Beat 1608

December 27, 2017

FREE

Issue N o 1608

Australia's Premiere Gathering of Heavy Music Returns Kardajala Kirridarra/Saskwatch/Contributer's Wrap Up/Royal Blood

MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE PRESENTS

‘Mount Eerie does what great art should – remind us of the value of our world and the people we share it with daily.’ SMH ‘Julie Byrne is something special.’

THE TIMES

A special double-bill of minimalist, melancholic beauty with singer/songwriter Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie) performing his beautiful and devastating new album A Crow Looked At Me and the purveyor of sublime, lyrical dark folk, Julie Byrne.

WED 24 JANUARY 7.30PM TICKETS $59 & $49

‘Absolutely riveting.’

FINANCIAL TIMES (U.K.)

Marking 30 years since they first began playing together, cult phenomenon The Necks return.

Their deceivingly simplistic sound transcends the boundaries of minimalism, jazz, ambient and avant-garde and throws forth new charms on each hearing.

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16/03 - TIMBERWOLF ÍKAROS TOUR

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14/04- DON WALKER

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24/03 - BREABACH SCOTLAND

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7

Contents

Issue N o 1608

Kardajala Kirridarra Page. 18

10

News

14

Arts Guide

16

Unify Gathering

18

Kardajala Kirridarra Royal Blood

20

Saskwatch James Reyne

21

Festival Of King Island 2017 Underrated Albums

22

Sounds of 2018

23

Contributor’s Wrap Up 2017

26

Album of the Year Singles of the Year

Unify Gathering Page. 16

Richie Sambora

27

Honourable Mentions

28

Gig Guide

34

Richie Sambora

Page. 34

Crossword

Editors’ Note

With Love, J & G

With What a turbulent, brilliant, glorious mess of a year. Politically, we’ve seen an absurd comedy play out in front of our eyes. But Gloria Brancatisano in times of turmoil and darkness, creativity has always been a shining light. Undoubtedly, this year was no exception. & James Di Fabrizio We saw the streets of Melbourne doused in rainbow celebration after same-sex marriage finally passed, in what felt like the most electric night of the year. Let that be a lesson to remember: love always wins in the end.

Hardworking local bands broke through to the level of international success they deserve, while living legends came to Australia in the form of Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Nicks. On the other hand, we said goodbye to fellow giants Charles Bradley, Chester Bennington, Chris Cornell, Tom Petty, George Young and Malcolm Young.

Importantly, the entertainment industry is slowly becoming a place where women can find their voices and share their truth. The shockwaves have started spreading right here in Australia, and it’s both encouraging to see the industry coming together and heartbreaking to know so many have suffered in silence for so long. But as we move into 2018, it feels as if a genuine sense of progress is on the rise.

But through it all, you’ve been there with us. This community of musicians, readers, writers, creators and punters. This magazine doesn’t exist without you, after all. So here’s to another year of deadlines, bangers, and community. It’s been a pleasure to make this magazine together each week.

See you out there, James & Gloria

Publisher: Furst Media Pty Ltd. Editor: Gloria Brancatisano Digital Editor/Social Media Manager: James Di Fabrizio Editorial Assistants: Holly Denison, Georgia Lenton-Williams, Dean Morganti, Claire Garrett, Tom Parker, Jacob Colliver, Kate Streader, Anthony Furci Managing Director: Patrick Carr Graphic Designers: Michael Cusack, Lizzie Dynon, Ben Driscoll

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Print Production Manager: Ben Driscoll Advertising: Thom Parry (Hospitality/Bars/Music) thom@beat.com.au Nicholas Simonsen (Backstage/Musical Equipment) mixdown@beat.com.au Georgia Spanos (Campaigns/Special Projects/Music) georgia@furstmedia.com.au Classifieds: classifieds@beat.com.au Gig Guide Submissions: now online at beat.com.au

Accountant: Accountant@furstmedia.com.au Office Manager: Lizzie Dynon Accounts Receivable: Accounts@furstmedia.com.au Distribution: Free every Wednesday to over 2000 points around Melbourne. Wanna get BEAT? Email distribution@beat.com.au Contributing Photographers: Tony Proudfoot, David Harris, Zo Damage, Lee Easton, Lewis Nixon, Shaina Glenny, Michael Woods, Andrew Bibby, Sally Townsend

Senior Photographer: Ian Laidlaw Columnists: Joe Hansen, Peter Hodgson, Michael Cusack, Christie Eliezer, Georgia Spanos, Vanessa Valenzuela, Lachlan Kanoniuk Contributors: Graham Blackley, Gloria Brancatisano, Alexander Crowden, Joe Hansen, Peter Hodgson, Lachlan Kanoniuk, Adam Norris, Dan Watt, Augustus Welby, Alex Watts, David James Young, Bronius Zumeris, Natalie Rogers, James Di Fabrizio, Lee Spencer Michaelsen, Isabelle Oderberg, Holly Pereira, Nathan Quattruci, Ryan

Najelski, Julia Sansone, Claire Morley, Lee Parker, Benjamin Potter, Michael Cusack, Lizzie Dynon, Georgia Spanos, Abbey Lew-Kee, Tom Parker, David Ohaion, Luke Fussell, Dan Wallwork, Jacob Colliver, Jemma King, Jack Stavrakis, Anna Rose, Samuel Gaffney, Kate Streader, Jimmy Hall, Cat Woods, Paul Waxman, Anthony Furci.

www.furstmedia.com.au © 2017 Furst Media Pty Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the consent of the copyright holder.

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9

News

News

Melbourne Museum Launch New Exhibition ‘Inside Out’ Inside Out is now open at the Melbourne Museum, decorating the iconic memory vault with unexpected sights and sounds immersing punters within the display. Recognised as a love song to the Museum’s collection of more than 17 million items, Inside Out takes visitors on a surreal journey through everything from a High Street shop window display to a camping ground transported back in time to 1874. Inside Out is open now at Melbourne Museum until Sunday February 11.

GWAR

The xx

Heavy metal titans announce Australian run

Announce new Melbourne show, donating all

Earth’s favourite interplanetary warriors, GWAR, are returning Down Under to conquer and destroy. Having not toured the country since 2014, where they made a controversial statement by beheading an effigy of Tony Abbott on stage at Soundwave, GWAR are teeming to unleash greater destruction on Australia.

The apocalyptic outfit, made-up of a pack of gory Trojans in the flesh, are still riding high off their 14th album, The Blood of Gods, which has received acclaim worldwide since its release in October. GWAR tear into 170 Russell on Friday April 27, tickets via www.davidroywilliams.com.

Association of Artist Managers and AIR

With just a few weeks to go until The xx return to Australia, the lauded British act have locked in a special encore show in Melbourne – all for a great cause. With their first show selling out in a flash, The xx have announced a second show with all proceeds split between local charities Heaps Decent and Minus 18 – supporting both the creative and queer communities respectively. The xx play Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday January 13 (sold out) and Sunday January 14 at the Forum (new show). Tickets via Frontier Touring.

Straightline and Blind Man GL Death Stare

Reveal inaugural recipients for Fast Track

Join forces for Australian tour

Fellowship program The Association of Artist Managers (AMM) and the Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) have just announced the first-ever recipients of their Fast Track Fellowship program. Chapter Music’s Guy Blackman and Hear Hear Music’s Charlotte Abroms have been recognised by AMM for their work with their respective labels, while Pieater and Wantok Musik were acknowledged by AIR and are set to take part in a two-month program between January and May 2018. As part of the Fellowship, Blackman is set to spend time with Forth William Management/ Secretly Canadian in Los Angeles while Abroms will work with Everybody’s Management in London.

Balta

proceeds to charity

German thrash lords Straightline are touring Australia for the very first time alongside Melbourne punks Blind Man Death Stare. The band recently released their acclaimed full length Vanishing Values, full of razor tight playing, melodic hooks, and a positive social message. Having toured Europe, Japan and Latin America extensively, Straightline has also played massive festivals such as Groezrock, Punk Rock Holiday and Mighty Sounds. Joining them will be Blind Man Death Stare, who have been on an unstoppable rampage since the release of their debut full length It’ll Grow On Ya. They’ll hit The Old Bar on Saturday March 17. Tickets via the venue website.

White Rabbit Saloon Returns with Epic Lineup for Falls Festival Making its debut appearance at Falls Festival Lorne, Jack Daniel’s favourite Lynchburg watering hole White Rabbit Saloon has uncovered a list of burgeoning DJs set to decorate the bar. The White Rabbit Saloon stands twostoreys high and offers a unique space away from the main stage where punters can relax and unwind. The likes of Balta, Brad Mayes, Callum Robertson, House Cat and Dirge, Max Martini, Togar, and Will Ryan will be spinning tunes within the whisky-coated walls. Falls Festival comes to Lorne from December 28 – December 31.

10

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11

News Amaya Laucirica

FROM 8PM

F R I DAY 2 9 / 1 2

The likes of Melbourne folk-pop singer-songwriter Amaya Laucirica, effervescent producer Waterfall Person, pop-punkers Pleather Purrs and more are set to take over The Tote in supporting RISE: Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees. The not-for-profit organisation has recently launched a Sanction Australia campaign, calling for immediate pressure to be placed on Australia from major international human rights bodies in light of the recent mandatory detention and refugee push back policies. Other acts announced include trixie darko, A+ (featuring members of School Damage, B.C. and The Ancients), YUMGOD and more. It all goes down on Friday December 29 at The Tote, tickets via the venue website.

FREE

TENNYSON KING

DIRT HAND + LEAGUE OF BONES FROM 8PM

S AT U R DAY 3 0 / 1 2

MANIAXE

Asylum Seeker Fundraiser Set To Takes Over The Tote

$5

COUNTERATTACK + HAND OF FEAR FROM 8PM

T H U R S DAY 4 / 1

FREE

THE MARQUIS + MOUNT DEFIANCE

Carl Cox

MARINA MITCHELL + LUKEWARM ICED TEA

FROM 8.30

F R I DAY 5 / 1

$7

DARK TEMPLE

DROVA + UNHOLY TRIP FROM 8.30

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$5

NTH RD

CARE FACTOR + TAPER VALLEY FROM 7PM

W E D N E S DAY 10 / 1

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BLUES JAM WITH JULIAN JAMES

FROM 7.30

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FREE

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F R I DAY 1 2 / 1

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RAWHEAD + CLOGGED

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PURE

Shawn Wayans

One of Australia’s most popular techno extravaganzas, PURE, has just uncovered the electronic legends taking the stage for its third incarnation. Presented and curated by Carl Cox, Bush Records’ Eric Powell and Richie McNeill of Hardware, PURE will welcome the likes of Paco Osuna, Nastia and Fabio Neural to perform on top of the lauded organisers themselves, Cox and Powell. After a hugely successful debut event in April 2016 where the festival propelled Melbourne and Sydney dancefloors to another dimension, PURE goes down at Festival Hall on Saturday April 21, ticks via the festival website.

The star of White Chicks and the Scary Movie franchise, Shawn Wayans has announced his first Australian tour since 2013. Last here as a dynamic tandem with brother Marlon, the funnyman will now arrive alone behind a fresh battery of hilarious content.

Wayans ignited his career in 1989, making his acting debut in I’m Gonna Get You Sucka and has been rising ever since. Wayans will perform at Palais Theatre on Friday May 11, tickets via Frontier Comedy.

Drops huge 2018 lineup

US comedy kingpin reveals Australian tour

Ramy Youssef

J.R. Reyne & The Paradise Three Announce Melbourne show

October saw J.R. Reyne & The Paradise Three return from an eight-year hiatus to release single, ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’, which has proved to be one of the outfit’s best works to date. Now, the band announces their second show back from the wilderness, with the original lineup of Reyne (vocals, guitar), Luke Cartwright (guitar), Ryan Ferguson (drums) and Conor Gallacher (bass) in tow. It’s been an adventurous journey for the four-piece who released their debut mini-album, Fallen Flower, in 2007 to critical acclaim before the band parted ways as Reyne dived deeper into his solo career. J.R. Reyne & The Paradise Three come to Prince Public Bar with two sets on Saturday January 13, free entry.

BillyDavis & The Good Lords

Star-Spangled Stand-Up

Returns with huge lineup of comedy legends The hilarious Star-Spangled Stand-Up is set to make its return to Melbourne in May 2018 behind a slew of unrivalled comedians.

Los Angeles comic Brent Morin is the mastermind behind Netflix stand-up special I’m Brent Morin and has appeared CONAN, Comedy Central, Chelsea Lately and a bevy of other comedy shows. Morin will be joined by Josh Johnson, whose most recently been featured on Kevin Hart’s Hart of the City and was once a writer and performer on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. Capping off the lineup is the New Jersey-born Ramy Youssef who’s the man behind the sketch group, Inside Joke Films. Star-Spangled Stand-Up returns to The Comic’s Lounge on Friday May 25 and Saturday May 26. Tickets via Frontier Comedy.

Museum After-Dark Party Nocturnal Reveal Next Installment Returning darker and more spookier than ever on Friday January 5, Nocturnal has unfurled a huge list of music legends to kick off the new year.

As landmark exhibition Inside Out crosses paths with the after-hours party for the first time, neo soul collective Billy Davis & The Good Lords will be decorating the expanse with their vibrant sound. LOSSLESS, a fusion of HTML Flowers and Oscar Key Sung, will also perform with their kaleidoscopic lo-fi hip hop in tow. It’s all happening at Melbourne Museum on Friday January 5, grab your tickets via the venue website.

12

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13

The Best Shows of 2017

Arts Guide

Got some arts news we should know about?

Email Gloria Brancatisano gloria@beat.com.au.

With James Di Fabrizio

2017 has seen a veritable slew of top-tier shows take to the stage. After all, it’s no secret that some of the world’s best theatre, dance, comedy and circus happen right here in Melbourne. From re-appearing themes of dystopian futures, to light-weight and visually stunning productions that made us laugh so hard we collectively forgot about the clusterfuck that is modern politics – our city was spoiled for choice this year.

Backbone

To have backbone implies having steel in your bits metaphorically, and this young South Australian-based circus ensemble, Gravity and Other Myths, has it in spades. This show didn’t just push the boundary of what’s physically possible, it smashes it. Even for punters who see a shedload of circus, Backbone was awesome in the truest sense of the word.

The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets The worlds of William S. Burroughs and recovered boozehound Tom Waits collide in this stunningly twisted fairytale. The score is Waits to the core: it’s darkly humorous and Kätchen’s dad, played by Richard Piper, mimics the deep whiskey rumble of Waits’s voice to a tee. An undoubted highlight for 2017.

1984

The timing for 1984’s return to the stage couldn’t be more perfect, but the fact that it was executed with fearless commitment to Orwell’s dystopia while offering something new is a resolute testament to its success. A gripping, visceral - and at times confronting - exploration of power gone mad, arriving in Melbourne at a time where art such as this is more important than ever.

Macbeth

MTC’s gripping production of Macbeth was transfixing for a multitude reasons. Whether it be the sublime quality of the set and costumes, the gritty dystopian outlook, or the top-tier performances throughout, Macbeth proved that the Melbourne Theatre Company can tackle Shakespeare on a world-class level.

Becky Lucas

Becky Lucas’ Little Bitch was like being privy to her intimate private diary; full of screwed up encounters and thoughts laid bare on stage told in an unapologetic Australian accent. Nothing was off limits and audiences basked in the glory of uncomfortable squirms. Becky’s natural but slightly awkward stage presence proved a highlight of this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Show of the Year: The Book of Mormon Following sell-out success and almost universal acclaim with runs on Broadway and London’s West End – one of the most successful new musicals of the 21st century finally made its way to Melbourne in its Australian premiere. Expectations were high, but the resounding success of The Book of Mormon spoke volumes.

As the prologue began, it was immediately clear that The Book of Mormon was coming straight out of the gate as a well-oiled machine. The pace was set fast from the get-go, letting the audience know they were in for a no-holds-barred onslaught of wicked humour, scathing musical satire, and just enough sentimentality to tug on the heartstrings.

The aptly titled Hello introduced the Mormons – characterised as squeaky clean, buttoned-up beacons of relentless optimism. As for the vocal performances on display?

Nothing but world-class.

Lyrically, the envelope of good taste is pushed a little further out as each number goes by. But let’s be frank – 2017 has been a tasteless year. By the time you get to songs detailing

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frog-fucking, you barely flinch. Yes, this is a play filled with crass jokes and enough swears to make a pirate blush – but it’s also explicitly clever in the way it is delivered and written.

One of the greatest things about The Book of Mormon is the way it simultaneously approaches musical theatre with a deep love and respect for its traditions and tropes, while also ripping up the rulebook entirely. The result is something so idiosyncratic that it could bring even the most devout hater of the genre into a born-again fan.

There’s a reason why this musical has taken over the world.

It’s unlike anything else in its field and is significantly better off because of it. From the moment a standing ovation and deafening applause closed out The Book of Mormon’s Australian premiere, the deal was done – Melbourne was utterly converted, and has been with every performance since.

This week at the

SUMMER BRIGHT SESSIONS THURSDAY DECEMBER 28

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TAGO MAGO THURS 4TH JAN - 8PM

ARNAB SENGUPTA with James McHugh

FRI 5TH JAN - 8.30PM

BRITTLE SUN

with Winter Sun and Julith Ryan

SAT 6TH JAN - 2PM

GRINDCORE FESTIVAL

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BRENT PARLANE BAND TAGO MAGO OPEN MIC

THURS 11TH JAN - 7PM

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Cover Story

Welcome to Unify Gathering

Returning to the picturesque surrounds of South Gippsland for another sellout instalment, Unify Gathering will once again bring together the best in heavy music from Australia and around the globe. Before you make the trek to Tarwin Lower, here’s everything you need to know about next year’s event – from who you’ll be hearing to what you’ll be eating, we’ve got you covered. See you in the pit.

Stay Hydrated

Between the fire lineup and the Australian sun, the weekend can get pretty hot – so staying hydrated is a must. Next year, Unify want to minimise their impact on the environment, and one way they’re doing this is by offering alternatives to buying single-use water bottles. Consider bringing your own water bottle, there are a stack of free water-fill stations located throughout the campsite and main arena. They’ll also be teaming up with WeRefill – they’ll have stations in the arena that give you access to unlimited chilled, filtered, or sparkling water – all you need is a bottle and a fiver, and you’re good to go all weekend long.

Architects

Eat up

Is there anything more important at a camping festival than a great selection of food? We think not, which is why we’re pretty impressed by Unify’s offerings. The local Footy Club and Community Mens Club will be serving up the goods once again. You can also sink your teeth into pizzas courtesy of Happy Camper, bagels by Round The Way, authentic Texan BBQ from Smokehouse 720, and toasties by Toasta. That’s only the beginning, and with a heap of vegan and vegetarian options available you’re sure to be well-fed.

