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ISSUE 1695
Contents EDITOR Tom Parker DIGITAL EDITOR Kate Streader SUB EDITOR Greta Brereton EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Gabriella Beaumont, Jacob Colliver, Joshua Martin, Emilia Megroz, Saskia Morrison-Thiagu, Leland Tan DESIGNERS Erica May, Sophia Temporali MANAGING DIRECTOR Patrick Carr ADVERTISING Greg Pettinella (Advertising/Editorial) greg@beat.com.au
Page 27
Mark Stockden (Advertising/Editorial) mark@beat.com.au
Ocean Grove
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE accounts@furstmedia.com.au DISTRIBUTION Free every second Wednesday to over 3,200 points around Melbourne. Along with being handed out at Train Stations. Wanna get BEAT? Email distribution@ furstmedia.com.au GIG GUIDE SUBMISSIONS now online at beat.com.au CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Ian Laidlaw, David Harris, Lewis Nixon, Sally Townsend, Andrew Friend, Rochelle Flack, Anna Madden, Dan Soderstrom, Joshua Braybrook, Tasha Strachan, James Hughes COLUMNISTS Christie Eliezer, Sose Fuamoli, Augustus Welby, Morgan Mangan, D’arcy McGregor, Sam Howard, Anna Rose
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Page 29
Morcheeba
Olympia
CONTRIBUTORS Alexander Crowden, Dan Watt, Augustus Welby, Alex Watts, David James Young, Bronius Zumeris, Natalie Rogers, Holly Pereira, Claire Morley, Jacob Colliver, Anna Rose, Christopher Lewis, Christine Tsimbis, Eliza Booth, Ellen Pritchard, Holly Denison, James Robertson, Rhys McKenzie, Jono Coote, Jonathan Reynoso, Lexi Herbert, Luke Carlino, Marnie Vinall, Maria Glykokalamos, Meg Crawford, Scott Hudson, Tammy Walters
Editor’s Note Bluesfest is but a month away and excitement levels are starting to peak, not just for the festival itself but for the bevy of sideshows that are set to enliven Melbourne as part of the parade. Patti Smith will be making her return alongside her band. Then there’s The Wailers, Allen Stone, Mavis Staples, George Benson, Eagles of Death Metal and Morcheeba making the journey down to Melbourne. And that’s just the start. Before Melbourne comes alive with the best that Bluesfest has to offer, we chat to one artist whose international reputation precedes her. LP is a lord of rock’n’roll and has written songs for the likes of Cher, Rihanna, Leona Lewis, Celine Dion and Christina Aguilera. She also collaborated with Morrissey on his 2019 covers album, California Son. Making her Australian debut for Bluesfest, this will be LP’s big opportunity to make an impression so you can expect a seriously special show from the New York native. Outside of that, we’re spotlighting the Great Ocean Road in all its beauty. Featuring festivals, chocolateries, ice-creameries, markets and everything in between, take a Beat with you on your next trip down the coast. There’s also the final scoop on Download Festival and some chats with the likes of Ocean Grove, Porches as well as rock legends Stone Temple Pilots and Live before they drop in for Under the Southern Stars. Beat #1695, let’s rock! TOM PARKER, EDITOR
10 14 18 20 22 23-25 26 27 28
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Hot Goss Arts Guide Columns LP Morcheeba, Ani DiFranco Beat’s Ultimate Guide to the Great Ocean Road Six songs we can’t to hear at Download Festival Download Festival set times, Ocean Grove New War, Toni Childs
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38-45
Olympia Stone Temple Pilots, Live Porches Omid Djalili, Tim Ferguson Volt, Le Scatterman The Gem Beat’s Guide to St. Patrick’s Day Special Best New Album Album Reviews Gig Guide
/BeatMag @BeatMagazine /beatTV @beatmagazine
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GIVEAWAY We’re giving one lucky Beat reader the chance to win a double pass to The Wailers’ Melbourne Bluesfest sideshow at 170 Russell on April 18. For more info, head to beat.com.au/win.
SELLING FAST
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CHANNEL TRES
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01/05 - CHANNEL TRES USA - SELLING FAST 02/05 - CABLE TIES SELLING FAST 14/05 - DREAM ON DREAMER SELLING FAST 15/05 - DREAM ON DREAMER SOLD OUT 17/05 - BIG THIEF USA - U18s ONLY MATINEE SHOW
21/03 - SPACEY JANE SOLD OUT 22/03 - SPACEY JANE SOLD OUT 26/03 - THE EXPLOITED SCOTLAND 27/03 - POP WILL EAT ITSELF UK - SELLING FAST 28/03 - KWAME 02/04 - WAVVES USA - SELLING FAST 03/04 - MARIANAS TRENCH CAN - SOLD OUT 04/04 - FRANK TURNER UK - SOLD OUT 09/04 - WALTER TROUT USA 10/04 - WRESTLEROCK 30 11/04 - ALEX THE ASTRONAUT 15/04 - TWIN PEAKS USA 16/04 - LARKIN POE USA - SOLD OUT 17/04 - MAD CADDIES USA - CELEBRATING 25 YEARS 18/04 - MAKO ROAD NZ - SELLING FAST 19/04 - KEVIN BORICH EXPRESS 20/04 - JOHN MAYALL UK - SOLD OUT 24/04 - ELECTRIC MARY 25/04 - FONTAINES D.C. IRELAND - SOLD OUT 30/04 - MAXO KREAM USA
17/05 - BIG THIEF USA - SOLD OUT 18/05 - BIG THIEF USA - SOLD OUT 19/05 - BIG THIEF USA - SOLD OUT 22/05 - L.A.B NZ - SOLD OUT 23/05 - BEN BÖHMER GERMANY - SOLD OUT 24/05 - THE HOLD STEADY USA - SELLING FAST
30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
USA
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ALCOHOL FREE
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14/03
19/06
2ND SHOW SELLING FAST
THE STONE ROSES TRIBUTE
10/09 - THE WHITLAMS SOLD OUT 11/09 - THE WHITLAMS SELLING FAST
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1 1 / 0 3 -‘WIND IT UP X MUSIC IN EXILE’ PRESENTS
SIBUSILE XABA STH AFRICA | RARA ZULU | DJ BABY XAN MUSIC IN EXILE 12/03 - MICHAEL DUNSTAN SELLING FAST 13/03 - THE BRAVE + BAD / LOVE 14/03 - MIDNIGHT ALIBI 16/03 -‘MONDAY NIGHT MASS’ WITH COOL SOUNDS / HANNAH BLACKBURN / MADDIE DUKE 19/03 - CEDRIC BURNSIDE USA - SELLING FAST 20/03 - UNDERGROUND LOVERS 21/03 - ZOË FOX & THE ROCKET CLOCKS 22/03 - SPACEY JANE SOLD OUT ALL AGES MATINEE - ALCOHOL FREE
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Hot Goss
G Flip TAKES OUT $30,000 LEVI’S MUSIC PRIZE Melbourne-based singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Georgia Flipo, aka G Flip, has won the Levi’s Music Prize. Now in its fourth year, the prestigious Levi’s Music Prize provides an artist or band with $25,000 courtesy of Levi’s Australia as well as an additional $5,000 for travel from Stage and Screen to help Australian and New Zealand acts break into the international industry. “I’m so stoked, the money will go to getting my little arse around the world to write for myself and for other artists,” said Flipo upon being announced the winner. These funds will assist G Flip in building global relationships and allow her to fund writing trips and collaborate with artists all across the world. Applications for Round three of the 2019/20 prize are open until March 10 via bigsound.org.au.
Image by Kane Hibberd
Ubuntu
Karnivool
Perfume Genius
Birds of Tokyo
The Boite Singers’ Festival
ANNOUNCE ‘THE DECADE OF SOUND AWAKE’ NATIONAL TOUR
ANNOUNCES POWERFUL NEW ALBUM
JOIN FORCES WITH THE MSO THIS JUNE
RETURNS FOR ITS 30TH YEAR
It’s been just over ten years since Karnivool released seminal 2009 album Sound Awake and now they’ve announced they’re taking it on tour. The album proved to be huge for the band and was nominated for the ‘Australian Album of the Year’ J Award. Karnivool has stated that there will be no additional shows, no encores and no songs performed from any other albums, which makes this tour very unique. The tour is set to kick off in April with Karnivool playing Festival Hall on Thursday April 23.
Lurid pop-rock artist Perfume Genius, aka Mike Hadreas, is set to release his fifth studio album Set My Heart On Fire Immediately in May. The album explores traditional gender roles and masculinity across a huge 13 tracks. Drawing influence from themes of love, sex, memory and the human body, the record is powerful, intimate and tender. Hadreas has given fans a glimpse of what’s to come with the first single from the album, ‘Describe’. Set My Heart On Fire Immediately is out on Friday May 15 via Matador Records/Remote Control Records.
One of Australia’s most successful contemporary rock bands Birds of Tokyo are joining forces with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra this June for a show like no other. Conductor Vanessa Scammell will have the five-piece band and orchestra under her baton in an evening showcasing both new music and reinterpretations of Birds of Tokyo classics. The collaboration will perform a 90-minute show on Wednesday June 3 and Thursday June 4 at Hamer Hall. Tix and more info available via tickets.mso.com.au.
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Now in its 30th year, The Boite Singers’ Festival is three days of song, celebrating both the universality and diversity of singing and culture. The festival will entail a plethora of more than 40 workshops and performances catering to singers of all skill levels. Headlining this year’s program is UBUNTU Africa, an ensemble of young singers, musicians and dancers from the African Children’s Choir in Uganda. The Boite Singers’ Festival will take place at the Abbotsford Convent from Friday May 1 to Sunday May 3. Info and tickets available at boite.com.au.
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HOT GOSS
Image by Ian Laidlaw
Marysville Music Weekend UNVEIL FIRST LINEUP Marysville Music Weekend is back for its fifth year – but not quite as we’ve known it. They’ve changed things up from their previous title of Marysville Jazz and Blues Weekend but rest assured, they’re still reeling in some great entertainment. Pierce Brothers, Geoff Achison and Jimi Hocking have been revealed as the first round of artists, with loads more to come. The event goes down at various venues throughout Marysville from Friday October 16 to Sunday October 18. More information on the festival website.
Little Georgia
Hockey Dad
Roady4Roadies
Bluesfest
REVEAL MASSIVE NATIONAL TOUR
RETURNS THIS APRIL
ADD EVEN MORE ACTS TO THE BILL
Hockey Dad have a huge year in store. Fresh from releasing new single ‘Itch’ and announcing their upcoming album, Brain Candy, the Wollongong duo have unveiled plans for a national tour in June. Hockey Dad have already been making huge waves this year, placing in triple j’s Hottest 100, playing Laneway across multiple states and raising $150,000 for bushfire relief. Brain Candy is out on Friday May 29 and they will play at The Forum on Saturday June 6. Tix available via hockeydadband.com.
Celebrating the music industry’s unsung heroes, Roady4Roadies is back for another year following a successful 2019 debut. Expanding from capital cities to other areas, including Port Lincoln, Townsville and Newcastle, there’ll be a total of 13 marches taking place around the country on Sunday April 5. The event aims to raise awareness for mental health issues that often arise from the labour-intensive role, with all funds donated to Support Act. The Melbourne walk kicks off at 11am from the Palais Theatre in St Kilda. Tickets via moshtix.
Bluesfest have just expanded their lineup again. The new additions include festival favourite Trombone Shorty & Orleans, Avenue, The Bamboos, The Sensations, Ray Beadle, Henry Wagons, Daniel Champagne and more. 2019 Busking Comp winners Electrik Lemonade and Palm Valley also join the bill for this year’s festival extravaganza. Taking place on the beautiful grounds of the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Bluesfest promises to be a magical weekend. Bluesfest goes down from Thursday April 9 to Sunday April 12. For tix and the full lineup visit bluesfest.com.au.
Flavor Flav
Image by Tonje Thilesen
(Sandy) Alex G
Alex The Astronaut
Public Enemy
Cub Sport
TO MAKE RETURN DOWN UNDER
ANNOUNCES AUSTRALIAN TOUR
ANNOUNCE FOURTH ALBUM
Philadelphia lo-fi mastermind (Sandy) Alex G returns to Melbourne on a string of three headline shows. 2020 is already set to be a huge year for (Sandy) with dates booked across Europe early March and more in the US. Having already featured on Frank Ocean’s Blonde while also pumping out a few studio releases of his own, the past few years have been busy for the prolific songwriter. (Sandy) Alex G will perform at The Corner Hotel on Thursday June 4. Tix via Frontier Touring.
Following the release of her single ‘I Think You’re Great’ in January, singer-songwriter Alex The Astronaut has just announced a headline tour nationwide, playing a string of six shows before topping the tour off with a giant set at Splendour In The Grass in July. Alex will also be heading to the US later in the month as a key Australian artist to play at SXSW. Joined by a full band and supported by Melbourne singersongwriter Fletcher Gull, Alex The Astronaut will play The Corner Hotel on Saturday April 11. Tix via alextheastronaut.com.
PART WAYS WITH ORIGINAL MEMBER FLAVOR FLAV
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Iconic and legendary hip hop group Public Enemy have announced they will part ways with original group member, Flavor Flav, who co-founded the group 37 years ago. Conflict arose following the news that Public Enemy was scheduled to play at a Bernie Sanders rally in Los Angeles. Prior to this, Flav had filed a cease and desist letter alleging his image was used for promotional purposes in the rally without his permission. Public Enemy’s last album including Flav as a member was 2017’s Nothing Is Quick In The Desert.
Brisbane-based alt-pop icons Cub Sport have announced their highly anticipated fourth album Like Nirvana on top of releasing a new single and announcing a nationwide tour. The new single ‘Confessions’ is the first taster off the upcoming album and is described as an “emotional purge” by frontman Tim Nelson. Like Nirvana is 12 tracks long and is out on Friday May 8, accompanied by a string of shows kicking off early April. Cub Sport will play Howler on Saturday April 18. Tix via cubsport.com.
tonichilds in concert a retrospective
WED 18th MARCH 7 : 3 0 p m DANDENONG - DRUM THEATRE BOOKINGS: 03 8571 1666 or www.drumtheatre.com.au
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on sale now
SNAPS – Khokolat Koated
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Arts Guide BEAT’S K TOP PIC
Kurious - Cabinet of Curiosities CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S NEW EXTRAVAGANZA Cirque Du Soleil returns to Melbourne this March for more gravity-defying tricks and breathtaking visuals in new production Kurious - Cabinet of Curiosities. The show follows an ambitious inventor who defies the laws of space, dimensions and time in order to reinvent the world around him. Audiences will be transported to a late 19th century fantasy where anything is possible and our perception of reality is deconstructed and rearranged. In true Cirque Du Soleil fashion, the show promises more extravagant and colourful costumes as well as jaw-dropping stunts. The performance will take place Under The Grand Chapiteau at Flemington Racecourse and is on from Thursday March 12 until Sunday May 10. For tickets and more information visit cirquedusoleil.com.
Air Playground
2 Worlds Festival
Rain Room
EXPLORE LIFE’S PHENOMENON
BRINGING CULTURES TOGETHER
EXTENDED SEASON DUE TO HIGH DEMAND
Scienceworks presents a breath of fresh air to both children and adults alike with their immersive experience celebrating our most important and precious resource. Air Playground promises to blow you away with colourful, fun and educational activities that you’re guaranteed to take a whole lot away from. The exhibition features many activities where you can learn about aerodynamics, air compression, force and other elusive properties of air. It’s running from now until Sunday October 4, ticket and session information can be found at museumsvictoria.com.au.
The 2 Worlds Festival promises a fun and entertaining day when it takes over Birrarung Marr on Saturday March 14. With an aim to bring two cultures together, the festival features music from Indigenous and western acts, as well as art and other activities. Headlining the festival are the likes of Xavier Rudd and Kasey Chambers as well as plenty of other amazing performers. There will also be a variety of workshops, dance demonstrations, activities for kids and more. For more information and entry prices go to 2worldsfestival.org.au.
Random International’s groundbreaking artwork, Rain Room, will run for an extended season spanning over March and April. The exhibition premiered to sell-out audiences in August 2019 at the Jackalope Pavilion. The artwork features a 100-squaremetre field of continuous rain which reacts to its environment allowing attendees to be surrounded by the precipitation while also being protected from it. Tickets are currently available until Thursday April 30 and can be found at ticketek.com.
French Film Festival
The Gaol Experience
Single Ladies
SHOWCASING THE BEST IN FRENCH FILM
BURLESQUE, SIDESHOW AND COMEDY COMBINE
HILARIOUS COMEDY HITS RED STITCH
The Extraordinary
Off the back of its incredible 30th anniversary, the Alliance Française French Film Festival is back for another year. Boasting the largest showcase of French films in the world, the festival is now on until Wednesday April 8 and opens with film The Extraordinary, which spotlights topics such as kindness and humane values; a theme organisers hope will resonate with Australian audiences who have been shaken by a recent natural disaster. Tickets and info on the rest of the program available via affrenchfilmfestival.org.
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With the combination of burlesque, sideshow and comedy, The Gaol Experience will certainly be a night you won’t forget. Taking place in the Melbourne Gaol, guests are treated to a two-course dinner in the cell block of the City Watch Tower or alternatively can enjoy cocktails in an old jail cell with the VIP experience. The show features songs from Tina Arena to Beyoncé, as well as a troupe of talented performers from Queens of the Damned. The experience is on Saturday March 14 with tickets via queensofthedamnedcabaret.com.
Single Ladies is a show which follows the unlikely friendship of three women in a local Coles. As part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and a product of proven-tobe-funny, award-winning playwright Michele Lee, the show addresses topics of female friendship and multiculturalism. On top of that, it has an all-female production team. Single Ladies is showing at the Red Stitch Actors Theatre, St Kilda from Thursday March 19 to Sunday April 12. For more information check out redstitch.net.
PRESENTS
BLUESFEST SIDESHOWS BRANDI CARLILE TH
MON 6 APRIL | Hamer Hall
TAL WILKENFELD TH
Morcheeba TH
WED 7 April | 170 Russell
Tori Kelly TH
CORYTH HENRY & THE FUNK APOSTLES wed 8 April | 170 Russell
Larkin Poe TH
GEORGE BENSON TH TH
WED 8 & 9 April | Palais Theatre
THE GiPSY KINGS TH
WALTER TROUT TH
The Wailers TH
LP
Mon 13TH April | 170 Russell
EAGLES OF DEATH METAL TH TH
DWEEZIL ZAPPA Hot Rats Live! TH MON 13 APRIL | Croxton Bandroom
ALLENTH STONE
the MarCus King Band TH
PATTIST SMITHNDAND HER BAND RD
wed 15 April | HOWLER Wed 15 April | Palais Theatre Thu 16 April | CORNER HOTEL THU 16 April | Palais Theatre
THU 9 APRIL | CORNER HOTEL
Sat 18 April | 170 Russell SATSO18LD OU&T sun 19 APRIL | CROXTON BANDROOM MON 20 APRIL | Forum
WED 15 APRIL | CROXTON BANDROOM
tue 21 , Wed 22 & thu 23 APRIL | Forum
acts also appearing at BLUESFEST BYRON BAY 2020 | bluesfest.com.au Tickets & more info at bluesfesttouring.com.aU allbluesfesttouring | bluesfesttouring | subscribe for pre-sales
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL PROUDLY PRESENTS
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ARTS NEWS
Japanese Modernism NEW EXHIBITION OPENS AT NGV Exclusive to the National Gallery of Victoria, Japanese Modernism features more than 190 multi-disciplinary works created during the early 20th century. The exhibit, which currently occupies NGV International, showcases magazine designs, colour woodblock prints, rare paintings and street posters. Japanese Modernism also highlights accessories embracing Art Nouveau and Art Deco design elements as well as innovative fashion, such as kimonos for women and men displaying whimsical designs. The exhibition is on display from now until Sunday October 4. Find out more at ngv.vic.gov.au.
The Dressmaker
Arts Centre Melbourne
Bendigo Festival of Australian Film
PRESENTS F*CK FABULOUS
A CELEBRATION OF LOCAL CINEMA
F*ck Fabulous is an anti-cabaret cabaret, of sorts. Coming to Melbourne in April, this extravaganza looks to challenge stereotypes surrounding gender norms and LGBTQIA+ representation. Hosted by cabaret icon and prolific queer performer Yana Alana, the collection of performances looks beneath the glitter and sequins to present a raw and real portrayal of what it means to be queer. It comes to Fairfax Studio from Tuesday April 7 until Saturday April 18. Book your tickets and find out more via the Arts Centre Melbourne website.
The first annual Bendigo Festival of Australian Film boasts an eight-film repertoire ranging from comedies and romance to biographies and thrillers. Running over four days, the festival opens with a 30th anniversary screening of Death in Brunswick (1990). Other highlights of the program include screenings of Judy & Punch (2019), Bran Nue Dae (2009) and The Dressmaker (2015). The festival takes over Bendigo from Friday March 20 to Monday March 23. Tickets available through the Bendigo Venues and Events website, bendigoregion.com.au.
REVIEW
Hear My Eyes x Suspiria Melding the worlds of music and cinema, Hear My Eyes is an ongoing series which tasks musicians with composing and performing live scores for some of film’s most evocative works. For its fifth iteration, Hear My Eyes brought together one of its most exciting collaborations to date. Assembling members from King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Fia
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Fiell, Bullant and Cold Hands Warm Heart along with Leah Senior and the Melbourne Chamber Choir to compose and perform a brand new score for Dario Argento’s technicolour nightmare Suspiria. With a house packed full of music and horror aficionados, the stage at Hamer Hall was washed in purple light as the supergroup took to the stage. The typical rock setup of guitars, drums, bass was supplemented by a grand piano, harp and members of the Melbourne Chamber Choir, promising something truly special for the waiting crowd. One of the key ingredients to building dread in a horror film is suspenseful music,
The Wedding Singer
Fantasia In Concert
MUSICAL ADAPTATION COMING TO AUSTRALIA
MSO BRINGS DISNEY TO LIFE
The Broadway musical adaptation of The Wedding Singer is coming to Australia for the first time this June. Based on the 1998 Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore-starring hit film of the same name, the musical follows New Jersey’s number one wedding singer Robbie Hart as he tries to win over his soon-to-bemarried dream girl, Julia. The Wedding Singer makes its Australian premiere on Friday June 19 at Athenaeum Theatre. Tickets are on sale now via weddingsingermusical.com.au.
and the original score composed by Goblin is one of the most iconic horror soundtracks of the ’70s. The haunting melodies help create both a lurking sense of mystery as well as genuine horror in the viewer. So, needless to say, the supergroup had a rather large task ahead of them. As the lights dimmed, the funky bass lines and synth waves washed over the crowd, accompanied by a belt of timpani and Gregorian chants from the choir. Rather than going for spooky mood music, it was immediately apparent we were in for a night of schlock fun, with music more in line with John Carpenter than the original Goblin score. Cheers from the audience erupted as the film began, the music thumping so loudly it drowned out the audio of the film. Luckily Suspiria isn’t a film that’s heavy on story, with the vibrant and trippy visuals giving the audience all they need to navigate the tale of a dance academy run by witches. The powering bass and guitar kept the film moving like a freight train, while the harp – brilliantly played by Genevieve Fry – and piano brought in the more classic horror elements, beautifully punctuated by haunting voices of the choir.
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will bring the highly-acclaimed Disney classic Fantasia to the stage this April. Accompanied by stunning visuals, the MSO will perform exquisitely-curated classical music including Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Bach’s Toccata and Fugue, Tchaikovsky’s , Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. You can catch Fantasia at Hamer Hall on Friday April 24 at 7.30pm and Sunday April 26 at 1pm. Tickets and further information can be found via the MSO website.
