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BaR WedneSdAy 21 JAnuAry
Open Mic
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w/ kilamaine, prophetess, & 4tress
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andy WriGGleSWorth and laura coateS (the WildeS): a toPS acouStic, folk-laced, country-tinGed duo.
Annual reunion Show W/ trs (Wa), the Colytons (nsw), liquor Snatch, bottlecaps, bombs Are falling, & 12fu.
Sunday Jan 25 5PM
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hiGhly entertaininG MaSh uP of GoSPel, blueS, country and, err, 80S Party claSSicS.
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EP LAUNCH
THE RETREAT, BRUNSWICK THURSDAY 29TH JANUARY
FREE ENTRY W/ SPECIAL GUESTS:
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 15
23/10/2014 2:07 pm
in this issue
18
hot talk
22
tourinG
24
the kooks
26
whats on, summersalt outdoor arts Festival
28
art oF the city, the comic striP
34
australia day sPeciala
38
the antlers, beaches
39
catFish and the bottlemen
40
kid conGo & the Pink monkey birds page 40
mariachi el bronx page 41
kid conGo & the Pink monkey birds
41
mariachi el bronx
42
suGar mountain,
The Twerps
swans 43
eyehateGod
44
millencolin, dune rats
45
core/crunch, caliGula’s horse
46
music news
52
live
54
album oF the week, sinGles, charts
suGar mountain page 42 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
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THE BEARDS
COLLINGWOOD OPEN
The Gasometer have finalised the lineup for Collingwood Open. Collingwood Open is a brand new summer music series that will see some huge acts playing to a more intimate crowd. During the series, fans will be treated to performances from Teeth & Tongue, Fraser A Gorman, Dorsal Fins, Twin Beasts, Lanie Lane, Sweet Jean, Liz Stringer and Gareth Liddiard. With headliners set to go on at dusk, the venue’s new retractable roof will allow the open summer sky to also act as a ceiling. Collingwood Open kicks things off with Teeth & Tongue and Fraser A Gorman on Sunday January 25. Tickets through the venue. Luluc
STEVE LUCAS
Ever been of two minds or besides yourself with the duality of nature? You’ll feel right at home with Steve Lucas and friends as they gather together for the double single launch at Cherry Bar on January 31. Headlining the night and presenting the new limited edition 7” single Living and Loving in the USA will be Lucas and the (newly dubbed) Californian Winos, aka Ashley Davies, Bruce Haymes and Stephen Hadley (some of Melbourne’s best). Launching the three-sided EP Love On The Run (also limited edition 7” vinyl) will be Lucas’ return to his rock roots with the ‘60s three-piece garage psyche sounds of The Strawberry Teardrop – featuring Lucas, Anthony Wilko & Luke Meyers. Kicking off the night’s proceeding are the wonderful wizards of Wod. It all goes down Saturday January 31 at Cherry Bar. Tickets are $13. Doors at 8pm.
PSYCROPTIC
Australian metal pioneers Psycroptic are embarking on a nationwide tour in March to celebrate the release of their self-titled sixth LP, bringing along New Orleans trash band Goatwhore. The tour sees them perform on seventeen dates across Australia, with local band Whoretopsy supporting the Melbourne gigs. They perform at The Hi-Fi on Friday March 13, and Wrangler Studios on Saturday March 21. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 18
PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL
The rapidly approaching Port Fairy Folk Festival is now set to be even bigger after another round of names have been added to the bill. The fourth lineup announcement features six new acts, including Up There Cazaly hitmaker Mike Brady, indie-folk duo Luluc and Indigenous singer/songwriter Frank Yamma. Joining them will be The Bearded Gypsy Band, Fiona Ross and Skipping Girl Vinegar. Port Fairy Folk Festival will take place from Friday March 6 to Monday March 9. Head to the Port Fairy website for tickets.
The world’s most relentless beard-centric band The Beards are embarking on the Strokin’ My Beard tour. Just coming back from an extensive European tour, the tour announcement coincides with the launch of their latest single Strokin’ My Beard. The tour will see the Adelaide-based four-piece playing shows throughout Australia, hitting all states. Joining The Beards on the road will be Melbourne artrock band The Stiffys. The Beards perform on Saturday March 21 at The Hi-Fi Bar. Tickets available through the venue.
LA BOHEME
Opera and rock go side by side. The beautiful music of Puccini’s La Boheme is augmented by the best of the Beatles classics in this tragic love story. Emotionworks Cut Opera Company is mounting a revolutionary take on Puccini’s famous opera La Boheme, referencing the life and times of the Beatles. In a spooky coincidence, La Boheme is a story about four struggling young creatives striving to realise their artistic ambitions and embrace love. Directed by Julie Edwardson, former principal singer and director with Opera Australia, the cast will include both professional opera and contemporary singers. La Boheme will be performed on Saturday January 31 and Sunday February 1 as part of the St Kilda Festival events, and continuing shows through February. Tickets on sale now from princebandroom.com.
DISPATCH
Dispatch will make their debut sojourn Down Under later this year. Hailing from the United States, Dispatch will visit for the 2015 incarnation of Bluesfest. With a catalogue that spans indie, folk, reggae, rock and ska, the group have already been chosen to support the Zac Brown Band on their sideshows, and have now added a headline show in Melbourne to their tour. They’ll support the Zac Brown Band at the Palais Theatre on Tuesday March 31 and headline a show at the Prince Bandroom on Tuesday April 7. Tickets through Oztix.
MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Pack a picnic, relax on the lawn, and experience the beautiful sounds of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra this summer at 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.
SUN GOD REPLICA
Sun God Replica are headlining a killer lineup in order to celebrate The Cracked Tapes cassette launch on Saturday February 7. The Tote will be home to a ragtag crew, including bands Little Desert and The Kremlings supporting. Coming off their 2014 release The Devil & The Deep, and playing Meredith and Down on the Farm, Sun God Replica are on the top of their game. Come down to The Tote Saturday February 7, entry is $10 at the door.
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FREE SHIT PARTY IN THE PADDOCK
For all the latest news check out beat.com.au Slash
There’s a party in the paddock, would you like to come? Then bring some tinnies of rum-tum-tum. (Can’t afford it?) Then pack your bags and get lost. But actually you can get down to Party In The Paddock next month because we’ve got a couple of double passes floating around the office. If you wanna check out The Beautiful Girls, Allday, Jinja Safari, Dune Rats, The Smith Street Band, Drunk Mums and heaps more, all down in the scenic hills of Tassie, hit us up at beat.com.au/freeshit to win. Party In The Paddock is happenin’ from Friday February 20 to Saturday February 21 in Burns Creek, Tasmania.
Incubus
INCUBUS & ANTEMASQUE
SLASH & STEEL PANTHER
Another Sidewave has been added to the growing list, with Incubus announcing a show in Melbourne. The Californian rockers will be joined by Antemasque – formed in 2014 by former members of At The Drive-In and The Mars Volta – and Mexican garage-punk trio Le Butcherettes. It goes down at The Forum on Wednesday February 25. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Wednesday January 21 through Ticketmaster.
Could you just give us a minute while we pick ourselves up off the floor? Soundwave have gone ahead and announced a Sidewave of mega proportions, announcing that two of the biggest names on the 2015 Soundwave bill will join forces for a huge sideshow. Rock‘N’Roll Hall Of Fame member Slash will perform alongside Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, and will take to the stage for a co-headline show with ‘80s glam metal revivalists Steel Panther. It goes down on Thursday February 26 at Festival Hall. Tickets from Ticketmaster.
Antemasque
Steel Panther
MEWITHOUTYOU
Would you be brave enough to perform an entire acoustic set at Soundwave in front of a relentless rock and metal crowd? MewithoutYou did exactly that when they were last Down Under in 2008. If you wanna check out a group of American altrockers with some serious balls then get over to beat.com.au/freeshit, we’re giving away a bunch of double passes, each with a free t-shirt. Schwing. MewithoutYou take over 170 Russell on Sunday January 25.
DAN SULTAN
Lions and tigers and bears and Dan Sultan. Oh my. Australia’s own Sultan of country soul rock’n’roll is playing as part of the 2015 Zoo Twilight Series. 2014 saw him support Bruce Springsteen and release his award-winning fourth album Blackbird. If you wanna check him out, click your heels together and make a wish at beat.com.au/freeshit to win a free double pass. Dan Sultan plays the Melbourne Zoo as part of the Zoo Twilight Series, Friday February 13.
CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
Following the news that The Smashing Pumpkins will be gracing the Soundwave stage, they’ve now locked in a Sidewave in Melbourne. Joining official Pumpkins members Billy Corgan and Jeff Schroeder for the tour will be Rage Against the Machine’s Brad Wilk on drums and The Killers’ Mark Stoermer on bass. The band’s latest album Monuments to an Elegy was released late last year, with part two (Day for Night) set for release in 2015. Catch The Smashing Pumpkins at Festival Hall on Monday February 23. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Wednesday January 21 through Ticketmaster. Fans can also catch the band at Soundwave, which hits Melbourne on Saturday February 21.
Enjoy spending those lazy summer afternoons with a good cat, some fish, a few bottles and four Welsh men? Enjoy them even more with indierockers Catfish and the Bottlemen’s debut album The Balcony. The record features 11 tracks that are unapologetically catchy, gritty, and full of swagger, best enjoyed on a balcony. For your chance to win a copy, head on over to beat.com.au/freeshit.
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ESPY’S HOTTEST 100 PARTY! MON 26 JAN-AUS DAY LAST DINOSAURS, JAPANESE WALLPAPER, LURCH & CHIEF ORPHANS ORPHANS, THE HARPOONS, TOMMY FRANKLIN ZA!(ESP), FOREIGN/NATIONAL, SINGLES, THEM BRUINS. DOORS @ 11AM - FREE ENTRY! FULL VENUE EXPERIENCE CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU
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HOT TALK
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For all the latest news check out beat.com.au THE FUCK FUCKS
facebook/thehifi twitter.com/hifi_melb instagram.com/thehifi
J U ST A N N O U N C E D
SAT 07 FEB
LANEWAY AFTERPARTY FEAT. FUTURE ISLANDS THE COURTNEYS
SAT 28 FEB
BRING THE SWARM FEAT. SPOONBILL + MORE
Canadian slacker pop trio The Courtneys are coming to Australian shores across February and March. To celebrate, they are re-releasing their self titled LP with an Australian Tour 2015 edition, available at their shows as well as futurepopes.com. Drifting back to the sound of the early ’90s while reflecting a fun-in-the-sun West Coast mentality, The Courtneys deliver a special blend of fuzzy slacker pop that draws comparisons to Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, and The Clean. They perform in Melbourne at The John Curtin Hotel on Thursday February 26, tickets available from Oztix.
The Fuck Fucks frontman Fred Negro is St Kilda pub rock royalty. He has ruled the roost since AC/ DC were living in a St Kilda share house. With a show at the Prince Of Wales Public Bar celebrating The Fuck Fucks 22nd year as a band, you can expect all the ‘hits’ like Beer Sandwich (hold the bread) and Hey Hey We’re The Fuck Fucks. If Fred Negro is the elder statesman of Melbourne rock then Dumb Punts are the future of pub/garage rock. With their single Chiller an underground hit in 2014 the three-piece have a big show planned for St Kilda fest. Also in the lineup is blues-rock legend Kim Volkman and up-andcomer of the same musical persuasion, Andy Kentler. Charging Stallion will be blasting the day with their garage fuelled hilarity and Baberaham Lincoln will be combining cutting insights with smooth acoustica. DJ Denver Maxx will be keeping things hip throughout the sunlight hours until DJ Mimi closes the event, Mimi closed last year’s event and is arguably the best party DJ on Melbourne. Did we mention it’s a free show with entertainment from 2pm to late? Sunday February 8 at Prince Of Wales Public Bar. Free entry.
Q&A
CAMP CASUAL
FRI 13 MAR
PSYCROPTIC & GOATWHORE
SAT 21 MAR
THE BEARDS THIS WEEK TUE 20 JAN
JAH PRAYZAH FRI 23 JAN
NOISECON TROLLERS
Camp Casual have upped the ante with the announcement of their full lineup. The latest additions to the lineup include Vancouver outfit The Courtneys plus Olympia, Pikelet, Jon Lemon, Carb on Carb, Parking Lot Experiments, Pearls and Dugong Jr. They join the acts already announced, including The Ocean Party, ScotDrakula, Geoffrey O’Connor, Empat Lima, Mangelwurzel, Strict Face, Duck Duck Chop, Mesa Cosa, Tomb Boss, B.O.O.M.A, Biscotti, The Sugar Fed Leopards, Felix Lloyd, The Burnt Sausages, Redspencer and Tourist Dollars. Camp Casual will take place on Friday February 27 – Sunday March 1.
Ballarat Beer Festival Co-Director: Kate Burrows
SAT 24 JAN U18 & 18+ SHOWS
KERSER
Tell us about the first beer you ever had. Well, after stealing my dad’s VB as a teenager, I decided I really didn’t like beer, but the rise of craft beers has bought me back to the fold and now I love it. What about the last beer you had? I actually had a tasting paddle at Holgate Brewhouse and my favourite was the Mount Macedon Pale Ale, very yummy. What sort of beer would you like on the ultimate band rider? I love trying different styles and flavours but for at the end of a gig in summer, I think something refreshing and light like a pale ale (Hawthorn and Kooinda make a couple of my favourites) would be on my rider. What features of the festival make the Ballarat Beer Festival a bit special? We really try every year to bring something new and exciting to the event and certainly providing nine hours of top live music is key. This year we’re focusing on fun. There’re also retro arcade games and you can dunk a brewer or even get a haircut or beard trim in the Brewers Big Backyard enclosure. We love working with the brewers to offer something special and this year the Motley Brew will be unveiled which is a great collaborative brew made especially for the BBF. This is the fourth Ballarat Beer Festival, what’s the secret of its success? The festival hit the mark with a perfect blend of great craft beer, gourmet food and top Aussie entertainment. The vibe is really relaxed and friendly – you can bring the kids or your mum – there’s something for everyone to enjoy and celebrate summer in a picturesque spot. I have to also mention the incredible community support and involvement in Ballarat – so many local sponsors, suppliers, volunteers and staff that get involved to make it happen. It’s a terrific coming together of our town to put something on for locals and visitors alike that’s a really fun day out.
SUN 25 JAN
CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMAN
CO M I N G S O O N FRI 30 JAN
EYEHATEGOD SAT 31 JAN
SMITH STREET BAND
FRI 27 FEB
DELTRON 3030 TUE 03 MAR
SOLD OUT
SHARON VAN ETTEN
TUE 03 FEB
FRI 06 MAR
MAC DEMARCO
PARQUET COURTS
SOLD OUT
SAT 07 MAR
WED 04 FEB
SETH SENTRY
MAC DEMARCO
SUN 08 MAR
THU 05 FEB
WED 29 APR | NEW DATE
BEN FROST FRI 6 FEB
BEATS ANTIQUE + MORE THU 12 FEB
MODE SELEKTOR SAT 14 FEB
NEON PARTY UV PAINT
SETH SENTRY B-BOY WORLD CHAMPIONS TOUR FRI 29 MAY
BABY ANIMALS & THE SUPER JESUS
FRI 20 FEB
TINASHE
BALLARAT BEER FESTIVAL will be taking place this Saturday January 24 at City Oval Ballarat with Ash Grunwald, Way of the Eagle, The Delta Riggs, Buddha in a Chocolate Box, Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk and more.
TIX + INFO THEHIFI.COM.AU 125 SWANSTON ST, MELBOURNE
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THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS
For all the latest news check out beat.com.au RUTH MOODY
Last gracing our shores in 2006, Canada’s finest young folk singer/ songwriter Ruth Moody is back in her country of birth. Moody and her band including Adrian Dolan and Adam Dobres will be touring Australia during February and March, coming off the back of an extensive European tour and whistle-stop appearance in NZ. She performs at Bell Union Trades Hall on Wednesday March 4, The Caravan Club on Thursday March 5, and at Port Fairy Music Festival from Friday March 6 to Sunday March 8.
SHE WHO ROCKS TOUR
Two of Australia’s most loved femalefronted rock bands are packing their road cases and pulling out their biggest hits for a double headline powerhouse rock show. The Baby Animals and Superjesus, fronted by Suze DeMarchi and Sarah McLeod respectively, start off May in Perth, hitting WA, VIC, NSW, QLD and ending in TAS in June. The She Who Rocks Tour comes to Melbourne Friday May 29 at The HiFi, tickets on sale through the venue.
XAVIER RUDD
Australian folk son Xavier Rudd has announced a national tour in support of his eighth studio album Nanna, set for release March 13 through Salt X/Universal. Nanna was mixed by living legend Errol Brown at the Tuff Gong Studios and follows 2012’s wildly successful #2 Gold-selling album Spirit Bird, which, led by the huge single Follow The Sun, went Gold in Australia and reached Platinum sales in Italy. Xavier Rudd, alongside his new band The United Nations, play The Forum Theatre in Melbourne Thursday 19 March. Tickets on sale Thursday 29 January from www.xavierrudd.com.
SHAKE THE TREE
Shake the Tree returns for a 2015 Summer Series, kicking off on Sunday 25 January within the retro surrounds of the Thornbury Bowls Club. Curated for adults and kids alike, catch garage R&B specialists The Breadmakers, and soak up all your ‘60s faves with Toga Rock. Plus there will be a special half time performance on the bowling green with Kiddy Rock – interactive kids performance featuring Ally Spazzy. Shake the Tree includes an old school cake stall, meat tray raffle and a snag sizzle. Entry is $10 for adults, kids free.
MAHALIA BARNES & JOE BONAMASSA
Powerhouse singer Mahalia Barnes and US guitar prodigy Joe Bonamassa have today announced two exclusive Australian shows set to take place in Sydney and Melbourne next month. Having recently announced their collaboration on a forthcoming album, the pair is now set to debut the record live next month for the very first time. Mahalia Barnes and Joe Bonamassa will perform in Melbourne on Thursday February 5 at The Prince Bandroom. Tickets available through Oztix.
DONAVON FRANKENREITER
HELLIONS
With the release of their LP Indian Summer just a couple of short weeks away, Hellions have announced their headlining national tour to support the release. It kicks off in Brisbane on March 6 and wraps up in Melbourne on March 22. They perform on Saturday March 21 at The Reverence, and Sunday March 22 at Phoenix Youth Centre. Tickets on sale now through Oztix.
Donavon Frankenreiter will embark on a massive 17-date tour around Australia later this year. Heading to both capital and regional cities, alongside an appearance at Bluesfest, Frankenreiter will be performing material from his fifth fulllength album Start Livin’ as well as old fan favourites. Melbourne fans can catch him at The Corner Hotel on Friday April 10.
IT’S ROCK‘N’ROLL BABY FILM — acmi.net.au
Music films at ACMI
20,000 Days on Earth 3 – 13 Jan
MA15+
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon 27 Dec – 13 Jan
M
Beautiful Noise 31 Jan – 8 Feb
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Unclassified 18+
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TOURING
WHO'S ON TOUR, WHERE AND WHEN
For all the latest tour dates check out beat.com.au
THURSDAY 22ND JAN LUCKY MOORE (FREE) FRONT BAR FRIDAY 23RD AARON THOMAS (FREE) FRONT BAR SUNDAY 25TH JAN (AUST DAY EVE) THICK AS THIEVES PRESENT IN CAHOOTS NICK COLEMAN 2DOTZERO REVILO D MARK SCHOTT MATTHEW FISHER THURSDAY 29TH JAN RED HOT SHORTS A NIGHT OF AWARD WINNING SHORT FILMS AND CUTTING EDGE MUSIC VIDEOS SAT 7TH FEB SAVE THE REEF FUNDRAISER IN ASSOCIATION WITH GETUP! FEATURING STALLS, DJS AND GUEST SPEAKERS SAT 14TH FEB 5 MILE SNIPER (ALBUM LAUNCH)
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INTERNATIONAL MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL Bennets Lane January 21 – 29 CAMILLIE O’SULLIVAN Melbourne Arts Center January 21 – 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 MAHALIA BARNES & JOE BONAMASSA Prince Bandroom February 5 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 STEFFI AND VIRGINIA Venue TBA February 7 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 GREAT AUSTRALIAN BEER FESTIVAL Geelong Racecourse 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 THE SMASHING PUMPKINS Festival Hall February 23 SOUNDGARDEN Festival Hall February 24 INCUBUS The Forum February 24 REAL ESTATE Corner Hotel February 25 THE COURTNEYS John Curtain Hotel February 26 CAMP CASUAL Gippsland, Victoria February 27 – March 1 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 RUTH MOODY Bell Union Trades Hall March 4, Caravan Club March 5 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 JESSIE J Margaret Court Arena March 17 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 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 DISPATCH Palais Theatre March 31, Prince Bandroom April 7 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 DONAVON FRANKENREITER Corner Hotel April 10 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
NATIONAL MELBOURNE FOLK CLUB SUMMER SEASON Melbourne Folk Club January 21 – March 25 STEP The Toff In Town January 21 FRENZAL RHOMB The Loft January 22, Karova Lounge January 23, Barwon Heads Hotel January 24, Reverence Hotel January 25 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 SHAKE THE TREE Thornbury Bowls Club January 25 PIERS FESTIVAL Princes Pier, Port Melbourne January 25 DALLAS CRANE Corner Hotel January 25 TEETH & TONGUE Gasometer Hotel January 25 CALIGULA’S HORSE The Evelyn Hotel, January 25 BOWLED OVER St Kilda Bowls Club January 26 AUSTRALIA DAY AT THE ESPY The Espy January 26 PRINCE BANDROOM AUSTRALIA DAY CONCERT Prince Bandroom January 26
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BALKAN BEAT BOx Prince Bandroom
ME The Evelyn Hotel January 30 STEVE LUCAS Cherry Bar January 31 LA BOHEME Prince Bandroom January 31, February 1 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 SUN GOD REPLICA The Tote February 7 SUMMER SOUNDS Various venues, Hobsons Bay Febraury 7 – 28 GUY PEARCE & DARREN MIDDLETON Thornbury Theatre February 7 THE FUCK FUCKS Prince Of Wales February 8 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 KIM CHURCHILL Corner Hotel February 13 THE BIRTH OF BLACK SABBATH CELEBRATED Yarraville Club February 13 RIVERBOATS MUSIC FESTIVAL Echuca-Moama February 13 – 15 MEGAN WASHINGTON 170 Russell February 13 MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Sidney Myer Music Bowl February 14, 18, 21 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 Curtain 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 PSYCROPTIC Hi-Fi Bar March 13, Wrangler Studios March 21 KINGSWOOD The Forum March 13 LUCA BRASI Northcote Social Club March 14, Wrangler Studios March 15 KYLIE MINOGUE Rod Laver Arena March 18 XAVIER RUDD The Forum March 21 THE BEARDS Hi-Fi Bar March 21 HELLIONS Reverence Hotel March 21, Phoenix Youth Centre March 22 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 SHE WHO ROCKS TOUR Hi-Fi Bar May 29 DARREN COGGAN The Palms July 3
RUMOURS: MARK RONSON, CHER, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE = NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
ME LIV LBO E UR AT NE ZOO
MUSIC AGAINST WILDLIFE EXTINCTION IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
| SARAH BLASKO | CONOR OBERST
SPIDERBAIT 30 JAN TO 7 MAR 2015 2014_halfbeat_FOLIOGUITAR.pdf
1
16/12/2014
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INSTRUMENT MAKING & REPAIR ELECTRIC | ACOUSTIC LMF40308 Certificate IV in Musical Instrument Making and Repair
FOLIO PREPARATION DESIGN | VISUAL ARTS CUV40311 Certificate IV in Design CUV40111 Certificate IV in Visual Arts
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 23
THE KOOKS LISTEN TO
By Kelsey Berry
As January kicks into full gear and we inch past the halfway point of summer, the days are long and hot, the paddle pools are out in force, our screens are taken over by cricket and the tennis, and the barbecues begin warming up for Australia Day. It’s a far cry from the dreary, snow-covered January The Kooks face in the UK. It seems only natural so many British natives flock to our shores each summer. While we may hold a certain level of disdain (and some choice sledging) for some of our sporting rivals, The Kooks are one English group Australians are willing to embrace whole-heartedly. In fact, the band have now visited so many times they could nearly be considered honorary Australians. The Kooks are set to embark on their biggest headline tour of Australia to date, stopping in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane, before landing in Melbourne on January 24. The band are no strangers to the land Down Under, having previously made the trek for Groovin The Moo in 2013, Splendour In The Grass in 2012 and Falls Festival in 2011. Like Falls, this tour will give them the chance to make the most of the Australian summer, taking in some of the best sights the country has to offer. “We’re in Australia for quite a while, so I’m looking forward to just hanging out basically, living like an Australian,” laughs frontman Luke Pritchard. “We’ve been over quite a lot now so we know the place and the people pretty well. I’ve got a lot of friends there. The weather is fucking horrible over here so it will be nice to head to the beach, go surfing and things like that.” Joining them for the tour are Welsh newbies Catfish and the Bottlemen, who released their debut album The Balcony in September last year, as well as Sydneysiders The Griswolds, who have just returned to home soil after a six-month stint in the US. “We’re really excited, I think it’s a really great bill, they’re really cool new bands. They’re gonna have more fun then us cause they play earlier and they can finish and go out,” he jokes. As for the Welshmen, who are venturing our way for the first time, Pritchard had a few helpful words of advice. “The main thing with going off to Australia is to just watch out for the jetlag because that will kill you, you’ve got to be really hard on yourself. When you get in, just go out.” Playing a run of outdoor shows this tour, including Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the bands may also have to brace themselves for some harsh summer weather – be it sweltering heat or torrential tropical rain. For The Kooks, after years on the European summer festival circuit, bad weather is nothing new. “One of the craziest sets we played was when we were in Croatia or somewhere in Eastern Europe,” recalls Pritchard. “No one really talked about it before the gig but there was some bad weather on the way. When we were playing, the clouds were coming from behind the stage so we couldn’t see them. All of a sudden we just start seeing people running – and I mean like 20,000 to 30,000 people start sprinting – and we had no idea what was happening. We were in the middle of our set, it was our second last song, and we’re just going, ‘What the fuck is going on?’ This guy had to come onstage and tell us that there was a hurricane coming through. It was crazy; I’ve never been in anything like it. There were gates literally flying through the air.” Although probably hard to believe for many, The Kooks are now into their second decade, with mega-hit Naïve set to mark its tenth anniversary next year. The band formed in 2004, when a fresh-faced Pritchard and guitarist Hugh Harris were classmates at Brighton Music College. Merely four months after forming, marking a level of success that many could only dream of, the band were signed to Virgin Records and began working on their debut album Inside In/Inside Out. The Kooks’ fourth album, Listen, was released in September last year. For Listen, the band chose to part ways with long-time producer Tony Hoffer, who worked on the band’s first three albums, instead enlisting the help of a young hip hop producer from London by the name of Inflo. “Working with Inflo was amazing,” says Pritchard. “I didn’t know much about the hip hop world, but I really like hip hop production, so I thought it would be interesting to work with someone with that background. He’s a genius and it was a very different way of working for us. We come from very different worlds. He comes from a hip hop, gospel background and we very much don’t,” he laughs. “We’re guys who play in an alternative rock‘n’roll band so it was interesting, but I think the chemistry was really good. I wrote songs with Flo, we just really clicked. When you have that kind of chemistry it just makes everything really easy, we had a lot of fun.” With a back catalogue bursting with catchy indie-pop anthems, jangling guitar riffs and cheery love songs, Listen sees the band venture into uncharted territory, taking a cue from their new producer and exploring hip hop and R&B influences – complete with gospel choirs, synths, loops and heightened percussion from new drummer Alexis Nuñez. “Recording Listen was quite different from previous records – especially the first two,” explains Pritchard. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 24
“ I THINK AS A BAND, WE’vE OfTEN CHOPPED AND CHANGED, WE’vE DONE A lOT Of DIffErENT STylES, SO I THINK NOW WE’rE All UP fOr rEAlly HONING IN ON ONE SOUND.” “It was a real flip, a role reversal of sorts. The first two albums we played everything in a room together – like a live record – and we recorded everything to tape. Listen was recorded more like a hip hop album – we sampled ourselves in a way. We would make loops and guitar samples and work songs through in that way. We were also writing the songs in the studio, which was different for us. In the past I would write songs and then come and see the band for rehearsals and say, ‘What do you guys think?’ Then from there we would arrange it, do a bit of writing together and record it. On Listen, I was scribbling down words while we were recording, so it was a much more instinctual way of working.” Reviews for Listen were mixed, ranging from “a questionable overindulgence in funk, soul and chopped beats” and simply “embarrassing” to “an exuberant
DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION
fourth album bristling with character,” “a band rejuvenated,” “fantastically funky” and “full of fresh, funky beats, catchy guitar riffs and rhythmic vocals.” For Pritchard – who kickstarted the new approach when he wrote Around Time in this bedroom after discovering an old gospel sample – the new direction is something he and the band can see themselves pursuing in the future. “We’ll keep running with it,” he muses. “Possibly not that way of working completely, I think we’re gonna go rawer in a sense, but I think that kind of idea is definitely something worth pursuing. I’m really in love with what we’re doing right now, so when you’re onto something like that you kind of want to continue down that path. I think as a band, we’ve often chopped and changed, we’ve done a lot of different styles, so I think now we’re all up for really honing in on one sound.” With their latest album barely four months old and an extensive tour schedule locked in for 2015, you’d be forgiven for thinking album number five is the last thing on anyone’s mind. Luke Pritchard however isn’t one to slow down, having spent most of his Christmas break in the studio. “I think about it every hour,” he laughs. “It’s constantly on my mind.”
THE KOOKS will hit Melbourne on Saturday January 24 for a show at Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Listen is out now through Universal.
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 25
THIS WEEK: ON SCREEN In The Big City Arati and her husband, Subrata (Anil Chatterjee), leave their Bengali village for the bustling city of Calcutta. The couple and their young child enjoy a modest but happy existence on Subrata’s bank worker salary. When Subrata runs into employment troubles however, Arati must confront a new social reality and take a job outside the home. At first this proposition seems unthinkable, but Arati embraces the freedom and challenges that her job affords. She makes friends and before long is promoted at work. However, she is unable to escape the judgement from within her household about her choice. Similarly, life in the office produces its own series of conflicts when Arati is faced with the harsh inequalities that exist in this sphere. A film of great intimacy and wide scope, The Big City further serves to show the essential nature of Satyajit Ray’s cinema. It’ll screen at ACMI until Friday January 30.
With Tyson Wray. Got thoughts, news, gossip, complaints or cat photos? Email tyson@beat.com.au or send by carrier pigeon before Friday 12pm. Blak Cabaret
ON STAGE Will Hannagan will return from New York to our shores to debut his new cabaret show, Affluenza, next month. The show is an interview style parody that stars Hannigan as a drug-addled club kid on the road to redemption. In one tellall interview, Hannigan is questioned about fame, abuse, scandal and salvation, all set to the tune of an all-new original score. Affluenza runs from Thursday January 22 through Sunday February 8 at The Butterfly Club.
ON DISPL AY Mambo, one of Australia’s most irreverent brands, has turned 30 years old. To celebrate this milestone, the National Gallery of Victoria is currently hosting Mambo: 30 years of shelfindulgence, an exhibition that will house the largest collection of Mambo works ever assembled and present all the ideas, key elements and oddities that have made it one of Australia’s most memorable brands. It’s only open for a few more weeks, so get down soon.
PICK OF THE WEEK
SUMMERSALT OUTDOOR ARTS FESTIVAL
show by indigenous performers, taking place in the courtyard of the Coopers Malthouse. SummerSalt days are kid friendly and night time is for the grownups. “The majority of events are free,” Siddle says. “Some are ticketed but at low cost. People can come to SummerSalt multiple times. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion; you can come and wander around precinct, anytime. There will be an app you can download which will connect the digital and the real world around you, creating a theatrical effect while you’re there, there are three characters, and you can follow one of those characters around the area.” The variety of acts on offer during SummerSalt fairly boggles the mind. A total of 75 different artists and acts including Mitchell Butel, Tina C back in town with a new show, Women of Soul (a band made up of various musicians from Cookin’ on 3 Burners, Bamboo and Deep Street Soul) are involved. Ben Walters, Crusty Suitcase Band, Stalker Theatre Company will Company appear, along with Scotch and Soda where music meets acrobatics. Dining Room Tales Summer Barbeque brings punters and performers together over an al fresco meal. Visitors can enjoy the experience of meandering through the Exxopolis, the newest Architects of Air ‘luminarium’, which is gigantic translucent PVC domed structure inspired by cathedrals and mosques. “On the first weekend we have this dance program called Dance at Dusk at the Hub in Dodds St,” Siddle adds. “We’re screening three films curated by Anouk van Dijk, Artistic Director of Chunky Move, and David McAllister from The Australian Ballet. They collaborated and chose these films, and ahead of the films you can take a dance class and learn one of the routines in advance. So you can learn the steps and join in when the film’s on.”
