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ia, ral f t s u o sw ic in A ation n u s tr Br or mu ncen ly. o n f est c tional o i t g a loc he lar ters na 1 t . APRA AMCOS No ving ngwri 2014 NATIONAL STUDY a h so ick
BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE (CAN) • BOMBINO (NIGER) ARCHIE ROACH • THE BLACK SORROWS ALASDAIR FRASER & NATALIE HAAS (SCO/USA) • THE CHIPOLATAS (ENG) ・ CHRIS WHILE & JULIE MATTHEWS (ENG) ・• DELANEY DAVIDSON (NZ) •・ DEPEDRO (ESP) ・ PAUL D. MILLER AKA DJ SPOOKY (USA) ・ • JESSE MILNES & EMILY MILLER (USA) ・ L-FRESH THE LION •・ MARGARET LENG TAN (SING) •・ MARU TARANG (IND/AUS) ・ PETER COMBE •・ Radical Son • ROSS & JARLATH (SCO) ・• SHARON SHANNON (IRE) SÓLEY (ICE) ・ •・ TROUBLE IN THE KITCHEN •・ WHITETOP MOUNTAINEERS (USA) a family affair • APPALACHIAN HEAVEN STRING BAND •・ THE BON SCOTTS •・ CHARLES JENKINS & THE AMATEUR HISTORIANS •・ COCO DE MER •・ DJ emma Peel • EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS •・ FAT COUSIN SKINNY ・ FESTA DI PIAZZA ・• ・ GRAND SALVO • ・ HUE BLANES •・ JAZZ PARTY •・ LOOKING FOR LAWSON •・ LOU BENNETT ・
LOUIS MCMANUS MEMORIAL CONCERT • ・ THE MELBOURNE RHYTHM PROJECT • MELBOURNE SCOTTISH FIDDLE CLUB ・ mongolian bling • MORELAND CITY BAND •・ OSCAR JIMENEZ •・ PIKELET・ • REBETIKO TRAGOUDI ・
SILO STRINGS • ・ SONGS FROM THE EDGE OF THE WORLD • ・ SWEET MONA’S CHOIR • the school of banjo TOLKA •・ UKELEA BLAST •・ UNSUNG HEROES OF AUSTRALIAN HISTORY
Celebrating world class folk, roots and blues music since 1989.
W W W. B R U N S W I C K M U S I C F E S T I VA L . C O M . A U
The Brunswick Music Festival is proudly presented by Performing Arts Moreland with the continued support of princial public partner Moreland City Council.
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THE GREAT BRITAIN HOTEL no apartments RICHMOND no reno's still the gb M MOONNDDAAYYSS & & TTUUEESSDDAAYYSS
FREE POOL + $10 PIZZA & POT W WEEDDNNEESSDDAAYYSS
OPEN MIC
7:30 REGISTRATION 8PM KICK OFF
WedneSdAy 14 JAnuAry
Saturday Jan 17 5PM
Moreland Soul revue C ‘ !a -
heCk eM out n all Star CaSt of MuSoS Playing old Soul & Soulful funk.
TTHHUURRSSDDAAYY 1155TTHH JJAANN
WESTERBURGH & MICAELA 8PM 8PM FFRRIIDDAAYY 1166TTHH JJAANN
MASH IT DOWN!
BaR
NIGHT OF DUB, ROOTS & REGGAE - 8PM
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TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD + MORE BANDS + DJ’S UNTIL 3AM
SiRenS
death of Art, Sarah eida & Amaronix
SlaCker Country what haPPenS when J MaSCiS MeetS dwight yoakaM and
fridAy 16 JAnuAry
The GloriouS norTh :
getS haMMered while liStening to the ClaSh.
Sunday Jan 18 3.30PM
Coal Train robberieS d n h ebut Show by
iCk
adgeliaS
pRiDe OnLY HURTS + Selling time, & Swamp donkey
SAturdAy 17 JAnuAry
neW ReGULARS
(Shivering tiMberS) and aliSon StruMberger, Playing offbeat tuneS with guitarS, Mandolin, laPSteel, and whatever elSe they Can find.
(single launch) + little miss remembering & errant Venture
Sunday Jan 18 5PM
SundAy 18 JAnuAry
davidSon broTherS bluegraSS Play the heCk out of anything with StringS.
44 44 77 CC HH UU RR CC HH SS TT ,, RR II CC HH M M OO NN DD PP HH .. 99 88 11 00 00 00 88 22 facebook.com/thegreatbritainhotel facebook.com/thegreatbritainhotel
MINTONS
PLAYHOUSE
Sessions
LAST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH Session conducted by Rob simone + special guests & sit ins.
8 til late
f o r m o r e i nf o a s k i n s t o r e-f a c e b o o k.c o m/th e b e a s t b u rge rs-i n s t a gr a m th e b e a s t b u rge rs-www.th e b-e a s t.c o m PH 9036 1456 | 80 LYGON ST BRUNSWICK EAST | THEB-EAST.COM
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tHurSdAy 15 JAnuAry
Saturday Jan 17 9PM
(reSidenCy) thoSe award-winning brotherS in
AUSTRALIA DAY EVE
Open Mic
Show the boogie man what you’ve got ! free drink to encourage every performer!
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JOeL STiBBARD Josh durno, rachel Clark & Acoustic foxx.
After Work HAppy Hour from 4pm:
$5 drinkS, Wed, tHurS, fri 160 Hoddle St AbbotSford
M E L B O U R N E R E C I TA L C E N T R E P R E S E N T S
J MASCIS WITH SPECIAL GUEST
ADALITA
FRI 13 FEB 8PM TICKETS $60 ($55 CONC)
THE NECKS
With a history in music as long as your arm and fingerprints all over the alternative music scene dating back to the 80s, Dinosaur Jr.’s own jazz master-wielding front man brings his solo show to Melbourne for one night only.
‘MASCIS’S NIMBLE FINGER WORK REALLY IS SOMETHING TO BEHOLD.’
‘It is a fairly safe bet to say that no other group in the world sounds quite like The Necks ...extraordinary empathy and discipline.’ The Times (UK) ‘Entirely new and entirely now. They may teach us to listen in a new way, but they communicate a fierce energy and warmth at the same time.’ The Guardian (UK)
THU 12 FEB 7.30PM
One of the most distinctive and enthralling groups in music today; The Neck’s mesmerising style of jazz slowly unravels throwing forth new charms on each listening. Tickets $45
BROOKLYN’S EPIC INDIE ROCKERS Sat 14 February, 8pm Tickets $50
THE ANTLERS
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS LANKS
MORE INFO & TICKETS: BOX OFFICE 03 9699 3333 / MELBOURNERECITAL.COM.AU CNR SOUTHBANK BLVD & STURT ST, SOUTHBANK Transaction fees may apply to bookings
With the release of their critically acclaimed fifth studio album Familiars, The Antlers assume a newfound hopefulness with nine sparkling tracks that shimmer with operatic vigour. Don’t miss your chance to see these songs brought to life. ‘The Antlers magnify private sorrows to overwhelming scale, creating grand anthems.’ The New York Times
PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT PARTNER
JON STEVENS TRIO
Sat 24 Jan York On Lilydale
Thur 19 Mar Mac’s Hotel
Fri 27 Mar Shoppingtown Hotel
Tickets from $32
TickeTs available from The venues & BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 10
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ON SALE NOW
TICKETS & INFO AT BLUESFESTTOURING.COM.AU FULL BLUESFEST LINE-UP AT BLUESFEST.COM.AU
PRESENTS
DJOBAÕ Ô DJOBI BAILA MEÕ Ô BAMBOLƒ OÕ Ô
25TH
ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR!
MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD SOJA TREVOR HALL
FEATURING
NICOLAS REYES & TONINO BALIARDO
THETHE PALAIS PALAIS FRIFRI 10 APRIL 10 APRIL
FESTIVAL HALL THU 2 APRIL
Ò
THE CORNER, FRI 10 APR BARWON HEADS HOTEL, SAT 11 APR
WAITED SEVEN YEARS FOR A GIG THIS GOOD, AND WEÕ D ÒDOWEIT AGAIN ... THE PERFECT GIG. TIMEOUT Ó
Ó
...ENIGMATIC SINGER, CAPTIVATING PERFORMANCE.
LOCAL BOZO
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PLUS OPTIONAL 1 HOUR YOGA JAM PRE-SHOW WITH CHRIS WILSON FROM POWER LIVING AND AN ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE FROM MICHAEL FRANTI!
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ALSO TOURING
: ALABAMA SHAKES : ANGELIQUE KIDJO : BETH HART : DISPATCH : JAKE SHIMABUKURO : JOHN MAYALL : KEBÕ EX- BLACK CROWES
Ò
Ó
REGGAEÕS FIRST GLOBAL SUPERSTAR
ROLLING STONE
THE CORNER WED 8 APRIL
- AS ÒTHETIMELESS LIKES OF CAT STEVENS, VAN MORRISON AND BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
ROCK VIBE THATÕ S AT ÒONCEA VINTAGE QUIRKY, TRIPPY, SOULFUL AND DOWNRIGHT MAGNETIC. Ó US ROLLING STONE
THE CORNER SAT 4 APRIL
JEFF BECK
PLUS SPECIAL GUEST
Ó
A WILD AND JOYOUS ÒGROOVE MIASMA THAT STILL SOUNDS LIKE A DISPATCH FROM THE FUTURE. Ó TELEGRAPH UK
EVERY BRASS BLAST AND ÒCHICKEN SCRATCH COULD COME STRAIGHT OFF A 1968 STAX RECORDS RELEASE ROLLING STONE Ó
#45 OF THE UK TELEGRAPHÕ S 100 BEST GLASTONBURY PERFORMANCES EVER
THE CORNER THU 2 APRIL
TOURING SONGS BY THE BLASTERS & THEIR FIRST ALBUM TOGETHER AFTER 30 YEARS; COMMON GROUND THE SONGS OF BIG BILL BROONZY.
KEZIAH JONES
PETER VINCENT, SMH
THE PALAIS SUN 5 APRIL
2 TONE SKA LEGENDS
170 RUSSELL FRI 3 APRIL
GENIUS PLAYER COMPLETELY ÒLENNY Ó ÒBLOWN KRAVITZ AWAY Ó
MOÕ : MAVIS STAPLES : MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD : REBELUTION
THE CORNER SUN 5 APRIL
THE CORNER WED 1 APRIL
NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB THU 9 APRIL
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THE ORIGINAL LINE-UP RETURN FOR THEIR
20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR!
THORNBURY THEATRE SAT 4 APRIL
I PRESENT A NEW SONG OF ÒSUMMER, Ò STOMPAÓ ... IF YOU HAVENÕ T HEARD IT ON THE RADIO YET, YOU WILL. THE NEW YORKÓ TIMES
NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB THU 2 APRIL BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 13
ONE DAY DJ’S
GUEST DJ’S:
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OM UNIT MARK PRITCHARD AKOUO A13 AMIN PAYNE “LIVE” (UK/METALHEADZ)
(TAS)
(UK/ WARP)
COCOA NOIRE “LIVE” NAM DEXTER SEAN DEANS EDD FISHER TYPHONIC FREEKWENCY WINTERS “LIVE” VISUALS BY BRENDAN HARWOOD JELLYFISH
SATURDAY 17TH JANUARY 2015 4PM TILL LATE (INDOOR/OUTDOOR) THE RAILWAY HOTEL 291 ALBERT ST, BRUNSWICK 3056
BROADCAST LIVE ON
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in this issue
20
hot talk
24
tourinG
26
oPiuo
28
whats on, exxoPolis
29
art oF the city, the comic striP
eaGulls page 41
30
ludovico einaudi
34
midsumma sPecial
38
the coathanGers,
`
shonen kniFe
39
truckFiGhters
40
emma donovan & the Putbacks,
money For roPe page 42
sol nation, joe creiGhton 41
eaGulls
42
the smashinG PumPkins, money For roPe
43
core/crunch, Fall out boy
44
music news
48
live
50
album oF the week, sinGles, charts
the coathanGers page 38 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 Publisher: Furst Media Pty Ltd. music editor: Cara Williams arts editor / associate music editor: Tyson Wray
Fall out boy page 43 sub editor / advertisinG & editorial coordinator: Soph Goulopoulos editorial assistants: Laura Buyers, Gemma Palmer, Cassie Hedger, Lauren Gill, Gloria Brancatisano, Kelsey Berry, Meg Crawford. PuZZle master: Thom Parry manaGinG director, Furst media: Patrick Carr beat Production manaGer: Michael Cusack GraPhic desiGners: Ruby Furst, Michael Cusack, Robert Smith. cover art: Michael Cusack advertisinG: Cara Williams (Music: Bands/Tours/Record Labels) cara@beat.com.au Aleksei Plinte (Backstage/Musical Equipment) mixdown@beat. com.au Thom Parry (Hospitality/Bars) thom@beat.com.au Soph Goulopoulos (Indie Bands/Special Features) soph@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
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albums
shonen kniFe page 38
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RY! $20 ENT
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AGAIN, TIMMY FURTADO DOWNSTAIRS - RAW WAX TAKEOVER UPSTAIRS - SAM HILTON, BRIAN HENDRIE, PAUL JÄGER DOWNSTAIRS - OUT OF FOCUS
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HOT TALK
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Q&A
Archie Roach
Gay Paris
Beat’s Artist Profile With
The Story Model BRUNSWICK MUSIC FESTIVAL
HOW YA GARN? YEAH NOT BAD
Get some fucking tinnies in’taya. How Ya Garn? Yeah Not Bad is returning for round two next month. Bands on the day will include Gay Paris, Colonel Vipers Whipstick Band, Sheriff, Sun God Replica, The Stiffys, My Left Boot, The Berkshire Hunting Club, Child, The Gatwick Highlife, The Sugarcanes, Mightiest Of Guns, Willow Darling, Made For Chickens By Robots, BJ Morriszonkle, Skyscraper Stan, Island Duckeye (I Am Duckeye acoustic), Dane Certificates Magic Show, Goatpiss Gasoline, Grindhouse, The Drunken Poachers, Tom Dockray and Green Tin. Two stages, no clashes. It goes down on Saturday February 28 at the John Curtin Hotel.
Brunswick Music Festival has revealed their second announcement for the 2015 incarnation. Archie Roach and Radical Son, The Bon Scotts, Charles Jenkins & the Amateur Historians, The Chipolatas, Chris While and Julie Matthews, Coco De Mer, Delaney Davidson, Grand Salvo Jazz Party, Peter Combe, Trouble in the Kitchen, Whitetop Mountaineers and L-Fresh Lion join the already outstanding lineup featuring Buffy Sainte-Marie, Maru Tarang, Ross & Jarlath, Sóley, DJ Spooky, Depedro, Margaret Leng Tan, Sharon Shannon, Bombino, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas as well as Australian acts The Black Sorrows, The Bushwackers and Lou Bennett. The festival will kick off on Sunday March 1 with the Sydney Road Street Party. Brunswick Music Festival will run from Sunday March 1 to Sunday March 15 at Brunswick Town Hall and surrounding venues. Visit the BMF website for more information and tickets.
Define your genre in five words or less: Indie, blues, alternative, 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? “Wanna hear what angels making babies sounds like?” What a question, I wanna read what other bands write. How long have you been gigging and writing? This particular lineup has been at it for the past six months or so, The Story Model name has existed for a couple years now. What has been your favourite gig you’ve played to date? We had a blast at The Espy front room a couple of months ago, people seemed to actually turn in their seats to watch, which is always a good boost.
What inspires or has influenced your music the most? The thought of turning this hobby into a full time job, and just the love of playing. We’re all at an age now where we’re not tied to particular sounds or genres so we have the freedom to experiment with a whole range of ideas, creating a more natural progression to our music. Do you have any record releases to date? What? Where can I get it? We have some older material available at www. reverbnation.com/thestorymodel but we’re currently tracking some new songs so hopefully we’ll release some new material soon. Why should everyone come and see your band? To get out of the house. We obviously can’t please everyone, but we try to, and even if they don’t like our music, we’re all pretty fun to hang out with. THE STORY MODEL are playing at The Brunswick Hotel on Saturday January 17. Get there.
Hinge
ROCK THE BAY
POND
Ahead of the arrival of their new album Man It Feels Like Space Again on Friday January 23, Pond have unveiled single number two, Zond. Alongside their appearances at the upcoming Laneway Festival, the band have announced a launch in celebration of Man It Feels Like Space Again. Pond will play a headline show at The Corner Hotel on Tuesday February 3. Tickets on sale through the venue.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 20
Rock The Bay returns to The Espy on Saturday March 21. Now in its seventh year, the popular music festival will feature 40 bands across four stages, ranging from stoner rock to prog rock. The 2015 lineup has something special in store: Two popular disbanded Melbourne acts, Rook and Hinge, will both be reforming for special one-off performances. Joining Rook and Hinge are Bushido, Palace Of The King, Don Fernando, Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene, Chaos Divine (WA), Mushroom Giant, Greenthief, Arcane Saints, Hailmary and heaps more. Tickets just $21+BF on sale this Friday via Oztix.
AGAINST ME!
Against Me! will return to Australian shores later this year. Fronted by Laura Jane Grace, the tour follows the release of their latest album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues. They’ll be joined on the tour by California’s Joyce Manor. Catch ‘em on Saturday June 6 at The Corner Hotel.
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LOS STRAITJACKETS & BIG SANDY
Ratking
High-energy American rock’n’rollers Los Straitjackets have announced a nationwide tour to kick off 2015, bringing Californian guest vocalist Big Sandy along for the surf and rock spectacular. Since first donning their trademark Mexican masks in 1994, the Grammynominated quartet have recorded 11 albums, and have now joined forces with renowned Californian singer Big Sandy, a torchbearer for American roots music. The result is a dynamic and exciting show with elements of surf, rockabilly, ‘60s groove, rock and soul that is sure to leave audiences howling for more. They perform in Melbourne at the LuWOW on Thursday March 12. Tickets available through the venue.
SOHN AND RATKING
No fucking around this week. Here’s the deal. You really don’t get much for free anymore, so be quick to snap up these fucking awesome giveaways. SOHN is playing The Corner Hotel on Friday January 30 and Ratking will hit Ding Dong Lounge on Thursday February 6. If you want a chance to win one of two double passes to both of these shows, get on over to beat.com. au/freeshit right meow.
THE BEAUFORT AT SUGAR MOUNTAIN
HINDS
Spanish girl band Deers have had a busy week – with a name change and a tour announcement. The four-piece were forced to change their name to Hinds due to legal pressure from a Canadian band (with a presumably similar name). On a brighter note, Hinds have since announced their debut Australian tour, playing a show in Melbourne. Catch Hinds at the John Curtin Hotel on Sunday February 22. Tickets are available through the venue website.
BLUESFEST
Bluesfest have dropped their sixth announcement for the 2015 incarnation. Joining the already massive lineup is Hozier, The Waterboys, Switchfoot, Hunter Hayes, Fly My Pretties, Super Chikan and Vasti Jackson, Diesel, Jeff Lang, Phil Wiggins and Dom Turner, Watussi and final performances from Nikki Hill and The Rumjacks. They’ll join the likes of Lenny Kravitz, The Black Keys, Paolo Nutini, The Gipsy Kings and many, many more. Bluesfest 2015 will take place from Thursday April 2 – Monday April 6 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm outside Byron Bay. For ticketing information, head to bluesfest.com.au.
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15
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JAN
Heading to Sugar Mountain over the Australia Day weekend and feeling like something a little more appetising than a sausage in bread? We’re giving away a $100 voucher for The Beaufort – one of the super sick food offerings at Sugar Mountain. If you like nothing more than a big ole’ rack (of ribs), head to beat.com.au/freeshit for your chance to win. Sugar Mountain 2015 goes down on Saturday January 24 at VCA (Victorian College of the Arts).
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COMING UP
ASH GRUNWALD
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS. FROM 9PM
SAT U R DAYS
PHIL PARA BAND + SPECIAL GUESTS FROM 6PM
S U N DAY S E SS I O N S W I T H
GEOFF ACHISON
AND HIS ALL STAR BAND - FREE ENTRY SHOW! EVERY SUNDAY IN THE FRONT BAR! FROM 6PM
F R I 3 0 JA N
THE ORIGINAL WAILERS
BOB MARLEYS ORIGINAL BAND DIRECT FROM KINGSTON JAMAICA! W/ JESSE I & RAS CRUCIAL + HEAPS MORE...
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 21
HOT TALK
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Q&A
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Tully on Tully
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J U ST A N N O U N C E D
SUN 08 MAR | 2ND SHOW
SETH SENTRY
JAM AT THE DAM
Jam at the Dam has announced it will return for its third year this February. Located in Invermay, an eight minute drive from Ballarat CBD, the festival will feature 11 homegrown acts, a monster 100 metre waterslide and plenty of food. BYO tinnies. Gaz (Yacht Club DJs), Tsugnarly, Gold Fields DJs, La Bastard, Tully on Tully, Gangs, Ballarat Ska Union, The Yard Apes, Horris Green, The Reprobettes and Brendan Skinner & the Relevant Advice Club are all set to play. All money raised will goes to a local charity. It all goes down on Saturday February 14. Look up Jam at the Dam on Facebook for more details.
THIS WEEK
THU 15 JAN
BLUE KING BROWN
Beat’s Artist Profile With
FRI 16 JAN
MARDUK CO M I N G S O O N
TUE 20 JAN
JAH PRAYZAH
FRI 23 JAN
NOISECONTROLLERS SAT 24 JAN U18 & 18+ SHOWS
KERSER
SUN 25 JAN
CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMAN FRI 30 JAN
EYEHATEGOD SAT 31 JAN
SMITH STREET BAND SOLD OUT
TUE 03 FEB
MAC DEMARCO
FRI 20 FEB
TINASHE FRI 27 FEB
DELTRON 3030 TUE 03 MAR
SHARON VAN ETTEN FRI 06 MAR
PARQUET COURTS
SAT 07 MAR
SETH SENTRY
WED 04 FEB
MAC DEMARCO THU 05 FEB
FRI 29 MAY
FRI 6 FEB
BEATS ANTIQUE + MORE
Define your genre in five words or less: Robert Plant/rock party punk. 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 was going to get you a beer but forgot because that band Lieutenant Jam were shredding it. Can I bum a ciggie? How long have you been gigging and writing? Three years with three writers. We’re now writing more meaningful lyrics and developing a concept album of a young man named Oli who gets ripped off by the government, changes his name to Mickey Finn and becomes the people’s leader in the revolution. Sound familiar?
Which band would you most like to have a battle/ showdown with? The Black Lips. It’d be a toilet paper war. They’re such a rock band who play music how it used to be. Unrestricted and where band and audience can interact. Top 40 fans stay at home for this one please. What inspires or has influenced your music the most? We love DIY bands. The Libertines, Black Lips, Led Zeppelin. Bands who can make a scene and don’t need to follow one. What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? Write great songs is the first. Have great mastered recordings. Make every show different. Be accessible on the Internet. Networking is huge. LIEUTENANT JAM are playing at The Brunswick Hotel on Friday January 16.
ST KILDA FESTIVAL
St Kilda Festival have revealed the lineup that will descend on the stages for the biggest day of the festival. This year, the main stage of the festival will host performances from the likes of Thundamentals, The Basics, San Cisco, The Church, Private Life, Shaun Kirk, Emma Donovan and The Putbacks, Russell Morris and Hot Dub Time Machine. This year St Kilda Festival will showcase music, visual arts, street performance, film, poetry and comedy culminating with the Festival Sunday, where around 400,000 festival goers will enjoy a wide variety of Australian music and interactive activities. The 2015 festival kicks off on Saturday January 31 and will continue until the Festival Sunday, February 8. For more information go to stkildafestival.com.au.
BOWLED OVER
The triple j Hottest 100 party Bowled Over will return again this Australia Day, featuring a number of special guests. Now in its fifth year, the upcoming Bowled Over is set to be the biggest yet – with performances by Remi, Bad//Dreems and Twinsy. The day will also feature the ‘Levi’s Cup’ barefoot bowls championship, an Aussie barbecue by Sweetwater Inn, a club house fitted with pool tables and foosball, rock’n’roll bingo hosted by Beat’s Dan Watt and the Sailor Jerry Secret Garden. Bowled Over will take place on Monday January 26 at St Kilda Bowls Club. For more information and tickets, visit bowledover.com.au. Photo by Zo Gay
WED 29 APR | NEW DATE
B-BOY WORLD CHAMPIONS TOUR
BEN FROST
Lieutenant Jam
Remi
BABY ANIMALS & THE SUPER JESUS
THU 12 FEB
MODE SELEKTOR SAT 14 FEB
NEON PARTY UV PAINT
THE MEANIES
Australia’s favourite punk-rockers The Meanies are wishing fans a very belated Xmas with a free entry show at The Espy Gershwin Room this Saturday January 17. They’ve thrown together an all killer, no filler lineup with Warped and Wolfpack rolling out the red carpet. It all goes down at The Espy from 9pm.
TIX + INFO THEHIFI.COM.AU 125 SWANSTON ST, MELBOURNE
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 22
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Estere
PIERS FESTIVAL
The Piers Festival returns for its fourth year this January, taking place in Port Melbourne over the Australia Day weekend. Celebrating Melbourne’s rich assortment of communities, the festival will feature a lineup of music, dance, markets, exhibitions, forums, and more. Headlining will be a multicultural ensemble led by the legendary Painters and Dockers performing with an extraordinarily talented selection of artists including Rebecca Barnard, Flybz and the Mystic Trio. The Piers Festival will take place for free on Sunday January 25 at Princes Pier, Port Melbourne from 12pm – 9.30pm. More information is available from the Multicultural Arts Victoria website.
NEXT STOP MELBOURNE
Next Stop Melbourne, now in its second year, is an all-day celebration of contemporary African cultures in Melbourne to be held on Sunday February 1. The vibrant, forward-thinking event features an eclectic lineup of talent from both established and emerging artists from the African-Australian diaspora including music, theatre, visual art, spoken word and poetry. Artists announced include SK Simeon, Estère, N Y U O N, True Vibenation, Somali Peace Band, Olugbade Okunade and Still Nomads. Next Stop Melbourne 2015 will be a free event presented in association with the SummerSalt Outdoor Arts Festival, running from 2pm-8pm at the SummerSalt Festival Hub in Southbank.
THE BIRTH OF BLACK SABBATH CELEBRATED
CIARA
Ciara will hit Australian shores next month. Since the release of her 2004 debut solo album Goodies (which has sold more than five million copies internationally to date), over the course of her career Ciara has collaborated with the likes of Missy Elliot, Ludacris, Justin Timberlake and Nicki Minaj. Catch her at Alumbra on Sunday February 22. Tickets through Moshtix.
On 13 February 1970, Black Sabbath released their debut self-titled album and heavy metal was born. 45 years later, The Yarraville club are celebrating this date and the band that changed the world. Performing the entire Black Sabbath debut album live will be a one-off collaboration of Melbourne’s most respected original heavy rock exponents, supergroup The Wizards featuring members of Dead City Ruins, Redcoats, My Left Boot, Sheriff and A Gazillion Angry Mexicans. The Wizards will also play an encore set of Sabbath favourites guaranteed to excite the most head-banging Sabbath aficionado. In support will be Child and Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene. MC James ‘The Hound Dog’ Young will be hosting the night with DJ Max Crawdaddy kickin’ on till 1am. It all goes down Friday February 13 from 7.30pm. Tix from yarravillelive.com or on the door if available.
THE TELEVISION ADDICTS
Perth punk band The Victims are set to be reincarnated as The Television Addicts for a run of east coast shows. The Television Addicts were born in Perth last year when two of The Victims’ founding members, James Baker and Dave Faulkner, joined forces with longtime fan Ray Ahn to play through some Victims classics. Next month, fans on the other side of the country will also get the chance to see the trio, with shows in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Catch The Television Addicts on Thursday February 12 at The Reverence Hotel. Tickets are available through the Reverence website.
COLLARBONES
Collarbones have announced a national tour in support of their new album, Return. The February tour will see the duo take their huge live show around Australia, performing tracks off of Return in addition to a bunch of Collarbones classics. They’ll play Hugs & Kisses on Thursday February 12.
