Beat Magazine #1503 by Furst Media

multi grammy award winner

D’ANGELO An artist of uncompromising power and originality... “ consequence ” of sound

could well “ D’Angelo be the most singular,

CELEBRATING THE ALBUMS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

visionary star to emerge from - and then transcend R&B since Prince.

ROLLING STONE’S #2 ALBUM OF ALL TIME

”

rolling stone 2015 #4 album of the year

ALONG WITH RARE CUTS AND HIS

SUNDAY PALAIS APRIL THEATRE

SATURDAY 19TH MARCH PALAIS THEATRE GRAMMY AND

ACADEMY AWARD

WINNER

WITH SPECIAL GUEST

SHAKEY GRAVES

TUESDAY MARCH

WEDNESDAY MARCH

HAMER HALL

BLUESFEST

SIDESHOWS

ON SALE NOW!

TICKETS: BLUESFESTTOURING.COM.AU 02 6685 8310 & THE VENUES MORE INFO FROM BLUESFESTTOURING.COM.AU

“2015’s next big thing” THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

WEDNESDAY MARCH

PALAIS THEATRE

FIRST AUSTRALIAN TOUR

GRAMMY AWARD WINNING SINGER FROM CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS

“Stax of glorious noise.” 

DAILY MAIL UK

“If you believe in soul... if you believe in rock n roll... if you believe in performing your guts out... Enjoy the band on our show tonight.” JIMMY FALLON

THE CORNER

WEDNESDAY MARCH

170 RUSSELL

“genre-splicing instrumental dexterity” ROLLING STONE

SUPERGROUP FEAT

ROBERT RANDOLPH

“Lord Huron’s music is so impressionistic; it sometimes sounds like it emanates from a dream.”

LUTHER DICKINSON AND CODY DICKINSON OF BLACK CROWES AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS PLUS JOHN MEDESKI OF MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD BACK TOGETHER FOR THEIR FIRST TOUR IN 15 YEARS

AMERICANA MUSIC ASSOCIATION AWARDS

2015 Artist of the Year 2015 Song of the Year NASHVILLE SCENE COUNTRY MUSIC CRITICS POLL

2014 Best Male Vocalist 2014 Best Songwriter AMERICAN SONGWRITERS

BOSTON GLOBE

FIRST AUSTRALIAN TOUR - COWBOY HIPPY SURF ROCK

Best Album of 2014 THE PLAYLIST

FIRST AUSTRALIAN TOUR

MON MAR

21 THE CORNER

MON MAR

28 THE CORNER

2015 favourite song of the year “Simpson has “Sturgill perfected Simpson is the Radiohead of country the trick of music.” MARISSA R. MOSS SALON.COM distilling classic country from many eras and moving away from it at the same time.” NPR

WED MAR

23 170 RUSSELL

WED MAR

30 HOWLER

ALLEN STONE THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA JACKSON BROWNE JANIVA MAGNESS LUCKY PETERSON NAHKO & MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE THE SELECTER SONGHOY BLUES ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES STEVE EARLE & THE DUKES TAJ MAHAL TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND VINTAGE TROUBLE THE WAILERS W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 3

XMAS CHEER AT

DING DONG IN DECEMBER

THE GUMBO CLUB FEAT. THE BLUES BASH

MASSIVE

THE VENDETTAS

FRIDAY 11TH DECEMBER

SATURDAY 12TH DECEMBER

THURSDAY 10TH DECEMBER

9PM - $10+BF/$15 DOOR

9PM - $8+BF/$12 DOOR

DRUNK MUMS

KING PARROT

FRIDAY 18TH DECEMBER

SATURDAY 19TH DECEMBER

THURSDAY 17TH DECEMBER 9PM - $15+BF/$20 DOOR

9PM - $10+BF/$15 DOOR

9PM - $20+BF/$25 DOOR

WOODLOCK

NYE @ DING DONG

SATURDAY 26TH DECEMBER

FOXTROT

(VIDEO LAUNCH)

(VINYL LAUNCH)

5.30PM - FREE

SHED ZEPPELIN “PHYSICAL GRAFFITI” 40TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW

BOXING DAY BASH 9PM - $15+BF/$20 DOOR

(XMAS SHOW)

FEAT.

THE BENNIES, CLOWNS, THURSDAY 31ST DECEMBER - 9PM - $27.40+BF

MARKET LANE, CHINA TOWN - CBD. PRESALE TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM DINGDONGLOUNGE.COM.AU BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 6

B E AT.C O M . A U

Sat 12 December 5pm

SMALLTOWN ROMANCE

With tight harmonies, button accordion and searing telecaster, this fun band’ll take you from South Australia to South Texas.

Sat 12 December 9pm

THE T-BONES

Storytellin’ alt-country band with tales of life in the city and bush: cars, guns and broken hearts.

Sun 13 December 3.30pm

JIMMY STEWART

Beautiful, original, acoustic-driven tunes.

Sun 13 December 5pm

JVG GUITAR METHOD

CHRISTMAS SHOW

Jon von Goes fronts the goodtime Guitar Method, kicking off the first Christmas show of the season. The real question: will Santa show?

Tuesdays:

TRIVIA

With mysterious Mr. Drew, phone to book your table of up to 6

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 10

B E AT.C O M . A U

W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 11

We’re looking for street artists with the right skills and know-how to design and create three street murals in Bayside throughout 2016. You’ll be working with a group of young people (aged 15–25 years) to help create the work as part of the Bayside Street Art Crew Mural Project. Expressions of Interest close 6pm Sunday 20 December 2015. For more information visit www.bayside.vic.gov.au/spray or contact Kelly Edwards kedwards@bayside.vic.gov.au or 9599 4659. This program forms part of a coordinated approach to reduce problem graffiti in Bayside.

This project is made possible through funding by the Victorian Government’s Community Crime Prevention Program 0398

W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 13

Guiding you to the best eats in Melbourne.

Issue #3 Out Now! Pick it up where you pick up Beat.

W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 17

E AT.C O M KB .A

R T H E L AT E

HOT TALK

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA TO HEADLINE MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE

D’ANGELO SIDESHOW ANNOUNCED Fans have been waiting to hear news of a D’Angelo sideshow ever since the R&B god confirmed his appearance at next year’s Bluesfest, and festival organisers have finally answered their prayers with this week’s announcement of a Palais Theatre performance on Saturday March 19. Best known for his game-changing 2000 LP Voodoo, D’Angelo disappeared from the music scene shortly after its release, returning only last year with the well received follow up, Black Messiah. Tickets for the sideshow are available now through Ticketmaster.

Five time Grammy award winning group The Blind Boys of Alabama are the latest act to throw their hat into the Bluestfest sideshow ring, locking in a performance at Melbourne Recital Centre on Friday April 1. First performing together as kids in the ‘30s, The Blind Boys of Alabama’s soulful gospel gems has persevered through the seven decades since. They come to Australia off the back of their most recent album, Talkin’ Christmas!, a collaborative release with fellow Bluesfest Touring artist Taj Mahal. Tickets to the sideshow are available now through the venue’s website.

YOU BEAUTY VINYL LAUNCH

BLUESFEST PARTNERS WITH BOOMERANG FESTIVAL FOR 2016 Bluesfest has invited the Boomerang Festival to provide a First Peoples experience like no other. It aims to attract and increase community support for the important cultural initiative for the Northern Rivers and Australia, in order for it to grow back into an independent, stand-alone festival, and will include talks and ideas, workshops, healing practices and dance. The first round of artists announced for the collaboration include the likes of the Rako Dancers, Jannawi Dancers, Excelsior, Malu Kiai Mura Buai Dance Troupe, Going Wanhurr And East Journey, Arakwal Dancers, Archie Roach, Tenzin Choegyal and Getano Bann. Bluesfest 2016 will take place from Thursday March 24 ‘til Monday March 28 just north of Byron Bay.

DALLAS CRANE REVEAL NEW ALBUM, NATIONAL TOUR Those ragamuffins are at it again. After a jaw-dropping 20 years on from their first shows, Dallas Crane are back with a new album, titled Scoundrels, along with a nationwide tour to support the release. It’s been nine years since albums, and the band are eager to scold microphones, soak denim and satisfy audiences. You can catch the quintessential Australian rock act at The Corner Hotel on Saturday February 20. Shoot on over to the venue’s website to grab your tickets. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 18

The digital release of Illywacka back in June saw You Beauty raking in the praise from all corners of the land, leading up to the album’s physical release in October. The pub rock opera made such a big splash that Rice is Nice and Bedroom Suck have collaborated in sending the band on the road, with a limited vinyl release of Illywacka under their arms. After kicking off the tour in Sydney, You Beauty will be heading down to launch the Illywacka vinyl at The Tote on Friday January 29. Tickets are available now through Oztix.

MOUTH ANNOUNCE BLUESFEST SIDESHOWS New Albany based roots rockers Houndmouth have just announced that they’ll be playing Bluesfest sideshows upon their first ever visit to our country. They’ve recently earned breakout success with their hit single Sedona, earning them a #1 spot on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Charts, along with scoring a whopping two million views for a video of their performance on the Conan O’Brien Show. Houndmouth will perform at the Northcote Social Club on Thursday March 24. Grab your tickets post-haste from the venue’s website, they’re gonna go fast.

MOSES GUNN COLLECTIVE ANNOUNCE 2016 MELBOURNE SHOW Brisbane-based Moses Gunn Collective are heading out on the road once more, stopping by Melbourne in support of their debut album Mercy Mountain. Mercy Mountain follows on from the momentum gathered by the group’s 2014 debut EP Morning Shakes loaded with the singles Shalala and Mary, which scored heavy rotation on radio stations around Australia and the U.S. Catch them at the Northcote Social Club on Saturday February 27. Nab your tickets from the venue’s website. HOT TALK

Free $hit HOLEANDCORNER 2015 For last year’s inaugural Holeandcorner, event organisers decked out Dockland’s Shed 14 with bright lights, sent party boats down a river, and provided audiences with a soundtrack from some of the finest names in house and techno, so it should come to no surprise that funf are bringing it all back for 2015. Going down on Saturday December 19 at a yet to be announced location, Moodymann, Scuba, Petar Dundov, Late Nite Tuff Guy and Tornado Wallace are in charge of pumping out the tunes at this years event. I know you’re already sold, so shoot for some free tickets over at beat.com.au/freeshit.

IRRATIONAL MAN

NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS LOCK IN 2016 MELBOURNE SHOW As well as a headline performance at next year’s Byron Bay Bluesfest, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will play a string of capital city shows next March. The principal songwriter, lead guitarist and vocalist for multi-platinum, award winning mega-band Oasis, Gallagher started making music as High Flying Birds in 2011. As well as tracks from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ 2011 self-titled album and current release Chasing Yesterday, recent UK set lists have also included Oasis classics such as Champagne Supernova, The Masterplan, Whatever and Don’t Look Back In Anger. Their current world tour has included headline slots at some of the world’s biggest music festivals including T in the Park, Governors Ball and Fuji Rock. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will play Margaret Court Arena on Tuesday March 29. Tickets on sale now.

Woody Allen’s latest melancholic comedy Irrational Man comes out on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital release on Wednesday January 13. Wondering how you can profit from this? Read on. Irrational Man follows philosophy professor Abe’s ( Joaquin Phoenix) arrival at a College in Rhode Island, which quickly draws the romantic attention of both Rita (Parker Posey) and Jill (Emma Stone). It’s really starting to sound like a Woody Allen film, eh? Thanks to the home media release, we’ve got a few copies of Irrational Man to give away (there’s the profit). Try to win one at beat.com.au/freeshit.

KAJAKI: KILO TWO BRAVO Kajaki: Kilo Two Bravo tells the story of three soldiers in Afghanistan who found themselves in a minefield after one loses their leg to a land mine. My God is it hard to follow that with some jokes. We’re a light hearted magazine, so I’ll get right to it; Kajaki: Kilo Two Bravo comes out on Blu-ray, DVD and digital release on January 20, and we’re handing out five copies over at beat.com.au/freeshit.

Alpine

SHADOW ELECTRIC ANNOUNCES MORE ESTONIAN HOUSE SHOWS AND CINEMA PROGRAM After the rousing success of their Visions series at Estonian House earlier this year, Shadow Electric organisers have announced they’ll be taking over the venue for a massive 50 dates across 2016. Melbourne’s sublime pop icons Alpine will perform at the Brunswick venue on Friday February 19 - another feather in their cap for the Shadow Electric team, after the recent announce of Kate Miller Heidke’s performance at the venue on Saturday February 20. Considering almost every Visions show sold out earlier this year, as well as Alpine selling out the Corner Hotel just weeks ago, tickets should move quickly for this one. Grab yours from shadowelecric.com.au/ visions. Meanwhile, the Shadow Electric have announced their cinema program, which will feature an assortment of contemporary releases, documentaries and cult classics. Head to Art of the City for more info.

BAR THURSDAY 10 DECEMBER

BEYOND VEGAS CLARKE & WHITE JACK PELLOW FRIDAY 11 DECEMBER

STEVE LUCAS

HAPPY HOUR FROM 5PM THEN AT 7.30PM

ANDY BAKER’S

STRAIGHT SHOOTERS SATURDAY 12 DECEMBER

GAYLE CAVANAGH & THE MIXED COMPANY SHOW BAND SUNDAY 13 DECEMBER

POP UP VINYL RECORD SALE FROM 1PM DISCS AND DRINKS THE PERFECT COMBINATION!

AFTER WORK HAPPY HOUR FROM 5PM:

WED, THURS & FRI 160 HODDLE ST ABBOTSFORD

19/02 MELBOURNE MAX WATT’S

OPEN 4Pm - 3am mON-FRI 2Pm - 3am SaT-SuN FREE WI FI

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theoldbar.com.au

E AT.C O M KB .A

74 JOHNSTON ST FITZROY 9417 4155

THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

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8Pm $7

thursday 10th december

PoIson cIty Xmas:

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Kevin Saunderson

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8:30Pm $10

sunday 13th december

beersoaked sundays:

me-graInes

shockWaves the red motors

8Pm $6

monday 14th december

mundane mondays: hosPItalIty JarroW mIm cygler

8Pm $5

PIKNIC ELECTRONIK ANNOUNCES 2016 MELBOURNE RETURN AND FIRST ARTISTS World-class electronic music, food trucks and all-day dance parties. Yep, Piknic Electronik is returning to Melbourne in 2016. First launched in Montreal in 2003 and expanding to Barcelona in 2012, the weekly outdoor event plays host to a specially curated lineup of DJs and producers. After a successful launch in Melbourne earlier this year, they’ve announced that in 2016 they’ll also be expanding to Sydney. Headlining the first party will be Detroit’s techno don Kevin Saunderson, while we can also let you know that Sonja Moonear and Robag Wruhme are locked in. The full lineup is coming on Tuesday January 5. Piknic Electronik will take place every Sunday afternoon from January 10 to March 27 at Federation Square. Hit their website for more information.

tuesday 15th december

asrc benefIt gIg & art shoW:

terrIble truths tankervIlle the sugarcanes the 131’s thee cha cha chas

7Pm $10

band bookings: bandbookings@theoldbar.com.au

SOUL-A-GO-GO TO HOST NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH

WWW.THEPUBLICBAR.COM.AU

2 3 8 V I C T O R I A S T, N O R T H M E L B O U R N E OPEN TIL 4AM FRI/SAT

$6 PINTS EVERY DAY UNTIL 7PM $10 JUGS EVERY DAY UNTIL 8PM $5 CANS ALL THE TIME WEDNESDAY 9TH DECEMBER

MELBOURNE DANCE MUSICINFRAGHOSTS ASSOCIATION YOUTHFIRE BRODIE

7PM $6 THURSDAY 10TH DECEMBER

HEDGE FUND PRETTY CITY FLOYD COX

7:30PM $8 FRIDAY 11TH DECEMBER

HAILGUN CORDELL DIPLOID KURDAITCHA 8:30PM $10

FRIDAY ARVO:

MOTHER JACK(SWEDEN) FREYA HOLLICK 4PM FREE SATURDAY 12TH DECEMBER

AGENCY CLOSER APHIR

THE BEARDS ANNOUNCE 2016 FAREWELL TOUR Australia’s hairiest band The Beards have declared they’re calling it a day and disbanding (disbearding?), but they won’t be leaving fans in need with the news of a massive farewell tour coming our way early next year. Beginning at NSW’s Tamworth Country Music Festival on Wednesday January 20, the tour will span a massive 38 shows across six months, with more announcements to come, before coming to an end on Saturday July 2. As far as their Victorian performances go, The Beards play on Wednesday May 25 at The Loft, Warnambool, Thursday May 26 at The Golden Vine, Bendigo, Thursday June 23 at Karova Lounge, Ballarat, and Friday June 24 at The Barwon Club, Geelong, before heading to the Corner Hotel on Saturday June 25. Tickets are available now through the band’s website.

Soul-A-Go-Go have announced a massive lineup to help you say goodbye to 2015 and welcome in the New Year. As well as PBS soul and funk aficionados Miss Goldie, DJ Manchild, DJ Crispi, Andrew Young, Zack Rampage, DJ Dave Boots and DJ Lady Soul, the night will also feature a special live performance from Cookin’ on 3 Burners with The Wolfgramm Sisters. Soul-AGo-Go’s New Year’s Eve party will take place at the Corner Hotel. Tickets are on sale through the venue.

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL SUMMER SESSIONS RETURNS The Melbourne International Jazz Festival will make its triumphant return this coming January, kicking off the year with some world class Jazz to complement the balmy weather. The re-opened Bennetts Lane Jazz club will play host to the Ethio-jazz giant Hailu Mergia, Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii’s mind-blowing improvisation project KAZE, a celebration of Australian saxophone legend David Ades and many other curious performances from the likes of the Vince Jones Quartet and Swooping Duck. It’s all kicking off from Saturday January 9 to Sunday January 17 – be sure to shoot on over to melbournejazz.com for bookings and more information.

LEFTFIELD ANNOUNCE OPEN AIR AUSTRALIAN SHOWS If you’re looking to dust off those picnic rugs and soak up a little sun, Leftfield have just announced that their upcoming Australian tour in February will feature a sublime open air show. Returning to our shores for the first time since 2011, Leftfield will be supporting their first studio album in 16 years, Alternative Light Source. The new open-air venues, located in Yarra Valley Estate and Calais Estate, will create a boutique alternative to the existing vineyard venue options. Leftfield will perform at Yarra Valley Estate on Sunday February 21. Tickets available through the Yarra Valley Events website.

Canada’s Homeshake burst into view back in 2014 as the side-project for Mac DeMarco’s guitarist Peter Sagar with the release of his debut album In The Shower, but as Homeshake began to take off, he broke away from those slack motherfuckers to work away on his own beautifully tape-warped take on indie-pop. Off the back of his sophomore album Midnight Snack, released back in September, the slackerjazz virtuoso has finally announced his debut visit to Australia, hitting our shores next February with a full band in tow. Homeshake play The Curtin on Saturday February 27. Stay tuned to the venue’s website for tickets.

THE TOTE ANNOUNCE RIGHT THERE ON MY TV GIG Paul Drane is receiving a cracker of a tribute gig at the Tote in January, as the venue celebrates his 40 years of bringing music to television. You may have been first introduced to Paul Drane back in 1975 when he began directing Countdown, or the following year when he let AC/DC loose on Swanston Street, and then busted the boys from jail. Or it may have been more recently kicking back with Rage into the wee hours, or on Rockwiz, which Paul’s been directing for ten years. The special, once-only event will play tribute to the artists, music and videos of his lengthy career. The show features the likes of Cash Savage & the Last Drinks, Eaten By Dog, Palm Springs and Tankerville. Right There On My TV goes down at the Tote on Saturday January 16. Tickets are on sale through the venue.

8:30PM $10 SATURDAY ARVO:

HIGH FINANCE SORDID ORDEAL

4PM FREE SUNDAY 13TH DECEMBER

PUBLICCELIABAR COMEDY PACQUOLA ADAM RICHARD LIAM COFFEY MORE...

4PM $10 MONDAY 14TH DECEMBER

EQUITY RUST IN PISS

SLIPPERY WHEN WET

7:30PM $6 TUESDAY 15TH DECEMBER

THE ATTRACTOR BEAMS ALSO, DRAGONS COASTBUSTERS TOM DOCKRAY 7PM $7

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 20

DON MCLEAN ANNOUNCES SIDESHOWS American Pie singer/songwriter Don McLean has released details for his upcoming American Troubadour Tour, booking in shows all around the nation ahead of his scheduled Bluesfest appearance. With an illustrious career spanning 20 albums over 40 years, penning huge singles Vincent (Starry Starry Night), Castles In The Air, Dreidel, and And I Love You So, McLean is one of the most respected and enduring artists of his generation. The American Troubadour Tour sees Don McLean perform at Hamer Hall on Wednesday March 16. Grab your tickets now through Ticketmaster.

OKMALUMKOOLKAT GEARS UP FOR AUSTRALIAN TOUR South Africa’s sharpest lyrical razor Okmalumkoolkat is cutting a line down to Melbourne for a show at Ding Dong Lounge early next year. He’ll be dragging along a live lineup featuring Viennese drummer and producer Cid Rim, along with The Clonious as he revs up to perform tracks from his Holy Oxygen EP, an amalgamation of world electronica, bass, jazz and lyrical prowess. You can catch Okmalumkoolkat when he hits Ding Dong Lounge on Thursday January 21. Tickets available via the venue’s website. HOT TALK

HILLTOP HOODS ANNOUNCE SHOW WITH MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Symphony orchestral collaborations are all the rage these days, and Hilltop Hoods are the next act to jump on the big sound party wagon. The Hoods have just announced that their special recording project, Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung, will be released early next year. The surprise announcement was accompanied by the new track Higher, featuring James Chatburn which premiered on triple j early last week. Recorded two years apart, but as companion pieces, the project ties together the band’s two previous albums Walking Under Stars and Drinking From The Sun. Featuring a selection of tracks from each album, the project sees them restructured with the 32-piece Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, plus the 20-piece Adelaide Chamber Singers Choir. To celebrate, they’ll take it on the road with a series of orchestra shows next April. Catch them on Saturday, April 23 at Rod Laver Arena with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Tickets via Ticketek.

Wesley Anne - Bar • Restaurant • Etc -

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Wednesday 9 December ------------------------------------------------------TRIVIA with Sparx FRE E 7.30pm, Band Room Thursday 10 December ------------------------------------------------------Brooke Russell FREE & Ben Franz 6pm, Front Bar Jenny Biddle 8pm, Band Room $10 Friday 11 December -------------------------------------------------------The Grubs FREE 4pm, Front Bar The Bean Project 8pm, Band Room $10 Saturday 12 December ------------------------------------------------------Mon Shelford FREE & Ian Maddick 6pm, Front Bar Afrovival $10 Full / $8 Concession 8pm, Band Room Sunday 13 December ------------------------------------------------------Into The Woods 3pm, Band Room $10

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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 23

K B E AT.C O M

R T H E L AT

L O C A L

UPCOMING

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

KILL DIRTY YOUTH Bendigo Hotel December 9, 16, 23, 30 STELLAFAUNA The Evelyn Hotel December 9, 16, 23, 30 YELAWOLF Max Watt’s December 9 SHELLAC Corner Hotel December 9, 10 BULLY Howler December 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 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 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 MICK THOMAS AND THE ROVING COMMISSION Spotted Mallard December 18, Memo Music Hall December 19, Greendale Hotel January 1. 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 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’S NEW YEARS EVE 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 BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 24

A R T I S T S

H E A D I N G

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 OPIUO The Forum January 14 HARTS Howler January 14 MIREL WAGNER The Toff In Town January 14 PRETTY LIGHTS, OPIUO + EMANCIPATOR Forum Theatre January 14 THE DELTA RIGGS Whalers Hotel, Warnambool January 15, Torquay Hotel January 16, Lorne Hotel January 17 TOMORROW’S PEOPLE Courthouse Youth Arts, Geelong January 15, Wrangler Studios January 16, Karova Lounge January 17 THE CHILLS Max Watt’s January 15 RIGHT THERE ON MY TV The Tote January 16 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 OKMALUMKOOLKAT Ding Dong Lounge January 21 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 DIE! DIE! DIE! Ding Dong Lounge January 23 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 YOU BEAUTY The Tote January 29 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 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

T O

M E L B O U R N E

Gig Of The Week

MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL If your plans for the weekend involve stocking up on tinnies, sleeping in random tents and chucking a sickie on Monday, then clearly you don’t need a reminder that Meredith Festival comes back this Friday December 11. Running right through to Sunday December 13, the 72 hour party has a fuckton of big name artists on the bill, including The Thurston Moore Band, Ratatat, Neon Indian, Father John Misty, The Peep Tempel, Tkay Maidza, Goat, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra all taking on the Supernatural Amphitheatre stage, to name a few. Come prepared: buy a new sleeping bag, pack yourself some sunscreen, and please, leave the headdress at home. ALPINE Estonian House February 19 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 DALLAS CRANE The Corner February 20 GOOD LIFE FESTIVAL Melbourne Park and Hisense Arena February 20 ROB THOMAS Rob Laver Arena February 20 KATE MILLER-HEIDKE Estonian House February 20 LEFTFIELD Yarra Valley Estate February 21 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 HOMESHAKE The Curtin February 27 MOSES GUNN COLLECTIVE Northcote Social Club February 27 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 THE SNOWDROPPERS Howler March 4 CLUTCH The Forum March 5 THE NECKS Melbourne Recital Centre March 5 ALVVAYS Northcote Social Club March 6 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 FREDDIE GIBBS Max Watt’s March 12 BEN HARPER AND THE INNOCENT CRIMINALS Sidney Myer Music Bowl March 12 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 DON MCLEAN Hamer Hall March 16 SUNN O))) Max Watt’s March 16

S O . M A N Y. G I G S .