By Liza Dezfouli
Wandering around the arts precinct of Melbourne’s Southbank, you might be forgiven for wondering where everybody is. You’re surrounded by 14 of Melbourne’s major arts institutions but the streets seem bare. Thanks to Kirsten Siddle, director of the outdoor arts festival SummerSalt, over the next five weekends this is changing big time. “We’re surrounded by talent in the arts precinct but it all happens indoors,” Siddle says, explaining to Beat why Melbourne needs yet another arts festival.
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.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 26
“The artistic centre of Melbourne looks, well, a bit lonely when it comes to street life. We wanted to bring the talent outdoors, turn the area inside out. I’ve been in Melbourne for seven years, working in The Southbank precinct and you don’t get a sense of the vibrancy of the area; all the creating is going on inside. Two years ago I curated a festival called The Garden Party that took place in a gravel car park behind the Recital Centre. It’s a charged pocket of the neighbourhood. Not a huge amount has been happening in the arts precinct previously. We realised then that we should all be doing more outside. We need to do more things outside and more things in summertime.” So Siddle and various colleagues from the various arts institutions of Southbank decided to put together an outdoor festival intent on bringing the arts precinct to life. “The 14 arts departments have come together and are contributing something to the festival,” she says. “The collaboration is unprecedented and unique. We’re proud of it – it’s an incredible collaboration.” SummerSalt, which includes the VCA contemporary/ digital music/arts extravaganza, the Sugar Mountain
festival, under its umbrella, is a day and night weekend outdoors arts binge. “There are fantastic outdoor spaces in the area,” adds Siddle. “The festival hub is in Dodds Street, which will be closed to traffic for the festival to make it pedestrian friendly. It’s an eating and drinking hub as well as an entertainment hub. We have two bars, Shine and Slide and even a milk bar selling traditional milk bar goodies.” SummerSalt Festival will open on Friday with a whole lot of noise courtesy of Bold as Brass leading a procession from Federation Square to Testing Grounds, inviting the public to join in a musical walk to start off the excitement. “Testing Grounds is a pocket of land behind the Ballet Centre. It was doing nothing but now it’s a fantastic community space with lots of experimental things happening there,” Siddle says. “During Summersalt it’s an outdoor music venue, we’ll have Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds, Lake Street Dive and Peter Hook and the Light.” SummerSalt performances will include circus, dance, theatre, puppetry music, all happening outdoors. One highlight is Blak Cabaret, a theatrical, soulful satirical
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Scotch and Soda Siddle is looking forward to one act in particular. “Scotch and Soda are insanely good; they’ve come back from Edinburgh with four and five star reviews.” She insists she’s had a wonderful time putting Summersalt together, despite having to do it in only six months. “It’s a big challenge getting a festival of this size up, with 280 events; it’s a stretch. We only started in June, so we’ve only had six months from start to delivery. It was a short time frame but we’ve had to deal with it. I’ve enjoyed it so much! Talking to other arts people and rethinking the way we present some of our work. It’s a warm, easy going atmosphere. .Summersalt is a unique festival. Some of the artists would never normally do things outside. It’s a whole different atmosphere; it’s a different feeling when you do things outdoors. You relax. Daylight hours, perfect. I wanted to create a festival that was participatory, and interactive. Something that encourages people to get involved.” SummerSalt Outdoor Arts Festival will take place from Friday January 23 - Saturday February 21. Visit summersaltfestival.com.au for further information.
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$45 Sat 23 Jan, gates from 5pm Kid Congo Powers (of The Bad Seeds and The Gun Club) makes his first trip to Australia with long-term cohorts The Pink Monkey Birds for a night of raw, sonic ambrosia featuring a heady mix of fuzz guitars, New Orleans drum beats and bass lines dripping with soul.
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KID CONGO & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS
AsTthe HBAweather heats up its time to get down in the great N B outdoors.KEnjoy OULthree great bands in the unconventional EV urban garden that A isRTesting Grounds – a former vacant D lot turned into an artist’s paradise in Southbank. Head to One City Road for live music, bevvies and more. It’s all part of the SummerSalt Outdoor Arts Festival.
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Photo: Mark McNulty
PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT
$45 Fri 20 Feb, gates from 5pm Peter Hook takes over Testing Grounds with his new band The Light for an exclusive evening of hits from the two iconic bands he helped found: JOY DIVISION and NEW ORDER. Don’t miss dancing under the stars to the legendary bass sound that launched a thousand parties in the 1980s.
LAKE STREET DIVE
$45 Sat 21 Feb, gates from 5pm Pulling in familiar elements and irreverently scrambling and recombining them, Lake Street Dive is at once jazzschooled, DIY-motivated, and classically pop-obsessed. Occupying the gap between Motown soul, Sixties pop zip, and British Invasion swagger, Lake Street Dive was named one of the best bands of 2014 by Rolling Stone.
TESTING GROUNDS – CORNER CITY ROAD & FANNING STREET, ENTRY VIA STURT STREET
BOOK NOW AT SUMMERSALTFESTIVAL.COM.AU
Transaction fees may apply
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 27
THE COMIC STRIP CRAB L AB
For more arts news, reviews and interviews visit beat.com.au
FESTIVAL OF THE PHOTOCOPIER
Sticky Institute’s four-day celebration of zine culture Festival Of The Photocopier is set to take over Melbourne Town Hall for its annual zine fair. The festival will feature talks, launches and fundraisers, along with an opening party at the Tote with performances by Empat Lima, The Shabbab, Holy Lotus and The Girl Fridas. The festival will culminate in the annual zine fair, which takes over Melbourne Town Hall on Sunday February 15. The fair will feature more than 100 stalls from both national and international zinemakers. Festival Of The Photocopier will take place from Thursday February 12 to Sunday February 15.
ROOFTOP CINEMA
Rooftop Cinema have revealed the second run of films that will light up the skies for the next few months. Launching on Sunday February 1 with an encore screening of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, highlights of the second part of their program include Oscar contenders The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, St Vincent and Nightcrawler (the latter of which plays back-to-back with Donnie Darko), plus old favourites such as Mean Girls and Blade Runner. Rooftop Cinema will run until Saturday April 4 (where they will close with a surprise screening) at Rooftop Bar. And Then There is Naples
Coming Home
FASHION ON FILM
In the lead up to the 2015 Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival (VAMFF), ACMI will present a season of fashion-focused films. Fashion on Film will offer a unique look at the evolution of fashion – from the house of Balmain, to the streets of Naples and the trends of the ‘90s. The season will kick off in February with the Australian premiere of And Then There is Naples, which follows a Neapolitan trouser maker Salvatore Ambrosi as he guides audiences through the city and meets other local designers. To complement the premiere, ACMI film programmer James Nolen will host a two-hour walking tour of Melbourne that uncovers many of the products featured in the documentary. The season will also feature the Australian premiere of Fashion in the 1990s, The Balmain Style, Pop Models and Dressed up for Summer 2015. The documentaries will also be complemented by a number of short films from the VAMFF Film 2015 competition. Fashion On Film will screen from Saturday February 21 to Sunday March 8.
CARAVAN BURLESQUE ... WILDER WEST
After selling out seasons in Paris, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo and Sydney, Caravan Burlesque... Wilder West will return to Melbourne this year for a sevenshow season. Described as “David Lynch’s ideal of Vaudeville”, Caravan Burlesque brings together circus acts, musical renditions, sizzling dance routines and comedy. Caravan Burlesque ... Wilder West will run from Thursday February 5 to Saturday February 14 at the Substation.
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EPIC INTIMACY: THE CINEMA OF ZHANG YIMUO & GONG LI
Celebrating the legacy of award-winning Chinese director Zhang Yimuo and his cinematic muse Gong Li, Epic Intimacy: The Cinema of Zhang Yimuo & Gong Li will screen at ACMI in March, as part of their China Up Close program. The program features a number of Yimuo and Gong’s films, including their debut film Red Sorghum, Tang dynasty epic The Curse of the Golden Flower, Shanghai Triad, To Live, The Story of Qiu Ju, Ju Dou and Raise the Red Lantern. The season will also feature the pair’s latest film Coming Home, released in 2014. Epic Intimacy will screen from Friday March 6 to Sunday March 15.
THE GOLDEN AGE OF CHINA: QIANLONG EMPEROR FEATURES
The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is set to host hidden treasures from Beijing’s Palace Museum in the Forbidden City, for an exclusive Australian exhibition. The Golden Age of China: Qianlong Emperor features items from the extensive art collection of Qianlong Emperor – one of China’s most successful rulers and the longest living emperor of the Qing dynasty (1644– 1911). The exhibition will feature classical paintings and artworks, weapons and other palace treasures from the era, along with paintings and calligraphy by the emperor himself. The Golden Age of China: Qianlong Emperor will run from Friday March 27 to Sunday June 21.
MOONLIGHT CINEMA
Throughout December and January, Moonlight Cinema has entertained crowds across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. The action, drama and laughs are set to continue with a number of exclusive and advanced screenings, dress-up nights, cult films, kid’s nights and doggie nights, this February. The exclusive, advanced screenings kick off on Sunday February 1 with a showing of Selma, a historical drama about Dr Martin Luther King’s voting rights march. You can also see Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Caine in the advanced screening of Kingsman: The Secret Service. Catch Michael Mann’s Blackhat, starring Chris Hemsworth, Joaquin Pheonix’s latest venture Inherent Vice, and Tim Burton’s latest offering Big Eyes, featuring Amy Adams’ Golden Globe-winning performance. The advanced screenings round off with Focus, starring Will Smith and Aussie actress Margot Robbie. Valentine’s Day will feature a special screening of the iconic 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. While dress-up movie nights will summon the zombie apocalypse with new Aussie armageddon flick Wyrmwood, get you dusting off your fishnets and sequins for The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and bring the laughs for Life of Brian. The February program also features an advanced screening of the controversial James Franco/Seth Rogen flick The Interview. The next Moonlight Cinema instalment will run in Melbourne from Sunday February 1 until Sunday March 29 at Central Lawn, Botanic Gardens.
SUPANOVA
Following the addition of James Marsters, Tyler Hoechlin and Robin Lord Taylor earlier this month, Supanova have added even more stars to the April event. The latest announcement will delight Australian Trekkies, with George Takei, Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig all added to the event. Also appearing will be Charisma Carpenter, best known for her role as Cordelia Chase in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The new names join an already star-studded lineup, including Jason David Frank (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Eoin Macken and Alexander Vlahos (Merlin), Jessica DiCicco (Adventure Time), Todd Haberkorn (Soul Eater, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood), Arthur Suydam (Heavy Metal, Marvel Zombies) and Tony Moore (The Walking Dead). Supanova takes place on Saturday April 11 and Sunday April 12 at Melbourne Showgrounds.
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Tonight for absolutely free you can see Luke McGregor, Michael Hing, Daniel Connell, Laura Davis, Mike Goldstein and a whole heap more at Crab Lab. Sound good? Good. 16 Corrs Ln, CBD. Doors at 7.30pm for an 8.30pm start.
PORTL AND HOTEL COMEDY Glenn Robbins
This Thursday, comedy legend Glenn Robbins headlines Portland Hotel Comedy. Plus they’ve also got Mike Goldstein, Neel Kolhatkar, Anne Edmonds, Daniel Connell, Michael Hing and more. It’s all happening this Thursday January 22 at 8.30pm, at Portland Hotel Comedy, 127 Russell Street (upstairs), CBD, all for only $12.
COMEDY AT SPLEEN Adam Rozenbachs
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, Adam Rozenbachs hosts, plus heaps of guests including Karl Chandler, Ryan Coffey, Tegan Higginbotham, Ciaran Lyons, Becky Lucas, Evan Hocking and more. It’s this Monday January 26, 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.
BOB FRANKLIN In celebration of his new book Moving Tigers, comedian Bob Franklin will host a special stand-up comedy night in Melbourne – and he’s bringing some friends along. Joining Franklin for the night will be Lawrence Mooney, Sammy J & Randy and Anne Edmonds, with more names to be announced. Moving Tigers is the second book by Franklin, following the release of Under Stones in 2010. It tells the story of Jean, whose Himalayan adventure goes horribly wrong when she falls into a vivid and unexplained psychosis. It all goes down on Thursday February 12 at the Melba Spiegeltent.
UPCOMING
JANUARY
on tour 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 HORSE MEAT DISCO [UK] Saturday January 31, The Toff In Town 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 CARL COX [UK] Friday February 13, Trak Lounge LUNICE [CAN] Saturday February 14, Howler 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 TECH N9NE [USA] Friday March 6, The Hi-Fi GOLDEN PLAINS: THEO PARRISH [USA], DJ SHADOW & CUT CHEMIST [USA] + MORE Saturday March 7 - Monday March 9, Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre TAMA SUMO [GER] Sunday March 8, Lounge FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL: DRAKE [USA], THE PRODIGY [USA] + MORE Sunday Match 9, Flemington Racecourse SHACKLETON [UK] Friday March 14, The Mercat FOREST SWORDS [UK] Saturday March 15, Howler JURASSIC 5 [USA] Wednesday April 1, Festival Hall
tour rumours
Juan Atkins, Hieroglyphic Being, Vatican Shadow, Container, The Bug, Evian Christ, Motor City Drum Ensemble
news tours club snaps + more
electronic + urban + club life
clark
wo rd s / li z a d ez fo u li
English electronic music producer (Chris) Clark reckons he doesn’t like music: “The assumption is that musicians all like music. All of my favourite musos detest music. Most of it’s awful. I’m putting rock in that category. The best stuff has already happened. How many more guitar songs does the world need? The guitar solo, it was so much a thing in the ‘70s, the long extended guitar solos. It was fun for the performer.” Clark is about to bring his do the rounds of dance floors in Australia via Red Bull Music Academy’s club nights program which see some of the most influential producers of electronic music tour the world. Clark will be playing music from his latest self-titled album, hailed by those in the know as his best yet. Clark, who’s signed with Warp Records, now has a 13-year back catalogue totalling seven albums “The record thing, the music, is basically an album I released in November. And I’m tying that together with new material. It’s weird doing it in the context of live performance. The tracks already felt very complete. So it’s a bit of a Frankenstein job, bringing them back to life. It’s pretty loud.” Clark describes his new album as “wintry”; he created it during a four month stay in a country cottage in England’s Lincolnshire. “I had some analogue synths but mainly it was just the computer. The first track has no rhythm or melody,” he notes. ‘Kaleidoscopic, head trippy,
news
sculptural, eclectic, dramatic, monochromatic, unsettlingly beautiful, phonetically layered and rich’ are some of the adjectives bandied about this new work. Based in Berlin, Clark is a highly respected producer who generally prefers to keep things simple in terms of the technology he uses, often composing on just a laptop: “You can make something nice with cheap consumer bits of technology. I make my music with a synthesiser, system, sequencer, and drum machine. All by myself – clever. I’m constantly changing what I use. I play instruments as well. Each part of a discipline informs the others. If I’m not writing new music, I’ll spend six months learning an instrument. There’s this pressure to write tunes. I’m always developing. And I’m definitely fond of making things difficult for myself. I use piano and drums. I always go back to the piano. I tried to play the guitar but I could never really get into it; I don’t know why…it’s fiddly, like knitting or something. Drums are like building a massive house all the time.” Clark’s traversed many styles on his way to being an esteemed music maker: hip hop, techno, post-rock, electro and ambient disciplines among them. He got into electronica about 20 years ago because he welcomed its unpredictability: “Electronica wasn’t totally clichéd. It was very fresh.” Clark’s career departs from the usual path taken by DJs moving into creating their own tunes.
“I don’t DJ at all. My background is a punk drummer. It can take you many places, not all of them desirable,” he says. As a young ‘un he made himself a stylus out of a hook and masking tape. “Drumming was a nice outlet,” he says. “I started making electronic music. Slowly I got into writing. I’m self-taught. I got into it, and it developed momentum. I always knew I wanted to write music for a living and I enjoy doing gigs. I want to make things I respect and want to listen to.” So he’s doing what he wants to do. “Yes, my life’s amazing; I’ve got little to complain about.” To Clark, playing music can be considered a form of self-indulgence, even if there’s an audience hanging on your every beat. “Performing music feels good. Creating and performing are very different things. Playing an instrument feels nice. It doesn’t always sound right. It just shows an individual’s exercise and skill. Phil Glass and [Estonian ‘minimalist’ composer] Arvo Part, they’re making music, they’re not just showing off their skill sets.” Being in the Red Bull stable means he’s often involved in extra-mural activities that tie-in with touting concerts but not this time. “I’m just doing just straight up gigs, no talks or workshops. I do that under the Red Bull banner but this is just a concert.” Clark has been in Melbourne for the last fortnight composing music for his partner, dancer/ choreographer Melanie Lane, who will be performing at Arts House. “She does amazing abstract contemporary work, and she is very anti-melody,“ Clark says. The music for Lane has partly involved recording the noises the dancers make while rehearsing; not so much putting the cart before the horse as making the cart and the horse one. “I’m recording them moving around the space,” he explains. “The process of sound they’re making while they’re moving live. It’s abstract, abstract textual and collage-y. It’s really rhythmic, they’ve got full metronome timing but there are individual idiosyncrasies, so it’s quite hard. There are many ways to do it. I’m working on it now,” he adds, although he reckons it might not always look like it. “I get a ‘far-away look in my eye’ a blank expression, where I’m not actually brain dead but I do have a deadpan expression.” In the future Clark would like to explore scoring film. “Later, there’s too much going on at the moment,” he says. Although Clark says his show will be pretty loud there’s one punter who won’t mind. “Mel’s dad is coming to the show. But he won’t be able to hear it. It looks like he’s listening but he can’t hear a thing.” Clark will perform at Boney on Friday January 23.
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off the record w i t h
t yson
w ray
Things I have learned this week: if you pretend to shake a salt shaker onto your tongue you can taste salt.
carl cox Motherfucking Carl Cox is returning to Melbourne. Without doubt one of the biggest names on the underground circuit, Cox first made his name in the early days of hardcore rave juggling three decks at once. Since then his career has seen him headline pretty much every goddamn festival and club on the planet. Y’all won’t want to miss the dead-set legend on Friday February 13 at Trak Lounge. Year-in, year-out Cox never fails to deliver, highly recommended.
horse meat disco London’s legendary party-starting collective Horse Meat Disco have locked in a headline show alongside their duties at Sugar Mountain. To make things even better, they be joined by Sal P of Liquid Liquid and Lilydale’s finest export Andee Frost. It goes down on Saturday January 31 at The Toff In Town. In the diary.
cdr melbourne
lunice The Operatives and Brown Bear Entertainment have joined forces to bring Canadian producer and DJ Lunice to town this Valentine’s Day. One half of club anthem duo TNGHT, Lunice is known for his original take on bass-heavy trap. He’ll be joined by the funky sounds of London’s Redinho and JPS. Catch ‘em at Howler on Saturday February 14.
Over a decade ago in the clublands of London, CDR (Create, Define, Release) was founded by Tony Nwachukwu. Created as a not-for-profit platform for electronic music knowledge and sharing, CDR hasn’t strayed far from its initial brief; a place where underground electronic music artists can share their music with others, openly and anonymously. Later this week CDR Melbourne will host a highly anticipated workshop with Roland Tings, just after his self-titled LP releases through Internasjonal; the same label that’s brought us sounds from Hunee and Mano Le Tough. Roland Tings will be having a chat with us about his production, the LP and will lead us through a workshop, demonstrating his three distinct live sets; duo performance, solo live utilising original material and DJ/live hybrid. It goes down on Wednesday January 28 at Loop, free entry.
electronic - urban - club life
shackleton Alright - gig of the fucking year material right here one of the best goddamn producers on the planet, Shackleton, has locked in a Melbourne show. The co-founder of Skull Disco and founder of Woe To The Septic Heart is consistently on point and is one of the most innovative producers in game. There are no words for how good this will be. Saturday March 14 at The Mercat.
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SATURDAY JAN 24
ANDREAS / MARK PELLEGRINI / JOE SOFO BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW AT
OR AT LEVEL3ATCROWN.COM.AU To enhance the safety and welfare of all patrons, Crown enforces the following conditions of entry: Dress standards apply. Patrons must be over 18 and not prohibited from entering the Casino or the Crown Entertainment Complex for any reason. Patrons must submit their driver’s licence or other photo identification to be scanned upon entry. Management reserves all rights. Crown practises responsible service of alcohol. Personal information collected by Crown will be handled in accordance with Crown’s Privacy Policy, see crownmelbourne.com.au/privacy-policy.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 30
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club guide wednesday jan 21
snaps anyway
CURIOUS TALES - FEAT: DJ WHO + TIGERFUNK + TOM SHOWTIME + FLAGRANT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. MELLOW DIAS THUMP Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. REVOLVER WEDNESDAYS - FEAT: DAN SAN Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm.
thursday jan 22 3181 THURSDAYS - FEAT: MIKE GURRIERI & BLAIR STAFFORD + JESSE YOUNG + BUTTERS + HEY SAM VS TORREN FOOT Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:00pm. CQ SESSIONS Cq, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. DINGERS Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $5.00. FLANAGANS THURSDAYS - FEAT: DJ ONTIME + COLONEL Pier Live, Frankston. 8:00pm. MC SLAVE + CHOPPER REID + DJ FITCHIE Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. 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. XS DISCO - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Onesixone, Prahran. 8:00pm.
friday jan 23
circus sundays
#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. ALLEYCAT - FEAT: OPTIMUMTRANS + FREEJACK + SLEEP D + M MIND The Mercat, Melbourne. 10:00pm. $10.00. BREAD & BUTTER FRIDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 8:00pm. CAN’T SAY Platform One, Melbourne. 9:00pm. CQ FRIDAYS Cq, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. 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. FLAWLESS QUEER PARTY - FEAT: DCUP + RAINBOW CONNECTION + WHISKEY HOUSTON Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $12.00.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE FEAT: SINGLE INCOME & EASTWOOD REVINE Pier Live, Frankston. 9:00pm. $5.00. 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. GROOVE CONTROL Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. HAPPY PEOPLE - FEAT: LEO + WINTERS + JIMMY LEGS Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm. LATIN QUARTER SUMMER FIESTA Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm. LUCK TRUCK FRIDAYS DOWNSTAIRS Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. M-PHAZES + MR LOB + HIJACK Penny Black, Brunswick. 7:00pm. MIDNIGHT MASSACRE New Guernica, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. NIGHTMARES ON WAX + TOM SHOWTIME + DJ MOONSHINE Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm. 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. PETAR DUNDOV Brown Alley, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $20.00. POPROCKS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. REVOLVER FRIDAYS - FEAT: MIKE CALLANDER + KATIE DROVER + LEWIE DAY + ARAM & WHO Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm. SHIN NEN KAI - FEAT: DJ SEIJI + DJ CONI Loop, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. THERAPY FRIDAYS Level 3 @ Crown, Southbank. 8:00pm. $20.00. TUNES BY DAVE GRAY Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm.
saturday jan 24 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: DAWN AGAIN + TIMMY
FURTADO + RAW WAX Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. CUSHION SATURDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 9:00pm. DUSTY LEE & THE WASTED WANDERERS + THE BLEEDING FLARES + SPOONFUL + PHIL PARA Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. ENDLESS NIGHTS + FANTASTIC MAN Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. FAMILIAR STRANGERS The Emerson, South Yarra. 10:00pm. $20.00. GARDEN BEATS - FEAT: AARON ARTHUR + DUNCAN FUNK The Fitzroy Beer Garden, Fitzroy. 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. LOCALS Loop, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. MI CASA - FEAT: DANNI B + SILVERSIX + DAMON WALSH + LUCCA TAN Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 1:00am. MIDNIGHT RUN Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 11:30pm. $7.00. OBLIVEUS + NAM + B-TWO Penny Black, Brunswick. 7:00pm. ROSE Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm. SATURDAY MORNING - FEAT: SUNSHINE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00am. SEVEN SATURDAY DISCOTHEQUE Seven Nightclub, South Melbourne. 10:00pm. $20.00. 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. $35.00. THE LATE SHOW - FEAT: PREQUEL + PAZ + MOONSHINE + LA POCOCK + BOOGS + RANSOM + MAT CANT + GET BU$Y + SAMMY THE BULLET Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 10:00pm. THERAPY Level 3 @ Crown, Southbank. 9:00pm. $20.00. TIMMY TRUMPET + APAX + SUNSHINE Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 9:00pm. $28.60. TRAMP SATURDAYS Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. TUNES BY KING 7 Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. VAULT SATURDAYS Platform One, Melbourne. 9:00pm. YARD BOUNCE Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. $10.00. YOUSEF + DARIIUS SYROSSIAN La Di Da, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.
sunday jan 25 A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY - FEAT: CRYSTAL WATERS Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm. AUSTRALIA DAY EVE (BATTLESTAR JAM) - FEAT: B TWO + MARK N + RELLIK + LONE WOLF + THE MASTER Loop, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. BOP ART - FEAT: HAWAII + WHO + TIGERFUNK + MATT RADOVICH + LEWIS CANCUT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. CLUB COCO - FEAT: COOPER SAVER + CC:DISCO! + JNETT + HARVEY SUTHERLAND Section 8, Melbourne Cbd. 1:00pm. 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. JUNGLE - FEAT: HANDS DOWN + ZAC DEPETRO + PETE LASKIS + TRAVLOS + JOHN DOE Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00am. $15.00. LESWARE + J-MUSH + MIN PARK + BEXIE + DONNIE + LIMPY + DAVY WONG + DEF-P + RECALL La Di Da, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. LOOSE JOINTS Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 12:00pm. OLD SKOOL LUV - FEAT: PUPPET + PERIL + KEN WALKER + JEFF HOLDEN Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $10.00. 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
be. at co.
monday jan 26 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 jan 27
faktory
CUSHION TUESDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 8:00pm. SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.
urban club guide thursday jan 22
BURN CITY BRAWL - FEAT: SKANDAL VS OFTEN + CREEPY J VS MANIAC + D-BAX VS GOSPEL + JYO VS NOYES + KARNI VS HARJOT SINGH + AUZBORN ANOMALI VS TGD + MASON VS MYTHZ + SHOOKZ VS OXIDE Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. NORTHSIDE SPACE FUNKERS - FEAT: HYPERFOKUS + KODIAK KID Penny Black, Brunswick. 7:00pm.
friday jan 23
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. FRIDAY NIGHT RHYTHM - FEAT: DJ ANDRE LE VOGUE The Fitzroy Beer Garden, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. PARTY & BULLSHIT - FEAT: JUZZY B + KAYZ Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. TIMMY TRUMPET + CHARDY + TEDDY CREAM + PRESS PLAY + HOLLY J + JDG + JUNGLE JIM + NATHAN THOMSON Brown Alley, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $27.50.
saturday jan 24
BIG DANCING Laundry Bar, Fitzroy.
electronic - urban - club life
9:00pm. KHOKOLAT KOATED SATURDAYS FEAT: DAMION DE SILVA + K DEE + DURMY + TIMOS Khokolat Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. RHYTHM NATION SATURDAYS - FEAT: DJ BIG SAAD + DJ KAHLUA & ANDY PALA Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $10.00. URBAN PROBLEMS Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:00pm. $10.00.
sunday jan 25
BE. SUNDAYS Co., Southbank. 10:00pm. $15.00. YG & TY DOLLA $IGN Festival Hall, West Melbourne. 8:00pm. $74.70.
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MONDAY JANUARY 26, 2015
Japanese Wallpaper
Vegemite, snags on the barbie and Alf Stewart: these are all things we identify as quintessentially Australian and things we should celebrate not only on January 26, but every fucking day. Once a year, though, we get to have the day off from work to crack a tinnie, grill some animals, get really sunburnt and listen to 100 of the most popular songs of the past 12 months. It’s grouse, really. So without further ado, we’ve compiled an extensive list of where you can do all these things plus more. Yibbida Yibbida, moytes.
TRUCKFIGHTERS
Truckfighters
THE ESPY
KING OF THE NORTH & WARPED
This Australia Day Eve, show Swedish stonerrock gods Truckfighters how an Australia Day celebration goes down at Cherry Bar on Sunday January 25 for their ‘Straya Day Eve special. Melbournian duo King of the North and veteran rockers Warped will no doubt be showing those Truckfighter lads how many tinnies they can fit under their belt while smashing out some mammoth live sets to boot. It’s a huge night of rock’n’roll madness fit for an Australia Day king,
PRINCE OF WALES
PUBLIC BAR
This Australia Day, The Prince of Wales Public Bar will be serving a dream lineup for your Australia Day shenanigans, and best of all, it’s free. Head on down and live the dream with psych, garage and stoner-rock acts Superholics, Smellgoods and Sam Krieger. Superholics are a five-piece, sitar infused psych-pop/rock collaborative from Melbourne. After spending the last year developing their sound, they’ve just released their first single Jelly Roll. Beat chatted to Superholics about their top albums in the lead up to their killer Australia Day show.
so prepare yourself for the inevitable hangover the following day and head down to Cherry Bar for a helluva party. Free tinnies upon entry. Winning.
CLOSET This coming Australia Day, Closet will take over the Abbotsford Convent’s Shadow Electric to host a very special summer event. For more than five years, Closet is been one of the longest-running and best-loved queer nights in Melbourne, hosting local DJs, bands and bringing hundreds of the north side’s LGBTIQ community out each month. Closet’s Gay Jamboree are hosting their first ever daytime party with at Shadow Electric this Australia Day with a lineup of DJs, burlesque, dancers, alt-drag performances, along with local food trucks providing an Australia Day feast. It all kicks off at 4pm at Shadow Electric, 1-16 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford. First release tickets are $20.
SUPERHOLICS
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Elephant Stone Self Titled Yo La Tengo I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One Erkin Koray Elektronic Turkular Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band Safe as Milk The Pretty Things S.F Sorrow Country Joe and the Fish Electric Music for the Mind and Body The Seeds Self Tilted Funkadelic Maggot Brain
THE 2015 AUSTRALIA DAY WEEKEND FUNDRAISERS
THE CURTIN Joining forces for the first time since 2009, Queensland’s primary export, Six Ft Hick, and the slackest fucks in musical history, The Nation Blue, play The John Curtin Hotel on Australia Day Eve, Sunday January 25. Flour, Melbourne’s punk supergroup of sorts – with members from Batpiss, Cut Sick and a bunch of others are sure to melt faces when they hit the stage. Go get silly from 8pm at 29 Lygon St Carlton.
Rainbow Serpent has become somewhat of an institution over the years. Not just for electronic music, you can expect a vast selection of music, arts, performance and spiritual education. With world class décor, roving artistic performances and crazy activities you can’t imagine a more exotic sensory mix spread over four days. If you’ve never been to the Rainbow Serpent Festival, now is the time to buy a tent and call your friends, but not now because it’s sold out. Rainbow takes place from Friday January 23 until Monday January 26.
THE BRUNSWICK HOTEL The Brunny is celebrating Aussie Day with $10 jugs of Boag’s Draught and two days of punk, rock, psycho and everything in between. Two massive days of bands across two venues and three stages, with the exciting announcement that WA punks TRS are coming to Melbourne for the first time and Sydney pop punkers The Colytons, who’ve reformed after seven years. Punch the Clown will also be returning for one show only. Sound good? Get down to 140 Sydney Road, Brunswick on Monday January 26 from 3pm.
GREAT BRITAIN HOTEL If there’s one place you should be on Australia Day Eve, it’s at the pub that shares its name with our Commonwealth brethren. From 9pm, Tequila Mockingbird headline the night with 4tress and Tragic Earth with DJ Dubya kicking on until close. It’s free entry on Sunday January 25 at 447 Swan St Richmond.
with special guests Davey Lane (You Am I) Child + Cowsmuff BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 34
Frenzal Rhomb
Want to do something good for humanity this Australia Day, that’ll still include the usual Australia Day drinking, gigging and partying? For the fifth year running, the Melbourne music scene will unite on the Australia Day long weekend for a string of super special fundraiser shows. Presented by the Deathproof team, Steal The Sky: The 2015 Australia Day Weekend Fundraisers will be split across two days, with all profits going to The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, The Refugee Council and Oxfam. Nice work, team. On Australia Day Eve, The Reverence Hotel will host Sydney punk legends Frenzal Rhomb, as well as Saskwatch, Hoodlum Shouts, Hawaiian Islands, Robert Muinos, Have/Hold, Outright, Scul Hazards, De Nada, Tyre Swans, Kissing Booth, Ben David and Craig Coburn. On Australia Day, The Corner Hotel will play host for the day with The Smith Street Band, The Bennies, Joelistics, Curse Ov Dialect, Fear Like Us and Stockades all taking the stage. It’s gonna be a huge feel-good musical love fest. Get on board, ya hear?