Tone Deaf / Beat / the brag / Metal obsession / Welkin entertainment / Wild Thing Presents
A Gift to afterthought australian tour january 2015 melbourne the evelyn hotel
sunday january 25 australia day eve with special guests
Presale Tickets Available at wildthingpresents.com, Oztix & Venues
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 23
TOURING
WHO'S ON TOUR, WHERE AND WHEN
For all the latest tour dates check out beat.com.au
INTERNATIONAL THE GROWLERS Corner Hotel January 14 TIM HECKER Howler January 14 MARDUK AND INQUISITION Northcote Social Club January 14, The Hi-Fi January 16 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL Bennets Lane January 15 – 29 AFENGINN Sooki Lounge January 15, John Curtin January 16 SLOW CLUB Northcote Social Club January 15 JESUS JONES Corner Hotel January 15 2CELLOS Palais Theatre January 15 THE 1975 Festival Hall January 15 FRIKSTAILERS NGV January 16 NELLY Sidney Myer Music Bowl January 16 THE COATHANGERS January 16 EVERYTIME I DIE Corner Hotel January 16 OUTFIELD Railway Hotel January 17 XYLOURIS WHITE Howler January 17 OMAR SOULEYMAN Corner Hotel January 19 SWANS Corner Hotel January 20 CAMILLIE O’SULLIVAN Melbourne Arts Center January 20 – 24 JESSE LEACH Eureka Rebellion Trading January 21 THE CLEAN Corner Hotel January 22 PETAR DUNDOV Brown Alley January 23 ICEAGE Ding Dong Lounge January 23 FAT FREDDY’S DROP Palais Theatre January 23 CLARK Boney January 23 TRUCKFIGHTERS Cherry Bar January 23, Yah Yah’s January 24 JAMIE T The Forum January 24 SUGAR MOUNTAIN January 24 THE KOOKS Sidney Myer Music Bowl January 24 SHONEN KNIFE Ding Dong Lounge January 25 ZA! Ding Dong Lounge January 25 CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN The Hi-Fi January 25 NAS The Forum January 25 MEWITHOUTYOU 170 Russell January 25 ODESZA Howler January 25 FKA TWIGS 170 Russell January 28 RUSTIE Howler January 29 PERFECT PUSSY Corner Hotel January 29 SOHN Corner Hotel January 30 EYEHATEGOD The Hi-Fi January 30 JOHNNY MARR The Forum January 31 CHIODOS Corner Hotel January 31 BELLE & SEBASTIAN Palais Theatre February 1 FAIRFIELD SUMMER SERIES Fairfield Ampitheatre February 1, 8, 15, 22 LITTLE DRAGON 170 Russell February 2 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM The Forum February 3, Prince Of Wales February 4 RAURY Howler February 3 JAMES BAY Northcote Social Club February 4 ANGEL OLSEN Howler February 4 MAC DEMARCO The Hi-Fi February 4 JUNGLE 170 Russell February 4 HIGHASAKITE Corner Hotel February 4 CONNAN MOCKASIN Howler February 5 VIC MENSA Corner Hotel February 5 BENJAMIN BOOKER Northcote Social Club February 5 CARIBOU The Forum February 5 SUZI QUATRO Melbourne Arts Centre February 5, 6, 7 RATKING Ding Dong Lounge February 6 LANEWAY FESTIVAL Footscray Community Arts Centre February 7 STING AND PAUL SIMON A Day on the Green February 7, Rod Laver Arena February 10 SARAH MCLAUGHLAN Melbourne Recital Centre February 9
J MASCIS Melbourne Recital Centre February 13 LUNICE Howler February 14 GENIUS OF TIME Venue TBA February 14 THE ANTLERS Melbourne Recital Centre February 14 LAMB The Forum February 14 CJ RAMONE Reverance Hotel February 14, Bendigo Hotel February 15 DANIEL ROSSEN Northcote Social Club February 15 PERFUME GENIUS Corner Hotel February 15 G-EAZY Howler February 16 LINDSEY STIRLING Forum Theatre February 17 TINASHE The Hi-Fi February 20 ROXETTE Rod Laver Arena February 20, Rochford Wines Yarra Valley February 21 PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT Corner Hotel February 21 SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL Flemington Racecourse February 21, 22 HINDS John Curtain Hotel February 22 THE EAGLES Rod Laver Arena February 22, Hanging Rock Macedon February 28 CIARA Alumbra February 22 SOUNDGARDEN Festival Hall February 24 REAL ESTATE Corner Hotel February 25 DRAKE Rod Laver Arena February 27 STEPHEN MALKMUS & THE JICKS Melbourne Zoo February 27 DELTRON 3030 The Hi-Fi February 27 FREDDIE GIBBS Corner Hotel February 28 FOO FIGHTERS Etihad Stadium February 28 BRUNSWICK MUSIC FESTIVAL Various Venues, Brunswick March 1 – 15 MOGWAI Hamer Hall March 1 SHARON VAN ETTEN The Hi-Fi March 3 SHOVELS & ROPE AND SHAKEY GRAVES Corner Hotel March 4 SINEAD O’CONNOR Hamer Hall March 4 RUFUS WAINWRIGHT Palais Theatre March 4 GRUFF RHYS Northcote Social Club March 5 TECH N9NE The Hi-Fi March 6 NENEH CHERRY Hamer Hall March 6 FIRST AID KIT Palais Theatre March 6 PARQUET COURTS The Hi-Fi March 6 MAITREYA FESTIVAL Sea Lake, Victoria March 6 – 9 WOMADELAIDE Botanic Park, Adelaide March 6 – 9 SINEAD O CONNOR Port Fairy Folk Festival March 6 – 9 GRAVEYARD Ding Dong Lounge March 7 WAYNE ‘THE TRAIN’ HANCOCK Ding Dong Lounge March 6, Caravan Club March 7 MACY GRAY Palais Theatre March 7 THE POP GROUP Corner Hotel March 7 FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL Flemington Racecourse March 8 65DAYSOFSTATIC Northcote Social Club March 8, 9 GOODLIFE Flemington Racecourse March 9 PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING Northcote Social Club March 10 OBLIVIANS The Tote March 11, 12, 13 LOS STRAITJACKETS & BIG SANDY LuWOW March 12 BALKAN BEAT BOX Prince Bandroom March 12 ADAM COHEN Caravan Club March 13, The Toff In Town March 14 MAE Corner Hotel March 14 FOREST SWORDS Howler March 14 HTRK Shadow Electric March 15 TONY JOE WHITE Thornbury Theatre March 18 BOBBY BROWN The Forum March 19 SMALLTOWN Secret warehouse location TBA March 21 SUN KIL MOON Athenaeum Theatre March 21 URIAH HEEP Shoppingtown Hotel March 21, Chelsea Heights March 22 BILLY IDOL Margaret Court Arena March 24, A Day On The Green March 21 MASTODON Festival Hall March 27 THE HILLS ARE ALIVE The Farm March 27 – 29 EMERY Northcote Social Club March 29
PROUDLy PRESENTS
MAR
6&9
CLOWNS
The Bendigo Hotel
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 24
SWITCHFOOT 170 Russell March 31 BEN HOWARD Margaret Court Arena March 31 KEB’ MO’ Melbourne Recital Centre March 31 CHARLES BRADLEY Corner Hotel April 1 JURASSIC 5 Festival Hall April 1 PAOLO NUTINI Palais Theatre April 1 SERENA RYDER Northcote Social Club April 2 MICHAEL FRANTI Festival Hall April 2 BETH HART Melbourne Recital Centre April 2 BOOGIE 9 Bruzzy’s Farm, Tallarook April 3 – 7 REBELUTION Corner Hotel April 3 GEORGE CLINTON & PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC 170 Russell April 3 BAND OF SKULLS Bluesfest, Byron Bay April 3, Rochford Wines April 5, Corner Hotel April 7 COUNTING CROWS Palais Theatre April 4 G. LOVE AND SPECIAL SAUCE Thornbury Theatre April 4 THE CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD Corner Hotel April 4 THE BLACK KEYS Rolling Green April 5, Margaret Court Arena April 7 TROMBONE SHORTY AND ORLEANS AVENUE Corner Hotel April 6 RODRIGO Y GABRIELA Palais Theatre April 7 POKEY LAFARGE Caravan Club April 8, Corner Hotel April 9 GARY CLARK JR. 170 Russell April 8 JIMMY CLIFF Corner Hotel April 8 DAVE & PHIL ALVIN Northcote Social Club April 9 NORMA JEAN Evelyn Hotel April 10 THE GIPSY KINGS Palais Theatre April 10 FRANK TURNER Corner Hotel April 12 ARCHITECTS 170 Russell April 12 ATILLA Arrow On Swanston April 15 (AA), Corner Hotel April 16 (18+) THE DICKIES The Evelyn April 16 JORDIE LANE The Toff In Town April 18, 19 THE OCEAN The Evelyn April 18 CITIZEN Reverence Hotel April 20, 21 (AA) DEMI LOVATO Margaret Court Arena April 24 SAM SMITH Margaret Court Arena April 30 PALOMA FAITH Palais Theatre May 5 ANASTACIA Palais Theatre May 7 SUFFOCATION & DECAPITATED Corner Hotel May 9 ALT-J Rod Laver Arena May 10 NICKELBACK Rod Laver Arena May 15 AGAINST ME! Corner Hotel June 6 YELLOWCARD Margaret Court Arena July 11 NEIL DIAMOND Rod Laver Arena October 27 AUDRA MCDONALD Hamer Hall October 31 TAYLOR SWIFT AAMI Park December 11
PROUDLy PRESENTS
JAN
22
THE CLEAN The Corner Hotel
The Bennies
JAN
24
BEECHWORTH MUSIC FESTIVAL
Madman's Gully Amphitheatre
NATIONAL MELBOURNE FOLK CLUB SUMMER SEASON Melbourne Folk Club January 14 – March 25 SUNSET SERIES Fitzroy Gardens January 14 – 18 KIM CHURCHILL Corner Hotel January 15 THE MEANIES The Espy January 17 LUNATICS ON POGOSTICKS Shebeen January 17 ONE DAY SUNDAYS Penny Black January 18 STEP The Toff In Town January 21 SUMMERSALT FESTIVAL Melbourne Arts Precinct January 23 – Februrary 21 THE FROWNING CLOUDS Shadow Electric January 23 ART OF SLEEPING Northcote Social Club January 23 KING PARROT Gasometer Hotel January 24 ALI BARTER Workers Club January 24 BEECHWORTH MUSIC FESTIVAL Madman’s Gully Amphitheatre, Beechworth January 24 BALLARAT BEER FESTIVAL City Oval, Ballarat January 24 PIERS FESTIVAL Princes Pier, Port Melbourne January 25 DALLAS CRANE Corner Hotel January 25 TEETH & TONGUE Gasometer Hotel January 25 FRENZAL RHOMB The Loft January 22, Karova Lounge January 23, Barwon Heads Hotel January 24, Reverence Hotel January 25 CALIGULA’S HORSE The Evelyn Hotel, January 25 BOWLED OVER St Kilda Bowls Club January 26 PRINCE BANDROOM AUSTRALIA DAY CONCERT Prince Bandroom January 26 ME The Evelyn Hotel January 30 ST KILDA FESTIVAL Various Venues, St Kilda January 31 – February 8 BENNY WALKER St Kilda Festival January 31, Melbourne Zoo March 13 NEXT STOP MELBOURNE SummerSalt Festival Hub, South Bank February 1 THE SMITH STREET BAND The Hi-Fi January 31, Northcote Social Club February 1 (U18) CLARE BOWDITCH Flying Saucer Club February 1, 8, 15, 22 NGV SUMMER SUNDAYS February 1, 8, 15, 22 POND Corner Hotel February 3 BEN FROST The Hi-Fi February 5 THE VANNS Sandbar, Mildura February 5, Gordon Hotel, Portland Febraury 7, Hotel Warnambool February 8, The Espy February 12, Saloon Bar, Traralgon February 27 SUMMER SOUNDS Various venues, Hobsons Bay Febraury 7 – 28 GUY PEARCE & DARREN MIDDLETON Thornbury Theatre February 7 LEPERS & CROOKS Lucky Coq February 8, Old Bar February 9, Great Britain Hotel February 14 THE TELEVISION ADDICTS Reverence Hotel February 12 COLLARBONES Hugs & Kisses February 12 INFECTED MUSHROOM RMH February 12 THE NECKS Melbourne Recital Centre February 12 THE BIRTH OF BLACK SABBATH CELEBRATED Yarraville Club February 13 RIVERBOATS MUSIC FESTIVAL Echuca-Moama February 13 – 15
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JAN
23 -24
TRUCKFIGHTERS Cherry Bar & Yah Yah's
MEGAN WASHINGTON 170 Russell February 13 JAM AT THE DAM Invermay February 14 CARUS THOMPSON Northcote Social Club February 15 LITTLE BASTARD Northcote Social Club February 19 LIME CORDIALE Northcote Social Club February 20 KYNETON MUSIC FESTIVAL Kyneton Mechanics Institute February 20 – 21 ANGUS AND JULIA STONE Margaret Court Arena February 27 DZ DEATHRAYS Northcote Social Club February 27, 28 HOW YA GARN? YEAH NOT BAD John Curtin Hotel February 28 BETWEEN THE BAYS FESTIVAL Penbank School, Moorooduc February 28 RUTH MOODY Bella Union March 4, Caravan Club March 5 PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL Port Fairy, Victoria March 6 – 9 CLOWNS Bendigo Hotel March 6, 9 (AA) VANCE JOY Palais Theatre March 12, 13 KINGSWOOD The Forum March 13 LUCA BRASI Northcote Social Club March 14, Wrangler Studios March 15 KYLIE MINOGUE Rod Laver Arena March 18 ROCK THE BAY The Espy March 21 WHOLE LOTTA LOVE Palais Theatre March 21 THE BENNIES Northcote Social Club March 21, Wrangler Studios March 22 LISA MITCHELL Howler March 27 PENINSULA PICNIC Mornington Racecource March 29 ROLLING GREEN FESTIVAL Rochford Wines Yarra Valley April 5 AUGIE MARCH Melbourne Recital Centre April 15 THE GETAWAY PLAN Corner Hotel May 22 DARREN COGGAN The Palms July 3
RUMOURS JESSIE J, U2, PAUL MCCARTNEy
= NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
SPARROWÊ ANDÊ SEEDÊ TOUR
24th JANUARY - MELBOURNE - THE WESLEY ANNE 25th JANUARY - MELBOURNE - THE BONEY 1 2 t h F E B R U A R Y - S Y D N E Y - T H E VA N G U A R D W W W. E D W E L L S M U S I C . C O M
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 25
OPIUO
THE RENEGADE OF RAINBOW SERPENT By Liza Dezfouli
New Zealand-native Opiuo, musician and producer and recipient of a New Zealand Music award for Best Electronica Album, is about to do his funkadelic bass music thing again at Rainbow Serpent and while it will be mostly him playing solo, there are rumours of an accompanying instrumentalist. His show is unpredictable; he’s constantly reinventing himself and playing at some of the biggest festivals around the globe.
Opiuo, aka Oscar Davey-Wraight, was born at the very tip of the South Island of New Zealand in a small country town called Motueka. You could almost argue he was born into the festival scene, as his parents used to lease their land to music festivals in New Zealand. From a young age, he was exposed to an enormous variety of sounds, from Bob Marely to Herbie Hancock and everything in between, and he credits his parents as being hugely supportive of his choices. “There were loads of festivals on their land,” he says. “The Orinoco music festival. It was very social, [there were] lots of parties. That was in the early days of electronic music, like Salmonella Dub; an electronic-ish feel with four drums on the floor. It led on to Contrain and then The Gathering in the ‘90s. I went to those as a kid. I was really young and here was this phat round sound. It was awesome.” Robo Booty, from his debut solo album Slurp and Giggle, was the song that took Davey-Wraight from cultstatus to gargantuan in 2010. With things moving at light-speed, there’s not much time for him to reminisce about the days when he studied landscape design. “I got into music organically, played drums, piano, then I started DJing with my own songs. People liked them, people kept asking me to do them and I kept going.” No need for a day job, then. “I spend my life touring the world; I went to seven or eight countries last year. I released an album last March. It had a successful I pledge campaign and I toured that album for six months.” That album was Meraki, which was a finalist for Best Electronica Album at the New Zealand Music Awards and from there he claimed five UK Glitch/ Hop awards. The evidence stacks up, and it doesn’t stop there. Davey-Wraight sold out his tour of Canada last year and his Soundcloud page has over five million views. He’s also enjoyed number one status on Beatport, Additech, and iTunes, with his album Slurp and Giggle as the most downloaded album of 2010 from additch. com, and it was also nominated for the Australian Music Awards Best Dance/Electronic Release. Talk about a high achiever. “I’ve worked with some brilliant instrumentalists,” Davey-Wraight says, with names like MC Hammer, Pretty Lights and Bassnectar to name just a few, and he’s also done remixes for Gwen Stefani and Kimbra. With Mexican guitarist Albino, who he met years ago at Rainbow, the duo went on to work on a series of albums together known as Sun Monx. He’s also appeared at The Producers’ Conference at the Revolt art space, sharing tips on making music. So, needless to say life’s pretty good for the MotuekaBEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 26
born, who’s now based in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. Word-of-mouth was what brought him to Melbourne: “I’d lived in Wellington and Auckland and this was the next step,” he says. “I had friends here and they told me it was happening musically, but moving here wasn’t necessarily [only] a music thing.”
“THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS OF GIVING AN ORGANIC FEEL TO AN ELECTRONIC SOUND, WAYS OF CREATING A PHAT ROUND ELECTRONIC SOUND. GOOD CROSSOVER WITH LIVE GUITAR AND SYNTHESISER. MUSIC IS AURAL PLEASURE. IT TRANSPORTS YOU. IT TAKES OVER AND YOU’RE GONE” Davey-Wraight’s well aware he’s living the dream and talks about his success with extreme modesty. “It’s quite surreal that this is what I do for a living,” he says and he’s generally unconcerned with making an impression: “I don’t want to be famous or feed my ego. I’m having a good time. I’m really lucky; I play what I play, do what I do.” In grappling with newlyfound fame, he says there’s that inevitable innerconversation about keeping the ego in check and to remained unspoiled by success: “There are definitely those moments when I think, ‘I still have to be me’,” he contends. Keeping it fresh, for him and for the audience is his motto and he’s constantly six months ahead of himself. “I follow my nose [and] keep myself challenged,” he says. His definition of what constitutes a successful night is simple: “If you go to a party and someone rocks the dance floor,” he says. “It depends on the crowd. It varies. Different dance floors can all be different worlds. Outdoor festival audiences tend to like trance and Psy. You have to get a good groove on. I know when you dive into a track, into a vibe and when it fully drops and that’s when you lose it and you just go. Most electronic music triggers something in you,” he adds. “There are various ways of giving an organic feel to an electronic sound, ways of creating a phat round
DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION
electronic sound. Good cross-over with live guitar and synthesiser. Music is aural pleasure. It transports you. It takes over and you’re gone.” Although he does what he likes, these days Opiuo is besieged with requests from punters, insisting he do one song or another: “I’m one of the bigger people in the Australian festival scene. You’re expected to do your thing.” ‘Soulful and playful funky glitch’ is one of the ways his sound has been described, and he admits he’s a little unsure of where he sits in the electronic music scene. “I do my own thing. It’s an original kind of sound, most of the time it’s a funky music sound that’s bass-heavy, with a bass lead melody. My music has a driving bass beat. [But] I’m not into techno or trance.” Davey-Wraight reckons there’s too heavy an emphasis on specificity when it comes to genres in the world of electronic music, and when there’s too much talk about genres, you face the risk of limiting yourself. “I’m not locked into anything,” he says and, despite himself, it may be that he’s unwittingly created his own genre. “People are calling other music ‘Opiuo,’ they’re saying things like, ‘It sounds like, quite Opiuo.’ I didn’t create it. People will interpret music their own way. I’m not too set on any one thing. The beauty is that what I do can fit into anywhere in the scene in Australia. It’s not necessarily techno or house or trance or chill out.” He contends the festivals taking place here hold their own in a global context, and Australia is leading the way with outdoor festivals. “So many people do so many different things. I just like music. The thing with electronic music is that it’s been perfected before it reaches your ears.” Clearly Davey-Wraight is simply out to have the best time exploring what he can do, with technology, with various instruments, with or without other people and he’s blithely unconcerned with how his sound is received, so long as people are having a good time. As something that’s rather refreshing in the realm of electronic music, Davey-Wraight’s determined to not take himself too seriously. “At the end of the day, music is what it is. Mine hasn’t got too much meaning; it means something to me probably, but I’m not making any statements. It’s not taken too seriously. Musicians can be aspired to, be looked up to, they can have that power. But I don’t treat my projects as anything more than musical adventures. Have fun. Be silly. Get down and have a good time.” OPIUO will be playing at Rainbow Serpent Festival which takes place over Friday January 23 until Monday January 26 in Lexton. Online tickets are now sold out. Meraki is out through Slurp Music.
T U O D L O S S T E K TIC MAZING A R U O O T S K MASSIVE THAN SUPPORT! G IN O G N O R OR YOU COMMUNITY F
ESS, SAFETY N IR A F F O T S E IN THE INTER NS THERE O R T A P F O T R O F AND THE COM SECURITY D E S A E R C IN WILL BE AN ION WITH T A IN D R O O C PRESENCE IN SPASSERS. E R T G IN T E G R POLICE TA ATION FOR INFORM E IT S B E W R U PLEASE SEE O ICES AND RIDE V R E S S U B D N ON TRAIN A TUNITIES. SHARE OPPOR
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www.rainbowserpent.net
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 27
THIS WEEK: ON SCREEN Danish director Kristian Levring’s latest film The Salvation will screen at ACMI this week. The Salvation is a gripping Western, which follows brothers Jon (Mads Mikkelsen) and Peter (Mikael Persbrandt) as they make the journey from Europe to the New World in the 1870s. Any hopes for a bright future however are quickly dashed when Jon’s family are brutally attacked. What follows is a bloody battle of greed, corruption and vengeance. The Salvation will screen from Wednesday January 14 to Sunday February 1 at ACMI.
With Tyson Wray. Got thoughts, news, gossip, complaints or cat photos? Email tyson@beat.com.au or send by carrier pigeon before Friday 12pm. it was in Melbourne. “That was the first one where we used quite a different approach,” remembers Parkinson. “It didn’t quite click. There’s been a lot of improvement since. But with each one there’s still that core thing, going into an inflatable environment with the light coming through that translucent material.” Does Parkinson see himself experiencing with other materials? “There aren’t really materials other than PVC – it’s got the perfect characteristics, the durability and translucency, for what we do.” What technology does Parkinson use when he’s designing? “I use Rhino – a 3D modelling software,” he answers. “Speaking as someone who’s not prepared to put in the hard work of learning deeply technical programs, it’s very accessible to non-scientific people. The great thing about computers is that they free you up to create new stuff. In fact, we’re almost more inventive than we can actually cope with.” He says he’s keen to look into the area of 3D printing. Are there any structures, either natural or manmade, that especially inspire Parkinson? “Loads of stuff, really. There’s loads of interesting architecture. I do like the atmosphere generated by older architecture, whether you’re religious or not, the interior of a gothic cathedral with its fanlike rooms, and the columns and ribs, or the form of an Islamic mosque. I do really like the Sydney Opera House, the beauty and boldness of those forms.”
ON STAGE After a smashing season at The Butterfly Club, Bourbon St. To Broadway, this heartfelt cabaret act is returning back to the stage. An endearing comedic cabaret, it examines the exciting journeys life sends us on. Join a Southern Belle for a musical roller-coster of some of Broadways most iconic hits, a few hidden gems, and a bit of jazz. Whether Britni Leslie is being ‘sweet as sin’ or ‘sexy as hell’ you can’t help but get caught up in the very true story of how she ended up ‘Down Under!’ Oh, and if that’s not enough, the mad piano skills of Tim Verdon will surely get your feet tapping. It will be performed at The Butterfly Club from Wednesday January 14 Sunday January 18.
ON DISPL AY Amber Stones and Green brings together four individual artistic practices that link to women’s histories and mythologies; that embody a sense of community and hyper-connectivity. Luscious and unashamedly joyful, featuring the works of Maya Chakraborty, Georgie Glanville, Kate Just and Veronica Kent, the works of these four Melbourne artists invite us to share in all their bounteous femininity. Intoxicating colour and tactility becomes a visualising stimulus. A sense of freedom is palpable, as is an idealism that’s self aware and strikingly honest. Amber Stones and Green will be on display at Kings Artist Run until Saturday January 31.
PICK Of THE WEEK
EXXOPOLIS By Liza Dezfouli
Midsumma Festival, Melbourne’s premier queer arts and culture festival, is back for its 27th incarnation. Running for three weeks, the festival will feature 138 events across 85 venues spanning exhibitions, performing arts, live music, film, literature and community events. 2015 will also mark the 20th anniversary of the Pride March. Other highlights on the program include the Australian Same Sex Dancesport Championships, Midsumma Carnival, Miss Gay and Miss Transexual Australia and the Team Melbourne Sports Day. The 2015 Midsumma Festival has also announced two new festival champions: Former Australian Medical Association president and human rights speaker Professor Kerryn Phelps and 2014 Australia of the Year in Victoria, John Caldwell. Midsumma Festival attracts over 200,000 people, bringing visitors from regional Victoria, interstate and internationally. The 2015 Midsumma Festival will run from Sunday January 18 to Sunday February 8.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 28
Exxopolis is a wondrous and delightful experience from Architects of Air. Exxopolis is the 20th creation known as a luminarium, a translucent PVC structure that people wander through. Beat asked Alan Parkinson, designer and founder of Architects of Air, about the creation of the luminarium celebrating the company’s twentieth year of operation. The first luminarium was Eggopolis which featured at the Edinburgh Festival back in 1992. Parkinson formed Architects of Air the following year. The structure travelling to Australia nods to the first luminarium in, where the ‘egg’ in its name becomes ‘exx’. Parkinson says he was always fascinated with the effects of light, as a child photographer and later as an adult experimenting with inflatable translucent plastic structures. Parkinson stumbled across the medium years ago when working with young offenders trying to create an inflatable mattress. Flaws in that design led Parkinson try to improve on it and as a result of that he found himself designing structures people could walk through. The company still maintains links with the community workshop in Nottingham which worked on the first luminarium. “There are five or six of the big structures touring the world at any one time,” he explains. “They need to be autonomous.” The Exxopolis is notable for its dome, a centrepiece called the cupola, which boasts a stained glass window effect, the design of which is inspired by English tiles and placed in patterns similar to tile arrangements throughout the Middle East. Also it was the first one designed entirely on computer. “It did make a bit of a difference,” says Parkinson. “It was so much less laborious as I was able to farm out the more routine stuff to other people. It wasn’t just me struggling with motivation, with drawing, rubbing out, drawing and rubbing out again. Working on the computer means I can be more self-indulgent in terms of me thinking, I fancy this or I fancy that, without
having to do the grunt work associated with my fancies. The thing with Exxopolis is the cupola. Each new luminaria involves the evolution of forms we’ve tried out in the past in different ways. A lot of what I’m doing doesn’t involve fundamentally starting from scratch with each new structure. I’m looking to improve on things that nearly worked the previous time, things I’d like to see work better. Exxopolis did have quite a lot of work done to the more prosaic elements of the structure, the reception, the tent airlock, but they don’t constitute the core elements of the experience for the visitor. This one was conceived on a bigger scale so we were dealing with bigger pressure; there was more strain on the structure.” Beat recalls visiting the Arcazzar years ago when
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Architects of Air are currently working on a new luminarium, inspired by natural forms. “It’s themed around trees,” continues Parkinson. “It should be finished around next May or June.” Does Parkinson see Architects of Air expanding into other areas? “We’re not looking to expand hugely but we’re building new stuff. We do have various interesting things going on. This year we’re working on two new little structures to explore applications. We’re kind of in the early stages of collaboration with CERN (the European Centre for Nuclear Research), combining imagery produced by CERN with a structure. Also we’re working with a dance company in the UK for people with special needs; the company wants to create a space that’s completely mapped using projections.” How does Parkinson himself feel when he walks into one of his luminaria? “They do continue to cause me to reflect – to stimulate new reflections. Usually when I go in I haven’t got a responsive hat on, I go in with a work hat on. The whole experience for me is quite hard to articulate.” So Parkinson quotes a Czech visitor who described the experience of visiting luminaria as like being inside both a womb and a cathedral. “I am relieved that I am still working on something that I have a sense of connection with,” he adds.
Exxopolis can be experienced at MONA FOMA from Wednesday January 14 - Monday January 19, as part of the SummerSalt Outdoor Arts Festival from Thursday January 23 - Sunday February 1 or at WOMADelaide from Friday March 6 - Monday March 9. Visit architects-of-air.com for more details.
THE COMIC STRIP PUBLIC BAR COMEDY
For more arts news, reviews and interviews visit beat.com.au
Public Bar Comedy is returning in 2015 on Saturday afternoons. For details on the lineups including Tom Gleeson, Celia Pacquola, Justin Hamilton cutting loose visit thepublicbar.com.au.
PORTL AND HOTEL COMEDY Celia Pacquola
Five Boroughs Comedy has moved. And this Thursday, Celia Pacquola headlines Portland Hotel Comedy. Plus they’ve also got Justin Hamilton, Joel Creasey, Nick Cody, Demi Lardner and more. It’s all happening this Thursday January 15 at 8.30pm, at Portland Hotel Comedy, 127 Russell Street (upstairs), CBD, all for only $12.
WHAT RHYMES WITH CARS AND GIRLS
Melbourne Theatre Company will present the world premiere of a unique new collaboration between You Am I’s Tim Rogers and playwright Aidan Fennessy. What Rhymes With Cars and Girls weaves together songs from Rogers’ debut solo album with words by Fennessy to create a contemporary Australian story of love across the class divide ± complete with a three-piece band led by Rogers himself. The show tells the story of Tash (Sophie Ross) and Johnno ( Johnny Carr) who fall in love despite their different backgrounds and lifestyles. What Rhymes With Cars and Girls will run from Friday February 13 to Saturday March 28 at Arts Centre Melbourne.
MSO’S SIDNEY MYER FREE CONCERTS
THE RITUAL SLAUGHTER OF GORGE MASTROMAS
If you could lie without flinching, corrupt without caring and succeed at all costs ± how far could you go? Opening the 2015 season for Red Stitch is the Australian premiere of Dennis Kelly’s The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas, a dark and twisted morality fable which sees a man toss out his conscience and soar to terrifying heights. Embark on the life of Gorge Mastromas, from innocence and early promise, to the height of success and all that follows. A dark and electrifying modern tale that asks: when is good truly good, and when is it just cowardice? It will be performed at Red Stitch from Friday February 6 Saturday March 7.
THE ORCHID & THE CROW
Button Eye Productions will present the premiere of The Orchid & The Crow ± a tragi-comedy about faith, sex, identity and ritual, created and performed by Daniel Tobias and directed by Christian Leavesley as part of the The Coopers Malthouse resident artist initiative. Reflecting on Daniel’s real life (and almost death) experiences, The Orchid & The Crow is a solo performance that also features original songs from the award-winning writers of Die Roten Punkte. It will be performed from Friday February 13 - Sunday February 22.
Pack a picnic, relax on the lawn, and experience the beautiful sounds of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra this summer at Melbourne’s favourite outdoor venue, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. MSO’s Sidney Myer Free Concerts are a treasured annual series that have been part of Melbourne cultural life since 1959, and 2015 will see performances held on Saturday February 14, Wednesday February 18 and Saturday February 21. The opening concert on Valentine’s Day, A Musical Valentine, will feature Associate Conductor Benjamin Northey and is designed to let emotions soar and romance take wing, Summer Nights in Budapest will have the music of Hungary and a goodly dash of Magyar energy pulsing though its veins, while the Eastern European theme continues in the final concert, Bohemian Rhapsodies, with three popular works conducted by Gergerly Madaras. Head to mso.com.au for more details.
I LOVE GREEN GUIDE LETTERS Wil Anderson
As promised, to celebrate hitting 10,000 listeners I Love Green Guide Letters is throwing a huge free live show. 4pm this Saturday at the Comics Lounge. No booking needed, simply be at the venue and be ready to celebrate with Steele Saunders and the always hilarious special guests. Get up to speed by listening to recent episodes with the likes of Wil Anderson, Peter Hitchener and Jane Kennedy free on iTunes or ilovegreenguideletters.com and we’ll see you Saturday afternoon.
COMEDY AT SPLEEN Demi Lardner
THE ATOMIC BOMBSHELLS
BLAK CABARET
Blak Cabaret is Malthouse Theatre’s star-spangled gala to unleash season 2015. Featuring some of Australia’s finest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers, Blak Cabaret combines biting satire with soulful music for an outdoor event like no other. Forming part of the inaugural SummerSalt Outdoor Arts Festival, a six-week outdoor arts program set to bring to life the Melbourne Arts Precinct, Blak Cabaret transforms the The Coopers Malthouse forecourt for a party that lights up the night with music, comedy and dance. It will be performed from Tuesday February 10 - Sunday February 22.
American burlesque super troupe The Atomic Bombshells will return to Melbourne for one night only. Get ready to be dazzled by Seattle’s polished and perfectly-choreographed professional burlesque troupe, as they celebrate ten years of presenting a show that celebrates and integrates seamlessly the worlds of burlesque, drag, dance, and theatre with good humour and classic style. Catch them on Saturday January 24 at The Toff In Town.
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There’s another big lineup at Comedy At Spleen this Monday. It’s always completely packed, and you can see why with another awesome bunch of comics this week. This week, Mike Goldstein hosts, plus there are heaps of guests including Nick Cody, Michael Hing, Bart Freebairn, Steele Saunders, Daniel Connell and more. It’s this Monday January 19, at 41 Bourke Street, CBD, at 8.30pm. It’s free to get in, but they appreciate a good gold coin donation at the door.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 29
For more arts news, reviews and interviews visit beat.com.au
LUDOVICO EINAUDI By Liza Dezfouli
You might not know Ludovico Einaudi’s name but you will almost certainly have heard his music. Einaudi, creator of 11 record-breaking albums, is often called ‘the world’s most popular classical composer.’ He has coined his own genre for his music: ‘atmospherica,’ described as ‘a fusion of classical, pop, rock minimalist’ which has been compared to that of musicians like Philip Glass, Steve Reich and Erik Satie. Einaudi’s work can range from a full orchestral sound to electronica to the sounds of world music, utilising instruments such as the kalimba (thumb piano).