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 D’ANGELO Palais Theatre March 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 HOUNDMOUTH Northcote Social Club March 24 ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES The Corner March 24 BLUESFEST Byron Bay March 24 – 28 BOOGIE FESTIVAL Bruzzy’s Farm March 25 – 27 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 NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS Margaret Court Arena March 29 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 THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA Melbourne Recital Centre April 1 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 HILTOP HOODS + MSO Rod Laver Arena April 23 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 THE BEARDS The Loft May 25, The Golden Vine May 26, Karova Lounge June 23, Barwon Club June 24, The Corner June 25

BEAT PRESENTS R U M O U R S : N I G H T M A R E S O N WA X , HUNEE, UNDERWORLD = NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

#8!

THREE DAYS OF MUSIC, CAMPING AND GOOD VIBES FRIDAY MARCH 25TH - SUNDAY 27TH MARCH (EASTER)

BAD//DREEMS · NGAIIRE · THE BELLIGERENTS E^ST · KLP (LIVE) · FRASER A GORMAN TIRED LION · THE BABE RAINBOW TASH SULTANA · BOOTLEG RASCAL · CHILD LYALL MOLONEY · MESA COSA MILWAUKEE BANKS · TINY LITTLE HOUSES TULLY ON TULLY · BAD NEWS TOILET ALEX LAHEY · MAN MADE MOUNTAIN

MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED! Tickets only $149 each (+bf) www.thehillsarealive.com.au The Hills Are Alive is an invite-only gathering of music-loving friends-of-friends. To attend you need to be invited by someone who has attended before or by one of the artists performing (who will whisper you the 'Farmer's Secret Password') . It’s this friends-of-friends policy, as well as the incredible location and amazing music, that keeps the vibe of The Hills Are Alive so special. Hope you can join us! W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 25

ROLLING THE DICE BY L ACHL AN KANONIUK

hen Foals arrived in 2008 with the debut album Antidotes, they did so wielding a brand of angular rock that stood apart from the pack. So much so, in fact, that “angular” wasn’t even a pejorative as it may have been with their peers. The years since have seen the British outfit perform remarkable transitions of style, evolving into festival headliners with their third album Holy Fire. The sonic dexterity continues on Foals’ August-released fourth LP, What Went Down. Ahead of their return for New Year’s in Australia, Beat speaks to vocalist Yannis Philippakis and guitarist Jimmy Smith about the band’s journey so far, rolling the dice with each album, and grand ambitions for Foals and Scientology. For whatever reason – be it a fickle hype cycle perpetuated by the UK music press, or the languishing lustre of the format – four albums is a rare milestone for British bands this side of the second millennium. How have Foals managed to survive from 2008’s Antidotes to the recently released What Went Down? “By not putting all our eggs in one basket,” Smith says. “It’s hard to talk about other bands, it depends which ones. We’ve worked really hard at the records and progressing, making good records and pushing ourselves,” says Philippakis. “Also playing live, playing really hard, not getting distracted or tempted. There’s been a bit of luck as well. Each record has been different and progressed. We’ve never remained static.” Foals have ascended to the status of major festival headliners, with appearances at the likes of Reading and Leeds, onto prime billing at the upcoming Falls Festivals. In turn, they’ve crafted songs of a larger scale in production and arrangement – or maybe, BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 26

it was the other way around. “We were offered a festival headline set in the UK, and we couldn’t turn that money down,” Philippakis says. Especially compared to the crisp, immediate nature of Antidotes, 2013’s Holy Fire marked Foals’ entrance into a larger sonic landscape, rich with expanse to satisfy crowds in the thousands. However, as Smith explains, the growth in sound isn’t a conscious ploy to get top festival billing. “When you’re making the record, the live setting in your head is only as far as you’ve got on the last record. If you think about the biggest crowds, you think about a festival. On Holy Fire, it’s not like we were writing with headlining in mind or anything like that.” In terms of adopting the fuller sound, the direction came from an attraction to heavier compositions, coupled with a touch of obliviousness regarding the production scope. “Some of it was sleight of hand I think,” Philippakis says. “When we were writing Holy Fire there was that sleight of hand B E AT.C O M . A U

by making the production quite massive, in ways we didn’t even realise when we were working on it. I remember thinking it sounded like a regular rock record, then all the feedback started coming in from the outside world. We definitely felt that songs like Inhaler were much heavier than anything we’d written before. We knew that. We didn’t realise the vastness of the production. “Some of it is because we started off with what we did on the first record; the interlocking, tightly wound guitars and it was dance orientated. Then the second record [Total Life Forever] was more introverted and atmospheric. The natural thing to do since then is combine those natural threads from the past, but expand into heavier stuff as well. It feels good to play live.” The stylistic distinction between albums is also apparent on What Went Down, with the mood ranging from intense aggression to more tempered showcases of songcraft. Despite the incongruities within the album, Foals maintain certain sonic motifs. “We write what feels right, we don’t worry if it’s going to be coherent,” Philippakis says. “We feel if the five of us are working on it, and we have the same producer and mixer, then everything will glue together. The thing that we should never do is worry about the coherency. If anything, we try and push ourselves out to make the songs not sound similar, so there’s a big spread.” “Someone once said to us that it’s always going to sound like Foals if Yannis is singing on it. That gives us free reign to do what we want,” says Smith. “It’s not just me, it’s the five of us. We could write a fucking Soviet polka song and it would end up someway fitting,” says Philippakis. “Because we want to excite ourselves, we need to feel like we’re trying different things and expressing ourselves in a myriad of different ways. We’re not the kind of band that will make a record where it has the same texture from track one to track 11. Some bands do that, and they do it very well. For us, the excitement is having these peaks and troughs in the dynamic, these different spaces.” Despite evolving beyond their “angular” dance-punk roots, Foals have retained the core values they developed early on. “I think the intent behind all of [the albums] is the same, which is a pure drive to make music that is thoughtprovoking, entertaining, passionate, that has depth and beauty, but is also fun. I

think that’s always been the same,” says Philippakis. “It’s just different variations of that. I don’t feel like we make shallow, one-dimensional records. That’s been the same with every record. We crave that depth. We work hard at the records. There are some obvious sonic things as well – the interlocking ways we play guitar are here on this record, probably more so than the last record in some ways. We’re definitely suckers for rhythm, that’s really important. Even if we’re using a straight up 4/4 beat, there’s been a decision behind doing that, rather than using stock beats.” The band’s continual evolution comes with the inherent risk that established fans may not take to each new direction shift – be it subtle or otherwise. However, the band are willing to roll the dice each time, with the results speaking for themselves. “Maybe now on the fourth album, we’re definitely rolling the dice with getting new fans, but our traditional fans who have stuck with us for a few albums perhaps expect something different each time,” Smith says. “It definitely is a bit nerve-wracking,” adds Philippakis, abandoning his arrogant cool. “By the time the album comes out we’ve put out a few songs to show there is a spread in terms of sounds. But it’s always nerve-wracking when you put the first track off the record out. I remember when we put Spanish Sahara out we didn’t know whether people would like it – same with Inhaler and same with What Went Down. You can’t predict it.” With Foals’ 2015 wrapping up with the Falls Festival dates and a run of headline shows, what lies ahead in 2016 and beyond? “We want to make more records that we feel are better than what came before. We want to make an amazing record,” Philippakis says. “We’re getting close,” adds Smith. “Universal domination. What’s the Scientological overlord? Xenu?” FOALS are playing at the Falls Festival, which takes place from Monday December 28 – Friday January 1 in Lorne, VIC; Tuesday December 29 – Friday January 1 in Marion Bay, TAS; and Thursday December 31 – Sunday January 3 in Byron Bay, NSW. They’re also hitting up Festival Hall, with Django Django, on Thursday January 7. What Went Down is out now via Warner.

Black Hat Rackets Presents

Featuring songs by artists such as: AC/DC, COLD CHISEL, SKYHOOKS, THE DIVINYLS, PAUL KELLY, THE ANGELS, SUNNYBOYS, MONDO ROCK & MORE

Perfomed by over 15 artists including:

SAT 16TH JAN - 2pm - THE TOTE Tix: $35 via oztix W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 27

WIT

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For more arts news, reviews and interviews visit beat.com.au

Coming Up

THE COMIC STRIP THURSDAY COMEDY

Midsumma Festival

Sunday January 17 - Sunday February 7 Various Venues

Charlie Pickering

La Verita

Thursday January 21 - Saturday January 23 Arts Centre Melbourne

Jurassic World: The Exhibition

Saturday March 19 - Sunday October 9 Melbourne Museum Charlie Pickering headlines the comedy at the European Bier Café this Thursday night. Star of TV’s The Weekly, Charlie’s one of the biggest names in Australian comedy, and here’s your chance to see him in an intimate club set. It’s sure to be huge. Plus there’s another cracking support lineup with Nick Cody hosting, plus Dilruk Jayasinha and a surprise guest. It’s all happening this Thursday December 10 at 8.30pm, at the European Bier Café, 120 Exhibition St, CBD, all for only $12.

CRITTERS COMEDY Tonight is the final Critters Comedy for the year at Gatekeeper Games in North Fitzroy. Hosted by Blake and Luka, the night will feature a secret celebrity guest, Kate Dehnert, Stuart Daulman and Nick Capper. We can’t tell you who the secret guest is, but he’s totally famous. Oh, plus they have Stuart Daulman from the infamous Fancy Boy on ABC. $5.

DIRTY SECRETS COMEDY Tonight at Dirty Secrets Comedy they have a sweet lineup including Daniel Connell, Laura Davis, Liam Ryan, Ben Knight 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.

CRAB LAB The great man Lawrence Mooney hosts an absolutely stacked lineup tonight featuring Tom Ballard, Geraldine Hickey, Dilruk Jayasinha, Demi Lardner and more, all for the ridiculous price of free. It’s a 8.30pm start at the House of Maximon, 16 Corrs Ln, CBD.

CLUB VOLTAIRE COMEDY This Sunday December 13 at Club Voltaire there’s a cracking lineup, featuring the likes of Roland Hoffmann with MC duties alongside Peter Jones, Ross Purdy, Ari Matti, David McDonald, Elizabeth Davie, Vic Healy, Jay Morrissey, Kimberly Lisle and Sam Taunton. It’s totally free (they’ll accept donations, however) and kicks off at 7.30pm.

COMEDY AT SPLEEN Mondays at Comedy at Spleen are always full, and this week will be no different. The only place to be on Mondays will be chockers full of laughs with guests and it’s the place where big names drop in. This Monday Rhys Nicholson hosts, plus there’s heaps of guests like Nick Capper, Laura Davis, John Dore, Michael Shafar, and more. It’s this Monday December 14, at 41 Bourke St, CBD, at 8.30pm. It’s free to get in, but they appreciate a good gold coin donation at the door.

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. Dan Connell joins Sam Taunton, Rose Callaghan and more this week for another big, fun night of comedy. It’s this Tuesday December 15 at 153 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, at 8pm. And, it’s totally free.

Degas: A New Vision

National Gallery of Victoria Friday June 24 - Sunday September 18.

The Shadow Electric Returns For Summer 2016 Set inside the pristine surroundings of the Abbottsford Convent, the Shadow Electric will return this summer with a gangbuster program certain to pique the interests of Melbourne’s music, arts and food cognoscenti. With their fifth film program handcrafted by the Human Rights & Arts Film Festival’s esteemed Lauren Valmadre, this summer will see an eclectic range of the world’s most groundbreaking contemporary releases, eye-opening music documentaries and, of course, your best friend’s favourite cult classic films. Kicking off with the opening night screening on Saturday January 2 with the Australian premiere of the seminal Brit-pop outfit Blur’s New World Towers, over the course of three months the Shadow Electric will be home to 68 film screenings, almost 20 shows in the bandroom and several large-scale outdoor music events. “Each year we finetune the experience,” noted owner, co-programmer and creative director Jay Rayner. “2016 is about bringing summer to the courtyard, with awesome flicks and bands and plenty to do before and after each screening.” Some of the many highlights include the latest instalment of the Bond saga Spectre (Friday January 8, Friday January 15, Monday February 1), the dystopian sci-fi epic The Lobster which took home the Jury’s Prize at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival (Sunday January 2, Monday January 18), the box-office breaking and MRAinfuriating Mad Max: Fury Road (Monday January 11), the hip hop homage Straight Outta Compton (Monday January 4, Monday January 25), music documentaries Stop Making Sense (Saturday January 23), The Last Waltz (Saturday January 16) and Eden (Wednesday February 3), alongside regular fan-favourite staples The Big Lebowski, (Friday January 29, White Russians aplenty), Dirty Dancing, (Sunday February 14, we’re partnering with Le Bon Ton for Valentine’s Day so bring someone to smooch) and The Breakfast Club (Sunday February 7, I don’t know you make up your own funny quip smart guy). With food offerings from the aforementioned Le Bon Ton alongside Longhorn and Chinghon, DJs and carefully curated events before and after all screenings, we’ve got you covered for all of your summer knock-offs and kick-ons. Tickets, gift vouchers (which let’s be honest, are the perfect Christmas present when it comes to December 24 and you realise you haven’t bought your girlfriend that bullshit diamante ring she wanted from Chadstone) are on sale now. The Shadow Electric will be open to the public from Saturday January 2 - Sunday April 10.

MTC To Kick off 2016 With Ladies In Black

Supanova Reveal First Trio Of 2016 Stars

Melbourne Theatre Company will open their 2016 season with the new musical Ladies In Black. The musical, adapted from the Madeleine St John novel, The Women in Black, and brought to life by director Simon Phillips with songs by Tim Finn, is a celebration of glamour, gowns and growing up in 1950s Australia. The production features over 25 original songs and a stunning range of over 30 customdesigned dresses and suits by international award winning designer Gabriela Tylesova. The musical follows young high school graduate Lesley after she takes a holiday job at Goodes, the most prestigious department store in the 1950s Sydney town. Ladies In Black will transform Southbank Theatre, The Sumner from Saturday January 16 until Wednesday February 27.

After another successful year of events, Supanova are giving fans the first taste of next year’s event. First on the list is Game Of Thrones star Jack Gleeson. You may know him better as the villainous boyking, Joffrey Baratheon, as well as an appearance in Batman Begins earlier in his career. Joining him will be former Smallville actress Allison Mack. Her portrayal of Clark Kent’s best friend Chloe Sullivan on the show lead to DC Comics incorporating the character into their comics. More recently she has starred in US sitcom Wilfred and animated film Ant Bully. Capping off the announcement is Stargate SG-1 favourite Christopher Judge. Through his portrayal of Teal’c he appeared in more episodes of the series than any of his original cast mates. Supanova will come to Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday April 16 and Sunday April 17.

Win The Ultimate Arts & Culture Experience This Summer Eight of Melbourne’s best arts and culture destinations are teaming up to give one lucky pair of mates tickets to some of the hottest events in town, with My Melb Pass this summer. The My Melb Pass will give one person a double pass to the best in live theatre and music, film and behind-the-scenes tours, taking place from December 2015 to February 2016. Featuring eight different experiences, you could be spending your summer watcing The Australian Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty at Playhouse, watching Cat Power at Melbourne Rectial Centre and dining at Blondie Bar, checking out the booked out Dome To Dungeons tour at State Library, and checking out a stack of films in ACMI’s summer film program. And that’s only the beginning. Entries close Friday December 13. Head to mymelbpass.com for more information.

Theatre Review:

The One The closing show of the Poppy Seed Festival, Fire Curtin Co’s production of The One is an intense look into the role of violence and consent in relationships. Written by British playwright Vicky Jones, the play is set over one night in the sleek and modern apartment of Jo (Kasia Kaczmarek) and Harry (Ben Prendergast). As the couple waits to hear if Jo’s sister has gone into labour, Harry’s ex-lover Kerry (Emily Tomlins) arrives at the house, announcing she has been sexually assaulted by her partner. It is here where the dark nature of the show really begins to show and the mind games between Jo and Harry grow more brutal and damaging as the show goes on.

G E T S O M E C U LT U R E U P YA

ACMI Announce 2015/16 Summer Program ACMI will screen a hand-picked selection of soul music biopics, punk rock classics, sound art documentaries and award-winning foreign language films from December until February. Featured on the program is the Australian premiere of Stefan Schwietert’s Imagine Waking Up Tomorrow And All The Music Has Disappeared. The documentary follows Bill Drummond as he attempts to pull off one of his most provocative stunts involving a choral project called The 17. Drummond has had his fair share of controversy as part of KLF, a wildly successful pop band that infamously ended when they filmed themselves burning one million pounds. His post KLF life has consisted of projects that directly challenge the music industry. Also featured will be Hockney: A Life In Pictures Unclassified, weaving a portrait of British painter David Hockney and Wattstax, documenting the 1972 Summer Festival that reinvigorated public consciousness around issues of race through its legendary day-long concert that celebrated the music, people and pride of the black community of Watts and greater Los Angeles. ACMI’s summer program will run from December until February. For bookings and full listings head to acmi.net.au.

NGV Announce 200 Years Of Australian Fashion Exhibition The National Gallery of Victoria have announced an exhibition showcasing two centuries of Australian fashion, the first major survey of its kind. The exhibition will present more than 120 works from over 90 designers and celebrate Australia’s unique voice in the fashion industry. Alongside works by contemporary designers such as Akira, Richard Nylon, Ellery and Toni Maticevski, the exhibition will showcase standout designs from the last 200 years including Australia’s earliest known surviving dress, a 1950s blue feathered ball gown by Collins Street salon La Petite and a dress from Collette Dinnigan’s ground-breaking 1995 Paris runway show. The exhibition will also feature a catwalk of garments that celebrate the output of the Fashion Design Council (FDC), which was established in 1983 to nurture independent Australian fashion design. The exhibition will run from Saturday March 5 until Sunday July 31 at the NGV.

Kaczmarek is a performer who never fails to disappoint on stage. As the outspoken and brutally honest Jo, Kaczmarek shines in the role and manages to bring out a unexpected softer side to her. Meanwhile Tomlins’ performance, despite limited stage time, is powerful and heartbreaking to watch. The moments between Jo and Kerry are some of the most interesting and unsettling ones to watch and watching Kaczmarek and Tomlins go head to head is an example of truly fine acting. While sometimes overshadowed by the two women, Prendergast’s performance really kicks into gear after his shocking confession and he brings out Harry’s incredibly cold and menacing side with an admirable and powerful restraint. There are some great comic moments throughout the show, especially the incredibly awkward opening sex scene but overall, this is a bleak and devastating play that does away with gender stereotypes in order to explore the power battles within all relationships. BY MYF CLARK

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 29

OUT OF THE CLOSET Queer happenings with Anna Whitelaw

An American Horror Story turned into an American Love Story for two actresses of the small screen who last week came out publicly about their relationship. Holland Taylor – who The L Word fans will remember as Peggy Peabody – confirmed she was dating a younger woman, who the Internet quickly identified as Sarah Paulson, star of American Horror Story and the upcoming Sapphic Todd Haynes film Carol. The 72-year-old Taylor denied she was coming out, instead saying: “I haven’t come out because I am out. I live out. “There’s a very big age difference between us which I’m sure shocks a lot of people, and it startles me,” she said, quipping: “but as they say if she dies, she dies.” The couple have hardly been closeted though – in fact they’ve been posting Twitter photos of them looking cute over dinner and on the red carpet together for months. This month Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made a symbolic gesture that his predecessor refused to do: he wrote an official note to wish the LGBT community a happy Mardi Gras in the Mardi Gras guide. Marriage equality activists have turned to the international community to lobby the Australian government to pass marriage equality laws. International LBGT organisation All Out launched a campaign where same sex married couples from countries like Canada, the UK, Portugal and even South Africa and Uruguay have been sending their wedding photos and videos to our new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to encourage Australia to hurry up and allow same sex couples to marry. After the departure of recently dumped former Treasurer Joe Hockey triggered a by-election in the WASPish North Shore electorate of North Sydney, voters elected their firstly openly gay MP for the House of Representatives. Liberal candidate Trent Zimmerman won the safe Liberal seat comfortably despite a 13% swing against the Coalition. The former North Sydney councillor and former vice president of Sydney’s Gay & Lesbian Business Association is committed to marriage equality. Queenslanders are celebrating the re-introduction of legislation to allow civil unions in their state, which passed by an overwhelming majority. It is the third time Queensland MPs have voted on the issue. The Bligh government passed the civil partnerships just before they lost government to Cameron Newman’s unpopular Coalition government who subsequently overturned the laws. In NSW meanwhile, Health Minister Jillian Skinner and ACON took World AIDS Day as an opportunity to announce the expansion of trials of HIV prevention drug PrEP which would allow 3700 more gay men to access the drug, before it is approved in Australia more widely. The roll out of the expanded PrEP trial is expected to commence as soon as February next year. This comes as a US survey of Grindr users found than nearly 25% of them are already on PrEP, and as France announced it will fast-track access to the drug. Meanwhile, gay hook up app Hornet has launched a safe sex initiative where men who are committed to their sexual health regardless of their HIV status would have their profiles feature a blue ribbon.

HAPPENINGS Last Friday, Midsumma launched its official program for 2016. The three week long queer arts festival will kick off as always with Carnival and T-Dance, and will include Pride March a week earlier than usual on Sunday January 31. This year Midsumma’s premier events include two theatrical premier’s at Gasworks including Elegy – about the experiences of LGBT refugees – and Gone – about a 40-year-old gay man who wakes up with his penis missing. Testing Grounds will host a night of visual arts projections and sculptures, and live acoustic music from Ladyhood on Friday February 5. After Carnival, the girls behind Thursgay will throw their annual HEALTHY party at Transport, while after Pride the after party not to be missed will be YASS PRIDE, which will see CLOSET, Thursgay, GiRLTHING and POOF DOOF come together to throw the first ever Pride after party at Luna Park. More details to come, but for early birds visit midsumma.org.au. This weekend, while many of Melbourne’s LGBT community will be heading to see Taylor Swift and her girl squad in three sold out shows, other will be heading to Meredith Music Festival. If you missed out on tickets to both of those, or want something more overtly queer, TROUGH X are returning to CLUB 80 for their 20th party on Saturday December 12. From 5pm till 2.30am, Trough X will offer clothing optional clubbing and wall-to-wall boys at the sex on premises venue. Men only. Tickets from $60+bf.

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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 31

snaps khokolat koated

club guide wednesday december 9 • 1080P COLLECTION + POCOCK + RIVER YARRA Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. • 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. • EXTRA-VAGUE ANSWER FEAT: PILLOW PRO + LUX OVARYE’S WEIRD TIME + WATERFALL PERSON + SISSYSOCKS Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $5.00. • MELBOURNE DANCE MUSIC ASSOCIATION FEAT: INFRAGHOSTS + YOUTHFIRE + BRODIE Public Bar, North Melbourne. 7:00pm. $6.00. • REVOLVER WEDNESDAYS - FEAT: AMIN PAYNE + DANIELSAN Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm. thursday 10 dec

faktory

• 3181 THURSDAYS - FEAT: HANS DC + JOSH DELANEY + JESSE YOUNG + 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. • KENTA HAYASHI + RIBELEON 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. • LOCAL MOTION - FEAT: SENPOLO + LIFEWORLD Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm. $15.00. • 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. friday december 11 • #MASHTAG - FEAT: NUGEN + MALPRACTICE + FLAGRANT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. • B-TWO + NAZ + NO NAME NATH Penny Black, Brunswick. 8:00pm. • 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. • DJ CASSETTE WALKMAN Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. • DJ DUSTIN MCLEAN

Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 9:00pm. • DJ FEE Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 11:30pm. • ENDLESS SUNSET - FEAT: RUF DUG Hugs & Kisses, Melbourne. 9:00pm. • 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. • GOJAM (SWITCH) - FEAT: BRAD EVERY + TEON JAY + MIGUEL ANGEL + MORE Loop, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm. • GOOD MANNERS WEEKLY - FEAT: LUCIANBLOMKAMP + FRIENDSHIPS + HTMLFLOWERS + AMATEUR DANCE + MORE Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $10.00. • HAPPY FESTIVUS FUNDRAISER - FEAT: JAMIE STEVENS + PHIL K + LUKE PORTER + MORE Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm. $15.00. • LUCK TRUCK FRIDAY DOWNSTAIRS - FEAT: 99 PRBLMZ + CONGO TARDIS #1 + LITTLE LEAGUE BOUNCE CLUB Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. • 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. • REMEMBER ARMADEUS? Matthew Flinders Hotel, Chadstone. 9:00pm. • REVOLVER FRIDAYS & ARTEQ - FEAT: MIKE CALLANDER + KATIE DROVER + JUXTPOSE + MACHETE + MORE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 10:00pm. • SUB ZERO Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. • THE EMERSON CLUB FRIDAYS The Emerson, South Yarra. 3:00pm. • YUMMY TUNES LAUNCH PARTY - FEAT: SHAPELESS + LIGHTERS + GROOVAHOLIK + MORE Room 680, Hawthorn. 10:00pm. $25.00. saturday december 12 • #DOMORETHANDRINK FUNDRAISER - FEAT: CALYPSO OF HOUSE Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. • 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. • CRXZY SXXY CXXL - FEAT: DJ MIMI + DJ JADE ZOE + MANIC PANIC + MORE Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. $10.00. • CUSHION SATURDAYS FEAT: COURTNEY MILLS + JESSE JAMES + J HEASY + 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 HALF PRICE HANCOCK Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 9:00pm. • DJ JNETT Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm. • ELECTRIC DREAMS FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Co., Southbank. 9:00pm. $20.00. • FREQ NASTY Rubix Warehouse, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $20.00. • HOT STEP - FEAT: 99 PROBLEMS + TIGER FUNK + SILVER FOX + ASKEW Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. • JANK FACQUES Carlton Club, Melbourne Cbd. 12:05am. • 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. • TEXTILE SATURDAYS FEAT: KODIAK KID + D’FRO + JENS BEAMIN Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. • 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: REX + DANIELSAN + RANSOM + 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. • WOLF & LAMB + SAFARI + JESSE YOUNG + MORE Railway Hotel, Brunswick.

