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THE BIGGEST IN INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS MIDORI GOTO RETURNS TO MELBOURNE
CHASTITY BELT ANNOUNCE DEBUT TOUR OF AUSTRALIA Seattle four-piece Chastity Belt are coming to Australia for the very first time. The band, comprising members of Childbirth, Tacocat and Pony Time have so far released two albums – the most recent being 2015’s Time To Go Home via Hardly Art – and have supported the likes of Courtney Barnett, Death Cab For Cutie, Wire and Protomartyr across the US. Chastity Belt will take over the John Curtin Hotel on Friday October 7. Tickets are on sale now through the venue.
Performing her 33rd season, legendary violinist Midori Goto will be joined by associate artist and pianist Ozgur Aydin for her Melbourne show. Midori has recently been appointed as an artistic associate of the Peabody Institute for its 2016-17 season, and has also founded a series of non-for-profit organisations and other youth-directed projects. Midori’s collaboration with Ozgur includes the recording of works by Bloch, Janacek and Shostakovic in 2013 on Onyx Classics. Their Melbourne show will consist of violin performances of many Viennese works, while they transport us through the musical city of Vienna: home to Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Johann Strauss and Schoenberg. Midori will perform at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Tuesday June 28. Tickets available via the Melbourne Recital Centre website.
THE SONICS TO TOUR AUSTRALIAN SHORES Garage-punk pioneers The Sonics have been kicking it since the ‘60s, when they released their first single The Witch in 1963 – a track that provided the blueprint for garage-rock to come. They originally called it quits in 1968, but not before dropping renowned tracks like Psycho, Boss Hoss, Cinderella, Strychnine, He’s Waitin’, Shot Down and Have Love Will Travel. While they’ve reformed on the odd occasion over the years, The Sonics have otherwise laid pretty low. 2015 saw them release their first album in almost 50 years – This Is The Sonics. Catch this once in a lifetime show, when The Sonics take over Max Watt’s on Saturday September 24. Tickets available via the venue.
GIVE SHERIFF A LEG UP YA BASTARDS To help raise some dollars for their debut release, Melbourne’s own Sheriff have put together a killer lineup of bands, fete stalls, raffles and more to help give them a leg up. Give ‘Em A Leg Up Ya Bastards will feature the likes of Sheriff, Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk, Child, My Left Boot, Grindhouse, Redro Redriguez & His Inner Demons, Zombitches, Broozer, A Gazillion Angry Mexicans, The Annie Crooners and The Moody Spooks. Plus, it’s BYO tinnies with beer on tap too. It all goes down at Rye’s Civic Hall on Saturday June 25. Tickets through Sheriff ’s website.
THE WOLFE BROTHERS TO HIT THE PALMS Country rockers The Wolfe Brothers have announced a mini festival showcasing a slew of country artists. They’ll be joined by Gord Bamford, Caitlyn Shadbolt, Troy Kemp, Christie Lamb, Jody Direen and Craig Heath. The festival arrives after their third album, This Crazy Life, climbed to the top of the iTunes country charts. It all goes down at The Palms at Crown on Saturday October 15. Tickets via Ticketmaster. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 10
HORSEHUNTER AND HOBO MAGIC TEAM UP Melbourne doom metal outfit Horsehunter and Sunny Coast psychrock groovers Hobo Magic are joining forces for a journey across Australia. For their Melbourne show, they’ll be bringing along Derailment, as well as another yet-to-be-announced act. Formed in 2012 at a high school bus stop, Horsehunter have toured with the likes of Space Bong, and opened for heavy-fuzz legends Sleep, High on Fire, Conan, Pallbearer and Whitehorse. 2015 saw the release of their debut EP, Caged In Flesh. Likewise, Hobo Magic completed their first Australia-wide tour after their debut release in 2015, and have supported heavyweights such as Earthless, Elder, Lecherous Gaze, Red Fang, Kadavar, Radio Moscow and The Sword. You can catch them at the Old Bar on Friday July 8.
VERTICOLI LOCK IN A HEADLINE SHOW Pic by Zo Damage
LABOUR OF LOVE ART SERIES TO SHOWCASE AN ICONIC LABEL, VENUE AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Collingwood’s newest warehouse and gallery, Besser Space, is set to host three free music-related exhibitions in July. In week one, premier live music venue, The Corner Hotel celebrate its last 20 years. There’ll be a gallery of some of the venues favourite gig shots, from local live music photography legends including Ian Laidlaw, Carbie Warbie and Mary Boukouvalas, as well as poster artwork and adverts from years gone by. There’ll also be the announcement of the shortlisted artists for their first newly appointed annual award, the Corner Award. The second week will see much loved indie label Bedroom Suck and their artists celebrated, with an exhibition featuring works from the musicians behind Deaf Wish, Totally Mild, Twerps, Lower Plenty and more. In the last week, there's an exhibition from prominent live music photographer, Zo Damage, entitled EVE. focusing on women in rock’n’roll. The exhibitions will run at Besser Space, 15-25 Keele Street, Collingwood from Friday July 1 until Thursday July 21. Entry to all exhibitions is free.
Hobart’s Verticoli have served up a new single, following it up with news of a tour. Their latest track, Positions, follows on from their full length release Punching Bag. Their upcoming tour sees them stepping out on their own, previously cutting their teeth by supporting the likes of Kingswood and DZ Deathrays. They’ll hit Last Chance Rock N' Roll Bar on Friday July 29.
GYAN HAS NEW SHOWS IN STORE Gyan will return from a touring hiatus with a new album and a run of shows to celebrate. Her new album, This Girl’s In Love, features classic and less-familiar love songs from the likes of Burt Bacharach, Henry Mancini, John Lennon and Tom Waits. Gyan ran a crowdfunding campaign in 2014 to help make the record, which she co-produced with her partner, musician and arranger Simon Greaves. It features a slew of jazz and classical players including a string ensemble, brass and woodwind, drums, double bass and piano. Gyan will take the stage at Paris Cat on Saturday July 23 and Flying Saucer on Sunday July 24.
EMMA RUSSACK TO PLAY HEADLINE SHOW Melbourne singer/songwriter Emma Russack dropped her brand new album In A New State last week and has announced a cosy launch show in Melbourne next month. In a New State follows on from Russack’s two previous album releases, 2014’s You Changed Me and 2012’s Sounds Of Our City. The album features production from John Lee (Mountains In The Sky, Beaches, The Ocean Party) and Joey Walker (King Gizzard and The Wizard Lizard). Russack is currently supporting Alex Gow and Dan Kelly on a huge month-long tour across the country. Check out Emma Russack when she plays The Post Office Hotel in Coburg, Saturday July 16.
THE YARRAVILLE CLUB PRESENTS PEARL: THE JANIS JOPLIN STORY The musical legacy of Janis Joplin will be reimagined when Liza Ohlback takes to the stage in Pearl: The Janis Joplin Story. The show will feature a full backing band, and is billed as an interpretative musical presentation of Joplin’s work. Janis Joplin, who exploded onto the music scene in the late ‘60s, is best remembered for her rebellious lifestyle, her distinctive voice and liberal outlook on life and love. It all goes down at The Yarraville Club on Saturday July 2. HOT TALK
THE DANDY WARHOLS RETURN TO AUSTRALIA The Dandy Warhols are set to hit Melbourne on a national tour. The group will be heading over in support of their latest release, Disortland. With an impressive back catalogue of iconic hits, The Dandy’s set list is sure to not only include Distortland tracks, but also be jam-packed with crowd favourites like We Used To Be Friends, Horse Pills, Get Off, and Bohemian Like You. They’ll hit the Palais Theatre on Saturday November 5. Tickets via Metropolis Touring.
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ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT’S GREATEST HITS TOUR Hip hop and groove visionaries Arrested Development are heading out on a national tour. The Grammy award winning group will be dipping into their deep catalogue of hits, dropping tracks including Tennessee, Mr Wendell, People Everyday, Revolution, Ease My Mind and more. For the last 16 years, Arrested Development have performed concerts in almost every corner of the globe, wowing audiences left, right and centre. Melbourne will be no different. Arrested Development will play Trak Live on Saturday August 27. Tickets via Ticketmaster.
Original rudeboy and ska legend Neville Staple is hitting Australia on an east coast tour. The toastmaster of UK icons The Specials and FunBoy3 is back to skank audiences through a deep catalogue of vintage hits, alongside new tracks from latest album Ska Crazy. He’ll hit The Corner Hotel on Friday July 29. Tickets via Bigtix.
YASIN LEFLEF TO PLAY HEADLINE SHOW Yasin Leflef and his band will be playing a headline show, before he sets off to record and release his debut single later this year. Yasin was recently hand picked as a runner up to play the 2016 Bluesfest Busking Semi-Finals in Byron Bay. He’ll be joined by special guests Tommy Castles and Jade Alice. It all goes down Thursday June 30 at The Toff in Town.
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LEAH FLANAGAN ANNOUNCES MELBOURNE SHOW Leah Flanagan is back with new music and is keeping the party going with a Melbourne show. Her new single, Chills, is the first offering from her forthcoming album Saudades. The culmination of two years’ work, Saudades was recorded live in the studio with Leah’s band and music director/producer Niall Anderson. The majority of the album was made with Midnight Oil’s Jim Moginie in the Northern Beaches of Sydney, and mixed by Paul McKercher (You Am I, Augie March). Flanagan plays the Richmond Theatrette on Friday July 15 as part of the 2016 Leaps & Bounds Festival. Tickets via the festival’s website.
THE DECLINE RELEASE ARE YOU GONNA EAT THAT? ON VINYL Perth’s skate punks The Decline are bringing out a limited edition of Are You Gonna Eat That? on 12” vinyl. Five years after the initial release, label Pee Records will be printing the original artwork by Dominique Rae and chucking in a copy of the CD. To celebrate, The Decline are touring to Ballarat, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. For the Melbourne instalment, they’ve got a pretty flippin’ sweet lineup including Blind Man Death Stare, Cosmic Kahuna, Gladstone and Bombs Are Falling. Get down to The Bendigo on Friday July 15. You can pick up a copy of the record at the show, or online via the Pee Records website. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 12
In honour of the legendary Prince Rogers Nelson, Cherry Rock and Yarraville Club are presenting a night dedicated to his memory and music. DJs Grand Master Baitz and Fab-ulous will spin Prince classics all night, with Paisley Mark opening the show with an acoustic set and special guests Computer Blue smashing Prince hits. You’ll hear all kinds of tracks from Prince’s backcatalogue, including B-sides, rare tunes, and songs written by Prince for other artists like Sheila E, Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, The Bangles, Martika and Chaka Khan. Attendees are encouraged to dress up in purple to celebrate the superstar for what will be a very special night. Get amongst it on Friday August 12 at the Yarraville Club. Tickets available via the Yarraville Club website.
SUMMERNATS RELEASE 30TH BIRTHDAY LINEUP Summernats has locked in a genrediverse lineup for its 30th anniversary, celebrating with a tightly wound collection of Aussie favourites. This year’s event includes the likes of Drapht, Airbourne, Spit Syndicate and Thirsty Merc. Capping it off, around 2000 of Australia’s most outstanding cars will join over 100,000 fans in a celebration of everything automotive, when the largest car festival in the Southern Hemisphere tears into Canberra. Summernats 30 will go down on Thursday January 5- Sunday January 8 2017 at Exhibition Park, Canberra.
MY ECHO TO TOUR AND DROP NEW SINGLE Classic rock punk rockers My Echo are gearing up to release new single Old and Grey, the first taste from their debut album. Recorded with esteemed producer Hadyn Buxton (Trial Kennedy, Ecca Vandall) in Adelaide, Old and Grey is about friendships, nostalgia, hardships and resilience. To celebrate, My Echo are heading out on a tour of epic proportions. In the past, they’ve supported the likes of Jimmy Eat World, Shihad and Kingswood. For their very own headline tour, the Melbourne four-piece will be hitting up Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney over July and August. Catch ‘em at The Worker’s Club on Friday August 5.
SOL NATION TO HEADLINE WINTER CARNIVAL SAMBAREGGAE PARTY Howler are throwing a huge party to warm up your cold winter soul in July. Melbourne’s samba-reggae outfit Sol Nation are on headlining duties for what promises to be a very saucy night indeed. This will be the first show back for Sol Nation, after their debut tour abroad in East-Timor. After releasing their first album Melting Pot back in 2015, they’ve gone on to play on some of Australia’s most respected festival stages – including Woodfood Folk Festival, Port Fair Folk Festival and Canberra’s National Multicultural Festival. Also on board for the night are local reggae heavy weights Ras Jahknow and the Brazilian samba outfit Tumbarumba. It’s all going down on Friday July 8 at Howler, tickets on sale through Moshtix.
UNGUS UNGUS UNGUS ANNOUNCE ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY Six-piece carnival party outfit Ungus Ungus Ungus are bringing the whole gang to town in July, in order to celebrate the release of their fourth album, The Cosmic Carnival. Ungus Ungus Ungus are a psychedelic, gypsy carnie-hop band. The Cosmic Carnival is not just the theme of the album, but also crosses over as a concept show. This is one you’ve got to see to believe. Don’t miss out when they bring the circus to Sooki Lounge on Saturday July 9, as part of the Leaps & Bounds Festival. Tickets available via the festival website. HOT TALK
GREGORY PORTER TO TOUR AUSTRALIA Gregory Porter is all set to hit Australia with his band in September. He will be performing an intimate show in support of his critically acclaimed fourth studio album, Take Me To The Alley, released on the iconic Blue Note record label. Take Me To The Alley is the much-anticipated follow up to Porter’s 2013 Blue Note debut Liquid Spirit. It’s currently the #1 album on the Billboard Jazz Album Chart. The opening track Holding On is a version of the song Porter co-wrote and recorded with UK electronica act Disclosure, a collaboration which has opened up Porter’s music to a new audience not necessarily familiar with the jazz genre. He’ll hit The Croxton on Friday September 30.
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MELBOURNE CABARET FESTIVAL Chapel off Chapel, June 15 - June 26 BIG COUNTRY The Corner June 15 GABRIELLA COHEN Northcote Social Club June 17 ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTEL FEVER The Tote June 17 THE SMITH STREET BAND Max Watt’s June 16,17,18 AVENUE RECORDS LAUNCH PARTY Ukrainian Hall June 18 BJORN AGAIN The Palms at Crown June 18 SUPERNAUT Ding Dong Lounge June 18 HALYCON DRIVE Shadow Electric June 18 ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER The Toff June 18 FROM OSLO Cherry Bar June 18 WE LOST THE SEA Old Bar June 18 OLYMPIA Northcote Social Club June 18, 19 STEEL PANTHER Festival Hall June 18 LABEL OF LOVE: Farmer & The Owl Records featuring Bec Sandridge, The Pinheads, Tees and more Shadow Electric, June 19 RENE LAVICE Grumpy’s June 19 SAVAGES Corner Hotel June 19, 20 BRANDY Hamer Hall June 21 ANTHONY ALBANESE Corner Hotel June 22 CHRIS CAVILL & THE PROSPECTORS Toff in Town July 23 SAM BRITTAIN Toff In Town June 23 SWERVEDRIVER Corner Hotel June 23 LABEL OF LOVE: Bedroom Suck Records featuring Totally Mild, Terrible Truths and more Shadow Electric, June 24 DISCOVERY: DAFT PUNK TRIBUTE SHOW The Prince Bandroom June 24 THE PAPER KITES The Athenaeum Theatre June 24 SHERIFF Rye’s Civic Hall June 25 THE DELTA RIGGS Howler June 25 ROCK N’ A HARD PLACE feat. The Casanovas The Tote June 25 TRACY MCNEIL & THE GOODLIFE Bella Union June 25 THE BENNIES Max Watt’s June 24, Pelly Bar, Frankston June 25 URBAN SPREAD Chelsea Heights Hotel June 24, Village Green Hotel June 25 THE LIVING END The Forum June 24 THE JUNGLE GIANTS 170 Russell June 24 BONJAH Corner Hotel June 24 LABEL OF LOVE: Deaf Ambitions and Spunk Records featuring The Ocean Party, Machine Translations and more Shadow Electric, June 25 THE RUBENS Margaret Court Arena June 25 LABEL OF LOVE: Untzz Records featuring Arthur Miles, Mic Mills, Babicka and more Shadow Electric, June 26 MIDORI GOTO Melbourne Recital Centre June 28 ASH GRUNWALD The Tote June 30 KARNIVOOL The Croxton June 30 YASIN LEFLEF The Toff in Town June 30 LEAPS AND BOUNDS FESTIVAL various venues July 1-17 ALEX LAHEY Penny Black July 1 TEETH & TONGUE Northcote Social Club July 1 BANOFFEE Roxanne Parlour July 1 LURCH & CHIEF The Corner Hotel July 1 DRO CAREY Roxanne Parlour July 1 SIMONA CASTRICUM Hugs & Kisses July 1 PITT THE ELDER Bendigo Hotel July 1 PEARL: THE JANIS JOPLIN STORY The Yarraville Club July 2 SIENNA WILD Yah Yah’s on Saturday July 2 GREENTHIEF Ding Dong July 2 SLUMBERHAZE Shebeen July 2 OWEN RABBIT Workers Club July 2 MAT MCHUGH The Toff July 2 LABEL OF LOVE: Temporal Cast featuring Cale Sexton, Kangaroo Skull and more Shadow Electric, July 3 GIOVANNI SOLLIMA Hamer Hall July 3, 4 PARKWAY DRIVE Chelsea Heights July 3 GLASS ANIMALS 170 Russell July 5, 6 THE CREASES Northcote Social Club July 7 HORSEHUNTER & HOBO MAGIC Old Bar July 8 WILD HONEY Penny Black July 8 KEVIN OVER Revolver July 8 WHAT SO NOT & A TRAK Prince Bandroom July 8 KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD The Croxton July 8, 9 GOLDEN VESSEL Yah Yah’s July 8 SETH SENTRY 170 Russell July 8 ABBE MAE Northcote Social Club July 8 THE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN LED ZEPPELIN MASTERS Hamer Hall July 8, 9 UNGUS UNGUS UNGUS Sooki Lounge July 9 MATT GRESHAM Shebeen Bandroom July 9 SAATSUMA The Toff July 9 BROODS Forum July 11 GEORGE MAPLE The Corner Hotel July 13 BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 14
A R T I S T S
H E A D I N G
DUA LIPA Northcote Social Club July 14 THE DECLINE The Bendigo July 15 LEAH FLANAGAN Richmond Theatrette July 15 DAPPLED CITIES Northcote Social Club July 15 BOO SEEKA Howler July 15 TOTALLY 80’S Palais Theatre July 15 COG 170 Russell July 15 HEY GERONIMO Shebeen July 16 JACK THE STRIPPER The Workers Club July 16, Wrangler Studios July 17 SHIHAD The Croxton July 16 LADYHAWKE Howler July 16 WEEDEATER & CONAN Max Watt’s July 16 TASTE Corner Hotel July 16 WILLIE WATSON & JOSH HEDLEY Northcote Social Club July 17 SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS North Byron Parklands July 22-24 LEON BRIDGES Forum Melbourne July 19, 20 JACK GARRATT 170 Russell July 20 NOTHING BUT THIEVES Ding Dong Lounge July 20 CRYSTAL FIGHTERS Corner Hotel July 20 PETER, BJORN AND JOHN Corner Hotel July 21 AT THE DRIVE-IN Forum Melbourne July 22 MARK LANEGAN BAND Croxton Bandroom July 22 GYAN Paris Cat July 23, Flying Saucer Club July 24 THE KILLS Forum Melbourne July 23 THE 1975 Hisense Arena July 24 BAND OF HORSES The Forum July 24 BEACH SLANG July 24 FAT WHITE FAMILY Yah Yah’s July 24, Cherry Bar July 25 TEGAN AND SARA 170 Russell July 25 THE INTERNET 170 Russell July 26 LAPSLEY Howler July 26 JAKE BUGG Palais Theatre July 27 GANZ Howler July 28 THE CURE Rod Laver Arena July 28 VERTICOLI Last Chance Rock N Roll Bar July 29 SARAH MCLEOD Bennett’s Lane July 30 DROWNING POOL Max Watts July 30 SWEET JEAN Northcote Social Club July 30, Caravan Music Club in Oakleigh August 6 APE DRUMS La Di Da August 4 BLACK TUSK The Reverence August 4 MY ECHO The Worker’s Club August 5 THE DEVIL RIDES OUT Old Bar August 5 D.D. DUMBO Northcote Social Club, August 5 MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS Rod Laver Arena August 5 BREWTALITY The Tote & the Bendigo Hotel August 6 SCREAMING FEMALES The Curtin August 6 TROYE SIVAN Margaret Court Arena August 9 INQUISITION Max Watts, August 11 LUKAS GRAHAM Max Watt’s August 13 CASH SAVAGE & THE LAST DRINKS The Croxton Bandroom, August 13 GREAZEFEST Sandown Racecourse August 13 - 14 BILLY TALENT 170 Russel August 14 PETER GARRATT & THE ALTER EGOS Athenaeum Theatre August 17 WIL WAGNER Corner Hotel August 19 DAVE DOBBYN Max Watt’s August 19 BEATLES BACK2BACK Plenary Theatre August 20 PIERCE THE VEIL 170 Russell August 20, 21 JIMMY BARNES Palais Theatre August 25 KID KONGO & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS Northcote Social Club, August 25 GYMPIE MUSIC MUSTER Amamoor Creek State Forest August 25 – 28 JACK CARTY Shebeen Bandroom August 26 BEN FOLDS WITH YMUSIC Palais Theatre August 26 ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Trak Live August 27 ANDY BLACK Corner Hotel August 27, 28 THE AMITY AFFLICTION 170 Russell, August 31, September 2 VERA BLUE Howler September 2 PAUL DEMPSEY Corner Hotel September 2 BRING ME THE HORIZON Margaret Court Arena September 2 CRYPTOPSY Northcote Social Club September 3 BIGSOUND Fortitude Valley, September 7 – 9 POISON CITY WEEKENDER Various venues, September 9 – 11 JOHN OO FLEMING RMH The Venue September 9 MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK Prince Bandroom September 9 SCOTT BRADLEE’S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX The Palais September 11 FOY VANCE Corner Hotel September 12 SKEPTA 170 Russell September 14 HENRY ROLLINS Arts Centre’s State Theatre September 19, 20 APOCALYPTICA 170 Russell September 19 METHOD MAN & REDMAN Trak Lounge September 20 THE SONICS Max Watt’s September 24 DENI UTE MUSTER Conargo Rd, Deniliquin
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M E L B O U R N E
Gig Of The Week
STEEL PANTHER
Steel Panther really are despicable. Their crass misogynistic lyrics, painting themselves as infinitely desirable womanisers are one thing. Then there’s the songs about their various filthy habits, such as visiting peep shows in France, which reveal the extent of their insatiable sex drives. But what’s really unacceptable is that these grown men with strenuously teased hair, judiciously applied make-up, spandex trousers and a passion for ‘70s and ‘80s heavy metal and glam rock recently released an acoustic album. Talk about soft. Anyway, thankfully the electric guitars will be back in hand when Steel Panther play Festival Hall on Saturday June 18.
