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Thursday 3rd December UPSTAIRS
GUNN MUSIC MELBOURNE ARTIST SHOWDOWN Sat 5 December 5pm
DAN PARSONS & BAND
Accomplished singer-songwriter, playing songs from his brilliant third album Valleywood.
Sat 5 December 9pm
THE THREE KINGS
Hard-rockin’, swampy blues that takes you on a ride through America’s juke joints.
Sun 6 December 3.30pm
DAN LETHBRIDGE
Playing songs from his latest album Inner Western, he bridges the gap between alt-country, folk and indie pop.
Sun 6 December 5pm
MISERABLE LITTLE BASTARDS Rambling, rollicking Depression-era showtunes with loads of awesome harmonies, led by Jimmy Stewart.
Tuesdays:
TRIVIA
LIONHOUSE / PEA AND HAM SOUP / CATHOUSE CANARY /RENEGADE JOE / VALCROW / DANIEL LUHRS 7:30PM - $15 ENTRY
DOWNSTAIRS
MIXED THURSDAYS
HIP HOP NIGHT FT. SELBY / SEEKA / SOLEX / MANIX / THE RUCKUS / STONECUTTAZ $15 COCKTAIL JUGS, $15 BOAGS JUGS 7:30 - 11:30 ~ FREE ENTRY
Friday 4th December UPSTAIRS
GIRLTHING XMAS BASH FUZZY / GIRLTHING DJS (SYD) / ARTS SIMONE (LIVE) / MIMI / CAMI 10:00PM - $15 ENTRY
DOWNSTAIRS
PARTY & BULLSHIT SONIC VIBES / MIMI 9:00 - 3:00 ~ FREE ENTRY
Saturday 5th December
BIG DANCING SATURDAYS 2 LEVELS BATESY / GET BUSY / LARRIE / PAIGE PLAY / MS DOOG
9:00 - 3:00 ~ FREE ENTRY
Coming Up With mysterious Mr. Drew, phone to book your table of up to 6
THURS10TH DECEMBER - METHODICAL MAYHEM FT. DR. MOTH / SILENT CIRKUS / LOGIC DEFIES LOGIC / CYPRUS 8:00pm ~ $5 ENTRY THURS 17TH DECEMBER - LOUISE LOVE CARD HOUSES / JE WHEELER 8:00PM ~ $5 ENTRY
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SpECIalS t n I P P a e H Ze aNd C NEs fROm 7pm VeGAn BoNO Tu Pu K RoCk
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THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS NOTHING BUT THEIVES UNVEIL MELBOURNE HEADLINE SHOW
Ritchie Ramone
CHERRY REVEALS CHERRYROCK016 Cherry has revealed plans for the tenth edition of Australia’s only dedicated rock’n’roll street festival, CHERRYROCK016, taking place on Sunday May 1 across two stages in AC/DC Lane and Cherry Bar. Headlining the event will be the legendary drummer for The Ramones, Richie Ramone, playing drums and singing Ramones’ favourites in his only Victorian appearance for the year. In addition to writing tracks for the albums Animal Boy, Too Tough To Die, and Halfway to Sanity, Richie was the sole composer of Somebody Put Something In My Drink and sang lead vocals on (You) Can’t Say Anything Nice. CHERRYROCK016 goes down Sunday May 1. Tickets are on sale now through Cherry’s website.
GILLIAN WELCH AND DAVID RAWLINGS ANNOUNCE 2016 MELBOURNE SHOWS 2015 Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement for Songwriting Award winners Gillian Welch and David Rawlings will make their long awaited return to Australian shores next year for two very special tours. They will be playing as the duo, Gillian Welch, in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane before they transform into the quintet of the Dave Rawlings Machine for the drive back down the east coast. It will be their first tour of Australia in 11 years. The first show will take place on Friday February 5, while the second will go ahead on Friday February 19. Both shows are at the Palais Theatre. Tickets via Ticketmaster.
THINGS OF STONE AND WOOD ANNOUNCE MELBOURNE SHOW Things of Stone and Wood have announced an exclusive Melbourne show this December. The band’s career started off with a residency at The Espy, so they’ve decided that St Kilda will be the location for their only performance in 2015. Across their 26-year-career, Things of Stone and Wood have scored many accolades including a top ten single with Happy Birthday Helen and a gold album for The Yearning, embarked on international tours and even earned a Late Show parody. The band reformed last year for their 25th anniversary and sold out three Melbourne shows, as well as venues all around the country. Things of Stone and Wood will play Memo Music Hall on Friday December 18. Tickets are on sale through the venue.
UK five-piece Nothing But Thieves have announced a Melbourne headline show to accompany their appearance at Soundwave. The alt-rock boys released their self-titled debut album in October via Sony. Recorded between Angelic Studios, Little Drummer Boy and Hits & Arts Studios, the album was mixed by Cenzo Townshend (U2, Thirty Seconds To Mars) and Adam Noble (Placebo, Don Broco, Kids In Glass Houses) and cracked the Top 30 of the ARIA Albums Chart off the back of singles Itch and Tripswitch. Catch ‘em at Ding Dong Lounge Wednesday January 27. Tickets via Oztix.
THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS ANNOUNCE 2016 ALBUM TOUR As part of their annual Summer SoundSystem outings, The Beautiful Girls have announced a limited run of performances across Australia throughout early 2016. The performances will follow a nine month long hiatus for the band, during which lead singer/songwriter Mat McHugh released his critically acclaimed album WAVES as a free download, and was sadly forced to cancel the album tour mid-way through due to extensive neck and back injuries. The Summer SoundSystem 2016 tour takes The Beautiful Girls to The Westernport Hotel on Wednesday January 6, Torquay Hotel on Thursday January 7, and The Grand in Mornington on Friday January 8. Tickets are available now through Oztix.
OF MONSTERS AND MEN REVEAL 2016 MELBOURNE SHOW Of Monsters and Men will return to Australia next year. The Icelandic sensations recently delivered a rapturous performance at this year’s Splendour In The Grass, and have since performed at the likes of New York’s Beacon Theatre to LA’s Greek Theatre, along with an appearance at Austin City Limits. Currently in the midst of a huge European and UK tour (including two sold-out London Brixton Academy shows earlier this week), 2016 will bring multiple Lollapalooza appearances, South African festival performances and now an Australian tour. Catch them on Wednesday May 4 at the Palais Theatre. Tickets via Ticketmaster.
Free $hit BODYJAR + THE MEANIES On Friday December 18 at the Prince Bandroom, two of Melbourne’s punk rock icons, Bodyjar and The Meanies, will team up for a colossal Christmas showdown. The gig will be the first time in over 20 years the two Melbourne bands have been featured on the same lineup, and joining them on the night will be High Tension and Cowsmuff. Do you want free tickets to this gargantuan show? We bet you do. Hit up beat. com.au/freeshit to win.
THE BUREAU Some seriously legendary soul artists and some funky as hell locals will descend upon the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Friday December 11 for The Bureau; a newly formed boutique festival that brings together the very best of Melbourne’s famous food and live music cultures. The oneday festival will feature the likes of The Temptations, Charles Bradley, C+C Music Factory, Saskwatch, Andy Bull, Asta, Psuedo Echo, Magic America and Cookin’ On 3 Burners, while a range of food trucks, premium local produce, wines and imported beers will all be on offer during the event. Want a free double pass? Head to beat.com.au/freeshit to score yourself some soul.
THE MACCABEES Chart-topping UK indie rock outfit The Maccabees are on their way to our sunny shores this year to play The Falls Festival, and they plan to knock out a headline show while they’re here. They’ll be swooning 170 Russell crowds on Wednesday January 6, and we’ve got some double passes to swing in your direction. Want in on the action? Go and visit beat. com.au/freeshit to win.
D’Angelo and the Vanguard
ANDRAS AND OSCAR REGROUP FOR MELBOURNE SHOW Having spent three straight months touring Europe, Andras & Oscar have confirmed a local headline show at Shadow Electric. Their European tour has seen the duo hone their distinctive combination of enlightened house productions and stream of consciousness soul. In 2014 the pair released their first record, Café Romantica, which featured critically acclaimed “casual house” single Looking Back. Andras & Oscar will be joined by local synthesist Harvey Sutherland in pre-Meredith training with his new live formation Bermuda, featuring GL drummer Graeme Pogson and strings maestro Tamil Rogeon, as well as Melbourne’s prodigal son, Noise In My Head (NTS Radio). It’ll all be going down Saturday December 5. Tickets via the venue. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 18
BONE SOUP & FUTURE POPES ANNOUNCE END OF YEAR PARTY Future Popes and Bone Soup are teaming up again, this time to put on one heck of an end of year celebration. It ’s been a whole year since Future Popes and Bone Soup met for the first time over a $4 pizza at The Penny Black to discuss grand plans to tour The Coathangers. A year on and nine international tours down between the two of them, a bunch of debt and many more friends, they have decided it’s a good time to grab a few favourite locals to celebrate and the perfect excuse to clean out left over tour merch. Providing tunes on the night will be Scotdrakula, playing alongside Lazertits, Tempura Nights and Cable Ties. It’s all going down at The Old Bar on Thursday December 17. HOT TALK
BLUESFEST LOCK IN MORE ARTISTS FOR 2016 FESTIVAL The Bluesfest announcements have been coming hot and heavy this past month, and this week’s no exception. Headlined by R&B megastar (flanked by his band) D’Angelo And The Vanguard, the latest announcement also includes Cold War Kids, Hiatus Kaiyote, Houndmouth, Fantastic Negrito, Con Brio, Kaleo, Mike Love, The Bros. Landreth, Kim Churchill, Mojo Juju, Pierce Brothers, Harts and Steve Smyth. They join the likes of Brian Wilson, Taj Mahal, The Residents, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Shooglenifty, The National, City and Colour, reggae legends UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue, blues rock maestro Joe Bonamassa and Grammy award-winning group Tedeschi Trucks Band. Bluesfest 2016 will take place from Thursday March 24 until Monday March 28, just north of Byron Bay.
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THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS Tiny Little Houses
WEDNESDAY 2ND DECEMBER
CARD HOUSES X BEK DAVIS ZEN ROBOTIC WALLA C 7:30PM $7
THURSDAY 3RD DECEMBER
HUMAN WOMAN THE GALLANT TREES POPOLICE 7:30PM $8
FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER
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THE HILLS ARE ALIVE LINEUP IS HERE
8PM $10
FRIDAY ARVO:
BLUEFUZZSUCKER BLOODS(NZ) 4PM FREE
SATURDAY 5TH DECEMBER
PLATINUM RAT THUNDABOX
CHIMPAR KIMBLAY BEN CARTER & HANNAH FRANCIS 8:30PM $10
Festival scene staple The Hills Are Alive have come out with the first lineup announcement for their next annual event, going down across Easter weekend next year. The first lineup drop features the likes of Bad//Dreems, Ngaiire, Mesa Cosa, Tiny Little Houses, The Belligerents, E^ST, KLP, Fraser A Gorman, The Babe Rainbow, Tash Sultana, Bootleg Rascal, Tired Lion, Child, Lyall Moloney, Tully on Tully, Milwaukee Banks, Bad News Toilet, Alex Lahey and Man Made Mountain. The Hills Are Alive will run from Friday March 25 to Sunday March 27 in South Gippsland. Tickets cost $150 and go on sale Thursday December 3 and 9pm from the festival’s website.
SHADOW ELECTRIC REVEALS DECEMBER INSTALMENT OF INDIETRONIC THURSDAY Shadow Electric’s monthly genremashing music visual showcase Indietronic Thursday have just dropped the lineup for their second instalment, coming to us early this month. Featuring a diverse lineup of electro and crossover acts, the show will be headlined by electronic/post-R&B trio Huntly, with support from Kalacoma, Hypersleep and Togetherapart, all accompanied by tripped-out visuals (provided by a secret guest). There’ll even be a games room featuring an original Nintendo (NES) console hooked up to a projector, with a selection of cartridges including the Super Mario Bros trilogy. It’ll all be going down Thursday December 10. Tickets via the venue.
SATURDAY ARVO:
COLOURDAZED -LAUNCH BILL 4PM FREE
SUNDAY 6TH DECEMBER
PUBLIC BAR COMEDY 4PM $10
MONDAY 7TH DECEMBER
PALACE MOTEL JIM PATTERSON CAMERON ELLIOT 7:30PM $6
TUESDAY 8TH DECEMBER
PIQUE JUNKI THE DORKS LOLA 7PM $6
74 JOHNSTON ST FITZROY 9417 4155
theoldbar.com.au OPEN 4Pm - 3am mON-FRI 2Pm - 3am SaT-SuN FREE WI FI
mon - Fri til 7pm - $6 pints mondays - $15 Jugs mt goat sundays - $10 Jugs unicorn lager $5 cans every day/nigHt
Wednesday 2nd december
darling James dirt Hands louis spoils
8pm $8
tHursday 3rd december
stone grave d.i.c.K. grim rHytHm tHe saturday KnigHts
8pm $7
Friday 4tH december
bayou - launcH & FareWell ben salter loose tootH moon rituals
CERES ANNOUNCE ANNUAL XMAS SHOW For the fourth year running, Ceres will bring the good yuletide feels with their annual Xmas show. Currently gearing up to tour with Massachusetts emodudes The Hotelier, and fresh from a slot at the Poison City Weekender, the Melbourne four-piece are ready to keep the good times going. Usually held in the Grace Darling basement, this time the shindig moves down the road to The Shadow Electric at Abbotsford Convent. Joining the festivities will be Slowly Slowly, Kissing Booth and DJ T-Bone Blazin’. Bring your Christmas cheer on Friday December 18. Tickets are on sale through the venue.
Mick Thomas and The Roving Commission have dropped a new single, Aqua Profonda, released as part of their new Sneaky Singles Club. The release of Aqua Profonda comes ahead of Mick Thomas and The Roving Commission’s annual Christmas shows, which sees them perform at Burrinja Black Box Upwey on Friday December 4, The Spotted Mallard Brunswick on Friday December 18, Memo Music Hall on Saturday December 19 and the annual New Years Day Recovery Party at The Greendale Hotel on Friday January 1.
8:30pm $10
tHe cops - launcH brat Farrar
8:30pm $10
sat arvo:
eyes ninety (bris) - launcH radio age
4:30pm Free
sunday 6tH december beersoaKed sundays:
virginia sooK Jess locKe band tWo steps on tHe Water amy WrigHt
8pm $6
monday 7tH december
mundane mondays donny love gonzo lucas george
8pm $5
tuesday 8tH december
King cHoonga coWabunga beacH Jurassic narK
8pm $6
band bookings: bandbookings@theoldbar.com.au
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Jangle-pop crew Tempura Nights are heading up and down the east coast this December, rocking new material taken from their upcoming EP due early next year. The Summer of Stud tour comes off the back of their successful singles Mr Tone and Studyville, and sees the band playing two shows in Melbourne; one at the Old Bar on Thursday December 17, playing with ScotDrakula, Lazertits and Cable Ties as part of Bone Soup/Future Popes’ Xmas celebrations, and the other at The Curtin on Friday December 18 with Diet. Grab tickets to either gig through the band’s Facebook page.
ROSS HANNAFORD LAUNCHING ALBUM ON 65TH BIRTHDAY Days after celebrating his 65th birthday, Ross Hannaford is heading to Oakleigh’s Caravan Club to launch his latest solo album, HANNA. Playing alongside Ray Pereira and The Critters, Ross Hannaford launches HANNA on Thursday December 10 at Caravan Music Club. Tickets are $30 through the venue’s website.
CONFESSION ANNOUNCE FAREWELL TOUR
MICK THOMAS AND THE ROVING COMMISSION REVEAL SNEAKY SINGLES CLUB
saturday 5tH december
going sWimming
TEMPURA NIGHTS ARE GOING ON AN EAST COAST TOUR
THE B.EAST ANNOUNCE XMAS PARTY BASH The B.East have announced a massive Xmas bash featuring some of Melbourne’s finest bands, raising money for a good cause. Soul-rock five-piece The Sugarcanes and funk group Emma Donovan & The PutBacks will be teaming up to bring the Christmas cheer. The show will raise money for Scarf Community, an organisation designed to empower marginalised youth. The festivities will be taking place on Saturday December 19.
ALVVAYS WILL BE TOURING AUSTRALIA IN 2016
HORROR MY FRIEND TOURING WITH DEBUT ALBUM
Canadian five-piece Alvvays have announced their first ever Australian tour, locking in dates all around the country across March. After releasing their self-titled debut LP last year, the band exploded in popularity, leading to tours with indie acts such as Belle and Sebastian, Real Estate and The Decemberists, as well as performances at major festivals like Glastonbury, Reading and FYF. Special guests Major Leagues will support on all dates of the tour. Alvvays play Northcote Social Club on Sunday March 4. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Thursday December 3, through the venue.
Poison City’s latest recruits Horror My Friend have announced the release date for their debut album, Stay In, Do Nothing, and an upcoming tour to coincide. Due for release on Friday January 22, the album tour kicks off in Adelaide before making it’s way down to The Old Bar for a performance on Friday February 26. The band’s latest single Stay In, taken from the upcoming album, scored The AU Review’s Single of the Day and made an appearance on Spotify’s Australian Alternative featured playlist. Horror My Friend play the Old Bar on Friday February 22. Tickets are on sale now through Poison City’s website. HOT TALK
This January will see Confession take one final bow, embarking on a month long tour to see out their career. Following on from frontman Michael Crafter’s stints in I Killed The Prom Queen, Bury Your Dead, and Carpathian, he formed Confession in 2008 as a last ditch effort to see the world through music. Countless tours of Australia with the likes of Parkway Drive, A Day To Remember, The Amity Affliction, Deez Nuts, and more were followed up with spots on Warped tour and Soundwave, as well as international journeys throughout Europe, Japan, and South East Asia. Confession will take over the Evelyn Hotel on Saturday January 2. Tickets are on sale now through the venue.
THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN ANNOUNCE MELBOURNE SHOW Scottish post-punk trailblazers The Jesus and Mary Chain are returning to Melbourne in March for a celebratory performance of their ground-breaking record, Psychocandy, 30 years after its release. Formed in East Kilbride on the outskirts of Glasgow by the Reid brothers William and Jim in the early ‘80s, The Jesus and Mary Chain would continue to become leaders in the postpunk movement. Their back-to-basics philosophy for music making provided to be ageless, their debut Psychocandy remaining as a great influencer for artists like Nirvana and My Bloody Valentine among countless other appreciators. Don’t miss The Jesus and Mary Chain when they play The Forum on Monday March 7. Tickets via Ticketmaster.
KATE MILLER-HEIDKE REVEALS CHARITY SINGLE FOR CHRISTMAS AND NATIONAL TOUR After a year of flourishing in various creative fields such as composing and starring in the Helpmann-Award winning opera The Rabbits, filming her television acting debut in the musical mini-series The Divorce airing on the ABC in December, Kate MillerHeidke is back on the road in 2016. The alt-pop singer has been busy working on material for a new album, and plans to share some of those songs on the tour. Audiences can expect to experience a piece The Rabbits, a new cover or two, plus songs from her most recent record O Vertigo!, as well as earlier material from across her career. On top of this, she has teamed up with The Beards to release a charity Christmas single entitled I’m Growing A Beard Downstairs For Christmas. All proceeds will go to Bowel Cancer Australia. Catch Kate Miller-Heidke at Estonian House Saturday February 20. Tickets via the venue. You Am I
BALLARAT BEER FESTIVAL RETURNS BIGGER THAN EVER A huge array of craft beers from all across the country and a selection of the nation’s best acts will make their way down to Ballarat for the fifth annual Ballarat Beer Festival. Held on Saturday January 16, the festival features the likes of You Am I, Dallas Crane, Kylie Auldist, The ReChords, Bakersfield Glee Club and The New Savages. As well as the chance to drink your way through some of Australia’s finest and rarest froths, the festival also offers an insight into the brewing process and advice on how to best pair ales with food. Breweries getting in on the action include 7 Cent, Brooklyn Brewery, Grand Ridge, Young Henrys and a keg-load more. The day will also feature a generous selection of food trucks from around the state to help you soak up the atmosphere. Visit ballaratbeerfestival.com.au for all the info.
Wesley Anne - Bar • Restaurant • Etc -
MONDAY
ROO & WINE
Tuesday 1 December ----------------------------------------------------
Moulin Beige
7.30pm, Band Room $12 + BF / $25 Dinner & Show
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TRIVIA with Sparx 7.30pm, Band Room
FREE
Thursday 3 December -----------------------------------------------------
Brooke Russell & Ben Franz
FREE
EDINBURGH CASTLE HOTEL
6pm, Front Bar
MIFF & The Reunion 8pm, Band Room $10
Friday 4 December -----------------------------------------------------
The Grubs
M ON
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TUE
$
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Mon Shelford & Ian Maddick SPRING SPECIAL
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FRI 4
FREE
SAT 5
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Sunday 6 December -----------------------------------------------------
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THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS Tash Sultana [ Formerly The Hi-Fi Bar ]
THU 03 DEC - SELLING FAST
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M E RCU RY R E V WED 09 DEC - SOLD OUT
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N E O BLI V I SCA R I S FRI 11 DEC
M I S FI T S SAT 12 DEC
TH E E X PLO I TE D THU 17 DEC
e M C f t . M ASTA ACE FRI 18 DEC
E V E RY BO DY TA LKS ABOUT THE WEATHER SUN 03 JAN - SELLING FAST
WAV V ES TUE 05 JAN
K U RT V I LE & TH E V I O L ATO RS WED 06 JAN
TO RO Y M O I FRI 15 JAN
TH E CH I LL S SUN 17 JAN - SELLING FAST
TO N I G HT A LI V E FRI 22 JAN
D J K RUS H SAT 23 JAN
H O O D I E A LLE N WED 10 FEB - SELLING FAST
V I NCE STA PLES THU 11 FEB
TH U N D E RCAT FRI 12 FEB - SELLING FAST
BAT TLES SUN 14 FEB
STE E L PUL S E MON 15 FEB
G U R RU M UL Y U N U PI NG U
TANGLEWOOD FESTIVAL LOCKS IN 2015/2016 LINEUP Formerly known as French Fest, the newly christened Tanglewood festival is back with a large and diverse lineup. The event also boasts a new mainland location to help bring in 2016. The three-day festival will feature a stack of musicians including Spoonbill, Hypnotech, Tash Sultana, Reuben Stone, Dub Princess and DJ Wasabi. Tanglewood has kept its BYO policy, alongside two stages, a workshop and creation station, roving entertainment, on-site art gallery, healing space and market. Capping it off is a bar stocking solar-brewed cider and beer for when the summer heat becomes too much for your esky to handle. Snag up one of the last tickets to Tanglewood Festival, running from Wednesday December 30 – Friday January 1 in Thornton, Lake Eildon.
SOUL FLATS MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FIRST LINEUP Soul Flats, the newest boutique festival to come to New South Wales, have announced their first lineup of artists. Taking place over two nights, the festival will be an intimate celebration of rural and urban Australian art, music and culture, providing a platform for emerging artists and musicians to be recognised and celebrated. The musical aspect of the festival will revolve around celebrating the eclectic and progressive range of music currently being produced throughout Australia. The lineup will consist of a combination of established and upcoming artists who are pushing their genre in some way, spanning from rock’n’roll to hip hop, electronica to psychedelia. Featuring on the first announcement are The Pretty Littles, The Mary Goldsmiths, Slim Jeffries, Andy Richards, Hollow Hounds and more. Soul Flats Music & Arts Festival will take place in Deniliquin, NSW from Friday February 12 until Sunday February 14.
FRI 19 FEB
H I G H O N FI R E
Melbourne trio Lunatics on Pogosticks have been working on the follow up to 2014’s Sleeping Till The Weekend extensively since its release, and the band’s finally locked in a release date. Due for release on Friday December 4, MDMAtes is a pseudo-concept album based on a friend of the band who “lives in a kitchen, owns a bunch of snakes, buys pingas off the deep web and sells them to his mates.” An east coast tour will follow the album release, which will see Lunatics on Pogosticks play The Worker’s Club on Saturday February 13. Check out the venue’s website for tickets and more details.
SAT 20 FEB
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VANCE JOY ANNOUNCES EAST COAST TOUR Vance Joy has announced he will play his biggest headline shows to date when he bring his Fire and the Flood tour to the east coast next April. The Australian tour closely follows a run of dates across North America, following the 64 shows he has already performed in the United States and Canada this year supporting Taylor Swift. Vance Joy wrapped up a huge 2015 with a performance at the 2015 ARIA Awards last week, where he was nominated in seven categories which he won, including Best Male Artist with his song Dream Your Life Away. Joining Vance Joy for all shows on the tour will be Australian duo Holy Holy, who released their debut album, When The Storms Would Come, earlier this year. Vance Joy will play Margaret Court Arena on Saturday April 23. Tickets go on sale Friday December 4 through Ticketek.
RYLEY WALKER ANNOUNCES 2016 MELBOURNE SHOW
Days after his album A Thousand Lifetimes debuted #5 on the ARIA Album Chart, singer/songwriter Joe Moore has announced a Melbourne headline show. The Sydney-based performer started busking back in 2008 and has been making his way around the country, promoting the album on a busking tour. Moore chose to work closely with renowned songwriters and producers to create a collection of original songs rather than a journey album of covers. Catch Joe Moore at The Palms at Crown on Friday December 4.
Ryley Walker has announced a pair of headline shows accompanying his Sydney Festival appearances this January. His latest album Primrose Green consists of tracks written and inspired from his travels all over the states; the title track born on a bleak St. Patrick’s Day spent in Oxford, Mississippi, another in a dressing room in upstate New York, to a forgotten roadside hotel in Tennessee. Ryley Walker will play at The Toff In Town on Monday January 25. Tickets are on sale through Moshtix.
TOMORROW’S PEOPLE RETURN FOR SUMMER SERIES
PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL ANNOUNCE FOURTH 2016 LINEUP
Underages take notice, Tomorrow’s People have booked in a series of east coast shows this summer, featuring some of the nations brightest young talent with hip hop guru Dylan Joel, indie pop prodigy E^ST, Sydney producer Kilter and the 808 heavy UV boi. The all ages, alcohol-free events will feature rotating lineups and free entry to all shows. Tomorrow’s People will be held at Geelong’s Courthouse Youth Arts on Friday January 15, Melbourne’s Wrangler Studios on Saturday January 16 and Ballarat’s Karova Lounge on Sunday January 17. Tickets are on sale now through the respective venues.
Just when you thought they couldn’t possibly squeeze in any more acts, Port Fairy Folk Festival have added another 12 artists to their already massive lineup for 2016. Joining next year’s festival are Áine Tyrell, Bobby Alu & The Palm Royale, Bullhorn, Emma Donovan & The Putbacks, Greg Champion, Little Georgia, The Mastersons, The Morrisons, Oh Pep!, The Paper Kites, Mick McHugh & The Gathering and The Grand Magoozi. They join the likes of Ash Grunwald, Kate Miller-Heidke, Mia Dyson, Robert Forster, Steve Poltz and a whole heap more that make up the 100 acts playing across the festivals four days. The festival will take over Port Fairy from Friday March 11 until Monday March 14.
LUNATICS ON POGOSTICKS ALBUM LAUNCH
Ž E L J KO B E B E K & BA N D
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JOE MOORE REVEALS MELBOURNE SHOW
DARREN HANLON ANNOUNCES 2015 10TH ANNIVERSARY CHRISTMAS SHOW It was ten years ago this December when Darren Hanlon first had the idea to conclude the year with an intimate Christmas show. Now in 2015, Hanlon has planned a series of the same kind of performances across the country. After releasing and touring with his fifth album, Where Did You Come From?, throughout March and April, he jetted off alone for a two month tour of the US, which included opening a string of shows for Courtney Barnett and teaming up with previous touring buddy Stephin Merritt (Magnetic Fields). From there, an invitation to the UK saw him play a main stage solo set at the prestigious Green Man Festival in Wales. Catch Darren Hanlon at Northcote Uniting Church Hall on Saturday December 5 with special guest Melanie Horsnell. Tickets are available from Darren Hanlon’s official website. HOT TALK
LUCA BRASI ANNOUNCE NATIONAL TOUR In the lead up to their third album, Luca Brasi have dropped a new single and announced a run of national tour dates for next January. The new single, Aeroplane, is a taste of what’s to come from the follow up to 2014’s By a Thread. This year the Tassie punks have toured alongside acts including Violent Soho, Kisschasy, Title Fight and You Me At Six, as well as playing killer slots at the Poison City Weekender, St Kilda Festival, Party in the Paddock and The Hills Are Alive. They will play six shows around the country, accompanied by Sydney post-hardcore band Endless Heights and UK punks Brawlers. Luca Brasi will play Northcote Social Club on Thursday January 21. Tickets are on sale now through Oztix.
HOLY HOLY ANNOUNCE 2016 MELBOURNE SHOW Coming off the back of a massive year after their debut album When The Storms Would Come drew international acclaim, Holy Holy will take to the stage in Melbourne before pursuing a sprawling national tour. As an added bonus, the band will be giving away a free track, The Constitution, to everyone who buys a ticket, an album, or an item of merchandise between now and the beginning of their tour. Recently winning the respect and praise of Liam Gallagher backstage after a London show, Holy Holy have been going from strength to strength with sold-out performances, festival slots and a comprehensive tour. Catch Holy Holy at the Corner Hotel on Friday January 29. Tickets are on sale now through the venue.