FILM — 14 Jan – 1 Feb ACMI, Federation Square acmi.net.au
A killer Western with a twist starring Mads Mikkelsen and Eva Green
Einaudi’s last tour of Australia resulted in an instant invitation to return and he will be performing at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall in February. “The last time I went anywhere in Australia, I was really well-received,” he remembers. “It was very warm. I had to come back, no question of it.” The Italy-based composer has composed much music for film and television including the Oscar-winning film Black Swan, the scores for J. Edgar and The Intouchables as well as scores for This is England and for Ricky Gervais’s TV series Derek. His concerts in Sydney and Melbourne will include 19 musicians from the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra performing string-heavy versions of Einaudi’s compositions. “I will be bringing some different repertoire. In the concert there will be some new music as well as the other music I played here previously,” he tell us, speaking to Beat on the phone from Italy. “Music he played here previously includes the enormously popular tunes from his 2013 album In a Time Lapse, which references baroque and Italian folk music, and features late romantic strings textures and a wide variety of percussions and electronics. “Audiences will see some little changes – they will get a different view of my music,” Einaudi adds. Einaudi makes it clear that for him music is a vocation. As a teenager he started composing his own music and playing folk guitar. When did Einaudi first realise that music would be his life? “I knew when I was 16 or 17. I realised I couldn’t live a life away from music. It has become something like a religion. Even when I play with a group. Yesterday in Rome during rehearsals I was looking at the musicians in the group, looking at their faces…For some musicians it’s like a religion. Thinking about participation in music, it’s always a bit of religion for everyone – to be there, to be devoted. Even if you’re not connected to a particular religion, you can love sacred music. The fact is that music can touch a spiritual side of life, even to people who are not practicing any religion; they can be in touch with their spirituality through music.” Einaudi comes from a musical background; his mother played the piano to him as a child. and he was exposed to a wide range of classical and pop music as he grew M up. He went on to train as a classical composer and pianist at the Milan Conservatorio before continuing his studies with Luciano Berio, one of the most important composers of the twentieth century avantgarde. Although Einaudi has received commissions from such prestigious institutions such as the USA’s Tanglewood Festival, Paris’ IRCA and more recently the National Centre of Performing Arts of Beijing, he moved beyond the strictly classical and forged a musical career informed by his eclectic preferences. Does he think being Italian give him anything special musically? “Probably yes,” he answers. “I don’t feel like a typical Italian. Growing up I listened to music from different sources, not just music from Italy. But I’m from here, it’s in my blood and bones so I cannot judge.” In 2005 his country awarded him the ‘Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana’ (or ‘OMRI’), the senior order of Knighthood bestowed by the Italian Republic. Is there anything Einaudi been longing to explore or experiment with that he hasn’t yet? “You want to explore something different,” he says. “Something you’ve not done before. I do want to explore something in the future. There’s something I always search for when composing, that I’m very interested in, it is always part of my work.” Whose music does he like to hear? “There are no particular things I listen to; one day it will be a concerto by Bach, another collection of Asian songs. I like to evolve, explore different cultures, many things still to do. Really one life is not enough to do everything! I love the piano,” he declares. “The fact that you can really make the sound yourself: I press keys, make a sound – it’s direct. You’re touching sound, making strong vibrations with your fingers.”
The Salvation
Ludovico Einaudi will perform at arts centre Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on Friday February 13 and Saturday February 14. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 30
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UPCOMING
JANUARY
on tour TIM HECKER [CAN] Wednesday January 14, Howler NELLY [USA] Friday January 16, Sidney Myer Music Bowl HEADLESS HORSEMAN [GER] Friday January 16, The Mercat MISTER SATURDAY NIGHT [USA] Saturday January 17, TBA NICO STOJAN [GER] Sunday January 18, Old Melbourne Gaol OMAR SOULEYMAN [SYR] Monday January 19, Corner Hotel TENSNAKE [GER] Friday January 23, Royal Melbourne Hotel PETAR DUNDOV [CRO] Friday January 23, Brown Alley RAINBOW SERPENT: MARCEL DETTMANN [GER], LEE BURRIDGE [UK], PETAR DUNDOV [CRO] + MORE Friday January 23 - Monday January 26, Lexton SUGAR MOUNTAIN: SOUL CLAP [USA], ANTHONY NAPLES [USA] + MORE Saturday January 24, VCA (Victorian College of the Arts) NAS [USA] Sunday January 25, The Forum SASSE [GER] Sunday January 25, Old Melbourne Gaol ODESZA [USA] Sunday January 25, Howler RUSTIE [UK] Thursday January 29, Howler SOHN [UK] Friday January 30, Corner Hotel FLYING LOTUS [USA] Friday January 30, 170 Russell SOFT ROCKS [UK] Friday January 30, The Mercat LEON VYNEHALL [UK] Sunday February 1, Lounge FINNEBASSEN [NOR] Sunday February 1, Revolver Upstairs RAURY [USA] Tuesday February 3, Howler CARIBOU [USA] Thursday February 5, The Forum VIC MENSA [USA] Thursday February 5, Corner Hotel MR SCRUFF [UK] Friday February 6, 170 Russell STEFFI [GER] Saturday February 7, TBA LEE BURRIDGE [GER], MATTHEW DEKAY [NED] Saturday February 7, Caulfield Racecourse KOLOMBO [BEL] Sunday February 8, Prince Bandroom MODESELEKTOR [GER] Thursday February 12, The Hi-Fi MADGA [USA] Saturday February 14, The Liberty Social GENIUS OF TIME [SWE] Saturday February 14, TBA G-EAZY [USA] Monday February 16, Howler MOODYMANN [USA], DJ TENNIS [ITA] Friday February 20, Brown Alley TINASHE [USA] Friday February 20, The Hi-Fi DETROIT SWINDLE [NED] Sunday February 22, Revolver Upstairs CIARA [USA] Sunday February 22, Alumbra DELTRON 3030 [USA] Friday February 27, The Hi-Fi DRAKE [USA] Friday February 27, Rod Laver Arena THEO PARRISH [USA] Saturday February 28, Revolt Artspace FREDDIE GIBBS [USA] Saturday February 28, Corner Hotel
tour rumours
Juan Atkins, Hieroglyphic Being, Vatican Shadow, Shackleton, Container, The Bug, Evian Christ, Motor City Drum Ensemble
news tours club snaps + more
electronic + urban + club life
ben frost wo rd s / li z a d ez fo u li
“Last time I played in Sydney was in a bunker in Redfern and now I’m about to perform in the Sydney Opera House,” says Melbourneborn producer and composer Ben Frost. “The gravitas of that is not lost on me.” When Beat talks to Frost, he’s at home in Reykjavik with half a metre of snow piled up outside his front door. It’s still dark outside at 10am and he’s just returned from taking his kid to school on a sled. Given the weather we’re enduring here at the time of writing, this all sounds unreal. Frost is thrilled about his forthcoming trip to Australia: “I am excited about it; I’ve got lots of friends down there, my family , it kind of feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve been in Australia. I’ve been away for a third of my life. I’m going to be performing at MOFO, performing music from the record. I’ve taken it to 60 different countries over the last summer – it’s about time I brought it home.” The record in question is Aurora, from last year. Frost’s musical adventures, mostly created in collaboration, are extremely varied, thus his work hard to describe in a few words: ‘sound art, postclassical electronic, minimalist metal, sound scape, structured, shapeshifting’ are some of the things said about it. Asked to
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describe his style Frost says “I, to quote, ‘Really only focus style on the project at hand’.” Frost has had commissions from Melbourne’s Chunky Move, Wayne McGregor/Random Dance and Akram Khan in the dance world and has collaborated with the likes of Brian Eno, who he came to know when Eno chose him for the Rolex Mentor and Protegé program which involved 12 months of working together. One of the results of this partnership was Sólaris, a re-scoring of the Tarkovsky classic for Poland’s Sinfonietta Cracovia. Eno and Frost have continued to work together on a range of projects. Frost has also made music for film and art installations as well as directing a work of musical theatre. “My music is not made in isolation,” he says. “I’m an avid collaborator. I’ve worked with a range of different people. A lot of collaboration.” Frost moved to Iceland in 2005 and then set up The Bedroom, a record label/collective with close friends Valgeir Sigurðsson and Nico Muhly, although he insists he didn’t move to Iceland for creative reasons. “The move to Reykjavik had nothing to do with music,” he says. “Most people are privileged enough to be born
into a place where they feel at home. A place chooses you. I came here to visit a friend. It’s very quiet here. It’s not Berlin – it’s not convenient to be here – it’s not the first place you’d choose. It was true then and true now.” Does Frost think living in the extraordinary natural environment of Iceland has influenced his music in any way? “It’s hard for me to say,” he answers. “I don’t have a comparison. It’s not like I knew who I was when I moved here. I Ieft Australia as a young man of 23. The enduring myth of the tortured artist, the kind of travelling fucking wanderer absorbing the external world, that’s not me. My spaces are internal ones; I can say that I’ve been everywhere and I’m still doing what I’m doing. I live here because it feels like home. I feel happy here. When people think about Iceland… it’s all full of clichés. Some are accurate; it’s like the thinking about Australia in that way. Not dissimilar. Here they think the beer in Australia all tastes like XXXX. Iceland is unique in what it exports yet there are exceptions to that rule – there is shit music here too.” In 2013 Frost directed an opera based on the famous book The Wasp Factory by the late UK author Iain Banks. “I’d only read it,” says Frost about the beginnings of the project. “It’s this visceral gothic horror novel that resonated with me at the time. It came about from a bizarre set of coincidences, the opera started as a kind of original conversation that sparked the entire project.” Was Banks much involved in the work? “We exchanged a couple of emails. It was definitely a weird thing – he was very much alive and kicking when we put the project into gear. It definitely changed the temperature in the room when he was there. His widow was at the performance in London.” Frost says he can now see how his work on The Wasp Factory informed Aurora. “Working with the idiosyncrasies of sound and image, the physical realisation of musical ideas; it was the beginnings of what became Aurora, musically, sonically, but with different ideas. I didn’t see it at the time; I was too close to the work. It was nothing I planned – someone else pointed it out. Directing The Wasp Factory was a big step towards a bigger, more complex lexicon of exploration. The music is a kind of an excuse to get involved in other aspects of a project. I’ve had the privilege of working with some fine directorial forces. I’ve worked with the best there is on multiple occasions. ” This list includes visual artist Richard Mosse, he and Frost made a journey deep into wartorn Eastern Congo, which resulted in The Enclave; a multi-channel video and sound installation that premiered at the Venice Biennale in 2013 So how’s his Icelandic? “I speak Icelandic,” he answers. “I’d be a shit sort of immigrant if I couldn’t speak the language. I could hold my own after three years. At this point I don’t think of it as a language. It’s just talking.” A sign of fluency is when you dream in the language. Does Frost dream in Icelandic? “My dreams are pretty obtuse,” he says. “There’s not a lot of text going on.”
Ben Frost will perform at MONA FOMA which will take place from Thursday January 15 - Sunday January 18. He will also play at The Hi-Fi on Thursday February 5.
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off the record w i t h
t yson
w ray
I just can’t imagine the state of mind you’d have to be in to name your band ‘Chumbawamba’.
freddie gibbs American rapper Freddie Gibbs will return to our shores for a national tour next month. The former XXL Freshman will hit our shores on the back of his widely praised collaboration with Madlib, Pinata. With his last solo full-length dating back to 2013, he’s expected to release its follow-up early in 2015. Catch him on Saturday February 28 at The Corner Hotel.
soft rocks ciara Ciara will hit Australian shores next month. Since the release of her 2004 debut solo album Goodies (which has sold more than five million copies internationally to date), over the course of her career Ciara has collaborated with the likes of Missy Elliot, Ludacris, Justin Timberlake and Nicki Minaj. Catch her at Alumbra on Sunday February 22.
Animals Dancing will follow-up on the New Year’s Day festivities with a show from the UK’s Soft Rocks later this month. As one of the pioneers of the re-edit scene, their Disco Powerplay and Chocolate Love edit series have been staples of DJ sets worldwide. They also have an impressive back catalogue of original and remix work, with their 2011 full length The Curse of Soft Rocks receiving praise from critics worldwide. They’ll be joined by Tornado Wallace, Otologic and Andee Frost. Soft Rocks will play The Mercat on Friday January 30.
electronic - urban - club life
collarbones Collarbones have announced a national tour in support of their new album, Return. The February tour will see the duo take their huge live show around Australia, performing tracks off of Return in addition to a bunch of Collarbones classics. They’ll play Hugs & Kisses on Thursday February 12.
zanzibar chanel Fresh off of a European tour, Zanzibar Chanel will treat fans to a special homecoming show later this month. The show will mark the beginning of their Rock ‘n’ Roll Toilet World Tour and will come on the back of their debut record, Funky Junk. The evening will also feature the final performance from experimental group Elevator Alligators and the debut performance of new Ruff Records group Passion Pop. It all goes down on Saturday January 17 at The Shadow Electric.
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snaps anyway
snaps
omar souleyman
circus sundays
word s / li z a d ez fo u li On his third visit to Australia, ‘Syrian techno’ musician Omar Souleyman is keen to reconnect with his audiences here. “I have been to Australia already two times on tour and have been to all the big Australian cities,” he tells Beat through a translator. “My audience there is very enthusiastic and I am happy to return always.” The one-time mason who hails from Ra’s al’-Ayn, a Syrian town in the north-eastern region of Jazeera, has since 1996 been ‘repurposing’ his native land’s traditional dabke music, a widely popular style of folk dance music played at social gatherings in many parts of the Arab world. In recent years this form of folk music, which sees men and women dance together in a large circle, has enjoyed a real resurgence in popularity. Dabke is built around intricate instrumental leads, sermonising vocals, along with pounding trance-inducing rhythms, sharing structural similarities with Western electronic dance music. As a child in his hometown, Souleyman first heard Syrian folk music played on a long-necked lute called a bozouki and a rebab, a single-stringed fiddle, both traditional instruments used throughout Mediterranean and Middle Eastern lands. Over the last 20 years, however, Dabke musicians like himself have been incorporating synthesizers and fouron-the-floor drum machines into their compositions. In 2013, after 20 years of performing, Souleyman released his first studio album, Wenu Wenu (from UK label Ribbon Music) although he has recorded five LPs of material released through the American ethnographic music label Sublime Frequencies, accompanied on these by his long time musical colleagues Ali Shaker (electric saz) and Rizan Sa’id on synthesizer. According to Souleyman, the recording of Wenu Wenu is ‘nearly live.’ It includes a very old Kurdish song, Warni Warni, featuring electronic percussion on top of a technofolk beat. A second CD is on its way. Despite the presence of technical sounds in his music, Souleyman insists he’s a traditional musician making traditional Syrian music. His career owes much of its beginnings to bootleg recordings and You Tube videos made at Syrian weddings which quickly found their way around the Middle East. Bjork used his music in her Crystalline Series. Where does Souleyman reckon his music sits in the arena of modern Syrian music? “I do not know if you mean contemporary music, music today? I am not sure about ‘modern’ music. My music is very traditional and this way of music has existed for a long time in my region but it changes too with the time.” Souleyman maintains he never set out to
achieve fame in the West; it just happened. He refutes any suggestion of playing to Western tastes. “I have never changed or tried to adopt my music to anyone’s taste. I stay true to my tradition always. The West has discovered my music gradually.” Does he see himself as a kind of ambassador for Syrian folk music? “I do not see or try to do anything like this purposely,” he answers. “It is possible and maybe true that since I take my music to many different and faraway places in the world, I become something like this – inadvertently – but I did not set out to do that or in any way claim to represent.” Souleyman has since left weddings behind and prefers to perform live concerts. Who are his strongest musical influences? “There are many singers from my region who you would not ever have heard about but I also love the music of Fairuz and Umm Khaltoum.” Is he ever criticised by purists for his treatment of Syrian folk tunes? If so, how does he respond? “I do not care of that in the least and I do not know or pay attention to anything like this,” he answers. “I do not even know who you mean by ‘purists’.” Are there any artists he would like to work with in the future? “No there are no particular artists.” Souleyman sings in Kurdish as well as in Arabic. Given the current political and social upheavals in his country, Beat wonders if Souleyman perhaps attracts a similar following with fans as did the Rai musicians of Algeria a few decades ago, Cheb Khaled for example. We ask him if his music has been taken up by any particular segment of Syrian society as a voice of protest. Would he compare himself to Algerian Rai musicians of the 1980s? Does any of his music have that aspect of anti-establishmentarianism that came to define Rai? Souleyman is unaware of and keen to dismiss any possible political associations with his art form. His simple answer to those questions is unequivocal: “My music is for everyone who wants to listen to it, in Syria or anywhere else in the world. Honestly, I do not have any idea who that musician you speak of is. For certain my music has nothing to do with any such concept at all. My music is traditional music from my region and speaks of love and simple things in life.” Omar Souleyman will perform at MONA FOMA which will take place from Thursday January 15 - Sunday January 18. He’ll also hit the Corner Hotel on Monday January 19.
super flu
wo rd s / li z a d ez fo u li
Beat spoke to Super Flu, a couple of German electronic musicians (and whackers), known separately as Felix Thielemann and Mathias Schwartz. Usually to be heard at clubs like Fusion in Germany and ZigZag in France, they’re on their way to Australia to perform at the Rainbow Serpent Festival. “Last time we were there we met these two amazing koala girls and it was love from (sic) first sight, so we simply have to see them again.” Super Flu is based in Halle in Germany; we ask if they’re tempted to relocate to Australia but they’re happy where they are: “The joke aside, Sydney is an amazing city and it is always great to visit, but our heart is beating Halle/Saale; there is simply no other place like home.” It’s hard to get a straight answer out of these two (we did our best). We ask them where Super Flu sits in the German underground music scene. “We find ourselves very comfortable in the lovely niche we occupy... Where this is exactly situated in the underground scene, pretty much depends on your definition of the underground scene.” Super Flu’s sound is talked about in terms of ‘a playful and punchy take on feel-good tech house sounds that fuses quirky pop influences with more robust techno.’ It is seductively lighthearted, a tiny bit trippy and easy to listen to. How would they themselves describe what they do? “Having the best time while playing, learning and failing.” How do they keep their sound fresh and original? “We are simply trying not to take ourselves too seriously and to always redo our ideas. We do not follow any production guidelines; there is no recipe behind our tracks. We rethink our steps and discover new ways and ideas every time we sit in the studio. We are playing a lot with all we have and in the process make lots of mistakes. This is what we find essential or what works for us, at least.” It’s not hard to imagine you can hear the impact of German electronic genius of the past, Kraftwerk, say, in what Super Flu does. Who are or has been their biggest influences? “As predictable as it may sound, we actually find inspiration in our own lives, the people we hang out with... We find it very inspiring to just play around with things and figure out how they function, interact together, depend on each other. This is applicable not only to music, but to video, art, anything you can think of.” Who inspires them generally, musically speaking? “Artists who rediscover themselves with every production of theirs and manage to surprise us with fresh sounds that touch our hearts.” We ask who their favourites in Australia might be but they’re not mentioning any names. And they’re getting silly again. “There
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is this one band… Huge guys… With awesome voices. These guys are our favourite band from Down Under.” Right…Can they see the influence of their own work on others around them in the scene? “Yes, it does happen from time to time, actually. Sometimes we would hear a track and then realise that certain parts are taken from one of our productions. But in the end we do not think it is bad. Imitation is also a way of flattery. The important thing is that every artist should find his/her own path and create something new and exciting and not just replicate what we have already done.” Is there any artist they’d like to work with in the future? “Yes, absolutely – Jenna Haze.” Oh, naughty boys! (Jenna Haze is a US porn star). What do the two of them bring to their work individually? “We have developed a perfect symbiosis. Mathias loves pancakes and Feliks loves blueberries… So in the end we have blueberry pancakes. The best thing you can get.” Their own advice to the lacklustre is to squeeze the sound out of ‘anything that you can lay your hands on.’ Are Super Flu currently experimenting with any particular technology? “At the moment we are growing green mushrooms and hoping to get them to turn into nice and deep drums. Sometimes we record girls we are messing around with and produce a few number one hits out of the organic sounds they emit.” Where can Super Flu imagine their work heading in the future? “We would love to give gabber and Goa trance a chance, but not sure under which moniker. Any suggestions?” Beat wonders what their take on a perfect day might be. According to Schwartz it goes like this: “Wake up at 1pm, have a great breakfast with some good friends, play soccer afterwards and have a tasty dinner followed by a big party. Thielemann reckons his perfect day would involve “falling asleep at 5am after having fed some dolphins and then waking up at 1.00 pm to have breakfast with Mathias, followed by playing Mario Cart, having a good dinner (must agree with Mathias on this) and then climbing a rainbow and jumping into a pool full of candy.” Right then. Always nice to know you need never grow up. Catch Super Flu at Rainbow Serpent which is set to go down from Friday January 23 to Monday January 26 in Lexton, Victoria. They’ll also play at Revolver on Friday January 16.
electronic - urban - club life
club guide wednesday january 14
snaps be. at co.
CURIOUS TALES - FEAT: DJ WHO + TIGERFUNK + TOM SHOWTIME + FLAGRANT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. LEWES + JP KILSPRINGER + RESIDUAL Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $8.00. REVOLVER WEDNESDAYS FEAT: DAN SAN Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm.
thursday january 15 3181 THURSDAYS - FEAT: HANS DC + MAFIA + FOR YOUR EARS DJS + FAKE FORWARD + RIFFE + DOM DOLLA VS BOOT ACTION + JACK LOVE + BENSON VS MIKE METRO Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:00pm. CITI POWER INVITES WUSH Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. CQ SESSIONS Cq, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. DJ ALI E Penny Black, Brunswick. 7:00pm. FLANAGANS THURSDAYS FEAT: DJ ONTIME + COLONEL Pier Live, Frankston. 8:00pm. THE BEAT RAFFLE - FEAT: POSTIE P & DJ BUICK Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE RITZ - FEAT: KEN WALKER + ANDO + JOSHUA GILLILAND Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 10:00pm. $20.00. VARSITY - FEAT: KITI + FOOFARAW Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. WAY OF THE EAGLE + MIKE BIGALOW Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $12.25. XS DISCO - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Onesixone, Prahran. 8:00pm.
friday january 16 #EATDRINKPLAY - FEAT: ANDY MURPHY + MGMC + DJ JORJ + CAM WOODARD The Emerson, South Yarra. 10:00pm. $20.00. #MASHTAG - FEAT: MALPRACTICE + AGENT 86 + BENZO + ANDRE LE VOGUE + SILVERFOX + AHAB + OLLIE Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. BREAD & BUTTER FRIDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 8:00pm. CALYPSO OF HOUSE - FEAT: ALEX FLEMMING + PAUL JAGER Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. CAN’T SAY Platform One, Melbourne. 9:00pm. CQ FRIDAYS Cq, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. DJ BUICK
Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. DOESN’T MATTER - FEAT: DJ PENA + DJ FUMI + DAVE DINGER New Guernica, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. EPIC STYLEZ 2015 - FEAT: CODE BLACK + MASHERZ & BANGERZ + JOEY LEE + THE ORIENTALS + PARALYZER + TENSAI + SOUNDCHECK + JON BLING + SEF + HOESTY + SABC Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm. $45.00. FABULOUS FRIDAYS Co., Southbank. 8:00pm. FAKE TITS - FEAT: BOOGS + SPACEY SPACE + SUNSHINE + SAMMY LA MARCA + BUTTERS + ADAM BARTAS + JUNGLE JIM Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $15.00. FRIDAYS @ ONESIXONE - FEAT: JEN TUTTY + LUKE MCD + LEWIE DAY + PREQUEL + KATIE DROVER + MITCH KURZ + MIC NEWMAN + TOM EVANS + JOEL ALPHA + LIAM WALLER + AARON TROTTMAN + NICK JONES + JESSE YOUNG + ANDRAS FOX + JAC OSCAR WILKINS Onesixone, Prahran. 8:00pm. LUCK TRUCK FRIDAYS DOWNSTAIRS Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. MAARS + B-TWO + HIJACK Penny Black, Brunswick. 7:00pm. MAHALA - FEAT: JAMIE STEVENS + 2DOTZERO + DAVE JURIC + SCOTT FREEDMAN + TIM TYLER Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $20.00. MASH IT DOWN! Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. OMG FRIDAYS Seven Nightclub, South Melbourne. 10:00pm. $20.00. PANORAMA FRIDAYS UPSTAIRS - FEAT: PHATO A MANO + MR.GEORGE + MATT RADD + ASH-LEE Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. POPROCKS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. SUPER FLU Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 10:00pm. THE JUKE JOINT - FEAT: JPOD + HYPNOTECH + MISTA SAVONA + KODIAK KID Howler, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $10.00. THERAPY FRIDAYS Level 3 @ Crown, Southbank. 8:00pm. $20.00. TUNES BY DAVE GRAY Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm.
saturday january 17 ELECTRIC DREAMS Co., Southbank. 8:00pm. $20.00. ANYWAY - FEAT: VARIOUS DJS
Bottom End, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. AUDIOPORN SATURDAYS - FEAT: DR. ZOK + JAMES WARE + GREG SARA + JACOB MALMO + TOM EVANS + ROWIE Onesixone, Prahran. 9:00pm. $15.00. BONEY SATURDAYS - FEAT: BAKER STREET + J’NETT + BRODIE + BABY BJORN Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. CUSHION SATURDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 9:00pm. DJ RECTANGLE Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. FAMILIAR STRANGERS The Emerson, South Yarra. 10:00pm. $20.00. GOLDEN ERA JAM Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. HOT STEP - FEAT: ADAM ASKEW + GRAYSKULL + KELTEC + MYLES MAC + PETER BAKER + REV. THORN + SAM MCEWIN + SHANE COPAL + TOM EVANS Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. MIDNIGHT RUN Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 11:30pm. $7.00. MR LOB + D’FRO + MATT REID Penny Black, Brunswick. 7:00pm. NEON FUNK + LAKE MINNETONKA + DXHEAVEN + MZRIZK Hugs & Kisses, Melbourne. 8:00pm. ROSE Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm. SEVEN SATURDAY DISCOTHEQUE Seven Nightclub, South Melbourne. 10:00pm. $20.00. SHUFFLE - FEAT: DJ CHIT CHAT Manhattan Lounge, St Kilda. 9:00pm. TEXTILE SATURDAYS - FEAT: KODIAK KID + D’FRO + JENS BEAMIN Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. THE HOUSE DEFROST - FEAT: ANDEE FROST Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm. $35.00. THE LATE SHOW - FEAT: PALEMAN Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 10:00pm. THERAPY Level 3 @ Crown, Southbank. 9:00pm. $20.00. TOGETHERAPART + OOLLUU + NONAGON + ZUMA + COLOURED CLOCKS + THE IN THE OUT Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm. $10.00. TRAMP SATURDAYS Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. TUNES BY STICKMAN Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. VAULT SATURDAYS Platform One, Melbourne. 9:00pm.
+ LEWIS CANCUT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. EARLY MORNING CREW - FEAT: HOOPS + BRAD SASSMAN + JOSH PAOLA + JESSE YOUNG + OLLIE HOLMES + DEAN SPANOS Onesixone, Prahran. 1:00am. EASY NOW - FEAT: AGENT 86 + TOM SHOWTIME + DJ MAARS Penny Black, Brunswick. 3:00pm. ENCORE - FEAT: DAN SLATER + ADAM LOVE The Emerson, South Yarra. 9:00pm. HEELS ON DECKS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 1:00am. JUNGLE - FEAT: HANDS DOWN + ZAC DEPETRO + PETE LASKIS + TRAVLOS + JOHN DOE Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00am. $15.00. LITTLE AFRICA SUMMER JAM - FEAT: BOONY WORLD PEACE + WINTERS + HUDSON JAMES JR.+ MORE Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 11:55pm. REVOLVER SUNDAYS - FEAT: BOOGS + SPACEY SPACE + T-REK + RADIATOR Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm. SPITROAST SUNDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 10:00pm. THE SUNDAY SET - FEAT: DJ ANDYBLACK & HAGGIS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 4:00pm. WAX ON WAX OFF Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.
snaps khokolat koated
monday january 19 CALL IT IN - FEAT: JAMES TOM & DYLAN MICHEL Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. MONDAY STRUGGLE - FEAT: TIGER FUNK Lucky Coq, Windsor. 6:00pm.
tuesday january 20 CUSHION TUESDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 8:00pm. SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. TRAMP TUESDAYS Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.
faktory
sunday january 18 BOP ART - FEAT: HAWAII + WHO + TIGERFUNK + MATT RADOVICH
urban club guide friday january 16
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY - FEAT: DJ RCEE + KAHLUA + DJ SHOOK + DJ ANGEL JAY Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. BUMP FRIDAYS - FEAT: DJ KAHLUA Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $10.00. FAKTORY FRIDAYS - FEAT: DAMION DE SILVA + K DEE + DURMY Khokolat Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm.
NELLY Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne. 8:00pm. NELLY (THE OFFICIAL AFTER PARTY) Brown Alley, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $44.00.
saturday january 17
KHOKOLAT KOATED SATURDAYS FEAT: DAMION DE SILVA + K DEE + DURMY + TIMOS Khokolat Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. RHYTHM NATION SATURDAYS - FEAT:
electronic - urban - club life
DJ BIG SAAD + DJ KAHLUA & ANDY PALA Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $10.00.
sunday january 18
BE. SUNDAYS Co., Southbank. 10:00pm. $15.00.
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MIDSUMMA S P E C I A L Making Connections 18 Jan - 8 Feb This year, Beat’s supremely excited for our collaboration, for the very first time, with Victoria’s premier queer arts festival, Midsumma. Now in its 27th year (where does the time go?), Midsumma will bring together 138 events at 85 venues across Melbourne and regional Victoria, and present a diverse mix of artists and performers under a single rainbow umbrella, in an impassioned celebration and innovative presentation of LGBTIQ arts and culture. Kicking off with the always fabulous Midsumma Carnival and the spectacular T Dance in Alexandra Gardens on Sunday January 18, Midsumma will run through till Sunday February 8, and will host an assortment of events and activities, spanning visual art, theatre, spoken word, cabaret, film, live music, parties, sport, social events and public forums. This year, Beat has put together just a few festival highlights, to ensure you’re in the know with all things Midsumma.
The Fastest Clock In The Universe Do you like your theatre a tad on the shocking side? We sure as fuck do. Acclaimed theatre company Four Letter Word Theatre certainly know how to bring twisted to the stage. This Midsumma, join Four Letter Word Theatre and prolific Australian director Robert Chuter as they present their latest live offering, Phillip Ridley’s contemporary classic, The Fastest Clock In The Universe. We’re shaking in our seats already. This truly twisted production focuses the lens on the dark side of the human condition through one man’s startling obsession with youth and beauty. Comedic and horrific, romantic and violent, The Fastest Clock In The Universe centres on the completely conceited 30-year-old Cougar Glass, who is celebrating his ‘19th birthday’ for yet another year, in order to seduce an unwitting young schoolboy. What a catch, right? The Captain, Cougar’s partner and elderly
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PRESENTED BY FOUR LETTER WORD THEATRE neighbour Cheetah Bee do everything in their power to keep Cougar calm as he gears up for the party; they know all too well what happens when things don’t go to plan. Foxtrot Darling arrives dressed to impress, with a boyish charm and a twinkle in his eye - the party has got off to a flying start. Everything is running smoothly until a surprise guest arrives. As tensions rise, the game plans shift and Cougar is forced to decide what to do next. This is a place where human cruelty and blind faithfulness clash, and Cougar Glass’ desires lead everyone around him into his most destructive birthday party yet. WHEN:Wednesday January 21 - Saturday January 31 VENUE: Chapel Off Chapel COST: $38 Full / $32 Concession / $30 Group 5+
Pride March Pride March celebrates its 20th Anniversary on Sunday February 1, with the theme of celebrating 20 years. Join over 100 groups and individuals as they march down Fitzroy Street in St Kilda, with all the colour and excitement you’ve come to expect, plus the added flavour of this special anniversary
Adolescent You’re only as old as you feel, right? Well, acclaimed cabaret singer and Midsumma royalty Michael Griffiths knows this sentiment far too well. Griffiths isn’t going to let turning 40 have any impact on his extended adolescence. This Midsumma, join Griffiths in his performance of Adolescent, where he’ll share an assortment of tales: falling in love, having an identity crisis and how touring in jukebox musicals has kept him maintain his emotional immaturity. Adolescent features a collection of songs that Griffiths knows just a little too well – songs from Jersey Boys, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and a mountain of hits from his first true love: ‘80s pop. Griffiths is an acclaimed cabaret performer, who’s been nominated for two Green Room awards, Best Cabaret at Perth Fringeworld and won Best
DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION
SUNDAY FEB 1, FITZROY ST, ST KILDA celebration. See the original marchers lead out again and celebrate first timers. It starts on the corner of Lakeside Drive and Fitzroy Street and goes along Fitzroy Street, finishing at Catani Gardens on the St Kilda foreshore. Assembly is at noon and the march starts at 2pm.