SAVAGES
When Savages first showed up in late 2012 playing Husbands on Later… With Jools Holland, you’d have been forgiven for having some reservations. OK, yeah, they had a lot of attitude, but Joy Division had been and done this dark post-punk sound decades earlier. But with their debut LP, Silence Yourself, and it’s follow-up Adore Life, Savages have just about silenced all the naysayers. Their latest is as aggressive as Refused and melancholically beautiful as Lou Reed. See them play plenty of stuff from it on Sunday June 19 and Monday June 20 at the Corner Hotel. September 30 - October 1 GREGORY PORTER The Croxton September 30 CITY CALM DOWN 170 Russell September 30 BLEACHED Northcote Social Club October 1 JOE BONAMASSA The Palais Theatre October 5 ENSLAVED Prince Bandroom October 6 PUP The Reverence October 6 THE ARISTOCRATS Bendigo Hotel October 6 CHASTITY BELT John Curtin Hotel October 7 MAYDAY PARADE Arrow on Swanston October 8, 170 Russell October 9 ELLIE GOULDING Rod Laver Arena October 8 FRNKIERO ANDTHE PATIENCE The Corner October 11 LACUNA COIL Max Watt’s October 13 QUEENSRYCHE Prince Bandroom October 14 THE WOLFE BROTHERS The Palms at Crown October 15 OKTOBERFEST FEATURING SHANNON NOLL St Kilda October 15 TIKI TAANE The Evelyn October 16 HOT CHOCOLATE AND THE REAL THING Palais Theatre October 22 BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE 170 Russell October 25 GLEN HANSARD The Palais October 26 LOST LANDS FESTIVAL The Werribee Mansion October 28 - 30 STEVEN WILSON 170 Russell October 28 THE VENGABOYS 170 Russell October 30 SLIPKNOT Rod Laver Arena October 31 BAD MANNERS Corner Hotel November 3 MSO - INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK Arts Centre November 4, 5 THE DANDY WARHOLS Palais Theatre November 5
S O . M A N Y. G I G S .
AVENUE RECORDS LAUNCH
Essendon’s Ukrainian Hall won’t know what’s hit it when the Avenue Records Launch goes down this Saturday. I probably shouldn’t say “Ukrainian” and “won’t know what’s hit it” in the same sentence, but there you go, faux pas committed. Anyway, the reason is that a whole punch of punk and metal bands are throwing an all-day all ages party to help launch Avenue Records. Topping the bill are Storm The Sky with an exclusive showcase of their forthcoming LP. Backing them up are Newcastle’s Trophy Eyes, Tassie’s Luca Brasi, plus Cyanide Teeth and more. It starts at 12.30pm and tickets are cheap as chips. TECH N9NE The Prince Bandroom November 7, 8 DEFTONES Festival Hall November 11 DESTROYER 666 Max Watts November 11 A DAY ON THE GREEN Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong November 12, Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley November 13 DISTURBED Margaret Court Arena November 18 DYLAN JOEL Prince Bandroom November 18 EARTHCORE Pyalong November 24 – 28 JIMMY BARNES Werribee Park November 27 RAISED FIST Max Watt’s December 3 THE USED 170 Russell December 5, 6 COLDPLAY Etihad Stadium December 9 FLUME Sidney Myer Music Bowl December 15
Beat Presents
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GRENADIERS + FROM OSLO SAT JULY 16 THE CROXTON 607 HIGH ST, THORNBURY
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CIRCUS OZ TWENTY SIXTEEN
The circus is back in town. Though, in contrast to previous years, the Melbourne launch of the new Circus Oz show isn’t doubling as the world premiere. Entitled Twentysixteen, the show has been ready since April, with the cast embarking on a regional Victorian tour that took in Warrnambool, Horsham and Mildura. Then, feeling sufficiently warmed up, in May Circus Oz made its way to Sao Paulo, Brazil to present Twentysixteen at the Australia Now cultural festival. Given the extra preparation time, the Circus Oz team were feeling pretty relaxed in the lead up to their monthlong stint in the Big Top at Birrarung Marr. “There’s actually something really quite calming about walking into the tent for the first time,” says music director Ania Reynolds. “It’s like, ‘Alright cool, here we are. We’ve just got to do it now.’ It’s a pretty lovely space. The difference between going to theatres and going to the tent is that it’s ours. Everyone who’s there is part of the Circus Oz team. We’ve had small seasons in really great theatres, so I think now going into the tent we know what the show is.” Guest director Anni Davey guided the formulation of this year’s show, with the aim being to include new and exciting surprises while also retaining many crowd favourites and upholding Circus Oz’s rough-and-tumble trademark. Twentysixteen includes a range of daring acrobatics – flying trapeze, Chinese pole, unicycle adagio, and group juggling – as well as comedy and live music. “It’s a very skilled cast so a lot of the acrobatics that are achieved in the show this year are pretty spectacular,” Reynolds says. “All of them are ensemble shows, but this one in particular has a real strong ensemble,” says performer Kyle Raftery. “You get to know each person and follow them through the show, because everyone’s so involved in every part of the show.” Raftery is a perfect example of the cast’s polymath propensity – he plays trumpet in the band, pairs with April Dawson in the unicycle adagio act, and gets involved in a handful of group acrobatic numbers. In many ways, Circus Oz has long been BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 16
a showcase of multi-tasking performers. “Matt Wilson – he first joined the Circus in the ‘90s – he does everything,” Reynolds says. “He was the dude who got shot out of the cannon back in the day. He does high falls, he does trapeze, he plays music, he builds his own props. It’s a nice thing about it – that culture. It’s following that traditional ethos of everyone in the circus pitching in to do everything. So if someone’s not performing in an act they might be counter-weighting the rigger or on the band stage. Everyone’s pretty involved, as opposed to being backstage and coming on to do your five minute spot.” “Myself, like everybody else in the show, just goes from start to finish without a break,” laughs Raftery. The current ensemble includes a total of 11 performers. The majority of them have been working together for the last two years, and three new members came on board ahead of this year’s show. Of course, the limited number of personnel could make things rather challenging, but it also gives everyone a great sense of responsibility. “I think it’s a given that you’ve got to be completely committed the whole time,” Raftery says. “It’s hard to figure out where you can make yourself available to other things. Sometimes you don’t want to get too involved with what’s happening onstage, because then you miss opportunities to go and play in the band or [do something else].” Another hallmark of the Circus Oz experience is an emphasis on improvisation. This is something that a multi-tasker like Raftery takes full advantage of. “The opening of the show B E AT.C O M . A U
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
is essentially a piano solo while the acrobats run over the piano and jump over Ania playing the piano,” he says. “But then there’s a few of us who play piano, so whenever we’ve got maybe a ten second break in our acrobatic load we can go and play a couple of notes on the piano. So you’re always looking for opportunities like that.” “There’s always an improvised element. It’s just part of the culture of the company,” Reynolds says. “Personally, it’s one of those things that keeps you really fresh and engaged.” To be clear, Twentysixteen flows within a structure, but it’s never too strict. As music director, Reynolds is partially responsible for making sure things don’t go too far off track. “From a musical point of view there are moments where people are able to improvise and go on a tangent, but then there’s also really specific cue points,” she says. “It’s quite nice to move between the two. Depending on what way the music’s syncing with the act – whether it’s really trying to precisely hit moments of action or whether it’s a bit more fluid – you can have a bit of fun trying things in different spots and seeing what impression that gives.” Reynolds has been playing in the Circus Oz band since 2010, contributing a variety of instruments including keyboards, baritone saxophone and French horn. She took over as music director in 2014. Given the centrality of music in Twentysixteen – which covers everything from jazz and big band to electronic, hip hop and rock – Reynolds and Davey worked closely together in mapping out the show’s dynamics, while also staying open to suggestions from the ensemble. “That’s a very satisfying part of the process,” Reynolds says. “All the material, the music and the acts and just everything that happens onstage, is created from the ensemble. Particularly with this show, there was no prescribed theme or particular narrative or aesthetic that we were going for. It was just, ‘Here’s the group. What are we going to come up with?’ And because most of us have been working together for two years, you’ve got quite a nice rapport and collective consciousness.” The democratic construction method depends on a certain amount of flexibility from all involved, which in turn opens the way for unexpected developments, as Reynolds explains. “In the initial creative
development we went away and wrote a bunch of music. Meanwhile there was a lot of skills that were being trained. Then we did a showing and tried different pieces with different music, and that ended up being the way we worked out a few things. But on the other hand, some acts emerged with a really strong theme or character or narrative, then it was like, ‘We actually just need to write some music that supports that.’ “That’s great to work with. It gives you a lot of freedom in both directions. It’s nice to be given very specific briefs to work to, but it is nice to generate material where it happens in conjunction with the action.” The stint in the Big Top lasts for the better part of a month, and the improvisational emphasis means the show will have plenty of opportunity to keep growing. “If you looked at the show in its first performance at Warrnambool compared to how it was at the end of Sao Paulo, it’s changed quite significantly,” Reynolds says. “There’s a lot of things that happen when you read a crowd. “Sometimes when things like props might not do what they’re supposed to or what have you, it’s a really great chance to see how you’re going to get out of those situations. People have become quite adept at improvising and just working it out onstage.” Raftery agrees. “If it’s a fairly major [thing that happens], for example if a prop suddenly breaks, often what is improvised is quite good and then we’ll think, ‘How can we keep those elements that made that moment really great?’ Often we look back and try to keep something there.” Every performance puts the ensemble’s stamina to the test, and with such a high level of risk and potential for chaos involved in the show, the ensemble members would be forgiven for being overcome with worry. However, Raftery says that’s never much of an issue. “It’s just so much fun. Once the audience is in, we’re just having a great time. You might get nervous beforehand, but when you’re in it, you’re just focused on what you’re doing and that’s controlling your thoughts.” CIRCUS OZ: TWENTYSIXTEEN is on at the Big Top at Birrarung Marr from Wednesday June 15 – Sunday July 10.
This Week: Bringing together an eclectic mix of symphonies, chief conductor Sir Andrew Davis is set to lead the MSO in two thrilling shows this week. Featuring the early work of Haydn with his Symphony no. 6, Le Matin, Rachmaninov’s famous Rhapsody on the Theme of Paganini and Charles Ives incomparable Symphony no. 4, this performance is sure to stun. An adventurer in his conducting, Davis is renowned for his exciting and boundary-pushing bills. The performances are set to take place at the Arts Centre, Hamer Hall, on Thursday June 16 and Friday June 17 at 8pm, with a pre-concert talk at 7pm. See the MSO website for tickets.
With James Di Fabrizio. Do you have news, thoughts or a fantastic minestrone recipe? Email james@beat.com.au.
Making its world premiere, Caleb Lewis’ tale of family, empire and bees, is now on stage at the Red Stitch Theatre. The Honeybees follows the plight of the world’s population of bees as they begin to disappear, along with a familyowned apiary that struggles to keep up with the consequences. Matriarch Joan has an iron will to see the business grow, but when Melissa arrives out of the blue, things start to fall apart. Directed by Ella Caldwell, The Honey Bees features Red Stitch actors Eva Seymour, Christopher Brown, Rebecca Bower, Marta Kaczmarek & Katerina Kotsonis. The performance will run from now until Saturday July 16, with an artist Q&A on Thursday June 30 and a Q&A with Melbourne beekeeping company, Rooftop Honey on Saturday June 25. For more details and to book tickets, head to the Red Stitch Theatre website. Hailed as Australia’s premier festival for emerging writer’s, the 2016 Emerging Writers Festival is set to kick off today, bringing forth a slew of talks, workshops, master classes and more to Melbourne’s Wheeler Centre. Over the 11 day festival, 200 members of the literary community will come together to explore the world of writing and ultimately attempt to answer the question: how do you become a better writer? The festival welcomes everyone from those who are just starting out, to those looking to refine their craft, and will feature a range of both free and ticketed events. For more details, head to the official Emerging Writers Festival website. Last performed in 2014, Chrissie Shaw’s selfpenned one-woman cabaret show, Bijou, is set to take to the La Mama stage tonight. In a Parisian café in 1933, a decrepit figure in faded fine clothes and pearls enters, and the night takes an unexpected turn. The once beautiful and renowned Madame Bijou takes the audience on a colourful trip down memory name, revealing gripping intricacies about her youth. A theatre veteran, Chrissie Shaw is joined by leading accompanist and musical director, Alan Hicks. Bijou will stage at La Mama theatre from tonight until Sunday June 19. Show times vary, see the La Mama website for details.
pick of the week
As part of their 2016 triple bill entitled Intention and Desire, The Melbourne Ballet Company will present their show Empyrean this weekend. The second show on the bill, Empyrean is starkly different to the first, The Veil of Maya for its focus on harmony, light and unconditional love. Endeavouring to leave its audience will a feeling of bliss, this is a show masterfully put together by resident choreographer Simon Hoy alongside Tim Harbour and Rani Luther. It will stage at the Alex Theatre, St Kilda on Friday June 17 and Saturday June 18 at 7.30pm. Tickets available via Ticketek.
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Craig Robinson BY TEGAN JONEs
“Have you ever eaten something that’s so good that you make a nasty face, like the fuck face? It’s so fucking good that you scrunch your face up? It’s so nasty. It’s so delicious. It’s a great time.” This is US comedian Craig Robinson describing how he came up with the name for his band, The Nasty Delicious, who will be hitting Melbourne this month. Clearly, it’s going to be one hell of a show, which he says will feature a little bit of everything. “There will be jokes, some stories, some audience participation, some singing and some dancing,” says Robinson. “It’s pretty much the best party you could ever go to.” Although most comedy fans will recognise him from his television and movie appearances, it turns out that music has been a lifelong passion for Robinson, so incorporating it into his live shows seemed natural. “I always have a keyboard in my act,” he explains. “I did maybe two open mics without it and it’s been my partner ever since. I’ve always had the music in me and I had been in two bands before now. The first was just four musicians and the second was four comedians who happened to play instruments. But in those bands there was no leader, everyone was trying to lead. So I thought, ‘Why don’t I hire musicians, take my act and expand it?’ So now I’m jamming with world class musicians. “It really started with me being frustrated about wanting to play in a band and realising that I’m the leader,” he continues. “It really quelled something in me because I was going to see bands, and I would be directing, and I know they were kind of annoyed. It was meant to be ± it’s the most natural and fun thing that I do.”
Robinson’s musical side has actually been crossing into his on-screen work for some time. As a fan of The Office, I mention the Dunder Mifflin jingle he performs in one episode. To my delight, he immediately launches into it. “‘Out of paper, out of stock, there’s friendly faces around the block / Dunder Mifflin, the people person’s paper people,’” he coos melodically. “I’ll put that in the act sometimes. Some people appreciate it and it’s very cool. B.J. Novak’s brother wrote the lyrics, then Greg Daniels was like, ‘Darryl would have something funky,’ so that’s what I came up with there. “It’s interesting the way that happened,” he says. “People always find out that I’m a musician and then just make that a part of my character. It’s how it happened for The Office; it’s how it happened with Hot Tub Time Machine. People came to my show before we started shooting and I remember [ John] Cusack saying, ‘OK, so let’s make him a musician’. It’s always been like that, because music is my partner.” Of course, the Chicago-born entertainer has a great deal more going on besides music, being an actor and comedian by trade. I wonder if he has a preference. “I have such a nice balance going on right now,” says Robinson. “I crave these things ± I’ll be doing comedy one week and then the next I’ll be in New York to act, but then I’ll really be craving to do something with the band. There’s nothing like leading a band. But then again, there’s nothing like doing a new joke and crushing it or acting in a scene and going to
EVERYTHING MELBOURNE
that emotional place despite all of the obstacles and distractions around you. They all have their special delights. But if I had to choose one, it would probably be the band.” With so much experience out on the road, Robinson also has some wild stories to share. “We did a show where the police were waiting for us in the dressing room so they could kick us out,” he reveals. “I think they thought that I was somehow inebriated ± I mean I was, but still, they didn’t need to go through all of that.” Moving onto something more positive, his attention turns to Australia and his forthcoming tour. “We’ll have fun out there. I’m coming in winter. So what’s your cold? Like, do I bring a butcher coat? Is it snowing?” At the suggestion of a practical coat, he says, “I’m thinking a hoodie and a vest. I’ll look pretty sexy in that, so that’ll be cool.” With all the energy Robinson exudes, it’s clear that his show will follow suit. “We are about whatever the moment calls for, whether it’s funk, R&B, some country ± we go through a whole gamut. But mainly it’s all about getting into that groove, permeating the room and everybody vibing together. That’s why we bring in the audience participation ± the more fun you have, the more fun we have. There’ll be some covers and stuff you’ll be familiar with. You’ll get some jokes and whatever, but it’s definitely going to be you and me getting up and dancing at the end of it all.” CRAIG ROBINSON AND THE NASTY DELICIOUS will perform at The Corner Hotel on Saturday June 18.
For more arts news, reviews and interviews visit beat.com.au
DIRTY SECRETS COMEDY
Coming Up
THE COMIC STRIP
Circus Oz’s TWENTYSIXTEEN
COMEDY AT GEORGE’S The city’s favourite George Costanza-inspired bar continues to give a nod to Seinfeld’s standup roots with their weekly comedy night. On Thursday June 16 they’ll host Laura Davis (2015 MICF award-winner) as MC alongside Firdi Billimoria, Lee Quarban, Kim Lisle, Nick Quon, Mitch Alexander and Adam Knox. Plus, coming soon is there new competition, Are You as Funny as George? It kicks off at 8pm at 120 Johnston St, Fitzroy.
ROCHESTER COMEDY On Thursday June 16, Rochester Comedy invites you to come and see some of the country’s best stand-ups for free. There’s Ivan Aristeguita (MICF gala) Damien Power (The Project) Michael Hing (triple j) plus a guest too big to announce. It all kicks off from 8.30pm at the Rochester, 202 Johnston St Fitzroy.
June 15 – July 10 Circus Oz Big Top, Birrarung Marr
Degas: A New Vision
Friday June 24 – Sunday September 18 National Gallery of Victoria
Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host Thursday July 14 & Friday July 15 The Wheeler Centre
Brunswick’s Best are Putting On A Sunday Market Helmed by Jess Wright and Lara Davies of creative force Home-Work, the Best in Brunswick market will bring together the best of the best in design and craft. Locals can peruse the beautiful works, gifts and special things, enjoy crafty workshops such as screen-printing, flower arranging and weaving, listen to special presentations, and marvel and live art installations. It all goes down at Barkly Square, Sydney Road, Brunswick on Sunday June 26.
The Northside Tattoo Party celebrates everything related to tattoo culture, which includes live bands, artist stalls, Burly Rock babes, competitions, Suicide Girls burlesque and live tattooing from featured artist Ben Lopez. Lopez, from Saygata Tattoo in Northcote, will be tattooing live in the venue throughout the evening and will also be a special guest judge for the competitions. First prize consists of a $200 tattoo voucher courtesy of Sayagata Tattoo, and there’s plenty more to keep guests entertained - expect to see burlesque performances from Burlyrock babes Ferri Maya, Zia Electric, Lissy LaVette and host Eevie La Volpe. The Northside Tattoo Party 2016 will rage at 24 Moons in Northcote on Friday July 1.
An Evening With Henry Rollins
Monday September 19 & Tuesday September 20 State Theatre
Labour of Love Art Series to Showcase Icons of Australian Melbourne International 2016 Program
Tattoo Party
Monday August 1 ± Thursday August 4 State Theatre
Friday November 4 – Saturday November 5 Hamer Hall
Animation Festival Reveals 24 Moons To Host North Side
Billy Crystal With Andrew Denton
Raiders of the Lost Ark Live in Concert
WILDE WILDE WEST COMEDY Come check out Melbourne’s best established and up-and-coming comedians for free every Tuesday night. Performing this Tuesday is Daniel Connell, Clara Cupcakes, Peter Jones, Kirsty Webeck and heaps more. Plus, say ‘Jim West’ at the bar for $5 house wines and $6 pints. It’s all going down at The Wilde on 153 Gertrude St. Fitzroy, every Tuesday night.