ECCA VANDAL ANNOUNCES SINGLE TOUR Following the release of the video for her new single, End Of Time, Ecca Vandal has announced a seven-date headline tour for next February and March. The tour will follow a summer that sees Vandal supporting Young Fathers as well as playing slots at Port Macquarie’s Festival Of The Sun and Tasmania’s Party In The Paddock. End Of Time is the first single that does not feature a distorted guitar, instead it’s injected with gritty, pulsing danceable beats, showcasing her anti-genre persona. Joining Vandal on the road are Brisbane punk-infused rockers WAAX. Ecca Vandal will play Howler on Saturday February 27. Tickets are on sale through Moshtix.
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TASTE Ding Dong Lounge December 2 PLTS Shebeen December 2 THE MAINE The Corner December 2 RISE AGAINST Margaret Court Arena December 2 KILL DIRTY YOUTH Bendigo Hotel December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 SASHA MARCH Some Velvet Morning December 2, The Wesley Anne December 4 STELLAFAUNA The Evelyn Hotel December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 GORDI Shebeen December 3 ROCK-A-BYE-BABY Fitzroy Town Hall December 3 GOOD MANNERS Boney December 4 JOE MOORE The Palms at Crown December 4 ANKLEPANTS Brown Alley December 4 TEETH & TONGUE Hugs & Kisses December 4 YOU AM I 170 Russell December 4 WAAX The Workers Club December 4 GOAT + KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD The Croxton December 4, Howler December 5, 6 LAGWAGON Max Watt’s December 4 CHRIS CORNELL The Palais December 4 THE CORONAS Corner Hotel December 4 THE HOTELIER The Reverence Hotel December 4 JOE MOORE The Palms at Crown December 4 MICK THOMAS AND THE ROVING COMMISSION Burrinja Black Box December 4, Spotted Mallard December 18, Memo Music Hall December 19, Greendale Hotel January 1. MONO Corner Hotel December 5 ED SHEERAN AAMI Park December 5 STEREOSONIC Melbourne Showgrounds December 5 JAALA The Curtin December 5 APES The Workers Club December 5 CUSTARD The Toff In Town December 5 JAKUBI Max Watt’s December 5 DARREN HANLON Northcote Uniting Church Hall December 5 ANDRAS & OSCAR Shadow Electric December 5 AC/DC Etihad Stadium December 6, December 8 PAUL KELLY PRESENTS THE MERRI SOUL SESSIONS A Day On The Green December 6 RATATAT 170 Russell December 6 UNWRITTEN LAW The Corner Hotel December 6 LUCINDA WILLIAMS A Day On The Green December 7 UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA Corner Hotel December 8 MERCURY REV Max Watt’s December 8 SAM SMITH Rod Laver Arena December 8 HALESTORM 170 Russell December 8 YELAWOLF Max Watt’s December 9 SHELLAC Corner Hotel December 9, 10 ROSS HANNAFORD Caravan Music Club December 10 INDIETRONIC THURSDAY Shadow Electric December 10 THURSTON MOORE Prince Bandroom December 10 JESSICA PRATT Northcote Social Club December 10 FATHER JOHN MISTY The Forum December 10 BULLY Howler December 10 URBAN SPREAD FT. DEAD LETTER CIRCUS Plaza Tavern December 10, Chelsea Heights December 11, Village Green December 12 FRANK YAMMA Melbourne Recital Centre December 11 MODELS Flying Saucer Club December 11 – 12 THE BUREAU FESTIVAL Sidney Myer Music Bowl December 11 JULIA HOLTER Howler December 11 THE MISFITS Max Watt’s December 11 TAYLOR SWIFT AAMI Park December 11 MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre December 11-13 ELTON JOHN Rod Laver Arena December 11, Mt Duneed Estate December 12 ALL OF THE DIRT ALL AT ONCE Old Bar December 12 JARRYD JAMES AND MEG MAC The Forum December 12 JEFF MARTIN The Croxton December 12 THE EXPLOITED Max Watt’s December 12 UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS Corner Hotel December 13 TINPAN ORANGE Melbourne Folk Club December 13 FLOATING POINTS Coburg Velodrome December 13 BONE SOUP/ FUTURE POPES END OF YEAR PARTY Old Bar December 17 A DAY TO REMEMBER + THE AMITY AFFLICTION Rod Laver Arena December 17 THINGS OF STONE AND WOOD Memo Music Hall December 18 CERES Shadow Electric December 18 TEMPURA NIGHTS The Curtin December 18 BODYJAR & THE MEANIES Prince Bandroom December 18 SHELLEY SEGAL Collins Square December 18 THE B.EAST XMAS PARTY BASH The B.East December 19 MIKELANGELO The Spotted Mallard December 19 RARA Shebeen December 19 MICK THOMAS & THE ROVING COMMISSION MEMO Music Hall December 19, Greendale Hotel January 1 BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 24
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XMAS EVEN The Evelyn Hotel December 19 – 20 HOLEANDCORNER TBA December 19 LITTLE SEA MEMO Music Hall December 20 OFFTHEGRID Australian Centre for Contemporary Art December 22 EL VEZ Corner Hotel December 24 FALLS FESTIVAL Lorne December 28 – January 1 BEYOND THE VALLEY Lardner, Victoria December 29 – January 1 TANGLEWOOD FESTIVAL Thornton, Lake Eildon December 30 – January 1 NEW YEAR’S EVIE Bruzzy’s Farm, Tallarook December 30 – January 2 SOUL-A-GO-GO The Corner December 31 NEW YEARS EVE PARTY The Croxton December 31 AGENT ORANGE Bendigo Hotel December 31 NYE ON THE HILL December 31 – January 1 NEW YEARS DAY PARTY MONA January 1 SOUNDS LIKE SUMMER CBD January 1 CONFESSION Evelyn Hotel January 2 MAC MILLER The Forum January 2 GROUNDSWELL FESTIVAL Lake Tyers Beach January 2 KURT VILE The Forum January 3 WAVVES Max Watt’s January 3 WEIRD AL YANKOVIC The Palais Theatre January 3 MAC DEMARCO 170 Russel January 3 – 5 THE WEATHER STATION Northcote Social Club January 4 YUNG LEAN Prince Bandroom January 5 BØRNS The Corner January 5 BLOC PARTY The Forum January 5 DISCLOSURE Festival Hall January 6 THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS Westernport Hotel January 6, Torquay Hotel January 7, The Grand January 8 TORO Y MOI Max Watt’s January 6 SOAK Northcote Social Club January 6 HALSEY The Forum January 6 PUSHA T Prince Bandroom January 6 YOUNG FATHERS The Corner January 7 FOALS Festival Hall January 7 ELLIPHANT Howler January 7 GARY CLARK JR The Forum January 7 OH WONDER Northcote Social Club January 7 LEON BRIDGES 170 Russell January 7 DJANGO DJANGO 170 Russell January 8 THE FLAMING LIPS The Palais January 8 FRENZAL RHOMB Chelsea Heights Hotel January 8, Village Green Hotel January 9 DEAD CITY RUINS Northcote Social Club January 9 SUNSET SOUNDS Central Park, Malvern East January 10, 17, 24, 31 JAMIE XX The Forum January 10 SO FRENCHY SO CHIC IN THE PARK Werribee Park January 11 NIGHTWISH The Forum Monday January 11 MOFO MONA January 13 - January 18 HARTS Howler January 14 MIREL WAGNER The Toff In Town January 14 PRETTY LIGHTS, OPIUO + EMANCIPATOR Forum Theatre January 14 TOMORROW’S PEOPLE Courthouse Youth Arts, Geelong January 15, Wrangler Studios January 16, Karova Lounge January 17 THE CHILLS Max Watt’s January 15 UNIFY South Gippsland January 16 – 17 TONIGHT ALIVE Max Watt’s January 17 JOANNA NEWSOM Arts Centre January 19 THE 1975 Festival Hall January 20 TURNSTILE Northcote Social Club January 20 LUCA BRASI Northcote Social Club January 21 ASH GRUNWALD Sooki Lounge January 21, Chapel off Chapel January 22 CHAPEL SUMMER SESSIONS Chapel off Chapel January 21, 22, 30 THEE OH SEES Howler January 22 RAINBOW SERPENT FESTIVAL Lexton January 22 – 26 THE GOOCH PALMS The Curtin January 22 COURTNEY BARNETT Palais Theatre January 22 ROCK’N’LOAD The Corner January 23 BEECHWORTH FESTIVAL Beechworth Asylum January 23 A DAY ON THE GREEN Michelton Wines, Nagambie January 23 BOY & BEAR Festival Hall January 23 MICHAEL HURLEY Northcote Social Club January 23 SUGAR MOUNTAIN Victorian College of the Arts/ Melbourne Arts precinct January 23 RYLEY WALKER The Toff In Town January 25 URBAN SPREAD Chelsea Heights Hotel January 25 GIRLPOOL The Reverence Hotel January 27 NOTHING BUT THEIVES Ding Dong Lounge January 27 SOUNDWAVE 2016 TBA January 26 HOLY HOLY Corner Hotel January 29 DERRICK MAY, JEFF MILLS & THE MSO Sidney Myer Music Bowl January 30 GRIMES 170 Russell February 3 JAMES BAY Festival Hall February 3 TOBIAS JESSE JR The Corner February 3 SHAMIR Howler February 4 GILLIAN WELCH Palais Theatre February 5
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170 Russell December 6 It’s been four years since New York duo Ratatat have visited our shores, and on Sunday December 6, they’ll be gracing the stage at 170 Russell before they hit the stage at Meredith Music Festival the following weekend. At this exclusive sideshow, Ratatat will treat fans to tracks of their latest offering Magnifique along with a slew of previous releases from their extensive back catalogue. Catch Ratatat at 170 Russell on Sunday December 6. MSO PRESENT HITCHCOCK AND HERRMANN Hamer Hall February 5, 6 ST KILDA FESTIVAL St Kilda February 6 – 14 CAT POWER Melbourne Recital Centre February 8, 9 CHVRCHES Forum Theatre February 9 THE INTERNET The Corner February 9 BEACH HOUSE 170 Russell February 10 PUNK ROCK KARAOKE The Corner February 10 DIIV The Corner February 11 PURITY RING + MAJICAL CLOUDZ Forum Theatre February 11 THUNDERCAT Max Watt’s February 11 HEALTH Howler February 11 SOUL FLATS MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL Deniliquin, NSW February 12 – 14 MAJICAL CLOUDZ The Toff In Town February 12 THIEVERY CORPORATION The Forum February 12 BATTLES Max Watt’s February 12 METZ The Corner February 12 GIDEON BENSEN Shebeen February 12 JOSH PYKE Melbourne Zoo February 12 LUNATICS ON POGOSTICKS The Worker’s Club February 13 COMMON KINGS The Corner February 13 LANEWAY FESTIVAL Footscray Community Arts Centre February 13 GURRUMUL Max Watt’s February 15 SOILWORK 170 Russell February 16 A$AP ROCKY Margaret Court Arena February 17 REGGAE ROYALTY Palais Theatre February 18 WAXAHATCHEE Howler February 18 DAVE RAWLINGS MACHINE Palais Theatre February 19 TINA ARENA Hamer Hall February 19 PARTY IN THE PADDOCK Burnscreek, Tasmania February 19 RIVERBOATS MUSIC FESTIVAL Murray River, Echucha February 19 – 21 HIGH ON FIRE Max Watt’s February 19 JD MCPHERSON Corner Hotel February 19 FAT FREDDY’S DROP The Forum February 19 ROB THOMAS Rob Laver Arena February 20 KATE MILLER-HEIDKE Estonian House February 20 ALBERT HAMMOND JR The Corner February 21 HORROR MY FRIEND Old Bar February 22 OCEAN COLOUR SCENE Max Watt’s February 23 THE GAME The Forum February 24 THE JEZABELS The Forum February 26 GBH The Bendigo Hotel February 26 CHI WAH WOW TOWN TBA February 26 – 28 SUFJAN STEVENS Hamer Hall February 26 ECCA VANDAL Howler February 27 NATALIE PRASS Melbourne Recital Centre February 29 PASSENGER Palais Theatre March 1 G-EAZY Max Watt’s March 1 CALEXICO Hamer Hall March 2 GLEN MATLOCK, EARL SLICK & SLIM JIM PHANTOM Ding Dong Lounge March 4 SENSES FAIL Corner Hotel March 4 ALVVAYS Northcote Social Club March 4 CLUTCH The Forum March 5 THE NECKS Melbourne Recital Centre March 5 SYDNEY RD STREET PARTY Sydney Rd March 6 GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR Melbourne Recital Centre March 7 THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN The Forum March 7 MICHAEL GIRA Melbourne Recital Centre March 8 THE MUMMIES Max Watt’s March 9 SLEATER-KINNEY The Croxton March 9 IBEYI Max Watt’s March 10 ART VS. SCIENCE 170 Russell March 11 A FESTIVAL CALLED PANAMA Lone Star Valley March 11 - 13 PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL Port Fairy March 11 – 14 BEN HARPER AND THE INNOCENT CRIMINALS Sidney Myer Music Bowl March 12
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BUILT TO SPILL The Corner March 12 MADONNA Rod Laver Arena March 12, 13 GOLDEN PLAINS Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre March 12 – 14 PURE POP FOR NOW PEOPLE Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley March 12 JOHN GRANT The Forum March 13 BUZZCOCKS The Corner March 13 THE CHARLATONS 170 Russell March 13 ST GERMAIN The Forum March 14 ACTION BRONSON The Forum March 15 BRUNSWICK MUSIC FESTIVAL Various Venues March 20 SUNN O))) Max Watt’s March 16 SONGHOY BLUES Melbourne Recital Centre March 16 MARY BLACK The Forum March 17 DIED PRETTY Max Watt’s March 18 THE VIOLENT FEMMES The Corner March 17 SEVENDUST 170 Russell March 18 BRYAN ADAMS Rod Laver Arena March 18 STEVE EARLE & THE DUKES Melbourne Recital Centre March 18, 19 TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND Forum Theatre March 19 THE PENINSULA PICNIC Mornington March 20 LORD HURON The Corner March 21 LUCKY PETERSON Northcote Social Club March 21 KENDRICK LAMAR Rod Laver Arena March 21 TWEEDY Melbourne Recital Centre March 21 STURGILL SIMPSON 170 Russell March 23 RHIANNON GIDDENS The Corner March 23 ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES The Corner March 24 BLUESFEST Byron Bay March 24 – 28 TOM JONES Hamer Hall March 25 THE SELECTER Corner Hotel March 25 THE HILLS ARE ALIVE South Gippsland March 25 – 27 JANIVA MAGNESS The Corner March 26 NAHKO AND MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE The Corner March 27 THE WORD The Corner March 28 JASON ISBELL Melbourne Recital Centre March 29 THE DECEMBERISTS Hamer Hall March 29 TAJ MAHAL Melbourne Recital Centre March 30 NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS 170 Russell March 30 LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL Howler March 30 MELISSA ETHERIDGE Palais Theatre March 30 VINTAGE TROUBLE The Corner March 30 STIFF LITTLE FINGERS 170 Russell March 31 ALLEN STONE The Corner March 31 JACKSON BROWNE Palais Theatre April 1 CITY AND COLOUR Sidney Myer Music Bowl April 2 BRIAN WILSON Palais Theatre April 3 CITY CALM DOWN The Corner April 9 CHRIS ISAAK Margaret Court Arena April 13 BLACK SABBATH Rod Laver Arena April 19 GANG OF YOUTHS 170 Russell April 22 VANCE JOY Margaret Court Arena April 23 SARAH BLASKO The Forum April 23 JOSH GROBAN Palais Theatre April 25 CHERRYROCK016 Cherry and AC/DC Lane May 1 OF MONSTERS AND MEN Palais Theatre May 4 IRON MAIDEN Rod Laver Arena May 9
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This Week: Bogan Bombshell is the one woman tour-de-force written by and starring Susie McCann (Hairspray, Annie), that is taking a satirical look at life in the ‘burbs with an all original cabaret. With a wealth of positive reviews behind the production, McCann acts as Janene from Clarinda, guiding the audience through tales of the outer suburbs as she aims to raise enough money to spring her husband from jail. Covering the highs and lows of sanitation, phone sex lines and amateur burlesque classes, Bogan Bombshell features compositions including Bogans R People 2, All That Bam and the instant-classic Caufield Makes Me Horny. Get in on the action when Bogan Bombshell makes its way to The Butterfly Club from Wednesday December 2 - Sunday December 6. Australian cabaret institution Dracula’s have a new show entitled Terror Byte, featuring camp costumes, slapstick comedy and circus acts. The new show promises to combine steampunk aesthetics with cutting edge theatrical and staging techniques, showcasing infrared video tracking technology to create futuristic effects - making them the only Australian theatre company to do so. Dracula’s latest show Terror Byte has just opened, so get down to Dracula’s. Did you know that Cinema Nova do a late-night screening of The Room on the first Saturday of every month? Written, directed and starring Tommy Wiseau, The Room is like no other film you’ve seen. Johnny (Tommy Wiseau) seems to have it all- a beautiful fiancée, Lisa, great friends and a job with a promotion in the works. But Lisa, ( Juliette Danielle) isn’t who she seems. Manipulative and restless, Lisa sets her sights on Johnny’s best friend Mark (Greg Sestero) and they start a torrid affair and Johnny’s perfect world starts to crumble. Featured on Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and beloved by comic actors such as David Cross and Alec Baldwin, The Room has garnered a massive cult following, selling out sessions across the US, leaving audiences stunned and wondering “how can so bad, be so good?” Get down this Saturday December 5.
PICK OF THE WEEK
The inaugural Poppy Seed Festival will come to a triumphant close with a national premiere of Vicky Jones’ award-winning play, The One. Winning the Verity Bargate Award for New Writing after premiering to critical acclaim last year in London, The One analyses the modern relationship - delving into sex, violence and snack food. Directed by Green Room nominee Tanya Dickson, the text has been re-imagined for Australian audiences with performances from Kasia Kaczmarek (Wentworth), Red Stitch ensemble member Ben Prendergast and Elbow Room’s Emily Tomlins. The Poppy Seed Festival is a newly launched venture that financially and logistically supports artists to develop and share their work with the wider public. With their help, artists are provided a space, marketing support and $7,500 towards production costs. The One will run at fortyfivedownstairs from Wednesday December 2 - Sunday December 13.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 28
With Tyson Wray. Got thoughts, news, gossip, complaints or cat photos? Email tyson@beat.com.au or send by carrier pigeon before Friday 12pm.
Miss Universal
By Liza Dezfouli Melbourne dancer/choreographer Atlanta Eke is about to present her new work Miss Universal, a piece developed courtesy of Chunky Move’s initiative whereby they commission a new piece each year from someone outside the company. Beat speaks to the innovative and always surprising Eke about Miss Universal. To begin with, why is it called that? “We never actually distilled a specific concept underpinning the work,” Eke answers. “It’s to do with the universal. The name covers the notion of love as energy in space. With Miss Universal we get to explore other ideas, like the universe at large, ideas in astronomy, astronomy, patterns of constellations, and universal subjects – globalization, global capitalism, consumption, desire, dance, pleasure, light, love, object, commodity, fetish – it’s a world of everything.” Miss Universal had its beginnings in collaboration between Eke, dancers Annabelle Balharry, Chloe Chignell and Angela Goh, along with visual artist/sculptor Claire Lambe at Gertrude Street Contemporary Art Space in 2014. “The collaboration with Claire Lambe found us infecting each other’s thoughts and ideas about what we could use in the space,” says Eke. “Miss Universal is a result of lots of collaboration – lots of asking ‘what’s happening?’ It’s intense. After the collaboration at Gertrude Street we wanted to keep questioning and working together on whether or not it’s possible for dance and sculpture to exist together in a theatrical space.” Miss Universal comprises the same four dancers who worked with Atlanta on the earlier project and Claire Lambe is responsible for set and costume design. Being in the Chunky Move studio, Eke says, has allowed this work to evolve much further in dimension than what was possible at Gertrude St, especially when it comes to lighting. The dancers move through a landscape of images, sculpture and transformative material, in a space where the lighting, by lighting designer Matthew Adey, holds its own as a metaphor for love. “Light
affects the space; it has a metaphoric association,” Eke says. “We’ve been able to create architecture of space.” Eke was the recipient of Dance House’s inaugural Keir Choreographic Award in 2014. She talks about her process in terms of creating relationships between bodies, between bodies and space, between performer and audience, rather than designing a set of moves. Surprisingly, the practice of jelly wrestling informed this work’s beginnings. “Claire did jelly wrestling in Japan,” Eke says. “At Gertrude Street we wanted to try wrestling; Claire wanted to use jelly in the space. We compromised and put jelly on the windows.” Four women wrestling each other could almost invite a prurient curiosity from an audience, considering that the piece is titled Miss Universal, suggestive of a beauty contest. “It doesn’t have that voyeuristic element,” Eke assures us. “As a group it didn’t feel as though we were objectifying anyone. If we are sensual together it comes from friendship. There is no opportunity to be sexualized; this doesn’t have the opportunity to become sex.” Eke says that the dancers rehearsed without speaking to each other. Were there moments where things got a bit dangerous? How do you define
EVERYTHING MELBOURNE
choreography without words? “There were four hours of rehearsal where we navigated the space without speaking,” she says. “It was a physical investigation and we used other sensibilities to navigate space, other logic, rather than the linear conscious decision-making thing. At one stage we thought we were going to have to do jiu-jitsu classes. By the second rehearsal we were developing our own technique, had named our own technique. We thought about the idea of ‘wrestling to win?’ What does that mean? The requirements to win involve a locking situation. For it to end someone was going to have to be locked. Whoever was going to be locked had to decide to submit, be passive. We wrestle with care. We never find the lock, and we never stop moving. In order to sustain any lock we become one giant form through the building of technique, through moving, we make a formal shape, a centipede, a worm, a doughnut. Later on in the process we became more comfortable with formalizing movement. The four of us are moving, moving as an entangled form, limbs and bodies forming one brain, one stomach, one organ making the decisions. There’s one organ between the four of us. It’s an interesting experiment, working out what thing to stop, what thing to continue.” Although Eke talks about the development of Miss Universal in terms of the physical, there are intellectual influences involved, to do with almost opposing feminist stances from Carolyn Merchant’s The Death of Nature (positing that advances of science in the 16th century have set back the cause of women) to Donna Harraway’s Cyborg Manifesto (using the metaphor of a cyborg to urge feminists to move beyond the limitations of traditional gender), and Monique Wittig’s Les Guerilleres (about a war of the sexes, where women engage in bloody, victorious battles), all in the interests of asking whether any type of universality is possible within contemporary social structures. Along with startling images and directions, Eke’s work is often hilarious, unintentionally so, according to her. “There’s a surprising amount of laughter in rehearsal,” she says. “I don’t know if it translates into the work. It’s not a great way to make a decision, so the humour is not intentional. It’s the absurdity of it all; we don’t take ourselves seriously.” Miss Universal will be performed at Chunky Move Studios from Thursday December 3 until Saturday December 12.
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THE COMIC STRIP
Coming Up
RAW COMEDY Australia’s largest open mic comedy competition, RAW Comedy, are putting the callout for upand-coming comedians looking for their big break. Past competitors have included some familiar faces such as Matt Okine, Ronny Chieng, Hannah Gadsby and Josh Thomas. Heats will be held in more than eight states and regional centres around the country from January to March next year, to determine who will battle it out for the title of RAW Comedy National Champion 2016. The national grand final will be held as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival next April. The winner will head to Edinburgh next August for the world’s largest fringe festival and a spot in the So You Think Your Funny? competition. To enter all you need is five minutes of original comedy material. Everything from stand up, sketch, double and triple acts, and musical comedy are all welcome. Registration is open now. Head to comedyfestival.com.au/raw for all the details.
DIRTY SECRETS COMEDY Tonight at Dirty Secrets Comedy they have a sweet lineup including Karl Chandler, Ben Lomas, Demi Lardner and heaps more for the price of $5. Get in for some great whiskey and beer from 8.30pm at Caz Reitop’s Dirty Secrets.
Affair Play
Wednesday December 9 - Saturday December 19 The Mechanics Institute
Julian Rosefeldt: Manifesto
Wednesday December 9 - Sunday March 13 ACMI
Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei
NGV To Present Ai Weiwei In Conversation Ahead of the National Gallery of Victoria’s upcoming major exhibition, Andy Wahol | Ai Weiwei, the prolific Chinese artist and activist will come to Melbourne for the opening night alongside appearing in conversation to detail the artistic and philosophical elements of his work. Ai Weiwei in Conversation will explore the artist’s creative approach as well as the parallels between Weiwei’s work and the art of Andy Warhol. Delving into ideas of shared motifs in their work, Weiwei will offer his thoughts on their engagement with the readymade, documentation of contemporary life and most notably, their relationship between politics and celebrity. Andy Wahol | Ai Weiwei is a word-first exhibition, exploring the mutual interests of both artists through showcasing sculpture, photography, screen-prints, painting and multi-media. Presenting more than 300 works, the exhibition will also see new commissions from Weiwei, including several major installations. Ai WeiWei in Conversation will run Monday December 7 at the NGV.
LITTLE DUM DUM CLUB One of Australia’s most popular comedy podcasts is having a Christmas party this Saturday afternoon. Tommy Dassalo and Karl Chandler, the hosts of the Little Dum Dum Club, host a massive yuletide show with many of their favorite celebrity comedy guests, plus a huge, idiotic nativity play. It’s nearly sold out already, so get in quick. It happens this Saturday December 5, at 4pm, at the European Bier Cafe, 120 Exhibition Street, CBD.
PUBLIC BAR COMEDY Your Sunday afternoons are now sorted as Public Bar Comedy is back over summer with killer lineups and surprise guests aplenty. This week fresh from The Great Australian Bake Off it’s Claire Hooper, Have You Been Paying Attention’s Sam Pang and Public Bar Comedy favourite Dilruk Jayasinha & more. Tickets are available from ilovegreenguideletters.com or you can risk it on the door. See you at 4pm this Sunday.
CLUB VOLTAIRE COMEDY This Sunday December 6 at Club Voltaire there’s a cracking lineup, featuring the likes of Jess Perkins with MC duties alongside Timothy Clark, Jono Mastrippolito, Nat Harris, Angus Gordon, Danielle Walker, Brianna Williams, Luka Muller, John Dore, Nick Quon and Justin Sproules. It’s totally free (they’ll accept donations, however) and kicks off at 7.30pm.
COMEDY AT THE WILDE Tuesdays at The Wilde some of Melbourne’s best young comedians join with sign up on the night open mic acts for one of the loosest nights in town. 2013 RAW Comedy winner Demi Lardner joins Jonno Mastrippolito, Laura Dunemann and more this week for another big, fun night of comedy. It’s this Tuesday December 8 at 153 Gertrude St, Fitzroy at 8pm. And, it’s totally free.
Feelings are Facts: The Life of Yvonne Rainer Saturday December 12 - Tuesday December 15 ACMI
La Verita
Thursday January 21 - Saturday January 23 Arts Centre Melbourne
Degas: A New Vision
Friday June 24 - Sunday September 18 National Gallery of Victoria
2016 Midsumma Festival Program Revealed
THURSDAY COMEDY Troy Kinne headlines the comedy at the European Bier Café this Thursday night. He’s the star of the hit 7mate sketch comedy show Kinne, and you also might have seen him on Have You Been Paying Attention?. And he’s a great headlining comedian. Plus there’s another cracking support lineup, with Harley Breen hosting, plus Mike Goldstein, Geraldine Hickey and a surprise guest. This year they’ve had surprise guests like Arj Barker, Wil Anderson and Stephen K Amos, so you never know who you’re going to see there. There’s been massive audiences the last few weeks, so get down early to get a good seat. It’s all happening this Thursday December 3 at 8.30pm, at the European Bier Café, 120 Exhibition Street, CBD, all for only $12.
Friday December 11 - Sunday April 24 National Gallery of Victoria
Jurassic World: The Exhibition Coming To Melbourne
The Midsumma Festival is back for another year, bringing with it a huge program of arts, music and pride. Spread across 84 venues throughout the city and regional Victoria, the annual celebration is weighing in with almost 130 events - making it the largest diverse gender and sexuality festival in Australia. With an emphasis on community inclusion and participation, major events for this year’s festival include the carnival and TDance featuring five hours of free music and entertainment with an outdoor park party, the annual Pride March with a focus on marriage equality, and the inaugural National Polo League Pride Cup - offering the chance to celebrate equality and diversity in sport. Elsewhere in the program come a selection of “premier events” selected by the Midsumma panel as festival essentials. Topping the list is Cole, starring award-winning cabaret performer Michael Griffiths in a tribute to the life and music of Cole Porter, the Lesbian Comedy Gala: A Celebration of Our Pride and Joy featuring some of Melbourne’s finest and funniest female comedians and the hotly contested DRAGNATION showdown. The 29th Midsumma Festival runs from Sunday January 17 - Sunday February 7 at venues throughout the city and country.
Melbourne Museum will host the world premiere of Jurassic World: The Exhibition early next year. The exhibition is based on Universal Pictures’ Jurassic World, and is a unique, immersive exhibition experience that allows guests to get closer to dinosaurs than ever before. The exhibition will feature encounters with realistic, life-size animatronic dinosaurs set in highly themed environments inspired by the film. The dinosaurs are being developed by Creature Technology Company, renowned for producing the world’s most technologically sophisticated and realistic animatronics for arena spectaculars and stage shows, including those featured in the worldwide hit Walking with Dinosaurs. “We are delighted that Melbourne Museum will host the world premiere of Jurassic World: The Exhibition,” said Dr. Patrick Greene, CEO of Museum Victoria. “We know that dinosaurs capture the imagination of young and old alike, and this exhibition is sure to wow audiences and inspire young minds. With its combination of cutting-edge technology and sound research, Jurassic World: The Exhibition will find its perfect home in Melbourne Museum. It’s also wonderful to be working with Creature Technology – a local Melbourne company – on the delivery of this world-class exhibition event.” Jurassic World: The Exhibition is set to open on Saturday March 19, 2016.