PRESENTED BY MICHAEL GRIFFITHS Cabaret Adelaide Fringe 2014. His acclaimed cabaret shows In Vogue: Songs By Madonna and Sweet Dreams: Songs by Annie Lennox have delighted critics and audiences all across Australia and beyond to New York, London, Hong Kong, Auckland and Edinburgh where he received five star reviews and standing ovations. WHEN: Wednesday January 21 - Sunday February 1 VENUE: Fortyfivedownstairs COST: $35 Full / $30 Group (min. 8) / $30 Concession / $40 per person VIP cabaret table
MIDSUMMA S P E C I A L OSCAR KEY SUNG
BANOFFEE
THE GROUSEST SUMMER DANCEFLOOR BANGERS COURTESY OF GROUSE PARTY DJS
BANOFFEE
iLOVEMAKONNEN - Tuesday TIRZAH - No Romance
OSCAR KEY SUNG FUTURE BROWN feat. TINK - Room 302 CRAIG DAVID - Rewind
YO! MAFIA BOBBY SHMURDA – Hot Boy NICKI MINAJ feat. DRAKE, LIL WAYNE – Truffle Butter
SVETA WAZE & ODYSSEY & R. KELLY – Bump & Grind 2014 (Extended Mix) SOPHIE - Lemonade (Original Mix)
TOTAL GIOVANNI
Grouse Party This year, Grouse Party is throwing the grousest Midsumma Carnival after party of all parties. Held at the Copacabana and featuring a stellar lineup that’s sure to make your Midsumma melt, Grouse Party is a truly unmissable Midsumma delight. Embarking on its eighth year, Grouse Party has become as much a staple of northside nightlife as pubs and souvs. Since its humble beginnings at The Tote’s Cobra Bar, Grouse has thrown close to 100 parties, engaged innumerable artists as Guest DJs, and presented various international touring acts, from Big Freedia to JD Samson, Le1f and Zebra Katz, to name a few. Beat chatted to Grouse founder, Lia Tilson, ahead of this year’s Midsumma Festival. How did Grouse Party get started? Grouse was an idea between myself and musician, Romy Hoffman. We met when I made Macromantics badges for her, and bonded over punk and rap music. We kept getting really frustrated by the monotonous vibes at gay nights
KAROL CONKA – Boa Noite MIKE FRANCIS – Features of Love back then, and craved the kinds of queer parties we’d both experienced in the North West of the USA. We decided to stop being those jaded punk-lezzos complaining in the corner, and started our own party.
each other and grimaced… and told her we didn’t have one. I often wonder what she would have said (something about kissing girls and cherry Chapstick), but I think it’s cool we didn’t let her take over our party and take the mic.
The highlights of Grouse: Alice Springs: This year, the highlight, hands down, was travelling to Alice Springs for Pride Carnivale and DJing at their after party. We were gob-smacked by the number of interesting queers and left-of-centre legends we came across in such a small town, smack-bang in the desert. It inspired me to start taking Grouse on the road more, to even more remote locations.
The Julie Ruin: We were so psyched to DJ at The Julie Ruin show, having both been so heavily influence by Riot Grrrl as teens and still to this day. The show fell soon before Romy relocated to the USA, and it was a really special full-circle moment for the two of us; going from headbanging to Bikini Kill anthems at the divey beginnings of Grouse, to a sold out show at The Corner Hotel supporting one of our feminist heroes.
Katy Perry: The biggest LOL moment was when Katy Perry rocked up to Grouse in 2010. She got among the ladies, dirty-danced and created a stir. She asked me for a mic to give a shout-out to the crowd, and Romy and I kinda looked at
Tell us about the 2015 Midsumma Grouse lineup. This lineup is a total dream team. I’m really proud of it being such a local lineup this time too; a mix of our favourite artists who’re slaying the biz
MELO BUSTA RHYMES – Break Ya Neck KEYS N KRATES – Dum Dee Dum
LIA TILSON OF GROUSE CAZWELL, NICKY DA B & DAI BURGER – Don’t Get It Twisted ZEBRA KATZ & HERVÉ – Tear The House Up
right now, and DJs who are like family friends to Grouse. GROUSE PARTY Featuring special guest DJs Banoffee, Oscar Key Sung, Sveta, Yo! Mafia, Total Giovanni & Melo. WHEN: Sunday January 18 VENUE: Copacabana COST: $15
Adolescent t sti ll Mic ha el Gri ffi ths jus t tur ne d 40 bu r. be ha ve s like a pe tul an t tee na ge
GRIFFITHS IS EXTRAORDINARY The Age
Featuring songs he knows all too well from Jersey Boys, Priscilla, and lots of his first love, 80’s pop!
21 JAN - 1 FEB Wed-Sun, 7pm • $35 /$30
WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES..... WWW.BEAT.COM.AU/TV
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 35
MIDSUMMA S P E C I A L GoWest If you’re searching for something to head along to this Midsumma, look no further than GoWest. Initiated by Hobsons Bay City Council, over the years GoWest has developed to become the key western region collaboration of councils, community organisations and businesses who support our LGBTIQ communities. GoWest unites a bevy of local organisations and artists who represent LGBTIQ communities in the western region of Melbourne, and showcases a bundle of super special Midsumma events. This year, GoWest’s Midsumma events clock in at well over 20, and their scope of events is huge, spanning from author talks, captivating caravan burlesque, roller derby, killer contemporary theatre, visual art exhibitions and a mountain more, guaranteeing the sentiment, ‘west is best’ rings true this Midsumma. Beat has compiled a selection of 2015 GoWest highlights to make navigating your Midsumma out in the west a breeze.
Daniel Witthaus: Man On A Mission Join gay rights advocate, education activist and author Daniel Witthaus for a cuppa and chat at the Footscray Library to speak on gay rights and issues. Witthaus is an extraordinary man with an extraordinary mission: to eliminate homophobia in Australia, and change the world, one cuppa at a time. In order to complete this goal, in 2010, Witthaus embarked on a 266-day journey across Australia, visiting rural, regional and urban Australia. His quest was to challenge homophobia in these regional centres, and along the way, he discovered what contemporary life is really like for LGBTIQ people and met an assortment of characters, from foul-mouthed police officers, transgender treasures, a billionaire’s butler, gay jackaroos and straight lumberjacks looking to change. His stories culminated into a published work, Beyond Priscilla: One Gay Man, One Gay Truck, One Big Idea.
Summer Jamboree Summer Jamboree returns for its second outing this January in Northcote Town Hall’s Civic Square. Spend seven long lazy sunsets unwinding with a cool beverage while they do all the rest. On the opening weekend of Summer Jamboree, Friday January 23 - Sunday January 25, the fabulous Tina del Twist (aka Wes Snelling) will be appearing nightly with a special event titled Tina’s Jamboree Jukebox. The event will run in tandem with Yana Alana’s Tears Before Bedtime, which is showing in one of their studios the same weekend as part of Midsumma. Tina’s Jamboree Jukebox will be a sort of musical
combination of a lucky dip and Russian Roulette, as the audience randomly select Tina’s set list and our diva struggles to go on with the show, despite the hands of fate and too many martinis thwarting her efforts. WHEN: Friday January 23 - Sunday February 1 VENUE: Northcote Town Hall COST: FREE
Footscray Community Arts Centre presents a Midsumma Premier event
Edi Donald and the Transients Six-piece Edi Donald and the Transients present their luscious audio-visual show, which immerses the audience in the theatrical and epic sound-scopes of Edi’s songs.
WHEN: Thursday February 5, 6pm-7pm VENUE: Footscray Library COST: FREE
When & Where Thursday 29 - Saturday 31 January, 9pm FCAC Basement Theatre 45 Moreland Street, Footscray VIC
Cost Layered vocals, strings, accordion, kora, brass, percussion, $20 full / $15 concession electronic beats and incredible visuals carry stories of queer identity, questions of privilege and social responsibility, and the liminality of place delivered by Edi’s stunning voice. Information and bookings at footscrayarts.com This event is safe and inclusive for families and children and is a totally inclusive space for GLBITQ communities and supporters. Image courtesy of Kim Hopper and Scott Large Untitled-2 1
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12/12/2014 3:44 pm
MIDSUM MMA S P E C I A L Finucane & Smith’s Caravan Burlesque… Walk With Pride Have you ever wondered what an international Wilder West! pride event may look like? Let us introduce you This Midsumma, Finucane & Smith’s Caravan Burlesque... Wilder West! makes a triumphant return to The Substation, after a fierce season in 2014. Direct from amassing five star reviews across five continents, playing to 10,000 people in the streets of Sao Paulo, and boasting sell out seasons in Paris, Sydney Opera House, London, Tokyo and Buenos Aires, the world’s most indefinable divas descend on the velvet ballroom of The Substation to bring you a smoking hot salon like no other. Expect wild child circus, smouldering songs, live art exotica, demon dance and jaw-dropping, eyepopping, electrifying acts. The legendary house of Finucane & Smith, renowned throughout the world for their creation of extraordinary worlds “so beautiful it hurts to leave them” are unpacking a whole new box of acts and artistes for the wildest show in the west. WHEN: Thursday February 5 – Saturday February 14 VENUE: The Substation COST: $57 Catwalk / $52 VIP (Full) / $45 VIP (Concession) / $39 General Seating (Full) / $30 General Seating (Concession)
to Walk with Pride; a breathtaking photographic journey of 32 images of pride events across 14 countries, captured by renowned NYC photographer Charles Meacham. This Premier Midsumma event and stunning exhibition is on display at the Walter Burley Griffin designed arts space at the Incinerator Art Gallery from Friday January 30 – Sunday February 22. In his quest to document the fight for LGBTIQ equality, Meacham travelled to pride events in Taiwan, Philippines, Australia, Lithuania, Belarus, Romania, Russia, Croatia, Turkey, UK, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Israel. Each of Meacham’s captivating images provides tremendous insight into the lives of activists, pride participants and the specific issues faced by LGBTIQ people in their respective countries. With the aim of offering an international perspective to the 20th anniversary of Melbourne Pride, Walk with Pride is a powerful reminder of how far the LGBTIQ community has come, and how far there is still to go in obtaining equality on a global scale. WHEN: Friday January 30 - Sunday February 22 VENUE: Incinerator Art Gallery COST: FREE
Edi Donald And The Transients Edi Donald and the Transients will journey from the Northern Territory to Footscray Community Arts Centre for their run of Premier Midsumma performances. This six-piece band from Alice Springs formed in late 2013 to bring the songs from Donald’s EP The Endless Shores of the Inland Sea to the stage. With a body of work that approaches ideas of gender identity, isolation and inclusion, questions of privilege and social responsibility, which are all reflected in the unfathomable enormity of the desert, Edi Donald and the Transients’ huge array of influences span operatic theatricality, delicately woven electronic production, acoustic world roots and gritty alternative influences. The band showcases the artistry of cellist Isabelle Kirkbride, vocalist and kora player Rebecca Matthews, violinist and vocalist Claire Wieland, percussionist and drummer Shon Klose, bassist, accordionist and ukulele player Svetlana Bunic, and singer/songwriter and guitarist Edi Donald. Donald’s vivid lyricism is the backbone of Edi Donald and the Transients. Their live performance is a gripping and detailed audio-visual performance, showcasing layered and complex songs set against visual projections of the macro and micro of abstracted landscape and rust. WHEN: Thursday January 29 – Saturday January 31, 9pm VENUE: FCAC Basement Theatre COST: $20 full / $15 concession
Transgender Seeking... Premiering at Footscray Community Arts Centre, Transgender Seeking... is an exposing, funny and tender look at queer and trans relationships, the bold visions we have and our often hilarious struggles to live up to them. Transgender Seeking... features an array of hilarious and tender multimedia confessions of a queer romanc-aholic, who’s trying his very best to give romance the flick, cold turkey. Transgender Seeking... is an accessible piece of theatre which features visually stunning, highly interactive projections and sound. Run-ins with the anti-monogamy police about jealousy, online dating mishaps and figuring out whether to throw out or re-invent mainstream relationship ideals all combine in a smart, fastpaced take on dating in an age of social media and technology. WHEN: Tuesday January 27 - Saturday January 31, 7.30pm VENUE: FCAC Performance Space COST: $25 full / $20 concession
AS PART OF MIDSUMMA FESTIVAL 18 JAN TO 8 FEB 2015
Walk with Pride Charles Meacham (NYC) #gowest www.facebook.com/gowestpride
GOWEST brings together local organisations and artists supporting and representing GLBTIQ communities in the western region of Melbourne. Initiated by Hobsons Bay City Council, GOWEST has developed to become a western region collaboration of councils, community organisations and businesses supporting our GLBTIQ communities.
30 January Ð 22 February 2015 A photographic journey of LGBTIQ pride events through 14 countries.
incineratorgallery.com Proudly presented by
#incineratorgallery /incineratorgallery
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THE COATHANGERS
By Augustus Welby
Punk rock is more than just a sound; it’s an entire way of thinking. In fact, it’s fair to suggest it’s a certain attitude that qualifies something as punk, more so than adherence to a stylistic criterion. The Rolling Stones had this attitude, so did The Stooges, AC/DC and The White Stripes, even if they’re not classically considered punk bands. Specifically, it’s a sort of fearless irreverence, with no regard for good manners or trifling conventions. This brings us to Atlantan trio The Coathangers. Sure, The Coathangers’ music is brash, high-energy and even bratty at times – all key characteristics associated with the punk rock sound. But what’s of greater significance is the band’s transcendent ruthlessness. Since forming in 2006, The Coathangers have said “fuck you” to over-thinking and instead opted to bash out whatever feels right. “We don’t really talk about it,” says the band’s bassist Meredith Franco. “We just go in there and do it.” This way of thinking hasn’t led the band down a path towards wayward destruction. Rather, early last year The Coathangers released their fourth LP, Suck My Shirt. Though the band’s been together for nearly a decade now, they still honour the ‘whatever works’ principle. These days, however, there’s a little more deliberation than in the early years. “The first two [albums] were really rushed and we didn’t really have time,” Franco says. “This record, though, we actually had time in the studio. [It was like that] for Larceny and Old Lace, too. We actually had a lot of time to write, and then in the studio we would go in and have time to listen to everything and think about it. “We [record] live, so we play the music first and then we’ll do the vocals and then move on to some more songs,” she continues. “We’re not just focusing on one song. It’s good for us to go back and listen to it and be like, ‘Oh yeah maybe you should add claps,’ or, ‘Maybe you should add vocal parts in the back.’ You just hear different things once you get away from it.” Almost three years separate Suck My Shirt from Larceny and Old Lace. In the intervening period, the band released a series of singles and split EPs. Also, album
production encountered a slight delay when longserving keyboardist Candice Jones left the group in 2013. “When we first started writing the record Candice was still in the band,” Franco says. “So then we had to re-write some of the songs and change some things around. We didn’t want them to sound empty, because the keyboard is kind of loud. So we added extra vocal parts, or Julia [Kugel, guitar/vocals] would come up with little extra guitar parts that were similar to what a keyboard would play. “Otherwise, everything was the same,” she adds. “We still play the old songs, there’s just no keyboard. It’s like a little more rock’n’roll sounding. I think we all stepped it up a little bit just because we kind of had to.” While the keyboard is evidently missing, Suck My Shirt hasn’t suffered from the personnel reduction. Rather, Jones’ departure has opened the way for some excellent bass and guitar interplay. On tracks such as Merry Go Round and Zombie, Franco’s bass and Kugel’s guitar generate a driving, melodic duality that resembles Joy Division or The Pixies. Though, when it comes to mediating their creative decisions, there’s not a great deal of reference made to other artists. “For this record, we were channeling The Clash with the way the drums sound – kind of really clean,” Franco says. “That was the one thing that we were saying. But we’re not usually like, ‘Oh I want to sound like this or sound like that.’ We don’t really do that.” Punk rock’s irreverent nature demands a hefty amount of resilience from its proponents. Resilience, of course, is an invaluable resource for touring musicians. As rewarding and wildly adventurous as it is, tour life can
SHONEN KNIFE
inflict punishment on both body and soul if one’s not amply prepared. The Coathangers’ fearless, fun-thirsty personality suggests they’re perfectly suited to life on the road, but this reputation can also work against them. “After a show we just want to relax,” says Franco. “Not all the time, but sometimes, if we stay at a house, they want to stay up and party all night, but we’re like, ‘No, we’ve been doing this for six weeks, we just want to go to sleep.’ But that doesn’t happen all the time.” Still, there’s no place they’d rather be: “I love being home too, but if we’re home for too long we’re like, ‘Uhh, can we go on tour now?’ It’s not boring, but it’s just like the same thing.” On that note, this week The Coathangers touch
down in Oz for the very first time. Since releasing Suck My Shirt, the band’s toured around the US in support of fellow Atlantans Black Lips and recently completed a headline tour around Europe. Despite these achievements, the trip to Australia is no less of a milestone. “We cannot wait,” Franco says. “It still seems like a dream. It doesn’t seem like it’s really happening. We’re so excited.”
in Shonen Knife for 17 years,” Yamano explains. “The band’s got half and half – the first half with original members and then it continued. Our most recent lineup started from 2010 and five years have passed since then. Time flies. For me though, the present lineup is very strong. The bassist Ritsuko [Taneda] and the drummer Emi [Morimoto] are very talented musicians and they can sing. I’m very happy about that. I promise that people in Australia will enjoy our show with the new lineup.”
As for coming here, naturally, talk turns to food. “First, I’m looking forward to seeing the fans,” she says. “But for the second, I’d like to eat delicious food in Australia and enjoy the summer season.”
THE COATHANGERS are playing at The Barwon Club in Geelong on Thursday January 15 and The Tote in Collingwood on Friday January 16. Suck My Shirt is out through Smack Face Records.
By Meg Crawford
Shonen Knife are the coolest. Starting as a three-piece in 1981 (Naoko Yamano on vocals and guitar, her sister Atsuko Yamano on drums and mate Michie Nakatani on bass), they became legend as one of the hardest rockin’, all-chick lineups in history. Specialising in super-fun pop/punk, Shonen Knife are what The Ramones would have sounded like if they’d been girls from Japan. After rocking out for over 30 years, there’s a lot of mythology built up around the band and they’re revered by the likes of Nirvana, Sonic Youth and Red Kross. Happily, they’re playing as hard and fast as ever. While the concept of an all-female rock band doesn’t (or shouldn’t) raise an eyebrow these days, back in the early ‘80s punk scene it wasn’t so common. “When I started Shonen Knife there were only some all female bands,” reflects Yamano, the only remaining member of the original lineup. “Japan is very conservative, as you know, but many people in the music scene welcomed all female bands. My parents were conservative and a little against us doing a rock band, but after Shonen Knife had their major debut they understood and they supported us a lot.” As did the rest of the indie industry. Kurt Cobain was so enamoured of them, he insisted they support Nirvana on tour, although at that point of time, Yamano wasn’t aware of who he was or how big a deal Nirvana had become. It’s really no coincidence Shonen Knife are aurally akin to The Ramones (they even moonlight as a Ramones tribute band – The Osaka Ramones). Yamano was a fan when she was a kid and had the gratifying experience of becoming mates with the band when Shonen Knife supported them for the first time in 1998. “When I was 15 years old, I listened to the first album of The Ramones through the radio,” she recalls. “I was very shocked and inspired by their music and went straight to the record shop to buy their albums. So, I was very happy to play with The Ramones. When we toured with Nirvana in the ‘90s I didn’t know them until the tour was starting, but for The Ramones, I was listening to them from when I was a teenager.” From the outset, it was important for Yamano that the band brought a bit of glee to its audiences. Fittingly, while their lyrics are not going to change your life, they’re funny and bring something shiny and happy to punk rock. “I’m still enjoying writing songs about food BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 38
and cute animals,” Yamano laughs. “For our new album Overdrive, I wrote songs about fortune cookies, cats and green tea. I like green tea and cats are my favourite animal. I enjoy writing songs about cats. And for human beings, eating food is the most important thing. Eating delicious food – it’s the purpose for all people on this planet. It’s the best thing, eating delicious food. So, I picked this important theme for myself.” But does she ever wish that she could write a sad rock song? “I’m so ashamed to show my weak points to people, so I usually write happy songs,” she admits. “If I listen to sad songs I can be sad, but I want Shonen Knife fans to get happy, so I write happy songs. I can be happy when our fans get happy. That’s why I do it.” It becomes clear Yamano is obsessed with food. In fact, her favourite recollections about Nirvana end with a tale about food. “I was so scared to tour with Nirvana,” Yamano recalls. “Their appearance was very wild, but actually they were very kind gentleman and very friendly. During the tour, Kurt wanted to cover a Shonen Knife song called Twist Barbie for their secret gig and I taught him how to play it. He was so smart and he understood the guitar chords very, very quickly. Also, other members were so kind. Dave [Grohl] helped to set up our drum kit because there was a screw that was too tight and the bassist Krist [Novoselic] gave me his pasta when we went to a restaurant. I wanted to try it because his pasta looked so tasty.” Shonen Knife’s lineup changes have been in place for ages – it’s not like Yamano fronts some kind of nostalgia act – and under the new lineup, they’ve produced some of their best work: 2014’s Overdrive for instance, which was probably one of the year’s best albums. “Our original bassist Michie [Nakatani] left the band 16 or 17 years ago and at that point Michie had already been
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SHONEN KNIFE rock out at Ding Dong Lounge, supported by ZA! (Spain) and Ouch My Face on Sunday January 25. Overdrive is out through Valve/ Shonen Knife.
TRUCKFIGHTERS
By Meg Crawford
There are a few curious facts about Truckfighters. First, despite hailing from a tiny town called Örebro in Sweden, members of the Truckfighters trio observe that time honoured Aussie custom whereby an “o” is added to the end of names and words – accordingly, the three-piece is comprised of Dango, Ozo and Enzo (better known as Niklas Källgren, Oskar Cedermalm and Axel Larsson to their parents). Secondly, the band takes its name from a series of ‘70s pulp fiction books about two dudes who own cool trucks and drive about the desert picking up chicks. Trucks were cool in the ‘70s – check out The Cannonball Run, Convey and Dual if you have any doubts. Thirdly, they play heavy duty, loud and fuzzy stoner/desert rock in the vein of QOTSA and Fu Manchu, although they’re about as clean living as you can get in rock’n’roll and where they live is the antithesis of arid. The lads are mostly surrounded by snow for much of the year – Källgren, the band’s guitarist, even works at what would be a Surf, Dive ‘n Ski in Australia but is just a Ski over there. Fourthly, Cedermalm once injured Valient Thor’s guitarist’s eye so badly the poor dude had to wear a pirate patch for a week, which would’ve been cool had it not been otherwise painful. To cut a long story short, it’s all fun and games until someone’s nearly blinded in a bread fight. Finally, Spinal Tap style, they can’t hang onto a drummer. They’ve now had at least seven drummers, although Pezo, their original drummer seems to return to the fold every so often. Källgren describes the lineup changes as relentless. “Really, it’s hard to get a drummer to get the same feeling for a band, especially when you lose the original,” he rues. “Then the rest of the band, me and Oskar have been playing together for so many years. I guess it’s harder for them to get as excited as what the rest of us do or to be as caring. It’s even harder if you’re touring quite a lot, because you have to sacrifice a lot of normal life. Usually they don’t last more than a year.” There’s also the fact that they were the subject of their own piss-funny documentary (Truckfighters Fuzzomentary – it’s so worth a look) and QOTSA allegedly once said they’d never share the stage with Truckfighters again because they made them look like amateurs. That may’ve been tongue-in-cheek, but who knows? For a three piece, they generate a massive wall of sound and their shows are sweaty, athletic affairs: Cedermalm (vocalist and bassist) and Källgren rock out like lunatics.
“CHAOS CAN BE GOOD, YOU JUST HAVE TO CONTROL IT A BIT. YOU JUST NEED TO SEE WHAT’S COMING TO YOU AND FORM IT OR SHAPE IT WHERE YOU CAN OR THE WAY YOU CAN.”
Källgren and Cedermalm are the band’s core. While they met when they were both studying sound engineering, they grew up in Örebro, as did their original drummer Pezo, although he spent little time in town because his folks were in the circus – no shit. While they grew up on ‘70s rock (Led Zep, Black Sabbath et. al) it wasn’t what they were listening to when they were teenagers. “When I was first consciously listening to music, I was into the grunge scene,” Källgren explains. “I listened a lot to Nirvana, Pearl Jam and later Soundgarden – all the ‘90s rock bands. Then I got into Tool and Kyuss, stuff like that. Tool is kind of proggy of course, but I must have been at least 15 or 16 the first time I heard them. Maybe they are influencing us more than we think, because they were the only progressive band we were listening to.” Interestingly, the band never plans what it’s going to do before it does it. How do you avoid chaos with that approach? “I dunno,” Källgren laughs. “Chaos can be good, you just have to control it a bit. You just need to see what’s coming to you and form it or shape it where you can or the way you can.” Despite this, they intentionally avoid doing anything hip. What does that mean you need to avoid? “We need to avoid doing a song with the form of verse, chorus, verse, chorus, break and chorus again, or may be double chorus at the end, because that’s very boring,” Källgren observes. “Apart from that, there are no rules to our making music actually.” It beggars belief because Truckfighters are as popular as all get out here (they sold out their shows at Cherry last year and fill stadiums in the US), but they’re not as beloved on home soil. “It’s always been quite hard to get shows in Sweden for us,” Källgren muses. “2014 was the first year since 2006 that we played more than two or three shows in Sweden – we played eight shows in Sweden last year. The scene is not really big here unless you go a bit more mainstream-accepted hard rock. Sweden is a bit different. Stockholm is the only place where there’s rock radio. Rock is not so trendy anymore. We still play in Stockholm and have 400 or 500 people showing up, that’s good, but we can only do it a maximum of once each year, otherwise people get bored.” TRUCKFIGHTERS are set to assault your eardrums on Friday January 23 and Sunday January 25 at Cherry Bar, and on Saturday January 24 at Yah Yah’s. Get in quick, because these dudes’ shows sell out. Mania is out through Fuzzorama. WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES..... WWW.BEAT.COM.AU/TV
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EMMA DONOVAN
AND THE PUTBACKS
By Emily Meller
Hearing a voice like Emma Donovan’s, it would be easy to assume natural talent has been the driving force behind her remarkable career in music. When you add the fact that her family make up The Donovans, it’s only logical to think that music runs through her veins. But speaking with Donovan herself, she’d have you believe it was really the support of funk band and collaborators The PutBacks that was the defining factor behind the critically-acclaimed new release, Dawn. What she leaves out is the many years of work that have gone into honing her craft and distinctive approach to songwriting. For one thing, she started her singing career at age seven playing with The Donovans, and she has been refining her sound ever since. “My first-ever tour was with Uncle Jimmy Little, and I went when I was on school holidays in year six or year seven on a regional tour around NSW,” she says. “There is a lot of support. I think with Aboriginal artists today, our networks are getting so strong.” Community plays a strong part in Donovan’s musicmaking process, and also how she sees herself in the music world. While she spent years as a solo artist and is constantly working on material, many of the songs on Dawn only came into being once ideas had been shared
with The PutBacks and her main collaborator in the band, bassist Mick Meagher. “I’ve been in a lot of bands where non-blackfellas want to help tell my stories as well. I have the support of The PutBacks, who have respect for my songs and lyrics even when they’re heavy. Sometimes as a woman you don’t feel as comfortable putting some of that out there, but I had a lot of support with songs like, Black Woman. I always acknowledge that. Even though it’s my story, they’re a big part of helping me tell that story. Just that collaboration, it came from a really nice place.” But over the layers of skilfully executed funk guitar and electric organ beats is Donovan’s rare voice, relaying songs crafted to seem almost off-the-cuff, but which bear all the marks of a master of the craft. Dawn sits
easily alongside ‘70s soul records, but Donovan has long drawn on her indigenous heritage, both stylistically and lyrically. This was most pronounced when she was the youngest member of The Black Arm Band. Its roots were inherently political, but Donovan recalls working with some of the most talented Australian musicians even made her dad experience a slightly fanboy moment. “I was playing with Bart Willoughby of No Fixed Address,” Donovan says. “My dad was his biggest fan – I texted him photos. I was like the cool daughter singing with them.” The gospel influence on Dawn is understated, but has obviously shaped Donovan’s approach. She speaks so fondly of her family, it’s impossible to deny how much she values the fact her music is as much a reflection of her own tastes as their influence.
“The only kind of soul/gospel influence I had around was singing with my grandmother,” she says. “On the weekend we had a family wedding and we all sang together. But that happens naturally with my family, and singing gospel comes about because of my grandparents who grew up in the mission, which influenced them a lot with music from going to church. So my grandparents invested a lot of music into the rest of the family. I feel really lucky.” Even if she isn’t forthcoming about it, it seems there is a lot more than luck at play.
with a new EP being released in April, the band have also secured a support slot with Michael Franti and Spearhead in Bendigo around the same time. “2012 we also played in the Sydney Harbour on New Year’s Eve which was crazy,” Almeida says. “We’ve been doing those kinds of festivals as its more family and all ages orientated, but it’s the people at the shows. The reason we play the music is that it makes us feel good when you’re on stage and you see people at the front, in the crowd, and everyone’s happy and having a dance. It’s what keeps me going. Movement is a universal language.”
And in regards to the band’s expectations for the Frankston Waterfront Festival? “It’s the first time the band’s gonna be playing up that way in Frankston,” he says. “Since the kind of music we play relates to all kinds of ages, everyone will have a good time out in the sun, enjoying the music, having a dance – the whole experience, it’s uplifting.”
you really have to have [the audience’s concentration]. Playing in clubs it can sometimes be a bit noisy. They are quiet, romantic songs with strings. I ask [audiences] sometimes to be quiet for a minute and I’ll do [the songs] and people are transported. After you play the songs you can hear a pin drop.” Despite Creighton’s love of Van Morrison’s music, he’s not been tempted to create a traditional tribute show. “I try and capture the real spirit and the energy and the essence of the music,” he says. “I feel growing up with it I sort of have a little insight into that. Van has
always been a very exciting performer. He’s a very passionate musician. [When you are] exposed to that it sort of rubs off a little bit [but] I don’t wear a funny hat and come up and be rude to the audience... You will be transported somewhere with us. It will take you on a journey and it’s a journey back with me into that time.”
Catch EMMA DONOVAN AND THE PUTBACKS at Wominjeka Festival 2015 on Saturday January 17 at Footscray Community Arts Centre. Dawn out now through HopeStreet Recordings.
SOL NATION
By Thomas Brand
The city of Frankston is gearing up for its next big year of its Waterfront Festival, treating its patrons to a vast range of food and drink down at the beachfront. For this year’s festivities, Latin/Caribbean-influenced community dance band Sol Nation have stepped up to play the 5pm sunset slot, yet as vocalist Paolo Almeida explains, the formation of such a niche band comes from an odd assortment of influences, both musically and culturally. “I grew up with reggae,” Almeida begins. “When I arrived in Australia from East Timor I met a lot of different instrumentalists. I’ve got the guitarist, Colin [Badger], who used to play with Painters and Dockers, I met up with him and introduced him to a lot of reggae and he introduced to me a lot of the rock elements. From that point, I tried to introduce a lot of the Brazilian/Latin pieces. If you were to put me in a corner and ask, ‘What type of music do you play?’ I couldn’t tell you,” he says. “It’s good for festivals – when people come to see us, it’s not the one kind of style we play, you know a bit of reggae or funk or the Brazilian… universal stuff that will make people move.” Despite the band aiming to create what Almeida describes as uplifting music, the root of the band’s connections comes from a darker, political vein. “I met up with our guitarist, Colin, when I arrived here in ‘85, I was only 11 or so,” he begins. “I started getting into music here when I was 18… It’s a long
story but the brother of the front man from Colin’s band, Painters and Dockers, was actually one of the five journalists killed in East Timor back in 1975. Through that whole East Timor connection, I met all these amazing musicians along the way – meeting Colin and getting together with a bunch of other artists including indigenous artists from the Black Arm Band.” “Outside of that connection, we do have a couple of traditional East Timorese elements,” he continues. “[We’re] making the music more uplifting and dance-y to help get everyone involved while trying to teach the people how to do the cultural dances, incorporating East Timorese folk dancing with a fusion of a reggae feel.” Sol Nation have managed to keep busy since they first stated touring in 2009. Working their way around Australia at council-run events, Sol Nation have seen their touring take them to unexpected new territories including playing in New Caledonia in 2012, and
SOL NATION will be appearing at the Frankston Waterfront Festival Saturday January 17.