3:00pm. $30.00. sunday december 13 • BOP ART - FEAT: HAWAII + WHO + TIGERFUNK + MATT RADOVICH + LEWIS CANCUT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. • DJ D TRAIN Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 2:00pm. • DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE - FEAT: DJ NIGEL LAST Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • 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. • OPTIMO + STOCKHOLM SYNDROM + MIKE CALLANDER + MORE The Shadow Electric, Abbotsford. 3:00pm. $30.00. • 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. • SIDETRACKED - FEAT: JOSHUA REYNOLDS + CITIPOWER + TUC + MORE Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 2:00pm. • SPITROAST SUNDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 10:00pm. • SUMMER SERIES #6 - FEAT: FRIEND WITHIN + MORE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm. • THE SUNDAY SET - FEAT: DJ ANDYBLACK + SHAGGIS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 4:00pm. • WAX ON WAX OFF Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.

• MELLOWDÍASTHUMP - FEAT: ZIGGY ZEITGEIST + GEEZY + CAZEAUX O.S.L.O + SKOMES Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. • YELAWOLF + B WISE Max Watt’s, Melbourne. 7:00pm.

thursday december 10 • THURSDAYS REIGN SUPREME FEAT: AP70 + MIZRIZK Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 6:00pm.

friday december 11 • BRIGHT LIGHTS BIG CITY - FEAT: DJ RCEE + KAHLUA + DJ SHOOK + DJ ANGEL JAY Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • FAKTORY FRIDAYS - FEAT: DAMION

DE SILVA + K DEE + DURMY Khokolat Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. • MANTRA + GREY GHOST + DEFRON Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $15.00. saturday december 12 • AKALA + JIMBLAH + OMAR MUSA Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:00pm. $30.00. • AMPED UP SUMMER BREAK (RAP BATTLES) - FEAT: ILLUSIVE VS OSYRIS + WILNO VS AKSEL + MORE Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 1:00pm. $10.00. • BIG DADDY KANE + REASON + DJ KRISY + DJ PERIL Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $50.00. • KHOKOLAT KOATED SATURDAYS - FEAT: DAMION DE SILVA + K DEE + DURMY + TIMOS Khokolat Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm.

electronic - urban - club life

with

tyson

wray

I would like to thank everyone I have never met/ worked with professionally who congratulated my five-year work anniversary on LinkedIn.

inner varnika Situated in country Victoria, Inner Varnika is a three day festival promising an all inclusive, environmentally friendly event in a specially selected rural location focusing on dance culture and community atmosphere. Fresh off their well received set at last year’s festival, Sex Tags are comprised of Norwegian duo DJ Sotofett and DJ Fett Furger. A slew of “carefully selected international guests” are also set to appear at Inner Varnika, with details to be revealed in the near future. Inner Varnika will run from Friday March 25 - Sunday March 27 in country Victoria, within three hours of Melbourne.

monday december 14 • 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. • THE MONDAY BONE MACHINE - FEAT: T-REK Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. tuesday december 15 • OASIS TUESDAYS Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.

urban club guide wednesday december 9

off the record

• LOVE SPREAD - FEAT: DJ ALEX Workers Club, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. • RHYTHM NATION SATURDAYS - FEAT: DJ TIMOS + DJ KAHLUA + DJ ANGE M & ANDY PALA Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $10.00. • SPIKEY TEE + MASTA ACE + VISION + BUICK + MORE Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy. 4:00pm.

sunday december 13 • AMPED UP SUMMER BREAK (RAP BATTLES) - FEAT: MYTHZ & GOSPEL VS TOLLS & AEROWS + STANNARD VS MATT KLEIN + MORE Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 1:00pm. $10.00. • EAST COAST VS WEST COAST HIP HOP BATTLE - FEAT: GEEZY + ARKS + BIG BUBBA + KUYA + MORE Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm.

guilty simpson and katalyst Guilty Simpson has teamed up with Sydney producer Katalyst to create his latest album Detroit’s Son, and will be showcasing his new material in a string of oneoff Australian shows. Guilty Simpson made his debut with the help of legendary producer J Dilla, joining the Stones Throw fold at Dilla’s personal request. Years later, records like Ode To The Ghetto prompted a cult-following, stamping the rapper as a star within his own right. Guilty Simpson and Katalyst will hit Laundry Bar on Sunday January 31.

freddie gibbs Freddie Gibbs has announced a trio of headline shows to go along with his appearance at Golden Plains this March. The tour will take Freddie to stages in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, and follows the release of his latest album Shadow Of A Doubt. The record is part of Freddie’s impressive discography, which includes five LPs and a string of EPs. The Indiana rapper graced Australian shores earlier this year on a sold out national tour. Freddie Gibbs will play Max Watt’s on Saturday March 12.

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Guide

The Kensington Market If you’ve got absolutely no bloody idea on what to buy for anyone this Christmas, you oughta’ pay a visit to The Kensington Market this weekend. With a minimum of 70 speciality stalls, this boutique market offers the public an eclectic mix of treasures from fresh produce, homemade foods, great coffee, designer fashion, children’s wear, jewellery and an array of visual art creations. You’re basically going to be able to find the perfect present for every single member of

your family that you love, and that second cousin you also think is a bit of a toss. All of this is encompassed within an environment filled with live music and family entertainment. The Kensington Market takes place monthly at the Kensington Town Hall. The next incarnation takes place this Sunday December 13, from 10am - 3pm. Hit kensingtonmarket.com.au for more information.

Kit Kat Studio Melbourne Turn your Christmas into Kristmas by adding in some of everyone’s favourite alliterated chocolate bar. The official ‘make your own Kit Kat’ store is here. Having caused a frenzy in Sydney, and rightly so, the Kit Kat concept store has come to Melbourne in honour of the iconic brand’s 80th birthday. The people of Kit Kat are letting us slaves-to-chocolate create our own Kit Kat, while trying 17 limited edition flavours that have never had the privilege of touching our lips. These include

salted caramel, tart raspberry pieces, pink rose petals and caramelised meringue. The studio also welcomes renowned punk princess of pastry, Anna Polyviou, who has been cooking up a storm of original flavours for the Melbourne studio. Kit Kat Studio Melbourne is located on the ground floor of Melbourne Central.

Gibson 2016 Model Guitars Gibson USA, producer of some of the world’s most iconic guitars including the Les Paul, SG, Flying V, Explorer and Firebird, have announced their highly anticipated new 2016 model year. With all guitars now available in two versions to suit specific performance needs, guitarists can invest in the ageless beauty of traditional guitars faithful to Gibson’s time-honored legacy, or experience the thrill of Gibson’s all new high performance guitars that reach-all new heights of playability, innovation, and style. All 2016 models deliver the signature Gibson sound - tone with depth, resonance, purity, and sustain - thanks to superior tone woods, pickups, materials, and handmade-in-the-USA craftsmanship. And as always, playability remains second to none with Gibson’s superb action, silky

smooth deep-oiled fingerboard, and expert precision setup. The traditional models are built to the same specifications as the classic Gibson guitars that have powered decades of hits, but also take advantage of advances in production and engineering that result in superb playability, consistency and superior quality. The high performance guitars invite a new addition to guitar collections, with infinitely customizable action adjustment, titanium hardware, an all-new “fast-access” neck heel for effortlessly reaching the neck’s highest notes, enhanced automatic tuning, new fortified aluminum case and multiple deluxe features that redefine the playing experience. There’s a range of guitars with something for everyone. Head to gibsonami.com for more information.

Xmas EVEN The Xmas EVEN tradition continues into its 15th year this month and this year’s concerts will be in sunny Fitzroy at a venue the band played at a lot in their formative years, The Evelyn Hotel. The show on Saturday December 19 will be over 18s only in the main band room, when they’ll be joined by special guests Sun God Replica, Wesley Fuller and DJs KBS

Express & Bunny, while on Sunday December 20, weather permitting there will be a kid friendly show from 3pm on the rooftop with The Pink Tiles, Tooth & Tusk and Typical Girl DJs. If it’s pissing down they’ll reconvene downstairs. Buy your best mate a ticket from Oztix.

Summer of Soul Tim Rogers and the Bamboos are set to headline Mossvale Park’s Summer of Soul this January. Presented by the Lyrebird Arts Council, the mini day festival brings together some of Australia’s most sought after talent for a day of live music in an idyllic park just two hours from Melbourne. Also featuring on the bill are Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Saskwatch, Olympia,

Dorsal Fins, Emma Donovan and the Putbacks and the Melbourne Mass Gospel Choir. It’s all happening on Saturday January 9 at Mossvale Park. Tickets and more information can be found at lyrebirdartscouncil. com.au. Keep it real, soul sisters.

Phillips Shirts Factory

Tim Rogers & The Bamboos BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 36

I don’t know how to tell you this, man. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, and I think it needs to come from me. *deep breath* OK, here it goes. The thing is, well, you kinda dress like shit. That’s why you should step inside the historic Phillips Shirts Factory and discover Melbourne’s biggest collection of pristine, unworn vintage clothing and fabric that has been housed there since 1958. Menswear includes shirts from the last four decades in every colour, pattern and style, fine knit Italian polos from the ‘60s, casual summer jackets from the ‘80s and the classic Hawaiian shirt

M E R R Y C H R I S TM A S YA F I LT H Y A N I M A L S

that every man should have in his wardrobe. Blouses made from vintage fabric, colourful tshirts and Italian knitted jumpers from the ‘80s fill up the womenswear racks. And fabric lovers will be agog at the 4,000-bolt archive of silks, cottons, linens and rare Liberty print fabrics for sale. All prices are heavily reduced until Thursday December 24 with Kris Kringle-friendly prices starting at just $1. Phillips Shirts is located at 274 Little Lonsdale St, CBD. They’re open from Monday - Friday 12pm - 6pm, Saturdays 10pm - 4pm.

Guide

Kris Kringle Night Markets Northcote Town Hall’s Kris Kringle Night Markets have returned, but you’ve only got two more chances to get over there. Celebrating our rich artistic community, the Kris Kringle Night Markets feature over 60 stalls selling unique locally designed and hand crafted items including designer fashion, jewellery, kids’ items, ceramics, woodcrafts, homewares, artisan sweets and much more. Bring the family and enjoy free live music and face

painting on site each week. A licensed bar will be open on site throughout, allowing you to make a night of it while you browse for some genuinely special Christmas gifts, or a few hard earned treats just for yourself. The final two markets will place from on Thursday December 10 and Thursday December 17 from 5.30pm - 10pm. Entry is free, you cheapskate.

RetroStar Not satisfied with being the largest vintage store in Australia, RetroStar has now gone digital, recently launching their online store with over 2,000 items; all of which can be purchased without leaving your bedroom. With so many Christmas gift ideas, they’ve got you covered with new and vintage band tee’s,

1,000s of dresses and enough accessories and knick knacks ready to be that perfect present for someone. Visit them in person on the first floor of the Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, CBD or at retrostar.com.au.

In Search of Pharrell Williams In Search of Pharrell Williams by Paul Lester first substantial overview of the life and career of Pharrell Williams, one of the foremost producers of the modern era, and performer in his own right. It follows him from his days growing up in Virginia, his meeting with musical partner Chad Hugo and formation of The Neptunes, through his collaborations with the great and the good of pop, rap and R&B, including Jay-Z, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Nelly and Kelis. It assesses his groundbreaking work with the radical rap-rock-pop band N*E*R*D, his emergence as a solo superstar via Daft Punk’s Get Lucky, Robin Thicke’s controversial Blurred Lines and global mega-hit Happy. It delves behind the immaculate facade to find out what makes Williams one of the most driven and inventive musicians of the last 20 years. Visit macmillan.com.au for more information.

Po Campo Listen, your current bag sucks. You’re friends hate it, and mock you about it behind your back. That’s why it’s time to upgrade this Po Campo’s Six Corners Handle Bar Bag. Who would’ve guessed that this sleek little wristlet could pack such a punch? It’s roomy enough for a large wallet and comes equipped with their signature CONNECT™ attachments. The multi-function strap

can be worn as a wristlet, handle or as a clutch. It’s vegan too. Popular for teens and grownups alike, fits a phone wallet and keys easily. Pick one (or six) up from pocampo.com.au.

Sky Music Sky Music in Clayton has got you covered this Christmas if you’re one of the many folks out there wondering what to buy a guitarist who already seems to own all the gear in the world. These high quality Fender barstools come in two sizes - a 24-inch ($105) model ideally suited for playing guitar, and a taller 30inch ($120) alternative perfect for sitting at the bar enjoying a Christmas beverage. Drop into Sky Music at 4/2181 Princes Highway, Clayton grab a Fender barstool and check out the huge selection of guitars on hand while you’re at it. Open 10am to 5pm 7 days a week. Hit skymusic.com.au for more information.

The Melbourne Made Gift Market What do you get when you combine 90+ artists, makers and masters who have helped stamped this city’s reputation as the creative capital of the country? You get The Melbourne Made Gift Market. On Saturday December 19 from 10.30am - 4pm the finest creative’s of our city will come out of their workshops to set up shop at Melbourne Town Hall. You want an example of an interesting stall holder? Sure. Frank Green has ...AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

created reusable coffee cups and water bottles, they all have technology that is linked to a SmartPhone app so you can pay with your lid. What, you need another example? OK. Well, animation venture Saucy Elephant will be bringing you original artwork both traditional and digital to give as gifts and decorate your home. Convinced now? I thought so. Head to threadden.com for more details.

EL VEZ E L

R E Y

D E L

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by R ebecca A dams

Mexican-American performer Robert Lopez has idolised the King of rock’n’roll, Elvis Presley, for as long as he can remember. He channels this idolatry into his work under the moniker El Vez. Lopez was first exposed to the titans of Western music during his formative years in the 1960s. However, he was also surrounded by the music of his homeland. “I have always been an Elvis fan, but I grew up listening to Latin music,” he says. “We always had Elvis playing – The Beatles, The Rolling Stones et cetera.”

LE1F R I O T

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In the early ‘90s, the riot grrrl movement gave voice to women that felt sidelined, oppressed and ignored within the realm of punk rock, and allowed them to express concern about broader social issues such as domestic abuse, racism and the patriarchy. Roughly two decades on, Khalif Diouf – better known as Le1f – has referenced the movement by calling his debut album Riot Boi. There are several ways to interpret this ostensible co-opting of the feminist movement by gender-flipping it and using it for his album title – a primary one being a reflection on the visibility of LGBT people in the spectrum of hip hop. Diouf, however, assures there’s a more clear-cut reasoning behind the title. “I think it’s more a commentary on how little things have truly changed in the past 20 years more than anything,” he says. “Some of the key things I talk about on this album I feel have been following me around for so long – there are songs on this album that are over a year old, and they’re just as topical now as they were when I was writing them. This isn’t a good thing by any stretch of the imagination – people are still dying for really unfair reasons. As long as there are these phobias and this discrimination prevalent in our society, people can relate to the music that reflects on that. It’s as true then as it is now, regardless of who is making it and what kind of music it is.” Riot Boi is an assured, resonant debut album filled with bold production and versatility in both flow and stylistic approach. Diouf refuses to let a single dull moment rear its head, fearlessly addressing matters such as authoritative violence, queer rights and the continuing oppression of people of colour. According to Diouf, a lot of what made it onto Riot Boi has been a long time coming. “These were issues that I felt were important enough to make songs about,” he says. “A lot of them just felt timely, because a lot of these issues are still prevalent. There’s still a lot of tension about police brutality and trans issues. These are things that I’ve always wanted to engage with using my music – there’s a song on the record called Taxi, which I’ve been wanting to explore thematically for a really long time. Before I’d even made [the 2012 mixtape] Dark York, I had this list of ideas. A lot of the political ones on the list I just didn’t do at the time. I felt like I didn’t know how to properly express what was on my mind. I didn’t know how to talk about it. I think this album became very therapeutic for me – I felt like I was finally able to make sense of what I was doing.” Several guests make themselves known across the track listing of Riot Boi, including long time collaborator Junglepussy and PC Music frontrunner Sophie. Perhaps BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 38

the album’s most notable guest, however, is Dev Hynes, the producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist behind projects such as Blood Orange and Lightspeed Champion (as well as a songwriter for the likes of Solange, Carly Rae Jepsen and Sky Ferreira). Hynes produced and is featured on Riot Boi’s closing track, Change, and his work left a strong impression in Diouf. “Dev is absolutely amazing,” he says. “He’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. For someone who’s so prolific, and almost a pop star in his own right, he’s such a good friend to musicians and people in his community. I didn’t even really know him that well when he sent me the beat for Change, but I remember it had him doing what was basically a scat track over the top of it. He’s such a wealth of ideas, and the more I worked with him and explored what was possible, the more I came to count him as a friend.” Hynes also served as bandleader and bassist when Le1f made his network television debut last year, performing breakthrough single Wut live on The Late Show with David Letterman. “His arrangement was genius,” says Diouf. “He was the mastermind behind the entire thing.” Diouf will return to Australia at the end of January as part of the huge lineup for the 2016 instalment of boutique Melbourne festival Sugar Mountain. Along with the festival, he’ll play a run of headline shows around the country. “Oh my god, I can’t wait. I miss it so much. Some of my best shows have been in Sydney and Melbourne, so I’m very ready to come back and party with you guys. It’s been far too long.” LE1F will be joining the likes of Hot Chip, Dirty Three and Courtney Barnett at Sugar Mountain 2016, which goes down at the Victorian College of the Arts on Saturday January 23. Riot Boi is out now via XL Recordings/Terrible Records.

27 years on and he’s become a stalwart of the Latin-American music scene. Though, he didn’t expect to end up where he is now – a globe-travelling recording and performing artist. “I used to run an art gallery in Los Angeles, and one night I created an Elvis art theme. All of Elvis’ fans would hang out at my gallery to pay tribute to Elvis every week.” As part of the exhibition, Lopez staged what he intended to be a one-off gig impersonating his great hero. But the audience reaction was so enthusiastic that El Vez was born. Lopez’s act stands out from many of his contemporaries in that he’s not simply an impersonator. Along with the classic material, his repertoire includes a number of socially motivated originals. In his own words, “I reinvent what Elvis is to me. I try to bring something new to the audience.” The Mexican Elvis thrives on introducing new and innovative ideas into his shows. He sets his eyes on the stars and doesn’t hold back. “From costume changes to background singers, I like to switch things up in all different areas,” he says. “I am always shifting gears, giving the audience something new. I want everything new.”

His shows aim to the keep the audience on their feet, encompassing punk rock themes to his very own El Vez Xmas Special. He puts his own spin on the King’s iconic look, and when it comes to his outfits, he favours sparkles over leather. “I am my own puppet master. I get my jumpsuits custom made on Hollywood Boulevard,” he says. It’s not easy to maintain such liveliness onstage, and Lopez stays in shape courtesy of regular yoga sessions. This’ll come in

WOODLOCK T H E

P O W E R

O F

S O N G

by J A M E S D I FA B R I Z I O

There’s a reason indie folk three-piece Woodlock have stopped countless punters in their tracks when busking on street corners, and that festival crowds are beginning to flock to them with fevered anticipation – they’re a band that thinks outside the box. As their Sirens EP documents, the group infectiously combine nimble guitars and lush harmonies with elements of dance music and modern production techniques. The result is a rejuvenated showcase of musicality from a band doing everything in their power to defy the formulaic. “Most of the sounds in [the record] are actually just made sounds,” says vocalist Ezekiel Walters on the electronic undercurrent that runs through their music. “We had the song, and then we tried different sounds until we found one we like.” In line with their taste for innovation, Woodlock are happy to lead the charge in what’s expected from folk music. “There’s a bit of a fusion going on with both sides of the area,” Walters says. “Dance music is starting to get more in depth with its lyrics, and then folk people are starting to get more into these electronic dance sounds.” B E AT.C O M . A U

For Walters and his two band mates, starting a band was never the intention. The group’s origins lie in a fateful mission to Africa. Walters, along with his brother and guitarist Zechariah and drummer Bowen Purcell, would play music in isolated areas of the country to attract crowds of interested onlookers, drawing them in before their father came to preach. “We weren’t really about making music at the time,” says Walters. “It was more to raise money for this church stuff. Which is an interesting idea, because I love music but it wasn’t the main reason I did that – I

handy ahead of his trio of appearances at the forthcoming Falls Festivals – his first visit Down Under in 14 years. “It has been a long time but I am looking forward to showing my stuff again. I want people to look at me as a reliable entertainer,” he says. Over the years, El Vez has appeared on the likes of Oprah and MTV, and received rave reviews from Rolling Stone, Vogue, People and many more. But Lopez is by no means an overnight success, given he’s been a hard-working performer since the mid‘70s. Although he’s performed all around the globe, there are some places left on the bucket list. “I have yet to play Japan, which is my goal for the future. Some of my songs have been recorded in Japanese, so I was very honoured about that.” Lopez remains a dedicated performer, and he’s continually motivated him to honour the legacy of the King. “My career has been longer than Elvis’ career, who died at 42. I am the oldest living Elvis impersonator and I take that with great pride.” EL VEZ is bringing his Xmas special to the Corner Hotel on Thursday December 24. He’s also playing at the Falls Festivals, which take place from Monday December 28 – Friday January 1 in Lorne, VIC, Tuesday December 29 – Friday January 1 in Marion Bay, TAS, and Thursday December 31 – Sunday January 3 in Byron Bay, NSW.

didn’t do it so I could be in a band and make money doing music. It was more to do with saving up and raising money for Africa.” It’s an attitude that has stayed with the group, with Walters and Purcell returning to Africa roughly two months ago. While you won’t hear Woodlock dropping their equivalent of Paul Simon’s Graceland any time soon, the music and folk traditions of Africa have undoubtedly tinted the group’s songwriting approach. “When we went there it was all drums. They would have five drummers whacking cowhide drums and then everyone would just sing.” You can hear the influence of these drums on Sirens’ title track – a dramatic song featuring an unrelenting beat complete with syncopated handclaps and thumping toms. “It was more the idea of songs we wrote that people could sing communally,” Walters says. “We make melodies and lyrics that are easy for people to learn so they can sing as a group. There’s really an energy about that when you get a whole bunch of people singing the same song. That’s something we picked up from Africa.” Not content to play around in the same group of venues, Woodlock packed their lives into a caravan and set off on the road. Along the way, they’d busk their way into the lives of new acquaintances and hundreds of new fans. Clearly, this strategy has paid off. To date the group has sold over 26,000 EPs and played several consecutive sell-out shows. Now that Woodlock have attracted an eager listenership of their own, their goal is to share their experiences through music. “Not all of our songs are happy – a lot of them are sad – but they’ve all got something to teach. If you read the lyrics and get the vibe, you can learn anything from our songs, because they’re all an experience that one of us would’ve had and put it down on paper.” WOODLOCK are performing at the Coburg Night Market on Friday December 11. They’re also throwing a Boxing Day Bash at Ding Dong Lounge on Saturday December 26; they’re playing at NYE On The Hill, which runs from Wednesday December 30 – Friday January 1 at The Farm, Wonthaggi; they’re playing at the Falls Festival in Lorne, VIC, which takes place from Monday December 28 – Friday January 1; and on Saturday January 30 they’ll hit up Chapel off Chapel for the Chapel Summer Sessions.

JENNYLEE W H E N

T H E

WA R

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O V E R

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

Jenny Lee Lindberg has been the subject of cult fandom ever since she emerged as the bass player for Warpaint in 2008. The Los Angeles-based musician has now branched out with her first solo LP, right on! – credited simply to Jennylee. Warpaint are a highly collaborative unit, and the band’s two records serve to showcase the four members’ individual personalities. Considering that trio of musicians has customarily supported Lindberg’s ideas, you’d imagine she felt a whole lot of pressure when crafting right on!. However, balking under the pressure simply wasn’t an option. “This album was birthed in a way that things just happened and I allowed them to happen,” she says. “It was about freedom and freedom of expression and, ‘don’t overanalyse and don’t criticise and don’t be judgemental and let yourself go and don’t try to control things, don’t give yourself limitations.’ “Being in that mind-frame before writing something or being creative, it’s a real good space to be in because things just come flooding. I’m always really pleased with things that I do when I’m operating from that space. So I didn’t feel any pressure, because there was no pressure that I was putting on myself. It was just like, ‘Oh I’m going to sit down and I’m going to write some stuff ’.” This frame of mind was certainly conducive to productivity – right on! arrives less than two years after Warpaint’s self-titled second album (which itself took four years to make). However, it’s not as though Lindberg could simply sit down for a few minutes and pull entire songs out of thin air.