Melbourne Is Getting A Hot Tub Cinema For Some Reason Fancy watching Hot Tub Time Machine in a, err, hot tub? Well now you can, for some reason. Hot Tub Cinema is coming to Melbourne. Next year Splash Out Hire is bringing Hot Tub Cinema, a concept has taken off overseas in such places as London and New York, to Melbourne. For approximately six weeks you’ll have the chance to enjoy your movie watching experience from the comfort of their 10 portable inflatable spas in over 40 degree heat. Oh, and there will also be waiters serving mojitos and martinis. Fear not, germ warriors, all spa water will be tested regularly and chemically treated by fully qualified lifeguards. And if you’re not keen to sit with strangers you can get a group of friends together and hire a whole hot tub. Hot Tub Cinema will hit Melbourne in a venue TBA next May. Stay tuned to Beat for more details. G E T S O M E C U LT U R E U P YA
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For more arts news, reviews and interviews visit beat.com.au
RICERCAR By Adam Norris My first introduction to The Twoks seems rather fitting now. In the midst of the carnival-esque Woodford Folk Festival, on a small stage festooned with dancing children and friendlydrunk parents, sashaying couples and coloured lights were two of the most energised and excitable performers you can imagine. With Mark Leahy on drums, vocalist and electric violin Xani Kolac was a pirouetting dervish, and the pair’s energies have now led them to Present Tense Ensemble’s latest ambitious undertaking. Kolac reflects on her electric journey, and how RICERCAR will have you listening in a whole new way. “From around year 10 I knew I wanted to get away from the notes on the page, so I joined a school stage band,” Kolac recalls. “Obviously when you’re playing with a bunch of horn players, with guitars and drums you can’t really hear the acoustic violin and the pickup can be quite problematic with feedback. So I decided I needed to get an electric violin, and I found Paul Davies, an amazing [instrument] maker. I love it so much. But from there I went on this journey of trying out different effects pedals and loops. I remember one gig I did at The Espy with this distortion pedal. I’d been practising in my bedroom, but because I’d never used it in a live environment before there was this immense, high-pitched piercing feedback, and it was so traumatic! I didn’t touch a pedal for two years. So a lot is trial and error, and because there weren’t that many other electric violinist around I could talk to, I was going about making heaps of mistakes. I’ve found that the electric violin is where I am. I did a lot of classical, but it wasn’t my style, I had to find my own voice. And this violin became my sound.” With her involvement with RICERCAR, Kolac’s musical evolution has in a way come full circle. While classical performances may not be her principal passion, this Theatre Work’s world premiere has its genesis in one of the bedrock texts of classical performance and interpretation, The Well-Tempered Clavier. Indeed, the Bach collection is generally held to be one of the most
important cornerstones in the history of classical music. “It’s more abstract theatre. If you’re going along expecting a real storyline you’re not going to get it, it’s more of an aural and sonic experience. It’s experimental theatre, in a way. You’re going to hear a lot of different things and find yourself listening in a different way than if you just went to a gig and stood there. The sound is moving all around you, and then there are images that kind of fit the sound. It was almost like the music was there first, and then the text, the images came after whereas in traditional theatre it’s usually the other way around. Loosely it’s based on the two books of The Well-Tempered Clavier. You don’t need to know stacks about Bach, but he composed these two books based around fugues. Book One kind of explores the themes of Bach’s life, be that death, violence, beauty or memory, and what the fugue means in those different worlds, not just within music. Then in Book Two it starts to piece together the work of Book One in a more contemporary and modern way.” While there are “personas” that Kolac and Leahy embody during the performance, they are foremost playing musicians – anything too removed from her usual self, and Kolac finds herself becoming too selfconscious on stage. The pair have been collaborating on the project for the better part of the year, although the production itself has been slowly coalescing for some time.
“It had been in development since around the beginning of last year, but we both really only came fully onboard this year. The music director, Nathan Gilkes, he’s done a lot of the arrangement and the composition, and we’ve come in and tried to get into his mind, to try and produce the sound he has in his head. I’ve done a lot of different theatre productions before, but that’s been with [venues] like Malthouse, Melbourne Theatre Company, where everything is very scripted, there are cues to everything. But the way that Present Tense works is more collaborative and improvised, so it’s been a very different experience but one I think we can have a little more input in.” RICERCAR is an operatic event that sounds truly fascinating, not just in content but in form. Combining visual arts with traditional actors, pop artists with opera singers, loops and mathematics, it is likely to be the most arresting ensemble 2015 has left up its sleeve. While the choreography of Gilkes and Bryce
Theatre Review:
Gin Sister The third show in Melbourne’s newest festival, the Poppy Seed Festival, Man With A Plan’s Gin Sister highlights the acting talents of three talented women in a poetic and often thought-provoking theatrical response to women’s drinking culture. Originally inspired by Anton Chekov’s Three Sisters, the show draws from a wide range of influences, including Greek mythology and the lyrics of Amy Winehouse. Over a series of short vignettes directed by Elizabeth Millington - some storylines are a once off, while others continue over the course of the show - the three performers (Alice Cavanagh, Jean Goodwin and Emma Hall) bring these stories to life, through text, dance and song, with a great dedication and strength. Even when performing as a synchronised group, all three have dominant traits that shine through - Cavanagh is adorable and
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energetic, Goodwin is stern and sensual and Hall is calm and enchanting - meaning that the energy of the show never gets stale. While the actual meanings behind each story aren’t always clear, it is actually when the performers are singing and dancing, rather than speaking, that the show really comes alive. The opening movement sequence is particularly striking, as is Cavanagh’s haunting rendition of Sia’s Chandelier. Shane Thompson’s set design is a striking sight with a stage littered in glasses that ascend to the ceiling, which when combined with Lucy Birkinshaw’s lighting design, makes it a visually stunning piece to watch. BY MYF CLARK
EVERYTHING MELBOURNE
Ives will tie this all together, utilising the idiosyncrasies of a particular venue is something that Kolac has experienced herself and finds tremendous inspiration in. “We’ve done a couple of really special shows this year that I’ve organised specifically for different venues. [They’re all] completely different, I don’t know how we memorise so much music without my brain exploding. We did one at The Gasometer in July, where I arranged all our music for string players, and they were all playing from up on the balcony there. When you can actually see a venue and envisage something interesting happening there, that can be really special, to have that control but still know that anything could happen.” RICERCAR is currently running at Theatre Works until Saturday December 12.
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club guide wednesday december 2 • COQ ROQ WEDNESDAY - FEAT: JENS BEAMIN + AGENT 86 + MR THOM + JOYBOT + BLABERUNNER Lucky Coq, Windsor. 8:30pm. • CURIOUS TALES - FEAT: DJ WHO + TIGERFUNK + TOM SHOWTIME + FLAGRANT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. • REVOLVER WEDNESDAYS - FEAT: HYSTERIC + DANIELSAN Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm. thursday december 3 • 3181 THURSDAYS - FEAT: HANS DC + GET BUSY + DYLAN BATELIC + MORE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:00pm. • DISCO VOLANTE - FEAT: FABRIS + TIM KOREN + SAMMY SWAYN + ALEX CRAM + JACK NELSON + PETER FOTOP + RYAN KEARY + MITCH BAIN + MANNY BUBOS + DAN BENTLEY + YASKI + RHYS BYNON + KHANH ONG + GEORGE KARA Onesixone, Prahran. 8:00pm. • NEIGHBOURS THURSDAYS Oasis Parlour, Epping. 8:00pm. • UPTOWN Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 10:00pm. • VARSITY - FEAT: PAZ + MATT RAD + PYZ Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. • WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS Carlton Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS Carlton Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. friday december 4
faktory
• #MASHTAG - FEAT: NUGEN + MALPRACTICE + FLAGRANT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. • ANKLEPANTS Brown Alley, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. • CAN’T SAY La Di Da, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. • CIROQ FRIDAYS Cq, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • CLUK EPIK - FEAT: DJ DEAN The Croxton, Thornbury. 9:00pm. $5.00. • DAVID KENO + RETZA + ODDPHONIC + MARCUS HOLDER + DAMIR SMITH + MORE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 10:00pm. • DJ CASSETTE WALKMAN Workers Club, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. • DJ TRAFFIC JAM Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 11:30pm. • DOP + PHIL K + ROLLIN CONNECTION + LISTER COORAY + MORE Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $20.00. • FABULOUS FRIDAYS FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Co., Southbank. 9:30pm. $20.00. • FAKE TITS - FEAT: BOOGS + SPACEY SPACE + SUNSHINE + SAMMY LA MARCA + BUTTERS + ADAM BARTAS + JUNGLE JIM Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $15.00. • FOZZEY + VAN C Rubix
Warehouse, Brunswick. 8:30pm. $15.00. • GIRLTHING XMAS BASH FEAT: FUZZY + GIRLTHING DJS + ARTS SIMONE + MIMI + CAMI Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. $15.00. • GOOD MANNERS WEEKLY FEAT: WORLD’S END PRESS + PLANÈTE + CATLIPS + BABICKA + MORE Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $10.00. • LUCK TRUCK FRIDAY DOWNSTAIRS - FEAT: 99 PRBLMZ + CONGO TARDIS #1 + LITTLE LEAGUE BOUNCE CLUB Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. • MATOMA Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $15.00. • MICKEY SINGH + DJ ELVIN + DJ GAGAN + MORE Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 9:00pm. $40.00. • NO ZU + LUCY CLICHE + SIMON TK Howler, Brunswick. 9:00pm. $20.00. • NTH^END FRIDAYS Oasis Parlour, Epping. 8:00pm. • PANORAMA FRIDAYS UPSTAIRS - FEAT: PHATO A MANO + MR.GEORGE + MATT RADD + ASH-LEE Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. • PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS - FEAT: AMIN PAYNE + WINTERS + JACKSON MILES Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. • PHIL GOOD FRIDAYS FEAT: PHIL K Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 6:00pm. • POPROCKS - FEAT: DR PHIL SMITH Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. • RUFFHOUSE Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. • SAM MCEWIN + KODIAK KID + MATT RAD Penny Black, Brunswick. 8:00pm. • THE DISCO - FEAT: GREG SARA + LUKE MCD + JEN TUTTY + JAY RAMON + MORE Onesixone, Prahran. 8:00pm. • THE EMERSON CLUB FRIDAYS The Emerson, South Yarra. 3:00pm. saturday december 5 • ANDRAS & OSCAR + HARVEY SUTHERLAND + BERMUDA The Shadow Electric, Abbotsford. 6:00pm. $20.00. • ANDY PADULA Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 10:00pm. • ANYWAY - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Bottom End, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $25.00. • AUDIOPORN SATURDAYS - FEAT: LE ZOK + JAMES WARE + GREG SARA + JACOB MALMO + TOM EVANS + ROWIE Onesixone, Prahran. 9:00pm. $15.00. • CHAMPAGNE INTERNET Prince Public Bar, St Kilda . 10:30pm. • CQ SATURDAYS Cq, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • CUSHION SATURDAYS FEAT: COURTNEY MILLS + JESSE JAMES + J HEASY +
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MITCH COEN + BIG MAC + TOP DECK + MORE Cushion, St Kilda. 9:00pm. DAVEYS SATURDAYS FEAT: HURLEY + CRAIG MOORE + ASTERIX Daveys Bar & Restaurant, Frankston. 9:00pm. DJ CHUNKY PROJECTS Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 2:00pm. DJ JNETT Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm. DJ KNAVE KNIXX Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 9:00pm. DJ SHAKEY MEMORIAL Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 11:30pm. DNM SATURDAYS Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 10:00pm. ELECTRIC DREAMS FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Co., Southbank. 9:00pm. $20.00. FREE TECHNO 5 - FEAT: WINGMAN + MICKEY NOX + MATT RADOVICH + SAM MCEWIN + MORE Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 4:00pm. FUTURESOUNDS MELBOURNE - FEAT: PNKFME + LAZER BLADES + ONLY OBJECTS + GODWOLF + MORE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm. $15.00. GOAT + GOAT + ORB + KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD Howler, Brunswick. 8:00pm. HOT STEP - FEAT: 99 PROBLEMS + TIGER FUNK + SILVER FOX + ASKEW Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. JANK FACQUES Carlton Club, Melbourne Cbd. 12:05am. NO NAME NATH + TOM SHOWTIME + HIJACK Penny Black, Brunswick. 8:00pm. NOT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS - FEAT: AARON ARTHUR + DUNCAN ‘FUNK’ WYLIE Alia Arthouse, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. OP SATURDAYS Oasis Parlour, Epping. 8:00pm. PLATFORM ONE SATURDAY NIGHTS Platform One, Melbourne. 9:00pm. PONY SATURDAYS La Di Da, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. SEVEN SATURDAY DISCOTHEQUE Seven Nightclub, South Melbourne. 10:00pm. $20.00. STEREOSONIC - FEAT: ARMIN VAN BUUREN + PEKING DUK + DIPLO + GARETH EMERY + MK Melbourne Showgrounds, Ascot Vale. 12:00am. $129.95. TEXTILE SATURDAYS FEAT: KODIAK KID + D’FRO + JENS BEAMIN Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. THE BOOK DOOF FUNDRAISER - FEAT: EURYTHMY + WHITEBEAR + CIRCUIT BENT + MUSTARD TIGER + MORE Rubix Warehouse, Brunswick. 5:00pm. $15.00. THE EMERSON CLUB SATURDAYS - FEAT: FAMILIAR STRANGERS + KIN + ANDY MURPHY The Emerson, South Yarra. 9:00pm. THE HOUSE DEFROST FEAT: ANDEE FROST Toff
In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. • THE LATE SHOW - FEAT: KOWTOWN + RANSOM + DAVID SPACE + BOOSHANK + MORE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 10:00pm. • TOMMY’S CLUB - FEAT: SCAT Matthew Flinders Hotel, Chadstone. 8:00pm. $10.00. • TRAMP SATURDAYS Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. sunday december 6 • BOP ART - FEAT: HAWAII + WHO + TIGERFUNK + MATT RADOVICH + LEWIS CANCUT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. • DJ G POG Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 2:00pm. • DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE FEAT: DJ NIGEL LAST Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • GOAT + GOAT + ORB + KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD Howler, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $45.00. • GOOD TIMES - FEAT: MATT RADOVICH Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 3:00pm. • JUNGLE - FEAT: HANDS DOWN + ZAC DEPETRO + PETE LASKIS + TRAVLOS + JOHN DOE Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00am. $15.00. • REVOLVER SUNDAYS FEAT: BOOGS + SPACEY SPACE + T-REK + MORE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00am. • ROOFTOP SUNDAYS - FEAT: KHANH + KEN WALKER + JESUS The Emerson, South Yarra. 12:00pm. • SPITROAST SUNDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 10:00pm. • STICKY MUSIC Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. • SUNDAY BEST - FEAT: TOM SHOWTIME + AGENT 86 + MAARS Penny Black, Brunswick. 8:00pm. • THE SUNDAY SET - FEAT: DJ ANDYBLACK + SHAGGIS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 4:00pm. • WAX ON WAX OFF Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm. monday december 7
• MELLOWDÍASTHUMP - FEAT: GEEZY + CAZEAUX O.S.L.O + SKOMES Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.
thursday december 3 • HIP HOP KARAOKE (SPRINGTIME) Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. • MIXED THURSDAYS (HIP HOP) - FEAT: SELBY + SEEKA + SOLEX + MORE Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. • ONYX + SNAK THE RIPPER Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $56.00. • THURSDAYS REIGN SUPREME - FEAT: AP70 + MIZRIZK Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 6:00pm.
friday december 4 • BRIGHT LIGHTS BIG CITY - FEAT: DJ RCEE + KAHLUA + DJ SHOOK + DJ ANGEL JAY Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.
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• FAKTORY FRIDAYS - FEAT: DAMION DE SILVA + K DEE + DURMY Khokolat Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. • GOLDEN RULES + HOUSE OF BEIGE + LEWIS CANCUT + MORE 24 Moons, Northcote. 9:00pm. • PARTY & BULLSHIT - FEAT: STAUNCH NATION + SONIC VIBES + MIMI Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.
saturday december 5 • BIG DANCING SATURDAYS - FEAT: LARRIE + BATSEY + GET BUSY + PAIGE PLAY + MS DOOG Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. • JAKUBI + YEAH BOY + REIKA + STAHSI Max Watt’s, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15.00. • KHOKOLAT KOATED SATURDAYS FEAT: DAMION DE SILVA + K DEE + DURMY + TIMOS Khokolat Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. • LOVE SPREAD - FEAT: DJ ALEX Workers Club, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. • RHYTHM NATION SATURDAYS - FEAT:
electronic - urban - club life
with
tyson
wray
I am never going to be able to understand Russia in the slightest whatsoever.
leftfield Leftfield have announced that when they return to Australia next year they will perform at two new open-air venues. Return to Australia for the first time since 2011, Leftfield’s will be supporting their first studio album in 16 years, Alternative Light Source. The new open-air venues are located in Yarra Valley Estate and Calais Estate, creating a boutique alternative to the existing vineyard venue options. Leftfield will perform at Yarra Valley Estate on Sunday February 21.
andras & oscar Having spent three straight months touring Europe, Andras & Oscar are coming home. From Amsterdam to Torin, Berlin to Antwerp, the duo have honed their signature combination of enlightened house productions and stream of consciousness soul, covering I Know What You Want as well as both mini album odes to late night institutions Embassy Cafe and Cafe Romantica. They will be joined by local synthesist Harvey Sutherland with his new live formation Bermuda, featuring GL drummer Graeme Pogson and strings maestro Tamil Rogeon. Rounding out the bill is Noise In My Head. It goes down on Saturday December 5 at The Shadow Electric.
• CALL IT IN - FEAT: INSTANT PETERSON + DYLAN MICHAEL Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • MONDAY STRUGGLE FEAT: TIGER FUNK Lucky Coq, Windsor. 6:00pm. • THE BREAKFAST CLUB - FEAT: LE ZOK + JAMES WARE + GREG SARA + JACOB MALMO + TOM EVANS + ROWIE Onesixone, Prahran. 9:00pm. tuesday december 8 • OASIS TUESDAYS Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • RUDIMENTAL Forum Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $68.90. • SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy.
urban club guide wednesday december 2
off the record
DJ TIMOS + DJ KAHLUA + DJ ANGE M & ANDY PALA Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $10.00.
sunday december 6 • MOMENTUM (FOREIGN BROTHERS) FEAT: MOMENTUM: FOREIGN BROTHERS + THE CORE-TET Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00. • YELAWOLF + B WISE Max Watt’s, Melbourne. 7:00pm. $53.80.
tuesday december 8 • LUCINDA WILLIAMS + HARRY HOOKY Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 7:30pm. $100.50.
party profile: girlthing’s 2015 xmas bash When is it? Friday December 4. Where is it? Laundry Bar Who’s playing? Fuzzy, Girlthing DJs, Natnoiz vs. Cunningpants, Arts Simone, Mimi, Camy and more. What sort of shit will they be playing? House, ‘90s, booty shakin’ party jams. What’s the crowd going to be like? Queer, lesbian and pansexual! What will we remember in the AM? Live drag shows, original projections, Fuzzy’s crackin’ DJ set, kicking it to your new boo’s house. What’s the wallet damage? $10 presale, $15 on the door. Give us one final reason why we should party here. Sydney’s raddest LGBTI event export in Melbourne for one night only? Why wouldn’t you. Bring your lady friends and/or squad along, this one’s going to be a kicker.
THE BEAN PROJECT F O R K
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BY THOMAS BRAND
For a band that’s been around for less than two years, The Bean Project have built themselves a solid profile in Melbourne’s vibrant music scene. That said, their journey’s been a mixture of struggle and success. Guitarist/vocalist Ben Langdon and French horn player Bryce Turcato are both students, which has put a small strain on the band’s growth. However, they’re quickly learning about time management.
COOKIN’ ON 3 BURNERS S P I N N I N G
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S O U L
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
While the dust’s barely settled on last year’s triumphant Blind Bet LP, Cookin’ On 3 Burners returned in early October with The Writing’s On The Wall 7”. The A-side features vocals from local renaissance man Tex Perkins, who also helped out on the Blind Bet tune, Flat On My Back. To mark the single’s release, Perkins recently joined the raw soul trio on a run of dates around the country. “The whole philosophy with Cookin’ On 3 Burners is we’re an instrumental Hammond trio, so it’s prime territory for us to collaborate with all different kinds of artists,” says bandleader and organ player Jake Mason. “Working with Tex has been super fun and gave us the scope to play to some new people. Also when we collaborate, it pushes us into a different spot, which is what we love. Even though we still make sure we stick with the soul and funk, it’s good to juxtapose different artists.” Perkins has been a staple of the Australian music community for over three decades, fronting The Cruel Sea, Beasts of Bourbon, Tex, Don and Charlie and The Dark Horses. Cookin’ On 3 Burners are no spring chickens themselves, having formed 18 years ago and released six albums. However, their relationship with Perkins is only a recent development. “We’ve always been big fans,” says Mason. “When we were writing and looking to record Blind Bet – this is nearly three years ago now – we had a bit of a wish list of people we wanted to collaborate with. We got in touch with Tex, threw a few ideas at him as far as songs that we’re working on, and he was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do one together’.” Having just wrapped up the tour with Perkins, Cookin’ On 3 Burners have one final commitment for 2015 – an appearance at the inaugural instalment of The Bureau. Blind Bet featured an allstar cast of vocalists, including long time Burners collaborator Kylie Auldist, as well as Daniel Merriweather, The Cat Empire’s Harry James Angus and Jason Heerah. Cookin’ On 3 Burners are still crossing names off their wish list, and another guest will join them at the Bureau. “We’ve been doing a bunch of stuff with Mantra,” says Mason. “So that’s a total departure from the stuff we’ve done with Tex. So we’ve written some stuff with Mantra and Mantra’s going to join us onstage doing that. Also Stella Angelico, who has been on the tour with Tex, she’s going to fly the sweet soul flag.” For peddlers of old-fashioned funk and soul, perhaps a hip hop MC sounds like an incongruous fit. But Cookin’ On 3 Burners haven’t been troubled by the transition. “We premiered this idea last year at our Corner Hotel gig where we had Mantra, Grey Ghost and 1/6,” Mason says. “We did a little spot of a bunch of tunes that we’ve been working on. It works really well because the Cookin’ On 3 Burners sound is kind of where the hip hop crew are sampling all their stuff from. It works BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 34
musically, and we dig it too because it’s great for us.” For the last decade, Cookin’ On 3 Burners has featured The Bamboos bandleader Lance Ferguson on guitar. Along with The Bamboos, Ferguson is behind the spiritual jazz project Menagerie and works widely as a producer. His increasing commitments led to his recent departure from the Burners. “We all still have a great friendship, but Lance has just got so busy with The Bamboos and working on some other side projects that there literally just wasn’t enough hours in the day. Lance and I still work together on projects outside of Cookin’ On 3 Burners and we’ve got a great relationship in the studio, but it was just a time thing. I wouldn’t say it’s never going to happen again, but at the moment Dan West has been doing a stellar job playing guitar and contributing to the writing as well, so it’s definitely working out.” Member changes are never ideal, but they can often have a refreshing effect. West’s entrance has been central to the Burners’ recent exploits. “Dan was where the hip hop collaboration came from and he was really into trying that. So perhaps if we hadn’t had the lineup change we might not have tried that stuff. Dan’s been great in influencing that element.” Despite Cookin’ On 3 Burners’ willingness to collaborate and experiment with a vast array of sounds, it’s no secret the band’s roots are in ‘60s/‘70s soul and blues music. However, while there are rich echoes of those eras in the band’s sound, they’re mindful of not relying on nostalgia. “It’s always a challenge. The Hammond trio sound of just a guitar, a drum kit, and a Hammond organ does really pigeonhole you genre-wise and sound-wise. To try and break out of that and make it refreshing and put a spin on it is always a challenge. That’s kind of why we bounce around and have influence from this genre or work with a different guest here. That gives us inspiration when we’re writing new tunes. The last thing we want to do is just recreate a xerox copy of something that came out of that [‘60s/‘70s] period, even though it can sometimes end up a bit like that. But we definitely aim to put a spin on everything.” COOKIN’ ON 3 BURNERS are playing at the inaugural Bureau Festival on Friday December 11 at Sidney Myer Music Bowl. The lineup also includes Charles Bradley, The Temptations, Saskwatch, Andy Bull, Asta and more.
“It’s about baby steps,” says Langdon. “We’ve only released one EP and we haven’t toured yet because we’ve been studying, but I think it’s been good, the way that we’ve come. We lost a bit of our focus mid this year in terms of what we wanted to do with the band. Now we’re at the pointy end of education – Bryce is actually finished now, but I still have a week of classes. It’s hard to focus on a band when you have essays to write. I’m going to be a lot happier and more prepared to work on promotion and gigs as soon as it’s done. ” The Bean Project have made great strides this year, winning the 2014/2015 FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands competition and performing at events such as Belgrave Platypus Festival and Panacea Festival. While the band are generating interest, Langdon knows they’ll need a more thorough strategy to further the band’s profile. “It’s an awkward thing to promote yourself, especially at the level that we’re at,” he says. “We’re starting to develop a small fan group, but the main people who come to our shows are friends and its awkward trying to push through that. [We post] videos online of things that people can actually connect to, such as covers that people know. Take for example, we play CatDog – everyone knows that song, but they don’t know that
they know that song. If you see a video that a mate puts up of a band playing CatDog, you’re going to think they’re alright. It’s not fully formed, I suppose, but we’re creating things I’d want to watch. Putting stuff online is a good way to do it.” The Internet can be a great tool for generating exposure, but a lot of people who engage with online content are only interested in brief and immediately amusing videos. There’s a reason you’ve never seen a 20-minute long viral sensation, and Langdon’s sympathetic to the wants of
MIGHTY DUKE & THE LORDS
S E R I O U S LY
B E N T
BY MICHAEL CL ARK
Mighty Duke & The Lords have a big summer ahead of them. The Melbourne five-piece are currently gearing up for stints at the Meredith and Falls Festivals, as well as taking on New Year’s Eve at Yarra Park. That’s not to mention their debut album, which is slated to drop on Friday February 12. On the band’s third anniversary, Beat sits down with vocalist/trombonist Wally Maloney and vocalist/guitarist Glen Walton to discuss the finer points of how the album came together. “You know those double guitars?” Walton asks. “We’re like that but with frontmen.” La Paloma Cafe in Brunswick turns out to be the perfect environment to meet up with the charismatic duo, chatting away next to a vinyl setup pumping out up tempo percussion and bass-heavy reggae. “We’re influenced by songs like this, that have a beat that feels summery,” Maloney says, signalling towards the record player. B E AT.C O M . A U
“Latin groove, African music, or just fun ‘80s music, although we’ve definitely started to branch out more. Initially we were doing just Calypso stuff, that was our main vibe, but now we’re dealing with everything tropical and going for our own style. After a few years of playing together you work out what your sound is and what style you’re working towards.” Completing the lineup is Mark Monnone (double bass), Cam Hassard (saxophone)
the masses. “If something doesn’t grab me within the first 15 seconds, I won’t want to watch it,” he says. “If it’s a song I know, if there’s a cool arrangement, if it looks pretty, or it’s something I don’t expect – those are all things I’d tune into and that’s the sort of thing we try to focus on creating. Having a French horn helps to do that, and thankfully there aren’t a huge amount of dudes playing French horn in small folky duos. We’ve found that on the side of the road when you’re busking [is] a good way of testing people’s attention spans. People tend to judge by looking at us off the bat because it’s a sound that you don’t hear very often.” Crowd involvement also plays a huge part in winning over an audience. Langdon and Turcato kept this in mind when planning for their upcoming shows at Sooki Lounge and The Wesley Anne. “We’re making a music video and we’re basing the show around that. I’m not going to reveal too much, but when you walk in there’ll be something special happening on stage. Making it a bit of an event is totally my vibe. Bryce is a bit more conservative.” THE BEAN PROJECT are playing at Sooki Lounge, Belgrave on Saturday December 5 and The Wesley Anne on Friday December 11. Their self-titled EP is available now via Bandcamp.
and Steve Sajkowsky (drums), who’ve helped develop Mighty Duke & The Lords’ rhythmic, horn-laden tropical pop sound. They’ve coined their unique stylistic blend ‘trop-pop’. “The genre doesn’t exist yet, but it will,” says Walton. “We’re pioneers.” The two frontmen handled the bulk of the songwriting during the band’s early years. However, given the band members’ ties to such acts as The Melbourne Ska Orchestra, NO ZU and The Lucksmiths, they’ve a whole range of influences to draw on. “Everyone comes from a songwriting background with their solo stuff. We’ll come in with an idea and then it’ll get fleshed out through jamming. We all like a bit of a joke as well, so writing lyrics will become who can outwit each other, so it’s a good environment for that.” After a long build up, a date is finally locked in for the release of Mighty Duke & The Lords’ debut album. However, they’d envisioned it arriving much sooner. “We recorded it live,” Walton says. “And the time since has gone into putting a few finishing touches on it. Wally actually recorded some percussion drumming groups over in Mexico when he was there six months later. “All these little bits ended up making what we thought would be a six month process of making an album into a two and a half year odyssey.” The album is currently in the mixing and mastering stage, and it comes as no surprise the band are already looking towards the future. “I like it when an artist releases something and within a year they have another record out. We’ve already started planning the next record. Going on a bit of a writing camp in January, maybe down the beach somewhere, get a boat and write some tunes on the water.”