Performing as if they’d been doing it for years, the band knew exactly when to settle and let the film speak for itself, never overplaying moments or drowning out set pieces for the sake of spectacle. Silence is important in a film like Suspiria and they incorporated it perfectly. That being said, King Gizz fans were given plenty of opportunities to rock out, with highlights being the scene with maggots raining from the ceiling and Suzy’s run-in with a bat, in which the guitar shifted into true Nonagon Infinity territory. Once again, Hear My Eyes have brought together a perfect match of visuals and music to create a rocking night of entertainment. Not only was it a truly unique viewing experience, you couldn’t help but smile as funky ’70s bass and synth dazzlingly accentuated Argento’s hyper colour horror masterpiece. Keep your eyes on the Hear My Eyes website for future shows. BY CHRIS SWAN
5 DAYS OF MUSIC, DANCE, VISUAL ARTS, FOOD AND PARTIES CELEBRATING SOUTHERN ITALIAN AND MEDITERRANEAN CULTURE
MELBOURNE · 2020· 11-15 MARCH
THE WESTERNPORT HOTEL ALISON FORBES
13.3
QUEEN FOREVER ($30/$35) JOE MATERA
14.3 15.3
CARUS
17.3
KATIE NOONAN ($40/$45)
27.3
FRANK SULTANA
5.4
NEXT MAN DEAD
18.4 FESTIVAL GALA CONCERT • 13 MARCH • 6:30PM • MEAT MARKET
ENZA PAGLIARA & DARIO MUCI (ITA) feat. SANTA TARANTA TARANTULA GARGANICA (ITA) ARTE KANELA
TRADITIONAL PUGLIESE LUNCH • 14 MARCH • 12:00PM • DAREBIN ARTS CENTRE
LUCIANO CASTELLUCCIA PEPPE TOTARO (TARANTULA GARGANICA) plus local and international guests
...AND MORE. FULL PROGRAM AND TICKETS AT
PRESENTING SPONSORS
SOUL REVOLVER TRACY MCNEIL
2.5 3.5
THE PIERCE BROTHERS
6.6
SHAKY STILLS
13.6
FESTIVAL FINALE: MEDITERRANEO • 15 MARCH • 12:00PM • DAREBIN ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE TARANTA ORCHESTRA WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
ENZA PAGLIARA & DARIO MUCI, ALLARA, DANIEL JAUREGUI, KAVISHA MAZZELLA AND MIRKO GUERRINI PLUS ZOUROUNA, DELYRIUM, DAVIDE IERARDI & DILUSS (ITA) THE RUSTICA PROJECT, OPA BATO, BANDA BELLINI AND THE MELBOURNE SCHOOL OF TARANTELLA
ASH GRUNWALD ($30/$35)
25.4
Live entertainment EVERY Fri, Sat & Sun. Only 90 minutes from Melbourne The Westernport – Where Else? Tickets available at Oztix.com.au | Westernport Hotel – San Remo 161 Marine Pde San Remo 3925 | PH: 03 5678 5205 www.thewesternport.com.au
www.tarantafestival.com.au
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL PROUDLY PRESENTS
SUPER FRESH COMEDY FROM THE UK AND IRELAND 7:00pm Sat, March
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Church of All Nations
Karen Knowles The Song Balm
Award-winning and much loved singer Karen Knowles presents a unique heart-warming, connected performance for Earth Hour 2020, acknowledging our own inter-connection to our country and to all of life. A singing workshop precedes the concert at 4:00pm. 7:00pm Wed, Mar
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Church of All Nations, Carlton
Kavisha Mazzella & Mihirangi (NZ)
Mihirangi celebrates her culture and heritage with a show full of grace, fierceness, warmth and humour. Kavisha’s earthy, sensual vocals employ deep lyrics with humorous, poetic, social justice and mystical themes. 7:00pm Sat, Mar
21
Mark Street Hall, Fitzroy North
Cordillera
Andean music with a relaxed vibe that takes audiences through the mountains and rivers of South America, infusing traditional Latin rhythms with a modern touch.
7:00pm Thu, Mar
19
The Oratory, Abbotsford Convent
SARAY Iluminado
SARAY Iluminado explore the musical links between Bosnia and Herzegovina’s best loved genres: Sevdah and Sephardic Jewish Music, alongside renowned historian Dr Eli Tauber’s talk on 500 years of positive Muslim-Jewish relationships in the Balkans. 8:00pm Fri, Apr
3
St Margaret’s Eltham
Andalucía es así
The essence of the dance and song of Andalucía, interwoven with personal interpretations by local artists Chari Saldana, Jini Lim, Manolo Jaen and Kieren Ray.
boite.com.au 03 9417 3550 – events@boite.com.au
‘Dawn of a major talent’
‘A brilliantly aloof injection of excellence’
EVELYN MOK
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‘Hilarious, dark, edgy’
IRISH INDEPENDEN
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THU 26 MAR – SUN 19 APR MELBOURNE TOWN HALL
COMEDYFESTIVAL.COM.AU
melbourne
international
comedy
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COLUMNS
Turning heads Electronic
Punk
Industry
WITH AUGUSTUS WELBY
WITH JAMES LYNCH
WITH CHRISTIE ELIEZER
WITH SAM HOWARD
Basement Jaxx
Quivers go west Melbourne guitar pop four-piece Quivers are about to fly to the US for a second consecutive year of South by South West mayhem. We caught up with to songwriter Sam Nicholson to talk about Quivers’ previous US tour, new music, and his love of jangly guitar pop. “We played our first showcase soon after we arrived and Holly [Thomas] even had a nosebleed and a spew before completely killing it on the drums,” says Nicholson of SXSW 2019. “I think we played eight shows in three days, whereas this SXSW we are just doing four and going to spend more time in those hot springs.” Quivers released the singles, ‘You’re Not Always On My Mind’ and ‘When It Breaks’, late last year. The double A-side was the band’s first new music since 2018’s debut LP We’ll Go Riding On the Hearses. “Hearses was recorded in a weekend halfway up Mount Wellington/kunanyi in Hobart in a bit of a daze,” says Nicholson. “They were mostly songs I’d written after losing my brother in a free-diving accident. “We recorded it in a rush and didn’t want to overthink it, and it was really cathartic to sing those songs with our friends.” Quivers relocated to Melbourne from Hobart following the release of Hearses. They’ve recently been recording with Holy Holy’s Matthew Redlich. “We’re working on something more pop, more about us all singing, and these are mostly songs we’ve road-tested,” says Nicholson. “There maybe is still a lyrical darkness to the new material but there’s finally a bit more sun on our backs musically.” Quivers cite bands like R.E.M., The Church and The Triffids as core influences. For Nicholson, these artists are a bottomless supply of inspiration. “The Triffids I love for their melodrama and how they sing about the landscape like it is a character in their songs,” he says. “R.E.M. was a band I heard from my sister’s room growing up and those mandolins, jangled guitars and really impenetrable lyrics were more captivating than the Pantera from my brothers’ rooms.” Quivers have actually recorded a full cover of R.E.M.’s Out of Time, which will come out in the lead-up to their second album. In the meantime, you can catch them at Yah Yah’s this Friday night with support from fellow SXSW performers Gena Rose Bruce and Chitra. “Gena Rose Bruce I’ve wanted to join up with since catching a set of hers ages ago, and Chitra keeps releasing really nice singles,” says Nicholson. “I feel so lucky there’s so many endless combinations of sweet bands to play with in this city. Quivers come to Yah Yah’s on Friday March 13. Grab your tix via Eventbrite.
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Old favourites making a comeback One of the best things about electronic music is its timelessness that often goes unrecognised. Sometimes you’ll discover a new track that blows your mind, then it’s blown once more when you realise that it’s not new at all – it was released two, three, even four decades ago. That’s the beauty of electronic music. Talented producers who could be as old as your gran are still spreading their tunes across the globe. Artists like Kraftwerk of the 1970s are still played on dance floors, and acts like Larry Heard or Lil Louis continue to make welcomed appearances here Down Under. Even the undeniable disco hero, Evelyn Champagne King, as well as 2000s pop synth-stars, Hot Chip, braced Australian shores just last weekend. Some of these legends have been around for decades, and their sounds never go out of fashion. Here are three iconic oldies but goodies who are coming to perform in Australia very soon. NEW ORDER For more than 40 years, New Order’s tracks have been demolished on dance floors. The unforgettable synths of ‘Blue Monday’ or ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ are played out weekly across the country and they probably will for another century. The last time they were here was 2016, where their sold-out Sydney Opera House show was described as “perfection” by The Guardian. Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Saturday March 14 (sold out) and The Forum, Sunday March 15 (sold out)
BASEMENT JAXX “Where’s your head aaaatt?!” is a phrase that reminds most of us of one thing – the absolute classic released nearly 20 years ago from today. Basement Jaxx have released many albums over that time and more than 34 singles – each of these well-favoured by the ears. The British duo are making a few very special appearances in Australia next month, and we’re pretty damn excited about it. Chasers Nightclub, Thursday April 9
ERIC POWELL & CARL COX Eric Powell and Carl Cox are prominent DJs and unique entities, but share a music partnership that blossomed in the 1990s and has helped them influence this entire continent. In an interview with Pete Tong, BBC’s Radio One host, about Melbourne’s love for disco, he told me that the discoexpansion could be credited to the duo bringing across their hefty record bags. Melbourne Showgrounds, Saturday April 25
Gutter Girls
Girls to the front To celebrate International Women’s Day just passed, this week we’re looking at some of our favourite female-led punk bands from the local scene. For a genre that’s been maledominated for years (or forever, really) female punk bands aren’t just a breath of fresh air – many of these groups actually capture that unhinged and raw spirit that helped establish punk music in the first place. PRIMO! A favourite of the Melbourne underground, Primo!’s take on punk is idiosyncratic and minimal. Stripping things back to the bare essentials, wiry guitars tangle with a no-frills rhythm section, and leave plenty of space for the band’s robust triune vocals to hold things down. Turbulent and terse, but just as buoyant and oddly addictive, Primo! is as fun a name to exclaim as this band is good. GUTTER GIRLS After forming in mid-2018 with almost zero musical background, Gutter Girls have won Melbourne over with their punchy, selfeffacing punk. What they lack in technical know-how they make up for with sheer force, a DIY determination that is just as playfully charming as it is furious. Their latest single ‘The Bullet’ captures everything GG do best - relentless power-chord guitar, spluttering synth and frontwoman Iso Buckley’s unapologetic vocals. THE FACULTY Irreverent, grimy and made for a good time, The Faculty toe the line between snarling proto-punk and singalong rock’n’roll. In true punk spirit, they didn’t follow through on the 20-minute debut album they’d promised last year, but when it drops, we can bet it’ll be as exuberant and agitated as their live show. SHOVE Forming out of the ashes of a handful of local groups, Shove have quickly asserted themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the Melbourne scene. Chaotic and sprawling waves of noise spiral around each other, while frontwoman Bella Kranjec takes charge with her assertive yelp. Living up to their name, a Shove set is a lot like a sonic barrage. FUTURE SUCK Future Suck describe themselves as “music to charge your electric motors to” and it’s easy to see why. Served with a fistful of attitude and chaotic energy, the band are as disarming as they are ruthlessly brash. While their scrappy hardcore blasts might seem more suited on the floor of a DIY venue, we’re likely to see Future Suck playing bigger stages as the year progresses.
Elspeth Scrine
The music conference offering fresh perspectives Listen Listen is returning for another instalment this month, offering new perspectives to identify new strengths for women in music, the LGBTQIA+ community and people of colour. “Over the last five years, there have been huge changes in the structure of exclusion in the Australian music industry, by not only Listen (the parent group of the conference) but a number of organisations and different individuals within the music community,” explains programmer Elspeth Scrine. “We’ve learned from them, and we’re really trying to cover critical issues that are presenting themselves in the music industry without trying to assume we’re going to tick every box.” This year’s workshops will incorporate the wisdom and experience of those who’ve been in the industry for decades. Local and international keynote speakers will be paired up for In Conversation sessions, covering critical issues in Australian music and beyond. “The idea of putting together two people, whether they are both artists or whether they’re from different professional backgrounds, was one we had early on as a way to set up the conference dynamic and pair people up from same community or, at times, different communities. What will come out of these conversations will be really powerful for the audience,” explains Scrine. Speakers from Girls Rock! and Neil Morris, aka DRMNGNOW, will be talking about intergenerational music practices, while broadcast identities Namila Benson and Lucreccia Quintanilla are set to speak on parenthood in music. Miss Blanks is set to talk about her new agency, Point Blank Group, while Papua New Guinea born producer and vocalist Ripley Kavara will introduce FAMILI, an electronic music collective of Pasifika and First Nations queer artists. Boonwurrung elder Carolyn Briggs will join Central Arrernte woman, social anthropologist and Indigenous studies lecturer Dr Suzi Hutchings to speak on music, youth, justice and the transmission of culture. Philadelphia based producer DJ Haram is going to be chatting with Roj Amedi, a writer and senior campaigner at Colour Code; a national movement of First Nations and migrant communities campaigning for racial justice. There’ll also be talks on accessibility in music venues and events, vocal technology, music journalism, and bystander intervention. Listen Listen is held at Brunswick Mechanics Institute from Saturday March 28 to Sunday March 29. Details at listenlistenlisten.org.
WEDNESDAY 11TH MARCH
WHISKY WEDNESDAYS ACOUSTIC SESSIONS $6 Basic, $9 Premium, $12 Cocktails 7PM, FREE. THURSDAY 12TH MARCH
SWAMP TRIVIA! 6PM FREE THURSTY THURSDAYS UNI NIGHT
FEAT BEE VIRGINIA
MARCH RESIDENCY! $14 Coopers Jugs with student card.
WEDNESDAY 11TH MARCH
ENTROPY QUARTET + GUESTS 7:30PM, DONATION THURSDAY 12TH MARCH
THE SOCKETTES 8PM FRIDAY 13TH MARCH
OPA! 8PM SATURDAY 14TH MARCH
FRIDAY 13TH MARCH DAREBIN FUSE PRESENTS
HENRY HUGO & THE BARSTOOL GHOSTS 6.30PM, FREE.
TAYLOR PROJECT, HOOK TURNS, RYAN STERLING 9PM, FREE. SATURDAY 14TH MARCH DAREBIN FUSE PRESENTS
THE RECORD SELECTORS (3 SETS) 9PM, FREE. SUNDAY 15TH MARCH DAREBIN FUSE PRESENTS
MIA SCHOEN, SURFER GIRL 5PM, $10. TUESDAY 17TH MARCH
MELBOURNE UKELELE FESTIVAL 1:30PM +
LOVEBONER 8PM SUNDAY 15TH MARCH
OPEN 4PM 1AM 7 DAYS
BAR & BEER GARDEN HAPPY HOUR
MON - WED ~ ALL NITE THURS - FRI ~ 4PM - 7PM
$7 PINTS BEER + CIDER
FREE COMEDY
FUNNY NEAR THE BRUNNY $7 PINTS ALL NITE
KIMMY AND CREW 7PM MONDAY 16TH MARCH
303 YARRA BANKS JAM NIGHT
OPEN STAGE
THE SELTZER SESSIONS HOSTED BY HAMISH MCNAB $7 PINTS ALL NITE
8PM, FREE TUESDAY 17TH MARCH
MELBOURNE POLYTECHNIC MUSIC 7PM, FREE
OPEN MIC $15 jugs,
WEDNESDAY 18TH MARCH
free performer drink 6PM, FREE.
ENTROPY QUARTET + GUESTS
WEDNESDAY 18TH MARCH
68 SYDNEY RD BRUNSWICK 3056
BERGY THURSDAYS 8PM LIVE BANDS + DJS $8 PINTS OF COOPERS PALE $5 JAMOS, VODKAS, GINS
UPCOMING GIGS RHYLEY MCGRATH
WHISKY WEDNESDAYS
7:30PM, DONATION
WITH 2 X SETS
ACOUSTIC SESSIONS
THURSDAY 19TH MARCH
GROOVECULT RECORDS + MUCH LOVE EVENTS PRESENT:
$6 Basic, $9 Premium, $12 Cocktails.
MOPOKE + FILM SCHOOL + SOUNDSCAPE CREW
7PM, FREE. THURSDAY 19TH MARCH
SWAMP TRIVIA! 6PM, FREE. THURSTY THURSDAYS UNI NIGHT
FEAT BEE VIRGINIA
MARCH RESIDENCY! $14 Coopers Jugs with student card. FRIDAY 20TH MARCH DAREBIN FUSE PRESENTS
RIPLEY HOOD AND ASH JONES 6.30PM, FREE. TAMMA LIVE LAUNCH, W.M.N BAND, MAJA 8PM, $10. SATURDAY 21ST MARCH DAREBIN FUSE PRESENTS
HUGO RACE AND MICHELANGELO RUSSO, ERIC NEHER (US) 8PM, $16. SUNDAY 22ND MARCH
8PM FRIDAY 20TH MARCH
303 TURNS 20 PARTY FEAT: SPOONBILL & SPECIAL GUESTS SUBLIMINAL SOUNDS FEAT: SAWCE VS SYRINOX + EASY + SUPLANTER + MADMATTER + GORILLA GROOVE + CYMASCOPIC 8PM, $10/$15 SUNDAY 22ND MARCH
PINKO COLLECTIVE 4PM, DONATION
KING PIN BRINE, MAN
WEBEINDIEPOPPIN’ VOL.1: CHARLIE LANE + THE CLEVER REFERENCES + ASTROHYM + VERY EARLY
OPEN MIC $15 jugs, free performer drink 6PM, FREE.
HAPPY HOUR TUE-FRI 5PM-7PM $6 PINTS, $3.50 POTS, $5 WINE/BASIC SPIRITS
facebook/swamplandsbar
AND THE INVESTIGATORS
MINOR MISCHIEF WITH UNCLE RUDEY
SIDEWAYS SUNDAY
WITH: MATT BLACK’S CONTINENTAL SNARL LITTLE SISTER AND THE DROP DEAD DADDY-O’S AND MORE!
SATURDAY 21ST MARCH
TUESDAY 24TH MARCH
TUESDAY 24TH MARCH
JAKE GEORGE
WITH DEAR CHARLIE
6PM, FREE
DAREBIN FUSE PRESENTS
FROM ATLANTIS 5PM, FREE.
BERGY THURSDAYS
THIS WEEK: NUMBAT, PURPLEK, THE NEW DREGS
ON TAP GROOVECULT RECORDS + MUCH LOVE EVENTS PRESENT:
BERGY THURSDAYS
THIS WEEK: DAPOOLPARTY + WASHED UP WIZARDS
FRANKIE TEARDROP
WITH MIM JENSEN AND IMMY FITZGERALD
TEAM VOM WITH AM RERUNS + HOTS BLIND FREDDIE AND THE FERRETS WITH 2 X SETS
7:30PM, $10 303 HIGH ST NORTHCOTE 03 9482 4577 | 303.NET.AU FACEBOOK.COM/BAR303NOTHCOTE
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COVER STORY
LP The energetic, unreserved US rocker makes her Australian debut. BY TAMMY WALTERS
Bluesfest boasts an impeccable lineup for 2020 with a mound of familiar faces returning to the festival such as Patti Smith and Her Band, Crowded House, Allen Stone, Larkin Poe and Frank Carter, as well as Bluesfest veterans The Cat Empire, Harts and John Butler. This year, there’s also a long list of talent making their debut on Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm soil. Among that talent is soulful New York singer-songwriter LP, also known as Laura Pergolizzi. “I’m very excited! I can’t wait! I’ve been waiting to come down there forever,” LP says. The Bluesfest slot doubles as LP’s firstever Australian appearance. A 15-year career in the indie rock space has spawned five studio albums, including her most recent Heart to Mouth from 2018. “I thought the record before the last one, Lost on You, would get played down there but it didn’t,” LP continues. “You never know with radio and the world in music is a weird one. Nothing surprises me anymore in the music business so I just go with it. “In my career, it’s always been when it happens, it happens. I figure I’ll just keep putting out the work and motherfuckers will catch up when they can.” While Australia is late to the game, LP has rallied a global following and she has Lost
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on You to largely thank for that. The haunting title track eclipsed 500 million-plus streams, going platinum in Russia, Poland, Greece, Switzerland, Italy, France and Germany, and topping the charts in 13 countries. With its exceptional critical acclaim and mammoth success, LP was bombarded by live television performance requests including The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Conan, Jools Holland and The Late Late Show with James Corden, and even joined the Coachella camp. “It was pretty crazy. I tell this story all the time about how I was dropped from Warner Brothers, my label, after I played them ‘Muddy Waters’ and ‘Lost on You’ and ‘Strange’ and at that point I was like, ‘Shit. Now what?’. “I didn’t know the best was yet to come but it just goes to show you, you can hand someone over your best and they can go, ‘Eh, I don’t get it. Bye’,” she says. “Like that song could still be sitting on my computer doing nothing and going nowhere and there’s so many songs that I feel that people and bands and artists have lost in the shuffle. I always think to myself that I’m so lucky I’m one of those people that caught a break.” Along with her own project, the widely outspoken androgynous rocker has delved into the pop world, lending her songs to some
of the biggest names in music including Cher, Rihanna, the Backstreet Boys, Leona Lewis, Myléne Farmer, Céline Dion and Christina Aguilera. In 2018, she also contributed ‘It’s Over’ to Morrissey’s cover album. While she’s always up for collaboration, for the time being, LP is focusing on extending her own songbook. “I haven’t had time for anyone else because I have a new record coming out this
“I figure I’ll just keep putting out the work and motherfuckers will catch up when they can.” year that I’ve been working on and it’s nice to be my own priority at this point, but I’m always up for writing with people,” LP shares. “I’ve got the most part [of a new record] down with the writing, but I’m always writing. I just wrote one that will probably make the record just last week that I was surprised at because it was almost like I was done.” For 2018’s Heart to Mouth the stakes were high in following up the global smash of Lost on You. Thankfully, the result was flawless. Now, going into album number six, LP has
adopted a cool, calm and collected approach, reflective of her natural character. “My biggest thing with Heart to Mouth was that I wasn’t trying to sound anything like Lost on You. I think that was exactly what happened and I felt good about it and that it was its own thing. “On this record, I’m not even thinking anything like that. I felt very inspired this past year and I’ve been really enjoying this record. I’m almost more into songwriting than I ever was. I’m really inspired not just by my circumstances but I’m inspired to write a better song and communicate more deeply than I ever have,” LP explains. Given her rich history of writing about her relationships, the singer, who identifies as gender fluid and has grown into her enigmatic androgyny, confirms such themes will continue to run throughout her music. For now though, punters should ready themselves for the Bluesfest train and the energetic LP debut that awaits. LP comes to 170 Russell on Saturday April 11. Grab your tickets via bluesfesttouring.com.au. She also plays Bluesfest which goes down from Thursday April 9 to Monday April 13.
Wednesday 11th March 8.00pm
LOMOND ACOUSTICA LEIGH SLOGGART, NATHAN POWER DOU, NATHAN SCHIFFERIE
OPEN TUES. & WED.
3PM - MIDNIGHT THURS. FRI. SAT.
Friday 13th March 8.00pm
SING OUT SISTER “INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY” ALICIA AND ALANNA EGAN WITH CHARM OF FINCHES AND BONNIE SMITH
Wednesday 11th March
Wine, Whiskey, Women: 8pm: Candice Alisha 9pm: Yazmindi Thursday 12th March
8pm:
Saturday 14th March 9.30pm
WAZ E. JAMES (Rockin blues)
Sunday 15th March 5.30pm
Heath Robertson & Jack Meredith 9pm: Victor Cripes Friday 13th March
Traditional Irish Music 8.30pm: Adam Waldron Trio 6pm:
Saturday 14th March
THE BURNING BRIDGES
Marty Kelly 9pm: The Teleporters (Hillbilly Bop)
Tuesday 17th March 8.00pm
Sunday 15th March
3pm:
(Alt-country)
IRISH SESSION WITH DAN BURKE AND MARTY KELLY Wednesday 18th March 8.00pm
LOMOND ACOUSTICA JUSHUA BATTEN, DIXIE CHOOKS, MOONSHINE COALITION Thursday 19th March 7.30pm
MR SUNSHINES GOOD TIME TRIVIA
The Ferriters 6.30pm: The Glorious 4pm:
Tuesday 17th March
St Patricks Day!!! 3pm: Stephen Kennedy 6.30pm: Tim Scalan Trio 9.30pm: Dan Bourke & Cyril Moran Wednesday 18th March
Wine Whiskey Women 8pm: JJ Bailey 9pm: Georgia Rodgers
(Refer to the website)
7pm:
Friday 20th March
6pm:
Traditional Irish Music 8.30pm: Rich Web Band Saturday 21st March
Saturday 21st March 9.30pm
Say Nothing 9pm: Trio Grande 3pm:
THE STETSON FAMILY (Alt-country)
Sunday 22nd March 5.30pm
GREG CHAMPIONS AND THE USEFUL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY (Rock n roll)
ALL GIGS ARE FREE 225 NICHOLSON STREET, BRUNSWICK EAST. PH 9380 1752
Open Mic Night
Sunday 22nd March
Andy Baylor Trio 6.30pm: Roy T Payne
4pm:
Tuesday 24th March
Tuesday Tribute 8pm: William Alexander plays the songs of Tex Morton The Drunken Poet 65 Peel Street (directly opposite Queen Vic Market), Phone: 03 9348 9797. www.thedrunkenpoet.com.au
FRIDAY 13TH MARCH
DANIEL REEVES BAND 9PM
SATURDAY 14TH MARCH
LIVE MUSIC EVERY THURSDAY 9PM
MICHEAL MEEKING BAND 9PM
SUNDAY 15TH MARCH
MARCH 12
ROCKY & THE TWO BOB MILLIONAIRES MARCH 19
THE KIDS NEXT DOOR + SPECIAL GUESTS 8PM
(NOT TO BE MISSED!)
