenor. There’s no big projection to watch it on, just sit at the bar and watch it on the big TV. Although Trev might not be there every Monday, they’ve decided to keep it going. Popcorn, booze and VHS. Every Monday from 6pm, free. Check the website for which movies will be shown. Monday nights at The Old Bar.

THE OX AND THE FURY The Ox And The Fury have announced another show at Laundry Bar on Thursday September 13. They will be playing two sets, including the entire new album Peace Love And Music along with all the hits from their previous release Guitars Die In Hot Cars. Tickets are $10, available on the door, and support comes from the wonderfully dexterous Dom Italiano and The Upbeat Maﬁa (yes that Dom Italiano), and Zeke’s Mum is doing the door and merch. It’s a family thing.

Q&A

CHERRY BAR With King Of The North and Strangers kicking off their September residency, tonight is the start of another massive week at Cherry Bar. With doors at 5pm and no entry fee over $15, you can see eight-piece afro-funk band The Seven Ups do their thing on Thursday September 6, Gretchen Lewis, Citrus Jam and Opener on Friday September 7, and The Narrow Road launching their Short Stories EP with Rumour Control and Aubrey Grove on Saturday September 8. It’s free entry for an afternoon of Cherry Blues on Sunday September 9, followed by an evening of local delights on Monday September 10, kicking off at 7.30pm with Humans As Animals. They’ll be followed by The Pass Outs, The Minute Takers, and last but not least The Reprobettes. Topping off the mammoth week, Patron Saints return for their second residency on Tuesday September 11. Doors at 6pm and entry is free. Cherry Bar: it’s not called Melbourne’s home of rock’n’roll for nothing.

KINDRED SPIRIT FESTIVAL

Deﬁne the vibe of the festival in ten words or less: Music, movement and meditation with over 150 musicians, presenters, dancers and yogis. What bands are playing? Soundweaver, One Tribe (Perth), Melbourne Djembe, Mantra Dance, Vinod Prasanna and Glen Kniebeiss, Mad Angel, Phil Gunter, Melbourne Mass Gospel Choir, Saraswati Soul, Chakradyhan, and Chant Cartel… and many more. What else is on oﬀer? Some great food for the body and mind. Holy Cow Chai, Lentil As Anything. Workshops, African drum and dance workshops, meditations, yoga and dance, massage, sonic sound baths and much more. What is the best thing about putting on a boutique festival? Meeting all the people involved and seeing it take on a life of its own, then seeing all the fun and enjoyment that some from it.

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

What does the festival stand for? It’s a celebration of how good things can be. A coming together of people and sharing of what each other think makes up the good life and community through music, movement and meditation and meeting of minds and community. Why should someone attend this festival? Just to enjoy what’s on oﬀer, meet some interesting people, have some great food, relax, listen to some soulful music, learn a few things and go deep into themselves and community. Lastly, have a boogie and loosen up the body and mind. When is it? Saturday September 8, 10am ‘til 11pm and Sunday September 9,10am ‘til 9pm. What’s the cost? Saturday $65, Sunday $55, all Weekend $95. Kids (under 16) free. It’s at Kindred Studios, 212A Whitehall St Yarraville. Visit kindredspiritfest.com.

MICHAEL BEACH San Francisco-based songwriter, and one-time Melbourne resident, Michael Beach returns to Melbourne in September for a series of solo shows to promote the forthcoming release of his new album, Golden Theft. Beach plays The Old Bar on Thursday September 6 (with Lower Plenty and Matt Bailey) and The Bridge Hotel in Castlemaine on Saturday September 8. Beach will also reunite with his Electric Jellyfish bandmates for the trio’s first Australian shows since their US tour earlier this year, which included SXSW appearances and supports for Feedtime. Described as “The Birthday Party covering Black Flag” by a New York reviewer, Electric Jellyfish play at The Karova Lounge in Ballarat on Friday September 14 and upstairs at The Gasometer Hotel on Saturday September 15 (with High Tea, Spinning Rooms and Naked). Be sure to check them out at one of their Victorian appearances.

MY FRIEND THE CHOCOLATE CAKE My Friend The Chocolate Cake return to Williamstown Substation in 2012 for one night only. MFTCC have had a well-earned break after their gruelling 2012 national touring schedule following the release of their seventh album Fiasco. Fiasco received rave reviews around the country and the dedicated Cake audiences came out in force to enjoy the new album and a great run of shows. They’ll be playing The Substation this Friday September 7, with a mix of seated ($30) and standing ($25) tickets available. Doors at 7pm, show starts at 7.30pm.

BEN WILLIAM Singer-songwriter Ben William is on the cusp of releasing his self-titled debut EP, something of a decade-long personal process since falling in love with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and other ‘60s luminaries in his formative years. He launches his EP at The Wesley Anne on Friday September 14 with special guests The Tattered Sails. Doors at 8pm and entry includes a free EP.

DARN MATTER Charlie Zulu from Darn Matter showcases songs from his long, long, long awaited album at The Great Britain Hotel in Richmond this Thursday September 6. Support comes from future loser hall of fame member Roxy Lavish and the lovely guitar picking and melodies from Clancye. Opening up the night with his gritty hell bent blues is Rusty Douglas. It all kicks oﬀ at 8pm sharp and it’s free to enter.

SEX ON TOAST Sex On Toast are back at The Evelyn in September for a month of vibrant and exciting gigs, each diﬀerent to the last. Tuesday nights will be your night to get on down and shake your nasty groove thang to the sounds of backbeats, brass-synth stabs, tasty bassoon and ﬂugelhorn blends, DX-7 rhodes, dry ass stratocaster, falsetto licks and the occasional slapped bass note all for a low, low price! Sex On Toast specialise in a multi-faceted experience that takes us from a tight and smooth LA recording session in ‘78, to a funky talkbox party in downtown Minneapolis in ‘83, with the best stage show this side of the Lovesexy tour, all without taking themselves too seriously. Starts next Tuesday September 11 with The Jokers, Howard, and DJ Dan Lewis.

MUSIC NEWS

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE

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

DEMIAN, CLEVER AUSTIN, KIRKIS Following up their triple debut at The Workers Club, Demian, Clever Austin and Kirkis will bring you their beats from screen and stave to stage once again every Wednesday in September at The Evelyn Hotel. Each band’s performance is a luscious, ornamental, uniquely interpreted illustration of the relationship between hip-hop and jazz. The line-up consists of wildcats from Hiatus Kaiyote, The Bamboos and The Operatives, all groups who beat-ﬁends all over Melbourne must have jived to at some point in time. Each week kicks oﬀ at 8pm and costs peanuts to get into, so get on it.

RAS JAHKNOW Melbourne’s freshest seven-piece roots reggae band Ras Jahknow blaze a new soul and sound into reggae at LuWow’s Forbidden Temple. Passionate vocals in English, Portuguese and Creole weave through the culturally diverse inﬂuences of multi-instrumentalist band members. From the African island nation of Cap Verde, Sri Lanka , Tonga, Mauritius, Guinea Conakry, Zimbabwe, Malaysia to Australia, the band embodies the vision of unity, respect and peace, built on the foundation of irresistible Reggae rhythms. Thursday September 6, doors at 8pm.

RMIT SHOWCASE FUNDRAISER Head along and support local creative types as a group of emerging artists from RMIT showcase work and raise funds for artistic endeavours at The Evelyn Hotel. This visual and audio spectacular is headlined by Humans As Animals, with their unique brand of concept-heavy perplexing pop, supported by Melbourne bands Pourparlour, Strangers From Now On and Doo Warp. Put on your thick-rimmed glasses and your dancing shoes and come feast eyes and ears. Thursday September 6 at 8.30pm.

THE SCARLETS Melbourne Glamour-punks The Scarlets are turning another year older, and to celebrate three years of mayhem, the band are throwing a big birthday shindig at The Espy Basement this Friday, September 7. Instead of throwing their usual glitzy antics onstage, the band are going old-school and ditching the pimpedout costumes and fancy lights for one night only. Joining in on the fun are Melbourne rock heavyweights Dead Star Renegade, Mexican madmen Los Amigos, and hot up-and-comers Kill Shot. And to help the ﬁght for our right to party, entry is free.

CASH SAVAGE & THE LAST DRINKS After 12 months of touring Australia, smashing milestones from Meredith Music Festival to the world-famous Spiegeltent, Cash Savage And The Last Drinks have taken a month’s breathing time, secure in the knowledge that they are no longer one of Melbourne’s best-kept secrets. Excited to bring their eagerly-awaited second album to fruition, the band is gearing up for four straight shows at The Toﬀ In Town, in the band’s beloved hometown of Melbourne. The gigs are a chance to showcase a treasure trove of anticipated new material, while satisfying the local crowd’s hunger for the band’s classic signature tunes, including rollicking live-favourite One Key, and violinheavy heartbreaker Sooner Or Later. After so many months of breaking new ground across the country, from regional theatres to time-honoured venues of the big smoke, it’s time to come back home. Join the troupes in September when Cash and her beloved band head up The Toﬀ on Tuesday September 11, to be greeted by familiar faces, new friends, and the adoration of what has become one of Melbourne music’s most loyal followings.

DAN NOLAN AUDIO VISUAL

THE JANE AUSTEN ARGUMENT

Dan Nolan drives a one man train directly through the performance arts. From camera, lighting and audio capture to post production, edit and mastering, Daniel deals in all aspects of music, video and performance art production with an earthy integrity. Dan Nolan is motivated by a simple self satisfaction with a passionate intent to freely express the creative form of himself and others. Get in touch at shout@ dnolan.org, or head to dnolan.org for more info.

The Jane Austen Argument are unleashing their unique mix of high drama, fierce wit and soaring harmonies this September, with a month-long residency every Monday at The Toff In Town throughout September. After touring with punk-cabaret legends The Dresden Dolls, a triumphant Adelaide Fringe Festival season and releasing their debut record Somewhere Under The Rainbow to widespread acclaim, each week they will be joined by different special guests as they unveil brand new material, as well as rearranged originals and left of centre covers. Second show takes place Monday September 10, doors at 7.30pm.

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

Beat Magazine Page 51

MUSIC NEWS

KURT GENTLE YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE

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

Solo modern roots powerhouse Kurt Gentle is quickly grasping the eyes and ears of Australia’s blues and roots scene. Armed with four guitars, banjo, harmonica and stomp, Kurt Gentle will be launching his long-awaited debut album Barefoot Freedom at The Evelyn Hotel on Sunday September 9. Performing the album solo and with his trio, this is one gig not to be missed – full of overdriven 11-string ﬁnger-picking goodness. Catch him before he heads oﬀ on tour in September. From 8pm, following The Naysayers’ afternoon set.

OH PEP!

THE NAYSAYERS The Naysayers’ long-awaited EP It Goes Like This is here and they would like you to come and celebrate with them. Sunday September 9 at The Evelyn, from 1.30pm. Proudly supported by triple j favourites The Morning Night, furious giggers The Velvets and Unearthed pop-folk darlings Fox Road, it’ll be one to remember.

BLUE SUN Blue Sun is fronted by the very talented 22-year-old Josh Romig and features members of Dan Sultan’s band. Josh Romig honed his performance skills on the streets of Melbourne, busking for a living since his late teens. He was asked to participate in a Face The Music masterclass with acclaimed singer-songwriter Charles Jenkins, and in 2010 won the Young Songwriters Award at the Apollo Bay Festival for his tune River Mouth. Since forming Blue Sun in mid-2011, Josh has managed to impress the three experienced and highly acclaimed musicians who make up the rest of the band with his slightly off-beat lyrics and deceptively sweet vocals, and together the group have collaborated on a selection of tracks that refuse to be easily classified. Catch Blue Sun perform their first gig with the full band since the release of their much loved debut EP We Are Blue Sun at Yah Yah’s on Thursday September 6 with very special guests Axolotl and Leena. Doors at 5pm with bands starting at 9pm. $10.

JAMES CARTER QUARTET

WHITAKER

The James ‘Larry’ Carter quartet was formed after an 18-month residency at a Melbourne venue saw these four musicians create a distinct and individual sound. This music combines the energy and tradition of American jazz, the sensitivity and melodic intricacy of European improvised music and the chamber-like qualities of Western classical music. The band is launching their debut album After All (Newmarket Music) at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club on Sunday September 9 at 8.30pm, presented by the Melbourne Improvisers Collective. Alto saxophonist James Carter will be joined by Dan Sheehan on piano, Christian Meyer on guitar, James Gilligan on electric bass and special guest vocalist Mariel Koroibulu. The album will be available for purchase on the night, in JB Hi-Fi stores nationally, online on iTunes, Amazon or eMusic, or from newmarketmusic.com.

Honest and intensely human, Whitaker present music fuelled by melodic drive and timeless sensibility. The Melbourne ﬁve-piece recently launched their debut LP, recorded in Atlanta, GA at the famed Southern Tracks Studios (where the walls still echo the sounds of Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and Lynyrd Skynyrd, to name a few). The album, produced by Nick Didia (Powderﬁnger, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Incubus), chronicles years of earnest songwriting and experience. Your modern woes, your hopes and fury are nothing new to Whitaker – and it’s all on this record. Joined by Traveller & Fortune and Dash, they play The Evelyn Hotel this Saturday September 8.

Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs write songs about travelling and the sea and travelling on the sea (and aliens/lust). In mid-2011 Paddy Montgomery (bouzouki/ mandolin), Stuart West (double bass) and Justin Olsson (kit) began playing songs with Oh and Pep. This phenomenon was called Oh Pep! After winning the songwriting award at Maldon Folk Fest for their track Fooling Around and supporting the likes of Liz Stringer at The Corner and The Vaudeville Smash at The Espy, Oh Pep! took to the studio with renowned engineer, Cam Trewin and now they’re set to take the plunge and launch their EP with special guests Canary and Staﬀan’s Songs (Francolin) at The Toﬀ In Town on Thursday September 6.

THE AFROBIOTICS Your personal afro-beat doctors The Afrobiotics are playing Fridays in September at Bar Open. Each show over the month will feature a variety of other performers either supporting or collaborating with the band. Hypnotic bass lines and undulating guitars lay the foundations for fiery horn lines and vocalist Lamine Sonko’s message of struggle, peace and sheer joy. MC One Sixth (Obese Records) will join them on their first show. The second week will be a double header with Melbourne’s newest Afro-funk outfit The Seven Ups. The third show will feature dancers and percussionists Ousmane Sonko and Seydou Sow working the crowd into frenzy. And rounding off the month Papa Chango will perform, returning the favour after The Afrobiotics supported them at their recent residency.

BOY IN A BOX & KINGSWOOD Two bands alike in virtue and acclaim will be going at it head to head to form the Split Ends 2012 tour. Stopping off at Ding Dong Lounge this Friday September 7 will be Boy In A Box and Kingswood as part of this epic tour. With a new EP to offer and something to prove, Boy In A Box have been getting huge raps of late for their catchy as hell single On My Mind as well as their incendiary live shows. Kingswood, the four-piece are teeth-gnashingly ready to take on all comers with no quarter asked and none to be given. With more than a few recent wins under their collective belt including slabs of national airplay for their recent singles Yeah Go Die and Medusa, the band has also been given the green light to kick off main stage proceedings at the 2012 Splendour In The Grass festival.

JEMMA & THE WISE YOUNG AMBITIOUS MEN For ﬁve Sundays in a row, Jemma & The Wise Young Ambitious Men will be starring in I Forgot I Have A Job To Go To On Monday Morning: The Musical. Playing every Sunday in September at Old Bar from 8pm with so many new and old friends, it’s going to be emotional. Joined this Sunday September 9 by Van & Cal Walker and Gareth Eunson and The Big Small, it’s a good way to punch Monday in the face.

MIDNIGHT WOOLF After selling out The Old Bar for the launch of their new album, I’ll Be A Dog, and smashing out a wild set at the Drunken Moon festival last week, Midnight Woolf will be belting out another wild, raucous, and frenzied rock’n’roll show at The LuWow on Friday September 7. This is Midnight Woolf’s ﬁnal show before their Spanish tour, so get a last dose of insane garage, surf and rock’n’roll before it’s too late. Joining them will be the sweetest and sharpest rockabilly act in town, The ReChords. Don’t miss this night of heartbreaking, dance-making, party-lovin’ goodness! Doors at 8pm. $5.

AS A RIVAL The Reverence Hotel brings together pop-rockers As A Rival, epic shoegaze noise machine Falconio, and angular garage punks Damn The Torpedoes! It all takes place on Thursday September 6, and it will only cost you a measly $5! Doors 8pm.