MIGHTY DUKE & THE LORDS will play the Meredith Music Festival, from Friday December 11 – Sunday December 13 in Meredith, VIC; the Falls Festival in Lorne, VIC from Monday December 28 – Friday January 1; Yarra Park on Thursday December 31; and Sunset Series at Fitzroy Gardens on Saturday January 16.
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 35
THE HOTELIER T O
B U I L D
A
H O M E
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
It’s nearing two years since The Hotelier released their second LP, Home Like Noplace Is There. While it wasn’t the Massachusetts act’s first showing, it’s the album that introduced them to the wider listening populace. In the wake of Home’s breakthrough success, the band’s 2011 debut, It Never Goes Out, has gained plenty of exposure. However, certain comments on the band’s official blog suggest they’d rather distance themselves from their first LP.
BEACH SLANG T H AT
T H I N G
Y O U
D O
B Y D AV I D J A M E S Y O U N G
You may know Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the city of brotherly love; the backdrop of one of Tom Hanks’ finest cinematic performances; or as the hometown of Will Smith. There’s no wrong answers here, but when it comes to James Alex – lead vocalist and guitarist of garage rock upstarts Beach Slang – the city’s defined by its sense of community and the positive impact this has had on his own music. “Bands come and go, but I think the ethics and the hunger are very much the same in the bands from this city,” he says. “That’s what I think makes it so great. Philadelphia’s got this real blue collar fighting spirit to it. When you come up in a scene like that, it’s kind of distilled into you. I’ve described it as being like a romantic grit that’s tattooed on all the bands that come up around it. People change, but I think the core elements – those ethics, those values – they’re still very much the same when it comes to the music that is coming out of here.” Alex formed Beach Slang in 2013. Prior to this, he’d risen to cult prominence with pop punk band Weston, who he toured and recorded with for the better part of the ‘90s. His fellow bandmates have also kicked around in their fair share of jam rooms and sweaty bars with bands like ExFriends and Nona. For Alex, the band’s formation didn’t only seem logical, but he felt it would stick. “We all knew each other from a safe distance,” he says. “We were all about two degrees of separation from one another. It came to a head when I was playing a show with one of my previous bands. JP [Flexner], who plays in Beach Slang now, filled in for our drummer who couldn’t play that night. He found out that I was writing songs for this new project, and when I played some stuff to him he immediately wanted in. He said he knew a guy to play bass – which was Ed [McNulty] – and that we should all have a jam. The seeds were planted, and it all kind of took off from there.” The band got off to a slow start – mostly due to Alex’s work commitments – but a refreshing change of direction, as well as the addition of lead guitarist Ruben Gallego, sparked the writing and recording of Beach Slang’s debut album, The Things We Do to Find People Who Feel Like Us. It’s a bold title, presaging a bold album that features 26-minutes of raised fists, radiating guitars and crashing drums. It’s already become one of the year’s most celebrated rock records, despite only being released at the end of October. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 36
“I tried to sit down and clearly define what I think of when I write,” says Alex. “I came up with this three-point system, which came to more or less define what this album was going to sound like. Sonically, I wanted it to sound like a John Hughes film. Lyrically, I wanted it to be like Charles Bukowski putting words to that. Musically, I wanted it to sound like what Paul Westerberg would put chords behind. I had these three touchstones, and I kept bouncing my ideas off them. These songs are about me and they’re about my friends. They could be about when we were 15 or they could be about yesterday – that’s the thing man. It’s about what feels good to us in the very moment that we’re doing it. That’s where this record comes from.” In just over 18 months, Alex has reached levels of success with Beach Slang that he never saw in nine years of playing with Weston. This fact’s not lost on him – a man in his 40s playing primarily to audiences half his age, he’s seen his career blossom and his dreams of living the rock’n’roll lifestyle are finally becoming a reality. “It’s been incredible to watch the band grow in real time while we’re out on the road. When we first headed out on tour, the record wasn’t out yet. Once it was, the crowds kept getting bigger and bigger, the singing along getting louder and louder. We had so many shows sell out across pretty much every major market, if you will. It felt so rewarding, especially because of those nerves that you get when a record is coming out. You’re never sure if people are going to want the new thing that you’re putting out there, so to have that kind of response is so validating.” The line of questioning then homes in on a potential maiden voyage for Alex and co. to Australia, which he more or less confirms. “There’s not a great deal I can say right now. What I can tell you, though, is that Beach Slang will absolutely be in Australia playing shows next year. We’re so excited by the prospect of it – it’s going to be something completely new for us.” BEACH SLANG’s debut album The Things We Do to Find People Who Feel Like Us is available now via Cooking Vinyl.
“In a sense we’re like, ‘We make hardly anything like that anymore.’ We play Weathered and [An Ode to the] Nite Ratz [Club] and Vacancy and Title Track from that record live, but there’s so many songs on it that I think are really goofy,” says frontman and main songwriter Christian Holden. “I wrote them when I was 18, in high school still. At the same time, people seem to really like listening to It Never Goes Out with the context of Home Like Noplace Is There. Pitchfork gave it a 7.7, which is really high for an album that I wrote when I was 18 and in high school and says the line, ‘Punk rock saved my fucking life,’ on the record. I don’t necessarily care to distance myself from it. I just think it’s goofy.” In contrast to Holden’s ‘goofy’ appraisal, Home Like Noplace Is There is teeming with adult themes – covering self-destructive behaviour, death, addiction, and betrayal. 20 months down the line from its release, Holden harbours no regrets about how the album turned out. “I think it did what I wanted it to do – people were able to get it in the way that I wanted people to get it,” he says. “I’m very happy with how that record came out and the reception. I think we want to try to do something a little bit different with every single album, as probably most bands do. [We want to] develop our songwriting
APES
P R I M A L
around this specific sad pop style and the sort of narrative between albums. We’re going to continue to develop it, hopefully.” It’s interesting to hear Holden describe the band’s sound as sad pop. In contrast, the Pitchfork review of Home Like Noplace Is There (which gave it a rating of 8.2) called The Hotelier “punk as fuck.” However, more than anything else, critics have tagged them an emo band. The arrangements on Home Like Noplace Is There cohere with a recognised emo rock sound, but the most emotive element is undeniably Holden’s lyrics and vocals. “I think almost that entire album must have been written instrumentally first and then
P L E A S U R E S
BY JOSEPH EARP
Ben Dowd isn’t worried about stage fright. In fact, he’s more concerned by its absence. “It’s good to be nervous, I think,” the Apes frontman says from the confines of a van that’s bound for their final gig supporting glam rock megastars The Darkness. “[It’s more worrying] when you’re playing three or four nights a week and it starts to feel like clockwork. [Nerves] make you excited.” It’s a solid attitude to have, particularly given Apes have hit their most successful period since their inception in 2011. Not only did they secure support duties with a group of The Darkness’ size, they’ve just released their scintillating new single, Dimension, the first track from an as-yetuntitled new album. Such successes couldn’t have come at a better time. “If we struck the right chord as a band straight off the bat, we wouldn’t be ready to deal with [it],” Dowd says. By his B E AT.C O M . A U
account, the band has collectively reached a newfound maturity. “It’s taken us time to get the really massive party modes out of us. When we first started out, we’d be going on tour for two weeks and we’d look at it like a two-week bender.” With that attitude, every second or third show Apes played in their early days was a disaster. “It’s pretty easy to get lost [in the partying]. It’s not sustainable. And you lose sight of why you’re doing all this kind of stuff.”
lyrically later,” he says. “But as a person, I talk a lot and I like to fully develop an idea in a way that pop song structure doesn’t really allow me to. So we maybe don’t repeat choruses because I want to continue to talk about this same idea throughout the song.” The Hotelier recently finished recording their third album, which is due in autumn 2016. Holden and co. mightn’t be the biggest band in the world, but Home was definitely a major breakthrough. Approaching album three, Holden sought to ascertain what gave the previous LP such widespread appeal. “I was listening to that album a lot thinking, ‘What makes this album Hotelier? What are people going to be looking for?’ At a certain point I had to stop. When we were writing Home Like Noplace Is There, I was listening to the bands that were in our scene and I was like, ‘What makes this stuff click with people?’ At a certain point I was like, ‘OK I have to stop comparing this record to anything and I just have to write it.’ So for a year I didn’t really listen to anything. And then now, instead of comparing it to other bands in our scene, I just had to stop comparing [the new album] to Home Like Noplace Is There and I had to just be like, ‘This is not going to be Home Like Noplace Is There II. It’s going to be its own unique piece’.” THE HOTELIER are playing at the Reverence Hotel on Friday December 4 and Wrangler Studios on Saturday December 5.
But despite their early recklessness, Apes made it through. They’ve released a stack of scorching tunes, and kept growing together in the process. Indeed, in many ways, the Melburnians are a closer unit now than they’ve ever been. Dowd talks about “riding the energy” of his bandmates while they are onstage, and just recently they’ve begun to write music as a group. Guitarist James Toohey will be singing some songs on the new album, and Dowd isn’t the only one writing lyrics this time either. While the collaborative expansion is welcome, Dowd’s upfront about the fact these changes took some getting used to. “Everyone’s been putting in, which can be a bit hard during that process. A lot of people [clashed].” Ultimately, however, the band persevered until they reached a breakthrough. “Everyone’s got the best interests of the music [in mind]. It’s been a big thing for us to do that.” Dowd is reticent to give an exact date for the album’s release, not wanting to create a deadline he worries he might miss. But diehard Apes fans need not worry. “[It’s] actually mostly recorded already,” Dowd says. “It’s a lot closer than we might give off.” If Dimensions is anything to go by, the new album may well be the band’s strongest work to date. The brash psych and glam rock-indebted single retains the trembling, emotive subtext that any long-term Apes follower will know and love. But Dimensions aside, one can still be excited about the forthcoming record based simply on Dowd’s obvious love for what he does. “When we’re onstage it never feels like a job,” he says. “When you have an eightmonth break and you haven’t played live, you’re dying to get back out there. Sittin’ in a van for 12 hours, talking shit and playing celebrity heads…” There’s a pause, and then his voice goes low and wistful. “You just sit at home wishing you were doing that again.” APES are playing at The Workers Club, Melbourne on Saturday December 5 and The Workers Club, Geelong on Friday December 18, with support from Destrends. Dimension is out now independently.
STEVE ALBINI A D J U S T I N G
E X P E C TAT I O N S
B Y PAT R I C K E M E R Y
When punk rock musician and studio engineer Steve Albini hears predictions about the apocalyptic impact the Internet will have musicians’ livelihoods, he’s reminded of many dire prophecies of yore. When sheet music was first made available, court musicians predicted the end of their livelihood. When the phonograph was invented, concert hall and opera performers anticipated the end of their careers. When broadcast radio appeared in the home, it too signalled the end of days for musicians. And when recordable cassettes turned up (followed by recordable CDs), well that was really the end.
“There have been other paradigm shifts in the music industry, and at every juncture when things have changed the established music industry reacted with horror, and not with a resignation that they had to adjust their expectations,” Albini says. “They made it seem as if it was morally wrong that things had to change.” But what actually happened, Albini argues, is that these seismic changes resulted in an increased awareness and appreciation of music. Notwithstanding the dire predictions of musicians and industry executives, the internet is actually a good thing for musicians. “As more and more musicians realise that they can operate without the participation of a music label, then those labels will be operating with a thinner and thinner back catalogue, and the arc of the technology will by-pass them completely,” Albini says. In fact, Albini is so enamoured with technological developments that he believes they’ve gone a long way to addressing the problems he outlined in his 1993 Baffler essay, The Problem With Music. The problem with the music industry, Albini contended, was that it was laden with so many ancillary actors – managers, labels, publishing companies, public relations operatives – that any revenue generated from sales would inevitably be eroded well before reaching the creating artist. But the Internet changes all of that – at least in Albini’s mind – for the better. More avenues of distribution means greater awareness and increased niche markets, all of which is good for artists. Most importantly, the ability of artists to market direct to their audience means they’re no longer captive to the industry model and the hidden costs therein. “The efficiency of that [new] model means that people will be operating on a sustainable basis, on a smaller scale, which allows for much wider variety, which allows for more specialisation, which allows for musicians and audiences to interact in a way that’s uniquely suited to a certain kind of music or a certain frame of mind,” Albini says. Albini also says it’s time to look critically at the issue of intellectual property, and in particular copyright. Originally a licence granted by the Crown giving people the right to print books, copyright has morphed into an economic interest. With the prevalence of piracy and streaming services (which, Albini agrees, pay a bare pittance to the artists featured), the value of that economic interest has become substantially diminished, to the detriment of artists. While Albini recognises the importance of copyright, he believes the whole concept – especially the notion of ‘control’ of an artistic work – needs to be re-thought in an Internet world. “What someone who originates a piece of work has is the first bite of the apple,” he says. “They can popularise it, monetise it first – sort of like the inventor of a mousetrap. If you have something first, you can exploit it first before anyone else.” But with surplus distribution scenarios now available, claiming control of a musical product is an anachronistic assumption. “I feel like any music that’s released now has to be done with open eyes – that is, you have to realise that’s how the world treats music now. It’s shared amongst enthusiasts, you don’t have exclusive control over music once you’ve released it,” Albini says. “I’m comfortable with that, but some people are not comfortable with that and they want to change the world so they can retain some semblance of control over the music once it’s released. I think that’s not realistic.” Not surprisingly, Albini’s provocative assessment hasn’t been universally accepted. When he first asserted that the Internet is not a threat, but an opportunity, the reaction was predictably swift and harsh. However, Albini says he’s not just voicing his own opinions, but those of his contemporaries. “Perhaps I’m flattering myself when I say I’m being rational, but all of these opinions have been gleaned by me through consideration and experience and also through my interactions with other musicians – I’ve taken on the positions held and expounded by other musicians. So I take them at their word when they say their income goes up the more people share their music.” Ever the pragmatist, Albini prefers a debate that’s rooted in rational argument, not the emotive pleas and hyperbolic assertions that often characterise the vexed issue of online file sharing and streaming services. “I don’t think there’s anything necessarily religious or sacrosanct or insulting about taking a position, especially on an economic issue. When it’s purely a matter of money and why someone ought to be paid, or ought not to be paid, or feeling bad that someone’s not being paid – I feel these capitalistic positions are very easy to discuss rationally and I don’t think you gain anything by appealing to emotions when you’re not talking about someone’s personal attributes. What you’re talking about is a procedural thing or a practical matter of execution of business.” STEVE ALBINI will appear in conversation with Woody McDonald at The Wheeler Centre on Thursday December 10. His band Shellac are playing the Corner Hotel on Wednesday December 9 and Meredith Music Festival, from Friday December 11 – Sunday December 13, in Meredith, VIC. W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 37
JAALA I N
S C R E A M S
BY ADAM NORRIS
Even in conversation, Cosima Jaala’s voice is something unique. It manages to sound both silky and gravelly all at once. Throughout our chat, I keep picturing a gorgeous tapestry full of holes and scorched thread. In the wake of September’s Bigsound conference, the national music press have been making serious noise about Jaala. With the band’s debut album Hard Hold to be officially launched this weekend, the 26-year-old frontwoman talks to us about voice, reflection, and the business of sound.
JULIA HOLTER W I L D
T H I N G
BY JODY MACGREGOR
LA singer/songwriter Julia Holter caught a lot of listeners by surprise this year with her album, Have You In My Wilderness. To those who haven’t been following her career over the last five years, the record seems to have come out of nowhere to universal critical acclaim. Though, it’s been a surprise to fans of Holter’s previous three albums as well. Her first record, Tragedy, was based on an Ancient Greek play, and was as difficult a concept album as that suggests. The follow-up, 2012’s Ekstasis, wasn’t bound to an overarching narrative and was a much more welcoming listen for new ears. But the following year she released another dense conceptual work, Loud City Song, based on the musical adaption of Colette’s novella, Gigi. It seemed like Holter was turning inwards again, even though it was her first album recorded with other musicians rather than crafted entirely in her bedroom. Have You In My Wilderness is a surprisingly outwards-looking work. There’s no central theme, although literary characters do crop up – one from Colette’s Chance Acquaintances, and Sally Bowles from Isherwood’s The Berlin Stories. Instead what holds it together is a new element in her sound. Her early work experimented with twisting up traditional stringed instruments, before adding jazzy instrumentation on Loud City Song. She’s still working with that core, but in a much more rhythmic way. The humble drums are essential to her new songs, making them feel lively where older songs were stately. Even when drums are absent, other instruments take up the slack to propel them ever forwards. “A lot of these songs really require a band, I think,” Holter says. Although she started out performing entirely solo, these days she plays with a drummer, bass player and violinist/backing vocalist. “At this point I’ve been playing with other people for three years now. I do solo shows though, and I like them a lot, but it’s just different.” Holter is comfortable no matter which format she performs in. She always has been, in fact, which is surprising given her music started out as a very personal bedroom project. “Performing for me has always been natural,” she says. “It kind of weirds me out – I don’t know why it is, because I’m not seriously introverted but I am more of an introvert, not super social or whatever – but I love performing for some reason.” Part of it is perhaps that Holter’s songs aren’t really about her. Even when they’re not based on existing fiction, the songs are built around stories and role-play. “I would say I play a character,” she says. “I think that’s what most people do, even if they aren’t aware of it. I feel like even if you’re singing a song about your life, it’s not like talking to somebody. If you go up on a stage and perform, for me, unless it’s for a political cause it’s not a form of communication. It’s usually a sentiment that’s being expressed and it’s not addressed to a particular person.” It’s an unusual idea, but one that’s matched by her music, which takes characters BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 38
and stories and boils them down to moods. There are no morals imparted at the conclusion of Holter’s songs, just feelings. “Usually you’re performing for a group of people and there’s this thing being exchanged, but it’s not exactly communication,” she says. “I think in the same way, you’re not your own person, you’re something else – just like the audience themselves are not like separate people that are receiving information from you. They’re this mass of listeners that are having all their own experiences.” To fuel her songs, sometimes Holter will go looking through books, but not in a methodical way. “Sometimes when I’m writing lyrics I flip through random anything, just looking at words and looking at sentences, just going from one page to another. [It] kind of gets the creativity moving a little bit. The thesaurus is also useful.” Most recently, Holter has been working on the score for the boxing film Bleed For This – directed by Ben Younger and executive produced by Martin Scorsese. She’s still expressing a sentiment, but this time purely instrumental. “It’s very simple music. I’d say a kind of dark, bluesy piano and then there’s some string pads.” To get an idea of what the next song Holter writes might sound like, it’s worth inquiring into what she’s reading. At the moment it’s The Palace Of The White Skunks by Reinaldo Arenas, which she describes as “really intense and difficult to read.” If it serves as inspiration for any of her future songs, they’ll be sad as hell. “It’s really depressing and hits you over the head with depressing and bleak situations in a surreal way. It’s interesting suffering through it, because it’s painful to read. Sometimes that’s OK – I think things are just painful and miserable and that’s the way some art is, and it should be that way.” JULIA HOLTER is playing at Howler on Friday December 11 with Wintercoats and Sui Zhen, and Meredith Music Festival on Saturday December 12. Have You In My Wilderness is out now through Domino/EMI.
“Bigsound was so good,” she says. “But there’s so much on, you really need to run around to see everything. It’s a little bit luck of the draw. Someone who really likes you might not actually be there at your showcase, so it’s luck and hard work. It was fun just to be out of the usual traps, up in Brissy with the nice weather. We really had a wonderful time. “You could think of it like a sell-out thing or something, but you name your favourite band, they’re going to have a team of people working behind them. That’s just the reality. If you can somehow manage to accumulate a bunch of fucking sick cunts who want to help you do the thing you want to do, I don’t think there’s anything to be too worried about. As long as you keep your wits about you and don’t play into it all too much. Just have fun and keep it real. At the end of the day, those people wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the music. You don’t really need to suck up anyone’s arse. They’re there to see you play, and I think maybe bands forget that.” It’s no surprise Hard Hold has already courted such interest. Jaala herself is refreshingly direct in conversation, simultaneously charming and blunt. Given Hard Hold is a breakup record, it seems fitting that this translates into her
work. I challenge you to find any other contemporary release that incorporates so many shifts in mood and colour, not to mention time signatures, while still managing to sound raw and accessible. “It’s basically a live album,” she says. “We never played the songs more than five or six times to get the take that we were happy with. To be honest, we didn’t have the money to do a huge album in a studio and take lots of time doing overdubs. My hope for the album was that it would be what it
COLLARD GREENS AND GRAVY B L U E S
A N D
G R E E N S
B Y AV R I L L E B Y L O K- C O L L A R D
Known for their all-compassing, rollicking blues sound, Collard Greens and Gravy have been entertaining Melbourne for 20 years. They’ve performed molassesrich Jessie Mae Hemphill renditions, impressed us with passionate Louis Armstrong covers and recently added a little more spunk to Freddie Hart’s Juke Joint Boogie. To celebrate 20 years, Collard Greens and Gravy will fill the Spotted Mallard with their gritty down-home blues sounds. Though, the question of the moment concerns whether it’s acceptable to eat collard greens with gravy. “No. [That’s] just going to be really slushy,” says singer and harmonica player, Ian Collard. “When we went to America we discovered that you don’t put gravy on collard greens. They have it in this broth and everywhere we went people would say, ‘You can’t put gravy on collard greens. Your name doesn’t make any sense. You should be called Collard Greens and Sweet Potatoes or Collard Greens and Biscuits.’ So, we paid the price for that hasty decision.” B E AT.C O M . A U
Music is a full-time job for Collard, whose childhood ambition was to become a singer. This idea would later come to fruition in a score of bands, fostered by an innate love of music and a refusal to consider any other career path. “Still today, when it’s getting hard being a musician, I wish I had actually studied something or gotten some degree, but I still can’t think what that would be,” says Collard. Founded in 1995, Collard Greens and Gravy
sounds like to hear us live. That was the goal – to get what it sounds like live, but maybe with even fewer fuck ups. So we recorded the tracks in two or three days, and after that it was me and Paul [Bender, producer] doing vocals. “For me, it takes a long time to write a song. Sometimes it’s a night or two weeks, but most of the songs on the album took months to write. Then there’s also the time with the band, not only for them to learn how to play the songs, but to add their own parts, to add their colour.” While Hard Hold is still the breakup album Jaala first intended to write, now that all is said and done, its purpose has changed somewhat. As fresh ears start interpreting this kaleidoscopic, sometimes despairing journey, it has evolved from simply being a register of Jaala’s own emotion and energy. “I don’t know. There are times in your life when you do just need to hear some fucking sad songs,” she says. “These songs are definitely a little portal back in time to where I was when I was experiencing all of that. Now it’s not really about my experiences, it’s about how other people experience them.” JAALA are playing at The Curtin on Saturday December 5 with Kirkis and Swooping Duck. They’re also playing at Boney on Thursday December 31, with Sampa The Great, Jazz Party and Nai Palm. Hard Hold is out now via Wondercore Island/Warner.
are renowned for their foot-stomping and contagious blues renditions. Their talents earned them an ARIA Award for Best Blues and Roots Album in 2001 (for More Gravy), a runner up position at the 2001 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and Best Album and Best Band at the 2008 Australian Blues Awards. Despite these laurels, Collard’s still inspired by the feel of blues more than anything else. “The great thing about blues music is, even though you may be playing the same song each time, every time you play it you get to interpret it in a different way,” he says. “Ideally, you can put the emotion into the music that you’re feeling at the time and you’re creating something different every time you’re playing it. Blues music is nothing without that. Otherwise it starts to sound the same. It’s all about the individual’s interpretation of the song.” Given his penchant for improvisation, performing for the Australian Ballet’s Golden Jubilee celebration, Ballet Swee dee dee, in 2012 was one of Collard’s most challenging experiences in his 20-year career. “It was a small 20-minute ballet choreographed to and inspired by our cover of St James’ Infirmary. It was pretty daunting because you can’t interpret the music differently each time because you’re working with something that’s so heavily choreographed. I had to be aware that I had to play everything the same, every night. I get the most pleasure when I can take a song and change the way I’m playing based on how I feel. I get new ideas and play those ideas. It’s what I find the most stimulating about music. Playing [at Swee dee dee], I really had to change this thought process that I’ve been cultivating for the past 30 years. “We’ve never had a plan [as a band]. We’ve just taken it bit by bit and we’re all in shock that 20 years has gone past. Hopefully in 40 years, the same thing will be being said by all of us – ‘How did we get here?’”
COLLARD GREENS AND GRAVY are playing at the Spotted Mallard on Saturday December 12, with special guests Suzannah Espie, Jeff Lang, and The Backwood Creatures.
ILL NIÑO
R E V O L U T I O N
R E G A I N E D
BY ROD WHITFIELD
Not only are New Jersey’s finest Latin metal band Ill Niño coming back to Australia for their third appearance on the Soundwave Festival next year, but they have something extra special planned for their Australian fans. 2016 marks the 15th anniversary of their classic debut album Revolution Revolucion, and they’ll be playing the record in full on every date of the tour. Frontman and co-founding member Cristian Machado still has great affection for the album, and he’s excited about the prospect of reliving it night-after-night.
MONO D A R K E S T
B E F O R E
T H E
D AW N
B y D av id J ames Young
Consisting of just two syllables and four letters, the name Mono has become synonymous with the upper tier of the greater post-rock spectrum. It’s a name that has triggered a wide array of emotions and has sent listeners on countless mental journeys. Mono mightn’t have a celebrity profile or a conspicuous legion of devotees, but those who are fans of the Tokyo band’s music have keenly followed them at each step they’ve taken. Most recently, the band released two albums simultaneously – their seventh and eighth LPs, The Last Dawn and Rays of Darkness respectively. “The two albums ended up representing the counter points in life,” says lead guitarist Takaakira ‘Taka’ Goto. “Light and darkness, hope and hopelessness, love and loss, the emotions which can’t be expressed – pain which you can’t put into words, happiness which you can’t simply measure. We also, at the same time, felt and hoped that they could be something to exceed the darkness.” Despite being their eighth LP, Rays of Darkness contains the first ever Mono song to use vocals. The Hand That Holds the Truth features the vocals of Tetsuya ‘Tetsu’ Fukagawa, vocalist of another Japanese cult-favourite, Envy. “Personally for a long time, I always wanted to collaborate with Tetsu,” says Goto. “He’s been a good of friend of ours for so long, so I’m really glad it became a reality. Even during the time I was writing the song, I could clearly hear how his vocals would fit in together. When we actually collaborated I didn’t really give him any instructions, but he already knew what I was hoping to achieve. The song turned out to be such an incredible piece and we’re all very proud of it.” Over the course of their eight LPs, Mono’s sound has been in a constant state of transit. They’re known to shift from shimmering, shaken guitars to flourishing orchestral arrangements. The latter element has been a considerably large part of the band’s more recent works, leading some to classify Mono as a contemporary classical, or neo-classical, outfit. It certainly raises the question of where Mono’s sound might go next. According to Goto, it’ll have more to do with what he and his bandmates get from the creative process as opposed to public expectations. “If I were to borrow Beethoven’s words, I think music is something that ignites fire in men’s hearts and brings tears to women’s eyes – and, of course, vice versa,” he says. “Every individual reflects their own life through music like spiritual travels, like every cell in your body getting triggered unconsciously. After experiencing fantastic movies, books or art, there is a power that allows you to see and feel new values of your life which you didn’t really notice. We really hope we can create the same kind of BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 40
experience to people. We have been trying to find something new in rock guitar music which no one has done before. Now I am thinking we should focus on what we want to do more than what we should do.” Commendably, Mono have maintained the same core lineup for the entirety of their career – Goto, guitarist Hideki Suematsu, bassist Tamaki Kunishi and drummer Yasunori Takada. Goto formed the band toward the end of 1999, and they’ll have reached their 16th birthday by the time they arrive in Australia for a run of headline shows over the next couple of weeks. When asked to explain what’s kept Mono going this entire time, Goto attributes it to one thing. “It’s truly lucky that we have a strong mind as a team – like family. We have travelled the world together every year for the last 16 years, and we feel like we all grew up together gradually as children to adults. Everything we saw was fresh. Everything we did was an adventure with continuation of facing the unknown, excitement and setbacks. The whole process was like learning all the essentials of life through our music and travels.” Mono’s Australian dates will be their final shows for the year, wrapping up an exhausting tour schedule which has seen them spend more than half the year playing in support of The Last Dawn and Rays of Darkness. However, Goto doesn’t begrudge this lifestyle one bit. “This year was very, very busy. We’ve played about 170 shows, including a South American tour. We just came back from a European co-headlining tour with Solstafir from Iceland. We will tour with Shellac in Japan soon, then we will play a Chinese festival and then we will go to Australia and New Zealand. All moments and opportunities are fantastic. We feel we can share something special with Australian fans really deeply as an art. We are very, very excited to come back there soon.” MONO are playing at the Corner Hotel on Saturday December 5, with support from We Lost The Sea and Fourteen Nights At Sea.