RAINBOW SERPENT
TOP ALBUMS WITH
1. 2.
Now an annual tradition in the Australia Day calendar, The Espy will host another massive bash on Australia Day to celebrate the countdown of triple j’s Hottest 100. The bill this year is phenomenal. It’ll feature performances from the likes of Last Dinosaurs, Japanese Wallpaper, Lurch & Chief, Orphans Orphans, The Harpoons, Tommy Franklin, Za!, Foreign/National, Singles and Them Bruins. Of course, the Hottest 100 itself will be booming through the sound system all day long. It all goes down from midday, and it’s free.
STEAL THE SKY:
The Nation Blue
Superholics are a motley collection as far as musical tastes and background are concerned. The members hail from strange musical beginnings from pop punk, old time and Christian rock to reggae. But the albums that bind Superholics are as follows:
Last Dinosaurs
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Bad//Dreams
Dallas Crane
BOWLED OVER
DALLAS CRANE, DAVEY LANE & CHILD
Remi
The immense Melbourne triple j Hottest 100 party Bowled Over is returning to the St Kilda Bowls Club this Australia Day, and will feature a number of huge 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. Huge, right? Kick off those shoes and head down to the St Kilda Bowls club this Australia Day for Bowled Over.
Here’s a gig that’ll throw you right into the swing of Australia Day celebrations. Aussie rock’n’roll stalwarts Dallas Crane are playing a huge show at The Corner Hotel on Sunday January 25, where they’ll preview a bundle of tracks from their upcoming 2015 album release. Joining them on the night is the inimitable Australian superhuman Davey Lane and winners of best hair in the business / stoner-rock freaks Child. Cowsmuff will open proceedings on the night too, so get there early, grab yourself a drink and get your ‘Straya on at The Corner Hotel.
PRINCE BANDROOM
British India
B.EAST
Australia Day at The Prince Bandroom is going to be louder than ever this year - with Tex Perkins and the Ape, British India and Adalita making up a lineup of Australian rock’n’roll royalty. They’ll be joined by up-and-comers Harts and The Cherry Dolls. There will also be a BBQ on the balcony from 4pm, so get in early for a bloody snag mate.
The B.East is chucking one hell of an Aussie Day celebration over the entire long weekend. Starting on Friday January 24, Dave Holmes Gang will clash cool cafe country with front bar blues. On Saturday, catch Australian punk rock outfits Captives, and all the way from WA, Foam. For your Sunday fix is the supremely talented Claude Hay: an award-winning Australian solo artist that blends slide guitar, bass and drums to create music that invokes the best of stomping traditional blues, hard rock and bootyshaking funk, all delivered with chops to burn and a vocal range to match. The B.East is located at 80 Lygon Street, East Brunswick.
THE PENNY BLACK
AVIARY HOTEL Leading up to Australia Day, Aviary Hotel are celebrating all weekend long by kicking off with their ever popular Friday and Saturday happy hours. DJs keep the party cranking every day including Sunday Soul Sessions hosted by King 7 before DJ Snufbox brings in the public holiday. Tune in to triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown on the Monday while the crew host their first BBQ in the beer garden. The chef is offering a sensational mixed grill plate with all the Aussie classics. Drink specials include $18 cocktail jugs and jugs of Boag’s Draught for 14 bucks. Aviary Hotel is located at 271 Victoria St Abbotsford.
ROGER SANCHEZ
Roger Sanchez
Studio 3 at Crown presents a very special one-night-only with superstar DJ Roger Sanchez. He’s headlined some of the biggest clubs around the world, including Pacha, Space and Amnesia in Ibiza and now he’s bringing his amazing skills to Melbourne. From humble beginnings in NYC to multi-year residencies, Sanchez is a truly self-made man and dance music legend. Studio 3 is located at the Crown complex. The party starts at 10pm until 4am and tickets are a mere 25 bucks.
The Penny Black is celebrating Australia Day Eve with your favourite Sunday session. The Easy Now crew, along with 100% Phat are bringing together Melbourne’s premier reggae/ dancehall selectors, a handful of reggae mash up specialists and Rudeboy to ensure this arvo session turns into a proper party. On Monday, The Penny Black countdown triple j’s Hottest 100 by chilling in the beer garden and sipping on a few cold brews. What could be more Australian than that? 420 Sydney Road, Brunswick.
YAH YAH’S
YOUNG AND JACKSON Join the crew at Young and Jackson for a craft beer showdown all Australia Day weekend. Showcasing the best craft beers from around the country and featuring live entertainment all weekend, Y&Js is the place to be this Australia Day weekend. Entry is free. Garn. Young and Jackson is located at the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets in the CBD, with the party starting from 10am.
Australia Day Eve Tickets & info at dallascrane.com.au
Davey Lane
Step into Doc Brown’s time machine, gun it to ‘88 and set the time circuits for 1994. The Pass Outs are straight out of the era when long hair and flannel ruled the world - but we’re under the impression long hair and flannel still does rule the world. Anyhoo. The Pass Outs live set is jam-packed with gruntfilled guitars, powerful vocals and infectious lyrics. There’s a reason these guys sold out their debut album launch - it’s ‘cause they’re fucking solid. Catch them live at Yah Yah’s on Australia Day Eve, Sunday January 25. Grab a VB / MB at the door.
Beaches
BEECHWORTH MUSIC FESTIVAL Still mourning the loss of the Big Day Out? Luckily for you, Beechworth Music Festival has your Australia Day long weekend plans sorted. After a successful launch last year, Beechworth Music Festival will return to Madman’s Gully Amphitheatre on the farmlands of the former Mayday Hills Lunatic Asylum for a killer Australia Day long weekend of live music and good times. Gracing the Beechworth stage will be Beaches, Jen Cloher, The Bennies, The Sugarcanes, Ron S. Peno and the Superstitions, My Left Boot, LuLuc, The Hounds Homebound, Rubber Band, Pearls, Benny Williams, Liv Cartledge, DJ Mermaid, Wangaratta Ukulele Band, Geoff Jackson and MC Cat McGauran. It all goes down on Saturday January 24, and tickets are on sale now via the Beechworth Music Festival website.
CORNER JAN 25
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THE VINEYARD Have you got your Australia Day plans sorted yet? Here’s one to mark in your diaries. Legendary hip hop outfit 1200 Techniques will be performing a stellar live to air on KISS FM and free performance at The Vineyard, 71A Acland Street, St Kilda. In what’s sure to be a truly colossal affair, 1200 Techniques will be joined by guest DJs Billy Hoyle, Ty Tai, Coco Noir, DJManchild and DJ Peril. There’ll be drink specials on all day too, and space is limited, so best get there early. DJs and broadcast will kick off at 4pm, and 1200 Techniques will grace the stage from 9pm. Get on it, party people.
1200 TECHNIQUES After over a decade hiatus, Australian hip hop pioneers 1200 Techniques return with a new EP and a return to form. Beat pinned down 1200’s Nfa Jones and DJ Peril to get the lowdown. Welcome back! How does it feel to be rehearsing and performing together again? Is the chemistry still the same? Nfa: Well for me, while both familiar and foreign, it feels good, like visiting a house you once lived in. Peril: We just needed to get familiar again with the material and the good old chemistry came straight back, but there’s always a lot of trial and error to make things stick in the pocket. 1200 Techniques were always renowned for their live shows, performing with live instruments and analogue gear. Is your modus operandi still the same? N: Pretty much. We’re back in Perils’ studio with the same analogue equipment we made the first two albums with; only this EP has no samples. It’s all original. The live show is also the original set up with as much blood sweat and tears as ever. Your new EP Time Has Come is out Friday January 23. How was the recording and mixing process this time around? Is it nice to share the creative process having focused on your solo projects in the interim? N: I’ve never done a solo project, only ever collaborative ones. The recording and mixing process with 1200s has been cool. I took a step back from mixing for fear of too many cooks. But we would all give each other feedback and direction and inspiration. Kem used to bring Peril food during mixing, cos Peril can easily go in so deep that he forgets to eat for 12 hours. P: The recording was done entirely at my
PIERS FESTIVAL by CHRISTINE LAN
home studio as I had plenty of tracks ready to go and pretty much finished as we’d dabbled with tracks in the past six years leading up to this EP. The main difference with this album is it’s our most musical one to date, with more live instrumentation and playing on it than the previous two albums before. What can fans and newcomers expect from the 1200 Techniques in the near future? N: The new EP is sounding good to us. The songs work really well with our previous material. We’ll look to tour it in the coming months. P: You can always bet your bottom dollar on a manic, intense, sweaty live 1200’s performance as we’ve been rehearsing and that’s a given. We’ve upped our live game since back in the day, between our drummer Richie C, Kem, Nfa and myself and couple of new toys here and there, you can expect a soulful yet raw EP of warm funked out rhythms. You can catch 1200 TECHNIQUES this Australia Day at the Vineyard St Kilda. It’s a FREE event and Live to Air on KISS FM. Their new EP Time Has Come is out this Friday January 23 available on Rubber Music Pty Ltd.
THE RETREAT Get your Australia Day Eve off to a soul-filled start with The Retreat Hotel’s Sunday Summer of Soul series. Kicking off from 2pm and featuring the banging vocal powerhouse Kylie Auldist with the Glenroy Allstars, as well as DJs Manchild and Vince Peach, the Sunday Summer of Soul series is sure to be a cracking commencement to your Australia Day celebrations. Then, from 5pm, Trudy and the Saturday Cowboys will take to the stage. This original retro-country outfit will cross the river and showcase their incredible tunes to The Retreat’s audience. As always, it’ll be free entry, so get on down to The Retreat and party till the sun goes down.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 36
“We all need to become culturally literate,” asserts Jill Morgan, CEO of Multicultural Arts Victoria. An inspiring leader and advocate for diversity in the arts, Morgan believes everyone needs to engage with different cultures; the fourth Piers Festival embodies that tenet emphatically. “We are a very diverse community and more than ever, given the latest negative political events, we really need to come together. We have to be proactive and have strong symbols of unity. All different religions, all different cultures have all arrived on the same soil and we can work together to create a socially cohesive community, and to do that we need to share culture.” Various community groups, including the Turkish, Greek, Sardinian, Mauritian and Ukrainian communities, will showcase their culture and history through installations, workshops and performances at The Landing – a new space at the Piers Festival that Morgan describes as an “indepth meeting place” where people engage with, rather than merely watch, different cultures. Poetry readings, spoken word and visual art installations will communicate the stories of migrants of all ages in a new program entitled What Happened at the Pier, curated by artist and writer Lella Cariddi. Port Melbourne’s Princes Pier was the arrival point for many post-World War II refugees and is a reminder of what our nation is built upon. “Migration is happening constantly,” says Morgan. “We’re hoping that the dialogue will be more sophisticated, in that multiculturalism is about all cultures and identities and everyone has a place, including the Scottish, Irish, Anglo cultures, and the more recent arrivals, the Iraqi, the Burundi, the African refugees – we’ve all got a place and that’s a very important message at this time and, of course, to respect our First Nations people.” Working closely with Multicultural Arts Victoria, the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) will guide festival attendees on the Whittaker Historical Mystery Walks. The MUA run international welfare programs as part of Union Aid Abroad, which raises awareness and funds for underprivileged sectors in the community, including the Cambodian and East Timorese communities. The headline act will be an extraordinary ensemble featuring legendary Australian band Painters and Dockers performing with special Indigenous, Burundi, Sudanese, Maltese, Irish, Timorese and Croatian guests. Morgan’s enthusiasm for another highlight, a double Elvis event, is also palpable.
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Aboriginal elder Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie will be performing as ‘Black Elvis’ alongside Mikelangelo as the ‘Balkan Elvis.’ Waitairie has been performing for over three decades and will be running a song, dance and tribal lore workshop for the children. Morgan believes the arts remain vital in fostering social cohesion and understanding in Australia: “We’re at a stage where we have to be really proactive and I think many politicians and many people believe in having a bipartisan view, but now we really have to work out ways to make it work,” she affirms. “The arts are a powerful tool to bring people together and actually have a real dialogue about the issues without being confronted, and to come to a place where people feel comfortable in having those discussions. If you can start from a point of culture, everybody has a culture; everyone enjoys food; everyone enjoys language; everyone enjoys travelling; so if you come from that point, it’s a way of bringing people together. But if you come from a political point or a religious point, there can be points of difference, so we want to look at the commonalities rather than the differences – and culture does that, and the arts are a powerful way. Our vision is to have a House of World Cultures (a proposed permanent creative cultural hub), eventually, on the Princes Pier because it’s symbolic of who we are. In your home, if you can share food, you can share friendship; we want to create a House of World Cultures where all cultures are welcome and we can have a discussion about some of the real issues and how we work together to create change, so it’s quite exciting.” PIERS FESTIVAL takes place on Sunday January 25 at the Port Melbourne piers precinct from midday to 9.30pm. This is a free event.
TONE DEAF, 123 AGENCY, LEVI’S ®, & CHANNEL [V] PRESENT
20 15
HOTTEST 100 PARTY
REMI WITH LIVE PERFORMANCES BY
BAD//DREEMS TWINSY, HORACE BONES DAN WATT’S BINGO & MORE
LEVI’S® CUP BAREFOOT BOWLS
SWEETWATER INN AUSSIE BBQ
AUSTRALIA DAY
ST KILDA BOWLS CLUB
TICKETS
$20
DOORS
12PM
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THE ANTLERS
By David James Young
From the glistening promise of a new dawn to the helpless despair of the death-bed, few acts within the contemporary indie spectrum run the emotional gauntlet the way Brooklyn balladeers The Antlers do. Whether it’s the hushed, restrained misery of their 2009 opus, Hospice; or the sun-drenched slowcore that flavours their fifth and most recent LP, 2014’s Familiars, the band have a knack of striking the exact right chord at the exact right moment ± and, according to The Antlers themselves, it’s as simple as trial and error. “It’s a process that we’ve refined over the years,” says vocalist, guitarist and primary lyricist Peter Silberman. “Part of that is just the process of practice. We have a bit of a method to what we do, but strangely enough it’s that which allows us to experiment a lot more. We take certain parts of the process that we see as a given and then do the opposite of that. The songwriting process, for us, is something that is constantly evolving; but it all stems from a structure that we have assembled for ourselves.” It may well surprise some listeners upon entering the private universe of The Antlers’ music to find the band’s comprised of but three members. The dense layering and deep-running arrangements that shimmer and ultimately swell through the band’s finest moments certainly suggest far more hands at work. It’s simply a matter, however, of the band being greater than the sum of their parts. Silberman stresses the consideration of executing the bigger moments when it comes to the live environment has never been an issue when it comes to writing them in the first place ± at least, not until Familiars. “On past records, I think I’ve tried to specifically avoid that,” he begins. “It just seemed strange to me to not want to record something on the basis that I wouldn’t be able to do it the exact same way when we were playing it live. We’ve always been about putting the songs together first. With that said, the thought of playing these songs live did creep into the back of my head when we were making this album ± particularly because I was only playing guitar on the record. I was planning to only play guitar when we played live, too. It came down to questioning whether I wanted to make two different versions of the same album. I felt that
there was a way that I could practice these parts to the point where they became second nature.” Even with this in mind, Silberman follows this up by clarifying this was not necessarily expressed on behalf of the entire band. As he explains, it’s the different motives and methods of the core trio that makes what The Antlers do so unique in the first place. “I might have had that approach, but the other guys in the band could have definitely seen it differently,” he says. “They might be looking at what they’re doing on the record and viewing it in a different context as to how they might perform it. It might not necessarily make sense to do both in the same way. That’s one of the great strengths of this band. Things don’t have to be a certain way. Things can change. Everyone is on their own path, headed to the same direction.” The band have been touring on the back of Familiars since its release in May last year, and reception to their most recent live shows have been some of the most positive of their entire career. Silberman speaks of their current live show with a great sense of pride, noting its growth and development into something that excites even him. “When we first came to Australia, you guys essentially saw what the first incarnation of the live band was,” he says. “There’s a lot more horns happening now, and there’s more of a gradual pace to the whole thing. We have a horn player taking care of most of the parts, and [keyboardist/bassist/trumpeter] Darby [Cicci] is playing horns on a couple of tracks as well. There’s some pretty cool horn and keyboard symmetry that’s kind of neat. Those two are on either side of me, and there are moments in the show where they’re playing horns with one hand and keyboards with another. It’s
hard to describe, but it’s a pretty eerie sound. People are really receptive to that part of the show, in particular. We tend to have patient, curious audiences ± they seem really stoked to see and hear new things.” After just over four years, The Antlers are set to return to Australian shores for their first ever headlining tour. The band hopes to play a substantial portion of both Familiars and their extensive back catalogue ± if only to make up for lost time. “It’s such a shame that we’ve only managed to come out the once,” sighs Silberman. “It was one of the best touring experiences we’ve ever had. I remember the
crowds being really great and the festival audiences being really receptive to what we were doing. It’s difficult to get a festival vibe going when you’re touring such a glum record [Hospice], but Australians were all willing to give us a chance. It was honestly one of the most rewarding tours we’ve done ± ever since, we’ve wanted to come back.”
judging recordings, so maybe we can look back on that session with the benefit of time, and there might be some songs we can put out as seven inches.” McCann says the songwriting process for their new recordings remains largely the same: the band members ± guitarists McCann, Bolger and Antonia Sellbach, bassist Gill Tucker and drummer Carla Way ± will start with a riff or melody and jam it up into something approach its final song format. With the benefit of a permanent recording space in Reservoir ± and the wonders of modern communications technology ± new material can be jammed, recorded and shared with
relatively minimal logistical fuss. “Some of the songs are just eight to ten minute jams at the moment, and some are a bit more structured,” McCann says. “The next record will be a little more sonically cohesive. But there’ll still be the same densely layered songs, because that’s what we like doing.”
THE ANTLERS play the Melbourne Recital Centre on Saturday February 14. Familiars is out now via Inertia/POD.
BEACHES
By Patrick Emery
Ali McCann, guitarist and vocalist in Melbourne psych-rock band Beaches, was born in Stawell in Victoria’s western district region. For a teenager with an interest in punk rock, and before triple j expanded into regional areas, there wasn’t a lot on offer. “I remember there was an AM radio station that my brother and I listened to, and we used to joke that they’d play Phil Collins every hour ± actually, I don’t even think that was a joke. They really did,” McCann laughs. McCann and her like-minded friends would fill the void by inviting punk bands to travel to Stawell to play: “They were really into it, even though they weren’t going to make any money,” McCann enthuses. “There’d be about 15 people at the show, but we’d have a great time.” Scroll forward a couple of decades and Victoria’s regional areas appear to be experiencing something of a musical renaissance, with different towns now hosting music and arts festivals featuring an eclectic range of independent artists. This weekend, the historic town of Beechworth, 300km north-west of Melbourne, hosts the second ever Beechworth Music Festival, with the lineup headlined by Beaches and featuring Jen Cloher, Ron Peno and the Superstitions, My Left Boot and The Sugarcanes. The Beechworth Music Festival will be the first time Beaches have played a regional musical festival (putting aside the band’s appearance at Mt Buller at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in early 2009). “I don’t think I’ve ever been to Beechworth before, but I hear that it’s a lovely town to visit ± and apparently they have the best pies there, and the best bakery,” McCann laughs. For Beaches, the headline spot will provide an opportunity to road test some new songs intended for release on the band’s third record, nominally slated for release in the middle of 2015. “It’ll be great to just get out of Melbourne and use that opportunity to jam out some new songs,” McCann says. “We really haven’t played in regional towns which is crazy because we’ve really wanted to get out to the regions.” McCann concedes Beaches’ irregular recent playing schedule has been a consequence of bunkering down to write material for the new album. “The last show we played was Melbourne Music Week in November last BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 38
year. We played a little bit last year, including a show in Williamstown in October, but we haven’t played that much because we’ve been working on the new songs, so we’ve had to turn down a few shows here and there,” she explains. The release of Beaches’ second record, She Beats, came almost five years after the release of the band’s critically acclaimed first album. “That’s just the way it panned out. We were planning on going to the UK and Europe, to play a festival over there, but that festival was cancelled so that changed things,” McCann says. “It would’ve been great to tour She Beats overseas, but we’ve all been really busy with work, and [guitarist] Alison [Bolger] got twin girls, so it just didn’t pan out, so we just decided to focus on the new album instead which we’d really like get out this year some time. And because we’re funding the record ourselves again, we just have to prioritise band finances, so that comes into as well.” While McCann says Beaches isn’t fixated with time, she does admit the band is conscious of the extended period between their first and second records ± a consequence of the band members’ dissatisfaction with the initial recording session for the second album. “We did have a session a few years before She Beats came out, but when we listened to it we weren’t happy with it,” she admits. “Maybe we rushed into it a bit, and because we wanted to make a really good follow up album: we didn’t want to release a new record just so we had a follow-up record. But throughout that period we were still active, playing and touring.” The original recording session wasn’t completely wasted: most of the songs were re-worked and re-recorded at Jack Farley’s Transient Studios in Northcote to appear on She Beats, while there are still a few others that may yet find their way onto the next album. “We haven’t listened to that first recording session for a while, but I think there’s still a few songs we didn’t re-record for She Beats,” McCann says. Indeed, McCann concedes some of the original recording session may yet see the light of day. “Sometimes you can be a bit harsh in terms of
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BEACHES will be headlining The Beechworth Music Festival this Saturday January 24. She Beats is out through Chapter Music.
CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN
By Augustus Welby
Pointing the finger at musicians and labelling them sell-outs suggests integrity has been abandoned in favour of money and celebrity. Only, to become a ‘sell-out’ the artist must’ve attracted a considerable following, for without commercial success the tag wouldn’t be apt. Perhaps if they’d remained small-time, the concern would simply be with the merits of the music. It’s one thing to feel disappointment with creative output, but the cry of “sell-out!” stems from feelings of betrayal. The point is there’s a fine line between writing crowd-pleasing songs and selling-out. In September last year, Welsh four-piece Catfish and the Bottlemen released their debut LP, The Balcony. A dripfeed of singles over the last couple of years built plenty of anticipation for The Balcony, which debuted at #10 in the UK charts. Affection for the youthful foursome is now spreading worldwide; The Balcony has just seen its US release, which coincided with an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, and this week Catfish and the Bottlemen will grace our shores for the very first time. The band’s frontman Van McCann triumphantly embraces the warm reception they’ve received so far: “For me it’s all about making short little tunes that are played on the radio and people like hearing in their car,” he says. “When I was growing up, that’s the kind of bands I liked – big songs that sound like they belong in stadiums.” The band’s forthcoming tour includes a run of gigs supporting The Kooks, as well as a few smaller-scale headline shows. The Kooks are another band whose first album made a big impact. Boasting hit singles such as Naïve and She Moves in Her Own Way, 2006’s Inside In/ Inside Out remains a favourite among Kooks fans and its songs continue to dominate the band’s setlists. Such adoration for early material can be a source of frustration for musicians, who are desperate to spotlight their recent releases. Perhaps it’s too soon to predict whether The Balcony will stand the test of time, but McCann’s not bothered by the prospect of performing these songs for years to come. “If people asked me to play my first album in ten years time in Australia in some mad arena I’d be made-up with that,” he says. “As much as anybody else says, ‘I make music for myself and if other people get it then it’s great,’ that’s just bullshit, because you’d just stay in bed if that was the case and sing to yourself. It’s about everyone else – the way you make everyone else feel. “Radiohead don’t play Creep because they don’t like it. It’s like, who cares what Radiohead like? It’s about what the people who like their music like. That’s what it’s all about, in my opinion. That’s the kind of band that I want to be. I don’t want to be headlining Glastonbury but going, ‘Oh we’ll play the new album.’ I’d be playing all the singles.” It’s a common occurrence that a successful first album is promptly followed by another record of similar nature. The Kooks’ Konk, The Strokes’ Room On Fire and Kings Of Leon’s Aha Shake Heartbreak are prime examples from recent years. From here, all of these bands sought out new stylistic terrain, with varying degrees of success. McCann is eager to release plenty more records, but he’s not too interested in artistic reinvention. “I’ve got the second album written and they’re just songs about different things,” he says. “The only thing I ever wanted to change was to write songs about different things and use different producers to make it sound different. But we’re not going to be getting lost and changing our sound every album. I like the simple thing we’ve got. I’m not really into bands that change their sound all the time.” Simple is a rather modest summation. The Balcony is a punchy collection of harum-scarum rock songs loaded with enough catchy choruses to give you a seizure. “We wanted it to be like The Strokes or Oasis or the Arctic Monkeys’ first albums, in the sense that we wanted every song to be a single,” McCann says. “It wasn’t about making an album. It can take you places, an album – you’ll have a sad song and then a fast song and a love song and a song about how good it is to be alive – but we just wanted to write a collection of songs, almost like a greatest hits album. It doesn’t even have to make sense as an album as long as each song is good.” The Balcony proves McCann and his three band mates know their way around snappy, melodic rock tunes. If they keep this up, the forthcoming Australian tour will be the first of many. McCann was actually born in Oz and returning with his band fulfills a lifelong dream. “The first year of my life I spent travelling round with me mum and dad,” he says. “They went over to Australia when they were younger and got married over there and then we just travelled round everywhere in the back of a car. I always said, ‘That’s where I want to go with me music. I want to write a song that’s good enough to fly me across the world.’ It was always the dream so I could tell me dad.”
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CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN are touring nationally with The Kooks, who will play at Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday January 24 and their own headlining show at The Hi-Fi on Sunday January 25. The Balcony is out through Communion Records and Caroline Records.
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 39
KID CONGO AND THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS
By Augustus Welby
Throughout the course of rock history, there’ve been a few significant incidences of a music fanatic getting asked to join their favourite band. This is the sequence of events that brought about John Frusciante’s entrance into Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1988, and likewise for Davey Lane, who was enlisted as You Am I’s guitarist in 1999. Before these two occasions, there’s the tale of budding Californian musician Brian Tristan being asked to play guitar in The Cramps. This was in 1980, and upon joining the garage rockabilly freaks, Tristan was also convinced to change his name to Kid Congo Powers. Given his romantically tinged career beginnings, it’s no surprise to hear Powers was an obsessed music lover when he was growing up. “I would always look towards my older cousins or neighbours or my older sisters who were all into rock’n’roll and they would always be so excited about getting new records or going out to a dance or going out to see a band,” he reflects. “To me, at a really young age, I didn’t know where they were going or what they were doing, but I know they were really excited about music. That’s been my Holy Grail ever since. I thought ‘I’m going to be involved in music and I’m going to love music too.’ “I’ve always done kind of whatever it takes to be near it and to get closer to it,” he continues. “I was sneaking out of my parent’s house when I was 13 and 14 to go to nightclubs, just to be near music and people who like music. It’s funny, because in Hollywood and LA, I found a whole slew of other 13 or 14 year olds who were doing the same thing. That turned into a community of people I still know today.” Powers’ music fandom went beyond digging through record crates and going to gigs. In his late teens, he was president of The Ramones fan club and he also started distributing a fanzine dedicated to LA punk band, The Screamers. Eventually, being surrounded by so many music obsessives, Powers was pushed towards
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becoming a musician. Prior to joining The Cramps, he helped form The Gun Club with another LA scenester, Jeffrey Lee Pierce. Being veritable music nerds was one thing, but Powers says his evolution to the role of music-maker was somewhat unexpected. “I thought maybe I would be a journalist or an A&R person or something like that. But Jeffrey Lee Pierce just one day shoved a guitar in my hands and said, ‘OK we’re having a band,’ and immediately we were in a band. But we had done the work. We spent our life collecting records, hanging around music, so it’s no wonder that we would end up as musicians ourselves.” After spending three years with The Cramps, Powers returned to The Gun Club and played on three records during the second half of the ‘80s. Following this, he contributed guitar to two Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds records, after which he started cultivating his own artistic vision with the projects Congo Norvell, then Knoxville Girls. For the last decade, Powers has been standing out front of Kid Congo and The Pink Monkey Birds. His ascension to bandleader was perhaps a long time coming, but he’s certainly not ruing lost time. “From the earliest days I’ve always been writing songs,” he
says. “Then I just got involved ± I like collaborating. It was more important for me to learn from people for a while, and I was in very, very good situations with The Cramps and with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. What better school could you go to? It was very clear that in The Cramps and with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, it was someone else’s vision. Their vision was very strong, it was already well established and I felt fortunate and lucky to be able to put some colour into that and play with them. I’ve always gone with whichever way it was going and this is where it has gone and I’m pretty thrilled and honoured.” This week, Powers will bring his Pink Monkey Birds down to Australia for the very first time. The band’s just wrapped up recording a fifth LP, which will follow 2013’s Haunted Head. While Powers’ name sits at the top of the banner, he’s not a domineering commander. “The rhythm section, Ron Miller the drummer and Kiki Solis on the bass, we’ve been together since 2007,” he says. “We’re like The Monkees or The Beatles. We
have Ron songs and Kiki songs, my songs, Mark’s [Cisneros] songs ± our guitar player. They’re great. They help me so much. Ron is from Georgia; when he grew up he was very into The Meters, so I was like, ‘Wow, this is the guy,’ and Kiki has a very soulful background. They’re just great, they’re like-minded, and they’re younger than me, which is always good to keep me from becoming a nostalgia act or something. Their input is different from someone of my generation. “I’m a collaborator, I like to collaborate,” he emphasises. “I was always interested in working with other musicians. I wasn’t sure that [The Pink Monkey Birds] was going to become a long-lasting band. That just happened. But once we performed together, there was no reason not to keep going.” Catch KID CONGO AND THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS at Summersalt Festival on Friday January 23 and Northcote Social Club on Friday January 30. Haunted Head is out through In The Red.
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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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MARIACHI EL BRONX
By Adam Norris
The ghosts of two orphaned children are laying low in the room next door, and no floorboards creak in the vast Victoria & Albert Guesthouse in Mount Victoria. The haunted smoking room is below us and the room for patient experimentation harking back to the building’s days as a soldier’s convalescent is on the opposite wing. With all these rooms and the history of the house, you are keenly aware of thresholds. It makes for an oddly appropriate location to speak with Matt Caughthran of Mariachi el Bronx, given both the dual roles of his music, and the fact he has played some haunted venues himself. “There’s a gay club in Milwaukee where Jeffrey Dahmer used to go and pick up victims,” Caughthran recalls. “This five-storey building, The Rave; it’s super old and super creepy, it’s got this ballroom on the very top with all of these other clubs throughout it. But underneath, the creepiest part, there’s this giant drained pool. This crazy fucking ghost pool room you hang out in, and there’s all this wild graffiti. The whole building is just fucking creepy as shit. That’s the most haunted venue we’ve played. We’ve played the Queen Mary, which is kind of fake haunted. But this place was the real deal.” History is most certainly an ominous thing (and yes, rudimentary research does indeed confirm that people died in that pool back in the day). You seek it out like a sore tooth, and while Caughthran is presumably no haunted reservoir the curious overlap of El Bronx and Mariachi El Bronx ± the former a hardcore punk outfit, the latter straight-up mariachi ± piques your interest for where it all began. “It came from boredom, really. I grew up in a Mexican neighbourhood and was surrounded by that culture [and] music. But I’d never taken a real dive into it. After the third El Bronx record we were just feeling a little bored, and we getting these cool TV spots that wanted El Bronx to do acoustic songs, and we’re not an acoustic band. We didn’t want to turn this stuff down, but at the same time we didn’t want to be boring and typical. We figured, well, if we’re going to do acoustic stuff, how can we shake it up? Mariachi was the answer. When
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we started it, it was just covering a Bronx song with mariachi rhythms [and] syncopations. But it turned into this thing that was just really fun. And what did we have to lose? It became this insane, inspiring thing that we’d really stumbled upon out of nowhere. I know people had messed around in it, but doing original mariachi tunes in English, it’s pretty unique. Especially coming from a fucking punk band.” On the contents page, punk and mariachi are at a pretty great remove, although most everyone can identify with the desire to stop what you’re doing and run in the other direction. Not out of defeat necessarily, but in the yearning for something new, something you might return from with a greater perspective. The prospect of seeing Caughthran explore a third musical avenue however is slim. “Finding something that’s that opposite of the other two, I don’t think so,” he considers. “Those are both pretty opposite ends of the spectrum, so if we just concentrate on experimenting within those two realms I think we’ll get everything we need to get out of music, life, creativity. All of that stuff. For us it’s not about creating something from nothing every time. We love El Bronx, we love Mariachi El Bronx, and they both allow us to be creative in different ways. Mariachi El Bronx was a search, we needed something else. And now that we have it, there’s not really that need. I think we’ll probably keep it in those two ballparks.” The success of both bands now sees them touring
worldwide, so even finding the time for a third genre might be asking too much. They’ll soon be touching down for Bluesfest followed by a national tour, and all this after a huge run of UK and US dates beforehand. It’s a sprawling tour, but as footsteps begin to shuffle outside (which I hope to God belong to my friends), Caughthran insists it’s all worth it. “I didn’t grow up fucking dirt poor, but we were lower middle class with the expectation that my world was going to be California. I certainly never expected to get out of the United States. I preach to people to get out and travel, because what it does to your mind is so beautiful. The worst part, well, one thing I know for sure is that being sick on the road fucking sucks. It’s just fucking terrible. You do get homesick every now and then, but it’s a hard thing to complain about
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MARIACHI EL BRONX are playing at Bluesfest from Thursday April 2 to Monday April 6 in Byron Bay and their sideshow at 170 Russel is on Friday April 10. III is out through White Drugs/Cooking Vinyl.