GUITAR GALLERY SESSIONS

BLUEGRASS

That’s right folks! Every Monday night in every month bring your banjo, mandolin, washboard, fiddle, flatmate and join in the old time bluegrass jam session. Or just come down and watch as The Oldie gets transformed to a scene from an Appalachian mountainside. A band plays first then the jam starts. 8.30pm start and it’s always free. Monday nights at The Old Bar. Cheap jugs all night. Beat Magazine Page 52

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

THE SMART The Smart are heading to the Melbourne Hi-Fi complete with 3D glasses, headsets and a keytar as they support the upcoming single release Hands Of Shelter. Following the airplay success of City Lights, Electrical and Cold Dark Room, The Smart silent show puts the crowd front and centre, wherever they are, and gives the audience the chance to take control of their own destiny with volume control to create their own personal atmosphere. This visually enticing performance will be an assault on the senses across three dimensions. Supported by Sounds Of Troy, Inc3do, Pludo and Pretty Dulcie, whilst encompassing the next generation of visual and performance artistry, The Smart’s electrifying sound and visuals are a must. See and hear live music your way as The Hi-Fi goes sci-ﬁ for The Smart on Saturday September 8. Doors from 7.30pm.

ROYAL ACE If you chucked AC/DC, Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses and Van Halen into a blender you’d have one damn big blender, and the goop you’d be left with would put you in the ball park of Royal Ace. On the ﬂipside, four-piece indie group Hotel On Mayfair is kind of like a concoction of your favourite 70’s pop songs with a late 90’s Silverchair-ﬂavour thrown into the mix. You can catch both of these bands, as well as This Weather, Pigtails, and High Side Driver in The Espy’s Gershwin Room on Thursday October 11. Tickets are $12 and available on the door.

THE EUPHORIACS The Euphoriacs are like hearing your housemate masturbating when they think no one’s home. Equal parts awkward brilliance and passionate rhythm, they are set to fap out a new three-track EP Break Loose at Yah Yah’s on Friday September 7. Recorded between noise complaints and hangovers, the release is a delicate tasting board of some of their ﬁnest new material. Helping them on the night will be Parading, The Spinning Rooms and MKO. Doors at 8pm, free entry.

60 SECONDS WITH… THE SCARECROWS

Define your genre in five words or less: Melodic rock'n'roll. Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like? I can honestly say I have no idea. It’s hard to make a judgment on these things when you’re in the middle of it. It’s melodic rock'n'roll, in the vein as The Killers, The Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, The Wombats, U2, The Kooks. What do you love about making music? I love taking the seed of an idea and fleshing it out into a fully blown tune that we can take out on to the road. If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? Well if I could go back in time, I’d scrap our music all together, take with me the complete Beatles songbook and release every song they eventually would only three months earlier. What can a punter expect from your live show? Three guys attempting not to care that their Sammy Davis Jr look-a-like who’s fronting the band seems to have periodic epileptic fits on stage When’s the gig and with who? At the Wheelers Hill Hotel, over a few Sunday arvos in September – Sunday September 9, Sunday September 23 and Sunday September 30, all with Zoophyte. How long have you been gigging and writing? As a band we’ve been playing together for just over two and a half years. Played around 80 plus shows in that time. What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? I’m not sure there is a formula. I think you’ve got to make the music you want to make and if at some particular time, whatever it is you’re doing is in vogue, you might be in with a shot. But changing to fit a market is a risky strategy in the long run as it’s harder to continually make music you don’t truly believe in. What part of making music excites you the most? Not knowing what you could come up with tomorrow. What part of making music discourages you? Knowing there are bands who I love who haven’t achieved the success they deserve and that the same could happen to us. What's the strangest place you've ever played a gig, or made a recording? I once played a solo gig in a beer garden where the only audience member was a pet gala that someone in the pub had brought. After every song the bird would make its noise and I would be left to playing the next song.

60 SECONDS WITH…

BLUE SUN

SPLIT SECONDS Split Second's stunning debut album You’ll Turn Into Me is out now (check our review this week in Albums). Almost two years ago Richard Kingsmill endorsed the band at Perth’s One Movement proclaiming Split Seconds to be his new favourite Perth act. Having recently relocated from hometown Perth to the urbanity of inner city Melbourne, Split Seconds have been a triple j staple since late 2010 and with their latest single Top Floor joining their previous playlist favourites, You’ll Turn Into Me will conﬁrm the band’s bona ﬁde as one of the triple j 2012 Next Crop alumni. Split Seconds will be giving Melbourne audiences a taste of the album at Ding Dong on Saturday September 8.

MUSIC NEWS

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE

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

THE STAFFORDS Define your genre in five words or less: Scrap tone scratch'n’rock. 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? Wow, beer tastes better with Blue Sun. When’s the gig and with who? Yah Yah's on Thursday September 6. It's with the marvellous Axolotl, the wonderful Leena and the most delicious beer you will ever drink. Really. Which band would you most like to have a battle/ showdown with? The MC5. If I'm gonna get beat up, I'd rather it were them. If your music was a chocolate bar, which one would it be, and why? Polly Waffle. Because it’s wrong but you love it anyway. Do you have a pre-gig ritual? If so, what is it? Yes, usually I do some irregular breathing exercises then I shit my pants. Seems to help. What do you hate about the music industry? Hate’s such a strong word. I don't hate anything about it really. That's like hating a puppy for chewing your shoes. But I do wish the music industry would stop peeing on the carpet.

Since the release of their debut single in May this year The Staffords have not stopped moving. Having graced stages all over Melbourne they have now made it as far as Richmond, where they are bringing their unique brand of awesome to The Great Britain Hotel on Saturday September 8. While cheery and easily digestible on the outside, The Staffords’ music has a dark and bitter centre which has been described as cynical and misanthropic. Equally edible are The Honey Badgers, who will be joining them on the night with their filthy dirty not giving a shit rock’n’roll. Music from 9pm. Free entry.

JEN KNIGHT & THE CAVALIERS If you only see one gig at The Toff this year, make it this one. Jen Knight & The Cavaliers is a band of genuine talent. When Jen Knight emerged from Ballarat she quickly surrounded herself with some of Melbourne’s finest young players. They shared a common goal of combining their diverse influences and talents to create something special. And they have. Big things lie ahead for Jen Knight & The Cavaliers and this gig marks a momentous first step with the release of their debut EP Hunger. It promises to be a very special night: meaningful lyrics, driving guitar hooks and infectious pop melodies all delivered with pure passion. To succeed in the music industry takes more than talent, it takes a certain level of hunger, and Jen Knight & The Cavaliers are starving. Doors from 7pm with support from Winter York and April Maze.

THE INDIAN SKIES Folk fun ﬂows from the speakers at the Grace Darling Hotel on Thursday September 6 with Elephant, a solo artist from Melbourne who creates an echoed abyss and loops of endless joy and harmony, followed by the dark moon psychedelia of Luna Ghost, a band that in their short time have blessed the ear drums of Melbourne. Finally, The Indian Skies, a band about to release their fourth album in as many years, will close the night with their brand of psychedelic fuzz. Doors at 9pm and entry is $5.

DIRT RIVER RADIO

THE GROVES

Dirt River Radio have released their anticipated followup to 2010’s critically acclaimed Beer Bottle Poetry. The new album, Rock’N’Roll Is My Girlfriend, was released in August and new single Blackhearted is already being played on triple j and PBSfm. The boys have had a big year with UK, European and Asian releases, their song Chase The Sun becoming the theme song for NatGeo’s The Aussie Way Up on cable TV, countless shows and airplay around the country with All My Friends, and an increasing amount of press in the UK and Europe. Join St Kilda’s favourite roots/rock underdogs in rare duo form as a special treat for Melbourne fans with Al and Heath at their home-away-from-home Pure Pop Records in St Kilda, every Thursday in September. Doors open at 6pm and entry is free.

Melbourne blues-rockers The Groves take the traditional blues form, electrify it, fortify it and pin it against a brick wall. The Groves draw on almost ﬁve years of experience together; guitarist Michael Lo Bianco and bassist Leigh MacDonald began writing music in high school. They quickly got Nick Reid on drums and, once Antoni Ricciardi picked up rhythm guitar and harmonica, they had found their sound. The self-titled release features slow blues jams and relentless walls of sound that almost betray the fact that The Groves are only a four-piece. What results is a collection of juggernaut tracks which show an ability to write mature and powerful songs. They launch their EP at Revolver Upstairs on Saturday September 8.

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

Beat Magazine Page 53

MUSIC NEWS

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE

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

SILVER NIGHT DRIVE Andre Warhurst and the Silver Night Drive bring their inspired rock’n’roll soirée back to The Retreat Hotel on Friday September 7. The versatile Andre Warhurst, also heads local party R&B band legends Spoonful is also right hand man for Spiderbait Kram’s solo project and is about to tour nationally with folkpop princess Lisa Mitchell. Previously, Warhurst has guested on Jet's Get Born album as well as touring with James Reyne playing songs of Elvis Presley. Andre Warhurst and the Silver Night Drive (featuring CJ Rhodes and Jeremy Kirk) are an exciting and soulful power rock trio and have been described as ‘most exciting’ by producer icon Tony Visconti (T-Rex, Bowie). Dig it!

MOTH Rather than waking up Sunday lunchtime, tired, bleary-eyed, your mouth tasting like mouldy carpet and feeling sorry for yourself, bands Death Of Art, Dropbunny, Billy & The Jerks and Moth propose that you grab some friends and experience a night of alternative, psychedelic, rock and metal madness. Give a middle ﬁnger to Monday mornings on Sunday September 9, 6pm at Level 2. $12 entry.

BATPISS

MAMMOTH MAMMOTH After a successful tour of every bar, hoochie dive and strip club in Melbourne Mammoth Mammoth are back bringing their own brand of patented murder fuzz to The Retreat every Thursday night during September. Quoted as sounding like “Motorhead and AC/DC doing mushrooms with The Butthole Surfers, channelling the Birthday Party at a Black Sabbath concert,” we strongly advise you grab a knife, rob your dealer and call your lawyer – ‘cause this will go oﬀ like pack of marauding vikings in an unsuspecting nunnery. This Thursday September 6.

A HIGHER GROUND

DEADWOOD 76

A Higher Ground is 17 acts blistering across two stages. A mash up of psychedelic, funk, indie rock, acoustic and reggae plus electronic DJ sets, Melbourne’s underground music scene unleashes its best kept secrets with the positive message of giving. All proceeds will be donated to Berry Street – a charity organization for disadvantaged children, youths and families across Victoria since 1877. This fundraiser gig will be held on Saturday September 8 at Bar 303, Northcote. Entry is $5. Event starts at 7pm.

Straight outta somewhere stinky and into your local bar, Sydney’s Deadwood 76 are a happy collision between Merle Haggard’s cattle truck and the Ramones tour bus. Their anthropological mission is to revive lost country classics that champion life’s bottom dwellers, the art of getting blotto and good old fashion spouse murder. They played sober once, it sounded polished and professional so they never did it again. They play Friday September 7 at The Retreat Brunswick along with Silver Night Drive.

This September, The Tote Hotel sacrifice their front bar every Tuesday night for the sludge/punk trio Batpiss. Joining them on their slime wave before heading to tour New Zealand in October will be a heinous lineup of local legends Look At The Owl, Sun God Replica, Spermaids and Sheriff. Get on down for a cold frother and a bunch of shows that’ll start your week off real nice. Kick off at 8pm and it’s free. This Tuesday September 11 support is from Sun God Replica.

SEWERCIDE Give yourself an excuse to chuck a sickie on Friday and make your way down to the The Tote. Witness firsthand the pummelling demolition unit that is Sewercide with support from M-town skate-thrash fiends, Counter Attack. Also, embrace the skull crushing mayhem of Maniaxe and with the kickoff being led by dirty punk rockers, Clowns. There’s a good chance you should be calling your boss now. Thrash or be thrashed at The Tote, Thursday September 6.

NAI PALM Nai Palm is lead singer and guitarist for Hiatus Kaiyote, known around town for their soulful polyrhythmic sounds and is playing a series of solo shows downstairs at Bar Open. This will be your last chance to catch Nai Palm before heading to New York and LA where she’ll be performing at a prestigious CMJ music industry event as well as appearing on inﬂuential radio station KCRW. Pop in to see what the fuss is all about. Accompanied by strictly vinyl DJ Percy Valentin, every Sunday afternoon at Bar Open in September, free entry from 4pm.

GOES LIVE

ENJOY LIVE MUSIC FROM SOME OF MELBOURNE’S BEST LOCAL MUSCIANS

VALIANT JONES Adelaide’s ﬁnest prog-rock masters Valiant Jones are ﬁnally able to release their debut album Departure. Recorded at Capital Sound in Adelaide and produced by Karl Roberts and Mike Deslandes, the album was mixed by Karl Roberts (and Luke Day) and mastered by Alan Douches at WestWestSide, New York. They will be hitting The Reverence Hotel on Saturday September 8, supported by Viking Frontier, Camp David and Hunter. $10 and doors at 8pm.

RICHARD CLAPTON Richard Clapton, Australia’s most prolific and iconic singersongwriter returns to The Palms for the latest instalment of his story, this time with a twist as he previews new material from his new album, Harlequin Nights, released this year. A former commercial artist, Richard Clapton, started his musical career in the late ‘60s but it wasn’t until the early ‘70s that he had his first big hit, Girls On The Avenue. Richard Clapton will deliver his hallmark songs like I Am An Island, The Best Years of Our Lives, Capricorn Dancer, Girls On The Avenue, Glory Road, Goodbye Tiger, Trust Somebody, Get Back To The Shelter, Down In The Lucky Country as well as a snippet of songs from his first studio album release in eight years which will have you singing along from start to finish. Richard Clapton performs next in Melbourne at The Palms, Crown Casino on Friday October 5. Tickets via ticketek.com. au

SECONDHAND HEART Secondhand Heart return with their first single since launching their debut EP in August 2011 and there is already a buzz beginning to buzz. A finalist for the Petty Thieves (DZ Deathrays) Track To Clip competition, semi-finalist in the Valleyarm A & R Showcase Series and international blog love, Secondhand Heart have steadily built their name since their debut release last year. Let’s not forget triple j’s Amelia Chappelow review of the demo version of Trouble as “really heart and soul stuff...just beautiful!” As momentum builds Trouble is Secondhand Heart’s perfect storm. Catch them on Saturday September 8 at The Empress Hotel for their film clip launch with supports Esther Holt and Lucy Peach (WA).

FRANKENBOK Frankenbok are the real deal. They are a genuine band of brothers who love to play it hard, fast and loud. They’re proud to be releasing their new album, The End Of All You Know, on their own record label Fair Dinkum Records. They’ll be ripping it up at The Bendigo Hotel on Saturday September 8 with guests Dreadnaught, Truth Corroded, Wildeornes and Mason.

CREEPSHOW HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL 2012 Attention creatures of the night. Melbourne’s biggest Halloween party, Creepshow Halloween Festival, returns to The Espy on Saturday October 20. See the entire venue transformed into a haunted mansion, playing host to seductive burlesque dancers, creepy DJs and a horde of spine-tingling bands. Performing live will be Engine Three Seven, The Khyber Belt, Ten Thousand, Over-Reactor, Bronson, Anna Salen Vs Mario Bros, Sharaya, LeBelle, I Am Duckeye, Cloud City, Massive, Kettlespider, Arcane Saints and heaps more. Dress to kill and you may just win a prize for your eﬀorts. Be a part of Creepshow 2012, Tickets $21 available from The Espy website and all Oztix outlets.

LEVITATING CHURCHES

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7TH FROM 8PM

JOHN DELORD PROJECT

BAD VISION

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8TH FROM 4-7PM -7PM

DICKEN ST PREACHERS FROM 8PM

JAHMAKN IT FUNKY SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9TH SHARE THE EXOTIC LATIN AND CUBAN SOUNDSS

SON 3 3-6PM SANTIAGO SON 6:30-9:30PM

SHAR THE EX OTIC LATIN &ES CUBAN SO UNDS ENJOY LIVE MUSIC FROM SOME BEST LOCAL MUSICOF MELBOURNE’S IANS

This September, Bad Vision are stoked to be playing The Tote front bar every Saturday afternoon (5-7pm), making a racket with their proto punk riﬀs and poptrashtic melodies. Helping them with the beer spilling and noise making will be a host of special guests including Dan Trolley (Mass Cult) with his one man punk/ new wave experience, lo-ﬁ popsters Messed Up, party starters Clavians, two piece sensation Valley Girls and trouble makers Quince. This Saturday September 8 get down to The Tote and check out the sounds of Messed Up, who support Bad Vision on the second week of their residency. Entry is free (all the more monies to spend on beers).

SCOTDRAKULA EVERY SUNDAY

SON 3 SANTIA G

Cure your boredom at Pony on Friday September 7 at 9pm with garage punk band Scotdrakula. They’ll be supported by noisy dream-poppers The Primary, psych grunge kings The Steins and the beautiful noise of Esc’s Max Impact. Entry is only $5, doors open at 9pm.