“There was times when I’d get a little stuck,” she says. “But what I was very mindful of, if the song wasn’t happening and it wasn’t coming out naturally and I was trying to control it or force it, then I would move on. So I didn’t feel any pressure as far as, ‘Oh no, I’m doing this on my own.’ I was excited to see how far I could actually go with myself.” Lindberg’s been progressively pushing herself into new territory throughout her music career. On Warpaint’s debut effort, The Fool, lead vocals were split between guitarists Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman. On Warpaint, Lindberg took the lead for two songs – Disco//very and CC. “I’ve been writing music for a long time and a lot of it was either instrumental or vocals were very minimal,” she says. “I never really had a whole lot of confidence when it came to writing vocals, or even just singing. I didn’t really like my voice for a very long time – I hated my voice actually. Then I just started over the last five years singing more at home, writing more songs, but it was

still never with the intention of releasing anything or even sharing. “[With right on!] it was really liberating and empowering to just let myself go and be the only person participating in this journey, because it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time and I just got to that point where it was like, ‘I am so ready to do this and go for it’.” Lindberg’s resolution to not over-analyse and to act on impulse rather than adhere to an idealised structure has actually been of immense psychological benefit, regardless of the associated creative project. “Without being too deliberate when singing about it, the record’s overall tone is about me breaking free from my chains that I’ve created for myself and changing my belief system that I have about myself and what I’m capable of and what I can do. There’s programmed beliefs since I was little – things that I’ve always thought –

that are false. They’re not right and they’ve also held me back, but it’s also been because I’m a little fireball and I’m not quitter and I don’t usually give up on things. For the most part I’ve been fighting myself on that for many many years. One part of me is like, ‘No you can’t do that. Don’t worry about.’ And the other part is like, ‘No don’t listen to that voice. You absolutely can do that.’ So it’s been an internal conflict for many years.” Lindberg’s taken some big steps forward – the groove-heavy, post punk-indebted right on! is a testament to this – but she doesn’t pretend to have reached ultimate equilibrium. “I’m sure I will continue to [have internal conflicts], but this was a good step in the right direction in terms of coming to terms with wanting to strive for excellence. There’s a lot that I have in my head – there’s a lot of ideas, there’s a lot of creative energy

going around, there’s a lot of things I want to express, there’s lots of things I want to make. I feel like I’m actually living my life when I follow through with those things, but it’s hard to do that when you tell yourself you can’t do it all the time. “I was like, ‘It’s time for those voices to go away. It’s time to be a child and operate and express as a child would, and treat yourself as you would your child.’ You’re not going to tell your child that their song they made isn’t good. You’re not going to tell your child that their song sucks and you don’t like their voice. So that’s where I was coming from when I was making this album.”

moments of sombre reflection in his work, the scale of his output is much more varied. “I think of myself as a lot of different things,” he says. “At times I’ve been pensive and introspective, and then I’m also a bit of a dickweed and crazy, with a wild hair up my ass. I make different records at different times to fulfil those different parts of me. I always feel the need to personally challenge myself, in a very lazy way. I’m not a very ambitious person, so when I say challenge I mean in the laziest way possible. Lazy and self-loathing, and kind of horny – you combine those things, there’s the secret to writing songs. ‘You know, I’m pretty horny, but I hate myself. Ah, fuck it, I’ll write a song’.” These different sides to Rateliff are expressed rather brilliantly on he and the Night Sweat’s eponymous debut. It’s almost like a brief but intense overview of the sounds and styles that have influenced him over the years. However, he’d prefer to withhold any detailed clues regarding the songs’ origins. “I’m always a little reluctant to give

information on what songs are about. I think the thing about art that’s most interesting is people’s own interpretations, versus giving away some kind of secret. I might have written a song that somebody got married to, and I probably wrote it on the shitter, I might have been having a real bad day. The thing about music is that the listener’s interpretation is often more important than the artist’s. I think it’s kind of nice to keep it a bit of a mystery. I’d love to know what Leonard Cohen thinks about his songs, but I’d also rather never know.” He makes a fair (if colourful) point, although it’s one that many listeners may struggle to fully appreciate; that the song you’ve connected with, that means so very much to you, has a vastly different history for the composer. Listening to the new record conjures many different impressions, thanks not only to Rateliff ’s stentorian voice and his rollicking band, but the sequencing of the songs themselves. You can hear the album as a short-story collection, each track a distinct vignette. “I always think of the record as having a

side A and B, like a vinyl. You have to listen to the first side, and those songs have to be good enough and keep your attention that you want to get up off the couch and flip it over for more. All of the records I grew up listening to are like that. I had a bunch of Night Sweat songs written, and just before we went to record I hunkered down at my house and started writing, and ended up with another 15 or 16 songs. I liked Wasting Time a lot, but I didn’t know if it was going to fit. We had other songs that were ruckus-y, R&B/soul songs, but I thought it was important to showcase different emotions, to have the songs reflect what I feel personally. You have to feel it in order for it to be real.”

JENNYLEE’s right on! is available on Friday December 11 via Rough Trade/ Remote Control Records.

NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS L A Z Y,

S E L F

L O AT H I N G

A N D

H O R N Y

BY ADAM NORRIS

“I forgot I had to do an interview,” Nathaniel Rateliff chuckles, “So I’m in a bar.” It’s hard to imagine a more fitting environment to speak with the Missouri man of the moment. Over the last ten years he has earned the adoration of fans and respect of his peers the old fashioned way; shoulder-to-the-grind touring and a restless artistic temperament. But with his first album with The Night Sweats, he suddenly found himself riding a massive wave. S.O.B has become the raucous blues rock anthem of the year, and with lyrics beseeching somebody to buy him a goddamn drink, a rowdy bar seems an entirely apt environment to chat about his success, touring, and writing love songs on the toilet. “In the past, with all the other records I’ve put out, you have people surrounding you in the industry saying, ‘Oh, this is going to be such a big deal, it’s going to be huge, people are going to love this fucking song’,” Rateliff says. “So you bust your arse getting the record out, pouring your heart into it, and nobody gives a shit about it, and neither does the label. And that’s horribly, utterly discouraging. You’re out touring, sacrificing your family and relationship times, you’re doing it all out of pocket. So you’re pushing really hard, but at the same time the people who are telling you the record’s going to be huge are the same ones who already have a house and a salary, while the musicians are

living in a van somewhere, crying because they can’t remember when they last saw their wives. But now, it’s started to work out. [S.O.B]’s definitely not my favourite song, but what the fuck are you going to do?” He laughs, while in the background the muddied sound of live music swells and a crowd starts cheering. If at first Rateliff seems to be mired in doom and gloom about the industry, he’s adamant that he’s not a pessimist. Indeed, even when conversation touches on the harsher side of life and touring, he still speaks jovially. In the past he has been described as a pensive songwriter, and while there are certainly

W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U

NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS are playing Bluesfest 2016 from Thursday March 24 – Monday March 28 at the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, NSW. They’re also playing at 170 Russell on Wednesday March 30. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats is out now via Caroline. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 39

CHAPEL SUMMER SESSIONS T H E

C H A P E L

R E V I V E D

B y R od W hit f ield

the FATBACK BAND L E A R N

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B y A ugu s tu s W elb y

The Fatback Band founder, drummer and only remaining original member Bill Curtis has lived a life wholly ensconced in music. After working as a session musician through the ‘50s and ‘60s, touring with jazz and R&B players such as Sil Austin, Red Prysock, Bill Doggett and Paul Williams, Curtis formed Fatback Band in New York City in 1970. This week he’ll lead the band into Australia for the very first time. “I can’t wait to get down there. This has been one of my dreams. I’ve finally made it,” he laughs. Curtis first proposed to bring The Fatback Band to Australia decades ago. However, as far as he’s concerned the reason for the band’s conspicuous nonappearance is our fault. “People ask me, ‘Why haven’t you been down before?’ Well no one never asked me. “Put it this way, my group is not one of the popular groups. People think The Fatback Band] is a popular group, but it is not a popular group. In other words, we are kind of like an underground group. We’re not one of those big headliner groups.” It’s true, The Fatback Band never became commercial giants, but they’re still a very historically significant band. They’re known for the introducing the New Orleans fatback jazz beat into the world of funk; they’re touted as one of the first major disco acts; and Curtis and co. were behind the first commercially released hip hop song, 1979’s King Tim III (Personality Jock). Over a 45-year career they’ve unleashed dozens of albums, and an increasing number of listeners across the globe now recognise The Fatback Band’s resounding influence. For Curtis, though, it’s been a hard slog. “Put it this way, every once in a while history gets it right,” he says. “Like, ‘Fatback did this and Fatback was the first at this.’ But more of the time we don’t get no respect. And it doesn’t bother me now, because I know what we’re doing and I love playing music. So people ask me, ‘Bill, you’re still playing?’ ‘Yeah. I don’t know nothing else to do’.” Although Curtis has been holding down the groove with The Fatback Band for 40-plus years, the remainder of the band’s personnel has been through a series of changes. This means the nature of Curtis’ onstage experience continues to differ. “I’m still excited every time I go onstage. I’m still nervous when I go onstage until I hit the first note,” he says. “Over the years I’ve had four different Fatback groups – four different personnel. The rhythm section always stayed the same, so therefore it made everything right. But now this is my fifth group that I just put together this year and we’re still in that transition. So that’s why I say I’m a little nervous, because I don’t know what’s going to happen when I put them onstage. They’re a young crew – everybody’s in their late-30s and maybe early-40s. So they’re young compared to me and they play and they’re ready to go, but it makes me a little nervous because I don’t know what the BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 40

hell they gonna do.” For some bands it’d be impossible to endure such extensive personnel changes and still exist as the same band. But despite Curtis’ nerves about his current band’s onstage behaviour, the subsistence of the Fatback Band has never come under threat. “I always try to get likeminded people that think like I think,” he says. “I try to find those musicians that are into that type of music – funk music. I don’t go out there and get a guy who’s not funky. And one of the things that’s helped keep Fatback’s sound, most the young musicians that are coming along were raised up on Fatback. So I picked up a young musician in his 40s and he wanted to be a bass player – the bassist that inspired him was a Fatback bass player. Most the musicians was inspired by Fatback Band, because Fatback music sounds very easy to play and it’s very simple and you can understand it. You can feel Fatback music – it’s earthy.” There is a distinctive Fatback Band sound – it’s there on 1975’s funk jam (Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop, 1980’s smooth disco tune Backstrokin’, and 1984’s electrofunk number I Found Lovin’. However, it’s not as though Curtis has musical tunnel vision. This year saw the release of the singles Get Your Head Out Your Phone and Don’t Leave Me Now, both of which are credited to Bill Curtis & Friends with The Fatback Band. “Today I don’t record under The Fatback Band. The reason I do record that way is because I don’t want to be locked in with the Fatback sound. I don’t want, when I put out music, that I have to put it out to sound like Fatback. [Music is] a work in progress, about evolution, changing – that’s what I want to be. “If you’re a real Fatback follower, you know that all our music changed every album. It’s a new sound coming in, but people can still tell it’s Fatback. Today when I make music, if I’m making it you’re going to hear elements of Fatback in there because it’s in me. If you give me the Star Spangled Banner and tell me to play it, it’s going to have Fatback feeling in it.” THE FATBACK BAND are playing at the Corner Hotel on Friday December 11. They’re also playing at the Meredith Music Festival, which happens from Friday December 11 till Sunday December 13, in Meredith, VIC.

The classic Live at the Chapel TV show ran from the late‘90s well into the 2000s, and featured performances from such luminaries as Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Augie March, Something For Kate, Sarah Blasko and many more. Prahran’s Chapel Off Chapel will be revived as a house of live music when the Chapel Summer Sessions take place this January. The program features an interesting assortment of Aussie artists, and event organisers Josh Lane and Ibrahim Mustafa couldn’t be more excited about seeing original music back at the Chapel. “It’s just an amazing opportunity to catch some of these national artists in a very intimate setting,” says Lane. “The venue looks amazing, the acoustics are great, everything about it is just on point, presentation-wise. That’s something that all the acts are excited about too, and we’re sure that’ll translate to the audience as well once they’re there. So we just highly recommend catching this style of performance.” Kicking off proceedings on Thursday January 21 is the somewhat unlikely pairing of Shihad frontman Jon Toogood and former Powderfinger guitarist, Darren Middleton. Between their respective bands and solo careers, the pair has over 20 albums of material to draw from, and they’re sure to include a few surprises too. “Jon plays plenty of Shihad songs in his acoustic sets,” says Lane. “There’ll be some stuff from their most recent album [Fvey], which just cleaned up at the New Zealand Music Awards, as well as all the hits, of course. I’m sure he’ll do some of his favourite classic covers as well, and some solo material that he hasn’t released yet but has been playing live.” It’ll be a similar thing with Middleton. “He’ll play all of the Powderfinger songs that he wrote, plus he’s got two solo records

S A S K WAT C H

BY AUGUSTUS WELBy

For the most part, Australians’ relationship with baseball echoes Americans’ relationship with cricket. Responses to the game range from utter confusion to abstract appreciation of the aesthetics, an apathetic shrug and a stubborn belief it’s the most boring sport known to humankind. But just like anyone who’s fond of cricket will tell you, while at the surface baseball maintains a static pulse, it’s certainly not lacking in drama. Just think of the numerous enduring films centred on baseball: in Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner’s so besotted with the game he rips apart his Iowa farm and turns it into a baseball field. In The Sandlot Kids, it’s baseball that brings together the motley crew of ragamuffins, injecting meaningful attachment into their lives. Meanwhile, films such as Major League (starring a shiny toothed Charlie Sheen) and Bull Durham (led by Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon and a heartthrob performance from Costner) illustrate the diversity of wild-edged characters attracted to the game. Likewise the stirring documentary The Battered Bastards of Baseball, which charts the offkilter exploits of Bing Russell’s Portland Mavericks. Sure, these are all filmic portrayals of the game, but baseball couldn’t have been at the B E AT.C O M . A U

CHAPEL SUMMER SESSIONS runs from Thursday January 21 till Saturday January 30, featuring performances from Jon Toogood, Abbe May, Ash Grunwald, Thando and more. It all goes down at Chapel Off Chapel in Prahran. Check out chapeloffchapel.com.au for full details.

to choose from as well.” The rest of the lineup looks to be just as exciting and diverse. “We’ve got a lot of great acts that are at various stages of their album cycles,” says Lane. “Abbe May will be previewing material from a forthcoming solo album, Ash Grunwald’s just wrapping up an album tour and gets to bring that music back to Melbourne.” “We’ve got Thando Sikwila, who was in Dreamgirls the musical,” says Mustafa. “Her voice is amazing, make sure you check her out. And Nathan Hawes, who is just recording an album so he’s doing most of the numbers from that, which will be different from his usual acoustic sessions. So there’s something for everyone in there.” Local folk pop three-piece Woodlock will wrap up the series on Saturday January 30. However, live original music won’t disappear from Chapel Off Chapel when the Summer Series comes to a close. Lane and Mustafa plan to persevere with the concept and strengthen the presence of live music south of the Yarra. “We’re hoping to have maybe a Chapel Winter Sessions, or Chapel Autumn Sessions as well,” says Mustafa. “Southside there aren’t that many live venues that are intimate like this, so we want to bring

BALLPARK MUSIC SESSIONS W I T H

it down south-side. So hopefully with our equipment and the intimacy of our theatre – the sound is amazing and you’re up close and personal. It doesn’t matter what seat you get, you’re getting sung to.” Chapel Off Chapel’s splendid intimacy isn’t its only unique feature. “Overall in Melbourne there’s not a lot of all-ages venues,” says Lane. “So we’re really excited to be a point of difference in that sense. And then there’s the rich history that the venue has got with some of the acts that have played there for the Live at the Chapel series, I think re-highlighting this as a live music venue is just a great thing for Melbourne in general.”

crux of so many great flicks if it didn’t have an intrinsic cinematic propensity. Given the prevailing mood among Australians, however, the Australian Baseball League (ABL) doesn’t even begin to rival its US equivalent, the MLB. In A League of their Own, it’s revealed how corporate structures often stunt progress and conceal the activities of legitimately impressive athletes. In a similar vein, the ABL is populated by players with just as much devotion as their American counterparts. The cream of the crop will be on display during the annual ABL All-Star game, which happens next Wednesday December 16. As evidenced by Brad Pitt’s behind the scenes manoeuvring in Moneyball, success in baseball is highly dependent on detailed strategising and fine execution. Meanwhile, out on the field, it’s a lavish

spectacle – pristinely groomed grass, a beaming red diamond, and crowds spurred on by a live organist. For the All-Star game, performances from Saskwatch, The Delta Riggs and Tim Rogers will help enhance crowd enthusiasm. Melbourne soul-pop collective Saskwatch are renowned for their explosive live shows. Though, taking charge of the national anthem at the All-Star game places them in entirely new territory. “I think we’re trying to explore some further possibilities for that,” says trumpet player Liam McGorry. The performance of the national anthem at sporting events isn’t worth getting mad about, but it can feel a touch out of place. “I can understand the routine thing, but it’s pretty cringe-worthy,” McGorry agrees. “So I think we’re trying to explore a new angle on it.” It must be said, Saskwatch are by no means baseball enthusiasts. “It’s probably one of the most un-sports [oriented] bands going round, I reckon,” says McGorry. However, they did have a first-hand encounter with baseball’s romantic persuasion. “We played in San Francisco last year, when they won the World Series. It was fucking mental. The whole town just went nuts – amazing. We watched the game in the town square with thousands of people. It was awesome. It was amazing to see – everyone cared so much. It was super citypride. Everyone was like, ‘This is a huge deal,’ and we were just in the middle of it. It was amazing.” Considering baseball’s limited exposure in Australia, a lot of people are introduced to the game via its cinematic rendering. For McGorry, a child of the ‘90s, there’s one particular film that resonates. “Angels In The Outfield. That was a pretty seminal film at the time.” In a similar manner to cricket, the pace and motions of baseball diverge from the hyper-macho competitiveness of many other sports, giving it a relaxing aesthetic quality. In this respect, Saskwatch are aptly suited to performing at next week’s event. ABL and Levi’s present BALLPARK MUSIC SESSIONS, featuring Saskwatch, The Delta Riggs and Tim Rogers, as part of the 2015 Australian Baseball League All-Star Game on Wednesday December 16 at Melbourne Ballpark, Laverton.

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BODYJAR S T I L L

T H E

S A M E

B Y B E L R YA N

UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS M E L O D I C

C R E E P S

B Y M AT T H E W T O M I C H

In case you missed it, doom is in vogue. In recent years, Yob emerged from a 15 year hiatus only to be thrust into Rolling Stone and The New York Times; Pallbearer were championed as timeless almost the moment they came out of the gates; and legions of listeners are salivating over Black Sabbath’s upcoming last hurrah. So why is the world so interested in slow, devilish tempos and subsonic riffs almost a half-century after Sabbath and the like introduced those sounds to the world? Even the musicians themselves struggle with this question. “I’m really not sure,” says Kevin Starrs, otherwise known as the eponymous Uncle of UK quartet Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats. “I can’t put my finger on it. I really don’t know where it comes from, because it just seems like it’s such a sudden thing. I wish I knew. I’ve just got no idea how it all happened.” Starrs isn’t just referring to the popularity of doom metal, but the whirlwind of activity Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats have been in the middle of since forming in Cambridge back in 2009. As it stands, the band have notched up four stellar records – including The Night Creeper, released in September – several international tours, and coverage from the likes of NPR, The Guardian and Pitchfork. Not bad for a band who spent the first half of their career deliberately hiding their online presence, refusing interviews and remaining faceless thanks to an absence of press photos. “The photo shoots – I was just so against it because I thought it has nothing to do with the music that we make,” says Starrs. “The music’s completely a fictional thing and it had nothing to do with me. I don’t want pictures of me being associated with the music. I still kind of feel that way, but sometimes you have to make compromises on things and it’s not too big a thing to compromise on. “[At first] we didn’t have any media interest,” he adds. “We didn’t even have pictures of ourselves. It was just all done through word of mouth. I didn’t think that would be possible these days. You see all the different bands and they’ve all got Twitter accounts and you think this is how you have to do it, but we’ve proven that you don’t have to go completely overboard with social media and the press and things like that. If the music’s good enough, people will spread the word for you.” In the case of Uncle Acid, you can be damn sure the music is good. So good, in fact, that it landed them a 13-date tour supporting Black Sabbath a couple of years back. “We would never have dreamed that when I was starting the project,” Starrs says. “We never thought that it would get to that stage at all. We couldn’t even get a lineup together to play a gig, never mind tour with your heroes. It was just completely unimaginable. But it was great – they treated us really well. We respected them, they respected us.” The Sabbath influence is obvious across BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 44

Uncle Acid & the Deadbeat’s discography. Starrs’ singing voice is the most obvious parallel – a kind of banshee howl somewhere between a young Ozzy Osbourne and Pentagram’s Bobby Liebling. But although they incorporate their fair share of doom inflections – plodding rhythms, gargantuan riffs – Starrs and company eschew a number of the genre’s defining traits. These aren’t 12-minute songs at less than 60 beats per minute. They’re highly refined, imbued with menace, occult lyricism and massive hooks. Melody is often a dirty word in the context of hard rock, but it’s a vital part of what makes Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats stand out. Take Pusher Man, for instance; just one of several hook-heavy numbers from The Night Creeper. It kicks off with a hypnotic freight train of a guitar riff, sounding like some unholy concoction of Tony Iommi and Sleep’s Matt Pike. But behind Starrs’ occultish yowl – which, for all its omens of evil, is remarkably poppy – are some vocal harmonies reminiscent of the Shangri-Las. “To me, a lot of it is just the melodies,” he says. “The melodies back then were just so good and so catchy and the songwriting was great. For me melody started to kind of disappear from a lot of pop music, especially recently. It’s almost impossible to find a good melody in a pop song now which is bizarre.” At its core, The Night Creeper is a good pop record, as engrossed in the best parts of the Beatles as it is in the muddied menace of Black Sabbath. “On this one I just felt more comfortable to put songs on that weren’t as obvious. I’m not sure if that’s the right way of putting it. People expect us to have that Sabbath-y sound and the fact that I can be inspired by someone like Pete Green and use that inspiration to write a couple of songs, I thought, ‘This’d be perfect. We’ll just show a wider range of influences on this album,’ and I think we do. It turned out really great in my opinion.” Catch UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS at Meredith Music Festival, which goes down from Friday December 11 – Sunday December 13 in Meredith, VIC. They’re also headlining the Corner Hotel on Sunday December 13.

Punk rock veterans Bodyjar and The Meanies are teaming up for one hell of a party on Friday December 18 at the Prince Bandroom. It’s been over 20 years since the two bands shared a stage with one another. “It’s weird because it doesn’t seem like that long, actually,” says Bodyjar vocalist and guitarist Cam Baines. “It doesn’t feel a day longer than 19 years. But it’s long overdue.” Indeed, the relationship between the Melbourne mainstays has been a longstanding one. “I’ve always been mates with Wally [Kempton, Meanies bassist],” says Baines. “I guess the planets aligned this time.”