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because that’s what you’ve signed up for. Sometimes your body breaks down, and when that happens, you’ve got a hundred and four fever, fucking strep throat, it’s fucking two degrees in fucking Montreal, and everyone’s speaking French and you can’t find a fucking doctor, and you’ve got a fucking show at nine o’clock and there are fucking low ticket sales. That shit, every now and then, just makes you cry, ‘Jesus fucking Christ.’ But lucky for us, those times don’t happen too often. You can’t complain, right?”
NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB THU 9 APRIL
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SUGAR MOUNTAIN
Body Head
Ariel Pink
By Lachlan Kanoniuk
After a year’s respite in 2014, Sugar Mountain returns in 2015 bigger and better than ever in its fourth iteration, relocating from the layered playground environment of The Forum into a more spacious surround at VCA. Consolidating an all-encompassing vision between visual and aural realms, the lineup this year features musical heavyweights Nas, Swans, Body/Head and more, alongside visual mavericks Leif Pdhajsky, Nontrak, Keith Deverall, and many more. Ahead of the weekend’s festivities, Sugar Mountain coorganiser Brett Louis speaks on the festival’s visionary growth. “The year off was definitely a blessing. It gave us an additional 12 months to work on how we wanted to grow the event, and how we wanted the event to be seen by an increasing number of patrons, increasing the general footprint. The Forum was a great place to start, but the aim was to have an indoor and outdoor environment with multi-dimensional areas. The additional time, plus forging the relationship with Mushroom and getting the operational and logistic support, was all a great bonus,” he says. Sugar Mountain has harnessed a reputation for visual art unlike any other festival, presenting arresting installations alongside a healthy musical lineup. “We’re looking for a completely holistic festival experience, finding the meeting point between musical and visual art. Being able to curate something of this nature and of this scale, which is why we want to keep it relatively boutique in a space we really want to tailor, it’s imperative to not only our brand, but what we want to create as a whole,” Louis states. “We’ve been able to span it internationally, and this year with more space and more stages, it means we can have greater installations. A lot of the international artists we targeted this year, Nonotak, a two-piece from France, we can host in a warehouse space for a full-scale digital experience. That’s one of the great strengths of our team, being able to pair the right visuals with the right tactile environment. For example, Midnight Juggernauts are doing a one-off performance, looking at how they can incorporate visuals and that theatrical element into their show. You can’t see it as just art or just music, it’s about the total package for us.” The festival is imbued with a sense of unique platform, inspiring artists, music and visual, to create work
unseen elsewhere on the touring circuit. “I think they’re always open to it,” Louis reasons. “When you go do international tours and drum up the amount of shows they do, they want to create something that is completely bespoke or unique to that one event. We provide the platform to do that. When you suggest things, some artists are malleable and some aren’t. But I think that can be down to what they want to achieve as a performer.” One of those unique performances occurred at the 2013 iteration. Kirin J Callinan and Kris Moyes’ performance planned to trigger a planted audience member’s photosensitive epilepsy, and was supposedly cancelled at the last minute, with a challenging charade of a selfie-taking stage-invading bodybuilder and crowd-borne berating ensuing. “What we learnt, and it is always a learning process – which is why it’s good to have Mushroom on board as like this father figure, not that they’re holding our hands through this thing – is being pointed in the right direction,” Louis states. “We’re constantly cautious, not just because of what happened in 2013, but just because we want to provide the best experience to everyone who comes to the event. If anything is going to be on that dangerous edge, that everything is carefully thought through and discussed prior. We’re really, really happy to have Kirin on board again this year. He forged a real great bond with Pete [Keen, SM Creative Director] at the beginning of 2014, plus our relationship with Terrible Records, it was a really great opportunity for him to come back and create something amazing for us. Again, it is something completely bespoke for us. For him to take the time to work on creating something new with Pete is a real benefit.”
Nas
Twerps
The new locale of VCA has been a long time in the making, with the vision finally coming into fruition this year. “We scoped it out from early 2011, to be honest,” Louis reveals. “The main reason we looked there in the first place is that there are amazing government stakeholders and arts faculties, we really saw that the City Of Melbourne and Victoria wanted that to be a strong arts precinct, and we really want to be a part of that. Trying to be the flagship event for that space is perfect. The time of year works really well for VCA, and they’ve been helping us the whole way through. I think the last thing we wanted to do was walk into a completely green site and work out what we could do with an empty field. We like the idea of working within the surroundings and making it feel like a CBD festival in postcode 3000. Each year we can adapt to create for the environment, still working within the same area.” Landing Nas to perform his certified classic debut Illmatic in full is a coup for Sugar Mountain, headlining
a stellar, diverse bill. “All of us involved are always wishlisting, on our phones or in our head. Always talking, always having a thread going about what’s new, what’s great, what we can pull off. It’s about what’s available at the time. I know a few of us saw [Nas documentary] Time Is Illmatic at MIFF, and we’ve listened to the album a million times over, and at that time we were giving it another really big push, then seeing footage at Coachella. Then one day someone said, ‘We should really have a stab at this.’ Having such an amazing act, and being able to showcase that album in full for the first time in a new location, it also opens up to a completely different market,” Louis says, “And that’s exciting.”
says – but that hasn’t impeded his questing aesthetic. “What is the alternative – to sit around and eat veggie burgers all day?” he laughs. “What you do with your short time on Earth is incredibly important, so you better make something of your life. I don’t mean, ‘achieve, get famous, get rich’. That stuff means nothing. But it’s your duty as a human being to make something that matters to you and the community around you.” Speaking of community, the band’s steadfast irreverence hasn’t alienated its fan base. “It just goes to show you that there are people on Earth who are not internet zombies,” Gira says. “There’s a lot of people that want something true. There’s a lot of people that
want something that’s challenging and real – they want the sweat, or they want the reality of things.” It’s easy to picture Gira as an aesthetic ascetic – a man who suffers for his art. His unflagging productivity and firm dismissal of complacency belies the fact he’ll soon turn 61 years old. In spite of his astonishing willpower, he still manages to have fun, in a roundabout way. “For me, fun is work,” he says. “Fun is just work that you love. And having sex too, I suppose.”
SUGAR MOUNTAIN, featuring Nas, Swans, Body/ Head, Kirin J Callinan and more, will take place at VCA on Saturday January 24.
SWANS
By Augustus Welby
You’re unlikely to find a comprehensive list of last year’s finest releases that doesn’t include Swans’ 13th LP, To Be Kind. Despite being widely adored, the third Swans album since the band’s 2010 career reboot is by no means an ingratiating listen. To Be Kind runs for more than two hours, encompassing violent instrumentation, muscular grooves and the odd retreat into disquieting choral beauty. The critical fervour directed at Swans in recent years is matched by an unheralded amount of listener interest. While the art rockers’ formidable recorded output warrants the prevailing honeymoon period, it’s hardly what bandleader Michael Gira anticipated when he decided to put the band back together after a 13-year hiatus. “There’s an alarming amount of people at our shows and they seem to be getting something genuine from the music,” he says. “I talk to fans after the show and it’s really touching to see that people really get something from the music – something powerful. That’s why I’m doing it, for myself and for them. The fact there’s more of them is a bonus.” To Be Kind came two years after the similarly gargantuan LP, The Seer. This is an impressive turnover by anyone’s standards, but To Be Kind wasn’t even the first thing Swans released after The Seer. Rather, the majority of tracks on To Be Kind appeared on the 2013 live album Not Here/Not Now. With this in mind, when Swans make their way back to Australia later this week, don’t expect an album recount. “The set that we’re playing right now live is 80 per cent unrecorded material that’s still finding itself,” Gira says. “The goal is to keep things immediate and as intense as possible onstage and not just be up there by rote going through the material.” For decades, Bob Dylan has been dividing audiences all over the world by performing versions of his songs that scarcely resemble the original recordings. Similar to Dylan, Gira’s decision to diverge from the album material onstage isn’t motivated by stubbornness or misanthropic satisfaction. Rather, he’s hell-bent on the live show being a creative and viscerally gripping experience. “The main thing is we’re trying to make something BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 42
urgent and undeniable happen in the moment,” he says. “I’ve always hated the records as soon as they’re done. Not actively – I don’t try to kill them or anything, but after a couple of weeks it just sounds like a caricature or something that’s dead. So much has been put into it that it’s impossible to see it clearly anymore. “Over the years I’ve realised that to me the really important thing is being in the process. Of course the final work is important too, but to me what really matters is being tasked to the utmost and trying to make the maximum I’m capable of as a human being.” Along with fortifying the sensation Swans conjure onstage, the band’s primal, progressive performance approach has revolutionised how material gets written. “We went out and just played the songs from My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky, as well as just a couple of old Swans songs,” Gira says. “After doing several shows it wasn’t cutting it, so we started mutating the material and improvising and changing it to something else. Gradually, through that process, a whole bunch of new material started to develop. “It’s not individual players improvising in a way that jazz people might,” he adds. “It’s more like finding ways inside the sound to make it find a new path, or to follow the path in a different way. I think it’s kind of unique, what we do, in that way. The music’s utterly transporting when it’s at its best.” Taking into account the two-hour commitment demanded by Swans records, and their expectationthwarting live shows, the New Yorkers sit in direct opposition to contemporary culture’s emphasis on snippets and predictability. In a career that dates back to the early ’80s, Gira has always been a uniquely uncompromising artist. He’s dealt with plenty of denigrating scrutiny – “In the early days of Swans’ career the response was pretty much negative or scathing,” he
DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION
Catch SWANS at Sugar Mountain on Saturday January 24 at Victoria College of the Arts. To Be Kind out now through Mute / Create/Control.
EYEHATEGOD
By Augustus Welby
In cosmic time, 14 years is a mere blip. In high-tech neoliberal society, 14 years is eons. Between the years 2000 and 2014, America let that goofy redneck George W. Bush have two terms of presidency. Following this, the USA twice voted in a progressive left-wing president, an African-American by the name of Barack Obama. Meanwhile, Idols, X-Factors and robotic voices have taken over the music world and it’s become increasingly apparent Big Brother truly is watching us. This same 14-year stretch is how long it took for New Orleans hard rock dudes Eyehategod to produce a follow-up to their fourth LP, Confederacy Of Ruined Lives. When the band’s fifth record – and their first selftitled release – finally arrived in May 2014, there was no indication that time had wearied the five-piece. “We knew that we would definitely put a record out one day. We just didn’t know when,” says vocalist Mike Williams. “Songs had been written; it was just a matter of getting our arses into a fuckin’ studio and putting down the tracks. It took us a while, but we did it so we’re happy.” Although Williams dismisses doubts concerning the band’s subsistence, Eyehategod endured a multitude of tumultuous experiences during that 14-year interval. In addition to the band members working on a slew side projects – including Down, Outlaw Order and Arson Anthem – in 2005 Hurricane Katrina brought devastation to their hometown and Williams’ narcotics addiction landed him in jail for three months. Despite all of this, by the time 2013 rolled around, Eyehategod looked in better shape than ever. Not only were they touring the globe in celebration of their 25th anniversary, but the band finally hit the studio to record album number five. However, tragedy struck in August 2013 when drummer Joey LaCaze passed away from respiratory failure. LaCaze’s death could easily have brought an end to Eyehategod, but the remaining foursome chose to stick with it and enlisted new sticksman Aaron Hill. “I miss Joey tremendously,” says Williams. “The first couple of shows were weird, because I was always playing off Joey. But onstage, Aaron’s a part of the band. He’s a part of us now, so it’s not weird at all.” Eyehategod are often cited as pioneers of sludge metal. Williams isn’t too pleased with this tag – “Everybody wants to call it sludge or some garbage like that, but it’s just rock’n’roll” – and you can understand why. ‘Sludge
metal’ doesn’t account for the band’s implementation of blues riffs, Black Sabbath grooves, blasts of punk rock fury and Williams’ eye-popping vocal outbursts. Taming these disparate elements to create a cohesive listening experience no doubt stipulates an advanced level of communication between band members. Yet despite the lengthy delay, Williams says Eyehategod came together without much difficulty. “It’s not like there’s a set formula that we follow. We play the music that we like and the music that we want to be a part of, so it just comes naturally. We don’t force ourselves to play in a certain way. That’s who we are, so we couldn’t sound like any other band. It’s these people in the band, so we’re going to sound like Eyehategod. We’re not the type of band to go changing our sound and experimenting with our sound or anything weird like that. “We knew on the first album what we wanted to sound like,” he adds, “but we weren’t quite adept enough to put it together properly. We were very naïve around studios and playing our instruments. But Take As Needed For Pain [1993] – that sounded like what we wanted to be. And I think we’ve been doing that ever since.” Production-wise, Eyehategod has a cleaner sound than much of the band’s earlier work. In spite of this, the record actually harnesses greater ferocity than previous outings. While the irrational outbursts never overwhelm, anger is a primary characteristic of all Eyehategod albums. “We’re just naturally pissed off, depressed people,” Williams says. “We’re a bunch of miserable bastards. There’s always something that’s going to make us angry. Until the day we die, I’m sure something’s going to piss us off here and there. “It’s mostly just singing about human emotions and
THE ANTLERS
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS LANKS
the way people feel. I think people relate to that stuff more than singing about a specific thing. [We sing about] depression or loss or poverty – just any type of human feelings.” Eyehategod are determined to make up for last year’s cancelled Australian tour when they return for a run of shows later this month. And if any Aussie fans want to let their demons run wild, the band isn’t likely to take offence. “It’s nice to see people breaking shit and inciting minor riots at our shows,” Williams says. “We’re one of those bands: if a fight breaks out we’re not going to stop, we’re going to keep playing. Of course we want people to get angry and be a part of the
music with us. It just goes with the territory – we can get aggression out. “It’s a relationship with the audience. We feed off their energy too. I know a lot of bands say that, but it’s true, that’s how it works. If some kid’s punching himself in the face, it’s all the more reason to play harder and heavier and more aggressive.”
EYEHATEGOD will rock out The Hi-Fi on Friday January 30. Eyehategod is out through Century Media Records Ltd.
BROOKLYN’S EPIC INDIE ROCKERS Sat 14 February, 8pm Tickets $50 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. ‘They’re riveting – intensely mesmerizing and memorable.’
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 43
DUNE RATS
By Augustus Welby
A life that revolves around an office job, routine daily hours and civil uniformity is usually described as normal. However, use of the term ‘normal’ is somewhat misleading, as it implies that those who deviate from this way of living are outsiders. One might argue anyone could adopt this behavioural pattern if they tried hard enough, but certain individuals simply have no inclination to align with the prevalent norm. The arts, and rock’n’roll in particular, is a paramount example of an alternate pathway. It’s hard to picture Brisbane trio Dune Rats tidying themselves up and making it into work Monday through Friday, all year round. The band members present themselves as merciless hedonists who, indubitably, are exceptionally difficult to tame. Yes, it’s safe to say these boys don’t like being told what to do. “We managed ourselves for two years at the start until it got too hectic,” says Dune Rats vocalist/guitarist Danny Beusa. “So this whole perception thing… we smoke a fuck-ton of weed, but we’d also run the band, run merchandise, run live shows and touring. We travelled overseas twice without even getting a manager. It’s desperate when bands think, ‘I need a manager, I need a this and I need a that.’ It’s like, ‘Fuck it dude, just write the fucking songs and run the band how you want to run it and don’t give a fuck,’ and that’s a pretty easy formula for a good time.” These days, Matty Woo, who Beusa says is “like a brother… a fourth member,” manages Dune Rats. Boosted by the extra support, 2014 was the biggest year in the band’s history; encompassing tours to China, South Africa, Europe, and multiple visits to their home away from home, the United States. In June, Dune Rats also released their self-titled debut LP. When it came to making the record, once again the band members weren’t going to be bossed around. “We’re pretty happy with this album, in all honesty,” Beusa says. “It was something that we got to write ourselves. We recorded it exactly how we wanted it and then we shopped it around. It’s a way more liberal way to write an album – not because you’re told, ‘You should be writing this you should be writing that.’ So it’s sick that people are buying the album and liking it. It’s fucking blowing our minds big time.” Naysayers have a tendency to deem Dune Rats a nogood rock’n’roll caricature – more interested in partying
than writing quality tunes – but the 12-track release proves there’s more to the band than their party-hard ethos. Not simply a two-dimensional release, Dune Rats includes cracking up-tempo tunes like Superman, infectious sing-a-longs like Dalai Lama Big Banana Marijuana and the chugging emo sidestep, Lola. “The thing with the album is, we sort of wanted to make some people go, ‘Man that’s not fucking Dune Rats.’ That’s sick,” Beusa explains. “We just wrote whatever the fuck us three liked. That’s where songs like Lola can come from. We don’t want to necessarily be sitting there for three months and just playing the same shit – no one does and no one wants to put on an album and hear the same 12 songs.” Dune Rats mightn’t be inclined towards convention, but they haven’t struggled to establish a global brand. Since dropping the Sexy Beach EP in early 2011, the Dunies have recruiting a remarkably cult-like following all around the globe. This crazed mob of fans will feature heavily in an upcoming web TV series the band’s working on at present. “For two years we’ve been fucking off to everywhere around the world, to China and South Africa and all these places, so we just videotaped a fuck-cunt,” Beusa says. “Then someone said, ‘You should put it all together so people can see.’ We got a bit of funding for it from the label, which is sick, so we’re going at it pretty strong and we’re going to have a couple of episodes that show the last two years. “We’re pretty lucky that we do have a sick crew that comes to every show,” he adds. “A lot of the footage is just gnarly because of the kids at the show. It’s kind of funny, you go to China and stuff where they don’t have Facebook, and it’s the same reaction at shows. And in South Africa. So I think that’s what it will highlight: a lot of these places people generally haven’t been to yet, they will see that there’s a sick side of these towns.” Dune Rats are locked in to appear on next month’s
MILLENCOLIN
Laneway Festival tour, which will also be filmed for inclusion in the web series. While the band’s an experienced touring unit, Beusa says being picked for the respected nationwide festival tour brought on more nerves than usual. “We can’t believe we’re actually on a tour like that. You know when you get given a responsibility and then just fuck it up? It’s kind of that feeling, because we usually fuck up shit accidentally a lot of the time. At
first we were like ‘Fuck… we’re playing Laneway,’ and now we’re like, ‘Fuck. We can’t wait to have the funnest fucking time on it’.”
A homeless punk in Berlin, perhaps? “I wouldn’t be homeless,” he laughs. “I’m kind of a workaholic. I wouldn’t have been sitting around doing nothing. I’ve always go to have projects. Whether it’s Millencolin, graphic design, a skate contest or whatever. I can’t sit still.” With Millencolin’s devoted crowd across Australia preparing for their 2015 shows, Ohlsson is tremendously modest in regards to their success: “Sometimes you have to take a step back and see who you were [and]
who you are now,” says Ohlsson. “We’ve always been super humble. We are so stoked at the position we’re in.” he continues, “but it didn’t happen overnight, we grew into it. We wanted to never take it for granted, and we never have. It’s just awesome.”
DUNE RATS are playing Laneway Festival on Saturday February 7 at Footscray Community Arts Centre. They’re also playing at Party in the Paddock in Burns Creek, Tasmania from Friday February 20 to Saturday February 21. Dune Rats is out now.
By Jake McGovern
Whether you played Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 or not, it was hard to be a youngster in the early 2000s and not run into skate-punk legends Millencolin. Yet unlike many of their throwback pop-punk peers, the Swedish rockers have held their own right into our present decade, where nostalgia-core seems to be the genre of choice. Chatting to us from his car, sometime past midnight in the heart of Swedish winter, Millencolin’s Erik Ohlsson spoke of summer, Soundwave and the band’s unofficial album that they may or may not be working on. “It’s not official yet,” begins Ohlsson, “but we have been recording a lot of songs.” Which, along with photos and videos all featuring a studio quite heavily: “I have just heard we will have one new song out in time for Soundwave,” he says, surrendering to the fact that Millencolin are up to something. Six years since their last release, Machine 15, Millencolin have had ample time to take a step back, re-evaluate their punk values, and jump right back in. “With the last album we tried to do something really polished,” says Ohlsson. “Great production, strings, stuff like that. We were happy when we recorded it, but afterwards we realised it’s really not the best album at all. This time around we really went back to think about it. What are the most fun songs to play live? What are we? Well, we’re punk rock. They’re faster songs. It’s more punk rock than it’s been for a long time, but you know, sounding better,” he adds. “We are still not great musicians these days, but we were crap back then. So it’s much better now. And always with an evolving Millencolin twist.” As well as returning to Soundwave, Millencolin have two unannounced sideshows, somewhere in Australia, where they will play full-length sets including the brand new track. “It’s a like tradition for us,” says Ohlsson. “Dodging the nasty Swedish weather, coming down to the sun. We really love Australia, and we’re so fortunate to be able to visit.” With their third visit to Australia in almost as many years, the band are thrilled to return to the Soundwave stage: “We’ve been playing these huge festivals for 20 or so years, but we love the Soundwave crowd,” he says. “In Europe, the lineups can be massive, but probably 40 percent of it is electronic. The crowds tend to be different. Soundwave people seem to be really into music. It’s more our scene.” Millencolin have toured relentlessly since their mainstream success with the album Pennybridge Pioneers in 2000, and have shared the stage with most of the greats. “We’ve been really spoiled,” Ohlsson continues. “We have played a lot of huge shows. There have been too BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 44
many great lineups. At this Soundwave, we are really impressed by The Smashing Pumpkins; they were one of our favourite bands growing up, and we’re super excited to check them out. But to be honest, nowadays I just like to sit backstage and drink beer with my friends.” And after two decades of headline shows and massive festivals the world over, it’s no surprise the Swedish punkers have cooled their jets. The 2013 Australian Warped Tour was a landmark in just how long their musical adventuring has been going on. “On the Oz Warped tour we caught buses, like the old days. It was nice to see the countryside. But we were on the mature bus; mostly us and The Offspring,” Ohlsson concedes. “We were mellow. Everyone was just trying to steal seats where you could have a nap. I love being on tour, but the travelling, that sucks. I’ve had this lifetime of travelling. Over our whole career, buses and planes, it could probably add up to a whole year. That’s crazy. I guess I should have brought a drawing pad, or something.” As Millencolin’s sole visual artist, Ohlsson has always been left in charge of album art, design and general graphics, including work that appears tattooed all over fan’s bodies across the globe. “It’s awesome.” he says. “We had a competition to send in your Millencolin tattoos, and we had so many. We had no idea. It’s really awesome. These people have my artwork, my band tattooed on their body.” As a graphic designer, as well as full time punk rock guitarist, Ohlsson complained of not having time to pursue his art as a hobby: “I hate it that everything turns out to be commercial; a t-shirt, an album cover, poster, whatever. I have at least six deadlines overdue. I’d love to draw for myself, but I haven’t for 20 years. I don’t really know how to anymore.” While most of us only dream of punk rock stardom, I asked Ohlsson where he would’ve ended up if Millencolin had never left Sweden and made it huge.
DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION
MILLENCOLIN hit Australian shores for Soundwave over Saturday February 21 and Sunday February 22 at Melbourne Showgrounds. Machine 15 is out through Epitaph.
CORE
PUNK, SKA, HARDCORE NEWS, REVIEWS & GOSSIP
By Emily Kelly: ek1984@gmail.com Don’t forget the massive Australia Day fundraising shows this weekend at The Reverence and Corner Hotel. The lineups are massive and most importantly, the causes are more than worthy. At a time where over 700 Manus Island detainees are on hunger strike (that’s two thirds of the population of the centre now refusing food because they’re so distraught at their circumstances) at a detention centre that isn’t anywhere near equipped to handle their medical needs, now is an important time to feed some funds to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. See you up the front. Architects have a massive Australian fan base, and by gosh, don’t they know it. The UK lads have announced that a deluxe version of Lost Forever // Lost Together will come out on Friday March 27 to celebrate their impending Australian tour in April. And what an epic tour that will be. They hit 170 Russell on Sunday April 12 with Stick To Your Guns, Being As An Ocean and Stories. Tickets are still available. Enter Shikari recently released their newbie The Mindsweep and they’re so psyched on it they’re coming to share it with ya’ll. It’s such a bizarre mix of metal, rock, dubstep and electronica it’ll be a fair mindsweep to see this shit live. See them with Hands Like Houses at The Forum on May 22. Tickets are up for grabs now. Though Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah recently complained Melbourne simply won’t have many Sidewaves this year due to restrictive council regulations, there have been a couple that must’ve made it past the keeper. Slash (featuring Myles Kennedy + The Conspirators) and Steel Panther will get sleazy at Festival Hall on Thursday February 26. Incubus will also propel us back a decade or so when they headline The Forum with new Omar/Cedric band Antemasque and little known Le Butcherettes. That’ll be on Wednesday February 25 with tickets available right meow. Finally, The Smashing Pumpkins will headline Festival Hall on Monday February 23. Sydney’s Hellions are getting ready to release their new album Indian Summer and they’ve announced a national tour with Void Of Vision to celebrate. Melbourne gets a taste on Saturday March 21 at The Reverence Hotel. Or if you prefer an all-ages vibe, go to the Phoenix Youth Centre on Sunday March 22. Chugg Entertainment and Destroy All Lines have combined their promoter powers to tour Funeral For A Friend this April. Vices will accompany on the national run including their show at The Corner Hotel on Wednesday April 22. Roadrunner release their new album Chapter and Verse on Friday January 23 but you can pre-order right now.
CRUNCH
METAL, HEAVY ROCK. CLASSIC ROCK LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL GOOD SHIT
With Peter Hodgson: crunchcolumn@gmail.com
CORE GIG GUIDE THURSDAY JAN 22: Birds In A Row, Calvaiire, Colossvs at Next Ben David, Chris Cowburn, Georgia Maq, Bec Stevens at Public Bar Statues, Heiress at Laundry bar Frenzal Rhomb, Laura Palmer, Acid Vain at The Loft Warrnambool FRIDAY JAN 23: The Getaway Plan at The Golden Vine, Bendigo Frenzal Rhomb, Agend 37, Acid Vain at Karova Lounge, Ballarat Orpheus Omega, Eye Of The Enemy, Whoretopsy, Myridian, Hollow World at The Workers Club Statues, Heiress at Wrangler Studios Truckfighters, Warped, Don Fernando at Cherry Bar Iceage, UV Race at Ding Dong Lounge Birds In A Row, Calvaiire, Colossvs at Dropout Studios SATURDAY JAN 24: Truckfighters, Warped, Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene, My left Boot at Yah Yah’s The Away Game, Glass Empire at bang Frenzal Rhomb, Laura Palmer at Barwon Heads Hotel, Geelong The Getaway Plan at Pelly Bar, Frankston SUNDAY JAN 25: mewithoutyou, Elliot The Bull at 170 Russell Shonen Knife, Ouch My Face, ZA! at Ding Dong Lounge Catfish and The Bottlemen, Apes at The Hi-Fi Australia Day Benefit Show: Frenzal Rhomb, Saskwatch, Hoodlum Shouts, Outright, Scul Hazzards, Hawaiian Islands, Have/Hold, Tyre Swans, Kissing Booth, Ben David, Chris Coburn at The Reverence Hotel Twelve Foot Ninja, Ten Thousand, Internal Nightmare, Beneath The Waters at Bang I Killed The Prom Queen, Ever Rest, Sentinel, Hideaway at Next Caligula’s Horse, AlithiA, Orsome Welles, Kettlespider at Evelyn Hotel The Getaway Plan at Doncaster Shoppingtown Hotel, Doncaster The City At Night, The Evercold, of Stolen Moments, Church at The Brunswick Hotel MONDAY JAN 26: Australia Day Benefit Show: The Smith Street Band, Joelistics, The Bennies, Curse Ov Dialect, Fear Like Us, Stockades at The Corner Hotel
DZ Deathrays comfortably sold out a bunch of the dates on their upcoming Get Rich Or Drunk Trying tour so they’ve added some more including two more Melbourne shows at Northcote Social Club on Thursday February 26 and an underage daytime show on Saturday February 28. You’re welcome, Australia. Get tickets now.
Hey folks! I’m writing this week’s column from the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles before covering the NAMM Show, the annual musical instrument trade show. It kicks off on Wednesday here in the States, and you can follow my adventures on Twitter at @ iheartguitar. In next week’s column, I’ll share any particularly rock or metal-pertinent news, especially from an Aussie standpoint. There are always lots of Aussie artists hanging around and plenty of Aussie gear companies too.
BALLARAT BEER FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND
The countdown is on. It’s mere days until the Ballarat Beer Festival. Ballarat’s soil is famous for being rich in gold and for the past four years since its inception, the Ballarat Beer Festival has bought liquid gold to the township in the form of craft and boutique beers. On Saturday January 24, Victoria’s original boutique beer festival, will yet again celebrate all things beer, bands, education, food trucks and great entertainment, bound to suit all comers to the picturesque Ballarat City Oval. Lyndell Pond (one of the event’s four Festival Directors) explains the philosophy behind the event: “What makes the event so successful is the contribution from the local community; sponsors, suppliers, volunteers, staff and of course our wonderful punters and brewers. The focal point is twofold, providing great entertainment in the form of music, a games garden and the kids zones to sit side by side the exciting world of craft beer.” The musical lineup includes Ash Grunwald, Way Of The Eagle (Jan 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 the festival’s Homebrew band competition winner and Ballarat local Demi Louise.
NEW YOUNG LIONS ALBUM
In early 2013, the Australian music scene was introduced to Brisbane five-piece, Young Lions, who owned their sound and instantly made their mark with their debut album Burn. What ensued was a band whose alternative edge has rapidly positioned them in the forefront of the rock genre. Now they’re gearing up to release the follow-up, Blue Isla, set to land on Tuesday January 27. “Burn was a record full of anger,” says bassist Morgan Castle. “Blue Isla is a huge step up for us. The record is one of beauty and maturity. Everything you’ve come to love about Young Lions – Passion. Truth. Relevancy. It’s in this record. We’ve matured a lot and so has our music.” The lead single is When Will We Be Free? and you can catch the band at Bang at The Royal Melbourne Hotel (18+) on Saturday February 28.
WHAT’S ON AT THE BENDIGO?
At The Bendigo Hotel on Sunday January 25, StruttA PR presents a massive Australia Day Eve show. Barbarion: Fire, smoke, skulls, weapons and other battle/heavy metal-themed props, leather, flesh, fur, war paint, helmets, drinking horns – it’s all there, a spectacle you will not forget. Dark Earth: No need for conversation, their live show is one you need to see because the music does all the talking. Horizons Edge: Melodic power metal with ‘80s style big choruses, high screams and shredding solos. Abraxxas: A Teutonic inspired thrash assault. And Rum Runners: Discovering a new island full of treasure in 2014, they bring with them their tales of the sea, and of course, their rum.