3/4 BEAST 3/4 Beast are the animalistic, paganistic, and tribalistic kings of Melbourne’s ever-evolving alternative music scene. Friday September 7 marks your chance to catch them live at Pony. The cult proceedings start from 2am and entry is free. Beat Magazine Page 54

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

Get your rolls rocked! For one night only, the B.East will come alive and stare at your souls with the power of 80,000 volts of electric power. Feel the lightning in your veins. Kiss the ﬁrewater with your lips. Featuring Crude, Levitating Churches, Number One Jones, Lightning Le Quesne. All for free. Stop dreaming and start extreme-ing. Saturday September 8. 9pm

HAZEL GROVE Local rockers Hazel Grove officially formed as a band late in September last year and are preparing to enter the studio and record their debut album. Influenced by a wide variety of American rock/ metal/ pop bands such as the more common Guns N’ Roses, Goo Goo Dolls and Metallica, as well as many local underground acts from the amazing music scene in Melbourne, the band isn’t pigeonholed into any one genre. See them when they drop into Pony for the first time on Thursday September 6, with help from fuzz pigs Hungry Jesus and some special guests. Doors 8.30pm.

HUMANS AS ANIMALS Human As Animals have cut their teeth in a million bands before them, dredging the vagrants from Melbourne’s darkest venues into a creative collective. The legend of a monster evolves over the four chapters of Human As Animals’ epic “funk opera” entitled Bilack. The genre-spanning rock odyssey incorporates immaculate storytelling into their live shows and you will be left amazed by the eclectic evolution of the beast. Bilack is powerful introspection and out-ofcontrol energy escaped from the conﬁnes of a practice space and engulﬁng the world like The Blob. See them play a late night set at Pony on Thursday September 6 from 1am. Free entry.

SMOKE MACHINE

SCRAYFISH

Smoke Machine spearhead rock’n’roll and serve it up all spiced up and a little bit hairier and greasier than it should be, so don’t freak out when they play your favourite Stooges songs. Smoke Machine are the most entertaining band to ever play Big Day Out’s Lilypad Stage and they won over the crowd at the Boogie festival last year in Tallarook over Easter. Yah Yah’s is thrilled to have Smoke Machine play two consecutive Sundays under their roof. See their ﬁrst of two shows at Yah Yah’s on Sunday September 9. Doors at 5pm, live music from 7.30pm, free entry.

The beer-drinkin’, finger-slippin’ boys of Scrayfish are finally ready to release their 12-track album. It’s crammed full of songs about drinking, Arnie, butts, farts and none of that sissy garbage about why their girlfriend left them. Supporting these mongrel dogs are sleazy garage punks Crack Whore, dirty creep punks Dixon Cider, reggae pot punks King’s Cup, the awesome sounds of The Black Alleys and the binge drinking My Twin Sister Lulu. Catch the shenanigans on Saturday September 8 at Pony. Doors at 9pm.

WESTERN STARS Western Stars are a brand new band featuring current and ex-members of The Cheats, Telecom, Shooting At Unarmed Men and several other bands you haven’t heard of. While congregating in lounge and rehearsal rooms over the past few months, they have been cooking up tunes that might sound something like the mongrel stepchild of Steve Earle, Whiskeytown, Wilco, The Replacements and Big Star. Their music takes very leisurely turns between torchedout barroom balladry, jangly ‘90s slacker pop and twangy, stomping alt-country. They’re playing their debut 2am late show at Pony on Saturday September 8. Free entry.

CENTRE & THE SOUTH Centre & The South are a cosmic reggae local four-piece band known for their high energy live performances emanating an aura of peace, love and freedom for all to enjoy. They kick oﬀ their September residency at The B.East this Thursday September 6. Free entry.try.

JAPAN FOR After taking time oﬀ at the end of last year, 2012 is looking to be a productive year for Japan For with a heap of new material being written, interstate touring in the pipeline and a new release likely to surface at some point. Back to the present, Japan For are hosting the festivities at The Bendigo Hotel on Thursday September 6 with guests All We Need, Too Soon! and Question.

SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING BAND Ukulele folk noise explosion Someone Else’s Wedding Band will be bringing their hook-riddled anthems to the Great Britain hotel on Sunday September 9. Supported by indie rock upstarts the Sweet Teens, delivering their bitter sweet north Richmond narratives with a Clash-esque punk rock fury. Free from 8pm.

MUSIC NEWS

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE

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

DEAD RIVER DEEPS Dead River Deeps are poking their heads out of hiding to play their favourite Melbourne venue The Old Bar with great friends James McCann and The New Vindictives and The Perfections. Friday September 7. Wave goodbye to Winter and drink hello to Spring. See you there!

THE UNION PACIFIC The Union Paciﬁc are set to smash The John Curtin Hotel a new one on Saturday September 8 with new friends from mostly Sydney. Firearms (may be a dude from Hell City Glamours in this band but they sound kinda like The Bronx eating The Dead Kennedys), Karl from H Block 101’s new band Rise Of The Rat who’ll be breaking in a new drummer, and The Sinking Teeth will bring the good times at the start of the night. Tickets $10.

RUM CLUB Every Wednesday evening The LuWow hosts a ﬁne opportunity to sample some of the greatest rums from around the world, and stocks an incredible ever-changing range of rum. Usually over 50 varieties in stock and all discounted at 50%. Every Wednesday from 5pm ‘til midnight.

CROTCHETY KNITWITS From 6-8pm every Monday at The Old Bar, you can come on down and knit up a storm. Learners, beginners, experts, whatever. Knitting, sewing, boozing. Entry is free.

MONDO DISCO LuWow is proud to present Mondo Disco, a night of instrumental, sci/ﬁ, porn funk with hits and grooves from around the globe for your dancing pleasure from Mr. Wonderland himself, DJ Donnie Disco. Spanking-hot live tunes from Melbourne’s own purveyors of tough funk, Ultravibralux, bring their dirty nasty sound to The Forbidden Temple. UVL’s sound has been described as “a porn star robbing a bank” and will be shakin’ the house down alongside Dancing Girls and Boogie Boobie Burlesque. Dress: Glamorous disco freak out. Dance: Hard. Doors at 8pm. $10.

WARMTH CRASHES IN After their band The Priory Dolls imploded in a perfect rock’n’roll cliché whilst working on their second album in Berlin, Rory Lampitt and Erin Taylor swiftly formed Warmth Crashes In. A result of two rockers having minimal tech blasted at them for a year, the band’s sound is ethereal to intense but always rhythmic, smooth and shiny. This spring they take to The Tote every Wednesday in September for their ﬁrst shows in Australia, joining them will be Melbourne’s best new bands such as Lowtide, Naked Bodies, Mutations, Solaires and Flyying Colours. Tonight, 8pm, $8.

A NIGHT OF X MUSIC

AMANITA

Steve Lucas is once more proud to present A Night Of X Music. This year Steve is celebrating his 55th birthday as well as 35 years of X and it’s all coming together at Yah Yah’s on Saturday September 8. Once again members of X will raise its ugly head and invite you to rally around the banner and share one more for the road. After The Last Rounds show at The Tote and end of tour party at The Espy it was deemed all over for X, but it would appear that the fat lady has yet to sing. The Night Of X music will see the band perform favourites from X-aspirations, At Home With You, X And More along with X- Spurts. Steve will also present a few songs from his new band Neon & Venom and perform tracks from other past albums and special guests Cold Harbour will kick the night oﬀ with style. Doors at 5pm, bands start at 9pm, free entry.

Four-piece experimental band Amanita are hosting Monday nights in September at The Evelyn, playing alongside friends both new and old, including Hollow Everdaze, Grunge Safari, Esc, Sunk Junk, Vibraphonic Orchestra, Howard and Matt Kelly. Doors at 8pm and entry is free.

MY ECHO After a successful start to the year supporting some of our country’s ﬁnest including Bodyjar and King Cannons, as well as joining Trial Kennedy around the country on their Final Shows tour, Melbourne’s My Echo return home for one last show before they lock themselves away to complete the writing and recording of their debut full length. They are at The Evelyn Hotel on Friday September 7. Supports on the night from Strickland, Foxtrot and The Escape. Tickets are $12 at the door or via The Evelyn website.

THE PERFECTIONS Head down to The Reverence Hotel on Sunday September 9 for an afternoon of live soul music. The always amazing The Perfections will be joined by Children Overboard and Red Moon Juke. Head down from 3pm for a day of swingin’ jivin’ rockin’ grooves. Entry is free.

- VULTURES OF VENUS VS. MEN IMITATING MACHINES Vultures of Venus

Men Imitating Machines Men Imitating Machines ask Vultures Of Venus...... How would you describe your sound to a stranger? Electro glam space rock. What has been your physical creative output? We have a full length self titled album and an EP titled Your Planet or Mine, which we are now giving away for free (or small donation) from vulturesofvenus.bandcamp.com. We also made three film clips for this release which you can view through our facebook page. What do you love about being in your band? Getting to meet lots of lovely people at shows who come and say hi after the gig. Plus all the free cocaine and groupies keep us pretty god-damn happy to be on-top of our game. What are you going to bring to the First Floor show? Sing along choruses. Big fuzzy riffs. Bass fatter than your mumma’s mumma. Electronic sounds from outer space. Wild stage antics. Scissor Kicks. Choreographed dance moves. Verging on ridiculous mid-song banter. Psychedelic projections and burlesque performances from The Venus Man Traps. Where is the weirdest place your music has taken you? We recorded our film clip for Outer-space down at the Geelong salt mines during the middle of the day. We snuck past security all wearing those bright orange council worker vests. It came out really well, it kind of looks like surface of mars. Check it out by googling “Vultures Of Venus Outer-space”.

Beanies with homemade pom-poms, suits, bare feet, crowd heckling; face pulling, MIDI drums and badass wobbles courtesy of Jarman and his MIDI bass guitar. Which other person in the music industry would you have a showdown with? Justin Bieber ‘cause dat cat is probably the only dude we could beat in a ﬁght. What do you love about making music? We just love to perform and have a license to act like idiots outside of mundane day jobs. We also feel like we have been lucky enough to innovate in our own small way and contribute some new ideas about how electronic music can be performed live. This has allowed us to make contacts all around the globe and share a whole lot of knowledge. but seriously, tell us why we should come see your band. We are men imitating machine music, who also act like we are a metal band from the ‘80s. We are the ﬁfth most popular live wobble band in Aspendale and we have pretty much been with all of your mums.

Vultures Of Venus ask Men Imitating Machines... What is your sound? Live as fuck electronica. What can a punter expect from this First Floor show?

VULTURES OF VENUS and MEN IMITATING MACHINES are playing at First Floor with Lazy Boy Proactive this Saturday September 8. It kicks oﬀ at 9pm and it’s so cheap, it’s free.

What do you do before a gig? A ﬁve minute and 27 second power hug followed by two slaps on the back and one slap on the top of the head. Anything else to add? Head to menimitatingmachines.com for the most up to date nude photos and obscene bass wobble biz-ness.

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

Beat Magazine Page 55

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

SYN SWEET 16

KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD

1. Dear Friend TOLLENS 2. Ophelia On My Mind ALBERTA CROSS 3. Bread Bath CLOUD LANTERN 4. Playing Evening THE MUSIC TAPES 5. Heartbeat KOPECKY FAMILY BAND 6. See Thru To You FLYING LOTUS 7. Hollow Mountain EFTERLANG 8. The Bump DEER TICK 9. Hypothermia (Ft. Guerre) COLLARBONES 10. Tinderbox VIOLENT SOHO

12 Bar Bruise (Flightless)

WEDNESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER

RESIDENCY - OPENING NIGHT

CLEVER AUSTIN KIRKIS DEMIAN DJ JACKSON MILES ENTRY $7, 8:30PM

THURSDAY 6 SEPTEMBER RMIT VISUAL ARTS FUNDRAISER

HUMANS AS ANIMALS POURPARLOUR STRANGERS FROM NOW ON DO WARP ENTRY $8, 8:30PM $2.50 POTS, $5 VODKAS!

FRIDAY 7 SEPTEMBER

MY ECHO STRICKLAND FOXTROT THE ESCAPE

ENTRY $12, 8:30PM

SATURDAY 8 SEPTEMBER EP LAUNCH

WHITAKER

TRAVELLER & FORTUNE DASH

On Footy Footy, 12 Bar Bruise’s red-hot wormburner of a closing track, we hear a stream of consciousness roll of long forgotten ‘90s AFL stars – Ang Christou, Che Cockatoo Collins, Sticks Kernahan, to name a few. After that list, plus a dose of longing for wing-side seats at Waverly Park and dollar-fifty Footy Records, we hear the final word, “I hate what the game has become.” These fuckers are what, barely in their adulthood? And they’re this fucking nostalgic? Shit, what hope is there for us? King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard put out an EP late last year in Willoughby’s Beach, a record which possessed the scope which rendered the distinction between extended player and longplayer insignificant. 12 Bar Bruise builds upon this solid rock‘n’roll foundation and reaches beyond with a brazen focus you wouldn’t think a seven-deep collective of coastal miscreants would be capable of pulling off. There’s a struggle with masculinity on 12 Bar Bruise – there’s footy, there’s violence, there are maternal pleas, there’s even a western in Sam Cherry’s Last Shot. The track features a baritone spoken word from Dingoes frontman Broderick Smith (dad of harmonica wielder Ambrose), an example of cowboys and Indians in song form. Garage Liddiard has little to do with its title. But hey, what a title! Uh Oh, I Called Mum does what it says on the tin, with the cries of “mum” clocking up into the hundreds over a blistering 12-bar boogie. Ridiculously good fun. The title track plods along as a welcome respite from the breakneck boogie, both the tempo and rudimentary sonics (the track was recorded with four smartphones and nothing else) combining to broaden the record’s dynamic into something more astute.

THORNBURY RECORDS There are moments where King Gizz dive for something deeper, on Nein there a rues of “My body’s full of poison shit”, before a languid chorus which counts to nine and does little else. The soaring Sea Of Trees is a surprisingly profound recount of rising above depression, building into a dreamy cloud of power chords. Bloody Ripper is half hate ballad, half love song. “All I wanna do, is sink my teeth in you,” is delivered with a wink and a smile. Delightfully idiotic and chock full of dickhead brilliance, 12 Bar Bruise melts the mind in the best way possible. LACHLAN KANONIUK

Best Track: Bloody Ripper If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Arabia Mountain THE BLACK LIPS, Primary Colours EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING In A Word: Sausageroll

SINGLES BY LACHLAN

ENTRY $15 DOOR, $12 THRU MOSHTIX, 9PM

SUNDAY 9 SEPTEMBER

MATINEE SHOW – EP LAUNCH

THE NAYSAYERS THE MORNING NIGHT THE VELVETS FOX ROAD

ENTRY $10, $15 WITH EP, 1:30PM

EVENING SHOW – ALBUM LAUNCH

KURT GENTLE MORNING OF THE EARTH HIDING WITH BEARS EMMA HALES ENTRY $10, 8PM

MONDAY 10 SEPTEMBER RESIDENCY

AMANITA GRUNGE SAFARI HONEY BADGER MATT KELLY GHOST VEIN

DONATION ENTRY, 8PM $10 JUGS!

TUESDAY 11 SEPTEMBER RESIDENCY

SEX ON TOAST THE JOKERS HOWARD DJ DAN LEWIS ENTRY $2, 9PM $10 JUGS!

COMING UP TIX AVAILABLE THRU MOSHTIX: AMANITA (MON IN SEP) SEX ON TOAST (TUE IN SEP CLEVER AUSTIN (WED IN SEP) CARTEL – SELLING FAST (13 SEP) BLACKCHORDS – ALBUM LAUNCH (14 SEP) THAT GOLD STREET SOUND – SINGLE/VIDEO LAUNCH (22 SEP) BIG WINTER – EP LAUNCH (27 SEP) KING PARROT (28 SEP) JERICCO - SINGLE LAUNCH (5 OCT)

Shouts out to Simone – she’ll be back in control of singles duties real soon, but I’ll be caretakin’ for the time being. Writing the Beat singles column was my lifelong dream. I guess my new lifelong dream is to date Liz Cambage. Please help make this happen.

FEELINGS

One In A Million (Select/Intertia) First up, if your name is Berkﬁnger and you call your solo project something weak like Feelings, you’re doing it wrong. Wielding a ridiculous falsetto, the former Philadelphia Grand Jury frontman breezes through One In A Million with endearing vocal tremolo over a fully phat bassline. Not quite as catchy as his former band’s many choice singles, but pretty darn listenable.

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA FEAT. JOHN MARTIN

Don’t You Worry Child (EMI) There’s little on Don’t You Worry Child to differentiate it from your standard club banger. Now don’t get me wrong, I love club bangers as much as the next fistpumping dickhead, but the cookie-cutter nostalgia delivered by John Martin (who?) and pointless acoustic guitar breakdown doesn’t exactly make me mourn for Swedish House Mafia’s recent split.

THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON

Six Months In A Cast (Independent) Chugging along with a rollicking beat and syncopated acoustic guitar, there’s enough going on in Six Months In A Cast to rise above the throng of mediocre Fleet Foxes-inspired Australian folk plaguing the radio at the moment. A surprisingly bold coda caps oﬀ a mighty display of vocal dexterity and a deep exploration of insecurities.

LANRAE

Run (Independent) Bondi local Lanrae hits the mark with sharp lyricisms and a tasty hook of a chorus. Run showcases smart, bouncy synthpop delivered with the right amount of vocal gymnastics, displaying a reverence to recent electro trends without resorting to anything too derivative. It’s a bit like what Catcall would come up with if she could actually sing.

GREENTHIEF

Mr Number 1 (Smack Face) There’s a little of bit Radiohead worship going on in Mr Number 1, from its Greenwood-esque guitar tones to the eventual gritty breakdown. The backing harmonies and thunderous drums are pretty nice, but I can’t get past the fact “Mr Number 1” is repeated way too much. From what I can gather from the lyrics, the titular character is a her, so that’s pretty edgy I guess?

Beat Magazine Page 56

TOP TENS

THE INVINCIBLE SUMMER

Runaway (Independent) My god, these rhyming couplets make me cringe to the point of implosion. Seriously, this is sub-“hands in the air like you just don’t care” business here. Blocking out the lyrical queefs, Runaway is a strange blend of faint house characteristics and vanilla indie rock. Peculiar, but easily forgettable.

VIOLENT SOHO

Tinderbox (I OH YOU) Freshly signed to red-hot stable I OH YOU, you get the sense that this is Violent Soho mark II. The Brisbanites didn’t really get the dues they deserved with their debut full-length, and this half of their forthcoming double A-side promises a fully reinvigorated unit. Tinderbox parlays their earlier grunge tendencies into a broader ‘90s alternative palette and throws in a mix of At The Drive-In menace for good measure.

MARLOW

Always There (Shock) The dude from Marlow enunciates the words “always there” in a really weird way. It’s heaps distracting, especially considering how much it’s repeated throughout the track’s slow-burning buildup. Strange vocals aside, Always There soars like an emo-tinged Sweet Disposition – and it doesn’t make me as feel as sick as that prospect should probably make me feel. But still, it makes me feel a little bit sick.

THE DATSUNS

Gold Halo (Hellsquad/MGM) Hey, The Datsuns are back. The resilient Kiwi rockers are set to drop their ﬁfth LP Death Rattle Boogie this October, with Gold Halo indicating an adherence to a no-nonsense worship of golden age rock‘n’roll. Proﬁcient, but it’s hard to make sense of in a postWolfmother world.

SINGLE OF THE WEEK COLLARBONES FEAT. GUERRE

Hypothermia (Inertia/Remote Control) Not too long ago, Sydney/Adelaide/Internet duo Collarbones pulled oﬀ a sight rarely seen in Melbourne with a hypnotic set that saw both levels of The Gasometer break out in a joyous orgy of dance. Without a doubt, these kids are set to conquer. The second taste from outﬁt’s forthcoming full-length Die Young sees Marcus Whale and Travis Cook team up with likeminded contemporary Guerre. The result is unabashed dreamy pop heaven, digging up a nostalgic ‘90s rave beat and marrying it with pitch-warping vocal interplay between Whale and Guerre. Die Young can’t come soon enough.

FOR MORE REVIEWS GO TO BEATTV.COM.AU/REVIEWS

1. Sun CAT POWER 2. New War LP NEW WAR 3. Cut Sleeves BITS OF SHIT 4. Medicine Man THE BAMBOOS 5. Nest Of Vipers GREENLEAF 6. Hypnotic Nights JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD 7. The Plot Against Common Sense FUTURE OF THE LEFT 8. Beard, Wives, Denim POND 9. King Tuﬀ KING TUFF 10. Visions GRIMES

WOLLY BULLY 1. Double Natural LP BOOMGATES 2. It’s You LP HOLY BALM 3. First 7” & Demos LP UV RACE 4. Shelley 7” WOOLLEN KITS 5. Commercial Music LP FABULOUS DIAMONDS 6. Big Time LP BITCH PREFECT 7. The Cartoons (Book) FLANNERY O’CONNOR 8. Lift Weights 7” TERRIBLE TRUTHS 9. Walk To The Fire LP MONOSHOCK 10. Nationalism 7” STRAIGHTJACKET NATION

PBS TIPSHEET 1. 12 Bar Bruise KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD 2. Time’s All Gone NICK WATERHOUSE 3. Points In Time STEVE SEDERGREEN 4. Between Midnight And Dawn THE DUNES 5. Self titled ALLAH-LAS 6. Over the Sun TIN PAN ORANGE 7. In Limbo TEEN 8. Chucho’s Steps CHUCHO VALDES & THE AFRO CUBAN MESSENGERS 9. Hypnotised PONY FACE 10. Centipede Hz ANIMAL COLLECTIVE

COLLECTOR’S CORNER MISSING LINK 1. The Seer CD/2LP SWANS 2. Oro - Opus Primum CD/LP UFOMAMMUT 3. Mature Themes CD/LP ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI 4. Paranoid! 7” KROMOSON 5. It’s You LP HOLY BALM 6. Boogie! CD VARIOUS 7. Sun CD/LP/7” CAT POWER 8. Centipede Hz CD/LP ANIMAL COLLECTIVE 9. Volume II, 1975-1980 CD GOBLIN 10. Sexual Harassment CD/LP TURBONEGRO

BEAT’S TOP TEN SONGS WITH Xs 1. X-Ray Man LIZ PHAIR 2. Xplosion OUTKAST 3. Xoxoxo BLACK EYED PEAS 4. XXplosive DR DRE 5. Dream Baby X 6. Case Of The Ex MYA 7. Xanadu OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN 8. X.Y.U. SMASHING PUMPKINS 9. X And Y COLDPLAU 10. X Is Coming DMX

ALBUMS

SUGAR ARMY

Summertime Heavy (Permanent Records/Shock) FOR MORE REVIEWS GO TO

BEAT.COM.AU/REVIEWS

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE Centipede Hz (Domino/EMI)

Centipede Hz is a big, ugly mess. That’s not a bad thing, the motif of radio broadcast gone horribly twisted works for the most part – like an album forged by ‘80s oddity Max Headroom. In this sense it’s probably as close to a concept record as Animal Collective, venturing into an experimental territory showcased on the band’s pre-Strawberry Jam output. Not that Centipede Hz is all that similar to Sung Tongs and Feels. Despite the album’s aural thread, there’s little in the way of cohesion throughout each of the album’s 11 tracks – the Panda Bear-led compositions clash heavily with, rather than complement, the Avey Tare-captained tracks for instance. The prevalence of guitar on the opening tracks could be attributed to Deakin’s return to the fold after his absence on Merriweather Post Pavillion – the power chords on Today’s Supernatural conjure visions of Townsend-style windmills. Deakin also makes his lead-vocal debut with Wide Eyed, the album’s highest point. The album’s biggest crime is simply not that interesting. There are solid tracks – Father Time, Monkey Riches, Pulleys – but nothing hits the heights of Fireworks, For Reverend Green, My Girls or Brother Sport. Lead single Today’s Supernatural lasts twice as long as it needs to be, never growing past the ﬁrst stuttered “Let go.” Not terrible by any means, Centipede Hz does little to hold up within the pristine Animal Collective Best Track: Wide Eyed If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Head THE canon, and not enough to rise above the cavalcade of top-shelf mid-2012 releases. MONKEES, Tomboy PANDA BEAR

In A Word: Buggin’

Summertime Heavy marks the return of brooding, simmering fuzz heroes Sugar Army. Summertime Heavy being just about the only two words that could so seamlessly describe this enigmatic batch of tunes. The West Oz outfit pricked ears nationwide off the back of their first release The Parallels Amongst Ourselves; Singles were heavily rotated, shows were sold out and festival main stages graced. As the lads were demoing tunes for album number two their bass player received a call from Birds Of Tokyo. “Hey man, wanna play bass in an ARIA winning, platinum selling, established rock’n’roll band? Or do you wanna keep pushing the band you’re in that could go either way?” So exit bass player and enter first album two hurdle. Rather than recruit a session musician, the three remaining members took care of the bass themselves. So while slightly rudimentary in places, it means there is a bit more space for the tortured guitars, the building drums and most importantly Patrick McLaughlin’s awesome vocals. Future Spark is a great start to the album introduced with a riff that could only be Sugar Army. It’s all angles, angst and just enough pop to keep their listenership nice and broad. Their songs have a tendency to start building the second they begin. Will You Follow is testament to this – it’s stressful and perfectly cluttered. Hooks For Hands is the standout track and the obvious choice for first single. In Comes Light is my pick for its follow up. “We spent so long running away from danger” begins a frenetic and bitter-sweet pop song that is undeniably catchy and crafted in a similar vein to No Need For Lovers, arguably the stand out track from their debut. It’s a strong follow-up from Sugar Army, however whether it will have the impact of their first remains to be seen. This album seems more a reaffirmation of the band rather than an album that eclipses or progresses from the first, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s bold, fun and a little creepy and once again McLaughlin’s lyrics and ability to craft a story can take you by surprise. Rock’n’roll for the Best Track: Hooks For Hands If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Baby 81 BLACK REBEL pondering man. MOTORCYCLE CLUB, Swoon SILVERSUN PICKUPS JACK PARSONS In A Word: Menacing

SPLIT SECONDS

LACHLAN KANONIUK

You’ll Turn Into Me (Inertia)

POP SINGLES

All Gone (Vacant Valley) Winter is finally admitting defeat and spring is, at last, beginning to show itself. Patience for loose, melancholic jams will soon wear thin and tastes will veer towards the concise, poppy and endearing. It’s no coincidence then that Pop Singles release their debut LP, All Gone during this tumultuous turn of the season. All Gone doesn’t exactly break new ground, nor does it tread too heavily on the collective influences of this Melbourne three-piece. The arrangements of these 11 Smiths and Go-Betweens influenced tracks are sparse at best, yet the potent simplicity of Tam Matlakowski’s lyrics lingers long after the first spin. What All Gone captures best is a mood; the desire to hold on to a state of mind that’s obviously fleeting. Matlakowski isn’t the most subtle of lyricists, pining heartedly on album standout Are You Still There? “Has something come between us/Have I grown old?” It’s this wary frame of mind which not only defines Matlakowski’s lyrics, but also their sonic impact. The Greatest Feeling and the title track show flashes of brilliance, but by refusing to take a leap, they remain reticent and rely on catchy, jangly hooks to get by. It All Comes Out, which borrows from some of Nirvana’s finer work, is another that might have benefited from some amplification. Yet like much of All Gone, the track stays stagnant in the middle of the road and at the worst of times, struggles to find its footing. For those days when we walk aimlessly, All Gone will Best Track: Are You Still There? If You Like This, You’ll Like: Other people making provide ample support. But when decisions are made, All Gone may be left behind. decisions on where to go for dinner

In A Word: Jangly

The shift from Perth to Melbourne for Split Seconds is our gain as well as theirs – it may be getting overcrowded in our fair city, but there’s always room for more well-crafted melodic pop. If you’ve been lured by the band’s well-chosen singles, All You Gotta Do and Top Floor, you’ll find plenty more from where they came from on their ten-track debut album, You’ll Turn Into Me. Despite the band being compared to a handful of other Aussie wordsmiths, there’s a rather British feel to the lyrics of vocalist Sean Pollard. Take this from the closing title track for example: “Oliver, I don’t have the words to say how disappointed I am/I don’t have the wherewithal to understand your social studies.” There’s a theme of youth and aging throughout the album, but Sean Pollard can often come across as a bemused, middle-aged school teacher. Lyrically, he’s at his best when appealing to lost ladies. Maiden Name is an affecting song that laments the sands of time and benefits from a pretty vocal from Felicity Groom. The more uptempo She Makes Her Own Clothes follows a lady of the night, and when Pollard promises “I’ll be the good man,”, you can’t Best Track: All You Gotta Do If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Rain On The help but have complete faith in him. Whatever his Humming Wire THE PANICS, Bows And Arrows THE lyrical bent, he sure knows his way around a good pop song. WALKMEN

In A Word: Heroic

THE PRESETS

Pacifica (Modular)

JOSHUA KLOKE

MINIBIKES

For Woods Or Trail (Independent) Back in the day, a minibike was no more credible as a form of transport as a ballbearing gun was a weapon of force. Restricted in size, power and sonic volume, a minibike could never provide the cloak of integrity that a real motorbike oﬀered. Still, a minibike was about having fun; that riding a motorbike could assert one’s rugged character was as specious as smoking cigarettes for a fashion statement. On its debut album, For Woods Or Trail, Melbourne’s Minibikes isn’t making a bold and brash artistic statement; it is, however, creating pop music of a very reputable quality. Kill To Feel is part slick West Coast pop formula, part Alex And The Ramps oddball melody; Tennis Clothes is the glittering summer pop song from The Someloves’ central casting. Oh Japan is so sweet and delicious it should come with a health warning; while Here Come The Bees lacks the precision of its predecessors, Broken Bones takes you back to The Sunnyboys’ world of adolescent innocence. I Should Have Known bounces into vision like a candy-coloured incarnation of Iggy Pop’s Passenger, Top Brass stretches and strains with classic Californian attitude and Ooo Woo Hoo Hoo is stamped with the beauty of The Stems. On Jude the mood turns from gladness to reﬂection, with a healthy dose of The Cars, and a dash of Young Charlatans if you’re lucky, while Wires is replete with the type of hope for the future you get when you’ve immersed yourself in Orange Humble Band. After the title track opens up a yawning chasm of psychedelic space, Emo Kids ends the album on an unexpectedly cravat and Best Track: Tennis Clothes cocktail lounge note. It’s a pleasure to imbibe quality If You Like These, You’ll Like This: HALL & OATES, pop music; Minibikes have got it in spades. ALEX AND THE RAMPS,THE SOMELOVES In A Word: Sparkling PATRICK EMERY

EVERY MONDAY

POP CULTURE TRIVIA TUES SEPT 11TH RICH DAVIES (RICH DAVIES & THE DEVILS UNION) TUES SEPT 18TH

LITTLE WISE DUO WED SEPT 19TH

INTERNATIONAL ‘TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY’ WITH

JIMMY STEWART TUES OCT 2ND SEAN SIMMONS (THE SPOILS)

CHRIS GIRDLER

It’s been over four years since the release of the last album by The Presets, the multiple ARIA award winning Apocalypso. That behemoth spawned numerous smash singles that crossed over on radio and television airwaves internationally. Playing live, The Presets have filled countless stadiums and headlined festivals across Europe, USA, UK, Australia and everywhere in between. That was then, this is now, and the new album Pacifica is out this week. The lead-in single, and album opener is the Underworld-esque Youth In Trouble. This first taste is consistent with the slightly ominous, twisted electronic pop of the previous releases. The surprise this time around is Pacifica is overall more song-focused, varied and strippedback, with less electro bangers. Second single Ghosts, along with Promises, and Fall, verge on early ‘80s new wave territory – think early Depeche Mode and The Human League with vocals way up in the mix, soaring melodic synth progressions, delicate piano stabs, electronic kit beats, and rubbery bass lines. It’s Cool is almost a nod to the liquid drum and bass sound made famous by LTJ Bukem and Hospital Records early last decade. It’s not a complete departure however, as the more traditional Presets sound is still present, particularly in the second half of the album. Adults Only, Surrender, and Fast Seconds have catchy effected vocal hooks and are heavy on the bass with ravey samples and beats, but they are more restrained than times of old. Ambient album closer Fail Epic with its vocal “can’t win everything, everything everytime” could be prophetic. The step out of their comfort zone is a bold but understandable move. Imagine the yearning desire to make something ‘different’ after years of relentless touring and playing the same heaving monsters show after show. That said, it will be interesting to see how this new batch of ditties come across in Best Track: Fast Seconds a live context. Equally, whether Pacifica ultimately If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Beaucoup Fish stands the test of time to claim the ‘classic’ title like UNDERWORLD, Hysteria THE HUMAN LEAGUE, Apocalypso, and Beams before it. Exciter DEPECHE MODE In A Word: Slowburner SCOTT NICOLSON

THURS SEPT 6TH

WIRE BIRD WITH GUEST

FRI SEPT 7TH

NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUTH FAIRCHILD REPUBLIC, HOTEL ON MAYFAIR AND PACK BEARS SAT SEPT 8TH

THE UNION PACIFIC RISE OF THE RAT, FIREARMS AND THE SINKING TEETH

FOR MORE ALBUM NEWS AND REVIEWS GO TO WWW.BEAT.COM.AU

THU SEPT 13TH

PAPERHOUSE ‘SINGLE LAUNCH’ SQUAREHEAD, CANARY AND WE WOULD SLEEP FRI SEPT 14TH

FRANCOLIN & KIERAN RYAN (KID SAM) DOUBLE HEADLINE + SPEED PAINTERS TIX FROM WWW.JOHNCURTINHOTEL.COM SAT SEPT 15TH

VOLTERA ‘EP LAUNCH’

BARREL OF MONKEYS (CAN) DIVE INTO RUIN AND COLD DIVIDE - COMING LATER -

21/9 CHARLES BABY + GUESTS 22/9 DICK DIVER W LIQUID HANDCUFFS 26/9 THE MIMICS EP LAUNCH

Beat Magazine Page 57

GIG GUIDE WEDNESDAY 5 SEP ROCK/POP AIRCRAFTE + SANDCASTLE Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $5. BIDET MATE + QUINCE + THE MAGIC BONES Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8. CLEVER AUSTIN + DEMIAN + DJ JACKOSN MILES + KIRKIS Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $7. CONQUER CANCER 2012 BENEFIT - FEAT: JIM KEAYS + EVEN + MADDER LAKE + RUSSELL MORRIS + SPECTRUM The Hi-ﬁ, Melbourne. 7:30pm. $35. GERALDINE QUINN’S CAMEL TOE (VIDEO LAUNCH) Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. KING OF THE NORTH + STRANGERS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. LINCOLN MCKINNON & CAYN BORTHWICK Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. LOST & FOUND - FEAT: THE ROMEO KNIGHTS + ANDREW SWIFT & THE RATTLESNAKE CHOIR + COTTON SIDEWALK + EXILE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:00pm. $7. RICKI-LEE (FEAR & FREEDOM TOUR) Billboard, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $25. TOM TUENA - FEAT: TOM TUENA BAND Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 9:00pm. VICE GRIP PUSSIES Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. WARMTH CRASHES + ARC + MUTATIONS + SOLAIRES Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $8.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ACOUSTICS ANONYMOUS The 86, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. APES + CREPES + WHIPPED CREAM CHARGERS Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $6. GHOST ORKID + MATT KELLY + THE IMPRINTS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. JOHN FRANCIS CARROLL Carino Tapas Bar, Ascot Vale. 7:00pm. JOHN SEAMUS + FERGUS & PETER Kent St Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. K-LEE Bebida, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. LOUD N LIVE John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. $10. MARISA QUIGLEY + LAURIE HEYHO Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm. OPEN MIC Dancing Dog, Footscray. 7:00pm.