Gertrude Street Projection Festival
Friday July 15 – Sunday July 24 Various Venues
The festival will kick off with the Australian Showcase and will also feature International Competitions Programs, Panorama Programs, Best Of The Next, Late Night Bizarre, Kids Program, Best Of The Fest and more. There are themed programs featuring films and studios from Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, the US and more. Guests will gain an insight into Black & White Animation, a detailed focus on restored Classic Disney Shorts from the 1930s and 40s, Indie LA - a comprehensive spectrum of the independent LA animation scene and more. Special guests include Canadian based animator Theodore Ushev, and MIAF will introduce Animated Melbourne Made which celebrates the development and history of Melbourne’s own world-class animators. This will include a program with Dirk de Bruyn, who is one of Australia’s more distinguished abstract animators. The Melbourne International Animation Festival will run from Sunday June 19 to Sunday June 26.
Street Artist Adnate To Host Melbourne Solo Exhibition Melbourne’s Metro Gallery is set to host a solo exhibition from hometown street artist Adnate. Considered one of the most influential street artists in the country, Adnate’s collection of works is entitled Always Been Here, and aims to draw focus on the Indigenous people of Australia. Adnate worked with a cultural advisor and spent time with the Wurreranginy community in Western Australia’s Kimberly Region, to gain a deeper understanding of the community he portrays through his art. Fuelled by a passion for storytelling and with an unwavering attention to detail, Adnate ultimately creates incredibly emotionally charged pieces. Rich in warm reds, yellows and oranges, his pieces often are portraits of high-profile Indigenous persons, including AFL player Adam Goodes and models Samantha Harris and Nathan McGuire, while his ability to portray landscapes is profound. The Always Been Here exhibition will run at The Metro Gallery, 1214 Hight Street, Armadale, from Thursday June 16 until Saturday July 17, with a Welcome to Country Ceremony performed from 6.30pm on opening night.
Terror Byte BY LIZA DEZfOULI
When Beat speaks to Stewart Reeve, also known as Diamond, he’s just recovering from a cold. “It could be worse,” says the host of Dracula’s Terror Byte show. As well as hosting the night, Reeve performs stand-up and is also the lead vocalist in the brilliant cabaret show. Reeve has just been made cast manager for the Dracula’s team. Not a bad trajectory for a performer who only joined Dracula’s in 2013 as an understudy for their Spiderlash production. “My role this year is the same one as I’ve done for the last two years,” he explains. “I’m MC; I’m the glue that holds everyone together. I do stand-up. I sing, I do talk spots and make segues for the other performers.” Terror Byte touts itself as an adrenaline spiked, vampire inspired, poltergeist-themed cabaret show, combining steam punk retro with stunning futuristic stage effects, along with lashings of live music, fetish burlesque, and an all-you-can-eat setlist of revamped rock classics. That’s quite some claim. Reeve assures us however, that the show exceeds the high expectations audiences have come to know Dracula’s for. The Newmans, the owner-
managers of Dracula’s Cabaret Theatre restaurants (there’s one in Queensland too), travel the world each year looking at shows and checking out the latest technology. “When you see the aerialist, there’s this massive audiovisual screen with special effects of blood dripping; the technology comes from Belgium,” Reeves explains. “People don’t realise how the Newmans keep up to date with performances, with the food, and with the attention to detail they give to Dracula’s. People think ‘theatre restaurant’ but they don’t understand how much goes into it. They come up to us afterwards and say, ‘My God, that was fantastic’.” Ultimately, if you’ve not seen been to a Dracula’s show and think you might know what to expect ± think again. Dracula’s shows are sophisticated and rude, with
G E T S O M E C U LT U R E U P YA
Music Collingwood’s newest warehouse and gallery, Besser Space, is set to host three free music-related exhibitions in July. In week one, premier live music venue, The Corner Hotel will shine, as it celebrates its last 20 years. There’ll be a gallery of some of the venues favourite gig shots, from local live music photography legends including Ian Laidlaw, Carbie Warbie and Mary Boukouvalas on show, as well as poster artwork and adverts from years gone by. There’ll also be the announcement of the shortlisted artists for their first newly appointed annual award, the Corner Award. The second week will see much loved indie label Bedroom Suck and their artists celebrated, with an exhibition featuring works from the musicians behind Bedroom Suck bands including Deaf Wish, Totally Mild, Twerps, Lower Plenty and more. In the last week, Besser Space will play host to an exhibition from prominent live music photographer, Zo Damage, entitled EVE. The works focus on women in rock’n’roll and like Damage’s previous works, promise to be emotionally captivating and raw. The exhibitions will run at Besser Space, 15-25 Keele Street, Collingwood from Friday July 1 until Thursday July 21. Entry to all exhibitions is free. polished performances. And they’re funny. “The dining experience goes hand in hand with the show,” Reeves continues. “We’ve got a number of themed cocktails, one is the Blood Bag which comes in a hemoglobin medical bag and it’s attached to an IV drip. We’ve got the Witches Brew, cocktails with liquid nitrogen on top so they smoke and bubble when they come out. We’ve got shots in syringes with popping candy on them. There are always different things to try.” Has Reeve’s stage character changed over the last three years? “I never look on my character as ‘a character’,” he answers. “My character is an overplayed extension of some of the things I normally keep locked away. I’m quite straight in my real life so when I get up on stage I let loose a bit. I get to be cheeky, take risks, and try out new material.” Reeves certainly gets to look the part for Terror Byte too. “I’ve got all sorts of looks,” he says. “I keep the same look for the pre-show, which is the branded look. And I have a number of costume changes. Most of the things are sequined; diamantes and sequins. I’ve even got a big diamante microphone cover. I’ve got a number of costume changes. I’m sitting here in my Melbourne gear, brown boots and a long black trench coat and tonight I’ll be wearing a blue sequined suit. I get to wear a period pompadour style wig and a big gold codpiece.” TERROR BYTE is now playing at Dracula’s Melbourne every week from Tuesday to Saturday, and Sundays in December from 7pm. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 19
O f f Th e Record
S n a ps
WITH T YSON WRAY FP-Oner’s 6 (on Mule Musiq) and Richie Brains’ Who Is Richie Brains (on Exit Records) and you’ll be set.
Melbourne might be pretty friggin’ cold at the moment but luckily we’ve got some Detroit heat forthcoming in the name of Delano Smith. Over his esteemed career the house veteran has released on the likes of Apparel Music, Kolour Recordings, Stilove4music and Sushitech while playing at every festival and club under globe ranging from BPM to Movement, Panorama Bar to fabric. Y’all can catch the don on Friday July 22 at Brown Alley.
Faktory
SOME UPCOMING RELEASES TO LOOK FORWARD TO: Nils Frahm, Frederic Gmeiner and Sepp Singwald AKA nankeen have revealed that their sophomore LP Oddments Of The Gamble (on R&S Records) will drop on Friday July 15; ol’ mate Aphex Twin will release a new EP titled Cheetah (on Warp Records) on Friday July 8; South African house visionary Culoe De Song has a new album entitled Washa (De Song Music) also coming on Friday July 8; while the Berlin-based producer Dinky will release her sixth studio record Casa (on Crosstown Rebels), again, on Friday July 8. Gonna be a goooooooood weekend for listening, that one. RECOMMENDED:
Sweet merciful Jesus. The Belleville Three AKA Detroit techno pioneers Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May, who have not performed together in almost a decade, are in the midst of planning a global reunion tour. In an interview with the Canadian publication We Got This Covered last week, Saunderson stated: “What I can say for the future is that we’re working on a tour now, for all three of us as the Belleville Three. We’re gonna try to kick it off next year, and it’s gonna start out with DJing and evolve into a much bigger thing, too.” This will be a bigger tour than Daft Punk, guys. Keep an eye out.
FRIDAY JUNE 17 DJ Pete, Marcelus The Substation
TOUR RUMOURS: they’re being crowned as the greatest live electronic act in Europe at the moment, and word on the street is that we’ll be seeing Moderat coming our way mighty soon. Oh, and Jackmaster? Would happily put $20 down on seeing his face on Australian shores before the year is out. Best releases this week: after loads of hype the new record from Matthew Dear’s Audion project has finally dropped. It’s titled Alpha (on !K7 Record) and it, uhh, kinda sucks. Sigh. On a more positive note, however, spend this week spinning Monolake’s G M O (on Imbalance Computer Music), Eric Miller’s Flora (on Sushitech), Vicmari’s Autodidact (on Eclipser Chaser), Margaret Dygas’ Even 11 (on Perlon),
SUNDAY JULY 3
SUNDAY JUNE 19 Late Nite Tuff Guy Revolver Upstairs FRIDAY JULY 1 DJ Pierre New Guernica
Matthias Meyer Pawn & Co FRIDAY JULY 22 Third Son New Guernica
Khokolat Koated
Delano Smith Brown Alley SUNDAY AUGUST 14 Gene Farris Revolver Upstairs
Got any tip-offs, hate mail, praise or cat photos? Email hey@tysonwray.com or contact me via carrier pigeon. Hit me on Twitter via @tysonwray.
CLUB GUIDE WEDNESDAY 15 JUN
• ARCHIPELAGO 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. • HEAVY ROTATION Belleville, Melbourne. 6:00pm. • REVOLVER WEDNESDAYS - FEAT: AGENT 86 + DANIELSAN Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm.
THURSDAY 16 JUN
• 3181 THURSDAYS - FEAT: HANS DC +
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH + SAM GUDGE + JAMES STEETH Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:00pm.
• ARIZONA THURSDAYS - FEAT: KODACODE +
TALI + PAIGEPLAY + BETH GRACE + MORE Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. • DISCO VOLANTE - FEAT: DELTIOD CURVE + THE MILKMAN + BOWANCE + YANI ARSENAKIS + BALTIMORE GUN CLUB Onesixone, Prahran. 8:00pm. • JACKY WINTER + VENUS II + V/A + GPOG Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. • NIGHTCAP. - FEAT: SLIM VIBRATO + SLIPPERY PETE + SERVICE DESK + A.M. LIMONATA Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. • THE EIGHTY 88’S DJS Catfish, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. • VARSITY - FEAT: PAZ + MATT RAD + PYZ Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. • VINYL FRONTIER Belleville, Melbourne. 6:00pm. • WAKE UP MELBOURNE - FEAT: PJENNE + BARRY SUNSET + MR PITIFUL Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm. • WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS Carlton Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.
FRIDAY 17 JUN
• #ILLUMINATIPARTY - FEAT: LARRIE + GTB$Y +
SOFIE ROZE Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. • #MASHTAG - FEAT: NU-GEN + MALPRACTICE + FLAGRANT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. • 2009 - FEAT: MIAMI HORROR DJS + BENI + STREETPARTY + MORE Brown Alley, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $11.44. • BUENO-JUNIO - FEAT: SAFARI STABLE +
URBAN GUIDE DYLAN GRIFFIN + THECAMILOS + MORE Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 6:00pm. $11.44. • CIROQ FRIDAYS Cq, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • DANCE MISSION CLUB - FEAT: DROP FRAME + DANCE MISSION DJS Brown Alley, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $10.00. • DJ THE KNAVE Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 9:00pm. • EDD FISHER & AVALANCHE CREW Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 6:00pm. • ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM Carlton Club, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm. • 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. • 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 + ASHLEE Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. • POPROCKS - FEAT: DR PHIL SMITH Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. • RAGNAROK - FEAT: BAMBI + DONNA MACKENZIE + BENNY G Loop, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. • REVOLVER FRIDAYS & REWORK - FEAT: MIKE CALLANDER + MANY & VARIED + DAVE PHAM + JMCEE + MORE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 10:00pm. • THE DISCO - FEAT: GREG SARA + LUKE MCD + JEN TUTTY + MORE Onesixone, Prahran. 8:00pm. • THE EMERSON CLUB FRIDAYS The Emerson, South Yarra. 3:00pm. • YAK + FRIENDS Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $10.00.
SATURDAY 18 JUN
• AUDIOPORN SATURDAYS - FEAT: LE ZOK +
JAMES WARE + GREG SARA + TOM EVANS + MORE Onesixone, Prahran. 9:00pm. $15.00. • BLVD Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 10:00pm. • BUSTIN OUT - FEAT: ANDY PADULA + KITI + OZZI LA Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 6:00pm. • CHAMPAGNE INTERNET Prince Public Bar, St Kilda . 10:30pm. • CQ SATURDAYS Cq, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.
• CUSHION SATURDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 9:00pm. • DJ DUSTIN MCCLEAN Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.
9:00pm.
• ELECTRIC DREAMS - FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Co.,
Southbank. 9:00pm. $20.00.
• HOT STEP - FEAT: 99 PROBLEMS + TIGER FUNK
+ SILVER FOX + ASKEW Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm. • IN THE CARRIAGE - FEAT: DJ JNETT Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm. • JANK FACQUES Carlton Club, Melbourne Cbd. 12:05am. • LOST WEEKEND - FEAT: DJ J’NETT + LYNTON CARR + JIMMY JAMES + DISCO HARRY + MORE Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm. • PLATFORM ONE SATURDAY NIGHTS Platform One, Melbourne. 9:00pm. • PONY SATURDAYS La Di Da, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. • PROGNOSIS - FEAT: DYLAN GRIFFIN + TREVOR ROSE + DAVE HUTTON + MORE Loop, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. • SEVEN SATURDAY DISCOTHEQUE Seven Nightclub, South Melbourne. 10:00pm. $20.00. • SNACK ATTACK - FEAT: DJ 2P Elephant & Wheelbarrow, St Kilda. 10:00pm. • 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. 11:00pm. • TRAMP SATURDAYS Tramp, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • UONE + EASTWOODS + PQM + MARKJ + MORE Railway Hotel, Brunswick. 7:00pm. $16.67.
SUNDAY 19 JUN
• ANYWAY - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Bottom End,
Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $25.00.
• AQUEOUS TRANSMISSIONS - FEAT: RIVER
YARRA + ADRIANA + YUNALDO Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. • BOP ART - FEAT: HAWAII + WHO + TIGERFUNK + MATT RADOVICH + LEWIS CANCUT Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.
electronic - urban - club life
• CUSHION SUNDAYS - FEAT: COURTNEY MILLS
+ TOM EVANS + FRAZER ADNAM + MORE Cushion, St Kilda. 10:00pm. • 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. • RENE LAVICE Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. • REVOLVER SUNDAYS - FEAT: LATE NITE TUFF GUY + BOOGS + SPACEY SPACE + T-REK + MORE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00am. • ROOFTOP SUNDAYS - FEAT: KHANH + KEN WALKER + JESUS The Emerson, South Yarra. 12:00pm. • THE SUNDAY SET - FEAT: DJ ANDYBLACK + HAGGIS BETRAYAL Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 4:00pm. • WAX ON WAX OFF Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.
MONDAY 20 JUN
• CALL IT IN - FEAT: INSTANT PETERSON +
DYLAN MICHAEL + ROBYN TREASURE Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • MONDAY STRUGGLE - FEAT: TIGER FUNK Lucky Coq, Windsor. 6:00pm.
TUESDAY 21 JUN
• CUSHION TUESDAYS Cushion, St Kilda. 10:00pm. • EAT IF YOU’RE HUNGRY LAUNCH - FEAT:
ADRIANNA + PJENNE + MILL Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. • ESESE DJS Ferdydurke, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. • MAKE IT UP CLUB - FEAT: MITCH BRENNAN + LARA DE SOULIO + JAKE MCMINN + LIAM DALY Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. • SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.
WEDNESDAY 15 JUN • 30/70 COLLECTIVE + LEON SPENCER KALEIDOSCOPE + ALYSHA JOY + L8 NITES + MORE Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $5.00. • MELLOWDÍASTHUMP - FEAT: DRUM TALKING + GEEZY + CAZEAUX O.S.L.O + SKOMES Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.
FRIDAY 17 JUN • BRIGHT LIGHTS BIG CITY - FEAT: DJ RCEE + KAHLUA + DJ SHOOK + DJ ANGEL JAY Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. • CORMEGA + BIG SMOKIN’ JOE Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. • FAKTORY FRIDAYS - FEAT: DAMION DE SILVA + K DEE + DURMY Khokolat Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. • KELLY AUTY BAND Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm. • MR. RUCKMAN + MANAZ ILL + TOLLS & AEROWS + GZUTEK + SADIVA Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 7:30pm. $10.00. • PARTY & BULLSHIT - FEAT: SONIC VIBES + TALI Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. • SOUTHERN LOVE - FEAT: MAT CANT + GET BU$Y + SLICK P + ROB STEEZY + MORE Vic Bar, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. • URBAN PROBLEMS + COCOA NOIRE Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.
SATURDAY 18 JUN • BIG DANCING - FEAT: LARRIE + GTB$Y + MANIC PIXIE + MORE Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. • KHOKOLAT KOATED SATURDAYS - FEAT: DAMION DE SILVA + K DEE + DURMY + TIMOS Khokolat Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. • RENELOPHUS + HYPER SNYPER + FULL SPECTRUM + LA HAZEL Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:30pm. $10.00. • RHYTHM NATION SATURDAYS - FEAT: DJ TIMOS + DJ KAHLUA + DJ ANGE M & ANDY PALA Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $10.00.
SUNDAY 19 JUN • MOMENTUM (FOREIGN BROTHERS) - FEAT: MOMENTUM: FOREIGN BROTHERS + THE CORE-TET Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.
TUESDAY 21 JUN • BRANDY Hamer Hall (arts Centre Melbourne), Southbank. 8:00pm. $79.00. • RAMBUTAN JAM BAND + THE MOODY SPOOKS + DEADPAN Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5.00.
20
JUSTIN YAP BAND L E T
L O V E
I N
B y A ugu s tu s W elb y
Blues, funk and soul reign supreme on the Justin Yap Band’s new album, Let Love, which comes out this Friday. In the years since the band’s 2013 debut, Long Way From Home, the lineup has gone through numerous changes. Yap remains on lead guitar, while keyboardist Ollie Wolfe, bass player Ben Wicks and vocalist Nardia Brancatisano complete the current incarnation. Solidifying this lineup has allowed Yap to progress beyond the project’s previous release.
THE PAPER KITES U P
L AT E
BY PHOEBE ROBERTSON
The Paper Kites are heading around the country this month to celebrate the ongoing success of their critically acclaimed LP, twelvefour. Written by lead singer Sam Bentley, the entire record was dreamed up between the hours of midnight and 4am. After debuting in the ARIA top ten, twelvefour has now inspired a brand new theatrical performance that’ll be showcased on the Midnight tour. “We are performing in front of this set that we’ve created,” Bentley says. “There are four windows that are hovering above the band and there will be four different stories happening in each window. We are providing the soundtrack to everything that is happening in this apartment building. The windows have been built to look like they’ve been ripped out of an apartment building. The style is very Greenwich Village. It was actually inspired by the Alfred Hitchcock film Rear Window.” Turning the typical live show on its head, The Paper Kites are aiming to provide a unique experience for their fans. “You can only really play – in Melbourne in particular, but a tour in general – so many times before you start thinking, ‘I feel like I can do more with this and I feel like I can really bring the audience into something’,” says Bentley. “We had this idea to try and bring this midnight idea to life and make people feel like they are staying up in those hours as well. It’s really about bringing a completely new visual level to a show and, I suppose, trying to get people to walk away and think, ‘That was different.’ I love the idea of being immersed in something that’s more than a show.” Given the antisocial hours of its construction, Bentley says the process of putting twelvefour together was challenging. “It came through a conversation a friend and I were having about the artistic peak of the day, or the night, and he was saying he had seen an interview with some screenwriters who were saying that they did their best work between midnight and 4am,” he says. “I did it for about two months and ended up with about 30 songs. I had to pretty much flip my sleep schedule on its head and sleep during the day. I love that time of night. I think it’s really romantic, it’s very moody, there’s just a real sort of melancholy feeling about writing music at that time and it sort of seeped into the record. It birthed this beast of an album.” Having recently returned from a UK tour, Bentley reflects on the progression of their international popularity. “At the start, all of our friends used to come and they were the majority of our crowds,” he says. “All of a sudden it just switched and we didn’t know anyone who was there. We’ve always had such a great crowd in
Melbourne and Australia in general. We just got back from Europe – we’d never played there before and it was amazing. We ended up playing a place called Paradiso in Amsterdam, which is a very famous venue. The Rolling Stones played there and Keith Richards cited it as one of his favourite shows ever. We were originally supposed to be playing a 250-sized club, but it sold out so quickly that they moved it and we had about 1500 people there, which was really weird – we didn’t think anyone even knew us in Amsterdam [laughs]. “In a lot of those European cities people stayed around for ages, they just wanted to talk. A lot of the people I spoke to wanted to tell me about how our music had influenced their lives and they were really emotional. You don’t realise the scope your music has, the reach. When people become attached to your music it becomes their song; it’s no longer yours and it’s ingrained in their lives. I didn’t realise some of the music we played had that affect on people. To move someone that much is pretty special and it’s a real honour to meet these people and hear that you’ve had some sort of influence on their lives.” Renegade is the latest single lifted from twelvefour, and the third song to give rise to an afterhours-themed music video. “Dan [Huiting] is the guy you go to when you have an idea that’s really difficult to pull off. I went to him with the Renegade concept and he said, ‘I’d love to do it, I’ve got just the right group of kids in mind.’ They were a local skate crew. He got them on board and then we had to create La Cinequatic. We had to get a cinema screen inside a tiny little pool venue and get the neon signs made. These poor kids were riding in the middle of the night in the snow – they did so well. They were such a group of grommets, you know – really cool little dudes but kind of a little intimidating. “There’s definitely that ‘80s vibe soaked through all three of the videos. I’m calling it ‘lateighties’, like late-night-eighties. If anyone asks what genre it was, that’s what I’d say. I’m coining it.” THE PAPER KITES are playing at the Athenaeum Theatre on Friday June 24.