JOE CREIGHTON
By Graham Blackley
Singer and bassist Joe Creighton has the type of dazzling musical career that positions him as the ideal subject of a book rather than an article. In addition to recording his own critically-acclaimed music as a solo artist, he’s played in bands such as Dolls House, Melissa, Band of Angels and Billy T, and has performed with everyone from Ray Charles, Tony Joe White and Boz Scaggs to John Farnham, Kylie Minogue and Tim Finn. If all that wasn’t enough, Joe and his eight-piece band have created the live show Into the Mystic which features interpretations of the work of Van Morrison. Creighton has drawn inspiration from Van Morrison’s music since the ‘60s: “When I was growing up in Belfast I used to go and watch Van Morrison’s band, Them,” he says. “Over the years, I have kept in touch with Van’s music and often played and sung some of the songs. I’m very passionate about the music and the feeling that has gone into it. Out of that grumpy sort of obstinate little guy comes this incredible music that can transport you to a whole other place.” Collectors of ‘70s underground rock will be familiar with Creighton’s renditions of Van Morrison’s Young Lover’s Do and Madame George on Melissa’s rare 1971 album, Midnight Trampoline. Although the casual punter may mistakenly believe Irish music is predominantly Celtic, Morrison’s eclectic output is symbolic and redolent of the rich musical diversity that characterises the Irish scene. “There was always a big tradition in Belfast of rhythm and blues. [In the ‘60s] it was the top music of the time,”
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Creighton explains. “I always say to people that Van Morrison’s music is essentially modern Irish music. His music is derivative of American music, but at the same time it was hatched in that environment of Northern Ireland and of Belfast so it has its own particular angle to it. [On Astral Weeks] Van is singing about Belfast and is singing about the social scene. When I sing songs from Astral Weeks it transports me right back to Belfast and to that time.” Featuring a mixture of hits and lesser-known tracks, Creighton’s show is a tantalising prospect for both the causal Van Morrison fan and for the die-hard aficionado. “I am bound to do a lot of the hits,” he explains. “I have to do songs like Brown Eyed Girl and Bright Side of the Road as I have to be commercial to a certain point but I do a lot of early Them stuff that a lot of people don’t know. I [also] do things off Astral Weeks [but] I have to pick my venue to do it because
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JOE CREIGHTON is playing Sunset Sounds at Malvern Gardens on Sunday January 18 for a free performance.
EAGULLS
By Augustus Welby
The minute you mention playing in a band, it’ll either prompt the question, “Do you have anything online?” or the simple statement, “I’ll look it up.” These days, some form of basic recording technology lives in the majority of homes, and uploading tunes to the Internet couldn’t be easier. It’s strange to think, at the turn of the 21st century, home recording was still an elite luxury. Musicians would work their guts out playing live, hoping to scramble together enough cash to record a demo tape. While the online reality hasn’t stopped bands gigging consistently, today’s norm is to record before playing live, which gives rise to stacks of under-nourished releases. Still, there are those who choose to buck the trend, such as Leeds five-piece Eagulls. Forming in 2010, the bunch of scraggly punk dudes set out with a mission to occupy every stage they could find. “We came from a hardcore background where people just go, ‘Oh, we’ve got a show. Do you want to play it?’ and you just say, ‘Yeah’,” says Eagulls vocalist George Mitchell. “When we first started, if there was a show and someone asked us to play it, we’d just go ahead and do it and made the best effort to get there so we could play in front of people that had not seen us before and show our music to new people. And people that didn’t want hear it had to hear it.” It didn’t take long for Eagulls to grab interest from London indie-imprint Not Even Records, who helped release the band’s debut 7” Council Flat Blues in 2011. From here, buzz attached itself to the five-piece, which led to 2012’s self-titled EP (this time through Sexbeat Records) and an ever-expanding gig itinerary. “We used to play festivals and there’d be old people there and people that didn’t want to hear us,” Mitchell says. “They’d end up having to hear it and we always thought that was pretty funny.” Nearly five years into their history, Eagulls’ commitment to incessant gigging remains. As a result, the band’s debut LP (released early 2014 via Partisan Records) is a sharply-drawn showcase of the group’s various strengths. Rooted in snarly punk energy, and backed up by loads of effortless melody and shoegaze-y guitar sounds, Eagulls secured global praise, which intensified the band’s touring schedule. “It’s definitely been the busiest year,” Mitchell says. “One of us added up how many shows we’ve played this [past] year and it was something stupid, like over 200. Then again, that was Tom [Kelly, bass] who added it up and he can’t count.” Either way, it’s a heck of a lot of gigs, and things are only getting bigger. “Before the album came out, we’d never really played our own headline shows,” Mitchell says. “Usually we’d be supporting a band on tour or something like that, but now we try to make it our own show. We’ll usually have some visuals on stage and make sure that the lighting is the way that we want it to be and things like that. Obviously we’ve focused a lot on playing live and we’ve progressed.” Indeed, the do-or-die nature of performance makes it an excellent opportunity for bands to identify what is and isn’t working. Like the existential project of individuals, a musician’s resolve is never absolute. Mitchell explains that the last 12 months of gigging have left them with plenty of ideas to move forward with: “If you’re playing the same songs from an album every night for over a year you do think of things like, ‘Oh I wish I’d done this,’ and, ‘I wish I’d done that.’ But then you start think, ‘What can I do on the next record?’ I’m always thinking of things to do. We’ve just started writing for the new album, so we are starting to now do those things that have been festering in the backs of our minds.” While new material is already brewing, Eagulls haven’t taken a break from the stage. Later this month they’ll head our way for the Laneway Festival and sideshows. As always, the Laneway lineup spotlights stacks of fantastic contemporary acts. Eagulls’ life on the road means they’re constantly seeing other bands and there’s one in particular that have inspired Mitchell’s admiration. “There’s a band called Protomartyr, I really enjoyed seeing them,” he says. “It was just really good seeing a band like them, because in this day and age that sort of music doesn’t usually come across as being very honest. I think they was probably the most honest band I’ve seen for a long time.” With a sound that falls somewhere in between The Feelies, The Walkmen and Fugazi, Detroit foursome Protomartyr invite the tag ‘post-punk.’ As Mitchell indicates, those who delve into this stylistic territory often go awry. Indeed, Eagulls themselves tread through similar terrain, but like Protomartyr, the band’s authenticity is undeniable. “[The album’s] been taken very well and I feel people have understood it and they realise what was going on when we was writing the album,” Mitchell says. “It’s nice when people come up to you and say that they understand what the music is about and it does make you realise that you’ve achieved something. It’s like, I’m going to Australia – I must have done something to please someone to let me go to Australia, right?”
EAGULLS are playing at Howler on Wednesday January 28 and Laneway Festival on Saturday February 7 at Footscray Community Arts Centre. Eagulls is out through Popfrenzy. WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES..... WWW.BEAT.COM.AU/TV
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 41
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
By Adam Norris
I still remember my introduction to The Smashing Pumpkins. In a friend’s backyard, drinking schnapps from the bottle and jumping from balconies, I was thrumming over it all, the ominous, disaffected observation that the world is a vampire. It was unlike anything we’d heard before. We knew grunge, of course. These were the days when Vedder ruled the known musical world. We knew rock, we knew pop, we knew punk, but with Mellon Collie and the Inf inite Sadness, the schoolyard soundtrack went entirely off the rails. It was music that just didn’t seem to fit anywhere else, and we flattered ourselves by understanding this as music made just for us. Though some time has passed since then, the music still holds relevance. Not only among those who swang from balconies and fell about the playground at the time of its release, but also for those engaging in those pastimes now. Billy Corgan is returning to Australia to headline Soundwave, proving there’s still considerable demand for his work in a contemporary audience. He’ll be travelling to Australia alongside The Smashing Pumpkins’ mainstay Jeff Schroeder, as well as Rage Against The Machine’s Brad Wilk and The Killers’ Mark Stoermer almost 20 years later to perform songs from the classic Mellon Collie as well as material from their tenth studio album, Monuments to an Elegy. As Corgan figures, it’s simply another chapter in a long and complex history. “I have to say it feels like it’s an unfolding story,” Corgan says in an unexpectedly deep voice. “Somebody said the other day, ‘Your recent work doesn’t sound like your past work,’ and yeah, so it shouldn’t. Then you’ll hear, in the next breath, ‘I hear echoes of the past’, and well, that’s also true. It’s the same person and it’s the same teeth that the sound is passing through. I’m not here trying to reinvent myself into something I’m not. It’s an unfolding story, and as you go along you’re going to learn something and you’re going to forget something, and that’s part of the story, too. The only intention was to try to make contemporary music, and I think the album shows both where we were able to update things, but also my weakness in not being connected to contemporary music. There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to be connected to contemporary music because I don’t like it, and there’s a part of me that acknowledges that living in that world, well, maybe I need to be.”
While his voice is still unmistakable, it’s now a much richer and pleasantly weathered sound. It struck me that while a person’s voice is so intrinsic to their identity, for most, we’re never going to be particularly conscious of how it develops. Though for someone as prolific and revered as Corgan, with a voice so unique, it’s an inevitability of life. So being comfortable with the sound of your own voice is important. “I never wanted to be a singer. I became a singer because I was a songwriter, and I didn’t know anyone who wanted to sing my songs. My first connection with music was through the guitar,” he explains. “I couldn’t hear the notes in my head, so I had to work out the melody on the guitar and then try to sing like the guitar. So from the early work on, you’re hearing someone who doesn’t like his voice and is trying to find a way to use it in a unique way. As my writing developed, particularly after Mellon Collie, I wanted to move into different work but I reached a point where as a composer I was becoming frustrated with the singer in me, because I just couldn’t sing my own songs.” Developing his vocals and the difficulties Corgan has faced in having these lyrics realised is a concern that never strays far from the conversation. Given the fervour with which his fans pull apart the meanings and connections within each release, it’s little wonder. You feel that in another life, he could quite happily have been a writer. “I should have been an author. I’m a voracious reader, one of those people who know a lot about nothing. I do find that there are certain writers that when I come into contact with their work, it makes me want to try better. People like Bob Dylan or Shakespeare, Ernest
Hemingway, writers that ask you to re-examine the comfort you have with your language.” It’s a fascinating approach to songwriting (one which David Bowie has also utilised), and while I admit that I do hold affection for the latest Taylor Swift release, it’s difficult to imagine many contemporary mainstream artists adopting Hemingway’s linguistic preoccupations. “Pop music, by and large, is dumb. It’s just getting them out to the dance floor, and there’s a joy to that... After 25 years, I just don’t think I have the same enthusiasm for it, and I think that’s really affected me at a deep level. I think when I finally do break from it all, which
will probably be sooner rather than later, people will be surprised because the language on the other music that I want to do is vastly different to my usual work. It doesn’t sound like the Pumpkins, and that’s not so much me trying to be different. I just am different. A different language, which I know doesn’t really have a place in pop music at all.”
built a tight-knit family out of the whole experience.” After returning to Australia (“We decided it was better to have no money in Australia, than to have no money in Berlin, which was our original plan,”), Money for Rope regrouped briefly before heading back overseas, this time to India. “India was a phenomenal experience,” McKenzie says. “The crowds were really passionate, especially at the festivals we played, and even though they didn’t really have any knowledge of the bands that were playing.” McKenzie also participated in a songwriting workshop with a few other Melbourne artists, including Peking Duck and Appleonia. “That was a really different experience, especially because songwriting can be such a personal thing for some of the songwriters,” McKenzie says. “But it was a phenomenal group of people to be working with, it was an amazing experience.” Since returning to Australia with the addition of a new bassist and drummer, the band are now back to their full, five-member complement, and have directed their
attention to writing and recording the songs for their second full-length album, notionally due for early 2015. “Production-wise, this has been much more of a group effort than the last record,” McKenzie says. “We had the choice of doing it either in Berlin with minimal gear, or in Australia using the gear we’ve accumulated over the years, so we chose the latter. And this time around, it’s more about letting the recordings flow into a record, rather than going into the studio and recording the songs specifically for an album.” Having spent most of 2014 living out of a suitcase and lugging gear between venues and airports, McKenzie’s trying to take maximum advantage of the Australian summer: “We probably could have finished this record by now, but we’ve been doing a lot of fishing and relaxing. It’s a lifestyle choice, but hopefully it’ll be reflected on the record,” he laughs.
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS are playing Soundwave at Melbourne Showgrounds over Saturday February 21 and Sunday February 22. Monuments to an Elegy is out through BMG/Cooking Vinyl.
MONEY FOR ROPE
By Patrick Emery
Jules McKenzie concedes it took a while for Money for Rope to summon up the courage to take the band overseas. In 2013, Money for Rope ventured outside of Australian shores for the first time, playing a BIGSOUND-sponsored event and a series of industry showcases; interest in the band led to invitations to return to Europe the next year. While 2014 proved to be an eventful year for Money for Rope, McKenzie says he wishes the band had bit the bullet earlier. “While the changes in lineup that we ended up having this year made it difficult, we’ve realised now that we can just wing it,” he says. “Things aren’t as impossible as they might seem, I wish we’d had the courage to jump up and split and go overseas four or five years ago.” Money for Rope is back in Australia after what McKenzie describes as a rollercoaster of a year touring Europe and India. “We basically spent almost all of 2014 overseas, we were really back only for a month,” McKenzie says. In May, the band were scheduled to travel to the UK and subsequently to Europe. The open-ended nature of the tour – the band was going to purchase one-way tickets and see where the winds of touring and performance blew them – unsettled a couple of members of the band: “Even as we got close to leaving I wasn’t sure who was going to be at the airport,” McKenzie says. “Even when some of the guys said they’d be coming, they said they might leave at any time.” Within a short period of landing in Europe, the band’s bassist and one of the group’s two drummers had decided to decamp back to Melbourne, leaving Money for Rope with three remaining members. Despite such personnel challenges, the band trudged on, determined to make the best of the opportunities ahead of them. Initially, manager Wally Kempton filled in on bass with typical rock’n’roll preparation and professionalism. “One of the best shows I reckon we played was in BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 42
Prague, when Wally had to learn his bass parts in the car on the way to the show, and Eric [Scerba], the remaining drummer, had to learn to play both drum parts,” McKenzie says. Along the way, Money for Rope picked up a fillin drummer from Glasgow (“We always wanted to have two drummers – when we’d turn up at a festival with only one drummer the promoter was often disappointed,”), but couldn’t afford to fly him around Europe for the entire tour, so the band subsisted on the payment from shows and augmented by whatever freebies they could acquire along the way: “There’d be the occasional festival show when we’d ask at the end of the set if we could sleep on someone’s floor,” McKenzie says. When Money for Rope teamed up with Courtney Barnett for a series of dates in Europe, the band was able to take advantage of left-over European promoter largesse. “We lived a bit off Courtney’s rider, and because most of them are vego, we were able to scoop some of the meat off their plates,” McKenzie laughs. The touring experience, however, was overwhelmingly positive, with the benefit of hindsight at least. “It’s always such a rollercoaster touring,” McKenzie muses. “The highs are fantastic, but although I’m not a particularly negative person, I suppose the things that get stuck in your head are the times when you’re not sure just how you’re going to get through it all. But we
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MONEY FOR ROPE are playing Cherry Bar this Friday January 16 and Saturday January 17.
CORE
PUNK, SKA, HARDCORE NEWS, REVIEWS & GOSSIP
By Emily Kelly: ek1984@gmail.com Against Me! are making a triumphant return to our shores next year and it’s not part of a festival. The quartet will headline their own tour thanks to Resist Records. Epitaph’s Joyce Manor will accompany on the relatively thorough lap of the country. Lock in Saturday June 6 at The Corner Hotel. Tickets go on sale on Friday. The Melbourne show WILL sell out. CJ Ramone is headed our way next month and he’s just announced supports for the tour. See CJ play with members of Adolescents and Street Dogs as well as supports Wolfpack, Dixon Cider at The Reverence on February 14. The Bendigo will also host a show on Sunday February 15 with Mach Pelican, The Meanies, Cosmic Kahuna and 12FU. The Smith Street Band have announced a surprise new digital/7” single titled Wipe That Shit-Eating Grin Off Your Punchable Face. The cover is a huge oil painting of Tony Abbott’s face, and the song? It’s a politically scathing attack at the government’s treatment of asylum seekers. There’s also a new track, God in the name of the Father. Good timing for the band’s appearance on this year’s Australia Day Benefit shows. Perth’s The Decline have fractured pretty severely this week with the band announcing vocalist and bassist Dan Cribb and lead guitarist Nathan Cooper are leaving the outfit. Cribb is currently working on music with Nick Diener of The Swellers and Cooper is focussing on other endeavours. The Decline will play one last show a Perth’s Rocket Room on Saturday January 31 and replacement members will be announced soon. Another Perth staple Grim Fandango have finally seen the fruits of last year’s mission to write, record and release a new song every month. You can stream and purchase a year’s worth of tracks over on their Bandcamp right now. Jesse Leach, singer of Killswitch Engage is planning a trip to Australia this month. It will be his first even DJ and spoken word tour. He will showcase his DJ skills and share memories and stories about his childhood and musical inspiration. Pretty interesting concept. Eureka Rebellion Trading will host the event on Wednesday January 21. You can nab a ticket at Moshtix now. The Ghost Inside have announced that founding member Aaron Brooks has left the band. Very little explanation was given with the official statement reading: “The Ghost Inside is parting ways with guitarist Aaron Brooks. The band wishes him the best
CRUNCH
METAL, HEAVY ROCK. CLASSIC ROCK LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL GOOD SHIT
With Peter Hodgson: crunchcolumn@gmail.com
CORE GIG GUIDE THURSDAY JANUARY 15: The Coathangers at Barwon Club The 1975 at Festival Hall Earth Caller, Death By Six, The Great City at Next FRIDAY JANUARY 16: Every Time I Die, Touche Amore, Brittle Bones at The Corner Hotel Marduk, Inquisition at Hi-Fi Bar The Coathangers at The Tote The Beautiful Girls at The Torquay Hotel Fear Like Us, Foxtrot, Rather Be Dead, Georgia Maq at The Old Bar SATURDAY JANUARY 17: The Matches, Have/Hold, New travellers at The Corner Hotel Buried In Verona, Jack The Stripper, Eater Of The Sky at Bang The Beautiful Girls at The Westernport, San Remo Sugar Canes, Lincoln LeFEvre and the Insiders, Gun Barrel Straights at The Fitzroy Pinnacle The Union Pacific, Corpus, Summer Blood, Whailer at The John Curtin SATURDAY JANUARY 18: Tyre Swans, Jamie Hay, Donnie Dureau, Darren Gibson at The Reverence Hotel OUT THIS WEEK: Palisades – Mind Games, Raised Fist – From The North, The Sidekicks –Runners In The Nerved World, Sleater-Kinney – No Cities To Love, Marilyn Manson – The Pale Emperor, Storm The Sky – Permanence, Enter Shikari – The Mindsweep, Wednesday 13 – Monsters Of The Universe Come Out And Plague. of luck in the next chapter of his life”. Sounds rough. Set times have been announced for the huge Holiday For Cambodia gig that’s taking place at The Espy on Saturday January 31 and features The Abandonment, A Secret Death and Anchors. Snap up some tickets to this Fuck Cancer Benefit now via Oztix. The UK’s Rise To Remain have split up after they decided the band had “sadly run its course” last week. From the ashes comes another new band though with members forming new entity As Lions (there are a lot of Lions bands around at the moment. Someone send the music world a memo that it’s getting fucking confusing k thx).
FALL OUT BOY
TERRA AUSTRALIS. GRRR.
Getteth thee to The Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood on Saturday January 17, for Terra Australis brings unbridled force that crushes all that stand in their way. Before they step on the shores of Japan once again, Terra seek to raise hell and wave the banner of Melbourne Black Metal. Twisted Fate comprises of talented seasoned metal warriors that are sure to deliver an impressive kick off to the Cryptic Slaughter. Joined by Mardraum and Maniaxe.
CALIGULA’S HORSE PREMIERES A GIFT TO AFTERTHOUGHT VIDEO WITH REVOLVER
Caligula’s Horse is an Australian powerhouse, delivering progressive rock that seamlessly blends grand technicality with raw honesty. Such a commanding sound immediately comes through on A Gift To Afterthought, the first track off of the band’s latest critically acclaimed release, The Tide, the Thief & River’s End. And the track’s grand liveliness is further captured in a new video recently premiered by Revolver Magazine. “The mindset of this video was to build the entire production around showing what we do live, down to bringing in our touring lighting and visual technicians and giving them free reign,” guitarist Sam Vallen says. You can watch the video at http://youtu. be/bVvOPSupIsg and catch the band at The Evelyn Hotel on Sunday January 25 (Australia Day Eve) with AlithiA, Orsome Welles and Kettlespider.
FEED HER TO THE SHARKS PREVIEW NEW ALBUM
New to the Victory Records roster, Melbourne’s Feed Her To The Sharks have released The World Is Yours, the first track from their new album, Fortitude, which hits the streets on Tuesday February 10. After taking to the road with peers such as Suicide Silence and Asking Alexandria, 2015 will offer Feed Her To The Sharks’ most impressive material to date, and Fortitude showcases the band’s calculated complexity and brutally melodic direction.
VENOM READY ALBUM #14
Venom, the hugely influential British heavy metal trio widely revered for driving and shaping the darker side of extreme music, return to the fray with the lyric video for the song Long Haired Punks. This track – the first new music from the band since their Fallen Angels release in 2011 – is from their forthcoming 14th studio album, From The Very Depths, released Friday January 30 on CD and download via Spinefarm Records/ Caroline Australia. A double vinyl version will follow shortly after, also on Spinefarm.
MEGADETH’S DAVID ELLEFSON “MY LIFE WITH DETH” SPOKEN WORD TOUR
Megadeth bass player and co-founder David Ellefson is coming to town for a spoken word tour which will feature stories from life on the road and as a founding member of one of the biggest metal acts in the world. The night will also feature a bass demonstration and audience Q&A which will allow fans to delve deeper into all things Megadeth and David’s autobiography My Life With Deth, a story about the complex history of the band. He’ll be at The Hi Fi on Thursday March 19. It’s 18+, and tickets are available now from Oztix. VIP Meet & Greet packages are also available.
ORPHEUS OMEGA AT THE WORKERS
Melbourne melodic death metal band Orpheus Omega will be performing at The Workers Club in Melbourne on Friday January 23 (joined by Melbourne heavyweights Eye Of The Enemy, Whoretopsy, Myridian and Hollow World) before heading into the studio to work on their third album. Last year was huge for the band, with an Australian national tour with Dark Tranquillity, Melbourne support with Children Of Bodom and a hugely successful and acclaimed headlining tour of Asia and live DVD recording thanks to highly supported Pozible campaign. The show at The Workers Club is presented by Metal Obsession.net and TrendKill Magazine. Doors at 7pm, $15 entry, 18+.
BALLARAT BEER FESTIVAL
What better way to spend a summer Saturday other than planting forget-me-nots, Iceland poppies, marigolds, pansies, petunias and zinnia - than grabbing some friends and family and heading to Ballarat Beer Festival - Victoria’s original boutique beer festival, celebrating all things liquid gold on the picturesque Ballarat City Oval on Saturday January 24. The stellar musical lineup includes Ash Grunwald, Way Of The Eagle (Jay Skubiszewski’s creative collaboration featuring Dan Sultan and The Cat Empire’s Harry James Angus), The Delta Riggs, Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk, Buddha In A Chocolate Box, Timberwolf and Demi Louise. For craft beer lovers there’ll be information sessions during the day, hosted by renowned beer educator and writer Pete Mitcham from Australian Brews News. With a plethora of beer makers and industry experts parting their knowledge to the crowd, special guests returning to the event include the brewmaster himself, Dr. Charles ‘Chuck’ Hahn and renowned chef and entrepreneur Stefano de Pieri. Tickets and drink tokens are available now via Ticketek.
By David James Young
After boldly and completely unexpectedly returning in grand fashion nearly two years ago, Fall Out Boy have barely paused for reflection. Once their controversial comeback, Save Rock and Roll, dropped, the band toured exhaustively in support of it. Just as the dust began to settle in 2014, a new single dropped in the form of the piano-driven, anthemic Centuries. If that wasn’t enough, lead vocalist Patrick Stump and guitarist Joe Trohman both became first-time fathers; with Trohman welcoming daughter Ruby in April and Stump with son Declan in October. With three-quarters of the band now dads, it’s safe to say that parenthood has seen a major shift in how they perceives itself as a unit – they’re certainly not the kids that they used to be. “It’s impossible for it not to be a factor,” says bassist, lyricist and father-of-two Pete Wentz. “When you’re a father, you’re instinctively trained to think of someone else before you think of yourself. It’s definitely impacted the way we think about touring and that sort of thing. [Wentz’ six-year-old] Bronx comes on tour with us now, he watches us play pretty much every night. In a lot of ways, though, I’m just dad to him. I’m not the guy from Fall Out Boy. He’s basically seeing me at my job, which by now I don’t think he finds all that interesting. Everyone grows up; it’s just a part of life. That’s kind of what’s happening with the band.” More new tracks ended up dropping like breadcrumbs online, leading up to the announcement and subsequent release of the band’s seventh album, American Beauty/ American Psycho. It may borrow its title from two of the most beloved cult hits of turn-of-the-century cinema, but Wentz explains there’s a deeper meaning behind what the band are hoping to achieve on their second release post-comeback. “When we were growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, it felt like it was a really anti-climatic place to grow up,” he explains. “There were all these bands and songs and
artists that inspired us, telling us in their own way that we could do this. I think that needs to be happening for kids out there now. I hope there’s something that makes a kid want to pick up a guitar or start a band. When you’re living out in the middle of nowhere, you don’t necessarily have the blueprint for getting out of there and figuring it out what it’s all about. I mean, it could come from anyone. There’s no rhyme or reason, other than ambition, talent and a little bit of luck. We wanted to make songs that would kind of be that shot for people – we wanted to make songs that people could get behind.” When Save Rock and Roll was released in the summer of 2013, it timed up nicely in proximity with the tenyear anniversary of the band’s beloved Take This to Your Grave album. The band celebrated its release by incorporating many of its songs into their sets and revisiting the house in which the album’s cover photo was taken. With the release of American, they’ve serendipitously found themselves very close to the tenyear anniversary of what’s widely considered to be their major breakthrough album, From Under the Cork Tree. Wentz looks back on the time of the album’s release as
one of confusion and wonder; a time where things that the band are very much accustomed to now seemed foreign and scary. “It was so strange, we really didn’t know what we were doing,” he says. “All of a sudden, the band kind of became like this machine, we had a label backing us, and we were suddenly touring internationally... The whole thing was just bizarre to us. We really felt like we didn’t fit the mould of the kind of acts that would have those things happen to them. It was the first time we’d gone away from Chicago to make a record. We were so unsure of everything. I mean, there was a point where, Sugar, We’re Going Down had a different chorus and we weren’t planning to have it on the record. It would be really cool to do something to commemorate that time. I’m not sure what we’ll do, but we should definitely make that happen.” Australia’s one of the first places the band will visit in support of American as a part of the Soundwave festivities, joining what is already a blockbuster two-
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day lineup. With such a diverse array of bands on the bill, Wentz concedes they’re bound to stick out, but it’s something they hope will work in their favour. “We always try and approach festival settings differently,” he says. “We’re more than aware that there are people that are not necessarily there to see us – maybe, in this case, they’re hanging to see Marilyn Manson; or they wanna see [ Judas] Priest or Incubus or whoever else. We’ve got to be open to winning over that kind of crowd. That’s all that we used to do when the band was starting out. We’d play Warped, Reading and Leeds, things like that... There’s always people to win over and have on your side. You need them in that environment.” FALL OUT BOY will be playing Soundwave on Saturday February 21 at Melbourne Showgrounds. American Beauty/American Psycho is out now via Island Records. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 43
MUSIC NEWS
YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE
For all the latest news check out beat.com.au WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14
SPACEJUNK
Fuck yeah. Spacejunk are descending upon Melbourne from the cosmos and smashing the shit out of Cherry Bar’s stage every Wednesday night in January. They’ll be bringing a mass of monolithic riff lords along for the ride, too, so expect sweaty, riff-filled nights of debauchery, beers, Jager and luscious rock’n’roll locks. This week, Spacejunk will be joined by Weedy Gonzales and The Underhanded. Get on it. Tunes kick off from 8pm. Catch you at the bar, space travellers.
WAY OF THE EAGLE
THE GROWLERS
LEWES
Hailing from Australia and England, Lewes are a collective of six residing in Hobart. Lewes continually prove their worth both live and in the studio with an arsenal of passionate shows, tours and their debut EP Equinox. Following up from Lewes’ sets at Taste Festival, Tasmania and Falls Music and Arts Festival Marion Bay over the 14/15 New Year – The Equinox Tour is making its way to Melbourne at The Toff in Town on January 14 with local guests JP Klipspringer and Residual. Tickets are $8 presale or $10 on the door.
MONEY FOR ROPE
dance, sound-art installations, minimal techno works under the name ‘Jetone’, as well as various writings. Don’t miss the very talented Tim Hecker when he plays Howler Wednesday January 14 from 8pm.
After selling out a run of shows across the country in 2014, California’s The Growlers will return to our shores for an extensive national tour. They’re currently touring on the back of their fifth full length, Chinese Fountain, which was released last year and was Beat’s album of the week. The Growlers will play The Corner Hotel on Wednesday January 14. Grab tickets through the venue.
The notorious Jan Skubiszewski from Way Of The Eagle will be performing an unmissable DJ set for a very special Thursday night at Ding Dong Lounge. The Melbourne musician and producer has a few tricks up his sleeve as he spins an electric mix of past and present favourites and mash ups. Known for his single Rattlesnake topping triple j’s Most Played chart last year, as well as his equally as popular and most recent single Shadows, this Way Of The Eagle DJ set is going to burn the house down. He’ll be joined by Mike Bigalow (DJ set) as well as some special guest appearances. Tickets are $10. Doors open 9pm, Thursday January 15.
Wednesday nights sit in the masterful hands of humble legend Dan San (aka DJ Danielsan, one half of the celebrated Australian duo Koolism). Colonel Tan’s kitchen turns out loving crafted meals to a soundtrack curated by one of Melbourne’s most accomplished DJs packing an enviable array of tunes on wax and HDD plus occasional guests. Get down to Revolver from 7pm onwards for serious hump day therapy.
Canadian-based musician and sound artist Tim Hecker is heading over to Howler this Wednesday January 14. Since 1996, Hecker has produced a range of audio works for Kranky, Alien8, Mille Plateaux, Room40, Force Inc, Staalplaat, and Fat Cat. His work has also included commissions for contemporary
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 44
THE SHACKMEN
Soul in the Basement is back again at Cherry Bar kicking off this Thursday January 15. Hitting the stage are mystery band The Shackmen, promising a secret show that features one of Melbourne’s finest. They will be bringing you live soul from 10pm. With DJs Vince Peach and Pierre Baroni until 5am and $10 entry, there are no excuses. Get down to some soul.
THE HUNTED CROWS
The Hunted Crows could easily be mistaken for a 20-piece bassoon ensemble. But they’re not. They’re a two-piece straight outta Melbourne featuring heavy sweet riffs, groovin’ beats and catchy vocals to boot. The Hunted Crows will bring their musical stylings every damn Thursday in January to Yah Yah’s in Fitzroy. Supporting them this week will be SlowJaxx & The Kozmik Love Orkestra and Who’s This?, with DJ Mermaid playing it out till 5am. Doors open 6pm. Free entry.
ARBES
Arbes are riled up to kick off the new year with good people and good tunes. Come down to The Reverence, grab a bev, and have a jiggle and a wiggle along with pals Alice D, Vinyl Splinters and Dream Fatigue. Enjoy hours of music for dirt cheap $2 entry. Get down to the Rev this Thursday January 15.
DAN SAN
JUNGLE BIRD
THURSDAY JANUARY 15
TIM HECKER
Melbourne lad’s Money For Rope have spent most of the past 18 months perfecting their slacker rock stylings for the live stage, spending more time overseas than in their home country. They have returned and are ready to take over the Cherry Bar stage across two big nights this week. You can catch them on Friday January 16 and Saturday January 17. Doors from 8pm, tickets are $15 at the door.