THE SMITH STREET BAND SAY WHAT WE’RE ALL THINKING
The Smith Street Band have announced a surprise new digital/7” single, Wipe That Shit-Eating Grin Off Your Punchable Face, in time for Australia Day. It’s a scathing attack on the Australian government’s treatment of asylum seekers, and the cover features Shaun Thatcher’s ghastly painting of Tony Abbott. The Smith Street Band return to The Corner Hotel, on Australia Day, Monday January 26, in support a great cause with some of their best friends The Bennies, Joelistics, Curse Ov Dialect, Fear Like Us and Stockades to raise awareness and much needed funds for The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, The Refugee Council of Australia and Oxfam. Running for its 5th year, the annual Australia Day fundraiser events have already raised over $25,000. The band and long time label, Poison City Records will donate 100 per cent of digital sales of the new single until the end of February, and a large part of 7” sales (including 100 per cent of all profits from records sold at The Corner Hotel on Australia Day) to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
JOE BONAMASSA & MAHALIA BARNES AT THE PRINCE
Joe Bonamassa has teamed up with Mahalia Barnes for a new album of Betty Davis covers. The project came about when Barnes was in the studio with producer Kevin Shirley and her dad, y’know, Jimmy Barnes: she popped on a few Betty Davis tracks as reference and soon the idea for the album sprung into being. So Bonamassa visited Australia earlier this year to track the album, titled Ooh Yeah – The Betty Davis Song Book, over three days at Freight Train Studios in Sydney. They’ll be performing at the Prince Bandroom on Wednesday February 4. Tickets on sale now from Oztix.
CALIGULA’S HORSE By Rod Whitfield
Although it’s been a year and a half since the release of their well-received album The Tide The Thief and River’s End, Queensland-based progressive alternative rockers Caligula’s Horse have an absolutely massive 2015 coming up; a year that should see them stepping up into a bigger league. We were joined by frontman Jim Grey recently from his home in Brisbane, and he gave us the rundown on their brand new video, and all of the other exciting things going on in Caligula’s Horse world. “[The video is] for the new single, which is A Gift to Afterthought, which is the opening track to our album,” he explains. “It’s a really exciting clip, and we can’t wait to share it with people, and then reflect that energy into the live show as well.” The clip is out now on YouTube and other video sites across the web, and is an exciting visual feast, much more than your average performance clip from a rock act. To celebrate its completion and release the band are undertaking a huge summer tour of the nation. “On the back of the video and single release, we’re doing a tour throughout all of the metropolitan areas in Australia,” he says, “with some incredible bands like Interim, Orsome Welles are coming with us for a lot of it, Breaking Orbit, Rise Overrun, an awesome Brisbane band as well, and a whole bunch of others. It’s going to be a hoot.” And as if all of that wasn’t enough, the band recently announced they’ve inked a deal with the prestigious multi-national booking firm The Agency Group, for their North American touring endeavours. It’s a truly
global company, with offices in Los Angeles, London, Miami, Nashville, New York, Toronto and Malmo, and they’ll be looked after by Josh Kline, who currently works with the likes of Bring Me the Horizon, Trivium and Protest the Hero. It’s huge news for the band, and should lift them to the next level in their career. Grey is absolutely chuffed about this development. “It’s very, very exciting for us,” he enthuses. “Josh has been really forthcoming in how much of a fan he is. He’s an incredible guy to have on your side, and he’s doing great work for us already. “In 2015 we’re hoping to take this internationally and tour over there as well, so it’s pretty hectic times.” Grey is actually unclear himself as to how Kline got wind of the band and how it all came about, but is glad it did all the same. “It could have happened a number of different ways,” he muses. “He books for Protest the Hero, and we recently played with them in Australia, so I’m not sure of that’s how he heard out name or not, or whether he just came across it.
“He basically got himself a copy of The Tide The Thief and River’s End somehow and loved it that much, he says it’s one of his favourite albums, which was really touching,” he continues, “and he’s basically wanting to do good things for us. It’s a massive opportunity for us, it was very fortuitous and we’re totally ready for it.” Above and beyond all that, the band should also have some brand new material to release in 2015, so it’s looking like it’s going to be the year of the C-Horse.
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“We’re working on some new material now, Sam [Vallen, lead guitarist] and I,” he reveals. “He and I are in a production phase, and things are going very well.”
CALIGULA’S HORSE will play The Evelyn Hotel on Sunday, January 25. The Tide The Thief and River’s End is out through Welkin Entertainment. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 45
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Q&A
WEDNESDAY 21 JANUARY
DAN SAN
Jess Hieser
You have extensive experience in the music industry. Could you imagine doing anything else? No. I have being playing music since a very young age; and it is integral to my wellbeing. I love everything about music; playing, writing, teaching, performing, and especially singing. You describe yourself as a multi-instrumentalist. If you had to choose only one, which is your favourite instrument to play? Vocals. I believe the voice provides the rawest musical expression, and is a direct conduit from the soul into sound waves. The release of your debut EP, Meaning of Life, is fast approaching. Describe the sound of the record in just a few words. It’s an exploration of freedom through vocal soundscapes, and honest lyricism. Why should readers come along to the release of Meaning of Life at Bar 303? My debut EP Meaning of Life is inspiring, passionate and heartfelt, expressing themes of both personal freedom and humanity, performed with powerful vocals and creating a warm encompassing soundscapes of music in the folk rock idiom. The title track Meaning of Life recently won Best Song at The Akademia Music Awards in January and is receiving international attention. Catch JESS HIESER at Bar 303 this Sunday January 25.
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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 some serious hump day therapy.
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 punk rockers The Kremlings and Swhat. Get on it. Tunes kick off from 8.30pm. Catch you at the bar, space travellers.
JESSE LEACH
American musician and writer Jesse Leach is heading Down Under this January for a night of Q&A, spoken word and poetry, as well as insights to some of his most powerful lyrics. Best known as the current lead vocalist of Killswitch Engage, Leach’s career as a musician and writer has seen his involvement in projects such as Times of Grace and The Empire Shall Fall, and past bands including Seemless, Nothing Stays Gold and Corrin. The night will be hosted by Higgo from Triple M Distortion with a limited number of tickets available. A small number of VIP meet and greet tickets are also available for purchase which include – VIP seating, one on one meet and greet with Jesse, a limited edition tour shirt and one hour of free drinks. It all goes down on Wednesday January 21 at Eureka Rebellion Trading from 8pm. Snap up tickets quick through Moshtix.
THE CLEAN
New Zealands’ prime DIY outfit The Clean are returning to Melbourne for the first time in five years this January. The tour will mark their third visit to Australia in 25 years, and will showcase a wealth of tunes from their five studio albums, including their most recent, 2009’s Mister Pop. You can catch The Clean at The Corner Hotel, with special guests Lower Plenty, on Thursday January 22. Tickets are available through the venue.
THURSDAY 22 JANUARY
TIMOTHY NELSON
LITTLE MISS REMEMBERING
Little Miss Remembering are back ladies and gentlemen. They’ve holidayed, driven, pilgrimised, danced with dolphins and samba-d with sharks and they’re back to rock The Bendigo Hotel this Wednesday January 21. Joining them to round out a killer lineup are The Elliots, Holyoake and Brendan Forward. It’s free entry at The Bendigo Hotel from 8pm.
Fire fronted by a redheaded Feist’. Jenn Grant performs alongside Melbournian Sal Kimber at The Yarra Hotel on Thursday January 22. Tickets are $35 reserved seat, $20 standing.
JENN GRANT
Canadian contemporary folk musician Jenn Grant continues touring Australia this week, celebrating the release of her fourth LP Compostela. A Juno nominee and Polaris Prize listed artist, Exclaim! Magazine describes her as ’the Arcade
Timothy Nelson & The Infidels had a big 2014, releasing their second LP Terror, Terror – Hide It, Hide It to a sold out crowd in WA, going on numerous tours around Australia, and winning five WA Music Awards including Best Album and Best Pop Act. Front man Timothy Nelson now comes to the east coast for a string of solo shows to kick off the year, hitting The Drunken Poet on Thursday January 22. Sporadically joined by friends along the way, the shows are sure to showcase some serious talent. He hits the stage at 8pm, entry is free.
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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.
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 Horror My Friend and The Groves, with DJ Mermaid playing it out till 5am. Doors open 6pm. Free entry.
TAM VANTAGE
Singer/songwriter Tam Vantage has drawn upon an eclectic range of influences to bring his art rock/ jangle-pop stylings to The Catfish this Thursday January 22. Building up to an EP launch in late February as well as the release of his debut album, 2015 is set to be a striking year for Tam Vantage and his band. With free entry, it’s highly recommended you see this intimate lo-fi show at The Catfish before things really take off. Support comes from punk upstarts Jarrow.
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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 the 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
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.
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 through Handsome tours.
With one foot in the psych camp and one in the prog, Melbournian five-piece The Frowning Clouds are launching their third LP Legalize Everything at Shadow Electric this Friday January 23. The Frowning Clowns lead with jangling guitars and a melodic backing, and they’re bringing along friends The Living Eyes, Contrast and Zig Zag to add to the festivities. Doors open 6pm, tickets $10 available from the venue. SATURDAY 24 JANUARY
THE ART
KILL DIRTY YOUTH
Kill Dirty Youth are fuzzed out, bleeding guitars smothered with feedback and drowned with smashing drums. Their live shows are electrifying, dynamic and full of raw power. Head to The Retreat Hotel this Friday January 23 as Kill Dirty Youth blow amps and minds alike. Joining them on the night will be garage rock trio Zombitches, with DJ Shaky Memorial taking it to 3am. Bands start 9.30pm, free entry.
PHIL JAMIESON
THE FROWNING CLOUDS
A few years ago, The Art released their debut album, landing at #14 on the ARIA charts. Since then they have toured with the likes of Marilyn Manson, Sonic Youth and Steel Panther. Before they hit the studio to record their exciting follow up, The Art are bringing their blend of melody, mayhem and solid rock ’know how’ to a one-off show at The Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood this Saturday January 24. With $10 entry, and joined by regulars The Mercy Kills, Asylum Sisters and Eden Swan, The Bendigo has a killer night ahead. Bands start 7.30pm.
TUX
Experimental alt-rock four-piece Tux are hitting The Grace Darling on Saturday January 24 to release their long-awaited debut EP titled Therapy. Their erratic styles, modest juxtaposition of busy and breath, melodic and harmonic dispositions and outright excitement will be celebrated live at the EP launch, and will also be available for purchase to enjoy in your home, headphones, car, workplace, prison cell and/or spaceship.
Best known as the frontman for iconic Australian band Grinspoon, singer/songwriter Phil Jamieson has locked in two Melbourne shows this weekend. One of the most successful bands in Australian history, Grinspoon have had four albums go platinum in Australia. With the band on hiatus, Jamieson promises to bring along a few mates to help on band duties. He performs Saturday January 24 at The Village Green Hotel, and Sunday January 25 at The Commercial Hotel. Tickets are $29+BF.
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.
Q&A
Time Out with
Tux
How did you guys get together as a band? Mel: I had written a few bass parts and wanted to hear them with guitar and drums. I asked Heath, who asked Trysten and we got together for a jam. We kept jamming and then we realised we needed a vocalist, so we asked Rae to join us. What’s the last song you wrote? We had a difficult time coming up with a name for our most recent song. Pickles and Pablo Escobar were a couple of the more serious contenders. Now it’s called Escapades. Your very first EP launch is coming up, how are you feeling about it? Rae: Trysten and Heath recorded and mixed it all, the cool guy Lucas Goddard mastered it. Mel and myself lino-printed the CD and cover artwork by hand. We did everything ourselves, which I think makes it even more special. We are really excited to show everyone. Any pre-show rituals? We each have a tiny plastic dinosaur figurine that we bring with us on stage. We’ve been doing this right from the beginning. Playing a show without them would just feel strange. Why should people come to your EP launch? Because you get something from a live show that you can’t get from listening to a CD. At this gig, you’ll get the live performance side of us, as well as the recorded version. Jack Griffin, Lunaire and Without Parachutes are supporting and they kick ass live. You’ll get feelings and not even know why, in a good way. TUX will be launching their EP Therapy at The Grace Darling on Saturday January 24. CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU
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Q&A
tour, and this’ll be your last chance to catch them on stage before they retreat to the studio to record their new album. Doors open from 8pm, visit www. thegasometerhotel.com.au for more info and tickets.
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.
Beat’s Artist Profile:
Cinema 6
Name/Band: Daniel from Cinema 6. Define your genre in five words or less: Raw-wave rock music. 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? “Come and check out this band, they are kinda like Buzzcocks meets The Strokes, but a bit psychgrungy.” This actually happened. A couple came to watch us at The Brunswick after the girlfriend had seen the start of our set, then met up with her boyfriend, described us (as above) and convinced him to come back and watch the rest. He told us he thought that the description was spot on. How long have you been gigging and writing? Approximately 600 days as Cinema 6. What has been your favourite gig you’ve played to date? Probably the night we played at a Taj Mahal themed dress-up party. I had the best hairdo of my life that night. After we finished playing, this really tall hairy guy kept trying to hijack the playlist and put Africa by Toto on. It was a great night. What inspires or has influenced your music the most? A Tom Waits quote, I can’t remember the exact phrasing, but it was words to the effect of: “Songwriting is like fishing. You have to be patient to catch good ones.” Why should everyone come and see your band? Because we sound like The Buzzcocks meets The Strokes. CINEMA 6 are playing at The Brunswick Hotel this Saturday January 24 with The Trash Fairys, Messed Up and Mondo Bizarro.
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. Straya.
KING PARROT
Eureka Rebellion Trading and Bowery Magazine have teamed up to present a fucking massive night of metal at The Gasometer Hotel on Saturday January 24, with King Parrot headlining proceedings and Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage showcasing his DJ skills. Dead City Ruins and Acid Vain will also slay the stage on the night. Be quick, King Parrot have just returned from an immense North American
ALI BARTER
Melbourne singer/songwriter Ali Barter is playing two headline shows to kick off 2015. Barter released her new EP, Community, earlier this month and has been touring non stop with a residency at Boney and supporting Husky on their national tour. Catch Ali Barter at the Workers Club in Melbourne Saturday January 24. Tickets available through the venue. SUNDAY 25 JANUARY
TRUCKFIGHTERS
Who would’ve thought the best Californian stoner rock band would come from Sweden? Truckfighters are bringing their expansive desert sounds and dustcaked metal riffs down to Cherry Bar this Sunday January 25, joined by the ever present Melbournian duo King of the North and veteran rockers Warped. Nothing like celebrating the Australia Day weekend with a band from Sweden that sounds Californian. The night kicks off 8.30pm, with tickets $33 presale from the venue or $35 at the door if available. Enjoy a free stubby upon entry.
60 Seconds with
Pensive Pengiun Hello! Who are we chatting with and what do you do in Pensive Penguin? Hello as well. You’re with Denis, lead singer/ songwriter and rhythm guitarist. Cool name. How’d you come up with that one? It’s something of a convoluted story. Succinctly: in high school, a friend made me a mix tape with a cartoon drawing of a penguin peering sadly at some coasting seagulls, which I found funny. Several years later I drunkenly wrote a poem with the line, “one pensive penguin” in it. Later still, for larks, I built a fictional MySpace account for Pensive Penguin ± a bitterly-resentful, scotch-swilling, chain-smoking alter-ego. I would entertain myself writing blog posts about his mysterious and sordid past. When I decided to start a band, it was the only choice of name. These days, I consider Pensive to be his own bird. I simply write what he tells me. Or else he hurls the whiskey bottle.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 48
RETREAT SUNDAYS SUMMER OF SOUL
Let’s play comparisons. Who or what does Pensive Penguin sound like? The density of Augie March melded with The Shins’ quirkiness and You Am I’s jangly-poprockishness. Other people have said The Smiths and Neutral Milk Hotel and occasionally, Wilco. You’re launching Odes & Ends at The Retreat on January 29. What have you got in store for audiences? Until I get confirmation on the exact number of live penguins we can cram into The Retreat, all I can promise is a very entertaining, general raucousness which may or may not result in spiritual epiphany brought about by excessive exposure to rock. Also, Wiley Red Fox and The Lost Day are supporting and they’re fucking great. All in all, a magical evening. PENSIVE PENGIUN are launching Odes & Ends at The Retreat on Thursday January 29.
The Retreat and Collingwood Draft are combining to bring you The Retreat Sundays Summer Of Soul. It all kicks off with DJ Manchild in Brunswick’s favourite beer garden at The Retreat. As the sun slips from the sky, Melbourne’s soul siren Kylie Auldist and 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 25. Free entry from 2pm onwards.
CALIGULA’S HORSE
Hot on the heels of a wildly successful national tour alongside Voyager plus supporting Canadian prog legends Protest the Hero, Brisbane progsters Caligula’s Horse have announced a Melbourne show. They’ll be hitting up The Evelyn Hotel for an Australia Day Eve party on January 25, with support from AlithiA, Orsome Welles and Kettlespider. Get on it.
SIX FT HICK & THE NATION BLUE
Swamp-rocking living legends Six Ft Hick join forces with The Nation Blue for the first time since 2009 to bring to The John Curtin Hotel a night sure to be filled with stage antics and bloody good tunes. Six Ft Hick have a work ethic that is irrepressible. They haven’t stopped since they started and they wipe the stage with anyone who dares share it with them. In contrast, The Nation Blue are the slackest fucks in musical history and overcompensate by ruining stages that no one really wants to share with them. Come down to The Curtin this Sunday January 25 and come witness the escalation live.
BARBARION
Prepare yourselves for an Australia Day Eve like no other as Barbarion take over the stage at The Bendigo Hotel with fire, smoke, skulls, weapons, leather, flesh, fur, war paint, helmets and drinking horns. Joining them are Dark Earth, Horizons Edge, Abraxxas and Rum Runners. It all goes down Sunday, January 25 from 7pm. $15 entry.
THE PHEASANT PLUCKERS
The Pheasant Pluckers have been treating audiences to their unique brand of home grown original alt-country bluegrass for a while now. Call it what you like, the music is unmistakably Australian, high energy and fresher than ever. Featuring fine emotive singing bass and top-notch songwriting, including a sprinkling of classic Australian covers, The Pheasant Pluckers are settling into The Drunken Poet this Sunday January 25. Free entry, don’t miss it.
STEAL THE SKY: THE 2015 AUSTRALIA DAY WEEKEND FUNDRAISERS
For the fifth year running, the Melbourne music scene will gather together on the Australia Day long weekend for a series of fundraiser shows. Presented by the Deathproof team, the 2015 fundraiser will be split across two days, with all profits going to The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, The Refugee Council and Oxfam. On Australia Day Eve, The Reverence Hotel will host Sydney punk legends Frenzal Rhomb, as well as Saskwatch, Hoodlum Shouts, Hawaiian Islands, Robert Muinos, Have/Hold, Outright, Scul Hazards, De Nada, Tyre Swans, Kissing Booth, Ben David and Craig Coburn. On Australia Day, The Corner Hotel will play host for the day with The Smith Street Band, The Bennies, Joelistics, Curse Ov Dialect, Fear Like Us and Stockades all taking the stage. The 2015 Australia Day fundraiser will take place on Sunday January 25 at The Reverence Hotel and Monday January 26 at The Corner Hotel. Tickets are available through The Corner Hotel website.
TRUDY & THE SATURDAY COWBOYS
Trudy and the Saturday Cowboys’ are an original retro-country band with a rock edge (think Jack White meets Patsy Cline.) Not even a year old they have already played support for Lior in March and Dave Graney in April, and this Australia Day weekend they’re crossing the river to make their Melbourne premiere at The Retreat Hotel in Brunswick. Band starts 5pm, with free entry. See you there y’all!
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MEWITHOUTYOU
Post-hardcore giants mewithoutyou are returning to Australian shores for the first time since 2008 with an east coast tour. mewithoutyou will be performing tracks from their 2012 LP Ten Stories, and giving audiences a taste of brand new material form their upcoming 2015 release. Don’t miss the chance to see mewithoutYou take a look back on their past decade as a band, and smash some tunes out for the very first time ever in Australia. They perform this Sunday January 25 at 170 Russel, tickets are $45+bf available from ticketscout.
TEETH & TONGUE + FRASER A. GORMAN
Teeth & Tongue’s chief songwriter Jess Cornelius is heading over to Iceland for three months, so before she heads off, the band will play a send-off show at The Gasometer as part of their spankin’ new Collingwood Open series. The past 12 months have been huge for Teeth & Tongue, who’ve played Meredith Music Festival and Boogie, received three Music Victoria Award nominations, and released their highly-acclaimed album, GRIDS. With the open Gasometer roof allowing for maximum Vitamin D exposure, this last hurrah is a great opportunity to catch Teeth & Tongue while their songs are still sung in English. Joining Teeth & Tongue is Fraser A. Gorman and his band, who’ll be showcasing a bounty of new material from his forthcoming album, set to be released in May. Gorman also had a massive 2014, touring nationally with the likes of C.W. Stoneking, Courtney Barnett and Augie March. This’ll be his last headline show in Melbourne before the launch of his new record, so head on down and catch him in action. See Teeth & Tongue and Fraser A. Gorman at the Collingwood Open Series at The Gasometer Hotel. It all goes down on January 25 from 7.30pm. Visit www. thegasometerhotel.com.au for tickets.
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MONDAY 26 JANUARY
ALISON FERRIER
SUPERHOLICS
This Australia Day, The Prince of Wales Public Bar has an amazing lineup of psych, garage, and stoner rock acts to help you celebrate in style. Five-piece psych-pop group Superholics are ready to hit the stage, still riding the high from their Jelly Roll single release earlier this month. Local garage rock duo Smellgoods join the bill, along with A Basket Of Mammoths frontman Sam Krieger, and DJ Five Hour Round Trip To Sorrento playing the night out. Entry is free.
Alison Ferrier has been performing non stop over summer, coming off a recent residency at The Retreat. Offering an original mix of country, folk and blues, Alison’s debut album Sugar Baby has been described as containing “mighty and tender, harrowing and beautiful songs, superbly performed.” Alison Ferrier brings her country charm to The Post Office Hotel this Friday January 30. She performs at 9:30pm, entry is free.
TUESDAY 27 JANUARY
ME
AIMEE VOLKOFSKY & THE MOLOTOVS
Aimee Volkofsky & The Molotovs are taking over 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 Winter Nationale and indie rocker The Borte. Get down to Cherry Bar this Tuesday January 27 from 6pm. Live tunes from 8.30pm to 11pm and Cherry DJ till 3am. Free fucking entry.
Melbourne boys Me have spent a stupid amount of time on the road in Europe, and have now announced their return to the Evelyn stage after their two-year absence from home. They’ll be bringing back a bundle of new material too, which is the result of their majorly prolonged absence. Show Me just how much you missed ’em on Friday January 30 at The Evelyn Hotel.
The Abandonment
What is Holiday For Cambodia and how did it come about? Holiday for Cambodia is a benefit gig for a good friend and all round nice guy Kiwi legend Cam Ward, and a celebration of all things punk, rock, metal and hardcore. It’s a celebration and party for my mate Cam that I’ve also been lucky enough to be asked to pick up the axe for. Why did you jump at the opportunity? It’s such a great cause. Although everyone in the band lives in various parts of Victoria and interstate, everyone was more than happy to get back together after I explained the situation, and we are honoured that we were asked to play for such a great cause. How does it feel to be getting the band back together for this one special night? It’s been challenging and funny learning the songs again after so long, jamming with some of your
best friends again after so many years and although we’re a bit nervous, we’re even more excited to rock out again and have some fun with a lot of great old friends. Apart from the obvious reason to come along on the night, give Beat readers another motive to swing by. There are so many awesome rad bands past and present of various styles that will and probably have tickled your fancy and I’m sure there will be plenty of rad crew to catch up with for a chat, hang and drink. THE ABANDONMENT are playing at Holiday for Cambodia at The Espy’s Gershwin Room on Saturday January 31. Tickets are available from Oztix.
LOOKING FORWARD JANUARY
SUGAR FED LEOPARDS
Melbourne sweethearts, Sugar Fed Leopards, are launching their debut album Sweet Spots at Howler in shimmering spectacle on January 30 with support from Mighty Duke and The Lords, Real Hot Bitches, Richie 1250 & CC Disco. The band are fresh from an east coast tour and a busy 2014 where they featured on PBS FM’s 2014 Drive Live Program, played as the house band on Channel 10’s International Comedy Gala AllStar Supershow and released their first music video for, Mi Querida. Get down for their first ever album launch Friday January 30 at Howler. Tickets are $15. Doors from 8pm.
SOHN
London raised, Vienna-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Sohn is returning to Australia this year. The 2015 visit Down Under will follow a remarkable 12 months for the English expat, having released his debut album Tremors, picked up support from the likes of The Fader and Pitchfork, performed at SXSW and sold out shows worldwide. Alongside his appearance at Laneway, he’s also now locked in a run of intimate headline dates around the country. Catch him on Friday January 30 at The Corner Hotel.
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 49
MUSIC NEWS
YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE
For all the latest news check out beat.com.au
Q&A
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.
long-time 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.
JAMES BAY
Speed Date with
Ed Wells
1. Tell us about your sound? I’d describe my sound as a mixture of alt-folk and soul. I grew up learning quite a bit of jazz music so I suppose elements of that creep in to some songs. 2. Keeping Busy The past four months have been pretty flat out. I recorded five tracks in September, including Sparrow and Seed and Young. As soon as I finished that I left for London for three months to play shows over there and for some study on the side. 4. Current Playlist I found the new alt-j album a really interesting work to listen to. It’s one of those things which you appreciate more if you listen to it as a whole but there are some great sounds and layers in there. 5. Your Ultimate Rider I’m pretty relaxed when it comes to my rider. I do love my food so just as long as there is a sizeable meal for me and a couple of drinks I’m pretty happy. ED WELLS will be playing at The Wesley Anne on Saturday January 24.
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 her band 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. FEBRUARY
James Bay has announced he will be heading to Australia for the first time, to play shows in Melbourne and Sydney this February. The UK troubadour had become a main stay on Brighton’s open mic scene, continuing to impress on London stages before one of his performances was filmed and uploaded to YouTube by an audience member. It caught the attention of Republic Records, who flew Bay out to New York the next week and signed him. Since then he has released three EPs, had his BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge performance trend number #1 on Twitter, saw his second EP enter the iTunes Top 10 and its title track hit #1 on the real time Shazam worldwide chart and had his most recent EP debut at #1 on the UK iTunes chart last month. James Bay will take over Northcote Social Club on Wednesday February 4.
GUY PEARCE & DARREN MIDDLETON
Guy Pearce and Darren Middleton have announced that they’re teaming up for a run of joint shows next February. Known for his roles in Neighbours, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Iron Man 3, Pearce just launched his music career with the release of his debut album, Broken Bones, last month, while Middleton is still enjoying the success of his 2013 solo LP, Translations. The pair will share the stage on their upcoming tour, performing songs from each other’s repertoire with a full backing band. Catch ’em at The Thornbury Theatre on Saturday February 7.
LEPERS & CROOKS
Following their highly successful recent 30-date RAW Tour across the country, one of the hardest working rock bands in Australia – Lepers & Crooks are heading out on the road once again – this time on a very ambitious 50+ date (25,000 km) tour of the country, to support their newly released Her Kiss EP. The groundbreaking and innovative video for the title track, features amazing manga art by renowned Japanese artist, Eldo Yoshimizu. Catch the Melbourne leg of the tour, Sunday 8 February at Lucky Coq and Monday February 9 at The Old Bar and Saturday February 14 at The Great Britain Hotel.
CARUS THOMPSON
Carus Thompson has announced a matinee show at Northcote Social Club on Sunday February 15, with Dave Johnson and Simon Marks in tow. Thompson has recently moved back to his home of Western Australia, which means his Melbourne appearances will be particularly limited, suggesting this show will be particularly special. This’ll be Thompson’s only Victorian gig for the first half of 2015, and tickets are expected to go fast. Go forth, true believers. MARCH
WHOLE LOTTA LOVE
KYNETON MUSIC FESTIVAL
The third annual Kyneton Music Festival is set to return Friday 20 and Saturday February 21 2015, blending its relaxed country town setting with an amazingly talented and diverse lineup of artists. The lineup boasts a huge lists of acts, including Harmony, Laura Jean, Money for Rope, Little Bastard, Tully on Tully and Cherrywood. You can use your Internet wizardry and check the full lineup online.
Australia’s longest-running Led Zeppelin tribute show Whole Lotta Love will return to Melbourne for the third time in 2015. Bringing some of Led Zeppelin’s most-loved classics to the stage will be guest vocalists Jack Jones from Southern Sons, Stonefield’s Amy Findlay, Jimmy Cupples and Frank Lakoudis from The Voice and Shay Liza from Sharaya. Whole Lotta Love will hit Melbourne on Saturday March 21 at The Palais Theatre. Tickets from Ticketmaster.
LISA MITCHELL
Lisa Mitchell is back on home soil and upon her return, has announced an acoustic tour to celebrate the success of Wah Ha. The tour will see Mitchell joined onstage by guitarist and serialcollaborator Tim Harvey in a rare opportunity to see the internationallyacclaimed singersongwriter in some of Australia’s finest intimate rooms. Supporting Lisa on all shows is the talented newcomer East. Mitchell comes to Howler on Friday March 27.
THE NECKS
CLARE BOWDITCH
Wanna spend a lazy Sunday afternoon (or two) with Clare Bowditch at The Flying Saucer Club? Bowditch is famous for being one of the finest storytellers in music, and for making her audiences laugh and cry and get to know themselves better. She will be bringing songs from all seven of her albums, plus brand new songs from her (soon to be recorded) eighth album, 3pm every Sunday in February. She’ll tell stories from her burgeoning TV career, and she may even bring along a couple of special-guests. Add this mix to the relaxed atmosphere of The Flying Saucer Club and you have all the ingredients for a brilliant month of Sunday afternoons.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 50
Experimental jazz trio The Necks have announced they’ll treat fans to an intimate show next year. One of Australia’s greatest cult bands, The Necks have released 17 albums, including 2013’s Open, over their 26 years together. Described by Rolling Stone as “mood music of the highest calibre,” the band’s improvised works have been known to last for up to an hour. Their upcoming tour will come on the back of a string of sold out European dates. The Necks will play at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Thursday February 12.
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
LITTLE BASTARD
Little Bastard will hit the road this summer for a run of headline shows in support of their new single and video clip, Desert Roller. The single is taken from their critically acclaimed selftitled debut, which also picked up a nomination at the 2014 AIR Awards for Best Independent Blues and Roots Album. The upcoming tour will mark their last jaunt before they head back into the studio to work on their next record. Catch ’em on Thursday February 19 at Northcote Social Club. Grab tickets from the Northcote Social Club’s website.
KINGSWOOD
Those wild kids over in the Kingswood camp sure know how to rock the fuck out of a venue. This time around, they’ll be hitting up The Forum on Friday March 13, showcasing tracks off their massive debut album, Microscopic Wars. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster.
Q&A
LIME CORDIALE
Sydney’s Lime Cordiale are fresh from a nine date tour across the country supporting The Delta Riggs and have just announced an Australian headline tour for February 2015. The tour will celebrate the release of their forthcoming single, Hanging Upside Down. Hanging Upside Down is the first single to be taken from recently completed studio sessions with Sydney-based producer Jean Paul-Fung ( Jinja Safari, Art Vs. Science, Glass Towers) and will be released in early 2015. The track follows-on from the band’s sophomore EP, Falling Up The Stairs, which received a release in North America in February; drawing undeniable praise from global tastemakers including CMJ and SXSW in the process. Catch Lime Cordiale at Northcote Social Club Friday, February 20.
CLOWNS
Melbourne’s favourite scuzz-punk foursome Clowns are embarking on a national tour to celebrate their forthcoming album, Bad Blood, which will be released on Friday February 20. The band will play two Melbourne shows, including an all ages show on Labour Day. Catch Clowns at The Bendigo Hotel on Friday March 6 and Monday March 9. Joining them for the tour will be special guests American Sharks.
LUCA BRASI
Loveable Tasmanian punk rock ruffians Luca Brasi have unveiled a slew of national tour dates for March 2015 with the UK’s Gnarwolves and Perth’s Tired Lion. Capping off a landmark year for the band, this tour will see them make new pals and win fresh hearts with their celebrated brand of warm, thoughtful melodic punk. Dynamic, hard-hitting and heart-swelling, Luca Brasi’s outstanding sophomore album By A Thread was released this March via Poison City Records, and caught the attention of live music lovers, music media and national radio alike. They perform in Melbourne Saturday March 14 at Northcote Social Club, and Sunday March 15 at Wrangler Studios.
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Time Out with
Decimatus
Hey there! Who are we speaking with and what do you do in the band? My name is Andrew Rondinelli and I play bass in Decimatus. Tell us a little about your approaching debut album, Catalyst For Rage. We wanted to write something that was really going to stand out from crowd with a fresh perspective and not something that sounds like everything else out there. We really pushed ourselves to the limits and raised the bar to make the album we really wanted to and I think we have defiantly achieved it. The album is ten tracks and is nothing but pure blind rage and we hope everyone out there likes it. You’re playing a gig at The Evelyn on January 31. What have you got in store for punters? We have a huge show with some of the greatest metal bands the state has to offer with doors opening at 7.30pm and with just a measly $15 entry. Starting off the night are new comers Trigger then we have Melbourne thrash heavyweights Harlott and Envenomed with their exploding melodic metal set. We hit the stage at 10.45pm playing a full hour fuelled with raging aggression and we may also play a few old tracks from our first EP which we haven’t done in quite a while. DECIMATUS are playing at The Evelyn on Saturday January 31.