BEAUTIFUL BULIDINGS 5PM
FRIDAY 20TH MARCH
POPPY WS 9PM
SATURDAY 21ST MARCH
LES D KING 9PM
ALISTER TURRILL 10PM
MARCH 26
NEON SOUL:
BERNADETTE NOVEMBRE
& HER 10 PIECE SOUL BAND APRIL 2
FRATS
ROCK, FUNK, SOUL & A DAMN FINE TIME!
SUNDAY 22ND MARCH
VINYL EYES 5PM
WEEKLY SPECIALS MONDAY HAPPY HOUR 10PM - 1AM $6 JAMESON $4 POTS $8 PINTS $6 WINE
TUESDAY TRIVIA 8PM (FREE) $10 PIZZA
Thursday 19th March
Friday 20th March 9.30pm
THE WRITER’S BLOCK #57
3PM - 1AM
LIVE MUSIC MARCH
FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHT DAMN FINE DANCING TUNES ALL NIGHT HAPPY HOUR 5 -6PM OF THE FINEST TINNIES
FAD GALLERY BAR 14 CORRS LANE MELBOURNE (OFF LITTLE BOURKE ST) FB @ FADGALLERY
WEDNESDAY OPEN MIC 8PM $10 BURGER & FRIES
THURSDAY $10 PINTS & $1 BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS OR VEG CAULIFLOWER
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BLUESFEST
Morcheeba Having defined the ‘chill-out’ genre with tracks like ‘The Sea’, ‘Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day’ and ‘Otherwise’, there are few who can’t sing along to Morcheeba’s beloved anthems. BY FERGUS NEAL
Morcheeba leading lady Skye Edwards has one of the most recognised voices on the planet, but it wasn’t until she met Ross Godfrey at a party that the spell-binding experience of Morcheeba could turn into the success they’d both envisioned. “It’s all I wanted to do, there was no other plan,” says Godfrey. “We discovered Skye when we met her at a party and afterward we got her to sing some of our songs. She was shy at the start but she had something magic about her. We went to a studio together and recorded ‘Trigger Hippie’ – it was a fusion of laidback soul, hip hop, psychedelia blues, and we found it was a winning formula, we got a record deal from it. “When music works it’s surreal. But you can’t plan for it. I’ve found that anytime you plan for anything it never works in music. You just kind of stumble across things and happy accidents happen and you just pretend you meant to do it afterward.” Morcheeba’s authentic sound partly manifested as a reaction to Godfrey’s distaste for the ‘80s music he’d grown up on. This
allowed the musical pioneers to go on a path of discovery and pioneer a new genre called ‘trip-hop’, which drew from a multitude of influences that were floating about in the ‘90s. “When I was a kid in the ‘80s I couldn’t stand anything that was going on, it was just so cheesy and horrible and superficial. Then in the ‘90s it started to get a bit better, people started to play better guitar sounds, grunge came along. I loved grunge and at the same time, there was some really good hip hop music that came out. That kind of defined our generation,” Godfrey says. “We wanted to bring in some more disparate influences. So we introduced some dub-reggae and country music, even ragtime blues. On the second album Big Calm we spread our wings and it was very successful, so we were buoyed up by that constant pursuit of innovation. “We continued to follow our instincts and tailor production to the song rather than trying to fit into the scene or a sound. That’s what we’ve done to this day. The new album Blaze Away is quite a varying album – there’s
a big spectrum of different kinds of music, the theme that runs through it is Skye’s voice and the songs we’ve written together.” Through their unique style, Morcheeba found a sound that transcends cultural barriers. Their melting pot anthems see the band tour places all across the world – in the late ‘90s, it even afforded them the opportunity to play in China. When asked about the trip, Godfrey recalls the tour as a cultural eye-opener. “It was fucken weird. We spent a lot of time trying to lose the minders that we had. They seemed to think that we were spies and that we’d formed a band ten years before as a cover to go to China. “We were constantly being followed around, we went to a lot of places where
nobody spoke English. There were only four or five foreigners in the city out of ten million people. Things have changed quite a lot, they weren’t ready for bands then. If we stood up there was military police telling us to sit down. I think they thought we were going to ignite some revolution.” Morcheeba play 170 Russell on Tuesday April 7. Grab your tickets via bluesfesttouring.com.au. They’ll also perform at Bluesfest when it goes down from Thursday April 9 to Monday April 13.
Ani DiFranco 2019 was a big year for Ani DiFranco. BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
She spent a lot of it on the road, reciting words never spoken to an audience before. However, it wasn’t from a new collection of songs, but rather her first-ever book, No Walls and the Recurring Dream. A memoir detailing her early life and entryway into the world of music, the acclaimed singer-songwriter holds nothing back within its pages. “It was an unprecedented level of exposure and vulnerability,” says DiFranco, speaking to Beat from her home in-between tour dates. “After hundreds of very personal songs, not even that could prepare me for writing a memoir. It’s funny... the way I got through it was pretending that I’m alone when I’m writing. If I let in the eyes and the ears of the world while I’m in the creative process, I just freeze up. There’s no way that I can write. I faced a lot of things along the way, but somehow I made it through to the other side.” The book was ultimately published last May, with DiFranco working on it at the same time as her previous studio album, Binary. It wasn’t until DiFranco got into the studio to record the audio version of No Walls, however, that the reality truly started to sink in. “What you hear on that audiobook is five straight days of me reading from nine to five,” she says. “I sat down on day one, and I
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just panicked. I felt trapped. It was then that I realised that this was happening.” “‘I can’t do this! This is insane!’ – I almost felt violated. Getting through that process was a real moment of reckoning.” DiFranco is used to having her words pored over, with 30-odd years in the game, over a dozen albums and even a few collections of poetry. The way that one tours and promotes an album, however, is considerably different to how one goes about doing the same for a memoir. This is something DiFranco herself found out the hard way. “When I go out on stage with a new song, the reaction is immediate and palpable,” she explains. “You know how much it’s connecting, because you’re experiencing it in real time. When you put out a book, however, it’s comparatively like some sort of deafening silence. 25 years ago, I vowed to never read about myself in the media again – which I’ve mostly stuck to. “The only feedback I’ve gotten is when I went out on the book tour, and I got direct responses and thoughts from people there. It made me really happy to know that something so terrifying to me was appreciated.” Although DiFranco’s work is critically
acclaimed, the woman herself wouldn’t know. As far as she’s concerned, that’s one part of the discourse surrounding her music that she is decidedly not interested in. It’s not for a thin skin, either – rather, it’s about a clear headspace to continue working in. “Reviews, even positive reviews, aren’t helpful to me,” she says. “It all makes me feel claustrophobic and self-conscious. Being endlessly described, defined and judged... I find it a weight, a burden. It’s essential for me to keep the energy I can, to keep creating intrepidly. I need to keep tuning out all of the assessments. I still have that vital one-on-one relationship with my audience through my shows, and that’s what remains the most important thing to me.” DiFranco will return to Australia for a series
of shows centred around an appearance at Bluesfest in April, over the Easter long weekend. It will mark DiFranco’s first time in Australia in 11 years – something that’s not lost on her. “The last time I came there, I brought my daughter and she turned two while we were there,” she recalls. “She’s now 13! All I hope is that someone – anyone – over there remembers me.” Ani DiFranco will play Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on Wednesday April 8. Tickets available through the Arts Centre Melbourne website. She’ll also perform at Bluesfest which goes down from Thursday April 9 to Monday April 13.
BEAT’S ULTIMATE GUIDE TO
The Great Ocean Road HAH Lornebeach
HAH Lornebeach is a café and surfboard hire hotspot in one. What’s the HAH story? As a young family living in Lorne, we saw a need for healthy choices and wholefoods in Lorne and surrounds, so we invented HAH back in 2016. It’s a place where people can relax, chill out or get active, all the while enjoying local, house-made produce and soaking up ocean views. What can people hire at HAH Lornebeach? We have a quiver of soft boards from beginner to advanced, as well as SUPS (stand up paddle boards) and bodyboards – we have all skill levels covered. What’s the ethos behind your café? Tastes great and is great for you. A space to enjoy nature, away from everything, where you can switch off or switch on. A sustainable café with wholefoods for sale and eco store. Locally owned and run by a happy family in Lorne. You also provide catering. Tell us a bit about this. HAH provides catering for inhouse and offsite events, all made by us and tailored to individual needs. Our healthy catering options are perfect for retreats, birthdays, weddings and more. What makes Lorne the perfect travel destination? Lorne is a place that can be enjoyed in any season. It’s a place where the beach joins the forest, the people and food are amazing, and it has a beautiful history. You’ll feel new and refreshed after visiting us in Lorne.
Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
How would you describe your Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery in under 40 words? It’s Victoria’s most decadent destination, located on the iconic Great Ocean Road in a striking building, set on 15 acres of landscaped grounds and only 20 minutes from Geelong. Indulge in free chocolate and ice cream tastings, watch chocolatiers at work and enjoy the all-day café. What’s new at Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery? The largest collection of handcrafted chocolates – especially for Easter. With over 30,000 chocolate creations in every size, shape and colour made by European chocolatiers from sustainably sourced cocoa. Featuring classic milk, dark and white chocolate, plus ruby and caramelised white chocolate. What’s your most popular chocolate item? Our version of the famous Aussie treat, Rocky Road – handcrafted with delightfully fluffy marshmallows, blended with roasted nuts and jellies, then smothered in couverture chocolate. Devotees also love the version we made for our annual Rocky Road Festival, showcasing 31 different flavours throughout May. You conduct tastings and workshops onsite. Tell us more about this. Sweet tooths can indulge their love of chocolate and learn the art of chocolate making in our private classes, tasting sessions, or hands-on workshops guided by our European chocolatiers. We offer experiences for all age groups and budgets, starting from $3 per person.
Drop into HAH Lornebeach at 81 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne Foreshore. Head to their website for more info.
Find them at 1200 Great Ocean Road, Bellbrae. Head to their website for more info.
HAHLORNEBEACH.COM.AU
GORCI.COM.AU
Fletcher Jones Market
Meadow
Fronted by a heritage listed garden, Fletcher Jones Market is one of the more unique markets in Victoria. Tell us a bit about the market’s history. The Fletcher Jones Market, situated in the heritage-listed former Fletcher Jones factory, has been part of the Warrnambool landscape for over a decade. Over that time, it has become a regular stopping spot for a browse by locals and visitors alike. What does your market specialise in? Under new management, we stock everything from rare and valuable antiques and books to collectables from the Art Deco period through to the retro ‘60s and ‘70s. There’s also a large selection of jewellery, both new and antique. What are some of your most popular items? Are you looking for something unique? Fletcher Jones Market may have it. We’ve got antique furniture from Europe and Australia, Asian and European porcelain, pottery, militaria, vintage toys, clocks and music boxes. We also have giftware from Africa, Nepal and our own backyard in Southern Victoria. How would you sell the Great Ocean Road to someone who has never travelled it? The Great Ocean Road takes visitors on a journey to Victoria’s greatest beaches and coastal destinations, while offering some of rural Victoria’s unique produce, including fresh sea food, dairy products and wonderful fresh grown fruit and vegetables.
Hidden between rolling hills, experience uniquely intimate performances and the best of what the Otway region has to offer. Meadow is back in Bambra, only 90-minutes out of Melbourne, for the seventh time with Melbourne’s own Angie McMahon and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever (RBCF) headlining. Alongside McMahon and RBCF, Meadow will also welcome international acts, Frankie Cosmos and Sheer Mag. You’ll also see the likes of Dyson Stringer Cloher, Close Counters, Swazi Gold, Elizabeth and a whole lot more perform. The festival is proudly free of commercial food trucks and instead welcomes food stalls from local Otway producers, handpicked to reflect the region. Refreshments available include craft beers courtesy of Salt Brewing, gin from Great Ocean Road Gin, and delicious cool climate wine from various Otway Hinterlands vineyards. If none of that tickles your fancy, the festival is BYO with some alcohol limitations and a strictly no glass policy. Sustainably focused, $20 car passes incentivise car-pooling with all proceeds going towards climate-conscious initiatives. For example, all punters will be provided with reusable drink bottles upon entry to the festival, with water refill stations littered across the grounds. Car passes will also fund tree planting across the site once the festival gates close. Meadow is a love letter to the Otway region and injects a cross-section of contemporary music to the area. With no overlapping set times within the three-day, two-night program, you can enjoy everything on offer.
You can find Fletcher Jones Market at 61/77 Flaxman Street, Warrnambool. Keep up to date with them via their facebook page.
Meadow takes place from Friday March 27 to Sunday March 29 in Bambra, just 20 minutes inland from Lorne. Grab your tix via the festival website.
FACEBOOK.COM/FJMARKET
MEADOWMF.COM
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GREAT OCEAN ROAD SPECIAL
Qii House Qii House is a close escape from the city where forest therapy is used to relieve the stress of the big smoke. BY FERGUS NEAL
From humble beginnings, Qii House has become a sacred piece of paradise nestled in the sweeping gum trees of the Great Otway National Park. When Heather Kolb first stumbled upon the original site for Qii House it was love at first sight. The original block was in desperate need of some love and care, but Kolb identified its potential as a future oasis for those seeking renewal and rejuvenation. She was drawn to its peace and serenity. Sitting 550 meters above sea level and in the heart of the Otways, Qii House is the perfect spot for forest bathing. “Being in the forest is about finding the inspired calm and getting back into balance,” says Kolb. “I didn’t really know there was such a thing as forest therapy or forest bathing but I think I always did it as a child and into my marriage. We were always frantically busy and I’d say, ‘Come on, let’s get out of here’. It became a way of life for me, it allowed me to reboot. “When I was widowed, I just found myself going to the forest. I would go down there in the middle of the day on the way back from the supermarket. I got to know the locals and
someone said, ‘There’s a property for sale that I think you’d love’. And it was Qii House. “I felt a good energy there immediately. It was looking a bit unloved but I quickly came up with a concept to restore it to be a place where people could come to find serenity. Through transforming Qii House I felt transformed by the restoration process.” Qii House contains a forest bathhouse, Japanese tea house, and a space for visitors to meditate and undertake yoga. Forest bathing has hugely positive remedial benefits. It is proven to reduce stress hormone production, improve feelings of happiness and free up creativity, as well as lower heart rate and blood pressure, boost the immune system and accelerate recovery from illness. “To me, being there is for sharper focus, for creative drive, and meditation. The natural environment gives great restorative energy. All the good things from being in nature, there’s a body of knowledge that supports it. “It was first endorsed by the World Economic Health Forum in Japan in 1984. Dr Qing Li is at the forefront and has done a lot of research into the benefits of being in canopies and around trees. It reduces cortisol
production and it stimulates parasympathetic nerve activity. It’s good for mind, body, and soul.” A highlight of Qii House is the connected Zaborin Walk. It’s a magical glide through the forest that restores the soul with every step – a testament to Kolb’s astute vision for the retreat. “I have been planting multilingual peace poles along the nature trail with the silent prayer ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’ … I feel that the message for world peace and inner peace bode well with the philosophy at Qii House and serve as a gentle reminder that all things great and small are connected.” The track is always evolving and Kolb has been working on several projects with local artists to continue to add to the rainforest walk.
“Forest bathing is about slowing the pace. Each individual’s experience will be different, there’s no set format other than noticing the environment around you, remembering to breathe, and being in the moment,” Kolb concludes. “In nature, you can’t help but be in the moment. It’s all about soaking in the atmosphere of the forest. You let the forest work its magic on you.” Check out Qii House near Lorne when planning your next Great Ocean Road holiday. Make bookings and find out more via qiihouselorne.com.au.
Loch Hart Music Festival
Merrijig Inn
From Friday November 20 to Sunday November 22 an all-immersive festival will grace the dreamlike paddocks on the Great Ocean Road. Now’s the time to save the date for Loch Hart Music Festival 2020. Loch Hart has forged quite the reputation for its diversity and inclusiveness and is inspired by the euphoria experienced at a house party. At Loch Hart, punters can unwind, escape the daily grind and discover amazing live music that celebrates the best Australian talent. The festival has a BYO setup for both food and booze and everything at the event is either re-usable or compostable, so keep that in mind when packing your esky. The James Bully Forbes Bar will have beers on tap and curated cocktails, and the local food vendors include vegetarian and vegan options. With 200-degree ocean views, a comedy hour and morning yoga, there is something for everyone at Loch Hart. Loch Hart Music Festival welcomed some big names to its stage last year such as Alpine, Alice Ivy, Cry Club and Didirri. Founded in 2018, the festival’s inaugural lineup included the likes of Approachable Members of Your Local Community, Last Dinosaurs, Press Club and WAAX. This year’s bill is yet to be announced, but given the way things have evolved over Loch Hart’s three-year journey, 2020 is sure to be bigger and better than ever before.
The Merrijig Inn is one of the oldest surviving hotels in Victoria. Tell us a bit about its significance. Legend has it that the Merrijig Inn is the oldest inn in Victoria, oozing with country charm and welcoming travellers along the Great Ocean Road for over 175 years. Set in the heart of Port Fairy, overlooking the historic Moyne River wharf, the Merrijig is still a hospitality hub, minus the drunken sealers and whalers. What’s the Merrijig Inn look like in 2020? Think the nourishment of staying at your Nanna’s place – homey, comfy, sitting by the open fire, eating house-cured meats and drinking local booze and natural wine. Tell us more about the Merrijig Kitchen. The Merrijig Kitchen is small and bursting with personality. Our daily written menu is inspired by chats between our chef and local producers. We feature our own kitchen garden produce and cook using old-school ways. What about your drinks menu? Our drinks list is ever-changing with bespoke classic cocktails, local wine heroes, surprising gems and features lots of women winemakers. What’s one site or activity punters can’t afford to miss when they visit Port Fairy? The Lighthouse Walk around Griffith Island, a paddle in the shallows of South Beach and watching the local surfers tackle the tricky waves at The Passage.
Loch Hart Music Festival comes to Princetown on the Great Ocean Road from Friday November 20 to Sunday November 22. Keep an eye out for announcements about the lineup and ticket sales. LOCHHART.COM
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Check out The Merrijig Inn when planning your next Great Ocean Road adventure. Make bookings and find out more via their website. MERRIJIGINN.COM
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DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL
Six songs we can’t wait to hear at Download Festival As we gear up for another Download, what better way to prep than by forecasting the day’s biggest bangers? With around 20,000 heavy music fans hitting Flemington on Friday March 20, Download will offer four stages of punk, metal, hardcore, rock, and all the other vehicles of distortion we know and love. Here are six tracks to listen out for. BY LUKE CARLINO
Baroness
Clowns
Ministry
In 2012, Baroness released the monster record, Yellow & Green, which features 18 tracks of blistering hard rock fury mixed with a little sludge-like instrumental for good measure. None of the songs, however, were more energetic than ‘Take My Bones Away’. This charging rock song is driven by big riffs and soaring vocals, showcasing the great mix of energy and melody that Baroness execute so very well. What better way to get warmed up for the chaos that is likely to follow?
You know Melbourne is going to get around local legends Clowns – the band holds their own on the stage with some of the world’s biggest bands. Join in on the fun with their big 2019 track ‘Freezing in the Sun’ from the latest album Nature/ Nurture. This shimmering punk ditty feels like a really good time, with enough fury underneath its energetic vocals to soak up all your pre-drinks. As the great Al Jourgensen of Ministry once said, “We have to support our local artists. It’s just that simple.”
Speaking of Mr Jourgensen, it may be hard to find a bigger group chant than when the pioneers of industrial rock, Ministry, take the stage and bang out ‘Thieves’. The opening track from their 1989 classic The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste will be the penultimate headbanging moment of the day. ‘Thieves’ moves from fist-in-the-air chugging rock to thrash metal within its five-minute run time. No doubt all of our necks will be worse for it the next day, but that is a ‘future us’ problem.
Jimmy Eat World
Deftones
My Chemical Romance
It’s not all doom and gloom at Download, and this possibly underrated dance banger from Jimmy Eat World will surely brighten everything up. Taken from the 2007 record Chase This Light, ‘Here It Goes’ is the moment to shuffle out a little boogie with your friends while singing this catchy-as-hell chorus. Special mention should probably also go to ‘The Middle’, which will also be a great time, but that’s the lowhanging fruit; you came here for the deep cuts.
There are two types of people in the world, those who think Deftones are one of the greatest bands of all time, and those who are wrong. Need proof that the consistent quality music they have been releasing since 1995 deserves that gloating claim? Tune into ‘Elite’ when the band rips it, and all of its ferocity, out on stage. Taken from arguably their finest record, 2000’s White Pony, ‘Elite’ will show the mosh pit exactly what it means to be ripe, and bleed out of control.
We know everyone will be amped about The Black Parade, but if you haven’t screamed the chorus to ‘Helena’, at the moon, in a graveyard, in the rain, then were you really ever a 2004 emo? No. No, you weren’t. When My Chemical Romance released Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, they cemented their place in post-hardcore history. No one expected the band to followup with a concept album as strong as The Black Parade, but they did, so be excited for every second of the My Chemical Romance reformation at Download this year. Wear black.
‘Take My Bones Away’
‘Freezing in the Sun’
‘Thieves’
Image by Oliver Halfin
‘Elite’
‘Here It Goes’
‘Helena’
Download Festival goes down on Friday March 20 at Flemington Racecourse. For tickets and the full lineup head to downloadfestival.com.au.
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Ocean Grove If Dale Tanner from Ocean Grove could bring back anything from the ‘90s or 2000s, it would definitely be the flip phone. BY SASKIA MORRISON-THIAGU
Then the Walkman, discman or upside-down visors (Google it) would be his next choices. That retro nostalgia is part of the inspiration behind Ocean Grove’s sophomore album Flip Phone Fantasy. “Our main intention was to create an early 2000s mix tape,” says Tanner. Flip Phone Fantasy is a perfect blend of genres, just like your favourite So Fresh Hits of Summer CD. The frontman describes the record as a “roller of different sounds”, which aims to “challenge those norms about what an album could be”. “We want to represent that nostalgia and that summer feeling. We wanted to funnel that through a modern futuristic lens – retrofuturism. Looking at how the past influences the future. Taking a variety of artists and influences that we grew up on and use it as fuel to create an album that will hopefully be one of a kind.” Ocean Grove have established their own unique sound and universe within this album – or as they like to call it, ‘odd world’ – which is the spiritual realm of all things Ocean Grove. ‘Odd world’ is all about “embracing the weird,
wacky and wonderful,” says Tanner. This is how Ocean Grove have been able to evolve and grow as a band since the release of their first EP, Black Label. They never restrict themselves to one genre, which is why ‘odd world’ music seems to be the perfect way to describe everything that is Ocean Grove. “We never want to pigeonhole ourselves,” Tanner explains. Not only have the band adapted their overall sound in Flip Phone Fantasy, they’ve also changed vocalists. Tanner, who was previously on bass, took over from Luke Holmes as lead vocalist after their 2019 show at UNIFY Gathering, and frankly, he’s loving it. “Filling Luke’s massive shoes was going to be a challenge, [but I knew] that I would go about it in a respectful way. To not only try and replicate what Luke did so well, but compliment it and give it my own flavour.” “I was certain that it was something that I was born to do,” says Tanner, taking the new role in his stride. “I felt like I’d been released from my cage, it was very liberating. Singing, deep down, is what I’ve always wanted to do.” Tanner has also embraced the theatrics
Image by Ed Mason
that come with being a frontman. Leaving the bass guitar behind, he has a lot more freedom to move around the stage and captivate the crowd. This onstage persona is further complimented through his theatrical fashion choices. On the European leg of their tour with Crossfaith, his outfit involved a skirt with long socks, boots and a mesh top. Emblematic of rock stars of old like David Bowie and Mick Jagger – who also embraced an androgynous image. “Self-expression is very important. I’m very much about encouraging people and our fans to embrace their individuality and the things that make them unique and weird. That’s the message that I felt was most powerful through action.” Ocean Grove have been well received over in Europe and Tanner admits that the crowds are different to Australia.