Tonight Alive

Leave No Trace

International Heavyhitters

Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!

Why spend time setting up a tent, when Unify can sort out a little weekend home for you? KarTent are here to save the day with their biodegradeable and recyclable cardboard twoperson tents. Not only does it save you time but it’s also great for the environment. Continuing their mission to leave no trace behind after this year’s festival, they’re also encouraging everyone to recycle – make sure you collect your clack rubbish bag, as well as your clear bag for recycling your cans and bottles.

Basically, be responsible, take everything with you, clean up your campsite, and help each other care for the site.

Not to be outdone, the overseas Unify contingent is pure class.

In one of only two Australian sets, UK legends Architects are sure to tear things up – make sure you know the words to ‘Doomsday’, its Australian debut is going to be huge. Knocked Loose are set to deliver their signature brand of face-melting hardcore, as will the OC’s own Stick To Your Guns and pop punk upstarts Knuckle Puck will share tracks from their latest album Shapeshifter.

The heavy music scene in Australia has never been stronger, and Unify has managed to capture the breadth of it in one neat package. Tonight Alive will be taking to the stage on the day they release their new album Underworld so you know it’s going to be a celebration (they’ll also be taking over the secret Bush Bar earlier in the day – ssshh don’t tell anyone). After returning with their first new music since 2009, Behind Crimson Eyes will be along for the ride, so will Canberra lads Hands Like Houses who’ll be following up a huge 2017 that included two completely sold-out national tours.

Polaris

The Next Generation

While you won’t be seeing too many fresh faces around the campground, the Unify stage will be chock full of them – bringing together the bands you should definitely be keeping an eye on. If you aren’t already acquainted with Polaris’ incredible debut The Mortal Coil then what are you waiting for? No strangers to the Unify stage (you might’ve caught them this year), they’re sure to carve it up. They’ll be joined by Perth five-piece Cursed Earth, the dreamy sounds of Young Lions, hardcore heavyhitters Outright, the eccentric Introvert, and Melbourne locals Belle Haven, whose second album You, Me and Everything In Between is a 2017 standout. If you don’t know this lot now, you will soon.

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Parkway Drive

A Dose of Nostalgia

We all love a good throwback, and this year’s lineup features a trio worth feeling old for. It’s been 15 years since The Amity Affliction started out playing basements in Gympie, Queensland and to celebrate they’ll be reaching deep into their back catalogue –vocalist Joel Birch has already confirmed ‘Severance’ is on the list. Byron Bay juggernauts Parkway Drive will be blowing out the candles on ten-years since the release of a little album called Horizons – how old do you feel now? And speaking of anniversaries, did you know it’s also been ten years since we first heard Four Year Strong’s Rise or Die Trying? You’ll hear that one in full too.

Girls Rock

The Lighthouse

Whether you’re looking for a place to chill, get peer support, or access to resources from a range of service providers, The Lighthouse hubs will be there to support you 24/7 throughout your festival experience. The Lighthouse is Unify’s new social services and welfare initiative, bringing together Your Choice, Headspace, Dancewize, Girls Rock Melbourne and the introduction of the UNITY Crew.

Unify Gathering will take place in Tarwin Meadows from Friday January 12 until Sunday January 14.

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17

Interviews

Kardajala Kirridara “I feel like music is a really powerful tool to make change. To empower people and share stories.” Beatrice Lewis speaks with wisdom and conviction. Her passion is infectious, and her story riveting.

She’s one of the four brilliant women who make up Kardjala Kirridarra (Sandhill Women) – a group who weave language, culture and history together in their music. They’ve touched the souls of many, and have taken their respective communities and wider Australia by storm.

A friend in Alice Springs piqued Lewis’ interest in support work among Indigenous communities. It was a fateful visit to the Bush Bands Bash some eight years ago that got the ball rolling. “It was the most amazing musical experience of my life. The music, people, all the old grandmas at the front shaking it.

I was like, “Wow, what is this place? This is amazing.’

“After that, I really wanted to come up and meet some people, and share skills. I feel very much the humble student in the desert.”

Lewis has since spent much of her career in the desert, using “music and the arts as a tool for community development and self-empowerment.”

In her time, she’s worked on MusicNT’s acclaimed programmes Sister Sounds and Desert Divas, but it was working on the Barkly Region Council’s Desert Cultures Project that laid the foundations for Kardajala. “Myself and some of the other facilitators were working with some older and young ladies talking story and making music.

“Then they said, ‘You should come to Marlinja and meet this woman called Eleanor Dixon. She has a really amazing voice, and I think you two would really get along.’ I was about to take a little break from going to the desert, because I have my own solo project that

“It’s really important for Mudburra to be heard, and it’s really important for these women’s stories to be heard.” was going really well but as soon as I met Ellie I had to work with her.”

Meeting Eleanor was a very special experience for Lewis. “We started writing music together, I was very touched by her and felt very connected to her. The way that she translates ‘normala’ – the spirit of the country – through her music and her words, is really unique and special. I feel really lucky to work with her.”

From there, they reached out to Eleanor’s auntie Janey and began to collaborate with Kayla Jackson – a rapper in neighbouring community Kulumindini (Elliot). Kardjala Kirridarra was officially established.

Lewis lives in Melbourne, but spends a few months of her year in the Northern Territory. It’s a long commute: flying into Alice Springs, then driving eight or nine hours north to Kulumindini and Marlinja. By all means though, it’s worth it, with Lewis experiencing the natural beauty of the community all year round.

“I get to go up throughout all the different phases of the year – in the wet season, and the dry season, and the hot season. It’s cool to be out in country through all those different cycles because they’re so song-like.”

In addition to the thematic influences, these seasons literally shaped the sound of their self-titled record. “In the hot season, we’d have to record really

quickly, because we’d have to turn the air conditioning off while we recorded. You’d have to quickly get a take, and then turn the air conditioning back on before you melted.

“I don’t know how it’d feel if we weren’t recording or writing in Marlinja. It feels like the country is so into music, it feels odd to think about writing it anywhere else.”

The beauty of Kardjala is their ability to break down barriers, imparting the beauty and wonders of Indigenous culture to audiences far and wide. This is a sentiment which Beatrice holds dearly.

“It’s really important for Mudburra to be heard, and it’s really important for these women’s stories to be heard.

“The response has been very humbling and also really exciting. It makes me really believe in the goodness of Australia. And despite what’s happening in the political system and in this part of the world, in the hearts of a lot of Australians, there’s so much openness and will to learn and connect with culture. If that can happen through music, that’s awesome.”

Kardajala Kirridara will perform at Northcote Social Club on Friday January 19, alongside their appearance at Sugar Mountain, taking over Melbourne Arts Precinct on Saturday January 20. Their self-titled album is out now.

By Rochelle Flack

Royal Blood At the time of our interview, Royal Blood’s Ben Thatcher has just finished travelling over 40 hours to Australia. Despite this, he sounds genuinely overjoyed to be talking on the other end of the phone line.

It’s clear the gruelling travel has only made Thatcher and his band mate Mike Kerr more eager to play to their Australian fans.

It’s been an exceptional year for the band, particularly on Australian soil – garnering widespread acclaim for their triumphant set at Splendour in the Grass as well as locking in some of their biggest shows to date across the country throughout 2018. It’s no secret Royal Blood love Australia, having toured here five times in just as many years. Starting out in 300 capacity venues to arenas that hold close to 10,000 is an astonishing feat, and one that is not lost on Thatcher.

“It’s great to have that much support from Australia,” says Thatcher. “It’s so incredible, which is why we’ve decided to do some more dates next year.

We can’t wait to come back and play those bigger venues. We’ll be bringing back a bigger show so we can all really party.”

It’s been a wild ride for the Brighton duo off the back of two brilliant albums; their victorious self-titled debut and this year’s follow up How Did We Get So Dark? which reached Number 4 on the ARIA charts. It’s meant that Thatcher and Kerr are always on the road and racking up frequent flyers points – not that they’re complaining, mind you.

“We’ll fly in on a Saturday afternoon, play the show and then we’re off again the same day. It’s go-go-go for us.”

Despite not having much of a break between 18

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“We can’t wait to come back and play those bigger venues.

We’ll be bringing back a bigger show so we can all really party.” tours, Royal Blood are still rearing to go. “I haven’t slept in my own bed since April and it doesn’t look like I’ll be going to sleep in my own bed until late December now,” says Thatcher. “While you miss your friends and your family, you get to play music to people all around the world and release the work you’ve created. The reward from doing that is more than I could have ever expected.”

It’s the kind of reception bands decades into their career dream of. But Thatcher remains humble, even maintaining some disbelief over the band’s growing success. “It’s honestly all a dream come true. We never thought we’d get to where we are now,” he says.

With just two members in the band it would be easy to assume that the duo get bored of each other quickly. But as Thatcher reveals it’s quite the opposite, especially on stage. “We like to do something different at every show and we like to surprise each other and take the songs somewhere new. Because there’s only two of us you only have to follow one other person. If one of us goes on a tangent it becomes like a game of cat and mouse.

The other one just has to follow and try and catch up. You know when you’re kids and you make up

your own language with someone? It’s probably gone further than that at this stage. We actually don’t need to talk to each other anymore.”

Thatcher is quick to admit that life outside of Royal Blood doesn’t really exist. “We have our times off when we tour but it’s always in some strange country when you don’t know where the cool places are to go. It’s a strange adventure but it’s something we wouldn’t change for the world.”

“You do miss your home comforts, but when you get them they’re so much more of a treat,” says Thatcher. “I had beans on toast this morning and when I saw that on the room service menu and I was like, ‘I have to have that right now.’ Both Mike and I crave things like that. Dairylea Dunkers is another thing from home that I find myself missing while on the road.”

And where does Thatcher see Royal Blood going from here? “The one thing we’d love to do is a Bond theme. I think once we’ve done that the band will finish. How can you top that? We’d like to play in space too.”

By Holly Periera

Royal Blood will take over Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday May 9. How Did We Get So Dark? Is out now via Warner Music.

Thurs 28th December

OPEN AT 4PM

LIVE MUSIC THIS WEEK:

8pm:

A LWAY S F R E E E N T RY SATURDAY 6TH JANUARY 8PM

The Darling Downs SUNDAY 7TH JANUARY 5PM

The Terry McCarthy Special

Fri 29th December

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Traditional Irish Music Session 8.30pm:

Wilson & White

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Marty Kelly Cold Heart

NYE at The Poet

Jules Boult Homesick Ray & The Mild Bunch 4pm:

Wednesday 3rd January

WINE, WHISKEY & WOMEN

8pm:

Mimi Gilbert & Rachel Caddy Thursday 4th January 6pm: Open Mic Night Friday 5th January

COMING SOON

KIM SALMON AL CARR & THE STRONG ARM

Tennyson King

6pm:

Traditional Irish Music Session

Miss Whiskey Ciaran Boyle Ramshackle Army

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19

Interviews

Saskwatch There’s nothing as quintessentially summer as a sunny Sunday arvo on the lawn, good food in hand and some soulful Saskwatch to fill your ears. And that’s exactly what’s set to happen at the 2018 return of the Sunset Sounds series – a City of Stonnington initiative that sees some of the best in Australian music and food truck talent coming together for a free community event.

“I think Sunset Sounds is a really great way to celebrate summer and it’s just a really great way to spend a Sunday afternoon,” says Saskwatch’s Nkechi Anele.

“Instead of being indoors and getting ready for the week ahead, it’s nice for people to celebrate the good weather, lovely vibes, food and music instead of worrying about going to work the next day.”

Sunset Sounds is a series of feel-good live concerts spanning three Sunday evenings in January, at three different parks and gardens in the City of Stonnington. You’ll be able to snag some of the best in Melbourne food truck culture including Dos Diablos, Pizza Wagon and Popstic Ice Cream at the events, while getting your ears around a diverse range of Australian music at the same time. Saskwatch are set to take the stage at Victoria Gardens in Prahran, with a hand from Alexander Biggs and a MzRizk DJ set as support. It’s an opportunity that Anele says the band is all about.

“I love performing in venues but I think it’s really nice when you get to be outdoors and in the elements. I love when summer is back and when everyone is in a great mood, being able to play as part of someone’s relaxing weekend is always a really

“I love performing in venues but I think it’s really nice when you get to be outdoors and in the elements.” good thing,” she says.

“There’s also the difference between playing in a bar where everyone’s really wasted versus having the opportunity to play outside to a broader audience, because that often means you get to play to younger people as well as older people.”

This much anticipated Sunset Sounds gig comes after a jam-packed 2017 for the group, who released their fourth record, Manual Override in June. Anele explains that the reaction to this album has been a particular pleasure to receive, because the band took on the production side of things themselves for the first time. Saskwatch’s first three records have featured production work from the likes of Brisbane producer Magoo and Scott McMicken of Philadelphian indie-rock outfit, Dr. Dog. It’s been a joy for Saskwatch to work with such people over the years, but by the time it got around to recording Manual Override, the band were keen to take on the creative and technical challenge themselves.

“I think coming back to Australia after that experience [in the U.S with Dr. Dog] was when Liam and Rob in particular started discussing doing the producing themselves because we realised that we were actually a lot more capable than we thought, and those two in particular really know where

they want to take the sounds of the band. They approached us before recording to say, ‘Hey would you guys be ok if we produced this album?’ and we were all totally fine with that.” Anele says.

It’s a slightly new direction for the wellestablished Melbourne act, but no matter what, Saskwatch continue to prove that they have no trouble drawing in an audience. A household name across local venues and national lineups, they’re a true live band that’s known for their enigmatic live presence.

Anele explains that like every gig the band plays, Sunset Sounds will see them totally focused on bringing a sensational auditory and visual experience to punters.

She laughs that although band mate Rob might not climb on the stage scaffolding for a show like he used to in their earlier days, the whole band truly value the opportunity to put on a stimulating show.

“Ultimately we are a live band and we’re always going to put on a show,” she says. “We’re very focused on giving a great live performance and making sure that everyone feels very much in the moment with us.”

Saskwatch will play Sunset Sounds on Sunday January 7 at Victoria Gardens, Prahran.

They’ll be joined by Alexander Biggs and MzRizk. Manual Override is out now via Grow Yourself Up.

By Abbey Lew-Kee

J.R Reyne & The Paradise Three “I have always felt really comfortable playing in St Kilda because it was the birth place of some of Australia’s most enduring bands.”

When J.R Reyne & The Paradise Three take to the stage next month, it’ll be only their second show after reforming from an eight-year hiatus. The original lineup is back on board, and their latest single ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’ is arguably their best work to date.

The show is particularly special to the band because it was at small local venues like Prince’s dishevelled Public Bar that vocalist JR Reyne cut his teeth as a 19-year-old that just loved singing and playing guitar.

“The first show that I booked myself was at The Perseverance Hotel in Fitzroy and that was booked through Rusty Brown of Electric Mary. I started doing solo shows there, and from there it turned into a long-term residency. Around the same time I started playing regularly on Thursdays at The Vineyard in St. Kilda,” Reyne says. “I have always felt really comfortable playing in St Kilda because it was the birthplace of some of Australia’s most enduring bands.”

For Reyne, getting to stand onstage and play music in these neighbourhood venues as a 19-yearold was a dream come true. “I started mucking around with a cheap classical guitar when I was six or seven years old. I didn’t get an electric guitar until I was probably about nine years old.

“I was always obsessed with music from the first song I can remember. From Fine Young Cannibals playing on the radio [circa 1988] to getting a bit older and getting into Faith No More.” It’s clear

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Reyne has always been a passionate musician. “I was always obsessed with it, you don’t have a choice.”

Another artistic passion of Reyne’s is acting.

While he was beginning to cut his teeth on the live stage, he also secured himself a spot on Australian soapie Neighbours. While a major coup for a young, aspiring actor wanting to earn a living from his craft, this along with his famous last name threw Reyne into the celebrity spotlight. His small screen career continued, when in late 2016 he secured a role in Australian drama The Secret Daughter alongside Jessica Mauboy.

This ‘celebrity status’ means that everything that happens in your life becomes hot property, so in April 2016 when Reyne and fiancé Louise van der Vors welcomed a son into their lives, it made the front-page of Daily Mail Australia’s website. With van der Vors an in-demand Australian model, and Reyne a former Neighbours actor, it’s understandable why this news was deemed ‘worthy’, but it was their description of Reyne “currently trying his luck as a musician” that raises an eyebrow.

Reyne’s voice drips with maturity and perspective as he brushes of what can be taken at best as lazy journalism or, at worst, a poorly concealed slight, “Honestly, and I am not just saying this, it doesn’t frustrate me. I feel as though you have to take it in your stride and not really focus on it because at the end of the day I do what I do because I love it.”

By Dan Watt

J.R. Reyne & The Paradise Three will play Prince Public Bar on Saturday January 13.

Their single ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’ is out now.

Interviews

Festival Of King Island

“The site where we have our festival overlooks the harbour and the sun sets down behind it. It’s probably one of the best festival sites you could ever see.”

For Festival of King Island’s Troy Smith, it’s been a busy time of year. There’s a pleasant easterly breeze to enjoy as he works on the running sheet for the upcoming event, which will see hundreds flock to the tranquil Tasmanian island for three blissful days of reggae, soul and roots.

“Our festival’s been quite a little journey,” Smith says.

“It’s something that came out of nowhere almost six years ago and we’ve managed to turn it into quite a neat little event that really adds to King Island.”

The story of FOKI is a tale as incredible as the festival’s surroundings. After King Island’s beef abattoir shut down, the community of less than 1,800 sadly saw the loss of approximately 100 jobs.

As luck would have it, a resident of King Island was attending one of folk musician Kim Churchill’s shows and spoke to him about the island’s troubles.

Concerned, Churchill reached out to now-FOKI President Kim George and asked if there was anything he could do to help.

“From that, we put together a concert,” Smith says. “We didn’t know what we were doing. We’d never done one before. We got a shipping container, and threw it on the ground, grabbed my amplifiers and guitars and a bit of stuff – a drum kit from the school – and borrowed all this gear and organised for him to come over. We ran the initial event – there was no entry fee or anything – it was a pickme-up for the island community. It all started with Kim Churchill.”

From those humble beginnings evolved an integral cultural cornerstone for the residents of King Island. Expanding from a committee of just

three people for the first three years into a plethora of hard-working enthusiasts, last year’s FOKI saw guests including Dave Faulkner & Brad Shepherd of the Hoodoo Gurus – with this year’s lineup boasting Bobby Alu, King Social, The Wanderers and Chile’s The Silent Garden, to name a few. One important factor has always remained, however – every FOKI reflects the casual, fun-loving vibe of the island itself.