OPEN MIC Thornbury Local, Thornbury. 8:00pm. OPEN MIC Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 9:00pm. OPEN MIC Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. OPEN MIC Musicland, Fawkner. 8:00pm. OPEN MIC Elwood Lounge, Elwood. 8:00pm. OPEN MIC & JAM NIGHT Grind N Groove, Healesville. 8:00pm. REBECCA BARNARD & BILLY MILLER’S SINGALONG + BILLY MILLER + REBECCA BARNARD Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 7:00pm. $15. WINE WHISKEY WOMEN - FEAT: CHANNELLE DAVIS + CLAIRE PATTI Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm. JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC DIZZY’S BIG BAND Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. LAUREN GLEZER Open Studio, Northcote. 9:00pm. MIROSLAV BUKOVSKY & THE GIANNI MARINUCCI NONET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $15. THE JOE CHINDAMO TRIO Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. THE TOM FRYER QUARTET 303, Northcote. 8:00pm.

THURSDAY 6 SEP ROCK/POP 1AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: HUMANS AS ANIMALS Pony, Melbourne. 1:00am. ALEX BOWEN + AL PARKINSON + EL MOTH + THE PIERCE BROTHERS Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. AS A RIVAL + DAMN THE TORPEDOES + FALCONIO Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. $6. BALLADS + DOM KAVANAGH + SEAGULL Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10. BLUE SUN (EP LAUNCH) + AXOLOTL + LEENA Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $10. BUNYIP MOON + ENDLESS DEATH + LITTLE KILLING The Liberty Social, Melbourne. 8:00pm. CENTRE OF SOUTH + SLOWJAXX + SONS OF MAY The B East, Brunswick East. 9:00pm. DREW HORRISON + DIANA BOW + LET THEM EAT CAKE + REMZELK Idgaﬀ Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. FAIRCHILD REPUBLIC (ALBUM LAUNCH) + MERCIANS + THE RED LIGHTS + THNKR Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:30pm. $7.

PATRICK WOLF The charismatic performer with countless talents, Patrick Wolf, returns to Australia with some intimate acoustic shows so you can see it all, stripped back and shining. There’ll be a grand piano. There’ll be a Celtic harp. There’ll be a tear in your eye. He is joined by the lovely Brous. It’s on Tuesday September 11 at Forum II. GRETCHEN LEWIS + CITIZERN + CITRUS JAM Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $13. HAZEL GROVE + HUNGRY JESUS Pony, Melbourne. 8:30pm. HOMEBOUND 2012 - FEAT: DREAM ON DREAMER + DELAWAREWOLVES + HAND OF MERCY + IN HEARTS WAKE + LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. $30. JAPAN FOR + ALL WE NEED + QUESTION + TOO SOON! Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $6. KINGS & QUEENS - FEAT: LONG HOLIDAY + MY FAVOURITE EPISODE + SLIGHTLY LEFT OF CENTRE The Prague, Thornbury. 8:00pm. LIL BALCK FOX Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 10:00pm. LOWER PLENTY + MATT BAILEY + MICHAEL BEACH Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. MAJOR ROCK HARD ABS (SINGLE LAUNCH) + BJ MORRISZONKLE + DJ RITCHIE 1250 + THE GENIE Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. MAMMOTH MAMMOTH + UDAYS TIGER Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. RAS JAHKNOW The Luwow, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5. RMIT VISUAL & AUDIO SPECTACULAR - FEAT: HUMANS AS ANIMALS + DOO WARP + POURPARLOUR + STRANGERS FROM NOW ON Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8. RUBY’S SHOWCASE Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave. 7:00pm. SEWERCIDE + CLOWNS + COUNTER ATTACK + MANIAXE Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. SHIHAD (THE MEANISTS TOUR) The Hi-ﬁ, Melbourne. 7:30pm. $25. SOMETHING FOR KATE + BEN SALTER Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $40. STARLING (ALBUM LAUNCH) + HEAD HONCHO + STEVE KILBEY Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $15. TEX & DALZIELL + BEN CARTER Tago Mago, Thornbury. 9:00pm. THE MIGRATIONS + BLACK COCKATOO + JESSICA MOUSS + SONGBIRD ORCHESTRA Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 8:00pm. THE PROSTITUTE KILLERS + DECADENCE OF CAIN + OLMEG + TZOLKIN Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. WHITE WOODS + COOL DRINKS + PAGEANTS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ACOUSTIC NIGHT - FEAT: TIM BRAUN 29th Apartment, St Kilda. 9:00pm. ALICE & DAN Elwood Lounge, Elwood. 8:00pm. DAMN FINE GENTLEMEN + SOUTHBOUND SNAKE CHARMERS Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $10. DARN MATTER + CLANCEY ROWAN + ROXY LAVISH Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. JAMES KEOGH Bebida, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. LOT 56 Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:30pm. MIC CLUB Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm. OH PEP! + CANARY + STAFFAN’S SONGS Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $8. OPEN MIC Acoustic Cafe, Collingwood. 6:30pm.

OPEN MIC Arcadia Hotel, South Yarra. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm. SIME NUGENT Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. STEREO GOBLIN + LIZARD PUNCH Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. THE INDIAN SKIES + ELEPHANT Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $5. TIM HART (MILLING THE WIND TOUR) Beavs Bar, Geelong. 8:00pm. TURKEY & GOOSE Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC J C LITTLE BIG BAND Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. KARAVANA FLAMENCA + TANGO DUO Open Studio, Northcote. 7:00pm. KING CAKE 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10. MADALENE + ALI BARTER + GABI Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:30pm. $8. MOTOWN THURSDAYS Fashion Lounge, Melbourne. 5:00pm. PALAVER - MIROSLAV BUKOWSKY Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. SALSA EXPLOSION - FEAT: DEL BARRIO First Floor, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. SEAN COFFIN QUARTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15. THE OVEREASYS Claypots Evening Star, Melbourne. 7:30pm. THE SHANNON BARNETT QUARTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. TOM BARTON & MAKA KHAN Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.

FRIDAY 7 SEP ROCK/POP 2AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: 3/4 BEAST + DJ THROBULATOR Pony, Melbourne. 2:00am. ADDICTION Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. $10. ANDY SORENSON (UNDERWATER BREATHING TOUR) + EBONY HARE + HELENA MCNEILL Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $22. DEAD RIVER DEEPS + DJ DEL AMP + JAMES MCCANN & THE NEW VINDICTIVES + THE PERFECTIONS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. DEADWOOD 76 + RANDY GETTYSBURG + THE WIFEBEATERS + THUNDABOX Idgaﬀ Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. DIRTY HARRIET & THE HANGMEN + MUSCLE MARY Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. DISTANT WRECK + BEAR WITNESS + FREE WORLD + OUR SOLACE Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. FRANKENBOK + ATHENA’S WAKE + BLACK SANDMAN + DEATH BY SIX + TRUTH CORRODED Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully. 7:00pm. $10. FRONT END LOADER + EVIL WAYS + MAMMOTH MAMMOTH Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm.

THE SMART Are sensory experiences and 3D-ing your cup of tea? Well The Smart have announced a Melbourne show right up your alley. Complete with 3D glasses, headsets and a key-tar, The Smart are bringing their silent show to The Hi-Fi for a night of visual enticement and sensory assault across three dimensions. Supported by Sounds of Troy, Inc3do, Pludo and Pretty Dulcie and encompassing the next generation of visual and performance artistry, The Smart’s electrifying sound and visuals are a must. See and hear live music your way as The Hi-Fi goes sci-fi for The Smart this Saturday September 8, doors 7.30pm. Beat Magazine Page 58

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

HOMEBOUND 2012 (ALL AGES) - FEAT: DREAM ON DREAMER + DELAWAREWOLVES + HAND OF MERCY + IN HEARTS WAKE + LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES Evs Youth Centre, Croydon. 8:00pm. $20. HOWARD JONES Billboard, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $58. ILLY + CHASM SOUNDSYSTEM Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $25. JAME FORBES Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 5:30pm. JILL BIRT (ALBUM LAUNCH) + LUCY PEACH + THE MORNING NIGHT Cornish Arms, Brunswick. 8:00pm. JUNGLE FEVER - FEAT: ROSE TURTLE ERTLER + BETTY FRANCE + CATE JARDINE + GIMIX + OSCAR & ANDRE + ROB STEPHENS + SAMANTHA BOND 303, Northcote. 8:30pm. $10. KINGSWOOD & BOY IN A BOX + THE BELLASTRADES Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10. LAKES + BAIN WOLFKIND + MILES BROWN Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8. MIDNIGHT WOOLF + DJ BARBARA BLAZE + DJ DUCHESS + THE RECHORDS The Luwow, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. $5. MY ECHO + FOXTROT + STRICKLAND + THE ESCAPE Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $12. MY SECRET CIRCUS + PRETTY VILLAIN + SHARAYA + VIRTUE Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. PARTY ANIMALS Palais, Hepburn Springs. 8:00pm. PETULANT FRENZY PLAY FRANK ZAPPA Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 8:00pm. $20. PONY FACE (ALBUM LAUNCH) + FLYYING COLOURS + MATT WALKER Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $15. PRIMITIVE CALCULATORS Polyester Records, Melbourne. 6:00pm. R L JONES + D D DUMBO + `BORED NOTHING Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. RDZJB + SUNK JUNK Mynt Lounge, Werribee. 10:00pm. $10. SCOTDRAKULA + MAX IMPACT + THE PRIMARY + THE STEINS Pony, Melbourne. 9:00pm. SILVER NIGHT DRIVE + DEADWOOD 76 + DJ DAVE THE SCOTT Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 9:30pm. STACKFULL Highway 31, Brunswick. 7:30pm. STRAIT SHOOTERS Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $10. STU THOMAS PARADOX Tago Mago, Thornbury. 9:00pm. THE 4-PEACE BAND Beaumaris Rsl, Beaumaris. 8:00pm. THE AFROBIOTICS + ONE SIXTH Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. THE EUPHORIACS (EP LAUNCH) + METALLIC K.O. + PARADING + SPINNING ROOMS Yah Yahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. THE INSTINCTS + CRACKERMAN + LANECHASER + THIS WEATHER The Prague, Thornbury. 8:00pm. THE KUJO KINGS + ADMIRAL AKBAHS DISHONARABLE DISCHARGE + LAMARAMA + PURPLE TUSKS Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10. THE SCARLETS (BACK TO BASICS) + DEAD STAR RENEGADE + KILL SHOT + LOS AMIGOS Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. THE VENDETTAS + LORDS OF THIS WORLD + RIOTS IN TOYLAND + THE VOLATILES Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:30pm. $12. TIM HART + NEDA + STU LARSEN Workers Club, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK BEN SMITH + AL PARKINSON Balaclava Hotel, Balaclava. 8:00pm. BENNIE & FLY-BY-NIGHTERS Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm. CHERRYWOOD Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. JULIA STONE Forum Theatre, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $40. KATHRYN KELLY The Hammy, Melbourne. 8:00pm. MATT LARKIN Elwood Lounge, Elwood. 9:00pm. MATT WALKER Basement Discs, Melbourne Cbd. 12:45pm. NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUTH + FAIRCHILD REPUBLIC + HOTEL ON MAYFAIR + PACK BEARS John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. PAPERCRANE + GILES FIELD + NIC TATE + OLIVER JACH + RICHARD JEFFREY Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10. PENNY HEWSON + DEAD SALESMAN DUO + JEREMY GRONOW Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10. THE NUDGELS Penny Black, Brunswick. 10:15am. TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSIONS - FEAT: DAN BOURKE Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:00pm.

THE SCARLETS Happy third birthay Melbourne glamour-punks The Scarlets! Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re nice dudes, so instead of epecting a gift from you, they are throwing everyone a party at The Espy Basement this Friday September 7. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going old-school and ditching the pimped-out costumes and fancy lights for one night only. Joining in on the fun are Melbourne rock heavyweights Dead Star Renegade, Mexican madmen Los Amigos, and hot up-and-comers Kill Shot. Entry is free if you bring cake. And if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

60 SECONDS WITH

THE NAYSAYERS

Describe your sound in five words or less: Garage rock/blues/mod/punk. What can a punter expect from your live show?Â Punts. Also a band. In tune-ish. Â Why should everyone come and see your band?Â When they see our band they will come. Â When are you releasing your EP?Â On Sunday September 9 at The Evelyn, Fitzroy! With the Morning Night (WA), The Velvets (QLD), and Fox Road (VIC). It should be brilliant! Doors open at 1.30pm, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $10 on the door or $15 with the EP It Goes Like This. Â

What makes you happiest about what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing?Â Everything. Â Do you have a pre-gig ritual? If so, what is it?Â Not getting hammered; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bad idea. Caffeine/nicotine. Sacrifice a lemon and a pot of fine ale. Â How do you stop your pre-gig jitters?Â We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Pre-gig jitters are great motivation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on stage jitters you need to watch out for. Â Anything else to add?Â Yes.

TRIO AGOGO 303, Northcote. 6:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC ELLY HOYT & THE JOHN HOFFMAN SEXTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $25. JENNY M THOMAS & THE SYSTEM Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $18. MACLAINE & SIDNEY TRIO Dizzyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. MEGAN BERNARD Willow Bar, Northcote. 8:00pm. MICHAEL DUCHESNE Prince Maximillian, Prahran. 8:00pm. THE BEN CARR TRIO Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm. THE BRAND NEW HEAVIES Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:30pm. $67. THE JOSHUA KYLE QUINTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $20. THE MAY JOHNSTON BAND Tony Starrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitten Club, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $5. THE RUSSEL MORRIS BAND + GALLIE Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $25. THE SEVEN UPS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10. THE STEVE MAGNUSSON TRIO Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. ULTRAVRIBRALUX + DJ DONNIE DISCO The Luwow, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.