Bodyjar have played some dream shows over the years, including support slots with pop punk juggernauts like Descendents, Blink 182 and Alkaline Trio. As one would expect, Baines has accumulated a number of excellent stories. “Descendents are just amazing and all that,” he says. “I actually got to sing I’m the One with them in Perth because Milo [Aukerman]’s voice was going. Technically I’m in the band now.” His reflections on the Descendents’ drummer and vocalist Bill Stevenson are a little more revealing. “Bill used to be really horny, but he’s mellowed with age,” Baines says. While we’re on the topic: “We toured with Blink 182 in America – now there’s a horny band. I could tell you some stories, but I love the band too much.” Bodyjar’s relationship with esteemed personalities from the international punk scene goes beyond what they’ve experienced on tour. Stevenson and Descendents guitarist Stephen Egerton actually produced the band’s first album, Take A Look Inside. Despite the high-grade production team, Baines has mixed feelings about the 1994 release. “We don’t play anything of the first album because I

FAILURE

M A G N I F I E D

think we rushed it,” he says. “We should have taken more time on the songs. We were 17. I don’t mind it, but it doesn’t work live that well.” Bodyjar have accumulated a fiercely loyal fanbase since their formation 25 years ago, and it’s something they’ve never taken for granted. “It’s so rad,” Baines says. “Stokes me out. We get emails and messages from all over the world. We’re lucky to still have this band.” Not wanting to push their luck, they’re happy to appease the crowd’s requests. “The best [album] to play live is How It Works,” says

A G A I N

B Y M AT T H E W T O M I C H

If you find someone who’s heard of Failure, chances are they’re young. Not juvenile young, but young enough to have only discovered the Californians in the intervening years between their disbandment in 1997 and their reunion in 2013. Failure enjoyed modest success in their initial run, releasing three underappreciated albums in a four-year span, but they barely made a blip on the commercial radar at the time. Perhaps that was owing to the oddity of their sound – not quite space rock and not quite grunge, Failure utilised muddied guitars, swampy bass riffs, surreal lyricism and flourishes of sprawling, Pink Floydesque ambition, all infused with an off-kilter pop sensibility. After moderately successful Lollapalooza appearances, drug problems brought the band to a halt, and that was it. But as with so many of their contemporaries, the Internet – along with bands like A Perfect Circle and Paramore covering their songs – allowed a new generation to discover Failure’s music. “I hear that so much,” says bassist and founding member Greg Edwards. “I just met two 20-year-olds yesterday before the show, and one of them had gotten turned on via B E AT.C O M . A U

A Perfect Circle and loved The Nurse Who Loved Me from the time he was seven. And then when he was in his late teens, he realised that it was actually written and originally performed by another band, and that’s how he found out about us. So I hear that story a lot, you know. I have to thank Maynard [ James Keenan] for kidnapping the song, ultimately.” Although those covers played a significant role in introducing Failure to a larger audience, the band’s legacy lies in the enduring appeal of its magnum opus, 1996’s Fantastic Planet. Taking its name from a surrealist French animation, Fantastic Planet remains one of the most ambitious and sprawling musical oddities of the ‘90s, impenetrably dense but curiously inviting all the same. The album is

Baines. “There’s no fast stuff on there so it’s different to the other albums, but still feels fresh. I love just playing songs people want to hear, like we’ll do at The Meanies gig.” Throughout their career, Bodyjar have attracted a following in various other parts of the globe. “Every time we go to Japan it’s amazing,” says Baines. However, their roots are still happily buried in Australian soil. “Recently we did two How It Works shows in Sydney and the crowd was so rad. I think I enjoyed that show more than anything. We had so many guys in the crowd singing along and a few guests from other bands. It had that party vibe. We need that vibe to cover our mistakes.” It’s been a couple of years since Bodyjar released their comeback album, Role Model. A new album could be just around the corner. “We have about 20 songs demoed,” Baines says. “We’ll do something in the near future. I’m about to open my own skate/ record store, so I’ve got to put some time into that and make sure that’s working. Tom [Read, guitar] has some great new songs and Granto [Relf, bass] too. I’m keen.” In the meantime, Bodyjar fans can look forward to a ripper night at the Prince, when they share the stage with The Meanies, High Tension and Cowsmuff. “Hopefully [it’ll be] a party. We can finally play what we want, instead of a particular album from start to finish. The world is fucked, but there’s still good people out there. Come chill out with good people.” BODYJAR, The Meanies, High Tension and Cowsmuff are playing at the Prince Bandroom on Friday December 18.

capped with the five-track, 25-minute closing section, including the aforementioned The Nurse Who Loved Me, the astral earworm of Another Space Song, and the closing medley of Stuck On You, Heliotropic and Daylight. In another universe, those five tracks might have made Failure one of the biggest bands of the late ‘90s. “I just think it’s an entertaining record,” Edwards says. “It was an entertaining record to make, and it felt like, even though we didn’t set out to make a concept record and we didn’t set out to make a record with some sort of narrative thread, it just kind of ended up having [one] loosely, or at least impressionistically. As you listen to it, the emotional feeling you get is that there is a story, there is something holding it together.” When Failure got back together two years ago, the first question was the same any reuniting band asks itself: who still cares? Judging by the sold-out shows and subsequent tours with old road-mates Tool, the answer was lots of people. In June this year, Failure finally released their fourth album, The Heart Is A Monster – 19 years after its predecessor. Surprisingly, when Edwards thinks about this new record, he’s more inclined to compare it to Failure’s second effort, 1994’s dense, bassheavy and quirky Magnified. “My main goal beyond good songs and anything else, is just, emotionally, it has a unique stamp. It’s a body of water you can kind of step into and you know it feels unlike any other pool. All my favourite records when I was growing up, and still when I happen to discover a new record that becomes my favourite, they always have that in common. It’s just an ineffable, hard-todescribe quality, but it keeps pulling you back in, and it’s something beyond just the quality of the songs or you like the singer’s voice or there’s something else going on. I think with Magnified, we definitely did that and in Fantastic Planet even more so.” FAILURE are playing at Soundwave Festival 2016, with Disturbed, Bring Me The Horizon, The Prodigy, Deftones and more, at RAS Melbourne Showgrounds on Tuesday January 26. The Heart Is A Monster is out now through Kartel/Shock.

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THE HOTELIER THE REVERENCE HOTEL FRIDAY DECEMBER 4

RISE AGAINST MARGARET COURT ARENA WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2

There aren’t many punk rock bands who could justify booking an arena show, let alone comfortably fill a venue the size of the Margaret Court Arena. To put this gig into perspective, on the same night the adjacent Rod Laver Arena was hosting A Night with Oprah. Sadly, she didn’t make a cameo appearance at Rise Against, but it was still entertaining to observe the two exceedingly different crowds. One only needed to bypass the hundreds of mums dressed in their evening best, then follow the bustling flow of punters decked out in black jeans and Rise Against merch flooding into Margaret Court. Melbourne hardcore legends Outright opened the night to a steadily growing crowd, bringing high energy and an authentic aesthetic. Although the set was short, punters were left grinning ear to ear after an intense aural assault. Next came another Melbourne act, Clowns. This band

Photo by Ian Laidlaw have been garnering waves of ecstatic praise from fans and fellow bands in recent years. After watching this performance, it’s easy to tell why. Clowns navigated the large stage with ease, exuding the kind of confidence usually reserved for acts with a hell of a lot more experience. It’s exciting to think what’s next for a group of lads as talented as this. By the time Rise Against were set to play, the venue was filled to capacity. The air was so thick with quivering anticipation you could’ve sliced through it with a knife. It soon became obvious why the band are still selling out shows over ten years into their career. Rise Against fans stick by them for life, and with good reason. To be expected, the band played a fair swag of material from their most recent release, 2014’s The Black Market. Though, they also catered to die-hard fans, providing a decent blend of older material. Most notable of which was Prayer Of

The Refugee from their 2006 album, The Sufferer & the Witness. This song’s chorus had the entire the crowd screaming along with wild, unbridled excitement. One of the best parts of the show was that despite their raging success and massive following, Rise Against still wanted to showcase local and emerging Australian talent. This is a testament to the kind of inclusive attitude the band advocates and it’s probably one of the reasons they are loved so much by their fans.. LOVED: The super enthusiastic crowd. HATED: Oprah didn’t chuck a stage dive. DRANK: Jameson and Red Bull, only

because the beer ran out. BY BEL RYAN

Photos by Anna Madden

When The Hotelier released their second album Home Like Noplace Is There almost two years ago, they rocketed to the top of the Midwestern emo revival scene. It seemed that everyone at The Rev had spent the past 22 months with the album on repeat, waiting with bated breath to hear it all live. Taking to the stage with his white tee tucked into denim shorts, lead vocalist and bassist Christian Holden didn’t exactly match the usual Reverence Hotel dress style. However, he stayed true to the band’s punk rock roots by clearly not giving a fuck. In Framing’s opening bars were all the warm-up the crowd needed, kicking off a sing-along that continued right through to the achingly heartfelt Your Deep Rest. Although some members of The Hotelier have publicly distanced themselves from the band’s first album, they were quick to prove they aren’t just a one album wonder,

JAALA JOHN CURTIN HOTEL SATURDAY DECEMBER 5

After a massive year, indie jazz punks Jaala were back in their hometown to showcase their debut studio record, Hard Hold. Scurrying around the stage first was Melbourne artist Kirkis. He positioned himself centre stage, kneeling down with a guitar in hand and a half-height microphone. Renowned for his dreamlike vocals, synthy sounds and distorted guitar riffs, the composer’s 30-minute set exceeded expectations. Swooping Duck soon emerged to set up the stage with a clear vision in mind. Afterwards, it was all about experimentation and improvisation. The Hiatus Kaiyote side-project features drummer Perrin Moss, bassist Paul Bender and Simon Mavin on keyboard. With their funky rhythm and truly unique flavour, it’s no wonder the boys had the audience mesmerised right from the opening note. Taking the time for “conceptual requests”, the group were soon

MONO THE CORNER HOTEL

GOAT / KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD THE CROXTON FRIDAY DECEMBER 4

It was starting to become a little repetitive. Every six months King Gizzard would drop with a brand new album exploring a different area of psychedelic rock/pop. The album would coincide with a bumper run of shows in various Melbourne venues, often debuting an entirely new set of songs. In theory that’s what we had here: album seven, Paper Mache Dream Balloon, a dalliance with all-acoustic instrumentation, and a four-show week. But this time things were a little different. Aside from a pop-up show earlier in the week, Gizz weren’t actually the headliners. Rather, Swedish superfreaks Goat assumed that post. More significantly, the setlist BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 48

was as close as they’ve come to a careerspanning retrospective. It was something of a relief – their constant in-studio limb flexing is admirable, even if they don’t always hit the mark, but it’s nice to know their songs don’t simply get trashed after being committed to tape. In typical fashion, however, they began with a new one. Rumours of a heavier record ahead aren’t unfounded – this one inherited the krautrock bone structure of I’m In Your Mind Fuzz while gaining hard rockindebted technicality. It was matched by a few other similarly-natured newies, some hinting at the brazen eccentricity of Queen, others leaning closer to the Duracell charge of Queens of the Stone Age. Elsewhere, the set jumped through Hot Wax (Oddments), Hot Water (Mind Fuzz) and Paper Mache’s dizziest number, Trapdoor. The standout was Quarters! lead track, The River. It’s been hard to fully appreciate what they were trying to achieve with Quarters!, perhaps due to the record’s uniform organisation, but this fence-toppling live rendition showed off the song’s surprising sensuality. You could’ve easily assumed Gizz were the

drawcard, given their hometown notoriety. But the Croc’s a huge joint, and Goat certainly attracted their contingent of followers. It’s a good thing, too, because what they brought to the stage was wholly founded in community. It was a wild ride – the stage populated by a troupe of androgynous figures decked out in tribal garb and animal masks. The two female (we think) vocalists were unerringly energetic, flapping limbs around in a big fuck-you to gravity. The setlist also danced around, from Afrobeat to lubricated kraut, touching on classic rock riffs and howls of devotion. Nothing here was necessarily groundbreaking – the influences, while vast, were all familiar and suited one another – but it was still like nothing we’d seen before. LOVED: The Croc’s sound system showcasing its full potential. HATED: What you mean. DRANK: Foxes, mountains, till the bitter end. BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

SATURDAY DECEMBER 5

Mono’s performance was so terrifyingly noisy it should’ve come with a storm warning, and yet still the show carried an air of elegance. Even support act We Lost The Sea managed to craft a beautiful-yetchaotic soundscape with their finely tuned post-metal. Performing beautiful open chords, every song took the audience on a sprawling journey through sound. The harmonic six-piece demonstrated a natural talent for airy and ominous songs, each one gathering sizeable momentum, with the band members increasing the noise on a bar-by-bar basis. The final result was a swirling tornado of noise, blasting with a fury that could strip the wood off an abandoned cabin. Mono are incredible musicians, and together they home in on single styles or song structures to the point of perfection, rarely straying away from their apparent goal. This showed in tonight’s set – many of their songs felt similar, often opening slowly and turning into a thunderous juggernaut tinged with an opera feel. The band began with three of the four members curiously perched on stools, but as things

IF YOU ARE READING THIS YOU ARE TOO CLOSE

playing a fuller, much more intricate rendition of It Never Goes Out than the studio version. New track Sun promised good things from their upcoming third studio album, starting off as traditional altrock before dismantling half way through, reforming, and building up into a huge payoff at the end. Showing off their heavier side with albumclosing anthem Dendron, the band left the stage only to return and absolutely nail what was the highlight of the night: An Introduction To The Album. Wrapping up the encore with The Scope Of All This Rebuilding, the crowd soon shuffled out of the venue with drenched shirts and empty glasses. But after selling out their debut Melbourne performance, and playing two more local shows across the weekend, The Hotelier will be back here before you know it. LOVED: An Introduction To The Album. HATED: Phone dying as soon I hit “Send Uber”. DRANK: Beer. BY MICHAEL CLARK testing out the sounds of space porn. It wasn’t long until the identifiable voice of Cosima Jaala was echoing around the upstairs band room. She, along with band members Maria Moles (drums), Loretta Wilde (bass) and Nicolas Lam (guitar), took the stage by storm. Salt Shaker set them off on a sublime showcase of their debut record’s track list. With a blue-lit, smoke filled stage, the sultry singer/songwriter serenaded both long-time fans and the stragglers that are just catching on. With a live sound almost identical to the studio version of the break up album, the group have perfected their craft. This is especially true of the frontwoman herself, who has vocal cries and flawless licks for days. LOVED: Kirkis’ level of concentration HATED: Unisex toilets, still not a fan. DRANK: Vodka downstairs, Midori upstairs. BY PHOEBE ROBERTSON EDITOR’S NOTE Uhhh, Phoebe. The Curtin doesn’t have unisex toilets. became louder, they rose to add emphasis to their performance. The drums fluttered from transcendent taps to militant blasts, while the guitars were laced with enough reverb to shake a person’s bones. Furious picking saw Mono working their amps to the absolute limit, trebly tones screeching across the hall like the cries of a deep-sea whale. There were moments when the guitar would rip into a warp of feedback, only to be counterbalanced by delicate tinkles of either keyboard or glockenspiel. The epic length, weighty tone and curious instrumentation gave you the feeling of watching the performance of a film score. For a four-piece act, Mono played with the strength of 20 musicians. After a climactic light show backed up their near post-apocalyptic finale, Mono bowed, said their thanks and gracefully vacated the stage. Many a crowd member replied with nothing but a gaping mouth, stunned by the power of what they had just witnessed LOVED: That tone. Fwoar. HATED: People could you please stop talking while people are trying to enjoy a show? I mean you’ve got a whole beer garden for it, why not go there? DRANK: Water. It was surprisingly good. BY THOMAS BRAND

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ALBUM WEEK OF THE

Top Tens PBS TOP TEN

1. It’s A Holiday Soul Party SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS 2. Hurtling Through TINY RUINS AND HAMISH KILGOUR 3. Live in Paris TINARIWEN 4. Al Zman Haib FADOUL 5. Travellers KELLER/MURPHY/BROWNE 6. Iva FEMI KOYA 7. On Love and Science ZULYA AND THE CHILDREN OF THE UNDERGROUND 8. One Finger Salute TOM DOCKRAY & THE DOCKADOODLEDOOS 9. Holy Sick WAAX 10. Hanna ROSS HANNAFORD

RECORD PARADISE TOP TEN

1. Paper Mache Dream Balloon KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD 2. It’s You GOLD CLASS 3. Have You In My Wilderness JULIA HOLTER 4. Riot Boi LE1F 5. Multi-Love UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA 6. Lightweight THE OCEAN PARTY 7. Absence SNOWMAN 8. Kill It Yourself JESS RIBEIRO 9. Seance Fiction MILES BROWN 10. Saeva LITTLE DESERT

ERYKAH BADU

But You Caint Use My Phone (EMI Music Australia) Staying closely attuned to neo-soul can take incredible amounts of patience. Even Erykah Badu, one of the genre’s leading proponents, routinely spends years in hiatus between albums. So when the 44-year-old funkmystic released her new mixtape But You Caint Use My Phone, she must have sensed a growing appetite for the sound. Created in just 12 days alongside producer Zac Witness, the record’s spontaneity is obvious. In a recent interview with Complex, Badu playfully labelled the mixtape her “side-bitch”, explaining that its casual release eased the usual pressure of a full length album. The typically analogue artist made the most of loose expectations by experimenting in a digital soundscape. Although the title is a nod to the cult classic single Tyrone (from 1997’s Live), followers of Badu-ism may be disappointed – this record shouldn’t be heard with any preconceptions. The tape’s first inspiration comes from Drake’s Hotline Bling, which Badu famously remade into a Soundcloud favourite. References to the smash hit can be heard throughout the record’s entirety, sometimes awkwardly so. On U Use To Call Me, rising rapper ItsRoutine

HEARTLAND RECORDS TOP TEN

drops a verse that sounds pretty much like Drake with a blocked nose. But as connections to the 6 God fade out, the telephone theme doesn’t. Judging by the cover-art, it’s clear Badu interprets phones as more than a clever piece of technology. To her they’re portals; a means of communicating intimacy, dangerous yet powerful, distracting yet necessary. In Phone Down Badu demands the undivided attention of her lover, singing, “You ain’t gon’ text no one when you’re with me”, but the dark undertones of production hint at feelings of doubt. The closing song Hello brings order to the moody track list. Scattered ideas of love, lust and neediness sound more refined alongside harmonious vocals from Badu’s old flame, Andre 3000. It’s a rare feature, which naturally drew attention to the record’s release. The deeply intimate ballad is fascinating considering the pair’s romantic past. But Hello is ultimately a tune about two grown-up folks with a history, trying to work things out. Like the record, they plead for clarity of connection. BY JESSICA ANKOMAH

SINGLE REVIEWS WITH LACHLAN

Can all labels send me physical copies of the past few months’ hit albums so I can cross off a lot of my Chrissy shopping? Cheers. UV RACE You’re So Shy (Independent) Hitting their most mellow stride yet, Melbourne’s UV Race give their impeccable ear for riffs a velvet upholstery for an interstellar psych setting. It’s the inverse of previous album Racism’s vicious I’m A Pig, more in line with the joy of Gypsy King, except far more spaced out. Taken from the upcoming film/album The UV Race Disgrace Space, which will probably join 2001: A Space Odyssey in the pantheon of science fiction classics. ANOHNI 4 DEGREES (Rough Trade/ Remote Control) The prospect of Antony And The Johnsons’ lead singer collaborating with Hudson Mohawke and Oneohtrix Point Never almost felt too good to be true. Before the year is out, we get a miracle in the form of 4 Degrees, and it’s as

good as you could ever fantasise. Anohni has excelled in the realm of dance before (namely with the disco jam Blind with Hercules And Love Affair), her incredible voice adept in any context. 4 Degrees plays to each party’s strengths – HudMo, OPN and Anohni all pushing boundaries while forging a cohesive joy. There’s an environmental message, but never preachy. New album Hopelessness out sometime soon, hopefully. LONTALIUS Kick In The Head (Pod/Inertia) Changing pace yet again, New Zealand’s Lontalius returns to guitar-driven territory for the radiant and crisp Kick In The Head. It’s carried by a breathlessness that invites with unease just under the surface – with emotional give and take in ambiguous measure. It follows Casiotone meditation All I Wanna Say, carving out a similar

mood with a different toolbox. Eddie Johnston has exhibited resounding dexterity between Lontalius recordings, live shows, and his Race Banyon project. Kick In The Head shows dexterity within the realm of Lontalius’s studio output. It comes with promise of a debut album sometime in 2016. DORSAL FINS Heart On The Floor (Gripless/ Remote Control) Dorsal Fins have steadily proven themselves as an act who surpass the sum of their parts, the musical minds in action here contributing something more carefree than their already established musical pursuits. It’s tonal playfulness that never feels throwaway. Heart On The Floor risks coming across as goofy if played in less capable hands, but here it’s nothing but genuine.

W E

WATERFALL PERSON

I’m A Fan Of The Bands (Couldn’t Be More Mad!) (About The Bands!) (Independent)

There is a lot to love here. Swirling melodies surreptitiously allure with precisionperfect composition, crafting suspense between choruses – and those choruses are magic. Indelible hooks are delivered with effortless charm, daring to be offensive with catchiness while simultaneously disarming. It’s gleeful and addictive. I’m a fan of the band. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 50

HOW SICK IS MUSIC? HEAPS WICKED

1. Pornography 2LP THE CURE 2. Middle of Nowhere Center of Everywhere 2LP ACID KING 3. Floodland 4LP Box set THE SISTERS OF MERCY 4. Live in Hyde Park 4LP THE WHO 5. Why don’t you 10” SPIDERS 6. Live Corruption LP NAPALM DEATH 7. Straight Outta Burbank LP STONE SOUR 8. Kannon LP SUNN O))) 9. Ty Rex LP TY SEGALL 10. Kill Bill Volumes 1&2 LP VARIOUS ARTISTS

OFF THE HIP RECORDS TOP TEN 1. Play Their Own Records LP THE MUMMIES 2. Electric Glitter Boogie LP POWER 3. Soul Clap LP Various 4. Rides Tonight LP DADDY LONG LEGS 5. Runnin’ On Empty LP THE MUMMIES 6. Sacred Music 7” BOX THE CRAMPS 7. Silver Bullets LP THE CHILLS 8. Living Daylight LP MICHAEL RAULT 9. Beyond the Black Stump LP HELTA SKELTA 10. This Is LP THE SONICS

COLLECTORS CORNER MISSING LINK TOP TEN

1. Prowler In The Yard LP/2CD PIG DESTROYER 2. The Night Creeper CD UNCLE ACID 3. Darkness Drips Forth LP HOODED MENACE 4. Paper Mache Dream Balloon CD KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD 5. Dying Surfer Meets His Maker CD ALL THEM WITCHES 6. Divers LP JOANNA NEWSOM 7. Psychic Warfare CD CLUTCH 8. The Thrill Is Gone 10” BB KING 9. Ego Sum Sathanas LP GOAT SEMEN 10. IX: Everyone Everything Everywhere Ends LP SHINING

BEAT’S TOP TEN SONGS ABOUT BABY ANIMALS

1. Leg Of Lamb QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE 2. Puppy Love DONNY OSMOND 3. Lost Kitten METRIC 4. I Think I Smell A Rat THE WHITE STRIPES 5. Shrimp Po-Boy ALLEN TOUSSAINT 6. Satanic Veal ARMCANNON 7. Star Me Kitten R.E.M. 8. Little Bird ANNIE LENNOX 9. The Puppy Song HARRY NILSSON 10. Mary Had A Little Lamb PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS

BEA

T.C O M

N E W

M U S I C

BARONESS

I N

W E E K ’ S

IEWS FOR M

T H I S

ALBUM REVIEWS

R E V I E W

PURPLE (Cooking Vinyl Australia)

FOURTEEN NIGHTS AT SEA

COLDPLAY

A HEAD FULL OF DREAMS (Parlophone)

Even before its release, Baroness’ fourth album Purple has been getting tongues wagging. It’s been over three years since the stoner metal outfit’s highly regarded third album, Yellow & Green. The hiatus came in the wake of a serious bus accident that occurred during the band’s 2012 tour. The brush with death not only left a multitude of physical scars, but also some deep psychological damage. As a direct result of the accident, bass player Matt Maggioni and drummer Allen Blickle graciously decided to call it quits. Purple welcomes new bassist Nick Jost and drummer Sebastian Thompson. Along with the lineup re-shuffle, the album is the first release via Abraxam Hymns, the band’s new self-founded label. Although previous Baroness albums have been orchestrated to take the listener on an epic and exhilarating journey, Purple is more to the point. That’s not say that fans should expect anything less, with songs like Chlorine & Wine running for a luscious seven minutes. The track encompasses swelling ambient progressions, shredding guitars and weighty drums. The dark and intense lyrics contribute to the record’s decidedly poignant atmosphere – a contrast to earlier releases. The use of keyboards in anything metal-related can be very hit-or-miss, however Jost’s keys-playing builds tension and brings a different edge to the album overall. Tracks like Morningstar maintain a heavy chug that’ll get your head banging, whilst slower and more experimental ballads like If I Have to Wake Up (Would You Stop the Rain) inject an emotional pull. BY BEL RYAN

Having released the subdued Ghost Stories LP just last year, arguably the world’s biggest band are back with A Head Full of Dreams. Their sombre sixth album was clearly a break-up record, arriving in the wake of vocalist Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow’s “conscious uncoupling”. By contrast, this album is much more upbeat. It rings of Mylo Xyloto, the UK act’s hits-laden 2011 album. Though, there’s still a few slower numbers, such as the beautifully executed Everglow. If you liked the more poignant songwriting of Ghost Stories but missed the stadium pop of Mylo Xyloto then you’ll absolutely love this record. The band haven’t just realised they can meld slower tracks and unashamedly over-the-top pop tunes together in one album, but they do so damn well. The album opens with the title track, which is every bit as good as Paradise and will be stuck in your head for days. Birds is similarly uplifting, while Hymn for the Weekend takes the band in a new direction in terms of beat and production. Army of One is a significant highlight, while lead single Adventure of a Lifetime is surprisingly the album’s weakest point (that is, apart from the annoying speech-filled interlude Kaleidoscope). Closer Up&Up is a fitting end to a wonderful album. To prove how much happier this album is, even Paltrow is among the list of featured guests, which also includes the likes of Noel Gallagher, Tove Lo and Beyonce.

Fourteen Nights At Sea continue the tradition of instrumental mood music that holds together whilst suggesting it could easily fray at the seams at any point. Australia has a long and distinguished history of this type of musical endeavour, dating back to Makers Of The Dead Travel Fast and the raft of minuscule cassette-only releases that bedroom composers would release to document their product. Lately, this lineage has continued through the likes of The Dirty Three, Because Of Ghosts and the ilk. However, don’t expect short sharp bursts of energy from Minor Light’s five lengthy compositions. Also, don’t expect a warm and fuzzy inner glow to result from listening to this record. The cover image is a bleak and foggy road, setting you up for the journey FNAS want to take you on. The band have developed this approach throughout their previous two releases and could well be heading for the crossroads of Sigur Ros and Mogwai. Throw in the likes of God Is An Astronaut, Jakob and Silver Mt. Zion and you are well on your way. Patience is required as they ply a wide dynamic with the utmost care. Even the slightest detail is a parallel accentuation of loneliness and isolation. FNAS exact an emotional catharsis with almost paternal care. This allows your mind wander wherever it takes you. It’s a journey well worth embarking on, intricate in detail and elaborate in the musique concrete, chamber music manner.