“We’re getting a little nostalgic,” he says. “It’s something that’s really cool to do if you have a first album that you can be proud of. Our first album has stuck with our fans ever since the very beginning, and hopefully we can bring back some good memories of a time in our lives when we were younger and could do whatever we wanted [laughs].” Machado’s not afraid to admit that nostalgia is the key reason behind the album retrospective, and Australia will be the first on the planet to take the trip down memory lane. “It’s something that we thought about a couple of years back,” says Machado. “We were hoping we could get to a point where we could do a nostalgic kind of thing and do the first record in full. It just seemed like Soundwave was the right time to do it. It’s the 15th anniversary of the album, and it’s an album that carries many great memories of us coming up as musicians and making the album. We saw that other bands were doing something similar, and it depends on whether or not you can be proud of your first album. We are very proud of our first album.” Ill Niño’s debut came out at the height of
the alternative metal boom, which took place at the turn of the 21st century. This period remains fresh in Machado’s memory. “That time has gone by so quickly,” he says. “It definitely feels like it could have been last week, but it’s been 15 years. It’s been a long time and we’re just grateful to be able to do something like this.” Despite Machado’s fondness for the time of the album’s release, several of the songs
FRENZAL RHOMB T H E
D O C T O R ’ S
T O O L S
BY PETER HODGSON
I had an ulterior motive when I put my hand up for this Frenzal Rhomb interview. I last interviewed Lindsay McDougall in 1999, both of us much younger men. It didn’t go well. I was new to interviewing bands and wasn’t prepared for the comic interplay and bratty attitude of McDougall and vocalist Jay Whalley. It felt like being trapped in an episode of The Ren & Stimpy Show. It wasn’t a bad interview per se, but trying to craft a story out of 20 minutes of insult comedy certainly was a learning experience.
“Wow. I apologise for that interview. It must have been horrendous,” McDougall laughs. “That was before I’d ever interviewed anyone and we didn’t realise how hard it actually was.” The real reason for this interview, of course, is Soundwave, which Frenzal will be laying waste to in just a few short months. “We’ve got a whole album ready to go, but we can’t record it until our drummer [Gordy Forman] gets his broken arm better. The nerve damage has almost healed, and these shows will probably be the last we do with our fill-in drummer Kye Smith. B E AT.C O M . A U
“Kye’s this drum savant who knows every drum part of every song ever. So it’s going to be a masterclass of how our songs are actually meant to be played. For the audience, and for us.” There’s something else McDougall is looking forward to about Soundwave, “You just get to go and watch a bunch of awesome bands,” he says. “You get your set over and done with and then you go and watch bands. Or, if you don’t like that band, go into their little dressing shed and nick their beer while they’re onstage. We did that to NOFX.”
haven’t been performed live for many years. Regardless, Machado is confident that it’ll all come rushing back. “I consider things like that, like riding a bike,” he says. “Once you do it, you never forget it. It’s just a matter of getting used to it again. I still remember all the lyrics off the top of my head. I may need to touch up on some of the things, but I’m just excited to play some of the songs we haven’t played in a long time.” Ill Niño have released a further six albums since Revolution Revolución, and they’ve also established themselves as a powerhouse live act. However, even with all they’ve achieved, Machado remains humble. “I’m just very grateful for it all. We’ve made some great fans along the way, and I guess the first album impacted many people’s lives and so many of them have stuck with us on this 15 year journey. I’m just very grateful, and hopefully in another 15 years the album will still carry its own weight.” So is there another 15 years left in the band? “I don’t know if it will be that many years, but as long as the fans want to keep hearing these songs, we’ll keep making the trek to every corner of the world to bring the music to them.” ILL NIÑO will be on board when the Soundwave Festival hits the Melbourne Showgrounds on Tuesday January 26.
McDougall has been shredding on stage with Frenzal since the mid-‘90s. However, he’s recently branched out to work with other artists, which has led to an expansion of his technical setup. “I’ve been playing some shows with Briggs, the hip hop artist from Shepparton, and I’ve just pulled my Roland guitar synth out of storage,” he says. “I’ve started learning how to use footpedals. I’ve never had to use them. I’ve been using the Line 6 M13 stompbox modeller. But in Frenzal I just use a Marshall JMP and a tuner. I bought the JMP quite a few years ago. About that time I was using 5150s, which are rad but too heavy to carry. Then I started using Mesa [Boogie] again because our bass player is our sultan of sound – the guy who sits there twiddling the knobs on the amp. Then last year – maybe it was the NOFX tour – I thought fuck it, I want to use Marshalls again. So I pulled out my JMP, which I’d never used on stage. It hadn’t been [modified] at all and it was the loudest fucking thing in the room. It was amazing. It was like, ‘There’s Malcolm Young.’ That’s that sound. It’s a proper amp being overdriven because it’s being blasted in the power amp, not by a Boss Metal Zone pedal. And I’m really excited to do these shows in NSW and Melbourne because I can drive to the shows and bring my amp.” As for his axe of choice, McDougall is a long time Gibson SG guy. “It’s a pretty boring – I say off-the-shelf but really offthe-online-store – model. A 2007 one. I got another really cheap one from somebody in Brisbane on Gumtree that has really nice P90s in it, so that’s my spare guitar. “But my favourite guitar is this beautiful Cole Clark Culprit that I used in triple j a lot. It feels like a Telecaster, but it sounds rad, and really angry when you overdrive it.” FRENZAL RHOMB are playing at the Chelsea Heights Hotel on Friday January 8 and the Village Green Hotel, Mulgrave on Saturday January 9. They’re also taking part in Soundwave 2016, alongside Disturbed, Public Enemy, The Prodigy and more, which hits the Melbourne Showgrounds on Tuesday January 26.
CORE
PUNK, SKA, HARDCORE NEWS, REVIEWS & GOSSIP with EMILY KELLY ek1984@gmail.com
Cheeky British outfit Asking Alexandria will return to Australia next year thanks to Live Nation. See their new frontman Denis Stoff in action for this run, which they promise will be “absolutely insane.” Blessthefall and Buried In Verona will accompany on all dates, including two at
170 Russell on Thursday April 7 and Friday April 8 (the former being an underage show). Tickets are available from Friday December 4.
Tassie’s finest with Endless Heights and UK punks Brawlers at Northcote Social Club on Thursday January 21. Tickets up for grabs now.
Excellent new Poison City signing Horror My Friend will release a new album on Friday January 22 called Stay In Do Nothing. The band will capitalise on recent support slots with Violent Soho, Tigers Jaw and The Peep Tempel by headlining The Old Bar on Friday February 26 and Karova Lounge, Ballarat on Saturday February 27.
Confession have announced details of their final lap of the country in January. The band recently announced their split, and they’ll take on a massive number of shows with support from Graves throughout January. The tour will kick off at Evelyn Hotel on Saturday January 2. An underage gig is happening at Arrow On Swanston on Sunday January 3 and a date at Barwon Club, Geelong has been announced for Friday January 15.
Luca Brasi just successfully hosted their own music festival in Tassie, Till The Wheels Fall Off. Now they’re gearing up for a headline tour in support of their fantastic new single Aeroplane, which has been spinning regularly on triple j. See
CRUNCH
Saturday December 5 is yet another congregation at Melbourne’s home of thrash metal, this time in honour of local legends Harlott, who will be playing their first Melbourne show after annihilating Europe for the last five weeks. Dust off your battle jackets and get your drinking boots on METAL, HEAVY ROCK. CLASSIC ROCK LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL to give these guys the welcome home they deserve. Joining the riot are South Aussie GOOD SHIT heavyweights Truth Corroded (who are with PETER HODGSON currently also laying siege to the European crunchcolumn@gmail.com mainland alongside Nile and Suffocation); the re-branded and re-energised Toecutter, who will be unleashing a new chapter THIS IS JUST A TRIBUTE of hell; Queensland’s amazing thrash Motörhead tribute band Ace of Spades are quartet Asylum, who will be bringing their playing with Twisted Sister tribute band blistering Teutonic style to Melbourne for Twisted and Dio tribute band Holy Diver the very first time; Ararat maniacs Requiem, at Rock Monsters at Eddie’s Pool Room who will be launching their sophomore in Moorabbin on Saturday December 5. EP Damnation; and Melbourne’s own The action kicks off at 8pm. Abraxxas. Only $15 entry.
METAL AT THE BENDIGO
This Friday December 4 at The Bendigo Hotel check out Melbourne Battalions, featuring a lineup of some of the best black metal, death metal and doom metal Melbourne has to offer. There’ll be the debut performance by Hellspit, black thrash from the creators of Depressor and Rotten Agony; death-doomers Feralianl the black metal of AK-11; and the death metal of Cemetery Urn and Belligerent Intent.
THE AMITY AFFLICTION RELEASE ‘LET THE OCEAN TAKE ME’ SPECIAL EDITIONS
The Amity Affliction’s brand new track, Shine On, debuted at #19 on the ARIA singles chart this week – their highest ever peak. As the band prepare to hit the road for their biggest tour yet, the appropriately titled Big Ass Tour with co-headliner A Day To Remember (Rod Laver Arena
Make The Suffer are a massive drawcard on the Unify Gathering lineup, but they’ll also do some headline shows to ensure on Thursday December 17), The Amity Affliction have announced five new formats of their album Let The Ocean Take Me. Fans can get their hands on strictly limited new vinyl pressings (white/blue, white/red and picture disk) as well as a cassette from the 24Hundred store. A CD/DVD deluxe version featuring the 90-minute doco Seems Like Forever and two extra tracks will also be available for the first time in Australia. Following their national tour, The Amity Affliction will head into the studio to record their fifth studio album due for release in 2016.
NEW ORPHEUS OMEGA VIDEO
Melbourne melodic death metallers Orpheus Omega have released an official video for the song Tomorrow’s Fiends and Yesterday’s Ghosts from their latest album Partum Vita Mortem. The video was shot in Melbourne by director Daniel Nolan of Clear Reel Productions. It’s the second in a trilogy of music videos encompassing the Partum Vita Mortem concept. The band said, “In life we all have to come to terms with fears, risks and our inner demons. In some instances they are very clear, in others they sit in our subconscious but we must face them at one stage or another. Tomorrow’s Fiends and Yesterday’s Ghosts explores the reality of how our demons and fears can
their time on the east coast is well spent. Coastal kids can see them at Barwon Club, Geelong on Wednesday January 20. Closure In Moscow frontman Chris de Cinque has been admirably transparent this week in disclosing to fans that the band have cancelled remaining dates on their European tour due to his deteriorating mental condition. “For the sake of this not being just another, ‘due to unforseen circumstances’ gloss-over post”, he started, before explaining that he suffers from a debilitating anxiety disorder that needs to be nursed at home. He went on to encourage people suffering from the same stress to “talk to people around you... don’t feel embarrassed or stupid, it just compounds and it’s fucking horrible.”
affect our lives and prevent us from doing what we want in life, but also how they manifest themselves in our mind.”
FREE METAL PROMO
Online Metal Promo, Focus On Metal Podcast (USA) And Maric Media (Australia) have partnered to offer Metal of Oz, a free digital download music compilation featuring a mix of 40 past, current and unreleased original songs from established and up and coming bands from the United States, Canada and Australia. Legendary Aussie rock/metal industry publicist Chris Maric says, “Australia’s impact on the global scene is at an all time high and in the last few years the quality of musicianship coming out of our country has been world class. The bands represented on this compilation cover so many of metals intricate genres that I’m sure there is something there for everyone. Enjoy.” Bands featured on the compilation include Arcane Saints, Azrael’s Bane, Flames of Fury, Gods of Eden, Gundriver, Hasta La Muerte, Hazmat, Heaven The Axe, Jimmy Lardner Brown, Kara and the Dam Band, Melody Black, Rabid Assassin, Segression, Whoretopsy and a whole lot more. Head to FocusOnMetal.net and click the banner ad on the home page to get your own copy.
GIGS: WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2:
LAGWAGON, THE FLATLINERS, MIXTAPE FOR THE DRIVE at Barwon Club, Geelong KILL DIRTY YOUTH, MOSEY JOKERS, DIANA RADAR at The Bendigo THE MAINE, WITH CONFIDENCE, MAEFIRE at Corner Hotel
THURSDAY DECEMBER 3:
MEW, SOLKYRI, HALCYON DRIVE at Max Watt’s, Melbourne LAGWAGON, THE FLATLINERS, MIXTAPE FOR THE DRIVE at Northcote Social Club RYAN AND THE GOSLINGS, AMBLESIDE, PRIDELANDS, SHELTERED at Next (Last Ever) STONE REVIVAL, FILTHY LUCRE, SUPER SALOON, HOLLOW HOUNDS at The Bendigo BEERFRIDGE, LIQUOR SNATCH, STONED TO DEATH, METER MEN at The Mr Boogieman Bar, Abbotsford
FRIDAY DECEMBER 4:
THE HOTELIER, CERES, FOXTROT, CAMP COPE at The Reverence LAGWAGON, THE FLATLINERS, MIXTAPE FOR THE DRIVE at Max Watt’s YOU AM I at 170 Russell SKINPIN, CABIN FEVER, ORGAN DONOR, DING DONG DEATH HOLE, THE POLYGAMISTS at The Public Bar FLANGIPANIS, EAGER 13, DUMPCHOOK, SMURF MURDER, JERKBEAST at The Beach Of Brunswick ONE 8 DOWN, DEAD JOE, ALL WE NEED, KEGGIN, AADD at Whole Lotta Love BEERFRIDGE, THE FCKUPS, VENDETTA at The Black Hatt, Geelong COLYTONS, THE REVENGERS, IVORY KNIVES, FILTHY HACKS at The Music Man Megastore, Bendigo APES at Major Toms, Kyneton CHRIS CORNELL at Palais Theatre
SATURDAY DECEMBER 5:
THE HOTELIER, CERES, FEAR LIKE US, CAMP COPE at Wrangler SANZU, HOLLOW WORLD, ATHENA’S WAKE at The Reverence CHRIS CORNELL at Palais Theatre APES at Workers Club GLORIFIED, GRAVES, VICES, POLARIS at Bang SKINPIN at Brunswick Hotel CRACKWHORE, THE TRANSITIONS, TRAUAMABOYS, A-BOMB WHORES at The Reverence THE COPS, BRAT FARRAR, GOING FISHING at The Old Bar NEVER SHOUT NEVER, FOREVER ENDS HERE at Evelyn Hotel
SUNDAY DECEMBER 6:
UNWRITTEN LAW, GRENADIERS, MIXTAPE FOR THE DRIVE at Corner Hotel AC/DC, THE HIVES, KINGSWOOD at Etihad Stadium RATATAT at 170 Russell NEVER SHOUT NEVER, FOREVER ENDS HERE at Evelyn Hotel
TUESDAY DECEMBER 8:
AC/DC, THE HIVES, KINGSWOOD at Etihad Stadium HALESTORM at 170 Russell THE RESIGNATORS, THE OUTSIDE at Cherry Bar
WAAX Hey there. Who are we chatting to and what do you do in WAAX? Heya. My name is Tom, I play drums. To the uninitiated, give us a little history lesson in WAAX. Me and Maz and a couple other people started jamming together on some very different sounding music a couple of years ago. Through those two years people came and left, and the sound changed a lot. Feels like yesterday really, but so much has happened since then. What influenced your sound as a band growing up in Queensland? What do you enjoy most about being part of the Queensland music scene? The vibe in QLD is infectious. Everyone supports each other and knows each other. Going through high school watching all the local bands and trying to sneak into shows was a big part of wanting to play our own stuff. And now we are, which is pretty much a dream come true. Tell us about the writing and recording process behind your latest EP, Holy Sick. Marie locked herself away and wrote some bare bone melodies and song structures, then over a period of months we filled them out and then hit the studio. A lot changes when we get to the producer side, and Kon (producer) really helped with putting the finishing touches on everything.
It’s been noted that a lot of WAAX’s music comes from a place of anger, but there’s evidence of vulnerability in the songs too. Tell us about one of the tracks from Holy Sick that demonstrates both these sides. I For an Eye deals with issues of vanity and self-detrimental mentality via making a comparison of yourself to others. Then again it’s a fast punk song that shows the angry reaction to the frustration that comes along with those feelings.
Your performance at BIGSOUND received glowing reviews. What drives your huge onstage presence? We just play as hard as we can really. It’s the funnest thing we ever do, so we like to make the most of it. Marie is a complete weapon as well and really gives it her all. Queensland is a bit of a journey for us folk down here in Melbourne. Who should we be paying attention to from up north? W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U
There’s so many great bands around here, but to name a few: The Belligerents, Good Boy, Born Joy Dead and Big Bad Echo are all great bands to keep an eye on. You’re about to head off on a tour of Australia in celebration of Holy Sick. What should we expect from your show at The Workers Club? Melbourne is the first stop on our tour, so we want to kick it off with a bang. We’ll be fresh and ready to party,
might have a cheeky cover for you as well. WAAX are playing at The Workers Club on Friday December 4 with support from Them Bruins and Deloraines. Holy Sick is available now.
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QUEENSCLIFF MUSIC FESTIVAL Friday November 27 – Sunday November 29
Louis Baker, armed with an acoustic guitar and a singing style reminiscent of Dan Sultan’s dulcet tones, kick-started our weekend in picturesque Queenscliff. His suitably soulful rendition of Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On elicited screams of appreciation from the punters. There was a touch of Living Colour to Morgan Bain’s vocals, and we were enveloped by his band’s gentle funky vibe. However, the first artist of the weekend to display star power was Harts, who oozed an otherworldly quality redolent of Mark Bolan, Prince and Jimi Hendrix. This snake-hipped axe master kicked out the jams whilst harnessing the visceral power of true funk.
PARADISE MUSIC FESTIVAL LAKE MOUNTAIN ALPINE RESORT FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27 – SUNDAY NOVEMBER 29
It’s always a special time of year when Paradise returns to Lake Mountain. After its third instalment, it’s fair to say the festival is one of the most unique experiences on Victoria’s robust live music calendar. Attendees are surrounded by endless rolling hills of burnt-white trees, looking like a thousand tiny bones poking towards the open sky. On top of this, due to an insane amount of fog, everyone had the pleasure of partying in an actual fucking cloud. Day one kept everyone busy with a diverse pool of performers. Melbourne fourpiece Jaala put on a notable performance, incorporating jazz-like riffs and tempo changes to create spectacular, jagged soundscapes. They lacked a conventional rhythm, so anyone who tried to dance looked like they were having a seizure. But the sheer technical skill and intrigue created by their unique stop-start style left a pretty strong impression. In the depths of Friday night, electronic stirrings dominated the stage. Roland Tings appeared from a cloud of smoke on the main stage, and ripped out a memorable set of spiralling synths with scraping drum hits. Later on, the savage BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 42
The dapper Nicky Bomba, skankin’ ringmaster and mischievous conductor of the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, lit up the stage with his theatrical presence and frenetic dance moves. As expected, the consistently entertaining MSO delivered a smile inducing set that was both joyous and celebratory. Sahara Beck entranced the rapt passengers on the QMF Express with her smoky vocals and a powerhouse rendition of Elvis’s That’s Alright Mama. DJ Vince Peach spun a bunch of Northern Soul floor-fillers, whipping up a storm in the groovy Ozone Lounge. Charming quartet All Our Exes Live in Texas, who were proudly selling souvenir teaspoons adorned
techno of Friendships kept people busting serious shapes in the Clubland area until the cusp of dawn. The beats would occasionally cut-out for a split second before chief audio bandit Nic returned to cranking out skull shattering bass, booming like the voice of a giant. However, all good things must come to an end. Both Friendships and night one were over – the sun rising as if to make everyone painfully aware of this fact. As an ocean of clouds filled the valleys below and the sun turned waves of fog into conduits of golden light, day two had begun. Those who hadn’t burnt themselves out early were treated to something a little different on Saturday night, with My Disco performing tracks from their most recent album Severe. It was a set dedicated to spaciousness and unnerving sounds, which felt a little out of place next to the upbeat rock and dance sets from previous artists like Black Vanilla. However, they were absolutely amazing. Tracks such as Recede dominated the amphitheatre with stubborn, thumping bass and haunting wails of feedback. From the unnerving whispers of King Sound right up to the tribal thump of Careless, My Disco’s performance was a breath of fresh air from start to finish, due to their ability to turn a dance party on a mountainside into a sludgy nightmare. With its diverse lineup, breathtaking views and unforgettable experiences, Paradise truly lived up to its name.
with their heads, packed out the palatial Vue Grand. This is hardly surprising when you consider that even during soundcheck they managed to harmonise like angels. Their set was characterised by hilarious between song banter and spine tingling vocal harmonies. Like US band The Sugarman 3, Cookin’ On 3 Burners served up authentic loungelizard funk. Their sizzling set featured guest appearances from the sassy Stella Angelico, who displayed the type of hipshaking energy that Tina Turner exuded in her glory days, and Tex Perkins, who captured the dark edginess that burns at the heart of Donovan’s Season of the Witch. Damian Cowell’s Disco Machine,
LOVED: The 12. Also I think I caught the sunrise with some of the fellas from Lurch and Chief. They were great. HATED: Napping like a sucker on night two. DRANK: Hah. BY THOMAS BRAND Photo by Tegan Louise
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featuring the reliably hilarious singer from TISM, gave us an insight into his discopunk origins. Liz Stringer provided guest vocals on a very funny “Xmas song”, which you are unlikely to hear chirping through your local tinsel-clad shopping centre. Hoodoo Gurus got our adrenaline flowing with sing-along classics such as My Girl, Miss Freelove ‘69, Like Wow – Wipeout, What’s My Scene and Bittersweet, as well as arse-kickin’ gems such as Axegrinder and Tojo. The sartorially elegant Ron Sexsmith, who was playing his last full band show for 2015, delivered a classy performance that showcased his admirable songwriting prowess. The humorous and talented Kate Miller-
Liam Finn / Dan Kelly The Shadow Electric Thursday November 26
Dan Kelly may have been without his Dream Band tonight, but with the help of loops, a variety of pedals and his own laconic personality, he made sure we didn’t miss them. Maddy and Memphis Kelly, or The Fabulous Kelly Sisters, joined him on backing vocals and percussion. The girls embraced the humour of the material, bringing dance moves, smiles and a relaxed family atmosphere to the stage. Meanwhile, their voices seamlessly blended together and naturally complemented Dan’s own. While old favourites Drunk On Election Night and Bindi Irwin Apocalypse Jam were met with affection, the newer songs Back to Brisbane and Everything’s Amazing were set standouts. Resplendent in a glittery black jacket, Liam Finn was obviously in his element onstage, casual and funny, but serious once the music began. Joined by his long time musical partner Eliza-Jane Barnes on backing vocals and autoharp, Finn stormed through selections from his three albums with charm and demented vigour. Employing a variety of pedals, backing tracks and drum loops, as well as jumping between electric guitar and drum kit, there was a honed showmanship and perfectionism to the 32-year-old’s performance. Having performed with Finn throughout his solo career, Barnes’ voice suited the material
Heidke, who resembled Lewis Carroll’s Alice, matched her likeable eccentricity with awe inspiring vocal chops. The California Honeydrops brought the festival to an uplifting end with their exhilarating take on classic soul and funk. It was hard not to sing along, so we screamed until our shredded vocal chords evaporated. A wonderful end to a wild weekend. LOVED: The crowd’s feverish response as Harts played the guitar behind his head. HATED: Having to farewell Queenscliff on Monday. DRANK: Dogbolter Dark Lager BY GRAHAM BLACKLEY
perfectly, often manipulating her own vocal effects live. Finn likewise tampered with his own set of triggering devices and the result was a much larger sound than might be expected from two people. The dynamic traversed the full band sound of his first two albums, I’ll Be Lightning and FOMO, to the layered loops and noises of last year’s fantastic The Nihilist. Midway through the set, Finn and Barnes were joined by Jimmy Metherell, who helped fill out the sound with his Hofner bass. He was introduced as Jim Finn. “I’m just trying to compete with the Kellys,” joked Finn, as if having a member of the Barnes family onstage wasn’t enough. Miracle Glance, with its soundscape of electronic beats and atmospheric vocal delays, was a highlight, as were 4 Track Stomper and a psychedelic take on I’ll Be Lightning. The live rendition of Snug as Fuck didn’t quite live up to the recorded version, as it was delivered faithfully but noticeably without drums. For a double headliner it was an inspired pairing; both artists share an abstract sense of humour, a love of warped sound design, and beautiful melodies. “Even if Dad [Neil Finn] and Paul [Kelly] beat us to it,” admitted Finn. As if to demonstrate their shared affection for weirdo-pop, Kelly joined the band for their encore of Gut Feeling by Devo, a raucous and joyful ending. Loved: Kelly’s laid back vibe and Finn’s intensity. Hated: School. Drank: Coopers. By Alex Watts
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THAT GOLD STREET SOUND CHERRY BAR THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28
PLAYWRITE THE SHADOW ELECTRIC FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27
As soon as Playwrite’s Jordan White began to sing everyone in the crowd was catapulted to a different dimension. Looking around the room and seeing everyone awed by the music, you knew this was going to be a good one. Tonight was the official launch of Playwrite’s debut album Cathedrals, and the Melbourne quintet took extensive measures to make it a memorable night. The ceiling was covered in hand-made clouds; songs featured a trio of trumpeters; and the band handed out free cupcakes. The setlist included some of their earlier material, as well as a bunch of tunes from
Cathedrals. Playwrite definitely know how to put on a show, luring us into a world of their own creation. White reached notes most singers could only wish for, while Caity Fowler sang along in beautiful harmony. Midway through the set they took an acoustic detour, which was immensely captivating. Things soon amped up again, climaxing with the audience singing the band’s lyrics back to them. What makes this band so lovable – aside from their individual talent – is that they’re such an easy-going bunch. There’s nothing worse then going to see a band who appear
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reception you’d associate with an AFL premiership parade. They launched straight into Black and White Radio, the first song off their debut album Guillotine. The sound engineers took a little while to acclimatise, but they found the sweet spot half way through the following song, This Dance Is Loaded. Playing on a much larger stage than usual, the band nevertheless commanded the room and seemed to really enjoy the increased space. This Ain’t No Fucking Disco, an un-released fan favourite, was a set highlight that saw everyone in the room chanting along with frontman Declan Melia. The setlist gave attention to all five of their albums, but 2013’s Controller got the most coverage. Epic slow burner I Can Make You Love Me really fired up the crowd. One of the slowest songs from their new album,
Blame It All On Me sounded crisp live. Now the dust has settled on the release, the newer songs slotted in well with older material. Nothing Touches Me’s lead single, Wrong Direction, closed out the main set, which felt like it was over far too quickly. British India aren’t known for encores, and had played most of the hits you could expect. However, they rewarded the audience’s enthusiasm and came back to play a cover of Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In the Name. To say it went down well would be something of an understatement.
sigh of relief, it wasn’t long before the ninepiece band began playing Present Arms and the atmosphere positively transformed. Sweaty dancing bodies, drinks flowing, you could’ve sworn you were in an underground Jamaican reggae club. Sweet Cherrie saw brothers Duncan and Robin Campbell front of stage, swaying in unison and asking the adoring audience to join them in singing, “Cherrie, Cherrie, don’t go and leave me alone”. It soon became a question of who was the true performer for the night, them or us. Moving into You Could Meet Somebody, Brian Travers’ saxophone pointed at the Forum’s blue ceiling as a woodwind crescendo swept over the entire venue. After getting through Higher Ground, Midnight Rider, Freedom Has Come, Don’t Do The Crime, Food For Thought, One In Ten and Here I am, Duncan took a step back, making room for bassist Earl Falconer to showcase his Shaggy-esque vocals. Rapping his way through Oh America and Baby Come Back, the multi-talented Falconer brought the atmosphere in the room up to an entirely new level. The night wouldn’t have been complete
without hearing tracks from the band’s four Labour Of Love cover albums. They covered Cherry Oh Baby, Sweet Sensation, Homely Girl and I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight, bringing their own rhythm to each of the songs. Unsurprisingly, their performance of Neil Diamond’s Red Red Wine got an enormous reaction. Afterwards, an electric room, a flood of red light, a jam-packed dance floor and a standing ovation gave the band no choice but to come back for an encore. UB40 finished up with Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, Kingston Town and Elvis’s I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You. Ultimately, the reggae legends delivered an incredibly entertaining two-hour performance, a talent that can only come through years of experience.
FORUM THEATRE FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27
Melbourne favourites British India have been touring relentlessly since they formed in 2004, yet they made history tonight by playing their first headline show at the iconic Forum Theatre. Fresh off a run of US shows, the band were rounding out their most successful year to date after releasing their landmark fifth album, Nothing Touches Me. Joining them were Magic Bones and Perth’s Tired Lion. Tired Lion created a really fun, relaxed vibe and surely made some new fans of their own. Arriving onstage to an almost sold-out crowd, British India received the kind of
UB40 FORUM THEATRE TUESDAY NOVEMBER 24 From long time supporters to newcomers, people of all ages were here to witness the historical reggae group UB40 doing what they do best. After almost 40 years together and more than 40 singles in the charts, UB40 had plenty to offer the Melbourne crowd. Before the British group graced the Forum stage, Canadian blues rocker Charlie A‘Court came out to warm up the crowd. Whether it was his comic relief, killer rockabilly vibe or the lack of AC, the amphitheatre had heated up in no time. Playing a selection of tunes from his latest record, Come On Over, A‘Court’s set featured an incredibly contagious vocal performance, clean acoustics and distorted electric guitar. UB40 made a dramatic entrance, with each member emerging one by one to an action movie intro piece that felt out of place in a theatre filled with reggae fans. Breathing a BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 44
as though they don’t even want to be there. Playwrite were the opposite; they had a great interaction with the audience and made sure we were all having a great time. LOVED: The atmosphere. HATED: My cupcake falling into my drink. DRANK: Beer. BY REBECCA ADAMS
LOVED: Seeing British India at a new venue. HATED: The T-shirt I wanted was sold out in my size. DRANK: Way, way too much. BY ALEXANDER CROWDEN
LOVED: Everything about Charlie A‘Court. HATED: That UB40 didn’t play I Got You Babe. DRANK: For free (Thanks Dad). BY PHOEBE ROBERTSON
Cherry Bar seems a long way from the ARIA awards red carpet, but the red velvet curtains more than suffice as the backdrop for Soul in the Basement. Instant party starters That Gold Street Sound are known for their scientific experiments to see what effect funk has on the human body. Their Motown-like rhythmic grooves start by getting the shoulders moving and heads bobbing, spreading sensually to the hips. In no time we’ve got Elaine from Seinfeld on our hands. In a nod to their name, each member was adorned in gold – from a gold fedora to the brass of the three-piece horn section, to the silky shirt of drummer Steven ‘Foss Daddy’ Forss, who also presided over a shimmering gold kit. They took the stage minus vocalist and seductress Shaanika Marguccio, who had to be lured to the microphone by funkadelic vibrations. The festivities began with Fri Night - Sat Night where they musically explained that Friday night’s for party and Saturday night’s for getting down. But it was Thursday night and the punters weren’t ready to boogie... yet. Before long, Captain Hotpants made an appearance – a song about a mythical captain sporting hot pants and ordering everyone to dance. The lyrics cement his ego: “Every man wants to be him and every
woman, ooooooooo, ahhhhhhhhh”. The cowbell came out to duel with the horns and drums. Who won? You can never enough cowbell, but it’s tough to beat a deep baritone sax. A little bit of Sunshine of Your Love was thrown in next and Cherry was in full swing. Devil’s Music created a soulful mood, and Marguccio suggested punters partner up for a slow dance. If Ricky Martin makes baby making music, than this was orgy making music. Their last song, Get Up, with its catchy guitar hooks, offbeat drums, sultry vocals and horns riffing off a funky bass line, showcased the crew’s instrumental credentials. That Gold Street Sound thrive on audience participation, and know how to get a rise from even the shyest punter. Their crowd interaction makes it hard for anyone watching not to have a good time. They’re a party-making machine. Wherever they go, crazy shit just seems to happen.