“They are honest and not afraid to come to the merch table and let you a know if a certain song could be better, or you weren’t as good as last time,” he laughs. The band are pumped to get Flip Phone Fantasy out there to the masses, especially since singles like ‘SUNNY’ have already been so warmly received. “It’s really heart-warming and super exciting,” says Tanner. “Hopefully once it’s released [the album] we’ll have a lot more people singing the words back to us.” Ocean Grove launch Flip Phone Fantasy on Friday March 13 through UNFD.
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FEATURES
New War If you’ve ever been to a gig at Melbourne Town Hall, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the elephant in the room. BY JAKEB SMITH
It looms large behind the stage, four storeys high with close to 10,000 pipes pumping 90,000 cubic feet of air every minute, as it roars along to the keypresses of its multitiered console. It’s the City of Melbourne’s Grand Organ, a veritable behemoth of the local music scene, and a coveted prize for any band lucky enough to receive an offer to play it. For local post-punks New War, this is exactly what happened, and the enigmatic quartet jumped at the chance. “We’d done two albums with a very similar palette of sounds; synths, keyboards, drums, bass and vocals,” explains keyboardist Jesse Shepherd. “So, when the opportunity came up to try a different approach to what we were doing, we thought it’d be a good opportunity to just see how it went.” The task was simple; write a set of songs incorporating the grand organ, to be played and recorded live on Halloween. The only catch was that the whole process had to be completed in three months. Known for being meticulous, vocalist Chris Pugmire says the band embraced the
faster writing process as a way to break from their regular workflow. “We wrote all our parts separately for the most part, which we’d never really done before. We usually just hash everything out [in a room] over a period of years. It usually takes us a long time to whittle down songs into something we’re happy with.” Indeed, the new material was never even envisioned as an album. It was just supposed to be a spooky show for a bunch of lucky punters. The band were so pleased with the results, however, that it seemed a shame not to release it. “We hadn’t done it knowing it was going to be a record,” Pugmire says. “We knew it was going to be recorded, but that wasn’t the initial plan. “The initial plan was the challenge of writing new songs in that short amount of time and employing them with this new instrument. The record was just a bonus.” There’s something very dramatic and otherworldly about the way the grand organ is played with a live band. The organist sits facing away from their audience and bandmates, as
though they and the heavenly pipes were some ghostly projection, dominating the scene yet not connected to it at all. It’s a contradiction Shepherd was keenly aware of. “It can be hard, timing-wise, and we were a bit lucky in the performance on that one. It’s disjointed, but you’ve been playing [the organ] by yourself anyway and rehearsing by yourself with it mainly. I knew what the drum beats were going to be so I knew what the prompts were. And I tried to turn around as much as I could just so there was some kind of vibe. “We did have the option of playing the organ on the level of the band … but I think at the time [playing above] seemed appropriate. We’re interested in the theatre of it as well. The idea of doing a MIDI performance on there or tracking it into a different keyboard ... I don’t
think it would have given us that vibe that we’re after.” To that end, the band don’t see themselves playing this set of songs without the sound and spectacle of the grand organ to underpin them. “I think it would be compromised if we did the whole song cycle with drums and the normal song setup we use,” Shepherd says. “We’re going to keep this as a project on its own.” That said, a national town hall tour playing the country’s various organs wouldn’t be out of the question. “Hook it up,” Pugmire jokes. We can only hope someone will.
people in the areas she is performing at. “Last year I became a permanent resident of Australia. We’ve got a thing, it’s a love affair almost. You guys have this thing, ‘Fair dinkum’. People are salt of the earth. That’s why I love touring in the regional areas, people are working hard. You can talk plainly and there’s no bullshit. “There’s a lot of selling going on in the world and it’s a little too much selling and not enough connecting. People want to connect and I feel like people in Australia do connect with what I’m expressing.” With a career spanning over 40 years, there is an eternal flavour to Childs’ music that makes it feel both universal and timeless. When asked why her music has etched itself
into the hearts of so many different people around the world, Childs alludes to the depth inherent in her body of work. “When I think of people who have stood the test of time, I feel so grateful that through my music I’ve been able to do that. You have to be willing to share everything to the bottom of it all. The music needs to go deep. I’ve always felt like, ‘I’ve got to get it out of me, there’s the feeling that I have to share this with people’.”
New War’s latest record Trouble In The Air is out now via Heavy Machinery Records.
Toni Childs Emmy-winning and multi-GRAMMYnominated artist Toni Childs will bring her evanescent and evocative sound to Australian audiences as part of her retrospective tour. BY FERGUS NEAL
Discovering she had a gift for singing at a young age, it was her seminal singing experiences in school choirs that inspired her work on iconic albums such as Union and House of Hope. “What I remember about singing was feeling emotions a million times greater than myself,” says Childs. “Music allowed me to pull myself away from everybody else. I would go and sing a little song and soothe myself. Singing has been a way to process what feels good but also what feels overwhelming. “I’m a storyteller. I wrote a musical at 14, which I sang on a reel-to-reel tape that my stepfather had. But I was unrelatable to my family, which was just how it was. I kind of think of it like this wild weed that was going to come up through the cracks no matter what. “I remember being in elementary school and our principal was also our choir leader. He picked two girls out of the class to sing a duet. I was chosen next to a friend of mine. She looked at me and said, ‘Please don’t show me up with that big voice of yours’. That’s when
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I realised I had something different to most people.” Childs thinks more should be done to invest in regional Victoria. After an incredibly well-received 55-date national tour in 2019, Childs will be touring throughout regional NSW and Victoria in the hope of exploring areas that were not included on her 2019 tour. “I’m purposefully feeling that we need to invest in the regional areas of countries. We’ve got a huge divide but we have the same values so we’re just needing to love each other. I’m making the best music of my life and I want to bring that to people in rural areas. “We’re in a world that is creating a lot to be afraid of. I’ve devised a show to tour regional areas that will allow us to play and sing with each other. My defiance is wanting to bring beauty; expressions and demonstrations of beauty.” Childs, now a resident of Byron Bay, has always felt a deep connection with Australia. She hopes this tour will be about connecting and uniting after a difficult bushfire season for
Toni Childs performs at the Drum Theatre, Dandenong on Wednesday March 18 and the Yan Yean Theatre, South Morang on Friday March 27. Grab your tickets via tonichilds.com/events.
FEATURES
Olympia A beloved songwriter at the top of her game. BY TAMMY WALTERS
Werribee Park Mansion will be transformed into a cheesy paradise on Sunday March 22 for Fromage a Trois Cheese Festival. A festival that celebrates all of the wonders of life – cheese, wine, beer and music – Fromage a Trois honours artisan cheese producers and knowledgeable cheesemongers, with opportunities to learn about how your favourite cheese is made, and more importantly, eat your bodyweight in delicious diary. The festival also offers wine, beer and spirit pairings for your cheeses of choice, masterclasses and chef demonstrations. While your tastebuds are getting the ‘gouda’ treatment, your ears and eyes are also in for a delight with a delicious musical lineup. In a triple headline, all-female bill, Fromage a Trois welcomes Melbourne musicians Olympia, Laura Jean and Jess Ribeiro, along with Bec Sandridge for a DJ set. “It will be a big love fest of incredible artists that I love, which is lucky for us and the punters as well,” says Olivia Bartley, aka Olympia. “We’re playing with all of these incredible artists whose work I really admire. “The festival is really about getting a group of friends, going around enjoying the Werribee mansion and the grounds and the festival, and we just can’t wait to play. For us, we just love playing, and so much work goes into the records and the work and the songs, so it’s a joy to see it in different settings.
“Every show that we do, we want to raise the audience off the ground,” she says. “That’s through everything – the songwriting, the melodies, how we set up the stage and do the lighting, and costuming. You’re just trying to elevate them through everything. “It will still very much be an Olympia show, but what that looks like I don’t know yet. We’ll be dropping some different stuff into our set that we don’t usually do as a sort of headline show in the spirit of festival, which will be really fun.” Over the last 12 months, Olympia has been tearing up stages across the globe. She played a groundbreaking set at Germany’s Reeperbahn Festival, completed a national Australian headline tour across our most intimate clubs and bars, and even did a show for Twilight at Taronga Zoo. The ‘Star City’ singer also had a taste of Paris cuisine during her extensive 2019 European tour, in the form of a once-in-a-lifetime secret show. “Last year we got to play at David Lynch’s private bar [Silencio Bar] in the dead centre of Paris, which was unbelievable. It was a fully curated venue, the audience are invited and so are the artists,” Bartley explains. Olympia also stepped into the famous Studio Flagrant in Paris to record a stunning, stripped back version of ‘Shoot To Forget’ from her sophomore album, Flamingo. Released in July 2019, Flamingo, which followed on from 2016’s Self Talk, impressed
both fans and critics alike. Now hot on the heels of the album’s success, Olympia is back in the studio for album number three. “At the moment I’m just experimenting,” she explains. “Each album I like to have something quite different, so a lot of work is going into the stuff that nobody will see – the preproduction or trying on different things, different voices, different instruments.” “Every artist works differently, but I’ve been really fortunate to really explore and
deliver really strong context records. This is the best time; the exploration.” “With Self Talk, there was a light energy which informed Flamingo with the pace, so there’s always this incredible evolution that happens,” Bartley continues. “I’m super proud of both records and they both stand out for different reasons, but I’m excited for what’s to come.”
Four things you can’t miss at Fromage a Trois
Milawa Cheese Co
The Tin Shed Group
Among the sea of cheese makers that’ll be set up on the day, you’ll want to make a beeline for Milawa Cheese Co. Operating out of the historic Milawa Butter Factory, the team churn out a range of dairy delights, with a huge selection of cow and goat milk cheeses. They’ve teamed up with Stomping Ground Brewing Co for some special cheese-andbeer pairings, so you can wash down your gouda with some barrel-aged stout.
There’s not a lot that you can’t pair cheese with. It goes with pretty much any form of alcohol – wine, gin, champagne – and nothing beats a cracker slathered with fruity jelly and creamy brie. To bring the best of both worlds together, The Tin Shed Group are creating a champagne jelly for Fromage a Trois, so you can have your booze and eat it too. Do your tastebuds a favour and pair it with whatever cheese tickles your fancy.
That’s Amore Mozzarella Making Ever wanted to make your own, deliciously stringy mozzarella? Well you’re in luck, because Giorgio Linguanti from That’s Amore is going to show you how. Something of a mozzarella expert, Linguanti will be hosting a demonstration on how to perfect the Italian delicacy. And if you still don’t know what you’re doing after the show, you can just buy some of Linguanti’s to take home for later.
Botanical Brew Alcoholic kombucha has become something of a new craze, and it’s not hard to see why. The fizzy beverage is tasty, refreshing and good for your gut health – and it gets you a little bit tipsy. There’s plenty of boozy booch brands on the market, but Geelong’s Botanical Brew are a cut above the rest. Indulge in a taste test and experience their smooth flavours and subtle sweetness for yourself.
Catch Olympia when she plays Fromage a Trois at Werribee Park on Sunday March 22. For tickets and more information visit wyndham.vic.gov.au.
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UNDER THE SOUTHERN STARS
Stone Temple Pilots There’s enough pressure following in the footsteps of one iconic frontman who’s passed away. BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
When you’re following two, there’s no telling the kind of nerves and stress that can come with such a gig. Jeff Gutt has now been the lead vocalist of grunge veterans Stone Temple Pilots for almost three years and two studio albums now. That feeling of stepping out onstage with the DeLeo brothers and Eric Kretz for the first time, however, is one that will never leave Gutt’s mind. “It was at the Troubadour in LA,” he recalls. “It was being broadcast live on XFM. I don’t think I’ve ever quite had such a trialby-fire moment in my entire career. It was a pressure-filled moment, but having come from the world of The X Factor I knew a thing or two about high-pressure moments. “If anyone was going to be able to get it done, I figured I was going to be the one for the job. I just went out there and fed off the energy of the crowd. I tried not to overthink it at all – if you do, you’ll always end up messing things up.”
Having long since settled into the role, Gutt is happy with his place at the front of the multi-platinum band. He’s not attempting to directly emulate predecessors Scott Weiland or Chester Bennington – rather, he’s attempting to forge his own place within the fold, a separate entity from the giants he stands on the shoulders of. “I’ve tried to make it as comfortable as I possibly could,” Gutt explains. “If I weighed myself down with the legacy and how big a band they are, I was never going to get my head right. My focus was on the music, as well as getting to know the guys. Once that was established, it was a lot easier to move forward as a part of the band. The approach has worked really well for me – I mean, to be honest, if I’d have kicked the door down and come in all guns blazing, I don’t think I’d have gotten the gig to begin with.” Gutt’s most recent expedition with Stone Temple Pilots was Perdida, the eighth STP
album overall and second to feature Gutt fronting the band. An acoustically-oriented LP, it’s a considerable departure from albums like Core and Purple by the band’s own admission – and it served as a challenge that Gutt himself was more than up for. “This record’s very different,” he says. “We were planning to just do a couple of songs, turn it into an EP and get it out there. Once we got in the studio, though, we just kept cranking out songs. It became a full record very organically. I think it’s a very honest album, it’s one that I think people can relate to easily. Making this album was a very therapeutic process for us.” Gutt and co. will be bringing Perdida and all of their classic hits to Australia next month, where they will be performing with fellow ‘90s rock giants Bush and Live as a part of the Under the Southern Stars touring festival. The tour will mark the band’s first visit to Australia
with Gutt at the helm, and the excitement of being on the road with old friends in such a unique performing environment is palpable. “We’ve toured with Bush before, and those guys are just awesome,” says Gutt. “When you’re out on tour with a band, the whole thing just becomes like a big family – a family that just happens to be part of a travelling circus. I’ve never met the guys in Live before, but there’s no better way to get to know a band than to get to see them play every night. I’m a newbie to Australia, man – I can’t wait to see what it has to offer.” Stone Temple Pilots perform at Under the Southern Stars when it goes down at Hastings Foreshore Reserve on the Mornington Peninsula on Saturday April 11. Grab your tickets via underthesouthernstars.com.au.
Live Even before the rise of the internet, naming your band ‘Live’ took a certain amount of faith in your ability to capture people’s attention. BY JAKEB SMITH
And yet, almost 30 years on, run “live band” through your search engine of choice and the Pennsylvanian alt-rock quartet are the first to appear. Ed Kowalczyk can’t believe it. “That’s saying something!” The singer exclaims down the line. “We must have friends at Google or something that are helping that out, because otherwise wouldn’t every single live band in the world – all the live performances – come up? That’s pretty cool.” Not a bad result for a name the band “pulled out of a hat” back in 1991. Kowalczyk remembers one of their managers at the time warning the name would only work if the band “got really famous”. It might have been an innocuous and practical observation in any other band meeting, but the worldly vocalist took it as a challenge. “There’s some kind of weird reverse psychology there … but it worked, I’m cool with it.” Just three years later the band would release their sophomore album, Throwing Copper, and become one of the biggest names in rock music. Suddenly, there was no
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confusion over which ‘live band’ people were referring to. Live, like The Who and The Band before them, had transcended the ambiguity of their name. However, having such a successful record can be both the boon and bane of a musical outfit. Live could release their magnum opus this year and it would probably still be compared unfavourably to Throwing Copper. Songs like ‘Lightning Crashes’ have been reliably sending shivers up fans’ spines for 25 years now. “There’s so much emotion in the songs that people have become so related to them because of that, because they’ve been able to make it their own and apply it to their lives in a way that honestly surprises me a lot of the time. So I think that that’s really done the record justice in the sense that it’s still so interesting to people and still matters so much to them all these years later.” With so many people so heavily invested in their music, it’s great that Live are still able to tour as their original unit. Kowalczyk famously split from the band in 2009 and was subsequently sued by the remaining
three members. During the intervening years before the eventual reformation in 2016, the singer-songwriter launched a solo career, picking up an acoustic guitar and performing in considerably smaller venues than he was used to playing. “I have a lot of guitar chops and strength with the crowd that I developed doing those acoustic shows. The intimacy I was able to create with people in those small venues, I had never done before, because the band got so successful so quickly I never played acoustically.” Live are now just happy the four friends from high school who dreamed of being the biggest live band in the world are back together and playing music. “We would have never guessed that we’d have a calamitous break up like we did and that we would get back together and be having more fun than ever because of the break up. We’re still happy and even shocked that we’re
still together. So there’s extra gratitude and joy on stage and it’s really palpable to the fans. I’m convinced we wouldn’t be there, in that way, without having gone through what we did.” It was, as Kowalczyk remarks, “A blessing in a really good disguise”. And with all the acrimony out of the way, fans can now look forward to a lot more Live in the future. “We don’t know how to do anything but be in a band together. Being Live is something that I don’t imagine any of us will ever stop doing. It’s just too much fun.” Live perform at Under the Southern Stars when it goes down at Hastings Foreshore Reserve on the Mornington Peninsula on Saturday April 11. Grab your tickets via underthesouthernstars.com.au.
FEATURES
Porches The year 2013 saw us Slow Dance in the Cosmos with Aaron Maine, better known as Porches. BY TAMMY WALTERS
In 2016 we took a deep dive into Pool and in 2018 we entered The House. Now in 2020, Porches invites us into the world of Ricky Music. Driving in with the lead single ‘rangerover’ and followed by the cowbell heavy ‘Do You Wanna’, Porches has taken his signature sonic-scape and emotional lyrics even further, making Ricky Music his proudest work to date. “I feel really proud of it and I feel like I’ve learned a lot through making music, especially the last album, The House,” Maine explains. “I feel like I learned a lot about what I want to achieve through making music and the sort of relationship I want to have with the music I put out and I felt very determined to make the best possible piece of music that I could make. “I was looking back to where I was when I was making Pool and how I really clicked with it and was really in the headphones paying as much attention as I could to every sound and every word, to just be as deliberate as I could this time around. I made it at home and did majority of the production myself and I feel myself there and I think like I’ve improved.
“I tried to experiment with my voice and vocal takes and my delivery, and I was able to hear my music with a little more perspective. I just want to outdo myself each time – that’s the idea.” Recorded in his New York apartment from December 2017 to the US spring of 2019, Maine documented the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced throughout the time. He describes it as “an account of the beauty, confusion, anger, joy and sadness”, but mostly what this album represents is Maine’s tireless search for clarity. “It was me trying to remember why I make music and what I enjoy about making music,” he reflects. “I think I lost track of doing it for me and how much you have to love it for it to translate. I was just trying to get back to a sort of fruitful place where it’s absolutely a labour of love.” “There are moments of clarity on the record for sure,” he continues. “Emotionally, and even as an artist, I feel like there’s clarity in that world, as well as being surer of what I’m trying to say and being comfortable with what
I’m trying to communicate and how I share it.” “I think it’s something that I was actively looking for, for the first time, in my personal and professional life.” The result – a distinctly coherent and concise songbook of eleven tracks. These can be attributed to the collaborative nature of the writing and recording, as well as Maine’s willingness to absorb ideas and input from those around him. Ricky Music features the first coproduction effort by Porches with Unknown Mortal Orchestra bassist, Jacob Portrait, along with guest collaborations from long-time friends like Mitski, who features on the track ‘Madonna’. “I’ve known Mitski for years and I do enjoy working with people and hearing other people’s voices specifically on my album – I think it’s
MELBOURNE
such a breath of fresh air,” explains Maine. “She was in town the week that I was in the studio recording and we laid down heaps of ideas and tracks and that’s the one we decided on.” Collaboration for Maine is more about personal connection than a solely musical one, preferring to enlist friends he’s made through various avenues. “I like the idea of bringing in people that I encounter and spend my time with to appear on the album, and make it feel like the picture is even bigger.” Ricky Music is out Friday March 13 through Domino Records.
T I VA L MEDY FES O C L A N O I T INTERNA
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HOSTED BY
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A N D F I N AL R G L A NATION SUNDAY 5 APRIL, 5PM MELBOURNE TOWN HALL
COMEDYFESTIVAL.COM.AU
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FEATURES
Omid Djalili Five moments that he had us in fits of laughter BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
Since emerging on the UK comedy circuit 25 years ago, Omid Djalili has become one of the country’s most beloved and prolific standups. His latest show, Shmuck for a Night, has been performed over 200 times across the world – and, next month, it’s Australia’s turn to witness the magic. Ahead of Djalili’s return, here’s a look at five of his best moments across his career.
unflinching in its send-ups of some of his cultural touchstones. Perhaps one of the best examples of this is when Djalili gets into Arab football commentary. It’s far from an original concept but given Djalili’s direct connection, he’s able to pull back the curtain a little more and properly emphasise the true hilarity behind their histrionics. 3. THE INFIDEL
1. FOREIGN ACCENT SYNDROME
As long as he’s been doing stand-up, Djalili has been an expert in accent work. If you’ve ever seen a comedian come out and do a convincing foreign accent before switching to their regular voice, there’s a good chance they picked it up from Djalili’s work. In this cut from The Omid Djalili Show, the comic goes on a miniature world tour as he recalls the bizarre medical case of Foreign Accent Syndrome you might remember from a few years ago. 2. OMID TAKES ON FOOTBALL COMMENTARY
Prior to Schmuck for a Night, Djalili’s last show was entitled Iranalamadingdong. It’s a love letter to his heritage, his culture and his upbringing – but it’s simultaneously
About ten years ago, Djalili scored his first proper lead role in a movie. Djalili plays a Muslim man who experiences a crisis of faith upon realising he is adopted and that his birth parents were, in fact, Jewish. The Infidel wasn’t exactly a box office smash by any stretch of the imagination, but if you have the means to go back and revisit it, there’s a lot more humour and heart to this peculiar comedy than you probably remember – if, indeed, you remember it at all.
down the culture clash that comes with performing in Iran, performing in the US and performing in the UK. It’s done with the acerbic wit, dark underbelly and impeccable use of both tension and release that can only come with the very best of Djalili’s stand-up.
4. OMID TAKES ON THE COMEDIC
5. PLAYING THE VILLAIN IN SHAUN THE
DIVIDING RANGE
SHEEP
Having been a world-touring comedian for years and years now, Djalili is all too aware of the key, acute differences that lie between performing in different parts of the world. In this excerpt from his stand-up, Djalili breaks
Yep, no kidding. Just a few years ago, Aardman Animations took one of their most beloved characters to the big screen for the very first time with Shaun the Sheep: The Movie. In the film, Djalili plays the role of Trumper, an animal
containment worker who attempts to capture and reign in Shaun’s various hijinks. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t work out so well for him. In the documentary, Djalili talks about what an absolute joy it is to be a part of something he’s adored watching in the past. Given the chance to really camp things up the way that he does here, it’s easy to see why this is one of his personal favourite roles. Omid Djalili comes to Palais Theatre on Saturday March 28. Grab your tix via palaistheatre.com.au.
Tim Ferguson Comedy has this enigmatic way of bringing people together and shining a light on what’s happening in the world, and what needs to change. BY CAITLIN HYNES
Tim Ferguson’s A Fast Life on Wheels has one sole purpose – to flick that switch and illuminate where you need to go. With an influx of rave reviews after appearances in Perth and Adelaide, A Fast Life on Wheels has been described as a tragicomic of his personal battle with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and being wheelchair bound. But in reality, it seeks to be so much more than that. Featured as part of the 2020 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, punters are bound to walk out of the show beaming from ear to ear, whilst also reflecting on where their own lives are headed. As Ferguson explains, A Fast Life on Wheels “is thin on one end, thicker in the middle, and thinner on the other end.” “It’s a show about how to live your life to the best of your ability,” he says. “Everybody has got something in their way. You’ve got hipsters with their own personality and diet restrictions – basically the whole population of Northcote – who have this unwavering persistence to go on with life regardless of
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their restrictions.” But this isn’t a mushy, watered down show mirroring the inspirational tones of Tony Robbins or Gary Vaynerchuk. True to his guns, Ferguson isn’t afraid to laugh at himself while also forcing his audience to take a good hard look at themselves – all in the name of comedy, of course. “Yes, I’ve got MS,” he begins. “Yes, it’s agonising, but we’ve all got something. Some people are just born stupid and ugly, but they don’t get stopped on the street to be told how brave they are.” With a richness of experience in a plethora of fields, Ferguson would be on top of many lists as a key influential figure and mentor. With the irrefutable success of his instructional book The Cheeky Monkey, this hell-on-wheels hour of power is a testament to Ferguson’s knack for making audiences laugh and cry simultaneously. “I ask the audience to confront their own fears of the world, because at the end of the day, the only thing that stops us is our own fears. In 50 years, you’ll be buckets of ash, so
get your act together. “It’s the tick-fucking-tock message. Comedy can make people do funny things and it’s the job of comedy to switch the light on. I want people to walk away with a smile on their face and a new plan.” With an admiration for comedians including Steph Tisdell, Sarah Silverman and Dave Chapelle, Ferguson also takes a stance on political correctness gone mad. Using the phrase ‘wokers versus jokers’ in his recent article for The Age, Ferguson argues that “people often ask ‘what are you going to do about political correctness?’. But instead they should be asking ‘what is political correctness going to do about comedy?’.” “Comedians don’t have a problem with political correctness,” Ferguson explains.