“People will come over for the experience of going surfing,” Smith says. “Or indulging in the cheese, and going on lighthouse tours, and going beach combing. Then the festival itself is so easygoing – there are no queues, there’s no waiting in line. We’ve got the waterslide that goes 100 metres down through the coast’s hills, you can walk out the front of the festival and jump in the harbour, and have a swim, or jump off the jetty.

“The whole way it runs is magical. Even the site where we have our festival overlooks the harbour and the sun sets down behind it. It’s probably one of the best festival sites you could ever see. I’ve been to a fair few, but it’s just so natural and so beautiful.”

A dairy farmer by day, Smith has been heavily involved in the community. Throughout his life, he’s been president of a football club, been involved in

amateur theatre and plays music himself as Rusty Falcon. After badly breaking his leg last year, Smith had six months off work and found himself diving head-first into his passion – coming back with a five-song EP. All that hard work pays off in unforgettable memories. From “an almost-out-of-body experience” listening to Shaun Kirk as the sun set, to the time he did guitar tech for Faulkner & Shepherd, Smith has seen the creative impact FOKI has had upon the community – and can’t wait to see what this year has in store.

“We’ve got a lot of support from the locals and also a lot of the independent musicians that come here,” Smith says. “They come here for nothing, so I always like to give our punters and the bands that come and play for us a big shout-out. They’re all fantastic. It’s been a wonderful experience.”

Festival of King Island takes place from Friday January 26 until Sunday January 28, featuring King Social, Bobby Alu, Wanderers, and more.

By Jacob Colliver

Underrated Albums of 2017 As we reach the end of the year, music fans have found themselves looking back over the literal hundreds of albums that have been a part of the conversation throughout 2017. Of course, for every DAMN. or Melodrama, there’s a dozen albums that slipped under the radar.

Which, then, were the albums that deserved attention but received the least?

Here’s a look at the most underrated records to be released this year.

I’m Only Dreaming

Come Undone

Fake Sugar

Invitation

PLZ ALTER THE ANIMAL THAT’S INSIDE OF ME

Time Well

Coping Mechanisms

Mellow Waves

Standing on the Edge of the World

Beth Ditto The former Gossip frontwoman had been uncharacteristically quiet since the demise of her previous band. That changed in 2017 with the release of the fearless, sassy and soulful Fake Sugar – although you wouldn’t have read about it, alas.

If you ever carried the ‘Heavy Cross,’ this is a must-listen.

Cloakroom 2017 was a big year for shoegaze, with returns from Ride and Slowdive as well as the rise of bands like Deafcult. Perhaps its shining moment, however, came in the form of this sleeper Cloakroom LP. Simultaneously a lush, engrossing listen while remaining seismic and devastatingly heavy.

Cornelius You’d think there would have been more fanfare surrounding the return of celebrated Japanese electronic composer Cornelius after 11 years without a new album. Alas, Mellow Waves arrived on shore only to gently retread back into the ocean. The completely gorgeous album was a must-hear for any adventurous listener.

Eisley The family band were darlings of MySpace-era thirdwave emo, but fell off the radar in recent years due to personnel changes and years without material. I’m Only Dreaming is as twinkly and serene as any of their 2000s classics. If the name is familiar, you’re invited to this return.

Filthy Friends A dream team-up of R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck and SleaterKinney’s own Corin Tucker should have been on high rotation for way more ‘90s aficionados and indie kids this year. A brisk, electric rock record.

Foam They’ve cut their teeth on tours with bands like DZ Deathrays and Tired Lion, but Perth’s FOAM are sadly yet to find their own audience outside of their home state. Their debut is wellworth a revisit.

Death Bells In a bumper year for Australian post-punk, Sydney’s Death Bells made their half-hour of power count. Their debut album is robust, sharp, dancey and best experienced loud. A life lesson for us all: If you’re not Standing on the Edge, then you’re taking up too much space.

Lincoln le Fevre and the Insiders A former Hobart resident, Lincoln Le Fevre made the move to the mainland of Melbourne after putting out his brilliant 2012 LP, Resonation. His third album deals with everything that came with this move, the ageing process and his own unique perspective on things between people. A remarkable, beautiful unravelling.

NAIF Naif Martin may have been the most prolific person in Australian DIY this year. NAIF released three solo LPs, an EP fronting hardcore band Passing and an album with jangle-pop merchants Sports Bra. This, the first of three NAIF albums, started it all in spectacular fashion with its electronic melancholy.

Ratboys

GN Not to be confused with English punk Rat Boy, this Chicago duo make understated, lo-fi indie rock. They might not make a whole lot of noise on GN, but they still undoubtedly deserve to be heard. For anyone who’s found themselves invested in the outer reaches of the emo revival.

By David James Young

BEAT.COM.AU

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Special Feature

Sounds of 2018

By Gloria Brancatisano

Nostalgia’s really nice, and these pages are chock full of it, but while we’re all busy looking back on a great year of music we should probably take a little time to look to the future.

Stella Donnelly

Gold Fields

You probably already know Stella Donnelly from acts like Bells Rapids and BOAT SHOW, but it’s her solo work – stripped-back acoustic guitar, angelic voice, and storytelling that drips of years far greater than her own – that has caught the country’s attention. Her honest, sometimes heartbreaking lyrics and stand-up routine worthy banter are as endearing as they are memorable.

From her all-killer, no-filler debut EP Thrush Metal to her two much talked about sets at Bigsound, Donelly’s is a voice you’ll be hearing on the Australian scene for years to come.

Where to start: The upfront and devastatingly beautiful ‘Boys Will Be Boys’.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard new music from Ballarat’s Gold Fields – but 2018 is set to finally deliver the follow-up to their 2013 debut Black Sun. They recorded their debut three times before they were happy with the final result, so we were never expecting a speedy return, but boyoh-boy have they kept us waiting. Following a one-off set at Vivid Sydney 2017 and a cheeky music snippet in a Converse ad, we can all breathe a sigh of relief – Gold Fields are back. As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder so here’s hoping for more indie-electronic bangers real soon. You can bet once this new record drops, you’ll be hearing it all over the place.

Where to start: Their hook-filled earworm ‘Happy Boy’.

Didirri

Sigrid

Didirri has been mesmerising people all year with his thoughtful songwriting, onstage charisma, and nostalgic charm. His songs carry a raw, emotional energy rarely seen in a songwriter of his age, his lyrics don’t shy away from the truth, and onstage he breaks down walls between the audience with the greatest ease. With his recently inked record deal through Unified – which will see the release of new music in the first half of 2018 – we expect you’ll be hearing a lot more Didirri real soon.

Where to start: The reflective, heartfelt ‘Jude’.

Norway’s Sigrid only started music four years ago, but she’s proved to be a fast learner, churning out a series of Scandipop bangers that have the world paying attention. The next generation of pop superstars are starting to shine, and she’s right at the front of the pack. Her debut single ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ kicked off 2017 with a bang and paved the way for her charmingly, hookfilled debut EP. Still, we’ve only had a small taste of Sigrid, and 2018 is shaping up to be her year.

Where to start: Empowering pop banger ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’.

Hockey Dad

Thunder Jackson

Zach Stephenson and Billy Fleming have been carving up the NSW coast for years, but it was their 2016 debut Boronia that pushed them out to national audiences. Through tireless hard work and the genuine connection between the duo, they’ve earned a legion of loyal fans across the country. But it’s the growth on their forthcoming album Blend Inn that’s sure to take them to the next level. While they continue to capture the energetic vibe and sunny sounds of the east coast, it’s the tales of growing up – stories of anxiety, homesickness, and struggling to fit in – that’ll make you return again and again.

Where to start: The social anxiety-anthem ‘Join The Club’.

If you don’t know Thunder Jackson yet, you’re forgiven – the mysterious duo only released their debut single in November, but the buzz it generated has set them up for a big 12 months. ‘Guilty Party’ is an outright smooth, party jam – from the funk-inflected guitars to the hookworthy lyrics, this tune is sure to have you dancing in no time. While there isn’t much to know about Thunder Jackson besides their Oklahoma and Cariff origins and their chance meeting in a Los Angeles cab, one thing we’re certain of is this pair know how to create an instant pop banger. “What exactly is a Thunder Jackson?” – well maybe 2018 will tell us.

Where to start: Try not to dancealong to ‘Guilty Party’.

Rex Orange County

Yungblud

It’s been a pretty crazy 12 months for Rex Orange County, AKA 19-year-old Alex O’Connor.

As well as two guest spots on Tyler the Creator’s Flower Boy (on ‘Foreword’ and ‘Boredom’), and playing live with Frank Ocean and Skepta, he also self-released his debut album Apricot Princess.

Ten loved-up tracks full of soaring hooks, gorgeous vocals, and jazzy piano, it’s pretty damn obvious why O’Connor is receiving early nods from all your favourite artists.

Where to start: The sickly-sweet and utterly intoxicating ‘Loving Is Easy’.

Yungblud’s blend of punk hip hop is the future – there’s no doubt about it. He’s a little bit early Arctic Monkeys and a little bit Jamie T, with a healthy dose of hip hop spirit thrown in for good measure. He’s only got a handful of songs under his belt but the English youngster is making waves right around the world – including right here in Australia. If this little taste has already got us swooning over Yungblud, you can bet we’ll all be head over heels real soon. You’d best get him on your radar immediately.

Where to start: The angry-yet-charming ‘Tinpan Boy’.

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2017 Beat Staff Wrap Up 2017 was a bit of a shit-fest hey? But thankfully, we were still gifted some truly timeless music. So without further ado, here’s our traditional end-of-year list of lists of our favourites things. The variety of top albums amongst our staff is a testament to the artists killing it. Cheers to you artists/bands that got us through this bin-fire of a year.

Name: Gloria Brancatisano Editor Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Lovely Little Lonely The Maine 2. Harry Styles Harry Styles 3. Go Farther In Lightness Gang of Youths 4. After Laughter Paramore 5. Lucid Again Clowns 6. The Rhapsody Tapes Ocean Grove 7. You Me And Everything In Between Belle Haven 8. How Will You Know If You Never Try? Coin 9. A Suitable Girl Ali Barter 10. Reservoir Gordi Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Guilty Party’ Thunder Jackson 2. ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ Sigrid 3. ‘Doomsday’ Architects 4. ‘Talk In Your Sleep’ Moose Blood 5. ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ Stella Donnelly Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Unify Gathering Tarwin Meadows 2. Bigsound Fortitude Valley 3. Architects Arrow On Swanston 4. Catfish and the Bottlemen Festival Hall 5. You Me At Six The Forum Top movie/TV show: Suits Favourite meme of 2017: Distracted Boyfriend.

Highlight of 2017: All of the women sharing their truths, and all of the people standing beside them.

Lowlight of 2017: Realising how many vile, trash human beings get to enjoy all the success.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: I don’t need a wild prediction, the industry is changing and it’s a bloody beautiful thing to be a part of.

Name: James Di Fabrizio, Editor Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Pure Comedy, Father John Misty 2. Lonely Planet, Tornado Wallace 3. Drum, Gold Class 4. A Quality of Mercy, RVG 5. A Deeper Understanding, The War on Drugs 6. Prisoner, Ryan Adams 7. Jen Cloher, Jen Cloher 8. DAMN., Kendrick Lamar 9. Harmony of Difference EP, Kamasi Washington 10. Drunk, Thundercat Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Regional Echo’ Jen Cloher 2. ‘Over Everything’ Courtney Barnett / Kurt Vile 3. ‘Dial Before You Dig’ Private Function 4. ‘One More Love Song’ Mac DeMarco 5. ‘Passionfruit’ Drake Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Paul McCartney AAMI Park 2. Noname Meredith 3. Bruce Springsteen AAMI Park 4. Neil Finn Golden Plains 5. Ali Barter The Corner Hotel Top movie/TV show: 2017 AFL Grand Final Favourite meme of 2017: Myself.

Highlight of 2017: ‘Everybody Wants to Rule The World’ playing as the sun sets over Inspiration Point, surrounded by those who make life worth living.

Lowlight of 2017: Rest in power, Charles Bradley.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: I release a book of poetry, in which clickbait headlines are repurposed into haikus. Zero copies are sold.

Name: Georgia Spanos, Beat Eats Columnist Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Forced Witness Alex Cameron 2. Dedicated to Bobby Jameson Ariel Pink 3. Cigarettes After Sex Cigarettes After Sex 4. Drum Gold Class

4. The Weather Pond 5. The Senegambian Jazz Band The Senegambian Jazz Band 6. Every Eye Ivan Ave 7. A Deeper UnderstandingThe War On Drugs 8. Satan’s Graffiti or God’s Art? Black Lips 9. Harmony of Difference Kamasi Washington 10. The OOZ King Krule Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Yes Lawd’ Nx Worries & Anderson Knxledge Paak 2. ‘Come My Way’ Sudan Archives 3. ‘A Quality of Mercy’ RVG 4. ‘The One To Wait’ CCFX 5. ‘Total Control (Live on KEXP)’ Angel Olsen 6. ‘Susan’ Jack Ladder Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Neil Finn Golden Plains Music Festival 2. Ariel Pink Melbourne Recital Centre 3. Stevie Nicks and The Pretenders A Day On The Green 4. Roy Ayers Croxton Bandroom 5. Total Control Meredith Music Festival Top movie/TV show: Person to Person Favourite meme of 2017: I’m over memes.

Highlight of 2017: When the sun was setting at Golden Plains and Neil Finn cradled us into an abyss of nostalgic emotional contentment.

Lowlight of 2017: When I heard Kylie Minogue was going to play at Meredith and she didn’t.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: Black Lips will announce a tour.

Name: Lachlan Kanoniuk, Singles Reviewer Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Party Aldous Harding 2. A Quality Of Mercy RVG 3. Dark Matter Randy Newman 4. Remember Terry Terry 5. Intimacy & Isolation Darcy Baylis 6. Black Origami Jlin 7. Jen Cloher Jen Cloher 8. Chrome Halo HTMLflowers 9. BASIC Divide And Dissolve 10. Masseduction St Vincent Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Bruce Springsteen Hanging Rock 2. Aldous Harding Meredith 3. Tyrannamen The Gasometer 4. RVG Meredith 5. The Killers feat. Jack Riewoldt MCG Top TV show: Twin Peaks Top film: Get Out Top lyric: “Am I not pretty enough? / Who gives a fuck” – Kasey Chambers, ‘Talkin’ Baby Blues’ Top novel: The Town Shaun Prescott Top comedy performance: Nanette Hannah Gadsby Highlight of 2017: Premiership hangover.

Lowlight of 2017: Premiership hangover.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: Premiership kickons.

Name: Abbey Lew-Kee Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Go Farther In Lightness Gang Of Youths 2. Half Mile Harvest The Teskey Brothers 3. All I Think About Is Everything Eaglemont 4. American Teen Khalid 5. BATS Cub Sport 6. Tell Me You Love Me Demi Lovato 7. Permanent Vacation Lime Cordiale 8. Snow Angus & Julia Stone 9. Sponge Cake Winston Surfshirt 10. Presence Petit Biscuit Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Fault Line’ Jack River 2. ‘Go Bang’ PNAU 3. ‘Astronaut (Something About Your Love)’ Mansionair 4. ‘I Haven’t Been Taking Care of Myself’ Alex Lahey 5. ‘Texas’ Eaglemont Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2017

2. Kingswood Forum 3. Amy Shark Corner Hotel 4. Sampa The Great St. Paul’s Cathedral for MMW 5. Beyond The Valley Yet to happen but I know it will be fab Top movie/TV show: Alias Grace Favourite meme of 2017: The Babadook as a queer icon.

Highlight of 2017: Travelling South America.

Lowlight of 2017: Coming home from South America.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: I’ll have enough money to get to somewhere else on my travel bucket list (I’m looking at u Canada).

Name: Alex Watts Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. DAMN. Kendrick Lamar 2. A Quality of Mercy RVG 3. Birds and the BEE9 Sampa The Great 4. Laila’s Wisdom Rapsody 5. Pure Comedy Father John Misty 6. MASSEDUCTION St Vincent 7. As You Were Liam Gallagher 8. Party Aldous Harding 9. Melodrama Lorde 10. 4:44 Jay Z Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Chameleon Paint’ Tropical Fuck Storm 2. ‘Humble’ Kendrick Lamar 3. ‘Stay’ Saatsuma 4. ‘Not About You’ Haiku Hands 5. ‘Call the Police’ LCD Soundsystem Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Sidney Myer Music Bowl 2. Neil Finn Golden Plains 3. RVG Meredith Music Festival 4. Paul McCartney AAMI Park 5. LCD Soundsystem Marriage Equality Arena Top movie/TV show: Twin Peaks: The Return Favourite meme of 2017: My life Highlight of 2017: An increased amount of public discussions about countering sexism and abuse in the music industry.

Lowlight of 2017: The rise in popularity of hate and selfishness.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: 2017 but with the track listing reversed.

Name: Nicholas Simonsen, Mixdown Editor Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Material Control Glassjaw 2. Clairvoyant The Contortionist 3. few He Is Legend 4. Ritual Envy On The Coast 5. The Amulet Circa Survive 6. Add Violence Nine Inch Nails 7. The Dusk In Us Converge 8. No Future Private Lives 9. Interiors Quicksand 10. From The Unforgiving Arms of God End Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Less Than’ Nine Inch Nails 2. ‘Return To Earth’ The Contortionist 3. ‘Sift’ Envy On The Coast 4. ‘Doomsday’ Architects 5. ‘Dumb’ Lower Than Atlantis Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Underoath 170 Russell 2. Snarky Puppy Melbourne Recital Centre 3. Dream Theater Hordern Pavilion 4. Every Time I Die/letlive Arrow on Swanston 5. Queens of the Stone Age Festival Hall Top movie/TV show: Star Wars: The Last Jedi Favourite meme of 2017: Jealous boyfriend.

Highlight of 2017: Glassjaw releasing their first full-length in 15 years.

Lowlight of 2017: Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington taking their own lives.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: Underoath release a new album.

Name: Anthony Furci Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. The Weather POND 2. Flying Microtonal Banana King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard 3. Saturation II BROCKHAMPTON 4. Greatest Hits Remo Drive 5. Murder of the Universe King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard 6. Ecca Vandal Ecca Vandal 7. High Visceral Pt. 2 Psychedelic Porn Crumpets

8. Lucid Again Clowns 9. After Laughter Paramore 10. La Saboteuse Yazz Ahmed Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘SWEET’ BROCKHAMPTON 2. ‘Run’ Foo Fighters 3. ‘Lemon’ N.E.R.D & Rihanna 4. ‘Ubu’ Methyl Ethel 5. ‘June’ Tigers Jaw Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Gizzfest Melbourne Showgrounds 2. Modern Baseball 170 Russell 3. Panic! at the Disco Festival Hall 4. POND Corner Hotel 5. Death Grips Prince Bandroom Top movie/TV show: Baby Driver / Stranger Things S2.