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McLennan in 2007. Consequently, it was no surprise to find the songs worked just as well live as they do on record, particularly because the musicians featured on this tour are also those featured on the album. Go-Betweens classics were peppered throughout the set and predictably garnered some of the largest crowd responses. The entire audience raised its voice for Clouds and Head Full of Steam, the latter’s jangly pop contrasting with the more restrained nature of the recent material. A Poet Walks, from the new album, was perhaps the set highlight, revealing itself to be a perfect piece of concise pop mastery. Returning for an encore of Danger In the Past, the title track from his 1990 solo debut, Forster abandoned the acoustic guitar and instead worked the crowd with a microphone in his hand. Heaping on the melodrama, Forster crooned to the room while the band played an understated boogie behind him. It was interesting to note the small cues he threw from behind his back, with a thumbs up and an index finer to signal a quiet explosion of noise at the climax. In typical fashion, Forster interrupted his own goodnight wishes with a reading recommendation: William Finnegan’s Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life. “I’m up to about page 80, it’s great,” which also served as introduction to the set’s conclusion, a large sing-along on Surfing Magazines.
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Support act Jen Cloher has often been seen clutching an electric guitar of late, but tonight she was in acoustic mode. This brought the alt-country leanings of her songwriting to the fore, and it’s this guise that perhaps suits her the best. Cloher’s strong, beautiful voice did justice to songs from across her releases, as well as a fine cover of Gillian Welch’s Everything Is Free. There’s a long list of nouns and adjectives that could be used to describe Robert Forster. Elegant, witty, fiercely intelligent, consummate dandy, icon. While he’s not quite an imposing personality, he’s left an indelible mark on Australian popular culture since rising to prominence with The Go-Betweens at the tail end of the 1970s. Walking onstage with a wry smile, polite wave and dressed in a crisp suit, Forster addressed the audience as a group of old friends, clearly confident in his purpose but hinting at a little mischief with his strut. “It’s good to see you,” he deadpanned. “We are looking forward to playing some songs.” Guitarist Luke McDonald then dutifully led the band into Learn To Burn, the opening track of the new album, Songs To Play. Forster has said this latest collection of songs is typified by a playfulness, ensuring they’re enjoyable to perform. This could be a reaction to the experience of touring his previous album, The Evangelist, which dealt with the death of former bandmate Grant
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LOVED: Captain Hot Pants. HATED: Nada. DRANK: Melbourne Bitter. BY LEE SPENCER-MICHAELSEN
LOVED: A Poet Walks. HATED: University. DRANK: Melbourne Bitter. BY ALEX WATTS
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ALBUM WEEK OF THE
Top Tens RECORD PARADISE TOP TEN 1. Paper Mache Dream Balloon KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD 2. Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit (Special Edition) COURTNEY BARNETT 3. It’s You GOLD CLASS 4. Pronto PRONTO 5. No One Deserves You CRAYON FIELDS 6. Severe MY DISCO 7. Light Weight THE OCEAN PARTY 8. Silver Bullets THE CHILLS 9. Divers JOANNA NEWSOM 10. Liminal Zones DAY RAVIES
HEARTLAND RECORDS TOP TEN 1. La Curandera (Pink Vinyl) LP CLUTCH 2. The Best of the Cutting Edge 65-66 VOL 12 3LP BOB DYLAN 3. The IVth Crusade LP BOLT THROWER 4. Polish Night Music LP DAVID LYNCH & MAREK ZEBROWSKI 5. Divers 2LP JOANNA NEWSOM 6. And I Love Her 7” KURT COBAIN 7. Formulas Fatal To The Flesh 2LP MORBID ANGEL 8. The Very Special World Of LP LEE HAZLEWOOD 9. The Sopranos - Music from the Series 2LP VARIOUS ARTISTS 10. From The Vault: Tokyo Dome 4LP+DVD SetTHE ROLLING STONES
MOPE CITY Petri Dish (Tenth Court)
Mope City’s Petri Dish exists in the overlap between the mundane and the mythic; that odd place where the ordinary bloats and transforms into something wholly unreal. Harmonies jostle for space; vocals get wrapped in reverb; pop choruses drown in fast-acting distortion. Lens-Blur and Incessant & Dull see the band at its most paradoxical, as the choruses mash up hope and hope’s very opposite, creating an odd sense of cathartic defeat. In fact, contrast is the word of the day, with Toxic Cells Bind and album closer Disasterpiece both combining a fragile kind of beauty with vague unease to stunning effect. It’s instantly relatable from beginning to end, but never in a way that seems like mere reportage. Though the melancholy, distorted strains of Letterbomb or the
tainted piano strikes that open Wave Of Youth (W.O.Y) will resonate with any who feel stripped of direction (i.e. most of us), this isn’t an album that simply aims to translate regular life into music. There’s a vaguely epic quality to the tunes, and as the jangly choruses and shoegaze-indebted riffs begin to pile up like the bracken in a bonfire, one comes to feel as though they are bearing witness to the construction of something genuinely special. Petri Dish is an anxious pleasure; a striking, fully realised work that has a real and yet surreal power totally of its own. BY JOSEPH EARP
SINGLE REVIEWS WITH OUR MATE LACHY After keeping her Australian tour guestless until the final leg, Taylor Swift thrills fans with a sing-along of There’s Only One Tony Lockett while the man himself torpedoes signed Sherrins into the crowd from an elevated platform. BIG WHITE Dinosaur City (Caroline) Big White struck magic with the dreamy You Know I Love You, backing it up here with the more down-tempo Dinosaur City. It’s pretty shit. Maybe that’s just in comparison to what came before, but Dinosaur City doesn’t go anywhere. It lacks any dynamic, and the overwrought lyrical playfulness continually falls flat while everything congeals into a smear of nothingness. A betrayal of promise. LAFAWNDAH Tan (Warp) A welcome shot of refreshment, Lafawndah constructs a sparse, vocal-led beast in Tan, an affront to any notion of trend, and a triumph of originality. Emotion is there, devoid of conceit, and presented with genuine ideas.
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Arresting and hypnotic, with nasty percussive flair elevating it to another level throughout. The title track to an EP, due February. OH PEP! The Race (Barely Dressed/ Remote Control) Oh Pep! have an assured faith in their off-kilter lyrics. On The Race, the confidence pays off, rewarding those who keep up. The jaunt threatens to offend through obnoxiousness, but a measured approach shows good taste. Largely breathless, impressively so. PUSHA T Untouchable (Universal) “I drop once every blue moon to separate from you kings of the YouTube”, opens King Push on Untouchable, backing up the claim with precision missile
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perfection. Along with a lofty Biggie sample for a hook, vicious bars compound a creeping beat that nearly matches Numbers On The Board. Taken from the justannounced album Darkest Before Dawn, a prelude to the massively anticipated King Push, due out sometime in 2016. Hopefully. GOON SAX Boyfriend (Chapter) There’s a deadpan charm within Boyfriend, a blank canvas for projected emotion – ironic if you want to – but that’s not to say its heart isn’t strong. It resonates realness in its yearning for “anything real” during stop-start lethargic verses. Threats to “break your heart” are delivered with a knowing defeat, but that just adds to the charm.
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Harmony (Superconscious) Harmony feels reliable, like clockwork, lulling with gentle hiss and a hypnotist’s bell, layered with strings that cut in and out of vision like a dream. Then, a house beat that hits the spot, somewhere in the heart. It’s one of the strongest, if not the strongest, local releases of the year – it’s got presence but never verges on tiresome.
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HOW SICK IS MUSIC? HEAPS WICKED
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OFF THE HIP RECORDS TOP TEN 1. Soul Clap LP Various 2. Rides Tonight LP DADDY LONG LEGS 3. Fun Things 7” FUN THINGS 4. People Say 7” THE GO-BETWEENS 5. Made In Germany LP MILKSHAKES 6. Living With You Is Killing Me LP HITS 7. Are You Experienced LP HENDRIX 8. Sell Out LP THE WHO 9. Verve Singles BOX VELVET UNDERGROUND 10. Get A Dog Up Ya BOX CCML
COLLECTORS CORNER MISSING LINK TOP TEN 1. The Night Creeper CD UNCLE ACID 2. Live 8/24/1979 LP THE B-52’S 3. Grief’s Infernal Flower CD/LP WINDHAND 4. Bohemian Rhapsody 12” QUEEN 5. Psychic Warfare CD CLUTCH 6. Evil Proclaimed LP ABOMINATOR 7. Split tape MASSES / DEATH CHURCH 8. Russell St Bombings LP RUSSELL ST BOMBINGS 9. Dedicated 7” THE KINKS 10. High Fidelity Soundtrack LP VARIOUS
BEAT’S TOP TEN SONGS ABOUT RATS 1. The Rat THE WALKMEN 2. Rat Salad BLACK SABBATH 3. Rat Race BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS 4. I Think I Smell A Rat THE WHITE STRIPES 5. Rat House SHANNON & THE CLAMS 6. I Came As A Rat MODEST MOUSE 7. The Rat Cage BEASTIE BOYS 8. Like A Rat KING PARROT 9. Rat Race FUZZ 10. Black Rat DZ DEATHRAYS
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THE WRONG SIDE OF BLUE EP (Independent)
Elise Cabrét’s debut EP, The Wrong Side Of Blue, is a hauntingly beautiful sixtrack tale. The Melbourne alt-folk singer captivates with her conversational lyrics, stunning vocal performances and enchanting acoustic strumming. The Calling is a heart wrenching recount of star-crossed lovers torn apart by tragic circumstances. Cabrét’s vocal cries, matched by delicate layers of acoustic guitar, create a perfectly melancholy soundscape. With the addition of a single violin on Winter, the young songwriter’s emotive appeal and lyrical depth extends far beyond her years. Lyrically, The Wrong Side Of Blue exposes the many perils of friendship, family, life and love, and Cabrét highlights the effects of being forced to grow up too fast. The title track unfolds slowly for listeners, the same way the pages of a book would, drawing you closer with every word. Inspired by Nick Cave’s Murder Ballads album, That Old Violin is an exercise in dangerous seduction. Cabrét dreams up a forbidden romance with Johnny The Killer, explaining that, “Fresh out Pentridge, he came to my door.” Led by finger plucking goodness, Meeting With A Stranger and Better Somehow reiterate the struggles faced in trying to figure out what you stand for and who you are. Simplistic, yet elegant, the record comes an impeccable close. BY PHOEBE ROBERTSON
Let’s make one thing clear, this ain’t The Tongue’s first rodeo. The man born Xannon Shirley has been slugging it out for at least a decade, dropping underrated album and mixtape after underrated album and mixtape. It’s not for a lack of ambition, lack of trying or even being in the wrong place at the wrong time. For whatever reason, Shirley simply hasn’t gained the notoriety that a slew of his peers have. It’s difficult to say whether Hard Feelings, The Tongue’s fourth LP, will do anything to change this. There’s certainly something in the air, though, as the vibe shifts predominantly into club-oriented and trap-flavoured beats; complemented by some solid vocal cameos from the likes of Ngaiire and Mataya. Hard Feelings also sees Shirley getting more introspective than he ever has before, with tracks like Proud and album closer The Rule serving as the best demonstration of this. It’s ostensibly the sound of an artist looking to redefine himself, and refusing to get stuck in a holding pattern. As such, Shirley and his A-team of producers deserve commendation. Not everything here is on the same playing field, but it’s a bold advancement regardless.
In an endlessly-quotable scene from surreal British comedy The Mighty Boosh, Noel Fielding’s Tony Harrison feels a concept formulating as he and Richard Ayoade’s Saboo are DJ-ing. The plan is to play Fleetwood Mac’s famously-expansive Tusk LP, “in its entirety, with the pauses, as Lindsey Buckingham intended it to be heard.” It was a tall order when the episode aired a decade ago, but now this five-disc marathon is out in the open. Yes, everything is just as you left it as far as the original 1979 classic is concerned – the gypsy wandering of Sara, the unmistakable march of the title track, the unkempt lust of Brown Eyes. With this mammoth reissue, however, you’re also hearing Tusk as you’ve never heard it before. A slew of alternative takes and demos show both the development of the songs, as well as the sliding-doors moments revealing what could have been. A whole crop of live cuts – hitherto only heard in bootleg quality – sound great too. This’ll be particularly fascinating for trainspotters and devotees, but it should be clear this is not territory to be crossed by those that still think FleetwoOd Mac are – as the aforementioned Saboo might put it – “bullshit munchers.”
BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
ADELE
THE FUMES
THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 12: THE CUTTING EDGE 1965-1966 (Columbia/Legacy)
BY JOHN KENDALL
TUSK (DELUXE REISSUE) (Warner Bros.)
HARD FEELINGS (Elefant Traks)
BOB DYLAN
I get it now. It’s only taken 12 volumes of bootleg recordings, but I finally get it. Bob Dylan has spent most of his post-pubescent life in a recording studio, with the tape rolling for every minute of it. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Bob Dylan fan, but The Cutting Edge 19651966 could test the patience of even for the most extreme Dylan aficionado. It’s a 36-track, two-disc set, with many songs that appear multiple times as rehearsals and alternate takes. So sitting through the entire thing becomes hard work. Half sung, half laughed opening verses are quickly stopped and Dylan chats with the engineer in the booth. While it’s a great behind the scenes look into some of his most loved songs, these outtakes could easily have been added to the end of any number of his records instead of pushing this collection as its own record. If you’re after the polished version of Mr. Tambourine Man or Like a Rolling Stone, look elsewhere. If you want a raw, in your face portrait of Dylan’s revered mid-‘60s period, this is your album. Chances are YOU didn’t get into his stuff for the musicality anyway. His albums could justifiably be stored under the spoken word section of the record store. Despite its popularity, the ongoing Bootleg Series probably wasn’t Dylan’s idea. I’m guessing some record company executive thought, “Well, we’re not selling any new music, how about we put out a collection of stuff we already know people like, and stuff the CD so full of tracks that nobody can complain about value for money?” However, sadly not one song stands out on The Cutting Edge. Each track is genuine mid-‘60s Bob, and after 36 of them even an afternoon joint couldn’t regenerate my enthusiasm.
FLEETWOOD MAC
THE TONGUE
25 (XL Recordings/Remote Control
BLOODLESS (ABC Music)
Whether it was due to poor timing, an oversaturation of bluesy two pieces, or the abrasive heaviness of their live show, The Fumes haven’t managed to reclaim the levels of popularity enjoyed by their 2006 debut, Guns Of Gold. However, this doesn’t seem to be a huge problem for frontman Steve Merry and his new look three-piece band. Merry’s never been overly comfortable onstage, and lately he’s taken to sitting down and sharing barely audible in-jokes with his band mates. But he’s always been a talented songwriter. Sometimes this has been concealed by his fiercely distorted dobro playing, but it’s a defining feature of the band’s first two albums. In this respect, Bloodless is no different However, first track Silverstar is completely new territory for The Fumes. With a simple rock’n’roll beat, a pretty melody and a ripping chorus, it gets things off to a cracking start. A number of songs follow suit. The addition of bass guitar allows for more creative guitar parts, letting Merry focus on structure and melody rather than just playing fucking hard and fast the whole time. Jazz is a testament to this, while Eat The Sucker and Ride is straight down the line rock’n’roll. Over The River contains an insane bluesy breakdown that rips right through the guts; Lonely As You Are, Be A Friend and Annihilation are sombre but mellifluous affairs. Merry has always known how to pen a good ballad, and these songs prove he hasn’t lost the knack. The Fumes might’ve softened up a little bit, but it’s lovely to hear from them again. And despite its title, Bloodless still has plenty of guts. BY HANK MARDOUKAS
Records)
19 was an extraordinary debut, 21 was a heart-wrenching successor, and 25 is like coming up for air. English singer/songwriter Adele Adkins didn’t need to ask to re-enter our lives, but as she exhaled, “Hello. It’s me,” on the album’s lead single, it was as though she was at our front door waiting to be invited inside. In an instant, the entire world ushered her in for tea and bikkies, and 25 has now become the best-selling album of 2015. Dusting off the furniture and putting the kettle on, Adele settles in for what can only be described as a truly remarkable record. As Hello begins, you can hear a sigh of relief coming from loyal fans, immediately recognising the singer’s familiar sound. Replete with nostalgia and heartbreak, the opening track isn’t aimed at an ex-lover, but instead to anyone she’s left behind over the years – and with an emotive ballad such as this, they’re sure to forgive her. Continuing the record’s running theme, Send My Love sees the now 27-year-old coming to terms with growing older and moving on from the past, realising “we ain’t kids no more”. Acoustic guitars and funky rhythms bring a sense of acceptance, something completely absent from 25’s two predecessors. Not afraid to reveal her weaknesses, the contradictory I Miss You showcases Adele’s truly authentic nature, and it’s swiftly followed by the tantalising devotion of Remedy. Stepping back in time, Water Under The Bridge transports you to an era of layered backing vocals, united under the refrain, “If you’re gonna let me down, let me down gently.” Disguising itself as a filler track due to a sombre beginning, River Lea boasts one of the most memorable choruses on the entire album. Love In The Dark and All I Ask are also a satisfying listen, but fall short in regards to Adele’s incredibly high standards. Redeeming herself, Million Years Ago and When We Were Young are two of the record’s obvious triumphs. Then comes Sweet Devotion, an open letter to her partner and son, which closes the record with an optimistic outlook. BY PHOEBE ROBERTSON
WAT C H I N T E R V I E W S , C H AT S & AW K WA R D S I L E N C E S . . . . . W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U / T V
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 47
GIG GUIDE WEDNESDAY DEC 2 ALLA SPINA + BEACON + DAL SANTO + PUBLIC LIABILITY Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
CARD HOUSES + BEK DAVIS + ZEN ROBOTIC + WALLA C Public Bar, North Melbourne. 7:30pm. $7.00.
DR EL SUAVO + BIRDCAGE The Luwow, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. LAGWAGON Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong. 8:00pm. $46.95.
DR EL SUAVO
TH E LU WOW In preparation for his east coast tour with America’s El Vez, Dr El Suavo has announced a special one off show at Melbourne’s favourite tiki bar, The LuWow. On the night, the doc will be going through his archives to present a special DJ set of lounge, exotica and more, along with some curious films projected onto the big screen. Special guests Birdcage will also give your tail feather something to shake to, opening up the night with some surf rock sounds. Catch Dr El Suavo at The LuWow, this Wednesday December 2. Doors open 8pm, free entry.
SIX60 Forum Theatre, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm. $59.90.
TASTE Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne CBD. 8:30pm.
OPEN MIC Hidden Garden, Ascot Vale. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East.
$23.00.
6:00pm.
Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $6.00.
PLTS Shebeen, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm. $11.00. REBECCA BARNARD & BILLY MILLER (SING-A-LONG) Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 7:00pm. $18.00.
RISE AGAINST + CLOWNS + OUTRIGHT Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne. 6:30pm. $82.99.
RUBIX RADIO ON KISSFM Rubix Warehouse, Brunswick. 8:30pm.
THE JACKRABBITS + THE SHIFTIES + CITY AT MIDNIGHT THE MAINE + WITH CONFIDENCE + MAEFIRE Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. $44.50.
THE TARANTINOS Cherry Bar, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm. $5.00.
BAT COUNTRY + SURFACE + TOM BARTON/DIEGO VILLALTA Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00. BIG EASY SOUL SESSIONS Carlton Club, Melbourne
CBD. 8:00pm.
T HE BENDIGO HOTEL As part of their Music Is For Losers tour, Kill Dirty Youth will be rocking The Bendigo Hotel each Wednesday in December, with a fucking killer new lineup each week. It’s going to be a wild month long summer party. This Wednesday December 2, Kill Dirty Youth will be joined by Mosey Jokers and Diana Radar.
Northcote. 8:30pm.
GEORGIA SPAIN + DIDIRRI + SIENNA THORNTON Toff In Town, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm. $15.00.
IMOGEN PEMBERTON + DANIKA SMITH + ALLYSHA JOY Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm.
LISA FAITHFULL BAND Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm.
MICHAELA LEE Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:30pm. OPEN MIC Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC NIGHT Purple Emerald, Northcote. 8:00pm. OPEN MIC NIGHT Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale. 8:00pm. RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE - FEAT: JOEY ELBOWS The
THE BOMBAY ROYALE Howler, Brunswick. 9:00pm. $17.00.
THE DARLING BUDS OF MAY Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm. $20.00.
CARB ON CARB + HANNAHBAND + JESS LOCKE BAND + EMPLOYMENT Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. $10.00.
Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
WINE WHISKEY WOMEN - FEAT: ZOE K + LISA SPYKERS Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.
THURSDAY DEC 3 BAREFOOT SPACEMAN + BIRDHOUSE + RANDOM SUBJECTS + MARAPORE Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
TEMPLE OF TUNES
WH O LE LOT TA LOV E Californian Song Contest winners Temple Of Tunes are heading down to Whole Lotta Love this week, so if a set full of blues, roots, progressive rock and funk fusion sounds appealing, then look no further. There’ll also be the evocative soundscapes of local experimenters Only Aliens, and the classic rock roots of Waterline, jamming till their fingers bleed. Catch Temple of Tunes at Whole Lotta Love, this Thursday December 3. Doors open 7pm, entry is free.
This free event features over 50 stall holders each week offering individually handcrafted and locally designed products including fashion, jewellery, kids’ items, ceramics, homewares and much more. Thursdays, 5.30pm-10pm November 26 December 3, 10 & 17 Come and find that unique gift for Christmas. Licensed bar on site and free live music. Northcote Town Hall 189 High Street Northcote
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 48
Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm.
7:00pm.
8:00pm. $10.00.
(brunswick), Brunswick. 6:00pm.
CABANA + MERLIN BIRD + COSMIC RAIN + ELEVEN
ELECTRIC WALLPAPER + ROXY LAVISH & THE SUICIDE CULT + THE ATTRACTOR BEAMS + JO NEUGEBAUER Bar
Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $10.00.
LOCAL CALL - FEAT: RINTRAH Railway Hotel
THE REVE REN CE HOTE L Jarrow has had a crazy 2015, and they’re topping it off with one final show in their hometown of Footscray at The Reverence Hotel. This very well could be the last big Jarrow gig with the original four-piece lineup before travel/work/science degree commitments get the better of them. One man looping machine Great Earthquake and outer west indie funk lords Rad Ish are lined up to support as well. Jarrow at The Rev, Thursday December 3 from 8pm. $5 entry.
SASHA MARCH Some Velvet Morning, Clifton Hill.
BEERFRIDGE + LIQUOR SNATCH + STONED TO DEATH + METER MEN Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford.
Recital Centre, Southbank. 6:00pm. $28.00.
JARROW
Luwow, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
BOPSTRETCH Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. DIZZY’S BIG BAND WITH PETER HEARNE Dizzy’s Jazz GAIA (THE GODDESS OF THE FERTILE EARTH) - FEAT: SYZYGY ENSEMBLE + CERIDWEN DAVIES Melbourne
KILL DIRTY YOUTH
THE ROOKIES The Rooks Return, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. WILY + CARBO + CARTER + GANNOO QUARTET 303,
B E AT.C O M . A U
FETER HENDEL + GREAT LOVE Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 8:40pm. $26.00.
GORDI + ANATOLE + OWEN RABBIT Shebeen, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm. $10.00.
GUNN MUSIC MELBOURNE ARTIST SHOWDOWN - FEAT: LIONHOUSE + PEA AND HAM SOUP + CATHOUSE CANARY + MORE Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $15.00. HUMAN WOMAN + THE GALLANT TREES + POPOLICE Public Bar, North Melbourne. 7:30pm.
ONYX
THE PRI N CE B AN DROOM It’s been 22 years since legendary rap group Onyx made the world slam, and now they’re on their way back to Australia for a second time on their Bacdafucdownunda tour. This time around, Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz have decided to bring Canada bad boy of rap & 100MAD Rapper ‘Snak The Ripper’ for his debut Australian appearance. Sounds too good to be true, right? Wrong. This is as real as it gets. Head on over to The Prince Bandroom on Thursday December 3 to catch all the action. Doors open at 8pm.
GIG GUIDE TEMPLE OF TUNES + WATERLINE + ONLY ALIENS Whole
Q&A
Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.
THE GOOD EGG THURSDAYS - FEAT: HENRY WHO + TIGERFUNK + LEWIS CANCUT Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.
THE GUMBO CLUB - FEAT: THE BLUES BASH Ding Dong
1200 TECHNIQUES
T H E WO RKER’ S CLUB Off the back of their recently re-released The Time Has Come EP, Aussie hip hop royalty 1200 Techniques are coming to The Worker’s Club this week to launch their fresh new collaboration with Ghostface Killah, Flow Is Trouble. The Time Has Come EP came out back in January and marked the end of a ten year musical drought for the band, seeing them return to the live stage for the first time since 2004’s Splendour. The EP was reissued in October, sporting remixes, re-worked tracks and two music videos, including one for Flow Is Trouble. 1200 Techniques launch Flow Is Trouble this Thursday December 3 at The Worker’s Club. Doors open 7.30pm, tickets are $15+BF through the venue.
Lounge, Melbourne CBD. 5:30pm.
ZIKORA
TH E TH ORNB U RY T H E AT R E Melbourne trio Zikora are celebrating the release of their first single Golden Thread from their longawaited debut namesake EP with a special launch gig at the grandiose Thornbury Theatre on Thursday December 3. An alternative-pop band with a twist, Zikora’s eclectic background has roots in classical training, West African-inspired rhythms and musical theatre. Zikora create an unusual, yet intriguing, mix of harp, percussion, keys and vocals featuring Talia, harpist Emily Rosner and singer/songwriter pianist and flautist Ellisa Scott. Tickets will set you back a mere $20 on the door, or if you’re feeling prepared, visit www.thethornburytheatre.com for $15 presales.
LAGWAGON + THE FLATLINERS + MIXTAPE FOR THE DRIVE Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm.
ANDREA KELLER (THE COMPANY OF PIANOS IV) + BARNEY MCALL Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank.
$42.00.
7:00pm. $25.00.
MEW + SOLKYRI + HALYCON DRIVE Max Watt’s, Melbourne. 7:00pm. $65.00.
NEXT (LAST EVER) - FEAT: RYAN & THE GOSLINGS + AMBLESIDE + PRIDELANDS + SHELTERED Colonial
DJ KNAVE KNIXX Catfish, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. IKIGAI (METANOIA LAUNCH) + EURYNOME + MADISON AVENUE + DAYLE ALDERSON + MORE 4dverse, St Kilda.
7:30pm. $25.00.
Hotel, Melbourne CBD. 8:30pm. $15.00.
MELBOURNE BLUE + ROGER CLARK QUARTET Dizzy’s
8:00pm.
MELBOURNE IMPROVISERS COLLECTIVE Uptown Jazz
SHOWCASE NIGHTS Purple Emerald, Northcote. STONE GRAVES - FEAT: D.I.C.K. + ELLOISE GRACE + THE SATURDAY KNIGHTS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $7.00. STONE REVIVAL + FILTHY LUCRE + SUPER SALOON + HOLLOW HOUNDS Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood.
Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $10.00. Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - FEAT: PREQUEL + EDD FISHER + MYLES MAC Toff In Town, Melbourne CBD. 10:00pm. MINGUS THINGUS Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne
THE SWEETHEARTS Cherry Bar, Melbourne CBD. 10:00pm. $10.00.
TIMBALERO THURSDAY La Di Da, Melbourne CBD. 9:00pm. $10.00.
AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm.
BROOKE RUSSELL + BEN FRANZ Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm.
DANE TUCQUET Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:30pm. ENDA KENNY Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:30pm. FREYA HOLLICK + LITTLE RABBIT BAND Toff In Town, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm. $10.00.
GOLDENTONE THURSDAYS Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. HELEN RYDER + SARAH CARROLL Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
JED APPLETON + JOE MUNGOVAN Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $10.00.
JULES SHELDON Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.
LITTLE WISE + ROSIE BURGESS + SAM LOHS Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm.
MORNING MELODIES - FEAT: COL PERKINS Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully. 11:00am. $17.00.
WESTIVAL - FEAT: WETLIPS + THE DEAD HEIR + EDITH LANE + BURGER CHEF + MORE Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy.