-2+16721 67 ),7=52<

ZZZ WKHROGEDU FRP DX 23(1 (9(5< 1,*+7 30 $0 )5(( :, ),

:HGQHVGD\ WK 6HSWHPEHU

%,'(7 0$7(

7+( 0$*,& %21(6 48,1&(

7KXUVGD\ WK 6HSWHPEHU

/2:(5 3/(17< 0,&+$(/ %($&+ 86$ 0$77 %$,/(<

)ULGD\ WK 6HSWHPEHU

'($' 5,9(5 '((36

-$0(6 0&&$11 $1' 7+( 1(: 9,1',&7,9(6 30 7+( 3(5)(&7,216 '- '(/ $03

6DWXUGD\ WK 6HSWHPEHU

BALACLAVA HOTEL

28&+ 0< )$&(

7+( 21&( 29(56 +,*+ 7($ %$' $&+(6 '- 7,0 &$6+0(5(

6XQGD\ WK 6HSWHPEHU

123 Carlisle Street, St Kilda East VIC 3183, Ph: (03) 9531 2709 www.facebook.com/BalaclavaHotel, Twitter: @BalaclavaHotel

-(00$ 7+( :,6( <281* $0%,7,286 0(1

- SEPT 7TH -

- SEPT 14TH -

BEN SMITH

JAMIE MACDOWELL

WITH

AL PARKINSON

JASON SEEMAN

48$55< 02817$,1 '($' 5$76 3(7( &8//(1 '- 2/' +$1'6

*8,7$5 *$//(5< %/8(*5$66 1,*+7 -$0 6(66,21 %$1'

30 )5((

7+( 0$1 :,7+ 7:2 %5$,16

30 )5((

9+6 &/8%

&527&+(7< .1,7:,76 &+($3 -8*6 $// 1,*+7

DRINK SPECIALS FRIDAY NIGHTS: 4pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10pm $5 Coronas, $5 Kopparberg Cider Bottles, $8 Cocktails, $8 Mountain Goat Pints MONDAY NIGHTS: 5pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9pm $12 Mountain Goat Jugs TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY: 5pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9pm $6 Mountain Goat Pints

FOOD SPECIALS MONDAY:$12 Curry Night. TUESDAY:$12 Parmas and Burgers. WEDNESDAY: $15 Steak Night THURSDAY: $12 Parmas and Burgers. SUNDAY:$12 Roast of the Day

0RQGD\ WK 6HSWHPEHU

30 )5((

7XHVGD\ WK 6HSWHPEHU

7$1*(17,$/ 0,5( $57 23(1,1* $/<66$ 0&%$,1 /$0()227 %8//6 0$77 */((621

30 )5((

EDQG ERRNLQJV EDQGERRNLQJV#WKHROGEDU FRP DX

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 59

Howlin’ Steam Train

CONQUER CANCER BENEFIT Swamp stompers Howlin’ Steam Train will headline a special benefit show this Sunday September 9 at the Northcote Social Club to raise funds for the Peter Mac Cancer Foundation to help along the mission to conquer cancer. The show also features The Last Five Minutes and One And The Same and it kicks off at the special matinee time of 1.30pm, so you can have an early one before work on Monday. Tickets are $15, with all proceeds going to the charity.

SATURDAY 8 SEP ROCK/POP 2AM LATE SHOW - FEAT: WESTERN STARS Pony, Melbourne. 2:00am. A FAILSAFE HEAT (SINGLE LAUNCH) + BELLUSIRA + IDLE DREAMS + THE ESCAPADES Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. $15. A HIGHER GROUND - FEAT: CENTRE & THE SOUTH + PURPLE TUSKS + SLOWJAXX & HIS FLYING BONG BROS + THE INDIAN SKIES + THE KASHMERE CLUB + THE SONS OF MAY + DJ ELEMENT + DOOLZ + LIEUTENANT JAM + LUNA GHOST + MANA + SKELETALSOUNDSYSTEM + SLOWJAXX + SOPHIE OFFICER + THE ARCHETYPAL + THE MIND FLOWERS 303, Northcote. 7:00pm. $5. ALPINE (A IS FOR ALPINE TOUR) + CLUBFEET + GEORGI KAY Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $17. BAD DREAMS (THE MONUMENT TOUR) + CHILDREN COLLIDE + DUNE RATS The Bended Elbow, Geelong. 8:00pm. BAD VISION + MESSED UP Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 5:00pm. BANG - FEAT: IMPENDING DOOM + BORIS THE BLADE + EVENT HORIZON Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $20. CALL THOMAS + CHRIS SALACE + ELECTRIC ALICE Idgaﬀ Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. CHET FAKER Revolt Artspace, Kensington. 8:00pm.

CLAMPDOWN Rochester Castle Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. FRANKENBOK + DREADNAUGHT + MASON + TRUTH CORRODED + WILDEORNES Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 7:30pm. $12. FRITZ + BLIND BEETROOTS + JAMIE LOCKHEART + THE MARK GARDENER BAND Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. GOOD MORNING BLUES DUO Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 8:00pm. JP & THE EDISONS Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 4:30pm. KODO MOTIF + LUCKY + THE CORNERSHOP Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. LEVITATING CHURCHES + LIGHTNING LE QUESNE + NUMBER ONE JONES The B East, Brunswick East. 9:00pm. LITTLE SCOUT (SINGLE LAUNCH) + COURTNEY BARNETT + OCEAN PARTY Workers Club, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. NOTHING SACRED + BRITISH STEEL Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $10. OUCH MY FACE + BAD ACHES + DJ TIM CASHMERE + HIGH TEA + THE ONCE OVERS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. OWNKIND + DAMN THAT RIVER + TEMPLE + THE GARDEN OF EIDA The Prague, Thornbury. 8:00pm. PETER BODIN & THE CHARISMATIC MEGA FAUNA + THE EVANGELINES Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:30pm. $10. PETULANT FRENZY PLAY FRANK ZAPPA Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $25. PROGFEST - FEAT: JEICCO: SINGLE LAUNCH + NE OBLIVISCARIS + BRANCH ARTERIAL + CHAOS DIVINE + CIRCLES + MUSHROOM GIANT + QUIET CHILD + THE RED PAINTINGS Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $22. ROSENCRANTS Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 10:00pm.

TIM HART One of the boys (not the bear) from Boy & Bear, Tim Hart steps out from behind the kit to deliver his solo album Milling The Wind – an honest listen addressing themes of childhood, love, family religion and heartbreak. He brings his album tour to The Workers Club on Friday September 7. Have some Hart. ROUGE MAGNETIC + ABLE 8 + DJ KUYA + DJ SHIKUNG + GHOSTSOUL + HARMONIC 313 Night Owl, Melbourne. 8:00pm. SCRAYFISH + CRACK WHORE + DIXON CIDER + KING’S CUP + THE BACK ALLEYS Pony, Melbourne. 9:00pm. SOL NATION Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. SPLIT SECONDS (ALBUM LAUNCH) Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10. STEVE LUCAS PRESENTS - FEAT: A NIGHT OF X MUSIC + COLD HARBOUR + NEON & VENOM Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. THE ART OF SLEEPING + KATHRYN ROLLINS + TIGERTOWN Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $12. THE COVES + MICHAEL PLATER & THE EXIT KEYS Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. THE DRUNK MUMS + BAD PHARMER + BEWARE WOLF + TOMB HANX Cornish Arms, Brunswick. 8:00pm. THE DUB CAPTAINS Penny Black, Brunswick. 10:15am. THE EXOTICS + THE TOWELHEADS Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $10. THE GROVES (EP LAUNCH) + DJ ADELLE + MASTER GUNFIGHTERS + TEN CENT PISTOLS Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 9:00pm. $8. THE MORNING NIGHT + DAVEY LANE + JIMMY HAWK Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $8. THE NARROW ROAD + AUBREY GROVE + RUMOUR CONTROL Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $13. THE POPE’S ASSASINS + QUANG DINH + THE DOGS OF THOMAS PARK + WINSON GREEN Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $7. THE SMART (HANDS OF SHELTER TOUR) + INC3DO + PLUDO + PRETTY DULCIE + SOUNDS OF TROY The Hi-ﬁ, Melbourne. 7:30pm. $20. THE UNION PACIFIC + FIREARMS + RISE OF THE RAT + THE SINKING TEETH John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. VIKING FRONTIER + CAMP DAVID + HUNTER + VALIANT JONES Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. $10. WHITAKER + DASH + TRAVELLER & FORTUNE: EP LAUNCH Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $12. WILD TURKEY Palais, Hepburn Springs. 8:30pm. $10.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ASH KING (CD LAUNCH) Grind N Groove, Healesville. 8:00pm. BRAD MARTIN PROJECT Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. CHARLIE & ED Bebida, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. CRAIG WOODWARD’S OL’ TIMEY MUSIC JAM SESSIONS Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 4:00pm. DIDN’T IT RAIN Tago Mago, Thornbury. 9:00pm. GEOFF ACHISON St Andrews Hotel, St Andrews. 1:00pm. GEOFF ACHISON & THE SOULDIGGERS St Andrews Hotel, St Andrews. 9:00pm. $5. ILLY (U18) + CHASM SOUNDSYSTEM FEAT. SCRYPTCHA Corner Hotel, Richmond. 12:30pm. $20.

60 SECONDS WITH

LEAH FLANAGAN Union Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. MCALPINES FUSILIERS + THE CARTRIDGE FAMILY Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 4:00pm. MICHAEL MEEKING & LOST SOULS Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm. NEIL MURRAY Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. SAT NIGHT FISH FRY Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. SATURDAY ACOUSTIC REVUE - FEAT: TOM FRANCIS + HUGH MCGINLAY + PRIESTESSA Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 8:00pm. $10. SHANE DIIORIO + MATTHEW CARR Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 4:00pm. SPOONFUL Post Oﬃce Hotel, Coburg. 10:30pm. SWAMP MOTH Town Hall Hotel, North Melbourne. 10:00pm. TASH SULTANA Elwood Lounge, Elwood. 9:00pm. THE NIGEL WEARNE DUO Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 9:00pm. THE SLINGERS OF SENTIMENT Wesley Anne, Northcote. 3:00pm. $12. THE STAFFORDS + THE HONEYBADGERS Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 9:00pm.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC HIATUS KAIYOTE & AXOLOTL + AXOLOTL + HIATUS KAIYOTE + SUI ZHEN Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $10. JOE CHINDAMO Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20. JONO FRANCISCO Prince Maximillian, Prahran. 8:00pm. KRISTIN BERARDI & THE JOHN HOFFMAN SEXTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $25. PAINT THE TOWN Tony Starr’s Kitten Club, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $5. SALSA PARTY Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm. THE GANSTERS BALL Forum Theatre, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $75. THE MICHELLE NICOLE QUARTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $20. THE SAM KEEVERS TRIO Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. YEO Wesley Anne, Northcote. 5:30pm.

SUNDAY 9 SEP ROCK/POP AITCHES + BETWEEN THE WARS + CLOWNS + INITIALS Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm. $8. ANNAN BLIX + CAT OR PILLAR + LANASARAH JEAN Idgaﬀ Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. $6. BLASPHEMOUS SUNDAYS Kent St Bar, Fitzroy. 1:21pm.

OH PEP!

Describe your sound in five words or less: Folk/pop. What can a punter expect from your live show? A five-piece wave of energy delivering songs of the sea. When’s the gig and with who? Thursday September 6. We’re playing The Toff with Canary and Staffan’s Songs (Francolin). 8pm, $8. Fun Fact: Canary and Francolin are both types of birds. 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? “Hey, I just saw the kid from the movie Hugo playing fiddle in that band!” (Pepi has a uncanny resemblance to actor Asa Butterfield.) If someone made a movie about your life, who would play you? Pepi would be played by Asa Butterfield, Liv would be played by Pepi Emmerichs (as no one knows Liv better and she’s in that film Where the Wild Things Are). As for the boys, Stu (Brad Pitt), Jus (Jude Law) and Paddy (Ryan Gosling). If your music was a chocolate bar, which one would it be, and why? Somehow Liv’s mum would make a pizza-flavoured, Beat Magazine Page 60

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

balsamic tinged, gluten-free chocolate bar that would taste great... and why? Because Liv’s mum can. If you could go on tour with any musician or band, who would it be? Paul Kelly, Ryan Adams, Crooked Jades, Crooked Still, Punch Brothers, Ben Sollee, Arcade Fire, Elbow... And in another life Johnny Cash. How do you balance making and playing music with your other commitments? Other commitments?

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 61

60 SECONDS WITH

THE BONAFIDE TRAVELLERS + THE CARTRIDGE FAMILY Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 4:00pm. THE KEIRON MC DONALD COMBO Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. THE LEAH FLANAGAN BAND Fitzroy Pinnacle, Fitzroy North. 4:00pm. THE PARDONERS Carringbush Hotel, Abbotsford. 4:00pm. THREE KINGS + BAKERSFIELD GLEE CLUB Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:00pm. WAYLON JOES Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 6:00pm.

LITTLE SCOUT

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC

Define your genre in five words or less: Indie dream pop. 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? “I can’t believe that guitarist can shred while consuming a chicken sandwich.” Which band would you most like to have a battle/ showdown with? I think we’re overdue to have a throwdown with Cub Scouts. We sound very different but keep getting confused with one another due to our similar names, so I’m going to challenge Tim Nelson to Guitar Hero and probably an arm wrestle. It’s going to be pretty brutal. What makes you happiest about what you’re doing? It’s really nice that people I’ve never met enjoy the music I have the pleasure of creating with my friends and sister, and we even get to tour with some of our favourite bands and people play us on the radio. It’s more than we ever expected. CONQUER CANCER 2012 BENEFIT - FEAT: HOWLIN’ STEAM TRAIN + ONE & THE SAME + THE LAST FIVE MINUTES Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 1:30pm. $15. DEATH OF ART + BILL & THE JERKS + DROPBUNNY + MOTH Level 2 The Club, Northcote. 6:00pm. $12. FRANKIE ANDREW + AL PARKINSON + JANE MCARTHUR 303, Northcote. 2:00pm. $5. HUMBUG + FREYA HOLLICK Tago Mago, Thornbury. 9:30am. IMPENDING DOOM + PREPARED LIKE A BRIDE Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 2:00pm. $20. JEN KNIGHT & THE CAVALIERS + APRIL MAZE + WINTER YORK Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $10. LA DANSE MACABRE - FEAT: BRUNSWICK MASSIVE Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:03pm. LAST DRINKS - FEAT: HOPES ABANDONED + DOGSDAY + FISTY CUFFS + GLEN & THE PEANUT BUTTER MEN + LORD JUSTIN & HIS ONE MAN BAND + MOUSTACHE ANT + SPEW’N GUTS + STRAWBERRY FIST CAKE + THE SHIT CUNTS Barleycorn Hotel, Collingwood. 4:00pm. NAI PALM + DJ PERCY VALENTINE Bar Open, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. NAOMI BRAUN + ALLGANIKS + ALTA Bar Open, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. SMOKE MACHINE Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING BAND + SWEET TEENS Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. THE BROOKLYN HOOKERS + ADRIAN WHYTE + MADE IN AUSTRALIA Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 6:00pm. THE MAIN GUY & THE TWO OTHER GUYS + THE WEEKEND PEOPLE + TOM DICKINS Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 4:00pm. THE MONDAY PROJECT Open Studio, Northcote. 9:00pm. THE NAYSAYERS + FOX ROAD + THE MORNING NIGHT + THE VELVETS Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 1:30pm. $10. THE NUDGELS Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:30pm.

CLASSIFIEDS

33c PER WORD PER WEEK (INC GST) • Send your classified listing information to Beat Magazine at 3 Newton St, Richmond 3121 with a cheque, money order or credit card number (including expiry date and name on card, NOT AMEX or DINERS) (1.5% surcharge on Visa and MasterCard) OR deliver it yourself with cash OR you can email your classifieds to us - classifieds@beat.com.au with credit card details • DEADLINE IS THURSDAY 5pm, prior to Wednesdays publication • Minimum $5 charge per week. We do NOT accept classifieds over the phone - sorry.

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. NEED DRUMS, BASS, GUITAR/KEYBOARD/ FEMALE BACKING VOX. Kilby’s our name (indie/rock/ afrobeat) Email kilbytheband@gmail.com - Listen here triplejunearthed.com/Kilby - Melbourne Based. SIDEWAYS NEEDS A DEDICATED DRUMMER. We need a dedicated, technically talented sticksman to start with us ASAP to ﬁnish oﬀ our 5 piece. We are currently working on Beat Magazine Page 62

Describe the best gig you have ever played. We toured with The New Pornographers in 2010, and they were the most lovely, hilarious and talented people. The band members were so nice that they watched our sets and were really supportive. They even let Miro borrow their sweet drum kit! How do you stop your pre-gig jitters? I like to hide somewhere, warm up my voice and drink a neat whiskey. If you could go on tour with any musician or band, who would it be? This changes all the time, but right now I’d have to say Dirty Projectors and Talking Heads. We’re all a bit obsessed with Dirty Projectors’ latest album Swing Lo Magellan, and Talking Heads… it’s best not to get me started. When’s the gig and with who? We’re releasing our new single Go Quietly (available on iTunes now) at The Workers Club on Saturday September 8 with two great Melbourne locals – Courtney Barnett and The Ocean Party.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK AAMA GHAR BENEFIT CONCERT - FEAT: MUKTI & REVIVAL + GEORGE KAMIKAWA The Hi-ﬁ, Melbourne. 7:00pm. $15. ALPINE (A IS FOR ALPINE TOUR) + CLUBFEET + GEORGI KAY Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $17. ANDY COWAN St Andrews Hotel, St Andrews. 3:00pm. CHRIS RUSSELL’S CHICKEN WALK + DEAN MULLER Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 2:00pm. CHRIS WILSON Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. DANDELION WINE Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. DAVE LARKIN Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 4:00pm. DOG GONE SOUTH Palais, Hepburn Springs. 2:00pm. $10. GEOFF ACHISON Bay Hotel, Mornington. 3:00pm. JAMS Musicland, Fawkner. 3:00pm. JEMMA & THE WISE YOUNG AMBITIOUS MEN + DJ OLD HANDS + PETE CULLEN + QUARRY MOUNTAIN DEAD RATS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $6. JONAH MATRANGA’S ONLINEDRAWING + PETE BROADWAY + THE STATICS Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $25. JULES BOULT & THE REDEEMERS Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. JVG GUITAR METHOD Penny Black, Brunswick. 5:00pm. KERRYN FIELDS & THE MENFOLK + MARTY KELLY & AUBURY MAHER Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm. KURT GENTLE (BAREFOOT FREEDOM LAUNCH) + EMMA HALES + HIDING WITH BEARS + MORNING OF THE EARTH Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10. P L WILLIAMSON The B East, Brunswick East. 7:00pm. REBECCA BARNARD Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. SAM COOPER Post Oﬃce Hotel, Coburg. 4:30pm. SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND Wesley Anne, Northcote. 2:00pm. $8. SUNDAY SINGER-SONGWRITER SESSIONS - FEAT: JAMES SOUTHWELL + EDDIE COLE Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 4:00pm. TERRY HART Elwood Lounge, Elwood. 6:30pm.

vocal tracks and rehearsing our extensive setlist. Demos: www.sidewaysband.com Contact: info@sidewaysband. com with demos, videos or previous works. Splatty 0488 202 929

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.