Favourite meme of 2017: Jimmy Barnes yelling in a cloud.

Highlight of 2017: Jimmy Barnes yelling in a cloud.

Lowlight of 2017: Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington’s deaths. RIP. A Wild Prediction for 2018: Carlton will make the top four. (I’m not optimistic enough to say we’ll win the premiership, but we’ll see).

Name: Augustus Welby Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Jen Cloher Jen Cloher 2. AZD Actress 3. Forced Witness Alex Cameron 4. Lotta Sea Lice Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile 5. Guilt Pop/Stay Posi Ferla 6. New Energy Four Tet 7. Rest Charlotte Gainsbourg 8. Love What Survives Mount Kimbie 9. Capacity Big Thief 10. What the Fuck Was I Thinking EP Jade Imagine Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Two Thousand and Seventeen’ Four Tet 2. ‘Over Everything’ Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile 3. ‘Czech One’ King Krule 4. ‘Yere faga’ Oumou Sangare 5. ‘Wild Fire’ Laura Marling Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Jen Cloher The Lexington London 2. Alex Cameron Scala London 3. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds O2 Arena London 4. Spoon/New Pornographers Metropolis Montreal 5. Heidi Regan Blue Man Brighton Top movie/TV show: Paterson Highlight of 2017: Words from Zadie Smith, Murakami, Bruce Springsteen Lowlight of 2017: We do get fooled again A Wild Prediction for 2018: A wholly dismantled patriarchy.

Name: Jessica Over, Mixdown Online Editor Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. DAMN. Kendrick Lamar 2. American Teen Khalid 3. A Deeper Understanding The War On Drugs 4. Everything Is Forgotten

Methyl Ethel 5. Something To Tell You HAIM 6. Crack-Up Fleet Foxes 7. Blossom Milky Chance 8. American Dream LCD Soundsystem 9. Sleep Well Beast The National 10. Go Farther In Lightness Gang of Youths Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘DNA’ Kendrick Lamar 2. ‘Young, Dumb & Broke’ Khalid 3. ‘Perfect’ Ed Sheeran 4. ‘Green Light Lorde 5. ‘call the police’ LCD Soundsystem Top Five Gigs of the Year: Paul McCartney AAMI Park Paul McCartney AAMI Park Paul McCartney AAMI Park Paul McCartney AAMI Park Paul McCartney AAMI Park Top movie/TV show: Baby Driver / Stranger Things 2 Favourite meme of 2017: Don’t have one.

Highlight of 2017: Getting published in print, and joining the Furst Media team.

Lowlight of 2017: Rain delays in the Ashes.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: Socceroos to become the greatest underdogs of all time and win the World Cup.

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2017 Beat Staff Wrap Up Name: Michael Cusack, Electronic Columnist

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Lonely Planet Tornado Wallace 2. New Energy Four Tet 3. Glue Bicep 4. Migration Bonobo 5. Third Law Rat & Co 6. Sensorimotor Lusine 7. Expectations Harvey Sutherland 8. Parallels Nosaj Thing 9. Elwan Tinariwen 10. Fresh Air Homeshake

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Alchemy’ Willaris. K 2. ‘Acidic’ Imbi The Girl 3. ‘Be Friends’ Alice Ivy 4. ‘Something For Your M.I.N.D’ Superorganism 5. ‘Better Sit Down Boy’ Confidence Man Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Golden Plains, The ‘Sup 2. LCD Soundsystem Margaret Court Arena 3. Bonobo The Forum 3. Elton John A Day On The Green 5. Miss Garrison Primavera Sound Top movie/TV show: The Other Guy Favourite meme of 2017: No meme is good for more than a few seconds.

Highlight of 2017: Coco and I chucked a secret marry on Santorini Island, that was pretty good.

Lowlight of 2017: The ‘No’ campaign.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: James and I finally get round to starting a band.

Name: Kate Streader

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. This Old Dog Mac DeMarco 2. Unpeeled Cage The Elephant 3. Pure Comedy Father John Misty 4. Capacity Big Thief Wizard 5. Sleep Well Beast The National 6. The Ooz King Krule 7. Carry Fire Robert Plant 8. Sketches of Brunswick East King Gizzard and the Lizard & Mild High Club 9. The Weather Pond 10. Lotta Sea Lice Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Chameleon Paint’ Tropical Fuck Storm 2. ‘Get Back Home’ The Stained Daisies 3. ‘Carin at the Liquor Store’ The National 4. ‘My Old Man’ Mac DeMarco 5. ‘Mary’ Big Thief

Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Big Thief Howler 2. Tropical Fuck Stom The Gaso 3. Jim White The Substation 4. Kate Miller Heidke NGV 5. Grinspoon Margaret Court Arena Top movie/TV show: Broad City S4 Favourite meme of 2017: Any of the memes involving that photo of Meryl Streep enthusiastically yelling at Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Highlight of 2017: Moving to Melbourne, joining the Beat team, Australia (finally) passing the same sex marriage bill – 2017 has been pretty great.

Lowlight of 2017: Adapting to my first Melbourne winter, which involved me getting so sick I fractured my rib by coughing so hard.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: Donald Trump is elected President of America. Oh wait, that actually happened…

Name: Jacob Colliver Top Ten Albums Of The Year: 1. Akira Black Cab 2. Flying Microtonal Banana King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard 3. Vacancy Broads 4. Drunk Thundercat 5. A Shadow In Time William Basinski 6. The Dank Dr. Colossus 7. Hi-Vis High Tea Frenzal Rhomb 8. More Scared of You than You Are of Me The Smith Street Band 9. A Crow Looked At Me Mount Eerie 10. Don’t Get Lost The Brian Jonestown Massacre Top Five Singles Of The Year: 1. ‘Rain in Soho’ The Mountain Goats 2. ‘$avages’ That Handsome Devil 3. ‘B.H.S.’ Sleaford Mods 4. ‘Brown Horror Show (ft Danny)’ DJ Shadow

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5. ‘Party Dates’ The Resignators Top Five Gigs Of The Year: 1. Legend Of Zelda: Symphony Of The Goddesses Hamer Hall 2. Paul McCartney AAMI Park 3. Devin Townsend Project 170 Russell 4. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Night Cat 5. Black Cab Howler Top TV Show: For a brilliant year of thoughtful, emotionally complex TV, I choose Robot Wars.

Favourite Meme of 2017: The constant cycle of ever-mutating, hyper-specific references on Twitter that have left my brain an eroding cesspit.

Highlight of 2017: Experiencing a breathtaking time in Japan with my partner, Gabrielle.

Lowlight of 2017: Stubborn, continuous sociopolitical neglect. People are suffering and we’re focusing on toxic hypotheticals about bigoted bakers. C’mon, just... get it together.

A Wild Prediction For 2017: Disney buys Snapchat for four Bitcoins.

Name Meg Crawford

Top Ten Albums of the Year 1. Jen Cloher Jen Cloher 2.Guiding Light Ron S Peno and the Superstitions 3. An Actor Repairs Tim Rogers 4. The Bomb The Acid 5. Sleep Well Beast The National 6. Everything Is Forgotten Methyl Ethyl 7. What The Fuck Was I Thinking Jade Imagine 8. Soul of a Woman Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings 9. God’s Problem Child Willie Nelson 10. Low in High School Morrissey (Although he needs to STFU) Top Five Singles of the Year 1. ‘Gambling’ Mia Dyson 2. ‘Outta the Woodwork’ Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile 3. ‘Spider Baby’ Kid Congo Powers and the Pink Monkey Birds 4. ‘Apple in the Razor Blade’ Kid Congo Powers and the Pink Monkey Birds 5. ‘Better in the Shed’ Cosmic Psychos Top Five Gigs of the Year 1. Cosmic Psychos Corner Hotel 2. Patti Smith Hamer Hall (a spiritual experience more than a gig) 3. Nick Cave Ballarat 4. Madness Festering Hall 5. Graveyard Train The Curtin (I’m that confident it’ll be a corker) Top movie/TV show Twin Peaks The Return Favourite meme of 2017 What? No. Highlight of 2017 The “Yes” vote getting up.

Lowlight of 2017 The homophobic bullshit accompanying the marriage equality poll.

A Wild Prediction for 2018 There’s gonna be a season four of Twin Peaks, which will make sense of this year’s bat-shit craziness.

Name: Alexander Crowden

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Go Farther in Lightness Gang of Youths 2. Melodrama Lorde 3. Wonderful Wonderful The Killers 4. BATS Cub Sport 5. Forgetting The Future British India 6. Night Thinker EP Amy Shark 7. ÷ Ed Sheeran 8. Youth Is Only Ever Fun In Retrospect Sundara Karma 9. Everything Now Arcade Fire 10. Truth Is A Beautiful Thing London Grammar

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Green Light’ Lorde 2. ‘Slide (ft Frank Ocean & Migos)’ Calvin Harris 3. ‘Passionfruit’ Drake 4. ‘Shred For Summer’ DZ Deathrays 5. ‘Blood’ City Calm Down Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Paul McCartney AAMI Park 2. Jimmy Eat World Aus Open 3. Peking Duk 170 Russell 4. Adele Etihad Stadium 5. Sundara Karma The Plug (Sheffield) Top movie/TV show: Get Out Favourite meme of 2017: Distracted boyfriend.

Highlight of 2017: Seeing the Northern Lights in person.

Lowlight of 2017: Richmond winning the flag.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: A campaign gains traction for ‘Horses’ to be the national anthem.

Name: Cassie Stevens

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Gutful Bad//Dreems 2. More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me The Smith Street Band 3. Go Farther In Lightness Gang of Youths 4. Six Smokin’ Songs Private Function 5. A Deeper Understanding The War On Drugs 6. Melodrama Lorde 7. Tremolow The Creases 8. The Water San Cisco 9. Everything Now Arcade Fire 10. A Quality of Mercy RVG

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Just Kids’ Big Creature 2. ‘So Vain’ Verge Collection 3. ‘Case’ Bleeding Knees Club 4. ‘Exactly How You Are’ Ball Park Music 5. ‘Bubblegum’ Confidence Man Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Painters and Dockers The Grand Mornington 2. Thando The Evelyn 3. Orb The Old Bar 4. Cosmic Psychos The Corner 5. Tyrannamen The Gasometer Top movie/TV show: Get Out Favourite meme of 2017: He Protec He Attac.

Highlight of 2017: Toto’s ‘Africa’ popularity in clubs.

Lowlight of 2017: Linkin Park’s ‘One More Light’.

A Wild Prediction for 2017: King Gizzard won’t release another album for the whole year.

Name: David James Young Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. american dream LCD Soundsystem 2. Song from Northam Avenue Toby Martin 3. Reservoir Gordi 4. After Laughter Paramore 5. Guppy Charly Bliss 6. The Barn IDYLLS 7. After a Time Holly Throsby 8. Drum Gold Class 9. Sword Songs Two Steps on the Water 10. DAMN. Kendrick Lamar Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Passionfruit’ Drake 2. ‘Westermarck’ Charly Bliss 3. ‘How Long Until You’re Next to Me?’ Jacob 4. ‘Heaven I Know’ Gordi 5. ‘HUMBLE.’ Kendrick Lamar Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Patti Smith Festival Hall 2. Paul McCartney Qudos Bank Arena 3. Chance the Rapper Big Top 4. Explosions in the Sky Sydney Opera House 5. Midnight Oil The Domain Top movie/TV show: Thor: Ragnarok on the big screen, Big Mouth on the little screen Favourite meme of 2017: Jimmy Barnes screaming.

Highlight of 2017: Having an endless stream of legends visiting and performing in Australia.

Lowlight of 2017: Being let down by public figures you once admired.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: Braun Strowman will be WWE Champion – and The Rock will be President.

Name: Chris Bright

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Everything Now Arcade Fire 2. RTJ3 Run The Jewels 3. Flying Microtonal Banana King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard 4.Everything Is Forgotten Methyl Ethel 5.Yesterday’s Gone Loyle Carner 6. DAMN. Kendrick Lamar 7. As You Were Liam Gallagher 8. For Crying Out Loud Kasabian 9. You Only Live 2wice Freddie Gibbs 10. 4:44 Jay Z Top Five Singles of the Year: 1.‘Ubu’ Methyl Ethel 2.‘Legend Has It’ Run The Jewels 3. ‘Watch Me Read You’ Odette 4. ‘Humble’ Kendrick Lamar 5. ‘Sally (ft Mataya)’ Thundamentals

Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Paul McCartney AAMI Park 2. Jerry Seinfeld Margaret Court Arena 3. LCD Soundsystem Margaret Court Arena

4. The Vasco Era The Corner Hotel 5. The Preatures/Polish Club The Forum Top movie/TV show: Dunkirk Favourite meme of 2017: Distracted Boyfriend Highlight of 2017: Buying a house.

Lowlight of 2017: 30 years of debt.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: Netflix gets hacked everyone’s guilty pleasures are exposed to the world.

Name: Claire Morley Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Go Farther in Lightness Gang of Youths 2. Melodrama Lorde 3. Sleep Well Beast The National 4.DAMN. Kendrick Lamar 5. No Shape Perfume Genius 6. I See You The xx 7.Reputation Taylor Swift 8.Pure Comedy Father John Misty 9.More Scared of You Than You Are of Me The Smith Street Band 10. Don’t Mess with the Doyenne Freya Josephine Hollick Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘The Deepest Sighs The Frankest Shadows’ Gang of Youths 2. ‘Bad Liar’ Selena Gomez 3. ‘Don’t Take the Money’ Bleachers 4. ‘Feel It Still’ Portugal. The Man 5. ‘Green Light’ Lorde Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Childish Gambino Falls Festival 2. Jerry Seinfeld Rod Laver Arena 3. Gang of Youths Festival Hall 4. James Mercer Acoustic Showcase Triple R Performance Space 5. Freya Josephine Hollick Suttons House of Music for Victorian Music Crawl Top movie/TV show: Bojack Horseman S4 Favourite meme of 2017: ‘Roll Safe’ (AKA “You can’t x if you don’t y”).

Highlight of 2017: The empowerment of women worldwide to speak out about their experiences of systemic abuse and harassment from men.

Lowlight of 2017: Stranger Things 2 Chapter 7: The Lost Sister.

A Wild Prediction for 2017: Channel Ten steals Karl Stefanovic from Channel 9 to be the next Bachelor.

Name: Dan Watt

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Half Mile Harvest The Teskey Brothers 2. Science Fiction The Belligerents 3. The French Press The Rolling Blackouts 4. Sincerely Dude York 5. Inter Alia At The Drive In 6. Damn Kendrick Lamar 7. Luv Is Rage 2 Lil Uzi Vert 8. V The Horrors 9. Lies Scalphunter 10. Paintstripper Cosmic Kahuna Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Love Is’ Dude York 2. DAYLIGHT…between ‘Love Is’ and any other song released in 2017 3. ‘Pain & Misery’ The Teskey Brothers 4. ‘Humble’ Kendrick Lamar 5. ‘Long Live The Chief’ Jidenna Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. The Teskey Brothers Northcote Hotel 2. The Peep Tempel Community Cup 3. Death Grips The Prince 4. Bad//Dreems The Corner Hotel 5. Confidence Man LEVIS Party at The Night Cat Top movie/TV show: Westworld Favourite meme of 2017: Don Burke – did not see that one coming.

Highlight of 2017: ‘Love Is’ is Dude York reinvigorated in both passion and faith Lowlight of 2017: There are way too many idiots getting way too much air time A Wild Prediction for 2018: Melbourne will be ravaged by a gang of over educated politically correct teenagers.

Name: Will Brewster

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. 4:44 Jay Z 2. CTRL SZA 3. Big Fish Theory Vince Staples 4. DAMN. Kendrick Lamar 5. Process Sampha

2017 Beat Staff Wrap Up 6. The Ooz King Krule 7. Everything Is Forgotten Methyl Ethel 8. Harmony of Difference Kamasi Washington 9. Paint Holy Holy 10. I See You The xx

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Mask Off’ Future 2. ‘DNA’ Kendrick Lamar 3. Lemon ft Rihanna’ N.E.R.D 4. ‘Big For Your Boots’ Stormzy 5. ‘Enough ft Pusha T’ Flume Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Tame Impala Laneway 2. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Night Cat 3. George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic Palais Theatre 4. Hans Zimmer Revealed Rod Laver Arena 5. Chance The Rapper Festival Hall Top movie/TV show: Get Out Favourite meme of 2017: ‘The ting goes skrahhh’.

Highlight of 2017: Young Thug being announced to perform at Laneway.

Lowlight of 2017: Young Thug having to cancel his performance at Laneway.

A Wild Prediction for 2017: A Kanye West x Dunlop Volley sneaker collaboration.

Name: Lee Spencer-Michaelsen Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Dedicated to Bobby Jameson Ariel Pink 2. Occult Architecture 1 & 2 Moon Duo 3. The Nashville Sound Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit 4. Ty Segall Ty Segall 5. Alice Meatbodies 6. Dichotomy Saturated CFM 7. Fresh Air HOMESHAKE 8. Poor David’s Almanack David Rawlings 9. Experimental Music Chain and the Gang 10. A Place For Nothing And Everything In Its Place Tracy Bryant Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Take Care (To Comb Your Hair)’ Ty Segall 2. ‘Mirror’s Edge’ Moon Duo 3. ‘Creature Feature’ Meatbodies 4. ‘If We Were Vampires’ Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit 5. ‘The Pure and the Damned (ft Iggy Pop)’ Oneohtrix Point Never Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds North Gardens Ballarat 2. Allah Las The Curtin 3. Ariel Pink The Recital Centre 4. Midnight Oil Hanging Rock 5. Royal Headache The Corner Top movie/TV show Good Time/ Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 9 Favourite meme of 2017 What’s a meme?

Highlight of 2017 Ariel Pink telling Melbourne we’re too straight.

Lowlight of 2017 Gigs at Margaret Court Arena.

A Wild Prediction for 2017 Putin will win Eurovision singing the US national anthem.

Name: Tom Parker

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Forced Witness Alex Cameron 2. A Deeper Understanding The War On Drugs 3. This Old Dog Mac DeMarco 4.Terrible Signal Terrible Signal 5. Expectations Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda 6. Party Aldous Harding 7. City Music Kevin Morby 8. Occult Architecture, Vol. 2 Moon Duo 9. Channel Four Crepes 10. Lightning Ears Wireheads

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘My Old Man’ Mac DeMarco 2. ‘Darling’ Real Estate 3. ‘Holding On’ The War On Drugs 4. ‘You & I’ Jade Imagine 5. ‘Sleep Drifter’ King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Mild High Club Gizzfest 2. Total Control Meredith 3. Parquet Courts Shimmerlands 4. Kikagaku Moyo Gizzfest 5. The Frowning Clouds The Curtin Top movie/TV show: Bloodline.