PBS 106.7FM ROCK-A-BYE-BABY SESSION - FEAT: THE SEVEN UPS Fitzroy Town Hall, Fitzroy. 11:00am.
CBD. 8:00pm. $20.00.
OPEN MIC NIGHT Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC NITE Inkerman Hotel, Balaclava. 7:30pm. SECRET SOUNDS LAUNCH - FEAT: CLAIRE BIRCHALL & THE PHANTOM HITCHHIKERS + WINTERNATIONALE + LIEBESTROPFEN. Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood.
5:30pm. $15.00.
$5.00.
8:00pm. $7.00.
8:00pm.
THE COPS 1. Who are you, and what do you do in the band? Simon Carter. I am the lead singer/one of the guitarists/songwriter. 2. What was it that brought the band together? We all missed playing really sweaty live rock gigs. The Cops put two albums out and then went on a bit of a hiatus for the last few years. We had a drink and sounded great together so here we are. 3. Is there anything you would change about the music industry? Of course there is, but instead of wasting energy (like an old man shouting at a cloud), we prefer to focus on the next gig, the next song, getting people to enjoy our gigs, making the most of playing music. 4. How do you prepare for a show? Any weird routines? No I’m pretty good. I drink the rider. Then walk on stage. James goes a bit quiet beforehand. But once we are all on stage together it explodes. 5. What do you think it is that sets you apart from the rest of the Melbourne music scene right now? The fact that we are from Sydney. Well, I was actually born and raised in Kilsyth so I know how to get shit done. 6. Where can we buy/listen to your music? You can buy our albums on iTunes. You can listen to it on Soundcloud, and you can even get a free download of our new single Move Over Money on Bandcamp. See THE COPS on Saturday December 5 at The Old Bar with Brat Farrar and Going Swimming. Move Over Money is available now via Bandcamp.
COMING UP
tuesdays IN NOVEMBER
FACT HUNT TRIVIA $5 TACOS + $16 JUGS OF THUNDER RD
Hosted by RRR’s Tristen Harris, this is a comfortably dumb trivia for mu sic fans and couch potatoes, no sport, no politics and no book-learnin’. QUIZ FROM 8PM - RESERVATIONS - samanda@spottedmallard.com NO COVER
wednesDAY 2ND DECEMBER
LABORASTORY BEST OF 2016 DOORS/DINNER 6PM , STORIES FROM 8PM RESERVATIONS ESSENTIAL SELLING FAST!
DOORS/DINNER 6PM, SHOW TIME 8:30PM
THURSDAY 3RD DECEMBER
OXFAM XMAS PARTY
FROM 4PM, NO COVER, FOLLOWED BY SURPRISE GUEST DJ
FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER
COLLINS LYNCH WATSON + JOSHUA SEYMOUR BAND + DJ SEAN SIMMONS SHOW TIME 9:00PM, NO COVER CHARGE
SATURDAY 5TH DECEMBER CHRISTMAS PARTY SHOW
BAKERSFIELD GLEE CLUB
PERFORMING 2 X SETS FROM 4PM HONKY TONK DANCE LESSONS FROM 3PM, NO COVER CHARGE
MEN FROM EARTH PERFORMING 2 X SETS FROM 9PM NO COVER CHARGE
SUNDAY 6TH DECEMBER
THE WIKIMEN
PERFORMING 2 X SETS FROM 5:30PM
$8CraftPints Beer House Wine House Bubbles 4pm-7pm Daily
Just not Sunday. We have better specials
KITCHEN HOURS Tues-Fri open 4pm Sat & Sun open 2pm
TICKETS
www.spottedmallard.com 314 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
B E AT.C O M . A U
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 49
Q&A
GIG GUIDE SHORES + PETER EWING Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm.
SMOKIN SAM & CARGO BLUES BAND + THE SHAKE SHACK BOOGIE HOUSE BAND + DJ BARRY MAXWELL Musicland, Fawkner. 8:00pm.
THE TIGER & ME + BLACKCHORDS + UBIQ Gasometer
BAREFOOT SPACEMEN Define your genre in five words or less: Garage/alternative/blues. 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? “My ears hurt and I’m slightly aroused. These guys are pretty cool.” How long have you been gigging and writing? We got together in May this year and started writing straight away. We had our debut gig in August once we thought we were ready. What has been your favourite gig you’ve played to date? We played a big promo show at Melbourne Pavilion, which was cool but playing an intimate show at the bar on Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus was a lot of fun and a lot of laughs. Which band would you most like to have a battle/ showdown with? The Murlocs (we hope you’re reading). What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? I guess if we really knew we’d be successful, but featuring in Beat certainly helps. Do you have any record releases to date? What? Where can I get it? So far we’ve just got some demos up on Soundcloud, but we’re working on getting an EP out there next year. Why should everyone come and see your band? Good tunes, good vibes, good times. BAREFOOT SPACEMAN are playing at the Brunswick Hotel on Thursday December 3.
Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $18.00.
FRIDAY DEC 4 THE HARLOTS + CABBAGES AND KINGS Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm.
A.D.K.O.B Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. ALLA SPINA + STUCK OUT + THE LOST DAY + LUKE SEYMOUP BAND + PLURAL 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10.00.
ANDY GRANT DUO Baha Tacos & Tapas Bar, Rye. 8:00pm. $5.00.
BATPISS + HIGH TENSION + SHIT SEX Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $15.00.
THE EIGHTY 88S
MICK THOMAS
BEERFRIDGE + THE FCKUPS + VENDETTA + MASONS WAY
DEAD JOE + ONE 80 DOWN + ALL WE NEED + ADMIRAL ACKBARS DISHONOURABLE DISCHARGE + KEGGIN’
T H E LU WOW The LuWow has gotten hold of major B-movie starlet Kitten Natividad to host their busty burlesque tribute night to the films of Russ Meyer. Kitten will be presenting, singing, posing and chatting with film connoisseur Andrew Leavold, telling about her life in the Hollywood fast lane, her lovers, her time with Russ and her continuing career as the grand Dame of Burlesque. Following that, Melbourne’s best party band The Eight 88s will have the venue jumping from 9pm, with DJ Dom taking on the decks afterwards. Tickets are $35 for the tribute show, $5 for the band. Doors open 7pm.
Black Hatt, Geelong. 8:00pm. $10.00.
BELLIGERENT INTENT + CEMETERY URN + AK-11 + FERALIAN + HELLSPIT Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood.
Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm. $10.00.
8:00pm.
$20.00.
BIG WHITE + GOOD MORNING + ZONE OUT + DIET. Shebeen, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm. $10.00.
BLUE BLOODS + FUZZSUCKER Public Bar, North Melbourne. 4:00pm.
CABIN FEVER + ORGAN DONOR + SKINPIN + DING DONG DEATH HOLE + THE POLYGAMISTS Public Bar, North Melbourne. 8:00pm. $10.00.
CAPTAIN SPALDING Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 9:30pm.
COLYTONS + THE REVENGERS + IVORY KNIVES + FILTHY HACKS
THE GLORIOUS
TH E GRAC E DA R LI NG After three years in the making, Melbourne three-piece The Glorious are finally ready to launch their third studio album, Falcon. Known for their unashamedly emotional and heartfelt lyrical content, The Glorious will play the launch in full band mode, complete with white-hot gunslinger guitarists, plus a few yet-to-benamed special guests. Local singer/songwriter Celia Church lends her support on the night. The Glorious launch Falcon this Friday December 4 at The Grace Darling. Doors open 8.30pm with $7 entry.
B URRI N JA B L ACK B OX Mick Thomas and long time Weddings, Parties, Anything and Roving Commission band mate Squeeze Box Wally are taking their annual Christmas show to the hills for the first time. A staple of Melbourne’s music scene for almost 30 years, Mick Thomas’ Christmas shows began when he fronted Weddings, Parties, Anything, and has evolved into a tradition for Mick’s solo outfit, featuring a rotating schedule of talented performers playing a mix of folk, roots and country. In the first of his Christmas shows, Mick Thomas and friends play Burrinja Black Box on Friday December 4 from 8pm. Tickets are $25 presale, $30 on the door.
DREAM ON DREAMER Pier Live, Frankston. 8:00pm.
DUMB PUNTS + EYES NINETY + BRAD POT + HOLLYWOOD MODELS + NICK PRATT Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. FLANGIPANIS + EAGER 13 + DUMPCHOOK + SMURF MURDER + JERK BEAST Beach Of Brunswick, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $10.00.
HEY HEY IT’S FRIDAY - FEAT: ASTRO BOYS Royal Hotel (essendon), Essendon. 10:00pm.
INTOXICA Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:30pm. JAMES REYNE + MOVING PICTURES Chelsea Heights Hotel, Chelsea Heights. 8:00pm. $50.00.
The Music Man Megastore, Bendigo. 8:00pm. $10.00.
JOE MOORE The Palms, Southbank. 7:00pm.
SKINPIN
THE BLUE BLOODS
T H E P U B LI C B A R Sydney’s Skinpin are coming down to The Public Bar this week, making a home for themselves and four other punk acts over the course of the night. For the uninitiated, Skinpin play fast, fast punk, and I’m talking 16 plus songs in a 30 minute set fast. The Public Bar’ll be full of it this Friday December 4, thanks to Cabin Fever, Organ Donor, Ding Dong Death Hole and Polygamists all getting the chance to shred their stuff on the big stage. Catch five major acts for just $10, from 8.30pm at The Public Bar.
THE PUB L I C B AR After their successful tour throughout Sydney and Melbourne in August, The Blue Bloods are coming back to play Public Bar this Friday December 4. The New Zealand punks have come all the way from Auckland to bring you this one, and they’ve got energetic rockers Fuzzsucker to support. Head down to The Public Bar this Friday December 4 from 4pm for a sleazy punk set with The Blue Bloods. Entry is free.
KING GIZZARD & THE WIZARD LIZARD - FEAT: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD + GOAT + THE ORB The Croxton, Thornbury. 8:00pm. $52.05.
LA BASTARD + TRAUMABOYS + STAY SHARP Yarra Hotel,
Abbotsford. 8:30pm.
LA DANSE MACABRE + BRUNSWICK MASSIVE RESIDENT DJS Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. LAGWAGON + THE FLATLINERS + MIXTAPE FOR THE DRIVE Max Watt’s, Melbourne. 8:00pm.
NEVERMIND THE WARP’D TOUR SIDESHOW
WHOL E LOT TA LOVE Nevermind The Warp’d Tour is back for the third year running, but before sinking your teeth into it this Saturday, they’re throwing a sick sideshow down at Whole Lotta Love on Friday December 4. Catch Gold Coast lads One 80 Down teaming up with Adelaide’s Dead Joe, roping in killer local support from All We Need, Admiral Ackbars Dishonourable Discharge and Keggin’. Get down to Whole Lotta Love this Friday from 8pm. $10 entry.
RAW BRIT St Kilda Memo, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $25.00. RIFF FIST + OLMEG + A BASKET OF MAMMOTHS Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 9:00pm.
SWIDGEN + WILDEORNES + ROUNDTABLE The Eastern, Ballarat East. 8:00pm. $10.00.
TEETH & TONGUE Hugs & Kisses, Melbourne. 8:00pm. TERRIBLE TRUTHS + BEACHES + DEEP HEAT + EMPAT LIMA John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. $12.00. THE CORONAS + MICK MCHUGH + ZEON & THE ACOUSTICS Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $45.00. THE DEMON PARADE + MASCO SOUND SYSTEM + ELECTRIC ELECTRIC Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne
CBD. 9:00pm. $7.00.
THE HOTELIER + CERES + FOXTROT + CAMP COPE Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm.
THE SOULENIKOES + FORMILES + INSYGNIA Workers Club (geelong), Geelong. 8:00pm. $10.00.
THE WIGGLES + CINDER EMMA Rod Laver Arena,
Melbourne. 6:30pm. $35.50. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 50
B E AT.C O M . A U
GIG GUIDE
INTOXICA
T HE REVERENCE HOTEL Intoxica play rock’n’roll, pure and simple. Well, rock’n’roll with garage, rockabilly, surf and blues thrown in. Boasting themselves as “the only band from the ‘80s that hasn’t quit and reformed,” a typical Intoxica set just wouldn’t be complete without thumping drums and bass, fuzzy and twangy guitars and the distinct vocals of Tony Shaw. With three decades of gigs under their belts, the band have played pretty much everywhere. Experience the legacy when Intoxica play The Reverence Hotel, for what could be the hundredth time, this Friday December 4.
the ’64 falcon Inkerman Hotel, Balaclava. 8:00pm. three quarter beast + startakit + poison fish + plotz + sex grimes Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
waax + them bruins + deloraines Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.
watt’s on presents Prince Public Bar, St Kilda .
LED ZEPPELIN CELEBRATION
HOLY SERPENT
YA H YA H’ S Local psych-rock heavyweights Holy Serpent will be slithering onto the Yah Yah’s stage this Friday December 4, with Merchant and Field by their side. If you’re yet to become immersed in Holy Serpent’s colossal chunk of psych doom-metal, then you really haven’t lived. Get down to Yah Yah’s this Friday December 4 and see what all the fuss is about. Tickets are $13, doors kick open at 8pm, BYO earplugs and good vibes.
C H E R RY B A R This Friday December 4, a bunch of Melbourne legends have gathered together to form a supergroup of sorts, to play a bunch of songs by another gang of legends; Led Zeppelin. This special one-off live celebration of Led Zeppelin’s Remasters album will be immaculately performed live by Ashley Naylor, Danny Leo, Stephen Hadley & Bruce Haymes with vocalists Vika Bull, Dallas Frasca, Chappy and Pat Carmody. But that ain’t all - from midnight onwards, your favourite new DJs and best fucking band in the world, Sweden’s The Hives will drop into Cherry for a guest DJ slot, while in town for their AC/DC shows. Fucking aaaye. Doors at 8pm, tickets are $25.
the tipplers Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:30pm.
three kings Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 9:30pm. zerafina zara & alleged associates Smokehouse
101, Maidstone. 7:00pm.
8:30pm.
you am i 170 Russell, Melbourne CBD. 8:30pm.
collins lynch watson + joshua seymour band + dj sean simmons Spotted Mallard, Brunswick.
$48.00.
9:00pm.
archie roach (back to charcoal lane) + emma donovan & the putbacks Thornbury Theatre, Thorn-
danny ross Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick.
archie roach (back to charcoal lane) + mission songs project Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury.
6:30pm.
7:00pm. $35.00.
bury. 7:00pm. $35.00.
SATURDAY DEC 5
daryl braithwaite band + jimmy cupples + aaron schembri + rob bostock Musicland, Fawkner.
crisco - feat: dj whiskey houston + dj mr. weir + lady erica Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm.
O LD BAR This Friday night, join Bayou at The Old Bar as they celebrate the launch of their second EP Thick Thighs and bid us farewell as they hang up their hats and journey onwards to new adventures. They’ve pulled together a stellar lineup of friends for this momentous occasion, with support from Ben Salter, Loose Tooth and Moon Rituals.
7:30pm. $35.00.
$15.00.
arthur penn & the funky ten + the scrimshaw four + bj morriszonkle + dj white chocolate
7:30pm.
Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $12.00.
9:30pm.
BAYOU
daveys fridays - feat: rob & tarquin + superfly djs Daveys Bar & Restaurant, Frankston. 8:00pm. jules boult Catfish, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. krista polvere Westernport Hotel, San Remo.
dig we must Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 9:30pm. $20.00.
balkan gypsy party + rosenstein + galalta express Open Studio, Northcote. 7:00pm. bossa nights - feat: darius & noel mendoza + dj juan + dj nas Osti, Prahran. 7:00pm. dj vince peach Littlefoot Bar, Footscray. 8:00pm. lounge room disco (christmas) Bella Union Bar,
northside blues assembly The B.east, Brunswick
dj soul loco Littlefoot Bar, Footscray. 8:00pm. la descarga Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm. melbourne singers of gospel (stand strong) + the soul train Mlc, Kew. 3:00pm. $35.00. melbourne singers of gospel (stand strong) + the soul train Mlc, Kew. 8:00pm. $35.00. messiah - feat: bramwell tovey + anna leese + sally-anne russell + more Hamer Hall (arts Centre
East. 9:00pm.
Melbourne), Southbank. 7:00pm. $25.00.
Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $10.00.
Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. 5:00pm.
Carlton. 8:30pm. $10.00.
Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:00pm.
max teakle Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm. pilot Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 9:30pm.
$20.00.
rachael comte quintet Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 8:30pm. $20.00.
sleazy listening - feat: arks + richard kelly + hysteric + k hoop Toff In Town, Melbourne CBD. 5:00pm.
the glass moon Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond.
9:00pm. $16.00.
the james sherlock trio Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy.
8:00pm.
traditional irish music session Drunken Poet,
West Melbourne. 6:00pm.
vanessa tomlinson Melbourne Recital Centre,
Southbank. 7:00pm. $25.00.
8:00pm.
louis donnarumma Longplay, Fitzroy North. nice boy tom Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East.
rebetika Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. sasha march + kyle taylor + oskar herbig stand by me cancer fundraiser - feat: vic meehan
NO ZU
H OWL E R If you’re yet to catch a previous NO ZU party at Howler, you’re missing out. These shows are becoming truly legendary affairs. They’ve got a burning percussive heat beat energy on stage, combined with equally hot body-movement of melting hips and bodies. Now they’re back at Howler to do it all again for one last night of intimacy before their album, Afterlife drops in February next year. This time, NO ZU present their second single from the record, Hi Gloss, as part of a maxi-single/EP 12”. Don’t miss this one. All the action kicks off at 9pm on Friday December 4, tickets are a cool $23.50 on the door.
steve lucas Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 5:00pm.
12:45pm.
chris cornell Palais Theatre, St Kilda. 7:30pm. $109.90.
chris langford & friends Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale. 8:00pm.
chris russell’s chicken walk + gregg dodd & the hoodoo men Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 8:40pm. $32.00.
chris wilson Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 5:15pm. cold irons bound Victoria Hotel (brunswick), Brunswick. 9:00pm.
BOBBY DAZZLER MARKET PARTY
Hey Emma. You’re at it again with another Bobby Dazzler Market Party. For those of us that are a little late on the uptake, what are these all about? It’s our last for the year. It’s a Market in a Party, ‘60s style: stalls, fashion, music, art and other treats. It’s a chance to dress up and come and meet other folk from the ‘60s scene; have a beer, dance and a yarn. This time around, the theme is psychedelic, what do you have in store? I think this is a popular theme. We have two psychedelic bands, The Baudelaires and Wesley Fuller, Elle Indeka doing a live hoop show, Sarah Masson doing live art, and then stalls: Closet Mod, Happiness Candles, Josie Stardust, Vinyl Rules Music to name a few. The bands sound intriguing tell us more. The Baudelaires are a psychedelic/garage rock band who have crafted their sound from bands such as The 13th Floor Elevators and The Velvet Undergound, blended with shoegaze guitars, a slap of country rhythm and the mysticism or soft tenor blues vocals. Wesley Fuller, what can we say? Paisley flared, curly haired technicolour assault of pocket symphony, proto glam, strut step and psychedelic groove. Enough said. Anything else? Elle Indeka will be performing two live hoop shows, Sarah Masson will be painting psychedelic art. There will be lights, bubbles, beers, records, sunshine & psychedelic vibes. BOBBY DAZZLER MARKET PARTY goes down from 12 – 5pm on Sunday December 6 at The Provincial Hotel. Tour 2015.
$31.00.
Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. 7:00pm. $31.00.
phila para Prince Public Bar, St Kilda . 6:00pm.
WARBIRDS
WH O L E LOT TA LOV E Whole Lotta Love is the place to be at this Saturday night. Local power rock trio Warbirds are smashing it out hard and clean with an ‘80s rock edge sharp enough to cut your man bun down to a mullet, and taking on the crowd after are The Balls, ready to dirty up the venue with some fast and loud punk rock. If you like a live show, this’ll do it for ya. Doors open 8pm with $10 entry.
the boogaloo blues party - feat: robert susz + liza ohlback + blue eyes cry Cellar Bar, St Kilda.
rebecca barnard (songs my father taught me) + jmq Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 8:30pm.
7:00pm. $15.00.
$25.00.
Melbourne CBD. 7:00pm. $20.00.
billy miller Basement Discs, Melbourne CBD.
noel! noel - feat: brandenburg choir + australian brandenburg orchestra + paul dyer
yellowbird jazz band Paris Cat Jazz Club,
9:00pm.
The Baudelaires
noel! noel - feat: brandenburg choir + australian brandenburg orchestra + paul dyer
the firebird trio Dog’s Bar, St Kilda. 9:00pm. the grubs Wesley Anne, Northcote. 4:00pm. the hornets Big Huey’s Diner, South Melbourne.
what the funk fridays Purple Emerald, Northcote.
Q&A
reggae on the red carpet - feat: rasta unity + ras jahknow + king ru + more 24 Moons, Northcote.
MOTHER CULTURE
THE WORKER’S CLUB Pop your head into The Worker’s Club this Saturday afternoon and you’ll find Melbourne’s very own Mother Culture, stuffing a year’s worth of musical material into one very packed setlist. After a year of gigging, writing, and finding the perfect sound for themselves, Mother Culture have jumped on the chance to play their first ever headlining gig. Good friends Randolph’s Party and The Moody Spooks lend their support. Mother Culture, Saturday December 5 at The Worker’s Club. Doors open 1pm, entry is just $6.
ruth roshan’s tango noir Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 7:00pm. $25.00.
sarah maclaine + roger clark quartet + harold jefta Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $16.00. soul a-go-go Shebeen, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm.
$10.00.
9:00pm. $20.00.
8:00pm.
royal jellies + dr crask The Luwow, Fitzroy.
the dub captains Bar Open, Fitzroy. 3:00pm. the ossa quartet (pub classics) 303, Northcote.
THE DAMNED HUMANS
8:00pm.
4:00pm. $10.00.
MUSICL AND Launching their new single, Stars Across The Rise, taken from their second album Shellgame, Sydney’s The Damned Humans are set to hit Melbourne for the first time, bringing with them their unique blend of electro shock rock and a host of ghoulish supports. Contradictory to their recent split from the scene, horror metal outfit Spaulding will be reuniting in horrific glory for this one (and last) show only. Also fleshing out the night’s entertainment will be the gloriously spooky synth rock of The Creptter Children, the gloomy sounds from Melbourne’s Obscürum, and Shepparton groove metal outfit Vulture Culture. It’s all going down at Musicland, Fawkner this Friday December 5. Doors open 7pm with $10 tickets.
THE SUNDAY REEDS
G R AC E DA R L I N G The Sunday Reeds have wrapped up the studio sessions for their latest single, Pretty People, and they’re launching it this Saturday December 5 with a little help from special guests The Black Heart Death Cult, The Baudelaires and vhs dream. Mixed by James Aparicio (engineer for Spiritualized), the dark pop single explores a narcissistic and celebrity obsessed culture on the brink of disintegration, and is the first single released from their upcoming album. Catch the launch of Pretty People this Saturday December 5 at The Grace Darling. $10 entry, doors open 8pm.
B E AT.C O M . A U
the sam keevers trio Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
valentino flamenco ensemble Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm.
albert salt Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne CBD. 9:00pm. $9.00.
apes (dimension tour) + destrends Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $14.30.
bang - feat: glorified + graves + vices + polaris Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne CBD. 9:00pm. $20.00. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 51
GIG GUIDE MWIJF JAZZ WORKSHOP
CUSTARD
T HE TOFF IN TOWN Much loved Aussie power-pop outfit Custard have returned to the scene with their first release in 16 years, fittingly titled Come Back, All Is Forgiven. The Brisbane band developed a cult following throughout their lengthy career, managing to poll higher that any other local artist in Triple J’s infamous Hottest 100 with their single Apartment way back in ‘95. Custard are touring to support the release, and they’ve locked in a show at The Toff In Town this Saturday December 5. If you’re looking to give these guys a warm welcome back, grab tickets from their official website.
BONE FOLDER + NIGHT SKY + NEW AGE Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:00pm.
COLOURDAZED + BILL Public Bar, North Melbourne.
JAALA
TH E J OH N C U R T I N Indie pop quartet Jaala’s debut album Hard Hold came out to rave reviews last week, and they’re heading to the John Curtin Hotel for the launch this Saturday December 5. The launch rounds out a busy year of shows and festival slots for the band, and comes right after their Paradise Festival appearance over the weekend. Supporting them on the night will be the improvisational Hiatus Kaiyote side-project, Swooping Duck. Jaala launch Hard Hold at The Curtin this Saturday December 5. $15 tickets, doors open 8.30pm.
RAW BRIT + LIFE OF RILEY Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $20.00.
RYAN SCOBLE ESQ. PRESENTS + RATTLIN’ BONES BLACKWOOD Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 2:00am. $7.00.
CRACKWHORE + THE TRANSITIONS + THE TRAUMA BOYS + THE A BOMB WHORES Reverence Hotel, Footscray.
SATURDAYS R COVERED - FEAT: RADIO STAR Royal Hotel (essendon), Essendon. 10:00pm.
SHERIFF + TRA Baha Tacos & Tapas Bar, Rye. 8:00pm. $10.00.
TAIPAN TIGER GIRLS + CABLE TIES + PLASTER OF PARIS + HI-TEC EMOTIONS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. THE DAMNED HUMANS + VULTURE CULTURE + OBSCÜRUM + MORE Musicland, Fawkner. 6:45pm. $10.00.
Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $43.90.
THE EXOTICS + THE VIBRAJETS Town Hall Hotel
$10.00.
ICONIC VIVISECT + SANZU + HOLLOW WORLD + ATHENA’S WAKE + THE ARBITER Reverence Hotel, Footscray. NEVER SHOUT NEVER + ACRASIA + YOUNG STATES NEVERMIND THE WARP’D TOUR - FEAT: BEERFRIDGE + FLANGIPANIS + ONE 80 DOWN + SKINPIN + COLYTONS + EAGER 13 + MORE Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick.
AQUAPUNCTURE Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale.
PLATINUM RAT
PUB L I C B AR On Saturday December 5, Platinum Rat are pulling together some of their best buds to put on a show at the Public Bar. Ben Carter and Hannah Frances will soften you up with some sweet melody and dripping blues/country tunes, before Chimper Kimblay amazes you with their grandiose arrangements, masterful lyrics and intermittent space guitar injections. Then, ThundaBox will get the blood pumping with some beer infused, no-nonsense riff rock, warming up the crowd for Platinum Rat to descend from the planet horror and gouge you all with their supernatural love lorn vomit punk. Game on.
THE REPROBETTES + SWIM TEAM + LOOSE TOOTH + FREYA JOSEPHINE HOLLICK + ZARAH PHILLIPSWILLIAMS + HANA & JESS The Eastern, Ballarat East. 4:00pm. $15.00.
THE SEA BIRDS Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. $5.00.
THE SHOT GLASSES Inkerman Hotel, Balaclava. 8:00pm.
THE THREE KINGS Union Hotel (brunswick), Brunswick. 9:00pm.
TOM DOCKRAY (ONE FINGER SALUTE LAUNCH) + T.K REEVE The B.east, Brunswick East. 8:00pm. UNCLE LEON Dog’s Bar, St Kilda. 9:00pm.
CHARLIE MARSHALL DUO + ANDREW MCCUBBIN DUO
SUNDAY DEC 6
Some Velvet Morning, Clifton Hill. 8:00pm.
BELLYDANCE BOHEMIA (END OF YEAR SHOWCASE)
$109.90.
8:00pm. $17.00.
FROM OSLO + DEAR THIEVES + OSCAR GALT & THE EVENTUAL SOMETHINGS Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:00pm. GRAIN OF TRUTH Wesley Anne, Northcote. 1:00pm. HEART OF GLASS Bella Union Bar, Carlton. 9:00pm.
T H E O LD B A R Seminal scuzz-rockers The Cops have come out with a new single, Move Over Money, and in classic rock fashion they’re launching it at Melbourne’s home of scuzz, The Old Bar, this Saturday December 5. Sweetening the deal on the night will be some lo-fi garage coming from Brat Farrer, along with DIY punks Going Swimming. Three acts, ten bucks, from 8.30pm at The Old Bar.
CHRIS CORNELL Palais Theatre, St Kilda. 7:30pm.
YA H YA H’S Alternative rockers A Gazillion Angry Mexicans have announced that they’ll be launching a special, 7-inch vinyl release of Rattle My Cage at the ever enticing Yah Yah’s. The Melbourne based outfit have been turning heads in the local scene, delivering earnest rock’n’roll and playing an exhausting amount of live shows. This swampy quartet of dusty easy-riders have managed to craft a unique brand of riff-heavy neo-blues, infusing overtones of 90’s grunge and garage rock. See the magic yourselves at Yah Yah’s this Saturday December 5, supported by fellow locals My Left Boot, Two Headed Dog and Palmer Slum. Doors open at 8pm with free entry.
8:00pm. $10.00.
THE COPS
BAKERSFIELD GLEE CLUB Spotted Mallard, Brunswick.
A GAZILLION ANGRY MEXICANS
$20.00.
Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $35.00.
4:00pm.
Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm. $15.00.
SLIM BELLY Catfish, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. SLIPDIXIES Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 5:00pm. SPECTRUM The Who Club, Warburton. 8:30pm.
Brunswick East. 8:00pm. $10.00.
8:00pm.
DISMEMBERING DECEMBER - FEAT: HARLOTT + TRUTH CORRODED + TOE CUTTER + ASYLUM + MORE Bendigo
THE YARRA HOTE L This Saturday December 5, Shaky Stills emerge from unknown waters to take over the stage at the Yarra Hotel. The band have been sighted about Melbourne for years – raising their mythical head at festivals like Darebin Music Feast and dropping by for sneaky sets at Some Velvet Morning. Witnesses speak of these appearances with the same zeal as yeti sympathisers; they are out there, and man, they have to be seen to be believed. This weekend they can be found with Yasin Leflef supporting. Entry is free.