“With Nardia and Ollie, we’ve been playing together for just over two years now, but Ben joined the band about four or five months ago,” he says. “I wanted to take this thing up a notch and in a slightly different direction, and that’s when he came in and we’ve been working pretty hard together.” They’re all skilled instrumentalists, so it didn’t take long to establish a propitious group synergy, which is enhanced by de facto drummer Cameron Smith. “He’s not officially a member of the band, but Cam’s been playing pretty much every gig we’ve done since we recorded the album with him,” Yap says. “Between everyone there’s definitely something there that I haven’t experienced for quite a while. Just in terms of having fun, whether it’s on or off stage, hanging out and jamming, everyone seems to be on the same page.” The name of the band is indicative of Yap’s ringleading role. However, all of the band members made an integral contribution to the songs on Let Love. “That was a big difference between this one and the first one,” Yap says. “It was a pretty involved process for everyone. A big part of what we did with this was spend a lot of time in rehearsal and pre-production. Most of the songs I brought to the band and then even
the first time showing them, the guys would throw in suggestions. About half the songs I’ve co-written lyrics with Nardia. Over the six months leading up to us going into the studio, a lot of the songs have undergone some pretty big changes just through input from everyone. Everyone’s put in whatever they can to make it as good as it can be.” Long Way From Home gained a reasonable level of attention upon release, debuting at number three on the Australian Blues Charts. Going into Let Love, Yap reflected on the strengths of Long Way From Home, as well as the things that needed improving. “It’s obviously a pretty different band, but leading up to the first album we’d only done
UONE G O I N G
O U T
W I T H
A
B A N G
BY BENJAMIN POTTER
Beats thumping, melodies hypnotising, and frequencies so low they’d make Lil’ Jon look like an amateur. This could be a reference to any number of DJs playing at one of Melbourne’s tech or deep house clubs. But the prolific DJ Uone has something that most do not – a diverse theatrical prowess, taking listeners and dancers on a profound journey that enables them to question their life purpose and meaning. “It’s not just about getting up there and DJing,” he says. “It’s actually about creating a vibe and a concept for people to gain an experience – taking them on a cosmic trip to try and transform them and make them ask questions like, ‘What is this? Is it a voodoo priest? Or is it a gangster tech lord?’ It’s about putting on a show more than anything.” Uone’s trippy energy and unorthodox productions, which encompass everything from ‘60s psychedelia to organic sounds from exotic tribal cultures, have seen him take his unique brand of tech house all the way to Europe. He’ll soon embark on another overseas tour to appear in front of many adoring European punters. “The reception is excellent,” he says. “I W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U
would say I’m more popular over there than anywhere else in the world and I’m quite content. It’s going to be jam-packed. Really looking forward to Glastonbury and going back to Portugal, and even though I’m not playing there, Eastern Europe – the scene is really starting to grow and take off over there.” Uone has scored a month-long residency at the prestigious Chalet Club in Berlin. He’ll be bringing along a bunch of other local producers, such as Thankyou City and Dreems, to exhibit the uniquely Australian brand of minimal tech house that Germans can’t get enough of. “Both cities have a very vibrant nightlife, there’s a real synergy between Berlin and Melbourne,” Uone says. “A lot of people
maybe five gigs,” he says. “That was also my first time spending that much time in the studio doing an entire album. So what worked and what didn’t work from Long Way From Home definitely came into play with this one, just in terms of preparation, deciding which studio to use and how we did everything.” Let Love follows the first album in its conflation of blues, funk and soul, with elements of various associated genres. But while many songs invoke blues chord sequences and scales, Let Love isn’t a down and out, miserable sounding affair. The positive messages conveyed by the title track provided a blueprint for the album’s optimistic character. “That was the first song that got written. Pretty quickly we all decided it would be great to base the sound of the album [around that song], and in terms of themes/lyrics, to try and revolve around what that song was about. A big part of it is definitely trying to be a lot more positive. For me it was a reaction to all the negative stuff you see on the news everyday. And just on a personal level, it feels like everyone’s got some sort of anxiety or depression-related issue. We wrote Let Love and a few of the other songs around trying to counter all that.” JUSTIN YAP BAND are playing at the Spotted Mallard on Friday June 17 with support from Jesse Valach & Blues Mountain and DJ Matt Frederick. Let Love will be available on Friday June 17 via justinyapband.com.
feel that and it’s only fair to share and promote the two cities together. There’s so much raw talent here based around techno and deep house music, so we’re happy to be pushing Australian, and particularly, Melbourne artists.” Reflecting on his performances at Burning Man and Robot Heart, two of the most prestigious festivals in the world, Uone says the experience was equal parts fulfilling and unpredictable. “Playing Burning Man was quite the challenge – there was a dust storm when I was playing. But it was such a great experience seeing all the LEDs moving with the vibe of the crowd. Just the vibe and the crowd response – it was very wild. You never quite know what you’re going to get at Burning Man until the reality comes and it’s just such a trip.” Before Uone heads to Europe, he’s saying farewell with a bang, starting with last weekend’s monster set on Kiss FM paying homage to two of his biggest inspirations, Prince and David Bowie. “They were two of the first to work with really deep electronic sounds from synthesizers and that’s had a profound impact on what sounds my ear digs. I like to use a lot of the same hardware they used and it’s always fun to get into the studio and discover those sounds you might have heard on one of their records, and then use it in my own production.” Uone’s final send-off will be an earthumping six-hour set at the Railway Hotel in Brunswick, centred on his renowned theatrical vibe. “My team at Vision Hound always like to have a theme or a concept for any event we do. This one will be a jailbreak party so I’ll be in a prison cell in a prisoner outfit DJing for six hours straight. Oh, and anything on the stage will be 3D-mapped. This will be such a good chance to go deep into my music collection and play some different styles of house music. I can’t wait to take everyone dancing on a real journey.” Catch UONE’s last Australian set before his European tour at The Railway Hotel, Brunswick on Saturday June 18, with appearances from Eastwoods, PQM, Mark J. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 21
TRACY MCNEIL & THE GOODLIFE S T O L E N
M O M E N T S
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
PETER BJORN AND JOHN B R E A K I N G
T H E
M O U L D
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
Peter Morén, Björn Yttling and John Eriksson are all experienced producers in their own right. The Swedish indie pop trio self-produced their first five albums, while Yttling has also produced records for the likes of Lykke Li and Sarah Blasko. But for album six, 2011’s Gimme Some, they brought in fellow Swede Per Sunding, best known for producing The Cardigans. The result was a guitarcentric power pop record, marked by the trio’s exuberant energy. The band members have kept busy in the five years since Gimme Some. Yttling produced Li’s I Never Learn, as well as records for Chrissie Hynde and Franz Ferdinand; Morén released his second Swedish-language solo album, Pyramiden; and Eriksson released a couple of albums under his solo alias Hortlax Cobra (1984 and Nightshift). Plus, the band have been instrumental in the advent of Ingrid – a Stockholm-based record label and artist collective formed alongside Li, songwriter Coco Morier, members of Miike Snow, Teddybears and more. “[We] started to hang out more with people in the pop business here in Stockholm,” says Yttling. “Making shows together with them, like Lykke Li and Miike Snow and Teddybears. Also building that studio was a bit different, or actually two studios; they’re called the Ingrid studios.” Along the way, Peter Bjorn and John were steadily working on their seventh album, Breakin’ Point. They again sought out help with the production, but this time they enlisted a long list of studio experts. The album credits include Patrik Berger (Robyn, Icona Pop), Paul Epworth (Adele, Coldplay), Emile Haynie (Lana Del Ray, Kanye West), Greg Kurstin (Sia, Lily Allen), Pontus Winnberg (Miike Snow, Bloodshy & Avant) and Thom Monahan (Wild Nothing). These guys are responsible for producing and co-writing many of the most successful mainstream pop releases of recent years, from Kanye’s Runaway to Adele’s Skyfall, Robyn’s Dancing On My Own to Sia’s Chandelier. This is exactly the territory Peter Bjorn and John wanted to inhabit. “We wanted to make pop songs and put out a pop album,” Yttling says. “We started with Patrik Berger. Actually when we started building the studio he was like, ‘This band I have, they want to make a show in the studio.’ So we had Icona Pop – I think it was one of the first shows they did in Stockholm. I didn’t really know Patrik at the time, but I knew he was in a garage band before. So we contacted him because he was into rock music and pop music at the same time. We started with him, we made maybe five, six songs with him, and we felt like, ‘We have to do this how we did it with him on the other songs too.’ “Then we recorded some songs and we wrote songs and we were like, ‘Who else is doing what he does on an international level?’ Paul Epworth was in a band before he started production; Greg Kurstin I knew because I worked with him on the Lykke Li album a little bit; Emile Haynie we also BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 22
knew and he just seemed like a great fit. So we wanted to make contemporary, current pop music for us that would be valid now.” There’s long been a conspicuous pop aspect to Peter Bjorn and John’s songwriting. Their international breakthrough came ten years ago via the single Young Folks, and it’s no exaggeration to describe it as one of the most infectious songs of the 2000s. However, the band’s proclivity for pop music has never before been condensed into a whole album package quite like it is on Breakin’ Point. “Maybe the last album influenced it in such a way that the last album was more of a power pop, punky album where we looked at Guided By Voices or obscure [bands] like Suicide or something like that,” says Yttling. “Those records were more like getting cool sounds and then recording a record. This time we really wanted to focus on every aspect of the songwriting, sort of like how Motown worked on their songs where they never finished until they got it right.” On paper, Guided By Voices seem a million audio interfaces away from refined Swedish pop music. The US band are emblematic of the mid-‘90s lo-fi movement, and their iconic releases Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes are characterised by the hum of a four track tape recorder. That said, Guided By Voices bandleader Robert Pollard certainly knows how to conjure up a classic melody. Accordingly, Gimme Some is loaded with accessible songcraft. However, Breakin’ Point is designed to make a broader impact. “If you want to compete with the Drakes – who, by the way, is super great and has awesome melodies, a personal favourite – then you have to look into production and how people communicate,” Yttling says. “We looked at Fleetwood Mac. Not Rumours, more like Tango In The Night. We of course looked at Michael Jackson, [especially] Thriller. “I love Buzzcocks and those sort of bands that have strong melodies, but if you don’t get the communication right then it’s not pop. Since we did the whole rock thing on Gimme Some, we wanted the songs totally solid before going into the studio this time.” PETER BJORN AND JOHN’s new album Breakin’ Point is available now via Ingrid/Kobalt. They’re playing at the Corner Hotel on Thursday July 21; also Splendour in the Grass 2016, North Byron Parklands, Friday July 22 – Sunday July 24.
It’s nearly ten years since Tracy McNeil relocated to Melbourne from Canada, and she’s now well and truly enmeshed in the local music scene. This is evident just by looking at the members of her band The GoodLife. Dan Parsons and Raised By Eagles’ Luke Sinclair share guitar duties, while Trent McKenzie (formerly of Sal Kimber and the Rollin Wheel) is on bass and Bree Hartley on drums. They’re all established musicians elsewhere, but they yielded to McNeil’s leadership to put together the new album, Thieves.
“I think regardless of what’s coming out around me, I want to make a better record than the last record,” McNeil says. “You always want to do better with each record and you hope you’re growing as an artist. [For Thieves], the goal was to make the best record I possibly could in that given time and just be true to what I’m writing.” The members of The GoodLife have plenty to offer as players, writers and vocalists, which gives extra dimension to the songs on Thieves. However, McNeil had all of the songs ready to go before showing them to the band. “As far as the lyrics, the melody, the structure, I take those songs finished to the band,” she says. “But they’ll come up with their own vocal harmonies, they’ll come up with their own guitar lines – Dan and Luke are really enjoying that kind of Allman Brothers, guitarmony, ‘70s thing. I might have a melody line, Dan picks it out on guitar, Luke adds a harmony. So it is a collaboration, but a collaboration in terms of the guitar tones, their parts. I certainly don’t tell them what to play. The songs are pretty fully formed when I bring them in, but it’s a democracy afterwards.” The band’s collaborative bond was strengthened by the fact that they all share very similar tastes. “We’re all coming at it
from the same place of loving [the same music],” McNeil says. “From the ‘70s: Fleetwood Mac, Allman Brothers, Steve Miller, even The Eagles, dare I say it. All that old stuff with the harmonies, and then new contemporary bands like Shovels and Rope, Houndmouth, Dawes, Jenny Lewis – so we’ve got this real blend, but we’re all into the same stuff. So any ideas people would have we’d say, ‘Yeah that’s fuckin’ cool, because it’s not like someone’s coming from leftfield, listening to death metal or wanting take it to a funk level. I feel safe and we all trust each others’ ideas.”
STORM THE SKY L O C A L
P R I D E
BY ROD WHITFIELD
Highly ambitious, forward thinking Melbourne fivepiece Storm The Sky are looking ahead to a very big weekend. Not only are the post-hardcore act helping to celebrate the launch of the new live music initiative and record label Avenue Records, but they’ve got something very special planned for this show. Beat speaks to frontman Will Jarratt, who’s happy to explain what’s going on.
“We’re really excited,” he says. “We’re about to re-brand the show today. We’ve been holding off on doing it to get it all ready, but it’s pretty much an album showcase. It’s only going to be in Melbourne. We’re going to treat it as a whole new experience. Mostly new songs, and our old singer’s coming back for an old song. It’s all really exciting. “We’re playing a lot of the samples on a lot of new equipment, like keyboards and pads, and implementing a completely new B E AT.C O M . A U
experience to see us live. And it’s a one-off show where you’ll get to hear most of the new album before anyone else.” The show is designed as a means of saying thank you to the band’s hometown fans who’ve stuck with them over the years. “We really wanted to do something that was unique to Melbourne,” Jarratt says, “because we wouldn’t really be anywhere without the local Melbourne scene. And it’s been a while since we did a local show.
There is some variety among the artists McNeil names as influences, but there’s nothing radically different about them. Accordingly, McNeil’s stylistic orientation is quite distinctive, but Thieves doesn’t stay fixed on a particular sound. There are more introspective songs, like Ashes and Blueprint, which sit in contrast to upbeat numbers like Middle of the Night and Paradise, and the psychedelic-tinged White Rose. But rather than having a premeditated plan of attack for the album’s dynamic range, Thieves developed in correlation to McNeil’s personal circumstances. “I wrote the songs throughout [last year], and I was travelling. I was in Canada for three months – my father had cancer, and I was trying to spend as much time as I could with him. I was thinking the whole time I’d fly back to Australia and he’d pass away, but he happened to pass away while I was there. So it was a tumultuous year. The whole year was insane. There were a lot of friends around me going through marriage breakups or affairs and craziness. And then two weeks after [my dad’s] funeral I hopped on a plane and met my band in Nashville and we played the Americana Music Festival, and then we were in LA. “So I was writing from where I was at the time, not thinking about how it would all work in the end. I knew I was trying to write a record, but everything was so specific. The songs are all really personal.” TRACY MCNEIL & THE GOODLIFE are playing at Bella Union on Saturday June 25. Thieves is available Friday July 1 via SlipRail Records/MGM.
“We’re going to have some screens on stage that will be playing music videos that won’t be out yet throughout the set, [which features] a lot of imagery that’s going to be throughout the album. There’s pretty much no other way to see this unless you come to this show. We’re just trying to give back to Melbourne.” It’s an even more exciting prospect given the show is an all-ages event, and an excellent and varied lineup of supports are joining Storm The Sky. “It’s great, everyone can come,” Jarratt says. “And we’re really stoked to have the Trophy Eyes boys and Luca Brasi on. There’s a really cool rapper doing his EP launch as well, he’s been really excited. It’s really cool to have a mixed bill showcasing local talent and some really big national bands who are nice enough to play underneath us to make this show as big as we can make it.” It’s been a year and a half since Storm The Sky’s last album Permanence. The followup, which they’re showcasing at this gig, is complete and ready to go, and will be released in the next few months. “I’m absolutely stoked, it’s my favourite thing we’ve ever done. I’m cranking it on the walk home by myself and not feeling arrogant. I’m loving it so much. The release will be rolling out quite quickly after this show.” For all the band’s rabid fans waiting impatiently for the album, Jarratt says it contains a few surprises, but there’s something for everyone. “The next single that we’re releasing is still heavy but it’s definitely heading in a different direction. It’s more of a punky, raw vibe, less polished than our previous album. The biggest thing that I can say – and I know a lot of bands say this, but I truly feel like this is spot on – is that you can pretty much like any genre of music and like this album. There’s just so much going on, and so many different vibes. That’s the beauty of it.” STORM THE SKY are playing the Avenue Records Launch on Saturday June 18 at Ukrainian Hall, Essendon, alongside Luca Brasi, Trophy Eyes, Cyanide Teeth and plenty more.
Orb B O R N
U N D E R
A
B A D
S I G N
B Y PAT R I C K E M E R Y
In Enid Blyton’s Five Get Into a Fix, the intrepid and somewhat pious children are dispatched to the Welsh countryside where they fall into an adventure involving grumpy criminal types exploiting the valuable mineral reserves hidden under a local mountain. I had hoped that Iron Mountain, the first track off Geelong band Orb’s debut album, Birth, was inspired by the Famous Five’s mystery solving activities. However, the inspiration is far more mundane.
“I was actually in Centrelink at the time and there was a stack of boxes,” says guitarist and vocalist Zak Olsen, “and on all the boxes was written ‘iron mountain’. I didn’t know what was in the boxes, but it just sounded cool at the time, and a good song name.” With The Frowning Clouds in a semi-permanent hiatus, Olsen and fellow Clouds members Daff Gravolin (guitar and bass) and Jamie Harmer (drums) revived their teenage interest in Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult, augmented with less familiar heavy rock bands such as Diamond Head and Megadeth, and Orb was born. “[Orb] just came about out of convenience because the three of us lived so close together at the time, and also none of us were working at the time so we’d spend most of our time doing that because it was just easy doing that,” Olsen says. “We wanted to do something that was different for us to do, that we weren’t used to, which was playing in different tunings, just trying to make longer songs.” The original idea for Orb was centred on doom rock, tempered with a sense of humour and irony that would take the edge off any self-indulgence that might inadvertently arise. “We did have the idea of doom originally, and we thought it would be funny, or at least for us,” Olsen says. But Birth is much more than a heavy doom rock record, with moments of psychedelia, prog-rock and the occasional foray into pop. “I guess it’s gone on from where we started, so it’s not strictly doom anymore, and I don’t think it would stay that way anyway,” Olsen says. “Having said that, we still enjoy playing the heavier things with different tunings and lots of fuzz. Maybe it’s not necessarily doom, but a bit faster, a bit groovier now, a bit more groove-based.” Having started out jamming on a riff, Orb quickly moved to writing songs with a notional structure. “The tracks on the album are definitely written as songs,” Olsen says. “When we started we wanted to have a big jam aspect to the band and do a lot of improvising live. But for one reason or another we don’t let ourselves do that, and we always end up adding structure. I don’t know what that is. The album is jammy in some parts but it is pretty much well thought out, and if you come and see it live it’s relatively the same as you’ll hear it on the record.” When Orb get immersed in some serious riffing – such as on the 16-minute Electric Blanket – images of stoned kids in their bedroom nodding their heads to the grooving licks, or lying in a forest searching for spiritual awakening, come to mind. “I’d like to say it’s best to listen to the record while driving,” Olsen says. “But you can listen to it however you like – we don’t condone anything.” While the band name – by dictionary definition a sphere, but also a lesser known Marvel comic character and a regular object of knowledge in science fiction and fantasy literature – doesn’t betray any significant meaning, the band members’ interest in science fiction can be discerned in Orb’s music and lyrics. “I suppose the science fiction influence is in the synthesisers – synthesisers always tend to have a bit of a science fiction vibe about them,” Olsen says. “And it’s definitely in the lyrics. We all read lots of scifi, and that always makes interesting topics to sing about. And a lot of the sci-fi books relate to social issues these days, and it can be quite uncanny how much they do. Basically, it just makes something good to sing about.” The song titles are in keeping with the sci-fi context: Iron Mountain, New Moon, Electric Blanket, Reflection. “Sometimes we think of song names and names that would sound cool and we’ll have a list of unused song names,” Olsen says. “When we’re rehearsing we’ll have a certain riff, and the riff might have a sort of fantasy vibe to it, for God knows what reason, so we’ll attach one of those names to it. I guess the music influences the lyrics, and vice versa. Mainly I just try and do what’s easy for me to sing live. I like to keep the melodies simple, at the moment anyway.” The title of the album suggests Orb will evolve in the future, possibly to adolescence and even adulthood. “There was a cassette that came out before that was called Womb. This album is Birth, and we were going to continue the theme but I think maybe we might have grown out of that. There will be a song on the next album called Childhood Ends, so I guess that ties in with it maybe.” Maybe, I suggest, if they’re still playing in 30 years’ time, they could release Orb: Cantankerous. “I think we’re nearly there already,” Olsen says. “We’re like three old men in conversation.” ORB’s debut LP Birth is out Friday July 1 via Flightless / Remote Control.