Favourite meme of 2017: Receiving a birthday memento.

Highlight of 2017: Getting all dirty in the mosh

to Total Control at Mez. Lowlight of 2017: Finding 11 pieces in a 12-piece Mars Bar share pack I bought.

A Wild Prediction for 2017: King Gizzard won’t release an album.

Name: Eben Rojter

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Bardo State Horrorshow 2. Killer Dan Sultan 3. Train Of Thought Birdz 4. Brutal Dawn Bernard Fanning 5. The Kids Will Know It’s Bullshit Dune Rats 6. Zinc Caiti Baker 7. Everyone We Know Thundamentals 8. Wet Lips Wet Lips 9. Wild And Weak Waax 10. Manual Override Saskwatch

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Here’ Briggs (ft Caiti Baker) 2. ‘Magnetic’ Dan Sultan 3. ‘Richman’ Downsyde 4. ‘Eat That Cake’ Horrorshow 5. ‘Rise’ Birdz (ft Jimblah) Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Einsturzende Neubauten Dark Mofo 2. Dan Sultan The Forum 3. Horrorshow 170 Russell 4. The Peep Tempel Forum 5. Urthboy Corner Hotel Top movie/TV show: The Handmaid’s Tale Favotoite meme of 2017: More of a GIF kinda guy.

Highlight of 2017: Getting a tweet on Q&A. Lowlight of 2017: Not getting a tweet on Eurovision.

A Wild Prediction for 2017: Local hip hop will continue to dominate my top ten...but not solely.

Name: Vanessa Valenzuela, Hip Hop Columnist

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. DAMN. Kendrick Lamar 2. Saturation II Brockhampton 3. Scum Fuck Flower Boy Tyler The Creator 4. 4:44 Jay Z 5. Ctrl SZA 6. The Drum Chord Theory Matt Martians 7. Family Portrait Billy Davis 8. Syre Jade Smith 9. Just Problems You Need To Know Baro 10. Trip Jhene Aiko

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Humble’ Kendrick Lamar 2. ‘Sweet’ Brockhampton 3. ‘911/Mr Lonely’ Tyler The Creator 4. ‘Liona’ Nasty Mars 5. ‘Natural Woman’ Kaiit Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Chance The Rapper Festival Hall 2. Mac Miller 170 Russell 3. J.Cole Margaret Court Arena 4.Remi x Sampa 170 Russell 5. Billy Davis and The Good Lords Max Watt’s Top movie/TV show: Get Out Favourite meme of 2017: Salt Bae. Highlight of 2017: Same-sex marriage legalised.

Lowlight of 2017: Racism is still an ongoing issue.

A Wild Prediction for 2017: Female rappers will dominate the local music charts.

Name: Margy Noble

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. The Dusk In Us Converge 2. Jen Cloher Jen Cloher 3. Drum Gold Class 4. Forever Code Orange 5. Cheat Death, Live Dead!

Shizune 6. Big Skies Mere Women 7. Multi-Task Omni 8. Good Nature Turnover 9. Cable Ties Cable Ties 10. Wild & Weak WAAX Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Garbage Bin’ Tiny Little Houses 2. ‘Chameleon Paint’ Tropical Fuck Storm 3. ‘Jude’ Didirri 4. ‘Fishing With A Shotgun’ Good Boy 5. ‘I’ll Go My Way’ Alexander Biggs Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Golden Plains The Sup 2. WAAX Workers Club 3. Touche Amore/Turnover The Corner Hotel 4. King Gizzard The Catfish

5. Poison City Weekender Top movie/TV show: Broad City Favourite meme of 2017: At this point, 2017 was a meme.

Highlight of 2017: My band released our first single.

Lowlight of 2017: How many men have exploited their positions of power in the entertainment and music industries.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: Beat Magazine for PM. Name: Shaina Glenny

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Created In The Image of Suffering King Woman 2. Loneliness Leaves The Light On For Me Aviator 3. Universe Jess Locke 4. Life Without Sound Cloud Nothings 5. Good Nature Turnover 6. Time Well Cloakroom 7. Scrap Museum TV Haze 8. Power Couple Rad Island 9. Meta YLVA 10. Come Undone Lincoln Le Fevre & The Insiders

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Stoic’ HAVE/HOLD 2. ‘Hierophant’ King Woman 3. ‘Seedless Star’ Cloakroom 4. ‘Feel Our Cold’ Neighbourhood Youth 5. ‘The Bells’ HAVE/HOLD

Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Luca Brasi/Pianos Become The Teeth 170 Russell 2. Touche Amore/Turnover Corner Hotel 3. We Set Sail The Reverence 4. The Pixies Margaret Court Arena 5. Balance and Composure Corner Hotel Top movie/TV show: Atomic Blonde/ Handmaids Tale Favourite meme of 2017: Jimmy Barnes.

Highlight of 2017: YES! Vote winning.

Lowlight of 2017: Manus Island, POTUS, the fact we had to have a plebiscite in the first place.

A Wild Prediction for 2018: White Christmas 2018.

Name: Naj

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Occult Architecture, Vol.2 Moon Duo 2. Slowdive Slowdive 3. Common As Light And Love Are Red Valleys Of Blood Sun

Kil Moon 4. Dedicated To Bobby Jameson Ariel Pink 5. Occult Architecture, Vol.1 Moon Duo 6. Orc Oh Sees 7. Prisoner Ryan Adams 8. London Sessions Follakzoid and J. Spaceman 9. The Best Of Crime Rock Chain And The Gang 10. The Illusion Dream Machine

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Mirror’s Edge’ Moon Duo 2. ‘Sugar For The Pill’ Slowdive 3. ‘Take Care (To Comb Your Hair)’ Ty Segall 4. ‘Dedicated To Bobby Jameson’ Ariel Pink 5. ‘Jettisoned’ Oh Sees

Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Sidney Myer Music Bowl 2. Spiritualized Hamer Hall 3. Aphex Twin Fuji Rock Festival 4. Sun Kil Moon Recital Centre 5. Pussy Riot Arts Centre

Top movie/TV show: Trainspotting 2 Favourite meme of 2017: N/A Highlight of 2017: 40,000 people dancing in torrential rain as Aphex Twin’s noise and lasers beamed across a Japanese ski mountain.

Lowlight of 2017: Malcolm Young’s passing.

A Wild Prediction for 2017: Minidisc will make its comeback.

Name: Bronius Zumeris

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. Close Your Eyes And See Blackeyed Susans 2. Migration Bonobo 3. Lovely Creatures Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 4. Pulse Transit Ashley Davies 5. Go Farther In Lightness Gang Of Youths 6. Intoxicated Women Mick Harvey

7. American Dream LCD Soundsystem 8. Leftism 22 Leftfield 9. Every Country’s Sun Mogwai 10. Sleep Well Beast The National

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘Something Just Like This’ The Chainsmokers & Coldplay 2. ‘Lover Or The Loved’ Blackeyed Susans 3. ‘Empire States’ Black Cab 4. ‘Intro Divide One’ Ashley Davies 5. ‘The Cricketers’ Fountaineer Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. The Church 170 Russell 2. Fountaineer Workers Club 3. My Friend The Chocolate Cake Melbourne Recital Centre 4. Sand Pebbles Flying Saucer Club 5. The Specials Melbourne Zoo Top movie/TV show: AFL Grand Final Favourite meme of 2017: Memo.

Highlight of 2017: Richmond.

Lowlight of 2017: Summer rain is mistaken for the apocalypse.

A Wild Prediction for 2017: Jim Thirlwell inducted into ARIA Hall Of Fame.

Name: Ben Madden

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. SATURATION 2 Brockhampton 2. DAMN. Kendrick Lamar 3. More Scared of You Than You Are of Me The Smith Street Band 4. Stranger Yung Lean 5. Gang Signs and Prayers Stormzy 6. Hey Don’t Worry About It FOLEY! 7. Just Problems You Need To Know Baro 8. Mourn Corbin 9. SATURATION 1 Brockhampton 10. Speeding Allday

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘HUMBLE’ Kendrick Lamar 2. ‘Shine’ The Smith Street Band 3. ‘Boys’ Charli XCX 4. ‘Rockstar’ Post Malone 5. ‘JUNKY’ Brockhampton Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. The Avalanches Melbourne Town Hall 2. Royal Headache Corner Hotel 3. The Smith Street Band Forum Theatre 4. Stormzy The Forum 5. DMA’s Meat Market Top movie/TV show: Brooklyn Nine Nine Favourite meme of 2017: The brain one.

Highlight of 2017: The Avalanches finally playing a headline show again.

Lowlight of 2017: My fidget spinner collection becoming obsolete. 50000 down the drain.

A Wild Prediction for 2017: Tupac returns.

Name: Ian Laidlaw

Top Ten Albums of the Year: 1. More Scared Of You Then You Are Of Me The Smith Street Band 2. Go Farther In Lightness Gang of Youths 3. Pure Comedy Father John Misty 4. Universe Jess Locke 5. The French Press Rolling Blackouts C.F 6. Capacity Big Thief 7. Colors Beck 8. Terrible Human Beings The Orwells 9. DAMN. Kendrick Lamar 10. Lotta Sea Lice Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile

Top Five Singles of the Year: 1. ‘25’ The Smith Street Band 2. ‘What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out’ Gang Of Youths 3. ‘Total Entertainment Forever’ Father John Misty 4. ‘Vacation’ The Orwells 5. ‘Up All Night’ Beck Top Five Gigs of the Year: 1. The Smith Street Band Splendour In The Grass 2. The Orwells Yours And Owls Festival 3. Patti Smith Festival Hall 4. Kingswood The Cambridge Hotel 5. Glass Animals Melbourne Town Hall Top movie/TV show: The Most Popular Girls In School Favourite meme of 2017: Don’t have one.

Highlight of 2017: Stepping up my portrait game, seeing The Smith Street Band rule.

Lowlight of 2017: Lack of sleep.

A Wild Prediction for 2017: More lack of sleep but a lot more photos.

BEAT.COM.AU

25

Reviews

Album of the Year (Our Golden Friend)

Singles Of The Year With Lachlan Kanoniuk G’day everyone and welcome to the 2017th annual edition of Singles Of The Year.

Single Of The Year

Kaiit

Natural Woman (Independent)

It feels so very good. ‘Natural Woman’ is a powerhouse collection of moments: Kaiit’s clinical precision rapped verses, inflected with a balance of plain-spoken word and soulful flourish, memoir narrative standing as a celebration of youthful innocence, blossoming into the year’s best chorus, making for the year’s best song. It’s a love song, but it’s so much more. ‘Natural Woman’ is dense with reward, an impossible fruit providing a lifetime of sustenance. Share it around.

RVG

A Quality Of Mercy (Our Golden Friend)

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: RVG have crafted an all-time classic opening line with “Guess what, it’s pretty unfair / They’re gonna give me the electric chair”. Deftly wry in its silliness, the title track to RVG’s debut dares you not to take it seriously in its evisceration of Middle Australia.

Baker Boy ft Kian

Cloud9 (Independent)

As soon as the didge-lined beat kicks in, ‘Cloud9’ powers on pure velocity as Baker Boy accelerates with his immense rap talent, sublimating between Yolngu Matha and English.

He’s boastful on the hook, talking the talk after walking the walk. The hook by then-14year-old Kian is the icing on the cake.

Spike Fuck

Greatest Hits (Suicide Party 1971) (Independent)

Following up last year’s excellent Smackwave EP, Spike Fuck goes full honky tonk on standalone single ‘Greatest Hits (Suicide Party 1971)’. Country is a good fit for Spike Fuck, treating the genre with heartfelt reverence. A full album of this would go down a treat.

Aldous Harding

Imagining My Man (4AD)

‘Imagining My Man’ flickers between heart-wrenching beauty, effortless devastation, and disarming schoolyard response to snare-syncopated chorus calls. It pains, and provides comforting grace, all in equal measure.

Angie McMahon

Slow Mover (Independent)

The elements on ‘Slow Mover’ are kept deceptively simple, a stop-start strum drawing in with dissonance, while McMahon navigates a scenic route to maximum emotional impact.

A bit of shoosh please for the hushed pre-outro, let it sink in.

Julia Jacklin

Eastwick (Polyvinyl)

Linear in its trajectory, ‘Eastwick’ doesn’t loop around, but it never telegraphs its punches either. And the eventual blow is a knockout one, obliterating its establishment of sanctity with a big, blown-out, fuck-off guitar solo.

Darcy Baylis

Be Patient, Be Tender (Downtime)

Throughout Intimacy & Isolation, Darcy Baylis pushes beyond the boundaries of Melbourne electronica with interpolations of disparate genre. ‘Be Patient, Be Tender’ is a prime example, nesting a comforting space with its vital titular refrain, made all the more comforting with a broken-speaker dip into emo-rap, before providing vivid assurance.

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26 BEAT.COM.AU

RVG

A Quality of Mercy Melbourne’s RVG released an absolute classic earlier this year with their debut album A Quality of Mercy. Taking notes from the likes of The Go-Betweens while sounding consistently original, every minute of this eight song masterpiece is delivered with concision.

The taut, raw emotion of Romy Vager’s vocal delivery and lyrics are balanced out by her classic approach to pop penmanship and a band that understand the power of dynamics.

Having formed for a one-off gig, the Romy Vager Group quite wisely decided to become a regular thing. Anyone who has seen them perform over the last year could attest to their power as a live act, so naturally it made sense to record the album not only as a unit, but actually set up in the Tote bandroom. Consequently the songs are delivered faithfully as they are on stage with a generous application of reverb being the only discernible added production. Said effect is a key ingredient, however, helping to align A Quality of Mercy sonically with its ‘80s influences, such as Echo & the Bunnymen and Joy Division, from the first chiming guitar notes of the title track onwards.

Underpinning everything is a concentrated energy and attitude that gives the record a propulsion that feels genuine and exhilarating. The lyrics are literate and socially conscious, but like all great pop music come wrapped in easily digestible, sweet melodies that reel the listener in with hook after hook.

Having initially launched the album at the Tote in March, and pressing 200 copies of vinyl independently, the release garnered significant praise and the group gigged heavily, their popularity visibly building at the shows. By June they signed a management deal with Our Golden Friend, and when the management group became a record label, thanks to a deal with Island Records/Universal, RVG were the first group signed in October. When they played a powerful and emotional set at Meredith a few weeks ago it felt like a culmination of the year’s efforts and the amount of people that stood enthralled the embodiment of how far the band have come since that album launch in March.

It’s genuinely impressive to see a new act come along and make a guitar based rock album in 2017 that feels this fresh. If you don’t have it, you need this album, and then go see RVG live while they are still playing pubs so you can tell your kids about it one day.

By Alex Watts

SATURDAY 20 JANUARY

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Honourable Mentions

Reviews

(Big Dada/Inertia)

(Barely Dressed/Remote Control)

(Sony)

Gang Of Youths

Gold Class

Sampa The Great

‘Fear and Trembling’ begins the album with the soused piano man troubadour warbling of a Tom Wait’s doppelganger in the autumn of his life. Suddenly, the sense of frenetic stomps in and the song becomes an anthemic catalogue of many questions, and few answers.

Gang of Youths appear to be in total control of their domain with a formidable battle hardened sound. Leader Dave Le’aupepe easily delivers a confident voice to the Australian musical landscape, adopting the role of a rock cavalier. The album covers all points between crushing desperation – ‘Atlas Drowned’– to the atmospheric strut of ‘Keep Me In The Open’. The shorter pieces lend a soothing and restorative flavour to the more expansive creations, such as ‘Achilles Come Down’ which creates a type of aural mist the listener can easily get lost in. ‘Persevere’ becomes a chameleon of melancholy and sadness that suggests they’ve been delving deeply into the soundtracks of ‘70s avant-folk records.

Congenial musings then give way to a thoroughly beautiful instrumental, ‘Le Symbolique’, which scales great heights until being criminally cut short. When songs such as ‘The Heart Is A Muscle’ reach their end, one can sit back and accept that they’ve been privy to a colossal and rewarding listen.

Melbourne post-punk outfit Gold Class arrived on the scene a few years back with minimal fuss and maximum focus, in turn drawing a lot of attention and hype with the release of their debut, 2015’s It’s You. It’s an album of propulsive, robust and razor-sharp post-punk – but perhaps the most exciting thing about listening to it was doing so with the knowledge that the best was yet to come.

Enter Drum, and said promise and potential has been impacted upon in a sizable way. The dynamics between each of the four members expands here, simultaneously drawing out into wider musical spaces and pulling into head-on collisions at precise moments. Opener ‘Twist In The Dark’ will have you doing just that, Evan Purdey’s urgent Andy Gill-esque guitar scratching against Adam Curley’s baritone croon. Elsewhere, ‘Trouble Fun’ reveals a deeper, darker vulnerability, while a rumbling rhythm section hurtles ‘We Were Never Too Much’ along.

Truthfully, it doesn’t really matter which of the ten tracks you chance upon. Both as separate entities and a collective force, Drum provides some of the most rewarding listening one will have all year. The beat goes on.

On Birds And The BEE9, Sampa the Great continues her artistic journey with a musically rich and thoughtful update to her sound established with 2015’s debut, The Great Mixtape.

This release is reflective in nature, with barely an ounce of hip hop bombast, drawing upon African rhythms and chanting, downtempo jazz and a fair amount of singing. Lyrically, these songs see Sampa reflecting on her own life, identity, and worldview, with a level of poetic skill only hinted at previously. Opening and closing with two parts of the same song, ‘Healing’ and ‘Healer’ – which Sampa’s liner notes describe as ‘the listener walking into my wound’ – it’s clear that she’s holding nothing back.

‘Protect Your Queen’ is a standout track, with Sampa flexing her lyrical dexterity over a head-nod beat laced with vibes, organ and jazzy keys. Moving easily between rapping, singing and spoken word, Sampa explores her vocal fluidity in a three and a half minute song, ensuring the lyrics are always at the forefront of the listener’s attention.

A rich and rewarding record, Birds and the BEE9 continues to reveal itself over repeat listens. Sampa is a true artist – fearless, complex and shines all lights of great.

Drum

Go Farther In Lightness

Birds And The BEE9

By David James Young

By Bronius Zumeris

By Alex Watts

Kendrick Lamar

With her self-titled album, Jen Cloher has not only released her most cohesive and honest record yet – she’s also crafted one of this year’s finest albums that’s finally given her the widespread credit she deserves.

Throughout the record, her lyrics are sharp and incisive. But what’s most striking is her evocative depiction of Australian life.

‘Regional Echo’ acts as a stunning centerpiece for the record; a portrait of unfulfilled dreams, prawns languishing in wheelie bins during a curdling summer, and a heartbreaking acceptance of life trapped within an inescapable social structure.