SLOW CLUB
UK duo Slow Club will hit our shores this January in support of their new album, Complete Surrender. The LP marks the pair’s third studio release, veering away from their initial anti-folk categorisation and drawing on Motown and ‘70s pop influences. They’ll play at Northcote Social Club on Thursday January 15. Tickets are available from the venue’s website.
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Jungle Bird is a collaborative music project started in 2014 lead by two friends, Halley Flanagan and Glen Prins. Light, open, warm and heartfelt, their sound evokes old soul, neu-folk, indie-pop and a touch of country. After recently returning from Mumbai where they recorded material for their highly anticipated EP, the duo are set to warm up the hearts of Melbourne venues and audiences once again, this Thursday January 15 at The Drunken Poet. Joining them will be Berlin singer/songwriter Fee Klauser. Come down to The Drunken Poet at 8pm to catch these two stellar acts in action.
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GREAT JOHN HIMSELF
Having recently returned from a musical adventure in New York and Cuba, Paul Van Ross leads one of the most exciting ensembles currently on the Melbourne jazz scene. Van Ross’ trio is highly energetic with rhythmical prowess. Music will draw upon a combination of standard repertoire and original compositions. This trio of double bass and drums allows Van Ross the environment to extend his saxophone and flute solos both harmonically and rhythmically. Van Ross’ latest album, My Cuban Soul, was recorded in Cuba with an all star Cuban lineup. Don’t miss the Paul Van Ross Trio at Ruby’s Music Room this Friday January 16. Entry is $20 or $15 if you check in on Facebook.
Great John Himself are taking over The Brunswick Hotel for Brunny Thursday’s this week. Special guests include Road Train, Bec Goring and James Lynch with DJ Baby Tones spinnin’ tracks till 3am. It’s free entry and cheap beers. Get down this Thursday January 15. FRIDAY JANUARY 16
BRAT FARRAR
RENDEZVOUS SUMMER PARTY
Northcote’s newest bar and live music venue, 24 Moons is hosting a brand new event for all the music lovers in Melbourne. Rendezvous is kicking off Friday January 16 with a massive lineup featuring The Pretty Littles, The Cherry Dolls, The Endless Party, Sheriff, The Delta Riggs (DJ set), Tooth & Tush, The Crookeds and The Shakes. Eight bands and three DJ’s for just $20. Get down to 24 Moons, 2 Arthurton Road, Northcote. This is one night of music you don’t want to miss.
LOS ROMANTICOS
Los Romanticos are bringing their incredible Mariachi tunes to the front bar of The Reverence Hotel every Friday in January. Fuck yes to summer vibes in the ‘Scray. Tunes kick off from 9pm so come down early, smash some of The Rev’s renowned Mexican food and stick around for the gig.
Melbourne garage punk mainstay Brat Farrar has smashed out his second browser appropriately titled II and is playing new tunes at The Retreat Hotel this Friday January 16. For the uninitiated, Brat Farrar sounds reminiscent of early Wipers, Chrome, Suicide and Wire. Between records I and II, Brat Farrar has played shows in his hometown Australia as well as spending a long period touring in Europe, augmented live by various crackpot musicians from near and far. Farrar will be augmented by his hotshot live band featuring Mad Dog on bass and Justin on drums, both from Ross De Chene Hurricanes. The Infants are also along for the ride. It all starts 9.30pm, with free entry.
THE DIECASTS
The DieCasts are a three-piece rock band from the Mornington Peninsula. Heavily influenced by bands such as The Living End and The Beatles, The DieCasts have crafted a sound, blending ‘50s rock’n’roll progressions with hard hitting beats, fat guitar riffs and thumping bass lines that will have you tapping your feet and banging your head. The DieCasts are returning with a vengeance to The Bendigo Hotel this Friday January 16. Joining them will be Evil Twin, Von Stache and Dream In Colour Kids. The night will begin at 8pm for a mere $10 at the door. First band kicks off at 9pm, so get in early for a few Friday froffies.
SATURDAY JANUARY 17
ZANZIBAR CHANEL
LIEUTENANT JAM
Lieutenant Jam, Damn That River, DD and the Damaged Goods and Vision St return to The Brunswick Hotel for their first gigs of 2015. The perfect amount of time to recover from NYE and get back to raising your hand in the air, moving it from side to side. Drink away the memories of the NYE mistake when you woke up next to your ex, a horse’s head, four different passports and a bag full of cash to a full night of rock’n’roll from 9pm on Friday January 16.
HIDEOUS SUN DEMON
Perth-based badasses Hideous Sun Demon smashed out 2014 playing a bunch of sweet festivals, supports, winning WAM awards and recording their debut album Sweat. This January they are taking their sweet jeans over the road to Melbourne to play a string of shows with some east coast buddies that nearly match them on the freak-o-meter. Catch Hideous Sun Demon at The Gasometer Hotel Friday January 16, The Evelyn Saturday January 17 and Northcote Social Club Sunday January 19.
Zanzibar Chanel are back on Aussie shores and are ready to make your arse pump once again. Fresh from a European sojourn, with two sold out records and a cop bashing video clip, Zanzi’s homecoming show in Melbourne will be the kick off for their Rock’n’Roll Toilet world tour. Melbournians also missed out on a launch for Funky Junk, the debut record for Zanzibar Chanel and their new label Ruff Records, so they’re calling it a launch party too. It all goes down at the Shadow Electric Bandroom Saturday January 17. Doors from 5pm, tickets are 15 bucks.
XYLOURIS WHITE
Xylouris White, the new outfit for Dirty Three drummer Jim White and Cretan lute player George Xylouris, make their Australian debut this summer after tours in the US and Europe. They will be performing at the Sydney Festival, Hobart’s MONA / FOMA Festival and playing a one-off Melbourne headline show this Saturday January 17 at Howler. Both Xylouris and White are setting out on a rare adventure in music. Each continues to be pre-eminent in his field, but both have decided to bring together the best of their very disparate traditions into a new kind of universal music. Tickets are $25+BF available from Moshtix.
SUNSET BLUSH
Sunset Blush, the Purpleghost of the local underground, is back from playing gigs interstate and writing new music to launch his latest single Sweet Barbwire at Yah Yah’s. Joining him will be hard funksters Funk Rabbit & Upstanding Members. Come down and help launch the new Sunset Blush track and get down to a great night of drinks and live music. Friday January 16 from 9pm at Yah Yah’s.
THE LOVELESS
This Friday January 16 at The Grace Darling Basement, let a bunch of hot guitar wielding vamps and champs lure you in like mermaids and smash you on the proverbial rock(s). This killer lineup features the likes of Dawn of the Jackal, The General, Claws and Organs and The Loveless who will be sneeringly dismissing you with their caterwauling female vocals, unrelenting wall of noise and grungy style catchy melodies about love gone wrong. Doors from 9pm, tickets are $10.
THE SOUL OF ARETHA
Florelie Escano and her incredibly talented ninepiece Orchestra are set to return to Ding Dong Lounge with their tribute show The Soul Of Aretha one last time on Saturday January 16, before heading to the UK. Get ready to lose yourself while getting down to the gritty, funky sweet sounds of Aretha Franklin’s biggest hits spanning over three decades. Don’t miss your last chance to catch one of the most powerful live tribute shows. It all goes down Friday January 16 at Ding Dong Lounge. Tickets are $25 through the venue. CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU
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Terra Australis bring unbridled force that crushes all that stand in their way. Before they step on the shores of Japan once again, Terra seek to raise hell and wave the banner of Melbourne black metal at the Bendigo this Saturday January 17. Joining them will be seasoned metal warriors Twisted Fate, Mardraum and Maniaxe that are sure to deliver an impressive kick off to the cryptic slaughter. Tickets are $12 from the venue, doors open 8pm.
LOUIS KING’S SUN KINGS
Louis King’s Sun Kings have been at the top of the roots music scene in Australia since their first CD was released in 1996. Their music is a dangerous mix of blues and rockabilly songwriting with a stage act that combines outback roadhouse with a Glasgow pub dance. They have performed at major festivals around the country, including the East Coast Festival in Byron Bay five times, as well as Bridgetown Cairns and Broadbeach Blues festivals. The band has been the featured support act for B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan and Screamin’ J Hawkins to name a few. You can catch them for free this Saturday January 17 at The Retreat Hotel.
MILLAR JUKES & THE BANDITS
Scottish born singer/songwriter Millar Jukes has brought his unique take on Americana music to Australia, and together with The Bandits he’ll be hitting the Ding Dong stage this Saturday January 17 for a night of music, booze and dancing. Joined by the hypnotic Andrew Swift & The Rattlesnake Choir as well as the endlessly talented Adrian Whyte, the night is sure to be filled with the sounds of excellent music from start to finish. Doors open 9pm, presale tickets $8+BF or $10 on the door.
NEON FUNK
Neon Funk is a celebration of ‘80s funk and new wave, when hair was big, everything was very bright and a keytar was pretty much the coolest thing you could own. Three big artists feature this Saturday including Lake Minnetonka, DXHeaven and MzRizk (DJ). Fat synth will reign supreme this Saturday January 17 at Hugs & Kisses. Presale tickets are $8 from Dashtickets, or $10 at the door if available.
SHADOW MAKERS
Over the past 12 months, Shadow Makers have been humbly honing their live shows with performances throughout Melbourne, Geetroit and even on the high seas of Port Phillip Bay alongside some strong Australian talent including The Love Junkies, Pretty City, Slow Chase and many more. With a healthy dose of psychedelic fuzz, scuzz, groove and epic delay soaked harmonies, the five-piece sound is nothing short of huge. They are launching their debut single Riding The Wave at The Workers Club on January 17 with Reptiles and Slow Chase. Tickets are $10. Doors at 8.30pm. SUNDAY JANUARY 18
ROSS MCLENNAN AND THE NEW WORLD
After launching his brilliant new single General Singh to a packed house, Ross McLennan and his 11-piece ensemble The New World are playing a free Sunday arvo show at The Gasometer Hotel this Sunday, January 18. Special guest will be the wonderful Felicity Cripps of Slow Galo, accompanied by Tim Heath (The Basics) on electric guitar. Doors open 5pm, free entry.
ELECTRIC BOOGALOO
Get down this Sunday January 18 to the Abbotsford Convent’s Shadow Electric Bandroom and beer garden. Bringing a little soul will be three of the four members of Hiatus Kaiyote, in the form of Swooping Duck. Serving up an all-round selection of funk, soul, hip hop and jazz, will be DJs JNETT, Manchild, Mz Rizk and Tom Scott, who will take care of the outdoor energy with their dope track selections. There’ll also be basketball shootouts, dance-offs, ping-pong battles and food trucks. It all kicks off from 2pm.
RETREAT SUNDAYS SUMMER OF SOUL
The Retreat and Collingwood Draft are combining to bring you The Retreat Sundays Summer Of Soul. It all kicks off with DJs Manchild & Vince Peach in Brunswick’s favourite beer garden. As the sun slips from the sky, Melbourne’s soul siren Kylie Auldist & The Glenroy Allstars will take to the main stage. There’ll also be a smoking BBQ and Collingwood Draft giveaways. Get down this Sunday January 18. Free entry from 2pm onwards. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 46
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Having recently returned from a tour of the UK, Melbourne-based singer/songwriter Alanna Eileen is set to launch her debut EP. Produced by Mark Myers (The Middle East), it delivers introspective, lyricdriven songs with a gothic edge, combining pure vocals with intricate fingerpicking. Inspired by a tradition epitomised by artists like Nick Drake, Eileen's delicate brand of folk has won her many fans. She will be touring the east coast throughout February in support of this release. Catch her on Sunday January 18 at The Toff In Town with Lara Travis and Noah Earp. Tickets are $10 on the door.
TRIUMPH OVER LOGIC
Triumph Over Logic are bringing their theatrical rock music and entertaining stage antics to The Brunswick Hotel this Sunday January 18. Joining them will be the likes of Cyanide Teeth and Spidey Spidey. Music kicks off at 8pm. Free entry.
TYRE SWANS
Tyre Swans is Donnie Dureau, Darren Gibson and Jamie Hay ± three mates who combined their solo songs and made a record together back in January 2009. They toured the east coast together and busked everyday. Over the past few years, Tyre Swans have held an annual park show but this year they will be bringing their tunes inside to The Reverence Hotel, playing every Sunday for y’all. Tyre Swans are sure to make your Sundays sing. Tunes kick off from 3pm on Sunday January 18.
LOOkiNg FORwARD
MANDY CONNELL
Mandy Connell is bare-souled and luminous on stage. With acclaim throughout the folk scene, Connell is admired for her songwriting and delivery, taking the Declan Affley Award (National Folk Festival) in 2005 and the Maldon Minstrel Award (Maldon Festival) in 2006. She has toured the UK, formed Trad five-piece Stray Hens, and continues to write original music. Mandy Connell plays two sets at the Post Office Hotel from 8pm, Thursday January 22.
TIMOTHY NELSON
It’s been a big year for WA-based pop act Timothy Nelson & The Infidels. They released their sophomore album Terror, Terror – Hide It, Hide It to a sold out Rosemount Hotel (WA) and played shows around the country on numerous tours to celebrate the release. The album and the band scored some serious recognition at the WA Music Awards (WAMi’s), taking home an impressive five of the seven awards they were nominated for including Best Album, Best Pop Act, Best Male Vocalist (Timothy Nelson), Best Guitarist (Luke Dux) and Best Keys/Synth artist (Timothy Nelson). Frontman Timothy Nelson is ready to hit Melbourne for a string of solo shows to hail in 2015. Sporadically joined by some band members and friends along the way, the shows are sure to showcase some serious talent. Catch him at The Retreat Hotel on Sunday January 18 from 5pm. Free entry.
ICEAGE
Following their announcement of Brisbane and Sydney tour dates, Iceage have announced they will also stop in Melbourne for a headlining show this January. The tour comes off the back of the Danish four-piece’s highly praised third album Plowing Into The Field Of Love. Iceage will take over Ding Dong Lounge on Friday January 23. Tickets are on sale now through Handsome tours.
LYALL MALONEY
Producer, musical shape shifter, and one man music machine Lyall Maloney celebrates the launch of Do It Again, the first single from his upcoming album Only Lonely, this Friday January 23 at Shebeen Bandroom. Moloney is recently back from touring through Europe (second time this year), playing shows in Holland, France, Germany and the UK. Do It Again is the first arrow from the new soul quiver. It takes up where he left off: beat surges that push out a hip hop sensibility, and a narrative that works through a night that never ends. Tickets are $10+BF through the venue.
MICK DOG’S BONE YARD
ONE DAY SUNDAYS
KRIS SCHROEDER
Kris Schroeder, founding member of Melbourne champs The Basics, has been hiding behind the marvellous talent of bandmates Wally De Backer (Gotye) and Tim Heath (Blood Red Bird) for far too long. Returning to his hometown of Melbourne after three years in Africa, Schroeder has recently rediscovered the joy of playing solo. Songbook in head and guitar in hand, Schroeder is looking forward to belting out a few new originals along with some choice covers that’ll bring a half-smile to your face. Schroeder returns to The Drunken Poet for a free gig this Sunday January 18 at 6.30pm, come on down.
FLAP!
After seven great years, Flap! are calling it a day. They will perform their last show ever on Sunday January 18 at Howler in Brunswick. From their first show in Copenhagen, to their early gigs at Collingwood’s Fox Hotel, to their Woodfords and Port Fairies, their nude gig at Bar Open, and their Tassie Circus Festivals, Flap! have become Australia’s favourite folk-jazz party band. Three European tours, hundreds of Australian shows all over the country, and two albums. It’s been an immense amount of fun. Join Flap! to celebrate and to say goodbye. Tickets are $25+BF available from Mosthix.
JEMMA & THE CLIFTON HILLBILLIES
Jemma & The Clifton Hillbillies have just released their debut single Fighting Mad, which they will be playing for your listening enjoyment from 4pm every Sunday in January at The Yarra Hotel. Although Jemma & The Clifton Hillbillies wear their hearts on their sleeve, they are more than the sum of their parts and a surprisingly ambitious lot. Not one of them actually resides in a trailer. Catch Jemma & The Clifton Hillbillies this Sunday January 18 at The Yarra Hotel. Free entry. Yeehaw.
ALSO, DRAGONS
Also, Dragons are easy to like and hard to describe ± an energized punk-rock band who also like ska, prog and jazz fusion. They like pedal-noise solos as much as guitar solos, and stoner-doom interludes as much as groovy horns. Save us the trouble of trying to explain them further and come see them at The Bendigo Hotel this Sunday January 18. It’ll be a monstrous goodvibes party with an eclectic array of supports, namely the monolithic Church and Francisco Mejia Flood. Doors open at 8pm with free entry.
Now in its second year, One Day Sundays is a series of free parties curated by Sydney hip hop collective One Day (Horrorshow, Spit Syndicate, Joyride and Jackie Onassis), combining a beer garden atmosphere with some of Australia’s best DJ’s, live graffiti art, delicious food and all round good vibes. One Day DJ’s Joyride and ADIT will be spinning tunes and keeping the vibes up in the Penny Black’s outdoor courtyard alongside guest DJ’s M-Phazes and DJ Sizzle. The party will also feature live painting by infamous graffiti writer Sofles. One Day Sundays have become an institution in Sydney and the response in Melbourne has been incredible. Join the One Dayers and see what all the fuss is about on Sunday January 18 at The Penny Black, 420 Sydney Road, Brunswick. Free entry. MONDAY JANUARY 19
RUBY’S MUSIC ROOM: CLASSICAL GUITAR AND KOTO
On Monday January 19, Ruby’s presents a multicultural music event, which covers classical guitar and koto repertoire from Asia to Europe and America. Brandon Lee, Yunjia Liu and Evan Hopkins will perform a solo guitar and koto repertoire, as well as a duet piece by Caroline Szeto. Entry is $15 or $10 if you check in on Facebook. Doors from 7pm at Ruby’s Music Room.
A swampy rockabilly blues duo from the deep south of Victoria, Mick Dog’s Bone Yard is the big sound from a guitar and drums two-piece. Play anywhere, anytime for good dollars or a good time. Preferably both. Mick Dog’s Bone Yard are playing two sets at the Post Office Hotel from 9.30pm. Get down on Friday January 23.
GARY WATLING QUARTET
Gary Watling is an exciting guitarist who is embracing jazz as an improvising platform; his style borrows heavily from the blues and country traditions. As a sideman, Watling plays with numerous groups (including CMA’s Global Artist of The Year ± Jasmine Rae) throughout Melbourne and Australia. The Gary Watling Quartet, was formed in late 2013 and draws from the rich repertoire of jazz standards and American music. Don’t miss Gary Watling playing at Ruby’s Music Room on Saturday January 24 from 7pm.
LORD
One of Australia’s biggest heavy melodic bands, Lord are heading down to Melbourne for Australia Day weekend to headline a massive show. The lads have spent much of 2014 focusing on the 25th anniversary of their previous incarnation, Dungeon, including a massive box set release of re-recordings. Rounding out a killer lineup are Melbourne thrashers Desecrator, Envenomed, Party Vibez and Toxicon. It all goes down Saturday January 24 at The Reverence Hotel. Doors open at 7.30pm, entry is $15 at the door.
TUESDAY JANUARY 20
PORK CHOP PARTY
Optimistic melancholy. Two broken bass drums. Two broken guitars. Two broken gentlemen. The Pork Chop Party are taking over The Post Office Hotel to party in true Straya Day weekend style. Start your BBQ early with Pork Chop Party, Saturday January 24.
AIMEE VOLKOFSKY & THE MOLOTOVS
Aimee Volkofsky & The Molotovs are taking over the Cherry Bar stage every Tuesday night this January. Hailing from Bourke, Broken Hill, Bendigo, Melbourne and Newborough, Aimee Volkofsky & the Molotovs sing tales of murder and magic and cannibal love. Support comes from the hella good Me’Graine and Fraudband. Get down to Cherry Bar this Tuesday January 20 from 6pm. Live tunes from 8.30pm to 11pm and Cherry DJ till 3am. Free fucking entry.
BETTER THAN THE WIZARDS
Kicking off an epic Australia Day long weekend party, Better Than The Wizards are bringing their blend of pop, funk, rock and jazz to Ding Dong Lounge, to be joined by some very special guests. Hailing from Melbourne, the massive six-piece band take their influences from a range of genres in order to create a melting pot of sounds and a fun, energetic live performance that will have you drinking, dancing and partying into the small hours of the morning. It all goes down January 24. Tickets are $8+BF. Doors from 9pm.
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For more reviews go to beat.com.au/reviews SO FRENCHY SO CHIC IN THE PARK Werribee Mansion, Sunday January 11 Photo by David Harris
Photo by David Harris
After such a grim week in French/world news, it was gratifying to bring in a bit of light with fellow Francophiles. It was also an opportunity for many of today’s artists to dedicate a set or song to lost compatriots. The minute’s silence for Charlie Hebdo’s slain staff was poignant. Set on the foregrounds of Werribee Mansion, if you ignored the whine of a few thousand Aussie accents, we could have been picnicking at a château and following a week of it pissing down, Melbourne turned on a heaven-sent day for the festival. French-born but now Kiwi-based Franck Monnet kicked off proceedings with an acoustic set. The man has honey pipes. Our French is rusty but there were definitely songs about letter writing and weddings. Whatever, we could have listened to him all day. François and the Atlas Mountains picked up the mantle playing a gleeful blend of electro-synth pop. A lot of their songs throw a nod to Afro beats and their more upbeat tunes are reminiscent of The Cure’s happier tracks. This was a blissful set of twinkling, starlight synth. Their set also marked the start of the dancefloor. Demonstrating our theory that French blokes can pull shit off of which their Anglo counterparts are incapable was the lad rocking out in a lounge coat smoking Gauloise. His mate was wearing hotel slippers and neither of them looked like a knob. Later, the band threw out the invitation for someone to join them on keys. Our lounge coat friend stepped up to the plate and did it with finesse. The band also proved the point: they have dance routines and yet avoid looking like a boy band. The vocalist is a particularly limber dude. It feels like we cover a lot of territory with hot chanteuse Émilie Simon. While it’s all broadly under the electro/ pop/rock banner, some of it’s heavier (a wee bit My Bloody Valentine goes Gallic), at other times it’s disco or ‘60s chick band doo-wop; she also puts in a pretty good turn as a French Kate Bush. While it’s mostly sweetly sung, Simon demonstrates her rock chops with a cover of Iggy Pop’s I Wanna Be Your Dog, which is all the more transgressive when sung by a woman. We’re intrigued by the musical steam-punk prosthesis from which she tweaks space-age sounds. She’s a compelling little pocket rocket – her movements are spare but sexy and dramatic. La Femme are an exercise in eclectic cool and rocked. Musically, they’re a kooky blend of kraut rock, indie pop and swamp/rockabilly (it’s in the drums). It’s also befitting the band’s eccentric lineup: one of the dudes is sporting an orange frilled blouse, red lippy and black skirt (which is fine, of course). It turns out that our lounge-jacketed mate is also one of the keyboardists and vocalists. Plus they live together in a castle. These sexy weirdos are our new favourite band. After a few technical glitches, Finnish/French outfit The Dø continue in the electro-pop vein. Lead singer Meri Lahri is scorching (metaphorically and probably literally) in her red aviator jump suit and fly-boy glasses. She puts in a thoroughly compelling theatrical/avant-garde LOVED: The whole goddamn day, but special performance – her moves hearken back to ‘70s Elvis mention goes to our parasol – those things are karate-style chops. genius. Today, amidst the joie de vivre, we were asked to HATED: We thought we hated the portaloos but demonstrate solidarity and in our own small way we did. that was before we got sunburned even after three Je suis Charlie. applications of 30+ sunscreen. That’s what happens when you leave a redhead in the sun on a hot day. MEG CRAWFORD DRANK: Over three litres of water.
Photo by David Harris
Photo by Andy Crawford
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For more reviews go to beat.com.au/reviews JOEY BADA$$ & RUN THE JEWELS The Forum, Thursday January 8 Joey Bada$$, photo by Ian laidlaw
GL ASS ANIMALS The Hi-Fi, Sunday January 11 Photo by Ian laidlaw
Joey Bada$$, photo by Ian laidlaw
We arrive a little late to The Forum to discover that Run The Jewels had already begun their set, so we bail on our $3.50 tinnies for the $10 plastic cups inside the venue, just in time to hear El P declaring, “Corrupt officials, child molesters – the world is full of horrible people who lie, cheat, steal, kill.” A bassline erupts that sounds suspiciously like Early. As soon as Killer Mike threw his hands in the air, the writhing crowd left their hands up mid trap-arm, and everyone stood still in solidarity. What you don’t think when you’re reading a gig review that some music journo has compounded their literary efforts into and solemnly delineated, is that their sorry arse was probably writing notes most of the time. And that when Danny Brown tells them to dip, all they dip into is the baggy of sobriety. I’m much too scared of a fading buzz to take notes so, instead of moving up the back when Joey Bada$$ graced the stage, I took recess in Hosier Lane, double-cupped, and used a circle formed around a large ring of dumpling vomit as a shortcut to the front of stage. Bada$$ waved his arms like a wacky, waving, inflatable arm-flailing tube man at a car sales yard while hollering the chorus to No. 99,, while some shirtless dudes moshed into my no-flex zone and ruined my perfect rendition of Bada$$’s 1 Train verse. One of my three notes that night was: “Straight fuck the gurning bro with his top off.” CJ Fly appeared on stage for Hardknock, and Bada$$ reiterated his precocious Survival Tactics before following through with the lost art of the encore. What song was said encore? No fucking idea, but I’ll trade a truncated LOVED: No. 99. memory for a clueless posterity at the drop of a high-hat. HATED: Gurn-Bro. EDGAR IVAN
Glass Animals are something, but cool rock stars they are not. Due on stage at 10.20pm, the four lanky Anglos walked on stage to a rambunctious welcome at 10.19pm with Dave Bayley; frontman, producer and mastermind of the band wearing his own band’s merch shirt. Smooth. Set against an overly elaborate canopy of cane palms, the band opened with Black Mambo and as their compatriots Groove Armada would say, the groove was on. But it’s a familiar groove, because if we’re honest, Glass Animals are hopelessly derivative. Their debut album, last year’s Zaba, was the Maggi two-minute noodles of the indie-rock scene: fun, easy to digest, but not exactly pushing any boundaries in their field. With the acceptance that the Oxford lads weren’t in Melbourne to break new ground, their performance was as satisfying as those delicious noodles on a frosty winter afternoon. Psylla followed their opening track and continued the bass-heavy wig out, with Bayley’s vocals slinking above and below the rhythm section, contorting his voice from growls to falsetto. As a frontman, Bayley’s quite captivating, putting his own spin on Thom Yorke’s patented dance moves and restlessly pacing the stage, guitar in hand as if bursting with nervous energy. But the party starts with Joe Seaward. The percussionist, as with all R&B-inflected indie groups, is the centrepiece of every track. Exxus followed next, then Gooey and Walla Walla after that, but the setlist wasn’t what was interesting about the night, it rarely is when a band is touring their only album. What was interesting was how much more muscular their sound was on stage and how readily all four jumped into experimental, improv beast mode, giving zero fucks about any limitations of genre as they extended tracks and pushed them further. It was in these moments Glass Animals outgrew any tag 2014 might have placed on them. Manipulating bass lines into trip hop territory, surprisingly technical guitar riffs and a percussionist that obviously has jazz training all placed the lovable nerds in an echelon above your dollar-a-bag four-piece English rock band. Their performance proved there’s genuine hope for them to escape from the shadows of their own iTunes heroes. Finishing with Pools was a lot more dignified; the strongest track on their album showcased their ability and potential to move tiles on a dancefloor and if they can broaden the scope of their influences in the future, Glass LOVED: David Bayley doing his best impersonation Animals are going to quickly climb the ranks of the of Thom Yorke in Lotus Flower. NME oligarchy. HATED: Sound issues. CHRISTOPHER LEWIS
DRANK: A single plum, floating in perfume, served in a man’s hat.
DRANK: H20.
SBTRKT The Forum, Wednesday January 7 Sydney trio Movement opened the night, winning a lot of new fans with their playful beats. Backed by a couple of talented musicians on bass and percussion, frontman Lewis Wade showcased his impressive vocal range. Regardless of the fact Melbourne had just endured another 40-degree day, the crowd were excited – The Forum was packed to the rafters with eager fans ready to party. After getting himself organised, SBTRKT opened with the title track from his new and highly impressive album, Wonder Where We Land.. Backed by a live drummer and keys, the British producer also brought long-time collaborator Sampha, who came out for Hold On.. The songs with Sampha were easily the highlights of the night, with the added live vocals bringing a whole new element to the already impressive sound. Look Away,, featuring Caroline Polachek on the album, was easily the worst song of the night. The pre-recorded vocals sounded tinny and completely out of time. Only a handful of tracks were picked from the new album, with SBTRKT showcasing a nice mix of older fan favourites, as well as two new songs never heard before, including Highs & Lows and a remix of Radiohead’s Lotus Flower. Pharaohs from his self-titled debut album got a huge response. They should have had Sampha perform the vocals on Higher, considering he was already singing Denai Moore’s part on the very next song, The Light and also Temporary View. War Drums, a bonus track on the new album featuring Warpaint, was intense – constantly switching between soothing and chaotic. Understandably, the set finished with Wildfire, probably his most popular single to date. The dramatic intro had everyone screaming with excitement and people ran from the bars to dance. Unlike most half-arsed encores, SBTRKT left and came back with five more songs, which included the instrumental Lantern, New Dorp New York, Something Goes Right with Sampha and ended with Right Thing To Do. LOVED: The intense lighting effects. CHRIS BRIGHT
HATED: The average sound mixing. DRANK: Water.
CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 49
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
WEEKLY TRIVIA
PRIZES & GIVEAWAYS! STARTS AT 8PM. CONTACT THE VENUE FOR TABLE BOOKINGS!
&
IN THE BEER GARDEN
DJ ALI.E
ALL VINYL, ALL GARAGE, ALL SHOE GAZE, ALL PSYCH – ALRIGHT. PLAYING INSIDE AND OUT FROM 7PM FRIDAY 16 JANUARY MAIN BAR
11:30PM
THE MEANTIMES
EMPRA 9:30PM THE SOLICITORS 10:30PM
DJ’S 7PM B-TWO / 9PM HIJACK / 11PM MAARS SATURDAY 17 JANUARY MAIN BAR
9:30
REUBEN STONE +TASH SULTANA
DJ’S 7PM MATT RAD / 9PM D’FRO / 11PM MR LOB ROYAL BEER GARDEN
AFTERNOONS ON THE GREEN
LIVE MUSIC IN THE BEER GARDEN + DRINK SPECIALS 3PM - LA RUMBA SUNDAY 18 JANUARY MAIN BAR
BRUNSWICK BLUEGRASS COLLECTIVE 5PM ROYAL BEER GARDEN
EASY NOW - SUNDAY REGGAE BEATS
FEAT. AGENT 86, TOM SHOWTIME, DJ MAARS & CIDER SPECIALS. 5PM MONDAY 19 JANUARY
FREE POOL FREE WORKSHOPS CALL VENUE FOR DETAILS.