W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 23
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PUNK, HARDCORE NEWS, REVIEWS & GOSSIP with JOE HANSEN joesamhansen@gmail.com
New Jersey indie punk shred lords Screaming Females have announced an Australian tour this August. Touring in support of their critically acclaimed 2015 release Rose Mountain, the tour will be the band’s first in Australia. The band has also announced an Australian tour version of Rose Mountain with outtakes and B-sides. The band will play the Curtin on Saturday August 6. The Smith Street Band frontman Wil Wagner has announced two solo shows in Melbourne and Sydney this August, joined by former Bomb The Music Industry frontman Jeff Rosenstock. The two shows will follow a sold-out national tour from The Smith Street Band who continue to support their 2014 album Throw Me In The River. Wil Wagner and Jeff Rosenstock will play the Corner Hotel on Friday August 19. Footscray punk rock locale The Reverence Hotel announced the lineup for their fourth anniversary birthday party on Saturday July 23. Headlined by long-running melodic
CRUNCH
on Saturday June 18. Come along for an awesome night of music and magic.
NEW BLUES PILLS ALBUM ANNOUNCED
Modern classic rockers Blues Pills have just announced their new album Lady In METAL, HEAVY ROCK. CLASSIC ROCK LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL Gold, which will be released in August via Nuclear Blast. “Lady Gold is a character GOOD SHIT symbolising death,” explains singer Elin with PETER HODGSON Larsson of the intriguing album title. crunchcolumn@gmail.com “We wanted to get away from the typical stereotype of the Grim Reaper.” The mystical and dark references of the album NEW GOJIRA ALBUM THIS title are echoed throughout a lot of the WEEK Gojira release their highly anticipated new album. The album was produced in Sweden LP Magma on Friday June 17. The follow by Don Alsterberg. up to 2012’s widely acclaimed L’enfant Sauvage, Magma is heralded by the new HOLLOW WORLD AT THE single Stranded, which is accompanied by BENDIGO an official music video directed by Vincent Amoeba Quake Events presents Hollow Caldoni. World, Cryptic Abyss, Daemon Pyre Frontman Joe Duplantier says, “We are (NSW), Athenas Wake, Eternal Rest very excited to release our new album (QLD) and Behold the Defiant at the Magma. We put everything we had into Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood on Friday these songs. This album is our flesh and June 17. Hollow World have been hitting blood.” The record was self-produced at hard in the Australian music scene since the the band’s own Silver Cord Studio in release of their second EP The Wrath Kept Ridgewood, Queens. Within, touring all around Australia with the likes of Ne’Obliviscaris, Be’lakor, KAT O BELIEVES IN MAGIC Psycroptic, Disentomb, Aversions Kat O from Kill TV is back at Dane Crown, King Parrot and many more. Certificate’s Magic Theatre in Brunswick Hollow World also opened for Swedish
alt-rockers Blueline Medic, the lineup will also include Adelaide’s The Hard Aches, Brisbane’s Screamfeeder, plus local support from Foxtrot, Tigers, Tyre Swans and Cascades. Tickets are available now from the venue. The annual Brewtality Fest is back again in August, this time taking place across both The Bendigo and The Tote on Saturday August 6. A “celebration of metal, rock and beer”, the fest features a massive lineup of all things loud and heavy, with sets from Toe to Toe, Collosvs, Join the Amish, Coffin Wolf, Hostile Objects, Levitating Churches, Frankenbok and many more. Tickets are available now via Desert Highways. Short-lived Alabama indie punk band P.S. Eliot, featuring Katie and Allison Crutchfield (Waxahatchee, Swearin’) have announced a compilation album of their complete discography. The set will include both albums – 2009’s Introverted Romance of Our Troubled Minds and 2011’s Sadie – plus a multitude of demos and unreleased
melodic death metal legends At The Gates. Cryptic Abyss have been quietly writing some of the heaviest death metal to come out of Melbourne and plan on hitting hard with their newest release Feed ‘Em To The Sea. Tickets at doors, $15 Entry.
GIVE SHERIFF A LEG UP
Melbourne’s Sheriff need a leg up to record their debut album, so they’re heading to Rye’s Civic Hall on Saturday June 25 to raise some bucks with a bunch of mates. Give ‘Em A Leg Up Ya Bastards! features Sheriff, Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk, Child, My Left Boot, Grindhouse, Redro Redriguez & His Inner Demons, Zombitches, Killerbirds, Broozer, A Gazillion Angry Mexicans, The Annie Crooners and The Moody Spooks. Bands are on from midday, and the fun begins at 11am with fete stalls, hot food, raffles, a goodies auction, rock’n’roll DJs, and MC (real life livestock auctioneer) Nick ‘The Mouth From The South’ Fogarty. The gig is 18+ with BYO cans, plus beer on tap. Pre-sale tickets $30 plus booking fee from sherifftheband.com.au.
tracks. It’s due Friday September 2 and they band will also be undertaking a short accompanying US tour.
GIGS
In tragic news, prolific bassist Brandon Ferrell has passed away. Playing in many bands throughout the years, including Career Suicide, Municipal Waste and Government Warning, Ferrell also ran No Way Records. The cause of death is as yet unknown.
DRAIN LIFE, UNCLE GEEZER, DEAD ROOT!, GRUDGE at The Bendigo Hotel
Adelaide hardcore punks Crisis Alert have announced the release of a new 7” single Internal Conflict. Available now on Resist Records, with the lead track No Way Out streaming on the Resist Records website. Skate punk veterans Less Than Jake have announced the release of Live at the Astoria. Recorded live in 2001 at London’s famed Astoria venue, the album is available on LP, CD and digital formats directly from the band.
THE SMITH STREET BAND, LUCA BRASI, JOELISTICS, JESSE LOCKE BAND at Max Watt’s
FRIDAY JUNE 17 ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL THUNDER, LOOSE TOOTH, CABLE TIES, INDENTED HEAD at The Tote COSMIC KAHUNA, STAY SHARP, LITTLE LAMB AND THE ROSEMARYS, GREEN TIN, DJ MISS K THE SMITH STREET BAND, LUCA BRASI, JOELISTICS, JESSE LOCKE BAND at Max Watt’s
via Rocket Distribution. “We are pleased to announce we will be joining forces with Napalm Records as we embark on the next phase of our journey,” Myles Kennedy says. “We are very excited to see what the future brings and look forward to reconnecting with our fans in 2016.” The band are currently at work on their new album with producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette, which is currently slated for a late 2016 release followed by massive touring over 2016 and 2017.
SATURDAY JUNE 18
TRIBULATION TOUR AUSTRALIA BUT SKIP MELBOURNE?
THE SMITH STREET BAND, LUCA BRASI, JOELISTICS, JESSE LOCKE BAND at Max Watt’s
The mighty Alter Bridge have signed with Napalm Records for North America, with their next album to be released in Australia
Swedish metallers Tribulation will be touring Australia for the first time ever next week. Their back catalogue is exceptional and remarkably consistent, but it was 2015’s The Children Of The Night that really caught the attention of the metal press, making countless Album Of The Year lists. They’re playing three shows in Australia, and although there’s no Melbourne show on this tour, perhaps a road trip is in order. See them at Dark Mofo Festival in Hobart on Wednesday June 15, at The Bald Faced Stag in Sydney on Friday June 17 with Exordium Mors, Rise Of Avernus and Bastardizer, or at Crowbar in Brisbane with Anatomy and Chemical Cascades on Saturday June 18.
That was the largest issue we had to face when writing the record. That, and letting ourselves trust that this dude knew what he was doing, or that this dude had a vision. “We really needed to feel comfortable with each other again,” Butler adds. “In some ways it was new territory, unfamiliar and alien. The last few Letlive records were organic and we allowed it to be what it was, but this record was very deliberate. There was a lot of intent in this record.” Butler has been outspoken in the past about his troubles growing up in a disadvantaged area of Los Angeles with a black father and white mother. Butler has said he often felt estranged from his father and took on the role of man of the house at a young age. He recalls a time when his mother was undergoing treatment for leukaemia and he was left to look after his younger sister. “In some ways it’s extremely difficult for me to talk about certain things to the degree that is necessary to write a song. I can’t just meet someone on the street and
start talking about the shit that I talk about in my record,” he says. “I’ve spent most of my life keeping it completely removed from any conversation, because that’s what I thought being a man was all about. These days I’m trying to be a lot more open and free in my life.” If I’m the Devil is a beacon of hope for the disaffected and disenfranchised. Butler says that while many things divide us, these can also be the very things that unite us. “I’d love for people from each side of the coin to feel like they’re represented. For someone to think, ‘Oh wait, maybe this person understands. Maybe I’m not the only person who feels this or thinks that or has had these experiences.’ Feeling a sense of harmony and liberation within oneself is the first step to really changing anything.” Letlive will be spreading their message of freedom and hope across the United States during the Northern summer, but the good news is that Australia has a special place in Butler’s heart. “Unfortunately we’ve got
ALTER BRIDGE SIGN WITH NAPALM RECORDS
THURSDAY JUNE 16
DROWN THIS CITY, AUTUMN IN ALASKA, CAPONE, DANGER! EARTHQUAKE! at The Workers Club WE LOST THE SEA, HAVE/HOLD, HALF/CUT, OMAHARA at The Old Bar
SUNDAY JUNE 19 GRIZZLY JIM LAWRIE, ALI E, LINCOLN LEFEVRE AND THE INSIDERS at The Old Bar SAVAGES at the Corner Hotel
MONDAY JUNE 20 SAVAGES at the Corner Hotel
LETLIVE. F R E E
T O
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They may hail from the City of Angels, but posthardcore band Letlive are not afraid to expose their dark side. If I’m The Devil... is the highly-anticipated follow up to 2013’s The Blackest Beautiful – and it was definitely worth the wait. In a candid chat, charismatic frontman Jason Butler speaks to Beat about the importance of friends, freedom and embracing your fears. “While I was creating this record I wanted to feel scared,” he says. “I wanted to be outside of my zone of comfort. People often put up parameters to give themselves the illusion of safety, but I wanted to be free from constraints. “I don’t know what to expect [from this release] and I like it. I’ve always had a penchant for adversity and maybe I’m playing into that. But I’m really excited and I love the feeling of the unknown.” Afropunk described Letlive’s last album as, the “first truly unique” post-hardcore album in years, and with the unveiling of If I’m the Devil (out via Epitaph Records), this reputation is set to continue. Letlive are a band on a mission, partnering political messages with rock music. The new album includes lyrics commenting on BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 24
corruption, faith, greed and self-belief, but it’s development hasn’t been easy. “When we started the creative process for this record it was fucking hard,” Butler says. “We were in a weird place as a band. But as we went along I think we all realised that Letlive, as a band, is bigger than the four of us at this point.” Butler lights up when he talks of learning to trust his bandmates and surrender himself to the project. “Trust is everything – one hundred per cent. Our band has a couple of primary songwriters, but the Letlive that you hear on this record is the final product of four men. There was a lot of back and forth. We spent the most time trying to figure out what’s going to best service the record, and being aware of not just indulging ourselves artistically.
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stuff lined up for the rest of the year, so you won’t be seeing us in Australia anytime soon. But we’re trying to make our way back at the beginning of 2017, and I can’t wait. “When my friends from The Ghost Inside first came back from Australia they said, ‘Yo, I’m telling you man, the people there are beautiful inside and very much on the outside too.’ You know, the fucking typical American – ‘Oh man, they’ve got hot people there.’ But they also said that you guys were hungry for live music, and the music that we were playing was something very special and unique to Australia. So I just want to thank you guys for sharing that shit with us, because I get it now. My friends told me that five or six years ago, and now I get to experience it for myself.” LETLIVE’s new album If I’m the Devil... is out now via Epitaph.
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Snarky Puppy
Photo by Anna Madden
Forum Melbourne Thursday June 9
Mulatu Astatke
Malthouse Theatre Wednesday June 8
Snarky Puppy have garnered a cult following in Melbourne. Perhaps it’s due to their Grammy-winning credibility; perhaps it’s due to each member’s talent as a soloist; or perhaps it’s the fact that no other group on the planet is doing what they do, with the degree of excellence and precision that they do it. Snarky Puppy don’t play the type of lofty jazz that beckons appreciation on a purely cerebral level. Their music’s designed to make a crowd dance, jump, and in some instances even mosh. The multi-member behemoth pulled from a broad selection of influences, merging fusion with world music, neo-soul with classic metal. On paper, they sound like an art school basket case. Witnessed in person, however, they defied the odds and somehow made perfect sense. The show opened with a string of tunes from their latest album, Culcha Vulcha. Having already performed an earlier set, the nine-piece crew were either going to be extremely worn out or seriously warmed up. Thankfully, it was the latter, and by the time they got to the Brazilian-inspired Semente,
things had really kicked into gear. Obviously, with 11 albums under their belt a Snarky Puppy show can’t contain all of the deeper cuts and fan-favourites that will please everyone in attendance. However, the sheer amount of material in their arsenal makes every show unique. Only a few tunes were repeated from their previous set, which made it feel like self-contained and special experience. What so many people were here for tonight though, was to be enraptured by spontaneous improvisation. While all players delivered this in spades, the absolute standout was guitarist Mark Lettieri. Backed only by the pounding drums of Robert Searight, he moved between complex fusion comping and Stevie Ray Vaughn-like blues licks, offering a sly nod to his Texan heritage. It was an effortless distillation of the Snarky Puppy ethos – severe talent showcased in an accessible way. On Snarky Puppy’s first tour to Australia, they tried to teach an ambivalent crowd the melody to their proxy theme song Shofukan in the hope of initiating a group sing-along. The results were lacklustre, but as they
returned to the same venue in 2016 to a sold out crowd, there was no need to try the same shtick. The crowd began chanting the anthemic horn line right from the song’s commencement. Well after the show finished, roughly 1400 exhilarated punters filtered onto the street, with the refrain still being sung out as the crowd moved onto Flinders Street. A lot can be said about this jazz collective, but ultimately, it all comes down to one fact – this is a pure, unique vision of what jazz can sound like in 2016, and damn it feels good.
one other the players were. Joking with the crowd from the get go, the trio seemed completely relaxed yet sharply attentive to the ins and outs of the music. It often felt like the three instruments were so deep in the pocket that they were all emphasising different rhythmic patterns and yet somehow staying locked together. Glasper glided up and down melodic lines in a free flowing fashion whilst the drums played a fast counter pattern and the bass loped steadily in the middle. There was an almost classical sense to a lot of Glasper’s playing, but filtered through the blues and with a crazy, fluctuating sense of timing. His right hand is capable of incredible runs of notes and chords. He played solo in the introduction of one song, teasing the audience by not settling on one groove, instead changing feel in a dizzying assortment of deftly dispatched notes. Eventually, seemingly triggered by some invisible signal, Reid and Archer simultaneously entered the song to much applause. At one point of the set they each took turns leading and trying to throw each other
off through unpredictable timing choices. Glasper’s section even quoted Cindy Lauper’s Time After Time, which elicited smiles from the band with Archer informing him the jam session wasn’t until later on. As virtuosic as he is, there was a certain humour to Glasper’s playing. Every time he would play a straightforward melody he would smile to the audience like ‘gotcha’ and complicate the part, without being clever for the sake of it. The setlist mixed covers, such as D’Angelo’s Till It’s Done (Tutu), with originals. Material from the newly released Miles Davis tribute Everything’s Beautiful featured prominently, with the voice of Don Cheadle (who portrays Davis in the Miles Ahead movie) played at certain points in the music.
BY JAMES DI FABRIZIO LOVED: The polyrhythmic excess of What About Me? HATED: The jabroni who decided to stand directly in front of me mid-set. DRANK: Tinnies.
Mulatu Astatke has continued to be embraced by young generations of music fans, and not solely for the classic 1970s records that laid the foundation for Ethio-Jazz. His collaboration with UK collective The Heliocentrics in 2009 was a resounding success, showing an interest in experimentation and modern sounds unexpected in a gentleman of his years. His latest collaboration, on the album Cradle of Humanity and this tour, is with Melbourne band Black Jesus Experience. The band, all white men dressed in vaguely African clothing, began the show with an awkward and confusing introduction from bandleader Peter Harper about Ethiopia being the birthplace of coffee. What was meant as praise came across as stereotyping. It was a treat to watch Astatke beginning Yekermo Sew with a solo on the instrument he’s most famously associated, the vibraphone. The stillness of the room allowed his voice to be heard, singing along to the melody, seemingly mesmerised. This spell was broken when the bass player entered the song somewhat uncertainly, adding a pulse, swiftly followed by the rest of the band. The bass playing remained fairly unglued from the drums throughout, while the drumming itself was overly simple for this type of music. It felt as if the rhythm section were pulling in one direction and the horns and keys in another. The deep funk of Netsanet had some good moments, with Astatke switching to Rhodes piano and Harper delivering a killer saxophone solo. The horn section, which also included flugelhorn player Ian Dixon, often handled the main melodic
lines, and sounded wonderful together. Pianist Bob Sedergreen was by far the most impressive player of the BJX, providing tasteful virtuosity as well as showmanship. But while The Heliocentrics collaboration felt like a true combination of styles, this instead felt like a funk band trying to jam their sound into Astatke’s compositions. To make things worse, we couldn’t really hear Astatke. The man who should have been at the centre of the action instead spent much of the show watching it from behind conga drums. Liam Monkhouse joined the group occasionally to deliver some fast paced rapping, which seemed completely out of place. Every time that he did this guitarist Zac Lister and bassist Chris Frangou would jump up and down as if they were in Rage Against the Machine. While it was a pleasure to hear some of Astatke’s classic songs, this meeting of worlds largely didn’t work. LOVED: Hearing some classic Astatke tunes. HATED: The funk/rock/rap elements. DRANK: Nothing. By Alex Watts
Photo by Anna Madden
Robert Glasper Trio Bennetts Lane Jazz Club Sunday June 5
There is no better place to see a small jazz combo than in a dimly lit club. It’s a purpose built match that conjures up all the smoky allure of history’s great players and the stages that served them. There was a palpable sense of excitement among those in attendance at Bennetts Lane tonight, each knowing they were lucky to have gained entry. Robert Glasper is a big name in contemporary jazz and the chance to see the American pianist, along with drummer Damion Reid and upright bassist Vicente Archer, up close and acoustic was an incredible experience. Introducing the set with a song that was apparently held off the Covered album for “legal reasons”, a take on Prince’s Sign O’ the Times, it was obvious how attuned to
LOVED: Reid’s brush work. HATED: Nada. DRANK: A beer. By Alex Watts
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KSSHHT! GLUG GLUG GLUG...AHHHH BRUNSWICK BITTER NOW IN CANS W W W. T H U N D E R R O A D B R E W I N G . C O M
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A L B U M
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Top Tens HEARTLAND RECORDS TOP TEN
THURSDAY 16TH JUNE
WEEKLY TRIVIA
1. Midnight Cometh LP WO FAT
WITH QUESTION 1
2. Slap Happy LP L7
PRIZES & GIVEAWAYS! STARTS AT 8PM. CONTACT THE VENUE FOR TABLE\BOOKINGS.
3. Still They Pray LP/CD COUGH
FRIDAY 17TH JUNE
5. Hollow Bones LP RIVAL SONS
4. Why Are You Ok LP BAND OF HORSES
MAIN BAR FROM 9PM
TEQUILA MOCKINGBYRD
6. Self titled LP MINOR VICTORIES 7. Fargo Season 2 LP SOUNDTRACK 8. Hot Fuss LP KILLERS 9. Continuum 1/2 CD STEVEN WILSON 10. Twentyyears 2LP AIR
FEAR OF FLYING BEER GARDEN DJ’S
SAM MCEWIN / NAM / MAARS
PBS FM TOP TEN
SATURDAY 18TH JUNE
1. Case/Lang/Veirs CASE/LANG/VEIRS
MAIN BAR FROM 9.30PM
2. Introverted Extroverts THE GOOCH PALMS
VAUDEVILLE SMASH
THE GOOCH PALMS Introverted Extroverts (Summer Camp Records)
5. The Francis Wolves THE FRANCIS WOLVES
KODIAK KID / AKIN / TEE DUBYA SUNDAY 19TH JUNE
$10 ROAST - DJS IN THE BEER GARDEN FROM 4PM MONDAY 20TH JUNE
WEEKEND WARRIORS: $4 BASICS, CORONAS, PIZZA AND TACOS. LIVE MUSIC AND DJS FROM 8PM. TUESDAY 21ST JUNE
FREE MOVIE NIGHT:
TBA
FREE Popcorn + Candy Bar purchases available. 8.30PM
WEEKLY FOOD SPECIALS
SUNDAY - $10 ROAST MONDAY - $10 CARNE ASADA TUESDAY - $10 NACHOS WEDNESDAY - $10 TORTAS THURSDAY - $10 PARMA
(VEG. OPT. AVALIABLE) (VEG. OPT. AVALIABLE)
$4 PIZZAS
MON-THURS 12PM-9PM, FRIDAY TILL 5PM
ALWAYS FREE ENTRY INSIDE & OUTSIDE
420 SYDNEY RD, BRUNSWICK (03) 9380 8667, INFO@THEPENNYBLACK.COM.AU FACEBOOK.COM/THEPENNYBLACK.420SYDNEYROAD THE_PENNYBLACK
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VARIOUS ARTISTS 4. Glow in the Dark DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
BEER GARDEN DJ’S
@THEPENNYBLACK
3. Alligator Records 45th Anniversary Collection
It’s nearly 15 months since garage punk duo The Gooch Palms relocated from their coastal home in Newcastle to the city of Los Angeles. In that time, they’ve chalked up over 150 live shows and developed a reputation as one of the most entertaining bands this side of Saturn. The Gooch Palms also found enough time to collaborate with producer Bill Skibbe (The Kills, Jacuzzi Boys, The Black Keys) on their second LP, Introverted Extroverts ± their first album via their own label Summer Camp Records. For those unfamiliar with their music, this is some serious let your hair down and cut loose shit. Introverted Extroverts contains a mix of poppy garage punk with more than a hint of Californian surf rock, which goes a long way to explaining why they’ve hit the ground running in LA. It’s really catchy stuff right across the board. Opening track Living Room Bop sets the tone for the
album: a song about staying in and dancing all night in your lounge room. It’s pretty appropriate, because each spin of this album will make you feel like doing exactly that. Lead vocals are often shared between Leroy Macqueen and Kat Friend, and they work together extremely well. A couple of the tracks ± Tiny Insight and Wasting No Time ± have a real Weezer vibe to them, while latest single Ask Me Why brings out a bit more of that punk attitude. Many of the songs fall short of three minutes, and are sharp catchy tunes fuelled by fun energy. The Gooch Palms are not too dissimilar to that band that you used to rock out and get juiced to at house parties when you were 16. If you enjoyed those parties, you’ll enjoy this album. BY EBEN ROJTER
ALEX LAHEY Let’s Go Out (Independent) This is a bit of a snooze. I get the whole thing about ironic choruses about heading out and partying YOLO style, but this is a far cry from Chandelier. It could work if
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KANYE WEST FEAT. DESIIGNER, TRAVIS SCOTT, BIG SEAN, GUCCI MANE, YO GOTTI, 2 CHAINZ, QUAVO & BIG SEAN Champions (GOOD Music) It’s been a sick year for hip hop albums, but it’s been a while since we’ve had a banner all-in posse cut like Champions. The first taste of the long-rumoured, just-announced (and still probably year-away) Cruel Winter doesn’t really live up to the prestige of its ensemble cast, but it’s still solid enough to cover its weakest links. Doesn’t really elevate to the braggadocio of its title, the hook and production feel a touch thin.