“It’s the comedians who point at someone’s sensitive toes and ask which blunt instrument they want to be hit with. “The audience doesn’t expect a disclaimer before a joke. They have to be open to seeing who they are, through new eyes. Comedy offers new perspectives to look at old problems. “All comedy is truth, whether we like it or not. Comedy brings its own floodlights, because we don’t have the time to wait for the sun.”
A Fast Life on Wheels will feature as part of MICF from Thursday March 26 to Sunday April 5 at Fairfax Studio. Tickets via comedyfestival.com.au.
FEATURES
Volt
Image by Branco Gaica
The Australian Ballet’s 2020 contemporary triple bill Volt showcases the work of two giants in the contemporary ballet world. BY FERGUS NEAL
Wayne McGregor brings two highlyacclaimed, lightning-fast works from his canon, Chroma and Dyad 1929, while the Australian Ballet’s resident choreographer and Helpmann award-winner Alice Topp premieres her new work, Logos. The pair developed a dynamic friendship when working together in London. This is what enabled Volt to come into fruition – it’s since become a fierce performance which pushes dancers to their physical limits. “Wayne is such an incredible genius. He works so quickly. He’s so fast. He has informed me both as a dancer and a choreographer,” says Topp. “The company sent me over to London and I spent a month in the studio with Wayne. I had the great opportunity of watching Wayne in his element during the creative process and observe the creation of a brand-new work which has formed part of Logos. “We had this incredible exchange in London. Up until that point I never had a direct relationship with Wayne as a choreographer, I had performed in several of his works but always without him being physically present.
So it was kind of this beautiful circle that I had danced in his works and was now creating with his company something that would form part of Logos.” Logos will interrogate the notions of a dormant beast, within how humans live and work with their monsters and what the landscape looks like after the storm. Topp is debuting the piece alongside two of McGregor’s contemporary hits. A daunting prospect for some young choreographers, Topp believes that working next to one of the best choreographers in the world is what has facilitated her growth as a performer and choreographer. “Dancing Wayne’s works were really the first time I’d been encouraged to use my own artistic voice. Up until that point I’d been in a number of Swan Lakes, Nutcrackers and Sleeping Beauty. “For the women in particular you’re one of 24 swans, you’re one of a heap of snowflakes, shades in the kingdom of shades. You know you’re doing your job right if you don’t stand out. It’s all about uniform and unison, you’re not really taught to be a leader. You’re one
band of bodies. “Wayne came out and encouraged and celebrated individual voices. He wanted to amplify those voices. At that point I didn’t know what my voice sounded like; I hadn’t really thought about how I wanted to interpret ballet. Wayne really got us thinking and he got me to believe in my own artistic voice and that has definitely informed my choreographic voice. “It gave me a lot of flexibility to be open to interpreting things my own way and not be wrong necessarily, which definitely ignited my passion for choreography. His works are so athletic and physically demanding. Your body makes extreme shapes you didn’t think were possible. You start thinking of yourself as a rubber band,” Topp laughs.
When asked what her parents make of her success in dance, Topp’s voice fills with joy. “My parents were very open to letting me pursue this career. My dad was a school teacher for thirty years and he let me leave high school when I was 13, so that’s pretty flexible mentally to let me run away from home and pursue this vocation. “My parents didn’t have a huge understanding of ballet but the fact that they had the support and openness in letting us
because he’s a sound artist but has spent his life being rejected. That’s where it’s challenging. It questions what people think good art is.” Le Scatterman follows the protagonist failing to pick up his kids, leaving them and their mother hanging. While they wait, Scatterman entertains with his unapologetic ‘dad-bod’, plenty of booze and various musical numbers that demonstrate Hullick’s extensive talent. To separate Le Scatterman from everyone else, Hullick drew inspiration from non-conventional theatrical methods, including the French born vaudeville and commedia dell’arte. “I started looking at things like commedia dell’arte where they do improvised sequences but in no fixed order when they get on stage. “That’s how Le Scatterman works. We use a commedia dell’arte ideal. I wear the mask as well, to reference this connection.” Presented by JOLT Arts and Beat, Le Scatterman is the first of a 16-part series titled
the Epic Topias Cycle. As a founder of JOLT Arts and a recognised composer, musician, community arts worker, sound artist and director, Hullick’s work is characterised by a distinct capability of using sound to engage in social issues. “The bottom line of my practice as an artist is – no rules. What if there were no rules imposed on me by others and instead, I impose my own rules? “What I’ve done is created this organisation [JOLT Arts] so that I can determine how long something runs, because people have become bored with formulaic things. The whole point is to imagine a brighter future and allowing the art to be free.”
Volt will be performed at Arts Centre Melbourne from Friday March 13 until Tuesday March 24. For more information and tickets visit australianballet.com.au.
Le Scatterman James Hullick is making his debut onto the Melbourne International Comedy Festival scene with Le Scatterman. BY CAITLIN HYNES
Drawing on inspiration that ranges from the Italian form of professional theatre, known as commedia dell’arte, to Barry Humphries’ Dame Edna, this show asks you to embrace your inner ‘crap dad’. Hullick’s show incorporates elements of stand-up comedy, sound artistry and video to address the struggles of modern role reversals. Although not autobiographical, Le Scatterman, first performed in Perth back in 2016, was born from Hullick’s reflections on a life that might have been. “I wondered about what would happen if life went south and we got divorced. And this show is a collection of my musings,” explains Hullick. As the sole live performer on stage, Hullick quietly encourages meta-questions surrounding the reality, or surrealism, of Scatterman’s situation. Video is incorporated throughout to depict Scatterman’s ex-wife and children. All the while, Hullick also controls all sound and lighting while on stage, giving himself free-wheel drive to allow Le Scatterman to follow its own trajectory. Along
this journey, Hullick draws upon his own personal experiences, mirroring musicians who build a concert that isn’t just about the music. “A lot of musicians back in the day used to do performances where it wasn’t just about the music, but also about the story. So, the show works in a similar way where some things feel a little like silver screen, especially at the end, where we’ve incorporated a showbiz ballad.” In an era of role reversals and gender awakening, the role of the modern man can be daunting or even incomprehensible. That’s where Le Scatterman comes in and helps us see ourselves for what we are – creatures of habit. “There are elements of the show that are confronting, and those elements may not be what you think are traditionally confronting. I may walk around in my underwear and a robe, but the real challenge is the different art in this show, where you say pop culture is important whilst I say these other things are just as important. “That’s why Scatterman is depressed,
Le Scatterman will run during the MICF from Thursday April 16 to Saturday April 18 at Southbank Theatre. Nab your ticket through comedyfestival.com.au.
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FEATURES
The Gem The Gem has always delivered good times, pumping music and delicious smokehouse eats. BY AMBER DE LUCA-TAO
But in 2020, Collingwood’s beloved pub has decided to change things up a little. Cue esteemed mobile kitchen operators, Fugazi Pizza. You’d know them from their various kitchen takeovers and festival pop-ups across different locations around Melbourne. Now they’ve found a new home at The Gem. Known for their smokehouse delicacies, head chef Andy Grant has taken the muchloved blueprint and added a little Fugazi flavour. “We started in January. We wanted to do a bit of a soft opening to try and get it all right first. I think we’re on track now and have gained a bit of a following here. “I was talking to Phillip, the owner, and he said that he wanted to keep a bit of the previous menu, but also change it up a bit,” Grant explains. “That’s when we had the opportunity to come and take over the kitchen and try to mash the two together.” Prior to Fugazi Pizza setting up shop at The Gem, low and slow barbeque squad, Limp Brisket, were plating up at the venue. Shifting from American BBQ to Italian fare, Fugazi have been doing what they do best – cooking
up wood-fired pizza that’s ambitious and fresh. “We do wood-fired pizza, but recently we’ve acquired a deck oven from America which allows us to do Neapolitan-style crust with a crispy New York-style base, with smoked items on top.” They’re still giving the smoker a good run for its money, but just in a different and not-so traditional way. Their pulled pork brisket is one example of this – an ingredient that’s proven to be a Fugazi pizza’s perfect accompaniment. “We’ve put our own spin on the smoked items,” Grant says. “But, of course, we’re using all traditional techniques and fermentation of the dough, but not-so traditional toppings.” There’s a selection of Fugazi pizzas you can grab at The Gem which you’ll find on their regular menu, but they’ve also created a few specially for the venue. “Our menu at The Gem is different from the menu we regularly run for music festivals and so on. The brisket pizza with béchamel, smoked scamorza, kimchi, habanero mayo and brisket, as well as the pickle pie pizza with smoky eggplant, coconut puree, vegan mozzarella, seasonal pickled vegetables, you can only get at The Gem and not from
our other menus. The pickle pie is a vegan pizza, with smoked eggplant and housemade pickles. We also use really good vegan mozzarella. Besides the Fugazi pizzas that you can get exclusively at The Gem, there’s also four others you can choose from, including their famous margherita, the Bon Chovi, Happy Little Vegemite and the Shrooms. If you’re feeling extra hungry, go for the parma – a pork cutlet doused with provolone, pickled vegetables, Napoli sauce and chips. From the smoked menu, you can opt for hot wings with gorgonzola and dill ranch, as well as vinegar-glazed lamb ribs with salsa verde. The Gem is also known for their live music steeped in Americana. Welcoming high calibre acts from both home and abroad, genres span everything from rockabilly to honky-tonk, rock’n’roll to garage.
In March, The Gem is celebrating local favourites The ReChords’ 10th anniversary with a residency from the band as part of Saddle Up Sundays. The hillbilly rockers did much of their best work at The Gem in their early days, even before the now popular Saddle Up Sundays became a thing. Now, they make their return. Other highlights of March include two big nights of garage and rock’n’roll from The Exotics and The Breadmakers. The roots of Jeb Cardwell & The Dream Deal will be on full show on Friday March 20, while renowned troubadour Gavin Bowels will be back with his band the following night. Check out The Gem at 289 Wellington Street, Collingwood, open from Tuesday to Sunday. Find out more via thegembar.com.au.
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34
BEAT’S GUIDE TO
St. Patrick’s Day Duke of Wellington
Drunken Poet
Tell us a bit about the Duke of Wellington. The Duke of Wellington is iconic to the Melbourne pub scene. Established in 1853, it’s the city’s oldest licensed pub. What have you got in store for St Patrick’s Day? We’ve got plenty of cold brews to choose from including $8.50 pints of Guinness plus some sweet, sweet live acoustic tunes all day long keeping the good vibes strong. How does your St Patrick’s Day event stand apart from others? We may not be your usual choice to spend St Paddy’s Day, but we guarantee it won’t disappoint. Located in the heart of the CBD makes us the perfect meeting spot – check out our rooftop bar while you’re here. Got any drink specials in store? We will be serving up $8.50 pints of Guinness all day long so you can enjoy your favourite Irish stout without breaking the bank. What’s your favourite St Patrick’s Day tradition? What’s not to love? A day full of strong Irish vibes, plenty of brews, snacks made from the best vegetable known to man (potatoes, obviously) and the dancing, you can’t go wrong with the Irish flair.
For the Irish expats and travellers that flock to Melbourne, Peel Street’s Drunken Poet is a home-away-from-home. The authentic pub, owned by Irish export Siobhan Dooley, is more than just a watering hole for those battling homesickness – it’s also become a hotspot for live music in the CBD. Since opening its doors in 2006, the Drunken Poet has welcomed a variety of musicians onto its stage. The free gigs go down six-nights a week, ranging from traditional Irish folk to country and blues, and everything in between. Tuesday nights are for tribute shows, Wednesdays feature female artists for Wine, Whisky, Women and Thursdays rotate between open-mic nights and singer-songwriter performances. Like any good Irish pub, the venue is gearing up for one of the Irish calendar’s biggest days of the year – St Patrick’s Day. Regardless of whether you’re an Aussie or an expat, everyone is invited to come along on Tuesday March 17 for a night of green and Guinness. They’ll be kicking things off at 3pm with Drunken Poet favourite Stephen Kennedy, followed by the Tim Scanlan Trio. Scanlan usually performs as a one-man band, but he’ll have some accompaniment for this one. Dan Bourke and Cyril Moran will be joining forces to wrap things up, though the party won’t stop there. Come along in your best green garb, sink a few of pints of Guinness and swig some whiskey, all in the name of Saint Patrick.
Celebrate your St Patrick’s Day at the Duke of Wellington on Tuesday March 17. Find out more via the venue website.
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day at the Drunken Poet on Tuesday March 17. Find out more via the venue website.
DUKEOFWELLINGTON.COM.AU
THEDRUNKENPOET.COM.AU
How to get the most out of St Patrick’s Day Mark out Tuesday March 17 on your calendar with a green highlighter, St Patrick’s Day is almost upon us. When it comes to experiencing Ireland’s national day of celebration, the options can be overwhelming. Whether you’re of Irish decent, Irish at heart or just have an Irish taste in beverages, here are a few ideas to help guide you through this holiday.
bending the elbow. Melbourne is decorated with Irish pubs from top to bottom – think The Drunken Poet, The Quiet Man Irish Pub, The Last Jar, Bridie O’Reilly’s – the list is endless. There’s no better accompaniment to a pint of Guinness than a live band and you can be rest assured your local will be putting on a full slate of bands to celebrate the occasion. 3. SPUD, GLORIOUS SPUD
1. ST PATRICK’S DAY AT WORK
Being that St Patrick’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year, many people will be confined to their office or other weekday responsibilities. There’s no excuse not to celebrate wherever you can – whatever your work dress code, there’s always room for a little green. Why not make your co-workers green with envy by baking some Irish sweets – whisky truffles or soda bread pudding anyone? If you’re not handy in the kitchen you can organise knock offs at your local with a few pints of the black stuff, or, better yet, try bunking off work for the day. 2. GET DOWN TO THE PUB
There’s no better way to celebrate St Patrick’s Day than by heading down to the pub and
Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood, potatoes are the perfect staple for celebrating St Patrick’s Day. Not only will eating potatoes put you in good stead for a day of drinking, but you can do just about anything with a potato. Potatoes are quintessential to the Irish cuisine and they also make for great snacks – crisps, chips, colcannon or champ, all best served alongside Irish folk music and shared with new friends and old. 4. FOLLOW SAINT PATRICK’S LEGACY
In Irish mythology, it’s said that Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, drove all the snakes out of the country. You might consider doing something similar by driving unfavourable things out of your own life. If your New Year’s resolution hasn’t held up, you could rebrand
it as a Paddy’s Day resolution. Otherwise, you could preemptively drive away your postPaddy’s Day hangover – maybe consider buying some green electrolyte replacements for the next day?
pancake, similar to a hash brown. Coddle is a traditional Irish potato and sausage stew, cooked in the oven on a low temperature. Coddle is a great idea for a post-drinking meal because it can be prepared before time and slow cooked all day.
5. COOK A TRADITIONAL IRISH DINNER
If you’ve spent the day on the tear getting fluthered, chances are you’ll need a good feed at the end of the day. You have probably already tried many Irish classics such as Irish stew, shepherd’s pie and corned beef. Two dishes you might not know about are Boxty and Coddle, which are both Irish comfort food. Boxty is a traditional Irish potato
Whether you’re celebrating the Irish or just joining in the fun, make the most of St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday March 17. BY EVA MARCHINGO
35
NEW MUSIC
Albums & Singles BEST NEW ALBUM
9.5
MOSES SUMNEY
græ: Part 1
A solitary note plays and a voice announces, “Isolation comes from ‘insula’ which means island”. This is how græ: Part 1 begins. Sonic elements build around the voice, “Here we go into the græ” (pronounced grey), and we are swept into Sumney’s world. græ: Part 1 flows start to finish without any breaks or clunky transitions. The interludes, indicated by their lowercase letters – ‘insula’, ‘boxes’, ‘jill/jack’, ‘also also also and and and’ – offer a story, but maintain the musicality with beautiful instrumentals building and flowing underneath the vocals, which discuss issues of identity and equal rights. Despite the seamless flow of the album, the tracks manage to avoid sounding monotonous. Track number four ‘Virile’ stands out as an energetic jazz tune, with ever-evolving elements and intensity woven around Sumney’s signature vocal range and thought-provoking lyricism. Then there’s ‘Conveyor’, which like most of græ: Part 1, feels like a big-budget movie soundtrack. It brings up the energy in the room and portrays an environment of power and conflict. ‘Colouour’ begins with a vibrant jazz instrumental blending horns, strings and piano, before stripping back and letting Sumney’s voice encapsulate your very essence. It seems like a vast jump from ‘Conveyor’, and despite its position three tracks later (two of which are interludes), it fits like a glove. græ: Part 1 is the work of a master. The way Sumney blends instruments and creates a sonic story is notable enough, but his vocal range and poise in addition to his lyricism make each song individually memorable and this project unforgettable. With part two arriving in May, we’ll be waiting to see where Sumney’s music goes next. Label: Jagjaguwar/Inertia BY SCOTT HUDSON
SINGLES – WITH AUGUSTUS WELBY
PHOEBE BRIDGERS
MAMBALI
RVG
STEVE SMYTH
Garden Song
Legend of the Devil Dance
I Used to Love You
Stages
Phoebe Bridgers has never been shy about how much she loves Elliott Smith. The influence shines through in ‘Garden Song’, chiefly in the chorus’ unexpected tail. There’s a couple of chords too many, which gives it a sort of frizzy uncertainty. But ‘Garden Song’ doesn’t sound like Smith so much as Bridgers uses his idiosyncrasies as a platform to assert her voice. Calling it her best song to date will only sound like hyperbole, but it’s eerie, funny and musically enchanting.
The groove here is a bit Latin rock, a bit Ricky Martin. The lead guitar shreds like it’s playing in a thrash metal band. The overall mood is like a prog rock band taking a South Pacific vacation. I know this sounds like a disastrous combination on paper, but ‘Legend of the Devil Dance’ is more than the sum of its parts. It’s infectious, spiritually uplifting and delivered straight from the heart.
Romy Vager knows how to pen an opening line. Previous single ‘Alexandra’ began, “Come Monday morning you may find me dead.” ‘I Used to Love You’ takes a less macabre, more personal slant: “I used to love you, but now I don’t/And I don’t know why.” It’s an excellent set-up for a melancholic, mid-tempo rock song that shelves bitterness for bleeding heart honesty. Vager enters the upper regions of her vocal range to explain, somewhat tearfully, that, “We’re just not the same anymore”.
Steve Smyth has been MIA for six years. He moved to Barcelona, ditched the Tom Waitsaping blues rock band and recorded an EP live in one of the city’s cathedrals. Nylon string guitar takes centre stage, supported by a swaying, elegiac horn section. Smyth’s earlier work occasionally suffered from sounding like a surfer dude who’d just discovered Howlin’ Wolf, but there’s no doubting his sincerity here. It’s a moving return that shows Smyth can rock just as hard without the electric guitars and junkyard drumming.
Label: Dead Oceans
Label: Skinnyfish Music
Label: Our Golden Friend Label: Independent
36
NEW MUSIC
7.5
BIG YAWN
No!
Melbourne-based, experimental electronic quartet Big Yawn have ripped off the band-aid and released their debut LP, No!. If you think you’re going to get away without bopping your head – or any other body part – along to majority of this album, you’re very, very wrong. Having released two of the LP’s tracks back in 2019, it was hard to know what to expect from the group down the road. It turns out punchy, and at times, soothing and melodic beats were on the cards – with previously released tracks ‘Skinrat’ and ‘Thomas’ being a taster of the group’s music to come. Across the 13 tracks on No! you‘ll find there is a song for every one of your moods. ‘Attaboi’ opens the LP, immediately pumping you up for the rest of the album. While ‘Attaboi’ displays signs of big banger energy, ‘For Whomst’ is a definite highlight, a track which immediately reinjects fresh energy into the album. At five songs in, this is the track that reaffirms you absolutely must keep playing on. For Big Yawn, cross-genre harmony appears to come naturally and No! is a stellar showcase of their affinity for experimentation. So, there’s probably no point sitting here trying to figure out what exactly the group’s sound is – they’re carving out their own as we speak.
7
U.S. GIRLS
7.5
Heavy Light
On this latest LP, U.S. Girls’ singer and songwriter Meg Remy is backed by 20 session musicians. Orchestral swells rock her songs to the end, with a splash of strings and percussion on tracks like ‘Denise, Don’t Wait’ and ‘Born to Lose’. The piano is used often throughout the record, with Remy’s voice and the keys the only sounds to be heard. Take ‘Overtime’ for example, a tragic tale of secrecy and addiction. The track was plucked from her 2013 EP Free Advice Column, only here it’s reworked and cleaned up. “Every time I see your grave, I can’t help but think/How I didn’t know that you only drank/The overtime,” Remy croons. Much of Heavy Light is genuinely elegant thanks to a focus on strings, piano and percussion. Remy’s reflective tales are elevated by these instrumentals, but the album is missing some of the spunk the band have had on previous records. Luckily, tracks like ‘4 American Dollars’ or ‘And Yet It Moves / Y Se Mueve’ have the spice that many of the others lack. Overall, Heavy Light finds U.S. Girls still approaching pop and indie with their own creative path. This project began as just Remy at home with a mic. Now, a cast of musicians help bring her visions to life – with beautiful results. Label: 4AD/Remote Control
Label: Research Records
BY JONATHON REYNOSO
SLOWLY SLOWLY
Race Car Blues
On album number three, Melbourne’s Slowly Slowly trade in sadness for hope, carving their most commercial, but most realised body of work to date. Race Car Blues is chock full of high octane, stadium-ready bangers and unsurprisingly, not a lot of blues. Instead, these tracks propel you right back to 2006 when So Fresh CDs were constantly littered with charttopping pop punk anthems. Frontman Ben Stewart seems to be aware of this though, so the album appears more as a love letter to the genre than a pale imitation. Every single lyric is carefully considered, and he matches big singalong choruses with countless heartfelt anecdotes. Well-known singles ‘Safety Switch’ and ‘Jellyfish’ slot in perfectly with their new tunes, but it’s clear tracks like ‘Soil’ and ‘19’ are such standouts they could have been singles in their own right. The midpoint of the record takes a turn towards soft rock of the ‘90s territory, proving the band are more than a one trick pony.‘Suicidal Evangelist’ even brings to mind Silverchair at their most vulnerable, sound-tracking the prom scene from a late ‘90s teen movie. Slowly Slowly don’t really do anything particularly new or revolutionary on this album, but it doesn’t matter because they’re having a damn good emo throwback party in the process. Let’s hope they bring this sound back into the mainstream for the 2020s.
BY AMBER DE LUCA-TAO
8
CHITRA
Chitra
Chitra’s self-titled debut was made for people to adore. Assuredly, through the record’s seven tracks, the 22-year old has delivered an EP full of transportive, meditative songwriting that allows her voice to shine, and her songs to be loved. There’s a sincerity to the honesty and confessional specificity of Chitra’s songs that in turn allows the listener to gravitate comfortably towards her world. “I look in the mirror, all I see is you”, she croons on rainy-day lullaby ‘Hold Yourself’. It’s perceptively playful imagery like this, sung with poised conviction, that ensures the listener will have no trouble falling into their own imaginings. Producer James Cecil pushes all of these tracks into forward-thinking pop territory, with a wealth of local collaborators contributing engaging instrumentation that keeps the EP consistently charming. The strongest songs appear on the record’s second half, sailing away calmly from angsty opener ‘Leaving’ towards ‘Keep Up’ – the EP’s most powerful track – a culmination of all of the subtly varying moods and lyrical themes present throughout, delivered with heightened, driving cognisance and a convincing pop edge. While Chitra’s songs cling to their inalienable influences, there’s a determined playfulness to the record’s self awareness – enough to mark this debut as one of significant importance. Chitra’s no longer one to watch; she’s an inevitable success.
Label: UNFD BY ANDREW BRASSINGTON
Label: Our Golden Friend BY MICHAEL VINCE-MOIN
EDITOR’S PICK
PRESIDENT
I’m Walking Here/Playin’ It Off Some Editor’s Picks present themselves on a silver platter.