$10 LONGNECKS & $4 PIZZA TUESDAY 20 JANUARY
FREE MOVIE NIGHT WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT 8:30PM
WEEKLY FOOD SPECIALS $4 PIZZAS MONDAY - THURSDAY ALL DAY & NIGHT, FRIDAY 12PM TO 5PM WEDNESDAY: $12 STEAKS FROM 5PM THURSDAY: $12 BURGERS FROM 5PM (MEAT + VEGO OPTION)
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 50
COLLECTORS CORNER
YON YONSON
MISSING LINK TOP TEN
(Independent)
1. Typical System LP TOTAL CONTROL
It’s Natural THURSDAY 15 JANUARY
TOP TENS:
2. Putkah tape PUTKAH Yon Yonson are clever guys. Scary clever. There are so many ideas bursting through this album, both musically and thematically, that it’s hard to keep your head steady. The sophomore album for the Sydney duo, which falls under any combo of hyphenated sub-genres you want to string together, is another giant step into the weird rabbit hole they’ve been digging for themselves lately. Yon’s last album exclaimed, “I never finish songs, I just glue all my demos together,” which sums their scrap-book aesthetic up perfectly, following in the neo-psychedelic vein of Fishing, Animal Collective, and Baths. Rabid syncopations and polyrhythms are bundled up with guitar licks and hip hop samples, a wash of poppy synths and crooning falsettos. Synthetic and Am I A Hero Now are emblematic of their style: well-constructed and tight-knit, with boundless energy. The nice thing about It’s Natural is it could’ve been an overly cerebral album. Soundbites of Bertrand Russell and sci-fi undertones seep in and out, potentially rendering the record as douchey-stoner material. Instead, the songs flit between dead-pan observations of a humdrum life, and crippling self-awareness, pouring out in concerns about a girlfriend’s asthma or ballads like Lucid Dreams – “there’s very little evidence
3. Peel Me Like An Egg CD HARD-ONS 4. Foundations Of Burden LP/CD PALLBEARER 5. Nevermind LP reissue NIRVANA 6. Black Love LP/CD AFGHAN WHIGS 7. Lament CD EINSTURZENDE that my twenty years or so have been distinguished.” This unmistakable inner-west laziness lightens the tone of It’s Natural, providing some possibly much needed ballast. It’s Natural is a colourful cornucopia, which is great for an invested listener. It’s like a thrift shop: just take what you want, and leave what you don’t.
NEUBAUTEN 8. We Live 2LP ELECTRIC WIZARD 9. Trance LP CHRIS AND COSEY 10. BBC Peel Sessions LP NAPALM DEATH
NIC LINEY
RECORD PARADISE TOP TEN 1. Doolittle 25 PIXIES
SINGLES
BY LACHLAN
POND
Zond (EMI) A bit like Devil’s Haircut with a extra helping of fucked-up-R-Stevie-Moore goodness, Zond is a breezy manic trip, tending to carry you along like a celestial estuary, never faltering, but never really pulling you all the way in. An irresistible romp, exemplary of Pond’s commendable lack of inhibition.
JEMMA & THE CLIFTON HILLBILLIES
Fighting Mad (Independent) I really want to hate the band name Clifton Hillbillies, but it’s just too good, dammit. The music’s pretty great too, reminiscent of Jeff Tweedy at his most sentimental. A nice little folky treat, swaying along with wry aplomb.
AND SEBASTIAN
SIA
Elastic Heart (Monkey Puzzle) Not pulling any punches, Sia launches into Elastic Heart with what could pass as a hook in a lesser song, soaring with fearlessness on each and every syllable, artful in its majesty. Pop perfection, Sia’s powerhouse voice dynamic without ever seeming showy. I suppose I should talk about the vid with Shia LaBeouf and Maddie Ziegler? It’s great. Check it out. On the web. Cheers.
CONSTANT MONGREL
The Law (RIP Society) The guitar tone on The Law is sick. Not really much else to it, really. Sick riffs, sick tones, sick chorus. Constant Mongrel are a sick live band. And this is a sick recording from a sick band. Sick.
5. G Stands For Go-Between THE GOBETWEENS 6. pom pom ARIEL PINK 7. Typical System TOTAL CONTROL 8. Legalize Everything THE FROWNING CLOUDS 9. Dipz Zebazios THE DELTA RIGGS 10. Six Strings That Drew Blood ROWLAND S HOWARD
BEAT’S TOP TEN SONGS
TWERPS
ABOUT RAINBOWS
I Don’t Mind (Chapter) For a band synonymous with guitar jangle, Twerps dig deep into a cloudy bass chasm in I Don’t Mind. It sounds great, Marty Frawley’s singing in a kind of stage whisper, intertwining with Jules McFarlane’s backing vocals in triumphant swells, easing into a frenetic wall of sound that still emanates a gentle, dreamlike haze. It doesn’t overreach, and it’s far from slacker, everything in the right measure, skirting with lyrical platitude, resonating through simplicity.
1. Over the Rainbow HAROLD ARLEN/E.Y. HARBURG PERFORMED BY JUDY GARLAND 2. She Talks to Rainbows RONNIE SPECTOR
CAROLES
3. Rainbow MARIAH CAREY
What A Blast (Independent) AKL power trio Caroles jackhammer their way into What A Blast, shifting gears between thrash radness and head-bang menace. It punches well above its weight, cramming resounding dexterity into a brief running time. Good shit.
SINGLE OF THE WEEK
TOTAL GIOVANNI
DOLLAR BAR
Can’t Control My Love (Two Bright Lakes/Remote Control) I still don’t like this dude’s voice (I don’t like it because it’s not very good), but it’s a better suit here on the blog-housey Can’t Control My Love. Still, the falsetto portions are a little bit shit, and the rave piano is a bit played out at this stage, yeah? Having said all that, I do dig this, despite its shortcomings. The production is lush, and those blog-house incantations aren’t really revivalist in nature, letting the good times roll with ease. Feel it in your hipbones.
3. Tales THE PEEP TEMPEL 4. Girls In Peace Time Want To Dance BELLE
For all the latest singles check out beat.com.au ‘Hold The Eggplant: Why Society Is Ready For An Actual Dick Emoji In 2015’ – a think piece by Lachlan Kanoniuk
2. Content Nausea PARKAY QUARTS
4. Perfect Rainbow CORNELIUS
Drawbacks (Sonic Masala) This is the kind of song where I just wanna quote every damn line. I’ll just go with “I tried not to be the fool / But I’ve given up on it.” Drawbacks is blessed with potent anachronism, an uncanny nostalgia in theme and sonics, shining with a shout-a-long chorus cry of self-deprecation, chugging along with The Cars style riffs. Bang on, on point rock‘n’roll resigned to dirtbaggery, Gold FM scope on a garage scale.
WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV
5. Catch the Rainbow RAINBOW 6. Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow ALAN JACKSON 7. Rainbow ROBERT PLANT 8. The Rainbow Connection THE CARPENTERS 9. Gravity’s Rainbow KLAXONS 10. Rainbow Lips REDCOATS
ALBUMS New music in review this week - For more reviews go to beat.com.au/reviews
SHE & HIM
CHARLES JENKINS
DEREK GRANT
Classics
Breakdown
(Columbia Records)
AND THE AMATEUR HISTORIANS
The Past Is Never Where You Think You Left It (Silver Stamp Records)
After the success of Too Much Water In The Boat last year, Charles Jenkins returns with a new album inspired by life in this great city of ours. Many different themes are explored, from public transport to well-known landmarks. Jenkins’ distinctive folk vocals and great harmonies (with his Amateur Historians David Milne and Douglas Robertson) are on show throughout. The Past Is Never Where You Think You Left It is a somewhat humorous, yet at times heartbreaking, record. It opens with The Melbourne Eye, one of the best songs on the album. Jenkins reflects on a driving nuisance in Hook Turn, and a popular tourist attraction in Victoria Market. Little Audrey pays tribute to the iconic Skipping Girl. Chloe details the moving story behind the historic painting, delivered mostly in spoken word. This track in particular highlights Jenkins’ excellent songwriting ability. The Past Is Never Where You Think You Left It is an impressive album from Charles Jenkins that will leave you wanting to hear more. ALI BIRNIE
There are plenty of examples of actors venturing into other fields such as music with varying results. With Zooey Deschanel, it doesn’t feel like the side project of an actress, as she and band mate Matthew Ward work so well together as She & Him. For album number five, the pair have gone for an album of classic covers, hence the album’s title. In 2011 they released a Christmas album of covers, this album marks their first non-seasonal specific cover effort. The 13 tracks were all recorded live and accompanied by a 20-piece orchestra make it feel really special. The imperfections of live music is one of its appeals, and the pair and fellow instrumentalists deliver it so cleanly you’d nearly not believe it was recorded live at all, the fact it was certainly adds some warmth to the tracks here. Deschanel’s sultry tones, which sound like they’re from a time long gone, are soothing, resulting in this album being an extremely pleasurable experience. Album opener Stars Fell on Alabama is almost haunting. The subtle instrumentation of soft guitars and brushes on a snare combined with Ward’s pleasing backing vocals all allow for Deschanel’s vocals to take centre stage. Oh No Not My Baby feels more contemporary and demands a little bit more attention from the listener. Stay A While changes pace markedly to great effect. The moods change frequently but the tone is never far from delightfully pleasing.
(Red Scare)
Long-time Alkaline Trio drummer is the last member to release work under his own name, with Breakdown, an album boasting musical chops that may have
been hidden behind the kit. All of the instrumentation is performed by Grant, who competently handles the duties of guitar, bass, drums, and piano. His voice is more than capable, and has a soft quality that lets it handle the stylistic dynamics of the record. It’s a standard rock record that also shows elements of country and even ‘80s new wave (on tracks such as End Of The World). The songs are reminiscent of classic songwriters such as Petty, Springsteen, and Dylan, but lyrically and melodically seem to lack a depth that they possess. The record is centred on heartbreak and divorce, but it fails to hit the emotional marks it should be. Songs such as Got A Feeling and Lucy are reminiscent of Alkaline Trio, with a lot of the softer songs presented in a similar way as their acoustic album Damnesia was. Breakdown is an interesting debut that shows off the qualities of Derek Grant that aren’t on display in his other projects, but this album lacks a depth that will keep you coming back. SPENCER SCOTT
ALEXANDER CROWDEN
TITLE FIGHT
MOGWAI
Title Fight’s third album release, Hyperview is more of the same. Not that that’s a bad thing, especially when you’re working in a niche genre like revival emo ± real emo like Jawbreaker and Sunny Day Real Estate, none of this From First To Last garbage. Hyperview has been considerably toned down however, opting for more of the atmospheric and emotive rock, in the same vein as Moving Mountains and Nothing, Title Fight used to be much harder hitting and punky. The band’s fourth major release sports none of the raw throaty vocals found in Floral Green, and the drumming has taken a turn as well, technical and lingering, opposed to the circle-pit fodder that previously backed their tracks. Chlorine, the first release from the album is haunting: “Decorated blue, opening a wound,” fades out to radio tuning noises and despair, an absolutely wonderful track to have a long hard think about the awful things that have happened in your life. Your Pain Is Mine Now has something distinctly The Smiths-ish about it, in moniker and sound, Ned Russin does a wonderful job of mimicking Morrissey’s warble, depressed and heartfelt but with the juxtaposing jangly major chords. There seems to have been a downgrade in production that gives the record a very surreal and garage feel, almost like it’s a first record, paid for and produced off their own backs ± this may have something to do with the move to ANTI-, but being under the Epitaph umbrella, one would expect more. Hyperview seems unrealised, as if the band still hasn’t arrived in their final destination for sound. Genre-bending, but at the same time sticking to a trite and true sound, this album is best directed at fans; I don’t think the band are going to convert anyone like they did with Shed.
For a while there, it was looking as though Glaswegian post-rock outfit Mogwai had reached their creative peak. The quintet, who’ve long reigned as instrumental rock overlords, were suddenly sounding depleted of ideas. There was the hit-andmiss remix album, A Wrenched Virile Lore, followed by the band’s soundtrack to the French TV series, Les Revenants, which was decent, albeit lacking innovation. Stagnation was creeping in up until the release of last year’s Rave Tapes, which saw a reinvigorated Mogwai experimenting with a broader spectrum of synth sounds, krautrock influences, and electronic textures. As a counterpart to the album, Music Industry 3. Fitness Industry 1. offers three new tracks recorded during the sessions that produced Rave Tapes, alongside a trio of remixes. The centrepiece of the EP is opener Teenage Exorcists, with its mix of everything you’d least expect from Mogwai: a distinct pop sensibility, infectious chorus, and some My Bloody Valentine-esque vocals all packed into a neat three-and-a-half minutes. Vocals are not a new inclusion for these guys (they’ve experimented with vocal melodies for years), but they’ve never been as pronounced until now. While it might have felt out of place on the album, the track’s easily the most accessible thing they’ve coined and maybe a hint at what’s still to come. The other two originals, History Day and HMP Shaun William Ryder, are a little underwhelming in comparison, only because they follow the tried and tested slow-build-to-towering-crescendo formula the band are renown for. The Rave Tapes remixes on the second half of the EP are not your typical dancefloor fodder, and while they’re interesting overhauls of the originals, they’ll likely appeal solely to the diehard fans. It’s the lead single Teenage Exorcists that redeems these superfluous moments. For a band that’s built a reputation on creating epic instrumental soundscapes, this unlikely popinflected jam opens up some interesting avenues for these veterans. Only time will tell if they continue down this path.
NAVARONE FARRELL.
JACK PILVEN
GIGS
GIGS
15Th FRI jAN
16Th sAT jAN
17Th sUN jAN
18Th
ThU jAN
ThE DO YO ThANGS
Free in the front bar (12am show)
ThE WhOOhOO REVUE + AfENGINN (DENMARK) + The Underscore Orkestra
ThE UNION PAcIfIc
RecORD LAUNch + corpus (syD), summer Blood + Whailer
cURTIN cOMEDY F e AT U R I N g : DAVE ThORNTON
Live at a Flamingo Hotel
(Rock Action Records)
(Anti, Inc)
ThU jAN
DR. DOG
Music Industry 3. Fitness Industry 1.
Hyperview
22ND FRI jAN
23RD sUN jAN
I’m not so sure about live albums anymore. I didn’t realise it was still a thing to be honest, but Pennsylvania’s Dr. Dog derive so much of their sound from a time when live recordings were the shit, it was perhaps only a matter of time before they put one out. They’ve approached it a little differently though.For one, there is no Flamingo Hotel ± the 16 live tracks selected from recordings taken over a 20-show tour. Bassist/singer Toby Leaman told The Wall Street Journal the experience of listening to it “should be like you’re listening to a record, because you’re not actually at the show.” So it’s a live recording from a fictitious venue that’s actually several shows but you shouldn’t listen to it like a live recording. If you’re bloody confused, fret not because the recordings are top notch, featuring and celebrating the best tunes from the bands 12-year, seven LPlong career, almost like a live best-of. Pretty meta. Kicking off with the band’s most delightfully frenetic track These Days is a smart choice, a great launch pad of a tune that’s followed by a cover of Architecture in Helsinki’s Heart It Races which, dare I say it, supersedes the original. There’s just something about Toby Leaman’s ‘Bowie-if-he-sanggruff ’ voice and Scott McMicken’s higher, more Lennon-esque vocals that lure in the ears. At times, their voices intertwine so well it’s hard to discern who is who. The taught but impassioned musicianship is also a highlight, no more obvious than on tracks like Broken Heart and The Rabbit, The Bat & The Reindeer where their traditional setup of rhythm, lead, bass, drums and keys are best shown off. Though the songwriting doesn’t always smack of ‘60s and ‘70s influences like The Beatles, Bowie and The Eagles the set up and sound certainly does. GARRY WESTMORE
EVERYDAY
CURTIN
BARO + MILWAUKEE BANKS GODS
+guests
AUSTRALIA DAY
25Th SIxfThIcK & ThE NATION BLUE + g U e sTs ( U P sTA I R s BA N D R O O M ) + The Bluebottles - free in the front bar @4pm
MON jAN
26Th
Anne edmonds, Tommy Dassalo + more
(Anti, Inc)
hOTTEST 100 PARTY
$13 JUGS
6PM
fREE IN ThE fRONT BAR from 4PM SUNDAY’S IN SUMMER PRESENTS...
SUN 18Th - ThE LET YOUR hAIR DOWN GIRLS W. UTRAShE DJ’S SUN 25Th - ThE BLUEBOTTLES
+ ON sALe NOW @ jOhNcURTINhOTeL.cOM fEB 4/11/18 ThE DEAD hEIR RESIDENcY fEB 22ND hIND (fORMALLY DEERS) fEB 28Th hOW YA GARN? YEAh NOT BAD! #2 MUSIc fESTIVAL fEAT.. GAY PARIS / cOLONEL VIPERS WhIPSTIcK BAND / GRINDhOUSE / ShERIff + TONES MORE
BURN ANTARes, WINTeR MOON, The gRAND RAPIDs, 29 Lygon ST, CarLTon / T: 9663 6350 hOUse OF LAUReNce + MORe. $10.00 jUgs ALL DAy ‘LIKE’ FAceBOOk.cOM/ThecURTIN TO keeP UP WITh The LATesT!
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 51
GIG GUIDE
WHAT'S ON AROUND MELBOURNE THIS WEEK
For all the latest gigs check out beat.com.au
WEDNESDAY JAN 14 INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS • COQ ROQ WEDNESDAYS - FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.
• LORIKEET + LOOKS LIKE RAIN + LEAH SENIOR
WILSON + SCOTT TINKLER & PHIL REX Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $18.00.
• BOPSTRETCH Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. • CHRIS YOUNG QUARTET + TIM PLEDGERS
SANDWICH JESUS 303, Northcote. 8:30pm.
• DIZZY’S BIG BAND Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14.00.
Public Bar, North Melbourne. 8:00pm. $7.00.
• KAIN BORLASE & MARK LOCKETT Open Studio,
Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8.00.
• NATHAN SLATER QUARTET Paris Cat Jazz Club,
• LUPINE + WINSTON + RABBLE ROUSER Evelyn Hotel, • MARDUK & INQUISITION + ABOMINATOR Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $47.00.
• MARK STEINER & HIS PROBLEMS + TEX NAPALM
& PENNY IKINGER Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
Northcote. 8:00pm.
Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15.00.
ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK • JMC ACADEMY END OF TRIMESTER
WORD Workers Club, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $8.00.
PERFORMANCE Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 6:00pm. • KRISTA POLVERE + BRYAN ELIJAH SMITH Retreat
Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm.
• OPEN MIC Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:30pm.
Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $6.00.
• THE BRUNSWICK HOTEL’S OPEN MIC Brunswick
• MY ELEPHANT RIDE + HORACE BONES + SAFETY • RIGHT! + REDCCOATS + BJ MORRIZONKLE Tote • SENIVODA + ALEISTER JAMES + SELKI Grace Darling • SPACEJUNK + WEEDY GONZALES + THE
UNDERHANDED Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.
$5.00.
• SUZIE STAPLETON + SPENCER P. JONES Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $8.00.
• THE ELECTRIC GUITARS (THE BIG BANG) + THE
MELBOURNE DRONE ORCHESTRA + THE ELECTRIC GUITARS CAVEMAN REVUE Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $8.00.
• THE GROWLERS + BABE RAINBOW + GOOD
MORNING Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. $33.00. • TIM HECKER Howler, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $30.00. • WET LIPS + GONZO + GIRL CRAZY Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC • ALEX YAROSH TRIO Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $15.00.
• ALLAN BROWNE, JULIEN WILSON, SCOTT
TINKLER & PHIL REX + ALLAN BROWNE + JULIEN
GIG OF THE WEEK!
Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.
• OPEN MIC Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 7:00pm.
THE GROWLERS
What’s better than a Thai massage? A Chinese massage. What’s better than a Chinese Massage? Chinese Fountain, the fifth full length album from California’s The Growlers. Catch all the rumbles and growls of Californian rock and rub out those kinks when The Growlers play the Corner Hotel this Wednesday January 14. You might need to book yourself in for a massage after the show.
Hotel, Brunswick. 7:00pm.
• WINE WHISKEY WOMEN - FEAT: GRETTA ZILLER
+ GENA ROSE BRUCE Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.
THURSDAY JAN 15
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS • THE HUNTED CROWS + DJ MERMAID + SLOWJAXX
• THURSDAY TRIO - FEAT: ALEX YAROSH TRIO Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $15.00.
• YAMAHA PIANO SERIES (TAL COHEN) - FEAT: TAL
COHEN Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.
$20.00.
• ZEKE RUCKMAN Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm.
& THE KOZMIK LOVE ORKESTRA + WHO’S THIS?
ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK
Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
• AFENGIN Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm.
• WESTERBURGH & MICAELA Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm.
• 2CELLOS Palais Theatre, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $69.95.
• ARBES + DREAM FATIGUE + VINYL SPLINTERS +
JARROW Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 7:00pm. $2.00. • AXE GIRL Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. • DEAR PLASTIC + MAYFAIR KYTES + TANZER Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $8.00.
• DEL BOCA VISTA + FERG MILLER + SEASLOTH Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $5.00.
• FALCONIO + SWAMP MOTH + WAR PIGS +
MICHAEL CERATOPS Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. • KIM CHURCHILL + PEPA KNIGHT + BOO SEEKA Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $15.00.
• NEXT - FEAT: LEFT FOR WOLVES + DEATH BY SIX +
THE GREAT CITY Colonial Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm.
$10.00.
• NOTHINGE + MOLLUSC + RYAN EDWARDS +
WATERFALL PERSON Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $8.00.
• ALI FERRIER BAND Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:30pm.
• BLUE KING BROWN The Hi-fi, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $43.50.
• CHRIS WILSON + BRENDAN FORWARD Whole Lotta
Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
• JUNGLE BIRD + FEE KLAUSER Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.
• OPEN MIC Station 59, Richmond. 8:00pm.
• SIRENS - FEAT: DEATH OF ART + SARAH EIDA +
AMARONIX Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:00pm. $5.00.
• THE CLAREMONT SINGERS + JODY GALVIN Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm.
• THE COTTON CLUB - FEAT: GEOFF ACHISON & ALL
STAR BAND + DJ MATTHEW FREDERICK Spotted
Mallard, Brunswick. 8:30pm.
FRIDAY JAN 16
• ROCKABILLY REVEL - FEAT: THE RECHORDS +
• TAM VANTAGE Catfish, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
• THE 1975 Festival Hall, West Melbourne. 8:00pm. $62.50.
• THE BRAVES + THE NIGHT PARTY + SOOKY LALA Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm.
• THE COATHANGERS Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong. 8:00pm.
• THE JIMI HENDRIX RE-EXPERIENCE + AYE CANDY Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
• THE LIZARDS & THE DIRTY CHINS + TAKE YOUR
OWN + FOLEY + LIZARD PUNCH Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm.
$10.00.
• TIM GUY + THE ZEBRAS + LONI RAE Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $7.00.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC • CATHY MENEZES Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $20.00.
• FREE RANGE FUNK - FEAT: JAKE JUDD +
TIGERFUNK + LEWIS CANCUT Lucky Coq, Windsor.
7:00pm.
• JOEL BARKER 303, Northcote. 8:00pm.
• PAMELA WACHIRA BAND Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14.00.
• PEPPERCORN JAZZ Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.
• SOUL IN THE BASEMENT - FEAT: THE SHACKMEN
+ DJ VINCE PEACH & PIERRE BARONI Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $5.00.
• THE LARGERPHONES Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $15.00.
• THE MELBOURNE IMPROVISERS COLLECTIVE Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 52
7:30pm. $55.50.
• MARK STEINER & HIS PROBLEMS + BEN SALTER &
HENRY HUGO Tago Mago, Thornbury. 8:00pm. $10.00.
• MONEY FOR ROPES + PLAGUE DOCTOR + MOTEL
LOVE + DJ MAX CRAWDADDY Cherry Bar, Melbourne
Cbd. 8:00pm. $15.00.
• NICK ANDERSON Carters Bar, Northcote. 9:00pm.
• PAUL WOOSEN + ROSE CARLEO Whole Lotta Love,
Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:30pm. $7.00.
• SIMON PAPARO Carters Bar, Northcote. 8:00pm.
DEMON Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10.00.
• MARDUK + INQUISITION The Hi-fi, Melbourne Cbd.
GORING + JAMES LYNCH + DJ BABY TONES
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
HECH + HEADLOPPER + HOSPITAL Public Bar, North
Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $12.00.
• MANGELWURZEL + SPERMAIDS + HIDEOUS SUN
• NIGHTFLITE + ANNIE MEDLING + DRU CHEN +
• GREAT JOHN HIMSELF + ROAD TRAIN + BEC
+ HUNGRY & FOOLISH + KIMBERLEY HEBERLEY
Melbourne. 8:00pm. $8.00.
• MAGIC BONES + HARTS + SAND DOLLARS Shebeen,
Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.
• PLUGGED IN THURSDAYS - FEAT: SAN SAKAAR
• SHUT UP JACKSON + V-ACT + ENDUT HOCH
• LOS ROMANTICOS Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm.
GOGO GODDESSES The Luwow, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5.00. • AXE GIRL Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. $10.00. • BLACK NIGHT CRASH Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 11:30pm.
• BRAT FARRAR + SWHAT + DJ SHAKY MEMORIAL Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.
KRISTY JINX Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. Brunswick East. 8:00pm. $10.00.
• PRIDE ONLY
HURTS + SELLING TIME + SWAMP DONKEY Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:00pm. $10.00. • RENDEZVOUS SUMMER PARTY - FEAT: THE PRETTY LITTLES + THE CHERRY DOLLS + SHERRIF + TOOTH & TUSK + THE CROOKEDS + THE SHAKES + D GABRIEL 24 Moons, Northcote. 6:00pm. $20.00. • RIFF FIST Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 9:00pm. • SUNSET BLUSH + FUNK RABBIT & THE UPSTANDING MEMBERS Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $13.00.
• THE COATHANGERS Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. • THE LOVELESS + CLAWS & ORGANS + THE
GENERAL + DAWN OF THE JACKAL Grace Darling
Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $10.00.
• THE SOLICITORS + EMPRA + THE MEANTIMES Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm.
• TINY GIANTS + DAYZED + THE DARE OHHS Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8.00.
• U-CODIA Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:00pm. $10.00.
• VULGARGRAD + LOS KUMBIA KILLERS + DJ FLOYD
THURSBY Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $17.00.
• CHERRY BOMB European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd.
• WATT’S ON - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Prince Public
• CHRIS WILSON Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 5:30pm.
• WHITE SUMMER - FEAT: SUNDAY CHAIRS + THE
9:30pm.
• DARYL BRAITHWAITE Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 8:00pm. $33.00.
Bar, St Kilda . 8:30pm.
HORNS + RETRO RODRIGUES Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm.
• DAY RIGGS + WESTERN STARS + MIDDLE AGED
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
FANCLUB Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. • EINSTEIN TOYBOYS + LEGENDS OF OZ ROCK
• AFENGINN + THE WOOHOO REVUE + THE
Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $10.00.
• EVERY TIME I DIE + TOUCHE AMORE + BRITTLE
BONES Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $44.00. • FEAR LIKE US + FOXTROT + RATHER BE DEAD + GEORGIA MAQ Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00. • FRIKSTAILERS National Gallery Of Victoria, Melbourne. 5:30pm.
• GUN BARREL STRAIGHTS + GOATPISS GASOLINE +
THE DRUNKEN POACHERS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.
UNDERSCORDE ORCHESTRA John Curtin Hotel,
Carlton. 8:00pm. $20.00.
• ESSTEE BIG BAND Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 9:30pm. • FLAP! Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $30.00.
• JAMES OEHLERS & TAL COHEN QUARTET Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
• KELSEY JAMES & THE KAMIKAZE BEES Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $20.00.
• PAUL VAN ROSS TRIO Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $20.00.
• HOT WINGS + THE FLAMING MONGRELS Post Office
• RED WORM + INVISIBLE DEARS + HORNS OF PAN
• JUKE KARTEL + TOBY RAND Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm.
• SEVIL SABAH WITH RORY CLARK TRIO + SIMON
Hotel, Coburg. 9:30pm.
$15.00.
• KLARA ZUBONJA Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm.
• KRETCH + JACKSON REID BRIGGS & THE HEATERS
+ FRAUDBAND + SEEDY REED Public Bar, North Melbourne. 8:30pm. $10.00.
• LIEUTENANT JAM + DD & THE DAMAGED GOODS
+ VISION ST + DAMN THAT RIVER Brunswick Hotel,
Brunswick. 9:00pm.
WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV
303, Northcote. 9:00pm. $10.00.
O’NEAL Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20.00.
• SUGARFOOT RAMBLERS JAZZ BAND Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:20pm. $20.00.
• THE SOUL OF ARETHA + DJ VINCE PEACH Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $25.00.
• WE MAY NEVER MEET AGAIN (THE MUSIC OF AMY
WINEHOUSE) - FEAT: MOVEMENT 9 Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 7:20pm. $20.00.
NELLY
Don’t you hate when you’re having an awesome time hanging out in the pool only to find someone’s old, manky band-aid stuck to your leg? Well turn that frown upside-down and slap that band-aid on your face because double Grammy award-winning rapper Nelly is in town. He’ll hit the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Friday January 16 with Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B. ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK • 8 FOOT FELIX Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.
• ANDY GRANT DUO European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm.
• BRYAN ELIJAH SMITH Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:30pm.
• DAMON SMITH PLAYS PIANA + DJ BLOODNUT Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:30pm.
• EZRA LEE Vinyl Bar, Moonee Ponds. 8:00pm.
• FLYING ENGINE TRIO Testing Grounds, Melbourne.
OMAR SOULEYMAN
Ever wondered what it would be like to attend a raving Syrian street party? Omar Souleyman is the man who makes scorching Middle Eastern dance music that transforms any venue into exactly that. He’ll take over the Corner Hotel on Monday January 19. • RON S PENO & THE SUPERSTITIONS + DJ JUKE
JOINT Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm.
• SHADOW MAKERS + REPTILES + SLOW CHASE Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm.
• SHANNON BOURNE Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 9:30pm. • SHENANIGANS - FEAT: RADIO CHOAS Pier Live, Frankston. 8:00pm.
• SILVERSTOMP (SILVER CHAIR TRIBUTE SHOW)
+ LUKE & LOZ Club Voltaire, North Melbourne. 9:00pm.
$5.00.
6:00pm.
• SLACQUER + SLIM WILLY Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick.
9:00pm.
• SOL ROBOUROS + KARL J VOGT Bridge Hotel,
• PHEASANT PLUCKERS The B.east, Brunswick East. • SPENCER P JONES Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 5:00pm. • TANK DILEMMA Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm. • THE DIE CASTS + EVIL TWIN + VON STACHE +
DREAM IN COLOUR KIDS Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10.00.
• TIMOTHY NELSON Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm.
• TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSION - FEAT: DAN
BOURKE Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:00pm. • UNDERGROUND + SPACE RIOT Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm.
SATURDAY JAN 17
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS • BANG - FEAT: BURIED IN VERONA + JACK THE
STRIPPER + EATER OF THE SKY Royal Melbourne
Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $20.00.
• COATHANGERS AFTERPARTY Public Bar, North Melbourne. 1:00am.
• FESTATION + HARLOTT Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:30pm. $25.00.
• FIERCE MILD + LUNA GHOST + THE DEAD HEIR Yah
5:00pm.
Castlemaine. 8:30pm. $10.00.
• TERRA AUSTRALIS + MARDRAUM + MANIAXE +
TWISTED FATE Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $12.00.
• THE AMY WINEHOUSE SHOW - FEAT: ATLANTA
COOGAN & THE LITTLE BIG BAND + MATT DWYER Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 8:40pm. $20.00.
• THE BIRD The B.east, Brunswick East. 9:00pm.
• THE BLACK HARRYS Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm. $10.00.
• THE MATCHES + NEW TRAVELLERS + HAVE HOLD Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $39.95.
• THE STORY MODEL + SHADED GREY + SNARK +
LECTRIC MULE Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm.
• VON STACHE + THE EVENING CAST + MIHRA +
JULZ EVANS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
• XYLOURIS WHITE Howler, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $25.00.
• YALDI BOOMTIME! + FANTASTIC MAN + DEMARCO
+ DAVE PRIOR Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 3:00pm.
$20.00.
Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $13.00.
• ZANZIBAR CHANEL The Shadow Electric, Abbotsford.
+ DAVID GRIMSON + LATE NIGHTS Reverence Hotel,
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
• FORTNIGHT JUMBO + MIYAZAKI! + JOE GUITON Footscray. 8:00pm. $10.00.
• FORTRESS OF NARZOD + LEVITATING CHURCHES
8:00pm. $15.00.
• ELANA STONE BAND Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $28.00.
Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm.
• ELISSA RODGER SEXTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne
Collingwood. 4:00pm.
• FEM BELLING QUINTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne
• GOLD CLASS + BLACK VACATION Tote Hotel, • JOHNNIE & THE JOHNNIE JOHNNIES + CIRCUS
OZ BAND Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. • KILL DIRTY YOUTH + WILD VIOLET + SUBMARINES Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 9:00pm.
• LUNATICS ON POGOSTICKS + SKEGGS + DUMB
PUNTS Shebeen, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $12.00.