‘Forgot Myself ’ is a grinding take on paranoia. ‘Great Australian Bite’ tackles ‘making it’ as an Australian musician with a deft hand, while ‘Analysis Paralysis’ offers up one of this year’s best takes on the same-sex marriage vote with one foul swoop: “While the Hansonites / Take a plebiscite / To decide / If I can have a wife”. Spat with utter conviction, it’s the perfect example of Cloher’s ability to strip an issue back to its core with nothing but a few succinct sentences.

It’s more than safe to assume that Cloher has more than hit her stride. But here’s where it’s different: she’s got the world’s attention now, and that makes her future releases more exciting than ever.

DAMN. was kept in shrouded in mystery. The album name and track titles withheld, and suppressed until a convenient leak served to generate hype. Days before the albums due date, all songs were also leaked and downloaded by rabid fans.

Unscrupulous downloaders hidden behind VPNs rushed to forum boards to speak of Kendrick Lamar’s new album – each comment adding to a deafening echo chamber of hype and praise.

Most reviews signed off with a proclamation that Kendrick Lamar is the best rapper alive today.

There aren’t many other rappers who can generate such crisp beats, technical flow, and poignant lyrics. Every bar, every track, is a testament to a prodigy showing his expertise. The production is an equal component to the record, treated with the same regard as the writing, or the flow.

Kendrick will certainly suffer some backlash from purists this time around. Anything that generates this level of hype is going to attract invitation for ire, or dismissal from fans. Add in features from U2 and Rhianna and haters are going to have some ammunition.

But you would do well to listen to ‘XXX ‘(featuring U2) before passing judgement; the vocals have serious heat to them. Feel free to diss ‘LOYALTY’ though. It sounds exactly like a hip hop song featuring Rhianna.

Overall, with tracks like ‘YAH’. ‘DNA’, and ‘ELEMENT’, this is one heck of an album. Judge it for yourself, it’s straight fire.

Jen Cloher

By James Di Fabrizio

Damn.

(Universal)

(TDE/Interscope)

(Milk Records!/Remote Control)

Jen Cloher

Lorde

Melodrama Her visceral lyrics are intoxicating and encourage retrospection. Melodrama’s opener ‘Green Light’ explores the compelling post-break up narrative with raw, unapologetic imagery that highlights hurt, vulnerability and resilience. This melodic honesty is sustained throughout the album with other standout tracks ‘Sober’ and ‘Writer in the Dark’.

What makes this album different to her first is that it transforms the moody anesthetised pop of ‘Pure Heroine’ into a creation of awakening and liveliness. There’s a slightly more dance feel wrapped around the raw lyrics this time. This creates an atmosphere of celebratory reflection of the moments that reshape our perspectives of ourselves, our past relationships, and lustful indulgences. Melodrama’s reflective and resilient assertiveness is a celebration of all of this.

By Rose Maurice

By Jimmy Hall BEAT.COM.AU

27

Gig GuideGigs Featured

Murder One: Party for Lemmy

Bendigo Hotel Head down to the Bendigo Hotel and celebrate the second anniversary of Lemmy’s passing by raising a Jack or ten in his honour. The Bendigo will serve $5 Lemmy’s all night long, to go along with Motörhead flash tattoos, t-shirts, merch and DJs spinning the good stuff ! It’s going down on Thursday December 28. Doors open at 4pm. Free entry.

Tennyson King

Whole Lotta Love Canadian folk-rocker Tennyson King is halfway through his massive second, 50date Aussie outing, which includes three shows in Melbourne this December, one of which is at Whole Lotta Love Bar. Having already won over crowds at Australia’s largest busking festival, Buskers

By The Creek in October, Tennyson is fast becoming a popular adopted Aussie. It’s going down on Friday December 29. Doors open at 8pm. Free entry.

Gig Guide This Week Wednesday 27 Dec Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Fight Club - Feat: Meagher/Brown/ O’dwyer/Ferella 303, Northcote. 8:00pm.

Joe Chindamo Bird’s Basement, Melbourne.

7:30pm. $29.00.

Kimba Griffith’s Swing Fling + Farah Siraj Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm.

The Boys Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Bad Bangs + Laguna + Cosmos + More Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5.00.

Creep Diets + Trod + Bakers Eddy + Hangoverdose Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5.00.

Heat Wave + Magpie + Tragic Carpet Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm.

Maya + Sault + Hoi Palloi Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Tennyson King Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Wilson & White

Drunken Poet Troy Wilson & Matthew White (AKA Wilson & White) play nothing but the finest Pre-war, Delta and Chicago blues.

This acoustic duo will take you right back to the source to drink in the original sounds that influence all modern musicians. Catch them at Drunken Poet on Friday December 29. Doors open at 8.30pm.

Amber Isles

Worker’s Club A cheeky end of year show for north-side space rockers Amber Isles with new songs on the bill. With dream team Odd Souls rolling out a debut duo set and the fabulous Mon Shelford in support. It’s going down at Worker’s Club on Friday December 29.

The Meeseeks

The Evelyn Having just released their self-titled debut EP and played venues such as the Tote and the Reverence Hotel, the Meeseeks are quickly making a name for themselves in the Melbourne music scene. Next up they will be playing the Evelyn on Saturday December 30. Entry is only $5 at the door.

Doors open at 8.30pm.

Cash

Prince Public Bar Melbourne rock band Cash are halfway through their Christmas/New Year residency at Prince Public Bar. The allgirl rock band, that are reminiscent of the straight accessibility Divinyls and the imminent doom of Black Mountain, are celebrating the release of new song ‘Ashes & Bones’. Cash are kicking off at 9.45pm on Saturday December 30. Free entry.

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Coq Roq Unplugged - Feat: Various Artists + More Lucky Coq, Windsor. 10:00pm.

Thursday 28 Dec Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Brian El Dorado & The Tuesday People - Feat: Bad Bangs + Gordon Holland & The Mapmakers + Le Fleur Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $7.00.

Cinco Savage + Scorzando + Accidental Bed Fellows Old Bar, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $8.00.

Double Trouble + Jank Facques Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm.

Edamame + Jungle Cuffs + Smöck + Slimer Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8.00.

Eilish Gilligan + Kelso Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:00pm.

Immy Owusu’s Magic Butter Machine + The 9th Dimension + Angelo Migyi Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, North Melbourne.

8:00pm. $10.00.

Inxsive Westernport Hotel, San Remo. 9:00pm. $23.50.

Murder One - A Party For Lemmy - Feat: Various DJs Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 3:00pm.

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets + Hideous Sun Demon + Baked Beans + Body Parts Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm.

Resident Thursdays - Feat: DJ Shadow Pier Live, Frankston. 9:00pm.

Throwback Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm.

Tingy Celestino Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 8:00pm.

Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Augustine Ang Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick. 6:30pm.

Dance Party + Spin Club + Juicy Romance + Georgia Bird + More Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $15.00.

Discoconutz - Feat: More Carlton Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

Fulton Street + Vince Peach + Logan Gibson Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10.00.

José Pincheira + Fred Bolsero Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.

Kimba & Ryan Wesley Anne, Northcote.

6:00pm.

Leroy’s Hammond Trio 303, Northcote.

8:00pm. $10.00.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Backwood Creatures Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:00pm.

F100s Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 9:00pm.

Matt Bradshaw Elephant & Wheelbarrow (St Kilda), St Kilda. 9:30pm.

Open Mic Sloth Bar, Footscray. 8:00pm.

Tennyson King Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.

Friday 29 Dec Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers #Sanctionaustralia - Feat: Amaya Laucirica + Waterfall Person + Pleather Purrs + More Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm. $14.30.

Action Sam Elephant & Wheelbarrow (St Kilda), St Kilda. 11:00pm.

Agent 37 + Bottlecaps + Bombs Are Falling Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Amber Isles + Mon Shelford + Odd Souls Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $7.00.

Astro Boys Royal Hotel (Essendon), Essendon.

10:00pm.

Axillsim + Esp Mayhem + Spawn + Altered Visions + Spew Balloon + Killsnitch Engage Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, North Melbourne. 7:00pm. $5.00.

Ben Carter Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.

6:00pm.

Between You & Me + Turn South + Stranger Penny Black, Brunswick. 8:30pm.

Captain Spalding Band Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 8:00pm.

Chapel Street Social Club - Feat: Phatoamano + Namn + Matt Radovich + More Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.

Chapel Street Social Club - Feat: Phatoamano + Namn + Matt Radovich + More Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.

Diving Headbutt + Indigo Children + Honne//Tatemae Retreat Hotel, Brunswick.

8:00pm.

Joe Terror + Tom Walker & The Sick Inividuals + Tam Vantage Bar Open, Fitzroy.

8:30pm. $10.00.

La Danse Macabre + More Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

Mixed Up Everything Hysteria Lounge, Lilydale. 6:00pm. $10.00.

Palisades - Feat: Who + Sundelin + Finn Od + Casey Leaver + More Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 4:00pm.

Poprocks + Dr Phil Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.

Prayer Babies Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East.

9:30pm.

Social On The Veranda + Youth In Asia + The Diecasts + The Monkey Bunz Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10.00.

The Beverly Chills Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

The Chantoozies + Jam The Funk Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 8:00pm. $32.00.

The Stiffys + Going Swimming The B.East, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.

Void Of Vision + Aburden + Dregg + Better Half Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. $20.00.

Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Anna Morely Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm.

Bohjass + More 303, Northcote. 8:00pm.

DJ Watt Love Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.

9:00pm.

Reverend Funk & The Horns Of Salvation Satellite Lounge, Wheelers Hill. 7:00pm. $17.00.

Shanty Town Open Studio, Northcote. 9:00pm. $12.00.

Soul Sacrifice - The Carlos Santana Songbook Bird’s Basement, Melbourne. 7:30pm. $23.00.

Tamara Kuldin Quartet Lido Jazz Room, Hawthorn. 8:00pm. $25.00.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Jon Toogood Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $20.00.

Max Teakles’ Honky Tonk Piano Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm.

Rattlin’ Bones Blackwood + Catfish Voodoo + Jess Parker & Troubled Waters + Tk Reeves Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Summer Vibes Cushion, St Kilda. 4:00pm.

Tennyson King + Dirt Hand + League Of Bones Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East.

8:00pm.

The Collingwood Casanovas Bar Open, Fitzroy. 6:30pm.

Traditional Irish Music Session Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:00pm.

Wilson & White Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:30pm.

Saturday 30 Dec Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Arnab Sengupta Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.

6:00pm.

Backyard Brew Royal Hotel (Mornington), Mornington. 8:00pm.

Brooke Taylor Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick. 6:30pm.

Cupid’s Cut Fox Hotel (Collingwood), Collingwood. 8:00pm.

DJ Biscotti Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.

9:00pm.

Engine Room + Aydean & Nik Open Studio, Northcote. 2:00pm. $10.00.

Fem Belling Band Lido Jazz Room, Hawthorn. 8:00pm. $25.00.

Floyd Thursby Wesley Anne, Northcote.

6:00pm.

Juan Pirata + Hasta La Cumbia Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.

Kreizy Pachanga Open Studio, Northcote.

7:00pm. $10.00.

Nye 2017 - Feat: Neon Lit Kluge + The Eugene Ball Nonet + More Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

The Duo Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm.

The Official Blues Brothers Revue Satellite Lounge, Wheelers Hill. 8:00pm. $45.00.

Yvette Johansson Bird’s Basement, Melbourne. 7:30pm. $37.00.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Abolicion + Chaingun + Break The Gallows + The Blacktides Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm.

Animal Hands + The Rag Dolls Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 5:00pm.

Featured Gigs

Gig Guide

Brooke Taylor

Bassidi Kone + Rodolfo Panga + Ysk Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 8:30pm.

Carcosa + Grudge! + Headlopper + Creepdiets Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, North Melbourne. 8:00pm. $8.00.

Carousel Club + Backyard + Gumboot + China Beach Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

DJ The Knave Fitzroy Pinnacle, Fitzroy North.

7:00pm.

Keggin + Rad Island + Mannequin Death Squad Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $20.00.

King River Rising Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm.

Maniaxe + Counter Attack + Hand Of Fear Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm. $5.00.

Nye On The Hill - Feat: Ball Park Music + Regurgitator + Japanese Wallpaper + More The Farm, 12:00am. $257.70.

Ross Wilson & The Peaceniks Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 8:00pm. $33.00.

Solar Sounds - The Party To Party Iv - Feat: Various Artists Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 2:00pm. $10.00.

Spoonerisms - Feat: Asha The Masha + Georgia Bird + Red Wood + More Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm.

The Cherry Dolls Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.

The Four Scoops Bar Open, Fitzroy. 6:30pm.

The Meeseeks + Day Of The Clint + Ufo Go Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5.00.

The Senegambian Jazz Band The B.East, Brunswick East. 10:00pm.

The Sunken Sea + Hoi Palloi + Jade Talbot Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Charles Weston Brooke Taylor is a Melbourne-based singer-songwriter and guitarist. Her music style encompasses alternative folk, roots and country-pop elements. She writes about the human condition, drawing listeners in with her strong storytelling and raw emotion. Playing from 6.30pm on Saturday December 30, take a couple hours out of the hectic New Year’s rush and check out Taylor’s mystifying Charles Weston set.

Child

The Spotted Mallard Melbourne’s own heavy blues exports Child return to The Spotted Mallard this New Year’s Eve. Let a wall of amplifiers, a swag of new material and CHILD’s formidable live presence carry you into the new year and a new state of being. Joining them will be FLUFF, psych garage up and comers Pseudo Mind Hive, and special guest PBS 106.7FM DJ’s. It’s going down on Saturday December 31.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk

The Bennies & Frenzal Rhomb

Max Watt’s Frenzal Rhomb and The Bennies are joining forces and throwing “The Best New Years Eve Party That Ever Existed...

Extreme” at Max Watt’s. This year Frenzal Rhomb released their latest album Hi Vis High Tea and toured all over Australia and Canada. The Bennies spent 2017 touring Australia with The Living End, and Europe with The Smith Street Band. Head to Max Watt’s on Saturday December 31. Tickets are $70 from Oztix. Doors open at 8pm.

Jules Boult

Drunken Poet Jules Bolt’s approach to old school blues has the enthusiasm of a young man yet the integrity of traditional blues. His smooth vocals and classic song writing make for a soothing and warm environment in which to spend New Year’s in comparison to the chaotic side of the night. He’ll take over Drunken Poet on Sunday December 31.

Doors open at 4pm with free entry.

The Tarantinos

Bendigo Hotel Inspired by Quentin Tarantino, and an outrageous fascination with the incredible versatile soundtracks accompanying his films, The Tarantinos were born. They play the best known, (and some lesser known) tunes. They’ll be playing at the Bendigo Hotel on Sunday December 31 from 1pm with free entry.

Old Bar Craptacular

The Old Bar Old Bar Craptacular New Year’s Eve event is happening again. There’s been Craptallica, Crap Sabbath and this year they’re bringing you Creedence Crapwater Revival with an all-star band featuring Cash Savage, Slatts (King Parrot), Chris Drane (Tankerville/ Ferla), and more. Also playing is Kahlua Breeze and Fleetwood Crap. $15 on the door on Sunday December 31.

2nd Chance Hysteria Lounge, Lilydale.

6:00pm. $10.00.

Cold Heart Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

9:00pm.

Gemma Donovan + Roman Goldine Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm. $8.00.

Pierce Brothers Westernport Hotel, San Remo.

9:00pm. $34.70.

President Roots Union Hotel (Brunswick), Brunswick. 9:00pm.

The Flaming Mongrels Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:30pm.

Waz E. James Band Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.

Sunday 31 Dec Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Denis Walter + Silvie Paladino + Simon Gleeson + Kane Alexande + More Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne), Southbank.

2:00pm. $70.00.

Grand Wazoo + Jeff Duff & The Soul Queens Bird’s Basement, Melbourne. 7:30pm.

Pbs Soul-A-Go-Go New Year’s Eve Feat: Vince Peach + Miss Goldie + Richie 1250 + Shio + More Night Cat, Fitzroy.

9:00pm. $50.28.

Sammy Owen Royal Hotel (Mornington), Mornington. 8:00pm.

The Substitutes + Billy Miller + Steve Lucas + Kelly Auty + More Satellite Lounge, Wheelers Hill. 7:00pm. $30.00.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Admiral Ackbar’s Dishonourable Discharge + Traumaboys + Where’s Grover? + DJ Grandmaster Vicious Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:00pm.

Amyl & The Sniffers + Peter Bibby’s Dog Act + Pistol Peaches + More Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $20.40.

Bornstein Ultimatum Goathouse Café Roastery, Elsternwick. 4:00pm.

Drunk Mums + Dumb Punts Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $20.00.

Eddie Example Prince Public Bar, St Kilda.

8:00pm.

George Trimmer Band Musicland, Fawkner.

8:30pm. $25.00.

La Danse Macabre + More Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

Milanos New Years Eve 2017 - Feat: Mamma Jam Milano’s Tavern, Brighton. 7:00pm.

Mr. Mcclelland’s Finishing School Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $15.00.

Akin + Nam + Casey Leaver + Olly Davis + More Penny Black, Brunswick. 12:00pm.

Claude Hay + DJ Aaron Smiles Baha Tacos & Tapas Bar, Rye. 8:30pm. $25.00.

Frenzal Rhomb + The Bennies + Hightime + Antonia & The Lazy Susans + Cosmic Kahuna + DJ Snesmega Max Watt’s, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $69.95.

New Years Eve 2017 - Feat: Snack Attack + Dj2p Elephant & Wheelbarrow (St Kilda), St Kilda. 10:00pm.

New Years Evie - Feat: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever + Jade Imagine + The Senegambian Jazz Band + More Bruzzy’s Farm, Tallarook . 8:00pm. $116.30.

Nick Barker & The Monkey Men + DJ Tony Biggs + The Peptides Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 6:00pm. $32.00.

Nye 2017 - Feat: Child + Psuedo Mind Hive + Fluff Spotted Mallard, Brunswick.

6:00pm. $28.12.

Nye @ The Rev - Feat: Habits + Friendships + Lubulwa + Primitive Calculators + More Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 7:00pm. $28.56.

Nye Craptacular - Creedence Crapwater Revival + Creedence Crapwater Revival + Kahlua Breeze + Fleetwood Crap + More Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $15.00.

Nye On The Hill - Feat: Ball Park Music + Regurgitator + Japanese Wallpaper + More The Farm, 12:00am. $257.70.

Olly & Scuzzi Westernport Hotel, San Remo.

9:00pm.

Raw Brit Yarraville Club, Yarraville. 8:00pm. $30.00.

Rehash Hysteria Lounge, Lilydale. 6:00pm. $20.00.

Riffinery Royal Hotel (Essendon), Essendon.

10:00pm.

Scat + Flame Trees - The Chisel/ Barnes Experience Matthew Flinders Hotel, Chadstone. 9:00pm. $44.90.