MUSIC NEWS
YOUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE
For all the latest news check out beat.com.au HTRK
HTRK will celebrate the first ever vinyl release of their debut album, Marry Me Tonight, with a pair of intimate shows next March. The indie rock duo will play shows in Sydney and Melbourne on the back of the vinyl reissue of their 2009 LP, which is set to be released with a 20-page booklet featuring photos, liner notes and credits on Friday March 13. Joining them will be Mika Vainio, one half of French minimal electronic duo, Pan Sonic. He remixed HTRK’s Poison back in October 2013. Catch ’em on Sunday March 15 at Shadow Electric.
MASTODON
Mastodon will bring album number six to Australian shores next year, announcing shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. This will be the band’s first headline tour of Australia, having previously toured with Slayer, as well as Soundwave and Big Day Out. Once More Round the Sun, the band’s latest album, was released in June this year. Catch Mastodon on Friday March 27 at Festival Hall.
ROCK THE BAY
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. APRIL
BOOGIE 9
THE BENNIES
Local legends The Bennies will hit the road again in March for a whirlwind national tour. The tour will follow the band’s appearances at Golden Plains and Soundwave next year, which come off the back of a huge year of touring in 2014. Joining the band on the road will be Melbourne rockers Foxtrot. Catch The Bennies on Saturday March 21 at Northcote Social Club and Sunday March 22 at Wrangler Studios for an all ages show.
SUN KIL MOON
Sun Kil Moon aka Mark Kozelek will hit Australian shores next March. The tour follows the release of his sixth studio record Benji. Most recently, Kozelek has been embroiled in a feud with War On Drugs following an incident at Hopscotch festival. Catch him on Saturday March 21 at The Athenaeum Theatre.
They’ve called it. The shenanigans down at Bruzzy’s Farm will return next April for round nine. The 2015 lineup is a big one, too. It features the likes of Pokey La Farge, Justin Townes Earle, Rocket Science, Tony Joe White, The Bombay Royale, Los Chicos, Drunk Mums, Ponyface Plays Nebraska, Davey Lane, The Peep Tempel, Ali Barter, Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene, Cool Sounds, BROADS, Eaten By Dogs and Fair Maiden. Nine more acts will be added to the bill early next year, so stay tuned for that one. It goes down from Friday April 3 – Sunday April 5.
Q&A
POKEY LAFARGE
American roots songwriter Pokey LaFarge will return to our shores next April. The tour, which will also feature a six-piece band and expanded rhythm section, will coincide with the release of his new studio album, which is set to be released in the autumn of 2015. The LP is the follow-up to 2013’s acclaimed self-titled release on Jack White’s Third Man Records, which was praised for its eclectic blend of jazz, country blues and western swing. Catch him on Wednesday April 8 at Caravan Music Club and Thursday April 9 at The Corner.
The Art
Tux with
Without Parachutes (NSW) Lunaire and Jack Griffin Debut EP Launch of “Therapy” Saturday 24th January 2015 The Grace Darling Hotel Doors 8pm $10
Beat’s Artist Profile:
JORDIE LANE
Jordie Lane has announced that he will make his return to Australia for a run of national shows, beginning this February. The 27-date tour, which includes performances at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, Blue Mountains Music Festival, Nannup Music Festival and Ten Days On The Island, will be his first nationwide tour in 18 months. Based in the US, Lane spent 2014 touring around North America, playing shows at Philadelphia and Edmonton Folk Festivals and taking on a 30date Canadian tour and a 35-date US tour with The Stray Birds. Lane will be performing as a duo with Clare Reynolds. The pair first performed together in 2012, when starring in the theatre show Grievous Angel: The Legend of Gram Parsons. Catch Jordie Lane when he takes over The Toff In Town on Saturday April 17 and Sunday April 19.
Name/Band: Jordan McDonald, The Art. Define your genre in five words or less: Cosmic rock’n’roll or melodious Goth grunge blitzkrieg bop. 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? They explain that they’d just happened upon a ritual. An intense purge of energy, carefully crafted cosmic sounds delivered with animal ferocity. They further explain that they are probably pregnant now. How long have you been gigging and writing? We’ve all been writing since childhood. Before The Art we all had our own acts to spearhead, this band is so special because we’ve cut the fat and unified. What inspires or has influenced your music the most? My uncle lived in Hollywood writing music for horror movies; that immediately inspired me to write music of my own. What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? Fuck man; ask me when I’m successful. Depends on what you perceive as success. We’re underpaid and oversexed so I’m pretty fucking happy with that. Do you have any record releases to date? What? Where can I get it? Here Comes The War was our last full length. We’ve toured that for literally four years now. The first single off our new album is out now, Dead Inside. Why should everyone come and see your band? We’re a unique entity. Two chicks, two dudes: one common goal. Weirdly it works and no one leaves unaffected. THE ART will be playing at The Bendigo Hotel this Saturday January 24. very first time in Australia. Pelagial was one of 2013’s most critically acclaimed releases internationally. The past two years have seen The Ocean touring the globe relentlessly with the likes of Opeth, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Between The Buried And Me, The Black Dahlia Murder and many more. They come to Melbourne on Saturday April 18 at The Evelyn Hotel, and tickets available through the venue. MAY
THE OCEAN
This is massive news. Germany’s premier post-metal act The Ocean are returning to Australia in April 2015. The Ocean will be playing their highly acclaimed record Pelagial in full for the CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU
THE GETAWAY PLAN
Melbourne alt-rock quartet The Getaway Plan have announced a string of dates for next autumn. The announcement comes ahead of their forthcoming LP, Dark Horse, which is expected to be released independently in mid-2015. Catch ’em on Friday May 22 at the Corner Hotel. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 51
LIVE
REPORTS FROM THE FRONT ROW
For more reviews go to beat.com.au/reviews THE COATHANGERS The Tote, Friday January 16 Photo by David Harris
Photo by David Harris
The crew at Bone Soup pride themselves on putting on shows with eclectic lineups. Obviously there are limitations to how far you can take that mantra. You can’t (or at least probably shouldn’t) organise bills for local venues that feature an assortment of acts so diverse each will inevitably alienate a different segment of the audience, especially if you’re organising your show at a venue with a rock’n’roll history as celebrated as infamous as The Tote. On Friday night Bone Soup seemed to be persisting with this idea. They prefaced the performance of American garagepunk outfit The Coathangers with a succession of local acts that together formed a good representation of the Melbourne garage world as a whole. Pow Pow Kids opened the night. Featuring members of WOD, Dumb Punts, Bonnie Doom, and for one show only Drunk Mums, they brought effortless buoyancy to the show early. The Pink Tiles also maintained that light and bubbly feeling, but with a little more bubblegum and a less typically rock’n’roll sound. Scotdrakula, as is often the case, were unrestrained and energetic. The recent addition of another guitar brought a new dynamic to the sound, one that opens the door to new possibilities for one of Melbourne’s busiest bands. It’s fair to say everyone could’ve found something to like in the lead up to The Coathangers’ performance. There was certainly a large amount of buzz surrounding The Coathangers at the time of their arrival. They’d toured the USA alongside garage luminaries Black Lips and received a lot of praise for their girl-punk/anti-girl punk garage sound. I guess it’d be hard to avoid being lumped in with other all female outfits when you play in a band like The Coathangers. It’s such an unfair and unnecessary setback to confront, having your gender inform the opinion of your audience before you’ve had the chance to listen to anything you can do. The Coathangers oppose the idea of what girl punk bands should sound like pretty well. They’re a celebration of the sound that I’d warily and hesitantly refer to as traditionally ‘girl-punk,’ but they remove themselves from the sound at the same time. At points, there are stretches of ‘bubble gum,’ but they’re separated by moments where everything descends into a brutal slop of abrasive guitar screeches and manic drums. The arrangement of their songs, and even their entire set more broadly, maintained the enthusiasm of the Melbourne crowd who had moved about to fill every cavity of the legendary band room. Though the crowd wasn’t as vicious as others have been, they were every bit as interested. At the conclusion of their final song, vocalist Julia Kugel announced that she hated her Dad, dropped the microphone and then walked through the crowd that had parted like the red sea. The crowd chanted for an encore. I LOVED: The drummer’s shrill voice. joined in. Now though, looking back, it was probably the HATED: The ATM wasn’t working (again) and I best ending to a set I’d seen in years. had to hoof it all the way to Smith St. KEATS MULLIGAN
Photo by David Harris
DRANK: Whatever I could get my mits on.
THE GROWLERS The Corner Hotel, Wednesday January 14 With a country surrounded by coastline, it’s no surprise that Californian surf-rockers The Growlers have found a strong contingent of Aussie fans. The band are currently in the midst of a 14-date tour of Australia, fittingly scheduled smack bang in the middle of our summer. Taking the stage at The Corner Hotel for the Melbourne leg of the tour, the band breezed through track after track of their infectious, self-proclaimed ‘beach goth.’ New album Chinese Fountain got plenty of airtime, with Big Toe, Black Memories, Dull Boy and Chinese Fountain all receiving a rousing welcome from the crowd. Despite the more polished finish seen with the latest release, the new tracks flowed seamlessly with old favourites, such as Graveyard’s Full, One Million Lovers, Sea Lion Goth Blues and Gay Thoughts. The band are in their element in a live setting, never missing a beat when any random assortment of people, from support acts to fans, appear on stage, or when certain… paraphernalia are whirled around in the front row and eventually tossed to the band, in a repeat of their 2012 Coachella set. Frontman Brooks Nielsen takes everything in his stride, launching into a spiel about how the item is a family heirloom. When he’s picked up and cradled by one of the stage invaders during Going Gets Tuff, he simply says, “We’ll play that one at the end,” referring to old favourite, Gay Thoughts. The band’s unique brand of garage surf-pop is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face and by the third track in, even the more reclusive members of the crowd were beginning to sway along. By the end of the set, when people had well and truly settled into the summer grooves (and as more beverages and other substances continued to be consumed), each member of the crowd had developed their own distinctive dance form, from the subtle foot tap, head bob or gentle sway to a full-on circle of shufflers, LOVED: Feeling like it’s actually summer on a complete with animated arm movements and plenty of miserable, grey Melbourne day. dreadlocks. HATED: That I could barely understand a word Brooks Nielsen was saying, felt like I was missing KELSEY BERRY out on some good banter. DRANK: Water. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 52
Photo by Emily Day
WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV
LIVE
REPORTS FROM THE FRONT ROW
For more reviews go to beat.com.au/reviews NELLY, LUPE FIASCO AND B.O.B Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Friday January 16
THE 1975 Festival Hall, Thursday January 15
Ah the noughties – a time when Lindsay Lohan was at the top of her game; when mini skirts, cargo pants and oversized sunglasses were a must have for fashionistas everywhere; when Paris and Nicole were BFFs; and when a certain St. Louis rapper by the name of Nelly was spamming So Fresh CDs with hit after hit. If you’re an absolute sucker for nostalgia like me, chances are you were also making your way to Sidney Myer Music Bowl when said rapper rolled into town, flanked by Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B. First on stage was Lupe Fiasco, whose career has apparently nosedived so far that he’s now warming the stage for B.o.B. The days of Kick, Push and Superstar seem well behind him, with a very uninspiring rendition of the latter ending the set. With a large chunk of his set spent ranting about something along the lines of “being an arsehole,” Fiasco came off as a poor version of Kanye West, without the decent back catalogue to compensate. What happened to you Lupe? You used to be cool. I spent most of B.o.B’s set stating, “Oh yeah I forgot he was in this song,” or “Wow I forgot this song even existed,” before just getting bored of the set altogether and wandering off in search of drinks. You know you’re clutching at straws when the best you can offer is a verse you had in a Taylor Swift or Jessie J song a few years back. After two lacklustre support acts, the pressure was on when Nelly finally took the stage, but I’m pleased to say he more than delivered. With a steady stream of hits throughout the noughties, every song drew a scream of delight, as we were transported back to 2004, 2002 and all the way back to 2000. A few well-placed, fast rhymes were a reminder of Nelly’s skills, both as a rapper and in crafting insanely catchy songs. Early highlights included Ride Wit Me, complete with a high-speed rendition of the final verse as an introduction, as well as the Nelly-featuring version of NSYNC’s Girlfriend. Upon Nelly pulling four girls from the audience up on stage, it quickly became clear everything else was just a mere warm-up for the onslaught of hits that was to follow. Girl one was asked to strut across stage to Body On Me. Girl two claimed she was “18,” but in a smart legal move Nelly noted she was “too close to the borderline” for him and she was instead serenaded with Over and Over. Girl three – who proved to be the friskiest of the four, wasting no time in getting her hands on (and all over) LOVED: The couple that got engaged between Nelly once on stage – needed no prompt when told to B.o.B and Nelly – who knew a Nelly concert could “drop down and get your eagle on girl” during Flap Your be so romantic? Wings. The final girl – decked out in a Nelly t-shirt – was HATED: No surprise appearance from Guy given the role of Kelly for Dilemma, which brought the Sebastian during Battle Scars in Lupe Fiasco’s set, thoroughly enjoyable set to a close before Just A Dream which may or may not have turned into an inspiring saw out the encore. duet of Angels Brought Me Here. DRANK: Jim Beam. KELSEY BERRY
Photo by Ian Laidlaw
Festival Hall hadn’t experienced so many hysterical teenage girls since The Beatles played the venue in 1964. The level of fandom by the predominantly young females in attendance was second to none, and it’s something The 1975 are certainly aware of. Fellow Brits Circa Waves kicked things off with a ridiculously tight half an hour set that saw one catchy tune after another enrapture the audience. The infectious Liverpool outfit are a band to watch over the next year; they appear to be the heir apparent to The Kooks signature Britpop sound. A short gap between sets, the Manchester four-piece walked onstage to a rapturous applause and pubescent screams shrill enough to curdle milk. They opened with one of their debut and only album’s strongest tracks The City,, a song that brought the band to widespread attention due to its inclusion in the always brilliantly curated soundtrack of FIFA 14.. They tore through 14 more songs before they departed for their obligatory encore. Singer and part time guitarist Matt Healy knows just how much the female contingent love him, and the 25 year old gives them what they want. Well, maybe not quite, but he uses pretty much everything at his arsenal to please them. He has his shirt undone from the second song; showing off a large chest tattoo, nearly always has a bottle of red wine in hand when not requiring it to play guitar in certain songs. He then flouts the laws against smoking in live music venues by lighting up several times onstage. He plays the rebel while also coming across like a rather camp and flamboyant Russell Brand-type figure. The band sound good live, they’re tight as a unit, however they have a tendency to draw things out. While the young girls like it, for the older or males in the audience Healy’s antics can distract from the good music on show. It really does distract from overall enjoyment of the set. It makes Circa Waves’’ opening set seem even tighter by comparison and far more enjoyable. After the crowd whipped themselves into a frenzy, the band returned to the stage for the encore. It was generous in length with five more songs including their two biggest hits, which they chose to finish with. Chocolate and Sex were high notes to finish the night on. Despite frontman Healy constantly perpetuating the “too cool” à la Julian Casablancas persona several times in the set, particularly at the end, he made a real effort to thank the crowd which was appreciated. The 1975 play their songs well, they just need a fine LOVED: The atmosphere during the encore/Circa tuning and be careful not overplay their trump card too Waves. much. HATED: Playing up to the fangirls too much. ALEXANDER CROWDEN
DRANK: Larger, sometimes cider.
Q&A Beat’s Artist Profile
The Fckups
Define your genre in five words or less: Pants-shittin’ punk 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? Did you see that? I think the singer just sodomised himself. How long have you been gigging and writing? Five years. What has been your favourite gig you’ve played to date? We played a really cool show down on the Peninsula out in the middle of a paddock. It was pissing down rain and everyone was smashing about in the mud. Fantastic. Which band would you most like to have a battle/ showdown with? The Bad Brains. What inspires or has influenced your music the CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU
most? The Bad Brains and whiskey. What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? Peddle their arse to all takers. Do you have any record releases to date? What? Where can I get it? Just some stuff on Soundcloud. It’s free. Why should everyone come and see your band? ‘Cause we’re rad as fuck and we’ll change your life. When are you playing live/releasing your album/ EP/single/etc? We have a split 7” coming out later this year with our buddies Coffin Wolf.
Catch THE FCKUPS at The Brunswick Hotel this Friday January 23. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 53
ALBUM OF THE WEEK MARILYN MANSON
The Pale Emperor THURSDAY 22 JANUARY
WEEKLY TRIVIA
PRIZES & GIVEAWAYS! STARTS AT 8PM. CONTACT THE VENUE FOR TABLE BOOKINGS!
&
IN THE BEER GARDEN
NORTHSIDE SPACE FUNKERS
FEAT. HYPERFOKUS & KODIAK KID, HIP-HOP, FUNK, TRIP-HOP, ELECTRO SOUL & SWINGING JAZZ. PLAYING INSIDE & OUT FROM 7PM FRIDAY 23 JANUARY MAIN BAR
9:30PM
MAR HAZE
DJ’S 7PM MR LOB / 9PM HIJACK / 11PM M-PHAZES SATURDAY 24 JANUARY MAIN BAR
9:30
BLUE EYES CRY DJ’S
7PM B-TWO / 9PM NAM / 11PM OBLIVEUS SUNDAY 25 JANUARY MAIN BAR
THE UNDERSCORE ORCHESTRA 5PM
ROYAL BEER GARDEN
EASY NOW SUNDAY REGGAE/DANCEHALL BEATS
FEAT. SISTA ITATIONS, LOTEK, SISTA SARA, DJ AYNA, AGENT 86, TOM SHOWTIME, DJ MAARS & CIDER SPECIALS. 3PM MONDAY 26 JAN - AUS DAY
TRIPLE J HOTTEST 100 PARTY
BBQ KRANSKYS + $5 TINNIES OF COLONIAL DRAFT & THE HILLS CIDER, $4 PIZZA DJ MATT RAD - DJ NAM FROM MIDDAY
TUESDAY 27 JANUARY
FREE MOVIE NIGHT CRACKERJACK 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)
(Cooking Vinyl Limited)
CHARTS HEARTLAND RECORDS TOP TEN 1. Raise The Dead At Wacken BOX SET ALICE COOPER 2. La Planete Sauvage LP ALAIN
There’s always been a darkness to Marilyn Manson’s music – duh – but it’s usually been more of a ‘Halloween in the Hellfire Club’ kind of darkness. The Pale Emperor is probably the darkest album of Manson’s career but for entirely different reasons. Remember the scene in O Brother, Where Art Thou where the guys are digging their own graves in the middle of nowhere as a blind guy sings a mournful song about how everybody goes out alone? Take the uncomfortable, “Oh man, I just wanted to watch a movie and now I’m thinking about my mortality,” feeling and funnel into a dirty, angry, cynical rock album, and you have a bit of an idea what’s going on here. For his ninth album, Manson has partnered up with composer Tyler Bates (Californication, Guardians of the Galaxy, 300, Salem) and stripped everything back to the bone. Instead of industrial rock textures, there are guitars that alternate between brash, bashy chords and lowdown lonesome melodies straight out of ‘80s goth rock. Manson’s voice continues to shift through a variety of characterisations, but there’s something about this one that feels more vulnerable and damaged, and maybe closer to who he really is underneath the makeup and imagery. That’s not to say you can’t play spot the influence. In some ways, this album reads as what would happen if David Bowie, Tom Waits and Nick Cave got up on stage at a goth club in New Orleans in the ‘30s. This is an album that demands attention and to be listened to all the way through, but the first four songs in particular are a hell of a suite on their own, bookended by Killing Strangers and The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles – both of which feel like they could’ve come from some alternate universe version of David Bowie’s The Next Day – and with the driving Joy
GORAGUER 3. Girls In Peacetime LP BELLE & SEBASTIEN 4. Zen Arcade LP HUSKER DU 5. Oceanic LP ISIS 6. Demo 2010 LP PALLBEARER 7. Content Nausea LP PARQUET COURTS Division-like rhythm of Deep Six and The Birthday Party-ish hangover soundtrack of Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge. Cupid Carries A Gun is another standout, which offsets stacked Manson vocals with eerie acoustic guitars and a drum beat right out of ‘70s glam. The Devil Beneath My Feet is also informed by this glam aesthetic. It’s something Manson has incorporated in the past (Mechanical Animals was loaded with it) but in this dirtier, looser context it feels fresh. It felt like Manson was searching a little during recent albums, not quite able to locate and settle in to wherever it is he belongs. In some ways that can be very compelling, but the last few records have felt like Manson was trying things on and experimenting with shifting the emphasis on different areas of his musical personality. On The Pale Emperor, and with Tyler Bates as a collaborative influence, he’s found a place that feels unforced and fully realised. You’re not supposed to be putting out one of the best albums of your career when you’re this deep into it, but that’s what Marilyn Manson has done.
8. Psychphonic LP POLYPHONIC SPREE
PETER HODGSON
7. Tales / THE PEEP TEMPEL
9. Geocidal LP TETEMA 10. Tiswas Ep LP SLEAFORD MODS
RECORD PARADISE TOP TEN VINYL 1. G Stands For Go-Betweens THE GOBETWEENS 2. Girls In Peace Time Want To Dance BELLE AND SEBASTAIN 3. pom pom ARIEL PINK 4. Coming Apart BODY/HEAD 5. In Return ODESZA 6. Plowing Into The Field Of Love ICEAGE
8. Content Nausea PARKAY QUARTS
SINGLES
BY LACHLAN
For all the latest singles check out beat.com.au ‘The Hottest 100 Is Good (Or Is It? Probably. Who knows)’ – a landmark long form think piece from Lachlan Kingsmillniuk.
THE GOOCH PALMS
Trackside Daze (Urinal Cake) The beachy garage vibes on Trackside Daze ostensibly feel like a dated signpost to the turn of the decade, but The Gooch Palms inject enough idiosyncratic spirit to overcome, belting along with unhinged “wooo-ooohooh” cries and bratty chutzpah, never using a single hook as a crux. Undeniably good fun.
FKA TWIGS
Pendulum (Young Turks/Remote Control) To put it simply, nobody is operating on Twigs’ level right now. To call the UK artist a triple-threat would be selling her short a skillset or two, here dropping jaws with the self-directed video for Pendulum. The track itself is a stunner, achieving liquidity through sensuality, tinged with a underlying abrasiveness that never corrodes a sense of warmth, fostering a sense of security through assurance. A triumph, through and through.
COLLECTORS CORNER MISSING LINK RECORDS TOP TEN 1. Typical System LP TOTAL CONTROL 2. G Stands For Go-Betweens box set THE GO-BETWEENS 3. Nothing Has Changed 2LP DAVID BOWIE 4. Tales LP THE PEEP TEMPEL 5. Radios Appear LP RADIO BIRDMAN
8. Back From The Grave volumes 9 and 10 LPs VARIOUS 9. Hold It In LP MELVINS 10. Live At Roadburn LP WINDHAND
BEAT’S TOP TEN SONGS ABOUT AUSTRALIA
SOPHIA GRACE
Garden (Pound Records) Archer’s commanding baritone is right there, front and centre in the mix, engulfing the gentle strums, confronting with strange beauty. Garden stops you right in your tracks, the vocal timbre resounding in force, compounded by raw lyrical acumen. Taken from the does-what-it-says-on-the-tin LP Old Time Sing Song Man.
10. Typical System TOTAL CONTROL
7. Miserable CD BONGRIPPER
Mind Renovation (Remote Control) Cranking their phase pedals to a logical extreme, Dorsal Fins intertwine two of Australian rock’s darling genres of recent times – psychedelia and Madchester – while infusing unique touchstones, most notably lashings of horns (the collective is the brainchild of Saskwatch’s Liam McGorry, after all), dismissing any notion of homage-less derivativeness. Mind Renovation is a trip, a good trip at that, the studio version stands strong while also providing an enticing hook for the live setting.
Best Friends (SGE) Look, I dunno who Sophia Grace is outside of Best Friends, and I’m happy to let the mystery be a mystery. She owns a dope pop-rap beat which bites DJ Mustard’s flair better than Fancy, putting together a flawless example of the genre, all in undeniably good fun with a charming friends 4eva sentiment. Sophia Grace could crush Big Sean on an IDFWU remix when she’s old enough to cuss.
9. To Be Kind THE SWANS
6. Arise! remaster LP/CD AMEBIX
DORSAL FINS
ARCHER
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 54
TOP TENS:
1. Down Under MEN AT WORK 2. The Clarke Sisters THE GO-BETWEENS 3. Melbourne THE WHITLAMS
SINGLE OF THE WEEK ROLAND TINGS
Pala (Internasjonal) There’s intriguing dissonance within Roland Tings constructions, bridging between early AM club beats and sun-blessed afternoon grooves, finding a place in either realm while invoking the mood of both. Pala is a pearler, sprawling while never diminishing momentum, harnessing a palpable Italo-disco heart, elevating to constantly building peaks to the extent where eight minutes 19 seconds doesn’t feel like enough. Roland Tings’ self-titled debut LP is out about now-ish.
WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV
4. Balwyn Calling SKYHOOKS 5. Old Fitzroy DAN SULTAN 6. Koala Spirit MIDNIGHT OIL 7. Half Way to Sydney DEAD RINGER BAND 8. Bradman PAUL KELLY 9. Great Southern Land ICEHOUSE 10. Better Be Home Soon CROWDED HOUSE
ALBUMS FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND
New music in review this week - For more reviews go to beat.com.au/reviews
PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING
Chapter & Verse
TWERPS
Range Anxiety (Chapter Music)
The Race For Space
(Roadrunner Records)
(Test Card Recordings/Inertia)
This is the seventh full-length album from Welsh post-hardcore band, Funeral For A Friend. Since gaining popularity in the UK with their first album Casually Dressed & Deep In Conversation in 2003,they’ve kept themselves well and truly relevant among angsty teens as well as a dedicated fan base. After all this time and experience, Chapter & Verse proves to be something to look forward to. Some bands at this point in their career fall into the trap of staying safe with their music and just trying to keep their fans happy. These guys have managed to keep their sound interesting without straying too far from what we expect from them. The general sound of Chapter & Verse seems more mature than earlier works. Less emo and more hardcore. That said, songs like 1% and the acoustic Brother are still on the softer side. While Modern Excuse Of A Man, at only 1min 41sec, is the very definition of hardcore – short, fast and loud. The Jade Tree Years Were My Best is the longest song on the album, but somehow doesn’t feel like it. It goes for over eight minutes and is by far one of the most interesting tracks. Although many of the songs blur together and don’t really have defining characteristics, the album is one that’s best played as a whole. Funeral For A Friend successfully balance screamo with enough melody to keep it from being over the top. If you liked their previous album Conduit, you’ll love this. CASSIE HEDGER
Ever wondered what it might sound like if The Avalanches remade Brian Eno’s Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundscapes? No, me neither, but the upcoming second album from London’s Public Service Broadcasting pretty much fills this brief. As per their 2013 debut Inform – Educate – Entertain, The Race For Space integrates archival footage sourced from the British Film Institute into their compositions. The ‘60s fascination with conquering space that fuelled the ego wars between the US and Russia informs the dialogue that’s spliced across their retro-futurist style of music, and the results are hardly exploratory. The Race For Space veers from ambient cuts that simmer beneath spoken word sound bites to full blown, funk-driven jams, and the album’s two strongest tracks, Sputnik and Go!, sit somewhere between these two styles. The duo strive to continue the first album’s brief – to inform, educate and entertain – yet there’s little here that challenges, enlightens or charms. The archival snippets should intrigue, but too often they’re buried among middling compositions that play things extremely safe. The themes pay tribute to the past and the music sounds like it’s plucked from the more recent past, but it’s a frustratingly tentative step toward treading new ground. CHRIS GIRDLER
Soaked in a delightfully catchy janglepop aesthetic, Twerps’ second release, Range Anxiety, is brilliant in how it manages to fuse a number of musical eccentricities while still remaining a very smooth, calm listen. As the album jumps between bright, indie-pop-influenced riffs, it downplays the otherwise dreamy, happy and chirpy feel of the album by adding droning lo-fi bummer rock vocals in order to equalise the mix. The ultimate cleverness of Range Anxiety is that Twerps have managed to incorporate these two somewhat opposing concepts in order to create an album both calm and collected, while experimenting with some strange instrumentals and slightly unconventional songwriting techniques. Clever use of toy organs, accordions, riffs that cut off and repeat so crisply they sound like they’ve been recorded through a tape player and many more examples are riddled throughout the tracks, along with a boy/girl vocal layering dynamic throwing shades of ’70s/’80s pop music into the mix. The elements are subtle, but just enough to change the emphasis of the music in a positive way. However, the band chooses to take a slightly unconventional approach to the songwriting with some tracks being cut short before they evolve into something memorable. What you get with Range Anxiety is a series of interesting ideas, blasted out in rapid succession. It’s a bit off your conventional indie-pop album and might be a bit of a weird flavour for the traditionalists, but for anyone who likes their music a little bit different, this should be right up your alley. THOMAS BRAND
HUSBAND
MARK RONSON
The Money
(Independent)
from
ANN VRIEND
For The People In The Mean Time
Uptown Special
(Independent)
(Sony)
Michael Paolino is Perth-based singer/ songwriter Husband, and on the cusp of release is his debut album, The Money. At ten tracks long, the album is swimming with echoes of country/blues legend, Johnny Cash, and one of his many descendants, American singer/songwriter Willy Mason. Husband has also been likened to The National, labelled “a much more southern version” of the band by WSYC radio in Pennsylvania, and this parallel is particularly clear in the title track and Ordinary, which was the recipient of the Best Rock Song prize at the Western Australian Music (WAM) Awards in 2012. These tracks are patient, weighted, and deeply moving, in the vein of a Matt Berninger classic such as Terrible Love, or Fake Empire. Produced in LA with Rick Parker, who’s well known for his work with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Husband’s swelling sound quickly rouses imagery of both American and Australian open roads, swirling dust, and vast, desolate landscapes. The songs are clearly loaded with honesty and raw emotion, and Paolino said the album was written over a two-year period when he was coming to terms with the idea of becoming – you guessed it – a husband. Each song seems to speak to the challenge of embarking on this new phase of life, and the internal conflicts that often plague the mind and heart in times of change. To this point, themes of love, family and even insecurity are addressed throughout The Money. In Invitation, the line, “When did you get home? And who did you come home with?” is repeated, and questions of this nature are raised again in the penultimate track, Coming Home. This time, the apprehensive sentiment is captured by the lines “I was scared to take more than a step,” and, “No baby, you’re not coming with me now…no baby, you’re not coming home with me.” It’s an album in which no track should be skipped over, as each one is immensely powerful, yet delicate, and unitedly they tell one helluva tale.
Most people reading this will be hanging out to know one thing: is the rest of Mark Ronson’s fourth solo album as good as his hit single Uptown Funk? The short answer is no – but not because the rest of the album lacks quality. In all fairness, that song is one of the catchiest pop/funk singles of the last decade, so it’s hard to top. There’s still a lot here to offer. Australian’s should recognise the vocals of Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker littered throughout the album. Unfortunately his first appearance on Summer Breaking sounds more like an ‘80s prom band than the groundbreaking collaboration it should have been. Thankfully their second attempt, Daffodils, is the kind of electric trip you’d expect. This is also one of the tracks written by Michael Chabon, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Wonder Boys. Chabon is credited for co-writing almost half the tracks on the album. I Can’t Lose, featuring 23-year old Keyone Starr, takes you back to the days of ‘90s R&B, while rapper Mystikal goes the full James Brown, ranting about fruit, kittens and saying “muthafucker” a whole lot on his track Feel Right. It’s a great prelude to the funk/soul single that follows. Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt delivers vocals on two tracks. Crack in the Pearl works as an extension of the Stevie Wonder intro (yes, that’s actually Stevie collaborating on the album). Lyrically, In Case of Fire is intriguing but isn’t quite the energetic pop anthem anyone expected of Jeff Bhasker’s only credited song. He produced the album with Ronson and has previously worked with the likes of Kanye West and Alicia Keys. Kevin Parker’s final track is a magical synth-pop mash up and a whole lot of fun. Ronson chose to work with only a handful of artists this time but it feels the album could have benefited from a more diverse mix of collaborators and sounds. It’s not as good as 2010’s Record Collection, but still worth a listen.