BY ALEXANDER CROWDEN

BY BRONIUS ZUMERIS

CAGE THE ELEPHANT

VARIOUS ARTISTS

MAJOR LAZER

TELL ME I’M PRETTY (Sony Music Australia)

Kentucky’s Cage The Elephant are one of those bands credited with grabbing modern rock by the collar and lifting it from the abyss. Alt-rock icons the Pixies may have informed the band’s early albums – tracks such as Aberdeen and Around My Head are pure Pixies appropriations – but in recent years they’ve distanced themselves from the ‘90s revival pack. On album number four, Tell Me I’m Pretty, CTE strive to reshape their sound with some vintage-inspired flair. Produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, Tell Me I’m Pretty sways between bursts of ‘60s garage rock, slinky blues, twangy acoustic passages and spacey neo-psychedelia. Auerbach’s ear for pop steeped in the haze of decades gone by can be felt throughout – think classic Stones, The Kinks, The Easybeats et al. rehashed for the Spotify generation. The band’s rough edges are smoothed over and Matthew Shultz opts for a soulful croon in favour of his former manic yelp. Lead single Mess Around is radio-friendly retro rock of the Kasabian ilk, and it sets the tone for an album content with hitting the mark but not eclipsing it. Occasionally Cage The Elephant get close to that elusive, goose bumpinspiring sweet spot, but they never quite make it. When you want them to cut loose or notch up the energy with a sneering solo, they reel it back into a safe three-and-a-half minute package peppered with lyrical clichés like, “My sweet love won’t you pull me through / Everywhere I look I catch a glimpse of you.” It’s frustrating, especially when you know they’re capable of doing better. Smoky album closer Portuguese Knife Fight is a standout, but overall Tell Me I’m Pretty lacks a real winner like Come a Little Closer or Take It or Leave It. Despite some new ideas and influences creeping into the mix, everything feels very safe on Tell Me I’m Pretty. While previous album Melophobia had hips that swung loose, this one just feels a bit uptight.

MINOR LIGHT (Hobbledehoy)

TRIPLE J: 40 YEARS OF MUSIC (ABC Music)

BE TOGETHER (AUSTRALAZER EP) (Warner Music)

Major Lazer is the brainchild of American producer Diplo, who’s joined by fellow music makers Jillionare and Walshy Fire. When it comes to EDMreggae, the collective are miles ahead of everyone else. So much so that producers from around the globe have taken time to put their own spin on several of the group’s chart topping jams. Be Together (feat. Wild Belle) is the opening track from this year’s Peace Is The Mission LP, and this EP features the original track, as well as six remixes by local heroes Carmada, Will Sparks, Nicky Night Time, Senor Roar, Mashd N Kutcher and Cut Snake. Taking the first swing at the popular hit, Carmada’s starry, minimal opening is swiftly followed by a dub-step chorus and an epic R&B bass drop. Bigwig of the Melbourne bounce scene, Will Sparks is up next. The local DJ lives up to his reputation, creating an uptempo mix with a horninfused chorus. Nicky Night Time’s extended, chilled-out house version removes the majority of Wild Belle’s vocals and leaves everything up to the looped, repetitive instrumental. While it’s a fine interpretation, it lacks the eargrabbing essence of the original track. Trap guru Senor Roar then takes the single to an entirely new level with a dirty kick drum and a lathering of electronic hi-hats. Closing the EP, Mashd N Kutcher and Cut Snake’s remixes are a blend of funky melodies and high-pitched, sped-up vocals. Both of them make for a perfect summer drinking song, however, nothing matches up to the Major Lazer original. BY PHOEBE ROBERTSON

Why does triple j continue to release compilations? It seems like every year the youth broadcaster releases some sort of retrospective album, and of course, the perennial juggernaut that is the Hottest 100 always warrants a double CD. It’s relentless, especially considering most of the ostensibly zeitgeist-documenting compilations comprise the same usual suspects, such as Pixies, Joy Division, Nick Cave, Radiohead, The Avalanches, Powderfinger, et al. However, by seeking to compile the most relevant songs of an epoch, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation are essentially creating historical documents not swayed by commercial interests. To us as listeners, these are just cool songs we’ve heard one million times before. But in 30 years time we’ll look back on the period from 1975-2015 and think, “Wow, music that people listened to was so definitive. We were all avid investigators into musical culture, refusing to settle for what was fed to us by mainstream media outlets.” When our children are doing university assignments on this era, they will look to historical documents like triple j’s 40 Years Of Music compilation and learn that the artists and songs that resonated with Australia’s 18-24 year old demographics included everything from Devo’s Whip It and Rage Against The Machine’ Killing In The Name Of to Outkast’ Miss Jackson and Peking Duk’s High. So go out and buy triple j’s latest historical document; not so you can listen to 80 songs you already own, but so when your children and your children’s children ask what it was like to be an indie-aesthete, you can simply hand them this compilation. BY DAN WATT

BY JACK PILVEN

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 51

GIG GUIDE

JACKSON REID BRIGGS & THE HEATERS

Musicland, Fawkner. 7:00pm. $10.00.

TH E TOT E Jackson Reid Briggs is teaming up with a wirey bunch of brothers in the form of The Heaters to deliver a Wednesday residency at The Tote, full of mullets and devoid of silence. To celebrate a wild month of December shenanigans, they’ll be dragging along the likes of Paul Kidney Experience, Shepparton Airplane, Fraudband, Palm Springs, Matt Gleeson, Shripwitch, Guy Parkman Band and many more. It’s an end of year dedication to rock and or roll, and you’re invited. Get on down to catch Jackson Reid & The Heaters this Wednesday December 9 at The Tote. Doors open at 8pm.

8:00pm. $10.00.

SHOL + LO-RES 303, Northcote. 9:00pm. SONIC EXPEDITION DJS - FEAT: TOM SHOWTIME + TIM WIGG + MORE Belleville, Melbourne. 8:00pm. THE BOMBAY ROYALE + DJ MANCHILD Howler,

WEDNESDAY DEC 9 HEDGE FUND + PRETTY CITY + FLOYD COX Public Bar, North Melbourne. 7:30pm. $8.00.

JASIA + JORDAN CLAY + DAVY SIMMONY Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.

KANGAN TAFE MUSIC DEPARTMENT (SHOWCASE) KILL DIRTY YOUTH + HEAD KICKS + TWIN AGES + THE BLACK ALLEYS Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. MON FRERE MON FRERE + RAMMER/MURPHY/MCLEAN + DAN SHEEHAN Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood.

BLACK DOG

CHER RY BAR Black Dog are back to ruff up your ears with some raucous tunes, assuming you’re up fur it. Barking out a wolf pack of songs for anyone hanging ar-hound to see them, Black Dog will leave you begging for more in the small pawses between sets. Sit and stay for what’s set to be a beag-uiling night at Cherry Bar, to be sure. Put on your Cavalier charm and Shepherd your friends down to Cherry Bar this Wednesday December 9 to catch the best of Cherry 2015 with Black Dog, along with Two Headed Dog and Super Saloon. Be there when the Labra-doors open at 8pm, entry is $5.

OPEN MIC Hidden Garden, Ascot Vale. 7:00pm. OPEN MIC Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 6:00pm.

RUBIX RADIO ON KISSFM Rubix Warehouse, Brunswick. 8:30pm.

FOLEY + HELENA POP + JAY WARS & THE HOWARD YOUTH Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. $5.00.

Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. 8:00pm.

NICK SYMONDS

$49.00.

YA H YA H’S Goldentone Thursdays is back for another night of outstanding Americana, folk and roots music, and they’re bringing along the talents of Nick Symonds for your aural pleasure. Shoot on down to Yah Yah’s, grab a bite at the Meet Wagon kitchen, and let Nick Symonds play you a tune or two as you drink away your evening. Catch Nick Symonds at Yah Yah’s this Thursday December 10. Doors open at 7pm, entry is free.

MOTHER JACK

WH OL E LOT TA LOV E Its open mic with an added Swedish twist this Wednesday as Mother Jack makes an appearance at Whole Lotta Love. The atmospheric sibling duo combine a double bass with vocals, adding in percussion, glockenspiel and numerous effects to form a soundscape that’s both dynamic and rich in depth. Along with a few open mic regulars, Mother Jack plays Whole Lotta Love this Wednesday December 9 from 6pm. Free entry.

8:30pm.

FATHER JOHN MISTY + CAMERON AVERY Forum Theatre, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm. $59.50.

MUDDY’S BLUES ROULETTE - FEAT: BIG DADDY ROY PAIN Catfish, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

OPEN MIC NIGHT Purple Emerald, Northcote. 8:00pm. OPEN MIC NIGHT Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale. 8:00pm.

T HE YARRA HOTEL If you’re in the market for a bit of pop and happen to be floating past The Yarra Hotel, come shake off those hump day blues with Chev Rise. The local three piece, known for performing anthemic pop tracks in stripped back fashion, are going as far as to perform a ripper of a double set for anyone lucky enough to attend. Catch Chev Rise at The Yarra Hotel this Wednesday December 9. Doors open at 8.30pm, entry is free.

RICK CHARLES (CHRISTMAS SHOW) Daveys Bar &

Restaurant, Frankston. 10:30am. $15.00.

RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE - FEAT: JOEY ELBOWS The

Luwow, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

WINE WHISKEY WOMEN - FEAT: JEMMA ROWLANDS + BROOKE RUSSELL Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

8:00pm.

THURSDAY DEC 10

SAM SMITH Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. 7:30pm. $86.35.

Collingwood. 7:30pm. $5.00.

SHELLAC + BONNIE MERCER Corner Hotel, Richmond. UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA + ALEX CAMERON 170

Russell, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm.

BIG EASY SOUL SESSIONS Carlton Club, Melbourne

CBD. 8:00pm.

BOPSTRETCH Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. DIZZY’S BIG BAND WITH PETER HEARNE Dizzy’s Jazz

Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $10.00.

KOKKO QUARTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 8:30pm. $25.00.

LOCAL CALL - FEAT: RINTRAH Railway Hotel , Brunswick. 6:00pm. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 52

ASTRAL SKULLS + BRAINBEAU + SUMMER FLAKE + DOUG FRANKS Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10.00. FLEETMAC WOOD (WHITE WINGED LOVE DISCO) + GEEZY + CAZEAUX O.S.L.O + SKOMES Boney, Melbourne CBD. 10:00pm. $20.00.

JOEY CAPE

THE SHADOW E L ECTRI C The December edition of Indietronic Thursday touches down at Shadow Electric this week, featuring performances from Huntly, Kalacoma, Hypersleep and Togetherapart, along with visuals from a secret special guest. They’ll be hooking up an original Nintendo (NES), cartridges and all, for people to enjoy in the games room, backing up an incredible night of electronica, cross-over acts and projections. Shoot on down to The Shadow Electric this Thursday December 10 to catch Harmonic Divisions. Doors open at 7pm, entry is $9.

JOANNA WALLFISCH Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 7:00pm. $15.00.

8:00pm. $12.00.

INDIETRONIC THURSDAY - FEAT: HUNTLY + KALACOMA + HYPERSLEEP + TOGETHERAPART The Shadow Electric, Abbotsford. 7:00pm. $9.00.

MASLOW SAIDSO + MAD HEADSPACE & MOLE + THE FINKS Toff In Town, Melbourne CBD. 7:00pm. $15.00.

MEZZ LIVE Chelsea Heights Hotel, Chelsea Heights. 5:30pm.

POISON CITY XMAS - FEAT: THE BENNIES + INFINITE VOID + FLOUR + MORE Old Bar, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $15.00. RUNNING YOUNG + MY ELEPHANT RIDE + OFFICER PARROT + PINK HARVEST Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.

SHELLAC + BONNIE MERCER Corner Hotel, Richmond.

8:00pm. $45.00.

MUSCLE CAR

WH O LE LOT TA LOV E Whole Lotta Love is going back to their roots with a night full of chunky guitars and riff laden hard rock this Thursday. Featuring quintessential Melbourne pub rockers Muscle Car, and the hardcore sludge of BØG, the night should go down in history with the debut live performance of hard rock crew Fuggen Oath. Muscle Car, BØG and Fuggen Oath, smashing riffs and beers alike at Whole Lotta Love, this Thursday December 10 from 8pm. Entry is free.

SHOWCASE NIGHTS Purple Emerald, Northcote.

ALANNA EILEEN + COMFORT CREATURE + TALL SHORES + COLD HANDS WARM HEARTS Gasometer Hotel,

8:00pm. $45.00.

HARMONIC DIVISIONS

FRESH NELSON + ACID WESTERN + SPORADIC CHILDREN + THE FOOTBALL CLUB Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood.

THE ROOKIES The Rooks Return, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. ANDY MCGARVIE BAND Retreat Hotel, Brunswick.

CHEV RISE

H OWLE R Ryan Adams has labelled Bully “the best band in the world at this very moment,” and they’re blessing Howler with a bloody ripper of a show this week. Recorded in Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio studio in Chicago, and name checked by NME as one of their artists to watch, Bully have dealt track after track of pop infused punk tracks much to the delight of the entire world. You can catch Bully performing at Howler with Rolling Blackouts and Darts this Thursday December 10. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $44.

Brunswick. 9:00pm. $17.00.

THE FOUR SEASONS - FEAT: JOSEPH TAWADROS

NEW MELBOURNE JANGLE + MAC’S PEAKE + LOVEJOY Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $7.00.

BULLY

CHE RRY B AR Soul in the Basement is back, and this time Jay Power is taking over. Catch a night of ultra funky old school tunes with a bit of grit when she takes to the stage, bringing her signature mix of superb songwriting and smooth voice for this very special session at Cherry. Jay Power takes over Cherry Bar this Thursday December 10. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $10.

MELBOURNE IMPROVISERS COLLECTIVE Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

FRANK NELSON

THE B EN DI G O HOTE L With an EP in the works and a tour of Queensland finally wrapped up, Frank Nelson are gearing up for a show at The Bendigo this week to shred out some indie inspired post-punk tracks. Down for the ride on this night of nights are friends from Acid Western, Sporadic Children and The Football Club. If postpunk fusion is your cup of tea, make sure you shoot down to The Bendigo and catch Frank Nelson in action. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $12.

MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - FEAT: PREQUEL + EDD FISHER + MYLES MAC Toff In Town, Melbourne CBD. 10:00pm. MOVEMENT 9 + OLIVIA CHINDAMO Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 9:00pm. $25.00.

8:00pm.

SOUL FLATS FESTIVAL - FEAT: DESTRENDS + HOLLOW HOUNDS + MONDEGREEN + ANDY RICHARDS + BURNELL Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $10.00.

SPIKE FUCK + PILLOW PRO + EGYPT LIES + QWERTY Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $5.00.

SUBJECTS + SECOND SIGHT + HARSHED REALITY + NECKING + KOMPACT DEVELOPMENT Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 6:00pm.

TAYLOR SWIFT + VANCE JOY Aami Park, Melbourne.

TH E RE VE R E NC E H OT E L Lagwagon frontman Joey Cape loves Australia, and he’s treating The Reverence Hotel to a special acoustic show, popping in for a performance between Lagwagon’s shows. Audiences will be treated to an array of acoustic tracks as bold as they are fragile, traversing the ups and downs of Cape’s life as he performs throughout December. Catch Joey Cape when he snaps into intimate mode this Thursday December 10 at The Reverence Hotel. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $30.

JAY POWER

6:30pm.

THEME TEAM John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 7:00pm. VULPIX + COCONUT RUSH + SUN BAZEL Grace Darling

Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $5.00.

GLOBAL SAFARI Belleville, Melbourne. 6:00pm. HARRY COULSON’S RAIN DOGS Uptown Jazz Cafe,

Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.

B E AT.C O M . A U

YOUNG LIONS

THE WORKER’S CLUB Young Lions are enjoying the freedom of their last tour of the year, ready to take over The Worker’s Club this Thursday December 10 before locking themselves away in the studio to record their third album, due for release sometime next year. With two albums under their belt, including this year’s Blue Isla, the band have already won over fans across the country, supporting the likes of The Almost, Antiseptic, Jebediah, Dead Letter Circus, and more recently Silverstein, Dream On Dreamer and Short Stack. Catch them from 7pm this Thursday at The Worker’s Club. Tickets are $15 on the door.

GIG GUIDE BEYOND VEGAS + CLARKE & WHITE + JACK PELLOW Mr

Q&A

Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:00pm.

BIG DADDYS’ CAJUN BLUES PARTY Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:30pm.

BROOKE RUSSELL + BEN FRANZ Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm.

EMILEE SOUTH Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm. ERT TRIO & THE HOUNDLINGS Open Studio, Northcote.

NE OBLIVISCARIS

M AX WAT T’ S Coming off the back of a massive world tour, Ne Obliviscaris are returning to Australian shores to shred the shit out of Max Watt’s in a move that will surely set their fandom alight. After garnering attention in previous years at Soundwave, the band are back after performing to tens of thousands of people across the globe in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, including at many of the world’s biggest festivals. Catch one of contemporary metal’s finest as Ne Obliviscaris take to Max Watt’s this Thursday December 10. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $30.

OUT OF THE BLUE (A SWIMMING MUSICAL) St Kilda Memo, St Kilda. 7:00pm. $18.00.

RICHMOND MUSIC ACADEMY GALA NIGHT Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 6:30pm. $9.00.

7:30pm.

THURSTON MOORE BAND

PRI N C E B A ND R O O M Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore has confirmed a show at the Prince Bandroom in light of his upcoming performance at Meredith Music Festival. As the co-founder of seminal New York City fourpiece Sonic Youth, the artist made his mark in music history by offering up a rich, varied and incredibly innovative discography. In his lengthy career with Sonic Youth, Moore has helped delivered 17 studio albums and countless ground-breaking collaborations. If you’re geared up to see Thurston Moore in all his glory, he and his band have locked in a show at Prince Bandroom this Thursday December 10. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $78.

SLAVA & LEONARD GRIGORYAN + SHARON DRAPER + LUKE HOWARD Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank.

THE GUMBO CLUB FEATURING BLUES BASH

D I N G DO NG LOUNGE After the success of The Gumbo Club launch in early 2015, where Ding Dong would offer free live music and authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine direct from the Girl With The Gris Gris kitchen, the venue are back at it again with their brand new Blues Bash Thursday held all throughout December. Formed by Steve Lucas, the Melbourne musician behind the Child Wise Benefit show, Blues Bash Thursday brings together a pool of tremendous talent in local musicians Chris Wilson, Ash Davies, Matt Dwyer and Jerome Smith all on the same stage. As part of his Blues Bash, Steve Lucas will be performing the classics and standards from straight up blues to ‘50s rock’n’roll and original rhythm and blues. Doors open at 5.30pm, music kicks off at 7.30pm.

2:00pm. $38.00.

SLAVA & LEONARD GRIGORYAN + SHARON DRAPER + LUKE HOWARD Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank.

6:00pm. $38.00.

STEVE BARRY TRIO Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne

FATHER JOHN MISTY + CAMERON AVERY Forum

Theatre, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm.

GEOFF ACHISON (CHRISTMAS BLUES NIGHT BREAKUP) + ALL STAR JAM + THE SHAKE SHACK BOOGIE HOUSE BAND + DJ BARRY MAXWELL Musicland, Fawkner.

7:00pm.

GOLDENTONE THURSDAYS - FEAT: NICK SYMONDS Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.

JENNY BIDDLE Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10.00.

JESSICA PRATT + LAURA JEAN + LEAH SENIOR Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $38.00.

JOHN TOOGOOD Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. JULES SHELDON Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.

MARLON WILLIAMS & THE YARRA BENDERS Workers Club, Geelong. 8:00pm.

MILLAR JUKES + JOSHUA DEEBLE Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 7:30pm.

TIMBALERO THURSDAY La Di Da, Melbourne CBD.

OPEN MIC Station 59, Richmond. 8:00pm. OPEN MIC NITE Inkerman Hotel, Balaclava. 7:30pm. ROSS HANNAFORD (HANNA LAUNCH) + HANNA & RAY PERIERA Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 7:50pm. THE NEW SAVAGES + OSKAR HERBIG Retreat Hotel,

9:00pm. $10.00.

Brunswick. 8:30pm.

CBD. 8:30pm. $15.00.

THE GOOD EGG THURSDAYS - FEAT: HENRY WHO + TIGERFUNK + LEWIS CANCUT Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.

ANDREW SWIFT + COEN DIXON Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.

LISA CRAWLEY Can you tell us a little about what you do? I’m a songwriter and musician, born in New Zealand and have been living in Melbourne for a while performing, writing and recording whilst hosting piano karaoke nights and becoming a regular at Moroccan Soup Bar. You’ve recently released your EP Up In The Air. Can you describe its sound in five adjectives? Nostalgic, heartfelt, cinematic, alt-pop, evocative. Up In The Air reflected on your travels in Canada, America and Australia. What aspects of travelling do you find to be inspirational? The actual physical travelling part is more stressful than anything, I’m always forgetting something or leaving something on a plane. I do feel really reflective on aeroplanes, probably assisted by the gin and tonic I’m drinking. Meeting new people and gigging in new environments is really inspirational. Walking around new cities, talking to Uber drivers, nature. All my recent trips have been on my own so there’s a lot of people watching involved, which is great for songwriting. You’ll be embarking on an Australian tour this December. How do Aussie audiences compare to punters across the globe? I’ve had some of my best shows in Australia. I feel like most Australians are very open-minded to new music, mine included. It’s also really refreshing how many people are out watching music on weeknights and supporting local and international acts. You’ve recently moved to Melbourne. What excites you about being a part of the Melbourne music scene? Playing to a wider audience, being inspired by the copious amount of music surrounding me, and a plenitude of venues to perform at. LISA CRAWLEY is playing at The Spotted Mallard on Thursday December 10.

COMING UP

tuesdays IN DECEMBER

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 9TH DECEMBER

BIG BAND KARAOKE W/ THE JC LITTLE BIG BAND

DOORS/DINNER 6PM, SHOW TIME 8:30PM

SHOW TIME 7:30PM NO COVER CHARGE

THURSDAY 10TH DECEMBER

LISA CRAWLEY - ‘UP IN THE AIR’ EP LAUNCH DOORS/DINNER 6PM, SHOW TIME 8:30PM

FRIDAY 11TH DECEMBER

THE BLACKEYED SUSANS - XMAS SHOW +THE LOST RAGAS + JEP & DEP (SYD) DOORS/DINNER 6PM, SHOW TIME 8:30PM

SATURDAY 12TH DECEMBER

‘20TH ANNIVERSARY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION’

COLLARD GREENS AND GRAVY

FT. SPECIAL GUESTS SUZANNAH ESPIE & JEFF LANG + THE BACKWOOD CREATURES DOORS/DINNER 6PM, SHOW TIME 8:30PM SELLING FAST!

SUNDAY 13TH DECEMBER

CAIRO CLUB ORCHESTRA 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 53

Q&A

GIG GUIDE NICKY DEL REY

FRIDAY DEC 11

THE REVE REN CE HOTE L Nicky Del Rey has cemented his career in the Australian music scene, working with more than a dozen bands over his 30 year career, and now the veteran’s heading to The Reverence Hotel to smash out a gig before the weekend runs in. Spending his days gigging round the country, performing as a session player, and making regular guests appearances on local radio, Nicky Del Rey’s finesse with a pick cannot be over exaggerated. The country travelling Nicky Del Rey takes over The Rev this Friday December 11. Doors open at 8.30pm, entry is free.

BOSSA NIGHTS - FEAT: DARIUS & NOEL MENDOZA + DJ JUAN + DJ NAS Osti, Prahran. 7:00pm.

THE RIVAL MOB

RENELOPHUS

Define your genre in five words or less: Live, original, mash-up hip hop band. How long have you been gigging and writing? These tunes were written around two years ago. It’s taken ages to find the right crew. Well worth all the auditions and lineup changes, because we are a close knit family now who probably share way too much with each other. Which band would you most like to have a battle/ showdown with? We are generally pacifists, but if we were to get up in someone’s grill I would love it to be Kattamoni. There are very few live bands doing hip hop in Melbourne that I know of and it is wonderful seeing that bunch doing so well. What inspires or has influenced your music the most? The songs are written in a time I was exploring the world of polyamory, making babies and watching a war between the 1% and every one else roll on. What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? The best bands write the music they want to hear, or at least they try to. At our level, at least one of you has to work out a way to love the management side of things too. Why should everyone come and see your band? Because we are the weirdest combination of people you’ve ever seen, playing the catchiest, most mindblowing grooves that are around. Catch RENELOPHUS at The Brunswick hotel on Friday December 11.

TH E B E ND I G O H OT E L Undeniably one of the best hardcore bands on the planet, The Rival Mob are taking their savage mix of classic NYC and Boston hardcore to The Bendigo Hotel. The band are currently on tour to promote their next release, their first new stuff since 2013’s Mob Justice. Backed by an awesome local line up featuring Scab Eater, Grotto, Faceless Burial, Bin Kicker and The Enforced, be sure to catch The Rival Mob this Friday December 12 for a banger of a hardcore set. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $25 on the door.

CLAVEMANIA Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 9:30pm. $25.00.

CRAIG SCHNEIDER TRIO Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $16.00.

JULIA HOLTER

H OWL E R Julia Holter has been kicking some big goals this year; her album Have You In My Wilderness has turned heads, scored rave reviews and ultimately earned her a slot performing at this year’s Meredith Festival. The L.A. born composer has been described as adventurous, ambitious and born of pure imagination. On this very special night of Friday December 11, you can catch Julia Holter performing at Howler – lucky you. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $47.

MODELS

T H E FLYI NG S AU C E R C LUB Melbourne’s ‘80s art-rockers Models are embarking on their first ever national tour, locking in a show at The Flying Saucer Club this weekend. Emanating from the creative maelstrom of Melbourne’s post-punk scene, Models released a succession of highly acclaimed albums, culminating in the number one smash Out Of Mind Out Of Sight. Their upcoming tour will see the outfit play hits from myriad albums including Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf, Cut Lunch, Local and/or General, The Pleasure of Your Company and the aforementioned Out Of Mind Out Of Sight. Set to dazzle fans with two performances at The Flying Saucer Club across the weekend, Models play on Friday December 11, and Sunday December 13. Doors open at 6pm, entry is $33.

TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSION Drunken Poet,

FATBACK BAND + SEX ON TOAST + EDDIE MAC + DJ OBLIVEUS + JC Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm.

West Melbourne. 6:00pm.

$45.00.

9:00pm.

FRANK YAMMA + DAVID BRIDIE Melbourne Recital

WHAT THE FUNK FRIDAYS Purple Emerald, Northcote.

Centre, Southbank. 7:00pm. $40.00.

JULZ EVENS (UNTIL IT HURTS & THEN SOME) + FAMOUS WILL 24 Moons, Northcote. 7:30pm. $12.00. LA NUIT BLANCHE Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne

CBD. 8:30pm. $25.00.

MONDO LOCO + DOC POPALOTCORN + DJ AYNA Belleville, Melbourne. 6:00pm.

MANTRA

MISFITS

M A X WAT T ’S Misfits are in town, so yeah – you can go out and kill tonight, kiddo. Spawned from hell itself back in 1977, Misfits ended up making history and creating a legacy that withheld the test of time – and now they’re taking to Max Watt’s to perform their classic albums Static Age and Earth AD for fans lucky enough to attend. They’ve had a massive influence on many a notable band, ranging from the likes of Guns ‘n Roses through to Metallica – all the way to the patch on your uncle’s denim jacket. Catch Misfits at Max Watt’s this Friday December 11. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $65.

MOVEMENT 9 + OLIVIA CHINDAMO Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 7:00pm. $25.00.

T H E WO R K E R’S C LU B Mantra is often named as one of Australia’s best hip hop artists, and he’s ready to prove why at The Worker’s Club this Friday December 11, breaking into the venue to launch his latest EP, Scenefour. Renowned for his explosive live performances, Mantra will be rocking the new EP material on the night, which has never heard by a live audience before. Joining him will be longtime collaborator Grey Ghost and razor-sharp lyricist Defron. Mantra launches Scenefour at The Worker’s Club this Friday December 11. Doors open 8pm with $18 entry.

AIRWAY LANES (XMAS SHOW SPECTACULAR) Inkerman Hotel, Balaclava. 8:00pm.

ANDY WHITE & THE BAND OF GOLD Yarra Hotel,

Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm. $10.00.

DEAD LETTER CIRCUS + CALIGULA’S HORSE + JERICCO + GATHERER Chelsea Heights Hotel, Chelsea Heights. 8:00pm. $30.00.

EINSTEINS TOYBOYS + RATTLNCANE Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $10.00.

ELTON JOHN + TATE SHERIDAN Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. 7:15pm. $183.41.

FINISHING SCHOOL Bella Union Bar, Carlton. 9:30pm. $10.00.

G-POP + SHE’S THE DRIVER + DONNIE DUREAU + MORE 303, Northcote. 7:30pm.

BLACK ACES

CHERRY B AR Black Aces are taking over Cherry Bar before the weekend rings in, bringing a swathe of contemporary rock tunes coated in an old varnish. Hailing from country Victoria, Black Aces had a longing to hear the kind of music that had once forged Australia’s musical back bone. They set about crafting such a band; a true blue, fire breathing, chest beating, riff‘n’roll band. Drawing much of their inspiration from the Aussie greats in AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs, The Angels and Cold Chisel, they cut their teeth on their local scene, and now they can confidently deliver a powerhouse rock show that matches up to the greats. Catch Black Aces at Cherry Bar this Friday December 11. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $13.

HABITS + JONNY TELAFONE + VACUUM + MOLLUSC Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm.

HAILGUN + CORDELL + DIPLOID + KURDAITCHA Public Bar, North Melbourne. 8:30pm. $10.00.

HEY HEY IT’S FRIDAY - FEAT: ASTRO BOYS Royal Hotel

(essendon), Essendon. 10:00pm.

IN MALICE’S WAKE + DESECRATOR + BANE OF WINTERSTORM + DECIMATUS + ESPIONAGE Evelyn

Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $15.00.

INTO THE MYSTIC (THE MUSIC OF VAN MORRISON) St Kilda Memo, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $23.00.

JEFF DUFF (BOWIE UNZIPPED) Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $28.00.

SLEAZY LISTENING - FEAT: ARKS + RICHARD KELLY + HYSTERIC + K HOOP Toff In Town, Melbourne CBD.

Abbotsford. 8:00pm. $5.00.

AUSTRALIAN KINGSWOOD FACTORY Retreat Hotel,

KATANA CARTEL + CYANIDE TEETH + FADED REVOLUTION + CROSSBONE CARNIVAL + MORE Musicland, Fawkner.

5:00pm.

Brunswick. 9:30pm.

8:00pm. $5.00.

Collingwood. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm. $15.00.

THE MARK FITZGIBBON TRIO Uptown Jazz Cafe,

BEAUTIFUL BEASTS + THE LOVE DOGS + DIAMONDS OF NEPTUNE + SNAKE EAT LION Grace Darling Hotel,

Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

CAPTAIN SPALDING Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 9:30pm.

COLOSSVS + SEWERCIDE + EXPOSED + PAGAN Old Bar,

THE BEAN PROJECT

TH E WE S LE Y A NNE The Bean Project are getting ready to embark on their Sprouts tour, and you’re invited to catch them for a spectacular send-off at The Wesley Anne before the weekend runs in. Their distinctively unique style saw them win 2014/15 FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands due to their stylistic similarities to Cake, City and Color and Kings Of Convenience, along with a couple of excellent French horn segments for audiences to sink their ears into. The Bean Project launch their debut EP at The Wesley Anne on Friday December 11. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $10 – plus you get a free download of their EP with entry. How good is that?

MACHINE GUN SUNRISE + STELLA COLLAPSE + JURASSIC NARK + THE SERPENTINE + JAMES HALL MASSIVE + SERPENTINE SKY + TEN THOUSAND + VOODOOCAIN Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne CBD.

9:00pm. $10.00.

Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $13.00.

MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL - FEAT: BIG DADDY KANE + BULLY + UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA + MORE

S P OT T E D M A LL A R D The Blackeyed Susans return to the Spotted Mallard for a very special Christmas show on Friday December 11. Amidst the tinsel and the lights, The Susans will play a hand-picked set featuring the best of their extensive back catalogue, along with some choice Christmas classics to round out the evening. Formed in Perth in 1989, The Blackeyed Susans have built a reputation for their moody romanticism and op-shop stylings. Over the past twenty odd years they have toured the world, played with the likes of Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen and released countless albums, singles, vinyl and CDs of strange and beautiful music. This Christmas show will be the last chance to see The Blackeyed Susans before they work on their much anticipated seventh record, so make sure you pop down to the Spotted Mallard this Friday December 11. Doors open at 6pm, entry is $28.

Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Meredith.

THE BLACKEYED SUSANS

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 54

CRANKED Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale. 8:00pm. CRASH & BURN + SWORF + MOJO PIN + BLACK PINK

B E AT.C O M . A U

12:00pm.

MOON DUO National Gallery Of Victoria, Melbourne. 6:00pm. $24.00.

PIKACHUNES + FORTUNES + YUGEN Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $12.00.

RENELOPHUS + GRASSHOLE + ATOMIC COCKROACH + CLUSTERFUNK Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm. RIVAL MOB Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. SMUDGE (THE MANILOW TRIBUTE ALBUM LAUNCH) + BEN MASON + THE SUNSET CLUB Northcote Social

Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $16.00.

GIG GUIDE SWING TRAIN Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne CBD. 8:30pm. $25.00.

THE JC LITTLE BAND Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne

CBD. 7:00pm. $20.00.

TWISTMAS - FEAT: TALEI WOLFGRAMM + ANNA GOGO Bella Union Bar, Carlton. 8:00pm. $15.00.

UNCLE LEON Dog’s Bar, St Kilda. 9:00pm. VAUDEVILLE SMASH + TANZER + CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $15.00.

ZULYA & THE CHILDREN OF THE UNDERGROUND Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. 4:00pm. $30.00.

ZULYA & THE CHILDREN OF THE UNDERGROUND Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. 7:00pm. $30.00.

AGENCY + CLOSER + APHIR Public Bar, North Melbourne. 8:30pm. $10.00.

ÂME TOURMENTÉE - FEAT: AME TOURMENTEE + RENEGADE ARMADA + SET THE SCORE + ADRIAN-LEE + TERRA Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $15.00. BABERAHAM LINCOLN + KEYTAR KIDS + DOOKY Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:00pm. $10.00.

BANG - FEAT: WISH FOR WINGS + BELLE HAVEN + JUSTICE FOR THE DAMNED Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne CBD. 9:00pm. $20.00.

CABIN FEVER + DRAIN LIFE + UNCLE GEEZER + F.F.C Black Hatt, Geelong. 9:30pm.

DEAD LETTER CIRCUS + CALIGULA’S HORSE + JERICCO + GATHERER Village Green Hotel, Mulgrave. 8:00pm. DEBRA + SOULPLAY Dancing Dog, Footscray. 8:00pm. DUMB PUNTS + BRAD POT + SCRAGGERS John Curtin

ORSOME WELLES

CH E RRY B A R Holding true to Cherry’s reputation, the venue’s hosting a big ol’ rock bash when Orsome Welles, Ten Thousand and All The Animals take over the bar this Saturday. Orsome Welles have been compared to the talents of Karnivool and Dead Letter Circus, touted as having enough elbow grease and unbridled talent to stand out against these contemporary titans. Catch Orsome Welles at Cherry Bar this Saturday December 12. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $13.

JEFF DUFF (BOWIE UNZIPPED) St Kilda Memo, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $28.00.

Melbourne. 4:00pm.

HYPNO SEX RAY + GUNSLINGERS + BEWARE! BLACK HOLES + TRAUMABOYS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm.

INTERNAL NIGHTMARE + THE SEAFORD MONSTER + HEADLESS + INTO RUIN + BRUTONOMY + MORE Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 4:00pm. $25.00.

THE RETRE AT HOTEL Dynamic powerhouse The Tim Hulsman Trio are set to explode onto the local music scene this Saturday, locking in a free entry set at The Retreat. Singer/ songwriter Tim Hulsman leads the trio, recognizable by his vulnerable, raw approach to writing. With the sensitive yet powerful drumming of Karl Bentley, and the exquisite upright bass playing of Craig Kelly, the band are pumped to finally bring their new live show to Melbourne audiences. Hear their story this Saturday December 12 from 5pm.

THE NAYSAYERS (DIRTY LITTLE CHRISTMAS PARTY) + PLEBS + JURASSIC NARK + UNCLE BOBBY Shebeen,

Brunswick. 9:00pm.

3:00pm. $23.50.

Theatre, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm.

Fitzroy. 1:00pm. $10.00.

SATURDAYS R COVERED - FEAT: RADIO STAR Royal

THE SENSATIONAL HURRICANES + HENRY MASS’ KING KAT Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. $5.00. THE SHOT GLASSES Inkerman Hotel, Balaclava.

Hotel (essendon), Essendon. 10:00pm.

SONS OF MOD + LITTLE MURDERS + MR DUSTY STYLUS + MISS CC BROWN Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East.

8:00pm.

Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Meredith.

MEG MAC + JARRYD JAMES + KITA ALEXANDER Forum MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL - FEAT: BIG DADDY KANE + BULLY + UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA + MORE 12:00pm.

MIRANDO + NINOX + ESSIE THOMAS Workers Club,

7:00pm. $15.00.

SPACEJUNK + SONS OF LEE MARVIN Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 5:00pm.

TAYLOR SWIFT + VANCE JOY Aami Park, Melbourne. 6:30pm.

Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $15.00.

HIGH FINANCE + SORDID ORDEAL Public Bar, North

THE TIM HULSMAN TRIO

METAL OBSESSION’S 7TH BIRTHDAY - FEAT: ORPHEUS OMEGA + HYBRID NIGHTMARES + WOOD OF SUICIDES + RISE OF AVERNUS + MORE Tote Hotel, Collingwood.

FRANKENBOK + DREADNAUGHT + HEAVEN THE AXE + RED SKY BURIAL + STRICT VINCENT + NEVER Evelyn

Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $20.00.

THE JOHN CURTIN Tequila Mockingbyrd are announcing a launch party for their new single at The Curtin this week, and you’re invited to grab a glass of your favourite liquor and celebrate. It’s been a whirlwind of a year for the band, from touring with The Middle East, playing for the Defence Force to sharing the stage with several of their Australian heroes, but now they’re ready to release the first taste of their new album, along with an accompanying video for their new single. Shoot on over to The John Curtin this Saturday December 12 and catch Tequila Mockingbyrd in action. Doors open at 7.30pm, entry is $10.

KING 7 Gem Bar, Collingwood. 7:00pm. MANGO RETREAT + BRUNGA’S BAND + THE MOODY SPOOKS + BABYFACE ENSEMBLE Penny Black,

Hotel, Carlton. 3:00pm.

GOLD CHISEL (AUSSIE XMAS) + ALAN BARNES

TEQUILA MOCKINGBYRD

VAUDEVILLE SMASH

THE DAN LETHBRIDGE TRIO

TH E WO R K E R’S C LU B Vaudeville Smash return to The Worker’s Club this Saturday December 12 to round off another massive year of gigs. The band’s explosive live shows and kooky funk sensibility have seen them build a formidable following in their hometown of Melbourne. Just the past year saw Vaudeville Smash fly over to Japan, teaming up with iconic label P-Vine to release their funk/boogie vinyl single, Richter Scale. Supported by cinematic soul queen Tanzer and Tasmanian electro prodigies Close Counters, catch Vaudeville Smash at The Worker’s from 8.30pm. Tickets are $18.

T H E D R U NK E N P O E T Lethbridge fell in love with the guitar as a child and spent his teenage years mastering the instrument. After growing too big for his home state, he moved down to Melbourne before releasing his debut album, Dreamers Of The World Unite, kicking off a series of live performances that failed to ever die down. Six years down the track, and with two more albums to his name, Lethbridge has shown no signs of stopping. Find out what all the hype’s been about as the Dan Lethbridge Trio plays the Drunken Poet this Saturday December 12. Doors open 9pm with free entry.

Melbourne CBD. 7:00pm. $10.00.

THE RIPCHORDS Pascoe Vale Rsl, Pascoe Vale. 8:00pm. $10.00.

THE 45 SESSIONS

B EL L E VI L L E The 45 Sessions at Belleville bring things back to a time when hip hop was all about two turntables and a microphone, and this week’s party will be stacked with 7” vinyl records of the booty shaking variety, highlighting the true essence of hip hop block party culture. Catch the hype from 8pm with local legend DJ J-Red, Sydney’s JC, Deejay Hijack, 45-purveyor D-Fro and Black Caesar heavyweight Obliveus pumping out the break dancing vibes, mad visuals and heaps of funk, soul, hip hop boogie beats. The party starts this Saturday December 12, running late into the night.

THE VENDETTAS + SUPER SALOON + DUKES OF DELICIOUSNESS Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne CBD. 9:00pm. $8.00.

TICKED OFF - FEAT: MAGIC AMERICA + BIRDHOUSE + TIM KOREN Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $23.50. TOM SHOWTIME + NAM + LEEMAN Penny Black, Brunswick. 7:00pm.

WOOLEN KITS + CONSTANT MONGREL + PAPPY + SCHOOL DAMAGE Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10.00.

ALL OF THE DIRT ALL AT ONCE + SPIDERGOAT CANYON + HOWNOWMER Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00. ANDY BAYLOR & THE BANKSIA BAND Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 9:30pm.

BENNY WALKER Toff In Town, Melbourne CBD. 7:30pm. $20.00.

COLLARD GREENS & GRAVY + SUZANNAH ESPIE & JEFF LANG + THE BACKWOOD CREATURES Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 7:00pm. $20.00.

THE EXPLOITED

MAX WAT T’S ‘80s punk act The Exploited are reaching Australian shores ahead of a 2016 album release date, locking in a show at Max Watt’s before the new release. The socially and politically active act have been at the forefront of the anarcho-punk scene for over 30 years, putting forward their anti-authoritarian and anti-war stance from Britain to international waters, and still claim that their views are relevant as ever in today’s society. The Exploited will be tearing up Max Watt’s on Saturday December 12. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $60. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 56

B E AT.C O M . A U

THE BLACK ALLEYS

$56.68.

DANNY ROSS Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick.

Recital Centre, Southbank. 3:00pm. $45.00.

6:30pm.

GAYLE CAVANAGH & THE MIXED COMPANY BAND Mr

JEFFREY’S CABBAGE

THE BRUNSWICK BLUEGRASS COLLECTIVE Open

YA H YA H’ S Yah Yah’s is turning the bar into a garage when The Black Alleys take over the stage this weekend. The Black Alleys began rockin’ their garage inspired tunes at venues across Melbourne town over three years ago and have since been refining their live show to create what has been called “a frenzied spectacle of unrestrained, anarchic abandon”. The band prides themselves on their on-stage energy, drunkenness, shirtlessness and their ability to create riffs and hooks that stay stuck in your head for days after a show. Get gritty with The Black Alleys this Saturday December 12 at Yah Yah’s. Doors open at 12am, entry is $7.

Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.

THE STREET END Station 59, Richmond. 8:00pm. THE T-BONES Union Hotel , Brunswick. 9:00pm.

SUNDAY DEC 13 JASON COLEMAN’S MINISTRY OF DANCE (WONDERLAND) Palais Theatre, St Kilda. 4:30pm. AUSTRALIAN BOYS CHOIR (CHRISTMAS) Melbourne BOSSA BRUNSWICK + MENINA FLOR Open Studio, Northcote. 4:30pm.

T H E B E ND I G O H OT E L Lets face it, if you’re frequenting The Bendigo Hotel on a regular basis, there’s a high chance you’ve been ignoring your mum and skimping on your greens. Good thing that Jeffrey’s Cabbage are serving up a main course to sort that out for you. Catch a night of indie with Jeffrey’s Cabbage along with electro/pop project The Engagement as Izzy Losi & the Auracles round out the night with more pop than a cap gun can handle. Get down to The Bendigo Hotel this Sunday December 13 and catch Jeffrey’s Cabbage in action. Doors open from 3pm, entry is $10.

SNARES & WIRES + POCKETS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.

TAYLOR SWIFT + VANCE JOY Aami Park, Melbourne.

GIN WIGMORE + MISS EILEEN + KING LEAR Howler,

CHRISTMAS CAROLS - FEAT: MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Hamer Hall (arts Centre Melbourne),

6:30pm.

Brunswick. 8:00pm. $30.00.

Southbank. 2:00pm. $25.00.

$6.00.

7:00pm. $15.00.

Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:00pm.

GREG NUNAN + MANTIS & THE PRAYER + RANDOM SUBJECTS + SIYÓ Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood.

ME MO MUSI C HAL L The MEMO Mass Choir has been rehearsing for the last three months under the guidance of Tracey Miller and Annemarie Sharry for this one off Gospel Christmas choir, held at the music hall to sate your festive desires. The night will shine a light on gospel and soul for a foot-stomping pre-Christmas celebration, with guests Kylie Auldist, Loretta Miller, Hue Blanes and Jody Bell coming down to make the holiday season that much more special. The show pays tribute to “the father of gospel” Thomas A Dorsey, as well as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Curtis Mayfield, Whitney Houston and Mahalia Jackson. Catch MEMO’s Gospel Christmas at Memo Music Hall this Sunday December 13. Doors open at 3pm, entry is $30.

DAREBIN SONGWRITERS GUILD 303, Northcote. 3:30pm.

DARRYL & DARYL Victoria Hotel , Brunswick. 4:00pm. DR KEITH MEDICINE WOMAN Tramway Hotel, North

Fitzroy. 3:30pm.

JEFF MARTIN The Croxton, Thornbury. 7:00pm.

Kilda. 3:00pm. $28.00.

JIMI HOCKING BLUES MACHINE Daveys Bar &

THE POST + THE DEAD STREETS + BOND STREET VANDALS Workers Club, Fitzroy. 1:00pm. $10.00. TOM SHOWTIME + AGENT 86 + MAARS Penny Black, Brunswick. 7:00pm.

Restaurant, Frankston. 2:30pm.

UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS + CHILD Corner Hotel,

8:00pm.

$35.00.

BLISTER METAL FESTIVAL

THE REV ERENCE HOTEL The Reverence Hotel is hosting the first ever Blister Metal Festival, featuring 10 crushingly hard metal bands that will assist you in spending your final years on this earth completely deaf. They’ll be showcasing some of the best black/death metal bands around, including headliners Belligerent Intent, who will employ punishing drums, growls and riffs to split the earth under their feet. The Blister Metal Festival goes down at The Reverence Hotel this Saturday December 12. Doors open at 4pm, entry is $25.

KARAOKE WITH ZOE Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 9:00pm.

KASHI TRATHEN + JEREMY WOOLHOUSE TRIOS Open

GIO GARCIA + BABALU Belleville, Melbourne. 7:00pm. HALLELUJAH (GOSPEL CHRISTMAS) St Kilda Memo, St

THE GOOSES + SHOCKWAVES Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

GOSPEL CHRISTMAS

SUNDAY SOUL SESSIONS Purple Emerald, Northcote. 9:00pm.

Richmond. 8:00pm. $41.80.

AJ STEEL + VERY HANDSOME MEN + GHOST GANG

THANDO + THE ERT TRIO + DJ FAIRBANKS ROBINSON

Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 5:00pm.

Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.

ELWOOD BLUES CLUB

THE MELBOURNE JAZZ CO-OP PRESENTS Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

BILLY & EDDIE MILLER Big Huey’s Diner, South Melbourne. 4:00pm.

BUSY KINGDOM + LOLA + PIQUE Workers Club, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $12.00.

DALLAS FRASCA Baha Tacos & Tapas Bar, Rye. 7:00pm. EMERGENZA FESTIVAL (STATE FINAL) 170 Russell,

Melbourne CBD. 5:00pm. $35.00.

PR I NC E P U B LI C B A R Elwood Blues Club is still calling Prince Public Bar home, much to the delight of blues enthusiasts inhabiting fine old Melbourne town. For one very special night of the week, you can catch both local and international talent performing at the blues club, supported by the in house Elwood Blues Club All Star band. Catch a fine night of blues at Prince Public Bar with the Elwood Blues Club this Sunday December 13.. Doors open at 5.30pm, entry is free.

Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm.

JAM AT MUSICLAND SUNDAYS Musicland, Fawkner.

APPALACIAN HEAVEN STRING BAND Lomond Hotel,

7:30pm.

Brunswick East. 5:30pm.

Brunswick East. 9:30pm.

JEFFREY’S CABBAGE + THE ENGAGEMENT + IZZY LOSI & THE AURACLES + FIVE STAR CROOKS Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 3:00pm.

CARGO CULTS 303, Northcote. 7:30pm. CHARLES JENKINS Dog’s Bar, St Kilda. 7:30pm. CHRIS WILSON Cherry Bar, Melbourne CBD. 3:00pm. CLIP CLOP CLUB (XMAS SHOW) Caravan Music Club,

LACHY DOLEY GROUP 303, Northcote. 8:30pm. MANDY CONNELL & STRAY HENS Lomond Hotel, MISERABLE LITTLE BASTARDS Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.

MON SHELFORD + IAN MADDICK Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm.

MOONEE VALLEY DRIFTERS Victoria Hotel , Brunswick. 8:00pm.

SLIPDIXIES Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 5:00pm. SMALLTOWN ROMANCE Union Hotel , Brunswick. 5:00pm.

THE BLACKEYED SUSANS (XMAS SHOW) Caravan

KENTA HAYASHI + DADA ONE + CREATURE FEAR + THEM HIGH Cherry Bar, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm. LA DANSE MACABRE + BRUNSWICK MASSIVE RESIDENT DJS Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL - FEAT: BIG DADDY KANE + BULLY + UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA + MORE Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Meredith. 12:00pm.

MUSIC FIESTA Ascot Vale Hotel, Ascot Vale. 8:00pm.

GIG GUIDE

ELWOOD BLUES CLUB Prince Public Bar, St Kilda . EZRA LEE & THE HAVOC BAND Gem Bar, Collingwood. 7:00pm.

FAT COUSIN SKINNY Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm. HACK ENSEMBLE Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 5:00pm.

HELENA POP + CAPES + PETE AKHURST Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 4:00pm.

BIG DADDYS’ CAJUN BLUES PARTY Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.

Oakleigh. 3:00pm. $15.00.

COBRA 45S Cunninghams Hotel, Yarra Junction.

2:00pm.

DAN WALKER & THE GLASS HALF FULL + PAT BRUCE & THE BACCHANALIANS + AMY POLLOCK Reverence

Hotel, Footscray. 3:00pm.

Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $23.00.

B E AT.C O M . A U

OPTIMO

THE SHADOW E L ECTRI C UK based DJ duo Optimo are taking over The Shadow Electric this weekend – expect a night of boisterous club beats from two of the scene’s very best. Optimo started in 1997, yet DJs Twitch and Jonnie Wilkes had each been DJing for 10 years prior to their collaboration. Together, they founded the club night Optimo as a reaction to 4/4 techno, touting an ‘anything goes’ philosophy that resulted in huge turnouts. Don’t expect an easy club night when Optimo play The Shadow Electric this Sunday December 13. Doors open at 3pm, entry is $30.

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 57

GIG GUIDE

MUNDANE MONDAYS

AMARILLO

T HE DRUNKE N POET Amarillo is the jangly alt-country project of songwriting guitarist Nick O’Mara (Raised by Eagles, Butcherbirds) and vocalist Jac Tonks, teaming up with bassist Trent McKenzie and drummer Alex Rogowski to perform a full band mix of dark, tremolo infused ballads with a folk-pop edge. Sonically, the band would fit in perfectly at The Drunken Poet, and it seems like they’ve realized it too. This Sunday December 13, stick your head into The Drunken Poet to catch Amarillo play a free entry set from 6.30pm.

the culture + enlight + piie Workers Club, Fitzroy.