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCED BAND BOOKER WANTED. If you’re experienced in booking bands and want to work with an experienced well known venue booker at a great venue in Melbourne’s music heartland then send us an email. Let us know a bit about yourself, what type of bands you’ve booked, where, contacts you have and how long you have been in the game and importantly what you may be able to bring. Be quick. Send email to: shimgapi@gmail.com. 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.

BLACK JESUS EXPERIENCE The Horn African Music Lounge, Collingwood. 7:00pm. BLACK MONEY Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. GIAN SLATER Lui Bar, Melbourne. 3:00pm. ISOBEL & ELIZABETH BLACKTHORN 303, Northcote. 4:00pm. $10. SAN LAZARO The Night Cat, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE CRAIG MATTINGLEY TRIO Open Studio, Northcote. 4:30pm. THE JAMES LARRY CARTER QUARTET (CD LAUNCH) Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. THE PERFECTIONS + CHILDREN OVERBOARD + RED MOON JUKE Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 3:00pm.

MONDAY 10 SEP ROCK/POP ACOUSTIC SESSIONS - FEAT: GLENN PATRICK Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 8:30pm. AMANITA + GHOST VEIN + GRUNGE SAFARI + HONEY BADGER + MATT KELLY Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. CHERRY JAM - FEAT: THE REPROBETTES + HUMAN AS ANIMALS + THE MINUTE TAKERS + THE PASS OUTS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. MONDAY NIGHT MASS - FEAT: TAX + DICK THEATS + FALSE MATURITY Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 6:00pm. THE JANE AUSTEN ARGUEMENT + WILL COOPER Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $10. THE QUARRY MOUNTAIN DEAD RATS + MAX SAVAGE Espy, St Kilda. 8:30pm.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK BLUEGRASS SESSIONS & JAM Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. JIMMY STEWART Post Oﬃce Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm. JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC STRATHCONA’S NIGHT OF JAZZ Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. THE ALLAN BROWNE TRIO + MARK HANNAFORD + SAM PANKHURST Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. THE MARTIN ROTOLO TRIO + UNDERCOAT 303, Northcote. 9:00pm. $8.

TUESDAY 11 SEP ROCK/POP ACOUSTIC SESSIONS - FEAT: SOPHIE KATO Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 8:30pm. BABERAHAM LINCOLN The Vineyard, St Kilda. 9:00pm. BARRY ADAMSON Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $45. BAT PISS + SUN GOD REPLICA Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. BRUNSWICK HOTEL DISCOVERY NIGHT - FEAT: THE JESUIT JOKERS + CRESCENT + THE DAVE SEEDS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. LAMEFOOT + BULLS + MATT GLEESON Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. PATRON SAINTS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. SALT LAKE CITY Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm. SEX ON TOAST + DJ DAN LEWIS + HOWARD + THE JOKERS Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $2. THE BRAND NEW HEAVIES Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 7:30pm. $60.

ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK CASH SAVAGE + FRASER A GORMAN Toﬀ In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10. JIMI HOCKING Grandview Hotel, Fairﬁeld. 8:00pm. MELBOURNE FRESH INDUSTRY SHOWCASE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm. $15. OPEN MIC Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 7:30pm. OPEN MIC Wesley Anne, Northcote. 7:00pm. PATRICK WOLF Forum Theatre, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $57.

JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK/WORLD MUSIC MAKE IT UP CLUB Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. MARK DIPNELL & MELBOURNE HIGH Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. THE LUKE HOWARD TRIO Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. THE STEPHANIE MASCETTA QUARTET + CLANCYE MILNE Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8. VCA CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PERFORMANCE ENSEMBLE SERIES Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 7:30pm. $8.

PAID PROMOTERS wanted for new Rock Club. Contact mark@gunnmusic.com.au for more details. SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

+ BEAT PRESENT... whatson@thepush.com.au

ACCESS ALL AGES The Push Beat All Ages Column Wednesday September 5, 2012 With Ruth Mihelcic Calling all metalheads, Maroondah Youth Services and Straight To The Pit FReeZA have a real treat for you this Friday. It’s called MetalFest, and it’ll see bands like Ne Obliviscaris, A Million Dead Birds Laughing, Harlequin, Naberus, Moustache Ant, Whoretopsy, Any Last Words, and Death Masque unleashed onstage. It kicks off at 6:30pm at EV’s Youth Centre in Croydon, bring along a gig card for cheaper entry. Then on Saturday Illy’s gonna rip up the Corner Hotel with refreshingly slick beats from his third and latest album Bring It Back, with supports from Chasm Soundsystem and Scryptcha. Check out our interview with him on our website to get his take on recent collaborations and the Australian hip hop scene. If you’re kinda handy with a camera, you should go check out Genero.tv. Meaning to “create or produce” in Latin, the site aims to connect music artists with creative filmmakers around the world who are looking for ways to show their talents and grow their careers. Every month they run a bunch of competitions to make music videos for well-known artists, and there’s plenty of cash to be won as well. Check out the latest video comps for French electro act M83’s song Steve McQueen which closes September 10, and our very own The Temper Trap’s song Miracle, from their new self-titled album, which closes September 27. Outstanding videos will also be nominated for the 2012 Genero Awards. Head to http://genero.tv/ for more info. Meet some of Melbourne’s early rising radio breakfast hosts and producers from across the industry while learning what it takes to make engaging breakfast content, at The Breakfast Makers at SIGNAL. It’s happening today at SIGNAL, Flinders Walk in the city, from 5:30 – 7:30pm for the cost of $10. Book by emailing training@syn.org.au.

ALL AGES TIMETABLE Wednesday September 5 Dream On, Dreamer w/ Like Moths To A Flame, Hand Of Mercy, and In Hearts Wake, Kangaroo Flats Leisure Centre, 9 Browning St, Bendigo, 8pm, $31.15, oztix.com. au or 1300 762 545, AA Thursday September 6 Dandenong Urban Talent Quest - Semi Finals, Reading Cinemas, McCrae Street, Dandenong Plaza, 5pm – 7pm, Free, Nick Karlas on 9793 2155 or missionaustralia.com. au, AA Rick Ross, Festival Hall, 300 Dudley Street, West Melbourne, 6:30pm, $100 - $140, ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100, AA Friday September 7 Metalfest w/ Ne Obliviscaris, A Million Dead Birds Laughing, Harlequin, Naberus, Moustache Ant, Whoretopsy, Any Last Words, and Death Masque, EV’s Youth Centre, 212 Mt Dandenong Road, Croydon, 6:30pm – 11pm, $15 at the door or $13 with gig card, Maroondah Youth Services on 9294 5706, AA Monash FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands Battleocalypse w/ Prosthesis Of Mind, The Grace Of Graves, Seattle Fix, Theatricks, Dreadall, The Antics, Isiym, The New Savages, and Somnium, Brentwood Secondary College, 222 Watsons Road, Glen Waverley, 6:30pm – 11pm, $10 or $8 with discount cards, Siobhan Hardiman on 9518 3900 or myfs.org.au, AA Colac Otway FReeZA Battle of the Bands, COPACC, Rae and Gellibrand Streets, Colac, 7pm – 11pm, Vicki Jeffery on 5232 9516, AA Dream On, Dreamer w/ Like Moths To A Flame, Hand Of Mercy, and In Hearts Wake, EV’s Youth Centre, 212 Mt Dandenong Rd, Croydon, 8pm, $23.50, oztix.com.au or 1300 762 545, AA Illy

Saturday September 8 Illy w/ Chasm Soundsystem feat. Scryptcha, Corner Hotel, 57 Swan St, Richmond, 12:30pm, $20 +bf, Corner Box Office 9427 9198 or www.cornerhotel.com, U18

FRIDAY SEP 7TH

CHERRYWOOD FRIDAY 7/9, 10PM

GREASY HAWAIIANS PM

SATURDAY 8/9, 10

SWAMP MOTH

SATURDAY SEPT 8TH

SAT NIGHT BY FISH FRY

SUNDAY SEPT 9TH SUNDAY 9/9, 10PM

THE TV SET

THE KIERON MC DONALD COMBO

SATURDAY 15/9, 10PM

BARRY SAVAGE & THE CAESARS FREE ENTRY ALWAYS!

TOWN HALL HOTEL

33 ERROL STREET, NORTH MELBOURNE (03) 9328 1983 FOR BAND BOOKINGS PLEASE CONTACT MILES: TOWNIEBANDS@GMAIL.COM

289 WELLINGTON ST COLLINGWOOD 94195170 WWW.THEGEMBAR.COM.AU

THURSDAY SEPT 6TH SIME NUGENT

LIVE ACOUSTIC FROM 8.30PM

SATURDAY SEPT 8TH LISA MILLER TRIO

GREAT BRITAIN HOTEL

THURS 6 SEPT DARN MATTER + ROXY LAVISH + CLANCYE ROWAN 8:00PM

WITH SHANE O’MARA & ASH DAVIES FROM 5 TIL 7PM

SAT 7 SEPT THE STAFFORDS + THE HONEYBADGERS

SUNDAY SEPT 9TH VAN AND CAL WALKER

STEP ON DJ’S

9:00PM

FROM

5PM

MONDAY SEPT 10TH

SECRET MONDAY ACOUSTIC SHOW FROM 8.30 PM WITH GUEST MUSOS

TUESDAY SEPT 11TH DAN WATKINS DUO ACOUSTIC FROM 8.30

KITCHEN OPEN 6 NIGHTS

DOWNSTAIRS 11:00PM

SUN 9 SEPT SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING BAND + SWEET TEENS 8:00PM

WEEKLY ASSORTMENTS MonDAYS

FREE POOL ALL NIGHT $10 PIZZA & POT

TueSDAYS

MRS SMITH’S TRIVIA $10 PIZZA & POT 9PM

WEDNESDAYS

OPEN MIC NIGHT 9PM

447 CHURCH ST RICHMOND 9429 5066 www.greatbritainhotel.com.au

Wed. September 5th: wine, whiskey, women

8pm: Claire Patti 9pm: Channelle Davis Thurs. September 6th:

8pm: Open-Mic Fri. September 7th:

6-8pm: Trad. Irish Music Session with Dan Bourke & friends Sat. September 8th:

9pm: Nigel Wearne Duo Sun. September 9th:

4pm: The Cartridge Family 6:30pm: The Bonafide Travellers Tues. September 10th:

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

SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO GIGGUIDE@BEAT.COM.AU

Beat Magazine Page 63

BACKSTAGE

STUDIO PROFILE

TOYLAND RECORDING STUDIOS

THE PLACE FOR MUSICIANS

for more information or ad bookings call Aleksei on 9428 3600

mage Asylum Photography

18 Duffy street Burwood 3125 30m rooms s Air-con and ventilation in s 10everylargeroomand identical PA/foldback combos at 1000w s Storage and s amp/kit hire s Acoustic Engineer-designed soundproofing 2

PH: (03) 903 88101 M: 0417 000 397 Email: hydrastudios@bigpond.com

Location: We’re located in the heart of Melbourne’s inner north, Northcote, 3070. Digital or analogue capabilities of studio: We cater for both digital and analogue with recording opportunities to 2” analog tape and digital DAW. Recording gear available: We have Neve 1084’s, Neve Prisim, Focusrite ISA 110’s, Telefunken V72’s. We also have mic’s from Neumann, AKG, Beyer, Sennheiser, AEA, LOMO Tube Mics, Lexicon 224X, Eventides’s, Urei 1176’s, LA3’s, Tube Tech CL1B, and Pultec EQP1A3 to name a few. Instruments available to use or hire: All clients, bands and artists have the opportunity to use our in-house Ludwig drums including our range of Black Beauty snares. Feel free to give us a buzz or check our website for more info on what else is available for use during your recording and production sessions.

HIRE PROFILE

Artists you have worked with: We have worked with a plethora of local and international bands and artists including the likes of Peter Hook and the Light, Bloodduster, Falloe, The McQueens, IKON, Pseudo Echo, Mick Pealing, Mushroom Giant, Sydonia, ROOT, The DC3, Wendy Rule, Jack Pantazis and Logic to name just a few. In-house engineers: Toyland’s in-house engineer is Mr. Adam Calaitzis. With years of experience in the industry and knowledge of all production techniques, feel free to give Adam a call to discuss your next project. Extras: Toyland can do a range of diﬀerent tasks not just including recording, but also mixing, mastering, production, drum programming/samples and DVD authoring. Phone: 0412 060 664 or 9482 2111 Website: www.toyland.com.au E-mail: adamcal@ozemail.com.au

PRO LIGHT & SOUND

Location: 934 North Rd, East Bentleigh, 3165. Established: We’ve been in operation for 22 years and counting. What exactly do you provide for hire: Sound, lighting, DJ gear, iPod packages, projectors, staging, draping and specialty lighting.

Toyland

Recording Studio

Toyland in Northcote for recording bands, singers or any other audio project Recording, Mixing and Mastering Call Adam Cal on 9482 2111 or 0412 060 664

www.toyland.com.au

BACKSTAGE NOW RUNS IN FULL COLOUR! For new full colour ad pricing please contact Aleksei on 9428 3600 or email mixdown@beat.com.au

What events you can cater for: We cater for dozens of events every week, from small home or venue parties to large scale corporate events with multiple screens, lighting shows and band sound systems. We also have styling products specifically for weddings including white speaker systems, lighting fixtures, draping and dance floors. In regards to weddings and corporate launches, you should ask about our personalised monograms or logo projections which can add that special touch to your event. Your point of difference: We offer 24 hr back-up service and our equipment is always up to date and in top notch condition. We’re open Monday through to Saturday too for added value and convenience. Your favorite sound or lighting package: The best value hire package is the medium iPod Party Package that caters for up to 100 people and includes RCF speakers, lights and costs $253 if picked up from our store. Also, if you “check in” at Pro Light & Sound on Facebook when you pick it up, we’ll further discount the package to only $240, which is even better value. Artists and companies you have worked with: Kiss My Grass Festivals, Good Life Music Festivals, LMFAO and literally hundreds of other well known Australian and International artists and event companies.

Beat Magazine Page 64

Pick up and or delivery of equipment available? Yes, with a minimum hire threshold. Call us or see us online to ﬁnd out more.

BACKSTAGE: BEAT’S ONE STOP SHOP FOR MUSICIANS

Phone: 9579 2332 Website: www.prolightandsound.com.au E-mail: hire@prolightandsound.com.au

B A N D

DAYTIME

F R O M RATES

FULLY

ALL

$ 4 0 ROOMS

AVAILABLE

AND

AMENITIES LICENSED

100%

AVAILABLE

EQUIPPED

STORAGE DRIVE-IN

R E H E A R S A L

R O O M S 11

GREEN

PARKING

PROVIDED VENUE ENERGY

w w w . k i n d r e d s t u d i o s . c o m . a u

BOOKINGS

PH:

(03)

9687

0233

212A WHITEHALL ST, YARRAVILLE 3013

whiteroom M E L B O U R N E ’ S

G R E E N

P O W E R E D

PHOTOGRAPHIC AND VIDEO STUDIO Pro & Conc. Rates Available For Photographic, Music Video & Band Shoots Starting From $150 Multi-Purpose Change & Makeup Room Grip & Lighting gear available Communal Lounge & Wireless Internet Excellent on-site parking CONTACT: CY -ARTISTIC DIRECTOR- 0401 379 973 w w w . t h e w h i t e r o o m . n e t . a u

PA HIRE

Vintage, New & Second Hand Amps, Effects Pedals & Rigs

Huge Selection – All major Brands

Comprehensive PA systems delivered, set up and operated with crew. Compact, easy, sound systems you can pickup and assemble yourself.Components such as microphones, speakers and effects are also available separately. Lights also available. For details phone Mark Barry on 03 9889 1999 or 0419 993 966

www.bssound.com.au bssound@bigpond.com

571 High Street Preston VIC 3072 Tel (03) 9471 1023 Fax (03) 9471 1919 Internet: www.jamhutstudios.com

Guitars and Amps wanted Top CA$H Paid

Clean and fully ventilated rooms with professional equipment. Complimentary tea & coffee.