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JENNY HVAL Female Vampire (Sacred Bones/Rocket) Swiftly following up last year’s stellar Apocalypse, girl, Jenny Hval returns with the creeping Female Vampire, powering through the fog like a steady night-time train. Hval’s vocal floats like a spectral presence, still anchored into the calm and relentless production. The first taste of new album Blood Bitch, out at the end of September. REBEL YELL Never Perfection (Rice Is Nice) Some darkly non-purist tekkers out of Brissie, Never Perfection is a crypt of hammering loops and polyrhythms, garnished by distorted orders. Solid enough for a strobe-lit bandroom sway, maybe a restrained fist pump toward the ground or two.
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8. What One Becomes SUMAC 9. Re-visionary MIKE RUDD & SPECTRUM, THE INDELIBLE MURTCEPS & ARIEL 10. The Triad PANTHA DU PRINCE
AIR TOP TEN INDEPENDENT ALBUMS 2. Bloom RÜFÜS
As the prophecy has foretold, Bob is back. Dogs flag 2017. it didn’t use the lackadaisical surf rock chorus as a crutch, but there’s little else to hold onto here. Needs a spark to light up the drabness, even though drabness is the point.
7. S to S S TO S
1. Skin FLUME
SINGLE REVIEWS WITH LACHLAN OSCAR KEY SUNG Hands (Wondercore Island) Venturing into more adventurous, darker territory, Oscar Key Sung revels with experimental aplomb, fearless of space. He can bust out bangers as proven on All I Can Do, but here he manages to pique interest without any notion of four-to-the-floor pandering. He’s positioned himself well on Hands, seemingly marking a clean snap from the R&B inclinations that invited unfavourable comparisons prior. It sets the scene for a debut solo full-length, due later in 2016.
6. American Tunes ALLEN TOUSSAINT
3. 60 Summers GRAEME CONNORS 4. The Best Of THE WIGGLES 5. Rising With The Sun THE CAT EMPIRE 6. Shift THE LIVING END 7. This Is Acting SIA 8. Anthology KATE CEBERANO 9. Flume FLUME 10. Seven Sonnets And A Song PAUL KELLY
BEAT’S TOP TEN SONGS FOR THE CIRCUS 1. Paradise Circus MASSIVE ATTACK 2. High Up On The Trapeze THE WIGGLES 3. Send In The Clowns GRACE JONES 4. Tears Of A Clown IRON MAIDEN 5. Jokerman BOB DYLAN 6. The Juggler WEATHER REPORT 7. Trapeze Freak FU MANCHU 8. Clowns And Jugglers SYD BARRETT 9. Big Top Women HANK WILLIAMS 10. Cannonball THE BREEDERS
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Above & beyond
beth orton
ACOUSTIC II (Anjunabeats / Central Station)
Greenthief
KIdSTICKS (ANTI)
Above & Beyond’s Acoustic II is a bit of a paradox. While the album features some of the trance legends’ most well known tunes, these acoustic re-imaginings would be more at home in a speakeasy, orchestra hall, or a hole in the wall gin joint. With a collection of soulful jazz and sweeping orchestral moods not dissimilar to the soundtrack of a Bond movie, it’s a far cry from the euphoric synths and lights of a festival hall or warehouse rave. For regular Above & Beyond fans, the album offers a unique take on songs they know and love. On My Way To Heaven, a song trance fans have been drifting away with for years now, features an orchestral score worthy of a Spielberg flick, punctuated with the aforementioned jazzy riffs. On the other hand, Black Room Boy, a song about a darker, seedier side of life, feels as if it’s finally found its ideal form. The tone is truly ominous, transporting the listener to a rainy, black and white night shot on celluloid. Acoustic II offers the feeling of connection trance fans have always cherished, but outside of the electronic format. It’s educational in many ways, as it highlights the relationships between electronic dance music and genres such as classical and jazz. In this regard, tracks such as Peace of Mind, Alchemy and Sticky Fingers deserve a special mention.
TREMORS (Independent)
Years after switching off her synthesizer and finding full-time comfort in the arms of a six-string, Beth Orton’s voice is back in its original habitat. Long before she was a folksy troubadour type, Orton made her name by working with the likes of William Orbit and The Chemical Brothers. And while Kidsticks isn’t entirely a throwback, it’s as close as she’s gotten in over a decade. The results are a blend of warm, hazy trip-outs and hard-line grooves that cohesively intertwine atop beds of keyboard bleeps and bass whirrs. The twirling indie pop of Moon sees Orton, fittingly, run rings around artists half her age attempting to do the exact same thing; while the lite-psych of Wave lets the strange bedfellows of ‘80s synth tone and jazzy polyrhythm tussle about until they’ve come to an agreement. It’s not a painless transition ± some tracks linger slightly too long in feedback loops, while the insubstantial title track could’ve been discarded entirely. Still, it’s a refreshing and surprising album from an artist that could easily have spent the rest of her career safely doing exactly the opposite.
Psychedelic rock has been around for decades, but it’s never been overly fashionable. But similar to grunge, blues-based hard rock and other such styles, it’s always great to hear bands keeping the sound alive despite its inherent unsexiness. Melbourne’s Greenthief are doing psych rock as well as just about anyone on the planet at the moment. The emerging three-piece inject just the barest smidgeon of prog into their psychedelia, some odd time signatures, unconventional arrangements and a heightened sense of dynamics and variation, and this sets them apart from the tripped-out pack. On top of that, their songs are damn catchy and free of the freaked-out, self indulgent space jams often associated with this genre. They know how to rock the hell out too, and at times they put the foot down and rock like a modern Zeppelin. Tremors is way cool, without being cool at all, if that makes any sense. Whatever the case, it’s a hugely enjoyable rock album that may be best experienced whilst indulging in certain recreational pharmaceuticals.
BY DavID JamES YOuNg
BY ROD WHITFIELD
BY SETH ROBINSON
eAGULLS
heLLyeAh
ULL AGES (POPFRENZY)
hoodLUm ShoUtS
UNdEN!ABLE (Eleven Seven Music / Sony Music Australia)
In the presser for Eagulls’ second fulllength release Ullages, we are reminded that the English post-punk come new wave ± and now shoegaze ± five-piece have been handpicked to support some of the greatest practitioners of these genres: Manic Street Preachers, The Jesus & Mary Chain and Ride. Here Eagulls wear these influences on their sleeve, but the question is whether their blatant restyling produces memorable songs or forgettable ones. The answer is both. Ullages opens strong with Heads or Tails, which offers a sense of theatre and occasion. George Mitchell’s vocals are up front in the mix as the song progresses into a driving industrial groove. A comparatively brighter chorus then arrives to offset the flooding darkness. Up next, Euphoria is a bouncier affair centred on a hooky guitar line from guitarist Liam Matthews. Both tracks are emotionally charged, making a pleasant progression from the band’s 2014 self-titled debut. My Life In Rewind is a clear as day throwback to The Cure, swaying along at a bumbling pace with layers of guitar and a topsy-turvy bassline. It’s not a terrible song, but it fails to evolve into anything concrete. This is a recurring issue as the album continues, exemplified by album closer White Lie Lullabies, which relies on modulating soundscapes instead of developing a basic structure. The single Skipping is a hypnotic loop of shimmering guitars and is ‘80s through and through. With a drive that’s hard to deny, it stands out as one of the album’s better cuts. Through a process of refining and sculpting their sonic identity, Eagulls have produced an album that promises much, but doesn’t always deliver. BY CHRIS SCOTT
As far as supergroups go, Hellyeah have stood the test of time and creative endurance in their ten years of kicking arse and taking names. They’ve undergone changes in personnel and sound and image, but the band have managed to keep their output fresh and innovative without necessarily reinventing themselves. Their fifth fulllength offering Unden!able is a sizeable slab of anthemic groove metal with a twist. Unden!able kicks into gear with a string of moshpit-friendly bangers replete with shredding verses, groove-tinged breakdowns and stadium-shaking choruses. Be Unden!able is an unapologetic ode to self-realisation, while X is a solid punch in the face that wins the award for best chorus on the album. Chad Gray brings a wide range of vocal styles to the table, encompassing his signature rapid-fire spitting and some colourful new methods of vocal delivery. Jagged solos are used judiciously and to great effect, harking back to the band’s earlier Southern metal sound. And of course there’s Vinnie Paul’s marauding drumming that can make anything sound huge, and boy does he let rip on this album. The musicianship and production is top-notch, with the band giving their fans everything they’ve come to expect from a Hellyeah record, and then some. The first single from the album, Human, is a Mudvayne-flavoured affair that’s criminally catchy and moving. After all, if there’s one thing Gray knows how to do really well, it’s craft a hooky tune that’ll get stuck in your noggin for days on end. Unden!able finishes on a strong note with another ear-splitting mosh pit gem, Startariot, and the Pantera-esque Grave, which features with some electro elements in the second half of the song.
HEAT ISL ANd (Poison City Records)
They might harken back to early developments in Australian punk and pub rock, but Melbourne-viaCanberra’s Hoodlum Shouts are more pertinent to the here and now than practically any other band. Their 2012 debut, Young Man/Old Man, was an eloquent indictment of both the political and personal ± particularly focusing on their intersection ± but its follow-up is perhaps even more volatile and urgent. The title track hurtles forth at breakneck pace, bowling over all in its path with a roaring all-in chorus. Self Medicating, too, leans in on the band’s post-punk influences by means of its clattering drums and snarling guitar from Mike Caruana. If anything gets Heat Island over the line as one of the essential Australian rock albums of the year, however, it has to be its closing three-track suite. Each chapter exceeds the five-minute mark, and these sprawling and incessant compositions reveal a dark and unrepentant side of the band, at once arresting and core-shaking. While there’s plenty of bands primarily concerned with who’s buying the next round, Hoodlum Shouts are kicking the RSL doors down and marching down to parliament steps. Heat Island, by proxy, is their union address. DavID JamES YOuNg
BY DImITRI ZRaZHEvSkI
FRIDAY 17 JUNE:
GLACIERS LP LAUNCH W/ THE NEWSLETTERS + WEDDING BELL RINGS
SATURDAY 25 JUNE - 3PM FRONT BAR, FREE ENTRY:
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+ THE FOOTBALL CLUB + ASTRID&
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TIPRATS ALBUM LAUNCH SCREAMING W/ LUNA GHOST + NO WAVES + MARATHON NEW LEASE: FEMALES PRIMITIVE CALCULATORS + MASCO SOUND (NEW JERSEY) SYMBOLIC ORDER + SECRET BAND SYSTEM EP LAUNCH THE GOOCH THE PUBLIC OPINION AFRO ORCHESTRA BLACK VANILLA PALMS (NEWCASTLE / L.A.) AUSTRALIAN ALBUM SINGLE LAUNCH SATURDAY AUGUST 6:
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BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 27
GIG GUIDE SKRONKADOODLEDOO
C HER RY BAR The name’s a bit of a mouthful, but Skronkadoodledoo aren’t here to muck around. Blues legend Chris Wilson is at the helm on vocals and lead guitar, joined by his son Fenn Wilson on drums and Shannon ‘The Cannon’ Bourne also on guitar. The guys have ditched the supports, and are instead playing two sets ± the first with an acoustic feel, the second down to business with some balls out rockin’. Check ‘em out at Cherry Bar on Thursday June 16. Entry will set you back $5 from 8pm.
DRAIN LIFE + SICK MACHINE + UNCLE GEEZER + DEAD ROOT + GRUDGE Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. EMERGENZA FESTIVAL Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 6:30pm. $20.00.
GONZO DOG + THE STRING THEORY + THE COOKS + COUSIN TOM Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm. $7.00. HALCYON DRIVE + CANARY + ALCHEMY INC Workers Club (geelong), Geelong. 8:00pm. $10.20.
HILLS HOIST + GYMNASTICS IN THE SEVENTIES + MAVERICK + JESTERS FOR KINGS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $13.00.
HYPNO SEX RAY (PLAY THE CRAMPS) Inkerman Hotel,
THE NUGS
L A ST CH A N C E R O C K & R O LL B A R It’s Muddy’s birthday on Thursday June 16, so you’re all invited to come watch some nice haircuts play some music. If you don’t know who Muddy is, doesn’t matter, still come and buy her a drink. The lineup comprises of filthy punk boys Scraggers, fast paced party punk pumpers The Nugs, Rhysics, and gargage cutie pies Plebs. Entry is $6 and doors are at 8pm.
MEZZ LIVE Chelsea Heights Hotel, Chelsea Heights. 5:30pm.
MR WOLF + THE STRANGERS IN TOWN + DEMONIC COWBOYS + RHINO DIVE Reverence Hotel, Footscray.
8:00pm. $10.00.
NINA BUCHANAN + KNEELING KNAVE Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 6:00pm.
SCRAGGERS + THE NUGS + RHYSICS + PLEBS Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, North Melbourne. 8:00pm. $6.00.
SELLING TIME + AMIKO + DEADFALL + CARDINIA
DRAIN LIFE
T H E B E ND I G O Melbourne death grinders Drainlife are on a three month tour of the country, and this Thursday June 16 sees them land at The Bendigo Hotel. They’ve crafted a huge lineup consisting of Sick Machine, Uncle Geezer, Dead Root and Grudge. There’ll be some sweet merch, old tunes and new tunes, all for just $5. Doors are at 7pm.
FULTON STREET + DJ VINCE PEACH + DJ ANDREW YOUNG Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $10.00. GIAN SLATER Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $25.00.
LISA FISCHER & GRAND BATON Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. 7:30pm. $50.00.
MELBOURNE IMPROVISERS COLLECTIVE Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - FEAT: PREQUEL + EDD FISHER Toff
In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.
Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
SUGAR FED LEOPARDS + DANY ELASAFIN DUO Workers Club, Fitzroy. 7:30pm.
NORTH CITY Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm. RACHMANINOV'S PAGANINI RHAPSODY Hamer Hall (arts Centre Melbourne), Southbank. 8:00pm. $29.00.
RUGCUTTERS - FEAT: MICHAEL MCQUAID'S PO BOYS
KALACOMA Shebeen, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $10.00. LAS MAR + DXHEAVEN + THE EXPERT KNOB TWIDDLERS
THE SMITH STREET BAND + LUCA BRASI + JOELISTICS + JESS LOCKE BAND Max Watt's, Melbourne. 7:00pm. THE SUM TIMES - FEAT: CYANIDE THORNTON + TINTED WINDOWS + EMILY SHOBBROOK + MORE The Shadow
Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10.00.
MENTAL AS ANYTHING Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm.
Electric, Abbotsford. 7:00pm. $7.00.
CLUNK ORCHESTRA Newport Bowling Club, Newport.
SOUTHERN STARS Dizzy's Jazz Club, Richmond.
$34.70.
7:00pm.
SPEAKEASY + THE UPSTANDING MEMBERS 303,
TENDERLOINS
SHORT, FAST, OR LOUD
Northcote. 8:00pm.
Balaclava. 9:00pm.
WH O LE LOT TA LOVE Tenderloins are four blokes who like to make music about their favourite things ± driving trucks and drinking beers. They’ll be bringing the noise to Whole Lotta Love on Thursday June 16, with the help of some special friends. Beggarmen will be contributed their riff-fuelled fury, and The Naughty Corner are set to provide their delicious mix of blues, funk, soul and rock. Potter on down at 8pm, entry is free.
WEDNESDAY JUNE 15TH
TH E RE V E R E NC E It’s The Rev’s good ol’ aussie punk and metal night this Thursday June 16. If you’re feeling like getting a tad frothy and starting your weekend that little bit early, why not head down and check out the savage sounds of Mr. Wolf, The Strangers In Town, Dermonic Cowboys and Rhino Dive. Doors are at 7.30 and entry is nice and easy at $10.
JUKAI FOREST
THURSDAY JUNE 16TH
SATURDAY JUNE 25TH
STEVE SMART AND GUESTS 7PM, FREE
FRIDAY JUNE 17TH
BLOWN CONES + BROKEN RIVER 8PM, FREE
SATURDAY JUNE 18TH
HUGH FUSCHEN AND THE SAUCE SAUCE SUNDAY JUNE 19TH MR ALFORD COUNTRY MATT ALFORD 7PM, $8
6PM, FREE
TUESDAY JUNE 21
OPEN MIC NIGHT WITH MATT MCFARLANE
FT. FLYING SAUCER TERROR + GOLD GULL + THE FUTURE OF DEAD RELIC MEMORIES 7PM FREE
7:00pm.
THE MOMENT IN & OF ITSELF Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. 6:00pm. $25.00.
Why should people come to your show? Well, Synthetics are amazing and have members of Hi-Tec Emotions and the Bunyip Moon. Pete plays in Immigrant Union and BC has Christina from Stina Tester & Cinta Masters. Need I say more? With those credentials you’d be silly not to. Also, we’re not awful. Where can people find your music? You can hear our single Mean Thoughts off our first EP by the same name at customerband.bandcamp. com, and hopefully on the wireless. We’re releasing it as a 7” on Saturday July 9 upstairs at the Grace, with some mates (Hi-Tec Emotions, Shrimpwitch and Time Robb), but you can preorder if you want, as there won’t be many of them. Catch CUSTOMER play at The Grace Darling Basement on Thursday June 16 with a killer list of supports. Tickets available on the door.
WINTER WARMER PANTAL, ALPHA LOOPY, PETER NIGIDO 8PM, FREE
SUNDAY JUNE 26TH
MR ALFORD COUNTRY MATT ALFORD 6PM, FREE
TUESDAY JUNE 28:
OPEN MIC NIGHT WITH MATT MCFARLANE 7PM
WEDNESDAY JUNE 29:
THURSDAY JUNE 30:
SOUND TRACKS FOR IMAGINARY FILMS TWO
THE GOOD EGG THURSDAYS - FEAT: HENRY WHO + TIGERFUNK + LEWIS CANCUT Lucky Coq, Windsor.
What are your influences? The Replacements. We’re a big fan of heart-onyour-sleeve songs with simple, catchy choruses. So the Nerves, Big Star, Neil Young, Teenage Fanclub and the DB’s all tick those boxes for us. Shauna is a huge fan of Burger Records’ bands and Matt has a weird penchant for Top 40. But we love him anyway.
FUNDRAISER FOR ROYAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FT.
+ BEN WRECKER & JOSH BACH, PRIMM 7.30PM & SEASLOTH $5 THURSDAY JUNE 23RD
8:00pm. $10.00.
What’s with the name? Tom and I are both huge fans of the Replacements so we borrowed it from a song of theirs by the same name. It’s also a word you can kind of spit out.
8PM FREE
DINGDONG DEATH HOLE
DOWSER
Northcote. 8:00pm.
Who is in Customer? Shauna Boyle (Cable Ties), drums/vocals; Tom Bradbury (Big Tobacco), guitar/vocals; Jackson Payne (the Tropes), guitar/vocals; and Matt Veitch on vocals/bass.
+ NO
WEDNESDAY JUNE 22ND
7PM
SOUL POWER - FEAT: MIKE STEVA Purple Emerald,
CUSTOMER
FRIDAY JUNE 24
SENIVODA
+ POLYKITE, JACK SHIELS 7.30PM $5
Bella Union Bar, Carlton. 6:30pm. $17.00.
Q&A
+ FCKUPS, MONKEY GRIP 7.30PM, $5
TAYLOR PROJECT DEAN SCHULZ, PATRICK WILSON 8PM, FREE
B E AT.C O M . A U
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 29
GIG GUIDE CUSTOMER
G RACE DARL ING HOTE L In anticipation of their forthcoming EP Mean Thoughts, garage pop punk four-piece Customer are hosting a little party down at The Grace Darling on Thursday June 16. Customer are comprised of members from Cable Ties, Big Tobacco and The Tropes. They’ve employed the efforts of Synthetics who share members with Hi-Tec Emotions, as well as Peter Lubulwa and B.C. who are playing their first ever show. This one should be a corker. Doors are at 8.30pm with just $5 taking care of your entry.