IZZY TOLHURST
CHRIS BRIGHT
It’s reassuring to know soul is alive and well so long after its ‘60s chart-busting heyday. With talented artists such as Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes, Dan Sultan and Ann Vriend bringing soul power to the masses, the genre appears to be in robust good health. On the warm and deeply groovy album For The People In The Mean Time, Vriend, who hails from Canada, imprints her own personality, style and vibe on a genre that’s been embraced by so many seminal and iconic artists. Vriend and her band weave a sound that blends the warmth and intimacy of classic soul with modern touches such as loops and samples. Highlights of this excellent album include the thought-provoking and poignant track The Greatest Killer which presents an arresting and nuanced reading of love; the clever social commentary, thrusting rhythms and soaring vocals that characterise In The Way; and Vriend’s emotive and deeply impressive vocal performance on I Never Wrote You A Love Song which demonstrates that she is more than ready to give any soul diva a run for their money. For The People In The Mean Time is essential listening for any lover of thoughtful, innovative and funky modern soul. GRAHAM BLACKLEY
N GIRLS
GIGS
GIGS thU jan
22ND fri jan
BARO
fri jan
+ MILWAUKEE BANKS
30TH
GODS
SUn feb
& Stax Osset
Luna Deville + Plebs 23RD SUn jan AUSTRALIA DAY EVE 25TH SIxfTHIcK & THE NATION BLUE
WeD feb
MOn jan
SUn feb
+ f LO U r ( U P Sta i r S ba n D r O O M ) + the bluebottles - free in the front bar @4pm
26TH
HOTTEST 100 PARTY
bUrn antareS, Winter MOOn, the GranD raPiDS, hOUSe Of LaUrence + MOre. $10.00 jUGS aLL Day
1ST
4TH
8TH
EVERYDAY
CURTIN
THE MIGHTY BOYS + ScotDrakula
UP UP AWAY free in the frOnt bar
THE DEAD HEIR baudelaires + Luna Ghost
HORNS Of LEROY free in the frOnt bar
CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU
$13 JUGS
6PM
+ On SaLe nOW @ jOhncUrtinhOteL.cOM
fEB 13 ALL THE cOLOURS 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
29 Lygon ST, CarLTon / T: 9663 6350
‘LIKE’ facebOOk.cOM/thecUrtin tO keeP UP With the LateSt! BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 55
GIG GUIDE
WHAT'S ON AROUND MELBOURNE THIS WEEK
For all the latest gigs check out beat.com.au
WEDNESDAY JAN 21 INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS ••COQ ROQ WEDNESDAYS - FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Lucky
••PILOT Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $18.00.
••THE UNDERSCORE ORKESTRA Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.
Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.
••TIM PLEDGER’S SANDWICH JESUS 303, Northcote.
DJ RICKY MAYMI Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5.00.
ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK
••HAMISH KILGOUR + PALM SPRINGS + JUKAI FOREST + ••HIDEOUS SUN DEMON + WHIPPED CREAM CHARGERS +
THE BAUDELAIRES + LAILAC Public Bar, North Melbourne. 7:30pm. $8.00.
••JESSE LEACH Eureka Rebellion Trading, Collingwood. 8:00pm.
••LITTLE MISS REMEMBERING + THE ELLIOTS + GORILLA
JET PACKS + BRENDAN FORWARD Bendigo Hotel,
Collingwood. 8:00pm.
8:00pm.
••KRISTA POLVERE + BRYAN ELIJAH SMITH Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.
••OPEN MIC Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:30pm. ••OPEN MIC Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 7:00pm. ••OPEN MIC/JAM Musicland, Fawkner. 7:00pm. ••THE BRUNSWICK HOTEL’S OPEN MIC Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 7:00pm.
••LUPINE + ROYALTY NOISE + MYCOLOGY Evelyn Hotel,
••THE HAMMOND ORGAN NIGHTS Musicland, Fawkner.
••RIGHT! + JAMES MCCANN + CHEV RISE Tote Hotel,
••WILLOW DARLING Catfish, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. ••WINE WHISKEY WOMEN - FEAT: MINNIE MARKS Drunken
Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8.00.
Collingwood. 7:00pm.
••SHOW STOPPER - FEAT: AGENT CLEAVE Howler, Brunswick. 9:00pm. $22.00.
••SPACEJUNK + KREMLINGS + SWHAT Cherry Bar,
GIG OF THE WEEK!
7:00pm.
TRUCKFIGHTERS
The man behind possibly the sexiest song ever, Josh Homme, reckons they’re the best stoner-rock band ever and I reckon he’s fucking onto something. Do yourself a favour and catch Truckfighters, Friday January 23 and Sunday January 25 at Cherry Bar or on Saturday January 24 at Yah Yah’s.
Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.
THURSDAY JAN 22
Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $5.00.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
••NEW IMPROMPTU QUARTET Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond.
••MORTH + VENDETTA + RED DOOR Mr Boogie Man Bar,
Fitzroy. 8:30pm.
••BEATEN BODIES Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine. 8:30pm. ••BEN DAVID + CRAIG COBURN + GEORGIA MAQ + BEC
••SAM APPAPOULAY Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne Cbd.
••NOISECONTROLLERS + AUDIOTRICZ The Hi-Fi,
••THE HAMMOND REEXAMINED FUNKY JAZZ ENSEMBLE
••ORPHEUS OMEGA + EYE OF THE ENEMY + WHORETOPSY
••SWEET DECAY + BEAUTIFUL BEASTS + PIIE Bar Open, ••THE ARTIST - FEAT: RARA + FRIENDSHIPS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $15.00.
••THE ELECTRIC GUITARS (THE BIG BANG) +
REVELATIONS + SKY BAND Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood.
STEVENS Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. $10.00. ••CARAVANA SUN + JOSH CASHMAN + MATT MORRIS Shebeen, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $12.00.
8:00pm. $8.00.
••CHARLIE LANE + KUJO KINGS + LIZARD PUNCH Espy, St
Club, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $8.00.
••CROOKSHANK Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 8:30pm. ••DEAR PLASTIC + SLEEP DECADE + BELOVED ELK
••VOLTAIRE TWINS + COVERS + LEAFY SUBURBS Workers ••ZAMMUTO + TELLING Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $35.00.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC ••ADAM RUDEGEAIR’S BAYOU TAPESTRY Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15.00.
••ALEX YAROSH TRIO Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $15.00.
••BOPSTRETCH Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. ••PETER HEARNE & DIZZY’S BIG BAND WITH CELESTE
COULSON Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14.00.
Kilda. 8:30pm. $10.00.
Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $8.00.
••EXPERIMENTAL INDIE ELECTRO MASHUP - FEAT:
OUTSIDE THE ACADEMY + SLEEP//LESS + ROMEO MOON + THE WEEKEND PEOPLE + ENOLA FALL Boney, Melbourne
Cbd. 6:45pm. $10.00.
••FRENZAL RHOMB The Loft, Warrnambool. 8:00pm. ••GODS John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:30pm. $5.00. ••JOEL HAVEA + MY PRIVATE DINOSAUR + DJ JACKSON
ROSS & THE CHEESETHIEF Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.
••JOSH DURNO, JOEL STIBBARD & ACOUSTIC FOXX Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm.
••KATTIMONI + TEE & THE REFUGEES + RASTY UNITY +
IRIE BAND Espy, St Kilda. 8:30pm.
••LIZZARD WIZZARD + DIPLOID + MUTTON + OLDER MEN Public Bar, North Melbourne. 8:00pm. $10.00.
••LUNA GHOST + BLOODHOUNDS ON MY TRAIL + JUKAI
FOREST + VHS DREAM Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. ••MORPHEME + FIERCE MILD + ALSO DRAGONS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:30pm.
••NEXT - FEAT: BIRDS IN ROW + CALVAIIRE + COLLOSVS Colonial Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $10.00.
7:00pm. $15.00.
Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.
••THE MELBOURNE IMPROVISERS COLLECTIVE Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
••YAMAHA PIANO SERIES (PAUL GRABOWSKY) - FEAT:
PAUL GRABOWSKY Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $20.00.
ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ••AUSTIN BRADY Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm. ••BLACK MARKET TUNE Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 7:30pm. $25.00.
••GEOFF ACHINSON & BRENDAN FORWARD Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.
••JAMES HODSON 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. ••JUKEBOX RACKET Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:30pm. ••MANDY CONNELL Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm. ••MIHRA & THE VELVET LIPS Carters Bar, Northcote. 8:00pm. ••MIKE WATERS + TIMOTHY NELSON Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.
••OPEN MIC Station 59, Richmond. 8:00pm. ••SAL KIMBER & JEN GRANT Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:00pm.
••TAM VANTAGE + JARROW Catfish, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. ••TASH J + HOUSEWRECKERS Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:00pm. $5.00.
••THE CLEAN + LOWER PLENTY + AUSMUTEANTS +
TWERPS DJS Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $42.50.
FRIDAY JAN 23
Abbottsford. 7:00pm. $15.00.
Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $75.50.
+ HOLLOW WORLD + MYRIDIAN Workers Club, Fitzroy.
7:00pm. $15.00.
••PUBLIC NUISANCE Black Hatt, Geelong. 9:30pm. ••RIGHT! + GUI GUI SUI SUI + MIGHTIEST OF GUNS + MADE
FOR CHICKENS BY ROBOTS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm.
$10.00.
••SEWERS + BONE + WHIPPER + MUTTON Public Bar, North Melbourne. 8:30pm. $10.00.
••STATUES + HEIRESS + PRIDELANDS + ADVOCATES +
OEDIPUS REX Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.
••STATUES + HEIRESS Wrangler Studios, Footscray. 8:00pm. ••THANDO Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $15.00. ••THE CROOKEDS + HORROR MY FRIEND + THE QUARTERS
+ CLAWS & ORGANS + LEOPARD SLUGG Espy, St Kilda.
9:00pm. $10.00.
••THE FCKUPS + PITT THE ELDER + T.R.S + POSTCRIPT +
THE SHORTS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm.
••THE VELVET LIPS + DRAW + NUMBER STATION +
DIECASTS Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm.
••THE WEEKEND PEOPLE + ENOLA FALL + INVISIBLE
DEARS Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $13.00.
••TIJUANA PEANUT Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 9:30pm. ••TRUCKFIGHTERS + WARPED + DON FERNANDO + DJ
LUCY ARUNDEL Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.
$35.00.
••TWINSPEAK Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. ••WATT’S ON - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Prince Public Bar, St Kilda . 8:30pm.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC
Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm.
••AN EVENING WITH AMANDA PALMER Thornbury Theatre,
••THE SCOUTS + THE SUGARCANES + JUNK HORSES 303,
Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $5.00.
••ART OF SLEEPING + THE LULU RAES + CHRIS O’NEIL
••AN EVENING WITH JEF NEVE Bennetts Lane Jazz Club,
••NIANDRA + THE CREEPING BAM + THE MIDNIGHT SOL ••ORANGE + ORLANDO FURIOUS + VIV + ZAYD THRING ••PLUGGED IN THURSDAYS - FEAT: THE ELLIOTS + LAMB
BOULEVARD + DARIO & ELISE + DENIS JACULI Revolver
Upstairs, Prahran. 8:30pm. $7.00.
••PRYMAL + DAMN THAT RIVER + SEAN KIRKWOOD Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm.
••RHINO + CHOP SQUAD + SUMMERHILL Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $7.00.
••SOUL IN THE BASEMENT - FEAT: THE DEANS + DJ VINCE
PEACH & PIERRE BARONI Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10.00.
••SPORTSMEN + FRIDA + FEMI + THE LEWIS WINSTON
BAND Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $2.00. ••TEX NATIVES + THE BANGS + KING STAG + JAMES LYNCH + DJ GREG PEPPAS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. ••THE HUNTED CROWS + HORROR MY FRIEND + THE GROVES + DJ MERMAID Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. ••WESTERBURGH & MICAELA Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC ••AUDREY POWNE & NICK PIETSCH Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15.00.
••BARO + MILWAUKEE BANKS John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. $10.00.
••CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN Arts Centre, Melbourne. 8:00pm.
Thornbury. 7:30pm. $25.00.
Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $14.00.
••BLACK NIGHT CRASH Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 11:30pm.
••CHERRY BOMB European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm.
••CHRIS WILSON Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 5:30pm. ••CLARK + ANTI-KIRKIS + PREQUEL + CHIARA KICKDRUM +
BEVIN CAMPBELL Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.
••COCOA NOIR Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 7:00pm. ••COSMIC PSYCHOS The Loft, Warrnambool. 8:00pm. ••EDUCARING AFRICA - FEAT: HORACE BONES +
WHODAFUNKIT? + ANDRE & THE GIANT Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:30pm. $20.00.
Northcote. 8:00pm. $6.00.
Melbourne Cbd. 6:30pm. $39.00.
••CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN Arts Centre, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $65.00.
••FEM BELLING QUARTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $25.00.
••FRIDAY TRIO Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $15.00.
••KID CONGO & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. 6:00pm. $45.00.
••LOCKETT 24 Moons, Northcote. 8:00pm. $5.00. ••SLIME DIME & PRAIRIE KINGS Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm.
••THE GLASS MOON Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20.00.
••EINSTEIN TOYBOYS + DIRTY LIXX Musicland, Fawkner.
••THE IVY STONE ASSEMBLY Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne
••FAT FREDDY’S DROP Palais Theatre, St Kilda. 7:00pm. ••FLESH OF THE EARTH + FALSE PROPHET + THE WEIGHT
••THE JACK EARLE SEXTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne
7:30pm. $10.00.
OF SILENCE + SPEECHLESS + ANIENT Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10.00.
••FORTUNES + WZRDKID + URBAN PROBLEMS + EMERSE Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:30pm.
••FRENZAL RHOMB Karova Lounge, Ballarat. 8:00pm. ••FROWNING CLOUDS + THE LIVING EYES + CONTRAST The Shadow Electric, Abbotsford. 6:00pm. $10.00.
••ICEAGE + THE UV RAC Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd.
Cbd. 9:30pm. $20.00.
Cbd. 7:30pm. $20.00.
••THE STEVE MAGNUSSON TRIO Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ••ANDY GRANT DUO European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm.
••DAMON SMITH PLAYS PIANA + DJ BLOODNUT Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 7:00pm.
••CHEEKY GOOSE + MELALUKA 24 Moons, Northcote.
••JUNGLE FEVER - FEAT: MATT MCFETERIDGE + BRUCE
••GLENN MUSTO Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm. ••JON STEVENS + GALLIE Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick.
••FEM BELLING & THE JOHN MONTESANTE QUINTET
MILNE The Luwow, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. ••KALEIDDOCOPE Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East.
••JULES BOULT Catfish, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. ••KINKY FRIEDMAN Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm.
••KILL DIRTY YOUTH + ZOMBITCHES + DJ SHAKY
••KOKO Carters Bar, Northcote. 8:00pm. ••MICK DOG’S BONE YARD Post Office Hotel, Coburg.
$65.00.
8:00pm. $5.00.
Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm.
••FREE RANGE FUNK - FEAT: JAKE JUDD + TIGERFUNK +
LEWIS CANCUT Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.
••MEL SEARLE Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $20.00.
••MINTON’S PLAYHOUSE SESSIONS The B.east, Brunswick East. 9:00pm.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 56
8:00pm. $14.00.
9:00pm. $39.00.
8:00pm. $10.00.
MEMORIAL Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 9:30pm.
••LOS ROMANTICOS Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. ••LYALL MOLONEY Shebeen, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $10.00. ••MAR HAZE Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm.
WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV
8:00pm. $45.00.
$40.00.
9:00pm.
••NICE TYPES Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale. 8:30pm. ••SIMON MARKS + DAVE JOHNSON Drunken Poet, West
Opiuo
Jen Cloher
BEECHWORTH MUSIC FESTIVAL RAINBOW SERPENT
This weekend punters from far and wide will get down to one of Australia’s biggest bush doofs for four massive days. The 2015 Rainbow Serpent is sure to be the biggest yet with a lineup fronted by Beats Antique, Desert Dwellers, Opiuo, Audiomatic and a shitload more. There’ll be music, art and hippie shakes all round. The 2015 Rainbow Serpent will take place from Friday January 23 – Monday January 26 in Lexton, Victoria. Melbourne. 8:30pm.
••SPENCER P JONES Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 5:00pm. ••THE DAVE HOLMES GANG The B.east, Brunswick East. 9:00pm.
••THE SQUEEZEBOX TRIO Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm. ••TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSION - FEAT: DAN
BOURKE Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:00pm.
SATURDAY JAN 24
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS ••ALI BARTER + BEN WRIGHT SMITH + BOATS Workers Club, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $10.00.
••ANIMAL HANDS + TWO HEADED DOG + CONTAGENT Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm. $10.00.
••BANG - FEAT: FALL OUT BOY COVER BAND + GLASS
EMPIRE + THE AWAY GAME Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $20.00.
••BEATEN BODIES + UP UP AWAY + THE LET YOUR HAIR
DOWN GIRLS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. ••BEECHWORTH MUSIC FESTIVAL - FEAT: BEACHES + JEN CLOHER + THE BENNIES + THE SUGARCANES + RON S. PENO & THE SUPERSTITIONS + MY LEFT BOOT + LULUC + THE HOUNDS HOMEBOUND + RUBBER BAND + PEARLS + BENNY WILLIAMS + LIV CARTLEDGE + DJ MERMAID + WANGARATTA UKULELE BAND + GEOFF JACKSON Madman’s Gully, Beechworth. 12:00pm. $79.00.
••BETTER THAN THE WIZARDS Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $8.00.
••BLUE EYES CRY Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm. ••BONESHAKERS + THE FALLING STANDARDS Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm.
••BURN ANTARES + THE GRAND RAPIDS + THE GOOD
MORROWS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00. ••CANIDAE + DE NADA Public Bar, North Melbourne. 8:30pm. $10.00.
••CAPTIVES + FOAM The B.east, Brunswick East. 9:00pm. ••CARAVAN SUN Torquay Hotel, Torquay. 8:00pm. ••CINEMA 6 + TRASH FAIRIES + MESSED UP + MODO
BIZARRO Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm.
••DISCO TROPICALLE - FEAT: JASPORA + DONNY DISCO
DJ + DISCO DOLLYS The Luwow, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5.00. ••ED WELLS + LILY & KING Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10.00.
••FRENZAL RHOMB Barwon Heads Hotel, Barwon Heads.
After smashing out a successful launch in 2014, Beechworth Music Festival is back with a massive lineup featuring Beaches, Jen Cloher, The Bennies, The Sugarcanes, My Left Boot and heaps more. Getcha ‘Straya on and get along to Beechworth Music Festival this Saturday January 24 at Madman’s Gully Amphitheatre, Beechworth. ••PHIL JAMIESON + THEM BRUINS Village Green Hotel, Mulgrave. 8:00pm.
••PIVOT CITY JERKFEST - FEAT: ORB + AUSMUTEANTS +
THE LIVING EYES + WET BLANKETS + THE KREMLINGS + CHOOK RACE + SEWERSIDE + DRUG SWEAT + DJ RIGID STANLEY Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong. 4:00pm. ••RAMMPZ + BOTTLECAPS + BROOKLYN HOOKERS Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm.
••ROCK N ROLL Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm. ••SALYU X SALYU Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $45.00. ••SLEEPY WEST Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. ••SPECTRUM Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm. ••SUGAR MOUNTAIN - FEAT: NAS + ODESZA + ARIEL PINK
+ SOUL CLAP + HORSE MEAT DISCO + THE 2 BEARS + ANTHONY NAPLES + SWANS + DAN DEACON + TERRIBLE LOVE FEAT. KIRIN J CALLINAN + HOW TO DRESS WELL + MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS MJX PTY LTD + BO NINGEN + KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD + TWERPS + DEXTER + NO ZU Victorian College Of The Arts, Soutbank. 12:00pm. $130.00.
••THE ART + THE MERCY KILLS + ASYLUM SISTERS + EDEN
SWAN Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm.
••THE DANDELION + THE BAUDELAIRES Public Bar, North Melbourne. 2:00pm.
••THE DIECASTS + THE MARLENES + VON STACHE 303, Northcote. 8:00pm.
••THE GATWICK HIGHLIFE + SHERIFF + KIDS IN CULTS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $13.00.
••THE GETAWAY PLAN Pier Live, Frankston. 8:00pm. $22.00. ••THE KOOKS Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne. 8:00pm. ••THE SCREAMIN’ HONKIES + LEFT AT MORAL JUNCTION
+ DJ ASH LIGHTNING + DJ JAMES BARBER Brunswick
Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
••THE VAMPS + SHORT STACK + AJR Festival Hall, West Melbourne. 8:00pm. $58.40.
••TRUCKFEST - FEAT: TRUCKFIGHTERS + WARPED + F*CK
THE FITZROY DOOM SCENE + MY LEFT BOOT + THE SURE FIRE MIDNIGHTS + HOLY SERPENT + DJ BOBBY LOU HELLACOPTER Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. $30.00. ••TUX + LUNAIRE + WITHOUT PARACHUTES + JACK GRIFFIN Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $8.00. ••WORM CROWN - FEAT: TWINSPEAK + SOLIS + YACHT BURNER Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC ••A LOVE SUPREME (A CELEBRATION OF JOHN
COLTRANE) Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $39.00.
8:00pm.
••CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN Arts Centre, Melbourne. 8:00pm.
6:00pm.
••FEM BELLING & THE DAVID REX QUARTET Dizzy’s Jazz
Collingwood. 4:00pm.
••GARY WATLING QUARTET Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne
Hotel, Castlemaine. 8:30pm. $10.00.
••GOOD MUSIC - FEAT: ETHAN MCLAREN Prince Public Bar,
Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:00pm. $15.00.
••KELLER/ MURPHY/ BROWNE TRIO Uptown Jazz Cafe,
Elsternwick. 8:00pm. $25.00.
••MONDO KAIN Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm. ••MOONS GOT SOUL! 24 Moons, Northcote. 10:00pm. ••ONE AFRICA Werribee Open Range Zoo, Werribee. 4:30pm. ••SWING TRAIN - FEAT: GIANNI MARINUCCI & JULIE
••GEORGE BORTHWICK TRIO Wesley Anne, Northcote. ••GOLD CLASS + TIME FOR DREAMS Tote Hotel, ••GUI GUI SUI SUI + GHOSTNOTES + XIAO ZHONG Bridge ••GUZZLER + KILAMAINE + PROPHETESS + 4TRESS Mr ••JAMIE T Forum Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. ••JIMI HOCKING & GEOFF ACHISON Flying Saucer Club, ••JOSH NEWMAN + SHIFTY O’MALLEY + GEORGIA MAQ +
JEROME KNAPPETT Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. $5.00.
••KERSER The Hi-Fi, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $25.50. ••KERSER (UNDER 18) The Hi-Fi, Melbourne Cbd. 2:00pm. $25.50.
••KING OF THE NORTH The Loft, Warrnambool. 8:00pm. ••KING PARROT + JESSE LEACH + DEAD CITY RUINS + ACID
VAIN Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $25.00.
••LEGENDS OF OZ ROCK + DIRTY LIXX Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $10.00.
••LORD + DESECRATOR + ENVENOMED + PARTY VIBEZ +
TOXICON Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 7:00pm. $15.00.
••LYALL MOLONEY Baha Tacos & Tapas Bar, Rye. 8:00pm. ••MCALPINE’S FUSILIERS + DJ ADALITA Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
••MELBOURNE HIT PARADE Carters Bar, Northcote. 8:30pm.
$65.00.
Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20.00.
Cbd. 8:00pm. $15.00. St Kilda . 8:00pm. Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
O’HARA Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm.
$25.00.
••THE PACIFIC BELLES Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $20.00.
••THE RANDY ANDERSON Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $25.00.
••THE SHUG MONKEYS Union Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. ••TILDE NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL - FEAT: LAILA ENGLE
+ JACQUES SODDELL + SURFACE + NICK TSIAVOS + ALICE BENNETT + VINCENT GILES + PETER SHERIDAN + SEEDSMAN/GRIMES/MCAULIFFE TRIO + LIZZY WELSH + HOUSTON DUNLEAVY + CHARLES MCINNES Testing Grounds, Melbourne. 12:00pm. $2.00.
••YVETTE JOHANSSON & NIC JOHNSTON TRIO Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $25.00.
CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 57
GIG GUIDE
WHAT'S ON AROUND MELBOURNE THIS WEEK
For all the latest gigs check out beat.com.au ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK
••50TH ANNIVERSARY AUSTRALIAN BEATLES TOUR
TRIBUTE Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 9:00pm. ••ACTION SAM European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd.
Colonial Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm.
••PUNCH THE CLOWN + TRS + THE CLOYTONS + LIQUOR
SNATCH + BOTTLECAPS + BOMBS ARE FALLING + 12FU Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 1:00pm. $10.00.
••REWIND 80’S (AUSTRALIA DAY EVE) - FEAT: REWIND
$40.00.
••ROCKABILLY SUNDAYS - FEAT: HEELS ON DECKS DJ
••LIME & STEEL Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 9:00pm. ••MOOSEJAW RIFLE CLUB Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. ••NIGHT MOVES Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale. 8:30pm. ••PORK CHOP PARTY Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 9:30pm. ••STEVIE WILLIAMS + SHAUN SCANLAN Old Bar, Fitzroy. 2:00pm.
••SUITED & BOOTED - FEAT: LOONEE TUNES + LITTLE
MURDERS Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:30pm. $10.00. ••THE SIDESHOW BRIDES Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
SUNDAY JAN 25
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS ••ABSOLUTELY 80S - FEAT: BRIAN MANNIX + DALE RYDER
+ SCOTT CARNE Torquay Hotel, Torquay. 3:00pm.
••AUSTRALIA DAY BENEFIT SHOW 2015 - FEAT: FRENZAL
RHOMB + SASKWATCH + HOODLUM SHOUTS + HAWAIIAN ISLANDS + OUTRIGHT + SCUL HAZARDS + HAVE/HOLD + DE NADA + KISSING BOOTH + INITIALS + ROBERT MUINOS + TYRE SWANS + BEN DAVID & CRAIG COBURN Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 2:00pm. $35.00. ••AUSTRALIA DAY EVE - FEAT: BARBARION + DARK EARTH + HORIZONS EDGE + ABRAXXAS + RUM RUNNERS
8:00pm. $45.00.
••THE LARGE NUMBER 12S Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. ••THE PRAYERBABIES Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. ••THE RUSTY TERMINALS + NICK EVANGELOU Carters Bar, Northcote. 3:00pm.
10:00pm.
••KINKY FRIEDMAN Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm.
CRAWDADDY Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 3:00pm.
••THE BLACK SORROWS Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick.
80S Seaford Hotel, Seaford. 8:00pm.
••THE UNDERSCORE ORCHESTRA Penny Black, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
••TIM SCANLAN & TOSHI BOBHRAN + PHEASANT
PLUCKERS Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 4:00pm.
••TOM DOCKRAY Catfish, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. ••VIC OLD TIME JAM SESSION - FEAT: CRAIG WOODWARD
+ WARREN ROUGH Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
MONDAY JAN 26
Prince Public Bar, St Kilda . 4:00pm.
••RONIT GRANOT Wesley Anne, Northcote. 5:00pm. ••SHITFEST - FEAT: LOW LIFE + AUSMUTEANTS + POWER
+ CUNTZ + SEWERS + WHIPPER + ORB + OCTOPUS BROTHERS + WET MEAL + DRUG SWEAT Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 3:00pm.
••SHONEN KNIFE + ZA! + OUCH MY FACE Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $25.00.
••SIX FT HICK + THE NATION BLUE John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. $15.00.
••SUNDAY SCHOOL - FEAT: GHOST NOTES +
WINTERNATIONALE + SODA EAVES Public Bar, North
Melbourne. 4:00pm.
••TEETH & TONGUE + FRASER A. GORMAN + LEAH SENOIR
+ DJ DAN KELLY Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 7:30pm.
$18.00.
••TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD + 4TRESS + TRAGIC EARTH +
DJDUBYA Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm.
••THE CITY AT NIGHT + OF STOLEN MOMENTS + THE
EVERCOLD + CHURCH + STUCK BELOW Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS ••AUSTRALIA DAY 2015 (A BENEFIT FOR THE WIDER
COMMUNUITY) - FEAT: THE SMITH STREET BAND + JOELISTICS + THE BENNIES + CURSE OV DAILECT. STOCKADES + FEAR LIKE US Corner Hotel, Richmond. 5:30pm. $35.00.
••AUSTRALIA DAY PARTY Catfish, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. ••AUSTRALIA DAY PARTY! - FEAT: THE COLYTONS &
TRS + STRAWBERRY FISTCAKE + THE HIBERNATOR + DEAR STALKER + CYCLONE DIABLO + SUB ROSA + LUKE SEYMOUP + DOGSDAY + WILD TURKEY + NMA + POWERS KIDS + THE MANTELOPES + COFFIN UP! + PLURAL + IN THE ESKY + NO ONES HOME Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 2:00pm.
••AUSTRALIA-DAZE 2015 - FEAT: IMMIGRANT UNION
+ FLYYING COLOURS + WARMTH CRASHES IN + ATOLLS + CONTRAST + BLOODHOUNDS ON MY TRAIL + MINIATURES + VHS DREAM + 30/70 Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy.
4:30pm. $15.00.
••THE NEW SAVAGES Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. ••THE PASS OUTS + THE WARBIRDS + JAYA Yah Yah’s,
••BLOKES & SHEILAS PARTY - FEAT: BEDROCK LIVE + DJ
Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 6:00pm. $15.00.
••THE RESIGNATORS Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine. 8:30pm.
••BOWLED OVER FESTIVAL 2015 - FEAT: REMI + BAD//
Cbd. 8:00pm. $15.00.
••TOP 100% COOL PARTY MAX - FEAT: THE INFANTS +
••BLACK CAB + THE SUN BLINDNESS Shebeen, Melbourne ••BYO VINYL SUNDAY SESSION Yarra Lounge, Yarraville. 3:00pm.
••CALIGULU’S HORSE + ALITHIA + ORSOME WELLES +
KETTLESPIDER Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $15.00. ••CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMEN + APES The Hi-Fi, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $42.90.
Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $13.00. $10.00.
••CHERRY JAM Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm. ••CLOSET (GAY JAMBOREE) The Shadow Electric,
Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.
••DIRTY DEEDS & NO EXIT Musicland, Fawkner. 1:30pm.
$8.00.
••ESPY’S HOTTEST 100 P - FEAT: LAST DINOSAURS +
••TOTAL GIOVANNI + HTML FLOWERS + DOUGLAS FIR ••TOTO ECLIPSE Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 6:30pm. ••TRUCKFIGHTERS + KING OF THE NORTH + WARPED + DJ
••DALLAS CRANE + CHILD + DAVEY LANE + COWSMUFF
••WEEPING WILLOWS Union Hotel, Brunswick. 3:30pm.
Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $25.00.
••GRAMPS The Loft, Warrnambool. 8:00pm. ••HERE COMES THE SUN II - FEAT: THE DANDELION + THE
DUNES + WILDING + TRAPPIST AFTERLAND + BISON GRASS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $10.00. ••KISSTROYER + THE BROOKLYN HOOKERS Burvale Hotel, Nunawading. 8:00pm.
••LUAU COWBOYS Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. ••MEWITHOUTYOU + ELLIOT THE BULL + TINY LITTLE
HOUSES 170 Russell, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $45.00.
••MINIMUM WAGE - FEAT: NATHAN ROCHE + SCOTT &
CHARLENES WEDDING + OLD MATE Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 6:30pm.
••MODELS + GEOFF ACHISON BAND + STAND & DELIVER
80S + SUPER SOUNDS MIXTAPE Espy, St Kilda. 6:00pm. ••NAS PERFORMS ILLMATIC Forum Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.
••ODESZA + CHARLES MURDOCH Howler, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $45.20.
••PHIL JAMIESON + SINGLES Commercial Hotel, Morang South. 8:00pm.
••PIERS FESTIVAL - FEAT: PAINTERS & DOCKERS +
REBECCA BARNARD + FLYBZ + THE MYSTIC TRIO Princes
Pier, Port Melbourne. 12:00pm.
••PLASTIC - FEAT: TWELVE FOOT NINJA + KISSCHASY +
TEN THOUSAND + INTERNAL NIGHTMARE + BENEATH THE WATER + S EVER REST + SENTINEL + HIDEAWAY
BOBBY LOU HELLACOPTER Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd.
8:00pm. $35.00.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC ••A LOVE SUPREME (A CELEBRATION OF JOHN
JAPANESE WALLPAPER + LURCH & CHIEF + ORPHANS ORPHANS + THE HARPOONS + TOMMY FRANKLIN + ZA! + FOREIGN/NATIONAL + SINGLES + THEM BRUINS Espy, St Kilda. 11:00am.
••MONDAY NIGHT MASS - FEAT: SEWERS + CUNTZ + GIRL
CRAZY + DRUG SWEAT Northcote Social Club, Northcote.
6:00pm.
Cbd. 8:00pm. $18.00.