REHEARSAL

Expert Guitar & Amp Repairs Mods & Restoration Fast Turnaround Affordable Rates Technicians on site

3 hr sessions from $40 6 hr sessions from $65 RECORDING

$60 per hour, ProTools HD with engineer

v s

313 – 315 Whitehorse Rd BALWYN 3103 Phone: 03 9888 6899 www.eastgatemusic.com

EQUIPMENT HIRE Vocal PA’s from $80, ampliﬁers and drumkits available.

IMPLANT MEDIA CD with 2 PAGE INSERT

SPECIAL! 100 A3 colour posters for

in PVC (sleeve)

100 - from $2.35 each 500 - $1.40 each 1000 - $1.08 each

CD with 4 PAGE INSERT + INLAY Jewel case (black tray)

100 - from $3.15 each 500 - $1.80 each 1000 - $1.45 each

CD in CARD SLEEVE 100 - from $2.95 each 500 - from $1.80 each 1000 - from $1.30 each

CD with GATEFOLD

4 panel gatefold, single or double pocket

100 - from $3.95 each 500 - from $2.40 each 1000 - from $1.60 each

CD with DIGICASE 100 - from $4.45 each 500 - from $2.70 each 1000 - from $1.70 each

$70

With any disc order of 50 or more.

12” Vinyl in PRINTED SLEEVE

1300 79 78 78 UNIT 1, 11-13 LYGON ST BRUNSWICK

NEW PRICES!

300 - from $9.19 each 500 - from $6.49 each 1000 - from $5.04 each 7” and 10” also available

DVD with CASE & SLICK Black DVD case

100 - from $3.25 each 500 - $2.19 each 1000 - $1.85 each

BACKSTAGE: BEAT’S MUSICIANS DIRECTORY

HUNDREDS OF OTHER PACKAGING OPTIONS AVAILABLE! FOR A PRICE ON ANY PACKAGE AT ANY TIME VISIT: WWW.IMPLANT.COM.AU/QUOTES Beat Magazine Page 65

LIVE

Photos: Tony Proudfoot

Photos: Scarlett Trewavis

FABULOUS DIAMONDS Saturday September 1, John Curtin Hotel

HUNTING GROUNDS Friday August 24, Karova Lounge Karova Lounge was a fitting venue for the eagerlyawaited return to gold country of native sextet Hunting Grounds, and what a golden harvest it was. Having been the backdrop for the band’s performances since their emergence from their primordial dwellings under the name Power Of The Zookeepers, Karova Lounge and its shadowy inhabitants of grungy teens witnessed a band transformed as they performed an hour-long set of atmospheric tunes and vigorous jams. In 2009, the band (also previously Howl) shot to national renown after taking the title of triple j Unearthed High. For locals though, their success wasn’t surprising, having been reaping the aural rewards of their performances at resident venues for some time. The Ballarat set of their In Hindsight tour was no exception. While comically plagued by technical difficulties early on, Hunting Grounds didn’t disappoint loyal enthusiasts, offering up their trademark energy on stage, while injecting their new, hypnotic melodies – a sound evolution that has accompanied the band’s name change. Such new tracks provided a refreshing accompaniment to their earlier, much heavier assemblages. Much of the show embodied a spacey rhythmatism which transformed the intimate setting into a bursting, sweaty mass of swaying bodies. When the boys unleashed into prolonged instrumental jams, the raw energy was palpable, broken only by Lachlan Morrish’s (or Michael Belsar’s, or Galen Strachan’s for that matter) searing vocals. A particular highlight of the set was a cover of No Doubt’s Hella Good, which had the walls trembling with appreciation. The punchy riffs and alluring lyrics interlaced intrinsically well with the band’s spacey ambiance. Another notable aspect of Hunting Grounds’ live set

was the way the members' individuality enhanced the experience. Slight and timid Strachan (on keys and vocals) grounds the band, rattling off any number of ethereal melodies. Slapping the bass is Johnathon Crawford whose steely exterior and rigid movements mirror his bass-work. Contrasting further is Tim Street on lead guitar, who has an uncanny resemblance to Cousin It on the stage he plays with an unbridled energy, barely contained under his locks of hair. Morrish’s physical connection with each song is unmistakable as he convulses and shudders with every climb and fall the track takes. Daniel Marie is dynamism personified, belting the drums and setting a cracking pace for the other members to follow. Belsar’s emotional relationship with the lyrics – particularly in Flaws and Cold Feet – resonate heavily in his voice, adding an impassioned element to Hunting Grounds' newfound mysteriousness. Hunting Grounds have finally reached a satisfying plateau, content with the direction of their sound, which is evident in their onstage presence and growing maturity as a band. With writing of their second album already underway and construction of a studio at Belsar’s house ongoing, the electric sound delivered in their hometown performance appears to be here to stay – an exciting prospect for lovers of Australian music. SCARLETT TREWAVIS LOVED: The obvious reverence the band and local fans share. HATED: Having to jostle for a prime position pre-show. DRANK: Vodka, lime and soda.

OBITS Friday August 24, Northcote Social Club So often the best gigs are those featuring artists you have not previously heard. With the yolk of expectation signiﬁcantly diluted, you can sit back and imbibe the sights and sounds, and so it was tonight. For reasons that are largely irrelevant to the matter at hand, we arrived at the Northcote Social Club midway through two-piece Ross de Chene Hurricanes’ set. The average two-piece has a tendency to search the already ravaged posterior of rock’n’roll for new oriﬁces to tear; but Ross de Chene Hurricanes chose instead to explore Stems and Sunnyboys-style power-pop sensibility – and more than enough to warrant a second look when logistics avail. Familiarity certainly isn’t an issue with Kim Salmon. Salmon has been around for what seems an eternity, at least in the context of Australia’s relatively short punk-rock history. With the erstwhile and eclectic Mike Stranges in tow, Salmon tore through his equivalent of a hits-and-memories set: a selection of choice Scientists tracks (Drop Out, Frantic Romantic, Pissed On Another Planet, Last Night, We Had Love), some Surrealists (Fix Me Up, Rose Coloured Windscreens) and the odd recent track (Pearls Before Swine). We’ve seen it all before, and it never, ever tires. A friend whose musical knowledge and assessment is largely impervious to criticism had recommended seeing

Obits – the garage rock outﬁt formed by the Hot Snakes’ Rick Froberg in the aftermath of the Hot Snakes’ demise. Froberg looks every inch the New York garage-rocker: rake-thin, matted straight hair, t-shirt and jeans fashion sensibility de rigueur in those hallowed parts. The set begins with Light Sweet Crude, Sud and Pine On, and there’s palpable love in the air. Like so many bands of yore and now, Obits have been touched by the hand of The Stooges; three-chord rockers, attitude in spades and plenty of freak-out moments to sink your teeth into. Later on, there’s a blend of Radio Birdman’s disciplined chic and The Dandy Warhols’ psychedelic power-pop; when Widow Of My Dreams appears, there’s much rejoicing. The obligatory end-of-set ritual dispensed with, the evening concludes with One Piece Cross. The perverse beauty of rock’n’roll lies in its naked plagiaristic quality – it’s all the same, and the best of it is so damn good. And that was Obits tonight. PATRICK EMERY

LOVED: The Dandy Birdman/Radio Warhols moment. HATED: Hmmm, not anything, really. DRANK: Goat in a bottle.

DIE! DIE! DIE! Saturday August 25, Ding Dong Lounge I first witnessed Die! Die! Die! in the live setting earlier in the year at some shindig to launch an online streaming service. It’s strange that this was my maiden encounter with the group, as I’m a pretty big fan and they tour a shitload. But the setting was probably the least becoming for the Kiwi trio. As is the case with these industry bashes, the crowd tend to focus on talking shop (by that, I mean “drink the bar tab dry”) rather than paying attention to what’s happening on stage. Tonight at Ding Dong, Die! Die! Die! more than made up for it with a certified fuckin’ corker of a set. Local outfit Damn Terran methodically tore the bandroom a new arsehole. Balancing moments of sheer punk brilliance with massive desert rock mastery, the power trio knew when to scream, and more importantly, knew when to shut up and jam. A devastatingly efficient triptych of majestic rock, there’s no reason why Damn Terran can’t elevate into the rank of our Next Big Thing. Burning through a display of tracks from latest LP Beat Magazine Page 66

Harmony, as well as a ridiculously stellar selection from the back catalogue, Die! Die! Die! made Ding Dong, and its crowd, their plaything. Frontman Andrew Wilson spent most of his time amongst the throng of punters, whipping up a frenzied display of controlled chaos. My god, it was loud. These Dunedinites pulled oﬀ a triumphant display of why this band is one of the few to cauterise the eﬀects of tall poppy syndrome that often fells their compatriots. LACHLAN KANONIUK LOVED: Finally catching Die! Die! Die! in an appropriate setting. HATED: Incorrectly assuming that each of my jackets contains a pair of earplugs. DRANK: A longneck from the Exxy with dumplings beforehand.

Melbourne hypno-groove duo Fabulous Diamonds spent three days in June recording their third LP, the tonguein-cheekily titled Commercial Music, in the upstairs bandroom of the John Curtin Hotel in Carlton. How fitting it was, then, for them to return to the scene of the crime three months later to launch that very album. And really, this evening was to be a stunner, for joining them were two very engaging local duos, White Hex and People Person. White Hex kicked off the proceedings with aplomb, delivering a mesmerising half-hour set of splintery, spidery gothic post-punk tunes in the vein of Cocteau Twins, Crime And The City Solution and Faith-era The Cure. These two “tropical goth” musos – Tara Green on bass and Jimi Kritzler on guitar – were absolutely brilliant, proving to this scribe that it pays to arrive at gigs early. People Person were up next, another boy/girl duo. Standing side by side in front of a pair of tabletop sequencers and mixing boards, Nathan Gray and Julie Burleigh created a pastiche of post-experimentalist ambient electronica with the beating heart of an 8-bit video game. Riveting and hypnotic, it sounded a bit like Aphex Twin having been commissioned to perform the soundtrack to Castlevania. When Fabulous Diamonds made their way to the stage, the Curtin’s bandroom was nearly packed. Nisa Venerosa perched behind her drum-kit, and Jarrod Zlatic sat behind a large and rather archaic looking synthesizer and then they were off. There are many adjectives to describe the

music of Fabulous Diamonds – tribal, forceful, assertive and enigmatic certainly come to mind. Venerosa and Zlatic set the tone of their set right oﬀ the bat with Commercial Music’s strange, ethereal opening track, Inverted Vamp. A veritable wall of noise was created in which one could lose one’s self. With Venerosa’s commanding voice dissected by distortion into a crescendo of discombobulated syllables and her thundering tomheavy drums layered over Zlatic’s icy synths and vintage electronic sounds, Fabulous Diamonds’ new material came across as supremely textured and fully realised statements of sheer sonic hooliganism. Closing out their set with an epic and gleefully deranged song called Downhill, Fabulous Diamonds proved tonight that not only are they a bloody force of nature, they’ve also released one of the most captivating albums I’ve heard in quite some time. Summed up as a whole, this gig stands out as one of the best of the year. THOMAS BAILEY LOVED: The atmosphere in that bandroom – it was electric. HATED: Absolutely nothing. This was pretty much airtight. DRANK: House shiraz.

THE SMITH STREET BAND Saturday August 25, The Tote Full disclosure: I would’ve written this review earlier, but the sheer magnitude of The Smith Street Band live knocked me on my ass for a few days afterwards. If that gig, or the record the band launched, Sunshine & Technology, doesn’t have the same effect on you if only for a small amount of time, there might be something wrong with you. But first, the build up. The Bennies and their topless party-punk fill The Tote early on. Their carefree approach is light-hearted enough to help everyone sink a few beers, but they’re soon thrown for a curve. After The Bennies' set, I caught up briefly with The Smith Street Band’s lead singer Wil Wagner. He paced around The Tote’s courtyard, staying away from the booze. Instead, he lets his nerves do the talking, and as anyone around him will attest, there’s an energy quickly becoming present. “Make sure you check out The Hoodlum Shouts,” he says, and disappears into a sea of people wishing him well. Perhaps if Wagner had introduced The Hoodlum Shouts, the crowd might not have been so reticent towards their sprawling, socially-conscious rock. It’s invigorating and strangely compelling, though most of the crowd take them in from a distance. With songs as wide as the places they sing of, complete with lead singer Sam Leyshon’s manic, Gordon Downie-esque stage approach, Hoodlum Shouts battled a largely empty dance floor and emerged victorious.

That is, of course, until Wagner and The Smith Street Band took the stage and whipped the crowd into a frenzy. If smiles were a currency, then The Tote quickly attained the value of a Saudi mansion. TSSB had the crowd screaming back their tales of lost youth over an anthemic and potent blend of punk-folk. If Hoodlum Shouts sang songs as wide as landscapes, then the crowd stretched their arms just as wide and opened their hearts to the band. There was a mutual respect, as TSSB continued to amp up their set with every track. Yet while many of their punk contemporaries make music with an intensity that can’t manage to sustain, TSSB portrayed their true staying power: their ability to capture moments so intense and harness them into a song for everyone around them to share. It won’t be long before the rooms are larger and TSSB share their empowering ethos with crowds equally large. For the time being, it was a Saturday night to be remembered, but only because that kind of enthusiasm is impossible to forget. JOSHUA CLOKE LOVED: Where to begin? Great atmosphere, great conversation, great merch. HATED: Not getting a poster, I guess. DRANK: To the death of regret.

MASS CULT Friday August 17, Yah Yah’s Mass Cult have been around for a number of years, putting out music at a steady rate and working the Melbourne circuit. Tonight they launched their razor-sharp new single Time To Wait and brought along with them a veritable mixed bag of Melbourne's finest to join the party. Cut turned up, turned on and opened tonight’s bill with large amounts of gusto. Their sometimes dark, sometimes angular rock ‘n’ roll sounded big and ballsy with the whiskey-soaked vocal barrage from all three members a force to be reckoned with. A small but attentive crowd enjoyed what Cut were serving up. The enigmatic Smoke Signal were next on this diverse bill, and this crazy amalgamation of spacey prog-rock, psychedelia and kraut-rock is a beast all of its own. Synth penetrates your brain, while swirling lead engulfs the room and the solid rhythm section holds down the fort to keep you from floating out somewhere into the ether. Cleverly crafted songs keep you hooked every step of the way – and with very limited vocals, this is no mean feat. Get out and see this band. Heavy Beach followed on with tunes that tread the line between light and shade particularly well, exercising careful control between the contrast for maximum effect. Sounding not dissimilar at times to early '90s darlings The Breeders, hooks are plentiful and Ali Edmonds vocals twist and wind as they guide you down some haze-filled forest path. Heavy Beach write songs that are no doubt going to linger with you. Speaking of catchy tunes, headliners Mass Cult are

FOR MORE LIVE REVIEWS & PHOTOS GO TO BEAT.COM.AU

purveyors of garage-pop gold. They are a tight little unit, churning out smart little two-minute numbers with much aplomb. Dan Trolley’s vocals are reminiscent of Iggy Pop, but slightly less vitriolic, instead taking a more nonchalant approach that is still complete with an underlying venom. Guitarist Yolanda de Rose delivered clever licks with effortless style as always, and drummer Max Whiteman pummeled the skins furiously. The single Time To Wait packed a weighty punch, channeling some Blues Explosion and measured up nicely to more classic numbers Why We Never and This Aint No Paradise off their 2011 album of the same name. Just when the crowd was starting to loosen up and take to the dance floor, Mass Cults’ no-fuss, nofeathers rock‘n’roll injection was over, leaving nothing but needle burn and an immediate craving for more. Tonight’s show was a fine display of just how spoilt we are in Melbourne, with access to just about every genre of music conceivable and often on the same bill. If you happen to be of the garage/rock‘n’roll persuasion, you best be going out to buy this single. It's quality song writing – trim and lean with nothing but tasty bits. KRYSTAL MAYNARD LOVED: The diversity of the bill. HATED: Overdosing on Thai food before the show and having a crazy-arse stomach ache. DRANK: Flat ginger ale that the lovely bar tender at Yah Yah’s gave me; a sure-fire remedy for an upset belly.