TH E OLD B A R God bless Mundane Mondays for always putting on a ripper of a show to fix your post-weekend gig withdrawals. Tonight’s event is headed by local experimental pop project Hospital, along with the musical stylings of Jarrow and Mim Cygler, and the magic of $15 Mountain Goat Jugs flowing all night. Scoot on down to Mundane Mondays at Old Bar this Monday December 14. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $8.

7:00pm. $7.00.

PR I N C E P U BL I C B A R Check the calendar. Is it Tuesday? Yes? Then guess what’s on at the Prince Bandroom tonight. That’s right, Taste of Indie Tuesdays is still running, and this week they’re bringing their world first Indie House Band Night to the snug confines of the St Kilda venue. Catch three songwriters on stage performing songs with the Taste Of Indie Collective house band, Collective Action, supporting them on the night. Shoot on down to Prince Bandroom at catch Taste Of Indie Tuesdays in action this Tuesday December 15. Doors open at 7.30pm, entry is free.

into the woods Wesley Anne, Northcote. 3:00pm.

christmas melodies - feat: kane alexander + teresa duddy + more Hamer Hall (arts Centre

$10.00.

Melbourne), Southbank. 1:30pm. $20.00.

Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 4:30pm. $15.00.

P U B LI C B A R Seriously though, how terrible is Monday? Garfield hated it, and after those stupid CGI movies, everyone hates Garfield. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as the old saying goes, so why not make Monday a good thing and catch Equity, Rust In Piss and Slippery When Wet bang out some tunes at Public Bar when your week starts? Catch Equity at Public Bar this Monday December 14. Doors open at 7.30pm, entry is $6.

james kenyon + brooke russell & the mean reds jeff martin Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. jep & dep + bell st delays Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 4:00pm.

jimmy stewart Union Hotel , Brunswick. 3:30pm. jvg guitar method (christmas show) Union Hotel , Brunswick. 5:00pm.

ken maher + al wright + tony hargreaves Lomond

Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm.

king wolf Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. michelle gardiner Customs House Hotel,

EQUITY

plastic fantastic Melbourne Recital Centre,

the resignators + the vibraphonic orchestra Cherry Bar, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm.

yoko screaming + the sea still rises + the milky bishops Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. benny & the blues revue Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm.

TASTE OF INDIE TUESDAYS

soothplayers (completely improvised shakespeare) - feat: soothplayers: completely improvised shakespeare Butterfly Club, Melbourne CBD. 8:30pm. $25.00.

the northern folk + hugh fuchsen & the sauce sauce sauce + king canute & the waves Grace

Southbank. 6:00pm. $55.00.

Williamstown. 3:00pm.

Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $6.00.

mud peas Black Hatt, Geelong. 4:00pm. open mike sunday Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 6:30pm. pat bruce & the buchanallians Station 59,

Richmond. 2:00pm.

pop up vinyl record store Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 12:00pm.

rattlin’ bones blackwood Inkerman Hotel, Balaclava. 5:00pm.

shannon bourne (jimi hendrix band of gypsys) Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 3:00pm. $28.00.

sunday session - feat: brunsy Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully. 2:00pm.

sunday sessions - feat: various artists Lucky Coq, Windsor. 4:00pm.

the bean project The Loft, Warrnambool. 7:00pm. the everymen Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. the original cartridge family Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 4:30pm.

the travis winters blues band The Water Rat Hotel, South Melbourne. 5:00pm. $5.00.

the willie wag tails Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.

JASPER HOLLIS

TH E R E T R E AT H OT E L Jasper Shelton Hollis is a rambling soulful man of simple ideals and sobering truths, personifying the much loved drawly southern vernacular with true grit and grace. Since beginning his career in Nashville, Tennessee, his unmistakable southern roots are ever present in his sound. You can take the boy out of Tennessee, but it seems you can’t take the Tennessee out of the boy. Hollis’ gravelly vocals and gritty guitars fill out the Retreat this Monday December 14. Catch the whole set from 9.30pm, with free entry.

the new savages Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:30pm.

TUESDAY DEC 15 jason coleman’s ministry of dance (moments) Palais Theatre, St Kilda. 7:30pm. $71.31.

irish session Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.

MONDAY DEC 14 cat pirate + the sticking place 303, Northcote.

milonga Bella Union Bar, Carlton. 8:00pm. $10.00. roger clark quartet Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond.

8:00pm.

8:00pm. $10.00.

cherry jam Cherry Bar, Melbourne CBD. 8:00pm. equity + rust in piss + slippery when wet Public

Bar, North Melbourne. 7:30pm. $6.00.

hidden garden Baha Tacos & Tapas Bar, Rye. 7:00pm. hospitality + jarrow + mim cygler Old Bar, Fitzroy.

8:00pm. $5.00.

saint henry + horris green + sporadic children Workers Club, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $3.00.

ashleigh southam 303, Northcote. 8:30pm. asrc benefit gig & art show - feat: terrible truths + tankerville + the sugarcanes + more Old Bar, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $10.00. Prahran. 7:00pm.

Melbourne. 7:00pm. $7.00.

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

Access All Ages With grace kindellan Looking for a headstart and some good advice in the music industry? Keep reading. The 2016 FReeZA Mentoring program matches up enthusiastic young people with established music industry professionals who provide one-on-one mentoring and support in areas as diverse as event management, performance, technical production, publicity, and music business. Mentees also have the chance to develop their skills by working on festivals and events and participating in intensive master classes hosted by a range of experts in different fields. This Victorian Government-funded program is open to people between the ages of 18-25 who live in Victoria and have an interest in working in the music industry. Applications are open now. See www.surveymonkey.com/r/Freezamentoring16 for more details. The Melbourne sun shone on two amazing days of music, talks, workshops and debate at this year’s Face The Music at Arts Centre Melbourne and you can now check out the highlights online. Across interesting spaces from MPavilion to Testing Grounds art garden, participants were treated to performances from D.D Dumbo, Alexander Gow (Oh Mercy), Ali Barter, Alice Ivy and DJ sets from Null and Habits. Much anticipated keynote speaker JD Samson gave an inspiring keynote address about her experiences as a musician, producer and songwriter, discussing equality and tokenism. Relive it all now at www.youtube.com/ user/facethemusicaus 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 and to everyone who worked hard behind the scenes. Barwon South winners Against our Pride have just released their debut EP Sentience full of their characteristic, head-imploding metal. Give it a listen at againstourpride.bandcamp.com/album/ sentience. WEST FEST is a new all ages festival happening this Saturday at Kindred Studios in Yarraville from 12.00pm to 7.30pm. With a heap of bands ranging from acoustic to metal including Endless Heights, Georgia Maq, Postblue, Jess Locke and Foxtrot, you’ll be sure to see something that rocks your socks. There’s also going to be a bunch of other fun stuff to keep you entertained, like art, market stalls, food trucks, DJs and free popcorn. You can get $12 presale tickets from www.westfest2015.net or they’re available on the door at $15 for students/concession card holders and $20 for adults. This Sunday 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, head to www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/youth-events. Got news you’d like to share with us? Send it to push@ thepush.com.au

All Ages Gig Guide

F ri d a y D E C E M B E R 1 1

• Hip hop MC workshops w/ Dylan Joel, Lorne P12 College, Grove Rd, Lorne, 9.00am - 3.00pm, $N/A, AA • The Sweet Escape w/ Garden Nun, Sandwich Party, The Quick and the Dead, Brodi Bunter, Emma Boyd, Nicole Lancaster, Jane Sea, @ Benalla Drill Hall, Corner Arundel and Bridge Sts, Benalla, 6.00pm - 11.00pm, Free, www.facebook.com/ events/489399737909709/, AA

Melbourne CBD. 7:00pm. $10.00.

Acts wanted for Sunday rock shows Contact: mark@gunnmusic.com.au

PRESENT

S AT U R DAY D E C E M B E R 12

Melbourne), Southbank. 11:00am. $20.00.

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 58

WANT YOUR GIG IN GIG GUIDE? EMAIL A SHORT BLURB AND PIC TO MUSICNEWS@BEAT.COM.AU

seb mont + dj blasé bandit Toff In Town, the attractor beams + also dragons + coastbusters + tom dockray Public Bar, North

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.

TH E R E T R E AT H OT EL Coinciding with the release of her latest single Shut Up and Ride, taken from her forthcoming self-titled album, Melbourne’s own Krista Polvere will perform two acoustic sets at the Retreat this Tuesday night. Having previously shared the stage with such luminaries as Ryan Adams, Steve Earle and Ron Sexsmith, the show will provide a rare opportunity for fans to reacquaint themselves with Polvere’s earlier work in an intimate setting, before she heads over to the U.S to release the album early next year. Her first set kicks off at 8.30pm this Tuesday December 15 at the Retreat.

fresh industry showcases Revolver Upstairs,

christmas melodies - feat: kane alexander + teresa duddy + more Hamer Hall (arts Centre

CLASSIFIEDS

KRISTA POLVERE

The Push

S un d a y December 1 3

FEMALE VOCALIST LOOKING FOR MUSICIANS to start an originals band. Also interested in starting an acoustic duo. Contact Marrianne 0405 929 923 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

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 Push Pop conflict resolution workshop: Sign up to our 3 day work-pop. Learn how to push a push-pop instead of your friends. Watermelon, Blue Rasberry & Strawberry flavoured alternatives available. Contact dontbeapusher@youcantsitwithus.com

• Summer Sounds w/ Isabella Khalife, Residual, Four Rules Charlie, Thomas Harrold, • @ Geelong Western Beach Boat Club, 70 Western Beach Road, Geelong,1.00pm - 4.00pm, Free, www. courthouse.org.au, AA • Unsigned Music Battle w/ Blashki, Jessica Frizziero, Alex Rohan, F.U.Z.Z., Maddie Roase, Dex, @ Luna Park, Lower Esplanade, St. Kilda, 4.00pm - 8.00pm, Free, www.lunapark.com.au/upcoming-events/, AA

M on d a y December 1 4 & T ues d a y December 1 5

• Hip hop MC workshops, W/ Sarah Connor, Lorne P12 College, Grove Rd, Lorne, 9.00am - 3.00pm, $N/A, AA

Thursday 10th @ 8.30pm

BIG DADDYS’ CAJUN BLUES PARTY (NSW) (Ragin’ cajun blues)

Friday 11th @ 9.30pm

MONDAY TO THURSDAY

$7 PINTS TILL 8PM

SATURDAY 12TH, 7PM

MISERABLE LITTLE BASTARDS

WARREN EARL & ATOMIC ROCKERS (NSW) (Swing-a-billy) Saturday 12th @ 9.30pm

MANDY CONNELL & STRAY HENS (Contemporary folk roots) Sunday 13th @ 5.30 pm

W I N E , W H I S K EY, W O M E N 8pm: Brooke Russell &

Ladie Dee Thurs 10th December 8pm: Coen Dixon 9pm: Andrew Swift Fri 11th December

APPALACIAN HEAVEN STRING BAND

6pm: Traditional Irish Session

Sunday 13th @ 9.00 pm

Saturday 12th December

(Mountain folk)

KING WOLF

KEN MAHER, AL WRIGHT & TONY HARGREAVES

ALL MUSIC IS FREE

Tuesday 15th @ 8.00pm

SUNDAY 13TH, 5PM

Wed 9th December

(Acoustic roots)

8.30pm:

9pm:

Doggerel

Dan Lethbridge

Sunday 13th December

DRUNKEN POET CHRISTMAS PARTY

Van Walker 6.30pm: Amarillo 4pm:

IRISH SESSION (Fiddlin’ frenzy)

Tuesdays

ALL GIGS ARE FREE EXCELLENT RESTAURANT & BAR MEALS

225 NICHOLSON STREET, BRUNSWICK EAST. PH 9380 1752

TRIVIA

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

TUESDAY 8TH 7PM

VOICES IN THE ATTIC A NIGHT OF SPOKEN WORD, POETRY AND LIVE MUSIC WEDNESDAY 9TH 7PM

POCOCK & 1080p

LABEL BOSS OF CANDIAN 1080p RECORD LABEL WITH POCOCK SPINNING WEIRD HOUSE, TECHNO AND DUB! THURSDAY 10TH 7PM

JUNGLE FUNK

RESIDENT MANCHILD WITH SPECIAL GUESTS. AFROBEAT, CUMBIA, FUNK, SAMBA & LIVE PERCUSSIONS. FRIDAY 11TH 7PM

JIMMY JAMES & J’NETT SATURDAY 12TH 7PM

SCARF CHARITY NIGHT WITH CALYPSO OF HOUSE SUNDAY 13TH 12PM

EAST V WEST HIP HOP NIGHT 6X DJS 2X MCS - 2 CREWS !

W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U

BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 59

REHEARSAL STUDIOS

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8 Tinning St, Brunswick

PA HIRE Mastering for CD, Vinyl & Online Releases

thecabinmastering.com Ph-0408 565 121

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

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NEW MUSIC HEAD FOR SHOCK

Luke Girgis is new Label Director/Head of Music for Shock Records. He’ll continue to manage Little Sea and Chance Waters while he focuses on Shock duties, signing new acts and revitalising heavy music imprint Halfcut Records. Girgis replaces Mick Tarbuk who’s now Country Manager Australia for global digital distributor and label services provider Believe Digital. HIP HOP DUO SIGN TO HOUSE OF BEIGE

The second signing to MC Remi and Sensible J’s label House of Beige is Melbourne hip hop duo Man Made Mountain. The ARIA winning producer Billy Hoyle and vocalist Cazeaux O.S.L.O. came together over a love of Brazilian sounds and hip hop, and have their debut EP out early 2016. Remi said, “They represent the diversity and multi faceted creativity of Melbourne. It doesn’t matter where you hail from in music, as long as you stay true and keep it real.” NEW LABEL OUR GOLDEN FRIEND LAUNCHES

Our Golden Friend is a new label set up in Melbourne by Remote Control Records Promotions and Marketing Manger Lorrae McKenna and multiinstrumentalist Skube Burnell (AKA 808s And Greatest Hits). The label’s name is inspired by their golden Labrador Dusty (it was to be Golden Lab but there’s a UK company with that name). “We are music/ Labrador lovers who have finally combined our passion for both things to form a record label where we hope to create a platform to share the music that we love with people that will (hopefully) love it too,” they say. First release is a 808s And Greatest Hits vinyl single New Bounce and House of Love to be followed by his second album (the first, Featuring A Fantastic Reprise came out via bandcamp in 2014) and assembling his first live band. FOUR MELBOURNE ACTS FOR GREAT ESCAPE

Four Melbourne acts were among the eight Australian acts (and 50 from around the world) announced to play The Great Escape in Brighton, UK on May 19-21. The Great Escape brands itself as the place to find the best new music. The hometown acts were Dorsal Fins, Northeast Party House, Owen Rabbit and Slum Sociable. They join Brisbane singer/songwriter Banff, Sydney duo Boo Seeka, Perth power trio Methyl Ethel and Adelaide blues guitarist Timberwolf. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 62

THINGS WE HEAR

Which Aussie singer has started to change her fashion sense after opening on a tour by an overseas entertainer? Will Adele save Australian music retailers? A quick ring-around found that customers coming in to buy 25 grab other records as well. Retailers say they haven’t seen this excitement since the first Guy Sebastian album in 2003. In an ABC Radio Capricornia interview, Lanie Lane revealed she now calls herself Mala and has moved from Victoria to Yepoon in Queensland, where her new partner, musician Tom Hearn, lives. “I seriously could not believe I was in paradise,” said the creative who retired for a time after being burned out by the music industry (“physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually”). She has now found the confidence to turn her attention to visual art forms, such as drawing and painting. On her upcoming summer dates, she’ll sell her artwork at the gigs. Late Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman’s guitar collection has been bought by Jeremy Wagner, axeman with US deathcore band Broken Hope. A seriously massive Slayer fan, he says “riffs are just flowing out of me” as a result. Fresh from axing his Australian tour over visa issues, Chris Brown’s appearance on The Daily Show was cancelled after its staffers protested. Telstra Road to Discovery winners were Liv Cartledge (Melbourne) and Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt AKA Merpire (Sydney). Each won a $15,000 music development package, a trip to the US to play the Americana Music Festival, mentoring with industry pros, gigs and ongoing education and support. Bono bought Eagles Of Death Metal new phones to replace ones lost in the Paris terror attacks. In the meantime, former US president George Bush says he thought Bono was “married to Cher” when they first met, confusing the U2 singer with the late American ‘60s singer-turned-politician. Just before their sets at VanFest in Forbes, Peking Duk and Stacie Todd were taken on a joyride in the Red Bull stunt plane which entertained the crowd with flips, corkscrews and tricks in the sky not made for the faint hearted. The Duk were still talking about their fan David Spargo who gatecrashed their gig in Melbourne by fooling security guards. He edited the Duk’s Wikipedia page to add himself as a family member and got let into the launch party for Heineken’s James Bond tie-in. The Duk had drinks with him after, Adam Hyde explaining it was “the most genius, mastermind move that I’ve ever witnessed.” All shows on Leon Bridges’ first Aussie tour sold out.

Two Melbourne acts, Dreamboogie and Miss Whiskey, will be among the eight Australian acts (and 260 globally) appearing at the 32nd International Blues Challenge in Memphis from January 26 to 30. They were picked through the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society. Australian acts have won it twice: Fiona Boyes in 2003 and Jimi Hocking in 2005. In 2016, they’ve also added daytime showcases that will see selected Aussie names get noticed.

Two high flying Aussies, Jaddan Comerford, founder of the indie empire UNIFIED and YouTube’s Jake O’Leary, are nominated into the top 15 of the inaugural Young Executive MBW (Music Business Worldwide) Award. Comerford is now based in New York where, aside from being UNIFIED’s CEO, the 31-year old also manages the likes of Vance Joy, The Amity Affliction, The Kite String Tangle, Northlane and Nina Las Vegas. O’Leary, 26, moved to San Francisco where he is Lead Marketing Manager for YouTube. He created the new YouTube Music app on Android and iOS, which got 591 million impressions in 12 hours.

AND TWO FOR INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE

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AUSSIES COMERFORD, O’LEARY, FOR GLOBAL AWARD

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MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP

INDUSTRIAL

20,000 people signed a petition to remove Adam Lambert from a Singapore New Year concert because his homosexuality and LGBT rights stance is “contrary to mainstream Singaporean values.” Over a thousand Kanye West fans signed a petition to rename a UK train station Canterbury West after the rapper. SPOTIFY TIPS THE CLASS OF 2016

This time of the year, Spotify releases lists from each country with artists they think will break through in 2016. The lists are based on picks from in-house playlisters, analysis of its data on what people have been listening to, and artists bubbling up in Spotify’s viral chart. On the Australian/New Zealand list: Meg Mac; Kita Alexander; Safia; Eves the Behavior; Vallis Alps; Client Liaison; Cloves; Felix Riebl; DMAs; Koi Child; Golden Features; Wafia; Joy; Thomston and Vancouver Sleep Clinic. Perth’s Troye Sivan ended up in the US list. 21-year old Swedish pop singer songwriter Léon is the biggest tip globally, then red-haired Irish troubadour Gavin James, singer Parson James who was on Kygo’s Stole The Show and Norwegian DJ Matoma. SENATE INQUIRY SLAPS GOVT OVER ARTS FUNDING

The senate committee investigating the impact of arts funding cuts to the Australia Council has given the Federal Government a good slapping. It said that Senator George Brandis’ siphoning $110 million over four years to fund his ill-fated National Program for Excellence in the Arts was “made… in the absence of any clear arts policy framework or evidence base.” It says that all money should be returned to the Australia Council as well as the video game and film sectors, and to reinstate something like ArtsStart, which gave young talent a helping hand. BOOMERANG LAUNCHES CROWD FUNDING CAMPAIGN

The indigenous showcasing Boomerang festival has a crowd funding campaign at http://igg.me/at/boomerangfestival to remain a stand-alone event. It started in 2013 as an initiative of Bluesfest founder Peter Noble. He says, “The Boomerang precinct at Bluesfest is all about cherishing culture and ending the disparity between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australia.” Australia Council research shows 92% of Australians agree indigenous arts is an important part of Australian culture and 64% show an interest, but only 24% attend any events in case they say or do something culturally insensitive. Boomerang tries to close that gap as an all-Australian festival. The program under Rhoda Roberts covers music, dancers, talks and ideas and healing. See www.boomerangfestival.com.au for full details. The talks and ideas component includes Archie Roach on 25 years of Charcoal Lane, Tibet’s Tenzin Choegyal on “music making of the displaced”, Getano Bann on issues facing the Torres Strait islands, and Darwin’s Shari Sebbens and Torres Strait Islands’ Nakkiah Lui on “the new black voice”. OPENLIVE WINS INNOVATION AWARD

OpenLIVE, the Australian company which allows bands to record their gigs in high fidelity, won a major innovation award. Its MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP

S tuff for t h is co l umn to be emai l ed to ce l iezer @ netspace . net . au by F riday 5 pm

cloud technology is installed in venues in Australia, the UK and New York, and can put the recordings up for download if the acts agree. It’s called MasterBuilder, and took out ‘Innovation of the Year’ at the 2016 Sound+Image Awards, which cover design, manufacture and installation of audio and home entertainment equipment. MasterBuilder was invented by OpenLIVE founders Richard Powell and Simon Tait. PBS WINS AWARD

PBS 106.7FM’s inaugural Collaborative Radio Project won the Media category of the state government and Victorian Multicultural Commission’s Victorian Multicultural Awards. The project, developed with Multicultural Arts Victoria to deliver audio documentaries with emerging, refugee and asylum seeker communities in Melbourne. A few weeks ago the Project also won Excellence in Training at the CBAA community radio awards. CLARE BOWDITCH LANDS RADIO GIG

In late January, Clare Bowditch starts presenting a weekday afternoon program on 774 ABC Melbourne. “She is a gifted artist and storyteller whose warmth, intelligence and conversational approach will help build connections with contemporary Melbourne, and audiences across Victoria,” said the ABC. Bowditch, who next year releases and tours another album, is also an actor, TV panellist and business woman. QUEENSCLIFF DRAWS 15,000

Queenscliff Music Festival in late November, drew 15,0000 over the three days who danced to the very end. Over 70 acts played the 19th edition, including Hoodoo Gurus, Ron Sexsmith, Kate Miller-Heidke, Angus & Julia Stone and Paul Dempsey. Surprise buzz acts included The California Honeydrops from USA, New Zealand’s Estere and Australian groups 19-Twenty and OKA. Damien Cowell’s Disco Machine brought on Miller-Heidke, Liz Stringer and Tony Martin. He later guested with MillerHeidke on her Beards collaboration charity single I’m Growing a Beard Downstairs for Christmas, while she also brought on All Our Exes Live In Texas for a song. QMF Emerging Artist Grant winners The Tiny Giants drew a packed crowd, as did Sweethearts. Local Bellarine Secondary College school teacher Hollie Joyce took home the Ross Lipson Award, which acknowledges a female from the local area who has shown excellence in, along with promoting and supporting, the local music industry. Festival Director Andrew Orvis said the new Ozone Lounge was a hit. BEYOND THE VALLEY SELLS OUT

Beyond The Valley, which in its second year moves to its new home at Lardner Park in Warragul on New Year’s Day, has sold out. It just announced its full lineup, check out the website. PAUL DRANE CELEBRATED

Paul Drane was responsible for great music on our TV screens for 40 years. As a video maker he took AC/DC for a ride down Swanston Street and busted them from jail. He was a director at Countdown and now RocKwiz, and helmed events such as

Lifelines Born: Son for Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, shared with her 53.5 million Instagram followers and on her website which crashed due to traffic. Ill: Every Time I Die frontman Keith Buckley quit their North American tour after his wife “developed a rare and life threatening complication” in her pregnancy. Recovering: Doctors say Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell’s pioneering cancer treatment is working. The drug Pembrolizumab is shrinking the tumours. Charged: A 25-year-old Sydney man with drug supply relating to the death of pharmacist Sylvia Choi, 25, at the city’s Stereosonic. Arrested: A 25-year-old SA man, charged with trafficking after being allegedly caught with 500g of methamphetamine just before Stereosonic Adelaide. Jailed: A man who shot into Lil Wayne’s tour buses on a Georgia highway in April got ten years. Suing: Former New Order bassist Peter Hook took action against his ex-bandmates. He says that after they set up a company to handle their royalties in 2011, he’s lost £2.3 million. Died: Troubled charismatic frontman Scott Weiland, of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, died in his sleep on his tour bus in Bloomington, Minnesota during a tour with his band The Wildabouts. Weiland’s low vocal register was a major factor behind STP’s success but his bipolar personality and battles with drugs and alcohol made him a liability. STP posted, “We know amidst the good and the bad you struggled, time and time again. It’s what made you who you were. You were gifted beyond words, Scott. Part of that gift was part of your curse.” He was 48. Died: Stefan Woodward, 19, at Stereosonic Adelaide reportedly from pills.

Under the Southern Cross and Mushroom Evolution. To celebrate his 70th birthday, the Tote holds a Right There On My TV thank you show on Saturday Jan 16 from 2pm. The likes of Graveyard Train, Cash Savage and The Last Drinks, Little Desert, Eaten By Dogs, Palm Springs, FLOUR and Tankerville will do covers of songs he’s associated with.