It might be already on the radar – a band that’s been gigging for a while and are finally about to put out a record. Timing also comes into it – does the album or EP fall in line with a Beat issue? Sometimes elongated Bandcamp adventures can render an Editor’s Pick more haphazard than others – ‘How did I stumble upon this?’. This might be the most suitable account for this fortnight’s expedition. President are a band from Denver, Colorado who have just released their new single, I’m Walking Here/Playin’ It Off. It’s two tracks of raucous jamming – wandering guitar hooks layered over the top of blazing drum fills that harmonise like two wrens.
The recordings are raw and sound as if they’ve been cut straight to tape with little decoration. She’s all live which helps us get a sense of who President are, just a local jam band working their way around the Denver circuit. The release would sit right at home within Melbourne’s current jazz climate – one that rewards instinct and experimentation. So, is this worth a listen? If you’re after a boogie, then I’d say yes. Label: Independent BY TOM PARKER
37
GIGS & EVENTS
Gig & Events Guide WEDNESDAY 11 MAR
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK BOPSTRETCH Uptown Jazz Café. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. WIND IT UP X MUSIC IN EXILE FEAT: SIBUSILE XABA, RARA ZULU, DJ BABY XAN Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 7pm. FREE. VELVET BLOOM, SKŸE, LARA PROKOP, JOSHUA DAVIES Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $10. ROSARIO DE MARCO Compass Pizza. Brunswick East. 7.30pm. THE BOÎTE PRESENTS LUISA SOBRAL 75 Reid St. Fitzroy North. 7pm. $30. KALA GARE & HER HOT 8 PIECE BAND Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $25. ENTROPY QUARTET Bar 303. Northcote. 7.30pm.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES MELBOURNE'S BIGGEST OPEN MIC NIGHT MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7pm. FREE. JAMES ELLIS’ COUNTRY & WESTERN WEDNESDAYS Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 7.30pm. FREE. ELEANOR MCEVOY, IAN SHERWOOD Caravan Music Club. Bentleigh East. 8pm. $31.50. THE BURNING HELL, UNCLE BEN'S LAST WORDS, SUNDAY LEAGUE Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8pm. $11.25. YAZMINDI The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 9pm. FREE. CANDICE ALISHA The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 8pm. FREE. LOMOND ACOUSTICA FEAT: LEIGH SLOGGART, NATHAN POWER DUO, NATHAN SCHIFFERIE The Lomond Hotel. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. COQ ROQ: UNPLUGGED Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE.
OPEN MIC NIGHT Customs House Hotel. Williamstown. 8.30pm. FREE. THE GRUBBY URCHINS Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 8pm. FREE.
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL SLEAFORD MODS The Croxton. Thornbury. 7.30pm. $52.
CLASSICAL BEETHOVEN'S PIANO CONCERTOS 4 & 5 Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7.30pm. $99. ROCK PAPER SCISSORS Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 6pm. $40. ACO UNDERGROUND FEAT: SATU VÄNSKÄ, RICHARD TOGNETTI, SLAVA GREGORIAN, BRIAN RITCHIE Memo Music Hall. St Kilda. 7pm. $32.00 - 55.
ROCK, PUNK, METAL SARAH MARY CHADWICK Howler. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $29.86. RHYLEY MCGRATH The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 8pm. FREE. SLEAFORD MODS The Croxton. Thornbury. 7.30pm. $52.
HIP HOP, R&B, POP BEATLAB, CHAD WALLZ, ELEFTHERIOS, KARYME, SKOMES, BONNAZ Ferdydurke. Melbourne. 8pm. FREE. WEDNESDAY TWIST The Carlton Club. Melbourne. 8pm. FREE.
THURSDAY 12 MAR
ANDREA KELLER TRANSIENTS TRIO Uptown Jazz Café. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. SEX ON TOAST, VINCE PEACH Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 8pm. $17.48. CIGÁNY WEAVER, BELLY SAVALAS Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. $11.25. ALON ILSAR'S AIRSTICKS TRIO Bar Open. Fitzroy. 7pm. FREE. MODAMI The Moldy Fig. 7pm. FREE. ALLBON QUINTET Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 8pm. $25. REVERSE SWING Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $30. LIVE MUSIC THURSDAY FEAT: MR CLIFF, PERON Temperance Hotel. South Yarra. 5pm. FREE. WILBUR WILDE, JOHN MONTESANTE QUINTET The Water Rat Hotel. South Melbourne. 7pm. FREE. YOLANDA BROWN The Fyrefly. St Kilda. 7pm. $44.90 - 51. LIVE JAZZ SERIES FEAT: AMELIA EVANS TRIO Le Plonc. Armadale. 7pm. FREE. THURSDAYS W/ AMADOU SUSO & FRIENDS, JACK DANZEY, DR CONDIMENTS Bodriggy Brewing Company. Abbotsford. 5pm. FREE. ALL STARS LIVE JAM FEAT: MAYA Pause Bar. Balaclava. 8pm. FREE.
MICHAEL DUNSTAN, PAT DEVLIN, TAYLAH CARROLL Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 7.30pm. $23.80. THE COMMONERS Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 8pm. STEVE MITCHELL Charles Weston Hotel. Brunswick. 8.30pm. KELLY BROUHAHA Pistol Pete's Food n Blues. 9pm. FREE. VICTOR CRIPES The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 9pm. FREE. HEATH ROBERTSON & JACK MEREDITH The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 8pm. FREE. THE SOCKETTES Bar 303. Northcote. 8pm. LIVE JAZZ SERIES FEAT: AMELIA EVANS TRIO Le Plonc. Armadale. 7pm. FREE. ORDINARY ELEPHANT, KHRISTIAN MIZZI The Merri Creek Tavern. Northcote. 8pm. $15. MICHAEL SITA Customs House Hotel. Williamstown. 8pm. FREE. GERRY HALE Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 8pm. FREE.
ROCK, PUNK, METAL
DJS TIL CLOSE Morris Jones. Windsor. 8pm. FREE. GUERNS FEAT: FOSTA, DAN BENTLEY, BIGMAC, STICKS, JORDAN GILL, HEAVY FOOTER New Guernica. Melbourne. 10pm. FREE. JORDAN BRANDO, MAMI, BOUND Prince Bandroom. St Kilda. 9pm. $23.50. POWER: VOLUME 1 FEAT: JULIA LOSTROM, SHAHRAE, LUPA J The Workers Club. Fitzroy. 8pm. $30. THE MASH UP FEAT: AMY LOTUS Bimbo. Fitzroy. 7pm. FREE.
EX-PARTNER, EMBEDDED FIGURES Post Office Hotel. Coburg. 9pm. GROOVECULT RECORDS AND MUCH LOVE PRESENT: BERGY THURSDAYS FEAT: THE NEW DREGS, PURPLE K, NUMBAT The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 9pm. FREE. MADAZZ St Andrews Hotel. VIC. 9pm. WAX THURSDAYS FEAT: SOMETHING SOMETHING EXPLOSION, CATHOLIC GUILT Bendigo Hotel. Collingwood. 8pm. $10. ROCKY & THE TWO BOB MILLIONAIRES FAD Gallery. Melbourne. 9pm. FREE.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL
CLASSICAL SYZYGY ENSEMBLE Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 6pm. $40.
LIVE MUSIC. FRESH BEER. PROPER SOUND. IN MARCH
AMADOU SUSO
& FRIENDS
1 5 . 0 3 DREAMIN WILD & SWAZI GOLD 2 2 . 0 3 THE HANDLE BARS 2 9 . 0 3 J. MACFARLANES REALITY GUEST & KARATE BOOGALOO
ALL DAY L ATIN BBQ - BEERS BREWED ON SITE
245 JOHNSTON ST. ABBOTSFORD 3067
38
GIGS & EVENTS
HIP HOP, R&B, POP FREYA RIDINGS, HOLLOW COVES Corner Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. ARI LENNOX 170 Russell. Melbourne. 7pm. ALT MUSIC GROUP PRESENTS 3000 SUMMERS: VOL. 2 FEAT: FRANÇOISTUNES, THATKIDMAZ, OLIVE AMUN Section 8. Melbourne. 6pm. FREE. POWER: VOLUME 1 FEAT: JULIA LOSTROM, SHAHRAE, LUPA J The Workers Club. Fitzroy. 8pm. $30. THROWBACK FEAT: MATT RADOVICH, EZRA HARVEY, ILRESPONCE, B-TWO, AYNA, NAM Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE.
FRIDAY 13 MAR
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL NEW KONGS The Fox Hotel. Collingwood. 7pm. FREE. WAX POETS FEAT: HAWK I, LEGO, MORE Red Betty. Brunswick. 7pm. FREE. DJS TIL CLOSE Morris Jones. Windsor. 8pm. FREE. BANG BANG, ARI ROZE, SHIO OTANI, LLOYD BRIGGS, DJ FAIRBANKS Ferdydurke. Melbourne. 7pm. FREE. DJ TROPICAL BREEZE Charles Weston Hotel. Brunswick. 9pm. FREE. HAUSWERK The Carlton Club. Melbourne. 5pm. FREE. DAVE GOODE, ROB ANTHONY, FUNKY COL, MELL HALL, DENN FRANCISCO, MORE OneSixOne. Prahran. 9pm. BUDAKID New Guernica. Melbourne. 10pm. $15. MIDGE URE Forum Melbourne. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $99.14. BINGO LOCO, MICKEY JOE HARTE 170 Russell. Melbourne. 6.30pm. TEMPERANCE FRIDAYS FEAT: ADAM TRACE, NICK VAN WILDER, DJ T.P.C Temperance Hotel. South Yarra. 8pm. FREE. UKIYO PRESENTS 2020: A SPACE GALA - BUSHFIRE RELIEF PARTY FEAT: TOYAH HOETZEL, TELENOVA, ISABEL, NIGHTINGALE Ukiyo Studios. VIC. 6pm. $30. KILLER BASS, LEGO, HAWK I, RAMSEY, JIMMY B, VERSE@ILLE, SAM STACKA SiBar. Collingwood. 8pm. FREE.
FORMATION FEAT: DONNY, ONE PUF, BLEND CORP, CONGO TARDIS, DINGO SQUAD Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE.
ROCK, PUNK, METAL BAG O' NAILS Inkerman Hotel. St Kilda East. 8pm. FREE. QUIVERS, GENA ROSE BRUCE, CHITRA Yah Yah's. Fitzroy. 8pm. $11.34. NORTHSIDE SISTERS The Quarry Hotel. Brunswick East. 8pm. RAISED BY EAGLES Post Office Hotel. Coburg. 9pm. FAÇADES, SLEEPFLOWERS, HEAVYGLOW The Penny Black. Brunswick. 8pm. THE BRAVE, BAD/LOVE, SLEEP TALK, TO OCTAVIA Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8.30pm. $17.98. TOP CLASS MUSIC 2020 Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 10am, 2pm, 6pm. $17.50. LOOSE TOOTH, DIANAS, DJ EMERALD, STEPH HUGHES The Curtin. Carlton. 8pm. $18. CONCRETE SURFERS Leadbeater Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. $12.25. PLANET OF THE 8S, DROID, SPAWN, SARAH EIDA TRIO Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 8.30pm. $10.00 - 15. KINGSWOOD, SAMSARUH, GANGZ Corner Hotel. Richmond. 8.30pm. $41. PLOVERS, SHOVE, PSYCHOBABEL Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $11.34. DEATHMATCH DOWNUNDER FEAT: YARD DUTY, UDDER UBDUCTEES, CAVEMAN UGG, GORE, DICKLASER Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8pm. $22.19. FRIDAY FEAR AT THE BENDIGO FEAT: BLOOD MOUNTAIN, THE CREPTTER CHILDREN, EVOLUTION OF SELF, VIOLENT DISORDER, DJ CROWLEY, DJ IBALLA CHANTELLE Bendigo Hotel. Collingwood. 8pm. JAKE GEORGE & THE INVESTIGATORS, DEAR CHARLIE The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 9pm. FREE. KINGS OF OZ Royal Hotel. Essendon. 9.30pm. FREE. DEATHBEAT FEAT: THE ONE TWO, NIKKI SWANGO, SWEDISH POP FACTORY Cactus Room. Thornbury. 8pm. $10. ROLLING THUNDER VIETNAM Geelong Arts Centre. VIC. 8pm. $79.00 - 120. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. CAPTAIN SPALDING BAND Customs House Hotel. Williamstown. 9.30pm. FREE. X-GENZ The Missing Gorilla Bar. Eltham.
8.30pm. FREE. DIESEL Yarraville Club. Yarraville. 8.40pm. $32. VESSEL, 29 BONES Golden Vine Hotel. VIC. 7.30pm.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES THE GEORGE TRIMMER BAND MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7.30pm. $10. STEPHEN PINZONE & FRIENDS MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7.30pm. FREE. JARRAH MA, ZINNIA BLUE Compass Pizza. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. THE FOUR SCOOPS Bar Open. Fitzroy. 6.30pm. FREE. DANIEL REEVES BAND The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 9pm. FREE. CHARM OF FINCHES The Basement Discs. Melbourne. 12.45pm. FREE. VIC'S BLUES COSMONAUTS Pistol Pete's Food n Blues. 8pm. FREE. ADAM WALDRON TRIO The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 8.30pm. FREE. TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSION The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 6pm. FREE. SING OUT SISTER - INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY FEAT: ALICIA & ALANNA EGAN, CHARM OF FINCHES, BONNIE SMITH The Lomond Hotel. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. SHAKY STILLS Coburg RSL Club. Coburg. 8pm. FREE. MELBOURNE UKULELE FESTIVAL 2020 FEAT: GYPSY RUMBLE, THIN WHITE UKES, UKULELE RUSS, MELBOURNE UKULELE KOLLECTIVE, CHRISSY, THE SOPHISTICATED HULAS The Chalice - Northcote Uniting Church. VIC. 6pm. $20.00 - 30. SHAUNA TONY & CO. Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 8pm. FREE.
HIP HOP, R&B, POP WAX POETS FEAT: HAWK I, LEGO, MORE Red Betty. Brunswick. 7pm. FREE. TOP CLASS MUSIC 2020 Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 10am, 2pm, 6pm. $17.50. LOSUMO Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 6pm.
HELLO! FRIDAYS Co. Southbank. 9.30pm. $11.64. RNB FRIDAYS FEAT: HORIZON Co. Southbank. 9.30pm. $22.19. POP TILL YOU DROP The Carlton Club. Melbourne. 9pm. FREE. HAPPY FEET Khokolat Bar. Melbourne. 9.30pm. FREE. CHILADELPHIA FRIDAYS New Guernica. Melbourne. 4pm. FREE. DEATHBEAT FEAT: THE ONE TWO, NIKKI SWANGO, SWEDISH POP FACTORY Cactus Room. Thornbury. 8pm. $10.
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK WAX POETS FEAT: HAWK I, LEGO, MORE Red Betty. Brunswick. 7pm. FREE. TOP CLASS MUSIC 2020 Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 10am, 2pm, 6pm. $17.50. THE VAMPIRES Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 8pm. $31. BANG BANG, ARI ROZE, SHIO OTANI, LLOYD BRIGGS, DJ FAIRBANKS Ferdydurke. Melbourne. 7pm. FREE. BRIDGE FEAT: BRIDGE The Moldy Fig. 7pm. FREE. THE HORNSTARS, AFRO DIMENSION Open Studio. Northcote. 7.30pm. $12.00 - 20. VINTAGE ROOTS Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 9pm. $30. MIKE FIELD QUINTET Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 8pm. $30. THE HOTTENTOTS Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 6.30pm. $30. FURNACE & THE FUNDAMENTALS Max Watt's (Melbourne). 8pm. $45.90. SING OUT SISTER - INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY FEAT: ALICIA & ALANNA EGAN, CHARM OF FINCHES, BONNIE SMITH The Lomond Hotel. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. OPA! Bar 303. Northcote. 8pm. KERRI & BELL Ragtime Tavern. Preston. 8pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. DAWN RAGA SERIES FEAT: JAY DABGAR, SUBRAMANYA SASTRY Bunjil Place. Narre Warren. 7.30am. FREE. MELBOURNE UKULELE FESTIVAL 2020 FEAT: GYPSY RUMBLE, THIN WHITE UKES, UKULELE RUSS, MELBOURNE UKULELE KOLLECTIVE, CHRISSY, THE SOPHISTICATED HULAS The Chalice - Northcote Uniting Church. VIC. 6pm. $20.00 - 30.
Numbat
Entropy Quartet
Sleaford Mods
Bergy Thursdays
Amadou & Friends
BAR 303
THE CROXTON
THE BERGY SELTZER
BODRIGGY BREWING CO.
Melbourne four-piece ensemble Entropy Quartet will be taking to the stage of Bar 303, merging elements of improvised jazz, funk and groove. Drawing influence from a vast repertoire of musical sources, from jazz, to classical, to electronic, the group have a huge Wednesday planned for you on March 11. Doors at 7:30pm. Donation on entry.
Politically charged, UK punk legends Sleaford Mods are taking to the stage of The Croxton for a mean and energy fuelled night. The electronic-punk duo have given the world five bass-heavy albums full of dancefloor filling tunes. Sleaford Mods will be playing on Wednesday March 11. Tickets $50+bf via the venue website. Doors at 7:30pm.
The Bergy Seltzer present a night of redhot acts, DJs and monthly in-house artist exhibitions. Get down for the sweet sounds of folk rocker Numbat, followed swiftly by The New Dregs. Then stick around for a salubrious dousing of funk-house with PurpleK. Only on Thursday March 12 with doors at 8pm. She’s free.
Senegambian Jazz Band’s Amadou Suso has branched out on his own – well, sort of. A master of the West African kora, Suso is exploring new musical avenues with the help of some different musical friends. They’re playing shows at Bodriggy Brewing Co. all month, and you can catch them on Thursday March 12 for free.
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GIGS & EVENTS
SATURDAY 14 MAR
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES THE WOLFE BROTHERS Village Green. Mulgrave. 8pm. $34.70. SMALL TOWN ROMANCE Post Office Hotel. Coburg. 9pm. RHIANNON GIDDENS Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7.30pm. $74.00 - 84. SAMWISE (OF THE WISECRACKS) Charles Weston Hotel. Brunswick. 6.30pm. FREE. DON HILLMAN'S SECRET BEACH St Andrews Hotel. VIC. 1pm. FREE. DAVE ARDEN The Thornbury Theatre. Thornbury. 7pm. $18.40. EDDY & THE EXCITERS Pistol Pete's Food n Blues. 9.30pm. FREE. THE TELEPORTERS The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 9pm. FREE. MARTY KELLY The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 3pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. 2 WORLDS FESTIVAL FEAT: XAVIER RUDD, KASEY CHAMBERS, EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS, YIRRMAL, MORE Birrarung Marr. Melbourne. 11.30am. $59. MELBOURNE UKULELE FESTIVAL 2020 FEAT: GYPSY RUMBLE, THIN WHITE UKES, UKULELE RUSS, MELBOURNE UKULELE KOLLECTIVE, CHRISSY, THE SOPHISTICATED HULAS The Chalice - Northcote Uniting Church. VIC. 6pm. $20.00 - 30. PAT MCKERNAN Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 9pm. FREE. BROTHERS BLUEGRASS ALL STARS Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 6.30pm. FREE.
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL PREMIUM CHUGRAISER FEAT: SPACEY SPACE, FOSTERS, HARLEY JAMES, HELOCO, LUKE LAWRENCE, REY D, TOUFIE, MORE Lucky Coq. Windsor. 4pm. $10. MADDY MAC The Fox Hotel. Collingwood. 7pm. FREE. LADIES OF THE 80'S, DJ MATT DOLL Pause Bar. Balaclava. 8pm. PAWN SATURDAYS, HOLMES JOHN
Pawn & Co. Prahran. 8pm. DJS TIL CLOSE Morris Jones. Windsor. 8pm. FREE. KINOKO BOWL FEAT: EDDIE MAC, GENKI TANAKA, MANDY, BANJO Ferdydurke. Melbourne. 7pm. FREE. BITUMEN Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 2am. LIGHT FEAT: JESSE JAMES Co. Southbank. 10pm. $22.19. ELECTRIC DREAMS Co. Southbank. 9pm. $22.19. ALL NIGHT FEAT: CITIZEN.COM, MORE The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 10pm. FREE. EAT THE BEAT FEAT: JULIET FOX, ETWAS, GAV WHITEHOUSE, ANDREA GUADALUPI, REY, LUQMAN, MORE New Guernica. Melbourne. 10pm. $20.00 - 25. #LETSHOUSE SATURDAYS FEAT: ADAM TRACE, MARCUS KNIGHT, GARRY SHEBA Temperance Hotel. South Yarra. 5pm. FREE. A TRIBUTE TO ANDY WEATHERALL - NEW ORDER AFTERPARTY, MARK DYNAMIX, DAN FULHAM, TONY 'THE REBEL' KING 24 Moons. Northcote. 6pm. $10. EARNEST JACKSON, ORANGE ORANGE, Y A R A, ELLA FERRIS The Workers Club. Fitzroy. 6pm. $15. GLOBAL RHYTHMS FEAT: KIRA PURU, REMI, ALPHAMAMA, SOJU GANG Prahran Square. VIC. 5pm. FREE. HOUSE PARTY 2.0 FEAT: BETH GRACE, VARIOUS DJS Bimbo. Fitzroy. 7pm. FREE. TEXTILE FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE.
ROCK, PUNK, METAL TOUCH - NOISEWORKS TRIBUTE MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7.30pm. $20. LIVIN PINK - THE PINK EXPERIENCE MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7.30pm. $20. ORION HAZE, FREEBOOTER REPUBLIC, MORE Yah Yah's. Fitzroy. 8pm. $9. MIDNIGHT ALIBI, 74KINGS, CICADASTONE Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8.30pm. $12.65. PINK TILES, GIRLATONES, THEE CHA CHA CHAS, BJ MORRISZONKLE Labour in Vain. Fitzroy. 7pm. FREE. GENGAHR Howler. Brunswick. 8pm. $49.90. A TRIBUTE TO JULIAN CASABLANCAS The Curtin. Carlton. 8pm. $13. THE MINIMALS, BOSS MELODY, THE
MINIMALS, MORE Leadbeater Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. $14.30. BAKED GOODS PRESENTS FEAT: COLUMBUS, MID CITY, TAMARA & THE DREAMS, FOREVER RENTER Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 8pm. $15.00 - 20. DJ THE KNAVE Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 9pm. UGLY KINGS, FOX COMPANY, WITH WHICH Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $12.37. BITUMEN Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 2am. DJ STEELY ANN Charles Weston Hotel. Brunswick. 9pm. FREE. ZEN MONKEE, WATERFRONT, NOT BADD, THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRYS Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. $10. THE HERE HERE'S Bar Open. Fitzroy. 6.30pm. MINOR MISCHIEF, UNCLE RUDEY The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 9pm. FREE. MICHAEL MEEKING BAND The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 9pm. FREE. RADIO CHAOS Royal Hotel. Essendon. 9pm. FREE. THE DARKNESS, THE SOUTHERN RIVER BAND Forum Melbourne. Melbourne. 8pm. THE MENZINGERS, PRESS CLUB, VARSITY CHEERLEADER The Croxton. Thornbury. 8pm. $54.90. BETTER THAN THE WIZARDS, PINK WOOL PRESS The Yarra Hotel. Abbotsford. 8pm. $15. BIILMANN, CREEK, DIDACTIC Cactus Room. Thornbury. 7.30pm. $23.47. LOVEBONER Bar 303. Northcote. 8pm. ROLLING THUNDER VIETNAM Geelong Arts Centre. VIC. 8pm. $79.00 - 120.
CLASSICAL TINALLEY STRING QUARTET Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 1pm, 3pm. $40. RHIANNON GIDDENS Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7.30pm. $74.00 - 84.
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK FUNKY SOUL DANCE PARTY AT THE CURTIN, DJ MANCHILD, MISS GOLDIE, DJ RELAXATIVE The Curtin. Carlton. 9pm. FREE. THE MINIMALS, BOSS MELODY, THE MINIMALS, MORE Leadbeater Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. $14.30.