TIMBALERO THURSDAY La Di Da, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $10.00.
BACKSTAGE - FEAT: CAROL WILLIAMS ELASTIC BAND + THE SHAKE SHACK BOOGIE BAND Musicland, Fawkner.
7:00pm.
DAVID COSMA DUO Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 6:30pm. GARY WATLING & THE FLAMING MONGREL + STEVE SMART Tago Mago, Thornbury. 7:00pm. JON BROOKS + CAT CANTERI Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 7:00pm. $18.00.
DIET Shebeen, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $10.00. DUMB PUNTS + WASH Karova Lounge, Ballarat. 8:30pm. $8.00.
9:30pm.
303, Northcote. 8:00pm.
DUMBSAINT + HALF/CUT + ENLIGHT + BUILD & RELEASE EINSTEINS TOYBOYS + RATTLINCANE Musicland,
OPEN MIC NIGHT Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.
7:00pm.
Fawkner. 7:30pm.
ROLLER ONE + RAVENSWOOD + MIGHTIEST OF GUNS + LIAM JOHN DALY Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. SIB + JAMES ELLIS The Rooks Return, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. STEPH BRETT Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm. TENDERLOINS + BEGGARMAN + THE NAUGHTY CORNER
ENEMIES ALIKE + DISCLAIMER + RICK & THE DIPPERS
Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.
GLOBAL SAFARI + EDDIE MAC Belleville, Melbourne.
Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $5.00.
$33.00.
THE SPOT TE D MAL L ARD The Justin Yap Band will be launching their highly anticipated album Let Love, featuring Jesse Valach and Blues Mountain as special guests.The night is set to be one big soul, funk, blues and reggae party. with their first album Long Way From Home debuting at #3 on the Australian Blues Charts and remaining in the top 20 for four months, the Justin Yap Band plays a potent blend of deep blues, sanctified soul, and down-home funk. Led by guitarist Justin Yap, the band delivers electrifying and dynamic performances, bringing out their chemistry and energy in full force at every show. Catch Justin Yap and his band at The Spotted Mallard on Friday June 17. Doors open at 8pm, entry is $15.
TH'FIKA Baha Tacos & Tapas Bar, Rye. 8:00pm. THE DETONATORS + GREG DODD & THE HOODOO MEN
Sorrento, Sorrento. 9:00pm.
Grand Hotel Mornington, Mornington. 8:00pm. $17.85.
HEY HEY IT'S FRIDAY - FEAT: ASTRO BOYS Royal Hotel
ZIGGY ALBERTS Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm.
JUSTIN YAP BAND
FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE - FEAT: BRADY JAMES + TAYLOR PIGGOTT + BEN JANSZ + MORE Continental Hotel
6:00pm.
8:00pm.
THE ELECTRIC I + MUNRO MELANO + DREAMCOAT + CECIL TURBINE Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $12.00.
(essendon), Essendon. 10:00pm.
HOLLOW WORLD + CRYPTIC ABYSS + DAEMON PYRE + ATHENAS WAKE Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm. $15.00.
FRIDAY 17 JUN WESLEY ANNE Since they met back in 2000, The Yearlings, aka Robyn Chalklen and Chris Parkinson, have been making music that exudes raw beauty and honesty. They’ve made numerous festival appearances across Australia and overseas and have supported the likes of Steve Earle, The Punch Brothers and Justin Townes Earle. The Yearlings give a new strain of acoustic music, distilling Americana alt.country through the filter of distinctly Australian life. They play Wesley Anne this Thursday June 16. New Zealand’s very own Mel Parsons plays as a special guest on the night. Music kicks off from 8pm and entry is $20.]
$10.00.
KOZMIK COUNTY Bar Oussou, Brunswick. 9:30pm. MATT BRADSHAW Elephant & Wheelbarrow, St Kilda.
THE IMPRINTS Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm. THE NEED Railway Hotel (brunswick), Brunswick.
THE YEARLINGS
COSMIC KAHUNA + STAY SHARP + LITTLE LAMB & THE ROSEMARYS + GREEN TIN Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm.
8:00pm. $29.00.
BARB JUNGR Bird's Basement, Melbourne. 7:00pm. BARELY STANDING PRESENTS Prince Public Bar, St Kilda
LA DANSE MACABRE + BRUNSWICK MASSIVE RESIDENT DJS Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. LUPINE + GANGZ + JAMES MOLONEY & THE MAD DOG HARRISONS Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm. MENTAL AS ANYTHING + JOE MATERA St Kilda Memo, St
. 8:30pm.
Kilda. 8:00pm. $33.00.
ABSOLUTELY 80S Matthew Flinders Hotel, Chadstone.
CAPTAIN SPALDING Customs House Hotel,
METRIK Elephant & Wheelbarrow, St Kilda. 11:00pm. POWERSTRYDE The B.east, Brunswick East. 6:00pm. PRINCE CELEBRATION - FEAT: COMPUTER BLUE + PAISLEY MARK + DJ MASTER BAITZ + DJ FAB-ULOUS
Williamstown. 9:30pm.
Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 11:30pm. $10.00.
BLUE SUNDAY Black Hatt, Geelong. 7:30pm. BRITISH INDIA + IV LEAGUE + NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUTH 170 Russell, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $36.00.
CASCADE + MAN CITY SIRENS + SIENNA WILD + JACKIE SANNIA Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm.
TEQUILA MOCKINGBYRD Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:00pm.
GABRIELLA COHEN
N ORTHCOTE SOCI AL CLUB Off the back of releasing her debut album, Full Closure and No Details, singer/songwriter Gabriella Cohen has been making waves around the country. Only recent to the Melbourne scene, she is travelling from strength to strength, supporting the likes of Albert Hammond Jr (USA), Marlon Willams, (NZ) and featured as Triple R’s album of the week. Friday June 17 sees her take over Northcote Social Club with special guests Hearing and Crepes. Tickets are $12 with doors at 8.30pm.
THE KITE MACHINE Workers Club (geelong), Geelong. 8:00pm. $14.30.
ELIZABETH ROSE
HOWL ER Singer/songwriter Elizabeth Rose has just dropped a new single in the form of Playing With Fire, and she’ll be gracing Howler on Friday June 17. The multi-talented DJ and producer released her debut full-length Intra back in March, and has been gaining further momentum ever since. Rose will be supported by the electronic project Batts and hip hop artist Baro. Kicks off at 8pm, scoop up your ticket via Moshtix.
THE SAND DOLLARS + THE MOODY SPOOKS + TALI MAHONEY + RICCI Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $8.00.
THE SMITH STREET BAND + LUCA BRASI + JOELISTICS + JESS LOCKE BAND Max Watt's, Melbourne. 7:30pm. THE TARANTINOS Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. TOURIST DOLLARS + REDSPENCER Post Office Hotel,
Coburg. 6:00pm.
POWERSTRYDE
THE B.E AST Never before has there been a combo of such tasty and luscious proportions ± ‘80s hair metal and tasty burgers thanks to your pals at The B.East. On Friday June 17 glam rockers Powerstryde have promised to play all the classics from Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Whitesnake, and Kiss. Plus you can enjoy the famous burgers on offer while you bust a move. Powerstryde will be rocking out from 9.30pm onwards. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 30
B E AT.C O M . A U
GIG GUIDE LUUDE
DROWN THIS CITY
THE WO RKERS CLUB Drown This City are currently celebrating the success of their killer EP, False Idols, with the official launch party going down at The Workers Club on Friday June 17. Anticipation is high for the melodic post-hardcore act to tear up the stage, with support from Danger! Earthquake, Autumn In Alaska and Capone. Tickets are $15 on the door, and it all gets started at 8.30pm.
BASKET OF MAMMOTHS + A GAZILION ANGRY MEXICANS + BORRACHERO Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, North Melbourne. 8:30pm. $5.00.
DJ COCO BROWN The Rooks Return, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. DJ JOEL HAMLIN Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. HENRY MANETTA + THE ADAM RUDEGEAIR TRIO Paris Cat
THE SUGARCANES
THE REVE REN CE There’s a big old party going down at The Reverence Hotel this Friday June 17. Mr Ruckman is launching his new track 27 Club along with its accompanying video. Also on the lineup is DJ Denno, Manaz Ill, Tolls & Aerows, Gzutek and Sadiva. Doors at 7.30pm with $10 covering your entry.
ANDREW ROBERTS Tuxedo Cat, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $10.00.
ANDY MCGARVIE Forester's Beer & Music Hall,
Collingwood. 10:00pm.
5:00pm.
BLOWN CONES + BEN STOLZ Tago Mago, Thornbury.
$16.00.
BURNING VINYL + KATE ALEXANDER + JESS PARKER Old
OLIVIA CHINDAMO Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd.
Northcote. 8:30pm.
CHOOK RACE + EMPAT LIMA + SUSS CNTS Bar Open,
8:30pm. $25.00.
RACHMANINOV'S PAGANINI RHAPSODY Hamer Hall (arts Centre Melbourne), Southbank. 8:00pm. $29.00.
SLEAZY LISTENING - FEAT: ARKS + RICHARD KELLY + HYSTERIC + K HOOP Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. THE GLASS MOON Dizzy's Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. THE PUTBACKS + YIRRMAL MARIKA Open Studio, THE SUGARCANES + LA BASTARD + THE VILLENETTES The
ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER
Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
8:00pm. $5.00.
GLACIERS
TH E TOTE Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever are celebrating their latest 7” at The Tote on Friday June 17. Write Back/Career was released on a limited run of 150 copies for Record Store Day, and features their unique take on pop with a punk edge. They’ve got some ripper supports lined up in the form of Loose Tooth, Cable Ties and Indented Head. Doors are at 8pm.
Bar, Fitzroy. 2:00pm.
THIS SUN-BREATHING EARTH Melbourne Recital Centre,
8:00pm. $20.00.
8:00pm.
8:00pm.
Southbank. 6:00pm. $29.00.
ALEX GOW + DAN KELLY Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh.
Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $20.00.
6:30pm.
CHRIS WILSON Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 5:15pm. DOG WHISTLE POLITICS Wesley Anne, Northcote.
9:00pm.
NIRAN DASIKA QUARTET Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy.
ANTHONY WINNICK Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.
Luwow, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
WHAT THE FUNK FRIDAYS Purple Emerald, Northcote.
Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $20.00.
WHO LE LOT TA LOVE Heavy metal three-piece Moustache Ant smashed open Whole Lotta Love the last time they played, and they’re doing it all again on Friday June 17. This time around they’ve brought along some fellow headbangers to sweeten the deal. Sydney’s Tensions Arise are visiting in support of their recent album A Breath of Aggression, and fellow support come in the form of Kill Brunswick and Elmeda. $10 will cover your entry, doors at 8pm.
MR. RUCKMAN
TH E LU WOW Melbourne’s much-loved rockin’ soul powerhouse The Sugarcanes are currently on tour in support of their debut album. Friday June 17 will see them celebrating the home town leg of the excursion, with a big ol’ party at The LuWow. Their fierce live show is hard to beat, and on this occasion they’ll be joined by the wild La Bastard and Adelaide’s Villenettes. Get on down and shake a tail feather, doors at 6pm.
MICHELLE NICOLLE QUARTET Paris Cat Jazz Club,
MOUSTACHE ANT
O LD M AT E S Western Australia’s menace Luude is making the trek over to Old Mates on Friday June 17. He’ll be bringing plenty of bass and stacks of future vibes for you to have a boogie to. Also on the bill for the night are Lunatics On Pogosticks who recently dropped their new album Sniffing Lavender. This is your last chance to see ‘em before their full blown national tour next month. Woo Who will also be bringing the sunny garage punk tunes early in the night. Bring your new and old mates to Old Mates on your funky time Friday night. Entry is free before 10pm and $15 after that. Or if you work out the secret password, entry is just $10.
T H E J O H N C U R T I N H OT E L Melbourne four-piece Glaciers are releasing their debut album Living Right, 11 tracks of jangly pop goodness about getting jobs, losing friends and staying on track. Recorded in Castlemaine by Matt Hosking (VHS Dream) and mastered by Mikey Young (Eddy Current Suppression Ring), the album is filled with easy melodies and shimmering guitars that are sure to grab your ears. Support comes from The Newsletters and Wedding Bell Rings. Entry is a measly $10 with doors at 8pm on Friday June 17.
B E AT.C O M . A U
DYLANESQUE Burrinja Black Box, 8:30pm. $22.00.
THE WILLIE WAGTAILS
WESL EY AN N E The Willie Wagtails are an old-time rocker jazz band who write energetic, discordant folk-jazz songs, that are sure to captivate you with stories of solar panels, creek-side rendezvous and Geoffrey Rush. A bunch of old mates from way-back, the Wagtails have recently played some of their favourite festivals in Victoria including the Wangaratta Jazz Festival, the Port Fairy Folk Festival and the Guildford Banjo Jamboree, as well as the Tablelands Folk Festival in Cairns. Their debut album Bushrangers Need Bush has been causing national scandal and uproar. Come see for yourself what all the fuss is about when they hit up Wesley Anne this Friday June 17. Music kicks off from 6pm with free entry.
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 31
GIG GUIDE BACK BEAT + FEAT YA Mr Boogie Man Bar, Abbottsford. 7:00pm.
BACKWOOD CREATURES Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. BENNY PETERS BLUES REVIEW Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm.
CRAIG WOODWARD + WARREN ROUGH & FRIENDS Victoria Hotel (brunswick), Brunswick. 4:00pm.
DANE BLACKLOCK & THE PREACHER'S DAUGHTER + ERIK PARKER & THE CHAPTERS The B.east, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.
GEM 10 YEAR BDAY - FEAT: DJ KING 7 Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm.
JARRYN PHEGAN Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick. 6:30pm.
JIMI HOCKINGS BLUES MACHINE Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:30pm.
JOE CAMILLERI & THE BLACK SORROWS Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $35.00.
KARAOKE WITH ZOE Customs House Hotel,
Williamstown. 9:00pm.
LOOBS + FRAUDBAND + HOOPER CRESCENT + MISS MISS
NEW LEASE
TH E J OH N C U R T I N H OT E L The rat race here in Melbourne is a tough one to win. A constant struggle against deadlines, shitty colleagues, undependable public transport and unpredictable weather. So when the working week has beat you down, it’s comforting to know that a host of the city’s best and brightest bands have taken up residence at the Curtin each Saturday afternoon at New Lease. Blow the cobwebs off Friday night and enjoy an eclectic mix of bands that together form the diverse Melbourne music world in the front bar. This Saturday June 19 sees Primitive Calculators, Symbolic Order and Very Secret Guests take to the New Lease Stage. Entry is free, with music kicking off from 3pm.
SHAKY STILLS Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. STONE GRAVE Catfish, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00. SUGARFOOT RAMBLERS Longhorn Saloon, Carlton. 8:00pm.
THE COLLINGWOOD CASANOVAS + TYLER LING The Rooks Return, Fitzroy. 3:30pm.
THE TINSLEY WATERHOUSE BAND Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm.
THE VERY ROUND ROBIN - FEAT: AINE TYRRELL + GALLIE + ROESY Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $20.00.
Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. $10.00.
MANSIZE ROOSTER Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, North Melbourne. 10:00pm.
MEL TAYLOR & THE SUN CHASERS Wesley Anne, SAMMY OWEN Forester's Beer & Music Hall,
ENTROPY QUARTET
B ELLEVILLE This Saturday June 18, armed with fresh original jazz and some outlandish permutations of rock and pop tunes, Entropy Quartet will take to the stage at Belleville - the home of worldly eats, beats and drinks. Pen it in your diaries, and join ‘em for their debut at this wonderful establishment. Entropy Quartet will be playing two sets from 7.30pm.
C H E R RY B A R There’s a very special and gloriously free show going down at Cherry Bar on Sunday June 19. Oscar Galt & The Eventual Somethings will be taking the reins for the night, providing some grungy rock with hints of dirty blues. Also on board is Redro Redriguez & His Inner Demons, plus the highly anticipated return of The Council. Free entry from 6pm.
THE WEEPING WILLOWS + SARAH CAROLL + UKELELE CARNIVALE Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 7:00pm. WAYNE JURY Forester's Beer & Music Hall, Collingwood. 10:00pm.
WAZ E JAMES + CIARAN BOYLE Drunken Poet, West
Melbourne. 3:00pm.
WOMEN OF THE ELEPHANTS Footscray Community Arts
Centre, Footscray. 7:00pm. $15.00.
SUNDAY 19 JUN 130 + HONEYBUCKET + HOSPITAL Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 6:00pm.
AUTUMN MARY + BRIGHT LIGHT EMPIRE + MAMMA PATCH Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. BAND WARS Musicland, Fawkner. 6:00pm. $15.00. BIG GUY LITTLE GUY + POWER & GRIEG Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm.
Northcote. 8:00pm. $10.00. Collingwood. 12:30pm.
OSCAR GALT & THE EVENTUAL SOMETHINGS
THE ELLIOTTS
WORKE RS C LU B Three-piece indie pop/rock outfit The Elliotts are launching their brand new EP Aeroplane. The release has been a year’s work in the making, and they’ve collected a bunch of good solid mates to help celebrate its arrival. The bill features Josh Johnstone, Running Young and Sophie Officer. Get on down and congratulate The Elliotts. Doors are at 7pm with $7 for presale tickets or $10 on the door.
CLIVE LUCA + JIMMY CHANG + ROXY LAVISH & THE SUICIDE CULT Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 6:00pm. $5.00. FARMER & THE OWL - FEAT: HOCKEY DAD + THE PINHEADS + TEES + BEC SANDRIDGE The Shadow
HARRY HOOKEY Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 6:00pm. JAM AT MUSICLAND SUNDAYS Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm.
JAMIE HAY + DONNIE DUREAU Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 3:00pm.
JIM LAWRIE BAND + ALI E BAND + LINCOLN LE FEVRE & THE INSIDERS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $6.00. OLYMPIA Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $12.00.
OSCAR GALT & THE EVENTUAL SOMETHINGS + REDRO REDRIGUEZ & HIS INNER DEMONS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 2:00pm. $10.00.
SAVAGES Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. SEE SAW + POLO + METER MEN Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 5:00pm.
SHADOWS OF HYENAS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. BACH (SPIRIT & SPECTACLE) - FEAT: BACH: SPIRIT & SPECTACLE Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank.
2:30pm. $49.00.
DJ DR CONDIMENTS The Rooks Return, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. JANET ROSS FAHY & ABSOLUTE Milano's Tavern,
Brighton. 2:00pm.
MELBOURNE IMPROVISERS COLLECTIVE Uptown Jazz
Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.
MORELAND CITY SOUL REVUE Union Hotel (brunswick), Brunswick. 5:00pm.
PATRIZIO BUANNE Hamer Hall (arts Centre Melbourne), Southbank. 8:00pm. $149.90.
Electric, Abbotsford. 6:00pm. $20.00.
SKYSCRAPER STAN Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm. STANDING TALL Open Studio, Northcote. 4:30pm. SUNDAY SOUL SESSIONS Purple Emerald, Northcote.
3:00pm.
SUNDAY SOULTRAIN Daveys Bar & Restaurant,
FETE DE LA MUSIQUE - FEAT: ALI BARTER + PENNY IKINGER + BARO + MORE St Kilda Memo, St Kilda. HALF SLASH CUT + SWANK + PEAK DEBBIE Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm. $10.00.
9:00pm.
Frankston. 3:00pm.
THE REBELLES St Kilda Memo, St Kilda. 5:00pm.
THURS 16 JUNE / Workers Club / Geelong FRI 17 JUNE / Saloon Bar / Traralgon SAT 18 JUNE / Shadow Electric / Melbourne Tickets available from venues & halcyondrive.com.au
B E AT.C O M . A U
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 33
GIG GUIDE SISTERS DOLL
WHO LE LOT TA LOVE Sisters Doll are doing a rare acoustic set at Whole Lotta Love on Sunday June 19. They’ll be stripping back their usual feisty glam rock antics, but there’s still going to be plenty of hairspray and face paint on offer. Darcy Fox and Ellen Rose are both lending a hand in the support slots. Entry is $10, get yourself there at 8pm.
JEFFERS LIMIT
THE RECHORDS Gem Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm. TOM REDWOOD & TEXAS TOM Thornbury Local, Thornbury. 5:00pm.
WOMEN OF THE ELEPHANTS Footscray Community Arts
Centre, Footscray. 2:00pm. $15.00.
MONDAY 20 JUN
VARDOS + RONICKA DANCER Speakeasy Hq, Melbourne.
HARRY JAKAMARRA + GRETA ZILLER Tramway Hotel,
6:00pm. $25.00.
VINCE JONES Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 2:30pm.
North Fitzroy. 7:30pm.
KAHN + BLOOD ORANGE Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd.
$30.00.
CHRIS RUSSELL’S CHICKEN WALK Cherry Bar,
8:00pm.
OPEN MIC Tago Mago, Thornbury. 7:00pm. PHAROAH SANDERS Bird's Basement, Melbourne.
Melbourne Cbd. 2:00pm. $10.00.
CRAIG WOODWARD Loretta's, Fitzroy North. 4:00pm. DAVID COMSA + THE DUSTY MILLERS Drunken Poet,
West Melbourne. 4:00pm.
SLIM JEFFRIES
7:00pm.
Four-piece psych punk outfit Slim Jeffries are bringing you unadulterated heat all June long, and this Monday June 20 marks their second last week of the string of shows. Support slots are covered by Left Egg and Cosmic Kahuna. It’s $5 entry, and how could you forget the $10 jugs of draught? Too bloody easy. Doors are at 8.30pm.
Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 6:00pm.