••STRANGERS IN TOWN + THE DESERT EAGLES +
••GEMMA TURVEY TRIO Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne ••KEVIN’S JAZZ NOTES Ruby’s Music Room, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $15.00.
••LIVE JAZZ SUNDAYS Elephant & Castle Hotel, Geelong. 3:00pm.
••SUMMER OF SOUL - FEAT: KYLIE AULDIST & THE
GLENROY ALL STARS + TRUDY & THE SATURDAY COWBOYS + DJ MANCHILD Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
••SUNDAYS IN THE SHADOWS - FEAT: WONDERCORE
ISLAND + CLEVER AUSTIN + QUEEN MAGIC + JAMIL ZACHARIA + DJ KIRKIS The Shadow Electric, Abbotsford.
3:00pm. $10.00.
••THE GIN CLUB TWO Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 4:30pm. ••THE UNDERSCORE ORCHESTRA + HORNS OF LEROY +
FUNKALLEROS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ••ASH GRUNWALD + TIMBERWOLF + THE KITE MACHINE Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm.
••CHRIS WILSON Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 3:00pm. $15.00.
+ CONGRATULATIONS EVERYBODY Old Bar, Fitzroy.
8:00pm. $5.00.
SHADOWS AT BAY + SPIDEY SPIDEY + MISSSTA Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 2:00pm. $10.00.
••TEX PERKINS & THE APE + BRITISH INDIA + ADALITA
+ HARTS + CHERRY DOLLS Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 3:00pm. $44.90.
••THE TIGER & ME + DAN LETHBRIDGE & THE
CAMPAIGNERS + AMARILLO Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 5:00pm. $12.00.
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC ••30/70 + MAYFAIR KYTES + PHIA Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5.00.
••ALLAN BROWNE TRIO Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $18.00.
••DARYL MCKENZIE JAZZ ORCHESTRA The Apartment, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $15.00.
ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK ••AUSTRALIA DAY SHAMWORTH FESTIVAL - FEAT:
HOGBELLY MORETON’S COUNTRY REVIEW + HOGBELLY MORETON’S COUNTRY REVIEW + BROOKE RUSSELL & THE MEAN REDS + SHELLEY SHORT + LACHY MOORE Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 2:00pm.
KEARNS Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale. 2:00pm. ••FIELD SEE & MASON Royal Oak Hotel, Fitzroy North.
••PATRICK WILSON & THE BARE RIVER QUEENS + TOM
••FLYING ENGINE STRINGBAND The Mercat, Melbourne.
••PETE EWINGS + HEXHAM VOX Labour In Vain, Fitzroy.
••HARVEY CARTEL + DEADLY BLUES Labour In Vain, Fitzroy.
••THE DOODADS Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. ••THE MUTUAL APPRECIATION SOCIETY - FEAT: MATTY
12:00pm. 5:00pm.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 58
$15.00.
••MUNDANE MONDAYS - FEAT: COOL SOUNDS + ORBITS
4:00pm.
SERVICES SOUNDPARK REHEARSALS NORTHCOTE. From $50. Great rooms/p.a’s. Parking/Storage/Hire. Phone Andrew 0425 706 382. Soundparkstudios.com.au
Abbotsford. 4:00pm. $20.00.
COLTRANE) Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $39.00.
••DOUBLE SHOT BLUES + IAN VANDY + ALAN DAVID
WANTED VOCALIST WANTED for hard rock band. Ages 19-25. Influences: Motley Crue, Guns n Roses, Van Halen, Ratt, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Alice in Chains, etc. Rehearse in Hallam Monday 6pm-midnight. For all questions or to discuss any information further, email or txt Tommy (txt 0488 613 012 or email tommyrocker8@gmail.com) ROCK GUITARIST WANTED 0433 726 449 BANDS/ACTS WANTED for Espy Shows. Shoot an email through to mark@gunnmusic.com.au for more details
DREEMS + TWINSY St Kilda Bowling Club, St Kilda.
12:00pm. $20.00.
8:00pm. $8.00.
EMPAT LIMA + CREPES Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd.
••CLAUDE HAY The B.east, Brunswick East. 9:00pm. ••COOL SOUNDS + PALM SPRINGS + TAM VANTAGE Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 4:00pm.
ONTIME Pier Live, Frankston. 8:00pm.
••JAM SUNDAYS Musicland, Fawkner. 6:00pm. ••JEMMA & THE CLIFTON HILLBILLIES + THE BAND WHO
KNEW TOO MUCH Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 4:00pm. ••JESS HIESER + IVY FOX + ANDREW LOADSMAN 303, Northcote. 7:00pm. $10.00.
••LANI FORD & JUSTINE JONES Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 2:00pm.
••LIME & STEEL Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm. ••MERRI CREAK Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm. ••SUNDAY SESSIONS - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Lucky Coq, Windsor. 4:00pm.
DOCKRAY 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $5.00.
GREEN + SHANE REILLY Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.
TUESDAY JAN 27
INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS
WITH RUTH MIHELCIC Australia Day is upon us, and that means triple j’s Hottest 100 is about to fill your ears with the best tunes from last year. The countdown kicks off on Monday January 26 from midday and you can listen on the radio, online or on the app. If you miss it, don’t stress – it’ll be replayed again on Sunday February 1, along with the Hottest 200-101. For those that are throwing a Hottest 100 party, register it at www.abc. net.au/triplej for the chance to have it featured on air and win every feature album of 2014 plus some rad releases like Like A Version and One Night Stand. We’ve got a few good opportunities for students this week, depending on your area of interest. If you’re in Year 10 or 11 and are looking to pursue a career in the Arts Industry, check out the schoolbased traineeship at Footscray Community Arts Centre. Duties include general admin support, client relations, responding to customer service enquiries, some equipment and facility maintenance, and front desk services. You’ll also earn a qualification and a national training wage while you learn. To apply send your resume and a cover letter to Rebecca Pavez at Rebecca.Pavez@aflsportsready.com.au. This year the 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 to 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. Young Victorians aged 18-25 looking to get established in any area of the music industry (performing artists, composer, producer, sound engineer, event manager, booking agent, publicist, journalists, rock photographers, etc) need to check out the FReeZA Mentoring Program before applications close next week. This year’s program will see participants matched up, one-on-one, with a supportive mentor who is already established within the industry. Positions are limited so get your application in ASAP 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 songwriting 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 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 22 • B-Boys World Champions Tour w/ DJ Hooch & DJ Renegade, featuring The World’s Best: Pocket (Kor), Marcio (Ger), Greenteck (Can), Popping Showcase, Hip Hop Freestyle, 4 vs 4 Battles, The Hi-Fi, 125 Swanston Street, Melbourne, 1pm, $54.50, www.thehifi.com.au, U18 FRIDAY JANUARY 23 • Fat Freddy’s Drop, Palais Theatre, Lower Esplanade, St Kilda, 7pm, $74.90, www.ticketmaster. com.au, AA SATURDAY JANUARY 24 • The Vamps, Festival Hall, 300 Dudley St, West Melbourne, $58.40, www.festivalhall.com.au, AA • Kerser, The Hi-Fi, 125 Swanston Street, Melbourne, 2pm, $25.50, www.thehifi.com.au, U18 • The Kooks, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, www.chuggentertainment.com, AA
JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC ••THE RUBY RODGERS EXPERIENCE HAMMOND COMBO 303, Northcote. 8:00pm.
••ELISSA RODGERS SEXTET Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14.00.
••AIMEE VOLKOFSKY & THE MOLOTOVS + THE BORTE +
WINTER NATIONALE Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm. ••COSMIC KAHUNA + GRIM RHYTHM Old Bar, Fitzroy.
••STAV Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.
Cbd. 8:30pm. $18.00.
8:00pm. $6.00.
ACOUSTIC/COUNTRY/BLUES/FOLK
Melbourne. 7:00pm.
••DAMON SMITH + MANDY CONNELL Retreat Hotel,
••MELODY POOL + TIMOTHY NELSON Public Bar, North
Bar, Brunswick. 5:00pm. $30.00.
••WISHFUL + TULALAH + HARRISON STORM Workers Club,
••SWEET FELICIA & THE HONEYTONES + DJ MAX
ACCESS ALL AGES
••JULIAN BANKS TRIO Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne
Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully. 2:00pm.
••SUNDAY SOIREE - FEAT: JULIA MESSENGER The Milk
PRESENT
4:00pm.
••SINFUL PLEASURES Wesley Anne, Northcote. 7:00pm. ••THE BRUNSWICK HOTEL DISCOVERY NIGHT - FEAT:
••SUNDAY SESSIONS - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Ferntree
THE PUSH
LANEWAVES Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $10.00.
WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV
Brunswick. 7:30pm.
••IRISH SESSIONS Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:00pm. ••JON LANGFORD Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. $20.00. ••OPEN MIC Prince Public Bar, St Kilda . 8:00pm.
thursday 22nd @ 8.30pm
Jukebox Racket (Vinyl racketeers) Friday 23rd @ 9.30 pm
SATURDAY 24TH JANUARY
MOOSEJAW RIFLE CLUB (EP LAUNCH) FROM 7PM
SUNDAY 24TH JANUARY
Slime Dime & PRaiRie kingS (Hokum swing) saturday 24th @ 9.30pm
8pm - Minnie Marks
sunday 25th @ 5.30 pm
8pm - Timothy Nelson (WA) 9pm - Mike Waters
SPectRum (oz rock legends)
HARVEY CARTEL DEADLY BLUES
meRRi cReak (alt-country harmony)
AUS DAY - MONDAY 26TH JANUARY
tuesday 27th @8pm
FROM 5PM
PETE EWING’S HEXHAM VOX
DOUGY & WESTON BBQ ON THE ROOF TOP EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY & MONDAY ALL SUMMER LONG...
Wed 21st January
WINE, WHISKEY, WOMEN
iRiSH SeSSion (Fancy fiddlin’)
all gigs aRE FREE EXCELLENT RESTAURANT AND BAR MEALS
LOMOND HOTEL 225 NicholsoN stREEt BRuNswick East, Vic 3057 9380 1752
Thurs 22nd January
Fri 23rd January
6pm: Traditional Irish Session 8.30pm - Dave Johnson,
Simon Marks Sat 24th january
9pm: Lime
& Steel (NSW)
Sun 25th january
4pm: Pheasant Pluckers 6.30pm: Tim Scanlan
& Toshi Bobhran Tues 27th january
8pm:
Weekly Trivia
The Drunken Poet, 65 Peel Street (directly opposite Queen Vic Market), Phone: 03 9348 9797. www.thedrunkenpoet.com.au
BURGERS-BOOZE-BANDS WEDNESDAY 21ST 7PM
MELLOW DIAS THUMP THURSDAY 22ND 7PM
MC SLAVE CHOPPER REID DJ FITCHIE FRIDAY 23RD 7PM
GROOVE CONTROL SATURDAY 24TH 7PM
ENDLESS NIGHTS
FANTASTIC MAN
SUNDAY25TH 12PM - 1AM
LOOSE JOINTS
E VE R Y T U E S D AY R O C K A N D P O P C U LT U R E T R I V I A
TUESDAYS
h o s t e d by J e s s M c G u i r e & G e o r g e H
$6 CHILLI DOGS ALL NIGHT
EVERY WEDNESDAY
GRUMPY TRIVIA WEDNESDAY JAN 21
2 FOR 1 MEALS $12 JUGS THURSDAY JAN 22
THE BEAT RAFFLE
wITH POSTIe P & DJ BuICk @ 7Pm- fuNk/SOuL/PArTy JAmS & $1 wINGS $15 JuGS ALL NIGHT. DrINk DrINkS, HeAr BeATS, wIN STuff.
FRIDAY JAN 23
- T A B L E B O O K I N G S T R O N G LY R E C O M M E N D E D -
IT’S A WING THING
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 -
every sunday s u n d ay b l o o dy s u n d ay d j t o p h e av y
- 4 s t y l e s o f b l o o dy m a rys a l l d ay -
T H U R S D AY 2 3 r d J A N U A R Y
WILDLIFE
Minton's Playhouse Sessions
SATURDAY JAN 24
f r i d ay 2 4 t h j a n u a ry
DrumNBASS/JuNGLe @8Pm
VIRUS QUInTET COCOA nOIRE
S A T U R D AY 2 5 t h j a n u a ry
SUNDAY JAN 25
C a p t i ve s + F O A M
wITH DrumNBASS @ 4Pm
O P E N 7 d ays a we e k 11AM TIL LATE
AT 4Pm fOLLOweD By LIve HIP HOP AND fuNk wITH @ 8Pm. @ 8Pm
LIQUID SUnDAY SESSIOnS $15 JuGS ALL DAy
A L L f r e e e N T ry
GrumPy HOur $6 PINTS AND $5 BASICS Tues-Fri from 4-7pm.125 Smith Street, Fitzroy.
swa m p f u n k Dj Nui & Co
pbs djs
facebook.com/thebeastburgers i n s t a g r a m T H E B E A S T B U R G E R S - w w w. t h e b - e a s t. c o m PH 9036 1456 | 80 LYGON ST BRUNSWICK EAST
www.GrumPySGreeN.COm.Au CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND FREE SHIT AT BEAT.COM.AU
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 59
THE LOCAL For more information or ad bookings call Aleksei on 9428 3600
News Bites. Food’s always been a central part of my life. As a half Macedonian and perpetually being told, “I’ll cook you something,” or “You must be hungry,” by my aunties, my appreciation for food runs pretty deep, especially when it acts as the epicentre for gathering of friends and family. This is the first Beat Eats column, in which we’ll be featuring food news from around the traps. We’ve got such a multicultural culinary scene in Melbourne and it’s something to be really proud of. Na zdravie!* Soph Goulopoulos, Beat Eats editor
* “Cheers” - the only word in Macedonian I know how to say.
The Rochester
Team members of Abbotsford’s Dr Morse, Aviary Hotel and The Vic Bar have come together and confirmed the beloved Rochester will reopen in midMarch. It will once again host live music, DJs and functions, plus everyone’s favourite Queen of Crabs, Miss Katie, will move her Crab Shack to the venue following its reopening at 202 Johnston St Fitzroy.
G&Tea Gin Garden
Gin lovers, rejoice. Spearheaded by Andy Griffiths (Rum Diary Bar) and Daniel Monk (The Toff in Town, Joe Taylor), the new G&Tea Gin Garden is set to open its doors in the heart of Fitzroy tomorrow. The extensive drinks list will feature a dedicated section on gin and tonic, made with a variety of homemade tonics and garnishes, in addition to cocktails, tap beer, cider and an intriguing wine list. The food menu will be centered on High Tea, with unique cake stands holding sweet, savory, sandwiches, plus shared charcuterie and cheese boards. G&Tea Gin Garden opens this Thursday January 22. It’ll be located at 100 Kerr St, Fitzroy.
RETROSTAR WAREHOUSE SALE Retrostar, Melbourne’s best and biggest collection of vintage clothing and accessories, is hosting another ‘original’ warehouse sale of their stock. Over 12,000 pieces are bound to vanish on the 24th and 25th of January, where not a single item will cost more than a tenner. To vamp up a dull look or indulge in some retail therapy, these original pieces are full of personality and won’t break the bank. Unless you, like us, plan on
Tanked Magic Mountain Saloon
The seasoned hospitality dudes who brought you Cookie, The Toff in Town, Boney and Revolver Upstairs have just opened their next venture, Magic Mountain Saloon; the fifth collaboration between Camillo Ippoliti and head chef Karen Batson. The result is a saloon-style eatery specialising in a blend of Thai and Australian cuisine and will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner with open spaces and intimate pockets. Magic Mountain Saloon’s extensive menu introduces an Asian breakfast menu, which I’m predicting will be the next big thing. Magic Mountain Saloon is located at 62 Little Collins St. See www.magicmountainsaloon.com.au for more details. And they take bookings, hallelujah.
The innovative team behind celebrated Fitzroy establishment, Hammer & Tong, are adding a kitchen takeover to their repertoire by launching their new kitchen installation, Tanked, at the popular South Yarra bar, Less Than Zero this week. Tanked will bring a hint of Hammer & Tong to Melbourne’s inner south and needless to say, we’re pretty excited. Less Than Zero is located at 153 Commercial Road, South Yarra.
taking advantage of this discount miracle and buying it all. With real, one-of-a-kind vintage, you can’t help but buy something unique for your wardrobe. But with Retrostar’s Warehouse Sale, you can’t help but buy it all. SATURDAy 24TH & SUNDAy 25TH JANUARy, 8AM TO 5PM, 33-37 STEWART STREET, BRUNSWICK.
ACROSS
DOWN
The Bellville
The Belleville is the latest project from the folk behind Section 8, Ferdydurke and The B.East, which will be serving up gourmet chicken dishes, beer, wine and spirits alongside the same type of high quality entertainment we’ve come to expect from its sister venues. Located in Globe Alley in the CBD.
Shifty Chèvre
They say eating too much cheese before you go to sleep gives you nightmares, but the only thing that I can think of that is worse is not having cheese at all; I’ll take Freddy Krueger changing my tyre any day. Enter Shifty Chèvre, who stock over 25 local and international cheeses. They’re still waiting on their liquor license, so they’re just open during the day for now. To sate your cravings, they’re open for breakfast and lunch with a selection of open baguettes, croque-monsieurs and fresh salads, all for under $10. Shifty Chèvre is located at 375 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.
Melbourne Tomato Festival
Fonda Mexican
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 60
Got some gourmet gossip? Tasty twaddle? Let me know: soph@furstmedia.com.au
WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV
puzzleguy@beat.com.au
The ever-popular Fonda Mexican have just opened the latest addition to the Fonda family by taking over a corner shop front on Glenferrie Road in Hawthorn, making it their fourth in total. In typical Fonda style, think super bright pastels, clever interior design and decoration, and a phat baseline. It’s the kind of venue Glenferrie Road is in desperate need of, having dropped off in innovation and buzz in more recent years. Executive Chef Gery Lopez has introduced some new, exciting flavours for the summer menu, including Guajillo chilli pork, portabello and shitake and of course, their famous fish tacos. 651 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn.
If you’ve ever seen or read Looking for Alibrandi, you’ll know this is something to get excited about. The Melbourne Tomato Festival, taking place on Sunday March 1 at Farm Vigano, will gather in a celebration of Italian culture, good food and fresh produce. Although the tomato is not native to Italy or Australia, for generations it has come to typify Italian culture through its use in cooking, customs and festivals. The Grossi Family has initiated the Melbournese Movement and the Melbourne Tomato Festival will be its key yearly event. There’ll be passata (fresh tomato puree) workshops, cooking demonstrations and local farmers and produce stalls. Tickets are $25 for adults, children three to six years old are $10 and kids under five are free. Head to www.melbournetomatofestival.com for more information.
BACKSTAGE For more information or ad bookings call Aleksei on 9428 3600
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Comprehensive PA systems delivered, set up and operated with crew. Compact, easy, sound systems you can pickup and assemble yourself.Components such as microphones, speakers and effects are also available separately. Lights also available. For details phone Mark Barry on 03 9889 1999 or 0419 993 966
www.bssound.com.au bssound@bigpond.com
Rehearsal & Recording Studios Large Rooms $70 Medium Rooms $60 ANY NIGHT! Large Rooms $60 Medium Rooms $50 EVERY DAY!
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guitaRS & ampS wanted top ca$H paid
THIS SPACE COULD BE YOURS. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR AD BOOKINGS CALL ALEKSEI ON 9428 3600
9391 3444
expeRt guitaR & amp RepaiRS modS & ReStoRation faSt tuRnaRound affoRdable RateS tecHnicianS on Site
Open 7 Days till Late Unit 10, 59-61 Hudsons Road, Spotswood 3015 www.soundcitymelbourne.com
1131 Burke rd, keW 3101 PHone: 03 9817 7000 WWW.eAStgAtemuSic.com.Au
AUSTRALIA’S ONLY NATIONAL MUSIC STREET PRESS WITH A COMPREHENSIVE AND FREE DISTRIBUTION. DESIGNED, WRITTEN AND CREATED FOR MUSICIANS AND LOVERS OF MUSIC.
SEPTEMBER
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• 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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INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH
MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP
With Christie Eliezer * Stuff for this column to be emailed to <celiezer@netspace.net.au> by Friday 5pm
AIR EXTENDS RDIO PARTNERSHIP
The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) extended its deal with Rdio as its official digital music streaming partner. The partnership also extends to the Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards. Through the year, AIR and Rdio will collaborate on various initiatives to “promote and widen the reach of Australian independent artists.” Rdio will also stream the Carlton Dry Independent Music Charts every week via www.rdio.com/people/ausindies/.
SPOTIFY HITS 15M SUBSCRIBERS
Spotify now has 15 million paying subscribers and 60 million active users. As an indicator of how fast the service is growing, it had 12.5 million paying subscribers and 50 million active users last November, 10 million in May and 6 million paying subscribers and 24 million active users in March 2013. 80 per cent of new subscribers came from the free mobile. Mobile devices now account for over half of all listening, with 42 per cent from smartphones and 10 per cent from tablets.
MORE AUSSIES HEADING FOR SXSW
14 more Aussie acts can showcase at South By Southwest. They are Peter Bibby, Kirin J Callinan, DCM, The Delta Riggs, DMA’s, Falls, Fraser A. Gorman, The Kite String Tangle, Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders, Meg Mac, Tkay Maidza, Oscar Key Sung, Remi and San Cisco. Previously announced were The Church, Angus & Julia Stone, Courtney Barnett, Mansionair, Hiatus Kaiyote, Gang Of Youths and Lenka.
ROCK BEATS HIP HOP IN THE US
Rock is the most popular genre in the US, according to info collected by Nielsen Music. Rock represented 29 per cent of all sales and streams in 2014. R&B/hip hop was second (17.2 per cent) and pop was third (14.9 per cent). But when it came solely to streaming, R&B/hip hop (28.5 per cent) lead with rock at 24.7 per cent.
the CMC Rocks Queensland festival in Ipswich from Friday March 13 to Sunday March 15. * The CherryRock fest looks like returning to AC/DC Lane on Sunday May 10. * Australian producer and engineer Victor Van Vugt’s working with the likes of Depeche Mode, the Bad Seeds and P.J. Harvey has paid off. He and his wife Felicia just sold their a 3,000 square-foot New York loft in the Tribeca district for US$5.42 million after buying it for $2.456 million in 2005. * At an academic forum next week at UK Aston University, among discussions about business psychology and the future of welfare is a two-day look at Kraftwerk. Topics include Fun Fun Fun on the Autobahn: Kraftwerk Challenging Germanness, and We Are the Robots! On the Cultural-Historical Origins of the Man-Machine. A disco will replace the usual formal dinner. * Josh Pyke is working on a project with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra which includes performing his songs with them at the Opera House in April. * The 500 first release tickets for Wollongong’s Farmer & The Owl festival sold out in five minutes due to its “pay what you like.” * The Majestic Theatre in Pomona, Queensland has hired paranormal investigator Kade Jones to investigate long-time rumours it’s haunted. * A new label set up by Wollongong teen musicians Nicholas Kyrakoudes and James Cooper is Live Acoustic Wollongong (LAW) Records. * David Frazer, who runs the Riverboats Music Festival in Echuca, is confident it will be a sell out. 70 per cent of tickets have already sold for the Friday February 13 to Sunday February 15 event with Tex Perkins and the Dark Horses, The Whitlams, Diesel, Mick Harvey, Adalita, Sal Kimber and The Rollin’ Wheel. * 3GG Gippsland (finally) has a new owner: Resonate Broadcasting passed it on to Capital Radio network boss Kevin Blyton. 3GG was to be sold to another media company last May but it failed to make payment. * Eminem dropped around to the house of a Detroit fan Gage Garmo who was dying of bone cancer and wanted to meet him as his final wish. They spoke about hip hop and football at length. Garmo died the next day. * Rap Genius reported Beyoncé ft Jay Z’s Drunk In Love and Eminem’s Rap God were two most viewed tracks on their site last year. Most viewed artists were Drake, Eminem, and Beyoncé.
DORSAL FINS SIGN TO REMOTE CONTROL
Remote Control Records signed Melbourne tenpiece Dorsal Fins, releasing their debut album Mind Renovation through Gripless on Friday February 13. Dorsal Fins was formed by Liam McGorry (Saskwatch/Eagle & The Worm) to experiment with new sounds through collaborations and genre-hopping. The new single is the title track, with horns and vocals from Jarrad Brown and Ella Thompson, and launched at the Gasometer on Saturday January 31.
RUBY BOOTS SIGNED TO LOST HIGHWAY
Lost Highway Records Australia, distributed through Universal Music, added Western Australian hailed Melbourne-based alt-country singer/songwriter Ruby Boots (aka Bex Chilcott) to its roster. Her new single Middle Of Nowhere recounts how she journeyed to Utah to collaborate with Vikki Thorn of The Waifs who lives on a remote farm. Chilcott almost didn’t make it through US customs and remembers waking up in darkness on the driveway after succumbing to jetlag. Middle Of Nowhere was co-written with Thorn, who guests on vocals, and produced with Tony Buchen.
NEW ADDITIONS TO KIIS 101.1
Additions to KIIS 101.1fm before its launch this week were Krystal Keller to read The Morning Show news and deliver entertainment news, Alex Day as coproducer of the Matt Tilley & Jane Hall show while Hughesy & Kate get Maria Blampied as newsreader and Simon Valentine as audio producer.
ANOTHER SIGNING FOR 123 AGENCY
On the eve of east coast shows to set up the release later in the year of their EP, Brisbane dance band The Belligerents appointed Melbourne’s 123 Agency as their national bookers.
DOG WHISTLE LINKS WITH UNIVERSAL MUSIC
Sydney label Dog Whistle Music struck a distribution deal with Universal Music, with first releases by Victoria Avenue and Melanie Dyer. Dog Whistle was set up last year by HSF Artist Services owner and former EMI and Festival exec Tom Inglis and Brisbane-based producer Andrew Cochrane.
LIFE IS NOISE TO OPEN MELBOURNE OFFICE
Perth-based national touring company Life Is Noise is opening a second office in Melbourne under new Operations Manager Jack Midalia. He can be contacted on jack@lifeisnoise.com. More info at beat. com.au.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Following a social media flurry over whether a “leaked” track Another World was a new Avalanches track or a bogus (but damn good) imitation, their record label Modular responded: “If that’s what The Avalanches dished up after 15 years I would be bitterly disappointed.”
L-FRESH THE LION JOINS ELEFANT TRAKS
Sydney hip hopper L-FRESH The Lion is the latest to join Elefant Traks. Its Label Manager Tim Levinson aka Urthboy noticed him six years ago when he booked him to open events at The Factory and was knocked out by his “powerful presence, optimism and unexpected lyrics.” L-FRESH, who released his The One album last year, is an ambassador for the antiracism All Together Now and founded the Power To The Peaceful Community, a clothing label and online community that exists to encourage peace.
THINGS WE HEAR
* Which veteran operators are about to pull the rug from under the feet of some young promoters who run the clubs that they want? * Which record producer and his ex-wife gave each other death glares after bumping into each other in the drinks queue at a premiere? * At a Foo Fighters’ surprise show at the LA Forum for Dave Grohl’s 46th birthday, Alice Cooper came out and joined them for School’s Out. * Hilltop Hoods’ DJ Debris told triple j last Friday’s Beat The Drum concert to 25,000 was the first show he did after he had his gallbladder removed after the last tour. The Hoods will do more Australian festivals (including Future) before heading back to Europe and the US during the northern summer. * The Country Music Channel (CMC) Awards will be held in Brisbane for the next three years starting from the sixth one on Thursday March 12. It coincides with BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 62
MORE HARDWARE FIRMS GETTING INTO MUSIC THE SMITH STREET BAND DONATING TO REFUGEES
Melbourne’s The Smith Street Band are donating the majority of proceeds from the sale of their new Tony Abbott aimed single Wipe That Shit-Eating Grin Off Your Punchable Face to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Their gigs over the Australia Day weekend will also raise money for the fund. The single, they posted, is about “Our government’s dehumanising stance on refugees and the empty promises of our current government in general.” It’s available at gigs, their label Poison City’s website (www.poisoncityestore.com) and their Bandcamp page. Portion of sales from Poison City also go to the fund.
BEGLEY, BUTLER AND QUIGLEY CROWD-SOURCING FOR TOUR
Alt-folk country group Begley Butler and Quigley started crowd funding to raise $12,000 for their BBQ to Broken Hill Tour and documentary. The act is made up of Helen Begley (Milk), Rachael Oak Butler and PBS presenter and Chubby Rae & The Elevators member Marisa Quigley. The tour starts on January 28 and runs for eight shows over three states in 12 days covering 2,696km. See www.pozible.com/project/188655.
More hardware companies are moving into the music business. Technics is about to launch its music download platform Technics Tracks. Bose has been setting up its own next generation streaming music platform to take on Spotify and Pandora. Wearable technology firm Muzik’s latest headphones comes with one-touch social sharing. Going the other way, UK dance music brand Ministry of Sound teamed with audio product manufacturer Bullitt Group for a new range of devices including high-quality headphones, including a DJ-spec over-ear model, and wireless Bluetooth and connected multi-room speakers.
5SOS, IGGY, MAKES FORBES LIST
Two Aussies made it into US business magazine Forbes’ annual 30 under 30 in Music for 2015. Iggy Azalea was at #4 after Florida Georgia Line who topped the list, Afrojack and. Jhené Aiko. Five Seconds of Summer sat at #29. Also on the list were Ed Sheeran, Hozier, Porter Robinson, A$AP Rocky, Sam Smith, Meghan Trainor, FKA Twigs and Charli XCX.
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES’ CONTRIBUTION TO UK ECONOMY HIT HIGHS
Contribution by the creative industries to the UK economy is at a record high, pumping in an extra
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LIFELINES Dating: guitar hero Jimmy Page, 71, and actress Scarlett Sabet, 25. Dating: Kylie Jenner and Tyga spotted hanging out. Married: X-Factor’s Nathaniel Willemse and Fujan Erfanian in Lankwai, Ill: “unexpected illness” saw 360 postpone his national tour after two shows. Ill: a fundraiser is being held in the Whitsundays for local musician Mark Nicol who is battling cancer. Jailed: Darren Partington, DJ and keyboard player of UK acid house pioneers 808 State, for 18 months selling heroin and crack with a street value of £300. His lawyer told the court he did it because he had a debt of £145.00. In Court: Dashrath Thapa, 24, one of 103 busted at Stereosonic Brisbane last month, fined $400 for sneaking four E tabs in, but spared a conviction. In Court: Van Halen allow drummer Alex’s ex-wife to use band name on pillows, blankets and ponchos Died: Ray McFall, 88, one-time owner of Liverpool’s Cavern Club where The Beatles got their start. Died: Clifford Adams, trombonist with Kool & the Gang, 62, liver cancer. Died: Canberra pop culture journo, author and screenwriter Mark Juddery, 43, from cancer, which spread to his lymph nodes, liver and lungs. Died: US bassist Tim Drummond, 74. He played on classics by Neil Young’s Harvest, Don Henley, Dylan, CSN and Ry Cooder. Died: Bill Thompson, longtime manager of Jefferson Airplane and its offshoots as Hot Tuna and Starship, 70, heart attack. Died: Alex Omes, co-founder of Miami’s Ultra Music Festival, 43. Died: Trevor Ward-Davies, 70, bassplaying Dozy of British ‘60s hit-makers Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich (Legend Of Xanadu, Bend It). Died: US producer songwriter Kim Fowley, 75, bladder cancer. He put the Runaways together, championed Tasmania’s Innocents and wrote for Kiss, Warren Zevon, The Seekers, Alice Cooper and Helen Reddy.
£76.9 billion a year. That’s £8.8m per hour or £146,000 per minute. In latest figures, covering 2012/13, the contribution accounted for 5 per cent of the economy. They make up 1.7 million jobs, 5.6 per cent of total UK jobs.
UNIVERSAL MUSIC’S ANDY VINCENT HEADS TO SPOTIFY
Andy Vincent joins Spotify as Label Relations Manager for Australia and New Zealand. He was Key Account Manager for Streaming at Universal Music. He’ll head up key stakeholder relationships with major labels, indies, artist management and industry bodies, responsible for spearheading artist marketing campaigns, content, and Spotify artist initiatives throughout the region. He replaces Rene Chambers, who relocated to New York.
GOOGLE RECEIVED 345M TAKEDOWNS
Google received 345 million requests to remove infringing links in 2014, said Torrent Freak, a 75 per cent jump from the year before. UK music trade body BPI lead the list, requesting the removal of 60 million infringing links. The most takedown requests were aimed at 4shared.com, rapidgator.net and uploaded. net, each of which had five million allegedly infringing URLs.