That Nye Party Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm.

The Smokes Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $20.00.

The Tarantinos Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood.

1:00pm.

The Tarantinos Fitzroy Pinnacle, Fitzroy North.

7:00pm.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Acoustic Sundays - Feat: Michelle Gardiner + Paige Spiers + Paige Smith Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 2:00pm.

Cobra 45S Kevington Hotel, Kevington.

7:00pm.

Homesick Ray & The Mild Bunch Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:30pm.

Jules Boult Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

4:00pm.

Open House Band Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm.

The Black Sorrows With Vika & Linda Memo Music Hall, St Kilda. 7:30pm. $55.00.

Monday 1 Jan Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music 303 Yarra Banks Jam Night 303, Northcote.

8:00pm.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Funny At The Brunny - Feat: Glen Zen + Mo Mann Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 7:00pm.

New Years Evie - Feat: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever + Jade Imagine + The Senegambian Jazz Band + More Bruzzy’s Farm, Tallarook . 8:00pm. $116.30.

Nye On The Hill - Feat: Ball Park Music + Regurgitator + Japanese Wallpaper + More The Farm, 12:00am. $257.70.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Mick Thomas & The Roving Commission + Ayleen O & The Croxton City ShakeUp Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 3:00pm. $33.30.

Tuesday 2 Jan Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Busy Kingdom + Luna Tide + Honeybone Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $7.00.

Lovejoy + Hobsons Bay Coast Guard + Hotel Fifteen Love Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $10.00.

New Years Evie - Feat: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever + Jade Imagine + The Senegambian Jazz Band + More Bruzzy’s Farm, Tallarook . 8:00pm. $116.30.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Klub Muk 303, Northcote. 7:30pm.

Open Mic Night Open Studio, Northcote.

7:00pm.

Reubz, Nina Mccann + Reubz + Nina Mccann Old Bar, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $7.00.

Wednesday 3 Jan Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Albion Place + Gymnastics In The Seventies + Barefoot Spacemen Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Fifth Friend + Tj & Son + Creek Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

Fleet Foxes + Gordi Palais Theatre, St Kilda.

6:30pm. $89.90.

Fleshed Out + Cakefight + Tragic Carpet Yarra Hotel, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. $5.00.

The Brassett-Hounds + Specc8 Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:30pm.

The Deadlips + The Nicoteenagers + Newtown Story + Our Zebra Troy Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, North Melbourne.

7:30pm. $5.00.

The Kooks + The Belligerents Festival Hall, West Melbourne. 7:30pm. $74.90.

Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Albi & The Wolves Open Studio, Northcote.

8:00pm. $5.00.

Bohjass 303, Northcote. 8:00pm.

Bōnewoman Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Michael Griffin Thelonious Monk Octet The Jazzlab, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $20.00.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Mimi Gilbert Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

8:00pm.

Rachel Caddy Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

9:00pm.

Thursday 4 Jan Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Arnab Sengupta + James Mchugh Tago Mago, Thornbury. 8:00pm.

Barefoot Bowls Club + More Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Byo Vinyl The B.East, Brunswick East. 7:00pm.

Byp Iv - Feat: No! Not The Bees! + Clove + Young States + More Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 7:30pm. $10.00.

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Featured Gigs

Gig Guide

NYE

Double Trouble + Jank Facques Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm.

Foster The People Forum Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $84.90.

Mad Mellow + Foggy Notion + Professor Peel Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5.00.

Noless + Rat Child + Hoi Polloi Open Studio, Northcote. 7:30pm. $5.00.

Resident Thursdays - Feat: DJ Shadow Pier Live, Frankston. 9:00pm.

Shukura Chapman Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10.00.

The Marquis + Mount Defiance + Marina Mitchell + Lukewarm Iced Tea Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.

Throwback Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm.

Tingy Celestino Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 8:00pm.

Traut + White Vans + Cakes Old Bar, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $8.00.

Reverence Hotel The Reverence Hotel continues its tradition of hosting some of the most vital music creators from Australia’s music community over New Year’s Eve. This year is no exception with bands like HABITS, friendships, Lubulwa, Primitive Calculators, Freya + DJs. Grab a ticket for $28. Sunday December 31. Opening at 7pm.

Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Sugar Fed Leopards

Theatre Royal Three great bands, tropical drinks and a cruise ship holiday dress code – Let Theatre Royal sail you into the New Year at their New Year’s Eve party. As well as live bands, there will also be DJs Joey Lightbulb and D-TRAIN to keep things moving. Tickets are $39. Opening at 7pm.

NYE RnB & Old School

Khokolat Bar Khokolat Bar is holding a New Year’s Eve RnB and Old School night featuring DJs Damion De Silva, Durmy, Nathaniel Jay Mastro, Yaths, Salvy and Boris. Tickets are $30 from Moshtix and doors open at 8pm.

They will also be doing free drinks (beer, wine and champagne) from 9pm-10.30pm and finger food from 9pm- 11pm.

Albi & The Wolves Wesley Anne, Northcote.

6:00pm.

Discoconutz - Feat: More Carlton Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

Maria Moles & Adam Halliwell Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 9:00pm.

Michael Griffin Thelonious Monk Octet The Jazzlab, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $20.00.

Swooping Duck - Feat: Fifth Friend Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15.00.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Edgelarks + Joe Filisko & Eric Noden Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 6:00pm. $28.12.

Madelena Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick.

6:30pm.

Matt Bradshaw Elephant & Wheelbarrow (St Kilda), St Kilda. 9:30pm.

Open Mic Sloth Bar, Footscray. 8:00pm.

Open Mic Night Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 7:00pm.

Tom Cooney + Angharad Drake + Open Swimmer Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood.

8:00pm. $10.00.

Trainwreck Trio Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm.

Friday 5 Jan Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Drunk Mums VS Dumb Punts

Cherry Bar Two bands that have had huge years with both putting out new singles (The Punts ‘Got it Good’ was a corker and ‘Hot Flush’ that the Mums dropped recently) and touring relentlessly across the country and abroad (Drunk Mums slayin’ a bunch of shows in the UK). Cherry will be open ’til late with DJ’s all night and drink specials.

Tickets are $20 at the door. Doors open 8pm on Sunday December 31.

Freedom Time Festival

Coburg Velodrome The New Year’s Day party at Coburg Velodrome has become well-loved for its clever programming, which typically features a significant disco and house component. The line-up consists of Larry Heard, Leroy Burgess, Ruby Savage and Miles Cleret. Tickets are almost gone by there are final release tickets out for $130 via the Freedom Time website.

Traut

Old Bar An $8 gig with three great upcoming Aussie bands to kick off January – what could be better? Melbourne band Traut will bring their indie-rock sound to the Old Bar while White Vans and Cakes bring a heavier side to the gig with their alternative punk styles.

Doors open at 7.30pm on Thursday January 4 and tickets are available from the door.

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Alma Zygier Quartet The Jazzlab, Brunswick.

8:00pm. $25.00.

Fem Belling Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $30.00.

James Hickey Trio Wesley Anne, Northcote.

6:00pm.

Jess Fairlie Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 6:30pm. $30.00.

Kallidad + Citrus Jam Bar Open, Fitzroy.

8:30pm. $10.00.

Leroy Burgess + More Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $49.69.

Sin Frontera Band Open Studio, Northcote.

9:00pm.

The Jc Little Band Feat. Clancye Milne Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $30.00.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Abolicion + The Patient + The 2Nds The Loft, Warrnambool. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Action Sam Elephant & Wheelbarrow (St Kilda), St Kilda. 11:00pm.

Astro Boys Royal Hotel (Essendon), Essendon.

10:00pm.

Bob Log Iii + More The B.East, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.

Brittle Sun + Winter Sun + Julitha Ryan Tago Mago, Thornbury. 8:30pm.

Cakes + Priceless + Tatemae + Claws & Organs Woody’s Attic Dive, Collingwood.

7:30pm.

Captain Spalding Band Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 8:00pm.

Dark Temple + Drova + Unholy Trip Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:30pm. $7.00.

Einstein’s Toyboys Hysteria Lounge, Lilydale.

6:00pm. $10.00.

Everything Everything + Hatchie The Croxton, Thornbury. 8:00pm. $59.90.

Fridgefest - Feat: Tba Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, North Melbourne. 12:00pm.

Hank Ferguson & The Drifting Villians Fitzroy Pinnacle, Fitzroy North. 9:00pm.

Hannah Kate + Bad Bangs Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 9:00pm.

La Danse Macabre + More Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

Liam Gallagher + More Festival Hall, West Melbourne. 8:15Pm. $99.90.

Mordi + More Sooki Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. $14.30.

Pleasure Model + Rabid Dogs + The Skids + Civic Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Poprocks + Dr Phil Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.

Rick Steward & The Greenmen + Ezekiel Ox + Sarox Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Slug Bucket + Poison Fish + Bronze & Kat O Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm.

So Freshtival - Feat: Big Rig + Kit Kat + Leni + Tobi + Martin King + More Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 4:00pm. $13.00.

Tawls + Jack The Fox + Losumo Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm.

The Ians + The Delloraines + Lemon Daze Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5.00.

The Marquis + Stoka + Zac Saber Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:30pm. $11.00.

The Mavis’s + Ben Ely + The Bambi Kills Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $23.29.

Ute Root + Shepparton Airplane + Moody Beaches + Party Pest Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Warbirds + Shadowqueen + Jarface + Ablaze Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 7:30pm.

Woodland Hunters Retreat Hotel, Brunswick.

9:30pm.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Miss Whiskey Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

8:30pm.

Mr Alford Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:30pm.

Summer Vibes - Feat: Various Artists Cushion, St Kilda. 4:00pm.

Traditional Irish Music Session Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:00pm.

Saturday 6 Jan Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Ba Ba Boom Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.

9:00pm.

Clancye Milne 8Tet Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 6:30pm. $30.00.

Lolo Lovina Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm.

Rebecca Mendoza Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $30.00.

Tamara Kuldin The Jazzlab, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $25.00.

Thando Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $35.00.

The Rookies The Jazzlab, Brunswick. 11:00pm.

The Senegambian Jazz Band Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers A Night In Texas + Forever Ends Here + Hollow World + Zeolite + The City Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $20.00.

Adam Dwyer + More Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm.

Alister Turrill Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm.

Bashka + More Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $12.74.

Blue Dog Cruiser Hysteria Lounge, Lilydale.

6:00pm. $10.00.

Carousel Club + More Woody’s Attic Dive, Collingwood. 9:30pm.

Cigarettes After Sex + More Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm.

Ellery Cohen + James Franklin + Grace King Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $15.00.

Grindcore Festival - Feat: Various Artists + Winter Sun + Julitha Ryan Tago Mago, Thornbury. 2:00pm.

Half/Cut + Single Twin + Requin Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Human Rites + The Bleeding Flares Family Strung Band Gin Lane, Belgrave.

10:00pm.

Infest - Feat: Blunt Shovel + The Nuremberg Code + Demonhead + More Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 11:30am.

Jungle + More The Croxton, Thornbury.

7:30pm. $64.90.

Mylk + Flying Bison + Heart + Soul + The Sunken Sea Workers Club, Fitzroy. 1:00pm. $5.00.

Neon Tetra + Swamp + Joint Ventures + The Belafontes Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Neon Tetra Vinyl Revival, Fitzroy. 12:00pm.

Nth Rd + Taper Valley + Care Factor Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:30pm. $5.00.

Pseudo Mind Hive + Sofala + Gilligan Smiles Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm.

Riffinery Royal Hotel (Essendon), Essendon.

10:00pm.

The Darling Downs Labour In Vain, Fitzroy.

8:00pm.

The Resignators + The Duvtons + The Commonly Insane + Diefm + More Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm. $10.00.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Albi & The Wolves + Sean Nicholas Mcmahon Old Bar, Fitzroy. 4:00pm.

Anna Smyrk + More Compass Pizza, Brunswick East. 7:00pm.

Ciaran Boyle Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

3:00pm.

Hannah Campbell Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 6:00pm.

Kelly Brouhaha + Rose Zita + Thomson Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. $20.00.

Patrick Wilson Duo Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick. 6:30pm.

Ramshackle Army Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.

Sonia + Emma Wall + Kerryn Fields 303, Northcote. 2:00pm.

Sunday 7 Jan Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Dr Crask Bar Open, Fitzroy. 5:00pm.

Joanna Wallfisch Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 6:30pm. $25.00.

Lady Midnight + Benjamin Trillado Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm. $10.00.

Sunday Northern Soul Sessions St Kilda Sports Club, St Kilda. 3:00pm.

Sunset Sounds - Feat: Saskwatch + Alexander Biggs + Mzrizk Victoria Gardens, Prahran. 5:00pm.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Above All + Red Hound + Valley King Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Ben Delves Trio Wesley Anne, Northcote.

4:00pm.

Bornstein Ultimatum Goathouse Café Roastery, Elsternwick. 4:00pm.

Brent Parlane Band Tago Mago, Thornbury.

5:00pm.

Cigarettes After Sex + More Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm.

Dan Lethbridge & Shane O’mara Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 4:30pm.

Fenn Wilson Workers Club, Fitzroy. 10:00am. $10.00.

Forever Ends Here + Daybreak + Shorelines Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 1:00pm. $20.40.

Featured Gigs

Gig Guide Wild City + James Mccann & The New Vindictives + Benzo Workers Club, Fitzroy.

7:30pm. $6.00.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk

Tawls

Wesley Anne Tawls is the collaboration of singersongwriter Anna-Katarina (Wonderchild) and pianist/producer Ronan (Little Seal).

The project is a goldmine of original songs and stories which draw on a mix of folk, pop and electronica. Fresh from a six month writing period in Berlin, Tawls are coming to Australia to tour their new single ‘SeeSaw’. Head to Wesley Anne from 8pm on Friday January 5. Entry is $10.

Dark Temple

Whole Lotta Love Bar Melbourne’s prog doomers, Dark Temple play Whole lotta Love on Friday January 5 with special guests Drova and psyche rockers Unholy Trip. $7 entry. Doors open 8.30pm.

Slug Bucket

Brunswick Hotel Slug Bucket are finally releasing their EP ‘Glad Yas Liked It’. With some of the finest punk rock bands joining them on the stage for their EP launch at the Brunswick Hotel.

This is not one to miss. It’s going down on Friday January 5. Free entry. Doors open 8pm.

BYP IV

Reverence Hotel Born Yesterday Music presents BYP IV. Featuring No! Not The Bees, Clove, Young States, Oaks and Fear Of Flying Objects.

Come out for a beer and support local pop punk and punk rock. Doors open at 7.30pm on Friday January 5 and tickets are available for $10 from the door.

Acoustic Sundays - Feat: Michelle Gardiner + Paige Spiers + Paige Smith Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 2:00pm.

Albi & The Wolves Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 4:00pm.

Boadz Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:30pm.

Cisco Caesar Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm.

Diana Radar Old Bar, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $8.00.

Lucy Wise + Domini Forster Open Studio, Northcote. 2:00pm. $10.00.

Songwriter Sessions - Feat: Penelope Swales + Alice Williams + Paul Andrew Carey Union Hotel (Brunswick), Brunswick.

5:00pm.

The Big Southern + Whiskey Dram + Nathan Seeckts Reverence Hotel, Footscray.

3:00pm.

The Chris Pickering Experiment Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.

The Terry Mccarthy Special Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 5:00pm.

Twilight In Tulsa Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 6:00pm.

Monday 8 Jan Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Andrea Keller + The Composer’s Circle The Jazzlab, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $15.00.

Anna Morley Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Georgia Van Etten + Alister Turrill Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $15.00.

The Monday Bone Machine - Feat: T-Rek + More Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

Wind It Up + More Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:00pm.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Jordan Sweeto Wrangler Studios, Footscray.

5:30pm. $18.40.

Tuesday 9 Jan Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers The Do Yo Thangs

B.East Minty fresh alternative R&B band The Do Yo Thangs share their silky bangers and their new lineup at The B.East, with support from alt soul powerhouse Tiaryn.

Doors open at 8pm with free entry. Head on over on Saturday January 6.

InFest

Brunswick Hotel Headlined by death metal legends Blunt Shovel and alternative rockers Khan, this festival will bring you everything you need to satisfy your metal needs. Jam-packed full of upcoming metal bands and free entry, there’s so many reasons to make this your first metal gig of the year. Rock out on Saturday January 6. Doors open at 12pm.

Pseudo Mind Hive

Post Office Hotel Get ready to kick off 2018 at The Post Office Hotel with phasers, fuzz, a little bit of reverb and a fuck ton of delay. Headliners Pseudo Mind Hive will be joined by NSW band Sofala and Gilligan Smiles starting at 9pm. Head to Post Office Hotel on Saturday January 6. Free entry.

Busy Kingdom + Luna Tide + Honeybone Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $7.00.

Flying Bison + The Quirks + Jess Deluca Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $8.00.

Parcels + More Corner Hotel, Richmond.

7:30pm. $22.99.

The Engagement + Parmy Dhillon + Russia Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood.

7:30pm. $11.00.

Wdk + Nina Buchanan + Makeda + Poison Howler, Brunswick. 7:00pm.

Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Audrey Powne The Jazzlab, Brunswick.

8:00pm. $15.00.

Otira + Brass Laughter Open Studio, Northcote. 7:30pm. $10.00.

Uncomfortable Science - Feat: Lachlan Mitchell + More Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Brooke Russell Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.

Open Mic Night Tago Mago, Thornbury.

6:30pm.

Wednesday 10 Jan

Resident Thursdays - Feat: DJ Shadow Pier Live, Frankston. 9:00pm.

Throwback Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm.

Tingy Celestino Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 8:00pm.

Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk

French Jazz Project + Daniel Gassin Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $25.00.

Haywood + Keller + Schauble The Jazzlab, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $20.00.

Nishla Smith Quartet Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $25.00.

Oi Dipnoi + Lucy Wise Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers

Ben Carter Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

8:00pm.

Jess Parker & The Troubled Waters Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 9:00pm.

Matt Bradshaw Elephant & Wheelbarrow (St Kilda), St Kilda. 9:30pm.

Open Mic Sloth Bar, Footscray. 8:00pm.

Rachel Baiman + One Up + Two Down Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 6:00pm. $23.01.

The Devil Goat Family String Band Open Studio, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Winnick Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick.

6:30pm.

Fifth Friend + Tj & Son + Creek Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

Foreign Correspondent + Lunar Tide + Valentine Dial Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $5.00.

Four Year Strong + Knocked Loose + Outright + Bad Juju Corner Hotel, Richmond.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk 7:30pm. $65.00. & Covers Knuckle Puck + Roam + Stand Atlantic + Bukowski Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $42.90. Action Sam Elephant & Wheelbarrow (St Kilda), Pup Tentacle + More Workers Club, Fitzroy.

St Kilda. 11:00pm.

8:30pm. $8.00.

All The Colours The B.East, Brunswick East.

9:30pm.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Astro Boys Royal Hotel (Essendon), Essendon.