TH E E V ELYN
303 YARRA BANKS JAM NIGHT 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. I WON© T DANCE (THE SONGS OF FRED ASTAIRE & COLE PORTER) - FEAT: STEVE ROSS + REBECCA MOORE Hamer
TOUGH UNCLE
T HE WORKERS CLUB Local indie three-piece Tough Uncle are pretty stoked with their latest single New Boy, and they’ll be celebrating the release with a gig at The Workers Club. The track is their third offering, after Focus and Doctors both received equally warm praise. Helping out with the festivities are Melbourne pop punk outfit Rad Island and Brit-rockers The Byzantines. It’s going down on Sunday June 19, from 7pm onwards. Tickets are $8 a pop.
ELWOOD BLUES CLUB Prince Public Bar, St Kilda .
Hall (arts Centre Melbourne), Southbank. 11:00am. $16.00.
I WON© T DANCE (THE SONGS OF FRED ASTAIRE & COLE PORTER) - FEAT: STEVE ROSS + REBECCA MOORE Hamer
REVOLUTION Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. 6:00pm. $29.00.
7:30pm.
MAL WEBB + KYLIE MORRIGAN 303, Northcote. 4:00pm. MATT ALFORD Tago Mago, Thornbury. 6:00pm. MICHELLE GARDINER Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 3:00pm.
MIDNIGHT CREEPS Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. MURDENA Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm. ROZ GIRVAN + GREG FIELD Union Hotel (brunswick),
SAVAGES Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $49.50. SIBERIAN EYES + SNAKESKIN ALLEY + TEN GALLON HEAD Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5.00. Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5.00.
TOMMY CASTLES + BONES & JONES Workers Club, Fitzroy. 7:30pm.
JAZZ PARTY Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 8:00pm.
TUESDAY 21 JUN ALICE GILES Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 303, Northcote. 7:30pm. ANNA© S GO-GO ACADEMY Bella Union Bar, Carlton.
Club, Fitzroy. 1:00pm. $15.00.
CLASSIFIEDS
SHAUN BLACK + JULZ EVANS + LUMINOUS Workers SMALL TOWN ROMANCE Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.
SOUTHBOUND SNAKE CHARMERS Catfish, Fitzroy. 5:00pm.
SUBURBAN PROPHETS + SHADOWS AT BAY + COFFIN UP Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 3:00pm.
SUNDAY SESSION - FEAT: BRUNSY Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully. 2:00pm.
SUNDAY SESSIONS - FEAT: VARIOUS ARTISTS Lucky Coq, Windsor. 4:00pm.
SWING SUNDAYS Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 7:00pm. THE JUMP DEVILS Inkerman Hotel, Balaclava. 4:00pm. THE LOST DAY Old Bar, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 34
S AT U R DAY J U N E 18
Avenue Records Launch w/ Storm the Sky, Trophy Eyes, Luca Brasi, Cyanide Teeth, and more, Ukrainian Hall, Russel Street, Essendon, doors from 12.30pm, $15 + bf, www.tickets.oztix.com.au, AA.
SWINBURNE SENIOR MUSIC NIGHT Dizzy's Jazz Club,
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.
We’ve announced a series of workshops in Bendigo, Brunswick and Camperdown as part of 2k16 Push Freeza Summits. Over three days, The Push will be teaming up with a bunch of industry professionals to deliver tailored sessions, providing advice and information for young people who may be interested in pursuing a career within the music, events or wider arts industries. Learning stuff like how to not take bad photos, write the perfect resume and social media skillz to pay the billz are just a few examples of the kinds of sessions you can participate in. To find out more information and to register for the 2k16 Push Freeza Summits, check out thepush.com.au.
F R I DAY J U N E 17
ROYAL FUNK Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.
Richmond. 6:00pm. $10.00.
Welcome to The Push’s weekly all-ages column. Last week was brought to you by resident columnist Grace Kindellan, but sadly it was also her last. Here at the Push we’d like to say a huge thanks to Grace for her awesome contribution to our team ± we’re sure going to miss her. On that note, we’re looking for someone to fill Grace’s shoes for an ongoing voluntary placement as The Push’s Gig Guide Coordinator. If you think you could do a smashing job of writing this column, research opportunities for our website and help out with heaps of other cool events and programs run by The Push, then hit us up. For more information about the position and how to apply, check out thepush. com.au. Applications close 5pm, Wednesday June 15 though, so you’d better step on it.
Rainbow Freeza w/ DJ Snake at Rainbow Town Hall, Federal St, Rainbow, 7.00pm-10.30pm, $5, U18
6:30pm. $10.00.
Oakleigh. 3:00pm. $30.00.
RUSSELL MORRIS & BAND Caravan Music Club,
WITH SAMMY STRAWBAGS
All Ages Gig Guide
6:00pm. $29.00.
$15.00.
Access All Ages
Our monthly all-ages event New Slang has been going off and we’re stoked to announce the next instalment featuring Tyne-James Organ, Sandy Hsu, Claudia Marmilic and Liam Mackay. This one is rolling around on Friday 1 July, but you can bet your bottom dollar that we’ll be back on the first Friday of every month. You might as well pop them all into your calendar now, because for a mere ten clams, you don’t want to miss out. Check out www.thepush.com.au for more info.
SLIM JEFFRIES + LEFT EGG + COSMIC KAHUNA Evelyn
Brunswick. 3:30pm.
PRESENT
There are still a couple of days left to apply for our BIGSOUND scholarship in partnership with QMusic and Stage and Screen. The scholarship provides one person aged 18-25 with the opportunity to attend the BIGSOUND music conference in Brisbane from 7-9 September 2016. BIGSOUND delivers a world class program of panels and showcases, serving as the one of the most important events in the Australian music calendar. Along with travel and accommodation, the scholarship includes a delegate pass to attend BIGSOUND valued at $650, which can really help kick off a career in the music industry. Applications close on Friday June 17. To apply, go to bit.ly/ pushbigsound16.
LYNDAL STEFAN & CLAIRE Open Studio, Northcote.
3:30pm.
Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:00pm.
Bar, St Kilda . 7:30pm.
IRISH SESSION Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:00pm. JEFFERS LIMIT + MOUNT DEFIANCE + KING PUPPY & THE CARNIVORE Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $8.00. OPEN MIC NITE Inkerman Hotel, Balaclava. 7:30pm. TWO STEPS ON THE WATER + KIRA PURU + KT SPIT + CALLAN Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 7:30pm. $10.00.
6:00pm.
CHERRY JAM Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 6:30pm. POOL COMP - FEAT: NOEL Inkerman Hotel, Balaclava.
GREG WALSH Pera, Brighton. 3:00pm. HARMANIAX Royal Oak Hotel, Fitzroy North. 4:00pm. HUGH MCGINLAY & THE RECESSIVE GENES + LUCY LOCKETT Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 5:00pm. JVG GUITAR METHOD Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. KEN MAHER + TONY HARGREAVES + MORE Lomond
ALYCE PLATT Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm. INDIE TUESDAY - FEAT: DUO TRIO NIGHT Prince Public
$16.00.
8:00pm.
Bar, Collingwood. 8:00pm.
RAT HAMMOCK + ANCHOVIES + KING CNUT & THE WAVES + GHOST SONGS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $7.00. THE MONOTREMES + QUANTUM MILKSHAKE + CTRIX
Hall (arts Centre Melbourne), Southbank. 1:30pm.
FLAMING MONGRELS Tramway Hotel, North Fitzroy. GEM 10 YEAR BDAY - FEAT: DJ PATRICK A GO GO Gem
T H E WO R K E R S C LU B Five-piece alt-country rascals Jeffers Limit are helping you finish June by power-gazing you into the depths of self-realisation by playing a two week residency at The Workers Club, kicking off this Tuesday June 21. Also on the bill are the blues grooves of King Puppy & The Carnivore and folky sweet ramblings of the Western suburbs four-piece Mount Defiance. Doors are at 8pm with $8 entry. Did we mention $12 jugs?
The Push
ACTS WANTED FOR SUNDAY ROCK SHOWS contact: mark@gunnmusic.com.au 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 ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY SEEKS DJ’S, EVENT MANAGERS AND PROMOTERS. Please text 0434 475 957 for work WANTERD: 2 x CRAIG DAVID TSHIRTS To wear in totally non-ironic way. email cara@beat.com.au
B E AT.C O M . A U
Wed 15th June
Wine Whiskey Women:
Kate Alexander 9pm: Jemma Rowlands Thurs 16th June 7pm: Open Mic Night Fri 17th June 6pm: Traditional Irish Music Session 8.30pm: Luke Austen Sat 18th June 3pm: Ciaran Boyle 9pm: Waz E James Sun 19th June 4pm: The Dusty Millers 6.30pm: David Comsa 8pm:
Tuesdays
weekly trivia The Drunken Poet, 65 Peel Street (directly opposite Queen Vic Market), Phone: 03 9348 9797. www.thedrunkenpoet.com.au
W W W. B E AT.C O M . A U
BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 35
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
www.bssound.com.au bssound@bigpond.com
18 DUFFY ST BURWOOD WWW.HYDRASTUDIOS.COM.AU
HYDRA REHEARSAL STUDIOS BOOK A ROOM! CALL: 0417 000 397 • 2000 WATT HK AUDIO/MACKIE PAs • TEN CLEAN, 30M2 ROOMS • STORAGE • DRUMKIT/AMP HIRE • AIR CON
NEW SIGNINGS #2: TASH SULTANA O/S DEALS Three months before she heads off for European shows (and with plans for America in 2017), Tash Sultana has joined the roster of two overseas booking agencies. For North America, she is with Paradigm/ Windish Agency under the care of Tom Windish (Alt J, Lorde, The xx), Jackie Nalpant and Aaron Pinkus. Her UK and European bookings are now through Free Trade Agency under Paul Boswell (The National, Fat Freddy’s Drop).
NEW SIGNINGS #3: FRIENDSHIPS AT DOT DASH/ REMOTE CONTROL Melbourne electro tribal duo Friendships are now with Dot Dash/Remote Control Records. Single When I Feel Like Killing, I Murder is a taster for the September due album Nullarbor 1988 – 1989, out in partnership with US label Mansion. Friendships was formed by Nick Brown and Misha Grace two years ago.
NEW SIGNINGS #4: MULTI DEALS FOR PON CHO Thundamentals member and co-producer Pon Cho has signed a number of deals. Night High Records, a joint venture by EMI Music Australia and Nic Kelly of Project U, released his debut solo single Lonely Walls feat. Paige IV. He’s now booked by New World Artists, managed by Nathan Farrell Entertainment for Australia, and Affinity Music and Vitalic Noise in North and South America.
NEW SIGNINGS #5: RICE IS NICE GIVES REBEL YELL Sydney’s Rice Is Nice signed industrial electronic act Rebel Yell and delivered their debut single Never Perfection with EP Mother Of Millions in mid-August. Rebel (Grace Stevenson) also plays in Brisbane band 100%. Appearing onstage with a Korg ESX-1 and metal zone pedal, she says the Hackers soundtrack led her to discovering “dark tech acts Underworld, Orbital and even The Prodigy.”
NEW SIGNINGS #6: ALTER BRIDGE SMELL NAPALM Florida-based hard rock band Alter Bridge’s next records will be released in Australia through Napalm Records/ Rocket Distribution. The band signed a worldwide deal with Napalm excluding North America. Started in 2004 by Mark BEAT MAGAZINE PAGE 38
THINGS WE HEAR Which band who wanted to make a “musically challenging” album now groans it’s bloody hard to play live?
r
Melbourne hard rock quartet Devil Electric have signed with Germany’s Kozmik Artifactz for their debut album. It will be recorded later this year to be released in early 2017 on CD and vinyl. In the meantime, the band have just self-released their first EP The Gods Below, showing off their doomy riffs, pounding drums and Pierina O’Brien’s vocals. More info on Beat.com.au.
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NEW SIGNING #1: DEVIL ELECTRIC WITH KOZMIK ARTIFACTZ
Are fleets of drones, creating lighting and audio effects, the future of music concerts? Ad company MicroAd, which operates mostly in Japan, has come up with Sky Magic. The flying machines, already showcased at a Mt. Fuji open-air concert, dazzle music fans and advertise brand names. Sky Magic is headed by Tokyo-born filmmaker and author Tsuyoshi Takashiro, whose work explores futuristic technology. More recently, 100 illuminated drones lit up the sky at the recent Vivid Festival as part of a sevenminute choreography synchronised to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, performed live by the Sydney Youth Orchestra, while one of Vivid’s panels discussed the potential use of drones in society
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DRONES FOR CONCERTS?
stie El ri ie
Tremonti, Scott Phillips, Myles Kennedy and Brian Marshall, Alter Bridge are working on an album with producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette. It should be out later this year after which they tour worldwide, which might see them back here.
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MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP
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INDUSTRIAL
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One Electric Day looks like heading for a sell-out after 7000 tickets were snapped up on its first day of sale. Jimmy Barnes, Icehouse, James Reyne, Russell Morris and The Badloves play at Werribee Park Mansion in Melbourne. Flume’s Skin has the biggest first week EDM sales in America for 2016. In Shepparton’s first ratings in 15 years, Star FM had 32.2% of the market, followed by 3SR FM (20.2%), ABC Local (15.5%) and triple j (5.1%). Port Fairy Folk Festival awarded more than $20,000 in grants to local organisations, including The Lake School of Music ($4500 over next three years) and St Helen’s Rural Fire Brigade ($4000 towards a water tank and quick fill pump) as well as schools, an equitation club and sporting teams. Victoria is to get its own version of Tasmania’s experimental arts and music MOFO festival. The Biennale of Australian Art in Ballarat will be held over six weeks in September and October 2018 in 50 indoor and outdoor locations, showcasing the work of more than 150 Australian artists. Public art consultant Julie Collins anticipates 100,000 visitors, with $10 million injected into the Ballarat economy. The City of Ballarat and Ballarat Regional Tourism have offered in-principal support to ensure the town as an arts hub.
S tu f f f or t h is co l umn to be emai l ed to ce l iezer @ netspace . net . au by Friday 5 pm
songwriters, Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard. They claim his song Photograph is “note-for-note” the same as their 2009 song Amazing, which was recorded by UK X Factor winner Matt Cardle. They say there are 39 identical notes, meaning the notes are identical in pitch, rhythmic duration, and placement in the measure, and “the similarity of words, vocal style, vocal melody, melody, and rhythm are clear indicators.” The two have gone to LA attorney Richard Busch, who helped Marvin Gaye’s estate win a $7.3 million lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over Blurred Lines. Sheeran’s co-writer Johnny McDaid is also named in the suit, along with labels and publishers.
…AND BEYONCE OVER TRAILER The teaser trailer that Beyoncé released before the release of her Lemonade album, has aroused the ire of New York independent film maker Matthew Fulks. He says it has nine visual similarities to his short film Palinoia.
JULIE WARD BACK AT ARIA AWARDS
Which manager is quipping to friends that he plans to chain himself outside a music company that owes him money?
Angus Stone told Fairfax Media that while living in Rick Rubin’s palatial house in Los Angeles when making his new record, he and the band went to town on sushi and organic smoothies thinking it was free. The bill came to $20,000.
TV producer Julie Ward, whose production company ZigZagTV produced the ARIA Awards from 2005-2007, is back on deck for its 30th anniversary celebrations this year. She’ll work side by side with Endemol Shine Australia CEO Mark Fennessy. The pair worked together on the launch of The Voice Australia in 2012, and her credits include Australian Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Australia’s Next Top Model and Rove Live.
Are Paramore reuniting with ex-drummer Zac Farro or not?
Sydney’s Troy Horse Studios is closing at the end of June due to rising rent.
SUPPORT ACT CALLS FOR INDUSTRY SUPPORT
“It works. It just totally works!” Brian Johnson says after meeting with the inventor of in-ear monitors, Asius Technologies (and AC/DC fan), Stephen Ambrose. The latter invited him to try the technology to get back to performing live on stage. Johnson says he’s able to hear music in a way he hasn’t been able to for in recent years.
Pro audio website CX Media reported that after the death of founder Eric Robinson, the 46-year-old JBJ Audio was sold to America’s Clare Bros, with Bruce Johnston keeping a 20% share and Jack Straw retained as CEO.
Support Act Ltd, the charity that helps performers and workers in financial and health hard times, needs support from the music industry. It gets no government funding and needs $50,000 to keep up its good work. It is calling on individuals and businesses for donations. Go to http:// supportact.org.au/donate/. Any donation made by June 30 will benefit from a tax deduction.
Are we heading to a lawsuit after an intern got fired for not continuing to sleep with the boss?
Meantime, pissed off with Queensland losing the Queen’s Birthday as a holiday, The Rebel Radio Network’s breakfast show Ash & Dave declared Monday June 13 as AC/DC Day in lieu. It played every AC/DC album in full, alongside concerts, interviews with the band, and artists and fans they’ve inspired. After 27 years, Adelaide street paper Rip It Up will close at the end of the month. The Punks For West Papua documentary and tour through Australia is getting bigger. More screenings will be announced in the lead up to International Punks For West Papua Day on Saturday June 25 with benefit gigs in cities around the world. A New Zealand Documentary Road Trip is in the works for later in the year. “OMFG, I grew up watching these!” was Tkay Maidza’s response when she learned from Instagram she’s up for Best International Act (Viewer’s Choice) in the BET awards. (Her manager knew because they told him ahead but he kept mum). Run by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting and sports, it’s on June 26 at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. Maidza plans to be there: it’s the second award she’s been nominated for after the South Australian Music Awards.
A spate of rock acts were targeted by Twitter hackers. Handles for Keith Richards, Tame Impala and Bon Iver were hijacked to display false or obscene messages. The Impala account sent a bomb threat to JetBlue. Iver’s handle was changed to @ihavelegcancer and dissed the late Muhammad Ali. Sonic Youth’s claimed a hoax reunion show. The mastermind who hijacked the late Beatle George Harrison said he didn’t know he was dead. The Who say plans for a sequel to the Quadrophenia movie have not got their blessing.
AMEB, ROCKSCHOOL, MUSIC SALES, HOLDING LAUNCHES Rockschool, The Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) and Music Sales are holding launches in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to launch the new Rockschool contemporary syllabus delivered by AMEB. Rockschool covers acoustic and electric guitar, piano, bass, drums, vocals. Pop and rock musicians are graded for all levels and abilities, from complete beginners (debut) to professional standard (Grade 8). Full details of this joint venture between AMEB and Rockschool plus examination details can be found at http://www.rockschool.ameb.edu.au/
ED SHEERAN SUED FOR £20M OVER X-FACTOR SONG… Ed Sheeran has been hit with a £20 million (A$38.7 million) lawsuit by two MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP
STUDY: MILLENNIALS CHECK PHONES AFTER SEX One in three millennials check their smartphones immediately after sex. And 12 per cent check it during sex. A survey by Coupofy, a database of coupon and promo codes for online stores, found that this age group checks their smartphone between twice to ten times an hour, and 73% sleep with them next to their beds. 28% prefer to shop by mobile than online. Over 68% get their news via Facebook on their phones while 24% of high school students do it through Instagram.
GUVERA IPO ON HOLD Australian music streamer Guvera planned to list on the stock exchange by launching an Initial Public Offer (IPO) to raise $80 million. But the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) blocked investors until this week following concerns from some financial market execs. Guvera is valued at 1.3 billion but lost $81.1 million in the last financial year on revenue of $1.2 million.
PROFITS UP 35% FOR NOVA The Nova Entertainment radio network had a charmed 2015, beating Southern Cross Austereo as radio’s biggest profit maker. Nova had a 39.5% jump in profits to $62
Lifelines Split: rapper Wiz Khalifa and model Amber Rose celebrated their divorce settlement ($1 million and $14,000 monthly child support for her, he keeps the Philadelphia house and ten cars) with a trip to a Los Angeles strip club. Injured: Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares finished off their last four Australian dates in a chair after he tore a muscle in his left foot while in Melbourne. Recovering: Slipknot’s Corey Taylor from “unplanned spinal surgery” after he broke his neck without realising it. Ill: Corrosion Of Conformity drummer Reed Mullin has left the band’s tour after suffering an alcohol-related seizure just before they went onstage in Canada. Ill: The Ghost Inside’s Jonathan Vigil has a bone infection after he needed further surgery on his ankle when the screw dislodged and came out of his skin. In Court: a Massachusetts court has rejected a defamation suit by Tom Scholtz, founder of US ‘70s band Boston, who tried to sue the widow of the band’s singer Brad Delp and the Boston Herald with claims he might have had something to do with the singer’s suicide. The court ruled it was just an “opinion”. In Court: Cher is suing a financial manager who she claims defrauded her of over $800,000 in investments that soured. Died: former Canadian teen idol Bobby Curtola, 73, who had hits in the ‘60s with Fortune Teller and Aladdin. million with ad revenue of $187 million, which marked a 13% rise (impressive considering the overall radio industry’s ad revenue was up only by 5%). Nova is worth $420 million.
STUDY: AUSSIES EMBRACE VIDEOS ON DEMAND Australian adults’ take-up of streaming videos on demand (SVOD) has been rapid, with 67% expected to be watching by the end of 2016 – an 8% rise from the current 59% penetration. Nielsen’s latest Connected Consumer Report forecasts Netflix numbers will rise by 11% to a quarter of the population, with Stan’s by 8% to 11% of the population. Nielsen marketing effectiveness and cross platform insights associate director Lillian Zrim says that while traditional TV is still accessed by 89% of Australians, they are “viewing more video content across the various catch-up and subscription services because there is more choice, more up to date content and appealing exclusive content. This is driving a real interest in trialling and subscribing.” The 89% figure for traditional TV is for live and time-shifted, catch-up services have 39% use.