TEX PERKINS & THE DARK HORSES Northcote Social
Morning, Clifton Hill. 3:30pm.
CH E RRY B A R AC/DC are in town, so what better excuse to throw a fucking belter of a party while showcasing some of Melbourne’s best live bands. Drunk Mums, Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene, Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk and Devil Electric will all smash the stage at Cherry, in the name of rock’n’roll. You don’t want to miss this one. Tickets are only fifteen bucks on the door, from 7pm to 11pm.
SHAKY STILLS
WARBIRDS + THE BALLS + FIGURES Whole Lotta Love,
ALEXANDER BIGGS + LOUIS DONNARUMMA Some Velvet
Hatt, Geelong. 8:30pm.
ED SHEERAN Aami Park, Melbourne. 8:00pm. EYES NINETY + RADIO AGE Old Bar, Fitzroy. 4:30pm. FAMOUS WILL (LONELY LAUNCH) + JULZ EVANS + TIM HULSMAN TRIO Workers Club (geelong), Geelong.
THEM BRUINS Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 10:30pm. VINCE JONES + PAUL GRABOWSKY St Kilda Memo, St
Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 1:00pm. $5.00.
DRUNK MUMS, FUCK THE FITZROY DOOM SCENE
DEC MCKINNON & THE KNOCKABOUTS + TRUMP OVER LOGIC + ALCHEMY INC + DANGEROUS CURVES Black
Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10.00.
WHOLE LOTTA MUSIC SESSIONS - FEAT: THE NAUTICAL SUNSETS + LIMELIGHT + FALLEN STAR + BEN LITTLE
8:00pm. $10.00.
MAX WAT T’ S Melbourne five-piece Jakubi, known for their stylish blend of R&B, hip-hop, jazz and pop, are heading home after an extensive tour of the United States. The tour was an undeniable success; our boys sold out their headlining shows in New York City, San Francisco and Chicago. If that isn’t proof enough, they tore down the stage at major American festivals including Electric Forest, Taste of Randolph, Wakarusa and Summer Camp Music Festival. If your heart’s been heavy with the weight of their absence, they’ll be easing your sorrows at Max Watt’s this Saturday December 5. Tickets are $15, grab ‘em through the venue’s website.
THE SUNDAY REEDS + THE BLACK HEART DEATH CULT + THE BAUDELAIRES + VHS DREAM Grace Darling Hotel,
Kilda. 8:00pm. $32.00.
4:00pm.
JAKUBI
B E NNE T T S L A NE J A Z Z C LUB Jazz heavyweights unite this weekend to present a panel discussion and Q&A on the business side of all that jazz. From pitching for festival slots, releasing and promoting an album to international collaborations, publishing, using social media and how to get airplay, this panel discusses music industry principles from a Jazz and improvised music perspective. As part of the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival events going on this week, this forum is an opportunity to network, gain invaluable industry tips and a glimpse at the behind the scenes workings of Australia’s biggest jazz labels, festivals and clubs. Brush up on your industry secrets from this Saturday December 5. Doors open 1.30pm, with the panel running from 2pm to 3pm. Free entry, bookings recommended.
CONTINENTAL ROBERTS BLUES PARTY Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm.
CRAIG WOODWARD + WARREN ROUGH & FRIENDS
Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 7:00pm. $10.00.
DAN WARNER & THE RRR BBQ BAND Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm.
FIONA BOYES Daveys Bar & Restaurant, Frankston.
2:30pm.
Victoria Hotel (brunswick), Brunswick. 5:00pm.
DAN PARSONS BAND Union Hotel (brunswick),
HOPE STREET Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm. KA-TYA Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 6:00pm.
Brunswick. 5:00pm.
$20.00.
HOLY MOSES HEARTACHE + THE BEAN PROJECT + LOUIS DONNARUMMA Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 9:00pm. JUKEBOX RACKET Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:30pm. JULES BOULT Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 9:00pm.
KARAOKE WITH ZOE Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 9:00pm.
MESSIAH - FEAT: BRAMWELL TOVEY + ANNA LEESE + SALLY-ANNE RUSSELL + MORE Hamer Hall (arts Centre
Melbourne), Southbank. 5:00pm. $25.00.
PEPPERCORN JAZZ BAND Open Studio, Northcote. 4:30pm.
THE GUN BARREL STRAIGHTS Post Office Hotel,
MON SHELFORD + IAN MADDICK Wesley Anne,
9:00pm.
ROYAL FUNK FESTIVAL (SUMMER EDITION) - FEAT: MONDEGREEN + COCOA NOIRE + LAKE MINNETONKA + DJ CHELSEA WILSON + MZRIZK The Shadow Electric,
Coburg. 9:30pm.
Northcote. 6:00pm.
Abbotsford. 5:00pm. $15.00.
(north Melbourne), North Melbourne. 5:00pm.
12:00pm.
NEW LEASE - FEAT: TOL + WHIPPER + ANGEL EYES John
THE LAST WALTZ REVISITED - FEAT: TIM ROGERS + DAN SULTAN + OLYMPIA + MARLON WILLIAMS + MORE Arts
Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 3:00pm.
Centre, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $30.00.
MEN FROM EARTH Spotted Mallard, Brunswick.
LE BLANC BROS CAJUN BAND Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford.
4:00pm.
MONO + WE LOST THE SEA + FOURTEEN NIGHTS AT SEA Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $44.00.
PERRY KEYES + BEK-JEAN STEWART Flying Saucer
SUNDAY SOUL SESSIONS Purple Emerald, Northcote. 9:00pm.
THANDO + MONIQUE SHELFORD + DJ SOUL LOCO Retreat
PERRY ST FESTIVAL - FEAT: UR BOY BANGZ + MINNIE & FRIENDS + DRONGO + MORE Cnr Smith St & Perry St,
THE NEWSLETTERS + STATIONARY SUNS + POPOLICE + WATERFALL PERSON Grace Darling Hotel,
Club, Elsternwick. 8:40pm. $27.00.
PHEASANT PLUCKERSPHEASANT PLUCKERS Retreat
THE JOSH COHEN SCHOOL OF MUSIC CONCERT Paris
Collingwood. 10:00am.
Collingwood. 9:00pm. $4.00.
Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 3:00pm. $20.00.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 52
B E AT.C O M . A U
Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.
GIG GUIDE redro redriguez & his inner demons + the welcome storm + two headed dog Cherry Bar, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm.
ron s peno + cam butler Standard Hotel, Fitzroy.
7:00pm.
sunday session - feat: brunsy Ferntree Gully
Hotel, Ferntree Gully. 2:00pm.
sunday sessions - feat: various artists Lucky Coq, Windsor. 4:00pm.
the everymen Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. the everymen Littlefoot Bar, Footscray. 7:00pm. the gin club two Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 4:30pm. the travis winters blues band The Water Rat Hotel, South Melbourne. 5:00pm. $5.00.
the wikimen Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 6:00pm. unsealed road Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:30pm.
virginia sook + jess locke band + amy wright Old
Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $6.00.
youre lookin at country - feat: laura imbruglia + ben salter + the broads + more Tote Hotel,
aim ensemble night Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood.
TASTE OF INDIE TUESDAYS
Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5.00.
PR I N C E P U BLI C B A R Each Tuesday, the Taste of Indie Tuesdays descends upon the Prince Public Bar for the long-running and ever so popular Taste of Indie Tuesdays sessions. This week, Bob Crain and Matt ‘Gringo’ Bush will take the stage, backed by the tremendously talented house band, Collective Action. It all kicks off at 7.30pm.
Public Bar, North Melbourne. 7:30pm. $6.00.
elise cabrét - feat: elise cabret Yarra Hotel,
6:00pm.
b3 breakout 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. cherry jam Cherry Bar, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm. donny love + gonzo + lucas george Old Bar, palace motel + jim patterson + cameron elliot romeo moon + huntly + holytrash + creek Evelyn
Abbotsford. 8:30pm.
Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.
t-rek + the monday bone machine + honeysmack
officer parrot Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm. the collingwood casanovas Retreat Hotel,
Boney, Melbourne CBD. 9:00pm.
Brunswick. 8:30pm.
Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm.
WANT YOUR GIG IN GIG GUIDE? EMAIL A SHORT BLURB AND PIC TO MUSICNEWS@BEAT.COM.AU
ziggy alberts + kylie lionhart Toff In Town, jake fehily + lauren glezer Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.
lucinda williams Forum Theatre, Melbourne CBD. 7:00pm. $101.90.
monday night cajun dance party - feat: the johnny can’t dance cajun band Victoria Hotel
(brunswick), Brunswick. 8:00pm.
Collingwood. 5:00pm. $15.00.
TUESDAY DEC 8
MONDAY DEC 7
ac/dc Etihad Stadium, Docklands. 6:00pm. $100.00. cosmic rain + betty rumble + brad hunter Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
fresh industry showcases Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm.
halestorm + bellusira 170 Russell, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm. $45.90.
king choonga + cowabunga beach + jurassic nark
MUNDANE MONDAYS
Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $6.00.
TH E O LD BAR Another weekend goes by, another Mundane Monday to look forward to. For this week’s shenanigans, Gold Coast’s sleazy charmers Donny Love will throw jangly reverb soaked garage psych around The Old Bar to support their debut EP, Sultry Visions, with rad support from GONZO, Lucas George and Gabriella Cohen. Fitzroy has it all this week, so head down to the Old Bar on Monday December 7 and catch four sweet ass bands for just five bucks.
loving the alien 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. mercury rev + the avalanches djs Max Watt’s, Melbourne. 7:00pm. $59.00.
morbidly o’beat + echo drama + akroyd smart Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5.00.
pique + junki + the dorks + lola Public Bar, North Melbourne. 7:00pm. $6.00.
sam smith Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. 7:30pm. $86.35.
the resignators + the outsiders Cherry Bar, Melbourne CBD. 8:30pm.
unknown mortal orchestra + alex cameron Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm.
ziggy alberts + kylie lionhart Toff In Town, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm. $20.00.
aim ensemble night Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood.
SONGWRITER SESSIONS WITH LUKE SINCLAIR
T HE RETREAT H OTEL Raised By Eagles frontman Luke Sinclair joins in on The Retreat’s Songwriting Session this Monday December 7. Hosted by Brooke Russell and Mitch Power, the two will chat to Luke Sinclair about all things songwriting, music, performing, touring and everything in between. Follow the Raised By Eagles story as they’ve gone from strength to strength, their Diamonds In The Bloodstream album launch sold out Howler, which led to a successful run of shows in Nashville all culminating with the Best Country Album of 2015 and Best Emerging Artist of 2015 at The Age Music Victoria Awards. Luke will see the evening out with a solo set. Hear the real story from a music industry insider, Monday 8pm at The Retreat. Entry is free.
CLASSIFIEDS 33c per word per week (inc GST) Send your classified listing to classifieds@beat.com.au. Payment options include VISA/Mastercard or EFT (1.5% surcharge for credit card payment). Deadline is Monday 11am, prior to Wednesday’s publication. Minimum $5 charge per week. We do not accept classifieds over the phone - sorry.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 54
6:00pm.
anna’s go-go academy Bella Union Bar, Carlton.
6:30pm. $10.00.
dru chen + jesse bear Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm. $15.00.
maxim vengerov Arts Centre, Melbourne. 7:00pm. $60.00.
Lounge, Melbourne CBD. 6:30pm.
allan smithy Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm.
Bands/Duos/Solo acts wanted for Acoustic/Indie Fest Contact: mark@gunnmusic.com.au Rock/Metal acts wanted for local rock shows Contact: mark@gunnmusic.com.au
MUSICIANS WANTED for original, raw, rock and roll band. Own instruments a must. 17-21 year old. Auditions and details text Jim: 0414 079 073. Please leave details. Prompt reply.
B E AT.C O M . A U
Access All Ages With grace kindellan The FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands Regional Finals have been running since September with a series of fantastic gigs showcasing young, unsigned acts right across Victoria. Congratulations to the winners so far. They include Selling Time (Northern Metro), Mosey (Northern Country), Mother Culture (Southern Metro), Sparks (Eastern Metro), Against Our Pride (Barwon South West),Short Term (Hume) and Aura (Gippsland.) There is one event left to determine the winner from the Mallee Wimmera region on December 4 at Nowingi Place, Hugh King Drive, Mildura. All finalists will battle it out once and for all at the City of Melbourne’s Moomba Festival in March 2016. With a prize pack worth more than $11,000 including recording, mastering, printing, posters, gear, publicity, clothing and more, competition will be fierce. Head to www.thepush.com.au for more details and start rehearsing for next year. Fed Square Live is here to ease you into the summer music season with a series of free, outdoor performances every Thursday from 5.30pm at, you guessed it, Fed Square. Relax into a deckchair and unwind as the sun sets over some of Melbourne’s most talented acts. This week you can catch Annabel Kay’s moving acoustic country music inspired by the isolation and longing of living in a small community far from home. Jasmine Nelson will be playing her signature piano ballads and FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands winners from 2014/15, The Bean Project, will be delivering their unique French horn and guitar based folk music. Head to www.fedsquare.com/events/fed-square-live for more details. Next Saturday December 13, Luna Park is hosting Port Phillip FReeZA Committee’s Unsigned Music Battle. Come down to this iconic Melbourne amusement park to see four bands thrash it out for a chance to play in front of the masses at St. Kilda Festival. Local pop punk band Kids in Control are headlining the event. For more information check out www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/youth-events. Port Phillip City Council’s Youth Services team is also looking for young people who are interested in event management to volunteer their time to help manage The Push Stage at St Kilda Festival 2016. This is an opportunity to gain great industry experience while listening to awesome bands and performers. The festival takes place over a couple of weeks in early February across various places in St Kilda and volunteers would be required on Sunday February 8. If you need more info or want to express interest, head to www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/st-kilda-festival-pushstage or email youth@portphillip.vic.gov.au. If you’re a young person with a passion for making radio, head down to SYN’s information night on Tuesday December 15 at 6.00pm at SYN Media on Cardigan Street, Carlton. SYN makes radio and TV solely for youth and they’re always on the lookout for new volunteers. To register interest and find out more visit www.syn.org.au/getinvolved. Collingwood community music station PBSfm 106.7 also offers radio training courses with places available now for 2016. The courses take place over five weekly two-hour sessions and cover all the basics in radio production and presenting. Check out www.pbsfm. org.au/become-an-announcer for more info. Got news you’d like to share with us? Send it to push@ thepush.com.au
F ri d a y D E C E M B E R 4
the black sorrows (cajun christmas) Ding Dong
FEMALE VOCALIST LOOKING FOR MUSICIANS to start an originals band. Also interested in starting an acoustic duo. Contact Marrianne 0405 929 923
PRESENT
All Ages Gig Guide
mckinnon secondary college Dizzy’s Jazz Club,
Richmond. 7:00pm. $10.00.
Acts wanted for Sunday rock shows Contact: mark@gunnmusic.com.au
The Push
MODELING. We’re looking for confident women of all styles (aged 18+) for our pro-feminist photographic projects with an emphasis on style and creativity. Nude/undies, paying $100 to $500 per shoot. Don’t overlook this until you’ve found out more about it. Rebecca ph.9495 6555 Missing: The Who. Who’s missing? #Wontbefooledagain.
• Portland BreakFest 2015 w/ DJ Brynny, DJ Short Round, DJ Nath Jennings, Portland Drill Hall, Bentinck St, Portland, 7.30pm-11.30pm, $15 presale, $20 door price, U18 • Shove it Skate Comp, Timboon Skate Park, Timboon, Time: 4pm-7pm, Free, www.corangamite. vic.gov.au, AA • 2015 Parody Prom VII w/ DJ Mz Rizk, Chandelier Room, Hawthorn Arts Centre, 360 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, 7pm-11pm, $10, www.facebook.com/ boroondara.freeza, U18
S U N DAY D E C E M B E R 6
• Phruntsdye Skate Park Jam w/ James Gillard, Daniel Hunt, Pro BMXer demos, Renton Millar, skate, scooter and BMX competitions, Mansfield Skate Park, Highett Street, Mansfield, 11am-2pm, $5, www.mansfield.vic.gov.au, AA
Thurs 3rd @ 8.30pm
ENDA KENNY
(Folk troubadour) Friday 4th @ 9.30pm
MONDAY TO THURSDAY
$7 PINTS TILL 8PM
SUNDAY 6TH, 5PM
BON TON RHYTHMS 40’S, 50’S BLUES
SATURDAY 12TH, 7PM
MISERABLE LITTLE BASTARDS SUNDAY 13TH, 5PM
KING WOLF
ALL MUSIC IS FREE
NICE BOY TOM
Wed 2nd December
(Alt-country roots) Saturday 5th @ 9.30pm
CONTINENTAL ROBERTS BLUES PARTY (Retro R&B grooves) Sunday 6th @ 5.30pm
DAN WARNER & THE RRR BBQ BAND
W I N E , W H I S K EY, W O M E N 8pm: Lisa Spykers 9pm: Zoe K Thurs 3rd December
8pm:
Fri 4th December
6pm: Traditional Irish Session 8.30pm:
The Tipplers
Saturday 5th December
(Sizzlin’ sounds of RRR) Sunday 6th @ 9.00pm
THE STEVE MARTINS
Open Mic Night
9pm:
Jules Boult
Sunday 6th December
IRISH SESSION
Michelle Chandler 6.30pm: Unsealed Road
ALL GIGS ARE FREE
TRIVIA
(Soul-searchers)
4pm:
Tuesday 8th @ 8.00pm
(Fiddlin’ frenzy)
Tuesdays
EXCELLENT RESTAURANT & BAR MEALS
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ROMANTIC TREATMENT SATURDAY 5TH 7PM
ADULTS ART CLUB SUNDAY 6TH 12PM
STICKY MUSIC
W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 55
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Aside from X Factor winner Cyrus Villanueva, Sony Music Entertainment Australia also signed the runners-up, former Mt. Gambier lawyer Louise Adams and Sydney duo Jess & Matt, both of whom have released their debut singles. EIGHT WINNERS OF APRA’S PDAs
The eight winners of this year’s APRA AMCOS Professional Development Awards were announced at the association’s headquarters in Sydney. Chosen by 1200 songwriters and composers, those getting $15,000 each were three from Popular Contemporary (Timothy Carroll of Holy Holy, Ngaiire, Jack Carty) and Ruby Boots (Country), Briggs (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander), who said he’d use the money for his Bad Apples label, Peter McNamara (Classical), Aaron Kenny (Film and Television) and Jeremy Rose ( Jazz). The inaugural Indigenous Music and Media Award went to NSW’s Marcus Corowa.
After arts budgets cuts by the Federal government, the Victorian government has changed the rules for Creative Victoria’s Organisations Investment Program. Grants are now $60,000 (up from $40,000). They are also extended to small and medium organisations for four years. The 2017-2020 round opens in March at creative.vic.gov.au/organisations. THINGS WE HEAR
Which punk band bailed out at the last minute from a video shoot in which they were required to be in a tub of worms? Is there a time for a tweak: last week’s X Factor grand final only drew 1.204 million metro viewers (down from 1.42 million last year and 2.43 in 2013) and the ARIAs were 461,000, down from 574,000 last year. Why has the Guns N’ Roses website suddenly introduced new merchandising featuring the original lineup? Did Taylor Swift change her mind at the last minute and not attend the ARIAs because she’d been busy shooting a video in the Blue Mountains? Is German media giant Bauer eyeing a $1 billion buy of radio network Southern Cross Austereo? Adele’s 25 album, which hit triple platinum in Australia in five days, set new all-time records for most sales in the first week in the US (knocking off N’Sync) and in the UK (topping Oasis). In between a public attack over their cancelled Australian visit due to low ticket sales at their local promoter HiphopTV (including posting its owner’s mobile number), US hip hoppers The Outlawz have set the ball rolling on a movie about 2Pac. Going viral online is footage of a man in a wheelchair crowdsurfing at a Parkway Drive show in North Carolina, falling off after half a minute.
BARELY DRESSED / REMOTE CONTROL SIGN OH PEP!
Melbourne indie folksters Oh Pep! have signed with Barely Dressed Records/ Remote Control. Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs met at the Victorian College Of The Arts where they studied jazz and classical music respectively. They won awards at Folk Alliance Australia and played Americana Music Festival and CMJ in the US. Their debut EP Living is out now on iTunes and Spotify. FREE JAZZ UPSKILL FORUM
As part of the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival, jazz heavyweights present a free panel BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 58
We know the folks at Onesixone club in Prahran don’t need a reason to party, but last weekend they celebrated the scrapping of their six year sound system as they’re installing a more powerful one from this week. In the meantime, Thornbury Theatre has just installed a new 9m x 4.8m stage with adjustable height from .8 to 1.2m. The theatre upgraded its PA and lighting specifications this year, added a new lift and refurbished toilets, and boosted capacity to 700 (standing and concert mode), or 480 in cabaret and standing mode. Things of Stone and Wood’s main man Greg Arnold now lives in Geneva, as his wife has a senior position in the Red Cross. He’s returning home shortly, and so the band’s playing its only 2015 show at
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SONY SIGNS TOP 3 X-FACTOR FINALISTS
MORE FUNDING FOR VIC ARTS ORGANISATIONS
e
12 representatives are from Australia, the other three from New Zealand. Victoria had the most: Joseph Alexander, Katie Besgrove, Tristan Ludowyk, Mark Monnone, Huw Nolan and Hamish Mitchell. Sydneysiders Neil Hunt and Andrew Stone join David Crowe and Jalyay Jaja Thompson from Alice Springs, with Mace Francis from Canberra and Trina Massey from Brisbane.
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The 15 participants in the Australian Music Industry Network’s six-month, five stage business development program RELEASE had their first workshop in Hepburn Springs last weekend, moderated by business strategy consultant Mariel Beros. Mentors in the program will include Andy Bryan (of Stop Start) and lawyer Julia Kosky (Australia), Terry McBride of Nettwerk (Canada) and artist manager Craig Pearce (New Zealand).
discussion and Q&A on the business side of all that jazz. It covers pitching for festival slots, releasing and promoting an album, international collaborations, publishing, using social media and how to get airplay. It is happening on Saturday December 5. The panel runs from 2-3pm, with networking for an hour after. It’s free but bookings recommended. To RSVP email info@mwijf.org. Moderated by PBS 106.7FM music manager Chelsea Wilson, speakers are Melanie Pose (program manager, Melbourne International Jazz Festival), Adrian Jackson (artistic director, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues), Sonja Horbelt (chair, Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival), Lynette Irwin (president, Jazz Queensland), musician/ educator Kellie Santin, Bennetts Lane Jazz Club manager Megg Evans and Jazzhead Records head Andrew Walker.
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MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP 15 NAMED FOR INDUSTRY NETWORK’S RELEASE PROGRAM
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INDUSTRIAL
W
S tuff for this co l umn to be emai l ed to ce l iezer @ netspace . net . au by F riday 5 pm
MEMO Music Hall on Friday December 18.
CRISPI LEAVING PBS BREAKFAST SHOW
Earlier this year, the Melbourne music community rallied around guitarist Ross Hannaford with a benefit concert after he was given some bad news by doctors. We’re happy to report that his health has stabilised with the help of alternative natural therapies. So much so that on Thursday December 10, a day after he turns 65, he launches his Hanna CD at the Caravan Music Club.
After five years on The Breakfast Spread on PBS 106.7FM, Crispian ‘Crispi’ Winsor presents his final show on Thursday December 17. Winsor, known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of music and habit of finding obscure tracks (and bad puns), wants to stay in bed until after the sun rises. “It’s been such a privilege to do this show and I’ve loved every minute of it,” he said. On the final day, PBS is opening its Easey St studio for listeners and hosting unplugged sets from musicians.
A British PhD student named the fireworm fossil – a marine relative of earthworms and leeches – Rollinschaeta myoplena in honour of Henry Rollins as the organism was a “muscly beast.” Jarryd James and Meg’s Mac co-headlining dates this month in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are now sold out. INXS’ Tim Farriss and wife Bethany sold their nine-hectare farm Bowerbrook in picturesque Kangaroo Valley on the NSW South Coast for $800,000. Strawberry Fields’ new site drew a record 5500, with promoters to make a financial donation to the local fire service and give artwork to a school. The media however spotlighted that 200 were busted for drugs including E, LSD and magic mushrooms. A Florida cop was fired after he sang with a death metal band while on duty because the force didn’t want the public “to be in fear of ” him. NEW VISA SERVICES COMPANY SETS UP
OKRA Migration is a new entertainment visa advice and services company for artists and tour personnel looking to travel to and perform or work in Australia. A registered migration agent will take the hassles out of the visa process and organise your visas. Contact Tom Noonan at info@ okramigration.com or www.okramigration. com. CHERRY AWARDS ADD TWO CATEGORIES
This year’s Cherry Awards (Wednesday December 16) have two new categories. They were set up by Cherry Bar co-owner James Young who was disgruntled by how other awards ceremonies seem to have one act sweeping up the wins and few seemed to be of the rock genre. The 14 categories include acts that play the venue. The two new ones are Cherry Best Human Being in the Melbourne Music Scene and Cherry Hardcore for best instance of real commitment to rock. YOUNG ELDER OF JAZZ ANNOUNCED
Recipient of the fifth PBS Young Elder of Jazz Award is pianist and composer Joseph ( Joe) O’Connor. He gets $10,000 to create a suite of six compositions to perform at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival with his own trio and trumpeter Scott Tinkler. JMC ACADEMY SPONSORING STREAT
JMC Academy is sponsoring Melbourne social enterprise STREAT, which helps homeless and disengaged youth tell their stories through music. With Danish producer Mads Oustrup and singer/ songwriter Nicole Wheatley, STREAT is working with a collective of songwriters, producers and music pros to co-author these stories: #STREATbeats. The project is worked on by audio students Glenn Davidson and Thomas Newton and mastered by audio staffer Jacob Munnery. 44,000 of Australia’s homeless are folks aged under 25.
MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP
FRONTIER COMEDY TEAMS UP WITH MORE COMEDY
Frontier and Mushroom Group’s new Frontier Comedy have gone into a joint venture with Sydney-based More Comedy and its roster of local and international comedians. The two will partner for a series of tours during Perth Fringe World, Adelaide Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival and beyond. WANT TO HOST ONE NIGHT STAND?
Want triple j to host the One Night Stand concert in your town next year? Get on their website and tell them about your area and how hosting the concert will make a difference. Meantime, digital media ranking system Brand Data reports that in recent months, triple j was the biggest radio brand for online engagement (not volume of traffic). YouTube gave jjj the largest engagement: an average of 259,000 activities tracked in a 24 hour period while it has 417,000 Twitter followers. triple j has a combined 1.74 million listeners on all its platforms. This year it had a 7% market share in the five major capitals, up from 5% last year. COMMUNITY RADIO ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Community radio took a stand against violence towards women and their children, and made a commitment to responsible reporting on this issue. The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia joined other media outlets at Parliament House to make a public stand. “Community radio is made by communities, for communities, and this includes the one in six women that have experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of a current or former partner,” said its CEO Jon Bisset. On Monday December 14, CBAA hosts a webinar presented by Kristine Ziwica on responsible reporting of the issue. 3.2 MILLION AUSSIES ACCESS DIGITAL RADIO
Market researcher GfK’s latest DAB+ Digital Radio Report showed that almost 3.2 million Australians have now embraced digital radio since it was introduced six years ago. That’s 40% of Aussies in major capital cities. According to the report, 1.33 million tune specifically to digital stations while 2.36 million listeners tune in to DAB+ simulcasts of AM and FM stations in five capital cities. SECURITY INCREASED AT CONCERTS
In the wake of the Paris shootings, the US and European live sector started to take security more seriously. More police and searches were immediately introduced. But it’s accepted that it’s hard to safeguard clubs worldwide: metal detectors are expensive, bouncers are more worried about drunken behaviour than bombers, and clubs have back and side entrances for load-ins and load-outs, which make security a nightmare. The heads of three Australian promoters – Live Nation, Frontier and Chugg Entertainment – told Beat they
Lifelines Ill: Louisiana rapper Lil Boosie, 33, is battling kidney cancer. Hospitalised: Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell, no reason given, forcing them to blow out a Berlin show that night. Injured: The Word Alive singer Telle Smith broke his back stage diving in Pomona, California but says it was worth it as the crowd had been real thirsty. Ill: All Shall Perish fans rallied around Craig Betit’s infant daughter’s medical bills, born with “vascular abnormalities,” raising double the funds he asked for. Injured: Cast drummer Keith O’Neill was beaten by security at an English gig as he tried to get friends backstage to sign items. Arrested: Two men face court in February after being caught in separate incidents sneaking into Sydney Olympic Park before the weekend’s Stereosonic festival to allegedly drill drugs into buildings before the security fences went up. Died: Cynthia Robinson, 67, cofounder and trumpeter for Sly and the Family Stone, after a six month battle with cancer. In 1993 she was inducted into the Hall of Fame, the first female and first African American trumpet player. Died: Sylvia Choi, 25, a qualified pharmacist from Oyster Bay, in hospital after mixing E, alcohol and possibly MDMA, at Stereosonic Sydney.
were working with venues and the police on future strategies. The immediate moves from this month, at least for major international shows, are bans on backpacks and large bags, and pat-downs for those wearing bulky clothing. ABBEY ROAD INSTITUTE INFO NIGHT
There are still places in the Abbey Road Institute Melbourne March 16 intake, so an Info Night is happening on Wednesday December 2 to tour the studio and ask questions about music production courses. It is at 1/135 Sturt St Southbank from 5.30pm - 7.30pm.