10:00pm.

Folk Bullhorn + The Seven Ups + DJ Chelsea Jessica Lorraine Drunken Poet, West Wilson Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $20.00.

Melbourne. 9:00pm.

Captain Spalding Band Customs House Molsky’s Mountain Drifters + Hotel, Williamstown. 8:00pm.

Appalachian String Band Spotted Mallard, DJ Chris Xynos Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.

Brunswick. 6:00pm. $23.01.

9:00pm.

Monthly Blues Jam - Feat: Julian James Easy Brown’s Truckstop Chicken Jam Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 7:00pm.

Band Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Violett Fraser Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. Georgia Van Etten + Alister Turrill + More 8:00pm.

Workers Club (Geelong), Geelong. 8:00pm. $12.25.

Green Blanket + Routines + Vicuna Coat Tago Mago, Thornbury. 8:30pm.

Jaala + Html Flowers + Closet Straights John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. $15.00.

Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & Jeremy Costa + White Summer + Creek Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, North Melbourne.

World Music 8:30pm. $15.00.

Brandon Allen Quartet Paris Cat Jazz Club, Killed By Technology + Rival Fire + Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $25.00.

Andrew Lucas Hall Northcote Social Club, Dan Bolton Quartet Paris Cat Jazz Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $15.64.

Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $25.00.

La Danse Macabre + And More Rainbow Daniel Gassin Trio The Jazzlab, Brunswick.

Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

8:00pm. $15.00.

Pearl - The Ultimate Janis Joplin Show Discoconutz - Feat: More Carlton Club, Hysteria Lounge, Lilydale. 6:00pm. $19.00.

Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

Peter Bibby + Undefined Evelyn Hotel, Willow Wave + Kong Kord Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $7.00.

Rawhead + Clogged + Mindrippa + Yasukazu Kano Wesley Anne, Northcote.

Maggot Bath Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick 8:00pm. $20.00.

East. 8:00pm. $5.00.

Team Love Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, 6:00pm.

The Chameleons + Panic Syndrome + Punk & Covers Bitumen + DJ Lobotomy Corner Hotel, 50 Lions + Born Free + Imprisoned + Richmond. 8:30pm. $54.00.

Clove + More Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood.

The Cherry Dolls Tote Hotel, Collingwood.

7:30pm.

8:00pm. $13.30.

Byo Record Night Tago Mago, Thornbury.

Totally 80’S Musicland, Fawkner. 9:00pm.

7:00pm. $10.00.

E4444e + Cooper Bowman Post Office Twelve Foot Ninja + Caligula’s Horse + Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm.

I Built The Sky 170 Russell, Melbourne Cbd. Eastbound Buzz + Del Boca Vista + Shiva 8:30pm. $43.97. & The Hazards Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick Video Breezy + Tam Vantage Post Office East. 7:30pm.

Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm.

Fomo By Night - Feat: Kaytranada + Post Malone + Sza + More Festival Hall, West Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & Melbourne. 6:00pm.

World Music Gyroscope + Horror My Friend + Sweet Gold Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. $38.75.

Blunderbuss Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm.

Jeremy Costa + Maya + La Hazel Sooki $10.00.

Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. $14.30.

Chris Tanner Quartet Paris Cat Jazz Club, Meruka + Teenage Dads + Tina Growls Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $30.00.

Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Haywood + Keller + Schauble + Slater The Polaris + Young Lions + Thornhill + Better Jazzlab, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $25.00.

Half Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. James Hickey Trio Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm.

8:00pm. $20.00.

Mel Searle Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. Remi + DJ Sezzo Snot + Lossless Northcote 8:00pm. $30.00.

Social Club, Northcote. 8:00pm.

Soul Chic Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 6:30pm. $30.00.

Friday 12 Jan

Thursday 11 Jan

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Featured Gigs

Gig Guide Willow Wave + Jac Beth + Stranger Things Compass Pizza, Brunswick East. 7:00pm.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk

Parcels

Corner Hotel Byron Bay band Parcels reached international success with their highly acclaimed single ‘Overnight’ and since have taken up residency in Berlin. They’ll return home in January to once again play Australia’s stages. Their live set is consistently energetic, live the young musicians best deliver their infectious confidence and contagious beat. Don’t miss their fun, explosive and emotive live set this Tuesday January 9 at The Corner. Tickets are $23.

Tijuana Cartel

The Gasometer Tijuana Cartel is an east-meets-west wonderland. A sensory overload, euphoria, fat beats and heavy, bass-fuelled electronica live band. They’ve graced Australia’s biggest stages: Splendour In The Grass, Falls Festival, Woodford Folk Festival & Peak Festival. On Thursday January 11 they take over The Gaso stage. Doors at 8pm, and tickets are $30 on the door.

Willow Wave

Compass Pizza Willow Wave’s jazz fusion-folk informed originals breathe unspoken emotion and for free entry, their Compass Pizza gig can’t be missed. Playing from 7pm on Friday January 12, Compass Pizza will become a haven for those who enjoy a night out with good music and good food.

Uncle Geezer

Last Chance Rock N Roll Bar Grindcore, punk and hardcore bands including Tassie act Uncle Geezer will take to the Last Chance stage on Saturday January 13. This free gig will be bloody insane so if you’re a fan of any of the bands or even just the genre head down at 3pm.

Unlocking The Doors

Musicland Unlocking The Doors is a powerhouse production that takes you back in time. It’s a near-theatrical experience delivering a very personal interpretation of four legendary artists, with hard-won musical authenticity the key. Head to Bebe’s Whisky & Wine Bar, Musicland on Saturday January 13.

Doors open at 8.30pm and tickets are $23.

Bec Goring

Edinburgh Castle Electrifying guitarist and singer-songwriter Bec Goring blurs the boundaries between blues and soul. She fills audiences with her sweet vocals backed by a never-ending bag of blues infused riffery and has been hailed as ‘an incredibly accomplished guitarist’ by Mia Dyson. She’ll be playing a free gig at Edinburgh Castle on Saturday January 13.

Head down at 6pm to catch her set.

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Dan Vogl + Hey Mammoth + Our Zebra Troy + Floss Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Graeme James Wesley Anne, Northcote.

8:00pm. $18.00.

Luke Austen Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

8:30pm.

Summer Vibes - Feat: Various Artists Cushion, St Kilda. 4:00pm.

Traditional Irish Music Session Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:00pm.

Saturday 13 Jan House, Electro, Trance & Club Nights DJ Chips & Salad Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 9:00pm.

DJ Gunsul + Andreas König + Metallic Jelly Loop, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.

Dolly La Di Da, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

Electric Dreams - Feat: Various DJs Co., Southbank. 9:30pm. $20.00.

House Party Sloth Bar, Footscray. 9:00pm.

Jank Facques Carlton Club, Melbourne Cbd. 12:10Am. Jfb + Shambala + Lickweed + Ed Solo 24 Moons, Northcote. 10:00pm. $20.00.

Jordan Rakei + Wallace + Noah Slee Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $39.90.

Kinky Malinki + Saul Bliss + Henton + Boyblewe + More Pawn & Co, South Yarra.

7:00pm.

Mashd N Kutcher Co., Southbank. 10:00pm. $20.00.

Snack Attack With DJ 2P Elephant & Wheelbarrow (St Kilda), St Kilda. 10:00pm.

Spritz Saturdays + Various DJs The Emerson, South Yarra. 12:00pm. $40.00.

Urban Oasis - Section 8 Beach Party - Feat: The Operatives + Sk Simeon + Autosea + Francis Inferno Orchestra + More Section 8, Melbourne Cbd. 3:00pm.

Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Alinta & The Jazz Emperors Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $30.00.

Charlotte Jane + Joe Ruberto Trio The Jazzlab, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $25.00.

Galata Express + DJ Adriana Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $15.00.

Georgie Darvidis & Justin Fermino Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $30.00.

Madre Monte Open Studio, Northcote.

8:30pm. $10.00.

Michelle Nicolle Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $30.00.

The Black Sorrows Satellite Lounge, Wheelers Hill. 8:00pm. $32.00.

Vocal Jam Session The Jazzlab, Brunswick.

11:00pm.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Alice Remains + Australian Faith No More Show Musicland, Fawkner. 9:00pm. $20.00.

Alister Turrill Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm.

Australian Bon Jovi Show + Coverdale + X-Halen Max Watt’s, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $23.50.

Birthday Party - Feat: Various Artists + More Tago Mago, Thornbury. 8:00pm.

Bonez - Feat: The Second Sex + I Have A Goat + More Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy.

8:00pm. $10.00.

Bowie Unzipped Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 7:00pm. $40.00.

Eyesores + Singing Lessons Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm.

Flogs + Love Joy + More Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $9.56.

Kim Salmon Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

Let’s Get Natural - Feat: Sunshine + Kids Table + Jordan Brando + Butters + More Howler, Brunswick. 4:00pm. $16.00.

Longboys Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Malcura + The Tarantinos + Birdcage Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. $13.00.

Paris Plan + Le Fleur + Blondel Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10.00.

Rasta Unity Workers Club, Fitzroy. 1:00pm. $10.00.

Richie Sambora + Orianthi + The Choirboys Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 9:00pm. $95.90.

Riffinery Royal Hotel (Essendon), Essendon.

10:00pm.

Rudely Interrupted + More Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 2:00pm. $15.00.

Shouse + Lucy Cliche + India Grace John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. $10.00.

The Creases + More Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $15.00.

Uncle Geezer + Dead Root + No Cash + Kill Snitch Engage Last Chance Rock And Roll Bar, North Melbourne. 3:00pm.

Unlocking The Doors Musicland, Fawkner.

9:00pm. $20.00.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Alfanant Compass Pizza, Brunswick East.

8:00pm.

Bec Goring Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.

6:00pm.

Ben Smith Band Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy.

9:30pm.

Breaking Trad Spotted Mallard, Brunswick.

6:00pm. $33.23.

Daz Gray Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick.

6:30pm.

Paul Reid Longplay, Fitzroy North. 8:00pm. $13.24.

The Glorious Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

9:00pm.

The Glorious North + The Grapes + The Slow Fades Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $15.00.

The Tipplers Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

3:00pm.

Sunday 14 Jan Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Bornstein Ultimatum Goathouse Café Roastery, Elsternwick. 4:00pm.

Bowie Unzipped Satellite Lounge, Wheelers Hill. 3:00pm. $30.00.

Exquisitor + Sndwnr + Pocket Clock Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.

Future Of The Left + Batpiss + Suds Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $53.46.

High Society + More Workers Club, Fitzroy.

7:30pm. $8.00.

Jaytech + More Grumpy’s Green, Fitzroy.

3:00pm.

Jeremy Costa Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.

Middlemarch + More Workers Club, Fitzroy.

1:00pm. $10.00.

Sunday Brunday - Feat: Hockey Łane + Scot Mcdade + Micky D + More Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 2:00pm.

The Xx Forum Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $119.90.

Trollfest + Troldhaugen + Valhalore​+ ​ Beast​​Impailor Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $30.00.

Unlocking The Doors Sooki Lounge, Belgrave.

7:00pm. $24.50.

Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Bernadette Novembre + Jourdain Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10.00.

Buck Edwards Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick.

4:00pm.

Johnny Can’t Dance Open Studio, Northcote.

8:00pm.

Peppercorn Jazz Band Open Studio, Northcote. 5:30pm.

Smith & Jones + Pj & Tele Open Studio, Northcote. 2:00pm. $5.00.

Sunset Sounds - Feat: The Bamboos + Jazz Party + DJ Elle Young Central Park, 4:00pm.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk Acoustic Sundays - Feat: Michelle Gardiner + Paige Spiers + Paige Smith Customs House Hotel, Williamstown. 2:00pm.

Al Carr & The Strong Arm Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 5:00pm.

Brooke Russell & The Mean Reds Post Office Hotel, Coburg. 4:30pm.

Chris Wilson + Shannon Bourne + Fenn Wilson Memo Music Hall, St Kilda. 2:00pm. $18.00.

Front Porch + Tom & Jerry + Slim Pickins Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 3:30pm.

Mayfair Lane + Benoit + Rosella Whole Lotta Love, Brunswick East. 8:00pm.

Midnight Creeps Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy.

4:00pm.

Mimi Gilbert Wesley Anne, Northcote. 4:00pm.

The Alan Ladds Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

4:00pm.

Ultrafox Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 4:00pm.

Water For The Well Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:30pm.

Monday 15 Jan Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Rasta Unity + More Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy.

8:30pm. $10.00.

Stick To Your Guns + Being As An Ocean + Hindsight + Cast Down Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. $50.31.

The Monday Bone Machine - Feat: T-Rek + More Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Paul Williamson Quintet The Jazzlab, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $15.00.

Tuesday 16 Jan Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin & World Music Audrey Powne The Jazzlab, Brunswick. 8:00pm. $15.00.

Uncomfortable Science - Feat: Lachlan Mitchell + More Boney, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.

Indie, Rock, Pop, Metal, Punk & Covers Busy Kingdom + Creek + Sons Of Rico Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $7.00.

Doona Waves + Emma Russack + Sagamore Howler, Brunswick. 7:00pm.

Fake Sibling + Winter York + Once Were Wild Workers Club, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $10.00.

The Engagement + Ok Sure + Tempus Sun Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 7:30pm. $11.00.

Acoustic/Country/Blues/ Folk John Barrowman Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne), Southbank. 7:30pm. $79.00.

Open Mic Night Tago Mago, Thornbury.

6:30pm.

Pina Tuteri Drunken Poet, West Melbourne.

8:00pm.

This Space Could Be Yours

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Interviews

Richie Sambora Under the RSO banner, Richie Sambora pairs up with legendary guitar slayer and singer Orianthi Panagaris (AKA Ori) for a duo in the mould of Sonny and Cher, but with serious rock chops.

“I used Paul McCartney as a consultant: that’s how good my life is.”

The pair have been playing together since they met courtesy of Alice Cooper, in whose band Ori was playing at the time following her stint with Michael Jackson as his lead guitarist. Sambora unabashedly describes this rock’n’roll meeting as musical love at first sight. “I happened to be in Maui that year and Alice was doing a show,” he says. “I hadn’t seen him in a few years and he found out I was on the island and gave me a call, and goes, ‘Do you want to play this gig?’ Of course I said, ‘Yeah man’.

“I went to rehearsal and saw Ori. Alice and I were sitting down and catching up and I said, ‘Who the hell is that?’ and he said, ‘Oh, that’s Orianthi, she used to play with Michael Jackson. She plays with me now,’ and I went, ‘No, she plays with me now.’ I stole her. We knew there was something there immediately. There was definitely kinetic energy happening, but then when we played together, we knew something was going to happen at some point.”

Something sure as hell did happen, because since teaming up in 2014, Sambora estimates that they’ve written easily over 70 songs. Hell, they’ve written another five in this last week on vacation. “That’s what we do for fun,” he says. Notwithstanding their prodigious output, RSO have decided to drip feed fans with five-track EPs, the first being Rise and the second Making History, both of which were released this year. “That’s the way people are doing it nowadays, it’s a different business,” Sambora explains of the decision. “It gives people a bit more time to digest. There’s not so many things at one time.”

RSO have also installed a home studio to make the process even easier. “RSO Kitchen Studios,” Sambora

says. “It happened by accident. We’d sit down in the morning with a cup of coffee and a couple of guitars and start writing, and then when we got Bob [Rock, Bon Jovi producer] involved, he said, ‘I could set up a really amazing studio for you right here.’ The advantage of being right there was really working for us. So, I said, ‘Alright, let’s do it.’ We’ve got really great equipment and I have an opendoor policy in my house.

“I have a lot of musician friends; people walk in and out and we have a lot of fun doing it that way. You wake up in the morning, whether it’s seven o’clock or four AM and you have an idea, you throw it down. It expedites the process, and it’s fun because you can do it in your drawers.”

You get a real sense of glee and wonder from Sambora when he talks about how his life has panned out. That this kid from Jersey has come a long way is not something he takes for granted. “I’d be an arse if I wasn’t grateful,” he says. He swings back to his musical mates, by way of example. When RSO were recording their latest single, the pre-Christmas anti-war fable ‘One Night of Peace’, he just happened to bump into Beatles pal Paul McCartney.

“I said, ‘Hey Paul, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say come

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down to the studio and check out some of our new stuff,’ and he said, ‘Alright buddy, I’ll be there about 1.30.’ I say to myself, ‘He ain’t coming,’ so I didn’t tell anybody else, and then he walked in. He rode his bike. He walked into the studio and everybody was freaking out. We sat down and I played him a couple of things, ‘Magic’ and ‘One Night of Peace’, and he goes, ‘Mate, you have to put a guitar solo in the middle of that,’ and I said, ‘Yes sir,’ and I did it right 3 3 there and 2then.

4 Paul McCartney 5 4 “I used as a5consultant: that’s how good my life is. How does that happen?”

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Richie Sambora and Orianthi’s RSO will take over Prince Bandroom on Saturday January 13. Rise and Making History are out now via BMG.

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Unbreak 1 Unbreak A home yourfor your 3 Afor home poops poops Meat 6 tube Meat tube Bus10 stop forstop for Bus airplanes airplanes Non11dayNon day Inanimate farm 14 Inanimate farm worker worker Year15in a book Year in a book See16 through wall See through wall

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House 1 skeleton House skeleton Water 2 motorcycle Water motorcycle Long 3 boring Longone boring one way conversation way conversation 4 Hot4food drink Hot food drink 5 Bird5clothes Bird clothes 7 Upper warmer 7 lip Upper lip warmer 8 Sleep hat 8 Sleep hat 9 Hot9potato Hot strips potato strips on a bit map 12 Green 12 bit Green on a map 13 Pasta 13 cake Pasta cake

Melbourne Overheard facebook.com/melbourne.overheard

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1 House skeleton 2 Water motorcycle NEW TALENT AGENCY SEEKING DJ'S, BANDS AND ALL MUSICAL ACTS paid work please email 3 forLong boring oneus your details to: LFdemosnow@gmail.com way conversation 4 Hot food drink 5 Bird clothes 7 Upper lip warmer

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BASS PLAYER AVAILABLE. Located in the western suburbs with 37 years of experience. Funk/blues/soul/rock. Available to tour. Pro Gear.

Phn: 0430 274 728 Email: ausmuso@virginbroadband.com.au

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EXTRA 19–28 JANUARY 6PM–MIDNIGHT FREE ENTRY ART. DJS. BARS. FOOD. IDEAS. DANCE. DESIGN. ONLY AT NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA

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Neri Oxman (designer); Mediated Matter Group (design collaborator); Stratasys Ltd. (manufacturer) Vespers, Series 2, Mask 1 (detail) from The New Ancient collection 2016. Collection of the artist and Stratasys Ltd. 36 BEAT.COM.AU Minnesota ©Neri Oxman, Image courtesy Mediated Matter Group, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Neri Oxman is supported by anonymous donors.

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