INTO THE MYSTIC - THE SONGS OF VAN MORRISON FEAT: JOE CREIGHTON Caravan Music Club. Bentleigh East. 8pm. $28.50. THE BOÎTE PRESENTS VINOD PRASANNA, SARITA MCHARG & AMAN KALYAN Mark Street Hall. Fitzroy North. 7.30pm. $25. ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE - REBECCA MENDOZA & RICK CORRENZA Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 9pm. $35. MIKE FIELD QUINTET Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 8.30pm. $30. JANELLE STOWE & FRIENDS: A HARRY CONNICK JNR TRIBUTE Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 7pm. $32.50. THE POCKET TRIO Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 5.30pm. $30. HEADPHONES JONES The B.East. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. BONNIE & MICKEY Ragtime Tavern. Preston. 8pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. BEATS & EATS FEAT: DJ SISTA SARA Ciccio Pizza. Pascoe Vale. 6pm. FREE. 2 WORLDS FESTIVAL FEAT: XAVIER RUDD, KASEY CHAMBERS, EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS, YIRRMAL, MORE Birrarung Marr. Melbourne. 11.30am. $59. MELBOURNE UKULELE FESTIVAL 2020 FEAT: GYPSY RUMBLE, THIN WHITE UKES, UKULELE RUSS, MELBOURNE UKULELE KOLLECTIVE, CHRISSY, THE SOPHISTICATED HULAS The Chalice - Northcote Uniting Church. VIC. 6pm. $20.00 - 30.
HIP HOP, R&B, POP NIIKA Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 5pm. NGAIIRE, CHELA, VETTA BORNE Corner Hotel. Richmond. 8.30pm. $33.92. LIGHT FEAT: JESSE JAMES Co. Southbank. 10pm. $22.19. KHOKOLAT SATURDAYS, DURMY, DAMION DE SILVA Khokolat Bar. Melbourne. 9.30pm. EARNEST JACKSON, ORANGE ORANGE, Y A R A, ELLA FERRIS The Workers Club. Fitzroy. 6pm. $15. GLOBAL RHYTHMS FEAT: KIRA PURU, REMI, ALPHAMAMA, SOJU GANG Prahran Square. VIC. 5pm. FREE. TEXTILE FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE.
Charm of Finches
Rocky & the Two Bob Millionaires FAD GALLERY Country-folk rockers, Rocky & the Two Bob Millionaires, will be gracing the stage of FAD Gallery for a night of intimate storytelling and soulful songs. FAD will also be featuring artworks from in-house artists. Come on down for a night of free fun on Thursday March 12 from 9pm.
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Heath Robertson
Gordon Koang
Sing out Sisters
THE DRUNKEN POET
COLOUR NIGHTCLUB
LOMOND HOTEL
Heath Robertson, 17-year-old multiinstrumentalist will be bringing his catchy blues-based surf rock to The Drunken Poet on Thursday March 12. Also joining the lineup will be blues-folk singer-songwriter and harmonica player Jack Meredith, with a heartfelt and intimate set from the Bellarine Peninsula. Free from 8pm.
South Sudan’s king of music, Gordon Koang, is making his debut appearance at Colour nightclub. There will be dancing, there will be laughing and there will be very special guests Parsnip and Music Yared. Don’t miss the ultimate party on Friday March 13 at Colour. Tickets $15+bf through the venue’s Facebook page. Doors at 9pm.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, the Lomond Hotel are hosting a femalefronted night of music, dubbed Sing out Sisters. They’ve enlisted twin sister folk-duo Alanna and Alicia to headline the event, joined by fellow sister act Charm of Finches and singer Bonnie Smith. The free event takes place on Friday March 13 from 8pm.
GIGS & EVENTS
SUNDAY 15 MAR
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES THE CANYON CALLERS Union Hotel Brunswick. Brunswick. 5pm. KYLE BREW Union Hotel Brunswick. Brunswick. 3pm. OPEN MIC & JAM NIGHT, JAM COLLECTIVE MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7pm. FREE. THE HORNETS Post Office Hotel. Coburg. 4.30pm. DINGO RADIO - SONGS OF KERRYN TOLHURST Memo Music Hall. St Kilda. 3pm. $23.00 - 36. PHIL PARA & BAND Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 5pm. FREE. ROSARIO DE MARCO Charles Weston Hotel. Brunswick. 4pm. BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 5pm. FREE. TEENY TINY STEVIES The Thornbury Theatre. Thornbury. 9.30am. $28.60. SUNDAY SESSION, LUKE JOSEPH, JACK & JORDAN, TOMMY RANDO Temperance Hotel. South Yarra. 2pm. FREE. TRACEY BARNETT Pistol Pete's Food n Blues. 3pm. FREE. THE GLORIOUS The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 6.30pm. FREE. THE FERRITERS The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 4pm. FREE. THE BURNING BRIDGES The Lomond Hotel. Brunswick East. 5.30pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. TYDE, BAILEY JUDD, GIRL ON THE HILL Open Studio. Northcote. 8pm. $5. COUNTRY AT CUSTOMS FEAT: MICHELLE GARDINER, ANTHONY TAYLOR, DELLA HARRIS, EMILY HATTON, JAKE SINCLAIR, LUKE AUSTEN Customs House Hotel. Williamstown. 2pm. FREE. THE BORNSTEIN ULTIMATUM Pause Bar. Balaclava. 4.30pm. FREE. SUNDAY SINGALONG Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 6.30pm. FREE.
ROCK, PUNK, METAL THE JADED CATS MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 2.30pm. FREE. OPEN MIC & JAM NIGHT, JAM COLLECTIVE MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7pm. FREE.
FRIPPS & FRIPPS Yah Yah's. Fitzroy. 2am. $10. MALIBU SPACEY, THE BRADS, FRANCIS GLASS BAND The Yarra Hotel. Abbotsford. 4pm. FREE. THE BLUE HOTEL, CHARLIE MCCOSH, HALF/CUT Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 8pm. $10. GOLDMINDS Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 2am. THE 'ENTROPY' EPIC LIGHTING RIG APPRECIATION SOCIETY Bendigo Hotel. Collingwood. 7pm. FREE. EMPIRICAL PREY + THE FUZZ Bendigo Hotel. Collingwood. 3pm. PROTO MORO, EMMA VOLARD The B.East. Brunswick East. 3.30pm. FREE. SMASHER PRESENTS: SIDEWAYS SUNDAY FEAT: MATT BLACK'S CONTINENTAL SNARL, LITTLE SISTER & THE DROP DEAD DADDY-O'S The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 6pm. FREE. LAGWAGON, SOMETHING SOMETHING EXPLOSION, VON STACHE 170 Russell. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $62.90. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
HIP HOP, R&B, POP SUNDAY SERVICE FEAT: KK, 10YRWAR, DJ R3DBIRD, MG BLAKK Morris Jones. Windsor. 4pm. FREE. MOTHERSHIP Co. Southbank. 10pm. $15.
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK JAZZ SUNDAYS #17, FEI PAO, TULLY RYAN TRIO Howler. Brunswick. 3pm. FREE. AGUS BATARA QUARTET Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 4pm. STELLA ANNING TRIO Bar Open. Fitzroy. 6pm. FREE. KIMMY, RAS JAHKNOW BAND The B.East. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. JACK EARLE TRIO Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 7pm. $32.50. LINDA CABLE + MUSICAL CHAIRS Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 6.30pm. $35. SUNDAY SMALLGOODS FEAT: DREAMIN' WILD, SWAZI GOLD Bodriggy Brewing Company. Abbotsford. 2pm. FREE. KIMMY & CREW Bar 303. Northcote. 7pm. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. TYDE, BAILEY JUDD, GIRL ON THE HILL
Open Studio. Northcote. 8pm. $5. THE BORNSTEIN ULTIMATUM Pause Bar. Balaclava. 4.30pm. FREE.
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL
303 YARRA BANKS JAM NIGHT Bar 303. Northcote. 8pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
SANDY HSU, SOFT POWDER, OBELIA WAXWING Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8pm. $10. GRAND PRIX SUNDAY FEAT: YOLANDA BE COOL The Emerson. South Yarra. 8pm. FREE. NEW ORDER Forum Melbourne. Melbourne. 7.30pm. LE'Z GARDEN #2 FEAT: FLOSS DOGG, COLETTE, BEX, SALLY INGRAM, MEG 4X4 Dr Morse. Abbotsford. 12pm. FREE. SUNDAY REVIVAL FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Lucky Coq. Windsor. 4pm. FREE.
MONDAY 16 MAR
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES OPEN MIC NITE Inkerman Hotel. St Kilda East. 7.30pm. FREE. EVERGREEN ENSEMBLE - RELAXED PERFORMANCE Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 12pm. $10. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
ROCK, PUNK, METAL MONDAY NIGHT MASS FEAT: MADDIE DUKE, HANNAH BLACKBURN, COOL SOUNDS Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
CLASSICAL LATITUDE 37 Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7pm. $40.
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL DJS TILL LATE Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 8pm. FREE.
TUESDAY 17 MAR
CLASSICAL GRETA BRADMAN + CALVIN BOWMAN Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 11am. $55. CHAIKA Le Penelope's. VIC. 6pm. $22.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES LANEOUS, LAS MAR Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 8.30pm. FREE. THE SELTZER SESSIONS - OPEN STAGE, HAMISH MCNAB, MORE The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 8pm. FREE. KIP MOORE, JIMMIE ALLEN Margaret Court Arena. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $99. DAN BOURKE & CYRIL MORAN The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 9.30pm. FREE. TIM SCALAN TRIO The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 6.30pm. FREE. STEPHEN KENNEDY The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 3pm. FREE. IRISH SESSION, DAN BURKE, MARTY KELLY The Lomond Hotel. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. CHAIKA Le Penelope's. VIC. 6pm. $22.
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK LANEOUS, LAS MAR Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 8.30pm. FREE. JAZZ NIGHT - JOHN BADGERY, MATT O'BRIEN, ROBBIE FINCH Compass Pizza. Brunswick East. 7pm. FREE. MELBOURNE POLYTECHNIC MUSIC Bar 303. Northcote. 7pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. CHAIKA Le Penelope's. VIC. 6pm. $22.
231
Concrete Surfers
Queen Forever
Velvet Archers
THE LEADBEATER
THE WESTERNPORT HOTEL
CLIFTON HILL BREWPUB
Brisbane’s garage-surf rockers Concrete Surfers are coming to Melbourne as part of their Never Understood national tour. Delivering a sonic combination of tantalizing fuzz and bass, they are sure to have you jumping around. Catch Concrete Surfers on Friday March 13 from 8pm at The Leadbeater Hotel. Tickets $12 via Oztix.
Philip Island’s Westernport Hotel have a night of mammoth entertainment on the cards, thanks to Queen tribute band, Queen Forever. They’ll be bringing their Queenology tour to the San Remo venue on Saturday March 14, covering the iconic band’s classics from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Tickets $35 via the venue website.
Three-piece indie folk band the Velvet Archers are heading back to one of their favourite live music venues, Clifton Hill Brewpub. The foot stompin’ trio aren’t strangers to the Brewpub stage, having played there numerous times over the past year or so. Catch the guys on Saturday March 14 from 9pm. Entry is free.
Michael Meeking & The Ladies in Waiting THORNBURY LOCAL Grab your cowboy boots and make your way down to the Thornbury Local on Saturday March 14. Americana musician Michael Meeking will be reunited with The Ladies in Waiting to play their favourite local venue. With two sets of hip-shaking, boot-scootin’ Americana, you’ll feel straight out of the saloon. Free from 9pm.
41
GIGS & EVENTS
ROCK, PUNK, METAL THE DARKNESS, THE SOUTHERN RIVER BAND 170 Russell. Melbourne. 8pm. $79.90. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
WEDNESDAY 18 MAR
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK BOPSTRETCH Uptown Jazz Café. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. VELVET BLOOM, SKŸE, LARA PROKOP, JOSHUA DAVIES Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $10. THE BOÎTE PRESENTS KAVISHA MAZZELLA & MIHIRANGI Carlton Church Of All Nations. Carlton. 7pm. $30. KATHLEEN HALLORAN QUINTET Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 8pm. $20. DRAGONFLY Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $25. ENTROPY QUARTET Bar 303. Northcote. 8pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. CHAIKA Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7pm. $25.00 - 31.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES MELBOURNE'S BIGGEST OPEN MIC NIGHT MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7pm. FREE. NASHVILLE TORNADO FUNDRAISER FEAT: HENRY WAGONS, CAMERON MUNCEY, MARK WILSON, JAMES ELLIS & THE JEALOUS GUYS, LACHLAN BRYAN, SMALL TOWN ROMANCE, MORE Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 7pm. JAMES ELLIS’ COUNTRY & WESTERN WEDNESDAYS Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 7.30pm. FREE. CEDRIC BURNSIDE, IAN SHERWOOD Caravan Music Club. Bentleigh East. 8pm. $45.50. GEORGIA RODGERS The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 9pm. FREE. JJ BAILEY The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 8pm. FREE.
WAZ E. JAMES The Lomond Hotel. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. LOMOND ACOUSTICA FEAT: JOSHUA BATTEN, DIXIE CHOOKS, MOONSHINE COALITION The Lomond Hotel. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. CHAIKA Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7pm. $25.00 - 31. COQ ROQ: UNPLUGGED Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE. OPEN MIC NIGHT Customs House Hotel. Williamstown. 8.30pm. FREE. THE GRUBBY URCHINS Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 8pm. FREE.
ROCK, PUNK, METAL NASHVILLE TORNADO FUNDRAISER FEAT: HENRY WAGONS, CAMERON MUNCEY, MARK WILSON, JAMES ELLIS & THE JEALOUS GUYS, LACHLAN BRYAN, SMALL TOWN ROMANCE, MORE Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 7pm. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
HIP HOP, R&B, POP WEDNESDAY TWIST The Carlton Club. Melbourne. 8pm. FREE.
CLASSICAL CHAIKA Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7pm. $25.00 - 31.
THURSDAY 19 MAR
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK ANDREA KELLER TRANSIENTS TRIO Uptown Jazz Café. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. SON OF A GUNZEL Charles Weston Hotel. Brunswick. 8pm. FREE. HORNS OF LEROY Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 8pm. ALON ILSAR'S AIRSTICKS TRIO Bar Open. Fitzroy. 7pm. FREE. THE BOÎTE PRESENTS: 'WHEN NEIGHBOURS WERE REAL HUMAN
BEINGS' FEAT: DR. ELI TAUBER, SARAY ILUMINADO Abbotsford Convent. Abbotsford. 7pm. $30. BRETT CHAMPION QUARTET The Moldy Fig. 7pm. FREE. MINGUS THINGUS Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 8pm. $25. UNITED VOICES Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $35. LIVE MUSIC THURSDAY FEAT: MR CLIFF, PERON Temperance Hotel. South Yarra. 5pm. FREE. B3 Pistol Pete's Food n Blues. 9pm. FREE. TRACY BARTRAM + SAM LEMANN, JOHN MONTESANTE QUINTET The Water Rat Hotel. South Melbourne. 7pm. FREE. MOPOKE, FILM SCHOOL, SOUNDSCAPE CREW Bar 303. Northcote. 8pm. LIVE JAZZ SERIES FEAT: AMELIA EVANS TRIO Le Plonc. Armadale. 7pm. FREE. THURSDAYS W/ AMADOU SUSO & FRIENDS, COLLEGE OF KNOWLEDGE Bodriggy Brewing Company. Abbotsford. 5pm. FREE. THE ISLAND AFROFIESTA FEAT: DJ KASE, DJ E-MAN, DJ KUDOH Laundry Bar. Fitzroy. 9.30pm. $10. THURSDAYS W/ AMADOU SUSO Bodriggy Brewing Company. Abbotsford. 5pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. CHAIKA Arc Yinnar. VIC. 6pm. $20.00 - 25. ALL STARS LIVE JAM FEAT: MAYA Pause Bar. Balaclava. 8pm. FREE.
ROCK, PUNK, METAL RHYTHM RATZ MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7.30pm. $10. EMPRESS, Y A R A, STELLA FARNAN Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $10. GECKO + JASPER HILL The B.East. Brunswick East. 9pm. FREE. GROOVECULT RECORDS AND MUCH LOVE PRESENT: BERGY THURSDAYS FEAT: DAPOOLPARTY, WASHED UP WIZARDS The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 8pm. FREE. THURSDAYS W/ AMADOU SUSO & FRIENDS, COLLEGE OF KNOWLEDGE Bodriggy Brewing Company. Abbotsford. 5pm. FREE. THURSDAYS W/ AMADOU SUSO Bodriggy Brewing Company. Abbotsford. 5pm. FREE. THE KIDS NEXT DOOR, MORE FAD
Gallery. Melbourne. 8pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES MUSTUD PRESENTS OPEN MIC NIGHT The Quarry Hotel. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. YAWULYU, MAYLENE SLATER BURNS, MAURIAL SPEARIM Post Office Hotel. Coburg. 9pm. CEDRIC BURNSIDE, CHRIS RUSSELL'S CHICKEN WALK Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 7.30pm. $48.80. KELLY AUTY BAND Memo Music Hall. St Kilda. 7.30pm. $20. WILL KIMBROUGH Caravan Music Club. Bentleigh East. 8pm. $28.50. RHYLEY MCGRATH Charles Weston Hotel. Brunswick. 8.30pm. FREE. EILEN JEWELL & BAND The Thornbury Theatre. Thornbury. 7pm. $60.70 - 76. OPEN MIC NIGHT The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 7pm. FREE. LIVE JAZZ SERIES FEAT: AMELIA EVANS TRIO Le Plonc. Armadale. 7pm. FREE. THURSDAYS W/ AMADOU SUSO & FRIENDS, COLLEGE OF KNOWLEDGE Bodriggy Brewing Company. Abbotsford. 5pm. FREE. THURSDAYS W/ AMADOU SUSO Bodriggy Brewing Company. Abbotsford. 5pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. CHAIKA Arc Yinnar. VIC. 6pm. $20.00 25. MICHAEL SITA Customs House Hotel. Williamstown. 8pm. FREE. GERRY HALE Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 8pm. FREE.
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL DJS TIL CLOSE Morris Jones. Windsor. 8pm. FREE. EMPRESS, Y A R A, STELLA FARNAN Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 7.30pm. $10. GUERNS FEAT: FOSTA, PHILOSOPHIA, STICKS, JOHN OWEN & BARCODE New Guernica. Melbourne. 10pm. FREE. THE ISLAND AFROFIESTA FEAT: DJ KASE, DJ E-MAN, DJ KUDOH Laundry Bar. Fitzroy. 9.30pm. $10.
Jarrow
The Native Cats THE TOFF IN TOWN Tasmanian post-punk duo, The Native Cats, make a return to Melbourne for their 7” single launch, Two Creation Myths. They’ll be joined by Melbourne punk icons, Ausmuteants and four-piece, Thibault. This is sure to be a night of musical madness. Catch the launch at The Toff In Town on Saturday March 14. Tickets $17+bf via Eventbrite. Doors at 7.30pm.
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Taranta Festival Closing Party
The Burning Bridges
Venues 3056
LOMOND HOTEL
THE RETREAT HOTEL
OLIVA SOCIAL
Kick up your heels for a night of oldworld country at the Lomond Hotel. Local four-piece The Burning Bridges will be slinging a range of tunes, with a repertoire of American country classics, blues and bluegrass under their belt. Catch the free gig on Sunday March 15 from 5.30pm.
The Retreat is once again teaming up with Brunswick Music Festival for some midweek music madness in the form of Venues 3056. Indie-rocker Jarrow is up first, followed by garage outfit Bones and Jones, and wrapping up with Gamjee’s psych-rock and punk fusion. Check out The Retreat on Wednesday March 18. Free from 7.30pm.
The Taranta Festival is saying goodbye with a closing party and jam on Sunday March 15 from 8pm at Oliva Social. Join the huge jam session with the musicians of 2020’s Taranta Music festival. Bring your best tamburello skills, get your dancing shoes on and say ‘ciao’ to this year’s Taranta.
GIGS & EVENTS
THE MASH UP FEAT: AMY LOTUS Bimbo. Fitzroy. 7pm. FREE.
CLASSICAL INVENTI ENSEMBLE Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 6pm. $40. CHAIKA Arc Yinnar. VIC. 6pm. $20.00 25.
HIP HOP, R&B, POP AITCH, NERVE Howler. Brunswick. 8pm. ALT MUSIC GROUP PRESENTS 3000 SUMMERS: VOL. 3 FEAT: YAW FASO, JAKISA, JYAYO Section 8. Melbourne. 6pm. FREE. THROWBACK FEAT: MATT RADOVICH, EZRA HARVEY, ILRESPONCE, B-TWO, AYNA, NAM Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE.
FRIDAY 20 MAR
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK THE FIREMEN Uptown Jazz Café. Fitzroy. 8.30pm. RICHIE1250 & THE BRIDES OF CHRIST, TANJO EVE Post Office Hotel. Coburg. 9pm. THE BORDERERS Memo Music Hall. St Kilda. 3pm. $22. AUSECUMA BEATS Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 8.30pm. $10. NUTBUSH! Bar Open. Fitzroy. 9pm. $10. TONY LUKAV FEAT: TONY LUKAV The Moldy Fig. 7pm. FREE. THE JOSH KYLE & EMMA GILMARTIN QUINTET Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 9pm. $32.50. TAMARA KULDIN Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 8pm. $35. ANNEMARIE SHARRY QUARTET Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 6.30pm. $30. SOUTHBANK DAWN RAGA SERIES Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne). Melbourne. 7.30am. FREE. BREAK THE HEAT FEAT: BANANAGUN, OGOPOGO, HOT GLUE Cactus Room. Thornbury. 7pm. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL AMBIE DEXTRUS The Fox Hotel. Collingwood. 7pm. FREE. DJS TIL CLOSE Morris Jones. Windsor. 8pm. FREE. DO THE JOB! FEAT: MICKEY EDWARDS, AMAR Ferdydurke. Melbourne. 7pm. FREE. DJ A-MAN Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 9pm. FREE. HAUSWERK The Carlton Club. Melbourne. 5pm. FREE. HARRISON BDP Bourke Street Courtyard. Melbourne. 9.30pm. $25. TOKYO LOVE HOTEL SECOND ANNIVERSARY FEAT: AUDIO BITS, KAZUMA ONISHI, FERGUS SWEETLAND, EL GREY, MITTENS, PABLO MANN, ALEX R, MORE New Guernica. Melbourne. 10pm. $15. TEMPERANCE FRIDAYS FEAT: ADAM TRACE, NICK VAN WILDER, DJ T.P.C Temperance Hotel. South Yarra. 8pm. FREE. 303 TURNS 20 PARTY FEAT: SPOONBILL Bar 303. Northcote. 6pm. VOLTAGE FEAT: JESSIE BELTERS, DJ NEE, VOLTAGE TERROR SQUAD Radio Bar. Fitzroy. 5pm. FREE. FORMATION FEAT: DONNY, ONE PUF, BLEND CORP, CONGO TARDIS, DINGO SQUAD Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE.
ROCK, PUNK, METAL COVERED UP MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7.30pm. $10. COUNTDOWN 80'S MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7.30pm. FREE. MICHAEL DUNSTAN, WALKERVILLE, LAURA MACFARLANE Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8.30pm. $23.80. THE VANNS, DEATH BY DENIM, STELLIE Howler. Brunswick. 7.30pm. GONZO + GEE TEE, GLUE EATER, MORE The Curtin. Carlton. 8pm. $10. WILDERGLOW, TIOSAV JOY, MANORISM, Y STREET, Leadbeater Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. $10. THINGS OF STONE & WOOD, REBECCA BARNARD, LEAH SENIOR Corner Hotel. Richmond. 8.30pm. $44.55. BAKERS EDDY Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $14.41. THE SIDEMEN Caravan Music Club.
Bentleigh East. 8pm. $31.50. THE COOL CALM + EL MOTH The B.East. Brunswick East. 9pm. FREE. FRANKIE TEARDROP, MIM JENSEN, IMMY FITZGERALD The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 8pm. FREE. THE TEENAGERS Royal Hotel. Essendon. 8.30pm. FREE. ROCK KO FOL Max Watt's (Melbourne). 8pm. $56.10. VIOLENT FEMMES, BANDIDAS Forum Melbourne. Melbourne. 7.30pm. MORNING MELODIES FEAT: COL PERKINS Ferntree Gully Hotel. Ferntree Gully. 10.30am. $17. BREAK THE HEAT FEAT: BANANAGUN, OGOPOGO, HOT GLUE Cactus Room. Thornbury. 7pm. WILDERGLOW FEAT: Y STREET,, MANORISM, TIOSAV JOY Leadbeater Hotel. Richmond. 6pm. $10. BLOOMING FRIDAY AT THE YARRA FEAT: THE SUNDAY LEAGUE, NO/ TRAUMA, ROLES, IRIS The Yarra Hotel. Abbotsford. 8pm. $10. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. CAPTAIN SPALDING BAND Customs House Hotel. Williamstown. 9.30pm. FREE.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES STEVE COUSINS Yah Yah's. Fitzroy. 8pm. $10. SEAN FELLOWES The Merri Clan. Preston. 7.30pm. FREE. THE FOUR SCOOPS Bar Open. Fitzroy. 6.30pm. FREE. POPPY WS The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 9pm. FREE. GWYN ASHTON & CHRIS FINNEN The Basement Discs. Melbourne. 12.45pm. FREE. CHRISTINA CROFTS BAND Pistol Pete's Food n Blues. 8pm. FREE. RICH WEBB BAND The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 8.30pm. FREE. TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSION The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 6pm. FREE. GEOFF ACHISON & THE SOULDIGGERS, EYES ON THE PRIZE, ROGER MCLACHLAN, RICHARD TANKARD, DEAN MATTERS, BLUES ARCADIA The Fyrefly. St Kilda. 8pm. $25.50. LOT56 Coburg RSL Club. Coburg. 8pm. FREE.
FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. SHAKY STILLS The Merri Creek Tavern. Northcote. 8pm. FREE. SHAUNA TONY & CO. Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 8pm. FREE.
CLASSICAL DUO CHAMBER MELANGE Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 6.30pm. $40.
HIP HOP, R&B, POP AITCH, NERVE Howler. Brunswick. 8pm. LOSUMO Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 6pm. HELLO! FRIDAYS Co. Southbank. 9.30pm. $11.64. RNB FRIDAYS Co. Southbank. 9.30pm. $22.19. POP TILL YOU DROP The Carlton Club. Melbourne. 9pm. FREE. HAPPY FEET Khokolat Bar. Melbourne. 9.30pm. FREE. CHILADELPHIA FRIDAYS New Guernica. Melbourne. 4pm. FREE. CRIOLO The Croxton. Thornbury. 10pm. $63.25.
SATURDAY 21 MAR
ROCK, PUNK, METAL FOREVER 80'S Village Green. Mulgrave. 8pm. $29.60. BON JOVI FOREVER, AUSTRALIAN MOTLEY CREW SHOW MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7.30pm. $20. ROCK-Q MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7.30pm. $25. PRIVATE FUNCTION, SNOTTY & THE SNOT GRUBS, PERSECUTION BLUES Yah Yah's. Fitzroy. 8pm. $15. HOT WATSON, POLITE SKELETONS, JOE DIVISON The Yarra Hotel. Abbotsford. 8pm. FREE. THE JENSENS, THE VELVET CLUB, TELESCREEN The Penny Black. Brunswick. 8pm. FREE. FRANJAPAN, GODOGGO The Curtin. Carlton. 8pm. $12. POISON'D, MORTH, STONE DJOSER
Bananagun
Sheer Mag
Poppy WS
Wilderglow
Break The Heat
ESTONIAN HOUSE
THORNBURY LOCAL
LEADBEATER HOTEL
CACTUS ROOM
DIY punk-rockers from Philadelphia, Sheer Mag, will be hitting the stage of Estonian House as part of the Brunswick Music Festival. Raw and unapologetic, Sheer Mag are a combination of ‘70s classic rock and punk. Prepare for an adrenaline fuelled night of madness at the iconic venue on Thursday March 19. Tickets $48+bf via Oztix. Doors at 7:30pm.
British singer and piano player Poppy WS is heading to Melbourne, with a show locked in at the Thornbury Local. Far from her first rodeo at the northside venue, Poppy will be delivering an array of covers, as well as some original material. The music kicks off at 9pm on Friday March 20.
Melbourne four-piece Wilderglow are throwing a party in The Leadbeater Hotel’s brand spankin’ new bandroom, to celebrate the launch of their single ‘Masquerade’. They’ll be joined by musical guests Y STREET, Manorism and Warrnambool’s Tiosav Joy. Catch the show on Friday March 20 from 8pm. Tickets $10 via leadbeaterhotel.com.au.
Break The Heat is a night of music and fun for all, celebrating the progress we have made in working towards a sustainable future, featuring performances by Bananagun, Ogopogo and Hot Glue. Break The Heat is an all ages event at Cactus Room on Friday March 20. Doors open at 7pm with a donation entry.
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GIGS & EVENTS
Leadbeater Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. $15. THE GLORIOUS Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 5pm. BATPISS, ZOMBEACHES, FUTURE SUCK Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 8pm. $20. THE NICOTEENAGERS Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8pm. FREE. SULDUSK, BURDEN MAN, MYRIAD DRONE, AQUILUS Bendigo Hotel. Collingwood. 8pm. $11.64. HIBISCUS BISCUIT + GREY MANTIS The B.East. Brunswick East. 7pm. TEAM VOM, AM RERUNS, HOTS The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 8pm. FREE. LENNON: THROUGH A GLASS ONION Arts Centre Melbourne. Melbourne. 8pm. $49.00 - 69. WACKEN METAL BATTLE - GRAND FINAL Max Watt's (Melbourne). 6pm. $24.50. THE NAYSAYERS, SHOCK FRIENDLY Post Office Hotel. Coburg. 9pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL SOLEIL FEAT: HALSKI, BILLIE JEAN, HARLY JAMES, DISCOLORO, CARINA LAWRENCE, CLIFTONIA Lucky Coq. Windsor. 3pm. GUPSTAR The Fox Hotel. Collingwood. 7pm. FREE. POOLROOM Yah Yah's. Fitzroy. 2am. $12.37. PAWN SATURDAYS Pawn & Co. Prahran. 8pm. DJS TIL CLOSE Morris Jones. Windsor. 8pm. FREE. DJ MARNI LA ROCCA Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 9pm. LIGHT FEAT: TIGERLILY Co. Southbank. 10pm. $22.19 - 53.84. ELECTRIC DREAMS Co. Southbank. 9pm. $22.19. ALL NIGHT FEAT: CITIZEN.COM, MORE The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 10pm. FREE. EAT THE BEAT, ETWAS, GAV WHITEHOUSE, ANDREA GUADALUPI, MATTEO FREYRIE, MORE New Guernica. Melbourne. 10pm. $15. REMINISCE FEAT: JOHN COURSE, DJ FALCON Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Melbourne. 2pm. $90.60. MANSION - LAUNCH NIGHT Deluxe Bar & Lounge. Moonee Ponds. 9pm.
Hugo Race & Michelangelo Russo SWAMPLANDS A fusion of blues, avant-garde and ambient music, Hugo Race (former member of the Bad Seeds) and Michelangelo Russo promise a visionary show, performing songs off the duo’s acclaimed album, John Lee Hooker’s World Today. at Swamplands Bar on Saturday March 21. Free from 8:30pm.
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#LETSHOUSE SATURDAYS FEAT: ADAM TRACE, MARCUS KNIGHT, GARRY SHEBA Temperance Hotel. South Yarra. 5pm. FREE. SUBLIMINAL SOUNDS FEAT: SAWCE VS SYRINOX, EASY, SUPLANTER, MADMATTER, CYMASCOPIC, GORILLA GROOVE Bar 303. Northcote. 8pm. $10.00 - 15. HOUSE PARTY 2.0 FEAT: BETH GRACE, VARIOUS DJS Bimbo. Fitzroy. 7pm. FREE. TEXTILE FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE. REMINISCE CLASSIC HOUSE 2020 FEAT: JOHN COURSE, DJ FALCON, THE SUPERMEN LOVERS Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Melbourne. 2pm. $69.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES GROOVE 67 Inkerman Hotel. St Kilda East. 8pm. FREE. WILL KIMBROUGH Piping Hot Chicken and Burger Grill. Ocean Grove. 7.30pm. $25. ZOË FOX & THE ROCKET CLOCKS Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8.30pm. $15. DUSTYESKY, THE WIKIMEN TRIO Howler. Brunswick. 7pm. $35. DUSTYESKY, THE WIKIMEN TRIO Howler. Brunswick. 2pm. $35. CHARLIE LANDSBOROUGH Caravan Music Club. Bentleigh East. 8pm. $50.50. DYLAN GUY PINKERTON Charles Weston Hotel. Brunswick. 6.30pm. ALISTER TURRILL The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 10pm. FREE. LES D KING The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 9pm. FREE. KEVIN BUCKINGHAM TRIO Pistol Pete's Food n Blues. 9.30pm. FREE. AN EVENING WITH JUDITH OWEN, PEDRO SEGUNDO The Fyrefly. St Kilda. 7.30pm. $35.70 - 44.90. TRIO GRANDE The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 9pm. FREE. SAY NOTHING The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 3pm. FREE. THE STETSON FAMILY The Lomond Hotel. Brunswick East. 9.30pm. FREE. BLUES ARCADIA, GEORGE KAMIKAWA, JOHN MCNAMARA, CHRISTINA CROFTS BAND The Blues Train. VIC. 6pm. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. PAT MCKERNAN Brothers Public House.
88MPH CLIFTON HILL BREWPUB Hit the gas and head to Clifton Hill Brewpub for a rockin’ show from 88mph. Playing classic rock’n’roll covers from the ‘60s to now, the four-piece are bound to get you headbanging along to your favourite guilty pleasures. Check out their free show on Saturday March 21 from 9pm.
Fitzroy. 9pm. FREE. BROTHERS BLUEGRASS ALL STARS Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 6.30pm. FREE.
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK MELBOURNE TANGO ORCHESTRA, LEVITATION Memo Music Hall. St Kilda. 7.30pm. $32. DUSTYESKY, THE WIKIMEN TRIO Howler. Brunswick. 7pm. $35. DUSTYESKY, THE WIKIMEN TRIO Howler. Brunswick. 2pm. $35. BROOKLYN '86 Bar Open. Fitzroy. 6.30pm. FREE. THE BOÎTE PRESENTS CORDILLERA Mark Street Hall. Fitzroy North. 7.30pm. $25. FLYING HOME The Moldy Fig. 7pm. FREE. ANITA WARDELL Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 9pm. $32.50. CANNONBALL Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 8pm. $32.50. DEAN'S MARTINI Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 6.30pm. $32.50. ELISSA RODGER Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 5.30pm. $30. MARC REBILLET Forum Melbourne. Melbourne. 7.30pm. $59.90. GELAREH POUR’S GARDEN, BRIAN O’DWYER, MIKE GALLICHIO, KELLY DOWALL Kew Court House. 8pm. $26.00 - 32. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
HIP HOP, R&B, POP LIGHT FEAT: TIGERLILY Co. Southbank. 10pm. $22.19 - 53.84. KHOKOLAT SATURDAYS, DURMY, DAMION DE SILVA Khokolat Bar. Melbourne. 9.30pm. TEXTILE FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE.
SUNDAY 22 MAR
Brunswick. Brunswick. 5pm. OPEN MIC & JAM NIGHT, JAM COLLECTIVE MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7pm. FREE. HONEYMOON BRIDGE Post Office Hotel. Coburg. 4.30pm. THREE KINGS Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 5pm. FREE. JOYCE PRESCHER & PATRICK LIONEL Compass Pizza. Brunswick East. 7pm. FREE. EILEN JEWELL & BAND Caravan Music Club. Bentleigh East. 2.30pm. $51. EILEN JEWELL & BAND Caravan Music Club. Bentleigh East. 7.30pm. ROB PATTON Charles Weston Hotel. Brunswick. 4pm. THE HORNETS Bar Open. Fitzroy. 6pm. FREE. SONGSTER SUNDAY VOL. 1 FEAT: DANIKA SMITH, ENDREY, GAIA SCARF, JUMPIN' JACK WILLIAM, JULIA JOHNSON, NEIL WILKINSON, LANEOUS, LARA PROKOP, SEAN SULLY & THE SLEEP-INS The B.East. Brunswick East. 2pm. FREE. VINYL EYES The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 5pm. FREE. SUNDAY SESSION, LUKE JOSEPH, JACK & JORDAN, TOMMY RANDO Temperance Hotel. South Yarra. 2pm. FREE. ROY T PAYNE The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 6.30pm. FREE. ANDY BAYLOR TRIO The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 4pm. FREE. PINKO COLLECTIVE Bar 303. Northcote. 4pm. FREE. BLUES ARCADIA Stiggants Reserve. VIC. 6pm. FREE. SUNDAY SMORGASBORD FEAT: ASHBURY MEDICINE SHOW, SNOW & CO., ACOUSTIC FOXX Whole Lotta Love. Brunswick East. 7pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. COUNTRY AT CUSTOMS FEAT: MICHELLE GARDINER, ANTHONY TAYLOR, DELLA HARRIS, EMILY HATTON, JAKE SINCLAIR, LUKE AUSTEN Customs House Hotel. Williamstown. 2pm. FREE. THE BORNSTEIN ULTIMATUM Pause Bar. Balaclava. 4.30pm. FREE. SUNDAY SINGALONG Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 6.30pm. FREE.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES
ROCK, PUNK, METAL
THE EXCELLENT SMITHERS Union Hotel
THE HERBERTS MusicLand Fawkner
Zoe Fox and The Rocket Clocks
Kilter
NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB Dreamy psych-pop rockers Zoe Fox and The Rocket Clocks make a trip from outer space to celebrate the release of their forthcoming album Clockwerks, at the Northcote Social Club. Zoe and her band have been exploding in the Melbourne music scene and will be playing from 8pm on Saturday March 21. Tickets $15+bf.
THE NIGHT CAT Sydney producer and DJ Kilter has been making some serious waves in the electro music scene. He’s opened for bigwigs like Little Dragon and iconic party duo Hermitude, and you can catch him play a $10 DJ set at The Night Cat on Saturday March 21. Tickets via the venue website. Doors at 10pm.
GIGS & EVENTS
Music Complex. Fawkner. 2.30pm. FREE. OPEN MIC & JAM NIGHT, JAM COLLECTIVE MusicLand Fawkner Music Complex. Fawkner. 7pm. FREE. SPACEY JANE, MERPIRE, THE BUOYS Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 1pm. EAT YOUR HEART OUT, TERRA Leadbeater Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. SPACEY JANE, MERPIRE, THE BUOYS Corner Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. APCO Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 2am. BLIND FREDDIE & THE FERRETS The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 6pm. FREE. LENNON: THROUGH A GLASS ONION Arts Centre Melbourne. Melbourne. 5pm. $49.00 - 69. PINKO COLLECTIVE Bar 303. Northcote. 4pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK CALEB WILSON TRIO Red Betty. Brunswick. 4pm. FREE. SOLO BANTON, HEARTICAL HI POWA, MORE Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 7pm. $23.29. LALIDA Edinburgh Castle Hotel. Brunswick. 4pm. DIG WE MUST Paris Cat Jazz Club. Melbourne. 7pm. $25. SWEET SOUL SESSION 2020 Pistol Pete's Food n Blues. 3pm. FREE. SUNDAY SMALLGOODS W/ THE HANDLE BARS, TOM MOORE, MIDNIGHT TENDERNESS Bodriggy Brewing Company. Abbotsford. 2pm. FREE. SPACE2B LANEWAY FESTIVAL FEAT: AMADOU SUSO, SEIDU MOHAMED, FORRÓ DANCE AUSTRALIA, AMY LYNCH, LOS PARCEROS DUO Space2b Social Design. VIC. 10am. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. THE BORNSTEIN ULTIMATUM Pause Bar. Balaclava. 4.30pm. FREE. MELBOURNE TRAMWAYS BAND Wattle Park. Burwood. 2.30pm. FREE.
HIP HOP, R&B, POP SUNDAY SERVICE FEAT: KK, 10YRWAR, DJ R3DBIRD, MG BLAKK Morris Jones. Windsor. 4pm. FREE. MOTHERSHIP Co. Southbank. 10pm. $15.
CLASSICAL CORPUS MEDICORUM Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 5pm. $50.
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL TOMBOY The Carlton Club. Melbourne. 3pm. FREE. SUNDAY REVIVAL FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Lucky Coq. Windsor. 4pm. FREE.
MONDAY 23 MAR
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES OPEN MIC NITE Inkerman Hotel. St Kilda East. 7.30pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
CLASSICAL MOZART’S THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO FEAT: AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 11am. $49.
ELECTRONIC, EXPERIMENTAL DJS TILL LATE Evelyn Hotel. Brunswick. 8pm. FREE.
ROCK, PUNK, METAL SPACEY JANE, MERPIRE, THE BUOYS Corner Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK EXPOSING EDITH Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne). Melbourne. 1.30pm. $25. EXPOSING EDITH Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne). Melbourne. 11am. $25. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
TUESDAY 24 MAR
CLASSICAL KRISTIAN CHONG & FRIENDS Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 6pm. $40. ELISABETH LEONSKAJA Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7.30pm. $64.00 - 115.
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK JAZZ NIGHT - JOHN BADGERY, MATT O'BRIEN, ROBBIE FINCH Compass Pizza. Brunswick East. 7pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES THE SELTZER SESSIONS - OPEN STAGE, HAMISH MCNAB, MORE The Bergy Seltzer. Brunswick. 8pm. FREE. INTRODUCING NASHVILLE - 2020, CASSADEE POPE, MITCHELL TENPENNY, ABBY ANDERSON, NIKO MOON The Thornbury Theatre. Thornbury. 6.30pm. $55.
For the full gig guide head to beat.com.au/gig-guide
TUESDAY TRIBUTE: TEX MORTON FEAT: WILLIAM ALEXANDER, The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 8pm. FREE. IRISH SESSION, DAN BURKE, MARTY KELLY The Lomond Hotel. Brunswick East. 8pm. FREE. WEBEINDIEPOPPIN' VOL.1 FEAT: THE CLEVER REFERENCES, ASTROHYM, VERY EARLY, CHARLIE LANE Bar 303. Northcote. 7.30pm. $10. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
Touring
ROCK, PUNK, METAL THE GOOCH PALMS WEBEINDIEPOPPIN' VOL.1 FEAT: THE CLEVER REFERENCES, ASTROHYM, VERY EARLY, CHARLIE LANE Bar 303. Northcote. 7.30pm. $10. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
WEDNESDAY 25 MAR
MICHAEL DUNSTAN NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB THURSDAY MARCH 12 LAURA MARLING MEAT MARKET THURSDAY MARCH 12 C.W. STONEKING ESTONIAN HOUSE FRIDAY MARCH 13 MILEY CYRUS LAKESIDE
ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY/ FOLK, BLUES OPEN GRAND PIANO NIGHT Compass Pizza. Brunswick East. 6.30pm. FREE. MAYA ROSE The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 9pm. FREE. SUZETTE HERFT The Drunken Poet. West Melbourne. 8pm. FREE. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am. COQ ROQ: UNPLUGGED Lucky Coq. Windsor. 9pm. FREE. OPEN MIC NIGHT Customs House Hotel. Williamstown. 8.30pm. FREE. THE GRUBBY URCHINS Brothers Public House. Fitzroy. 8pm. FREE.
STADIUM FRIDAY MARCH 13 CHITRA YAH YAH’S FRIDAY MARCH 13 NYXEN THE ESPLANADE HOTEL FRIDAY MARCH 13 KIRA PURU PRAHRAN SQUARE SATURDAY MARCH 14 GENGHAR SATURDAY MARCH 14 NEW ORDER SIDNEY MYER MUSIC BOWL SATURDAY MARCH 14 NGAIIRE THE CORNER HOTEL SATURDAY MARCH 14 U-BAHN COLOUR CLUB SATURDAY MARCH 14 SEEKER LOVER KEEPER ESTONIAN HOUSE SUNDAY MARCH 15 XYLOURIS WHITE ESTONIAN HOUSE TUESDAY MARCH 17
ROCK, PUNK, METAL ROLLING THUNDER VIETNAM Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne). Melbourne. 8pm. $79.00 - 120. FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK FUSE FESTIVAL Various Locations. VIC. 9am.
THURSDAY 26 MAR
THE DARKNESS 170 RUSSELL TUESDAY MARCH 17 EILEN JEWELL THORNBURY THEATRE THURSDAY MARCH 19 SHEER MAG ESTONIAN HOUSE THURSDAY MARCH 19 THE VANNS HOWLER FRIDAY MARCH 20 JASPER JAMES GLAMORAMA FRIDAY MARCH 20 SPACEY JANE NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB SUNDAY MARCH 22 MERPIRE THE CORNER HOTEL SUNDAY MARCH 22 JOSH PYKE THE TOFF IN TOWN THURSDAY MARCH 26 THE LAZY EYES THE RETREAT FRIDAY MARCH 27
JAZZ, GLOBAL, SOUL/ FUNK THREE SPOT FOUR The Moldy Fig. 7pm. FREE. NEON SOUL FEAT: BERNADETTE NOVEMBRE & HER 10 PIECE SOUL BAND FAD Gallery. Melbourne. 9pm. FREE. THURSDAYS W/ AMADOU SUSO & FRIENDS, FINN REES Bodriggy Brewing Company. Abbotsford. 5pm. FREE. JK GROUP, ALLYSHA JOY, WVR BVBY, EMELYNE, KARATE BOOGALOO (DJS) Howler. Brunswick. 7pm. $16.50.
AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS 170 RUSSELL FRIDAY MARCH 27 THE GOOCH PALMS THE CURTIN FRIDAY MARCH 27 TAY OSKEE THE WORKERS CLUB FRIDAY MARCH 27 DULCIE THE WORKERS CLUB SATURDAY MARCH 28 ADALITA NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB SUNDAY MARCH 29 JONES THE HOTEL ESPLANADE THURSDAY APRIL 2 WAVVES THE CORNER HOTEL THURSDAY APRIL 2 BOOTLEG RASCAL HOWLER FRIDAY APRIL 3
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Freedrum
Drop a beat anytime, anywhere, and no one has to hear. Spare a thought for your drummer friends. It ain’t easy lugging gear up and down narrow flights of stairs, and then enduring the constant haranguing of neighbours who don’t understand their art. Cue Freedrum. It’s the lightweight, drum kit that fits comfortably in the back pocket of a drummer’s faded black skinny jeans. If you need a mental image as to how it works, picture that Rowan Atkinson sketch, the one where he sits down at an invisible drum set. He goes on to flail his limbs in the general direction in which each drum should be located and accidentally becomes a drum god in the process. That’s the basic principle behind Freedrum, albeit with high-tech sensors that attach to the musician’s feet and sticks, accurately translating their movements into music via MIDI Bluetooth connection to a phone, tablet or computer. “I had my drum lesson last week,” says Freedrum rep Josh Dickins. “Afterwards I missed my train, so I was waiting at the train station and I pulled out my Freedrum and practiced what I’d just learned.” Freedrum is kind of perfect for situations like this. It makes sense in impromptu jam sessions as well, or even in a recording studio
where a musician can explore a whole range of sounds without setting up and tuning an array of different kits. The idea originally came from a place of need. Swedish musician August Bering had a simple dream: he wanted his son to learn the drums. The sticking point? Thin walls and a tiny apartment didn’t exactly lend themselves to the physical and sonic footprint of an acoustic drum kit. The solution was to merge motion control with digital instrument technology to create something that accurately captures the emotion and feel of playing the drums. In the process, Bering blazed a trail, creating a new pathway into music for those who might not be ready to invest in a full setup just yet. “Everyone who I talk to about drumming says, ‘Oh no, it’s too loud’, or ‘I don’t have the room’,” Dickins says. “It solves a problem. It really opens it up. Everyone’s an air drummer, and this makes air drumming real.” Seasoned skin hitters might be quick to note that there’s one thing that swinging sticks in mid-air can’t accurately capture, and that’s the feeling of a stick bouncing back after striking a drum – the rebound. But Freedrum doesn’t try to replace the need for acoustic kits. Rather, it’s a response to the reality that drum sales have been on a steady decline around the world in recent years and consumers are finding it harder to rationalise their purchase alongside shrinking living spaces and the rise of technology. All that said, sliding on the Freedrum sensors, connecting to a phone, computer, iPad and headphones for the quiet experience
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or an amp if you want to make some noise, and angling the sticks in mid air feels intuitive, and surprisingly similar to the real thing. More than that, from a creative and emotional point of view, it just rocks. “You might be somewhere and you’ve got that idea in your head,” says Dickins. “Because it is ‘play anywhere, anytime’, it allows you to straight away put that idea into sound. You could probably play down the foundation and then finish it off on a real kit.” With the capability to customise the angles, placement and sounds of the kit, and the capability to link up with digital audio workstations via a Bluetooth/MIDI connection, Freedrum becomes all about
For all sales enquires contact:
taking advantage of inspiration when it strikes, wherever it strikes. “It’s already being used by plenty of people on open mic nights, busking sessions, practice or just to jam out,” says Dickins, talking about the possibility of seeing Freedrum on festival stages one day. “As the technology gets better, it could be in the near future you start seeing things like this.” Robert DeLong’s Wii remote-controlled setup from the early 2010s suddenly seems pretty prescient. Check out Freedrum at freedrum.com.au. BY HAYDEN FRITZLAFF
mark@beat.com.au or paul@furstmedia.com.au
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