• MCMILLAN Carters Bar, Northcote. 9:00pm.
• MILLER JUKES & THE BANDITS Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $8.00.
• MONEY FOR ROPES + STELLA ANGELICO + AXE
GIRL + DJ MERMAID Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $15.00.
• NEW REGULARS + LITTLE MISS REMEMBERING
+ ERRANT VENTURE Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford.
7:00pm. $15.00.
• NO HAY BANDA + LOUIS KING’S SUN KINGS + DJ
JEFF LEPPARD Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
• OUTFIELD Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
• PASSENGER + THE ONCE Palais Theatre, St Kilda.
Cbd. 8:30pm. $20.00.
Cbd. 9:30pm. $25.00.
• GOOD MUSIC - FEAT: ETHAN MCLAREN Prince Public Bar, St Kilda . 8:00pm.
• JOE CHINDAMO TRIO Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20.00.
• LA RUMBA Penny Black, Brunswick. 3:00pm.
• MOONS GOT SOUL! - FEAT: 30/70 + DJ KITTY
KARNAGE 24 Moons, Northcote. 10:00pm.
• MORELAND SOUL REVUE Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
• MUSIKI MANJARO Werribee Open Range Zoo, Werribee. 4:30pm.
• PLANET FANTASTIC + LO-RES + KEWTI + SQUID
NEBULA + TIM PLEDGER’S SANDWICH JESUS + EDEL PLASTIK + ALI WATT’S SLIPPER 303, Northcote. 5:00pm.
• SOUL BLUE Altona Sports Club, Altona. 9:30pm. • THE COMPOSER IS DEAD - FEAT: FRAMK
WOODLEY Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. 11:45am.
$23.00.
8:00pm. $84.18.
• THE JAMES SHERLOCK TRIO Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy.
Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $10.00.
• THE JC LITTLE BIG BAND Paris Cat Jazz Club,
• PETER BIBBY + HIDEOUS SUN DEMON + GORSHA • RADFEST - FEAT: NO ASSUMPTION + THE BLACK
ALLEYS + JAPAN FOR + INEDIA + THE LIZARDS + THE DIRTY CHINS + DIXON CIDER + VADGE DAGGER + COSMIC KAHUNA + ANGRY SEAS + ZOMBITCHES + DREXLER + LATE NIGHTS + BOUND BY HOUND + LINE 39 Public Bar, North Melbourne. 2:00pm. $13.00.
• REVOMATIX Catfish, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.
• RIFLEBIRDS Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.
8:00pm.
Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $20.00.
• THE UNION PACIFIC + CORPUS + SUMMER BLOOD
+ WHAILER John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:30pm. $10.00.
• UP TRIO Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $20.00.
ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK • ACTION SAM European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.
CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 53
GIG GUIDE
WHAT'S ON AROUND MELBOURNE THIS WEEK
THE PUSH PRESENT
ACCESS ALL AGES
For all the latest gigs check out beat.com.au
WITH RUTH MIHELCIC
• ALEX ELBERY & THE STRANGERS + THE WALNUTS Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 9:00pm.
Hope you’re all enjoying the summer holidays! As usual there some good gigs and plenty of opportunities happening this month for you guys to check out.
• ARTIST PROOF + SLOW HALO + KATE MCMAHON Wesley Anne, Northcote. 2:00pm.
• DOLLAR 20 BLUES BAND Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale. 8:30pm.
• GREG DODD & THE HOODOO MEN Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 9:30pm.
• GREG WALSH Umbrella Lounge Bar, 12:00pm.
• HOMESICK RAY & THE MILD BUNCH Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 9:00pm.
• JACK DERWIN Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm.
• JAMES HOSDON Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm.
• OLD MARRIED COUPLE + ZANNIA BLUE Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm.
• PATRICK WILSON & THE BARE RIVER QUEENS Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm.
• REUBEN STONE + TASH SULTANA Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm.
• SEAN MCMAHON & THE MOONMEN + DJ SOCIAL
SERVICES Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. • THE GLORIOUS NORTH Union Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. • VIC OLD TIME JAM SESSION - FEAT: CRAIG WOODWARD + WARREN ROUGH Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
• YOLANDA INGLEY 11ND & BAND Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm.
SUNDAY JAN 18
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS • MATT DWYER & THE MAGNATONES Big Huey’s Diner, South Melbourne. 4:00pm.
• 8FOOT FELIX + DJ BLUNDERBUSS Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
• ALANNA EILEEN + NOAH EARP + LARA TRAVIS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10.00.
• ALSO DRAGONS + FRANCISCO MEJIA FLOOD +
CHURCH Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm.
• CATHOUSE CANARY + VELA + WINDARI + DEAD
MARAT Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $5.00.
• COAL TRAIN ROBBERIES Union Hotel, Brunswick. 3:30pm.
• COOL SOUNDS + CROWMAN + FULL UGLY Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 4:00pm.
• ESPY ARTIST SHOWDOWN - FEAT: CHIEF
PROTAGONIST + DEIJAH + DANNY HACKET + AGORA + SCARLET + BLACK SHEEP + JURASSIC NARK + TASH ANDERSON + ZOMBIE MOTORS WRECKING YARD + ABOUT BLUE Espy, St Kilda. 12:00pm. $15.00.
• GATOR QUEEN + JASON & HIS NIGHT OWLS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $8.00.
• MINIMUM WAGE - FEAT: GOOD MORNING Grace
THE COATHANGERS
Coat hangers are generally old wire things or plastic with the two indentations to stop your clothes falling off if you’re lucky. But in the revolution of coat hangers you can now get these pimped out, beaded coat hangers that are totally fucking cool. If Atlanta alt-rockers The Coathangers were literal coat hangers they’d definitely be those ones. Catch mega-babes The Coathangers when they tear up the stage at The Tote Hotel on Friday January 16. JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC • THE FURBELOWS Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.
• CLASSICAL MUSIC Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne Cbd. Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $18.00.
• CHERRY JAM Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm.
• EYAL & THE SKELETON CREW Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $18.00.
• FLAP! Howler, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $25.00.
• MELBOURNE UNCLAIMED Wesley Anne, Northcote. 7:00pm.
• MICK PORTER + ISLA KA + JEROME KNAPPETT +
TOM DENTON 303, Northcote. 6:00pm. $5.00.
• STANDING TALL Open Studio, Northcote. 4:30pm.
• SUMMER OF SOUL - FEAT: KYLIE AULDIST &
THE GLENROY ALL STARS + DJ VINCE PEACH + TIMOTHY NELSON Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. • SUNDAYS IN THE SHADOWS - FEAT: SWOOPING DUCK + DJ JNETT + MANCHILD + MZ RIZK + EDDIE SCOTT The Shadow Electric, Abbotsford. 3:00pm. $15.00. • THE GIN CLUB TWO Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 4:30pm. • THE UNIT Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm. ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK • BANJO-B-QUE - FEAT: CRAIG WOODWARD The Mercat, Melbourne. 12:30pm.
• BRUNSWICK BLUEGRASS COLLECTIVE Penny Black, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
• CANYON Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 3:00pm. $25.00.
• DAVIDSON BROTHERS Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
8:00pm. $84.18.
• JEMMA & THE CLIFTON HILLBILLIES Yarra Hotel,
Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
• ROCKABILLY SUNDAYS - FEAT: HEELS ON DECKS
DJ Prince Public Bar, St Kilda . 4:00pm. • ROSS MCLENNAN & THE NEW WORLD + SLOW GALO Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 5:00pm. • SUNDAY SCHOOL - FEAT: LABRADORABLE Public Bar, North Melbourne. 4:00pm.
• TRIUMPH OVER LOGIC + CYANIDE TEETH + SPIDEY
SPIDEY Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. • TYRE SWANS Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 3:00pm.
• JARRAH THOMPSON Catfish, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. Abbotsford. 8:00pm.
• JOEL STIBBARD + JOSH DURNO + RACHEL CLARK
+ ACOUSTIC FOXX Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 4:00pm. $5.00.
• KRIS SCHROEDER + THE HORNETS Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 4:00pm.
• LISA CRAWLEY BAND Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm.
• MINI FOLK FESTIVAL! - FEAT: DUSTY + JOHN
HUNTER + ROD FRITZ + MARK GARDENER + CAM BURNSIDE + EDWARD NESS + FOLK & GOSPEL MEDICINE SHOW + PRIESTESS & DASH Whole Lotta
Love, Brunswick East. 5:00pm.
• PETER BAYLOR & HID ROADHOUSE ROMEOS Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm.
• SUNDAY SESSIONS - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Lucky Coq, Windsor. 4:00pm.
• SUNDAY SESSIONS - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully. 2:00pm.
SERVICES SOUNDPARK REHEARSALS NORTHCOTE. From $50. Great rooms/p.a’s. Parking/Storage/Hire. Phone Andrew 0425 706 382. Soundparkstudios.com.au BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 54
• JMC ACADEMY MUSIC SHOWCASE Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $10.00.
• MONDAY NIGHT MASS - FEAT: HOODLUM SHOUTS
+ GHOST NOTES + HIDEOUS SUN DEMON + SHARDS Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 6:00pm. • MUNDANE MONDAYS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5.00. • OMAR SOULEYMAN + FABULOUS DIAMONDS Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $35.00.
• THE OUTDOOR TYPE Public Bar, North Melbourne. 7:00pm. $5.00.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC • 30/70 Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5.00.
• ALLAN BROWNE QUINTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $18.00.
• YUNJIA LIU, BRENDAN LEE & EVAN HOPKINS +
YUNJIA LIU + BRENDAN LEE & EVAN HOPKINS Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $15.00.
ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK • THE DOODADS Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:00pm.
• THE MUTUAL APPRECIATION SOCIETY - FEAT:
JULITHIA RYAN & ANDREW MCCUBBIN Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.
TUESDAY JAN 20
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS • AIMEE VOLKOFSKY & THE MOLOTOVS +
ME’GRAINE + FRAUDBAND Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm.
• BEN DAVID + CRAIG COBURN + GEORGIA MAQ +
BEC STEVENS Public Bar, North Melbourne. 7:00pm. $6.00.
• CHEAP KRAKEN RUM NIGHT - FEAT: COSMIC
KAHUNA + GRIM RHYTHM + CHURCHES Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $6.00.
• JAH PRAYZAH & THE 3RD GENERATION + CHRIS
GUDU The Hi-fi, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $60.50.
• JMC ACADEMY MUSIC SHOWCASE Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $10.00.
• THE BRUNSWICK HOTEL DISCOVERY NIGHT -
FEAT: WANTON SHILLELAGHS + THE MENDOLIN + CALLUM FORBES Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. • WISHFUL + SAGAMORE + FEMI Workers Club, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $10.00.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
• SUNDAY SESSIONS! Great Britain Hotel, Richmond.
• ANTON DELECCA QUARTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club,
• SUNDAY SONGWRITERS - FEAT: THE SHIFTIES +
• DEXTER’S ASIAN CONNECTION Ruby’s Music Room,
8:00pm.
WANTED VOCALS & GUITARIST WANTED for Velvet Undergound, Roxy Music, Iggy, Bowie, influenced music. Phn: 0433 726 449 BANDS/ACTS WANTED for Espy Shows. Shoot an email through to mark@gunnmusic.com.au for more details
MONDAY JAN 19
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
• JAM SUNDAYS Musicland, Fawkner. 6:00pm.
• PAST PRESENT + LAZYBONES + MICHAEL YULE Yah
Fitzroy. 5:00pm.
2:00pm. $15.00.
• CRAIG SIMON COLLECTIVE Bennetts Lane Jazz Club,
Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 6:00pm.
• PASSENGER + THE ONCE Palais Theatre, St Kilda.
• WEREWOLVES OF MELBOURNE Labour In Vain,
ROSE WINTERGREEN + JARRED DOUEAL + FREYA HANLEY + ANNA CORDELL Carters Bar, Northcote.
5:00pm.
• SUNSET SOUNDS - FEAT: JOE CREIGHTON Malvern Gardens, 6:00pm.
• THE BAKERSFIELD GLEE CLUB Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.
• THE LOUNGE DETECTIVES Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale. 4:00pm.
• THE SONGWRITER SESSIONS - FEAT: KAT ORGAN
IVY + LEE JONES + SARAH EIDA Brunswick Hotel,
Brunswick. 5:00pm.
Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $18.00.
Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $15.00.
• THE JACK EARLE BIG BAND Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14.00.
• TO THE ENDS OF THE VERSE! Open Studio, Northcote. 7:30pm.
ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK • DAMON SMITH + ADRIAN WHYTE Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.
• IRISH SESSIONS Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:00pm. • OPEN MIC Prince Public Bar, St Kilda . 8:00pm.
• SWANS Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $66.00.
WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV
First up is the FReeZA Mentoring Program for young Victorians aged 18-25 who are interested in getting established in any area of the music industry (performing artists, composer, producer, sound engineer, event manager, booking agent, publicist, journalists, rock photographers, etc). The 2015 program will see participants matched up, one-onone, with a supportive mentor who’s already established within the industry. Positions are limited and applications are due by Friday January 30 at www.surveymonkey.com/s/ FREEZAMentoring15. Singers and songwriters: check out the Push Songs mentoring program and apply before you get too carried away with holidays and festivities. The innovative song writing mentoring program kicks off again in February/March, and if you’re lucky enough to score a place you’ll get one on one song writing workshops with the likes of Charles Jenkins, Mark Seymour, Adalita, Greg Walker (Machine Translations) and Liz Stringer. The program is based at our Brunswick office and open to AA in Victoria. Apply by Friday January 30 at www.surrveymonkey.com/s/ PS2015R1. This year, Lynall Hall Community School is launching VAMP (VCAL Alternative Music Program), designed for students who love music and are interested in pursuing a career in the music industry, either on stage or behind the scenes. The program caters for secondary students in Years 10-12 who are interested in both music performance and how the music industry works. Running over three days per week, the program combines VET and VCAL units in live performance and event-based projects and outcomes. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, contact Lynall Hall Community School on (03) 9428 4421. If you’ve always wanted to get behind the scenes at a radio station, now’s your chance. SYN often run free info sessions, and the next one is on tomorrow (Thursday January 15). There’s more information at www.syn.org.au/ getinvolved where you can also RSVP your attendance. Lastly, here’s one for the comedians amongst us. Class Clowns is Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s development program for young people around the country. From workshops in schools to a national comedy competition, the bright young things of tomorrow could find themselves on a journey like that of alumni Josh Thomas, Tom Ballard, Kynan Barker and Joel Creasey. Registrations are now open for stand up, musical or sketch acts, with performances around Victoria in Feb/March 2015. You can also have a two-hour comedy crash course workshop at your school, to develop your comedy writing and performance skills. All the info is at www.comedyfestival.com. au/2015/classclowns, check it out. If you’ve got some U18 or AA news or opportunities that you’d like us to share, send it to whatson@thepush.com.au
ALL AGES TIMETABLE THURSDAY JANUARY 15
• The 1975, Festival Hall, 300 Dudley St, West Melbourne, $62.50, www.festivalhall.com.au, AA • Rock Pool w/ Various acts, Yarunga Pool, Brash Avenue, Wangaratta, 6pm-11pm, Free, www. wangaratta.vic.gov.au, AA
SATURDAY JANUARY 17 & SUNDAY JANUARY 18
• Passenger w/ The Once, Palais Thatre, Lower Esplanade, St Kilda, 8pm, $82.62, www. ticketmaster.com.au, AA
Thursday 15th @ 8.30pm
ALI FERRIER BAND (Cross-country roots) Friday 16th @ 9.30 pm
RIFLEBIRDS SATURDAY 17TH JANUARY
FROM 7PM
WEREWOVLES OF MELBOURNE SUNDAY 18TH JANUARY
FROM 5PM
DOUGY & WESTON BBQ ON THE ROOF TOP EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY ALL SUMMER LONG...
TANK(Soul DILEMMA funk) Saturday 17th @ 9.30pm
YOLANDA INGLEY 11ND & BAND (R&B retro grooves) Sunday 18th @ 5.30 pm
LISA CRAWLEY BAND (NZ) (Alt-pop roots) Tuesday 20th @8pm
IRISH SESSION (Fancy fiddlin’)
ALL GIGS ARE FREE EXCELLENT RESTAURANT AND BAR MEALS
LOMOND HOTEL 225 NICHOLSON STREET BRUNSWICK EAST, VIC 3057 9380 1752
Wed 14th January
WINE, WHISKEY, WOMEN 8pm - Gena Rose Bruce 9pm - Gretta Ziller Thurs 15th January
8pm - Fee Klauser 9pm - Jungle Bird Fri 16th January
6pm: Traditional Irish Session 8.30pm - Bryan Elijah Smith Sat 17th january
9pm: Homesick
Ray & the Mild Bunch Sun 18th january
4pm: The Hornets 6.30pm: Kris Shroeder Tues 20th january
8pm:
Weekly Trivia
The Drunken Poet, 65 Peel Street (directly opposite Queen Vic Market), Phone: 03 9348 9797. www.thedrunkenpoet.com.au
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Basket of Wings for $10 - S o u t h e r n s t y l e f r i e d s t i c ky c h i c k e n w i n g s -
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free SHOw - SCrATCH TurNTABLISm @ 8Pm
THE FURBELOwS 5 PIeCe SwING BAND @7Pm A L L f r e e e N T ry
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D J T O P H E AV Y
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 55
BACKSTAGE For more information or ad bookings call Aleksei on 9428 3600
EDUCATION PROFILE
:
PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGING COLLEGE
ADDRESS: NCAT CAMPUS - 62 MURRAy ROAD, PRESTON 3072. PHONE: (03) 9478 5816 WEBSITE: WWW.PIC.ORG.AU
When was PIC Photographic Imaging College established? PIC Photographic Imaging College has been running as a highly regarded industry and educational institution since 1982.
Tell us about the facilities? PIC has brand new state of the art photographic studios, analogue darkrooms and digital labs, and continues to be consistently the place to learn and experience all aspects of photo imaging.
Where is the campus located? In 2014, the facilities and staff moved to the Northern College Of the Arts and Technology (NCAT) campus at 62 Murray Road, Preston, into a refurbished and purpose-built space.
What’s the student experience like at PIC and what’s involved with the course? PIC provides a professional environment in which students can choose a variety of photographic media centered around the creative image, using analogue and digital technologies. Whether you are a commercially focused or a creative soul interested in the fine arts, PIC
at NCAT can help you map your career path. The staff are energetically involved in a wide range of creative and technical aspects of photography, both practical and theoretical. The course features mid-year and end of year exhibitions showcasing a variety of creative and contemporary student works. As a prospective student, why should I look to study at PIC? The PIC course reveals that photography is about so much more than just using hardware or software. It is about seeing, perceiving, communicating, and being professional with technique, approach and creative ideas.
Fictional Places from TV Shows ACROSS
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 56
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M A D E
• INTERVIEWS WITH THE WORLD’S BIGGEST ARTISTS AND HOME GROWN HEROES • FEATURES ON THE MUSIC INDUSTRY • PRODUCT NEWS AND GEAR REVIEWS • EDUCATION COLUMNS • STUDIO Q&A’S • AWESOME MONTHLY GIVEAWAYS + HEAPS MORE
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OGUE FuLL CATAL
INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH
MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP
With Christie Eliezer * Stuff for this column to be emailed to <celiezer@netspace.net.au> by Friday 5pm
MORE PEOPLE LISTENING TO MUSIC
Figures released about music consumption in the US by Nielsen Music shows that despite the 11.2 per cent slide in CD sales to 257 million units, more fans are consuming music. Obviously sales and ownership are not the entire picture, with on-demand streaming rising 54 per cent to 164 billion songs, a 60.5 per cent rise for audio services and a 49.3 per cent increase for video services. Concert and festival attendance is also important: these now constitute half the spend on music in America. Those who attend festivals spend more on music (including CDs, streaming, digital, concerts) than any other sector of music fans.
NIGHTMARE, PUSHWORTH, ALT-ROCK TOUR PARTNERSHIP
Sydney tour promoter Nightmare Music and Brisbane boutique agency The Pushworth Group struck a new alternative music touring partnership. Tours will include The Bellrays & Supersuckers mid-year, the B-Boys World Champions in autumn, and a doubleheadliner for winter. Pushworth started out as Manick Promotions and celebrates its 25th year in 2015. Nightmare Music, set up 27 years ago, were the first to tour Suicidal Tendencies, Anthrax and Cheap Trick. Manny Kyriakidis, Pushworth’s Managing Director, said, “Pushworth’s partnership with Nightmare Music is one that all parties hope will take alternative touring in this country to a new level.”
SELTMANN SETS UP THREE OF HEARTS LABEL
Singer/songwriter Sally Seltmann set up her own Three Of Hearts Records. First release is her single We Are The Music on Tuesday January 20, then her fourth album Hey Daydreamer. The single was recorded in North America with husband Darren Seltmann, and Canada’s Jon Lawless and Aaron Mohr. “Jon contacted me and asked if I’d like to do something with an instrumental track he was working on. I loved the track so much,” says Sally. “I cut up sections, and moved things around a bit, wrote lyrics and melody over the top, and then Darren and I worked on it some more.” Three Of Hearts will also issue Seltmann’s solo and New Buffalo back catalogue.
GENERATION ENT. EXPANDING, SEEKING AGENTS Generation Ent is expanding further into live music in 2015 and looking for some talented agents to join its Melbourne team. Previous experience is preferable but not essential. CVs can be emailed to admin@ generationpresents.com. Oscar Key Sung
MUSIC VENUE TEAM CLIMBS MAGIC MOUNTAIN
The team behind Melbourne’s The Toff in Town, Cookie, Boney and Revolver Upstairs open a new dining establishment on Wednesday January 14 on Little Collins. Magic Mountain Saloon, set up in a 19th century warehouse, is the fifth collaboration between owner Camillo Ippoliti and chef Karen Batso, working with architect Phillip Schemnitz. See beat.com.au for more.
SAMSUNG EXPANDS ITS MILK STREAM SERVICE
Samsung has expanded its Milk Music streaming service to new devices in America, with an Australian launch “in coming weeks.” Its app can now be downloaded from its Smart TVs. It’s also made Milk Video into a Virtual Reality app that works on the Gear VR headset. It offers 360-degree videos that give the experience of being right up on stage with performers.
5SOS TICKETMASTER’S MOST SEARCHED AUSSIE ACT
5 Seconds Of Summer are most searched for Aussie act on Ticketmaster’s global list. They rank #11. Top of the list is US country hunk Luke Bryan followed by One Direction, Garth Brooks, Beyonce, WWE, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Disney On Ice and Jason Aldean.
THINGS WE HEAR
• During his family vacation in Hawaii’s Kailua President Obama visited Eddie Vedder for 20 minutes. In 2012, Vedder raised $1.7 million at a $20,000-a-head concert for Obama’s re-election campaign. In the meantime, British PM David Cameron was seen dancing at party at Blur’s Alex James’s house. Cameron was recently presented with a Smiths T-shirt by a reporter. Cameron was told by The Smith’s songwriters to stop telling the world they were his favourite band as it was embarrassing to them. • Tame Impala confirmed their third album would be out in 2015. It’s going to be “less rock and more electronic,” keyboardist Jay Watson hinted last year. Watson’s other band Pond will issue its sixth album this year. • Sydney broadcaster/author Stuart Coupe is working on a book on Mushroom’s Michael Gudinski. • Tweed-Byron police are investigating a verbal allegation from a woman she was raped at Falls Byron. A male was interviewed. • AC/DC’s Brian Johnson told Q that long before Malcolm Young got dementia, he had surgery for lung cancer and had a pacemaker fitted in. • Drake’s collection of tattoos now includes landmarks of his city Toronto. • Spain’s Deers will tour Australia under the name Hinds, after being forced by a Canadian band to change their moniker. • Marilyn Manson says he has sex with his girlfriend, photographer Lindsay Usich, five times a day in the dark (because he’s shy) and won’t take his underwear off when screwing “in case the house catches on fire.” Truly. • The sex scandal surrounding US comic Bill Cosby saw Hilltop Hoods uncomfortable over namechecking him on Cosby Sweater. Now Indianapolis funk band Cosby Sweater has changed their name to Turbo Suit.
STEP PARTNERS WITH COLLARTS
STEP (Society of Tastemakers & Elegant People) struck a partnership with Collarts (College of the Arts), which obviously is also in the business of dispensing music industry knowledge. STEP last year hosted three panels (Young Labels, The Critic, The Managers), Big Sound’s No Sleep ‘Til Wednesday party and curated The Mavericks of Modern Music panel at Face The Music. “Having Collarts onboard will allow STEP to further its reach, bring interstate performing artists and speakers to the events and pretty much make the already existing positive experience an even better one,” says Ashley Sambrooks. Its new website is www.stepevents.com. The Artist panel on Wednesday Jan 21 at The Toff in Town with Chela, Remi (and Sensible J), Banoffee and Oscar Key Sung. Nick Clarke will once again moderate. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 58
• WA Liberal MP Luke Simpkins saw red when he spotted stickers pasted on the Leederville Railway Station footbridge in Perth in November. Thinking they were displaying the Islamic Shahada flag, he got authorities to paint over them. Daily Mail Australia spotted this claim on his Facebook blog and revealed they were stickers for the Speakeasy nightclub. • The family of Doc Neeson took to Facebook pleading for a lawyer to provide free or ‘no win no fee’ advise as it pursues a man it accuses of “swindling” Doc of $100,000. It offers Doc memorabilia as an acoustic guitar, signed CDs and lyric notes. “Legal costs thus far have cost thousands of dollars but we made a promise to Doc we would see this through to the end,” the family said. If you can help email them at docneesonestate@gmail.com.
• Brisbane’s Eternal Rest introduced their new guitarist Liam Strong by releasing a video of him playing Decapitated riffs to display his skill. • Mac DeMarco’s old trainers, used during his tour last year, were sold on eBay for $21,000 towards funding a music and mentoring program for women. • With Netflix launching here in autumn, is it trying to block access by the 200,000 Australians who already stream shows from the US using virtual private network (VPN)?
KILTER, MULLENS, ADDED TO WEMC JUDGING PANEL
The World Electronic Music Contest (WEMC) Australia expanded its judging panel with Etcetc head Aden Mullens and Kilter. They join SCNDL, Ministry of Sound A&R Dylan Sanders and Studio 301’s Ben Feggans to find the next big DJ/producer. Full details www.famemusic.com/au, it begins Tuesday January 20.
YOUTUBE’S MOST PROFITABLE CHANNELS
YouTube’s most profitable channel of 2014 (calculated by analytics company OpenSlate) was DisneyCollector BR, which just has videos of women’s hands unboxing and playing with toys. It had 379.9 million monthly views and earned $4.8 million. Second was Taylor Swift’s Vevo channel with 341 million monthly views and earned $4.1 million. EMI’s emimusic (YouTube) which hosts vids of its artists had 254.6 million views and earned $3 million. The only other music channel in the Top Ten was EDM empire Spinnin’ Records’ channel SpinninRec with 200 million views and revenue of $2.5 million.
HILLTOPS GIVING $10,000 TO EMERGING HIP HOPPER
Hilltop Hoods and APRA AMCOS team again to offer an emerging hip hop or soul artist $10,000 to manufacture, release and market their debut album. The act must be a member of APRA AMCOS. Applications open Tuesday January 20, see the APRA AMCOS website. Judges include Koolism’s Hau of triple j’s The Hip Hop Show, graff artist Nish, producer/ booking agent Ran-Dee, Brisbane producer Tommy Illfigg and Blank Clothing owner Raph. Previous recipients include Jimblah, Chelsea Jane, I AM D and RUNFORYOURLIFE.
JOSH PYKE PARTNERSHIP BACK
Josh Pyke and APRA AMCOS bring back the Josh Pyke Partnership where a musician gets a $7,500 grant, mentorship from Pyke and a meeting with Gregg Donovan (Wonderlick) and Stephen Wade (Select) to set up a business plan for their career. Pyke said two grants he received at his start made a difference, adding, “If we all want it to remain a healthy and vibrant scene, then giving young artists a bit of a leg up is key.” See APRA AMCOS site. Last year’s winner GOVS went on to release two singles and became the 16th most listened to triple j’s Unearthed artist in 2014. Pyke raised over $50,000 in total for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation since he became its ambassador.
VENUES UPDATE
Ballarat’s Peter Lalor Hotel, which hosted live music, closed suddenly. There is a possibility it might be revived with a new format and a new name. Geelong’s The National, which closed in 2012 over safety issues, has seen the end of its days as a music venue. This week its owner lodged plans to turn the three level building into apartments and a boutique bar.
CHARTWATCH: TAYLOR SWIFT
Taylor Swift’s 1989 this week notches up its sixth (non-consecutive) #1 on the ARIA chart. Chart historian Gavin Ryan notes the last album to be six or more weeks at the top was INXS’s The Very Best (February to April 2014) which stayed for seven weeks. Swift has now racked up as many weeks at #1 from her three albums as Coldplay, Silverchair (five #1’s each), Live, Missy Higgins, Bruce Springsteen (three) and Dido (two), and is equal 60th on the list of Accumulated Weeks at No.1: Albums (1965-2014). She also moves from five to four on this for this decade behind Eminem’s 11 weeks.
RDIO POWERING LANEWAY APP
Rdio is, for a second year, powering the Laneway Festival app. Users can listen to tracks from acts on the bill, get news and comp updates, schedule the acts and
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LIFELINES Born: son, Samuel Arrow Lee, to Missy Higgins and playwright Dan Lee. Married: NZ singer/songwriter Ladyhawke (Phillipa ‘Pip’ Brown) and actress/ musician Madeleine Sami, in Masterton, NZ. Married: Take That’s Howard Donald and Katie Halil. The ceremony was attended by three of his Take That colleagues. Married: Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden in Beverly Hills. Injured: Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney dislocated his shoulder after a swimming accident on the island of SaintBarthelemy. Recovering: Sydney music identity Phil Tripp, 64, from a stroke he suffered at his Coffs Harbour home over the holidays. Suing: a Connecticut man hits Live Nation for permanent physical injuries received when he was “violently knocked to the ground and trampled” at a standingroom-only section at a Lamb Of God show at Oakdale Theatre. In Court: Leroy Smith III, charged with murdering his father was declared unfit to stand for trial after he claimed Slayer were there when he killed him. Died: Irwin Steinberg, 94, co-founder of Mercury Records, chairman and CEO of PolyGram Records, then a pioneer in the digital music industry consulting to startups as MusicMaker. Died: US gospel artist Andraé Crouch, 72, heart attack. He wrote gospel hits as The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power and My Tribute (To God Be The Glory). He built a bridge between pop and gospel, and directed the choirs on Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror and Madonna’s Like a Prayer.
receive alerts on site. A user who downloads the app, takes a screenshot and details of an act they discovered though the 2015 app gets a VIP upgrade and a 12 month Rdio Unlimited subscription. This year the US-based streaming company plans to expand from its current 60 countries to 100. It’s focused on getting its 30 million songs in cars. Last week it struck two deals: to be installed in Jaguar Land Rover, and with Bosch for its mySPIN connected dashboard service as its main music streaming partner in cars.
PACHA SYDNEY PARTNERS WITH THE SQUARED DIVISION
Pacha Sydney named The Squared Division as Creative Directors to design weekly new productions at ivy from Saturday January 24. The Squared Division, aka Aussie directors and choreographers Antony Ginandiar and Ashley Evans, have worked with Taylor Swift, Rita Ora, Ed Sheeran, Jessie J and Kylie Minogue. They directed Ke$ha’s 2011 and 2013 world tours and choreographed Britney Spears’ sell-out Las Vegas residency. They have also done the production for The X Factor Australia since 2011.
MORE DETAILS ON TRIPLE J 40TH CELEBRATIONS
The ABC unveiled more details on triple j’s 40th anniversary celebrations. The Sounds Like Teen Spirit documentary, looking back at its history, begins on Monday January 19. On the same day, the Beat The Drum Exhibition opens at the ABC Ultimo foyer with artwork, audio/video and memorabilia.
WANNA PLAY MUSIC MATTERS LIVE?
Asia’s independent music festival Music Matters Live returns to Singapore in May for the fifth time. Applications to participate over the four nights are open to all bands until Friday January 16. Go to their website.